Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Sri Jaiva-dharma
Volume Three
Table of Contents
Chapter Twelve - Nitya-dharma O Sadhana
Eternal Religion and Devotional Service in Practice
Chapter Thirteen - Nitya-dharma O Sambandhabhidheya-prayojana (Pramana-
vicara O Prameya Arambha)
Eternal Religion and Sambandha, Abhidheya, and Prayojana
(Evidence and Truth)
Chapter Fourteen - Nitya-dharma O Sambandhabhidheya-prayojana (Prameyantar-
gata Sakti-vicara)
Eternal Religion and Sambandha, Abhidheya and Prayojana (A Description of
the Lord's potencies)
Chapter Fifteen
Nitya-dharma O Sambandhabhidheya Prayojana (Prameyantargata jiva-vicara)
Eternal Religion and Sambandha, Abhidheya, and Prayojana
(The Individual Spirit Souls)
Chapter Sixteen
Nitya-dharma O Sambandhabhidheya Prayojana (Prameyantar-gata Maya-kavalita Jiva-vicara)
Eternal Religion and Sambandha, Abhidheya and Prayojana
(The Individual Souls Swallowed by Maya)
Chapter Seventeen
Nitya-dharma O Sambandhabhidheya Prayojana (Prameyantar-gata Maya-mukta-jiva-vicara)
Eternal Religion and Sambandha, Abhidheya, and Prayojana
(The Souls Free from Maya's Prison)
Chapter Twelve
Nitya-dharma O Sadhana
Eternal Religion and Devotional Service in Practice
Sri Navadvipa-mandala is the best of all holy places in the
world. It is a thirty-two mile eight petal lotus flower. The
whorl of that lotus flower is Sri Antardvipa. In the centre of
Antardvipa is Sri Mayapura. To the north of Sri Mayapura is Sri
Simantadvipa. In Simantadvipa is a temple of Sri Sinmanta-devi.
To the north of that temple is Bilva-puskarini, and to the south is
Brahmana-puskarini. The region that contains Bilva-puskarini and
the Brahmana-puskarini is called Sumuliya by the people in general.
Therefore the village of Sumuliya-grama is in the northern part of
Sri Navadvipa. At the time of Sri Mahaprabhu this place was the
home of many, many panditas. This village was the home of Saci-
devi's father, Sri Nilambara Cakravarti. Not far from his house
lived a vaidika brahmana named Vrajanatha Bhattacarya. By studying
in a school at Bilva-puskarini, in a few days he had attained great
learning in nyaya-sastra, learning that was like a shoreless ocean.
All the famous panditas of Bilva-puskarini, Brahmana-puskarini,
Mayapura, Godruma, Madhyadvipa, Amraghatta, Samudragar, Kuliya and
many other places also were embarrassed and frustrated by
Vrajanatha's skill in newer and newer logical arguments. In the
assemblies where the panditas were invited, Vrajanatha Pancanana
became like a lion attacking a herd of elephants. Raising newer
and newer arguments, he made the panditas burn with anger. Of
these panditas a very hard-hearted logician decided to kill
Pancanana by casting a spell from the Tantras. Day after day he
stayed in the cremation ground of Rudradvipa and chanted mantras to
kill his foe.
It was a frightening new-moon night. Blinding darkness filled
every direction. At midnight in the cremation ground Naiyika-
cudamani called out to his worshipable deity, "O mother only you
should be worshipped in the Kali-yuga! I have heard that you are
very easily pleased by even a little chanting of your mantras and
you easily grant boons. O mother with the terrifying face, your
servant has performed great austerities and chanted your mantra for
many days. Please be merciful this one time. O mother, I have
many faults. Still, you are my mother. Please forgive my faults
and appear before me. Again and again screaming, Tarka-cudamani
offered oblations into the fire and chanted a mantra with Nyaya-
pancanana's name. What wonderful power did that mantra possess!
At that moment the sky became covered with clouds. A powerful
wind blew. A deafening thunder sounded. Again and again there was
lightning. Many grotesque ghosts could be seen. Intoxicated by
drinking the sacrificial wine, Cudamani called out, "O mother,
please don't delay!" At that moment a voice spoke from the sky.
"Do not worry. Nyaya-pancanana will not continue as a logician for
many more days. In a few days he will renounce logical debates.
Then he will become silent. He will be your opponent no longer.
Be peaceful and go home." Hearing this voice from the sky,
Cudamani became happy. Again and again he offered dandavat
obeisances to Lord Siva, the author of the Tantras. Then he
returned home.
Vrajanatha Pancanana became a dig-vijayi pandita when he was
only twenty one years old. Day and night he studied the books of
Gangesopadhyaya. Seeing many faults in Kanabhatta Siromani's
commentary, he wrote his own. He never thought about material
affairs. Neither would he turn his ear to spiritual life. His
whole life was logic, filled with phrases like "ghata, pata and
avaccheda, vyavaccheda". Even when he was resting, sleeping,
eating or walking about, his heart was rapt in logic, thinking
about the nature of time, reality, solids, liquids and a host of
other things. One day at sunrise at the Ganges' shore, as he was
analysing the sixteen categories enunciated by Gautama Muni, a new
nyaya student asked, "O saintly Nyaya-pancanana, have you heard
Nimai Pandita's analysis of the atomic theory?" Nyaya-pancanana
roared like a lion, "Who is Nimai Pandita? Do you speak of
Jaganatha Misra's son? What was His argument? Please tell me."
The new student said that some days before in Navadvipa there was a
great person named Nimai Pandita. He was very expert in
considering many different arguments of the nyaya-sastra. He
thoroughly embarrassed and defeated Kanabhatta Siromani. Nimai
Pandita had travelled to the father shore of the ocean of the nyaya-
sastras. Even though He was so learned, in the end He considered
the nyaya-sastras to be insignificant. He came to consider all
material knowledge unimportant. He became a sannyasi and travelled
from place to place preaching the chanting of Lord Hari's holy
names. The Vaisnavas say He was the Supreme Personality of Godhead
Himself, and they worship Him by chanting the "Gaura-Hari" mantra.
O saintly Nyaya-pancanana, please take a look at His logical
arguments." After hearing this praise of Nimai Pandita's logical
arguments, Pancanana began to collect some of those famous
arguments. It is the nature of a man that when he is very
interested in a certain subject, he will honour the great teachers
of that subject. Also. people tend not to honour great men while
they are alive, but only after they are dead. Thus,, after
studying Nimai Pandita's logical arguments, Nyaya-pancanana held
Him in great esteem. He would say, "O Nimai Pandita, if only I had
been born during Your time! Then I could have been Your student!
Then I could have attained great learning! O Nimai Pandita, please
just once enter my heart! You are in truth the Supreme Brahman. If
this were not so, then how could these wonderful logical arguments
have entered Your intelligence? You are in truth Lord Hari with a
fair complexion. How can this not be? You created the most
wonderful logical arguments. You destroyed the blinding darkness
of ignorance. Now is especially the time of blinding ignorance.
You are fair and effulgent. You throw the darkness of ignorance
far away. You are Lord Hari Himself. How can this not be? You
enchanted the minds of the entire world. With Your logical
arguments You have certainly enchanted my mind." Again and again
speaking words like these, Vrajanatha became like a madman. He
called out, "O Nimai Pandita! O Gaura-Hari! Please be merciful to
me!" He called out, "When will I be able to make logical arguments
like Yours? Please be merciful to me, so I can become a most
powerful scholar of the nyaya-sastra!"
Vrajanatha thought, "The worshippers of Gaura-Hari must be
attracted to Him as I am, because of His great skill in logic. I
must see if they have any books about logic written by Him.
Thinking in this way, Vrajanatha decided to associate with the
devotees of Lord Gauranga.
Thus Vrajanatha again and again loudly chanted "Nimai Pandita!
Gaura-Hari!" and many other holy names of the Lord. He also
desired to associate with the devotees of Lord Gaura. These two
acts brought him great spiritual merit just on the verge of bearing
fruit. One day, as he was taking his meal, he asked his paternal
grandmother, "O saintly grandmother, did you ever see Gaura-Hari?
When she heard the name of Lord Gauranga, Vrajanatha's grandmother
began to think of her childhood. She said, "Ah, will the charming
form of Gauranga ever again come before my eyes? Who can remain a
materialists after seeing Him? When He chanted the holy names of
Lord Hari, even the animals, birds, trees and vines all became
stunned, overcome with spiritual love. When I think of Him, tears
from my eyes stream over my chest." Vrajanatha asked, "O saintly
grandmother, do you know any stories about Him?" The grandmother
replied, "Yes. When He came to His maternal uncle's house with
Mother Saci, the elderly women of our family serve Him the
vegetable saka. Praising the saka, He happily ate it. O
Vrajanatha, when His mother brought the plate of saka, he said,
"Saka is the favourite of the logician Nimai Pandita", and he ate
it with great relish. No one can describe how much Vrajanatha, who
was completely uninterested in spiritual life, became attached to
Nimai Pandita because of Nimai's great learning in logic. He took
a fancy to Nimai. When he heard Nimai's name he became happy.
When he gave alms to a beggar, he always said "Jaya Sacinandana!"
he would visit the pandita babajis of Sri Mayapura, listen to them
chant the holy names of Lord Gauranga, and ask them many questions
about the Lord's victories in learned debate. In this way two or
four months passed. Vrajanatha was now a changed man. Previously
it was only the descriptions of Nimai's learning in logic that
pleased him. Now any talk about Nimai pleased him. Now he was no
longer interested in logic. The logician Nimai no longer lived in
his heart. Now it was the devotee Nimai who lived there. When he
heard the sounds of khola and karatalas, his heart danced. When he
saw the pure devotees, he bowed down before them in his mind.
Declaring that it was the birthplace of Lord Gauranga, he
worshipped the land of Navadvipa. Vrajanatha was now polite and
gentle. His opponents in the debating arena could see that his
heart had become calm and cool. No longer was he eager to shower
them with arrows of logical arguments. Nyaya-cudamani thought his
worshipable deity had made Vrajanatha powerless. Now he felt safe.
One day, in a secluded place, Vrajanatha said to himself, "If
Nimai could abandon the path of logic and turn to the path of
devotion, then what is the harm we do the same? When I was
obsessed with logic, I could not hear the name of Nimai with
attention and devotion. Then the nyaya-sastra had me in its grip.
Then I ignored eating, sleeping, and everything else. Now I look
at the world with different eyes. The arguments of the nyaya-
sastra no longer enters my mind. Now only the name Gauranga enters
my minds. Now when I see the Vaisnavas dancing I think how
beautiful the dancing is. But I am born in an exalted vaidika
brahmana dynasty. My dynasty is honoured in society. The
Vaisnavas are very respectable people. Still, it is not good that
I join them. I worship Lord Gaura only within my thoughts. That
is the only proper way for me to act. There are many Vaisnavas at
Sri Mayapura, at the place where the Kazi broke the drums and at
the place where there are many sannyasis. When I see how their
faces are effulgent, I become happy at heart. Among them Sri
Raghunatha dasa babaji greatly attracts my mind. I think I should
study the bhakti-sastras under his guidance. In the Vedas it is
said (Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad 4.5.6):
"One should always gaze upon, hear about, think of, and
meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
Although the word "mantavyah" (one should think about Him)
here certainly refers to the nyaya-sastras, where by logical
analysis one gradually attains knowledge of the Supreme, I have
already spent a long time studying logic. Now I think it is right
for me to do a little more "srotavyah" (hearing about the Supreme).
For a long time logic was my life and soul. Now I desire to take
shelter of Lord Gaura-Hari's feet. A little after sunset I will go
to see Sri Raghunatha dasa babaji. I think that is the best thing
to do."
The day was ended. The sun was almost invisible. A very
gentle breeze blew from the south. In every direction the birds
had gone to their nests. One by one the stars were visible in the
sky. At that time the Vaisnavas had begun the arati and kirtana in
the courtyard of Srivasa's home in Sri Mayapura. Vrajanatha then
slowly entered and sat down under the bakula tree in the place in
Srivasa's courtyard where the khola was broken. As he listened to
the chanting in the arati of Lord Gaura-Hari, his heart became
softened. When the kirtana ended, one by one the Vaisnavas came
and sat under the bakula tree also. When, proclaiming "Jaya
Sacinanandana!, Jaya Rupa-Sanatana! and Jaya Dasa Gosvami!",
elderly Raghunatha dasa Babaji Mahasaya also entered the courtyard,
all the elder Vaisnavas greeted him with dandavat obeisances. In
that situation Vrajanatha could not avoid also bowing down before
him. Seeing the effulgence of Vrajanatha's face, the elderly
babaji embraced him and sat down beside him. He asked, "Baba, who
are you?" Vrajanatha replied, "I am a person who thirsts for the
truth. I have decided to learn the truth from you. A Vaisnava
sitting nearby knew who Vrajanatha was. He said, "He is Vrajanatha
Nyaya-pancanana. In understanding nyaya-sastra no pandita in Sri
Navadvipa is his equal. Nowadays he has attained a little faith in
Lord Sacinanandana. Thus hearing the glories of Vrajanatha, the
elderly babaji politely said, "Baba, you are a pandita, and we are
poor fools. You reside in the holy abode of our Lord
Sacinanandana. It is you who should be merciful to us. How can we
teach you? It is you who should mercifully tell us about Lord
Gauranga, and thus makes us cool and peaceful." As the two of them
conversed, all the Vaisnavas gradually left to fulfil their various
duties. Only the old babaji and Vrajanatha remained.
Vrajanatha said, "O saintly babaji, I was born as a brahmana.
Therefore I am very proud of my learning. I am so proud that I see
the entire world as my possession. I do not know that I should
honour saintly persons. How did I become fortunate, that I now
have some faith in your saintly character and actions? How can I
know that? I wish to ask one or two questions. Please answer
them. I do not come to mock or trick you. Please tell me: What is
the true goal of life and how may the spirit soul attain it? When
I studied nyaya-sastra I came to the firm conclusion that the
Supreme Lord and the individual spirit soul are different
eternally. It is only by the mercy of the Supreme Lord that the
individual spirit soul can attain liberation. The Supreme Lord's
mercy is then the means by which one attains liberation. By that
means, then, one attains the goal of life. Many times I asked the
nyaya-sastra., 'What is the true goal of life and how may the
spirit soul attain it?', but the nyaya-sastra gave me no answers.
I was always thwarted. Please tell me your idea of what is the
goal of life and the way to attain it."
Sri Raghunatha dasa babaji was very wise. For many days he
had lived at Radha-kunda, where he took shelter of Sri Raghunatha
dasa Gosvami's feet. There he spent every afternoon listening to
Lord Gaura's pastimes from Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami's own mouth.
Many times Sri Raghunatha dasa Babaji and Sri Krsnadasa Kaviraja
would discuss the spiritual truth, and if any doubt arose among
them, they would ask Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami to give the
answer. At that time Sri Raghunatha dasa Babaji was the most
prominent of the pandita babajis. Many times he and Prema dasa,
the paramahamsa babaji of Sri Godruma, would discuss the nature of
pure spiritual love for the Lord. Happy to hear Vrajanatha's
question, he replied, "O saintly Nyaya-pancanana, a person who
after studying the nyaya-sastra is eager to understand the true
goal of life and the way to attain it is very fortunate in this
world. Why should he not be considered fortunate? Nyaya-sastra is
an attempt to understand what is the most important thing.
Scholars who understand that grasp the truth of the nyaya-sastra.
However, they who study nyaya-sastra only to attain skill in debate
do not repeat the true fruit of nyaya. Their labour is all for
nothing. Their lives are wasted. What is attained when one
follows the path that leads to the truth is called the true goal of
life. The method one adopts to attain that goal is the way of
attaining the true goal of life. According to their different
qualifications, the individual souls trapped in the material world
have differing conceptions of what is the true goal of life.
Still, the true goal of life is only one. It is not two.
According to their different qualifications, the spirit souls
proclaim three different goals of life. They are: 1. bhukti
(material sense gratification), 2. mukti (impersonal liberation),
and 3. bhakti (devotional service). They who yearn for material
pleasures and are bound by ropes of material karma affix that
bhukti is the true goal of life. The scriptures are a kamadhenu
cow that fulfils all desires. Whatever one desires, there is a
description somewhere in the scriptures of how to attain it. For
they who desire material pleasures, the scriptures give the karma-
kanda section of the Vedas. The residents of the material world
generally yearn for material pleasures, so the scriptures gives
certain specific instructions to them. They who have material
bodies generally think sense pleasures are the best and most
important attainment. The material world is, after all, the abode
of material sense pleasures. The material sense pleasures the soul
attains from the time of birth until the time of death are called
'pleasures this world', and the material sense pleasures one may
attain after dying are called 'pleasures of the next world'. There
are many different kinds of pleasure in the next world. In
Svargaloka and Indraloka there are the pleasures of seeing the
apsaras' dancing, the pleasure of drinking heavenly nectar,
smelling the flowers and other scented objects in the Nandana
gardens, seeing the beauty of Indrapuri and the Nandana gardens,
hearing the singing of the gandharvas and others, and living with
the Vidyadharis are all pleasures attainable in Svargaloka. To a
lesser degree these same kinds of material sense pleasure are also
available in Tapoloka and Maharloka. In Bhuloka (the earth) the
material sense pleasures are gross. As one goes to higher and
higher planets, the sense pleasures become more and more subtle.
In this way they are different. Still, they are all material sense
pleasure. It is not that any of them are not material sense
pleasures. None of these planets are spiritual. The subtle body
of mind, intelligence and false ego is a perverted reflection of
spirit. In the higher planets the pleasures are pleasures of the
subtle body. All these different kinds of material pleasures are
called 'bhukti'. The conditioned souls trapped in the circle of
karma take shelter of karmic activities in order to attain material
sense pleasures. That is called their 'sadhana', the means they
adopt to attain what they see is the true goal of life. In the
Yajur Veda (2.5.5.) it is said:
"One who desires to attain Svargaloka should perform the
asvamedha-yajna."
Thus the asvamedha-yajna, agnistoma-yajna, visvadeva-bali,
istapurta, and darsa-paurnamasi are some of the ways the scriptures
give for the conditioned soul to attain material sense pleasures.
In this way the materialists say that material sense pleasure is
the true goal of life. Then there are other persons who, tortured
by the flames of trouble that must accompany life in the material
world, know that the fourteen material worlds filled with sense
pleasures are all unimportant and unworthy places, and therefore
yearn to escape the circle of karmic reactions. These persons
think that liberation is the true goal of life. They think that
material sense pleasures are the ropes that bind them to the
material world. Therefore they say, 'Let they whose desire for
material pleasures has not been destroyed follow the karma-kanda's
prescription for attaining sense pleasures. Nevertheless in the
Bhagavad-gita (9.21) it is said: ksine punye martya-lokam visanti
(When they have thus enjoyed heavenly sense pleasure, they return
to this mortal planet again. Thus, through the Vedic principles,
they achieve only flickering happiness*). In this sloka it is seen
that material sense pleasure is not eternal. At a certain point it
certainly wanes and perishes. It must perish. It is material. It
is not spiritual. One should therefore strive to attain a result
that is eternal. Liberation is eternal. Therefore liberation is
the true goal of life for all spirit souls. The fourteen practices
that begin with renunciation are the way to attain it. Therefore
they are the way of attaining the true goal of life. Therefore to
understand the true goal, of life and the way to attain, one should
study the jnana-kanda portion of the Vedas'. The scriptures are
like a kamadhenu cow in that the scriptures give different
attainments to different living entities according to their
different qualification. Even if a spirit soul attains impersonal
liberation, that liberation is not the final goal of life. The
highest stage of impersonal liberation is called 'nirvana', where
the individual souls imagine that they cease to exist. However,
the spirit souls exist eternally. That is their nature. Therefore
this imaginary 'nirvana' never actually occurs. That the
individual spirit souls are eternal is confirmed by these words of
Svetasvatara Upanisad (6.13):
'The Supreme Lord is eternal and the living beings are
eternal. The Supreme Lord is cognisant and the living beings are
cognisant.'*
In this way the Vedic mantras affirm that the individual
spirit soul exists eternally. It is not possible for something
that exists eternally to ever cease to exist. They who affirm that
the individual spirit soul continues to exist even after liberation
also affirm that neither 'bhukti' (material sense pleasures) nor
'mukti' (liberation) are the final, highest goal of life. These
are lesser goals. All activities are in relation to a particular
goal and a method of attaining that goal. The goal is called
'sadhya', and the means by which one attains it is called
'sadhana'. Think of it in this way: goals and ways of attaining
them are like links in a chain. What at first is considered a
goal, later becomes a means and something else is the goal. In
this way goals and means are like links in a chain, with each goal
being eventually hanged into a means for attaining a new goal.
Continuing in this way there is one final goal that does not become
the means of attaining another goal. That final goal is 'bhakti'
(devotional service). Therefore devotional service is the final
goal, because devotional service is the eternal nature of the
individual spirit souls. The activities of human beings are all
various links in this chain of goals and means. The different
kinds of karmic activities are different links in this chain.
Following them, the different kinds of philosophical speculation
(jnana) are also links in this chain. After the links that are
philosophical speculation, come to the link 'bhakti' (devotional
service). The goal of fruitive activities (karma) is material
sense pleasure (bhukti). The goal of philosophical speculation
(jnana) is impersonal liberation (mukti). The goal of devotional
service (bhakti) is pure love of God (prema-bhakti). The final
conclusion, then, is that bhakti is the final means, and the goal
attained by bhakti is bhakti. Fruitive work (karma) and
philosophical speculation (jnana) are then only the primary and
intermediate links in the chain of means of goals. They are not
the goal."
Vrajanatha: It is said in the scriptures (Brhad-aranyaka
Upanisad 4.5.25 and 2.4.24):
"Who is the seer and who the seen?"
It is also said (Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad 1.4.10):
"I am Brahman."
It is also said (Aitareya Upanisad 1.5.3):
"Brahman is spiritual truth."
It is also said (Chandogya Upanisad 6.8.70):
"O Svetaketu, you are that."
In these and many other passages of scripture it is not at all
seen that devotional service is the final goal. Therefore, how can
it be wrong to say that impersonal liberation is the final goal?
Babaji: I have already said that the goals are different
according to the different desires of the living entities. They
who yearn after material sense pleasures do not accept liberation
as the final goal. To these persons the scriptures advise
(Apastamba Srauta-sutra 2.1.1):
"They who perform the caturmasya-yajnas attain immortality."
There are also many other passages like this. Baba, is the
word 'mukti' (liberation) of any use at all? The fruitive workers
(karmis) do not aspire for it. They ask, "Why is the word 'mukti'
(liberation) never mentioned in the mantras of the four Vedas?"
One or two karmi philosophers claim that renunciation is only meant
for the incompetent, and they are competent should be engaged in
fruitive work (karma). These instructions are written in the
scriptures so that persons situated in the lowest level of
spiritual qualification may be steady in their duties. It is not
auspicious for the living entities to shirk the duties that fit
their spiritual qualification. When a person is steady in the
duties for which he is qualified, he easily becomes qualified for
the next level of duties. Therefore the Vedas do not criticise
being steady in one's duties. Rather, one who criticises the
performance of duties himself falls down. The souls in this world
who have become advanced in spiritual life have all reaped the good
results of being steady in their duties. The impersonal path,
where one employs philosophical speculation (jnana) to attain
liberation, is not revealed to persons qualified only for fruitive
work (karma). The impersonal path, where one employs philosophical
speculation (jnana) to attain liberation, is not praised in the
presence of persons qualified only for fruitive work. The Vedic
mantras praise it only in the presence of persons qualified to
follow the impersonal path. As the impersonal path is superior to
the path of fruitive work, so the path of devotional service is
superior to the impersonal path. By speaking words like "tat tvam
asi" (You are that) and "aham brahmasi" (I am Brahman), the Vedic
mantras make the impersonalist steady in his duty of acting to
attain liberation. The Vedas are not to be blamed for doing that.
Still, the impersonal liberation described there is not the
ultimate stage. The final conclusion of the Vedic mantras is that
the final goal is love of God and that goal is attained by
performing devotional service.
Vrajanatha: Is it possible that great maha-vakyas of the Vedas
have describe only secondary goals and means?
Babaji: You may call some mantras maha-vakyas, but the Vedas
themselves do not distinguish any particular mantras as better than
the others. In order to claim that their doctrine is superior, the
impersonalist teachers have labelled some mantras maha-vakya, and
all other Vedic mantras are subordinate to it. If one wishes to
call all the statements of the Vedas maha-vakyas, there is nothing
wrong in that. However, if one wishes to label one particular
mantra the maha-vakya, and all the others ordinary vakyas, then one
commits an offense to the sacred Vedas. In the Vedas there is
praise for fruitive work (karma), praise for impersonal liberation
(mukti), and praise for many other goals and means also. Still,,
one must consider everything as a whole and determine what is the
final conclusion of all the Vedas. The Vedas are like a cow, and
the milkman is Lord Krsna. It is He who reveals the true purpose
of all the Vedas. He explains (Bhagavad-gita 6.46-47):
"A yogi is greater than the ascetic, greater than the
empiricist and greater than the fruitive worker. Therefore, O
Arjuna, in all circumstances be a yogi.*
"And of all yogis, he who always abides in Me with great
faith, worshipping Me in transcendental loving service, is most
intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all."*
In the Svetasvatara Upanisad (6.23) it is also said:
"Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both
the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic
knowledge automatically revealed."*
In the Gopala-tapani Upanisad (1.14) it is said:
"Devotional service to Lord Krsna is performed when the heart
no longer desires any material benefit to be obtained in this life
or the next. This is freedom from the bonds of karma."
In the Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (1.4.8) it is said:
"One should worship the Supreme Lord, considering Him the most
dear."
In the Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (4.5.6) it is also said:
"One should gaze on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, hear
about Him, think of Him, and meditate upon Him."
One who analyses these statements of the Vedas will easily see
that devotional service is described in the Vedas as the means to
attain the goal of life.
Vrajanatha: In the karma-kanda section of the Vedas it is said
that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate awarder of
the fruits of karma. In this way the karma-kanda enjoins one to
have faith in devotional service. In the jnana-kanda also,
pleasing Lord Hari by engaging in His devotional service is
described as one of the four means of attaining the goal. If
devotional service is thus one of the means employed to attain
sense gratification and impersonal liberation, then how can
devotional service be the final goal of life? When sense
gratification or impersonal liberation are attained, then the means
employed to get them are thrown away. That is what is generally
taught. Please give me some clear teaching on this point.
Babaji: In the karma-kanda portion of the Vedas it is said
that one should engage in devotional service in order to attain
sense gratification, and in the jnana-kanda portion of the Vedas it
is said that to attain impersonal liberation one should engage in
devotional service. That is true. Without first pleasing the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, no one can attain any result. The
Supreme Personality of Godhead is the abode of all potencies. The
individual spirit souls and the material worlds are only a small
part of the Lord's potencies. The Supreme Lord is not pleased by
fruitive work (karma) or impersonal speculations (jnana). However,
when karma and jnana take shelter of devotional service, they can
give certain results. Therefore it is said that in karma and jnana
the reflection of devotional service is present. However, the
devotional service seen in karma and jnana is not pure devotional
service. It is merely a reflection of true devotional service,
present there to give certain results. This reflection of
devotional service is of two kinds: 1. the reflection of pure
devotional service, and 2. the reflection of mixed devotional
service. The reflection of pure devotional service I will describe
later. The reflection of mixed devotional service is of three
kinds: 1. the reflection of devotional service mixed with karma, 2.
the reflection of devotional service mixed with jnana, and 3. the
reflection of devotional service mixed with both karma and jnana.
At the time of performing a yajna one may say, "O Indra, O Surya,
please be merciful and give me the result of this yajna." This is
an example of the reflection of devotional service mixed with karma
(karma-viddha-bhakty-abhasa). Some philosophers call this
reflected devotional service karma-misra bhakti (devotional service
mixed with karma), and others call it aropa-siddha bhakti
(artificial devotional service). Another example is seen in the
words, "O Krsna, pushed by fear of repeated birth and death, I now
approach You. Day after day I chant the Hare Krsna mantra. Please
be merciful and give me impersonal liberation." Another example is
the words, "O Supreme Lord, You are Brahman, and I have fallen into
the abyss of maya. Please pick me up and make me one with You."
These two statements are examples of the reflection of devotional
service mixed with jnana. Some philosophers call this kind of
reflected devotional service jnana-misra bhakti (devotional service
mixed with jnana), and others call it aropa-siddha bhakti
(artificial devotional service). All these reflections of
devotional service are different from pure devotional service. The
devotional service described by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gita
6.47 (sraddhavan bhajate yo mam) is pure devotional service. It is
that kind of devotional service that we adopt as the means to
attain the goal of prema (pure love of God). Karma and jnana are
the means to attain sense gratification and impersonal liberation.
They are not the means for the individual spirit soul to regain
his eternal nature."
After hearing all this, Vrajanatha could not ask any
questions. He though, It will be good to make the argument for the
nyaya-sastra wait for a while as I think about this subtle points.
The saintly babaji is especially learned about this topic. In time
I will ask him questions and then I will learn what is the truth of
this. Now it is night. I should return home." Then Vrajanatha
said aloud, "O saintly babaji, I have learned many truths from you
today. From time to time I will return. Please continue to
instruct me. You are a very great teacher, and I am dependent on
your mercy. There is one thing I wish to know. When I hear your
reply I will depart. Did Lord Gauranga the son of Saci write any
book of His teachings? I would like to have such a book."
Babaji: Sri Sri Mahaprabhu did not write any book Himself. By
His order His followers wrote many books. Mahaprabhu personally
wrote eight verses, called Siksastaka, which are like a jewels the
devotees wear around their necks. The teachings in them are very
profound. Studying these deep truths, the devotees have written a
poem called Dasa-mula (the Ten Roots). In this poem the goal and
the means are briefly described in terms of sambandha (the
relationship of the living entities and the Supreme), abhidheya
(the activities of that relationship) and prayojana (the final goal
of life). You should begin by understanding this poem.
Vrajanatha replied, "As you order. Tomorrow evening I will
return and learn this Dasa-mula from you. You are my siksa-guru
(instructing spiritual master). I offer dandavat obeisances to
you." The saintly babaji politely embraced him and said, "Baba,
You purify the community of brahmanas. Please come tomorrow
evening. That will please me very much."
Chapter Thirteen
Nitya-dharma O Sambandhabhidheya-prayojana (Pramana-vicara O
Prameya Arambha)
Eternal Religion and Sambandha, Abhidheya and Prayojana (Evidence
and Truth)
The next evening Vrajanatha sat down under the bakula tree
facing the courtyard of Srivasa's home. The saintly elderly babaji
had developed a kind of paternal love for Vrajanatha. He was
waiting for Vrajanatha to come. When Vrajanatha arrived, the
babaji at once came out from the courtyard. Embracing Vrajanatha,
he took him to his cottage (bhajana-kutira) in a grove of jasmine
vines to one side of Srivasa's courtyard. Touching the dust of the
saintly babaji's feet, Vrajanatha thought that his life had now
become successful. He humbly said, "O saintly babaji, please teach
me the Dasa-mula, which contains the essence of our Lord Nimai's
teachings."
His heart blossoming with happiness to hear this very
appropriate question, the elderly babaji said, "Baba, I will
explain the Dasa-mula to you. You are a pandita. Please carefully
understand the truths described in these verses. The first verse
is this:
"The Vedas teach that Lord Hari is the Supreme Truth. He has
all potencies and He is an ocean of the nectar of transcendental
mellows. The individual spirit souls, which are His parts-and-
parcels, are divided into groups, some swallowed up by the material
energy, and others free from her clutches. Everything that exists
is simultaneously one and different from Him. Pure devotional
service is the way to attain Lord Hari. The goal of life is to
love Him. This Lord Gauracandra personally taught to the living
entities."
In the verses that begin here, Sriman Gauracandra teaches ten
truths to the faithful souls. Of these the first verse describes
the various kinds of evidence, and the remaining nine verses
describe various truths learned from these evidences. First the
evidence is given, and then the truths that may be learned from
that evidence. Evidence is called 'pramana'. The verse I have
just recited is an introductory verse that contains a summary of
the "Dasa-mula". The verse that follows it is the first verse of
the Dasa-mula proper. In verses two through eight the relationship
(sambandha) of the souls and the Lord is revealed. In verse nine
the activities (abhidheya) of that relationship are described. In
verse ten the true need of the living entities (prayojana) is
described. The meaning of the introductory, summary verse is this:
The word 'amnayah' means 'the statements of the Vedas as they are
understood through the disciplic succession." The Vedas, the
Srimad Bhagavatam and other Smrti-sastras that follow the Vedas,
and the direct perception and other kinds of evidence that support
the evidence of scripture are all called 'pramana', or evidence.
These evidences support the following definite conclusions: 1. Lord
Hari is the Supreme Truth, 2. He has all potencies, 3. He is an
ocean of the nectar of transcendental mellows, 4. the two liberated
and conditioned souls are His parts-and-parcels, 5. some souls are
imprisoned by the material energy, and others free from her
clutches, 6. the entire material universe, which contains both
matter and spirit, is inconceivably, simultaneously one and
different from Him, 7. devotional service is the way to attain Lord
Hari, and 8. the goal of life is to love Lord Krsna.
After hearing this summary verse, Vrajanatha said, "O saintly
babaji, now is not the time for me to ask any questions. After
you recite the first verse I will speak any questions that may
arise in my heart. Hearing this, the elderly babaji said, "Good.
Good. I will recite the first of these mula verses. Please listen
carefully.
"The self-evident Vedas, which by Lord Hari's mercy are
obtained from the disciplic succession beginning with the demigod
Brahma, and which are accompanied by other sources of evidence,
such as direct perception, are the evidence for the following nine
truths. Ordinary logic, called 'tarka', has no power to enter a
discussion of these truths."
Vrajanatha: Is there any evidence i the Vedas that Brahma
taught disciples?
Babaji: Yes. There is. In the Mundaka Upanisad (1.1.1) it is
said:
"Brahma, who is the first demigod, the creator of the
universe, the protector of the worlds, spoke knowledge of the
Supreme, the first of all kinds of knowledge, to his eldest son,
Artharva."
There it is also said (Mundaka Upanisad 1.2.13):
"Brahma taught him the science of the eternal Supreme Person."
Vrajanatha: Is there any evidence that when they wrote the
Smrti-sastras the sages gave the proper interpretations of the
Vedas?
Babaji: In Srimad Bhagavatam, which is the crest jewel of all
scriptures, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself explains
(11.14.3):
"At the time of cosmic annihilation, the Vedas became lost.
At the beginning of the next creation I again taught the Vedas to
the demigod Brahma, for the principles of true religion are My very
heart. Then Brahma repeated this knowledge to his first son Manu.
Then the seven great sages, whose leader is Bhrgu, learned this
knowledge from Manu."
Vrajanatha: Why is there a Vaisnava disciplic succession?
Babaji: Misled by impersonalism, many people in the world have
left the true path. If the devotees untainted by impersonalism do
not have their own disciplic succession, then it will be very
difficult to associate with true devotees of the Lord. In the
Padma Purana it is written:
"Unless you are initiated by a bona-fide spiritual master in
the disciplic succession, the mantra that you might have received
is without any effect.* The four Vaisnava disciplic successions,
beginning from Laksmi-devi, Brahma, Siva and Sanaka Kumara, have
purified the entire world."
Of all of these, the disciplic succession from Lord Brahma is
the oldest. The disciplic succession begins with Brahma and
extends even to the present day. The Vedas, Vedangas, Vedanta, and
other scriptures have been passed down unchanged from an ancient
time, carefully preserved by the disciplic succession. Nothing has
been changed or added to the scripture under the care of the
disciplic succession. Therefore no one should doubt that the Vedas
and other scriptures that are accepted by the bona-fide disciplic
succession are authentic. There is a great need for a bona-fide
disciplic succession. Therefore from the earliest time the great
saints have followed the bona-fide disciplic succession.
Vrajanatha: Are there complete lists of the disciplic
successions?
Babaji: The lists contain the names of only the most important
acaryas. It is their names that are included in the lists.
Vrajanatha: I wish to hear the list of acaryas in the
disciplic succession from Brahman.
Babaji: Here is the list:
"Lord Brahma is the direct disciple of Visnu, the Lord of the
spiritual sky. His disciple is Narada, Narada's disciple is Vyasa,
and Vyasa's disciples are Sukadeva Gosvami and Madhvacarya.
Padmanabha Acarya is the disciple of Madhvacarya, and Narahari is
the disciple of Padmanabha Acarya. Madhava is the disciple of
Narahari, Aksobhya is the direct disciple of Madhava, and
Jayatirtha is the disciple of Aksobhya. Jayatirtha's disciple is
Jnanasindhu, and his disciple is Mahanidhi. Vidyanidhi is the
disciple of Mahanidhi, and Rajendra is the disciple of Vidyanidhi.
Jayadharma is the disciple of Rajendra. Purusottama is the
disciple of Jayadharma. Sriman Laksmipati is the disciple of
Vyasatirtha, who is the disciple of Purusottama. And Madhavendra
Puri is the disciple of Laksmipati."*
Vrajanatha: In this verse it is said that the Vedas are the
'only evidence', and direct perception along with the other sources
of evidence, should be accepted only to help in understanding the
Vedas. However, nyaya, sankhya and the other philosophies are also
sources of evidence. The Puranas, direct perception, inference,
comparison, the Vedas, the Vedic histories (Itihasa).
Understanding something by its absence (anupalabdhi),
circumstantial evidence (arthapatti), and probability (sambhava)
are all considered different sources of evidence. Why should it be
considered that some kinds of evidence are more valuable than
others. If direct perception and inference are not considered
sources of evidence, then what kind of knowledge will one be able
to get? Please explain this so that I may understand.
Babaji: Direct perception and other sources of evidence like
it all depend on the material senses. The material senses of the
conditioned soul are subject to four defects: 1. bhrama
(mistakes), 2. pramada (illusions), 3. vipralipsa (cheating), and
4. karanapatava (sensory inefficiency). How can one attain true
knowledge with such faulty instruments? The Supreme Personality of
Godhead Himself appeared in the hearts of the great saints and
sages as they were rapt in meditation on Him. The Lord then gave
them the perfect knowledge that is the Vedas. Therefore without
fear one can accept the Vedas as truth.
Vrajanatha: Please explain these four defects: mistakes,
illusions, cheating, and sensory inefficiency.
Babaji: When the imperfect material senses make mistakes in
perceiving the world around it, that is called 'bhrama'. Seeing a
mirage in the desert is an example of such a mistake. The
intelligence of the conditioned souls is limited. Therefore, when
such a limited intelligence tries to understand the unlimited
Supreme Truth, the limited intelligence is bound to be illusioned
in many ways. That is called 'pramada'. An example of this is
seen when the material intelligence, limited by time and space,
questions how the Supreme Person could have created the material
world of time and space. Doubt is called 'vipralipsa'. The
material senses are not very efficient tools for acquiring
knowledge. When they make mistakes again and again that is called
'karanapatava'.
Vrajanatha: Do not sensory perception and other sources of
knowledge have any value at all?
Babaji: Is there a way to understand the material world except
with the material senses and other like sources of knowledge?
Still, all these sources of knowledge are powerless to understand
the spiritual world. For the spiritual world the Vedas are the
only source of knowledge. If sense perception and these other
sources of evidence confirm the truths revealed in the Vedas, then
the knowledge and other life sources of knowledge may be accepted
only when they confirm the teachings of the self-perfect Vedas.
Vrajanatha: Are the Bhagavad-gita, Srimad Bhagavatam and other
like scriptures not sources of true knowledge?
Babaji: The Bhagavad-gita has come from the mouth of the
Supreme Lord Himself. It is also called the Gita Upanisad. It is
counted as one of the Vedas. Because they are the teachings of
Lord Gauranga, the ten verses of Dasa-mula are also one of the
Vedas. The Srimad Bhagavatam is an anthology of the truths
described in the Vedas. It is the crest jewel of all sources of
knowledge. If they confirm the Vedas' teachings, the other smrti-
sastras are also sources of true knowledge. The tantra-sastra are
of three kinds: 1. those in the mode of goodness, 2. those in
passion, and 3. those in ignorance. Among them, the pancaratras
and other tantras in the mode of goodness expand the confidential
portions of the Vedas' teachings. The word 'tantra' comes from the
verbal root 'tan' (to expand). Therefore these tantras are also
counted among the sources of true knowledge.
Vrajanatha: The Vedas consist of many different books. Among
them which should be accepted and which not? Please tell me.
Babaji: In the course of time certain unscrupulous men
interpolated many new chapters, mandalas, and mantras in the text
of the Vedas. Therefore it is not that all the parts of the Vedas
should be accepted. What in the course of time the acaryas in the
bona fide disciplic succession have accepted, that should be
considered the actual Veda. What they have rejected as
interpolations should not be accepted.
Vrajanatha: What books of the Vedas have the acaryas of the
bona fide disciplic successions accepted?
Babaji: The acaryas have accepted the twelve Upanisads named
Isa, Kena, Katha, Prasna, Mundaka, Mandukya, Taittiriya, Aitareya,
Chandogya, Brhad-aranyaka and Svetasvatara, as well as the Gopala-
tapani Upanisad, the Nrsimha-tapani Upanisad and other like tapani
Upanisads, as well as the brahmanas, mandalas, and other portions
of the Rg, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva Vedas. The acaryas have
accepted all these books as sources of genuine knowledge.
Vrajanatha: You said that material logic has no power to
understand spiritual things. What is the proof of that?
Babaji: In the Katha Upanisad (1..2.9) it is said:
"The spiritual truth cannot be understood by material logic."
In the Vedanta-sutra (2.1.11) it is said:
"Transcendental topics cannot be understood by argument or
logic."*
In these and other statement of the Veda and Vedanta it is
seen that material logic cannot be counted on as a source of true
spiritual knowledge. In the Mahabharata (Bhisma-parva 5.22) it is
said:
"Anything transcendental to material nature is called
inconceivable, whereas arguments are all mundane. Since mundane
arguments cannot touch transcendental subject matters, one should
not try to understand transcendental subject matters through
mundane arguments."*
In these words of the Mahabharata, the limits of material
logic are seen. The conclusion of devotional service is also
explained in these words written by Srila Rupa Gosvami (Bhakti-
rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.32):
"For persons who have a natural taste for understanding books
like Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. Devotional service is
easier than for those simply accustomed to mental speculation and
argumentative processes."*
Material logic cannot bring a definitive, conclusive
understanding. This is described in the following words (Bhakti-
rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.33):
"A person may become governed by certain convictions derived
by his own arguments and decisions. Then another person, who may
be a greater logician, will nullify these conclusions and establish
another thesis. In this way the path of argument will never be
safe or conclusive."*
If this is so, then what is the use of material logic and
argument?
Vrajanatha: O saintly babaji, I accept that the self-perfect
Vedas are the best of all sources of knowledge. If they try to
contradict the Vedas, the logicians are merely speaking in vain.
Now please recite the second verse of the Dasa-mula.
Babaji:
"Lord Hari is the only Supreme Truth. Brahma, Siva, and Indra
bow down before Him. The impersonal Brahman, which is completely
untouched by matter, is the effulgence of His transcendental form.
The all-pervading Supersoul is His expansion. He is the father of
the material universes. He is the lover of Sri Radha. His form is
splendid like a dark monsoon cloud. He is completely spiritual."
Vrajanatha: The Upanisads teach that the impersonal Brahman is
the highest truth and it is beyond the touch of matter. Why, then,
does Sriman Gaura-Hari affirm that it is the effulgence of Lord
Hari's body? Please explain that to me.
Babaji: Lord Hari is the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
Bhagavan. The word 'bhagavan' means "He who possesses six
opulences". In the Visnu Purana (6.5.47) it is written:
"Full wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge and
renunciation - these are the six opulences of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead."*
These six opulences are interrelated, like the limbs of a
body. Which of them is the body? Which of them are the limbs?
The body is the resting place of the limbs. The tree is the body,
and the branches are the limbs. The whole form is the body, and
the hands and feet are included among the limbs. The body is the
resting place of the limbs. Of the Supreme Lord's opulences, His
handsomeness is the body and the other opulences are the limbs.
Wealth, strength, and fame are three limbs. The effulgence of fame
consists of knowledge and renunciation. Therefore these two are
the effulgence of one of the limbs. They are the opulences of an
opulence. They are not direct opulences themselves. Knowledge of
changeless spirit and renunciation of matter are the parts of the
body of the impersonal Brahman. The impersonal Brahman is the
effulgence emanating from the spiritual worlds. The unchanging
inactive formless, qualityless Brahman is not the independent
highest truth. It is the form of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead that is the independent highest truth. The light of a fire
is not independent. It is the fire itself that is independent, and
the light is merely one of the fire's qualities.
Vrajanatha: In many places in the Vedas, after the impersonal
Brahman was described, the text declared, "Om Santih. Santih.
Harih. Om." In the way the Vedas affirm the superiority of Lord
Hari. Who is Lord Hari?
Babaji: Lord Hari is Radha and Krsna, who enjoy transcendental
pastimes.
Vrajanatha: I will ask about this later. Now please tell me:
What kind of expansion of the Supreme Lord (bhagavan) is the
Supersoul (paramatma), the father of the material universes?
Babaji: Employing the two opulences of wealth and strength,
the Supreme Lord created the material world of maya. After
creating the world, the Lord expanded Himself as Visnu and entered
it. When the Lord expands Himself, each expansion is perfect and
complete. This is described in the following words of Brhad-
aranyaka Upanisad (5.1):
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead is perfect and complete,
and because He is completely perfect, all emanations from Him, such
as this phenomenal world, are perfectly equipped as complete
wholes. Whatever is produced of the complete whole is also
complete in itself. Because He is the complete whole, even though
so many complete units emanate from Him, He remains the complete
balance."*
Therefore the Supersoul (paramatma), is Lord Visnu, who is
perfect and complete, who has entered the material world, and who
protects the material world. Lord Visnu thus manifests in three
forms, as: 1. Karanodakasayi Visnu, Ksirodakasayi Visnu, and
Garbhodakasayi Visnu. The Karana Ocean, which is also known as the
Viraja River,, lies on the boundary that separates the spiritual
and material worlds. To that place Lord Maha-Visnu goes and
reclines on the Karana Ocean. Thus He is Karanodakasayi Visnu.
Glancing at her from far away, the Lord employs Maya-devi to create
the material world. The Lord Himself describes this in these words
of Bhagavad-gita (9.10):
"The material nature is working under My direction, O son of
Kunti, and it is producing all moving and unmoving beings."*
In the Vedas it is said (Aitareya Upanisad 1.1.):
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead glanced over the material
creation."*
It is also said (Aitareya Upanisad 1.1):
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead created this entire
material world."*
The Supreme Lord, whose glance is so powerful, expands Himself
as Garbhodakasayi Visnu and enters the material world. The
particles of light that constitute Lord Maha-Visnu's glance are the
conditioned spirit souls. Into the heart of each conditioned soul,
the Lord enters in a form the size of a thumb. That form is called
Ksirodakasayi Visnu or Hiranyagarbha. Thus the Supreme Personality
of Godhead and the individual spirit soul both reside in the heart.
This is described in the following words of Svetasvatara Upanisad
(4.6):
"The individual spirit soul and the Supersoul, Supreme
Personality of godhead, are like two friendly birds sitting on the
same tree."*
In this way the Sruti-sastra explains that the Supreme
Personality of Godhead and the individual spirit soul are like two
birds. The bird that is the Supreme Personality of Godhead gives
the fruits of karma, and the bird that is the individual spirit
soul tries to enjoy the material world. In Bhagavad-gita (10.41-
42), the Supreme Lord declares:
"Know that all beautiful, glorious, and mighty creations
spring from but a spark of My splendour.*
"But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed
knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support
this entire creation."*
Therefore the Supersoul (paramatma), who creates, enters,
protects and controls the material world, is an expansion of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead (bhagavan).
Vrajanatha: I accept that the impersonal Brahman is the
effulgence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead's body and that
the Supersoul is His expansion. Now please tell me: What is the
proof that Lord Krsna is the original form of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead?
Babaji: The Supreme Personality of Godhead has all opulence
and sweetness eternally. When His opulence is manifested, He is
Lord Narayana, the master of the spiritual world and the origin of
Lord Maha-Visnu. Thus when His pastimes of opulence are manifest
He is Lord Narayana, and when His pastimes of sweetness are
manifest, He is Lord Krsna. Lord Krsna possesses the highest limit
of sweetness. The effulgence of His sweetness is so great that it
eclipses all opulence that exist anywhere. Therefore the
conclusion is that Lord Narayana and Lord Krsna are not different.
However, in the spiritual world the greatest sweetness of
transcendental mellows is present in Lord Krsna. He is the highest
resting place of all transcendental mellows. This is explained in
the following words of the Rg Veda (1.22.164.31):
"I have seen a certain gopa dressed in colourful garments and
accompanied by many beautiful girls as He wanders the pathways in
the spiritual world. That same gopa again and again enters the
material worlds and stays in the hearts of the living beings."
In the Chandogya Upanisad (8.13.1) it is said:
"To attain Sri Radha I surrender to Lord Krsna. To attain
Lord Krsna I surrender to Sri Radha."
These verses describe the liberated souls and their
relationship with Lord Krsna. In Srimad Bhagavatam (1.3.28) it is
said:
"All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary
portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord
Sri Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead."*
In the Bhagavad-gita (7.7) Lord Krsna Himself declares:
"O conqueror of wealth (Arjuna), there is no truth superior to
Me."*
In the Gopala-tapani Upanisad (1.20) it is said:
"Lord Krsna is the worshipable, all-pervading supreme
controller, and although He is one, He manifests in many forms."
Vrajanatha: Lord Krsna has an average-sized form. How can He
be present everywhere? If we accept that Lord Krsna has a form, we
must also accept that His form can only stay in one place at time.
Now He must fall under the control of the material modes. No longer
can He be supremely independent. How call all these defects be
removed from Lord Krsna?
Babaji: Baba, you are a conditioned soul trapped in the
material world of maya. That is why you have all these doubts. As
long as it is bound by the ropes of maya, your intelligence will
never be able to touch the transcendental reality. When it tries
to understand the pure spiritual reality, it will assume that
spirit has qualities and forms just like those of matter. When it
does this, the intelligence becomes worried that it has followed
the wrong path. Then the intelligence begins to imagine that the
Supreme Spirit has no form and no qualities. In this way the
intelligence becomes cheated and cannot understand the truth about
the Supreme Spirit. In truth the defects you think might affect
the ordinary sized form of Lord Krsna do not have any bearing on
His true spiritual form. The idea that the Supreme Spirit is
"formless", "unchanging", and "inactive" are ideas obtained by
looking for the exact opposites of what appears in the material
world. These are also qualities of a certain kind. Qualities of
another kind are Lord Krsna's handsome form, His face blossoming
with happiness, His lotus eyes, His lotus feet, which give
peacefulness to the devotees, and all His graceful limbs perfect
for enjoying transcendental pastimes. This pure spiritual form of
Lord Krsna is one feature of the Lord. When these two features,
the personal and impersonal, are considered, it is seen that the
average-sized form of Lord Krsna is the most handsome and pleasing.
This is described in the following words of Sri Narada-pancaratra:
"Lord Krsna is supremely independent. His form and qualities
are free of any possible flaw. His body is not like the bodies
made of matter. His hands, feet, face, belly, and all the other
parts of His body are all made of transcendental bliss and nothing
else. Lord Krsna is not different from His body. He does not
reside in a material body from Himself, as the conditioned souls in
the material world do. He and His body are one."
Lord Krsna's form is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss.
His qualities are not material. Nothing about Him is material in
even the slightest degree. He is not limited by material time and
space. His form is fully present in every place for all time. He
is one. His form has all knowledge. The material world is so
large it cannot be measured by the conditioned souls. It is
natural that a form of average size could never be present
everywhere in the material world. However, in the spiritual world
all qualities have limitless power. Therefore the average-sized
form of Lord Krsna can be present everywhere. That is actually one
of its natural qualities. In the material world an average-sized
form cannot be all-pervading. However, the supremely handsome
spiritual form of Lord Krsna is certainly all-pervading. The
extraordinary qualities of that form are very different from the
qualities of material forms. That spiritual form is very glorious.
Can anyone be more glorious than the all-pervading Supreme Spirit?
In the material world everything is limited by time and space.
What is the glory of a form that is free from the limits of time
and present everywhere? Lord Krsna's transcendental abode of Vraja
is described in the Chandogya Upanisad, which calls it "Brahma-
pura". That abode is perfectly spiritual. It has all spiritual
wonders. Its activities are all spiritual. Its places are
spiritual. Its land and water are spiritual. Its rivers and trees
are spiri