krishnas tu bhagavan svayam- 2

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Regarding the tattvada interpretations, JG writes as follows:

 

The tattvavada-gurus accept a different reading of this verse, replacing the

word "ca”(and) with the word "sva”(own). They say:

 

“The word "ete” in this verse refers to the incarnations of the Lord and the

word "bhagavan svayam” refers to the Lord Himself, whose form is the origin of

the incarnations. What is the Lord's form ?

 

His forms are mentioned in the words "svamsa-kalah” (The incarnations, which

are His own plenary portions and portions of the portions, are His forms). His

forms are not vibhinnamsa (seperated parts), as are the jivas."

 

This is confirmed in the Varaha Purana:

 

“The two kinds of expansions from the Supreme Personality of Godhead are : 1.

svamsa (personal expansions) and 2. vibhinnamsa (separate persons). The svamsa

expansions are unlimitedly powerful. Their form and personality are the same as

the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself.

 

 

“There is not the slightest difference between the svamsa expansions and the

Original Personality of Godhead. The vibhinnamsa expansions are very weak in

comparison to Them."

 

Here it is said that both the Original Personality of Godhead and His

expansions (amsas) are equally powerful. In the phrase "yathavidasinah kulyah

sarasah syuh sahasrasah”(The incarnations of the Lord are innumerable like

rivulets flowing from inexhaustible sources of water) (1.3.26) it may be

understood that, because the Lord and His expansions share the same nature, as

the original Supreme Personality of Godhead is eternal, so His expansions are

also eternal. Although Lord Vasudeva and Lord Aniuruddha are equal in all

respects, Lord Aniruddha sometimes devotedly meditates on Lord Vasudeva. To

argue that this is contradicted by the Sruti-sastra is wrong. For the Supreme

Lord, who is the source of all incarnations and for all His expansions, there

are gradations of higher and lower.

 

This is confirmed in Srimad Bhagavatam (3.8.3-4):

 

“Some time ago, being inquisitive to know, Sanat-kumara, the chief of the

boy-saints, accompanied by other great sages, inquired exactly like you about

the truths regarding Vasudeva, the Supreme, from the Lord Sankarsana, who is

seated at the bottom of the universe. At that time Lord Sankarsana was

meditating upon His Supreme Lord, whom the learned esteem as Lord Vasudeva."

 

 

This verse clearly states that Lord Vasudeva is superior to Lord Sankarsana.

These gradations of higher and lower do not refer to Krsna. The phrase krsnas tu

(but Krsna) separates Him from them. Krsna is then declared to be "bhagavan

svayam”(the original Supreme Personality of Godhead).

 

 

 

Regarding the question of Purna avatara, both RG and JG discuss this:

 

JG says, “”The Padma Purana Uttara-khanda explains:

 

nrsimha-rama-krsnesu

sad-gunya-paripuranam

 

“The six opulences of wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge and

renunciation are fully present in the forms of Lord Nrsimha, Rama and Krsna."

 

Although all the forms of the Personality of Godhead fully display these six

opulences, these three forms are singled out as especially displaying them.

Because the most significant word "nrsimha-rama-krsnesu”is a dvandva-compound

and because the most important word is generally placed at the end of a

compound-word, we may conclude that because Krsna is placed at the end of this

compound, He is the most important of all the forms of the Lord.””

 

Srila RG quotes VP (4.15.1-17) to say how the two demons hiranyakasipu and

hiranyAksa could attain the lord because they thought of Him in hatred, only

with the form of Krishna not with the forms of Rama or Nrsimha.

 

JG says :

 

According to the descriptions of the Vedic literatures, although the enemies

of the Supreme Lord attain liberation by constantly thinking of the Lord or by

inadvertently serving Him in some capacity, generally they do not all become

liberated simply by associating with the Lord or being killed by Him. By killing

and liberating these demons, Lord Krishna reveals His transcendental opulence,

greater than the opulence of any other form of the Personality of Godhead. These

statements are all confirmed by the explanations spoken by Parasara Muni and

recorded in the Vishnu Purana.

 

 

When Lord Krsna considered how Putana and other demons had already become

liberated, He began to suspect that perhaps Kalanemi and the other remaining

demons would not attain liberation. This possibility became completely

intolerable for the Lord. This astonishing transcendental nature of the Supreme

Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsna, is described by Parasara Muni at the end of

his prose description of the Lord's opulence. Parasara muni said (Visnu Purana

4.15.9):

 

 

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsna, freely gave liberation to the

demons who, although full of hatred for Him, somehow became immersed in

remembering Him or talking about Him. If the Lord gave to these demons

liberation, which is ordinarily very difficult for them, or even for the

demigods or anyone else to achieve, then how shall we be able to describe the

benediction He gave to the pure devotees full of love for Him ? "

 

 

The Srimad Bhagavatam explains that Jaya and Vijaya were cursed to take three

births as demons. We may note in this connection that they were ultimately

liberated by Krsna. Their liberation was possible only from the hand of Krsna

and not from any other form of the Lord.

 

 

Even demons who are killed by Lord Krsna, or who think of Him at the time of

death in a spirit of enmity, attain liberation. This is confirmed by Narada Muni

in the following verse of

S.B. (11.5.48):

 

"Kings like Sisupala, Paundraka and Salva meditated in envy upon the

movements, playful gestures, glances and other attractions displayed by Lord

Krsna. Thus fixing their minds while engaged in lying down, sitting and in all

activities, they attained a status equal to His. How then to compare with those

whose minds are naturally attached to Him in a favourable mood ? "

 

It is also confirmed by Lord Brahma in these words (S.B. 2.7.34):

 

"All demonic personalities like Pralamba, Dhenuka, Baka, Kesi, Arista, Canura,

Mustika, Kuvalayapida elephant, Kamsa, Yavana, Narakasura and Paundraka, great

marshals like Salva, Dvivida monkey and Balvala, Dantavakra, the seven bulls,

Sambara, Viduratha and Rukmi, as also great warriors like Kamboja, Matsya, Kuru,

Srnjaya and Kekaya, would all fight vigorously,e either with the Lord Hari

directly or with Him under His names of Baladeva, Arjuna, Bhima, etc. And the

demons, thus being killed, would attain either the impersonal brahmajyoti or His

personal abode in the Vaikuntha planets."

 

By His own transcendental potency, Lord Krsna can grant liberation to anyone,

regardless of how they think of Him. It is only Lord Krsna who will always grant

liberation to the demons killed by Him. If one is thinking of Lord Krsna, even

adversely, at the time of death, he will certainly become liberated. If one

hatefully thinks of any other from of the Lord at the time of death, he may not

necessarily become liberated. For example, the demon Vena was unable to think of

the form of Sri Krsna at the time of his death, and therefore the demon did not

attain liberation.

 

One who, at the time of his death meditated on the Personality of Godhead in a

spirit of animosity is only assured of liberation if the object of his

meditation is specifically the form of Sri Krsna.

 

 

Because liberation is attainable even for one who remembers the form of Sri

Krsna, even in a spirit of animosity, it is said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam

(7.1.33)

 

"Therefore one must somehow think of Krishna, whether in a friendly way, or

inimically."

 

 

 

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