Text 41
maya hi yasya jagad-anda-satani sute
traigunya-tad-visaya-veda-vitayamana
sattvavalambi-para-sattvam visuddha-sattvam
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
Word for Word
maya--the external potency; hi--indeed; yasya--of whom; jagat-anda--of universes; satani--hundreds; sute--brings forth; trai-gunya--embodying the threefold mundane qualities; tat--of that; visaya--the subject matter; veda--the Vedic knowledge; vitayamana--diffusing; sattva-avalambi--the support of all existence; para-sattvam--the ultinnate entity; visuddha-sattvam--the absolute substantive principle; govindam--Govinda; adi-purusam--the orig inal person; tam--Him; aham--I; bhajami--worship.
Translation
I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is the absolute substantive principle being the ultimate entity in the form of the support of all existence whose external potency embodies the thr eefold mundane qualities, viz., sattva, rajas and tamas and diffuses the Vedic knowledge regarding the mundane world.
Purport (by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati)
The active mundane quality of rajas brings forth or generates all mundane entities. The quality of sattva (mundane manifesive principle) in conjunction with rajas stands for the maintenance of the existence of entities that are so produced, and the quality of tamas represents the principle of destruction. The substantive principle, which is mixed with the threefold mundane qualities, is mundane, while the unmixed substance is transcendental .. The quality of eternal existence is the principle of absolute entity. The person whose proper form abides in that essence, is alone unalloyed entity, non mundane, supermundane and free from all mundane quality. He is cognitive bliss. It is the deluding energy who has elaborated the regulative knowledge (Vedas) bearing on the threefold mundane quality.
Commentary by Srila Jiva Goswami
After thus describing the glories of the Lord's form, in the next two verses the author describes the externally manifested glories of the Lord. Maya is the external potency of the Lord. she does not have direct contact with the Lord. The material world is made of mixtures of the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance. When the modes of goodness is pure and not mixed with the other modes, then the spiritual potency is manifested. Thi s is described in the following words of the Visnu Purana:
"May the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the purest of the pure, and in whom the material modes of goodness, passion and ignorance do not stay, be pleased with me."
This topic is also explained in more detail in the Sri Bhagavata-sandarbhas.
Text 42
ananda-cinmaya-rasatmataya manahsu
yah praninam pratiphalan smaratam upetya
lilayitena bhuvanani jayaty ajasram
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
Word for Word
ananda--blissful; cit-maya--cognitive; rasa--of rasa; atmataya--due to being the entity; manahsu--in the minds; yah--He who; praninam--of living entities; pratiphalan-- being reflected; sma ratam upetya--recollecting; lilayitena--by pastimes; bhuvanani--the mundane world; jayati-- triumphantly dominates; ajasram--ever; govindam--Govinda; adi-purusam--the original person; tam--Him; aham--I; bhajami--worship.
Translation
I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, whose glory ever triumphantly dominates the mundane world by the activity of His own pastimes, being resected in the mind of recollecting souls as the transcendental entity of ever-blissful cognitive rasa.
Purport (by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati)
Those who constantly recollect in accordance with spiritual instructions the name, figure, attributes and pastimes of the form of Krishna appearing in the amorous rasa whose loveliness vanqui shes the god of mundane love, conqueror of all mundane hearts, are alone meditators of Krishna. Krishna, who is full of pastimes, always manifests Himself with His realm only in the pure receptive cognition of such persons. The pastimes of that manifested div ine realm triumphantly dominates in every way all the majesty and beauty of the mundane world.
Commentary by Srila Jiva Goswami
The Lord's pleasing charm is described in this verse. Here the word "ananda-cinmaya-rasa" means "the loving pastimes known as ujjvala-rasa", and "atmataya" means "with embraces." These co mpletely charming pastimes are reflected (pratiphalan ) in the minds (manahsu) of the living entities (praninam). In the five chapters that comprise Srimad- Bhagavatam's description of the rasa dance it is said:
"The gopis eyes were fixed on Lord Krishna."
There it is also said (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.32.2):
"Lord Krishna was the most charming of Kamadevas."
As He enters the universe, so also Lord Krishna enters the circle of these transcendental amorous pastimes.
Text 43
goloka-namni nija-dhamni tale ca tasya
devi mahesa-hari-dhamasu tesu tesu
te teo prabhava-nicaya vihitas ca yena
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
Word for Word
goloka-namni--in the planet known as Goloka Vrndavana; nija-dhamni--the personal abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tale--in the part underneath; ca--also; tasya--of that; devi-- of the goddess Durga; mahesa--of Lord Siva; hari--of Narayana; dhamasu--in the planets; tesu tesu--in each of them; te te--those respective; prabhava-nicayah-- opulences; vihitah-- established; ca--also; yena--by whom; govindam--Govinda; adi-purusam--the original person; tam--Him; aham--I; bhajami--worship.
Translation
Lowest of all is located Devi-dhama [mundane world], next above it is Mahesa-dhama [abode of Mahesa]; above Mahesa-dhama is placed Hari-dhama [abode of Hari] and above them all is located K rsna's own realm named Goloka. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, who has allotted their respective authorities to the rulers of those graded realms.
Purport (by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati)
The realm of Goloka stands highest above all others. Brahma looking up to the higher position of Goloka is speaking of the other realms from the point of view of his own realm: the first in order is this mundane world called Devi-dhama consisting of the fourteen worlds, viz., Satyaloka, etc.; next above Devi-dhama is located Siva-dhama one portion of which, called Mahakala-dhama, is enveloped in darkness; interpenetrating this portion of Si va-dhama there shines the Sadasivaloka, full of great light. Above the same appears Hari-dhama or the transcendental Vaikunthaloka. The potency of Devi-dhama, in the form of the extension of Maya, and that of Sivaloka, consisting of time, space and matter , are the potency of the separated particles pervaded by the penumbral reflection of the subjective portion of the Divinity. But Hari-dhama is ever resplendent with transcendental majesty and the great splendor of all-sweetness predominates over all other majesties in Goloka. The Supreme Lord Govinda by his own direct and indirect power has constituted those respective potencies of those realms.
Srila Jiva Goswami's Commentary
In this verse the author describes first the material world and then Lord Krishna's transcendental abode. In the word "devi-mahesa-hari-dhamasu" the abodes are given in reverse order. The sequence here starts at the bottom and then proceeds higher and higher. The Hari-dhama here is not different from the realm of Goloka. Goloka is the highest of all the abodes. Goloka is not different from the abode of Vrindavana on the earth. This is described in the following words:
"O hero, on that Goloka planet stay Lord Krishna and the surabhi cows."
The same planet described in the words "goloka eva nivasati" is also manifested on the earth as the land of Vrndavana. There the Supreme Personality of Godhead enjoys His eternal pastimes. That is the conclusion of the scriptures. In the A di-Varaha Purana it is said:
"The twelfth forest is Vrndavana,w here Lord Krishna is the supreme ruler. That forest is protected by Vrnda-devi and served by Brahma, Shiva and all the demigods."
In the Adi-Varaha Purana it is also said:
"Vrndavana destroys all sins. There Lord Krishna enjoys pastimes with the gopis.
"There Lord Krishna enjoys pastimes with the cowherd boys day after day. There He enjoys transcendental pastimes eternally."
In the Gautamiya Tantra, Sri Narada asks:
"What are the 32 forest of Vrndavana? I wish to hear of them. O Lord, if you think I am worthy to hear, please tell me of them."
To this question Lord Krishna gave the following reply:
"This place named Vrindavana is My transcendental abode. When they die, the humans, cows, animals, birds, insects, and worms who live here will go to My eternal abode.
"The gopis who live here eternally devoted to My service."
"The forty miles of Vrindavana forest is My own transcendental form. The Yamuna river there flows with nectar. It is the same as the river named Susumna.
"Here the saints and demigods reside in subtle forms. I, who am the personification of all the demigods, never leave this forest."
"Millennium after millennium, I appear and disappear. This beautiful and splendid abode cannot be seen with material eyes."
In this way the Varaha Purana and other scriptures describe the eternal kadamba tree and the other eternal residents of this realm of Vrndavana. The realm of Goloka looks different from the Vrindavana that we are able to see. When we are abl e to see the true nature of Vrndavana, then Lord Sri Krishna and His eternal associates will become visible and appear before us. Goloka is said to be an incarnation of Sri Krishna. It is the form of certain specific rasa (mellows of love. It is the a bode of certain wonderful pastimes, such as the gopis pastimes with their paramour Krishna. All this is described or hinted in the various kalpas, tantras, yamalas, samhitas, pancaratras, and other scriptures. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.90.48) it is said:
"Lord Sri Krishna is He who is known as jana-nivasa, the ultimate resort of all living entities, and who is known as Devaki-nandana or Yasoda-nandana, the son of Devaki and Yasoda. He is the guide of the Yadu dynasty, and with His mighty arms He kills everything inauspicious, as well as every man who is impious. By His presence He destroys all things inauspicious for all living entities, moving and inert. His blissful smiling face always increases the lusty desires of the gopis of Vrnda vana. May He be all glorious and happy.!"
In the Padma Purana, Nirvana-khanda, Sri Vyasa explains:
"He said: 'Please look. I will show you My transcendental form, which is hidden from the Vedas.' O king, then I saw a boy dark like a monsoon cloud, a boy surrounded by many gopis and joking with many gopas."
Although the word "kanya" here certainly refers to the nature and qualities of young girls, the girls here are unlike the ordinary girls of the material world. In the Gautamiya Tantra, Fourth Chapter, in the passage beginning with the words "atha vrndavanam dhyayet" (now one should meditate on Vrndavana), the following meditation on Vrindavana is given:
"That abode is decorated with hundreds of girls beautiful like demigoddesses in Svargaloka, with many gopas and calves, and with many forest groves."
"In that abode the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of the three worlds, is worshipped by many thousands of lotus-petal-eyed gopis blossoming with love."
The spiritual activity one should adopt to directly see Lord Krishna is described in these words:
"With full concentration one should chant this Krishna-mantra day and night. Then one will see the cowherd-boy form of Lord Krishna. Of this there is no doubt."
In another passage it is said:
"One who is wise will reside in Vrindavana until he directly sees Lord Krishna."
In the Trailokya-sammohana Tantra, in the description of the eighteen-syllable mantra, it is said:
"With full concentration one should chant this Krishna-mantra day and night. Then one will see the cowherd-boy form of Lord Krishna. Of this there is no doubt."
In the Gopala-tapani Upanisad, Brahma declares:
"I continually glorified the Lord and meditated upon Him for millions of years, and at last I was able to understand the transcendental form of the Lord as Sri krsna, in the dress of a cowherd boy."
It is said in the scriptures that the forms of Lord Ksirodakasayi Vishnu and the other incarnations of the Lord are all present in the transcendental form of Lord Krishna. What is the need for a more elaborate explanation here? We have already discussed this topic in depth in the Krishna-sandarbha.
Text 44
srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktir eka
chayeva yasya bhuvanani bibharti durga
icchanurupam api yasya ca cestate sa
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
Word for Word
srsti--creation; sthiti--preservation; pralaya--anddestruction; sadhana--the agency;saktih--potency; eka--one; chaya--the shadow; iva--like; yasya--of whom; bhuvanani--the mundane world; bi bharti--maintains; durga--Durga; iccha--the will; anurupam--in accordance with; api--certainly; yasya--of whom; ca--and; cestate--conducts herself; sa--she; govindam--Govinda; adi-purusam--the original person; tam--Him; aham--I; bhajami--worship
Translation
The external potency Maya who is of the nature of the shadow of the cit potency, is worshiped by all people as Durga, the creating, preserving and destroying agency of this mundane world. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda in accordance with whose will Durga conducts herself.
Purport (by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati)
(The aforesaid presiding deity of Devi-dhama is being described.) The world, in which Brahma takeshis stand and hymns the Lord of Goloka, isDevi-dhama consisting of the fourteen worlds and Durga is its presiding deity. She is tenarmed, representing the tenfold fruitive acitivites.She rides on the lion, representing her heroic prowess. She trampels down Mahisasura, representing the subduer of vices. She is the m other of two sons, Karttikeya and Ganesa, representing beauty and success. She is placed between Lakshmi andSaraswati, representing mundane opulence and mundane knowledge. She is armed with the twenty weapons, representing the various pious activities enjo ined by the Vedas for suppression of vices. She holds the snake, representing the beauty of destructive time. Such is Durga possessing all these manifold forms. Durga is possessed of Durga, which means a prison house. When jivas begotten of the marginal p otency (tatastha sakti) forget the service of Krishna they are confined in the mundane prison house, the citadel of Durga. The wheel of karma is the instrument of punishment at this place. The work of purifying these penalized jivas is the duty developed up on Durga. She is incessantly engaged in discharging the same by the will of Govinda. When, luckily, the forgetfulness of Govinda on the part of imprisoned jivas is remarked by them by coming in contact with self-realized souls and their natural aptitude f or the loving service of Krishna is aroused, Durga herself then becomes the agency of their deliverance by the will of Govinda. So it behooves everybody to obtain the guileless grace of Durga, themistress of the prison house, by propritiating her with the s elfless service of Krishna. The boons received from Durga in the shape of wealth, property, recoveryfrom illness, of wife and sons, should be realized as thedeluding kindness of Durga. The mundane physical jubilations of dasa-maha-vidya, the ten goddesses o r forms of Durga, are elaborated for the delusion of the fettered souls of this world. Jiva is a spiritual atomic part of Krishna. When he forgets his service of Krishna he is at once deflected by the attracting power of Maya in this world, who throws him int o the whirlpool of mundane fruitive activity (karma) by confining him in a gross body constituted by the five material elements, their five attributes and eleven senses, resembling the garb of a prisoner. In this whirlpool jiva has experience of happiness and miseries, heaven and hell. Besides this, there is a subtle body, consisting of the mind, intelligence and ego, inside the gross body. By means of the subtle body, the Jiva forsakes one gross body and takes recourse to another. The jiva cannot get rid of the subtle body, full of nescience and evil desires, unless and until he is liberated. On getting rid of the subtle body he bathes in the Viraja and goes up to Hari-dhama. Such are the duties performed by Durga in accordance with the will of Govinda. In the Bhagavata sloka, vilajyamanaya ... durdhiyah--the relationship between Durga and the conditioned souls has been described.
Durga, worshiped by the people of this mundane world, is the Durga described above. But the spiritual Durga, mentioned in the mantra which is the outer covering of the spiritual realm of th e Supreme Lord, is the eternal maidservant of Krishna and is, therefore, the transcendental reality whose shadow, the Durga of this world, functions in this mundane world as her maidservant. (Vide the purport of sloka 3.)
Commentary by Srila Jiva Goswami
The abodes of Devi, Mahesa, and Lord Hari were described in the previous verse. Now, in the next five verses, it will be shown that Lord Krishna is the shelter of all these abode. In the Sr uti-sastra it is said:
"O Supreme Personality of Godhead, You are supremely powerful and independent. With unblinking eyes, Durga and the demigods attentively place offerings before You."
Text 45
ksiram yatha dadhi vikara-visesa-yogat
sanjayate na hi tatah prthag asti hetoh
yah sambhutam api tatha samupaiti karyad
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
Word for Word
ksiram--milk; yatha--as; dadhi--yogurt; vikara-visesa--of a special transformation; yogat--by the application; sanjayate-- is transformed into; na--not; hi--indeed; tatah--from the milk; pr thak--separated; asti--is; hetoh--which is the cause; yah--who; sambhutam--the nature of Lord Siva; api-- also; tatha--thus; samupaiti--accepts; karyat--for the matter of some particular business; govindam--Govinda; adi-purusam--the original person; tam-- Him; aham--I; bhajami--worship.
Translation
Just as milk is transformed into curd by the action of acids, but yet the effect curd is neither same as, nor different from, its cause, viz., milk, so I adore the primeval Lord Govinda of whom the state of Sambhu is a transformation for the performance of the work of destruction.
Purport (by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati)
(The real nature of Sambhu, the presiding deity of Mahesa-dhama, is described.) Sambhu is not a second Godhead other than Krishna. Those, who entertain such discriminating sentiment, commit a great offense against the Supreme Lord. The supremacy of Sambhu is subservient to that of Govinda; hence they are not really different from each other. The nondistinction is established by the fact that just as milk treated with acid turns into curd so G odhead becomes a subservient when He Himself attains a distinct personality by the addition of a particular element of adulteration. This personality has no independent initiative. The sail adulterating principle is constituted of a combination of the stu pefying quality of the deluding energy, the quality of nonplenitude of the marginal potency and a slight degree of the ecstatic-cum-cognitive principle of the plenary spiritual potency. This specifically adulterated reflection of the principle of the subj ective portion of the Divinity is Sadasiva, in the form of the effulgent masculine-symbol-god Sambhu from whom Rudradeva is manifested. In the work of mundane creation as the material cause, in the work of preservation by the destruction of sundry asuras and in the work of destruction to conduct the whole operation, Govinda manifests Himself as guna-avatara in the form of Sambhu who is the separated portion of Govinda imbued with the principle of His subjective plenary portion. The personality of the dest ructive principle in the form of time has been identified with what of Sambhu by scriptural evidences that have been adduced in the commentary. The purport of the Bhagavata slokas, viz., vaisnavanam yatha sambhuh, etc., is that Sambhu, in pursuance of the will of Govinda, works in union with his consort Durga-devi by his own time energy. He teaches pious duties (dharma) as stepping-stones to the attainment of spiritual service in the various tantra- sastras, etc., suitable for jivas in different grades of the conditional existence. In obedience to the will of Govinda, Sambhu maintains and fosters the religion of pure devotion by preaching the cult of illusionist (Mayavada) and the speculative agama-sastras. The fifty attributes of individual souls are man ifest in a far vaster measure in Sambhu and five additional attributes not attainable by jivas are also partly found in him. So Sambhu cannot be called a jiva. He is the lord of jiva but yet partakes of the nature of a separate portion of Govinda.
Commentary by Srila Jiva Goswami
In this verse Mahesa, the next in this sequence, is described. Here is an example of cause and effect is given. In this sense the cause is like a cintamani jewel, which also remains unchan ged because His potencies are inconceivable. In the Sruti-sastra it is said:
"In the beginning only Lord Narayana, the Supreme Person, existed.. Neither Brahma nor Shiva existed then. Lord Narayana began to meditate, and from His meditation Brahma, Siva, Indra, Varuna, and Agni were born."
It is also said in the scriptures:
"Lord Hari is the blissful Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is the cause of creation and destruction. He employs Brahma to create the universe and Shiva to destroy it."
He creates Lord Shiva by touching the modes of material nature.
In Srimad-Bhagavatam's Tenth Canto is said:
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, is always uncontaminated by the modes of material nature for He is beyond the material manifestation. On the other hand, power Shiva carries the marks of the three modes of material nature."
In the scriptures it is also said:
"Siva is touched by the modes of material nature."
In some places in the scriptures it is seen that Shiva is not different from Lord Visnu. For this reason it may be concluded that They are not different. This is described in the following words of the Rg-veda-sirah:
"Narayana is eternal. Narayana is Brahma. Narayana is Siva. Narayana is Indra. Narayana is time. Narayana is the directions. Narayana is below. Narayana is above. Narayana is within. Narayana is without. Narayana is the entire creat ed m aterial universe."
The relationship is described by Brahma in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam (2.6.32):
"By His will, I create, Lord Shiva destroys, and He Himself, in His eternal form as the Personality of Godhead, maintains everything. He is the powerful controller of these three energies."
Text 46
diparcir eva hi dasantaram abhyupetia
dipayate vivrta-hetu-samana-dharma
yas tadrg eva hi ca visnutaya vibhati
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
Word for Word
dipa-arcih--the name of a lamp; eva--as; hi--certainly; dasa-antaram--another lamp; abhyupetya--expanding; dipayate--illuminates; vivrta-hetu--with its expanded cause; samana-dharma--equall y powerful; yah--who; tadrk--similarly; eva--indeed; hi--certainly; ca--also; visnutaya--by His expansion as Lord Vishnu; vibhati--illuminates; govindam--Govinda; adi-purusam--the original person; tam--Him; aham--I; bhajami--worship.
Translation
The light of one candle being communicated to other candles, although it burns separately in them, is the same in its quality. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda who exhibits Himself equally in the same mobile manner in His various manifestations.
Purport (by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati)
The presiding Deities of Hari-dhama, viz., Hari, Narayana, Visnu, etc.. the subjective portions of Krishna, are being described. The majestic manifestation of Krishna is Narayana, Lord of Vaiku ntha, whose subjective portion is Karanodakasayi Vishnu, the prime cause, whose portion is Garbhodakasayi. Ksirodakasayi is again the subjective portion of Garhhodakasayi Visnu. The word "Visnu" indicates all-pervading, omnipresent and omniscient personal ity. In this sloka the activities of the subjective portions of the Divinity are enunciated by the specification of the nature of Ksirodakasayi Vishnu.. The per- sonality of Vishnu, the ennbodied form of the manifestive quality (sattva-guna) is quite disti nct from that of Sambhu who is adulterated with mundane qualities. Vishnu's subjective personality is on a level with that of Govinda. Both consist of the unadulterated substantive principle. Vishnu in the fornn of the manifest causal principle is identical with Govinda as regards quality. The manifestive quality (sattva-guna) that is found to exist in the triple mundane quality, is an adulterated entity being alloyed with the qualities of mundane activity and inertia. Brahma is the dislocated portion of t he Divinity, manifested in the principle of mundane action, endowed with the functional nature of His subjective portion; and Sambhu is the dislocated portion of the Divinity manifested in the principle of mundane inertia possessing similarly the function al nature of His subjective portion. The reason for their being dislocated portions is that the two principles of mundane action and inertia being altogether wanting in the spiritual essence any entities, what are manifested in them, are located at a grea t distance from the Divinity Himself or His facsimiles. Although the mundane manifestive quality is of the adulterated kind, Vishnu, the manifestation of the Divinity in the mundane manifestive quality, makes His appearance in the unadulterated manifestiv e principle which is a constituent of the mundane manifestive quality. Hence Vishnu is the full subjective portion and belongs to the category of the superior isvaras. He is the Lord of the deluding potency and not alloyed with her. Vishnu is the agent of Govinda's own subjective nature in the form of the prime cause. All the majestic attributes of Govinda, aggregating sixty in number, are fully present in His majestic manifestation, Narayana. Brahma and Shiva are entities adulterated with mundane qualities .. Though Vishnu is also divine appearance in mundane quality (guna-avatara), still He is not adulterated. The appearance of Narayana in the form of Maha-Visnu, the ap- pearance of Maha-Visnu in the form of Garbhodakasayi and the appearance of Vishnu in the form of Ksirodakasayi, are examples of the ubiquitous function of the Divinity. Vishnu is Godhead Himself, and the two other guna-avataras and all the other gods are entities possessing authority in subordination to Him. From the subjective majestic mani festation of the supreme self-luminous Govinda emanate Karanodakasayi, Garbhodakasayi, Ksirodakasayi and all other derivative subjective divine descents (avataras) such as Rama, etc., analogous to communicated light appearing in different candles, shining by the operation of the spiritual potency of Govinda.
Commentary by Srila Jiva Goswami
In this verse Lord Hari, the next in this sequence, is described. Now that the guna-avatara Shiva has been described, the guna-avatara Vishnu is described in this verse. The reason the guna -avataras have the same powers as the Lord Himself is given in these words:
"So they may manifest the material world, the guna-avataras are given powers like those of the Supreme Lord."
From a part of a part of Lord Govinda is manifested Lord Karanarnavasayi Visnu. From Him is manifested Lord Garbhodakasayi Visnu. From Garbhodakasayi Vishnu is manifested the Lord Vishnu who is a guna-avatara. As the light of one candle bei ng communicated to other candles, although it burns separately in them, is the same in its quality, so the different forms of the Lord are all the same Supreme Personality of Godhead.
In this example Lord Siva, because he is the controller of the mode of ignorance, is compared to the soot that is the by-product of these candles. Therefore He is not equal to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as are the forms of Lord Visnu. In the following verses the various expansion of Lord Vishnu will be described.
Text 47
yah karanarnava-jale bhajati sma yoga-
nidram ananta-jagad-anda-sa-roma-kupah
adhara-saktim avalambya param sva-murtim
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
Word for Word
yah--He who; karana-arnava--of the Causal Ocean; jale--in the water; bhajati--enjoys; sma--indeed; yoga-nidram-- creative sleep; ananta--unlimited; jagat-anda--universes; sa-- with; roma-ku pah--the pores of His hair; adhara-saktim--the all-accommodating potency; avalambya--assuming; param-- great; sva-murtim--own subjective form; govindam-- Govinda; adi-purusam--the original person; tam--Him; aham--I; bhajami--worship.
Translation
I adore the primeval Lord Govinda who assuming His own great subjective form, who bears the name of Sesa, replete with the all-accommodating potency, and reposing in the Causal Ocean with the infinity of the world in the pores of His hair, enjoys creative s leep [yoganidra].
Purport (by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati)
(The subjective nature of Ananta who has the form of the couch of Maha-Visnu, is described.) Ananta, the same who is the infinite couch on which Maha-Visnu reposes, is a distinctive appeara nce of the Divinity bearing the name of Sesa, having the subjective nature of the servant of Krishna.
Commentary by Srila Jiva Goswami
In this verse Lord Karanarnavasayi Vishnu is described. Countless material universes are manifested from the pores of His body. The word "sa" in "sa-roma" is an example of arsa usage. The " adhara- sakti" here is the Lord's own form of Sesa.
Text 48
yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya
jivanti loma-vilaja jagad-anda-nathah
visnur mahan sa iha yasya kala-viseso
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
Word for Word
yasya--whose; eka--one; nisvasita--of breath; kalam--time; atha--thus; avalambya--taking shelter of; jivanti--live; loma-vila-jah--grown from the hair holes; jagat-anda-nathah--the masters of the universes (the Brahmas); visnuh mahan--the Supreme Lord Maha-Visnu; sah--that; iha--here; yasya-- whose; kala-visesah--particular plenary portion or expansion; govindam--Govinda; adi-purusam--the original person; tam--Him; aham--I; bhajami--worship ..
Translation
Brahma and other lords of the mundane worlds, appearing from the pores of hair of Maha-Visnu, remain alive as long as the duration of one exhalation of the latter [Maha-Visnu]. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda of whose subjective personality Maha-Visnu is the portion of portion.
Purport (by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati)
The supreme majesty of the subjective nature of Vishnu is shown here.
Commentary by Srila Jiva Goswami
Brahma and the other demigods assist Lord Visnu, the protector of all the universes. In that sense they are avataras, non-different from the Lord. The word "jagadanda-nathah" refers to th e deities headed by Lord Visnu. The word "jivanti" m eans that they have specific powers and responsibilities in the management of the universe.
Text 49
bhasvan yathasma-sakalesu nijesu tejah
sviyam kiyat prakatayaty api tadvad atra
brahma ya esa jagad-anda-vidhana-karta
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
Word for Word
bhasvan--the illuminating sun; yatha--as; asma-sakale$u--in various types of precious stones; nijesu--his own; tejah-- brilliance; sviyam--his own; kiyat--to some extent; prakatayati--manif ests; api--also; tadvat--similarly atra--here; Brahma--Lord Brahma; yah--who; esah--he; jagat-anda-vidhana- karta--the chief of the universe; govindam--Govinda; adi-purusam--the original person; tam--Him; aham--I; bhajami--worship.
Translation
I adore the primeval Lord Govinda from whom the separated subjective portion Brahma receives his power for the regulation of the mundane world, just as the sun manifests some portion of his own light in all the effulgent gems that bear the names of suryakanta, etc..
Purport (by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati)
Brahma is two types: in certain kalpas when the potency of the Supreme Lord infuses Himself in an eligible jiva, the latter acts in the office of Brahma and creates the universe. In those k alpas when no eligible jiva is available, after the Brahma of the previous kalpa is liberated, Krishna, by the process of allotment of His own potency, creates the Brahma who has the nature of the avatara (descent) of the Divinity in the active mundane prin ciple (rajo-guna). By principles Brahma is superior to ordinary jivas but is not the direct Divinity. The divine nature is present in a greater measure in Sambhu than in Brahma. The fundamental significance of the above is that the aggregate of fifty attr ibutes, belonging to the jiva, are present in a fuller measure in Brahma who possesses, in a lesser degree, five more attributes which are not found in jivas. But in Sambhu both the fifty attributes of jivas as also the the additional attributes found in Brahma are present in even greater measure than in Brahma.
Commentary by Srila Jiva Goswami
After thus revealing the deities who are shelters of the various abodes beginning with devi-dhama, the author explains that Brahma is an individual spirit soul (jiva), by nature different f rom the Supreme Lord. Here the word "bhasvan" means "shining like the sun", "nijesu" means "in His own eternal parts", and "asma-sakalesu" means "manifests some portion of his own light in all the effulgent gems that bear the names of suryakanta, etc."
The word "api" means "as a great fire employs a spark to set something else on fire, so the Supreme Lord manifests a certain portion of His own powers in a certain chosen individual soul (jiva)". In this way given a certain portion of the Supreme Lord's power, the demigod Brahma is able to create the material universe.
Although Goddess Maya, who is also known as Durga, is a maidservant of Lord Karanarnavasayi Vishnu and dutifully carries out His commands and although Brahma, Vishnu and others are avataras of Lord Garbhodakasayi Visnu, nevertheless Lord Govinda i s the final shelter of all, and all others take shelter of Him. This will be further explained later in this book.
Text 50
yat-pada-pallava-yugam vinidhaya kumbha-
dvandve pranama-samaye sa ganadhirajah
vighnan vihantum alam asya jagat-trayasya
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
Word for Word
yat--whose; pada-pallava--lotus feet; yugam--two; vinidhaya--having held; kumbha-dvandve--upon the pair of tumult; pranama-samaye--at the time of offering obeisances; sah--he; gana-adhiraja h--Ganesa; vighnan--obstacles; vihantum--to destroy; alam--capable; asya--of these; jagat-trayasya--three worlds; govindam--Govinda; adi-purusam--the original person; tam--Him, aham--I; bhajami--worship.
Translation
I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, whose lotus feet are always held by Ganesa upon the pair of tumult protruding from his elephant head in order to obtain power for his function of destroyi ng all the obstacles on the path of progress of the three worlds.
Purport (by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati)
The power of destroying all obstacles to mundane prosperity has been delegated to Ganesa who is the object of worship to those who are eligible to worship him. He has obtained a rank among the five gods as Brahma possessing mundane quality. The self-same Ganesa is a god in possession of delegated power by infusion of the divine power. All his glory rests entirely on the grace of Govinda.
Commentary by Srila Jiva Goswami
In order to become free of all obstacles, at the beginning of endeavours the people offer prayers to Ganesa. Concerned that this should be done, the author speaks this verse. This is conf irmed by the following words of Lord Kapiladeva: "Placing the water from Ganesa's feet on his head, Shiva has become auspicious."
