Laulyam
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" Mix with such sadhu who are actually executing Krsna-bhajana" This is the symptom of mahatma, one who has surrendered to Krsna fully. Sa mahatma sudurlabhah. So that is guru, mahatma, who knows vasudevah sarvam iti [bg.7.19]. Such mahatma is guru. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah, bhajanty ananya-manasah [bg.9.13]. The guru has no other business than Krsna-bhajana. So that you have to see.You have to learn. You have to appreciate with persons who are actually engaged in Krsna-bhajana. Then you'll understand. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah[Cc.Madhya23.14-15]. Sadhu means bhajate mam ananya-bhak sadhur eva sa mantavyah[bg.9.30]. He's sadhu. Who? Who has no other business than Krsna. Mix with such sadhu who are actually executing Krsna-bhajana. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah. This is the description of the sadhu. Bhajate mam Anaya-bhak sadhur eva sa mantavayah [bg.9.30]. These things are there. There is no question of being misled. But if you purposefully mislead yourself, who can check? In the beginning you may commit some mistake, but when you study Bhagavad-gita- who is sadhu, who is mahatma, who is guru- then why shall we make, commit mistake again? If you have done mistake-you have gone to a rascal who is not Krsna conscious- then when you read Bhagavad-gita, you can understand. Why you are misled? Why you should be misled? If it is written on the road, " Keep to the left," why should you be misled and go to the right? Go to the left. Then you are not misled. So here it is said, mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah [bg.9.13]. A mahatma means who is always engaged in Krsna consciousness. Why do you accept somebody as mahatma who does not speak about Krsna? Then you are misleading yourself. Sa mahatma sudurlabhah. Vasudeva sarvam iti [bg.7.19]. Everything, direction, is there. Why you create your own mahatma? If you want to be cheated, who can check you? That is your fault. In Bhagavad-gita, it is clearly said, bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah [bg.7.19] That is mahatma. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakritim asritah, bhajanty ananya-manasah[bg.9.13]. Sadhur… Api cet suduracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak [bg.9.30]. He's mahatma. He's sadhu. We shall go to him. Why shall we go to a rascal? Simple directions. So if you are mislead, if you are cheated, whose fault it is? But if you want to be cheated, who can check? Even though somebody by mistake has gone to a rascal, the book is there. As soon as you find out, " Here is a rascal who does not know anything about Krsna, and I have come to him," reject him. That is stated in the sastra.Gurur apy avaliptasya karyakaryam ajanantah parityago vidhiyate. (?) Even by mistakeYou have come to a rascal who does does not know how to become guru, you can reject him. Why you should stick to him? Reject him. And by mistake I have come to rascal. Why shall I continue to accept him as guru? Canakya Pandita said, tyaja durjana-samsargam bhaj sadhu-samagamam: " Give up all rascals. Associate with sadhus." If you do not do that, that is your fault. Tyaja durjana-samsargam bhaj sadhu-samagamam. We have to mix with sadhu. Sadhu means who are twenty-four-hours engaged in Krsna's service: Things are there. Why you should mix with asadhu? Then how can you understand? Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah[Cc. Madhya 23.14-15]. If you have got little faith, then next business is to associate with sadhus.Srila Prabhupada Room conversation- January 31,1977, Bhubaneshwar
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Excerpts from Srila Gaura Govinda Maharaja's book 'Pariprasna.' Devotee: What if someone tries to serve his guru in this way and then later on the guru falls down?Gaura Govinda Swami: That's a bogus guru, nor a bona fide guru.Devotee: In that case one's surrender and service count for nothing?Gaura Govinda Swami: Nothing, zero! They are of no value, because that guru was not bona fide, he was a hypocrite, a follower of Kali, only outwardly posing as a Vaisnava guru.You should be careful before accepting a guru. That's your responsibility. Don't be superfluous. You should be very serious and don't follow gaddalika-srota-nyaya. "Gaddalika" means a flock of sheep. Sheep move in a flock and one is at the head, leading. If that sheep jumps into a ditch the whole flock will jump into a ditch. They never think, "Why should we jump into a ditch?" If the leader jumps, they think, "That is a nice path. We should also go that way." You should use your intelligence. Don't follow this sheep logic. That is your responsibility. You should desire to get Krsna. That is the perfection of human life.This morning I talked about how consciousness should be fully blossomed, cent percent purna-vikacita-cetana. That is the perfection of human life. If someone can get Krsna then he'll have obtained supreme perfection. That means cent percent Krsna. Not twenty-five percent, thirty percent or fifty percent Krsna. No! Cent percent Krsna. Who can give cent percent Krsna? Only the person who has it can give. If someone has only twenty -five percent Krsna, how can he give you cent percent Krsna? He doesn't have the balance in his account. This is your responsibility. You should find such a person and don't follow this gaddalika-srota-nyaya." Oh, everyone is accepting so and so as a paramahamsa, maha-bhagavata. Everyone says so." Alright, don't think anything, fall into the ditch. Don't Find FaultDevotee: It's very easy to understand this point after the fact. But there were many supposedly quite advanced devotees...Gaura Govinda Swami: Don't find fault with others. Find fault with yourself. See good in others. See bad in yourself. You have committed a mistake; therefore such a thing has happened. The caitya-guru, Paramatma, Krsna, He knows your heart. He knows what you are whispering in your heart. You cannot cheat Him. Outwardly you may be speaking very sweet from the lips. Your external dealings may be very nice. But inside, don't be hypocrite. Be a simple, natural vaisnava. You have no simplicity in your heart. Duplicity, pretentiousness, crookedness, politics- so many nasty things are there in you heart. You follow this gaddilika-srota-nyaya logic. Krsna as caitya-guru, Paramatma, knows you are not serious. You should be thinking, "How can I get a bona fide guru? The aim of my life is to get Krsna, cent percent Krsna." You should be crying in your heart. Krsna will know, "Yes, this soul is crying for Me." This crying is most important. In the Adi Purana Krsna had said, "rudanti mama samvidhau.Rudanti" means crying. Aham parikartah- One who cries for Me from the core of his heart purchases Me. Have you ever cried for this? Therefore I say you are not serious. You are superfluous. You are just following this gaddalika-srota-nyaya. That is your mistake. Why do you find fault with others? Krsna knows, "Oh this fellow wants a cheater, not a teacher." Therefore Krsna provides a cheater. You should admit that it is your bad karma, your mistake. Then repent and cry. Cry before Krsna, before Mahaprabhu. Cry form the core of your heart so They'll shower Their mercy on you. Then you'll never be cheated. This is the process. It is a most important and serious thing. This is a personal relationship and a personal responsibility. It is not the responsibility of anyone else. You alone are responsible for your activity. Why should someone else be responsible? It is up to you to accept a bona fide guru, not a bogus guru; to get cent percent Krsna; to make your life successful, not his life, or that life, or anybody else's life. This is a very deep confidential philosophy, try to understand it.Guru DarsanaGaura Govinda Swami: One thing is important: We don't' know who is a real, bona fide guru. Can you know? Can you measure? Can you see with your material vision? You can't see. You can't measure him. Krsna is adhoksaja. He cannot be measured by the defective material senses. Similarly, His true representative the bona fide guru, the dear devotee who is very intimate and very confidential, cannot be measured by your defective senses. You cannot see him with your material vision. You can only see the outward body of flesh, bones, marrow, blood, and urine. In the 11th Canto Krsna says that the guru acarya is as good as He Himself. acarya-mam vijaniyannavamanyeta karhicitna martya-buddhyasuyetasarva-deva-mayo guruhOne should know the acarya as Myself and never disrespect him in any way.One should not envy him, thinking him to be an ordinary man, for he is the representative of all the demigods. (Bhag. 11.17.27)In addition, in Guruvastaka (Verse 7) we chant:saksad-dharitvena samastra-sastrair uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya vande guroh sri-caranaravindamEvery day you sing saksad-dhari, and Krsna says the same thing: acaryam mam vijnaniyan-"He is as good as Myself." Na martya-buddhyasuyeta-"Don't think of him as an ordinary mortal human being." Sarva-deva mayo guruh- "No, all the demigods are there in him."This is guru tattva. How can you see such a guru with your material vision? As you cannot see Krsna with material vision, you cannot see the guru with material vision. You will only see the outward thing, which is not guru. Only if the guru showers his mercy on you can you be endowed with the vision to see his true form. By the mercy of guru you can see guru, otherwise you cannot see.This vision is only obtained by crying and crying and crying before Krsna: "Oh Krsna, I don't know who is your real representative who can deliver You to me cent percent. I want you cent percent, O Krsna." If you cry before Krsna then Krsna will make an arrangement. He is there in the heart as Paramatma. He will understand, "Now he's crying for Me, so I must help him." He will make an arrangement that you meet a bona fide guru, a genuine representative of Krsna. Otherwise it is not possible. This is the only process.But in our case we try to measure everything. We measure the Lord. We measure the guru. We try to see the Lord with our vision, with our defective senses. Therefore our acaryas and sastras say that the guru is the seer, drasta, and you should put yourself in the position as the object to be seen, drsta. It is very difficult to understand this point because almost everyone thinks just in the reverse. You think you are the seer and the Lord or guru are drsta, the objects to be seen. No! It is the complete opposite. The Lord is the seer and the guru is the seer. You are not the seer. You are the object to be seen by guru or seen by the Lord. Do you understand? This is a very deep philosophy.Cry For GuruWhat I am saying is from the previous acaryas. Nothing is mine, not a single letter. I follow the path the acaryas have shown. I have done that in my life and therefore I got my guru. That is my experience. Following what our acaryas say, what sastra says, sadhu-sastra-guru-this is the process. But you have never followed it. I think you cannot understand it clearly. Try! It is a simple thing. You cry before Krsna, cry before Mahaprabhu, "Please help me, please help me, please help me!" Krsna is the heart and can understand, "Oh, now he is crying." He will help you. He will make arrangements that you can get a bona fide guru who is Krsna's true representative, a confidential, intimate associate if the Lord-and then your life will be successful. Don't be desperate. There is no question of despondency on this path. There is no pessimism here. It is all optimism. Mahaprabhu is so merciful-maha-vadanyaya avatara. Srila Kaviraja Goswami in Caitanya Caritamrta has used the word adbhuta, wonderful three times; adbhuta-karunya, adbhuta-vadanya, adbhuta-audara, wonderfully munificent, wonderfully merciful, wonderfully magnanimous. This is Sriman Mahaprabhu. Cry before Him. Cry before Krsna to shower His mercy on you. It is the only thing required. Don't try to measure Krsna or His representative the guru with your defective senses. You will only be cheated. You should have complete, unflinching faith in Mahaprabhu, Krsna and sadhu. There is no other way. Confirmation NeededDevotee: How do we discern between the prompting of Paramatma and the ramblings of our mind?Gaura Govinda Swami: Krsna is there in your heart as Paramatma, caitya guru. He is your friend. The Upanisadas say, dva suparna sayuja sakhayah- Your friend the Supersoul prompts, but you cannot hear Him. A liberated soul can hear, but a conditioned soul cannot. A conditioned soul only hears the promptings of maya. If, within and without, that prompting in confirmed by sadhu and sastra, then it is all right. Confirmation is needed. Then you can understand, "Yes, that prompting was inside me. Now the same thing has come out from the lips of sadhu." If sastra says the same thing then it is confirmed, otherwise not. A conditioned soul cannot hear what the Paramatma prompts. Only a liberated soul can hear. Though He prompts, you cannot hear because you heart is filled with dirt. Clear the contamination. Cleansed of the dirt, you heart will be purified. Then you can hear, otherwise not. How will you hear with a filthy heart?Devotee: Sometimes we cry for something and we get some help. But then we become again satisfied in life.Gaura Govinda Swami: There should always be crying. Then we will always get help. Not that you should say, "Oh, now I have gotten, finished." There should always be crying, "I cannot get, I cannot get, I cannot get anything!"Mahaprabhu was always crying. He has taught us to cry: "Hari Hari bolite nayane ba'be nira"- uttering the name of Hari and shedding tears.Devotee: You explained that to please you we have to become simple and not duplicitous. I was wondering what practical service is pleasing to you?Gaura Govinda Swami: That's individual, not general. There are specific and general instructions. For individual instruction, you come to me and I will speak. Those instructions differ form person to person. It's not the same for one and all. Don't be so foolish as to ask such a question.Devotee: All this talk of crying for Krsna: I was just reading in the Nectar of Devotion that we should not cry before the Deity.Gaura Govinda Swami: Don't cry before the Deities- cry in your room! This crying should be in the heart. Krsna is everywhere. If you cry, Krsna knows, Krsna sees.Genuine Sadhu-sangaDevotee: Paramatma is comparable to guru in some ways?Gaura Govinda Swami: Paramatma is the manifestation of guru and guru is the manifestation of Paramatma. Katha Upanisad says:nayam atma pravacena labhyo na medhaya na bahuna srutena yam evaisa vrnute tena labhyas tasyaisa atma vivrnute tanum svamThe Supreme Self can never be known by any amount of argument, reasoning, intelligence, or by much hearing. To those whom He chooses, however, He may reveal His personal form.If someone is crying for Krsna, Paramatma knows. Then Paramatma assumes a body and appears. When He appears externally he is guru. "Tanu" means body. Vivrnute tanum svam- He assumes a body and is known as caitya-guru. Therefore I say, cry,cry,cry! Paramatma will know, "Now he is crying for Me." In this regard, sadhu-sanga in most important. And that means a real sadhu in the true sense, not a hypocrite sadhu, not a bogus sadhu- a real sadhu. "Guru" means heavy, not laghu. These words have their meanings and you should understand them. If you really meet guru then you association with laghus will be bitter. That's a most important thing. That's the test who is guru."Laghu" means material things. You are associating with material poets, material politicians, materially wealthy persons, and materially learned persons. They are laghus. When you associate with a sadhu and get his krpa then automatically the taste will be bitter and you will no longer like to associate with laghus. You should associate with a real sadhu. Sadhu-krpa, then mercy of sadhu, is powerful. It is a most important thing. It is said, vaisnava- krpaye tare sarva siddhi- If you can get the mercy of a sadhu then you will achieve all perfection. Moreover, it must be with a real sadhu, a sadhu is the true sense of the term. Not a hypocrite or bogus sadhu or kali-cela! They are only posing like sadhu. If a genuine sadhu casts his merciful glance on you then you have it! Sadhu-sanga is most important, most important. One should develop greed for such a type of sadhu-sanga. Don't resist such greed. You are greedy for material accumulations. That is you enemy. That will lead you to hell. Now become greedy for this, to have such sadhu-sanga. "How can I get it, how can I get it?" Develop this greed. It should not be resisted. It is the only thing needed.
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Srila Sridhar Maharaj: Ekadasi is considered to be the favourite day of Krsna, when devotees refrain from material activities. Ekadasi is aprakrta. Aprakrta means which is like prakrta but is supramundane. We are warned that Ekadasi is not mundane, though it seems to be. Because it is influenced by the moon Ekadasi seems to be mundane. The heat of the world, and the watery portion in the body increases due to the influence of the moon just as the high tide and low tide of the ocean are also effected by the moon. As we approach the full moon and the new moon, the watery portion of our bodies is enhanced by the movement of the earth, the moon and the sun, and thereby the enjoying spirit is also developed. So, fasting is necessary to meet with that external movement of nature. Fasting can save us from that peculiar reaction. Fasting has been recommended, and especially, if one can't fast at all, then one may take some process of diet that will give less cause for excitement, therefore one may take anukalpa (non-grains). We fast to check the senses, because the senses by the natural flow become more intense at that time. The result is, that one will be excited and want to enjoy - to encroach on the environment. So this unfair encroachment of one's own self is to be controlled, therefore this fasting has been recommended - this is one way.
We take some types of food, and not others, because they are considered to be less injurious, and less exciting to the body. Also it is mentioned in Hari-bhakti-vilasa, that some particular sins are fond of taking shelter in those foods that we reject. Papa means a type of sin that is very fond of taking shelter in grains and those places which we surely want to avoid. First-class fasting means without even taking water (nirjal). Those who cannot do without food, may take fruit, roots, and milk.
Also, from the spiritual perspective, Krsna Himself also feels more necessity for enjoyment, and when Krsna feels more necessity, the devotees have a greater chance to offer service. The time is more valuable for them, because Krsna wants to enjoy, and at that time, devotees should be busy to supply the things for His enjoyment - so much so that they won't have any time for their own necessities. So, the first reason is to please Krsna and the secondary reason is, that by fasting, we can make our body dry and so our enjoying spirit will be lessened. This is the general explanation. There are so many other things also. Everything is conscious, everything is personal, and Ekadasi has her own personal character, and she devotes herself with all her company in the service of Krsna.
She does not take any food or anything else, and also does not allow others in her group to take food or waste time, but is always engaged in the service of Krsna. We are told that Ekadasi and Dvadasi are favoured by Hari - the underlying cause is already explained. Hari will be pleased with any small service performed on these days. So, Dvadasi and Ekadasi are both considered the favourite days of Krsna. Ekadasi observance is compulsory - though Dvadasi is also honoured as the favourite of Hari, still Ekadasi has preference. Dvadasi has preference over Ekadasi only in eight cases, determined by the combination of naksatra, tithi, etc. - when we observe Maha-Dvadasi and not Ekadasi.
On Ekadasi and Dvadasi, even a little service gives some greater remuneration. Remuneration means that our serving attitude and our earnestness will be enhanced at that particular time. In deeper sense, this means that Hari at that time want to accept more service. That is the fortune of the servitors, that Hari demands more of the servitors, so the importance for the servitors increases at that time during Ekadasi and Dvadasi. Also on Dvadasi, we do not pick the leaves of tulasi because it is considered that Tulasi-devi has observed fasting on Ekadasi.
It is also noted that service is the first consideration. If I fast and do not take any water, then I may have to lie down and not be able to do any service to the Lord. That is not desirable. So, to take anukalpa and do service to the Lord is better.
Service is better than sitting idly. So, if prasada-seva is taken as service, this is best. But at the same time, the individual position of a devotee should be considered. The Sahajiyas do not observe Ekadasi fasting at all. They say, "Oh, we are in Vrndavan - no fasting here!" But Srila Prabhupad did not like this - the Sahajiya, in the name of krsna-bhakti, goes on feeding the senses. But when necessary for the service of Krsna, to keep up the body, we take prasadam - we don't like that by fasting the loss of energy may occur. In this way we honour Ekadasi. If fasting does not hamper our service, we may go on fasting.
Once on Janmastami day, Hayagriva Brahmachari (the later Madhava Maharaj) had to arrange for Prabhupad to go to Mathura, in order to observe the Purusottam-masa. Hayagriva was sent one day earlier to hire a suitable house and that day happened to be Janmastami. Prabhupad asked his own cook to feed Hayagriva rice on Janmastami day. "He will have to take a tedious journey and his energy will be wasted - he has an important duty to arrange that house there." That was his order. But Hayagriva hesitated and the cook also hesitated. Anyhow, he did not take rice on Janmastami - instead he took sabhu (tapioca), plantain and curd.
However, if Professor Sanyal had been in such a position, he would have certainly taken rice - he was so much adherent and extremely submissive to Prabhupad's order. He would have said, "Oh Prabhupad has asked me to take rice - I must take rice!" That was his line of thought. But Hayagriva hesitated, "No, no, it is not necessary, I am strong enough. I can do my duty." Also, when Prabhupad wanted to eat something on fasting days, he would take anukalpa. My Guru Maharaj felt that you will get the maximum energy if you take good food and you do good service. That was his maxim. Krsna is not a liquidated party. Take full prasadam and do full service. Whatever is necessary, take it for the cause of Krsna - not for your own cause. You are Krsna's, so if you grow weak and your service is hampered, then you will be the loser. "Better that my soldiers are well fed and working well." That was my Guru Mahara's principle.
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TEXT 32
yatha hy avahito vahnir
darusv ekah sva-yonisu
naneva bhati visvatma
bhutesu ca tatha puman
SYNONYMS
yatha--as much as; hi--exactly like; avahitah--surcharged with; vahnih--fire; darusu--in wood; ekah--one; sva-yonisu--the source of manifestation; nana iva--like different entities; bhati--illuminates; visva-atma--the Lord as Paramatma; bhutesu--in the living entities; ca--and; tatha--in the same way; puman--the Absolute Person.
TRANSLATION
The Lord, as Supersoul, pervades all things, just as fire permeates wood, and so He appears to be of many varieties, though He is the absolute one without a second.
PURPORT
Lord Vasudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by one of His plenary parts expands Himself all over the material world, and His existence can be perceived even within the atomic energy. Matter, antimatter, proton, neutron, etc., are all different effects of the Paramatma feature of the Lord. As from wood, fire can be manifested, or as butter can be churned out of milk, so also the presence of the Lord as Paramatma can be felt by the process of legitimate hearing and chanting of the transcendental subjects which are especially treated in the Vedic literatures like the Upanisads and Vedanta. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the bona fide explanation of these Vedic literatures. The Lord can be realized through the aural reception of the transcendental message, and that is the only way to experience the transcendental subject. As fire is kindled from wood by another fire, the divine consciousness of man can similarly be kindled by another divine grace. His Divine Grace the spiritual master can kindle the spiritual fire from the woodlike living entity by imparting proper spiritual messages injected through the receptive ear. Therefore one is required to approach the proper spiritual master with receptive ears only, and thus divine existence is gradually realized.
The difference between animality and humanity lies in this process only. A human being can hear properly, whereas an animal cannot. -
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surya candra bahirera tamah se vinasebahir-vastu ghata-pata-adi se prakase</CENTER><CENTER>SYNONYMS
</CENTER>surya--the sun; candra--the moon; bahirera--of the external world; tamah--darkness; se--they; vinase--destroy; bahih-vastu--external things; ghata--waterpots; pata-adi--plates, etc.; se--they; prakase--reveal.
<CENTER>TRANSLATION
</CENTER>The sun and moon dissipate the darkness of the external world and thus reveal external material objects like pots and plates.
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<CENTER>TEXT 98
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dui bhai hrdayera ksali' andhakaradui bhagavata-sange karana saksatkara</CENTER><CENTER>SYNONYMS
</CENTER>dui--two; bhai--brothers; hrdayera--of the heart; ksali'--purifying; andhakara--darkness; dui bhagavata--of the two bhagavatas; sange--by the association; karana--cause; saksat-kara--a meeting.
<CENTER>TRANSLATION
</CENTER>But these two brothers [Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda] dissipate the darkness of the inner core of the heart, and thus They help one meet the two kinds of bhagavatas [persons or things in relationship with the Personality of Godhead].
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<CENTER>TEXT 99
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eka bhagavata bada----bhagavata-sastraara bhagavata----bhakta bhakti-rasa-patra</CENTER><CENTER>SYNONYMS
</CENTER>eka--one; bhagavata--in relation to the Supreme Lord; bada--great; bhagavata-sastra--Srimad-Bhagavatam; ara--the other; bhagavata--in relation to the Supreme Lord; bhakta--pure devotee; bhakti-rasa--of the mellow of devotion; patra--the recipient.
<CENTER>TRANSLATION
</CENTER>One of the bhagavatas is the great scripture Srimad-Bhagavatam, and the other is the pure devotee absorbed in the mellows of loving devotion.
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<CENTER>TEXT 100
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dui bhagavata dvara diya bhakti-rasatanhara hrdaye tanra preme haya vasa</CENTER><CENTER>SYNONYMS
</CENTER>dui--two; bhagavata--the bhagavatas; dvara--by; diya--giving; bhakti-rasa--devotional inspiration; tanhara--of His devotee; hrdaye--in the heart; tanra--his; preme--by the love; haya--becomes; vasa--under control.
<CENTER>TRANSLATION
</CENTER>Through the actions of these two bhagavatas the Lord instills the mellows of transcendental loving service into the heart of a living being, and thus the Lord, in the heart of His devotee, comes under the control of the devotee's love.
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eka adbhuta----sama-kale donhara prakasaara adbhuta----citta-guhara tamah kare nasa</CENTER><CENTER>SYNONYMS
</CENTER>eka--one; adbhuta--wonderful thing; sama-kale--at the same time; donhara--of both; prakasa--the manifestation; ara--the other; adbhuta--wonderful thing; citta-guhara--of the core of the heart; tamah--darkness; kare--do; nasa--destruction.
<CENTER>TRANSLATION
</CENTER>The first wonder is that both brothers appear simultaneously, and the other is that They illuminate the innermost depths of the heart.
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TEXT 58
jive saksat nahi tate guru caittya-rupe
siksa-guru haya krsna-mahanta-svarupe
SYNONYMS
jive--by the living entity; saksat--direct experience; nahi--there is not; tate--therefore; guru--the spiritual master; caittya-rupe--in the form of the Supersoul; siksa-guru--the spiritual master who instructs; haya--appears; krsna--Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; mahanta--the topmost devotee; sva-rupe--in the form of.
TRANSLATION
Since one cannot visually experience the presence of the Supersoul, He appears before us as a liberated devotee. Such a spiritual master is none other than Krsna Himself.
PURPORT
It is not possible for a conditioned soul to directly meet Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but if one becomes a sincere devotee and seriously engages in devotional service, Lord Krsna sends an instructing spiritual master to show him favor and invoke his dormant propensity for serving the Supreme. The preceptor appears before the external senses of the fortunate conditioned soul,
and at the same time the devotee is guided from within by the caittya-guru, Krsna, who is seated as the spiritual master within the heart of the living entity. -
TEXT 39
nimittani ca tasyeha
proktany anagha-suribhih
svato jnanam kutah pumsam
bhaktir vairagyam eva va
SYNONYMS
nimittani--the source of knowledge; ca--also; tasya--of such knowledge; iha--in this world; proktani--mentioned; anagha--spotless; suribhih--by devotees; svatah--self-sufficient; jnanam--knowledge; kutah--how; pumsam--of the living entity; bhaktih--devotional service; vairagyam--detachment; eva--certainly; va--also.
TRANSLATION
Spotless devotees of the Lord have mentioned the source of such knowledge. How could one have knowledge of devotional service and detachment without the help of such devotees?
PURPORT
There are many inexperienced persons who advocate self-realization without the help of a spiritual master. They decry the necessity of the spiritual master and try themselves to take his place by propagating the theory that a spiritual master is not necessary.
Srimad-Bhagavatam, however, does not approve this viewpoint. Even the great transcendental scholar Vyasadeva had need of a spiritual master, and under the instruction of his spiritual master, Narada, he prepared this sublime literature, Srimad-Bhagavatam. Even Lord Caitanya, although He is Krsna Himself, accepted a spiritual master; even Lord Krsna accepted a spiritual master, Sandipani Muni, in order to be enlightened; and all the acaryas and saints of the world had spiritual masters.
In Bhagavad-gita Arjuna accepted Lord Krsna as his spiritual master, although there was no necessity of such a formal declaration. So, in all cases, there is no question about the necessity of accepting a spiritual master. The only stipulation is that the spiritual master should be bona fide; i.e., the spiritual master must be in the proper chain of disciplic succession, called the parampara system.Suris are great scholars, but they may not always be anagha, or spotless. The anagha-suri is one who is a pure devotee of the Lord. Those who are not pure devotees of the Lord, or who want to be on an equal level with Him, are not anagha-suri. Pure devotees have prepared many books of knowledge on the basis of authorized scriptures. Srila Rupa Gosvami and his assistants, under the instructions of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, have all written various literatures for the guidance of prospective devotees, and anyone who is very serious about raising himself to the standard of a pure devotee of the Lord must take advantage of those literatures.
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TEXT 12
sa vai nivrtti-dharmena
vasudevanukampaya
bhagavad-bhakti-yogena
tirodhatte sanair iha
SYNONYMS
sah--that; vai--also; nivrtti--detachment; dharmena--by engagement; vasudeva--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; anukampaya--by the mercy of; bhagavat--in relation with the Personality of Godhead; bhakti-yogena--by linking up; tirodhatte--diminishes; sanaih--gradually; iha--in this existence.
TRANSLATION
But that misconception of self-identity can be diminished gradually by the mercy of the Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva, through the process of devotional service to the Lord in the mode of detachment.
PURPORT
The quivering quality of material existence, which comes from identification with matter or from thinking oneself, under the material influence of philosophical speculation, to be God, can be eradicated by devotional service to the Lord, by the mercy of the Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva. As discussed in the First Canto, because the application of devotional service to Lord Vasudeva invites pure knowledge, it quickly detaches one from the material conception of life and thus revives one's normal condition of spiritual existence, even in this life, and frees one from the material winds which cause one to quiver. Only knowledge in devotional service can elevate one towards the path of liberation. The development of knowledge for the purpose of knowing everything, without rendering devotional service, is considered fruitless labor, and one cannot get the desired result by such labor of love. Lord Vasudeva is pleased by devotional service only, and thus His mercy is realized by association with pure devotees of the Lord. Pure devotees of the Lord are transcendental to all material desires, including the desire for the results of fruitive activities and philosophical speculation. If one wants to acquire the mercy of the Lord, he has to associate with pure devotees. Such association alone can, by degrees, release one from the quivering elements.
TEXT 13
yadendriyoparamo 'tha
drastratmani pare harau
viliyante tada klesah
samsuptasyeva krtsnasah
SYNONYMS
yada--when; indriya--senses; uparamah--satiated; atha--thus; drastr-atmani--unto the seer, the Supersoul; pare--in the Transcendence; harau--unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; viliyante--become merged in; tada--at that time; klesah--miseries; samsuptasya--one who has enjoyed sound sleep; iva--like; krtsnasah--completely.
TRANSLATION
When the senses are satisfied in the seer-Supersoul, the Personality of Godhead, and merge in Him, all miseries are completely vanquished, as after a sound sleep.
PURPORT
The quivering of the living entity as described above is due to the senses. Since the entire material existence is meant for sense gratification, the senses are the medium of material activities, and they cause the quivering of the steady soul. Therefore, these senses are to be detached from all such material activities. According to the impersonalists the senses are stopped from work by merging the soul in the Supersoul Brahman. The devotees, however, do not stop the material senses from acting, but they engage their transcendental senses in the service of the Transcendence, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In either case, the activities of the senses in the material field are to be stopped by cultivation of knowledge, and, if possible, they can be engaged in the service of the Lord. The senses are transcendental in nature, but their activities become polluted when contaminated by matter. We have to treat the senses to cure them of the material disease, not stop them from acting, as suggested by the impersonalist. In Bhagavad-gita (2.59) it is said that one ceases all material activities only when satisfied by contact with a better engagement. Consciousness is active by nature and cannot be stopped from working. Artificially stopping a mischievous child is not the real remedy. The child must be given some better engagement so that he will automatically stop causing mischief. In the same way, the mischievous activities of the senses can be stopped only by better engagement in relation with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When the eyes are engaged in seeing the beautiful form of the Lord, the tongue engaged in tasting prasada, or remnants of foodstuff offered to the Lord, the ears are engaged in hearing His glories, the hands engaged in cleaning the temple of the Lord, the legs engaged in visiting His temples--or when all the senses are engaged in transcendental variegatedness--then only can the transcendental senses become satiated and eternally free from material engagement. The Lord, as the Supersoul residing in everyone's heart and as the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the transcendental world far beyond the material creation, is the seer of all our activities. Our activities must be so transcendentally saturated that the Lord will be kind enough to look upon us favorably and engage us in His transcendental service; then only can the senses be satisfied completely and be no longer troubled by material attraction.
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TEXT 55
sa tvam vicaksya mrga-cestitam atmano 'ntas
cittam niyaccha hrdi karna-dhunim ca citte
jahy anganasramam asattama-yutha-gatham
prinihi hamsa-saranam virama kramena
SYNONYMS
sah--that very person; tvam--you; vicaksya--considering; mrga-cestitam--the activities of the deer; atmanah--of the self; antah--within; cittam--consciousness; niyaccha--fix; hrdi--in the heart; karna-dhunim--aural reception; ca--and; citte--unto the consciousness; jahi--give up; angana-asramam--household life; asat-tama--most abominable; yutha-gatham--full of stories of man and woman; prinihi--just accept; hamsa-saranam--the shelter of the liberated souls; virama--become detached; kramena--gradually.
TRANSLATION
My dear King, just try to understand the allegorical position of the deer. Be fully conscious of yourself, and give up the pleasure of hearing about promotion to heavenly planets by fruitive activity. Give up household life, which is full of sex, as well as stories about such things, and take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the mercy of the liberated souls. In this way, please give up your attraction for material existence.
PURPORT
In one of his songs, Srila Narottama dasa Thakura writes:
karma-kanda, jnana-kanda, kevala visera bhanda,
amrta baliya yeba khaya
nana yoni sada phire, kadarya bhaksana kare,
tara janma adhah-pate yaya
"Fruitive activities and mental speculation are simply cups of poison. Whoever drinks of them, thinking them to be nectar, must struggle very hard, life after life, in different types of bodies. Such a person eats all kinds of nonsense and becomes condemned by his activities of so-called sense enjoyment."
People are generally enamored of the fruitive results of worldly activity and mental speculation. They generally desire to be promoted to heavenly planets, merge into the existence of Brahman, or keep themselves in the midst of family life, enchanted by the pleasures of the tongue and genitals. The great sage Narada clearly instructs King Barhisman not to remain his entire life in the grhastha-asrama. Being in the grhastha-asrama means being under the control of one's wife. One has to give up all this and put himself into the asrama of the paramahamsa, that is, put himself under the control of the spiritual master. The paramahamsa-asrama is the asrama of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, under whom the spiritual master has taken shelter. The symptoms of the bona fide spiritual master are stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.3.21):
tasmad gurum prapadyeta
jijnasuh sreya uttamam
sabde pare ca nisnatam
brahmany upasamasrayam
"Any person who is seriously desirous of achieving real happiness must seek out a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of a spiritual master is that he must have realized the conclusion of the scriptures by deliberation and arguments and thus be able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken complete shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, are to be understood as bona fide spiritual masters."
A paramahamsa is one who has taken shelter of the Parabrahman, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
If one takes shelter of the paramahamsa spiritual master, gradually, through training and instruction, he will become detached from worldly life and ultimately return home, back to Godhead. The particular mention of anganasramam asattama-yutha-gatham is very interesting. The whole world is in the clutches of maya, being controlled by woman. Not only is one controlled by the woman who is one's wife, but one is also controlled by so many sex literatures. That is the cause of one's being entangled in the material world. One cannot give up this abominable association through one's own effort, but if one takes shelter of a bona fide spiritual master who is a paramahamsa, he will gradually be elevated to the platform of spiritual life. The pleasing words of the Vedas that inspire one to elevate oneself to the heavenly planets or merge into the existence of the Supreme are for the less intelligent who are described in Bhagavad-gita as mayayapahrta jnanah (those whose knowledge is taken away by the illusory energy). Real knowledge means understanding the miserable condition of material life. One should take shelter of a bona fide liberated soul, the spiritual master, and gradually elevate himself to the spiritual platform and thus become detached from the material world. According to Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, hamsa-saranam refers to the cottage in which saintly persons live. Generally a saintly person lives in a remote place in the forest or in a humble cottage. However, we should note that the times have changed. It may be beneficial for a saintly person's own interest to go to the forest and live in a cottage, but if one becomes a preacher, especially in Western countries, he has to invite many classes of men who are accustomed to living in comfortable apartments. Therefore in this age a saintly person has to make proper arrangements to receive people and attract them to the message of Krsna consciousness. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, perhaps for the first time, introduced motorcars and palatial buildings for the residence of saintly persons just to attract the general public in big cities. The main fact is that one has to associate with a saintly person. In this age people are not going to search out a saint in the forest, so the saints and sages have to come to the big cities to make arrangements to receive the people in general, who are accustomed to the modern amenities of material life. Gradually such persons will learn that palatial buildings or comfortable apartments are not at all necessary. The real necessity is to become free from material bondage in whatever way possible. According to the orders of Srila Rupa Gosvami:
anasaktasya visayan
yatharham upayunjatah
nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe
yuktam vairagyam ucyate
"When one is not attached to anything, but at the same time accepts everything in relation to Krsna, one is rightly situated above possessiveness." (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.255)
One should not be attached to material opulence, but material opulence may be accepted in the Krsna consciousness movement to facilitate the propagation of the movement. In other words, material opulence may be accepted as yukta-vairagya, that is, for renunciation.
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TEXT 58
jive saksat nahi tate guru caittya-rupe
siksa-guru haya krsna-mahanta-svarupe
SYNONYMS
jive--by the living entity; saksat--direct experience; nahi--there is not; tate--therefore; guru--the spiritual master; caittya-rupe--in the form of the Supersoul; siksa-guru--the spiritual master who instructs; haya--appears; krsna--Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; mahanta--the topmost devotee; sva-rupe--in the form of.
TRANSLATION
Since one cannot visually experience the presence of the Supersoul, He appears before us as a liberated devotee. Such a spiritual master is none other than Krsna Himself.
PURPORT
It is not possible for a conditioned soul to directly meet Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but if one becomes a sincere devotee and seriously engages in devotional service, Lord Krsna sends an instructing spiritual master to show him favor and invoke his dormant propensity for serving the Supreme. The preceptor appears before the external senses of the fortunate conditioned soul, and at the same time the devotee is guided from within by the caittya-guru, Krsna, who is seated as the spiritual master within the heart of the living entity.
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TEXT 230
gopi-anugatya vina aisvarya-jnane
bhajileha nahi paya vrajendra-nandane
SYNONYMS
gopi-anugatya--subservience to the gopis; vina--without; aisvarya-jnane--in the knowledge of opulence; bhajileha--if serving the Supreme Lord; nahi--not; paya--gets; vrajendra-nandane--the son of Maharaja Nanda, Krsna.
TRANSLATION
"Unless one follows in the footsteps of the gopis, he cannot attain the service of the lotus feet of Krsna, the son of Nanda Maharaja. If one is overcome by knowledge of the Lord's opulence, he cannot attain the Lord's lotus feet, even though he is engaged in devotional service.
PURPORT
One can worship Laksmi-Narayana by the process of vidhi-marga, worshiping the Lord with regulative principles according to the instructions of the sastra and the spiritual master. But the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Radha-Krsna, cannot be directly worshiped by this process. The dealings between Radha and Krsna and the gopis are devoid of the opulences of Laksmi-Narayana. The process of vidhi-marga, following the regulative principles, is utilized in the worship of Laksmi-Narayana, whereas the process of spontaneous service--following in the footsteps of the gopis, who are the denizens of Vrndavana--is transcendentally more advanced and is the process whereby Radha and Krsna are worshiped. One cannot attain this elevated position while worshiping the Lord in His opulence. Those attracted by the conjugal love between Radha and Krsna must follow in the footsteps of the gopis. Only then is it possible to enter into the Lord's service in Goloka Vrndavana and directly associate with Radha and Krsna.
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TEXT 99
kali-yuge lilavatara na kare bhagavan
ataeva 'tri-yuga' kari' kahi tara nama
SYNONYMS
kali-yuge--in this Age of Kali; lila-avatara--a pastime incarnation; na--not; kare--does; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ataeva--therefore; tri-yuga--of the name Triyuga (manifested in three yugas); kari'--accepting; kahi--I say; tara nama--His holy name.
TRANSLATION
"In this Age of Kali there is no lila-avatara of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore He is known as Triyuga. That is one of His holy names."
PURPORT
A lila-avatara is an incarnation of the Lord who performs a variety of activities without making any special endeavor. He always has one pastime after another, all full of transcendental pleasure, and these pastimes are fully controlled by the Supreme Person. The Supreme Person is totally independent of all others in these pastimes. While teaching Sanatana Gosvami (Cc. Madhya 20.296-298), Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu pointed out that one cannot count the number of lila-avataras:
lilavatara krsnera na yaya ganana
pradhana kariya kahi dig-darasana
"However," the Lord told Sanatana, "I shall explain the chief lila-avataras."
matsya, kurma, raghunatha, nrsimha, vamana
varahadi----lekha yanra na yaya ganana
Thus the Lord's incarnations were enumerated, including Matsya, the fish incarnation; Kurma, the tortoise; Lord Ramacandra; Nrsimhadeva; Vamanadeva; and Varaha, the boar incarnation. Thus there are innumerable lila-avataras, and all of these exhibit wonderful pastimes. Lord Varaha, the boar incarnation, lifted the entire planet earth from the depths of the Garbhodaka Ocean. The tortoise incarnation, Lord Kurma, became a pivot for the emulsification of the whole sea, and Lord Nrsimhadeva appeared as half-man, half-lion. These are some of the wonderful and uncommon features of lila-avataras.
In his book Laghu-bhagavatamrta, Srila Rupa Gosvami has enumerated the following twenty-five lila-avataras: Catuh-sana, Narada, Varaha, Matsya, Yajna, Nara-Narayana, Kapila, Dattatreya, Hayasirsa (Hayagriva), Hamsa, Prsnigarbha, Rsabha, Prthu, Nrsimha, Kurma, Dhanvantari, Mohini, Vamana, Parasurama, Raghavendra, Vyasa, Balarama, Krsna, Buddha and Kalki.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is not mentioned as a lila-avatara because He is an incarnation in disguise (channa-avatara). In this Age of Kali there are no lila-avataras, but there is an incarnation of the Lord manifested in the body of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
This has been explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam. -
Exactly. But on what basis do we make such a judgment. For instance a charismatic person can attract thousands of followers, even Hitler did that. Thousands may even be chanting under his inspiration and that's all good, but perhaps none develop genuine love of God. Another may have only one or two students but in his association they rise to Krishna prema.It's quality and not quantity. Anybody who can count can judge quantity. But it's a rare person who can separate genune diamonds from those man made and fewer still who can determine the finest of diamonds from amongst the real.
So accepting the principle of siksa guru as paramount one must then distinquish between the various siksa gurus in one's life looking for the one who is the most advanced.
By again how are we to judge? If we direct our faith to Caitya-guru first and solely in this matter and are sincere He will guide us true and protect us from being mislead.
There is NO viable alternative.
CC Adi-lila ch.1text 98-101
<B> TEXT 98
</B>dui bhai hrdayera ksali' andhakaradui bhagavata-sange karana saksatkaraSYNONYMS
dui--two; bhai--brothers; hrdayera--of the heart; ksali'--purifying;andhakara--darkness; dui bhagavata--of the two bhagavatas; sange--bythe association; karana--cause; saksat-kara--a meeting.
TRANSLATION
But these two brothers [Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda] dissipate the darkness of the inner core of the heart, and thus They help one meet the two kinds of bhagavatas [persons or things in relationship with thePersonality of Godhead].
TEXT 99
eka bhagavata bada----bhagavata-sastraara bhagavata----bhakta bhakti-rasa-patraSYNONYMS
eka--one; bhagavata--in relation to the Supreme Lord; bada--great;bhagavata-sastra--Srimad-Bhagavatam; ara--the other; bhagavata--inrelation to the Supreme Lord; bhakta--pure devotee; bhakti-rasa--of themellow of devotion; patra--the recipient.
TRANSLATION
One of the bhagavatas is the great scripture Srimad-Bhagavatam, and the other is the pure devotee absorbed in the mellows of loving devotion.
TEXT 100
dui bhagavata dvara diya bhakti-rasatanhara hrdaye tanra preme haya vasaSYNONYMS
dui--two; bhagavata--the bhagavatas; dvara--by; diya--giving;bhakti-rasa--devotional inspiration; tanhara--of His devotee;hrdaye--in the heart; tanra--his; preme--by the love; haya--becomes;vasa--under control.
TRANSLATION
Through the actions of these two bhagavatas the Lord instills the mellows of transcendental loving service into the heart of a living being, and thus the Lord, in the heart of His devotee, comes under the control of the devotee's love.
TEXT 101
eka adbhuta----sama-kale donhara prakasaara adbhuta----citta-guhara tamah kare nasaSYNONYMS
eka--one; adbhuta--wonderful thing; sama-kale--at the same time;donhara--of both; prakasa--the manifestation; ara--the other;adbhuta--wonderful thing; citta-guhara--of the core of the heart;tamah--darkness; kare--do; nasa--destruction.
TRANSLATION
The first wonder is that both brothers appear simultaneously, and the other is that They illuminate the innermost depths of the heart.
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Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.20.27-28)
jata-sraddho mat-kathasu nirvinnah sarva-karmasu
veda duhkhatmakan kaman parityage ‘py anisvarah
tato bhajeta mam pritah sraddhalur drdha-niscayah
jusamanas ca tan kaman duhkhodarkams ca garhayan
A sadhaka who has developed faith in narrations about Me, and who is disgusted with all kinds of fruitive activity, may still be unable to give up material enjoyment and the desire for such enjoyment. Knowing that such so-called pleasures are actually sources of misery he should condemn himself while attempting to enjoy them. Thereafter, in due course of time, he may be able to worship Me with love, faith and fixed determination.
Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.20.29-30)
proktena bhakti-yogena bhajato masakrn muneh
kama hrdayya nasyanti sarve mayi hrdi sthite
bhidyate hrdaya-granthis chidyante sarva-samsayah
ksiyante casya karmani mayi drste ‘khilatmani
When the sadhaka constantly worships me by the metho of bhakti-yoga that I have described, I come and sit in his heart. As soon as I am established there, all material desires and samskaras, the impressions, on which the material desires are based are destroyed. When the sadhaka directly sees
Me as Paramatma situated in the hearts of all living entities, the knot of the false ego in his heart is pierced, all of his doubts are cut to pieces, and his desires for fruitive activities are completely eradicated.
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Sannyasi Thakura said, “Prabhu! For a long time I have heard of the pre-eminence of dharma. On numerous occasions I have asked the question, ‘What is dharma?’ to so many people. It is a cause of distress to me that the answers those people have given contradict each other. So please tell me, what is the true constitutional dharma of the jivas? And why do different teachers explain the nature of dharma in such diverse ways? If dharma is one, why don’t all learned teachers cultivate that one universal dharma which is without a second?”
Paramahamsa Babaji meditated upon the lotus feet of Bhagavan Sri Krsna Caitanya, and began to speak: “O most fortunate one, I shall describe to you the principles of dharma as far as my knowledge allows. An object is called a vastu, and its eternal nature is known as its nitya-dharma. Nature arises from the elementary structure of an object (ghatana). By Krsna’s desire, when an object is formed, a particular nature is inherent in that structure as an eternal concomitant factor. This nature is the nitya-dharma of the object.
“The nature of a given object becomes altered or distorted when a change takes place within it, either by force of circumstance, or due to contact with other objects. With the passage of time, this distorted nature becomes fixed, and appears to be permanent, as if it were the eternal nature of that object. This distorted nature is not the svabhava (true nature); it is called nisarga, that nature which is acquired through long-term association. This nisarga occupies the place of the factual nature, and becomes identified as the svabhava.
“For example, water is an object and its svabhava is liquidity. When water solidifies, due to certain circumstances, and becomes ice, the acquired nature of solidity takes the place of its inherent nature. In reality, this acquired nature is not eternal; rather, it is occasional or temporary. It arises because of some cause, and when that cause is no longer effective, this acquired nature vanishes automatically. However, the svabhava is eternal. It may become distorted, but it still remains inseparably connected to its object, and the original nature will certainly become evident again when the proper time and circumstances arise.
“The svabhava of an object is its nitya-dharma (eternal function), while its acquired nature is its naimittika-dharma (occasional function). Those who have true knowledge of objects (vastu-jnana) can know the difference between eternal and occasional function, whereas those who lack this knowledge consider acquired nature to be true nature, and they consequently mistake the temporary dharma for eternal dharma.”
“What is it that is called vastu, and what is the meaning of svabhava?” asked Sannyasi Thakura.
Paramahamsa Babaji said, “The word vastu is derived from the Sanskrit verbal root vas, which means ‘to exist’, or ‘to dwell’. The verbal root becomes a noun when the suffix tu is added. Therefore, vastu means ‘that which has existence or which is self-evident’. There are two types of vastu: vastava and avastava. The term ‘truly abiding substance’, vastava-vastu, refers to that which is
grounded in transcendence. Temporary objects, avastava-vastu, are dravya (solid objects), guna (qualities), and so on. Real objects have eternal existence. Unreal objects only have a semblance of existence, which is sometimes real and sometimes unreal.
“It is said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.1.2)
vedyam vastavam atra vastu sivadam
Only a truly abiding substance, which is related to the Supreme Absolute Truth and which yields supreme auspiciousnes is worthy of being known.
“From this statement it is clearly understood that the only real substance is that which is related to the Supreme Transcendence. Sri Bhagavan is the only real Entity (vastava-vastu). The living entity (jiva) is a distinct or individual part of that Entity, while maya—the potency that produces bewilderment—is the energy of that Entity. Therefore, the word vastu refers to three fundamental principles: Bhagavan, the jiva, and maya. Knowledge of the mutual relationship between these three principles is known as pure knowledge (suddha-jnana). There are innumerable apparent representations of these three principles, and they are all regarded as avastava-vastu, unreal substances. The classification of phenomena into various categories such as dravya (objects) and guna (qualities), which is undertaken by the Vaisesika school of philosophy, is merely a deliberation on the nature of avastava-vastu, temporary objects.
“The special characteristic (visesa-guna) of any truly abiding substance is its factual nature. The jiva is a real entity, and his eternal characteristic quality is his true nature.”
Sannyasi Maharaja said, “Prabhu, I want to understand this
topic very clearly.
Babaji Mahasaya replied, “Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, who was an object of the mercy of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, showed me a manuscript that he had written with his own hand. Sriman Mahaprabhu has instructed us on this subject in the book named Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 20.108) as follows:
jivera svarupa haya krsnera nitya-dasa
krsnera tatastha-sakti bhedabheda-prakasa
The constitutional nature of the jiva is to be an eternal servant of Sri Krsna. He is the marginal potency of Krsna, and is a manifestation simultaneously one with Him, and different from Him.
krsna bhuli sei jiva anadi-bahirmukha
ataeva maya tare deya samsara-duhkha
Caitanya-caritamrta, (Madhya 20.117)
The jiva who has forgotten Krsna has been preoccupied with the external potency since time without beginning. Consequently,Krsna’s illusory potency (maya) gives him miseryin the form of material existence.
“Krsna is the complete transcendental substance (cid-vastu). He is often compared to the sun of the spiritual realm, and the jivas are compared to the sun’s atomic particles of light. Jivas are innumerable. When it is said that they are individual parts of Krsna, it does not mean that they are like the pieces of stone that form a mountain. Although innumerable jiva portions emanate from Sri Krsna, He is not diminished by this in the slightest. For this reason,
the Vedas have compared the jivas in one respect to sparks emanating from a fire. In reality, no adequate comparison can be made. No comparison—whether to sparks of a blazing fire, atomic particles within the rays of the sun, or gold produced from powerful mystic jewels—is completely appropriate. The true nature of the jiva is easily revealed in the heart, but only when the mundane conception of these comparisons is given up.
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sorry for the large font , my bad.
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<CENTER><CENTER><H1>Apasampradayer Svarupa
</CENTER><CENTER>by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
</CENTER>The Smarta Doctrine
Two kinds of smrti sastra:
1) spiritual, or satvata smrtis;
2) material, moral or fruitivework oriented smrtis.
Satvata smrtis include: Sri Bharadvaja Samhita (included in Narada Pancaratra), Brhat Samhita, Visnu Samuccaya, Vaikhanas Samhita, the Agamapramanya compiled by Sage Albandaru, the Sadacar Smrti compiled by Sage Purna Prajna, the Krsnamrta Maharnava, the SmrtyarthaSagara by Cchadari Nrsimhacarya, the Prameyamala by Vira Raghava, the Prayoga Candrika, the Vaisnava?dharmasuradrumamanjari by SamkarsanaSaranadeva, the Smrti?ratnakara by Vitthalacarya, the Sri Haribhaktivilasa by Srila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami Prabhu, the Sri Satkriyasaradipika and the Samskaracandrikapaddhati by Sri Dhyana Candra.
"The ordinary nontheorist community and the sinful living entities cannot understand the wide difference existing between apparent similarities and sincere dedication ((between a "smarta" and a Vaisnava)). They are thus becoming smartas with external vaisnava designations; thatis, although externally maintaining all the rituals and activities of a Vaisnava, they internally cherish allegiance to the smarta ideal of materialistic work. The lay nontheorist society cannot diagnose this deceptive disease infecting the remotest corners of the heart; it is the true doctor, conversant in the scriptures and in the science of Krsna, who is aware of these complications and can persuade the frank and surrendered soul of these diseases and endeavor for their cure. They look for sincere dedication and not for external details of Vaisnavism or for drama. Where dedication serves materialism the sense organs, and seeks peace, prasadam and contentment, there are only material or moral regulations the smarta doctrine in the guise of a socalled vaisnava doctrine is evident. Only the mercy ofa pure devotee can deliver one from this dire calamity."
Celebrating occasions like Ekadasi:
Vaisnavas or spiritualists celebrate such occasions as enhancers of devotion or out of the pleasure of serving Krsna and without any desire. Smartas, on the other hand, celebrate them for physical or mental welfare or as activities fulfilling their moral, economic or sexual desires. So, notwithstanding apparent similarities, the motives of Vaisnavas vs. those of smartas are poles apart. Taking bath in and worshiping the Ganges
Vaisnavas view the Ganges as nectar from Visnu's feet, are reminded of Visnu by her contact and take bath in her in a spirit of service, knowing her to be a transcendental object of service. So "even Ganga herself desires to bathe Haridasa". But the smartas want to utilize Ganges water for cleansing themselves of sins, filth and unholy thoughts. The Ganges, whose water even Lord Siva takes gladly on his head as it washes the feet of his Lord, the smartas want to use as maidservant or a sincleansing machine.
Installing and worshiping Deity forms of the Lord:
The Vaisnavas do not differentiate between Krsna Himself and His Deityform. They accept sankirtana as the prime means of worship and by that means perform the abhisekha and other rituals, according to Sriman Mahaprabhu's instructions. The smartas consider the Deity as different from the Lord, as something transient and imaginary for temporary assistance of the aspirant, to be rejected or immersed later on. They imagine to instil life and consciousness into the idol and employ it in gratifying their desires. Sometimes they even use Deity worship for enhancing some trade.
Establishing monasteries:
The Vaisnavas establish monasteries to provide saintly association and propagate the sankirtana movement. They believe that just as lighting a fire to cook food rids us of darkness and cold as well without separate endeavor, similarly sankirtana will relieve us of all social problems. Smartas, on the other hand, pompously open monasteries for the sake of selfadvertisement or for some temporal social or moral welfare. Thus freehospitals, artifical celibacyschools, gymnasiums, etc. are often part of their monasteries. Or they may open abbeys for hoarding property, deceiving other people or such other material activities.
Deity worship:
Vaisnavas know that the non-Vaisnava or onoprincipled man is not qualified for Deity worship even if born in the best of families. Only when he attains "bhutasuddhi" or the realization that the constitutional position of the living entity is a servant of Krsna from a bona fide spiritual master can he perform purified worship. To the smartas the only qualification necessary for Deity worship are birth in a high family, external clenaliness and ability to chant sanskrit verses. The post of Deity worship expands like a priest's profession. Mentally they do not consider the Deity as God and do not try to arrange for the Deity's comfort. </H1></CENTER>
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Not trying to rain on any ones parade.Please forgive me.The purport speaks for itself. As long as the friendship and association helps us to advance in KC.
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TEXT 4
arthe hy avidyamane 'pi
samsrtir na nivartate
dhyayato visayan asya
svapne 'narthagamo yatha
SYNONYMS
arthe--real cause; hi--certainly; avidyamane--not existing; api--although; samsrtih--the material existential condition; na--not; nivartate--does cease; dhyayatah--contemplating; visayan--objects of the senses; asya--of the living entity; svapne--in a dream; anartha--of disadvantages; agamah--arrival; yatha--like.
TRANSLATION
Actually a living entity is transcendental to material existence, but because of his mentality of lording it over material nature, his material existential condition does not cease, and just as in a dream, he is affected by all sorts of disadvantages.
PURPORT
The example of a dream is very appropriate. Due to different mental conditions, in dreams we are put into advantageous and disadvantageous positions. Similarly, the spirit soul has nothing to do with this material nature, but because of his mentality of lording it over, he is put into the position of conditional existence.
Conditional existence is described here as dhyayato visayan asya. Visaya means "an object of enjoyment." As long as one continues to think that he can enjoy material advantages, he is in conditioned life, but as soon as he comes to his senses, he develops the knowledge that he is not the enjoyer, for the only enjoyer is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (5.29), He is the beneficiary for all the results of sacrifices and penances (bhoktaram yajna-tapasam), and He is the proprietor of all the three worlds (sarva-loka-mahesvaram). He is the actual friend of all living entities. But instead of leaving proprietorship, enjoyment and the actual position as the friend of all living entities to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we claim that we are the proprietors, the enjoyers and the friends. We perform philanthropic work, thinking that we are the friends of human society. Someone may proclaim himself to be a very good national worker, the best friend of the people and of the country, but actually he cannot be the greatest friend of everyone. The only friend is Krsna. One should try to raise the consciousness of the conditioned soul to the platform of understanding that Krsna is his actual friend. If one makes friendship with Krsna, one will never be cheated, and he will get all help needed. Arousing this consciousness of the conditioned soul is the greatest service, not posing oneself as a great friend of another living entity. The power of friendship is limited. Although one claims to be a friend, he cannot be a friend unlimitedly. There are an unlimited number of living entities, and our resources are limited; therefore we cannot be of any real benefit to the people in general. The best service to the people in general is to awaken them to Krsna consciousness so that they may know that the supreme enjoyer, the supreme proprietor and the supreme friend is Krsna. Then this illusory dream of lording it over material nature will vanish.
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Came across this article on BVML this may help explain.http://bvml.org/contemporary/BVAM_pancopasana.html
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Please read carefully the Jaiva Dharma excerpt. It is explained.
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Hare KrsnaAll Glories to Shila Prabhupada,
Well as the God Head (Vishnu) said in every thing I live so it means nomatter you worship Ganesha Hanuman Durga shiva or bramha the God is one as electricity is one and it flows through many gadgets OR as all river has to join the sea. You can pray for one power and it will reach the Gods Head but do it with full faith.
Krsna lived 5000 years back for nearly 119 years before he went to abode so Krsna been remembered is worshiped with immense faith and devotion.
Hare Krsna
Hare Srinivasa
This is a bogus philosophy that Srila Prabhupada or any of our Gaudiya Vaisnava Acharyas would not accept.
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Vrajanatha: What is this philosophy called Mayavada? I am unable to understand it.
Babaji: Listen carefully. Maya-sakti is just a perverted reflection of the spiritual kingdom, and it is also the controller of the material world which the jiva enters when he is overpowered by ignorance and illusion. Spiritual things have an independent existence, and are independently energetic, but Mayavada does not accept this. Instead, the Mayavada theory declares that the individual soul is itself brahma, and only appears to be different from brahma because of the influence of maya. This theory states that the jiva only thinks himself to be an individual entity, and that the moment the influence of maya is removed, he understands that he is brahma. According to this conception, while under the influence of maya, the atomic spiritual spark has no independent identity separate from maya, and therefore the way of liberation for the jiva is nirvana, or merging in brahma. Mayavadis do not accept the separate existence of the pure individual soul. Furthermore, they state that Bhagavan is subordinate to maya, and has to take shelter of maya when He needs to come to this material world. They say, “This is because brahma is impersonal and does not have any form, which means that He has to assume a material (mayika) form in order to manifest Himself in this world. His Isvara aspect has a material body. The avataras accept material bodies and perform wonderful feats in this material world. In the end, They leave Their material body in this world, and return to Their abode.”
Mayavadis show a little kindness towards Bhagavan, for they accept some differences between the jiva and the avataras of Isvara. The distinction they make is that the jiva has to accept a gross body because of his past karma. This karma carries him away, even against his wishes, and he is forced to accept birth, old age and death. The Mayavadis say that Isvara’s body, designation, name and qualities are also material, but that He accepts them of His own accord, and that whenever He desires, He can reject everything and regain His pure spirituality. He is not forced to accept the reactions resulting from the activities that He performs. These are all misconceptions of the Mayavadis.
Vrajanatha: Is this Mayavada philosophy found anywhere in the
Vedas?
Babaji: No! Mayavada cannot be found anywhere in the Vedas. Mayavada is Buddhism, We read in Padma Purana:
mayavadam asac-chastram
pracchannam bauddham ucyate
mayaiva vihitam devi
kalau brahmana-murtina
Uttara-khanda (43.6)
In answer to a question by Umadevi (Parvati), Mahadeva explains “O Devi! Mayavada is an impure sastra. Although actually covered Buddhism, it has gained entry into the religion of the Aryans, disguised as Vedic conclusions. In Kali-yuga, I shall appear in the guise of a brahmana and preach this Mayavada philosophy.”
Vrajanatha: Prabhu, why did Mahadeva perform such an ugly task, when he is the leader of the devatas and the foremost among Vaisnavas?
Babaji: Sri Mahadeva is Bhagavan’s guna-avatara. The supremely merciful Lord saw the asuras taking to the path of bhakti and worshiping Him to get fruitive results and to fulfill their wicked desires. He then thought, “The asuras are troubling the devotees by polluting the path of devotional service, but the path of bhakti should be freed from this pollution.” Thinking thus, He called for Sivaji and said, “O Sambhu! It is not auspicious for this material world if My pure bhakti is taught amongst those who are in the mode of ignorance and whose character is asurika. You should preach from sastra and spread Mayavada philosophy in such a way that the asuras become enamored and I remain concealed from them. Those whose character is asurika will leave the path of devotional service and take shelter of Mayavada, and this will give My gentle bhaktas the chance to taste pure devotional service unhindered.”
Sri Mahadeva, who is the supreme Vaisnava, was at first somewhat reluctant to accept such an arduous task with which Bhagavan had entrusted him. However, considering this to be His order, he therefore preached the Mayavada philosophy. Where is the fault of Sriman Mahadeva, the supreme guru, in this? The entire universe functions smoothly like a well-oiled machine under the guidance of Bhagavan, who expertly wields in His hand the splendid Sudarsana Cakra for the well-being of all creatures. Only He knows what auspiciousness is hidden in His order, and the duty of the humble servants is simply to obey His order. Knowing this, the pure Vaisnavas never find any fault in Sankaracarya, Siva’s incarnation who preached Mayavada.
Listen to the evidence from sastra for this:tvam aradhya tatha sambho grahisyami varam sada
dvaparadau yuge bhutva kalaya manusadisu
svagamaih kalpitaistvanca janan madvimukhan krru
manca gopaya yena syat srstiresontarontara
Padma Purana, Uttara khanda (42.109-110)
and Narada-pancaratra (4.2.29-30):
Visnu said, “O Sambhu, although I am Bhagavan, still I have worshiped different devatas and devis to bewilder the asuras. In the same way, I shall worship you as well, and receive a benediction. In Kali-yuga you should incarnate amongst human beings through your partial expansion. You should preach from sastras like Agama, and fabricate a philosophy that will distract the general mass of people away from Me, and keep Me covered. In this way, more and more people will be diverted away from Me, and My pastimes will become all the more valuable.”
In Varaha Purana, Bhagavan tells Siva:
esa moham srjamy asu ye janan mohayisyati
tvanca rudra mahasaho mohasastrani karaya
atathyani vitathyani darsayasva mahabhuja
prakasam kuru catmanamprakasanca mam kuru
“I am creating the kind of illusion (moha) that will delude the mass of people. O strong-armed Rudra, you also create such a deluding sastra. O mighty-armed one, present fact as falsehood, and falsehood as fact. Give prominence to your destructive Rudra form and conceal My eternal original form as Bhagavan.”
Vrajanatha: Is there any Vedic evidence against the Mayavada philosophy?
Babaji: All the testimony of the Vedas refutes Mayavada philosophy. The Mayavadis have searched all the Vedas and isolated four sentences in their support. They call these four sentences mahavakya, ‘the illustrious statements.’ These four statements are:
1) sarvam khalv idam brahma, “All the universe is brahma.”
Chandogya Upanisad 3.14.1.
2) prajnanam brahma, “The supreme knowledge is brahma.”
Aitareya Upanisad 1.5.3.
3) tat tvam asi svetaketo, “O Svetaketu, you are that”
Chandogya Upanisad 6.8.7.
4) aham brahmasmi, “I am brahma.”
Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad 1.4.10.
The first maha-vakya teaches that the whole universe, consisting of the living beings and non-living matter, is brahma; nothing exists that is not brahma. The identity of that brahma is explained elsewhere:
na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate
na tat-samas cabhyadhikas ca drsyate
parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate
svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca
Svetasvatara Upanisad (6.8)
None of the activities of that para-brahma Paramatma is mundane, because none of His senses – such as His hands and legs – is material. Thus through the medium of His transcendental body, He performs His pastimes without any material senses, and He is present everywhere at the same time. Therefore, no one is even equal to Him, what to speak of being greater than Him. The one divine potency of Paramesvara has been described in sruti in many ways, among which the description of His jnana-sakti (knowledge), His bala-sakti (power), and His kriya-sakti (potency for activity) are most important. These are also called citsakti or samvit-sakti; sat-sakti or sandhini-sakti; and anandasakti or hladini-sakti respectively.
Brahma and His sakti are accepted as non-different from each other. In fact, this sakti is said to be an inherent part of brahma, which is manifested in different ways. From one point of view, it may be said that nothing is different from brahma, for the potency and the possessor of potency are non-different. However, when we look at the material world, we can see that in another sense brahma and His sakti are certainly different.
nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam
eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman
Katha Upanisad (2.13) and
Svetasvatara Upanisad (6.10)
He is the one supreme eternal being among all eternal beings, and the one supreme conscious being among all conscious beings. He alone is fulfilling the desires of everyone.
This statement from the Vedas accepts variegatedness within the eternally existing substance (vastu), brahma. It separates the sakti (potency) from saktiman (the possessor of the potency), and then it considers His jnana (knowledge), bala (power) and kriya (activities).
Now let us consider the second maha-vakya, prajnanam brahma, “The supreme knowledge is brahma“ (Aitareya Upanisad 1.5.3). Here it is said that brahma and consciousness are identical. The word prajnanam, which in this sentence is said to be one with brahma, is also used in Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (4.4.21), where it is used to mean prema-bhakti:
tam eva dhiro vijnaya prajnamam kurvita brahmanah
When a steady and sober person attains knowledge of
brahma, he worships Him with genuine loving feelings
(jnana-svarupa-prema-bhakti).
The third maha-vakya is tat tvam asi svetaketo, “O Svetaketu, you are that,” (Chandogya Upanisad 6.8.7). This sloka gives instructions on oneness with brahma, which is more elaborately described in Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (3.8.10) as follows:
yo va etad aksaram gargy aviditvasmal lokat praiti sa krpanah
ya etad aksaram gargi viditvasmal lokat praiti sa brahmanah
O Gargi! Those who leave this material world without understanding the eternal Visnu are krpanah, extremely miserly or degraded, whereas those who leave this material world in knowledge of that Supreme Eternal are actually brahmanas, knowers of brahma.
The words tat tvam asi therefore mean, “He who gains true knowledge eventually attains devotional service to para-brahma, and he is to be known as a brahmana.”
The fourth maha-vakya is aham brahmasmi, “I am brahma” (Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 1.4.10). If the vidya that is established in this vakya does not become bhakti in the end, then it is thoroughly condemned in Sri Isopanisad (9), which says:
andham tamah pravisanti ye ’vidyam upasate
tato bhuya iva te tamo ya u vidyayam ratah
Those who are situated in ignorance enter deep darkness, and those who are in knowledge enter deeper darkness still.
This mantra means that those who embrace ignorance, and do not know the spiritual nature of the soul, enter the darkest regions of ignorance. However, the destination of those who reject ignorance, but who believe that the jiva is brahma, and not a spiritual atom, is far worse.
Baba! The Vedas have no shoreline and are unsurpassed. Their precise meaning can only be understood by studying each and every sloka of the Upanisads separately, and by deriving the meaning from all of them combined. If one singles out a particular sentence, he
may always be diverted by some misinterpretation. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore investigated all the Vedas thoroughly, and then preached that the individual spirit souls and the material world are simultaneously and inconceivably one with Sri Hari and different from Him.
vishnu not krishna is source of all avatars.
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TEXT 65advaya-jnana tattva-vastu krsnera svarupabrahma, atma, bhagavan----tina tanra rupaSYNONYMSadvaya-jnana--knowledge without duality; tattva-vastu--the Absolute Truth; krsnera--of Lord Krsna; sva-rupa--own nature; brahma--Brahman; atma--Paramatma; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tina--three; tanra--of Him; rupa--forms.TRANSLATIONLord Krsna Himself is the one undivided Absolute Truth, the ultimate reality. He manifests Himself in three features--as Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan.PURPORTIn the verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam cited above (Bhag. 1.2.11), the principal word, bhagavan, indicates the Personality of Godhead, and Brahman and Paramatma are concomitants deduced from the Absolute Personality, as a government and its ministers are deductions from the supreme executive head. In other words, the principal truth is exhibited in three different phases. The Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna (Bhagavan), is also known as Brahman and Paramatma, although all these features are identical.--TEXT 66ei slokera arthe tumi haila nirvacanaara eka suna bhagavatera vacanaSYNONYMSei--this; slokera--of the verse; arthe--by the meaning; tumi--you; haila--have become; nirvacana--speechless; ara--other; eka--one; suna--please hear; bhagavatera--of Srimad-Bhagavatam; vacana--speech.TRANSLATIONThe import of this verse has stopped you from arguing. Now listen to another verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam.--TEXT 67ete camsa-kalah pumsahkrsnas tu bhagavan svayamindrari-vyakulam lokammrdayanti yuge yugeSYNONYMSete--these; ca--and; amsa--plenary portions; kalah--parts of plenary portions; pumsah--of the purusa-avataras; krsnah--Lord Krsna; tu--but; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; svayam--Himself; indra-ari--the enemies of Lord Indra; vyakulam--full of; lokam--the world; mrdayanti--make happy; yuge yuge--at the right time in each age.TRANSLATION"All these incarnations of Godhead are either plenary portions or parts of the plenary portions of the purusa-avataras. But Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. In every age He protects the world through His different features when the world is disturbed by the enemies of Indra."PURPORTThis statement of Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.3.28) definitely negates the concept that Sri Krsna is an avatara of Visnu or Narayana. Lord Sri Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead, the supreme cause of all causes. This verse clearly indicates that incarnations of the Personality of Godhead such as Sri Rama, Nrsimha and Varaha all undoubtedly belong to the Visnu group, but all of Them are either plenary portions or portions of plenary portions of the original Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krsna.--TEXT 68saba avatarera kari samanya-laksanatara madhye krsna-candrera karila gananaSYNONYMSsaba--all; avatarera--of the incarnations; kari--making; samanya--general; laksana--symptoms; tara--of them; madhye--in the middle; krsna-candrera--of Lord Sri Krsna; karila--did; ganana--counting.TRANSLATIONThe Bhagavatam describes the symptoms and deeds of the incarnations in general and counts Sri Krsna among them.--TEXT 69tabe suta gosani mane pana bada bhayayara ye laksana taha karila niscayaSYNONYMStabe--then; suta gosani--Suta Gosvami; mane--in the mind; pana--obtaining; bada--great; bhaya--fear; yara--of whom; ye--which; laksana--symptoms; taha--that; karila--he made; niscaya--certainly.TRANSLATIONThis made Suta Gosvami greatly apprehensive. Therefore he distinguished each incarnation by its specific symptoms.--TEXT 70avatara saba----purusera kala, amsasvayam-bhagavan krsna sarva-avatamsaSYNONYMSavatara--the incarnations; saba--all; purusera--of the purusa-avataras; kala--parts of plenary portions; amsa--plenary portions; svayam--Himself; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; krsna--Lord Krsna; sarva--of all; avatamsa--crest.TRANSLATIONAll the incarnations of Godhead are plenary portions or parts of the plenary portions of the purusa-avataras, but the primeval Lord is Sri Krsna. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the fountainhead of all incarnations.--TEXT 71purva-paksa kahe----tomara bhala ta' vyakhyanaparavyoma-narayana svayam-bhagavanSYNONYMSpurva-paksa--opposing side; kahe--says; tomara--your; bhala--nice; ta'--certainly; vyakhyana--exposition; para-vyoma--situated in the spiritual sky; narayana--Lord Narayana; svayam--Himself; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead.TRANSLATIONAn opponent may say, "This is your interpretation, but actually the Supreme Lord is Narayana, who is in the transcendental realm.TEXT 72tenha asi' krsna-rupe karena avataraei artha sloke dekhi ki ara vicaraSYNONYMStenha--He (Narayana); asi'--coming; krsna-rupe--in the form of Lord Krsna; karena--makes; avatara--incarnation; ei--this; artha--meaning; sloke--in the verse; dekhi--I see; ki--what; ara--other; vicara--consideration.TRANSLATION"He [Narayana] incarnates as Lord Krsna. This is the meaning of the verse as I see it. There is no need for further consideration."--TEXT 73tare kahe----kene kara kutarkanumanasastra-viruddhartha kabhu na haya pramanaSYNONYMStare--to him; kahe--one says; kene--why; kara--you make; ku-tarka--of a fallacious argument; anumana--conjecture; sastra-viruddha--contrary to scripture; artha--a meaning; kabhu--at any time; na--not; haya--is; pramana--evidence.TRANSLATIONTo such a misguided interpreter we may reply, "Why should you suggest such fallacious logic? An interpretation is never accepted as evidence if it opposes the principles of scripture."--TEXT 74anuvadam anuktva tuna vidheyam udirayetna hy alabdhaspadam kincitkutracit pratitisthatiSYNONYMSanuvadam--the subject; anuktva--not stating; tu--but; na--not; vidheyam--the predicate; udirayet--one should speak; na--not; hi--certainly; alabdha-aspadam--without a secure position; kincit--something; kutracit--anywhere; pratitisthati--stands.TRANSLATION" 'One should not state a predicate before its subject, for it cannot thus stand without proper support.' "PURPORTThis rhetorical rule appears in the Ekadasi-tattva, Thirteenth Canto, in connection with the metaphorical use of words. An unknown object should not be put before the known subject because the object has no meaning if the subject is not first given.--TEXT 75anuvada na kahiya na kahi vidheyaage anuvada kahi, pascad vidheyaSYNONYMSanuvada--the subject; na kahiya--not saying; na--not; kahi--I say; vidheya--the predicate; age--first; anuvada--the subject; kahi--I say; pascat--afterwards; vidheya--the predicate.TRANSLATION"If I do not state a subject, I do not state a predicate. First I speak the former and then I speak the latter."--TEXT 76'vidheya' kahiye tare, ye vastu ajnata'anuvada' kahi tare, yei haya jnataSYNONYMSvidheya--the predicate; kahiye--I say; tare--to him; ye--that; vastu--thing; ajnata--unknown; anuvada--the subject; kahi--I say; tare--to him; yei--that which; haya--is; jnata--known.TRANSLATION"The predicate of a sentence is what is unknown to the reader, whereas the subject is what is known to him."--TEXT 77yaiche kahi,----ei vipra parama panditavipra----anuvada, ihara vidheya----pandityaSYNONYMSyaiche--just as; kahi--I say; ei--this; vipra--brahmana; parama--great; pandita--learned man; vipra--the brahmana; anuvada--subject; ihara--of this; vidheya--predicate; panditya--erudition.TRANSLATION"For example, we may say: 'This vipra is a greatly learned man.' In this sentence, the vipra is the subject, and the predicate is his erudition."--TEXT 78vipratva vikhyata tara panditya ajnataataeva vipra age, panditya pascataSYNONYMSvipratva--the quality of being a vipra; vikhyata--well known; tara--his; panditya--erudition; ajnata--unknown; ataeva--therefore; vipra--the word vipra; age--first; panditya--erudition; pascata--afterwards.TRANSLATION"The man's being a vipra is known, but his erudition is unknown. Therefore the person is identified first and his erudition later."--TEXT 79taiche inha avatara saba haila jnatakara avatara?----ei vastu avijnataSYNONYMStaiche--in the same way; inha--these; avatara--incarnations; saba--all; haila--were; jnata--known; kara--whose; avatara--incarnations; ei--this; vastu--thing; avijnata--unknown.TRANSLATION"In the same way, all these incarnations were known, but whose incarnations they are was unknown."--TEXT 80'ete'-sabde avatarera age anuvada'purusera amsa' pache vidheya-samvadaSYNONYMSete-sabde--in the word ete (these); avatarera--of the incarnations; age--first; anuvada--the subject; purusera--of the purusa-avataras; amsa--plenary portions; pache--afterwards; vidheya--of the predicate; samvada--message.TRANSLATION"First the word, 'ete' ['these'], establishes the subject [the incarnations]. Then 'plenary portions of the purusa-avataras' follows as the predicate."--TEXT 81taiche krsna avatara-bhitare haila jnatatanhara visesa-jnana sei avijnataSYNONYMStaiche--in the same way; krsna--Lord Krsna; avatara-bhitare--among the incarnations; haila--was; jnata--known; tanhara--of Him; visesa-jnana--specific knowledge; sei--that; avijnata--unknown.TRANSLATION"In the same way, when Krsna was first counted among the incarnations, specific knowledge about Him was still unknown."--TEXT 82ataeva 'krsna'-sabda age anuvada'svayam-bhagavatta' piche vidheya-samvadaSYNONYMSataeva--therefore; krsna-sabda--the word krsna; age--first; anuvada--the subject; svayam-bhagavatta--being Himself the Supreme Personality of Godhead; piche--afterwards; vidheya--of the predicate; samvada--the messageTRANSLATION"Therefore first the word 'krsna' appears as the subject, followed by the predicate, describing Him as the original Personality of Godhead."--TEXT 83krsnera svayam-bhagavatta----iha haila sadhyasvayam-bhagavanera krsnatva haila badhyaSYNONYMSkrsnera--of Lord Krsna; svayam-bhagavatta--the quality of being Himself the Supreme Personality of Godhead; iha--this; haila--was; sadhya--to be established; svayam-bhagavanera--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; krsnatva--the quality of being Lord Krsna; haila--was; badhya--obligatoryTRANSLATION"This establishes that Sri Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead. The original Personality of Godhead is therefore necessarily Krsna."--TEXT 84krsna yadi amsa haita, amsi narayanatabe viparita haita sutera vacanaSYNONYMSkrsna--Lord Krsna; yadi--if; amsa--plenary portion; haita--were; amsi--the source of all expansions; narayana--Lord Narayana; tabe--then; viparita--the reverse; haita--would have been; sutera--of Suta Gosvami; vacana--the statement.TRANSLATION"Had Krsna been the plenary portion and Narayana the primeval Lord, the statement of Suta Gosvami would have been reversed."--TEXT 85narayana amsi yei svayam-bhagavantenha sri-krsna----aiche karita vyakhyanaSYNONYMSnarayana--Lord Narayana; amsi--the source of all incarnations; yei--who; svayam-bhagavan--Himself the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tenha--He; sri-krsna--Lord Krsna; aiche--in such away; karita--would have made; vyakhyana--explanation.TRANSLATION"Thus he would have said: 'Narayana, the source of all incarnations, is the original Personality of Godhead. He has appeared as Sri Krsna.' "--TEXT 86bhrama, pramada, vipralipsa, karanapatavaarsa-vijna-vakye nahi dosa ei sabaSYNONYMSbhrama--mistakes; pramada--illusion; vipralipsa--cheating; karana-apatava--imperfectness of the senses; arsa--of the authoritative sages; vijna-vakye--in the wise speech; nahi--not; dosa--faults; ei--these; saba--all.TRANSLATION"Mistakes, illusions, cheating and defective perception do not occur in the sayings of the authoritative sages."PURPORTSrimad-Bhagavatam has listed the avataras, the plenary expansions of the purusa, and Lord Krsna appears among them. But the Bhagavatam further explains Lord Krsna's specific position as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Since Lord Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead, reason and argument establish that His position is always supreme.Had Krsna been a plenary expansion of Narayana, the original verse would have been differently composed; indeed, its order would have been reversed. But there cannot be mistakes, illusion, cheating or imperfect perception in the words of liberated sages. Therefore there is no mistake in this statement that Lord Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Sanskrit statements of Srimad-Bhagavatam are all transcendental sounds. Srila Vyasadeva revealed these statements after perfect realization, and therefore they are perfect, for liberated sages like Vyasadeva never commit errors in their rhetorical arrangements. Unless one accepts this fact, there is no use in trying to obtain help from the revealed scriptures.Bhrama refers to false knowledge or mistakes, such as accepting a rope as a snake or an oyster shell as gold. Pramada refers to inattention or misunderstanding of reality, and vipralipsa is the cheating propensity. Karanapatava refers to imperfectness of the material senses. There are many examples of such imperfection. The eyes cannot see that which is very distant or very small. One cannot even see his own eyelid, which is the closest thing to his eye, and if one is disturbed by a disease like jaundice, he sees everything to be yellow. Similarly, the ears cannot hear distant sounds. Since the Personality of Godhead and His plenary portions and self-realized devotees are all transcendentally situated, they cannot be misled by such deficiencies.--TEXT 87viruddhartha kaha tumi, kahite kara rosatomara arthe avimrsta-vidheyamsa-dosaSYNONYMSviruddha-artha--contrary meaning; kaha--say; tumi--you; kahite--pointing out; kara--you do; rosa--anger; tomara--your; arthe--in the meaning; avimrsta-vidheya-amsa--of the unconsidered predicate portion; dosa--the fault.TRANSLATION"You say something contradictory and become angry when this is pointed out. Your explanation has the defect of a misplaced object. This is an unconsidered adjustment."--TEXT 88yanra bhagavatta haite anyera bhagavatta'svayam-bhagavan'-sabdera tahatei sattaSYNONYMSyanra--of whom; bhagavatta--the quality of being the Supreme Personality of Godhead; haite--from; anyera--of others; bhagavatta--the quality of being the Supreme Personality of Godhead; svayam-bhagavan-sabdera--of the word svayam-bhagavan; tahatei--in that; satta--the presence.TRANSLATION"Only the Personality of Godhead, the source of all other Divinities, is eligible to be designated svayam bhagavan, or the primeval Lord."--TEXT 89dipa haite yaiche bahu dipera jvalanamula eka dipa taha kariye gananaSYNONYMSdipa--a lamp; haite--from; yaiche--just as; bahu--many; dipera--of lamps; jvalana--lighting; mula--the original; eka--one; dipa--lamp; taha--that; kariye--I make; ganana--considerationTRANSLATION"When from one candle many others are lit, I consider that one the original."PURPORTThe Brahma-samhita, Chapter Five, verse 46, states that the visnu-tattva, or the principle of the Absolute Personality of Godhead, is like a lamp because the expansions equal their origin in all respects. A burning lamp can light innumerable other lamps that are not inferior, but still one lamp must be considered the original. Similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead expands Himself in the plenary forms of the visnu-tattva, but although they are equally powerful, the original powerful Personality of Godhead is considered the source. This example also explains the appearance of qualitative incarnations like Lord Siva and Lord Brahma--According to Srila Jiva Gosvami, sambhos tu tamo-'dhisthanatvat kajjalamaya-suksma-dipa-sikha-sthaniyasya na tatha samyam: "The sambhu-tattva, or the principle of Lord Siva, is like a lamp covered with carbon because of his being in charge of the mode of ignorance. The illumination from such a lamp is very minute. Therefore the power of Lord Siva cannot compare to that of the Visnu principle."--TEXT 90taiche saba avatarera krsna se karanaara eka sloka suna, kuvyakhya-khandanaSYNONYMStaiche--in a similar way; saba--all; avatarera--of the incarnations; krsna--Lord Krsna; se--He; karana--the cause; ara--another; eka--one; sloka--verse; suna--please hear; ku-vyakhya--fallacious explanations; khandana--refuting.TRANSLATION"Krsna, in the same way, is the cause of all causes and all incarnations. Please hear another verse to defeat all misinterpretations."--TEXTS 91-92atra sargo visargas casthanam posanam utayahmanvantaresanukathanirodho muktir asrayahdasamasya visuddhy-arthamnavanam iha laksanamvarnayanti mahatmanahsrutenarthena canjasaSYNONYMSatra--in Srimad-Bhagavatam; sargah--the creation of the ingredients of the universe; visargah--the creations of Brahma; ca--and; sthanam--the maintenance of the creation; posanam--the favoring of the Lord's devotees; utayah--impetuses for activity; manu-antara--prescribed duties given by the Manus; isa-anukathah--a description of the incarnations of the Lord; nirodhah--the winding up of creation; muktih--liberation; asrayah--the ultimate shelter, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; dasamasya--of the tenth (the asraya); visuddhi-artham--for the purpose of perfect knowledge; navanam--of the nine; iha--here; laksanam--the nature; varnayanti--describe; maha-atmanah--the great souls; srutena--by prayer; arthena--by explanation; ca--and; anjasa--direct.TRANSLATION" 'Here [in Srimad-Bhagavatam] ten subjects are described: (1) the creation of the ingredients of the cosmos, (2) the creations of Brahma, (3) the maintenance of the creation, (4) special favor given to the faithful, (5) impetuses for activity, (6) prescribed duties for law-abiding men, (7) a description of the incarnations of the Lord, (8) the winding up of the creation, (9) liberation from gross and subtle material existence, and (10) the ultimate shelter, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The tenth item is the shelter of all the others. To distinguish this ultimate shelter from the other nine subjects, the mahajanas have described these nine, directly or indirectly, through prayers or direct explanations.' "PURPORTThese verses from Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.10.1-2) list the ten subject matters dealt with in the text of the Bhagavatam. Of these, the tenth is the substance, and the other nine are categories derived from the substance. These ten subjects are listed as follows:(1) Sarga--the first creation by Visnu, the bringing forth of the five gross material elements, the five objects of sense perception, the ten senses, the mind, the intelligence, the false ego and the total material energy, or universal form.(2) Visarga--the secondary creation, or the work of Brahma in producing the moving and unmoving bodies in the universe (brahmanda).(3) Sthana--the maintenance of the universe by the Personality of Godhead, Visnu. Visnu's function is more important and His glory greater than Brahma's and Lord Siva's, for although Brahma is the creator and Lord Siva the destroyer, Visnu is the maintainer.(4) Posana--special care and protection for devotees by the Lord. As a king maintains his kingdom and subjects but nevertheless gives special attention to the members of his family, so the Personality of Godhead gives special care to His devotees who are souls completely surrendered to Him.(5) Uti--the urge for creation, or initiative power, that is the cause of all inventions, according to the necessities of time, space and objects.(6) Manvantara--the regulative principles for living beings who desire to achieve perfection in human life. The rules of Manu, as described in the Manu-samhita, guide the way to such perfection.(7) Isanukatha: scriptural information regarding the Personality of Godhead, His incarnations on earth and the activities of His devotees. Scriptures dealing with these subjects are essential for progressive human life.(8) Nirodha: the winding up of all energies employed in creation. Such potencies are emanations from the Personality of Godhead who eternally lies in the Karana Ocean. The cosmic creations, manifested with His breath, are again dissolved in due course.(9) Mukti: liberation of the conditioned souls encaged by the gross and subtle coverings of body and mind. When freed from all material affection, the soul, giving up the gross and subtle material bodies, can attain the spiritual sky in his original spiritual body and engage in transcendental loving service to the Lord in Vaikunthaloka or Krsnaloka. When the soul is situated in his original constitutional position of existence, he is said to be liberated. It is possible to engage in transcendental loving service to the Lord and become jivan-mukta, a liberated soul, even while in the material body.(10) Asraya: the Transcendence, the summum bonum, from whom everything emanates, upon whom everything rests and in whom everything merges after annihilation. He is the source and support of all. The asraya is also called the Supreme Brahman, as in the Vedanta-sutra (athato brahma-jijnasa, janmady asya yatah). Srimad-Bhagavatam especially describes this Supreme Brahman as the asraya. Sri Krsna is this asraya, and therefore the greatest necessity of life is to study the science of Krsna.Srimad-Bhagavatam accepts Sri Krsna as the shelter of all manifestations because Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the ultimate source of everything, the supreme goal of all.Two different principles are to be considered herein--namely asraya, the object providing shelter, and asrita, the dependents requiring shelter. The asrita exist under the original principle, the asraya. The first nine categories, described in the first nine cantos of Srimad-Bhagavatam, from creation to liberation--including the purusa-avataras; the incarnations; the marginal energy, or living entities; and the external energy, or material world--are all asrita. The prayers of Srimad-Bhagavatam, however, aim for the asraya-tattva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna. The great souls expert in describing Srimad-Bhagavatam have very diligently delineated the other nine categories, sometimes by direct narrations and sometimes by indirect narrations such as stories. The real purpose of doing this is to know perfectly the Absolute Transcendence, Sri Krsna, for the entire creation, both material and spiritual, rests on the body of Sri Krsna.