bhagavan

[Guest guest]

On 15 Nov 1999, Ramesvara das wrote:

> Yes, right. Even though you can´t say they own ALL opulences in FULL, they

> are still called Bhagavan. Therefore we can safely assume that Bhagavan

> refers to all Visnu-tattva. Thanks.

 

It appears that you are saying that the category of Visnu-tattva does not

necessarily possess all of the basic six opulences (wealth, strength,

knowledge, etc.) Such a concept is denied in the Tattva-sutras as well as in

the nine prameyas established by Sri Caitanya. It is not that Narayana is

called Bhagavan because any powerful personality is called ``bhagavan'', as

may be the case when refering to various demigods. Narayana is called bhagavan

because he is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, possessor of all energies

(opulences). The Visnu-tattva category is the category of the Supreme Person.

Any manifestation of the Lord within the category of Visnu-tattva is bhagavan

by the quoted definition of Parasara Muni, not due to some other technicality.

 

Srila Prabhupada has written a chapter in the Teachings of Lord Caitanya

titled ``His forms are one and the same.'' Visnu and Krishna are not two

people. It is for that reason that Srila Prabhupada will often translate

visnu, hari, or some other general name, as Krishna. It is not that Visnu is

Krishna's disabled cousin, or perhaps his uneducated brother. Visnu is

Krishna, as His forms are one and the same. According to the mood of the

devotees He will manifest a particular form. This is explained in the above

mentioned chapter regarding the difference between the svayam-rupa and the

tad-ekatma rupa forms of the Lord. The expansions of the Lord are due to a

particular mood of the Lord.

 

The Visnu-tattva category is absolute, regardless of the particular

manifestation.