SRI BRAHMA-SAMHITA

Verse 46

diparchchir eva hi dasantaram abhyupetya
dipayate vivrta-hetu-samana-dharma
yas tadrg eva hi cha visnutaya vibhati
govindam adi purusam tam aham bhajami [46]

Translation: As the flame of one original lamp, when transmitted to another, burns separately as the expanded cause with the same nature of intensity, so also He shines in (Vishnu’s) dynamic nature—that Primeval Lord, Govinda, do I worship.

Purport: (Now, the presiding Deities of Hari-dhama, the plenary portions of the Lord who are known as Hari, Narayana, Vishnu, etc., are being described.) Krishna’s vilasa-murti (plenary form possessing generally identical potency) is the Lord of Paravyoma (Vaikuntha), Narayana. Narayana’s expansion is the first predominative descent, or purusavatara (Karanodakasayi), that purusavatara’s expansion is Garbhodakasayi, and Garbhodakasayi’s expansion is Ksirodakasayi Vishnu. The Lord’s Name ‘Vishnu’ indicates Him to be the omniscient and the omnipresent.

In this sloka, by elucidating the position of Ksirodakasayi, the Principle of the plenary expansion of the plenary expansion of the Lord is being elucidated. The Vishnu principle, or descent of sattva-guna, is quite distinct from the Sambhu principle of mixed mayik qualities and connotations. The Intrinsic form of Govinda—Vishnu is also that form; both are the embodiment of pure existence. Vishnu, the manifest cause, is of the same nature as Govinda.

Because it is always adulterated to some degree by rajo-guna and tamo-guna, the sattva-guna of the threefold material qualities, or gunas, is not pure. Brahma appears in rajo-guna, and he is a separated portion (vibhinnamsa) possessing the influence of a plenary portion (svamsa); and Sambhu appears in Maya’s tamo-guna, and he is similarly a separated portion possessing the influence of a plenary portion. They are separated portions because Maya’s rajo- and tamo-guna are so estranged from unalloyed spirituality that Brahma and Sambhu, who appear in those modes, are also greatly distanced from the Lord Himself (svayam-rupa), or the Lord Himself, showing a varied form (tad ekatma).

Despite the sattva-guna of Maya being alloyed with the other gunas, guna-avatara Vishnu makes His advent only in the unalloyed portion of sattva-guna—the portion of completely pure, transcendental existence. Thus Vishnu is the full plenary portion expansion (svamsa-vilasa) and the almighty entity (mahesvara-tattva); He is not connected with Maya, yet He is the master of Maya. Vishnu is the agent of Govinda’s own nature as the cause (of all expansions). All the majestic attributes of Govinda are present in His vilasa-murti plenary expansion Narayana; that is, sixty qualities are present in Narayana in full proportion. Therefore, although Vishnu is a guna-avatara, or a descent in material nature, His personality is not alloyed with the gunas, or qualities of Maya, as the personalities of Brahma and Siva are. The advent of Narayana in the form of Maha-Vishnu, the advent of Maha-Vishnu in the form of Garbhodakasayi, and the advent of Vishnu as Ksirodasayi exemplify the dynamic nature of the Absolute. Vishnu is the Godhead, and the other two guna-avataras and all the gods are entities subordinate to Him, their offices delegated by Him.

Govinda is the original or supreme ‘lamp’; from His vilasa-murti all the plenary, or svamsa, descents of Maha-Vishnu, Garbhodakasayi, Ksirodakasayi and Rama, etc., shine resplendently as individual lamps in Their respective locations by the Transcendental Potency of Govinda.

Note:

The eternal form of Krishna that is independent of any other form is known as svayam-rupa, as corroborated in Sri Brahma-samhita 5.1. That form which is non-different from svayam-rupa but manifests a different form and character is called tad ekatma-rupa. Tad ekatma-rupa is of two types, vilasa and svamsa. When by the play of Krishna’s inconceivable potency His generally similar form appears in a different form, it is called vilasa. For example, the vilasa form of Govinda is Narayana, the Lord of Vaikuntha; and the vilasa Form of the Lord of Vaikuntha is Vasudeva (of the first quadruple expansion). That form which, as in the case of vilasa, is non-different from svayam-rupa yet exhibits less power than the vilasa Form, is called svamsa. Examples are Sankarsana, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, etc., the three purusa-avataras headed by Maha-Vishnu [Maha-Vishnu = Karanodakasayi Vishnu = Karanarnavasayi Vishnu; Garbhodasayi = Garbhodakasayi Vishnu; Ksirodasayi = Ksirodakasayi Vishnu], the lila-avataras of Matsya, etc., the manvantara-avataras and the yuga-avataras. When Janardana (Krishna) allots His potencies of knowledge, devotion, creation, service, universal sustenance, gravitational force, discipline of miscreants, etc., and infuses and empowers specially selected great entities with those potencies, they are known as avesa- or saktyavesa-avataras. Examples are the four Kumaras (knowledge), Narada (devotion), Brahma (creation), Ananta (gravity), Prithu (sustenance), Parasurama (discipline), and Sesa of Vaikuntha (service). In the tenth canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam (Chapter 39), Akrura is mentioned as having had the darsan of Sesa, Narada, the Kumaras, etc., when immersing himself in the Yamuna for bath.

This is the description of the three forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead called svayam-rupa, tad ekatma-rupa and avesa.

The forms known as prakasa cannot be reckoned as different from the Lord since they do not differ in any respect from the Lord’s intrinsic form. Thus when the one form of the Lord appears simultaneously in many places (with the same form, qualities and pastimes), that form is called prakasa; for example, Sri Krishna was observed (once by Narada) to be present in every palace of Dvaraka. The tenth canto Bhagavatam sloka, chitram hataitat, etc., is the evidence of this fact. Thus establishes the prakasa form of the Supreme Lord.

—Sri Laghu-Bhagavatamritam 1.1.12–22

• For Reader's Appreciation
• Feelings of Appreciation
• Prologue
• Translator's Note
• Illumination
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