Eternal hell / brahmajyoti?

[Guest guest]

Gouranga!

Can someone give evidences for eternal hell or brahmajyoti=being like molecul of sun eternaly?

So far i understood S.prabhupada that Impersonalists are faling down(From where?=)again & again.:

 

SB 10.2.33

TEXT

ye ’nye ’ravindäkña vimukta-mäninas

tvayy asta-bhäväd aviçuddha-buddhayaù

äruhya kåcchreëa paraà padaà tataù

patanty adho ’nädåta-yuñmad-aìghrayaù

SYNONYMS

ye anye—anyone, or all others; aravinda-akña—O lotus-eyed one; vimukta-mäninaù—falsely considering themselves free from the bondage of material contamination; tvayi—unto You; asta-bhävät—speculating in various ways but not knowing or desiring more information of Your lotus feet; aviçuddha-buddhayaù—whose intelligence is still not purified and who do not know the goal of life; äruhya—even though achieving; kåcchreëa—by undergoing severe austerities, penances and hard labor; param padam—the highest position (according to their imagination and speculation); tataù—from that position; patanti—they fall; adhaù—down into material existence again; anädåta—neglecting devotion to; yuñmat—Your; aìghrayaù—lotus feet.

TRANSLATION

[someone may say that aside from devotees, who always seek shelter at the Lord’s lotus feet, there are those who are not devotees but who have accepted different processes for attaining salvation. What happens to them? In answer to this question, Lord Brahmä and the other demigods said:] O lotus-eyed Lord, although nondevotees who accept severe austerities and penances to achieve the highest position may think themselves liberated, their intelligence is impure. They fall down from their position of imagined superiority because they have no regard for Your lotus feet.

PURPORT

Aside from devotees, there are many others, nondevotees, known as karmés, jïänés or yogés, philanthropists, altruists, politicians, impersonalists and voidists. There are many varieties of nondevotees who have their respective ways of liberation, but simply because they do not know the shelter of the Lord’s lotus feet, although they falsely think that they have been liberated and elevated to the highest position, they fall down. As clearly stated by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gétä (9.3):

açraddadhänäù puruñä

dharmasyäsya parantapa

apräpya mäà nivartante

måtyu-saàsära-vartmani

“Those who are not faithful on the path of devotional service cannot attain Me, O conqueror of foes, but return to birth and death in this material world.” It doesn’t matter whether one is a karmé, jïäné, yogé, philanthropist, politician or whatever; if one has no love for the lotus feet of the Lord, one falls down. That is the verdict given by Lord brahma in this verse.

There are persons who advocate accepting any process and who say that whatever process one accepts will lead to the same goal, but that is refuted in this verse, where such persons are referred to as vimukta-mäninaù, signifying that although they think they have attained the highest perfection, in fact they have not. In the present day, big, big politicians all over the world think that by scheming they can occupy the highest political post, that of president or prime minister, but we actually see that even in this life such big prime ministers, presidents and other politicians, because of being nondevotees, fall down (patanty adhaù). To become president or prime minister is not easy; one must work very hard (äruhya kåcchreëa) to achieve the post. And even though one may reach his goal, at any moment one may be kicked down by material nature. In human society there have been many instances in which great, exalted politicians have fallen from government and become lost in historical oblivion. The cause of this is aviçuddha-buddhayaù: [sB 10.2.32] their intelligence is impure. The çästra says, na te viduù svärtha-gatià hi viñëum (SB 7.5.31). One achieves the perfection of life by becoming a devotee of Viñëu, but people do not know this. Therefore, as stated in Bhagavad-gétä (12.5), kleço ’dhikataras teñäm avyaktäsakta-cetasäm. Persons who do not ultimately accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead and take to devotional service, but who instead are attached to impersonalism and voidism, must undergo great labor to achieve their goals.

çreyaù-såtià bhaktim udasya te vibho

kliçyanti ye kevala-bodha-labdhaye

(SB 10.14.4)

To achieve understanding, such persons work very hard and undergo severe austerities, but their hard labor and austerities themselves are their only achievement, for they do not actually achieve the real goal of life.

Dhruva Mahäräja at first wanted to achieve the greatest material kingdom and greater material possessions than his father, but when he was actually favored by the Lord, who appeared before him to give him the benediction he desired, Dhruva Mahäräja refused it, saying, svämin kåtärtho’smi varaà na yäce: [Cc. Madhya 22.42] “Now I am fully satisfied. I do not want any material benediction.” (Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya 7.28) This is the perfection of life. Yaà labdhvä cäparaà läbhaà manyate nädhikaà tataù (Bg. 6.22). If one achieves the shelter of the Lord’s lotus feet, one is fully satisfied and does not need to ask for any material benediction.

At night, no one can see a lotus, for lotuses blossom only during the daytime. Therefore the word aravindäkña is significant. One who is not captivated by the lotus eyes or transcendental form of the Supreme Lord is in darkness, exactly like one who cannot see a lotus. One who has not come to the point of seeing the lotus eyes and transcendental form of Çyämasundara is a failure. premäïjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaù sadaiva hådayeñu vilokayanti [bs. 5.38]. Those who are attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead in love always see the Lord’s lotus eyes and lotus feet, whereas others cannot see the Lord’s beauty and are therefore classified as anädåta-yuñmad-aìghrayaù, or neglectful of the Lord’s personal form. Those who neglect the Lord’s form are surely failures on every path in life, but if one develops even a little love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one is liberated without difficulty (svalpam apy asya dharmasya träyate mahato bhayät). Therefore the Supreme Personality of Godhead recommends in Bhagavad-gétä (9.34), man-manä bhava mad-bhakto mad-yäjé mäà namaskuru: [bg. 18.65] “Simply think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer some slight homage to Me.” Simply by this process, one is guaranteed to return home, back to Godhead, and thus attain the highest perfection. The Lord further affirms in Bhagavad-gétä (18.54–55):

brahma-bhütaù prasannätmä

na çocati na käìkñati

samaù sarveñu bhüteñu

mad-bhaktià labhate paräm

bhaktyä mäm abhijänäti

yävän yaç cäsmi tattvataù

tato mäà tattvato jïätvä

viçate tad-anantaram

“One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments nor desires to have anything; he is equally disposed to every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me. One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God.”

SB 10.2.33,Gouranga!

[Guest guest]

SB 10.2 33

TEXT

tathä na te mädhava tävakäù kvacid

bhraçyanti märgät tvayi baddha-sauhådäù

tvayäbhiguptä vicaranti nirbhayä

vinäyakänékapa-mürdhasu prabho

SYNONYMS

tathä—like them (the nondevotees); na—not; te—they (the devotees); mädhava—O Lord, husband of the goddess of fortune; tävakäù—the followers of the devotional path, the devotees; kvacit—in any circumstances; bhraçyanti—fall down; märgät—from the path of devotional service; tvayi—unto You; baddha-sauhådäù—because of being fully attached to Your lotus feet; tvayä—by You; abhiguptäù—always protected from all dangers; vicaranti—they move; nirbhayäù—without fear; vinäyaka-anékapa—the enemies who maintain paraphernalia to oppose the bhakti cult; mürdhasu—on their heads; prabho—O Lord.

TRANSLATION

O Mädhava, Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord of the goddess of fortune, if devotees completely in love with You sometimes fall from the path of devotion, they do not fall like nondevotees, for You still protect them. Thus they fearlessly traverse the heads of their opponents and continue to progress in devotional service.

PURPORT

Devotees generally do not fall down, but if circumstantially they do, the Lord, because of their strong attachment to Him, gives them protection in all circumstances. Thus even if devotees fall down, they are still strong enough to traverse the heads of their enemies. We have actually seen that our Kåñëa consciousness movement has many opponents, such as the “deprogrammers,” who instituted a strong legal case against the devotees. We thought that this case would take a long time to settle, but because the devotees were protected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we unexpectedly won the case in one day. Thus a case that was expected to continue for years was settled in a day because of the protection of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has promised in Bhagavad-gétä (9.31), kaunteya pratijänéhi na me bhaktaù praëaçyati: “O son of Kunté, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.” In history there are many instances of devotees like Citraketu, Indradyumna and Mahäräja Bharata who circumstantially fell down but were still protected. Mahäräja Bharata, for example, because of his attachment to a deer, thought of the deer at the time of death, and therefore in his next life he became a deer (yaà yaà väpi smaran bhävaà tyajaty ante kalevaram [bg. 8.6]). Because of protection by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, however, the deer remembered his relationship with the Lord and next took birth in a good brahminical family and performed devotional service (çucénäà çrématäà gehe yoga-bhrañöo ’bhijäyate [bg. 6.41]). Similarly, Citraketu fell down and became a demon, Våträsura, but he too was protected. Thus even if one falls down from the path of bhakti-yoga, one is ultimately saved. If a devotee is strongly situated in devotional service, the Supreme Personality of Godhead has promised to protect him (kaunteya pratijänéhi na me bhaktaù praëaçyati [bg. 9.31]). But even if a devotee circumstantially falls down, he is protected by Mädhava.

The word Mädhava is significant. Mä, mother Lakñmé, the mother of all opulences, is always with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and if a devotee is in touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all the opulences of the Lord are ready to help him.

yatra yogeçvaraù kåñëo

yatra pärtho dhanur-dharaù

tatra çrér vijayo bhütir

dhruvä nétir matir mama

(Bg. 18.78)

Wherever there is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kåñëa, and His devotee Arjuna, Pärtha, there is victory, opulence, extraordinary power and morality. The opulences of a devotee are not a result of karma-käëòa-vicära. A devotee is always protected by all of the Supreme Lord’s opulences, of which no one can deprive him (teñäà nityäbhiyuktänäà yoga-kñemaà vahämy aham [bg. 9.22]). Thus a devotee cannot be defeated by any opponents. A devotee, therefore, should not deviate knowingly from the path of devotion. The adherent devotee is assured all protection from the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SB 10.2.34

TEXT 34

TEXT

sattvaà viçuddhaà çrayate bhavän sthitau

çarériëäà çreya-upäyanaà vapuù

veda-kriyä-yoga-tapaù-samädhibhis

tavärhaëaà yena janaù saméhate

SYNONYMS

sattvam—existence; viçuddham—transcendental, beyond the three modes of material nature; çrayate—accepts; bhavän—Your Lordship; sthitau—during the maintenance of this material world; çarériëäm—of all living entities; çreyaù—of supreme auspiciousness; upäyanam—for the benefit; vapuù—a transcendental form or body; veda-kriyä—by ritualistic ceremonies according to the directions of the Vedas; yoga—by practice of devotion; tapaù—by austerities; samädhibhiù—by becoming absorbed in transcendental existence; tava—Your; arhaëam—worship; yena—by such activities; janaù—human society; saméhate—offers (its obligation unto You).

TRANSLATION

O Lord, during the time of maintenance You manifest several incarnations, all with transcendental bodies, beyond the material modes of nature. When You appear in this way, You bestow all good fortune upon the living entities by teaching them to perform Vedic activities such as ritualistic ceremonies, mystic yoga, austerities, penances, and ultimately samädhi, ecstatic absorption in thoughts of You. Thus You are worshiped by the Vedic principles.

PURPORT

As stated in Bhagavad-gétä (18.3), yajïa-däna-tapaù-karma na tyäjyam: the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies, charity, austerity and all such prescribed duties are never to be given up. Yajïo dänaà tapaç caiva pävanäni manéñiëäm (18.5): even one who is very much advanced in spiritual realization must still execute the Vedic principles. Even in the lowest stage, the karmés are advised to work for the sake of the Lord.

yajïärthät karmaëo ’nyatra

loko ’yaà karma-bandhanaù

“Work done as a sacrifice for Viñëu has to be performed, otherwise work binds one to this material world.” (Bg. 3.9) The words yajïärthät karmaëaù indicate that while performing all kinds of duties, one should remember that these duties should be performed to satisfy the Supreme Lord (sva-karmaëä tam abhyarcya). According to Vedic principles, there must be divisions of human society (cätur-varëyaà mayä såñöam [bg. 4.13]). There should be brähmaëas, kñatriyas, vaiçyas and çüdras, and everyone should learn to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead (tam abhyarcya). This is real human society, and without this system we are left with animal society.

The modern activities of human society are described in Çrémad-Bhägavatam as the activities of go-khara, cows and asses (sa eva go-kharaù [sB 10.84.13]). Everyone is acting in a bodily concept of life involving society, friendship and love for the improvement of economic and political conditions, and thus all activities are enacted in ignorance. The Supreme Personality therefore comes to teach us how to act according to the Vedic principles. In this age of Kali, the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared as Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu and preached that in this age the Vedic activities cannot be systematically performed because people are so fallen. He gave this recommendation from the çästras:

harer näma harer näma

harer nämaiva kevalam

kalau nästy eva nästy eva

nästy eva gatir anyathä

[Cc. Ädi 17.21]

“In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way.” The Kåñëa consciousness movement is therefore teaching people all over the world how to chant the Hare Kåñëa mantra, and this has proved very much effective in all places at all times. The Supreme Personality of Godhead appears in order to teach us Vedic principles intended for understanding Him (vedaiç ca sarvair aham eva vedyaù [bg. 15.15]). We should always know that when Kåñëa and Lord Caitanya appeared, They appeared in çuddha-sattva bodies. One should not mistake the body of Kåñëa or Caitanya Mahäprabhu to be a material body like ours, for Kåñëa and Caitanya Mahäprabhu appeared as needed for the benefit of the entire human society. Out of causeless mercy, the Lord appears in different ages in His original çuddha-sattva transcendental body to elevate human society to the spiritual platform upon which they can truly benefit. Unfortunately, modern politicians and other leaders stress the bodily comforts of life (yasyätma-buddhiù kuëape tri-dhätuke [sB 10.84.13]) and concentrate on the activities of this ism and that ism, which they describe in different kinds of flowery language. Essentially such activities are the activities of animals (sa eva go-kharaù [sB 10.84.13]). We should learn how to act from Bhagavad-gétä, which explains everything for human understanding. Thus we can become happy even in this age of Kali.

SB 10.2.35

TEXT 35

TEXT

sattvaà na ced dhätar idaà nijaà bhaved

vijïänam ajïäna-bhidäpamärjanam

guëa-prakäçair anuméyate bhavän

prakäçate yasya ca yena vä guëaù

SYNONYMS

sattvam—çuddha-sattva, transcendental; na—not; cet—if; dhätaù—O reservoir of all energies, cause of all causes; idam—this; nijam—personal, spiritual; bhavet—could have been; vijïänam—transcendental knowledge; ajïäna-bhidä—which drives away the ignorance of the material modes; apamärjanam—completely vanquished; guëa-prakäçaiù—by the awakening of such transcendental knowledge; anuméyate—becomes manifested; bhavän—Your Lordship; prakäçate—exhibit; yasya—whose; ca—and; yena—by which; vä—either; guëaù—quality or intelligence.

TRANSLATION

O Lord, cause of all causes, if Your transcendental body were not beyond the modes of material nature, one could not understand the difference between matter and transcendence. Only by Your presence can one understand the transcendental nature of Your Lordship, who are the controller of material nature. Your transcendental nature is very difficult to understand unless one is influenced by the presence of Your transcendental form.

PURPORT

It is said, traiguëya-viñayä vedä nistraiguëyo bhavärjuna. Unless one is situated in transcendence, one cannot understand the transcendental nature of the Lord. As stated in Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.14.29):

athäpi te deva padämbuja-dvaya-

prasäda-leçänugåhéta eva hi

jänäti tattvaà bhagavan-mahimno

na cänya eko ’pi ciraà vicinvan

Only by the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead can one understand Him. Those who are in the modes of material nature, although speculating for thousands of years, cannot understand Him. The Lord has innumerable forms (rämädi-mürtiñu kalä-niyamena tiñöhan [bs. 5.39]), and unless these forms, such as Lord Rämacandra, Nåsiàhadeva, Kåñëa and Balaräma, were transcendental, how could they be worshiped by devotees since time immemorial? Bhaktyä mäm abhijänäti yävän yaç cäsmi tattvataù (Bg. 18.55). Devotees who awaken their transcendental nature in the presence of the Lord and who follow the rules and regulations of devotional service can understand Lord Kåñëa, Lord Rämacandra and other incarnations, who are not of this material world but who come from the spiritual world for the benefit of people in general. If one does not take to this process, one imagines or manufactures some form of God according to material qualities and can never awaken a real understanding of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The words bhaktyä mäm abhijänäti yävän yaç cäsmi tattvataù signify that unless one worships the Lord according to the regulative devotional principles, one cannot awaken the transcendental nature. Deity worship, even in the absence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, awakens the transcendental nature of the devotee, who thus becomes increasingly attached to the Lord’s lotus feet.

The appearance of Kåñëa is the answer to all imaginative iconography of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Everyone imagines the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead according to his mode of material nature. In the Brahma-saàhitä it is said that the Lord is the oldest person. Therefore a section of religionists imagine that God must be very old, and therefore they depict a form of the Lord like a very old man. But in the same Brahma-saàhitä, that is contradicted; although He is the oldest of all living entities, He has His eternal form as a fresh youth. The exact words used in this connection in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam are vijïänam ajïäna-bhidäpamärjanam. Vijïäna means transcendental knowledge of the Supreme Personality; vijïäna is also experienced knowledge. Transcendental knowledge has to be accepted by the descending process of disciplic succession as Brahmä presents the knowledge of Kåñëa in the Brahma-saàhitä. Brahma-saàhitä is vijïäna as realized by Brahmä’s transcendental experience, and in that way he presented the form and the pastimes of Kåñëa in the transcendental abode. Ajïäna-bhidä means “that which can match all kinds of speculation.” In ignorance, people are imagining the form of the Lord; sometimes He has no form and sometimes He has form, according to their different imaginations. But the presentation of Kåñëa in the Brahma-saàhitä is vijïäna—scientific, experienced knowledge given by Lord Brahmä and accepted by Lord Caitanya. There is no doubt about it. Çré Kåñëa’s form, Çré Kåñëa’s flute, Kåñëa’s color—everything is reality. Here it is said that this vijïänam is always defeating all kinds of speculative knowledge. “Therefore,” the demigods prayed, “without Your appearing as Kåñëa, as You are, neither ajïäna-bhidä (the nescience of speculative knowledge) nor vijïänam would be realized. Ajïäna-bhidäpamärjanam—by Your appearance the speculative knowledge of ignorance will be vanquished, and the real, experienced knowledge of authorities like Lord Brahmä will be established. Men influenced by the three modes of material nature imagine their own God according to the modes of material nature. In this way God is presented in various ways, but Your appearance will establish what the real form of God is.”

The highest blunder committed by the impersonalist is to think that when the incarnation of God comes, He accepts a form of matter in the mode of goodness. Actually the form of Kåñëa or Näräyaëa is transcendental to any material idea. Even the greatest impersonalist, Çaìkaräcärya, has admitted, näräyaëaù paro ’vyaktät: the material creation is caused by the avyakta, the impersonal manifestation of matter or the nonphenomenal total reservoir of matter, and Kåñëa is transcendental to that material conception. This is expressed in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam as çuddha-sattva, or transcendental. The Lord does not belong to the material mode of goodness, for He is above the position of material goodness. He belongs to the transcendental, eternal status of bliss and knowledge.

“Dear Lord,” the demigods prayed, “when You appear in Your different incarnations, You take different names and forms according to different situations. Lord Kåñëa is Your name because You are all-attractive; You are called Çyämasundara because of Your transcendental beauty. Çyäma means blackish, yet they say that You are more beautiful than thousands of cupids. Kandarpa-koöi-kamanéya. Although You appear in a color which is compared to that of a blackish cloud, You are the transcendental Absolute, and therefore Your beauty is many, many times more attractive than the delicate body of Cupid. Sometimes You are called Giridhäré because You lifted the hill known as Govardhana. You are sometimes called Nanda-nandana or Väsudeva or Devaké-nandana because You appear as the son of Mahäräja Nanda or Devaké or Vasudeva. Impersonalists think that Your many names or forms are according to a particular type of work and quality because they accept You from the position of a material observer.

“Our dear Lord, the way of understanding is not to study Your absolute nature, form and activities by mental speculation. One must engage himself in devotional service; then one can understand Your absolute nature and Your transcendental form, name and quality. Actually, only a person who has a little taste for the service of Your lotus feet can understand Your transcendental nature or form and quality. Others may go on speculating for millions of years, but it is not possible for them to understand even a single part of Your actual position.” In other words, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kåñëa, cannot be understood by the nondevotees because there is a curtain of yogamäyä which covers Kåñëa’s actual features. As confirmed in the Bhagavad-gétä (7.25), nähaà prakäçaù sarvasya. The Lord says, “I am not exposed to anyone and everyone.” When Kåñëa came, He was actually present on the battlefield of Kurukñetra, and everyone saw Him. But not everyone could understand that He was the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Still, everyone who died in His presence attained complete liberation from material bondage and was transferred to the spiritual world.

Because foolish müòhas do not awaken their spiritual nature, they do not understand Kåñëa or Räma (avajänanti mäà müòhä mänuñéà tanum äçritam [bg. 9.11]). Even big academic scholars, not considering the endeavors of the äcäryas who have recommended devotional service in many elaborate commentaries and notes, think that Kåñëa is fictitious. This is due to a lack of transcendental knowledge and a failure to awaken Kåñëa consciousness. One should have the common sense to ask why, if Kåñëa or Räma were fictitious, stalwart scholars like Çrédhara Svämé, Rüpa Gosvämé, Sanätana Gosvämé, Véraräghava, Vijayadhvaja, Vallabhäcärya and many other recognized äcäryas would have spent so much time to write about Kåñëa in notes and commentaries on Çrémad-Bhägavatam.

SB 10.2.36

TEXT 36

TEXT

na näma-rüpe guëa-janma-karmabhir

nirüpitavye tava tasya säkñiëaù

mano-vacobhyäm anumeya-vartmano

deva kriyäyäà pratiyanty athäpi hi

SYNONYMS

na—not; näma-rüpe—the name and form; guëa—with attributes; janma—appearance; karmabhiù—activities or pastimes; nirüpitavye—are not able to be ascertained; tava—Your; tasya—of Him; säkñiëaù—who is the direct observer; manaù—of the mind; vacobhyäm—words; anumeya—hypothesis; vartmanaù—the path; deva—O Lord; kriyäyäm—in devotional activities; pratiyanti—they realize; atha api—still; hi—indeed (You can be realized by the devotees).

TRANSLATION

O Lord, Your transcendental name and form are not ascertained by those who merely speculate on the path of imagination. Your name, form and attributes can be ascertained only through devotional service.

PURPORT

As stated in the Padma Puräëa:

ataù çré-kåñëa-nämädi

na bhaved grähyam indriyaiù

sevonmukhe hi jihvädau

svayam eva sphuraty adaù

[brs. 1.2.234]

“One cannot understand the transcendental nature of the name, form, quality and pastimes of Çré Kåñëa through one’s materially contaminated senses. Only when one becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental service to the Lord are the transcendental name, form, quality and pastimes of the Lord revealed to him.” Since Kåñëa and His transcendental name, form and activities are all of a transcendental nature, ordinary persons or those who are only slightly advanced cannot understand them. Even big scholars who are nondevotees think that Kåñëa is fictitious. Yet although so-called scholars and commentators do not believe that Kåñëa was factually a historical person whose presence on the Battlefield of Kurukñetra is recorded in the history of Mahäbhärata, they feel compelled to write commentaries on Bhagavad-gétä and other historical records. Sevonmukhe hi jihvädau svayam eva sphuraty adaù: [brs. 1.2.234] Kåñëa’s transcendental name, form, attributes and activities can be revealed only when one engages in His service in full consciousness. This confirms Kåñëa’s own words in Bhagavad-gétä (18.55):

bhaktyä mäm abhijänäti

yävän yaç cäsmi tattvataù

tato mäà tattvato jïätvä

viçate tad-anantaram

“One can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God.” Only by sevonmukha, by engaging oneself in the Lord’s service, can one realize the name, form and qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

“O Lord,” the demigods say, “the impersonalists, who are nondevotees, cannot understand that Your name is identical with Your form.” Since the Lord is absolute, there is no difference between His name and His actual form. In the material world there is a difference between form and name. The mango fruit is different from the name of the mango. One cannot taste the mango fruit simply by chanting, “Mango, mango, mango.” But the devotee who knows that there is no difference between the name and the form of the Lord chants Hare Kåñëa, Hare Kåñëa, Kåñëa Kåñëa, Hare Hare/ Hare Räma, Hare Räma, Räma Räma, Hare Hare, and realizes that he is always in Kåñëa’s company.

For persons who are not very advanced in absolute knowledge of the Supreme, Lord Kåñëa exhibits His transcendental pastimes. They can simply think of the pastimes of the Lord and get the full benefit. Since there is no difference between the transcendental name and form of the Lord, there is no difference between the transcendental pastimes and the form of the Lord. For those who are less intelligent (like women, laborers or the mercantile class), the great sage Vyäsadeva wrote Mahäbhärata. In the Mahäbhärata, Kåñëa is present in His different activities. Mahäbhärata is history, and simply by studying, hearing, and memorizing the transcendental activities of Kåñëa, the less intelligent can also gradually rise to the standard of pure devotees.

The pure devotees, who are always absorbed in the thought of the transcendental lotus feet of Kåñëa and who are always engaged in devotional service in full Kåñëa consciousness, are never to be considered to be in the material world. Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé has explained that those who are always engaged in Kåñëa consciousness by body, mind and activities are to be considered liberated even within this body. This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gétä: those who are engaged in the devotional service of the Lord have already transcended the material position.

Kåñëa appears in order to give a chance to both the devotees and the nondevotees for realization of the ultimate goal of life. The devotees get the direct chance to see Him and worship Him. Those who are not on that platform get the chance to become acquainted with His activities and thus become elevated to the same position.

The Brahma-saàhitä (5.38) says:

premäïjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena

santaù sadaiva hådayeñu vilokayanti

yaà çyämasundaram acintya-guëa-svarüpaà

govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi

Although Kåñëa’s transcendental form is presented as black, devotees who are in love with the Supreme Personality of Godhead appreciate the Lord as Çyämasundara, having a very beautiful blackish form. The Lord’s form is so beautiful that the Brahma-saàhitä (5.30) also states:

veëuà kvaëantam aravinda-daläyatäkñaà

barhävataàsam asitämbuda-sundaräìgam

kandarpa-koöi-kamanéya-viçeña-çobhaà

govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi

“I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who plays on His transcendental flute. His eyes are like lotus flowers, He is decorated with peacock plumes, and His bodily color resembles the color of a fresh black cloud, although His bodily features are more beautiful than millions of Cupids.” This beauty of the Supreme Lord can be seen by devotees who are in love with Him, devotees whose eyes are anointed with love of Godhead (premäïjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena [bs. 5.38]).

The Lord is also known as Giridhäré or Girivara-dhäré. Because Kåñëa, for the sake of His devotees, lifted Govardhana Hill, the devotees appreciate the Lord’s inconceivable strength; but nondevotees, in spite of directly perceiving the Lord’s inconceivable strength and power, regard the Lord’s activities as fictitious. This is the difference between a devotee and a nondevotee. Nondevotees cannot give any nomenclature for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, yet the Lord is known as Çyämasundara and Giridhäré. Similarly, the Lord is known as Devaké-nandana and Yaçodä-nandana because He accepted the role of son for mother Devaké and mother Yaçodä, and He is known as Gopäla because He enjoyed the sport of maintaining the cows and calves. Therefore, although He has no mundane name, He is addressed by devotees as Devaké-nandana, Yaçodä-nandana, Gopäla and Çyämasundara. These are all transcendental names that only devotees can appreciate and nondevotees cannot.

The history of Kåñëa the person has been openly seen by everyone, yet only those who are in love with the Supreme Personality of Godhead can appreciate this history, whereas nondevotees, who have not developed their loving qualities, think that the activities, form and attributes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are fictitious. Therefore this verse explains, na näma-rüpe guëa janma-karmabhir nirüpitavye tava tasya säkñiëaù. In this connection, Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura has given the example that persons suffering from jaundice cannot taste the sweetness of sugar candy, although everyone knows that sugar candy is sweet. Similarly, because of the material disease, nondevotees cannot understand the transcendental name, form, attributes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although they actually see the Lord’s activities, either through authority or through history. The Puräëas are old, authentic histories, but nondevotees cannot understand them, especially Çrémad-Bhägavatam, which is the essence of Vedic knowledge. Nondevotees cannot understand even the preliminary study of transcendental knowledge, Bhagavad-gétä. They simply speculate and present commentaries with absurd distortions. In conclusion, unless one elevates himself to the transcendental platform by practicing bhakti-yoga, one cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His name, form, attributes or activities. But if by chance, by the association of devotees, one can actually understand the Lord and His features, one immediately becomes a liberated person. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gétä (4.9):

janma karma ca me divyam

evaà yo vetti tattvataù

tyaktvä dehaà punar janma

naiti mäm eti so ’rjuna

“One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.”

Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé has therefore said that by affection and love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, devotees can express their mind to Him with their words. Others, however, cannot do this, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gétä (bhaktyä mäm abhijänäti yävän yaç cäsmi tattvataù [bg. 18.55]).

SB 10.2.37

TEXT 37

TEXT

çåëvan gåëan saàsmarayaàç ca cintayan

nämäni rüpäëi ca maìgaläni te

kriyäsu yas tvac-caraëäravindayor

äviñöa-cetä na bhaväya kalpate

SYNONYMS

çåëvan—constantly hearing about the Lord (çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù); gåëan—chanting or reciting (the holy name of the Lord and His activities); saàsmarayan—remembering (constantly thinking of the Lord’s lotus feet and His form); ca—and; cintayan—contemplating (the transcendental activities of the Lord); nämäni—His transcendental names; rüpäëi—His transcendental forms; ca—also; maìgaläni—which are all transcendental and therefore auspicious; te—of Your Lordship; kriyäsu—in being engaged in the devotional service; yaù—he who; tvat-caraëa-aravindayoù—at Your lotus feet; äviñöa-cetäù—the devotee who is completely absorbed (in such activities); na—not; bhaväya—for the material platform; kalpate—is fit.

TRANSLATION

Even while engaged in various activities, devotees whose minds are completely absorbed at Your lotus feet, and who constantly hear, chant, contemplate and cause others to remember Your transcendental names and forms, are always on the transcendental platform, and thus they can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

PURPORT

How bhakti-yoga can be practiced is explained in this verse. Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé has said that anyone who has dedicated his life to the service of the Lord (éhä yasya harer däsye) by his activities, his mind and his words (karmaëä manasä girä) may stay in any condition of life (nikhiläsv apy avasthäsu) and yet is no longer actually conditioned but is liberated (jévan-muktaù sa ucyate). Even though such a devotee is in a material body, he has nothing to do with this body, for he is transcendentally situated. Näräyaëa-paräù sarve na kutaçcana bibhyati: because a devotee is engaged in transcendental activities, he is not afraid of being materially embodied. (SB 6.17.28) Illustrating this liberated position, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu prayed, mama janmani janmanéçvare bhavatäd bhaktir ahaituké tvayi: [Cc. Antya 20.29, Çikñäñöaka 4] “All I want is Your causeless devotional service in My life, birth after birth.” Even if a devotee, by the supreme will of the Lord, takes birth in this material world, he continues his devotional service. When King Bharata made a mistake and in his next life became a deer, his devotional service did not stop, although some slight chastisement was given to him because of his negligence. Närada Muni says that even if one falls from the platform of devotional service, he is not lost, whereas nondevotees are lost entirely because they are not engaged in service. Bhagavad-gétä (9.14) therefore recommends that one always engage at least in chanting the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra:

satataà kértayanto mäà

yatantaç ca dåòha-vratäù

namasyantaç ca mäà bhaktyä

nitya-yuktä upäsate

“Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, the great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.”

One should not give up the process of devotional service, which is performed in nine different ways (çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù smaraëaà päda-sevanam, etc. [sB 7.5.23]). The most important process is hearing (çravaëam) from the guru, sädhu and çästra—the spiritual master, the saintly äcäryas and the Vedic literature. Sädhu-çästra-guru-väkya, cittete kariyä aikya. We should not hear the commentaries and explanations of nondevotees, for this is strictly forbidden by Çréla Sanätana Gosvämé, who quotes from the Padma Puräëa:

avaiñëava-mukhodgérëaà

pütaà hari-kathämåtam

çravaëaà naiva kartavyaà

sarpocchiñöaà yathä payaù

We should strictly follow this injunction and never try to hear from Mäyävädés, impersonalists, voidists, politicians or so-called scholars. Strictly avoiding such inauspicious association, we should simply hear from pure devotees. Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé therefore recommends, çré-guru-padäçrayaù: one must seek shelter at the lotus feet of a pure devotee who can be one’s guru. Caitanya Mahäprabhu advises that a guru is one who strictly follows the instructions of Bhagavad-gétä: yare dekha, tare kaha, ‘kåñëa’—upadeça (Cc. Madhya 7.128). A juggler, a magician or one who speaks nonsense as an academic career is not a guru. Rather, a guru is one who presents Bhagavad-gétä, Kåñëa’s instructions, as it is. Çravaëa is very important; one must hear from the Vaiñëava sädhu, guru and çästra.

The word kriyäsu, meaning “by manual labor” or “by work,” is important in this verse. One should engage in practical service to the Lord. In our Kåñëa consciousness movement, all our activities are concentrated upon distributing Kåñëa literature. This is very important. One may approach any person and induce him to read Kåñëa literature so that in the future he also may become a devotee. Such activities are recommended in this verse. Kriyäsu yas tvac-caraëäravindayoù. Such activities will always remind the devotees of the Lord’s lotus feet. By fully concentrating on distributing books for Kåñëa, one is fully absorbed in Kåñëa. This is samädhi.

SB 10.2.38

TEXT 38

TEXT

diñöyä hare ’syä bhavataù pado bhuvo

bhäro ’panétas tava janmaneçituù

diñöyäìkitäà tvat-padakaiù suçobhanair

drakñyäma gäà dyäà ca tavänukampitäm

SYNONYMS

diñöyä—by fortune; hare—O Lord; asyäù—of this (world); bhavataù—of Your Lordship; padaù—of the place; bhuvaù—on this earth; bhäraù—the burden created by the demons; apanétaù—now removed; tava—of Your Lordship; janmanä—by appearance as an incarnation; éçituù—You, the controller of everything; diñöyä—and by fortune; aìkitäm—marked; tvat-padakaiù—by Your lotus feet; su-çobhanaiù—which are transcendentally decorated with the marks of conchshell, disc, lotus and club; drakñyäma—we shall surely observe; gäm—upon this earth; dyäm ca—in heaven also; tava anukampitäm—due to Your causeless mercy upon us.

TRANSLATION

O Lord, we are fortunate because the heavy burden of the demons upon this earth is immediately removed by Your appearance. Indeed, we are certainly fortunate, for we shall be able to see upon this earth and in the heavenly planets the marks of lotus, conchshell, club and disc that adorn Your lotus feet.

PURPORT

The soles of the Lord’s lotus feet are marked with çaìkha-cakra-gadä-padma—conchshell, disc, club and lotus—and also by a flag and a thunderbolt. When Kåñëa walks on this earth or in the heavenly planets, these marks are visible wherever He goes. Våndävana-dhäma is a transcendental place because of Kåñëa’s walking on this land frequently. The inhabitants of Våndävana were fortunate to see these marks here and there. When Akrüra went to Våndävana to take Kåñëa and Balaräma away to the festival arranged by Kaàsa, upon seeing the marks of the Lord’s lotus feet on the ground of Våndävana, he fell down and began to groan. These marks are visible to devotees who receive the causeless mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (tavänukampitäm). The demigods were jubilant not only because the appearance of the Supreme Lord would do away with the burdensome demons, but also because they would be able to see upon the ground the transcendental marks from the soles of the Lord’s lotus feet. The gopés always thought of the Lord’s lotus feet when He was walking in the pasturing grounds, and, as described in the previous verse, simply by thinking of the Lord’s lotus feet, the gopés were fully absorbed in transcendence (äviñöa-cetä na bhaväya kalpate). Like the gopés, one who is always absorbed in thought of the Lord is beyond the material platform and will not remain in this material world. It is our duty, therefore, always to hear, chant and think about the Lord’s lotus feet, as actually done by Vaiñëavas who have decided to live in Våndävana always and think of the Lord’s lotus feet twenty-four hours a day.

SB 10.2.39

TEXT 39

TEXT

na te ’bhavasyeça bhavasya käraëaà

vinä vinodaà bata tarkayämahe

bhavo nirodhaù sthitir apy avidyayä

kåtä yatas tvayy abhayäçrayätmani

SYNONYMS

na—not; te—of Your Lordship; abhavasya—of whom there is no birth, death or maintenance as for an ordinary being; éça—O Supreme Lord; bhavasya—of Your appearance, Your birth; käraëam—the cause; vinä—without; vinodam—the pastimes (despite what is said, You are not forced to come to this world by any cause); bata—however; tarkayämahe—we cannot argue (but must simply understand that these are Your pastimes); bhavaù—birth; nirodhaù—death; sthitiù—maintenance; api—also; avidyayä—by the external, illusory energy; kåtäù—done; yataù—because; tvayi—unto You; abhaya-äçraya—O fearless shelter of all; ätmani—of the ordinary living entity.

TRANSLATION

O Supreme Lord, You are not an ordinary living entity appearing in this material world as a result of fruitive activities. Therefore Your appearance or birth in this world has no other cause than Your pleasure potency. Similarly, the living entities, who are part of You, have no cause for miseries like birth, death and old age, except when these living entities are conducted by Your external energy.

PURPORT

As stated in Bhagavad-gétä (15.7), mamaiväàço jéva-loke jéva-bhütaù sanätanaù: the living entities are parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord, and thus they are qualitatively one with the Lord. We can understand that when the Supreme Lord appears or disappears as an incarnation, there is no other cause than His pleasure potency. We cannot force the Supreme Personality of Godhead to appear. As He says in Bhagavad-gétä (4.7):

yadä yadä hi dharmasya

glänir bhavati bhärata

abhyutthänam adharmasya

tadätmänaà såjämy aham

“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself.” When there is a need to diminish a burden created by the demons, the Supreme Godhead can do it in many ways because He has multifarious energies. There is no need for Him to come as an incarnation, since He is not forced to do anything like ordinary living entities. The living entities come to this material world in the spirit of enjoyment, but because they want to enjoy without Kåñëa (kåñëa-bahirmukha haiyä bhoja-väïchä kare), they suffer birth, death, old age and disease under the control of the illusory energy. When the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears, however, no such causes are involved; His descent is an act of His pleasure potency. We should always remember this distinction between the Lord and the ordinary living entity and not uselessly argue that the Lord cannot come. There are philosophers who do not believe in the Lord’s incarnation and who ask, “Why should the Supreme Lord come?” But the answer is, “Why should He not come? Why should He be controlled by the desire of the living entity?” The Lord is free to do whatever He likes. Therefore this verse says, vinä vinodaà bata tarkayämahe. It is only for His pleasure that He comes although He does not need to come.

When the living entities come to this world for material enjoyment, they are entangled in karma and karma-phala by the Lord’s illusory energy. But if one seeks shelter at the Lord’s lotus feet, one is again situated in his original, liberated state. As stated here, kåtä yatas tvayy abhayäçrayätmani: one who seeks shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord is always fearless. Because we are dependent on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we should give up the idea that without Kåñëa we can enjoy freedom in this material world. This idea is the reason we have become entangled. Now it is our duty to seek shelter again at the Lord’s lotus feet. This shelter is described as abhaya, or fearless. Since Kåñëa is not subject to birth, death, old age or disease, and since we are part and parcel of Kåñëa, we also are not subject to birth, death, old age and disease, but we have become subject to these illusory problems because of our forgetfulness of Kåñëa and our position as His eternal servants (jévera ‘svarüpa’ haya—kåñëera ‘nitya-däsa’ [Cc. Madhya 20.108]). Therefore, if we practice devotional service by always thinking of the Lord, always glorifying Him and always chanting about Him, as described in text 37 (çåëvan gåëan saàsmarayaàç ca cintayan), we will be reinstated in our original, constitutional position and thus be saved. The demigods, therefore, encouraged Devaké not to fear Kaàsa, but to think of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who was already within her womb.

SB 10.2.40

TEXT 40

TEXT

matsyäçva-kacchapa-nåsiàha-varäha-haàsa-

räjanya-vipra-vibudheñu kåtävatäraù

tvaà päsi nas tri-bhuvanaà ca yathädhuneça

bhäraà bhuvo hara yadüttama vandanaà te

SYNONYMS

matsya—the fish incarnation; açva—the horse incarnation; kacchapa—the tortoise incarnation; nåsiàha—the Narasiàha incarnation; varäha—the Varäha incarnation; haàsa—the swan incarnation; räjanya—incarnations as Lord Rämacandra and other kñatriyas; vipra—incarnations as brähmaëas like Vämanadeva; vibudheñu—among the demigods; kåta-avatäraù—appeared as incarnations; tvam—Your Lordship; päsi—please save; naù—us; tri-bhuvanam ca—and the three worlds; yathä—as well as; adhunä—now; éça—O Supreme Lord; bhäram—burden; bhuvaù—of the earth; hara—please diminish; yadu-uttama—O Lord Kåñëa, best of the Yadus; vandanam te—we offer our prayers unto You.

TRANSLATION

O supreme controller, Your Lordship previously accepted incarnations as a fish, a horse, a tortoise, Narasiàhadeva, a boar, a swan, Lord Rämacandra, Paraçuräma and, among the demigods, Vämanadeva, to protect the entire world by Your mercy. Now please protect us again by Your mercy by diminishing the disturbances in this world. O Kåñëa, best of the Yadus, we respectfully offer our obeisances unto You.

PURPORT

In every incarnation, the Supreme Personality of Godhead has a particular mission to execute, and this was true in His appearance as the son of Devaké in the family of the Yadus. Thus all the demigods offered their prayers to the Lord, bowing down before Him, and requested the Lord to do the needful. We cannot order the Supreme Personality of Godhead to do anything for us. We can simply offer Him our obeisances, as advised in Bhagavad-gétä (man-manä bhava mad-bhakto mad-yäjé mäà namaskuru [bg. 18.65]), and pray to Him for annihilation of dangers.

SB 10.2.41

TEXT 41

TEXT

diñöyämba te kukñi-gataù paraù pumän

aàçena säkñäd bhagavän bhaväya naù

mäbhüd bhayaà bhoja-pater mumürñor

goptä yadünäà bhavitä tavätmajaù

SYNONYMS

diñöyä—by fortune; amba—O mother; te—your; kukñi-gataù—in the womb; paraù—the Supreme; pumän—Personality of Godhead; aàçena—with all His energies, His parts and parcels; säkñät—directly; bhagavän—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhaväya—for the auspiciousness; naù—of all of us; mä abhüt—never be; bhayam—fearful; bhoja-pateù—from Kaàsa, King of the Bhoja dynasty; mumürñoù—who has decided to be killed by the Lord; goptä—the protector; yadünäm—of the Yadu dynasty; bhavitä—will become; tava ätmajaù—your son.

TRANSLATION

O mother Devaké, by your good fortune and ours, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, with all His plenary portions, such as Baladeva, is now within your womb. Therefore you need not fear Kaàsa, who has decided to be killed by the Lord. Your eternal son, Kåñëa, will be the protector of the entire Yadu dynasty.

PURPORT

The words paraù pumän aàçena signify that Kåñëa is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the verdict of the çästra (kåñëas tu bhagavän svayam [sB 1.3.28]). Thus the demigods assured Devaké, “Your son is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He is appearing with Baladeva, His plenary portion. He will give you all protection and kill Kaàsa, who has decided to continue his enmity toward the Lord and thus be killed by Him.” Jay Srila Prabhupad! Gourabhakta vrinda!