CHAPTER TWENTY

Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Instructs Sanātana Gosvāmī in the Science of the Absolute Truth

Text

eka bandī chāḍe yadi nija-dharma dekhiyā
saṁsāra ha-ite tāre mukta karena gosāñā

Synonyms

eka bandī — one imprisoned person; chāḍe — one releases; yadi — if; nija-dharma — one’s own religion; dekhiyā — consulting; saṁsāra ha-ite — from material bondage; tāre — him; mukta karena — releases; gosāñā — the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Translation

“If one releases a conditioned soul or imprisoned person according to religious principles, he himself is also released from material bondage by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”

Purport

It appears from this statement that Sanātana Gosvāmī, who was formerly a minister of the Nawab, was trying to cheat the Muslim superintendent. A jail superintendent had only an ordinary education, or practically no education, and he was certainly not supposed to be very advanced in spiritual knowledge. But just to satisfy him, Sanātana Gosvāmī praised him as a very learned scholar of the scriptures. The jailkeeper could not deny that he was a learned scholar, because when one is elevated to an exalted position, one thinks oneself fit for that position. Sanātana Gosvāmī was correctly explaining the effects of spiritual activity, and the jailkeeper connected his statement with his release from jail.

tabe — thereafter; sei — that; yavana — meat-eater; kahe — says; śuna — just hear; mahāśaya — my dear sir; tomāre — you; chāḍiba — I would release; kintu — but; kari rāja-bhaya — I am afraid of the government.

Translation

In this way Sanātana Gosvāmī convinced the jailkeeper, who replied, “Please hear me, my dear sir. I am willing to release you, but I am afraid of the government.”

Texts 10-11

Bengali

সনাতন কহে, — “তুমি না কর রাজ-ভয় ।
দক্ষিণ গিয়াছে যদি লেউটি’ আওয়য় ॥ ১০ ॥

তাঁহারে কহিও — সেই বাহ্যকৃত্যে গেল ।
গঙ্গার নিকট গঙ্গা দেখি’ ঝাঁপ দিল ॥ ১১ ॥

Text

bhavat-vidhāḥ — like you; bhāgavatāḥ — advanced devotees; tīrtha-bhūtāḥ — personified holy places of pilgrimage; svayam — personally; prabho — my lord; tīrthī-kurvanti — make into holy places; tīrthāni — all the holy places of pilgrimage; sva-antaḥ-sthena — situated within their hearts; gadā-bhṛtā — by Lord Viṣṇu, who carries a club.

Translation

“ ‘Saints of your caliber are themselves places of pilgrimage. Because of their purity, they are constant companions of the Lord, and therefore they can purify even the places of pilgrimage.’

Purport

This verse was spoken by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira to Vidura in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.13.10). Vidura was returning home after visiting sacred places of pilgrimage, and Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was receiving his saintly uncle. In essence, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was saying, “My dear Lord Vidura, you yourself are a holy place because you are an advanced devotee. People like you always carry Lord Viṣṇu in their hearts. You can revitalize all holy places after they have been polluted by the pilgrimages of sinners.”

A sinful person goes to a holy place of pilgrimage to be purified. In a holy place, there are many saintly people and temples of Lord Viṣṇu; however, the holy place becomes infected with the sins of many visitors. When an advanced devotee goes to a holy place, he counteracts all the sins of the pilgrims. Therefore Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira addressed Vidura in this way.

Since an advanced devotee carries Lord Viṣṇu within his heart, he is a moving temple and a moving Viṣṇu. An advanced devotee does not need to go to holy places, for wherever he stays is a holy place. In this connection, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura states, tīrtha-yātrā pariśrama, kevala manera bhrama: visiting holy places is simply another type of bewilderment. Since an advanced devotee does not need to go to a holy place, why does he go? The answer is that he goes simply to purify the place.

Text 58

Bengali

ন মেঽভক্তশ্চতুর্বেদী মদ্ভক্তঃ শ্বপচঃ প্রিয়ঃ ।
তস্মৈ দেয়ং ততো গ্রাহ্যং স চ পূজ্যো যথা হ্যহম্‌ ॥ ৫৮ ॥

Text

na me ’bhaktaś catur-vedī
mad-bhaktaḥ śva-pacaḥ priyaḥ
tasmai deyaṁ tato grāhyaṁ
sa ca pūjyo yathā hy aham

Synonyms

na — not; me — My; abhaktaḥ — devoid of pure devotional service; catuḥ-vedī — a scholar in the four Vedas; mat-bhaktaḥ — My devotee; śva-pacaḥ — even from a family of dog-eaters; priyaḥ — very dear; tasmai — to him (a pure devotee, even though born in a very low family); deyam — should be given; tataḥ — from him; grāhyam — should be accepted (remnants of food); saḥ — that person; ca — also; pūjyaḥ — worshipable; yathā — as much as; hi — certainly; aham — I.

Translation

“[Lord Kṛṣṇa said:] ‘Even though a person is a very learned scholar of the Sanskrit Vedic literatures, he is not accepted as My devotee unless he is pure in devotional service. However, even though a person is born in a family of dog-eaters, he is very dear to Me if he is a pure devotee who has no motive to enjoy fruitive activity or mental speculation. Indeed, all respects should be given to him, and whatever he offers should be accepted. Such devotees are as worshipable as I am.’

Purport

This verse is included in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (10.127), compiled by Sanātana Gosvāmī.

Text 59

Bengali

বিপ্রাদ্‌দ্বিষড়্ গুণযুতাদরবিন্দনাভ-
পাদারবিন্দবিমুখাৎ শ্বপচং বরিষ্ঠম্‌ ।
মন্যে তদর্পিত-মনোবচনেহিতার্থ-
প্রাণং পুনাতি স কুলং ন তু ভূরিমানঃ ॥ ৫৯ ॥

Text

viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād aravinda-nābha-
pādāravinda-vimukhāt śva-pacaṁ variṣṭham
manye tad-arpita-mano-vacanehitārtha-
prāṇaṁ punāti sa kulaṁ na tu bhūri-mānaḥ

Synonyms

viprāt — than a brāhmaṇa; dvi-ṣaṭ-guṇa-yutāt — who is qualified with twelve brahminical qualifications; aravinda-nābha — of Lord Viṣṇu, who has a lotuslike navel; pāda-aravinda — unto the lotus feet; vimukhāt — than a person bereft of devotion; śva-pacam — a caṇḍāla, or a person accustomed to eating dogs; variṣṭham — more glorified; manye — I think; tat-arpita — dedicated unto Him; manaḥ — mind; vacana — words; īhita — activities; artha — wealth; prāṇam — life; punāti — purifies; saḥ — he; kulam — his family; na tu — but not; bhūri-mānaḥ — a brāhmaṇa proud of possessing such qualities.

Translation

“ ‘One may be born in a brāhmaṇa family and have all twelve brahminical qualities, but if he is not devoted to the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who has a navel shaped like a lotus, he is not as good as a caṇḍāla who has dedicated his mind, words, activities, wealth and life to the service of the Lord. Simply to take birth in a brāhmaṇa family or to have brahminical qualities is not sufficient. One must become a pure devotee of the Lord. If a śva-paca or caṇḍāla is a devotee, he delivers not only himself but his whole family, whereas a brāhmaṇa who is not a devotee but simply has brahminical qualifications cannot even purify himself, what to speak of his family.’ ”

Purport

This verse is spoken by Prahlāda Mahārāja in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.9.10). A brāhmaṇa is supposed to be qualified with twelve qualities. As stated in the Mahābhārata:

dharmaś ca satyaṁ ca damas tapaś ca
amātsaryaṁ hrīs titikṣānasūyā
yajñaś ca dānaṁ ca dhṛtiḥ śrutaṁ ca
vratāni vai dvādaśa brāhmaṇasya

“A brāhmaṇa must be perfectly religious. He must be truthful, and he must be able to control his senses. He must execute severe austerities, and he must be detached, humble and tolerant. He must not envy anyone, and he must be expert in performing sacrifices and giving whatever he has in charity. He must be fixed in devotional service and expert in the knowledge of the Vedas. These are the twelve qualifications for a brāhmaṇa.”

The Bhagavad-gītā (18.42) describes the brahminical qualities in this way:

śamo damas tapaḥ śaucaṁ kṣāntir ārjavam eva ca
jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam

“Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, knowledge, wisdom and religiousness — these are the natural qualities by which the brāhmaṇas work.”

In the Muktāphala-ṭīkā, it is said:

śamo damas tapaḥ śaucaṁ kṣānty-ārjava-viraktayaḥ
jñāna-vijñāna-santoṣāḥ satyāstikye dvi-ṣaḍ guṇāḥ

“Mental equilibrium, sense control, austerity, cleanliness, tolerance, simplicity, detachment, theoretical and practical knowledge, satisfaction, truthfulness and firm faith in the Vedas are the twelve qualities of a brāhmaṇa.”

Text 60

Bengali

Purport

Translation

Sanātana replied, “I shall practice the process of mādhukarī. Why should I accept full meals in the house of a brāhmaṇa?”

Purport

The word mādhukarī comes from the word madhukara, which refers to bees collecting honey from flower to flower. A mādhukarī is a saintly person or a mendicant who does not accept a full meal at one house but begs from door to door, taking a little food from each householder’s place. In this way he does not overeat or give householders unnecessary trouble. A person in the renounced order may beg but not cook. His begging should not be a burden for the householders. The mādhukarī process is strictly to be followed by a bābājī, that is, one who has attained the paramahaṁsa stage. This practice is still current in Vṛndāvana, and there are many places where alms are offered. Unfortunately, there are many beggars who have come to Vṛndāvana to accept alms but not follow the principles of Sanātana Gosvāmī. People try to imitate him and lead an idle life by practicing mādhukarī. It is almost impossible to strictly follow Sanātana Gosvāmī or Rūpa Gosvāmī. It is better to accept food offered to Kṛṣṇa in the temple than to try to imitate Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī.

prabhu kahe — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said; tomāra — your; bhoṭa-kambala — woolen blanket; kothā gela — where did it go; prabhu-pade — unto the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya; saba — all; kathā — narration; gosāñi — Sanātana Gosvāmī; kahila — said.

Translation

When Sanātana Gosvāmī returned, the Lord asked, “Where is your woolen blanket?” Sanātana Gosvāmī then narrated the whole story to the Lord.

Texts 90-91

Bengali

প্রভু কহে, — “ইহা আমি করিয়াছি বিচার ।
বিষয়-রোগ খণ্ডাইল কৃষ্ণ যে তোমার ॥ ৯০ ॥

gosāñi kahe, — “ye khaṇḍila kuviṣaya-bhoga
tāṅra icchāya gela mora śeṣa viṣaya-roga”

Synonyms

gosāñi kahe — Sanātana Gosvāmī said; ye khaṇḍila — the person who has vanquished; ku-viṣaya-bhoga — enjoyment of sinful material life; tāṅra icchāya — by His desire; gela — has gone; mora — my; śeṣa — last bit; viṣaya-roga — material disease.

Translation

Sanātana Gosvāmī replied, “The Supreme Personality of Godhead has saved me from the sinful life of material existence. By His desire, my last piece of material attraction is now gone.”

Text 94

Bengali

প্রসন্ন হঞা প্রভু তাঁরে কৃপা কৈল ।
তাঁর কৃপায় প্রশ্ন করিতে তাঁর শক্তি হৈল ॥ ৯৪ ॥

Text

prasanna hañā prabhu tāṅre kṛpā kaila
tāṅra kṛpāya praśna karite tāṅra śakti haila

Synonyms

prasanna hañā — being very pleased; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; tāṅre — unto him; kṛpā kaila — offered His causeless mercy; tāṅra kṛpāya — by His mercy; praśna karite — to inquire; tāṅra — his; śakti haila — there was strength.

Translation

Being pleased with Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu bestowed His causeless mercy upon him. By the Lord’s mercy, Sanātana Gosvāmī received the spiritual strength to inquire from Him.

Texts 95-96

Bengali

পূর্বে যৈছে রায়-পাশে প্রভু প্রশ্ন কৈলা ।
তাঁর শক্ত্যে রামানন্দ তাঁর উত্তর দিলা ॥ ৯৫ ॥

tabe sanātana prabhura caraṇe dhariyā
dainya vinati kare dante tṛṇa lañā

Synonyms

tabe — thereafter; sanātana — Sanātana Gosvāmī; prabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; caraṇe — the lotus feet; dhariyā — catching; dainya — humility; vinati — bowing; kare — does; dante — in the teeth; tṛṇa — a straw; lañā — taking.

Translation

Putting a straw in his mouth and bowing down, Sanātana Gosvāmī clasped the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and humbly spoke as follows.

Text 99

Bengali

Purport

This verse, quoted from the Nāradīya Purāṇa, is found in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.103).

Text 107

Bengali

যোগ্যপাত্র হও তুমি ভক্তি প্রবর্তাইতে ।
ক্রমে সব তত্ত্ব শুন, কহিয়ে তোমাতে ॥ ১০৭ ॥

Text

yogya-pātra hao tumi bhakti pravartāite
krame saba tattva śuna, kahiye tomāte

Synonyms

yogya-pātra — fit person; hao — are; tumi — you; bhakti — devotional service; pravartāite — to propagate; krame — one after another; saba — all; tattva — truths; śuna — please hear; kahiye — I shall speak; tomāte — to you.

Translation

“You are fit to propagate the cult of devotional service. Therefore gradually hear all the truths about it from Me. I shall tell you about them.

Texts 108-109

Bengali

জীবের ‘স্বরূপ’ হয় — কৃষ্ণের ‘নিত্যদাস’ ।
কৃষ্ণের ‘তটস্থা-শক্তি’, ‘ভেদাভেদ-প্রকাশ’ ॥ ১০৮ ॥

সাধু-শাস্ত্র-কৃপায় যদি কৃষ্ণোন্মুখ হয় ।
সেই জীব নিস্তরে, মায়া তাহারে ছাড়য় ॥ ১২০ ॥

Text

sādhu-śāstra-kṛpāya yadi kṛṣṇonmukha haya
sei jīva nistare, māyā tāhāre chāḍaya

Synonyms

sādhu — of saintly persons; śāstra — of scriptures; kṛpāya — by the mercy; yadi — if; kṛṣṇa-unmukha haya — one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious; sei — that; jīva — living entity; nistare — becomes liberated; māyā — the illusory energy; tāhāre — him; chāḍaya — gives up.

Translation

“If the conditioned soul becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious by the mercy of saintly persons who voluntarily preach scriptural injunctions and help him to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, the conditioned soul is liberated from the clutches of māyā, who gives him up.

Purport

A conditioned soul is one who has forgotten Kṛṣṇa as his eternal master. Thinking that he is enjoying the material world, the conditioned soul suffers the threefold miseries of material existence. Saintly persons (sādhus), Vaiṣṇava devotees of the Lord, preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness on the basis of the Vedic literature. It is only by their mercy that the conditioned soul is awakened to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When awakened, he is no longer eager to enjoy the materialistic way of life. Instead, he devotes himself to the loving transcendental service of the Lord. When one engages in the Lord’s devotional service, he becomes detached from material enjoyment:

bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir
anyatra caiṣa trika eka-kālaḥ

(Bhāg. 11.2.42)

This is the test by which one can tell whether he is advancing in devotional service. One must be detached from material enjoyment. Such detachment means that māyā has actually given the conditioned soul liberation from illusory enjoyment. When one is advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he does not consider himself as good as Kṛṣṇa. Whenever he thinks that he is the enjoyer of material advantages, he is imprisoned in the bodily conception. However, when he is freed from the bodily conception, he can engage in devotional service, which is his actual position of freedom from the clutches of māyā. This is all explained in the following verse from the Bhagavad-gītā (7.14).

Text 121

Bengali

দৈবী হ্যেষা গুণময়ী মম মায়া দুরত্যয়া ।
মামেব যে প্রপদ্যন্তে মায়ামেতাং তরন্তি তে ॥ ১২১ ॥

Text

daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī
mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante
māyām etāṁ taranti te

Synonyms

daivī — belonging to the Supreme Lord; hi — certainly; eṣā — this; guṇa-mayī — made of the three modes; mama — My; māyā — external energy; duratyayā — very difficult to surpass; mām — unto Me; eva — certainly; ye — those who; prapadyante — surrender fully; māyām — illusory energy; etām — this; taranti — cross over; te — they.

Translation

“ ‘This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.’

Text 122

Bengali

মায়ামুগ্ধ জীবের নাহি স্বতঃ কৃষ্ণজ্ঞান ।
জীবেরে কৃপায় কৈলা কৃষ্ণ বেদ-পুরাণ ॥ ১২২ ॥

Text

māyā-mugdha jīvera nāhi svataḥ kṛṣṇa-jñāna
jīvere kṛpāya kailā kṛṣṇa veda-purāṇa

Synonyms

māyā-mugdha — enchanted by the illusory energy; jīvera — of the conditioned soul; nāhi — there is not; svataḥ — automatically; kṛṣṇa-jñāna — knowledge of Kṛṣṇa; jīvere — unto the conditioned soul; kṛpāya — out of mercy; kailā — presented; kṛṣṇa — Lord Kṛṣṇa; veda-purāṇa — the Vedic literature and the Purāṇas (supplements to the Vedic literature).

Translation

“The conditioned soul cannot revive his Kṛṣṇa consciousness by his own effort. But out of causeless mercy, Lord Kṛṣṇa compiled the Vedic literature and its supplements, the Purāṇas.

Purport

A conditioned soul is bewildered by the Lord’s illusory energy (māyā). Māyā’s business is to keep the conditioned soul forgetful of his real relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Thus the living entity forgets his real identity as spirit soul, Brahman, and instead of realizing his factual position thinks himself the product of the material energy. According to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.7.5):

yayā sammohito jīva ātmānaṁ tri-guṇātmakam
paro ’pi manute ’narthaṁ tat-kṛtaṁ cābhipadyate

“Due to this external energy, the living entity, although transcendental to the three modes of material nature, thinks of himself as a material product and thus undergoes the reactions of material miseries.”

This is a description of māyā’s action upon the conditioned soul. Thinking himself a product of the material energy, the conditioned soul engages in the service of the material energy in so many ways. He becomes the servant of lust, anger, greed and envy. In this way one totally becomes a servant of the illusory energy. Later, the bewildered soul becomes a servant of mental speculation, but in any case he is simply covered by the illusory energy. Out of His causeless mercy and compassion, Kṛṣṇa has compiled various Vedic literatures in His incarnation as Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva is a śaktyāveśa-avatāra of Lord Kṛṣṇa. He has very kindly presented these literatures to awaken the conditioned soul to his senses. Unfortunately, at the present moment the conditioned souls are guided by demons who do not care to read the Vedic literatures. Although there is an immense treasure-house of knowledge, people are engaged in reading useless literature that will give them no information on how to get out of the clutches of māyā. The purpose of the Vedic literatures is explained in the following verses.

Text 123

Bengali

‘শাস্ত্র-গুরু-আত্ম’-রূপে আপনারে জানান ।
‘কৃষ্ণ মোর প্রভু, ত্রাতা’ — জীবের হয় জ্ঞান ॥ ১২৩ ॥

Text

‘śāstra-guru-ātma’-rūpe āpanāre jānāna
‘kṛṣṇa mora prabhu, trātā’ — jīvera haya jñāna

Synonyms

śāstra-guru-ātma-rūpe — in the form of the Vedic literature, the spiritual master and the Supersoul; āpanāre jānāna — informs about Himself; kṛṣṇa — Lord Kṛṣṇa; mora — my; prabhu — Lord; trātā — deliverer; jīvera — of the conditioned soul; haya — there is; jñāna — knowledge.

Translation

“The forgetful conditioned soul is educated by Kṛṣṇa through the Vedic literatures, the realized spiritual master and the Supersoul. Through these, he can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead as He is, and he can understand that Lord Kṛṣṇa is his eternal master and deliverer from the clutches of māyā. In this way one can acquire real knowledge of his conditioned life and can come to understand how to attain liberation.

Purport

Being forgetful of his real position, the conditioned soul may take help from śāstra, guru and the Supersoul within his heart. Kṛṣṇa is situated within everyone’s heart as the Supersoul. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.61):

īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānām hṛd-deśe ’rjuna tiṣṭhati
bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā

“The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine made of the material energy.”

As the śaktyāveśa-avatāra Vyāsadeva, Kṛṣṇa teaches the conditioned soul through the Vedic literatures. Kṛṣṇa externally appears as the spiritual master and trains the conditioned soul to come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When his original Kṛṣṇa consciousness is revived, the conditioned soul is delivered from the material clutches. Thus a conditioned soul is always helped by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in three ways — by the scriptures, the spiritual master and the Supersoul within the heart. The Lord is the deliverer of the conditioned soul and is accepted as the Supreme Lord of all living entities. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.66):

sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.” This same instruction is found throughout all Vedic literatures. Sādhu, śāstra and guru act as the representatives of Kṛṣṇa, and the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is also taking place all over the universe. Whoever takes advantage of this opportunity becomes liberated.

Text 124

Bengali

বেদশাস্ত্র কহে — ‘সম্বন্ধ’, ‘অভিধেয়,’ ‘প্রয়োজন’ ।
‘কৃষ্ণ’ — প্রাপ্য সম্বন্ধ, ‘ভক্তি’ — প্রাপ্ত্যের সাধন ॥ ১২৪ ॥

Text

veda-śāstra kahe — ‘sambandha’, ‘abhidheya’, ‘prayojana’
‘kṛṣṇa’ — prāpya sambandha, ‘bhakti’ — prāptyera sādhana

Synonyms

veda-śāstra kahe — the Vedic literature instructs; sambandha — the conditioned soul’s relationship with the Lord; abhidheya — the regulated activities of the conditioned soul for reviving that relationship; prayojana — and the ultimate goal of life to be attained by the conditioned soul; kṛṣṇa — Lord Kṛṣṇa; prāpya — to be awakened; sambandha — the original relationship; bhakti — devotional service; prāptyera sādhana — the means of attaining Kṛṣṇa.

Translation

“The Vedic literatures give information about the living entity’s eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa, which is called sambandha. The living entity’s understanding of this relationship and his acting accordingly is called abhidheya. Returning home, back to Godhead, is the ultimate goal of life and is called prayojana.

Text 125

Bengali

অভিধেয়-নাম ‘ভক্তি,’ ‘প্রেম’ — প্রয়োজন ।
পুরুষার্থ-শিরোমণি প্রেম মহাধন ॥ ১২৫ ॥

Text

abhidheya-nāma ‘bhakti’, ‘prema’ — prayojana
puruṣārtha-śiromaṇi prema mahā-dhana

Synonyms

abhidheya — activities to revive one’s relationship; nāma — named; bhakti — devotional service; prema — love of Godhead; prayojana — the ultimate goal of life; puruṣa-artha-śiromaṇi — the topmost interest of the living entity; prema — love of Godhead; mahā-dhana — the greatest wealth.

Translation

“Devotional service, or sense activity for the satisfaction of the Lord, is called abhidheya because it can develop one’s original love of Godhead, which is the goal of life. This goal is the living entity’s topmost interest and greatest wealth. Thus one attains the platform of transcendental loving service unto the Lord.

Purport

The conditioned soul is bewildered by the external, material energy, which fully engages him in sense gratification in various ways. Due to engagement in material activities, one’s original Kṛṣṇa consciousness is covered. However, as the supreme father of all living entities, Kṛṣṇa wants His sons to return home, back to Godhead; therefore He personally comes to deliver Vedic literatures like the Bhagavad-gītā. He engages His confidential servants who serve as spiritual masters and enlighten the conditioned living entities. Being present in everyone’s heart, the Lord gives the living entities the conscience whereby they can accept the Vedas and the spiritual master. In this way the living entity can understand his constitutional position and his relationship with the Supreme Lord. As personally enunciated by the Lord Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā (15.15), vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ: through the study of Vedānta, one may become fully aware of his relationship with the Supreme Lord and act accordingly. In this way one may ultimately attain the platform of loving service to the Lord. It is in the living entity’s best interest to understand the Supreme Lord. Unfortunately, the living entities have forgotten that this is in their best interest, and therefore Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (Bhāg. 7.5.31).

Everyone wants to achieve life’s ultimate goal, but due to being absorbed in the material energy, we waste our time with sense gratification. Through the study of Vedic literatures — of which the essence is the Bhagavad-gītā — one comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Thus one engages in devotional service, called abhidheya. When the living entity actually develops love of Godhead, he has reached the ultimate goal, prayojana. In other words, one who becomes fully Kṛṣṇa conscious has attained the perfection of life.

Text 126

Bengali

কৃষ্ণমাধুর্য-সেবানন্দ-প্রাপ্তির কারণ ।
কৃষ্ণ-সেবা করে, আর কৃষ্ণরস-আস্বাদন ॥ ১২৬ ॥

Text

kṛṣṇa-mādhurya-sevānanda-prāptira kāraṇa
kṛṣṇa-sevā kare, āra kṛṣṇa-rasa-āsvādana

Synonyms

kṛṣṇa-mādhurya — of an intimate relationship with Kṛṣṇa; sevā-ānanda — of pleasure from rendering service unto Him; prāptira — of achievement; kāraṇa — because; kṛṣṇa-sevā kare — one renders service to Kṛṣṇa; āra — and; kṛṣṇa-rasa — of the mellows of such service; āsvādana — tasting.

Translation

“When one attains the transcendental bliss of an intimate relationship with Kṛṣṇa, he renders service to Him and tastes the mellows of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Text 127

Bengali

Purport

In the Bhagavad-gītā (7.26), Śrī Kṛṣṇa says:

pūrva-dike — on the eastern side; tāte — there; māṭī — the dirt; alpa — small quantity; khudite — digging; dhanera — of the treasure; jhāri — the pot; paḍibeka — you will get; tomāra — your; hātete — in the hands.

Translation

“ ‘However, if you dig up a small quantity of dirt on the eastern side, your hands will immediately touch the pot of treasure.’

Purport

The Vedic literatures, including the Purāṇas, state that according to the position of the conditioned soul, there are different processes — karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa, the yogic process and the bhakti-yoga process. Karma-kāṇḍa is compared to wasps and drones that will simply bite if one takes shelter of them. Jñāna-kāṇḍa, the speculative process, is simply like a ghost who creates mental disturbances. Yoga, the mystic process, is compared to a black snake that devours people by the impersonal cultivation of kaivalya. However, if one takes to bhakti-yoga, he becomes quickly successful. In other words, through bhakti-yoga, one’s hands touch the hidden treasure without difficulty.

The goal of all the revealed scriptures and Vedic injunctions is Kṛṣṇa, as He Himself says in the Bhagavad-gītā (15.15): vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ. Since the Vedas enjoin one to search out Kṛṣṇa and take shelter at His lotus feet, and since no Vedic process but devotional service will enable one to do this, one has to take to devotional service. According to the Bhagavad-gītā (18.55), only the bhakti process is said to be definitive. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti. This is the conclusive statement of the Vedas, and one has to accept this process if one is serious in searching for Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In this connection, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura gives the following statement: “The eastern side represents devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa. The southern side represents the process of fruitive activity (karma-kāṇḍa), which ends in material gain. The western side represents jñāna-kāṇḍa, the process of mental speculation, or sometimes siddhi-kāṇḍa, the mystic yoga system. The northern side represents mystic yoga, or sometimes the speculative method.” It is only the eastern side, devotional service, that enables one to attain life’s real goal. On the southern side, there are fruitive activities, by which one is subject to the punishment of Yamarāja. When one follows the system of fruitive activity, his material desires remain prominent. Consequently the results of this process are compared to wasps and drones. The living entity is bitten by the wasps and drones of fruitive activity and thus suffers in material existence birth after birth. One cannot become free from material desires by following this process. The propensity for material enjoyment never ends. Therefore the cycle of birth and death continues, and the spirit soul suffers perpetually.

The mystic yoga process is compared to a black snake that devours the living entity and injects him with poison. The ultimate goal of the yoga system is to become one with the Absolute. This means finishing one’s personal existence. But the spiritual part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead has an eternal individual existence. The Bhagavad-gītā confirms that the individual soul existed in the past, is existing in the present and will continue to exist as an individual in the future. Artificially trying to become one with the Absolute is suicidal. One cannot annihilate his natural condition.

A yakṣa, a protector of riches, will not allow anyone to take away riches for enjoyment. Such a demon will simply create disturbances. In other words, a devotee will not depend on his material resources but on the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who can give real protection. This is called rakṣiṣyatīti viśvāsaḥ or (in the Bengali poetry of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura’s Śaraṇāgati) ‘avaśya rakṣibe kṛṣṇa’ — viśvāsa pālana. The surrendered soul must accept the fact that his real protector is Kṛṣṇa, not his material acquisitions.

Considering all these points, devotional service to Kṛṣṇa is the real treasure house for the living entity. When one comes to the platform of devotional service, he always remains opulent in the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One who is bereft of devotional service is swallowed by the black snake of the yoga system and bitten by the wasps and drones of fruitive activity, and he suffers consequent material miseries. Sometimes the living entity is misled into trying to merge into spiritual existence, thinking himself as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This means that when he comes to the spiritual platform, he will be disturbed and will again return to the material platform. According to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32):

ye ’nye ’ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
patanty adho ’nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ

Such people may become sannyāsīs, but unless they take shelter of Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, they will return to the material platform to perform philanthropic activities. In this way, one’s spiritual life is lost. This is to be understood as being devoured by the black snake.

Text 136

Bengali

ঐছে শাস্ত্র কহে, — কর্ম, জ্ঞান, যোগ ত্যজি’ ।
‘ভক্ত্যে’ কৃষ্ণ বশ হয়, ভক্ত্যে তাঁরে ভজি ॥ ১৩৬ ॥

Text

aiche śāstra kahe, — karma, jñāna, yoga tyaji’
‘bhaktye’ kṛṣṇa vaśa haya, bhaktye tāṅre bhaji

Synonyms

aiche — in that way; śāstra kahe — the Vedic literatures confirm; karma — fruitive activities; jñāna — speculative knowledge; yoga — the mystic yoga system; tyaji’ — giving up; bhaktye — by devotional service; kṛṣṇa — the Supreme Absolute Personality of Godhead; vaśa haya — becomes satisfied; bhaktye — by devotional service; tāṅre — Him; bhaji — we worship.

Translation

“The revealed scriptures conclude that one should give up fruitive activity, speculative knowledge and the mystic yoga system and instead take to devotional service, by which Kṛṣṇa can be fully satisfied.

Text 137

Bengali

Purport

As Lord Kṛṣṇa states in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.55).

vyāmohāya carācarasya jagatas te te purāṇāgamās
tāṁ tām eva hi devatāṁ paramikāṁ jalpantu kalpāvadhi
siddhānte punar eka eva bhagavān viṣṇuḥ samastāgama-
vyāpāreṣu vivecana-vyatikaraṁ nīteṣu niścīyate

Synonyms

vyāmohāya — to increase the illusion and ignorance; cara-acarasya — of all living entities, moving and nonmoving; jagataḥ — of the world; te te — those respective; purāṇa — the supplementary Vedic literatures called the Purāṇas; āgamāḥ — and Vedas; tām tām — that respective; eva hi — certainly; devatām — demigod; paramikām — as supreme; jalpantu — let them speak about; kalpa-avadhi — until the end of the millennium; siddhānte — in conclusion; punaḥ — but; ekaḥ — one; eva — only; bhagavān — Supreme Personality of Godhead; viṣṇuḥ — Lord Viṣṇu; samasta — all; āgama — of the Vedas; vyāpāreṣu — in the dealings; vivecana-vyatikaram — to collective consideration; nīteṣu — when forcibly brought; niścīyate — is established.

Translation

“ ‘There are many types of Vedic literatures and supplementary Purāṇas. In each of them there are particular demigods who are spoken of as the chief demigods. This is just to create an illusion for moving and nonmoving living entities. Let them perpetually engage in such imaginations. However, when one analytically studies all these Vedic literatures collectively, he comes to the conclusion that Lord Viṣṇu is the one and only Supreme Personality of Godhead.’

Purport

This is a verse from the Padma Purāṇa.

Text 146

Bengali

মুখ্য-গৌণ-বৃত্তি, কিংবা অন্বয়-ব্যতিরেকে ।
বেদের প্রতিজ্ঞা কেবল কহয়ে কৃষ্ণকে ॥ ১৪৬ ॥

Text

mukhya-gauṇa-vṛtti, kiṁvā anvaya-vyatireke
vedera pratijñā kevala kahaye kṛṣṇake

Synonyms

mukhya — chief; gauṇa — secondary; vṛtti — meaning; kiṁvā — or; anvaya-vyatireke — directly or indirectly; vedera pratijñā — ultimate declaration of the Vedas; kevala — only; kahaye — speaks; kṛṣṇake — about Kṛṣṇa.

Translation

“When one accepts the Vedic literature by interpretation or even by dictionary meaning, directly or indirectly the ultimate declaration of Vedic knowledge points to Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Texts 147-148

Bengali

কিং বিধত্তে কিমাচষ্টে কিমনূদ্য বিকল্পয়েৎ ।
ইত্যস্যা হৃদয়ং লোকে নান্যো মদ্বেদ কশ্চন ॥ ১৪৭ ॥

“ ‘The Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam reveals the tenth object, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the shelter of all surrendered souls. He is known as Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and He is the ultimate source of all the universes. Let me offer my obeisances unto Him.’

Purport

This is a quotation from the Bhāvārtha-dīpikā, Śrīdhara Svāmī’s commentary on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.1.1). In the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is a description of the āśraya-tattva, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. There are two tattvas — āśraya-tattva and āśrita-tattva. Āśraya-tattva is the objective, and āśrita-tattva is the subjective. Since the lotus feet of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa are the shelter of all devotees, Śrī Kṛṣṇa is called paraṁ dhāma. In the Bhagavad-gītā (10.12) it is stated, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān. Everything is resting under the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.58) it is stated:

samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ
mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ

Under the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the entire mahat-tattva is existing. Since everything is under Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s protection, Śrī Kṛṣṇa is called āśraya-tattva. Everything else is called āśrita-tattva. The material creation is also called āśrita-tattva. Liberation from material bondage and the attainment of the spiritual platform are also āśrita-tattva. Kṛṣṇa is the only āśraya-tattva. In the beginning of the creation there are Mahā-Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. They are also āśraya-tattva. Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes (sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam). To understand Kṛṣṇa perfectly, one has to make an analytical study of āśraya-tattva and āśrita-tattva.

Text 152

Bengali

কৃষ্ণের স্বরূপ-বিচার শুন, সনাতন ।
অদ্বয়জ্ঞান-তত্ত্ব, ব্রজে ব্রজেন্দ্রনন্দন ॥ ১৫২ ॥

Text

kṛṣṇera svarūpa-vicāra śuna, sanātana
advaya-jñāna-tattva, vraje vrajendra-nandana

Synonyms

kṛṣṇera — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; svarūpa-vicāra — consideration of the eternal form; śuna — please hear; sanātana — My dear Sanātana; advaya-jñāna-tattva — the Absolute Truth without duality; vraje — in Vṛndāvana; vrajendra-nandana — the son of Nanda Mahārāja.

Translation

“O Sanātana, please hear about the eternal form of Lord Kṛṣṇa. He is the Absolute Truth, devoid of duality but present in Vṛndāvana as the son of Nanda Mahārāja.

Text 153

Bengali

সর্ব-আদি, সর্ব-অংশী, কিশোর-শেখর ।
চিদানন্দ-দেহ, সর্বাশ্রয়, সর্বেশ্বর ॥ ১৫৩ ॥

Text

sarva-ādi, sarva-aṁśī, kiśora-śekhara
cid-ānanda-deha, sarvāśraya, sarveśvara

Synonyms

sarva-ādi — origin of everything; sarva-aṁśī — sum total of all parts and parcels; kiśora-śekhara — the supreme youth; cit-ānanda-deha — a body of spiritual blissfulness; sarva-āśraya — shelter of everyone; sarva-īśvara — the master of everyone.

Translation

“Kṛṣṇa is the original source of everything and the sum total of everything. He appears as the supreme youth, and His whole body is composed of spiritual bliss. He is the shelter of everything and master of everyone.

Purport

Kṛṣṇa is the origin of all viṣṇu-tattvas, including Mahā-Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. He is the ultimate goal of Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Everything emanates from Him. His body is completely spiritual and is the source of all spiritual being. Although He is the source of everything, He Himself has no source. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam/ ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca. Although He is the supreme source of everyone, He is still always a fresh youth.

Text 154

Bengali

Purport

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.3.28). See also Ādi-līlā, chapter two, verse 67.

Text 157

Bengali

জ্ঞান, যোগ, ভক্তি, — তিন সাধনের বশে ।
ব্রহ্ম, আত্মা, ভগবান্ — ত্রিবিধ প্রকাশে ॥ ১৫৭ ॥

Text

jñāna, yoga, bhakti, — tina sādhanera vaśe
brahma, ātmā, bhagavān — trividha prakāśe

Synonyms

jñāna — knowledge; yoga — mystic power; bhakti — devotional service; tina — three; sādhanera — of the processes of spiritual life; vaśe — under the control; brahma — impersonal Brahman; ātmā — localized Paramātmā; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tri-vidha prakāśe — three kinds of manifestation.

Translation

“There are three kinds of spiritual processes for understanding the Absolute Truth — the processes of speculative knowledge, mystic yoga and bhakti-yoga. According to these three processes, the Absolute Truth is manifested as Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān.

Text 158

Bengali

বদন্তি তত্তত্ত্ববিদস্তত্ত্বং যজ্‌ জ্ঞানমদ্বয়ম্‌ ।
ব্রহ্মেতি পরমাত্মেতি ভগবানিতি শব্দ্যতে ॥ ১৫৮ ॥

Text

vadanti tat tattva-vidas
tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam
brahmeti paramātmeti
bhagavān iti śabdyate

This verse is quoted from the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.40). For an explanation, refer to Ādi-līlā, chapter two, verse 14.

Text 161

Bengali

পরমাত্মা যেঁহো, তেঁহো কৃষ্ণের এক অংশ ।
আত্মার ‘আত্মা’ হয় কৃষ্ণ সর্ব-অবতংস ॥ ১৬১ ॥

Text

paramātmā yeṅho, teṅho kṛṣṇera eka aṁśa
ātmāra ‘ātmā’ haya kṛṣṇa sarva-avataṁsa

Synonyms

paramātmā — the Supersoul within the heart; yeṅho — who; teṅho — He; kṛṣṇera — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; eka — one; aṁśa — plenary portion; ātmāra — of the soul; ātmā — the soul; haya — is; kṛṣṇa — Lord Kṛṣṇa; sarva — of everything; avataṁsa — source.

Translation

“The Paramātmā, the Supersoul feature, is a plenary portion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the original soul of all living entities. Kṛṣṇa is the source of the Paramātmā.

Text 162

Bengali

কৃষ্ণমেনমবেহি ত্বমাত্মানমখিলাত্মনাম্ ।
জগদ্ধিতায় সোঽপ্যত্র দেহীবাভাতি মায়য়া ॥ ১৬২ ॥

Text

kṛṣṇam enam avehi tvam
ātmānam akhilātmanām
jagad-dhitāya so ’py atra
dehīvābhāti māyayā

Synonyms

kṛṣṇam — in the Supreme Personality of Godhead; enam — this; avehi — just try to understand; tvam — you; ātmānam — the soul; akhila-ātmanām — of all living entities; jagat-hitāya — the benefit of the whole universe; saḥ — He; api — certainly; atra — here; dehī — a human being; iva — like; ābhāti — appears; māyayā — by His internal potency.

Translation

“ ‘You should know Kṛṣṇa to be the original soul of all ātmās [living entities]. For the benefit of the whole universe, He has, out of His causeless mercy, appeared as an ordinary human being. He has done this by the strength of His own internal potency.’

Purport

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.55). Parīkṣit Mahārāja asked Śukadeva Gosvāmī why Kṛṣṇa was so beloved by the residents of Vṛndāvana, who loved Him even more than their own offspring or life itself. At that time Śukadeva Gosvāmī replied that everyone’s ātmā, or soul, is very, very dear, especially to all living entities who have accepted material bodies. But that ātmā, the spirit soul, is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. For this reason, Kṛṣṇa is very dear to every living entity. Everyone’s body is very dear to oneself, and one wants to protect the body by all means because within the body the soul is living. Due to the intimate relationship between the soul and the body, the body is important and dear to everyone. Similarly, the soul, being part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, is very, very dear to all living entities. Unfortunately, the soul forgets his constitutional position and thinks he is only the body (deha-ātma-buddhi). Thus the soul is subjected to the rules and regulations of material nature. When a living entity, by his intelligence, reawakens his attraction for Kṛṣṇa, he can understand that he is not the body but part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Thus filled with knowledge, he no longer labors under attachment to the body and everything related to the body. Janasya moho ’yam ahaṁ mameti. Material existence, wherein one thinks, “I am the body, and this belongs to me,” is also illusory. One must redirect his attraction to Kṛṣṇa. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.7) states:

vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ
janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam

“By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world.”

Text 163

Bengali

Purport

Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has described the svayaṁ-rūpa in his Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta, Pūrva-khaṇḍa, verse 12: ananyāpekṣi yad rūpaṁ svayaṁ-rūpaḥ sa ucyate. “The form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead that does not depend on other forms is called the svayaṁ-rūpa, the original form.” This form is also described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (1.3.28). “Kṛṣṇa is the original form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” That Kṛṣṇa’s form as a cowherd boy in Vṛndāvana is the original form of the Personality of Godhead (svayaṁ-rūpa) is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.1):

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam

There is nothing superior to Govinda. He is the ultimate source and the cause of all causes. This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.7), where the Lord says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat: “There is no truth superior to Me.”

The tad-ekātma-rūpa forms are also described in the Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta (Pūrva-khaṇḍa, verse 14):

yad rūpaṁ tad-abhedena svarūpeṇa virājate
ākṛtyādibhir anyādṛk sa tad-ekātma-rūpakaḥ

“The tad-ekātma-rūpa forms exist simultaneously with the svayaṁ-rūpa form and are nondifferent. At the same time, their bodily features and specific activities appear to be different.” The tad-ekātma-rūpa forms are divided into two categories — svāṁśa and vilāsa.

Bengali

বৈভবপ্রকাশ কৃষ্ণের — শ্রীবলরাম ।
বর্ণমাত্র-ভেদ, সব — কৃষ্ণের সমান ॥ ১৭৪ ॥

Text

vaibhava-prakāśa kṛṣṇera — śrī-balarāma
varṇa-mātra-bheda, saba — kṛṣṇera samāna

Synonyms

vaibhava-prakāśa — manifestation of the vaibhava feature; kṛṣṇera — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; śrī-balarāma — Śrī Balarāma; varṇa-mātra — color only; bheda — difference; saba — everything; kṛṣṇera samāna — equal to Kṛṣṇa.

Translation

“The first manifestation of the vaibhava feature of Kṛṣṇa is Śrī Balarāmajī. Śrī Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa have different bodily colors, but otherwise Śrī Balarāma is equal to Kṛṣṇa in all respects.

Purport

To understand the difference between svayaṁ-rūpa, tad-ekātma-rūpa, āveśa, prābhava and vaibhava, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has given the following description. In the beginning, Kṛṣṇa has three bodily features: (1) svayaṁ-rūpa, as a cowherd boy in Vṛndāvana; (2) tad-ekātma-rūpa, which is divided into svāṁśaka and vilāsa; and (3) āveśa-rūpa. The svāṁśaka, or expansions of the personal potency, are (1) Kāraṇodakaśāyī, Garbhodakaśāyī, Kṣīrodakaśāyī and (2) incarnations such as the fish, tortoise, boar and Nṛsiṁha. The vilāsa-rūpa has a prābhava division, including Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. There is also a vaibhava division, in which there are twenty-four forms, including the second Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. For each of these, there are three forms; therefore there are twelve forms altogether. These twelve forms constitute the predominant names for the twelve months of the year as well as the twelve tilaka marks on the body. Each of the four Personalities of Godhead expands into two other forms; thus there are eight forms, such as Puruṣottama, Acyuta, etc. The four forms (Vāsudeva, etc.), the twelve (Keśava, etc.), and the eight (Puruṣottama, etc.) all together constitute twenty-four forms. The forms are differently named in accordance with the placement of the weapons They hold in Their four hands.

Text 175

Bengali

Purport

This verse is found in the Lalita-mādhava (4.19). It was spoken by Vāsudeva in Dvārakā.

Text 181

Bengali

মথুরায় যৈছে গন্ধর্বনৃত্য-দরশনে ।
পুনঃ দ্বারকাতে যৈছে চিত্র-বিলোকনে ॥ ১৮১ ॥

Text

mathurāya yaiche gandharva-nṛtya-daraśane
punaḥ dvārakāte yaiche citra-vilokane

Synonyms

mathurāya — at Mathurā; yaiche — just as; gandharva-nṛtya — the dance of the Gandharvas; daraśane — by seeing; punaḥ — again; dvārakāte — at Dvārakā; yaiche — just as; citra-vilokane — by seeing a picture of Kṛṣṇa.

Translation

“One instance of Vāsudeva’s attraction to Kṛṣṇa occurred when Vāsudeva saw the Gandharva dance at Mathurā. Another instance occurred in Dvārakā when Vāsudeva was surprised to see a picture of Kṛṣṇa.

Text 182

Bengali

Purport

The Lord’s vilāsa expansions are described in the following verse from the Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta (1.15):

svarūpam anyākāraṁ yat tasya bhāti vilāsataḥ
prāyeṇātma-samaṁ śaktyā sa vilāso nigadyate

“When the Lord displays numerous forms with different features by His inconceivable potency, such forms are called vilāsa-vigrahas.”

dvādaśa-tilaka-mantra ei dvādaśa nāma
ācamane ei nāme sparśi tat-tat-sthāna

Synonyms

dvādaśa-tilaka — for twelve marks of tilaka; mantra — the mantra; ei — these; dvādaśa nāma — twelve names; ācamane — in washing with water; ei nāme — with these names; sparśi — we touch; tat-tat-sthāna — the respective places.

Translation

“When putting the twelve tilaka marks on the twelve places of the body, one has to chant the mantra consisting of these twelve Viṣṇu names. After daily worship, when one anoints the different parts of the body with water, these names should be chanted as one touches each part of the body.

Purport

While marking the body with tilaka, one should chant the following mantra, which consists oftwelve names of Lord Viṣṇu:

lalāṭe keśavaṁ dhyāyen nārāyaṇam athodare
vakṣaḥ-sthale mādhavaṁ tu govindaṁ kaṇṭha-kūpake

viṣṇu-kāñcīte — at Viṣṇu-kāñcī; viṣṇu — Lord Viṣṇu; hari — Lord Hari; rahe — remains; māyāpure — at Māyāpur; aiche — similarly; āra — also; nānā — various; mūrti — forms; brahmāṇḍa-bhitare — throughout the universe.

Translation

“At Viṣṇu-kāñcī there is Lord Viṣṇu, at Māyāpur Lord Hari, and throughout the universe a variety of other forms.

Purport

All of these forms are mūrti forms, and They are worshiped in the temples. Their names are Keśava at Mathurā, Puruṣottama or Jagannātha at Nīlācala, Śrī Bindu Mādhava at Prayāga, Madhusūdana at Mandāra, and Vāsudeva, Padmanābha and Janārdana at Ānandāraṇya, which is situated in Kerala, South India. At Viṣṇu-kāñcī is Lord Varadarāja, and Hari is situated at Māyāpur, Lord Caitanya’s birth site. Thus in different places throughout the universe there are various Deities in temples bestowing Their causeless mercy upon the devotees. All these Deity forms are nondifferent from the mūrtis in the spiritual world of the Vaikuṇṭhas. Although the arcā-mūrti, the worshipable Deity form of the Lord, appears to be made of material elements, it is as good as the spiritual forms found in the spiritual Vaikuṇṭhalokas. The Deity in the temple, however, is visible to the material eyes of the devotee. It is not possible for one in material, conditioned life to see the spiritual form of the Lord. To bestow causeless mercy upon us, the Lord appears as the arcā-mūrti so that we can see Him. It is forbidden to consider the arcā-mūrti to be made of stone or wood. In the Padma Purāṇa it is said:

arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhīr guruṣu nara-matir vaiṣṇave jāti-buddhir
viṣṇor vā vaiṣṇsnavānāṁ kali-mala-mathane pāda-tīrthe ’mbu-buddhiḥ
śrī-viṣṇor nāmni mantre sakala-kaluṣa-he śabda-sāmānya-buddhir
viṣṇau sarveśvareśe tad-itara-sama-dhīr yasya vā nārakī saḥ

No one should consider the Deity in the temple to be made of stone or wood, nor should one consider the spiritual master an ordinary human being. No one should consider a Vaiṣṇava to belong to a particular caste or creed, and no one should consider caraṇāmṛta or Ganges water to be like ordinary water. Nor should anyone consider the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra to be a material vibration. All these expansions of Kṛṣṇa in the material world are simply demonstrations of the Lord’s mercy and willingness to give facility to His devotees who are engaged in His devotional service within the material world.

Text 218

Bengali

এইমত ব্রহ্মাণ্ড-মধ্যে সবার ‘পরকাশ’ ।
সপ্তদ্বীপে নবখণ্ডে যাঁহার বিলাস ॥ ২১৮ ॥

Text

ei-mata brahmāṇḍa-madhye sabāra ‘parakāśa’
sapta-dvīpe nava-khaṇḍe yāṅhāra vilāsa

Synonyms

ei-mata — in this way; brahmāṇḍa-madhye — within this universe; sabāra — of all of Them; parakāśa — manifestations; sapta-dvīpe — on seven islands; nava-khaṇḍe — in different sections, nine in number; yāṅhāra vilāsa — the pastimes of whom.

Translation

“Within the universe the Lord is situated in different spiritual manifestations. These are situated on seven islands in nine sections. Thus Their pastimes are going on.

Purport

The seven islands are mentioned in the Siddhāntaśiromaṇi:

bhūmer ardhaṁ kṣāra-sindhor udak-sthaṁ
jambu-dvīpaṁ prāhur ācārya-varyāḥ
ardhe ’nyasmin dvīpa-ṣaṭkasya yāmye
kṣāra-kṣīrādy-ambudhīnāṁ niveśaḥ

śākaṁ tataḥ śālmalam atra kauśaṁ
krauñcaṁ ca gomedaka-puṣkare ca
dvayor dvayor antaram ekam ekaṁ
samudrayor dvīpam udāharanti

The seven islands (dvīpas) are known as (1) Jambu, (2) Śāka, (3) Śālmalī, (4) Kuśa, (5) Krauñca, (6) Gomeda, or Plakṣa, and (7) Puṣkara. The planets are called dvīpas. Outer space is like an ocean of air. Just as there are islands in the watery ocean, these planets in the ocean of space are called dvīpas, or islands in outer space. There are nine khaṇḍas, known as (1) Bhārata, (2) Kinnara, (3) Hari, (4) Kuru, (5) Hiraṇmaya, (6) Ramyaka, (7) Ilāvṛta, (8) Bhadrāśva and (9) Ketumāla. These are different parts of Jambudvīpa. A valley between two mountains is called a khaṇḍa or varṣa.

Text 219

Bengali

Text 245

Bengali

অবতার হয় কৃষ্ণের ষড়্‌বিধ প্রকার ।
পুরুষাবতার এক, লীলাবতার আর ॥ ২৪৫ ॥

Text

avatāra haya kṛṣṇera ṣaḍ-vidha prakāra
puruṣāvatāra eka, līlāvatāra āra

Synonyms

avatāra — incarnations; haya — there are; kṛṣṇera — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; ṣaṭ-vidha prakāra — six kinds; puruṣa-avatāra — incarnations of Viṣṇu; eka — one; līlā-avatāra — incarnations for the execution of pastimes; āra — also.

Translation

“There are six types of incarnations [avatāras] of Kṛṣṇa. One comprises the incarnations of Viṣṇu [puruṣa-avatāras], and another comprises the incarnations meant for the performance of pastimes [līlā-avatāras].

Text 246

Bengali

গুণাবতার, আর মন্বন্তরাবতার ।
যুগাবতার, আর শক্ত্যাবেশাবতার ॥ ২৪৬ ॥

Text

guṇāvatāra, āra manvantarāvatāra
yugāvatāra, āra śaktyāveśāvatāra

Although the moon appears to be located in the branches of a tree, it is actually situated very far away. Similarly, none of the avatāras, or incarnations, of Lord Kṛṣṇa are within this material world, but they are visible by the causeless mercy of the Lord. We should not consider them to belong to this material world. As stated by Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā (Bg. 9.11):

avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam
paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto mama bhūta-maheśvaram

“Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature as the Supreme Lord of all that be.”

Avatāras descend of their own free will, and although they may act like ordinary human beings, they do not belong to this material world. Lord Kṛṣṇa and His avatāras can be understood only by the grace of the Lord.

nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo
na medhayā na bahunā śrutena
yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyas
tasyaiṣa ātmā vivṛṇute tanūṁ svām

(Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.23)

“The Supreme Lord is not obtained by means of expert explanations, vast intelligence or even much hearing. He is obtained only by one whom He Himself chooses. To such a person, He manifests His own form.”

Purport

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.3.1). For an explanation, refer to Ādi-līlā, chapter five, verse 84.

Text 267

Bengali

Purport

This verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.9.10) was spoken by Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī. He was answering the questions of Parīkṣit Mahārāja, who asked how the living entity falls down into the material world. Śukadeva Gosvāmī explained the cream of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in four verses, which had been explained to Lord Brahmā at the end of the severe austerities he performed for one thousand celestial years. At that time, Brahmā was shown the spiritual world and its transcendental nature.

Text 271

Bengali

মায়ার যে দুই বৃত্তি — ‘মায়া’ আর ‘প্রধান’ ।
‘মায়া’ নিমিত্তহেতু, বিশ্বের উপাদান ‘প্রধান’ ॥ ২৭১ ॥

Text

māyāra ye dui vṛtti — ‘māyā’ āra ‘pradhāna’
‘māyā’ nimitta-hetu, viśvera upādāna ‘pradhāna’

Synonyms

māyāra — of the material nature; ye — which; dui — two; vṛtti — functions; māyā — called māyā; āra — and; pradhāna — ingredients; māyā — the word māyā; nimitta-hetu — the efficient cause; viśvera — of the material universe; upādāna — ingredients; pradhāna — is called pradhāna.

Translation

“Māyā has two functions. One is called māyā, and the other is called pradhāna. Māyā refers to the efficient cause, and pradhāna refers to the ingredients that create the cosmic manifestation.

Purport

For a further explanation, see Ādi-līlā, chapter five, verse 58.

Text 272

Bengali

সেই পুরুষ মায়া-পানে করে অবধান ।
প্রকৃতি ক্ষোভিত করি’ করে বীর্যের আধান ॥ ২৭২ ॥

Text

sei puruṣa māyā-pāne kare avadhāna
prakṛti kṣobhita kari’ kare vīryera ādhāna

Synonyms

sei puruṣa — that Supreme Personality of Godhead; māyā-pāne — toward māyā; kare avadhāna — glances; prakṛti — the material nature; kṣobhita kari’ — making agitated; kare — impregnates; vīryera — of the semen; ādhāna — injection.

Translation

“When the Supreme Personality of Godhead glances over the material energy, she becomes agitated. At that time, the Lord injects the original semen of the living entities.

Purport

In the Bhagavad-gītā (7.10), Kṛṣṇa says, bījaṁ māṁ sarva-bhūtānām: “I am the original seed of all existences.” This is also confirmed in another verse in the Bhagavad-gītā (14.4):

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ
tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā

“It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kuntī, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.”

For a further explanation, one may refer to the Brahma-saṁhitā (chapter five, verses 10-13). The Brahma-saṁhitā also states (5.51):

agnir mahī gaganam ambu marud diśaś ca
kālas tathātma-manasīti jagat-trayāṇi
yasmād bhavanti vibhavanti viśanti yaṁ ca
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

All material elements, as well as the spiritual sparks (individual souls), are emanating from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is confirmed by the Vedānta-sūtra (1.1): janmādy asya yataḥ. “The Absolute Truth is He from whom everything emanates.” He is the Supreme Truth: satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi (Bhāg. 1.1.1). The absolute ultimate truth is Kṛṣṇa. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya/ janmādy asya yato ’nvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ sva-rāṭ: “The Absolute Truth is a person who is directly and indirectly cognizant of the entire cosmic manifestation.” (Bhāg. 1.1.1)

The Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, educated Lord Brahmā from the heart (Bhāg. 1.1.1): tene brahma hṛdā ya ādi-kavaye. Therefore the Absolute Truth cannot be dull matter; the Absolute Truth must be the Supreme Person Himself. Sei puruṣa māyā-pāne kare avadhāna. Simply by His glance, material nature is impregnated with all living entities. According to their karma and fruitive activity, they emerge in different bodies. That is the explanation given by the Bhagavad-gītā (2.13):

dehino ’smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā
tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati

“As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change.”

Text 273

Bengali

স্বাঙ্গ-বিশেষাভাসরূপে প্রকৃতি-স্পর্শন ।
জীব-রূপ ‘বীজ’ তাতে কৈলা সমর্পণ ॥ ২৭৩ ॥

Text

svāṅga-viśeṣābhāsa-rūpe prakṛti-sparśana
jīva-rūpa ‘bīja’ tāte kailā samarpaṇa

Synonyms

sva-aṅga-viśeṣa-ābhāsa-rūpe — in the form of a specific shadow from His personal body; prakṛti-sparśana — the Lord glances over the material nature; jīva-rūpa — having the form of the sparklike living entities, who are parts and parcels; bīja — semen; tāte — in that material nature; kailā samarpaṇa — impregnated.

Translation

“To impregnate with the seeds of the living entities, the Lord Himself does not directly touch the material energy, but by His specific functional expansion He touches the material energy, and thus the living entities, who are His parts and parcels, are impregnated into material nature.

Purport

According to Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā (15.7):

mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ
manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāni prakṛti-sthāni karṣati

“The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind.”

In the present verse of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, the word prakṛti-sparśana refers to the Lord’s glancing over material nature and placing the living entities in contact with dull matter. The glancing is performed by Mahā-Viṣṇu: sa aikṣata lokān nu sṛjā iti. (Aitareya Upaniṣad 1.1.1) In the conditioned stage we impregnate according to the bodily conception — that is, by sexual intercourse — but the Supreme Lord does not need sexual intercourse to impregnate. The impregnation is performed simply by His glance. This is also explained in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.32):

aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛttimanti
paśyanti pānti kalayanti ciraṁ jaganti
ānanda-cinmaya-sad-ujjvala-vigrahasya
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

Govinda can impregnate simply by glancing. In other words, His eyes can work as His genitals. He does not need genitals to beget a child. Indeed, Kṛṣṇa can beget any one of the living entities with any part of His body.

The word svāṅga-viśeṣābhāsa-rūpe, indicating the form by which the Lord begets living entities in the material world, is explained herein. He is Lord Śiva. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated that Lord Śiva, who is another form of Mahā-Viṣṇu, is like yogurt. Yogurt is nothing but milk, yet it is not milk. Similarly, Lord Śiva is considered the father of this universe, and material nature is considered the mother. The father and mother are known as Lord Śiva and goddess Durgā. Together, Lord Śiva’s genitals and the vagina of goddess Durgā are worshiped as the śiva-liṅga. This is the origin of the material creation. Thus Lord Śiva’s position is between that of the living entity and that of the Supreme Lord. In other words, Lord Śiva is neither the Supreme Personality of Godhead nor a living entity. He is the form through which the Supreme Lord works to beget living entities within this material world. As yogurt is prepared when milk is mixed with a culture, the form of Lord Śiva expands when the Supreme Personality of Godhead is in touch with material nature. The impregnation of material nature by the father, Lord Śiva, is wonderful because at one time innumerable living entities are conceived. Bhāgo jīvaḥ sa vijñeyaḥ sa cānantyāya kalpate (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 5.9). These living entities are very, very small:

keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatāṁśa-sadṛśātmakaḥ
jīvaḥ sūkṣma-svarūpo ’yaṁ saṅkhyātīto hi cit-kaṇaḥ

“If we divide the tip of a hair into a hundred parts and then take one of these parts and divide it again into a hundred parts, that very fine division is the size of but one of the numberless living entities. They are all cit-kaṇa, particles of spirit, not matter.”

The innumerable brahmāṇḍas, or universes, come from the pores of the Lord’s body, and innumerable living entities also come from the pores of the transcendental body of the Lord. This is the process of material creation. Without the living entities, this material nature has no value. Both emanate from the pores of the transcendental body of Lord Mahā-Viṣṇu. They are different energies. The material nature is explained as follows by Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.4):

bhūmir āpo ’nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca
ahaṅkāra itīyaṁ me bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā

Texts 279-280

Bengali

গবাক্ষে উড়িয়া যৈছে রেণু আসে যায় ।
পুরুষ-নিশ্বাস-সহ ব্রহ্মাণ্ড বাহিরায় ॥ ২৭৯ ॥

পুনরপি নিশ্বাস-সহ যায় অভ্যন্তর ।
অনন্ত ঐশ্বর্য তাঁর, সব — মায়া-পার ॥ ২৮০ ॥

Text

gavākṣe uḍiyā yaiche reṇu āse yāya
puruṣa-niśvāsa-saha brahmāṇḍa bāhirāya

punarapi niśvāsa-saha yāya abhyantara
ananta aiśvarya tāṅra, saba — māyā-pāra

Synonyms

gavākṣe — from a hole at the top of a wall; uḍiyā — floating; yaiche — as; reṇu — atomic particles; āse yāya — come and go; puruṣaniśvāsa-saha — with the exhaling of Mahā-Viṣṇu; brahmāṇḍa — the universes; bāhirāya — come outside; punarapi — again; niśvāsa-saha — by His inhalation; yāya — go; abhyantara — within; ananta — unlimited; aiśvarya — opulences; tāṅra — of Him; saba — everything; māyā-pāra — beyond the material conception.

Translation

“These universes are understood to be floating in the air that Mahā-Viṣṇu exhales. They are like atomic particles that float in sunshine and pass through the holes of a screen. All these universes are thus created by the exhalation of Mahā-Viṣṇu, and when Mahā-Viṣṇu inhales, they re-enter His body. The unlimited opulences of Mahā-Viṣṇu are completely beyond material conception.

Text 281

Bengali

পালনার্থ স্বাংশ বিষ্ণুরূপে অবতার ।
সত্ত্বগুণ দ্ৰষ্টা, তাতে গুণমায়া-পার ॥ ৩১৪ ॥

Text

pālanārtha svāṁśa viṣṇu-rūpe avatāra
sattva-guṇa draṣṭā, tāte guṇa-māyā-pāra

Synonyms

pālana-artha — for maintenance; svāṁśa — personal plenary expansion; viṣṇu-rūpe — in the form of Lord Viṣṇu; avatāra — incarnation; sattva-guṇa — of the mode of goodness; draṣṭā — director; tāte — therefore; guṇa-māyā-pāra — transcendental to the material modes of nature.

Translation

“For the maintenance of the universe, Lord Kṛṣṇa descends as His personal plenary expansion in the form of Viṣṇu. He is the director of the mode of goodness; therefore He is transcendental to the material energy.

Text 315

Bengali

স্বরূপ — ঐশ্বর্যপূর্ণ, কৃষ্ণসম প্রায় ।
কৃষ্ণ অংশী, তেঁহো অংশ, বেদে হেন গায় ॥ ৩১৫ ॥

Text

svarūpa — aiśvarya-pūrṇa, kṛṣṇa-sama prāya
kṛṣṇa aṁśī, teṅho aṁśa, vede hena gāya

Synonyms

svarūpa — personal expansion; aiśvarya-pūrṇa — full of all opulences; kṛṣṇa-sama — equal to Kṛṣṇa; prāya — almost; kṛṣṇa aṁśī — Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead; teṅho — Lord Viṣṇu; aṁśa — personal expansion; vede — the Vedas; hena — thus; gāya — sing.

Translation

“Lord Viṣṇu is in the category of svāṁśa because He has opulences almost equal to Kṛṣṇa’s. Kṛṣṇa is the original person, and Lord Viṣṇu is His personal expansion. This is the verdict of all Vedic literatures.

Purport

Although an incarnation of the material energy, Lord Brahmā is nonetheless the director of the material mode of passion. Similarly, Lord Śiva, although simultaneously one with and different from Lord Kṛṣṇa, is still the incarnation of the mode of darkness. However, Lord Viṣṇu is Kṛṣṇa’s personal expansion; therefore He is the director of the mode of goodness and is always transcendentally situated, beyond the jurisdiction of the modes of material nature. Lord Viṣṇu is the original personal expansion of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is the original source of all incarnations. As far as power is concerned, Lord Viṣṇu is as powerful as Lord Kṛṣṇa because He possesses all the opulences.

Text 316

Bengali

Purport

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.6.32). Lord Brahmā gave this information to Devarṣi Nārada when he was receiving instructions from Lord Brahmā to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Paramātmā. After describing the universal form of the Lord, Lord Brahmā explained that his position and Lord Śiva’s position are controlled by Lord Viṣṇu.

Text 319

Bengali

মন্বন্তরাবতার এবে শুন, সনাতন ।
অসংখ্য গণন তাঁর, শুনহ কারণ ॥ ৩১৯ ॥

Text

manvantarāvatāra ebe śuna, sanātana
asaṅkhya gaṇana tāṅra, śunaha kāraṇa

Synonyms

manu-antara-avatāra — the incarnations who appear during the reign of each Manu; ebe — now; śuna — hear; sanātana — O Sanātana Gosvāmī; asaṅkhya — unlimited; gaṇana — counting; tāṅra — of them; śunaha — just hear; kāraṇa — the cause.

Translation

“O Sanātana, now just hear about the incarnations who appear during the reign of each Manu [manvantara-avatāras]. They are unlimited, and no one can count them. Just hear of their source.

Text 320

Bengali

Text

dvāpare bhagavān śyāmaḥ
pīta-vāsā nijāyudhaḥ
śrī-vatsādibhir aṅkaiś ca
lakṣaṇair upalakṣitaḥ

Synonyms

dvāpare — in Dvāpara-yuga; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; śyāmaḥ — blackish; pīta-vāsāḥ — having yellow clothes; nija — own; āyudhaḥ — having weapons; śrī-vatsa-ādibhiḥ — such as Śrīvatsa; aṅkaiḥ — by bodily markings; ca — and; lakṣaṇaiḥ — by external characteristics such as the Kaustubha jewel; upalakṣitaḥ — characterized.

Translation

“ ‘In Dvāpara-yuga the Personality of Godhead appears in a blackish hue. He is dressed in yellow, He holds His own weapons, and He is decorated with the Kaustubha jewel and the mark of Śrīvatsa. That is how His symptoms are described.’

Purport

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.27). The śyāma color is not exactly blackish. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura compares it to the color of the atasī flower. It is not that Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself appears in a blackish color in all the Dvāpara-yugas. In other Dvāpara-yugas, previous to Lord Kṛṣṇa’s appearance, the Supreme Lord appeared in a greenish body by His own personal expansion. This is mentioned in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa, Hari-vaṁśa and Mahābhārata.

Text 338

Bengali

নমস্তে বাসুদেবায় নমঃ সঙ্কর্ষণায় চ ।
প্রদ্যুম্নায়ানিরুদ্ধায় তুভ্যং ভগবতে নমঃ ॥ ৩৩৮ ॥

Text

namas te vāsudevāya
namaḥ saṅkarṣaṇāya ca
pradyumnāyāniruddhāya
tubhyaṁ bhagavate namaḥ

Synonyms

namaḥ — let me offer my respectful obeisances; te — unto You; vāsudevāya — Lord Vāsudeva; namaḥ — respectful obeisances; saṅkarṣaṇāya ca — also to Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa; pradyumnāya — to Lord Pradyumna; aniruddhāya — unto Aniruddha; tubhyam — unto You; bhagavate — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; namaḥ — my respectful obeisances.

Translation

“ ‘I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, expanded as Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha.’

Purport

This is a prayer from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.29) spoken by Karabhājana Muni when he was questioned by Mahārāja Nimi, the King of Videha, about the incarnations in specific yugas and their method of worship. Karabhājana Muni was one of the nine Yogendras, and he met the King to inform him about future incarnations.

Text 339

Bengali

এই মন্ত্রে দ্বাপরে করে কৃষ্ণার্চন ।
‘কৃষ্ণনাম-সংকীর্তন’ — কলিযুগের ধর্ম ॥ ৩৩৯ ॥

Text

ei mantre dvāpare kare kṛṣṇārcana
‘kṛṣṇa-nāma-saṅkīrtana’ — kali-yugera dharma

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.32). See also Ādi-līlā, chapter three, text 52.

Text 343

Bengali

আর তিনযুগে ধ্যানাদিতে যেই ফল হয় ।
কলিযুগে কৃষ্ণনামে সেই ফল পায় ॥ ৩৪৩ ॥

Text

āra tina-yuge dhyānādite yei phala haya
kali-yuge kṛṣṇa-nāme sei phala pāya

Synonyms

āra tina-yuge — in the three other yugas; dhyāna-ādite — by processes beginning with meditation; yei — whatever; phala — result; haya — there is; kali-yuge — in this Age of Kali; kṛṣṇa-nāme — by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra; sei phala pāya — one gets the same achievement.

Translation

“In the other three yugas — Satya, Tretā and Dvāpara — people perform different types of spiritual activities. Whatever results they achieve in that way, they can achieve in Kali-yuga simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.

Text 344

Bengali

কলের্দোষনিধে রাজন্নস্তি হ্যেকো মহান্ গুণঃ ।
কীর্তনাদেব কৃষ্ণস্য মুক্তবন্ধঃ পরং ব্ৰজেৎ ॥ ৩৪৪ ॥

Text

kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann
asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ
kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya
mukta-bandhaḥ paraṁ vrajet

Synonyms

kaleḥ — of the Age of Kali; doṣa-nidhe — in the ocean of faults; rājan — O King; asti — there is; hi — certainly; ekaḥ — one; mahān — very great; guṇaḥ — good quality; kīrtanāt — by chanting; eva — certainly; kṛṣṇasya — of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa; mukta-bandhaḥ — liberated from material bondage; param — to the transcendental, spiritual kingdom; vrajet — one can go.

Translation

“ ‘My dear King, although Kali-yuga is full of faults, there is still one good quality about this age. It is that simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.’

Purport

As mentioned above, this verse is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 12.3.51.

Text 345

Bengali

কৃতে যদ্ধ্যায়তো বিষ্ণুং ত্রেতায়াং যজতো মখৈঃ ।
দ্বাপরে পরিচর্যায়াং কলৌ তদ্ধরিকীর্তনাৎ ॥ ৩৪৫ ॥

Text

kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ
tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ
dvāpare paricaryāyāṁ
kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt

Synonyms

kṛte — in Satya-yuga; yat — which; dhyāyataḥ — from meditation; viṣṇum — on Lord Viṣṇu; tretāyām — in Tretā-yuga; yajataḥ — from worshiping; makhaiḥ — by performing sacrifices; dvāpare — in the Age of Dvāpara; paricaryāyām — by worshiping the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa; kalau — in the Age of Kali; tat — that same result (can be achieved); hari-kīrtanāt — simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.

Translation

“ ‘Whatever result was obtained in Satya-yuga by meditating on Viṣṇu, in Tretā-yuga by performing sacrifices and in Dvāpara-yuga by serving the Lord’s lotus feet can also be obtained in Kali-yuga simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.’

Purport

This verse is quoted from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (12.3.52). At the present moment in Kali-yuga there are many false meditators who concoct some imaginary form and try to meditate upon it. It has become fashionable to meditate, but people know nothing about the object of meditation. That is explained here. Yad dhyāyato viṣṇum. One has to meditate upon Lord Viṣṇu or Lord Kṛṣṇa. Without referring to the śāstras, so-called meditators aim at impersonal objects. Lord Kṛṣṇa has condemned them in the Bhagavad-gītā (12.5):

kleśo ’dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām
avyaktā hi gatir duḥkhaṁ dehavadbhir avāpyate

“For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme, advancement is very troublesome. To make progress in that discipline is always difficult for those who are embodied.” Not knowing how to meditate, foolish people simply suffer, and there is no benefit derived from their spiritual activities.

The same idea expressed in this verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam can be found in the following verse from the Viṣṇu Purāṇa (6.2.17), Padma Purāṇa (Uttara-khaṇḍa 72.25) and Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa (38.97).

Text 346

Bengali

ধ্যায়ন্ কৃতে যজন্ যজ্ঞৈস্ত্রেতায়াং দ্বাপরেঽর্চয়ন্ ।
যদাপ্নোতি তদাপ্নোতি কলৌ সঙ্কীর্ত্য কেশবম্ ॥ ৩৪৬ ॥

Text

dhyāyan kṛte yajan yajñais
tretāyāṁ dvāpare ’rcayan
yad āpnoti tad āpnoti
kalau saṅkīrtya keśavam

Synonyms

dhyāyan — meditating; kṛte — in Satya-yuga; yajan — worshiping; yajñaiḥ — by the performance of great sacrifices; tretāyām — in Tretā-yuga; dvāpare — in Dvāpara-yuga; arcayan — worshiping the lotus feet; yat — whatever; āpnoti — is achieved; tat — that; āpnoti — is obtained; kalau — in the Age of Kali; saṅkīrtya — simply by chanting; keśavam — the pastimes and qualities of Lord Keśava.

Translation

“ ‘Whatever is achieved by meditation in Satya-yuga, by the performance of yajña in Tretā-yuga or by the worship of Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet in Dvāpara-yuga is also obtained in the Age of Kali simply by chanting the glories of Lord Keśava.’

Text 347

Bengali

Purport

This verse is very important in reference to the incarnations of God. At present there are especially many rascals prevalent in India who proclaim themselves incarnations of God or goddesses. Thus they are fooling and bluffing foolish people. On behalf of the general populace, Sanātana Gosvāmī presented himself as a foolish, lowborn, poorly behaved person, although he was a most exalted personality. Inferior people cannot accept the real God, yet they are very eager to accept an imitation God who can simply bluff foolish people. All this is going on in this Age of Kali. To guide these foolish people, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu answers the question as follows.

Text 352

Bengali

প্রভু কহে, — “অন্যাবতার শাস্ত্র-দ্বারে জানি ।
কলিতে অবতার তৈছে শাস্ত্রবাক্যে মানি ॥ ৩৫২ ॥

Text

prabhu kahe, — “anyāvatāra śāstra-dvāre jāni
kalite avatāra taiche śāstra-vākye māni

Synonyms

prabhu kahe — Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said; anya-avatāra — the incarnations in other yugas; śāstra-dvāre jāni — one has to accept by reference to the śāstras; kalite — in this Age of Kali; avatāra — incarnation; taiche — similarly; śāstra-vākye māni — one has to accept according to the description of revealed scriptures.

Translation

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, “As in other ages an incarnation is accepted according to the directions of the śāstras, in this Age of Kali an incarnation of God should be accepted in that way.

Purport

According to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, this is the way an incarnation should be accepted. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, cittete kariyā aikya. One should accept a thing as genuine by studying the words of saintly people, the spiritual master and the śāstra. The actual center is the śāstra, the revealed scripture. If a spiritual master does not speak according to the revealed scripture, he is not to be accepted. Similarly, if a saintly person does not speak according to the śāstra, he is not a saintly person. The śāstra is the center for all. Unfortunately, at the present moment, people do not refer to the śāstras; therefore they accept rascals as incarnations, and consequently they have made incarnations into a very cheap thing. Intelligent people who follow Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s instructions and the instructions of the ācārya, the bona fide spiritual master, will not accept a pretender as an incarnation of God. In Kali-yuga, the only incarnation is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Imitation incarnations take advantage of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The Lord appeared within the past five hundred years, played as the son of a brāhmaṇa from Nadia and introduced the saṅkīrtana movement. Imitating Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and ignoring the śāstra, rascals present themselves as incarnations and introduce their rascaldom as a religious process. As we have repeatedly said, religion can be given only by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. From the discussions in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, we can understand that in different ages the Supreme Lord introduces different systems and different religious duties. In this Age of Kali, the only incarnation of Kṛṣṇa is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and He introduced the religious duty of Kali-yuga, the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

Text 353

Bengali

সর্বজ্ঞ মুনির বাক্য — শাস্ত্র-‘পরমাণ’ ।
আমা-সবা জীবের হয় শাস্ত্রদ্বারা ‘জ্ঞান’ ॥ ৩৫৩ ॥

অথবা বহুনৈতেন কিং জ্ঞাতেন তবার্জুন ।
বিষ্টভ্যাহমিদং কৃৎস্নমেকাংশেন স্থিতো জগৎ ॥ ৩৭৬ ॥

Text

atha vā bahunaitena
kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna
viṣṭabhyāham idaṁ kṛtsnam
ekāṁśena sthito jagat

Synonyms

ataeva — therefore; goloka-sthāne — in the original Goloka Vṛndāvana planet; nitya vihāra — eternal pastimes; brahmāṇḍa-gaṇe — within the material universes; krame — gradually; prākaṭya — manifestation; tāhāra — of them.

Translation

“The eternal pastimes of Kṛṣṇa are continuously taking place in the original Goloka Vṛndāvana planet. These same pastimes are gradually manifested within the material world, in each and every brahmāṇḍa.

Purport

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura elucidates this complicated explanation of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes are always present in the material world in one of the many universes. These pastimes appear in the universes one after the other, just as the sun moves across the sky and measures the time. Kṛṣṇa’s appearance may be manifested in this universe at one moment, and immediately after His birth, this pastime is manifested in the next universe. After His killing of Pūtanā is manifested in this universe, it is next manifested in another universe. Thus all the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa are eternally existing both in the original Goloka Vṛndāvana planet and in the material universes. The 125 years calculated in our solar system to be Kṛṣṇa’s lifetime equal one moment for Kṛṣṇa. One moment these pastimes are manifested in one universe, and the next moment they are manifested in the next universe. There are unlimited universes, and Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes are manifested one moment after the other in all of them. This rotation is explained through the example of the sun’s moving across the sky. Kṛṣṇa appears and disappears in innumerable universes, just as the sun appears and disappears during the day. Although the sun appears to rise and set, it is continuously shining somewhere on the earth. Similarly, although Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes seem to appear and disappear, they are continuously existing in one brahmāṇḍa (universe) or another. Thus all of Kṛṣṇa’s līlās are present simultaneously throughout the innumerable universes. By our limited senses we cannot appreciate this; therefore Kṛṣṇa’s eternal pastimes are very difficult for us to understand. One should try to understand how they are taking place by understanding the example of the sun. Although the Lord is appearing constantly in the material universes, His pastimes are eternally present in the original Goloka Vṛndāvana. Therefore these pastimes are called nitya-līlā (eternally present pastimes). Because we cannot see what is going on in other universes, it is a little difficult for us to understand how Kṛṣṇa is eternally manifesting His pastimes. There are fourteen Manus in one day of Brahmā, and this time calculation is also taking place in other universes. Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes are manifested before fourteen Manus expire. Although it is a little difficult to understand the eternal pastimes of Kṛṣṇa in this way, we must accept the verdict of the Vedic literatures.

There are two types of devotees — the sādhaka, who is preparing for perfection, and the siddha, who is already perfect. As far as those who are already perfect are concerned, Lord Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.9), tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti so ’rjuna: “After giving up this material body, such a devotee comes to Me.” After leaving the material body, the perfect devotee takes birth from the womb of a gopī on a planet where Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes are going on. This may be in this universe or another universe. This statement is found in the Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi, which is commented upon by Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. When a devotee becomes perfect, he is transferred to a universe where Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes are taking place. Kṛṣṇa’s eternal associates go wherever Kṛṣṇa manifests His pastimes. As stated before, first the father and mother of Kṛṣṇa appear, then the other associates. Quitting his material body, the perfect devotee also goes to associate with Kṛṣṇa and His other associates.

Text 398

Bengali

Purport

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports to Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, twentieth chapter, describing how Sanātana Gosvāmī met the Lord at Vārāṇasī and received knowledge of the Absolute Truth.