Sri Sri Radha and Krsna are not different

krsna · February 24, 2005

"Because Sri Sri Radha Krsna are not different and because Sri Krsna is the master of all potencies, therefore Sri Radha is also the master and source of all potencies. He is by nature full of sweetness and bliss, free from the three modes, and eternally manifest beyond the material nature. Because Radha is not different from Him, so is She also. It is said that within the Lord are all potencies, the modes and the material nature."

Sri Krsna-bhakti-ratna-prakasa , Srila Raghava Goswami

krsna · February 24, 2005

Srila Raghava Gosvami’s

Sri Krsna-bhakti-ratna-prakasa

The Splendour of the Jewel of Krsna-bhakti

Volume 2

Fourth Ray of Light

First Part

1 Sri Krsna is eternal, eternally self-manifest, and the master of eternal potencies and opulences. He is full of perfect and complete transcendental bliss, and He is completely beyond the grip of material time. Therefore I say:

Now I shall explain that Nanda Maharaja’s son Sri Krsna, who enjoys pastimes in Vrndavana, and who is full of transcendental bliss, is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, the controller of all.

2-3 Sri Krsnacandra is the eternal, blissful Supreme Personality of Godhead. Someone may doubt: ‘Then who is the Krsna that is Nanda Maharaja’s son?’ The Adi-yamala says:

“The Krsna manifested among the members of the Yadu dynasty is not the original form of the Personality of Godhead. The original form is the Krsna that never leaves Vrndavana. His form has two arms eternally. He never manifests four arms.”

4 At this point someone may ask: ‘If Krsna in Vrndavana is the original Personality of Godhead, then who is the Krsna that appeared in the Yadu dynasty?’ To this question the devotees reply: ‘Sri Krsnacandra, the son of Nanda Maharaja, is the celebrated, perfect and complete Original Personality of Godhead. Of this there is no doubt.’ This is confirmed by Lord Brahma, who says (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.1.23):

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, who has full potency, will personally appear as the son of Vasudeva. Therefore all the wives of the demigods should also appear in order to satisfy Him.”*

5 This is also confirmed in the description of the rasa dance (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.29.14):

“Just to benefit ordinary living entities, the limitless, imperishable Supreme Personality of Godhead, devoid of material qualities, and full of sublime spiritual attributes, appeared in His original form as Sri Krsna, the son of Maharaja Nanda.”*

6 This is also described in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.33.36):

“Krsna manifests His eternal humanlike form and performs His pastimes to show mercy to the devotees. Having heard such pastimes, one should engage in service to Him.”*

7 The original, perfect, and complete Personality of Godhead is Sri Krsna, the son of Maharaja Nanda. Of this there is no doubt. This is confirmed in Srimad Bhagavatam (1.3.28):

“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.”*

8 This is also confirmed in Brahma-samhita (5.39):

“I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who by His various plenary portions appeared in the world in different forms and incarnations such as Lord Rama, but who personally appears in His supreme original form as Lord Krsna.”*

9 This is also confirmed in the Brahma-vaivarta Purana, Chapter 2, where Lord Brahma says to Narada:

“Listen, my son, and I shall narrate the supremely wonderful pastimes of the master of yoga, Sri Krsna, who is very kind to His devotees.

10-11 “To benefit the devotees and kill the demons, the eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead will take birth in the womb of Devaki-devi, the wife of Maharaja Vasudeva.”

Second Part

12(a) Hearing this, some may say: ‘This is wonderful. Sri Krsna, eternally stays in Vrndavana, is self-manifested, eternally blissful, and eternally perfect and complete. Then why has He taken birth?’

The devotees reply: ‘You have said that the self-manifested Personality of Godhead does not take birth. That is true. However, because His pastimes seem like the activities of ordinary persons, it is said that He takes birth. Because He appears by His own will His birth is not real. This is described in Sriman Uddhava’s words to Nanda Maharaja and Yasoda-devi (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.46.38-40):

12(b) “Actually Sri Krsna has no father, mother, brother, or relative, nor does He require society, friendship and love. He does not have a material body; He never appears to take birth as an ordinary human being.*

13 “He does not appear in higher or lower species of life as ordinary living entities, who are forced to take birth on account of their previous activities. He appears by His internal potency to perform pastimes and to give protection to His devotees.*

14 “He is never influenced by the modes of material nature, but when He appears within this material world, it seems that He acts like an ordinary living entity under the spell of the modes of material nature. In fact He is the overseer of this material creation and is not affected by the material modes of nature. He creates, maintains and dissolves the whole cosmic manifestation.”*

Third Part

15 That Sri Krsna is the origin of all the incarnations of Godhead is described in the following passage from the Brhad-Vamana Purana, Vrndavana-rajo-mahatmya, where hearing the Personified Vedas’ prayers, and feeling merciful, the Lord revealed Himself to them. The Personified Vedas then said:

“O Lord, when we see Your transcendental form, which is more handsome than millions of Kamadevas, we think of ourselves as Your beloved girl friends and our minds become agitated with desires for conjugal love.

16 “We desire to become like the gopis who live on the same planet with You and worship You as their lover.”

17 The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: “This sublime desire is generally very difficult to attain, nevertheless I grant it to you.

18 “After the appearance of the Brahma to create again the universe, when the Sarasvata-kalpa again arrives, you will all take birth in Vrajabhumi as gopis.

19 “I will appear in My own abode of Vrndavana, in the district of Mathura, in the land of Bharata-varsa, on the planet earth. I will become your lover in the arena of the rasa dance.

20 “You will attain Me as your paramour, and you will feel intense, overwhelming love for Me. In this way your lives will become perfect and glorious.”

21(a) In order to fulfil this desire, these Personified Vedas appeared in Vrndavana. This is described in the following statement of Srimad Bhagavatam (10.32.13):

“During Krsna’s advent these Vedic scholars took birth in the shape of the gopis in Vrndavana; as young gopis they got the association of Krsna in fulfilment of their previous birth’s desire. The ultimate goal of their perfect desire was attained and they were so joyous that they had nothing further to desire.”*

In this way these Personified Vedas became gopis and attained Lord Krsnacandra’s association.

The gopis are divided in five groups: 1. Expansions of the Lord’s transcendental potency, 2. External associates from the spiritual world, 3. Personified Vedas who became gopis, 4. Great sages who became gopis, and 5. Young girls from the heavenly planets who became gopis.

Lord Krsnacandra appears in this world by His own will. He does not reside in a mother’s womb.

Our opponents may protest: ‘If He did not take birth from a mother’s womb, then why does Srimad Bhagavatam (10.1.23) state:

21(b) “The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, who has full potency, will appear as the son of Vasudeva. Therefore all the wives of the demigods should also appear in order to satisfy Him.”*

22(a) “Furthermore, the Brahma-vaivarta Purana says: “The Supreme Personality of Godhead will take birth in the womb of Devaki-devi, the wife of Maharaja Vasudeva.’ For these reasons we doubt your statement.”

Please hear our reply: During the reign of Svayambhuva Manu, the couple Prsni and Sutapa performed austerities and worshipped the Supreme Personality of Godhead, begging Him to become their son. To fulfil their desire the Lord manifested His Visnu form. This is described in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.3.9):

“Vasudeva then saw the newborn child, who had very wonderful lotuslike eyes and who bore in His four hands the four weapons sankha, cakra, gada and padma.”*

After showing this form to His parents, the Supreme Personality of Godhead said (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.3.44):

22(b) “I have shown you this form of Visnu just to remind you of My previous births. Otherwise, if I appeared like an ordinary human child, you would not believe that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, has indeed appeared.”*

22© The Lord’s Visnu form was shown here. This is not the Lord’s original form. This is confirmed by the Yamala-tantra: “The original form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead has two arms. He never displays four-arms.” This is also confirmed by the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.90.48): “Lord Sri Krsna is He who is known as jana-nivasa, the ultimate resort of all living entities, and He is also known as Devaki-nandana, the son of Devaki. May He be all glorious and happy.”* The Bhagavatam only says janma-vada (who is said to have taken birth). Therefore it should be understood that the Original Supreme Personality of Godhead never actually takes birth.

Fourth Part

23 Now our opponents may say: In the Visnu Purana when Brahma prayed to Him, the Personality of Godhead Ksirodakasayi Visnu gave to Brahma two hairs that became Balarama and Krsna. The Visnu Purana (5.1.59-60) says:

“After hearing these prayers, the Supreme Personality of Godhead plucked from Himself a white and black hair and gave them to Brahma.”

24 “The Lord then said to the demigods: ‘These two hairs will descend to the earth and remove the earth’s burden of distress’.”

25(a) This is the doubt. The devotees of Lord Krsna reply: This statement of the Visnu Purana is couched in general words and does not specifically name Lord Krsna as the incarnation of Visnu’s hairs. Sri Krsna is the origin of everything. He appears only by His own will. Everything that exists has been expanded from Him. From whom was He expanded? He was not expanded from anyone else. In the statement ‘These two hairs will descend to the earth and remove the earth’s burden of distress” the two incarnations are Lord Visnu and Lord Balarama. It is Lord Visnu, who is in charge of maintaining the material creation, that killed the demons and removed the earth’s burden. Lord Krsna Himself does not kill the demons. Srimad Bhagavatam (10.38.22) says: “No one is especially dear to Lord Krsna. No one is His special friend. No one is not dear to Him. No one is His enemy. No one is ignored by Him. He sees everyone with an equal eye.” Furthermore, Sri Krsnacandra is beyond the grip of the material energy and its three modes. He is perfectly situated in Supreme transcendental bliss. Therefore the dual number in the word mat-kesau (My two hairs) refers to Lord Visnu and Lord Balarama. Srimad Bhagavatam (10.2.13) describes the meaning of Lord Balarama’s name in the following words: ‘Balarama will be called Rama because of His ability to please all the inhabitants of Gokula, and He will be known as Balabhadra because of His extensive physical strength.”* Because it can be used for destruction, physical strength is connected to the mode of ignorance. In the Govinda-Vrndavana-sastra Lord Balarama says to the Supreme Personality of Godhead:

25(a) “Because of Your illusory potency I am overcome by the mode of ignorance. O Lord of the universe, I do not understand the truth about You.”

25(b) Because Lord Balarama is the reservoir of all strength, the incarnation of Ananta Sesa is expanded from Him. Lord Balarama descended to the earth planet to kill the demons. These two may be the two hairs referred to here. Lord Krsnacandra, however, is the original form of the Personality of Godhead, and He appears whenever and wherever He likes. Therefore in the previously quoted passage of Srimad Bhagavatam (10.1.23): “The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, who has full potency, will personally appear as the son of Vasudeva” should be understood as a metaphor.

On the pretext of giving two hairs to Brahma, Lord Ksirodakasayi Visnu actually intended to say: “Sri Krsna, Supreme Personality of Godhead, the crest jewel of all forms of Godhead and the master of Divya-Vrndavana, appears by His own wish. He will now appear on the earth planet, accompanied by His two expansions Visnu and Balarama.” This is also confirmed by Srimad Bhagavatam (10.33.26): “The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of the universes, has now appeared with His own expansion.‘ Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead expands in many forms, He remains a single person. This is confirmed in the Govinda-Vrndavana-sastra: “The Supreme Personality of Godhead is one. He is the self-effulgent Supreme Master. He is the creator and destroyer of all the universes.”

At this point the question may be raised: Why does the Supreme Personality of Godhead bring His plenary expansions with Him when He appears in the material world? The answer is given in Srimad Bhagavatam (10.33.26): ‘The Supreme Lord appears to establish the principles of religion and silence those who are irreligious.”

At this point someone may further ask: “You have said that the Supreme Personality of Godhead descended with two expansions: Visnu and Balarama. You then proceed to substantiate that statement by quoting the phrase ‘avatirno hi bhagavan amsena’ from Srimad Bhagavatam (10.33.26). The word ‘amsena’ in this verse is singular, but yet you say the Lord appeared with two expansions. Are you not, therefore, contradicting the statement of the Bhagavatam, which mentions only one expansion?

The answer to this question is that the word ‘amsena’ is in the singular to indicate the expansions of the Lord taken together as a group, which is then treated in the singular. Actually the Lord appears with innumerable expansions and opulences. This is confirmed by the following statement of Sri Krsna-yamala: ‘The Supreme Personality of Godhead descends to this world accompanied by 64 expansions and opulences.”

Fifth Part

26(a) At this point someone may raise the following objection: “If the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s birth is simply a metaphor, then why did He manifest the pastimes of being a child?”

The answer is He did it to please His devotees. He did it to show mercy to Devaki, Vasudeva, Nanda, Yasoda and many others and to give them the chance to drink the nectar of parental love for Him. This is described in the Sammohana-tantra:

26(b) “Brahmarsi Kusadhvaja had two sons named Sucisrava Muni and Surarca Muni, who were both vastly learned Vedic scholars.

27 “Sucisrava and Surarca performed severed austerities. They diligently controlled their minds and chanted the three syllable mantra ‘Om Hamsa’ while standing on their heads.

28-9 “Meditating on Krsna as a ten month old infant handsome as Kamadeva and completely enchanting to the bimba fruit lip elderly gopis gazing upon Him in Gokula, they gave up their bodies and at the end of the kalpa took birth in Vraja.

30 “They were born as the two very beautiful daughters of the cowherd man Sudhira. On their hands could be seen a male and female parrot.”

31(a) In this way the Lord revealed His childlike form in order to please His devotees. He also did it to liberate the yamala-arjuna trees and to protect the words of His servant Narada. This is described in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.10.24-25):

31(b) “The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, to fulfil the truthfulness of the words of the greatest devotee Narada, slowly went to that spot where the twin arjuna trees were standing.*

32(a) “Although these two young men are the sons of the very rich Kuvera and I have nothing to do with them, Devarsi Narada is My very dear and affectionate devotee, and therefore because he wanted Me to come face to face with them, I must do so for their deliverance.”*

32(b) From this we can understand that the Personality of Godhead performs pastimes in His balya, kaumara, pauganda, and yauvana ages in order to please His devotees and also to fulfil the desire of Nanda and Yasoda to love Him as if He were their child. The Vedic literatures says: “Oh, how fortunate is Yasoda-devi, the wife of Nanda.” Nanda Maharaja, is the leader of the vraja-vasis and the best among. Lord Krsna became his son, protected his surabhi cows, and performed other duties also. Are they not His servants? Why, then, does He act in this ways? It is said (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.33.36): “Having heard Lord Krsna’s pastimes, one should engage in service to Him.”

Sixth Part

33(a) At this point someone may say: “If Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who manifests His form by His own wish, who is the all-pervading Supersoul, who does not have to perform any action to accomplish any goal, is equal to everyone, as the Bhagavatam (10.38.22) affirms in the words ‘No one is especially dear to Sri Krsna. No one is His special friend. No one is not dear to Him. No one is His enemy. No one is ignored by Him. He sees everyone with equal eye.’, then why did He kill Putana, Sakatsura, Trnavarta, Aghasura, Bakasura, and a host of other demons. Why is this?”

Please hear from me the reason. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsnacandra, sees everyone with an equal eye. He does not have to perform any action to accomplish anything He desires. He is full of nectar. He did not kill anyone. Srila Sukadeva Gosvami says (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.29.15):

33(b) “If one somehow or others becomes attracted to Krsna through lust, anger, fear, affection, or friendship, then one’s salvation and freedom from material contamination is assured.”*

34(a) When Lord Krsna touches someone that person becomes purified and situated on the same transcendental position as Lord Krsna Himself. Therefore, Krsna never kills anyone. His Visnu-expansion kills the demons in order to protect the earth.

Someone may reply: ‘Ah, this is true. Still, why did Krsna hastily jump into the poisonous water and severely chastise the Kaliya serpent?”

To this it may be said: Visnu is Krsna’s expansion. Visnu’s servant is Garuda. Kaliya constantly meditated on Garuda out of fear, and in this way he saw Garuda everywhere. Garuda is a great devotee of Lord Visnu. The Vedic literature say:

34(b) “I offer my respectful obeisances to Srimad Brahma, Garuda, Arjuna, Sukadeva Gosvami, Prahlada Maharaja, Bhismadeva, Uddhava, Vyasa, Akrura, Parasara Muni, Dhruva Maharaja, and the other dear devotees of Lord Mukunda, who are all like great holy pilgrimage places that purify the three worlds, like precious gems that decorate the worlds, like transcendental physicians who cure the worlds’ maladies, or like so many moons that fill the worlds with the moonlight of transcendental bliss.”

34© Because he is Lord Visnu’s carrier, Garuda is a great Vaisnava. A Vaisnava is on the same transcendental platform as Visnu Himself. The Lord Himself says: “From a Vaisnava a man may obtain devotional service. By engaging in devotional service, a man obtains Me. For this reason a Vaisnava is equal to Lord Visnu.” Visnu is an expansion of Lord Krsna. Because Visnu and Vaisnava are equal, mercy was given to Kaliya. The Lord made him fearless. He did not kill him. Lord Krsna’s childhood pastimes are always for the benefit of others. It is said (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.29.14): ‘O King, the Supreme Personality of Godhead has appeared for mankind’s benefit.’ Furthermore, conquered by His devotees’ love, Lord Krsna is very kind to them. It is said (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.9.13-14):

Note: The argument about Kaliya here is that because Visnu and Vaisnava are equal, Kaliya’s constant meditation on the Vaisnava Garuda was equal to constant meditation on Visnu. That meditation earned Kaliya Lord Krsna’s mercy.

35-6 “The Supreme Personality of Godhead has no beginning and no end, no exterior and no interior, no front and no rear. In other words, He is all pervading. Because He is not under the influence of the element of time, for Him there is no difference between past, present and future; He exists in His own transcendental form at all times. Being absolute, beyond relativity, He is free from distinctions between cause and effect, although He is the cause and effect of everything. That unmanifested person, who is beyond the perception of the senses, had now appeared as a human child, and mother Yasoda, considering Him her own ordinary child, bound Him to the wooden mortar with a rope.”*

37 The Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes bound by His devotees’ love. The Lord says:

“Although I am eternally free, I become bound by the ropes of My devotee’s love. Although I am eternally undefeated, I become defeated by them. Although I am perfectly independent, I become under their dominion.”

38(a) The Supreme Personality of Godhead manifests His childhood pastimes through the agency of His yogamaya potency. The Lord’s childhood form, and indeed all His other forms are manifested through the agency of this potency. They are not the Lord’s original form. The Lord’s original form is the form of Sri Krsna in His kaisora age (10-15). Except for Lord Krsna’s kaisora age, all other forms of the Lord are manifested through the yogamaya potency. This is the conclusion of all Vedic literatures. Some, considering Sri Krsna’s childhood form His original feature, glorify it, saying, ‘Everywhere the sages glorify Lord Krsna’s childhood form.’ The Sammohana-tantra says:

38(b) “There are many thousands of supremely opulent incarnations of the Supreme Lord. Among all these incarnations the childhood form of Sri Krsna is most rare and important.”

39(a) Sri Krsna’s kaisora form is also described in another Vedic literature:

“The Lord’s childhood form manifest in Vrndavana by His yogamaya potency is very rare and difficult to see.”

39(b) In the Rudra-yamala it is said: “I worship the child Krsna, whose form is manifested by yogamaya, and who drinks milk from Mother Yasoda’s water-pot breasts.” In the account of Brahma’s stealing the Lord calves it is said (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.13.15):

40(a) “O Maharaja Pariksit, Brahma, who resides in the higher planetary system in the sky, had observed the activities of the most powerful Krsna in killing and delivering Aghasura, and he was astonished. Now that same Brahma wanted to show some of his own power and see the power of Krsna, who was engaged in His childhood pastimes, playing as if with ordinary cowherd boys. Therefore, in Krsna’s absence, Brahma took all the boys and calves to another place. Thus be became entangled, for in the very near future he would see how powerful Krsna was.”*

40(b) From all this we may conclude that Lord Krsna’s childhood form is manifested through the agency of His yogamaya potency. Lord Krsna’s kaisora (10-15 years) form is better than all His other forms. This kaisora form is His original feature.

Seventh Part

41 The Vedic literature explains:

“Lord Krsnacandra enjoyed transcendental pastimes in many places. Among them the most exalted and difficult to attain is Gokula Vrndavana.

42 “Vrndavana is the best of all the Lord’s abodes. There self-manifest Lord Hari personally appears in His kaisora form.

43 “In Gokula the Lord manifests His childhood form, in Vrndavana forest He manifests His kaisora form, and in other places He manifests various other forms. This is the opinion of all Vedic literatures.

44 “Gokula is the best of all places. Vrndavana, however, is superior to Gokula. No place is as dear to Sri Krsna as Vrndavana.

45 “Sri Krsna manifests His kaisora form, which is considered His original form, in Vrndavana, where He eternally enjoys pastimes with the surabhi cows, cowherd boys, gopis and His flute.”

46 This is also described in the Varaha-samhita:

“During Sri Krsna’s pastimes in the forest of Vrndavana He manifests a form in the kaisora age. When the Lord enjoys pastimes in the other forests of Gokula and in other places outside Gokula He manifests forms in the balya (up to 5 years), paugandha (5-10 years) and yauvana (16 years and older) ages.”

47 This is also described in the Sammohana-tantra:

“Among all the Lord’s forms His yauvana form is very handsome and charming. But more handsome and charming is His kaisora form, which is very difficult to see. One should earnestly meditate on Lord Krsna in His blissful kaisora form.”

48 This is also explained in the Varaha-samhita’s description of Sri Krsna’s original form:

“Lord Krsna’s original form is manifested in His kaisora, not His yauvana age. In His kaisora form He eternally displays all the power and opulence of the king of Vraja. His kaisora form is more dear than life to the residents of Vraja.”

49 This is also confirmed by Srila Rupa Gosvami’s Padyavali:

“The form of Syamasundara is the supreme form, the city of Mathura is the supreme abode, Lord Krsna’s fresh kaisora youth should always be meditated upon, and the mellow of conjugal love is the supreme mellow.”*

50 This is also described in the Brhad-Vamana Purana where, praying to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whom they could not yet see, the Personified Vedas said:

“O My Lord, the ancient sages tell us that Your original form is full of bliss. If You are inclined to bestow some benediction upon us, then please show us this original form.”

51 After hearing the Personified Vedas’ request, the Supreme Personality of Godhead revealed His original form to them. The Brhad-Vamana Purana explains:

“The infallible Supreme Personality of Godhead then revealed His original form as a youth in the kaisora age. He was surrounded by the gopis and intoxicated by the nectar mellows of various kinds of rasa dances.

52 “After revealing His original form the Lord said: “You have now seen My supreme abode. There is no place superior to this. What else may I do for You? Please tell Me.”

53 This is also explained in the Varaha-samhita:

“Among the mantras invoking various deities, those mantras invoking Lord Visnu are the best. They are the life and soul of all mantras. Of those mantras invoking Lord Visnu, those specifically directed to Lord Krsna are the best. They are the origin of all other Visnu-mantras. Of all mantras invoking Lord Krsna, those specifically addressed to His kaisora age are the best. They are the origin of all other Krsna-mantras. The are the crest jewel of all mantras.”

54 Vrndavana is eternal. Lord Krsna’s kaisora form is eternal. Everything in relation to them is eternal. Of this there is no doubt. What does it mean that Krsna’s kaisora form is eternal? It means that supremely handsome Sri Krsnacandra, who is full of the nectar of perfect bliss, enjoys transcendental amorous pastimes with His transcendental potency.

This is described in the Narada-pancaratra: “Lord Krsna enjoys pastimes with His beloved pleasure potency.” The rasa of amorous pastimes is called ‘adi-rasa’ (the first rasa) because it is the most important of rasas. It is not possible to enjoy amorous pastimes in the balya (childhood) age, and even in the yauvana age (after 16 years) the pleasure of amorous pastimes become diminished. For this reason the kaisora age (10-15) years is the best time for the Lord to completely expand His transcendental amorous pastimes.

Eighth Part

55(a) At this point someone may say: If Sri Krsna eternally remains in Vrndavana in His kaisora form, then why is it that He goes to Mathura and other places, remains in these places, and manifests various glories and opulences there? You have quoted the Yamala-tantra’s statement “Sri Krsna does not take even one step out of Vrndavana.” These things appear contradictory to me. The Lord simultaneously leaves Vrndavana and does not leave it. For this reason I have doubts in this matter of Sri Krsna’s not leaving Vrndavana.

To this doubt the devotees of the Lord reply: Lord Krsna eternally remains in Vrndavana in His kaisora form. This is certainly true. There is no doubt of this. This doubt is also presented in the Vedic literatures in the following words:

55(b) “When Lord Mukunda left Vrndavana He took neither flute, gunja garlands, kadamba garlands, peacock feather, nor any of His Vrndavana paraphernalia. Furthermore, not a single one of the Vraja-gopis or surabhi cows followed Him out of Vrndavana. Please tell me what is the reason for this?”

55© The actual fact is that Sri Krsna, the lover of Sri Radha, always remains in Vrndavana, although His plenary expansions may leave Vrndavana and go to other places. At this point some may say: ‘How is it that the Supreme Lord does not even take the same garments when He leaves Vrndavana? It is said in the Sammohana-tantra: ‘One may meditate on Lord Hari in any form. The form the Lord takes in meditation is at the discretion of the meditator.’ For this reason it should be possible to meditate on Lord Hari in His non Vrndavana form, although decorated with Vrndavana-ornaments and garments.”

To this objection the following reply may be given: Perhaps this may be true for the Lord’s forms outside of Vrndavana, but it is not true for His Vrndavana-form. Sri Krsna remains in Vrndavana in a specific garments and ornaments. This feature of the Lord never leaves Vrndavana. Of this there is no doubt. Those who meditate on Sri Krsna in His Vrndavana feature attain Sri Krsna, and those who meditate on other forms of the Lord attain the association of these other forms of the Lord. This is described in Srimad Bhagavad-gita Upanisad (4.11) where the Lord says: “All of them, as they surrender unto Me, I reward accordingly.”* Therefore if one worships Sri Krsna in His Vrndavana form, in which the Lord appears holding the flute, dressed in yellow garments, and decorated with peacock-feather, gunja-necklace, and other ornaments, one will become able to directly see that Sri Krsna, who shines like a moon in Vrndavana dhama. The Lord will appear decorated with these specific garments and ornaments. This is described in the Narada-pancaratra, where Durga says to Vijaya:

56 “Sri Krsna is supremely handsome, His face is glorious as millions of moons. His dark-complexioned form is more splendid than millions of suns and more wonderful than millions of Kamadevas.”

57 “He stays in the middle of a great bejewelled golden temple in Vrndavana. He plays the flute. He is the life’s hero of the beautiful gopis.

58 “He is an ocean of many kinds of nectar filled with waves of bliss and love. He is a great moon that causes tidal waves on the great ocean of the bliss of the most secret nectar.

59 “He is a debauchee who agitates Radhika’s heart. His eyes are red lotus flowers playing in waves of nectar.”

60 “He has two arms and wears yellow garments. He is decorated with Kaustubha gem, garlands of forest flowers, and various jewel necklaces and ornaments.”

61 “He wears splendid earrings, and the tip of His nose is decorated with a pearl. His teeth and lips are as glorious as bandhuka flowers, rubies and bimba fruits.”

62 “Anointed with aromatic sandalwood paste, kunkuma, musk, and fragrant aloe, He enchants the minds of all the residents of Vraja. His handsome lotus face is decorated with a peacock feather and filled with the nectar of the mellows of transcendental love.”

63 “He is the dear beloved of the beautiful gopis. He is more handsome than the best of all Kamadevas. His lotus feet are decorated with jewel ornaments and tinkling ankle-bells.

64 “With great love one should meditate on the infallible Supreme Personality of Godhead in this way. By meditating on the Lord in this way and chanting the Krsna mantra, one attains pure love for Krsna.”

Ninth Part

65(a) The Brahma-vaivarta Purana explains that in their previous birth Nanda and Yasoda performed severe austerities to obtain Sri Krsna as their son. Conquered by their austerities, the Lord appeared before them. They then saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead face-to-face. The Brahma-vaivarta Purana narrates:

65(b) “Vasu’s heart became full of bliss when He saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who was dressed in yellow garments. His complexion dark as a great sapphire, and a peacock feather in His hair.

66 “The Lord was situated in the kaisora age. He was decorated with necklaces, ankle-bells, bracelets, and armlets. He was exquisitely handsome. His eyebrows and nose were handsome, and the lustre of His face defeated the moon.

67 “His teeth were beautiful and His lips were as charming as two bimba fruits. He was graceful, sober, strong and heroic. His eyes smiled. He had two arms. He possessed all handsomeness.

68 “Vasu fell to the ground like a stick and with great devotion offered respectful obeisances to Lord Janardana. The hairs of his body standing up in ecstasy, Vasu was about to speak to Lord Krsna.”

69 Sri Krsna’s form is also described in Brahma-samhita (5.30):

“I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept in playing on His flute, with blooming eyes like lotus-petals, with head bedecked with peacock’s feather, with the figure of beauty tinged with the hue of blue clouds, and His unique loveliness charming millions of cupids.”**

70-1 Sri Krsna’s form is also described in the Govinda-Vrndavana sastra, where Sri Krsna says to Balarama:

“I play the Vedic hymns on the flute placed to My mouth, and I am an ocean of nectar. I wear yellow garments, and a sylvan garland, a peacock-feather crown on My curling locks of hair, and a garland of parijata flowers. I am supremely pure, eternally youthful, and full of the bliss of transcendental love. In this form of Sri Krsna I eternally stay here in Vrndavana.”

72(a) At this point someone may ask: ‘If Sri Krsna eternally stays in Vrndavana as You say, then why is it that the residents of Vrndavana all see Him leave for Mathura, and why is it that after they no longer see Him in Vrndavana? This is my doubt.”

Please hear from me the reason for this. The Supreme Personality of Godhead eternally stays in Vrndavana. Sometimes His form is directly manifest and visible to all, and at other times, although He remains in Vrndavana, He is not visible to the people in general. This is described in the following statement of Brahmanda Purana:

72(b) “The Supreme Personality of Godhead does not accept a certain form and then leave it afterwards. His form is eternal. Sometimes He displays it to the conditioned souls, and at other times He conceals it from their view.”

73 That Sri Krsna’s form eternally remains in Vrndavana, although sometimes it is visible to the people in general, and sometimes not visible to them, is also confirmed by the following statement of Govinda-Vrndavana-sastra, Third Patala, where, in the course of answering a question of Narada Muni, Sri Krsna says:

“This is Vrndavana, My delightful, eternal, transcendental abode. Invisible to ordinary mens’ eyes, the demigods and great saintly persons always stay here.

74 I myself, who am the master of all the demigods, never leave this forest. Millennium after millennium I appear in this abode of Vrndavana and then again I disappear from it.

75 “This splendid and beautiful place cannot be seen by material eyes. Millennium after millennium in this forest of Vrndavana I taste the most confidential and exalted love, which even Brahma and the demigods cannot understand.”

Tenth Part

76(a) At this point someone may ask: “If Lord Krsna is not seen by ordinary eyes, then why did He appear before the eyes of the entire world and before those eyes enjoy many nectar pastimes with the gopas and gopis?”

Please hear the answer. When Krsna appeared before ordinary conditioned souls, He was obscured by His illusory potency. Still, why is it that when in Vrndavana He enjoyed the rasa dance and other pastimes, He was directly seen by the gopis who are either direct expansions of the Lord’s potency, His eternal associates, Personified Vedas who attained the status of gopis, great sages who became gopis, or young demigoddesses who became gopis, and, covered by His illusory potency, He was not seen by others?

The gopis who are direct expansions of the Lord’s potency are eternally like the Lord’s personal limbs. They are eternally like the Supreme Lord Himself. The gopis who had been Personified Vedas are also the limbs of the Supreme Lord. 70 000 sages performed severe austerities, sitting in the midst of blazing fires for 100 kalpas, and in this way conquered the Lord, who fulfilled their desire to become gopis. The Lord made them like Himself. Many young demigoddesses, ordered by Lord Brahma, also became gopis. All these gopis eternally see Lord Krsna face-to-face.

Sri Krsnacandra remains eternally in Vrndavana. Of this there is no doubt. The evidence for this is found in Sri Krsnacandra’s words to the gopis at the time of His departure for Mathura (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.39.35):

76(b) “Krsna was very much affected upon seeing the plight of the gopis, and He therefore consoled them. He told them they should not be aggrieved. He was coming back very soon after finishing His business.”*

77(a) This is also confirmed by the Brahma-vaivarta Purana:

“‘O beautiful gopis, don’t worry. I will return. I will not be gone for long’. After comforting the grief-stricken gopis with these words, Krsna quickly left with the cowherd men and boys.”

77(b) In these verses Krsna promises: ‘I will return.” Why did He not keep His promise? It may be asked: Where did the Lord go? Where did He arrive? The Adi-yamala explains: “Krsna never leaves Vrndavana.” Because Krsna never leaves Vrndavana, His promise “I will return” is only a figure of speech. He never left and He never returned. This is also confirmed by the statements of the messengers sent by Him. Krsna, the lover of Sri Radha, eternally stays in Vrndavana, and it is His plenary Visnu-form of Lord Vasudeva who travels to Mathura. If He never left Vrndavana, then He will also never return. This should be understood.

Eleventh Part

78(a) At this point some may object: If Krsnacandra remains eternally in the range of the vrajavasis’ perception, then why did He send Uddhava to Vrndavana to console the gopis in their grief of separation from Him? This is described in Srimad Bhagavatam (10.46.3) where Lord Krsna says to Uddhava:

78(b) “My dear gentle friend Uddhava, please go immediately to Vrndavana and try to pacify my father and mother, Nanda Maharaja and Yasoda-devi, and the gopis. They are very much grief-stricken, as if suffering from great ailments. Go and give them a message. I hope their ailments will be partially relieved.”*

79(a) To this objection I reply: This description of the gopis being separated from Krsna does not apply to the gopis who are potencies expanded from the Lord’s transcendental body, or to those who are the Lord’s eternal associates, or to those who had been Personified Vedas or great sages. This description of the gopis feeling separation from Lord Krsna applies only to those gopis who had been daughters of the demigods, and who, on Lord Brahma’s order, assembled on the earth, accepted the form of gopis, and performed various services for the Lord’s pleasure. These gopis had not worshipped the Lord with pure devotion, nor had they performed severe austerities to become gopis. They became gopis only because of Lord Brahma’s order. Brahma said (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.1.23):

79(b) “The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, who has full potency, will personally appear as the son of Vasudeva. Therefore all the wives of the demigods should also appear in order to satisfy Him.”*

80 It is only the gopis who had been young demigoddesses who saw Lord Krsnacandra depart for Mathura, and they were the only gopis who felt separation from Him. The other gopis were never separated from Lord Krsna. This is described in the Adi-yamala:

“In this way I have described the feelings of separation experienced by various devotees during Lord Krsna’s manifest pastimes. However, the residents of Vraja were never separated from Lord Krsna.”

81 This is also confirmed in the Skanda Purana, Mathura-khanda:

“Lord Madhava eternally enjoys pastimes with the calves. He eternally stays in Vrndavana with Balarama and the cowherd boys.”

82 This is also described in the Brahmanda Purana:

“Even today some exalted devotees, full of renunciation and pure devotional love, are able to directly see Lord Krsna enjoying pastimes in Vrndavana.”

83(a) This is also described in the Brahma-vaivarta Purana, where Lord Brahma says to Narada Muni:

“Lord Krsna, the smiling-eyed master of all the universes the all pervading Supersoul who wears yellow garments and garland of sylvan flowers, eternally enjoys transcendental pastimes with the cowherd boys and gopis.”

83(b) In this way it should be understood that Lord Krsnacandra stays eternally in Vrndavana. He may be directly seen only by those devotees who worship Him with pure devotional love or who perform severe austerities for millions of kalpas. Otherwise, who is able to see Him? It should be understood that He eternally stays in Vrndavana. This is described in the Hastamala-sastra (text 10): ‘A foolish person, whose field of vision is covered by a cloud in the sky thinks: ‘A cloud has covered the sun’. In the same way Krsna eternally stays in Vrndavana. How is it possible to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the lover of Sri Radha, without engaging in devotional service? It is for this reason fools say: ‘The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsnacandra, left Vrndavana.”

84 Sri Krsna, the limitless, perfectly blissful Original Supreme Personality of Godhead, eternally enjoys pastimes in Vrndavana with the surabhi cows and the gopis. Brahma, the great demigods, sages, and devotees, and all Vedic literatures glorify the ruby that is the supremacy of Sri Krsna. Raghava Gosvami advises: Please this ruby of Lord Krsna’s supremacy on your heart.

Fifth Ray of Light

First Part

1 Now I will eagerly describe the various incarnations and expansions of the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, the son of Maharaja Nanda.

2(a) At this point the question may be raised: ‘If Sri Krsnacandra did not leave Vrndavana and go to Mathura, then who did?’ In answering this question we may note that Sri Krsnacandra is the original complete form of the Supreme Lord, and the other forms of the Lord are partial manifestations of His personality. The distinctions between the various forms of the Lord are explained in the following words (Srila Rupa Gosvami’s Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 2.1.221-222):

2(b) “This is stated in the dramatic literatures as ‘perfect’, ‘more perfect’, and ‘most perfect’. Thus Lord Krsna manifests Himself in three ways: perfect, more perfect and most perfect.*

3 “When the Supreme Personality of Godhead does not manifest all His transcendental qualities, He is called complete. When all the qualities are manifest, but not fully, He is called more complete. When He manifests all His qualities in fullness, He is called most complete. This is the version of all learned scholars in the devotional science.”*

4(a) The most perfect form is Bhagavan Krsncandra who remains in Vrndavana. All other forms of the Lord are not as perfect. The more perfect forms are Lord Balarama and Lord Vasudeva, who reigns as the king of Dvaraka. The perfect forms include Lord Pradyumna, Lord Aniruddha, and other forms of the Lord. Lord Brahma, Lord Visnu, Lord Siva. Lord Maha-Visnu, and others, are also counted in the perfect category. Akrura travelled to Mathura with the Vasudeva feature of Lord Visnu. When the Lord was going to Mathura, Akrura saw him as Lord Vasudeva reclining on the lap of thousand headed Lord Ananta (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.39.46):

4(b) “On the curved lap of Sesa Naga, Akrura saw Krsna sitting very soberly, with four hands. His eyes were like the reddish petals of the lotus flower. His complexion was the dark colour of a rain cloud, and he was dressed in yellow silken garments.”*

5(a) In the same way the Lord appeared in Dvaraka in His Vasudeva form. This may be known from the following passage of Srimad Bhagavatam (10.60.44), where Rukmini-devi says to Lord Vasudeva: ‘O my Lord, O subduer of enemies, an unfortunate woman who has never heard of Your glories may accept an ordinary man as her husband, but a woman who has learned about You - that You are praised not only in this world but in the halls of the great demigods like Lord Brahma and Lord Siva - will not accept anyone besides Yourself as her husband.”

We may note that although Srimati Rukmini-devi does not mention Lord Vasudeva by name, it is clear from her description of the Lord that she refers to the Vasudeva expansion of Lord Visnu. The qualities of Lord Visnu are described in the following statement of Brhan-naradiya Purana:

5(b) “Lord Brahma is known as ‘Svayambhu’ because he is the first living entity to appear in the universe. Lord Siva is known as ‘Hara’ because he destroys the material universe. Lord Visnu is known by His name because He is the master of all powers and opulences.”

6(a) After He had gone to Mathura in order to kill Kamsa, the Lord manifested the power and opulence of the Visnu-Vasudeva form. This is described in the Srimad Bhagavatam (10.43.17) in the following words, which describe Lord Vasudeva’s opulence of appearing differently to different living entities: ‘Within Kamsa’s wrestling arena the Lord appeared to the wrestlers exactly like a thunderbolt. To the people in general He appeared as the most beautiful personality. To the females He appeared to be the most attractive male, Cupid personified.”*

The Lord also exhibited the character of Lord Vasudeva in other situations. One example is how He expanded into 16 000 forms to enjoy transcendental pastimes in the different homes of His 16 000 wives in Dvaraka, as was observed by Mahamuni Narada. Another example is the Lord’s revelation of His Universal form to Arjuna. The Lord also exhibited a four-armed form during the great battles fought after His kidnapping Rukmini and after His taking the parijata tree of Indra. At various other times also, the Lord of Dvaraka rode on Garuda, and also exhibited a four-armed form holding the conch, disc, club and lotus. This feature of Lord Vasudeva is also described by Lord Siva in the following words (Srimad Bhagavatam 4.24.28):

6(b) “Lord Siva continued: Any person who is surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, the controller of everything - material nature as well as the living entity - is actually very dear to me.”*

7(a) This evidence clearly demonstrates that the Lord’s form in Mathura and Dvaraka is the expansion of Lord Vasudeva. The form of Sri Krsnacandra is the ultimate form of the Lord, and is superior to His form as Visnu Vasudeva. Visnu Vasudeva is the master of Vaikunthaloka. From Him Lord Maha-Visnu is expanded. To prove that the Lord’s form at Dvaraka is Visnu Vasudeva the following evidence is quoted: When Jaya and Vijaya were cursed by the brahmanas at the gateway of Vaikunthaloka, the Supreme Personality of Godhead spoke to them the following words: ‘If you both agree to become My enemies, I shall liberate you after three births.” For this reason Jaya and Vijaya were born as Hiranyaksa and Hiranyakasipu, whom Lord Visnu killed in His forms of Varaha and Nrsimha. In the next yuga Jaya and Vijaya were born as Ravana and Kumbhakarna, and were killed by Lord Visnu in His forms as Ramacandra and Laksmana. After that Jaya and Vijaya were born as Sisupala and Dantavakra, and Lord Visnu appeared as Lord Vasudeva and Lord Balarama and again killed them. In this way Jaya and Vijaya attained liberation after three births. Sri Krsnacandra’s power and opulence is superior to that of Lord Visnu, and that of any other person. This is confirmed by the following statement of Narada-pancaratra: ‘The forms of Lord Ramacandra and the other incarnations of Godhead all spring from Sri Krsna, the original Supreme Personality of Godhead.” From this we may understand that all Visnu-forms and other forms of the Personality of Godhead are expanded from Sri Krsnacandra. Sri Krsnacandra, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, stays in Divya-Vrndavana. He is described in the Goloka-samhita:

7(b) “The transcendental realm of Vrndavana is situated within the Brahman effulgence. In that transcendental Vrndavana are Radhika-devi, whom all the Lord’s potencies respectfully worship, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, who is the crest jewel of all deities.”

8(A) Lord Maha-Visnu is an expansion of Lord Krsna. Some may now say: ‘Everything is the potency of Lord Krsna, the moon of Vrndavana. Is He not the all-powerful Lord?’ Ah, well said. Lord Visnu-Vasudeva and all other incarnations of Godhead are expanded from Krsna. If this were not so (and the master of Dvaraka were not Lord Vasudeva), then why would Brahma and the other demigods pray (at the conclusion of the Lord’s pastimes as described in Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 11) that Lord Dvarakanatha return to Vaikuntha? (If the master of Dvaraka were directly Lord Krsnacandra, then Brahma and the demigods would have requested Him to return to the Goloka planet). In these prayers Lord Brahma said (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.6.21, 25, 26):

8(b) “Lord Brahma said: My dear Lord, previously we requested You to remove the burden of the earth. O unlimited Personality of Godhead, that request has certainly been fulfilled.***

9 “O Supreme Personality of Godhead, O my Lord, You have descended into the Yadu dynasty, and thus You have spent one hundred twenty-five autumns with Your devotees.***

10 “O Lord, You are the basis of everything, and if You so desire, kindly return now to Your own abode in the spiritual world. At the same time we humbly beg that You always protect us. We are Your humble servants, and on Your behalf we are managing the universal situation. We, along with our planets and followers, require Your constant protection.”***

11 These prayers are clearly not addressed to Sri Krsnacandra, who has no material qualities, who is the master if the transcendental Vrndavana planet, who is full of the nectar of all transcendental mellows, and who has the monarchs of countless Vaikuntha planets as His servants. He is described in the following statement of Brahma-samhita (5.43):

“Below the planet named Goloka Vrndavana are the planets known as Devi-dhama, Mahesa-dhama and Hari-dhama. These are opulent in different ways. They are managed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda, the original Lord. I offer my obeisances unto Him.”*

12 That Sri Krsna is the Original Supreme Personality of Godhead is also confirmed by the following verse from the Govinda-Vrndavana-sastra, where Krsna says to Balarama:

“I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead. My form is eternal, full of knowledge and full of bliss. I am the original father of Lord Sadasiva, Lord Visnu, Lord Brahma, Lord Rudra and everyone else. I am eternally manifest in this humanlike form, and I am very fond of playing the flute.”

13 That Sri Krsnacandra is the Original Supreme Personality of Godhead, superior to Visnu, Siva, Brahma and everyone else is also confirmed by the following verse of Brahma-samhita (5.41), where Lord Brahma prays:

“I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is the absolute substantive principle being the ultimate entity in the form of the support of all existence, whose external potency embodies the threefold mundane qualities, viz., sattva, rajas, and tamas and diffuses the Vedic knowledge regarding the mundane world.”**

14(a) In this verse the word ‘sattvavalambi (goodness)’ refers to Lord Maha-Visnu. ‘Para-sattva (superior goodness)’ refers to Lord Vasudeva, and ‘visuddha-sattva (pure goodness)’ refers to Lord Govinda, who is known as Sri Krsnacandra. The word ‘sattvalambi’ refers to goodness when it touches the modes of passion and ignorance. This variety of goodness is manifested from Lord Maha-Visnu and Lord Vasudeva. Lord Maha-Visnu expands His illusory potency maya to manifest the creation. The creation is therefore done by Lord Visnu’s maya. Laksmi, Sarasvati, and other goddesses are manifested from the mode of passion. The demons are manifested from the mode of ignorance. The Lord has many names, such as Janardana and Madhusudana, that celebrate His enmity to the demons. By the mode of passion Lord Vasudeva begot 560 million descendants in His 16 000 queens at Dvaraka. By the mode of ignorance He killed Kamsa, Narakasura and other demons. By the mode of goodness He protects the earth. Lord Visnu is situated in the mode of goodness Sattvalambi Maha-Visnu is described in the Brahma-samhita(5.13-16):

14(b) “The spiritual seeds of Sankarsana existing in the pores of the skin of Maha-Visnu are born as so many golden sperms. These sperms are covered with five great elements. The same Maha-Visnu entered into each universe as His own separate subjective portions. The divine portions that entered into each universe are possessed of His majestic extension, i.e. they are the eternal universal soul, Maha-Visnu, possessing thousands of thousands of heads.**

15 “The same Maha-Visnu created Visnu from His left limb, Brahma, the first progenitor of beings, from His right limb and, from the space between His two eyebrows Sambhu, the divine masculine halo.**

16 “The function of Sambhu in relation to jivas is that this universe enshrining the mundane egotistic principle has originated from Sambhu.”**

17(a) This is a description of the mode of passion. By the mode of goodness the Lord maintains everything. In this way Lord Maha-Visnu manifests the mode of goodness in contact with the mode of passion. Sri Krsnacandra manifests the pure mode of goodness. This is described in the Brahma-samhita (5.47-48):

17(b) “I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, who assumes His own great subjective form, who bears the name of Sesa. Replete with the all-accommodating potency, and reposing in the causal ocean with the infinity of the world in the pores of His hair, He enjoys creative sleep (yoga-nidra).**

“The Brahmas and other lords of the mundane worlds appear from the pores of the Maha-Visnu and remain alive for the duration of His one exhalation. I adore the primeval Lord, Govinda, for Maha-Visnu is a portion of His plenary portion.”*

“Lord Vasudeva has four arms. He is the master of Svetadvipa. He is perfect and complete. He is handsome. He is transcendental. He is beyond the touch of time or the illusory potency, maya.”

18 Lord Govinda, who manifests the mode of visuddha-sattva (pure goodness) is described in Indra’s prays (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.17.4):

“Now by Your grace I can understand that You are the Supreme Lord, Personality of Godhead, and that You are transcendental to all the material qualities. Your transcendental position is visuddha-sattva, which is above the platform of the material mode of goodness, and Your transcendental abode is beyond the disturbance of the material qualities. Your name, fame, form, quality and pastimes are all beyond this material nature, and they are never disturbed by the three material modes. Your abode is accessible only for one who undergoes austerities and penances and who is completely freed from the onslaught of material qualities like passion and ignorance. If someone thinks that when You come within this material world You accept the modes of material nature, he is mistaken. The webs of the material qualities are never able to touch You, and You certainly do not accept them when You are present within this world. Your Lordship is never conditioned by the laws of material nature.”*

19 This is also described in the Vasudeva Upanisad:

“By means of devotional service one is able to understand to a certain extent the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose self-effulgent transcendental form is eternal, full of knowledge and bliss, and limitless, without beginning, middle or end.”

20 This is also described in the Brahma-samhita (5.41):

“I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is the absolute substantive principle, being the ultimate entity in the form of the support of all existence, whose external potency embodies the three-fold mundane qualities, viz., sattva, rajas and tamas, and who diffuses the Vedic knowledge regarding the mundane world.”**

Kulapavana · February 24, 2005

a desire to be Radha is just as bad as a desire to be Krishna... we should only aspire to be servants of the servants of Radha and Krishna.

krsna · February 25, 2005

"a desire to be Radha is just as bad as a desire to be Krishna... we should only aspire to be servants of the servants of Radha and Krishna."

______

Where in the above post is there this 'desire to be Radha...'?

Kulapavana · February 25, 2005

Prabhu, I was just making a comment, not attacking you. Relax! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

You brought up the topic of non-difference between Radha and Krishna. All devotees realize that a desire to be Krishna is self-worship. But many do not realize that a desire to enjoy Krishna in the same way Srimati Radharani does can be self worship (ahangrahapasana) too.