SRI GOPALA-TAPANI UPANISAD
translated by Kusakratha dasa
Dedication
gopala-tapani-sastram
upanisatsu kititam
gurave prabhupadaya
gauravenarpayamy aham
To my spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupada, this translation of the glorious Sri Gopala-tapani
Upanisad is respectfully dedicated.
CHAPTER ONE
TEXT 1
Om namah. I offer my respectful obeisances to Sri Krsna, whose form
is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss, who is the rescuer from
distress, who is understood by Vedanta, who is the supreme spiritual
master, and who is the witness in everyone's heart.
Sri Gopala-tapani-vivrtti
by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti
I glorify the Gopala-tapani Upanisad. showering the nectar of the
Supreme Lord's spiritual form, it delights the devotees.
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Gopala-tapani Upanisad,
which is part of the Atharva Veda, and which describes the
transcendental form and pastimes of Lord Krsna.
I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Krsna, whom the Sama
Upanisad and Srimad-Bhagavatam proclaim the Supreme Personality
of Godhead.
The name of Krsna refers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
whose spiritual form is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss. This is
confirmed in the following verse of Mahabharata:
"The word krs is the attractive feature of the Lord's existence, and na
means spiritual pleasure. when the verb krs is added to affix na, it
becomes "Krsna", which indicates the Absolute Truth."
The name Krsna may also be interpreted to mean the perfection of
transcendental knowledge and bliss.
Lord Krsna's mercy is described in the word "aklita-karine", which
means that the Lord rescues the living entities from the five-fold
miseries of material existence, and also that the Lord is so kind that
He even liberated those demons fortunate enough to be personally
killed by Him.
The word "vedanta-vedyaya" means that Lord Krsna may be
understood only by following the instructions of the Vedas, which lead
the follower to liberation. Other so-called spiritual paths will not help
one become liberated.
The word "gurave" means that the Lord becomes the teacher who
enlightens His devotees. The Lord does this by appearing as the
Supersoul (buddhi-saksine) in everyone's heart.
This is confirmed in the following verses from the Vedic literatures:
"Become My devotee, accept Me as your spiritual master, come to Me
and worship Me."
"Appearing as the spiritual master in the heart, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead reveals the path of spiritual enlightenment."
(Srimad-Bhagavatam)
"To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give
the understanding by which they may come to Me." (Bhagavad-gita
10.11)
Sri Gopala-tapani-bhasya
by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
May our heart eternally rest on Govinda, who is full of bliss, the
master of unlimited inconceivable transcendental potencies, the
witness of everything, the expert protector of the devotees, and the
creator of the material world.
Appearing in this word with Sri Sanatana Gosvami and Srila Rupa
Gosvami, and bringing great tidal waves to the ocean of transcendental
bliss, may the wonderful and splendid rising moon of Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu dispel the darkness within our hearts.
I glorify the Gopala-tapani Upanisad, which to the pious reveals Lord
Krsna, the original Personality of Godhead, the Supersoul near to all
moving and unmoving creatures.
The name "Krsna" is used to describe the Personality of Godhead
because His complexion is like a dark atasi flower. This is confirmed in
the following verse from the Narayaniya, where the Lord Himself says:
"O Arjuna, because My complexion is blackish, I am known as Krsna."
Text 2
Om. Some sages said to the demigod Brahma: "Who is the Supreme
Personality of Godhead? Whom does death fear? By knowing whom
does everything else become known? Who created this world.
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur
The sages here are the Four Kumaras. they phrased their questions in
such a way as to elicit the eighteen-syllable Gayatri mantra as their
father's reply.
Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The syllable om is used here, as it is generally used in the Vedic hymns,
to invoke auspiciousness.
The Kumara's first question is "Who is the supremely opulent and
worshipable Personality of Godhead, than whom no one is greater or
equal?" The subsequent questions all relate to the qualities of the
Supreme Person.
Text 3
Brahma replied to them: "Krsna is the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Death fears Govinda. By understanding Gopijanavallabha
everything becomes known. By pronouncing the word "svaha" the
Personality of Godhead created the world.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
The statement that death fears Govinda means that Krsna rescues the
living entities from the hands of death. The name Gopijanavallabha
means "Krsna, who is very dear to the gopis." By knowing Him, the
entire spiritual and material world becomes known. The process of
understanding Him is described by Lord Gopijanavallabha Himself in
the Bhagavad-gita (18.56):
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead can be understood only by
devotional service."
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
By answering the Kumaras' question in this way, Brahma initiated
them in the chanting of the eighteen-syllable Gayatri mantra.
Text 4
They then said: "Who is Krsna? Who is Govinda? Who is
Gopijanavallabha? What is Svaha?"
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The sages asked these questions to elicit from Brahma a more
elaborate description of Lord Krsna's qualities.
Text 5
To them Brahma said: "Krsna means He who delivers from sin,
Govinda means He who is famous on the earth, in the Vedas, and
among the surabhi cows, Gopijanavallabha means He who enchants
the gopis, and Svaha means the potency of the Supreme. All these
names refer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
The name papa-karsana may also be interpreted to mean:
1. He whose transcendental pastimes attract the minds of even the
sinful conditioned souls, or
2. The merciful Supreme Person who liberated Putana, Agha, Kesi and
many other demons killed by Him.
The name Govinda means the Supreme Lord who is famous to the
Surabhi cows of Vraja. He is glorified in the verses of the Vedas, and
He is famous on the earth because He removed the burden of
demoniac kings.
Govinda also means He who protects the cows, land and Vedas. Lord
Govinda is the Supreme protector, who rescues the living entities from
the hands of death. Gopijanavallabha means He who enchants the
gopis, who are all manifestations of His hladini potency. Then Lord
enchants them with the sweetness His handsomeness and other
transcendental qualities, removes their materialism, and grants them
ecstatic love for Him. In this way He has become very dear (vallabha)
to them.
The name svaha means the Lord's potency by which everything is
manifested.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The following explanation of the name Krsna is found in the Vedic
literatures:
"For they who chant the auspicious holy name of Krsna, millions of
grievous sinful reactions become immediately burned to ashes."
"One who chants "Krsna Krsna Krsna" at the time of death becomes
eligible for liberation."
In the name Gopijanavallabha the gopis are expansions of the Lord's
internal potency. This is confirmed in the following verses:
"I worship the Personality of Godhead, Govinda, who, by expansion of
His internal potency of transcendental existence, knowledge and bliss,
enjoys in His own and expanded forms.
"The gopis are expansions of My own internal potency."
The Lord is glorious in the gopi's association. This is described in
Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.33.7):
"Lord Krsna appeared very glorious in the association of the gopis."
The sruti describes the Lord as the master of transcendental potencies
(Svaha):
"The sages say that Lord Visnu, is the master of all transcendental
potencies."
Text 6
One who meditates on this Supreme Personality of Godhead, glorifies
Him, and worships Him, becomes liberated. He becomes liberated.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
Liberation means freedom from the cycle of birth and death and
eternal association with Lord Krsna.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
In this text the goal of life is described: By meditating on, glorifying
and worshipping Lord Krsna, one becomes liberated.
Text 7
They said: What is His form? what is His glorification? How does one
worship Him? Please describe this to us
Texts 8 and 9
Brahma said: He appears like a cowherd boy. His complexion is like a
monsoon cloud. He stays under a desire-tree. The following verses
describe Him.
Text 10(a)
Meditating with all his heart on Lord Krsna, whose eyes are
handsome lotus flowers, whose complexion is a monsoon cloud, whose
garments are lightning, who has two arms, who is rich in
transcendental knowledge, who wears a garland of forest flowers, who
is the supreme controller, who is surrounded by gopas, gopis, and
surabhi cows, who rests under a sura-druma tree, who is decorated
with splendid ornaments, who stands in the middle of a red lotus
flower, and who is served by breezes that have touched the Yamuna's
waves, a person becomes free from repeated birth and death.
Text 11
This mantra should be repeatedly chanted: "Klim Krsnaya govindaya
gopijanavallabhaya svaha".
Text 12
By chanting these five names one attains the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, whose potencies are manifested as the heavenly planets, the
earth, sun, moon, and fire.
Text 13
A person who even once chants the mantra "Klim krsnaya govindaya
gopijanavallabha svaha" quickly attains the association of Lord
Krsna. He does not attain any other result.
Text 14
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.
Visvanath Cakravarti
Devotional service to Krsna and liberation are actually synonymous,
this is confirmed in the Padma Purana:
"Pure devotional service to Lord Hari is actual liberation."
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
Bhakti means engaging the senses in the service of Lord Krsna. This is
confirmed in the Narada Pancaratra in the following words:
"One should be free from all material designations, and cleansed of all
material contamination. He should be restored to his pure identity, in
which he engages his senses in the service of the proprietor of the
senses. This is called devotional service.
The activities of bhakti are listed in the following way: 1. hearing the
Lord's glories, 2. reciting the Lord's glories, 3. remembering the Lord
constantly, 4. serving the lotus feet of the Lord, 5. worshipping the
Lord, 6. chanting prayers to the Lord, 7. carrying out the orders of the
Lord, 8. making friends with the Lord, and 9. surrendering everything
to the Lord.
As a result of engaging in Lord Krsna's service, one develops intense
ecstatic love for Him. This is described in the Eleventh Canto of
Srimad-Bhagavatam.
"As one becomes advanced in devotional service to the Lord, he
becomes ecstatic. The hairs of his body stand on end, and he manifests
ecstatic symptoms."
Text 15
Many brahmanas worship Krsna. Many worship eternal Govinda.
Gopijanavallabha maintains the worlds. Powerful Svaha moves the
universe.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
Many brahmanas, following the path of the sastras, worship Krsna.
Many others, following of the path of spontaneous love as the residents
of Gokula followed it, worship Lord Govinda, the hero of Gokula.
Text 16
Although originally one, air becomes the five life-airs in the bodies of
all living entities. In the same way, for the benefit of the world Lord
Krsna appears as these five words.
Text 17
They said: Please describe the worship of Govinda, the Supersoul, who
maintains everything.
Text 18
Brahma said: The Lord's altar should be a golden lotus with eight
petals. Within that lotus should be placed two triangles and the
mantra klim krsnaya namah, the Kama-gayatri (klim krsnaya
govindaya gopijanavallabhaya svaha), and the ananga-gayatri
(kamadevaya sarva-jana-priyaya sarva-jana-sammohanaya jvala jvala
prajvala prajvala sarva-janasya hrdayam me vasam kuru kuru svaha)
should be written there. then anga should be offered with the sula-
matra (astraya phat). Then one should worship the Lord's
expansions, beginning with Rukmini, the devotees headed by Indra,
the devotees headed by King Vasudeva, the devotees headed by Arjuna,
and the devotees headed by Indranidhi.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
This is described in the Padma Purana:
"O Narada, placing the Lord on His altar, I worship Him with prayers,
incense ,lamps, arghya and other gifts."
Text 19
He who at sunrise, noon and sunset, makes various offerings to the
Deity, obtains everything. He obtains everything.
Text 20
In this matter there are the following verses: Lord Krsna is the
worshipable, all-pervading supreme controller, and although He is
one, He manifests in many forms. They who are intelligent worship
Him as He stands on His altar. They, and not others, attain eternal
happiness.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
That Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead is confirmed in the
Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.3.28):
"Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead."
Text 21
The brahmanas, who worship, as He stands on His altar, the one
greatest among the eternals and greatest among conscious persons,
the one who fulfils the desires of the many, they, and not others, attain
perfection.
Text 22
To they who always diligently worship Lord Visnu's transcendental
form, the Lord, in His original form as a cowherd boy, shows His
lotus feet.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
This is confirmed in Vedanta-sutra:
"The Personality of Godhead reveals Himself to His pure devotees."
Text 23
It was Krsna who in the beginning instructed Brahma in Vedic
knowledge and who disseminated Vedic knowledge in the past. They
who desire liberation surrender to Him, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, who grants transcendental knowledge to His devotees.
Text 24
To they who chant the five-word mantra with om and govinda (om
krsnaya govindaya gopijanavallabha svaha) the Lord reveals His own
form. Therefore, to attain transcendental peace, they who desire
liberation should regularly chant this mantra.
Text 25
From this five-word mantra have come all other govinda-mantras in
human society, including the ten-syllable govinda-mantra chanted by
Indra's followers and by they who desire opulences.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
The persons desiring opulence in this verse are the four Kumaras'
followers, who desire liberation, and Narada's followers, who desire
pure devotional service.
Text 26
They asked: Please tell us the nature of this mantra
Text 27 and 28
Brahma said: 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. With devotion in my heart I bowed down before Him. He
gave me the eighteen-syllable mantra to be used for the activity of
creation, and then He disappeared.
Text 29
When I desired to create the universe He again appeared before me,
showing me in these syllables the universe that was to be.
Text 30
From the letter k, I created water, from the letter l, earth, from the
letter i, fire, from the letter m, the moon, and from the entire word
klim, the sun. From the word krsnaya, I created ether, from
govindaya, air, from gopijanavallabha, knowledge and the surabhi
cows, and from svaha, men, women, and everything else. Everything
else.
Text 31
By worshipping Him, Siva became free from illusion, and by chanting
this mantra in a solitary place, he attained the Lord.
Text 32
the demigods gaze at Visnu's abode, which is like a splendid sun in the
sky.
Text 33
therefore one should regularly chant this mantra. One should
regularly chant this mantra.
Text 34
Some have said that from the first word of this mantra earth was
created, from the second word water, from the third fire, from the
fourth air, and from the fifth ether. To attain liberation one should
chant this five-word Vaisnava mantra, which reveals Lord Krsna.
Text 35
About this are the following verses: One should chant this mantra, of
which from the first word the element earth came, from the second
word water, from the third fire, from the fourth air, and from the fifth
ether.
Text 36
By chanting this mantra Siva entered Lord Visnu's eternal spiritual
abode.
Text 37
That spiritual world, completely pure, uncontaminated, free from
suffering, free from greed and all other vices, and identical with this
five-word mantra, is manifested from Lord Vasudeva. It is not
separate from Him.
Text 38
With eloquent prayers I and the Maruts please Lord Govinda, whose
form is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss, who stays under a
desire tree in Vrndavana, and who is this five-word mantra.
Text 39
Om namah. To Lord Govinda, who is the form of the universe, the
creator. maintainer, and destroyer of the universe, the master of the
universe, and the universe itself. I offer my respectful obeisances.
Text 40
Obeisances to Lord Govinda, whose form is full of knowledge, whose
form is full of supreme bliss, who is all-attractive, and who is the
master of the gopis.
Text 41
Obeisances to Him, His eyes lotus flowers. Obeisances to Him,
garlanded with lotuses. Obeisances to Him, His navel a lotus.
Obeisances to Him, the husband of the goddesses of fortune.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The goddesses of fortune here are the gopis. This is described in verses
29 and 56 of the Brahma-samhita:
"Lord Govinda is served with great reverence by hundreds and
thousands of gopis."
"The damsels of Vrndavana, the gopis, are super goddesses of fortune."
Text 42
Obeisances to Lord Govinda, handsome with a peacock-feather crown,
identical with Balarama, His intelligence sharp, and He the swan in
the Manasa lake of the goddess of fortune's thoughts.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The goddess of fortune here is Srimati Radharani, who is described in
the Purusa-bodhini Upanisad.
"Candravali and Radhika always remain at Lord Krsna's side. Laksmi,
Durga, and the Lord's other potencies are expansions of Sri Radhika."
The Gautamiya Tantra also explains:
The transcendental goddess Srimati Radharani is the direct
counterpart of Lord Sri Krsna. She is the central figure for the goddess
of fortune. She possesses all the attractiveness to attract the all-
attractive Personality of Godhead. She is the primeval internal potency
of the Lord.
Text 43
Obeisances to Him, the death of Kamsa and his allies, the killer of
Kesi and Canura, the object of worship for Siva, and the chariot-
driver of Arjuna.
Text 44
Obeisances to Him, the cowherd boy fond of playing the flute, the
crusher of Kaliya, the person who walks on the Yamuna's shore and
whose earrings gracefully swing to and fro.
Text 45
Obeisances to Sri Krsna, the protector of the surrendered souls.
Obeisances to Him, the expert dancer garlanded with the gopi's lotus
glances.
Text 46
Obeisances to Him, the death of sin, the lifter of Govardhana Hill, the
end of Putana's life, the thief of Trnavarta's life.
Text 47
Obeisances to Sri Krsna, decorated with a golden necklace, charming,
pure, the enemy of impurity, one without a second, the greatest.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
The Word niskalaya may also mean "He who is beyond the influence of
material illusion" and the word vimohaya may be interpreted to mean
"He who is omniscient and cannot be put into illusion even by Brahma
or Siva". The word "asuddhi-vairine" may be interpreted to mean "He
who removes material impurities from the hearts of those attached to
hearing and chanting His glories."
Text 48
Be kind, O blissful one. Be kind, O Supreme Lord. O Lord, please
rescue me, bitten by the snake of physical and mental pain.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
Vyadhi, or physical pain, inevitably comes when one fulfils his material
desires. when material desires remain unfulfilled, however, the
conditioned soul experiences mental pain, or adhi. Either condition is
inauspicious for the conditioned soul.
Text 49
O Krsna, O husband of Rukmini, O enchanter of the gopis, O master
of the universe, please rescue me, drowning in the ocean of repeated
birth and death.
Text 50
O Kesava, O Narayana, O Govinda, O Janardana, O source of all
transcendental bliss, O Lord who rescues the devotees from distress,
O Madhava, please rescue me.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
In the Hari-vamsa, Lord Siva explains the meaning of the name
Kesava:
"Both Brahma (ka) and I (isa), the master of all living entities, were
born from You, and for this reason, O Lord, You are known as
Kesava."
Text 51
Brahma said: As I worship Him, so should you. Chanting this five-
word mantra, and meditating on Lord Krsna, you will transcend the
world of birth and death.
Text 52
One who chants this five-word mantra easily attains His
transcendental abode.
Text 53
Although fixed in His abode, the Personality of Godhead is swifter
than the mind and can overcome all others running. Even the
powerful demigods cannot approach Him.
Text 54
therefore, Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One should
meditate upon Him, glorify Him, serve Him and worship Him. Om tat
sat.
CHAPTER TWO
Texts 1 and 2
Once, after they had passed the entire night with Him, the passionate
girls of Vraja spoke to the cowherd boy Krsna, who is the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, and He also spoke to them.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
May Lord Krsna, who is Mura's enemy, who is the Supersoul, who
appeared as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and who is merciful to
Gajendra and King Prataparudra, always reside in my heart.
In Mathura and Dvaraka, Krsna is a king and enjoys royal pastimes,
while in Gokula He enjoys pastimes as a cowherd boy. He remains in
the highest spiritual planet, Goloka Vrndavana, enjoying these
pastimes.
Text 3
The gopis said: To what brahmana should charity be given?
Text 4
Krsna said: Durvasa
Text 5
The gopis said: How will we cross the Yamuna's waters and approach
Him, from whom great blessings will come?
Text 6
Krsna said: Say the words Krsna, the brahmacari, and the Yamuna
will give you a path.
Text 7
By remembering Me a shallow person becomes deep. By remembering
Me an impure person becomes pure. By remembering Me an impious
person becomes pious. By remembering Me one full of material
desires becomes desireless. By remembering Me a fool becomes
learned.
Text 8
After hearing these words, they meditated on Durvasa, and with these
words crossed the Yamuna. they went to the very sacred asrama and
bowed down before Durvasa Muni, the best of sages. they gave to the
brahmana delicious foods made with milk and ghee.
Text 9
Pleased, he bathed, ate, blessed them ,and gave them permission to go.
Text 10
They said: How will we cross the Yamuna?
Text 11
He said: Meditate on me as a sage that eats only durva grass, and the
Yamuna will give you a path.
Text 12
Gandharvi (Srimati Radharani), the best among them, reflected for a
moment.
Text 13
She said: How is Krsna a brahmacari? How is this sage a person that
eats only durva grass?
Text 14
Accepting Her as their leader, the other girls became silent.
Text 15
Durvasa Muni replied: Sound is contained within the element of
ether, although sound and ether are different. Sound is contained
within ether. This ether does not know. I am spirit. How can I be a
materialistic enjoyer.
Text 16
Touch is contained within the element of air, although touch and air
are different. Touch is contained within air. This air does not know. I
am spirit. How can I be a materialistic enjoyer?
Text 17
Form is contained within the element of fire, although form and fire
are different. Form is contained within fire. This fire does not know. I
am spirit. How can I be a materialistic enjoyer?
Text 18
Taste is contained within the element of water, although taste and
waste are different. Taste is contained within water. This water does
not know. I am spirit. How can I be a materialistic enjoyer?
Text 19
Aroma is contained within the element of earth, although aroma and
earth are different. Aroma is contained within earth. This earth does
not know. I am spirit. How can I be a materialistic enjoyer?
Text 20
It is the mind that remains among the senses and accepts them.
Text 21
When spirit is everything how does one think? Where does one go? I
am spirit, how can I be a materialistic enjoyer?
Text 22
Your beloved Krsna is the original creator of the two kinds of bodies.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
The two kinds of bodies are the gross (physical) and subtle (mental)
bodies.
Text 23
On the tree of the body are two birds. One is an expansion of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is a witness. The other is an
enjoyer. They are an enjoyer and a non-enjoyer. The first enjoys, and
the second is Krsna.
Text 24
In Him we do not find material so-called knowledge and ignorance.
This ignorance and real knowledge are different. How can Krsna, who
is full of real knowledge, become a materialistic enjoyer?
Texts 25 and 26
He who lusts after pleasure is lusty. He who does not lust after
pleasures is not lusty.
Text 27
Krsna, who is free from birth and death, who is unchanging, who
cannot be cut, who stays by the Yamuna, who stays among the surabhi
cows, who protects the surabhi cows, who stays among the cowherd
boys, who stays in all the Vedas, who is glorified by all the Vedas, who
has entered all living entities, and who controls all living entities, is
your husband.
Text 28
Gandharvi (Radha) said: Why has the Supreme Personality of
Godhead taken birth among us as a cowherd boy? O sage, how do you
know this about Krsna? What is His mantra? What is His abode?
Why has He taken birth in Devaki's womb? Who is His elder brother
Balarama? How is He worshipped? Why has the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, who is far above the world of matter, descended to this
Earth?
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The word Devaki here may also be interpreted to mean Yasoda. This
is described in the Adi Purana:
"Nanda's wife has two names: Yasoda and Devaki."
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami describes Lord Krsna's birth in the following
words (Bhagavatam 10.3.8):
"Then the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, who is situated in
the core of everyone's heart, appeared in the heart of Devaki in the
dense darkness of night, like the full moon rising on the eastern
horizon, because Devaki was of the same category as Sri Krsna."
Text 29
He said: In the beginning only Lord Narayana existed. In Him the
material worlds are woven as thread on a loom. From His lotus heart
the demigod Brahma was born.
Text 30
When Brahma performed severe austerities, Lord Narayana granted
him a boon.
Text 31
Brahma chose a question.
Text 32
Lord Narayana granted his request.
Text 33 and 34
Brahma said: Among Your many incarnations, which is the best, the
one that makes humans and demigods happy, the one that,
remembering Him, they become liberated from repeated birth and
death? Why is this incarnation the best?
Text 35
Lord Narayana said:
Text 36
As on the summit of Mount Meru are seven cities that fulfil all
desires, so on the Earth are seven cities that fulfil desires and grant
liberation. Among them the city of Gopala Puri is directly the
spiritual world.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The word niskama here means liberation.
Text 37
In this city the desires of the demigods and all other creatures are all
fulfilled and everyone attains liberation.
Text 38
Protected by My cakra, this city if Mathura, or Gopala Puri, stands in
this world as a lotus stands in a lake.
Text 39
Gopala Puri contains these forests: 1. the great forest of Brhadvana,
2. Madhuvana, the former residence of the Madhu demon, 3.
Talavana, full of palm trees, 4. delightful Kamyavana, 5. great
Bahulavana, 6. Kumudavana, full of lotus flowers and water lilies, 7.
Khadiravana, full of Khadira trees, 8. Bhadravana, the favourite spot
of Lord Balarama, 9. Bhandiravana, the great forest of Banyan trees,
10. Srivana, the abode of the goddess of fortune, 11. Lohavana, the
former residence of the demon Loha, and 12. Vrndavana, ruled by the
goddess Vrnda-devi
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The word bhadra here means "the place where Balabhadra (Balarama)
enjoys pastimes."
Text 40
In these forests the demigods, human beings, Gandharvas, Nagas, and
Kinnaras sing and dance.
Text 41
The twelve Adityas, eleven Rudras, eight Vasus, seven sages, Brahma,
Narada, five Vinayakas, Viresvara, Rudresvara, Ambikesvara,
Ganesvara, Nilakanthesvara, Visvesvara, Gopalesvara, Bhadresvara,
and 24 other lingas reside there.
Text 42
These forests are divided into two groups: 1. Krsnavana, or Krsna's
forests, and 2. Bhadravana, or Balarama's forests. Among these twelve
forests some are sacred and others are most sacred.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
Krsna's forests are: 1. Brhadvana 2. Madhuvana 3. Talavana 4.
Kamyavana 5. Bahulavana 6. Kumudavana 7. Khadiravana and 8.
Vrndavana. Balarama's forests are 1. Bhadravana 2. Bhandiravana 3.
Srivana, and 4. Lauhavana.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
Krsna forests are the eight forests beginning with Vrndavana.
Balarama's forests are 1. Bhadravana, 2. Srivana, 3. Lauhavana, and 4.
Bhradvana.
Text 43
There the demigods stay. there the perfect beings attained perfection.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
In this connection the Gautamiya Tantra explains:
"In subtle forms the demigods and great sages reside in Vrndavana."
Text 44
In this place are a Deity of Rama, a Deity of Pradyumna, a Deity of
Aniruddha, and a Deity of Krsna.
Text 45
In this way there are twelve Deities in the forests of Mathura.
Text 46
The Rudras worship the first Deity, Brahma worships the second,
Brahma's sons worship the third, The Maruts worship the fourth, the
Vinayakas worship the fifth, the Vasus worship the sixth, the sages
worship the seventh, the Gandharvas worship the eighth, the Apsaras
worship the ninth, the tenth Deity is now invisible, the eleventh Deity
has gone to His own planet, and the twelfth Deity is now on the Earth.
Text 47
They who worship this Deity surpass death and attain liberation. They
cross beyond the three-fold miseries of birth, old-age and death.
Text 48
There are these verses: Lord Krsna, accompanied by His three
potencies, and by Balarama, Aniruddha, Pradyumna, and Rukmini,
stays in delightful Mathura Puri, which is worshipped by Brahma and
the other demigods and protected by the conch, cakra, club, and
sarnga bow.
Text 48 (b)
These four names are identical with the name Om.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
The names Balarama, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, and Krsna are identical
with the name Om.
Text 49
One should think: I am spiritual, beyond material passion. One
should think: I am Lord Gopaka's. In this way one attains liberation.
He realizes his spiritual nature. He becomes a knower of spirit.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
As a ray of sunlight is, in one sense, identical with the sun, in the same
way, the individual living entity is, in one sense, identical with Lord
Gopala.
Text 50
Because since the beginning of creation He lovingly protects (alati)
the conditioned souls (gopa), He is known as Gopala. Om tat sat. I am
a spirit. I am a part-and-parcel of Krsna. My spiritual form is
eternally full of bliss. Om.
Text 51
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is therefore known as Gopala.
Text 52
With all one's heart one should think: I am Gopala's
Text 53
Lord Gopala is unmanifest, limitless, and eternal.
Text 54
Lord Narayana continued: O Brahma, decorated with a forest-flower
garland, and holding a conch, disk, mace and lotus, I will reside
eternally in Mathura.
Text 55
O Brahma, he who with all his heart meditates on Me, whose form is
the resting place of all forms, whose form is supremely powerful and
splendid, whose form is wonderful, and who has no material form,
goes to MY abode. Of this there is no doubt.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
The word visva-rupam here means "He in whom are all forms." Some
texts give the word here as cit-svarupam, or "he whose form is
spiritual." The word param-jyotih means "powerful" or "splendid." The
word svarupam means "He whose form is extraordinary." The word
rupa-varjitam means "He who has no material form." The word mat-
padam means "My abode."
Text 56
O Brahma, a resident of this earth planet who remains in the district
of Mathura and worships Me as I appear in the form of the Deity,
becomes very dear to Me.
Text 57
You should always worship Me as Krsna in Mathura.
Text 58
Four kinds of men worship Me.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
these four kinds of devotees are described by the Lord Himself in the
Bhagavad-gita (7.16):
"Those who are distressed, inquisitive, wise and those in need of
money, engage in My devotional service."
Visvanatha Cakravarti
The four kinds of worshippers describe here are the devotees of Lord
Vasudeva, Lord Sankarsana, Lord Pradyumna, and Lord Aniruddha.
Text 59
Following the devotional process prescribed for the age, intelligent
devotees in this world worship Lord Gopala, who is accompanied by
His elder brother Balarama and queen Rukmini.
Text 60
I am unborn, eternal Gopala. I am eternal Pradyumna. I am Rama. I
am Aniruddha. He who is intelligent worships Me.
Text 61
Free from all impure desires, the residents of Krsnavana and
Bhadravana worship Me, following the regulations of bhakti I Myself
have spoken.
Text 62
Even they who formerly rejected the principles of religion and were
swallowed up by the age of Kali, may become devoted to Me, and also
reside in Mathura.
Text 63
Anyone who becomes My sincere devotee becomes very dear to Me. As
dear as You and Your sons are, as dear as Siva and hid associates, as
dear as the goddess of fortune, Laksmi.
Text 64
Brahma said: How has the one Supreme Personality of Godhead
become four Deities? How has the single sacred syllable om become
many?
Text 65
The Lord said to him: Before the material world was manifest, only
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is one without a second,
existed. From Him came the impersonal Brahman. From that came
the syllable om. From om came the mahat-tattva. From the mahat-
tattva came false-ego. From false-ego came the five tanmatras. From
them came the elements. Om is covered by these things.
Text 66
I am the sacred syllable. I am om. I am ageless, deathless, nectarean,
the fearless Supreme Great. I am liberated. I am unchanging.
Text 67
The eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead manifested Himself as
the all-pervading universal form. In the same way the Lord, who is
one without a second, by His transcendental potency expanded
Himself into four.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
That the Lord is the master of transcendental potencies is described in
the sastras:
"The sages declare that eternal Lord Visnu is the master of all
transcendental potencies."
Text 68
The sacred syllable om consists of three letters: a, u and m. Balarama,
the son of Rohini, is the letter a. Splendid Pradyumna is the letter u.
Text 69
Intelligent Aniruddha is letter m. Lord Krsna, in whom the entire
universe rests, is the ardha-matra letter (m), which completes the
syllable om.
Text 70
Rukmini is Lord Krsna's wife. She is the creator of the worlds and the
root of material nature.
Text 71(a)
The Vedic literatures explain that the goddess of fortune appeared
among the women of Vraja.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
The following statement is found in the Skanda Purana, Matsya
Purana, and other sastras.
"Rukmini is the Lord's consort in Dvaraka and Radha is His consort in
Vrndavana." The Rk-parisista explains:
"Lord Madhava always stays by Radha's side. Radha always stays by
Madhava's side."
Text 71 (b)
Learned transcendentalists say that the Lord's potency is the syllable
om.
Text 72
Therefore, all-pervading Lord Gopala is the syllable om.
Text 73
Learned transcendentalists declare that the syllable om is not
different from the sacred syllable klim.
Text 74
He whom meditates on Me as I appear in Mathura attains liberation.
Texts 75-78
In his mind one should meditate on Me standing on the blossomed
eight-petaled lotus of the heart, My two feet marked with conchshell,
flag and umbrella, MY chest marked with srivatsa and splendid with
the kautabha gem, My four arms holding the conch, cakra, mace, and
sarnga bow, My arms decorated with armlets. MY neck splendid with
a flower garland, My head circled by a splendid crown, My ears
decorated with glistening shark-shaped earrings, MY form splendid
and handsome, holding a flute and buffalo-horn bugle, and granting
fearlessness to the devotees.
Text 79
When the entire universe is churned (mathyate) by the churning-rod
of spiritual knowledge, the butter produced is the Supreme
Personality of Godhead in Mathura. That is why it is called Mathura.
Text 80
In my heart I meditate on the material world with its eight dik-palas
(protectors of the directions) as a blossomed lotus flower growing in
the ocean of repeated birth and death.
Text 81
The sun and moon are the splendour of My body. Golden Mount
Meru is My splendid flag. Brahmaloka as My umbrella. The seven
lower planetary systems are My feet.
Text 82
I am marked with srivatsa and svarupa. Therefore the learned sages
call me Srivatsa-lanchana (marked with srivatsa).
Text 83
Aware of My supremacy, the sages declare that the splendour of the
sun, moon, fire, and eloquent speech has come from My glittering
Kaustubha jewel.
Text 84
The four arms of My universal form are goodness, passion, ignorance,
and false-ego. The five material elements are the conchshell I carry in
the hand that is the mode of passion.
Text 85
Childishness is said to be the cakra, the original illusory potency the
sarnga bow, and the universe the lotus flower in the hand of the
universal form.
Text 86
The origin of ignorance is known as the club I always carry in My
hand.
Text 87
Religion, economic development, and sense-gratification are the
splendid bracelets that eternally decorate the wrists of My universal
form.
Text 88
The neck, said to be the qualityless Brahman, is garlanded by the first
unborn. O Brahma, your mind-born sons have elaborately described
this garland.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
The word "nirguna" here refers to Brahman. The "first unborn" here is
the maya potency, splendid with knowledge and ignorance. The mind-
born sons are the four Kumaras.
Text 89
The sages say that My eternal form is the crown.
Text 90
The two things above the changing material world are My two
glittering earrings.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The two things are the spiritual paths of sankhya and yoga. This is
confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam:
"Sankhya and yoga are the two shark-shaped earrings worn by the
Supreme Person."
Text 91
He who meditates in this way is eternally dear to me. He attains
liberation. He becomes liberated. I give Myself to him.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
This is confirmed in the Sruti-sastra:
"The devotees of the Lord become liberated from the grip of the
illusory potency."
Text 92
O Brahma, I have said all that will be about My two forms: one made
of the modes of nature, and the other beyond the modes of nature.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
The form made of the modes of material nature is the universal form,
and the form beyond the modes of material nature is the auspicious
transcendental form.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The form beyond the modes of material nature here is the Lord's two-
armed and four-armed forms.
Text 93
Brahma said: What are the ornaments worn by the Deities You have
described? How do the Maruts, Rudras, Brahma, sons of Brahma,
Vinayakas, twelve Adityas, Vasus, Apsaras, and Gandharvas worship
them? Who is the Deity that has gone to His own abode? Who is the
Deity now invisible? Who is the Deity the humans worship?
Text 94
Lord Narayana said to him: these twelve unmanifested transcendental
Deities are present on all planets, among all demigods and all human
beings.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
The word unmanifested here means unmanifested to material eyes.
Text 95
As a Rudra among the rudras, as a Brahma among the followers of
Brahma, as a demigod among the demigods, as a human being among
the humans, as the destroyer of obstacles (Ganesa) among the
Vinayakas, as Surya Narayana among the Adityas, as a Gandharva
among the Gandharvas, as an Apsara among the Apsaras, and as a
Vasu among the Vasus, My form, which fulfils desires, is present even
when it is invisible. Whether visible or invisible in this world, My
form is always stays in My own abode.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
When the Lord is invisible He is present in the form of hearing about
Him.
The Lord's abode is Vrndavana, which the Lord Himself describes in
the Gautamiya Tantra:
This is beautiful Vrndavana, My transcendental abode. Its size is five
yojanas. Its forest is my own form.
The Yamuna River, where currents of nectar flow, also bears the name
Susumna. In this place the demigods and sages always stay in subtle
forms.
I, who am the master of all the demigods, never leave this forest. yuga
after yuga, I am sometimes visible and sometimes invisible here.
Them My splendid, handsome form cannot be seen by material eyes.
Text 96
My form is also present as the Deity of ignorance, the Deity of
passion, and the Deity of Goodness.
Text 97
My humanlike form, which is eternal and full of transcendental
knowledge, is present in devotional service.
Text 98
Om. Obeisances to the Supersoul, who is present in the life-breath.
Om tat sat. Bhu Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him,
the Supersoul, who is present in the life-breath.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
Here is the answer to the question "How should the Lord be
worshipped?" Here the Lord reveals mantras to be used in His
worship.
Text 99
Obeisances to Sri Krsna, who is Govinda and Gopijanavallabha, Om
tat sat. Bhur Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him.
Text 100
Om. Obeisances to the Supersoul, who is present in the apana air.
Om tat sat. Bhur Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him,
present in the apana air.
Text 101
Om. Obeisances to Krsna, who is Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Pradyumna,
and Aniruddha. Om tat sat. Bhur Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances,
obeisances to Him.
Text 102
Om. Obeisances to the Supersoul, who is present in the sama air. Om
tat sat. Bhur Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him,
present in the same air.
Text 103
Om. Obeisances to Sri Krsna, who is Sri Rama. Om tat sat. Bhur
Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him.
Text 104
Om. Obeisances to the Supersoul, who is present in the udana air.
Om tat sat. Bhur Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him,
present in the udana air.
Text 105
Om. Obeisances to Krsna, the son of Devaki. Om tat sat. Bhur
Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him
Text 106
Om. Obeisances to the Supersoul, who is present in the vyana air. Om
tat sat. Bhur Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him,
present in the vyana air.
Text 107
Om. Obeisances to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose
original form is that of a cowherd boy. Om tat sat. Bhur Bhuvah and
Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him.
Text 108
Om. Lord Gopala is the Supersoul, present in the primordial material
energy. Om tat sat. Bhur Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to
Him.
Text 109
Om. Lord Gopala is the Supersoul, present in the senses. Om tat sat.
Bhur Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him.
Text 110
Om. Lord Gopala is the Supersoul, present in the material elements.
Om tat sat. Bhur Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him.
Text 111
Om. Lord Gopala is the Supreme Person. Om tat sat. Bhur Bhuvah
and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
That Krsna is the Supreme Person is confirmed by the Lord Himself in
Bhagavad-gita (15.17):
"Besides these two there is the greatest living personality, the Lord
Himself, who has entered into these worlds and is maintaining them."
Text 112
Om. Lord Gopala is the Supreme Brahman. Om tat sat. Bhur Bhuvah
and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
This statement is confirmed by the Lord Himself in the Bhagavad-gita
(14.27):
"I am the basis of the impersonal Brahman."
Text 113
Om. Lord Gopala is the Supersoul in the heart of all beings. Om tat
sat. Bhur Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him.
Text 114
Om. Surpassing wakefulness, sleep, and deep sleep, Lord Gopala is
beyond the transcendence of the impersonalists. Om tat sat. Bhur
Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him.
Text 115
The one Supreme Personality of Godhead is hidden within everything.
He is all-pervading. He is in everyone's heart. He witnesses everyone's
activities, He lives in everyone's heart. He is the witness. He is
consciousness. His is transcendence. He is beyond the modes of
nature.
Text 116
Obeisances to Rudra. Obeisances to Aditya. Obeisances to Vinayaka.
Obeisances to Surya. Obeisances to Vidya-devi. Obeisances to Indra.
Obeisances to Agni. Obeisances to Yama. Obeisances to Nirrti.
Obeisances to Varuna. Obeisances to Vayu. Obeisances to Kuvera.
Obeisances to Isana. Obeisances to Brahma. Obeisances to all the
demigods.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
The demigods are offered respect because they are representatives of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Text 117
After giving these most pious prayers to Brahma, who was rapt in
meditation on the Lord's transcendental form, and after giving him
the ability to create the universe, Lord Narayana disappeared.
Text 118
As these instructions were heard from Brahma, Brahma's sons, and
Narada, so I have spoken them. O Gandharvi (Radha), now You may
go to Your own home.
translated by Kusakratha dasa
Dedication
gopala-tapani-sastram
upanisatsu kititam
gurave prabhupadaya
gauravenarpayamy aham
To my spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupada, this translation of the glorious Sri Gopala-tapani
Upanisad is respectfully dedicated.
CHAPTER ONE
TEXT 1
Om namah. I offer my respectful obeisances to Sri Krsna, whose form
is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss, who is the rescuer from
distress, who is understood by Vedanta, who is the supreme spiritual
master, and who is the witness in everyone's heart.
Sri Gopala-tapani-vivrtti
by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti
I glorify the Gopala-tapani Upanisad. showering the nectar of the
Supreme Lord's spiritual form, it delights the devotees.
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Gopala-tapani Upanisad,
which is part of the Atharva Veda, and which describes the
transcendental form and pastimes of Lord Krsna.
I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Krsna, whom the Sama
Upanisad and Srimad-Bhagavatam proclaim the Supreme Personality
of Godhead.
The name of Krsna refers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
whose spiritual form is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss. This is
confirmed in the following verse of Mahabharata:
"The word krs is the attractive feature of the Lord's existence, and na
means spiritual pleasure. when the verb krs is added to affix na, it
becomes "Krsna", which indicates the Absolute Truth."
The name Krsna may also be interpreted to mean the perfection of
transcendental knowledge and bliss.
Lord Krsna's mercy is described in the word "aklita-karine", which
means that the Lord rescues the living entities from the five-fold
miseries of material existence, and also that the Lord is so kind that
He even liberated those demons fortunate enough to be personally
killed by Him.
The word "vedanta-vedyaya" means that Lord Krsna may be
understood only by following the instructions of the Vedas, which lead
the follower to liberation. Other so-called spiritual paths will not help
one become liberated.
The word "gurave" means that the Lord becomes the teacher who
enlightens His devotees. The Lord does this by appearing as the
Supersoul (buddhi-saksine) in everyone's heart.
This is confirmed in the following verses from the Vedic literatures:
"Become My devotee, accept Me as your spiritual master, come to Me
and worship Me."
"Appearing as the spiritual master in the heart, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead reveals the path of spiritual enlightenment."
(Srimad-Bhagavatam)
"To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give
the understanding by which they may come to Me." (Bhagavad-gita
10.11)
Sri Gopala-tapani-bhasya
by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
May our heart eternally rest on Govinda, who is full of bliss, the
master of unlimited inconceivable transcendental potencies, the
witness of everything, the expert protector of the devotees, and the
creator of the material world.
Appearing in this word with Sri Sanatana Gosvami and Srila Rupa
Gosvami, and bringing great tidal waves to the ocean of transcendental
bliss, may the wonderful and splendid rising moon of Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu dispel the darkness within our hearts.
I glorify the Gopala-tapani Upanisad, which to the pious reveals Lord
Krsna, the original Personality of Godhead, the Supersoul near to all
moving and unmoving creatures.
The name "Krsna" is used to describe the Personality of Godhead
because His complexion is like a dark atasi flower. This is confirmed in
the following verse from the Narayaniya, where the Lord Himself says:
"O Arjuna, because My complexion is blackish, I am known as Krsna."
Text 2
Om. Some sages said to the demigod Brahma: "Who is the Supreme
Personality of Godhead? Whom does death fear? By knowing whom
does everything else become known? Who created this world.
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur
The sages here are the Four Kumaras. they phrased their questions in
such a way as to elicit the eighteen-syllable Gayatri mantra as their
father's reply.
Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The syllable om is used here, as it is generally used in the Vedic hymns,
to invoke auspiciousness.
The Kumara's first question is "Who is the supremely opulent and
worshipable Personality of Godhead, than whom no one is greater or
equal?" The subsequent questions all relate to the qualities of the
Supreme Person.
Text 3
Brahma replied to them: "Krsna is the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Death fears Govinda. By understanding Gopijanavallabha
everything becomes known. By pronouncing the word "svaha" the
Personality of Godhead created the world.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
The statement that death fears Govinda means that Krsna rescues the
living entities from the hands of death. The name Gopijanavallabha
means "Krsna, who is very dear to the gopis." By knowing Him, the
entire spiritual and material world becomes known. The process of
understanding Him is described by Lord Gopijanavallabha Himself in
the Bhagavad-gita (18.56):
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead can be understood only by
devotional service."
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
By answering the Kumaras' question in this way, Brahma initiated
them in the chanting of the eighteen-syllable Gayatri mantra.
Text 4
They then said: "Who is Krsna? Who is Govinda? Who is
Gopijanavallabha? What is Svaha?"
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The sages asked these questions to elicit from Brahma a more
elaborate description of Lord Krsna's qualities.
Text 5
To them Brahma said: "Krsna means He who delivers from sin,
Govinda means He who is famous on the earth, in the Vedas, and
among the surabhi cows, Gopijanavallabha means He who enchants
the gopis, and Svaha means the potency of the Supreme. All these
names refer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
The name papa-karsana may also be interpreted to mean:
1. He whose transcendental pastimes attract the minds of even the
sinful conditioned souls, or
2. The merciful Supreme Person who liberated Putana, Agha, Kesi and
many other demons killed by Him.
The name Govinda means the Supreme Lord who is famous to the
Surabhi cows of Vraja. He is glorified in the verses of the Vedas, and
He is famous on the earth because He removed the burden of
demoniac kings.
Govinda also means He who protects the cows, land and Vedas. Lord
Govinda is the Supreme protector, who rescues the living entities from
the hands of death. Gopijanavallabha means He who enchants the
gopis, who are all manifestations of His hladini potency. Then Lord
enchants them with the sweetness His handsomeness and other
transcendental qualities, removes their materialism, and grants them
ecstatic love for Him. In this way He has become very dear (vallabha)
to them.
The name svaha means the Lord's potency by which everything is
manifested.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The following explanation of the name Krsna is found in the Vedic
literatures:
"For they who chant the auspicious holy name of Krsna, millions of
grievous sinful reactions become immediately burned to ashes."
"One who chants "Krsna Krsna Krsna" at the time of death becomes
eligible for liberation."
In the name Gopijanavallabha the gopis are expansions of the Lord's
internal potency. This is confirmed in the following verses:
"I worship the Personality of Godhead, Govinda, who, by expansion of
His internal potency of transcendental existence, knowledge and bliss,
enjoys in His own and expanded forms.
"The gopis are expansions of My own internal potency."
The Lord is glorious in the gopi's association. This is described in
Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.33.7):
"Lord Krsna appeared very glorious in the association of the gopis."
The sruti describes the Lord as the master of transcendental potencies
(Svaha):
"The sages say that Lord Visnu, is the master of all transcendental
potencies."
Text 6
One who meditates on this Supreme Personality of Godhead, glorifies
Him, and worships Him, becomes liberated. He becomes liberated.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
Liberation means freedom from the cycle of birth and death and
eternal association with Lord Krsna.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
In this text the goal of life is described: By meditating on, glorifying
and worshipping Lord Krsna, one becomes liberated.
Text 7
They said: What is His form? what is His glorification? How does one
worship Him? Please describe this to us
Texts 8 and 9
Brahma said: He appears like a cowherd boy. His complexion is like a
monsoon cloud. He stays under a desire-tree. The following verses
describe Him.
Text 10(a)
Meditating with all his heart on Lord Krsna, whose eyes are
handsome lotus flowers, whose complexion is a monsoon cloud, whose
garments are lightning, who has two arms, who is rich in
transcendental knowledge, who wears a garland of forest flowers, who
is the supreme controller, who is surrounded by gopas, gopis, and
surabhi cows, who rests under a sura-druma tree, who is decorated
with splendid ornaments, who stands in the middle of a red lotus
flower, and who is served by breezes that have touched the Yamuna's
waves, a person becomes free from repeated birth and death.
Text 11
This mantra should be repeatedly chanted: "Klim Krsnaya govindaya
gopijanavallabhaya svaha".
Text 12
By chanting these five names one attains the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, whose potencies are manifested as the heavenly planets, the
earth, sun, moon, and fire.
Text 13
A person who even once chants the mantra "Klim krsnaya govindaya
gopijanavallabha svaha" quickly attains the association of Lord
Krsna. He does not attain any other result.
Text 14
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.
Visvanath Cakravarti
Devotional service to Krsna and liberation are actually synonymous,
this is confirmed in the Padma Purana:
"Pure devotional service to Lord Hari is actual liberation."
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
Bhakti means engaging the senses in the service of Lord Krsna. This is
confirmed in the Narada Pancaratra in the following words:
"One should be free from all material designations, and cleansed of all
material contamination. He should be restored to his pure identity, in
which he engages his senses in the service of the proprietor of the
senses. This is called devotional service.
The activities of bhakti are listed in the following way: 1. hearing the
Lord's glories, 2. reciting the Lord's glories, 3. remembering the Lord
constantly, 4. serving the lotus feet of the Lord, 5. worshipping the
Lord, 6. chanting prayers to the Lord, 7. carrying out the orders of the
Lord, 8. making friends with the Lord, and 9. surrendering everything
to the Lord.
As a result of engaging in Lord Krsna's service, one develops intense
ecstatic love for Him. This is described in the Eleventh Canto of
Srimad-Bhagavatam.
"As one becomes advanced in devotional service to the Lord, he
becomes ecstatic. The hairs of his body stand on end, and he manifests
ecstatic symptoms."
Text 15
Many brahmanas worship Krsna. Many worship eternal Govinda.
Gopijanavallabha maintains the worlds. Powerful Svaha moves the
universe.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
Many brahmanas, following the path of the sastras, worship Krsna.
Many others, following of the path of spontaneous love as the residents
of Gokula followed it, worship Lord Govinda, the hero of Gokula.
Text 16
Although originally one, air becomes the five life-airs in the bodies of
all living entities. In the same way, for the benefit of the world Lord
Krsna appears as these five words.
Text 17
They said: Please describe the worship of Govinda, the Supersoul, who
maintains everything.
Text 18
Brahma said: The Lord's altar should be a golden lotus with eight
petals. Within that lotus should be placed two triangles and the
mantra klim krsnaya namah, the Kama-gayatri (klim krsnaya
govindaya gopijanavallabhaya svaha), and the ananga-gayatri
(kamadevaya sarva-jana-priyaya sarva-jana-sammohanaya jvala jvala
prajvala prajvala sarva-janasya hrdayam me vasam kuru kuru svaha)
should be written there. then anga should be offered with the sula-
matra (astraya phat). Then one should worship the Lord's
expansions, beginning with Rukmini, the devotees headed by Indra,
the devotees headed by King Vasudeva, the devotees headed by Arjuna,
and the devotees headed by Indranidhi.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
This is described in the Padma Purana:
"O Narada, placing the Lord on His altar, I worship Him with prayers,
incense ,lamps, arghya and other gifts."
Text 19
He who at sunrise, noon and sunset, makes various offerings to the
Deity, obtains everything. He obtains everything.
Text 20
In this matter there are the following verses: Lord Krsna is the
worshipable, all-pervading supreme controller, and although He is
one, He manifests in many forms. They who are intelligent worship
Him as He stands on His altar. They, and not others, attain eternal
happiness.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
That Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead is confirmed in the
Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.3.28):
"Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead."
Text 21
The brahmanas, who worship, as He stands on His altar, the one
greatest among the eternals and greatest among conscious persons,
the one who fulfils the desires of the many, they, and not others, attain
perfection.
Text 22
To they who always diligently worship Lord Visnu's transcendental
form, the Lord, in His original form as a cowherd boy, shows His
lotus feet.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
This is confirmed in Vedanta-sutra:
"The Personality of Godhead reveals Himself to His pure devotees."
Text 23
It was Krsna who in the beginning instructed Brahma in Vedic
knowledge and who disseminated Vedic knowledge in the past. They
who desire liberation surrender to Him, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, who grants transcendental knowledge to His devotees.
Text 24
To they who chant the five-word mantra with om and govinda (om
krsnaya govindaya gopijanavallabha svaha) the Lord reveals His own
form. Therefore, to attain transcendental peace, they who desire
liberation should regularly chant this mantra.
Text 25
From this five-word mantra have come all other govinda-mantras in
human society, including the ten-syllable govinda-mantra chanted by
Indra's followers and by they who desire opulences.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
The persons desiring opulence in this verse are the four Kumaras'
followers, who desire liberation, and Narada's followers, who desire
pure devotional service.
Text 26
They asked: Please tell us the nature of this mantra
Text 27 and 28
Brahma said: 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. With devotion in my heart I bowed down before Him. He
gave me the eighteen-syllable mantra to be used for the activity of
creation, and then He disappeared.
Text 29
When I desired to create the universe He again appeared before me,
showing me in these syllables the universe that was to be.
Text 30
From the letter k, I created water, from the letter l, earth, from the
letter i, fire, from the letter m, the moon, and from the entire word
klim, the sun. From the word krsnaya, I created ether, from
govindaya, air, from gopijanavallabha, knowledge and the surabhi
cows, and from svaha, men, women, and everything else. Everything
else.
Text 31
By worshipping Him, Siva became free from illusion, and by chanting
this mantra in a solitary place, he attained the Lord.
Text 32
the demigods gaze at Visnu's abode, which is like a splendid sun in the
sky.
Text 33
therefore one should regularly chant this mantra. One should
regularly chant this mantra.
Text 34
Some have said that from the first word of this mantra earth was
created, from the second word water, from the third fire, from the
fourth air, and from the fifth ether. To attain liberation one should
chant this five-word Vaisnava mantra, which reveals Lord Krsna.
Text 35
About this are the following verses: One should chant this mantra, of
which from the first word the element earth came, from the second
word water, from the third fire, from the fourth air, and from the fifth
ether.
Text 36
By chanting this mantra Siva entered Lord Visnu's eternal spiritual
abode.
Text 37
That spiritual world, completely pure, uncontaminated, free from
suffering, free from greed and all other vices, and identical with this
five-word mantra, is manifested from Lord Vasudeva. It is not
separate from Him.
Text 38
With eloquent prayers I and the Maruts please Lord Govinda, whose
form is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss, who stays under a
desire tree in Vrndavana, and who is this five-word mantra.
Text 39
Om namah. To Lord Govinda, who is the form of the universe, the
creator. maintainer, and destroyer of the universe, the master of the
universe, and the universe itself. I offer my respectful obeisances.
Text 40
Obeisances to Lord Govinda, whose form is full of knowledge, whose
form is full of supreme bliss, who is all-attractive, and who is the
master of the gopis.
Text 41
Obeisances to Him, His eyes lotus flowers. Obeisances to Him,
garlanded with lotuses. Obeisances to Him, His navel a lotus.
Obeisances to Him, the husband of the goddesses of fortune.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The goddesses of fortune here are the gopis. This is described in verses
29 and 56 of the Brahma-samhita:
"Lord Govinda is served with great reverence by hundreds and
thousands of gopis."
"The damsels of Vrndavana, the gopis, are super goddesses of fortune."
Text 42
Obeisances to Lord Govinda, handsome with a peacock-feather crown,
identical with Balarama, His intelligence sharp, and He the swan in
the Manasa lake of the goddess of fortune's thoughts.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The goddess of fortune here is Srimati Radharani, who is described in
the Purusa-bodhini Upanisad.
"Candravali and Radhika always remain at Lord Krsna's side. Laksmi,
Durga, and the Lord's other potencies are expansions of Sri Radhika."
The Gautamiya Tantra also explains:
The transcendental goddess Srimati Radharani is the direct
counterpart of Lord Sri Krsna. She is the central figure for the goddess
of fortune. She possesses all the attractiveness to attract the all-
attractive Personality of Godhead. She is the primeval internal potency
of the Lord.
Text 43
Obeisances to Him, the death of Kamsa and his allies, the killer of
Kesi and Canura, the object of worship for Siva, and the chariot-
driver of Arjuna.
Text 44
Obeisances to Him, the cowherd boy fond of playing the flute, the
crusher of Kaliya, the person who walks on the Yamuna's shore and
whose earrings gracefully swing to and fro.
Text 45
Obeisances to Sri Krsna, the protector of the surrendered souls.
Obeisances to Him, the expert dancer garlanded with the gopi's lotus
glances.
Text 46
Obeisances to Him, the death of sin, the lifter of Govardhana Hill, the
end of Putana's life, the thief of Trnavarta's life.
Text 47
Obeisances to Sri Krsna, decorated with a golden necklace, charming,
pure, the enemy of impurity, one without a second, the greatest.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
The Word niskalaya may also mean "He who is beyond the influence of
material illusion" and the word vimohaya may be interpreted to mean
"He who is omniscient and cannot be put into illusion even by Brahma
or Siva". The word "asuddhi-vairine" may be interpreted to mean "He
who removes material impurities from the hearts of those attached to
hearing and chanting His glories."
Text 48
Be kind, O blissful one. Be kind, O Supreme Lord. O Lord, please
rescue me, bitten by the snake of physical and mental pain.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
Vyadhi, or physical pain, inevitably comes when one fulfils his material
desires. when material desires remain unfulfilled, however, the
conditioned soul experiences mental pain, or adhi. Either condition is
inauspicious for the conditioned soul.
Text 49
O Krsna, O husband of Rukmini, O enchanter of the gopis, O master
of the universe, please rescue me, drowning in the ocean of repeated
birth and death.
Text 50
O Kesava, O Narayana, O Govinda, O Janardana, O source of all
transcendental bliss, O Lord who rescues the devotees from distress,
O Madhava, please rescue me.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
In the Hari-vamsa, Lord Siva explains the meaning of the name
Kesava:
"Both Brahma (ka) and I (isa), the master of all living entities, were
born from You, and for this reason, O Lord, You are known as
Kesava."
Text 51
Brahma said: As I worship Him, so should you. Chanting this five-
word mantra, and meditating on Lord Krsna, you will transcend the
world of birth and death.
Text 52
One who chants this five-word mantra easily attains His
transcendental abode.
Text 53
Although fixed in His abode, the Personality of Godhead is swifter
than the mind and can overcome all others running. Even the
powerful demigods cannot approach Him.
Text 54
therefore, Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One should
meditate upon Him, glorify Him, serve Him and worship Him. Om tat
sat.
CHAPTER TWO
Texts 1 and 2
Once, after they had passed the entire night with Him, the passionate
girls of Vraja spoke to the cowherd boy Krsna, who is the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, and He also spoke to them.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
May Lord Krsna, who is Mura's enemy, who is the Supersoul, who
appeared as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and who is merciful to
Gajendra and King Prataparudra, always reside in my heart.
In Mathura and Dvaraka, Krsna is a king and enjoys royal pastimes,
while in Gokula He enjoys pastimes as a cowherd boy. He remains in
the highest spiritual planet, Goloka Vrndavana, enjoying these
pastimes.
Text 3
The gopis said: To what brahmana should charity be given?
Text 4
Krsna said: Durvasa
Text 5
The gopis said: How will we cross the Yamuna's waters and approach
Him, from whom great blessings will come?
Text 6
Krsna said: Say the words Krsna, the brahmacari, and the Yamuna
will give you a path.
Text 7
By remembering Me a shallow person becomes deep. By remembering
Me an impure person becomes pure. By remembering Me an impious
person becomes pious. By remembering Me one full of material
desires becomes desireless. By remembering Me a fool becomes
learned.
Text 8
After hearing these words, they meditated on Durvasa, and with these
words crossed the Yamuna. they went to the very sacred asrama and
bowed down before Durvasa Muni, the best of sages. they gave to the
brahmana delicious foods made with milk and ghee.
Text 9
Pleased, he bathed, ate, blessed them ,and gave them permission to go.
Text 10
They said: How will we cross the Yamuna?
Text 11
He said: Meditate on me as a sage that eats only durva grass, and the
Yamuna will give you a path.
Text 12
Gandharvi (Srimati Radharani), the best among them, reflected for a
moment.
Text 13
She said: How is Krsna a brahmacari? How is this sage a person that
eats only durva grass?
Text 14
Accepting Her as their leader, the other girls became silent.
Text 15
Durvasa Muni replied: Sound is contained within the element of
ether, although sound and ether are different. Sound is contained
within ether. This ether does not know. I am spirit. How can I be a
materialistic enjoyer.
Text 16
Touch is contained within the element of air, although touch and air
are different. Touch is contained within air. This air does not know. I
am spirit. How can I be a materialistic enjoyer?
Text 17
Form is contained within the element of fire, although form and fire
are different. Form is contained within fire. This fire does not know. I
am spirit. How can I be a materialistic enjoyer?
Text 18
Taste is contained within the element of water, although taste and
waste are different. Taste is contained within water. This water does
not know. I am spirit. How can I be a materialistic enjoyer?
Text 19
Aroma is contained within the element of earth, although aroma and
earth are different. Aroma is contained within earth. This earth does
not know. I am spirit. How can I be a materialistic enjoyer?
Text 20
It is the mind that remains among the senses and accepts them.
Text 21
When spirit is everything how does one think? Where does one go? I
am spirit, how can I be a materialistic enjoyer?
Text 22
Your beloved Krsna is the original creator of the two kinds of bodies.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
The two kinds of bodies are the gross (physical) and subtle (mental)
bodies.
Text 23
On the tree of the body are two birds. One is an expansion of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is a witness. The other is an
enjoyer. They are an enjoyer and a non-enjoyer. The first enjoys, and
the second is Krsna.
Text 24
In Him we do not find material so-called knowledge and ignorance.
This ignorance and real knowledge are different. How can Krsna, who
is full of real knowledge, become a materialistic enjoyer?
Texts 25 and 26
He who lusts after pleasure is lusty. He who does not lust after
pleasures is not lusty.
Text 27
Krsna, who is free from birth and death, who is unchanging, who
cannot be cut, who stays by the Yamuna, who stays among the surabhi
cows, who protects the surabhi cows, who stays among the cowherd
boys, who stays in all the Vedas, who is glorified by all the Vedas, who
has entered all living entities, and who controls all living entities, is
your husband.
Text 28
Gandharvi (Radha) said: Why has the Supreme Personality of
Godhead taken birth among us as a cowherd boy? O sage, how do you
know this about Krsna? What is His mantra? What is His abode?
Why has He taken birth in Devaki's womb? Who is His elder brother
Balarama? How is He worshipped? Why has the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, who is far above the world of matter, descended to this
Earth?
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The word Devaki here may also be interpreted to mean Yasoda. This
is described in the Adi Purana:
"Nanda's wife has two names: Yasoda and Devaki."
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami describes Lord Krsna's birth in the following
words (Bhagavatam 10.3.8):
"Then the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, who is situated in
the core of everyone's heart, appeared in the heart of Devaki in the
dense darkness of night, like the full moon rising on the eastern
horizon, because Devaki was of the same category as Sri Krsna."
Text 29
He said: In the beginning only Lord Narayana existed. In Him the
material worlds are woven as thread on a loom. From His lotus heart
the demigod Brahma was born.
Text 30
When Brahma performed severe austerities, Lord Narayana granted
him a boon.
Text 31
Brahma chose a question.
Text 32
Lord Narayana granted his request.
Text 33 and 34
Brahma said: Among Your many incarnations, which is the best, the
one that makes humans and demigods happy, the one that,
remembering Him, they become liberated from repeated birth and
death? Why is this incarnation the best?
Text 35
Lord Narayana said:
Text 36
As on the summit of Mount Meru are seven cities that fulfil all
desires, so on the Earth are seven cities that fulfil desires and grant
liberation. Among them the city of Gopala Puri is directly the
spiritual world.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The word niskama here means liberation.
Text 37
In this city the desires of the demigods and all other creatures are all
fulfilled and everyone attains liberation.
Text 38
Protected by My cakra, this city if Mathura, or Gopala Puri, stands in
this world as a lotus stands in a lake.
Text 39
Gopala Puri contains these forests: 1. the great forest of Brhadvana,
2. Madhuvana, the former residence of the Madhu demon, 3.
Talavana, full of palm trees, 4. delightful Kamyavana, 5. great
Bahulavana, 6. Kumudavana, full of lotus flowers and water lilies, 7.
Khadiravana, full of Khadira trees, 8. Bhadravana, the favourite spot
of Lord Balarama, 9. Bhandiravana, the great forest of Banyan trees,
10. Srivana, the abode of the goddess of fortune, 11. Lohavana, the
former residence of the demon Loha, and 12. Vrndavana, ruled by the
goddess Vrnda-devi
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The word bhadra here means "the place where Balabhadra (Balarama)
enjoys pastimes."
Text 40
In these forests the demigods, human beings, Gandharvas, Nagas, and
Kinnaras sing and dance.
Text 41
The twelve Adityas, eleven Rudras, eight Vasus, seven sages, Brahma,
Narada, five Vinayakas, Viresvara, Rudresvara, Ambikesvara,
Ganesvara, Nilakanthesvara, Visvesvara, Gopalesvara, Bhadresvara,
and 24 other lingas reside there.
Text 42
These forests are divided into two groups: 1. Krsnavana, or Krsna's
forests, and 2. Bhadravana, or Balarama's forests. Among these twelve
forests some are sacred and others are most sacred.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
Krsna's forests are: 1. Brhadvana 2. Madhuvana 3. Talavana 4.
Kamyavana 5. Bahulavana 6. Kumudavana 7. Khadiravana and 8.
Vrndavana. Balarama's forests are 1. Bhadravana 2. Bhandiravana 3.
Srivana, and 4. Lauhavana.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
Krsna forests are the eight forests beginning with Vrndavana.
Balarama's forests are 1. Bhadravana, 2. Srivana, 3. Lauhavana, and 4.
Bhradvana.
Text 43
There the demigods stay. there the perfect beings attained perfection.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
In this connection the Gautamiya Tantra explains:
"In subtle forms the demigods and great sages reside in Vrndavana."
Text 44
In this place are a Deity of Rama, a Deity of Pradyumna, a Deity of
Aniruddha, and a Deity of Krsna.
Text 45
In this way there are twelve Deities in the forests of Mathura.
Text 46
The Rudras worship the first Deity, Brahma worships the second,
Brahma's sons worship the third, The Maruts worship the fourth, the
Vinayakas worship the fifth, the Vasus worship the sixth, the sages
worship the seventh, the Gandharvas worship the eighth, the Apsaras
worship the ninth, the tenth Deity is now invisible, the eleventh Deity
has gone to His own planet, and the twelfth Deity is now on the Earth.
Text 47
They who worship this Deity surpass death and attain liberation. They
cross beyond the three-fold miseries of birth, old-age and death.
Text 48
There are these verses: Lord Krsna, accompanied by His three
potencies, and by Balarama, Aniruddha, Pradyumna, and Rukmini,
stays in delightful Mathura Puri, which is worshipped by Brahma and
the other demigods and protected by the conch, cakra, club, and
sarnga bow.
Text 48 (b)
These four names are identical with the name Om.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
The names Balarama, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, and Krsna are identical
with the name Om.
Text 49
One should think: I am spiritual, beyond material passion. One
should think: I am Lord Gopaka's. In this way one attains liberation.
He realizes his spiritual nature. He becomes a knower of spirit.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
As a ray of sunlight is, in one sense, identical with the sun, in the same
way, the individual living entity is, in one sense, identical with Lord
Gopala.
Text 50
Because since the beginning of creation He lovingly protects (alati)
the conditioned souls (gopa), He is known as Gopala. Om tat sat. I am
a spirit. I am a part-and-parcel of Krsna. My spiritual form is
eternally full of bliss. Om.
Text 51
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is therefore known as Gopala.
Text 52
With all one's heart one should think: I am Gopala's
Text 53
Lord Gopala is unmanifest, limitless, and eternal.
Text 54
Lord Narayana continued: O Brahma, decorated with a forest-flower
garland, and holding a conch, disk, mace and lotus, I will reside
eternally in Mathura.
Text 55
O Brahma, he who with all his heart meditates on Me, whose form is
the resting place of all forms, whose form is supremely powerful and
splendid, whose form is wonderful, and who has no material form,
goes to MY abode. Of this there is no doubt.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
The word visva-rupam here means "He in whom are all forms." Some
texts give the word here as cit-svarupam, or "he whose form is
spiritual." The word param-jyotih means "powerful" or "splendid." The
word svarupam means "He whose form is extraordinary." The word
rupa-varjitam means "He who has no material form." The word mat-
padam means "My abode."
Text 56
O Brahma, a resident of this earth planet who remains in the district
of Mathura and worships Me as I appear in the form of the Deity,
becomes very dear to Me.
Text 57
You should always worship Me as Krsna in Mathura.
Text 58
Four kinds of men worship Me.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
these four kinds of devotees are described by the Lord Himself in the
Bhagavad-gita (7.16):
"Those who are distressed, inquisitive, wise and those in need of
money, engage in My devotional service."
Visvanatha Cakravarti
The four kinds of worshippers describe here are the devotees of Lord
Vasudeva, Lord Sankarsana, Lord Pradyumna, and Lord Aniruddha.
Text 59
Following the devotional process prescribed for the age, intelligent
devotees in this world worship Lord Gopala, who is accompanied by
His elder brother Balarama and queen Rukmini.
Text 60
I am unborn, eternal Gopala. I am eternal Pradyumna. I am Rama. I
am Aniruddha. He who is intelligent worships Me.
Text 61
Free from all impure desires, the residents of Krsnavana and
Bhadravana worship Me, following the regulations of bhakti I Myself
have spoken.
Text 62
Even they who formerly rejected the principles of religion and were
swallowed up by the age of Kali, may become devoted to Me, and also
reside in Mathura.
Text 63
Anyone who becomes My sincere devotee becomes very dear to Me. As
dear as You and Your sons are, as dear as Siva and hid associates, as
dear as the goddess of fortune, Laksmi.
Text 64
Brahma said: How has the one Supreme Personality of Godhead
become four Deities? How has the single sacred syllable om become
many?
Text 65
The Lord said to him: Before the material world was manifest, only
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is one without a second,
existed. From Him came the impersonal Brahman. From that came
the syllable om. From om came the mahat-tattva. From the mahat-
tattva came false-ego. From false-ego came the five tanmatras. From
them came the elements. Om is covered by these things.
Text 66
I am the sacred syllable. I am om. I am ageless, deathless, nectarean,
the fearless Supreme Great. I am liberated. I am unchanging.
Text 67
The eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead manifested Himself as
the all-pervading universal form. In the same way the Lord, who is
one without a second, by His transcendental potency expanded
Himself into four.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
That the Lord is the master of transcendental potencies is described in
the sastras:
"The sages declare that eternal Lord Visnu is the master of all
transcendental potencies."
Text 68
The sacred syllable om consists of three letters: a, u and m. Balarama,
the son of Rohini, is the letter a. Splendid Pradyumna is the letter u.
Text 69
Intelligent Aniruddha is letter m. Lord Krsna, in whom the entire
universe rests, is the ardha-matra letter (m), which completes the
syllable om.
Text 70
Rukmini is Lord Krsna's wife. She is the creator of the worlds and the
root of material nature.
Text 71(a)
The Vedic literatures explain that the goddess of fortune appeared
among the women of Vraja.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
The following statement is found in the Skanda Purana, Matsya
Purana, and other sastras.
"Rukmini is the Lord's consort in Dvaraka and Radha is His consort in
Vrndavana." The Rk-parisista explains:
"Lord Madhava always stays by Radha's side. Radha always stays by
Madhava's side."
Text 71 (b)
Learned transcendentalists say that the Lord's potency is the syllable
om.
Text 72
Therefore, all-pervading Lord Gopala is the syllable om.
Text 73
Learned transcendentalists declare that the syllable om is not
different from the sacred syllable klim.
Text 74
He whom meditates on Me as I appear in Mathura attains liberation.
Texts 75-78
In his mind one should meditate on Me standing on the blossomed
eight-petaled lotus of the heart, My two feet marked with conchshell,
flag and umbrella, MY chest marked with srivatsa and splendid with
the kautabha gem, My four arms holding the conch, cakra, mace, and
sarnga bow, My arms decorated with armlets. MY neck splendid with
a flower garland, My head circled by a splendid crown, My ears
decorated with glistening shark-shaped earrings, MY form splendid
and handsome, holding a flute and buffalo-horn bugle, and granting
fearlessness to the devotees.
Text 79
When the entire universe is churned (mathyate) by the churning-rod
of spiritual knowledge, the butter produced is the Supreme
Personality of Godhead in Mathura. That is why it is called Mathura.
Text 80
In my heart I meditate on the material world with its eight dik-palas
(protectors of the directions) as a blossomed lotus flower growing in
the ocean of repeated birth and death.
Text 81
The sun and moon are the splendour of My body. Golden Mount
Meru is My splendid flag. Brahmaloka as My umbrella. The seven
lower planetary systems are My feet.
Text 82
I am marked with srivatsa and svarupa. Therefore the learned sages
call me Srivatsa-lanchana (marked with srivatsa).
Text 83
Aware of My supremacy, the sages declare that the splendour of the
sun, moon, fire, and eloquent speech has come from My glittering
Kaustubha jewel.
Text 84
The four arms of My universal form are goodness, passion, ignorance,
and false-ego. The five material elements are the conchshell I carry in
the hand that is the mode of passion.
Text 85
Childishness is said to be the cakra, the original illusory potency the
sarnga bow, and the universe the lotus flower in the hand of the
universal form.
Text 86
The origin of ignorance is known as the club I always carry in My
hand.
Text 87
Religion, economic development, and sense-gratification are the
splendid bracelets that eternally decorate the wrists of My universal
form.
Text 88
The neck, said to be the qualityless Brahman, is garlanded by the first
unborn. O Brahma, your mind-born sons have elaborately described
this garland.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
The word "nirguna" here refers to Brahman. The "first unborn" here is
the maya potency, splendid with knowledge and ignorance. The mind-
born sons are the four Kumaras.
Text 89
The sages say that My eternal form is the crown.
Text 90
The two things above the changing material world are My two
glittering earrings.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The two things are the spiritual paths of sankhya and yoga. This is
confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam:
"Sankhya and yoga are the two shark-shaped earrings worn by the
Supreme Person."
Text 91
He who meditates in this way is eternally dear to me. He attains
liberation. He becomes liberated. I give Myself to him.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
This is confirmed in the Sruti-sastra:
"The devotees of the Lord become liberated from the grip of the
illusory potency."
Text 92
O Brahma, I have said all that will be about My two forms: one made
of the modes of nature, and the other beyond the modes of nature.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
The form made of the modes of material nature is the universal form,
and the form beyond the modes of material nature is the auspicious
transcendental form.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The form beyond the modes of material nature here is the Lord's two-
armed and four-armed forms.
Text 93
Brahma said: What are the ornaments worn by the Deities You have
described? How do the Maruts, Rudras, Brahma, sons of Brahma,
Vinayakas, twelve Adityas, Vasus, Apsaras, and Gandharvas worship
them? Who is the Deity that has gone to His own abode? Who is the
Deity now invisible? Who is the Deity the humans worship?
Text 94
Lord Narayana said to him: these twelve unmanifested transcendental
Deities are present on all planets, among all demigods and all human
beings.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
The word unmanifested here means unmanifested to material eyes.
Text 95
As a Rudra among the rudras, as a Brahma among the followers of
Brahma, as a demigod among the demigods, as a human being among
the humans, as the destroyer of obstacles (Ganesa) among the
Vinayakas, as Surya Narayana among the Adityas, as a Gandharva
among the Gandharvas, as an Apsara among the Apsaras, and as a
Vasu among the Vasus, My form, which fulfils desires, is present even
when it is invisible. Whether visible or invisible in this world, My
form is always stays in My own abode.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
When the Lord is invisible He is present in the form of hearing about
Him.
The Lord's abode is Vrndavana, which the Lord Himself describes in
the Gautamiya Tantra:
This is beautiful Vrndavana, My transcendental abode. Its size is five
yojanas. Its forest is my own form.
The Yamuna River, where currents of nectar flow, also bears the name
Susumna. In this place the demigods and sages always stay in subtle
forms.
I, who am the master of all the demigods, never leave this forest. yuga
after yuga, I am sometimes visible and sometimes invisible here.
Them My splendid, handsome form cannot be seen by material eyes.
Text 96
My form is also present as the Deity of ignorance, the Deity of
passion, and the Deity of Goodness.
Text 97
My humanlike form, which is eternal and full of transcendental
knowledge, is present in devotional service.
Text 98
Om. Obeisances to the Supersoul, who is present in the life-breath.
Om tat sat. Bhu Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him,
the Supersoul, who is present in the life-breath.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
Here is the answer to the question "How should the Lord be
worshipped?" Here the Lord reveals mantras to be used in His
worship.
Text 99
Obeisances to Sri Krsna, who is Govinda and Gopijanavallabha, Om
tat sat. Bhur Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him.
Text 100
Om. Obeisances to the Supersoul, who is present in the apana air.
Om tat sat. Bhur Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him,
present in the apana air.
Text 101
Om. Obeisances to Krsna, who is Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Pradyumna,
and Aniruddha. Om tat sat. Bhur Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances,
obeisances to Him.
Text 102
Om. Obeisances to the Supersoul, who is present in the sama air. Om
tat sat. Bhur Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him,
present in the same air.
Text 103
Om. Obeisances to Sri Krsna, who is Sri Rama. Om tat sat. Bhur
Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him.
Text 104
Om. Obeisances to the Supersoul, who is present in the udana air.
Om tat sat. Bhur Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him,
present in the udana air.
Text 105
Om. Obeisances to Krsna, the son of Devaki. Om tat sat. Bhur
Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him
Text 106
Om. Obeisances to the Supersoul, who is present in the vyana air. Om
tat sat. Bhur Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him,
present in the vyana air.
Text 107
Om. Obeisances to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose
original form is that of a cowherd boy. Om tat sat. Bhur Bhuvah and
Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him.
Text 108
Om. Lord Gopala is the Supersoul, present in the primordial material
energy. Om tat sat. Bhur Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to
Him.
Text 109
Om. Lord Gopala is the Supersoul, present in the senses. Om tat sat.
Bhur Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him.
Text 110
Om. Lord Gopala is the Supersoul, present in the material elements.
Om tat sat. Bhur Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him.
Text 111
Om. Lord Gopala is the Supreme Person. Om tat sat. Bhur Bhuvah
and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
That Krsna is the Supreme Person is confirmed by the Lord Himself in
Bhagavad-gita (15.17):
"Besides these two there is the greatest living personality, the Lord
Himself, who has entered into these worlds and is maintaining them."
Text 112
Om. Lord Gopala is the Supreme Brahman. Om tat sat. Bhur Bhuvah
and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
This statement is confirmed by the Lord Himself in the Bhagavad-gita
(14.27):
"I am the basis of the impersonal Brahman."
Text 113
Om. Lord Gopala is the Supersoul in the heart of all beings. Om tat
sat. Bhur Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him.
Text 114
Om. Surpassing wakefulness, sleep, and deep sleep, Lord Gopala is
beyond the transcendence of the impersonalists. Om tat sat. Bhur
Bhuvah and Svah. Obeisances, obeisances to Him.
Text 115
The one Supreme Personality of Godhead is hidden within everything.
He is all-pervading. He is in everyone's heart. He witnesses everyone's
activities, He lives in everyone's heart. He is the witness. He is
consciousness. His is transcendence. He is beyond the modes of
nature.
Text 116
Obeisances to Rudra. Obeisances to Aditya. Obeisances to Vinayaka.
Obeisances to Surya. Obeisances to Vidya-devi. Obeisances to Indra.
Obeisances to Agni. Obeisances to Yama. Obeisances to Nirrti.
Obeisances to Varuna. Obeisances to Vayu. Obeisances to Kuvera.
Obeisances to Isana. Obeisances to Brahma. Obeisances to all the
demigods.
Visvanatha Cakravarti
The demigods are offered respect because they are representatives of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Text 117
After giving these most pious prayers to Brahma, who was rapt in
meditation on the Lord's transcendental form, and after giving him
the ability to create the universe, Lord Narayana disappeared.
Text 118
As these instructions were heard from Brahma, Brahma's sons, and
Narada, so I have spoken them. O Gandharvi (Radha), now You may
go to Your own home.