sign in sign up
<<
Home , Svayam Bhagavan

Chapter 2 - Çri Caitanya Mahäprabhu, the Supreme Personality of

Text 2.1-5 DD 7.11.15 • Third verse of 1st chapter will be described in this chapter: yad advaitaà brahmopaniñadi tad apy asya tanu-bhä ya ätmäntar-yämé puruña iti so ’syäàça-vibhavaù ñaò-aiçvaryaiù pür.o ya iha bhagavän sa svayam ayaà na caitanyät krñëäj jagati para-tattvaà param iha SYNONYMS yat—that which; advaitam—nondual; —the impersonal ; upaniñadi—in the Upaniñads; tat—that; api—certainly; asya— His; tanu-bhä—the effulgence of His transcendental body; yaù—who; ätmä—the Supersoul; antaù-yämé—indwelling ; puruñaù—supreme enjoyer; iti—thus; saù—He; asya—His; aàça-vibhavaù—plenary expansion; ñaö-aiçvaryaiù—with all six opulences; pür.a.—full; yaù— who; iha—here; bhagavän—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; saù— He; svayam—Himself; ayam—this; na—not; caitanyät—than Lord Caitanya; kåñëät—than Lord Kåñëa; jagati—in the world; para—higher; tattvam—truth; param—another; iha—here. TRANSLATION What the Upaniñads describe as the impersonal Brahman is but the effulgence of His body, and the Lord known as the Supersoul is but His localized plenary portion. Lord Caitanya is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kåñëa Himself, full with six opulences. He is the Absolute Truth, and no other truth is greater than or equal to Him. • Complete aspect of the Absolute Truth will be described to clear any doubt that is a person. But He has other features, energies to delineate this phenomena. • In this section we hear of Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s glories. • All such theories/philosophies, which pollute many people, are simply like crocodiles. Nature of the crocodiles is to bite and such philosophies are compared to crocodiles which bite or in other words there is no transcendental peace. Transcendental peace means there is no santustha - satisfaction. • SP explains that all other 5 philosophies are dangerous because they don’t propound the highest truth. Let’s try to understand this better. E.g. we are lining up in a queue and there are many different queues for different things. If we want to be in the correct line to get the best benefit we need to ensure we need to enquire which is the line for the correct one that suits you. But wouldn't it be better if there was only one queue where there was only one queue giving the best solution to your problem. Hence the other queues are very dangerous, because they can lead to the wrong line. • The six philosophies are outlined below: 1. Vaiśeṣika, propounded by Kaṇāda Ṛṣi, 2. Nyāya, propounded by Gautama Ṛṣi, 3. , or mysticism, propounded by Ṛṣi, 4. the philosophy of Sāṅkhya, propounded by Ṛṣi, 5. the philosophy of Karma-mīmāṁsā, propounded by Ṛṣi, and 6. the philosophy of Brahma-mīmāṁsā, or Vedānta, the ultimate conclusion of the Absolute Truth (janmādy asya yataḥ [SB 1.1.1]), propounded by Vedavyāsa. 1. Sāṅkhya. The central idea in this system is that a living being can become free from ignorance by understanding the twenty-four elements that constitute matter. (There are two types of Sāṅkhya philosophy—one theistic, the other atheistic.) 2. Yoga. In this system, mind is the cause of bondage and also the cause of salvation. By , one should control the mind and thus transcend matter. This system was propounded by the sage Patanjali. 3. Nyāya. This is a system of logic. It states that there are twelve knowables and four means of knowing. With their help one should understand and attain salvation. Nyāya was propounded by Gautama Muni. 4. Vaiśeṣika. This system was developed by a sage called Kaṇāda. He taught that there are nine elements and twenty-four qualities and that understanding these leads to self-realization. 5. Pūrva Mīmāṁsā. The gist of this system, taught by Jaimini, is that one attains perfection by performing sacrifices according to the Vedic injunctions. 6. Uttarā Mīmāṁsā. This system is more commonly known as Vedānta, which means “the supreme end of knowledge.” Its writings were compiled by Vedavyāsa, the of Jaimini. It has two branches. In one, devotion is the means to perfection. In the other, one realizes oneself by understanding the all-pervading, impersonal Absolute Truth. • In verse 2 the tongues of people are described as dry, desertlike. Only solace are following items: 1. Mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. 2. 3. dancing 4. devotees • Why the above are nice? Because they are the nectar which will nourish the dry tongues. • Tongues are used to having dry talks of various types from conferences, gossips etc. Even talks of liberation, brahman realisation etc cannot give any nectar. But the nectar of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and topics concerning will quench our thirst. • Devotees are compared to bees and swans. • In the 3rd verse of chapter 1 KDKG explains the true complete glories of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. KDKG explains further about this verse. • Verse 5 of chapter has following points: 1. describe Brahman 2. This description in Upanishads is impersonal 3. But this impersonal brahman is the effulgence 4. But there is a higher aspect of AT and that is super soul 5. This super soul is plenary portion 6. Both Caitanya Mahaprabhu and are same 7. Both have 6 opulence. 8. Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Krishna are AT. 9. Nothing higher than AT. • SP explains in deep this verse in text 5. Following are the points to note: 1. The Supreme Lord is to be known in 3 aspects totally: 1. Brahman 2. Paramatma 3. 2. Brahman can be analysed like a cloud in a distance in a smoky atmosphere where the mountain appears to be a cloud. But the closer we come we realise it is simply a mountain. 3. The sat feature of the Lord gives the realisation of brahman 4. The cit feature gives the the realisation of the paramatma 5. Ananda feature gives the feature of bhagavan. The other two features cannot give this feature in completeness. 6. Upanishads give the above information of the Lord but one must try to understand the above completely otherwise one will only take the brahman and want the position of liberation.

Text 2.6-9 DD 9.11.15 • KDKG will now explain about the position of Caitanya Mahaprabhu as Krishna, compared to all the other incarnations. He will describe this subject matter as predicate where as all other forms of the Lord as subject. • In text 6 brahman, paramatma and bhagavan are subjects but their descriptions, predicates, are effulgence, localised energy and personal form. • Just to understand this grammatical philosophy let’s try to understand a little deeper. Although KDKG will explain later but for the sake of understanding now we can explain. That man is fat. This is a sentence. In this sentence a fact that there is a man and the fact the man is fat are known. So we can understand out of many people one particular person is a man and that particular person more information is revealed that he is fat. So the predicate is that the man is FAT is known. In this section KDKG will reveal that out of all incarnations that Krishna is the origin of all other incarnations.

Text 2.10-21 DD 10.11.15 • KDKG explains that Krishna is the Supreme Lord and He is the source of Paramatma and the Brahman. Krishna Himself is Bhagavan. • The same Krishna is also Caitanya Mahaprabhu. • In verse 10 SP explains the three features of Bhagavan as follows: 1. As Bhagavan Krishna is noted as follows with this term: 1. Bha - sustainer, protector 2. Ga - Creator, pusher and leader 3. Va - within everything is dwelling 2. SP explains that such a simple satellite that floats in the sky has an intelligence behind it, men. Is it far fetched that there would be no intelligence behind the various planets, universes etc behind such creation? 3. Various other expansions of the Lord are simply for the material affairs, such a purusa . The paramatma is also within the material world only. The Paramatma is within every atom. SP gives the analogy of a fair which comes to town, the local government appoints one person to ensure all arrangements are made possible for the fair to happen nicely but as soon as the fair is gone from the town the officer is no longer needed. Similarly when the living entity goes back to the spiritual world the paramatma is not needed. 4. The brahman energy of the Lord is the resting place for all living entity when the material world is created, maintained and destroyed. In other words from this Brahman the material world is created. This was explained in chapter 1 text 53 purport. • In text 11 KDKG quotes the verse from SB 1.2.11 about the three aspects of the Lord, brahman, paramatma and bhagavan. SP states within the purport that one who has no concept of bhagavan feature of the Lord will be bewildered by the duality of knowledge. What this means that they will always have doubt of the AT as having a personal feature and therefore will regard two different things about that personality. SP states that the Lord is one and we are also different from Him but also same in quality. But in that sameness there is variegatedness. This is perfect science. • In text 12 quite interesting to note that in Mundaka Upanishads there is the description of the brahman. The description is so powerful of this light that one would think that this is the goal. • But KDKG refutes the above verse with a verse from BS 5.40 in text 14 about that effulgence coming from Krishna. • Text 17 tells us what type people practice to go to this effulgence. 1. Self controlled 2. Naked 3. Push semen upwards - Shows the power of semen 4. Complete neutrality. Such persons are very attractive being in a very neutral state. But such state is only attractive to those who don’t know the higher realms of PDS. • The subsequent verses that will follow will discuss about the paramatma. • In verse 18 SP states that the material affairs are created by the purusa avatars. • In text 19 the paramatma feature of the Lord is spoken more and SP comments the role of the paramatma: 1. Witness 2. Sanctioner • Another important point to note in text 19 that just as the sun appears to reflect upon many jewel so that they can shine. We individual souls also shine because the paramatma is within. Although the life is the soul but the soul has no existence without the supersoul. Just as the jewels have no meaning without the rays of the sunshine. The jewels wouldn't shine if there was no rays. We are not in existence without the supersoul. • In text 21 KDKG quotes a verse from SB 1.9.42 where Bhisma was on the bed of arrows and was about to leave his body. When he saw Krishna there he was aware that this Krishna is none other than the paramatma and the brahmajyoti. Both these features are from Krishna. KDKG quotes Bisma because he is one of the great mahajans - mahajano yena gatah sa pantah - one should follow the instructions of great persons. To this same verse SP explains quite nicely about Krishna as a personality which is the same as the paramatma and the effulgence but at the same time different as the personal feature is very sweet. • Just imagine that the same sweet Krishna expands Himself into many different direct expansions or plenary portions and there are many portions of the plenary portions. Than He expands within the material world as purusa avataras. Such purusa avataras are expanding into countless forms according to the number of atoms. This is quite amazing.

Text 2.22-29 DD 15.11.15 • Now Caitanya Mahaprabhu as that same personality of Godhead is being described. • In text SP himself quotes from various scriptures of the identity of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. There is nothing hidden about Caitanya Mahaprabhu. ST had once tried to cover the sun with his hand and Caitanya Mahaprabhu was wondering about what he was trying to do. ST explains how can anyone actually try to hide your identity. • Text 25 it states that there has to be qualification to see the personality of Godhead. Just as if one wants to see the Sun God one needs a special type of body so by the practice of yoga one can have darshan of the Lord also. In material terms we all need qualifications to see VIP. No one can barge into the office of the President of USA, or the the home of a hollywood star etc. • Text 29 identifies Krishna and as same person but one has a different feature with two hands and the other with four hands. SP explains just a high court judge is the same person in the office and at the home but the garb maybe different in different places. A realisation came over me that there are many religions within this world and even within vaishnavaism we find many different ways to worship that same Krishna, God. If one simply worships that same God by love than one cannot argue that my method is better or your method is inferior etc. Each of the forms of the Lord for a practitioner that wants to approach to Lord are there to induce the practitioner to come close to Him. E.g. a school has many teachers each of the teachers has different roles to teach different grades of children. One teacher cannot say my role is better than your role each teacher has a role and each one has to teach so that the student passes. Whatever path of religion one takes they must try to understand that love of Krishna, God is the perfection.

Text 2.30-37 DD 16.11.15 • Lord Brahma tried to bewilder Krishna as described in SB 10th canto 13th and 14th chapters. Lord Brahma now explains who Krishna is. Following points are made by Lord Brahma with special points are noted what SP states within the purport: 1. From Your expansion of plenary expansion I was born from a lotus flower that sprouted from Your navel 2. So in fact You are my father and mother and therefore parents don’t take seriously what their child does. Lord Brahma tells please don’t take my offence seriously. 3. Krishna states I’m just a little cowherd boy but Lord Brahma states from You everything emanates. 4. SP states that the jivatmas all expand from Lord Sankarsna. 5. In text 37 Lord Brahma explains about that all ingredients are coming from You. Just as from earth all pots are made. So all the ingredients of all bodies (8 elements) are from You only. SP states that Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s philosophy is that we are all one and different. Therefore we have the ability to choose. • Even Lord Brahma advises all of us that Krishna is the supreme Lord. Krishna creates incredible pastimes to make us understand His sweetness and at the same time His greatness.

Text 2.38-62 DD 17.11.15 • Here we find the aspect of Narayana where Krishna is the origin of Him. Following points are made from the text as well as from the purports: 1. From Narayana come the purusa avatars Karana, Garbho, Ksiro 2. From Karana He is the super soul of universes 3. From Garbho He is the super soul of collected souls 4. From Ksiro He is the super soul of all individual souls. 5. The above purusa avataras are having affection for material nature or . These three features are in 3rd dimension and Krishna is in fourth dimension because He is beyond anything within the material world. Whereas These features are only manifested within the material nature. 6. Nara means living entities and ayana means refuge of all living entities.

Text 2.63-88 DD 18.11.15 • KDKG becomes very emphatic in his argument to establish Krishna as the original Supreme Personality of Godhead - . svayam means Himself. Bhagavan means who possesses all the opulence. It was mentioned before what bha, ga, van means: - bha - means sustainer, protector - ga - means leader, pusher, creator - van - dwelling, all living entities dwell within the Lord • KDKG starts the argument with the verse from SB 1.2.11: vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaà yaj jïänam advayam brahmeti paramätmeti bhagavän iti çabdyate Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramätmä or Bhagavän. • Now KDKG accepts this statement together with all other great transcendentalists. From this we understand that there is a personality of Godhead. • Now many argue that Narayan is the Supreme. Therefore Suta Giswami had to establish Krishna the Supreme so in SB 1.3.28 ate camsa kala….therefore he states this verse. • From this verse we understand that Krishna is the origin of all incarnations. Following terms are worth noting: • amsa - direct expansion • kala amsa - expansion of the expansion • vibhinamsa - jivatma • swamsa - tattvas • It is quite important to note that from the original many other expansions can be created as sub expansions. From Krishna we have . From Balarama we have , , Anirudha and Sankarsna. Then we have Narayan who come form the last four and from Narayan many other expansions. From Narayan comes the purusa avatars and Maha Vishnu. Maha Vishnu then glances into the the mahatattva and the living entities are generated and from Garbodaksayi Vishnu we have Lord Brahma and together with many other living entities. • In text 74 KDKG states something which is common sense grammar. If someone were to argue that Narayan is the Supreme and Krishna is an expansion of Narayan then KDKG explains with this verse that one should not make a predicate without knowing completely the subject. KDKG gave the example of a vipra is erudite. We know that there is a vipra. But we don’t know that he is erudite. Therefore no point making the point that someone is a erudite if one doesn't know who that erudite person is. Therefore here we mention that one should know the subject very well. So going back to the statement of someone who states that Narayan is the original personality of Godhead but how can they make that statement without proper foundation. We can make that statement as it is stated in SB. • KDKG explains to the end of this section that Krishna is the original personality of Godhead. • KDKG emphasises that we should not make our own conclusions as our own ability has the tendency of following errors: 1. bhrama - mistakes 2. pramada - illusion, or not knowing what is reality. 3. vipralipsa - cheating 4. karanavatapa - imperfect senses. • We should follow the instructions of great personalities.

Text 2.89-100 DD 23.11.15 • In this section we find that KDKG gives details of Krishna’s energies. S.B 2.10.1: The 10 subjects of Srimad Bhagavatam. 9 subjects called asrita (dependents requiring shelter). 10th subject called asraya (object providing shelter). Canto1: Sarga (creation by Visnu, material elements, universal form, senses, 24 elements) Canto2: Visarga (the work of Lord Brahma) Canto3: Stana (the maintainance by Lord Visnu) Canto4: Pasana (protection of the devotees) Canto5: Uti (the urge for creation, according to the necessities of time, space and objects). Canto6: (the regulative principles for living beings. The rules of Manu). Canto7: Isanukatha (scriptural information regarding the Personality of Godhead) Canto8: Nirodha (the winding up of all energies employed in creation). Canto9: Mukti (liberation of the conditioned souls encaged by the gross and subtle body and mind). Canto10: Asraya (Lord Krsna, the Transcendence, the summum bonum, from whom everything emanates, upon whom everything rests and in whom everything merges after annihilation). Çrémad-Bhägavatam accepts Çré Kåñëa as the shelter of all manifestations because Lord Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the ultimate source of everything, the supreme goal of all. • There are four principle features of AT 1. Personality -> Sun Globe 2. Effulgence -> Rays 3. Energies like the living entities -> Rays within the sun globe (spiritual) 4. Creator, cause of all causes -> Rays on the objects • Then there are three primary energies of the Lord: 1. Internal 2. Marginal 3. External • SP makes it clear that such information of the details of the Lord are no longer in illusion but have clear understanding therefore cannot be on the path of speculation Text 96. • In text 97 there are 6 primary expansions of Krishna. These expansions have different reasons for their expansions either due to Krishna wanting to perform a pastime, executing a purpose etc. Some of these expansions have full potency or partial potency. Some are completely identical to His original feature and some are completely different to Him. • Krishna in His original rupa is in the adolescent form. • In text 100 SP explains in a clear way the features of Krishna in 6 different ways: 1. Prabhava - fully potent 2. Vaibhava - relation to excellences 3. Saktya-avesa - empowered 4. amsevesa - partial 5. balya - childhood 6. kishora - adolescent

Text 2.101-121 DD 25.11.15 • In these last verses KDKG points the truth towards Caitanya Mahaprabhu. • KDKG points out that there is no need to argue with those who have no knowledge from scriptures about who is Supreme. The truth is pointed out straight forward. • AA called to Krishna in the form of Ksirodaksayi Vishnu • SP makes a lengthy purport to text 117: 1. Hearing from a bonafide guru is essential 2. Hearing and Chanting is essential 3. Being enthusiastic and determined in the effort is essential 4. Following in the footsteps of great and not imitate is essential 5. If you call Krishna with any other name that is acceptable as all names are from Krishna and if you call out Krishna than all other names are within Krishna. So both are acceptable. 6. Transformation of the heart is most essential and not externals like false tears.

ACRONYMS G - GLORIES OF CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU, offerings of obeisances and gratitude by KDKG. Texts 1-4 O - OUTSTANDING - Krishna and Caitanya Mahaprabhu outshine as the origin of all Godhead. The features of Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan. SP gives many verses from the various parts of the to prove such statements. Krishna and Caitanya Mahaprabhu are complete with these features as AT. Evidence is given of Caitanya Mahaprabhu being Krishna. Proof Krishna is Supreme by Lord Brahma. Texts 5-62 D - DECLARATION OF TRUTH. Quoting evidence from SB that Krishna is the original personality. Absolute Truth is know in three features. Text 63-67 H - HEAD AND HEEL ABOVE OTHERS - Exclamation of Krishna the original personality. Suta states this. KDKG proves this statement. Important point to note in this section the meaning of , incarnation.Text 68-100. E - ENERGIES - internal, external and marginal - Text 101-104 A - ADI PURUSA - original Godhead - 105 - 107 D - DECISION MADE - All pointing towards Krishna who is none other than Caitanya Mahaprabhu. 108 - 121