What is the meaning of the statement in the Bible that God created human beings in His own image?

[Reply to a question by Shri Anil] Swami replied: Human beings are the best lot among all the items of creation. But God is better than the best human being. God has no simile to compare with since there is no second item that is equal to Him (Na tat samaḥ…—Veda). But if we want to bring in some approximate simile to compare with God, it can be only the human being. Beyond the imaginable creation, there is only one unimaginable God and there is no second unimaginable item that can be compared to Him. We can only bring a second item as a simile for God from the imaginable creation. That simile for God can be only the human being, which is the best in the imaginable world. The Gītā says that the human being is the best item of creation (parā prakṛtī). This is the meaning of the word “own image”.

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| Shri Datta Swami | What is the meaning of the statement in the Bible that God created human beings in His own image? | Na tat samah