Sri Brahma-samhita
by His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura

Chapter Five

Bs5.52

TEXT 52

yac-caksur esa savita sakala-grahanam

raja samasta-sura-murtir asesa-tejah

yasyajnaya bhramati sambhrta-kala-cakro

govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

SYNONYMS

yat—of whom; caksuh—the eye; esah—the; savita—sun; sakala-grahanam—of all the planets; raja—the king; samasta-sura—of all the demigods; murtih—the image; asesa-tejah—full of infinite effulgence; yasya—of whom; ajnaya—by the order; bhramati—performs his journey; sambhrta—complete; kala-cakrah—the wheel of time; govindam—Govinda; adi-purusam—the original person; tam—Him; aham—I; bhajami—worship.

TRANSLATION

The sun who is the king of all the planets, full of infinite effulgence, the image of the good soul, is as the eye of this world. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda in pursuance of whose order the sun performs his journey mounting the wheel of time.

PURPORT

Certain professors of the Vedic religion worship the sun as Brahman. The sun is one of the hierarchy of the five gods. Some people target in heat the source of this world and therefore designate the sun, the only location of heat, as the root cause of this world. Notwithstanding all that may be said to the contrary, the sun is after all only the presiding deity of a sphere of the sum total of all mundane heat and is hence a god exercising delegated authority. The sun performs his specific function of service certainly by the command of Govinda.

Bs5.53

TEXT 53

dharmo ’tha papa-nicayah srutayas tapamsi

brahmadi-kita-patagavadhayas ca jivah

yad-datta-matra-vibhava-prakata-prabhava

govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

SYNONYMS

dharmah—virtue; atha—also; papa-nicayah—all vices; srutayah—the Vedas; tapamsi—penances; brahma-adi—beginning from Lord Brahma; kita-pataga—insects; avadhayah—down to; ca—and; jivah—jivas; yat—by whom; datta—conferred; matra—exclusively; vibhava—by the power; prakata—manifested; prabhavah—potencies; govindam—Govinda; adi-purusam—the original person; tam—Him; aham—I; bhajami—worship.

TRANSLATION

I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, by whose conferred power are maintained the manifested potencies, that are found to exist, of all virtues, all vices, the Vedas, the penances and all jivas, from Brahma to the meanest insect.

PURPORT

By dharma is meant the allotted functions of varna and asrama manifested by the twenty dharma-sastras on the authority of the Vedas. Of these two divisions varna-dharma is that function which is the outcome of the distinctive natures of the four varnas, viz., brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra and asrama-dharma is that function which is appropriate to the respective asramas or stations of those who belong to the four stages, viz., brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa. All customary activities of mankind have been targeted in these twofold divisions. Sins mean nescience, the root of all sins and sinful desire, also the greatest iniquities and sins flowing from them and the ordinary sins, i.e., all sorts of unprincipled conduct. The category of the srutis means Rg, Sama, Yajur and Atharva and the Upanisads which form the crest jewels of the Veda. The tapas mean all regular practices that are learnt with the view of the attainment of the proper function of the self. In many cases, e.g., in the form known as panca-tapas these practices are of a difficult character (yoga) with its eight constituents limbs and devotedness to the knowledge of the undifferentiated Brahman are included therein. All these are so many distinctive features within the revolving round of the fruitive activities of conditioned souls. The conditioned souls are embarked on a sojourn of successive births from 84 lakhs of varieties of generating organs. They are differentiated into different orders of beings as devas, danavas, raksasas, manavas, nagas, kinnaras, and gandharvas. These jivas, from Brahma down to the small insect, are infinite in type. They make up the aggregate of the conditioned souls from the degree of Brahma to that of the little fly and are the distinctive features within the revolving wheel of karma. Every one of them is endowed with distinctive powers as individuals and is powerful in a particular sphere. But these powers are by their nature not fully developed in them. The degree of power and nature of property vary according to the measure of manifestation of the possessions of the individual conferred upon him by Sri Govinda.

Bs5.54

TEXT 54

yas tv indragopam athavendram aho sva-karma-

bandhanurupa-phala-bhajanam atanoti

karmani nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhajam

govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

SYNONYMS

yah—He who (Govinda); tu—but; indra-gopam—to the small red insect called indragopa; atha va—or even; indram—to Indra, king of heaven; aho—oh; sva-karma—of one’s own fruitive activities; bandha—bondage; anurupa—according to; phala—of reactions; bhajanam—enjoying or suffering; atanoti—bestows; karmani—all fruitive activities and their reactions; nirdahati—destroys; kintu—but; ca—also; bhakti-bhajam—of persons engaged in devotional service; govindam—Govinda; adi-purusam—the original person; tam—Him; aham—I; bhajami—worship.

TRANSLATION

I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, who burns up to their roots all fruitive activities of those who are imbued with devotion and impartially ordains for each the due enjoyment of the fruits of one’s activities, of all those who walk in the path of work, in accordance with the chain of their previously performed works, no less in the case of the tiny insect that bears the name of indragopa than in that of Indra, king of the devas.

PURPORT

God impartially induces the fallen souls to act in the way that is consequent on the deeds of their previous births and to enjoy the fruition of their labors but, out of His great mercy to His devotees, He purges out, by the fire of ordeal, the root of all karma, viz., nescience and evil desires. Karma, though without beginning, is still perishable. The karma of those, who work with the hope of enjoying the fruits of their labors, becomes everlasting and endless and is never destroyed. The function of sannyasa is also a sort of karma befitting an asrama and is not pleasant to Krsna when it aims at liberation, i.e., desire for emancipation. They also receive fruition of their karma and, even if it be disinterested, their karma ends in atma-mamata, i.e., self-pleasure; but those who are pure devotees always serve Krsna by gratifying His senses forsaking all attempts of karma and jnana, and being free from all desires save that of serving Krsna. Krsna has fully destroyed the karma, its desires and nescience of those devotees. It is a great wonder that Krsna, being impartial, is fully partial to His devotees.

Bs5.55

TEXT 55

yam krodha-kama-sahaja-pranayadi-bhiti-

vatsalya-moha-guru-gaurava-sevya-bhavaih

sancintya tasya sadrsim tanum apur ete

govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

SYNONYMS

yam—upon whom; krodha—wrath; kama—amorous passion; sahaja-pranaya—natural friendly love; adi—and so on; bhiti—fear; vatsalya—parental affection; moha—delusion; guru-gaurava—reverence; sevya-bhavaih—and with the attitude of willing service; sancintya—meditating; tasya—of that; sadrsim—befitting; tanum—bodily form; apuh—attained; ete—these persons; govindam—Govinda; adi-purusam—the original person; tam— Him; aham—I; bhajami—worship.

TRANSLATION

I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, the meditators of whom, by meditating upon Him under the sway of wrath, amorous passion, natural friendly love, fear, parental affection, delusion, reverence and willing service, attain to bodily forms befitting the nature of their contemplation.

PURPORT

Devotion is of two kinds, viz., (1) of the nature of deference to regulation and (2) constituted of natural feeling. Bhakti is roused by following with a tinge of faith in the rule of the sastras and instruction of the preceptors. Such bhakti is of the nature of loyalty to the scriptural regulations. It continues to be operative as long as the corresponding natural feeling is not roused. If a person loves Krsna out of natural tendency. there is the principle of raga, which is no other than a strong desire to serve, which turns into bhava or substantive feeling. When the substantive feeling is aroused the devotee becomes an object of mercy of Krsna. It takes much time to attain this stage. Devotion which is of the nature of feeling is superior to that connected with scriptural regulation, soon attains to the realized state and is attractive to Krsna. Its various aspects are described in this sloka. Santa-bhava, full of reverence to superior, dasya-bhava, full of service for carrying out the commands of the object of worship, sakhya-bhava or natural friendly love, vatsalya-bhava or parental affection and madhura-bhava or amorous love, are all included in the category of devotion of the nature of instinctive attachment. But anger, fear and delusion, though they are of the nature of instinctive impulse, are not devotion in the strict sense of the term, because they are not friendly but hostile to the object. Anger is found in asuras like Sisupala, fear in Kamsa, and delusion in the panditas of the pantheistic school. They have the feelings of anger, fear and instinctive impulse marked by complete self-forgetful identification with the nondifferentiated Brahman. But as there is no friendly feeling towards the object of devotion there is no bhakti. Again among the feelings of santa, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya and madhura—santa, though indifferent and dormant in raga, is still reckoned as bhakti on account of its being a little friendly. There is an immense volume of raga in the other four varieties of emotion. By the promise of Gita, ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham [Bg. 4.11] (“I serve one according to his submission”), those, who allow themselves to be actuated by the sentiments of fear, anger and delusion, attain to sayujya-mukti (merging in the Absolute). The santas obtain bodily forms with aptitude for addiction to Brahman and Paramatma. The dasya and sakhya classes of worshipers attain bodily forms characterized by masculine or feminine disposition according to their respective grades of eligibility. The vatsalya class of worshipers get bodily forms befitting fatherly and motherly sentiments. The amorous lovers of Krsna attain the pure forms of gopis (spiritual milkmaids of Vraja).

Bs5.56

TEXT 56

sriyah kantah kantah parama-purusah kalpa-taravo

druma bhumis cintamani-gana-mayi toyam amrtam

katha ganam natyam gamanam api vamsi priya-sakhi

cid-anandam jyotih param api tad asvadyam api ca

sa yatra ksirabdhih sravati surabhibhyas ca su-mahan

nimesardhakhyo va vrajati na hi yatrapi samayah

bhaje svetadvipam tam aham iha golokam iti yam

vidantas te santah ksiti-virala-carah katipaye

SYNONYMS

sriyah—Laksmis, goddesses of fortune; kantah—loving consorts; kantah—the enjoyer, lover; parama-purusah—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kalpa-taravah—desire trees; drumah—all the trees; bhumih—the land; cintamani-gana-mayi—made of the transcendental touchstone jewels; toyam—the water; amrtam—nectar; katha—talking; ganam—song; natyam—dancing; gamanam—walking; api—also; vamsi—the flute; priya-sakhi—constant companion; cit-anandam—transcendental bliss; jyotih—effulgence; param—the supreme; api—also; tat—that; asvadyam—everywhere perceived; api ca—also; sah—that; yatra—where; ksira-abdhih—ocean of milk; sravati—flows; surabhibhyah—from surabhi cows; ca—and; su-mahan—very great; nimesa-ardha—half a moment; akhyah—called; va—or; vrajati—passes away; na—not; hi—certainly; yatra—where; api—even; samayah—time; bhaje—I worship; sveta-dvipam—Svetadvipa; tam—that; aham—I; iha—here; golokam—Goloka; iti—thus; yam—which; vidantah—know; te—they; santah—self-realized souls; ksiti—in this world; virala—seldom; carah—going; katipaye—few.

TRANSLATION

I worship that transcendental seat, known as Svetadvipa where as loving consorts the Laksmis in their unalloyed spiritual essence practice the amorous service of the Supreme Lord Krsna as their only lover; where every tree is a transcendental purpose tree; where the soil is the purpose gem, all water is nectar, every word is a song, every gait is a dance, the flute is the favorite attendant, effulgence is full of transcendental bliss and the supreme spiritual entities are all enjoyable and tasty, where numberless milk cows always emit transcendental oceans of milk; where there is eternal existence of transcendental time, who is ever present and without past or future and hence is not subject to the quality of passing away even for the space of half a moment. That realm is known as Goloka only to a very few self-realized souls in this world.

PURPORT

That region which jivas attain by the best performance of their rasa-bhajana, though purely transcendental, is by no means devoid of variegatedness. The nondifferentiated region is attained by indulging in anger, fear and delusion. The devotees attain Goloka, the transcendental region above Vaikuntha, according to the quality of rasa of the respective services. In reality that region is no other than Svetadvipa or “the White Island,” being exceedingly pure. Those, who attain the highest rasa in the shape of the realization of pure devotion in this world, viewing the reality of Svetadvipa in Gokula, Vrndavana and Navadvipa within this mundane world, designate the same as “Goloka.” In that transcendental region of Goloka there are always visible, in their supreme beauty. all the distinctive entities that are incorporated in the pure cognitive principle, viz., the lover and His beloved ones, trees and creepers, mountains, rivers and forests, water, speech, movement, music of the flute, the sun and the moon, tasted and taste (i.e., the unthinkable wonders of the 64 aesthetic arts), milk cows yielding nectarean flow of milk and transcendental ever-existing time.

Descriptions that supply the clue to Goloka are found in various places in the Vedas and the other sastras such as the Puranas, tantras etc. The Chandogya says: bruyad yavan va ayam akasas tavan esa antar hrda akasah ubhe asmin dyava-prthivi antar eva samahite. ubhav agnis ca vayus ca surya—candramasav ubhau vidyun naksatrani yac casyehasti yac ca nasti sarvam tad asmin samahitam iti.

The sum and substance of it is that all the variegatedness of this mundane world and much more variety over and above the mundane, are to be found in Goloka. The variety in the transcendental world is fully centralized whereas in the mundane world it is not so and hence productive of weal and woe. The centralized variety of Goloka is unalloyed and full of transcendental cognitive joy. The Vedas and sadhus practicing devotion revealed by the Vedas, by availing the support of their individual cognitional aptitude actuated by devotion, may have a sight of divine realm and by the power of the grace of Krsna their tiny cognitive faculty attaining the quality of infinitude they are enabled to be on the level of the plane of enjoyments of Krsna.

There is a hidden meaning of the proposition “even the Supreme that is also nevertheless the object of enjoyment” (param api tad asvadyam api ca). The word param api indicates that Sri Krsna is the only Truth Absolute in all the transcendental blissful principles and tad asvadyam api means His object of enjoyment. The glory of Radha’s love for Krsna, tasty quality (rasa) of Krsna that is realized by Radha and the bliss of which Radha is conscious in the process of such realization, all these threefold bhavas (emotional entities) becoming available for enjoyment by Krsna He attains His personality of Sri Gaurasundara. It is also this that constitutes the transcendental bliss of the delicious loving (rasa) service manifested by Sri Gaurasundara. This also eternally exists only in the selfsame Svetadvipa.

Bs5.57

TEXT 57

athovaca maha-visnur

bhagavantam prajapatim

brahman mahattva-vijnane

praja-sarge ca cen matih

panca-slokim imam vidyam

vatsa dattam nibodha me

SYNONYMS

atha—then; uvaca—said; maha-visnuh—the Supreme Lord; bhagavantam—unto the glorious; prajapatim—Lord Brahma; brahman—O Brahma; mahattva—of the glory (of Godhead); vijnane—in real knowledge; praja-sarge—in creating offspring; ca—and; cet—if; matih—the inclination; panca-slokim—five slokas; imam—this; vidyam—science; vatsa—O beloved; dattam—given; nibodha—hear; me—from Me.

TRANSLATION

On hearing these hymns containing the essence of the truth, the Supreme Lord Krsna said to Brahma, “Brahma, if you experience the inclination to create offspring by being endowed with the real knowledge of the glory of Godhead, listen, My beloved, from Me to this science set forth in the following five slokas.

PURPORT

The Supreme Lord became propitious when Brahma with great eagerness chanted the names, “Krsna” and “Govinda” expressive of the form, attribute and pastimes. Brahma was actuated by the desire for mundane creation. Krsna then said to Brahma how pure unalloyed devotion can be practiced by souls engaged in worldly occupations by combining the same with the desire for carrying out the behest of the Supreme Lord. “The knowledge absolute is knowledge of the glory of Godhead; if you want to procreate offspring being endowed with such knowledge, listen attentively to the science of devotion that is contained in the following five slokas.”

(How bhakti is practiced by performing worldly duties in the form of carrying out the commands of the Supreme Lord, is being described).

Bs5.58

TEXT 58

prabuddhe jnana-bhaktibhyam

atmany ananda-cin-mayi

udety anuttama bhaktir

bhagavat-prema-laksana

SYNONYMS

prabuddhe—when excited; jnana—by cognition or knowledge; bhaktibhyam—and by devotional service; atmani—in the pure spirit soul; ananda-cit-mayi—full of knowledge and bliss; udeti—is awakened; anuttama—superexcellent; bhaktih—devotion; bhagavat—for Krsna; prema—by love; laksana—characterized.

TRANSLATION

When the pure spiritual experience is excited by means of cognition and service [bhakti], superexcellent unalloyed devotion characterized by love for Godhead is awakened towards Krsna, the beloved of all souls.

PURPORT

Real knowledge is nothing but knowledge of one’s relationship to the Absolute. Real knowledge is identical with the knowledge of subjective natures of cit (animate), acit (inanimate) and Krsna and of their mutual relationship. Here mental speculation is not alluded to, since that is antagonistic to service (bhakti). The knowledge that embraces only the first seven of the ten basic principles (dasa-mula) is the knowledge of relationship. The substantive nature of the spiritual function (abhidheya) inculcated by the science of devotion hearing, chanting, meditation, tending His holy feet, worshiping by rituals, making prostrations, doing menial service, practicing friendship and surrendering oneself are identical with practicing the search for Krsna. It is specifically described in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. Devotion (bhakti) characterized by love for Godhead makes her appearance by being awakened by such knowledge and practice. Such devotion is superexcellent bhakti and is no other than the final object of attainment of all spiritual endeavor of the individual soul (jiva).

Bs5.59

TEXT 59

pramanais tat-sad-acarais

tad-abhyasair nirantaram

bodhayan atmanatmanam

bhaktim apy uttamam labhet

SYNONYMS

pramanaih—by scriptural evidence; tat—of them; sat-acaraih—by theistic conduct; tat—of them; abhyasaih—by practice; nirantaram—constantly; bodhayan—awakening; atmana—by one’s own intelligence; atmanam—the self; bhaktim—devotion; api—certainly; uttamam—the highest; labhet—one can attain.

TRANSLATION

The highest devotion is attained by slow degrees by the method of constant endeavor for self-realization with the help of scriptural evidence, theistic conduct and perseverance in practice.

PURPORT

Evidence—the devotional scriptures, e.g., Srimad-Bhagavatam, the Vedas, the Puranas, the Gita, etc. Theistic conduct—the conduct of pious persons (sadhus) who are pure devotees and the conduct of those pious persons who practice devotion to Godhead actuated by spontaneous love. Practice—to learn about the ten basic principles (dasa-mula) from the sastras and on receiving the name of Hari as laid down in the same, embodying the name, form, quality and activity of the Divinity. to practice the chanting of the name by serving Him night and day. By this are meant study of the sastras and association with the sadhus. The tenfold offense to holy name ceases by serving the name of Hari and simultaneously practicing pious conduct. “Practice” is no other than following the mode of service of the name practiced by the sadhus without offense. By perseverance in such practice and devotion characterized by love which is the fruit of spiritual endeavor makes her appearance in the pure essence of the soul.

Bs5.60

TEXT 60

yasyah sreyas-karam nasti

yaya nirvrtim apnuyat

ya sadhayati mam eva

bhaktim tam eva sadhayet

SYNONYMS

yasyah—than which; sreyah-karam—superior well-being; na—not; asti—there is; yaya—by which; nirvrtim—supreme bliss; apnuyat—one can attain; ya—who; sadhayati—leads; mam—to Me; eva—certainly; bhaktim—loving devotion; tam—that; eva—indeed; sadhayet—one should perform.

TRANSLATION

These preliminary practices of devotion [sadhana-bhakti] are conducive to the realization of loving devotion. [Loving devotion]—than whom there is no superior well-being, who goes hand in hand with the attainment of the exclusive state of supreme bliss and who can lead to Myself.

PURPORT

The jiva-soul has no better well-being than loving devotion. In this is realized the final beatitude of jivas. The lotus feet of Krsna are attainable only by loving devotion. He who cultivates the preliminary devotional activities anxiously keeping in view that realized state of devotion can alone attain to that object of all endeavor. None else can have the same.

Bs5.61

TEXT 61

dharman anyan parityajya

mam ekam bhaja visvasan

yadrsi yadrsi sraddha

siddhir bhavati tadrsi

kurvan nirantaram karma

loko ’yam anuvartate

tenaiva karmana dhyayan

mam param bhaktim icchati

SYNONYMS

dharman—meritorious performances; anyan—other; parityajya—abandoning; mam— Me; ekam—alone; bhaja—serve; visvasan—having faith; yadrsi yadrsi—just as; sraddha—faith; siddhih—realization; bhavati—arises; tadrsi—corresponding; kurvan—performing; nirantaram—ceaselessly; karma—activities; lokah ayam—the people of this world; anuvartate—pursue; tena—by those; eva—indeed; karmana—deeds; dhyayan—meditating; mam—upon Me; param—supreme; bhaktim—devotion; icchati—one obtains.

TRANSLATION

Abandoning all meritorious performances serve Me with faith. The realization will correspond to the nature of one’s faith. The people of the world act ceaselessly in pursuance of some ideal. By meditating on Me by means of those deeds one will obtain devotion characterized by love in the shape of the supreme service.

PURPORT

The function characterized by unalloyed devotion is the real function of all individual souls (jivas). All other varieties of function are activities of the external cases. These exoteric and esoteric dharmas (functions) are manifold, e.g., nondifferential knowledge of the Brahman aiming at extinction of individuality. the astanga-yoga-dharma having as its goal attainment of the state of exclusive existence (kaivalya), atheistical fruitive ritualism aiming at material enjoyment, jnana-yoga-dharma seeking to combine knowledge with fruitive activity and the practice of the function of barren asceticism. Getting rid of all these, serve Me by pure devotion rooted in faith. Exclusive faith in Me is trust. Faith in the form of trust by the process of gradual purification tends to become a constant engagement (nistha), an object of liking (ruci), of attachment (asakti) and a real sentiment (bhava). The more transparent the faith, the greater the degree of realization. If you ask—How will the preservation and conduct of worldly affairs be feasible if one is continuously engaged in the endeavor for the realization of bhakti? What also will be the nature of the endeavor for the realization of bhakti when the body will perish consequent on the cessation of the function of the body and of society?

In order to strike at the root of this misgiving the Supreme Lord says, “This world subsists by the constant performance of certain activities. Fill all these activities with meditation of Me. This will destroy the quality that makes those activities appear as acts done by you. They will then be of the nature of My service (bhakti).

“Mankind live by the threefold activities of body. mind and society. Eating, seating, walking, resting, sleeping, cleansing the body. covering the body. etc., are the various bodily activities; thinking, recollecting, retaining an impression, becoming aware of an entity. feeling pleasure and pain, etc., are the mental feats; marrying, practicing reciprocal relationship between the king and subject, practicing brotherhood, attending at sacrificial meetings, offering oblations, digging wells, tanks, etc., for the benefit of the people, maintaining one’s relations, practicing hospitality. observing proper civic conduct, showing due respect to others are the various social activities. When these acts are performed for one’s selfish enjoyment, they are called karma-kanda; when the desire for attainment of freedom from activity by knowledge underlies these actions, they are termed jnana-yoga or karma-yoga. And when these activities are managed to be performed in this way that is conducive to our endeavor for attainment of bhakti they are called jnana-bhakta-yoga, i.e., the subsidiary devotional practices. But only those activities that are characterized by the principle of pure worship are called bhakti proper. My meditation is practiced in every act when bhakti proper is practiced in due time while performing the subsidiary devotional activities in one’s intercourse with the ungodly people of this world. In such position, a jiva does not become apathetic to Godhead even by performing those worldly activities. This constitutes the practice of looking inwards, i.e., turning towards one’s real self, vide Isopanisad—

isavasyam idam sarvam
yat kinca jagatyam jagat
tena tyaktena bhunjitha
ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam

The commentator says in regards to this, tena isa-tyaktena visrstena. The real significance being that if whatever is accepted be received as favor vouchsafed by the Supreme Lord, the worldly activity will cease to be such and will turn into service of Godhead (bhakti). So Isavasya says kurvann eveha karmani… karma lipyate nare.

If the worldly acts are performed in the above manner one does not get entangled in karma even in hundreds of years of worldly life. The meaning of these two mantras from the jnana point of view is renouncement of the fruits of one’s worldly actions; but from the bhakti point of view they mean the attainment of Krsna’s favor (prasadam) by their transfer to His account. In this method, which is the path of arcana, you should do your duties of the world by the meditation of worshiping Godhead thereby. Brahma cherishes the desire for creation in his heart. If that creative desire is practiced by conjoining the same with the meditation of obeying therein the command of the Supreme Lord, then it will be a subsidiary spiritual function (gauna-dharma) being helpful for the growth of the disposition for the service of the Divinity by reason of its characteristic of seeking the protection of Godhead. It was certainly proper to instruct Brahma in this manner. There is no occasion for such instruction in the case of a jiva in whom the spontaneous aversion for entities other than Krsna manifests itself on his attainment of the substantive entity of spiritual devotion (bhava).

Bs5.62

TEXT 62

aham hi visvasya caracarasya

bijam pradhanam prakrtih pumams ca

mayahitam teja idam bibharsi

vidhe vidhehi tvam atho jaganti

SYNONYMS

aham—I; hi—certainly; visvasya—of the world; cara-acarasya—of animate and inanimate objects; bijam—the seed; pradhanam—the substance of matter; prakrtih—the material cause; puman—the purusa; ca—and; maya—by Me; ahitam—conferred; tejah—fiery energy; idam—this; bibharsi—you bear; vidhe—O Brahma; vidhehi—regulate; tvam—you; atha u—now; jaganti—the worlds.

TRANSLATION

“Listen, O Vidhi, I am the seed, i.e., the fundamental principle, of this world of animate and inanimate objects. I am pradhana [the substance of matter], I am prakrti [material cause] and I am purusa [efficient cause]. This fiery energy that belongs specially to the Brahman, that inheres in you, has also been conferred by Me. It is by bearing this fiery energy that you regulate this phenomenal world of animate and inanimate objects.”

PURPORT

Certain thinkers conclude that the nondifferentiated Brahman is the ultimate entity and by undergoing self-delusion (vivarta) exhibits the consciousness of differentiation; or, the limiting principle itself (Maya), when it is limited, is the phenomenal world and is itself the Brahman, in its unlimited position; or, the Brahman is the substance and this phenomenal world is the reflection; or, everything is an illusion of the jiva. Some think that Godhead is evidently a separate entity. Jiva is another different entity. and the phenomenal world, although it is a singular principle, exists separately as an eternally independent entity; or, Godhead, is the substantive entity and all other entities, as cit and a-cit attributes, are one in principle. Some suppose that by the force of inconceivable potency sometimes the monistic and sometimes the dualistic principle is realized as the truth. Some again arrive at the conclusion that the theory of the nondual minus all potency is meaningless; whence the Brahman is the one eternally unalloyed entity vested with the pure potency.

These speculations have originated from Veda relying on the support of the Vedanta-sutra. In these speculations although there is no truth that holds good in all positions, there is yet a certain measure of truth. Not to speak of the anti-Vedic speculations Sankhya, Patanjala, Nyaya and Vaisesika, nor even of Purva-mimamsa which is fond of exclusive fruitive activity in conformity with the teaching of one portion of the Veda, the bodies of opinions detailed above have also come into existence by relying outwardly on the Vedanta itself. By discarding all these speculations, you and your bona fide community should adopt the ultimate principle identical with the doctrine of acintya-bhedabheda (inconceivable simultaneous distinction and nondifference). This will make you eligible for being a true devotee. The basic principle is that this animate world is made up of jivas and the inanimate world is constituted of matter. Of these all the jivas have been manifested by My supreme (para) potency and this phenomenal world has been manifested by My secondary (apara) potency. I am the cause of all causes. In other words, I regulate all of them by the power of My will although I am not a different entity from the marginal and material (tatastha and acit) potencies. By the transformation of those distinct potencies pradhana (substantive material principle), prakrti (material cause) and purusa (efficient cause) have been produced. Hence although as regards the subjective nature of all potency I am pradhana, prakrti and purusa, yet as the possessor of power I am eternally distinct from all those potencies. This simultaneous distinction and nondifference has also sprung from My inconceivable power. So let the attainment of love for Krsna by the practice of pure devotion through the knowledge of their mutual true relationship that subsists between the jiva, the jada (matter) and Krsna based on the principle of inconceivable simultaneous distinction and non-difference, be My instruction for being handed down in the order of spiritual preceptional succession in your community (Sri Brahma-sampradaya).