Shri Laghu Bhagavatamrita
By Shrila Rupa Goswami
Translated by Kushakratha dasa
Part One
Shri Krishnamrita
The Nectar of Shri Krishna
Chapter One
Svayam-rupa-vilasa-svamsavesa-prakasa-
lakshana-bhagavat-tattva-nirupana
The Svayam-rupa, Vilasa, Svamsa,
and Avesa Forms of the Lord
Text 1
om namah shri-krishnaya
namas tasmai bhagavate
krishnayakuntha-medhase
yo dhatte sarva-bhutanam
abhavayoshatih kalah
om-om; namah-I offer respectful obeisances; shri-krishnaya-to Shri Krishna; namah-I offer respectful obeisances; tasmai-to Him; bhagavate-the Supreme Personality of Godhead; krishnaya-Shri Krishna; akuntha-medhase-all-knwing; yah-who; dhatte-places; sarva-of all; bhutanam-living entities; abhavaya-for the liberation; usatih kalah-His innerable incarnations.
I offer my respectful obeisances to Shri Krishna, who is glorified in the following verses of Shrimad-Bhagavatam (10.87.46 and 11.5.32):
"I offer my respectful obeisances to Shri Krishna, the omniscient Supreme Personality of Godhead who, in order to liberate the conditioned souls from the cycle of repeated birth and death, appears in the material world in the forms of His innumerable incarnations."
Text 2
krishna-varnam tvishakrishnam
sangopangastra-parshadam
yajnaih sankirtana-prayair
yajanti hi sumedhasah
krishna-varnam-repeating the syllables krish-na; tvisha-with a luster; akrishnam-not black (golden); sa-anga-along with associates; upanga-servitors; astra-weapons; parshadam-confidential companions; yajnaih-by sacrifice; sankirtana-prayaih-consisting chiefly of congregational chanting; yajanti-they worship; hi-certainly; su-medhasah' intelligent persons.
"In the age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the name of Krishna. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Krishna Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions."*
Text 3
mukharavinda-nisyanda-
maranda-bhara-tundila
mamanandam mukundasya
sandugdham venu-kakali
mukha-of the face; aravinda-lotus; nisyanda-trickling; maranda-honey; bhara-abundance; tundila-filled; mama-my; anandam-bliss; mukundasya-of Lord Mukunda; sandugdham-produced; venu-of the flute; kakali-sweet sound.
May the honey-sweet flute musi that flows from Lord Mukunda's lotus mouth fill me with bliss.
Text 4
shri-chaitanya-mukhodgirna
hare-krsneti-varnakah
majjayanto jagat premni
vijayantam tad-ahvayah
shri-chaitanya-of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu; mukha-from the mouth; udgirna-manifest; hare krishna iti varnakah-the Hare Krishna maha-mantra; majjayantah-are drowning; jagat-the entire universe; premni-in pure love of Krishna; vijayantam-all glories; tat-ahvayah-to that mah-mantra.
Glory to the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, the Lord's names spoken by Shri Chaitanya's mouth, which drown the world in pure love!
Text 5
shrimat-prabhu-padambhojaih
shrimad-bhagavatamritam
yad vyatani tadevedam
sankshepena nishevyate
shrimat-prabhu-of Shrila Sanatana Gosvami; pada-ambhojaih-by the lotuslike words; shrimat-bhagavatamrtam-the book named Brhad-bhagavatamrtam; yat-what; vyatani-manifested; tada-then; eva-certainly; idam-that; sanksepena-as a summary; nisevyate-is manifested.
Of Shri Brihad-bhagavatamritam, manifested by the lotus words of my master, this book is a summary.
Text 6
idam shri-krishna-tad-bhakta-
sambandhad amritam dvidha
adau krishnamritam tatra
suhridbhyah pariveshyate
idam-this book; shri-krishna; to Shri Krishna; tat-bhakta-and to His devotees; sambandhat-because of the relation; amrtam-the nectar; dvidha-in two parts; adau-first; krishna-amrtam-the nectar of Krishna; tatra-there; suhrdbhyah-from His friends; parivesyate-served.
This book will describe two kinds of nectar: the nectar of Shri Krishna, and the nectar of His devotees. First will be the nectar of Krishna, nectar relished by the Lord's friends.
Texts 7 and 8
nirbandham yukti-vistare
mayatra parimuncata
pradhanatvat pramaneshu
sabda eva pramanyate
yatas taih "sastra-yonitvat"
iti nyaya-pradarsanat
sabdasyaiva pramanatvam
svi-kritam paramarshibhih
nirbandham-without relation; yukti-of material logic; vistare-to the expansion; maya-by me; atra-here; parimuncata-freedom; pradhanatvat-because of the superiority; pramanesu-among sources of knowledge; sabdah-the Vedi revelation; eva-certainly; pramanyate-is accepted as evidence; yatah-because; taih-by them; sastra-of the Vedi literature; yonitvat-because of being the origin; iti-thus; nyaya-of the Vedanta-sutra (1.1.3); pradarsanat-because of the explanation; sabdasya-of the Vedi literature; eva-certainly; pramanatvam-evidence; svi-krtam-accepted; parama-rsibhih-by the great sages.
Because the Vedi revelation is the best of all evidence, I will base my arguments on it and not on material logic. The best of sages accepts the Vedi revelation as the best evidence, for he said (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.3): "The Supreme is understood from the Vedi revelation".
Text 9
kim ca "tarkapratishthanat"
iti nyaya-vidhanatah
amibhir eva su-vyaktam
tarkasyanadarah kritah
kim ca-furthurmore; ca-also; tarka-of logic; apratisthanbat-because of the inconclusiveness; iti-thus; nyaya-vidhanatah-because of the statement of Vedanta-sutra; amibhih-by them; eva-certainly; su-vyaktam' manifest; tarkasya-of material logic; anadarah-criticism; krtah-is done.
With the words (Vedanta-sutra 2.1.11, "The Supreme cannot be understood by material logic" he directly criticized material logic.
Text 10
athopasyeshu mukhyatvam
vaktum utkarsha-bhumatah
krishnasya tat-svarupani
nirupyante kramad iha
atha-now; upasyesu-among those who are worshippable; mukhyatvam-preeminence; vaktum-to describe; uktarsa-bhumatah-because of superiority; krishnasya-of Shri Krishna; tat-His; sva-rupani-forms; nirupyante-are described; kramat-one after another; iha-in this book.
To prove that the Supreme Lord, Shri Krishna, is the best of they who are worthy of worship, His forms will be described here, one after another.
Text 11
svayam rupas tad-ekatma-
rupa avesha-namakah
ity asau tri-vidham bhati
prapancatita-dhadasu
svayam-rupah-own form; tat-eka-atma-rupah-expanded form; avesa-namakah-empowered incarnation; iti-thus; asau-He; tri-vidham-in three ways; bhati-is manifest; prapanca-the material world; atita-beyond; dhamasu-in His abodes.
In His abodes beyond the worlds of matter, the Supreme Lord is manifest in three kinds of forms: 1. svayam--rupa, 2. tad-ekatma-rupa, and 3. avesa-rupa.
Text 12
ananyapekshi yad rupam
svayam-rupah sa ucyate
ananya-apeksi-independant; yat-which; rupam-form; svayam rupah-original form; sah-that; ucyate-is called.
The svayam--rupa is said to be the original form, not manifested from any other.
Text 13
isvarah paramah krishnah
sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah
anadir adir govindah
sarva-karana-karanam
isvarah-the controller; paramah-supreme; krishnah-Lord Krishna; sat-eternal existance; cit-absolute knowledge; ananda-absolute bliss; vigrahah-whose form; anadih-without beginning; adih-the origin; govindah-Lord Govinda; sarva-karana-karanam-the cause of all causes.
It is described in Brahma-samhita' (5.1):
"Krishna, who is known as Govinda, is the supreme controller. He has an eternal, blissful, spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin, for He is the prime cause of all causes."*
Text 14
yad rupam tad abhedena
svarupena virajate
akrity-adibhir anya-drik
sa tad ekatma-rupakah
sa vilasah svamsa iti
dhatte bheda-dvayam punah
yat-which; rupam-form tat-abhedena-not different from the svayam-rupa; svarupena-in its own form; virajate-is manifest; akriti-adibhih-with form, qualities, and so forth; anya-another; adrk-like; sah tat-that; eka-atma-rupakah-tadekatma-rupa; sah-that; vilasah-vilasa-rupa; svamsah- svamsa-rupa-iti-thus; dhatte-manifests; bheda-dvayam-in two divisions; punah-again.
The svayam-rupa is not different from His original form. In the tad-ekatma-rupa the Lord's form and other features are different from His original form. The tadekatma-rupa forms are ditided into two types: 1 vilasa-rupa, and 2. svamsa-rupa.
Texts 15 and 16
svarupam anyakaram yat
tasya bhati vilasatah
prayenatma-samam saktya
sa vilaso nigadyate
paramavyoma-nathas tu
govindasya yatha smritah
paramavyoma-nathasya
vasudevas ca yadrisah
sva-rupam-the Lord's own form; anya-other; akaram-feathures of the body; yat-which; tasya-His; bhati-appears; vilasatah-from particulat pastimes; prayena-almost; atma-samam-self-similar; saktya-by His potency; sah-that; vilasah-the vilasa (pastime, form; nigadyate-is called;parama-vyoma-nathah-Narayana, the lord of Vaikuntha; tu-also; govindasya-of LOrd Govinda; yatha-just as; smrtah-is remembered; parama-vyoma-nathasya-of Lord Narayana; vasudevah-Lord Vasudeva; ca-also; yadrsah-like whom.
When the Lord displays numerous forms with different features by His inconceivable potency, such forms are called vilasa-vigrahas.ª In this way from Lord Govinda is manifest Lord Narayana, the master of the spiritual sky, and from Lord Narayana is manifest Lord Vasudeva.
Text 17
tadriso nyuna-saktim yo
vyanakti svamsa iritah
sankarshanadir matsyadir
yatha tat-tat-svadhamasu
tadrsah-like that; nyuna-lessened; saktim-potency; yah-who; vyanakti-manifests; svamsah-svamsa-rupa; iritah-is called; sankarsana-adih-beginning with Lord Sankarsana; matsya-adih-beginning with Lord Matsya; yatha-just as; tat-tat-sva-dhamasu-each in His own abode.
These forms manifest other forms that have lesser power, and are called svamsa-rupas. The forms headed by Lord Sankarshana and the forms headed by Lord Matsya, each manifest in His own abode, are examples of these forms.
Texts 18 and 19
jnana-sakty-adi-kalaya
yatravishto janardanah
ta avesa nigadyante
jiva eva mahattamah
vaikunthe 'pi yatha sesho
naradah sanakadayah
akrura-drishtane cami
dasame parikirtitah
jnana-of knowledge; sakti-with the potency; adi-beginning with; kalaya-with a particle; yatra-where; avistah-entered; janardanah-the Supreme Lord; te-they; avesah-avesa incarnations; nigadyante-are called; jivah-individual living entities; eva-certainly; mahattamah-great souls; vaikunthe-in Vaikunthaloka; api-also; yatha-just as; sesah-Ananta Sesa; naradah-Narada Muni; sanaka-adayah-the four Kumaras; akrura-of Akrura; drstante-in the example; ca-also; ami-these; dasame-in the Tenth Canto of Shrimad-Bhagavatam; parikirtitah-glorified.
Exalted individual souls (jivas, into whom Lord Janardana enters with a portion of His knowledge-potency and other potencies, are called avesas. Sesha, Narada, and the four Kumaras are examples of them in Vaikuntha. They were seen by Akrura, as described in the Tenth Canto.
Text 20
prakasas tu na bhedeshu
ganyate sa hi nau prithak
prakasah-prakasa-rupa; tu-but; na-not; bhedesu-in differences; ganyate-is counted; sah-He; hi-certainly; na-not; u-certainly; prthak-different.
Prakasa-rupas are the same form manifest in many places.
Texts 21 and 22
tatha hi
anekatra prakatata
rupasyaikasya yaikada
sarvatha tat svarupaiva
sa prakasa itiryate
dvaravatyam yatha krishnah
pratyaksham prati-mandiram
citram bataitat ity adi
pramanena sa setsyati
tatha hi-moreover; anekatra-in many places; prakatata-the manifestation; rupasya-of form; ekasya-one; ya-which; ekada-at one time; sarvatha-in every respect; tat-His; sva-rupa-own form; eva-certainly; sah-that; prakasah-manifestive form; iti-thus; iryate-it is called; dvaravatyam-at Dvaraka; yatha-just as; krishnah-Lord Krishna; pratyaksam-directly; prati-mandiram-at every palace; citram bata etat iti adi-Shrimad-Bhagavatam 10.69.2; pramanena-by the evidence; sah-that; setsyati-will be established.
If numerous forms, all equal in their features, are displayed simultaneously, such forms are called prakasa-vigrahas of the Lord.ª Lord Krishna's did this in the many palaces of Dvaraka. This will be proved when Shrimad-Bhagavatam 10.69.2 is quoted here.
Text 23
kvacic catur-bhujatve 'pi
na tyajet krishna-rupatam
atah prakasa eva syat
tasyasu dvi-bhujasya ca
kvacit-sometimes; catuh-bhujatve-in the condition of manifesting four arms; api-although; na-may not; tyajet-give up; krishna-rupatam-the form of krishna; atah-therefore; prakasah-prakasa-rupa; eva-certainly; syat-may be; tasya-of Him; asau-that; dvi-bhujasya-of the two-armed form; ca' also.
Sometimes, without abandoning His Krishna-form, Lord Krishna manifests a four-arm form. This is a prakasa-rupa of His two-arm form.
Text 24
prapancatita-dhamatvam
esham sastre prithag-vidhe
padmiyottara-khandadau
vyaktam eva virajate
prapanca-the material world; atita-beyond; dhamatvam-abode; esam-of them; sastre-in the Vedi literature; prthak-vidhe-various; padmiya-uttara-khanda-adau-in the scriptures beginning with the Uttara-khanda of the Padma Purana; vyaktam-manifested; eva-certainly; virajate-appear.
The many forms of the Supreme Lord each have their own abode in the spiritual sky, beyond the touch of matter. This is confirmed in the Uttara-khanda of the Padma Purana, and in many other Vedic literatures also.
Comments