Brahma SaMhita

[anadi]

What is para-ma brahman without His Radha and gopis?

 

TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION OF

SRILA JIVA GOSVAMI’S TIKA (BHAVANUVADA)

 

It is also stated in the GopAla-tApani UpaniSad (21):

“eko vaSi sarvagaH kRSNa iDyaH –

Sri KRSNa is one. He controls everyone, knows everything and is worshipable by all.”

Such an ISvara can be referred to as parama. Para means “the most excellent” and

mA means “LakSzmi, the sum total of all potencies.” Therefore, one who is eternally accompanied by the most excellent LakSzmi, namely Sri RAdhA, is called paramesvara Sri KRSNa. For example, it is stated in Srimad-BhAgavatam:

“reme ramAbhir nija-kAma-samplutaH

– BhagavAn Sri KRSNa enjoyed His pastimes with Srimati RAdhikA and the other gopis.” Also: “nAyaM Sriyo ’nga unitAnta-rateH prasAdaM – the great fortune attained by the gopis in the pastime of the rAsa dance with Sri KRSNa was not available for the queens of DvArakA headed by RukmiNi and SatyabhAmA, nor for the Lakshmis of VaikuNTha or Devaloka, not to mention the demigoddesses of heaven.”

 

[anadi]

TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION OF

SRILA JIVA GOSVAMI’S TIKA (BHAVANUVADA)

 

Furthermore, in Srimad-Bhagavatam it is stated:

“tatrAtiSuSubhe tAbhir bhagavAn devaki-sutaH –

DevakI-nandana Sri KRSNa began to look even more beautiful amidst all those gopIs.”

In the latter part of this Brahma-saMhitA (56), we will find:

“SriyaH kAntAH kAntaH parama-puruSah –

in Goloka VRndAvana there is only one hero, namely parama-puruSa Sri KRSNa. LakSzmis, in the form of gopis, are His beloveds.”

The GopAla-tApanI UpaniSad confirms this:

“kRSNo vai paramaH daivatam –

Sri KRSNa is the only supreme worshipable deity.”

[Guest guest]

TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION OF

SRILA JIVA GOSVAMI’S TIKA (BHAVANUVADA

 

In the same way that Sri KRSNa is the Supreme Person (parama-puruSa), He is also the original person (Adi-puruSa).

SrutvA ’jitam jarAsandhaM

NRpater dhyAyato hariH

AhopAyaM tam evAdya

uddhavo yam uvAca ha

Srimad-BhAgavatam (10.72.15)

After conquering all directions, MahArAja YudhiSThira was contemplating how to defeat JarAsandha, who appeared to be invincible. At that moment BhagavAn Sri KRSNa, the original personality (Adi-puruSa),

suggested a method that He had heard from Uddhava.

Commentators on this verse have confirmed:

“Adyo hariH Sri KRSNaH – the original Hari is Sri KRSNa.”

In Srimad-BhAgavatam (11.29.49), the supremacy of Sri KRSNa

and His status as the origin of everything are both mentioned:

“puruSam RSabham AdyaH krsna-saMjNaM nato ’smi –

I offer my obeisances to Sri KRSNa, who is the origin of all, the eternal and supreme personality (puruSa). He is the origin (Adi) because He is the source of all incarnations, though He is beginningless.” In the GopAla-tApani UpaniSad (21) it is said:

“eko vaSI sarva-gaH kRSNa IDyaH –

Svayam Bhagavän Sri KRSNa is He who is one without a second, who controls everyone, who can go any-where, who is omnipotent, who knows everything and who is worshipable by all.”

In the Upaniñads it is stated: “nityo nityAnAm – there is one Supreme Eternal amongst all eternals, one Supreme Consciousness among all conscious beings. Although He is one, He fulfills the desires of all.” According to the statements of Sruti, He is the origin of everything and the cause of all causes. He is also the cause of KAraNodakaSAyi MahA-ViSNu, who is the creator of the material world. For example, in Srimad-BhAgavatam (10.85.31) Mother Devaki says to Sri KRSNa:

yasyAMSAMSAMSa-bhAgena

viSvotpatti-layodayA

bhavanti kila viSvAtmaMs

taM tv AdyAhaM gatiM gatA

I take shelter of Govinda, who is the indwelling supersoul of the entire universe. O original PuruSa, Your plenary portion is the great Lord of VaikuNTha, NArAyaNa, whose further partial expansion

is KAraNodakaSAyi ViSNu. Material nature is a partial manifestation of His potency. The creation, destruction and maintenance of this world are accomplished through the modes of ignorance, passion

and so on, which are only constituent portions of this material nature.

[anadi]

TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION OF

SRILA JIVA GOSVAMI’S TIKA (BHAVANUVADA

 

It is also stated in BrahmA’s prayers to kRSNa (Srimad-BhAgavatam 10.14.14):

 

“nArAyaNo ’ìga nArAyaNa-bhU-jalAyanAt –

O KRSNa, You are the origin of NArAyaNa.

 

NAra means ‘the collective group of living entities,’ and ayaNa means ‘You are the shelter.’ BhU means ‘the shelter of all the worlds’ and sAkSI means ‘one who knows past, present and future.

NArAyaNa is Your part and parcel; He is one of Your pastime expansions (vilAsa-mUrti).

This is Your constitutional nature, which is indivisible. If Your nature is indivisible, how can You take shelter of water that is divisible? To answer this doubt, it is said that Your divisibility is not factual, but it seems to be so because of mAyA. Although You are indivisible, You seem to be situated in divisibility by the influence of Your inconceivable potency. Even though this is true, Your form as NArAyaNa is not a false imaginary form like Your

universal form. Therefore, NArAyaNa is Your limb, and You are His fundamental origin.”

 

[anadi]

TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION OF

SRILA JIVA GOSVAMI’S TIKA (BHAVANUVADA

 

In Bhagavad-gita (10.42) it is also stated:

“viSTabhyAham idaM kRtsnam ekAMSena sthito jagat –

this entire world exists on the basis of one of My expansions.”

The etymological meaning of the word kRSNa has also been proven here. As described previously, His all-attractiveness and His supremely blissful nature have been indicated by the combination of both kRS and Na. He is one without a second; there is no other entity or truth besides Him, nor can anyone be compared to Him. That is why He is the nondual

Supreme Truth, who is one without a second and the cause of all causes. There is no separate substance or energy that can be imposed on Him, because nothing else has any existence separate from Him or independent of Him.

 

It is also said in the Sruti,

“AnandaH brahmeti – Brahman is the original form of bliss.”

“Ko hy evAnyAt kaù prANyAd ya AkASa Anando na syAt –

if He were not the original form of bliss, how could anyone else maintain their life?” “

AnandAd dhimAni bhUtAni jAyante – all living beings have been produced from this

blissfulness.”

 

na tasya karyaM karaNaM ca vidyate

na tat samaS cAbhyadhikaS ca dRSyate

parAsya Saktir vividhaiva SrUyate

svAbhAvikI jnana-bala-kriyä ca

SvetASvatara UpaniSad (6.8)

He does not have any mundane work to perform, nor does He possess material senses. There is no one like Him, and certainly no one is greater than Him. He has an eternal and natural superior

energy which is manifested in various ways and which is the source of knowledge, strength and activity.

 

Someone may say, “According to etymology, ‘Sri KRSNa’ certainly refers to the all-attractive supreme Ananda, but this analysis does not establish that He has a personal form, because

bliss has no form; it is unembodied.” This is partly true, but BhagavAn Sri KRSNa is the supremely original perfect form of Ananda. That is why He has been called sac-cid-Ananda vigraha in this first verse of Brahma-saMhitA.

Sri KRSNa is the embodiment of concentrated existence, knowledge and bliss.

[anadi]

TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION OF

SRILA JIVA GOSVAMI’S TIKA (BHAVANUVADA

 

 

In BrahmA’s prayers in the Tenth Canto of Srimad-BhAgavatam

(10.14.22) it is stated: “tvayy eva nitya-sukha-bodha-tanau – the

entire world is temporary.

That is why it is dreamlike, ephemeral,insentient, dull and distressful. On the other hand, You are theembodiment of eternity, knowledge and bliss, infinite and unlimited.

The creation and destruction of this world takes place only by the influence of Your inconceivable illusory energy, but even so, the world appears to be reality.”

The GopAla-tApanI UpaniSad (1.1) and the HayaSIrza-paNcarAtra

also give evidence for Sri KRSNa’s sac-cid-Ananda form:

sac-cid-Ananda-rUpAya

kRSNAyAkliSTa-kAriNe

namo vedAnta-vedyAya

gurave buddhi-sAkSiNe

 

I offer my obeisances to Sri KRSNa’s, who is the concentrated form of eternity, knowledge and bliss; who is the subject matter defined by Vedanta; who effortlessly creates, maintains and destroys the entire world; who frees His devotees from the five types of suffering beginning with ignorance; and who is our guru. As guru He inspires the intelligence of all, and He is the witness of our activities.

Unto that Sri KRSNa’s I offer my obeisances again and again.

 

[anadi]

TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION OF

SRILA JIVA GOSVAMI’S TIKA (BHAVANUVADA

 

In the SatanAma-stotra section of the BrahmAnda PurANa, it

is also said: “nava-vraja-janAnandi sac-cid-Ananda-vigrahaH –

Sri KRSNa, who is the concentrated form of eternity, knowledge

and bliss, increases the Ananda of Sri Nanda-Vraja, and all the residents of Vraja.”

[anadi]

Brahma Samhita Vers 1

 

TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION OF

SRILA JIVA GOSVAMI’S TIKA (BHAVANUVADA

 

Later, it will be stated:

“ sattvaM khalv avyabhicAritvam ucyate –

Sri KRSNa is pure transcendental existence. His existence can never be inhibited.”

 

In Srimad-Bhägavatam (10.2.26) the same conclusion has been established by the statements of the demigods, headed by BrahmA:

“ satya-vrataM satya-paraM tri-satyam –

O Bhagavän, whatever You desire becomes reality (satya-saNkalpa). You are true to Your vow (satya-vrata) because You are responsible for manifesting Your own desires (saNkalpa). Truthfulness is the means to attain You, and therefore You are the Supreme Truth (satya-para). You are unchanged during creation, maintenance and destruction. You are truth itself. You are the root cause of the five major ingredients of creation: earth, water, fire, air and

space. After these elements are again manifested during creation, You are present within them as the indwelling Supersoul, and after the devastation only You remain. You are the origin of both truthful speech and equal vision. Therefore, we are taking shelter of You, who are the original form of the Absolute Truth.”

 

This conclusion is also supported by the statements of Mother Devaki:

 

<font color="blue"> naSTe loke dviparArdhAvasAne

mahAbhUteSv AdibhUtaM gateSu

vyakte ’vyaktaM kAla-vegena yAte

bhavAn ekaH Sizyate Seza-saMjNaH</font color>

 

Srimad-BhAgavatam (10.3.25)

At the time of devastation at the end of BrahmA’s life, the eternal time factor destroys all moving and non-moving objects in the world. The five gross elements beginning with earth revert to their subtle state, and all manifested objects disappear into their unmanifested form. Only You remain.

 

Furthermore, Srimad-BhAgavatam (10.3.27) states:

“martyo mRtyu-vyAla-bhitaH palAyan sarvAl lokAn nirbhayaM nAdhyagacchat –

the entities of this mortal world are terrified of

the great snake of death. Although they flee throughout all the planets headed by Brahmaloka just to find shelter, they cannot become fearless anywhere. However, if such a fearful living entity <font color="blue"> associates with a liberated soul</font color>, then by the influence of devotion to You he attains the shelter of Your lotus feet and becomes liberated from the fear of the material world forever.

Even death abandons him and flees far away.”

[anadi]

TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION OF

SRILA JIVA GOSVAMI’S TIKA (BHAVANUVADA

 

 

Srimad-BhAgavatam (10.14.18) states:

<font color="blue"> “eko ’si prathamam </font color> – before the creation, only I existed.

” BrahmAji has also said: “tad idam brahmAdvayaM Sizyate –

in the end, only the indivisible Supreme Spirit remains.”

In Bhagavad-gita it is said: “brahmaNo hi pratiSThAham – I am also the basis of that Brahman.”

 

<font color="blue"> yasmAt kSaram atito ’ham

akSarAd api cottamaH

ato ’smi loke vede ca

prathitaH puruSottamaH</font color>

 

Bhagavad-gitA (15.18)

I am beyond the manifest nature, and I am also superior to the

unmanifest. That is why I am celebrated throughout the world and

in the Vedas as PuruSottama.

BhagavAn is eternally masculine (puruSa-tattva); He is not

feminine or impotent. When the conception of masculinity

(puruSa-tattva) is understood, the mistaken conception of His

being feminine or neuter cannot remain. Amongst all the viSNutattva

expansions, PuruSottama Sri KRSNa is the most excellent.

In the GopAla-tApanI UpaniSad (23) it has been said:

<font color="blue">

janma-jarAbhyAM bhinnaH sthANur ayam

acchedyo ’yaà yo ’sau saurye tiSThati

yo ’sau goSu tiSThati

yo ’sau gAH pAlayati yo ’sau gopeSu tiSThati

</font color>

BhagavAn is without desire. He is not affected by the six transformations,

namely birth, death, hunger, thirst, old age and sorrow.

He is Parabrahman and always exists in a form that never deteriorates.

He is the central feature of the solar system (sUryamaNDala,

or Sauri). He protects and nourishes the wish-fulfilling

cows, surrounded by His cowherd boy companions. He also performs

His pastimes in the cottages and groves on the banks of the

Yamunä, who is the daughter of the sun-god Surya. Even death

personified is afraid of Him. That Supreme Personality is Sri

Govinda.

Here one should understand the word saurye to mean the

Sauri, or Yamunä River, and also Sri VRndAvana, which is situated

on its bank.

 

 

[anadi]

TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION OF

SRILA JIVA GOSVAMI’S TIKA (BHAVANUVADA)

 

Having discussed the eternal form (sat-svarUpa) of Sri KRSNa,

we will now establish the cognizant nature (cit-svarUpa) of that

form. Sri KRSNa’s original form is self-manifested, so He can also

manifest others.

In Srimad-BhAgavatam (10.14.23), Sri BrahmA says:

 

<font color="blue"> “ekas tvam AtmA puruSaH purAnaH, satyaH svayaM jyotir ananta</font color>

 

AdyaH – O BhagavAn, You are the only truth because You are the

AtmA of all AtmAs; that is, You are situated as paramätmä in

everyone’s heart. You are different from the perceptible world

around us. You are the root cause of the creation, maintenance

and destruction of this world; You are the primeval personality

and the eternal supreme reality; You are completely immersed in

eternal bliss; You are the embodiment of nectar, beyond all material

designations; You are supremely pure, or in other words free

from the modes of material nature; and You are self-illuminating,

endless and indivisible.

You are the supreme non-dual Absolute Truth (advaya-jnana-para-tattva).”

 

[anadi]

TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION OF

SRILA JIVA GOSVAMI’S TIKA (BHAVANUVADA)

 

In the GopAla-tApani UpaniSad (1.24), it is stated:

 

yo brahmANaM vidadhAti pUrvaM yo

brahma-vidyAM tasmai gA pAlayati sma kRSNaH

tAM hi devam Atma-vRtti-prakASaM

mumukSur vai SaraNam amuM vrajet

 

In the beginning of creation ParameSvara first manifested BrahmA,

and then, in the forms of Matsya, HayagrIva and other incarnations,

He delivered the Vedas from sinking into the ocean of devastation.

He gave instructions to BrahmA on spiritual science. He

is the supreme worshipable deity, and

He is self-manifest in His eternal form as SrI KRSNa .

All devotees take shelter of Him.

 

In the Sruti it is stated:

“na cakzuzA paSyati rUpam asya – it is not possible to see Him with these material eyes.”

 

Katha UpaniSad (1.2.23) states:

“yam evaiSa vRNute tena labhyas tasyaiza AtmA vivRNute tanuM svAm –

He manifests Himself in the hearts of those who are surrendered to Him.”

 

The self-manifested original form of the Supreme Personality is Svayam Bhagavan SrI KRSNa.

He is therefore called the form of knowledge, which means that He is self-manifest.

[anadi]

TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION OF

SRILA JIVA GOSVAMI’S TIKA (BHAVANUVADA)

 

Sri KRSNa is also the original form of bliss (Ananda-svarUpa).

The purport of Ananda-svarUpa is

 

“sarvatobhAvena nirupAdhika parama-premAspada –

 

He is in every respect the supreme abode of prema, without any material designations.”

 

It is stated in Srimad-BhAgavatam (10.14.49) that after

MahArAja ParikSit heard BrahmAjI’s prayers, he inquired from Sri

Sukadeva GosvAmI:

 

“brahman parodbhave kRSNe –

 

O brAhmaNa, how is it that the residents of Vraja had such prema for Sri KRSNa,

which they did not possess even for their own sons?”

Sri Sukadeva GosvAmI replied, “O King, every living entity

only holds his own self (AtmA) dear. Besides one’s self, all other

objects of affection such as sons and wealth are dear in a secondary

way, not directly, and only because of fondness for the

AtmA. Living entities who have accepted a material body have

more attachment for their own selves than for their sons, wealth,

house and other paraphernalia. Therefore, all living beings are

most attached to their own selves. In this world of moving and

non-moving entities, any sense of happiness is due to the AtmA .

The conclusion is that one should understand Sri KRSNa to be the

original Self (AtmA -svarUpa) of all living entities. He mercifully

appears in this world for the benefit of all. The entire universe is

the external form of Sri KRSNa; in other words Sri KRSNa is the root

cause of everything. Thus there is nothing that is not related to Him.”

 

Sri Vasudeva has described his own realization of this:

vidito ’si bhavAn sAkSAd

ISvaraH prakIRteH paraH

kevalAnubhavAnandasvarUpaH

sarva-buddhi-dRk

Srimad-BhAgavatam (10.3.13)

O Prabhu, You are the Supreme Controller beyond the material

nature, and You are that Supreme Personality who enters within

everything. You are the original form of pure knowledge, and You

are directly the Supreme Godhead, BhagavAn.

 

It is also said in the Sruti:

“AnandaH brahmaNo rUpam –Ananda is the form of Brahman.”

 

Therefore, on the basis of all the evidence compiled from Sruti,

it is established that Sri KRSNa is the form of eternity, knowledge and bliss

(sac-cid-Anandavigraha).

One should understand that Sri KRSNa’s form is His very

self, and Sri KRSNa’s self is His form; vigraha is AtmA and AtmA is

vigraha. This is the conclusion of all scripture. Bhagavän Sri KRSNa

is His eternal, original form, so the idea that He is

materially embodied like the conditioned souls, or that He has

accepted a material form from the illusory energy (mAyA), is

totally erroneous.

 

[anadi]

Krishna descended on this earth. Why?

First to bestow mercy upon His devotees. How?

Not through his superhuman activities but through his human like pastimes (naravat lila)

 

TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION OF

SRILA JIVA GOSVAMI’S TIKA (BHAVANUVADA)

 

Sri Sukadeva GosvAmI has remarked:

 

kRSNam enam avehi tvam

AtmAnam akhilAtmanAm

jagad-dhitAya so ’py atra

dehéi vAbhAti mAyayA

 

Srimad-Bhägavatam (10.14.55)

 

O King, you should understand that Sri KRSNa is Parabrahma and

ParamAtmA, the soul of all living entities. He has mercifully

descended for the benefit of the whole world in such a way that

He appears to be an ordinary person with a physical human body

that can be perceived by the senses of the living entities. Although

His pastimes resemble those of a common person, He is not an

ordinary human being.

 

The human-like activities performed by BhagavAn during His

manifest pastimes in this world are called mAdhurya mayi-lilA,

meaning that these pastimes are full of sweetness. His pastimes

are manifested in this world only out of compassion for the living

entities. In this Srimad-Bhägavatam verse, the word mAyA means “mercy.”

[anadi]

TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION OF

SRILA JIVA GOSVAMI’S TIKA (BHAVANUVADA)

 

Now that the supremacy of Sri KRSNa has been firmly

established on the basis of SAstra and logic, His absorption in

His pastimes will be discussed. His pastimes are of two types:

aiSvaryamayI pura-lilA (pastimes related to transcendental

opulence) and mAdhuryamayi vraja- lilA (the sweet pastimes of

Vraja). He performs His aiSvaryamayi - lilA while residing sometimes

in MathurA-puri and sometimes in DvArakA. At that time He

is called YAdavendra or VRSNIndra. When the pastimes of His

infancy, childhood and adolescence take place in Vraja, He is

called Vrajendra-nandana or Govinda.

 

In Srimad-BhAgavatam (12.11.25) Sri SUta GosvAmi has said:

 

Sri kRSNa kRSNa-sakha vRSNy-RSabhAvani-dhrug

rAjanya-vaMSa-dahanAnapavarga-virya

govinda gopa-vanitA-vraja-bhRtya-gIta

tirtha-sravaH SravaNa-maNgala pAhi bhRtyAn

 

O KRSNa, O friend of Arjuna, O chief among the descendants of

VRSNi, You are the destroyer of those political parties who are disturbing

elements on this Earth. Your prowess never deteriorates.

You are the proprietor of the transcendental abode, and Your most

sacred glories, which are sung by VRndAvana’s cowherd men and

women and their servants, bestow all auspiciousness just by being

heard. O Lord, please protect Your devotees.

 

In this Sloka, Sri SUta Gosvami has introduced his worshipable

deity Sri KRSNa as the friend of Arjuna. This indicates Sri KRSNa’s

intense affection for the PANDavas, which renders Him subordinate

to them. It is also clear from the sequence of address in this

verse that He has even more affection for the YAdavas (VRSNis).

Sri KRSNa not only destroyed the kings who were oppressing the

Earth, He also protected the PANDavas s and the YAdavas and

maintained them in every respect. Sri SUta Gosvami is also

saying, “You have still more affection for the VrajavAsis than for

the YAdavas, and amongst the residents of Vraja,

 

<font color="red">You have shown the most affection of all for the Vraja damsels. </font color>

When Your dear devotee Uddhava came to Vraja,

he repeatedly offered prayers

to the dust of the lotus feet of the gopis.”

 

[anadi]

TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION OF

SRILA JIVA GOSVAMI’S TIKA (BHAVANUVADA)

 

<font color="red"> The most desirable form Sri Govinda</font color>

 

Sri BrahmA considers that the form of BhagavAn that is most

desirable for him is his own worshipable deity, Sri Govinda.

 

Later in this saMhitA, Sri BrahmA offers prayers beginning with the

verse cintAmaNi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vRkSa-lakSAvRteSu,

wherein he glorifies his worshipable Lord, Sri Govinda, who is always endowed with His transcendental names, form, qualities and pastimes.

In Srimad-BhAgavatam (10.27.20), the cow Surabhi performs abhiSeka (ceremonial bathing) of Sri KRSNa, giving Him the name Sri Govinda: “tvaM na indro jagatpate – O You who possess inconceivable and unlimited energies, O indwelling soul of the universe, O creator of the universe, O infallible Acyuta, O Sri KRSNa, O master of the universe, You are our only worshipable deity. You are the real Indra (monarch) because you are the maintainer of cows, brAhmaNas, saintly persons and demigods.

O Soul of the universe, You have descended to the surface of the Earth planet to remove her burden. The father of the worlds, Brahmaji, has engaged us in performing the abhiSeka of You, who are worshipable for all.” After saying this, Surabhi, along with Indra and the great sages, performed the abhiSeka of KRSNa.

 

Surabhi bathed Sri KRSNa with her own milk, and Indra and the sages offered the pure waters of MandAkini (the celestial GaNgA), which had been brought there in the trunk of Indra’s elephant AirAvata. In this ceremony they gave Sri KRSNa the name Sri

Govinda (Srimad-BhAgavatam 10.27.19–23). After describing this abhiSeka, Sri Sukadeva GosvAmi has also prayed: “priyAn na indro gaväm – O Indra (master) of the cows, Govinda, be pleased with us.” Calling Him master of the cows does not minimize Him or decrease His position. On the contrary, it establishes His unrivaled monarchy, because it is stated in the

Go-sUkta:

gobhyo yajNAH pravartante

gobhyo devAH samutthitAH

gobhir devAH samudgirNAH

sa-SaD-aNga-.-kramAH

 

All the different types of sacrifice have come from the cows of

Goloka VRndAvana; the demigods have come from those cows;

and the Vedas with their six limbs have also appeared from those cows.

[anadi]

Brahma Samhita Vers 1

 

TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION OF

SRILA JIVA GOSVAMI’S TIKA (BHAVANUVADA)

 

Since Sri KRSNa has descended from Goloka-dhAma, the planet

of cows, He is the master of the cows. In the GopAla-tApanI

UpaniSad (35), Sri BrahmA relates to the sages headed by Sanaka

how he has prayed to his worshipable deity:

 

govindaM sac-cid-Ananda-vigrahaM

sUrabhU-ruha-talAsinaM satataM sa-marud-gaNo ’haM toZayAmi

 

Along with the demigods headed by Indra, I offer praise to

Väsudeva, who is eternally ornamented with pure transcendental

qualities and pastimes. Although He is the Supreme Truth, one

without a second, He is also the embodiment of eternity, knowledge

and bliss, resplendently situated beneath a desire-fulfilling

tree <font color="blue"> in Sri VRndAvana-dhAma. </font color>

[anadi]

Brahma Samhita Vers 1

 

TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION OF

SRILA JIVA GOSVAMI’S TIKA (BHAVANUVADA)

 

BrahmAji has also prayed in the Tenth Canto of Srimad-

BhAgavatam (10.14.34):

“tad bhUri-bhAgyam iha janma kim apy aTavyAM yad gokule –

the Vedas are still searching, even

today, for the dust of the lotus feet of BhagavAn Mukunda, who

is the very life and soul of the residents of Vraja. My life will be

successful only if I can take birth in any species whatsoever in

this earthly forest of Vraja, or in a border region of Gokula, so

that I may be completely bathed in the foot-dust of the residents

of Gokula.”

 

Here the words bhagavAn mukundaH directly refer to

Vrajaräja-nandana, KRSNa, the son of Nanda MahArAja . This form

is found only in Vraja.

[anadi]

Brahma Samhita Vers 1

 

TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION OF

SRILA JIVA GOSVAMI’S TIKA (BHAVANUVADA)

 

 

BrahmAji has also prayed:

 

naumiDya te ’bhra-vapuSe taDd-ambarAya

gNïjAvataMsa-paripiccha-lasan-mukhAya

vanya-sraje kavala-vetra-vizANa-veNu

lakSma-Sriye mRdu-pade paSupANgajAya

 

Srimad-Bhägavatam (10.14.1)

O Prince of Vraja, You are worshipable for the whole world. O

Nava-GhanaSyAma, Your yellow upper garment beautifies Your

dark, fresh raincloud-colored limbs like a steady streak of lightning.

Your ears are decorated with ornaments made of guNjA

berries, and Your head with a crown of peacock feathers. A garland

of forest flowers and leaves adorns Your neck, a morsel of rice

mixed with yogurt is in Your hand, Your eyes are shaped like lotus

petals, and Your appearance with Your flute and buffalo horn is

exquisitely beautiful. Your lotus feet, which are the shelter of

LakSmi-devi, are very soft and full of affection for Your devotees.

You are always moving here and there in VRndAvana forest with

Your soft lotus feet to enjoy Your pleasure pastimes. All glories

unto You, son of Nanda MahArAja, who tend the cows. Please

accept my obeisances.

 

Thus Sri KRSNa’s supreme opulence is expressed by names

such as Govinda. This is the significance of the name Govinda in

this first verse of Brahma-samhiA.

 

 

[anadi]

In this commentary we can see the mood of the Gosvamis, and the meaning of seeing only the eye of the bird, as Arjuna, one pointed in his sadhana.

 

 

Brahma Samhita Vers 1

 

TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION OF

SRILA JIVA GOSVAMI’S TIKA (BHAVANUVADA)

 

 

After Sri KRSNa’s status as controller (ISvara) and Supreme

Controller (parameSvara) has been established, in conclusion, His

unique qualities are being described. In an explanation of the ten syllable

mantra, (This is identical to the eighteen-syllable gopAla-mantra, except that it does not

contain the words kRSNAya and govindAya.) the Gautamiya-tantra (2.18–19, 22–23) reveals

the following:

 

Sri Govindadeva is famous throughout the Vedas,

upon planet Earth

and among the cows.

He nourishes them and is always with them.

Although complete with incomparable opulence and sweetness,

He is absorbed in enjoying His independent pastimes while

surrounded by herds of cows. He is celebrated in all worlds and

throughout the Vedas, which means that He steals the hearts of the

residents of Vraja in Sri Nanda-Gokula. His complexion is like a

fresh monsoon raincloud, and He expands His endearing pastimes,

the sweetness of which is continuously sung in a loud voice

by all the Vedas and throughout the worlds.

<font color="red"> Only that Sri KRSNa, the moon of Gokula, the cowherd boy who carries a flute,

is worthy of the name Govinda.</font color>

 

[anadi]

Brahma Samhita Vers 1

 

TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION OF

SRILA JIVA GOSVAMI’S TIKA (BHAVANUVADA)

 

On examining the mood that BrahmA expresses in this verse,

it seems that he surrendered himself fully unto the lotus feet of

Sri KRSNa from the very beginning. However, as the ecstatic mellows

of prema-rasa increased in his heart, his greed to realize the

sweetness of Sri KRSNa also increased. <font color="blue"> Therefore he began to

offer himself to KRSNa’s form of Govinda, meaning VrajarAjanandana,</font color>

the son of the King of Vraja, and GopAla, who is the

treasure of the life of Mother YaSodA. Moreover, when BrahmAji’s

mood increased and matured completely, with his heart

immersed in and relishing prema-rasa, he became desperate to

attain the supremely beautiful fresh youth, SyAmasundara – the

expert dancer who, being surrounded by the lotus-eyed damsels

of Vraja, bewilders the mind of Cupid. At that time, intoxicated by

the incomparable nectar of gopi-prema, BrahmAji offered his life

to Sri KRSNa’s form as Gopijana-vallabha. His heart was so thirsty

for gopi-prema that he could not be satisfied by uttering only

kRSNAya svAhA, or even krsnaya govindaya svAhA. Helplessly

overwhelmed with prema, he began to utter kRSNAya govindAya

gopIjana-vallabhAya svAhA. When BrahmAji spoke thus, his

intense yearning was fulfilled.

 

Comment by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja

<font color="blue">

Here Srila Jiva GosvAmI describes BrahmA yearning for that gopé-prema which

has been described as unattainable even for BrahmA and SaNkara. To reconcile

this with other statements of Jiva GosvAmi and of Srimad-Bhagavatam that

BrahmAji practiced the eighteen-syllable mantra to get power for creation, we

can understand that later BrahmAji may have been in the association of highclass

VaiSNavas like NArada and others, and then he was regularly and repeatedly

chanting these names. Then, he may have achieved prema as described

here. It may be that the BrahmAji described here is a special BrahmAji who is now

liberated, but other BrahmAji s have not received gopi-prema.</font color>

 

[anadi]

Brahma Samhita Vers 1

 

TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION OF

SRILA JIVA GOSVAMI’S TIKA (BHAVANUVADA)

 

 

In the aforementioned verses from the Gautamiya-tantra that

explain the ten-syllable mantra, the word <font color="red">gopi has been derived

from the verbal root gup, meaning “to protect and maintain.”</font color>

Therefore the special energy that bestows prema and maintains

the devotees is called gopi, or hlAdini-Sakti. Sri RAdhA is that

hlAdini-Sakti, so one should understand that the word

gopi refers to Sri RAdha .

[anadi]

Brahma Samhita Vers 1

 

TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION OF

SRILA JIVA GOSVAMI’S TIKA (BHAVANUVADA)

 

Also, in the statement

gopi tu prakRti rAdhA janas tad-aMSa-maNDalaH,

the word jana refers to those gopis who are

direct expansions of Srimati RAdhikA’s divine form. So gopijana

refers to Srimati RadhikA and Her own direct expansions such as

LalitA and ViSAkhA. Thus the word vallabha (beloved) can only

refer to their most dearly beloved sweetheart, prANa-priyatama Sri KRSNa.

The word <font color="blue"> vallabha means “one who gives inspiration,”</font color>

“the instigator,” or “the lover (ramaNa).” That hero who enjoys

supremely sweet pastimes with the gopis is Sri Gopijana-vallabha.

Gopijana-vallabha also means <font color="blue"> the pati or sole refuge of the gopis,</font color>

and specifically prANapati, the only shelter of the life’s breath of

Sri RadhikA, who is always surrounded by Her sakhis headed by

Sri LalitA and ViSAkhA. Nanda-nandana Sri KRSNa is the <font color="blue"> crownjewel

among connoisseurs of ecstatic transcendental mellows

(rasika-Sekhara)</font color>. As Madana-mohana, the enchanter of the god

of amorous love, He is elegantly present in Sri VRndAvana with

Srimati RadhikA, who stands in the midst of Her supremely beautiful,

ever-fresh, lotus-eyed friends. Therefore only this budding

youth, the Madana-mohana form of Sri KRSNa – also called

Govinda or GopAla – is actually Sri Gopijana-vallabha. Gopijanavallabha

is the eternal form of Sri KRSNa who is always held in Sri

RAdhikA’s loving embrace. Therefore it is automatically understood

that gopijana-vallabha refers to the Divine Couple, RAdhA-KRSNa Yugala.

[anadi]

Brahma Samhita Vers 1

 

TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION OF

SRILA JIVA GOSVAMI’S TIKA (BHAVANUVADA)

 

aneka-janma-siddhAnAM

gopInAM patir eva vA

nanda-nandana-ity uktas

trailokyAnanda-vardhanaH

 

GautamIya-tantra (2.23)

 

The purport of this verse is that those gopis who had been performing

sAdhana for many lifetimes attained Nanda-nandana Sri

KRSNa as their husband or beloved paramour, who is dearer than

life itself. He increases the bliss of all the three planetary systems,

and He is the ever-fresh KAmadeva, who awakens transcendental

desire in the heart of every living entity in the universe, and then

fulfills it. He increases the spontaneous, transcendental dedication

in the hearts of the devotees, and He increases the prema of

His dearmost associates.

 

<font color="blue"> That original form of BhagavAn Sri KRSNa is the ever-new deity of amorous love in VRndAvana.</font color>

This same Sri KRSNa is thus the worshipable deity of the first

guru of our sampradaya, Sri Brahma, who is seated upon a lotus

flower.

 

[anadi]

Brahma Samhita Vers 1

 

TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION OF

SRILA JIVA GOSVAMI’S TIKA (BHAVANUVADA)

 

The word prakRti in the previously quoted verses from the

Gautamiya-tantra indicates the illusory energy called maya,

which is the shelter of all the principal ingredients, beginning

with the aggregate of primal matter (mahat-tattva) from which all

the universes are manifested. Sri KRSNa is the highly concentrated

form of condensed bliss, and He is supremely effulgent like a blue

sapphire.

 

<font color="blue"> ISvara means vallabha, beloved.</font color> Another sense of the

word ISvara is “one who is everywhere” or <font color="red"> “one who pervades

the vraja-gopis’ hearts, minds, intelligence</font color> and so on.” The fundamental

meaning of prakRti (dominated energy) is Sri KRSNa's

intrinsic personal potency, which is radiantly present as the gopis

of Vraja, and famous by the name of MahA-LakSmi in realms such

as VaikuNTha, which are situated far beyond this material world.

[anadi]

Brahma Samhita Vers 1

 

TRANSLATION AND EXPLANATION OF

SRILA JIVA GOSVAMI’S TIKA (BHAVANUVADA)

 

The word aMSa-maNDala (circle of expansions) is generally

interpreted as a reference to the catur-vyUha: VAsudeva,

SaNkarSaNa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. However, in this

context, one should understand aMSa-maANala to mean the

expansions of Sri RAdhA (kAya-vyUha-rUpA).