Question on Pastime of Krishna meeting the Bhuuma Purusha

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna. I have a question regarding the following Bhaagavatam verse

and its purport:

 

dvijaatmajaa me yuvayordidR^ikShuNaa mayopaniitaa bhuvi dharmaguptaye |

kalaavatiirNaavavanerbharaasuraan hatveha bhuuyastvarayetamanti me || bhaa

10.89.58 ||

 

dvija - of the braahmaNa; aatma-jaaH - the sons; me - My; yuvayoH - you two;

didR^ikSuNaa - who wanted to see; mayaa - by Me; upaniitaaH - brought;

bhuvi - on the earth; dharma - of the principles of religion; guptaye - for

the protection; kalaa - (as My) expansions; avatiirNau - descended; avaneH -

of the earth; bhara - who are burdens; asuraan - the demons; hatvaa - after

killing; iha - here; bhuuyaH - again; tvarayaa - quickly; itam - come;

anti - to the proximity; me - My.

 

[Lord Mahaa-Vishnu said:] I brought the braahmana's sons here because I

wanted to see the two of you, My expansions, who have descended to the earth

to save the principles of religion. As soon as you finish killing the demons

who burden the earth, quickly come back here to Me (bhaagavata puraaNa

10.89.58).

 

In the purport to this verse, Vishvanaatha Chakravarti Thaakura is quoted as

commenting on this verse as follows, "You two, who have descended along with

your kalaas, your personal energies, should kindly return to Me after

killing the demons who burden the earth."

 

But in the translation above, the word "kalaa" is translated as meaning "as

My (as in Maha-Vishnu's) expansions." Thus, the translation above reads as

indicating that Mahaa-Vishnu is saying that Krishna and Arjuna are His

expansions, instead of the other way around.

 

Does this translation not contradict the comments by Vishvanaatha

Chakravarti Thaakura quoted in the purport? Also, does this translation not

contradict the commonly held Gaudiiya Vaishnava understanding that

Mahaa-Vishnu is Krishna's expansion, and not vice-versa? I would appreciate

clarification.

 

your servant,

 

Krishna Susarla