Narayana the Supreme Personality of Godhead

[SDdasa]

Hare Krsna

 

Based on the Srimad Bhagavatam and other secondary sources, the following texts show that Sriman Narayana is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

Srimad Bhagavatam (SB), 10th canto chapter 1 text 2

 

yados ca dharma-silasya

nitaram muni sattama

tatramsenavatirnasya

visnor viryani samsa nah

 

O best of the munis, you also described the descendents of Yadu who are very pious and strictly adherent to religious principles. Now if you will, kindly describe the wonderful, glorious activities of Lord Visnu, who appeared in that Yadu dynasty with Baladeva, His plenary expansion.

 

Following the upkrama upasamhara principle of interpretation, the above text in the opening passage on the Advent of Krsna, bulk of the texts in the chapter has to be in harmony and interpreted in reference to the opening text.

 

Following this rule it is clear that the Krsna avatara is the manifestations of Lord Vishnu's activities.

 

SB, 10th canto, chapter 3, text 46

 

sri suka uvaca

ity uktvasid dharis tusim

bhgavan atma mayaay

pitroh sampasyatoh sadyo

babhuva prakrtah sisuh

 

Sukadeva said: After thus instructing His father and mother, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna remained silent. In their presence by His internal energy, He then transformed Himself into a small child.

 

Please note that Gaudiya acarya has added the following :

in other words He transformed Himself into His original form: krsnas tu bhagavan svayam;

 

It is self evident from the text, that after showing His Visnu form with 4 hands (10th canto chapter 3, text 10 to 44 ); the Lord (when requested by Devaki, for fear of Kamsa harming the child), assumed the form of a child. Nowhere, in the text is stated that the Lord transformed to His original form.

 

Other non- gaudiya authorities; testimonies from Srimad Bhagavatam;

 

Devaki, SB, 10th Canto, chapter 3, text 4

 

Tvam saksad visnur adhyatma dipah

 

Thou art verily Visnu the Supreme Light

 

Gargamuni, SB, 10th canto chapter 8, text 19

 

Tasman anadatmajo yam te Narayana samo gunaih

 

O Nanda ! This child of yours is equal to Lord Narayana Himself in respect to His qualities

 

This statement refutes the gaudiya claim that Krsna has "4 more qualities" than Sriman Narayana

 

Sukadeva, SB, 2nd Canto chapter 1 text 16

 

Narayana paro yogo Narayana param tapah

Narayana param jnanam Narayana para gatih

 

The final destination of all beings is Narayana..

 

Akura SB 10th canto chapter 40 text 1

 

Narayanam purusam adyam avyayam

 

I prostrate before Narayana, the Primordial and Indestructible Person

 

Lord Shiva in Varaha Purana

 

Visnureva param brahma tribhedamiha pathaye

Veda siddhanta margesu tanna jananti mohitah

 

Visnu is verily the Supreme Being: desribed as threefold in the schools of the vedic doctrines. The beguiled fools do not know this.

 

Gaudiya source: Srila Santana Goswami in Brhat Bhagavatamrtam, part 2 chapter 4 (Vaikunta nama) published by Gaudiya math

 

The omniscient great God Visnu at once manifested Himself before me as Sri Krsna, the eternal son of Nanda and forthwith Sri Laksmidevi became Radhika followed by Bhudevi as Chandravalli.

 

Gaudiya acaryas ki jai

 

Complied by SDdasa

[Guest guest]

 

 

you mis understand what is meant.

 

what is god ?

 

God is brahman,paramatma and bhagavan.

 

Gods personality is one.

 

what is personality.

 

http://www.wordsmyth.net/live/home.php?script=search&matchent=personality&matchtype=exact

 

 

personality is ones self conception,or self identity,

what one concieves one to be, and also tempermant,ego,pyche,disposition, and mainly character.

 

so the question is what is gods' inner or actual personality as distinguished from personas god adopts

for myriad purposes.

 

what is gods pesonality at play, the inner self conception

for enjoying life,as distinguished from god's work related personas ?

 

Narayana is the work aspect,Visnu, Radha krishna is god

at play, Narayana is A personality of Godhead,

Radha Krishna is the more intimate side,the enjoying aspect.

[Guest guest]

***Radha Krishna is the more intimate side

 

Nice. Exuse.

 

Lord Narayana no have 4 qualities, but no nobody higer Lord Narayana. /images/graemlins/smile.gif Radha Krisna more difficult for understanding. All sadhana adjusted smaranam for example it is worsiping Lord Narayana/

 

My guru all guru ISKCON. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

there is this good article - you store the name of your guru in the

secret. This is written in whom that of Goswamis. Kanustha adhikari is very interested to advertise its guru or attached

only to one worship Deites(.guru).

 

Still is a reason that sincere devoted a little it confuses to speak

the name of its guru, because it does not consider itself worthy it.

 

There can be I as I will translate entire this article in the

English. Very good article based on sastra.

[SDdasa]

"Narayana is the work aspect,Visnu, Radha krishna is god

at play, Narayana is A personality of Godhead,

Radha Krishna is the more intimate side,the enjoying aspect"

 

Its just your sectarian opinion ...

 

A Gaudiya authority remark on Lord Krsna's manifestation

 

Sanatana Goswami Sri Brihat Bhagavatamritam (Vaikunta nama) Gaudiya math publication

 

These devotees of respective incarnations of Lord Narayana get the full liberty to serve to their full contentment the manifestation of their choice;. These different manifestations of Bhagavan Sri Narayana are essentially one and the same vaibhava aspects of the one Divinity. They are one and the same though morphologically they maintain their eternal separate existence;..

 

In the spiritual vision of a devotee different aspects of Sri Krsna may appear; different sportive lands amy appear. The same Lord of Vaikunta, the land of transcendence eternally remains in the different manifestations at different holy places such as Bhadridham, Sriksetra dham to the sole blissful pleasure of his single minded devotee

 

[Guest guest]

ete camsa-kalah pumsah

krsnas tu bhagavan svayam

indrari-vyakulam lokam

mrdayanti yuge yuge

 

All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Sri Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead. All of them appear on planets whenever there is a disturbance created by the atheists. The Lord incarnates to protect the theists.

 

Bhagavat purana 1.3.28

 

 

mahatmanas tu mam partha

daivim prakrtim asritah

bhajanty ananya-manaso

jnatva bhutadim avyayam

 

O son of Prtha, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible.

 

bhagavad gita 9.13

 

avajananti mam mudha

manusim tanum asritam

param bhavam ajananto

mama bhuta-mahesvaram

 

Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature and My supreme dominion over all that be.

b.g. 9.11

 

your vision is sectarian , this is Krishna's vision,

is yours superior ?

 

the Bhagavad gita, and the Bhagavat purana state

that Krishna is the supreme personality of godhead,

if you think that is sectarian, then you are claiming yourself superior to Krishna, do you think that is

possible ?

[Guest guest]

***Its just your sectarian opinion ...

 

/images/graemlins/smile.gif /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

The first - it is necessary to realize the sublimity of god.

 

The second - AFTER THIS it is possible to understand everything else.

 

Such correct instruction. So everything will have real realization.

 

Radha, Radha Only of Radha. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

Me seems that your position now it became better Satyaradzha. I sincerely desire to you the successes in the spiritual life.

 

You will excuse me for the previously uneasinesses and not intentional insults.

[Guest guest]

The authorities are Sankara, Ramanuja and Madhva acaryas, pseudo vedantis’ opinion to promote their sectarian views are meaningless and irrelevant.

 

[Guest guest]

 

 

lets see,hmmmm. you quote bhagavatam to prove your point,

then when I quote ,you say it is sectarian.

ironic .

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna,

 

Lord Narayana is immutable. HE is the same GOD though he takes different incarnations. One incarnation(LORD"S own AVATAR like that of KRISHNA) cannot be greater than aother.

 

To my understanding according to Gaudiya acharyas' interpretation is that LORD KRISHNA's form is GOD"S SVARUPA(orginal form). I agree with this 100%.

[Raguraman]

I posted the above message

[SDdasa]

Shivadasaji, PAMHO

 

Bhagavata Purana is your authority so I quoted it to establish my position.

 

For me the Prasthana trayam is the principal authority, Bhagavata Purana is secondary, serving as Artha vada (metaphorical passage). You have to refer me to the Prasthana Trayam to counter my position.

 

I am sure you are capable of understanding this simple logic.

 

Hare Krsna, your humble servant

 

SDdasa

[Guest guest]

 

what am i a mind reader ?

 

you are trying to establish what ?

 

That Krishna is not God ?

That Bhagavad gita is bogus ?

that Vaisnavism is bogus ?

 

Why ?

 

what is your point ?

 

Krishna ,Narayana,Visnu, all are one and the same

all pervading supreme being.

 

What the purpose of the Shastra is ,is to bring you closer to that being.

 

the absolute truth is realized in three ways,

Brahman,Paramatma, and Bhagavan.

 

the cause of all causes, the controller and

will of that being is Bhagavan, the personality

of godhead.

 

That personality display different personas for varius reasons, Radha Krishna lila is displayed to attract

the conditioned souls immersed in Karmic activities

to the higher world.

 

in that higher world the supreme being also is displaying various forms and personas, higher,lower ,these are relative concepts.

 

on the absolute plane they are all one and the same supreme

person.

 

Krishna lila is described as being the abode of bliss,

the transcedental abode of the eternally perfected

beings.

 

there, god is enjoying intimacy without any awe or reverence, idolatry or worship.

 

god is enjoying there in the highest possible way.

 

Narayana is also that person, but Narayana is worshipped as god, Krishna lila is god without the worship, without

God being treated as god.

 

this is the conception of the bhagavatam,and other puranas,

and other vedic shastra.

 

your ideas are based on what ?

speculation ?

your philosophy would be better if it came from the plane

of realization, and experience.

 

better to find out what god thinks, our own concept of what god should be is faulty without that.

 

[SDdasa]

Shivadasa ji, where have I ever stated the following:

 

a) That Krishna is not God ?

b) That Bhagavad gita is bogus ?

c) that Vaisnavism is bogus ?

 

Don’t lie.

 

Can’t you read and digest? I have clearly stated my authority - the prasthana trayam Obviously, you are an ill informed, ignorant soul.

 

My response was to your comment - Bhagavatm purana 1.3.28

 

ete camsa-kalah pumsah

krsnas tu bhagavan svayam

indrari-vyakulam lokam

mrdayanti yuge yuge

 

All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Sri Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead. All of them appear on planets whenever there is a disturbance created by the atheists. The Lord incarnates to protect the theists.

 

The subsequent verse of the Bhagavata, indrari-vyakulam lokam mrdayanti yuge yuge,

i.e when there is trouble from enemies of Indra, "they" protect Yuga after Yuga.

 

The verb mrdayanti (they protect) – is plural, the subject should be plural and an interpretation of a singular subject is not possible for this reason. Gaudiya masters conveniently interpret Krishna as a singular subject, to excuse Krsna from being a mere fragment

 

You stated

"Narayana is also that person, but Narayana is worshipped as god, Krishna lila is god without the worship, without God being treated as god.

 

this is the conception of the bhagavatam,and other puranas, and other vedic shastra".

 

Please give me the valid vedic shastric references (no puranas)to support your claim.

 

Haribol /images/graemlins/cool.gif

[Guest guest]

 

 

why do you not accept the puranas ?

are you superior in your experience then

all the great sages and avatars ?

 

your attempt to belittle gaudiya vaisnavism

will meet an illfated end.

 

this is gauranteed, what you need to realize is

what Krishna says " I am the source of the material and spirtual worlds"

 

not you.

 

then with the ego ,firmly in check, you can approach

the truth as a student, if you approach the absolute

truth as a master, what is your qualification for that

stance ?

 

Have you experienced actual moksa ?

do you know what that is ?

 

Krishna says " by all the vedas ,i am to be known",

so the wise person will take Krishna as the authority,

not himself.

 

your attempt to bring down the Gaudiya Vaisnava, and the other Vaisnava schools that accpet Radha Krishna as the highest reality is based on what ?

 

are you trying to enlighten us ?

 

what is sooooo special about Narayana ?

 

Have you actually met Narayana, or Laksmi Devi ?

 

why are you so sure that you have attained the perfected stage if you have not ?

 

whats the hold up ?

Maybe it's you.

[SDdasa]

Shivadasaji

 

I am still waiting for the vedic shastric evidence that claims:

 

Narayana is worship as God, Krsna lila is God without worship

 

If you can’t give, then there is no point in continuing this one sided discussion with you

 

You asked – “Why do you not accept the puranas”

 

Refer to my post – Degree of Authority, I have stated my reasons, if you can’t comprehend, bad luck..

 

You said “your attempt to belittle gaudiya vaisnavism will meet an illfated end”

 

Don’t threaten, defend your position, after all gaudiya master were experts at defeating their opponents.

 

Is the such a thing called “gaudiya vaisnavism” ?

 

I thought the Padma purana only mentions 4 bonafide sampardayas, where does gaudiya fit ?

 

Surely you are aware chaitanya took initiation from Advaita (mayavada) teachers, and like you he also had a mayavada brahmachari name.

 

So there is no question of belittling a defunct sampradayam

 

[dhaa]

SDdasa,

 

what is your view of Padma Purana Uttara-khanda 193.3

[SDdasa]

“what is your view of Padma Purana Uttara-khanda 193.3”

 

My view;

 

Puranas (Bhagavata, Padma etc), are secondary sources relegated to the category of arthavada (metaphorical passage). The descriptive passages, illustrations, parables and stories are taken as indirectly implying the eulogy or deprecation of certain course of action and as such need not be taken as absolute authority.

 

Hare Krsna

 

”The omniscient great God Visnu at once manifested Himself before me as Sri Krsna, the eternal son of Nanda and forthwith Sri Laksmidevi became Radhika followed by Bhudevi as Chandravalli”.

 

Srila Santana Goswami in Brhat Bhagavatamrtam, part 2 chapter 4 (Vaikunta nama)

 

[Guest guest]

SDdasa,

 

Are you a follower of the Ramanuja Sampradaya?

[Guest guest]

SDdasa:

My view;

 

Puranas (Bhagavata, Padma etc), are secondary sources relegated to the category of arthavada (metaphorical passage). The descriptive passages, illustrations, parables and stories are taken as indirectly implying the eulogy or deprecation of certain course of action and as such need not be taken as absolute authority.

 

This the view of Shiva too!

(He only says, they are only symbols.)

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu remained at the house of Venkata Bhatta and constantly talked with him about Lord Krsna. In this way He was very happy.

 

Being a Vaisnava in the Ramanuja-sampradaya, Venkata Bhatta worshiped the Deities of Laksmi and Narayana. Seeing his pure devotion, Sri Caitanya said "There is no difference between the transcendental forms of the Lord. Different forms are manifest due to different attachments of different devotees. Actually the Lord is one, but He appears in different forms just to satisfy His devotees.

Mahaprabhu was very much satisfied.

 

Constantly associating with each other, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Venkata Bhatta gradually developed a friendly relationship. Indeed, sometimes they laughed and joked together.

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu told the Bhattacarya, "Your worshipable goddess of fortune, Laksmi, always remains on the chest of Narayana, and she is certainly the most chaste woman in the creation.

 

"However, my Lord is Lord Sri Krsna, a cowherd boy who is engaged in tending cows. Why is it that Laksmi, being such a chaste wife, wants to associate with My Lord?

 

"Just to associate with Krsna, Laksmi abandoned all transcendental happiness in Vaikuntha and for a long time accepted vows and regulative principles and performed unlimited austerities."

 

Caitanya Mahaprabhu then said, " 'O Lord, we do not know how the serpent Kaliya attained such an opportunity to be touched by the dust of Your lotus feet. Even the goddess of fortune, for this end, performed austerities for centuries, giving up all other desires and observing austere vows. Indeed, we do not know how the serpent Kaliya got such an opportunity."' SB10.16.36

 

Venkata Bhatta then said, "Lord Krsna and Lord Narayana are one and the same, but the pastimes of Krsna are more relishable due to their sportive nature.

 

"Since Krsna and Narayana are the same personality, Laksmi's association with Krsna does not break her vow of chastity. Rather, it was in great fun that the goddess of fortune wanted to associate with Lord Krsna."

 

" 'According to transcendental realization[/], there is no difference between the forms of Narayana and Krsna. Yet in Krsna there is a special transcendental attraction due to the CONJUGAL MELLOW, and consequently He surpasses Narayana. This is the conclusion of transcendental mellows.'

Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.59).

 

"The goddess of fortune considered that her vow of chastity would not be damaged by her relationship with Krsna. Rather, by associating with Krsna she could enjoy the benefit of the rasa dance."

 

Venkata Bhatta further explained, "Mother Laksmi, the goddess of fortune, is also an enjoyer of transcendental bliss; therefore if she wanted to enjoy herself with Krsna, what fault is there? Why are You joking so about this?"

 

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, "I know that there is no fault on the part of the goddess of fortune, but still she could not enter into the rasa dance. We hear this from revealed scriptures.

 

" 'When Lord Sri Krsna was dancing with the gopis in the rasa-lila, He put His arms around their necks and embraced them. This transcendental favor was never bestowed upon the goddess of fortune or the other consorts in the spiritual world. Nor was such a thing ever imagined by the most beautiful girls in the heavenly planets, girls whose bodily luster and aroma exactly resemble the lotus flower. And what to speak of worldly women, who may be very, very beautiful according to material estimation?'

Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.47.60).

 

"But can you tell Me why the goddess of fortune, Laksmi, could not enter the rasa dance? The authorities of Vedic knowledge could enter the dance and associate with Krsna.

 

Having been asked by Caitanya Mahaprabhu why the goddess of fortune could not enter into the rasa dance whereas the authorities on Vedic knowledge could, Venkata Bhatta replied, "I cannot enter into the mysteries of this behavior."

 

Venkata Bhatta then admitted, "I am an ordinary human being. Since my intelligence is very much limited and I am easily agitated, my mind cannot enter within the deep ocean of the pastimes of the Lord.

 

You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna Himself. You know the purpose of Your activities, and the person whom You enlighten can also understand Your pastimes."

 

The Lord replied, "Lord Krsna has a special characteristic: He attracts everyone's heart by the mellow of His personal conjugal love.

 

"By following in the footsteps of the inhabitants of the planet known as Vrajaloka or Goloka Vrndavana one can attain the shelter of the lotus feet of Sri Krsna. However, in that planet the inhabitants do not know that Lord Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

"There someone may accept Him as a son and sometimes bind Him to a grinding mortar. Someone else may accept Him as an intimate friend and, attaining victory over Him, playfully mount His shoulders.

 

"The inhabitants of Vrajabhumi know Krsna as the son of Maharaja Nanda, the King of Vrajabhumi, and they consider that they can have no relationship with the Lord in the rasa of opulence.

 

"One who worships the Lord by following in the footsteps of the inhabitants of Vrajabhumi attains Him in the transcendental planet of Vraja, where He is known as the son of Maharaja Nanda."

 

"The authorities in the Vedic literature who are known as the sruti-gana worshiped Lord Krsna in the ecstasy of the gopis and followed in their footsteps.

 

 

"The personified authorities on the Vedic hymns acquired bodies like those of the gopis and took birth in Vrajabhumi. In those bodies they were allowed to enter into the Lord's rasa-lila dance.

 

"Lord Krsna belongs to the cowherd community, and the gopis are the dearmost lovers of Krsna. Although the wives of the denizens of the heavenly planets are most opulent within the material world, neither they nor any other women in the material universe can acquire Krsna's association.

 

 

"The goddess of fortune, Laksmi, wanted to enjoy Krsna and at the same time retain her spiritual body in the form of Laksmi. However, she did not follow in the footsteps of the gopis in her worship of Krsna.

 

Before this explanation was given by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Venkata Bhatta thought that Sri Narayana was the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

Thinking in this way, Venkata Bhatta believed that worship of Narayana was the supreme form of worship, superior to all other processes of devotional service, for it was followed by the Sri Vaisnava disciples of Ramanujacarya.

 

 

"Lord Narayana, the opulent form of Krsna, attracts the minds of the goddess of fortune and her followers.

 

ete camsa-kalah pumsah

krsnas tu bhagavan svayam

indrari-vyakulam lokam

mrdayanti yuge yuge

 

" 'All these incarnations of Godhead are either plenary portions or parts of the plenary portions of the purusa-avataras. But Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. In every age He protects the world through His different features when the world is disturbed by the enemies of Indra.'

 

 

"Because Krsna has four extraordinary qualities not possessed by Lord Narayana, the goddess of fortune, Laksmi, always desires His company.

 

" 'According to transcendental realization, there is no difference between the forms of Krsna and Narayana. Yet in Krsna there is a special transcendental attraction due to the conjugal mellow, and consequently He surpasses Narayana. This is the conclusion of transcendental mellows.'

Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.59).

 

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, attracts the mind of the goddess of fortune, but Lord Narayana cannot attract the minds of the gopis. This proves the superexcellence of Krsna.

 

"To say nothing of Lord Narayana personally, Lord Krsna Himself appeared as Narayana just to play a joke on the gopis.

 

"Although Krsna assumed the four-armed form of Narayana, He could not attract the serious attention of the gopis in ecstatic love.

 

" 'Once Lord Sri Krsna playfully manifested Himself as Narayana, with four victorious hands and a very beautiful form. When the gopis saw this exalted form, however, their ecstatic feelings were crippled. A learned scholar, therefore, cannot understand the gopis' ecstatic feelings, which are firmly fixed upon the original form of Lord Krsna as the son of Nanda Maharaja. The wonderful feelings of the gopis in ecstatic parama-rasa with Krsna constitute the greatest mystery in spiritual life.' "

Lalita-madhava-nataka (6.14)

 

 

 

 

The Lord pacified Venkata Bhatta by saying, "Actually whatever I have said is by way of jest. Now you can hear from Me the conclusion of the sastras, in which every Vaisnava devotee has firm faith.

"There is no difference between Lord Krsna and Lord Narayana, for They are the same. Similarly, there is no difference between the gopis and the goddess of fortune, for they also are the same."

 

Still Venkata Bhakta became a devotee of Sri Sri Radha Krsna.

[Guest guest]

 

if you want to act as my voice, at least get it right, these are not MY concepts, these are Bhaktivinodes;

 

 

"In the form of the narrative of the Bhagavatam, the Transcendental Vraja Lila manifests its descent to the plane of our mundane vision in the symbolic shapes resembling those of the corresponding mundane events. If we are disposed, for any reason, to underestimate the transcendental symbolism of the narrative of the Bhagavatam we are unable to avoid unfavorable and hasty conclusions regarding the nature of the highest, the most perfect and the most charming form of the loving service of the Divinity to which all other forms of his service are as the avenues of approach.

 

"Goloka-Vrindavana is realizable in the symbolic Vrindavana that is open to our view in this world by all persons whose Love has been perfected by the mercy of the inhabitants of Transcendental Vraja, and not other-wise. The grossest misunderstanding of the subject of the Vraja Lila of Sri Krishna is inevitable if these considerations are not kept in view. All persons, under the sinister influence of the deluding power of Nescience, are subject to such misunderstanding in one form or another. They are fated to see nothing but a mundane tract of country in the terrestrial (Bhauma) Vrindavana and the practice of the grossest forms of debauchery in the Vraja Pastimes of Sri Krishna. "

 

 

[Guest guest]

but hey, you don't need to be educated ,right, you have read a book, now you are enlightened, aren't you lucky ?

 

now you are on the highest level, this inferior stuff is beneath you, right ?

[dhaa]

sddasa,

 

what is your view on what padma purana uttara-khanda verse 193.3 says on the bhagavata in comparison to ur interpretation of the bhagavata

[dhaa]

 

...Sri Caitanya said "There is no difference between the transcendental forms of the Lord. Different forms are manifest due to different attachments of different devotees. Actually the Lord is one, but He appears in different forms just to satisfy His devotees.

 

'According to transcendental realization, there is no difference between the forms of Krsna and Narayana. Yet in Krsna there is a special transcendental attraction due to the conjugal mellow, and consequently He surpasses Narayana. This is the conclusion of transcendental mellows.'

Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.59)

 

The Lord pacified Venkata Bhatta by saying, "Actually whatever I have said is by way of jest. Now you can hear from Me the conclusion of the sastras, in which every Vaisnava devotee has firm faith.

"There is no difference between Lord Krsna and Lord Narayana, for They are the same. Similarly, there is no difference between the gopis and the goddess of fortune, for they also are the same."

 

 

cc adi 5.132 partial purport

 

.....if someone says that the “Räma” in “Hare Räma” is Lord Rämacandra and someone else says that the “Räma” in “Hare Räma” is SrI Balaräma, both are correct because there is no difference between Sri Balaräma and Lord Räma. Here in Çré Caitanya-caritämåta we find that Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé has stated the same conclusion:

yei yei rüpe jäne, sei tähä kahe

sakala sambhave kåñëe, kichu mithyä nahe

If someone calls Lord Rämacandra by the vibration Hare Räma, understanding it to mean “O Lord Rämacandra!” he is quite right. Similarly, if one says that Hare Räma means “O Çré Balaräma!” he is also right. <font color="brown">Those who are aware of the visnu-tattva do not fight over all these details</font color>...

 

.....Srimad-Bhägavatam (3.2.15) that states:

sva-çänta-rüpeñv itaraiù svarüpair

abhyardyamäneñv anukampitätmä

parävareço mahad-aàça-yukto

hy ajo ’pi jäto bhagavän yathägniù

“When pure devotees of the Lord like Vasudeva are greatly disturbed by dangerous demons like Kaàsa, Lord Kåñëa joins with all His pastime expansions, such as the Lord of Vaikuëöha, and, although unborn, becomes manifest, just as fire becomes manifest by the friction of araëi wood.”

 

....

 

...Therefore in the various Puränas Krsna is described sometimes as Näräyana, sometimes as Ksirodakasäyi Visnu, sometimes as Garbhodakasäyi Visnu and sometimes as Vaikunthanätha, the Lord of Vaikuntha. Because Krsna is always full, Müla-sankarsana is in Krsna, and since all incarnations are manifested from Müla-sankarsana, it should be understood that He can manifest different incarnations by His supreme will, even in the presence of Krsna. Great sages have therefore glorified the Lord by different names. <font color="brown"> Thus when the original person, the source of all incarnations, is sometimes described as an incarnation, there is no discrepancy</font color>

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

 

you wanted it you got it

 

at this link is a bunch of vedic references

that show the difference between Krishna

and the other(including Narayana)

aspects of God.

 

http://www.mandala.com.au/gaudiya-kanthahara/7.htm

[Guest guest]

 

whether or not you accept those as bona fide

shastra, does not change reality.

 

your belief only affects how you see the world, the world remains unchanged.

 

to accept or reject something is really not up to you,

as Krishna states in the Gita, he gives knowledge,

rememberence and forgetfullness.

 

that is absolute truth, we are not thinking for ourselves,we have no such ability, our thoughts are

given to us,the reality is told by Krishna

"everyone follows my path in all respects"

 

so whatever we think is reality, we are being led to believe that according to our need,as seen by Krishna.

 

If you think that anything in this world is not

controlled by Krishna, that is delusion.

 

all shastra is from God, everything is God,

but the shastra is for telling us how to distinguish

what one should do with that knowledge of oneness.

 

should we eat dirt, it is one with the apple ?

 

so the difference in quality of the manifestation

of that oneness gives the individual(jivatma) reason

to make distinction within that oneness ,for pratical reasons.

 

otherwise you will eat dirt.

 

so, Narayana,Krishna,Rama, these are names of the One

God.

 

they are understood according to your ability and God's

desire combined with your desire.

 

there is difference in their respective activities,

Krishna spoke Gita,Rama ruled Ayodhya, Narayana

rules in Vaikuntha.

 

What is Vaikuntha ?

 

It means no anxiety.

 

Symbolically speaking,Vaikuntha is a state of mind,

and you live there when you see God as the ruler of the universe ?

 

why ?

 

Because when you see God as the ruler of eternity,

you see your self as being safe and destined for eternal

life,all is taken care of,Vai Kuntha,no anxiety.

 

Krishna is the form God takes for God's pleasure.

 

Vaikuntha is for you,Vraja is For God.

 

The realm of Vaikuntha ,like Vraja, is wherever the

person who is absorbed in that consciousness resides.

 

So Vraja, is where the residents of God's most intimate

activities live.

 

That is Krishna's abode,Narayana is Krishna, and you will live in Vaikuntha if that is your qualification,if you

have absolute realization and Faith in the power

and opulence of God,the ruler of the Universe.

 

For those who have attained that abode, another reality

is exposed, once in Vaikuntha, What to do ?

 

that is revealed by God, that is Krishna's purpose,

He spoke the Gita , not anyone else, why ?

 

to show what it is God likes to do,what is

the highest thing ?

 

what God does for fun, once in Vaikuntha, what do you do ?

 

you have forever.

 

That is revealed to you , as Krishna says, " I, reveal

with the shining lamp of knowledge the truth, disspelling the darkness born of ignorance"

 

so that is ultimatelly the truth,God reveals,God decides

what you will believe, according to your ability,

and need.