Bs 5.28 — Enlightened by the recollection of that Gāyatrī, embodying the three Vedas, Brahmā became acquainted with the expanse of the ocean of truth. Then he worshiped Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the essence of all Vedas, with this hymn.
Commentary by Srila Jiva Gosvami
This verse means “Enlightened by the Gayatri, which embodies the three Vedas, Brahma offered prayers.” The rest of the verse is clear.
Bs 5.29 — I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, the first progenitor who is tending the cows, yielding all desire, in abodes built with spiritual gems, surrounded by millions of purpose trees, always served with great reverence and affection by hundreds of thousands of lakṣmīs or gopīs.
Commentary by Srila Jiva Gosvami
In this verse Brahma begins his prayers. Many mantras describe meditation on many sacred abodes. In this verse Brahma offers prayers to the Lord in His most important pastimes in His most important abode, Goloka. Here the word “abhi” means “in all ways”, primarily by walking in the forest and by walking among the cow-barns”, and “palayantam” means “affectionately protecting”. Sometimes the Lord enjoys pastimes in secluded places. These are described in the phrase beginning with the word “laksmi”. The word “laksmi” here means “the beautiful gopis”. In this way the verse is explained.
Bs 5.30 — I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept in playing on His flute, with blooming eyes like lotus petals with head decked with peacock’s feather, with the figure of beauty tinged with the hue of blue clouds, and His unique loveliness charming millions of Cupids.
Commentary by Srila Jiva Gosvami
In this verse is a meditation on the pastimes of the Lord in the transcendental cintamani abode known as Gokula, where there is no ordinary walking, and which will be further described in text 56. This verse is naturally joined to the following verse. Everything in this verse is clear.
Bs 5.31 — I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, round whose neck is swinging a garland of flowers beautified with the moon-locket, whose two hands are adorned with the flute and jeweled ornaments, who always revels in pastimes of love, whose graceful threefold-bending form of Śyāmasundara is eternally manifest.
Commentary by Srila Jiva Gosvami
The word “keli” means “pastimes characterised by love and by joking”, and “kala” means “expert in the art”. His pastimes (vilasa) are like that. In the Amara-kosa it is said:
“The words ‘drava’, ‘keli’ and ‘parihasa’ mean ‘joking’”.
Bs 5.32 — I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, whose transcendental form is full of bliss, truth, substantiality and is thus full of the most dazzling splendor. Each of the limbs of that transcendental figure possesses in Himself, the full-fledged functions of all the organs, and eternally sees, maintains and manifests the infinite universes, both spiritual and mundane.
Commentary by Srila Jiva Gosvami
After describing the Lord’s pastimes in the previous two verses, in the next four verses the author describes the Lord’s inconceivable powers and glories. In this verse the author describes the powers and glories of the Lord’s form. The Lord’s hand has the power to see. His eyes have the power to protect. Each of His senses and limbs has all the powers of every other sense and limb. The Lord’s senses are also described in these words of Bhagavad-gita (13.14):
“Everywhere are His hands and legs, His eyes, heads, and faces, and He has ears everywhere. In this way the Supersoul exists, pervading everything.”
The word “jaganti” means that the Lord personally employs His own senses and limbs in His various transcendental pastimes. The reason why the Lord’s form is so wonderful and extraordinary is given in the phrase beginning with the word “ananda”.
Bs 5.33 — I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is inaccessible to the Vedas, but obtainable by pure unalloyed devotion of the soul, who is without a second, who is not subject to decay, is without a beginning, whose form is endless, who is the beginning, and the eternal puruṣa; yet He is a person possessing the beauty of blooming youth.
Commentary by Srila Jiva Gosvami
In the three verses that begin here the description of the Lord’s extraordinary power and glory continues. The word “advaitam” means that as a king has no rival, so the Supreme Personality of Godhead has no (na) rival (dvaita) anywhere in the world. In Shrimad-Bhagavatam (3.2.12), Shri Uddhava explains:
“The Lord’s pastimes were wonderful for everyone“.
The meaning of the word “acyutam” is given by Shri Akrura in these words (Shrimad-Bhagavatam 10.38.7-8)
“Indeed, today King Kamsa has shown me extreme mercy by sending me to see the lotus feet of Lord Hari, who has now appeared in this world. Simply by the effulgence of His toenails, many souls in the past have transcended the insurmountable darkness of material existence and achieved liberation. Those lotus feet are worshipped by Brahma, Siva, and all the demigods, by the goddess of fortune, and also by the great sages and Vaishnavas.”
Shri Uddhava also explains (Shrimad-Bhagavatam 10.47.62):
“The goddess of fortune herself, along with Lord Brahma and all the other demigods, who are masters of yogic perfection, can worship the lotus feet of Krishna only within her mind. But during the rasa-dance Lord Krishna placed His feet upon these gopis’ breasts, and by embracing those feet the gopis gave up all distress.”
Shri Sukadeva Gosvami also explains (Shrimad-Bhagavatam 10.28.14 and 17):
“The all-merciful Supreme Personality of Godhead Hari revealed to the cowherd men His abode, which is beyond material darkness.”
“Nanda Maharaja and the other cowherd men felt the greatest happiness when they saw that transcendental abode. They were especially amazed to see Krishna Himself there, surrounded by the Personified Vedas, who were offering Him prayers.”
The word “anadi” means “free from the three phases of time, which consist of beginning, middle and end”. It is described in these words of Shrimad-Bhagavatam (11.24.27):
“Time merges into the Supreme Lord, present in the form of the omniscient Maha-purusa, the original activator of all living beings.”
Thus it is said that when the material universe is destroyed the Supreme Personality of Godhead remains an aloof witness. He is not destroyed. That is the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the seer of everything is confirmed by the Lord Himself in these words (Shrimad-Bhagavatam 11.24.29):
“Thus I, the perfect seer of everything material and spiritual, have spoken this knowledge of sankhya, which destroys the illusion of doubt by scientific analysis of creation and annihilation.”
The word “purana-purusam” is explained by Brahma in this way (Shrimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.23):
“O Lord, You are the primeval Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
The people of Mathura also affirm:
“Krishna is the primeval Supreme Personality of Godhead colourfully decorated with garlands of forest flowers.”
The word “nava-yauvanam” is defined in these words of the Nirukti:
“Nava-yauvana” means “even though one is the oldest, he is young like a fresh youth”.
In Shrimad-Bhagavatam (10.44.14) it is said:
“What austerities must the gopis have performed! With their eyes they always drink the nectar of Lord Krishna’s form, which is the essence of loveliness and is not to be equalled or surpassed. That loveliness is the only abode of beauty, fame, and opulence. It is self-perfect, ever-fresh, and extremely rare.”
In the Ninth Canto it is said (Shrimad-Bhagavatam 9.24.65):
“Krishna’s face is decorated with ornaments, such as earrings resembling sharks. His ears are beautiful. His cheeks brilliant, and His smiling attractive to everyone. Whoever sees Lord Krishna sees a festival. His face and body are fully satisfying for everyone to see, but the devotees are angry at the creator for the disturbance caused by the momentary blinking of the eyes.”
In the First Canto it is said (Shrimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.26-29):
“In the Supreme Personality of Godhead reside 1. truthfulness, 2. cleanliness, 3. intolerance of another’s unhappiness, 4. power to control anger, 5. self-satisfaction, 6. straightforwardness, 7. steadiness of mind, 8. control of the sense organs, 9. responsibility, 10. equality, 11. tolerance, 12 equanimity, 13. faithfulness, 14. knowledge, 15. absence of sense enjoyment, 16. leadership, 17. chivalry, 18. influence, 19. the power to make everything possible, 20. the discharge of proper duty, 21. complete independence, 22. dexterity, 23. fullness of all beauty, 24. serenity, 25. kindheartedness, 26. ingenuity, 27. gentility, 28. magnanimity, 29. determination, 30. perfection in all knowledge, 31. proper execution, 32. possession of all objects of enjoyment, 33, joyfulness, 34. immovability, 35. fidelity, 36. fame, 37. worship, 38. pridelessness, 39. being (as the Supreme Personality of Godhead), 40. eternity, and many other transcendental qualities which are eternally present and never to be separated from Him.”
The following meditation on Lord Krishna is found in the Gopala-tapani Upanisad:
“Splendid like a monsoon cloud, the youthful gopa Krishna sits under a kalpa-vrksa tree.”
Here the word “taruna”, like “nava-yauvana” means “with a great opulence of youthfulness”. The words “vedesu duralabham” are explained in these words of Shrimad-Bhagavatam’s Tenth Canto:
“The Vedas search for the pathway to Lord Mukunda’s feet.”
The phrase “adurlabham atma-bhaktau” is explained by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself in these words of Shrimad-Bhagavatam (11.14.21):
“Being very dear to the devotees and sadhus, I am attained through unflinching faith and devotional service.”
In Shrimad-Bhagavatam (10.14.5) it is said:
“O Almighty Lord, in the past many yogis in this world achieved the platform of devotional service by offering all their endeavors unto You and faithfully carrying out their prescribed duties. Through such devotional service, perfected by the processes of hearing and chanting about You, they came to understand You, O infallible one, and could easily surrender to You and achieve Your supreme abode.”
Bs 5.34 — I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, only the tip of the toe of whose lotus feet is approached by the yogīs who aspire after the transcendental and betake themselves to prāṇāyāma by drilling the respiration; or by the jñānīs who try to find out the nondifferentiated Brahman by the process of elimination of the mundane, extending over thousands of millions of years.
Commentary by Srila Jiva Gosvami
Here the word “prapada-simni” means “the tip of the lotus feet”. Shri Narada explains (Shrimad-Bhagavatam 10.69.2):
“It is astounding that Lord Shri Krishna, who is one without a second, expanded Himself in sixteen thousand similar forms to marry sixteen thousand queens in their respective homes.” In the Gopala-tapani Upanishad it is said:
eko vashi sarvagah krishna idyah
“Lord Krishna is the one all-powerful, worshipable, all-pervading Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
In the Gopala-tapani Upanishad it is also said:
eko ‘pi san bahudha yo ‘vabhati
“Although He is one, Lord Krishna expands in many forms.”
The author of Brahma-samhita therefore concludes: “Lord Krishna has inconceivable powers (avicintya-tattve). This is also confirmed by the following words of Shrimad-Bhagavatam’s Third Canto:
atmeshvaro ‘tarkya-sahasra-shaktih
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead has many thousands of inconceivable potencies.”
In both the Skanda Purana and the Mahabharata (Bhishma Parva, 5.28) it is said:
“Anything transcendental to material nature is called inconceivable, whereas arguments are all mundane. Since mundane arguments cannot touch transcendental subject matters, one should not try to understand transcendental subject matter through material arguments.”
It is also said in Vedanta-sutra (2.1.27):
shrutes tu shabda-mulatvat
“The statements of scripture are the root of real knowledge.”
In the commentary on this verse it is said:
acintyo hi mani-mantra-mahaushadhinam prabhavah
“Jewels, mantras, and strong medicines have inconceivable powers.”
Bs 5.35 — He is an undifferentiated entity as there is no distinction between potency and the possessor thereof. In His work of creation of millions of worlds, His potency remains inseparable. All the universes exist in Him and He is present in His fullness in every one of the atoms that are scattered throughout the universe, at one and the same time. Such is the primeval Lord whom I adore.
Commentary by Srila Jiva Gosvami
In Shrimad-Bhagavatam (10.13.46) it is said:
“Then, while Lord Brahma looked on, all the calves and the boys tending them immediately appeared to have complexions the color of bluish rainclouds and to be dressed in yellow silken garments.”
These words describe the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all the universes, assuming the forms of the cowherd boys. the word “jagadanda-cayah” is explained in these words of Shrimad-Bhagavatam (10.9.13):
na cantar na bahir yasya
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead has no beginning and no end, no exterior and no interior, no front and no rear. In other words, He is all-pervading.”
In the Shruti-shastra (Katha Upanishad 1.2.20) it is said:
anor aniyan mahato mahiyan
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead is smaller than the smallest and greater than the greatest.”
In the Gopala-tapani Upanishad it is said:
yo ‘sau sarveshu bhuteshv avishya bhutani vidadhati sa vo hi svami bhavati. yo ‘sau sarva-bhutatma gopala eko devah sarva-bhuteshu gudhah.
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead has entered all living entities. The cowherd boy Krishna is the Supersoul hidden in all living beings.”
Bs 5.36 — I adore the same Govinda, the primeval Lord, in whose praise men, who are imbued with devotion, sing the mantra-sūktas told by the Vedas, by gaining their appropriate beauty, greatness, thrones, conveyances and ornaments.
Commentary by Srila Jiva Gosvami
How merciful must the Supreme Personality of Godhead be to His sincere devotees? That is explained in this verse. The scriptures say that as the cowherd boys attains virtues, character, age, pastimes, and appearance like those of Lord Krishna, and as they attained eternal association with Lord Krishna, so they who somehow or other meditate on Lord Krishna also attain the eternal association with Lord Krishna. This is described in the following statement of Shrimad-Bhagavatam (11.5.48):
“Inimical kings like Shishupala, Paundraka, and Shalva were always thinking about Lord Krishna. Even while they were lying down, sitting, or engaging in other activities, they previously meditated on the bodily movements of the Lord, His sporting pastimes, His loving glances upon His devotees, and other attractive features displayed by the Lord. Being thus always absorbed in Krishna, they achieved spiritual liberation in the Lord’s own abode. What then can be said of the benedictions offered to those who constantly fix their minds on Lord Krishna in a favorable, loving mood?”
Bs 5.37 — I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, residing in His own realm, Goloka, with Rādhā, resembling His own spiritual figure, the embodiment of the ecstatic potency possessed of the sixty-four artistic activities, in the company of Her confidantes [sakhīs], embodiments of the extensions of Her bodily form, permeated and vitalized by His ever-blissful spiritual rasa.
Commentary by Srila Jiva Gosvami
What then may be said of the gopis, who are so dear to the Lord? These most exalted goddesses reside in that realm of Lord Krishna. That is described in this verse. Here the word “ananda-chinmaya-rasa” means “the splendid ujjvala-rasa, which contains the most intense spiritual love” and “pratibhavitabhih” means “they who worship the Lord in that ujjvala-rasa”.
The use of the prefix “prati” means that of all the dear associates of the Lord who reside in the realm of Goloka, the gopis are the most exalted. The reason for this is given in the word “kalabhih”, which means “they whose forms are manifestations of the Lord’s hladini shakti (pleasure potency)”. This is shown by the use of the word “prati”.
The word “nija-rupataya” means that the gopis are the wives of Lord Krishna. However, it is not in the Lord’s manifest (prakata) pastimes that the gopis are the wives of Lord Krishna. The most exalted goddesses of fortune are the wives of Lord Krishna alone. They cannot be the wives of anyone else. However, in the Lord’s manifested (prakata) pastimes in the material world, by the power of the maya potency, the gopis may seem to be the wives of others, wives who nevertheless intently yearn to attain Lord Krishna.
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