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PART TWOÇré-goloka-mähätmya The Glories of Goloka

Chapter OneVairägya: Renunciation

TEXT 1

é[qJaNaMaeJaYa ovacSaTYa& SaC^añvGaaRQaRSaar" Sa®*ù dul/R>a" )GaU!" SvMaa}ae iPa}aa Mae k*-Z<aPa[eM<aa Pa[k-

aiXaTa" ))

çré-janamejaya uväcasatyaà sac-chästra-vargärtha-säraù saìgåhya durlabhaùgüòhaù sva-mätre piträ mekåñëa-premëä prakäçitaù

çré-janamejayaù uväca—Çré Janamejaya said; satyam—truly; sat —transcendental; çästra-varga—of all scriptures; artha—of the meaning;säraù—the essence; saìgåhya—having been collected; durlabhaù—rare; güòhaù—confidential; sva-mätre—to his own mother; piträ—bythe father; me—my; kåñëa- premëä—with love for Kåñëa; prakäçitaù—

revealed.

Çré Janamejaya said: Truly, my father gleaned the essentialmeaning of all eternal scriptures, and with great love forKåñëa he revealed to his mother that rare confidential truth.

COMMENTARY: Çréla Sanätana Gosvämé begins his commentary on thesecond part of Çré Båhad-bhägavatämåta by offering his homage toLord Caitanya Mahäprabhu. Çréla Sanätana writes, “By taking shelterof Lord Caitanya’s gemlike beauty, even a dull person like me can beinspired to dance wonderfully.” This second part of Çré Båhad-bhägavatämåta reveals the glories of the highest spiritual planet,Goloka, where pure devotees who have received the essence of ÇréKåñëa’s mercy enjoy the infinite ecstasy of playing with Kåñëa forever. To prepare us for hearing the superexcellent glories of Goloka, Kåñëa’spersonal abode, the seven chapters in Part One of Båhad-bhägavatämåta were meant for gradually removing all obstructingmisconceptions.

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To hear more of the discourse between Uttarä and her son, Parékñit,his son Janamejaya asks Jaimini a question. Jaimini was Janamejaya’sspiritual master, and to please him Janamejaya praises what he hasheard thus far.

In Part One of Båhad-bhägavatämåta, Parékñit left aside everything

superfluous and spoke to his mother the essence of Çrémad-Bhägavatam, the best of revealed scriptures. This rareaccomplishment required that he understand many scriptures, manysources of pure knowledge, and carefully ascertain their confidentialpurport regarding unalloyed devotional service to the Supreme Lord.By the word satyam, King Janamejaya confirms that he acceptseverything spoken in the first part as authoritative and true.

TEXT 2

é[qMaÙaGavTaaM>aaeiDaPaqYaUziMadMaaiPabNa( )

Na Ta*PYaaiMa MauiNaé[eï TvNMau%aM>aaeJavaiSaTaMa( ))

çrémad-bhägavatämbhodhi-péyüñam idam äpibanna tåpyämi muni-çreñöhatvan-mukhämbhoja-väsitam

çrémat -bhägavata—of Çrémad-Bhägavatam; ambhaù-dhi—of theocean; péyüñam—nectar; idam—this; äpiban—deeply drinking; natåpyämi—I am not satiated; muni-çreñöha—O best of sages; tvat —

your; mukha-ambhaù-ja—by the lotus mouth; väsitam—scented.

O best of sages, I cannot drink enough of this nectarean oceanof Çrémad-Bhägavatam, its fragrance enhanced by contactwith your lotus mouth.

COMMENTARY: Although Janamejaya Mahäräja has already tasted perfectnectar in Part One, he still wants to taste more. The Bhägavatam andother scriptures that reveal the secrets of pure devotional service areçrémat, “full of beauty and riches.” These exceptional scriptures arelike boundless oceans, for the scriptures are vast not only in size butalso in the scope of their ideas.

Just as the Ocean of Milk is the greatest ocean, Çrémad-Bhägavatamis the greatest devotional scripture, unfathomably deep. In thenarration of Närada’s search for the greatest object of Çré Kåñëa’smercy, Janamejaya has enthusiastically drunk the exquisitely sweetnectar of the Bhägavatam. Nonetheless, his thirst is not yet quenched.Because Jaimini has mixed into this nectar the attractive fragrance

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emanating from his own lotus mouth, Janamejaya’s thirst to hear hasbecome so much stimulated that he cannot hear enough.

TEXT 3

TaNMaaTaaPau}aYaaeivRÜNSa&vad" k-QYaTaa& TaYaae" )

SauDaaSaarMaYaae_NYaae_iPa k*-Z<aPaadaBJalu/BDaYaae" ))

tan mätä-putrayor vidvansaàvädaù kathyatäà tayoùsudhä-sära-mayo ’nyo ’pikåñëa-pädäbja-lubdhayoù

tat —therefore; mätä- putrayoù—of the mother and son; vidvan—O

learned one; saàvädaù—discussion; kathyatäm—please narrate; tayoù—of the two of them; sudhä—of nectar; sära-mayaù—imbued with theessence; anyaù—other; api—also; kåñëa—of Kåñëa; päda-abja—for thelotus feet; lubdhayoù—who were greedy.

Therefore, O learned one, please tell me what other nectareantopics were discussed by the mother and son, who weregreedy to enjoy the taste of Kåñëa’s lotus feet.

COMMENTARY: Although the topics discussed by Uttarä and Parékñitinvolve privileged knowledge meant only for pure devotees of the Lord,

Jaimini Åñi is also vidvän, a competent knower of those secrets.

TEXT 4

é[qJaEiMaiNaåvacNaETaTSvXai¢-Taae raJaNv¢u-& jaTau& c XaKYaTae )SavRjaNaa& c dujeRYa& b]øaNau>aivNaaMaiPa ))

çré-jaiminir uväcanaitat sva-çaktito räjan

vaktuà jïätuà ca çakyatesarva-jïänäà ca durjïeyaàbrahmänubhavinäm api

çré- jaiminiù uväca—Çré Jaimini said; na—not; etat —this; sva-çaktitaù—by one’s strength; räjan—O king; vaktum—to speak; jïätum—tounderstand; ca—and; çakyate—is possible; sarva- jïänäm—for theknowers of everything; ca—and; durjïeyam—difficult to comprehend;

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brahma-anubhavinäm—who directly experience the Absolute Truth;api—even.

Çré Jaimini said: O king, to understand or speak about thesetopics by one’s own strength is impossible. Even all-knowing

sages who directly perceive the Absolute Truth find themdifficult to comprehend.

COMMENTARY: The essence of the science of pure devotion to Kåñëa isbeyond the power of words to explain or the mind to comprehend.Even mystics who can see past, present, and future, and evenliberated souls, whose minds are attuned to perceiving transcendentalreality, fail to understand the glories of Goloka revealed in the nectarocean of Çrémad-Bhägavatam. Much more exalted than the spiritualreality of impersonal Brahman is the ultimate reality shared by thePersonality of Godhead and His devotees.

TEXT 5

k*-Z<a>ai¢-rSaaM>aaeDae" Pa[SaadaØadraYa<ae" )Parqi+adutaraPaaìeR iNaivíae_é[aEzMaÅSaa ))

kåñëa-bhakti-rasämbhodheùprasädäd bädaräyaëeù

parékñid-uttarä-pärçveniviñöo ’çrauñam aïjasä

kåñëa-bhakti—of Kåñëa’s pure devotional service; rasa-ambhodheù—who is an ocean of the rasas; prasädät —by the mercy; bädaräyaëeù—of Bädaräyaëi (Çukadeva Gosvämé); parékñit-uttarä—of Parékñit andUttarä; pärçve—at the side; niviñöaù—sitting; açrauñam—I heard;aïjasä—directly.

But Bädaräyaëi is an ocean of the rasas of kåñëa-bhakti, andby his mercy I sat near Parékñit and Uttarä and directly heardtheir conversation.

COMMENTARY: If, as Jaimini says, Kåñëa and His devotional service arebeyond the mind and words, how was Jaimini himself able to speak thesublime first part of Çré Båhad-bhägavatämåta? Jaimini answers thatÇukadeva Gosvämé, the son of Bädaräyaëa, empowered him. Jaiminiwas expert in many departments of Vedic knowledge and had deeprealization of the Absolute Truth. But he was unable to understand anddescribe Kåñëa’s glories on the strength of these qualifications alone;rather, he was empowered by the favor of the exalted VaiñëavaÇukadeva. Knowing that Jaimini was the only person fit to repeat the

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conversation between Parékñit and his mother, Çukadeva arranged for Jaimini to sit in a place next to them so he could hear theBhägavatämåta. Since Jaimini heard it and was empowered byÇukadeva to understand it properly, the book has the potency tocapture the serious attention of its readers. And because of having

been transmitted by the mercy of exalted devotees, Çré Båhad-bhägavatämåta should be accepted as authentic revealed scripture.

TEXT 6

Par& GaaePYaMaiPa iòGDae iXaZYae vaCYaiMaiTaé[uiTa" )

TaC^\UYaTaa& Maha>aaGa Gaael/aek-MaihMaaDauNaa ))

paraà gopyam api snigdhe

çiñye väcyam iti çrutiùtac chrüyatäà mahä-bhägagoloka-mahimädhunä

param—most; gopyam—secret; api—even; snigdhe—loyal; çiñye—to adisciple; väcyam—may be spoken; iti—thus; çrutiù—revealed scripture;tat —therefore; çrüyatäm—please hear; mahä-bhäga—O most fortunateone; goloka-mahimä—the glories of Goloka; adhunä—now.

The Vedas say that to a loyal disciple one may speak even themost confidential secret. Therefore, O most fortunate one, now

please hear the glories of Goloka.

COMMENTARY: Although what Janamejaya asked Jaimini is confidential, Jaimini is willing to speak because Janamejaya is fit to hear. This isimplied by the epithet mahä-bhäga, “O most fortunate one.” In PartOne, Jaimini described the glories of the most intimate devotees of theSupreme Lord, and now he will describe the glories of Goloka, theplace dearest to the Lord. Because this description glorifies the Lordand His devotees, it is fitting for the Bhägavatämåta.

TEXT 7é[qk*-Z<ak-å<aaSaarPaa}aiNaDaaRrSaTk-QaaMa( )é[uTva>aUTParMaaNaNdPaU<aaR Tav iPaTaaMahq ))

çré-kåñëa-karuëä-sära-pätra-nirdhära-sat-kathämçrutväbhüt paramänanda-

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pürëä tava pitämahé

çré-kåñëa—of Çré Kåñëa; karuëä-sära—of the essence of the mercy; pätra—of the recipient; nirdhära—about the determination; sat -kathäm—the sacred narration; çrutvä—having heard; abhüt —was; parama-

änanda—with the highest bliss; pürëä—filled; tava—your; pitämahé—paternal grandmother.

After your grandmother heard the sacred narration about thesearch for the person most favored by the essence of LordKåñëa’s mercy, she was filled with the highest bliss.

TEXTS 8–9

Taad*G>ai¢-ivXaezSYa GaaePaqk-aNTaPadaBJaYaae" )é[aeTau& f-l/ivXaez& TaÙaeGaSQaaNa& c SataMaMa( ))

vEku-<#=adiPa MaNvaNaa ivMa*XaNTaq ôid SvYaMa( ) TaÀaNaak-l/YaNTaq Saa PaPa[C^ é[qParqi+aTaMa( ))

tädåg-bhakti-viçeñasyagopé-känta-padäbjayoùçrotuà phala-viçeñaà tadbhoga-sthänaà ca sat-tamam

vaikuëöhäd api manvänävimåçanté hådi svayamtac cänäkalayanté sä

papraccha çré-parékñitam

tädåk —of such; bhakti-viçeñasya—exceptional devotion; gopé-känta—of the lover of the gopés; pada-abjayoù—to the lotus feet; çrotum—tohear; phala-viçeñam—the special fruit; tat —of that; bhoga-sthänam—the place of enjoyment; ca—and; sat -tamam—superior; vaikuëöhät —toVaikuëöha; api—even; manvänä—considering; vimåçanté—wondering;hådi—in her heart; svayam—on her own; tat —that; ca—and;anäkalayanté—unable to conclude; sä—she; papraccha—asked; çré- parékñitam—Çré Parékñit.

Exceptional devotion to the lotus feet of the Lord, the lover of the gopés, has a special fruit, and Uttarä was eager to hearabout that fruit, and about the place where it is enjoyed, whichshe thought must be higher than even Vaikuëöha. Wonderingwithin her heart about these topics, unable to concludeanything on her own, she inquired from Çré Parékñit.

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COMMENTARY: Mother Uttarä was uncertain about the identity of theplace of Çré Kåñëa’s intimate pleasure pastimes, which she supposedmust be more excellent than the majestic kingdom of God, Vaikuëöha.Confident of her son’s ability to resolve her doubt, she unhesitatinglysubmitted to him this question.

TEXT 10

é[qMadutaraevack-aiMaNaa& Pau<Yak-Ta›R<aa& }aEl/aeKYa&

Ga*ih<aa& PadMa( )AGa*ha<aa& c TaSYaaeß| iSQaTa& l/aek-cTauíYaMa( ))

çrémad-uttaroväcakäminäà puëya-kartèëäà

trai-lokyaà gåhiëäà padamagåhäëäà ca tasyordhvaàsthitaà loka-catuñöayam

çrémat -uttarä uväca—Çrématé Uttarä said; käminäm—who havematerial desires; puëya-kartèëäm—and who perform auspicious duties;trai-lokyam—the three worlds; gåhiëäm—for householders; padam—the abode; agåhäëäm—for those who have renounced their homes; ca—and; tasya—than that; ürdhvam—higher; sthitam—located; loka-catuñöayam—the four worlds.

Çrématé Uttarä said: By performing auspicious duties,householders with material desires can achieve the threeworlds, and persons who have renounced their homes canreach the four worlds still beyond those.

COMMENTARY: Uttarä has some doubts about the identity of the personalabode of Çré Gopénätha, but she does understand that the devoteeswhose love is focused on Gopénätha’s lotus feet deserve to beelevated to the most excellent destination, a place better than allothers. To express this understanding to her son and properly establishthe context for her inquiry, she speaks eleven verses (texts 10 through20) describing the various destinations of different grades of progressive souls. First she mentions the destinations of personsinvolved in material work, who are divided into two categories—theattached and unattached.

“Auspicious duties” are those prescribed by the Vedas; they includeduties performed as regular obligations (nitya-karma), dutiesstipulated for exceptional circumstances (naimittika-karma), and dutiesperformed as optional work for the fulfillment of personal desires

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(kämya-karma). The performers of these material activities aregenerally in the gåhastha-äçrama, family men with many desires. Thedestinations for such regulated enjoyers of the fruits of work are withinthe three planetary systems Bhür, Bhuvar, and Svar. The karmés beingdescribed by Uttarä are not ordinary modern materialists; rather, these

karmés satisfy their material desires through the auspicious ritualduties of the Vedas.By virtue of strict celibacy, the perpetual brahmacärés, the

vänaprasthas, and the sannyäsés are qualified to reach the fourhighest material planets, namely Mahar and the three planets beyondit—Janas, Tapas, and Satya. As stated by Çré Çukadeva Gosvämé inthe Second Canto of Çrémad-Bhägavatam (2.6.20):

pädäs trayo bahiç cäsannaprajänäà ya äçramäùantas tri-lokyäs tv aparo

gåha-medho ’båhad-vrataù

“The three realms beyond Mahar [namely Janas, Tapas, and Satya] areespecially meant for those who will never be reborn. Others, who areattached to family life and who do not strictly follow celibacy vows,must live within the three lower worlds [Bhür, Bhuvar, and Svar].” Inother words, those who vow never to create offspring are granted fortheir subtle enjoyment the worlds beyond the three systems Bhür,Bhuvar, and Svar. Everyone else is entangled in household life; insteadof adhering to the “great vow” of celibacy, they remain addicted tosex.

Householders who are free from material desires and whose onlyambition is to execute their prescribed duties can also reach the higherplanets of Mahar and beyond, and those who sufficiently purify theirconsciousness can even attain liberation. As Lord Rudra says in theFourth Canto of Çrémad-Bhägavatam (4.24.29):

sva-dharma-niñöhaù çata-janmabhiù pumänviriïcatäm eti tataù paraà hi mämavyäkåtaà bhägavato ’tha vaiñëavaàpadaà yathähaà vibudhäù kalätyaye

“A person who executes his occupational duty properly for onehundred births becomes qualified to occupy the post of Brahmä, and if he becomes more qualified he can approach me. But a person directlysurrendered to Lord Kåñëa, or Viñëu, in unalloyed devotional service isat once promoted to the spiritual planets. I and other demigods attainthose planets after the destruction of the material world.”

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TEXT 11

>aaeGaaNTae Mauhurav*itaMaeTae SaveR Pa[YaaiNTaih )

MahraidGaTaa" ke-icNMauCYaNTae b]ø<aa Sah ))

bhogänte muhur ävåttimete sarve prayänti himahar-ädi-gatäù kecinmucyante brahmaëä saha

bhoga—of enjoyment; ante—at the end; muhuù—again; ävåttim—rebirth in the lower worlds; ete—these; sarve—all; prayänti—theyobtain; hi—certainly; mahaù-ädi—Mahar and beyond; gatäù—who havereached; kecit —some; mucyante—are liberated; brahmaëä saha—along with Brahmä.

But when their enjoyment ends, all these persons must returnto this mundane earth. Only a select few of those who havereached the planets of Mahar and beyond are liberated alongwith Brahmä.

COMMENTARY: Materially ambitious people must accept repeated births.Among them, persons dedicated exclusively to prescribed Vedic dutiescan achieve liberation when they finish enjoying the results of theirgood works. For persons whose renunciation is incomplete, one path of gradual liberation is to enjoy subtle pleasures on the Mahar, Janas,

Tapas, and Satya planets for a long time and then become liberatedalong with Lord Brahmä when the universe is finally destroyed.Another gradual path, described in the Upaniñads and Vedänta-sütra, is known as Arcir-ädi. On this path the progressing candidate travelsone last time through the higher regions of the universe, enjoying ineach of several intermediate stages in bodies more and more subtle,until he attains liberation.

Karmés who do not progress toward liberation enjoy heavenlypleasures temporarily and then come back down to material endeavorson lower planets. As Çré Kåñëa says in the Bhagavad-gétä (9.20–21):

trai-vidyä mäà soma-päù püta-päpäyajïair iñövä svar-gatià prärthayantete puëyam äsädya surendra-lokamaçnanti divyän divi deva-bhogän

te taà bhuktvä svarga-lokaà viçälaàkñéëe puëye martya-lokaà viçantievaà trayé-dharmam anuprapannä

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gatägataà käma-kämä labhante

“Those who study the Vedas and drink the soma juice, seeking theheavenly planets, worship Me indirectly. Purified of sinful reactions,they take birth on the pious, heavenly planet of Indra, where they

enjoy godly delights. When they have thus enjoyed vast heavenlysense pleasure and the results of their pious activities are exhausted,they return to this mortal planet again. Thus those who seek senseenjoyment by adhering to the principles of the three Vedas achieveonly repeated birth and death.”

Mere elevation to the highest planets in the universe cannot assureone liberation from birth and death. One must give up all materialdesires. As Çré Kåñëa states in Bhagavad-gétä (8.16), ä-brahma-bhuvanäl lokäù / punar-ävartino ’rjuna: “From the highest planet in thematerial world down to the lowest, all are places of misery whereinrepeated birth and death take place.” Only persons fully dedicated to

selfless work can join Lord Brahmä in attaining liberation:

brahmaëä saha te sarvesampräpte pratisaïcare

parasyänte kåtätmänaùpraviçanti paraà padam

“The fully successful transcendentalists enter the supreme abodealong with Brahmä during the final annihilation at the end of Brahmä’slife.”

TEXT 12

ke-icT§-Mae<a MauCYaNTae >aaeGaaN>au¤-aicRraidzu )

l/>aNTae YaTaYa" SaÛae Maui¢&- jaNaPara ih Yae ))

kecit krameëa mucyantebhogän bhuktvärcir-ädiñulabhante yatayaù sadyomuktià jïäna-parä hi ye

kecit —some; krameëa—in stages; mucyante—become liberated;bhogän—pleasures; bhuktvä—enjoying; arciù-ädiñu—in the realms of fire and so on; labhante—attain; yatayaù—ascetics; sadyaù—quickly;muktim—liberation; jïäna- paräù—devoted to spiritual knowledge; hi—certainly; ye—who.

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Some persons enjoy pleasures in upper regions like the realmof fire and attain liberation gradually, in stages. And asceticsfully devoted to spiritual knowledge quickly obtain liberation.

COMMENTARY: Expert practitioners of yoga can follow the Arcir-ädi path.

The first destination on this path is Arcis, or the region ruled by the godof fire. Beyond Arcis are other regions, such as the circle of Çiçumära.In the Second Canto of Çrémad-Bhägavatam (2.2.24–31) Çré ÇukadevaGosvämé elaborates on the yogé’s progress on the Arcir-ädi path:

vaiçvänaraà yäti vihäyasä gataùsuñumëayä brahma-pathena çociñävidhüta-kalko ’tha harer udastät prayäti cakraà nåpa çaiçumäram

“O king, when a mystic passes over the Milky Way by the illuminating

Suñumëä to reach the highest planet, Brahmaloka, he goes first toVaiçvänara, the planet of the deity of fire, wherein he becomescompletely cleansed of all contaminations, and thereafter he still goeshigher, to the circle of Çiçumära, to relate with Lord Hari, thePersonality of Godhead.

tad viçva-näbhià tv ativartya viñëor aëéyasä virajenätmanaikaùnamaskåtaà brahma-vidäm upaitikalpäyuño yad vibudhä ramante

“This Çiçumära is the pivot for the turning of the complete universe,and it is called the navel of Viñëu [Garbhodaka-çäyé Viñëu]. The yogé alone goes beyond this circle of Çiçumära and attains the planet[Maharloka] where purified saints like Bhågu enjoy a duration of life of 4,300,000,000 solar years. That planet is worshipable even for thesaints who are transcendentally situated.

atho anantasya mukhänalenadandahyamänaà sa nirékñya viçvamniryäti siddheçvara-juñöa-dhiñëyaàyad dvai-parärdhyaà tad u pärameñöhyam

“At the time of the devastation of the universe, a flame of fireemanates from the mouth of Ananta. The yogé sees all the planets of the universe burning to ashes, and thus he leaves for Satyaloka byairplanes used by the great purified souls. The duration of life inSatyaloka is calculated to be 15,480,000,000,000 years.

na yatra çoko na jarä na måtyur

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närtir na codvega åte kutaçcit yac cit tato ’daù kåpayänidaà-vidäàduranta-duùkha-prabhavänudarçanät

“On that planet of Satyaloka, there is neither bereavement nor old age

nor death. There is no pain of any kind, and therefore there are noanxieties, save that sometimes there is a feeling of compassion forthose unaware of the process of devotional service, who are subjectedto unsurpassable miseries in the material world.

tato viçeñaà pratipadya nirbhayastenätmanäpo ’nala-mürtir atvaran

jyotir-mayo väyum upetya käleväyv-ätmanä khaà båhad ätma-liìgam

“After reaching Satyaloka, the devotee is specifically able to be

incorporated fearlessly by the subtle body in an identity similar to thatof the gross body, and one after another he gradually attains stages of existence from earthly to watery, to fiery, glowing and airy, until hereaches the ethereal stage.

ghräëena gandhaà rasanena vai rasaàrüpaà ca dåñöyä çvasanaà tvacaivaçrotreëa copetya nabho-guëatvaàpräëena cäkütim upaiti yogé

“The devotee thus surpasses the subtle objects of different senses like

aroma by smelling, the palate by tasting, vision by seeing forms, touchby contacting, the vibrations of the ear by ethereal identification, andthe sense organs by material activities.

sa bhüta-sükñmendriya-sannikarñaàmano-mayaà deva-mayaà vikäryamsaàsädya gatyä saha tena yätivijïäna-tattvaà guëa-sannirodham

“The devotee, thus surpassing the gross and the subtle forms of coverings, enters the plane of egoism. There he merges the material

modes of nature [ignorance and passion] in that point of neutralizationand thus reaches egoism in goodness. After this, all egoism is mergedin the mahat-tattva, and he comes to the point of pure self-realization.

tenätmanätmänam upaiti çäntamänandam änanda-mayo ’vasäneetäà gatià bhägavatéà gato yaùsa vai punar neha viñajjate ’ìga

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“Only the purified soul can attain the perfection of associating with thePersonality of Godhead in complete bliss and satisfaction in hisconstitutional state. Whoever is able to reach such devotionalperfection is never again attracted by the material world, and he never

returns.” This is the gradual way of liberation. Parama-haàsas, however, areliberated immediately at the end of their current life.

TEXT 13

>a¢-a >aGavTaae Yae Tau Sak-aMaa" SveC^Yaai%l/aNa( )

>auÅaNaa" Sau%>aaeGaa&STae ivXauÖa YaaiNTa TaTPadMa( ))

bhaktä bhagavato ye tusa-kämäù svecchayäkhilänbhuïjänäù sukha-bhogäàs teviçuddhä yänti tat-padam

bhaktäù—devotees; bhagavataù—of the Personality of Godhead; ye—who; tu—but; sa-kämäù—with material desires; sva-icchayä—willfully;akhilän—all; bhuïjänäù—indulging in; sukha—enjoyable; bhogäù—pleasures; te—they; viçuddhäù—fully purified; yänti—go; tat —to that; padam—abode.

But even the devotees of the Personality of Godhead who stillhave material desires can enjoy the pleasures they wish andthen become fully purified and go to the Lord’s abode.

COMMENTARY: Vaiñëava devotees are more elevated than nondevotee parama-haàsas. Even a devotee burdened by material desires is in abetter position than an impersonalist free from such desires. Still, justas both karmés and jïänés are distinguished in terms of their relativefreedom from ulterior desires, so also are bhaktas. Most karmés and jïänés can approach perfection only gradually; only a few paramahaàsa-jïänés achieve immediate liberation. Similarly, though allVaiñëavas are sure candidates for ultimate perfection, the sakäma-bhaktas, those whose devotion to the Personality of Godhead is mixedwith desires to control and enjoy, must first become purified.

Still, although sakäma-bhaktas need further purification to qualify forentry into the kingdom of God, they should never be consideredsubject to the laws of material nature like the karmés and jïänés. Asstated here, sakäma-bhaktas live happily in this world, free frommaterial restraints (svecchayä). They are at liberty to visit all the

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regions of this world, including the highest planets, beginning withMahar, they can reach the subtlest stages on the Arcir-ädi path, andthey can attain the Vaikuëöha realms within this universe likeÇvetadvépa and Ramäpriya. Avoiding frustration from the deficienciesand miseries that taint every material situation, sakäma-bhaktas find

happiness in this world (sukha-bhogän). Çréla Sanätana Gosvämé usesthe word bhuïjänäù (“enjoying”) in a form of the present tense toindicate that even while Vaiñëavas are finishing up their lastenjoyment of the material world the power of the Lord’s devotionalservice purifies them enough to demolish all obstacles in their hearts. Their material business finished, they then achieve the Supreme Lord’seternal abode.

TEXT 14

vEku-<#&= dul/R>a& Mau¢E-" SaaNd]aNaNdicdaTMak-

Ma( )iNaZk-aMaa Yae Tau TaÙ¢-a l/>aNTae SaÛ Wv TaTa( ))

vaikuëöhaà durlabhaà muktaiùsändränanda-cid-ätmakamniñkämä ye tu tad-bhaktälabhante sadya eva tat

vaikuëöham—Vaikuëöha; durlabham—difficult to be achieved; muktaiù—by liberated souls; sändra—concentrated; änanda—of ecstasy; cit —and pure consciousness; ätmakam—consisting; niñkämäù—free from

selfish desires; ye—who; tu—but; tat —of Him; bhaktäù—the devotees;labhante—reach; sadyaù—quickly; eva—indeed; tat —that.

That abode, Vaikuëöha, is made of concentrated ecstasy andpure consciousness. Even for liberated souls it is difficult toattain. But the Lord’s devotees who are free from selfishdesires reach it at once.

COMMENTARY: Mother Uttarä now tells her son, Parékñit, what sheunderstands about the transcendental nature of Vaikuëöha. Parékñithas heard similar general descriptions of the Vaikuëöha atmospherefrom Çukadeva Gosvämé in the Second and Tenth Cantos of Çrémad-Bhägavatam:

na yatra kälo ’nimiñäà paraù prabhuùkuto nu devä jagatäà ya éçirena yatra sattvaà na rajas tamaç cana vai vikäro na mahän pradhänam

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paraà padaà vaiñëavam ämananti tadyan neti netéty atad-utsisåkñavaùvisåjya daurätmyam ananya-sauhådähådopaguhyärha-padaà pade pade

“What to speak of the celestial demigods empowered to rule overmundane creatures, in that transcendental state there is no supremacyof devastating time, which controls even the demigods themselves.Nor is there the mode of material goodness, nor passion, norignorance, nor even the false ego, nor the material Causal Ocean, northe material nature. The transcendentalists desire to avoid everythinggodless, for they know that supreme situation in which everything isrelated with the Supreme Lord Viñëu. Therefore a pure devotee inabsolute harmony with the Lord does not create perplexities, butworships the lotus feet of the Lord at every moment, taking them intohis heart.” (Bhägavatam 2.2.17–18)

tasmai sva-lokaà bhagavän sabhäjitaùsandarçayäm äsa paraà na yat-paramvyapeta-saìkleça-vimoha-sädhvasaàsva-dåñöavadbhir puruñair abhiñöutam

pravartate yatra rajas tamas tayoùsattvaà ca miçraà na ca käla-vikramaùna yatra mäyä kim utäpare harer anuvratä yatra suräsurärcitäù

“Very much satisfied with the penance of Lord Brahmä, the Personalityof Godhead was pleased to manifest His personal abode, Vaikuëöha,the supreme planet above all others. That transcendental abode of theLord is adored by all self-realized persons freed from all miseries andfear of illusory existence. In the spiritual world there is neither themode of passion, nor the mode of ignorance, nor a mixture of both, noris there adulterated goodness, nor the influence of time or Mäyä itself.Only the pure devotees of the Lord, who are worshiped both bydemigods and by demons, reside in the spiritual world as the Lord’sassociates.” (Bhägavatam 2.9.9–10)

iti saïcintya bhagavänmahä-käruëiko hariùdarçayäm äsa lokaà svaàgopänäà tamasaù param

satyaà jïänam anantaà yadbrahma-jyotiù sanätanam

yad dhi paçyanti munayo

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guëäpäye samähitäù

“After deeply considering, the all-merciful Supreme Personality of Godhead Hari revealed to the cowherd men His abode, which isbeyond material darkness. Lord Kåñëa revealed the indestructible

spiritual effulgence, which is unlimited, conscious, and eternal. Sagessee that spiritual existence in trance, when their consciousness is freeof the modes of material nature.” (Bhägavatam 10.28.14–15)

Now, in texts 14 through 19, Uttarä similarly explains in a generalway the transcendental existence of Vaikuëöha. The Lord’s impersonaleffulgence faintly reflects the spiritual atmosphere of Vaikuëöha, whichis the fullest manifestation of the Absolute Truth.

Having reestablished a personal relationship with the Lord, pureVaiñëavas attain Vaikuëöha. Impersonalists, however, at best attainthe brahmajyoti effulgence, where they realize their eternal existencewithout knowing their relationship with the Lord or the ecstatic

pleasure that comes from serving Him in that relationship. In otherwords, the Vaikuëöha atmosphere is a super-intensified version of thebrahma-jyoti sky, and thus the life enjoyed by the Lord’s devotees inVaikuëöha is much more wonderful than the comparativelyinsignificant pleasure of merging into the brahma-jyoti.

TEXT= 15

Ta}a é[qk*-Z<aPaadaBJaSaa+aaTSaevaSau%& Sada )bhuDaaNau>avNTaSTae rMaNTae iDa¡*-TaaMa*TaMa( ))

tatra çré-kåñëa-pädäbja-säkñät-sevä-sukhaà sadäbahudhänubhavantas teramante dhik-kåtämåtam

tatra—there; çré-kåñëa—of Çré Kåñëa; päda-abja—at the lotus feet;säkñät —direct; sevä—of service; sukham—the happiness; sadä—always; bahudhä—in many ways; anubhavantaù—experiencing; te—they; ramante—enjoy; dhik -kåta—condemned in which; amåtam—thenectar of immortality.

The pure devotees living in Vaikuëöha enjoy forever in variedways the happiness of directly serving Çré Kåñëa’s lotus feet.In comparison, the nectar of liberation appears condemned.

COMMENTARY: For the residents of Vaikuëöha, God is not a distantabstraction. They see Him always and serve Him directly. For themthat service is never tedious or degrading, but is always sheerenjoyment.

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TEXT 16

jaNa>a¢-aSTau TaeZveke- XauÖ>a¢-a" Pare_Pare ))Pa[eMa>a¢-a" Pare/ Pa[eMaPara" Pa[eMaaTaura" Pare ))

jïäna-bhaktäs tu teñv ekeçuddha-bhaktäù pare ’pare

prema-bhaktäù pare prema-paräù premäturäù pare

jïäna-bhaktäù—devotees attached to knowledge; tu—but; teñu—among them; eke—some; çuddha-bhaktäù—pure devotees; pare—others; apare—still others; prema-bhaktäù—devotees in love of God; pare—others; prema- paräù—devotees exclusively dedicated to love of God; prema-äturäù—devotees painfully obsessed by love of God; pare

—others.

Among the Supreme Lord’s devotees, some are devoteesattached to knowledge, and others are pure. Still others aresituated in love of God, others are immersed in love of God,and yet others are painfully overwhelmed by love of God.

COMMENTARY: Vaiñëavas develop their love of God to different extentsand thus in any given lifetime attain different destinations. Jïäna-bhaktas cultivate devotional service mixed with the pursuit of knowledge. Their interests focus on subjects such as the greatness of

devotion to the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord. For them devotionalservice consists of activities within the ninefold practice of sädhana-bhakti. An example of such a Vaiñëava is Lord Åñabhadeva’s sonBharata Mahäräja. Next, çuddha-bhaktas want only devotional serviceto the Personality of Godhead, without any mixture of fruitive work,knowledge, or renunciation. Ambaréña Mahäräja is a typical çuddha-bhakta. Prema-bhaktas like Çré Hanumän are endowed with matureecstatic love. They perpetually serve the Lord with full-heartedenthusiasm, being interested only in the loving affection, intimateassociation, and opportunities for service that they find at the lotusfeet of their beloved supreme master. Still other devotees are prema-

para-bhaktas, like Çrémän Arjuna and his brothers. They are notinterested in the process of bhakti itself, but only in prema, ecstaticlove. By the causeless mercy of the Lord, entirely pure prema of thehighest quality has arisen in their hearts, binding them by ropes of eagerness to see the Lord and enjoy friendly talks and other intimatedealings with Him. Finally, premätura-bhaktas, such as the Yädavas,headed by Çrémän Uddhava, are overwhelmed by the incessant bliss

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of prema and the intense desire to relish all the transformations of that prema and its related ecstasies.

Although everyone in Vaikuëöha has prema, we must recognizedifferent degrees of prema. The natural perfection of çuddha-bhakti is prema-bhakti, which is higher because devotees who have reached

prema have special qualities not found in those who have attained onlyçuddha-bhakti. And beyond prema-bhakti, the prema-para devoteesare more elevated, and the premätura devotees still more.

TEXT 17

TaarTaMYavTaaMaeza& f-le/ SaaMYa& Na YauJYaTae ) TaarTaMYa& Tau vEku-<#e= k-QaiÄÔ$=Tae Na ih ))

täratamyavatäm eñäàphale sämyaà na yujyate

täratamyaà tu vaikuëöhekathaïcid ghaöate na hi

täratamya-vatäm—on different levels; teñäm—of these; phale—inresults; sämyam—sameness; na yujyate—is not appropriate;täratamyam—hierarchy; tu—however; vaikuëöhe—in Vaikuëöha;kathaïcit —in any way; ghaöate na—does not take place; hi—certainly.

Since the levels of these devotees are various, it seemsunfitting that the results they achieve be the same. But inVaikuëöha no hierarchies exist at all.

COMMENTARY: Without higher and higher levels of enjoyment andrealization of the greatness of God, the five different levels of bhakti would be incomplete. To award the same results to devotees of differing levels of attraction would not befit the perfect and all-compassionate Personality of Godhead. And how could all the Lord’sdevotees be satisfied by only one kind of reciprocation? Thus there is aneed for hierarchy in the varieties of devotion and the correspondingmoods in which the Lord reciprocates. In Vaikuëöha, however, such ahierarchy is impossible to find, because the atmosphere of that place ispurely spiritual.

TEXT 18

PaYaRvSYaiTa SaaæPYaSaaMaqPYaadaE c TauLYaTaa )Na é[UYaTae Par& Pa[aPYa& vEku-<#=adiDak&- ik-

YaTa( ))

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paryavasyati särüpya-sämépyädau ca tulyatäna çrüyate paraà präpyaàvaikuëöhäd adhikaà kiyat

paryavasyati—the result comes; särüpya—in the perfection of having aform like the Supreme Lord’s; sämépya—in the perfection of living inclose proximity to the Supreme Lord; ädau—and so on; ca—and;tulyatä—equality; na çrüyate—is not heard of; param—another; präpyam—goal to be attained; vaikuëöhät —than Vaikuëöha; adhikam—higher; kiyat —at all.

It follows that among devotees in Vaikuëöha there is equalityeven in the special Vaikuëöha perfections, such as living nearthe Supreme Lord or attaining a form like His. And a goalhigher than Vaikuëöha is unheard of.

COMMENTARY: Someone might think that even though all devotees inVaikuëöha share equally in the bliss of serving the Personality of Godhead, some hierarchy of greater and lesser engagements can bediscerned. Indeed, it seems that in Vaikuëöha the Lord’s pastimes of supreme rulership and opulence are manifest more fully to somedevotees than to others, just as in the material world the Lord is moreintimately revealed to devotees who worship Him by brahma-satra (thesacrifice of transcendental knowledge) than to those who worship Himat the grosser level of karma-satra (mere ritual sacrifice). In Vaikuëöhasome devotees, such as those stationed as doorkeepers at the

boundaries of the Lord’s kingdom, seem to be relative outsiderscompared to devotees who have more intimate services, such asmassaging the Lord’s lotus feet. Ultimately, however, in Vaikuëöha allthese varieties of devotional service are equal, displaying but minorvariations in the mood of däsya-rasa in reverence.

The many kinds of Vaikuëöha perfection are equal manifestations of the same basic servitude. Those perfections include särüpya (having atranscendental body with four arms and other features like the Lord’s)and sämépya (living close to the Lord as one of His associates orservants). There are also other such perfections. Those “others,”implied in this verse by the ending -ädau in the word sämépyädau, are

attainments such as being posted as commander of the Lord’s army oras a personal servant massaging the Lord’s feet or dressing His hair. The perfection of säyujya, merging into the existence of God, is prizedby impersonalists but is not found in Vaikuëöha. Rather than adevotional perfection, säyujya is a form of impersonal liberation. Evendemons who hate the Personality of Godhead are sometimes givensäyujya as a reward for constantly meditating on the Lord as an

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enemy. But anyone who has tasted devotional service to the SupremeLord rejects säyujya.

Someone might ask, “But can’t a devotee in Vaikuëöha achievesome special perfection by virtue of being exceptionally qualified?” No,this verse replies. Since Vaikuëöha is a place in which all desires are

fulfilled, nothing there beyond the perfections already easily availableremains to be achieved.

TEXT 19

TaTPa[deXaivXaezezu SvSv>aavivXaezTa" )SvSviPa[YaivXaezaPTYaa SaveRzaMaSTau va Sau%Ma( ))

tat-pradeça-viçeñeñusva-svabhäva-viçeñataùsva-sva-priya-viçeñäptyä

sarveñäm astu vä sukham

tat —of that (Vaikuëöha); pradeça-viçeñeñu—in particular regions; sva-svabhäva—according to their natures; viçeñataù—individual; sva-sva- priya—dear to each one; viçeña—individual; aptyä—by theirachievements; sarveñäm—of all; astu vä—of course there is; sukham—happiness.

Of course, all the devotees in each distinct region of Vaikuëöhaare completely happy, for they have all achieved what by theirown specific natures they desire.

COMMENTARY: Granting that devotees in select parts of Vaikuëöha areempowered to enjoy special privileges according to their uniquedevotional moods, there may still remain doubt about where the mostconfidential devotees of the Lord reside. Within the realm of Vaikuëöhaa few special places do exist, such as Ayodhyä and Dvärakä, wheremore intimate forms of pure devotional service are manifest. For eachreplica abode of the Lord on earth there is an original abode inVaikuëöha. As stated in scripture,

yä yathä bhuvi vartante

puryo bhagavataù priyäùtäs tathä santi vaikuëöhetat-tal-lélärtham ädåtäù

“On this earth there are many sacred cities dear to the Personality of Godhead, and all of them also exist in Vaikuëöha, where they arerevered for their importance in the Lord’s various pastimes.”

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Mother Uttarä is speaking as if the liberated devotees of Vaikuëöharepresent all five varieties of Vaiñëavas— jïäna-bhaktas, çuddha-bhaktas, prema-bhaktas, prema-para-bhaktas, and premätura-bhaktas.In fact, however, she speaks without much conviction, because as faras she understands, the devotees of Vaikuëöha are not divided into

such categories.

TEXT 20

Para& k-aïa& GaTa& Tatad]SaJaaTaqYaTaaeicTaMa( )AQaaiPa raSak*-taad*G>a¢-aNaaMaSTau k-a GaiTa" ))

paräà käñöhäà gataà tat-tad-rasa-jätéyatocitamathäpi räsa-kåt-tädåg-bhaktänäm astu kä gatiù

paräm—ultimate; käñöhäm—limit; gatam—attained; tat-tat —eachindividually; rasa—of transcendental reciprocation; jätéyatä—accordingto the mode; ucitam—suitable; atha api—nonetheless; räsa-kåt —of theperformer of the räsa dance (Kåñëa); tädåk —such; bhaktänäm—of thedevotees; astu—there should be; kä—what; gatiù—destination.

They have all attained the ultimate limit of happiness, each inhis own kind of ecstatic reciprocation with the Lord. But whatplace is destined for the exceptional devotees of the performerof the räsa dance?

COMMENTARY: “Well,” someone might ask, “if there is a hierarchy of greater and lesser devotees in Vaikuëöha, then only some of them arefully happy. Is that proper? Aren’t devotees of the Supreme Lord,especially those who have attained Vaikuëöha, greater than mereliberated souls? Don’t they enjoy the highest happiness, above that of liberation?”

The current verse clears this doubt. All the residents of Vaikuëöhaenjoy incomparable happiness, but some gradation of happiness stillexists because each devotee relishes a mixture of ecstasies that makeup his individual devotional mood, or rasa. It is natural, therefore, thataccording to a devotee’s sthäyi-bhäva, the predominating mood of hisecstatic rasa, he receive a particular degree and kind of happiness.Nonetheless, each devotee thinks that his happiness is perfect andcomplete, because it exactly suits his personality.

Having acknowledged this, Mother Uttarä next expresses her owndoubt about the devotees of Kåñëa, whose spontaneous love for theLord is greater than all other varieties of prema. In Vaikuëöha is there

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a special place where those devotees can enjoy the supremehappiness they deserve?

Within Uttarä’s question are the following implications: The çuddha-bhaktas, in their worship of the Supreme Lord, enjoy greater ecstasythan the jïäna-bhaktas. But although the devotees in Vaikuëöha find

themselves in a hierarchy that would normally cause envy, quarrel,and other kinds of conflict, those devotees are free from jealousy andother faults, which are the root causes of pain and lamentation.Without this purity they could not reside in Vaikuëöha. Beingaffectionately attached to one another in sublime prema, they all feelever-increasing happiness in their worship of the Lord.

As already mentioned, the çuddha-bhaktas, whose devotion to theLord does not depend on the pleasure of life in Vaikuëöha, are higherthan the more conditional jïäna-bhaktas. That being so, what about thestatus of devotees still more elevated? What about the Lord’s bestservants, the prema-bhaktas, who are indifferent to all possible selfish

concerns? What about the Lord’s supreme friends, the prema-para-bhaktas, who receive His unconditional special favor? And what aboutHis closest loved ones, the premätura-bhaktas, who are bound by themost intimate relationships with the Lord and who live only for Hissatisfaction? What special place can be found in Vaikuëöha for thosesuperexcellent devotees?

The Skanda Puräëa explains that exceptional regions do exist inVaikuëöha. As mentioned before, Vaikuëöha has transcendental citiessuch as Ayodhyä and Dvärakä, and like their counterparts on earththey are filled with the Supreme Lord’s personal associates andparaphernalia. In those supreme places the Lord is always present in

His most attractive forms. Thus, for example, in the Ayodhyä region of Vaikuëöha devotees of the standard of Hanumän constantly see theLord of the Raghus, Lord Rämacandra, attended by Çré Sétä,Lakñmaëa, and the rest of His entourage. Those devotees continue toenjoy the happiness of being His servants, just as they did whilepresent with the Lord during His pastimes on earth, and theirambitions are fulfilled in every conceivable way. Similarly, in theDvärakä of Vaikuëöha devotees like Çré Yudhiñöhira and his familyworship Kåñëa as the darling son of Devaké, the friend of Arjuna, theyounger brother of Balaräma, the beloved of Rukmiëé andSatyabhämä. The Päëòavas continue to serve Kåñëa in their own

homes with the same friendship as during His avatära. And also inDvärakä the Yädavas, including exalted souls like Uddhava, worshipand serve Kåñëa as their own master, regarding Him as more valuablethan their wealth, their power, and their very lives. In the endlessmanifold transformations of pure love, the Yädavas, their inner andouter consciousness surcharged with bliss, enjoy as much happiness asthey desire.

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In Vaikuëöha these devotees enjoy life just as they did when presentwith their most dear Lord on the earth, where they enjoyed thesupreme good fortune of serving His lotus feet, receiving His mercy,relishing pure love for Him, and sharing in His pastimes. That theSupreme Lord’s earthly and Vaikuëöha pastimes have these features in

common does not diminish the greatness of the spiritual world,because whether in the material or the spiritual world, all the Lord’sdevotees are objects of His infinite compassion. Even if devoteesoccupy higher and lower positions, the differences pale beside theinconceivably desirable, overwhelming ecstasies of pure love of God.

Still, we should recognize a natural hierarchy in the varieties of devotional service. Because jïäna-bhaktas harbor some attachment toknowledge, the pure ecstasies of prema do not develop in their hearts,even while they live in Vaikuëöha. The transcendental happiness theydeserve is confined mostly to their mental activities. Çuddha-bhaktas enjoy a greater happiness, which enlivens all their senses through

hearing and chanting about the Lord, remembering Him, and so on.And prema-bhaktas feel even greater happiness through all theirinternal and external senses, because while seeing the Lord andserving Him in various ways they constantly meditate on Him withlove. Prema-para-bhaktas cherish yet a higher standard of happiness,which they taste in their friendly dealings with the Lord, in their talkingfreely with Him, and in their intense moods of separation and meeting. That transcendental happiness floods their entire being. And premätura-bhaktas know the ultimate extreme of happiness; they areimmersed in the unending and most intense loving expectation of seeing the Lord, sharing pastimes with Him, and exchanging countless

intimate dealings with Him. Every fiber of their existence is surchargedwith such happiness, which always exceeds their greatestexpectations.

Therefore, since various levels of sädhana bring various degrees of perfection, it is undeniable that in Vaikuëöha, where happiness reachesits ultimate limits, some devotees enjoy more happiness and someless. And in the final issue, those who practice the highest mode of theLord’s devotional service achieve one last extreme of perfection, theecstasy known only by those whose love focuses exclusively on thelotus feet of the divine paramour of the gopés. Relative to this, theposition of all other devotees is inferior. The nature of Vaikuëöha, the

spiritual kingdom, is such that each devotee, regardless of his mood of devotion, feels that in pursuing the tendencies of his heart in his ownrelationship with the Lord the happiness he tastes is unsurpassable.Still, Uttarä wants to know what special destination awaits the Lord’smost exceptional devotees, those overflowing with spontaneous lovefor the lotus feet of Çré Nanda-kiçora.

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TEXT 21

Yae SavRNaErPae+Yae<a raDaadaSYaeC^v" ParMa( )SaªqTaRYaiNTa TaàaMa Taad*XaiPa[YaTaaMaYaa" ))

ye sarva-nairapekñyeëarädhä-däsyecchavaù paramsaìkértayanti tan-nämatädåça-priyatä-mayäù

ye—who; sarva—to everything; nairapekñyeëa—with indifference;rädhä-däsya—servitude to Çré Rädhä; icchavaù—desiring; param—only; saìkértayanti—they chant; tat —His; näma—name; tädåça—such; priyatä—with love; mayäù—full.

They chant His names and are full of unique love for Him.Indifferent to everything else, they want only to becomeservants of Çré Rädhä.

COMMENTARY: The devotees of Çré Rädhä, who is the dearmost belovedof Lord Madana-gopäla, are not impersonalists void of desires. Theyare fully confident that if Çré Rädhikä accepts them as Her servants,everything they desire will be achieved, and more. The privilege of serving Çré Rädhä is the rarest goal of life, and it is fitting that thisprivilege be attainable only by executing the most excellent of sädhanas. That is to say, one can please Her Divine Grace only by thesacrifice of purely chanting the names of Çré Räsa-rasika, the hero of

the räsa dance. In sweet voices the servants of Çré Rädhä alwaysmelodiously and loudly chant Kåñëa’s names. Such devotees areworthy to engage in such elevated service because their hearts arefilled with the supreme variety of spontaneous ecstatic love for Kåñëa.

TEXT 22

ANYaezaiMav Taeza& c Pa[aPYa& ced( ôà Ta*PYaiTa )Ahae NaNdYaXaaedadeNaR Sahe Taad*Xaq=& GaiTaMa(

))

anyeñäm iva teñäà capräpyaà ced hån na tåpyatiaho nanda-yaçodäder na sahe tädåçéà gatim

anyeñäm—of others; iva—like; teñäm—their; ca—and; präpyam—theobject of attainment; cet —if; håt —my heart; na tåpyati—will not be

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satisfied; aho—oh; nanda-yaçodä-ädeù—of Nanda, Yaçodä, and others;na sahe—I cannot tolerate; tädåçém—such; gatim—a destination.

If those special devotees attain only the same perfection asothers, my heart will be left discontent. For such devotees as

Nanda and Yaçodä to reach only the same destination—to methe very thought is intolerable.

COMMENTARY: Someone might propose that Çré Mathurä-puré, likeAyodhyä and Dvärakä, may be located in Vaikuëöha. The devotees of Rädhä and Kåñëa may thus have their Vaikuëöha Gokula where theycan enjoy pastimes with the Lord and feel happiness greater than thatof the Yädavas, just as the Yädavas enjoy happiness greater than thatof the Päëòavas. Uttarä, however, is not satisfied with this proposal.She cannot tolerate having the devotees of Gokula categorized withother, ordinary Vaiñëavas.

TEXT 23

ivivDaaNaa& MaihMNaa& ih Ya}a k-aïa" Para" Para" )k-ae$=INaa& PaYaRvSYaiNTa SaMaud]e SairTaae

YaQaa ))

vividhänäà mahimnäà hiyatra käñöhäù paräù paräùkoöénäà paryavasyantisamudre sarito yathä

vividhänäm—of various; mahimnäm—excellences; hi—indeed; yatra—in whom; käñöhäù—the limits; paräù paräù—most extreme; koöénäm—millions; paryavasyanti—accumulate; samudre—in the ocean; saritaù—rivers; yathä—as.

Varied and countless excellences flow into those devotees, likerivers into the ocean.

COMMENTARY: All varieties of perfection are fully manifest in thedevotees of Gokula. Those devotees are perfectly beautiful, charming,and graceful, and they are endowed with the valuable assets of religious duty, economic development, sense gratification,renunciation, knowledge, realization, devotion, and pure love of God.All these perfections are present within them to the utmost degreepossible for finite living beings. Whenever Çré Båhad-bhägavatämåta depicts the glories of devotees lesser than the residents of Gokula, itspurpose is to highlight the greater glories of the Gokula-väsés anddemonstrate that all varieties of excellence flow ultimately into the

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residents of Gokula, just as the waters of all rivers flow at last into theocean.

TEXT 24

TadQaRMauicTa& SQaaNaMaek&- vEku-<#=Ta"ParMa( )

APaei+aTaMavXYa& SYaataTPa[k-aXYaaeÖrSv MaaMa( ))

tad-artham ucitaà sthänamekaà vaikuëöhataù paramapekñitam avaçyaà syät tat prakäçyoddharasva mäm

tat-artham—for that reason; ucitam—appropriate; sthänam—place;ekam—one; vaikuëöhataù param—beyond Vaikuëöha; apekñitam—

expected; avaçyam—certainly; syät —there should be; tat —that; prakäçya—by revealing; uddharasva—please deliver; mäm—me.

Therefore a suitable place must surely exist for them, beyondVaikuëöha. Please reveal it to me and rescue me.

COMMENTARY: In this verse Mother Uttarä sums up her inquiry. Shereasons that there must be some place even greater than Vaikuëöha, aplace suitable for the enjoyment of devotees like Çré Nanda and Yaçodä. That place should have certain qualifications. It should bedevoid of thought that the Lord is the supreme all-powerful controller

(in other words, it should be free from awe and reverence). It should beuntainted by flaws that impede the growth of ecstatic love. It should beinvisible to those who are addicted to dry knowledge. And it should beapproachable only by those dearmost servants of the Lord who delightin being caught under the sway of a prema untasted in this world orany other. That place should be the quintessence of attractiveness, aplace fully enriched with the unique, indescribable bliss of transcendental rasa. It should be sweeter than the sweet, superior tothe superior, describable only by great saints who forever relish thetaste of Çré Kåñëa’s lotus feet, saints like Närada, for surely he mustsing the glories of that place with his véëä. “Such a unique place mustcertainly exist,” Uttarä thinks, “but because it is most confidential and Iam not very intelligent I am unable to ascertain its identity.” Therefore,lost in an ocean of sadness, in waves of doubt, in deep currents of confusion, she asks her son, Parékñit, to reveal that place to her bydescribing it in words. By doing this he will lift her out of the ocean of sorrow.

Of course, the blessed district of Mathurä, the best of all places, isalready manifest on earth and can most certainly provide Çré Nanda

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and others the exceptional happiness of taking part in the Lord’swonderful pastimes. But Uttarä has doubts because that Mathurä iswithin the material world. Thus she is asking whether anothertranscendental location exists for the pastimes of Kåñëa and Hisfavorite devotees. To external vision the modern residents of the

earthly Mathurä seem subject to the bodily transformations of disease,old age, and death and so appear entangled in mundane illusion.Unlike the Lord’s abode in Vaikuëöha, the Mathurä on earth does notseem to award immediate perfection to everyone who merely stepsinto it. So Uttarä doubts whether the earthly Mathurä is in fact theultimate goal of human endeavor. And she suspects that at the time of the universal annihilation or of the partial annihilation of the threemiddle planetary systems, the district of Mathurä may disappear.

This question raised by Mother Uttarä, although subtle and thereforedifficult, will gradually be answered by Parékñit through the story of Gopa-kumära. First Parékñit will describe Çré Goloka in the spiritual

world as the destination of Kåñëa’s most intimate devotees, and thenhe will speak about the pleasure pastimes Kåñëa performs both thereand in the Mathurä on earth. Although the earthly Mathurä is locatedwithin the material realm, it remains untouched by the influence of illusion, just as the Supreme Lord Himself, His devotees, and Hispastimes remain unaffected by illusion when they descend to thematerial world. As Çré Närada Muni will state later in Çré Båhad-bhägavatämåta (2.5.55):

nänä-vidhäs tasya paricchadä yenämäni léläù priya-bhümayaç ca

satyäni nityäny akhiläni tadvadekäny anekäni ca täni viddhi

“All the paraphernalia of the Lord’s service, including His names, Hispastimes, and His favorite abodes, assume various forms. You shouldunderstand that just as each of these forms is eternally real, each issimultaneously one and many.”

Yogamäyä, the spiritual energy of the Lord, arranges for the present-day residents of Mathurä to appear to undergo materialtransformations. The Lord’s spiritual energy does this to delude thenondevotees and satisfy the Lord’s devotees, just as she prevents

nondevotees from feeling ecstasy even after having personal audienceof the Lord, the embodiment of highest bliss. This subject will beexplained later, in the narration of Gopa-kumära’s sojourn in Tapoloka.

That the glories of earthly Mathurä are hidden from ordinary eyesindicates the greatness of that abode. Indeed, the earthly Mathurä andits glories are eternal; they are not destroyed even when the universeis annihilated. Devotees who think that Mathurä may in the futuredisappear are mistaken, because in fact Mathurä is beyond

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destruction, even by the Lord’s ultimate divine weapon, the Sudarçanadisc, which is the governing force underlying material time, thedestroyer of the worlds. All the same, Mother Uttarä is asking aboutsome other supreme place because the greatness of earthly Mathurä isnot at once perceived and because many people have not heard about

the wonderful activities the Personality of Godhead displays there.In fact the glories of the earthly Mathurä in some ways surpass thoseof the spiritual planet Goloka, and Çré Båhad-bhägavatämåta,therefore, will describe how Gopa-kumära, after realizing the glories of Goloka, learned about this from Çré Närada. The original Personality of Godhead Çré Kåñëa descends to Mathurä in this world with all Hisbeauty and other attributes to exhibit unprecedented playful activities.And when the entire universe or the three middle planetary systemsare destroyed, the earthly Mathurä becomes invisible and merges backinto Çré Goloka. In other words, Mathurä is not destroyed; it remainsunchanged, above the wheel of time. But because the Lord’s pastimes

are then no longer perceivable in Mathurä on earth, it seems that thePersonality of Godhead continues to enjoy Himself only in thecorresponding spiritual realm, Goloka. And so Çré Goloka is consideredthe ultimate destination of spiritual endeavor.

Çré Närada may sometimes ascribe to Mathurä on earth glories evengreater than those of Goloka, but that is not contradictory. Since thetwo places are in essence nondifferent, whatever is said about one of them is true of the other.

TEXT 25

é[qJaEiMaiNaåvacMaaTaurev& MaharMYaPa[éneNaaNaiNdTa" SauTa" ) Taa& NaTva Saaé[uraeMaaÄMaare>ae

Pa[iTa>aaizTauMa( ))

çré-jaiminir uväcamätur evaà mahä-ramya-praçnenänanditaù sutaùtäà natvä säçru-romäïcamärebhe pratibhäñitum

çré- jaiminiù uväca—Çré Jaimini said; mätuù—of his mother; evam—thus; mahä-ramya—most pleasing; praçnena—by the inquiry; änanditaù—delighted; sutaù—the son; täm—to her; natvä—bowingdown; sa-açru—with tears; roma-aïcam—and bodily hairs standing onend; ärebhe—began; pratibhäñitum—to reply.

Çré Jaimini said: Delighted by this most pleasing inquiry fromMother Uttarä, her son, Parékñit, bowed down to her and

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began his reply. Tears poured from his eyes, and his bodilyhairs stood on end.

COMMENTARY: Parékñit will begin his reply by complimenting his motherfor her excellent question and by offering respects to his worshipable

Lord.

TEXT 26

é[qParqi+aduvacé[qk*-Z<aJaqivTae MaaTaSTadqYaivrhaSahe ) TavEv YaaeGYa" Pa[énae_Ya& Na k*-Taae Yaê kE-êNa ))

çré-parékñid uväcaçré-kåñëa-jévite mätastadéya-virahäsahe

tavaiva yogyaù praçno ’yaàna kåto yaç ca kaiçcana

çré- parékñit uväca—Çré Parékñit said; çré-kåñëa—for Çré Kåñëa; jévite—whose existence; mätaù—my dear mother; tadéya—of Him; viraha—the separation; asahe—who cannot tolerate; tava—your; eva—indeed; yogyaù—praiseworthy; praçnaù—question; ayam—this; na—not; kåtaù—made before; yaù—which; ca—and; kaiçcana—by any persons.

Çré Parékñit said: My dear mother, for you, who live only forÇré Kåñëa, separation from Him is intolerable. This question of

yours is most praiseworthy. No one has ever asked thisquestion before.

COMMENTARY: Parékñit wishes to encourage his mother so that her mindwill easily focus on what he is about to say. He calls her çré-kåñëa- jévitä, which means either “one who lives only for Çré Kåñëa” or “onewhom Çré Kåñëa brought back to life,” the second meaning alluding toKåñëa’s saving the life of Uttarä by stopping the brahmästra of Açvatthämä. Uttarä is known for having suffered greatly in separationfrom Kåñëa. As Süta Gosvämé described in the First Canto of Çrémad-Bhägavatam (1.10.9–10):

subhadrä draupadé kuntéviräöa-tanayä tathägändhäré dhåtaräñöraç cayuyutsur gautamo yamau

våkodaraç ca dhaumyaç castriyo matsya-sutädayaù

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na sehire vimuhyantovirahaà çärìga-dhanvanaù

“Subhadrä, Draupadé, Kunté, Uttarä, and Gändhäré, and Dhåtaräñöra, Yuyutsu, Kåpäcärya, and Nakula and Sahadeva, and Bhémasena and

Dhaumya, and ladies such as the daughter of Matsya all nearly faintedbecause it was impossible for them to bear separation from LordKåñëa.”

King Viräöa, the father of Uttarä, was adopted along with his sister,Satyavaté, by a fisherman (Matsya). Since Viräöa was also calledMatsya, the name Matsya-sutä (“daughter of a fisherman”) canindicate either Satyavaté or her niece Uttarä. If we take the second of these alternatives, Uttarä is mentioned twice in these two verses,indicating that she hankered for Kåñëa in separation even moreintensely than the others. Therefore it is quite appropriate for her toask so confidentially about Kåñëa’s devotional service. Tavaiva yogyaù

praçnaù means “The only relevant question is yours [tava eva].” Fewother persons would have had the proper devotional attitude to asksuch a question.

TEXT 27

iNaJaiPa[YaSa%SYaa}a é[qSau>ad]aPaTaerhMa( ) YaeNa PaaE}aTaYaa Ga>aeR Tav SaÂNMa l/iM>aTa" ))

nija-priya-sakhasyätraçré-subhadrä-pater aham

yena pautratayä garbhetava saj-janma lambhitaù

nija—own; priya-sakhasya—of His dear friend (Arjuna); atra—here; çré-subhadrä- pateù—of the husband of Çré Subhadrä; aham—I; yena—bywhom; pautratayä—as a grandson; garbhe—in the womb; tava—your;sat - janma—the auspicious birth; lambhitaù—obtained.

Kåñëa Himself granted me the fortunate privilege to be bornhere from your womb as a grandson of His dear friend Arjuna,the husband of Çré Subhadrä.

COMMENTARY: Parékñit realizes that only by the special mercy of ÇréKåñëa will he be able to answer his mother’s question, and accordinglyhe offers his homage to Kåñëa. In texts 27 through 31 he firstdescribes the favors Kåñëa showed him throughout his life.

In this verse the word atra (“here”) has several related meanings:Parékñit was born in the holy land of Bhärata-varña, in its most piouscentral region, in the human species, in a dynasty of great kñatriyas,

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and from the womb of Uttarä as the grandson of Kåñëa’s friend Arjuna.His birth was sat, auspicious, because it was connected with Kåñëa.Kåñëa protected Parékñit’s unborn body from being destroyed by theweapon of Açvatthämä. And Parékñit’s grandmother was Subhadrä,Kåñëa’s sister, not any other of Arjuna’s wives.

TEXT 28

Ga>aaRNTare c Da*Tac§-GadeNa YaeNab]øañTaae_hMaivTa" SaihTaae >avTYaa )

baLYae Narezu iNaJaæPaParq+a<a& cNaqTaae Mauhu" ParMa>aaGavTaaeicTa& YaTa( ))

garbhäntare ca dhåta-cakra-gadena yenabrahmästrato ’ham avitaù sahito bhavatyäbälye nareñu nija-rüpa-parékñaëaà ca

néto muhuù parama-bhägavatocitaà yat

garbha-antare—within the womb; ca—and; dhåta—holding; cakra—disc; gadena—and club; yena—by whom; brahma-astrataù—from thebrahmästra weapon; aham—I; avitaù—protected; sahitaù—togetherwith; bhavatyä—your good self; bälye—in childhood; nareñu—amongmen; nija-rüpa—for His form; parékñaëam—to the searching; ca—and;nétaù—led; muhuù—repeatedly; parama-bhägavata—of topmostVaiñëavas; ucitam—worthy; yat —which.

To protect both me and you from the brahmästra weapon,

Kåñëa appeared within your womb holding His disc and club. Inmy childhood He led me to search constantly among men forHis own form, a meditation worthy of the most exaltedVaiñëavas.

COMMENTARY: When Lord Kåñëa entered the womb of Uttarä to protecther child, He assumed His four-armed form and used both His disc andHis club to dispel the brahmästra. This pastime is described in the Firstand Tenth Cantos of Çrémad-Bhägavatam:

kñatajäkñaà gadä-päëim

ätmanaù sarvato diçam paribhramantam ulkäbhäàbhrämayantaà gadäà muhuù

“With four long, beautiful arms, earrings of fiery gold, eyes blood redwith fury, and His club constantly encircling Him like a shooting star,the Lord whirled about the child.” (Bhägavatam 1.12.9)

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drauëy-astra-vipluñöam idaà mad-aìgaàsantäna-béjaà kuru-päëòavänäm

jugopa kukñià gata ätta-cakromätuç ca me yaù çaraëaà gatäyäù

“Because my mother surrendered unto Lord Kåñëa’s lotus feet, theLord, Sudarçana cakra in hand, entered her womb and saved my body,the body of the last remaining descendant of the Kurus and thePäëòavas, which was almost destroyed by the fiery weapon of Açvatthämä.” (Bhägavatam 10.1.6)

The sight of the Lord’s beautiful form within his mother’s wombgreatly impressed the unborn Parékñit:

aìguñöha-mätram amalaàsphurat-puraöa-maulinamapévya-darçanaà çyämaà

taòid väsasam acyutam

çrémad-dérgha-catur-bähuàtapta-käïcana-kuëòalam

“The Lord was only thumb high, but He was all transcendental. He hada beautiful, blackish, infallible body, and He wore a dress of lightningyellow and a helmet of blazing gold. The Lord was enriched with fourhands and with earrings of molten gold. Thus He was seen by thechild.” (Bhägavatam 1.12.8–9)

All through his childhood, Parékñit tried to find the same Lord he had

seen in the womb. Whenever he saw a similar-looking person he wouldask himself, “Is this the same one?” Çrémad-Bhägavatam (1.12.30)describes the origin of his name:

sa eña loke vikhyätaùparékñid iti yat prabhuù

pürvaà dåñöam anudhyäyanparékñeta nareñv iha

“He would become famous in the world as Parékñit [examiner]because he would come to examine all human beings in his search for

that personality whom he saw before his birth. Thus he would come toconstantly contemplate the Lord.” In this way, even in early childhoodParékñit always meditated on the all-attractive form of Çré Kåñëa.

TEXT 29

YaeNaaNauvTas MahTaa& Gau<aE" k*-Taaeiv:YaaiPaTaae_h& k-il/iNaGa[he<a )

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SaMPaaÛ raJYaié[YaMaÙuTaa& TaTaaeiNaveRidTaae >aUSaurXaaPadaPaNaaTa( ))

yenänuvarté mahatäà guëaiù kåtovikhyäpito ’haà kali-nigraheëa

sampädya räjya-çriyam adbhutäà tatonirvedito bhüsura-çäpa-däpanät

yena—by which; anuvarté—attended; mahatäm—of great saints;guëaiù—with the qualities; kåtaù—made; vikhyäpitaù—famous; aham—I; kali-nigraheëa—by subduing Kali; sampädya—gaining; räjya-çriyam—royal opulence; adbhutäm—wonderful; tataù—subsequently;nirveditaù—made to renounce; bhüsura—through the agency of abrähmaëa; çäpa—of a curse; däpanät —by the causing to give.

By Him I was endowed with the qualities of great saints and

made famous for subduing Kali. By faithfully following Him Igained wonderful royal opulences. Then, through a brähmaëa’scurse, He made me renounce everything.

COMMENTARY: By Çré Kåñëa’s blessings, Parékñit had many saintlyqualities, like selfless care for the people, respect for brahminicalauthority, and strict adherence to his promises. These qualities heinherited from his ancestors, who were pious kings. As the brähmaëa astrologers told Yudhiñöhira Mahäräja at the time of Parékñit’s birth:

pärtha prajävitä säkñäd

ikñväkur iva mänavaùbrahmaëyaù satya-sandhaç carämo däçarathir yathä

“O son of Påthä, this child will be exactly like King Ikñväku, son of Manu, in maintaining all those who are born. And in following thebrahminical principles, especially in being true to his promise, he willbe exactly like Räma, the Personality of Godhead, the son of MahäräjaDaçaratha.

eña dätä çaraëyaç ca

yathä hy auçénaraù çibiù yaço-vitanitä svänäàdauñyantir iva yajvanäm

“This child will be a munificent donor of charity and protector of thesurrendered, like the famous King Çibi of the Uçénara country. And hewill expand the name and fame of his family like Bharata, the son of Mahäräja Duñyanta.

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dhanvinäm agraëér eñatulyaç cärjunayor dvayoùhutäça iva durdharñaùsamudra iva dustaraù

“Amongst great bowmen, he will be as good as the two Arjunas[Päëòava Arjuna and Kärtavérya Arjuna]. He will be as irresistible asfire and as unsurpassable as the ocean.

mågendra iva vikräntoniñevyo himavän ivatitikñur vasudheväsausahiñëuù pitaräv iva

“He will be as strong as a lion, and as worthy a shelter as the Himälaya

Mountains. He will be forbearing like the earth, and as tolerant as hisparents.

pitämaha-samaù sämyeprasäde giriçopamaùäçrayaù sarva-bhütänäàyathä devo ramäçrayaù

“In equanimity of mind he will be like his grandfather Yudhiñöhira orBrahmä. He will be munificent like Çiva, the lord of the Kailäsa Hill. Andhe will be the resort of everyone, like the Supreme Personality of

Godhead Näräyaëa, who is even the shelter of the goddess of fortune.

sarva-sad-guëa-mähätmyeeña kåñëam anuvrataùrantideva ivodäroyayätir iva dhärmikaù

“The child will be almost as good as Lord Çré Kåñëa by following in Hisfootsteps. In magnanimity he will become as great as King Rantideva,and in religion like Mahäräja Yayäti.

dhåtyä bali-samaù kåñëeprahräda iva sad-grahaù

“He will be like Bali Mahäräja in patience and a staunch devotee of Lord Kåñëa like Prahläda Mahäräja.” (Bhägavatam 1.12.19–25)

While on a victory tour of his kingdom, Parékñit came to Kurukñetra,on the shore of the east-flowing Sarasvaté, and there confronted Kali,the personification of the modern age. Kali, in the form of a çüdra, was

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committing violence against a cow and a bull, who were actually thegoddess Earth and personified Religion. Parékñit subdued Kali, andthus for the duration of his own reign he limited the spread of Kali’sinfluence. For this accomplishment he became world-famous.

By Kåñëa’s grace Parékñit’s rule was a source of amazement to

everyone. The kingdom was free from disturbance and abundant inwealth. But Parékñit lost interest in his royal opulence in a moment,when cursed by Çåìgi, the son of the sage Çaméka. The brähmaëa’s son cursed the king thus:

iti laìghita-maryädaàtakñakaù saptame ’hanidaìkñyati sma kuläìgäraàcodito me tata-druham

“On the seventh day from today a snake-bird will bite that most

wretched member of the dynasty because of his having broken thelaws of etiquette by insulting my father.” (Bhägavatam 1.18.37)Parékñit understood, however, that this curse was also Kåñëa’s

arrangement for his benefit; otherwise, the king would never havecommitted such an offense against a pure sage,or the young son of thesage would never have cursed the king, or Kåñëa would haveempowered the king to neutralize the curse. The immediate effect of the curse was to awaken Parékñit’s sense of renunciation:

tasyaiva me ’ghasya parävareçovyäsakta-cittasya gåheñv abhékñëam

nirveda-mülo dvija-çäpa-rüpoyatra prasakto bhayam äçu dhatte

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the controller of both thetranscendental and mundane worlds, has graciously overtaken me inthe form of a brähmaëa’s curse. Because of my being too muchattached to family life, the Lord, in order to save me, has appearedbefore me in such a way that only out of fear I will detach myself fromthe world.” (Bhägavatam 1.19.14) Because Parékñit was engrossed inhousehold obligations, he considered himself sinful. But he wasgrateful that Çré Kåñëa, just to draw him close, appeared to him in the

form of the brähmaëa’s curse. When an attached person in family lifereceives such a curse, he naturally becomes frightened. This isauspicious for the conditioned soul because fear can help inspirerenunciation and in renunciation Kåñëa can be achieved. ThereforeKåñëa arranged for the brähmaëa boy to curse Parékñit.

TEXT 30

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TaiC^ZYaæPae<a c MaiTPa[Ya& Ta&Sa&é[aVYa XaaPa& iNal/YaaNDakU-PaaTa( )

é[qvaSaudeveNa ivk*-ZYa NaqTa"Pa[aYaaePaveXaaYa MaiTa& ÛuNaÛaMa( ))

tac-chiñya-rüpeëa ca mat-priyaà taàsaàçrävya çäpaà nilayändha-küpät çré-väsudevena vikåñya nétaùpräyopaveçäya matià dyu-nadyäm

tat —of him (the brähmaëa sage Çaméka); çiñya-rüpeëa—in the form of a disciple (his son Çåìgi); ca—and; mat —to me; priyam—dear; tam—that; saàçrävya—being made to hear; çäpam—the curse; nilaya—of home; andha-küpät —out of the blind well; çré-väsudevena—by ÇréVäsudeva (Kåñëa); vikåñya—being pulled; nétaù—being led; präya-upaveçäya—to fast till death; matim—to the decision; dyu-nadyäm—by

the river of heaven (Çré Gaìgä).

When I heard of that curse, I took it as most welcome. ÇréVäsudeva, in the form of a brähmaëa’s disciple, was draggingme out of the blind well of family life and guiding me to chooseto fast till death on the shore of the celestial Gaìgä.

COMMENTARY: By another fortunate circumstance, someone informedParékñit that he was cursed to die in seven days. Had Parékñitremained unaware of this news, he would never have gone to the bankof the Gaìgä to fast in preparation for death. Although Parékñit has

poetically described the brähmaëa’s curse as a cause of fear, the truthis that when Parékñit learned of the curse he was unfearing and evenpleased. He was already hoping for such a reaction to his offense. Thushe says here, mat-priyaà tam: “I took it as most welcome.” In the lastchapter of the First Canto of Çrémad-Bhägavatam (1.19.2), just beforehearing of the curse, Parékñit expressed his mind:

dhruvaà tato me kåta-deva-helanädduratyayaà vyasanaà näti-dérghät tad astu kämaà hy agha-niñkåtäya meyathä na kuryäà punar evam addhä

“Due to neglecting the injunctions of the Supreme Lord, I mustcertainly expect some difficulty to overcome me in the near future. Inow desire without reservation that the calamity come directly uponme at once, for in this way I may be freed of the sinful reaction and notcommit such an offense again.” He wanted the reaction to comeimmediately, without delay (näti-dérghät ). And he wanted the

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punishment to fall directly on himself (addhä), rather than on one of his sons or someone else.

Here Parékñit calls his family life a blind well, a well from which hewas incapable of lifting himself. Çré Kåñëa very kindly pulled him outof that well and brought him to the shore of the celestial river Gaìgä.

Kåñëa, as Lord Väsudeva, the presiding Deity of consciousness, alsoattracted Parékñit’s mind to the idea of fasting from food and drinkuntil death. Because the Lord personally took control of him, Parékñitdid not remain in his palace and try to counteract the curse byperforming yajïa (sacrifice) and präyaçcitta (atonement for anaccidental fall into sinful activity).

Kåñëa is Väsudeva, the Supersoul of all, and He is the son of ÇréVasudeva, who is a reservoir of supreme compassion and gentleness. Therefore it was only natural for Kåñëa to favor His dear devoteeParékñit by arranging such a circumstance.

TEXT 31

MauNaqNd]GaaeïaMauPadeXYa Tatv&Xauk-aTMaNaa YaeNa >aYa& iNarSYa )

Pa[MaaeÛ c SviPa[YaSa®daNaaTa(k-QaaMa*Ta& SaMPa[iTa c Pa[PaaYYae ))

munéndra-goñöhyäm upadeçya tattvaàçukätmanä yena bhayaà nirasya

pramodya ca sva-priya-saìga-dänät kathämåtaà samprati ca prapäyye

muni-indra—of most eminent sages; goñöhyäm—in the assembly;upadeçya—being taught; tattvam—the Supreme Truth; çuka-ätmanä—in the form of Çukadeva; yena—by whom; bhayam—fear; nirasya—being dispelled; pramodya—being delighted; ca—and; sva- priya—of Hisdear devotees; saìga—of the association; dänät —by the gift; kathä-amåtam—the nectar of His topics; samprati—now; ca—and; prapäyye—I shall help you drink.

In the assembly of most eminent sages, the Lord dispelled myfear by explaining the truth through Çukadeva. And the Lord

delighted me by granting the association of His dear devotees.Now I shall help you drink the nectar of topics about the Lord.

COMMENTARY: Many eminent sages like Vasiñöha, Paräçara, Vyäsa, andNärada assembled to witness Parékñit’s passing away. The wordgoñöhyäm, which sometimes means “in a discussion,” indicates thatfirst there was some debate among the sages, as described in ÇréHari-bhakti-sudhodaya (3.20–21):

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tena te devatä-tattvaàpåñöä vädän vitenirenänä-çästra-vido viprämithaù sädhana-düñaëaiù

harir daivaà çivo daivaàbhäskaro daivam ity utakäla eva svabhävas tukarmaiveti påthag jaguù

“Having been asked the truth about the Supreme Lord, the sages, whowere expert in many scriptures, expounded a number of differenttheories. Each sage tried to refute the validity of what the othersrecommended for spiritual practice. They made various opposingclaims: ‘Hari is the Supreme Lord.’ ‘Çiva is the Supreme Lord.’ ‘The sun

is the Supreme Lord.’ ‘Time is the Supreme.’ ‘Man’s nature issupreme.’ ‘Karma is supreme.’ ” The word goñöhyäm can also mean “in the assembly.” Taken that

way, it indicates that what Çukadeva told Parékñit was irrefutablyauthoritative because the greatest sages of the universe unanimouslyapproved it. The philosophical disagreements ended with the arrival of Çukadeva. Through Çukadeva, the son of Vyäsa, Kåñëa Himself imparted to Parékñit the essential spiritual instructions of Çrémad-Bhägavatam. Çukadeva enlightened Parékñit in two ways. By teachingthe factual nature of the body and the soul, he removed Parékñit’s fear—his fear of the bite of the snake-bird Takñaka and of the cycle of birth

and death. And by teaching about transcendental topics such as theglories of devotional service to the Personality of Godhead, Çukadevafilled Parékñit with joy.

By the time Parékñit spoke this verse to his mother, his divinespiritual master had already gone away, and the time for death hadarrived. But Kåñëa continued to favor Parékñit by again blessing himwith the association of a saintly Vaiñëava, namely his own mother.Parékñit therefore says to her, “Now let me serve you hari-kathämåta, the excellent nectarean topics of the Lord.” To be able to drink hari-kathämåta in the company of the Lord’s beloved devotees is the mostdesirable achievement in life.

TEXT 32

k*-Z<a& Pa[<aMYa iNaåPaaiDak*-Paak-r& TaMa(Sa&vDYaR ivPa[vcNaadrTaae Ga*hqTa& )

SvSYaaNTak-al/iMadMaek-MaNaa b]uve TaePa[énaetar& Sak-l/vEZ<avXaañSaarMa( ))

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kåñëaà praëamya nirupädhi-kåpäkaraà tamsaàvardhya vipra-vacanädarato gåhétaàsvasyänta-kälam idam eka-manä bruve tepraçnottaraà sakala-vaiñëava-çästra-säram

kåñëam—to Kåñëa; praëamya—paying my obeisances; nirupädhi—unconditional; kåpä—of mercy; äkaram—the reservoir; tam—to Him;saàvardhya—being postponed; vipra—of the brähmaëa; vacana—forthe words; ädarataù—out of respect; gåhétam—accepted; svasya—my;anta—of the demise; kälam—the time; idam—this; eka-manäù—withone-pointed attention; bruve—I shall speak; te—you; praçna—to thequestion; uttaram—the answer; sakala—of all; vaiñëava-çästra—Vaiñëava scriptures; säram—the essence.

I bow down to Him, Çré Kåñëa, the reservoir of causelessmercy. Out of respect for the words of the brähmaëa, I have

accepted the appointed time for my demise. That time beingmomentarily delayed, I shall answer your question with one-pointed attention by describing the essence of all Vaiñëavascriptures.

COMMENTARY: Someone might think it inappropriate for a saintly personlike Parékñit Mahäräja to advertise his own good qualities. Anticipatingsuch a doubt, Parékñit explains that everything praiseworthy he hassaid about himself is due only to the causeless mercy of Kåñëa. Kåñëais the source of all undeserved mercy; if we see a generous person actkindly to someone undeserving, that kindness is but a small portion

from the original, infinite repository of causeless mercy. “Thus,”Parékñit submits, “even though I am the most fallen and unworthysoul, devoid of good qualities, many excellences have appeared in me,and these are nothing other than excellences of Kåñëa. My speakingpraise of myself, therefore, is faultless.”

These moments are supposed to be the last of King Parékñit’s life,but somehow they are being extended so that he has time to satisfyhis mother, who wants to hear the essence of the nectar of Çrémad-Bhägavatam. Parékñit thus intends to give full attention to his answer,even at the cost of the yogic meditation he should perform whilepreparing for death.

TEXT 33

é[uiTaSMa*TaqNaa& vaKYaaiNaSaa+aataaTPaYaRTaae_PYahMa( )

VYaa:YaaYa baeDaiYaTvETatva& SaNTaaeziYaTau&+aMa" ))

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çruti-småténäà väkyänisäkñät tätparyato ’py ahamvyäkhyäya bodhayitvaitat tväà santoñayituà kñamaù

çruti—of çrutis; småténäm—and of småtis; väkyäni—the statements;säkñät —literally; tätparyataù—by the implication of their purports; api—also; aham—I; vyäkhyäya—by explaining; bodhayitvä—making youunderstand; etat —this; tväm—you; santoñayitum—to satisfy; kñamaù—am capable.

I could satisfy your request by explaining to you thestatements of the çrutis and småtis, both in their literalmeaning and in their implications.

COMMENTARY: One way to answer his mother’s inquiry would be to

systematically explain the authoritative philosophical statements of revealed scriptures. To do this, he would carefully have to discernwhich scriptural passages should be accepted literally and which needto be interpreted conditionally or figuratively to agree with what hasalready been established as real.

TEXT 34

TaQaaiPa SvGaurae" Pa[aá&Pa[SaadaTSa&XaYaiC^dMa( )

A}aeiTahaSaMaadaE Tae VYa¢-aQa| k-QaYaaMYaMauMa(

))

tathäpi sva-guroù präptaàprasädät saàçaya-cchidamatretihäsam ädau tevyaktärthaà kathayämy amum

tathä api—nonetheless; sva-guroù—of my spiritual master; präptam—obtained; prasädät —by the mercy; saàçaya—doubts; chidam—whichdestroys; atra—taking this opportunity; itihäsam—a history; ädau—first; te—your; vyakta-artham—for the clarification; kathayämi—I shalltell; amum—this.

But I prefer to clarify this subject for you by first relating ahistory I learned by the mercy of my spiritual master. Thisnarration will dispel your doubts.

COMMENTARY: Vyäsa never formally initiated his son ÇukadevaGosvämé, and Çukadeva never formally initiated his student Parékñit.

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Nonetheless, the entire tradition of hearing Çrémad-Bhägavatam in thetranscendental bhägavata line of disciplic succession rests on thefoundation of the relationship between Çukadeva and Parékñit as guruand disciple.

Parékñit will recount in his own words the essence of what he heard

from his guru, taking care to present the literal facts in the moststraightforward way. He does not want his mother to suffer anyconfusion or doubt.

TEXT 35

ivPa[ae iNaiZk-ÄNa" k-iêTPaura Pa[aGJYaaeiTaze Paure )vSaàjaTaXaañaQaaeR bhud]iv<ak-aMYaYaa ))

vipro niñkiïcanaù kaçcit purä prägjyotiñe pure

vasann ajïäta-çästrärthobahu-draviëa-kämyayä

vipraù—a brähmaëa; niñkiïcanaù—poor; kaçcit —certain; purä—longago; prägjyotiñe pure—in the city of Prägjyotiña; vasan—was living;ajïäta—not knowing; çästra-arthaù—the meaning of the scriptures;bahu-draviëa—after much wealth; kämyayä—hankering.

Long ago in the city of Prägjyotiña there lived a poorbrähmaëa. He was ignorant of the teachings of scripture, andhe hankered after abundant wealth.

TEXTS 36–37

Ta}aTYadevq=& k-aMaa:Yaa& é[ÖYaaNauidNa& >aJaNa()

TaSYaa" Sak-aXaatauíaYaa" SvPane MaN}a&dXaa+arMa( ))

le/>ae MadNaGaaePaal/cr<aaM>aaeJadEvTaMa( ) TaÖyaNaaidivDaaNaa!y& Saa+aaidv MahaiNaiDaMa( ))

tatratya-devéà kämäkhyäàçraddhayänu-dinaà bhajantasyäù sakäçät tuñöäyäùsvapne mantraà daçäkñaram

lebhe madana-gopäla-caraëämbhoja-daivatamtad-dhyänädi-vidhänäòhyaà

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säkñäd iva mahä-nidhim

tatratya—of that place; devém—the goddess; käma-äkhyäm—Kämäkhyä; çraddhayä—faithfully; anu-dinam—every day; bhajan—worshiping; tasyäù sakäçät —from her; tuñöäyäù—who was satisfied;

svapne—in a dream; mantram—the mantra; daça-akñaram—of tensyllables; lebhe—he received; madana-gopäla—of Madana-gopäla;caraëa-ambhoja—the lotus feet; daivatam—whose object of worship;tat —of that; dhyäna-ädi—for the meditation and so on; vidhäna—withthe prescriptions; äòhyam—included; säkñät —directly; iva—as if;mahä-nidhim—a great treasure.

Every day he would faithfully worship Kämäkhyä, the goddessof that place. And when she became satisfied he received fromher in a dream the ten-syllable mantra for worshiping the lotusfeet of Madana-gopäla. The goddess also gave him instructions

on how to meditate upon the mantra and perform variousdetails of practice. The mantra manifested itself before himlike a valuable treasure-chest opened right before his eyes.

COMMENTARY: This brähmaëa lived in the northeast of India, in what isnow the state of Assam. His city, Prägjyotiña, had been the capital of Bhaumäsura during the time of the advent of Lord Kåñëa. Thebrähmaëa had never studied the scriptures properly and had neverheard a basic explanation of their message from authorized teachers. That such an unfortunate fool achieved his ambitions proves thepotency of the mantra he received.

The ten-syllable gopäla-mantra is defined in esoteric terms in thebook Krama-dépikä, an old Vaiñëava tantra by Keçava Äcärya. Vedicand tantric mantras should be chanted only by qualified persons whohave received them through proper initiation. Therefore, when booksdiscuss these mantras, special efforts are made to disguise the exactsyllables of the mantra. Sometimes a few syllables are changed orinverted in the description, or sometimes, as in the Krama-dépikä’spresentation of this gopäla-mantra, the explanation is impossible tounderstand by those who are unfamiliar with the cryptic code beingused. Thus Krama-dépikä (2.5) describes the ten-syllable gopäla-mantra as follows: çärìgé sottara-dantaù çüro vämäkñi-yug-dvitéyo

’rëaù, çülé çaurir bälo balänuja-dvayam athäkñara-catuñkam. “Theholder of the bow Çarìga, the upper teeth, then Çüra, and the secondletter conjoined with the goddess Vänäkñé, then the bearer of thetrident, and Çauri, and Bäla, and twice the younger brother of Bala,and four more syllables.”

The Deity worshiped by this mantra is Çré Madana-gopäla, whohappens to be the worshipable Deity of Çréla Sanätana Gosvämé.Kämäkhyä Devé gave the brähmaëa not only the mantra but also the

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method for meditating on the mantra’s Deity; and, as implied by theword ädi (“and so on”), she also told him how to touch his body tosanctify it with the syllables of the mantra and how to worship theDeity through various means, including appropriate hand gestures.

How was the brähmaëa’s attention attracted away from his worship

of Devé? The gopäla-mantra made such a vivid impression on him thathe completely forgot his other religious activities.

TEXT 38

deVYaadeXaeNa Ta& MaN}a& iviv¢e- SaTaTa& JaPaNa( )DaNaeC^aYaa iNav*taae_>aU=çe>ae c ôid

iNav*RiTaMa( ))

devy-ädeçena taà mantraàvivikte satataà japan

dhanecchäyä nivåtto ’bhüllebhe ca hådi nirvåtim

devé—of the goddess; ädeçena—on the order; tam—that; mantram—mantra; vivikte—in a private place; satatam—constantly; japan—chanting; dhana—for wealth; icchäyäù—from the desire; nivåttaù—detached; abhüt —he became; lebhe—he obtained; ca—and; hådi—inhis heart; nirvåtim—satisfaction.

On the order of the goddess, he chanted the mantra constantlyto himself in a secluded place. Gradually he gave up his desire

for wealth, and his heart became satisfied.

COMMENTARY: The brähmaëa was so foolish that he ignored the adviceof the goddess and dismissed the mantra as the false creation of adream. She then appeared to him in a second dream to repeat herinstructions.

TEXT 39

vSTauTatvaNai>ajae_NYaTSa ik-iÄTPaarl/aEik-k-Ma( )

SaaDaNa& ik-l/ SaaDYa& c vTaRMaaNaMaMaNYaTa ))vastu-tattvänabhijïo ’nyat sa kiïcit pära-laukikamsädhanaà kila sädhyaà cavartamänam amanyata

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vastu-tattva—of the real facts; anabhijïaù—ignorant; anyat —other; saù—he; kiïcit —something; pära-laukikam—in the next world; sädhanam—the means; kila—indeed; sädhyam—the goal; ca—and; vartamänam—existing; amanyata—thought.

Ignorant of the real facts, he thought that something otherthan this mantra must be his means of success in the next lifeand something else must be his final goal.

COMMENTARY: Lacking discrimination, the brähmaëa was unable torecognize the value of the mantra relative to other things in his life; his judgment of what to accept and what to reject was impaired. But bythe grace of the mantra, his mind, previously uninterested in the nextlife, now began to turn in that direction. The goddess had withheldfrom him knowledge about the full power of this mantra, and so he wasimagining other goals and means of success. But as we shall see later

in this narration, the effectiveness of the gopäla-mantra, even whenknowledge about it is lacking, is evidence of its great potency. Themantra bestows all benefits even when chanted without faith orunderstanding.

TEXT 40

Ga*haidk&- PairTYaJYa >a[Ma&STaqQaeRzu i>a+aYaa )GaTaae iNavaRhYaNdeh& Ga®aSaaGarSa®MaMa( ))

gåhädikaà parityajya

bhramaàs tértheñu bhikñayägato nirvähayan dehaàgaìgä-sägara-saìgamam

gåha-ädikam—his home and so on; parityajya—leaving; bhraman—wandering; tértheñu—among various pilgrimage places; bhikñayä—bybegging; gataù—he went; nirvähayan—maintaining; deham—his body;gaìgä-sägara—of the river Gaìgä and the ocean; saìgamam—to themeeting place.

He left his home and other connections and began wandering

among pilgrimage places, maintaining his bodily needs bybegging. And thus he traveled to the place where the Gaìgämeets the ocean.

COMMENTARY: The brähmaëa’s chanting gradually increasing its effect,he soon gave up sinful activities and needless sense gratification andtook up a renounced life.

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TEXT 41

ivPa[aNa( Ga®aTa$e=_PaXYaTSavRivÛaivXaardaNa( )SvDaMaaRcariNarTaaNPa[aYaXaae Ga*ih<aae bhUNa( ))

viprän gaìgä-taöe ’paçyat sarva-vidyä-viçäradänsva-dharmäcära-niratänpräyaço gåhiëo bahün

viprän—brähmaëas; gaìgä-taöe—on the shore of the Gaìgä; apaçyat —he saw; sarva-vidyä—in all fields of knowledge; viçäradän—proficient;sva-dharma-äcära—in their prescribed duties; niratän—fixed; präyaçaù—for the most part; gåhiëaù—family men; bahün—many.

There on the shore of the Gaìgä he saw many brähmaëas,mostly family men, who were expert in all fields of knowledgeand devoted to performing their prescribed duties.

COMMENTARY: Since the tértha he was visiting, Gaìgä-sägara, was insouthern Bengal at the confluence of the Gaìgä and the sea, thebrähmaëas he met were Bengalis. They were expert in the fourteenVedic departments of learning enumerated in the Viñëu Puräëa(3.6.27):

aìgäni vedäç catväromémäàsä nyäya-vistaraù

dharma-çästraà puräëaà cavidyä hy etäç caturdaça

“The four Vedas, their six supplements, the Puräëas, the Dharma-çästras, the Mémäàsä interpretation of the Vedas, and the elaboratescience of Nyäya logic—these are the fourteen departments of learning.”

TEXT 42

TaEvR<YaRMaaNaMaacar& iNaTYaNaEiMaitak-aidk-Ma( )

AavXYak&- TaQaa k-aMYa& SvGa| Xaué[av TaTf-l/Ma( ))

tair varëyamänam äcäraànitya-naimittikädikamävaçyakaà tathä kämyaàsvargaà çuçräva tat-phalam

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TEXT 43

NaaNaaSaªLPavaKYaEê TadNauïaNaiNaïTaaMa( )d*=îa Ta}aaeidTaé[Ö" Pa[v*ta" iXai+aTa" Sa TaE" ))

nänä-saìkalpa-väkyaiç catad-anuñöhäna-niñöhatämdåñövä tatrodita-çraddhaùpravåttaù çikñitaù sa taiù

nänä—various; saìkalpa-väkyaiù—with statements of firm intention; ca—and; tat —of these (vows); anuñöhäna—for the performance;niñöhatäm—the determination; dåñövä—seeing; tatra—in this; udita—arose; çraddhaù—his faith; pravåttaù—became engaged; çikñitaù—taught; saù—he; taiù—by them.

From the various words they spoke to express theirdetermined vows, he saw how firm the brähmaëas were intheir intentions to perform these duties. His faith aroused, hebegan to follow this process according to their instructions.

COMMENTARY: The brähmaëa not only heard the glories of dharma intheory but saw exemplars practicing what they preached. He heardthem declare their intentions (saìkalpas) to perform such duties asbathing daily in the Gaìgä and then watched as they diligently carriedthese duties out. Although in all his life he had received no usefulspiritual education, these brähmaëas were now carefully teaching him

the principles of dharma according to their understanding.

TEXT 44

deVYaajadrTaae MaN}aMaiPa iNaTYa& rhae JaPaNa( ) TaTPa[>aavaà le/>ae_NTa" SaNTaaez& Taezu k-MaRSau

))

devy-äjïädarato mantramapi nityaà raho japantat-prabhävän na lebhe ’ntaù

santoñaà teñu karmasu

devé—of the goddess; äjïä—for the order; ädarataù—out of respect;mantram—his mantra; api—still; nityam—regularly; rahaù—in private; japan—chanting quietly; tat —of it; prabhävät —by the influence; nalebhe—he did not obtain; antaù—inner; santoñam—satisfaction; teñu—their; karmasu—in the ritual activities.

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Out of respect for the goddess’s order, he regularly continuedto chant his mantra quietly in private. And by the influence of the mantra, he felt no inner satisfaction from those rituals.

COMMENTARY: Attraction to worshiping the Supreme Lord defeats

attraction to lesser religious practices.

TEXT 45

Sa iNaivRÛ GaTa" k-aXaq=& ddXaR bhudeXaJaaNa( ) YaiTaPa[aYaaHJaNaa&STa}aaÜETaVYaa:YaaivvaidNa" ))

sa nirvidya gataù käçéàdadarça bahu-deça-jän

yati-präyäï janäàs taträ-dvaita-vyäkhyä-vivädinaù

saù—he; nirvidya—becoming uninterested; gataù—went; käçém—toVäräëasé; dadarça—he saw; bahu-deça-jän—born in many differentregions; yati—renounced sannyäsés; präyän—mostly; janän—people;tatra—there; advaita—of strict monism; vyäkhyä—of the interpretation;vivädinaù—proponents.

He therefore lost interest and went to Käçé, where he sawpeople from many different regions, especially sannyäséspropounding the theory of monism.

TEXT 46

ivìeìr& Pa[<aMYaadaE GaTva Pa[iTaMa#&= YaTaqNa( )NaTva SaM>aaZYa ivé[aMa& Taeza& PaaìeR ck-ar Sa" ))

viçveçvaraà praëamyädaugatvä prati-maöhaà yaténnatvä sambhäñya viçrämaàteñäà pärçve cakära saù

viçva-éçvaram—to Lord Viçveçvara; praëamya—offering obeisances;ädau—first; gatvä—going; prati-maöham—to each äçrama; yatén—tothe sannyäsés; natvä—bowing down; sambhäñya—having discussions;viçrämam—rest; teñäm—of them; pärçve—in the company; cakära—took; saù—he.

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He first offered his obeisances to Lord Viçveçvara and thenvisited the various äçramas, where he bowed down to thesannyäsés, had discussions with them, and rested in theircompany.

COMMENTARY: As the deity Viçveçvara, Lord Çiva presides over hissacred abode of Käçé, also known in Sanskrit as Väräëasé andpopularly as Benares.

TEXT 47

vadezu XauÖbuÖqNaa& Taeza& Paai<aTal/SQavTa( ))Maae+a& baeDaYaTaa& vaKYaE" Saar& MaeNae Sa

TaNMaTaMa( ))

vädeñu çuddha-buddhénäà

teñäà päëi-tala-stha-vat mokñaà bodhayatäà väkyaiùsäraà mene sa tan-matam

vädeñu—in philosophical talks; çuddha-buddhénäm—whoseintelligence was pure; teñäm—of them; päëi-tala—in the palm of one’shand; stha-vat —as if held; mokñam—liberation; bodhayatäm—whowere explaining; väkyaiù—by the words; säram—essential; mene—considered; saù—he; tat —their; matam—opinions.

The intelligence of these sannyäsés was pure, or at least it

seemed so from their philosophical talks. Their wordsdescribed liberation as something readily available, as if heldin the palm of one’s hand, and this inspired him to accept theiropinions as perfect.

TEXTS 48–49

Xa*<vàivrTa& NYaaSaMaae+aaeTk-zRParai<a Sa" ) Tae>Yaae vedaNTavaKYaaiNa Mai<ak-<Yaa|

SaMaacrNa( ))

òaNa& ivìeìr& PaXYa&STaeza& Sa®e_Pa[YaaSaTa" )iMaíeí>aaeGaaN>auÅaNa" SaNNYaaSa& k- TauRiMaívaNa( ))

çåëvann avirataà nyäsa-mokñotkarña-paräëi saùtebhyo vedänta-väkyänimaëikarëyäà samäcaran

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snänaà viçveçvaraà paçyaàsteñäà saìge ’prayäsataùmiñöeñöa-bhogän bhuïjänaùsannyäsaà kartum iñöavän

çåëvan—hearing; aviratam—without cease; nyäsa—to renunciation;mokña—of liberation; utkarña—and to the excellence; paräëi—dedicated; saù—he; tebhyaù—from them; vedänta-väkyäni—statements of Vedänta; maëikarëyäm—at the holy site Maëikarëikä;samäcaran—performing; snänam—his ritual bath; viçveçvaram—LordViçveçvara; paçyan—seeing; teñäm—of them; saìge—in theassociation; aprayäsataù—effortlessly; miñöa—palatable; iñöa—to histaste; bhogän—food; bhuïjänaù—partaking of; sannyäsam—therenounced order of life; kartum—to take up; iñöavän—he began todesire.

He would constantly hear from them the statements of Vedänta that glorify renunciation and liberation. He wouldbathe at Maëikarëikä-ghäöa and have darçana of LordViçveçvara, and, without having to work for his meals, hewould enjoy tasty food to his liking in the company of thesannyäsés. He thus developed the desire to become asannyäsé himself.

TEXT 50

SvJaPYa& GaaErvaÕeVYaaSTaQaaNTa"Sau%l/a>aTa" )ATYaJaàek-da SvPane_PaXYataNMaN}adevTaaMa( ))

sva-japyaà gauraväd devyästathäntaù-sukha-läbhataùatyajann ekadä svapne’paçyat tan-mantra-devatäm

sva- japyam—the chanting of his mantra; gauravät —out of respect;devyäù—for the goddess; tathä—and; antaù—inner; sukha—pleasure;läbhataù—because of obtaining; atyajan—not giving up; ekadä—oneday; svapne—in a dream; apaçyat —he saw; tat-mantra—of thatmantra; devatäm—the Deity.

Still, out of respect for the goddess, and because it gave himpleasure within, he never gave up chanting his mantra. Andone day he saw the Deity of his mantra in a dream.

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COMMENTARY: The Prägjyotiña-pura brähmaëa’s faith was damaged bythe impersonal propaganda he heard in Käçé, which replaced his hopeto meet the Lord of the universe with a false hope to merge intooneness. Nonetheless, he went on with his mantra-japa because heheld the goddess Kämäkhyä in awe and was unwilling to violate her

order. Despite his weakened faith in the mantra, it continued to exertits transcendental influence. His heart could derive no substantialcontentment from the promises of the Vedänta texts, because hespontaneously felt more gratification from chanting Lord Gopäla’smantra. Perhaps the brähmaëa’s attraction to liberation could neverhave been dispelled had Çré Gopäla, the Deity of his mantra, notpersonally appeared in his dream. Or perhaps his hope for liberationwould have dissipated anyway by the power of the mantra. In anycase, his heart changed.

TEXT 51

TaNMaharMYaTaak*-í" ParMaaNaNdGaaecr" ) TaÂPaaNYaPa[v*taaE ih Na le/>ae Sa MaNaaebl/Ma( ))

tan-mahä-ramyatäkåñöaùparamänanda-gocaraùtaj-japänya-pravåttau hina lebhe sa mano-balam

tat —of Him (Çré Gopäla); mahä—great; ramyatä—by the charm;äkåñöaù—attracted; parama-änanda—the greatest ecstasy; gocaraù—

experiencing; tat —of that (mantra); japa—than the chanting; anya—other; pravåttau—for engagements; hi—indeed; na lebhe—did notobtain; saù—he; manaù—mental; balam—strength.

The charm of Çré Gopäla attracted him and gave him thegreatest ecstasy. And thereafter he could no longer find themental strength to engage in anything other than chanting hismantra.

COMMENTARY: He no longer felt any enthusiasm for sannyäsa orliberation, what to speak of sacred baths and other rituals.

TEXT 52

wiTak-TaRVYaTaaMaU!ae dqNa" SaNSvPanMaaGaTa" ) TaYaa deVYaa SahaGaTYa Ta}aaidí" iXaveNa Sa" ))

iti-kartavyatä-müòho

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dénaù san svapnam ägataùtayä devyä sahägatyataträdiñöaù çivena saù

iti-kartavyatä—about specifically what he should do to fulfill his duties;

müòhaù—confused; dénaù—depressed; san—becoming; svapnam—adream; ägataù—he experienced; tayä—her; devyä saha—along withthe goddess; ägatya—who came; tatra—there; ädiñöaù—instructed;çivena—by Lord Çiva; saù—he.

Confused about what he should do, he became depressed.Then, in another dream, Lord Çiva came to him, along with thegoddess, to instruct him.

COMMENTARY: His heart was drawn to Lord Gopäla, but his mind was in adilemma: “Should I take sannyäsa and strive for liberation, or should I

just chant my mantra?” Such is the likely result of fellowship withimpersonalists: one’s determination becomes fickle, and one cannotchoose the right thing to do. In this third appearance in thebrähmaëa’s dreams, the goddess Kämäkhyä brought along herhusband, the lord of Käçé, to make her case.

TEXT 53

Maa MaU%R ku-å SaNNYaaSa& d]uTa& é[qMaQaura&Va[Ja )

Ta}a v*NdavNae_vXYa& PaU<aaRQaRSTv&>aivZYaiSa ))

mä mürkha kuru sannyäsaàdrutaà çré-mathuräà vrajatatra våndävane ’vaçyaàpürëärthas tvaà bhaviñyasi

mä—do not; mürkha—O foolish one; kuru—take; sannyäsam—therenounced order; drutam—immediately; çré-mathuräm—to ÇréMathurä; vraja—go; tatra—there; våndävane—in the Våndävana forest;avaçyam—necessarily; pürëa-arthaù—fulfilled in all ambitions; tvam—you; bhaviñyasi—will become.

[Lord Çiva said:] Foolish man, don’t take sannyäsa! Go at onceto Çré Mathurä. There in the Våndävana forest you will surelyfulfill all your desires.”

TEXT 54

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SaaeTk-<#=ae MaQaura& GaNTau& MauhuSTaa& k-ITaRYa&STaTa" )

Sa TaÕeXaidXa& GaC^NPa[YaaGa& Pa[aPa vTMaRiNa ))

sotkaëöho mathuräà gantuà

muhus täà kértayaàs tataùsa tad-deça-diçaà gacchanprayägaà präpa vartmani

sa-utkaëöhaù—with eagerness; mathuräm—to Mathurä; gantum—togo; muhuù—repeatedly; täm—that (Mathurä); kértayan—glorifying;tataù—then; saù—he; tat -deça—of that district; diçam—in thedirection; gacchan—going; prayägam—at Prayäga; präpa—arrived;vartmani—on the way.

Eager to go to Mathurä, the brähmaëa set off toward that

district, all the while chanting its glories. On the way he cameto Prayäga.

COMMENTARY: The brähmaëa headed west, repeatedly chanting,“Mathurä! Mathurä!”

TEXT 55

TaiSMaçSaNMaaDavPaadPaÚeGa®aié[Taé[qYaMauNaaMaNaaeje )

òaNaaYa MaagaaeziSa TaqQaRraJae

Pa[aáaNSa SaaDaUHXaTaXaae ddXaR ))

tasmil lasan-mädhava-päda-padmegaìgäçrita-çré-yamunä-manojïesnänäya mäghoñasi tértha-räjepräptän sa sädhüï çataço dadarça

tasmin—there; lasat —shining; mädhava—of Lord Mädhava; päda- padme—at the lotus feet; gaìgä-äçrita—sheltered in the Gaìgä; çré- yamunä—at the divine Yamunä; manaù- jïe—charming; snänäya—fortaking a bath; mägha—in the month of Mägha (January-February);üñasi—at dawn; tértha-räje—at the king of holy places; präptän—whohad come; saù—he; sädhün—spiritual persons; çataçaù—by thehundreds; dadarça—saw.

There at the king of holy places, by the charming Yamunäwithin the Gaìgä, he found hundreds of saints who hadgathered near the effulgent lotus feet of Lord Mädhava tobathe at dawn in the month of Mägha.

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COMMENTARY: Prayäga is called the king of térthas because there onediscovers one’s heart’s devotion for the Personality of Godhead. AtPrayäga the Gaìgä and Yamunä unite, and downstream from theirconfluence the Yamunä is considered present on one side of the Gaìgä.

This is “the Yamunä within the Gaìgä.” Gaìgä and Yamunä are not onlyphysically united at Prayäga—they also share an intimate bond of lovefor Kåñëa.

TEXT 56

Taeza& SadaGaqTaNaiTaSTavaidi>a"é[qivZ<auPaUJaaeTSavMaE+aTaai>aTa" )

TaàaMaSaªqTaRNavaÛNaTaRNaE"Pa[eM<aaTaRNaadE åidTaEê Xaaei>aTaMa( ))

teñäà sadä-géta-nati-stavädibhiùçré-viñëu-püjotsavam aikñatäbhitaùtan-näma-saìkértana-vädya-nartanaiùpremëärta-nädai ruditaiç ca çobhitam

teñäm—of them; sadä—constant; géta—with singing; nati—offering of obeisances; stava-ädibhiù—prayers and so on; çré-viñëu—Çré Viñëu; püjä—of worshiping; utsavam—a festival; aikñata—he saw; abhitaù—allaround; tat —His; näma-saìkértana—with chanting of the holy names;vädya—music; nartanaiù—and dancing; premëä—in pure love; ärta-nädaiù—with plaintive cries; ruditaiù—with sobbing; ca—and; çobhitam

—splendid.

On every side he saw them conducting a great festival of worship for Çré Viñëu, with expressions of joyous devotion likeconstant singing, offering of obeisances, and recitation of prayers. The festival was splendid, with loud congregationalchanting of the Lord’s names, along with music, dancing,sobbing, and plaintive cries of love.

COMMENTARY: In addition to what the verse mentions, the brähmaëa sawthe elaborate arrangements for feeding and worshiping the Lord in HisDeity form. This same Deity, Bindu Mädhava, was seen by LordCaitanya Mahäprabhu when He visited Prayäga.

TEXT 57

Saae_buDaae ivSMaYa& Pa[aáae vEZ<avaNPa*C^iTaSMa TaaNa( )

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he GaaYak-a viNdNaae re d<@vTPaaiTaNaae >auiv ))

so ’budho vismayaà präptovaiñëavän påcchati sma tänhe gäyakä vandino re

daëòa-vat pätino bhuvi

saù—he; abudhaù—innocent; vismayam—amazement; präptaù—obtained; vaiñëavän—the Vaiñëavas; påcchati sma—asked; tän—them;he gäyakäù—O singers; vandinaù re—O offerers of prayers; daëòa-vat —like rods; pätinaù—O you who are falling; bhuvi—on the ground.

Innocent, ignorant, and amazed, he said to those Vaiñëavas,“Excuse me, you singers, you reciters of prayers, and you whoare falling on the ground like rods.

COMMENTARY: Never before having seen such behavior or even heard of it, the brähmaëa didn’t know what to think. He was unaware of Vaiñëava etiquette and unable to distinguish the Vaiñëavas fromordinary stage performers and court reciters, people not worthy of anyspecial respect. And so he naively interrupted the saìkértana andaddressed the Vaiñëavas according to their external behavior, notseeing their internal spiritual status.

TEXTS 58–59

>aae vadk-a NaTaRk-a re raMak*-Z<aeiTavaidNa" )raedk-a rMYaiTal/k-aêaåMaal/aDara Nara" ))>avTaEk&- +a<a& SvSQaa Na k-ael/ahl/MahRQa )vdTaed& ivDad(ße ik&- k&- vacRYaQa SaadrMa( ))

bho vädakä nartakä reräma-kåñëeti-vädinaùrodakä ramya-tilakäçcäru-mälä-dharä naräù

bhavataikaà kñaëaà svasthä

na kolähalam arhathavadatedaà vidhaddhve kiàkaà värcayatha sädaram

bhoù vädakäù—O chanters; nartakäù re—O dancers; räma—Räma;kåñëa—Kåñëa; iti—thus; vädinaù—O you who are saying; rodakäù—you who are crying; ramya—charming; tilakäù—whose auspiciousmarks on the forehead; cäru—beautiful; mälä—garlands; dharäù—

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wearing; naräù—men; bhavatä—you; ekam—one; kñaëam—for amoment; svasthäù—becoming calm; na—not; kolähalam—commotion;arhatha—you should make; vadata—please tell; idam—this;vidhaddhve—you are performing; kim—what; kam—whom; vä—or;arcayatha—you are worshiping; sa-ädaram—with respect.

“My dear musicians, dear chanters and dancers, loudlyweeping and crying out ‘Räma Kåñëa,’ you men adorned withbeautiful tilaka and garlands, please calm down for a momentand stop making such a racket! What is this ceremony you areobserving? Whom are you so reverently worshiping?”

COMMENTARY: He mistook some of the Vaiñëavas for ordinary musicians,dancers, and chanters of mundane slogans, but at least he admiredthe beauty of their viñëu-tilaka, which resembled in form a temple of Viñëu. Since he was unaware of the transcendental value of the sound

of the Supreme Lord’s names sung loudly in public congregation, he judged the saìkértana to be needless noise. He assumed that thesepeople had meaningful work to do and wondered why they wereneglecting their duties to indulge in frivolity. Or, as he suggested in hisquestions, he thought this might be some strange kind of ritual duty oreven the unusual worship of some deity.

TEXT 60

TaC^\uTvaePahSaiNTa SMa ke-icta& ke-icdb]uvNa( )re MaU! TaUZ<aq=& iTaïeiTa ke-_PYaUcudsNavTSal/a" ))

tac chrutvopahasanti smakecit taà kecid abruvanre müòha tüñëéà tiñöhetike ’py ücur déna-vatsaläù

tat —that; çrutvä—hearing; upahasanti sma—laughed; kecit —some;tam—him; kecit —some; abruvan—said; re müòha—O fool; tüñëém—quiet; tiñöha—remain; iti—thus; ke api—others; api—and; ücuù—said;déna-vatsaläù—compassionate to unfortunate persons.

Some of the Vaiñëavas simply laughed at hearing this. Otherstold him, “You fool, just be quiet!” Yet others, compassionateto fallen souls, said to him something else.

COMMENTARY: Some participants in the saìkértana festival who werenewcomers to devotional service began ridiculing the brähmaëa: “Oh,you are the best of sages, the most learned scholar! Yes, you are right,we are all out of our wits, and this noise is a public nuisance.” Some of

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the intermediate sädhakas in the group were angered by hiscomments. Others, the fully self-realized devotees in the assembly,showed him the same compassion they felt for all living beings. As realfriends of the conditioned souls, they frankly told him what he neededto hear.

TEXT 61

é[qvEZ<ava Ocu"AYae ivPa[Ja JaaNaaiSa Na ik-iÄØTa MaU!Daq" )ivZ<au>a¢-aNPauNaMaŒv& SaMbaeDaYa Na JaLPa c ))

çré-vaiñëavä ücuùaye vipra-ja jänäsina kiïcid bata müòha-dhéùviñëu-bhaktän punar maivaà

sambodhaya na jalpa ca

çré-vaiñëaväù ücuù—the holy Vaiñëavas said; aye—hey; vipra- ja—Oyou who were born a brähmaëa; jänäsi na—you do not understand;kiïcit —anything; bata—indeed; müòha—bewildered; dhéù—whoseintelligence; viñëu-bhaktän—devotees of Viñëu; punaù—again; mä—donot; evam—like this; sambodhaya—address; na—do not; jalpa—speakloosely; ca—and.

The holy Vaiñëavas said: Hey, foolish son of a brähmaëa, don’tyou know anything? Don’t ever again address Viñëu’s devotees

like that and speak such nonsense to them!

COMMENTARY: The parama-haàsas were obviously disappointed thatdespite his birth in a brähmaëa family he was such a fool. Out of kindness they advised him to refrain from treating Vaiñëavas likematerialistic people; he should never again ask them to stop makingnoise as if they were ordinary singers and reciters.

TEXT 62

>aGavNTaiMaMae ivZ<au& iNaTYa& vYaMauPaaSMahe )GauraeGa*RhqTadq+aak-a YaQaaMaN}a& YaQaaiviDa ))

bhagavantam ime viñëuànityaà vayam upäsmaheguror gåhéta-dékñäkäyathä-mantraà yathä-vidhi

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bhagavantam—the Supreme Lord; ime—these persons; viñëum—Viñëu; nityam—always; vayam—we; upäsmahe—worship; guroù—fromthe spiritual master; gåhéta-dékñäkäù—having taken initiation; yathä—according to; mantram—our mantras; yathä—according to; vidhi—our methods.

Initiated by our gurus, we always worship the Supreme LordViñëu with the mantras and methods they have given us.

COMMENTARY: What distinguished the saìkértana devotees from thePrägjyotiña-pura brähmaëa was that they had accepted Vaiñëavainitiation from authorized äcäryas and were practicing devotionalservice according to the instructions of their spiritual masters. Becausethe brähmaëa lacked the mercy of a pure devotee, his chanting of thegopäla-mantra was bearing undeveloped results instead of maturefruit. Real spiritual knowledge had eluded him.

TEXT 63

é[qNa*iSa&hTaNau& ke-icd]gauNaaQa& TaQaaPare )Wke- GaaePaal/iMaTYaev& NaaNaaæPa& iÜJaaetaMa ))

çré-nåsiàha-tanuà kecidraghunäthaà tathäpareeke gopälam ity evaànänä-rüpaà dvijottama

çré-nåsiàha—of Çré Nåsiàha; tanum—in the form; kecit —some;raghunätham—Lord Rämacandra; tathä—also; apare—others; eke—some; gopälam—Çré Gopäla; iti—thus; evam—in this way; nänä-rüpam—in various forms; dvija-uttama—O best of the brähmaëas.

O best of brähmaëas, we are worshiping the Lord in variousforms. Some of us worship Him in His feature as Nåsiàha, someas Lord Raghunätha, and others as Çré Gopäla.

COMMENTARY: Having been initiated into various viñëu-mantras, theVaiñëavas were worshiping the Lord in various expansions, includingfour-armed Näräyaëa and His avatäras Matsya, Kürma, Varäha, andVämana.

TEXT 64

é[qParqi+aduvac

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TaTaae_SaaE l/iÂTaae ivPa[ae_Pa*C^TSaPa[é[Ya&Mauda )

ku-Taae vSaiTa k-Id*k( ‐Sa ik&- vaQa| daTauMaqìr" ))

çré-parékñid uväca

tato ’sau lajjito vipro’påcchat sa-praçrayaà mudäkuto vasati kédåk sakià värthaà dätum éçvaraù

çré- parékñit uväca—Çré Parékñit said; tataù—then; asau—he; lajjitaù—ashamed; vipraù—the brähmaëa; apåcchat —asked; sa- praçrayam—with humility; mudä—with pleasure; kutaù—where; vasati—lives;kédåk —like what; saù—He; kim—what; vä—and; artham—benefit;dätum—of giving; éçvaraù—capable.

Çré Parékñit said: Ashamed, the brähmaëa then asked, withgreat humility but with joy, “Where does this Lord live? Whatis He like? What boons is He able to grant?”

COMMENTARY: This Lord the devotees called Viñëu was unknown to thebrähmaëa, who was curious whether the Lord lived in a village, a city,or somewhere else. What god, human, or animal did His formresemble? What special powers did He have, and what wealth could Hegive to His devotees?

TEXT 65é[qvEZ<ava Ocu"Sada SavR}a vSaiTa bihêaNTaê Sa Pa[>au" )k-iêà Sad*XaSTaeNa k-QaiÄiÜÛTae KvicTa( ))

çré-vaiñëavä ücuùsadä sarvatra vasatibahiç cäntaç ca sa prabhuùkaçcin na sadåças tenakathaïcid vidyate kvacit

çré-vaiñëaväù ücuù—the holy Vaiñëavas said; sadä—always; sarvatra—everywhere; vasati—lives; bahiù—outside; ca—and; antaù—inside;ca—and; saù—He; prabhuù—the Lord; kaçcit na—no one; sadåçaù—comparable; tena—with Him; kathaïcit —in any respect; vidyate—exists; kvacit —anywhere.

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The holy Vaiñëavas said: He is the supreme master, and Healways lives everywhere, both within and without. No oneanywhere compares with Him in any respect.

COMMENTARY: In the material world, all things are limited in time, space,

and substance. A person in a particular body, for example, has only acertain life span. Before and after, he is absent from that body. Hisbodily existence occupies but a small space within the universe; hemay move from one place to another, but only within strict limits. Andhis identity is separate from that of any other person or thing. LordViñëu, however, is not an ordinary person limited in these or otherways. He pervades all time and space, and all other individual peopleand things are also part of Him. This answers the question “Wheredoes He live?”

In reply to the question “What is He like?” the Vaiñëavas say that Heis incomparable. No one’s beauty or other personal qualities are equal

to His, neither within this material world nor outside it.

TEXT 66

SavaRNTaraTMaa JaGadqìreìraeYa" SaiÀdaNaNdgaNaae MaNaaerMa" )

vEku-<#=l/aeke- Pa[k-$=" Sada vSaed(Ya" Saevke->Ya" SvMaiPa Pa[YaC^iTa ))

sarväntar-ätmä jagad-éçvareçvaroyaù sac-cid-änanda-ghano mano-ramaù

vaikuëöha-loke prakaöaù sadä vasedyaù sevakebhyaù svam api prayacchati

sarva—of all beings; antaù-ätmä—the inner self; jagat —of theuniverse; éçvara-éçvaraù—the Lord of all lords; yaù—who; sat -cit -änanda—of eternity, knowledge, and bliss; ghanaù—the fullembodiment; manaù-ramaù—attracting the mind; vaikuëöha-loke—inthe world of Vaikuëöha; prakaöaù—visible; sadä—always; vaset —dwells; yaù—who; sevakebhyaù—to His servants; svam—Himself; api—even; prayacchati—gives.

He is the Supersoul within the heart of every living being, theLord of all lords of the universe, the all-attractive concentratedembodiment of eternity, knowledge, and bliss. He dwells in theworld of Vaikuëöha, where He can always be seen. And to Hisservants He gives His very self.

COMMENTARY: Ignorant of the many aspects of the Supreme Lord’spersonality, the brähmaëa might doubt how one could devote oneself

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to a person who has no particular identity or location. Here theVaiñëavas assure the brähmaëa that the Lord does have His ownmanifold identities and locations. He is the Supersoul both of the entireuniverse and of each individual living being. Thus His greatnessmanifests itself within and without. He is the ruler of all lords of the

many universes; whatever powers and assets other rulers possess Hehas also, but in quantity without limit. He is the Supreme Absolute Truth in person, and His primary location is Vaikuëöha. Even though asthe indwelling Supersoul He is hidden, His opulences are fully visible inHis form as the Lord of Vaikuëöha, whom His devotees can see to theirheart’s delight. His beauty, charm, and countless other transcendentalqualities are all-attractive. And in answer to the question “What can Hegive?” the answer is “His own self.” By this the Vaiñëavas imply thatHe can easily bestow pure devotion and eternal residence inVaikuëöha, what to speak of the four goals of material life. Asexpressed by the prefix pra- in the verb prayacchati, He liberally gives

all this plus Himself, which further implies that He and His servantsshare a flood of boundless ecstasy.

TEXT 67

é[uiTaSMa*iTaSTaUYaMaaNa"ke-NaaSYa MaihMaaeCYaTaaMa( )

Tad}a vaCYaMaaNaaiNaPaura<aaiNa Mauhu" Xa*<au ))

çruti-småti-stüyamänaù

kenäsya mahimocyatämtad atra väcyamänänipuräëäni muhuù çåëu

çruti—by the original revealed scriptures; småti—and by theirsupplements; stüyamänaù—glorified; kena—by whom; asya—His;mahimä—the greatness; ucyatäm—can be described; tat —therefore;atra—here; väcyamänäni—which are being spoken; puräëäni—thePuräëas; muhuù—profusely; çåëu—please hear.

The çrutis and småtis glorify Him. Who can describe His

greatness? But while you are here, please listen to the profusehistories spoken about Him from the Puräëas.

COMMENTARY: This holy pilgrimage site Prayäga, the king of térthas, is amost suitable place for hearing the glories of the Supreme Lord fromthe authoritative histories recorded in the Puräëas.

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TEXT 68

MaaDav& NaMa cal/aeKYa Pa[iTaæPa& JaGaTPa[>aae" ) TaTaae_icraidd& Sav| Par& c jaSYaiSa SvYaMa( ))

mädhavaà nama cälokyapratirüpaà jagat-prabhoùtato ’ciräd idaà sarvaàparaà ca jïäsyasi svayam

mädhavam—to Lord Mädhava; nama—please bow down; ca—and;älokya—looking at; pratirüpam—the direct manifestation; jagat - prabhoù—of the Lord of the universe; tataù—thus; acirät —in a shorttime; idam—this; sarvam—all; param—more; ca—and; jïäsyasi—youwill understand; svayam—yourself.

Just bow down to Lord Mädhava and behold Him, the directmanifestation of the Lord of the universe. And soon you willunderstand for yourself all this and much more.

COMMENTARY: The Lord of Vaikuëöha can be seen directly in His imageas Mädhava, the presiding Deity of Daçäçvamedha-ghäöa at Prayäga.In the short time the Vaiñëavas were speaking to the Prägjyotiña-purabrähmaëa, they could only hint at the glories of Lord Viñëu, but if thebrähmaëa were to follow their advice by listening to the Puräëas,bowing down to Lord Mädhava, and meditating on the Deity’s beautifulform, more realization would automatically be revealed within his

heart.

TEXT 69

é[qParqi+aduvac TaTa" é[qMaaDav& vq+Ya NaMa&STaiSMaNVYací Sa" )SaaæPYa& SvJaPae icNTYaMaaNadevSYa ik-ÄNa ))

çré-parékñid uväcatataù çré-mädhavaà vékñyanamaàs tasmin vyacañöa saù

särüpyaà sva-jape cintya-mäna-devasya kiïcana

çré- parékñit uväca—Çré Parékñit said; tataù—thus; çré-mädhavam—atÇré Mädhava; vékñya—looking; naman—bowing down; tasmin—withinHim; vyacañöa—saw; saù—he; särüpyam—similarity in appearance;sva- jape—in the chanting of his mantra; cintyamäna—being meditatedon; devasya—with the Deity; kiïcana—some.

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Çré Parékñit said: Thus, while looking at Çré Mädhava andbowing down to Him, the brähmaëa noticed some resemblancebetween Çré Mädhava and the Lord on whom he meditatedwhile chanting his mantra.

COMMENTARY: Just as the Vaiñëavas had predicted, by associating withLord Mädhava the brähmaëa began to realize transcendentalknowledge. He noticed that certain features of the Deity, like the shapeof His mouth and eyes, were similar to the features of the Lord whomhe sometimes envisioned while chanting his mantra.

TEXT 70

Ta}a ik-iÄTPaura<a& Sa Xa*<aaeiTa Sah vEZ<avE" ) TaErCYaRMaaNaa ivivDaa ivZ<auMaUTasê PaXYaiTa ))

tatra kiïcit puräëaà saçåëoti saha vaiñëavaiùtair arcyamänä vividhäviñëu-mürtéç ca paçyati

tatra—there; kiïcit —some; puräëam—Puräëas; saù—he; çåëoti—heard;saha vaiñëavaiù—along with the Vaiñëavas; taiù—by them;arcyamänäù—worshiped; vividhä—various; viñëu-mürtéù—Deities of Viñëu; ca—and; paçyati—saw.

There at Daçäçvamedha-ghäöa he heard some passages fromthe Puräëas in the company of the Vaiñëavas, and he sawvarious Deities of Viñëu they worshiped.

COMMENTARY: In the presence of Lord Mädhava he listened todiscussions on such portions of the Puräëas as the Mägha-mähätmyaof Çré Padma Puräëa (Uttara-khaëòa), which praises bathing atPrayäga in the month of Mägha. By hearing in the company of puredevotees, he became affected by their strong faith and ecstatic mood.

TEXT 71 TaQaaiPa Pa[TYai>ajeYa& TaSYa Na SYaadceTaSa" )MaÕevae JaGadqXaae_Ya& MaaDavae_iPa SaTaa&

Pa[>au" ))

tathäpi pratyabhijïeyaàtasya na syäd acetasaù

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mad-devo jagad-éço ’yaàmädhavo ’pi satäà prabhuù

tathä api—nonetheless; pratyabhijïä—recognition; iyam—this; tasya—by him; na syät —there was not; acetasaù—who was ignorant; mat -

devaù—my Lord; jagat -éçaù—ruler of the universe; ayam—this;mädhavaù—Lord Mädhava; api—also; satäm—of the saintly devotees; prabhuù—the master.

Nonetheless he remained ignorant, unable to recognize thathis own worshipable Deity was the same Lord Mädhava, theruler of the universe and master of the saintly devotees.

COMMENTARY: Anyone with good discrimination would have been able todeduce from the similarities between Lord Mädhava and Lord Gopälathat the Deity of the brähmaëa’s mantra was the very same Lord of the

universe appearing at Daçäçvamedha-ghäöa. The brähmaëa, however,was too foolish.

TEXT 72

wd& Sa ivMa*XaTYaezaMauPaaSYaae JaGadqìr" )Sa Wv MaaDavêaYa& MaYaaNYa" k-

ae_PYauPaaSYaTae ))

idaà sa vimåçaty eñämupäsyo jagad-éçvaraù

sa eva mädhavaç cäyaàmayänyaù ko ’py upäsyate

idam—this; saù—he; vimåçati—thought; eñäm—of them; upäsyaù—theobject of worship; jagat -éçvaraù—the Lord of the universe; saù—He;eva—only; mädhavaù—Mädhava; ca—and; ayam—this; mayä—by me; anyaù—another; kaù api—someone; upäsyate—is being worshiped.

He continued to think that this Mädhava, the Lord of theuniverse, was the object of worship for these Vaiñëavas, andthat his object of worship was someone else.

COMMENTARY: The brähmaëa had enough trust in the words of theVaiñëavas to be convinced that the Deity of Mädhava was indeed theSupreme Lord, but he hadn’t accepted enough of their mercy tounderstand that all along he had been worshiping the same Lord withhis mantra.

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TEXT 73

Xa«c§-GadaPaÚiv>aUizTacTau>auRJa" )Na MaÕevSTaTa" k-SMaaTPa[TaqYaeTa Sa MaaDav" ))

çaìkha-cakra-gadä-padma-vibhüñita-catur-bhujaùna mad-devas tataù kasmät pratéyeta sa mädhavaù

çaìkha—with a conchshell; cakra—disc; gadä—club; padma—and lotus;vibhüñita—decorated; catuù-bhujaù—having four hands; na—not; mat —my; devaù—Deity; tataù—therefore; kasmät —why; pratéyeta—should be perceived; saù—He; mädhavaù—as Lord Mädhava.

“Lord Mädhava has four arms,” he thought, “and is decoratedwith a conchshell, disc, club, and lotus. This is not my Deity.Why should my Lord look like this?

COMMENTARY: The Païcarätras describe the form of Lord Mädhavaamong the twenty-four vyüha expansions of Näräyaëa. Gadä-çaìkha-cakra-padmän bibhran mädhava ucyate: “When the Lord is holding Hisclub, conchshell, disc, and lotus [in that order, clockwise, from Hislower right hand], He is called Mädhava.”

TEXT 74

NaaYa& NaraDaRiSa&haDaRæPaDaarq c MaTPa[>au" )Na vaMaNaae_PYaSaaE MaqNakU-MaRk-ael/aidæPavaNa( ))

näyaà narärdha-siàhärdha-rüpa-dhäré ca mat-prabhuùna vämano ’py asau ména-kürma-kolädi-rüpavän

na—not; ayam—this; nara-ardha—of half man; siàha-ardha—half lion;rüpa-dhäré—taking the form; ca—and; mat —my; prabhuù—Lord; na—

nor; vämanaù—a dwarf; api—either; asau—He; ména—of a fish; kürma—a turtle; kola—a boar; ädi—and so on; rüpa-vän—having the form.

“My Lord doesn’t appear as half man, half lion. He doesn’tbecome a dwarf or take the forms of a fish, a turtle, a hog, andthe like.

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TEXT 75

NaaiPa k-aed<@Paai<a" SYaad]agavae raJal/+a<a" )ke-zaiÄdeza& PaUJYaeNa GaaePaale/NaaSTau va

Sad*k( ‐))

näpi kodaëòa-päëiù syädräghavo räja-lakñaëaùkeñäïcid eñäà püjyenagopälenästu vä sadåk

na api—nor; kodaëòa—a bow; päëiù—in whose hand; syät —is;räghavaù—the Lord of the Raghus; räja-lakñaëaù—marked with thesigns of a king; keñäïcit —by some; eñäm—of these persons; püjyena—who is worshiped; gopälena—with Gopäla; astu vä—He may be; sadåk —similar.

“Nor does He become the Lord of the Raghus, with the signs of a king and a bow in His hand. But maybe my Deity doessomewhat resemble the Gopäla worshiped by some of thesedevotees.

COMMENTARY: The brähmaëa could not identify the Deity of His mantra with Lord Rämacandra, who appeared as a great king with the royalsymbols of throne, cämaras, and white umbrella.

TEXT 76

MaNYae_QaaiPa MadqYaae_Ya& Na >aveÂGadqìr" )NaaiSTa Taç+a<a& MaagaMaahaTMYaadaE é[uTa& ih

YaTa( ))

manye ’thäpi madéyo ’yaàna bhavej jagad-éçvaraùnästi tal-lakñaëaà mägha-mähätmyädau çrutaà hi yat

manye—I think; atha api—still; madéyaù—my; ayam—this; na bhavet —

cannot be; jagat -éçvaraù—the Lord of the universe; na asti—there arenot; tat —of Him; lakñaëam—the characteristics; mägha-mähätmya—inthe descriptions of the glories of the month of Mägha; ädau—andelsewhere; çrutam—heard from scripture; hi—certainly; yat —which.

“Still, I cannot imagine that my Deity is the Lord of theuniverse. My Deity doesn’t have the characteristics I have

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heard described in ‘The Glorification of the Month of Mägha’and other scriptural texts.

COMMENTARY: Lord Mädhava of Prayäga is described in the story of Devadyuti, which is included in the Mägha-mähätmya of the Padma

Puräëa (Uttara-khaëòa 128.202, 129.44):taà dåñövä garuòärüòhaàpratyagra-jalada-cchavimcatur-bähuà viçäläkñaàsarvälaìkära-bhüñitam

“He saw the Lord seated on Garuòa. The Lord’s complexion was thecolor of a new rain cloud. He had four arms and broad eyes, and Hewas decorated with all kinds of ornaments.”

brahmädayaù suräù sarveyoginaù sanakädayaùtväà säkñät-kartum icchantisiddhäç ca kapilädayaù

“Brahmä and the other demigods, Sanaka and the other yogés, andKapila and the other perfected mystics want to see You in person.”

The current verse says that the brähmaëa heard from mägha-mähätmyädau, “the Mägha-mähätmya and other texts.” Those othertexts may have included the section of Çré Skanda Puräëa thatglorifies Prayäga-tértha.

TEXT 77

GaaePaa>aRvGaŒ" Sai%i>avRNae Sa Gaav&XaqMau%ae r+aiTa vNYa>aUz<a" )

GaaePaa®NaavGaRivl/aSal/MPa$=aeDaMa| SaTaa& l/ºYaTaqTarae YaQaa ))

gopärbha-vargaiù sakhibhir vane sa gävaàçé-mukho rakñati vanya-bhüñaëaùgopäìganä-varga-viläsa-lampaöo

dharmaà satäà laìghayatétaro yathä

gopa-arbha—of cowherd boys; vargaiù—with groups; sakhibhiù—whoare His friends; vane—in the forest; saù—He; gäù—cows; vaàçé—aflute; mukhaù—at His mouth; rakñati—tends; vanya-bhüñaëaù—decorated with forest ornaments; gopa-aìganä—of cowherd girls; varga—with the groups; viläsa—sports; lampaöaù—greedy to enjoy;

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dharmam—the religious principles; satäm—of saintly persons;laìghayati—He transgresses; itaraù—an ordinary person; yathä—like.

“With His many cowherd friends, my Lord takes care of thecows in the forest. He holds a flute to His mouth and is

decorated with forest ornaments. Just like an ordinary person,He transgresses the religious principles of saints, being alwaysgreedy to enjoy amorous pastimes with all the cowherd girls.

COMMENTARY: Arguing on the strength of the evidence he has gatheredabout his Gopäla from meditating on the mantra, the brähmaëa heretries to prove that the Deity of his own mantra cannot be the Lord of the universe. The brähmaëa’s worshipable Gopäla is always in theforest with His friends, busy taking care of His cows. His flute is usuallynear His mouth because He very much likes playing on it. He also likesto decorate Himself with forest items like peacock feathers, garlands of

kadamba flowers, red oxide tilaka for His forehead, and rings of guïjaberries for His ears. Like a wayward materialist, He violates the laws of cultured behavior by consorting with other men’s wives and behavingin other socially forbidden ways, none of which suits the character of the Supreme Lord of the universe. Even if in some features thebrähmaëa’s Gopäla resembles the Gopäla worshiped by some of thelocal Vaiñëavas—the Näräyaëa expansion called Gopäla—that GopälaNäräyaëa cannot be the same person. Lord Näräyaëa could hardly gowandering in the forest tending cows, nor habitually break theprinciples of religion.

TEXT 78

deVYaa" Pa[>aavadaNaNdMaSYaaPYaaraDaNae l/>ae ) Taà Jaùa& k-daPYaeNaMaeTaNMaN}aJaPa& Na c ))

devyäù prabhäväd änandamasyäpy ärädhane labhetan na jahyäà kadäpy enametan-mantra-japaà na ca

devyäù—of the goddess; prabhävät —by the power; änandam—bliss;asya—His; api—and; ärädhane—in the worship; labhe—I obtain; tat —therefore; na jahyäm—I shall not abandon; kadä api—ever; enam—Him; etat-mantra—of this mantra; japam—the chanting; na ca—nor.

“By the power of the goddess I have felt bliss in worshipingHim. Therefore I shall never abandon Him or my chanting of His mantra.”

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COMMENTARY: Vaiñëavas may question how one can realize ecstasy inworshiping anyone other than the Supreme Lord, but the brähmaëacounters that it is possible by the potency of the goddess Kämäkhyä.Since she ordered him to always chant this mantra and since he feelssuch pleasure in chanting, why should he give it up?

TEXT 79

Wv& Sa PaUvRvNMaN}a& Ta& JaPaiàJaRNae iNaJaMa( )dev& Saa+aaidve+aeTa SaTaa& Sa®Pa[>aavTa" ))

evaà sa pürva-van mantraàtaà japan nirjane nijamdevaà säkñäd ivekñetasatäà saìga-prabhävataù

evam—thus; saù—he; pürva-vat —as before; mantram—mantra; tam—that; japan—chanting; nirjane—in seclusion; nijam—his own; devam—Lord; säkñät —in person; iva—as if; ékñeta—he would see; satäm—of the saintly Vaiñëavas; saìga—of the association; prabhävataù—by thepower.

Thus the brähmaëa continued chanting his mantra in seclusionas before. And by the power of the saintly company of theVaiñëavas, he would see his Lord, as if directly in person.

COMMENTARY: Since the ignorant brähmaëa lacked the instructions and

blessings of a pure devotee spiritual master, he had not yet developedtrue knowledge and faith. But still he was reaping the benefits of sädhu-saìga in Prayäga. Even without the support of guru and çästra, he was making some advancement by associating favorably withVaiñëavas. He kept chanting the ten-syllable gopäla-mantra, renownedamong all mantras as the most excellent, and as his heart becamemore and more cleansed he entered into an intense meditation inwhich he saw His Lord as vividly as if the Lord were physically present.

TEXT 80

vSTauSv>aavadaNaNdMaU^aRMaaPanaeiTa k-ihRicTa( )VYauTQaaYa JaPak-al/aPaGaMaMaal/+Ya XaaeciTa ))

vastu-svabhäväd änanda-mürchäm äpnoti karhicit vyutthäya japa-käläpa-gamam älakñya çocati

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vastu—of the object; svabhävät —because of the nature; änanda—fromecstasy; mürchäm—fainting; äpnoti—he experienced; karhicit —sometimes; vyutthäya—standing up; japa—for chanting; käla—of thetime; apagamam—the expiration; älakñya—noticing; çocati—he would

lament.Because of the nature of the object of his meditation, hesometimes fainted in ecstasy, and when he woke up andnoticed that the time for chanting his mantra had past wouldlament.

COMMENTARY: Sometimes the ecstasy of his meditation made all theexternal functions of his senses stop, as if he had achieved samädhi. This symptom was but a superficial reflection of the advancedconditions of bhäva and prema. It arose not from mature

understanding of the object of meditation but from the transcendentalinfluence of the object Himself.

TEXT 81

oPad]vae_Ya& k-ae Mae_NauJaaTaae ivganae MahaiNk-l/ )

Na SaMaaáae JaPaae Mae_ÛTaNaaera}aqYaMaaGaTaa ))

upadravo ’yaà ko me ’nu-

jäto vighno mahän kilana samäpto japo me ’dya-tano rätréyam ägatä

upadravaù—disturbance; ayam—this; kaù—what; me—for me;anujätaù—arisen; vighnaù—obstruction; mahän—great; kila—indeed;na—not; samäptaù—finished; japaù—chanting; me—my; adyatanaù—for today; rätré—night; iyam—this; ägatä—come.

“What is the cause of this disturbance? Now I am in greattrouble! Night has fallen before I could finish today’s chanting.

COMMENTARY: That night had come before he could finish his chantingwas an upadrava, or cause of pain, as well as a vighna, an obstructionto fulfilling his vow to chant a prescribed number of mantras daily.

TEXT 82

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ik&- iNad]ai>a>avae_Ya& Mae ik&->aUTaai>a>avae_Qa va )

Ahae MaÕu"Sv>aavae YaC^aek-SQaaNae_iPa ôTSau%Ma( ))

kià nidräbhibhavo ’yaà mekià bhütäbhibhavo ’tha väaho mad-duùsvabhävo yacchoka-sthäne ’pi håt-sukham

kim—whether; nidrä—by sleep; abhibhavaù—being overcome; ayam—this; me—my; kim—whether; bhüta—by a ghost; abhibhavaù—beingovercome; atha vä—or; aho—oh; mat —my; duù-svabhävaù—badnature; yat —which; çoka—of sadness; sthäne—in a situation; api—even; håt —in the heart; sukham—happiness.

“Have I fallen asleep? Or become haunted by a ghost? Oh, I amso wicked that even when I have reason to be sad I feelhappiness in my heart!”

COMMENTARY: Trying to answer his own question about the cause of theproblem, the brähmaëa guessed that he might have fallen asleep. Butsince he didn’t feel tired, he guessed again that something else mighthave happened, like having been attacked by a ghost.

TEXT 83

Wk-da Tau TaQaEvaSaaE Xaaecàk*-Ta>aaeJaNa" )iNad]a<aae MaaDaveNaed& SaMaaidí"

SaSaaNTvNaMa( ))

ekadä tu tathaiväsauçocann akåta-bhojanaùnidräëo mädhavenedaàsamädiñöaù sa-säntvanam

ekadä—one day; tu—however; tathä eva—in this same way; asau—he;çocan—lamenting; akåta-bhojanaù—not having eaten; nidräëaù—sleepy; mädhavena—by Lord Mädhava; idam—this; samädiñöaù—instructed; saù—he; säntvanam—consolation.

One day, however, while lamenting in this way, as he began tofeel drowsy from fasting he saw Lord Mädhava, who consoledhim and gave him this instruction:

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COMMENTARY: Once again the brähmaëa had fallen into a trance of ecstasy and upon waking had become upset with himself. This time hefelt so discouraged that he finished the day without eating, whichmade him feel sleepy. Lord Mädhava, the Deity of Daçäçvamedha-tértha, then appeared to him in this sleeplike state and said something

like this: “Why are you lamenting for no good reason? And why are youcausing distress to Me, your worshipable Deity? I assure you that allyour ambitions will soon be fulfilled.”

TEXT 84

ivPa[ ivìeìrSYaaNauSMar vaKYaMauMaaPaTae" ) YaMauNaaTaqrMaaGaeR<a TaC^\qv*NdavNa& Va[Ja ))

vipra viçveçvarasyänu-smara väkyam umä-pateù

yamunä-téra-märgeëatac chré-våndävanaà vraja

vipra—O brähmaëa; viçveçvarasya—of Viçveçvara; anusmara—justremember; väkyam—the words; umä- pateù—the husband of Umä; yamunä—of the Yamunä; téra—along the shore; märgeëa—by thepath; tat —to that; çré-våndävanam—Çré Våndävana; vraja—go.

“Dear brähmaëa, please remember the words of Viçveçvara,the husband of Umä. Go by the path along the shore of the

Yamunä to Çré Våndävana.

COMMENTARY: While reminding the brähmaëa of Lord Viçveçvara’sinstruction, Lord Gopäla repeated it from His own mouth and in Hisown words, thus making it His direct order also. Apart from this,Viçveçvara (Lord Çiva) is the husband of the goddess Kämäkhyä, thespiritual authority who gave the brähmaëa his mantra, so thebrähmaëa should not neglect the instruction.

TEXT 85

Ta}aaSaaDaar<a& hz| l/PSYaSae MaTPa[SaadTa" )ivl/Mb& PaiQa ku-}aaiPa Maa ku-åZv k-QaÄNa ))

taträsädhäraëaà harñaàlapsyase mat-prasädataùvilambaà pathi kuträpimä kuruñva kathaïcana

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tatra—there; asädhäraëam—extraordinary; harñam—pleasure;lapsyase—you will obtain; mat —My; prasädataù—by the mercy;vilambam—delay; pathi—on the road; kutra api—anywhere; mäkuruñva—do not do; kathaïcana—for any reason.

“By My mercy, there you will obtain extraordinary pleasure.Go, and don’t delay anywhere on the road for any reason.”

COMMENTARY: The pleasure to be had in Çré Våndävana is incomparable,superior to all four kinds of success in worldly endeavor—religiosity,economic development, sense gratification, and liberation. Thebrähmaëa should be undistracted while on the road to Våndävana. Heshouldn’t stray from devotional service onto the side roads of jïäna andkarma. Lord Mädhava here advises the brähmaëa that good fortunewill arise by His mercy alone, the Lord’s mercy, not that of anyoneelse. But that mercy of Lord Mädhava will appear especially in certain

places, at certain times, and in certain company.

TEXT 86

TaTa" Sa Pa[aTaåTQaaYa ôí" SaNPa[iSQaTa" §-MaaTa( )é[qMaNMaDauPaurq=& Pa[aá" òaTaae

ivé[aiNTaTaqQaRke- ))

tataù sa prätar utthäyahåñöaù san prasthitaù kramät çréman-madhu-puréà präptaù

snäto viçränti-térthake

tataù—thus; saù—he; prätaù—early in the morning; utthäya—arising;håñöaù—happy; san—feeling; prasthitaù—he set out; kramät —gradually; çrémat —blessed; madhu- purém—at Mathurä; präptaù—arrived; snätaù—bathed; viçränti-térthake—at Viçränti-tértha.

Thus the brähmaëa arose early in the morning and happily setout on his journey. Gradually he came to blessed Madhupuréand bathed at Viçränti-tértha.

COMMENTARY: Obeying the Lord’s order, the brähmaëa at once startedfor Våndävana. And when he entered the holy dhäma, he came first toMathurä City. Following the standard custom of pilgrims, he first visitedthe bathing place on the Yamunä known as Viçränti-tértha (Viçräma-ghäöa).

TEXT 87

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GaTaae v*NdavNa& Ta}a DYaaYaMaaNa& iNaJae JaPae ) Ta& Ta& Pairk-r& Pa[aYaae vq+Yaa>aq+<a& NaNaNd

Sa" ))

gato våndävanaà tatra

dhyäyamänaà nije japetaà taà parikaraà präyovékñyäbhékñëaà nananda saù

gataù—gone; våndävanam—to Våndävana; tatra—there;dhyäyamänam—being meditated upon; nije—his own; jape—in thechanting; tam tam—the various; parikaram—entourage andparaphernalia; präyaù—the greater part; vékñya—seeing; abhékñëam—constantly; nananda—rejoiced; saù—he.

He went on to Våndävana and there felt enlivened at every

moment, for while chanting his mantra he saw in meditationmost of the companions and surroundings from Kåñëa’spastimes.

COMMENTARY: He saw Kåñëa’s supremely beautiful cows, cowherds,kadamba trees, and so on, which, although famous, are beyond thepower of unqualified people to describe.

TEXT 88

TaiSMaNa( Gaae>aUizTae_PaXYaNk-MaPaqTaSTaTaae

>a[MaNa( )ke-XaqTaqQaRSYa PaUvRSYaa& idiXa Xaué[av

raedNaMa( ))

tasmin go-bhüñite ’paçyankam apétas tato bhramankeçé-térthasya pürvasyäàdiçi çuçräva rodanam

tasmin—in that place; go-bhüñite—decorated with cows; apaçyan—notseeing; kam api—anyone; itaù tataù—here and there; bhraman—wandering; keçé-térthasya—of Keçé-tértha; pürvasyäm—eastern; diçi—on the side; çuçräva—he heard; rodanam—crying.

He wandered here and there in that cow-adorned land, withoutmeeting any people. But at one place on the eastern side of Keçé-tértha, he heard someone crying.

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COMMENTARY: At the holy place where Kåñëa had once killed the horsedemon, Keçé, the brähmaëa met the first human being he was toencounter in Våndävana. This sacred place Keçé-tértha is described inthe Mathurä-mähätmya of the Varäha Puräëa (152.30–31):

gaìgä çata-guëä proktämäthure mama maëòale yamunä viçrutä devinätra käryä vicäraëä

tasyäù çata-guëä proktäyatra keçé nipätitaùkeçyäù çata-guëä proktäyatra viçramito hariù

“One hundred times more sacred than the Gaìgä, O goddess Earth, is

the Yamunä in My own abode, Mathurä. No one need doubt this. Moresacred than Mathurä by a hundred times is the place on the Yamunäwhere the Keçé demon fell, and one hundred times more sacred thanthat Keçé-tértha is the spot nearby where Kåñëa rested after thedemon was killed.”

TEXT 89

TaiÕG>aaGa& GaTa" Pa[eM<aaNaaMaSaªqTaRNaEYauRTaMa( )

Tadak-<YaR MauhuSTa}a Ta&

MaNauZYaMaMaaGaRYaTa( ))

tad-dig-bhägaà gataù premëänäma-saìkértanair yutamtad äkarëya muhus tatrataà manuñyam amärgayat

tat —in that; dik-bhägam—direction; gataù—going; premëä—in purelove; näma-saìkértanaiù—with the sounds of näma-saìkértana; yutam—joined; tat —that; äkarëya—hearing; muhuù—constantly; tatra—there; tam—that; manuñyam—for the person; amärgayat —he looked.

Heading in the direction of that sound, he heard it mingledwith constant näma-saìkértana performed in pure love. And sohe looked for the person chanting.

COMMENTARY: From a distance he recognized only the sound of crying,but as he approached he heard the names of the Supreme Lord beingsweetly chanted with great affection, with syllables drawn out long and

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melodious, by someone whose heart seemed completely softened bylove of God. He became intent upon finding the person chanting.

TEXT 90

gaNaaNDak-arar<YaaNTa" Saae_PaXYaNk-iÄduNMau%" )iNaDaaRYaR Tad(ßiNaSQaaNa&

YaMauNaaTaqrMaVa[JaTa( ))

ghanändhakäräraëyäntaùso ’paçyan kaïcid unmukhaùnirdhärya tad-dhvani-sthänaàyamunä-téram avrajat

ghana—dense; andhakära—with darkness; araëya—a forest; antaù—within; saù—he; apaçyan—not seeing; kaïcit —anyone; unmukhaù—

eagerly turning toward; nirdhärya—noticing; tat —of that; dhvani—sound; sthänam—the place; yamunä-téram—to the bank of the Yamunä; avrajat —he went.

He entered a dense, dark forest where he couldn’t see anyone.But he discerned the place from which the sound came, and heeagerly went there, to the bank of the Yamunä.

COMMENTARY: So thick was the forest that the leaves of the trees left nospace for the light of the sun to enter. The brähmaëa saw no one butcould still hear the sound of näma-saìkértana, which drew him further

on.

TEXT 91

Ta}a NaqPaiNaku-ÅaNTaGaaeRPaveXaPairC^dMa( )ik-Xaaer& Sauku-Maara®& SauNdr& TaMaudE+aTa ))

tatra népa-nikuïjäntar gopa-veça-paricchadamkiçoraà su-kumäräìgaà

sundaraà tam udaikñatatatra—there; népa—of kadamba trees; nikuïja-antaù—in a grove; gopa—of a cowherd; veça—whose dress; paricchadam—and paraphernalia;kiçoram—a young man; su-kumära—very tender; aìgam—whose body;sundaram—handsome; tam—him; udaikñata—he saw.

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There, in a grove of kadamba trees, he found a handsomeyoung man whose body was very tender, with the dress andaccouterments of a cowherd.

COMMENTARY: The person the brähmaëa discovered was dressed like a

cowherd boy, with a flute, buffalo horn, and herding stick and with apeacock feather on his head. Every part of his body appearedauspicious.

TEXT 92

iNaJaeídevTaa>a[aNTYaa GaaePaale/iTa MahaMauda )SaMaaûYaNPa[<aaMaaYa PaPaaTa >auiv d<@vTa( ))

nijeñöa-devatä-bhräntyägopäleti mahä-mudä

samähvayan praëämäyapapäta bhuvi daëòa-vat

nija—for his own; iñöa-devatä—worshipable Deity; bhräntyä—becauseof mistaking; gopäla—O Gopäla!; iti—thus; mahä-mudä—with great joy;samähvayan—calling out; praëämäya—for offering respects; papäta—he fell; bhuvi—to the ground; daëòa-vat —like a rod.

Mistaking this person for his worshipable Deity, the brähmaëa joyfully called out “O Gopäla!” and fell to the ground like a rodto offer respects.

COMMENTARY: Because the cowherd sitting before the brähmaëa wasdressed and ornamented just like Madana-gopäla, the brähmaëa thought that this was the Deity in person. The brähmaëa wanted tooffer a fitting salutation, so he at once fell flat on the ground and withspontaneous enthusiasm sweetly called out, “O Gopäla!” The offeringof these three syllables go-pä-la was his way of properly honoring theLord.

TEXTS 93–94

TaTaae JaaTabihd*Rií" Sa SavRjiXaraeMai<a" ) jaTva Ta& MaaQaur& ivPa[& k-

aMaa:YaadeXavaiSaNaMa( ))é[qMaNMadNaGaaePaal/aePaaSak&- c SaMaaGaTaMa( )iNa"Sa*TYa ku-ÅaduTQaaPYa NaTvail/&GYa

NYaveXaYaTa( ))

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tato jäta-bahir-dåñöiùsa sarva-jïa-çiromaëiù

jïätvä taà mäthuraà vipraàkämäkhyä-deça-väsinam

çréman-madana-gopälo-päsakaà ca samägatamniùsåtya kuïjäd utthäpyanatväliìgya nyaveçayat

tataù—then; jäta—appearing; bahiù-dåñöiù—his externalconsciousness; saù—he; sarva- jïa—of knowers of everything; çiraù-maëiù—the crest jewel; jïätvä—knowing; tam—him; mäthuram—of Mathurä; vipram—a brähmaëa; kämäkhyä-deça—in the land of thegoddess Kämäkhyä; väsinam—a resident; çrémat -madana-gopäla—of Çrémän Madana-gopäla; upäsakam—a worshiper; ca—and;

samägatam—arrived; niùsåtya—coming out; kuïjät —from the grove;utthäpya—standing up to show respect; natvä—bowing down; äliìgya—embracing him; nyaveçayat —he made the brähmaëa sit down.

This young man was the crest jewel of those who knoweverything. As he regained external consciousness, herecognized his visitor as a Mathurä brähmaëa living in thedistrict of the goddess Kämäkhyä and worshiping ÇrémänMadana-gopäla. The young cowherd stood up and came out of the grove, bowed down to the brähmaëa and embraced him,and made him sit down.

COMMENTARY: The cowherd knew without being told that his guest was abrähmaëa who had traveled to Våndävana from a long distance. Morespecifically he knew that his visitor was the child of a brähmaëa familyof Mathurä who had moved to the Kämarüpä district in Assam toworship the presiding goddess Kämäkhyä. Furthermore, the youngcowherd knew that this brähmaëa was now worshiping the lotus feet of Çrémän Madana-gopäla and had come for some special purpose of theLord’s. Actually, Çré Rädhä-devé had ordered the cowherd to go to thegrove that morning. So he bowed down to his guest, raised him fromthe ground, embraced him, and invited him to sit down.

TEXT 95

AQaaiTaQYaeNa SaNTaaeZYa ivìaSaaeTPaadNaaYa Sa" )ik-iÄtaeNaaNau>aUTa& YaÜyÅYaaMaaSa

SaiSMaTaMa( ))

athätithyena santoñya

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viçväsotpädanäya saùkiïcit tenänubhütaà yadvyaïjayäm äsa sa-smitam

atha—then; ätithyena—with hospitality; santoñya—satisfying him;

viçväsa—his confidence; utpädanäya—for generating; saù—he; kiïcit —something; tena—by him; anubhütam—experienced; yat —which;vyaïjayäm äsa—revealed; sa-smitam—with a smile.

To further gain the brähmaëa’s confidence, the cowherdpleased him with hospitality and then smiled and revealedsomething about the brähmaëa’s life.

COMMENTARY: The young cowherd, Gopa-kumära, greeted his brähmaëaguest in a manner befitting the time and place and then brieflyrecounted what had happened in the brähmaëa’s life, beginning with

his worship of the goddess Kämäkhyä and leading up to his coming tothis place on the shore of the Yamunä. The cowherd expertly revealedthings hidden in the brähmaëa’s heart that no one else could haveknown. Why did he do this? He wanted to win the brähmaëa’s trust sothat the brähmaëa would believe what he was about to be told.Otherwise, the brähmaëa might be skeptical about Gopa-kumära’sfantastic story.

TEXT 96

bud(ßa GaaePaku-Maar& Ta& l/BßevaTMaiPa[Ya& Mauda

)ivìSTaae_k-QaYataiSMaNSvv*ta& b]aø<aae_i%l/Ma( ))

buddhvä gopa-kumäraà taàlabdhvevätma-priyaà mudäviçvasto ’kathayat tasminsva-våttaà brähmaëo ’khilam

buddhvä—recognizing; gopa-kumäram—a young cowherd boy; tam—him; labdhvä—accepting; iva—as if; ätma- priyam—a dear friend; mudä—happily; viçvastaù—trusting; akathayat —he recounted; tasmin—tohim (the cowherd); sva-våttam—his own story; brähmaëaù—thebrähmaëa; akhilam—entire.

The brähmaëa now understood that this was a young cowherdboy and accepted him as if the boy were a dear friend. Happilytrusting him, the brähmaëa then recounted his own entire lifestory.

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COMMENTARY: When the brähmaëa understood that this was not hisworshipable Lord but a cowherd with all good qualities, the brähmaëa relaxed.

TEXT 97

Sak-aPaR<YaiMad& caSaaE Pa[ié[Ta" PauNarb]vqTa( ) Ta& SavRjvr& MaTva SataMa& GaaePaNaNdNaMa( ))

sa-kärpaëyam idaà cäsaupraçritaù punar abravét taà sarva-jïa-varaà matväsat-tamaà gopa-nandanam

sa-kärpaëyam—with humility; idam—the following; ca—and; asau—he(the brähmaëa); praçritaù—submissive; punaù—further; abravét —said;

tam—to him (the cowherd); sarva- jïa—of knowers of everything; varam—the best; matvä—considering him; sat -tamam—the most saintly;gopa-nandanam—young child of the cowherds.

Then with great humility, considering this young child of thecowherds the best of wise men and a great saint, thebrähmaëa submissively added an inquiry.

TEXT 98

é[qb]aø<a ovacé[uTva bhuivDa& SaaDYa& SaaDaNa& c TaTaSTaTa" )Pa[aPYa& k*-TYa& c iNa<aeRTau& Na ik-iÄC^KYaTae

MaYaa ))

çré-brähmaëa uväcaçrutvä bahu-vidhaà sädhyaàsädhanaà ca tatas tataù

präpyaà kåtyaà ca nirëetuàna kiïcic chakyate mayä

çré-brähmaëaù uväca—the brähmaëa said; çrutvä—having heard;bahu-vidham—of various kinds; sädhyam—goals; sädhanam—methodsof achievement; ca—and; tataù tataù—from various sources; präpyam—what is to be attained; kåtyam—what is to be done; ca—and;nirëetum—to determine; na—not; kiïcit —anything; çakyate—can bedone; mayä—by me.

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The brähmaëa said: From various sources I have heard of various goals and various methods to achieve them, but still Icannot definitely decide what goal I should strive for and whatI should do to reach it.

COMMENTARY: On the bank of the Gaìgä, at Käçé and elsewhere, thebrähmaëa had heard various kinds of spiritual advice. He had heard inone place that heaven is the ultimate goal of life, and in another thatliberation from the cycle of birth and death is the goal. And as formeans of success he had heard claims that karma was the means, or jïäna, or other methods. No wonder he was confused.

TEXT 99

YaÀ deVYaajYaa ik-iÄdNauiTaïaiMa iNaTYaXa" ) TaSYaaiPa ik&- f-l&/ TaÀ k-TaMaTk-MaR veiÚ Na ))

yac ca devy-äjïayä kiïcidanutiñöhämi nityaçaùtasyäpi kià phalaà tac cakatamat karma vedmi na

yat —what; ca—and; devé—of the goddess; äjïayä—by the order; kiïcit —something; anutiñöhämi—I perform; nityaçaù—regularly; tasya—of that; api—even; kim—what; phalam—result; tat —that; ca—and;katamat —of which kind; karma—activity; vedmi na—I do not know.

Whatever the goddess ordered me, I regularly do. But I haveno idea about the results of those duties, or even what kind of acts they are.

COMMENTARY: If the brähmaëa did not know what the goal of hisendeavor was and how he might achieve it, why was he continuing tochant his mantra? He was doing so because he had respect for theorder of the goddess Kämäkhyä. The little she had asked him to do,namely chant this mantra, was not much compared to the complexduties of householders and sannyäsés that he had learned about fromothers. He continued chanting out of reverence for the goddess, notbecause he understood the essence of what he was doing. He waseven unaware whether this chanting belonged to the category of ritualduties, cultivation of knowledge, or devotional service. Therefore, hethought, since his practice was not based on definite knowledge andfaith, it had no real value for his spiritual advancement.

TEXT 100

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TaeNaed& ivf-l&/ JaNMa MaNvaNa" k-aMaYaeMa*iTaMa( )

Par& JaqvaiMa k*-PaYaa iXavYaaeMaaRDavSYa c ))

tenedaà viphalaà janma

manvänaù kämaye måtim paraà jévämi kåpayäçivayor mädhavasya ca

tena—therefore; idam—this; viphalam—fruitless; janma—life;manvänaù—considering; kämaye—I long for; måtim—death; param—only; jévämi—I live; kåpayä—by the mercy; çivayoù—of Lord Çiva andhis wife; mädhavasya—of Lord Mädhava; ca—and.

I therefore think my life worthless, and I simply want to die. Icontinue to live only by the mercy of Lord Mädhava, and Lord

Çiva and his wife.

COMMENTARY: It was at Prayäga that the brähmaëa had reached thispoint of crisis in his spiritual life. There also, however, he had receivedthe grace of Lord Viñëu in the form of Çré Mädhava and of LordViçveçvara and his wife Kämäkhyä-devé, who had all appeared indreams to give him guidance.

TEXT 101

TaYaEva}aaÛ SavRj& dYaalu/& Tva& SvdevvTa( )

Pa[aPYa ôí" Pa[Saàae_iSMa k*-Pa<a& Maa& SaMauÖr ))

tayaiväträdya sarva-jïaàdayäluà tväà sva-deva-vat

präpya håñöaù prasanno ’smikåpaëaà mäà samuddhara

tayä—by that (mercy); eva—only; atra—here; adya—today; sarva- jïam—all-knowing; dayälum—compassionate; tväm—you; sva-deva-vat — just like my worshipable Deity; präpya—obtaining; håñöaù—happy; prasannaù—satisfied; asmi—I am; kåpaëam—wretched; mäm—me;samuddhara—please deliver.

Only by their mercy have I met you here today, acompassionate and all-knowing person. You are just like myworshipable Deity, and I am very happy and satisfied to meetyou. Now please deliver this wretched soul.

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COMMENTARY: At Prayäga the brähmaëa received the mercy of ÇréMädhava, Viçveçvara, and Kämäkhyä-devé, but only in Våndävanacould he understand the inestimable value of that mercy. Now he isconfident that Gopa-kumära is as good as Lord Madana-gopäla; inother words, Gopa-kumära’s transcendental instructions can easily lift

him out of the ocean of his doubts and out of the vast ocean of material existence.

TEXT 102

é[qParqi+aduvaciNaXaMYa Saadr& TaSYa vcNa& Sa VYaicNTaYaTa( )WTaSYa k*-Tak*-TYaSYa JaaTaa PaU<aaRQaRTaa ik-l/ ))

çré-parékñid uväcaniçamya sädaraà tasya

vacanaà sa vyacintayat etasya kåta-kåtyasyajätä pürëärthatä kila

çré- parékñit uväca—Çré Parékñit said; niçamya—hearing; sa-ädaram—with respect; tasya—his; vacanam—words; saù—he; vyacintayat —thought; etasya—of this person; kåta-kåtyasya—who has doneeverything he needs to do; jätä—has arisen; pürëa-arthatä—completesuccess in life; kila—indeed.

Çré Parékñit said: Respectfully having heard the brähmaëa’s

words, the young cowherd thought, “This person has doneeverything he needs to do. Indeed, his life is a completesuccess.

COMMENTARY: The word ädara is usually understood to mean “respect,”but it can also mean “affection.” With respect for the brähmaëa’s status as a Mathurä brähmaëa and with special affinity for him as afellow worshiper of Çré Madana-gopäla, Gopa-kumära heard him out. Texts 102 through 108 describe Gopa-kumära’s thoughtful concern forthe brähmaëa.

TEXT 103

ke-vl&/ TaTPadaM>aaeJaSaa+aadq+aaviXaZYaTae ) TaÂPae_hRiTa NaaSai¢&- ik-NTau TaàaMak-ITaRNae ))

kevalaà tat-padämbhoja-säkñäd-ékñävaçiñyate

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taj-jape ’rhati näsaktiàkintu tan-näma-kértane

kevalam—only; tat —His; pada-ambhoja—of the lotus feet; säkñät —directly; ékñä—seeing; avaçiñyate—remains; tat —His; jape—in the

quiet chanting of the mantra; arhati—he requires; na—not; äsaktim—attachment; kintu—rather; tat —His; näma-kértane—in the näma-saìkértana.

“All that remains for him to achieve is to see directly the lotusfeet of the Lord. He needs to become attached not so much tothe solitary chanting of the Lord’s mantra but to thesaìkértana of His names.

COMMENTARY: When received by Païcarätric initiation in a Vaiñëavasampradäya, viñëu-mantras deliver the chanter from illusion and

provide him liberation and entrance into the divine life of devotionalservice. But the highest standard of pure love of God is obtainable notby the päïcarätrika-vidhi but by the bhägavata-vidhi of näma-saìkértana, worship of Kåñëa’s names without material motives. ThePrägjyotiña-pura brähmaëa had been chanting the ten-syllable Gopälamantra for some time with good effect, but only after he heard theçuddha-näma from Gopa-kumära was he able to chant the samenames of Lord Gopäla in the perfect consciousness of saìkértana. Offenseless saìkértana with concentrated attention naturally developsinto spontaneous attraction to Kåñëa and His loving service.

TEXTS 104–105

é[qMaNMadNaGaaePaal/PaadaBJaaePaaSaNaaTParMa( )NaaMaSaªqTaRNaPa[aYaaÜaH^aTaqTaf-l/Pa[daTa( )) TaçIl/aSQal/Paal/INaa& é[ÖaSaNdXaRNaadrE" )SaMPaaÛMaaNaaNa( iNaTara& ik-iÄàaSTYaev

SaaDaNaMa( ))

çréman-madana-gopäla-pädäbjopäsanät paramnäma-saìkértana-präyäd

väïchätéta-phala-pradät

tal-lélä-sthala-pälénäàçraddhä-sandarçanädaraiùsampädyamänän nitaräàkiïcin nästy eva sädhanam

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çrémat -madana-gopäla—of Çrémän Madana-gopäla; päda-abja—of thelotus feet; upäsanät —than the worship; param—higher; näma-saìkértana-präyät —consisting primarily of näma-saìkértana; väïchä-atéta—beyond expectations; phala—fruits; pradät —which bestows; tat —His; lélä—of the pastimes; sthala-pälénäm—of the many places;

çraddhä—with faith; sandarçana—seeing; ädaraiù—with respect;sampädyamänät —being accomplished; nitaräm—fully; kiïcit —any; naasti—there is not; eva—at all; sädhanam—method of practice.

“Certainly no means of perfection is superior to the worship of Çrémän Madana-gopäla’s lotus feet. That worship yieldsresults far beyond what one could expect. It should beperformed mainly through näma-saìkértana, along withreverence and affection for the many places of Çré Gopäla’spastimes, places one should regularly visit.

COMMENTARY: How then had the brähmaëa already made so muchspiritual advancement? He had done so by worshiping Çré Kåñëa,although irregularly. He had been worshiping without the completefaith and understanding that come only from the special mercy of Kåñëa’s pure devotees. But any contact with Kåñëa, the supreme goalof all existence, assures absolute perfection, and so also does anycontact with His names, for hearing and chanting His names is thesupreme method for attaining kåñëa-prema. Even offensive chantingof Kåñëa’s names, if continued long enough, will free one fromdisqualifications, and even nämäbhäsa, offenseless chanting withoutreal attachment, will quickly lead to liberation and the rise of

transcendental attachment and taste. Thus for spiritual upliftment there is no better practice than worshipof the divine lotus feet of Lord Madana-gopäla. In this verse the Lord’sfeet are described as çrémän, indicating that they fully possess alltypes of wealth and splendor. They have the potency to satisfy all theheartfelt desires of a devotee and to delight him in ways unanticipatedby his conscious, and even subconscious, desires. The principal activityof this worship is saìkértana, chanting out loud in melodious song theLord’s names, like Kåñëa, Govinda and Gopäla.

Çré Parékñit further suggests that the effects of hari-näma-saìkértana are enhanced by visiting the sacred places in Vraja-bhümi

where Kåñëa enjoyed pastimes with His gopas and gopés. As much asother obligations in devotional service allow, Vaiñëavas should wanderabout these places and see them with their own eyes. If they do thiswith love and respect, their näma-bhajana will soon bear fruit.

TEXT 106

SaÅaTaPa[eMak-aÀaSMaaÀTauvRGaRiv@Mbk-aTa( )

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TaTPaadaBJavXaqk-aradNYaTSaaDYa& Na ik-ÄNa ))

saïjäta-premakäc cäsmäccatur-varga-viòambakät tat-pädäbja-vaçé-käräd

anyat sädhyaà na kiïcana

saïjäta—manifest; premakät —in which there is pure love; ca—and;asmät —than that; catuù-varga—the four goals of life; viòambakät —which ridicules; tat —His; päda-abja—the lotus feet; vaçé-kärät —whichbrings under control; anyat —other; sädhyam—goal; na kiïcana—noneat all.

“And there is no better goal than this very worship, in whichpure love of God appears, mocking the four lesser aims of lifeand bringing the Lord’s lotus feet under one’s control.

COMMENTARY: Religiosity, economic development, sense gratification,and liberation appear insignificant in comparison to kåñëa-prema. Only prema-bhakti can bring the Personality of Godhead under control: çré-kåñëäkarñiëé ca sä (Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu 1.1.17)

TEXT 107

wiTa baeDaiYaTau& caSYa SavRSa&XaYaNaaedNaMa( )Svv*taMaev iNai%l&/ NaUNa& Pa[ak( ‐Pa[iTaPaadYae ))

iti bodhayituà cäsyasarva-saàçaya-nodanamsva-våttam eva nikhilaànünaà präk pratipädaye

iti—thus; bodhayitum—to bring him to the realization; ca—and; asya—his; sarva—all; saàçaya—doubts; nodanam—which will dispel; sva—myown; våttam—history; eva—indeed; nikhilam—complete; nünam—certainly; präk —first; pratipädaye—I should present.

“To bring him to this realization, first I must tell him my own

history in full. That will clear away all his doubts.

COMMENTARY: The brähmaëa needs to be informed that Kåñëa is thegoal of his endeavors and that näma-saìkértana is the means toachieve Kåñëa. But if Gopa-kumära were to say this from the start, thebrähmaëa, his mind ruled by doubts and misconceptions, might notgrasp the full import of the advice. Therefore, to win the brähmaëa’s trust, Gopa-kumära first needs to describe his own experiences,

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beginning from when he also received the same gopäla-mantra andcontinuing up to the present moment. That will drive away thebrähmaëa’s doubts and wrong ideas. It will also allow the brähmaëa todrink the nectar of çré-bhagavat-kathä, which will render his heart pureenough to assimilate the transcendental knowledge he requires. In

fact, that knowledge should then manifest itself automatically, evenwithout needing to be explicitly stated.

TEXT 108

SvYaMaev SvMaahaTMYa& k-QYaTae Yaà TaTSaTaaMa( )SaMMaTa& SYaataQaaPYaSYa NaaNYaa:YaaNaaiÖTa&

>aveTa( ))

svayam eva sva-mähätmyaàkathyate yan na tat satäm

sammataà syät tathäpy asyanänyäkhyänäd dhitaà bhavet

svayam—by oneself; eva—indeed; sva—of oneself; mähätmyam—theglorification; kathyate—is spoken; yat —when; na—not; tat —that;satäm—by saintly persons; sammatam—approved; syät —generally is;tathä api—nevertheless; asya—his; na—not; anya—of something else; äkhyänät —by the narration; hitam—benefit; bhavet —will come about.

“Describing one’s own glories is disapproved by spiritualauthorities. But nothing else I could say will bring about his

good fortune.”

COMMENTARY: As the saying goes, sva-praçaàsä dhruvo måtyuù: “Self-praise is as good as death.” All the same, Gopa-kumära understandsthat nothing but his own story will dispel the brähmaëa’s doubts andgive him tattva-jïäna. Because Gopa-kumära used his mystic power todescribe the brähmaëa’s past, the brähmaëa is already inclined tobelieve him. So Gopa-kumära should not hesitate to tell his own storyand thereby make the brähmaëa fortunate, since his own story is verysimilar to that of the brähmaëa and will drive away all his doubts. ÇréRädhä’s order will then be quickly carried out, and what wouldordinarily have been a breach of etiquette will be perfectly acceptablebehavior.

TEXT 109

Wv& iviNaiêTYa MahaNau>aavaeGaaePaaTMaJaae_SaavvDaaPYa ivPa[Ma( )

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AaTMaaNau>aUTa& GaidTau& Pa[v*ta"PaaErai<ak-ae YaÜd*iz" Paura<aMa( ))

evaà viniçcitya mahänubhävogopätmajo ’säv avadhäpya vipram

ätmänubhütaà gadituà pravåttaùpauräëiko yadvad åñiù puräëam

evam—thus; viniçcitya—making up his mind; mahä-anubhävaù—thegreat, thoughtful devotee; gopa-ätma-jaù—son of the cowherds; asau—he; avadhäpya—calling the attention; vipram—of the brähmaëa;ätma—by himself; anubhütam—what was experienced; gaditum—tospeak of; pravåttaù—began; pauräëikaù—of the Puräëas; yadvat —as;åñiù—a sage; puräëam—a Puräëa.

Thus the saintly son of the cowherds made up his mind. He

asked the brähmaëa for his attention and began to speak about his own life, just as a sage versed in the Puräëas wouldspeak an epic.

COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumära spoke with great authority; although he was just a young herdsman, anyone listening to him would think he was anancient speaker of the Puräëas like Romaharñaëa Süta or his sonUgraçravä, or a seer of Vedic mantras like the åñi Vämadeva. Hisnarration was as authoritative as the Puräëas and fully in accord withall çästras.

The sage Devala has defined the characteristics of a åñi:

ürdhva-retäs tapasy ugroniyatäçé ca saàyaméçäpänugrahayoù çaktaùsatya-sandho bhaved åñiù

“A åñi is one whose semen flows upward, who is fierce in observingaustere vows, who eats moderately, controls his senses, is able tocurse and bless, and adheres firmly to the truth.”

TEXT 110é[qGaaePaku-Maar ovacA}aeiTahaSaa bhvae ivÛNTae_QaaiPa k-QYaTae )Svv*taMaevaNauSMa*TYa MaaehadaviPa Sa®TaMa( ))

çré-gopa-kumära uväcaatretihäsä bahavovidyante ’thäpi kathyate

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sva-våttam evänusmåtyamohädäv api saìgatam

çré-gopa-kumäraù uväca—Çré Gopa-kumära said; atra—here; itihäsäù—historical accounts; bahavaù—many; vidyante—there are; atha api—

nonetheless; kathyate—is going to be told; sva-våttam—my own story;eva—only; anusmåtya—recollecting; moha—during fits of ecstasy;ädau—and so on; api—also; saìgatam—what occurred.

Çré Gopa-kumära said: There are many relevant historicalaccounts, but I am going to tell you my own story, includingrecollections of what occurred at times when I was bewilderedby ecstasy and other distractions.

COMMENTARY: There are many ancient historical accounts about whatcertain people did and said to one another that may be useful in

explaining how to determine the best goal of life and the means toachieve it. These accounts are called Itihäsas:

dharmärtha-käma-mokñäëämupadeça-samanvitam

pürva-våtta-kathä-yuktamitihäsaà pracakñate

“A text that consists of narrations of past events and includesinstructions about religiosity, economic development, sensegratification, and liberation is called an Itihäsa.”

Gopa-kumära’s plan, however, is to tell his own history instead. Of all forms of evidence for establishing the truth, experience from one’sown life is the strongest. Thus when Gopa-kumära frankly reveals theevents of his life, the brähmaëa should be persuaded of the highertruth that Gopa-kumära has grasped.

On occasion Gopa-kumära was unaware of what was going onaround him because the overflowing of his love for the Supreme Lorddisturbed his external perception. Even so, by virtue of his advancedself-realization he can now recollect even the details of events of whichhe was unconscious when they occurred. Many of these personalevents are also too confidential to discuss freely in public, and Gopa-

kumära may be somewhat embarrassed to mention them. He feelsobliged, however, to do everything he can to help enlighten thebrähmaëa. As Gopa-kumära will tell the brähmaëa in the last chapterof this book:

paçya yac cätmanas tasyatadéyänäm api dhruvamvåttaà parama-gopyaà tat

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sarvaà te kathitaà mayä

“Just see. I have told you everything that happened to me, andeverything done by the Lord and His devotees, even that which isextremely confidential..” (Båhad-bhägavatämåta 2.7.4)

TEXT 111

GaaePaal/v*taevŒXYaSYa GaaevDaRNaiNavaiSaNa" )Pau}aae_hMaqd*Xaae bal/" Paura GaaêarYaiàJaa" ))

gopäla-våtter vaiçyasyagovardhana-niväsinaù

putro ’ham édåço bälaùpurä gäç cärayan nijäù

gopäla—as a cowherd; våtteù—who made his living; vaiçyasya—of avaiçya; govardhana-niväsinaù—a resident of Govardhana; putraù—ason; aham—I; édåçaù—such; bälaù—a young boy; purä—in the past;gäù—cows; cärayan—tending; nijäù—my own.

I am a son of a vaiçya of Govardhana who made his living as acowherd. As a young boy of that community, I used to tend myown cows.

TEXT 112

TaiSMaNa( GaaevDaRNae k*-Z<aaTaqre v*NdavNae_}ac )

MaaQaure Ma<@le/ balE/" SaMa& ivPa[vr iSQaTa" ))

tasmin govardhane kåñëä-tére våndävane ’tra camäthure maëòale bälaiùsamaà vipra-vara sthitaù

tasmin—at that place; govardhane—Govardhana; kåñëä—of the

Yamunä; tére—on the banks; våndävane—in the forest of Våndävana;atra—here; ca—and; mäthure maëòale—in the Mathurä District; bälaiù—with boys; samam—together; vipra-vara—O best of brähmaëas;sthitaù—remaining.

O best of learned brähmaëas, I stayed in the company of otherboys there at Govardhana, here in Våndävana, on the banks of

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the Yamunä, and at various other places in the district of Mathurä.

COMMENTARY: Now Gopa-kumära begins his story, which will continue tillthe end of the sixth chapter. He was born in a vaiçya community, in a

family of cowherds. Many scriptures, including Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.24.21), describe that vaiçyas may engage in four occupations:trade, banking, farming, and cow protection (kåñi-väëijya-go-rakñäkusédam).

As this history unfolds, we shall find that although a long time haspassed since Gopa-kumära was an innocent boy at Govardhana, he hasnot aged at all. As he explains later, this was due to a blessing givenhim by his spiritual master:

tvam etasya prabhäveëacira-jévé bhavänv-aham

édåg-gopärbha-rüpaç catat-phaläpty-arha-mänasaù

“By the potency of this mantra, may you live a long time, may youalways have the form of a cowherd boy, and may you develop the rightmentality for tasting the mantra’s fruit.” (Båhad-bhägavatämåta 2.1.191)

Gopa-kumära’s tending a herd of his own cows means that his familywas relatively well-to-do and independent. In the course of doing thiswork, he wandered over the area within the twenty- yojana circumference of Mathurä-maëòala. Among the places he used for cow

herding, his special favorites were Govardhana, the forest of Våndävana, and the shores of the Yamunä. Sometimes he went toother locations in the dhäma, like Mahävana, but according to onetranscendental opinion Vraja-bhümi consists of nothing butGovardhana, Våndävana, and the Yamunä, since these three placespervade the entire dhäma. In any case, there is no place outside Vraja-dhäma where a cowherd can get real benefit from his occupation.

Gopa-kumära addresses his new student by saying “O best of learned brähmaëas” because the student hails from the brähmaëa community of Mathurä.

TEXT 113

vNaMaDYae c PaXYaaMaae iNaTYaMaek&-iÜJaaetaMaMa( )

idVYaMaUiTa| ivr¢-ya!y& PaYaR$=NTaiMaTaSTaTa" ))

vana-madhye ca paçyämonityam ekaà dvijottamam

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divya-mürtià virakty-äòhyaàparyaöantam itas tataù

vana—of the forest; madhye—in the mist; ca—and; paçyämaù—wewould see; nityam—regularly; ekam—one; dvija-uttamam—first-class

brähmaëa; divya—divine; mürtim—whose bodily appearance; virakti—with renunciation; äòhyam—endowed; paryaöantam—wandering; itaùtataù—here and there.

In the forest we regularly saw a certain first-class brähmaëawandering from place to place. He was very renounced, and hisbody appeared like that of a god.

COMMENTARY: This person the boys frequently saw was in truth the bestof brähmaëas. His body was golden and very beautiful.

TEXT 114

k-ITaRYaNTa& Mauhu" k*-Z<a& JaPaDYaaNarTa& KvicTa()

Na*TYaNTa& KvaiPa GaaYaNTa& KvaiPa haSaPar&KvicTa( ))

kértayantaà muhuù kåñëaàjapa-dhyäna-rataà kvacit nåtyantaà kväpi gäyantaàkväpi häsa-paraà kvacit

kértayantam—chanting the glories; muhuù—always; kåñëam—of Kåñëa; japa—in chanting his mantra; dhyäna—and meditation; ratam—absorbed; kvacit —sometimes; nåtyantam—dancing; kva api—sometimes; gäyantam—singing; kva api—sometimes; häsa—tolaughter; param—giving his attention; kvacit —sometimes.

He was always chanting the glories of Kåñëa. Sometimes hesang and sometimes danced. Sometimes, absorbed inmeditation, he chanted his mantra to himself, and sometimeshe gave himself over to laughter.

COMMENTARY: The outstanding characteristic of this brähmaëa was thathe always vibrated Kåñëa’s glories, either with the two-syllable nameKåñëa or with other names of the Personality of Godhead. He wouldsing these names sweetly in various ways. He sometimes appearedwithdrawn into his private japa and dhyäna, which he dutifullyperformed daily even though he was already perfect in chanting theLord’s holy names. As the tantras prescribe, even a person who has

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perfected the chanting of his mantra should continue to performregular worship through japa and dhyäna to show gratitude to hisspiritual benefactors:

siddha-mantro ’pi pütätmä

tri-sandhyaà devam arcayet niyamenaika-sandhyaà väjaped añöottaraà çatam

“Even if one has perfected his mantra and is completely pure in heart,he should still worship the Lord at the three junctures of the day by themethod prescribed. Or at least at one of these three times he shoulddo this worship, and 108 times he should chant japa of his mantra.”

When the brähmaëa seemed withdrawn, intent on his prescribedchanting and meditation, in fact his outward senses were inactive notbecause he was controlling them out of duty but because ecstatic love

was swelling up within him..

TEXT 115

iv§-aeXaNTa& KvicÙUMaaE S%l/NTa& KvaiPa MatavTa( )lu/#=NTa& >auiv ku-}aaiPa ådNTa& KvicduÀkE-" ))

vikroçantaà kvacid bhümauskhalantaà kväpi matta-vat luöhantaà bhuvi kuträpirudantaà kvacid uccakaiù

vikroçantam—shouting; kvacit —sometimes; bhümau—on the ground;skhalantam—stumbling; kva api—sometimes; matta-vat —like amadman; luöhantam—rolling; bhuvi—on the ground; kutra api—insome places; rudantam—sobbing; kvacit —sometimes; uccakaiù—loudly.

Sometimes he shouted, or loudly sobbed, or stumbled and fellto the ground, or rolled about on the ground like a madman.

TEXT 116ivSa&j& PaiTaTa& KvaiPa ëeZMal/al/aé[uDaarYaa )PaªYaNTa& Gava& vTMaRrJaa&iSa Ma*TavTKvicTa( ))

visaàjïaà patitaà kväpiçleñma-läläçru-dhärayä

paìkayantaà gaväà vartma-

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rajäàsi måta-vat kvacit

visaàjïam—unconscious; patitam—fallen down; kva api—sometimes;çleñma—of his mucus; läla—saliva; açru—and tears; dhärayä—with theflood; paìkayantam—turning into mud; gaväm—of the cows; vartma—

on the path; rajäàsi—the dust; måta-vat —like a corpse; kvacit —sometimes.

Sometimes he fell unconscious and lay still like a corpse, theflood of his mucus, saliva, and tears turning the dust on thecow path into mud.

COMMENTARY: Because the brähmaëa was practicing such intensechanting of the Lord’s names, he would sometimes feel joy soimmense that he would lose outward consciousness. Sometimes hewould collapse without wetting the ground as described here, and then

he would appear to have died.

TEXT 117

k-aETauke-Na vYa& bal/a YaaMaae_Mau& vqi+aTau&Sada )

Sa Tau GaaePaku-Maaraàae l/Bßa NaMaiTa >ai¢-Ta" ))

kautukena vayaà bäläyämo ’muà vékñituà sadäsa tu gopa-kumärän no

labdhvä namati bhaktitaù

kautukena—curiously; vayam—we; bäläù—boys; yämaù—would come;amum—at him; vékñitum—to look; sadä—always; saù—he; tu—but;gopa-kumärän—young cowherd boys; naù—us; labdhvä—obtaining;namati—would bow down; bhaktitaù—with devotion.

Out of curiosity we cowherd boys would often come look athim. But when he saw us in front of him he would bow down tous with devotion.

COMMENTARY: He apparently had great respect for the boys, despitetheir having no special respect for him.

TEXT 118

Gaa!MaaiëZYaiTa Pa[eM<aa SavaR®ezu SacuMbNaMa( )

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PairTYa¢u-& Na Xa¥-aeiTaMaad*XaaNa( iPa[YabNDauvTa( ))

gäòham äçliñyati premëäsarväìgeñu sa-cumbanam

parityaktuà na çaknotimädåçän priya-bandhu-vat

gäòham—deeply; äçliñyati—he would embrace; premëä—with love;sarva—on all; aìgeñu—limbs; sa-cumbanam—with kissing; parityaktum—to give up; na çaknoti—he was not able; mädåçän—the likes of us; priya-bandhu-vat —as if his best friends.

He would heartily embrace us and affectionately cover us withkisses, as if we were his best friends. He was unable to give upour company.

COMMENTARY: Immersed in kåñëa-prema, this brähmaëa was attractedto these village boys because they resembled young Kåñëa and Hiscowherd friends. Priya-bandhu has several meanings: “best friends,”“close relatives,” “most dear devotees of the Lord,” and “the SupremeLord, who is dear to His devotees.”

TEXT 119

MaYaa GaaerSadaNaaidSaevYaaSaaE Pa[SaaidTa" )Wk-da YaMauNaaTaqre Pa[aPYaail/&GYa JaGaad

MaaMa( ))

mayä go-rasa-dänädi-sevayäsau prasäditaùekadä yamunä-térepräpyäliìgya jagäda mäm

mayä—by me; go-rasa—of milk products; däna—with gifts; ädi—and soon; sevayä—by the service; asau—he; prasäditaù—pleased; ekadä—one day; yamunä-tére—on the shore of the Yamunä; präpya—meeting;äliìgya—embracing; jagäda—he said; mäm—to me.

He was pleased with my services like giving gifts of milk products. One day, meeting me on the shore of the Yamunä, heembraced me and spoke in this way:

COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumära gave his new friend presents of milk,yogurt, and other milk products and would also carry his waterpot and

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follow him around. This kind of voluntary service pleased the greatsoul, who became disposed to give the boy his mercy.

TEXT 120

vTSa Tv& Sak-l/a>aqíiSaiÖiMaC^iSa ceidMaMa( )Pa[Saad& JaGadqXaSYa òaTva ke-XYaa& Ga*ha<a MaTa(

))

vatsa tvaà sakaläbhéñöa-siddhim icchasi ced imam

prasädaà jagad-éçasyasnätvä keçyäà gåhäëa mat

vatsa—dear child; tvam—you; sakala—all; abhéñöa—of desires;siddhim—the fulfillment; icchasi—you want; cet —if; imam—this;

prasädam—mercy; jagat -éçasya—of the Lord of the universe; snätvä—taking a bath; keçyäm—at Keçé-ghäöa; gåhäëa—please take it; mat —from me.

“My dear child, if you want to fulfill all your desires, pleasebathe at Keçé-ghäöa and then accept from Me this mercy of the Lord of the universe.”

COMMENTARY: Normally we consider the mercy of the Supreme Lordsomething intangible, but the saintly brähmaëa called it “this mercy”as if it were a tangible object in front of them. He told Gopa-kumära

“Just take it from me” as if literally placing it in his hands.

TEXT 121

WvMaeTa& >avNMaN}a& òaTaaYaaePaiddeXa Mae )PaU<aRk-aMaae_NaPae+Yaae_iPa Sa

dYaalu/iXaraeMai<a" ))

evam etaà bhavan-mantraàsnätäyopadideça me

pürëa-kämo ’napekñyo ’pisa dayälu-çiromaëiù

evam—thus; etam—this; bhavat-mantram—your mantra; snätäya—who had bathed; upadideça—he imparted; me—to me; pürëa-kämaù—fully satisfied in himself; anapekñyaù—indifferent; api—although; saù—he; dayälu—of compassionate persons; çiraù-maëiù—the crest jewel.

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Thus, after I bathed, he imparted to me the same mantra youare chanting. Although he was fully satisfied in himself andindifferent to material things, he was the crest jewel of allcompassionate souls.

COMMENTARY: Since Gopa-kumära and his student have been initiatedinto the same mantra, their relationship should become very friendly.When Gopa-kumära got his mantra he should not have thought that

this was his guru’s way of reciprocating the gifts of buttermilk andyogurt. His guru, being fully self-satisfied, did not need the service.Only out of infinite compassion for the fallen souls did the guru showGopa-kumära his mercy.

TEXT 122

PaUJaaiviDa& iXa+aiYaTau& DYaeYaMauÀarYaHJaPae )

Pa[eMaaku-l/ae GaTaae Maaeh& ådiNvrih<aqv Sa" ))

püjä-vidhià çikñayituàdhyeyam uccärayaï jape

premäkulo gato mohaàrudan virahiëéva saù

püjä—of worshiping; vidhim—the method; çikñayitum—to instruct;dhyeyam—the object of meditation; uccärayan—uttering; jape—in thechanting; prema—in pure love; äkulaù—agitated; gataù moham—hebecame bewildered; rudan—crying; virahiëé—a woman separated from

her lover; iva—as if; saù—he.

He was about to explain the method of worshiping with themantra, but as soon as he mentioned the object of meditationhe was overcome by pure love of God, became confused, andstarted crying like a woman separated from her lover.

COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumära’s guru had the instructions for properlyusing the mantra just on the tip of his tongue. He was about to tellGopa-kumära how to touch the body with the syllables of the mantra, how to meditate systematically on the meaning of the mantra, and allthe other details for reciting the mantra in worship. But as soon as hestarted to describe the beautiful form of Çrémän Madana-gopäla asudden ecstasy caught hold of him, and, crying like a lovesick womanremembering her distant beloved, he lost his train of thought.

TEXT 123

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Sa&ja& Pa[aáae_Qa ik-iÄà Pa[íu& Xa¢-ae MaYaa i>aYaa )oTQaaYa ivMaNaSk-ae_GaaTKvaiPa Pa[aá" PauNaNaR

Sa" ))

saàjïäà präpto ’tha kiïcin na

prañöuà çakto mayä bhiyäutthäya vimanasko ’gät kväpi präptaù punar na saù

saàjïäm—normal consciousness; präptaù—obtaining; atha—then; kiïcit —anything; na—not; prañöum—to ask; çaktaù—was possible; mayä—by me; bhiyä—out of fear; utthäya—standing up; vimanaskaù—distressed; agät —he went; kva api—somewhere; präptaù—found; punaù—again; na—not; saù—he.

When he regained normal consciousness I was afraid to ask

him anything. He stood up and went away, distressed. Andafter that he was nowhere to be found.

COMMENTARY: Having just received initiation, Gopa-kumära felt deepreverence for his spiritual master, and without first being spoken to hedared not say anything. He feared he might have done somethingoffensive to upset his guru and thought that if he said anything wronghis guru might start crying again. Why didn’t the saintly brähmaëa givethe missing instructions unasked? In his ecstatic mood he was unhappyand distracted, so he went away saying nothing more. And because hehad no fixed residence he was not to be found again.

TEXT 124

MaYaa Tau ik-iMad& l/BDa& ik-MaSYa f-l/Maev va )MaN}a" k-Qa& SaaDaNaqYa wiTa jaTa& Na ik-ÄNa ))

mayä tu kim idaà labdhaàkim asya phalam eva vämantraù kathaà sädhanéyaiti jïätaà na kiïcana

mayä—by me; tu—but; kim—what; idam—this; labdham—received;kim—what; asya—of it; phalam—the fruit; eva—even; vä—or; mantraù—the mantra; katham—how; sädhanéyaù—to be perfected; iti—thus; jïätam—known; na—not; kiïcana—at all.

I had no idea what this mantra was that I had received, whatfruit its chanting would bear, or even how the mantra was tobe practiced.

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COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumära did not even know the name of this ten-syllable mantra. Was the mantra meant to be sung out loud? Orchanted quietly? Or was it a mantra at all? If it was powerful, whenchanted perfectly what fruit would it bear? His guru had told him that

the mantra would fulfill all his desires, but that was vague. Until nowGopa-kumära had never thought seriously about his ultimate desiresand goals.

TEXT 125

TaÜaKYaGaaErve<aEv MaN}a& Ta& ke-vl&/ Mau%e )ke-NaaPYal/i+aTaae_Jaó& JaPaeYa& k-aETauk-aidv ))

tad-väkya-gauraveëaivamantraà taà kevalaà mukhe

kenäpy alakñito ’jasraàjapeyaà kautukäd iva

tat —his; väkya—for the words; gauraveëa—out of respect; eva—only;mantram—the mantra; tam—it; kevalam—only; mukhe—in my mouth;kena api—by anyone; alakñitaù—not seen; ajasram—constantly; japeyam—I would chant; kautukät —out of curiosity; iva—as if.

Simply out of respect for the brähmaëa’s words, I constantlymurmured this mantra in secluded places, unseen by others. Ichanted it just out of curiosity.

COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumära, aware of his ignorance of the true nature of the mantra, was embarrassed to chant it in public. But it certainlyfascinated him.

TEXT 126

TaNMahaPauåzSYaEv Pa[>aavataad*XaeNa c ) JaPaeNa ictaXauiÖMaeR Ta}a é[ÖaPYaJaaYaTa ))

tan-mahä-puruñasyaivaprabhävät tädåçena ca japena citta-çuddhir metatra çraddhäpy ajäyata

tat —of that; mahä- puruñasya—great person; eva—only; prabhävät —bythe influence; tädåçena—by such; ca—even; japena—chanting; citta—

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of the mind; çuddhiù—purification; me—my; tatra—in it; çraddhä—faith; api—also; ajäyata—developed.

By the influence of that great person, even such aimlesschanting purified my mind, and I developed faith in the

mantra.

COMMENTARY: Without scientific knowledge of its practice andsignificance, the young sädhaka Gopa-kumära could hardly have solidfaith in the mantra. He was not firmly convinced of its efficacy, nor washe affectionately attracted to it. Nonetheless, his naive chantingpurified his mind of lust, envy, and greed.

TEXT 127

TaÜaKYa& caNauSaNDaaYa JaGadqìrSaaDak-Ma( )

Ta& MaN}a& MaNYaMaaNaae_h& TauZYaHJaPaParae_>avMa( ))

tad-väkyaà cänusandhäyajagad-éçvara-sädhakamtaà mantraà manyamäno ’haàtuñyaï japa-paro ’bhavam

tat —his; väkyam—words; ca—and; anusandhäya—contemplating; jagat -éçvara—the Lord of the universe; sädhakam—the means of achieving; tam—that; mantram—mantra; manyamänaù—considering;

aham—I; tuñyan—feeling satisfied; japa—in chanting the mantra; paraù—absorbed; abhavam—I became.

Contemplating my guru’s words, I understood the mantra to bethe means for achieving the Lord of the universe. Thus Ibecame satisfied and absorbed in chanting.

COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumära’s guru had told him, “Accept the SupremeLord’s mercy.” Remembering this, Gopa-kumära concluded that themantra was meant for obtaining the favor of the Supreme Lord. Thiswas a satisfying reason to take enthusiastically to the chanting.

TEXT 128

k-Id*Xaae JaGadqXaae_SaaE k-da va d*XYaTaa& MaYaa ) Tadek-l/al/Saae ihTva Ga*hadqHJaaövqMaGaaMa( ))

kédåço jagad-éço ’sau

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kadä vä dåçyatäà mayätad-eka-lälaso hitvägåhädéï jähnavém agäm

kédåçaù—like what; jagat -éçaù—Lord of the universe; asau—this; kadä

—when; vä—and; dåçyatäm—He might be seen; mayä—by me; tat —that; eka—only; lälasaù—my aspiration; hitvä—abandoning; gåha-ädén—home and so on; jähnavém—to the Gaìgä; agäm—I went.

I became eager to know who this Lord of the universe was andwhen I might be able to see Him. With this as my onlyaspiration I abandoned my home and other attachments andwent to the bank of the Gaìgä.

COMMENTARY: Wanting to identify the Lord of the universe, Gopa-kumäracompared Him to familiar people and things. But he could find no clue

in the place where he had been brought up, so he left home to wanderin search of the Lord.

TEXT 129

dUraC^«ßiNa& é[uTva TaTPad& Pauil/Na& GaTa" )ivPa[& vq+YaaNaMa& Ta}a Xaal/Ga[aMaiXal/acRk-Ma( ))

düräc chaìkha-dhvanià çrutvätat-padaà pulinaà gataùvipraà vékñyänamaà tatra

çälagräma-çilärcakam

dürät —from a distance; çaìkha—of a conchshell; dhvanim—the sound;çrutvä—hearing; tat —of that; padam—to the location; pulinam—a bankof the river; gataù—I went; vipram—a brähmaëa; vékñya—seeing; anamam—I bowed down; tatra—there; çälagräma-çilä—the Çälagräma-çilä; arcakam—who was worshiping.

Hearing the distant sound of a conchshell being blown, Ifollowed that sound to its origin on a sandy bank of the river.There I saw a learned brähmaëa worshiping a Çälagräma-çilä,

and I bowed down.

TEXT 130

ik-iMaMa& YaJaiSa SvaiMaiàiTa Pa*íae MaYaa hSaNa( )Saae_vdiTk&- Na JaaNaaiSa bal/aYa& JaGadqìr" ))

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kim imaà yajasi sväminniti påñöo mayä hasanso ’vadat kià na jänäsibäläyaà jagad-éçvaraù

kim—what; imam—this; yajasi—you are worshiping; svämin—O master;iti—thus; påñöaù—asked; mayä—by me; hasan—laughing; saù—he;avadat —said; kim—whether; na jänäsi—you do not know; bäla—dearboy; ayam—this; jagat -éçvaraù—the Lord of the universe.

I asked him, “Master, what are you worshiping?” Laughing, hereplied, “Dear boy, don’t you know that this is the Lord of theuniverse?”

COMMENTARY: The worshiper was surprised that anyone, even a child,wouldn’t know that Çré Çälagräma is a direct incarnation of the Lord of

the universe.

TEXT 131

TaC^\uTvah& SauSaMPa[aáae iNaiDa& l/BßeviNaDaRNa" )

Naí& va baNDavae bNDau& ParMaa& MaudMaaávaNa( ))

tac chrutvähaà su-sampräptonidhià labdhveva nirdhanaùnañöaà vä bändhavo bandhuà

paramäà mudam äptavän

tat —that; çrutvä—hearing; aham—I; su-sampräptaù—welcoming;nidhim—a treasure; labdhvä—obtaining; iva—like; nirdhanaù—a poorman; nañöam—lost; vä—or; bändhavaù—a family member; bandhum—his relative; paramäm—supreme; mudam—happiness; äptavän—Iobtained.

Hearing this I felt unlimited happiness, like a poor man findinga welcome treasure, or a family man reuniting with a long-lostrelative.

TEXT 132

JaGadqXa& Mauhu" PaXYaNd<@vC^\ÖYaaNaMaMa( )Paadaedk&- SaiNaMaaRLYa& ivPa[SYa k*-

PaYaaPanuvMa( ))

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jagad-éçaà muhuù paçyandaëòa-vac chraddhayänamam

pädodakaà sa-nirmälyaàviprasya kåpayäpnuvam

jagat -éçam—at the Lord of the universe; muhuù—for a long time; paçyan—looking; daëòa-vat —like a rod; çraddhayä—with faith;anamam—I bowed down; päda—from His feet; udakam—the water; sa-nirmälyam—along with remnants of His food; viprasya—of thebrähmaëa; kåpayä—by the mercy; äpnuvam—I obtained.

I gazed for a long time at the Lord of the universe and withfaith bowed down to Him, my whole body flat on the groundlike a rod. By the brähmaëa’s mercy I received some water thathad washed the Lord’s feet, and some remnants of offerings toHim.

COMMENTARY: With newborn faith and affection for the Lord in HisÇälagräma form, Gopa-kumära happily accepted the Lord’scaraëämåta, along with remnants of tulasé leaves and other itemsearlier offered to the Lord.

TEXT 133

oÛTaeNa Ga*h& GaNTau&= k-r<@e TaeNa XaaiYaTaMa()

JaGadqXa& ivl/aeKYaaTaaeR VYal/Pa&

SaaóMaqd*XaMa( ))

udyatena gåhaà gantuàkaraëòe tena çäyitam

jagad-éçaà vilokyärtovyalapaà säsram édåçam

udyatena—who was preparing; gåham—to his home; gantum—to go;karaëòe—in a box; tena—by him; çäyitam—laid to rest; jagat -éçam—the Lord of the universe; vilokya—seeing; ärtaù—mentally pained;vyalapam—I complained; sa-asram—tearfully; édåçam—like this.

Then the brähmaëa, preparing to return home, lay the Lord of the universe to rest in a box. Pained to see this, I tearfullycomplained in this way:

TEXT 134

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ha ha Da*Ta" k-r<@aNTarSQaaNae ParMaeìr" )ik-MaPYaSaaE Na ca>au» iNad]a Tau +auDaYaa k-QaMa(

))

hä hä dhåtaù karaëòäntar

asthäne parameçvaraùkim apy asau na cäbhuìktanidrä tu kñudhayä katham

hä hä—alas, alas; dhåtaù—put; karaëòa-antaù—inside a box; asthäne—in an unsuitable place; parama-éçvaraù—the Supreme Lord; kim api—even though; asau—He; na—not; ca—and; abhuìkta—has eaten;nidrä—sleep; tu—but; kñudhayä—because of hunger; katham—how.

“My God, you are putting the Supreme Lord into a box—suchan unfit place! And He hasn’t even eaten! How will He sleep if

He is hungry?”

COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumära thought the little box an ill-chosen place forthe Lord of the universe. Told that being placed in such a box is what isdone with the Deity after worship to Him is finished, Gopa-kumärareplied that he had not seen the brähmaëa make an offering of foodsubstantial enough to satisfy the Lord’s appetite and that the Lordshould not be forced to sleep without first being fed.

TEXT 135

Pa[k*-TYaEv Na JaaNaaiMa MaaQaurb]aø<aaetaMa )ASMaaiÜl/+a<a" k-iêTKvaPYaiSTa JaGadqìr" ))

prakåtyaiva na jänämimäthura-brähmaëottamaasmäd vilakñaëaù kaçcit kväpy asti jagad-éçvaraù

prakåtyä—by my conditioned nature; eva—indeed; na jänämi—I did notunderstand; mäthura—from Mathurä; brähmaëa-uttama—O first-classbrähmaëa; asmät —from this (world); vilakñaëaù—different; kaçcit —someone; kva api—somewhere; asti—there is; jagat -éçvaraù—the Lordof the universe.

O excellent brähmaëa from Mathurä, because of my materialconditioning I was unaware that the Lord of the universe isdifferent from everyone and everything in this world.

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COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumära was ignorant of the Supreme Person’stranscendental nature. The Lord can enjoy Himself everywheresimultaneously by expanding into an infinite number of forms. There isno reason to worry that He will go hungry because of one devotee’sneglect. He may seem to be a small stone trapped in a box, but in fact

the Lord is unlimited.

TEXT 136

wTYak*-i}aMaSaNTaaPa& ivl/aPaaTaurMab]vqTa( )b]aø<a" SaaNTaiYaTva Maa& h]q<aviÜNaYaaiNvTa" ))

ity akåtrima-santäpaàviläpäturam abravét brähmaëaù säntayitvä mäàhréëa-vad vinayänvitaù

iti—thus; akåtrima—not artificial; santäpam—whose suffering; viläpa—by lamentation; äturam—who was agitated; abravét —said; brähmaëaù—the brähmaëa; säntayitvä—consoling; mäm—me; hréëa-vat —shyly;vinaya-anvitaù—full of humility.

As I complained and suffered in my uncontrived lamentation,the brähmaëa tried to console me. Full of humility, he shylyspoke.

COMMENTARY: The saintly brähmaëa was ashamed of being too poor to

feed even a human guest, what to speak of the Supreme Lord. And infact the place where he had now performed his worship simply had nofacilities for cooking. But the humility the brähmaëa felt was notcaused by any external circumstance; it was a natural ecstasy of hisindividual type of love of God.

TEXT 137

NavvEZ<av ik&- k-Tau| dird]" Xa¥u-Yaa& ParMa( )APaRYaaiMa Sv>aaeGYa& ih JaGadqXaaYa ke-vl/Ma( ))

nava-vaiñëava kià kartuàdaridraù çaknuyäà paramarpayämi sva-bhogyaà hijagad-éçäya kevalam

nava-vaiñëava—O new Vaiñëava; kim—what; kartum—to do; daridraù—a poor man; çaknuyäm—I can; param—more; arpayämi—I offer; sva-

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bhogyam—the meals prepared for myself; hi—indeed; jagat -éçäya—tothe Lord of the universe; kevalam—only.

“O new Vaiñëava,” he said, “what more can this poor man do?I can offer to the Lord of the universe only the meals I prepare

for myself.

COMMENTARY: The brähmaëa who lived near the Gaìgä thought, “If thiscowherd boy has never seen a brähmaëa like me worshipingÇälagräma-çilä, he must be new to spiritual life.”

TEXTS 138–139

Yaid PaUJaaeTSav& TaSYa vE>av& c idd*+aSae ) TadETaÕeXaraJaSYa ivZ<auPaUJaaNauraiGa<a" ))MahaSaaDaae" Paurq=& Yaaih vTaRMaaNaMadUrTa" )

Ta}a Saa+aaTSaMaq+aSv dudRXa| JaGadqìrMa( ))

yadi püjotsavaà tasyavaibhavaà ca didåkñasetadaitad-deça-räjasyaviñëu-püjänurägiëaù

mahä-sädhoù puréà yähivartamänam adürataùtatra säkñät samékñasvadurdarçaà jagad-éçvaram

yadi—if; püjä—of worship; utsavam—a great festival; tasya—His;vaibhavam—opulence; ca—and; didåkñase—you are eager to see; tadä—then; etat —this; deça-räjasya—of the ruler of the country; viñëu- püjä—to the worship of Lord Viñëu; anurägiëaù—who has loving attraction;mahä-sädhoù—very saintly; purém—to the capital city; yähi—go;vartamänam—present; adürataù—not far away; tatra—there; säkñät —directly; samékñasva—just see; durdarçam—very difficult to see; jagat -éçvaram—the Lord of the universe.

“If you are eager to see the Lord’s opulence and a great

festival of His worship, please go to the capital city of thiscountry’s very saintly ruler. He is attached to the worship of Lord Viñëu in great love. You will find his city not far away, andthere you can behold the Lord of the universe, who is sodifficult to see.

COMMENTARY: The king of this district on the shore of the Gaìgä was asincere Vaiñëava, which made him a greater saint than any karmé,

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jïäné, or ordinary yogé. He worshiped the Deity of Lord Viñëu withfestive opulence. If Gopa-kumära liked, he could go to the capital andsee for himself this king’s wonderful worship. He could see the Lord’sbeauty, the rich offerings made to the Lord, and His luxurious sleepingquarters. The opulences of the king’s Deity were much more readily

visible than those of the poor brähmaëa’s Çälagräma-çilä.

TEXT 140

ôTPaUrk&- MahaNaNd& SavRQaaNau>aivZYaiSawdaNaqMaeTYa MaÓehe >au&+v ivZ<auiNaveidTaMa(

håt-pürakaà mahänandaàsarvathänubhaviñyasiidäném etya mad-gehebhuìkñva viñëu-niveditam

håt —your heart; pürakam—which will fill; mahä-änandam—greatecstasy; sarvathä—in all respects; anubhaviñyasi—you will experience;idäném—now; etya—coming; mat —my; gehe—in the house; bhuìkñva—please eat; viñëu-niveditam—the remnants of food offered to LordViñëu.

“You will feel great ecstasy, fulfilling all your heart’s desires.But for now please come have lunch in my house from theremnants of what has been offered to Lord Viñëu.”

COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumära will certainly feel bliss if he witnesses theopulence of the Viñëu Deity in the royal city, hears the songs andprayers recited for the pleasure of the Lord, and tastes the remnants of food offered to the Lord. The brähmaëa admits that devotees whohave pure love for the Lord prefer to see Him worshiped with suitableopulence, opulence that he, a poor man, cannot provide for his ownDeity. Gopa-kumära should therefore at once go to the capital, butbefore he goes he should have lunch at the brähmaëa’s house, wherehe can taste what little rice and other items have been offered thismorning to the brähmaëa’s Çälagräma Deity.

TEXT 141

TaÜacaNaiNdTaae_GaTva +auiDaTaae_iPa Tadal/YaMa( ) Ta& Pa[<aMYa TaduiÕívTMaRNaa Taa&

PaurqMaGaaMa( ))

tad-väcänandito ’gatvä

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kñudhito ’pi tad-älayamtaà praëamya tad-uddiñöa-vartmanä täà purém agäm

tat —his; väcä—by the words; änanditaù—delighted; agatvä—not going;

kñudhitaù—hungry; api—although; tat —his; älayam—to the house;tam—to him; praëamya—bowing down; tat —by him; uddiñöa—indicated; vartmanä—along the road; täm—to that; purém—city; agäm—I went.

Delighted by the brähmaëa’s words, I offered him myobeisances and without stopping at his house (even thoughhungry), I set off for the capital by the road he pointed out.

COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumära repeatedly prostrated himself before thebrähmaëa with great devotion. He did this partly to beg pardon for

declining the brähmaëa’s invitation and partly to beg blessings for anauspicious journey.

TEXT 142

ANTa"Paure devku-le/ JaGadqXaacRNaßiNaMa( )APaUv| TauMaul&/ dUraC^\uTvaPa*C^MaMau&

JaNaaNa( ))

antaù-pure deva-kulejagad-éçärcana-dhvanim

apürvaà tumulaà düräcchrutväpåccham amuà janän

antaù- pure—inside the inner city; deva-kule—in a temple; jagat -éça—of the Lord of the universe; arcana—of the worship of the Lord;dhvanim—the sound; apürvam—unprecedented; tumulam—a tumult;dürät —from a distance; çrutvä—hearing; apåccham—I asked; amum—about this; janän—from some people.

Within the inner precincts of the city, from a distance I heardthe sound of temple worship of the Lord of the universe. I had

never heard such a tumult, so I asked about it from peoplenearby.

COMMENTARY: The noise Gopa-kumära heard came from the Lord’s ärati ceremony in the royal temple, where many devotees were chantingand playing musical instruments. The sound impressed Gopa-kumäraas very wonderful.

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TEXT 143

ivjaYa Ta}a JaGadqìrMaqi+aTau& Ta&ke-NaaPYavairTaGaiTa" SaJav& Pa[ivXYa )

Xa«airPaªJaGadaivl/SaTk-raBJa&é[qMaÀTau>auRJaMaPaXYaMah& SaMa+aMa( ))

vijïäya tatra jagad-éçvaram ékñituà taàkenäpy avärita-gatiù sa-javaà praviçyaçaìkhäri-paìkaja-gadä-vilasat-karäbjaàçrémac-catur-bhujam apaçyam ahaà samakñam

vijïäya—being informed; tatra—there; jagat -éçvaram—the Lord of theuniverse; ékñitum—to see; tam—Him; kena api—by anyone; avärita—not stopped; gatiù—my movement; sa- javam—quickly; praviçya—entering; çaìkha—with conchshell; ari—disc; paìkaja—lotus; gadä—andclub; vilasat —resplendent; kara-abjam—whose lotus hands; çrémat —beautiful; catuù-bhujam—with four arms; apaçyam—saw; aham—I;samakñam—in front of me.

Learning that the Lord of the universe was being worshiped, Iwanted to see Him. As I approached, no one stopped me, so Iquickly entered the temple, where in front of me I beheld thebeautiful four-armed form of the Lord, His hands resplendentwith a conchshell, disc, lotus, and club.

COMMENTARY: The guards at the door of the temple neither questioned

Gopa-kumära nor blocked his entrance, so he eagerly ran inside. Therehe saw the Deity of Viñëu, whose beauty and opulence more thanfulfilled the brähmaëa’s predictions, and Gopa-kumära’s ownexpectations. The four arms of the Lord resembled the bodies of mighty serpents.

TEXT 144

SavaR®SauNdrTar& NavMaegak-aiNTa&k-aEXaeYaPaqTavSaNa& vNaMaal/Yaa!yMa( )

SaaEv<aR>aUz<aMav<YaRik-XaaerMaUiTa|

PaU<aeRNduv£-MaMa*TaiSMaTaMaBJaNae}aMa( ))

sarväìga-sundarataraà nava-megha-käntiàkauçeya-péta-vasanaà vana-mälayäòhyamsauvarëa-bhüñaëam avarëya-kiçora-mürtiàpürëendu-vaktram amåta-smitam abja-netram

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sarva—all; aìga—with His limbs; sundara-taram—most beautiful; nava—new; megha—of a rain cloud; käntim—whose complexion; kauçeya—of silk; péta—yellow; vasanam—whose garment; vana-mälayä—with aflower garland; äòhyam—richly adorned; sauvarëa—of gold; bhüñaëam—with ornaments; avarëya—indescribable; kiçora—youthful; mürtim—

whose personal form; pürëa—full; indu—like the moon; vaktram—whose face; amåta—nectarean; smitam—whose smile; abja—resembling lotuses; netram—whose eyes.

All the parts of His body were exquisitely attractive, and Hiscomplexion resembled a new rain cloud. Words can hardlydescribe his youthful body, dressed in yellow silk, ornamentedwith gold, and garlanded with forest flowers that increased Hisbeauty. His face, with its sweet nectarean smile and lotuslikeeyes, appeared like the full moon.

COMMENTARY: Beginning from His eyes and mouth, every part of LordViñëu’s body was enchanting. Gopa-kumära could only compare Hisbeauty to that of the most beautiful things he knew—a rain cloud, themoon, and lotus flowers.

TEXT 145

SaMPaUiJaTa& ivivDadul/R>avSTauvGaŒ"SaevaNauz¢-Paircark-v*NdJauíMa( )

Na*TYaaidk&- c PaurTaae_Nau>avNTaMaaraTa(iTaïNTaMaaSaNavre SauPairC^daEgaMa( ))

sampüjitaà vividha-durlabha-vastu-vargaiùsevänuñakta-paricäraka-vånda-juñöamnåtyädikaà ca purato ’nubhavantam ärät tiñöhantam äsana-vare su-paricchadaugham

sampüjitam—worshiped; vividha—various; durlabha—rare; vastu-vargaiù—with things; sevä—to His service; anuñakta—who were fondlyattached; paricäraka-vånda—by many servants; juñöam—joined;nåtya-ädikam—dancing and so on; ca—and; purataù—before Him;anubhavantam—perceiving; ärät —from some distance; tiñöhantam—standing; äsana—on a seat; vare—excellent; su- paricchada—of excellent paraphernalia; ogham—having a great amount.

While many attendants, fondly attached to serving Him,worshiped Him with various rare items, He stood on anexcellent throne and from a distance watched the dancing andother entertainment presented before Him. Every sort of wonderful paraphernalia was being engaged for His pleasure.

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COMMENTARY: As the most precious items to be found were presented tothe Lord, one after another, His personal attendants waved cämara fans intently and offered Him betel nut and other refreshments. In themidst of all this, He stood on His throne instead of coming forward to

meet the crowd and acknowledged the entertainment going on furtheraway by watching with unblinking eyes.

TEXT 146

ParMaaNaNdPaU<aaeR_h& Pa[<aMaNd<@vNMauhu" )VYaicNTaYaiMad& SvSYaaPaXYaMaÛ idd*i+aTaMa( ))

paramänanda-pürëo ’haàpraëaman daëòa-van muhuùvyacintayam idaà svasyä-

paçyam adya didåkñitam

parama-änanda—with supreme bliss; pürëaù—filled; aham—I; praëaman—bowing down; daëòa-vat —like a rod; muhuù—repeatedly;vyacintayam—I thought; idam—this; svasya—my; apaçyam—I haveseen; adya—today; didåkñitam—what I always wanted to see.

Filled with supreme bliss, I repeatedly fell flat on the ground.“Today,” I thought, “I have seen what I always wanted to see.

TEXT 147SaMPa[aáae JaNMaSaaf-LYa& Na GaiMaZYaaMYaTa"

KvicTa( )vEZ<avaNaa& c k*-PaYaa Ta}aEv NYavSa& Sau%Ma( ))

sampräpto janma-säphalyaàna gamiñyämy ataù kvacit vaiñëavänäà ca kåpayätatraiva nyavasaà sukham

sampräptaù—obtained; janma—of my birth; säphalyam—the success;na gamiñyämi—I shall not go; ataù—from here; kvacit —ever;vaiñëavänäm—of the Vaiñëavas; ca—and; kåpayä—by the mercy; tatra—there; eva—only; nyavasam—I resided; sukham—happily.

“Now my life is a success. I shall never go away from thisplace.” And so, by the mercy of the Vaiñëavas, I began to livethere happily.

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COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumära had left his family and friends to wander insearch of his worshipable Lord and now had found Him. Although as apenniless beggar from a foreign country Gopa-kumära could hardlyexpect to be allowed to stay in the neighborhood of the royal palace

and dine on the remnants of the king’s Deity, the local Vaiñëavas werekind to him. They brought him mahä-prasäda and did everythingpossible to encourage and protect him.

TEXT 148

>auÅaNaae ivZ<auNaEveÛ&PaXYaNPaUJaaMahaeTSavMa( )

Xa*<vNPaUJaaidMaahaTMYa& YaÒaNMaN}a& rhae JaPaNa( ))

bhuïjäno viñëu-naivedyaàpaçyan püjä-mahotsavamçåëvan püjädi-mähätmyaàyatnän mantraà raho japan

bhuïjänaù—eating; viñëu-naivedyam—remnants of food offered toViñëu; paçyan—seeing; püjä—of His worship; mahä-utsavam—thegreat festivals; çåëvan—hearing; püjä-ädi—of His worship and so on;mähätmyam—glories; yatnät —carefully; mantram—my mantra; rahaù—in private; japan—chanting.

I would eat remnants of food offered to Lord Viñëu, witnessthe great festivals of His worship, and hear the glories of Hisworship and more, all the while carefully chanting my mantrain private.

COMMENTARY: While residing with the Vaiñëavas who served the Deity of Lord Viñëu, Gopa-kumära heard from them the glories of worship of Viñëu, as described in various Puräëas and other scriptures. He heardthat worshiping Viñëu is the highest activity for human beings, and heheard specific instructions about various aspects of His worship. Healso heard about the glories of Lord Viñëu’s prasäda:

ñaòbhir mäsopaväsais tuyat phalaà parikértitamviñëor naivedya-sikthännaàbhuïjatäà tat kalau yuge

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“All the benefits ascribed to the vow of fasting for six months aregained in Kali-yuga by those who eat food mixed with the remnants of Lord Viñëu.”

From all these instructions, however, Gopa-kumära did not receive acomplete, systematic spiritual education. No one told him, for example,

about such basic matters as the existence of higher planets, like theSvarga of Lord Indra. The Vaiñëavas were unaware that Gopa-kumära,despite his saintly qualities, had never had any training. Thus heremained naive about the complexities of the material world.

TEXT 149

ASYaaSTau Va[Ja>aUMae" é[qGaaeRPa§-I@aSau%& c TaTa( )

k-daicdiPa Mae b]øNa( ôdYaaàaPaSaPaRiTa ))

asyäs tu vraja-bhümeù çrér gopa-kréòä-sukhaà ca tat kadäcid api me brahmanhådayän näpasarpati

asyäù—of this; tu—but; vraja-bhümeù—Vraja-bhümi; çréù—the beauty;gopa—as a cowherd; kréòä—of playing; sukham—the happiness; ca—and; tat —that; kadäcit eva—ever; me—my; brahman—O brähmaëa;hådayät —from the heart; na apasarpati—would not go away.

Yet my heart, O brähmaëa, never forgot the beauty of this

Vraja-bhümi and the joy of playing here as a cowherd.

COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumära’s indelible recollections of Vraja-dhäma, farfrom being just sentimental, were a sign that by chanting his mantra he was reaping transcendental results. The public opulence of LordViñëu’s worship did not attract him more than the simple happiness of wandering about the fields of Vraja. While sleeping or awake, he couldnot forget Vraja. Even while he took part in Lord Viñëu’s festivals,thoughts of Vraja-bhümi lingered in his mind.

TEXT 150Wv& idNaaiNa k-iTaicTSaaNaNd& Ta}a iTaïTa" ) Taad*KPaUJaaivDaaNae Mae ParMaa l/al/SaaJaiNa ))

evaà dinäni katicit sänandaà tatra tiñöhataùtädåk-püjä-vidhäne me

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paramä lälasäjani

evam—in this way; dinäni—days; katicit —some; sa-änandam—blissfully; tatra—there; tiñöhataù—who remained; tädåk —such; püjä—of worship; vidhäne—in the method; me—my; paramä—great; lälasä—

eagerness; ajani—was born.Remaining thus for some days in that place, I developed greateagerness to engage in that method of worship.

COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumära was eager to reciprocate in a personal waywith the Lord of the universe, and the opulent worship in Viñëu’stemple seemed such a way.

TEXT 151

AQaaPau}a" Sa raJaa Maa&= vEdeiXak-MaiPa iPa[YaaTa()

SauXaql&/ vq+Ya Pau}aTve Pairk-LPYaaicraNMa*Ta" ))

athäputraù sa räjä mäàvaideçikam api priyät su-çélaà vékñya putratveparikalpyäcirän måtaù

atha—then; aputraù—sonless; saù—he; räjä—the king; mäm—me;vaideçikam—a foreigner; api—although; priyät —out of affection; su-

çélam—of good character; vékñya—seeing; putratve—as his son; parikalpya—adopting; acirät —soon; måtaù—died.

The king of that country was sonless. And despite my being aforeigner, he noted my good character, and he developedaffection for me. But soon after finally adopting me as his son,he died.

TEXT 152

MaYaa c l/Bßa Tad]aJYa& ivZ<auPaUJaa MaudaiDak-a )Pa[viTaRTaa TadàEê >aaeJYaNTae SaaDavae_NvhMa( ))

mayä ca labdhvä tad-räjyaàviñëu-püjä mudädhikä

pravartitä tad-annaiç cabhojyante sädhavo ’nv-aham

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mayä—by me; ca—and; labdhvä—being obtained; tat —his; räjyam—kingdom; viñëu- püjä—the worship of Viñëu; mudä—with delight;adhikä—more; pravartitä—promoted; tat —from that; annaiù—with thefood; ca—and; bhojyante—were fed; sädhavaù—saintly persons; anu-aham—daily.

After inheriting his kingdom, I made even more elaborate the joyful worship of Lord Viñëu. Every day, saintly persons werefed with remnants of food from this worship.

COMMENTARY: Simple soul that he was, Gopa-kumära accepted hismaterial elevation as a chance to increase his devotional service. Asking he saw to it that Lord Viñëu’s worship was improved and that theLord’s mercy was distributed as widely as possible.

TEXT 153

SvYa& c KvicdaSai¢-Mak*-Tva PaUvRvÜSaNa( ) JaPa& iNavaRhYaN>auÅe Pa[Saadaà& Pa[>aae"

ParMa( ))

svayaà ca kvacid äsaktimakåtvä pürva-vad vasan

japaà nirvähayan bhuïjeprasädännaà prabhoù param

svayam—myself; ca—and; kvacit —at any time; äsaktim—attachment;

akåtvä—not forming; pürva-vat —as before; vasan—living; japam—thequiet chanting of my mantra; nirvähayan—carrying out; bhuïje—I ate; prasäda-annam—the remnants of food; prabhoù—of the Lord; param—only.

And always unattached to royal opulence, I continued living just as before. I quietly chanted my mantra and ate onlyremnants of food left by the Lord as His mercy.

COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumära’s mantra protected him from beingcorrupted by royal power. Thus he was undistracted by sovereigntyand wealth. Retaining his unassuming simplicity, he went on chantinghis mantra, satisfied with the gratification that his senses enjoyed fromhonoring Lord Viñëu’s prasäda.

TEXT 154

rajae_SYa Pairvare>Ya" Pa[ada& raJYa& iv>aJYa TaTa( )

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TaQaaiPa raJYaSaMbNDaaÕuu"%& MaebhuDaaeÙveTa( ))

räjïo ’sya parivärebhyaùprädäà räjyaà vibhajya tat

tathäpi räjya-sambandhädduùkhaà me bahudhodbhavet

räjïaù—of the king; asya—his; parivärebhyaù—to the family membersand servants; prädäm—I gave; räjyam—the responsibilities of thekingdom; vibhajya—dividing; tat —it; tathä api—nonetheless; räjya—with the kingdom; sambandhät —because of my connection; duùkham—unhappiness; me—my; bahudhä—in various ways; udbhavet —wouldarise.

I divided the affairs of the kingdom and handed them over to

the relatives and entourage of the deceased king. But still Isuffered in various ways due to my connection with thekingdom.

COMMENTARY: To avoid being blamed for neglecting the kingdom whileabsorbed in private meditation, Gopa-kumära delegated the practicalaffairs of ruling to the previous king’s friends, ministers, in-laws, andimmediate family. He gave them the authority to make day-to-daydecisions. Nonetheless, various anxieties connected with the kingdomcontinued to be thrust upon him, and so a crisis gradually arose.Discriminating Vaiñëavas may be better off uninvolved in the

management of kingdoms.

TEXT 155

k-daiPa Parraí\aÙq" k-daicÀ§-viTaRNa" )ivivDaadeXaSaNdaehPaal/NaeNaaSvTaN}aTaa ))

kadäpi para-räñöräd bhéùkadäcic cakravartinaùvividhädeça-sandoha-pälanenäsvatantratä

kadä api—sometimes; para—other; räñörät —from kingdoms; bhéù—fear; kadäcit —sometimes; cakravartinaù—from the emperor; vividha—of various kinds; ädeça—of commands; sandoha—the abundance; pälanena—because of having to obey; asvatantratä—lack of freedom.

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Sometimes I feared neighboring kingdoms, and at other timesthe emperor. Having to obey his various and abundantcommands stifled my freedom.

COMMENTARY: Every king has enemies, including the unhappy citizens of

his own state as well as the rulers of rival kingdoms. If he is the vassalof a greater king, he must follow the overlord’s whims and cannot actindependently.Gopa-kumära felt all these anxieties.

TEXT 156

JaGadqìrNaEveÛ& SPa*íMaNYaeNa ke-NaicTa( )NaqTa& bihvaR SaiNdGDaae Na >au»e k-ae_iPa

SaÂNa" ))

jagad-éçvara-naivedyaà

spåñöam anyena kenacit nétaà bahir vä sandigdhona bhuìkte ko ’pi saj-janaù

jagat -éçvara—of the Supreme Lord; naivedyam—the remnants of food;spåñöam—touched; anyena kenacit —by anyone else; nétam—carried;bahiù—outside; vä—or; sandigdhaù—doubted; na bhuìkte—does noteat; kaù api—any; sat - janaù—respectable person.

If the Supreme Lord’s remnants were touched by an outsider,or carried outside the temple, or if for any other reason a

doubt arose about the purity of the remnants, no respectableperson would eat them.

COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumära certainly should have tolerated any troublearising from serving the Lord, but the serious obstructions thatappeared in Gopa-kumära’s devotional service provoked him muchmore than the petty complications of royal politics. The brähmaëas of this region were very strict about the food they accepted. They wouldnot accept Lord Viñëu’s prasäda if it had been touched by anyoneother than appointed servants of the Deity or taken outside the sacredarea of the temple. These brähmaëas cited the tradition of culturedbehavior as evidence to support their scruples: their predecessors hadnever accepted prasäda that had in these ways been contaminated.Real brähmaëas and Vaiñëavas, however, become unhappy to seesuch behavior; for them it is difficult to live in a place where suchdisrespect of the Supreme Lord’s prasäda is promoted. Furthermore,their opinion on this matter is supported in scriptures such as ÇréBåhad-viñëu Puräëa:

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naivedyaà jagad-éçasyaanna-pänädikaà ca yat bhakñyäbhakñya-vicäras tunästi tad-bhakñaëe dvija

brahma-van nirvikäraà hiyathä viñëus tathaiva tat vicäraà ye prakurvantibhakñaëe tad dvijätayaù

kuñöha-vyädhi-samäyuktäùputra-dära-vivarjitäùnirayaà yänti te vipräyasmän nävartate punaù

“O twice-born, one should never question whether remnants of food

and drink offered to the Lord of the universe are fit or unfit to eat. Oneshould never make such distinctions. The prasäda of the Lord is asincorruptible as the Vedic mantras and Lord Viñëu Himself. Those whoconsider whether the Lord’s prasäda is eatable or uneatable will sufferleprosy. They will lose their children and wives, O brähmaëa, and go tohell, never to return.”

TEXT 157

MaMaRXaLYaeNa cETaeNa iNaveRdae MaeMahaNa>aUTa( )

NaeXae idd*i+aTa& Saa+aaTPa[aá& TYa¢u-& c TaTPa[>auMa( ))

marma-çalyena caitenanirvedo me mahän abhüt neçe didåkñitaà säkñät präptaà tyaktuà ca tat-prabhum

marma—in a vital point of the body; çalyena—by the dart; ca—and; etena—this; nirvedaù—disgust; me—my; mahän—great; abhüt —arose;na éçe—I did not want; didåkñitam—whom I had wanted to see; säkñät

—directly; präptam—obtained; tyaktum—to leave; ca—and; tat —that; prabhum—Lord.

Such darts, shot into my vital points, made me want to giveeverything up. But I had no desire to leave the Lord, whom Ihad long hankered to see and whose personal contact I hadnow obtained.

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COMMENTARY: To see the leaders of society refusing Viñëu’s prasäda wasmore painful to Gopa-kumära than the wounds of well-aimed arrows.One who is cut at a major juncture of the subtle channels carrying präëa feels excruciating pain. But the pain of having to watch andtolerate aparädhas in the service of Lord Viñëu was more painful for

Gopa-kumära than such a wound. He lost whatever enthusiasm he hadfor continuing his involvement with ruling the kingdom, but he couldnot leave Lord Viñëu.

TEXT 158

WTaiSMaNaev SaMaYae Ta}a di+a<adeXaTa" )SaMaaGaTaE" SaaDauvrE" k-iQaTa& TaEiQaRkE-irdMa( ))

etasmin eva samayetatra dakñiëa-deçataù

samägataiù sädhu-varaiùkathitaà tairthikair idam

etasmin—at this; eva—very; samaye—time; tatra—there; dakñiëa-deçataù—from the southern country; samägataiù—who had arrived;sädhu—by saints; varaiù—venerable; kathitam—said; tairthikaiù—whowere on pilgrimage; idam—this.

Just then, some venerable saints from the south arrived onpilgrimage and told me this:

COMMENTARY: The saintly pilgrims were Vaiñëavas from JagannäthaPuré. For a while they had left that holy dhäma to see Lord Viñëu’sDeities and devotees elsewhere, mostly in the various térthas.

TEXT 159

daåb]ø JaGaàaQaae= >aGavaNPauåzaetaMae )+ae}ae Naql/acle/ +aara<aRvTaqre ivraJaTae ))

däru-brahma jagan-nätho

bhagavän puruñottamekñetre néläcale kñärä-rëava-tére viräjate

däru-brahma—the Absolute Truth in wood; jagan-näthaù—Jagannätha,the Lord of the universe; bhagavän—the Personality of Godhead; puruñottame kñetre—in the holy district Puruñottama; néla-acale—on

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the blue mountain; kñära-arëava—of the salt ocean; tére—on theshore; viräjate—is present.

“At Puruñottama-kñetra, on the blue mountain on the shore of the salt ocean, Jagannätha, the Lord of the universe, the

Personality of Godhead, is present as the Absolute Truthmanifest in wood.

COMMENTARY: Within the holy dhäma called Puruñottama on the shore of the salt ocean is a district called Néläcala, and there the SupremePersonality of Godhead is present as Lord Jagannätha. He is calleddäru-brahma because He is the Absolute Truth in wood (däru), andbecause He destroys (däraëät ) the miseries of material existence. He isdescribed in a number of Puräëas. For example, in the Padma Puräëa:

samudrasyottare tére

äste çré-puruñottame pürëänanda-mayaà brahmadäru-vyäja-çaréra-bhåt

“At Çré Puruñottama, on the northern shore of the ocean, resides theSupreme Absolute Truth. Full of perfect ecstasy, He has assumed atranscendental body that appears wooden.”

And in the Båhad-viñëu Puräëa:

nélädrau cotkale deçekñetre çré-puruñottame

däruëy äste cid-änandojagannäthäkhya-mürtinä

“In the land of Orissa, on the blue mountain at Çré Puruñottama-kñetra, the ecstatic and all-spiritual Lord is present in wood in His formknown as Jagannätha.”

TEXT 160

Mahaiv>aUiTaMaaNa( raJYaMaaETk-l&/ Paal/YaNSvYaMa()

VYaÅYaiàJaMaahaTMYa& Sada Saevk-vTSal/" ))

mahä-vibhütimän räjyamautkalaà pälayan svayamvyaïjayan nija-mähätmyaàsadä sevaka-vatsalaù

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mahä—great; vibhüti-män—the possessor of opulences; räjyam—thekingdom; autkalam—of Utkala; pälayan—ruling; svayam—Himself;vyaïjayan—exhibiting; nija—His own; mähätmyam—glories; sadä—always; sevaka—for His servants; vatsalaù—concerned like a parent.

“With infinite opulence, that Lord Himself rules the kingdom of Utkala. He displays His unique glories and always takesaffectionate care of His devotees.

COMMENTARY: Utkala is another name for Orissa. Lord JagannäthaHimself rules this kingdom by issuing various commands andguidelines for the citizens’ conduct of business and personal affairs. Asthe Tattva-yämala states:

bhärate cotkale deçebhü-svarge puruñottame

däru-rüpé jagannäthobhaktänäm abhaya-pradaù

nara-ceñöäm upädäyaäste mokñaika-kärakaù

“In the Utkala kingdom in Bhärata-varña lies the earthly heaven of Puruñottama. There Lord Jagannätha appears in a wooden form. Takingup humanlike activities, He bestows fearlessness on His devotees. Heis the only giver of liberation.”

Lord Jagannätha displays His own glories, such as His kind

compassion on unfortunate souls. Especially affectionate to Hisservants, He never takes their offenses seriously.

TEXT 161

TaSYaaà& PaaicTa& l/+MYaa SvYa& >au¤-adYaalu/Naa )

dta& TaeNa Sv>a¢e->Yaae l/>YaTae devdul/R>aMa( ))

tasyännaà päcitaà lakñmyäsvayaà bhuktvä dayälunä

dattaà tena sva-bhaktebhyolabhyate deva-durlabham

tasya—His; annam—food; päcitam—cooked; lakñmyä—by His consort,the goddess of fortune; svayam—Himself; bhuktvä—having eaten;dayälunä—the all-merciful; dattam—is given; tena—by Him; sva-bhaktebhyaù—to His devotees; labhyate—is obtained; deva—by thedemigods; durlabham—rarely obtained.

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“After eating food cooked for Him by His consort Lakñmé, theall-merciful Lord distributes to His devotees His own remnants,which are available in Néläcala even though by demigods theyare rarely obtained.

COMMENTARY: The remnants from the plate of Lord Viñëu are extremelydifficult to obtain. But in Néläcala, after the goddess Lakñmépersonally cooks for Lord Jagannätha, the Lord eats each preparationand then freely distributes His remnants to His devotees. Being all-merciful, Lord Jagannätha sees to it Himself that all His devoteesobtain His prasäda. When everything cooked for the Lord is offeredbefore Him in many clay pots, sometimes He eats only a little of eachpreparation, and sometimes He eats everything and then miraculouslyrefills the pots.

TEXT 162

MahaPa[SaadSa&j& c TaTSPa*í& YaeNa ke-NaicTa( ) Ya}a ku-}aaiPa va NaqTaMaivcare<a >auJYaTae ))

mahä-prasäda-saàjïaà catat spåñöaà yena kenacit

yatra kuträpi vä nétamavicäreëa bhujyate

mahä- prasäda-saàjïam—called mahä-prasäda; ca—and; tat —that;

spåñöam—touched; yena kenacit —by anyone; yatra kutra api—anywhere; vä—or; nétam—brought; avicäreëa—without discrimination;bhujyate—is eaten.

“That food is called His mahä-prasäda. Be it touched byanyone or brought anywhere, without discriminating thedevotees eat it.

COMMENTARY: The mahä-prasäda of Lord Jagannätha is unique. Becauseit has been touched by His nectarean lips, it can never becontaminated, even if touched by an unseeable or untouchable personor carried to an unclean place. No decent person ever refuses to eatLord Jagannätha’s mahä-prasäda, or complains that it might not bepure, or that the time is improper to accept it. It is said:

yad annaà päcayet lakñmér bhoktä ca puruñottamaùspåñöäspåñöaà na mantavyaàyathä viñëus tathaiva tat

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“The food that Lakñmé cooks and Lord Puruñottama eats should beaccepted without consideration of its being touched or untouched byanyone. It is as pure as Lord Viñëu Himself.”

The Skanda Puräëa (Vaiñëava-khaëòa 2.38.16) adds:

cira-stham api saàçuñkaànétaà vä düra-deçataù

yathäyathopabhuktaà sat sarva-päpäpanodanam

“Even if Lord Jagannätha’s prasäda has completely dried up fromsitting for a long time or has been carried to a far distant place, if eaten in the proper spirit it will surely drive away all one’s sins.”

According to the Bhaviñya Puräëa:

antya-varëair héna-varëaiùsaìkara-prabhavair apispåñöaà jagat-pater annaàbhuktaà sarvägha-näçanam

“Even if the food eaten by the Lord of the universe has been touchedby outcastes, by those with no caste, or by those born in mixed castes,still it has the power to destroy all sins.”

In the words of the Tattva-yämala:

nästi tatraiva räjendra

spåñöäspåñöa-vivecanam yasya saàspåñöa-mätreëayänty amedhyäù pavitratäm

“O best of kings, one should never be concerned whether someone hastouched Lord Jagannätha’s prasäda. If persons unfit to take part inVedic sacrifices simply touch this prasäda, they become completelysanctified.”

And according to the Garuòa Puräëa:

na käla-niyamo viprä

vrate cändräyaëe yathä präpta-mätreëa bhuïjétayadécchen mokñam ätmanaù

“O brähmaëa, there are no restrictions about when to accept this prasäda as there are in the observance of vows like Cändräyaëa.Whenever one receives Lord Jagannätha’s prasäda one should eat it atonce if one wants to attain liberation of the soul.”

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TEXT 163

Ahae TaT+ae}aMaahaTMYa& GadR>aae_iPacTau>auRJa" )

Ya}a Pa[veXaMaa}ae<a Na k-SYaaiPa PauNa>aRv" ))

aho tat-kñetra-mähätmyaàgardabho ’pi catur-bhujaù

yatra praveça-mätreëana kasyäpi punar-bhavaù

aho—oh; tat -kñetra—of that holy district; mähätmyam—the greatness;gardabhaù—a donkey; api—even; catuù-bhujaù—four-armed; yatra—there; praveça—by entering; mätreëa—simply; na—not; kasya api—of anyone; punaù-bhavaù—rebirth.

“Oh, that holy kñetra is so great that even the donkeys livingthere have four arms! Anyone who simply enters that districtwill never take birth again.

COMMENTARY: Some may doubt the claim that Lord Jagannätha’s prasäda is so special. Those doubters should be informed that Lord Jagannätha’s abode is even more special. Even lowly animals likedonkeys who live there are four-armed, for they have automaticallyachieved the perfection of särüpya, having bodily features just like theLord’s. This is stated by Lord Brahmä in the Brahma Puräëa:

aho kñetrasya mähätmyaàsamantäd daça yojanamdivi-ñöhä yatra paçyantisarvän eva catur-bhujäù

“Just see how great is this holy abode! The demigods in heaven seethat in this kñetra, for ten yojanas on all sides, everyone has fourarms.”

Çré Veda-vyäsa says in the Garuòa Puräëa:

yatra sthitä janäù sarveçaìkha-cakräbja-päëayaùdåçyante divi deväàç camohayanti muhur muhuù

“Everyone living there appears with hands holding a conchshell, disc,and lotus. The demigods in heaven are constantly bewildered to seethis.”

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And Çré Närada says in the Bahvåca-pariçiñöa:

catur-bhujä janäù sarvedåçyante yan-niväsinaù

“All the residents there are seen to have four arms.”Furthermore, simply by setting foot in Puruñottama-kñetra, anyliving being coming from anywhere is freed from having to takeanother birth. This is confirmed by Çré Veda-vyäsa in the sameBahvåca-pariçiñöa:

sparçanäd eva tat kñetraànåëäà mukti-pradäyakam

yatra säkñät paraà brahmabhäti därava-lélayä

api janma-çataiù sägrair duritäcära-tatparaùkñetre ’smin saìga-mätreëajäyate viñëunä saha

“This holy kñetra, where the Supreme Truth is present in His pastimeof having a wooden form, bestows liberation upon all men who simplytouch it. Even if someone has been dedicated to sinful behavior formany hundreds of lives, by merely coming into contact with this kñetrahe will take birth in the company of Lord Viñëu.”

TEXT 164

Pa[fu-çPau<@rqk-a+ae TaiSMaàevei+aTae JaNae" )f-l&/ SYaadevMaé[aEzMaaêYa| PaUvRMaé[uTaMa( ))

praphulla-puëòarékäkñetasminn evekñite janeù

phalaà syäd evam açrauñamäçcaryaà pürvam açrutam

praphulla—fully blossomed; puëòaréka—like lotuses; akñe—whoseeyes; tasmin—Him; eva—just; ékñite—being seen; janeù—of life; phalam—the ultimate goal; syät —there is; evam—thus; açrauñam—Iheard; äçcaryam—wonders; pürvam—before; açrutam—not heard.

“A mere glimpse of Him, whose eyes are like lotuses in fullbloom, grants the ultimate goal of life.” Such wonders I heard,which I had never heard before.

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COMMENTARY: The Personality of Godhead may be visible elsewhere inother Deity forms, as indeed He is on the shore of the Gaìgä in thekingdom where Gopa-kumära was now living. But the beauty of Lord Jagannätha is unique. So exquisitely charming is His beauty that byseeing Him merely once one feels relief from all miseries. That a

glimpse of Lord Jagannätha is enough to perfect one’s life is stated byÇré Närada in his talks with Çré Prahläda in the Padma Puräëa:

çravaëädyair upäyair yaùkathaïcid dåçyate mahaùnélädri-çikhare bhätisarva-cäkñuña-gocaraù

tam eva paramätmänaàye prapaçyanti mänaväùte yänti bhavanaà viñëoù

kià punar ye bhavädåçaù

“The glories of the Lord, which are partly perceived by methods likehearing, are openly visible on the peak of the blue mountain. Anyhuman being who sees that Supreme Being will go to the abode of Viñëu, what to speak of a great soul like you.”

As Gopa-kumära heard from his visitors these glories of Puruñottama-kñetra, and more, wonder arose in his heart because hehad never before heard anything like them. Although the form of theLord that Gopa-kumära was worshiping was the same Personality of Godhead, Lord Çré Jagannätha is the origin of all such incarnations of

the Lord. From seeing the source of all incarnations, especially at suchan exceptional place as Puruñottama-kñetra, one can gain greaterbenefit than from seeing a mere incarnation.

Gopa-kumära had not heard such facts about the Lord in all the dayshe had been worshiping Lord Viñëu on the shore of the Gaìgä, nor hadhe developed firm attachment to worshiping the Lord’s Deity. That thiswas the combined influence of his divine spiritual master and thedivine Personality of Godhead will be explained more clearly later inthis narration. We shall see how Gopa-kumära’s guru and Gopa-kumära’s worshipable Lord continually exert their influence on hisstep-by-step spiritual progress.

TEXT 165

TaiÕd*+aai>a>aUTaae_h& Sav| SaNTYaJYa TaT+a<ae )SaªqTaRYaHJaGaàaQaMaaE!\deXaidXa& ié[Ta" ))

tad-didåkñäbhibhüto ’haàsarvaà santyajya tat-kñaëe

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saìkértayaï jagannäthamauòhra-deça-diçaà çritaù

tat —Him; didåkñä—by desire to see; abhibhütaù—overcome; aham—I;sarvam—everything; santyajya—abandoning; tat -kñaëe—at that

moment; saìkértayan—glorifying; jagannätham—Lord Jagannätha;auòhra-deça—of Orissa; diçam—the direction; çritaù—I took to.

Overcome by desire to see Lord Jagannätha, in a moment Iabandoned everything and set off in the direction of Orissa,chanting Lord Jagannätha’s glories.

COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumära was so inspired by the glories of Lord Jagannätha and the Lord’s kñetra that he gave up all external andinternal affinity to the kingdom and everything related to it. He at oncebegan his journey to Jagannätha Puré, heading off in the general

direction of Orissa. While on the road he constantly chanted the foursyllables of Lord Jagannätha’s name.

TEXT 166

TaT+ae}aMaicraTPa[aáSTa}aTYaaNd<@vàMaNa( )ANTa"Paur& Pa[ivíae_h& Taeza& k-å<aYaa SaTaaMa( ))

tat kñetram acirät präptastatratyän daëòa-van namanantaù-puraà praviñöo ’haà

teñäà karuëayä satäm

tat —that; kñetram—holy district; acirät —quickly; präptaù—reached;tatratyän—to those who dwell there; daëòa-vat —like a rod; naman—bowing down; antaù- puram—the inner city; praviñöaù—entered; aham—I; teñäm—of those; karuëayä—by the mercy; satäm—saintly persons.

I quickly reached that holy district of the Lord. Bowing down toall the residents, by the mercy of those saintly persons I wasable to enter the temple grounds.

COMMENTARY: Since Gopa-kumära was a foreigner and no one knewwhat his business was, his sudden appearance on the temple groundsmight have aroused suspicion. The pure Vaiñëavas of Puruñottama-kñetra, however, welcomed him kindly; they recognized that he hadcome to receive Lord Jagannätha’s mercy.

TEXT 167

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dUraddiXaR PauåzaetaMav£-cNd]ae>a[aJaiÜXaal/NaYaNaae Mai<aPau<@\>aal/" )

iòGDaa>a[k-aiNTarå<aaDardqiárMYaae_XaezPa[Saadivk-SaiTSMaTaciNd]k-a!y" ))

düräd adarçi puruñottama-vaktra-candrobhräjad-viçäla-nayano maëi-puëòra-bhälaùsnigdhäbhra-käntir aruëädhara-dépti-ramyo’çeña-prasäda-vikasat-smita-candrikäòhyaù

dürät —from a distance; adarçi—was seen; puruñottama—of Lord Jagannätha; vaktra—the face; candraù—like the moon; bhräjat —shining; viçäla—broad; nayanaù—whose eyes; maëi—made of gems; puëòra—tilaka; bhälaù—on whose forehead; snigdha—full of rain; abhra—like a cloud; käntiù—whose effulgence; aruëa—dawn-colored; adhara—whose lips; dépti—which effulgence; ramyaù—attractive;

açeña—unlimited; prasäda—satisfaction; vikasat —radiating; smita—of His smile; candrikä—with the moonbeams; äòhyaù—adorned.

From a distance I saw the moonlike face of Lord Puruñottama,His broad eyes shining brilliantly, His forehead decorated withtilaka made of gems. His complexion glowed like a cloud full of rain, and the effulgence of His dawn-colored lips was all-attractive. Moonbeams of unlimited satisfaction emanatedfrom His smile, adding to His beauty.

COMMENTARY: The round face of Lord Jagannätha is easily recognizable,

even from a distance. It gives joy to everyone, just like the full moon.Gopa-kumära had been meditating on the general features of theLord’s face even before seeing Him and now could see the details of the Lord’s beauty for the first time.

TEXT 168

Ta}aaGa[Taae GaNTauMaNaaê NaeXaePa[eM<aa hTaae vePaQaui>aiNaRåÖ" )

raeMaaÄi>aàae_é[uivlu/ád*ií"STaM>a& SauPa<aRSYa k-QaiÄdaá" ))

taträgrato gantu-manäç ca neçepremëä hato vepathubhir niruddhaùromäïca-bhinno ’çru-vilupta-dåñöiùstambhaà suparëasya kathaïcid äptaù

tatra—there; agrataù—before Him; gantu-manäù—intending to come;ca—and; na éçe—I was not able; premëä—by ecstatic love; hataù—

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struck; vepathubhiù—by trembling in my body; niruddhaù—impeded;roma-aïca—by hair standing on end; bhinnaù—distinguished; açru—bytears; vilupta—obstructed; dåñöiù—my vision; stambham—the column;suparëasya—of Garuòa; kathaïcit —somehow; äptaù—reached.

Struck by the ecstasy of pure love and impeded by tremblingin my body, I was unable to go forward despite my desire. Butsomehow I reached Garuòa’s column, my hair standing on end,my vision clouded by tears.

COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumära was eager to enter Lord Jagannätha’stemple but had difficulty proceeding, because his mind wasoverwhelmed by love and his body by the ecstasy of jäòya, beingstunned. Unconscious of his own movements, only by the Lord’s mercydid Gopa-kumära reach the column on which Garuòa sits before Lord Jagannätha’s altar.

TEXTS 169–170

idVYaaMbral/ªr<aóGaavl/I‚VYaaá& MaNaael/aecNahzRvDaRNaMa( )

iSa&haSaNaSYaaePair l/Il/Yaa iSQaTa&>au¤-a Maha>aaeGaGa<aaNMaNaaehraNa( ))

Pa[<aaMaNa*TYaSTauiTavaÛGaqTa‚Para&STau SaPa[eMa ivl/aek-YaNTaMa( )

MahaMaihMNaa& PadMaq+aMaa<aae_PaTa& JaGaàaQaMah& ivMauù ))

divyämbarälaìkaraëa-srag-ävalé-vyäptaà mano-locana-harña-vardhanamsiàhäsanasyopari lélayä sthitaàbhuktvä mahä-bhoga-gaëän mano-harän

praëäma-nåtya-stuti-vädya-géta-paräàs tu sa-prema vilokayantammahä-mahimnäà padam ékñamäëo’pataà jagannätham ahaà vimuhya

divya—divine; ambara—garments; alaìkaraëa—jewelry; srak —of garlands; ävalé—and a series; vyäptam—who was covered; manaù—of the mind; locana—of the eyes; harña—the pleasure; vardhanam—whowas increasing; siàha-äsanasya—a lion throne; upari—upon; lélayä—playfully; sthitam—situated; bhuktvä—eating; mahä—wonderful;bhoga-gaëän—varieties of food; manaù-harän—attractive; praëäma—in bowing down; nåtya—dancing; stuti—offering prayers; vädya—playing music; géta—and singing; parän—those who were busily

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engaged; tu—and; sa- prema—with love; vilokayantam—watching;mahä-mahimnäm—of supreme splendor; padam—the locus;ékñamäëaù—seeing; apatam—fell; jagannätham—Lord Jagannätha;aham—I; vimuhya—fainting.

I saw Lord Jagannätha, bedecked with jewelry, divinegarments, and flower garlands. The sight of Him increased thepleasure of my eyes and mind. As He sat playfully on His lionthrone, He ate the wonderful varieties of attractive food beingoffered to Him. With love He watched His devotees busilysinging, dancing, playing music, offering prayers, and bowingdown to Him. Seeing that supremely splendorous pageantbewildered me, and I fainted and fell to the floor.

COMMENTARY: From his vantage point near the Garuòa-stambha, Gopa-kumära could see the details of Lord Jagannätha’s beauty even more

clearly. It proved too much for him to experience all at once.

TEXT 171

Sa&ja& l/Bßa SaMauNMaqLYa l/aecNae l/aek- YaNPauNa" )

oNMata wv Ta& DaTau| SaveGaae_DaavMaGa[Ta" ))

saàjïäà labdhvä samunmélyalocane lokayan punaùunmatta iva taà dhartuà

sa-vego ’dhävam agrataù

saàjïäm—consciousness; labdhvä—obtaining; samunmélya—openingcompletely; locane—my eyes; lokayan—gazing; punaù—again;unmattaù—a madman; iva—as if; tam—Him; dhartum—to catch holdof; sa-vegaù—quickly; adhävam—I ran; agrataù—forward.

I came to my senses, opened my eyes, and gazed upon Himagain. Like a madman I ran forward quickly to catch hold of Him.

TEXT 172

icraiÕd*i+aTaae d*íae JaqivTa& JaqivTa& MaYaa )Pa[aáae_Û JaGadqXaae_Ya& iNaJaPa[>auiriTa b]uvNa( ))

ciräd didåkñito dåñöojévitaà jévitaà mayä

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präpto ’dya jagad-éço ’yaànija-prabhur iti bruvan

cirät —after a long time; didåkñitaù—desired to be seen; dåñöaù—seen; jévitam—my life; jévitam—is a real life; mayä—by me; präptaù—

achieved; adya—today; jagat -éçaù—Lord of the universe; ayam—this;nija—my own; prabhuù—master; iti—thus; bruvan—saying.

I cried out, “Now I am seeing what for so long I have wanted tosee. From today my life is a real life. I have obtained the Lordof the universe, my master!”

COMMENTARY: Previously Gopa-kumära had never felt fully alive, butnow, after seeing Lord Jagannätha, he considered himself deliveredfrom the living death of material existence. Repeating himself out of sheer joy, he declared that now he had not only seen the Lord of the

universe but come into intimate contact with Him. In Lord Jagannäthahe perceived for the first time all the characteristics of the SupremePersonality of Godhead.

TEXT 173

Save}agaaTa& Pa[iTahairi>aSTadaiNavairTaae JaaTaivcarl/iÂTa" )

Pa[>aae" k*-Paa& TaaMaNauMaaNYa iNaGaRTaaeMahaPa[SaadaàMaQaaPanv& bih" ))

sa-vetra-ghätaà pratihäribhis tadänivärito jäta-vicära-lajjitaù

prabhoù kåpäà täm anumänya nirgatomahä-prasädännam athäpnavaà bahiù

sa-vetra-ghätam—with blows of sticks; pratihäribhiù—by the guards;tadä—then; niväritaù—prevented; jäta—awakened; vicära—by mydiscrimination; lajjitaù—embarrassed; prabhoù—of the Lord; kåpäm—mercy; täm—that; anumänya—reasoning; nirgataù—having exited;mahä- prasäda-annam—mahä-prasäda remnants; atha—then;äpnavam—I received; bahiù—outside.

Just then the guards struck me with their sticks and stoppedme. Realizing what I had done I felt embarrassed. “This is theLord’s mercy,” I reasoned, and went outside, where I receivedremnants of His mahä-prasäda.

COMMENTARY: Being struck by the sticks of the doorkeepers broughtGopa-kumära out of his trance. He thought, “Here I am, an insignificant

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foreigner, behaving with such impudence! What am I doing?” Butdespite some physical pain, Gopa-kumära was not at all unhappy. Hewas still overjoyed to be in the realm of Lord Jagannätha. The Lord waskind enough to arrange for the guards to stop him, because had heembraced Lord Jagannätha as he had intended, he would have

committed a serious offense.Calming himself down, Gopa-kumära went outside, where acompassionate person gave him mahä-prasäda from the Lord.

TEXTS 174–175

TaÙu¤-a SaTvr& b]øN>aGavNMaiNdr& PauNa" )Pa[ivXYaaêYaRJaaTa& YaNMaYaa d*í& Mauda& PadMa( ))ôid k-Tau| Na XaKYaTae TaTk-Qa& i§-YaTaa& Mau%e )Wv& Ta}a idva PaU<a|

iSQaTvaNaNdae_Nau>aUYaTae ))

tad bhuktvä satvaraà brahmanbhagavan-mandiraà punaù

praviçyäçcarya-jätaà yanmayä dåñöaà mudäà padam

hådi kartuà na çakyatetat kathaà kriyatäà mukheevaà tatra divä pürëaàsthitvänando ’nubhüyate

tat —that; bhuktvä—eating; satvaram—immediately; brahman—Obrähmaëa; bhagavat —of the Supreme Lord; mandiram—the temple; punaù—again; praviçya—entering; äçcarya—the wonders; jätam—all; yat —which; mayä—by me; dåñöam—seen; mudäm—of all kinds of happiness; padam—the reservoir; hådi—in the heart; kartum—to do;na çakyate—it is not possible; tat —so; katham—how; kriyatäm—it canbe done; mukhe—in the mouth; evam—thus; tatra—there; divä—theday; pürëam—entire; sthitvä—standing; änandaù—ecstasy;anubhüyate—was experienced.

O brähmaëa, after eating that mahä-prasäda I quickly

reentered the Lord’s temple. From the wonders I then saw, Ifelt a reservoir of happiness I am unable to understand in myheart, let alone describe with my mouth. I simply stood thereall day, relishing bliss.

COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumära’s heart could not assimilate everything hewas relishing—one amazing thing after another without stop, and eachwonder inconceivable. How, then, could he properly describe what he

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saw? The power of speech is usually slower and more limited than thepower of the mind.

TEXT 176

ra}aaE MahaeTSave v*tae b*hC^*®arSaM>ave )iNaGaRMYaTae Tau iNav*Rtae

PauZPaaÅil/MahaeTSave ))

rätrau mahotsave våttebåhac-chåìgära-sambhavenirgamyate tu nirvåttepuñpäïjali-mahotsave

rätrau—at night; mahä-utsave—when a great festival; våtte—occurred;båhat -çåìgära—opulent ornamentation; sambhave—which involved;

nirgamyate—had to leave; tu—but; nirvåtte—when completed; puñpa-aïjali—with offerings of palmfuls of flowers; mahä-utsave—the greatceremony.

At night there was a great festival, with the Lord dressed andornamented in elaborate splendor. But finally, after a greatceremony with offerings of palmfuls of flowers, it was time toleave the temple.

TEXT 177

NaeTQa& jaTa" SaTaa& Sa®e k-al/ae NavNavaeTSavE" ) TadEvaSYaa Va[Ja>auv"= Xaaek-ae Mae iNarGaaidv ))

netthaà jïätaù satäà saìgekälo nava-navotsavaiùtadaiväsyä vraja-bhuvaùçoko me niragäd iva

na—not; ittham—in this way; jïätaù—noticed; satäm—of saintlydevotees; saìge—in the company; kälaù—time; nava-nava—ever new;

utsavaiù—with festivals; tadä—then; eva—indeed; asyäù—from this;vraja-bhuvaù—land of Vraja; çokaù—sorrow; me—my; niragät —wentaway; iva—as if.

As I thus enjoyed ever-new festivals in the company of saintlydevotees, time passed unnoticed. I seemed to forget thesorrow of my separation from this land of Vraja.

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COMMENTARY: The pain Gopa-kumära had been feeling from beingoutside Vraja subsided in the presence of Lord Jagannätha, but it wasnever uprooted completely from his heart.

TEXT 178

é[qJaGaàaQadevSYa Saevke-zu k*-PaaetaMaa )ivivDaaja c SavR}a é[UYaTae_PYaNau>aUYaTae ))

çré-jagannätha-devasyasevakeñu kåpottamävividhäjïä ca sarvatraçrüyate ’py anubhüyate

çré- jagannätha-devasya—of Çré Jagannätha-deva; sevakeñu—on theservants; kåpä—the mercy; uttamä—supreme; vividha—various; äjïä—

His commands; ca—and; sarvatra—everywhere; çrüyate—were heardof; api—and; anubhüyate—were directly experienced.

Everywhere, I heard about and saw for myself the most exaltedmercy of Lord Çré Jagannätha on His servants and perceivedthe various commands He gave them.

COMMENTARY: In reciprocating with His devotees, Lord Jagannätha oftenwent out of His way to fulfill their various desires and would issuecommands so as to give them opportunities for service. Gopa-kumäranot only heard about this mercy from numerous sources but saw

examples of it with his own eyes.

TEXT 179

NaaNYaiTk-MaiPa raeceTa JaGaàaQaSYa dXaRNaaTa( )Paura<aTaae_SYa MaahaTMYaXaué[UzaiPa

iNavTaRTae ))

nänyat kim api rocetajagannäthasya darçanät

puräëato ’sya mähätmya-çuçrüñäpi nivartate

na—not; anyat —other; kim api—anything; roceta—would attract; jagannäthasya—of Lord Jagannätha; darçanät —than the sight; puräëataù—from the Puräëas; asya—His; mähätmya—about theglories; çuçrüñä—the desire to hear; api—even; nivartate—ceased.

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Nothing other than the sight of Lord Jagannätha attracted me.I even lost interest in hearing about His glories from thePuräëas.

COMMENTARY: At first Gopa-kumära was quite interested in the

recitations by Puräëic experts in the temple, in which the glories of Lord Jagannätha were read from the Brahma Puräëa and otherscriptures. But as he became more and more attracted to the beautyof Lord Jagannätha’s lotus face, he could no longer pay attention tothose recitations. That is one reason he remained ignorant about suchbasic facts as the existence of the heavenly planets.

TEXT 180

Xaarqr& MaaNaSa& va SYaaiTk-iÄÕu"%& k-dacNa ) TaÀ é[qPau<@rqk-a+ae d*íe SaÛae ivNaXYaiTa ))

çäréraà mänasaà vä syät kiïcid duùkhaà kadäcanatac ca çré-puëòarékäkñedåñöe sadyo vinaçyati

çäréram—bodily; mänasam—mental; vä—or; syät —if there might be;kiïcit —some; duùkham—distress; kadäcana—sometimes; tat —that; ca—and; çré- puëòaréka-akñe—of the divine lotus-eyed Lord; dåñöe—atthe sight; sadyaù—at once; vinaçyati—would disappear.

And even if I sometimes underwent some physical or mentaldistress, as soon as I saw the lotus-eyed Lord the paindisappeared.

COMMENTARY: It is to be expected that any embodied soul will often bedistracted from the ecstasy of seeing Lord Jagannätha’s lotus face byunavoidable physical and mental disturbances. Diseases constantlythreaten the bodies of conditioned souls, and all kinds of desires andvexations constantly pass through their minds. Gopa-kumära also feltthese natural disturbances, but they at once disappeared whenever hecame before Lord Jagannätha. The bliss he felt from seeing the Lordmade him forget his troubles and gradually diminished them almost tonil.

TEXT 181

f-l&/ l/BDa& JaPaSYaeiTa MaTvaedaSae SMa Ta}a c )Wv& icridNa& Ta}a NYavSa& ParMaE" Sau%E" ))

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phalaà labdhaà japasyetimatvodäse sma tatra caevaà cira-dinaà tatranyavasaà paramaiù sukhaiù

phalam—the result; labdham—attained; japasya—of my chanting; iti—thus; matvä—thinking; udäse sma—I became indifferent; tatra—to it;ca—and; evam—thus; cira-dinam—for many days; tatra—there;nyavasam—I resided; paramaiù—perfect; sukhaiù—with all kinds of happiness.

Thus, thinking I had attained the final result of my chanting, Ibecame indifferent even to chanting. For many days I lived inthe city of Lord Jagannätha in such perfect happiness.

TEXT 182

AQa TaSYaaNTarq<aaYaa& SaevaYaa& k-ihRicTPa[>aae" )

JaaTaa åicMaeR TaaPaae_iPa TaSYaaAga$=NaaNMahaNa( ))

atha tasyäntaréëäyäàseväyäà karhicit prabhoù

jätä rucir me täpo ’pitasyä aghaöanän mahän

atha—then; tasya—His; äntaréëäyäm—of the intimate servants;seväyäm—in service; karhicit —at some time; prabhoù—of the Lord; jätä—developed; ruciù—taste; me—my; täpaù—discomfort; api—also;tasyäù—of that; aghaöanät —because of the nonfulfillment; mahän—great.

Then I began to feel the urge for more intimate service to theLord. But this desire also brought me great pain because itremained unfulfilled.

COMMENTARY: Just living in Jagannätha Puré was a source of great bliss,but Gopa-kumära began to feel attracted to the even greater bliss of rendering personal service to Lord Jagannätha. This urge, first felt as avague discomfort, gradually became a conscious desire. Gopa-kumärawanted to enter the inner rooms of the temple and approach the Lordas one of His personal attendants. One might wonder whether thisdesire was no more practical than wanting to touch the moon with

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one’s hand, but Gopa-kumära refers to Lord Jagannätha as prabhu, indicating that the Lord can do anything.

TEXTS 183–184

Yaê§-vTas Ta}aTYa" Sa Pa[>aaeMauR:YaSaevk-" )é[qMau%& vqi+aTau& +ae}ae Yada YaaiTa

MahaeTSave ))SaÂNaaePad]vaeÛaNa>a®adaE vairTae_PYaQa )Maad*Xaae_ik-ÄNaa" SvEr& Pa[>au& d]íu& Na Xa¥u-

Yau" ))

yaç cakravarté tatratyaùsa prabhor mukhya-sevakaùçré-mukhaà vékñituà kñetreyadä yäti mahotsave

saj-janopadravodyäna-bhaìgädau värite ’py athamädåço ’kiïcanäù svairaàprabhuà drañöuà na çaknuyuù

yaù—who; cakravarté—the great king; tatratyaù—of that place; saù—he; prabhoù—of the Lord; mukhya—the chief; sevakaù—servant; çré-mukham—His transcendental face; vékñitum—to see; kñetre—to theholy city; yadä—when; yäti—he would come; mahä-utsave—during afestival; sat - jana—to respectable gentlemen; upadrava—disturbance;

udyäna—to gardens; bhaìga—damage; ädau—and so on; värite—beingprevented; api—even; atha—then; mädåçaù—like me; akiïcanäù—unimportant people; svairam—freely; prabhum—the Lord; drañöum—tosee; na çaknuyuù—were not able.

On special festival days the Lord’s chief servant, the mightyking who ruled that country, came to the holy city to see theLord’s transcendental face. To prevent problems likedisturbances to respectable people and damage to the Lord’sgardens, unimportant people like me were then forbidden tofreely see the Lord.

COMMENTARY: By the special mercy of Lord Jagannätha, the king of Puréat that time was a cakravarté, an overlord of several other kings. Bythe privilege of his royal position he was officially the principalworshiper of the Lord. His capital was elsewhere, but for major festivalslike the Ratha-yäträ he would come to Çré Jagannätha Puré. On thoseoccasions common people like Gopa-kumära, without status andentourage, would be restricted from freely coming to see the Lord. This

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prohibition was not offensive on the part of the king, who was a saintlydevotee, because it was necessary to protect the Lord’s property andservice. If everyone were allowed into the temple while the king waspresent, he and the respectable people with him would have difficultytaking darçana, and the Lord’s flower gardens could be damaged or His

ponds polluted by unruly mobs. At the very least, the Lord’s privacywould be threatened if too many people were allowed to converge onthe temple.

Thus the poor people in the city had to tolerate having theirmovements restricted, and then too they were harassed by thepresence of the king’s large army, with its elephants, chariots,horsemen, and infantry soldiers.

TEXT 185

WvMauÙUTaôd]aeGaae_d]a+a& SvGauåMaek-da )

é[qJaGaàaQadevaGa[e ParMaPa[eMaivûl/Ma( ))

evam udbhüta-håd-rogo’dräkñaà sva-gurum ekadäçré-jagannätha-devägre parama-prema-vihvalam

evam—in this way; udbhüta—having appeared; håt —of the heart;rogaù—disease; adräkñam—I saw; sva-gurum—my guru; ekadä—oneday; çré- jagannätha-deva—of Çré Jagannätha-deva; agre—in front; parama—supreme; prema—by ecstatic love; vihvalam—overwhelmed.

One day when I thus felt sick at heart, I saw my spiritualmaster standing in front of Çré Jagannätha-deva, overwhelmedby the highest ecstatic love of God.

COMMENTARY: Somehow the same great soul who had given Gopa-kumära his mantra in Çré Våndävana was now in Puré, taking darçana of Lord Jagannätha.

TEXT 186

Na Sa SaM>aaizTau& Xa¢-ae MaYaa TaihR GaTa"KvicTa( )

Al/i+aTaae JaGaàaQaé[qMau%ak*-íceTaSaa ))

na sa sambhäñituà çaktomayä tarhi gataù kvacit alakñito jagannätha-

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çré-mukhäkåñöa-cetasä

na—not; saù—he; sambhäñitum—to speak with; çaktaù—possible;mayä—by me; tarhi—then; gataù—gone away; kvacit —somewhere;alakñitaù—unnoticed; jagannätha—of Lord Jagannätha; çré-mukha—by

the beautiful face; äkåñöa—attracted; cetasä—whose mind.But before I could speak with him, he left to go somewhere,and my mind was so attracted to the beautiful face of Lord

Jagannätha that I didn’t notice which way my guru went.

COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumära made a serious mistake by neglecting tofollow his guru and meet him, but it was not offensive because he hadinnocently fallen victim to Lord Jagannätha’s beauty.

TEXT 187

wTaSTaTaae_Ma*GYaTaaSaaEidNae_NYaiSMa&STa$e=_MbuDae" )

NaaMaSaªqTaRNaaNaNdENa*RTYaçBDaae MaYaEk-l/" ))

itas tato ’mågyatäsaudine ’nyasmiàs taöe ’mbudheùnäma-saìkértanänandair nåtyal labdho mayaikalaù

itaù tataù—here and there; amågyata—was searched for; asau—he;

dine—on the day; anyasmin—other; taöe—on the shore; ambu-dheù—of the ocean; näma-saìkértana—of näma-saìkértana; änandaiù—in thevarieties of bliss; nåtyan—dancing; labdhaù—found; mayä—by me;ekalaù—alone.

After searching here and there, the next day I found him onthe shore of the ocean, dancing alone in the ecstasies of näma-saìkértana.

TEXT 188

d<@vTPa[<aMaNTa& Maa& d*=îaXaqvaRdPaUvRk-Ma( )AaiëZYaajaPaYaaMaaSa SavRjae_NauGa[haiddMa( ))

daëòa-vat praëamantaà mäàdåñöväçér-väda-pürvakamäçliñyäjïäpayäm äsasarva-jïo ’nugrahäd idam

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daëòa-vat —like a rod; praëamantam—who was bowing down; mäm—me; dåñövä—seeing; äçéù-väda-pürvakam—after giving his blessings; äçliñya—embracing; äjïäpayäm äsa—he told; sarva- jïaù—the knower of everything; anugrahät —out of mercy; idam—this.

Seeing me prostrating myself like a rod on the ground, my all-knowing master gave me his blessings. Then he embraced meand mercifully told me this:

COMMENTARY: If Gopa-kumära’s guru knew everything, then surely heknew, without being told, the desires Gopa-kumära held in his heart.

TEXT 189

YaÛTSaªLPYa >aae vTSa iNaJa& MaN}a& JaiPaZYaiSa ) TaTPa[>aave<a TaTSav| vaH^aTaqTa& c SaeTSYaiTa ))

yad yat saìkalpya bho vatsanijaà mantraà japiñyasitat-prabhäveëa tat sarvaàväïchätétaà ca setsyati

yat yat —whatever; saìkalpya—intending; bhoù vatsa—my dear boy;nijam—your own; mantram—mantra; japiñyasi—you will chant; tat- prabhäveëa—by its power; tat —that; sarvam—all; väïchä—your desire;atétam—what exceeds; ca—and; setsyati—you will achieve.

“My dear boy, whatever you desire while chanting yourmantra, by its power you will fully achieve. Indeed, you willattain more than you desire.

COMMENTARY: Before performing any religious ritual, including thechanting of mantras, one should solemnly formulate one’s saìkalpa(“intention”), either verbally or mentally. In most Vedic sacrifices onecan expect one’s saìkalpa to be fulfilled only in the indefinite future,most likely in the next life. But by the blessing of his guru, Gopa-kumära’s specific saìkalpas would all be quickly realized, as we shallsee as his story continues.

TEXT 190

é[qJaGaàaQadevSYa SaevaæPa& c iviÖ TaMa( )Wv& MaTva c ivìSYa Na k-daicÂPa& TYaJae" ))

çré-jagannätha-devasya

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sevä-rüpaà ca viddhi tamevaà matvä ca viçvasyana kadäcij japaà tyajeù

çré- jagannätha-devasya—of Çré Jagannätha-deva; sevä—of the

service; rüpam—a form; ca—and; viddhi—please know; tam—this;evam—thus; matvä—understanding; ca—and; viçvasya—beingconfident; na kadäcit —never; japam—your chanting; tyajeù—youshould give up.

“This chanting, please understand, is another form of serviceto Lord Çré Jagannätha. Have faith in this and never give upyour japa.

COMMENTARY: Even if Gopa-kumära has no other desire than to renderpersonal service to Lord Jagannätha, he is here told to understand that

chanting his mantra is intimate service to the Lord. Gopa-kumära maynot have seen this for himself, but he should accept it out of confidence in the words of his guru. Aware of Gopa-kumära’s intensedesire to serve Jagannätha, the all-knowing guru also perceives thatGopa-kumära is neglecting his mantra and so is helping him achievehis desire by correcting his neglect.

TEXT 191

TvMaeTaSYa Pa[>aave<a icrJaqvq >avaNvhMa( )wRd*GGaaePaa>aRæPaê TaTf-l/aPTYahRMaaNaSa" ))

tvam etasya prabhäveëacira-jévé bhavänv-ahamédåg-gopärbha-rüpaç catat-phaläpty-arha-mänasaù

tvam—you; etasya—of this (mantra); prabhäveëa—by the potency;cira- jévé—long-lived; bhava—may be; anu-aham—always; édåk —such;gopa-arbha—of a cowherd boy; rüpaù—having the form; ca—and; tat —of this (chanting); phala—of the fruit; äpti—for realizing; arha—suitable; mänasaù—mentality.

“By the potency of this mantra, may you live a long time, mayyou always have the form of a cowherd boy, and may youdevelop the right mentality for tasting the mantra’s fruit.

COMMENTARY: To help Gopa-kumära take advantage of the benedictionthat his mantra will fulfill all his desires, his guru gives him three moreblessings. First, Gopa-kumära will live long enough to enjoy whatever

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he may desire, even if that involves traveling to higher planets, wherelife is much longer than on earth. Second, he will avoid old age and itsailments, staying always a young cowherd boy. In other words,throughout his life he will keep the same age and dress he has now,regardless of where he goes, be it Lord Brahmä’s planet or Vaikuëöha.

Third, his mind will not become confused or agitated by the immediatefulfillment of his desires, because the mantra will keep his intelligencefixed on the final goal—to see with his own eyes Lord Madana-gopälaand join in the Lord’s sporting pastimes. And as a side result of thisthird benediction, even when Gopa-kumära achieves the posts of anemperor and of Lord Indra he will remain ignorant of the planets he hasnot yet seen—Svargaloka, Maharloka, and so on. This so-calledignorance will help him progress toward ultimate happiness, as ÇréNärada will later explain at the end of Chapter Five.

TEXT 192

Maa& d]+YaiSa k-daPYa}a v*Ndar<Yae k-dacNa )Wv& Sa MaaMaNaujaPYa ku-}aaiPa SahSaaGaMaTa( ))

mäà drakñyasi kadäpy atravåndäraëye kadäcanaevaà sa mäm anujïäpyakuträpi sahasägamat

mäm—me; drakñyasi—you will see; kadä api—sometimes; atra—here;våndäraëye—in Våndävana; kadäcana—sometimes; evam—thus; saù—

he; mäm—to me; anujïäpya—giving instructions; kutra api—somewhere; sahasä—suddenly; agamat —he went.

“Sometimes you will see me here, and sometimes inVåndävana.” Having thus instructed me, my guru suddenly leftto go elsewhere.

COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumära has still not received complete instructionson how to chant his mantra, but in his guru’s opinion the time andplace are not proper for divulging that information. Instead, the guru promises that Gopa-kumära will meet him again a few more times. If Gopa-kumära were to be given complete information about hissädhana, he might reach perfection quickly, but as fate would have it,he must first do some traveling around the universe.

TEXT 193

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TaiÜYaaeGaeNa dqNa"SaHa( é[qJaGaàaQaMaqi+aTauMa( )

GaTa" XaaiNTaMah& Pa[aáae YaÒ& cak-rv& JaPae ))

tad-viyogena dénaù san

çré-jagannätham ékñitumgataù çäntim ahaà präptoyatnaà cäkaravaà jape

tat —from him; viyogena—because of the separation; dénaù—miserable; san—becoming; çré- jagannätham—Çré Jagannätha;ékñitum—to see; gataù—went; çäntim—peace; aham—I; präptaù—obtained; yatnam—effort; ca—and; akaravam—I made; jape—inchanting my mantra.

Separated from my guru I felt very much aggrieved, but when I

went to see Lord Jagannätha I regained my peace of mind andmade a great endeavor to chant my japa.

COMMENTARY: The unfortunate can become free of distress simply bytaking shelter of Çré Jagannätha-deva; they need not resort to anyother remedy. And if they fail to see Lord Jagannätha, they can expectneither relief from suffering nor real happiness.

TEXTS 194–195

YadaSYaa dXaRNaaeTk-<#=a

Va[Ja>aUMaer>aUtaraMa( ) Tada Tau é[qJaGaàaQaMaihMNaa Sfu-=riTa SMa Mae )) TaT+ae}aaePavNaé[e<aq v*Ndar<YaTaYaa<aRv" ) YaMauNaaTveNa Naql/aid]=>aaGaae

GaaevDaRNaaTMaNaa ))

yadäsyä darçanotkaëöhävraja-bhümer abhüt-tarämtadä tu çré-jagannätha-mahimnä sphurati sma me

tat-kñetropavana-çreëévåndäraëyatayärëavaù

yamunätvena nélädri-bhägo govardhanätmanä

yadä—when; asyäù—this; darçana—to see; utkaëöhä—intenseeagerness; vraja-bhümeù—Vraja-bhümi; abhüt -taräm—became verymuch; tadä—then; tu—however; çré- jagannätha—of Çré Jagannätha;

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mahimnä—by the glories; sphurati sma—would become manifest; me—to me; tat —of that; kñetra—holy abode; upavana—of gardens; çreëé—the series; våndäraëyatayä—appearing as the Våndävana forest;arëavaù—the sea; yamunätvena—as being the Yamunä; nélädri—of Nélädri Hill; bhägaù—the slope; govardhana-ätmanä—as Govardhana.

Whenever my eagerness to see Vraja-bhümi became intense,on the strength of Çré Jagannätha’s glories the many gardensof His abode would appear to me as Våndävana, its sea as the

Yamunä, and the slope of Nélädri Hill as Govardhana.

COMMENTARY: The first result Gopa-kumära noticed after reviving theserious chanting of his mantra was that he saw certain specialopulences of Lord Jagannätha. In particular, he became aware of various ways in which Lord Jagannätha’s abode, Puruñottama-kñetra, isnondifferent from Kåñëa’s abode, Vraja-bhümi. Lord Jagannätha’s

various pleasure gardens reminded Gopa-kumära of the Våndävanaforest, the shore of the salt ocean reminded him of the Yamunä River,and the portion of Nélädri Hill near the western side of Lord Jagannätha’s temple reminded him of Govardhana. Thus he was not asmiserable as he would have been had he not been able to see Kåñëa’sabode.

TEXT 196

Wv& vSaNSau%& Ta}a >aGavÕXaRNaadNau )GauåPaadajYaa iNaTYa& JaPaaiMa SveíiSaÖYae ))

evaà vasan sukhaà tatrabhagavad-darçanäd anuguru-pädäjïayä nityaàjapämi sveñöa-siddhaye

evam—in this way; vasan—living; sukham—happily; tatra—there;bhagavat -darçanät anu—after taking darçana of the Lord; guru- päda—of my worshipable guru; äjïayä—on the order; nityam—every day; japämi—I chanted my mantra; sva-iñöa—of my desire; siddhaye—forthe achievement.

In this way I continued living there happily. Every day aftertaking darçana of the Lord, I chanted my mantra, following theorder of my worshipable guru and hoping to achieve mydesired perfection.

COMMENTARY: Each morning, after visiting Lord Jagannätha in Histemple, Gopa-kumära would return to his residence and sit in a quiet

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place to chant his mantra. He was meditating on the specific saìkalpa of being allowed to join the temple service of Jagannätha. As this verseindicates, he was no longer so obsessed with seeing Lord Jagannäthathat he neglected his mantra, and he was beginning to develop bothgenuine devotion for his spiritual master and faith in the

transcendental goal of life.

TEXT 197

AQa TaiSMaNMaharaJae k-al&/ Pa[aáe_SYa SaUNauNaa ) JYaeïeNaaiTaivr¢e-Na raJYaMa®qk*-Ta& Na TaTa( ))

atha tasmin mahä-räjekälaà präpte ’sya sünunä

jyeñöhenäti-viraktenaräjyam aìgé-kåtaà na tat

atha—then; tasmin—that; mahä-räje—king; kälam—the time of hisdemise; präptaù—reaching; asya—his; sünunä—by the son; jyeñöhena—eldest; ati-viraktena—who was very renounced; räjyam—thekingdom; aìgé-kåtam—accepted; na—not; tat —that.

Then the king of Puré passed away, and his eldest son, whowas very renounced, refused to accept the kingdom.

COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumära’s guru had promised that the mantra wouldreadily fulfill all of Gopa-kumära’s desires, and now the first of those

desires was about to be realized. Texts 197 through 202 describe howGopa-kumära became king of Puré and was able to enter Lord Jagannätha’s intimate service. The crown prince declined the thronebecause he wanted only to continue taking darçana of Lord Jagannätha’s lotus face; he did not even want the privileged servicesgranted to the king.

TEXT 198

Ta}aai>aiz¢-" Pa*íSYaaNaujYaa JaGadqiXaTau" )SaMParq+Ya MaharaJaicöaiNa SaicvErhMa( ))

taträbhiñiktaù påñöasyä-nujïayä jagad-éçituùsamparékñya mahä-räja-cihnäni sacivair aham

tatra—there; abhiñiktaù—anointed; påñöasya—who was asked;anujïayä—with the permission; jagat -éçituù—of the Lord of the

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universe; samparékñya—observing; mahä-räja—of a great king; cihnäni—the signs; sacivaiù—by the ministers; aham—I.

The ministers consulted the Lord of the universe and took Hiscommand, and after observing in me the signs of a mahäräja

they anointed me king.

COMMENTARY: Assembled before Lord Jagannätha, the ministers humblysubmitted, “The eldest prince is so attached to seeing Your lotus facethat he has no interest in ruling. And as a matter of principle, none of the younger princes should assume the throne as long as the eldest isalive. None of the king’s other family members display the character of a great ruler. But if no one becomes king, law and order in the countrycannot be maintained even for a short time. Please tell us whom weshould place on the throne.”

In reply Lord Jagannätha commanded them, “One of My devotees, a

young cowherd born at Çré Govardhana, has come here. You shouldcrown him.” Or else He told them, “Crown whomever you find has thesigns of a mahäräja.” In this way the Supreme Lord, the compassionatefriend of the wretched, the most clever maker of all arrangements,ordered the ministers to look for a person with kingly symptoms,symptoms they duly found in Gopa-kumära. Thus neither the princesnor others had an opportunity to become envious of him.

Some of the marks of royalty are mentioned in reference to EmperorBharata, the son of Çakuntalä, in Çrémad-Bhägavatam (9.20.24).Cakraà dakñiëa-haste ’sya/ padma-koço ’sya pädayoù: “He had themark of Lord Kåñëa’s disc on the palm of his right hand and the mark

of a lotus whorl on the soles of his feet.”

TEXT 199

ivivDaa viDaRTaaSTaSYa MaYaa PaUJaa MahaeTSava" )ivXaezTaae MahaYaa}aa ÜadXaa}aaiPa Gaui<@ca ))

vividhä vardhitäs tasyamayä püjä mahotsaväùviçeñato mahä-yäträdvädaçäträpi guëòicä

vividhäù—various; vardhitäù—improved; tasya—His; mayä—by me; püjä—ceremonies of worship; mahä-utsaväù—and festivals; viçeñataù—especially; mahä- yäträù—the major festivals; dvädaça—twelve; atra—among them; api—also; guëòicä—the Guëòicä festival.

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I tried to improve the worship and various festivals of Lord Jagannätha in Puré, especially His twelve major festivals, mostimportant among them the Guëòicä Ratha-yäträ.

COMMENTARY: In each of the twelve months, beginning with Phälguna,

Lord Jagannätha enjoys a major festival in His temple, such as Hisswing festival, candana festival, bathing festival, Ratha-yäträ, anddamanaka, “the festival of breaking the damanaka tree.” As King of Puré, Gopa-kumära increased the opulence of all these celebrations.He gave the most attention to improving Lord Jagannätha’s Ratha-yäträ to the Guëòicä temple.

TEXT 200

Pa*iQaVYaa" SaaDav" SaveR iMail/Taa Ya}a vGaRXa" )Pa[eM<aaeNMataa wve+YaNTae

Na*TYaGaqTaaidTaTPara" ))

påthivyäù sädhavaù sarvemilitä yatra vargaçaù

premëonmattä ivekñyantenåtya-gétädi-tatparäù

påthivyäù—of the world; sädhavaù—saintly persons; sarve—all; militäù—gathered; yatra—during which; vargaçaù—in groups; premëä—withpure love of God; unmattäù—insane; iva—as if; ékñyante—they wouldbe seen; nåtya—in dancing; géta-ädi—singing and so on; tat-paräù—

absorbed.

For these festivals, saintly persons gathered in groups fromaround the world. Absorbed in dancing, singing, and so on,they appeared as if insane with love of God.

COMMENTARY: The sädhus who visited Puruñottama-kñetra belonged tomany different sampradäyas, but they would all assemble happily, intheir own saìkértana groups, for Lord Jagannätha’s festivals.

TEXT 201raJYa& raJaaePa>aaeGYa& c JaGaàaQaPadaBJaYaae" )SaMaPYaaRik-ÄNaTveNa Saeva& ku-veR iNaJaeC^Yaa ))

räjyaà räjopabhogyaà cajagannätha-padäbjayoùsamarpyäkiïcanatvena

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seväà kurve nijecchayä

räjyam—the kingdom; räja—royal; upabhogyam—facilities forenjoyment; ca—and; jagannätha—of Lord Jagannätha; pada-abjayoù—at the lotus feet; samarpya—offering; akiïcanatvena—in the mood of

having no possessions; seväm—service; kurve—I did; nija-icchayä—as Iliked.

I offered the kingdom, with all its royal enjoyments, at thelotus feet of Jagannätha. In a completely dependent mood, Itook my pleasure in simply serving the Lord.

COMMENTARY: Even as King of Puré, Gopa-kumära retained hisinnocence. He remained simple-hearted, as he had always been; butbecause he was the ultimate authority among the servants of Lord Jagannätha, he could serve the Lord whenever and however he

wanted.

TEXT 202

iNaJaE" iPa[YaTaMaEiNaRTYaSaevkE-" Sah Sa Pa[>au" )NaMaRGaaeïq& ivTaNauTae Pa[eMa§-I@a& c k-

ihRicTa( ))

nijaiù priya-tamair nitya-sevakaiù saha sa prabhuùnarma-goñöhéà vitanute

prema-kréòäà ca karhicit

nijaiù—His own; priya-tamaiù—dearest; nitya—permanent; sevakaiù—the servants; saha—along with; saù—He; prabhuù—the Lord; narma-goñöhém—confidential talks; vitanute—would exhibit; prema-kréòäm—loving pastimes; ca—and; karhicit —sometimes.

With His dearest permanent servants, the Lord enjoyedconfidential talks and sometimes displayed intimate lovingpastimes.

COMMENTARY: Now wanting Gopa-kumära to make another change in hislife, Lord Jagannätha arranged for a seed of discontent to be planted inhis heart. Texts 202 through 205 thus describe how Gopa-kumärabegan to feel jealous of the hereditary Orissan servants of Jagannätha,to whom the Lord extended special privileges.

TEXT 203

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Yada va l/Il/Yaa SQaa<au>aav& >aJaiTa k-aETauk-I )Pa[q<aNTYaQaaiPa SaaêYaaRSTae TaçIl/aNauSaair<a" ))

yadä vä lélayä sthäëu-bhävaà bhajati kautuké

préëanty athäpi säçcaryäste tal-lélänusäriëaù

yadä—when; vä—or; lélayä—as His pastime; sthäëu—of beingimmobile; bhävam—the mood; bhajati—He would assume; kautuké—playful; préëanti—were delighted; atha api—nonetheless; sa-äçcaryäù—amazed; te—they; tat —such; lélä—of the pastimes; anusäriëaù—following in the mood.

Or even when the playful Lord Jagannätha stood still as Hispastime, His closest devotees gave themselves to His intimate

mood, amazed at His greatness and delighted in love.

COMMENTARY: In the private company of the Orissan püjärés, Lord Jagannätha would sometimes talk and engage in various personalexchanges. But even when He remained motionless and silent on thealtar, those most intimate devotees still had very special relationshipswith Him. The Lord is not a lifeless log; He only pretends to be like that.Every chance He gets, He indulges in all sorts of sports and tricks withHis devotees. The püjärés were astonished to see how Lord Jagannäthaat one moment acts like a naughty child and the next poses as animmobile Deity. But rather than become morose when Jagannätha was

not active and speaking to them, the püjärés were happy to go alongwith whatever pastime the Lord was playing at the moment, be itactive or passive.

TEXT 204

MaMaaiPa Ta}a Ta}aaXaa SYaadQaaGaNTauk-ae_SMYahMa( )

Tadek-iNaïae NaaiPa SYaa& k-Qa& TataTPa[Saad>aak( ))

mamäpi tatra taträçä

syäd athägantuko ’smy ahamtad-eka-niñöho näpi syäàkathaà tat-tat-prasäda-bhäk

mama—my; api—though; tatra tatra—for those (specialreciprocations); äçä—hope; syät —there would be; atha—however;ägantukaù—recently arrived; asmi—am; aham—I; tat —to Him; eka-niñöhaù—exclusively devoted; na—not; api—also; syäm—can I be;

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katham—how; tat-tat —in those particular forms; prasäda—of themercy; bhäk —a recipient.

I also wanted to join in those special pastimes, but being just anewcomer, without exclusive devotion to Lord Jagannätha, how

could I receive His mercy in those special ways?

COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumära thought himself unfit even to desire to joinin Lord Jagannätha’s intimate talks and pastimes with His servants. Infact, he thought that the very desire arose in his heart from jealousy.No wonder, therefore, he felt distressed. He had only recently entered Jagannätha’s service and was not one of the hereditary püjärés. Nordid he have fixed, unalloyed devotion to the Lord of Néläcala, becausehis heart was still attracted to Çré Våndävana forest and the otherplaces of Kåñëa’s pastimes in Vraja-bhümi.

TEXT 205

TaQaaPYauTk-l/>a¢-aNaa& TataTSaaE>aaGYa>aavNaE")

SaÅNYaMaaNaYaa TatadaXaYaaiDa" ik-l/aeÙveTa( ))

tathäpy utkala-bhaktänäàtat-tat-saubhägya-bhävanaiùsaïjanyamänayä tat-tad-äçayädhiù kilodbhavet

tathä api—even so; utkala-bhaktänäm—of the Orissan devotees; tat -tat —that varied; saubhägya—of good fortune; bhävanaiù—by mythoughts; saïjanyamänayä—which appeared; tat -tat —various; äçayä—by the desires; ädhiù—mental pain; kila—indeed; udbhavet —wouldarise.

Even so, I went through anguish when I thought of the kinds of good fortune the Orissan devotees enjoyed and when Ireflected in various ways on my desire to be like thosedevotees.

TEXT 206

NaaMaSaªqTaRNaSTaae}aGaqTaaiNa >aGavTPaur" )é[UYaMaa<aaiNa duNviNTa MaQauraSMaark-ai<a

MaaMa( ))

näma-saìkértana-stotra-

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gétäni bhagavat-puraùçrüyamäëäni dunvantimathurä-smärakäëi mäm

näma-saìkértana—congregational chanting of the Lord’s names; stotra

—prayers; gétäni—and songs; bhagavat - puraù—in front of the Lord;çrüyamäëäni—being heard; dunvanti—would disturb; mathurä—of Mathurä; smärakäëi—causes of remembering; mäm—me.

When I heard the songs, prayers, and congregational chantingof the Lord’s names in front of Lord Jagannätha, I wasdisturbed because they reminded me of Mathurä.

COMMENTARY: In the presence of Lord Jagannätha, devotees would chantnames of the Lord like Mathurä-nätha, Våndävana-candra, andGovardhanoddhäraëa. They would recite ancient prayers from the

Puräëas and prayers by modern authors. They would sing properlycomposed songs, with suitable melody and rhythm. Hearing thoseauspicious sounds troubled Gopa-kumära’s mind because they madehim more vividly remember Mathurä and started him thinking aboutgoing back.

TEXT 207

SaaDauSa®bl/aÓTva d*íe raJaqvl/aecNae )SavR" Xaaek-ae ivl/IYaeTa Na SYaaiÂGaiMaza KvicTa( ))

sädhu-saìga-baläd gatvädåñöe räjéva-locanesarvaù çoko viléyetana syäj jigamiñä kvacit

sädhu-saìga—of the association of saintly devotees; balät —on thestrength; gatvä—going; dåñöe—being seen; räjéva-locane—the lotus-eyed Lord; sarvaù—all; çokaù—sorrow; viléyeta—would dissipate; nasyät —there would not be; jigamiñä—desire to go; kvacit —anywhere.

Blessed by the strength of my closeness with saintly devotees,

I was able to go see the lotus-eyed Lord, and whenever I wentto see Him all my sorrow would dissolve. Thus I never wantedto go anywhere else.

TEXT 208

TaQaaiPa MaMa SaaMa]aJYaSaMPakeR-<a ôid SvTa" )

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>aGavÕXaRNaaNaNd" SaMYax( NaaedeiTa PaUvRvTa( ))

tathäpi mama sämräjya-samparkeëa hådi svataùbhagavad-darçanänandaù

samyaì nodeti pürva-vat

tathä api—nonetheless; mama—my; sämräjya—with ruling thekingdom; samparkeëa—because of the connection; hådi—in my heart;svataù—spontaneously; bhagavat —of the Lord; darçana—from seeing; änandaù—ecstasy; samyak —complete; na udeti—would not arise; pürva-vat —like before.

But because of my involvement with ruling the kingdom, myheart could never feel the complete spontaneous ecstasy itused to feel from seeing the Lord.

COMMENTARY: By the mercy of the great devotees of Puré, Gopa-kumäragot repeated darçana of the all-blissful Lord Jagannätha, and everyvisit destroyed his sorrow. Only by the powerful mercy of the devoteeswas he able to relish the beauty of the Lord; on the strength of his ownspiritual accomplishments alone he would never have overcome hisdistress. Yet his happiness was never as full as before, because he wasentangled in the management of the kingdom. Despite having officiallyoffered the kingdom at the feet of Lord Jagannätha, he was stillburdened by the many anxieties of a king.

TEXT 209

Yaa}aaMahaeTSava&êahMaav*Taae raJaMa<@lE/" )Sau%& k-l/iYaTau& NaeXae SveC^Yaa bhuDaa

>aJaNa( ))

yäträ-mahotsaväàç cähamävåto räja-maëòalaiùsukhaà kalayituà neçesvecchayä bahudhä bhajan

yäträ—at the Ratha-yäträ; mahä-utsavän—and big festivals; ca—and;aham—I; ävåtaù—surrounded; räja-maëòalaiù—by the royal entourage;sukham—freely; kalayitum—to spend the time; na éçe—I was not able;sva-icchayä—according to my free desire; bahudhä—in various ways;bhajan—worshiping.

At the Ratha-yäträ and other big festivals, I was surrounded bymy royal entourage and unable to spend time enjoying the

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occasions. And I could no longer worship Lord Jagannäthaaccording to my own desire in the various ways I had before.

COMMENTARY: As king, Gopa-kumära had opportunities to sweep theroad in front of Lord Jagannätha’s cart, wipe the Lord’s face, and offer

betel nut to His mouth, but the pleasure he felt from these serviceswas constrained by the presence of the crowds.

TEXT 210

rajae_PaTYaeZvMaaTYaezu bNDauZviPa SaMaPYaR TaMa( )

raJYa>aar& SvYa& Pa[aGvdudaSaqNaTaYaa iSQaTa" ))

räjïo ’patyeñv amätyeñubandhuñv api samarpya tam

räjya-bhäraà svayaà präg-vadudäsénatayä sthitaù

räjïaù—of the king; apatyeñu—among the children; amätyeñu—ministers; bandhuñu—relatives; api—also; samarpya—offering; tam—that; räjya—of ruling the kingdom; bhäram—the burden; svayam—alone; präk -vat —as before; udäsénatayä—as uninvolved; sthitaù—situated.

So I handed over the burden of ruling the kingdom to thesons, ministers, and relatives of the previous king, and as

before I became uninvolved and aloof.

COMMENTARY: At last he abdicated the throne.

TEXT 211

Sau%& rhae JaPa& ku-vRHJaGaàaQaPadaBJaYaae" )SaMaqPae SveC^Yaa SaevaMaacràvSa& TaTa" ))

sukhaà raho japaà kurvaï

jagannätha-padäbjayoùsamépe svecchayä sevämäcarann avasaà tataù

sukham—happily; rahaù—in private; japam—the chanting of mymantra; kurvan—performing; jagannätha—of Lord Jagannätha; pada-abjayoù—the lotus feet; samépe—nearby; sva-icchayä—as I liked;

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seväm—service; äcaran—performing; avasam—I resided; tataù—fromthat time.

I continued living nearby, happily chanting my mantra inprivate and offering service at the lotus feet of Lord

Jagannätha as I liked.

TEXT 212

TaQaaiPa l/aek-SaMMaaNaadrTaSTaad*Xa& Sau%Ma( )Na l/>aeYa iviNaivR<<aMaNaaSTa}aa>av& iSQaTaaE ))

tathäpi loka-sammänä-daratas tädåçaà sukhamna labheya vinirviëëa-manäs taträbhavaà sthitau

tathä api—still; loka—from the populace; sammäna—because of thehonor; ädarataù—and respect; tädåçam—such; sukham—happiness;na labheya—I could not obtain; vinirviëëa—uninterested; manäù—inmy mind; tatra—there; abhavam—I became; sthitau—in remaining.

But because of the honor and respect I received from thepopulace, I could no longer feel happiness in Puré. And so Ilost interest in staying there.

COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumära tried to refuse formal worship from his

former subjects, but even when they obliged him, dispensing withformalities, they still treated him with great respect.

TEXT 213

GaNTau& v*NdavNa& Pa[aTarajaQa| PaurTa" Pa[>aae" )GaTa" é[qMaNMau%& PaXYaNSav| TaiÜSMaraMYahae ))

gantuà våndävanaà prätar äjïärthaà purataù prabhoù

gataù çréman-mukhaà paçyansarvaà tad vismarämy aho

gantum—to go; våndävanam—to Våndävana; prätaù—early in themorning; äjïä-artham—in order to ask permission; purataù—in front; prabhoù—of Lord Jagannätha; gataù—having gone; çrémat -mukham—His beautiful face; paçyan—seeing; sarvam—all; tat —that; vismarämi—I would forget; aho—oh.

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Early in the morning, I went before Lord Jagannätha to ask Hispermission to leave for Våndävana; but oh, when I saw Hisbeautiful face I forgot all my plans.

COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumära reasoned like this: “The Lord of theuniverse, for whose sake I left Vraja-bhümi, I have obtained directlyhere. How is it right for me to abandon Him, and how can I find thepower to do such a thing? And even if the same Lord wants to bring meback to His favorite playground Våndävana to show me some specialmercy, I still cannot go away from here without first getting Hisexpress permission.” But when Gopa-kumära went before Lord Jagannätha in the temple, as soon as he saw the Lord’s divine face heforgot everything—his mental pain, the remembrance of Våndävanathat caused the pain, and his intention to ask the Lord’s permission togo. This pattern occurred day after day.

TEXT 214

Wv& Sa&vTSare JaaTae MaYaa Ta}aEk-da é[uTaMa( )MaQauraYaa" Pa[aYaaTae>Yaae_}aTYav*ta&

ivXaezTa" ))

evaà saàvatsare jätemayä tatraikadä çrutammathuräyäù präyätebhyo’tratya-våttaà viçeñataù

evam—thus; saàvatsare—a year; jäte—having passed; mayä—by me;tatra—there; ekadä—once; çrutam—heard; mathuräyäù—fromMathurä; präyätebhyaù—from persons who had come; atratya—of thisplace; våttam—news; viçeñataù—in detail.

Thus one year passed, and then one day I heard some detailednews of Mathurä from visitors who had come from there.

COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumära heard these visitors describe the splendorof the cows, cowherds, birds, trees, forest animals, and other residentsof such neighborhoods as Çré Våndävana and Govardhana.

TEXT 215

Xaaek-du"%aTaur& ra}aaE XaYaaNa& Maa&MahaPa[>au" )

wdMaajaPaYaaMaaSa Pardu"%eNa k-aTar" ))

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çoka-duùkhäturaà rätrauçayänaà mäà mahä-prabhuùidam äjïäpayäm äsapara-duùkhena kätaraù

çoka—by sorrow; duùkha—and pain; äturam—tormented; rätrau—atnight; çayänam—who was lying in bed; mäm—me; mahä- prabhuù—theSupreme Lord Jagannätha; idam—this; äjïäpayäm äsa—ordered; para—of others; duùkhena—by the suffering; kätaraù—who is distressed.

That night as I was lying in bed, tormented by sorrow and pain,the Supreme Lord Jagannätha, who is pained by the sufferingof others, gave me the following command.

TEXT 216

>aae GaaePaNaNdNa +ae}aiMad& MaMa YaQaaiPa[YaMa( )

TaQaa é[qMaQaura_QaaSaaE JaNMa>aUiMaivRXaezTa" ))

bho gopa-nandana kñetramidaà mama yathä priyamtathä çré-mathurä ’thäsaujanma-bhümir viçeñataù

bhoù gopa-nandana—O son of a cowherd; kñetram—holy city; idam—this; mama—My; yathä—as; priyam—dear; tathä—so; çré-mathurä—Çré Mathurä; atha—thus; asau—this; janma-bhümiù—birthplace;viçeñataù—especially.

“As dear as this holy city is to Me, O son of a cowherd, Mybirthplace, Çré Mathurä, is even more dear.

COMMENTARY: By calling His devotee gopa-nandana, Lord Jagannäthasubtly hints that it is fitting for him to live in Vraja-bhümi.

TEXT 217

baLYal/Il/aSQal/Ii>aê Taai>aSTaai>arl/ª*Taa )iNavSaaiMa YaQaa}aah& TaQaa Ta}aaiPa iv>a[MaNa( ))

bälya-lélä-sthalébhiç catäbhis täbhir alaìkåtä

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nivasämi yathäträhaàtathä taträpi vibhraman

bälya-lélä—of childhood pastimes; sthalébhiù—with sites; ca—and;täbhiù—various; alaìkåtä—decorated; nivasämi—live; yathä—as; atra—

here; aham—I; tathä—so; tatra—there; api—also; vibhraman—wandering.

“Mathurä is adorned with the various sites of My childhoodpastimes. Just as I always live here in Puré, wandering abouteverywhere, so do I live in Mathurä.

COMMENTARY: Mathurä is even more dear to the Personality of Godheadthan Puruñottama-kñetra because in Mathurä He displayed His birthand childhood pastimes. Childhood technically means the years beforematurity, which are divided into the three phases called kaumära,

paugaëòa, and kaiçora. Many scriptural statements describe humanlife as passing through birth, youth, and old age. For example:

janma bälyaà tataù sarvojantuù präpnoti yauvanamavyähataiva bhavatitato ’nu-divasaà jarä

“Every creature is born, is then a child, and then a youth. And if his lifeis not interrupted prematurely, he daily approaches old age.”

Gopa-kumära might object that here in Puré the Lord is visible

whereas in Mathurä He is not. But Lord Jagannätha here answers thatHe certainly lives in Mathurä, wandering about and enjoying with Hisdevotees.

TEXT 218

Sada dael/aYaMaaNaaTMaa k-Qa& TadNauTaPYaSae ) Ta}aEv GaC^ k-ale/ Maa& Tad]UPa& d]+YaiSa Da]uvMa(

))

sadä doläyamänätmä

kathaà tad anutapyasetatraiva gaccha käle mäàtad-rüpaà drakñyasi dhruvam

sadä—constantly; doläyamäna—equivocating; ätmä—your mind;katham—why; tat —therefore; anutapyase—do you lament; tatra—there; eva—only; gaccha—go; käle—in due course of time; mäm—Me;

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tat -rüpam—in that form; drakñyasi—you will see; dhruvam—withcertainty.

“Why constantly lament, wavering between one decision andanother? Just go to Mathurä, and in time you will surely see Me

in the form you desire.”

COMMENTARY: The form of the Lord that Gopa-kumära cherished in hismeditation was that of Çré Madana-gopäla-deva. Lord Jagannäthaassured Gopa-kumära, “You will see Me in that form at the proper timein Mathurä-bhümi. Thereafter, you will never again suffer sorrow ordiscontent.”

TEXT 219

AajaMaal/a& Pa[aTaradaYa PaUJaa‚

ivPa[EvaRSae Mae SaMaaGaTYa dtaaMa( )k-<#e= bd(ßa Pa[iSQaTaae vq+Ya c§&-

NaTvaQaaáae MaaQaur& deXaMaeTaMa( ))

äjïä-mäläà prätar ädäya püjä-viprair väse me samägatya dattämkaëöhe baddhvä prasthito vékñya cakraànatväthäpto mäthuraà deçam etam

äjïä—indicating the order; mäläm—a garland; prätaù—in the earlymorning; ädäya—receiving; püjä-vipraiù—by the brähmaëas who

worshiped the Lord; väse—at the residence; me—my; samägatya—whocame; dattäm—given; kaëöhe—on my neck; baddhvä—placing it; prasthitaù—departed; vékñya—seeing; cakram—the disc; natvä—bowing down; atha—then; äptaù—reached; mäthuram—of Mathurä;deçam—the land; etam—this.

Early that morning at my residence I received a flower garlandfrom some püjäré brähmaëas, indicating the Lord’s command. Iplaced the garland on my neck and departed, bowing down tothe cakra on top of the temple as I saw it for the last time. Andin that way I came to this land of Mathurä.

COMMENTARY: Just in case Gopa-kumära might judge his dream false,Lord Jagannätha sent a garland from His morning püjä as a sign of Hisapproval. This confirmed that the Lord wanted him to go to Mathurä.Lord Jagannätha appeared on earth mainly to display His pastime of accepting formal worship in His temple, and His brähmaëa püjärés shared in this pastime. The Lord ordered His püjärés to take thegarland off His neck and bring it to Gopa-kumära. And rather than go

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to the temple to see the Lord’s lotus face, Gopa-kumära left at once forMathurä.

THUS ENDS THE FIRST CHAPTER OF PART TWO OF ÇRÉLA SANÄTANA GOSVÄMÉ’S B ÅHAD-BHÄGAVATÄMÅTA, ENTITLED “V AIRÄGYA: RENUNCIATION.”

Part II Ch 1

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