In the Brahma-samhita (56) it is said:
“In Svetadvipa the Laksmis in their unalloyed spiritual essence practice the amorous service of the Supreme Lord Krishna as their only lover.”
In the Gopala-tapani Upanisad it is said:
:Lord Krishna is worshipped by the goddess of fortune.”
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Adi
Shri Krishna is described as “adi” (the origin of all). This is explained in the following words of Shrimad-Bhagavatam (10.72.15):
“Hearing that Jarasandha had not been defeated, Maharaja Yudhisthira began to think of a plan to defeat him. At that time Lord Hari, who is the origin of all, spoke the plan that had already been formulated by Uddhava.”
“The word “hari” refers to Shri Krishna, who is the origin of all.”
That Shri Krishna is the Supreme and the origin of all is declared in these words of Shrimad-Bhagavatam:
“I offer my respectful obeisances to Shri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is the origin of all.”
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Anadi
Then again, Shri Krishna is not “adi” but “anadi” (He who has no origin). This is described in Gopala-tapani Upanisad, which declares:
“Shri Krishna is the chief eternal among many eternals.”
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Sarva-karana-karanam
Next, the word “sarva-karana-karanam” means “the prime cause of all causes”. This means that He is the creator of the universes and the origin of the purusa-avatara. This is described in Shrimad-Bhagavatam (10.85.31) where Devaki tells Lord Krishna:
“O Lord of the universe, O original Supreme Person, by a portion of a portion of a portion of Yourself You create, maintain and destroy the material universes. Now I take shelter of You.”
Shridhara Svami comments on this verse in these words: “The first portion mentioned here is the purusa-avatara. A portion of Him is the illusory potency maya. A portion of maya is the modes of nature. By a portion of the modes of nature the universes are created, maintained and destroyed. “tva” means ‘of You’ and ‘gatim gata’ means ‘I take shelter’.”
That Shri Krishna is the origin of the purusa-avatara is also described in the following prayer of Lord Brahma (Shrimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.14):
“O Lord Krishna, Narayana refers to one whose abode is in the water born from Nara (Garbhodakasayi Vishnu) and that Narayana is Your plenary portion.”
The word Narayana is also explained in these words:
“Manifested from Lord Garbhodakasayi Vishnu (Nara), the inert material elements are called ‘nara’. Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate resting place (ayana) of these material elements (nara), He is known as Narayana.”
These words, then, mean “O Lord, Narayana is a portion of Your body.” That Shri Krishna is the origin of the purusa-avatara, a portion of whom creates, maintains and destroys the universes is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (10.42), where Lord Krishna declares:
“With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.“*
By all of this the proper explanation of the word Krishna is given. By the two syllables “krs” and “na” the blissful Supreme Personality of Godhead is described. By the word “isvara” and other words Lord Krishna’s transcendental potencies are described. He is declared to be the Supreme, who has no rival, who is the prime cause of all causes, and who is the master of His internal potencies. His potencies are described in these words of the Sruti-sastra:
“The Supreme Brahman is full of transcendental bliss.”
In the Sruti-sastra it is also said:
“Who can find transcendental bliss if he does not find it in the Supreme Personality of Godhead?”
In the Svetasvatara Upanisad (6.8) it is said:
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead does not possess bodily form like that of an ordinary living entity. There is no difference between His body and His soul. He is absolute. All His senses are transcendental. Any one of His senses can perform the action of any other sense. Therefore, no one is greater than Him or equal to Him. His potencies are multifarious, and thus His deeds are automatically performed as a natural sequence.”
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Sac-cid-ananda-vigraha
At this point someone may raise the following objection: “If Krishna is all-attractive and filled with supreme transcendental bliss, then must He not be formless? After all, forms do not contain transcendental bliss.”
To this objection the following reply may be given: Yes. That is true. Material forms do not contain transcendental bliss. However, Lord Krishna’s wonderful form is filled with perfect transcendental bliss. This is described in the first verse of Brahma-samhita in the word “sac-cid-ananda-vigraha” (He has an eternal, blissful spiritual body). This truth is also confirmed in the following words of Shrimad-Bhagavatam (10.14.22):
“O Krishna, Your eternal transcendental form is full of knowledge and bliss.”
In the Gopala-tapani Upanisad and the Hayasirsa-pancaratra it is said:
“I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Krishna, whose transcendental form is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss, and who rescues His devotees from distress.”
In the Brahmanda Purana, Astottara-sata-nama-stotra, it is said:
“Lord Krishna’s transcendental form is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss. Lord Krishna delights the residents of Nanda Maharaja’s land of Vraja.”
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Sat
In these verses the word “sat” should be understood to mean “eternal and unchanging”. That Lord Krishna’s form is eternal and unchanging is confirmed by the following words of the demigods in Shrimad-Bhagavatam (10.2.26):
“O Lord Krishna, You never deviate from Your vow, which is always perfect because whatever You decide is perfectly correct and cannot be stopped by anyone. Being present in the three phases of cosmic manifestation: creation, maintenance and annihilation, You are the Supreme Truth.”
In the Shrimad-Bhagavatam (10.3.25) Devaki explains:
“After millions of years, at the time of cosmic annihilation, when everything, manifested and unmanifested is annihilated by the force of time, the five gross elements enter into the subtle conception, and the manifested categories enter into the unmanifested substance. At that time, You alone remain, and You are known as Ananta Sesa-naga.”
In Shrimad-Bhagavatam (10.3.27), Devaki also declares:
“No one in this material world has become free from the four principles of birth, death, old age and disease, even by fleeing to various planets. But now that You have appeared, My Lord, death is fleeing in fear of You, and the living entities, having obtained shelter at Your lotus feet by Your mercy, are sleeping in full mental peace.”
In the scriptures it is also said:
“O Lord Krishna, in the beginning You alone were manifest.”
Lord Brahma also declares:
“In the end only the Supreme Brahman, who is free from all dualities, remains.”
In Bhagavad-gita (14.27) Lord Krishna declares:
“And I am the basis of the impersonal Brahman, which is immortal, imperishable, and eternal, and is the constitutional position of ultimate happiness.”
In the Bhagavad-gita (15.18) Lord Krishna also declares:
“Because I am transcendental, beyond both the fallible and the infallible, and because I am the greatest, I am celebrated both in the world and in he Vedas as that Supreme Person.”
In the Gopala-tapani Upanisad it is said:
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead is always free from the material transformations of birth, death, old age, and disease. He is eternal and unchanging. He cannot be cut to pieces or killed by anyone. He stays in Vrndavana. He stays among the cows. He protects the cows. He stays among the cowherd people.”
In the Gopala-tapani Upanisad it is also said:
“Death fears Lord Krishna.”
In this verse the word “saurya” means “the land of Vrndavana”. “Surya” means “the sun-god”, “sauri” means “the Yamuna river, who is the daughter of the sun-god”, and “saurya” means “the land of Vrndavana, through which the Yamuna flows.”
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Cit
In this first verse of Brahma-samhita the word “cit” refers to Lord Krishna’s spiritual form, which He reveals to others when He wishes.” This form is described by Lord Brahma in these words (Shrimad-Bhagavatam 10.1.4.23):
“You are the Supreme soul, Absolute Truth, and the Supreme original person. You are the Supreme, one without a second. You are the source of the original brahmajyoti.”
This form of Krishna is also described in these word of Gopala-tapani Upanisad:
“It is Krishna who in the beginning instructed Brahma in Vedic knowledge and who disseminated Vedic knowledge in the past. They who aspire to become liberated surrender to Him, the Supreme Personality of Godhead who gives transcendental knowledge to His devotees.”
In the Sruti-sastra it is said:
“With material eyes one cannot see the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
In the Svetasvatara Upanisad it is said:
“By His own will the Supreme Personality of Godhead reveals Himself to whomever He chooses.”
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Ananda
Next we will discuss the explanation that Lord Krishna’s transcendental body is full of bliss (ananda). Lord Krishna’s form is full of bliss because His limbs are the abode of the boundless love. That Shri Krishna is the blissful Supreme Personality of Godhead is explained in the questions and answers of Shrimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.49-58. It is also explained in these words of Maharaja Vasudeva (Shrimad-Bhagavatam 10.3.13):
“My Lord, You are the blissful Supreme Person, beyond material existence, and You are the Supersoul. Your form can be perceived by transcendental knowledge, by which You can be understood as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I now understand Your position perfectly.”
In the Sruti-sastra it is also said:
“The form of the supreme Personality of Godhead is full of bliss.”
In this way it is proved that Lord Krishna has a perfect, eternal, blissful, spiritual body, he does not have a material body like that of a conditioned soul. This is described in Shrimad-Bhagavatam (10.14.55) where Shrila Sukadeva Gosvami says:
“You should know Krishna as the original soul of all atmas (living entities). For the benefit of the whole universe, He has, out of His causeless mercy, appeared as an ordinary human being. He has done this with the strength of His own internal potency.”
This verse states that by Lord Krishna’s mercy He manifests pastimes like those of an ordinary human being who has a material body. The word “mayaya” in this verse may be taken to mean “by His mercy”. The Visva-prakasa dictionary declares:
“The word ‘maya’ may mean either ‘illusion’ or ‘mercy’.”
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Govinda
Lord Krishna enjoys many different pastimes in His transcendental form. Sometimes He accepts the role of a king in the Vrsni dynasty, and sometimes He becomes Govinda, the protector of the surabhi cows. This is described in Shrimad-Bhagavatam (12.11.25):
“O Krishna, O friend of Arjuna, O chief among the descendants of Vrsni, You are the destroyer of those political parties that are disturbing elements on this earth. Your prowess never deteriorates. You are the proprietor of the transcendental abode, and Your most sacred glories, which are sung by Vrndavana’s cowherd men and women and their servants, bestow all auspiciousness just by being heard. O Lord, please protect Your devotees.”
By His own wish the Supreme Personality of Godhead manifests His worshipable form of Govinda and enjoys specific transcendental pastimes with specific eternal associates. The Govinda feature of the Lord will be glorified in Brahma-samhita beginning with text 29. Govinda is also described in Shrimad-Bhagavatam (10.27.20-23), where, in the beginning of Govinda-abhiseka, the surabhi cow prayed:
“O Lord of the universe, You are our king, our Indra.”
When the abhiseka was completed, Shrimad-Bhagavatam explains:
“Then the surabhi cows gave the Lord the name Govinda.”
After narrating these pastimes, Shrila Sukadeva Gosvami prayed:
“May Lord Govinda, the king of the surabhi cows, be pleased with us.”
Although Lord Krishna is the master and shelter of everyone, He is especially the master of the surabhi cows. For this reason the name Govinda should not be taken lightly. The importance of the cows is described in these words of the Go-sukta:
“Vedic yajnas are performed to worship the cows. The demigods rise out of respect for the cows. The four Vedas, six Vedangas, and the pada method of recitation are all manifested from the cows.”
Lord Krishna is thus the master of the surabhi cows, who are liberated souls descended to this world from the Goloka Vrndavana planet in the spiritual sky. Lord Brahma also worships the Govinda feature of the Lord, as Brahma himself declares in these words of the Gopala-tapani Upanisad (1.38):
“By offering prayers in the company of the Maruts and other demigods, I always please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Govinda, whose form is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss, and who sits beneath a kalpa-vrksa tree.”
The glorious surabhi cows and other residents of Vrndavana are also glorified in these words spoken by Brahma (Shrimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.34).
“My dear Lord, I am most humbly praying at Your lotus feet for You to please give me any sort of birth within this Vrndavana forest so that I may be able to be favoured by the dust of the feet of some of the devotees of Vrndavana. Even if I am given the chance to grow just as the humble grass in this land, that will be a glorious birth for me. But if I am not so fortunate to take birth within the forest of Vrndavana, I beg to be allowed to take birth outside the immediate area of Vrndavana so that when the devotees go out they will walk over me. Even that would be a great fortune for me. I am just aspiring for a birth in which I will be smeared by the dust of the devotees’ feet. I can see that everyone here is simply full of Krishna consciousness. They do not know anything but Mukunda. All the Vedas are indeed searching after the lotus feet of Krishna.”
Lord Krishna is also known as Nandanandana (the son of Maharaja Nanda). This feature of the Lord is described in these words (Shrimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.1) of Brahma:
“My dear Lord, You are the only worshipful Supreme Lord, Personality of Godhead. Therefore I am offering my humble obeisances and prayers just to please You. Your bodily features are of the colour of clouds filled with water. You are glittering with silver electric flashes emanating from Your yellow garments. Let me offer my respectful repeated obeisances unto the son of Maharaja Nanda who is standing before me with conchshell earrings and peacock feather on His head. His face is beautiful. He is wearing a helmet, garlanded by forest flowers, and He stands with a morsel of food in His hand. He is decorated with cane, flute, and a bugle made o buffalo horn. He stands before me with small lotus feet.”
In this way Govinda and the other transcendental names of the Lord are explained. To conclude this description of Lord Krishna as the “isvara” (controller) and “paramesvara” (supreme controller), we will now quote the Gautamiya Tantra’s explanation of the dvadasaksara-mantra:
“In the dvadasaksara-mantra the word gopi means ‘material nature’ and ‘jana’ means ‘the original feature of the mahat-tattva’. The word ‘vallabha’ means ‘the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the shelter of both material nature and the mahat-tattva, who is full of transcendental bliss, who is effulgent, and who, because He is the original creator of everything and because He is all-pervading within the material creation, is known as ‘isvara’ (the controller).
“Another interpretation is that the word ‘gopi’ means ‘the material nature’ and ‘jana’ means ‘the Lord’s Vishnu-tattva expansions’. The word ‘vallabha’ means ‘dear to them both’ and it refers to Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the master of all causes and effects and who is glorified in the Vedas.
“Another interpretation is that the word ‘gopijana’ means ‘the gopis, who attained spiritual perfection after many births.’ Lord Krishna is thus their husband. In this way Lord Krishna, who is the son of Nanda Maharaja, and who delights the three worlds, is described.”
In these verse the word “prakrti” means “the potency named Maya, who creates the material universes.” The word “tattva-samuhaka” means “the original feature of the mahat-tattva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is referred to by the words “anayor asrayah” and “sandranandam param jyotih” is described as “vallabhah”. The word “prakrtih” (used in the second verse) means the Maha-Laksmi potency, who is manifested from the Supreme Lord’s own form, who is beyond the touch of the material energy, and who appears in the spiritual world of Vaikuntha.” “Amsa-mandalam” means “the Lord’s three primary Vishnu expansions beginning with Lord Sankarsana.” The phrase “aneka-janma-siddhanam” refers to the beginningless cycle of births described by Lord Krishna in these words of Bhagavad-gita (4.5):
“Many births both you and I have passed, O Arjuna.”
In this last interpretation the word “vallabha” should be understood to mean “Lord Krishna, the son of Maharaja Nanda”. Maharaja Nanda’s fatherhood of Lord Krishna is thus explained. Garga Muni told Maharaja Nanda (Shrimad-Bhagavatam (10.8.14):
“For many reasons, this beautiful son of yours sometimes appeared previously as the son of Vasudeva.”
Because He appeared in Vasudeva’s heart, Lord Krishna is also the son of Maharaja Vasudeva. This is described in the following words (Shrimad-Bhagavatam 10.2.16):
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead entered the mind of Vasudeva in full opulence.”
Lord Krishna is also the son of Vraja’s king because at the same moment when He appeared before Vasudeva, Lord Krishna also appeared before Nanda Maharaja. This fact is described in many scriptures. Therefore the parental love Nanda Maharaja bears for Lord Krishna is very appropriate. Lord Krishna was born as the son of Vasudeva and the son of Nanda at the same moment just as Lord Varaha simultaneously was manifested on Varahaloka and as the son of Brahma. Maharaja Nanda’s love for Krishna was pure and unmixed, but Maharaja Vasudeva’s love was mixed with knowledge of his son’s divinity and transcendental opulence. Therefore the explanation in Shrimad-Bhagavatam 10.8.14 is appropriate. In this way Lord Krishna is seen in the twelve syllable mantra.
Bs 5.2 — [The spiritual place of transcendental pastimes of Kṛṣṇa is portrayed in the second verse.] The superexcellent station of Kṛṣṇa, which is known as Gokula, has thousands of petals and a corolla like that of a lotus sprouted from a part of His infinitary aspect, the whorl of the leaves being the actual abode of Kṛṣṇa.
Commentary by Srila Jiva Gosvami
Next the author describes the eternal abode of Shri Krishna. He describes it as a thousand-petal lotus flower in this verse, and later, in text 56, he will describe it as a lotus flower made of cintamani jewels.
In this second verse the word “mahat” means “superexcellent” and “padam” means “station”. “Mahat” may also be taken to mean “the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Shri Krishna”, and “padam” may mean “His abode of Maha-Vaikuntha”. In this way the meanings may be interpreted in various ways.
In popular usage the word “gokula” is taken to mean “a place of gopas”. Because this interpretation is very appropriate (rudhir yogam apaharati) it should be accepted. It is this interpretation of the word “gokula” that is accepted when the Tenth Canto of Shrimad-Bhagavatam explains:
bhagavan gokulesvarah
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the king of Gokula.”
In the latter part of Brahma-samhita also, Gokula will be described as a transcendental realm where Shri Krishna resides with Nanda, Yasoda, and the other cowherd people. In this verse the word “ananta” means “Lord Baladeva“, “amsena” means “with a portion of His bodily effulgence“, and “sambhavam” means “is eternally manifested“. This is also described in the Tantras. In this way it is understood that the abode of Shri Krishna is manifested from a portion of the potency of Lord Baladeva, who is known as Ananta.
Bs 5.3 — The whorl of that transcendental lotus is the realm wherein dwells Kṛṣṇa. It is a hexagonal figure, the abode of the indwelling predominated and predominating aspect of the Absolute. Like a diamond the central supporting figure of self-luminous Kṛṣṇa stands as the transcendental source of all potencies. The holy name consisting of eighteen transcendental letters is manifested in a hexagonal figure with sixfold divisions.
Commentary by Srila Jiva Gosvami
In these two verse the author describes the primary place of the great eighteen-syllable mantra, which is worshipped by all other mantras. The yantra pattern described here is worthy of the most respectful worship. The pattern is described as a hexagon eclipsing the bija-syllable (klim) inscribed in a diamond (vajra-kilakam). The word “ca” indicates the four (catur) other words of the mantra also written in diamond around the bija-syllable. In this way the six words of the mantra are inscribed on the six parts of the hexagon.
The word “prakrti” indicates the place where the mantra is written. Because Shri Krishna is its creator, that prakrti is also Shri Krishna Himself. The word “purusa” indicates Shri Krishna in His aspect as the supreme controller. Both “prakrti” and “purusa” are this situated within the hexagon. Shri Krishna may be considered in four ways:
- as the origin of the mantra;
- as the syllables of the mantra;
- as the supreme controller;
- as the ultimate object of worship.
Shri Krishna’s nature as the origin of the mantra and the supreme controller have already been described here. Shri Krishna position as the supreme controller was described in the first verse of this Brahma-samhita in the words “isvarah paramah krishnah”. Lord Krishna’s identity as the syllables of the mantra will be described later in the Brahma-samhita in the words “kamah krishnaya”. Shri Krishna’s identity with the sacred mantra is also explained in the following words of the Hayasirsa-pancaratra:
“The wise know there is no difference between the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the mantras that contain His holy name. There is no difference between the Supreme Person and His holy name.”
This is confirmed by the following words of Gopala-tapani Upanisad (1.16):
“Although originally one, air becomes the five life-airs in the bodies of all living entities. In the same way Lord Krishna becomes this five-word mantra.”
Sometimes Goddess Durga is also described as the supreme controller. This is also correct because there is no difference between the potencies and Lord Krishna, the master of all potencies. This is confirmed by the following words of the Gautamiya Tantra:
“Krishna is Durga. Durga is Krishna. One who sees that they are different will not become liberated from the cycle of repeated birth and death.”
Durga is the personal potency of Lord Krishna, and therefore she is Lord Krishna Himself. For this reason Durga should not be considered manifested from a portion of the Lord’s illusory potency Maya. This fact is confirmed by the following statement of the Nirukti:
“Even if one continually worships her, Durga is still difficult to understand.”
Durga is also described in Narada-pancaratra, in the following conversation of Sruti and Vidya:
“Durga is the supreme goddess. She is an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. She is the transcendental potency of the Lord. She is manifested from the form of Lord Maha-Vishnu.
“Simply by understanding her one immediately attains the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is not otherwise.”
“She is identical with Gokula’s queen Shri Radha, who possesses a great treasure of love for Krishna. By her grace the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all living entities, is easily understood.”
“She is the potency of personified devotional service. She worships Her beloved Supreme Lord. Because She is understood only with great difficulty, the saintly devotees call her “durga” (difficult to understand). She is the personal potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and she is always filled with the nectar of love for Him.”
“From her is manifested the maha-maya potency, the controller of all conditioned souls, who covers them with illusion. By this maha-maya potency the residents of the entire world are bewildered into thinking themselves identical with their external material bodies.”
In the Sammohana Tantra, Durga herself declares:
“I am Durga. I possess all virtues. I am not different from Shri Radha, the eternal, supreme goddess of fortune.”
In this way the word “durga” is explained. In this verse of Brahma-samhita the words “premananda” and “mahananda” refer to the fullest development of transcendental bliss. “Jyoti-rupena” means “self-manifested”, and “manuna” means “by the mantra”. The mantra is accompanied by the bija-syllable (kama-bijena sangatam). The kama-bija syllable in this mantra elaborately described in another passage where the independence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is explained.
Bs 5.4 — The whorl of that eternal realm Gokula is the hexagonal abode of Kṛṣṇa. Its petals are the abodes of gopīs who are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa to whom they are most lovingly devoted and are similar in essence. The petals shine beautifully like so many walls. The extended leaves of that lotus are the gardenlike dhāma, i.e. spiritual abode of Śrī Rādhikā, the most beloved of Kṛṣṇa.
Commentary by Srila Jiva Gosvami
The surrounding features of that abode are described in this half-verse. The word “kinjalka” here means “the outer petals” and “tad-amsanam” means “His parts and parcels, who are naturally full of love for Him”. All this describes the realm named Gokula (Gokulakhya) which is also described in these words of Shrila Sukadeva Gosvami (Shrimad-Bhagavatam 10.36.15):
“In this way Lord Krishna killed the bull demon Arista. Then, accompanied by Balarama and glorified by His relatives, Lord Krishna, who is a festival of bliss for the gopis’ eyes, entered the village of Gokula.”
The words “patrani shriyam” mean “the leaves of that lotus are the garden abodes of Shri Radha and the other gopi lovers of Lord Krishna.” Because the gopis are specifically described in the mantra written in this abode, it should be understood that the word “shriyam” here refers to the gopis. Among the gopis Shri Radha is the leader. This is described in the following words of Shri Gautamiya Tantra:
“The transcendental goddess Shrimati Radharani is the direct counterpart of Lord Shri Krishna. She is the central figure for all the goddesses of fortune. She possesses all the attraction to attract the all-attractive Personality of Godhead. She is the primeval internal potency of the Lord.”
Shri Radha is also described in these words of the Matsya Purana:
“Shri Radha is the goddess who rules Vrndavana forest.”
In the Rk-parisista it is said:
“Lord Krishna always stays with Shri Radha. Shri Radha always stays with Lord Krishna.”
The word “gostha” here means “the place where many large extended leaves and petals meet”. Because it is like a great unbroken lotus flower, and also because it is the abode (stha) of the surabhi cows (go), the land of Gokula is also known as Gostha.
The abode of Gokula is also described in these words of the scriptures:
“Lord Krishna’s abode is a thousand-petal lotus flower. Many goddesses of fortune reside on that flower’s leaves, and the gopas reside in the petals in the middle of that lotus. I worship Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all transcendental potencies, who also resides in that lotus flower.”
In this verse the reading “gosankhaih” is correct. An alternate reading “gosankhya” has the same meaning. They both mean :with the gopas”. This is confirmed by the following words of Amara-kosa:
“Gopala. gosankhya, godugdha, abhira, and ballava are synonyms for the word gopa.”
The word “kavataih: (within the gates) here means “in the midst of the lotus petals”. The phrase “the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all transcendental potencies” here refers to Shri Krishna.
Bs 5.5 — [The surrounding external plane of Gokula is described in this verse.] There is a mysterious quadrangular place named Śvetadvīpa surrounding the outskirts of Gokula. Śvetadvīpa is divided into four parts on all sides. The abode of Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are separately located in each of these four parts. These four divided abodes are enveloped by the fourfold human requirements such as piety, wealth, passion and liberation, as also by the four Vedas, viz., Ṛg, Sāma, Yajur and Atharva, which deal with the mantra and which are the bases of achievements of the fourfold mundane requirements. Ten tridents are fixed in the ten directions, including the zenith and nadir. The eight directions are decorated with the eight jewels of Mahāpadma, Padma, Śaṅkha, Makara, Kacchapa, Mukunda, Kunda, and Nīla. There are ten protectors [dik-pālas] of the ten directions in the form of mantra. The associates of the hues of blue, yellow, red and white and the extraordinary potencies bearing the names of Vimala, etc., shine on all sides.
Commentary by Srila Jiva Gosvami
In the four verses that comprise text 5, the author describes the surrounding external plane of Gokula. The word “chaturasram” here refers to the quadrangular place named Svetadvipa surrounding the outskirts of Gokula. This Svetadvipa is another name for Gokula. Although this Svetadvipa is within the boundary of Gokula, because it is a specific part of Gokula it is given a separate name. This quadrangular place should therefore be known to be the place named Vrndavana.
[Note: Svetadvipa here is not to be confused with Svetadvipa of material world , the above of Lord Khirodakshayi Vishnu.]
Vrndavana is described in the Svayambhuvagama-sastra, in the passage beginning “dhyayet tatra visuddhatma idam sarvam kramena vai”, in these words:
“Vrndavana is filled with beautiful flowers, trees and birds. In this way one should meditate on Vrndavana.”
Vrndavana is also described in the Vamana Purana, where the Personified Vedas offer the following prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead:
“In ancient times the great sages saw Your blissful transcendental form. O Lord, if You wish to grant us a benediction, then please reveal to us that same transcendental form.”
“Hearing these words, the Supreme Personality of Godhead revealed to them the land of Gokula, which is beyond the touch of material energy. Within that Gokula-dhama he revealed the eternal, blissful, transcendental kalpavrksa-tree forest named Vrndavana.”
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