Sri Caitanya-caritamrta: Adi-lila
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter 5
The Glories of Lord Nityananda Balarama
This chapter is chiefly devoted to describing the essential nature and glories of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. Lord Sri Krsna is the absolute Personality of Godhead, and His first expansion in a form for pastimes is Sri Balarama.
Beyond the limitation of this material world is the spiritual sky, paravyoma, which has many spiritual planets, the supreme of which is called Krsnaloka. Krsnaloka, the abode of Krsna, has three divisions, which are known as Dvaraka, Mathura and Gokula. In that abode the Personality of Godhead expands Himself into four plenary portions-Krsna, Balarama, Pradyumna (the transcendental Cupid) and Aniruddha. They are known as the original quadruple forms.
In Krsnaloka is a transcendental place known as Svetadvipa or Vrndavana. Below Krsnaloka in the spiritual sky are the Vaikuntha planets. On each Vaikuntha planet a four-handed Narayana, expanded from the first quadruple manifestation, is present. The Personality of Godhead known as Sri Balarama in Krsnaloka is the original Sankarsana (attracting Deity), and from this Sankarsana expands another Sankarsana, called Maha-sankarsana, who resides in one of the Vaikuntha planets. By His internal potency, Maha-sankarsana maintains the transcendental existence of all the planets in the spiritual sky, where all the living beings are eternally liberated souls. The influence of the material energy is conspicuous there by its absence. On those planets the second quadruple manifestation is present.
Outside of the Vaikuntha planets is the impersonal manifestation of Sri Krsna, which is known as the Brahmaloka. On the other side of the Brahmaloka is the spiritual karana-samudra, or Causal Ocean. The material energy exists on the other side of the Causal Ocean, without touching it. In the Causal Ocean is Maha-Visnu, the original purusa expansion from Sankarsana. This Maha-Visnu places His glance over the material energy, and by a reflection of His transcendental body He amalgamates Himself within the material elements.
As the source of the material elements, the material energy is known as pradhana, and as the source of the manifestations of the material energy it is known as maya. But material nature is inert in that she has no independent power to do anything. She is empowered to make the cosmic manifestation by the glance of Maha-Visnu. Therefore the material energy is not the original cause of the material manifestation. Rather, the transcendental glance of Maha-Visnu over material nature produces that cosmic manifestation.
Maha-Visnu again enters every universe as the reservoir of all living entities, Garbhodakasayi Visnu. From Garbhodakasayi Visnu expands Ksirodakasayi Visnu, the Supersoul of every living entity. Garbhodakasayi Visnu also has His own Vaikuntha planet in every universe, where He lives as the Supersoul or supreme controller of the universe. Garbhodakasayi Visnu reclines in the midst of the watery portion of the universe and generates the first living creature of the universe, Brahma. The imaginary universal form is a partial manifestation of Garbhodakasayi Visnu.
In the Vaikuntha planet in every universe is an ocean of milk, and within that ocean is an island called Svetadvipa, where Lord Visnu lives. Therefore this chapter describes two Svetadvipas-one in the abode of Krsna and the other in the ocean of milk in every universe. The Svetadvipa in the abode of Krsna is identical with Vrndavana-dhama, which is the place where Krsna appears Himself to display His loving pastimes. In the Svetadvipa within every universe is a Sesa form of Godhead who serves Visnu by assuming the form of His umbrella, slippers, couch, pillows, garments, residence, sacred thread, throne and so on.
Lord Baladeva in Krsnaloka is Nityananda Prabhu. Therefore Nityananda Prabhu is the original Sankarsana, and Maha-sankarsana and His expansions as the purusas in the universes are plenary expansions of Nityananda Prabhu.
In this chapter the author has described the history of his leaving home for a personal pilgrimage to Vrndavana and his achieving all success there. In this description it is revealed that the author’s original paternal home and birthplace were in the district of Katwa, in the village of Jhamatapura, which is near Naihati. Krsnadasa Kaviraja’s brother invited Sri Minaketana Ramadasa, a great devotee of Lord Nityananda, to his home, but a priest named Gunarnava Misra did not receive him well, and Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami’s brother, not recognizing the glories of Lord Nityananda, also took sides with the priest. Therefore Ramadasa became sorry, broke his flute and went away. This was a great disaster for the brother of Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami. But on that very night Lord Nityananda Prabhu Himself graced Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami in a dream and ordered him to leave on the next day for Vrndavana.
Adi5.1
TEXT 1
vande ’nantadbhutaisvaryam
sri-nityanandam isvaram
yasyecchaya tat-svarupam
ajnenapi nirupyate
SYNONYMS
vande—let me offer my obeisances; ananta—unlimited; adbhuta—and wonderful; aisvaryam—whose opulence; sri-nityanandam—unto Lord Nityananda; isvaram—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; yasya—whose; icchaya—by the will; tat-svarupam—His identity; ajnena—by the ignorant; api—even; nirupyate—can be ascertained.
TRANSLATION
Let me offer my obeisances to Lord Sri Nityananda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose opulence is wonderful and unlimited. By His will, even a fool can understand His identity.
Adi5.2
TEXT 2
jaya jaya sri-caitanya jaya nityananda
jayadvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vrnda
SYNONYMS
jaya jaya—all glories; sri-caitanya—to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; jaya nityananda—all glories to Lord Nityananda; jaya advaita-candra—all glories to Advaita Acarya; jaya gaura-bhakta-vrnda—all glories to the devotees of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TRANSLATION
All glories to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. All glories to Lord Nityananda. All glories to Advaita Acarya. And all glories to all the devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Adi5.3
TEXT 3
ei sat-sloke kahila krsna-caitanya-mahima
panca-sloke kahi nityananda-tattva-sima
SYNONYMS
ei—this; sat-sloke—in six verses; kahila—described; krsna-caitanya-mahima—the glories of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; panca-sloke—in five verses; kahi—let me explain; nityananda—of Lord Nityananda; tattva—of the truth; sima—the limitation.
TRANSLATION
I have described the glory of Sri Krsna Caitanya in six verses. Now, in five verses, I shall describe the glory of Lord Nityananda.
Adi5.4
TEXT 4
sarva-avatari krsna svayam bhagavan
tanhara dvitiya deha sri-balarama
SYNONYMS
sarva-avatari—the source of all incarnations; krsna—Lord Krsna; svayam—personally; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tanhara—His; dvitiya—second; deha—expansion of the body; sri-balarama—Lord Balarama.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is the fountainhead of all incarnations. Lord Balarama is His second body.
PURPORT
Lord Sri Krsna, the absolute Personality of Godhead, is the primeval Lord, the original form of Godhead, and His first expansion is Sri Balarama. The Personality of Godhead can expand Himself in innumerable forms. The forms that have unlimited potency are called svamsa, and forms that have limited potencies (the living entities) are called vibhinnamsa.
Adi5.5
TEXT 5
eka-i svarupa donhe, bhinna-matra kaya
adya kaya-vyuha, krsna-lilara sahaya
SYNONYMS
eka-i—one; svarupa—identity; donhe—both of Them; bhinna-matra kaya—only two different bodies; adya—original; kaya-vyuha—quadruple expansions; krsna-lilara—in the pastimes of Lord Krsna; sahaya—assistance.
TRANSLATION
They are both one and the same identity. They differ only in form. He is the first bodily expansion of Krsna, and He assists in Lord Krsna’s transcendental pastimes.
PURPORT
Balarama is a svamsa expansion of the Lord, and therefore there is no difference in potency between Krsna and Balarama. The only difference is in Their bodily structure. As the first expansion of Godhead, Balarama is the chief Deity among the first quadruple forms, and He is the foremost assistant of Sri Krsna in His transcendental activities.
Adi5.6
TEXT 6
sei krsna--navadvipe sri-caitanya-candra
sei balarama--sange sri-nityananda
SYNONYMS
sei krsna—that original Krsna; navadvipe—at Navadvipa; sri-caitanya-candra—Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; sei balarama—that Lord Balarama; sange—with Him; sri-nityananda—Lord Nityananda.
TRANSLATION
That original Lord Krsna appeared in Navadvipa as Lord Caitanya, and Balarama appeared with Him as Lord Nityananda.
Adi5.7
TEXT 7
sankarsanah karana-toya-sayi
garbhoda-sayi ca payobdhi-sayi
sesas ca yasyamsa-kalah sa nitya-
nandakhya-ramah saranam mamastu
SYNONYMS
sankarsanah—Maha-sankarsana in the spiritual sky; karana-toya-sayi—Karanodakasayi Visnu, who lies in the Causal Ocean; garbha-uda-sayi—Garbhodakasayi Visnu, who lies in the Garbhodaka Ocean of the universe; ca—and; payah-abdhi-sayi—Ksirodakasayi Visnu, who lies in the ocean of milk; sesah—Sesa Naga, the couch of Visnu; ca—and; yasya—whose; amsa—plenary portions; kalah—and parts of the plenary portions; sah—He; nityananda-akhya—known as Lord Nityananda; ramah—Lord Balarama; saranam—shelter; mama—my; astu—let there be.
TRANSLATION
May Sri Nityananda Rama be the object of my constant remembrance. Sankarsana, Sesa Naga and the Visnus who lie on the Karana Ocean, Garbha Ocean and ocean of milk are His plenary portions and the portions of His plenary portions.
PURPORT
Sri Svarupa Damodara Gosvami has recorded this verse in his diary to offer his respectful obeisances to Lord Nityananda Prabhu. This verse also appears as the seventh of the first fourteen verses of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta.
Adi5.8
TEXT 8
sri-balarama gosani mula-sankarsana
panca-rupa dhari’ karena krsnera sevana
SYNONYMS
sri-balarama—Balarama; gosani—the Lord; mula-sankarsana—the original Sankarsana; panca-rupa dhari’-accepting five bodies; karena—does; krsnera—of Lord Krsna; sevana—service.
TRANSLATION
Lord Balarama is the original Sankarsana. He assumes five other forms to serve Lord Krsna.
Adi5.9
TEXT 9
apane karena krsna-lilara sahaya
srsti-lila-karya kare dhari’ cari kaya
SYNONYMS
apane—personally; karena—performs; krsna-lilara sahaya—assistance in the pastimes of Lord Krsna; srsti-lila—of the pastimes of creation; karya—the work; kare—does; dhari’-accepting; cari kaya—four bodies.
TRANSLATION
He Himself helps in the pastimes of Lord Krsna, and He does the work of creation in four other forms.
Adi5.10
TEXT 10
srsty-adika seva,--tanra ajnara palana
’sesa’-rupe kare krsnera vividha sevana
SYNONYMS
srsti-adika seva—service in the matter of creation; tanra—His; ajnara—of the order; palana—execution; sesa-rupe—the form of Lord Sesa; kare—does; krsnera—of Lord Krsna; vividha sevana—varieties of service.
TRANSLATION
He executes the orders of Lord Krsna in the work of creation, and in the form of Lord Sesa He serves Krsna in various ways.
PURPORT
According to expert opinion, Balarama, as the chief of the original quadruple forms, is also the original Sankarsana. Balarama, the first expansion of Krsna, expands Himself in five forms: (1) Maha-sankarsana, (2) Karanabdhisayi, (3) Garbhodakasayi, (4) Ksirodakasayi, and (5) Sesa. These five plenary portions are responsible for both the spiritual and material cosmic manifestations. In these five forms Lord Balarama assists Lord Krsna in His activities. The first four of these forms are responsible for the cosmic manifestations, whereas Sesa is responsible for personal service to the Lord. Sesa is called Ananta, or unlimited, because He assists the Personality of Godhead in His unlimited expansions by performing an unlimited variety of services. Sri Balarama is the servitor Godhead who serves Lord Krsna in all affairs of existence and knowledge. Lord Nityananda Prabhu, who is the same servitor Godhead, Balarama, performs the same service to Lord Gauranga by constant association.
Adi5.11
TEXT 11
sarva-rupe asvadaye krsna-sevananda
sei balarama--gaura-sange nityananda
SYNONYMS
sarva-rupe—in all these forms; asvadaye—tastes; krsna-seva-ananda—the transcendental bliss of serving Krsna; sei balarama—that Lord Balarama; gaura-sange—with Gaurasundara; nityananda—Lord Nityananda.
TRANSLATION
In all the forms He tastes the transcendental bliss of serving Krsna. That same Balarama is Lord Nityananda, the companion of Lord Gaurasundara.
Adi5.12
TEXT 12
saptama slokera artha kari cari-sloke
yate nityananda-tattva jane sarva-loke
SYNONYMS
saptama slokera—of the seventh verse; artha—the meaning; kari—I do; cari-sloke—in four verses; yate—in which; nityananda-tattva—the truth of Lord Nityananda; jane—one knows; sarva-loke—all over the world.
TRANSLATION
I have explained this seventh verse in four subsequent verses. By these verses all the world can know the truth about Lord Nityananda.
Adi5.13
TEXT 13
mayatite vyapi-vaikuntha-loke
purnaisvarye sri-catur-vyuha-madhye
rupam yasyodbhati sankarsanakhyam
tam sri-nityananda-ramam prapadye
SYNONYMS
maya-atite—beyond the material creation; vyapi—all-expanding; vaikuntha-loke—in Vaikunthaloka, the spiritual world; purna-aisvarye—endowed with full opulence; sri-catuh-vyuha-madhye—in the quadruple expansions (Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha); rupam—form; yasya—whose; udbhati—appears; sankarsana-akhyam—known as Sankarsana; tam—to Him; sri-nityananda-ramam—to Lord Balarama in the form of Lord Nityananda; prapadye—I surrender.
TRANSLATION
I surrender unto the lotus feet of Sri Nityananda Rama, who is known as Sankarsana in the midst of the catur-vyuha [consisting of Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha]. He possesses full opulences and resides in Vaikunthaloka, far beyond the material creation.
PURPORT
This is a verse from Sri Svarupa Damodara Gosvami’s diary. It appears as the eighth of the first fourteen verses of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta.
Adi5.14
TEXT 14
prakrtira para ’paravyoma’-name dhama
krsna-vigraha yaiche vibhuty-adi-gunavan
SYNONYMS
prakrtira—the material nature; para—beyond; para-vyoma—the spiritual sky; name—in name; dhama—the place; krsna-vigraha—the form of Lord Krsna; yaiche—just as; vibhuti-adi—like the six opulences; guna-van—full with transcendental attributes.
TRANSLATION
Beyond the material nature lies the realm known as paravyoma, the spiritual sky. Like Lord Krsna Himself, it possesses all transcendental attributes, such as the six opulences.
PURPORT
According to Sankhya philosophy, the material cosmos is composed of twenty-four elements: the five gross material elements, the three subtle material elements, the five knowledge-acquiring senses, the five active senses, the five objects of sense pleasure, and the mahat-tattva (the total material energy). Empiric philosophers, unable to go beyond these elements, speculate that anything beyond them must be avyakta, or inexplicable. But the world beyond the twenty-four elements is not inexplicable, for it is explained in the Bhagavad-gita as the eternal (sanatana) nature. Beyond the manifested and unmanifested existence of material nature (vyaktavyakta) is the sanatana nature, which is called the paravyoma, or the spiritual sky. Since that nature is spiritual in quality, there are no qualitative differences there; everything there is spiritual, everything is good, and everything possesses the spiritual form of Sri Krsna Himself. That spiritual sky is the manifested internal potency of Sri Krsna; it is distinct from the material sky manifested by His external potency.
The all-pervading Brahman, the impersonal glowing ray of Sri Krsna, exists in the spiritual world with the Vaikuntha planets. We can get some idea of that spiritual sky by a comparison to the material sky, for the rays of the sun in the material sky can be compared to the brahmajyoti, the glowing rays of the Personality of Godhead. In the brahmajyoti there are unlimited Vaikuntha planets, which are spiritual and therefore self-luminous, with a glow many times greater than that of the sun. The Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna, His innumerable plenary portions and the portions of His plenary portions dominate each Vaikuntha planet. In the highest region of the spiritual sky is the planet called Krsnaloka, which has three divisions, namely Dvaraka, Mathura and Goloka.
To a gross materialist this kingdom of God, Vaikuntha, is certainly a mystery. But to an ignorant man everything is a mystery for want of sufficient knowledge. The kingdom of God is not a myth. Even the material planets, which float over our heads in the millions and billions, are still a mystery to the ignorant. Material scientists are now attempting to penetrate this mystery, and a day may come when the people of this earth will be able to travel in outer space and see the variegatedness of these millions of planets with their own eyes. In every planet there is as much material variegatedness as we find in our own planet.
This planet earth is but an insignificant spot in the cosmic structure. Yet foolish men, puffed up by a false sense of scientific advancement, have concentrated their energy in a pursuit of so-called economic development on this planet, not knowing of the variegated economic facilities available on other planets. According to modern astronomy, the gravity of the moon is different from that of earth. Therefore one who goes to the moon will be able to pick up large weights and jump vast distances. In the Ramayana, Hanuman is described as being able to lift huge weights as heavy as hills and jump over the ocean. Modern astronomy has confirmed that this is indeed possible.
The disease of the modern civilized man is his disbelief of everything in the revealed scriptures. Faithless nonbelievers cannot make progress in spiritual realization, for they cannot understand the spiritual potency. The small fruit of a banyan contains hundreds of seeds, and in each seed is the potency to produce another banyan tree with the potency to produce millions more of such fruits. This law of nature is visible before us, although how it works is beyond our understanding. This is but an insignificant example of the potency of Godhead; there are many similar phenomena that no scientist can explain.
Everything, in fact, is inconceivable, for the truth is revealed only to the proper persons. Although there are varieties of personalities, from Brahma down to the insignificant ant, all of whom are living beings, their development of knowledge is different. Therefore we have to gather knowledge from the right source. Indeed, in reality we can get knowledge only from the Vedic sources. The four Vedas, with their supplementary Puranas, the Mahabharata, the Ramayana and their corollaries, which are known as smrtis, are all authorized sources of knowledge. If we are at all to gather knowledge, we must gather it from these sources without hesitation.
Revealed knowledge may in the beginning be unbelievable because of our paradoxical desire to verify everything with our tiny brains, but the speculative means of attaining knowledge is always imperfect. The perfect knowledge propounded in the revealed scriptures is confirmed by the great acaryas, who have left ample commentations upon them; none of these acaryas has disbelieved in the sastras. One who disbelieves in the sastras is an atheist, and we should not consult an atheist, however great he may be. A staunch believer in the sastras, with all their diversities, is the right person from whom to gather real knowledge. Such knowledge may seem inconceivable in the beginning, but when put forward by the proper authority its meaning is revealed, and then one no longer has any doubts about it.
Adi5.15
TEXT 15
sarvaga, ananta, vibhu--vaikunthadi dhama
krsna, krsna-avatarera tahani visrama
SYNONYMS
sarva-ga—all-pervading; ananta—unlimited; vibhu—greatest; vaikuntha-adi dhama—all the places known as Vaikunthaloka; krsna—of Lord Krsna; krsna-avatarera—of the incarnations of Lord Krsna; tahani—there; visrama—the residence.
TRANSLATION
That Vaikuntha region is all-pervading, infinite and supreme. It is the residence of Lord Krsna and His incarnations.
Adi5.16
TEXT 16
tahara upari-bhage ’krsna-loka’-khyati
dvaraka-mathura-gokula--tri-vidhatve sthiti
SYNONYMS
tahara—of all of them; upari-bhage—on the top; krsna-loka-khyati—the planet known as Krsnaloka; dvaraka-mathura-gokula—the three places known as Dvaraka, Mathura and Vrndavana; tri-vidhatve—in three departments; sthiti—situated.
TRANSLATION
In the highest region of that spiritual sky is the spiritual planet called Krsnaloka. It has three divisions-Dvaraka, Mathura and Gokula.
Adi5.17
TEXT 17
sarvopari sri-gokula--vrajaloka-dhama
sri-goloka, svetadvipa, vrndavana nama
SYNONYMS
sarva-upari—above all of them; sri-gokula—the place known as Gokula; vraja-loka-dhama—the place of Vraja; sri-goloka—the place named Goloka; sveta-dvipa—the white island; vrndavana nama—also named Vrndavana.
TRANSLATION
Sri Gokula, the highest of all, is also called Vraja, Goloka, Svetadvipa and Vrndavana.
Adi5.18
TEXT 18
sarvaga, ananta, vibhu, krsna-tanu-sama
upary-adho vyapiyache, nahika niyama
SYNONYMS
sarva-ga—all-pervading; ananta—unlimited; vibhu—the greatest; krsna-tanu-sama—exactly like the transcendental body of Krsna; upari-adhah—up and down; vyapiyache—expanded; nahika—there is no; niyama—regulation.
TRANSLATION
Like the transcendental body of Lord Krsna, Gokula is all-pervading, infinite and supreme. It expands both above and below, without any restriction.
PURPORT
Srila Jiva Gosvami, the great authority and philosopher in the line of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, has discussed the abode of Krsna in his Krsna-sandarbha. In the Bhagavad-gita the Lord refers to “My abode.” Srila Jiva Gosvami, examining the nature of Krsna’s abode, refers to the Skanda Purana, which states:
ya yatha bhuvi vartante
puryo bhagavatah priyah
tas tatha santi vaikunthe
tat-tal-lilartham adrtah
“The abodes of Godhead in the material world, such as Dvaraka, Mathura and Goloka, are facsimiles representing the abodes of Godhead in the kingdom of God, Vaikuntha-dhama.” The unlimited spiritual atmosphere of that Vaikuntha-dhama is far above and beyond the material cosmos. This is confirmed in the Svayambhuva-tantra in a discussion between Lord Siva and Parvati regarding the effect of chanting the mantra of fourteen syllables. There it is stated:
nana-kalpa-latakirnam
vaikuntham vyapakam smaret
adhah samyam gunanam ca
prakrtih sarva-karanam
“While chanting the mantra, one should always remember the spiritual world, which is very extensive and full of desire trees that can yield anything one desires. Below that Vaikuntha region is the potential material energy, which causes the material manifestation.” The places of the pastimes of Lord Krsna, such as Dvaraka, Mathura and Vrndavana, eternally and independently exist in Krsnaloka. They are the actual abode of Lord Krsna, and there is no doubt that they are situated above the material cosmic manifestation.
The abode known as Vrndavana or Gokula is also known as Goloka. The Brahma-samhita states that Gokula, the highest region of the kingdom of God, resembles a lotus flower with thousands of petals. The outer portion of that lotuslike planet is a square place known as Svetadvipa. In the inner portion of Gokula there is an elaborate arrangement for Sri Krsna’s residence with His eternal associates such as Nanda and Yasoda. That transcendental abode exists by the energy of Sri Baladeva, who is the original whole of Sesa, or Ananta. The tantras also confirm this description by stating that the abode of Sri Anantadeva, the plenary portion of Baladeva, is called the kingdom of God. Vrndavana-dhama is the innermost abode within the quadrangular realm of Svetadvipa, which lies outside of the boundary of Gokula Vrndavana.
According to Jiva Gosvami, Vaikuntha is also called Brahmaloka. The Narada-pancaratra, in a statement concerning the mystery of Vijaya, describes:
tat sarvopari goloke
tatra lokopari svayam
viharet paramanandi
govindo ’tula-nayakah
“The predominator of the gopis, Govinda, the principal Deity of Gokula, always enjoys Himself in a place called Goloka in the topmost part of the spiritual sky.”
From the authoritative evidence cited by Jiva Gosvami we may conclude that Krsnaloka is the supreme planet in the spiritual sky, which is far beyond the material cosmos. For the enjoyment of transcendental variety, the pastimes of Krsna there have three divisions, and these pastimes are performed in the three abodes Dvaraka, Mathura and Gokula. When Krsna descends to this universe, He enjoys the pastimes in places of the same name. These places on earth are nondifferent from those original abodes, for they are facsimiles of those original holy places in the transcendental world. They are as good as Sri Krsna Himself and are equally worshipable. Lord Caitanya declared that Lord Krsna, who presents Himself as the son of the King of Vraja, is worshipable, and Vrndavana-dhama is equally worshipable.
Adi5.19
TEXT 19
brahmande prakasa tara krsnera icchaya
eka-i svarupa tara, nahi dui kaya
SYNONYMS
brahmande—within the material world; prakasa—manifestation; tara—of it; krsnera icchaya—by the supreme will of Lord Krsna; eka-i—it is the same; svarupa—identity; tara—of it; nahi—not; dui—two; kaya—bodies.
TRANSLATION
That abode is manifested within the material world by the will of Lord Krsna. It is identical to that original Gokula; they are not two different bodies.
PURPORT
The above-mentioned dhamas are movable, by the omnipotent will of Lord Krsna. When Sri Krsna appears on the face of the earth, He can also make His dhamas appear, without changing their original structure. One should not discriminate between the dhamas on the earth and those in the spiritual sky, thinking those on earth to be material and the original abodes to be spiritual. All of them are spiritual. Only for us, who cannot experience anything beyond matter in our present conditioned state, do the dhamas and the Lord Himself, in His arca form, appear before us resembling matter to give us the facility to see spirit with material eyes. In the beginning this may be difficult for a neophyte to understand, but in due course, when one is advanced in devotional service, it will be easier, and he will appreciate the Lord’s presence in these tangible forms.
Adi5.20
TEXT 20
cintamani-bhumi, kalpa-vrksa-maya vana
carma-cakse dekhe tare prapancera sama
SYNONYMS
cintamani-bhumi—the land of touchstone; kalpa-vrksa-maya—full of desire trees; vana—forests; carma-cakse—the material eyes; dekhe—see; tare—it; prapancera sama—equal to the material creation.
TRANSLATION
The land there is touchstone [cintamani], and the forests abound with desire trees. Material eyes see it as an ordinary place.
PURPORT
By the grace of the Lord His dhamas and He Himself can all be present simultaneously, without losing their original importance. Only when one fully develops in affection and love of Godhead can one see those dhamas in their original appearance.
Srila Narottama dasa Thakura, a great acarya in the preceptorial line of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, has said for our benefit that one can perfectly see the dhamas only when one completely gives up the mentality of lording it over material nature. One’s spiritual vision develops proportionately to one’s giving up the debased mentality of unnecessarily enjoying matter. A diseased person who has become diseased because of a certain bad habit must be ready to follow the advice of the physician, and as a natural sequence he must attempt to give up the cause of the disease. The patient cannot indulge in the bad habit and at the same time expect to be cured by the physician. Modern material civilization, however, is maintaining a diseased atmosphere. The living being is a spiritual spark, as spiritual as the Lord Himself. The only difference is that the Lord is great and the living being is small. Qualitatively they are one, but quantitatively they are different. Therefore, since the living being is spiritual in constitution, he can be happy only in the spiritual sky, where there are unlimited spiritual spheres called Vaikunthas. A spiritual being conditioned by a material body must therefore try to get rid of his disease instead of developing the cause of the disease.
Foolish persons engrossed in their material assets are unnecessarily proud of being leaders of the people, but they ignore the spiritual value of man. Such illusioned leaders make plans covering any number of years, but they can hardly make humanity happy in a state conditioned by the threefold miseries inflicted by material nature. One cannot control the laws of nature by any amount of struggling. One must at last be subject to death, nature’s ultimate law. Death, birth, old age and illness are symptoms of the diseased condition of the living being. The highest aim of human life should therefore be to get free from these miseries and go back home, back to Godhead.
Adi5.21
TEXT 21
prema-netre dekhe tara svarupa-prakasa
gopa-gopi-sange yanha krsnera vilasa
SYNONYMS
prema-netre—with the eyes of love of Godhead; dekhe—one sees; tara—its; svarupa-prakasa—manifestation of identity; gopa—cowherd boys; gopi-sange—with the cowherd damsels; yanha—where; krsnera vilasa—the pastimes of Lord Krsna.
TRANSLATION
But with the eyes of love of Godhead one can see its real identity as the place where Lord Krsna performs His pastimes with the cowherd boys and cowherd girls.