Sri Caitanya-caritamrta: Adi-lila
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Chapter 2

Adi2.98

TEXT 98

amsa-saktyavesa-rupe dvi-vidhavatara

balya pauganda dharma dui ta’ prakara

SYNONYMS

amsa—of the plenary expansion; sakti-avesa—of the empowered; rupe—in the forms; dvi-vidha—two kinds; avatara—incarnations; balya—childhood; pauganda—boyhood; dharma—characteristics of age; dui—two; ta’-certainly; prakara—kinds

TRANSLATION

"His incarnations are of two kinds, namely partial and empowered. He appears in two ages-childhood and boyhood.

PURPORT

The vilasa forms are six in number. Incarnations are of two varieties, namely sakty-avesa (empowered) and amsavesa (partial). These incarnations also come within the category of prabhava and vaibhava manifestations. Childhood and boyhood are two special features of the Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna, but His permanent feature is His eternal form as an adolescent youth. The original Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna is always worshiped in this eternal adolescent form.

Adi2.99

TEXT 99

kisora-svarupa krsna svayam avatari

krida kare ei chaya-rupe visva bhari’

SYNONYMS

kisora-svarupa—whose real nature is that of an adolescent; krsna—Lord Krsna; svayam—Himself; avatari—the source of all incarnations; krida kare—He plays; ei—these; chaya-rupe—in six forms; visva—the universes; bhari’-maintaining

TRANSLATION

"The Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna, who is eternally an adolescent, is the primeval Lord, the source of all incarnations. He expands Himself in these six categories of forms to establish His supremacy throughout the universe.

Adi2.100

TEXT 100

ei chaya-rupe haya ananta vibheda

ananta-rupe eka-rupa, nahi kichu bheda

SYNONYMS

ei—these; chaya-rupe—in six forms; haya—there are; ananta—unlimited; vibheda—varieties; ananta-rupe—in unlimited forms; eka-rupa—one form; nahi—there is not; kichu—any; bheda—difference.

TRANSLATION

"In these six kinds of forms there are innumerable varieties. Although they are many, they are all one: there is no difference between them.

PURPORT

The Personality of Godhead manifests Himself in six different features: (1) prabhava, (2) vaibhava, (3) empowered incarnations, (4) partial incarnations, (5) childhood and (6) boyhood. The Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna, whose permanent feature is adolescence, enjoys His transcendental proclivities by performing pastimes in these six forms. In these six features there are unlimited divisions of the Personality of Godhead’s forms. The jivas, or living beings, are differentiated parts and parcels of the Lord. They are all diversities of the one without a second, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Adi2.101

TEXT 101

cic-chakti, svarupa-sakti, antaranga nama

tahara vaibhava ananta vaikunthadi dhama

SYNONYMS

cit-sakti—spiritual energy; svarupa-sakti—personal energy; antah-anga—internal; nama—named; tahara—of that; vaibhava—manifestations; ananta—unlimited; vaikuntha-adi—Vaikuntha, etc.; dhama—abodes.

TRANSLATION

"The cit-sakti, which is also called svarupa-sakti or antaranga-sakti, displays many varied manifestations. It sustains the kingdom of God and its paraphernalia.

Adi2.102

TEXT 102

maya-sakti, bahiranga, jagat-karana

tahara vaibhava ananta brahmandera gana

SYNONYMS

maya-sakti—the illusory energy; bahih-anga—external; jagat-karana—the cause of the universe; tahara—of that; vaibhava—manifestations; ananta—unlimited; brahma-andera—of universes; gana—multitudes.

TRANSLATION

"The external energy, called maya-sakti, is the cause of innumerable universes with varied material potencies.

Adi2.103

TEXT 103

jiva-sakti tatasthakhya, nahi yara anta

mukhya tina sakti, tara vibheda ananta

SYNONYMS

jiva-sakti—the energy of the living entity; tata-stha-akhya—known as marginal; nahi—there is not; yara—of which; anta—end; mukhya—principal; tina—three; sakti—energies; tara—of them; vibheda—varieties; ananta—unlimited.

TRANSLATION

"The marginal potency, which is between these two, consists of the numberless living beings. These are the three principal energies, which have unlimited categories and subdivisions.

PURPORT

The internal potency of the Lord, which is called cit-sakti or antaranga-sakti, exhibits variegatedness in the transcendental Vaikuntha cosmos. Besides ourselves, there are unlimited numbers of liberated living beings who associate with the Personality of Godhead in His innumerable features. The material cosmos displays the external energy, in which the conditioned living beings are provided all liberty to go back to the Personality of Godhead after leaving the material tabernacle. The Svetasvatara Upanisad (6.8) informs us:

na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate
na tat-samas cabhyadhikas ca drsyate
parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate
svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca

“The Supreme Lord is one without a second. He has nothing to do personally, nor does He have material senses. No one is equal to Him or greater than Him. He has unlimited, variegated potencies of different names, which exist within Him as autonomous attributes and provide Him full knowledge, power and pastimes.”

Adi2.104

TEXT 104

e-mata svarupa-gana, ara tina sakti

sabhara asraya krsna, krsne sabhara sthiti

SYNONYMS

e-mata—in this way; svarupa-gana—personal forms; ara—and; tina—three; sakti—energies; sabhara—of the whole assembly; asraya—the shelter; krsna—Lord Krsna; krsne—in Lord Krsna; sabhara—of the whole assembly; sthiti—the existence.

TRANSLATION

"These are the principal manifestations and expansions of the Personality of Godhead and His three energies. They are all emanations from Sri Krsna, the Transcendence. They have their existence in Him.

Adi2.105

TEXT 105

yadyapi brahmanda-ganera purusa asraya

sei purusadi sabhara krsna mulasraya

SYNONYMS

yadyapi—although; brahma-anda-ganera—of the multitude of universes; purusa—the purusa-avatara; asraya—the shelter; sei—that; purusa-adi—of the purusa-avataras, etc.; sabhara—of the assembly; krsna—Lord Krsna; mula-asraya—original source.

TRANSLATION

"Although the three purusas are the shelter of all the universes, Lord Krsna is the original source of the purusas.

Adi2.106

TEXT 106

svayam bhagavan krsna, krsna sarvasraya

parama isvara krsna sarva-sastre kaya

SYNONYMS

svayam—Himself; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; krsna—Lord Krsna; krsna—Lord Krsna; sarva-asraya—the shelter of all; parama—Supreme; isvara—Lord; krsna—Lord Krsna; sarva-sastre—all scriptures; kaya—say.

TRANSLATION

"Thus the Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna is the original primeval Lord, the source of all other expansions. All the revealed scriptures accept Sri Krsna as the Supreme Lord.

Adi2.107

TEXT 107

isvarah paramah krsnah

sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah

anadir adir govindah

sarva-karana-karanam

SYNONYMS

isvarah—the controller; paramah—supreme; krsnah—Lord Krsna; sat—eternal existence; cit—absolute knowledge; ananda—absolute bliss; vigrahah—whose form; anadih—without beginning; adih—the origin; govindah—Lord Govinda; sarva-karana-karanam—the cause of all causes.

TRANSLATION

" ’Krsna, who is known as Govinda, is the supreme controller. He has an eternal, blissful, spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin, for He is the prime cause of all causes.’

PURPORT

This is the first verse of the Fifth Chapter of the Brahma-samhita.

Adi2.108

TEXT 108

e saba siddhanta tumi jana bhala-mate

tabu purva-paksa kara ama calaite

SYNONYMS

e—these; saba—all; siddhanta—conclusions; tumi—you; jana—know; bhala-mate—in a good way; tabu—still; purva-paksa—objection; kara—you make; ama—to me; calaite—to give useless anxiety.

TRANSLATION

“You know all the conclusions of the scriptures very well. You create these logical arguments just to agitate me.”

PURPORT

A learned man who has thoroughly studied the scriptures cannot hesitate to accept Sri Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If such a man argues about this matter, certainly he must be doing so to agitate the minds of his opponents.

Adi2.109

TEXT 109

sei krsna avatari vrajendra-kumara

apane caitanya-rupe kaila avatara

SYNONYMS

sei—that; krsna—Lord Krsna; avatari—the source of all incarnations; vrajendra-kumara—the son of the King of Vraja; apane—personally; caitanya-rupe—in the form of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; kaila—made; avatara—incarnation.

TRANSLATION

That same Lord Krsna, the fountainhead of all incarnations, is known as the son of the King of Vraja. He has descended personally as Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Adi2.110

TEXT 110

ataeva caitanya gosani paratattva-sima

tanre ksiroda-sayi kahi, ki tanra mahima

SYNONYMS

ataeva—therefore; caitanya gosani—Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; para-tattva-sima—the highest limit of the Absolute Truth; tanre—Him; ksiroda-sayi—Ksirodakasayi Visnu; kahi—if I say; ki—what; tanra—of Him; mahima—glory.

TRANSLATION

Therefore Lord Caitanya is the Supreme Absolute Truth. To call Him Ksirodakasayi Visnu does not add to His glory.

Adi2.111

TEXT 111

sei ta’ bhaktera vakya nahe vyabhicari

sakala sambhave tante, yate avatari

SYNONYMS

sei—that; ta’-certainly; bhaktera—of a devotee; vakya—speech; nahe—is not; vyabhicari—deviation; sakala—all; sambhave—possibilities; tante—in Him; yate—since; avatari—the source of all incarnations.

TRANSLATION

But such words from the lips of a sincere devotee cannot be false. All possibilities abide in Him, for He is the primeval Lord.

Adi2.112

TEXT 112

avatarira dehe saba avatarera sthiti

keho kona-mate kahe, yemana yara mati

SYNONYMS

avatarira—of the source; dehe—in the body; saba—all; avatarera—of the incarnations; sthiti—existence; keho—someone; kona-mate—in some way; kahe—says; yemana—as in the manner; yara—of whom; mati—the opinion.

TRANSLATION

All other incarnations are situated in potential form in the original body of the primeval Lord. Thus according to one’s opinion, one may address Him as any one of the incarnations.

PURPORT

It is not contradictory for a devotee to call the Supreme Lord by any one of the various names of His plenary expansions because the original Personality of Godhead includes all such categories. Since the plenary expansions exist within the original person, one may call Him by any of these names. In Sri Caitanya-bhagavata (Madhya 6.95) Lord Caitanya says, “I was lying asleep in the ocean of milk, but I was awakened by the call of Nada, Sri Advaita Prabhu.” Here the Lord refers to His form as Ksirodakasayi Visnu.

Adi2.113

TEXT 113

krsnake kahaye keha--nara-narayana

keho kahe, krsna haya saksat vamana

SYNONYMS

krsnake—Lord Krsna; kahaye—says; keha—someone; nara-narayana—Nara-Narayana; keho—someone; kahe—says; krsna—Lord Krsna; haya—is; saksat—directly; vamana—Lord Vamana.

TRANSLATION

Some say that Sri Krsna is directly Nara-Narayana. Others say that He is directly Vamana.

Adi2.114

TEXT 114

keho kahe, krsna ksiroda-sayi avatara

asambhava nahe, satya vacana sabara

SYNONYMS

keho—someone; kahe—says; krsna—Lord Krsna; ksiroda-sayi—Ksirodakasayi Visnu; avatara—incarnation; asambhava—impossible; nahe—is not; satya—true; vacana—speeches; sabara—of all.

TRANSLATION

Some say that Krsna is the incarnation of Ksirodakasayi Visnu. None of these statements is impossible; each is as correct as the others.

PURPORT

The Laghu-bhagavatamrta (5.383) states:

ata eva puranadau
kecin nara-sakhatmatam
mahendranujatam kecit
kecit ksirabdhi-sayitam

sahasra-sirsatam kecit
kecid vaikuntha-nathatam
bruyuh krsnasya munayas
tat-tad-vrtty-anugaminah

“According to the intimate relationships between Sri Krsna (the primeval Lord) and His devotees, the Puranas describe Him by various names. Sometimes He is called Narayana; sometimes Upendra (Vamana), the younger brother of Indra, King of heaven; and sometimes Ksirodakasayi Visnu. Sometimes He is called the thousand-hooded Sesa Naga, and sometimes the Lord of Vaikuntha.”

Adi2.115

TEXT 115

keho kahe, para-vyome narayana hari

sakala sambhave krsne, yate avatari

SYNONYMS

keho—someone; kahe—says; para-vyome—in the transcendental world; narayana—Lord Narayana; hari—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sakala sambhave—all possibilities; krsne—in Lord Krsna; yate—since; avatari—the source of all incarnations.

TRANSLATION

Some call Him Hari, or the Narayana of the transcendental world. Everything is possible in Krsna, for He is the primeval Lord.

Adi2.116

TEXT 116

saba srota-ganera kari carana vandana

e saba siddhanta suna, kari’ eka mana

SYNONYMS

saba—all; srota-ganera—of the hearers; kari—I do; carana—to the lotus feet; vandana—praying; e—these; saba—all; siddhanta—conclusions; suna—please hear; kari’-making; eka—one; mana—mind.

TRANSLATION

I offer my obeisances unto the feet of all who hear or read this discourse. Kindly hear with attention the conclusion of all these statements.

PURPORT

Prostrating himself at the feet of his readers, the author of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta entreats them in all humility to hear with rapt attention these conclusive arguments regarding the Absolute Truth. One should not fail to hear such arguments because only by such knowledge can one perfectly know Krsna.

Adi2.117

TEXT 117

siddhanta baliya citte na kara alasa

iha ha-ite krsne lage sudrdha manasa

SYNONYMS

siddhanta—conclusion; baliya—considering; citte—in the mind; na kara—do not be; alasa—lazy; iha—this; ha-ite—from; krsne—in Lord Krsna; lage—becomes fixed; su-drdha—very firm; manasa—the mind.

TRANSLATION

A sincere student should not neglect the discussion of such conclusions, considering them controversial, for such discussions strengthen the mind. Thus one’s mind becomes attached to Sri Krsna.

PURPORT

There are many students who, in spite of reading the Bhagavad-gita, misunderstand Krsna because of imperfect knowledge and conclude Him to be an ordinary, historical personality. This one must not do. One should be particularly careful to understand the truth about Krsna. If because of laziness one does not come to know Krsna conclusively, one will be misguided about the cult of devotion, like those who declare themselves advanced devotees and imitate the transcendental symptoms sometimes observed in liberated souls. Although the use of thoughts and arguments is a most suitable process for inducing an uninitiated person to become a devotee, neophytes in devotional service must always alertly understand Krsna through the vision of the revealed scriptures, the bona fide devotees and the spiritual master. Unless one hears about Sri Krsna from such authorities, one cannot make advancement in devotion to Sri Krsna. The revealed scriptures mention nine means of attaining devotional service, of which the first and foremost is hearing from authority. The seed of devotion cannot sprout unless watered by the process of hearing and chanting. One should submissively receive the transcendental messages from spiritually advanced sources and chant the very same messages for one’s own benefit as well as the benefit of one’s audience.

When Brahma described the situation of pure devotees freed from the culture of empiric philosophy and fruitive actions, he recommended the process of hearing from persons who are on the path of devotion. Following in the footsteps of such liberated souls, who are able to vibrate real transcendental sound, can lead one to the highest stage of devotion, and thus one can become a maha-bhagavata. From the teachings of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu to Sanatana Gosvami (Cc. Madhya 22.65) we learn:

sastra-yuktye sunipuna, drdha-sraddha yanra
’uttama-adhikari’ sei taraye samsara

“A person who is expert in understanding the conclusion of the revealed scriptures and who fully surrenders to the cause of the Lord is actually able to deliver others from the clutches of material existence.” Srila Rupa Gosvami, in his Upadesamrta (3), advises that to make rapid advancement in the cult of devotional service one should be very active and should persevere in executing the duties specified in the revealed scriptures and confirmed by the spiritual master. Accepting the path of liberated souls and the association of pure devotees enriches such activities.

Imitation devotees, who wish to advertise themselves as elevated Vaisnavas and who therefore imitate the previous acaryas but do not follow them in principle, are condemned in the words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.3.24) as stone-hearted. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has commented on their stone-hearted condition as follows: bahir asru-pulakayoh sator api yad dhrdayam na vikriyeta tad asma-saram iti kanisthadhikarinam eva asru-pulakadi-mattve ’pi asma-sara-hrdayataya nindaisa. “Those who shed tears by practice but whose hearts have not changed are to be known as stone-hearted devotees of the lowest grade. Their imitation crying, induced by artificial practice, is always condemned.” The desired change of heart referred to above is visible in reluctance to do anything not congenial to the devotional way. To create such a change of heart, conclusive discussion about Sri Krsna and His potencies is absolutely necessary. False devotees may think that simply shedding tears will lead one to the transcendental plane, even if one has not had a factual change in heart, but such a practice is useless if there is no transcendental realization. False devotees, lacking the conclusion of transcendental knowledge, think that artificially shedding tears will deliver them. Similarly, other false devotees think that studying books of the previous acaryas is unadvisable, like studying dry empiric philosophies. But Srila Jiva Gosvami, following the previous acaryas, has inculcated the conclusions of the scriptures in the six theses called the Sat-sandarbhas. False devotees who have very little knowledge of such conclusions fail to achieve pure devotion for want of zeal in accepting the favorable directions for devotional service given by self-realized devotees. Such false devotees are like impersonalists, who also consider devotional service no better than ordinary fruitive actions.

Adi2.118

TEXT 118

caitanya-mahima jani e saba siddhante

citta drdha hana lage mahima-jnana haite

SYNONYMS

caitanya-mahima—the glory of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; jani—I know; e—these; saba—all; siddhante—by the conclusions; citta—the mind; drdha—firm; hana—becoming; lage—becomes fixed; mahima-jnana—knowledge of the greatness; haite—from.

TRANSLATION

By such conclusive studies I know the glories of Lord Caitanya. Only by knowing these glories can one become strong and fixed in attachment to Him.

PURPORT

One can know the glories of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu only by reaching, in knowledge, a conclusive decision about Sri Krsna, strengthened by bona fide study of the conclusions of the acaryas.

Adi2.119

TEXT 119

caitanya-prabhura mahima kahibara tare

krsnera mahima kahi kariya vistare

SYNONYMS

caitanya-prabhura—of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; mahima—the glories; kahibara tare—for the purpose of speaking; krsnera—of Lord Krsna; mahima—the glories; kahi—I speak; kariya—doing; vistare—in expansion.

TRANSLATION

Just to enunciate the glories of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, I have tried to describe the glories of Sri Krsna in detail.

Adi2.120

TEXT 120

caitanya-gosanira ei tattva-nirupana

svayam-bhagavan krsna vrajendra-nandana

SYNONYMS

caitanya-gosanira—of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; ei—this; tattva—of the truth; nirupana—settling; svayam-bhagavan—Himself the Supreme Personality of Godhead; krsna—Lord Krsna; vrajendra-nandana—the son of the King of Vraja.

TRANSLATION

The conclusion is that Lord Caitanya is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, the son of the King of Vraja.

Adi2.121

TEXT 121

sri-rupa-raghunatha-pade yara asa

caitanya-caritamrta kahe krsnadasa

SYNONYMS

sri-rupa—Srila Rupa Gosvami; raghunatha—Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami; pade—at the lotus feet; yara—whose; asa—expectation; caitanya-caritamrta—the book named Caitanya-caritamrta; kahe—describes; krsna-dasa—Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami.

TRANSLATION

Praying at the lotus feet of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha, always desiring their mercy, I, Krsnadasa, narrate Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, following in their footsteps.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports to Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, Second Chapter, describing Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Next chapter (Adi 3)