Sri Brahma-samhitä
FIFTH CHAPTER
The four Vedas – Åg,
Säma, Yajur and Atharva – are also gracefully
present in personified
forms. That the Vedas have individual
embodiments is
confirmed by Çrémad-Bhägavatam, wherein it is
stated that the
personified Vedas offered prayers to Çré Kåñëa.
In that abode Çré Hari
is resplendent with His sixteen potencies,
headed by Vimalä-devé,
as stated in Laghu-bhägavatämåta
(3.129):
çrér bhüù kértir ilä
lélä
käntir vidheti
saptakam
vimalädhä navehyetä
mukhyäù
ñoòaça-çaktayaù
The sixteen potencies
are as follows: (1) Çré, (2) Bhü, (3) Lélä,
(4) Känti, (5) Kérti,
(6) Tuñöi, (7) Gé, (8) Puñöi, (9) Satyä,
(10) Jïänäjïänä, (11)
Jayä Utkarñiëé, (12) Vimalä, (13) Yogamäyä,
(14) Prahvé, (15)
Éçänä and (16) Anugraha.
Thus this planet is
also called Goloka-dhäma. The following
description can be
found in Çrémad-Bhägavatam:
nandas tv aténdriyaà
dåñövä
loka-päla-mahodayam
kåñëe ca sannatià
teñäà
jïätibhyo vismito
’bravét
te tv autsukya-dhiyo
räjan
matvä gopäs tam
éçvaram
api naù svagatià
sükñmäm
upädhäsyad adhéçvaram
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
6 0
verse 5
6 1
iti svänäà sa bhagavän
vijïäyäkhila-dåk
svayam
saìkalpa-siddhaye
teñäà
kåpayaitad acintayat
jano vai loka etasminn
avidyä-käma-karmabhiù
uccävacäsu gatiñu
na veda sväà gatià
bhraman
iti saïcintya bhagavän
mahä-käruëiko hariù
darçayäm äsa lokaà
svaà
gopänäà tamasaù param
satyaà jïänam anantaà
yad
brahma-jyotiù
sanätanam
yad dhi paçyanti
munayo
guëäpäye samähitäù
te tu brahma-hradaà
nétäù
magnäù kåñëena
coddhåtäù
dadåçur brahmaëo lokaà
yaträkrüro ’dhyagät
purä
nandädayas tu taà
dåñövä
paramänanda-nivåtäù
kåñëaà ca tatra
cchandobhiù
stüyamänaà su-vismitäù
Çrémad-Bhägavatam
(10.28.10–17)
When Nanda Mahäräja
returned to Vraja from Varuëaloka, he told
his cowherd family and
friends what had happened there.
Hearing this
incredible and astonishing account of Çré Kåñëa’s
greatness, they became
extremely curious and amazed, and began
to consider whether
Çré Kåñëa could actually be the supreme
controller,
Parameçvara.12 They began to request Him to show
them His
incomprehensible transcendental abode.
Then Svayam Bhagavän,
who sees everything, understood the
desire of the cowherds
and, out of compassion, He began to
contemplate the
fulfillment of their aspiration: “Conditioned souls
take birth in higher
and lower species such as demigods and
animals as a result of
the selfish material pursuits they perform out
of ignorance. All
these Vrajaväsés are My nearest and dearest
family members.
Although they have descended to this material
world, they consider
themselves to be the same as the conditioned
souls because they are
totally absorbed in My sweet human-like
pastimes. They are
oblivious to their actual position.” Pondering in
this way, the
immensely compassionate Bhagavän Çré Kåñëa
granted the gopas a
vision of His own realm, which is situated
beyond the material
nature.
This realm of Bhagavän
is transcendental, immeasurable, real,
self-effulgent,
eternal and the embodiment of Brahman. Even the
great sages who have
attained a state of consciousness that is free
from the three modes
of material nature can see that place only in
trance. Çré Kåñëa took
the gopas to the place called Brahma-hrada,
where Akrüra also had darçana
of that supreme abode after
immersing himself in
the water. They saw that Çré Kåñëa was also
there, and that the
Vedas personified were offering prayers to
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
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12
This is the
explanation of Çréla Jéva Gosvämé: the Vrajaväsés considered how
Çré Kåñëa could
possibly be the supreme controller, Parameçvara. A different
explanation is given
by Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura, who explains that
the Vrajaväsés never
even for a moment considered that Çré Kåñëa could possibly
be Bhagavän, the
Supreme Personality who is full in six opulences. The
Vrajaväsés’ knowledge
of Kåñëa’s opulence remains covered at all times by the
predominating mood of
sweetness.
How is it possible for
such an apparent difference between these great
äcäryas ? Çréla Jéva Gosvämé
explains in the verse svecchayä likhitaà kiïcit that
he wrote certain
things for unqualified persons. Those things he did not reveal
were later revealed by
Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura, who always gave
respect to the opinion
of Çréla Jéva Gosvämé.
verse 5
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Him. That loka was
ultra-subtle, beyond mundane sense perception,
and unintelligible to
worldly thought processes. Upon seeing
it, they were both
utterly amazed and overwhelmed with joy.
In this narration, the
word aténdriya means “that which has
never been seen
before.” The word svagatim means “His own
abode,” which is
thoroughly incomprehensible. Çré Kåñëa
granted a vision of
that otherwise incomprehensible realm. Why
did He grant them darçana
of this abode? Because the Vrajaväsés
are His nearest and
dearest family members.
sälokya-särñöi-sämépyasärüpyaikatvam
apy uta
déyamänaà na gåhëanti
vinä mat-sevanaà janäù
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (3.29.13)
Without service to Me,
My devotees will not accept the forms of
liberation known as sälokya
(living on the same planet as the
Lord), särñöi (having
similar opulence to the Lord), sämépya
(always being near to
the Lord) and särüpya (having a similar
form to the Lord) –
what to speak of impersonal liberation – even
if they are offered to
them.
Just as the word janäù
in the above verse is understood to
mean nija-jana (His
own people), similarly the word jana in the
previously quoted
verse of Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.28.13) also
indicates nija-jana.
It would be inconsistent to accept the word
to refer to anyone
else. Above all others, Çré Kåñëa considers the
residents of Vraja to
be His kith and kin, and He has personally
confirmed this fact (Çrémad-Bhägavatam
10.25.18):
tasmän mac-charaëaà
goñöhaà
man-näthaà
mat-parigraham
gopäye svätma-yogena
so ’yaà me vrata
ähitaù
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
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This community of
cowherds is under My shelter. I am the patron
of these Vrajaväsés. I
personally use My own power and prowess
to protect those whom
I have accepted as My closest family members,
intimate relatives and
bosom friends. This is My steadfast
vow.
Çré Kåñëa further
considers, “Simply due to ignorance, the
living entities in
this universe, which is composed of five gross
elements, attain
various destinations in higher and lower species,
such as demigods and
animals. The Vrajaväsés consider themselves
to be in the same
category, and thus they could not understand
their own situation.
They have forgotten their own
constitutional status.
Their knowledge of My opulence has
become concealed
because of their absorption in My unique,
sweet human-like
pastimes.”
This is also
illustrated in Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.11.58):
iti nandädayo gopäù
kåñëa-räma-kathäà mudä
kurvanto ramamäëäç ca
nävindan bhava-vedanäm
Nanda Mahäräja and all
the Vrajaväsés always used to enjoy talking
about Kåñëa and
Balaräma. By doing so, they would become so
overwhelmed with bliss
that they never felt the distress of material
existence.
Material qualities
such as ignorance and self-centered fruitive
activities could never
touch the Vrajaväsés, for the influence of
ignorance is only
exerted upon the conditioned jévas who are
indifferent to Kåñëa,
not upon the personal associates of
Bhagavän.
From the expression gopänäà
svaà lokam in Çrémad-
Bhägavatam (10.28.14),13 it is
clear that Çré Kåñëa had granted the
13
See p. 61 (darçayäm
äsa lokaà svaà gopänäm).
verse 5
6 5
Vrajaväsés a vision of
His divine abode, Goloka, which is beyond
the illusory material
nature in all respects. That abode is the manifest
expression of the
internal potency, which is indivisible and
self-effulgent, and
the eternally true embodiment of infinite existence,
consciousness and
bliss. Although it is extremely difficult
to see this abode, Çré
Kåñëa mercifully granted them a vision of it.
It is a matter of
sheer wonderment to have such a darçana of
Goloka while being in
Våndävana-dhäma on this Earth. How was
it possible? In answer
to this question, it has been said that Çré
Kåñëa had taken the
Vrajaväsés headed by Nanda Mahäräja to
Brahma-hrada,
otherwise known as Akrüra-tértha, and instructed
them to immerse
themselves in Brahma-hrada. They dipped
under the water once.
Then, on Çré Kåñëa’s request, they dipped
under again several
times, and each time Çré Kåñëa granted them
darçana of a different loka.
In the end He granted them a vision
of Brahma-dhäma, His
greatest transcendental abode, Goloka.
It is also stated in Çrémad-Bhägavatam
(2.5.39): “mürdhabhiù
satyalokas tu
brahmalokaù sanätanaù – above the head of
Satyaloka lies the
eternal Brahmaloka.”
Here one may raise the
question, “Other sections of Vaikuëöha
are also called
Brahmaloka, so which Brahmaloka is this one?” In
response to this it is
said, “In Brahma-hrada, Akrüra had a vision
of the Brahmaloka that
is the highest abode of Goloka.14 Çré
Kåñëa had granted the darçana
of His supreme abode there
especially to indicate
the glories of that holy place of pilgrimage.”
Çréla Viçvanätha
Cakravartipäda has expressed the following
opinion in his commentary
on the previously mentioned verses
of Çrémad-Bhägavatam
(10.28.10–17): “In order to make the
Vrajaväsés realize the
superexcellent sweetness of the eternal
14
Here is an example of
different names being used to indicate Goloka:
Brahma-dhäma refers to
Goloka in this case. In other contexts, Brahma-dhäma
may refer to the abode
of impersonal liberation, or to Vaikuëöha.
abode of Våndävana,
the most compassionate Çré Kåñëa first
showed them the realm
of impersonal liberation, Brahmaloka.
Then He granted them a
vision of Vaikuëöhaloka, which is
superior to that
Brahmaloka. Finally, He granted them darçana
of the superlative
abode, Goloka-dhäma. In other words, Çré
Kåñëa submerged those
Vrajaväsés in impersonal liberation by
immersing them in
Brahma-hrada, and from there He lifted them
up to have darçana of
the spiritual abode, Vaikuëöha-dhäma, by
His inconceivable
potency.”
In this way, the
immensely merciful master of all saved His
devotees from the dire
calamity of impersonal liberation,15 and
made them taste the
happiness of Vaikuëöha. The feeling of
loving happiness in
Vaikuëöha is superior to the happiness
derived from the
impersonal Brahman, which is completely
devoid of love.
Furthermore, the love-laden happiness of Goloka
surpasses even the
happiness of Vaikuëöha.
taà vaikuëöha-lokaà
dåñtvä tu paramänanda-nivrtäù
vaikuëöhéya-golokasya
våndävanasya våndävana-sädharmyaà
darçanäd iti bhävaù
Those Vrajaväsés saw
Vaikuëöhaloka and felt the highest bliss,
because the Vaikuëöha
planet of which they had darçana was
actually the Goloka of
the Vaikuëöha realm or spiritual sky. This
seems to be the same
as Våndävana, due to the features that they
have in common, but
they are not one and the same place. A
millionaire becomes
severely aggrieved upon losing his wealth,
and overjoyed if he
somehow retrieves it again. Similarly, the
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
6 6
15
Here, one may ask,
“How is it that Nanda Mahäräja and the other Vrajaväsés,
who are all eternally
liberated personalities, needed to be rescued from the
calamity of impersonal
liberation?” The answer is that the Vrajaväsés felt great
distress upon seeing
the situation of impersonal liberation, and the greatly merciful
Çré Kåñëa rescued them
from their distress. For pure devotees, the condition
of impersonal liberation
is considered hellish (kaivalyaà narakäyate).
Vrajaväsés were
restless in Brahmaloka and Vaikuëöhaloka,
because they were
unable to see their Çré Kåñëa, whose face is
like a lotus flower,
and to whom they offer ärati with the lamp
of their lives millions
of times over. Calling out, “Where, oh
where, is our darling
Kåñëa?” they were becoming increasingly
anxious. However, when
they came to Goloka, they did see
Kåñëa there. “Aho!”
they exclaimed, “There’s Kåñëa!” They began
to approach Him, but
what they saw when they drew nearer to
Him took them by
surprise. “Aho! What kind of place have we
come to? There are
radiant, divine beings here offering reverent
hymns to Kåñëa. They
look just like our old acquaintances, but
we cannot call to mind
exactly who they are. We also feel hesitant
to inquire from them.
The most surprising thing is that Kåñëa,
who is sitting in
their midst, is not expressing His mood of childhood
as He did before. Even
upon seeing His father and elder
relatives, He is not
coming to us and putting His arms around our
necks. And what’s
more, we are also hesitant to go to Him and
take Him in our laps.
Why is He not feeling any hunger and thirst
today? How will His
mother live without feeding Him?”
When Çré Kåñëa saw
their reactions, His pastime potency
inspired Yogamäyä to
lift the depressed Vrajaväsés up from that
realm of Goloka and
deliver them back to Våndävana (Çrémad-
Bhägavatam 10.28.16–17).
Furthermore, it is
stated in the Harivaàça, in the narration
concerning Indra
(2.19.29):
svargäd ürdhvaà
brahmaloko
brahmarñi-gaëa-sevitaù
tatra somagatiç caiva
jyotiñäà ca mahätmanäm
nighnatopadravän
gaväm… etc.
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In the celestial
sphere above Svarga lies the world called
Brahmaloka, which is
attended by the sages known as
brahmarñis. That place is the
destination of Candra and the
powerful mahätmäs.
Above that region lies the planet of the
cows, Goloka, which is
protected by perfected personalities. That
great, all-pervading
realm is situated in a vast sky. Your (Çré
Kåñëa’s) radiant
refuge is considered to lie even above that.
Although we inquired
from Pitämaha Brahmäjé about this radiant
refuge, we are still
incapable of knowing it. Personalities who are
endowed with qualities
such as control of the mind and senses,
and who are dedicated
to pious activities, attain Svargaloka. The
adherents of
impersonal knowledge, who are incessantly engaged
in the austerities
associated with the impersonal feature of the
Absolute Truth, attain
Brahmaloka. However, it is extremely
difficult to ascend to
the planet of the cows, Goloka. O almighty
Çré Kåñëa, O
self-manifest and equipoised Lord, You are capable of
accomplishing
anything. When this world was in a crisis, You
upheld it and relieved
the cows from their calamity.
In this context, if we
take the meaning of “calamity” in the
general sense, it
would be unreasonable to interpret Brahmaloka
as the planet that
lies above Svargaloka. After deep deliberation,
it must be understood
that the Brahmaloka described in this
quotation is in every
way transcendental to the three mundane
planetary systems. The
moon has no access to that realm, what
to speak of the other
celestial bodies that are all situated beneath
Dhruvaloka.
Furthermore, the phrase sädhyäù pälayanti
indicates that this
Brahmaloka is protected by perfected personalities
(sädhyas).
However, this is also unreasonable because the
sädhyas are included within
the species of demigods. The sädhyas
cannot even protect
Svargaloka, so how can they protect Goloka?
From every angle this
interpretation is impossible.
This passage
continues, “The aforementioned planet, which is
also famous by the
name of Surabhéloka, is all-pervading.” This
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
6 8
statement also seems
to be inappropriate. Just as Çré Bhagavän’s
form is all-pervading
by the power of His inconceivable energy,
similarly His planet
is also all-pervading. This is not possible for
any planet other than
the planet of Bhagavän. Here in the statement
of Indra, påcchanto
’pi, the word api has been used to
indicate extreme
astonishment: “Aho! How amazing it is that,
although we inquired
about this subject from Pitämaha Brahmäjé,
we still cannot
understand it.” Surabhéloka is said to be within the
universe, and hence it
is neither fully transcendental, nor can it
be the topmost planet.
Therefore the Surabhéloka in this world
is distinct from
Goloka, which is transcendental to everything
material, being the
superexcellent form of Çré Bhagavän’s planet.
In the Mokña-dharma-näräëanéya-upäkhyäna,
Çré Bhagavän
Himself states:
evaà bahu-vidhai
rüpaiç
caräméha vasundharäm
brahma-lokaà ca
kaunteya
golokaà ca sanätanam
O son of Kunté! I
wander upon this Earth in many forms. In addition
to this, I also roam
perpetually in the eternal abodes,
Brahmaloka and Goloka
Våndävana.
Therefore the verse svargäd
ürdhvaà brahma-lokaù,
nighnatopadravän gaväm
is
properly understood as follows.
The word svargät in
this verse refers to Goloka Våndävana. In the
Second Canto of Çrémad-Bhägavatam,
Bhürloka, Bhuvarloka
and Svargaloka are
described as the lotus feet, the navel and the
head, respectively, of
the imaginary universal form. From Svarga
to Satyaloka there are
five planetary systems: Svarga, Mahar,
Janas, Tapas and
Satya. Above these five planetary systems is the
chief Svarga, or in
other words the spiritual Brahmaloka, the
embodiment of
eternity, knowledge and bliss that lies beyond
verse 5
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the insentient
material energy. The term Brahmaloka is used to
indicate the planet of
Bhagavän. It is also stated in the Second
Canto of Çrémad-Bhägavatam
that the eternal Brahmaloka lies
above the head of
Satyaloka, the topmost planet within this
material world.
Therefore the correct interpretation of the term
Brahmaloka in this
context is “the eternal and primeval
Vaikuëöhaloka.” It is
not a material place within this created
universe.
This is confirmed in
the çruti. This Brahmaloka is also known
as Ätmaloka, the
eternal planet of Bhagavän. It is served by the
brahmarñis including Brahmäjé,
the personified Vedas, the åñis
headed by Närada, Çré
Garuòa, and the Lord’s other associates
headed by Viñvaksena.
This description of the personalities who
are eternally
sheltered there acts as an indication of the qualifications
required to go to that
realm. The Soma who resides there
is not the moon;
rather, this Soma refers to Çré Çiva. This place is
his desired
destination, because Çré Çiva himself states in the
Rudra-géta of the Fourth Canto,
“That person who performs his
dharma unflinchingly for one
hundred births attains the position
of Brahmä. Those who
have performed even more pious activities
can attain my
position, the position of Çiva. But a living entity
born in an ordinary
family who renders service to Bhagavän
even for a very short
time becomes a Vaiñëava and attains the
supreme abode that I
desire to attain after giving up this position
of Çiva.”
The word jyotiñäm in
the previously quoted verse from the
Harivaàça refers to that Brahman
into which persons desire to
merge. This Brahmaloka
is extremely difficult to attain, even for
liberated saints who
have realized Brahman. That abode is only
attained by great
souls such as the four Kumäras headed by
Sanaka, as well as
other jïänés who have attained prema-bhakti,
all of whom render
devotional service to Bhagavän with an utter
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
7 0
disregard for
impersonal liberation. For example, it is stated in
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (6.14.5):
muktänäm api siddhänäà
näräyaëa-paräyaëaù
sudurlabhaù
praçäntätmä
koöiñv api mahä-mune
O great sage, one
among many millions of liberated persons may
attain perfection, and
among many perfected beings, one may
become fully devoted
to Näräyaëa; and among billions of such
personalities, one who
is fully peaceful and self-satisfied is
extremely rare.
Bhagavän has also
stated in Bhagavad-gétä (6.47):
yoginäm api sarveñäà
mad-gatenäntarätmanä
çraddhävän bhajate yo
mäà
sa me yuktatamo mataù
Amongst all yogés,
the best is he who is fully dedicated to Me, Çré
Väsudeva, and who
serves Me with great faith. This is My definite
opinion.
Herein we find
described the greatness of those devotees who
render loving service
with immovable faith. The word mahat (in
the verse from the Harivaàça)
refers to those personalities who
are possessed of the
highest prema. Only they attain Goloka.
Above Brahmaloka is gaväà
loka, in other words Golokadhäma.
It is said that this
planet is served by sädhyas. Here
sädhya refers to the original
forms upon which the forms of the
demigods within the
material world are based. They are eternal
associates of Çré
Kåñëa who serve in Goloka in the capacity of
guardians of the
directions.
It is also confirmed
in the çruti that this excellent place is
known as Svargaloka,
and that it is the residence of all the
verse 5
7 1
sädhyas and devatäs. In
this case, Svargaloka refers to Golokadhäma,
where all the original
forms of the demigods reside and
render service to
Bhagavän Çré Kåñëa. It does not refer to the
mundane Svargaloka
where Indra and other demigods reside.
In the Uttara-khaëòa
of the Padma Puräëa, in a description
of Mahä-Vaikuëöha
Goloka-dhäma, it is stated that this supremely
glorious Goloka-dhäma
is the residence of the eternal devatäs,
viçvedevas and sädhyas,
who have immense beauty, and whose
sight invokes
auspiciousness.
In Brahmäjé’s prayers
in the Tenth Canto of Çrémad-
Bhägavatam (10.14.34), we find
that he also hankers to take birth
in Gokula: tad-bhüri-bhägyam
iha janma kim apy aöavyäà yad
gokule ’pi. Great devotees of
the caliber of four-headed Brahmä
also take birth there
as immobile trees or creepers, and pray to
receive the foot-dust
of the gopas and gopés. Therefore Golokadhäma
is famous for being
superior to all other abodes. Just as
Bhagavän Näräyaëa
exists everwhere, Goloka-dhäma is also allpervading,
for it simultaneously
pervades all material and spiritual
universes. It is also
mentioned in çästra that the attainment
of Goloka is the final
destination among the progressive stages of
liberation.
It is described in the
Second Canto that Brahmä, who sits upon
a lotus flower, saw
Vaikuëöhaloka. Similarly the Vrajaväsés also
saw Goloka in which
opulence predominates. This Golokadhäma
is great; indeed, it
is a form of Bhagavän, as stated in çruti,
mahäntaà vibhum
ätmänam.
This deliberation
arises because several terms – such as
mahäkäça, brahma and paravyoma
– have been used in
descriptions of
Goloka. For example, Goloka has been described
as mahäkäça (the
great sky) in the Vedänta-sütra code äkäças
tal-liìgät.
The phrase tad-gataù
indicates the attainment of one’s spiritual
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
7 2
form, and consequently
the attainment of this supreme abode.
For example, Ajämila
also attained Vaikuëöha after being
awarded his spiritual
form. The significance is that Bhagavän’s
names, form,
qualities, pastimes and abode are all transcendental.
Consequently, upon
attaining one’s svarüpa, one also
attains Bhagavän’s
abode.
In Goloka-dhäma, which
shines victoriously far above all
other planets, Çré
Kåñëa sports in the form of Govinda. The place
wherein Çré Kåñëa
revels in His pleasure pastimes in the form of
Govinda is by no means
ordinary; it is tapomayé. The word tapaù
(austerity) should be
accepted in the sense of boundless and
indivisible opulence.
The same interpretation of the word tapaù
is found in the
commentary on Çré Viñëu-sahasra-näma-stotram
in relation to the
phrase paramaà yo mahat-tapaù. The çruti
statement satayo
’tapyata pertains to Parameçvara. Its meaning
is, “That Parameçvara
has manifested aiçvarya.” Therefore
Goloka is extremely
difficult to attain, even for Brahmä.
This planet has been
described in various places as
Brahmaloka, Vaikuëöha,
Mahä-Näräyaëaloka, Paravyoma,
Mahäkäça and so on,
which are all originally names only for
Goloka. Just as the
attainment of Brahmaloka is possible only for
a person whose mind is
perfectly controlled, similarly only a
premamaya-bhakta (one who worships Çré
Viñëu – meaning Çré
Kåñëa – with undivided
attention) can know this planet Goloka.
Çruti also confirms this: yasya
jïänamayaà tapaù. Here the
word Brahmaloka means
Vaikuëöha, the word parä means “transcendental
to material nature,”
and gaväm refers to all the residents
of Vraja including the
trees, vines, cows, cowherds and
gopés. Moreover, nighnatopadravän
gaväm means that Kåñëa
dispels all the
miseries of the residents of Vraja. What are their
miseries? They are
described in the Yugala-géta of Çrémad-
Bhägavatam (10.35.25) by the gopés
in their mood of separation:
verse 5
7 3
“mocayan
vraja-gaväà dina-täpam – our dearmost Çyämasundara
is returning to drive
away the intolerable affliction of separation
that all the residents
of Vraja have suffered throughout the day in
His absence.” This is
the meaning of His dispelling the calamities
that befall the
Vrajaväsés. The Vrajaväsis’ affection for Çré Kåñëa is
natural. One who is
inspired by their loving moods must practice
sädhana continuously in order
to attain an emotional attachment
just like theirs. Only
then can this extremely rare loving attachment
that is found in Vraja
be attained. Thus, such a destination
is extraordinarily
uncommon.
After the description
of Goloka, now in the phrase beginning
with sa tu,
there is an explanation of the non-difference between
Goloka and Gokula: “He
protected the Vrajaväsés by holding up
the mountain
Govardhana.” The same version is found in Çré
Näräyaëéyopäkhyäna of Mokña-dharma,
wherein Çré Bhagavän
personally states, “O
son of Kunté, I wander throughout the
universe in many
forms. I roam throughout Brahmaloka, eternal
Goloka, and also in
Çrédhäma Våndävana Gokula.” It is also stated
in the Måtyuïjaya-tantra:
“According to His own independent
desire, He established
Vaikuëöha from the Mahäkäça (spiritual
sky) upon the surface
of the Earth in the form of Gokula, and
made successful very
great festivals such as the räsa-lélä with the
gopés. This type of
festival is the very heart of bhakti, and it
bestows pure
transcendental love upon the faithful.”
Närada-païcarätra contains the following
description in the
history of Vijaya: “In
Goloka-dhäma, which exists above all other
abodes, the
incomparable supremely blissful hero known as
Govinda delights in
the abode of Gokula.” This is also confirmed
in the Åg Veda (1.154.6)
as follows:
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
7 4
verse 5
7 5
tä väà västüny uçmasi
gamadhyai
yatra gävo bhüri-çåìgä
ayäsaù
aträha tad urugäyasya
kåñëaù
paramaà padam avabhäti
bhüri
In the first line the
word täù means “all,” väm means “of Räma
and Kåñëa,” västüni
means “the pastime places of Gokula,”
gamadhyai means “to attain,” and
uçmasi means “we desire.”
What is the nature of
those lélä-sthalés ? Very excellent and beautiful
horned cows are found
there. Here the word bhüri not only
means that the cows
have very excellent horns; it also means that
they are endowed with
great prosperity. These cows, which are
endowed with all
auspicious symptoms, are käma-dhenus, who
are capable of
satisfying all desires of all people. The word
ayäsaù found here is defined
in the Amara-koña as meaning
“auspiciousness,” and deväsa
as meaning “you are.” Thus Goloka
is renowned in
Bhü-maëòala, in Vaikuëöha and in the Vedas. This
Goloka-dhäma is in
many ways as famous and as transcendental
to the material nature
as the much-famed Çré Bhagavän.
In the çruti,
the mädhyandinéya portion of the Yajur Veda
mentions: “dhämäny
uçmaséti iti viñëoù paramaà padam
avabhäti bhüri – we desire to attain
that Goloka-dhäma, which
is the svarüpa of
Çré Viñëu’s supreme abode.” In addition there
are many other
statements from the çästra that establish the same
essential conclusion.
TÄTPARYA
The supreme abode,
Gokula, is the prominent seat or shelter of
prema-bhakti. Therefore all the
places of the manifestation of
Vraja in the material
world (Bhauma-Vraja), such as Rädhäkuëòa,
Govardhana and the
Yamunä, are gracefully present
there. Besides this,
the complete opulence of Vaikuëöha expands
to the fullest extent
in all directions. The original quadruple
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
7 6
pastime expansion
called ädi-catur-vyüha (Väsudeva,
Saìkarñaëa, Pradyumna
and Aniruddha) and other such manifestations
are present there in
their appropriate situations. This
catur-vyüha is partially manifest
as the catur-vyüha of
Vaikuëöha, who in turn
manifests the unlimited realm of
Vaikuëöha. The
liberation attained in Vaikuëöha, and the three
objectives attained in
the material world – namely religiosity,
economic development
and sense gratification – are also appropriately
situated in Gokula
(Goloka) in their original root forms.
The Vedas are present
there in their personified forms as well,
and are deeply
absorbed in singing about the qualities of the
master of Gokula.
The endeavors of those
who try to attain that Goloka-dhäma
solely by their own
contemplation and meditation, without
attaining the favor of
Çré Kåñëa, are utterly futile. This is because
it is surrounded on
all sides by ten formidable spears to check
anyone from entering.
These ten spears bestow hopelessness on
those desiring to
enter illegally. Proud persons who attempt to go
to that topmost planet
by means of the paths of yoga and jïäna
are also pierced by
those spears, and are forced to return
defeated. Nirväëa is
worthy of a position in Brahma-dhäma (the
destination of
impersonal liberation), but not in Goloka. This
impersonal liberation
has been called the spears (çüla) which
form the outer
covering of Goloka. The meaning of the word
çüla comes from triçüla,
or trident. Triçüla is comprised of the
three material
qualities and also the three divisions of time: past,
present and future.
In this way, whatever
aspirations the añöäìga-yogés and the
monistic brahma-jïänés
hold for progress toward Goloka are cut
to shreds on the
tridents situated in the ten directions, and they
fall into the ditch of
unmitigated dejection. When those traveling
in the direction of
Goloka along the path of bhakti in the mood of
verse 5
7 7
opulence make some
progress on their journey, they see the eight
perfections of mystic yoga
headed by aëimä-siddhi, and the treasures
headed by mahäpadma,
and they become attracted to
them. Thus, they stop
in Vaikuëöha, which is of the nature of an
outer covering of Çré
Goloka. Those whose intelligence is even
less refined are
defeated by the guardians of the ten directions
who exist in the form
of mantras, and return again to the seven
planetary systems
within the material universe.
Therefore,
Goloka-dhäma is an incomprehensible and impenetrable
realm, which is easily
accessible only through pure
prema-bhakti. The preacher of yuga-dharma,
who is the sum
total of all avatäras
of Bhagavän, remains there eternally in order
to bestow mercy upon
the devotees who arrive there after
traversing the path of
çuddha-prema-bhakti. There He is surrounded
by eternal associates
in accordance with His complexion,
mood and other
specific features. That dhäma in Gokula
(the inner region of
Goloka), called Çvetadvépa, is His abode.16
For this reason, Çréla
Våndävana däsa Öhäkura, who is the
incarnation of Vyäsa,
has described Çvetadvépa thus: “çvetadvépa
näma, navadvépa gräma –
the pastimes of Navadvépa-dhäma,
which are
supplementary to gokula-lélä, are eternally present in
the center of that
Çvetadvépa.” Therefore Navadvépa-maëòala,
Vraja-maëòala and
Goloka are one undivided reality. They are
perceived in a variety
of forms only because they are illuminated
by an unlimited number
of special ecstatic sentiments arising
from the variegated
nature of prema.
16
Çvetadvépa has been
mentioned previously as the outer perimeter of Golokadhäma.
In other words,
Çvetadvépa is sometimes taken to mean the outer manifestation
of Goloka that is
predominated by a mood of opulence. In this case,
however, Çvetadvépa
refers to an area within the inner region called Gokula.
This Çvetadvépa
described here is manifest in this world in the form of
Navadvépa.
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
7 8
There is yet another
confidential truth that is understood
directly only by the
most realized premi-bhaktas, through the
mercy of Çré Kåñëa. In
the mundane world there is a sequence of
upper and lower
planetary systems totaling fourteen in all. The
householders who are
dedicated to prescribed duties performed
for the sake of
fulfilling material desires transmigrate within the
three planetary
systems Bhür, Bhuvar and Svar. Peaceful personalities
who are fixed in their
great vows of celibacy, austerity and
truthfulness are
elevated to the spheres of Maharloka, Janaloka,
Tapoloka and up as far
as Satyaloka, by engaging in their duties
without any desire to
enjoy the fruit of their activities. In the
highest part of that
planetary system is the planet of the fourheaded
Brahmä, and above that
lies the Vaikuëöhaloka of
Kñérodakaçäyé Viñëu.
The paramahaàsa sannyäsés and the
demons killed by
Bhagavän Çré Hari cross beyond the Virajä; that
is, they cross beyond
the fourteen planetary systems of this
mortal world and
attain monistic liberation by immersing the
individual existence
of their selves in the light of Brahma-dhäma.
The jïäni-bhaktas,
who are fond of Bhagavän’s supreme
opulence, the çuddha-bhaktas,
premi-bhaktas, premaparabhaktas
and premätura-bhaktas
attain positions in Vaikuëöha,
which is the
transcendental abode of Näräyaëa also known as
Paravyoma.17 The only
devotees who attain Goloka-dhäma are
those who are absorbed
in Çré Kåñëa’s supremely sweet, humanlike
feature, following the
mood prevalent in Vraja. By the influence
of His inconceivable
potency, such devotees who are fully
intent on entering
these sweet, human-like pastimes are situated
in different positions
corresponding to the gradations found
between the individual
rasas.
17
In this connection,
Mathurä and Dvärakä are considered to be included within
the abode of Näräyaëa.
The devotees who
exclusively follow the pure and transcendental
mood of Vraja make
their residences in Kåñëaloka, while
those who exclusively
follow the mood of Navadvépa make their
residences in
Gauraloka. The devotees who are equally dedicated
to the bhävas of
Vraja-dhäma and Navadvépa-dhäma take
up residence
simultaneously in both Kåñëaloka and Gauraloka,
and attain the
happiness of divine loving service in both places
at once. Therefore,
Çré Jéva Gosvämé has stated in Çré Gopälacampü:
yasya khalu lokasya
golokas tathä go-gopäväsa-rüpasya çvetadvépatayä
cänanya-spåñöaù
parama-çuddhatä-samudbuddha-svarüpasya
tädåça-jïänamaya-katipaya-mätra-prameya-pätratayä
tat-tat-paramatä
matä, parama-golokaù
paramaù çvetadvépa iti.
That supreme planet is
called Goloka because it is the residence
of the cows (go)
and the cowherds (gopa). This is the prominent
location of the räsa-lélä,
which is Çré Kåñëa’s very self. That topmost
realm is also known as
Çvetadvépa in the form of the primary
place for relishing
the rasa of several varieties of spiritual sentiments,
which are of exactly
the same sort of inconceivable nature.
It is an exceptionally
pure manifestation, for it is untouched by
associates possessed
of other types of bhäva. Thus, these two
svarüpas of Parama-Goloka and
Parama-Çvetadvépa exist in the
undivided form of
Goloka-dhäma.
The fundamental
purport of this statement is that, even after
tasting His own
pastimes in the form of vraja-lélä, Kåñëa had not
attained the happiness
derived from relishing rasa completely.
Therefore,
Vrajendra-nandana Çré Kåñëa accepted the internal
mood and golden luster
of Çré Rädhikä, who is the supermost
abode of kåñëa-rasa.
The compartment (prakoñöha) of Goloka
where He eternally
manifests the pastime of completely tasting
rasa to the superlative
degree is called Çvetadvépa. The special
bhäva mentioned here has
been described thus:
verse 5
7 9
çré-rädhäyäù
praëaya-mahimä kédåço vänayaiväsvädyo
yenädbhuta-madhurimä
kédåço vä madéyaù
saukhyaà cäsyä
mad-anubhavataù kédåçaà veti lobhät
tad-bhäväòhyaù
samajani çacé-garbha-sindhau harénduù
Çré
Caitanya-caritämåta (Ädi-lélä 1.6)
“How great is the
deeply intense love (praëaya) of Çré Rädhä?
What is the nature of
My astonishing sweetness, which She alone
relishes? And what
special kind of happiness does She experience
on tasting My
sweetness?” A greed to taste these three things arose
within the heart of
Çré Kåñëa, and to fulfill that intense desire, He
took birth from the
womb of Çré Çacémätä like the moon appearing
from the ocean.
Thus, the profound
intention hidden within the aforementioned
Gopäla-campü verse of Çré Jéva
Gosvämé has been illuminated
in the above verse. In
the Vedas it has also been stated:
“rahasyaà te
vadiñyämi” – jähnavé-tére navadvépe golokäkhye
dhämni govindo
dvi-bhujo gauraù sarvätmä mahäpuruño mahätmä
mahäyogé triguëätétaù
sattva-svarüpo bhaktià loke käçyatéti. tad ete
çlokä bhavanti – eko
devaù sarva-rüpé mahätmä gaura-rakta-çyämala-
çveta-rüpaç
caitanyätma. sa vai caitanya-çaktir bhaktäkäro
bhaktido bhakti-vedyaù
Listen! I am about to
disclose a deep mystery to you. In that
Navadvépa-dhäma, also
known as Goloka, on the bank of the
Jähnavé River, Gaura-Govinda, the
two-handed embodiment of
pure existence,
manifests pure bhakti for the sake of delivering
the living entities
who are ensnared in the chain of repeated birth
and death. He is
all-pervading and beyond the influence of the
three modes of nature.
He is the Supreme Personality, the best
yogé and the greatest ätmä.
That one divinity, the embodiment of
all divine forms, the
Supreme Soul, appears as the golden, red,
black and white yuga-avatäras.
He is the complete consciousness,
and He is endowed with
spiritual potency. He appears in the
form of a devotee, He
bestows bhakti and He is understood only
through bhakti.
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
8 0
There is much
scriptural evidence that establishes the nondifference
of Çré Gauracandra
(Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu) and Çré
Kåñëacandra, e.g. äsan
varëäs trayaù, kåñëa-varëaà tviñäkåñëam,
yadä paçyaù paçyate
rukma-varëam and mahän prabhur vai.
In His eternal form as
Çré Gaurahari in Navadvépa, He is absorbed
in tasting the rasa
of Rädhä and Kåñëa’s Goloka pastimes. This
has been certified by
the Vedic mantras cited on the previous
page. Just as by the
influence of Yogamäyä the original form of
Çré Kåñëa takes birth
in the earthly Gokula and performs pastimes
of infancy, boyhood
and adolescence, so the original form of Çré
Gaura is similarly
endowed with such pastimes in the earthly
Navadvépa, beginning
with His birth from the womb of Çré
Çacémätä. This
fundamental truth is an axiomatic principle realized
by the faculty of pure
transcendental cognition. It is not a
figment of the
imagination, or a contemplation induced by the
illusory energy.
verse 5
8 1
Verse 6
,oa T;ksfreZ;ks nso%
lnkuUn% ijkRij% A
vkRekjkeL; rL;kfLr
izÏR;k u lekxe% ûˆû
evaà jyotir-mayo devaù
sad-änandaù parät
paraù
ätmärämasya tasyästi
prakåtyä na samägamaù
Anvaya
evam – thus (existing in
great opulence); devaù – Çré Govinda, the controller
of Gokula; jyotir-mayaù
– the effulgent Supreme Controller; sadänandaù
– who is the original
form of eternal bliss; parät paraù – who
is greater than any
other lord and controller; ätma-ärämasya tasya –
delights with His
internal potency; na asti
samägamaù – and has no
meeting; prakåtyä –
with His external potency.
TRANSLATION
Thus it is seen that
Bhagavän Gokuleçvara is the selfeffulgent
worshipable
personality, the Supreme Absolute
Truth and the
embodiment of eternal bliss. He is absorbed
in amorous pastimes
with His internal potency in His own
eternal abode, and He
has no direct connection with the
dull material nature.
ÖÉKÄ TRANSLATION
Now we will explain
the deep intentions of Brahmäjé in uttering
this verse. Just as mantras
such as Puruña-sükta in the Vedas
have defined Bhagavän
Çré Kåñëa as being one with the universal
form, similarly the
creator, Viñëu, is described here in the verse
8 2
beginning evam as
being non-different from Bhagavän Çré Kåñëa,
the presiding deity of
Goloka.
The word deva indicates
Çré Govindadeva, the eternally selfeffulgent
presiding deity of
Goloka. He is called deva because He
is ever absorbed in
pastimes, which are of two types: pastimes in
which His
transcendental opulence is predominant, and pastimes
in which His
transcendental sweetness is predominant. Çré Mahä-
Viñëu’s pastime of
creating the cosmos, from which all moving
and non-moving living
entities in the universe have sprung forth,
is a manifestation of
only one-fourth of Bhagavän’s opulence.
The expression sad-änanda
indicates the sac-cid-änanda
svarüpa of Bhagavän, who
exists as the puruña in His eternal
form of bliss. The
inherent constitutional nature of the puruña is
the state of being the
predominating male enjoyer. According to
the statement of çruti:
“vijïänam änandaà brahma – Brahman
is the origin of
knowledge and bliss.” Here Brahman has been
referred to by the use
of a noun that is neither masculine nor
feminine, but neuter.
Since Bhagavän is the Supreme Personality
engaged in pastimes,
why would He give up His form as enjoyer
and become an
impersonal entity, devoid of masculinity? He
is self-satisfied, and
takes pleasure in His own ätmä; He does
not have to depend
upon anyone else. Therefore He is impartial
and independently
capable of accomplishing everything.
Nevertheless, He is
eternally busy in pastimes with His own pleasure
potency. He never
touches the inert material nature, nor
does He have any
connection with it. For example, in Çrémad-
Bhägavatam (2.9.10) it is stated:
“na yatra mäyä kim utäpare –
mäyä cannot enter that
region.”
The material modes of
passion and ignorance, or even goodness
mixed with passion and
ignorance, are not found in that
Vaikuëöha-dhäma.
There, only pure goodness is eternally present.
In that realm, there
is no influence of time, what to speak of
verse 6
8 3
qualities such as
attachment and aversion. The illusory nature,
which is the cause of
worldly happiness and distress, cannot even
enter that place. It
is inhabited forever by the associates of
Bhagavän, who is
praised by both demigods and demons.
TÄTPARYA
The one supreme
transcendental potency or internal potency of
Gokuleçvara Çré Kåñëa
has manifested the pastimes of Goloka, or
Gokula. By the mercy
of this divine potency, the living entities
who are manifestations
of the marginal potency can also enter
into those pastimes.
Mahä-Vaikuëöha is the covering of Goloka.18
Its extreme outer
border is Brahma-dhäma, and beyond Brahmadhäma
lies the Virajä River.
The inferior external energy, which
is the shadow of the
spiritual potency, is situated on the other
side of that Virajä River.
Therefore, the illusory energy (mäyä)
cannot attain the
direct association of the supremely pure saccid-
änanda-svarüpa of Çré Kåñëa. To say
nothing of associating
with Him, she even
feels ashamed to come within His sight.
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
8 4
18
Here, Mahä-Vaikuëöha
refers to the supremely opulent abode of Näräyaëa.
Verse 7
ek;;k·jeek.kL; u
fo;ksxLr;k lg A
vkReuk je;k jses
R;ädkya fll`{k;k û‰û
mäyayäramamäëasya
na viyogas tayä saha
ätmanä ramayä reme
tyakta-kälaà sisåkñayä
Anvaya
aramamäëasya – (although) not
enjoying directly; mäyayä – with His
external potency; na
viyogaù – He is not fully detached; tayä saha –
from her; ätmanä
ramayä reme – He enjoys with His own internal
potency Ramä-çakti; sisåkñayä
– (but) on account of His desire to create
the universes made of
the five gross elements; tyakta-kälam – He
enjoys with her in a
secondary form by means of His glance by which
His time-potency
becomes enacted.
TRANSLATION
Mahä-Viñëu never
consorts with the external energy
(mäyä). Still,
it cannot be said that mäyä is entirely
separated or divorced
from that aspect of the supreme
reality. Mahä-Viñëu
consorts with His own personal
potency, Ramä-devé.
Whenever He desires to create the
universe, Bhagavän
activates His time potency, and casts
His glance toward the
inert material energy.
ÖÉKÄ TRANSLATION
Creating the universe
is not the duty of Svayam Bhagavän, but
the responsibility of
the expansion of His expansion in the form
8 5
of the puruña-avatära.
In this task, the relationship of the
puruña-avatära with the inert
material energy is not direct, but
indirect. Bhagavän’s
direct relationship is with His personal
energy, Ramä-devé. The
external potency is not permanently
manifest, because she
enters into the puruña-avatära at the time
of the cosmic
annihilation. The puruña-avatära causes mäyä to
perform her duties of
creation and so on by inspiring her through
the agency of His time
potency. That is the only contact He
has with her; He has
no direct contact with mäyä in this
operation. The contact
is only indirect, as confirmed in Çrémad-
Bhägavatam (10.85.31): “yasyäàçäàçäàça-bhägena
– the
creation, maintenance
and destruction of the mundane universe
is accomplished by the
puruña-avatära, who is an expansion of
an expansion of His
expansion.”
A doubt may arise in
this connection: The living entities
become attached to mäyä,
so does Bhagavän also become
engrossed in mäyä in
the same way, and cease to be the Lord?
To resolve this doubt,
it is said: “ätmanä ramayä reme –
Bhagavän consorts with
His own personal, intrinsic potency,
Ramä-devé.” Therefore,
Bhagavän is neither attached to mäyä,
nor subject to its
control, unlike the living entities who are bound
by the results of
their karma. He is served by the external
potency in the
external quarter, and by the intrinsic, internal
potency Çré Ramä-devé
in the internal realm. This is the purport
of the verse in
question.
It is also stated in
the prayers of Brahmä found in Çrémad-
Bhägavatam (3.9.23): “eña
prapanna-varado ramayätmaçaktyä
yad yat kariñyati
gåhéta-guëävatäraù – O Bhagavän, You
bestow benedictions
upon the living entities who are unconditionally
surrendered to You. In
order to manifest varieties of
pastimes in the
universe composed of five gross elements, You
descend along with
Your internal potency.”
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
8 6
This is also supported
by Çré Arjuna’s statement in Çrémad-
Bhägavatam (1.7.23): “mäyäà
vyüdasya cic-chaktyä kaivalye
sthita ätmani – O Bhagavän, You are
the transcendental controller
and enjoyer, You are
beyond the material nature, and You
are the master of
existence. Therefore You are immutable; that is,
You are not attached
to mäyä. You keep the external potency far
distant by the
influence of Your intrinsic, internal potency, and
You remain situated
exclusively in Your own intrinsic nature.”
If this conclusion is
accepted, then how does creation take
place without being
activated by Him? In answer to this question
it is said, sisåkñayä:
when Bhagavän desires to create, He activates
His time potency,
through which He agitates the material
nature. Material
existence takes place by the influence of this
time potency, which is
the light of Bhagavän’s bodily luster.
The constitutional
nature of time has been described thus:
“prabhävaà pauruñaà
prähuù kälam eke yato bhayam – all
remain in a state of
fear of this puruña’s influence in the form
of time.” One can find
a detailed analysis of this in Çrémad-
Bhägavatam (3.5.23):
käla-våttyä tu mäyäyäà
guëamayyäm adhokñajaù
puruñeëätma-bhütena
véryam ädhatta
véryavän
Bhagavän Viñëu is the puruña,
who is beyond material sense
perception and who is
replete with spiritual potency. By His time
potency, He agitates
the material energy, which consists of the
modes of material
nature, and then sows the seed of the cause of
creation in mäyä through
the medium of His partial manifestation.
The purport of this
verse is that the first puruña-avatära of
Adhokñaja Bhagavän is
Käraëodakaçäyé Mahä-Viñëu, who
glances toward mäyä
from a distance. By the influence of this
glance, Bhagavän
impregnates mäyä with potency in the form of
verse 7
8 7
jéva-çakti, which is a semblance
of the transcendental potency
(cit-çakti ).
The living entities who, as a result of fruitive activities
performed in
ignorance, had merged into the unmanifest material
nature at the time of
the cosmic annihilation, are sent again
into the field of
fruitive activities at the time of creation and made
to enter mäyä.
The universe appears
as a result of the combination of mäyäçakti
and jéva-çakti.
Furthermore, çästra confirms that although
jéva-çakti, who is
the knower of the field of his own activities, is
superior to the
material energy, he is subordinate to mäyä on
account of his
entering into mäyä. In this context the word
puruña indicates one who
glances toward the predominated
material nature. This
is how the puruña has impregnated the
unmanifest material
nature with seed-potency in the form of the
living entities.
TÄTPARYA
Bhagavän Çré Kåñëa has
no direct connection with the illusory
potency; His contact
with mäyä is only indirect. In His form of
Käraëodakaçäyé
Mahä-Viñëu, the puruña-avatära, He glances
toward mäyä.
This form is a plenary portion of Mahä-
Saìkarñaëa, who
resides in the seat of pastimes known as
Vaikuëöha. Even in
this act of glancing He has no association with
mäyä because, by His
desire, Ramä-devé, the cit-çakti, carries out
the function of His
glance as His inseparable potency. The external
potency renders
service to the personal expansion of
Bhagavän as He sports
with Ramä-devé, so she acts in the capacity
of Ramä-devé’s
maidservant. The function of time is simply
Ramä-devé’s power of
cause and effect. In other words, only
käla-puruña, the personified time
factor, unites with the inert
material energy, with
the result that the universe composed of
five elements emerges.
Thus that käla-puruña, or the influence
ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ
8 8
by which the cosmic
creation, maintenance and destruction take
place, is the wish of
Bhagavän.
verse 7
8 9
Verse 8
fu;fr% lk jeknsoh
rr~fiz;k r}'ka rnk A
rfYyÂa Hkxoku~
'kEHkqT;kZsfr:i% lukru% û
;k ;ksfu% lkijk'kfä%
dkekschta eg¼js% ûŠû
niyatiù sä ramä devé
tat-priyä tad-vaçaà
tadä
tal-liìgaà bhagavän
çambhur
jyoti-rüpaù sanätanaù
yä yoniù säparä-çaktiù
kämo béjaà mahad
dhareù
Anvaya
sä ramä – that Ramä-devé (with
whom Mahä-Viñëu enjoys); devé – is the
Lord’s self-effulgent
potency; tat-priyä – she is dear to Him; niyatiù – is
born of His svarüpa;
tad-vaçam – and is fully submissive to Him; tadä
– then (at the time of
creation); jyoti-rüpaù sanätanaù – the personified
reflection of His
eternal effulgence; bhagavän çambhuù – appears as
the renowned Bhagavän
Çambhu; tat-liìgam – the generative capacity
(Çambhu’s localized
representation) of that same first puruña,
Käraëodakaçäyé Viñëu.
He is a plenary portion of Saìkarñaëa who in
turn is a plenary
portion of Çré Kåñëa; sä yä aparä çaktiù – (similarly)
she who is the
inferior potency of Mahä-Viñëu, and the semblance of
Yogamäyä; yoniù –
becomes the womb (for universal generation);
kämaù – Mahä-Viñëu has a
desire for universal creation, as a result of
which His glance falls
upon His illusory potency; béjam hareù – and on
account of the seed of
Hari (bestowed upon mäyä); mahat – the
mahat-tattva arises (which is the
combined form of the living entities
and the five gross
elements, the result of the action performed by His
personified glance).
9 0
TRANSLATION
[Now the way in which
Bhagavän indirectly comes in contact
with mäyä is
being described.]
The spiritual potency
in the form of Ramä-devé, who is
dear to Bhagavän, is
Destiny. That goddess is always
controlled by the
Supreme Lord and is always dedicated to
His service. At the
onset of creation, the effulgence of
Mahä-Viñëu, who is the
expansion of Çré Kåñëa’s plenary
portion, is manifest
in the form of Çambhu. That Çambhu
is called the liìga
of Bhagavän, meaning the manifest
symbol of His
generative capacity, and appears for the
purpose of preparing
the cosmic manifestation of the
material universes.
The liìga in the form of Çambhu is a
reflection of the
eternal light or effulgence. The feminine
receptive potency is
manifest from Ramä-devé or Destiny.
That potency which
gives birth to the material creation is
the inferior energy
called mäyä, whose intrinsic form is
the yoni, the
womb of universal creation. The union of the
yoni and liìga is
the reflection of the Supreme Lord Çré
Hari’s desire seed, in
the form of the unmanifested
material energy (mahat-tattva).
ÖÉKÄ TRANSLATION
Who is Ramä-devé? The
one-and-a-half çlokas beginning with
niyatiù are being spoken in
answer to this question. She is constitutionally
the spiritual potency,
and she is called niyati because
she is eternally
present within the svarüpa of Svayam Bhagavän,
and because she
remains niyamita (regulated in her activities) by
Svayam Bhagavän. Thus,
she is Bhagavän’s submissive and
beloved consort. It is
stated in Çrémad-Bhägavatam (12.11.20):
“anapäyiné
bhagavaté çréù säkñäd-ätmano hareù – she is directly
verse 8
9 1
Bhagavaté Çré
Lakñmé-devé, who is the internal, inseparable
potency of Çré Hari.”
The çakti of Çré Hari is inseparable because
she is directly of His
intrinsic nature. That is to say, just as Çré Hari
is the embodiment of
transcendental consciousness, similarly His
internal potency,
being non-different from Him, is the feminine
aspect of the
embodiment of transcendental consciousness. Here
the word säkñät (directly)
indicates that she is not the çakti who
is ashamed to be in
the path of Çré Hari’s vision. That çakti is the
illusory potency, who
bewilders the living entities who are
averse to Bhagavän.
Bhagavaté Lakñmé-devé has also been called
anapäyiné (imperishable or
inseparable) in the Viñëu Puräëa:
nityaiva sä jagan-mätä
viñëo çrér anapäyiné
yathä sarva-gato
viñëus
tathaiveyaà dvijottama
O best of the
twice-born, the mother of the universe, Lakñmé-devé,
is Bhagavän Viñëu’s
eternal anapäyiné-çakti. Just as Viñëu is all
pervading, similarly
His çakti is also present everywhere.
Whenever the master of
the universe, the God of gods,
Janärdana, descends to
this world, His internal potency
Bhagavaté Lakñmé-devé
also descends along with Him in appropriate
forms, such as those
of goddesses or human beings, corresponding
to the forms of Çré
Hari.
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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