viernes, 13 de enero de 2012

Śrī Caitanya Śikṣāmṛta - First Chapter Third Shower

Śrī Caitanya Śikṣāmṛta - First Chapter Third Shower

Third Shower

Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa-śakti (His potency) and Rasa (relishable sentiments towards Him)

The Svarūpa (form) of Śrī Kṛṣṇa

Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is possessed of a transcendental body, composed of eternality, knowledge and bliss is indeed the Supreme Controller. He is without beginning, for no one and nothing else has caused Him: rather, He is the cause of everything. He is the root cause of all causes and in the scripture He is called Govinda.

In the section of the Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta dealing with Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s teachings to Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī regarding the tattva of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, are the following verses:

kṛṣṇera svarūpa-vicāra śuna, sanātana
advaya-jñāna-tattva, vraje vrajendra-nandana

sarva-ādi, sarva-aṁśī, kiśora-śekhara
cid-ānanda-deha, sarvāśraya, sarveśvara

svayaṁ bhagavān kṛṣṇa, 'govinda'—para-nāma
sarvaiśvarya-pūrṇa yāṅra goloka—nitya-dhāma
(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 20.152-153, 155)

“O Sanātana, please hear about the eternal Svarūpa (form) of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He is the non-dual Absolute Truth (Advaya-jñāna-para-tattva), the original source and sum total of everything. He resides in Vṛndāvana, as the son of Mahārāja Nanda, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He is the supreme youth (Kiśora-śekhara) and His whole body is eternal, full of knowledge and spiritual bliss. He is the shelter and controller of everything and everyone. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the original Supreme Person. He is called Govinda; He is endowed with full opulences and always resides in His eternal spiritual abode known as Goloka.”

goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni tale ca tasya
devī-maheśa-hari-dhāmasu teṣu teṣu
te te prabhāva-nicayā vihitāś ca yena
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
(Śrī Brahma-saṁhitā 5.43)

“Devī-dhāma, the material world, consists of fourteen planetary systems. Above this lies Maheśa-dhāma, above that Hari-dhāma and above all lies Goloka, the abode of Svayam Bhagavān Śrī Govinda. I worship the original personality Govinda, who regulates the characteristic influence pertaining to each individual abode.”

Three types of darśana

The jīva may be able to have realisation of the Svarūpa of the Supreme Controller (Īśvara), but it is only by the power of that realisation bestowed upon mankind by Parameśvara, that the jīva is able to understand the Svarūpa of Īśvara. There are three types of realisation available to mankind. The first is gained through the organs of sense perception of the gross material body or (Sthūla-deha-gat-jñāna-indriya). The second is through the power of cognisance of the mind (Sūkṣma-deha) and the third through the power of cognisance of the soul itself (Svarūpa-gat-cit-darśana-vṛtti).

The five organs of sense perception, otherwise known as the Jñāna-indriyas, are the eyes, nose, tongue, ears and sense of touch. Whatever external realisation one may have with the aid of these senses is only material. Whatever realisation one may have by means of the subtle senses of perception, such as the mind in the form of thinking, remembering (Smaraṇa), meditation (Dhyāna), contemplation (Dhāraṇā) etc., is also only concerned with the darśana of subtle material knowledge, or a mere shadow of the spiritual reality (Cid-ābhāsa). Therefore, these methods of acquiring knowledge are material. The Svarūpa of the Supreme Controller (Īśvara) is, however, a completely spiritual tattva. Thus, it is completely impossible to have realisation of this Svarūpa of the Supreme Controller, by the previously mentioned two types of material perception.

yathā yathātmā parimṛjyate 'sau
mat-puṇya-gāthā-śravaṇābhidhānaiḥ
tathā tathā paśyati vastu sūkṣmaṁ
cakṣur yathaivāñjana-samprayuktam
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.14.26)

“By the process of hearing and chanting the pious narration of topics concerning Me, the mind becomes completely cleansed and one can gradually come to see the most subtle of all objects (and the truths concerning them), in the same way that one can see everything better than before, after applying a medicinal ointment upon the eyes.”

Thus, we can see that without taking the shelter or assistance of the potency of the soul itself (Ātma-vṛtti), one cannot have darśana of the Svarūpa of the Supreme Controller. There are those who try to have such darśana by taking assistance from the material senses, through the adoption of the Yoga process and practice of its activities. These activities include Āsana (bodily postures), Prāṇāyāma (breathing exercises), Dhyāna (meditation) and the other levels of remembrance mentioned previously, such as Dhāraṇā. By this, they think they have achieved a form of trance or Samādhi and see Īśvara as the very soul of the created material world and thus they have darśana of Him in the form of Paramātmā, the Soul of all souls. However, even by all of these activities, they cannot achieve complete transcendental vision. The most they may receive by all of this is a partial comprehension of the truth in the form of a simple negation of material knowledge.

However, even more than in the practice of bodily Yoga, the Jñānīs extend themselves beyond this by a complete negation of everything experienced in this world. They believe that the Absolute Truth is a formless, immutable substance and by this understanding, imagine themselves as having had Brahma-darśana or having seen the Absolute. In reality, their Brahma-darśana is only an appearance or show. Meaning that even though they have not had factual Brahma-darśana (vision of the Supreme), simply by seeing the Brahma-jyoti (the spiritual effulgence, or the rays of the body of Śrī Kṛṣṇa), they think they have had darśana of Brahma.

vācaṁ yaccha mano yaccha prāṇān yacchedriyāṇi ca
ātmānam ātmanā yaccha na bhūyaḥ kalpase ’dhvane

yo vai vāṅ-manasī saṁyag asaṁyacchan dhiyā yatiḥ
tasya vrataṁ tapo dāna sravaty āma-ghaṭāmbu-vat

tasmād vaco manaḥ prāṇān niyacchen mat-parāyaṇaḥ
mad-bhakti-yuktayā buddhyā tataḥ parisamāpyate
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.16.42 to 44)

“Therefore, one should control speech, the mind, conquer the life air and the senses. Conquer the mind by the self and through purified intelligence bring the mind and senses under control. By doing so, you will never again fall onto the path of material existence.”

“Someone who does not control his words and mind by the intelligence will find that his vows, austerities, and charity leak away just as water flows from an unbaked clay pot.”

“Being dedicated to Me, one should control the speech, mind and life air, and then through devotion to Me, the intelligence will completely offer one absolute perfection of life.”
BBT Translation

Regarding this point, in Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s instructions to Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, He said:

jñāna, yoga, bhakti,—tina sādhanera vaśe
brahma, ātmā, bhagavān—trividha prakāśe
(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 20.157)

“There are three processes for understanding the Absolute Truth: the path of speculative knowledge (Jñāna), mystic Yoga and Bhakti-yoga. Accordingly the Absolute Truth is realised as Brahma, Paramātmā and Bhagavān.”

This has also been stated elsewhere is the following verse:

mukhya-gauṇa-vṛtti, kiṁvā anvaya-vyatireke
vedera pratijñā kevala kahaye kṛṣṇake
(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 20.146)

“Whether one accepts Vedic literature by interpretation or by its primary or secondary intention, directly or indirectly all the Vedas ultimately point to Śrī Kṛṣṇa.”

When the jīva considers himself as the seer or Draṣṭā and wants to have darśana of the Supreme, then Īśvara reveals Himself according to the qualification of the person concerned. By practicing Karma-yoga, one sees Him as Paramātmā, by Jñāna-yoga, one sees Him as impersonal Brahman and by Bhakti-yoga, one has His darśana as Bhagavān. Learned personalities, who have understood tattva, have called that Absolute Truth Advaya-jñāna-svarūpa-tattva (the non-dual entity).

vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam
brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate.
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.11)

“The knowers of tattva describe the Absolute Truth as Advaya-jñāna (non-dual). The first aspect of this truth is the formless Brahma, the second is Paramātmā (endowed with form) and the third is Bhagavān Himself (endowed with pastimes). The single truth has three names in three positions.”

The above-mentioned three types of Sādhakas have darśana of the form of this non-dual spiritual entity (Advaya-cit-vigraha), according to their respective levels of qualification, in these three separate forms. Actually, Brahma, Paramātmā and Bhagavān are one tattva. However, whatever partial vision one is able to see, one considers the darśana of that very form to be the highest.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa is Svayaṁ-bhagavān, the Original Supreme Person

We understand that the Bhagavān seen by the practice of the above-mentioned process of Bhakti-yoga is referring only to Śrī Kṛṣṇa. We should understand that those who accept Śrī Kṛṣṇa as an ordinary human sense-enjoyer and neglect Him have little or no knowledge of tattva. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead or Svayaṁ-bhagavān. There is abundant evidence regarding this in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and other scriptures.

ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ
kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam
indrāri-vyākulaṁ lokaṁ
mṛḍayanti yuge yuge
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.3.28)

“Many of the various incarnations I have described, are personal expansions (Svāṁsas) in the form of Puruṣāvatāras, or empowered jīvas (Śaktyāveśāvatāras) and expansions of other expansions. Śrī Kṛṣṇa, however, is the origin of all incarnations, and He is Svayaṁ-bhagavān. One should always remember this point. He appears in every yuga to protect the world from the pain caused by the demons.”

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Śrī Brahma-saṁhitā 5.1)

“Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Govinda, is the embodiment of eternity, knowledge and bliss. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the controller of all lesser controllers and the source of all incarnations. He has no beginning or origin, though He is the source of everything and the cause of all causes.”

Taking the support of the essence of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and other scriptures, Śrīman Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained in His teachings to Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, that the darśana achieved by Bhakti-yoga of Bhagavān is complete darśana. There are three categories of forms of Bhagavān, namely Svayaṁ-rūpa (the original form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the son of Śrī Mahārāja Nanda. He is dressed as a cowherd boy and is the enjoyer of pastimes within Vṛndāvana. He is independent from all other forms), Tadekātma-rūpa (a form which is a non-different expansion from the Svayaṁ-rūpa, but there are some differences in bodily features) and Āveśa (individual souls empowered with a potency from the Lord). This Svayaṁ-rūpa, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, has six types of incarnations or Avatāras. They are:
1. Puruṣāvatāras- take charge of the material creation. There are three, Who appear sequentially as Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu (Mahā-Viṣṇu), Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and finally Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu (Paramātmā).

2. Līlāvatārās – pastime Avatāras, prominent amongst these numerous incarnations are Matsya, Kūrma, Varāha, Nṛsiṁha and Rāma.

3. Guṇāvatāras – preside over the three modes of material nature, namely Viṣṇu,(goodness) Brahmā (passion) and Maheśa (ignorance).

4. Manvantaras – in each Manvantara era, one Manvantara-avatāra appears, taking the position of Manu to give laws for human society. They are innumerable. This present day of Brahmā (kalpa) is the twenty-eighth in the life span of the present Brahmā. The fourteen Manus who appear in this kalpa are: Yajña, Vibhu, Satyasena, Hari, Vaikuṇṭha, Ajita, Vāmana, Sārvabhauma, Ṛṣabha, Viṣvaksena, Dharmasetu, Sudhāmā, Yogeśvara and Bṛhadbhānu.

5. Yugāvatāra – in the cycle of the four ages, an incarnation appears in each of the ages to establish the religious principle for that Yuga. There are four yugas: Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara and Kali. In each of these, Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa correspondingly appears in a white (Śukla), red (Rakta), black (Kṛṣṇa) and golden (Pīta) form.

6. Śaktyāveśāvatāra – these are unlimited and it is when a special potency of Bhagavān enters a jīva. Examples of this are Sanaka, etc., Nārada, Pṛthu and Paraśurāma.

By this, we see that Kṛṣṇa is the root of all types of incarnations (Avatāras). That person is Bhagavān, who is endowed with six complete features: complete beauty, complete opulence, complete strength, complete fame, complete knowledge and complete renunciation. By this angle of vision, only Śrī Kṛṣṇa is Svayaṁ-bhagavān, because He is the natural and complete manifestation of all these qualities of Bhagavān. There is no one equal or superior to Kṛṣṇa.

The original form of Kṛṣṇa (Svayaṁ-rūpa), dressed as a cowherd boy, is eternally residing in His abode named Goloka and is always engaged in playful sportive pastimes. By the desire of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, His Tadekātma (literally one with Him) manifestations remain engaged in various activities. Mahā-Viṣṇu is the first Puruṣāvatāra expansion of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He remains resting on the Causal Ocean (kāraṇa-samudra) and His two other Puruṣāvatāra expansions are Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Other types of Avatāras, such as Rāma and Nṛsiṁha are parts of a plenary part of these Puruṣāvatāras. However, Śrī Kṛṣṇa is Svayaṁ-bhagavān, the source of all of these, including even the Puruṣāvatāras. By the power of His potency of inconceivability (Acintya-śakti), Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa remains residing above everyone, yet at the same time, He is able to descend to this world in His original form as Śrī Vrajendra-nandana, the son of Mahārāja Nanda. What the Upaniṣads have called ‘Brahma,’ is the bodily effulgence of that Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-
koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam
tad brahma niṣkalam anantam aśeṣa-bhūtaṁ
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
(Śrī Brahma-saṁhitā 5.40)

“I worship the original personality, Śrī Govinda. The non-differentiated, impersonal Brahman that has been described in the Upaniṣads as originating from the radiance of His limbs. That effulgence is distinct from the majestic opulence of billions of worlds such as the Earth planet which comprise the mundane realm and is perceived as the indivisible, unlimited, endless principle of truth.”

The Paramātmā, which is described in the Vedas and the scriptures that pertain to the performance of Yoga, is but a partial expansion of Kṛṣṇa.

kṛṣṇam enam avehi tvam
ātmānam akhilātmanām
jagad-dhitāya so ’py atra
dehīvābhāti māyayā
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.14.55)

“Kṛṣṇa is the undivided Supersoul, or Paramātmā of all living entities. For the benefit of the whole universe, He has appeared as an ordinary boy. He has done this under the shelter of His own internal (Yoga-māyā) potency.”

To support these two points there are unlimited quotes from the scriptures. One will be not be able to understand this by fallacious scriptural argument and mundane logic. In the same way that the solar universe is illuminated by the all-pervading light of the sun, similarly, the all-powerful, all-spiritual, transcendental Śrī Kṛṣṇa Sun, whose bodily effulgence pervades the entire creation, is reflected within the minds of the retrospective philosophers, who are filled with thoughts of negation, as the formless, featureless impersonal Brahma. The Yogīs have darśana of Paramātmā, who is an expansion of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and who enters into the creation of the material world after creating it.

Religious processes that propound the formless and non-transformative nature of Brahma are the vitiations or transformations of the material mode of goodness, Sattva-guṇa. The so-called learned scholars mentioned above are bewildered by such worship. These scholars endowed only with limited knowledge disrespect the transcendental form of Bhagavān, who is full of knowledge, eternity and bliss and by taking shelter of these conceptions that are without form or features, are forever cheated of the wealth of Prema. They think that by accepting the divine form of Bhagavān, they are contaminated by the fault of worshiping matter or an ordinary human being.

The qualification for having Kṛṣṇa’s darśana

Such impure impressions disturb the supremely pure Dharma of the jīva. That person, in whose heart the glories and sweetness of Kṛṣṇa has appeared, becomes free from the negative idea that Bhagavān is formless and has darśana of the transcendental kingdom. Only a greatly fortunate jīva has such a darśana. By misfortune, persons bewildered by the mirage of mundane material knowledge are unable to attain realisation of the transcendental abode. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is situated as the Lord of Goloka, the topmost abode. He has been there since time without beginning, in the unlimited and transcendental eternal present, (due to a complete absence of mundane time). Still, by the influence of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s Acintya-śakti (power of inconceivability) and by His independent desire, He appears upon this earth with His eternal abode, Vraja, which is situated within the inner recesses of Goloka. In other words, He is immune to the effects of the mundane time-factor in this material universe. Even on this earth, He travels with His pure distinctive properties (without any touch of mundane matter).

atho mahā-bhāga bhavān amogha-dṛk
śuci-śravāḥ satya-rato dhṛta-vrataḥ
urukramasyākhila-bandha-muktaye
samādhinānusmara tad-viceṣṭitam
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.5.13)

“O Greatly fortunate Vyāsadeva, your vision is completely perfect. Your fame is spotless. You are firm in vow and dedicated to truthfulness. And thus, by your spiritual nature from your trance in Bhakti-yoga, you are able to separate yourself from the material false ego and gain the vision of the all spiritual Kṛṣṇa-līlā. In order to deliver all jīvas from the bondage of the illusory potency of Māyā, you search for the past-times of Urukrama Bhagavān, who performs wonderful activities.”

The pastimes of Kṛṣṇa can be seen when the soul reaches the stage of pure trance (Viśuddha-samādhi). One is not able to see the transcendental form or pastimes of Bhagavān with fleshy, mundane eyes. Sometimes Kṛṣṇa manifests Himself to mundane vision by the influence of His Acintya-śakti (power of inconceivability); however, the foolish, impious jīvas cannot recognise Him. The pastimes of Kṛṣṇa are eternal and they always remain untouched by mundane space and time. They can only be seen through the devotional eyes of the ātmā (the soul) and only the mind that is absorbed in devotional sentiments can meditate upon them.

bhakti-yogena manasi samyak praṇihite 'male
apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇaṁ māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam

“Thus he fixed his pure mind in pure devotional service (Bhakti-yoga) and in the stage of Samādhi he saw the Supreme Person, Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa. At a great distance he also saw Māyā, who is not independent, being subordinate to the Lord. That complete internal potency is eternally situated within the Svarūpa of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Māyā is the shadow of that internal potency.”

yayā sammohito jīva ātmānaṁ tri-guṇātmakam
paro 'pi manute 'narthaṁ tat-kṛtaṁ cābhipadyate

“He also saw that the jīva is an atomic sized particle of consciousness, manifested from the Taṭastha or Jīva-śakti, which is itself a partial manifestation of the Svarūpa-śakti, which is superior to the inferior Māyā-śakti. That jīva is bewildered by the illusionary potency called Māyā and accepts itself as a product of the three modes of material nature.”

anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje
lokasyājānato vidvāṁś cakre sātvata-saṁhitām

“He also saw that devotional service to Adokṣaja Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the one and only means for the jīvas to destroy unwanted desires or Anarthas. The best of learned personalities, Śrī Vyāsa composed this Sattva-saṁhitā, Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, for the benefit of ignorant persons.”

yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṇāyāṁ kṛṣṇe parama-pūruṣe
bhaktir utpadyate puṁsaḥ śoka-moha-bhayāpahā

“Simply by hearing this Sattva-saṁhitā in the form of this Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, such devotion will awaken within the heart of the jīva towards the Supreme Person, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, that lamentation, illusion and fear will automatically be destroyed.”
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.7.4-7)

As long as the false ego coming from empiric material knowledge and science remains, then even though one may be cultivating the worship of the Supreme Truth, this tattva will be beyond assimilation. If however, one considers oneself to be even more insignificant than a blade of grass and invokes Śrī Kṛṣṇa in all hopelessness, then that most fortunate person can have direct vision of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and by His mercy, attain the unlimited happiness of loving sentiments for Him. By great good-fortune, upon the awakening of faith, he gains freedom from the clutches of mundane pride and does not remain entangled in those things, which cause one to be an offender to the holy name. High birth and social position, mundane education, beauty, strength, knowledge of material science, elevated posts, wealth and kingdoms are of no assistance in the Bhajana of Kṛṣṇa. Amongst all the previously mentioned types of pride, the three coming from high birth, physical beauty and wealth have been proved to be the main obstacles in Bhakti.

śriyā vibhūtyābhijanena vidyayā
tyāgena rūpeṇa balena karmaṇā
jāta-smayenāndha-dhiyaḥ saheśvarān
sato ’vamanyanti hari-priyān khalāḥ
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.5.9)

“Miscreants blinded by pride in their wealth, birth in a prestigious family, education, renunciation, personal beauty, physical strength and successful performance of Vedic rituals disrespect the Controller of the Universe, Śrī Hari and His dear devotees.”

Transcendental objects can never be understood by material science or education

The biggest fault of mundane materialistic scientists is that they want to understand all topics beyond the scope of their present qualification. Materialistic science has no jurisdiction in non-material affairs or philosophical truths (tattvas). Like a shameless person, material science forcibly interjects itself into the path of transcendence. It makes its own worthless and erroneous conclusions with regard to the subject matter at hand and finally deforms the subject matter itself. It then concludes that there is no such thing as a transcendental entity. Thus science itself becomes disconnected forever from the subject matter. By the influence of the association of saintly persons, natural humility awakens within the heart of the jīva and it is upon this foundation of humility that Śrī Kṛṣṇa bestows His mercy. It is only by this mercy of Kṛṣṇa that one gains the qualification to enter into the understanding of transcendental truth. One can never understand non-material or transcendental topics (tattva) with the help of material knowledge or science.

athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-
prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi
jānāti tattvaṁ bhagavan-mahimno
na cānya eko ’pi ciraṁ vicinvan
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.14.29)

“The tattva of Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the highest. The Lord of Vaikuṇṭha, Śrī Nārāyaṇa and Baladeva Prabhu are His pastime expansions (Vilāsa-mūrti). Śrī Viṣṇu is a portion of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The impersonal Brahman effulgence is His bodily effulgence. The planet of Kṛṣṇa (Goloka) is the highest and most confidential section of the spiritual worlds. Even though, for the happiness of His devotees, Śrī Kṛṣṇa descends to this material world composed of five elements and performs His Goloka past-times, still by the influence and His Acintya-śakti, He is a truth, which is beyond even the Spiritual Vaikuṇṭha planets.

Who can understand Śrī Kṛṣṇa?”

“O Bhagavān, You are unfathomable.

Who in the three worlds can understand where, why, when and how You perform Your līlā?

Still, O Bhagavān, You manifest Yourself in the hearts of Your bhaktas, who have received even a slight trace of the mercy of Your lotus feet. Thus they become blessed and are the only ones who can understand the truth of the glory of Your Sac-cid-ānanda svarūpa. Even after long-term enthusiastic endeavour, in Sādhanas such as Jñāna and Vairāgya a person can never actually know Your glories.”

The energy (Śakti) of Kṛṣṇa

There are unlimited varieties of Kṛṣṇa’s energies. By our insignificant knowledge, we jīvas can never understand which energy is being manifested in the infinite universe. Going beyond the material world is the Virajā River (which forms the border between this world and the spiritual world) and beyond this are the spiritual planets of Vaikuṇṭha and beyond even this is the planet of Goloka, within which is Vraja. In Vaikuṇṭha, Śrī Nārāyaṇa is manifest with four arms and with complete opulence. In Goloka, His opulence remains hidden by the profuse display of sweetness.

ko vetti bhūman bhagavan parātman
yogeśvarotīr bhavatas tri-lokyām
kva vā kathaṁ vā kati vā kadeti
vistārayan krīḍasi yoga-māyām
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.14.21)

“O Mahā Viṣṇu, O Supreme Person!

O Supersoul!

O master of all mystic power!

Who is that person within this universe who can understand how, when or in which way Your Yoga-Māyā potency (Svarūpa-śakti) expands Herself and manifests various pastimes?”

The illusionary energy (Māyā-śakti)

Śrī Kṛṣṇa is Svayaṁ-śaktimān (the original source of all potencies). His Svarūpa has one, inconceivably, great potency (Mahā-śakti). In some places, scripture has called that potency Māyā. It is stated:

“mīyate anayā iti māyā”

Which means:

“That which can be measured.”

According to this meaning, Māyā can be called the external manifestation of Kṛṣṇa. Without Māyā, Kṛṣṇa cannot be perceived. Learned persons, who know tattva, have called this Māyā the Svarūpa-śakti of Kṛṣṇa. This Māyā has been separated into two divisions, the superior or Parā-śakti, known as Cit-śakti and the inferior, Aparā-śakti, known as Māyā-śakti. Factually the Parā-śakti is the one and only Acintya-śakti (inconceivable potency) and its shadow is called the Aparā-śakti. The presiding goddess of this material universe is that shadow of the superior potency (Parā-śakti) and she is called Māyā.

ṛte 'rthaṁ yat pratīyeta
na pratīyeta cātmani
tad vidyād ātmano māyāṁ
yathābhāso yathā tamaḥ
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.9.34)

“O Brahmā, philosophers, because of being unable to understand my inconceivable potencies say many things, such as, 'the truth is this' or 'it isn't that'. This is all due to My deluding influence called Māyā. Only what is directly related to Me has value, if it is without relation to Me, understand that to be My illusory energy, Māyā and simply a semblance or a shadow of Me, the Ultimate reality.”

“The Supreme Absolute Truth (Parama-tattva or Svarūpa-tattva) is the only real truth. One should understand that which is seen to be separate from this truth, or not existing within it, to be a product of the Supreme Absolute Truth’s illusory energy (Māyā). The following example demonstrates this. The Supreme truth (Parama-tattva) can be compared to the sun, which is an object consisting of light. The sun is experienced in two other forms, namely its reflection and darkness. Similarly, in regards to the Absolute Truth, reflection pertains to the living entities (Jīva-śakti) and darkness to the material world (Māyā-śakti).”

Māyā-śakti is related to this material world and it is this shadow potency that is shunned in the discussions of spiritual affairs due to her contaminating influence, not the Māyā-śakti in the form of the Svarūpa-śakti. It is for this reason that Śrīman Mahāprabhu said to Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī:

kṛṣṇera svābhāvika tina-śakti-pariṇati
cit-śakti, jīva-śakti, āra māyā-śakti
(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 20.111)

“Lord Kṛṣṇa naturally has three energetic transformations and these are known as the spiritual potency (Cit-śakti), the jīva (Jīva-śakti) and the illusory potency (Māyā-śakti).”

Also, stated elsewhere:

ananta-śakti-madhye kṛṣṇera tīna śakti pradhāna
'icchā-śakti', 'kriyā-śakti', 'jñāna-śakti' nāma
(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 20.253)

“Kṛṣṇa has unlimited potencies, out of which three are prominent: the potency of desire, the power of knowledge and the power of activity.”

Śrīman Mahāprabhu also instructed Śrī Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya:

sat-cid-ānanda-maya haya īśvara-svarūpa
tina aṁśe cit-śakti haya tina rūpa

ānandāṁśe 'hlādinī,' sad-aṁśe 'sandhinī'
cid-aṁśe 'saṁvit', yāre jñāna kari māni

antaraṅgā--cit-śakti, taṭasthā--jīva-śakti
bahiraṅgā--māyā,--tine kare prema-bhakti
(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 6.158-160)

“The Svarūpa of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His original form is full of eternity, knowledge and bliss. The spiritual potency in these three portions (Sat, Cit and Ānanda) assumes three different forms, called Hlādinī (the potency of bliss), Sandhinī (the potency of eternality) and Samvit (the potency of knowledge). We accept these three aspects as full knowledge of the Supreme Person. The spiritual potency of the Supreme Person also appears in three phases: internal (Antaraṅgā-śakti), marginal (the Taṭastha or Jīva-śakti) and external (Māyā-śakti). These are all engaged in His loving devotional service (Prema-bhakti).”

The transformations of these various Śaktis

Thus the Ātma-śakti (self-potency), Parā-śakti (highest potency) and Svarūpa-śakti (internal potency) of Śrī Kṛṣṇa are all the same Śakti. By Kṛṣṇa's will this one Parā-śakti has three prabhāvas (influences, personal expressions), three vibhāvas (conceptions, expressions of glories and opulence) and three anubhāvas (perception, particular function or expression of ecstasies). The three prabhāvas (influences) are the Icchā-śakti (potency that fulfils the Lord’s desire), Kriyā-śakti (potency of action) and Jñāna-śakti (the potency of knowledge). The three vibhāvas (conceptions) are the Cit-śakti, Jīva-śakti and Māyā-śakti and the three anubhāvas (personal ecstasies) are Sandhinī, Hlādinī and Saṁvit.

yasmin viruddha-gatayo hy aniśaṁ patanti
vidyādayo vividha-śaktaya ānupūrvyāt
tad brahma viśva-bhavam ekam anantam ādyam
ānanda-mātram avikāram ahaṁ prapadye
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.9.16)

“I surrender to that non-dual, Absolute Truth, composed of bliss, the original cause and creator of unlimited material universes, who is without transformation, in other words Bhagavān. Although possessed of unlimited contradictory, functioning potencies such Vidyā (knowledge) and Avidyā (ignorance) within His eternal Svarūpa, are simultaneously and harmoniously rendering their eternal and appropriate services.”

To further qualify this, the following points are being presented:

1. The Cit-śakti, being influenced by the Icchā-śakti (potency that fulfils the Lord’s desire), manifests the Līlā-pīṭhas (places where pastimes are performed) of Goloka, Vaikuṇṭha, etc. This potency also manifests the names of the Lord such as Govinda and Kṛṣṇa and the two, four and six armed forms of the Lord in Vaikuṇṭha, Goloka and Vṛndāvana. This same Cit-śakti also manifests the associates that perform līlās with the Lord in these places together with the līlās themselves and the qualities of the Lord such as mercy, submissiveness and forgiveness.

2. The Cit-śakti, being influenced by the Jñāna-śakti (knowledge potency), manifests the entire opulence, sweetness and beauty of Vaikuṇṭha. Other than Śrī Kṛṣṇa no one possesses this Icchā-śakti (potency that fulfils the Lord’s desire). The presiding Deity of the Jñāna-śakti (potency of knowledge) is Vāsudeva and the presiding Deity of the Kriyā-śakti (potency of action) is Balarāma-Saṅkarṣaṇa. From the Jīva-śakti or the Taṭasthā-śakti, being affected by the Icchā, Jñāna and Kriyā Śaktis have sprung, the eternal associates, the demigods, humans, daityas and demons.

3. All realisations concerning Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s activities (Kriyānubhāvas) are awakened by the influence of His Kriyā-śakti (potency of action). In the Cit-śakti the three distinct features are Sandhinī, Saṁvit and Hlādinī. The mixing of all of these produces direct and indirect ecstatic divine emotions, experienced in the loving pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, which is the ultimate goal. The potency of Śrī Kṛṣṇa is unlimited, unparalleled and immeasurable. All the activities of the Cit-śakti are eternal.

In His teachings to Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrīman Mahāprabhu said:

yadyapi asṛjya nitya cic-chakti-vilāsa
tathāpi saṅkarṣaṇa-icchāya tāhāra prakāśa
(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 20.257)

“Although Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s all-spiritual pastimes, which are the actions of His Cit-śakti, are eternal and are not created at any time, they are nonetheless manifest by the will of Bhagavān Saṅkarṣaṇa.”

Material nature

Material nature is also known as Chāyā-śakti or the shadow potency. In relation to this topic, it is stated:

māyā-dvāre sṛje teṅho brahmāṇḍera gaṇa
jaḍa-rūpā prakṛti nahe brahmāṇḍera-kāraṇa

jaḍa haite sṛṣṭi nahe īśvara-śakti vine
tāhātei saṅkarṣaṇa kare śaktira ādhāne

īśvarera śaktye sṛṣṭi karaye prakṛti
lauha yena agni-śaktye pāya dāha-śakti
(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 20.259-261)

“Śrī Kṛṣṇa creates the material universes by His Māyā-śakti. Some think that inert material nature is the root cause of the universe. However, this is erroneous thinking because by herself, she has no power to do anything. After being empowered by the potency of Īśvara, she can then create the material world. Without empowerment from the energy of Bhagavān, she cannot create. Bhagavān Saṅkarṣaṇa empowers material nature with His energy and then she is able to perform the work of creation. An example of this is if one places an iron rod in fire, it becomes red hot and can then burn paper and anything else to ashes. Iron itself cannot burn paper; it is the burning potency of fire, having entered into the piece of iron, which burns the paper to ashes.”

The name of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s Kriyā-śakti (potency of action) is actually Saṅkarṣaṇa-śakti. The destructible transformation of this Māyā-śakti is the material universe. This topic is discussed thoroughly in the Fourth Shower.

Rasa-tattva

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself is Rasa-tattva; this is described in the Vedas. In the First Shower of the Seventh Chapter there is a clear description of Rasa-tattva. Words are material and therefore whatever has been, or will be said – even with the greatest care – is bound to be material or to have some material inference. However, if the reader is endowed with faith in this, then the transcendental Rasa will appear in his pure heart. But this tattva will never awaken within the heart, despite great effort through the path of logic and argument. It will only be possible by the fruit of possessing supreme good fortune and the effect of associating with a pure Sādhu. If an inquisitive person falls into wicked association and cultivates mundane rasa, accepting it as being transcendental Rasa, then that will transform into a form of Prākṛta-rasa-sahajiyāism (imitation) and will forever be degraded. Therefore, one should be especially cautious and alert in the process of realising Rasa-tattva.
Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself is the sum total of Rasa and sixty-four transcendental qualities are found in Him. The first fifty of these qualities are found minutely in the jīvas. Those fifty qualities on a larger scale added to five more are to be found in Śiva, Brahmā, Gaṇeśa, Sūrya and other demigods. Because of this, even though they are separate parts of Him, they are termed as Īśvara (controllers). Those fifty-five qualities in their fullness, added to five more, also in their fullness, appear in Nārāyaṇa, Viṣṇu and other incarnations. These sixty attributes of Viṣṇu and another four extraordinary transcendental attributes are all present in Kṛṣṇa.

ayaṁ netā suramyāṅgaḥ sarva-sal-lakṣaṇānvitaḥ
ruciras tejasā yukto balīyān vayasānvitaḥ

vividhādbhuta-bhāṣā-vit satya-vākyaḥ priyam-vadaḥ
vāvadūkaḥ su-pāṇḍityo buddhimān pratibhānivitaḥ

vidadgdhaś caturo dakṣaḥ kṛtajñaḥ sudṛḍha-vrataḥ
deśa-kāla-supatra-jñaḥ śāstra-cakṣuḥ śucir vaśī

sthiro dāntaḥ kṣamā-śīlo gambhīro dhṛtimān samaḥ
vadānyo dhārmikaḥ śūraḥ karuṇo mānya-māna-kṛt

dakṣiṇo vinayī hrīmān śaraṇāgata-pālakaḥ
sukhī bhakta-suhṛt prema- vaśyaḥ sarva-śubhaṅkaraḥ

pratāpī kīrtimān rakta- lokaḥ sādhu-samāśrayaḥ
nārī-gaṇa-mano-hāri- sarvārādhyaḥ samṛddhimān

varīyān īśvaraś ceti guṇās tasyānukīrtitāḥ
samudra iva pañcāśad durvigāhā harer amī

jīveṣv ete vasanto 'pi bindu-bindutayā kvacit
paripūrṇatayā bhānti tatraiva puruṣottame
(Śrī Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 2.1.23-30)

“These are the qualities of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the supreme hero. He is: 1) endowed with delightfully charming bodily limbs; 2) endowed with all auspicious characteristics; 3) beautiful; 4) radiant; 5) strong; and 6) eternally youthful; 7) conversant with many kinds of astonishing languages; 8) truthful; 9) a pleasing speaker; 10) eloquent; 11) intelligent; 12) learned; 13) resourceful; 14) expert in relishing mellows; 15) clever; 16) expert; 17) grateful; 18) very firm in His vows; 19) an astute judge of time, place and circumstance; 20) a seer through the eyes of śāstras; 21) pure; 22) self-controlled; 23) steadfast; 24) forbearing; 25) forgiving; 26) inscrutable; 27) sober; 28) equipoised; 29) munificent; 30) virtuous; 31) chivalrous; 32) compassionate; 33) respectful to others; 34) amiable; (35) modest; 36) shy; 37) the protector of surrendered souls; 38) happy; 39) the well-wisher of His Bhaktas; 40) controlled by Prema; 41) the benefactor of all; 42) the tormentor of His enemies; 43) famous; 44) beloved by all; 45) partial to the side of the Sādhus; 46) the enchanter of women’s minds; 47) worshipable for all; 48) all-opulent; 49) superior to all; 50) the controller. These fifty qualities are present to a minute degree in the jīvas, whereas they are fully represented in the Supreme Person, Śrī Hari to an unlimited degree like the unfathomable ocean.

atha pañca-guṇā ye syur aṁśena giriśādiṣu

sadā svarūpa-samprāptaḥ sarva-jño nitya-nūtanaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-sāndrāṅgaḥ sarva-siddhi-niṣevitaḥ
(Śrī Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 2.1.37-38)

Another five of Kṛṣṇa’s qualities are present in Brahmā, Śiva and other demigods, but not in ordinary jīvas: They are: 51) He is always situated in His Svarūpa; 52) He is omniscient; 53) He is ever-fresh and new; 54) He is the concentrated form of existence, knowledge and bliss; 55) He is served by all mystic opulences.

athocyante guṇāḥ pañca ye lakṣmīśādi-vartinaḥ
avicintya-mahā-śaktiḥ koṭi-brahmāṇḍa-vigrahaḥ

avatārāvalī-bījaṁ hatāri-gati-dāyakaḥ
ātmārāma-gaṇākarṣīty amī kṛṣṇe kilādbhutāḥ
(Śrī Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.39-40)

Bhagavān Lakṣmīpati Nārāyaṇa has an additional five qualities: 56) He possesses inconceivable potencies; 57) innumerable universes are situated within His body; 58) He is the original cause or seed of all incarnations; 59) He awards gati (a higher destination) to those whom He kills; 60) He can attract even those who are ātmārāma (satisfied within the self).

These additional five qualities are not present in Brahmā or Śiva, but they are wonderfully present in Śrī Kṛṣṇa in their most complete form. Besides these sixty qualities, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself has four extra qualities, namely:

sarvādbhuta-camatkāra- līlā-kallola-vāridhiḥ
atulya-madhura-prema- maṇḍita-priya-maṇḍalaḥ

tri-jagan-mānasākarṣi-muralī-kala-kūjitaḥ
asamānordhva-rūpa-śrī-vismāpita-carācaraḥ

līlā premṇā priyādhikyaṁ mādhuryaṁ veṇu-rūpayoḥ
ity asādhāraṇaṁ proktaṁ govindasya catuṣṭayam

evaṁ guṇāś catur-bhedāś  catuḥ-ṣaṣṭir udāhṛtāḥ
(Śrī Bhakti-Rasāmṛta-Sindhu 1.2.41-44)

61) He is like a vast ocean teeming with waves of the most astonishing and wonderful līlās; 62) He is adorned with incomparable Mādhurya-prema and thus is auspiciousness personified for His beloved devotees, who also have unparalleled Prema for Him; 63) He attracts the three worlds with the marvellous vibration of His Muralī (flute); 64) the resplendent Rūpa (beauty) of His transcendental form is unparalleled, charming and astonishing to all moving and non-moving entities in the three worlds.

Thus only Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Controller, the possessor of all potencies and the Absolute Truth, composed of all Rasas (mellows). All of the features of the Svarūpa-śakti assume forms as assisting ingredients of Śānta (tranquillity or neutrality), Dāsya (servitorship), Sakhya (friendliness), Vātsalya (parental love) and Mādhurya (amorous sweetness) Rasas (mellows) of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The very essence of the Hlādinī-śakti, the daughter of Vṛṣabhānu Mahārāja, Śrī Rādhikā, is the most beloved of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Even though this Rasa is eternally situated in Goloka, by the desire of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Yoga-māyā Cit-śakti manifests this complete Rasa in Vraja within this material world. One whose intelligence has not gained the power to go beyond the material qualities of the modes of nature (Māyā) is not qualified to attain or deliberate upon this Rasa-tattva. That is why such persons understand Vraja-rasa to be material rasa and neglect it. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it has been stated that those who describe or hear Vraja-rasa with full faith, very quickly attain the highest form of devotion (Parā-bhakti) in the form of Kṛṣṇa-prema and become eternally free from the disease of the heart, which arises from matter, namely, lust. This is the highest limit of Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s teachings. 

vikrīḍitaṁ vraja-vadhūbhir idaṁ ca viṣṇoḥ
śraddhānvito ’nuśṛṇuyād atha varṇayed yaḥ
bhaktiṁ parāṁ bhagavati pratilabhya kāmaṁ
hṛd-rogam āśv apahinoty acireṇa dhīraḥ
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.33.39)

“A sober person, who in the beginning faithfully and continuously hears from his Guru the narrations of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s unprecedented Rāsa dance with the young gopīs of Vraja and later describes those pastimes, very soon attains Parā-bhakti or Prema-bhakti for the Supreme Lord and thus becomes competent to quickly dispel the heart disease of lust.”


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