Guest guest Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 Gandharvi (Radha) said: How is it possible that the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared among us as a cowherd boy? O sage, how do you know this about Krishna? How is he to be glorified ? What is the nature of His abode? Why has He appeared to take birth in Devaki's womb? Who is His elder brother Balarama? How is He to be worshipped? Why has the Original Personality of Godhead, who is transcendental to material nature, revealed this form on this Earth? Commentary by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana: The word Devaki here may also be interpreted to mean Yasoda.as stated in the Adi Purana: " Nanda's wife has two names: Yasoda and Devaki. " Sri Sukadeva Gosvami describes Lord Krishna's appearance in the following words (Bhagavatam 10.3.8): " Then the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, who is situated in the core of everyone's heart, appeared in the heart of Devaki in the dense darkness of night, like the full moon rising on the eastern horizon, because Devaki's heart was pure and uncontaminated and therefor of the same category as Sri Krishna. " He said: In the beginning only Lord Narayana existed. In Him the material worlds are woven as thread on a loom. From His lotus heart the demigod Brahma was born. Lord Narayana and Associates When Brahma performed severe austerities, Lord Narayana granted him a boon. Brahma chose a question. Lord Narayana granted his request. Brahma said: Among Your many appearance in the material world, which is top-most, the one that makes humans and demigods happy, the one that, remembering Him, they become liberated from repeated birth and death? Why is this form the best? Lord Narayana said: As on the summit of Mount Meru there are seven cities that fulfill all desires, so on the Earth there are also seven cities that fulfill ones desires and awards liberation. Among them the city of Gopala Puri is directly the spiritual world. In this city the desires of the demigods and all other creatures are all fulfilled and everyone attains liberation. Protected by My cakra, this city named Mathura, or Gopala Puri, stands in this world as a lotus stands in a lake. Gopala Puri contains these forests: 1. The great forest of Brhadvana 2. Madhuvana, the former residence of the Madhu demon 3. Talavana, full of palm trees 4. Delightful Kamyavana 5. Great Bahulavana 6. Kumudavana, full of lotus flowers and water lilies 7. Khadiravana, full of Khadira trees 8. Bhadravana, the favorite spot of Lord Balarama 9. Bhandiravana, the great forest of Banyan trees 10. Srivana, the abode of the goddess of fortune 11. Lohavana, the former residence of the demon Loha 12. Vrndavana, ruled by the goddess Vrnda-devi. Commentary by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana: The word bhadra here means " the place where Balabhadra (Balarama) enjoys pastimes. " In these forests Demigods, Human beings, Gandharvas, Nagas, and Kinnaras always engage in Sankirtan. The twelve Adityas, eleven Rudras, eight Vasus, seven sages, Brahma, Narada, five Vinayakas, Viresvara, Rudresvara, Ambikesvara, Ganesvara, Nilakanthesvara, Visvesvara, Gopalesvara, Bhadresvara, and 24 other lingas reside there. These forests are divided into two groups: 1. Krishnavana, or Krishna's forests, and 2. Bhadravana, or Balarama's forests. Among these twelve forests some are sacred and others are most sacred. Commentary by Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti: Krsna's forests are: 1. Brhadvana 2. Madhuvana 3. Talavana 4. Kamyavana 5. Bahulavana 6. Kumudavana 7. Khadiravana and 8. Vrndavana. Balarama's forests are: 1. Bhadravana 2.Bhandiravana 3. Srivana, and 4. Lauhavana. There the demigods reside and the Siddhas attain perfection. Commentary by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana: In this connection the Gautamiya Tantra explains: " In subtle forms the demigods and great sages reside in Vrndavana. " In this place are a Deity of Rama, a Deity of Pradyumna, a Deity of Aniruddha, and and the most attractive form of Krishna. In this way there are twelve Deities in the forests of Mathura. The Rudras worship the first Deity, Brahma worships the second, Brahma's sons worship the third, The Maruts worship the fourth, the Vinayakas worship the fifth, the Vasus worship the sixth, the sages worship the seventh, the Gandharvas worship the eighth, the Apsaras worship the ninth, the tenth Deity is now invisible, the eleventh Deity has gone to His own planet, and the twelfth Deity is now on the Earth. They who worship this Deity will surpass death and attain liberation. They cross beyond the three-fold miseries consisting of much suffering. The three fold miseries are: 1. Suffering caused by other beings like insects, mean spirited people etc. 2. Suffering caused by our own mind and body - mental illness, pride, illness of the body, oldage, death etc. 3. Suffering caused by Material Nature -earthquakes, floods, excessive heat cold etc. Let us refer to these slokas: Lord Krishna, accompanied by His three potencies, and by Balarama, Aniruddha, Pradyumna, and Rukmini, stay in delightful Mathura Puri, which is worshipped by Brahma and the other demigods and protected by His conch, cakra, club, and sarnga bow. These four names are identical with the name Om. Commentary by Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti: The names Balarama, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, and Krishna are identical with the name Om. They are all transcendental yet each has its own particular spiritual characteristic. One should think: I am spiritual, beyond material passion. One should think: I am Lord Gopaka's. In this way one will attain liberation. He realizes his spiritual nature. He becomes a knower of spirit. Commentary by Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti: As a ray of sunlight is, in one sense is identical with the sun, in the same way, the individual living entity is, in one sense, identical with Lord Gopala. Since the beginning of creation He lovingly protects (alati) the conditioned souls (gopa) therefore he is addressed as Gopala. Om tat sat ..... I am an individual spirit soul. I am a part-and- parcel of Krishna. My spiritual form is eternally full of bliss ... Om. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is therefore known as Gopala. With all one's heart one should think: I am Gopala's. Lord Gopala is non material, limitless, and eternal. Lord Narayana continued: O Brahma, decorated with a forest-flower garland, and holding a conch, disk, mace and lotus, I will reside eternally in Mathura. O Brahma, he who with all his heart meditates on Me, whose form is the resting place of all forms, whose form is supremely powerful and splendid, whose form is wonderful, and who has no material form, goes to MY abode. Of this there is no doubt. Commentary by Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti: The word visva-rupam here means " He in whom are all forms. " Some texts give the word here as cit-svarupam, or " he whose form is spiritual. " The word param-jyotih means " powerful " or " splendid. " The word svarupam means " He whose form is extraordinary. " The word rupa-varjitam means " He who has no material form. " The word mat-padam means " My abode. " O Brahma, a resident of this earth planet who resides in the district of Mathura and worships Me as I appear in this form, becomes very dear to Me. You should always worship Me as Krishna in Mathura. Jai Radhe-Krsna Jai Gaura-Nitai Jai Kripaluji Maharaj Jai Sri Praphupada Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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