Sri Brahma Samhita
FIFTH CHAPTER
Sri Brahma Samhita
FIFTH CHAPTER
The word prakåti in the
previously quoted verses from the
Gautaméya-tantra indicates the illusory energy called mäyä,
which is the shelter of all the
principal ingredients, beginning
with the aggregate of primal matter (mahat-tattva)
from which all
the universes are manifested. Çré Kåñëa
is the highly concentrated
form of condensed bliss, and He is
supremely effulgent like a blue
sapphire. Éçvara means vallabha,
beloved. Another sense of the
word éçvara is “one who is
everywhere” or “one who pervades
the vraja-gopés’ hearts, minds,
intelligence and so on.” The fundamental
meaning of prakåti (dominated
energy) is Çré Kåñëa’s
intrinsic personal potency, which is
radiantly present as the gopés
of Vraja, and famous by the name of
Mahä-Lakñmé in realms such
as Vaikuëöha, which are situated far
beyond this material world.
The word aàça-maëòala (circle of
expansions) is generally
interpreted as a reference to the catur-vyüha:
Väsudeva,
Saìkarñaëa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha.
However, in this
context, one should understand aàça-maëòala
to mean the
expansions of Çré Rädhä (käya-vyüha-rüpä).
In aneka-janma-siddhänäm, aneka
means “many;” for many
lifetimes the gopés have been
perfect in their prema. This proves
that both the gopés and Çré
Kåñëa have taken birth many times
before.
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
2 8
verse 1
2 9
It is stated in Bhagavad-gétä (4.5):
“bahüni me vyatétäni
janmäni tava cärjuna – O Arjuna, both you and I have already
taken birth many times.” Similarly, the
gopés and Nanda-nandana
Çré Kåñëa have also taken birth many
times.
Gargäcärya has also said (Çrémad-Bhägavatam
10.8.14): “präg
ayaà vasudevasya kvacij jätas
tavätmajaù – O Nanda
Mahäräja,
at some time in the past, this son of
yours appeared as the son of
Vasudeva.” This is also logical.
Although Çré Kåñëa is the son of
Nanda Mahäräja, He had appeared previously
in the mind of
Vasudeva Mahäräja (Çrémad-Bhägavatam
10.2.16): “äviveçäàçabhägena
mana änaka-dundubheù – the expansion of Kåñëa
appeared in the mind of Änaka-dundubhi,
Vasudeva Mahäräja.”
In the same way, Çré Kåñëa also
appeared in the heart of
Vrajeçvara Nanda Mahäräja, but there is
a specific distinction
between the two appearances. The
partial manifestation of Çré
Kåñëa who appeared in Vasudeva’s heart
is called the full manifestation
(pürëa-prakäça), whereas the
form who appeared in
Vrajeçvara Nanda Mahäräja’s heart is
called the most complete
form of Çré Kåñëa (pürëatama-prakäça).
Just before the appearance
of Bhagavän Çré Kåñëa, Nanda Mahäräja
began to have His
darçana in his heart and everywhere else.
The appearance of Çré Kåñëa in the
heart is not sufficient to
attain Him as one’s son, however.
Intense parental prema is also
absolutely necessary. Such pure
fatherly love is only found in
Vrajaräja Çré Nanda Mahäräja. Bhagavän
may appear as one’s son,
but unless pure parental love is
present, this does not constitute
a relationship in which one genuinely
feels, “Kåñëa is my son.”
Although Varähadeva appeared from the
nostril of Brahmä, He is
not considered the son of Brahmä,
because Brahmäjé had no
parental love for Him.
Knowledge of Kåñëa’s opulence is an
obstacle for the
spontaneous love based on a
relationship resembling intimate
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
3 0
relationships with dear ones in this
world. Vasudeva has knowledge
of Kåñëa’s opulence, and Vrajaräja
Nanda has pure parental
love. Çré Kåñëa is present according to
the degree of one’s prema.
Since the highest pinnacle of prema is
found in the gopés, Çré
Kåñëa is manifest to the superlative
degree among them. Thus
the purport of the ten-syllable mantra
also ultimately refers to
Nanda-nandana Çré Kåñëa.
ÇRÉLA BHAKTIVINODA ÖHÄKURA’S
COMMENTARY:
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ-PRAKÄÇINÉ-VÅTTI
pracura-siddhänta-ratna, saìgrahe
viçeña yatna
kori’ brahmä çré-kåñëe stavila
ei granthe sei stava, mänavera
suvaibhava
païcama adhyäye niveçila
çré gauräìga kåpä-sindhu, kali-jévera
eka bandhu
dakñiëätya bhramite bhramite
e ‘brahma-saàhitä’-dhana, korilena
uddharaëa
gauòa-jéve uddhära korite
nänä-çästra vicäriyä, tära öékä
viraciyä
çré jéva gosvämé mahodaya
çré gauòéya-bhakta-gaëe,
mahä-kåpä-pürëa mane
e grantha arpilä sadäçaya
sei vyäkhyä anusäre, ära kichu baliväre
prabhu mora vipina-bihäré
äjïä dilä akiïcane, e däsa harñita mane
baliyäche kathä dui cäri
präkåtäpräkåta bhedi,7 çuddha-bhakti-saha yadi
bhakta-gaëa korena vicära
kåtärtha hoibe däsa, puribe manera äça
çuddha-bhakti hoibe pracära
bhakta-jana-präëa-dhana, rüpa, jéva,
sanätana
tava kåpä samudra-samäna
öékära äçaya güòha, jäte bujhi ämi
müòha
sei çakti karaha vidhäna
çré jéva vacana-caya, puñpakali
çobhämaya
prasphuöita koriyä jatane
guru kåñëe praëamiyä, çuddha-bhakta-kore
diyä
dhanya hoi – ei icchä mane
It was by Çré Kåñëa’s mercy that the
four-headed Çré Brahmä
received the eighteen-syllable mantra
through the medium of
divine Sarasvaté (daiva-väëé).
Then he performed worship by
means of mantra-japa for a
prolonged period of time. As a result
of this worship, he received the käma-gäyatré-mantra
through
the sound of Kåñëa’s flute and attained
twice-born status. Then
he offered prayers to Çré Kåñëa with
invaluable jewel-like statements
that embodied the essential conclusions
of the Vedas. For
the benefit of all living entities,
these precious jewels have been
collected together in the jewelry box
of this scripture, Çré
Brahma-saàhitä, whose Fifth Chapter is especially
full of the
most valuable jewels. Çré Çacénandana
Gaurahari, who is the
ocean of compassion and the only friend
of the living entities suffering
in Kali-yuga, found this book while
traveling in the holy
places of Southern
India, and carefully kept it with Him. Then,
after having many copies made, He gave
it to His associates.
Later, Çré Jéva Gosvämé wrote a
beautiful, comprehensive
commentary on this book, full of
examples and conclusions from
various scriptures, and mercifully gave
it to the devoted followers
of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu.
verse 1
3 1
7
An ability to differentiate between the
mundane and the transcendental arises
by the influence of bhakti. Only
one endowed with such powers of discrimination
is qualified to read and explain these
commentaries in the line of Çré
Caitanya Mahäprabhu.
Considering Çré Brahma-saàhitä with
Çré Jéva Gosvämipäda’s
commentary to be extremely beneficial
for the devotees, my
Gurudeva, Çré Vipina-bihäré Gosvämé,
ordered me to write a further
explanation of the aforementioned
commentary in readily
accessible language. Taking his order
on my head, I have
included several additional points of
consideration in my
Tätparya (purports). If the faithful devotees
study this book with
pure and simple hearts, keeping in mind
the difference between
the mundane (präkåta) and the
transcendental (apräkåta), then
this servant will consider his life
successful and çuddha-bhakti
will be propagated everywhere.
O Rüpa Gosvämé, you are the life and
soul of the devotees! O
Sanätana Gosvämé! O Jéva Gosvämé! Your
mercy is like an unlimited
and fathomless ocean. The significance
of your commentary
on this Brahma-saàhitä is also
extremely profound. Therefore,
have mercy on this foolish person.
Kindly invest me with the
power to comprehend this commentary and
express its hidden
meanings. The statements of Çré Jéva
Gosvämipäda are elegant
like a row of tender flowerbuds. It is
my internal desire to make
those fragrant flowerbuds blossom so
that, after offering
praëäma to çré guru and Kåñëa, I may
offer them into the lotus
hands of the çuddha-bhaktas.
PURPORT BY ÇRÉLA BHAKTIVINODA ÖHÄKURA
(TÄTPARYA)
Only Çré Kåñëa, who is endowed with His
own eternal names,
form, qualities and pastimes, is the
topmost transcendent reality.
His eternal name, Kåñëa, indicates the
supreme existence, characterized
by the attractive power of love. Çré
Kåñëa’s own eternal
form is the embodiment of concentrated
eternal existence,
cognizance and bliss. His dark
complexion is enchanting and He
holds a flute in His two hands.
Although He is the Supreme
Master, by the influence of His inconceivable
potency He
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
3 2
appears in His original form in
medium-sized or human-like proportions
as a fresh youth, the best of dancers,
in the simple dress
of a cowherd boy, playing upon a flute.
Therefore His eternal
form is full of astonishing
transcendental qualities that have the
power to attract everything. He is
naturally the supreme predominating
male enjoyer with His own
transcendental senses. All
contradictory qualities, including
features which could not ordinarily
coexist, are simultaneously fully
present and coexisting
harmoniously within Him. Concentrated
existence (sat), cognizance
(cit) and bliss (änanda)
are exhibited most elegantly in
Him.
His expansions, known as Éçvara,
Paramätmä or Viñëu, who
manifest the material universes, are
merely partial expansions of
Çré Kåñëa’s original form. Therefore
only Çré Kåñëa can be called
the Supreme Controller, Parameçvara.
Although His transcendental
senses and qualities are distinct from
each other by the influence
of His own inconceivable energy, they
are combined
together in their appropriate places to
make the most beautiful,
unprecedented spiritual form.
Çré Kåñëa’s form is His self, and His
self is His form; there is no
difference between Çré Kåñëa’s self and
His form. The çré vigraha
of Çré Kåñëa is the very form of the
condensed principle of
eternality, cognizance and bliss (sac-cid-änanda).
Therefore the
impersonal Brahman, which is the
formless, diluted sac-cidänanda-
tattva, is merely the bodily effulgence of
the aforementioned
condensed sac-cid-änanda-tattva Çré
Kåñëa, while the
thumb-sized form of Paramätmä situated
in the hearts of all living
beings, who is the universal witness
and regulator, is a partial
expansion of that Supreme Absolute
Truth Çré Kåñëa. Thus, the
concentrated sac-cid-änanda form
of Çré Kåñëa is beginningless
and without origin. He is the origin of
Brahman and Paramätmä.
Çré Kåñëa’s beauty shines splendidly
through His pastimes as
verse 1
3 3
Go-pati (owner of the cows), Gopa-pati
(the chief of the
cowherds), Gopé-pati (the beloved of
the gopés), Gokula-pati (the
protector of Gokula) and Goloka-pati
(the Lord of Goloka). That
very Çré Kåñëa, who is also served by
numerous Lakñmés or
goddesses of fortune, is called
Govinda.
Çré Kåñëa is the cause of all causes in
the form of the dominant
principle (puruña) and the
predominated principle (prakåti).
The glance of His expansion, namely the
puruña-avatära
Käraëodakaçäyé Mahä-Viñëu, inspires the
inferior material nature
to give birth to the mundane universes.
Through the marginal
energy of Kñérodakaçäyé Viñëu or
Paramätmä, innumerable living
entities are manifest, just as
unlimited particles are manifest in
the rays of the sun. This Brahma-saàhitä
establishes the ontology
of Çré Kåñëa, and therefore the
utterance of His names in this
first verse constitutes the auspicious
invocation of this book.
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
3 4
3 5
Verse 2
lgòi=&deya xksdqyk[;a egRine~ A
rr~ d£.kdkja r¼ke rnuUrka'k&lEHkoe~
û„û
sahasra-patra-kamalaà
gokuläkhyaà mahat-padam
tat-karëikäraà tad-dhäma
tad-anantäàça-sambhavam
Anvaya
mahat-padam – the best of Çré Kåñëa’s abodes, the
residence of gogopa-
gopé (the cows, cowherds and gopés); gokula-äkhyam –
called
Gokula; sahasra-patra-kamalam –
has the form of a thousand-petaled
lotus; tat-karëikäram – the
pericarp, or central seed-vessel of that lotus;
tad-dhäma – is Çré Kåñëa’s internal abode, where
Çré Nanda-Yaçodä and
the other gopas and gopés reside;
tat – this Gokula; sambhavam – is
manifest; ananta-aàça – by a
special manifesting power of Ananta,
who is the plenary portion of Baladeva.
(In other words the pericarp of
the thousand-petaled lotus, which is
the abode of Çré Kåñëa, is manifest
from Baladeva, who is called Ananta in
His plenary expansion.)
TRANSLATION
Çré Gokula-dhäma is the superlative
realm of Çré Kåñëa. It
is eternally manifested by Çré
Baladeva, of whom Çré
Anantadeva is but a partial expansion.
This eternal,
transcendental abode of Gokula exists
in the form of a
divine lotus flower with thousands of
petals. Çré Kåñëa’s
own residence is the pericarp,8 situated in the center of
the whorl of that lotus.
8
The Sanskrit word karëikäram means
the pericarp of a lotus flower. This is the
central seed-vessel, which roughly
resembles an inverted cone.
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
3 6
ÖÉKÄ TRANSLATION
Çré Kåñëa’s qualifications as the
supreme controller, the embodiment
of bliss, and the cause of all causes
have been described in
the previous verse. Now in this verse,
His own eternal residence
is being described. This abode of Çré
Kåñëa, Gokula-dhäma, is
exquisitely manifest in the form of a
lotus flower with thousands
of petals. The speciality of this
place, which fulfills all desires like
a wish-fulfilling gem, is that just as
Çré Kåñëa is sac-cid-änanda,
this abode is also sac-cid-änanda.
Just as Çré Kåñëa is allpervading,
vast and all-illuminating, so this
abode has similar
qualities. This realm is called the
supermost world of all, and it is
also sometimes referred to as
Mahä-Vaikuëöha.
In order that no one will harbor any
doubts in this regard, it is
said that the name of this abode is
Gokula, or “the place that is
inhabited by gopas and gopés.”
In this context, it is stated in
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.10.39): “bhagavän gokuleçvaraù –
Bhagavän Çré Kåñëa is Gokula-pati, the
Lord of Gokula.” The
same type of description has been made
in this second verse of
Brahma-saàhitä, and we will proceed to elaborate upon
it from
this point on. The expansive, internal
realm where Bhagavän Çré
Kåñëa eternally resides with His
associates, such as His father
Nanda Mahäräja and His mother Yaçodä,
has been called
Gokula-dhäma.
Thus, the abode where Çré Kåñëa resides
along with all the
inhabitants of Vraja is also described
here. Then, to acquaint us
with the constitutional nature of that
abode, it is said to be manifested
by Çré Anantadeva, a partial expansion
of Çré Balaräma.
Here in this verse, the word sambhava
may be taken to indicate
ävirbhäva-viçeña (the special appearance of the divine
abode),
in the sense that it is eternally
manifested by a personal expansion
of Çré Baladeva. Following this
understanding, anantäàça
then refers to Ananta, the partial
expansion of Baladeva.
Alternatively, one may interpret this
expression to mean “whose
partial expansion is Ananta,” namely
Çré Baladeva. Thus the
sense becomes, “That abode is the
residence of Çré Baladeva,
who lives there along with Çré Kåñëa.”
TÄTPARYA
Goloka-dhäma or Gokula is not any kind
of created material
place. Rather, it is eternally
manifest. This divine abode has been
called anantäàça-sambhavam to
indicate that it is manifest from
the çaiñé-çakti (Bhagavän Çeña’s
potency) of Çré Kåñëa, who is
unlimited in nature. The purport is
that this abode is manifested
by Baladeva Prabhu, whose partial
expansion is Anantadeva or
Çeña Bhagavän. Çré Kåñëa’s pastime
expansion, Çré Baladeva, is
the reservoir or shelter of this çaiñé-çakti,
and all spiritual and
material universes have manifested from
Him.
Çré Baladeva’s unlimited nature is
exhibited in two ways: first,
spiritual infinity manifest as
unlimited transcendental abodes;
and secondly, mundane infinity manifest
as unlimited, inert
material worlds. An analysis of the
material worlds, which comprise
one-fourth of Bhagavän’s opulence, will
be presented later,
in the appropriate place. The infinite
spiritual manifestation with
its unlimited transcendental worlds
comprises three-fourths of
Bhagavän’s opulence, and is untouched
by lamentation, mortality
and fear. It is fully illuminated,
being entirely composed of
completely pure, conscious existence.
This manifestation of
transcendental magnificence is called
the immensely opulent
spiritual realm, Mahä-Vaikuëöha or
Paravyoma-dhäma. This
Mahä-Vaikuëöha-dhäma is completely
beyond the purview of the
inert material nature, and exists
splendidly and forever in the
midst of the transcendental effulgence
(brahmajyoti) on the
other side of the Virajä.
verse 2
3 7
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
3 8
This transcendental abode also has two
features, namely the
upper and lower manifestations. The
higher feature is the realm
of human-like sweetness (mädhurya),
and the lower is the realm
of extraordinary opulence (mahä-aiçvarya).
The manifestation
that is characterized by sweetness is
known as Goloka-dhäma or
Gokula-dhäma. This divine abode, which
is divided into various
subsections according to specific devotional
mellows, is exceedingly
elegant and charming. It is also
sometimes called Mahä-
Näräyaëa-dhäma or Müla-Näräyaëa-dhäma.
Therefore, the
Gokula aspect of Goloka9 is the most
excellent abode of all. This
one abode is resplendently situated in
the spiritual realm in the
form of Goloka, and in the material
world in the form of Gokula.
In his Båhad-bhägavatämåta,
Çréla Sanätana Gosvämipäda has
written a çloka which reconciles
the entire body of scripture:
yathä kréòati tad-bhümau
goloke ’pi tathaiva saù
adha urddhatayä bhedo
’nayoù kalpate kevalam
Just as Kåñëa performs His playful
pastimes in Gokula in the material
universe, similarly He also performs
the same pastimes in the
Goloka of the upper region. Therefore,
there is no difference
between Goloka and Gokula.
One should simply understand that
whatever is situated in
Goloka-dhäma in the spiritual realm is
also splendidly present in
Gokula, Çré Kåñëa’s place of pastimes
within the material universe.
Çréla Jéva Gosvämé has written in the
glossary of Ñaösandarbha:
“goloka-nirüpaëaà; våndävanädénäà
nitya-kåñëa-
9
There are different prakoñöhas (chambers)
within Goloka, wherein different
types of relationships between Çré
Kåñëa and His devotees predominate. Goloka
in the spiritual realm is full of
opulence, but within Goloka there is also an inner
section called Gokula, which is
predominated by sweetness. This is described in
detail later in this book.
dhämatvaà; goloka-våndävanayor ekatvaà ca –
Goloka and
Gokula are non-different, but by the
influence of Çré Kåñëa’s
inconceivable potency, Goloka is
situated in the highest territory
of the spiritual universe, and the
Gokula that is located in
Mathurä-maëòala is situated in the
mundane universe of the onefourth
manifestation that has arisen from the
material energy.” If
the transcendental abode is of the
three-fourths manifestation,
how can it be situated in the inferior
material world of the onefourth
manifestation? This cannot be
understood by the meager
intelligence of a conditioned soul; one
can only become
acquainted with this truth by the
influence of Çré Kåñëa’s inconceivable
potency. Gokula is a transcendental
abode, so although
it is manifested in this universe of
five material elements, it is not
confined by any kind of limitation that
might be imposed by
mundane time and space. Its unlimited,
radiant existence is the
supreme principle of Vaikuëöha, but the
material senses and
intelligence of the conditioned soul
perceive the transcendental
Gokula in a mundane way, because the
conditioned soul is
always absorbed in the inert material
nature.
A cloud may cover the eyes of an
observer, but it cannot cover
the sun. Still, a person in the shade
of that cloud sees, by ordinary
vision, that the sun is covered by a
cloud. Similarly, the conditioned
soul, whose senses and intelligence are
covered by
material defects, inevitably
superimposes the qualities of the
material nature upon the transcendental
abode of Gokula. Only
one whose relationship with material
nature has already been
completely severed as a result of
extremely good fortune can
have a vision of Goloka in Gokula, and
of Gokula in Goloka. The
impersonal knowledge that is derived
from the philosophical
process of the gradual elimination of
the material (neti neti)
gives rise to satisfaction in the self,
but such enlightenment can
never afford one a vision of the
transcendental realm that is
verse 2
3 9
situated above the non-differentiated
Brahman. The impersonal
Brahman is only a limited feature of
the knowledge (cit) aspect
of sac-cid-änanda.
Thus, it is impossible to see Goloka or
Gokula through the
endeavor for impersonal knowledge
because, in their search for
the Absolute Truth, the adherents of
such dry knowledge rely on
their own subtle power of vision,
rather than depending on the
mercy of Kåñëa, which is imbued with
inconceivable potency.
The endeavors for knowledge of the
nature of the self are also
useless in the matter of attaining
Goloka Våndävana. Similarly,
endeavors in the yoga system,
which comprise a limb of karma,
also do not deserve Kåñëa’s mercy.
Thus, these two types of
endeavor cannot give rise to
realization of the transcendental
pastimes, which are situated above the
oneness of impersonal
liberation, and are separate from it.
Only those who take exclusive
shelter of the process of pure,
unalloyed devotional service
(çuddha-bhakti) are competent to
receive Çré Kåñëa’s mercy,
which is endowed with inconceivable
potency. One’s relationship
with material nature is dispelled only
by Çré Kåñëa’s mercy.
Then the good fortune to have a vision
of Gokula will arise.
The perfection of bhakti is also
of two types: svarüpa-siddhi
and vastu-siddhi. In the stage
of svarüpa-siddhi, Goloka is seen
in Gokula; and in the stage of vastu-siddhi,
Gokula is seen in
Goloka. This is an extremely
confidential mystery. The attainment
of the first rays of the sun of prema
is called svarüpasiddhi.
After svarüpa-siddhi, both the
gross and subtle material
coverings of the sädhaka-jéva are
removed by the mercy of
Kåñëa, and he then takes birth as an
associate of Çré Kåñëa in the
place of His pastimes. This is called vastu-siddhi.
Whatever one’s
level of realization may be, as long as
one has not attained perfection,
Gokula will be seen as different from
Goloka. Çré
Gokula, the unique seat of
transcendental pastimes, is Çré Kåñëa’s
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
4 0
verse 2
4 1
eternal abode, which is replete with
endless varieties of
enthralling features and fashioned in
the shape of a lotus with
thousands of petals.
BHÄVÄRTHA
Brahmäjé has defined the intrinsic form
and nature of the transcendentally
sportive Çré Kåñëa, and now he is
describing
Gokula, the supramundane seat of
Kåñëa’s pastimes. Çré Gokulamaëòala,
whose svarüpa (intrinsic form)
resembles a thousandpetaled
lotus flower, is the eternal adode of
Bhagavän Çré Kåñëa,
the son of Nanda Mahäräja. The soil
there is made of desirefulfilling
gems (cintämaëi), so Gokula has
the form of a lotus
made of cintämaëi. It is called mahat-padam,
which means “the
greatest or most excellent place of
all.” Alternatively, the word
mahat (great) can indicate that Çré Kåñëa is
Mahä-Bhagavän, the
ultimate feature of God. His pada (abode)
is the topmost portion
of Mahä-Vaikuëöha. This is the sense of
the word mahat.
One may object, “But the word pada can
be interpreted in so
many ways.” In order to dispel this
doubt, it has been stated
definitively by the use of the
adjective mahat that this pada
(abode) is called Gokula. Here, in the
conventional sense the
word gokula means the abode of
the gopas, or cowherd community.
According to the logic of rüòhir
yogam apaharati,
wherein the conventional meaning steals
usage from the other
legitimate interpretations, the word gokula
is understood to
mean the abode of go and gopa
(the cows and cowherd community);
however, other interpretations are not
invalid. With this
intention, it has been stated in Çrémad-Bhägavatam
(10.10.34):
“bhagavän gokuleçvaraù –
Bhagavän Çré Kåñëa is the Lord of
Gokula.” Thus, it is appropriate that
such an explanation has also
been made in Çrémad-Bhägavatam,
a favorable scripture that
was manifest later. Gokula-dhäma is a
worthy residence for Çré
Kåñëa and the Vrajaväsés such as Nanda
and Yaçodä, and that is
why the word mahat has been
used.
Now the meaning of mahat-pada is
being explained in terms
of its svarüpa (intrinsic form
and nature). Gokula can be called
the mahat-pada because it
is manifested from Ananta, an expansion
of Çré Baladeva, or because it has
arisen from an intensified
portion of spiritual effulgence.
Alternatively, Gokula-dhäma may
be called mahat-pada because
it is the residence of Çré Balaräma,
of whom Ananta is a mere part. Gokula
has also been called
mahad-dhäma because of Çré Kåñëa’s appearance in the
pericarp
of that thousand-petaled lotus.
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
4 2
Verses 3–4
d£.kdkja eg|U=a "kV~dks.ka
otzdhyde~ A
"kMÂ "kV~inh&LFkkua
izÏR;k iq#"ks.k p û
izsekuUn & egkuUn &
jlsukofLFkra fg ;r~ A
T;ksrh:is.k euquk dkechtsu lÂre~ û…û
rr~ fd´tYda rna'kkuka rr~ i=kf.k
fJ;kefi û†û
karëikäraà mahad-yantraà
ñaö-koëaà vajra-kélakam
ñaò-aìga-ñaö-padé-sthänaà
prakåtyä puruñeëa ca
premänanda-mahänandarasenävasthitaà
hi yat
jyoté-rüpeëa manunä
käma-béjena saìgatam
tat-kiïjalkaà tad-aàçänäà
tat-paträëi çriyäm api
Anvaya
karëikäram – the center of that thousand-petaled
lotus which is the
central part of Vraja; mahad-yantram
– is a great and unique mystic
device; ñaö-koëam – with six
corners; vajra-kélakam – of which Çré
Kåñëa, who is completely transcendental
and who is the possessor of all
potencies, is the pivot in the form of
a thunderbolt, which is as brilliant
as a diamond; ñaò-aìga-ñaö-padé-sthänam
– in that place is manifest
the king of mantras, composed of
eighteen syllables with six limbs in
six divisions; prakåtyä puruñeëa ca –
and therein are situated the
original potency and the original
enjoyer; yat hi premänandamahänanda-
rasena avasthitam – that Gokula, whose nature is the
4 3
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
4 4
bliss of pure, spiritual love, is the
abode of supremely blissful transcendental
mellows; saìgatam – it is
endowed; käma-béjena – with kämabéja;
jyoté-rüpeëa – and the effulgent; manunä – käma-gäyatré-mantra;
tat-kéïjalkam – the saffron filaments of the lotus; tad-aàçänäm
– are
the supremely loving devotees, who are
personal expansions of Çré
Kåñëa’s svarüpa, and who are
none other than Kåñëa’s intimate (svajätéya)
gopas; tat-paträëi – all the leaves of the lotus; çriyäm
api – are
the groves of Çré Kåñëa’s beloveds
headed by Çré Rädhä.
TRANSLATION
The pericarp, or central part of that
transcendental lotus,
is Çré Kåñëa’s abode. It is
characterized by a six-pointed
device (yantra), presided over
by the predominated and
predominating principles (prakåti and
puruña). Like a
diamond, the omnipotent, radiant,
transcendental kåñëatattva
is present as the central pivot. The
eighteen-syllable
king of mantras, which has six
integral parts in six
sections, is manifest in the form of a
hexagonal place with
six divisions.
This pericarp of the eternal abode
called Gokula is the sixpointed
realm of Çré Kåñëa’s residence. The
filaments are
the residences of Çré Kåñëa’s supremely
loving parts and
parcels, the intimate gopa friends
who consider Him their
very own. They beautify all four
directions, forming an
enclosure. The expanded petals of this
lotus are the
special sub-forests of the divine abode
that belong to Çré
Kåñëa’s beloved Çré Rädhä and the other
gopés.
ÖÉKÄ TRANSLATION
In these two verses, starting from karëikäram,
there is a description
of the chief seat among the many seats
of the divine
eighteen-syllable king of great mantras,
which is attended by all
verses 3–4
4 5
other mantras. The setting of
this seat is characterized by a vast
device, whose facsimile is drawn
everywhere in the form of a
symbolic diagram (yantra) for
the sake of formal worship. Now
the svarüpa of that device is
being described.
This yantra has six corners, which
are made by the overlapping
of two mutually reversed triangles, and
the middle is decorated
by the pivot in the form of a brilliant
thunderbolt. The
purport is that the central portion of
the thousand-petaled lotus
is embellished by a diamond stud in the
form of the béja-mantra
(kléà). In this mantra (verse
3), the syllable ca indicates the
four-letter käma-béja, which is
situated as the central pivot of the
pericarp. What is the necessity of the
six points? In response to
this question, it is said that these
six limbs constitute the locations
of the sixfold integral parts of the
divine eighteen-syllable
invocation. Therefore the yantra is
exhibited with six corners,
and is presided over by the
predominated and predominating
principles (prakåti and puruña).
Prakåti is present as the abode
of the mantra. That prakåti is
also Çré Kåñëa in person. He has
been called prakåti in this
context because He is the cause of
prakåti.
In remembering the presiding deity of
this mantra, it is stated
thus: kåñëaù prakåtiù. The
significance is that Kåñëa is prakåti.
Puruña also refers to the personality who is
present in the form
of the presiding deity of the mantra.
Therefore, in this mantra,
Çré Kåñëa presides as prakåti and
puruña. He is experienced in
four ways: as the cause of the mantra,
as the syllables of the
mantra, as the presiding deity of the mantra,
and as the personality
who is to be worshiped by the mantra.
Among these
four conceptions, Çré Kåñëa is
presented here as the cause of the
mantra and the presiding deity of the mantra,
and He has been
described previously as the worshipable
deity (ärädhya-devatä)
in the verse éçvaraù paramaù kåñëaù
sac-cid-änanda vigrahaù.
How He is experienced in the form of
syllables will be mentioned
later in the verse kämaù kåñëäya (verse
24).
In the Hayaçérña-païcarätra, it
is stated, “O brähmaëa,
enlightened visionaries of the truth
say that the words of a
mantra and one who is indicated by those words
– that is, the
mantra itself and its deity – are one, or
non-different.”
In the Gopäla-täpané Upaniñad,
it is also stated, “Just as the air
within the body is one, and yet is
known by various names and
forms – such as präëa, apäna,
udäna, vyäna and samäna –
similarly Bhagavän Çré Kåñëa, the
benefactor of the universe, is
also present in five integral parts in
the form of mantra.”
There are some rare references
mentioning that the presiding
deity of this mantra is
Durgä-devé. This is because potency and
the possessor of potency are
non-different. For example, in the
Gautaméya-tantra, it has been stated:
yaù kåñëaù saiva durgä syäd
yä durgä kåñëa eva saù
anayor antarädarçé
saàsärän no vimucyate
Kåñëa is Durgä and Durgä is Kåñëa.
Those who see any difference
between these two are never liberated
from the endless chain of
birth and death.
Therefore, in this quotation, Çré
Kåñëa’s own internal potency
has been referred to by the name of
Durgä. This Durgä is not the
Durgä who is a partial manifestation of
mäyä. In the Nirukti
dictionary it is mentioned: “kåcchreëa
durärädhanädi-bahuprayäsena
gamyate jïäyate – that personality who is known
with great endeavor by the performance
of extremely severe
sädhana is called Durgä.”
It is also stated in the Närada-païcarätra:
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
4 6
verses 3–4
4 7
10
The name Durgä is derived from duù,
meaning difficult, and gä, meaning
to go.
jänäty ekä parä käntä
saiva durgä tadätmikä
yä parä paramä çaktir
mahä-viñëu-svarüpiëé
yasyä vijïäna-mätreëa
paräëäà paramätmanaù
muhürtäd eva devasya
präptir bhavati nänyathä
ekeyaà prema-sarvasvabhävä
çré-gokuleçvaré
yathä mugdhaà jagat sarvaà
sarva-dehäbhimäninaù
She who is the highest, most excellent
potency, or Mahä-Viñëusvarüpiëé,
whose very self is Kåñëa (kåñëätmikä),
and who is the
best of all His beloveds, is called
Durgä. One who realizes Her
surely attains the supreme Paramätmä,
Bhagavän Çré Kåñëa, in less
than a moment; there is not even the
slightest doubt in this regard.
She is Gokuleçvaré Çré Rädhä, the full
embodiment of spontaneous
love and the personification of mahäbhäva.
Bhagavän Çré Kåñëa,
who is the supreme éçvara of all
existence and the God among
gods, is attained by Her mercy. Çré
Rädhä is Kåñëa’s internal
potency, and She performs worship of
Her most beloved Çré Kåñëa
with the entire wealth of Her devotion
and service. [Alternatively,
Her most beloved Çré Kåñëa always
engages in Her worship with
the entire wealth of His devotion and
service.] That very Çré Rädhä,
the dearmost internal potency of
Bhagavän, is known only to
those who perform extraordinarily
difficult worship. Therefore,
saintly persons refer to Çré Kåñëa’s
beloved mistress of undivided
rasa by the name of Durgä.10 His covering potency, Mahämäyä, is
the controller of all the mundane
worlds, and it covers and
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
4 8
bewilders the entire population of
living beings who identify with
their material bodies.
The following statement by Çré Durgä
can be found in the
Sammohana-tantra:
yan nämnä nämni durgähaà
guëair guëavaté hy aham
yad vaibhavän mahä-lakñmé
rädhä nityä parädvayä
The name Durgä, by which I am known, is
Her name. The qualities
for which I am famous are Her
qualities. The majesty with which
I am resplendent is Her majesty. That
Mahä-Lakñmé, Çré Rädhä, is
non-different from Çré Kåñëa. She is
His dearmost sweetheart and
the crest-jewel of His beloveds.
Thus, the svarüpa that is the
embodiment of transcendental
love, bliss and supremely ecstatic
transcendental mellows, who
is the pinnacle of mahäbhäva and
who is the self-illuminating
effulgence in the form of mantra,
is called Çré Rädhä. The
expression käma-béjena saìgatam means
that käma-béja is
included in that mantra which is
the origin of all others, kämagäyatré.
However, in some places it is stated
that käma-béja is
completely independent of the gäyatré-mantra.
In this way, after describing Çré
Kåñëa’s divine abode, Çré
Brahmä describes the covering of that
abode in the half çloka
beginning with the words tat
kiïjalkam (verse 4). If the dhäma
is in the form of the pericarp of a
lotus, then the filaments of that
lotus form the lines of its enclosure.
The word kiïjalka (filaments)
has been used to indicate that there is
a row of peaks, or
that the lines of the enclosure are
endowed with peaks, which
surround the dhäma in all four
directions. One should also
understand the expression tat-tad-aàçänäm
to indicate the
Supreme Personality Çré Kåñëa’s
expansions such as His gopa and
gopé associates.
Gokula is that abode in which Çré Kåñëa
resides with His
intimate associates who have a similar
mood and are the vessels
of the highest love. In describing
Gokula, the abode of such
associates, Çrémat Kåñëa-dvaipäyana
Vedavyäsa said:
evaà kukudminaà hatvä
stüyamänaù sajätibhiù
viveça goñöhaà sabalo
gopénäà nayanotsavaù
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.36.15)
After the killing of Våñabhäsura, Çré
Kåñëa, who is a festival for the
eyes of the gopés, entered the
cowherd village along with
Baladeva. At that time the cowherd folk
began to praise Him with
poetry of their own composition.
The petals of this lotus are the abodes
of His most beloved
sweethearts, the gopés headed by
Çré Rädhä, and are in the form
of sub-forests. That Çré Kåñëa’s
beloveds are called gopés has been
clearly stated by the use of the word gopé
in His mantra, and
among all the gopés, Çré Rädhä
is the most excellent. Just as Çré
Kåñëa is the origin of everything,
while being personally without
beginning, similarly Çré Rädhä, being
non-different from Çré
Kåñëa, is also the origin of
everything, while being without origin
Herself.
It is therefore stated in the Gautaméya-tantra:
devé kåñëamayé proktä
rädhikä para-devatä
sarva-lakñmémayé sarvakäntiù
sammohiné parä
Çré Rädhikä is the Supreme Goddess (para-devatä),
the exclusive
abode of Kåñëa’s loving pastimes
(Devé), and the shelter of all goddesses
of fortune (Mahä-Lakñmé). She is the
most beautiful. Her
inside and outside are nothing but
Kåñëa, and She is incessantly
verses 3–4
4 9
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
5 0
absorbed in Kåñëa. She is the
embodiment of all splendor, and is
the enchantress of Çré Kåñëa’s heart.
Furthermore, Çré Rädhikä is the supreme
ruler of Våndävana,
as stated in the Matsya Puräëa:
väräëasyäà viçäläkñé
vimalä puruñottame
rukmiëé tu dvärävatyäà
rädhä våndävane vane
Viçäläkñé reigns in Väräëasé,
Vimalä-devé in Puruñottama-dhäma,
Rukmiëé in Dvärakä and Çré Rädhä in
Våndävana.
Similarly, it is also stated in the Åk-pariçiñöa:
“rädhayä mädhavo
devo mädhavenaiva rädhikä vibhräjante
janeñvä – the
handsomeness
of Mädhava is enhanced by Rädhä, and
the exquisite loveliness
of Rädhä is heightened by Mädhava.”
Tatra paträëäm: One should understand that in the
central
section where the lotus petals of that
Gokula-dhäma join together,
there is a multitude of paths as well
as the residences and pastures
of the cows. Gokula is one undivided
lotus flower in which everything
is incorporated. Thus, dairy farming is
also splendidly present
there. Gokula-dhäma is described as a
thousand-petaled lotus in
other places in çästra as well.
For example:
sahasräraà padmaà dala-tatiñu devébhir
abhitaù parétaà gosaìghair
api nikhila-kiïjalka-militaiù. kaväöe
yasyästi svayam akhilaçakti-
prakaöita-prabhävaù sadyaù
çré-parama-puruñas taà kila bhaje.
Gokula-dhäma is a thousand-petaled
lotus, on whose petals are
situated the residences of the gopés.
There are dwellings for innumerable
cows in all four directions. I render
service to the
Supreme Personality, Çré Kåñëa, the son
of the Chief of Vraja, who
is radiantly present along with all His
beloved gopés on the
pericarp of the transcendental lotus.
verses 3–4
5 1
Here it is correct to read the
expression go-saìghaiù as gosaìkhyaiù.
Thus it is understood to indicate the
community of
gopas, because the Amara-koña dictionary has described
many
meanings of the word go, such as
gopé (cowherd damsel), gopäla
(cowherd), go-saìkhya (community
of cowherds), godhu (one
who milks cows), gäbhéra (calf)
and ballava (cowherd boyfriend).
The central part of the pericarp,
situated in the middle of
the lotus, is indicated by the word kaväöa.
The fundamental purport
of this verse is that Çré Kåñëa is the
supreme predominator
and enjoyer, who eternally manifests
His influence through His
diverse potencies.
TÄTPARYA
Çré Kåñëa’s pastimes are of two types:
manifest and unmanifest.
The våndävana-lélä that are
exhibited to the eyes of ordinary
people are called manifest pastimes,
and the pastimes that are
not visible to material eyes are called
unmanifest pastimes. In
Goloka, the unmanifest pastimes are
perpetually occurring.
When Çré Kåñëa so desires, those
unmanifest pastimes become
visible to material eyes in Gokula. At
such times they are called
manifest pastimes.
In Kåñëa-sandarbha Çréla Jéva
Gosvämipäda has said:
“aprakaöa-lélätaù prasütiù
prakaöa-léläyäm abhivyaktiù – the
manifest pastimes are a revelation of
the unmanifest pastimes.”
Furthermore, it is stated in Kåñëa-sandarbha:
“çré våndävanasya
prakäça-viçeño golokatvam, tatra
präpaïcika-loka-prakaöa-lélävakäçatvenävabhäsamänaà
prakäço goloka iti samarthanéyam
– the pastimes of Goloka remain in an
unmanifest state in the
special manifestation of Goloka within
this material universe,
called Våndävana. Those pastimes are manifested
whenever
there is an opportunity.” Therefore,
Çré Rüpa Gosvämipäda has
reconciled this subject in his Laghu-bhägavatämåta
(5.498):
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
5 2
yat tu goloka-näma syät
tac ca gokula-vaibhavam
tädätmya-vaibhavatvaà ca
tasya tan-mahimonnateù
The higher aspect of the greatness of
Gokula is its non-difference
from Goloka. Thus Goloka is simply the
greatness or vaibhava of
Gokula.
Although Çré Kåñëa’s pastimes are not
always manifest in
Gokula, they are eternally manifest in
Goloka-dhäma.
This mystery is such that Goloka and
Våndävana (Gokula) are
both one and the same tattva;
there is no difference between
them. One is above, in the spiritual
realm, and the other manifests
or appears below, in the material
world. However, from the
angle of vision of one special
conception, just as Gokula is in
Mathurä-maëòala, Våndävana is also
present in Goloka. According
to this specialized deliberation,
Goloka is considered to be only
the external manifestation of
Våndävana. There is sameness
between these two abodes from the
perspective of lélä, in which
case a difference is seen only in
regard to manifest and unmanifest
pastimes. Çré Kåñëa’s lélä is
eternally manifest in Goloka.
Yet, from the point of view of
differentiation, one will observe
that the pastimes of Goloka are
integrated with a reverential
mood, whereas the pastimes of Våndävana
are integrated with
pure human-like sweetness. That is why
Goloka has been called
the vaibhava or greatness of
Gokula.
The unmanifest pastimes of this Goloka
that are revealed to
the conditioned soul are of two types.
The purport is that there
are two types of process adopted by
practicing devotees in order
to realize these pastimes. One is mantramayé-upäsanä
and the
other svärasiké-upäsanä. These
will now be explained.
Çré Jéva Gosvämé has stated: “tat
tad ekatara sthänädi; niyatasthitika
evaà tat-tan-mantra-dhyänamayaù; mantramayéupäsanä
is the process in which any one
particular pastime,
which is situated in one location, is
being contemplated continuously
by means of a mantra, and the
worship of that pastime is
being accomplished by this method.” The
pastimes in which various
types of spontaneous playful revelry
are strung together of
their own accord in an uninterrupted
succession extending over
several locations are called svärasiké
or sväbhäviké, meaning
“natural.”
This verse explains both mantramayé-upäsanä
and svärasikéupäsanä.
The first meaning (indicating mantramayé-upäsanä)
is
as follows. In the lélä indicated
by eighteen syllables, the bases
of the mantra, which are
arranged in different places, manifest
only one particular lélä of
Kåñëa. For example: kléà kåñëäya
govindäya gopéjana-vallabhäya svähä. This mantra has six limbs
made of the following components: (1) kåñëäya,
(2) govindäya,
(3) gopéjana, (4) vallabhäya,
(5) svä and (6) hä. The mantra is
formed when these six parts are
arranged in sequence one after
the other.
The six-pointed mahä-yantra is
as follows. The käma-béja,
kléà, is situated in the middle of the diagram as the pivot.
If one
draws the yantra in this way and
meditates on the transcendental
tattva, knowledge of reality arises in the
heart, as it did for
Mahäräja Candradhvaja. The Gautaméya-tantra
gives the following
instruction: “svä-çabdena ca
kñetrajïo heti cit-prakåtiù parä
– the word svä indicates the
individual jévätmä, who is the
knower of his own field of activities,
and hä indicates the spiritual
dominated potency, the eternal nature
of the jéva.”
According to Çré Hari-bhakti-viläsa (1.87):
“uttaräd govindäyety
asmät surabhià gojätim. tad-uttaräd gopéjanety asmäd
vidyäç
caturdaça. tad-uttaräd vallabha – the
word govindäya after the
word kléà indicates Çré Kåñëa,
who is known as Govinda because
He tends the surabhé cows and
nurtures their pleasure. After that,
verses 3–4
5 3
the word gopéjana indicates the
society of Vraja gopés, who are
the embodiments of the fourteen types
of knowledge of Çré
Kåñëa’s internal potency. Then the word
vallabhäya indicates
that Çré Kåñëa, the lover of those gopés,
is the paramour hero of
Vraja.” When worship is performed by mantra
through meanings
such as these, realization awakens of a
lélä occuring in one location.
This is the purpose of mantropäsanä.
The general meaning
is that those who cherish the exclusive
aspiration to enter into
Kåñëa’s transcendental pastimes will
engage in Kåñëa’s service in
accordance with their own svarüpa by
incessantly cultivating
their particular relationship with Him,
which gives rise to bhaktirasa.
The living entity’s relationship with
Kåñëa is established when
realized knowledge of the following six
svarüpas arises:
(1) Kåñëa’s svarüpa (intrinsic
form and nature), (2) the svarüpa
of His transcendental pleasure
pastimes, (3) the svarüpa of His
associates, the gopés, (4) the svarüpa
of unconditional surrender
of the self to Kåñëa, following in the
wake of the gopés, (5) the
svarüpa of the pure soul in full spiritual
cognizance and (6) the
svarüpa of service to Kåñëa. The happiness of
service to
Bhagavän is the only relishable mellow.
It is accomplished by an
unwavering conviction in the process of
bhakti, whose very
nature is such that the soul becomes
established in the following
relationship: “The ultimate shelter is
the Supreme Enjoyer, Çré
Kåñëa, and I am the predominated or
enjoyed principle in the
form of a maidservant of Çré Rädhä.”
This is the essential purport
of the verse.
In the stage of sädhana, when bhakti
is initiated by the material
senses, the practicing devotee realizes
the type of pastime in
Goloka or Gokula that is the object of
meditation by mantra
(mantropäsanä-dhyänamayé-lélä).
In the stage of perfection,
the perfect devotee realizes the
pastimes of Goloka or Gokula in
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
5 4
verses 3–4
5 5
their feature of totally uninhibited
revelry. This is the condition
of affairs in Goloka or Gokula; it will
be revealed gradually.
The expression jyoté-rüpeëa manunä in
verse 3 indicates that
the transcendental meaning may be
illuminated or realized in the
mantra. Having integrated pure kåñëa-prema
in the form of transcendental
amorous love in this mantra, the
practicing devotee
who goes on rendering service becomes
situated in the form of
a perfect associate of Çré Kåñëa, and
realizes the astonishing
mellows of the greatest blissful love (premänanda-mahänandarasa).
This type of eternal lélä is
always radiant in Goloka.
The shape of the transcendental Gokula
resembles a fully
blossomed lotus flower, whose central
pericarp has a six-pointed
shape. Within this lies the embodiment
of the purport of the
eighteen-syllable mantra, namely
çré rädhä-kåñëa-tattva, surrounded
by Their direct bodily expansions, the
attendant gopés
who are manifested by the internal
potency. Here Çré Rädhä-
Kåñëa Yugala are the full manifestation
of the seed of the mantra.
It is stated in the Uttara-gopäla-täpané
Upaniñad (13):
tasmäd oàkära-sambhüto
gopälo viçva-sambhavaù
klém-oàkärasya caikatvaà
paöhyate brahma-vädibhiù
Oàkära, the sacred syllable oà, is the
perfect and complete truth,
the combination of potency and the
possessor of potency,
Gopäla, from whom the entire universe
has arisen. Those who
know the Absolute Truth, Brahman,
regard oàkära and kléà as
synonyms.
Consequently, oàkära is Gopäla
and kléà is also oàkära.
Therefore käma-béja indicates rädhä-kåñëa-tattva.
Verse 5
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û‡û
catur-asraà tat-paritaù
çvetadvépäkhyam adbhutam
catur-asraà catur-mürteç
catur-dhäma catuñ-kåtam
caturbhiù puruñärthaiç ca
caturbhir hetubhir våtam
çülair daçabhir änaddham
ürddhädho dig-vidikñv api
añöabhir nidhibhir juñöam
añöabhiù siddhibhis tathä
manu-rüpaiç ca daçabhir
dik-pälaiù parito våtam
çyämair gauraiç ca raktaiç ca
çuklaiç ca pärñadarñabhaiù
çobhitaà çaktibhis täbhir
adbhutäbhiù samantataù
5 6
verse 5
5 7
Anvaya
tat-paritaù – surrounding Gokula; adbhutam –
is an astonishing; caturasram
– quadrangle; çvetadvépa-äkhyam –
named Çvetadvépa; caturasram
– having four corners; catuù-kåtam –
it is divided into four parts;
catuù-dhäma – which are the four abodes; catuù-mürteù
– of the four
deities: Väsudeva, Saìkarñaëa,
Pradyumna and Aniruddha; caturbhiù
puruña-arthaiù – with the four attainments of human
life, namely
religiosity, economic development,
sense gratification and liberation; ca
våtam caturbhiù hetubhiù – and endowed with the four Vedas: Åg,
Säma, Yajuù and Atharva, which are of the nature
of mantra;
änaddham api – and (that abode) is held; dik-vidikñu
– in all directions:
east, west, north, south, north-east,
north-west, south-east and southwest;
ürddha-adhaù – above and below; çülaiù daçabhiù –
by ten
spears; juñöam – it is surrounded
(in the eight directions); añöabhiù
nidhibhiù – with the eight jewels: mahäpadma,
padma, çaìkha,
makara, kacchapa, mukunda, kunda
and néla; añöabhiù siddhibhiù
tathä – and with the eight perfections: aëimä,
laghimä, mahimä,
garimä, éçitva, vaçitva, präpti
and präkämya; paritaù – it is surrounded;
våtam – and protected; daçabhiù dik-pälaiù
– by the ten protectors of
the directions (headed by Indra), who
are of the nature of mantra;
çobhitam – (that abode of Çvetadvépa) is
beautified; pärñada-åñabhaiù
– by the Lord’s exalted associates; çyämaiù
– whose bodily hues are
bluish black; gauraiù ca – and
golden; raktaiù ca – and red; çuklaiù ca
– and white; samantataù – and
who are accompanied; täbhiù
adbhutäbhiù çaktibhiù – by their astonishing potencies
(headed by
Vimalä).
TRANSLATION
The identity of Gokula’s surrounding
area is being
presented. In the four directions
beyond Gokula lies a
wonderful, four-cornered place called
Çvetadvépa.
Çvetadvépa is divided into four
sections in the four
directions, and each section is the
abode of one of the
presiding deities: Väsudeva,
Saìkarñaëa, Pradyumna and
Aniruddha. These four abodes are
adorned with the four
objectives of life, namely religiosity,
economic development,
sense gratification and liberation, and
the causes of
those four objectives, namely the four
Vedas (Åg, Yajur,
Säma and Atharva), which are composed
of mantras.
They are surrounded in eight directions
and above and
below by ten lances. The eight
directions are ornamented
with the eight jewels known as mahäpadma,
padma,
çaìkha, makara, kacchapa, mukunda,
kunda and néla.
Ten guardians in the form of mantras
are present in the
ten directions, which are all
beautified by blackish,
golden, red and white associates of
Bhagavän, along with
the host of wondrous potencies headed
by Vimalä.
ÖÉKÄ TRANSLATION
After the description of Gokula, its
surrounding area is now
being described in four verses. Beyond
Gokula lies an exceedingly
miraculous, four-cornered abode called
Çvetadvépa.
Although only Çvetadvépa is mentioned
here, one should also
understand it to be Goloka. Actually,
Çvetadvépa is also a term for
Gokula. All places are within that
region known as Çvetadvépa or
Gokula. The employment of yet another
special nomenclature
indicates that all locations are
included within its jurisdiction. The
interior region is Våndävana. Different
names such as Çvetadvépa,
Goloka, Gokula, Våndävana, Vraja and so
on are used because of
the different meanings carried by the
various names. This
Çvetadvépa which is the outer covering
of Goloka is different from
the Çvetadvépa situated in Gokula,11
which will be described
separately. Våndävana-dhäma is within
the quadrilateral realm.
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
5 8
11
The Çvetadvépa within Gokula is that
place where Çré Çacénandana Gaurahari
manifests His eternal pastimes, and is
manifest in this world as Çrédhäma
Navadvépa.
For example, it is stated in the Sväyambhuva-ägama:
“dhyäyet
tatra viçuddhätmä idaà sarvaà
krameëaiva – the sädhaka
whose heart is pure will meditate on
all of the following one after
another.” Later, it is further stated:
“våndävanaà kusumitaà
nänä-våkñair vihaìgamaiù saàsmaret – one should meditate by
remembering Çré Våndävana with its
charming groves (kuïjas)
and many varieties of trees. The trees
are covered in fragrant,
flowering vines and resound with the
sweet singing of birds.”
Similarly, in the prayers of the
personified Vedas to Çré Bhagavän
in the Vämana Puräëa, we find
the following statement:
änanda-rüpam iti yad
vidanti hi purä vidaù
tad-rüpaà darçayäsmäkaà
yadi deyo varo hi naù
çrutvaitad darçayäm äsa
gokulaà prakåteù param
kevalänubhavänandamätram
akñaram adhvagam
yatra våndävanaà näma
vanaà käma-dughair drumaiù
“O Bhagavän, if You want to bestow a
benediction upon us, then
kindly grant us the boon that we may see
the divine abode that the
enlightened sages call änandamaya-dhäma.”
Upon hearing this,
Bhagavän blessed them with darçana of
His supreme abode,
Gokula, which is beyond the influence
of material nature, known
only by realization, and indestructible
and absolute. In that
supreme abode is a charming forest
called Våndävana, which is
adorned with desire trees that
completely fulfill all the desires of
the devotees.
Beyond this Våndävana is a
four-cornered area divided into
four sections, which are the individual
abodes of the four forms
known as catur-vyüha: Çré
Väsudeva, Saìkarñaëa, Pradyumna
verse 5
5 9
and Aniruddha. However, They are
situated in aircraft above
because They are performing pastimes
that manifest Their divine
opulence. Here hetu (the causes)
indicates that They reign splendidly
with dharma, artha, käma
and mokña, and that They are
decorated with the guardians of the ten
directions, headed by
Indra, who are present in the form of
their respective mantras.
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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