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TEXT 1 varah paramah krsnah sac-cid-nanda-vigrahah andir dir govindah sarva-krana-kranam 1 1 1 1 1 TRANSLATION Krsna is the supreme controller. He is the enjoyer of innumerable consorts, and the possessor of an eternal form of knowledge and bliss. Though, he is without origin, he is the source of all other forms of God, and is the cause of all causes. He is Govinda, the boy who cares for the cows. COMMENTARY Rpa Gosvm, whose younger brother was r-vallabha, and whose older brother is Santana Gosvm, is my good fortune. Indeed, he is the good fortune for all living entities. May the excellence of Krsna's form be honored in my heart! It is by Krsna's mercy that I desire to explain the Brahmasamhit. 1

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T h i s work, passed down by the sages, though difficult to u n d e r s t a n d , b e c o m e s filled w i t h m e a n i n g o n c a r e f u l consideration. In considering the proper meaning of this w o r k , I w i l l t a k e s h e l t e r o f t h e g r e a t e s t a m o n g sages, Vedavysa. Though the Brahma-samhit has a hundred chapters, this fifth chapter is complete in itself, since it expresses compactly the essential meaning of all the scriptures. What persons of pure intelligence realize in the rmad-bhgavatam and other works is presented in this work. W h a t I have explained extensively in Krsna-sandarbha, I have reviewed and I have used some points to explain the Brahma-samhit. Thus my heart has become joyful. T h e word krsna T h e Bhgavatam verse etc cma-kalh pumsah krsnas tu bhagavn svayam has established that Krsna is the primary form of Bhagavn (SB 1.3.28). The same is stated in the first verse of Brahma-samhit with varah paramah krsnah. T h e word Krsna denotes a specific form of the Lord whose name is Krsna. This same form is denoted by great devotees such as ukadeva Gosvm in verses like the following: sa vismayotphulla-vilocano harim sutam vilokynakadundubhis tad krsnvatrotsava-sambhramo 'spran mud dvijebhyo 'yutam pluto gavm W h e n Vasudeva saw his extraordinary son, his eyes were struck with wonder. In transcendental jubilation, he mentally collected ten thousand cows and distributed them

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among the brhmanas as a transcendental festival for the appearance of Krsna. SB 10.3.11 T h e same form of the Lord is denoted in the Chndogya Upanisad of the Sma Veda: krsnya vsudevya devak-nandanya 1 .. .unto Krsna, Vsudeva, the son of Devak. By placing the word krsna first in a series of names of the Lord, in this verse from Chndogya Upanisad, the supreme position of Krsna's name is also indicated. Garga Muni indicates the same by mentioning the name of Krsna before the name of Vsudeva in the Bhgavatam: san varns trayo hy asya grhnato 'nuyugam tanh uklo raktas tath pta idnm krsnatm gatah prg ayam vasudevasya kvacij jtas tavtmajah vsudeva iti rmn abhijh sampracaksate Y o u r s o n K r s n a a p p e a r s a s a n i n c a r n a t i o n i n every m i l l e n n i u m . I n t h e past, h e a s s u m e d t h r e e different colorswhite, red and yellowand now he has appeared in a blackish color. For many reasons, this beautiful son of yours s o m e t i m e s appeared previously as the son of Vasudeva. Therefore, those w h o are learned sometimes call this child Vsudeva. SB 10.8.13-14

Chndogya Upanisad, belonging to the Sma Veda, says krsnya devaknandanya. Krsnya devak-nandanya vsudevya is found in Tripad-vibhti Upanisad of the Atharva Veda.
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T h e Brahma-samhit begins with varah paramah krsnah to indicate, at the very beginning of the work, that Krsna is the principal form of God. This is similar to filling a pot with milk in the beginning, thus putting the pot to the best use first. 2 That Krsna's name is the chief name of the Lord is also stated by the Lord in the Prabhsa-khanda of the Padma Purna in the conversation between Nrada and Kuadvaja: nmnm mukhyatamam nma krsnkhyam me parantapa O conquerer of enemies, my name Krsna is the chief among all names. S i m i l a r l y , i n the h u n d r e d and eight n a m e s o f the L o r d mentioned in the Brahmnda Purna, it is said: sahasra-nmnm punynm trir-vrtty tuyat phalam | ekvrtty tu krsnasya nmaikam tat prayacchati II T h e auspicious results obtained by reciting a thousand names of the Lord three times can be obtained by reciting the name of Krsna once. This statement of the Brahmnda Purna that three thousand names of Visnu are equal to one name of Krsna also applies to the name Govinda mentioned later in the Brahma-samhit (anadir adir govindah and govindam di-purusam tam aham bhajmi). Though the person indicated by the word Govinda is Krsna, the word Govinda is used to indicate his special quality of herding the cows.
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Payas kumbham prayatti nyya.

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The other words in the verse, starting with the word varah, describe the unique nature of Krsna, using the conventional meaning of the word Krsna, denoted above as the son of Nanda. The same uniqueness of Krsna, the son of Nanda, is stated by Garga: san varns trayo hy asya grhnato 'nuyugam tanh | uklo raktas tath pta idnm krsnatm gatah II bahni santi nmni rpni ca sutasya te I guna-karmnurpni tny aham veda nojanh II Y o u r s o n K r s n a a p p e a r s a s a n i n c a r n a t i o n i n every m i l l e n n i u m . I n the past, h e a s s u m e d t h r e e different c o l o r s w h i t e , red and y e l l o w a n d now all these are included in one form. Thus he is called Krsna. Your son has many forms and names according to his transcendental qualities and activities. These are known to me, but people in general do not understand them. SB 10.8.13,15

Here then is the meaning of these two verses. In every yuga the body of the person known as Krsna, accepting various avatra forms, appears with the colors white, red and yellow. These avatras, with white, red and yellow color, have now directly appeared within Krsna as his limbs now that Krsna has descended on earth. Thus Krsna is the principal name and form, since he is indicated as the cause of all other forms and as the most attractive among all the forms. 3 Thus all the o t h e r forms b e l o n g to h i m (bahni rpni). Therefore,

The verb krs can mean to hold power over others or to attract others.

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brahma by identification sentence.

of case

(smndhikaranya)

in

the

B r a h m a n means that o b j e c t (brhanam vastu) which is the outstanding nourisher among all things, and param brahma means the greatest among all nourishers, or he who is greater than all other nourishers. That param brahman or "greatest nourisher" ity is called Krsna (tayor aikyam param brahma krsna abhidhyate).

If one takes the word krs to mean simply "attraction" and combines that meaning with the word na, meaning simply "bliss", a relation of cause and effect between the object being described and the two modifying words cannot be established, since Krsna and "attraction and bliss" simply equal each other. Krsna, the greatest object, is attraction and bliss. This is similar to saying "Ghee is life." What we really mean by that statement is that ghee causes long life. Similarly when we say "Krsna is attraction", we mean that Krsna, having power over all things, causes attraction, or is attractive to all things. T h e meanings of Brahman j u s t given are supported by the Visnu Purna, which gives the following derivation of the word Brahman: brhattvd brmhanatvc ca tad brahma paramam vidur Brahman is known as the supreme entity because it is the greatest (brhattva) and because it is the nourisher of all things (brmhanatva) Visnu Purna 1.12.57

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H o w can this be said? Visnu Purna is referring to ruti statements. The ruti states that brahma is that which is great and produces greatness.
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Another definition in Brhad-gautamya-tantra also describes Krsna as Brahman: krsi-abda ca sattrtho na cnanda-svarpakah I satt-svnandayoryogt cit param brahma cocyate II T h e word krs means existence and na means having a form of bliss. Because Krsna is the cause of existence and thus the cause of bliss for all beings, he is called the Supreme Brahman with consciousness. Though the monists consider existence and bliss to be names with the s a m e m e a n i n g to designate o n e B r a h m a n ( s i n c e Brahman has no qualities), the grammarians have acknowledged that the words " e x i s t e n c e " and "bliss" have different meanings. T h e word sat means the supreme cause o f all t h i n g s i n e x i s t e n c e . W h y ? T h i s i s p r o v e d b y t h e statement sad eva saumyedam agra ast: what is called sat existed before everything. (Chndogya Upanisad 6.2.1) Also, if the two words satt and nanda had the same meaning, then one of the words would be redundant. It would be like describing an object by repeating two words with the same meaning (like defining a kadamba tree as a vrksa and taru). In

Atharva-ikha Upanisad says sarvni brmhayati brahma. andilya Upanisad says yasmc ca brmhati brmhayati ca sarvn tasmd ucyate param brahma.
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addition, that definition does not produce a relationship of an object being defined and its descriptive modifier. It simply says "Brahman is Brahman (sat)" Therefore, arguing that the syllables krs and na, which indicate existence and bliss, simply indicate the Supreme Brahman, is defeated. T h e verse krsi-abda ca sukha-rpo bhaved tm sattrtho na cnanda-svarpakah bhvnanda-mayatvatah can be

further explained. The first line indicates that Krsna is full of bliss and endowed with the power to attract or rule over all beings. The second line means that since he is a blissful form a t t r a c t i n g and ruling all, the j v a s e x p e r i e n c e h a p p i n e s s (sukha-rpo bhaved tm), b e c a u s e of the bliss (nandamayatvatah) arising from prema (bhva).

T h u s , it should be understood that the word Krsna means "he who is greatest by form and qualities, since he is the personification of bliss and is the ruler and attractor of all beings." He is conventionally known as the son of Devak. The ability of the son of Vasudeva to give bliss to all is seen in the Vsudevopanisad: devak-nandano nikhilam nandayat: "The son of Devak gives bliss to all." The author of Nma-kaumud defines K r s n a as param brahma: krsna-abdasya ymala-tvisi ri-yaod-stanandhaye para-brahmani tamlardhih:

"Krsna indicates the Supreme Brahman, para-brahman, with the complexion of a dark tamla tree who drank milk from the breast of Yaod." T h u s Krsna indicates he who is composed solely of bliss, who is unchanging and eternally perfect, and who is the son of Devak. The word should not be given another meaning (such as Krsna means black). Bhatta says:

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labdhtmik sat rdhir bhaved yogpahrin I kalpany tu labhante ntmnam yoga-bdhatah

T h e conventional meaning of words overrides the e t y m o l o g i c a l m e a n i n g . W h e n the c o n t e x t i n d i c a t e s a c o n t r a d i c t i o n t o t h e e t y m o l o g i c a l m e a n i n g , the etymological meaning cannot be applied. Krsna is para-brahman

K r s n a is a l s o d e f i n e d as para-brahman in t h e r m a d bhgavatam: yyam nr-loke bata bhri-bhg lokam punn munayo 'bhiyanti yesm grhn vasatiti sksd gdham param brahma manusya-ligam My dear Maharaja Yudhisthira, all of you [the Pndavas] are extremely fortunate, for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, lives in your palace j u s t like a human being. Great saintly persons k n o w this very well, and therefore they constantly visit this house. SB 7.10.48

aho bhgyam aho bhgyam nanda-gopa-vrajaukasm yan-mitram paramnandam prnam brahma santanam How greatly fortunate are Nanda Mahrja, the cowherd men and all the other inhabitants of Vrajabhmi! There is no limit to their good fortune, because the Absolute Truth, the source of transcendental bliss, the eternal Supreme Brahman has become their friend. SB 1 0 . 1 4 . 3 2 Similarly Visnu Purna says: yatrvatrnam krsnkhyam param brahma narkrti

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The Para Brahman in human form is called Krsna. Purna 4 . 1 1 . 2 Gt says:

Visnu

brahmano hi pratisthham I am the basis of Brahman. BG 14.27 Gopala-tpan Upanisad says: yo 'sau param brahma goplah The Supreme Brahman is the cowherd boy Krsna. T h e word vara Now let us return the original text. Since the word vara refers to Krsna who has just been described, vara here means "the ultimate controller of all things." This is included in the m e a n i n g o f t h e w o r d krsna w h e n w e c o n s i d e r a n o t h e r meaning of the word krsna as given in Gautamya-tantra: athav karsayet sarvam jagat sthvara-jangamam kla-rpena bhagavn tenyam krsna ucyate II |

The Lord is called Krsna because he overpowers (karsayet) all moving and non-moving entities in the universe in his form of time. Even the word for kla ( t i m e ) means "to c o n t r o l . " In the T h i r d Canto of r m a d - B h g a v a t a m there is a complete d e s c r i p t i o n o f this c o n t r o l l i n g a s p e c t o f Krsna given b y Uddhava.

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svayam tv asmytiayas tryadhah svrjya-laksmy-pta-samastakmah I balim haradbhi cira-loka-plaih kirta-koty-edita-pda-pithah II


No one is equal to him or superior to him. He is master of the three energies and three Visnus. All his desires are fulfilled by Laksm and He has his rulership over his devotees, pastimes and qualities. His feet are praised by the sound of ten million crowns of the devats offering respects while presenting gifts. SB 3.2.21 The Gt also says idam krtsnam ekmena sthito jagat: "By

o n e fragment of my p o w e r I am s i t u a t e d in this w h o l e universe" ( B G 1 0 . 4 2 ) and Gopla-tpan Upanisad says eko vai sarvagah krsna dyah: "The one Lord Krsna, who controls all and pervades all, should be worshipped." (Gopla-tpani Upanisad 1.19) T h e word parama Because Krsna is the c o n t r o l l e r of all, he is designated as paramah. T h e word parama means "the Lord who possesses the most excellent (para) aktis in the form of Laksms (m)." These aktis are described in the Bhgavatam: grhesu tsm anapyy atarka-krn nirasta-smytiayesv avasthitah reme rambhir nija-kma-sampluto yathetaro grhaka-medhikm caran T h e L o r d , performer o f the i n c o n c e i v a b l e , c o n s t a n t l y r e m a i n e d i n e a c h o f his q u e e n s ' p a l a c e s , w h i c h were unequaled and unexcelled by any other residence. There,

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although fully satisfied within himself, he enjoyed with his pleasing wives, and like an ordinary husband he carried out his household duties. SB 10.59.43 nyam riyo 'ga u nitnta-rateh prasdah svar-yositm nalina-gandha-rucm kuto 'nyh rsotsave 'sya bhuja-danda-grhta-kanthalabdhism ya udagd vraja-vallabhnm W h e n Lord r Krsna was dancing with the gops in the rsa-ll, the gops were embraced by the arms of the Lord. This transcendental favor was never bestowed upon the goddess of fortune or other consorts in the spiritual world. Indeed, never was such a thing even imagined by the most beautiful girls in the heavenly planets, whose bodily luster and aroma resemble the lotus flower. And what to speak of worldly w o m e n who are very beautiful according to material estimation? SB 1 0 . 4 7 . 6 0 tbhir vidhta-okbhir bhagavn acyuto vrtah vyarocatdhikam tta purusah aktibhir yath E n c i r c l e d by the gops, w h o were n o w relieved of all distress, Lord Acyuta, the Supreme personality of Godhead, shone forth splendidly. My dear King, Krsna thus appeared like the Supersoul e n c i r c l e d by his spiritual potencies. SB 1 0 . 3 2 . 1 0 T h e Brahma-samhit will also say later: riyah knth kntah parama-purusah In G o l o k a reside the beautiful young w o m e n and their lover, the supreme male."

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Gopla-tpan Upanisad says: krsno vai paramam daivatam Krsna is the Lord endowed with many energies in the form of gops." The word di Since Krsna alone is parama, endowed with such energies, he is called di (first). Bhgavatam uses the word dyah to describe Krsna: rutvjitam jarsandham nrpater dhyyato harih I hopyam tam evdya uddhavo yam uvca ha || W h e n King Yudhisthira heard that Jarsandha remained undefeated, he set to pondering, and then the primeval Lord, Hari, told him the means Uddhava had described for defeating Jarsandha. SB 1 0 . 7 2 . 1 5

rdhara Svm explains in his commentary that the word dyah harih refers to Krsna. In the Eleventh Canto also the quality of excellence (rsabham) is mentioned along with being first (dya).

bhava-bhayam apahantum jna-vijna-sram nigama-krd upajahre bhrnga-vad veda-sram amrtam udadhita cpyayad bhrtya-vargn purusam rsabham dyam krsna-samjam nato 'smi Since he is the author of the Vedas, like a bee, the Lord has e x t r a c t e d the e s s e n c e from the Vedas in order to

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destroy fear of material e x i s t e n c e . T h i s e s s e n c e of all knowledge and self-realization is nectar extracted from the milk ocean. He has made his devotees drink that nectar and cheated the demons. I offer my obeisances to that Supreme Lord, the original and greatest of all beings, r Krsna. SB 1 1 . 2 9 . 4 9 Andih One should not think that being first or di means that Krsna is simply a form that appears in the material world. To make this clear the word andih is also used. This indicates that a form appearing in the material world as Krsna is an eternal form existing in the spiritual world. After stating eko va sarvagah krsna dyah, Gopla-tpan Upanisad thus says nityo nitynm cetanas cetannm: "He is the chief eternal being and the chief conscious being." Sarva-krana-kranam B e c a u s e of his status as first, he is called sarva-kranakranam, the cause of all causes. He is the cause of even the creator of the material realm, the purusvatra. Devak says to Krsna in the Tenth Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam. yasymmma-bhgena vivotpatti-layodayh | bhavanti kila vivtmams tam tvdyham gatim gat II O S o u l of all that be, the c r e a t i o n , m a i n t e n a n c e and destruction of the universe are all carried out by a fraction of an expansion of an expansion of your expansion, the purusvatra. Today I have come to take shelter of you, the Supreme Lord. SB 10.85.31

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T h e c o m m e n t a r y on this statement is as follows. T h e expansion of Krsna, the purusvatra, has an expansion in the form of my. My has an expansion in the form of the gunas. This is an explanation of the phrase yasymmma. By o n e very s m a l l p o r t i o n of t h e gunas (bhgena), t h e creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe take place. Therefore "I surrender unto you (tv)." Similarly Brahm in his prayers says: nryanas tvam na hi sarva-dehinm tmsy adhkhila-loka-sks nryano 'gam nara-bh-jalyant tac cpi satyam na tavaiva my Are you not the original Nryana, O supreme controller, since you are the Soul of every embodied being and the e t e r n a l w i t n e s s o f all c r e a t e d r e a l m s ? I n d e e d , L o r d Nryana is your expansion, and he is called Nryana because he is the generating source of the primeval water of the universe. He is real, not a product of your illusory my. SB 10.14.14 To explain the derivation of the word Nryana, it is said: narj jtni tattvni nrnti vidur budhh | tasya tny ayanam prvam tena nryanah smrtah II The elements of creation that arise from the Lord (nara) are known by wise as nra. The shelter of these elements which exists previous to them is called ayana. Thus the purusa is known as Nryana. Thus Brahma states that Nryana is an expansion, and Krsna is the source. The Gt also says vistabhyham idam krtsnam

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ekmena sthito jagat: "By one of my expansions, the purusa, I am firmly established in the universe." (BG 1 0 . 4 2 ) In this way, the etymological meaning of Krsna has again been show to be true, since he is also the basis of Nryana. Vigrahah Even those who claim that the roots krs and na in the word Krsna simply mean "supreme bliss", and do not indicate a person, must give regard to the fact that he has inherent powers, made apparent by the descriptive words such as vara in the verse. It would be inappropriate to attribute these qualities to some other object or person, since Krsna is described as supreme in power (vara) and supreme as a cause (sarva-krana-kranam).

But there is an objection. The ruti also says: nando brahma iti | ko hy evnyt kah prnydyad esa ka nando na syt I nandd imni bhtni jyante I Brahman is bliss. W h o could breathe without this Brahman, if this blissful Brahman were not present? F r o m bliss all entities are born. Taittirya Upanisad 2.7.1,5

na tasya kryam karanam ca vidyate na tat-sama cbhyadhika ca dryate | parsya aktir vividhaiva ryate svbhvik jna-bala-kriy ca || He has no body and no senses. No one is equal to him or higher. His supreme power is manifold. His actions are

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naturally vetsvatara

revealed Upanisad

with

knowledge

and

strength.

An opponent may thus say, "Though you say that according to the etymology Krsna means 'He who attracts all, he who is the greatest and he who is bliss,' from that definition itself he should actually be considered formless, for bliss cannot have a form, in view of the above quotations." T h a t may be true, b u t the Lord, by being endowed with supreme aktis ( p a r a m a ) , possesses an extraordinary form full of eternal bliss. T h u s the verse states sac-cid-nandavigraha. He is bliss, but also has a form which is eternity, knowledge and bliss. In the T e n t h Canto of rmadBhgavatam, Brahma says: tasmd idam jagad aesam asat-svarpam svapnbham asta-dhisanath puru-duhkha-duhkham tvayy eva nitya-sukha-bodha-tanv anante myta udyad api yat sad ivvabhti Therefore this entire universe, which like a dream is by nature unreal, nevertheless appears real, and thus it covers one's consciousness and assails one with repeated miseries. This universe appears real because it is manifested by the potency of illusion emanating from you, whose unlimited transcendental forms are full knowledge. SB 10.14.22 of eternal happiness and

Also the Gopla-tpani and Hayarsa Upanisadas say sac-cidnanda-rpya krsnyklista-krine: I offer my respects unto Krsna, with a form of eternity, knowledge and bliss, unafflicted by suffering.

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Also, the one hundred and eight names of Krsna mentioned in the Brahmnda Purna describe He Krsna has as nanda-vrajaof eternity, jannand sac-cid-nanda-vigragah: a form

knowledge and bliss which gives joy to the people of Vraja. Sad-vigrahah Sac-cid-nanda-vigraha means the following. Sat-vigraha

means that his form does not change. In the Tenth Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam the devats, headed by Brahma, pray (using the word satya repeatedly): satya-vratam satya-param tri-satyam satyasya yonim nihitam ca satye satyasya satyam rta-satya-netram satytmakam tvm aranam prapannh T h e demigods prayed: O Lord, you never deviate from your vow, which is always perfect because whatever you decide is perfectly correct and cannot be stopped by anyone. Being present in the three phases of cosmic manifestationcreation, maintenance and annihilationyou are the Supreme Truth. Indeed, unless o n e is completely truthful, one c a n n o t achieve your favor, which therefore cannot be achieved by hypocrites. You are the active principle, the real truth, in all the ingredients of creation, and therefore you are k n o w n as antarym, the i n n e r force. You are equal to everyone, and Your instructions apply for everyone, for all time. You are the beginning of all truth. Therefore, offering our obeisances, we surrender unto you. Kindly give us protection. SB 10.2.26

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Devak says: naste lohe dvi-parrdhvasne mah-bhtesv di-bhtam gatesu vyakte vyaktam kla-vegena yte bhavn ekah isyate 'esa-samjah After millions of years, at the time of cosmic annihilation, when everything, manifested and unmanifested, is annihilated by the force of time, the five gross elements e n t e r i n t o the s u b t l e c o n c e p t i o n , and the manifested categories enter into the unmanifested substance. At that time, you alone remain, and you are known as Ananta esa-nga. SB 10.3.25 martyo mrtyu-vyla-bhtah palyan lokn sarvn nirbhayam ndhyagacchat tvat pdbjam prpya yadrcchaydya susthah ete mrtyur asmd apaiti No one in this material world has become free from the four principles birth, death, old age and disease, even by fleeing to various planets. But now that you have appeared, my Lord, death is fleeing in fear of you, and the living entities, having obtained shelter at your lotus feet by your mercy, are sleeping in full mental peace. SB 10.3.27 Brahma also prays: adyaiva tvad rte 'sya him mama na te mytvam daritam eko 'si prathamam tato vraja-suhrd-vatsh samast api tvanto 'si catur-bhujs tad akhilaih skam mayopsits tvanty eva jaganty abhs tad amitam brahmdvayam isyate

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Have you not shown me today that both you yourself and everything within this creation are manifestations of your inconceivable potency? First you appeared alone, and then you manifested yourself as all of Vrndvana's calves and cowherd boys, your friends. Next you appeared as an equal number of four-handed Visnu forms, who were worshiped by all living beings, including me, and after that you appeared as an equal n u m b e r of c o m p l e t e universes. Finally, you have now returned to your unlimited form as the Supreme Absolute Truth, one without a second. SB 10.14.18 As well, Gt says brahmano hi pratisthham: I am the basis of Brahman (which is eternal). (BG 1 4 . 2 7 ) and as well: yasmt ksaram atto 'ham aksard api cottamah I ato 'smi loke vede ca prathitah purusottamah || Because I am superior to the conditioned and liberated jvas, I am celebrated in the Vedas and the smrtis as the Supreme Person. BG 15.18 Gopla-tpan says:

janma-jarbhym bhinnah sthnur ayam acchedyo 'yam yo 'sau saurye tisthati I yo 'sau gosu tisthati, yo 'sau gh playati, yo 'sau gopesu tisthati govindn mrtyur bibheti II He is unchanging, free from birth and old age. He who stays in Vrndvana is indivisible. Death fears Govinda who stays with the cows, who p r o t e c t s the cows and w h o resides with the cowherd people.

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Saurya comes from saur, the Yamuna. The neighboring area, Vrndvana, is called saurya. Cid-vigrahah The statement: "Having a body of knowledge (cid-vigraha)", means that the form has the power to reveal itself to others, because it is self-revealing. 5 It is not dependent on another object to reveal it. Brahm has stated the same in the Tenth Canto of r m a d - B h g a v a t a m . ekas tvam tm purusah purnah satyah svayam-jyotir ananta dyah nityo 'ksaro 'jasra-sukho nirajanah prndvayo mukta updhito 'mrtah You are the one Supreme Soul, the primeval Supreme P e r s o n a l i t y and the A b s o l u t e T r u t h s e l f - m a n i f e s t e d , endless and beginningless. You are eternal and infallible, perfect and complete, without any rival and free from all material designations. Your happiness can never be obstructed, nor have you any c o n n e c t i o n with material contamination. Indeed, you are the indestructible nectar of immortality. SB 10.14.23 Gopla-tpan (1.26) says:

yo brahmnam vidadhti prvam yo vidystasmai gopyati sma krsnah | tam ha daivamtmabuddhiprakam mumuksurvai aranamanuvrajeta II
5

Self-revelation is the quality of knowledge.

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Those desiring liberation should take shelter of Krsna, who reveals himself to others' perception, and who previously created Brahm and protected spiritual knowledge for him. na caksus payati rpam asya One cannot see his form with the material eye. vetsvatara Upanisad yam evaisa vrnute tena labhyas tasyaisa tm vrnute tanum svm II T h e Lord reveals his form to whomsoever he chooses. Mundaka Upanisad 3.2.4

nanda-vigrahah nanda-vigraha m e a n s that G o v i n d a is the abode of the purest, highest prema, complete with all its components. This is made clear in the Tenth Canto of r m a d - B h g a v a t a m as well: brahman parodbhave krsne iyn prem katham bhavet yo 'bhta-prvas tokesu svodbhavesv api kathyatm O brhmana, h o w c o u l d t h e c o w h e r d w o m e n have d e v e l o p e d for K r s n a , s o m e o n e e l s e ' s s o n , s u c h unprecedented pure lovelove they never felt even for their own children? Please explain this. SB 1 0 . 1 4 . 4 9 Vasudeva says: vidito 'si bhavn skst purusah prakrteh parah kevalnubhavnanda- svarpah sarva-buddhi-drk

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My Lord, you are the Supreme Person, beyond material existence, and you are the Supersoul. Your purely blissful form can be perceived by transcendental knowledge, by which you can be understood as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I now understand your position perfectly. SB 10.3.13 ruti says: nandam brahmano rpam The form of the Brahman is bliss. Since the form of eternity, knowledge and bliss of the Lord is perfect and intrinsic, that form is non-different from him. Thus the words tm and vigraha may be used as synonyms. It has been shown that the Lord, unlike the jva, does not have a material body different from tm (deh). ukadeva says: krsnam enam avehi tvam tmnam akhiltmanm jagad-dhitya so 'py atra dehvbhti myay You should know Krsna to be the original Soul of all living entities. For the benefit of the whole universe, he has, out of his causeless mercy, appeared as an ordinary h u m a n being (deh). He has done this by the strength of his mercy. SB 1 0 . 1 4 . 5 5 My in this verse means "mercy." The Viva-praka

dictionary says my dambhe krpym ca: my means pride and mercy.

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Govinda Since Krsna eternally possesses the type of form just discussed, for t h e p u r p o s e s o f a b s o r b i n g h i m s e l f i n p a s t i m e s h e sometimes appears as the king of the Vrsnis and sometimes as Govinda, the cowherd boy. In the Twelfth Canto of rmadBhgavatam, Suta explains: r-krsna-krsna-sakha-vrsny-rsabhvani-dhrugrjanya-vama-dahannapavargya-vrya | govinda gopa-vanit-vraja-bhrtya-gtatirtha-ravah ravana-magala phi bhrtyn II O Krsna! O friend of A r j u n a ! O chief among the

descendants of Vrsni! O destroyer of those kings that are disturbing elements on this earth! O Lord whose prowess never deteriorates! O Govinda! O Lord who gives pleasure to the ears by the fame which purifies the universe, which is sung by Uddhava, the servant of the gopis of Vraja! O Lord, please protect your devotees. SB 1 2 . 1 1 . 2 5

Though Krsna performs two types of pastimes (in Vrndvana and Dvrak), the form as Govinda is the most worthy of worship, because Govinda is endowed with the most affectionate form, pastimes and associates. Thus the Brahmasamhit m e n t i o n s the w o r d G o v i n d a to d i s t i n g u i s h t h e Vrndvana Krsna from the Dvrak Krsna. This Govinda will later be praised in the verse starting with the words cintmaniprakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa. Govinda, the Lord of the cows, should n o t be considered an inferior name, because after Surabhi bathed Krsna for his victory over Indra, Indra gave him the name Govinda as an h o n o r . (SB 1 0 . 2 7 . 2 3 ) In the

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previous chapter of r m a d - B h g a v a t a m , ukadeva prayed pryn na indro gavm: May the Lord of the cows be pleased with us. If Krsna is the shelter of all beings, and then is called the shelter of the cows, it indicates that Krsna, as the Lord of the cows, is perfect in status. Calling Krsna GovindaLord of the cowsdoes not indicate a lesser being. The Go-skta says: gobhyo yajh pravartante gobhyo devh samutthith \ gobhir vedh samudgrnh sad-aga-padaka-kramh II Sacrifices take place because of cows. The devats appear because of cows. The Vedas with their six agas appear because of the cows. These cows have appeared on earth from the supreme planet of Goloka. In the Gopla-tpan Upanisad, Brahm himself states that he worships the Lord as Govinda: govindam sac-cid-nanda-vigraham vrndvana-sura-bhruhatalsnam satatam samarud-gano 'ham tosaymi I along with the Maruts satisfy Govinda, the form of eternity, knowledge and bliss, who sits beneath a desire tree in Vrndvana. As well, in the Tenth Canto of r m a d - B h g a v a t a m Brahm prays for attaining association with the Lord's form as the son of Nanda: tad bhri-bhgyam iha janma kim apy atavym yad gokule 'pi katamghri-rajo-'bhisekam yaj-jvitam tu nikhilam bhagavn mukundas tv adypi yat-pada-rajah ruti-mrgyam eva

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My greatest possible good fortune would be to take any birth whatever in this forest of Gokula and have my head bathed by the dust falling from the lotus feet of any of its r e s i d e n t s . T h e i r e n t i r e life and s o u l i s t h e S u p r e m e Personality of Godhead, Mukunda, the dust of whose lotus feet is still being searched for in the Vedic mantras. SB 10.14.34 Brahm addresses the Lord as the son of the cowherd Nanda (paupgajya): naumdya te 'bhra-vapuse tadid-ambarya

gujvatamsa-paripiccha-lasan-mukhya
vanya-sraje kavala-vetra-visna-venulaksma-riye mrdu-pade paupgajya My dear Lord, you are the only worshipable Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore I offer my humble obeisances and prayers just to please you. O son of the king of the cowherds, your transcendental body is dark blue like a new cloud, your garment is brilliant like lightning, and the beauty of your face is enhanced by your guj earrings and the p e a c o c k feather on your head. Wearing garlands of various forest flowers and leaves, and equipped with a herding stick, a buffalo horn and a flute, you stand beautifully with a morsel of food in your hand. SB 10.14.1 Therefore, other meanings for the word govinda, indicating various great powers, are not accepted. T h e Gautamya-tantra, in the description of the ten-syllable mantra, after reiterating that Krsna is the Supreme Lord, s i n c e he is all-powerful, concludes that he is a cowherd boy also:

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gopti prakrtim vidyj janas tattva-samhakah I anayor rayo vypty kranatvena cevarah I sndrnandam param jyotir vallabhatvena kathyate II athav gop prakrtir janas tad-ama-mandalam I anayor vallabhah proktah svm krsnkhya varah II krya-kranayor iah rutibhis tena gyate II aneka-janma-siddhnm gopnm patir eva v I nanda-nandana ity uktas trailokynanda-vardhanah || T h o s e persons possessing truth k n o w that g o p means prakrti. Jana m e a n s the a s s e m b l y of all t h e m a t e r i a l elements. T h e shelter of prakrti and its elements is the Lord, since he is the final cause and pervades everything. Or, gop can mean the spiritual prakrti, and jana can mean the assembly of secondary forms of the Lord. T h e Lord (vara) known as Krsna is called vallabha, the master of Laksm and the other forms of God. Vallabha means the supreme light, c o n d e n s e d bliss. T h e word gop m e a n s prakrti, the energy of the Lord called my which is the material cause of the universe. The word jana means tattvasamhaka, the elements starting with mahat-tattxa. T h e shelter of both is the Supreme Lord, the Supreme Light c o m p o s e d o f c o n d e n s e d bliss. T h i s i s the m e a n i n g o f vallabha. T h e Lord of cause (prakrti) and effect (elements) is thus glorified by the rutis in this mantra. A n o t h e r meaning is that Krsna is the master of many cowherd women who achieved perfection after many births. He who is the son of Nanda, Nanda-nandana, increases the bliss 6 of the three worlds.

Three meanings of the mantra are given: Krsna as impersonal Brahman, as majestic in Goloka, and as intimate in Gokula.

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T h e reasons for his being called vara, the possessor of all powers, are two: he pervades everything as effect (krya) and he is the ultimate cause (krana). Prakrti also refers to the akti of the Lord called Mah-laksm, who appears in Vaikuntha. She is beyond my and arises from the Lord's svarpa. Ama-mandalam refers to the forms of Sakarsana and others. Aneka-janma-siddhnm m e a n s "after endless births in the material world." This does not mean that the gops are all sdhana-siddhas, but that they, like Krsna, appear countless times to perform pastimes with him in the material world. Thus the Gt says bahni me vyattni janmni tava crjuna: O Arjuna, you and I have passed many births in this world. (BG 4 . 5 ) Though Krsna is eternal, Garga has also agreed that Krsna is the son of Nanda. Though he says the following it can be explained logically that he is actually Nanda's son. prg ayam vasudevasya kvacij jtas tavtmajah vsudeva iti rmn abhijh sampracaksate F o r many reasons, this beautiful son of yours sometimes appeared previously as the son of Vasudeva. Therefore, those who are learned sometimes call this child Vsudeva. SB 1 0 . 8 . 1 4 He appeared to be the son of Vasudeva because he appeared in Vasudeva's mind: vivema-bhgena mana nakadundubheh: he entered the mind of Vasudeva in partial form. (SB 10.2.16) Dadhra sarvtmakam tma-bhtam ksth yathnanda-karam manastah: Devak b e c a m e beautiful by carrying Lord Krsna, the original consciousness for everyone,

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the cause of all causes, within the core of her heart, just as the east becomes beautiful by carrying the rising moon. (SB 10.2.18) But simultaneously he appeared to Nanda in Vraja. This point is supported by many scriptures. Though he made an appearance to Vasudeva, he also appears as the son of Nanda (tmaja). Nanda and Yaod's pure, great prema for him, filled with parental affection, is most appropriate. Similarly, though Varha appeared to take birth from the nostril of Brahma, simultaneously he appeared on Varha-loka, though this was not seen by the common people. Pure prema belongs to Nanda, and is obstructed in Vasudeva, because Vasudeva's love is mixed with knowledge that Krsna is the Lord. T h u s it is correct when Garga says that Krsna, though the son of Nanda (tmajah), is also the son of Vasudeva. ukadeva has also confirms that Krsna is the son of Nanda: nyam sukhpo bhagavn jninm ctma-bhtnm dehinm gopik-sutah yath bhaktimatm iha

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, the son of m o t h e r Y a o d , is a c c e s s i b l e to d e v o t e e s engaged in s p o n t a n e o u s loving service, but he is not as easily accessible to mental speculators, to those striving for selfrealization by severe austerities and penances, or to those who consider the body the same as the self. The knowers of gama confirm this by saying: SB 10.9.21

sakala-loka-magalo

nanda-gopa-tanayo

devat

Krsna, the son of Nanda, is auspiciousness for the whole world. Gautamya-tantra

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In d e s c r i b i n g the ten-syllable mantra, this fact was also acknowledged (nanda-nandana ity uktas trailokynandavardhanah). One should also see the commentary of Vaisnavatosan on the verse nandas tv tmaja utpannah (SB 10.5.1) TEXT 2 sahasra patra kamalam gokulkhyam mahat padam I tat karnikram tad dhma tad anantma sambhavam ||2|| TRANSLATION The dhma of Krsna called Gokula is the supreme abode. It is the center (pericarp) of a lotus with a thousand petals and it is sustained by a portion of the spiritual energy of Baladeva called Ananta. COMMENTARY This verse presents the eternal dhma suitable for the form of Govinda. There is a lotus with a thousand petals. This lotus should be understood to be made of cintmani, since it will later be explained that the earth there is made of cintmani (bhmi cintmani-ganama). It is the most excellent place (mahat-padam). Mahat-padam can also mean that this is the p l a c e o f t h e m a j e s t i c form o f K r s n a , M a h - v a i k u n t h a . H o w e v e r , b e c a u s e o f t h e fear t h a t t h e r e are t o o m a n y meanings, the meaning is made specific by adding the phrase gokulkhyam (it is called Gokula). (Thus mahat padam does not mean Mah-vaikuntha.) By applying the principle that the c o n v e n t i o n a l m e a n i n g overrides the literal meaning, the conventional meaning of gokula (literally, "a cowshed") is, "the spiritual living place

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of the cowherd people of Vraja." In the same sense it is said in the Tenth Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam, bhagavn gokulevarah: " H e is t h e L o r d of G o k u l a , t h e c o w h e r d village." T h e word will be used with this sense later in Brahmsamhit. T h i s dhma is also called vana-vaikuntha in the scriptures. 7 This place of Krsna may be called "great" (mahat padam) because it has a huge palace (mahntahpuram) suitable for living with many otherswith Nanda, Yaod and other devotees. That Krsna lives together with them will be shown later. T h e nature of this dhma is then explained. It exists eternally (sambhavam) as a purely spiritual, self-effulgent portion of Baladeva called Ananta (anantma). This is also understood from the Vaisnava scriptures (tantra). Or the phrase can m e a n "it is the dwelling place (sambhava) of Baladeva, whose portion is Ananta (ananto 'ma)." TEXT 3 karnikram mahad yantram sat konam vajra kilakam | sad aga sat pad sthnam prakrty purusena ca II premnanda mahnanda rasenvasthitam hi yat | jyot rpena manun kma bjena sangatam ||3|| TRANSLATION T h e pericarp of the lotus is also a great yantra with six points and a diamond centerpiece. T h e six parts of the mantra are p l a c e d o n t h e s i x p o i n t s o f t h e yantra. T h e yantra i s a c c o m p a n i e d by prakrti (deity of the yantra) and purusa (deity of the mantra). T h i s yantra produces a variety of rasas

Krsnopanisad

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of great bliss arising from prema. T h e yantra is also endowed with the kma-bja, a self-revealing, non-material mantra. COMMENTARY Two verses now speak of the pericarp or the center of the lotus. This ptha, or sacred abode, is the chief abode, the abode of the king of mantrasthe eighteen-syllable Krsna mantra. This ptha is worshipped by all persons. A yantra is a diagram embodying a particular mantra for purposes of worship. The yantra is described in this verse. Within it, there is a form with six points (sad-konam). In the center is the bja of the mantra shining like a diamond (vajra-klakam). The syllable ca in the verse indicates other elements that are in this yantra. O n e should understand that the klaka or central pivot is composed of four letters (klm) and the other words are in the dative case. The purpose of the six points is explained. The six points are the abodes of the six parts of the eighteensyllable mantra. Prakrti refers to the dwelling place of the mantra, which is directly Krsna, since he is its final cause (krana). Moreover when reciting the rsi, meter, the presiding deity and o t h e r factors c o n c e r n i n g the mantra, prakrti is 8 mentioned as Krsna. The word purusa refers to the presiding deity of the mantra. The yantra is established with these t w o prakrti and purusa (prakrty purusena ca avasthitam). Krsna appears in the mantra in four ways: as final cause (krana), as the presiding deity (adhisthtr-devat), as the letters of the
8

Before reciting a mantra it is customary to utter the name of the sage who revealed the mantra (in this case Nrada), the meter (gyatr), the form of the Lord who is the subject of the mantra (Krsna), the bja of the mantra (klm), the akti of the mantra (svh), the prakrti of the mantra (Krsna), the adhisthtr-devat (purusa, Krsna) and the purpose of uttering the mantra. See Hari-bhakti-vilsa 5.146

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mantra varna) and as the object of worship (radhya). Here the krana and adhisthtr-devat forms are mentioned (as prakrti and purusa). T h e rdhya form was m e n t i o n e d previously with varah paramah krsnah. The letters of the mantra (varna) will be revealed later with kmah krsnya (verse 2 4 ) . As Hayarsa-pacartra says: vcyatvam vcakatvam devat-mantrayor iha I abhedenocyate brahma tattva-vidbhir vicratah II The wise conclude that the deity expressed in the mantra and the mantra itself are non-different, O Brahma. The Gopla-tpan Upanisad says:

vyur yathaiko bhuvanam pravisto janye janye paca-rpo babhva \ krsnas tathaiko 'pi jagad-dhitrtham abdensaupaca-pado vibhti II Just as one air entered the universe and became five forms, Krsna, though having one form, exists as five syllables in sound for the benefit of the world. Sometimes Durg is considered the adhisthtr-devat the by

considering the non-difference between possessor of akti. Gautamya-tantra says: rdh durg iv durg laksm durg prakrtit I gopla-visnu-pjym dy-ant na tu madhyam ||

akti a n d

Durg is a name for Rdh, Parvat and Laksm, in the worship of Gopla, iva and Visnu.

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yah krsnah saiva durg syd y durg krsna eva sah | anayor antardar samsrn no vimucyate II Krsna is non-different from Rdh (Durg). Rdh is nondifferent from Krsna. He who sees difference between them cannot become liberated from this world. Thus Krsna is the Lord and Durg is his svarpa Durg associated with the material world. The the word durga is: with great difficulty (dur) in is understood (ga). Nrada-pacartra says in the of rutividy: jnty ek par-knt saiva durg tad-tmik I y par parama aktir mah-visnu-svarupin II yasy vijna-mtrena parnm paramtmanah I muhrtd eva devasya prptir bhavati nnyath II ekeyamprema-sarvasva-svabhv r-kulevar I anay sulabho jeya di devo 'khilevarah II bhaketir bhajana-sampattir bhajate prakrtih priyam \ jyate 'tyanta duhkhena seyam prakrtir tmanah II durgeti gyate sadbhir akhanda-rasa-vallabh | asy varik aktir mah-mykhilevar | yay mugdham jagat sarvam sarva-dehbhimnatah II The supreme lover of Visnu, called Durg, knows. She is the s u p r e m e , t r a n s c e n d e n t a l akti, the c o u n t e r p a r t of Mah-visnu. By realizing her, one immediately attains the Supreme Lord, the Supreme Soul among all souls. There is no other way of realizing the Lord. She alone has the nature of complete prema. She alone is the goddess of all beauty. By her one can easily realize the Supreme Lord. She is devotion, a wealth of worship. She, called prakrti, worships akti, not the derivation of worship, she conversation

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her lover. Because this prakrti is known only with great difficulty by t h e tm, s h e is c a l l e d D u r g , h a r d to understand, by the saints. She is the Lord's consort full of complete rasa. Her secondary akti is the goddess in charge of mah-mya, the material realm. By this expansion the universe is bewildered, because she makes the jvas think in terms of their bodies. In the Sammohana-tantra, Durg says to Jay: yan nmn nmn durgham gunair gunavat hy aham I yad-vaibhav mah-laksm rdh nitypardvay II It is I who am designed by the name Durg. I am full of all qualities. But my source is the supreme, eternal Mahlaksm, Rdh, who is non-different from me. In this dhma or yantra there is bliss in the form of prema (premnanda), which becomes a variety of mature rasas filled with even greater bliss (mahnanda). This assumes another form as the self-revealing or spiritual (jyot-rpena) mantra (manun) of the kma-bja. Though kma-bija is part of the mantra, it is m e n t i o n e d separately as a mantra s i n c e it is sometimes used independently. TEXT 4 tat-kijalkam tad-amnm tat-patrni ym api ||4|| TRANSLATION Around the pericarp is a wall with spires like stamens. In the place are also various divisions and b o w e r s for the gopis, which are like petals.

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COMMENTARY After the dhma of Krsna has been described, the surrounding areas or coverings are described in one line. Kijalfea means filaments, but in this case refers to the surrounding wall coveredwth turreDTDr spires. Amnm refers to other areas within the dhma where great devotees, who have similar emotions, reside. They will have emotions suitable for the place already mentioned, Gokula. ukadeva has described the favorable emotions as follows: eyam kukudminam hatv styamnah dvijtibhih vivea gosthath sa-balo gopnm nayanotsavah Having thus killed the bull demon Arista, he who is a festival for the gops' eyes entered the cowherd village with Balarma. SB 1 0 . 3 6 . 1 5 After the killing of Kamsa, Krsna himself says to Nanda: yta yyam vrajamn tta vayam ca sneha-duhkhitn jtn yo drastum esymo yidhya suhrdm sukham Now you should all return to Vraja, dear Father. We shall come to see you, our dear relatives who suffer in separation from us, as soon as we have given some happiness to your well-wishing friends. SB 10.45.23 The petals of the lotus (patrni) or the special groves and bowers belong to the dearmost gops such as Rdh. The women mentioned (riym) refer only to the gops since they are specifically mentioned in the eighteen-syllable mantra. Rdh and others are described as follows in the Gautamyatantra:

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devl krsnamayl prokt rdhikpara-devat I sarva-laksm-mayl sarva-kntih sammohin para II Dear Rdh, filled with thoughts of Krsna, is the supreme goddess. She is the embodiment of all women, possesses all beauty, and is the supreme bewilderer. Matsya Purna says: vrnasym vilks vimal purusottame I rukmin dvravatym tu rdh vrndvane vane II In Varani Vilks presides. In Puri Vimal presides. In Dvrak Rukmin presides and in V r n d v a n a Rdh presides. Rk-pariista says: rdhay mdhavo devo mdhavenaiva rdhik | vibhrjantejanesv Mdhava is revealed to the people through Rdh and Rdh is revealed through Mdhava. If one has more specific questions one can see the Krsnrcanadlpik. Besides the groves of the gopls, one should understand that there are roads at the joining of the profuse petals (groves) and cowsheds at the ends of the roads. Because this lotus is actually Gokula, it includes cowsheds and other things related to the cows. In another place there is this description: sahasrram padmam dala-tatisu devbhir abhitah panto go-sakhair api nikha-hjalka-mitaih |

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kavtaih yasysti svayam akhila-aktyprakatitaprabhvah satyah r-parama-purusas tarn kila bhaje II At the edges of the thousand-petalled lotus are scattered gops and groups of cowherd men. There are doors at the edges which are all covered with flower pollen. There the supreme person, the embodiment of truth, whose powers are revealed through his own aktis, resides. I worship that person. Go-sakhaih is the correct version. This refers to cowherd men. The Amara-kosa dictionary says the following words are synonyms: gope gopla-gosakhya-godhug-bhira-vallabh. The parama-purusa is Krsna, whose powers are revealed t h r o u g h his manifold energies (akhila-akty prakatitaprabhvah). The word kavtaih indicates that there are doors or gates to all entrances to the pericarp of the lotus. TEXT 5 catur-asram tat-paritah vetadvpkhyam adbhutam \ catur-asram catur-mrte catur-dhma catus-krtam II caturbhih purusrthai ca caturbhir hetubhir vrtam | lair daabhir naddham rdhvdho dig-vidiksv api II astabhir nidhibhir justam astabhih siddhibhis tath manu-rpai ca daabhir dik-plaih panto vrtam II ymair gaurai ca raktai ca uklai ca prsadarsabhaih obhitam aktibhis tbhir adbhutbhih samantatah ||5|| TRANSLATION This Gokula is surrounded by an astonishing square area called vetadvpa or Goloka. This is divided into four parts w h i c h a r e the a b o d e s of four Visnu f o r m s V s u d e v a ,

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Sakarsana, Aniruddha and Pradyumna. Goloka is endowed with the four goals of human endeavor and with the methods to attain them. It is guarded by obstructions in the form of ten spears in the ten directions (including up and down). It is endowed with the eight treasures and eight siddhis. It is surrounded by the ten protectors of the directions in the form of their mantras, as well as the four V e d a s . It is resplendent with astonishing aktis. COMMENTARY Four verses describe the enclosure around Gokula. Around the outer portion of Gokula is a square area called vetadvpa. This is another name for Goloka. 9 Though it may be said that G o k u l a p a r t a k e s of the n a t u r e of vetadvpa, it is acknowledged as a different place, since in this verse the different name designates a different area. But it should be understood that the place called Vrndvana (Gokula) exists within the square area. The S\yambhuva gama, after stating dhyyet tatra-viuddhtm idam sarvam kramena ca: the pure soul should meditate on all this step by step, says, tan-madhye vrndvanam kusumitam nn-vrksa-vihagamam samsmaret: in the center one should meditate on Vrndvana full of flowers, trees and birds. In the Brhad Vmana Purna, before the prayers of the rutis there are the following verses:
9

The distinction between Gokula and Goloka is also made in Laghubhgavatamrta. Though the form of Krsna is the same in Goloka, there is a mixture of reverence in the relationships. Vivantha Cakravart explains in his commentary on Bhakti-rasmrta-sindhu 1.2.303 that those who worship Rdh and Krsna with vaidhi-bhakti attain Goloka, whereas those who worship Rdh and Krsna with rgnuga-bhakti attain Gokula.

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nanda-mtram iti yad vadanti hi purvidah \ tad-rpe daraysmkamyadi deyo varo hi nah || rutvaitad daraymsa svam lokam prakrteh param \ kevalnubhavnanda-mtram aksaram avyayam || yatra vmdvanam nma vanam kma-dughair drumaih | manorama-nikujdhyam sarvartu-sukha-samyutam II If you are going to give us a boon, show us that form which the ancient sages say is completely bliss. Having heard this, he showed them his own planet beyond matter, undecaying and unchanging, composed only of bliss. In this place there was a forest called Vrndvana furnished with desire trees, attractive groves and the happiness of all seasons. There are four expansion forms starting with Vsudeva, situated in four dhmas by dividing that square area into four parts (catuskrtam). These forms are situated in celestial chariots for performance of eternal pastimes in vetadvpa (Goloka). 1 0 This area is endowed with the four goals of h u m a n e n d e a v o r (purusrthaih)11 and the m e a n s of accomplishing them (hetubhih). It is also surrounded by the ten protectors of the directions beginning with Indra, in the form of their mantras (manu-rpaih). The colors black, yellow, The word deva-ll is used. This refers to the eternal pastimes which take place in the spiritual realm. The pastimes of vetadvpa or Goloka are aprakata, and do not appear on earth. The nara-ll of Krsna appears on earth in Vrndvana and in the spiritual world in Gokula, within Goloka. 11 The normal purusrihas art dharma, artha, kma and moksa. However in the pltha-pja mentioned in Ha-bhakti-vilsa 6.18 commentary as well as other texts, dharma, jna, vairgya and aivarya art worshipped. Perhaps Brahma-samhita is referring to these items. In any case how would these things exist in the spiritual world? The personalities who bestow semblances to these things in the spiritual world for pastimes reside there.
10

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red and white (ymair gaurai ca raktai ca uklai ca ) refer to the four Vedas. Similarly, the Tenth Canto describes the presence of the Vedas in Goloka: krsnam ca tatra chandobhih styamnam suxismith: they were especially amazed to see Krsna himself there, surrounded by the personified Vedas, who w e r e offering him p r a y e r s . (SB 1 0 . 2 8 . 1 7 ) akti (aktibhih) refers to Vimal and others. 1 2 This place called Goloka (surrounding Gokula) is described in the Bhgavatam: nandas tv atndriyam drstv loka-pla-mahodayam | krsne ca sannatim tesm jtibhyo xismito 'bravt II Nanda Mahrja had been astonished to see for the first time the great opulence of Varuna, the ruler of the ocean planet, and also to see how Varuna and his servants had offered such humble respect to Krsna. Nanda described all this to his fellow cowherd men. SB 10.28.10 Atndriyam means astonishing. te cautsukya-dhiyo rjan matv gops tarn ivaram \ api nah svagatim sksmm updhsyad adhvarah || The cowherd men considered that Krsna must be the Supreme Lord, and their minds, O King, were filled with eagerness. They thought, "Will the Supreme Lord bestow The aktis are mentioned in Han-bhakti-vilsa 6.19 commentary in relation to pitha-pja: Vimal, Utkarsin, Jn, Kriy, Yoga, Prahv, Saty, n and Anugrah
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u p o n us his t r a n s c e n d e n t a l a b o d e w h i c h is h a r d to understand?" SB 1 0 . 2 8 . 1 1 Svagatim means "his own abode." Sksmm means "hard to understand." Updhsyat stands for upadhsyati (will he bestow this to us?). This is what they decided to ask for. iti svnm sa bhagavn vijykhila-drk svayam I sankalpa-siddhaye tesi krpayaitad acintayat II Because he sees everything, Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, automatically understood what the cowherd men were conjecturing. Wanting to show his compassion to them by fulfilling their desires, the Lord thought as follows. SB 1 0 . 2 8 . 1 2 jano vai loka etasminn avidy-kma-karmabhih I uccvacsu gatisu na veda svm gatim bhraman II My own dearest people (janah), the inhabitants of Vraja, thinking that they are wandering in this world (etasmin loke) in various destinations such as devats, animals etc. (gatisu) by their own ignorance, do not know their real abode. SB 1 0 . 2 8 . 1 3 Janah means my own people, the residents of Vraja, standing for sva-jana. The same usage is found in the verse slokyasrsti-smlpya-srpyaikatvam apy uta diyamnam na grhnanti vin mat-sevanam janah (SB 3 . 2 9 . 1 3 ) where janah also stands for sva-janh, my devotees. Though jana also means people in general, it is inappropriate in this context. Krsna thinks of all the people of Vraja as his own people:

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tasmn mac-charanam gostham man-ntham mat-parigraham \ gopye svtma-yogena so 'yam me vrata hitah II I must therefore protect the cowherd community by my transcendental potency, for I am their shelter, I am their master, and indeed they are my own family. After all, I have taken a vow to protect my devotees. SB 1 0 . 2 5 . 1 8 These devotees (janah) are bewildered in high or low bodies of devas or animals (uccvacsu gatisu) c o n c e r n i n g their destination (svm gatim) in this material world (etasmin). They think that their destination is the impersonal Brahman since they play the role of contaminated souls. They do not know their real goal. This is, because, for the pastimes of Krsna in the material world, part of their awareness is covered. This is understood from the following statement: iti nanddayo goph krsna-rma-kathm mud I kurvanto ramamn ca nvindan bhava-vedanm II In this way all the c o w h e r d men, headed by Nanda Mahrja, enjoyed topics about the pastimes of Krsna and Balarma with great transcendental pleasure, and they could not even perceive material tribulations. SB 1 0 . 1 1 . 5 8 From this statement it is understood that the inhabitants of Vraja could not actually be afflicted by the activities of lust due to ignorance (avidy-kma-karmabhih). iti sacintya bhagavn mah-kruniko hah | daraymsa lokam svam gopnm tamasah param II

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Thus deeply considering the situation, the all-merciful Supreme Personality of Godhead Hari revealed to the cowherd men his own abode, which is beyond material darkness. SB 1 0 . 2 8 . 1 4 Therefore he showed them the actual planet of the cowherd men, Goloka (gopnm svam lokam). This planet is beyond prakrti (tamasah) since it arises from his svarpa-akti. satyamjnam anantam yat brahma jyotih santanam | yad dhi payanti munayo gunpye samhith II Lord Krsna revealed the indestructible spiritual effulgence, which is unlimited, conscious and eternal. Sages see that spiritual existence in trance, when their consciousness is free of the modes of material nature. SB 1 0 . 2 8 . 1 5 This verse describes Goloka as full of eternity, knowledge and bliss. te tu brahma-hradam nt magnh krsnena coddhrth \ dadrur brahmano lokam yatrkrro 'dhyagtpur II The cowherd men were brought by Lord Krsna to the Brahma-hrada, where Akrra would go in the near future (pur), and were submerged in the water, and then lifted up. The cowherd men then saw the abode of the Lord. SB 10.28.16 This verse explains how Krsna within Vrndvana revealed Goloka to them, while they were situated in a different place. He brought them to Brahma-hradam or Akrura-trtha, and

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he submerged them in that water and pulled them out. On emerging from the water they attained his abodethe planet which was supremely great (brahmanah lokam) called Goloka. Brahma-loka can refer to spiritual planets as in the following verse: mrdhabhih satyalokas tu brahmalokah santanah Satyaloka, the topmost planetary system, is situated on the head of the form. The spiritual planets, however, are eternal. SB 2.5.39

By this analysis, brahmanah. lokam refers to a place other than Vaikunta but full of majesty. What was the brahma-hradal It is the place where, in the future,(|rom the events describee!) (pur), Akrra would come. The dictionary makers say: pur a purne nikate prabandtta-bhvisu: pur means ancient, in proximity, in the near, past and near future. This is the usage of the word in the context, in order to describe the greatness of the tlrtha. nanddayas tu tarn drstv paramnanda-nxrvrth \ krsnam ca tatra cchandobhih styamnam suvismith || Nanda Mahrja and the other c o w h e r d m e n felt the greatest happiness when they saw that transcendental abode. They were especially amazed to see Krsna himself there, surrounded by the personified Vedas, who were offering him prayers. 1 3
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Brahma-samhit verse mentions that in vetadvipa the four Vedas are present. Thus the Bhgavatam verse indicates Goloka rather than Gokula.

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Svm gatim means their own planet, the planet of the cowherd men. It acts as a possessive form of sva (own). Thus it refers to Goloka. By specifically mentioning Krsna in this verse, Goloka is established as separate from Vaikuntha. Indra describes this place in Hari-vama: svargd rdhvam brahma-hko brahmarsi-gana-sevitah \ tatra soma-gati caivajyotism ca mahtmanm II tasyopari gavm lokah sdhys tarn playanti hi \ sa hi sarva-gatah krsna mahka-gato mahn II upary upon tatrpi gatis tava tapomayl | yam na vidmo vayam sarve prcchanto 'pi pitmaham I gatih ama-damdhynm svargah sukrta-karmanm II brhmye tapasi yuktnm brahma-lokah par gatih I gavm eva tuyo loko durroho hi s gatih II sa tu lokas tvay krsna sldamnah krttman | dhrto dhrtimat vlra nighantopdadravn gavm II [HV 2.19.29-35] Above the heavenly planets is Brahma-loka, Vaikuntha, worshipped by the Vedas, the sages and Garuda and others. It is the goal of iva, of the liberated souls and the devotees. Above this is the planet of cows, protected by the perfected devotees. O Krsna, it is all pervading, great, attained after realization of the Lord. Above that is your abode full of great powers (Gokula), which I cannot understand, though I have asked Brahma. One can reach Svarga by control of the senses and mind and execution of pious acts. One can reach Vaikuntha by engaging in meditation on Visnu. But it is very difficult to attain Goloka. And the planet protected personally by you (Gokula), O hero, and which destroys the suffering of the cows and other inhabitants, is the residence of the determined and disciplined devotees.

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The conventional meaning of the verse must be discarded. (The words brahma-loka, soma and sdhya cannot have the normal meaning as that would be contradictory.) Brahmaloka is considered superior to Svarga. However, the meaning here is that this Brahma-loka must be above the three worlds. It cannot be the planet of Lord Brahma. It is not attained by going to the m o o n (soma-gatih), since all these planets including the moon are below Dhruva-loka. This place is not protected by the Sdhyas. Persons who protect Svarga, born from devatas, cannot at all protect that place, what to speak then of Goloka? But if this is the planet of cows, how can it be all-pervading? T h i s is the s p e c i a l feature b e s t o w e d by t h e L o r d ' s inconceivable energy to his form and planet. What else needs to be said? Indra expresses astonishment with the word api in describing the topmost planet when he says tava gatih. Thus he says that he does not understand this place. Thus this quotation proves that there is a spiritual Goloka, different from the Goloka in the material realm. 1 4 In the Moksadharma section of Mahbhrata the Lord says: evam bahu-vidhai rpai carmha vasundharm I brdhma-lokam ca kaunteya golokam ca santanam II [Mbh 12.330.68] I move about in many forms on earth, in Vaikuntha and in eternal Goloka, O Kaunteya.
There is another planet called Goloka in the material world filled with surabhi cows.
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The meaning of Svarga-loka is as follows. bhr-lokah kalpitah padbhym bhuvar-loko 'sya nbhitah \ hrd svar-loka uras mahar-loko mahtmanah || The lower planetary systems, up to the limit of the earthly stratum, are said to be situated in his legs. The middle planetary systems, beginning from Bhuvarloka, are situated in his navel. And the still higher planetary systems, occupied by the demigods and highly cultured sages and saints, are situated in the chest of the Supreme Lord. SB 2.5.38 Thus, according to this verse from the Second Canto, Svarga refers to the five planetary systems starting with Svarga and ending with Satya-loka. Above that is the planet called Brahmaloka, a planet composed only of Brahman or spirit. It is called Brahma-loka because it is full of eternity, knowledge and bliss. This may be called the planet of Bhagavn. The Second Canto also e q u a t e s B r a h m a - l o k a with the spiritual world: mrdhabhih satya-lokas tu brahma-lokah santanah: Satya-loka, the topmost planetary system, is situated on the head of the form; the spiritual planet Brahma-loka, however, is eternal. (SB 2.5.39) The commentary also says that this Brahma-loka is eternal Vaikuntha, and is neither created nor within the material realm. ruti says esa brahman-Xokah esa tma-lokah: Brahma-loka is the planet of the Supreme Soul. This Brahma-loka is served by the brahmarsis and others. However, Brahma here means the Vedas, who are Brahman incarnate. Rsis refers to those sages such as Nrada. Gana refers to Garuda, Vivaksena and other servants of the Lord.

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This Brahma-loka is served by the Vedas, the sages such as Nrada and devotees like Garuda. Since they take shelter of that place, they can go there. Soma means sa um, he who resides with Um or Parvati. In other words soma means iva. Soma-gatih means that vaikuntha (tatra) is the goal of iva. sva-dharma-nisthah ata-janmabhih pumn viricatm eti tatah param hi mm I avykrtam bhgavato 'tha vaisnavam padam yathhamvibudhh kaltyaye II A person who executes his occupational duty properly for one hundred births becomes qualified to occupy the post of Brahma, and if he becomes more qualified, he can approach Lord iva. A person who is directly surrendered to Lord Krsna, or Visnu, in unalloyed devotional service is immediately promoted to the spiritual planets. Lord iva and o t h e r d e m i g o d s a t t a i n t h e s e p l a n e t s after the destruction of this material world. SB 4 . 2 4 . 2 9 Though soma should be inflexed in the genitive as are the words following (jyotism and mahtmanm) for metrical reasons, soma is simply c o m p o u n d e d with gati without inflexion. The word gati should be supplied for the words following as well (jyotism and mahtmanm). Jyoti refers to B r a h m a n and thus jyotism refers to persons merged in Brahman the liberated souls. However all souls are not of this type. The great souls who worship the Lord with interest even after l i b e r a t i o n s u c h as the K u m r a s a r e called mahtmanm. muktnm api siddhnm nryana-paryanah sudurlabhah pranttm kotisv api mah-mune II

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O great sage, among many millions who are liberated and perfect in knowledge of liberation, one may be a devotee of Lord Nryana, or Krsna. Such devotees, who are fully peaceful, are extremely rare. SB 6.14.5

yoginm api sarvesm madgatenntartman I raddhvn bhajateyo mam sa meyktatamo matdh II Of all yogis, the one with great faith who always abides in me, thinks of me within himself, and renders transcendental loving service to me is the most intimately united with me in yoga and is the highest of all. That is my opinion. 6.47 Among the liberated souls the devotees are considered to be the best. Thus Vaikuntha is the goal of iva, the liberated souls and the devotees. Above this (tasya upari) is the planet of the cows or Goloka. Eternal associates of the Lord, who are fully accomplished (sdhyh) and who are the ideal forms of the devats and basis for the devats of the material world, and who take the role of protectors, protect Goloka. The Rg Veda uses the words sdhy in the same way: te ha nkam mahimnah sacantah yatra prve sdhyh santi devh These great souls, eternally accomplished beings, reside in the spiritual realm. Padma Purna, Uttara-khanda says: tatra prve ye ca sdhy vive devh santanh I te ha nkam mahimnah sacantah bha-daranh II BG

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Those who are accomplished from the past, the eternal associates, with glorious appearance, reside in that abode. Or the meaning can be as follows. Brahma prays: tad bhribhgyma ihajanma him apy atavymyad gokule 'pi: my greatest possible good fortune would be to take any birth whatever in this forest of Gokula. SB 1 0 . 1 4 . 3 4 Thus when the greatest devotees achieve perfection, they attain bodies of gopis and gopas. In these perfected forms (sdhy) they maintain Goloka. Goloka has been established as the highest place by some descriptive terms. That place (sa) is all-pervading. Like Nryana, that place spreads itself into all objects of the material and spiritual worlds. Some who follow the process of krama-mukti15 attain that realization of the all-pervading dhma. It is like the vision of Vaikuntha seen by Brahma while sitting on his lotus in the material world which is described in the Second Canto. It was also seen by the inhabitants of Vraja (as described above after they were submerged in Akrra-trtha.) This Goloka is described as mahn or great, because it is non-different from the form of the Lord, for the ruti equates the word mahn with the Lord. Mahntam xibhum tmnam: the Lord, the soul, is great. (Katha Upanisad 2 . 2 2 ) It is great because the Lord is great. Mahka refers to the Brahman This refers to the process of gradual liberation achieved by practitioners of yoga-mira-bhakti. They go to Dhruva-loka and Brahma-loka and then get liberated.
15

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as well, since this is shown logically in the Vednta-stra: kas tcd-ligd: the word ka denotes Brahman, because of indications in the text. (Vednta-stra 1.1.22) This place is attained after realizing the form of Brahman (mahkagatah), just as Ajmila attained Vaikuntha after realizing tm or Brahman. However, higher than Goloka is your place (tava gatih). This refers to the place where Govinda plays. This place is not ordinary but tapomay. In this context tapa means unimpeded power. In the Sahasra-nma-bhya it is also said paramam yo mahat tapah: the Lord is supreme, great and full of power (tapa). ruti says: sa tapo 'tapyata: the Lord being heat, gives off heat. (Brhad-rayanyaka Upanisad 2.6) Thus tapa refers to the Lord according to the ruti. It means that he reveals great power, and thus his abode reveals great power. N e x t it is stated th^ even p e r s o n s like B r a h m a c a n n o t understand this place: yam na vidmo vayam (which I do not understand). Next he explains that the place called Gokula is the essence of all things. One can attain Svarga by sense control and one can attain Brahma-loka or Vaikuntha of the prema-bhaktas having c o n t r o l l e d minds (yuktnm) by concentrating the mind on Visnu (tapasi) with the intention of attaining Brahma-loka (brhmye). Brahma-loka refers again to Vaikuntha and tapa refers to using the mind for the ruti says jna-mayam tapah: tapah is filled with knowledge. (Mundaka Upanisad 1.1.9) This Brahma-loka is beyond prakrti (par). Bhgavatam explains that Krsna frees the cows and all beings from the heat of the day: mocayan vraja-gavm dina-tpam

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(SB 1 0 . 3 5 . 2 5 ) Thus nighnatopadravn gavm (this place destroys all harm to the cows) means that the place by its very nature destroys all problems for all the inhabitants of Vraja, because it is controlled by the actions of persons dedicated to serving there with suitable mood. This place is difficult to attain because of the rarity of this type of mood. Having described Goloka, the verse then describes that Gokula is different from Goloka. This place, Gokula is protected by you (tvay dhrtah). F o r example you lifted up Govardhana to protect it. This place is also described in the Vedas. tm vm vstny umasi gamadhyai yatra gvo bh-rhg ayasah \ atrha tad urugyasya vrsndh paramam padam avabhti bhri || We desire to attain the places where Krsna and Balarma perform pastimes. In that place the cows, endowed with great qualities, have large horns. In that place it is said that the supreme house of the Lord shines brilliantly. Veda 1.154.6 We desire to attain (gamadhyai umasi) the places of pastimes (vstni) of Krsna and Balarma (vm). What is the nature of these places? In these places (yatra) there are cows with large horns (bhri-rg), and with many magnificent qualities (ayasah). Bhri in the Upanisads means "great" rather than "many" or it can mean "having many auspicious qualities." Amara-kosa says ayah ubhavaho vidhih: ayah means having auspiciousness or fate. As in the word devsa, aysa is a combination of aya (good fortune) and the suffix asa. In that place (atra), famous as Goloka, they say that the supreme Rg

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abode (paramam padam) of the Lord (urugyasya) who fulfills all desires (xrsnah) shines profusely (bhri). In the Mdhyandit branch of the Yajur Veda it is said dmni umasi: we desire the Lord's abodes. Another version has visnoh instead of xrsnah. TEXT 6 evamjyotir mayo dexah sad nandam part parah I tmrmasya tasysti prakrty na samgamah ||6|| TRANSLATION Goloka is self-revealing, full of eternity and bliss, and superior to anything else. It is the place for those who have no material interests, and it has no contact with the material world. COMMENTARY Now we return to explaining the main text. Just as one purusa is glorified as the Lord and universe in the Purusa-skta and other verses, with the conception that the universe and the Paramtm dwelling within are non-different, so the Lord and Goloka are simultaneously glorified as one by seeing Goloka and its controller as non-different. The word dexa refers both to Goloka as well as its controller Govinda. Sadnandam is the sxarpa or essence of Goloka. Thus, this place is full of eternity and bliss, like Govinda. It is in the neuter gender to conform with the ruti statement vijnam nandam brahma: Brahman is knowledge and bliss. (Brhadranyaka Upanisad 3 . 9 . 2 8 ) It is the place for those who are indifferent to all things except Govinda {.tmrmasya). It has no contact with the material world (prakrty na samgamah).

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pravartate yatra rajas tamas toy oh sattvam ca miram na ca kla-vikramah na yatra my him utpare harer anuvrat yatra sursurrcith In that personal abode of the Lord, the material modes of ignorance and passion do not prevail, nor is there any of their influence in goodness. There is no predominance of the influence of time, so what to speak of the illusory, external energy; it c a n n o t enter that region. W i t h o u t discrimination, both the demigods and the demons worship the Lord as devotees. SB 2.9.10 TEXT 7 may ay ramamnasya na \iyogas tay saha | tman ramay reme tyakta klam sisrksay \\7\\ TRANSLATION The Lord as enjoyer is never separated from his internal energy. As the purusa, he enjoys with his internal energy and when desiring to create the universes he releases his energy of time to carry out the creation. COMMENTARY This verse shows that the Lord in his purusa portion as the soul of the material universe does not share the material world's qualities, for even after final dissolution of the material universes, this purusa remains. That the purusa involved in creation is an expansion of Krsna is stated in Bhgavatam: yasymmma-bhgena vivotpatti-layodayh \ bhavanti kila vivtmams tarn tvdyham gatim gat II

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0 Soul of all that be, the creation, m a i n t e n a n c e and destruction of the universe are all carried out by a fraction of an expansion of an expansion of your expansion. Today 1 have come to take shelter of you, the Supreme Lord. SB 10.85.31 But will the Lord not become contaminated like the jva by enjoying with his energy? If so, then he cannot be considered the Lord. The next line answers. He attains enjoyment only with his svarpa-akti, Ram, his internal potency (tman ramay). Only the jvas under the influence of the material world are involved with my. The internal p o t e n c y is described by Brahma in the Third Canto: esa prapanna-varado ramaytma-akty yadyat karisyati grhta-gunvatrah || The Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, is always the benefactor of the surrendered souls. His activities are always enacted through his internal potency, Ram, or the goddess of fortune. SB 3.9.23 Arjuna also describes the Lord's spiritual energy: tvam dyah purusah sksd varah prakrteh parah | mym vyudasya cic-chakty kaivalye sthita tmani || You are the original Personality of Godhead who expands himself all over the creations and is transcendental to material energy. You have cast away the effects of the material energy by dint of your spiritual potency. You are always s i t u a t e d in e t e r n a l bliss and t r a n s c e n d e n t a l knowledge. SB 1.7.23

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But how can the creation of the material universe take place without the influence of the Lord? It takes place simply by the Lord's desire to create (sisrksay). And thus, the Lord discharges time in order to create the universe (tyakta-klam). Due to the Lord manifesting this desire and the subsequent discharge of time, the universe is created, but he remains enjoying with Ram. Tyakta-klah (a phrase modifying the Lord) can be substituted for tyakta-klam (an adverbial phrase modifier) for easier grammatical understanding. The meaning would be "The Lord, with a desire to create the universes, having discharged his time energy, enjoys with this internal energy." Thus the material world makes its appearance only by the influence of the Lord's time energy, as illustrated in the following verses. prabhvam paurusam prhuh klam ekeyato bhayam | ahakra-vimdhasya kartuh prakrtim iyusah II The influence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is felt in the time factor, which causes fear of death due to the false ego in the deluded soul who has contacted material nature. SB 3 . 2 6 . 1 6 kla-vrtty tu myym guna-mayym adhoksajah | purusentma-bhtena vryam dhatta viryavn II The Supreme Living Being in his feature as the

transcendental purusa incarnation, who is the Lord's plenary expansion, owner of all the jvas, impregnates prakrti composed of the three material modes with the jvas by the influence of eternal time. SB 3.5.26

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TEXT 8 niyatih s ram devi tat priy tad vaam tad tal ligam bhagavn ambhurjyoti rpah santanah I yyonih spar aktih kmo bjam mahad dhareh ||8|| TRANSLATION Ram, under the control of the Lord, is self-manifesting and dear to the Lord. The Lord's eternal form called ambhu, whose body is consciousness, is represented figuratively by the ligam, and the inferior energy (a portion of Ram) is represented by the yoni. ambhu develops the desire to see my for c r e a t i n g t h e u n i v e r s e s and mahat-tattva ( t h e transformation of prakrti after being injected with the jvas) then appears as the seed of creation. COMMENTARY W h o is Ram? This verse answers with the first line. She who is controlled by (niyatih) the Lord is called Ram. She is the L o r d ' s akti arising from his svarpa, and is thus selfmanifesting or shiningnon-material (devi). The Twelfth Canto says: anapyini bhagavati rh sksd tmano hareh The goddess of fortune, r, who never leaves the Lord's side, appears with him in this world as the representation of his internal potency. SB 1 2 . 1 1 . 2 0

The c o m m e n t a r y of rdhara Svm gives the following explanation. Anapyini hareh aktih means that the energy of the Lord is inseparable from him (anapyini) because it is

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directly his part (sksd tmanah). Because it is a spiritual form belonging the Lord's svarpa, it is considered nondifferent from him. The word skst (directly, in person) is used to distinguish this energy from the inferior my which is described as follows: vilajjamnay yasya sthtum iks-pathe muy I vimohit vikatthante mamham iti durdhiyah || The illusory energy of the Lord cannot stand before the Lord, being ashamed of her position, but those who are bewildered by her always talk nonsense, being absorbed in thoughts of "It is I" and "It is mine." SB 2.5.13 The inseparability of Ram from the Lord is also described in the Visnu Purna: nityaiva sjagan mt visnoh rr anapyini yay sarvagato visnus tathaiveyam dvijottama She, the mother of the universe, is inseparable from the Lord eternally. J u s t as Visnu is all-pervading, she is allpervading. Visnu Purna 1.8.17

yathajagat svmi devadevojanrdanah avatram karoty esa tatha rfs tat-sahyini Just as the Lord of the universe Janrdana incarnates in this world, his consort also incarnates with him. Purna 1.9.142 Visnu

"But in some places iva and akti (Durg) are considered the cause of the world." sometimes in the scriptures, they

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are described as such in a figurative way, in which they are the particular limbs of the purusa, similar to Lord being described as the figurative universal form. This verse describes Visnu in this way. Visnu Purna says:

yasyyutyutmamse vi\a-aktir iyam sthit The power involved in creating the universe is situated as a hundred-millionth portion of a portion of the Lord. Thus, according to this statement of the Visnu Purna, the portion for producing the material world is called ambhu ( a n o t h e r n a m e of V i s n u ) . He is an ariia, or liga, a representative of the soul of the universe (the purusa), who has become indistinct, being covered by his bodily effulgence, and w h o in t u r n is an ama of Govinda. It should be understood that this form is different from the iva described in verse 4 5 : ksram yath dadhi vikra-viesa-yogt sajyate na hi tatah prthag asti hetor. The way of making his appearance is completely different. That place in which the jvas, figuratively called semen (vrya), are placed is a portion of my or prakrti, which is also indistinct. This portion is figuratively called the yoni. the substance constituting the material realm. Desire (kmah) arises in the Lord's portion (hareh stands for a portion of the purusa known as ambhu). ambhu desires to see akti in order that the creation takes place. This combination of ambhu and akti then gives rise to the mahatShe is called the apar akti, the inferior energy known as pradhna,

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tatty a (mahat)prakrti implanted with the jvas. This mahattattva is conceived from the interaction of ambhu (a portion of Visnu) and prakrti and becomes the origin (bjam) of the universes. T h e ruti describes this process with so 'kmayata: he desired to create the universe. (Brhad-ranyaka Upanisad 1.2.4) T h e Third Canto describes this process also: kla-vrtty tu myym guna-mayym adhoksajah \ purusentma-bhtena vryam dhatta vryavn || The Supreme Living Being in his feature as the

t r a n s c e n d e n t a l purusa i n c a r n a t i o n , w h o is the Lord's p l e n a r y e x p a n s i o n , i m p r e g n a t e s the m a t e r i a l n a t u r e composed of three modes with the jvas by the inuence of eternal time. SB 3.5.26 TEXT 9 ligayony tmikjt im mhevarl prajh \\9\\ TRANSLATION T h u s the living entities (bodies) make their appearance by the portion of Visnu impregnating prakrti and are known as her offspring. COMMENTARY T h e scriptures dedicated to iva describe this operation as independent of Visnu out of ignorance of the full details. The present verse continues the previous description with the understanding that only Visnu performs this task. Mhevarprajh means the offspring of the great consort.

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TEXT 10 aktimn purusah so 'yam liga rp mahevarah I tasminn virabhl lige mah visnurjagat patih 1 1 Oil 1 TRANSLATION This powerful purusa who assumes an indistinct form is a c t u a l l y the S u p r e m e L o r d . Having a p p e a r e d w i t h a n indistinct form, Maha-visnu then appeared with a distinct form as the master of all living entities in the universe. COMMENTARY The first line replies to those with misconceptions, and after that, the second line again makes a distinction between the distinctly manifested form of Mah-visnu and his indistinct form called ambhu. Therefore he who produces the material realm (liga-rpi), and who is but an ama of Mah-visnu, is still called the powerful purusa (aktimn purusa), the great Lord (mahevarah). Having assumed a subtle form (tasmin lige), a m b h u , then a p p e a r e d with a d i s t i n c t form (virabht), because he alone is distinct as the master of all exalted and degraded jlvas of this universe (jagat-patih). T E X T 11 sahasra-irs purusah sahasrksah sahasra-pt I sahasra-bhur vivtm sahasrmah sahasra-sh II11II TRANSLATION This form of Mah-visnu, the soul of the universe, creates countless universes. Because he has countless avatra forms within the universes, he is said to have countless heads, countless eyes, countless feet and countless arms.

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COMMENTARY This verse further describes the form of Mah-visnu. His form is described as having thousands of heads and eyes, since this form gives rise to countless avatra forms. Sdhasrmah means that he has thousands of avatra expansions (ma). Sahasra-sh means that he creates thousands of universes. The word "thousand" means that he has countless expansions everywhere, not just a thousand. The Second Canto describes this form: dyo 'vatrah purusah parasya klah svabhvah sad-asan-mana ca I dravyam vikro guna indyni virt svart sthsnu carisnu bhmnah II Kranrnavay Visnu is the first incarnation of the Supreme Lord, and he is the master of eternal time, space, cause and effects, mind, the elements, the material ego, the modes of nature, the senses, the universal form of the Lord, Garbhodakay Visnu (indicating by the word svart), and the sum total of all living beings, both moving and nonmoving. SB 2.6.42 T h e c o m m e n t a r y of rdhara Svm says t h a t the first purusvatra of the Supreme Lord (dyo 'vatrah) for putting prakrti in motion, a form for carrying out pastimes, is the person who is described in the scriptures as having a thousand heads. T E X T 12 nryanah sa bhagavn pas tasmt santant I virst kranrno nidhih sankarsantmakah \ yoga-nidrm gatas tasmin sahasrmah svayam mahn ||12||

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TRANSLATION T h e Supreme Lord is called Nryana because the waters of the Krana ocean arise from his eternal form. Nryana is non-different from Sakarsana. T h i s Mah-visnu lies in yoganidr in this ocean. Countless avatras reside in him. COMMENTARY This verse of three lines describes how the Nryana form of Mah-visnu resides in the Krana ocean. T h e water (pah) k n o w n as the o c e a n of the krana water appeared from Nryana. T h i s water is non-different from Nryana or Sakarsana. This means that this form lying on the Krana ocean is a portion or ama of the Sakarsana of the caturvyha situated as varana (protective) deities in Goloka. His activity is described as yoga-nidrbeing completely absorbed in the bliss derived from his spiritual form. 1 6 word Nryana is as follows: po nr iti prokt po vai nara-snavah I tasya t ayanam prvam tena nryanah smrtah || The word pah and nr are synonymous for "water" since the waters are considered the sons of Nara, the primeval male or Mah-visnu. 1 7 S i n c e these waters take s h e l t e r (ayana) of Mah-visnu from the ancient past, he is called Nryana. Visnu Purna 1.4.6 TEXT 13 tad-roma-bila-jlesu bljam sakarsanasya ca \ haimny andni jtni mah-bhtvrtni tu | | 1 3 | |
16 It is called nidr or sleep because he is indifferent to the material world, and it is called yoga because he is blissfully absorbed in his spiritual pastimes. 17 Nra means the offspring of Nara.

The derivation of the

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TRANSLATION The jlvas in combination with prakrti had been resting within the hair holes of Sakarsana (Mah-visnu). They then take the form of golden eggs, the primitive forms of universes, covered with the five great elements before they combine. 1 8 COMMENTARY This verse describes how the universes arise from him. The seed exists within the hair holes of Sakarsana (Mah-visnu). The seed refers to the jvas who will be placed in the womb of prakrti. First being in a subtle state, this combination of j v a s t h e n b e c o m e s s i t u a t e d w i t h i n the h a i r h o l e s o f Sakarsana. Then they take the form of golden eggs covered by the five gross elements in an uncombined (subtle) state. Brahma says in the Tenth Canto: kvham tamo-mahad-aham-kha-cargni-vr-bh19

samvestitnda-ghata-sapta-vitasti-kyah kvedrg-vidhviganitnda-parnu-caryvtdhva-roma-vivarasya ca te mahitvam


18 The golden eggs are shells of universes composed of the elements in an uncombined state. Mahat-tattva alone does not form the eggs. The elements arise in the following manner: mahat-tattva manifests ahankra in sattva, rajas and tamas. The sattva portion gives rise to mind and sense devats, the rajas portion gives rise to the senses. The tamas portion gives rise to the sense objects and the five gross elements. The elements in an uncombined state form into coverings of the universe. By the will of Visnu, within the universe, the five gross elements then combine with each other and become functional for making the planets and bodies within the universe. This is described in Brahma-samhit verse 19. 19 This refers to the state in which the elements remain separate. Only after each element combines in proportion of half of the main element with oneeighth of each of the other four, does that element becomes functionional for making the planets and bodies within the universe.

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What am 1, a small creature measuring seven spans of my own hand? I am enclosed in a potlike universe covered by material nature, the total material energy, false ego, ether, air, fire, w a t e r and e a r t h . And w h a t is y o u r g l o r y ? Unlimited universes pass through the pores of your body just as particles of dust pass through the openings of a screened window. SB 10.14.11 In the Third Canto the universe is also described: v i f e r a i h sahito yuktair v i e s d i b h i r vrtah | ndakoo bahir ayam pacat-koti-vistrtah II daottaradhikairyatra pravistahparamnuvat | laksyate 'ntar-gata cnye kotio hy anda-rayah \\ This phenomenal material world is expanded to a diameter of four billion miles, as a combination of eight material elements transformed into sixteen further categories, within and without, as follows. The layers or elements covering the universes are each ten times thicker than the one before, and all the universes clustered together appear like atoms in a huge combination. 2 0 SB 3.11.40-41
Vivantha's commentary mentions that there are seven coverings. These are mentioned elsewhere as mahat-tattva, ahakra, ether, air, fire, water and earth. This is in agreement with SB 3.29.43. However in the verse recited by Brahma, SB 10.14.11, eight elements are mentioned. Prakrti is the eighth covering. An eighth covering is also mentioned in SB 10.89.51 commentary of Vivantha, when the cakr pierces the covers of the universe for Arjuna. This is also described in addition to the seven layers in SB 3.26.52, as being outside the universe. Brhad-bhgavatmrta 2.23.15-18 also describes eight coverings. In the Brahma-samhit verse only the five gross elements are mentioned. Perhaps this is indicatory only, standing for the ahakra and
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mahat-tattva as well.

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TEXT 14 praty-andam evam ekmd ekmd viati svayam I sdhasra-mrdh vivtm mah-visnuh santanah ||14|| TRANSLATION Eternal Mah-visnu, the soul of the universes, with countless heads, enters into each of these universal eggs by means of expanded forms (of Visnu, Brahma and iva). COMMENTARY This verse describes how the Lord enters into each of the universes in separate forms. He does this by p r o d u c i n g separate expansions in each universe (ekmd ekmd). TEXT 15 vmgd asrjad visnuth daksingt prajpatim | jyotir-Hga-mayam ambhum hrca-ded avsrjat ||15|| TRANSLATION F r o m his left side Mah-visnu created Visnu and from his right side Brahma. He created the effulgent form of iva from between his eyebrows. COMMENTARY What happens at this stage? This verse describes how Mahvisnu enters the universes. Visnu, Prajpati Brahma and iva carry out the roles of maintaining, creating and destroying all the universes respectively. The forms mentioned here (created outside the universe by Mah-visnu) are the sources

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of their further expansions situated within each universe. J u s t as these forms exist within each universe, they also exist outside, presiding over the universes as a whole. Among these forms, P r a j p a t i m e n t i o n e d in this v e r s e is the form of Hiranyagarbha, not the four-headed Brahma which will be d e s c r i b e d later. H i r a n y a g a r b h a is the c r e a t o r of v a r i o u s devats dwelling within the coverings of the universes. Visnu is the maintainer of all the universes, and iva is the destroyer of all the universes. Krca-det means from between the eyebrows. T h e s e forms should be understood to reside in the water surrounding Mah-visnu. TEXT 16 ahakrtmakam vivam tasmd etad vyajyata ||16|| TRANSLATION T h e n the universe became filled with ahakra by the agency of iva. COMMENTARY T h i s verse d e s c r i b e s o n e m o r e a c t i v i t y o f a m b h u . T h e universe then became (vjayyata) filled with ahakra (ahakrtmakam). T h i s m e a n s that the universe b e c a m e filled with ahakra from iva (tasmt) who is the presiding deity of ahakra. T E X T 17 atha tais tri-vidhair veair lllm udvahatah hila \ yoga-nidr bhagavat tasya rr iva sagat ||17||

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TRANSLATION While the Lord carries out pastimes of creation, maintenance and destruction within the universe through expansions of the three forms previously produced, he personally enjoys spiritual sleep, just as he enjoys Laksm in the spiritual realm. COMMENTARY This verse describes the activities of the three forms of Visnu, Brahma and iva on entering the universe. The Lord, having entered the u n i v e r s e , carries out actions (lllm) of maintenance, creation and destruction within the universes through these three forms (veaih) of Visnu, Brahma and ambhu who are similar to the prototypes who first emanated from Mah-visnu outside the universes. While they perform these activities, the Lord partakes of yoga-nidr, previously mentioned, personified as his c o n s o r t . This form is like Laksm, associated with all spiritual powers, because this sleep is actually a form of spiritual ecstasy arising from the bliss of spiritual form (not material ignorance arising from material f o r m ) . J u s t as ( i v a ) Laksm a s s o c i a t e s with the purusa expansion, yoga-nidr associates with that expansion, Mahvisnu, in the Krana ocean. TEXT 18 sisrksym tato nbhes tasya padmam viniryayau | tan-nlam hema-nalinam brahmano lokam adbhutam | | 1 8 | | TRANSLATION W h e n the Lord (Garbhodakay) desired to create, a lotus arose from his navel. This golden lotus with its stalk became the astonishing abode of Brahma.

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COMMENTARY This lotus stalk is known as the planet of Brahma because it serves as his place of birth and repose (after he makes his appearance in verse 2 2 ) . TEXT 19 tattvni prva-rdhni kranni parasparam \ samavyprayogc ca vibhinnni prthak prthak 11 cic-chakty sajjamno 'tha bhagavn di-prusdh \ yojayan myay devoyoga-nidrm akalpayat ||19|| TRANSLATION All the ingredient elements of creation of the universe, which previously made their appearance, remained separate from each other because they did not have the potency to combine with each other. The first purusa Mah-visnu decorated with his spiritual potency brought them together through his potency of my and then entered a state of yoga-nidr. COMMENTARY Three couplets ( 1 9 of two couplets and verse 20 of one couplet) describe the process of creation according to the Third Canto, during which Mah-visnu finally wakes up the mass of jvas. In two verses Brahma describes how, through the Lord's own energy, he brings the elements together and after bringing the elements together he goes to sleep, being indifferent to the process. TEXT 20 yojayitv tu tny eva pravivea svayam guhm I guhm praviste tasmims tujvtm pratibudhyate ||20||

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TRANSLATION Having combined the elements and before sleeping, Mahvisnu entered the universe (as Garbhodakay). W h e n he entered the universe, the jvas awoke. COMMENTARY This is the third verse. Yojayitv means the interval between combining the elements and going into yoga-nidr. Guhm refers to the form of the universes (after the elements have been combined). Prabudhyate means that the jvas woke up from the sleep which started at the last destruction of the universe. T E X T 21 sa nityo nitya-sambandhah prakrti ca paraiva s ||21 II TRANSLATION The jva is eternal, with an eternal relationship to the Lord. The jva is described as having a superior nature. COMMENTARY This half couplet describes the nature of the jva. He is endowed with an eternal relationship with the Lord. Nitya means extending with no beginning and no end in time. The relationship is like the ray of light relating to the sun. Nrada-pacartra says:

yat-tatastham tu cid-rpam s\a-sam\edyd vinirgatam I rajitam guna-rgena sajva iti kathyate II

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The jva is a conscious entity situated on the border, emanating from the Lord's consciousness and colored by the gunas. mamaivmo jva-loke jva-bhtah santanah II The eternal jva is part of me in this world. BG 15.7

Jva is called prakrti since it is situated in its natural form, as a conscious witness. Describing jva as prakrti also indicates that the jva has the capacity to perceive his dependence on the Lord. It is spoken of as if already accomplished. The Gt describe the eternal svarpa of the jva: prakrtim viddhi me parm jva-bhtm: know the jva to be my superior prakrti. (BG 7.5) Similarly ruti describes the svarpa of the jva: dv suparn sayuj sakhy: two birds are together on a branch of a tree. (Svetvatara Upanisad 4 . 6 ) TEXT 2 2 evam sarvtma-sambandham nbhym padmam barer abht I tatra brahmbhavad bhya catur-vedi catur-mukhah ||22|| TRANSLATION A lotus appeared in the navel of the Lord for the mass of jvas. In that lotus Hiranyagarbha Brahma appeared and then the Brahma with four mouths and the four Vedas. COMMENTARY This verse describes the creation of a residence for the mass of all jvas from the purusa after he entered the universe. Hiranyagarbha B r a h m ^ h o identifies himself as the body

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composed of the mass of jvas )arose for enjoyment. That is described in the second line. TEXT 23 sajto bhagavac-chakty tat-klam kila coditah | s i s r f e s y m matim cahre prva-samskra-samskrtah I dadara kevalam dhvntam nnyat kim api sarvatah 112.311 TRANSLATION At that time, Brahma, after appearing, inspired by the energy of the Lord, developed the desire to create the worlds under the influence of his previous impressions. But he saw only darkness and nothing else in all directions. COMMENTARY Three lines describe the activity of the four-headed Brahma. The meaning is clear. TEXT 24 uvca puratas tasmai tasya divya sarasvatl I kmah krsnya govinda he gopi-jana ity api \ vallabhya priy vahner mantram te dsyati priyam ||24|| TRANSLATION A divine voice then spoke to him directly and gave him the dear mantra composed of the kma-bija, the words krsnya, govinda, gop-jana-vallabhya and the syllable dear to fire (svh).21
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This is not the gyat mantra but the Krsna mantra. Sarasvat can mean

the goddess of learning or the wife of Visnu, or a divine voice..

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COMMENTARY This verse describes the mercy given to Brahma by the Lord because he had attained the good fortune of previous worship of the Lord. The meaning is clear. TEXT 25 tapas tvam tapa etena tava siddhir bhavisyati I I I TRANSLATION "You are an expert in meditation. You should meditate using this mantra. You will attain your desires." COMMENTARY The sixteenth and twenty-first consonants are described according to the Third Canto. They form the word tapa (austerity or meditation). The meaning is clear. TEXT 26 atha tepe sa suciram prnan govindam avyayam \ vetadvpa-patim krsnam goloka-stham part param 11 prakrty guna-rpiny rpiny paryupsitam | sahasra-dala-sampanne koti-kijalka-bnhhite II bhmi cintmanis tatra karnikre mahsane I samslnam cid-nandamjyoti-rpam santanam II abda-brahma-mayam venum vdayantam mukhmbuje I vilsin-gana-vrtam svaih svair amair bhistutam ||26|| TRANSLATION Brahma underwent meditation for a long time and pleased the highest form of God, the indestructible Govinda, Krsna,

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Lord of vetadvpa, situated in Goloka, whose land is made of cintmani. Govinda is worshipped by prakrti in the form of its gunas from a distance. He has an eternal form of knowledge and bliss which is self-revealing. He is seated on a large throne in the pericarp of a lotus with millions of stamens and thousands of petals, playing a flute with his lotus mouth, and is surrounded by the gops and praised by other associates. COMMENTARY F o u r couplets describe how Brahma, using this mantra in order to attain his particular desire, became endowed with powers for creation of the universe, and then worshipped Govinda in his abode called Goloka using the verses of praise which will follow. The phrase prakrty guna-rpiny rpiny paryupsitam means that the Lord is worshipped by prakrti embodied (rpiny) in the form of the three gunas of sattva, f rajas and tamas. Pari of paryupsitam stands for paritas I meaning "around." The gunas are situated outside of Goloka / and worship Govinda through meditation and other processes (but not directly since they do not have access to the dhma.) Bhgavatam says my paraity abhimukhe ca vilajjamn: my, ashamed, runs away from the presence of the Lord (SB 2 . 7 . 4 7 ) and tava balim udvahanti samadanty ajaynimish: the demigods and material nature herself offer you tribute. (SB 1 0 . 8 7 . 2 8 ) The word amaih refers to the Lord's associates ituated around him in protective layers (varana). 7 f\, ? r , ( t ^ ^ ' TEXT 2 7 , . /, / /,

JI atha venu-nindasya tray-mrti-mayi gatih \ sphurant praviveau mukhbjni svayambhuvah 11

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gyatm gyatas tasmd adhigatya sarojajah | samskrta cdi-gurun dvijatm agamat tatah ||27|| TRANSLATION Then the embodiment of the Vedas, the gyatr-mantra emanating from the sound of Krsna's flute (after entering his ears) appeared in the four mouths of Brahma. Uttering the gyat-mantra, Brahma, being purified, attained second birth from the original guru Krsna. COMMENTARY After receiving the gyatr-mantra from the presiding deity of the mantra (Krsna), whom Brahma had worshipped 22 , Brahma attained the status of being twice-born, This is described in two couplets. Trayl-mrti refers to the gayat-mantra, since it is the embodiment of the three Vedas. This becomes clear in the second couplet. The sequence of syllables (gatih.) making up the gyatri-mantra entered his mouths (he uttered the mantra) after first entering his eight ears. The original guru was Krsna. TEXT 28 trayyprabuddho 'tha vidhirvjt-tattva-sgarah \ tustva veda-srena stotrennena keavam ||28|| TRANSLATION B e c o m i n g enlightened by this gyatrl, B r a h m a b e c a m e thoroughly knowledgeable of the highest truth. He satisfied This is the kma-gyatri since the commentary says that this gyatri's deity was Krsna, whom Brahma had worshipped.
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Keava by the following v e r s e s of p r a i s e following the statements of the Vedas. COMMENTARY Having attained the mantra from him, Brahma then praised the Lord with the following verses. The rest of the verse is clear. TEXT 29 cintmani-prakara-sadmasukalpa-vrksalaksvrtesu surabhlr abhiplayantam I laksm-sahasra-ata-sambhrama-sevyamnam govindam di-purusam tarn aham bhajmi ||29|| TRANSLATION I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda who affectionately tends the cows in stables whose walls are made of cintmani, surrounded by desire trees. He is eagerly served by countless gopls. COMMENTARY In Goloka, many different areas such as the rasa arena can be realized by using a particular mantra such as the brhaddhyna-mantra, by w h i c h o n e a t t a i n s r e a l i z a t i o n of a particular pastime in that particular place. However, Brahma offers his first verse of praise to Govinda by describing many pastimes suitable for the place called Gokula, the chief of all the abodes, since it is situated in the center of Goloka. With great absorption, with the deepest love (abhi), Govinda protects the cows by tending them and leading them to the forest or the cow pens. Sometimes in private however there

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are most extraordinary eventsthe countless gops serving Govinda with the greatest love. Laksm here means the beautiful young gops.23 TEXT 30 venum kvanantam aravinda-dalyatksam barhvatamsam asitmbuda-sundargam \ kandarpa-koti-kamanya-viesa-obham govindam di-purusam tarn aham bhajmi ||30|| TRANSLATION I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda who plays a flute, whose eyes are like lotus petals, who wears a peacock feather on his head, whose bodily hue is attractive like a dark cloud, and whose beauty is more spectacular than that of millions of Cupid. COMMENTARY B r a h m a has described the (svrasik) pastimes ( s u c h as d a n c i n g for w a l k i n g and s o n g s for s p e a k i n g ) in the extraordinary abode called Gokula (within Goloka) which is filled with houses and walls made of touch stone. Now here a single pastime within a second abode, which is realized through a type of meditation on Krsna, is described but this pastime is devoid of variegated activities and places

In this verse there is no trace of Krsna as God. This differentiates Gokula from Goloka. This distinction is also made in Krsna-sandarbha and Laghubhgavatmrta. In addition the verse describes a variety of pastimes, not a single pastime, in various places. This is called svrasik lil.

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where speaking is singing and walking is dancing. 24 his is a realization of only one pastime taking place in one particular place. This is described two verses. The meaning of the verse is clear. TEXT 31 lola-candraka-lasad-vanamlya-vamratngadam pranaya-keli-kal-vilsam \ ymam tri-bhanga-lalitam niyata-prakam govindam di-purusam tarn aham bhajmi ||31|| TRANSLATION I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda, eternally manifesting his dark form curved in three places, and decorated with jewelled arm bands, a flute, and a swinging flower garland shining like the moon. 2 5 COMMENTARY Govinda performs pastimes which are artful (kal), full of playfulness (feeli) and affection (pranaya). Amara-kosa says: drava-feeli-parhsh: keli means sporting or joking.

Realizing the unmanifest pastimes of Krsna has two forms. By meditating on certain mantras such as the Brhad-dhyna mentioned in the Kramadipik or the present mantra, one can attain realization of one particular pastime in one place. This is called a mantropsana-dhyna-may pastime. A variety of pastimes occurring in various places is called svrasik ll. "Candraka can also mean the eye of the peacock feather. Thus, Govinda would have a shining garland and a swinging peacock feather. Candraka can also refer to a type of jasmine. Thus Govinda would have a shining garland of jasmine swaying in the breeze.

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TEXT 32 agni yasya sakalendriya-vrttimanti payanti pnti kalayanti ciramjaganti I nanda-cinmaya-sad-ujjvala-vigrahasya govindam di-purusam tarn aham bhajmi ||32|| TRANSLATION I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda whose individual limbs, possessing the functions of all the senses, are forever creating (by seeing), maintaining and annihilating the worlds, because those attractive limbs are made of eternity, knowledge and bliss. COMMENTARY Having described two types of pastimes, 26 in this verse Brahma speaks of the excellent powers produced by Govinda's most inconceivable energy. F o u r verses describe this. In these verses, the powers of his form are described. His hand can see and his eye can protect, and similarly other limbs have the power to accomplish the actions of other limbs. Thus it is said sarvatah pni-pdam tat sarvato 'ksi-iro-mukham: everywhere are his hands and feet and everywhere are his eyes, head and mouth. (vetvatara Upanisad 3 . 1 6 ) The verse describes how he can use his limbs interchangeably in seeing (creating), protecting and creating universes. However, he can also use his limbs spontaneously in the multitude of his pastimes. The cause of this particular quality of his form is explained: his form is filled with bliss and knowledge.
26

These are svrasiki and mantropasana-dhyna-mayi pastimes mentioned in the previous three verses.

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TEXT 33 advaitam acyutam andim ananta-rpam dyampurna-purusam nava-yauvanam ca I vedesu durlabham adurlabham tma-bhaktau govindam di-purusam tarn aham bhajmi ||33|| TRANSLATION I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda who has no equal, who is infallible in protecting his devotees, who is the source of all others but expands into infinite forms, who is topmost, who exists before all others but is eternally youthful, and who is rarely attained by those studying the Vedas but attained easily by his devotee. COMMENTARY This and the n e x t two verses confirm the e x t r a o r d i n a r y powers of Govinda. Advaitam means that Govinda has no equal in the world, just as a king is incomparable to others. In the Third Canto, Uddhava says vismpanam svasya ca: his actions are amazing. (SB 3 . 2 . 1 2 ) 2 7 Kai-khnda explains the word acyutam: na cyavante hiyad bhakth mahatym pralaypadi I ato 'cyuto 'khile loke sa ekah sarvago 'vyayah II

Following that it is said: All the demigods from the upper, lower and middle universal planetary systems assembled at the altar of the Rjasya sacrifice performed by Mahrja Yudhisthira. After seeing the beautiful bodily features of Lord Krsna, they all contemplated that He was the ultimate dexterous creation of Brahma, the creator of human beings. SB 3.2.13

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He is called Acyuta, all-pervading, indestructible and supreme in all the worlds because by his mercy his devotees do not fall from their exalted positions even at the time of destruction of the universe. (Such mercy is illustrated in the following verses): kamso batdykrta me 'ty-anugraham draksye 'nghri-padmam prahito 'mun hareh krtvatrasya duratyayam tamdh prve 'taran yan-nakha-mandala-tvis Indeed, today King Kariisa has shown me extreme mercy by sending me to see the lotus feet of Lord Hari, who has now appeared in this world. Simply by the effulgence of his toenails, many souls in the past have transcended the i n s u r m o u n t a b l e d a r k n e s s o f m a t e r i a l e x i s t e n c e and achieved liberation. SB 1 0 . 3 8 . 7 Akrra says: yad arcitam brahma-bhavdibhih suraih riy ca devy munibhih sa-stvataih go-cranynucarai carad vane yad gopiknm kuca-hukumkitam Those lotus feet are worshiped by Brahma, iva and all the other demigods, by the goddess of fortune, and also by the great sages and Vaisnavas. Upon those lotus feet the Lord walks about the forest while herding the cows with his companions, and those feet are smeared with the kukuma from the gops' breasts. SB 1 0 . 3 8 . 8

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Uddhava says: y vai riyrcitam ajdibhir pta-kmair yogevarair api yad tmani rsa-gosthym krsnasya tad bhagavatah caranravindam nyastath stanesu vijahuh parirabhya tpam The goddess of fortune herself, along with Lord Brahma and all the other demigods, who are masters of yogic perfection, can worship the lotus feet of Krsna only within her mind. But during the rasa dance Lord Krsna placed his feet upon these gops' breasts, and by embracing those feet the gops gave up all distress. SB 1 0 . 4 7 . 6 2 ukadeva describes the amazement of the inhabitants of Vraja on seeing merciful Krsna: i t i sacintya bhagavn mah-kruniko harih daraym sa lokam svath gopnm tamasah param Thus deeply considering the situation, the all-merciful Supreme Personality of Godhead Hari revealed to the c o w h e r d m e n his abode, w h i c h i s b e y o n d m a t e r i a l darkness. SB 1 0 . 2 8 . 1 4 nanddayas tu tarn drstv paramnanda-nivrth krsnam ca tatra cchandobhih styamnam su-vismith Nanda Mahrja and the other cowherd men felt the greatest happiness when they saw that transcendental abode. They were especially amazed to see Krsna himself there, surrounded by the personified Vedas, who were offering him prayers. SB 1 0 . 2 8 . 1 7

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The word andim, ananta-rpam and dyam art illustrated in the Eleventh Canto concerning a discussion on Snkhya philosophy, where the Lord teaches that Brahman remains after the total destruction of the universes. klo may-maye jive jlva tmani mayy aje tm kevala tma-stho vikalppya-laksanah Time merges into the Supreme Lord, present in the form of the omniscient Mah-purusa, the original activator of all living beings. That origin of all life merges into Me, the unborn (andi) Supreme Soul, who remains alone (dyam), established within Himself. It is from Him that all creation (ananta-rpam-creator of many forms) and annihilation are manifested. SB 1 1 . 2 4 . 2 7 esa skhya-vidhih proktah samaya-granthi-bhedanah pratilomnulombhym parvara-dra may Thus I, the perfect seer of everything material and spiritual, have spoken this knowledge of Snkhya, which destroys the illusion of doubt by scientific analysis of creation and annihilation. SB 1 1 . 2 4 . 2 9 Brahma explains how the Lord is purna-purusa: ekas tvam tm purusah purnah satyah svayam-jyotir ananta dyah nityo 'ksaro 'jasra-sukho nirajanah prndvayo mukta updhito ' m r t a h You are the one Supreme Soul, the primeval Supreme Personality, the Absolute Truthself-manifested, endless

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and beginningless. You are eternal and infallible, perfect and complete, without any rival and free from all material designations. Your happiness can never be obstructed, nor have you any connection with material contamination. Indeed, you are the indestructible nectar of immortality. SB 1 0 . 1 4 . 2 3 Also the inhabitants of Mathur describe the purna-purusa: puny bata waja-bhuvo yad ay am nr-liga gdhah purna-puruso vana-citra-mlyah gab playan saha-balah kvanayam ca venum vikrdaycati giritra-ramrcitghrih How pious are the tracts of land in Vraja, for there the primeval Personality of Godhead, disguising himself with human traits, wanders about, enacting his many pastimes! Adorned with wonderfully variegated forest garlands, he whose feet are worshiped by Lord iva and goddess Ram vibrates his flute as he tends the cows in the company of Balarma. SB 1 0 . 4 4 . 1 3 T h e derivation of the word purna is "though existing previously (pur), it remains fresh (nova). Thus purana and nava-yauvana are words that can exist together without contradiction. gopyas tapah kim acaranyad amusya rpam lvanya-sram asamordhvam ananya-siddham drgbhih pibanty anusaxbhinavam durpam eknta-dhmayaasah ya aivarasya What austerities must the gops have performed! With their eyes they always drink the nectar of Lord Krsna's form,

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which is the essence of loveliness and is not to be equaled or surpassed. That loveliness is the only abode of beauty, fame and opulence. It is self-perfect, ever fresh and extremely rare. SB 1 0 . 4 4 . 1 4 yasynanath makara-kundala-cru-karnabhrjat-kapola-subhagamsavilasa-hsam nityotsavam na tatrpur dribhih pibantyo nryo nar ca mudith kupit nime ca Krsna's face is decorated with ornaments, such as earrings resembling sharks. His ears are beautiful, his cheeks brilliant, and his smiling attractive to everyone. Whoever sees Lord Krsna sees a festival (constantly blossoming). His face and body are fully satisfying for everyone to see, but the d e v o t e e s are a n g r y at the c r e a t o r for the disturbance caused by the momentary blinking of their eyes. SB 9 . 2 4 . 6 5 In listing the qualities of Krsna starting with satyam aucam Parksit says: ete cnye ca bhagavan nity yatra mah-gunh prrthy mahattvam icchadbhir na viyanti sma karhicit T h e s e and m a n y o t h e r t r a n s c e n d e n t a l qualities a r e eternally present in him and are never separated from him. SB 1.16.29 The Gopla-tpanl Upanisad, in describing the form suitable for meditation says: gopa-veam abhrbham tarunam kalpa-drumritam

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He is eternally beautiful, the color of a rain cloud, wearing the dress of a cowherd, and sitting under a desire tree. The word ta.ru.na (literally "young") in the verse actually m e a n s that he has beauty w h i c h is always fresh (navayauvana). This form is rarely attained by studying the Vedas: sm aho carana-renu-jusm ahath sym vrndvane kim api gulma-latausadhnm y dustyajam sva-janam rya-patham ca hitv bhejur mukunda-padavm rutibhir vimrgym The gopis of Vrndvana have given up the association of their husbands, sons and other family members, who are very difficult to give up, and they have forsaken the path of chastity to take shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda, Krsna, which those learned in the Vedas search. Oh, let me be fortunate enough to be one of the bushes, creepers or herbs in Vrndvana, because the gops trample them and bless them with the dust of their lotus feet. SB 1 0 . 4 7 . 6 1 tad bhri-bhgyam ihajanma kim apy atavym yadgokule 'pi katamghri-rajo-'bhisekam yaj-jlvitam tu nikhilam bhagavn mukundas tv adypi yat-pada-rajah ruti-mrgyam eva My greatest possible good fortune would be to take any birth whatever in this forest of Gokula and have my head bathed by the dust falling from the lotus feet of any of its residents. Their entire life and soul is the S u p r e m e

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Personality of Godhead, Mukunda, the dust of whose lotus feet is still being searched for in the Vedic mantras. SB 10.14.34 The Lord is easily attained by his devotees: bhaktyham ekay grhyah ractdhaytm priyah satm bhaktih punti man-nisth va-pkn api sambhavt Only by practicing unalloyed devotional service with full faith in me can one obtain me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I am naturally dear to my devotees, who take me as the only goal of their loving service. By engaging in such pure devotional service, even the dog-eaters can purify themselves from the contamination of their low birth. SB 11.14.21 pureha bhman bahavo 'pi yoginas tvad-arpiteh nija-karma-labdhay vibudhya bhaktyaiva kaihopanltay prapedire 'jo 'cyuta te gatim pardon O Almighty Lord, in the past many yogis in this world achieved the platform of devotional service by offering all their endeavors unto you and faithfully carrying out their p r e s c r i b e d duties. T h r o u g h s u c h devotional s e r v i c e , perfected by the processes of hearing and chanting about you, they came to understand you, O infallible one, and could easily surrender to you and achieve your supreme abode. SB 10.14.5 (The following is found in the Harids edition) In what aspect is the Lord actually advaita or incomparable, taking the literal meaning? Krsna is incomparable in giving

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his own body to his devotees. (Thus the devotee is superior to the Lord.) "How can we say that he alone remains and is thus called acyuta? Visnu alone remains after pralaya.)" No, the actually meaning should be that he suffers no degradation by giving himself to his devotees. That is why he is called acyuta. He does not ever fail to take pleasure in his devotees. "Are you praising Nryana then, for he has the quality of acyuta and andi?" No, andi means without beginning. It refers to he who is the final cause of all other things and is without cause, being self-revealing. (Nryana's source is Krsna.) "How can one person protect all beings?" Thus it is said that he has unlimited forms. Or ananta-rpa can mean he enters the material world unlimitedly to help the jvas Or ananta-rpa can mean that he has a spiritual form which is unlimited by material standards, from a portion of which arises all qualities such as unlimitedness.

To show the perfection of all qualities like ananta in Krsna over Nryana, the word dyam is used. This means that Krsna has an expanded form called Nryana. "Then Krsna should also be designated as the purusa." No, he is rather called the purna-purusa, the person who appears before the purusa, Mah-visnu. Mah-visnu is just his expansion form. "Then he should be very old." No, he is very young, of kaiora age: nava-yauvana. The word ca indicates that simultaneously he h a s always e x i s t e d in this m a n n e r . He is n o t new. Inconceivably he remains eternally young. "But Nryana alone is praised in the Vedas." If one knows the real meaning of the Vedas, then Krsna can be attained by studying them. But actually, only by bhakti is Krsna to be known. Thus he is easily attained by his devotee (adurlabham tma-bhaktau).

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TEXT 34 panths tu koti ata vatsara sampragamyo vyor athpi manaso muni pungavnm | so 'py asti yat prapada simny avicintya tattve govindam adi-purusam tarn aham bhajmi ||34|| TRANSLATION I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda, whose toes alone, possessing inconceivable powers, are attained only after a billion years by multitudes of sages who discipline the mind and breath. COMMENTARY Prapada-smni means the tips of his two lotus feet. Many scriptures testify to his inconceivable powers (avicintyatattve). Nrada says: citram bataitad ekena vapusyugapat prthak grhesu dvy-asta-shasram striya eha udvahat It is quite amazing that in a single body Lord Krsna simultaneously married sixteen thousand women, each in a separate palace. SB 10.69.2 Gopala-tpan says:

eko v a s t sarvagah krsna dya eko 'pi san bahudh yo'vabhti I T h o u g h remaining in one place, worshippable Krsna pervades all places. Though he is one, he reveals many forms.

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T h e t r u t h of the m a t t e r is t h a t he is avicintya-tattva: inconceivable. This is confirmed in the Third Canto: sa eva vivasya bhavn vidhatte guna-pravhena vibhakta-vryah sargdy anlho 'vitathbhisandhir tmevaro 'tarkya-sahasra-aktih My dear Lord, although personally you have nothing to do, you have distributed your energies in the interactions of the material modes of nature, and for that reason the creation, m a i n t e n a n c e and dissolution of the c o s m i c manifestation take place. My dear Lord, you are selfdetermined and are the Supreme Personality of Godhead for all living entities. For them you created this material manifestation, and although you are one, your diverse energies can act multifariously. This is inconceivable to us. SB 3.33.3 Skanda Purna and Mahbhrata says: acintyh khaluye bhv na tms tarkena yojayet I prakrtibhyah paramyac ca tad acintyasya laksanam II Inconceivable states are not subject to material logic. The nature of the inconceivable is that it is beyond material objects. Brahma-stra says:

suites tu abda-mlatvt Contradictory states can exist in the Lord because the s c r i p t u r e s s t a t e this, and s c r i p t u r e s a r e the r o o t of knowledge. Vednta-stra 2.1.27

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Acintya means that something which has power like jewels or special medicines, which, when applied to the head, affect other parts of the body, inconceivably. This power is suitable for the Lord. TEXT 35 eko 'py asau racayitumjagad anda kotim yac chaktir astijagad anda cayyad antah I andntara stha paramnu cayntara stham govindam di-purusam tarn aham bhajmi ||35|| TRANSLATION I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda who creates tens of millions of universes by just one of his energies, who holds t h e m u l t i t u d e o f u n i v e r s e s w i t h i n h i m s e l f and w h o i s simultaneously situated within every a t o m within the universe. COMMENTARY This verse elaborates further his inconceivable powers. tvat sarve vatsa-plh payato 'jasya tat-ksant vyadryanta ghana-ymh plta-kaueya-vsasah Then, while Lord Brahma looked on, all the calves and the boys tending them immediately appeared to have SB 10.13.46 c o m p l e x i o n s the c o l o r of bluish rainclouds and to be dressed in yellow silken garments.

This Bhgavatam verse begins the description of Krsna's amazing power. He revealed unlimited purusvatras

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overseeing unlimited universes from the forms of the cowherd boys who were expansions of himself. Yasod saw him holding a multitude of universes within himself (jagad-anda-cay yad-antah): na cntar na bahiryasya na prvam npi cparam prvparam bahi cntar jagatoyojagac cayah The Supreme Personality of Godhead has no beginning and no end, no exterior and no interior, no front and no rear. In other words, he is all-pervading. Because he is not under the influence of the element of time, for him there is no difference between past, present and future; he exists in his own transcendental form at all times. Being absolute, beyond relativity, he is free from distinctions between cause and effect, although he is the cause and effect of everything. SB 10.9.13 Statements from the rutis also indicate the extraordinary power of Krsna: anor anlyn mahato mahyn He is smallest among the small and greatest among the great. vetsvatara Upanisad 3 . 2 0 yo 'sau sarva-bhttm goplah Gopla is the soul of all beings. 2.94 eko devah sarva-bhtesu gdhah Gopla-tpan Upanisad

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He is one person but resides within all living entities. Gopla-tpan Upanisad 2 . 9 6 TEXT 36 yad bhva bhvita dhiyo manujs tathaiva samprpya rpa mdhimsanayna bhsh \ sktair yam eva nigama prathitaih stuvanti govindam di-purusam tarn aham bhajmi ||36|| TRANSLATION I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda, whom men praise with Vedic verses, after having fixing their minds on him with devotion and consequently having attained glorious forms, thrones, vehicles and ornaments by his mercy. COMMENTARY This verse speaks of the mercy that the Lord shows to various devotees practicing various sadhanas. Though the verse refers to devotees attracted to the Lord's grandeur, Brahma hints that the Lord will award the pure devotee much more. Just as those who practice meditation on the qualities, character, age, pastimes and clothing of the cowherd boys attain similar forms and destinations, it is fitting that those who constantly recite the Vedas attain goals similar to the contents of their recitation. vairenayam nrpatayah iupla-paundralvdayo gati-vilsa-vilokandyaih dhyyanta krta-dhiyah ayansandau tat-smyam pur anurakta-dhiym punah kim Inimical kings like iupla, Paundraka and lva were always thinking about Lord Krsna. Even while they were

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lying down, sitting or engaging in other activities, they enviously meditated upon the bodily movements of the Lord, his sporting pastimes, his loving glances upon his devotees, and other attractive features displayed by the Lord. Being thus always absorbed in Krsna, they achieved spiritual liberation in the Lord's own abode. W h a t then can be said of the benedictions offered to those who constantly fix their minds on Lord Krsna in a favorable, loving mood? SB 11.5.48 TEXT 37 narxda cinmaya rasapratibhvitbhis tbhirya eva nija rpatay kalbhih | goloka eva nivasaty ahhiltma bhto govindam di-purusam tarn aham bhqjmi ||37|| TRANSLATION I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda who, though regarding all the i n h a b i t a n t s as his v e r y self, r e s i d e s in Goloka exclusively with the young gops, who are embodiments of madhura-rasa. He a c c e p t s them as his wives, while they respond to his conjugal affection reciprocally. COMMENTARY How m u c h m o r e then Govinda will reward his dearest devotees, the gopis\ This verse describes how he lives exclusively with the dear women in his private place. Though he continuously treats all other inhabitants of Goloka with intense love, regarding them as his very self (akhila-tmabhtah), he resides only with the gops (tbhir eva nivasati). This shows their exalted position. The reason is given. They are personifications of his hldin-akti (kalbhih). Further

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excellence is shown. Govinda is rasa filled with spiritual bliss (nanda-cinmaya-rasa). This refers to madhura-rasa, filled with the highest type of prema. This is also their corresponding nature (pratibhvitbhih). He is infused (bhvita) with conjugal rasa for them, and they in response (prati) are also infused with similar feelings to the same degree. Thus he lives constantly with them. This meaning should be understood from the word prati. This is similar to the usage of pratyupakrta: responding to someone's favors. He first of all shows favor to them. In Goloka, he accepts them as his own wives (nija-rpatay), though during his pastimes on earth he accepts them as other persons' wives. Because it is impossible that they are other persons' wives since they are the supreme Laksms or consorts of the Lord, in order to increase the sense of longing in his pastimes on earth, there is an appearance of their being others' wives by covering the pastime of their actually being his wives alone. This occurs through his own my. During the pastimes on earth he resides with them, while treating them as others' wives, w h e r e a s in Goloka, the place of his unmanifest pastimes, he lives with them as his own consorts. That is the indication of the word eva in the phrase ya eva nija-rpatay. This distinguishes his behavior in Goloka from that during his earthly pastimes. In explaining the ten- syllable mantra of Krsna which is used for cultivating meditation on the eternal pastimes, the Gautamya-tantra states the same in the passage aneka-janma-siddhnm gopnm patir eva v: he is the husband of many gopis who achieved that perfection after many births. (Gautamya-tantra 2.22) The word eva in the phrase goloka eva indicates that such pastimes are not found elsewhere at all.

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TEXT 38 premjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti \ yam ymasundaram acintya-guna-svarpam govindam di-purusam tarn aham bhajmi ||38|| TRANSLATION I worship the Supreme L o r d Govinda of beautiful d a r k complexion, filled with inconceivable qualities, whom the d e v o t e e s c o n s t a n t l y s e e in t h e i r mind during samdhi permeated with prema. COMMENTARY Though Govinda lives in Goloka, he is also available in other places. The devotees see that form of inconceivable qualities (acintya-guna-svarpam) by eyes covered with the ointment of prema (premjana-cchurita) during samdhi (bhaktivilocanena). With such eyes, they see that form in their minds (hrdayesu) like a reflection whose source is far away. Glt says ye bhajanti tu mm bhakty mayi te tesu cpy aham: those who worship me with devotion, are attached to me and I am similarly attached to them. (BG 9 . 2 9 ) TEXT 39 rmdi-mrtisu kal-niyamena tisthan nnvatram akarod bhuvanesu kintu | krsnah svayam samabhavat paramah pumnyo govindam di-purusam tarn aham bhajmi ||39|| TRANSLATION I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda who, though appearing in the worlds in eternal forms such as Rma and Nrsimha

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with their characteristic powers, also appears personally in the supreme form of Krsna with the most attractive pastimes. COMMENTARY Sometimes Govinda also appears in the material world through one of his expansions. That is expressed in this verse. The supreme person called Krsna appears in the worlds by revealing various forms such as Rma, displaying powers fixed according to the particular form (kal-niyamena). As well he personally appears in this world (samabhavat). I worship that Govinda with his m o s t e x c e l l e n t pastimes. The devats describe the avatras in the Tenth Canto: matsyva-kacchapa-nrsimha-varha-hamsarjanya-vipra-vibudhesu krtvatrah tvam psi nas tri-bhuvanam ca yathdhunea bhram bhuvo harayadttama vandanam te O supreme controller, your Lordship previously accepted incarnations as a fish, a horse, a tortoise, Narasimhadeva, a boar, a swan, Lord Rmacandra, Paraurma and, among the demigods, Vmanadeva, to protect the entire world by your mercy. Now please protect us again by your mercy by diminishing the disturbances in this world. O Krsna, best of the Yadus, we respectfully offer our obeisances unto you. SB 10.2.40 TEXT 40 yasya prabh prabhavatojagad-anda-kotikotisv aesa-vasudhdi-vibhti-bhinnam I tad brahma niskalam anantam asesa-bhtam govindam di-purusam tarn aham bhajmi ||40||

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TRANSLATION I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda, whose powerful form r a d i a t e s an effulgence k n o w n as t h e undifferentiated, unlimited, all-encompassing Brahman, which is completely distinct from its powers displayed in unlimited planets throughout billions of universes. COMMENTARY Having stated that Govinda is supreme by being the perfection of all avatras, Brahma speaks of his supremacy since he has the most perfect form. Though personal and impersonal aspects are actually only one form, by a manifestation of the Lord with qualities, the form called Govinda, who is the p o s s e s s o r of v a r i o u s a t t r i b u t e s (dharm) appears. By a manifestation of the Lord devoid of qualities, his form as his attribute (dharma) called Brahman appears. This Brahman is like the halo around the moon. Visnu Purna declares ubhrayah sa-cittasya sarvagasya tathtmanah: the beautiful Lord is the shelter of the allpervading, c o n s c i o u s B r a h m a n . (Visnu Purna 6 . 7 . 7 6 ) rdhara Svm comments that sarvagasya atmanah refers to the Brahman, and the Lord is the foundation (raya) of that Brahman. The Lord says in the Gt, brahmano hi pratisthham: I am the basis of the Brahman (BG 1 4 . 2 7 ) In the Eleventh Canto the Lord enumerates his powers: prthivl vyur ka po jyotir aham mahn vihrah puruso 'vyaktam rajah sattvam tamah param aham etat prasakhynam jnam tattva-vinicayah I am form, taste, aroma, touch and sound; false ego; the mahat-tattva; earth, water, fire, air and sky; the living entity;

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material nature; the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance; and the impersonal Brahman (param). All these items, along with knowledge of their individual symptoms and the steady conviction that results from this knowledge, represent me. SB 11.16.37 The commentary of rdhara Svm says that param in the above verse means the impersonal Brahman. Matsya as well speaks of the impersonal aspect of the Lord in the Eighth Canto: madyam mahimnam ca param brahmeti sabditam vetsyasy anugrhltam me sampranair vivrtam hrdi You will be thoroughly advised and favored by me, and because of your inquiries, everything about my glory known as impersonal Brahman, will be manifest within your heart. SB 8 . 2 4 . 3 8 Ymuncrya says: yad-andntara-gocaram cay ad daottarny varanniyni ca I gunh pradhnam purusah param padam partparam brahma ca te vibhtayah II Your manifestations of powers consist of whatever is visible within the universe, the coverings of the universe, each ten times thicker than the previous layer, the gunas, pradhna, the purusa, the spiritual world and the impersonal Brahman (param brahma). Stotra-ratnam 14 Dhruva states in the Fourth Canto the superiority of the Lord's form over his impersonal aspect:

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y nirvrtis tanu-bhrtm tava pda-padmadhynd bhavaj-jana-kath-ravanena v syt s brahmani sva-mahimany api ntha m bht him tv antaksi-lulitt patatm vimnt My Lord, the transcendental bliss derived from meditating upon your lotus feet or hearing about your glories from pure devotees is so unlimited that it is far beyond the stage of brahmnanda, wherein one thinks himself merged in the impersonal Brahman as one with the Supreme. Since brahmnanda is also defeated by the transcendental bliss derived from devotional service, then what to speak of the temporary blissfulness of elevating oneself to the heavenly planets, which is ended by the separating sword of time? Although one may be elevated to the heavenly planets, he falls down in due course of time. SB 4 . 9 . 1 0 The tmrmas (realizers of Brahman) are also attracted to the Lord with qualities: tmrm ca munayo nirgranth apy urukrame kurvanty ahaitukm bhaktim ittham-bhta-guno harih All different varieties of tmrmas, especially those established on the path of self-realization, though freed from all kinds of material bondage, desire to render unalloyed devotional service u n t o the Personality of G o d h e a d . This m e a n s that the L o r d p o s s e s s e s t r a n s c e n d e n t a l qualities and t h e r e f o r e c a n a t t r a c t everyone, including liberated souls. SB 1.7.10 Those with particular inquiries can consult the Bhagavatsandarbha. Enough has been said here.

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TEXT 41 my hiyasyajagad-anda-atni ste traigunya-tad-visaya-veda-vityamn\ sattvvalambi-para-sattvamviuddha-sattvam govindam di-purusam tarn aham bhajmi 1141II TRANSLATION I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda whose material energy my, consisting of the three gunas described elaborately in the Vedas, produces hundreds of universes, while he himself is pure sattva (viuddha-sattva - existence) which is the cause of the material sattva which manifests his blissful form.
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COMMENTARY \ Having shown the glories of Govinda's form, Brahma now shows Govinda's glory in relation to the universe in this verse and the next. This verse shows that the external energy my creates inconceivable effects within the universe and then explains that the Lord is not affected by this energy of my. Beyond the sattva which is mixed with rajas and tamas is uddha-sattva or para-sattva.18 But purer than that is viuddha29 sattvam, functioning by the Lord's rit-afcti . This is explained in the Visnu Purna: sattvdayo na sante yatra ca prkrt gunh | sa uddhah sarva-uddhebhyah pumn dyah prasdatu II hldini sandhin samvit tvayy ek guna-samraye I hlda-tpa-kar mir tvayi no guna-varjite I This is equated with sandhini-akti: sandhinra sra amsa 'uddha-sattva' nma. (CC di 4.64) 29 The cit-afeti is a combination of sandhinl, samvit and hldin, and manifests as the form of bhgavan.
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The material gunas of sattva, rajas and tamas do not exist in the Lord. May that person, the source of all, purer than the purest, be pleased with me. In you who are the shelter of all spiritual qualities exist the energies of hldin, sandhin and samvit. In you who are devoid of material qualities, the mixture of happiness and distress found in the material world does not exist. Visnu Purna 1.9.44-45 Further details are given in the Bhagavat-sandarbha. TEXT 42 nanda-cinmaya-rastmatay manahsu yah prninm pratiphalan smaratm upetya \ llyitena bhuvanni jayaty ajasram govindam di-purusam tarn aham bhajmi ||42|| TRANSLATION I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda who, by appearing in the minds of the living beings to a small degree and embracing them with madhura-rasa, causes them to remember him, and in this way perpetually conquers the worlds by his attractive pastimes. COMMENTARY This verse describes the complete bewilderment of this world caused by the Lord's attractive form. Ananda-cinmaya-rasa refers to the madhura-rasa. Govinda appears to some degree in the minds of the living entities of this world by embracing them (tmatay) with his madhura-rasa. He is described as being reflected (pratiphalan), since the Lord appears within the tiny jiva as a second form (Paramtm) endowed with n a r t of his a l l - e n c h a n t i n g n a t u r e . This form c a u s e s

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remembrance (smaratm upetya). In this way he conquers all persons in the worlds. The five chapters on rasa in the Bhgavatam explain his attractive nature. tsm virabhc chaurih smayamna-mukhmbujah pltmbara-dharah sragyi sksn manmatha-manmathah Then Lord Krsna, a smile on his lotus face, appeared before the gopls. Wearing a garland and a yellow garment, he directly appeared as one who can bewilder the mind of Cupid, who himself bewilders the minds of ordinary people. SB 10.32.2 The meaning of manmatha-manmathah is similar to the phrase in the Kena Upanisad - caksusa caksuh: he inspires the eye to see. (Kena Upanisad 1.2) Thus manmatha-manmathah can mean that he is the source of whatever bewilderment Cupid can cause by love. Though the Lord acts as the cause of Cupid's powers of bewilderment through material love, material Cupid's a c t i o n s are c o n t a m i n a t e d , being o v e r c o m e by material influence. TEXT 43 goloka-nmni nija-dhmni tale ca tasya devi-mahea-hari-dhmasu tesu tesu \ te te prabhva-nicay vihit cayena govindam di-purusam tarn aham bhajmi ||43|| TRANSLATION I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda by whom respective powers are given to the abodes of Durg, iva and Visnu, which are situated below his own planet of Goloka.

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COMMENTARY Having spoken of the Lord's glory within the material world, Brahma speaks of Govinda's glory in his spiritual abode. The listing devi-dhma, maheSa-dhma and then ha-dhma shows progressive superiority. E a c h succeeding place is superior, because each place has half the powers of the one following. It is established in this verse that Goloka is higher than all other abodes and is inclusive of all other abodes. It has already been shown that this Goloka is also non-different from Vrndvana which appears on earth. sa tu lokas tvay krsna sldamnah krttman I dhrto dhrtimat vlra nighantopadravn gavm II That planet, protected by you, O hero, and which destroys the suffering of the cows and other inhabitants, is the residence of the determined and disciplined devotees. Ha-vama 62.33

This abode of Goloka should be considered his only abode (goloka eva nivasati), b e c a u s e even when appearing in Vrndvana on earth, the Lord should be considered to be performing pastimes there eternally. Thus the scriptures describe Vrndvana as follows. vrndvanam dvdaiamam vrnday pariraksitam | handhisthitam tac ca brahma-rudrdi-sevitam II The twelfth forest called Vrndvana is protected by Vrnd, controlled by Krsna, and served by Brahma, iva and others. di-varha Purna

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krsna-krd-setu-bandham mahptaka-nanam \ valabhlm tatra krdrtham krtv devo gaddharah II gopakaih sahitas tatra ksanam eham dine dine I tatraiva ramanrtham hi nitya-klam sa gacchati 11 The bridge built for Krsna's pastimes destroys the greatest of sins. Having constructed a lookout pavilion there for playing, the Lord, holder of the club, goes there in a moment's time every day, enjoying with his cowherd friends, eternally. di-varha Purna In Gautamya-tantra, Nrada speaks: kim idam dvdabhikhyam vmdranyam vimpate | rotum icchmi bhagavanyadiyogo 'smi mexada II r-krsna uvca idam xrndxanam ramyam mama dhmaiva kevalam \ atraye paavah paksi-vrks klt narmarh \ ye vasanti mamdhisnye mrtynti mamlayam \\ atray gopa-kany ca nivasanti mamlaye I yoginyas t may nityam mama sev-paryanh II paca-yojanam evsti vanam me deha-rpakam I klindyam susumnkhy parammrta-vhinl II atra dev ca bhtni vartante sksma-rpatah \ sarva-deva-maya cham na tyajmi vanath kxacit II virbhvas tirobhvo bhaven me 'tra yuge yuge I tejo-mayam idam ramyam adryam carma-caksus II O master of the people I desire to hear about the twelve forests of Vrndvana. If I am qualified please tell me. Krsna then spoke. This pleasant Vrndvana is my only abode. There, all cows, animals, birds, insects and humans are without death. Those who live under my mercy come to

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my abode on dying. The daughters of the cowherd men live in my abode. Completely giving up all connections, they serve me continually. This place, measuring five yojanas, is non-different from my body. The Yamuna, flowing with the sweetest nectar, is the susumn (central nerve) of that body. All the devas and the elements exist there in a spiritual form. I, the embodiment of all devas, do not leave that forest for a moment, though I appear and disappear in this world age after age. But this radiant forest full of pleasure is invisible to the material eye. Similarly, eternal kadamba trees and other items are described in the Varha Purna and other scriptures. It should be understood that Goloka which we cannot see is similar to the Vrndvana that we can see. W h e n Krsna appears with his associates in a visible manifestation, it is called his avatra. At that time, for increasing the excellence of rasa, there are various pastimes of separation and meeting and dealing with others' wives. What is presented here and in other places in the tantras, ymalas, samhit and pacartra s c r i p t u r e s ( c o n c e r n i n g separation and dealing with others' wives) should be understood to be a few of the unique pastimes when Krsna is present on earth. jayati jana-nivso devak-janma-vdo yadu-vara-pasat svair dorbhir asyann adharmam sthira-cara-vrjina-ghnah su-smita-ri-mukhena vraja-pura-vanitnm vardhayan kma-devam Lord r Krsna lives eternally among the cowherd men and the Ydavas, and is conclusively both the son of Devaki and Yaod. He is the guide of the Yadu dynasty and the cowherd men, and with his mighty arms he kills everything

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inauspicious, in Vraja, Mathur and Dvrak. By his presence he destroys all things inauspicious for all living entities, moving and inert, and the suffering of separation of the inhabitants of Vraja and Dvrak. His blissful smiling face always increases the desires of the gopls of Vrndvana and women of Mathur and Dvrak. He remains eternally in this situation. SB 1 0 . 9 0 . 4 8 Vysa says in the Nirvna-khanda of the Padma Purna: paya tvam darayisymi svarpam veda-gopitam | tato 'payam aham bhpa blam klmbuda-prabham II gopa-kanyvrtam gopam hasantam gopa-blakaih II "See! 1 will show you my form which is hidden in the Vedas." I then saw a cowherd boy with the complexion of a black cloud, surrounded by young gopls. He was joking with other cowherd boys. The phrase gopa-kany (young cowherd girls) indicates that
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the girls were at an age prior to following the rules of dharma suitable for mature women. Other meanings should be rejected. In the meditation on Vrndvana in the fourth chapter of Gautamya-tantra it is said: svargd ivaparibhrasta kanyak-ata-manditam I gopa-vatsa-gankrnam vrksa-sandai ca manditam II gopa-kany-sahasrais tupadma-patryateksanaih I arcitam bhva-kusumais trailokyaika-gurum param II

Jva Gosvm says here that kany does not mean the girls are not married.

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Vrndvana is the guru for the three worlds. It is decorated with hundreds of maidens as beautiful as women coming from heaven, and ornamented with groves of trees. It is filled with c a l v e s and c o w h e r d s and w o r s h i p p e d by thousands of young gopls with lotus eyes with flowers of love. The qualification for seeing Krsna is also mentioned in the section on proper conduct: ahar-niam japen mantram mant niyata-mnasah I sa payati na sandeho gopa-vea-dharam harim II With controlled mind, the chanter of the mantra should utter the mantra day and night continually. He sees without doubt the Lord wearing the dress of a cowherd. Gopla-tpanl Upanisad says: tad u hovca brahmano 'sv anavaratam me dhytah stutah I parrdhnte so 'budhyata I gopaveo me purusah purastd virbabhva II I, Brahma, meditate on and praise him continually. After half my life I realized him. He appeared in front of me as a male in the dress of a cowherd. Some people speak of Krsna as an avatra of Ksirodakaay Visnu, but actually that Visnu form is only an ama of Krsna. Those who want to study the topic in great detail should consult the Krsna-sandarbha as the topic is too extensive to be discussed here. Now we return to the main subject.

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TEXT 44 srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sdhana-aktirek chyevayasya bhuvanni bibharti durg \ icchnurpam api yasya ca cestate s govindam di-purusam tarn aham bhajmi ||44|| TRANSLATION I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda whose energy called Durg, possessing the powers of carrying o n ^ m t creation, maintenance and destruction, supports all the worlds, but who, being just his shadow, acts only according to his will. COMMENTARY Govinda's abode has been shown to be higher than the abodes of Durg, iva and Visnu. Now, in five verses, Govinda's superiority to the inhabitants of other abodes is shown, following the s t a t e m e n t s in the prayers of rutis in the Bhgavatam. tvam akaranah sva-rd akhila-kraka-akti-dharas tava balim udvahanti samadanty ajaynimish varsa-bhujo 'khila-ksiti-pater iva viva-srjo vidadhati yatra ye tv adhikrt bhavata cakith Though you have no material senses, you are the selfeffulgent sustainer of everyone's sensory powers. The demigods and material nature herself (ajay refers to Durg) offer you tribute, while also enjoying the tribute offered to them by their worshipers, just as subordinate rulers of various districts in a kingdom offer tribute to their Lord, the ultimate proprietor of the land, while also

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enjoying the tribute paid them by their own subjects. In this way the universal creators faithfully execute their assigned services out of fear of you. SB 1 0 . 8 7 . 2 8 TEXT 45 kiramyath dadhi vikra-viesa-yogt sajyate na hi tatah prthag asti hetoh I yah ambhutm api tath samupaiti kryd govindam di-purusam tarn aham bhajmi ||45|| TRANSLATION I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda who becomes the form of iva who is said to be non-different from Govinda, but w h o i s a l s o different b e c a u s e o f his c o n t a c t w i t h t h e transformations of prakrti, j u s t as milk becomes yogurt, which can be said to be non-different from its cause, but acts in a different manner. COMMENTARY Now in order, after describing Durg of Dev-dhma, Brahma describes iva of Mahea-dhma. 3 1 In the example of milk and yoghurt only that part which illustrates cause and effect should be taken. In this world, milk changes into yogurt, but the Lord does not change into iva. He is unchanging. Like cintmani, by his inconceivable energy, the Lord continues to exist as he was before, even though he also transforms into iva. ruti says:
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In Vivantha's commentary on chapter 88 of tenth canto, it is explained that Rudra has one abode in the layer of ahankara, Mahavisnu has his abode in the mahattatva as well as in the Krana ocean, and Durg has her abode in the layer of prakrti. Hwe*w, Brhdad-bhgavatmrta 1.3.95 says.iva-loka is beyond the coverings of the universe. //

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eko nryana evgra slt, na brahma na ca ankarah, sa munir bhtv samacintayat I tata evaite vyajyanta v i v o hiranyagarbho 'gnir varunarudrendrh sa brahman srjati rudrena nayati I so 'nutpatti-laya eva harih \ krana-rpah parah paramnandah | Nryana existed before all else. Brahma and iva did not exist. Becoming inspired, he began to meditate. Then the universe, Brahma, Agni, Varuna, iva and Indra appeared. Nryana creates through Brahma and destroys through iva. Nryana is never created or destroyed. He is the supreme cause, full of supreme bliss. iva should be considered as an effect rather than a cause because of his association with material gunas. The Tenth Canto says: harir hi nirgunah skst purusah prakrteh parah sa sarva-drg upadrast tarn bhajan nirguno bhavet Lord Hari, however, has no connection with the material modes. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the all-seeing e t e r n a l witness, w h o is t r a n s c e n d e n t a l to material nature. One who worships him becomes similarly free from the material modes. SB 10.88.5 Thus it is said in the text: vikra-viesa-yogt: from association 32 with the derivatives of prakrti. Sometimes iva is considered Though iva associates with tamas, he is not contaminated. This is made clear in Laghu-bhgavatmrta 1.2.28: iva is without a touch of the material gunas since he is the Lord; however, the ignorant perceive him, among the gunvatras, to be contaminated by tamoguna.
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non-different from Visnu, but those statements should be adjusted with the statement of Brahm-samhit and other texts. There are no differing statements about the final cause. Thus the Rg-veda-iras says: atha nityo deva eko nryanah \ brahma nryanah | iva ca nryanah I akra ca nryanah I dvdadity ca nryanah \ vsavo nryanah I avin nryanah \ sarve rsayo nryanah \ kla ca nryanah \ dia ca nryanah | adha ca nryanah \ rdhva ca nryanah | antar bahi ca nryanah | nryana evedam sarvamjtamjagatym jagad Nryana alone is the eternal Lord. Nryana is Brahma. Nryana is iva. Nryana is Indra. Nryana is the twelve dityas. Nryana is the Vasus. Nryana is the Avinis. Nryana is all the sages. Nryana is time. Nryana is the directions. Nryana is below. Nryana is above. Nryana is inside and outside. Nryana is everything born in the universe. Brahma says in the Second Canto: srjmi tan-niyukto 'ham haro harati tad-vaah vivam purusa-rpena paripti tri-akti-dhrk By his will, I create, Lord iva destroys, and he himself, in his eternal form as the Personality of Godhead, maintains everything. He is the powerful controller of these three energies. SB 2.6.32 TEXT 46 dlprcir eva hi dantaram abhyupetya dpyate vivrta-hetu-samna-dharm I

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yas tdrg eva hi ca visnutay vibhti govindam di-purusam tarn aham bhajmi ||46|| TRANSLATION I w o r s h i p the S u p r e m e L o r d Govinda who e x p a n d s as Ksrodakay-visnu (through Mahvisnu and Garbodakayvisnu), who is non-different from him, just as a large lamp lights up a second lamp, which lights up a third lamp which illuminates with the same quality of light as the original lamp. COMMENTARY According to the order mentioned before, in this verse one form of Visnu is described. Related to the description of iva as gunvatra, Visnu as gunvatra is now described. He is considered the final cause because he is identical with the other forms of Visnu. He is actually a portion of a portion of Govinda. A portion of Mahvisnu is Garbodakayi-visnu, and his portion is the gunvatra mentioned in this verse. However, he is still to be considered to be another form of Govinda. Just as the light from a small but clean lamp which has been lit from a main lamp through a series of other lamps is the same as the light of the original lamp, in as much as the quality of light is similar, so Visnu is the same as Govinda in respect to being svara (though the manifestation of qualities and rasa are not the same). Because iva is the controller of ignorance, he is like a flame from a small lamp covered with soot. Therefore he should be understood to be dissimilar. And in verse 4 8 , this form of Ksrodakay-visnu will be shown .be an expansion of Kranodakay-visnu. TEXT 47 yah kranrnava-jalebhajati smayoganidrm ananta-jagad-anda-sa-roma-kpah I

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dhra-aktim avalambyaparm sva-mrtim govindam di-purusam tarn aham bhajmi 1 1 4 7 1 1 TRANSLATION I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda who, as Mah-visnu, enjoys yoga-nidr in the waters of the Krana ocean while holding unlimited universes in the pores of his skin and lying upon the supporting energy of Sesa, another spiritual form of himself. COMMENTARY Now Kranodakay-visnu is described. The i r r e g u l a r placement of sa is poetic license. (Sa should be placed before ananta-jagad-anda). The meaning is that Visnu has pores filled with unlimited universes. The phrase dhra-aktim avalambya par am sva-mrtim means "Mah-visnu, lying down on his own supreme form as the sustaining energy, called esa." TEXT 48 yasyaika-nivasita-klam athvalambya jivanti loma-vaj jagad-anda-nthh I visnur mahn sa iha yasya kal-vieso govindam di-purusam tarn aham bhajmi | | 4 8 | | TRANSLATION I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda whose first expansion is Mah-visnu, who d e t e r m i n e s the a p p e a r a n c e and d i s a p p e a r a n c e o f t h e r u l e r s within t h e u n i v e r s e ( e v e n Ksirodakay-visnu) by his exhalation and inhalation of breath.

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COMMENTARY This verse shows that Mah-visnu, the maintainer of all the universes, is very different from his avatra Ksrodakayvisnu mentioned in verse 4 6 , just as the original Brahma and iva ( d e s c r i b e d i n v e r s e 1 5 ) a r e d i s t i n c t from their counterparts within the universe. Brahma describes Mah visnu by describing him in relation to this Ksrodakay-visnu. "The rulers of all the individual universes" (jagad-anda-nthh) refers to the forms of Visnu and others who remain visible in the universes for performing their duties (but Visnu does not die). That is the meaning of jivanti. TEXT 49 bhsvn yathma-akalesu nijesu tejah svyam kiyat prakatayaty api tadvad air a \ brahma ya esajagad-anda-vidhna- kart govindam di-purusam tarn aham bhajmi ||49|[ TRANSLATION I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda who becomes Brahma, the creator of the universe (by bestowing his powers to that jlva), just as the sun displays a small portion of its powers of heat and light in all the sun stones which represent it. COMMENTARY Durg and others have been shown to be under the shelter of Mah-visnu. Related to this, Brahma's position is now shown. He is shown to be extremely different, because he is a jva. Just as the sun (bhsvn) reveals to a small degree (kiyat) its own light or heat (tejah) in all its own stones (nijesu amaakalesu), called the sun stone (srya-knta-mani) since they

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are additional representatives of the sun (api), similarly a special jva who displays some powers, becoming Brahma, serves as the sub-creator within the universe (jagad-andavidhna-krta), being a partial representative of the Lord. This verse can also refer to the original Brahma outside the universe. F r o m this, one can infer a similar position of dependence for iva outside the universe also. In that case they would be known as creators of all the universes. Though Durg or my is the servant of Kranodakay-visnu, and B r a h m a and Visnu within the universe a r e avatras of Garbhodakay-visnu, they are all considered to be under the shelter of Govinda, since he is the final shelter. The following verses also should be considered in this way. TEXT 50 yat-pda-pallava-yugam vinidhya kumbhadvandve pranma-samaye sa gandhirjdh I vighnn vihantum alam asyajagat-trayasya govindam di-purusam tarn aham bhajmi 1 3 1 10 1 TRANSLATION I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda whose lotus feet Ganea fixes firmly upon the two bulges on his forehead when offering obeisances, in order to gain his powers to destroy all the obstacles in the three worlds. COMMENTARY All people first praise Ganea in order to remove all obstacles. Thus people may think that they must first praise Ganea. This verse explains his actual position. This point is made even stronger by the words of Kapila given below, for if iva,

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Ganea's father, takes the foot water of Visnu on his head, then Ganea's position will be even less: yac-chauca-nihsrta-sarit-vravarodakena tlrthena mrdhny adhikrtena ivah ivo "bht dhyturmanah-amala-aila-nisrsta-vajram dhyyec ciram bhagavata caranravindam The blessed Lord iva becomes all the more blessed by bearing on his head the holy waters of the Ganges, which has its source in the water that washed the Lord's lotus feet. The Lord's feet act like thunderbolts hurled to shatter the mountain of sin stored in the mind of the meditating devotee. One should therefore meditate on the lotus feet of the Lord for a long time. SB 3 . 2 8 . 2 2 TEXT 51 agnir mahi gaganam ambu marud dia ca klas tathtma-manasitijagat-trayni I yasmd bhavanti vibhavanti vianti yam ca govindam di-purusam tarn aham bhajmi ||51|| TRANSLATION I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda from whom the three worlds composed of earth, water, fire, air, ether, space, time, m i n d and tms appear, by w h o m they c o n t i n u e t h e i r existence and within whom they enter at the time of universal destruction. COMMENTARY Therefore it is also correct that all the elements and their deities are ultimately under the control of Govinda. The verse is clear.

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TEXT 52 yac-caksur esa savit sakala-grahnm rj samasta-sura-mrtir aesa-tejh I yasyjay bhramati sambhrta-kla-cakro govindam di-purusam tarn aham bhajmi ||52|| TRANSLATION I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda by whose command the sun, the king of all planets, moves in the sky, determining the cycles of time. The sun, endowed with profuse heat and light, reveals the world through his light, gives sight to the eye, and is the personification of all the devats.33 COMMENTARY Some claim that the sun is the Supreme Lord. This verse explains the sun's position. The meaning is "I worship Govinda by whose order the sun, who carries the wheel of time, who serves Govinda by revealing things (yac-caksuh) by his light, moves in the sky." Gt says: yad ditya-gatath tejojagad bhsayate 'khilam I yac candramasi yac cgnau tat tejo viddhi mmakam II Know that the light of the sun, m o o n and fire, which illuminates this universe, is my light. BG 15.12 The ruti says: bhlssmd vtah pavate bhsodeti sryah II The wind blows out of fear of the Lord. The sun rises out of fear of the Lord. Taittirya Upanisad 2.8
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Among the nine planetary deities, the sun is the chief.

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The sun is also called caksus (eye) because it is the eye of the universal form. 34 TEXT 53 dharmo 'tha ppa-nicayah rutayas tapmsi brahmdi-klta-patagvadhaya cajvh I yad-datta-mtra-vibhava-prahata-prabhv govindam di-purusam tarn aham bhajmi ||53|| TRANSLATION I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda by whom all acts of piety and sin, knowledge of liberation, all practices to attain liberation, as well as all living beings, including Brahma, insects and birds, are endowed with particular potencies to produce particular effects. COMMENTARY W h a t then can be said of the powers existing in all other things? Their powers must all arise from Govinda. Git says: aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate I am the source of everything. Due to me, everything operates. BG 1 0 . 8 TEXT 54 yas tv indragopam athavendram aho sva-harmabandhnurpa-phala-bhjanam tanoti I karmni nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhjm govindam di-purusam tarn aham bhajmi ||54||
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As the sun is the eye of the universal form, as the deity of the eye, it empowers the eyes of the individuals of the universe with sight.

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TRANSLATION I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda who bestows to the red beetle and to Indra their experience of happiness and distress as an appropriate response to their actions, and who completes destroys the karmic results for those who practice bhakti. COMMENTARY The Supreme Lord should be regarded like the rain, which spreads showers everywhere. Thus the Lord is unprejudiced in dispensing appropriate karma to the jvas. But at the same time, Govinda favors his devotee. That is explained in this verse. samo 'ham sarva-bhtesu na me dvesyo 'sti na pyah I ye bhajanti tu mam bhakty mayi te tesu cpy aham 11 I am equal to all living beings. I do not hate anyone nor do I favor anyone. But those who worship me with devotion are in me, and I am in them. BG 9 . 2 9 anany cintayanto mam ye janah paryupsate I tesm nitybhiyuktnm yoga-ksemam vahmy aham \ But I carry the burden of supply and maintenance of those who desire c o n s t a n t a s s o c i a t i o n with me, and who, thinking only of me, worship only me. BG 9 . 2 2 TEXT 55 yam krodha-kma-sahaja-pranayadi-bhlti\tsalya-moha-guru-gaura\a-se\ya-bh\aih\

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sacintya tasya sadrim tanum purete govindam di-purusam tarn aham bhajmi ||55|| TRANSLATION I worship Govinda, the Supreme Lord, who bestows forms similar to his own but which are at the same time appropriate to their sentiments, to those devotees who meditate upon him, identifying themselves in a relationship of lover, parent, friend, servant, or son, with mixtures of bewilderment, anger, fear and other secondary emotions. COMMENTARY If Govinda gives results, that others cannot give, even to his enemies, how m u c h m o r e he will give to his e x c e l l e n t devotees having no material desires, whose desires are focused only on Govinda! Therefore who else is worthy of worship? Only Govinda should be worshipped. Thus Brahma says govindam adi-purusam tarn aham bhajmi. With this Brahma completes his praises with a last statement. Sahaja-pranaya ( n a t u r a l affection) m e a n s sakhya, a relationship of friendship. Vtsalya is the relation of a parent to Krsna. Moha is an emotional state in which one forgets everything, caused when the Supreme Lord disappears from the vision of the devotee. 3 5 Guru-gauravam means thinking Bhakti-rasmrta-sindhu defines moha, a vyabhicri-bhva, as follows. "A blank or confused state of the mind (internal inaction) arising from joy, separation, fear or lamentation is called moha. In this state there is falling on the ground, absence of sense perceptions, wandering around and inactivity." Bhakti-rasmrta-sindhu 2.4.92 This emotional state as well as 32 others operate only in conjunction with the principal sthyi-bhvas of snta, dsya, sakhya, vatsala and madhura.
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of Krsna as one's superior or parent while one identifies oneself as his son (such as his children in Dvrak). 3 6 Sevya means dsya, in which one identifies oneself as a servant of Krsna. These devotees attain bodies similar to the Lord's to the extent that the form and qualities are suitable for their particular mood. (Thus devotees with parental love do not attain kaiora forms similar to Krsna, but elderly forms. However they have cowherd forms like Krsna.) F o r those absorbed in anger, only persons whose anger is the secondary spiritual rasa called raudra (and not the anger of demons like Kamsa) attain such bodies. 37 Vsudeva (accepting the role of a son) says: adrstvnyatamam loke laudrya-gunaih samam aham suto vm abhavam prnigarbha iti rutah Since I found no one else e x c e p t you equal to me in simplicity and other qualities of good character, I have appeared in this world as your son Prnigarbha. SB 10.3.41 Brahma-stra (illustrating that the devotee does not attain an exactly similar form) says: jagad-vypra-varjam This type of dsya is called gaurava-pti. It is described in Bhakti-rasmrtasindhu 3.2.144 37 Krodha will refer to raudra-rasa and bhti to bhayanaka-rasa. These secondary rasas support the primary rasas of affection, and do not exist without the primary rasas. They appear only in devotees. The enemies of Krsna exhibit anger towards Krsna and fear of Krsna, but these are not accepted as true rasas by Rpa Gosvm, since they do not have a primary rasa with Krsna.
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Except for creating universes, the devotees attain all other powers. Vednta-stra 4 . 4 . 1 7 Nrada says: prayujyamne mayi tm uddhm bhgavatm tanum rabdha-karma-nirvno nyapatat pca-bhautikah Having been awarded a transcendental body befitting an associate of the Personality of Godhead, I quit the body made of five material elements, and thus all acquired fruitive results of work stopped. SB 1.6.28 These statements support the rejection of the idea that one attains a form which is completely identical with the Lord's form. vairenayam nrpatayah iupla-paundrailxdayo gati-xilsa-vilokandyaih dhyyanta krta-dhiyah ayansanaau tat-smyam pur anurakta-dhiym pundh kim Inimical kings like iupla, Paundraka and lva were always thinking about Lord Krsna. Even while they were lying down, sitting or engaging in other activities, they enviously meditated upon the bodily movements of the Lord, his sporting pastimes, his loving glances upon his devotees, and other attractive features displayed by the Lord. Being thus always absorbed in Krsna, they achieved spiritual liberation in the Lord's own abode. What then can be said of the benedictions offered to those who constantly fix their minds on Lord Krsna in a favorable, loving mood? SB 1 1 . 5 . 4 8

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It s h o u l d be u n d e r s t o o d that t h o s e p e r s o n s w h o spontaneously attained concentration on the Lord with a favorable mood, as mentioned in this Bhgavatam verse, obtained much more than what the demons attain. And it should also be understood that those who constantly fixed their minds on the Lord attained various forms according to the intensity of their concentration. Here the non-difference between the Lord's form in Goloka and on the earth is also shown (since by thinking of Krsna in his earthly pastimes they attained Krsna and not some other form in the spiritual realm). This eternal nature of Krsna's form is illustrated in the following verse: nanddayas tu tarn drstv paramnanda-nivrth krsnam ca tatra cchandobhih styamnam su-vismith Nanda Mahrja and the other c o w h e r d men felt the greatest happiness when they saw that transcendental abode. They were especially amazed to see Krsna himself there, surrounded by the personified Vedas, who were offering him prayers. SB 10.28.17 TEXT 56 riyah knth hntah parama-purusah kalpa-taravo drum bhmi cintmani-gana-mayi toyam amrtam \ hatha gnath ntyam gamanam api vamsl priya-sakhi cid-nandamjyotih param api tad svdyam api ca II sa yatra ksirbdhih sravati surabhlbhya ca su-mahn nimesrdhkhyo v vrajati na hi yatrpi samayah \ bhaje vetadvipam tarn aham iha golokam iti yam vidantas te santah ksiti-virala-crh katipaye ||56||

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TRANSLATION I worship this Goloka, where there are unlimited gops and their beloved Krsna, the supreme form of God, where the trees and land fulfill all desires, where the water is as sweet as nectar, where the speaking is singing and the walking is dancing, where the flute is the best friend by announcing the joyful presence of Krsna everywhere, where the sun and moon shine with knowledge and bliss eternally in perfect form, revealing all things, and where all relishable things are also knowledge and bliss. I worship Goloka, pure and uncontaminated, where extensive oceans of milk flow from the cows, where not even a moment of time passes, and which only a few rare devotees wandering on this earth have realized. 3 8 COMMENTARY B r a h m a has praised the L o r d with verses, showing how Govinda is most worthy of worship. Now in two verses he praises the planet belonging to him. Sriyah can only refer to the young women of Vraja (and not Laksm), since the gops are well known in mantras and methods of meditation. Though these women are unlimited in number (knth.), there is only one male lover (kntah). By this the superiority of Govinda over exalted Nryana and others forms (parama-purusa) is shown. Next, the superiority of Govinda's abode over other abodes is shown. All of the trees are celebrated as desire trees (kalpa-taravo drumh) because every single tree can This verse indicates svrasik pastimes according to the commentary on verse 30. However, the place is Goloka or vetadvpa, not Gokula, according to Laghu-bhgavatmrta. Thus the inhabitants are aware of Govinda as the Supreme Lord or parama-purusa.
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bestow every possible desire. 39 The earth (bhmih) is similar (cintmani-gana-may). Of course, if the earth fulfills all desires, what can be said of things like the Kaustubha jewel (since jewels are the essence of the earth)? The water is tasty like nectar. What then can be said of the taste of real nectar available there? Similarly if the speaking is attractive like singing, how much more attractive will be the songs! And if the walking is graceful like dancing, how much more charming will be the dancing there! The flute is considered the dearest friend because its pervasive sound announces his condition of joy to all people. The luminaries like the sun and moon are made of knowledge and bliss (cid-nandam jyotih). In the second chapter of Gautamiya-tantra in the description of Vrndvana, it is said samnodita-candrrkam: the sun and m o o n are similar in brightness when they rise. Thus, the light is called supreme (param) because the moon in Goloka is eternally a full moon. Api indicates that this light reveals everything. All the pleasurable (vdyam) items are also full of knowledge and bliss, since they are made of the cit-akti of the Lord. The cit nature of the place is described in the Bhgavatam: Hi sacintya bhagavn mah-kruniko harih daraym sa lokam svam gopnm tamasah param Thus deeply considering the situation, the all-merciful Supreme Personality of Godhead Hari revealed to the

Of course any inhabitant of the spiritual world desires only to please the Lord.

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cowherd men his abode, which is beyond material darkness. SB 1 0 . 2 8 . 1 4 Hayarsa-pacartra Vaikuntha: describes the nature of things in

dravya-tattvam rnu brahman pravaksymi samsatah I sarva-bhoga-prad yatra padaph kalpa-pdaph II gandha-rpam svdu-rpam dravyam puspdikam cayat \ heymnm abhvc ca rasa-rpam bhavec ca tat II tvag-bjam caiva heymSam kathinmam cay ad bhavet I sarvam tad bhautikam viddhi nahi bhtamayam hi tat I rasavad bhautikam dravyam atra syad rasa-rpakam II Hear about the substance of the spiritual realm. I will speak about Brahman in summary. There the trees are desire trees, yielding all enjoyment. There the flowers and other items are all filled with fragrance and taste. The place is bliss itself because there are no inferior sections. Fruits with skin, seeds and hard parts belong to the material world. Understand that there is no material substance there. All objects are filled with bliss. Oceans of milk flow from the cows because the cows are absorbed in hearing the sound of Govinda's flute. T h e inhabitants of Goloka do not know time at all because they are absorbed in Govinda (samayah na vrajati - time does not proceed for even half a second). Or the meaning can be "The faults of time do not exist there." The Second Canto says: pravartate yatra rajas tamas tayoh sattvam ca miram na ca kla-vikramah na yatra my kim utpare barer anuvrat yatra sursurrcith

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In that personal abode of the Lord, the material modes of ignorance and passion do not prevail, nor is there any of their influence in goodness. There is no predominance of the influence of time, so what to speak of the illusory, external energy; it c a n n o t enter that region. W i t h o u t discrimination, both the demigods and the demons worship the Lord as devotees. SB 2.9.10

veta means "pure" and dvipa (island) indicates the places is without material connections. Upanisad says: sarasi padmam tisthati tath-bhmym hi tisthati The land stands like a lotus in a pond. Gopala-tpani Upanisad 2 . 2 7 This particular place is known to some (katipaye) on this earth, but very few (ksiti-virala-crh): yam na vidmo vayam sarve prcchanto 'pi pitmaham We do not know that place. Thus we inquired from Brahma. Hari-vama 2.19.33 TEXT 5 7 athovca mah-visnur bhagavantam prajpatim \ brahman mahattva-vijne praj-sarge ca cm matih I paca-loklm imam vidydm vatsa dattm nibodha me ||57|| Similarly, Gopala-tpanl

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TRANSLATION Then Mah-visnu 40 spoke to the devotee Brahma: If you desire to create the bodies of living entities and desire knowledge of God, then understand this knowledge given by me through the following five verses. COMMENTARY Having recited his prayer, Brahma then received the mercy of the Lord: The meaning of the verse is clear. TEXT 5 8 prabuddhejna-bhaktibhym tmany nanda-cin-may I udety anuttam bhaktir bhagavat-prema-laksan ||58|| TRANSLATION When the soul is awakened by knowledge and devotion, the highest form of bhakti, characterized by bliss and knowledge and endowed with prema for the Lord, will appear. COMMENTARY As an act of mercy, Mah-visnu then spoke these five verses. This combination of knowledge and devotion is mentioned in the Eleventh Canto: Some translators take Mah-visnu as Krsna speaking in this verse. Jva Gosvmji does not comment on this. By context, since Brahma heard the Krsija mantra and meditated on Krsna, Krsna would seem to be the speaker. Of course Garbodakay-visnu gave the instruction to Brahma to meditate so he could also speak at this point. If Mah-visnu is speaking in this verse, then he is speaking on behalf of Krsna, for in the commentary on the last verse Jva Goswm calls him purna-bhagavat-rpam, the complete form of Bhagavn. This expression is not used in relation to Mah-visnu.
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tasmj jnena sahitam jtv svtmnam uddhava jna-vijna-sampanno bhaja math bhakti-bhvatah Therefore, My dear Uddhava, through knowledge you should understand your actual self. Then, advancing by clear realization of Vedic knowledge, you should worship me in the mood of loving devotion. SB 11.19.5 TEXT 59 pramnais tat-sad-crais tad-abhysair nirantaram] bodhayan tmantmnam bhaktim apy uttamm labhet ||59|| TRANSLATION Realizing spontaneously one's own n a t u r e as a soul by constant practice, by following the saintly devotees of the Lord according to the devotional scriptures, the devotee will attain pure bhakti. COMMENTARY The method of attaining prema by bhakti and jna is here e x p l a i n e d . 4 1 S p o n t a n e o u s l y (tmn), o n e will r e a l i z e (bodhayan) one's nature as a pure jva (tmnam) by constant practice of actions following the devotees of the Lord (tatsad-caraih) a c c o r d i n g to the d e v o t i o n a l s c r i p t u r e s (pramnaih). Then, that person, taking shelter of the Lord, will attain (and practice) pure bhakti (uttamm bhaktim). In this manner the rutis pray:
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This seems to recommend the gradual process of development mentioned in the Gt: niskma-karma-yoga, followed by jftna-yoga, astnga-yoga and finally bhakti-yoga.

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sva-krta-puresv amlsv abahir-antara-samvaranam tava purusam vadanty akhila-akti-dhrto 'ma-krtam iti nr-gatim vivicya kavayo nigamvapanath bhavata upsate 'ghm abhavam bhuvi vivasith The individual living entity, while inhabiting the material bodies he has created for himself by his karma, actually remains uncovered by either gross or subtle matter. This is so because, as the Vedas describe, he is part and parcel of you, the possessor of all potencies. Having determined this to be the status of the living entity, learned sages become imbued with faith and worship your lotus feet, to which all Vedic sacrifices in this world are offered, and which are the source of liberation. SB 1 0 . 8 7 . 2 0 TEXT 60 yasyh reyas-karam nstiyay nirvrtim pnuyt | y sdhayati mam eva bhaktim tarn eva sadhayet ||60|| TRANSLATION One should then attain that type of bhakti (prema) to which there is nothing superior, by which one attains supreme bliss, and attains me alone. COMMENTARY Prema-bhakti, and nothing else, is the goal of that pure bhakti. In the Fourth Canto it is said: tarn durrdhyam radhya satm api durpay eknta-bhakty ko vchet pda-mlam vin bahih My dear Lord, pure devotional service is even difficult for liberated persons to discharge, but devotional service alone

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can satisfy you. W h o will take to other processes of selfrealization if he is actually serious about the perfection of life? SB 4 . 2 4 . 5 5 T E X T 61 dharmn anyn parityajya mam ekam bhaja vivasan | ydriydr raddh siddhir bhavati tdri II kurvan nirantaram karma loko 'yam anuvartate | tenaiva karman dhyyan mam param bhaktim icchati ||61|| TRANSLATION Giving up all other practices, just worship me alone with faith. According to one's faith, one attains the goal. J u s t as the people of the world perform constant actions in pursuit of their goals, you should desire to attain pure bhakti to me while meditating on me during performance of service. COMMENTARY This verse explains that one should perform pure sdhanabhakti by practicing without material desires. akmah sarva-kmo \ moksa-kma udra-dhh tvrena bhakti-yogena yajeta purusam param A person who has broader intelligence, whether he be full of all material desire, without any material desire, or desiring liberation, must ultimately worship the supreme whole, the Personality of Godhead by pure bhakti. 2.3.10 SB

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TEXT 62 aham hi vivasya carcarasya bjam pradhnam prakrtih pumm ca I mayhitam teja idam bibharsi vidhe vidhehi tvam athojaganti ||62|| TRANSLATION I alone am the highest form among all moving and nonmoving entities of the universe, since I am the most complete form of God. I am unmanifest m a t t e r and he w h o instigates unmanifest matter. I have bestowed my powers on you. You now possess the necessary powers for creation. O Brahma, now create the bodies for the living entities in this universe. COMMENTARY The Lord states with good reasoning that Brahma's desire to create will be fulfilled. I am the most excellent (pradhnam) among all forms in the universe since I am the seed (bljam) of all forms of God, the complete form of bhagavn. I am the unmanifested state of matter (prakrtih) (since it depends completely on me). I am the instigator or witness of prakrti (pumnMah-visnu, who glances on prakrti and Ksirodakay, dwelling within the universe). What more can be said of my powers? You also possess this power because I have given it to you (mayhitam). O Brahma (vidhe), by that power produce (vidhehi) the moving and non-moving bodies of entities in the universe (jaganti). The Brahma-samhit, consisting of a hundred chapters, which describes the Lord, was recited by Brahma and is filled with essential but deep knowledge concerning Krsna. Though

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p e r s o n s with v a r i o u s m o t i v e s d e c l a r e m a n y alternative readings and meanings, I have obtained and verified the c o r r e c t version. Here ends the Dig-daran commentary of rla Jva Gosvm on the Fifth Chapter of the verses of Brahma-samhit.

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