Sri Brahma Samhita
FIFTH CHAPTER
The expansions of Bhagavän were
surrounded by the personified
mystic powers headed by aëimä,
by the opulences headed by
mäyä, and by the twenty-four elements headed by the mahattattva.
All the ingredients of the universe
such as time, acquired
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nature, impressions, desires, fruitive
activities and the three modes
of material nature assumed personified
forms, and Brahmä saw
that they were all worshiping the
expansions of Kåñëa. Their conception
of being independent from Him was
completely dispelled
by His glories.
Then, the cowherd boys, all the
substances from unlimited numbers
of universes, as well as the multitude
of presiding deities in those
universes, entered into Kåñëa and again
manifested from Him.
Then again, jagad-aëòa-cayäù –
Brahmäjé saw that Parabrahma
from whom all the animate and inanimate
worlds are manifest,
along with His cows, calves and cowherd
boys, which were all
non-different from Him.
Although Bhagavän Çré Kåñëa possesses a
distinctly human-like
appearance, He has no outside or
inside. He is smaller than the
smallest, and greater than the
greatest. He is all-pervading. He is not
obstructed by past and future time. He
is the cause and the effect of
the universe. Since He is
all-pervading, He is inside and outside the
cosmic manifestation. The form of the
universe is also Him, because
cause and effect may be seen as
non-different. He is unmanifest in
the sense that He is beyond the range
of material sense perception.
He is praised by çruti-mantras such
as anor aëéyän mahato
mahéyän. In Gopäla-täpané Upaniñad (23),
it is stated:
yo ’sau sarveñu bhuteñv äviçya bhütäni
vidadhäti sa vo hi svämé
bhavati. yo ’sau sarva-bhütätmä gopäla
eko devaù sarva-bhüteñu
güòhaù
Only Bhagavän Çré Kåñëa is Parabrahma.
He is not only free from
birth and decay, but is completely
untouched by the six waves:
hunger, thirst, aging, death,
lamentation and bewilderment. He is
eternally in one form, and free from
deterioration. He is the center
of the universe. He is tending
wish-fulfilling cows in order to make
them joyful. He is also present in all the
Vedas, who are loudly
proclaiming His glories. He remains
within all moving and
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
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non-moving living entities, and He
regulates them. Such is the
nature of that cowherd boy, Govinda,
who is the master of us all.
Gopäla is the Soul and Self of all
living entities. Although the Lord
is one, He is hidden within all animate
beings.
Thus the fact that the Absolute Truth
is possessed of personal
attributes is proven by evidence such
as this.
TÄTPARYA
The form and substance of the transcendental
realm is entirely
beyond the illusory material nature.
Çré Kåñëa reigns supreme
above even that superior nature. By His
free will, He creates
unlimited numbers of universes through
the agency of His
inconceivable potency. All the
universes are a transformation of
His potency. Still, His location
remains transcendental, because
all the spiritual and material worlds
are situated within Him, and
He is within them. Moreover, He is
fully present within each and
every atom of all the universes. The
quality of being all-pervading
is only one aspect of Çré Kåñëa’s
opulence, for He is also fully
present everywhere in His form as Çré
Kåñëa, which is neither
gigantic nor minute, but of
intermediate proportions like that of
a human being. This is His supernatural,
transcendental opulence.
By this consideration, the principle of
inconceivable distinction
with non-distinction (acintya-bhedäbheda-tattva)
is established,
and simultaneously all contaminating
opinions such as Mäyäväda
philosophy become unacceptable.
verse 35
2 0 1
2 0 2
Verse 36
;ÚkoHkkforfèk;ks euqtkLrFkSo
laizkI; :iefgeklu;kuHkw"kk% A
lwäS;Zeso fuxeizfFkrS% LrqofUr
xksfoUnekfniq#"ka rega Hktkfe û…ˆû
yad-bhäva-bhävita-dhiyo manujäs
tathaiva
sampräpya rüpa-mahimäsana-yäna-bhüñäù
süktair yam eva nigama-prathitaiù
stuvanti
govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi
Anvaya
aham bhajämi – I perform bhajana; tam –
of that; ädi-puruñam
govindam – original Supreme Person, Çré Govinda;
yad-bhäva-bhävitadhiyaù
– on account of being aborbed in
ecstatic consciousness of Him;
manujäù – men; tathä eva – in accordance
with their respective moods
and perfections;26 sampräpya –
attain; rüpa-mahimä-äsana-yänabhüñäù
– beautiful forms, glories, seats,
conveyances and ornaments;
yam eva – and whom; stuvanti – they sing
His praises; süktaiù – by
chanting mantras; nigama-prathitaiù
– renowned in the Vedas.
TRANSLATION
I worship the original personality, Çré
Govinda. Those
human beings whose hearts are enthused
with ecstatic
devotion for Him attain their
respective forms, seats,
conveyances and ornaments, in
accordance with their
26
Those who are eligible for çänta-rasa
attain the setting of peacefulness,
brahma-paramätma-dhäma. Those who are eligible for däsya-rasa
attain the
opulent abode of Vaikuëöha. Those who
are eligible for pure sakhya-, vätsalyaor
mädhurya-rasa attain Goloka-dhäma, which is above
Vaikuëöha.
verse 36
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individual moods, and they glorify Him
through the
hymns renowned in the Vedas.
ÖÉKÄ TRANSLATION
It is true that Bhagavän Çré Kåñëa
continually performs His playful
loving pastimes with His own eternal
associates. Now the
verse yad-bhäva-bhävita-dhiyaù uses
the logic of inferential partial
illustration (kaimutiké-nyäya)27
to describe how generous
and merciful He is to His practicing
devotees in this world. The
residents of Vraja render various types
of intimate service to Çré
Kåñëa by virtue of their intrinsic
qualities that are similar to His,
such as their disposition, age,
playfulness, attire and so on. In this
way they sport and enjoy along with
Him. Çästras such as the
Vedas and Puräëas give this account of
their position being on
the same level with Çré Kåñëa as His
associates. Just as those eternal
associates enjoy pastimes along with
Çré Kåñëa, similarly the
sädhakas under the guidance of those eternal associates
follow
their respective service moods, and
taste the happiness of eternal
service to Kåñëa along with them. If
one can attain Kåñëa by constantly
thinking of Him as one’s enemy, then
those who are
devoted to Kåñëa must definitely attain
Him – how can there be
any doubt about it?
vaireëa yaà nåpatayaù
çiçupäla-çälvapauëòrädayo
gati-viläsa-vilokanädyaiù
dhyäyanta äkåti-dhiyaù çayanäsanädau
tad-bhävam äpur anurakta-dhiyäà punaù
kim
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (11.5.48)
27
The logic called kaimutiké-nyäya makes
a point by partial illustration, saying,
“Here is an example of how merciful Çré
Kåñëa is: He awards salvation even to
His enemies.” Then it points by
inference to the point to be established, saying
kim uta (how much more): “How much more
merciful must He be to His loving
devotees?” In this example, Çré Kåñëa’s
mercy is illustrated.
Kings such as Çiçupäla, Pauëòraka and
Çälva used to think about
Çré Kåñëa in an inimical mood even
while they were sleeping,
eating and performing all their duties.
If they attained nearness in
the form of impersonal liberation
simply by being absorbed in
thoughts of His activities, movements,
sporting and glancing, then
those eminent personalities who are
deeply attached to Çré Kåñëa
must definitely attain equality with
Him. What is the necessity of
reassurance in this regard? Without
doubt they will all attain
perfection in their respective bhävas.
TÄTPARYA
From the perspective of transcendental
mellows (rasa), there are
five types of bhäva (mood) in bhakti:
neutrality (çänta), servitorship
(däsya), friendship (sakhya),
parenthood (vätsalya) and
amorous love (çåìgära). The
devotee who adheres firmly to any
one of these bhävas, and
meditates continually on the service of
the appropriate form of Çré Kåñëa,
eventually attains a position
befitting his eligibility. According to
his rasa, he attains a transcendental
form, greatness, situation (i.e. place
of service) and
conveyance, as well as ornaments in the
form of supramundane
qualities that enhance his personal
beauty. Those who are eligible
for the mellow of neutral adoration (çänta-rasa)
attain the
setting of peacefulness, brahma-paramätma-dhäma.
Those
who are eligible for the mellow of
servitorship attain the opulent
abode of Vaikuëöha, while those who are
eligible for the mellows
of pure friendship, parenthood and
service as a beloved attain
Goloka-dhäma, which is above Vaikuëöha.
In each of these
locations, the devotees attain all the
necessary elements and
ingredients appropriate to their own rasa.
They offer praise in
accordance with the hymns mentioned in
the Vedas, or else they
engage in intimate services.
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
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In some places the Vedas narrate
Bhagavän’s pastimes through
the support of the transcendental
potency. Through these indications,
one can also find descriptions of the
great, liberated
devotees. For example, it has been
stated in the Padma Puräëa:
“mäne ’syäpi vandanam, arcanaà
kuïja-seväyäm – the sulky
reproaches of the gopés are the
limb of bhakti known as offering
prayers, and service within the groves
(kuïjas) of Våndävana is
called arcana.”
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Verse 37
vkuUnfpUe;jlizfrHkkforkfHk &
LrkfHk;Z ,o fut:ir;k dykfHk% A
xksyksd ,o fuolR;f[kykReHkwrks
xksfoUnekfniq#"ka rega Hktkfe û…‰û
änanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhävitäbhis
täbhir ya eva nija-rüpatayä kaläbhiù
goloka eva nivasaty akhilätma-bhüto
govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi
Anvaya
aham bhajämi – I perform bhajana; tam –
of that; ädi-puruñam
govindam – original Supreme Person, Çré Govinda;
yaù – who; eva –
certainly; nivasati – resides; goloke
– in Goloka-dhäma; akhila-ätmabhütaù
– as the original complete intrinsic
form; pratibhävitäbhiù – for
all of His dear associates who act as
His counterparts; änanda – in
enjoying transcendental, blissful; cinmaya-rasa
– spiritual mellows; eva
nija-rüpatayä – with none other than His own internal
pleasure
potency Çré Rädhä, who has the bhäva
of amorous rasa; täbhiù
kaläbhiù – together with the expansions of Çré
Rädhä’s body (kaläs),
who act as Her sakhés.
TRANSLATION
Çré Govinda, who is all-pervading and
who exists within
the hearts of all, resides in His
Goloka-dhäma along with
Çré Rädhä, who is the embodiment of His
pleasure potency
and the counterpart of His own
spiritual form. She is the
epitome of transcendental rasa,
and is expert in sixtyfour
arts. They are also accompanied by the sakhés,
who
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are expansions of Çré Rädhä’s own
transcendental body,
and who are infused with blissful,
spiritual rasa. I worship
that original personality, Çré Govinda.
ÖÉKÄ TRANSLATION
The gopés, with whom Bhagavän
Çré Kåñëa resides in that world,
are Mahä-Lakñmés, original goddesses of
fortune. In this context,
what does it mean to say that those
beloveds of Çré Kåñëa have
the mood of complete unity with Him? To
demonstrate the preeminence
of the gopés, Çré Jéva Gosvämipäda
explains here that
Çré Kåñëa only stays in that place
where the gopés live. This is the
message loudly proclaimed by this
verse. Consequently, the
planet of the gopés is called
Goloka-dhäma.28 To establish this
conclusion, Brahmäjé is revealing the
unique distinction of those
gopés in the verse beginning änanda-cinmaya-rasa.
The residents
of Goloka, such as Çré Kåñëa’s bosom
friends, His brother,
close relatives, mother, father and
other well-wishing superiors,
are all the recipients of His extreme
affection, and they are
as dear to Him as His very self.
Nevertheless, nija-rüpatayä
kaläbhiù means that the function of His own
pleasure potency in
the form of His beloved gopés is
non-different from His intrinsic
form and nature. Thus the gopés are
manifestations of His personal
potency, and they are embodiments of
the most elevated
amorous mellow. The purport is that
they are naturally His
beloveds because they are infused with
the complete transcendental
bliss. Therefore, the topmost
excellence of the gopés has
been established by stating that Çré
Kåñëa resides in Goloka with
his beloveds, who are the direct
embodiments of the transcendental,
blissful mellow (änanda-cinmaya-rasa).
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28
One meaning of the word go is gopé,
therefore Goloka may also be understood
to mean “the planet where the gopés reside.”
The gopés and their unique
distinction have been described by
the word prati-bhävitäbhiù. The gopés
are infused by the most
elevated and radiant mellow of amorous
love (änanda-cinmayarasa).
“You reside always and forever with
those gopés” means
that Çré Kåñëa has inspired them all
with prema-rasa, and that the
gopés love Him with hearts totally saturated
with that astonishing
mellow of love. This is clearly stated
by the word prati. For
example, if it is said of someone, praty-upakåtaù
saù, it should
be understood from the word prati that
first he performed some
beneficial work, and afterwards he
attained the benefit. The
word pratibhävita should be
accepted in the same way. Thus the
meaning in this context becomes, “Just
as Çré Kåñëa inspired the
gopés with the transcendental, blissful
mellow (änanda-cinmayarasa),
the gopés also caused Çré Kåñëa,
who is absorbed in the
most resplendent mellow, to drink that
very rasa. In this way the
gopés also catered to His highest welfare.”
Here the word nija-rüpatayä reveals
an even more confidential
meaning of the verse. Since the gopés
are the embodiments of
Çré Kåñëa’s pleasure potency, they are
His parts, and are therefore
non-different from Him. Hence, it is
not possible for the gopés,
who are all Mahä-Lakñmés, to be the
wives of others in the
unmanifest pastimes of Goloka in the
same way that they appear
to be the wives of others in the
manifest pastimes. In Goloka they
are Çré Kåñëa’s own beloved wives. Just
as a wife is sometimes
impelled by playful curiosity to arouse
some special eagerness in
her husband by using her veil to
conceal her face, similarly
Yogamäyä crafts the experience of
paramourship in the manifest
pastimes of Våndävana29 in order to
intensify the feeling of
eagerness.
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
2 0 8
29
In Çré Kåñëa’s manifest pastimes, there
is an actual situation of paramourship
wherein the gopés are apparently
married to others, but in the unmanifest
pastimes of Goloka Våndävana, only the
self-conception of being married to
others exists in order to nourish the
mood of transcendental paramourship.
Goloka eva – Here the word eva emphasizes
that in Goloka Çré
Kåñëa resides eternally with the gopés
as His wives, and not as His
paramours. The Gautaméya-tantra also
confirms this in its
explanation of the ten-syllable mantra
for realization of the eternal
unmanifest pastimes: “aneka-janma-siddhänäà
gopénäà
patir eva vä – Çré Kåñëa is the husband of the gopés
who have
attained perfection after many
lifetimes.” Therefore, the purport
emphasized by the word eva after
the word goloke is that in the
Goloka pastimes, the gopés are
only related to Çré Kåñëa as His
wives, and not in any other way.
TÄTPARYA
Although the potency (çakti) and
the possessor of the potency
(çaktimän) are both one soul, by
the action of the pleasure
potency They exist eternally and
separately in the forms of Çré
Rädhä and Çré Kåñëa.
The inconceivable amorous mellow is
resplendent only in that
änanda as Çré Rädhä, the personification of
the pleasure
potency, and Çré Kåñëa, the embodiment
of the knowledge
potency (cit-svarüpa). There are
two types of cause (vibhäva) of
this rasa, namely the support (älambana),
in whom the rasa
appears, and the cause of awakening (uddépana).
The support
aspect is also of two types, namely the
object of rasa (viñaya)
and the abode of rasa (açraya).
Çré Rädhikä and the gopés, who
are Her bodily manifestations, are the
abode of rasa, and Çré
Kåñëa is the object. That Kåñëa is the
Lord of Goloka, Govinda.
The gopés are fully infused with
this rasa (pratibhävita äçraya),
and Çré Kåñëa performs His eternal
pastimes in Goloka with
them.
The expression nija-rüpatayä indicates
that the functions of
the pleasure potency are manifest in
the form of different arts, of
which there are sixty-four types: (1) géta
– the art of singing;
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(2) vädya – the art of playing
on musical instruments; (3) nåtya –
the art of dancing; (4) näöya –
the art of theatricals; (5) älekhya –
the art of painting; (6) viçeñaka-cchedya
– the art of painting
the face and body with colored unguents
and cosmetics;
(7) taëòula-kusuma-balé-vikära –
the art of preparing offerings
from rice and flowers; (8) puñpästaraëa
– the art of making a
covering of flowers for a bed; (9) daçana-vasanäìga-räga
– the
art of applying preparations for
cleansing the teeth and clothes,
and painting the body; (10) maëi-bhümikä-karma
– the art of
arranging jewels on the ground; (11) çayyä-racana
– the art of
arranging bed coverings; (12) udaka-vädya
– the art of playing
music on water; (13) udaka-ghäta –
the art of splashing water;
(14) citra-yoga – the art of
applying an admixture of colors;
(15) mälya-grathana-vikalpa –
the art of weaving garlands
together; (16) çekharäpéòa-yojana –
the art of setting the coronet
on the head; (17) nepathya-yoga –
the art of dressing backstage
in the green room; (18) karëapätra-bhaìga
– the art of decorating
the part of the external ear that
partly covers the ear-hole;
(19) sugandha-yukti – the art of
practical application of aromatics;
(20) bhüñaëa-yojana – the art of
applying or setting ornaments;
(21) aindra-jäla – the art of
jugglery; (22) kaucumära – a kind
of decorative art; (23) hasta-läghava
– the art of sleight of hand;
(24) citra-çäkä-püpa-bhakñya-vikära-kriyä
– the art of preparing
varieties of salad, bread, cake and
delicious food; (25) pänakarasa-
rägäsava-yojana – the art of preparing palatable drinks
and
tingeing draughts with red color; (26) sücé-väya-karma
– the art
of needlework and weaving; (27) sütra-kréòä
– the art of playing
with thread; (28) prahelikä –
the art of making and solving
riddles; (29) pratimälä – the
art of reciting a verse-sequence as a
trial of memory and skill; (30) durvacaka-yoga
– the art of
practicing language to which others
find it difficult to
respond; (31) pustaka-väcana –
the art of reciting books;
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
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(32) näöikäkhyäyikä-darçana –
the art of enacting short plays
and anecdotes; (33) kävya-samasyä-püraëa
– the art of solving
enigmatic verses; (34) paööikä-vetra-bäëa-vikalpa
– the art of
preparing shield, bow and arrows; (35) tarku-karma
– the art of
using a spindle to spin thread; (36) takñaëa
– the art of carpentry;
(37) västu-vidyä – the art of
engineering; (38) raupya-ratnaparékñä
– the art of testing silver and jewels;
(39) dhätu-väda –
the art of metallurgy; (40) maëi-räga-jïäna
– the art of tingeing
jewels; (41) äkara-jïäna – the
art of mineralogy; (42) våkñäyurveda-
yoga – the art of practicing herbal medicine; (43) meñakukkuöa-
lävaka-yuddha-vidhi – the art of knowing the mode of
fighting of lambs, cocks and birds;
(44) çuka-çärikä-praläpana –
the art of maintaining or knowing
conversation between male
and female parrots; (45) utsädana –
the art of healing or cleaning
a person with perfumes; (46) keça-märjana-kauçala
– the art
of combing hair; (47) akñara-muñöikä-kathana
– the art of talking
using letters and fingers; (48) mlecchita-kutarka-vikalpa
– the art
of fabricating barbaric or foreign
sophistry; (49) deça-bhäñäjïäna
– the art of knowing provincial dialects;
(50) puñpaçakaöikä-
nirmiti-jïäna – the art of preparing toy carts using
flowers; (51) yantra-mätåkä –
the art of mechanics;
(52) dhäraëa-mätåkä – the art of
using amulets; (53) saàväcya –
the art of conversation; (54) mänasé-kävya-kriyä
– the art of
composing verse mentally; (55) kriyä-vikalpa
– the art of designing
a literary work or a medical remedy;
(56) chalitaka-yoga –
the art of deception; (57) abhidhäna-koña-cchando-jïäna
– the
art of lexicography and the use of
poetic meters; (58) vastragopana
– the art of concealment of cloths;
(59) dyüta-viçeña – the
art of specific gambling; (60) äkarña-kréòä
– the art of playing
with dice by using magnets; (61) bälaka-kréòanaka
– the art of
using children’s toys; (62) vainäyiké
vidyä – the art of enforcing
discipline; (63) vaijayiké vidyä –
the art of gaining victory; and
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2 1 1
(64) vaitäliké vidyä – the art
of awakening one’s master with
music at dawn.
All these types of knowledge are
embodied and eternally manifest
in the form of the ingredients of rasa
in Goloka-dhäma, and
in the mundane universe they are
beautifully manifest in the
Vraja pastimes by the spiritual
potency, Yogamäyä.
Therefore Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé has
stated:
sadänantaiù prakäçaiù svair
léläbhiç ca sa dévyati
tatraikena prakäçena
kadäcij jagad antare
sahaiva sva-parivärair
janmädi kurute hariù
kåñëa-bhävänusäreëa
léläkhyä çaktir eva sä
teñäà parikaräëäà ca
taà taà bhävaà vibhävayet
prapaïca-gocaratvena
sä lélä prakaöä småtä
anyäs tv aprakaöä bhänti
adåçyas tad-agocaräù
tatra prakaöa-léläyäm
eva syätäà gamägamau
gokule mathuräyäà ca
dvärakäyäà ca çärìginaù
yäs tatra taträprakaöäs
tatra tatraiva santi täù
Laghu-bhägavatämåta (5.436–40)
Çré Kåñëa is eternally resplendent in
Goloka with His display of
unlimited pastimes. Sometimes He descends
to this world and,
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
2 1 2
along with His associates who appear
with Him, manifests pastimes
such as His birth and so on. In
accordance with Çré Kåñëa’s
desire, the pastime potency also
infuses His associates with their
individual bhävas. The pastimes
that are perceived in the material
world are collectively called the
manifest pastimes, and the pastimes
of Goloka that cannot be perceived in
the material world,
and that remain unmanifest to the
world, are called unmanifest
pastimes. In the manifest pastimes,
Kåñëa travels to and from
Gokula, Mathurä and Dvärakä. However,
the pastimes that are not
manifested in these three places during
Çré Kåñëa’s pastimes on
this Earth remain eternally manifest in
the transcendental abodes
such as Goloka Våndävana. By these
conclusive statements it is
understood that there is no difference
at all between the manifest
and unmanifest pastimes.
Our honorable äcärya-caraëa Çré
Jéva Gosvämipäda has
explained in his commentary on this
verse of Brahma-saàhitä,
in his commentary on Çré
Ujjvala-nélamaëi, in Kåñëa-sandarbha
and in other places as well that
Kåñëa’s manifest pastimes are
arranged by Yogamäyä. Because of their
connection with the
illusory realm, they appear to have
assimilated some mundane
features that cannot exist in the
intrinsic fundamental reality
(svarüpa-tattva). Examples of
such pastimes include killing the
demons, associating with the wives of
others, taking birth and so
on. It is an established truth that the
gopés are extensions of
Kåñëa’s personal intrinsic potency.
Hence, since they are unquestionably
His own consorts, how can there be any
possibility of
their being anyone else’s wives? Still,
we see that in the manifest
pastimes the gopés do appear to
be the wives of others, but this
is only an implicit conviction created
by mäyä.
There is a secret meaning in Çré Jéva
Gosvämé’s explanation,
which, if brought to light, will
automatically dispel all types of
doubt. The revered Çré Jéva Gosvämé,
the foremost follower of
Çréla Rüpa and Sanätana Gosvämés, is
the äcärya of essential
verse 37
2 1 3
truth and reality (tattva-äcärya)
of the Gauòéya Vaiñëavas.
Furthermore, he is Çré Rädhä’s
confidential assistant in kåñëa-lélä.
Therefore, there is no secret truth
that is unknown to him. Those
who do not understand his profound
intentions raise arguments
for and against his ideas by presenting
their own concocted
interpretations.
According to Çré Rüpa and Sanätana’s
vision, there is no difference
between the manifest and the unmanifest
pastimes. The
only distinction is that one
manifestation is beyond the material
domain, and the other is seen within
it. In the region beyond the
mundane sphere, everything – the seer
and the seen – is transcendentally
pure. Fortunate people, on receiving
the extraordinary
mercy of Çré Kåñëa, relinquish all
material connections and enter
the spiritual domain. If during the
performance of sädhana they
attained perfection in savoring the
extraordinary varieties of
rasa, they can then see and take delight in all the supremely
pure
pastimes of Goloka. Such recipients of
mercy are very rare.
On the other hand,30 those who attain
perfection in bhakti,
and experience the nectar of spiritual rasa
by Kåñëa’s mercy,
witness the pastimes of Goloka in the
pastimes of Gokula which
are manifest in this world, even while
remaining in the material
universe. There are some gradations of
qualification in both
categories of sädhaka. As long
as one has not attained vastusiddhi
(birth from the womb of a gopé in
Kåñëa’s manifest pastimes),
the influence of mäyä maintains
some restriction in one’s
vision of the Goloka pastimes. On the
other hand, realization of
one’s svarüpa varies according
to the level of one’s attainment of
svarüpa-siddhi. It must be accepted that a devotee’s darçana
of
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
2 1 4
30
What is the difference between these
two types of sädhaka? The first type
makes very rapid progress by
extraordinary mercy, galloping through the various
stages due to giving up all material
relationships and attachments, whereas
the second makes progress in a more
gradual manner.
Goloka will vary according to the
degree that he has realized his
intrinsic form and nature. Jévas who
are tightly bound by mäyä
have no spiritual vision. Some of them
are trapped by the variegated
charm of mäyä, and some, having
taken shelter of impersonal
knowledge of the formless aspect of the
Absolute, which is
opposed to the reality of Bhagavän’s
personality, proceed toward
the path of total destruction. Even
after seeing Bhagavän’s manifest
pastimes, both types of bound jévas view
such pastimes as
mundane activities, having no
connection with the unmanifest
pastimes. Thus, there is gradation in
one’s darçana of Goloka
depending upon one’s qualification.
There is a subtle point to note here.
Just as Goloka is the completely
pure, divine truth beyond the illusory
realm, the Gokula
which is manifest on this Earth is
similarly always pure and
uncontaminated, even though it appears
in the material world by
Bhagavän’s knowledge potency, Yogamäyä.
There is not even
the slightest touch of material defect,
degradation or imperfection
in either the manifest or the
unmanifest pastimes. Different
people perceive the pastimes
differently, depending on their
qualification. Defect (contamination),
foulness, designation, illusion,
ignorance, impurity, falsity,
loathsomeness and grossness
are all perceived through the
conditioned living entities’ intelligence,
false ego and eyes that have been
dulled by the material
nature. They do not belong to the
object of their perception,
Gokula. The more one is free from
defects, the more one is
granted vision of the transcendental
truth. The truth is revealed
in çästra, but the purity of
realization for those who deliberate on
these tattvas will depend upon
their qualifications.
According to the views of Çré Rüpa and
Çré Sanätana, whatever
pastimes are manifest in Bhauma-Gokula
are also present in
Goloka, also in their pure form without
a tinge of mäyä. That is
why the mood of transcendental
paramourship is also certainly
verse 37
2 1 5
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
2 1 6
present in some form or another in
Goloka in its inconceivably
pure state. All the manifestations
created by Yogamäyä are
immaculate. The transcendental mood
that Yogamäyä creates of
being the wife of someone other than
Kåñëa, or of being His
paramour, is therefore based on the
pure absolute reality. But
what is this pure absolute reality?
This should be discussed.
Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé writes (Ujjvala-nélamaëi
1.9–10, 2.21,
5.2):
pürvokta-dhérodattädi
caturbhedasya tasya tu
patiç copapatiç ceti
prabhedäv iha viçrutau
patiù sa kanyäyäù yaù
päëi-grähako bhavet
rägeëollaìghayan dharmaà
parakéyä-valärthinä
tadéya-prema-sarvasyaà
büdhair upapatiù småtaù
laghutvam atra yat proktaà
tat tu präkåta-näyake
na kåñëe rasa-niryäsa – svädärtham avatäriëi
tatra näyikäbheda-vicäraù,
“näsau näòhye rase mukhye
yat paroòhä nigadyate
tat tu syät präkåta-kñudranäyikädy-
anusärataù.”
After deep deliberation on these verses
of Ujjvala-nélamaëi,
Çréla Jéva Gosvämé establishes that the
transcendental paramour
mood, like the pastime of Kåñëa’s
birth, is a divine delusion
created by Yogamäyä. “Tathäpi patiù
pura-vanitänäà dvitéyo
vraja-vanitänäm – it is understood that the mood of
being
married exists in Dvärakä, while the vraja-sundarés
have the
transcendental paramour mood.”
According to the conclusions of
Çréla Rüpa and Sanätana Gosvämés, the
delightfully deceptive
pastimes are also accepted as the
contrivance of Yogamäyä. Çréla
Jéva Gosvämé has established that there
is no difference between
the pastimes of Goloka and Gokula, and
it must be accepted that
the original principle of all pastimes
is manifest in Gokula.31
One who accepts the hand of a virgin
girl according to the
sacred rites of marriage is called a
husband. And he who, being
overcome by passion, violates
conventional morality in order to
win another’s wife is called a
paramour. Now, the religious obligation
binding one within matrimonial
regulation does not exist
in Goloka. Even the concept of
husbandhood within the bounds
of matrimony does not exist there.
Therefore the gopés, who are
Kåñëa’s own potency, cannot be married
to any other person,
and can never be the wives of other
men. In that realm of Goloka
it is not possible for the paramour (parakéyä)
and married
(svakéyä) conditions to exist
separately from each other. In the
manifest pastimes within the illusory
realm, the strictures of
marriage do exist, but Çré Kåñëa is
beyond their jurisdiction.
Therefore, the form of dharma (righteous
prescription) found in
the sweet realm of Vraja is a creation
of Yogamäyä. Kåñëa transgresses
this dharma and enjoys the
transcendental paramour
mellow. Only a person with mundane
vision in the material
world will see this as a violation of
the dharma created by
Yogamäyä. In reality, there is no such
degradation in Kåñëa’s
pastimes.
verse 37
2 1 7
31
In this context, Gokula refers to the
manifestation of the divine abode in this
world rather than to the inner section
of Goloka.
The paramour mellow is the very essence
of all rasas, so a
denial of its presence in Goloka would
minimize that realm. It is
not possible that the highest delight
in rasa could be absent from
the topmost abode of Goloka. Çré Kåñëa,
who is the source of all
incarnations, relishes this rasa in
one way in Goloka and in
another way in Gokula. Thus, even
though there appears to be a
transgression of dharma according
to material vision, this truth
must also exist in some form in Goloka.
“Ätmärämo ’py aréramat (Çrémad-Bhägavatam
10.29.42) –
Kåñëa performed amorous pastimes,
although He is self-satisfied
(ätmäräma).” “Ätmany
avaruddha-saurataù (Çrémad-Bhägavatam
10.33.25) – Çré Kåñëa, whose every
desire comes to fruition,
keeps in His heart the häva, bhäva
and other anubhävas arising
from His amorous diversions.” “Reme
rameço vraja-sundarébhir
yathärbhakaù sva-pratibimba-vibhramaù (Çrémad-Bhägavatam
10.33.16) – Bhagavän Çré Kåñëa, who
gives pleasure to the
supreme goddess of fortune Çrématé
Rädhäräëé, enjoyed with the
beautiful Vraja maidens just as an
innocent child plays with his
reflection without undergoing any
transformation.”
It is understood from these statements
of çästra that Çré Kåñëa’s
constitutional nature is to be
self-satisfied. In those spiritual planets
predominated by opulence, He manifests
His own potency as
Lakñmé, and consorts with her in the
mellow of wedded conjugal
love. There, with the sense of wedlock
prevailing, rasa only goes
up to the stage of servitorship (däsya).
But in Goloka, Kåñëa
manifests millions and millions of gopés
and enjoys with them
continuously, oblivious to any
sentiments of wedded love. In the
svakéyä conception, rasa does not remain
extremely inaccessible
as in the parakéyä mood, where
the obstacles to meeting make
union all the more precious. Hence,
from beginningless time, the
gopés are naturally imbued with an innate
conception of being
other men’s wives. Çré Kåñëa therefore
reciprocates with their
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
2 1 8
mood, and naturally assumes the
identity of their paramour,
taking the help of His flute, which is
His dearly beloved intimate
companion, to accomplish the räsa dance
and other pastimes.
Goloka, which is eternally perfect and
free from illusion, is the
abode of divine rapture. Thus, the flow
of rasa in the conception
of paramourship finds its perfection
there. Even the parental
mellow is not found in Vaikuëöha
because of the sense of awe
and reverence there. However, in the
fountainhead of ultimate
sweetness, which is the Vraja situated
in Goloka, there exists
nothing but the original conception of
this rasa. Nanda and
Yaçodä are present there, but Çré
Kåñëa’s birth does not actually
take place. In reality, parenthood does
not exist in the absence of
birth, so Nanda and Yaçodä only have
the self-conception
(abhimäna) of being parents.
This is substantiated in the verse
jayati jana-niväso devaké-janma-vädaù. This abhimäna is eternal
for the sake of perfect rasa.
By the same logic, there is no fault or
transgression of scriptural
prohibitions in the amorous mellow,
since the bhävas of
being the wife of another and of being
a paramour are simply
eternal self-conceptions. When the
essential reality of Goloka
appears in manifest Vraja, both of
these conceptions (being
another’s wife and paramourship) are
seen in a tangible form by
worldly vision. This is the only
difference. In the mellow of parenthood,
Nanda and Yaçodä’s mood of being
parents becomes
apparent in a concrete way through
birth and other pastimes;
and in the amorous mellow, the idea of
the Vraja maidens being
the wives of others takes on a
perceptible shape in the form of
their marriages with Abhimanyu,
Govardhana Malla and others.
In reality there is no such thing as
the gopés having husbands,
either in Gokula or in Goloka.
Çästra therefore proclaims: “na jätu
vraja-devénäà patibhiù
saha saìgamaù – the vraja-devés never had
union with their
verse 37
2 1 9
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
2 2 0
husbands.” Thus, Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé,
the master of the truths of
rasa, has written: “patiç copapatiç ceti prabhedäv iha
viçrutau –
in the resplendent mellow of amorous
love, there are two types
of heroes: husband and paramour.” Çréla
Jéva Gosvämé has written
in his commentary on this çloka:
“patiù pura-vanitänäà
dvitéyo vraja-vanitänäm – the hero of Dvärakä-puré’s young
women is called a husband, and in
Vraja, the hero Çré Kåñëa is the
paramour of the young women of Vraja.”
This passage shows that Çréla Jéva
Gosvämé has accepted Kåñëa
as the husband in Vaikuëöha and
Dvärakä, and as the eternal
paramour in Goloka-Gokula. The
characteristics of a paramour
are exhibited to their full extent in
the Lord of Goloka-Gokula. Çré
Kåñëa, who is completely
self-satisfied, transgresses His natural
state of self-satisfaction. The cause
for this transgression is His
intense passion to meet with the Vraja
damsels, who are others’
wives. The state of being another’s
wife is nothing but the eternal
self-conception (abhimäna) of
the gopés. Even though the
gopés do not factually have real husbands,
their transcendental
paramour mood is fulfilled just by
having the sentiment of being
the wives of others. Therefore,
transgressing the rules of dharma
out of their intense attachment and all
other such symptoms are
eternally present in the arena of the
super-excellent amorous
mellow. In Bhauma-Vraja, this bhäva is
partially visible in a
tangible form to people with mundane
vision.
Therefore, the simultaneous divergence
and non-distinction
between the transcendental mellows of
wedlock and paramourship
in Goloka is inconceivable by material
intelligence. It can be
said that there is no difference
between them, and it can also be
said that there is difference. Why? The
essence of paramourship
is loving enjoyment outside of the
sanction of wedlock, and the
essence of wedlock is abstention from
unlawful connections.
Therefore, Çré Kåñëa’s loving enjoyment
with svarüpa-çakti (His
own personal potency) can also be
understood as svakéyä by this
definition.32 Although these two,
paramourship and wedlock, are
one rasa, they exist eternally
as its dual variations. Furthermore,
although the form of rasa in
Gokula is the same, mundane
observers view it otherwise.
Çré Govinda, the hero of Goloka,
exhibits His qualities of being
the pati (meaning “husband” or
“shelter”) of the gopés as well as
being their upapati (meaning
“paramour”). Both qualities shine
forth brilliantly in their pristine
splendor, beyond all piety and
impiety. These same characteristics
also exist in the hero of
Gokula, but with some diversity created
by the agency of
Yogamäyä. One may raise the following
point: whatever
Yogamäyä manifests is the Absolute
Truth, so the sentiment of
paramour love would similarly have to
be accepted as absolutely
true. To dispel this doubt, it is said
that conviction in the
paramour conception can exist in the
relishing of rasa, and there
is no fault in that, because it is not
unfounded. However, whatever
base convictions exist in mundane
consciousness are faulty.
They are not present in the pure,
transcendental world.
Çréla Jéva Gosvämé has indeed given the
correct, perfect philosophical
conclusion, while the opposing
conclusions are also
inconceivably true. Simply arguing in
vain about the conclusions
of paramourship and wedlock is a
fruitless exhibition of word
jugglery. There is no possibility of
any type of skepticism rising
in the hearts of those who make a
thorough and impartial study
of the commentaries by Çréla Jéva
Gosvämé and the “opposing
verse 37
2 2 1
32
The word svakéyä refers to a
married relationship where there is a sense of
propriety and proprietorship (mamatä):
“This is my wife; this is my husband.”
Taken literally, it also means “one’s
own.” Therefore it is not at all incorrect to
describe Çré Kåñëa, the possessor of
all potencies, as having a svakéyä relationship
with the gopés, who are His very
own potency. The concept of proprietorship
that exists between sarva-çaktimän Çré
Kåñëa and the gopés is far above and
beyond any conception of mundane
matrimony.
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
2 2 2
party.” Whatever is spoken by pure
Vaiñëavas is true and utterly
free from any bias or party spirit, but
there is a mystery surrounding
their apparent verbal disagreements.
Those whose
intelligence is materialistic and lacks
the spirit of devotion cannot
fathom the deep secrets of the loving
controversies between
çuddha Vaiñëavas, and thus they wrongly
conceive of such great
personalities as philosophical
adversaries. The great devotee
Çréla Cakravartipäda has wholeheartedly
and with the utmost
reverence supported the opinion that
Çré Sanätana Gosvämé has
given in his Vaiñëava-toñané commentary
on the çloka from
Räsa-païcädhyäya (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 10.33.35): “gopénäà
tat-paténäà ca – the gopés and their husbands.”
When contemplating any opinion
connected with the divine
pastimes of Goloka and other
transcendental realms, we should
keep in mind the invaluable advice
given by Çréman Mahäprabhu
and His followers, the Six Gosvämés.
The Supreme Personality
and Absolute Truth is never without
form and attributes. Rather,
He is full with variegated qualities
and pleasurable engagements,
which lie completely beyond the
material plane.
The supremely relishable and splendid
form of the mellows of
transcendental service to Bhagavän,
tasted through the four
types of transcendentally variegated
ingredients – vibhäva,
anubhäva, sättvika and vyabhicäré 33
– is eternally present in
Goloka and Vaikuëöha. By the agency of
Yogamäyä, this very
rasa of Goloka manifests in the material realm as vraja-rasa
for
the benefit of the devotees. One should
know that all the rasas
seen in this Gokula must surely be
found also in Goloka in their
radiantly pure state. That is why the
wonderful varieties of hero
33
Vibhäva – causes for tasting bhakti-rasa;
anubhäva – actions which display
or reveal spiritual emotions situated
within the heart; sättvika-bhäva – symptoms
of spiritual ecstasy arising
exclusively from viçuddha-sattva; vyabhicäribhäva
– transitory spiritual emotions.
and heroines (Kåñëa and the gopés),
the diversity of rasa in them,
and all the surroundings and
paraphernalia of Gokula, including
the land, rivers, mountain, residences,
gateways, bowers
(kuïjas), cows and so on,
collectively exist in the same form in
Goloka.
Only the worldly beliefs of those who
are imbued with mundane
intelligence are missing in Goloka. In
the variegated pastimes
of Vraja, different visions of Goloka
are realized according
to one’s level of qualification. It is
difficult to establish a fixed
standard to determine which aspects of
those varieties of visions
are illusory and which are pure. A
clear vision gradually arises
within the heart as the eyes of
devotion become cleansed
through being anointed with the salve
of prema. Therefore, there
is no need to argue and counter-argue
over this matter, because
it will not elevate one’s
qualification. The truth of Goloka is filled
with inconceivable bhäva, and
any attempt to investigate this
inconceivable reality by the mind would
prove as unproductive
as threshing empty husks. Hence, one
should disregard the
method of empirical knowledge, and
strive for realization
through the practice of unalloyed bhakti.
On the path of bhakti, it is
crucial to renounce any subject
matter whose acceptance would
ultimately give rise to an impersonal
impression. The pure paramour mellow
described in the
Goloka pastimes is free from all
mundane conceptions, and is
very rarely attained. Devotees on the
path of bhakti following
Kåñëa’s eternal associates in Goloka (rägänuga-bhakti)
should
adopt this concept and perform sädhana.
By doing so, they will
realize this highly auspicious
fundamental truth upon attaining
perfection. When persons of gross
worldly intellect endeavor for
bhakti in the paramour mood, they generally
end up engaging in
immoral activity in the material
sphere. Our tattva-äcärya Çréla
Jéva Gosvämé took this into
consideration and presented his line
verse 37
2 2 3
of thought out of great concern. The
spirit of pure Vaiñëavism is
to accept the essence of his
statements. It is an offense to disregard
the äcärya by attempting to
establish another theory.
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
2 2 4
Verse 38
izsek´tuPNqfjrHkfäfoykspusu
lUr% lnSo ân;s"kq foyksd;fUr A
;a ';kelqUnjefpUR;xq.kLo:ia
xksfoUnekfniq#"ka rega Hktkfe û…Šû
premäïjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena
santaù sadaiva hådayeñu vilokayanti
yaà çyämasundaram acintya-guëa-svarüpaà
govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi
Anvaya
aham bhajämi – I perform bhajana; tam –
of that; ädi-puruñam
govindam – original Supreme Person, Çré Govinda;
yam – whose;
svarüpam – original form; acintya-guëa –
which is endowed with
inconceivable transcendental qualities;
santaù – exclusively devoted
saints; bhakti-vilocanena – with
eyes of devotion; churita – tinged;
prema-aïjana – with the salve of love; eva
vilokayanti – certainly
behold; sadä – at all times; hådayeñu
– within their purified hearts;
çyämasundaram – as beautiful Çyäma, the dark-hued
prince of
Våndävana.
TRANSLATION
Saintly persons whose eyes of devotion
are smeared with
the salve of prema always behold
Çré Kåñëa within their
hearts as Çyämasundara, the embodiment
of inconceivable
qualities. I worship that original
personality, Govinda.
2 2 5
ÖÉKÄ TRANSLATION
Although Çré Kåñëa’s residence is in
Goloka, and His qualities are
inconceivable, He can nevertheless be
seen by the eyes of
devotion that are anointed with the
black salve of unconditional
love. Therefore not everyone realizes
Him in the same way. His
darçana is available according to the degree to
which one has
developed prema. Consequently,
the depth of one’s realization
of Çré Kåñëa depends on how much one’s sädhana
is infused
with bhakti. Therefore it is
said (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 11.2.42):
“bhaktiù pareçänubhavo viraktiù –
realization of Bhagavän
depends on the measure of one’s bhakti.”
Furthermore, those
whose hearts are filled with deep
feelings of possessiveness can
realize Çré Kåñëa all the more. Thus
the level of perception of Çré
Kåñëa’s sweetness also depends on the
intensity of prema.
TÄTPARYA
The çyämasundara-svarüpa is Çré
Kåñëa’s eternal form. It is
personal and endowed with all qualities
and attributes, and
simultaneously impersonal and devoid of
qualities and attributes.
This is because all compatible and
incompatible qualities are
exquisitely reconciled within it.
Saintly persons can see this form
within their hearts in the trance of
devotion.
The color of Çré Kåñëa’s form as
Çyämasundara is not the blackish
color of this world, but is the form
that bestows eternal joy in
that transcendental world. It cannot be
perceived with material
eyes. In Çrémad-Bhägavatam (1.7.4)
it is stated: “bhakti-yogena
manasi, samyak praëihite ’male, apaçyat
puruñaà pürëam – by
practice of bhakti-yoga,
Vyäsadeva directly saw in trance within
his purified heart the Supreme
Personality in His complete and
full manifestation.” When we consider
Çréla Vyäsadeva’s trance,
we find that Çré Kåñëa’s svarüpa is
complete, and that He is the
complete Personality of Godhead. He
only appears in the heart
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
2 2 6
that is enthused with bhakti.
When Kåñëa displayed His manifest
pastimes in Vraja, devotees and
non-devotees could see Him, but
only the devotees could adore that
Kåñëa of Vraja as the greatest
treasure of their hearts. This is
because they were imbued with a
loving disposition. Those whose hearts
were devoid of bhakti
could not realize His sweetness, even
when they saw Him
directly. Although devotees cannot see
Him directly nowadays,
they do see Çré Kåñëa within their
love-laden hearts as He resides
radiantly in Vraja-dhäma. The phrase
“eyes of devotion” refers
to the eyes of the jéva’s pure
transcendental form. Those eyes
develop according to the advancement of
one’s bhakti, and
in turn the pure vision of Çré Kåñëa’s svarüpa
is available
proportionately.
When sädhana-bhakti attains the
stage of bhäva, by Çré
Kåñëa’s mercy, the salve of prema is
applied to the eyes of that
bhäva-bhakta, and direct darçana is
possible. This depends on
the degree of one’s devotion. The
purport of this deliberation is
that Çré Kåñëa’s svarüpa as the
very attractive threefold-bending
Çyämasundara – a fresh youth, the best
of dancers, dressed as a
cowherd boy and holding a flute (nava-kiçora
naöavara gopaveça)
– is not an imaginary form. It is His
trancendental constitutional
form composed of eternal existence,
consciousness and
bliss. It can only be perceived
directly with the eyes of samädhi,
full absorption in spiritual trance.
verse 38
2 2 7
Verse 39
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fr"Bu~
ukukorkjedjksÚqous"kq fdUrq A
Ï".k% Lo;a leHkor~ ije% iqeku ;ks
xksfoUnekfniq#"ka rega Hktkfe û…‹û
rämädi-mürtiñu kalä-niyamena tiñöhan
nänävatäram akarod bhuvaneñu kintu
kåñëaù svayaà samabhavat paramaù pumän
yo
govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi
Anvaya
aham bhajämi – I perform bhajana; tam –
of that; ädi-puruñam
govindam – original Supreme Person, Çré Govinda;
yaù – who; paramaù
pumän – is the Supreme Person; kalä-niyamena
– through His forms of
expanded plenary portions (sväàça-kalä);
akarot – He performed;
nänä-avatäram – many variegated descents as avatära;
tiñöhan –
remaining; bhuvaneñu – within
the many material universes; rämädimürtiñu
– in the forms of Çré Rämacandra etc; kintu
– however;
kåñëaù – as Çré Kåñëa; svayam – He
Himself personally; samabhavat –
descended accompanied by all of His subsidiary
avatäras and
potencies.
TRANSLATION
I worship the original personality,
Govinda, who manifests
Himself in the material world as Çré
Rämacandra and
many other incarnations who are His
plenary portions
and sub-portions, and who personally
appears in the
form of Çré Kåñëa.
2 2 8
ÖÉKÄ TRANSLATION
It is explained in this verse beginning
rämädi-mürtiñu that
Svayam Bhagavän Çré Kåñëa descends to
this material world from
time to time, sometimes personally and
sometimes in the form of
His plenary portions or sub-portions.
Çré Kåñëa, the supreme predominating
enjoyer, manifests in the
material world through His plenary
expansions and partial
expansions in forms such as Çré
Rämacandra. Here the word
tiñöhan implies that Çré Räma and the other avatäras
are eternally
manifest. Those svarüpas manifest
in the creation from time to
time for the welfare of the universe,
and sometimes Çré Kåñëa
descends personally. I perform bhajana
of the parama-puruña,
Çré Govinda, who performs the
aforementioned pastimes. For
instance, in the Tenth Canto of Çrémad-Bhägavatam,
the
demigods have prayed:
matsyäçva-kacchapa-nåsiàha-varäha-haàsaräjanya-
vipra-vibudheñu kåtävatäraù
tvaà päsi nas tri-bhuvanaà ca
yathädhuneça
bhäraà bhuvo hara yadüttama vandanaà te
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.2.40)
O Bhagavän, previously You accepted
incarnations as a fish, a
horse, a tortoise, Narasiàhadeva, a
boar, a swan, Çré Rämacandra,
Paraçuräma, Vipra Vämana and various
demigods to protect us
and the entire world by Your mercy. Now
please protect us again
by diminishing the burden of Mother
Earth. O Kåñëa, best of the
Yadus, we respectfully offer our
obeisances unto You.
TÄTPARYA
Avatäras such as Çré Räma, Nåsiàha and Varäha
are called personal
expansion avatäras. They all
reside eternally in Their own
dhämas in Vaikuëöha along with Their
associates, and whenever
verse 39
2 2 9
Kåñëa desires, They descend here for
the welfare of the universe.
All these incarnations descend to
relieve the burden of the Earth,
to chastise the miscreants, to
establish religious principles for that
age and to bestow auspiciousness upon
the jévas. However,
whenever and wherever Bhagavän descends
into this world of
five material elements along with His dhäma
and His associates,
it is exclusively by His own sweet
will. Similarly, Çré Kåñëa
Caitanya Mahäprabhu, who is
non-different from the Supreme
Personality Çré Kåñëa, also appears in
His original personal form
(svayaà-rüpa). This is the
confidential meaning of the verse.
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
2 3 0
Verse 40
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dksfV"o'ks"kolqèkkfnfoHkwfrfHkUue~
A
rn~czã fu"dyeuUre'ks"kHkwra
xksfoUnekfniq#"ka rega Hktkfe
û†OEû
yasya prabhä prabhavato
jagad-aëòa-koöikoöiñv
açeña-vasudhädi vibhüti-bhinnam
tad brahma niñkalam anantam
açeña-bhütaà
govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi
Anvaya
aham bhajämi – I perform bhajana; tam –
of that; ädi-puruñam
govindam – original Supreme Person, Çré Govinda;
yasya prabhä –
whose effulgence; prabhavataù –
emanating from His effulgent form,
which is replete with all potencies; tat
brahma – is that divine light
(Brahman); niñkalam – which is
free from all inebriety; anantam –
without limitation; açeña-bhütam –
and in complete existence (the
Brahman that the Upaniñads describe as
impersonal and without
qualities (nirviçeña) is
constitutionally situated upon the spiritual form
of Çré Govinda, which has all
transcendental qualities (sa-viçeña));
açeña-vasudhä-ädi-vibhüti-bhinnam – and which is distinct from the
unlimited opulences of the planets such
as the Earth; jagad-aëòa-koöikoöiñu
– within the millions and millions of
universes.
TRANSLATION
I worship the original personality, Çré
Govinda. The nondifferentiated,
impersonal Brahman that has been
described by the Upaniñads has
originated from the
radiance of His limbs. That effulgence
is distinct from the
2 3 1
majestic opulence of billions of worlds
such as the Earth
planet which comprise the mundane
realm, and is
perceived as the indivisible,
unlimited, endless principle
of truth.
ÖÉKÄ TRANSLATION
The perfect completeness of Çré
Govinda, in the sense of His
being the origin of all avatäras,
has been established first. Now
in this verse beginning yasya prabhä
prabhavato, His completeness
is being further established with
regard to His svarüpa.
Although Çré Govinda and Brahman are
one from the point of
view of essential reality, Brahman,
which is potency, is an adjective
of the possessor of the potency, Çré
Govinda. This is because
Çré Govinda is dharmé, meaning
that He possesses a nature by
constitution, whereas the impersonal
Brahman is His dharma
(part of the nature that He possesses),
and is thus only one aspect
of His nature, namely His bodily
effulgence. Therefore Çré
Govinda can be compared to the sun
globe, and Brahman, which
is devoid of transcendental variety,
can be compared to the light
that emanates from the sun. This idea
is supported by this statement
of the Viñëu Puräëa: çubhäçrayaù
sacittasya sarvagasya
tathätmanaù. We have already explained this verse.
Çrédhara Svämé has also commented thus:
Parabrahma is also
the basis or shelter of Brahman. In Bhagavad-gétä
(14.27) Svayam
Bhagavän Çré Kåñëa has also said: “brahmaëo
hi pratiñöhäham –
I am the sole foundation or shelter of
Brahman.” In Çrémad-
Bhägavatam (11.16.37) Bhagavän has said while
personally
describing His own opulences: “I am
earth, air, space, water, fire,
the aggregate of material elements,
transformation, puruña and
the modes of goodness, passion and
ignorance. I am also
Parabrahma, situated beyond the
material nature.”
In the Eighth Canto, Çré Matsya-deva
has also stated:
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
2 3 2
madéyaà mahimänaà ca
paraà brahmeti çabditam
vetsyasy anugåhétaà me
sampraçnair vivåtaà hådi
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (8.24.38)
O Satyavrata Muni, you will be able to
realize My glories from the
word “Brahman,” as revealed in your
heart through our dialogue
in the form of your questions and My
answers.
In the commentary to this verse, it is
stated, “O Muni, you have
the desire to realize the intrinsic
nature of Brahman, because you
have associated with sädhus who
are satisfied in the self. You
will be successful in this by My mercy
because this Brahman is
My glory. It is part of My very nature,
and it is all-pervading and
devoid of attributes. Therefore, you
will realize this impersonal
Brahman only by My mercy, because
Brahman is one of My
aspects.”
It is also stated in the story of
Dhrüva in the Fourth Canto:
yä nirvåtis tanu-bhåtäà tava
päda-padmadhyänäd
bhavaj-jana-kathä-çravaëena vä syät
sä brahmaëi sva-mahimany api nätha mä
bhüt
kià tv antakäsi-lulität patatäà vimänät
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (4.9.10)
O Lord, the happiness of realizing
Brahman does not contain even
one particle of the bliss derived from
meditating upon Your lotus
feet, or hearing about Your pastimes in
the company of Your dear
devotees. Attaining the position of the
demigods is even more
insignificant, because when the
celestial airships ascending to
Svarga are slashed by the sword of
time, the demigods fall down
to the planet of death. Therefore,
sages who are satisfied in the
self also become attracted by the
qualities of Bhagavän. The
attributes of Çré Hari are such that
sages who are satisfied in the
self engage in devotional service,
their hearts being deeply
verse 40
2 3 3
attached to Bhagavän Urukrama. Perfect sädhus
who have transcended
the necessity to obey scriptural rules
and regulations also
engage in devotional service.
Thus, the bodily effulgence of Bhagavän
Çré Kåñëa is called
Brahman. It is endless and
all-pervading. It is devoid of the narrations
of pastimes, and it is by constitution
uniformly non-distinct.
Those who are specifically desirous of
knowing this subject more
elaborately may refer to Çré
Bhägavata-sandarbha. There is no
need to say
more here.
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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