Sri Brahma-samhita
by His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura
Chapter Five
Bs5.38
TEXT 38
premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena
santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti
yam syamasundaram acintya-guna-svarupam
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
SYNONYMS
prema—of love; anjana—with the salve; churita—tinged; bhakti—of devotion; vilocanena—with the eye; santah—the pure devotees; sada—always; eva—indeed; hrdayesu—in their hearts; vilokayanti—see; yam—whom; syama—dark blue; sundaram—beautiful; acintya—inconceivable; guna—with attributes; svarupam—whose nature is endowed; govindam—Govinda; adi-purusam—the original person; tam—Him; aham—I; bhajami—worship.
TRANSLATION
I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is Syamasundara, Krsna Himself with inconceivable innumerable attributes, whom the pure devotees see in their heart of hearts with the eye of devotion tinged with the salve of love.
PURPORT
The Syamasundara form of Krsna is His inconceivable simultaneous personal and impersonal self-contradictory form. True devotees see that form in their purified hearts under the influence of devotional trance. The form Syama is not the blue color visible in the mundane world but is the transcendental variegated color affording eternal bliss, and is not visible to the mortal eye. On a consideration of the trance of Vyasadeva as in the sloka, bhakti-yogena manasi etc., it will be clear that the form of Sri Krsna is the full Personality of Godhead and can only be visible in the heart of a true devotee, which is the only true seat in the state of trance under the influence of devotion. When Krsna manifested Himself in Vraja, both the devotees and nondevotees saw Him with this very eye; but only the devotees cherished Him, eternally present in Vraja, as the priceless jewel of their heart. Nowadays also the devotees see Him in Vraja in their hearts, saturated with devotion although they do not see Him with their eyes. The eye of devotion is nothing but the eye of the pure unalloyed spiritual self of the jiva. The form of Krsna is visible to that eye in proportion to its purification by the practice of devotion. When the devotion of the neophyte reaches the stage of bhava-bhakti the pure eye of that devotee is tinged with the salve of love by the grace of Krsna, which enables him to see Krsna face to face. The phrase “in their hearts” means Krsna is visible in proportion as their hearts are purified by the practice of devotion. The sum and substance of this sloka is that the form of Krsna, who is Syamasundara, Natavara (Best Dancer), Muralidhara (Holder of the Flute) and Tribhanga (Triple-bending), is not a mental concoction but is transcendental, and is visible with the eye of the soul of the devotee under trance. Bs5.39 TEXT 39 ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan nanavataram akarod bhuvanesu kintu krsnah svayam samabhavat paramah puman yo govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami SYNONYMS rama-adi—the incarnation of Lord Rama, etc.; murtisu—in different forms; kala-niyamena—by the order of plenary portions; tisthan—existing; nana—various; avataram—incarnations; akarot—executed; bhuvanesu—within the worlds; kintu—but; krsnah—Lord Krsna; svayam—personally; samabhavat—appeared; paramah—the supreme; puman—person; yah—who; govindam—Govinda; adi-purusam—the original person; tam—Him; aham—I; bhajami—worship. TRANSLATION I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who manifested Himself personally as Krsna and the different avataras in the world in the forms of Rama, Nrsimha, Vamana, etc., as His subjective portions. PURPORT His subjective portions as the avataras, viz., Rama, etc., appear from Vaikuntha and His own form Krsna manifests Himself with Vraja in this world, from Goloka. The underlying sense is that Krsna Caitanya, identical with Krsna Himself, also brings about by His appearance the direct manifestation of Godhead Himself. Bs5.40 TEXT 40 yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti- kotisv asesa-vasudhadi vibhuti-bhinnam tad brahma niskalam anantam asesa-bhutam govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami SYNONYMS yasya—of whom; prabha—the effulgence; prabhavatah—of one who excels in power; jagat-anda—of universes; koti-kotisu—in millions and millions; asesa—unlimited; vasudha-adi—with planets and other manifestations; vibhuti—with opulences; bhinnam—becoming variegated; tat—that; brahma—Brahman; niskalam—without parts; anantam—unlimited; asesa-bhutam—being complete; govindam—Govinda; adi-purusam—the original person; tam—Him; aham—I; bhajami—worship. TRANSLATION I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, whose effulgence is the source of the nondifferentiated Brahman mentioned in the Upanisads, being differentiated from the infinity of glories of the mundane universe appears as the indivisible, infinite, limitless, truth. PURPORT The mundane universe created by Maya is one of the infinite external manifestations accommodating space, time and gross things. The impersonal aspect of Godhead, the nondifferentiated Brahman, is far above this principle of mundane creation. But even the nondifferentiated Brahman is only the external effulgence emanating from the boundary wall of the transcendental realm of Vaikuntha displaying the triquadrantal glory of Govinda. The nondifferentiated Brahman is indivisible, hence is also one without a second, and is the infinite, and residual entity. Bs5.41 TEXT 41 maya hi yasya jagad-anda-satani sute traigunya-tad-visaya-veda-vitayamana sattvavalambi-para-sattvam visuddha-sattvam- govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami SYNONYMS maya—the external potency; hi—indeed; yasya—of whom; jagat-anda—of universes; satani—hundreds; sute—brings forth; trai-gunya—embodying the threefold mundane qualities; tat—of that; visaya—the subject matter; veda—the Vedic knowledge; vitayamana—diffusing; sattva-avalambi—the support of all existence; para-sattvam—the ultimate entity; visuddha-sattvam—the absolute substantive principle; govindam—Govinda; adi-purusam—the original person; tam—Him; aham—I; bhajami—worship. TRANSLATION I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is the absolute substantive principle being the ultimate entity in the form of the support of all existence whose external potency embodies the threefold mundane qualities, viz., sattva, rajas, and tamas and diffuses the Vedic knowledge regarding the mundane world. PURPORT The active mundane quality of rajas brings forth or generates all mundane entities. The quality of sattva (mundane manifestive principle) in conjunction with rajas stands for the maintenance of the existence of entities that are so produced, and the quality of tamas represents the principle of destruction. The substantive principle, which is mixed with the threefold mundane qualities, is mundane, while the unmixed substance is transcendental. The quality of eternal existence is the principle of absolute entity. The person whose proper form abides in that essence, is alone unalloyed entity. nonmundane, supermundane and free from all mundane quality. He is cognitive bliss. It is the deluding energy who has elaborated the regulative knowledge (Vedas) bearing on the threefold mundane quality. Bs5.42 TEXT 42 ananda-cinmaya-rasatmataya manahsu yah praninam pratiphalan smaratam upetya lilayitena bhuvanani jayaty ajasram- govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami SYNONYMS ananda—blissful; cit-maya—cognitive; rasa—of rasa; atmataya—due to being the entity; manahsu—in the minds; yah—He who; praninam—of living entities; pratiphalan—being reflected; smaratam upetya—recollecting; lilayitena—by pastimes; bhuvanani—the mundane world; jayati—triumphantly dominates; ajasram—ever; govindam—Govinda; adi-purusam—the original person; tam—Him; aham—I; bhajami—worship. TRANSLATION I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, whose glory ever triumphantly dominates the mundane world by the activity of His own pastimes, being reflected in the mind of recollecting souls as the transcendental entity of ever-blissful cognitive rasa. PURPORT Those who constantly recollect in accordance with spiritual instructions the name, figure, attributes and pastimes of the form of Krsna appearing in the amorous rasa, whose loveliness vanquishes the god of mundane love, conqueror of all mundane hearts, are alone meditators of Krsna. Krsna, who is full of pastimes, always manifests Himself with His realm only in the pure receptive cognition of such persons. The pastimes of that manifested divine realm triumphantly dominates in every way all the majesty and beauty of the mundane world. Bs5.43 TEXT 43 goloka-namni nija-dhamni tale ca tasya devi mahesa-hari-dhamasu tesu tesu te te prabhava-nicaya vihitas ca yena govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami SYNONYMS goloka-namni—in the planet known as Goloka Vrndavana; nija-dhamni—the personal abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tale—in the part underneath; ca—also; tasya—of that; devi—of the goddess Durga; mahesa—of Lord Siva; hari—of Narayana; dhamasu—in the planets; tesu tesu—in each of them; te te—those respective; prabhava-nicayah—opulences; vihitah—established; ca—also; yena—by whom; govindam—Govinda; adi-purusam—the original person; tam—Him; aham—I; bhajami—worship. TRANSLATION Lowest of all is located Devi-dhama [mundane world], next above it is Mahesa-dhama [abode of Mahesa]; above Mahesa-dhama is placed Hari-dhama [abode of Hari] and above them all is located Krsna’s own realm named Goloka. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, who has allotted their respective authorities to the rulers of those graded realms. PURPORT The realm of Goloka stands highest above all others. Brahma looking up to the higher position of Goloka is speaking of the other realms from the point of view of his own realm: the first in order is this mundane world called Devi-dhama consisting of the fourteen worlds, viz., Satyaloka, etc.; next above Devi-dhama is located Siva-dhama one portion of which, called Mahakala-dhama, is enveloped in darkness; interpenetrating this portion of Siva-dhama there shines the Sadasivaloka, full of great light. Above the same appears Hari-dhama or the transcendental Vaikunthaloka. The potency of Devi-dhama, in the form of the extension of Maya, and that of Sivaloka, consisting of time, space and matter, are the potency of the separated particles pervaded by the penumbral reflection of the subjective portion of the Divinity. But Hari-dhama is ever resplendent with transcendental majesty and the great splendor of all-sweetness predominates over all other majesties in Goloka. The Supreme Lord Govinda by his own direct and indirect power has constituted those respective potencies of those realms. Bs5.44 TEXT 44 srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktir eka chayeva yasya bhuvanani bibharti durga icchanurupam api yasya ca cestate sa govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami SYNONYMS srsti—creation; sthiti—preservation; pralaya—and destruction; sadhana—the agency; saktih—potency; eka—one; chaya—the shadow; iva—like; yasya—of whom; bhuvanani—the mundane world; bibharti—maintains; durga—Durga; iccha—the will; anurupam—in accordance with; api—certainly; yasya—of whom; ca—and; cestate—conducts herself; sa—she; govindam—Govinda; adi-purusam—the original person; tam—Him; aham—I; bhajami—worship. TRANSLATION The external potency Maya who is of the nature of the shadow of the cit potency, is worshiped by all people as Durga, the creating, preserving and destroying agency of this mundane world. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda in accordance with whose will Durga conducts herself. PURPORT (The aforesaid presiding deity of Devi-dhama is being described.) The world, in which Brahma takes his stand and hymns the Lord of Goloka, is Devi-dhama consisting of the fourteen worlds and Durga is its presiding deity. She is ten-armed, representing the tenfold fruitive activities. She rides on the lion, representing her heroic prowess. She tramples down Mahisasura, representing the subduer of vices. She is the mother of two sons, Karttikeya and Ganesa, representing beauty and success. She is placed between Laksmi and Sarasvati, representing mundane opulence and mundane knowledge. She is armed with the twenty weapons, representing the various pious activities enjoined by the Vedas for suppression of vices. She holds the snake, representing the beauty of destructive time. Such is Durga possessing all these manifold forms. Durga is possessed of durga, which means a prison house. When jivas begotten of the marginal potency (tatastha sakti) forget the service of Krsna they are confined in the mundane prison house, the citadel of Durga. The wheel of karma is the instrument of punishment at this place. The work of purifying these penalized jivas is the duty devolved upon Durga. She is incessantly engaged in discharging the same by the will of Govinda. When, luckily. the forgetfulness of Govinda on the part of imprisoned jivas is remarked by them by coming in contact with self-realized souls and their natural aptitude for the loving service of Krsna is aroused, Durga herself then becomes the agency of their deliverance by the will of Govinda. So it behooves everybody to obtain the guileless grace of Durga, the mistress of this prison house, by propitiating her with the selfless service of Krsna. The boons received from Durga in the shape of wealth, property, recovery from illness, of wife and sons, should be realized as the deluding kindness of Durga. The mundane psychical jubilations of dasa-maha-vidya, the ten goddesses or forms of Durga, are elaborated for the delusion of the fettered souls of this world. Jiva is a spiritual atomic part of Krsna. When he forgets his service of Krsna he is at once deflected by the attracting power of Maya in this world, who throws him into the whirlpool of mundane fruitive activity (karma) by confining him in a gross body constituted by the five material elements, their five attributes and eleven senses, resembling the garb of a prisoner. In this whirlpool jiva has experience of happiness and miseries, heaven and hell. Besides this, there is a subtle body. consisting of the mind, intelligence and ego, inside the gross body. By means of the subtle body. the jiva forsakes one gross body and takes recourse to another. The jiva cannot get rid of the subtle body. full of nescience and evil desires, unless and until he is liberated. On getting rid of the subtle body he bathes in the Viraja and goes up to Hari-dhama. Such are the duties performed by Durga in accordance with the will of Govinda. In the Bhagavata sloka, vilajyamanaya… durdhiyah—the relationship between Durga and the conditioned souls has been described. Durga, worshiped by the people of this mundane world, is the Durga described above. But the spiritual Durga, mentioned in the mantra which is the outer covering of the spiritual realm of the Supreme Lord, is the eternal maidservant of Krsna and is, therefore, the transcendental reality whose shadow, the Durga of this world, functions in this mundane world as her maidservant. (Vide the purport of sloka 3.) Bs5.45 TEXT 45 ksiram yatha dadhi vikara-visesa-yogat sanjayate na hi tatah prthag asti hetoh yah sambhutam api tatha samupaiti karyad govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami SYNONYMS ksiram—milk; yatha—as; dadhi—yogurt; vikara-visesa—of a special transformation; yogat—by the application; sanjayate—is transformed into; na—not; hi—indeed; tatah—from the milk; prthak—separated; asti—is; hetoh—which is the cause; yah—who; sambhutam—the nature of Lord Siva; api—also; tatha—thus; samupaiti—accepts; karyat—for the matter of some particular business; govindam—Govinda; adi-purusam—the original person; tam—Him; aham—I; bhajami—worship. TRANSLATION Just as milk is transformed into curd by the action of acids, but yet the effect curd is neither same as, nor different from, its cause, viz., milk, so I adore the primeval Lord Govinda of whom the state of Sambhu is a transformation for the performance of the work of destruction. PURPORT (The real nature of Sambhu, the presiding deity of Mahesa-dhama, is described.) Sambhu is not a second Godhead other than Krsna. Those, who entertain such discriminating sentiment, commit a great offense against the Supreme Lord. The supremacy of Sambhu is subservient to that of Govinda; hence they are not really different from each other. The nondistinction is established by the fact that just as milk treated with acid turns into curd so Godhead becomes a subservient when He Himself attains a distinct personality by the addition of a particular element of adulteration. This personality has no independent initiative. The said adulterating principle is constituted of a combination of the stupefying quality of the deluding energy, the quality of nonplenitude of the marginal potency and a slight degree of the ecstatic-cum-cognitive principle of the plenary spiritual potency. This specifically adulterated reflection of the principle of the subjective portion of the Divinity is Sadasiva, in the form of the effulgent masculine-symbol-god Sambhu from whom Rudradeva is manifested. In the work of mundane creation as the material cause, in the work of preservation by the destruction of sundry asuras and in the work of destruction to conduct the whole operation, Govinda manifests Himself as guna-avatara in the form of Sambhu who is the separated portion of Govinda imbued with the principle of His subjective plenary portion. The personality of the destructive principle in the form of time has been identified with that of Sambhu by scriptural evidences that have been adduced in the commentary. The purport of the Bhagavata slokas, viz., vaisnavanam yatha sambhuh, etc., is that Sambhu, in pursuance of the will of Govinda, works in union with his consort Durgadevi by his own time energy. He teaches pious duties (dharma) as stepping-stones to the attainment of spiritual service in the various tantra-sastras, etc., suitable for jivas in different grades of the conditional existence. In obedience to the will of Govinda, Sambhu maintains and fosters the religion of pure devotion by preaching the cult of illusionism (Mayavada) and the speculative agama-sastras. The fifty attributes of individual souls are manifest in a far vaster measure in Sambhu and five additional attributes not attainable by jivas are also partly found in him. So Sambhu cannot be called a jiva. He is the lord of jiva but yet partakes of the nature of a separated portion of Govinda. Bs5.46 TEXT 46 diparcir eva hi dasantaram abhyupetya dipayate vivrta-hetu-samana-dharma yas tadrg eva hi ca visnutaya vibhati govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami SYNONYMS dipa-arcih—the flame of a lamp; eva—as; hi—certainly; dasa-antaram—another lamp; abhyupetya—expanding; dipayate—illuminates; vivrta-hetu—with its expanded cause; samana-dharma—equally powerful; yah—who; tadrk—similarly; eva—indeed; hi—certainly; ca—also; visnutaya—by His expansion as Lord Visnu; vibhati—illuminates; govindam—Govinda; adi-purusam—the original person; tam—Him; aham—I; bhajami—worship. TRANSLATION The light of one candle being communicated to other candles, although it burns separately in them, is the same in its quality. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda who exhibits Himself equally in the same mobile manner in His various manifestations. PURPORT The presiding Deities of Hari-dhama, viz., Hari, Narayana, Visnu, etc., the subjective portions of Krsna, are being described. The majestic manifestation of Krsna is Narayana, Lord of Vaikuntha, whose subjective portion is Karanodakasayi Visnu, the prime cause, whose portion is Garbhodakasayi. Ksirodakasayi is again the subjective portion of Garbhodakasayi Visnu. The word “Visnu” indicates all-pervading, omnipresent and omniscient personality. In this sloka the activities of the subjective portions of the Divinity are enunciated by the specification of the nature of Ksirodakasayi Visnu. The personality of Visnu, the embodied form of the manifestive quality (sattva-guna) is quite distinct from that of Sambhu who is adulterated with mundane qualities. Visnu’s subjective personality is on a level with that of Govinda. Both consist of the unadulterated substantive principle. Visnu in the form of the manifest causal principle is identical with Govinda as regards quality. The manifestive quality (sattva-guna) that is found to exist in the triple mundane quality, is an adulterated entity. being alloyed with the qualities of mundane activity and inertia. Brahma is the dislocated portion of the Divinity. manifested in the principle of mundane action, endowed with the functional nature of His subjective portion; and Sambhu is the dislocated portion of the Divinity manifested in the principle of mundane inertia possessing similarly the functional nature of His subjective portion. The reason for their being dislocated portions is that the two principles of mundane action and inertia being altogether wanting in the spiritual essence any entities, that are manifested in them, are located at a great distance from the Divinity Himself or His facsimiles. Although the mundane manifestive quality is of the adulterated kind, Visnu, the manifestation of the Divinity in the mundane manifestive quality. makes His appearance in the unadulterated manifestive principle which is a constituent of the mundane manifestive quality. Hence Visnu is the full subjective portion and belongs to the category of the superior isvaras. He is the Lord of the deluding potency and not alloyed with her. Visnu is the agent of Govinda’s own subjective nature in the form of the prime cause. All the majestic attributes of Govinda, aggregating sixty in number, are fully present in His majestic manifestation, Narayana. Brahma and Siva are entities adulterated with mundane qualities. Though Visnu is also divine appearance in mundane quality (guna-avatara), still He is not adulterated. The appearance of Narayana in the form of Maha-Visnu, the appearance of Maha-Visnu in the form of Garbhodakasayi and the appearance of Visnu in the form of Ksirodakasayi, are examples of the ubiquitous function of the Divinity. Visnu is Godhead Himself, and the two other guna-avataras and all the other gods are entities possessing authority in subordination to Him. From the subjective majestic manifestation of the supreme self-luminous Govinda emanate Karanodakasayi, Garbhodakasayi, Ksirodakasayi and all other derivative subjective divine descents (avataras) such as Rama, etc., analogous to communicated light appearing in different candles, shining by the operation of the spiritual potency of Govinda. Bs5.47 TEXT 47 yah karanarnava-jale bhajati sma yoga- nidram ananta-jagad-anda-sa-roma-kupah adhara-saktim avalambya param sva-murtim govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami SYNONYMS yah—He who; karana-arnava—of the Causal Ocean; jale—in the water; bhajati—enjoys; sma—indeed; yoga-nidram—creative sleep; ananta—unlimited; jagat-anda—universes; sa—with; roma-kupah—the pores of His hair; adhara-saktim—the all-accommodating potency; avalambya—assuming; param—great; sva-murtim—own subjective form; govindam—Govinda; adi-purusam—the original person; tam—Him; aham—I; bhajami—worship. TRANSLATION I adore the primeval Lord Govinda who assuming His own great subjective form, who bears the name of Sesa, replete with the all-accommodating potency, and reposing in the Causal Ocean with the infinity of the world in the pores of His hair, enjoys creative sleep [yoga-nidra]. PURPORT (The subjective nature of Ananta who has the form of the couch of Maha-Visnu, is described.) Ananta, the same who is the infinite couch on which Maha-Visnu reposes, is a distinctive appearance of the Divinity bearing the name of Sesa, having the subjective nature of the servant of Krsna. Bs5.48 TEXT 48 yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya jivanti loma-vilaja jagad-anda-nathah visnur mahan sa iha yasya kala-viseso govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami SYNONYMS yasya—whose; eka—one; nisvasita—of breath; kalam—time; atha—thus; avalambya—taking shelter of; jivanti—live; loma-vila-jah—grown from the hair holes; jagat-anda-nathah—the masters of the universes (the Brahmas); visnuh mahan—the Supreme Lord Maha-Visnu; sah—that; iha—here; yasya—whose; kala-visesah—particular plenary portion or expansion; govindam—Govinda; adi-purusam—the original person; tam—Him; aham—I; bhajami—worship. TRANSLATION Brahma and other lords of the mundane worlds, appearing from the pores of hair of Maha-Visnu, remain alive as long as the duration of one exhalation of the latter [Maha-Visnu]. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda of whose subjective personality Maha-Visnu is the portion of portion. PURPORT The supreme majesty of the subjective nature of Visnu is shown here. Bs5.49 TEXT 49 bhasvan yathasma-sakalesu nijesu tejah sviyam kiyat prakatayaty api tadvad atra brahma ya esa jagad-anda-vidhana-karta govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami SYNONYMS bhasvan—the illuminating sun; yatha—as; asma-sakalesu—in various types of precious stones; nijesu—his own; tejah—brilliance; sviyam—his own; kiyat—to some extent; prakatayati—manifests; api—also; tadvat—similarly; atra—here; brahma—Lord Brahma; yah—who; esah—he; jagat-anda-vidhana-karta—the chief of the universe; govindam—Govinda; adi-purusam—the original person; tam—Him; aham—I; bhajami—worship. TRANSLATION I adore the primeval Lord Govinda from whom the separated subjective portion Brahma receives his power for the regulation of the mundane world, just as the sun manifests some portion of his own light in all the effulgent gems that bear the names of suryakanta, etc. PURPORT Brahma is two types: in certain kalpas when the potency of the Supreme Lord infuses Himself in an eligible jiva, the latter acts in the office of Brahma and creates the universe. In those kalpas when no eligible jiva is available, after the Brahma of the previous kalpa is liberated, Krsna, by the process of allotment of His own potency. creates the Brahma who has the nature of the avatara (descent) of the Divinity in the active mundane principle (rajo-guna). By principle Brahma is superior to ordinary jivas but is not the direct Divinity. The divine nature is present in a greater measure in Sambhu than in Brahma. The fundamental significance of the above is that the aggregate of fifty attributes, belonging to the jiva, are present in a fuller measure in Brahma who possesses, in a lesser degree, five more attributes which are not found in jivas. But in Sambhu both the fifty attributes of jivas as also the five additional attributes found in Brahma are present in even greater measure than in Brahma. Bs5.50 TEXT 50 yat-pada-pallava-yugam vinidhaya kumbha- dvandve pranama-samaye sa ganadhirajah vighnan vihantum alam asya jagat-trayasya govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami SYNONYMS yat—whose; pada-pallava—lotus feet; yugam—two; vinidhaya—having held; kumbha-dvandve—upon the pair of tumuli; pranama-samaye—at the time of offering obeisances; sah—he; gana-adhirajah—Ganesa; vighnan—obstacles; vihantum—to destroy; alam—capable; asya—of these; jagat-trayasya—three worlds; govindam—Govinda; adi-purusam—the original person; tam—Him; aham—I; bhajami—worship. TRANSLATION I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, whose lotus feet are always held by Ganesa upon the pair of tumuli protruding from his elephant head in order to obtain power for his function of destroying all the obstacles on the path of progress of the three worlds. PURPORT The power of destroying all obstacles to mundane prosperity has been delegated to Ganesa who is the object of worship to those who are eligible to worship him. He has obtained a rank among the five gods as Brahma possessing mundane quality. The self-same Ganesa is a god in possession of delegated power by infusion of the divine power. All his glory rests entirely on the grace of Govinda. Bs5.51 TEXT 51 agnir mahi gaganam ambu marud disas ca kalas tathatma-manasiti jagat-trayani yasmad bhavanti vibhavanti visanti yam ca govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami SYNONYMS agnih—fire; mahi—earth; gaganam—ether; ambu—water; marut—air; disah—directions; ca—also; kalah—time; tatha—as well as; atma—soul; manasi—and mind; iti—thus; jagat-trayani—the three worlds; yasmat—from whom; bhavanti—they originate; vibhavanti—they exist; visanti—they enter; yam—whom; ca—also; govindam—Govinda; adi-purusam—the original person; tam—Him; aham—I; bhajami—worship. TRANSLATION The three worlds are composed of the nine elements, viz., fire, earth, ether, water, air, direction, time, soul and mind. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda from whom they originate, in whom they exist and into whom they enter at the time of the universal cataclysm. PURPORT There is nothing in the three worlds save the five elements, ten quarters, time, jiva-soul, and the mental principle allied with the subtle body consisting of mind, intelligence and ego of conditioned souls. The elevationists (karmis) make their offerings in sacrifice in the fire. Conditioned souls know nothing beyond this perceptible world of nine elements. The jiva is the self-same soul whose ecstatic delight the joyless liberationists (jnanis) aspire after. Both the principles that are respectively depicted as atma and prakrti by the system of Sankhya are included in the above. In other words all the principles that have been enunciated by all the speculative philosophers (tattva-vadis) are included in these nine elements. Sri Govinda is the source of the appearance, continuance and subsidence of all these principles.