Chapter Three Bhajana: Worship

TEXT 1 [qGaaePaku-Maar ovac b]l/aek-aidMaa& Pa*QvqMaaGaC^Nd*vaNahMa( ) PaUv| Ya}a YadaSaqtad(GaNDaae_PYaiSTa Na ku-}aicTa( )) r-gopa-kumra uvca brahma-lokd im pthvm gacchan davn aham prva yatra yadst tadgandho py asti na kutracit r-gopa-kumra uvcar Gopa-kumra said; brahma-loktfrom Brahmaloka; immthis; pthvmto earth; gacchancoming; davnsaw; ahamI; prvambefore; yatrawhere; yadwhen; stwas; tatof that; gandhaa small fragrance; apieven; asti nathere was not; kutracitanywhere. r Gopa-kumra said: When I came from Brahmaloka to this earth, I saw that nowhere was there even a hint of the way things had been before. COMMENTARY: In this third chapter, Gopa-kumra crosses the eight coverings of the universe and enters the abode of mukti, liberation. There, in the presence of Lord iva, servants of the Lord of Vaikuha explain to him the characteristics of pure devotional service. Gopa-kumra first returns to Mathur-maala, where the truth of the Supreme Lords words is shown to him. The Lord had declared that r Mathur is never disturbed by the influence of time, and now Gopa-kumra sees this for himself. While he had been away on the higher planets, the rest of the earth had completely changed, and not a trace remained of the demigods, humans, and other creatures who had been there before. TEXT 2 Par& [qMaQaura Taad*GvNaaid]SairdiNvTaa ) ivraJaTae YaQaaPaUv| Taad*XaEJaRMaEv*RTaa )) para r-mathur tdg-

vandri-sarid-anvit virjate yath-prva tdair jagamair vt paramonly; r-mathurthe district of r Mathur; tdkthe same way; vanaforests; adrimountains; saritrivers; anvit endowed with; virjateappeared; yathas; prvampreviously; tdaiwith the same; jagamaimoving creatures; vtfilled. Only r Mathur District looked just as it had before, graced with the same forests, mountains, and rivers and filled with the same kinds of creatures. COMMENTARY: The forests of Mathur appeared as always, with the same kinds of trees, bushes and creepers, the same mountains, such as r Govardhana, the same rivers, like r Klind, and the same kinds of moving creaturesbirds, animals, and humans beings. TEXT 3 Aaja& >aGavTa" SMa*Tva >a[MaNv*NdavNaaNTare ) AiNvZYa ku-e_}aaPaXYa& SvGau& Pa[eMaMaUi^RTaMa( )) j bhagavata smtv bhraman vndvanntare anviya kuje trpaya sva-guru prema-mrchitam jmthe order; bhagavataof the Supreme Lord; smtv remembering; bhramanwandering; vndvana-antarewithin Vndvana; anviyaentering; kujein the grove; atrahere; apayamI saw; sva-gurummy spiritual master; premafrom ecstatic love; mrchitamunconscious. Remembering the Supreme Lords order, I wandered throughout Vndvana. When I entered this very same grove, I saw my spiritual master, unconscious in a trance of ecstatic love. COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumra remembered what the Personality of Godhead had told him: Go to Vndvana. There you will find your beloved spiritual master.

TEXT 4 Pa[YaaSaEbRhui>a" SvaSQYa& NaqTaae_SaaE vq+Ya Maa& NaTaMa( ) Pairre>ae_Qa SavRjae bubuDae MaNMaNaaerQaMa( )) praysair bahubhi svsthya nto sau vkya m natam parirebhe tha sarva-jo bubudhe man-manoratham praysaiwith efforts; bahubhigreat; svsthyamto a normal condition; ntabrought; asauhe; vkyaseeing; mmme; natambowed down; parirebheembraced; athathen; sarva-ja knowing everything; bubudhehe understood; matmy; manarathamdesire. With great endeavor I brought that all-knowing sage back to normal, and when he saw me bowing down before him he embraced me, at once understanding the desire in my heart. COMMENTARY: By such means as sprinkling him with water, Gopakumra brought his spiritual master out of trance. The spiritual master understood, without being told, that Gopa-kumra wanted to know how to reach the abode of liberation. TEXT 5 aTva SvdtaMaN}aSYa DYaaNaaidiviDaMauiXaNa( ) ik-iNMau%eNa ik-i SaeTaeNaa>YavedYaTa( )) sntv sva-datta-mantrasya dhyndi-vidhim uddian kicin mukhena kicic ca saketenbhyavedayat sntvbathing; sva-dattagiven by him; mantrasyaof the mantra; dhyna-diof the meditation and so on; vidhimthe rules; uddian instructing; kicitsome; mukhenaverbally; kicitsome; caand; saketenaby gesture; abhyavedayathe informed. He bathed, and then taught me various rules for worshiping and meditating on the mantra he had given. Some of these instructions he spoke, and others he gave me through gestures.

COMMENTARY: Because the guru had been in a deep trance of overflowing prema, his face was soiled with saliva, mucus, and tears. He therefore went to the Yamun to purify himself. Then he gave Gopa-kumra instructions on how to worship the mantra,teachings for which there had not been time in their previous meetings. Besides the basic method for meditating, the guru also taught Gopa-kumra how to apply the syllables of the mantra to the parts of ones body by touching the body and chanting, how to use appropriate hand gestures, and other details of worship. Certain methods he taught verbally, such as touching the body while chanting. Other methods, such as how to meditate on the Lords personal form, he taught by pointing and giving indications. He gave some of the lessons nonverbally because giving explicit descriptions might have evoked a remembrance of the Lords form so vivid as to again ignite his own prema, thus overwhelming his composure. TEXT 6 JaGaad c iNaJa& SavRiMad& Pa[eaYa Tae_ddaMa( ) SavRMaeTaTPa[>aave<a SvYa& jaSYaiSa l/PSYaSae )) jagda ca nija sarvam ida prehya te dadm sarvam etat-prabhvea svaya jsyasi lapsyase jagdahe said; caand; nijammy own; sarvameverything; idam this; preyawho are very dear; teto you; adadmI have given; sarvam everything; etatof this; prabhveaby the power; svayamon your own; jsyasiyou will understand; lapsyaseyou will attain. He then said, Because you are very dear to me, I have now given you everything I possess. By the power of this mantra, you will understand and attain everything on your own. COMMENTARY: We should not doubt that the guru, simply by a few words and gestures, could teach Gopa-kumra everything there was to know. Though true spiritual knowledge cannot be achieved merely by collecting information, it can be gained by the mercy of ones spiritual master, which awakens transcendental knowledge naturally in ones heart. As the guru indicates here, Gopa-kumra, by the power of the mantra, will comprehend everythingnot only what he has just learned but also things yet to be learned.

TEXT 7 hzeR<a MahTaa TaSYa PaadYaae" PaiTaTae MaiYa ) Saae_NTaihRTa wvaGaC^}a ku-}aaPYal/i+aTaMa( )) harea mahat tasya pdayo patite mayi so ntarhita ivgacchad yatra kutrpy alakitam hareawith joy; mahatgreat; tasyahis; pdayoat the feet; patitefalling; mayiI; sahe; antarhitavanished; ivaas if; agacchatwent; yatra kutra apisomewhere; alakitamunnoticed. With great joy I fell at his feet, and then all at once he was gone. He had gone elsewhere, unnoticed. TEXT 8 Ah& c TaiYaaeGaaTa| MaNaae iv>Ya YaTa" ) YaQaadeXa& SvMaN}a& Ta& Pa[v*taae JauMaadraTa( )) aha ca tad-viyogrta mano viabhya yatnata yathdea sva-mantra ta pravtto japtum dart ahamI; caand; tatfrom him; viyogadue to the separation; rtam pained; manamy mind; viabhyacalming; yatnatawith difficulty; yath-deamas I had been instructed; sva-mantrammy mantra; tamthat; pravttabegan; japtumto chant; dartwith reverence. I tried hard to calm my mind, which was pained by his departure, and I reverently began to chant my mantra as instructed. COMMENTARY: Chanting of a mantra that worships the Supreme Lord should result in liberation even if the chanting is done irregularly. Still, if one wants to reach liberation easily, without delay, one should chant according to the rules and regulations given by the spiritual master. TEXT 9 Paa>aaEiTak-TaaTaqTa& Svdeh& k-l/YaNa( rve" )

iNai>aR Ma<@l&/ GaC^U| l/aek-aNVYal/aek-YaMa( )) pca-bhautikattta sva-deha kalayan rave nirbhidya maala gacchann rdhva lokn vyalokayam pca-bhautikatbeing made of the five material elements; attam beyond; sva-dehammy own body; kalayanobserving; raveof the sun; nirbhidyabreaking through; maalamthe sphere; gacchan going; rdhvamupward; loknplanetary systems; vyalokayamI saw. I then saw my body change into a form transcendental to the five material elements. And as I traveled upward, breaking through the sphere of the sun, I saw all the planetary systems. COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumra saw his own body change from a product of the material elements into a transcendental body. To achieve this perfection, he was not forced to die, to give up one body in exchange for another. Rather, his body became refined so that he was able to travel through the coverings of the universe and enter the abode of liberation. The doorway to liberation is the sun, which accomplished celibates and Vaiavas pass through on their way out of the material world. Gopa-kumra broke through the sphere of the sun and traveled upward, seeing all fourteen worlds as he passed beyond them. TEXT 10 dUizTaaNbhudaeze<a Sau%a>aaSaeNa >aUizTaaNa( ) MaaYaaMaYaaNMaNaaeraJYaSvPand*aQaRSaiMMaTaaN a( )) ditn bahu-doea sukhbhsena bhitn my-mayn mano-rjyasvapna-drtha-sammitn ditntainted; bahumany; doeawith faults; sukhaof happiness; bhsenawith a shadow; bhitndecorated; mymaynproducts of illusion; mana-rjyain flights of fancy; svapna and dreams; dato what is seen; arthain significance; sammitn equal.

I saw that these planets, tainted by many faults, adorned with mere reflections of happiness, were but products of illusion, no better than what one sees in a flight of fancy or a dream. COMMENTARY: The attractions one sees in a day dream or night dream exist only in ones own mind, and even that private existence is brief. And the reality one sees while awake is shared and persistent. Yet within the material universe, all the worlds are dreamlike shadows of spiritual reality, their happiness but a shadow of real happiness. TEXT 11 PaUv| Yae bhuk-ale/Na SaMPa[aa" -MaXaae_DauNaa ) SaveR iNaMaezTa" -aNTaa YauGaPaNMaNaSaev Tae )) prva ye bahu-klena samprpt kramao dhun sarve nimeata krnt yugapan manaseva te prvamearlier; yewhich; bahu-klenaover a long time; samprptachieved; kramaaone by one; adhunnow; sarve all; nimeatain the blink of an eye; krntpassed; yugapatat once; manasby the mind; ivaas if; tethey. The planets I had earlier attained one by one, over a long period of time, I now crossed in the blink of an eye, as if by the power of my mind alone. COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumra had visited Svarga, Mahar, Tapas, and Satya and stayed for a while on each of these planets. Now he was passing over these same planets at the speed of the mind. It might be said that since these planets are nothing more substantial than assemblages of the guas of material nature, they no longer appear independently real to someone who has subdued his mind; and so, in this sense, passing out of this universe is but an effort of the mind. But since Gopa-kumra physically broke through the sphere of the sun, he did have to exert himself. Therefore the qualification iva (as if) is here added to the word manas (by the mind). TEXT 12 b]l/aek-aTSau%E" k-aei$=Gaui<aTaEtaraetarMa( ) vE>avE MaihaiNa Pa[aae_SMYaavr<aaNYaQa ))

brahma-lokt sukhai koiguitair uttarottaram vaibhavai ca mahihni prpto smy varany atha brahma-loktthan Brahmaloka; sukhaiwith enjoyments; koiguitaimillions of times; uttara-uttaramgreater and greater; vaibhavaiwith opulences; caand; mahihnimagnificent; prpta asmiI reached; varanicoverings; athathen. Next I reached the coverings of the universe. Each of them, more so than the one before, was rich with enjoyments and opulences millions of times greater than on Brahmaloka. COMMENTARY: Each covering of the universe is ten times thicker than the one before it and millions of times greater in enjoyment and opulence.

TEXTS 1314 k-aYaaeRPaaiDaMaiTa-aNTaE" Pa[aVYa-MaMaui-kE-" ) il/a:Ya& k-ar<aaePaaiDaMaiTa-iMaTauMaaTMai>a" )) Pa[ivXYa Tatad]UPae<a >auJYaMaaNaaiNa k-aMaTa" ) TataduviNa"XaezSau%SaarMaYaaiNa ih )) kryopdhim atikrntai prptavya-krama-muktikai ligkhya kraopdhim atikramitum tmabhi praviya tat-tad-rpea bhujyamnni kmata tat-tad-udbhava-nieasukha-sra-mayni hi kryaof created things; updhimthe false attributes; atikrntai who have passed beyond; prptavyato be attained by whom; kramamuktikaigradual liberation; liga-khyamknown as the subtle body; kraaof the elements which are the causes of creation; updhimthe designations; atikramitumto pass beyond; tmabhi by finite souls; praviyaentering; tat-tatof each (element); rpea in a form; bhujyamnniwhich are enjoyed; kmataas one desires; tat-tatin each; udbhavagenerated; nieaentire; sukhasraessence of pleasure; maynicomprising; hicertainly.

Souls who have transcended the false attributes of created things and who aspire for gradual liberation strive also to go beyond the causative elements of creation, elements found again as false attributes, in what is known as the subtle body. To do this they enter the shell formed of each element. They enter in a body composed of that element and enjoy to their full desire the essence of the pleasure to be had there. COMMENTARY: When a jva on his way out of the material universe passes through its coverings (varaas), he is provided a body made of the subtle element he is passing through. Otherwise, mere proximity to these concentrated masses of elemental energy would destroy his body at once. In each successive covering the jva finds wonderful opportunities for more refined material enjoyment. Since the material creation exists mainly for the jvas enjoyment, these original reservoirs of the material elements brim with resources for pleasure. The grosser objects produced from the causal elementsearth, water, fire, and so onare great sources of sense gratification for conditioned living beings, and the superior, subtle forms of matter afford even better sense enjoyment. In the covering formed of each element, pleasures from combinations of all the elements are available, just as inside the universe, but in the covering formed of a particular element that element predominates. In each of the coverings more happiness is found than on Brahmaloka, and each consecutive covering offers more happiness than the one before. TEXTS 1516 Pa*iQaVYaavr<a& Taezu Pa[QaMa& GaTavaNahMa( ) TadEYaaRiDak-air<Yaa Dar<Yaa PaUiJaTa& Pa[>auMa( )) b]a<@dul/R>aEd]RVYaEMaRhaXaUk-riPa<aMa( ) APaXYa& Pa[iTaraeMaaNTa>a]Mad(b]a<@vE>avMa( )) pthivy-varaa teu prathama gatavn aham tad-aivarydhikriy dharay pjita prabhum brahma-durlabhair dravyair mah-kara-rpiam apaya prati-romntabhramad-brahma-vaibhavam pthivof earth; varaamthe covering; teuamong them; prathamamthe first; gatavnreached; ahamI; tatof that

(covering); aivaryaof the opulences; adhikriyby the presiding deity; dharaythe goddess Earth (Bhmi); pjitamworshiped; prabhumthe Lord; brahmain the material universe; durlabhai unobtainable; dravyaiwith items; mah-kara-rpiamin the form of a great boar; apayamI saw; prati-romaeach pore; anta within; bhramatrotating; brahmaof the universe; vaibhavam the opulences. The first covering I entered was that of earth. There I saw the Supreme Lord in the form of a great boar being worshiped by the goddess Earth, the deity presiding over that covering and its wealth. She worshiped Him with riches not to be obtained within the universe itself, while all the opulences of the universe whirled within every pore of His body. COMMENTARY: Even when seeing Lord Mahpurua on Brahmaloka, Gopa-kumra did not see all the opulences of the fourteen worlds in every pore of the Lords body, as he was seeing them now. Each higher world is closer to spiritual perfection, so in each successive world the Lord reveals more of His infinite glories. The presiding ruler of each higher planet is more elevated than the ruler of the planet below, and still more elevated are the presiding deities of the subtle coverings, so the goddess Earth in the subtle covering of earth stands above Lord Brahm. TEXT 17 TaSYaa& k-ar<aPaaYaa& k-aYaRPaiMad& JaGaTa( ) TaduPaadaNak&- Sav| SfU-irTa& c VYal/aek-YaMa( )) tasy kraa-rpy krya-rpam ida jagat tad-updnaka sarva sphrita ca vyalokayam tasymwithin her; kraa-rpymwho embodies the subtle causes of creation; krya-rpamwhich embodies the created products; idamthis; jagatworld; tatof it; updnakamthe ingredients; sarvamall; sphritammanifested; caand; vyalokayamI saw. Within the goddess Earth, who embodies the subtle causes of creation, I saw the creation itself, with all its ingredients. COMMENTARY: As clay is the ingredient cause of a pot, the elements presided over by the deities of the varaas are the ingredient causes

of the universe. Since earth is the most prominent ingredient within the material universe, the goddess Bhmi appears to be the source of all creation. TEXT 18 ivDaaYa >aGavTPaUJaa& TaYaaiTaQYaeNa SaTk*-Ta" ) idNaaiNa k-iTaicta}a >aaeGaaQaRMahMaiQaRTa" )) vidhya bhagavat-pj taytithyena sat-kta dinni katicit tatra bhogrtham aham arthita vidhyahaving been performed; bhagavat-pjmworship of the Supreme Lord; tayby her; tithyenaas a guest; sat-kta honored; dinnifor days; katicitsome; tatrathere; bhoga-artham to enjoy; ahamI; arthitawas asked. After she finished worshiping the Lord, the goddess honored me as her guest and begged me to remain there to enjoy for a few days. TEXT 19 TaaMaNaujaPYa ke-NaaPYaak*-ZYaMaa<a wvaXau TaTa( ) ATaqTYaavr<a& Pa[a" Para<Yaavr<aaiNa z$( )) tm anujpya kenpy kyama ivu tat attyvaraa prpta pary varani a tmfrom her; anujpyataking leave; kena apiby something; kyamabeing pulled; ivaas if; uquickly; tatthat; attya crossing; varaamcovering; prptareached; pariother; varanicoverings; asix. Taking her leave, I quickly crossed beyond that covering, as if pulled by some force, and reached the other six. COMMENTARY: Although the goddess Bhmi, a first-class Vaiava, encouraged Gopa-kumra to stay longer in her domain, he couldnt

tarry, because the force of his sdhana was impelling him toward the abode of mukti. TEXTS 2021 MahaPaDarEvaRirTaeJaaevaYvMbrESTaQaa ) AharMahya& c SvSvavr<aTaae_icRTaMa( )) -Mae<a MaTSYa& SaUYa| c Pa[uMNaMaiNak-Ma( ) SazR<a& vaSaudev& >aGavNTaMal/aek-YaMa( )) mah-rpa-dharair vritejo-vyv-ambarais tath ahakra-mahadbhy ca sva-svvaraato rcitam kramea matsya srya ca pradyumnam aniruddhakam sakaraa vsudeva bhagavantam alokayam mah-rpaexpansive forms; dharaiassuming; vriby water; tejafire; vyuair; ambaraiand ether; tathalso; ahakraby false ego; mahadbhymand the mahat; caand; sva-svaeach their own; varaatausing the covering; arcitamworshiped; kramea one after another; matsyamMatsya; sryamSrya; caand; pradyumnamPradyumna; aniruddhakamAniruddha; sakaraam Sakaraa; vsudevamVsudeva; bhagavantamthe Supreme Lord; alokayamI saw. One after another, I saw Lords Matsya, Srya, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, Sakaraa, and Vsudeva, each with one of the great manifested deities of those coverings woshiping Him with the element over which that deity presidedwater, fire, air, ether, ego, or mahat. COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumra discovered Lord Matsya in the covering of water, Lord Srya-nryaa in the covering of fire, and so on. TEXT 22 Svk-aYaaRTPaUvRPaUvRSMaaTk-ar<a& caetaraetarMa( ) PaUJYaPaUJak->aaeGa[qMahtveNaaiDak-aiDak-Ma( )) sva-kryt prva-prvasmt kraa cottarottaram

pjya-pjaka-bhoga-rmahattvendhikdhikam sva-krytthan its own product; prva-prvasmtone before another; kraamcause; caand; uttara-uttaramone after another; pjyaof the object of worship; pjakaworshiper; bhogaenjoyment; ropulence; mahattvenaand importance; adhika-adhikam greater and greater. Each covering was the subtle cause of the one before it, and had a greater object of worship, a greater worshiper, and greater sense gratification, opulence, and importance. COMMENTARY: Because the covering made of water is closer to spiritual existence than the previous covering, that of earth, in the watery covering the Supreme Lord manifests Himself more fully, in the form of Matsya-deva. Thus the demigod presiding over the watery covering is greater than the demigoddess of earth, and the watery enjoyments and opulences surpass the earthly ones. This hierarchy holds true for all the coverings, one after another. TEXT 23 PaUvRvtaaNYaiTa-MYa Pa[k*-TYaavr<a& GaTa" ) MahaTaMaaeMaYa& SaaNd]XYaaiMak-ai+aMaNaaehrMa( )) prva-vat tny atikramya prakty-varaa gata mah-tamo-maya sndraymikki-manoharam prva-vatas before; tnithese; atikramyacrossing over; prakti of material nature; varaamthe covering; gatareaching; mahtama-mayaconsisting of primordial ignorance; sndra-ymika dark blue; aki-mana-haramattractive to the eyes and mind. As before, I crossed over each of these coverings, and finally came to the covering made of primordial nature. Composed of the most subtle form of ignorance, it was dark blue, and attractive to the eyes and mind. COMMENTARY: As before implies that at each stage of his journey Gopa-kumra was greeted as a welcome guest by the presiding deity, who requested him to stay and partake of the pleasures of that realm, which Gopa-kumra politely declined, taking his hosts permission to

travel on. Finally he arrived at the covering of prakti, the source from which all the other coverings evolve. This covering, the original reservoir of tamo-gua, appears dark and yet attractive. As described by Arjuna in r Hari-vaa (2.113.2122): paka-bhta hi timira spard vijyate ghan I perceived a darkness as dense as mud, so concentrated that I could feel its touch. atha parvata-bhta tu timira samapadyata Then I reached a darkness that was dense like a mountain. And again in the Tenth Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam (10.89.4749): sapta dvpn sa-sindh ca sapta sapta girn atha lokloka tathttya vivea su-mahat tama tatrv aibya-sugrvameghapupa-balhak tamasi bhraa-gatayo babhvur bharatarabha tn dv bhagavn ko mah-yogevarevara sahasrditya-saka sva-cakra prhiot pura The Lords chariot passed over the seven islands of the middle universe, each with its ocean and its seven principal mountains. Then it crossed the Lokloka boundary and entered the vast region of total darkness. In that darkness the chariots horsesaibya, Sugrva, Meghapupa, and Balhakalost their way. O best of the Bhratas, when Lord Ka, the supreme master of all masters of yoga, saw the horses in this condition, He sent His Sudarana disc before the chariot. That disc shone like thousands of suns. TEXT 24 TaiSMaiJaedevSYa v<aRSaad*XYaMaaTaTae ) d*=ah& iNaTara& ae NaEC^& GaNTau& TaTaae_Ga]Ta" ))

tasmin nijea-devasya vara-sdyam tate dvha nitar ho naiccha gantu tato grata tasminin this; nijamy own; ia-devasyaof the worshipable Lord; varato the color; sdyamsimilarity; tatespread; dv seeing; ahamI; nitarmextremely; hadelighted; na aiccham did not want; gantumto go; tatafrom there; agratafurther. Seeing spread everywhere a color like that of my worshipable Lord, I was very much delighted. I had no desire to go further. COMMENTARY: The beautiful yma color of the prakti region seemed just like the color of Gopa-kumras Deity, r Madana-gopla. Since the total dimensions of prakti cannot be measured by any material means, this attractive effulgence seemed to extend infinitely. Gopakumra was so charmed by that color that he felt no impulse to move on. TEXT 25 [qMaaeihNaqMaUiTaRDarSYa Ta}a iv>a[aJaMaaNaSYa iNaJaerSYa ) PaUJaa& SaMaaPYa Pa[k*-iTa" Pa[k*-MaUiTaR" SaPaev SaMa>YaYaaNMaaMa( )) r-mohin-mrti-dharasya tatra vibhrjamnasya nijevarasya pj sampya prakti prakamrti sapady eva samabhyayn mm r-mohinof r Mohin; mrtithe form; dharasyawho was assuming; tatrathere; vibhrjamnasyaeffulgent; nija-varasya of her worshipable Lord; pjmworship; sampyahaving finished; praktithe goddess Prakti; prakaexcellent; mrtiin her form; sapadi evaat once; samabhyaytapproached; mmme. As I arrived, the goddess Prakti had just finished the worship of her Lord, the Lord of that region, the effulgent r Mohinmrti. The goddess at once approached me in her own superlative form.

COMMENTARY: My, material nature, was worshiping the Supreme Lord in His female disguise as Mohin-mrti, which implies that r Mohinmrti is much more attractive than My herself. TEXT 26 oPaaNaYaNMahaiSaqri<aMaaa MaMaaGa[Ta" ) YaYaace c Pa*iQaVYaaidvta}a MadviSQaiTaMa( )) upnayan mah-siddhr aimdy mamgrata yayce ca pthivy-divat tatra mad-avasthitim upnayatshe offered as gifts; mah-siddhyogic powers; aimadyperfections such as aim; mamame; agratabefore; yaycerequested; caand; pthivthe goddess Earth; diand the others; vatlike; tatrathere; matmy; avasthitimstaying. She offered me gifts such as aim-siddhi and other great yogic powers. And like the goddess Earth and the other deities, she asked me to stay. TEXT 27 Saeh& c JaGaaded& Yaid Tv& Maui-iMaC^iSa ) TadaPYaNauGa*ha<aeMaa& Maa& TaSYaa" Pa[iTahair<aqMa( )) sa-sneha ca jagdeda yadi tva muktim icchasi tadpy anughem m tasy pratihrim sa-snehamsweetly; caand; jagdashe said; idamthis; yadiif; tvamyou; muktimliberation; icchasiwant; tad apithen; anughaplease favor; immthis person; mmme; tasyof it (liberation); pratihrimthe bestower. She sweetly told me, If you want to achieve your goal of liberation, then please be kind to me, because I am the bestower of liberation.

COMMENTARY: One would normally think that to attain liberation one must reject material nature; but in fact one achieves liberation when material nature chooses to release one. TEXT 28 >ai-iMaC^iSa va ivZ<aaeSTaQaaPYaeTaSYa cei$=kaMa( ) >aiGaNaq=& Xai-Paa& Maa& k*-PaYaa >aJa >aidaMa( )) bhaktim icchasi v vios tathpy etasya ceikm bhagin akti-rp m kpay bhaja bhakti-dm bhaktimdevotion; icchasiyou want; vor; vioto Lord Viu; tath apiall the same; etasyaHis; ceikmmaidservant; bhaginmsister; akti-rpmand personified energy; mmme; kpayplease; bhajaworship; bhakti-dmthe giver of devotion. Or if you want devotion to Viu, still you should be kind and worship me, the giver of devotion, for I am His maidservant, His sister, and the embodiment of His energy. COMMENTARY: Pure Vaiavas do not care for liberation, but still they respect Prakti for other reasons. She is Lords Vius humble servant and sister, born as Subhadr from the womb of Yaod, and she helps Lord Vius devotees make progress in devotional service. Although My is not identical with Lord Vius internal energy (antaragaakti), she is the expansion of that energy, embodied in the external elements. Thus she is nondifferent from the original energy, just as a persons shadow is nondifferent from the person. TEXT 29 [qGaaePaku-Maar ovac TadXaezMaNaad*TYa ivZ<auXai-iDaYaa ParMa( ) Taa& NaTvavr<a& rMYav<a| Tad( d]uMa>a[MaMa( )) r-gopa-kumra uvca tad aeam andtya viu-akti-dhiy param t natvvaraa ramyavara tad draum abhramam

r-gopa-kumra uvcar Gopa-kumra said; tatthat; aeam altogether; andtyadeclining; viu-aktias the potency of Lord Viu; dhiyconsidering; paramsimply; tmto her; natvbowing down; varaamthe covering; ramya-varambeautiful-colored; tat that; draumto see; abhramamI wandered. r Gopa-kumra said: Declining all these enticements, understanding them to be the potency of Lord Viu, I bowed down to the goddess and then wandered for a while to see that beautiful-colored region. COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumra had the discretion to reject the gifts offered by Prakti, and her proposal that he stay in her domain, but the atmosphere of that place was pleasing to his mind and senses, so he wanted to stay a little longer to examine its wonders more closely. TEXT 30 Pa[aDaaiNakE-JasvSaE>auRJYaMaaNa& MaNaaerMaMa( ) SavRTa" SavRMaahaTMYaaiDaKYaeNa ivl/SaTSvYaMa( )) prdhnikair jva-saghair bhujyamna mano-ramam sarvata sarva-mhtmydhikyena vilasat svayam prdhnikaimade of primordial matter; jva-saghaiby many living entities; bhujyamnambeing enjoyed; mana-ramam attractive; sarvatasuperior to everything else; sarvaall; mhtmyaexcellence; dhikyenawith the most; vilasatradiant; svayamby its own power. That place was delightful and self-luminous, splendid with the most excellent wonders. Enjoying it were multitudes of living entities, their bodies made of primodrial matter. COMMENTARY: Pradhna is the most subtle material energy, from which all other subtle and gross manifestations evolve. The beings Gopakumra saw had bodies of pradhna, transcendental to the limited names and forms of manifest creation. Pradhna hides the spiritual reality from conditioned souls, but still she is described here as selfluminous (vilasat svayam) because when the conditioned souls are enlightened by transcendental knowledge her darkness dissolves into spiritual effulgence.

TEXT 31 bhuPa& duivR>aaVYa&= MahaMaaehNavE>avMa( ) k-aYaRk-ar<aSaaTaE" SaeVYaMaaNa& JaGaNMaYaMa( )) bahu-rpa durvibhvya mah-mohana-vaibhavam krya-kraa-saghtai sevyamna jagan-mayam bahu-rpamhaving many forms; durvibhvyaminconceivable; mah-mohanacompletely enchanting; vaibhavamwhose opulence; kryaof gross constituents; kraaand subtle causes; saghtai by the totality; sevyamnambeing served; jagat-mayamcomprising the entire material creation. It was inconceivable, utterly enchanting in opulence, and displaying many forms all at once. The whole material creation dwelt within it, with all the elements of creation, subtle and gross. COMMENTARY: Being the root cause of all material transformations, pradhna naturally displays countless forms within herself, producing wonders powerfully attractive to the conditioned souls. How she works cannot be described in words or comprehended by the material mind. She comprises the entire created world, with its perceivable objects and their unseen causes. The most subtle of these causes of material existence are the five tan-mtras, the abstract forms of raw perception. Though these are not explicitly mentioned here, we can assume that during Gopa-kumras travels in the covering region of prakti, he passed through the sub-regions of each tan-mtra, for without having crossed them he could not have become fully eligible for liberation. TEXT 32 AQaereC^YaaTaqTYa durNTa& TaNa& TaMa" ) TaeJa"PauMaPaXYaNTa& d*x(i&NaMaql/Nak-ark-Ma( )) athevarecchayttya duranta tad ghana tama teja-pujam apayanta d-nimlana-krakam

athathen; varaof the Supreme Lord; icchayby the desire; attyacrossing beyond; durantamvast; tatthat; ghanamdense; tamaignorance; teja-pujama flood of light; apayannot seeing; tamthat; dkof the eyes; nimlanathe closing; krakam causing. By the desire of the Lord, I then crossed beyond that vast region of dense ignorance and came to a place flooded with a light so brilliant, so unbearably beyond looking at, that it forced me to close my eyes. COMMENTARY: Attracted by the beauty of the covering formed of prakti, Gopa-kumra had no desire to leave, but the Personality of Godhead, wanting him to reach the abode of liberation, inspired Gopa-kumra to journey on. TEXT 33 >a-ya ParMaYaa YaadGa[e d*q Pa[SaarYaNa( ) SaUYaRk-aei$=Pa[Taqk-aXaMaPaXYa& ParMaerMa( )) bhakty paramay yatnd agre d prasrayan srya-koi-pratkam apaya paramevaram bhaktywith devotion; paramayutmost; yatntwith effort; agre forward; dmy sight; prasrayanstretching; sryalike suns; koimillions; pratkamwhose effulgence; apayamI saw; parama-varamthe Supreme Lord. With utmost devotion I struggled to look ahead. And then I saw the Supreme Lord, effulgent like millions of suns. TEXT 34 MaNaaed*GaaNaNdivvDaRNa& iv>au& ivic}aMaaDauYaRiv>aUz<aaicTaMa( ) SaMaGa[SaTPauzl/+a<aaiNvTa& Sfu-rTParb]MaYa& MahauTaMa( )) mano-dg-nanda-vivardhana vibhu vicitra-mdhurya-vibhacitam samagra-sat-purua-lakanvita

sphurat-para-brahma-maya mahdbhutam manaof the mind; dkand eyes; nandathe ecstasy; vivardhanamincreasing; vibhumall-powerful; vicitravaried; mdhuryawith charming features; vibhaaand ornaments; citamdecorated; samagrafully; sat-puruaof an exalted person; lakaathe symptoms; anvitambearing; sphuratvisible; parabrahmathe Supreme Truth; mayamcomprising; mah-adbhutam most amazing. Ever increasing the ecstasy of my mind and eyes, that allpowerful Lord, adorned with many ornaments and sweet features and bearing all the signs of an exalted person, revealed Himself as the most wondrous form of the Supreme Truth. COMMENTARY: Even though the Supreme Lords effulgence shone brighter than millions of suns, this appearance of the Lord was delightful to Gopa-kumras mind and eyes. A most exalted person should have thirty-two special marks of perfection on his bodyred palms, red soles, and so onand Gop-kumra could see all of these in the body of the Lord. Now that Gopa-kumra had left behind the covering darkness of prakti, the Supreme Lord revealed Himself in all His glory, more completely and vividly than Gopa-kumra had ever seen. TEXT 35 Sada Gau<aaTaqTaMaXaezSad(Gauu<a& iNarak*-iTa& l/aek-MaNaaerMaak*-iTaMa( ) Pa[k*-TYaaiDaaTa*TaYaa ivl/aiSaNa& TadqYaSaMbNDaivhqNaMaCYauTaMa( )) sad guttam aea-sad-gua nirkti loka-manoramktim praktydhihttay vilsina tadya-sambandha-vihnam acyutam sadalways; gua-attambeyond material qualities; aeawith all; sat-guamspiritual qualities; nirktimhaving no form; lokato all people; mana-ramaattractive; ktimwhose form; prakty with material nature; adhihttayas her Lord; vilsinam performing pastimes; tadyawith her; sambandhaconnection; vihnamnot having; acyutamthe infallible Supreme Person.

Though always beyond material qualities, in spiritual qualities He is full; though formless, He attracts all with His form. Though never directly connected with Prakti, that infallible Lord appears resplendent in her association as she performs her pastimes under His shelter. COMMENTARY: In the paradoxical ways mentioned here, the Personality of Godhead is unique. Untouched by the qualities of matter, He has His own countless transcendental qualities, beginning with His affectionate concern for His devotees. He is said to have no form because He never assumes material forms; all material forms, after all, derive from dualities (this and not that), with which the Absolute Truth never has any connection. In the previous chapter Lord Mahpurua was described as Praktis ruler, but the form of the Lord whom Gopakumra is seeing now is not her ruler but only the shelter in which she acts out her playful pastimes. He is the Supreme Brahman, the presiding Deity of the abode of liberation, and has no contact with material nature. Thus He is called Acyuta, the Lord whose spiritual glory is never diminished. TEXT 36 MahaSaM>a[MaSaN}aaSaPa[Maaed>arivl/" ) Tada ik&- k-rva<aqiTa jaTau& NaeXae k-QaNa )) mah-sambhrama-santrsapramoda-bhara-vihvala tad ki karavti jtu nee kathacana mahgreat; sambhramaof reverence; santrsafear; pramoda and joy; bharaby an excess; vihvalaovercome; tadthen; kim what; karaviI should do; itithus; jtumto know; na eI was not able; kathacanain any way. A flood of reverence, fear, and joy overwhelmed me. At that moment I simply didnt know what to do. TEXT 37 YaiPa SvPa[k-aXaae_SaavTaqTaeiNd]Yav*itak-" ) TaTk-a<YaPa[>aave<a Par& Saa+aaTSaMaq+YaTae )) yady api sva-prako sv attendriya-vttika

tat-kruya-prabhvea para skt samkyate yadi apialthough; sva-prakaself-manifest; asauHe; atta beyond; indriyaof the senses; vttikathe functions; tatHis; kruyaof the mercy; prabhveaby the power; paramonly; sktdirectly; samkyateHe is seen. That self-manifest Lord is beyond the scope of the senses, but one can see Him directly by the power of His mercy. There is no other way. COMMENTARY: Only the Lords grace can empower one to perceive His beauty and the features of His personality. TEXT 38 NaETaieTauMaqXae_Ya& d*G>Yaa& ictaeNa ve+YaTae ) ik&- vaiTa-MYa TaTSavRMaaTMa>aaveNa ke-NaicTa( )) naitan nicetum e ya dgbhy cittena vekyate ki vtikramya tat sarvam tma-bhvena kenacit nanot; etatthis; nicetumto understand; eI was able; ayam He; dgbhymwith my eyes; cittenawith my mind; vor; kyate was being seen; kim vor else; atikramyatranscending; tatthat; sarvamall; tma-bhvenaby a power of the soul; kenacitcertain. I was unable to understand whether I was seeing Him with my eyes, with my mind, or with a power of the soul that transcended both. TEXT 39 +a<aaNa( iNarak-ariMavavl/aek-YaNa( SMaraiMa Naql/aid]PaTaerNauGa]hMa( ) +a<aa Saak-arMaudq+Ya PaUvRvNa( MahaMah"PauMaMau& l/>ae MaudMa( )) kan nirkram ivvalokayan smarmi nldri-pater anugraham kac ca skram udkya prva-van

mah-maha-pujam amu labhe mudam katat one moment; nirkramformless; ivaas if; avalokayan seeing; smarmiI remembered; nldri-pateof the Lord of Nldri (Jaganntha); anugrahamthe mercy; katat one moment; ca and; sa-kramwith personal form; udkyaseeing; prva-vatas before; mahvast; mahaof effulgence; pujammass; amum Him; labheI obtained; mudamjoy. Although at one moment I saw Him as formless, I remembered the mercy of the Lord of Nldri, and at the next moment I saw Him again in His personal form, vastly effulgent, and I was full of joy. COMMENTARY: The Supreme Lord whom Gopa-kumra was perceiving did not actually become impersonal, but when His effulgence intensified, Gopa-kumra could see nothing but that effulgence. This is one characteristic of the abode of liberation, that individual distinctions tend to become obscured by the all-pervading divine light from the transcendental body of the Lord. In this instance, however, Gopakumra remembered Lord Jaganntha, who was similarly effulgent, like a brilliant dark-blue mountain. Remembering Lord Jagannthas compassion, Gopa-kumra thought that no one else could be as merciful as He. Then, when the Lords personal form again became visible past His effulgence, Gopa-kumras ecstasy increased even more. The verbs in the Sanskrit text of this verse and the verses that follow are in the present tense even though the verse describes a past event. This is to indicate that Gopa-kumra spent a long time in Mahklapura, the abode of liberation. TEXT 40 k-daiPa TaiSMaevah&= l/IYaMaaNaae_Nauk-MPaYaa ) r+aeYa iNaJaPaadaBJaNa %a&XauSPaXaRTaae_MauNaa )) kadpi tasminn evha lyamno nukampay rakeya nija-pdbjanakhu-sparato mun kad apisometimes; tasminin that; evaindeed; ahamI; lyamnamerging; anukampayby His mercy; rakeyaI was saved; nijaHis; pda-abjaof the lotus feet; nakhafrom the nails; auby the beams of light; sparatadue to the touch; amunby Him.

Sometimes I would begin to merge into the Lords effulgence, but He mercifully saved Me with the touch of the rays from the nails of His lotus feet. COMMENTARY: The reddish nails of Lord Vius toes are like brilliant gems. They are so attractive to His devotees that the devotees never think of giving up their personal relationships with Him to dissolve themselves into oneness. Of course, everything about the Lord is supremely attractive, not only His toes, but Vaiavas generally honor the Lord by beginning their worship from His feet. TEXT 41 i>aai>aEMaRhaiSaE" SaU+MaE" SaUYaRiMava&Xaui>a" ) v*Ta& >aE-irval/aeKYa= k-daiPa Pa[qYaTae MaNa" )) bhinnbhinnair mah-siddhai skmai sryam ivubhi vta bhaktair ivlokya kadpi pryate mana bhinnadifferent; abhinnaiand nondifferent; mah-siddhaiby perfected beings; skmaisubtle; sryamthe sun; ivaas if; aubhiby its rays; vtamsurrounded; bhaktaiby devotees; iva as if; lokyaseeing; kad apisometimes; pryatefelt satisfaction; manamy mind. Sometimes my mind felt special pleasure in beholding Him surrounded by the great perfected beings who were His devotees, at once different and nondifferent from Him. They surrounded Him in subtle spiritual forms, like beams of light around the sun. COMMENTARY: The Supreme Personality of Godhead always invites His part-and-parcel jvas to share loving reciprocations with Him, even in the abode of liberation. He kindly considers the liberated souls who surround Him there His bhaktas, but actually they are hardly interested in personal service. The only bhakti they offer the Lord is to decorate Him as particles of His effulgence. Although they are eternal, indissolvable individuals, their separate personalities are now dormant and invisible. Like all other jvas, they are both different and nondifferent from the Supreme, like the rays of light shining from the sun. In spiritual substance they are one with the Lord, but they have

autonomous identities, with their own consciousness, their own bodies, and their own small capacity to control. TEXT 42 wTQaMaaNaNdSaNdaehMaNauivNdiMaGanDaq" ) AaTMaaraMa wva>aUv& PaU<aRk-aMa wvaQa va )) ittham nanda-sandoham anuvindan nimagna-dh tmrma ivbhva pra-kma ivtha v itthamthus; nandaof ecstasy; sandohaman abundance; anuvindanexperiencing; nimagnabeing drowned; dhmy consciousness; tma-rmaa self-satisfied sage; ivaas if; abhvamI became; prafull; kmain all ambitions; ivaas if; atha vor. The huge treasure of ecstasy I thus obtained inundated my mind. I became like a self-contented sage or like a man whose ambitions have all been fulfilled. COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumra became like a self-contented sage or a materialist, not one in fact. Had he actually been contented with himself and his situation, he would no longer have been driven by the urge to seek his worshipable Lord. TEXT 43 TakaRicRTaivcaraEgaEirdMaev Par& PadMa( ) Para& k-aa& GaTa& cETadMa&iSa ParMa& f-l/Ma( )) tarkrcita-vicraughair idam eva para padam par kh gata caitad amasi parama phalam tarkaby speculative logic; arcitahonored; vicra-oghaiby many thoughts; idamthis; evaonly; param padamthe supreme destination; parmto its supreme; khmlimit; gatamgone; ca and; etatthis; amasiI considered; paramam phalamthe ultimate perfection.

A flood of thoughts, supported by logic, made me conclude I had reached the supreme destination, the highest perfection of life. TEXT 44 PadSva>aaivk-aNaNdTar+aae>aivle/ ) ictae TadNYaSvPa[aPYajaNaMaNTadRDaaivv )) pada-svbhviknandataraga-kobha-vihvale citte tad-anya-sva-prpyajnam antardadhv iva padaof the abode; svbhvikaintrinsic; nandaof ecstasy; taraga of the waves; kobhaby the agitation; vihvalewhich was overwhelmed; cittein my mind; tatthan that; anyaother; svamy own; prpyaof the goal; jnamawareness; antardadhau disappeared; ivaas if. Tossed by the waves of ecstasy intrinsic to that abode, my mind was overwhelmed, as if the awareness of my goal had vanished. COMMENTARY: Having worshiped r Madana-gopla for a long time, in all sorts of places, Gopa-kumra was familiar with Lord Madanagoplas unique beauty. Why did Gopa-kumra now think that Mahkla-pura and its Lord were the final goal of his life? As explained here, the powerful influence of that realm confused him, temporarily diverting to another form of the Lord his determination to worship Madana-gopla. TEXT 45 [qMaNMaha>aaGavTaaePadeXaTa" SaNMaN}aSaevabl/Taae Na ke-vl/Ma( ) l/INaa k-daiciJaPaUJYadevTaa PaadaBJaSaa+aadvl/aek-l/al/Saa )) rman-mah-bhgavatopadeata san-mantra-sev-balato na kevalam ln kadcin nija-pjya-devatpdbja-skd-avaloka-llas

rmatdivine; mah-bhgavataof the saintly devotee; upadeata by the instructions; sat-mantraof my transcendental mantra; sevbalataon the strength of serving; nanot; kevalamcompletely; lndissolved; kadcitever; nijamy; pjyaworshipable; devat of the Deity; pda-abjathe lotus feet; sktdirectly; avalokato see; llashankering. Yet because of following the divine instructions of the great saintly devotee, and because of the strength of my service to the transcendental mantra, my hankering to see with my own eyes the lotus feet of my worshipable Deity never fully disappeared. COMMENTARY: By the mercy of his divine spiritual master, Gopa-kumra never lost his eagerness to see with his own eyes the lotus feet of r Madana-gopla. And this eagerness was what impelled him to travel higher and higher in search of his Lord, never wanting to stay in any place where Madana-gopla was absent. TEXT 46 oTaaSYa TaeJaaeMaYaPaUzSYa icravl/aeke-Na ivviDaRTaae_>aUTa( ) iNaJaeSaNdXaRNadqgaRl/ae>a" SMa*Tae" Sa*iTa& NaqTa wv Pa[k-zaRTa( )) utsya tejo-maya-pruasya cirvalokena vivardhito bht nijea-sandarana-drgha-lobha smte sti nta iva prakart utarather; asyaat Him; teja-mayaeffulgent; pruasyathe Supreme Person; cirafor a long time; avalokenaby looking; vivardhitaincreased; abhtwas; nija-iamy worshipable Deity; sandaranafor seeing; drghalong maintained; lobhathe greed; smteof remembrance; stimto the path; ntabrought; ivaas if; prakartbeing pulled by force. Rather, the more I looked at the effulgent Lord Mahkla, the stronger rose my long-standing greed to see the object of my worship. The Deity I worshiped seemed pulled by force onto the path of my remembrance. COMMENTARY: If Gopa-kumra were truly interested only in r Madanagopla, what was the value of being in a place more exalted than Brahmaloka? The answer given here is that his vivid and extended

darana of Lord Mahkla intensified his remembrance of Madanagopla and his hankering to see the Lord in person, not just in his heart. In other words, Gopa-kumra was not satisfied to worship his Lord only by passive meditation. TEXT 47 TaeNa Ta& Pa[k-$&= PaXYaiPa Pa[qYae Na PaUvRvTa( ) SaqdaMYaQa l/Ya& SvSYa XaMaaNa" SvYaM>avMa( )) tena ta prakaa payann api prye na prva-vat sdmy atha laya svasya akamna svayam-bhavam tenabecause of that (increased greed); tamHim; prakaam directly visible; payanseeing; apialthough; prye naI did not feel satisfied; prva-vatas before; sdmiI felt disturbed; athathen; layamdissolution; svasyaof myself; akamnafearing; svayambhavamautomatic. Because of that greed, even though I beheld the Supreme Lord right before me, I could not feel as satisfied as before. I was disturbed by the fear that I might merge into Him, as was likely to happen in that abode. COMMENTARY: Even though the presence of Lord Mahkla greatly intensified Gopa-kumras greed to see Lord Madana-gopla, Gopakumra did not feel as happy here as on the other planets he had visited. The various forms of the Supreme Lord he had seen elsewhere had not inspired a remembrance of Madana-gopla as intense as in Mahkla-pura, but at least on those other planets Gopa-kumra had been in no danger of merging into the object of his meditation. If he were to merge and forget his separate existence, he would also forget his desire to join r Madana-goplas pastimes. TEXT 48 v[Ja>aUMaaivhaGaTYa SaaDaYade_h& SvvaiH^TaMa( ) ivMa*XaevMa[aEz& GaqTavaauTaiNaMa( )) vraja-bhmv ihgatya sdhaye ha sva-vchitam vimann evam araua gta-vdydbhuta-dhvanim

vraja-bhmauto Vraja-bhmi; ihathis; gatyareturning; sdhaye will achieve; ahamI; sva-vchitammy desire; vimanthinking; evamthus; arauamI heard; gtaof song; vdyaand instrumental music; adbhutawonderful; dhvanimthe sound. I was thinking that if I returned to this Vraja-bhmi I would fulfill my desires. And then I heard some wonderful singing and music. TEXT 49 ae_h& PairTa" PaXYaNv*za!& VYal/aek-YaMa( ) k-MaPYaURPadata}aaYaaNTa& SavRivl/+a<aMa( )) ho ha parita payan vrha vyalokayam kam apy rdhva-padt tatrynta sarva-vilakaam haenlivened; ahamI; paritaaround; payanlooking; va on a bull; rhammounted; vyalokayamI saw; kam api someone; rdhva-padtfrom a higher region; tatrathere; yntam arriving; sarvafrom everyone else; vilakaamdifferent. Enlivened, looking all around, I saw someone riding on a bull a unique person, arriving from a higher region. TEXT 50 k-PaURrGaaEr& i}ad*Xa& idGaMbr& cNd]aDaRMaaEil&/ l/il/Ta& i}aXaUil/NaMa( ) GaaJal/aaNaJa$=avl/IDar& >aSMaaraGa& icraiSQaMaail/NaMa( )) karpra-gaura tri-da dig-ambara candrrdha-mauli lalita tri-linam gag-jalmlna-javal-dhara bhasmga-rga rucirsthi-mlinam karpralike camphor; gauramwhite; tri-damhaving three eyes; dik-ambaramdressed by the directions (naked); candra-ardhathe half moon; maulimon his head; lalitamexquisite; tri-linam holding a trident; gag-jalawith water of the Gag; amlna brilliant; ja-valrows of matted locks; dharamwearing; bhasma

with ashes; agaof his body; rgamcoloring; ruciracharming; asthimade from bones; mlinamwearing a garland. Three-eyed, white like camphor, dressed only by the sky, that exquisitely beautiful person carried a trident and bore the half moon on his head, his matted locks brilliantly adorned by the Gag. His body was smeared with ashes and graced by a charming garland of bones. COMMENTARY: Lord ivas garland of bones was in fact auspicious and beautiful because it was made from the bones of departed Vaiavas. TEXT 51 GaaEYaaR iNaJaaai[TaYaaNauriTa& idVYaaiTaidVYaE" k-il/Ta& PairC^dE" ) AaTMaaNauPaE" PairvarSaYaE" Sa&SaeVYaMaaNa& icrak*-TaqihTaE" )) gaury nijkritaynurajita divyti-divyai kalita paricchadai tmnurpai parivra-sacayai sasevyamna rucirkthitai gauryby a woman of fair complexion; nija-akaon his lap; ritay who takes shelter; anurajitamdelighted; divyathan those of heaven; ati-divyaimore heavenly; kalitamprovided; paricchadai with paraphernalia; tmafor him; anurpaisuitable; parivraof associates; sacayaiby a multitude; sasevyamnamattended; ruciraattractive; ktiwhose forms; hitaiand behavior. Sitting on his lap, a woman of fair complexion affectionately served him. Divine regalia surrounded him, more heavenly than the riches of heaven. And many followers attended him, their attractive forms and conduct just befitting his service. COMMENTARY: Upon first seeing him, Gopa-kumra was unaware of who Lord iva was and so describes him as kam api, someone. And although Gopa-kumra knew nothing about Lord ivas transcendental relationship with his wife, he describes her as gaur, since he could see with his own eyes her beautiful golden complexion. At first sight Gopa-kumra could recognize that the royal umbrella, cmara fans, and other personal accoutrements of Lord iva were more excellent than those of the demigods. And suitably exalted attendants, with great devotion, carried that umbrella, fanned Lord iva with the cmaras, and performed other services for him and his consort. The

associates of Lord iva appeared very handsome, including r Gaea, with his large abdomen and elephants head. And they all conducted themselves in an attractive manner. By worship of Gaea or other demigods one may attain a form with, for example, a protuberant belly and an elephants head. But those who worship Lord iva understanding that he is nondifferent from r Ka attain beautiful bodily forms on Lord ivas planet. This is affirmed in the narration of Lord ivas battle with Andhaka in r Vmana Pura, Chapter 59. TEXT 52 ParMa& ivSMaYa& Pa[aae hz| cETadicNTaYaMa( ) k-ae NvYa& Paairvara!yae >aaiTa Maui-PadaePair )) parama vismaya prpto hara caitad acintayam ko nv aya privrhyo bhti mukti-padopari paramamgreat; vismayamsurprise; prptaobtaining; haram delight; caand; etatthis; acintayamI thought; kawho; nu indeed; ayamthis; privrawith such an entourage; hya endowed; bhtishines; mukti-padathe abode of liberation; upari from above. Feeling the greatest surprise and delight, I thought, Who is this, accompanied by such an entourage, and appearing from above the abode of liberation? TEXT 53 JaGail/+a<aEYaaeR Mau-vGaaRiDak-ae_iPa SaNa( ) l/+YaTae_iTaSadacarae MahaivzYavaiNav )) jagad-vilakaaivaryo mukta-vargdhiko pi san lakyate ti-sad-cro mah-viayavn iva jagatfrom the entire world; vilakaadistinct; aivaryawhose ruling power; mukta-vargaof all groups of liberated persons; adhika the chief; apialthough; sanbeing; lakyatehe seems to be; ati violating; sat-crathe rules of civilized behavior; mahgreat; viaya-vna sense-gratifier; ivaas if.

He looks more powerful than anyone in the material world, more excellent than all liberated souls, yet he seems to violate the rules of civilized behavior, like a great sense-gratifier. COMMENTARY: It struck Gopa-kumra as strange that even though this unique person appeared to be the supreme ruler of the material world, the defender of religious principles, he was ignoring the rules of proper behaviorby traveling naked, embracing his wife in public, and so on enjoying all kinds of sense gratification even though he seemed a fully liberated transcedentalist. TEXT 54 ParaNaNd>ara-aNTaceTaaSTaXaRNaadhMa( ) NaMaNSaPairvar& Ta& k*-PaYaal/aeik-Taae_MauNaa )) parnanda-bharkrntacets tad-darand aham naman sa-parivra ta kpaylokito mun para-nandaof supreme ecstasy; bharaby the weight; krnta overcome; cetmy mind; tathim; darantfrom seeing; ahamI; namanbowing down; sa-parivramwith his associates; tamto him; kpaymercifully; lokitaglanced at; amunby him. My mind was overcome by the weight of the supreme ecstasy I felt from seeing him. I bowed down to him and those who were with him, and he gave me a compassionate glance. TEXT 55 hzRveGaaduPav[JYa [qMaNdqraYaMa( ) APa*C^& Ta<aaDYa+a& Tad(v*taaNTa& ivXaezTa" )) hara-vegd upavrajya rman-nandvarhvayam apccha tad-gadhyaka tad-vttnta vieata haraof joy; vegtimpelled by the force; upavrajyaapproaching; rmat-nandvarar Nandvara; hvayamnamed; apcchamI asked; tathis; gaaof the associates; adhyakamthe chief; tatof him; vttntamabout the activity; vieatain detail.

Impelled by joy, I approached the leader of his companions, named r Nandvara, and asked him in detail about this person and what he was doing. COMMENTARY: Altogether unfamiliar with Lord iva, Gopa-kumra asked r Nandvara, Who is this? Where is his residence? Where is he going now? TEXT 56 Sa SahaSaMavaecNMaa& GaaePaal/aePaaSaNaaPar ) GaaePabal/ Na JaaNaqze [qiXav& JaGadqrMa( )) sa sa-hsam avocan m goplopsan-para gopa-bla na jne r-iva jagad-varam sahe; sa-hsamwith laughter; avocattold; mmme; goplaupsanto the worship of Gopla; parawho are devoted; gopa-bla O cowherd boy; na jneyou do not recognize; r-ivamr iva; jagat-varamthe lord of the universe. Nandvara laughed and said to me, O cowherd boy, devoted worshiper of Gopla, dont you recognize Lord iva, the lord of the universe? COMMENTARY: Nandvara found it amusing that a devotee of Lord Gopla could be ignorant of the identity of Lord iva. But since Gopakumra was a simple cowherd boy, Nandvara thought, He might be so poorly informed. By calling Lord iva the lord of the universe, Nandvara tactfully told Gopa-kumra that since Lord iva is independent he can apparently violate the laws of civilized behavior without blame. TEXT 57 >aue-MauRe- daTaaYa& >aGavi-vDaRNa" ) Mau-aNaaMaiPa SaMPaUJYaae vEZ<avaNaa& c v>a" )) bhukter mukte ca dtya bhagavad-bhakti-vardhana muktnm api sampjyo vaiavn ca vallabha

bhukteof enjoyment; mukteof liberation; caand; dtthe giver; ayamhe; bhagavat-bhaktidevotion to the Personality of Godhead; vardhanaincreasing; muktnmfor the liberated souls; apieven; sampjyaworshipable; vaiavnmto the Vaiavas; caand; vallabhavery dear. He is the giver of material enjoyment and liberation, and he expands devotion to the Personality of Godhead. He is worshiped even by the liberated and is dear to the Vaiavas. COMMENTARY: Lord iva is bhagavad-bhakti-vardhana in more than one sense. By showing a loving attitude toward the Supreme Lord, r Ka, Lord iva increases the Supreme Lords reciprocal love for him. And apart from this, Lord iva is himself a great lord (bhagavn) who promotes the process of devotional service to Viu. He teaches his own devotees that bhagavad-bhakti is the supreme goal of life, greater than all others. The essential meaning of Lord ivas being bhagavadbhakti-vardhana is that by his very words and behavior he increases for the inhabitants of the universe their devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And so he is very dear to the devotees of Lord Viu, who aspire for his association. TEXTS 5859 iXavk*-Z<aaPa*QaGd*i>ai-l/>YaaTSvl/aek-Ta" ) SvaNauPaaTku-verSYa Sa:Yau>aRi-vXaqk*-Ta" )) kE-l/aSaaid]Mal/Tau| PaavRTYaa iPa[YaYaaNaYaa ) SaMa& PairiMaTaEYaaRiTa iPa[YaE" Pairv*TaEv*RTa" )) iva-kpthag-dibhakti-labhyt sva-lokata svnurpt kuverasya sakhyur bhakti-va-kta kailsdrim alakartu prvaty priyaynay sama parimitair yti priyai parivtair vta iva-kaof Lord iva and Lord Ka; apthakas nondifferent; diwith the vision; bhaktiby devotional service; labhytwhich is obtainable; sva-lokatafrom his own planet; sva-anurptwhich suits his nature; kuverasyaof Kuvera; sakhyuhis friend; bhaktiby the devotion; va-ktacontrolled; kailsa-adrimthe mountain Kailsa; alakartumto decorate; prvatyby Prvat; priyayhis

beloved; anayher; samamaccompanied; parimitaiwho are gentle; ytihe goes; priyaidear; parivtaiby associates; vta surrounded. Drawn by the devotion of his friend Kuvera, he is traveling with his beloved Prvat and dear gentle companions to grace Mount Kailsa with his presence. He came from his own planet, as transcendental as he, an abode reached through devotion by those who see him and Lord Ka as nondifferent. COMMENTARY: Here Nandvara explains where Lord iva comes from and where he is going. Lord ivas own planet, beyond the coverings of the material universe, is attainable by those who worship him and Lord Viu on the same level. That transcendental world is suitable for Lord ivas pleasure, equipped as it is with all kinds of eternal and unlimited opulence. Yet Lord iva gracefully accepts the friendship of the demigod Kuvera, the original proprietor of Mount Kailsa, and submits himself to Kuveras devotion. And so Lord iva is on his way to visit Kailsa in the company of Prvat, his consort. Since Prvat, the mother of the universe, is Lord ivas supreme energy, Gopa-kumra should not be shocked to see her sitting on his lap in public. But why is Lord iva traveling with such a small entourage? Although on his own planet he has many more devotees, for this trip he has chosen only his dearmost associates because the Kailsa within the material world can accommodate only some of his opulence and entourage. TEXT 60 [qGaaePaku-Maar ovac Tadak-<YaR Pa[ae_hMaEC^& TaSMaaNMaheraTa( ) Pa[Saad& k-MaiPa Pa[auMaaTMaNaae dYaMaMa( )) r-gopa-kumra uvca tad karya praho ham aiccha tasmn mahevart prasda kam api prptum tmano hdaya-gamam r-gopa-kumra uvcar Gopa-kumra said; tatthat; karya hearing; prahadelighted; ahamI; aicchamwanted; tasmt from him; mahevartLord Mahevara; prasdamfavor; kam apia certain; prptumto obtain; tmanamy; hdayam-gamam cherished. r Gopa-kumra said: Delighted to hear this, I was eager to obtain Lord ivas grace and fulfill a long-cherished desire.

COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumra was eager to understand how Lord iva is nondifferent from r Madana-gopla-deva. Although Gopa-kumras natural inclination was toward the lotus feet of Madana-gopla, he also found himself unavoidably attracted to this amazing person Lord iva, whom he was seeing for the first time. Gopa-kumra would be grateful if Lord iva were to enlighten him about how Lord iva and Lord Ka are nondifferent. TEXT 61 jaTva >aGavTaa TaeNa d*yaidSYa NaiNdNa" ) oPadeXaeNa XaueNa SvYa& Mae_Sfu-rdSaa )) jtv bhagavat tena dydiasya nandina upadeena uddhena svaya me sphurad ajas jtvbeing understood; bhagavatby the lord; tenahim; dy with a glance; diasyawho was ordered; nandinaof Nandvara; upadeenaby the advice; uddhenapure; svayam automatically; meto me; asphuratwere revealed; ajaseasily. Lord iva, reading my thoughts, ordered Nandvara with a knowing glance, and through Nandvaras pure guidance the facts easily revealed themselves to me. Commentary: Lord iva, the best of mystics, knew at once what Gopakumra was thinking and simply by glancing at Nandvara conveyed his desire that Nandvara explain the matter. rla Santana Gosvm says in his commentary to this verse that nandina can refer to Nandvara, the principal attendant of Lord iva, or else to the bull Nand, Lord ivas carrier, who was born from a partial expansion of the Supreme Lord. TEXT 62 [qMaNMadNaGaaePaal/aiJaPa[a<aedEvTaaTa( ) Ai>a" [qMaheXaae_YaMauTa TaavvDaRNa" )) rman-madana-gopln nija-prea-daivatt abhinna r-maheo yam uta tad-bhva-vardhana

rmat-madana-gopltfrom rmn Madana-gopla; nijamy; pralike the life air; iaworshipable; daivattthe Deity; abhinnanondifferent; r-mahear iva Mahea; ayamhe; utaindeed; tatfor Him (Madana-gopla); bhvalove; vardhana who increases. This Lord iva, I realized, is nondifferent from Madana-gopla, the Deity I worship, the Lord more dear to me than life itself. Lord iva serves the cause of love for my Lord by promoting it everywhere. COMMENTARY: There is nothing wrong with being attracted to Lord iva. Since he is nondifferent from Lord Ka, devotion offered to him is also devotion to Ka. More precisely, when one satisfies Lord iva by pure devotion to him, Lord iva helps one become more devoted to Ka. TEXT 63 Sau%& Ta<aMaDYae_h& Pa[iv" Pa[qi<aTaae_i%lE/" ) XaEvE" [qNaiNdNaae_[aEz& v*taMaeTail/+a<aMa( )) sukha tad-gaa-madhye ha pravia prito khilai aivai r-nandino raua vttam etad vilakaam sukhamhappily; tatof him (Lord iva); gaaof the company of associates; madhyein the midst; ahamI; praviaentered; pritatreated with affection; akhilaiby all; aivaithe devotees of Lord iva; r-nandinafrom r Nandvara; arauam I heard; vttaminformation; etatthis; vilakaamunique. I happily entered among Lord ivas companions and was treated with affection by all his devotees. From r Nandvara I heard these unique facts: TEXT 64 SadEk-Paae >aGavaHa( iXavae_Ya& vSaNSvl/aeke- Pa[k-$=" SadEv ) ivl/aeKYaTae Ta}a iNavaSaTauESa( Tadek-iNaE" SaTaTa& iNaJaeE" ))

sadaika-rpo bhagav ivo ya vasan sva-loke prakaa sadaiva vilokyate tatra nivsa-tuais tad-eka-nihai satata nijeai sadalways; eka-rpain one and the same form; bhagavn iva Lord iva; ayamhe; vasanliving; sva-lokeon his own planet; prakaavisible; sadalways; evaindeed; vilokyateis seen; tatrathere; nivsawith residence; tuaiwho are fully satisfied; tatto him; ekaexclusively; nihaidedicated; satatamalways; nija-iaiby his worshipers. The great Lord iva has one eternal transcendental form. Dwelling in his own abode, he is always visible to his exclusive worshipers, who are pleased to live there. COMMENTARY: According to r Nandvara, Lord iva remains always in one form, meaning that he is not like Lord Mahkla, sometimes formless and sometimes having a personal form, nor does he expand himself as Lord Viu does, into the different forms of a fish, a tortoise, and so on. In the pastimes Lord iva performs for the pleasure of his devotees, he sometimes appears disguised as a hunter or a fisherman, but he does not transform into different species of life. Because Lord ivas followers can rest assured he is not going to change his appearance, they are always satisfied. He is always visible on his planet, not like Lord Viu, who often leaves His abodes to visit other places. Lord ivas dear devotees can always see their lord, unlike the devotees of r Viu, r Yajevara, and the other incarnations of the Personality of Godhead on Svargaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, and Satyaloka. This is the explanation given by r Nandvara, but more precisely Lord iva is always in the same form in the sense that his body is always purely spiritual, sac-cid-nanda, and never subject to change. He is always present in his own abode, beyond the material creation, and so is always visible in that abode for the pleasure of his devotees. TEXT 65 Svai>a>aGavi-l/aMPa$y& Ga[ahYaiv ) Sada rMaYaiTa SvqYaa*TYaGaqTaaidk-aETaukE-" )) svbhinna-bhagavad-bhaktilmpaya grhayann iva sad ramayati svyn ntya-gtdi-kautukai

svafrom himself; abhinnaas nondifferent; bhagavatto the Supreme Lord; bhaktifor devotional service; lmpayam greediness; grhayaninducing; ivaas if; sadalways; ramayati he gives pleasure; svynto his associates; ntyaof dancing; gta singing; diand so on; kautukaiwith festivals. With festivals of singing, dancing, and so on, he always gives pleasure to his companions, as if to make them greedy for the Supreme Lords devotional service, in which they see that he and Lord Viu are nondifferent. COMMENTARY: Lord ivas festivals resound with congregational chanting of Lord Vius names, and his devotees can be heard crying out in great reverence and love for Lord Viu. It appears that Lord iva holds such festivals for the benefit of others, to induce them to take up worship of Lord Viu as nondifferent from himself, but in fact Lord iva is himself fully absorbed in viu-bhakti because like Nrada Muni he is a bhaktvatra, an empowered incarnation of the Lord in the role of the Lords devotee. TEXT 66 >aGavNTa& SahaSYa& XaezMaUiTa| iNaJaiPa[YaMa( ) iNaTYaMacRYaiTa Pa[eM<aa daSavGadqr" )) bhagavanta sahasrsya ea-mrti nija-priyam nityam arcayati prem dsa-vaj jagad-vara bhagavantamthe Supreme Lord; sahasra-syamthousand-faced; ea-mrtimin the form of ea; nija-priyamhis favorite; nityam constantly; arcayatihe worships; premwith love; dsa-vatlike a servant; jagat-varathe lord of the universe. Although he is the lord of the universe, he always lovingly worships his favorite form of the Supreme Lord, ea, He of a thousand faces, as if a humble servant. COMMENTARY: Lord iva feels a special affinity with the Ananta ea expansion of Lord Sakaraa because both Lord iva and ea are presiding lords of the mode of ignorance. This is depicted in the Fifth Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam (5.17.16), in the account of how Lord Viu is worshiped on Ilvta-vara:

bhavn-nthai str-garbuda-sahasrair avarudhyamno bhagavata catur-mrter mah-puruasya tury tmas mrti praktim tmana sakaraa-sajm tma-samdhi-rpea sannidhpyaitad abhigan bhava upadhvati. In Ilvta-vara, Lord iva is always encircled by ten billion maidservants of goddess Durg, who minister to him. The quadruple expansion of the Supreme Lord consists of Vsudeva, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, and Sakaraa. Sakaraa, the fourth expansion, is certainly transcendental, but because His activities of destruction in the material world are in the mode of ignorance, He is known as tmas, the Lords form in the mode of ignorance. Lord iva, knowing that the original cause of his own existence is Lord Sakaraa, always meditates upon Sakaraa in trance by chanting the following mantra. As stated by Lord iva in his prayers in the Fifth Canto, the manifestation of Lord Sakaraa as Ananta ea has thousands of hoods. And so this form is different in appearance from the form of Lord Sakaraa worshiped in the covering shell of ahakra, false ego. In Lord ivas abode, the region of ahakra, Lord Sakaraa has four arms, like r Pradyumna and Aniruddha. Lord ivas abode is thus a very special place. TEXT 67 jaTveMa& iXavl/aek-SYa ivXaez& SavRTaae_iDak-Ma( ) Pa[Maaed& ParMa& Pa[aae_PYaPaU<a| dl/+aYaMa( )) jtvema iva-lokasya viea sarvato dhikam pramoda parama prpto py apra hd alakayam jtvlearning; imamthis; iva-lokasyaof ivaloka; vieamthe special characteristics; sarvatathan everything else; adhikam greater; pramodamjoy; paramamutmost; prptaattaining; api although; apramnot complete; htmy heart; alakayamI noticed. Learning about this unique excellence of ivaloka, I felt exceedingly happy. Yet my heart, I knew, was not full. COMMENTARY: Hearing all this made Gopa-kumra eager to see ivaloka, but his persistent desire to find r Madana-gopla constrained him.

TEXT 68 TaidaNaMaNaaSaa Saae_jaiSazMaaMa*XaNa( ) [qMaNGauPa[SaadavSTauSaevaPa[>aavTa" )) tan-nidnam ansdya sadyo jsiam man rman-guru-prasdptavastu-sev-prabhvata tatof that; nidnamthe cause; ansdyanot discerning; sadya quickly; ajsiamI understood; manafter reflection; rmatguruof my divine spiritual master; prasdaby the mercy; pta received; vastuto the object; sevof service; prabhvataby the power. I couldnt discern the cause of that feeling, but by the mercy of my divine spiritual master I had received the transcendental mantra, and by the power of my service to the mantra, after some reflection I quickly understood. COMMENTARY: By virtue of constantly meditating with full sincerity on the ten-syllable gopla-mantra, Gopa-kumra could understand in a moment the essence of his predicament. TEXT 69 [qMaNMadNaGaaePaal/devPaadSaraeJaYaae" ) l/Il/aNau>ava>aavae MaaMaYa& baDaTae ik-l/ )) rman-madana-gopladeva-pda-sarojayo lldy-anubhavbhvo mm aya bdhate kila rmat-madana-gopla-devaof rmn Madana-gopla-deva; pdasarojayoof the two lotus feet; ll-diof the pastimes and so on; anubhavaof experience; abhvathe absence; mmme; ayam this; bdhatewas troubling; kilaindeed. I was disturbed because of forgetting the lotus feet of rmn Madana-gopla, and His pastimes and other attractive features.

COMMENTARY: In this circumstance Gopa-kumra was unable to focus his mind on r Madana-goplas pastimes, beauty, sweetness, and compassion. TEXT 70 AbaeDaYa& MaNaae_NaeNa MaheXaeNaEv Saa %lu/ ) l/Il/aivXaezvEic}aq k*-Taa MaUiTaRivXaezTa" )) abodhaya mano nena maheenaiva s khalu ll-viea-vaicitr kt mrti-vieata abodhayamI informed; manamy mind; anenaby him; maheena Lord Mahea; evahimself; sthese; khaluindeed; llof pastimes; viea-vaicitrspecial varieties; kthas performed; mrti-vieatain a special form. I told my mind that it is Lord iva himself who performs these wonderfully varied pastimes in the special form of Lord Gopla. TEXT 71 TaQaaPYaSvSQaMaal/+Ya= SvictaiMadMab]uvMa( ) YaiSMaaNau>aUYaeTa Saa Tad]UPaaidMaaDaurq )) tathpy asvastham lakya sva-cittam idam abruvam yady asmin nnubhyeta s tad-rpdi-mdhur tath apistill; asva-sthamunsettled; lakyaseeing; sva-cittam my mind; idamthis; abruvamI said; yadiif; asminin him (Lord iva); nanot; anubhyetais perceived; sit; tatHis; rpa-diof the beauty and so on; mdhurthe sweetness. But seeing my mind still unsettled, I told it, If you fail to perceive something in Lord iva , it must be the rare sweetness of Goplas beauty and His other such qualities. TEXT 72 TaQaaiPa dqgaRvaH^a Tae_NauGa]hadSYa SaeTSYaiTa ) AicraidiTa MaNYaSv SvPa[SaadivXaezTa" ))

tathpi drgha-vch te nugrahd asya setsyati acird iti manyasva sva-prasda-vieata tath apinonetheless; drghalong-held; vchdesire; teyour; anugrahtby the mercy; asyahis (ivas); setsyatiwill be achieved; acirtsoon; itithus; manyasvaplease know; svafor you; prasdaby his favor; vieataspecial. Nonetheless, by Lord ivas mercy your long-held desire will soon be fulfilled. By his special favor toward you, be assured, this will be so.

TEXT 73 Wv& TauMaNaaSTaSYa Ta}a ke-NaaiPa heTauNaa ) iv[aNTaSYa MaheXaSYa PaaeR_iTa& +a<a& Sau %Ma( )) eva tua-mans tasya tatra kenpi hetun virntasya maheasya prve tiha kaa sukham evamthus; tuapacified; manmy mind; tasyaof him (Lord iva); tatrathere; kena apifor some; hetunreason; virntasya who was resting; maheasyaof Lord Mahea; prveby the side; atihamI stayed; kaamfor a short time; sukhamhappily. My mind was thus appeased, and I was happy to stay awhile by the side of Lord iva, who for some reason chose to take rest before going on with his journey. COMMENTARY: Why Lord iva rested in Mahkla-pura before proceeding to Kailsa is disclosed in the next verses. TEXT 74 TaeRv >aGavNdUre ke-zaMaiPa MahaTMaNaaMa( ) SaqTaiNarTYaNTaMaDaur" k-iduTa" )) tarhy eva bhagavan dre

kem api mahtmanm sagta-dhvanir atyantamadhura kacid udgata tarhi evajust then; bhagavanmy lord; drefrom a distance; kem apiof some; mah-tmanmgreat souls; sagtaof singing; dhvanithe sound; atyantaextremely; madhurasweet; kacitcertain; udgataarose. Just then, my lord, I heard from a distance the extremely sweet melodies of the singing of great souls. COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumra calls his disciple bhagavn, showing deep respect, because the disciple is a Mathur brhmaa and is now blessed with the supreme good fortune of being engaged in the worship of Lord Madana-gopla. TEXT 75 Ta& [uTva ParMaaNaNdiSaNDaaE MaGanae Maher" ) MahaPa[eMaivk-arata" Pa[v*taae NaiTaRTau& SvYaMa( )) ta rutv paramnandasindhau magno mahevara mah-prema-vikrtta pravtto nartitu svayam tamthat; rutvhearing; parama-nandaof great ecstasy; sindhauin an ocean; magnadrowning; mahevaraLord Mahevara; mah-premaof elevated love of God; vikra transformations; ttaassuming; pravttabegan; nartitumto dance; svayamhimself. Hearing that sound, Lord iva was swept away in an ocean of great ecstasy. Under the spell of intense love of God, he began to dance, alone. COMMENTARY: Whatever this sound was, it at once caused transcendental symptoms in the body of Lord iva, symptoms of profound transformations in his mindtrembling, perspiration, choking of the voice, standing of the bodily hair on end, falling to the ground, and more. These appeared spontaneously, beyond his conscious control. He then started to dance, though no one around him was dancing.

TEXT 76 PaiTav]TaaetaMaa Saa Tau devq NaNaidi>a" Sah ) Pa[>auMauTSaahYaaMaaSa vaSaqTaRNaaidi>a" )) pati-vratottam s tu dev nandy-dibhi saha prabhum utshaym sa vdya-sakrtandibhi pati-vratof wives who are faithful to their husbands; uttamthe greatest; sshe; tuand; devDev; nandby Nandvara; dibhiand others; sahajoined; prabhumthe lord; utshaym sa encouraged; vdyawith musical accompaniment; sakrtana chanting of the Supreme Lords names; dibhiand so on. His most faithful wife, Dev, and his companions headed by Nandvara added to the enthusiasm of their lord by playing music, chanting the Supreme Lords names, and so on. COMMENTARY: Far from resenting her husbands losing his composure, the goddess Prvat, the most faithful of chaste wives, encouraged him, following his lead. Even while still sitting on his lap, before he stood up to dance, she began to accompany him with music. TEXT 77 Sa WvaGaTaa&STa}aad]a+a& cacTau>auRJaaNa( ) [qMaTkEXaaerSaaENdYaRMaaDauYaRiv>avaicTaaNa( )) sadya evgats tatrdrka cru-catur-bhujn rmat-kaiora-saundaryamdhurya-vibhavcitn sadya evasuddenly; gatnwho had arrived; tatrathere; adrkamI saw; cruattractive; catu-bhujnpersons with four arms; rmatof good fortune; kaiorayouth; saundaryabeauty; mdhuryaand charm; vibhavawith the assets; citnadorned. Then suddenly I saw a group of attractive four-armed persons arrive, adorned with all the opulences of youth, charm, beauty, and good fortune.

COMMENTARY: Some of the attendants who sang at Lord ivas side as he danced had four arms also, but the newly arrived four-armed persons were exceptionally beautiful. TEXT 78 >aUza>aUz<aGaa}aa&XauC^$=aC^aidTaXaEvk-aNa( ) iNaJaerMahak-IiTaRGaaNaaNaNdrSaauTaaNa( )) bh-bhaa-gtrucchacchdita-aivakn nijevara-mah-krtignnanda-rasplutn bhtheir ornaments; bhaaornamenting; gtraof their limbs; auof rays of effulgence; chaby the mass; cchditaobscured; aivaknthe aivites; nija-varaof their Lord; mah-krtithe sublime glories; gnaof singing; nandablissful; rasain the taste; plutnimmersed. Their limbs so effulgent as to decorate their very ornaments and make the aivites seem invisible, those four-armed persons were immersed in the blissful rasa of singing the sublime glories of their Lord. TEXT 79 AiNavaRCYaTaMaa&eTaaehairSavRPairC^daNa( ) SaTaaNPaUvRd*ESTaETaui>aR" SaNak-aidi>a" )) anirvcya-tam cetohri-sarva-paricchadn sagatn prva-dais tai caturbhi sanakdibhi anirvcya-tamnmost indescribable; ceta-hrienchanting; sarva all; paricchadnwhose paraphernalia; sagatnaccompanied; prva before; daiwho had been seen; taiby those; caturbhi four; sanaka-dibhiled by Sanaka. All their ornaments and accoutrements were beautiful beyond words. And in the company of those persons were the four brothers I had seen before, led by Sanaka.

COMMENTARY: Although Sanaka and his brothers reside on Tapoloka, where Gopa-kumra had met them before, they are as exalted as residents of Brahmaloka and regions even higher, because they are empowered incarnations of the Supreme Lord. TEXT 80 TaXaRNaSv>aavaeTQaPa[hzaRk*-MaaNaSa" ) NaajaiSaz& ik-MaPYaNTabRihaNYaiJaiPa[YaMa( )) tad-darana-svabhvotthapraharka-mnasa njsia kim apy antar bahi cnyan nija-priyam tatthem; daranafrom seeing; svabhvaspontaneously; uttha derived; praharaby joy; kaattracted; mnasamy mind; na ajsiamI was not aware; kim apiof anything; antainternally; bahiexternally; caand; anyatother; nijato myself; priyam dear. So attracted was my mind by the spontaneous joy of seeing them that I was aware of nothing but them, internally or externally, not even things most dear to me. TEXT 81 +a<aaTSvSQaae_PYahae Taeza& daSaTvMaiPa ceTaSaa ) NaaXak&- YaaicTau& >aqTYaa l/Yaa c SaudugaR$=Ma( )) kat svastho py aho te dsatvam api cetas naka ycitu bhty lajjay ca su-durghaam katafter a moment; sva-sthareturned to normal consciousness; apialthough; ahooh; temof them; dsatvam for becoming a servant; apieven; cetasmentally; na aakamI was not able; ycitumto ask; bhtyout of fear; lajjayout of embarrassment; caand; su-durghaammost improbable. After a moment I came back to normal consciousness. But, oh, I couldnt bring myself to ask them to make me their servant. I

felt too afraid and embarrassed to ask such an unlikely blessing, even silently within my mind. COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumra thought it would be offensive for such an insignificant person as he to ask for the exalted position of a servant of the Vaikuha messengers. So he couldnt summon the courage to submit his request. TEXTS 8283 Wza ih l/al/Saa NaUNa& k*-Pa<a& MaaMabaDaTa ) SaM>aazeriMae ik&- Maa& iXavSYa k*-PaYaa Sak*Ta( )) ku-}aTYaa" k-TaMae vETae k*-PaaPaaeNa PaaNTau MaaMa( ) YaaNaail/&GYa >a*Xa& d]" Pa[eMaMaUC^aRMaYa& v[JaeTa( )) e hi llas nna kpaa mm abdhata sambherann ime ki m ivasya kpay sakt kutraty katame vaite kppgena pntu mm yn ligya bha rudra prema-mrcchm aya vrajet ethis; hiindeed; llashankering; nnamcertainly; kpaam wretched; mmme; abdhatatroubled; sambheranmight speak; imethese persons; kimwhether; mmto me; ivasyaof Lord iva; kpayby the mercy; saktone time; kutraty somewhere; katamesome; vor; eteof them; kpof mercy; apgenawith a sidelong glance; pntuthey might save; mmme; ynwhom; ligyaembracing; bhamsuddenly; rudraLord iva; premaof pure love; mrcchminto a swoon; ayamhe; vrajet could go. Simply by embracing them Lord iva could suddenly go into a swoon of prema. And in my wretchedness a certain longing troubled mea longing that just once, by the mercy of Lord iva, these persons might somehow talk to me, or on some pretext might save me by the mercy of their sidelong glance. COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumra thought that only the mercy of these wonderful persons would save him from dying untimely out of

frustration. Without even knowing who they were and from where they had come, he was convinced they were great souls. TEXT 84 wTYaaidMaNMaNaaev*ta& jaTva deVYaaeMaYaeirTa" ) iXavictaaNauviTaRNYaa Ga<aeXaae_k-QaYaC^NaE" )) ity-di-man-mano-vtta jtv devyomayerita iva-cittnuvartiny gaeo kathayac chanai itithis; diand so on; matmy; manaof the mind; vttamthe activity; jtvunderstanding; devyby the goddess; umayUm; ritamoved; ivaof Lord iva; cittathe heart; anuvartinywho always faithfully follows; gaa-aGaea; akathayataddressed; anaigently. The goddess Um, who always acts in accord with Lord ivas heart, understood what I was thinking. She then had Gaea gently address me. COMMENTARY: Gaea spoke to Gopa-kumra in a quiet voice because what he was about to say was too confidential for all the companions of Lord iva to hear. Lord ivas consort Prvat, or Um, always present in her husbands heart, acts only with his sanction. TEXT 85 [qGa<aeXa ovac WTae vEku-<#=NaaQaSYa [qk*-Z<aSYa MahaPa[>aae" ) PaazRda" Pa[aSaaPYaa vEku-<#=adaGaTaa" ik-l/ )) r-gaea uvca ete vaikuha-nthasya r-kasya mah-prabho prad prpta-srpy vaikuhd gat kila r-gaea uvcar Gaea said; etethese; vaikuha-nthasya of the ruler of Vaikuha; r-kasyar Ka; mah-prabho the Supreme Lord; pradassociates; prptawho have

attained; srpytranscendental forms similar to the Lords; vaikuhtfrom Vaikuha; gatcome; kilaindeed. r Gaea said: These are associates of the ruler of Vaikuha, the Supreme Lord r Ka. They have attained bodily forms similar to His and have come here from Vaikuha itself. COMMENTARY: Here the word kila means Certainly this is true. You should not doubt that they have come from the spiritual world. TEXTS 8687 PaXYaeMae_PYaPare YaaiNTa b]<aae_iDak*-Tae_LPake) b]a<@e cTauraSYaSYa TaQaaMaq dUrTa" Pare )) AMaq caMau%SYaETad(iGau<ae YaaiNTa veGaTa" ) AMaq Tau zae@XaaSYaSYa b]a<@e iGau<ae TaTa" )) payeme py apare ynti brahmao dhikte lpake brahme catur-syasya tathm drata pare am ca-mukhasyaitaddvi-gue ynti vegata am tu oasyasya brahme dvi-gue tata payajust see; imethese; apialso; apareothers; yntiare going; brahmaaby Brahm; adhiktepresided over; alpake small; brahmein the universe; catu-syasyawho has four heads; tathalso; amthese; dratafurther away; pareothers; amthey; caand; aa-mukhasyaof an eight-headed Brahm; etatthan him; dvi-guein a universe twice bigger; yntiare going; vegataswiftly; amthese; tuand; oaa-syasyaof a sixteenheaded Brahm; brahmein the universe; dvi-guetwice bigger; tatathan that. Just see these other Vaikuha companions of the Lord, traveling in this small universe ruled by four-headed Brahm. And further away those others, moving swiftly in the universe of an eight-headed Brahm, a world twice as large. And those others in the world of a Brahm with sixteen heads, a world twice as large again.

COMMENTARY: To show that these visitors from Vaikuha were indeed extraordinary, r Gaea pointed out more of them entering the other side of the universe, a great distance away, on some other mission. And beyond this relatively small universe of four-headed Brahm, still other Vaikuha messengers were visiting the world of an eightheaded Brahm, which was one billion yojanas in diameter, twice as big as this one. They were traveling swiftly (vegata) because that universe is so large. Gaea further showed the same thing happening in universes still larger. TEXTS 8889 wTYaev& k-aei$=k-ae$=INaa& b]<aa& MahTaa& MaaTa( ) k-aei$=k-aei$=Mau%aBJaaNaa& Taad*Gb]a<@kaei$=zu )) GaC^Taae l/Il/Yaa TatadNauPaPairC^daNa( ) Ga<aeXaae_dXaRYataaNMaa& bhuXaae d*x(MaNaaehraNa( )) ity eva koi-kon brahma mahat kramt koi-koi-mukhbjn tdg-brahma-koiu gacchato llay tat-tadanurpa-paricchadn gaeo darayat tn m bahuo d-manoharn iti evamthus; koi-konmmillions and billions; brahmamof Brahms; mahatmhuge; kramtone after another; koi-koi millions and billions; mukha-abjnmwith lotus faces; tdksuch; brahmain universes; koiumillions; gacchatamoving; llay playfully; tat-tatfor each one; anurpasuitable; paricchadn whose equipment; gaeaLord Ganea; adarayatshowed; tn them; mmto me; bahuamany; dkto the eyes; manaand mind; harnattractive. In this way Gaea showed me many Vaikuha companions of the Lord traveling with ease in the millions and billions of universes of multitudes of huge Brahms, who had millions and billions of lotus faces. The Vaikuha devotees, attractive to the eyes and mind, all had suitable bodies and were suitably equipped for the universes they were visiting.

COMMENTARY: One after another, Gaea pointed out messengers from Vaikuha in the universes of a Brahm with 32 heads, 64 heads, 128 heads, and so on. Gopa-kumra could perceive no end to these countless universes. That there are in fact material universes beyond counting is stated in scriptures such as rmad-Bhgavatam: kvha tamo-mahad-aha-kha-cargni-vr-bhsaveita-ghaa-sapta-vitasti-kya kvedg-vidhvigaita-paru-caryvtdhva-roma-vivarasya ca te mahitvam What am I, a small creature measuring seven spans of my own hand? I am enclosed in a potlike universe composed of material nature, the total material energy, false ego, ether, air, water, and earth. And what is Your glory? Unlimited universes pass through the pores of Your body just as particles of dust pass through the openings of a screened window. (Bhgavatam 10.14.11) dyu-pataya eva te na yayur antam anantatay tvam api yad-antara-nicay nanu svara kha iva rajsi vnti vayas saha yac chrutayas tvayi hi phalanty atan-nirasanena bhavan-nidhan Because You are unlimited, neither the lords of heaven nor even You Yourself can ever reach the end of Your glories. The countless universes, each enveloped in its shell, are compelled by the wheel of time to wander within You, like particles of dust blowing about in the sky. And the rutis, following their method of eliminating everything separate from the Supreme, become successful by revealing You as their final conclusion. (Bhgavatam 10.87.41) kity-dibhir ea kilvta saptabhir daa-guottarair aa-koa yatra pataty au-kalpa saha-koi-koibhis tad ananta Every universe is covered by seven layersearth, water, fire, air, sky, the total energy, and false egoeach ten times greater than the one previous. Besides our universe there are innumerable others, and although unlimitedly large they move about like atoms in You. Therefore You are called unlimited [ananta]. (Bhgavatam 6.16.37) Gopa-kumra could easily see into all the material universes from where he stood in the abode of liberation because that realm is free from any covering of material energy. In each universe, he saw, the Vaikuha messengers had assumed forms with a different size and

showed potencies just suitable for that universe. Had the visitors from Vaikuha not made themselves appear similar in size and form to the inhabitants of the universe they were visiting, those inhabitants would not receive them with the respect deserved by representatives of Lord Nryaa. TEXTS 9091 WTae ih Ma*TYauk-ale/_iPa iJaaGa[e [ae}avTMaR va ) k-QaiTSak*-daeNa NaaMaa>aaSaeNa c Pa[>aae" )) >a-aNk*-T>aYaaTPaaNTaSTaNvNTaae >aiMauJJvl/aMa( ) SavR}a ivcrNTYaaTMaeC^Yaa >a-yek-v>aa" )) ete hi mtyu-kle pi jihvgre rotra-vartma v kathacit sakd-ptena nmbhsena ca prabho bhaktn ktsna-bhayt pntas tanvanto bhaktim ujjvalm sarvatra vicaranty tmecchay bhakty-eka-vallabh etethey; hicertainly; mtyuof death; kleat the time; api even; jihvof the tongue; agreon the tip; rotraof the sense of hearing; vartmaon the path; vor; kathacitsomehow; sakt once; ptenaobtained; nma-bhsenaby a shadow of the holy name; caand; prabhoof the Lord; bhaktndevotees; ktsnaall; bhaytfrom fear; pntaprotecting; tanvantaspreading; bhaktimdevotional service; ujjvalmmost excellent; sarvatra everywhere; vicarantithey travel; tma-icchayas they desire; bhaktito devotional service; ekaonly; vallabhdedicated. r Gaea continued: These persons cherish only devotional service to the Lord. They travel as they please, spreading pure devotion everywhere. They save the Lords devotees from all fears, even at the time of death, if those devotees have but once had even a reflection of the Lords name on the tip of their tongues or the path to their ears. COMMENTARY: Here r Gaea explains why the messengers of Vaikuha visit all the universes. Acting on their own initiative, they travel everywhere to spread devotional service to the Supreme Lord, eager to distribute fearlessness to the Lords devotees. Even though Vaiavas have nothing to fear from anything material, they still fear

obstructions to their bhakti. The Vaikuha-vss always endeavor to help Vaiavas everywhere overcome impediments to devotional progress. They protect anyone who has at least once chanted or heard the holy name of Lord Viu, or even a shadow of His name uttered neglectfully or in jest, contempt, or pain. TEXT 92 >a-avTaaraSTaSYaETae cTvarae NaEik-aetaMaa" ) Pair>a[MaiNTa l/aek-aNaa& ihTaaQa| PaazRda wv )) bhaktvatrs tasyaite catvro naihikottam paribhramanti lokn hitrtha prad iva bhakta-avatrincarnations as devotees; tasyaof Him; etethese; catvrafour; naihikaof lifelong celibates; uttamthe best; paribhramantithey wander; loknmof the worlds; hita-arthamfor the benefit; pradpersonal associates; ivalike. And these four brothers, the best of lifelong celibates, are the Supreme Lords incarnations as devotees. They wander for the benefit of all the worlds, just like the Lords Vaikuha associates. TEXT 93 vSaiNTa c TaPaael/aeke- Pa[>au& NaaraYa<a& ivNaa ) ANaaQaaNaaiMav +aeMa& vhNTaSTaivaiSaNaaMa( )) vasanti ca tapo-loke prabhu nryaa vin anthnm iva kema vahantas tan-nivsinm vasantithey live; caand; tapa-lokeon Tapoloka; prabhumtheir Lord; nryaamNryaa; vinwithout; anthnmwho have no master; ivaas if; kemamsecurity; vahantabring; tatthere; nivsinmto those who live. They live on Tapoloka, where they give reassurance and security to the residents, who at times feel helpless in the absence of their Lord Nryaa.

COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumra might wonder why the self-contented Kumra sages had accompanied the benevolent visitors from Vaikuha. To answer this doubt, r Gaea speaks texts 92 through 95. The messengers of Vaikuha are servants of Lord Vaikuhantha, and the four Kumras are empowered akty-vea avatras of the same Lord. By personal example, therefore, the Kumras promote the cause of Lord Nryaas devotional service wherever they go. They spend most of their time on Tapoloka because the celibate masters of yoga who reside there depend on their guidance. The Kumras teach them the paths of yoga and also create for them the highest good fortune by speaking about the Supreme Lord and engaging them in congregational chanting of His glories. As expressed in this verse by the word iva, when Lord Viu is absent from Tapoloka the residents suffer as if they have lost contact with Him, but in their meditation they always see Him. TEXTS 9495 GaTva SaMPa[iTa vEku-<#e= SavaRk-zRkSad(Gauu<aMa( ) >aGavNTa& TaMaal/aeKYa Maae+aaNaNdiv@iMbNaa )) iNa>aRraNaNdPaUre<a Sa&YaaeJYaaTMaaNaMaaGaTaa" ) iPabNTaae >a-SaTYaa hre>aR-ya MaharSaMa( )) gatv samprati vaikuhe sarvkaraka-sad-guam bhagavanta tam lokya moknanda-viambin nirbharnanda-prea sayojytmnam gat pibanto bhakta-sagaty harer bhakty mah-rasam gatvhaving gone; sampratinow; vaikuheto Vaikuha; sarvakarakaall-attractive; sat-guamwhose transcendental qualities; bhagavantamthe Supreme Lord; tamHim; lokyaseeing; moka of liberation; nandathe bliss; viambinwhich ridicules; nirbhara extreme; nandaof bliss; preawith a flood; sayojyafilling; tmnamthemselves; gathaving come; pibantadrinking; bhaktaof the devotees; sagatyin the association; hareof Lord Hari; bhaktyof devotional service; mah-rasamthe sublime nectar.

These brothers have just gone to Vaikuha and seen the Supreme Lord, whose transcendental qualities are allattractive. They filled themselves with a limitless flood of ecstasy that ridicules the bliss of liberation, and they drank the sublime nectar of pure devotion to Lord Hari in the company of His devotees. COMMENTARY: Sanaka-kumra and his brothers were traveling with the messengers of Vaikuha because the four brothers had just been there themselves and were returning from their visit. They are tmrmas, self-satisfied sages, but the transcendental qualities of Lord Viu attract everyone, even the tmrmas. In Vaikuha the Kumras had seen the Supreme Lord in person and felt ecstasy that belittled the happiness of impersonal liberation. They had chanted the Lords glories along with the Vaikuha devotees and enjoyed the wonderful nectar of bhakti-rasa. TEXTS 9697 iNaTYaaPairiC^MahaSau%aNTYa k-aavTaSTaad*XavE>avSYa ) Saa+aad]MaaNaaQaPadarivNd -I@a>araJaiv>aUizTaSYa )) TaTPa[eMa>aE-" Saul/>aSYa vu-& vEku-<#=l/aek-SYa Par& ik-MaqXae ) AETaduvaRSaNaYaa MauMau+aa ivaTMaNaa& iPa dul/R>aSYa )) nityparicchinna-mah-sukhntyakhvatas tda-vaibhavasya skd-ram-ntha-padravindakr-bharjasra-vibhitasya tat-prema-bhaktai su-labhasya vaktu vaikuha-lokasya para kim e advaita-durvsanay mumukviddhtman hdy api durlabhasya nityaeternal; aparicchinnaunbounded; mahsupreme; sukhaof happiness; antyafinal; kh-vataattaining the limit; tda such; vaibhavasyaof the opulence; sktdirectly; ram-nthaof the Lord of the goddess of fortune; pada-aravindaof the lotus feet; krof the sports; bharawith an abundance; ajasraconstantly; vibhitasyadecorated; tatHis; prema-bhaktaiby the loving devotees; su-labhasyaeasily obtained; vaktumto speak; vaikuhalokasyaof Vaikuha-loka; parammore; kimwhat; eam I able;

advaitaof monism; durvsanaywith the misconceptions; mumukby the desire for liberation; viddhainfected; tmanm whose intelligence; hdiin the heart; apieven; durlabhasya difficult to achieve. What more can I say about Vaikuha-loka? With its opulence it displays the final limit of eternal unlimited joy. It is blessed abundantly by the ever-visible pastimes of the lotus feet of the Lord, the husband of the goddess of fortune. The Lords loving devotees easily gain that Vaikuha, but persons with minds tarnished by the bad idea of complete oneness and the yearning for liberation can hardly hope to achieve it even in their dreams. COMMENTARY: Returning from his digression about why the four Kumras are present, r Gaea here summarizes his glorification of Vaikuha. He feels he has now said enough, since his words are not capable of adequately describing the greatness of Lord Nryaas abode. Vaiavas who have pure love for the Lord can easily enter Vaikuha, but the impersonalists who prefer the oneness of mukti to the reciprocations of devotional service have little hope of being admitted. Many stras confirm this. For example the Yoga-vsiharmyaa states: ajasyrdha-prabuddhasya sarva brahmeti yo vadet mah-naraka-jleu tenaiva viniyojita An ignorant, half-awake person who likes to say Everything is Brahman earns, by this, entanglement in a network of terrible hells. The Brahma-vaivarta Pura also says: viaya-sneha-sayukto brahmham iti yo vadet kalpa-koi-sahasri narake sa tu pacyate A person full of attachment for sense gratification who likes to say I am Brahman will burn in hell for billions of kalpas. And in another Pura: sasra-sukha-sayukta brahmham iti vdinam karma-brahma-paribhraa ta tyajed antyaja yath

A person stuck in worldly enjoyment who says I am Brahman has fallen both from Vedic duties and from Brahman realization. He should be rejected like an outcaste. Since materialists who identify themselves with Brahman are said to fall into hell, surely those who imagine themselves identical with Parabrahman, the Personality of Godhead, are even more condemned. TEXT 98 YaSYa MaiTPaTau" SaMYa-<aa SYaaNTada TvYaa ) [aeZYaTae MaihMaa TaSYa GaTva caNau>aivZYaTae )) yady asya mat-pitu samyak karu syn tad tvay royate mahim tasya gatv cnubhaviyate yadiif; asyaof him; mat-pitumy father; samyakcomplete; karuthe mercy; sytthere is; tadthen; tvayby you; royatewill be heard; mahimthe glories; tasyaof that (Vaikuha); gatvgoing; caand; anubhaviyateit will be experienced. If you receive the full mercy of my father, you will hear the glories of Vaikuha and go there to see them for yourself. COMMENTARY: Rather than try to present more of the glories of Vaikuha in his own words, Gaea here directs Gopa-kumra to see them for himself. Since Gopa-kumra has already been granted Lord ivas personal audience, Lord ivas complete mercy should not be difficult for him to obtain. Receiving the full mercy of Lord iva results not in attaining ivaloka but in reaching Vaikuha to serve Lord Viu in pure devotional service. TEXT 99 [qGaaePaku-Maar ovac b]&STaTPa[aYae JaaTaMahal/al/SaYaa >a*XaMa( ) Ah& icNTaa<aRvaPaar>are Pa[NaiTaRTa" )) r-gopa-kumra uvca brahmas tat-prptaye jtamah-llasay bham aha cintravpra-

bhaga-rage pranartita r-gopa-kumra uvcar Gopa-kumra said; brahmanO brhmaa; tatthat place; prptayeto reach; jtaborn; mah great; llasaywith eagerness; bhamquickly; ahamI; cintof anxious thoughts; aravaof an ocean; apravast; bhagaof the waves; rageon the stage; pranartitamade to dance wildly. r Gopa-kumra said: O brhmaa, I quickly became ardent to reach that place. And that feeling made me dance wildly on a stage made of waves of a vast ocean of anxiety. COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumras eagerness made him anxious about whether he would reach Vaikuha. TEXT 100 ivcarJaaTaTa" SvSYa SaM>aaVYa TadYaaeGYaTaaMa( ) Pa[dHXaaek-veGaeNa Maaeh& Pa[aPYaaPaTa& +a<aaTa( )) vicra-jtata svasya sambhvya tad-ayogyatm praruda oka-vegena moha prpypata kat vicraof thoughts; jtatafrom a multitude; svasyamy; sambhvyaconcluding; tatfor that; ayogyatmunworthiness; prarudancrying profusely; okaof sorrow; vegenaby the force; moham prpyafainting; apatamI fell; katsuddenly. From the many thoughts flashing through my mind I concluded I was unfit to go. I cried profusely, and the force of my sorrow made me faint and suddenly fall to the ground. TEXT 101 MahadYaalu/NaaNaeNa Pardu"%aSaihZ<auNaa ) vEZ<avEk-iPa[Yae<aahMauTQaaPYaaaSYa >aaizTa" )) mah-daylunnena para-dukhsahiun vaiavaika-priyeham utthpyvsya bhita

mah-daylunmost mercuful; anenaby him (Lord iva); paradukhathe distress of others; asahiunwho cannot tolerate; vaiavaof the Vaiavas; eka-priyeaby the best friend; ahamI; utthpyabeing picked up; vsyabeing consoled; bhita spoken to. That most merciful of great souls, the one best friend of the Vaiavas, Lord iva, who cannot tolerate the distress of others, picked me up and spoke to console me. COMMENTARY: Lord iva Mahdeva was ready to give his full mercy to Gopa-kumra. TEXT 102 [qMahadev ovac he [qvEZ<av PaavRTYaa SahahMaiPa k-aMaYae ) TaiSMaNvEku-<#=l/aeke- Tau Sada vaSa& >avaiNav )) r-mahdeva uvca he r-vaiava prvaty sahham api kmaye tasmin vaikuha-loke tu sad vsa bhavn iva r-mahdeva uvcar Mahdeva said; heO; r-vaiavadear Vaiava; prvaty sahatogether with Prvat; ahamI; apialso; kmayedesire; tasminin that; vaikuha-lokeworld of Vaikuha; tuand; sadperpetual; vsamresidence; bhavnyour good self; ivalike. r Mahdeva said: My dear Vaiava, both Prvat and I, just like you, want to live forever in that Vaikuha-loka. COMMENTARY: Lord iva notes that the same desire harbored by him and his wife has developed in Gopa-kumra. Because Lord iva and Gopakumra share the same interest, it is implied, perhaps Gopa-kumra should come to Lord ivas planet and stay happily with him there for some time. TEXT 103 Saae_Taqvdul/R>aae l/aek-" Pa[aQYaaeR MauE-riPa Da]uvMa( ) SaaDYaae b]SauTaaNaa& ih b]<a MaMaaiPa Sa" ))

so tva-durlabho loka prrthyo muktair api dhruvam sdhyo brahma-sutn hi brahmaa ca mampi sa sathat; atvaextremely; durlabhadifficult to achieve; loka world; prrthyais prayed for; muktaiby liberated souls; api even; dhruvamcertainly; sdhyathe object of endeavor; brahmasutnmof the sons of Brahm; hiindeed; brahmaaof Brahm; caand; mamaof me; apialso; sait. But that world is exceedingly difficult to attain. Indeed, even liberated souls pray to achieve it. Brahms sons and Brahm himself strive for it, and so even do I. COMMENTARY: For the liberated impersonalists and for demigods such as iva, Brahm, and sons of Brahm like Bhgu, the spiritual world Vaikuha is sdhya, the goal to be attained, but not yet sdhita, actually obtained. TEXT 104 iNaZk-aMaezu ivXauezu SvDaMaeRzu ih Ya" PauMaaNa( ) Para& iNaa& GaTaSTaiSMaNYaa k*-Paa [qhre>aRveTa( )) nikmeu viuddheu sva-dharmeu hi ya pumn par nih gatas tasmin y kp r-harer bhavet nikmeuwithout selfish motives; viuddheucompletely pure; sva-dharmeuin his own religious duties; hicertainly; yawhich; pumnman; parmthe best; nihmfaith; gataattaining; tasminfor him; ywhich; kpmercy; r-hareof r Hari; bhavetcan be. Only one who has completely perfected his religious duties, who is pure, who is done with selfish motives, can achieve the mercy of r Hari. TEXT 105

TaSYaa" XaTaGau<aa ceTSYaad( b]Tv& l/>aTae Tada ) TaSYaa" XaTaGau<aaYaa& c SaTYaa& MaavMa*C^iTa )) tasy ata-gu cet syd brahmatva labhate tad tasy ata-guy ca saty mad-bhvam cchati tasythan that (mercy); ata-gumultiplied one hundred times; cetif; sytthere is; brahmatvamthe position of Brahm; labhate one obtains; tadthen; tasythan that; ata-guymone hundred times more; caand; satymbecoming; matmy; bhvam nature; cchatione attains. If that mercy is multiplied a hundred times, one attains the post of Brahm. And if a hundred times again, one can become like me. TEXT 106 [qMaGavTaSTaSYa MaiYa YaavaNaNauGa]h" ) TaSMaaC^TaGau<aaetaaNae JaaTae vEku-<#=MaeiTa TaMa( )) rmad-bhagavatas tasya mayi yvn anugraha tasmc chata-guottne jte vaikuham eti tam rmat-bhagavataof the divine Personality of Godhead; tasyaHim; mayifor me; yvnas much; anugrahamercy; tasmtthan that; ata-guaone hundred times more; uttnethe extension; jte if it occurs; vaikuhamto Vaikuha; etione goes; tamthat. And if one obtains from the divine Personality of Godhead more mercy than Ia hundred times moreone can go to Vaikuha. COMMENTARY: This is how difficult it is to achieve entrance into Vaikuha. Lord iva also described this in his instructions to the Pracets in the Fourth Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam (4.24.29): sva-dharma-niha ata-janmabhi pumn viricatm eti tata para hi mm avykta bhgavato tha vaiava

pada yathha vibudh kaltyaye A person who executes his occupational duty properly for one hundred births becomes qualified to occupy the post of Brahm, and if he becomes more qualified he can approach me. But a person directly surrendered to Lord Ka, or Viu, in unalloyed devotional service is at once promoted to the spiritual planets. I and other demigods attain those planets after the destruction of this material world. Some demigods, including Lord iva, are qualified for promotion to Vaikuha, but only after they complete their long appointments as universal rulers and after their subtle bodies are dissolved by the attainment of liberation. But pure devotees graced with a sufficient portion of Lord Vius mercy need not serve such long terms as demigods; they can achieve Vaikuha much more quickly. We read in the Itihsa-sammucaya, in the narration about Mudgala: brahmaa sadand rdhva tad vio parama padam uddha santana jyoti para-brahmeti yad vidu nirmam nirahakr nirdvandv ye jitendriy dhyna-yoga-par caiva tatra gacchanti sdhava ye rcayanti hari viu ka jiu santanam nryaam aja ka vivaksena catur-bhujam dhyyanti purua divyam acyuta ca smaranti ye labhante te cyuta sthna rutir e santan Above the domain of impersonal Brahman is that supreme abode of Lord Viu. It is the pure, eternal sky known as Para-brahma. Saintly persons who are free from possessiveness and ego, who are beyond dualities, who have controlled their senses, and who are fixed in meditational yoga go to that abode. The eternal unborn Lord Hari, or Ka, is variously known as Viu, Ka, Jiu, Vivaksena, and the four-armed Lord Nryaa. Those who worship that Supreme Lord, meditating on Him as the supreme transcendental person, remembering Him as the infallible Lord, achieve His infallible abode. Such is the eternal proclamation of revealed scripture.

In the context of this verse of the Itihsa-sammucaya, the words brahmaa sadand rdhvam should be understood to refer not to Lord Brahms planet but to Mahkla-pura, the abode of liberation. In that mukti-pada, liberated souls merge into syujya in intense meditation on Brahman. Vaikuha is superior both to this mukti-pada and to Mahea-dhma, the abode of Lord iva. Because Lord iva, though an incarnation of the Supreme Lord, plays the role of a devotee, he humbly compares himself unfavorably with the residents of Vaikuha, but in reality even the personal associates of Lord Nryaa worship Lord iva as an incarnation of Nryaa. Those associates have similar respect for all of Lord Nryaas incarnations, even the jvas who are akty-vea avatras. The apparent hierarchy among these expansions of Godhead rests not on their actual relative superiority but merely on how each avatra shows himself, either as a portion of God or as Gods devotee. This will be explained more clearly later on, in the instructions given by Nrada Muni. TEXT 107 AQaaiPa GaaevDaRNaGaaePaPau}aSa( TaMahRiSa Tv& MaQaureXa>a-" ) Tadek->ai-iPa[YaivPa[iXaZYaSa( TadqYaTaNMaN}aParae_Naur-" )) athpi govardhana-gopa-putras tam arhasi tva mathurea-bhakta tad-eka-bhakti-priya-vipra-iyas tadya-tan-mantra-paro nurakta atha apihowever; govardhanafrom Govardhana; gopa-putrathe son of a cowherd; tamthat; arhasideserve; tvamyou; mathuraof the Lord of Mathur; bhaktaa devotee; tatfor Him; ekabhaktifor the exclusive devotional service; priyahaving affinity; vipraof a brhmaa; iyadisciple; tadyawhich is addressed to that Lord; tat-mantrato that mantra; paradedicated; anurakta faithful. But you deserve to go to Vaikuha, O son of a Govardhana cowherd, for you are a devotee of the Lord of Mathur, a disciple of a brhmaa attached only to the Lords devotional service, a soul dedicated to the Lords mantra given you by your guru, and one who is faithful in your service to the Lord. COMMENTARY: Although r Vaikuha-loka is extremely difficult to achieve, Gopa-kumra is fit to go there. Lord iva merely mentions the

ten-syllable gopla-mantra, with great respect, as tadya-tan-mantra (that mantra of His) because further words could not adequately express the glories of the mantra and the extent of its potency. For Gopa-kumra, chanting this mantra is not a mechanical exercise but the means for awakening his intimate loving reciprocation with Lord Madana-gopla. TEXTS 108110 cTauivRDaezu Maae+aezu SaaYauJYaSYa Pad& iTvdMa( ) Pa[aPYa& YaTaqNaaMaETa>aavNaa>aaivTaaTMaNaaMa( )) MahaSa&Saardu"%aiGanJval/aSa&XauZk-ceTaSaaMa( ) ASaarGa[aih<aaMaNTa"SaaraSaaraivveik-NaaMa( )) MaYaEv k*-Z<aSYaadeXaaTPaiTaTaaNaa& >a[Maa<aRve ) iNaJaPaadaMbuJaPa[eMa>ai-SaaePak-SYa ih )) catur-vidheu mokeu syujyasya pada tv idam prpya yatnm advaitabhvan-bhvittmanm mah-sasra-dukhgnijvl-sauka-cetasm asra-grhim antasrsrvivekinm mayaiva kasydet patitn bhramrave nija-pdmbuja-premabhakti-sagopakasya hi catu-vidheuof the four kinds; mokeuof liberation; syujyasya of merging into the existence of the Supreme; padamthe abode; tu indeed; idamthis; prpyamobtainable; yatnmby renunciants; advaita-bhvanwith the concept of absolute oneness; bhvita imbued; tmanmwhose minds; mahvast; sasraof material existence; dukhaof miseries; agniof the fire; jvlby the flames; saukadried up; cetasmwhose hearts; asrawhat is nonessential; grhimwho pursue; antawithin themselves; sra substance; asraand nonsubstance; avivekinmwho cannot discriminate; mayby me; evaindeed; kasyaof Ka; det by the order; patitnmof those who have fallen; bhramaof delusion; araveinto the ocean; nijaHis own; pda-ambujaof the

lotus feet; prema-bhaktipure loving devotional service; sagopakasya who wanted to hide; hiindeed. Here is the abode of syujya, one of the four kinds of liberation. Here indeed is the goal of renunciants whose minds are fixed on the thought of absolute oneness, whose hearts have dried up in the blazing fire of material miseries, who pursue the worthless as if it were real, unable within themselves to discriminate between what has value and what does not. I make them fall into the ocean of bewilderment by the order of Ka, who wants to hide from them the secret of prema-bhakti to His lotus feet. TEXT 111 >aGavJaNaaNaNdrSaEk-aPae+akE-JaRNaE" ) oPaei+aTaiMad& ivi Pad& ivganSaMa& TYaJa )) bhagavad-bhajannandarasaikpekakair janai upekitam ida viddhi pada vighna-sama tyaja bhagavatthe Supreme Lord; bhajanaof worshiping; nandaof the ecstasy; rasafor the taste; ekaonly; apekakaiwho aspire; janaiby people; upekitamneglected; idamthis; viddhiyou should know; padamplace; vighnaan obstacle; samamequivalent to; tyajaplease leave. Devotees who care only for the ecstasy of worshiping the Supreme Lord neglect this impersonal abode. Knowing this, you too should reject it as an obstacle to your progress. COMMENTARY: The abode of liberation is a fitting place for impersonalists keen on syujya-mukti but not for a cowherd worshiper of Madanagopla. In r Hari-vaa (2.114.912), Lord Ka describes Mahkla-pura to Arjuna as follows: brahma-tejo-maya divya mahad yad davn asi aha sa bharata-reha mat-tejas tat santanam prakti s mama par vyaktvyakt santan t praviya bhavantha mukt yoga-vid-uttam

s skhyn gati prtha yogin ca tapasvinm tat para parama brahma sarva vibhajate jagat mamaiva tad ghana tejo jtum arhasi bhrata This vast expanse of divine Brahman effulgence you see, O best of the BharatasI Myself am that. This infinite light is eternal. It is My superior, eternal nature, both manifest and unmanifest. The most expert knowers of yoga enter it and become liberated. O Prtha, it is the goal of the Skhya philosophers and austere yogs, the supreme transcendental Brahman, pervading the entire universe. Descendant of Bharata, know this to be My concentrated effulgence. The Mahkla-pura described in this passage of r Hari-vaa is the same region Gopa-kumra saw outside the coverings of the universe. Both rmad-Bhgavatam and Hari-vaa mention that Ka and Arjuna, while traveling to Mahkla-pura, passed Lokloka. Some take this to mean that the Mahkla-pura they visited was a place inside the egg of the universe, in the outer region where sunlight does not reach. Crossing Lokloka can also be understood, however, to mean passing beyond the fourteen worlds that exist in the realm of light (loka) and also beyond the rest of the outer universe, which lies in complete darkness (aloka). Mahkla-pura is a suitable destination for impersonalist sannyss for the reasons Lord iva mentions in texts 108 through 111. Nondevotee sannyss lack real spiritual knowledge and are incapable of discerning the spiritual essence of things. As Lord Brahm states in rmad-Bhgavatam (10.14.4), sthla-tuvaghtinm: they are just beating the empty husks of grains already threshed. They are in this pitiful condition because Lord iva has cast them into the ocean of material bewilderment, as he himself explains in the Uttara-khaa (236.7, 10) of r Padma Pura: my-vdam asac-chstra pracchanna bauddham ucyate mayaiva vakyate devi kalau brhmaa-rpi The Myvda philosophy is a false interpretation of the revealed scriptures. It is considered no more than a covered form of Buddhism. O Dev, I shall appear as a brhmaa in the Age of Kali to teach this philosophy.

brahmaa cpara rpa nirgua vakyate may sarvasya jagato py asya mohanrtha kalau yuge I shall describe the Absolute Truth in a contrary way as devoid of qualities, just to bewilder the entire universe in the Age of Kali. Lord iva performs this thankless task on the direct order of Lord Ka, as recorded in the Bhat-sahasra-nma-stotra (Padma Pura, Uttara 42.105): svgamai kalpitais tva ca jann mad-vimukhn kuru By concocting your own doctrines, turn the general populace against Me. Because r Ka wanted to keep His pure devotional service confidential, He requested Lord iva to create this confusion. But Vaiavas whose only serious ambition in life is to achieve the blissful rasa of worshiping Ka reject impersonal liberation. Gopa-kumra, Lord iva advises, should reject it also, like any obstacle to his practice of bhagavad-bhakti. TEXT 112 ark-avaiSaivPa[e<a k*-Z<a>ai-rSaaiQaRNaa ) wTaae NaqTaa" SauTaaSTa}a SacaTauYaRivXaezTa" )) dvrak-vsi-viprea ka-bhakti-rasrthin ito nt suts tatra sa-cturya-vieata dvrak-vsiresiding in Dvrak; vipreaby the brhmaa; kabhaktiof devotional service to Ka; rasafor the taste; arthin who was hankering; itafrom here; ntbrought; sutthe sons; tatrathere; sa-cturyawith cleverness; vieataspecial. Very cleverly, the brhmaa residing in Dvrak who wanted to taste the rasa of ka-bhakti brought his sons from here to Dvrak. COMMENTARY: Besides scripture, the behavior of respectable persons also proves that syujya-mukti is undesirable for Vaiavas. The motive of the Dvrak brhmaa who came to Ugrasena complaining about the untimely death of his newborn sons was actually to bring his

sons back from the abode of liberation. The residents of Dvrak during Kas appearance all had spiritual sac-cid-nanda bodies, and on the strength of their loving service to the lotus feet of r Devaknandana they felt contempt for the happiness of impersonal liberation. Some persons, in their attempt to explain the Puric histories, say that the residents of Dvrak were only human beings with bodies made of the five material elements, because the historical accounts describe their births and deaths. Even in material bodies, these Puric scholars say, the residents of Dvrak obtained intimate relationships with Ka because of their unique devotion to Him in pure love. These commentators, however, to make their theory fit the facts, ought to concede that the Dvrak-vss only seemed to act like ordinary materially embodied human beings. If that is what they actually were they would have been unfit to join in the various pleasure pastimes of the Personality of Godhead, whose bodily form is pure sac-cid-nanda. Moreover, it is an established fact that by the power of bhagavad-bhakti ones body becomes completely spiritual, and this principle should certainly apply to the pure devotees of Dvrak. The scholars may retort that if the devotees of Dvrak only seemed to have material bodies, then the Lords having assumed a human form and behaved like a human being must also have been only a pretense. But this, they say, cannot be so, because rmadBhgavatam says that every one of the Supreme Lords personal forms is eternally real and all-pervading. Now, what the scholars say should on its surface be granted. Certainly the Personality of Godheads appearances are never imitations of material life, since all of them are eternal and He reveals Himself perpetually in those very forms to His various worshipers. Furthermore, again supporting the scholars view, authoritative scriptures describe that the residents of the Lords abodes like Dvrak sometimes abandon their imitation human appearance and assume their purely spiritual sac-cid-nanda forms. rmad-Bhgavatam (10.29.911) describes, for example, that some of the gops who could not join the rsa dance gave up their human bodies and at once obtained their sac-cid-nanda bodies: antar-gha-gat kcid gopyo labdha-vinirgam ka tad-bhvan-yukt dadhyur mlita-locan dusaha-preha-virahatvra-tpa-dhutubh dhyna-prptcyutleanirvty ka-magal

tam eva paramtmna jra-buddhypi sagat jahur gua-maya deha sadya praka-bandhan Some of the gops, unable to get out of their houses, instead remained home with eyes closed, meditating upon Lord Ka in pure love. For those gops, intolerable separation from their beloved caused an intense agony that burned away all impious karma. By meditating upon Him they realized His embrace, and their ecstasy exhausted their material piety. Although Lord Ka is the Supreme Soul, these girls simply thought of Him as their male lover and associated with Him in that intimate mood. Thus their karmic bondage was nullified and they abandoned their gross material bodies. By giving up their human bodies, these gops were able to join the Personality of Godhead in their original forms and enjoy with Him the pleasure pastimes that most attracted them. Here it seems that that the gops regained their spiritual bodies, bodies eternal, blissful, and full of knowledge, bodies just like that of the Lord. It was in this way that the gops were able to be sagat more intimately associated with Ka. In rmad-Bhgavatam (10.47.37), in the message Uddhava carried to Vndvana, the Lord told of the same incident in a similar way: y may krat rtry vane smin vraja sthit alabdha-rs kalyyo mpur mad-vrya-cintay Although some gops had to stay in the cowherd village and were unable to join the rsa dance to sport with Me at night in the forest, they were fortunate nonetheless, for they attained Me by thinking of My potent pastimes. Similar to this regaining of spiritual identity by the gops was the liberation of iupla and Dantavakra. When these former gatekeepers of Lord Nryaas kingdom were killed by r Ka, the curse against them by Sanaka and his brothers ended, and the souls of the former gatekeepers were seen to merge into Kas effulgence. This apparent merging, however, was not actually syujya-mukti, because for these two persons, who were devotees of the Supreme Lord, and even residents of Vaikuha, impersonal liberation would have been the worst misfortune. In the Bhgavatam (7.1.47), Nrada Muni describes what really happened to iupla and Dantavakra: vairnubandha-tvrea

dhynencyuta-stmatm ntau punar hare prva jagmatur viu-pradau These two associates of Lord ViuJaya and Vijayamaintained a feeling of enmity for a very long time. Because of always thinking of Ka in this way, they regained the shelter of the Lord, having returned home, back to Godhead. This fulfilled the word of Lord Viu. When Jaya and Vijaya, cursed by the four Kumras, were about to fall from their home in Vaikuha, Lord Viu assured them they would return to His abode after only three lifetimes. And so Jaya and Vijaya gave up their material bodies to resume their posts, in their spiritual bodies, as eternal servants of the Lord. rla Santana Gosvm has thus entertained the theoretical possibility that devotees who live in the Lords abode during His appearance sometimes have material bodies. His own opinion, however, is different. He firmly holds that just as the Lords appearance, even as a human being within the world of mortals, is always purely transcendental, so also are the human bodies of the devotees who take part in His pastimes. When those devotees appear or disappear, they are either responding to the needs of the pastimes of their beloved Lord or expressing the ecstasies of their fully blossomed prema. This is the way we should understand such phrases as putting aside their bodies, which are used in the Puras to describe the disappearance of devotees from this world. The three verses cited above about the gops who could not join the rsa dance (Bhgavatam 10.29.911) can thus be elucidated as follows: Those gops at once gave up their bodies, although those bodies were gua-maya, full of all excellent spiritual qualities, and this means that as a pastime those gops disappeared from the sight of this world. As stated, those particular gops were especially qualified, for they had fully achieved the Supreme Soul, having gained His association in the mood of His paramours. This, indeed, is in all instances the prime cause of the gops perfection. Therefore, when the Bhgavatam (10.29.11) uses the word praka-bandhan, this indicates not that the gops confined to their homes were released from karma and freed from material bodies but that they achieved the special mercy of the Personality of Godhead, thereby gaining release from bondage to the duties and prohibitions of the Vedas. In the same line of thought, r Nrada states in the Fourth Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam (4.29.46): yad yasynughti bhagavn tma-bhvita sa jahti mati loke vede ca parinihitm

When a person is fully engaged in devotional service, he is favored by the Lord, who bestows His causeless mercy. At such a time, the awakened devotee gives up all material activities and ritualistic performances mentioned in the Vedas. In speaking of the gops locked up in their homes during the rsa dance, the Bhgavatam says, nirvty kna-magal, which in its most obvious sense means By their joy their pious karma was destroyed. But rla Santana Gosvm, dividing the words differently, says that Kas embrace within their meditation gave them such exceptional joy that their auspiciousness, symbolized by their marks of tilaka, never faded (aka-magal). Or else, rla Santana suggests, taking a different meaning of aka-magal, their pious credits and their all-auspicious practice of devotional service were made unshakable. And the phrase dhutubh, meaning that their impious karma was removed, may also be taken to mean, instead, that even in such a fortunate condition the intolerable agony of separation from their beloved destroyed quickly (u) their effulgence (bh). Or, alternatively, they were spared the future misfortune (aubha) of suffering separation from Ka upon His departure from Vndvana for Mathur. These gops had earned Kas intimate association by considering Him their paramour. ukadeva Gosvm does not further elaborate on that subject in these verses, because the topic is too confidential to discuss in an open assembly. The prakya mood of the gops is told of in detail in various verses of r Gta-govinda, such as the one beginning nibhta-nikuja-gha gatay (2.11). ukadeva Gosvm mentions that these gops meditated on Ka mlita-locanthat is, with their eyes half-closed like those of yogs practicing dhyna. Or, understanding this figuratively, they had closed the two eyes of ruti and smti. According to the statement rutismt ubhe netre, the Vedic scriptures in the forms of ruti and smti are the eyes of knowledge for conditioned souls. The fully realized gops had no more use for scriptural directions. Thus they closed their eyes to everything external and simply focused their hearts on Ka. Then, because they were not allowed to leave their homes to join Him in the rsa dance, they gave up their bodies. TEXT 113 A}aaiPa >aGavNTa& Yad( d*vaNaiSa Taad*XaMa( ) Sad(Gaurae" k*-PaYaa k*-Z<aidd*+aa>ark-airTaMa( )) atrpi bhagavanta yad davn asi tdam sad-guro kpay ka-

didk-bhara-kritam atrahere; apialso; bhagavantamthe Supreme Lord; yatthe fact that; davn asiyou have seen; tdamin this form; sat-guro of your divine spiritual master; kpayby the mercy; ka-didk of your desire to see Ka; bharaby the intensity; kritam caused. Yet even here you have seen the Supreme Lord in this form because your divine guru gave you his mercy. That mercy created in you the strong desire to see Ka, which impelled Ka to reveal Himself. COMMENTARY: In Mahkla-pura, the same place where many come to experience impersonal liberation, Gopa-kumra had darana of the beauty of Lord Mahkla Viu. If by the mercy of guru and the Vaiavas one is eager to see the Supreme Person, nothing can stand in the way of success. TEXT 114 [qGaaePaku-Maar ovac TaC^rPa[SaadeNa ParaNaNd>ar& GaTa" ) ik-iidC^iPa b]aXak&- vidTau& ih]Yaa )) r-gopa-kumra uvca tac-chakara-prasdena parnanda-bhara gata kicid icchann api brahman naka vaditu hriy r-gopa-kumra uvcar Gopa-kumra said; tatthat; akara of Lord iva; prasdenaby the mercy; para-nandaof the greatest ecstasy; bharam gatafeeling an excess; kicitsomething; icchan wanting; apialthough; brahmanO brhmaa; na aakamI was not able; vaditumto say; hriydue to shyness. r Gopa-kumra said: O brhmaa, Lord ivas mercy filled me with the greatest ecstasy. I wanted to say something, but was unable because I felt too shy. COMMENTARY: Gopa-kumra wanted to inquire from the Vaikuha messengers, but he couldnt say anything. TEXT 115

>aGavTPaazRda" [uTva Taa& Taa& vacMauMaaPaTae" ) Pa[<aMYa Saadr& Pa[qTYaa TaMaUcuivRNaYaaiNvTaa" )) bhagavat-prad rutv t t vcam um-pate praamya sdara prty tam cur vinaynvit bhagavatof the Supreme Lord; pradthe associates; rutv hearing; tm tmthose various; vcamwords; um-pateof the husband of Um (Lord iva); praamyabowing down; sa-daram with respect; prtyand with pleasure; tamto him; cuthey said; vinayawith humility; anvitfilled. Upon hearing Lord ivas words, the associates of the Supreme Lord bowed respectfully before him, and addressed him with great pleasure and humility. COMMENTARY: Before explaining their reason for having come, the visitors from Vaikuha first wanted to say something to ease Gopakumras sorrow. This accomplished, they could then awaken Gopakumras love of God, by which he would automatically forget his anxiety. TEXT 116 [q>aGavTPaazRda Ocu" TaeNa vEku-<#=NaaQaeNa SaMa& k-ae_iPa Na ivTae ) >aGavN>avTaae >aedae GaaEYaaR rMaYaa Sah )) r-bhagavat-prad cu tena vaikuha-nthena sama ko pi na vidyate bhagavan bhavato bhedo gaury ca ramay saha r-bhagavat-prad cuthe associates of the Supreme Lord said; tenathis; vaikuha-nthenaLord of Vaikuha; samamwith; ka apiany; na vidyateis not known; bhagavanO lord; bhavata with your good self; bhedadifference; gaurywith Gaur; ca and; ramayRam; sahain comparison.

The associates of the Supreme Lord said: O Lord iva, there is no difference between you and the Supreme Lord, the master of Vaikuha, nor between Gaur and Ram. COMMENTARY: Just as Lord iva is an incarnation of Lord Vaikuhantha, the goddess Gaur is a parallel incarnation of Ram (Lakm). TEXT 117 Taaeke- >avTaae vaSaae deVYaa ik-l/ YauJYaTae ) :YaaTa" iPa[YaTaMaSTaSYaavTaar >avaNMahaNa( )) tal-loke bhavato vso devy ca kila yujyate khyta priya-tamas tasyvatra ca bhavn mahn tatHis; lokein the abode; bhavatayour; vsaresidence; devyof the goddess Dev; caand; kilaindeed; yujyateis fitting; khytaare known; priya-tamathe dearest; tasyaHis; avatraincarnation; caand; bhavnyou; mahngreat. Indeed, it is fitting for you and the goddess Gaur to reside in Lord Vius abode, for you are renowned as His dearest friend and His exalted incarnation. TEXT 118 TaQaaiPa Yaidd& ik-iaizTa& >avTaaDauNaa ) Sv>aavae >aGavTPa[eTaMaTaaEPaiYak-ae YaMa( )) tathpi yad ida kicid bhita bhavatdhun svabhvo bhagavat-prehatamataupayiko hy ayam tath apinonetheless; yatwhat; idamthis; kicitsomething; bhitamspoken; bhavatby you; adhunnow; svabhvathe mood; bhagavatof the Supreme Lord; preha-tamafor a dearmost devotee; aupayikaappropriate; hicertainly; ayamthis. Yet what you have just spoken suits perfectly the mood of a dearmost devotee of the Lord.

COMMENTARY: Glorifying Vaikuha, Lord iva had said that Brahm, Brahms sons, and he himself all strive to attain it. This sentiment is fitting for a humble Vaiava, even if not exactly true. Lord iva and his wife can enter Vaikuha any time they want. TEXT 119 Tai-rSak-ael/Ga[ahk-ae vEZ<avei@Ta" ) ATa" SavaRvTaare>Yaae >avTaae MaihMaaiDak-" )) tad-bhakti-rasa-kallolagrhako vaiaveita ata sarvvatrebhyo bhavato mahimdhika tatto Him; bhaktiof devotional service; rasa-kallolathe waves of the rasas; grhakawhich (mood) makes others take to; vaiava by the devotees of Lord Viu; itapraised; atatherefore; sarva of all; avatrebhyaHis incarnations; bhavatayour; mahim greatness; adhikamost. You are praised by the Vaiavas, for your mood inspires others to take to His devotional service, with its waves of rasas. Among all His incarnations, therefore, you are the greatest. TEXT 120 [qGaaePaku-Maar ovac iNaJaSTauTYaa TaYaa TaiSMaNa( ih]Yaa TaUZ<aq=& iSQaTae Pa[>aaE ) >aGavTPaazRdaSTae MaaMaaiZYaaecu" Saura" )) r-gopa-kumra uvca nija-stuty tay tasmin hriy t sthite prabhau bhagavat-prads te mm liyocu suhd-var r-gopa-kumra uvcar Gopa-kumra said; nijahis own; stuty by the glorification; taythat; tasminof him; hriyout of humility; tmsilent; sthitewho remained; prabhauLord iva; bhagavat-pradassociates of the Supreme Lord; tethey; mm me; liyaembracing; cusaid; suht-vardearmost friends.

r Gopa-kumra said: Abashed at hearing himself praised, Lord iva remained silent. Then the associates of Lord Viu, who were Lord ivas dearmost friends, embraced me and spoke. COMMENTARY: Saintly persons do not like to hear themselves praised, and Lord iva is the most saintly and cultured person. Another quality of saintly persons is unconditional compassion, which the Vaikuha messengers showed toward Gopa-kumra. TEXT 121 [q>aGavTPaazRda Ocu" ASMadqrSaNMaN}aaePaaSak-aeMaaPaiTaiPa[Ya ) GaaePaNaNdNa >ae-zu >avNTa& Ga<aYaeMa ih )) r-bhagavat-prad cu asmad-vara-san-mantropsakom-pati-priya gopa-nandana bhakteu bhavanta gaayema hi r-bhagavat-prad cuthe associates of the Supreme Lord said; asmatour; varaof Lord; sat-mantraof the transcendental mantra; upsakaO worshiper; um-patiof the husband of Um; priyaO beloved; gopa-nandanaO son of a cowherd; bhakteu among the devotees; bhavantamyou; gaayemawe count; hi certainly. The associates of the Supreme Lord said: O worshiper of the transcendental mantra of our Lord, O beloved of the husband of Um, O son of a cowherd, indeed we count you amongst the Lords devotees. COMMENTARY: With these kind words the Vaikuha-dtas assured Gopakumra that he too was fit to enter Vaikuha. In general, those who properly worship the authentic viu-mantras become pure Vaiavas, and pure Vaiavas can reside in Vaikuha. TEXT 122 GaaE@e GaaTa$e= JaaTaae MaaQaurb]a<aaetaMa" ) JaYaNTaNaaMaa k*-Z<aSYaavTaarSTae MahaNa( Gau" ))

gaue gag-tae jto mthura-brhmaottama jayanta-nm kasyvatras te mahn guru gauein western Bengal; gag-taeon the banks of the Gag; jtaborn; mthuraof Mathur; brhmaaa brhmaa; uttama first-class; jayanta-nmnamed Jayanta; kasyaof Ka; avatraan incarnation; teyour; mahnexalted; guruspiritual master. Born in the country of Gaua on the banks of the Gag was a first-class Mathur brhmaa named Jayanta. He is an incarnation of Ka and is your exalted spiritual master. TEXT 123 SaTYa& Pa[Taqih vYaMa}a >aviiMataMa( WvaGaTaa" Xa*<au ihTa& iNaJak*-TYaMaeTaTa( ) vEku-<#=iMaC^iSa Yaid Pa[ivhaYa Sav| SaPa[eMa >ai-MaNauiTa NavPa[k-araMa( )) satya prathi vayam atra bhavan-nimittam evgat u hita nija-ktyam etat vaikuham icchasi yadi pravihya sarva sa-prema bhaktim anutiha nava-prakrm satyamas true; prathiyou should accept; vayamwe; atrahere; bhavat-nimittamfor your sake; evaonly; gathave come; u please listen; hitambenefit; nijayour own; ktyamadvisable to be done; etatthis; vaikuhamVaikuha; icchasiyou want; yadi if; pravihyacompletely giving up; sarvameverything; sa-prema with pure love; bhaktimdevotional service; anutihacultivate; nava-prakrmninefold. Accept as true that we have come here only for your sake. And please hear what is beneficial for you to do. If you want to reach Vaikuha, then give up everything and with pure love practice the nine forms of devotional service. COMMENTARY: When the messengers told Gopa-kumra to give up everything, they meant that he should be ready to leave Mahklapura and that he should give up attachment to his formal mantra chanting. His chanting out of duty should transform into ecstatic nmasakrtana, in which the enthusiasm of his love for Madana-gopladeva would be directed into the nine methods of pure bhakti.

TEXT 124 TaJjaPak&- c >aJa >aaGavTaaidXaa& l/Il/ak-Qaa >aGavTa" Xa*<au Ta}a iNaTYaMa( ) Taa Wv k-<aRivvr& Pa[<aYaaTPa[iva" Sa" Pad& >aGavTa" Pa[>aviNTa daTauMa( )) taj-jpaka ca bhaja bhgavatdi-stra ll-kath bhagavata u tatra nityam t eva kara-vivara praayt pravi sadya pada bhagavata prabhavanti dtum tatthat; jpakamwhich explain; caand; bhajaworship; bhgavata-dirmad-Bhgavatam and so on; stramscriptures; llof the pastimes; kathto discussions; bhagavataof the Supreme Lord; ulisten; tatrafrom them; nityamregularly; t those (discussions); evaindeed; karaof the ears; vivaramthe holes; praaytwith love; pravientering; sadyaat once; padamthe abode; bhagavataof the Lord; prabhavantithey have the power; dtumto give. Honor the Bhgavatam and other scriptures that tell of this devotional service. Hear from them regularly about the Lords pastimes. For when those narrations enter the holes of your ears and you relish them with love, they will swiftly award you the Lords abode. COMMENTARY: Because Gopa-kumra is not familiar with the nine methods of devotional service, the Vaikuha messengers inform him first about the method of ravaa, hearing. Of all the authorized forms of ravaa, hearing the pastimes of the Supreme Lord, especially from rmad-Bhgavatam, is recommended as the most effective. rmadBhgavatam often reiterates this recommendation: sasra-sindhum ati-dustaram uttitror nnya plavo bhagavata puruottamasya ll-kath-rasa-nievaam antarea puso bhaved vividha-dukha-davrditasya For a person who is suffering in the fire of countless miseries and who desires to cross the insurmountable ocean of material existence, there is no suitable boat except that of cultivating devotion to the transcendental taste for the narrations of the Supreme Personality of Godheads pastimes. (Bhgavatam 12.4.40)

pibanti ye bhagavata tmana sat kathmta ravaa-pueu sambhtam punanti te viaya-viditaya vrajanti tac-caraa-saroruhntikam Those who drink through aural reception, their ears fully filled with the nectarean message of Lord Ka, the beloved of the devotees, purify themselves of the polluted aim of life known as material enjoyment and thus go back to Godhead, back to the Lords lotus feet. (Bhgavatam 2.2.37) TEXT 125 Taeza& NavPa[k-ara<aaMaeke-NaEv SauiSaDYaiTa ) SavRSaaDaNavYaeR<a vEku-<#=" SaaDYaSataMa" )) te nava-prakrm ekenaiva su-sidhyati sarva-sdhana-varyea vaikuha sdhya-sattama temof those; nava-prakrmnine forms; ekenaby one; eva even; su-sidhyatiis perfectly achieved; sarvaof all; sdhana spiritual disciplines; varyeawhich is the best; vaikuha Vaikuha; sdhyaof goals; sat-tamathe ultimate. Devotional service, in any one of its nine forms, is the best possible spiritual discipline and can easily award you the ultimate goal, Vaikuha. COMMENTARY: Pure devotional service is superior to all other spiritual disciplinesjna, karma, and so onand therefore the goal achieved by bhakti is better than liberation, material enjoyment, and the results of any other method. The fruit matches the quality of the tree. As stated in the scriptures: dk-mtrea kasya nar moka vrajanti vai ki punar ye sad bhakty pjayanty acyuta nar Persons simply initiated into the chanting of Kas names certainly attain liberation, what to speak of those who constantly worship Lord Acyuta with pure devotion. (Brahma Pura 119.6) hyenpi nar nitya

ye smaranti janrdanam te pi ynti tanu tyaktv viu-lokam anmayam People who always remember Lord Janrdana, even with dishonest intentions, upon leaving their bodies will go to the faultless world of Viu. TEXT 126 MahtaMaTaYaa [UYaMaa<aa AiPa Pare_i%l/a" ) f-l/v[aTaaivcare<a TauC^a MahdNaad*Taa" )) mahat-tamatay ryam api pare khil phala-vrtvicrea tucch mahad-andt mahat-tamatayas supremely great; ryamdescribed; api even; pareother; akhilall; phala-vrtanumerous benefits; avicreawithout discriminating; tucchinsignificant; mahatby advanced souls; andtdisregarded. Without a second thought, advanced souls disgregard all other benefits as trifling, even those praised in scripture as supremely great. COMMENTARY: The desire tree of Vedic scripture can grant whatever benefits people aspire for. Thus those who are less fortunate, who do not appreciate the value of Vaikuha-loka, approach the Vedas for lesser rewards and are granted them. But because the great wise souls know how to discriminate between what is essential and what is useless, they are not enticed by inferior achievements offered in the Vedas; rather, those great souls are attracted to bhakti-rasa, the transcendental tastes of Lord Vius devotional service. TEXT 127 TaQaaiPa Tad]SajE" Saa >ai-NaRvivDaaSaa ) SaMPaaTae ivic}aETad]SaMaaDauYaRl/BDaYae )) tathpi tad-rasa-jai s bhaktir nava-vidhjas sampdyate vicitraitadrasa-mdhurya-labdhaye

tath apinonetheless; tatof that (devotional service); rasathe transcendental tastes; jaiby those who understand; sthat; bhaktidevotional service; nava-vidhin nine varieties; ajas easily; sampdyateis practiced; vicitravaried; etatof this (bhakti); rasaof the tastes; mdhuryathe sweetness; labdhayefor obtaining. Yet devotees who understand the rasas of devotional service may practice all nine forms of bhakti to easily obtain the sweetness of its diverse tastes. COMMENTARY: Although devotees can attain Vaikuha by any one of the nine practices of bhakti, they often like to engage in all nine to enjoy the supreme, indescribably blissful taste of those transcendental activities. Each of the practices, beginning with ravaa and krtana, gives a sweet satisfaction of its own. TEXT 128 Taeza& k-iSMa&idek-iSMaHa( [YaaNauiTae SaiTa ) SvYaMaaiv>aRveTPa[eMaa [qMaTk*Z<aPadaBJaYaae" )) te kasmicid ekasmi raddhaynuhite sati svayam virbhavet prem rmat-ka-padbjayo temof these (forms of bhakti); kasmicitany; ekasminone; raddhaywith faith; anuhiteengaged in; satiif it is; svayam automatically; virbhavetthere manifests; prempure love; rmatkaof r Ka; pada-abjayoat the lotus feet. When one engages with faith in even one of these forms of bhakti, pure love for the lotus feet of r Ka automatically arises. COMMENTARY: As explained by r Caitanya Mahprabhu to rla Santana Gosvm in r Caitanya-caritmta (Madhya 22.62), raddh, or faith, is properly understood in terms of trust (vivsa) in the efficacy of the devotional process: raddh-abdevivsa kahe sudha nicaya ke bhakti kaile sarva-karma kta haya

 By rendering transcendental loving service to Ka, one automatically performs all subsidiary activities. This confident, firm faith, favorable to the discharge of devotional service, is called raddh. TEXT 129 TaQaaiPa k-aYaaR Pa[eM<aEv PairharaYa d]uJa" ) f-l/aNTarezu k-aMaSYa vEku-<#=aiivraeiDaNa" )) tathpi kry premaiva parihrya hd-ruja phalntareu kmasya vaikuhpti-virodhina tath apieven so; kryto be practiced; premwith pure love; evaonly; parihryafor avoiding; htin the heart; rujathe disease; phala-antareufor other goals; kmasyadesire; vaikuhaptito the attainment of Vaikuha; virodhinawhich obstructs. Even so, the disease of aspiring for other goals may hinder devotees from attaining Vaikuha. To keep their hearts free of this, devotees should with pure love continue practicing devotional service. COMMENTARY: Prema, pure love of God, is never tainted by desires for selfish benefits. Such ambitions cause all sorts of anxieties, which burn the diseased heart. A devotee who wants to experience the higher reality of prema must cure himself of this heart disease; otherwise, entanglements will hamper his progress toward Vaikuha as he fulfills his ulterior desires. Selfish desires cause misfortune in this world and obstruct ones endeavors to attain the spiritual world beyond. But when ones prema is finally awakened these harmful desires vanish, and the sanctified devotee knows only perfect happiness in this life and the next. TEXTS 130131 YaPYaeTaad*Xaq >ai-YaR}a Ya}aaePaPaTae ) TataTSQaaNa& ih vEku-<#=STa}a Ta}aEv Sa Pa[>au" )) TaQaaiPa SavRda Saa+aadNYa}a >aGava&STaQaa ) Na d*XYaeTaeiTa vEku-<#=ae_vXYa& >aErPae+YaTae )) yady apy etd bhaktir

yatra yatropapadyate tat tat sthna hi vaikuhas tatra tatraiva sa prabhu tathpi sarvad skd anyatra bhagavs tath na dyeteti vaikuho vaya bhaktair apekyate yadi apialthough; etdsuch; bhaktidevotional service; yatra yatrawherever; upapadyateappears; tat tatthat; sthnamplace; hicertainly; vaikuhaVaikuha; tatra tatrathere; evaindeed; saHe; prabhuthe Supreme Lord; tath apinonetheless; sarvad always; sktdirectly visible; anyatrasomewhere else; bhagavnthe Supreme Lord; tathso; na dyetacannot be seen; itithus; vaikuhaVaikuha; avayamnecessarily; bhaktaiby the devotees; apekyateshould be regarded as important. Although wherever there is such devotional service the Supreme Lord surely appears, and indeed that place is Vaikuha, devotees must still have special regard for the Vaikuha world because nowhere else is the Personality of Godhead always directly to be seen. COMMENTARY: A question may arise: Since prema-bhakti ridicules the happiness of Brahman realization, includes all sweet varieties of supreme ecstasy, and is available here in this world, what need is there to go elsewhere? In the Padma Pura (Krttika-mhtmya) the Lord Himself says that He can be found wherever His devotees remember Him: nha vasmi vaikuhe yogin hdaye na ca mad-bhakt yatra gyanti tatra tihmi nrada I do not live in Vaikuha, nor in the hearts of the yogs. I stay instead, O Nrada, in that place where My devotees sing My glories. The Vaikuha-dtas point out that there is one reason why Vaikuha-loka is a more desirable place for devotees than the material universe: Only in the transcendental world, Vaikuha, is the Supreme Lord always visible with all His variegated charm, beauty, pastimes, and personal qualities. TEXT 132

SavRPa[k-airk-a >ai-STaad*Xaq c SadaNYaTa" ) Na SaMPaeTa iNaivRgana TaiEbRhui>a" Sah )) sarva-prakrik bhaktis td ca sadnyata na sampadyeta nirvighn tan-nihair bahubhi saha sarva-prakrikin all its forms; bhaktidevotional service; td such; caand; sadalways; anyataelsewhere; na sampadyetais not realized; nirvighnwithout disturbance; tatto Him; nihai who are dedicated; bahubhi sahain the company of many devotees. Nowhere else can such bhakti to Him, in all its forms, be realized forever, without disturbance, and in the company of so many surrendered devotees. COMMENTARY: The devotional service in Vaikuha is unmixed with material tendencies; it is motivated solely by pure prema. Because in Vaikuha there are none of the frustrations imposed by time and physical limitations, the Vaiavas who live there in their spiritual bodies can enjoy the rasas of prema-bhakti with full freedom available nowhere else. All Vaiavas, therefore, should give r Vaikuha-loka the honor it deserves. TEXT 133 iNaJaeiNd]YaMaNa"k-aYaceaPaa& Na ivi TaaMa( ) iNaTYaSaTYagaNaaNaNdPaa Saa ih Gau<aaiTaGaa )) nijendriya-mana-kyace-rp na viddhi tm nitya-satya-ghannandarp s hi gutig nijaof ones own; indriyasenses; manamind; kyaand body; ceof activity; rpmhaving the form; na viddhiyou should not consider; tmit; nityaeternal; satyaabsolute; ghanaintense; nandaof ecstasy; rphaving the form; s it; hiindeed; gua the material modes; atigbeyond. You should not consider devotional service merely an activity of the body, senses, and mind. It is in fact the eternal absolute reality, manifesting itself as the most intense ecstasy, beyond the material modes.

COMMENTARY: In Text 123, where the Vaikuha messengers advised Gopa-kumra to practice devotional service (bhaktim anutiha), this might be mistaken to mean that bhakti is a ritualistic practice, something to be accomplished by human endeavor. To correct this potential misunderstanding, they here explain that pure bhakti is never approached by material senses. Even though hearing is done with the ears, chanting with the tongue, remembering with the mind, and praying and other activities with the limbs of the body, these activities are not material; they are spiritual activities that can be performed only by a devotees awakened spiritual senses. TEXT 134 iNaGauR<ae SaidaNaNdaTMaiNa k*-Z<aPa[SaadTa" ) Sfu-rNTaq ivl/SaTYaaTMa>a-aNaa& bhuDaa Maude )) nirgue sac-cid-nandtmani ka-prasdata sphurant vilasaty tmabhaktn bahudh mude nirguefree from the material modes; sat-cit-nandaon the spiritual platform of eternity, knowledge, and bliss; tmaniin the hearts; ka-prasdataby Kas mercy; sphurantrevealing itself; vilasatiit is present; tmaHis; bhaktnmof the devotees; bahudhin many varieties; mudehappily. By Lord Kas mercy, His devotees happily realize this devotional service in many varieties. It reveals itself to them in their hearts, which are free from the material modes and immersed in eternity, knowledge, and bliss. COMMENTARY: If devotional service can be performed only with spiritual senses, how can conditioned souls ever qualify to engage in it? They can be purified sufficiently to begin transcendental hearing and chanting of the glories of the Lord only by Kas causeless mercy. As devotees mature in their practice, their individual tastes gradually appear, and on the higher levels of advancement their reciprocations with Ka become increasingly precise, diverse, and ecstatic. TEXT 135 ivXaue Tau ivveke-Na SaTYaaTMaiNa hre" PadMa( ) GaTae_PYaPa[ak*-Ta& >ai-ivDaYaae ivl/SaiNTa ih ))

viuddhe tu vivekena saty tmani hare padam gate py aprkta bhaktividhayo vilasanti hi viuddhecompletely pure; tuand; vivekenaby discrimination; sati becoming; tmanithe heart; hareof Hari; padamabode; gate being attained; apialso; aprktamtranscendental; bhaktiof devotional service; vidhayavarieties; vilasantibecome manifest; hi certainly. When by spiritual discrimination a devotee becomes completely pure in heart and attains the transcendental abode of the Lord, he realizes the wonderful varieties of devotional service. COMMENTARY: The argument for how an aspiring Vaiava becomes spiritualized is presented positively in this verse and negatively in the next. By learning to discern spirit from matter, a devotee gradually frees his consciousness from entanglement with the material body, its senses, and the things of this world. In Bhagavad-gt (5.9) r Ka describes this kind of discrimination to Arjuna. Indriyyndriyrtheu / vartanta iti dhrayan: One becomes aware that the senses are simply interacting with their objects. When one is finally free from all material contact, one can enter Vaikuha, the realm of Lord Hari, where there is also no connection with matter. There one can enjoy the real varieties of life. TEXT 136 ANYaQaeTark-MaaR<aqvETae_iPa SYauNaR SaTaa" ) k-aYaeiNd]YaaTMaceaTaae jaNaeNaaTMaiNa XaaeiDaTae )) anyathetara-karmvaite pi syur na sagat kyendriytma-ceto jnentmani odhite anyathotherwise; itarahere; karmiactivities; ivajust like; ete these; apialso; syuwould be; na sagatinappropriate; kya of the body; indriyasenses; tmaand mind; cetafrom the activities; jnenaby transcendental knowledge; tmaniin a heart; odhitewhich has been purified.

Otherwise, for one whose heart has by transcendental knowledge been freed from the material endeavors of the body, senses, and mind, the activities of devotional service would be no more suitable than ordinary affairs. COMMENTARY: If devotional service consisted of actions of the material senses upon material objects, it would be no more spiritual than any other activity. No purified person who has given up material activities would want to engage in it. After having struggled to put aside the obligations of Vedic duties, nitya and naimittika (regular and occasional), why would one accept new karmic entanglement? The advanced soul would judge the activities of Vaiavas unfavorably, applying to them the principle that only the senses are involved with their objects. TEXT 137 ANYae>Ya wv k-MaR>Yaae >aGavi-k-MaRTa" ) iviv-" SaNk-Qa& YaaTau vEku-<#&= Maui-MahRiTa )) anyebhya iva karmabhyo bhagavad-bhakti-karmata vivikta san katha ytu vaikuha muktim arhati anyebhyafrom other; ivaas if; karmabhyaactivities; bhagavatbhaktiof devotional service to the Supreme Person; karmatafrom the activity; viviktarenounced; satbeing; kathamwhy; ytuone should go; vaikuhamto Vaikuha; muktimliberation; arhatihe deserves. Why should one who renounces the acts of devotion to the Supreme Lord, as if these were like other activities, go to Vaikuha? He should obtain only liberation. COMMENTARY: Impersonalists who consider devotional activity to be material have failed to receive even a touch of mercy from devotional service. If they have actually attained naikarmya, relief from attachment to the results of material work, they can have liberation, but without bhakti they can never enter Vaikuha. To attain Vaikuha one must be favored with the blessings of bhakti. Thus the spiritual nature of devotional service is proven by both positive and negative logic. TEXT 138

Na NYak-MaRvi-riPa k-MaeRiTa MaNYaTaaMa( ) bihd*RyEv JaLPYaeTa >a-dehaidvTKvicTa( )) na hy anya-karma-vad bhaktir api karmeti manyatm bahir-dyaiva jalpyeta bhakta-dehdi-vat kvacit nanot; hiindeed; anyaother; karmaactivities; vatlike; bhakti devotional service; apiyet; karmamaterial activity; itithus; manyatmlet it be considered; bahiexternal; dyby vision; evaonly; jalpyetalet it be said casually; bhaktaof the devotees; deha-dithe bodies and so on; vatlike; kvacitsometimes. Even if persons whose vision is limited and materialistic think devotional service just another kind of karma, it is not at all. Let them think that way and let them talk on in that way, as they do when they dismiss as material the bodies and personal qualities of the Lords devotees. COMMENTARY: Technically speaking, active devotional service is also a kind of disciplined work, like the duties of persons following the varrama system. In this sense bhakti may also be called a variety of karma. The Vaikuha-dtas themselves used the word bhaktikarma in the previous verse. But even though this concession may be granted to appease those not devoted to the Lord, bhakti should still not be regarded as karma in the sense of being a function of the material body. Some schools of thought, for example Jaiminis Karma-mms philosophy, regard bhagavad-bhakti as the best of the various kinds of good karma that can purify the mind. But they think like this only because their point of view is mundane. The same word body may be applied both to material bodies made of the five elements and to the sac-cid-nanda forms of the residents of Vaikuha. Or the word jewel may be used to refer to glass ornaments or to the Vaikuha cintmai gems. Or the Sanskrit word sattva may be used to indicate either one of the three modes of material nature or the transcendental nature of the Supreme Truth, the source of all existence and all goodness. It is in this second sense that the word is used in scriptural texts like this one from rmad-Bhgavatam (10.2.35): sattva na ced dhtar ida nija bhaved vijnam ajna-bhidpamrjanam O Lord, cause of all causes, if Your transcendental body were not beyond the modes of material nature, one could not understand the

difference between matter and transcendence. Only those whose vision is external can identify matter with spirit or use the one word karma to equate worldly duties with pure devotional service. TEXT 139 >a-aNaa& SaidaNaNdPaeZveiNd]YaaTMaSau ) ga$=Tae SvaNauPaezu vEku-<#e=_NYa}a c SvTa" )) bhaktn sac-cid-nandarpev agendriytmasu ghaate svnurpeu vaikuhe nyatra ca svata bhaktnmof devotees; sat-cit-nandaeternal, full of knowledge, and blissful; rpeuin the bodies; agaof limbs; indriyaand senses; tmasuwhich consist; ghaateit manifests; sva-anurpeu which (bodies) are suitable for them; vaikuhein Vaikuha; anyatraelsewhere; caand; svataspontaneously. In Vaikuha and elsewhere, the transcendental nature of devotional activity spontaneously shows itself in the suitably formed sac-cid-nanda bodies of the Lords devotees, bodies composed of limbs and senses. COMMENTARY: Devotional service is thus established as transcendental activity that naturally manifests itself in the purified hearts of the devotees; it is not material. Still, someone might question how selfmanifesting bhakti could appear in devotees as such activities as hearing and chanting, which involve the body and its senses. To clear this doubt, we need to understand that devotees of the Supreme Lord, both in Vaikuha and elsewhere, perform bhakti with spiritual bodies and senses. There is no discrepancy in this conception, because the limbs and senses of the pure Vaiavas are equal in spiritual quality with pure devotional service. Even devotees who still live in this world in bodies made of material energy can engage in pure bhakti because the awakening of bhakti transforms their bodies. Either their bodies become literally sac-cid-nanda, or bhakti enters their material bodies by the potency of the Supreme Lords special mercy, or else their bodies and senses become suitable for performing bhakti by some God-given potency inherent in the jvas themselves. TEXT 140

vYaMa}a Pa[Maa<a& SMaae_iNaXa& vEku<#=PaazRda" ) TaNvNTaae bhuDaa >ai-MaSPa*a" Pa[ak*TaEGauR<aE" )) vayam atra prama smo nia vaikuha-prad tanvanto bahudh bhaktim asp prktair guai vayamwe; atrain this matter; pramamevidence; smaare; aniamconstantly; vaikuhaof the Lord of Vaikuha; prad associates; tanvantadisseminating; bahudhin many ways; bhaktimdevotional service; aspuntouched; prktaiof material nature; guaiby the modes. We ourselves are evidence of this truth. As associates of the Lord of Vaikuha, we constantly spread devotional service in many ways and yet are untouched by the material modes. COMMENTARY: The Vaikuha messengers themselves are proof that devotional service is completely nonmaterial and that those who have attained a spiritual body in Vaikuha engage in the various activities of devotional service, beginning with hearing and chanting. The bodies of the Vaikuha residents are untouched by the twenty-three elements of matter. As King Yudhihira confirms in rmadBhgavatam (7.1.35), dehendriysu-hnn/ vaikuha-puravsinm: The bodies of the inhabitants of Vaikuha are completely spiritual, having nothing to do with the material body, senses, or life air. TEXT 141 NavqNaSaevk-aNaa& Tau Pa[qTYaa SaMYaKPa[v*taYae ) iNaJaeiNd]YaaidVYaaPaarTaYaEv Pa[iTa>aaiTa Saa )) navna-sevakn tu prty samyak-pravttaye nijendriydi-vypratayaiva pratibhti s navnanew; sevaknmof servants; tuand; prtywith relish; samyakcorrectly; pravttayein order to engage; nijatheir own; indriya-diof the senses and so on; vypratayas functions; eva only; pratibhtiappears; sit (devotional service).

Devotional service appears to new servants of the Lord to be a function of their own senses, body, and mind so that such neophytes can engage in devotional service with relish, as they should. COMMENTARY: When one undertakes devotional service, one perceives ones devotional activities to be external functions of the material body. Why should such direct perception be denied? It should be denied because such perception is only the experience of beginners in devotional practice. Bhakti encourages those who are new to the Lords service to think Oh, my own tongue is vibrating the names of God, and my own ears are hearing them! In this way the faith of the neophytes is evoked, since otherwise they would have difficulty making the effort required to surrender their independence. TEXT 142 Mahi>aRi-iNaE Na SvaDaqNaeiTa MaNYaTae ) MahaPa[SaadPaeYa& Pa[>aaeirTYaNau>aUYaTae )) mahadbhir bhakti-nihai ca na svdhneti manyate mah-prasda-rpeya prabhor ity anubhyate mahadbhiby the great devotees; bhakti-nihaiwho are well established in bhakti; caand; nanot; sva-adhnaunder ones control; itithus; manyateis considered; mah-prasdaof supreme mercy; rpas a manifestation; iyamit; prabhoof the Supreme Lord; itithus; anubhyateis perceived. But great devotees fixed in devotional service do not think the services they do to be actions under their own control but expressions of the Lords supreme mercy. TEXT 143 Tvra ceiTae [qMaEku-<#=al/aek-Nae Tav ) SavaR>aqPa[d[ea& Taa& [qv[Ja>auv& v[Ja )) tvar ced vidyate rmadvaikuhlokane tava sarvbha-prada-reh t r-vraja-bhuva vraja

tvarhaste; cetif; vidyatethere is; rmatdivine; vaikuha Vaikuha; lokanein seeing; tavayour; sarvaall; abha ambitions; pradaof places which fulfill; rehmthe best; tm there; r-vrajaof r Vraja; bhuvamto the land; vrajago. If you are in a hurry to see the divine world of Vaikuha, then go to r Vraja-bhmi, the place that can best award the fulfillment of all your ambitions. COMMENTARY: Having received the mercy of Lord Mahevara, Gopakumra is sure to achieve Vaikuha. Meanwhile he can proceed to ivaloka, from which he will be able to approach Vaikuha in due time. But as the Vaikuha messengers know, Gopa-kumra is anxious to reach Vaikuha as quickly as possible. So after describing various related topics, the messengers now give the essence of their instruction: Gopa-kumra should return to Vraja on earth and there practice pure bhakti to fulfill his ambitions. TEXT 144 Par& [qMaTPadaM>aaeJaSadaSaTYaPae+aYaa ) NaaMaSaqTaRNaPa[aYaa& ivXaua& >ai-Maacr )) para rmat-padmbhojasadsagaty-apekay nma-sakrtana-pry viuddh bhaktim cara paramsimply; rmatdivine; pada-ambhojaof His lotus feet; sad eternal; sagatifor the association; apekaywith the hope; nma-sakrtanain the form of loudly chanting the Lords names; prymmostly; viuddhmpure; bhaktimdevotional service; carayou should practice. Simply practice pure devotional service, mainly in the form of nma-sakrtana, with the hope of gaining the eternal contact of the Lords divine lotus feet. COMMENTARY: Bhagavan-nma-sakrtana, loud chanting of the holy name of the Lord, is the most effective way to achieve Vaikuha, or whatever else one may desire. But the chanting must be practiced in pure devotion, unmixed with motives of karma and jna. TEXT 145

TaYaaXau Taad*Xaq Pa[eMaSaMPaduTPaadiYaZYaTae ) YaYaa Sau%& Tae >aivTaa vEku-<#e= k*Z<adXaRNaMa( )) tayu td premasampad utpdayiyate yay sukha te bhavit vaikuhe ka-daranam tayby that (devotional service); uquickly; tdsuch; prema of pure love; sampatthe treasure; utpdayiyatewill be realized; yayby which; sukhameasily; tefor you; bhavitthere will be; vaikuhein Vaikuha; ka-daranamthe sight of Ka. By that devotional service you will soon realize the treasure of prema, and you will easily see Ka in Vaikuha. COMMENTARY: Pure love of God is the most sublime wealth. As Lord Brahm says in rmad-Bhgavatam (3.15.25) while describing his own vision of Vaikuha: yac ca vrajanty animim abhnuvtty dre yam hy upari na sphaya-l bhartur mitha su-yaasa kathannurgavaiklavya-bpa-kalay pulak-ktg Persons whose bodily features change in ecstasy and who breathe heavily and perspire due to hearing the glories of the Lord are promoted to the kingdom of God, even though they do not care for meditation and other austerities. The kingdom of God is above the material universes, and it is desired by me and other demigods. TEXT 146 Pa[eM<aae_NTar& ik-l/ SaaDaNaaetaMa& MaNYaeTa kE-iTSMar<a& Na k-ITaRNaMa( ) Wke-iNd]Yae vaic ivceTaNae Sau%& >ai-" Sfu-rTYaaXau ih k-ITaRNaaiTMak-a )) premo ntar-aga kila sdhanottama manyeta kaicit smaraa na krtanam ekendriye vci vicetane sukha bhakti sphuraty u hi krtantmik premaof pure love; anta-agamessential; kilaindeed; sdhana-uttamamthe highest means of achievement; manyetais

thought; kaicitby some; smaraamremembering; nanot; krtanamchanting; eka-indriyein the single sense; vcispeech; vicetaneunconscious; sukhamwith ease; bhaktidevotional service; sphuratiappears; uquickly; hiindeed; krtana-tmik in the form of chanting. Some think that remembering, rather than chanting, is the essential means of devotional practice, the means that most effectively leads to prema, for bhakti in the form of chanting appears quickly and easily, and in only one sense, that of speech, which is not itself alive and conscious. COMMENTARY: This was the opinion expressed by the masters of yoga on Tapoloka, that of all the forms of devotional service the best is smaraa, remembering. Pippalyana and others insisted that remembering the Lord, rather than chanting His names, is the most essential means of achieving prema. They reasoned that krtana involves only one sense, that of speech, which is one of the karmendriyas, an unconcious material entity. And since the krtana process is perfected very quickly, its result must be less than that of smaraa. TEXT 147 >ai-" Pa[k*-a SMar<aaiTMak-aiSMaNa( SaveRiNd]Yaa<aaMaiDaPae ivl/aele/ ) gaaere bil/e MaNaiSa Pa[YaaSaEr( NaqTae vXa& >aaiTa ivXaaeiDaTae Yaa )) bhakti prak smaratmiksmin sarvendriym adhipe vilole ghore balihe manasi praysair nte vaa bhti viodhite y bhaktidevotional service; praksuperior; smaraa-tmikin the form of remembering; asminin this; sarva-indriymof all the senses; adhipethe chief; viloleturbulent; ghorefrightful; balihe mighty; manasithe mind; praysaiby great efforts; nte brought; vaamunder control; bhtiit manifests; viodhitewhich has become completely purified; ywhich (bhakti). Superior bhakti in the form of remembering, they think, appears within the mindthat turbulent, frightful, and mighty chief of all the senseswhen by serious efforts the mind has been brought under control and fully purified.

COMMENTARY: Everyone has experience that the mind is difficult to control. To subdue and purify it is a great achievement. Because the mind is the ruler of the senses, when the mind is controlled the functions of the senses, including krtana, are also controlled. In the words of the mendicant from Avant in rmad-Bhgavatam (11.23.47, 45): mano-vae nye hy abhavan sma dev mana ca nnyasya vaa sameti bhmo hi deva sahasa sahyn yujyd vae ta sa hi deva-deva All the senses have been under the control of the mind since time immemorial, and the mind himself never comes under the sway of any other sense. He is stronger than the strongest, and his godlike power is fearsome. Therefore, anyone who can bring the mind under control becomes the master of all the senses. dna sva-dharmo niyamo yama ca ruta ca karmi ca sad-vratni sarve mano-nigraha-lakant paro hi yogo manasa samdhi Charity, prescribed duties, observing major and minor regulative principles, hearing from scripture, performing pious works, and observing purifying vows all finally aim at subduing the mind. Indeed, concentration of the mind on the Supreme is the highest yoga. Therefore, in the opinion of the residents of Tapoloka, one achieves the highest perfection by controlling ones mind and engaging it in remembrance of the Supreme Lord. TEXT 148 MaNYaaMahe k-ITaRNaMaev SataMa& l/ael/aTMakE-k-Svid Sfu-rTSMa*Tae" ) vaic SvYaue- MaNaiSa [uTaaE TaQaa dqVYaTParaNaPYauPaku-vRdaTMYavTa( )) manymahe krtanam eva sat-tama loltmakaika-sva-hdi sphurat-smte vci sva-yukte manasi rutau tath dvyat parn apy upakurvad tmya-vat manymahewe consider; krtanamchanting; evaonly; sat-tamam most excellent; lola-tmakaunsteady; ekaonly; sva-hdiin ones heart; sphuratmanifesting; smtethan remembering; vci

in the faculty of speech; svain it (chanting); yuktewhich is engaged; manasiin the mind; rutauin the sense of hearing; tath also; dvyatsporting; parnothers; apialso; upakurvatit helps; tmya-vatlike oneself. But we consider chanting to be alone the most excellent form of bhakti, better than remembering, which appears only in ones own turbulent heart. For chanting harnesses not only the faculty of speech, which it engages directly, but also the mind and sense of hearing. And chanting helps not only the person practicing it but others as well. COMMENTARY: This is the Vaikuha-dtas own opinion. Smaraa is purely an internal function, but krtana, which actively employs ones power of speech, affects both ones internal and external environments. Krtana also acts on the mind, bringing it subconsciously into contact with all spiritual sensory functions. If this subtle contact were not established, the spirit soul could not awaken to his real life. The transcendental sound of krtana enters the ears on its own strength, without any effort by the hearer, and thus it benefits not only the chanter but everyone who hears it, treating them all as its subservient dependents. The process of remembrance does not have such power. In fact, as long as the minds fickle character has not changed, smaraa cannot manifest itself fully. When we realistically consider the relative value of smaraa and krtana, we find, therefore, that the difficulty of performing smaraa does not make smaraa more important. In the Viu Pura (6.8.57) the sage Parara has said: yasmin nyasta-matir na yti naraka svargo pi yaccintane vighno yatra niveittma-manaso brhmo pi loko lpaka mukti cetasi ya sthito mala-dhiy pus dadty avyaya ki citra yad agha prayti vilaya tatrcyute krtite One who fixes his mind on Lord Acyuta will never go to hell. Indeed, by thinking about Him one will attain heaven. For one whose mind is fully absorbed in thought of Him, even the world of Brahm is but an insignificant obstruction on the path. The infallible Lord bestows liberation on those pure souls in whose hearts He is present. Is it any wonder, then, that when Lord Acyutas glories are chanted all sins are destroyed? By the krtana of Lord Vius names even the sinful Ajmila, who could not remember the Lord at all, attained liberation. The beneficial

results of meditation, sacrifice, and worship are all automatically obtained in the process of krtana, especially in the present age: dhyyan kte yajan yajais trety dvpare rcayan yad pnoti tad pnoti kalau sakrtya keavam What was accomplished in the Kta Age by meditation, in Tret by ritual sacrifices, and in Dvpara by worship of the Deity of the Lord, in this Kali Age is accomplished by loud chanting of the names of Keava. (Viu Pura 6.2.17) The claim made in this statement and others about the potency of hari-nma-sakrtana is not merely rhetoric; it is proven by the life histories of many successful Vaiavas. TEXT 149 baaNTaraXaezzqk-cal/k&vaiGaiNd]Ya& SYaaid Sa&YaTa& Sada ) icta& iSQar& SaGavTSMa*TaaE Tada SaMYak( Pa[vTaeRTa TaTa" SMa*iTa" f-l/Ma( )) bhyntarea-hka-claka vg-indriya syd yadi sayata sad citta sthira sad-bhagavat-smtau tad samyak pravarteta tata smti phalam bhyaexternal; ntaraand internal; aeaall; hkasenses; clakamwhich moves; vk-indriyamthe sense of speech; sytis; yadiif; sayatambrought under control; sadconstantly; cittam the mind; sthiramsteady; sattranscendental; bhagavatof the Supreme Lord; smtauin remembrance; tadthen; samyak properly; pravartetadevelops; tatathen; smtiremembrance; phalamas the fruit. If the sense of speech, which sets all the external and internal senses in motion, is brought under constant control, then the mind becomes stable and can properly engage in transcendental remembrance of the Lord. Remembrance thus develops as the fruit of chanting. TEXT 150 Wv& Pa[>aaeDYaaRNarTaEMaRTa" ced( buyed*Xa& Ta}a ivvecNaqYaMa( )

DYaaNa& PairSfU-iTaRivXaeziNaa SaMbNDaMaa}a& MaNaSaa SMa*iTaihR )) eva prabhor dhyna-ratair mata ced buddhyeda tatra vivecanyam dhyna parisphrti-viea-nih sambandha-mtra manas smtir hi evamthus; prabhoof the Lord; dhyna-rataiby those attached to meditation; mataconsidered; cetif; buddhywith their intelligence; damin this way; tatrain that regard; vivecanyam should be discriminated; dhynammeditation; parisphrti manifestation; vieawith particular qualities; nihinvolving; sambandhacoming in contact; mtrammerely; manasby the mind; smtiremembrance; hicertainly. If those attached to meditation on the Lord still insist that remembering is of greater importance, with their intelligence they should make the following distinction: In meditation the Lord reveals Himself fully with His particular qualities, but in remembrance the mind merely comes in contact with the Lord. COMMENTARY: Some sincere and intelligent Vaiavas are firmly convinced that meditation on the Lord is the best form of devotional service. Since they perceive an authentic spiritual taste from their meditation, their opinion must be honored; but as the Vaikuha-dtas here suggest, this opinion should be adjusted to make it exactly correct. The advocates of the meditational process think as follows: The faculty of speech has the power to mobilize all the senses, both external (like the ears) and internal (like the mind). If a person steadies his mind by controlling his speech, either through silence or through bhagavat-krtana, he can begin the practice of remembering the Supreme Lord. So krtana is the means to the goal of smaraa. Scriptures may say that in Kali-yuga the perfection of krtana is itself the goal and automatically includes the results of smaraabut that is only in reference to the special situation of the modern age. It may also be said that the exceptional faults of Kali-yuga can be counteracted only by the very powerful process of krtana, not by meditation alone or any other means, but actually there is no absolute rule that meditation on the Lord is less than enough to wash away the contamination of the modern age. Rather, hundreds of convincing statements of scripture confirm that simply remembering the Personality of Godhead destroys ones sinful reactions. Thus meditation is the best form of devotional service.

The Vaikuha-dtas accept this opinion, as long as it is qualified by the understanding that true meditation on the Supreme Lord is a very mature stage of devotional development. In meditation the devotee realizes the Lord in the heart and directly perceives many details of the Lords exquisite beauty and charm, from His feet to the hair on His head. But in the more usual smti, or remembrance, the mind only comes in contact with the Lord, as when one thinks God exists or I am the Supreme Lords servant. TEXT 151 ceyaNaveGaaT%lu/ ictav*taav( ANTa>aRvNTaqiNd]Yav*taYaSTaa" ) SaqTaRNaSPaXaRNadXaRNaaa DYaaNa& Tada k-ITaRNaTaae_STau vYaRMa( )) ced dhyna-vegt khalu citta-vttv antar-bhavantndriya-vttayas t sakrtana-sparana-darandy dhyna tad krtanato stu varyam cetif; dhynaof meditation; vegtby the force; khaluindeed; citta-vttauinto the function of the mind; anta-bhavantibecome absorbed; indriya-vttayathe functions of the senses; tthey; sakrtana chanting; sparanatouching; darana-dyseeing and so on; dhynammeditation; tadthen; krtanatathan chanting; astulet it be; varyamsuperior. If by the force of ones meditation all the functions of the sensessakrtana of the Lord, physical contact with Him, seeing Him, and so onbecome absorbed into the function of the mind, that meditation may be accepted as better than chanting out loud. COMMENTARY: If a devotee becomes so proficient in dhyna (meditation on the Lord) that the devotional practices he earlier performed with his speech, touch, eyes, and other senses become spontaneous activities of his mind, then of course for that devotee meditation has become the most suitable practice. He can inwardly continue his ravaa, krtana, and so on, with or without the participation of his external senses. TEXT 152 Pa[qiTaYaRTaae YaSYa Sau%& c YaeNa SaMYaG>avetad]iSak-SYa TaSYa )

TaTSaaDaNa& [eTaMa& SauSaeVYa& SaiMaRTa& Pa[TYauTa SaaDYaPaMa( )) prtir yato yasya sukha ca yena samyag bhavet tad rasikasya tasya tat sdhana reha-tama su-sevya sadbhir mata praty uta sdhya-rpam prtisatisfaction; yatafrom which; yasyawhose; sukham happiness; caand; yenaby which; samyakcomplete; bhavetis; tatthat; rasikasyaof a devotee with true spiritual taste; tasyahis; tatthat; sdhanamdevotional practice; reha-tamambest; susevyammost fit to be followed; sadbhiby saintly authorities; matamconsidered; prati utarather; sdhya-rpamas the aim of endeavor. Whatever the devotional method by which a man with true spiritual taste feels satisfaction and complete joy, that is the method saintly authorities deem most excellent and effective for him. It is not only the best of methods but the very aim of his endeavor. COMMENTARY: How should we regard the meditation in which a Vaiava does not experience the sensory functions of sakrtana, touching the Lord, and so on, but merely contemplates the Lords form? That style of devotional service should also be accepted as perfect for the devotee who derives pleasure from it. When a devotee feels eager attraction to any of the nine kinds of service, that devotional method becomes the means for him to quickly fulfill all his desires. Moreover, his practice will gradually evolve into prema, the final goal of devotional life. TEXT 153 SaqTaRNaayaNaSau%& ivvDaRTae DYaaNaa SaqTaRNaMaaDaurqSau%& ) ANYaaeNYaSa&vDaRk-TaaNau>aUYaTae _SMaai>aSTaYaaeSTad(YaMaek-Maev TaTa( )) sakrtand dhyna-sukha vivardhate dhync ca sakrtana-mdhur-sukha anyonya-savardhakatnubhyate smbhis tayos tad dvayam ekam eva tat sakrtantfrom sakrtana; dhynaof meditation; sukhamthe happiness; vivardhateincreases; dhyntfrom meditation; caand;

sakrtanaof sakrtana; mdhurfrom the sweetness; sukham the joy; anyonyamutual; savardhakatthe quality of fortifying; anubhyateis experienced; asmbhiby us; tayoof the two; tat thus; dvayamthe two; ekamone; evaverily; tatthat. Sakrtana expands the joy of meditation, meditation the sweet joy of sakrtana. In our own experience, the two methods fortify one another and are therefore actually one. COMMENTARY: The Vaikuha messengers own opinion is that both meditation and sakrtana are advantageous. The two methods support one another, and because one or the other may be more suitable in different times, places, and circumstances, their mutual dependence should not cause confusion. Either may be done separately, but neither, in the end, is complete without the other. Regardless of which serves as the cause and which the effect, the two are essentially nondifferent. TEXT 154 DYaaNa& c SaqTaRNavTSau%Pa[d& YaSTauNaae_>aqTarSYa k-SYaicTa( ) ictae_Nau>aUTYaaiPa YaQaeC^Mauvec( ^aiNTaSTadek-aiivz-ceTaSaaMa( )) dhyna ca sakrtana-vat sukha-prada yad vastuno bha-tarasya kasyacit citte nubhtypi yatheccham udbhavec chntis tad-ekpti-viakta-cetasm dhynammeditation; caand; sakrtana-vatlike chanting; sukhapradambestowing happiness; yatas; vastunaof an object; abha-tarasyamost desired; kasyacitcertain; cittein the heart; anubhtyby perceiving; apiindeed; yath-icchamaccording to ones desire; udbhavetone attains; ntipeace; tatso; ekaon one only; ptigoal of attainment; viaktaintent; cetasmof those whose hearts. Meditation bestows the same joy as sakrtana when a meditating devotee directly sees the object of his hearts desire. Such a devotee, intent only on reaching that one desired object he worships, is sure to find spiritual peace. TEXTS 155156

YaQaa JvrJaaTaaRNaa& XaqTal/aMa*TaPaaQaSa" ) MaNa"PaaNaadiPa }au$yeta*Ek-LYa& Sau%& >aveTa( )) TataTSaqTaRNaeNaaiPa TaQaa SYaaid XaKYaTae ) SaTaaMaQa ivive-_iPa l/a SYaaTSvErk-ITaRNae )) yath jvara-rujrtn talmta-pthasa mana-pnd api truyet t-vaikalya sukha bhavet tat-tat-sakrtanenpi tath syd yadi akyate satm atha vivikte pi lajj syt svaira-krtane yathas; jvarafeverish; rujfrom a disease; rtnmfor those who are suffering; talacool; amtanectarlike; pthasaof water; manawith the mind; pntby drinking; apieven; truyet is eradicated; tof thirst; vaikalyamthe agitation; sukham happiness; bhavetarises; tat-tatof any of those (desired objects); sakrtanenaby chanting the glories; apieven; tathso; sytis; yadiif; akyateis possible; satmby saintly persons; athaand; viviktein seclusion; apieven; lajjembarrassment; sytoccurs; svairauninhibitedly; krtanewhile chanting. As by drinking cool, nectarean water, even if only within the mind, a diseased person stricken by fever enjoys happiness as the distress of his thirst is quenched, so simply by chanting the glories of the object one worships one can attain peace. Yet when saintly persons chant without inhibition they may feel embarrassed, even in a secluded place. COMMENTARY: In general, the tongue cannot fully describe everything going on in the mind. This is especially so in the ecstasy of hari-nmasakrtana. Vaiavas engaged in sakrtana may sometimes feel the urge to describe what is happening within their hearts and, although these matters are confidential, may sometimes, by their words and bodily expressions, disclose what should remain private. And this may leave them embarrassed, even when there are no witnesses. TEXT 157 Wk-aik-TveNa Tau DYaaNa& ivive- %lu/ iSaDYaiTa ) SaqTaRNa& ivive-_iPa bhUNaa& SaTaae_iPa c ))

ekkitvena tu dhyna vivikte khalu sidhyati sakrtana vivikte pi bahn sagato pi ca ekkitvenaalone; tubut; dhynammeditation; viviktein seclusion; khaluindeed; sidhyatiis successfully performed; sakrtanamsakrtana; viviktein seclusion; apialso; bahnmof many; sagatain the company; apialso; caand. Meditation one can successfully perform only in seclusion, but sakrtana either in seclusion or in the company of many others. COMMENTARY: The Vaikuha-dtas have great respect for the process of devotional meditation, yet their own favorite process is sakrtana. Meditation is limited because to perform it one must be in isolation, so as not to be distracted. TEXT 158 k*-Z<aSYa NaaNaaivDak-ITaRNaezu TaaMaSaqTaRNaMaev Mau:YaMa( ) TaTPa[eMaSaMPaNaNae SvYa& d]ak( Xa&- TaTa" [eTaMa& MaTa& TaTa( )) kasya nn-vidha-krtaneu tan-nma-sakrtanam eva mukhyam tat-prema-sampaj-janane svaya drk akta tata reha-tama mata tat kasyaof Ka; nn-vidhaamong the various kinds; krtaneu of chanting; tatHis; nma-sakrtanamchanting of the holy names; evaindeed; mukhyamchief; tatfor Him; premaof pure love; sampatthe treasure; jananeof generating; svayamby itself; drkat once; aktamcapable; tatatherefore; reha-tamam the most excellent; matamconsidered; tatthat. Of the many ways to chant Kas glories, foremost is His nma-sakrtana. It is deemed the best because it can evoke at once the treasure of pure love for Ka. COMMENTARY: Besides nma-sakrtana, chanting of the Lords names, there are other ways of performing krtana, such as reciting the Vedas and Puras, speaking ones own narrations of pastimes of the Lord, singing devotional songs, and offering prayers. Nma-sakrtana,

however, is the best of all because it can at once independently awaken love of God in the heart. Lord Vius messengers are personally convinced of this, and as implied by the unspecific expression matam (it is considered), this is also the opinion of many other spiritual authorities. TEXT 159 [qk*-Z<aNaaMaaMa*TaMaaTMa& Pa[eM<aa SaMaaSvadNa>aiPaUvRMa( ) YaTSaeVYaTae iJaik-YaaivraMa& TaSYaaTaul&/ JaLPaTau k-ae MahtvMa( )) r-ka-nmmtam tma-hdya prem samsvdana-bhagi-prvam yat sevyate jihvikayvirma tasytula jalpatu ko mahattvam r-kaof r Ka; nma-amtamthe nectar of the name; tma-hdyampleasing to the heart; premwith love; samsvdanaof thoroughly relishing; bhagi-prvamwith the many varieties; yatwhich; sevyateis served; jihvikaywith the tongue; avirmamincessantly; tasyaof it; atulamunequal; jalpatucan describe; kawho; mahattvamthe excellence. When relished with love in countless ways through service rendered constantly by the tongue, the nectar of r Kas name delights the heart. Who can describe the unequaled excellence of that nectar of r Kas holy name?

TEXT 160 SaveRza& >aGavaMNaa& SaMaaNaae MaihMaaiPa ceTa( ) TaQaaiPa SviPa[Yae<aaXau SvaQaRiSai" Sau%& >aveTa( )) sarve bhagavan-nmn samno mahimpi cet tathpi sva-priyeu svrtha-siddhi sukha bhavet sarvemof all; bhagavatof the Supreme Lord; nmnmof the names; samnaequal; mahimgreatness; api cetalthough; tath

apinonetheless; sva-priyeaby the one that is dear to oneself; u quickly; sva-arthaof ones goals; siddhifulfillment; sukham easily; bhavetwill be. Though all names of the Lord are equally great, a devotee most quickly and easily achieves his goals by chanting the name that he himself holds most dear. COMMENTARY: Since the Supreme Lords names are all infinite in their glories, one name cannot be greater than another. Cintmai stones may appear in different forms, but they all have the same power; any cintmai can produce whatever a person wants. Nonetheless, if a devotee is especially attracted to a particular name, that name will most quickly and easily carry him to perfection. Thus the devotees who favor the name Rma like to cite the declaration by Lord iva sahasranmabhis tulya/ rma-nma varnane: My dear beautiful wife, the name Rma is equal to one thousand names of Viu. (Padma Pura, Uttara 72.335) TEXT 161 ivic}aicl/aek-aNaa& -MaaTSaveRzu NaaMaSau ) iPa[YaTaaSaM>avataaiNa SavaRi<a SYau" iPa[Yaai<a ih )) vicitra-ruci-lokn kramt sarveu nmasu priyat-sambhavt tni sarvi syu priyi hi vicitravaried; ruciwhose taste; loknmof people; kramtby turns; sarveufor all; nmasuthe names; priyatof affinity; sambhavtdue to the possibility; tnithose; sarviall; syuare; priyidear; hiindeed. Since people have different tastes, each name of the Lord is dear to one person or another. All the names of the Lord are therefore dear. COMMENTARY: A doubting person might ask whether only some of the Lords names are worshiped and others neglected. In fact, however, every name of the Lord has its devotees. The word hi in this verse indicates that this is certainly true. Some Vaiavas prefer one particular name of the Personality of Godhead, and some are attracted to two names, three, or several.

TEXT 162 Wk-iSMaiiNd]Yae Pa[adu>aRUTa& NaaMaaMa*Ta& rSaE" ) AaavYaiTa SavaR<aqiNd]Yaai<a MaDaurEiNaRJaE" )) ekasminn indriye prdurbhta nmmta rasai plvayati sarvndriyi madhurair nijai ekasminin one; indriyesense; prdurbhtammanifest; nmaamtamthe nectar of the Lords name; rasaiby transcendental tastes; plvayatiare flooded; sarviall; indriyithe senses; madhuraisweet; nijaiown. When the nectar of the Lords name appears in just one sense, all the senses are flooded with their own sweet tastes. COMMENTARY: In this way, every enjoyment possible is derived from nma-sakrtana. TEXT 163 Mau:Yaae vaiGaiNd]Yae TaSYaaedYa" SvParhzRd" ) TaTPa[>aaeDYaaRNaTaae_iPa SYaaaMaSaqTaRNa& vrMa( )) mukhyo vg-indriye tasyodaya sva-para-hara-da tat prabhor dhynato pi syn nma-sakrtana varam mukhyaprincipal; vkof speech; indriyein the sense; tasyaof it (the Lords name); udayathe appearance; svato oneself; para and others; hara-dagiving pleasure; tatthus; prabhoon the Lord; dhynatathan meditation; apieven; sytbecomes; nmasakrtanamchanting of His names out loud; varamgreater. Appearing mainly in the sense of speech, the Lords name gives pleasure to the chanter and to others. So even greater than meditation on the Lord is His nma-sakrtana. TEXT 164

NaaMaSaqTaRNa& Pa[ae&- k*-Z<aSYa Pa[eMaSaMPaid ) bil/& SaaDaNa& [e& ParMaak-zRMaN}avTa( )) nma-sakrtana prokta kasya prema-sampadi baliha sdhana reha paramkara-mantra-vat nma-sakrtanamthe sakrtana of the names; proktamis said; kasyaKas; premaof pure love of God; sampadifor the treasure; balihammost powerful; sdhanamthe means of attainment; rehambest; paramasupreme; karawhich has power to attract; mantra-vatlike an incantation. The sakrtana of Kas names is praised as the best and most powerful means to attain the treasure of ka-prema. It is like a potent mantra that can attract precious objects from a distance. COMMENTARY: If one wants the ultimate success in spiritual life, one must take shelter of nma-sakrtana, as the Vaikuha-dtas proclaim exuberantly in this verse. rmad-Bhgavatam (11.2.3940) describes how nma-sakrtana nourishes the devotee: van su-bhadri rathga-per janmni karmi ca yni loke gtni nmni tad-arthakni gyan vilajjo vicared asaga An intelligent person who has controlled his mind and conquered fear should give up all attachment to material objects such as wife, family, and nation and should wander freely without embarrassment, hearing and chanting the holy names of the Lord, the bearer of the chariot wheel. The holy names of Ka are all-auspicious because they describe His transcendental birth and activities, which He performs within this world for the salvation of the conditioned souls. Thus the holy names of the Lord are sung throughout the world. eva-vrata sva-priya-nma-krty jtnurgo druta-citta uccai hasaty atho roditi rauti gyaty unmda-van ntyati loka-bhya By chanting the holy name of the Supreme Lord, one comes to the stage of love of Godhead. Then, fixed in ones vow as an eternal

servant of the Lord, one gradually becomes very much attached to a particular name and form of the Lord. As ones heart melts with ecstatic love one laughs very loudly or cries or shouts. Sometimes one sings and dances like a madman, for one is indifferent to public opinion. TEXT 165 Tadev MaNYaTae >ae-" f-l&/ Tad]iSakE-JaRNaE" ) >aGavTPa[eMaSaMPataaE SadEvaVYai>acarTa" )) tad eva manyate bhakte phala tad-rasikair janai bhagavat-prema-sampattau sadaivvyabhicrata tatthis; evaindeed; manyateis considered; bhakteof devotional service; phalamthe fruit; tatof that (devotional service); rasikaiwho are connoissuers; janaiby people; bhagavat-prema of pure love for the Supreme Lord; sampattauwith the treasure; sad evaalways; avyabhicratabecause of invariable connection. Because nma-sakrtana invariably leads to the treasure of pure love for the Lord, true connoisseurs of devotional service consider nma-sakrtana the very fruit of bhakti. COMMENTARY: According to many pure devotees, nma-sakrtana is not only the best means of devotional service but the final perfection itself. Of course, prema is the final goal of bhakti, but nma-sakrtana so quickly and infallibly leads to prema that the two are considered virtually identical. Wherever prema is seen to have developed, one can presume that nma-sakrtana must have been performed. Nmasakrtana is the necessary and sufficient cause of prema. TEXT 166 Sa+a<a& Pa[eMa>arSYa k*-Z<ae kE-id]SajETa k-QYaTae TaTa( ) Pa[eM<aae >are<aEv iNaJaeNaaMa SaqTaRNa& ih Sfu-riTa Sfu-$=aTYaaR )) sal-lakaa prema-bharasya ke kaicid rasa-jair uta kathyate tat premo bhareaiva nijea-nmasakrtana hi sphurati sphurty

satreal; lakaamthe symptom; prema-bharasyaof being fully in love; kefor Ka; kaicitby some; rasa-jaiknowers of rasa; utaindeed; kathyateis said; tatthat; premaof love; bharea by the weight; evaindeed; nijaby ones own self; iapreferred; nmaof the name; sakrtanamthe chanting; hicertainly; sphurati manifests; sphuaopenly shown; rtywith distress. According to some knowers of rasa, the real sign of a person full of prema is this: As he performs sakrtana of the name he worships, the full force of spiritual agony erupts in him by the weight of his own love. COMMENTARY: Other expert Vaiavas consider sakrtana and prema to be altogether the same. They are mutually the cause of one another and therefore nondifferent. TEXT 167 NaaMNaa& Tau SaqTaRNaMaaiTaR>aaraNa( Maega& ivNaa Pa[av*iz caTak-aNaaMa( ) ra}aaE ivYaaeGaaTSvPaTae rQaaq vGaRSYa ca-aeXaNavTPa[Taqih )) nmn tu sakrtanam rti-bhrn megha vin prvi ctaknm rtrau viyogt sva-pate rathgvargasya ckroana-vat prathi nmnmof the names; tuand; sakrtanamthe sakrtana; rti of distress; bhrtby the burden; meghama cloud; vinwithout; prviduring the rainy season; ctaknmof the sparrows; rtrau at night; viyogtbecause of separation; sva-patefrom their husbands; rathgof cakravk birds; vargasyaof a flock; caand; kroana-vatlike the distressful crying; prathiyou should understand. Like the distressed crying of the ctaka birds on a cloudless day of the rainy season, or the lamenting of a flock of cakravk birds when parted from their husbands at night, the sakrtana of the Lords names arises when one is burdened by too much pain. COMMENTARY: Nma-sakrtana in fact appears only when prema has been enhanced in a special way. Prema enriched with transcendental hankering results in sakrtana. To help us understand, the Vaikuha-

dtas mention, by way of analogy, the ctaka and cakravk birds. The plaintive call of the ctakas, sounding like priya priya (my dear one, my dear one!), resounds on cloudless days of the rainy season. And the lament of the cakravks fills the sky when their husbands are absent at night. In such a way, nma-sakrtana arises when one feels separation from the Lord in pure love of God. The true way of doing bhagavan-nma-sakrtana is to call out to ones beloved Lord in agony, expressing ones feelings in various sweet songs to attract Him. As the philosophical maxim states, siddhasya lakaa yat syt/ sdhana sdhakasya tat: The practitioner and the means of practice should be in accord with their goal. TEXT 168 ivic}al/Il/arSaSaaGarSYa Pa[>aaeivRic}aaTSfu-irTaaTPa[SaadaTa( ) ivic}aSaqTaRNaMaaDaurq Saa Na Tau SvYaaidiTa SaaDau iSaDYaeTa( )) vicitra-ll-rasa-sgarasya prabhor vicitrt sphuritt prasdt vicitra-sakrtana-mdhur s na tu sva-yatnd iti sdhu sidhyet vicitravariegated; llof pastimes; rasaof the spiritual tastes; sgarasyawho is the ocean; prabhoof the Supreme Lord; vicitrt variously; sphurittdisplayed; prasdtby the mercy; vicitra various; sakrtanaof chanting; mdhurthe sweetness; sit; na not; tubut; sva-yatntby ones own endeavor; itithus; sdhu adequately; sidhyetis achieved. The wonderfully varied sweetness of sakrtana emerges only by the mercy shown in various wonderful ways by the Lord, the wonderful ocean of the varied rasas of pastimes. This sweetness one can never truly achieve by ones own endeavor. COMMENTARY: The devotees who prefer meditation to sakrtana might argue that chanting in full view of the public is risky in several ways: envious people may try to interfere, one may succumb to the allurement of popularity, one may not have the required physical strength, or one may be too sick to chant properly. These dangers do not arise when a devotee simply concentrates on the Supreme Lord in a secluded place. In answer to this objection, the Vaikuha messengers say that nma-sakrtana cannot be disrupted by obstacles, for it develops by the mercy of the Lord, not by ones own endeavor. No one can take away that which a devotee has gained as a

gift from the Lord. This is true not only for sakrtana but for all the nine methods of bhakti. TEXT 169 wC^avXaaTPaaPaMauPaaSak-aNaa& +aqYaeTa >aaeGaaeNMau%MaPYaMauZMaaTa( ) Pa[arBDaMaa}a& >avTaqTareza& k-MaaRviXa& TadvXYa>aaeGYaMa( )) icch-vat ppam upsakn kyeta bhogonmukham apy amumt prrabdha-mtra bhavattare karmvaia tad avaya-bhogyam icch-vataccording to desire; ppamthe sinful reaction; upsaknmof worshipers; kyetais diminished; bhogaunmukhamabout to be suffered; apieven; amumtby that (nma-sakrtana); prrabdhaalready manifest; mtramonly; bhavatithere is; itaremfor other people; karma-avaiam remnant of karmic reaction; tatthat; avayanecessarily; bhogyam to be suffered. As the worshipers of the Lord desire, by the chanting of His holy names they see their sinful reactions dwindle to nothing, even the reactions they are about to suffer. And when other people somehow chant His names, they need suffer only that part of their karma already manifest. COMMENTARY: This explains why devotees engaged in the all-powerful process of nma-sakrtana may sometimes still feel unhappy. In the beginning of their practice, they may carry some remnants of their past sinful karma. But the Lords names very soon clean those remnants away, including the reactions about to be suffered and even those already manifest (prrabdha) in the body and mind. Only if devotees for some reason want to keep their karma is that karma not removed. As the Lord says in r Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya (5.63): karma-cakra tu yat proktam avilaghya sursurai mad-bhakti-prabalair martyair viddhi laghitam eva tat The cycle of karma I have described is insurmountable for the demigods and the demons. But know that mortals empowered by My devotional service have already escaped it. Sometimes nondevotees

chant the Lords holy names casually or unintentionally. If they somehow avoid offenses in their chanting, they too are absolved of their sinful reactions, except for their prrabdha-karma, the reactions already manifest. These they must suffer, and by that suffering their prrabdha-karma also is depleted. TEXT 170 MahaXaYaa Yae hirNaaMaSaevk-a" SauGaaePYaTai-MahaiNaDae" SvYaMa( ) Pa[k-aXa>aqTYaa VYavhar>aii>a" Svdaezdu"%aNYaNaudXaRYaiNTa Tae )) mahay ye hari-nma-sevak su-gopya-tad-bhakti-mah-nidhe svayam praka-bhty vyavahra-bhagibhi sva-doa-dukhny anudarayanti te mah-aygreat souls; yewho; hari-nmaof Lord Haris names; sevakservants; su-gopyavery confidential; tatto Him; bhakti of devotional service; mah-nidheof the great treasure; svayam spontaneous; prakaof the revealing; bhtyout of fear; vyavahraof behavior; bhagibhiby peculiarities; sva-doatheir own faults; dukhniand miseries; anudarayantishow; tethey. The great souls who spontaneously serve the names of Lord Hari fear to reveal the vast treasure of His confidential devotional service. So they behave in peculiar ways to show their own faults and unhappiness. COMMENTARY: What about advanced worshipers like Bharata Mahrja whose impending sinful reactions apparently kept going on? We should understand that when saintly devotees like Bharata, deeply absorbed in the moods of loving service to the Lord, seem to exhibit material attachment (as when Bharata became obsessed with the care of a fawn and when they seem to fall into bad association and miserable conditions (as when Bharata took his next birth as an animal), they are only pretending to be materially affected, in order to keep the confidential moods of devotional service hidden from public view. Such devotees would rather be treated with undeserved contempt than honored and worshiped. TEXT 171 TaaMaSaqTaRNaMaa}aTaae_i%l/a

>a-a hre" SYauhRTadu"%dUz<aa" ke-ictaQaaiPa Pa[>auvTk*-Paaku-l/a l/aek-aNSadacariMaMa& Pa[XaaSaiTa )) tan-nma-sakrtana-mtrato khil bhakt hare syur hata-dukha-da kecit tathpi prabhu-vat kpkul lokn sad-cram ima prasati tatHis; nma-sakrtanaby the chanting of the holy names; mtratasimply; akhilall; bhaktdevotees; hareof Lord Hari; syuare; hatafreed; dukhafrom misery; daand contamination; kecitsome; tath apinonetheless; prabhu-vatlike the Lord Himself; kpby compassion; kuldisturbed; loknto the people in general; sat-cramcivilized behavior; imamthis; prasatiteach. All the devotees of the Lord are freed from contamination and misery simply by the sakrtana of His names. Yet some devotees, as disturbed by compassion as the Lord Himself, act in these ways to teach people civilized behavior. COMMENTARY: Shouldnt advanced devotees, in order to deliver the world from ignorance, let everyone see their greatness? Yes, but the so-called anomalous behavior of Vaiavas like Bharata Mahraja is in fact their way of teaching sad-cra, civilized human behavior. By the examples of their own lives they show the consequences of violating the laws of God and material nature, for if people fail to learn how to act according to civilized standards their hearts will remain contaminated by sinful desires and they will never become inclined toward the Lords devotional service. TEXT 172 du"Sadaez& >arTaadYaae YaQaa duURTadaez& c YauiDairadYa" ) b]Sv>aqiTa& c Na*GaadYaae_Mal/a" Pa[adXaRYaNSvVYavharTaae JaNaaNa( )) dusaga-doa bharatdayo yath durdyta-doa ca yudhihirdaya brahma-sva-bhti ca ngdayo mal prdarayan sva-vyavahrato jann dusagaof bad asociation; doamthe fault; bharata-daya Mahrja Bharata and others; yathas; durdytaof gambling;

doamthe fault; caand; yudhihira-dayaYudhihira and others; brahmaof a brhmaa; svafor the property; bhtimfear; caand; nga-dayaMahrja Nga and others; amalpure; prdarayanthey showed; svatheir own; vyavahrataby the behavior; jannthe people. As Bharata and others showed the fault of bad association, Yudhihira and others the fault of gambling, and Nga and others the fear caused by taking a brhmaas property, pure souls generally use their own behavior to teach the people. COMMENTARY: Bharata Mahrja showed by his own life the danger of wrong association. Although almost perfectly devoted and renounced, he was distracted into caring for a newborn deer and therefore had to suffer birth as a deer. A similar case is that of Saubhari i, who was deviated from meditation by seeing two fish engaged in sex. In the opinion of the Vaikuha-dtas, however, in reality these elevated souls were faultless. TEXT 173 >ai-Pa[>aave<a ivcarJaaTaE" SaaYaMaaNaeNa Saded*XaESTvMa( ) ivganaiTaivganaNa( ik-l/ JaeZYaSaqh SavR}a Tae hNTa vYa& SahaYaa" )) bhakti-prabhvea vicra-jtai sajyamnena sadedais tvam vighnti-vighnn kila jeyasha sarvatra te hanta vaya sahy bhaktiof pure devotional service; prabhveaby the power; vicrajtaiby many realizations; sajyamnenaarising; sadalways; daiby such; tvamyou; vighna-ati-vighnnthe worst obstacles; kilaindeed; jeyasiyou will conquer; ihahere; sarvatra everywhere; tethey; hantaindeed; vayamwe; sahy helpers. By the power of bhakti you will have many realizations, time and again, and for certain you will conquer your most formidable obstacles. In all circumstances, be assured, we are your helpers. COMMENTARY: Since devotees may have to endure formidable tests while practicing nma-sakrtana, Gopa-kumra may doubt his own fitness to take up the process. The visitors from Vaikuha assure him,

therefore, that he should not be doubtful and hesitant, but should begin nma-sakrtana with all confidence. If he is worried that he cannot expect to succeed without the blessings of pure devotees, he should rest assured that the Vaikuha-dtas will always be there to help him wherever he goes. If he needs to understand anything philosophically or has any difficulties to overcome, they will give him the support he needs. TEXT 174 [qk*-Z<acNd]SYa MahaNauk-MPaa SMaai>a" iSQara TvYYavDaairTaaiSTa ) l/INaa Na Saa+aaGavid*+aa TvtaSTaPaael/aek-iNavaiSavaKYaE" )) r-ka-candrasya mahnukampsmbhi sthir tvayy avadhritsti ln na skd-bhagavad-didk tvattas tapo-loka-nivsi-vkyai r-ka-candrasyaof r Ka-candra; mah-anukampthe greatest mercy; asmbhiby us; sthirfirmly established; tvayiin you; avadhritascertained; astithere is; lndissolved; nanot; sktdirectly; bhagavatthe Supreme Lord; didkeagerness to see; tvattafrom you; tapa-loka-nivsiof the residents of Tapoloka; vkyaiby the statements. The greatest mercy of r Ka-candra, we have found, is firmly established in you, because even the arguments of the residents of Tapoloka could not dissolve your eagerness to see in person the Supreme Lord. TEXT 175 Pa& SaTYa& %lu/ >aGavTa" SaidaNaNdSaaNd]& YaaeGYaEGaaR& >aviTa k-r<aE" SaidaNaNdPa& ) Maa&Saai+a>Yaa& TadiPa ga$=Tae TaSYa k-a<YaXaya Saael/BDYaa TaduicTaGaTaedRXaRNa& SvehYaa va )) rpa satya khalu bhagavata sac-cid-nanda-sndra yogyair ghya bhavati karaai sac-cid-nanda-rpa mskibhy tad api ghaate tasya kruya-akty sadyo-labdhy tad-ucita-gater darana svehay v

rpamthe form; satyamabsolutely real; khaluindeed; bhagavata of the Supreme Lord; sat-cit-nandaof eternity, knowledge, and bliss; sndramthe concentrated essence; yogyaiwhich are fit; ghyamperceivable; bhavatiis; karaaiby senses; sat-citnanda-rpamthe sac-cid-nanda form; msaof flesh; akibhym by eyes; tatthat; apialso; ghaateoccurs; tasyaHis; kruya of the mercy; aktyby the power; sadyaat once; labdhyby achieving; tatfor that; ucitasuitable; gateof the object; daranamvision; sva-hayby ones endeavor; vor. The form of the Personality of Godhead, absolutely real, is the concentrated essence of eternity, knowledge, and bliss. Only with senses that are fit can one perceive that sac-cid-nanda form. Yet by the power of the Lords mercy, even with the present eyes, quickly one can see it. Thus one beholds the object most suitable for ones vision. One achieves this by the Lords mercy, or even by ones own endeavor. COMMENTARY: This verse and the next summarize the opinions of Pippalyana i, who on Tapoloka had recommended meditation to Gopa-kmara as the best method of realizing the Supreme Lord. Only with senses that are fit can one perceive the Lord, he had said, but the Lords mercy can transform the limited senses of a conditioned soul, making them fit to perceive the unlimited. By the Lords mercy potency (kruya-akti), His personal form is revealed to a fortunate soul, or that soul may be empowered to discover the Lord even with his own senses. No material conditions can limit the influence of the Supreme Lords kruya-akti. TEXT 176 TaXaRNae jaNad*XaEv JaaYa MaaNae_iPa PaXYaaMYahMaez d*G>YaaMa( ) MaaNaae >aveTk*-Z<ak*-PaaPa[>aav ivjaPak-ae hzRivXaezv*yE )) tad-darane jna-daiva jyamne pi paymy aham ea dgbhym mno bhavet ka-kp-prabhvavijpako hara-viea-vddhyai tatof Him; daranevision; jnaof knowledge; dby the eye; evaindeed; jyamnewhen it arises; apieven; paymisee; aham eaI myself; dgbhymby my two eyes; mnathe presumption; bhavetthere may be; ka-kpof Kas mercy;

prabhvaby the power; vijpakaan indicator; hara-viea special joy; vddhyaifor increasing. Even though ones vision of the Lord has its origin in the eye of knowledge, one may think, I am seeing Him with my own two eyes. This simply indicates the power of Kas mercy, by which the devotee feels his own special joy unfurl. COMMENTARY: Some less devotional thinkers would argue to Pippalyana that one can behold the Supreme Lord only with the eye of knowledge, not with external senses. If the Supreme were an object of material vision, they would say, He could not be transcendentally self-manifest. Pippalyana would respond that even if this is true, a special ecstasy is available only to one who presumes that he sees the Lord with his own eyes. And even if devotees only imagine themselves to be seeing the Personality of Godhead with their eyes, the ecstasy they experience is real. That ecstasy itself is proof that the potency of the Lords special mercy has descended upon them, making them rejoice with wonder: The Supreme is impossible to see, but now I am seeing Him right before me! TEXT 177 Pa[>aae" k*-PaaPaUrble/Na >ae-" Pa[>aavTaae va %lu/ dXaRNa& SYaaTa( ) ATa" PairiC^d*XaaiPa iSaDYaeNa( iNarNTar& TaNMaNaSaev SaMYak( ==)) prabho kp-pra-balena bhakte prabhvato v khalu darana syt ata paricchinna-dpi sidhyen nirantara tan manaseva samyak prabhoof the Lord; kpof mercy; praof the flood; balenaon the strength; bhakteof bhakti; prabhvataby the influence; v or; khaluindeed; daranamvision; sytcan occur; atathus; paricchinnalimited; dby sight; apieven; sidhyetcan be achieved; nirantaramconstant; tatthat (vision); manasby the mind; evaonly; samyakdirectly. By the force of the vast mercy of the Lord or by the natural influence of devotional service, one can see Him. So even with the limited eyes one can achieve the constant vision one may have with the mind in meditation.

COMMENTARY: Now the Vaikuha-dtas, willing to go along no further with Pippalyanas thinking, refute one of his ideas. Pippalyana might say, Seeing the Supreme Lord with ones own eyes is imperfect because by nature external perception is imperfect. Interruptions and obstacles will inevitably impede ones external vision of the Lord. The mind, however, is extremely subtle; it can reach everywhere and enjoy undisturbed darana of the Lord in all circumstances. Although this is not one of the things Pippalyana told Gopa-kumra on Tapoloka, the Vaikuha-dtas refute it in this verse. By the Supreme Lords infinite mercy, even external eyes can see Him in all His splendor. This is further evidence of the great efficacy of devotional service. TEXT 178 Na ceTk-Qai MaNaSYaiPa SYaaTa( SvYaMPa[>aSYae+a<aMaqrSYa ) gaNa& Sau%& SaNaYaeTk-Qaid( oPaaiSaTa" SaaNd]Sau%aTMak-ae_SaaE )) na cet kathacin na manasy api syt svayam-prabhasyekaam varasya ghana sukha sajanayet kathacid upsita sndra-sukhtmako sau nanot; cetif; kathacitsomehow; nanot; manasiin the mind; apieven; sytcould occur; svayam-prabhasyaof the self-effulgent; kaamthe sight; varasyaof the supreme controller; ghanam intense; sukhamhappiness; sajanayetcould arise; kathacitin any manner; upsitaworshiped; sndraconcentrated; sukha-tmaka the embodiment of happiness; asauHe. If this were not so, by no means would one be able to see the self-effulgent supreme controller, even within the mind. When the Lord is worshiped in any manner, He bestows intense happiness, for He is the very embodiment of such happiness. COMMENTARY: If the Lords special mercy and the potency of devotional service were not the true causes of realizing Him, even a mental vision of Him would be impossible, for He is self-manifesting, never an object of sensory or mental perception. Because He is the completely independent controller of everyone, no one can force Him to reveal Himself. A proponent of inner meditation may argue that by perceiving the Lord internally the mind with its unlimited scope enjoys unlimited bliss, whereas the limited eyes can perceive only a small fraction of such pleasure. But the Vaikuha-dtas reply that when devotees worship the Personality of Godhead by any of the methods of

devotional servicewhether by mental meditation or by the direct perception and activity of the external sensesthe Lord bestows intense happiness. In fact, according to the Taittirya Upaniad (2.7), boundless pleasure is the very nature of the Supreme. Raso vai sa, rasa hy evya labdhvnand bhavati: The Supreme is rasa itself. When a living being obtains this rasa, he becomes blissful. TEXT 179 d*G>Yaa& Pa[>aaedRXaRNaTaae ih SavRTaSa( TataTPa[Saadavil/l/iBDarq+YaTae ) SavaRiDak&- SaaNd]Sau%& c JaaYaTae SaaDYa& Tadev [v<aaid>ai-Ta" )) dgbhy prabhor daranato hi sarvatas tat-tat-prasdvali-labdhir kyate sarvdhika sndra-sukha ca jyate sdhya tad eva ravadi-bhaktita dgbhymby ones two eyes; prabhoof the Lord; daranata from seeing; hiindeed; sarvataeverywhere; tat-tatvarious; prasdaof mercy; valiof an abundance; labdhithe achievement; kyateis seen; sarvato all; adhikamsuperior; sndraconcentrated; sukhamhappiness; caand; jyate develops; sdhyamthe goal; tatthat; evaindeed; ravaafrom hearing; diand so on; bhaktitathe devotional practices. We everywhere find that by seeing the Lord with the eyes one achieves His mercy in all its forms, and the most intense and excellent joy. Indeed, to see Him is the goal of hearing and of all the other ways of devotional practice. COMMENTARY: Superior to the fruits of realizing the Lord inwardly are the fruits of seeing the Lord with ones own eyes. rmad-Bhgavatam and other Puras record how Vaiavas like Kardama and Prahlda received abundant mercy from the Supreme Lord when they met Him in person. On Tapoloka, the sage Pippalyana told Gopa-kumra about r Brahms attaining similar mercy from the Lord through meditation, but that kind of success from meditation occurs in only a few instances, for a rare, fortunate person like Brahm. And the Vaikuha messengers declare, besides, that the joy felt from directly perceiving the Personality of Godhead with ones senses is unequaled. This complete vision, gained by devotional service in the forms of hearing, chanting, remembering, and so on, is also the ultimate fruit of the devotional service performed by inward meditation.

TEXT 180 SaveRza& SaaDaNaaNaa& TaTSaa+aaTk-arae ih SaTfl/Ma( ) TadEvaMaUl/Taae MaaYaa NaXYaeTPa[eMaaiPa vDaRTae )) sarve sdhann tatskt-kro hi sat phalam tadaiv-mlato my nayet prempi vardhate sarvemof all; sdhannmspiritual disciplines; tatof Him; skt-kradirect vision; hiindeed; sattrue; phalamthe benefit; tadthen; evaalone; -mlatadown to the root; my illusion; nayetis destroyed; prempure love of God; apiand; vardhateflourishes. By all methods of spiritual discipline, seeing the Lord in person is the true reward to be attained. That alone destroys illusion down to the root, so that pure love of God may flourish. COMMENTARY: The direct vision of Lord Viu, being the supreme fruit of all endeavors, is preferable even to realization of the Lord by meditation. In fact, when one sees the Lord directly ones forgetfulness of Him, which is the root of all illusion, is destroyed. This is described in the First Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam (1.2.21): bhidyate hdaya-granthi chidyante sarva-saay kyante csya karmi da evtmanvare Thus the knot in the heart is pierced, and all misgivings are cut to pieces. The chain of fruitive actions is terminated when one sees the Lord as master. The entanglements of material work, the doubts and confusions of material consciousness, and the knots of material desire all encumber the conditioned soul, but when he again finds his dearmost friend, the Supreme Soul, he transcends all these anomalies. When one perceives the beauty and charm of prema for Lord Viu, the natural urge of pure love spontaneously arises in ones heart. TEXT 181 k-aYaaDavadeRid PaXYaTaae_iPa Pa[>au& Sada+<aa ik-l/ Taid*+aa )

Ta}a Pa[Maa<a& ih TaQaavl/aek-Naad( ANaNTar& >aavivXaezl/a>a" )) kydhavder hdi payato pi prabhu sadk kila tad-didk tatra prama hi tathvalokand anantara bhva-viea-lbha kydhavaof the son of Kaydhu (Prahlda); deand others; hdi in the heart; payatawho were seeing; apialthough; prabhum the Lord; sadalways; akwith their eyes; kilaindeed; tatHim; didkthe desire to see; tatrain this matter; pramam evidence; hiindeed; taththus; avalokantseeing; anantaram after; bhva-vieaof special ecstasies; lbhathe experience. Although devotees like Prahlda, the son of Kaydhu, saw the Lord in their hearts, they always yearned to see Him with their eyes. For this the proof is that when they finally saw Him they felt special ecstasies. COMMENTARY: The experiences of Prahlda and other great devotees should be taken seriously because sad-cra, the behavior of elevated persons, is important evidence for judging what is of true value. According to r Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya, it was after Prahlda first saw Lord Nsiha that Prahldas pure love fully blossomed. TEXT 182 k*-Z<aSYa Saa+aadiPa JaaYaTae YaTa( ke-zaidi+aYaMaql/Naaid ) DYaaNa& Na TaiTk-NTau Mauda& >are<a k-MPaaidvTPa[eMaivk-ar Wz" )) kasya skd api jyate yat kecid aki-dvaya-mlandi dhyna na tat kintu mud bharea kampdi-vat prema-vikra ea kasyaof Ka; sktdirectly; apithough; jyateoccurs; yatwhich; kecitof some persons; aki-dvayaof the eyes; mlana-diclosing and so on; dhynammeditation; nanot; tat that; kinturather; mudmof joy; bhareaby the excess; kampaditrembling and other symptoms of ecstasy; vatsimilar to; prema of pure love; vikraa transformation; eathis.

When some devotees, even while seeing Ka in person, close their eyes and appear to withdraw into their minds, this may seem to be meditation, but in fact it is not. Rather, it is a transformation brought on by excessive joy, like the trembling and other signs of ecstasy in devotees in pure love. COMMENTARY: This verse answers the possible objection that when Sanaka-kumra and his brothers met the Lord of Vaikuha they went into a trance of meditation. As described by Maitreya Muni in the Third Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam (3.15.44): te v amuya vadansita-padma-koam udvkya sundaratardhara-kunda-hsam labdhia punar avekya tadyam aghridvandva nakhrua-mai-rayaa nidadhyu The Lords beautiful face appeared to them like the inside of a blue lotus, and the Lords smile appeared like a blossoming jasmine. After seeing the face of the Lord, the sages were fully satisfied, and when they wanted to see Him further they looked upon the nails of His lotus feet, which resembled rubies. Thus they viewed the Lords transcendental body again and again, and so they finally achieved meditation on the Lords personal feature. In this verse the word nidadhyu, from the verb nidhyai, to meditate deeply, seems to indicate that when the Kumras saw the Lord they passively withdrew into meditative contemplation. But as the Vaikuha-dtas point out, we should not judge simply from the outward appearance of these symptoms. Closing of the eyes and ceasing from bodily movements need not be signs of meditative trance; they may instead be physical expressions of bhvas, devotional ecstasies, similar to other physical signs of ecstasy like trembling, perspiration, and standing up of the bodily hair. Maitreya Muni described the ecstasy of the Kumras as meditation only because it seemed so externally. Therefore the superiority of directly seeing the Lord with ones own eyes stands undefeated. TEXT 183 DYaaNa& Parae+ae YauJYaeTa Na Tau Saa+aaNMahaPa[>aae" ) AParae+ae Parae+ae_iPa Yau&- SaqTaRNa& Sada )) dhyna paroke yujyeta na tu skn mah-prabho aparoke paroke pi yukta sakrtana sad

dhynammeditation; parokewhen He is invisible; yujyetais appropriate; nanot; tubut; sktbeing visible; mah-prabho the Supreme Lord; aparokewhen He is invisible; parokewhen He is visible; apialso; yuktamsuitable; sakrtanamchanting of His names; sadalways. Meditation makes sense when the Supreme Lord cannot be seen, not when He is directly present; but sakrtana is always befitting, whether the Lord is visible or not. COMMENTARY: Drawing the argument to a close on an especially sweet note (madhurea sampayet), the messengers of Vaikuha reiterate the importance of nma-sakrtana. Seeing the Supreme Lord with ones own eyes is more desirable than merely seeing Him in meditation, and the best means of achieving direct vision of Him is to chant His holy names. The behavior of all kinds of devotees of the Lord gives ample evidence that in every situation sakrtana is appropriate. For example, as described in rmad-Bhgavatam (10.33.7), the gops of Vndvana chanted His names while dancing with Him in their rsa-ll: pda-nysair bhuja-vidhutibhi sa-smitair bhr-vilsair bhajyan madhyai cala-kuca-paai kualair gaalolai svidyan-mukhya kavara-rasangranthaya kavadhvo gyantyas ta taita iva t megha-cakre vireju As the gops sang in praise of Ka, their feet danced, their hands gestured, and their eyebrows moved with playful smiles. With their braids and belts tied tight, their waists bending, their faces perspiring, the garments on their breasts moving this way and that, and their earrings swinging on their cheeks, Lord Kas young consorts shone like streaks of lightning in a mass of clouds. This is also described in r Viu Pura (5.13.52, 56): ka arac-candramasa kaumud-kumudkaram jagau gop-janas tv eka ka-nma puna puna Ka sang about the glories of the autumn moon, whose beams awaken the night-blooming lotuses. Meanwhile, the gops simply chanted Kas name over and over again.

rsa-geya jagau ko yvat tryata-dhvani sdhu keti keti tvat t dvi-gua jagu Ka sang a rsa-ll song, His voice becoming louder and louder. In response, the gops sang twice as loud, Wonderful, O Ka! O Ka! The Tenth Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam tells of several instances in which devotees chant Kas glories in His absence, as in the prayers sung by the gops before the rsa dance (Chapter 31), and after Ka disappeared from the dance (Chapter 35, and later during Uddhavas visit to Vndvana (Chapter 47). TEXT 184 [qMaaMa Pa[>aaeSTaSYa [qMaUTaeRrPYaiTaiPa[YaMa( ) JaGaiTa& Sau%aePaaSYa& SarSa& TaTSaMa& Na ih )) rman-nma prabhos tasya r-mrter apy ati-priyam jagad-dhita sukhopsya sa-rasa tat-sama na hi rmat-nmathe holy name; prabhoof the Lord; tasyaHis; rmrtethan the divine form; apieven; ati-priyammore dear; jagat for the whole world; hitambeneficial; sukhaeasily; upsyam worshipable; sa-rasamfull of rasa; tatto that; samamequal; na nothing; hiindeed. Dearer to the Lord than even His own beautiful form, His easily worshiped holy name benefits the entire world. Indeed, nothing is as full of nectar as the holy name of the Lord. COMMENTARY: In conclusion, the Vaikuha-dtas wholeheartedly glorify r-bhagavan-nma-sakrtana. Sakrtana is all-attractive, full with all power, beauty, and opulence. It exerts its powerful influence over anyone who takes part in it, anywhere and anytime. The Lord of Vaikuha Himself is more attracted to His holy name than to His own supreme beauty. The Supreme Lord may indeed regard something as more dear than His own transcendental form. For example, in rmad-Bhgavatam (11.14.15) Ka told Uddhava: na tath me priya-tama

tma-yonir na akara na ca sakarao na rr naivtm ca yath bhavn Neither Lord Brahm, Lord iva, Lord Sakaraa, the goddess of fortune nor indeed My own self is as dear to Me as you. The holy name of the Lord is incomparable; nothing else can equal or surpass it. The holy name is the Lords supreme blessing for the worlds welfare, benefiting everyoneproperly qualified or notwho serves it with any of the senses. It is easily worshiped, requiring only some movement of the tip of the tongue. And it is sa-rasa, full of rasa, a term that can be understood in several ways. Sa-rasa can mean very gentle, since the holy names consist of sweet-sounding syllables. It can also mean composed of pure spiritual substance, sac-cid-nanda. Or it can mean that the holy names are accompanied by all the various devotional relationships, the nine rasas, headed by rgra (mdhurya-rasa). In the pure chanting of the holy names, all these varieties of prema-rasa are manifest, in the moods of both separation (viraha) and meeting (saga). Rasa also means attraction to Ka (rga), which devotees performing sakrtana unavoidably experience as their ka-prema is rapidly evoked by the holy names. In other words, the Lords sakrtana inspires His servants and everyone else to become attracted to the Lord. Rasa also means special potency (vrya-viea); the chanting of the holy names is extremely powerful. And rasa can mean exceptional quality (gua-viea), indicating in the present context that nmasakrtana has the power to deliver the most fallen persons in the world. Rasa also means exceptional happiness (sukha-viea); harinma is the most concentrated essence of happiness. And it also means exceptional sweetness (mdhurya-viea). Nma-sakrtana is often glorified for its sweetness, as in this famous verse from the Prabhsa-khaa of the Skanda Pura: madhura-madhuram etan magala magaln sakala-nigama-vall-sat-phala cit-svarpam sakd api parigta raddhay helay v bhgu-vara nara-mtra trayet ka-nma O best of the Bhgu dynasty, the holy name of Ka is the sweetest of the sweet, the most auspicious of the auspicious. This transcendental fruit of all the Vedas is purely spiritual. Whoever chants it but once, whether with faith or with contempt, is liberated. Even more meanings of the word rasa could be applied to interpreting this verse, but the above examples give at least some understanding of the greatness of sakrtana.

TEXT 185 TaNMaaNaYaiH^vSYaajaiMaTaae iNa"Sar SaTvrMa( ) k*-Z<aiPa[YaTaMaa& [qMaNMaQaura& Tva& NaMaaMa TaaMa( )) tan mnaya chivasyjm ito nisara satvaram ka-priyatam rmanmathur tv namma tm tattherefore; mnayanrespecting; ivasyaof Lord iva; jm the order; itafrom here; nisarago; satvaramquickly; kapriya-tammmost dear to Ka; rmat-mathurmto divine Mathur; tvmto you; nammawe bow down; tmto that. Therefore, honoring the order of Lord iva, you should leave this place at once. Go to divine Mathur, the place most dear to Ka. O Mathur, we bow down to you! COMMENTARY: Lord iva has already advised Gopa-kumra to leave Mahkla-pura and go to Mathur on the earth. Now the Vaikuha messengers encourage him to do this at once. The very reason they came down from Vaikuha was to make Gopa-kumra return to Bhauma-vndvana. In case Gopa-kumra, having traveled so far to reach the abode of liberation, questions why he should go back to where he started from, the Vaikuha-dtas assure him that r Mathur, Kas favorite place, will shower him with the fulfillment of all his ambitions without delay. TEXT 186 [qGaaePaku-Maar ovac iNaPaqYa Tk-<aRrSaaYaNa& TaTa( Pa[Maaed>aare<a >a*Taae NaMa&STaaNa( ) iXavaE c Saae v]Ja>aUiMaMaeTaa& TaE" Pa[aiPaTaae_h& bTa MauGDabui" )) r-gopa-kumra uvca nipya ht-kara-rasyana tat pramoda-bhrea bhto namas tn ivau ca sadyo vraja-bhmim et tai prpito ha bata mugdha-buddhi

r-gopa-kumra uvcar Gopa-kumra said; nipyadrinking; htfor the heart; karaand ear; rasa-ayanamtonic; tatthat; pramodaof delight; bhreawith an abundance; bhtafilled; namanoffering obeisances; tnto them; ivauto Lord iva and his wife; caand; sadyaat once; vraja-bhmimto the land of Vraja; etmthis; taiby them; prpitamade to reach; ahamI; bata oh; mugdhastunned; buddhimy intelligence. r Gopa-kumra said: Upon drinking this invigorating tonic for the ears and heart, I was filled with delight. I bowed down to the messengers from Vaikuha and to Lord iva and his wife, and by their grace I was swept at once to this Vrajabhmi. Oh, how my mind was stunned! COMMENTARY: A moment before, Gopa-kumra had been offering prostrate obeisances, and now when he looked up he suddenly found himself in Vraja-bhmi. This left him bewildered.
ENDS THE THIRD CHAPTER OF PART TWO OF RLA SANTANA GOSVMS BHAD-BHGAVATMTA, ENTITLED BHAJANA: WORSHIP.

THUS