Sri Brahma Samhita
FIFTH CHAPTER
Sri Brahma Samhita
FIFTH CHAPTER
It is stated in Çré
Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 9.234, 237–41):
sei dina cali’ äilä payasviné-tére
snäna kari’ gelä ädi-keçava-mandire
mahä-bhakta-gaëa-saha tähäì goñöhé
kaila
‘brahma-saàhitädhyäya’-puìthi tähäì
päila
puìthi päïä prabhura haila änanda apära
kampäçru-sveda-stambha-pulaka vikära
siddhänta-çästra nähi
‘brahma-saàhitä’ra sama
govinda-mahimä jïänera parama käraëa
alpäkñare kahe siddhänta apära
sakala-vaiñëava-çästra-madhye ati sära
bahu yatne sei puìthi nila lekhäiyä
‘ananta padmanäbha’ äilä harañita haïä
After accepting the renounced order,
Çré Çacénandana
Gaurahari resided briefly in Çré
Puré-dhäma, and then began His
tour of South
India on the pretext of visiting the holy places of
pilgrimage. After visiting Kanyäkumäré,
He arrived in the holy
place called Vetapäné, located in
Mallära Deça, where He had
darçana of Çré Raghunätha and then took rest
for the night. A
band of gypsies from the nomadic
Bhaööathäri community, who
had made their camp there, captured
Kälä-kåñëadäsa, Çréman
Mahäprabhu’s servant and associate, by
alluring him with
women. However, Mahäprabhu rescued him
by the power of His
divine opulence, and then immediately
proceeded to the sacred
banks of the Payasviné River.
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
i i
After taking evening bath in the river,
Çréman Mahäprabhu
went for darçana of Çré
Ädi-Keçava. While beholding the deity,
He became absorbed in ecstatic love and
began to dance, sing
and recite prayers and verses. When the
scholarly devotees and
thousands of pilgrims there saw Him,
they were all struck with
wonder. After taking darçana of
the deity, Çréman Mahäprabhu
noticed that some devotees, who were
immensely learned and
realized in philosophical principles,
were lecturing on this book,
the Fifth Chapter of Çré
Brahma-saàhitä. He was overjoyed to
hear this devotional treatise, and
after reading only a few verses
Himself, He was unable to maintain His
composure. The eight
symptoms of transcendental ecstasy,
such as tears, horripilation
and trembling, became manifest.
Indeed, Brahma-saàhitä is
unprecedented and unique
among the literature of the bhakti tradition.
It is filled with
descriptions of the paramount glories
of Svayam Bhagavän Çré
Govindadeva, and with knowledge of the
essential reality of the
Supreme Personality and the essential
reality of bhakti. It is as if
a vast ocean has been bottled in one
succinct treatise. Here one
will find the collected essence of all
Vaiñëava scripture, including
the Vedas, the Puräëas, Bhagavad-gétä
and Çrémad-Bhägavatam.
Çréman Mahäprabhu had this great
literature copied very carefully,
and then He brought it back with Him to
Çrédhäma
Jagannätha Puré.
I have no right to say anything more
about this text.
Nevertheless, I simply wish to suggest
that if this literature is
accepted in the category of extremely
ancient scriptures, it is
exceptional evidence to support the
doctrine of kåñëa-bhakti.
Alternatively, one may argue that Çré
Caitanya Mahäprabhu must
have written it Himself, since no
mention of this scripture can be
found anywhere in this region of Northern India. If such an opinion
were to be established conclusively,
what could possibly be
For the r eader’s inter est
i i i
a greater source of joy? The reason is
that, in the Vaiñëava world,
every last doubt about philosophical
conclusions would at once
be dispelled upon the discovery of a
thesis of established
philosophical truths written personally
by Çréman Mahäprabhu.
Whatever one’s opinion may be, this Brahma-saàhitä
is
worshipable for Vaiñëavas, and is also
worthy of their thorough
study.
Feelings of
appreciation
It is common knowledge that Çré
Brahma-saàhitä was not propagated
in India prior to its being collected
by Çré Gaurasundara.
Rather, the literary composition that
had been widely popularized
throughout the nation was Çrémad-Bhägavatam,
the sätvatasaàhitä
(compilation for those in pure
goodness) that was
previously spoken in Naimiñäraëya. The
word brahma means
both “Veda” and also “the factual
substance or reality established
by the Vedas,” which is none other than
the Supreme Personality
and Enjoyer, Çré Kåñëa, or Çré Govinda.
The understanding of the
word apauruñeya (“not of human
origin,” or “divine”) is considered
marginal if the word is used to
confound the mundane
conception by eliminating the
irrelevant (“neti neti”), but does
not refer to the Supreme Personality
and Enjoyer, Çré Kåñëa.
Çré Caturmukha Brahmä discarded mundane
considerations
from within the Vedas, which are called
apauruñeya (of divine
origin), and then described in a saàhitä
(compilation) of one
hundred chapters whatever essence of
pure bhakti he had been
holding in his heart in connection with
the Supreme Enjoyer.
Among those chapters, this Fifth
Chapter is most worshipable for
Gauòéya Vaiñëavas because it is
extremely practical and advantageous
for the living entity. Especially from
the point of view of
the Çré Brahma sampradäya, the
factual substance of reality has
been revealed in the four original
verses of Çrémad-Bhägavatam
by the mercy of Bhagavän.
The Supreme Personality can never be
included in the category
of insignificant worldly material
enjoyers. The distinction
between the two is that the Supreme
Personality Çré Kåñëa is the
absolute controller of all predominated
potencies, whereas the
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
v i
individual living entity is completely
bound by the Lord’s potencies.
Thus, the word apauruñeya (not
of mundane origin), is
applied to Çré Kåñëa from the
perspective of the conditioned
living entity (puruña) who tries
to conceive of Him who is
beyond material existence. It is stated
in the first verse of the
Çrémad-Bhägavatam:
janmädyasya yato ’nvayäd itarataç
cärtheñv abhijïaù svaräö
tene brahma hådä ya ädi-kavaye muhyanti
yat sürayaù
tejo-väri-mådäà yathä vinimayo yatra
tri-sargo ’måñä
dhämnä svena sadä nirasta-kuhakaà
satyaà paraà dhémahi
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (1.1.1)
I meditate upon Çré Kåñëa, who is the
Absolute Truth and the original
cause of the creation, maintenance and
annihilation of the
mundane universes. He is directly and
indirectly conscious of all
manifestations, and He is independent,
because there is no other
cause beyond Him. It is He who first
imparted the Vedic knowledge
unto the heart of Brahmäjé, the
original living being. By Him
even great sages and demigods are
placed into illusion, as one is
bewildered by the illusory
representations of water seen in fire, or
land seen on water. Only because of Him
do the material universes,
temporarily manifested by the reactions
of the three modes
of nature, appear factual, although
they are unreal. I therefore
meditate upon Him, Çré Kåñëa, who is
eternally existent in the transcendental
abode, which is forever free from the
illusory representations
of the material world. I meditate upon
Him, for He is
the Absolute Truth.
The transcendental abode (dhäma)
referred to here is categorically
distinct from any material location.
The word dhäma
means “shelter” and also “light.” One
cannot see without light,
and this verse confirms that the basis
of illumination is a Person
who is the object of worship, and is
seen by the very same light.
The foundation of illumination, the
Supreme Transcendental
Enjoyer Çré Kåñëa, exists splendidly
and eternally along with His
Feelings of appreciation
v i i
paraphernalia in the supramundane dhäma
that lies beyond all
comprehension of the conditioned souls
who are entangled in
transitory relationships within the
material nature.
In the impersonal conception, the seer
and the seen are ultimately
considered to be one. This conception
has arisen on the
basis of the experience of limitation
and incompleteness in the
mundane realm, but this experience is
irrelevant. The deluding
material potency cannot disable her own
controller, Viñëu, who
is the Supreme Lord of Vaikuëöha and
equipped with immeasurable
power. The impersonal conception, which
is thoroughly
mundane, has been ousted entirely by the
considerations
described in the Fifth Chapter of this
treatise.
The trend of thought presented in Brahma-saàhitä
is worthy
of our profound investigation. We
should therefore distance ourselves
from the mundane point of view, in
which scriptural
descriptions of instrumental and
ingredient causes may be considered
to be indecent. This scripture was not
contrived for the
sake of delighting the minds of crude
persons through vulgar
devices. Rather, it has manifested for
the purpose of infusing
spiritual strength into the hearts of
those who are debilitated by
the onslaught of their own perverse
inclinations.
The doctrine of the worship of five
deities1 was created as a
result of a distorted vision of the
substance of Godhead. This
incorrect vision arose from the
predominant pursuit of four conceptions,
namely ordinary religiosity, economic
development,
sense gratification and liberation. The
five concluding verses of
Brahma-saàhitä convey this point clearly and
meticulously, and
also elucidate the genuine philosophy
concerning the substance
of Godhead. By the grace of Sudarçana
(the original auspicious
vision of Bhagavän), one may acquire
eternal wisdom through
1
Sürya, Gaëeça, Çiva, Durgä and Viñëu
are worshiped together in the system
known as païcopäsanä.
careful study of these verses. The
attainment of such wisdom renders
one entirely devoid of antagonism
towards the conception
of Çré Dhäma (the spiritual abode, full
of all transcendental opulence).
This antagonism is manifest as the
tendency to propagate
the defective philosophy that the
Absolute Truth is formless and
impersonal.
By good fortune one may be acquainted
with the unique qualities
of the self-effulgent transcendental
abode that lies beyond
Devé-dhäma and Maheça-dhäma. That abode
is nirasta-kuhaka,
devoid of the darkness of nescience.
The affairs of transcendence
lie beyond material nature, and there
is no room for the relative
deception of the mundane world in that
realm of eternal joy. It is
for this reason that the treatise
describing this transcendental
phenomenon is called Apauruñeya-saàhitä.
Human beings whose hearts are polluted
can be delivered
from the tendency to enjoy inert matter
by the power of the
process of devotional service in
practice (sädhana-bhakti). It is
impossible for those who are ensnared
in mundane sense enjoyment
to take shelter of pure devotion. Such
persons are only fit
to undergo distress while being
confined to the field of fruitive
activities in the material world. The
living entity’s lusty desires for
material enjoyment can only be
dispelled by singing the glories
of Kämadeva, the transcendental Cupid.
However, if one equates
this excellent Kämadeva with the
inferior mundane lust, one will
suffer an adverse effect instead of
deriving benefit.
Our recitation of Brahma-saàhitä will
be considered successful
when we become the followers of
Caturmukha Brahmä and
attain the mercy of Bhagavän, and when
we can become the
receptacles of love of God through
singing these divine hymns in
praise of Çré Kåñëa. At that time we
will be able to understand that
Çré Rädhä-Govinda, the embodiments of
sweet human-like pastimes,
exist in the form of Çré Gaurasundara.
Çré Gaurasundara
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
v i i i
resides in the most elevated realm of
service to the genuine
supreme predominating enjoyer, who
possesses all opulence.
In the lower half of Goloka,
two-and-a-half rasas (devotional
mellows) are present in relation to Çré
Näräyaëa. Maheça-dhäma
lies below this, and below that again
lies Devé-dhäma, the
mundane realm that consists of fourteen
planetary systems. The
residents of Devé-dhäma, who are
wandering throughout the
universe, attain withdrawal of their
material desires in Maheçadhäma.
The conception of desirelessness that
can be attained in
Maheça-dhäma eternally shines forth
through the myriad variety
of services available in the
transcendental abode. That resplendent
myriad of services is embodied in this Brahma-saàhitä
which describes the fifth and ultimate
goal of human existence,
namely the ultimate limit of the nectar
of love for Çré Çré Rädhä-
Govinda. Çré Gaurasundara exhibited the
extent of His magnanimity
in His pastime of bestowing çré
kåñëa-prema, by
collecting that nectar and personally
distributing it to the souls of
this world.
Introduction
[translated from the Hindi edition]
Çré Brahma-saàhitä was revealed by Çré Brahmä, the
original
guru of the Brahma sampradäya, and the great-grandfather
of
the universe. It was collected and
propagated by Çré Caitanya
Mahäprabhu, who is adorned with the
sentiment and complexion
of Çré Rädhä. This scripture, which is
full of brilliantly effulgent
transcendental jewels in the form of
many philosophical
conclusions of bhakti, is an
incomparable devotional scripture.
Not only does it stand out among Çré
Gauòéya Vaiñëava literature,
but also within the entire body of
sacred Indian texts received
through oral tradition, such as the
Vedas, the Puräëas, the
Vedänta-sütra, Bhagavad-gétä and Çrémad-Bhägavatam.
It is a
matter of unlimited jubilation that
today we are presenting the
aforementioned Brahma-saàhitä before
our readers in Hindi,
the national language of India, by the
causeless mercy and inspiration
of our paramärädhya guru-päda-padma,
oà viñëupäda
añöottara-çata Çré Çrémad Bhakti Prajïäna Keçava
Gosvämé
Mahäräja.
It was my most worshipable Çré
Gurudeva’s heartfelt desire
that the Vedic devotional scriptures,
especially the exceptionally
beneficial Gauòéya Vaiñëava devotional
literatures, should be
published profusely in Hindi and in all
the other prominent languages
of the world, and that they should
simultaneously be distributed
widely. By his mercy and inspiration,
more than forty
bhakti literatures have already been published
in just a few short
years. These include Bhagavad-gétä with
Çréla Viçvanätha
Cakravarté Öhäkura’s commentary; Çréla
Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura’s
Jaiva-dharma, Çré Caitanya-çikñämåta, Bhajana-rahasya
and
x v
Çré Sanmodana-bhäñya commentary on Çréman Mahäprabhu’s
Çikñäñöaka; Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé’s Upadeçämåta;
Çréla Raghunätha
däsa Gosvämé’s Çré Manaù-çikñä;
and several texts by Çréla
Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura, such as Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhubindu,
Ujjvala-nélamaëi-kiraëa and Bhägavatämåta-kaëä.
Most of these editions have also been
translated into Hindi and
other prominent languages of the world.
Continuing in the same
line, the publication of this Hindi
edition of Brahma-saàhitä
today is a source of immense joy.
Brahmäjé is the great-grandfather of
the world, the original
poet, and the presiding deity of the
creation. When he appeared
from Garbhodakaçäyé Viñëu’s lotus navel,
he saw nothing but
darkness in all directions, and he
became confused about his
duty. By the mercy of Bhagavän, he
heard the sound “tapa,” and
began to perform severe austerities.2
When Brahmä’s austerity
was mature, Bhagavän’s intrinsic nature
of eternity, knowledge
and bliss manifested in his heart by
the mercy of the Supreme
Lord. This has also been mentioned in
the auspicious invocation
or opening verse of the sätvata-saàhitä
Çrémad-Bhägavatam:
“tene brahma hådä ya ädi-kavaye – by
the mercy of Bhagavän,
transcendental knowledge of the Supreme
Lord, who is the
proprietor of unlimited potencies and
the embodiment of eternal
cognizance and bliss, was manifested in
Çré Brahmä’s heart.”
Consequently, his prayers in
glorification of Svayam Bhagavän
Çré Kåñëa, which he composed after he
had personally realized
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
x v i
2
According to Brahma-saàhitä, by
the mercy of Çré Kåñëa, Brahmäjé received
the eighteen-syllable mantra (the
Gopäla mantra) through the medium of the
transcendental Sarasvaté, and he began
to perform tapasya in the form of
mantra-japa. As a result of his dedication to the mantra,
he later received
käma-gäyatré through the medium of Çré Kåñëa’s
flute-song. By the influence of
that käma-gäyatré, Brahmäjé
attained the status of being twice-born, and he
began to glorify Çré Kåñëa with prayers
that fully embodied the essential conclusions
of the Vedas.
I n t r o d u c t i o n
the Absolute Truth and which contain
perfectly conclusive statements
revealing the essence of all the Vedas,
are called Brahmasaàhitä.
There are one hundred chapters in this
epic scripture. The
essence of the entire text has been
kept in this, the Fifth Chapter,
just as if the ocean had been stored in
a jar. The totality of established
truths contained in all the Vedas,
Puräëas and Saàhitäs,
and in the Mahäbhärata, Çrémad-Bhägavatam
and other authentic
Vaiñëava literature, is included within
this great monarch of
scriptures. When the most munificent
Çré Çacénandana Gaurahari
was traveling in South India for the
benefit of the world, He
arrived in Trivendram, the capital of
Kerala Pradesh, intending to
take darçana of Çré Ananta
Padmanäbha. On the way, He came
across the temple of Ädi-Keçavajé on
the banks of the sacred
Payasviné River. There He became
overjoyed to hear the highly
qualified devotees of that place
reciting the Fifth Chapter of
Brahma-saàhitä and, after having a copy made, He took
it with
Him. That Fifth Chapter is now
celebrated by the name Brahmasaàhitä.
One should understand that there is no
necessity of writing
anything new about this regal
scripture. Çré Jéva Gosvämé, who is
the Gauòéya sampradäya-äcärya on
philosophical conclusions
of the Absolute Truth, has analyzed the
subject matter of
Brahma-saàhitä in his Digdarçané commentary,
and has
revealed its immaculate glories to the
fullest extent. Also in
regard to this great, sacred Vaiñëava
text, Çréla Kåñëadäsa
Kaviräja, the author of Çré
Caitanya-caritämåta, has written:
siddhänta-çästra nähi
‘brahma-saàhitä’ra sama
govinda-mahimä jïänera parama käraëa
alpäkñare kahe siddhänta apära
sakala-vaiñëava-çästra-madhye ati sära
Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 9.239–40)
As far as the final spiritual
conclusion is concerned, there is no
scripture equal to Brahma-saàhitä.
Indeed, that scripture is the
supreme revelation of the glories of
Çré Govinda, for it reveals the
topmost knowledge about Him. Since all
conclusions are briefly
presented in Brahma-saàhitä, it
is essential among all Vaiñëava
literatures.
In addition to this book of
philosophical conclusions, Çré
Caitanya Mahäprabhu also brought with
Him from South India a
book describing Kåñëa’s pastimes,
namely Çré Kåñëa-karëämåta.
At the time of Çré Ratha-yäträ, the
devotees who were not His
pastime associates (lélä-parikaras),
and who had come from
various Northern Indian provinces such
as Çrédhäma Våndävana,
enthusiastically copied these two texts
and took the copies with
them when they returned. In this way,
both books were propagated
throughout India. In this regard, it is
stated in Çré Caitanyacaritämåta:
pratyeka vaiñëava sabe likhiyä laila
krame krame düé pustaka jagat vyäpila
Çré Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya-lélä 11.143)
Indeed, each and every Vaiñëava copied
the two books. By and
by, the two books were broadcast all
over India.
As mentioned before, Çréla Jéva
Gosvämé, the äcärya of
Gauòéya philosophical conclusions, has
written a commentary
on this superlative text. That
commentary is entitled Digdarçané,
and it is pregnant with highly
confidential devotional conclusions.
The commentator appeared in the village
of Rämakeli in
the Mäladaha district of Bengal in
approximately A.D. 1507 as the
son of Çré Anupama (Çré Vallabha
Mallika), who was the younger
brother of the renowned Çré Sanätana
Gosvämé and Çré Rüpa
Gosvämé. When Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu came
to Rämakeli to
give His darçana to Çré Rüpa and
Sanätana, Çré Jéva, who was at
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
x v i i i
that time just a babe in arms, had the
good fortune to have the
Lord’s darçana and touch His
lotus feet.
From early childhood Çré Jéva was grave
in character and
wealthy in intelligence. While he was
still a boy, after completing
his study of grammar and other
subjects, he completely
renounced his home life to go to the
divine lotus feet of Çré
Nityänanda Prabhu in Çré Mäyäpura
Yogapéöha, the holy appearance
place of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu. Çré
Nityänanda Prabhu
bestowed His causeless mercy upon Çré
Jéva by taking him for
darçana of the sixteen kroças (32 square
miles) of Çré Navadvépamaëòala.
Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura has given an
interesting
account of this occurrence in his book Çré
Navadvépa-dhämamähätmya.
Çré Nityänanda Prabhu gave Çré Jéva the
order to go and stay in
Çrédhäma Våndävana with Çré Rüpa and
Sanätana. On the way to
Våndävana, Çré Jéva spent some time in
Väräëasé studying texts on
logic and Vedänta under the guidance of
Çré Madhusüdana
Vidyäväcaspati. After that, when he
arrived in Çrédhäma
Våndävana, he became the fully
surrendered disciple of Çré Rüpa
Gosvämé, assisting him in various ways
in the momentous work
of writing authentic scriptures.
When Çréla Rüpa and Sanätana Gosvämés
disappeared, Çré Jéva
Gosvämé became the undisputed emperor
of all the Vaiñëava
äcäryas in Vraja-maëòala, Gauòa-maëòala and
Kñetra-maëòala.
It was only after receiving
instructions from him that Çré
Narottama Öhäkura, Çréniväsa Äcärya and
Çré Çyämänanda
Prabhu became immensely influential in
propagating harinämasaìkértana
and the literatures of the Gosvämés
throughout
Bengal, Assam, Manipura and Orissa.
Çréla Jéva Gosvämé wrote
twenty-five invaluable texts, including
Çré Harinämämåtavyäkaraëa,
Ñaö-sandarbha, Krama-sandarbha (a commentary
on Çrémad-Bhägavatam), Gopäla-campü,
Mädhava-mahotsava,
I n t r o d u c t i o n
x i x
Laghu-vaiñëava-toñaëé (a commentary on the Tenth Canto of
Çrémad-Bhägavatam) and Çré Brahma-saàhitä
Digdarçané-öékä.
The profound and confidential
philosophical conclusions of
Brahma-saàhitä are practically incomprehensible
without the
help of the Digdarçané-öékä of
Çréla Jéva Gosvämé, whose esoteric
and penetrating insights are, however, also
extremely difficult to
understand. Çréla Saccidänanda
Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura, the eternal
associate of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu,
is the Bhagératha who
caused the Gaìgä of bhakti (bhakti-bhägérathé)3
to flow once
again, inundating the entire world with
prema in this modern
age. He has conferred great welfare
upon the Vaiñëava world by
translating the Digdarçané-öékä into
Bengali, and writing a
commentary of his own entitled Prakäçiné.
With the help of his
purports, one can easily have access to
the hidden moods of the
original text, and to Çré Jéva
Gosvämé’s deep considerations.
Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura appeared
near Çrédhäma
Navadvépa, in the village of Ulä, in a
highly educated and religious
family, and was manifest in this world
from 1838 to 1914.
He was educated in Mahänagaré, Calcutta
and was fluent in several
languages, including Sanskrit, Bengali,
Hindi, Oriya and
English. This great personality
rediscovered Çrédhäma Mäyäpura,
the site of Çré Gaurasundara’s
appearance place, which had been
lost in recent times. He is also the
worshipable father and çikñaguru
of jagad-guru Çré
Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Prabhupäda,
the world-famous preacher of harinäma-saìkértana
and the
instructions of Mahäprabhu. He has
written about one hundred
books, including Çré Caitanya-çikñämåta,
The Teachings of
Çréman Mahäprabhu, Jaiva-dharma, Çré
Kåñëa-saàhitä,
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
x x
3
Mahäräja Bhagératha’s austerities to
bring the holy river Gaìgä to this Earth
planet are described in Çrémad-Bhägavatam,
Ninth Canto, Chapter Nine.
Because she came to this Earth in
response to Mahäräja Bhagératha’s austerities,
Gaìgä-devé is also known as Bhägérathé.
Bhägavatärka-maréci-mälä, Çré Harinäma-cintämaëi, Çré
Bhajana-rahasya and Datta-kaustubha. Although
his language
is simple and natural, his mood is
profound and mature. His
purports to Çré Brahma-saàhitä are
extremely deep and full of
ecstatic transcendental emotions.
Especially in his elaborate
explanation of the word nija-rüpatayä
in the thirty-seventh
verse, he has performed the astonishing
and formidable feat of
perfectly reconciling Çréla Rüpa
Gosvämipäda’s philosophy of
transcendental paramourship (parakéya-siddhänta)
and Çré Jéva
Gosvämé’s philosophy of transcendental
wedlock (svakéyasiddhänta),
through a meticulous and subtle
analysis of both.
My dear Çrémad Bhaktivedänta Tértha
Mahäräja has made a
highly laudable effort to assist me in
translating the original Hindi
edition from Bengali. Actually, it is
only due to his enthusiastic
insistence that I gave priority to the
publication of this devotional
text over the publication of all
others. Also worthy of praise are
the valiant efforts of Çrémad
Bhaktivedänta Mädhava Mahäräja,
Çrémän Puëòaréka Brahmacäré, Çrémän
Purandara Brahmacäré and
Çré Omprakäça Vrajaväsé (M.A., L.L.B.)
in rendering various services
such as presenting the manuscript,
word-processing, proofreading
and so on. Çré Bhüdhara däsa has
rendered service to Çré
Çacénandana Gaurahari by his generous
financial support. Our
request at the lotus feet of Çré Çré
Guru-Gauräìga and Çré Çré
Gändharvikä-Giridhäré is that they
bestow their profuse blessings
upon all of these devotees.
I have confidence that this text will
be revered among the
faithful sädhakas who are
thirsting for devotion, and also among
the intelligentsia. It is my heartfelt
aspiration that they may enter
into the immaculate prema-dharma.
My most worshipable çré
guru-päda-padma feels pain upon seeing the distress of
others,
and he is the embodiment of the Supreme
Lord’s mercy. May he
and Çacénandana Çré Gaurahari be
pleased with us and bestow
I n t r o d u c t i o n
x x i
upon us the qualification to render the
services that fulfill their
innermost heart’s desire. This is our
only grief-stricken prayer at
their divine lotus feet. What need is
there to say more?
Begging for a slight trace of the mercy
of çré guru and Vaiñëavas,
ÇRÉ BHAKTIVEDÄNTA NÄRÄYAËA
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
x x i i
çré çré guru-gauräìgau jayataù
Preface
This first English edition brings to
light many deep insights into
the scriptural conclusions of our
Gauòéya Vaiñëava äcäryas. In
particular, this is the first time that
a full expanded translation of
Çréla Jéva Gosvämé’s erudite Sanskrit
commentary (öékä) has been
presented in English alongside the
purports of Çréla Bhaktivinoda
Öhäkura, titled “Tätparya.” Çré Çrémad
Bhaktivedänta Näräyaëa
Mahäräja’s presentation of Çréla Jéva
Gosvämé’s commentary
(titled “Öékä translation”) is based on
Çréla Bhaktivinoda
Öhäkura’s original Bengali translation
of Jéva Gosvämé’s commentary.
Çréla Näräyaëa Mahäräja has also given
his explanations
in the subsections titled “Vivåti” and
“Bhävärtha,” as well as in the
Bhävänuvädas, which delve deeply into
the inner meanings of
Çréla Jéva Gosvämé’s commentary for
certain select verses. The
entire öékä of Çréla Jéva Gosvämé
has been presented in transliterated
form in a special appendix.
Çré Brahma-saàhitä is by nature a deeply technical
scripture
which discusses a broad array of
topics, some of which may at
times appear highly esoteric. We have
tried to remain true to the
original Sanskrit, Bengali and Hindi
sources without unnecessarily
burdening the reader with Sanskrit
terminology. Those who
are interested in the precise Sanskrit
terms used for English
phrases may refer to the English
Glossary, which lists English
phrases alongside their Sanskrit
equivalents.
In many places terms such as Goloka,
Gokula and Çvetadvépa
are used in a way that may at first
seem confusing to the reader.
These should be understood according to
their context. These
transcendental place-names all have
specific meanings, but they
are also used to refer to Çré Kåñëa’s
divine abode. When the
x x i i i
eternally manifest abode in the
spiritual world is mentioned, it is
usually called Goloka, and when it is
manifest within this material
world, it is called Gokula. But Gokula
also refers to that place
within Goloka in the spiritual world
which is predominated by
sweetness and there is an absence of
any moods of opulence or
reverence – in that Gokula even
servitude is not without intimacy
and familiarity. Similarly, Çvetadvépa
generally refers to the section
of Goloka in the spiritual world where
the eternal pastimes
of Çré Çacénandana Gaurahari are taking
place. That Çvetadvépa is
manifest within this world as
Navadvépa. Çvetadvépa also refers
to the outer part of Goloka in the
spiritual world which is
predominated by a mood of opulence, and
where Rädhä and the
other gopés have a svakéya (married)
relationship with Kåñëa. Just
as all names may be taken to refer
ultimately to Çré Kåñëa, so all
the various names such as Goloka,
Gokula, Brahma-dhäma,
Mahä-Vaikuëöha-dhäma and Svarga may all
be taken to refer to
Goloka Våndävana.
One example of the same name having
different meanings
according to context has been given by
our gurudeva. If we say,
“Räma was going with Sétä,” it is
apparent from the context that
we are referring to Bhagavän Çré
Rämacandra and His consort
Sétä-devé. On the other hand, if we
say, “Räma is a bad boy,” it is
also apparent that we are talking about
a human boy named
Räma. It is not necessary to say,
“Räma, who is God Himself, was
going with Sétä,” as this is obvious
from the context.
This English edition has been
translated from the Hindi edition
of our gurudeva, rüpänuga-varya
Çré Çrémad Bhaktivedänta
Näräyaëa Mahäräja. First and foremost
we are indebted to Çréla
Gurudeva, by whose grace our darkened
eyes may receive the
divine vision of the all-effulgent
eternal abode described herein,
and the ever-youthful Divine Couple Çré
Çré Rädhä-Kåñëa who
preside there. Most of the translation
was done by Çrépäda
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
x x i v
Bhaktivedänta Äraëya Mahäräja. Çrépäda
Bhaktivedänta Mädhava
Mahäraja answered numerous questions
which arose in translation
and final editing. Credit also goes to
Çrépäda Bhaktivedänta
Bhägavata Mahäräja, Çrépäda Jïäna däsa
Vanacäré, Püjanéyä
Çyämaräëé däsé, Çrémän Kåñëa-käruëya
Brahmacäré, Çrémän
Kåñëa-prema däsa, Çrémän Prema-viläsa
däsa, Çrémän Jaya
Gopäla däsa, Çrémän Ananta-Kåñëa däsa,
Lavaìga-latä däsé,
Maïjulälé däsé and Vicitri däsé for
their efforts in translating, editing,
typesetting, proofreading, entering
corrections, graphic
design and layout. Special thanks go to
Çrémän Gopénätha däsa
for his generous support in providing
facilities at Gopinath
Bhavan, Våndävana, and for providing
computer equipment
needed to complete this and other
books. Finally, the printing of
this long-awaited first edition has
been made possible largely
through the generous contributions of
Govinda däsé.
ATULA-KÅÑËA DÄSA
Preface
x x v
Verse 1
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vukfnjkfnxksZfoUn%
loZdkj.kdkj.ke~ ûƒû
éçvaraù paramaù kåñëaù
sac-cid-änanda-vigrahaù
anädir ädir govindaù
sarva-käraëa-käraëam
Anvaya
kåñëaù – Vrajendra-nandana Kåñëa (is); paramaù
éçvaraù – the
Supreme Controller, that is to say the
controller of all other controllers,
and the original source of all
incarnations; sac-cid-änanda-vigrahaù –
His body is endowed with the three
potencies of existence, knowledge
and bliss (sandhiné, saàvit and
hlädiné); govindaù – (He is) known as
Govinda, meaning He to whom service
should be rendered through the
senses, and He is the presiding deity
of the practical process of devotional
service (abhidheya-tattva); anädiù
– without a beginning; ädiù –
the original form of all else; sarva-käraëa-käraëam
– the cause of all
causes, or the original form.
TRANSLATION
Çré Kåñëa,
Govinda, is the embodiment of eternity, knowledge
and bliss. He
is the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
the
controller of all lesser controllers, and the source of
all
incarnations. He has no beginning or origin, though
He is the
source of everything and the cause of all causes.
TRANSLATION
AND EXPLANATION OF
ÇRÉLA JÉVA
GOSVÄMÉ’S ÖÉKÄ (BHÄVÄNUVÄDA)
I offer my obeisances to Çré Çré
Rädhä-Govinda, by whose grace
I have been inspired with the desire to
comment upon Çré
Brahma-saàhitä. May the glory of the beautiful form
of Çré Kåñëa
arise most excellently within my heart.
It is impossible for me to illuminate
the thoroughly consistent,
genuine purports and pleasing
considerations within the heart of
the greatest of sages, Çré Brahmä, but
he is nonetheless my only
refuge.
Although this Brahma-saàhitä is
complete with one hundred
chapters, still this Fifth Chapter,
being the condensed essence of
the entire book, brings the subject
matter within our grasp.
The deep philosophical considerations
in Çrémad-Bhägavatam
and other çästras that are seen
by persons endowed with immaculate
intelligence are all found collected
together here. This
brings extreme jubilation to my heart.
In order to deliberate further on what
I described elaborately
in Çré Kåñëa-sandarbha, I am
touching upon the content of this
scripture with full, thoughtful
deliberation.
The following verse of Çrémad-Bhägavatam
has been ascertained
to be the defining statement (paribhäñä):
“ete cäàça-kaläù
puàsaù, kåñëas tu bhagavän svayam –
all the incarnations of
Godhead are either plenary expansions
or expansions of the
expansions of the Supreme Person, but
Çré Kåñëa is Himself the
original Personality of Godhead.”
Similarly, in the verse at hand, Kåñëa
has also been called the
supreme controller, or the controller
of all other controllers
(éçvaraù-paramaù). Other
incarnations of Kåñëa are also called
controllers (éçvara); therefore,
only the origin of all incarnations,
Çré Kåñëa, has been called the supreme
controller (parameçvara).
It is stated in çästra, “Let me
try to understand Çré Kåñëa, who is
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
2
verse 1
3
the supreme controller of all
controllers, the supreme worshipable
deity among all worshipable deities,
the supreme progenitor of
all progenitors, and the master of the
entire creation.”
In this first verse, the word kåñëa is
the subject, and all the
other words take the role of
adjectives. All the famous perfect
authorities, including Çré Çukadeva
Gosvämé, have established
Çré Kåñëa as the source of all
incarnations by phrases such as
“kåñëävatära-mahotsava – the
great festival of Çré Kåñëa’s
descent.” The invocation of Sämopaniñad
also supports this
through the kértana of Kåñëa’s
names in verses such as kåñëäya
väsudeväya devaké-nandanäya.
Om Tat Sat
(Continued...)
(My humble salutations to the lotus feet of Swami jis great Devotees , Philosophic
Scholars, Purebhakti dot com for
the collection)
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