bhaktamark1

Thank you for your interesting response. "Christ, Krsna, the name is the same" - Srila Prabhupada.

Text 132 Purport "If someone calls Lord Ramachandra by the vibration Hare Rama, or if he understands Ramachandra, he is quite right. Similarly, if one says that Hare Rama means Sri Balarama, he is also right. Those who are aware of the Vishnu-tattva do not fight over such details." Nityananda Trayodasi Offering The Gaudiya Vaishnava Theology of Sri Nitai-Balarama as the Second Person of the Godhead, the Origin of Incarnation, the Original Spiritual Master, the Savior of all Worlds, and the Second Person of the Catholic Godhead Part 2 by Bhakti Ananda Goswami To Balu-Yahu Christ, the Second Person of the Godhead; To Balu-Yahu Christ, Zaos (Jiva) the reservoir of all living beings; To Balu-Yahu Christ, shelter of the spiritual energy, and Lord of Shekinah (Shakti); To Balu-Yahu Christ; Baal-Dionysos; counter-form of Helios Kouros; To Balu-Yahu Christ; upon the cosmic mayim waters; To Balu-Yahu Christ; Whose name is also KRISHNA; To San-KARSHANA Christ, Whose Name reveals the Father's; To Balu-Yahu Christ; source of all Incarnation; To Balu-Yahu Christ; Whose Atman / Atum Spirit is all-pervading; To Balu-Yahu Christ; Whose Incarnations appear for the purpose of creation; maintenance and annihilation; To Balu-Yahu Christ; Who is identical with the Personality of Godhead; To Balu-Yahu Christ; the seed of incarnation and the shelter of everything; To that Balu-Yahu Christ, Who is the primary Incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; The Second co-eternal Person of the Trinity; and Who as Polieus (Purusha Yupa Dhvaja) is the Seraphic Shesha Nachash (Sarpa Shesha Naga) Savior of all worlds; To that Balu-Yahu Christ; Who is Vishnu Yashas or Yasho Narayana; Whose Yupa-Cross bore the sign: "IOUSOS NAZARENUS REX IOUDEORUM" "JESUS NAZAREAN REGENT OF THE YADEOS " "YASHAS NARAYANA RAJA OF THE YADAVAS" TO THAT SAVIOR LORD WHO WILL COME AGAIN AT THE END OF THE AGE / YUGA; I, His servant's servant's insignificant aspiring servant offer this little glorification on the Appearance Day of SRI NITYANANDA BALARAMA . SOME OF THE GLORIES OF SRI NITYANANDA BALARAMA EXCERPTED FROM "SRI CHAITANYA BHAGAVAT" BY SRILA VRINDAVANA DASA Adi Lila Chapter One I worship their Lordships Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Nityananda Prabhu, whose long arms extend down to their knees, whose beautiful complexions are the radiant yellow of molten gold and whose elongated eyes are like red lotuses. They are the topmost of the brahmanas, the guardians of religious principles for this age, the munificent benefactors of all living entities, and the most compassionate incarnations of Godhead. They initiated the congregational chanting of the names of Lord Krishna. I worship the two brothers, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Nityananda Prabhu, who are the embodiment of magnanimity. By Their inconceivable potency They are the transcendental, eternal supreme controllers of all. Now They have descended to the material world. In the beginning I offer my humble obeisances to the feet of the loving, confidential devotees of Lord Sri Chaitanya. I then offer my obeisances to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna Chaitanya. He incarnated in Navadwipa, and He is known as Visvambhara. That same Supreme Personality of Godhead has declared in the Vedas and Bhagavata, "Worship of My devotees is superior to worship of Me." Lord Krishna said to Uddhava, "O Uddhava, serving My devotees is many times better than worshiping Me." (SB 11:19:21). Therefore, I offer my worshipful prayers unto the devotees of the Lord before I begin to write this book. By this act may my present endeavor be successful. I offer my respectful obeisances to my worshipable Lord and spiritual master, Sri Nityananda Raya, by whose mercy the transcendental pastimes of Lord Sri Chaitanya become spontaneously manifest. With a thousand tongues we should incessantly glorify the Supreme Lord Balarama, because His thousand mouths as Ananta Shesha constantly glorify Lord Krishna. Just as priceless gems are kept in secure custody, so also the invaluable jewel of knowledge about Krishna’s pastimes is kept safely in the mouth of Anantadeva. Therefore the tongue which initially glorifies Balarama will automatically be qualified to vibrate the transcendental pastimes of Sri Chaitanya. The Supreme Lord Haladhara holds His thousand hoods like snakes. He is a gigantic figure and the source of all inspiration. As Nityananda He is fully transcendental and eternally existent, intoxicated by the nectar of Sri Chaitanya. Whoever sings or hears about Nityananda's supramundane character is offered the supreme shelter of Lord Chaitanya. Mahesa and his consort Parvati Devi take great pleasure in eulogizing the object of their love - Sankarshana, Nityananda Prabhu. In the midst of a million fresh young maidens, the pure devotee, Sri Shiva, and his consort pour out nectarean devotional hymns to Lord Sankarshana. All this is revealed in the Fifth Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam. Balarama is worshiped by the entire Vaishnava world with songs of praise. Balarama danced with His gopis in Vrindavana, and their rasa dance is the pinnacle of sublimity. The Puranas describe that Balarama performed His rasa dance during the two months of spring, Madhava and Madhu. The Srimad Bhagavatam verses narrating this subject were spoken by Shukadeva Goswami to Maharaja Pariksit. Balarama spent the moonlit nights of the months of Vaishaka and Chaitra with the cowherd damsels in the supramundane abode of Vrindavana. The place was set aglow with the rays of the moon. The lotus and kadamba flowers bloomed freely under the influence of the moon's rays, and a soft breeze circulated their scent. In the groves on the bank of the Jamuna, Balarama danced with the gopis, increasing their conjugal mood. The Supreme Lord Balarama, like a exquisite gem decorated by the cluster of gopis, performed His pleasurable pastimes. He behaved like Indra's elephant Airavata, the controller of many she-elephants. The Gandharvas observed the rasa dance and offered their prayers. The sound of kettle drums rose from the heavens, the demigods joyously showered flowers upon Them, and the Gandharvas and sages worshiped the Supreme Lord Balarama with verses praising His activities. The sages unequivocally denounce association with women, yet they sang hymns in praise of Balarama's rasa dance with His cowherd damsels. The demigods attended Balarama's rasa dance to shower flower petals. They knew that there was no difference between Lord Krishna and Lord Balarama, Haladhara. The transcendental qualities of Balarama are obscure in the four Vedas, but the Puranas describe them boldly. What power do I have to describe them? Out of ignorance, some people disregard the Puranas and reject Balarama's rasa dance as inauthentic. The two brothers, Lord Krishna and Balarama, performed the rasa dance with the gopis in the same place in Vrindavana. On the radiant full moon night of Holi, at the end of Shivaratri vrata, Lord Krishna and Lord Balarama, accompanied by Their cowherd boy friends, enjoyed Themselves in the midst of the beautiful maidens of Vrindavana. They were both pleasingly decorated with the finest jewelry, sandalwood pulp, wildflower garlands and exquisite clothes. The fortunate gopis sang sweetly, their hearts enraptured by love for Krishna and Balarama. Evening had not set in; the moon and the stars appeared. The fragrance of Arabian jasmine intoxicated the bumblebees, and a light breeze carried the aromas of white lilies and lotus flowers. Considering that very moment to be appropriate, Krishna and Balarama began Their pleasurable dalliances. They sang together for the pleasure of all living entities, Their voices rising and falling melodiously. If a person, after reading Srimad Bhagavatam, is not affectionately inclined towards Lord Balarama, then he is rejected by the Supreme Lord Vishnu and His devotees. In the words of Srimad Bhagavatam, a non-believer is a yavana (a barbarian). He is destined to suffer in hell, birth after birth. There are others who, like eunuchs, make emotional gesticulations, challenging, "Which scripture describes the rasa dance of Balarama?" Who is so sinful that even after reading the scriptures, he can not accept the truth, but misinterprets the real meaning and gives his own distorted understanding? Lord Balarama is the abode of Lord Chaitanya’s deep affection. Offense at Balarama's lotus feet destroys all possibilities for salvation. In His incarnation as Lakshmana the younger brother of Lord Ramachandra, Balarama enacted the role of the Lord's servitor. Yet in His manifestation as the Supreme Lord, Balarama serves Himself in every respect - as a friend and a brother, by fanning Him, putting Him to sleep, glorifying Him with Vedic invocations and expanding Himself as His house, umbrella, attire, jewelry and seat. "O Lord! Your direct, partial expansion, Ananta Shesha, is the source of all the various ingredients for Your service in the transcendental realm of Vaikuntha. Ananta Shesha is famous because He is manifest as Your residence, bed, throne, shoes, clothes, jewelry, etc. When shall I see you with Lakshmi Devi seated on the throne of Ananta Shesha? Ananta Shesha's partial expansion is the mighty Sri Garuda whose satisfaction is derived from acting as the Lord's carrier in every pastime. Ananta's devotees include Brahma, Shiva, the four Kumaras, Srila Vyasadeva, Shukadeva Goswami, Narada Muni and others. His glorious qualities are unlimited and are not fully understood by anyone. He is the original personality, the greatest mystic, the Supreme Lord, and the greatest devotee of the Vaishnavas. Thus far you have heard about the wonderful services performed by Ananta Shesha; now hear about His great opulence. He is enthroned in the lower planetary system of Patala as his own source and repose. He is worshiped by all as His thousand mouths continually taste the full nectar of love of Godhead. In the court of Brahma, Narada Muni plays on his vina, and with well-composed verses he sings the wonderful glories of Ananta. Is it humanly possible to know the supramundane nature of Anantadeva? Just by His glance, He sets in motion the three modes of material nature which are the cause of this world's creation, maintenance, and annihilation. Although He is one, He supports the entire variegated material cosmic manifestation Himself (within the pores of His person). He is beginningless and eternal. Other then Lord Sankarshana, who can offer shelter to persons devoid of all material aspirations? He is the support on which the material world manifests and acts. That Supreme Lord, the cause of all causes, has appeared in His sublime spiritual form. He is the most powerful; in comparison, the power of a lion is insignificant. He performs pure transcendental pastimes to capture the hearts of His dear devotees, and He destroys countless sins by manifesting His transcendental form. What more is there to say than this? One becomes purified by hearing or calling out the name of Lord Anantadeva, either respectfully or accidentally. Even a degraded person is purified when he tauntingly utters the name of Sri Ananta. Anantadeva's mighty potency is beyond measure. That Supreme Lord carries on just one of His thousand heads the entire universe with all its living entities, mountains, and rivers, and that universe appears to be only a minute, atomic speck. Even if a person acquires a thousand tongues, how can he describe the power of the omnipotent Supreme Lord? Anantadeva is His own shelter and source, filled with unlimited power and strength. While residing in the lower planetary system of Rasatala, He holds this gigantic cosmic manifestation with ease born of detachment. This material world's creation, maintenance, and annihilation, as well as the three modes of material nature, are activated by His glance. Who can fathom Anantadeva's non-dual, transcendental, eternal and unborn existence? Out of mercy toward the living entities the Lord manifests His supramundane spiritual form while He performs His variegated pastimes. All living entities reside within that transcendental form. The mighty Lord Nrsimhadeva represents but a wave in the ocean of the Lord's unlimited pastimes which satisfy the hearts of His devotees. Anantadeva's unlimited names, when heard or chanted by anyone in any manner, immediately sever the noose of innumerable births and deaths. Thus the Vaishnava devotees of the Lord always appreciated those who glorify Him. Ananta Shesha is the supreme destination of the entire universe; His Holy Name is the only means for the living entities' redemption. The Lord holds on His head the unlimited material nature - along with its mountains and oceans - simply for its protection and maintenance. The entire universe is a speck on one of His thousand hoods, and because of His unlimited strength, He does not feel the burden. Lord Anantadeva, the original Supreme Personality and maintainer of the entire cosmic manifestation, incessantly sings in glorification of Lord Krishna. He continuously describes every aspect of the Lord's divine attributes. Lord Krishna is eternal and His attributes are unending, therefore He can never be fully described or glorified. But Ananta is also eternal and His ability to glorify the Lord is unending. In Their divine relationship, neither is ever victorious. Even today Ananta Shesha's thousand mouths continuously sing the glories of the Supreme Lord Krishna Chaitanya. How wonderfully Lord Krishna and Lord Balarama compete with each other! Brahma, Shiva, other demigods and the perfected sages look on, feeling great exhilaration. The eulogies of Anantadeva pursue the ever-expanding, elusive shores of Lord Krishna’s ocean of qualities. O Narada, I, Brahma, and your elders, Sanaka and other sages cannot even fathom the extent of this material nature, what to speak of knowing the Supreme Lord's spiritual potencies. Anantadeva, the origin of all demigods, is unable to exhaustively glorify the Supreme Lord's transcendental opulence and potencies with His thousand mouths. Therefore how is it possible for ordinary mortals to understand these divine potencies? Anantadeva is Himself the master of unlimited attributes, and He resides in Rasatala simply to support the vast material creation. In the court of Brahma, Narada Muni plays His vina and sings about these very same transcendental qualities of the Supreme Lord. Brahma and others are stunned in ecstasy upon hearing about the supramundane qualities of the Supreme Lord, and Narada Muni is worshiped by all because he sings about those qualities. I have also been moved to write a few phrases in praise of the unlimited potencies of Lord Nityananda, Anantadeva, so I humbly request all of you to develop a loving devotional mood toward the Lord. Those who desire to cross over the dangerous ocean of material existence, yet drown in the ocean of devotional ecstasy, may take shelter of Lord Nityananda. I pray to the merciful Vaishnava devotees of the Lord to fulfill my heart’s yearning, that I may serve my Lord Balarama birth after birth. Just as dvija, vipra, and brahmana are different names for the same person, similarly Nityananda, Ananta and Balarama are different names for the same Supreme Personality. My Lord Nityananda Prabhu appeared within my heart and instructed me to narrate the transcendental qualities of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in this book. The pastimes of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu are revealed by Nityananda's mercy only, because His personal expansion, Ananta Shesha, is the storehouse of information about Lord Chaitanya and Lord Krishna’s pastimes. Although Sri Ananta Shesha is the embodiment of Krishna kirtana, I have been able to offer only a humble prayer in His honor. Thereafter comes the description of Lord Chaitanya’s manifestation as Balarama when Nityananda gave Him His plough and club. The wonderful redemption of the two reprobates Jagai and Madhai - who were later to become quite famous - is told in detail. Mother Sachi's vision of Sri Chaitanya in a blackish complexion and Sri Nityananda in a whitish complexion is also discussed. Oh Lord Chaitanya, please bless me so that I may receive the transcendental service of Nityananda's lotus feet. He is the Lord of the entire universe. I have narrated in brief the contents of this book at the very outset. All of you please hear with undivided attention the pastimes of Sri Krishna Chaitanya. Lord Chaitanya and Lord Nityananda are my life and soul. I, Vrindavana dasa, offer my humble song at Their lotus feet. MAY SRI NITYANANDA RAMA, WHO HAS REVEALED LORD BALADEVA AS THE SAVIOR OF ALL WORLDS, MAY HE BE OUR CONSTANT MEDITATION. MAY LORD NITYANANDA BALARAMA WHO IS THE PROTECTOR OF ALL DEVOTEES, PROTECT US, AND MAY LORD NITAI-BALARAMA AS ANANTA SHESHA WHO CARRIES ALL THE WORLDS AND UNIVERSES, CARRY ALL THAT WE CANNOT BEAR. HE ALONE, THE ORIGINAL SPIRITUAL MASTER HAS TAKEN AWAY THE SINS OF ALL WORLDS. HE ALONE GRANTS SALVATION FROM THE SAHA WORLDS OF BIRTH, DEATH, DISEASE AND OLD AGE. HE ALONE GRANTS ENTRANCE INTO THE VAIKUNTHAS AND GOLOKA VRINDAVANA. HE ALONE CAN ADMIT US INTO THE MYSTERIES OF SRI SRI RADHA AND GOVINDA. MAY HE, LORD SANKARSHANA, THE ORIGINAL ATTRACTING DEITY, MAY HE DRAW US ALL THROUGH HIS INFINITE MERCY AND LOVE, BACK TO HOME, BACK TO GODHEAD ! AMEN AUM AND HARE KRISHNA ! SRI SRI GURU AND GAURANGA KI JAYA !

Text 132 Purport "If someone calls Lord Ramachandra by the vibration Hare Rama, or if he understands Ramachandra, he is quite right. Similarly, if one says that Hare Rama means Sri Balarama, he is also right. Those who are aware of the Vishnu-tattva do not fight over such details." Nityananda Trayodasi Offering The Gaudiya Vaishnava Theology of Sri Nitai-Balarama as the Second Person of the Godhead, the Origin of Incarnation, the Original Spiritual Master, the Savior of all Worlds, and the Second Person of the Catholic Godhead Part 1 by Bhakti Ananda Goswami HARE KRISHNA ! SRI SRI GURU AND GAURANGA KI JAYA ! "Let me offer my obeisances to Lord Nityananda. the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose opulence is wonderful and unlimited. By His will, even a fool can understand His identity." (Sri Chaitanya-Charitamrita, Adi-Lila, Chapter 5, Text 1) The following quotations are from Sri Chaitanya-Charitamrita by Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami, translated into English, with elaborate purports given by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. My comments are in UPPER CASE and brackets . Introduction to Adi-Lila, Chapter 5, The Glories of Lord Nityananda Balarama before Text One: "The Personality of Godhead known as Sri Balarama in Krishnaloka is the original Sankarshana (attracting Deity), and from this Sankarshana expands another Sankarshana , called Maha-Sankarshana, who resides in one of the Vaikuntha planets. By His internal potency, Maha-Sankarshana maintains the transcendental existence of all the planets in the spiritual sky, where all the living beings are eternally liberated souls." THE HOLY NAME OF SANKARSHANA IS A COMPOUND OF SAM ( SMA IN EGYPTIAN, SYN OR SYM IN GREEK AND COM IN LATIN) AND KARSHANA. KARSHANA IS A VARIANT FORM OF THE NAME KRISHNA, WHICH IS WHY SRILA PRABHUPADA CALLS HIM THE ORIGINAL "ATTRACTING DEITY". KRISHNA / KARSHANA IS THE CHARISMA OR ALL-ATTRACTING LOVEABLE AND LOVING GOD OF ALL SPIRITUAL AND MATERIAL WORLDS. FROM THE VERY BEGINNING WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT KRISHNA AND BALARAMA ARE TWO PERSONS OF THE SAME GODHEAD. SRI BALADEVA IS SAM-KARSHANA. HE IS THE 'ALSO KRISHNA'. HE IS ‘AND’ KRISHNA, ‘WITH’ KRISHNA AND ‘IS’ KRISHNA TOO. SRI KRISHNA AND SAM-KARSHANA ARE BOTH THE SAME GOD. THEY ARE NOT TWO GODS, BUT ARE TWO CO-ETERNAL PERSONS OF THE SAME GODHEAD, EQUAL IN DIVINITY AND BEAUTY, OPULENCE, OMNISCIENCE, OMNIPRESENCE AND OMNIPOTENCE IN EVERY WAY. THEY ARE BOTH THE SAME EKA / ECHAD GOD, BUT ONE IS THE LORD WHO IS SERVED AND THE OTHER IS THE SERVITOR LORD. ONE (SRI KRISHNA) IS THE ORIGIN AND THE OTHER (SANKARSANA) IS HIS SECOND PERSON. "On those planets, the second quadruple manifestation is present." THE CHATUR-VYUHA HAS PARALLELS IN PURE LAND BUDDHISM, EGYPTIAN, JEWISH AND GREEK EMANATIONAL MYSTICISM. "In the Causal Ocean is Maha-Vishnu, the original Purusha expansion from Sankarshana. This Maha-Vishnu places His glance over the material energy, and by a reflection of His transcendental body He amalgamates Himself within the material elements. " THIS GLANCE IN SOME TRADITIONS IS ASSOCIATED WITH SADA SHIVA AS SHAMBHU AND THE FATHER OF THE ENTIRE COSMIC MANIFESTATION. HE IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SPIRITUAL IMPREGNATION OF SOULS INTO MATTER, AND IS THE LORD AND LOVER OF DURGA, THE MATERIAL NATURE AND MOTHER OF ALL UNIVERSES. "Maha-Vishnu again enters the universe as the reservoir of all living entities, Garbhodakashayi Vishnu. From Garbhodakashayi Vishnu expands Kshirodakashayi Vishnu, the Supersoul of every living entity." THESE ARE "VISHNOS TU TRINI RUPANI," THE THREE FORMS OF VISHNU. ONE WHO REALIZES THESE THREE FORMS OF VISHNU ACHEIVES MOKSHA, LIBERATION. THESE THREE FORMS OF VISHNU ARE NOT ANALOGOUS TO THE PROTO-CATHOLIC TRINITY, IN WHICH BOTH MAHA-VISHNU AND GARBHODAKASAYI VISHNU ARE INCLUDED (AS IN PURE LAND BUDDHISM'S TRI KAYA) WITH THE INTERMEDIATE FORMS OF THE SECOND PERSON OF THE GODHEAD. THE ACTUAL VAISHNAVA-CATHOLIC TRINITARIAN PARALLEL IS: 1. IN THE PROTO-CATHOLIC THEOLOGY THE FIRST PERSON IS BHAGAVAN SRI KRISHNA, HARI (HEBREW ELI, EGYPTIAN HERU). 2. THE SECOND PERSON IS BALU-YAHU (BALADEVA OR VASUDEVA) WHO INCLUDES THE 'MAHA VISHNU' FORM OF THE LORD. HE RESTS ON THE PRIMORDIAL MAYIM OR WATERS OF CHAOS , OR THE CAUSAL OCEAN (SPIRIT OF GOD ON THE HEBREW 'MAYIM' WATERS OF GENESIS). IN EGYPT AND AT DELPHI, HELIOS PHANES (BRAHMA) WAS WORSHIPED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE 'AXIS MUNDI' OMPHALOS OR NAVEL OF THE UNIVERSE. THIS CLEARLY IDENTIFIES A CONNECTION BETWEEN DELPHIC HELIOS AND GARBHODAKASHAYI VISHNU. IN ADDITION, THE GREEK WORD DELPHA AND SANSKRIT WORD GARBHA ARE COGNATE. THUS BOTH THE MAHA AND GARBHA FORMS OF VISHNU WERE INCLUDED IN THE WESTERN AND BUDDHIST INTERMEDIATE OR MEDIATING SECOND PERSONS OF THE TRINITY (FROM BALADEVA). 3. THE THIRD ALL-PERVASIVE FORM OF THE LORD IN THE PROTO-CATHOLIC TRADITION IS THE HOLY SPIRIT OR PARAMATMA. THUS ELI-YAHU WAS WORSHIPED AS ATMAN / ATUM IN NORTH EGYPT, ATEN IN SOUTH EGYPT AND AS ADON-YAHU AMONG THE SEMITIES. IN GREECE, HIS ALL-PERVASIVE FORM WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DOCTRINES OF ATOMOS (THE INDIVIDUAL , NOT AN INDIVISIBLE IMPERSONAL THING), ONTOS (BEING), AND AUTOS, THE SELF. "Garbhodakashayi Vishnu also has His own Vaikuntha planet in every universe, where He lives as the Supersoul or supreme controller of the universe." AS THE PARAMATMA OR HOLY SPIRIT RESIDES IN THE HEART OF ALL FORMS / CREATURES, GARBHODAKASHAYI VISHNU IS THE LORD RESIDING WITHIN THE HEART OF EVERY UNIVERSAL BODY / COSMIC MANIFESTATION. "Garbhodakashayi Vishnu reclines in the midst of the watery portion of the universe and generates the first living creature of the universe, Brahma." IN PROTO-CATHOLIC HELIOPOLITAN MONOTHEISM THIS IS THE HELIOS PHANES OR THEOPHANY FORM OF HELIOS KOUROS (HORUS), OR OF HIS ALTER-FORM, BALU-YAHU, DIONYSOS OR ASAR (OSIRIS). HE APPEARS WITH FOUR ARMS AND HEADS, SEATED ON THE COSMIC LOTUS ARISING FROM NHRYN (NARAYANA OR NILUS) AT THE BEGINNING OF THE UNIVERSE. IN MEMPHITE HELIOPOLITAN THEOLOGY HE SPEAKS CREATION INTO EXISTENCE. "The imaginary universal form is a partial manifestation of Garbhodakashayi Vishnu." SRILA PRABHUPADA PREFERRED TO STRESS THE IDEA THAT THE VISHVARUPA OR VISHVARATA UNIVERSAL FORM OF PURUSHA WAS 'IMAGINARY'. THIS EMPHASIS IN OUR LINEAGE IS RELATED TO TWO THEOLOGICAL CONTROVERSIES. THE FIRST IS THE ISSUE OF WHETHER THE LORD AS PURUSHA AVATARA ASSUMES A 'MATERIAL' BODY IN 'BECOMING' THE COSMIC MANIFESTATION. THIS PROBLEM IS AT THE CRUX (LITERALLY) OF MANY CONTROVERSIES BETWEEN THE MAYAVADI IMPERSONALISTS AND THE VARIOUS SCHOOLS OF VAISHNAVA AND SHAIVITE THOUGHT. IN THE WEST THIS SAME ISSUE IS AT THE CORE OF THE GNOSTIC REJECTION OF THE DOCTRINE OF REAL INCARNATION, THE WORSHIP OF GOD THROUGH ICONS, AND IN THE BLESSED SACRAMENT / EUCHARIST. MAYAVADI HINDU, MUSLIM, GNOSTIC AND PROTESTANT ICONOCLASM AND REJECTION OF THE DOCTRINES OF SRI MURTI AND GOD'S 'REAL PRESENCE' IN THE EUCHARIST / PRASADAM ARE RELATED TO THIS CENTRAL QUESTION OF THE PURUSHA AVATARA. IF THE UNIVERSE IS UNREAL / ILLUSORY OR EVIL, THEN HOW CAN THE PURUSHA HAVE A UNIVERSAL FORM ? THE SECOND CONTROVERSY IS ABOUT HOW THE INTERPRETATION OF THE VISHVARUPA OR PURUSHA RESULTS IN THE VEDIC SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM. BECAUSE THE RAJASIC AND TAMASIC INTERPRETATIONS OF PURUSHA AVATARA RESULTED IN ANIMAL AND HUMAN SACRIFICE, THE SATTVIC LINEAGES OF VAISHNAVISM PREFERRED TO STRESS THE ESOTERIC SPIRITUAL, SUBTLE, OR 'IMAGINARY' FORM OF THE COSMIC PURUSHA RATHER THAN THE ACTUAL 'INCARNATION' UNDERSTANDING OF HIS MACRO-COSMIC BODY. THUS THE MACRO-COSMIC MAN / PURUSHA FORM OF GOD WAS OFFERABLE IN SACRIFICE (SEE PURUSHA-SUKTA IN THE RIG VEDA) IN PLANT FORM RATHER THAN IN BLOODY ANIMAL OR HUMAN SACRIFICES. SO, TO AVOID MAYAVADI AND OTHER HERESIES, AND BECAUSE OF THE SATTVIC ASCETIC AHIMSA FORMS OF SACRIFICE IN OUR LINEAGE, THE UNIVERSAL FORM OF THE LORD AS AN ACTUAL INCARNATION IS DE-EMPHASIZED. "In the Svetadvipas within every universe is a Shesha form of Godhead who serves Vishnu by assuming the form of His umbrella, slippers, couch, pillows, garments, residence, sacred thread, throne and so on." LORD BALADEVA AS KRISHNA'S EFFULGENCE, NAME, FORMS FOR PASTIMES, AND PARAPHERNALIA IS A VERY IMPORTANT DOCTRINE. HIS ASANAS, VAHANAS, ASTRAS, CROWNS AND OTHER 'SYMBOLIC' ATTRIBUTES CAN BE IDENTIFIED IN JUDAISM, EGYPTIAN AND GREEK HELIOPOLITAN PROTO-CATHOLIC MONOTHEISM. MANY OF THESE HAVE CONTINUED INTO CATHOLICISM. I HAVE STUDIED THESE IN DEPTH, FOR OVER 30 YEARS, AND GAVE AN INTRODUCTORY SERIES OF LECTURES ON THIS SUBJECT IN 2000. Text 4 "The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is the fountainhead of all incarnations. Lord Baladeva is His second body" Purport "Lord Sri Krishna, the absolute Personality of Godhead, is the primeval Lord, the original form of Godhead, and His first expansion is Sri Balarama." THIS IS THE CATHOLIC CREED DOCTRINE OF THE MONO-GENOUS (ONLY, SOLE, ALONE GENERATED 'ONLY BEGOTTEN') AND HOMO-OUSIOS (SAME ONE-IN-BEING) SECOND PERSON OF THE GODHEAD. Text 5 "They are both one and the same identity. They differ only in form. He is the first bodily expansion of Krishna, and He assists in Lord Krishna’s transcendental pastimes." IN EGYPT THE DIFFERENT 'BODIES' OR FORMS OF THE LORD HERI (HERU) OR ASAR (OSIRIS, HEBREW YAHU) WERE CALLED KAS. IN PURE LAND BUDDHISM THESE ARE CALLED KAYAS. THE PURE LAND BUDDHIST TRINITY IS CALLED THE TRI KAYA, OR THREE BODIES OF THE BUDDHA. THIS IS THE NORTHERN BUDDHIST USE OF THE SANSKRIT TERM KAYA. Purport "Balarama is a svamsa expansion of the Lord, and therefore there is no difference in potency between Krishna and Balarama." IN THE CATHOLIC CREED THE SECOND PERSON (PURUSHA) IS GOD FROM GOD, ONLY BEGOTTEN, ONE IN BEING WITH THE FIRST, AND THROUGH HIM ALL THINGS BOTH SPIRITUAL AND MATERIAL ARE MADE. Text 10 Purport "Sri Balarama is the servitor Godhead who serves Lord Krishna in all affairs of existence and knowledge." CHRIST IS THE SERVITOR LORD. THE FIRST PERSON / FATHER IS GOD WHO IS WORSHIPED BY THE SECOND AND THIRD PERSONS. Text 18 Purport [Regarding the original and highest Paradise of Gokula, the Catholic BUCOLIC Paradise, BOKOLION OF HELIOS, and GOKURA of HARIH AMITHA BUDDHA, THE ADI PURUSHA in Pure Land Buddhism, are related to the Vaishnava revelations of the transcendental and Earthly GOKULA and GOLOKA.] "That transcendental abode exists by the energy of Sri Baladeva, who is the original whole of Shesha, or Ananta. The tantras also confirm this description by stating that the abode of Sri Anantadeva, the plenary portion of Baladeva, is called the kingdom of God." Text 41 Purport [For more important discussion of Lord Balarama as jiva, see especially numbered points 1 and 2 on page 170 regarding refutation of Adi Shankaracharya’s teaching that Sri Baladeva as jiva is the ordinary living entity.] "Sankarshana, the second expansion, is Vasudeva's personal expansion for pastimes, and since He is the reservoir of all living entities, He is sometimes called jiva." THE THEOLOGICAL CONTROVERSY REGARDING SRI BALADEVA AS JIVA TATTVA IS NOT ONLY BETWEEN THE SHANKARITES, SHAIVITES AND VAISHNAVAS, BUT IS ALSO FOUND BETWEEN THE VARIOUS SCHOOLS OR LINEAGES OF VAISHNAVISM AS WELL. Text 41 Purport, continued "In the spiritual sky there is a spiritual creative energy technically called shuddha-sattva, which is a pure spiritual energy that sustains all the Vaikuntha planets with the full opulences of knowledge, wealth, prowess etc. All these actions of shuddha-sattva display the potencies of Maha-Sankarshana, who is the ultimate reservoir of all individual living entities who are suffering in the material world. When the cosmic creation is annihilated, the living entities, who are indestructible by nature, rest in the body of Maha-Sankarshana. Sankarshana is sometimes therefore called the total jiva." Text 42 "There the personal feature of Balarama called Maha-Sankarshana is the shelter of the spiritual energy. He is the primary cause, the cause of all causes." Text 45 "There is one marginal potency, known as the jiva. Maha-Sankarshana is the shelter of all jivas." Text 46 "Sankarshana is the original shelter of the Purusha, from whom this world is created and in whom it is dissolved." Text 73 "A part of a part of a whole is called a 'kala'. Sri Balarama is the counter-form of Lord Govinda." Text 74 "Balarama's own expansion is called Maha-Sankarshana, and His fragment, the Purusha, is counted as a kala, or a part of a plenary portion." Text 75 "I say that this kala is Maha-Vishnu. He is the Maha-Purusha, who is the source of the other purushas and who is all pervading." Text 81 "That fragment of the Maha-Purusha who appears for the purpose of creation, maintenance and annihilation is called an incarnation." Text 82 "That Maha-Purusha is identical with the Personality of Godhead. He is the original incarnation, the seed of all others, and the shelter of everything." Text 83 "The Purusha is the primary incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead."... Purport "The two categories of avataras are empowered devotees and tad-ekatma-rupa (the Lord Himself). An example of tad-ekatma-rupa is Shesha, ..." THE WORSHIP OF BAAL YAHU AS SHESHA THE SERAPHIC EGYPTIAN COBRA AS THE SYMBOL OR HIEROGLYPHIC 'DETERMINATIVE', COVERING, THRONE, COUCH, MOUNT, VEHICLE OR 'PROTECTOR' OF ELI / HERU IS VERY IMPORTANT IN RELATED HELIOPOLITAN EGYPTIAN AND JEWISH MYSTICISM AND ICONOGRAPHY. Text 204 Purport "In another verse Narottama dasa Thakura has stated that without the causeless mercy of Nityananda Prabhu, one cannot enter into the affairs of Radha and Krishna." IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THE MERCY OF SRI CHAITANYA WITHOUT FIRST GETTING THE MERCY OF SRI NITYANANDA RAMA. THE THEOLOGY OF THIS IS IDENTICAL TO THE TRINITARIAN PROTO-CATHOLIC AND CATHOLIC THEOLOGY THAT ONE CANNOT ENTER INTO THE MYSTERIES OF KOUROS AND KORE WITHOUT BEING INITIATED INTO THEM BY THEIR HIEROPHANT DIONYSOS. JESUS CHRIST AS THE ORIGINAL SPIRITUAL MASTER AND 'HIGH PRIEST' IS THE SOLE MASTER AND INITIATOR INTO THE BRIDAL MYSTICISM OF ELI-YAHU AND SHEKINAH ! TEXTS 100 & 101 [Regarding Sri Garbhodakashayi Vishnu] "He lay there with Ananta as His bed. Lord Ananta is a divine serpent having thousands of heads, thousands of faces, thousands of eyes and thousands of hands and feet. He is the seed of all incarnations and is the cause of the material world. [purport quotes the Vedas on Purusha] "The Vishnu form called Ananta-sayana has thousands of hands and legs and thousands of eyes, and He is the active generator of all incarnations within the material world." THIS DESCRIPTION IS RELATED TO THAT OF THE SERAPHIC NACHASH FORM OF THE LORD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, AND HAS NUMEROUS CONNECTIONS TO THE EGYPTIAN HELIOPOLITAN ICONOGRAPHY OF HERI-ASAR AS THE WINGED COBRA, THE PLANET-HOLDING SESHA (OCEANOS) AND SERPENT (SERAPH / SARPA) OF INFINITY (ANANTA). THE HEBREW AND EGYPTIAN SESHA, NACHASH AND SERAPH ARE ANANTA-BALARAMA'S NAMES AND FORMS AS SHESHA, NAGA AND SARPA IN SANSKRIT. THEOLOGICALLY JESUS IS IDENTIFIED WITH THE PROTO-CHRIST SERAPHIC NACHASH SERPENT AND SERPENT STAFF OF EXODUS. THE HEALING AND SAVING SERPENT STAFF OF THE PROTO-CHRIST IS THE NAGAKAL OF BALARAMA AS CHARAKA IN THE EAST, AND THE SERPENT STAFF OR CADUCEUS OF ASCLEPIUS THE GREAT PHYSICIAN IN THE PROTO-CATHOLIC TRADITION. Text 102 "From His Navel grew a lotus flower, which became the birthplace of Lord Brahma." Text 103 "Within the stem of that lotus were the fourteen worlds. thus the Supreme Lord, as Brahma, created the entire creation." BRAHMA MANIFESTS FROM NARAYANA. IN EGYPT NARAYANA IS NHRYN OR MZRYM, THE DEITY OF THE DESCENDING HEAVENLY RIVER NILE (NHAR IN HEBREW). IN JUDEA AND MESOPOTAMIA, YAH / EA'S ‘SACRED WATERS’ FORM WAS NAHARAIM AND AT ROME HE WAS MARIMUS AND 'FATHER TIBER'. PHANES WAS HIS OWN LOTUS-BORN FORM. THE 'JEWEL IN THE LOTUS' OR 'SUN IN LOTUS' ICON SOMETIMES INVOKED HIS FORM AS KOUROS ON RHODES, AND SOMETIMES HIS FORM AS PHANES ON THE PRIMORDIAL LOTUS BEFORE CREATION. Text 104 "And as Lord Vishnu, He maintains the entire world. Lord Vishnu, being beyond all material attributes, has no touch with the material qualities." ALTHOUGH NOT AFFECTED BY THE MATERIAL MODE OF GOODNESS / SATTVA, VISHNU NEVERTHELESS PRESIDES OVER IT AND IS WORSHIPED BY THOSE IN THE MODE OF GOODNESS. Text 104 Purport "In the Vamana Purana it is said that the same Vishnu expands Himself as Brahma and Siva to direct the different qualities." THIS IS A REFERENCE TO THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRI-GUNA FORMS OF BRAHMA, VISHNU AND SHIVA. IN DEVOLVED 'HINDUISM,' BRAHMA AND SHIVA HAVE BEEN VARIOUSLY DEMOTED TO MERE COSMIC GODS LIKE VISHNU HAS, OR EXALTED IN COMPETITION TO VISHNU, AS SEPARATE AND EQUAL, OR IN THE CASE OF SHIVA, EVEN A RIVAL OR SUPERIOR 'SUPREME' GOD. ORIGINALLY IN THE ANCIENT MEDITERRANEAN PROTO-CATHOLIC COMPLEX, BRAHMA AND SHIVA WERE CONSIDERED FORMS OF HERI-ASU / ELI-YAHU, AND BRAHMAISM AND SHAIVISM WERE NOT SEPARATED RELIGIONS. SHAIVISM, AS SEPARATED YAHU-BAAL / DIONYSOS WORSHIP, SPLIT FROM THE SATTVIC TRADITION OF ELI-YAHU / HELIOS / HERI-ASU AND DEVELOPED ON A SEPARATE TRACK AFTER THE GREAT EGYPTIAN REGIONAL TRAUMA OF THE HYKSOS PERIOD. DURING THAT TIME, TAMASIC BAAL-YAHU WORSHIPERS CORRUPTLY IDENTIFIED SETU-RAAH (KETU-RAHU, SATAN) THE ARCH-FIEND AND ENEMY OF HARI AND THE DEVAS WITH BAAL-DIONYSOS. THIS HISTORICAL RISE OF THE CULT OF THE ANTI-BAAL OR ANTI-CHRIST LED ULTIMATELY TO THE NAME BAAL BEING DROPPED FROM COMMON USE AS A NAME OF YAHU, AND TO DEVELOPMENT OF THE SEPARATED LEFT-HAND TANTRIC (TAMASIC) TRADITIONS OF SHIVA, KALI (SEKMET IN EGYPT) AND MARUGAN WORSHIP. SOME OF THE WRATHFUL FORMS OF THE LORD AND HIS SHAKTI, WITH THEIR CORRUPTIONS AND THE TAMASIC FORMS OF THEIR WORSHIP, WERE ISOLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL TRADITION AS A SEPARATE RELIGION. THUS, SOME MODERN SHAIVITE AND MARUGAN SCHOLARS OF THE TAMASIC TRADITIONS HAVE WRITTEN OF CONNECTIONS BETWEEN BAAL OR DIONYSOS AND SHIVA OR MARUGAN. Text 105 "Assuming the form of Rudra, He destroys the creation. Thus creation, maintenance and dissolution are created by His will." AGAIN NOTE THAT, LIKE BRAHMA, RUDRA OR SHIVA IS A FORM ASSUMED BY GOD. THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL PROTO-CATHOLIC TEACHING. HIS FORM AS TIME / KALAH WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE LION-HEADED FORM OF VISHNU AS NARA HARI. THIS IS THE WRATHFUL FORM OF GOD IN THE BIBLICAL BOOK OF EXODUS, YAHU TSABAOTH. TO THE ZERVANITES, ZOROASTRIANS AND MITHRAICS, HE WAS ZERVAN. TO THE JEWS HE WAS YAHU TSBAOTH, THE LION OF JUDAH. TO THE EGYPTIANS HE WAS AMEN-RA IN THE NORTH, AMUN-RA IN THE SOUTH AND APADEMAK IN KUSH AND ETHIOPIA. AMONG THE GREEKS HE WAS ZEUS-AMEN-KRONUS AND AMONG THE ROMANS HE WAS JUPITER-AMEN-SATURNUS. AMONG THE NAMES OF NARA HARI ARE NAMES OF SHIVA, INCLUDING SHIVA, RAUDRA, KALAH AND BAIRAV. AMONG THE NAMES OF SHIVA ARE NAMES OF VISHNU. BOTH VAISHNAVA AND SHAIVITE TRADITIONS IDENTIFY SHIVA AND ANANTADEVA WITH BALADEVA ! ACCORDING TO PURE LAND BUDDHIST TRADITION, MAHADEVA SHIVA IS A FORM OF LOKESHVARA (VISHNU). BALADEVA AS SANKARSHANA IS THE SOURCE OF SHIVA. VISHNU ASSUMES THE FORM OF SHIVA TO DRINK THE HALAHALA SINS OF THE WORLD (BUDDHIST NILAKANTHA LOKESHVARA), TO CATCH THE GANGA IN HIS ASCETIC'S HAIR LOCKS AND TO STEP INTO THE GANGA AND TAKE AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD. LORD BALADEVA APPEARS AT THE BEGINNING OF EVERY MATERIAL UNIVERSE AS THE MACROCOSMIC PURUSHA YUPA DHVAJA, WHO IS SELF-SACRIFICED (ON THE YUPA CROSS!) FOR THE CREATION, MAINTENANCE AND REDEMPTION OF THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE. THUS WITHIN THE ORIGINAL TRADITION, BOTH VAISHNAVISM AND SHAIVISM WERE UNITED AND THIS TRUTH HAS BEEN PRESERVED IN THE TRADITION OF BALARAMA IN PROTO-CATHOLIC AND CATHOLIC AND PURE LAND BUDDHIST TRADITIONS. JESUS CHRIST AS THE SECOND PERSON OF THE TRINITY STEPPED INTO TIME AS PURUSHA YUPA DHVAJA AND TOOK THE WATER OF LIFE OF THE HEAVENLY 'DESCENDER' ON HIS ASCETIC'S LOCKS. HE STEPPED INTO THE JORDAN TAKING THE SINS OF ALL THE BAPTIZED. ON THE CROSS / YUPA HE DRANK THE SINS OF THE WORLD ON A SPRIG OF TULASI LEAVES, AND AS THE ORIGINAL SPIRITUAL MASTER, WAS SACRIFICED AS THE COSMIC PURUSHA (YUPA DHVAJA) FOR THE SINS OF THE ENTIRE COSMIC MANIFESTATION. HIS BACK WAS TORN LIKE KURMA AVATARA'S, AND HIS CHEST WAS PIERCED BY THE VEL OF SKANDA. HE WAS CALLED THE KING OF KINGS, "BASILEOS OF THE BASILEOS", VASUDEVA OF THE VASUDEVAS ! LIKE KRISHNA HIS FOOT WAS PIERCED BY A NAIL FORGED FROM THE CURSE OF HIS PEOPLE, THE YADUS / YAHDEOS. ABOVE HIM WAS THE SIGN 'IESUS NAZARENUS REX IUDAEORUM', JESUS NAZAREAN REGENT OF THE YA-DEOS, WHICH IS YASHAS NARAYANA RAJA [OF THE] YADAVAS. HE WAS SAID TO BE RETURNING AT THE END OF THE AGE AS BASILEOS ON HIS WHITE HORSE (KALKI AVATARA). HOW MUCH MORE OBVIOUS DOES GOD HAVE TO MAKE IT FOR US ? AS THE GREAT PHYSICIAN ASCLEPIUS-CHARAKA HE WAS THE SERAPHIC SAVIOR IN THE WILDERNESS OF EXODUS (ANANTA SESHA NAGA) . AS BAAL THE ALTER-FORM OF ELI HE WAS BALARAMA THE ALTER-FORM OF HARI. THE ALL-PERVASIVE FORM OF THE LORD IN EVERY HEART WAS HIS OWN 'HOLY SPIRIT' ! VAISHNAVISM, CATHOLIC CHRISTIANITY, PURE LAND BUDDHISM AND SATTVIC THEISTIC SHAIVISM ARE NOT FOUR DIFFERENT SALVIFIC DEVOTIONAL TRADITIONS WITH FOUR DIFFERENT COMPETING SAVIOR-GODS INVENTED BY DIFFERENT RACES OR CULTURES. THEY ARE FOUR DIFFERENT REGIONAL DEVELOPMENTS OF THE SAME TRADITION WITH ONE TRINITARIAN GODHEAD, AND ONE SAVIOR, LORD BALADEVA, WORSHIPED IN A VARIETY OF VISHNU ( BAAL-YAHU, LOKESHVARA) AND SHIVA FORMS. THEY ARE FOUR FORMS OF WORSHIP OF THE FIRST PERSON OF THE GODHEAD, THROUGH, WITH, IN, AND BY THE SAME SECOND PERSON. THEY ARE FOUR TRADITIONS WHICH ARE ALL INSPIRED BY THE SAME HOLY SPIRIT. SO WHAT IS THE MESSAGE OF SRI SRI GAURA-NITAI’S NON-SECTARIAN SANKIRTANA MOVEMENT ? IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THE MERCY OF SRI SRI RADHA-KRISHNA WITHOUT FIRST GETTING THE MERCY OF LORD BALARAMA. ONLY THROUGH HIS MERCY CAN SINFUL BEINGS FROM THE 'FALLEN WORLD' TRANSCEND IT, AND ENTER INTO THE MYSTERIES OF SRI SRI RADHA-KRISHNA'S DIVINE LOVE. LORD BALADEVA IS THE ARCHA / VERITAS ICON FORM OF THE LORD. HE IS KRISHNA'S PRASADAM, AND YES, HE IS SRI KRISHNA'S NAME ! SRI KRISHNA'S NAME IS AS INFINITE AS HE HIMSELF. HE IS THE ORIGINAL PERSON (PURUSHA) WHOSE PERSONALITY IS INFINITE. JUST AS HIS UNLIMITED FORM MAY APPEAR AS MANY FORMS, HIS UNLIMITED NAME MAY APPEAR AS MANY NAMES, AND THERE ARE 'NO HARD AND FAST RULES' FOR INVOKING THEM ! BUT WE CANNOT INVOKE OUR GOD THROUGH ANY OF HIS NAMES WITHOUT CALLING ON OUR ONE SAVIOR, BECAUSE HE HIMSELF IS THE ONE LOGOS, THE SINGULAR, INFINITE, VERY NAME OF GOD. THUS WE INVOKE OUR ONE SAVIOR WHENEVER WE CALL ON GOD THROUGH HIS HOLY NAME. HE IS NOT CONFUSED, HE KNOWS WHO WE ARE CALLING. FOR WHICHEVER FORM OF HIS NAME WE UTTER, THINK OR EVEN INTEND IN THE VERY-MOST DEPTH OF OUR BEING, THE LORD IMMANENT, MEDIATING, AND TRANSCENDENT HEARS AND KNOWS OUR DESIRE FOR HIM PERFECTLY. SO SRILA PRABHUPADA HAS SAID THAT WE CAN CALL ON CHRIST OR KRISHNA, BALARAMA OR RAMACANDRA. GOD WILL NOT BE CONFUSED ! SHIVA, RAUDRA, KALAH, AND THE 1000 NAMES OF VISHNU, AND SO MANY OTHERS ARE NAMES OF THE SUPREME LORD. PRAY ! PRAY ! PRAY ! IT IS THE ONLY WAY ! THERE IS BUT ONE SERVITOR LORD AND SAVIOR-REVELATOR OF GODHEAD, AND THE MISSIONARIES ARE RIGHT WHEN THEY SAY THAT 'NONE COME TO THE FATHER BUT BY HIM' ! HOWEVER, REGRETTABLY THEY DO NOT THEMSELVES KNOW HISTORICALLY OR THEOLOGICALLY WHO HE IS AND THUS THEY OFFER HIM AS AN ALTERNATIVE SAVIOR TO HIMSELF ! NOT RECOGNIZING THEIR OWN LORD AS PRESENTED BY THE CHRISTIANS, THE 'HINDUS' REJECT HIM DUE TO THE CHRISTIANS' OFFENCES. IN THIS WAY HINDU EXCLUSIVISTS AND CHRISTIAN EXCLUSIVISTS MUTUALLY JUDGE EACH OTHER OUT OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, WHILE TRYING TO SAVE EACH OTHERS' SOULS ! HOW TRAGIC. WE MUST NOT CREATE IMPEDIMENTS WHEN LORD BALADEVA HAS BROKEN OPEN THE STOREHOUSE OF LOVE OF RADHA-KRISHNA AND IS DISTRIBUTING ITS CONTENTS FREELY ! WE MUST BREAK DOWN THE BARRIERS OF SECTARIAN PRIDE AND PREJUDICE TO DISCOVER OUR SOLE, LONE, ONLY SAVIOR. HIS SELF-REVELATION CANNOT BE FULLY UNDERSTOOD AS LONG AS WE ARE REJECTING SOME OF HIS SAINTS, SOME OF HIS SCRIPTURES, SOME OF HIS NAMES, AND SOME OF HIS MERCY. WE MUST ACCEPT THE WHOLE OF HIS REVELATION, AND STOP FIGHTING OVER SOME OF HIS DETAILS. Text 132 Purport "If someone calls Lord Ramachandra by the vibration Hare Rama, or if he understands Ramachandra, he is quite right. Similarly, if one says that Hare Rama means Sri Balarama, he is also right. Those who are aware of the Vishnu-tattva do not fight over such details." MAY LORD NITYANANDA BALARAMA BLESS US TO REALIZE HIS SAVING GRACE TODAY ! ASPIRING TO SERVE THE MERCIFUL SERVANTS OF LORD SRI BALA-YASHAS-NITYANANDA RAMA, YOUR ASPIRING SERVANT, BHAKTI ANANDA GOSWAMI

Proclaiming the Glory of God is everyone's business. It has been the business of every servant of God to announce the Glories of the Lord upon seeing Him, describing His pastimes and miraculous works. The guru must make it his business to reveal his direct realizations of the Lord. So the question remains and until someone steps forward and says the see God directly and at all times, they cannot comment on the One Who Is, and the One Who Does, Jesus.

Prabhupada said if you chant the name of Jesus (Christ) and He (Jesus) comes, "then that will be alright!" Shall I find the quote? The entire purpose of chanting the Holy Name is to awaken our understanding of our relationship with God. The Holy Name itself is revealing, that is, God reveals Himself in His name and it is by direct realization, hence spiritual vision. When we see the Lord we also see our relationship with Him. This must be so, or there would not be any chance of understanding, realizing, or experiencing simultaneous oneness and difference. Regarding Prabhupada using 'arguements' of this type we need to look at the whole his sayings rather individually. That is to say, that Prabhupada's sayings and teachings are all in relationship with one another because they all for the Glory of Krsna. Now you can ask, "What does Prabhupada mean when he says the sound of the Maha Mantra is silence?" But this can only be understood if we understand that God only speaks in silence. Finally, you may ask what's in a name. God's names are identical because He is Perfect. So what can this mean for Prabupada to say the name of Jesus (Christ) and is the same as Krsna? Specifically, Prabhupada fully encouraged Christians to chant the Holy Name and using the name Christ. It is clear also that Christians, when chanting Christ, would think of Jesus! .. and this too was encouraged ... ALL in the same context of Prabhupada saying Christ and Krsna .. the name is the SAME! When we chant the Holy Name, the Lord will appear to those who love Him. Those who truly love Him give up sin, and think of him constantly. So the question is valid and it remains: Can you see Jesus directly and in person?

Can you see Jesus directly? If something about Jesus, it should be by direct realization. Jesus of course is Shaktyavasa too!

So answer .. have you seen Jesus directly?

How do you know, have you seen Him directly? Remember there is a controversy among Srila Prabhupada's direct disciples regarding what was said about Jesus. Some say Srila Prabhupada recognized Jesus as Visnu Tattva. Then of course, we know Lord Baladeva is the Second Person of the Godhead. ys