Including -The daa-mla-tattva lokas themselves, from rla Bhaktivinoda hkuras Jaiva Dharma.

-lokas from Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, Caitanya Caritamrta and various Upanisads, selected by rla Bhaktivinoda hkura to substantiate the daa-mla-tattva lokas. -An explanation of each daa-mla loka from, Sri Caitanya, His life and precepts, by rla Bhaktivinoda hkura, originally written in English. -For a complete explanation of these lokas, please see Jaiva Dharma chapters13-25 If you need anything, please e-mail me at [email protected]

The Daa-mla-tattva kit

Sutra loka
mnya prha tattva harim iha parama sarva-akti rasbdhi tad-bhinn ca jvn prakti-kavalitn tad-vimukt ca bhvd bhedbheda-praka sakalam api hare sdhana uddha-bhakti sdhya tat-prtim evety upadiati jann gaura-candra svaya sa sa gaura-candra the Golden Lord whose effulgence resembles a moon; svayam personally; upadiati instructs; jann the people; iti that; mnya the message of the Vedas as received through disciplic succession; prha has stated; iha in this world; paramam tattvam the Supreme Absolute Truth; (is) harim r Hari; (He is) sarva-aktim the possessor of all potencies; (He is) rasbdhim an ocean of rasa; jvn the living entities; (are) tad His; bhinna separated; an parts; kavalitn swallowed-up ie. imprisoned; prakti by His apara-prakti ie. illusory potency; ca and; bhvd through experiencing bhva; vimuktn they can be completely liberated; tat from my; sakalam everything (including both spiritual and material worlds); (is) prakam a manifestation; abheda one; api and; bheda different; hare from r Hari; sdhanam the means for attainment; (is) uddha-bhaktim the limbs of pure devotion; sdhyam the objective (of that devotion); eva tat prtim is certainly love and affection for Him. 1. Prama: The teachings of the Vedas received through guru-parampar are known as mnya. The infallible evidence of the Vedas, of the smti-stras headed by the rmad-Bhgavatam, as well as evidence such as direct sense perception (pratyaka), that concur with the guidance of the Vedas, are all accepted as prama (evidence). This prama establishes the following prameyas (fundamental truths): 2. Parama-tattva: r Hari alone is the Supreme Absolute Truth. 3. Sarva-aktimn: r Ka is the possessor of all potency. 4. Akhila-rasmta-sindhu: He is the ocean of nectarean mellows. 5. Vibhinna-tattva: Both the mukta (liberated) and baddha (conditioned) jvas are His eternally separated parts and parcels. 6. Baddha-jivas: Conditioned souls are subject to the control and covering of my. 7. Mukta-jivas: Liberated souls are free from my. 8. Acintya-bhedbheda-tattva: The entire universe, consisting of the conscious (cit) and unconscious (acit), is r Haris acintya-bhedbheda-praka, that is to say, it is His manifestation which is inconceivably both different and non-different from Him. 9. uddha-bhakti: Pure devotional service is the only practice (sdhana) to attain perfection. 10. Ka-prti: Transcendental love and affection for Ka is the one and only final object of attainment(sdhya-vastu).
[srag-dhar meter]

loka 1: Pramna-tattva
svata-siddho vedo hari-dayita-vedha-prabhtita prama sat-prpta pramiti-viayn tn nava-vidhn tath pratyakdi-pramiti-sahita sdhayati na na yuktis tarkkhy praviati tath akti-rahit veda Veda; sat-prptam as received by saints; prabhrtita headed; hari-dayita by the recipient of r Haris mercy; vedha Brahmj; na (is) our; svata-siddh self-evident; pramam evidence; (That evidence) sdhayati establishes; tn of that; nava-vidhn nine kinds; pramitiviayn of subjectmatters in relation to that pramna; tath sahitam in addition to; pramiti secondary subject-matters; pratyaka-di headed by direct perception; tath in addition; yukti the process of reason; tarkakhy known as argument and counterargument; akti-rahit which is devoid of (transcendental) potency; na praviati cannot comprehend (acintya, inconceivable subject matter) The self-evident Vedas, which have been received in the sampradya through the guru-parampar by recipients of r Haris mercy such as Brahmj and others, are known as mnya-vkya. The nine prameya-tattvas are established by these mnya-vkyas with the help of other pramas that follow the guidance of these stras, such as evidence obtained by direct sense perception (pratyaka). Reasoning that is only based on logic is always lame in the matter of evaluating inconceivable subject matters, since logic and argument have no access in the realm of the inconceivable. Evidence from the Vedic scriptures BG = Bhagavad-gt SB = rmad-Bhgavatam CC = Caitanya-caritmta

BG 9.17

pitham asya jagato mt dht pitmaha vedya pavitram okra k sma yajur eva ca pitfather; ahamI; asyaof this; jagatauniverse; mtmother; dhtsupporter; pitmaha grandfather; vedyamwhat is to be known; pavitramthat which purifies; o-krathe syllable o; k the g Veda; smathe Sma Veda; yajuthe Yajur Veda; evacertainly; caand. I am the father of this universe, the mother, the support and the grandsire. I am the object of knowledge, the purifier and the syllable o. I am also the g, the Sma and the Yajur Vedas.

tasmc chstra prama te krykrya-vyavasthitau jtv stra-vidhnokta karma kartum ihrhasi tasmttherefore; stramthe scriptures; pramamevidence; teyour; kryaduty; akryaand forbidden activities; vyavasthitauin determining; jtvknowing; straof scripture; vidhnathe regulations; uktamas declared; karmawork; kartumdo; ihain this world; arhasiyou should. One should therefore understand what is duty and what is not duty by the regulations of the scriptures. Knowing such rules and regulations, one should act so that he may gradually be elevated.

BG 16.24

SB 11.14.3

r-bhagavn uvca klena na pralaye vya veda-sajit maydau brahmae prokt dharmo yasy mad-tmaka r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; klenaby the influence of time; na lost; pralayeat the time of annihilation; vmessage; iyamthis; veda-sajitconsisting of the Vedas; mayby Me; dauat the time of creation; brahmaeunto Lord Brahm; proktspoken; dharmareligious principles; yasymin which; mat-tmakaidentical with Me. The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: By the influence of time, the transcendental sound of Vedic knowledge was lost at the time of annihilation. Therefore, when the subsequent creation took place, I spoke the Vedic knowledge to Brahm because I Myself am the religious principles enunciated in the Vedas. veda-stra kahesambandha, abhidheya, prayojana kaprpya sambandha, bhaktiprptyera sdhana veda-stra kahethe Vedic literature instructs; sambandhathe conditioned souls relationship with the Lord; abhidheyathe regulated activities of the conditioned soul for reviving that relationship; prayojana and the ultimate goal of life to be attained by the conditioned soul; kaLord Ka; prpyato be awakened; sambandhathe original relationship; bhaktidevotional service; prptyera sdhanathe means of attaining Ka. The Vedic literatures give information about the living entitys eternal relationship with Ka, which is called sambandha. The living entitys understanding of this relationship and his acting accordingly is called abhidheya. Returning home, back to Godhead, is the ultimate goal of life and is called prayojana.

CC Mad 20.124

Bhad Aranyaka Upaniada 2.4.10

o asya mahato bhutasya nihvasita meta dgit ydi g vedam bhagave adhyemi yajut vedam sma vedam atharvanam caturthamitihsam purnam vedam idydi The revealed scriptures, the Vedas, have come out of the breath of the Supreme Lord Hari. These include Rg veda, Yajur veda, Sma veda, Atharva veda, Rmayana, Mahbhrata, eighteen chief Puras, eighteen minor Puraas, Upaniads, Pancartras, and all subsequent literatures and commentaries which are in line with the above. These literatures provide divine knowledge regarding the Absolute Truth. Explanation from Sri Caitanya, His life and precepts, by rla Bhaktivinoda hkura. Lord Chaitanya teaches us first that the rational attributes of people are not capable of approaching the divine sphere of spirit. He considers reason to be quite incompetent in such a matter. However, He considers that the religious sentiment in man, even in a very small quantity, does have the power to comprehend spirit. Inspiration alone can give light to spiritual matters. Inspiration coming down from the higher realm through purified and blessed souls has been exhibited in the form of the Vedas. The Vedas, together with their explanatory notes, the Puranas, are therefore the only evidence in matters of spirit, and are eternal in nature. Thus, Vedic truths should be accepted as the only truth in higher matters. Reason, while sincerely helping the inspired truth, may be accepted as auxiliary evidence. According to Lord Chaitanya, the Vedas teach us nine principal doctrines. (see sutra loka)

loka 2: Hari (the Almighty) is one without a second.

haris tv eka tattva vidhi-iva-surea-praamita yad eveda brahma prakti-rahita tat tv anumaha partm tasyo jagad-au-gato viva-janaka sa vai rdh-knto nava-jalada-knti cid-udaya tu indeed; hari r Hari; (is) ekam the one Absolute; tattvam Truth; praamita who is offered homage; vidhi by Brahm; iva iva; (and) sura-a Indra; idam that; brahma non-differentiated light; yat which; (is) prakti-rahitam devoid of potency; tat that; (is) tu eva nothing but; anumaha (His) effulgence; para-tm the Supersoul; jagad-au-gata who has entered into every atom of the universe; (and) viva-janaka the father of the universe, MahViu; (are) tasya His; aa plenary portions; vai verily; (It is) sa that; cid-udaya original form of cit-akti; knti whose luster; (is) nava-jalada the hue of a new cloud; (who is) rdh-knta the lover of r Rdh. Indeed r Hari, to whom Brahm, iva, Indra and other devats continuously offer prama, is the only Supreme Absolute Truth. Nirviea-brahma that is devoid of akti is r Haris bodily effulgence. MahViu, who has created the universe and who has entered into it as the indwelling Supersoul of all, is simply His partial manifestation. It is that r Hari alone, the very form of transcendental reality (citsvarpa), whose complexion is the color of a freshly formed thunder cloud, who is r Rdhvallabha, the beloved of r Rdh. Evidence from the Vedic scriptures

matta paratara nnyat kicid asti dhanajaya mayi sarvam ida prota stre mai-ga iva mattabeyond Me; para-taramsuperior; nanot; anyat kicitanything else; astithere is; dhanajayaO conqueror of wealth; mayiin Me; sarvamall that be; idamwhich we see; protamis strung; streon a thread; mai-gapearls; ivalike. O conqueror of wealth, there is no truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread.

BG 7.7

SB 12.8.49

yad-darana nigama tma-raha-praka muhyanti yatra kavayo ja-par yatanta ta sarva-vda-viaya-pratirpa-la vande mah-puruam tma-nigha-bodham yatof whom; daranamthe vision; nigamein the Vedas; tmaof the Supreme Soul; rahathe mystery; prakamwhich reveals; muhyantibecome bewildered; yatraabout which; kavayagreat learned authorities; aja-parheaded by Brahm; yatantaendeavoring; tamto Him; sarva-vdaof all different philosophies; viayathe subject matter; pratirpaadjusting itself as suitable; lamwhose personal nature; vandeI offer my homage; mah-puruamto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tmafrom the spirit soul; nighahidden; bodhamunderstanding.

My dear Lord, the Vedic literatures alone reveal confidential knowledge of Your supreme personality, and thus even such great scholars as Lord Brahm himself are bewildered in their attempt to understand You through empirical methods. Each philosopher understands You according to his particular speculative conclusions. I worship that Supreme Person, knowledge of whom is hidden by the bodily designations covering the conditioned souls spiritual identity.

CC Mad 21.34

parama vara ka svaya bhagavn tte baa, tra sama keha nhi na paramasupreme; varacontroller; kaLord Ka; svayampersonally; bhagavnthe original Personality of Godhead; ttetherefore; baamost exalted; traHis; samaequal; kehaanyone; nhithere is not; naelse. Ka is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore He is the greatest of all. No one is equal to Him, nor is anyone greater than Him.

Bhad Aranyaka and Candogya Upaniada

tam tu upaniadam puruam pcchmi ymc chabala prapadye abalc chyma prapadye ekam sanatam bahudha dyamnam (translation of only second line available) By rendering sev to yma, one attains His transcendental abode, which is full of spiritual bliss and astonishing, variegated lls; and within that cit-jagat, one attains the eternal shelter of yma. Explanation In Vedic theology, the creative principle of the Deity is personified in Brahma and the destructive principle in Shiva. Indra is the head of some of the lower elements of administration. Hence, they are not the Almighty Himself, but are different representations of different attributes of the Almighty. They have obtained their powers from an original fountainhead. Thus, they are subordinate beings in the service of Hari. Then again there are three distinct philosophical ideas of the Deity: (1) the idea of the all-pervading Brahman of the pantheistic school, (2) the idea of a universal soul (Paramatma) of the yoga school, and (3) the idea of a personal God (Bhagavan) with all His majesty, might, glory, beauty, wisdom, and supremacy combined in His personality. The ideas of Brahman and Paramatma are, therefore, included in the idea of Bhagavan. Thus, Bhagavan is Hari, the Supreme Being. Human ideas are either mental or spiritual. The mental idea is defective, as it has its relation to the created principle of matter. The spiritual idea is certainly the nearest approach to the Supreme Being. Then again, the spiritual idea of Bhagavan is of two kinds. In one kind, the person of the Almighty is overpowered by His majesty, and in the other, His personal beauty overpowers all His majesty. The first idea is represented in the great Narayan of Vaikuntha, who is the Lord of lords and God of gods. The second is represented in the all-beautiful Krishna with Radhika, who is the representative of His hladini or superior ecstatic energyKrishna appears as a man among men, yet is generally accepted as God above gods. Krishna attracts, loves, and produces ecstasy in all souls. His qualities and personal paraphernalia are all purely spiritual, and have no relation to the material world. The material senses of man cannot approach Him. It is the spirit in man which can see Him directly and commune with Him. The soul fettered in matter has, from its own degradation, lost its right to see Krishna and His spiritual lila in the spiritual world, but Krishna may, out of His own supreme power and prerogative, appear with all His Vrindavan lila before the eyes of all men. The rational man can hardly conceive of or believe in Krishna and His lila, but as mans spiritual vision improves, he sees Krishna and loves Him with all his heart. This subject can hardly be explained

fully and exhaustively. We therefore leave this point to our readers with these words: Give up the shackles of material life slowly. Cultivate your spiritual consciousness internally. Give up prejudices that you have acquired from the so-called rational thinkers who deny the existence of spirit. Be humble and learn to respect those who work toward spiritual attainments. Do this with your heart, mind, and strength in the company of Vaishnavas alone, and you will see Krishna in no time. Krishna is not an imaginary being, nor have you a right to think that He is a material phenomenon fancied to be the Supreme Being by fools. Krishna is not understood by the process of distinguishing the subjective from the objective, nor is He to be accepted as an imposition on the people set up by self-interested men. Krishna is eternal, spiritually true, reflected on the human soul relieved of all attachment to dull matter, and is the subject of love which proceeds from the soul. Accept Him as such, and you will see Him with your souls eyes. Words fail to describe the Transcendental Being. The highest, best, and most spiritual ideal of the Divinity is to be found in Krishna. To bring arguments against Him is simply to deceive ones self, and deprive ones self of the blessings that God has kept in store for man. Hence, all descriptions of His name, form, attributes, and lila should be accepted spiritually, giving up the material conceptions which words must necessarily convey.

loka 3: He is always vested with infinite power.

parkhyy akter apthag api sa sve mahimani sthito jvkhy svm acid-abhihit t tri-padikm sva-tantreccha akti sakala-viaye preraa-paro vikrdyai nya parama-puruo ya vijayate api although; apthag non-different; par-khyy akte from His transcendental potency; (which is) tm svm His own; tri-padikm three-fold; aktim potency; (the other two aspects being) jva-khym that known as jva ( the multiple vibhinna parts); (and) acid-abhihitm that known as unconscious; sa that; parama-purua Supreme Person; (is) sthita situated; sve mahimani in His glory; (He is) sva-tantra-iccha fully independent in His desires; nya free; vikra-dyai from all external transformations etc.; ayam He; (is) preraa-para the supreme instigator and the ultimate source of inspiration; sakala-viaye in all realms and dimensions of action; vijayate may He be especially victorious. Although r Bhagavn is non-different from His inconceivable transcendental potency (par-akti), He has His own independent nature and desires. His par-akti consists of three aspects cit-akti (spiritual potency), jva-akti (marginal potency), and my-akti (external potency) and He always inspires them to engage in their respective functions. That para-tattva (Supreme Absolute Truth), even while performing all these activities, still remains immutable and is eternally situated in the fully transcendental svarpa of His own glory.

bhmir po nalo vyu kha mano buddhir eva ca ahakra itya me bhinn praktir aadh bhmiearth; pawater; analafire; vyuair; khamether; manamind; buddhiintelligence; evacertainly; caand; ahakrafalse ego; itithus; iyamall these; meMy; bhinnseparated; praktienergies; aadheightfold. Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false egoall together these eight constitute My separated material energies. apareyam itas tv any prakti viddhi me parm jva-bht mah-bho yayeda dhryate jagat aparinferior; iyamthis; itabesides this; tubut; anymanother; praktimenergy; viddhijust try to understand; meMy; parmsuperior; jva-bhtmcomprising the living entities; mah-bhoO mighty-armed one; yayby whom; idamthis; dhryateis utilized or exploited; jagatthe material world. Besides these, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is another, superior energy of Mine, which comprises the living entities who are exploiting the resources of this material, inferior nature. etad-yonni bhtni sarvty upadhraya aha ktsnasya jagata prabhava pralayas tath etatthese two natures; yonniwhose source of birth; bhtnieverything created; sarviall; itithus; upadhrayaknow; ahamI; ktsnasyaall-inclusive; jagataof the world; prabhavathe source of manifestation; pralayaannihilation; tathas well as. All created beings have their source in these two natures. Of all that is material and all that is spiritual in this world, know for certain that I am both the origin and the dissolution.

Bg 7.4-6

Evidence from the Vedic scriptures

yac-chaktayo vadat vdin vai vivda-savda-bhuvo bhavanti kurvanti cai muhur tma-moha tasmai namo nanta-guya bhmne yat-aktayawhose multifarious potencies; vadatmspeaking different philosophies; vdinmof the speakers; vaiindeed; vivdaof argument; savdaand agreement; bhuvathe causes; bhavanti are; kurvanticreate; caand; emof them (the theorists); muhucontinuously; tma-moham bewilderment regarding the existence of the soul; tasmaiunto Him; namamy respectful obeisances; anantaunlimited; guyapossessing transcendental attributes; bhmnethe all-pervading Godhead. Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the all-pervading Supreme Personality of Godhead, who possesses unlimited transcendental qualities. Acting from within the cores of the hearts of all philosophers, who propagate various views, He causes them to forget their own souls while sometimes agreeing and sometimes disagreeing among themselves. Thus He creates within this material world a situation in which they are unable to come to a conclusion. I offer my obeisances unto Him.

SB 6.4.31

SB 11.4.2

r-drumila uvca yo v anantasya gunn anantn anukramiyan sa tu bla-buddhi rajsi bhmer gaayet kathacit klena naivkhila-akti-dhmna r-drumila uvcar Drumila said; yawho; vaiindeed; anantasyaof the unlimited Lord; guru the transcendental qualities; anantnwhich are unlimited; anukramiyantrying to enumerate; sahe; tucertainly; bla-buddhiis a person of childish intelligence; rajsithe particles of dust; bhmeon the earth; gaayetone may count; kathacitsomehow; klenain time; na evabut not; akhila-aktidhmna(the qualities) of the reservoir of all potencies. r Drumila said: Anyone trying to enumerate or describe fully the unlimited qualities of the unlimited Supreme Lord has the intelligence of a foolish child. Even if a great genius could somehow or other, after a time-consuming endeavor, count all the particles of dust on the surface of the earth, such a genius could never count the attractive qualities of the Personality of Godhead, who is the reservoir of all potencies.

CC Mad 8.151

kera ananta-akti, tte tinapradhna cic-chakti, my-akti, jva-akti-nma keraof Lord Ka; ananta-aktiunlimited potencies; ttein that; tinathree; pradhnachief; citaktispiritual potency; my-aktimaterial potency; jva-aktimarginal potency, or living entities; nmanamed. Ka has unlimited potencies, which can be divided into three main parts. These are the spiritual potency, the material potency and the marginal potency, which is known as the living entities.

vetvatara Upaniad (6.7-8)

na tasya krya karaa ca vidyate na tat-sama cbhyadhika ca dyate parsya aktir vividhaiva ryate svbhvik jna-bala-kriy ca None of the activities of that para-brahma Paramtm is mundane, because none of His senses such as His hands and legs is material. Thus through the medium of His transcendental body, He performs His pastimes without any material senses, and He is present everywhere at the same time. Therefore, no one is even equal to Him, what to speak of being greater than Him. The one divine potency of Paramevara has been described in ruti in many ways, among which the description of His jna-akti (knowledge), His balaakti (power), and His kriy-akti (potency for activity) are most important. These are also called cit-akti or savit-akti; sat-akti or sandhin-akti; and nanda-akti or hldin-akti respectively. Explanation Infinite powers means powers that know no bounds either in space or in time. As Gods powers alone created space and time, His powers are identical to Himself. In material life, there is a difference between a person and his powers, between a thing and its attributes, its name, its form, and its activities; but it is a spiritual truth that in spirit, a person is identical with his name, form, attributes, and activities. This truth cannot be subjected to dry reason which deals with gross matter alone. Krishna is the supreme will in

Himself, and He exercises His supreme power at His pleasure, which submits to no law, because all law has proceeded from His will and power. Power is known by its exercise. In this world we have experience of only three of the attributes of Gods power. We see the material phenomena and we understand that His power has the attribute to create matter. This attribute is known in the Vedas as maya-shakti. We see a man and we understand that the Supreme Power has the attribute to produce the limited and imperfect souls. The shastras (scriptures) call that attribute jiva-shakti. We conceive of One who is spiritual and supreme in His realm of eternal spirits; thus, we understand that His power has an attribute to exhibit perfectly spiritual existences.The Vedas call that attribute by the name of atma-shakti or chit-shakti. All these attributes together form one supreme power which the Vedas call para-shakti. In fact, power (shakti) is not distinguishable from the personality of that Supreme Being. Still, the powers are separately exhibited in their separate actions. This is styled achintya-bhedabheda-prakash or inconceivable, simultaneous existence of distinction and non-distinction. Hari, being the Supreme Will above law, exercises His infinite powers while He Himself remains unaffected. This is not understood by reason, but felt in the soul as an intuitive truth.

loka 4: He is an ocean of rasa (sweetness).

sa vai hldiny ca praaya-vikter hldana-ratas tath samvic-chakti-prakaita-raho-bhva-rasita tath r-sandhiny kta-viada-tad-dhma-nicaye rasmbodhau magno vraja-rasa-vils vijayate praaya-vikte on account of a transformation caused by love; hldiny for His hldin potency, r Rdh; vai sa that same (r Hari); hldana-rata is attached to activities of delight; ca tath and; rasita His tendency; raha for confidential; bhva moods; prakaita is manifested; samvitakti from His potency of cognizance; tath and; r-sandhiny through His existence-sustaining potency; vraja-rasa-vils that enjoyer of pleasure-pastimes in Vraja; magna is immersed; rasmbudhau in an ocean of rasa; kta created; nicaye within the hosts; viada-tad-dhma of His splendid abodes; vijayate may He be especially victorious. There are three functions of svarpa-akti: hldin, sandhin and savit. Ka remains perpetually immersed in the praaya-vikra of the hldin-akti. Because of the confidential bhvas evoked by savitakti, He is ever-situated as rasika-ekhara in relishing newer and newer rasa. That supremely independent pastime prince, r Ka, is ever-drowned within the ocean of vraja-rasa in His transcendental bliss-filled abodes, headed by Vndvana, which are manifest through sandhin-akti. All glories to Him!

avyakta vyaktim panna manyante mm abuddhaya para bhvam ajnanto mamvyayam anuttamam avyaktamnonmanifested; vyaktimpersonality; pannamachieved; manyantethink; mmMe; abuddhayaless intelligent persons; paramsupreme; bhvamexistence; ajnantawithout knowing; mamaMy; avyayamimperishable; anuttamamthe finest. Unintelligent men, who do not know Me perfectly, think that I, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ka, was impersonal before and have now assumed this personality. Due to their small knowledge, they do not know My higher nature, which is imperishable and supreme.

BG 7.24

Evidence from the Vedic scriptures

BG 9.11

avajnanti m mh mnu tanum ritam para bhvam ajnanto mama bhta-mahevaram avajnantideride; mmMe; mhfoolish men; mnumin a human form; tanuma body; ritamassuming; paramtranscendental; bhvamnature; ajnantanot knowing; mamaMy; bhtaof everything that be; mah-varamthe supreme proprietor. Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature as the Supreme Lord of all that be.

SB 10.43.17

mallnm aanir n nara-vara str smaro mrtimn gopn sva-jano sat kiti-bhuj st sva-pitro iu mtyur bhoja-pater vir avidu tattva para yogin vn para-devateti vidito raga gata sgraja mallnmfor the wrestlers; aanilightning; nmfor the males; nara-varathe best of men; strmfor the women; smaraCupid; mrti-mnincarnate; gopnmfor the cowherds; sva-jana their relative; asatmimpious; kiti-bhujmfor the kings; sta punisher; sva-pitrofor His parents; iua child; mtyudeath; bhoja-patefor the King of the Bhojas, Kasa; virthe totality of the material universe; avidumfor the unintelligent; tattvamthe Truth; paramSupreme; yoginmfor the yogs; vnmfor the members of the Vi dynasty; para-devattheir most worshipable Deity; itiin these ways; viditaunderstood; ragamthe arena; gataHe entered; saalong with; agra-jaHis elder brother. The various groups of people in the arena regarded Ka in different ways when He entered it with His elder brother. The wrestlers saw Ka as a lightning bolt, the men of Mathur as the best of males, the women as Cupid in person, the cowherd men as their relative, the impious rulers as a chastiser, His parents as their child, the King of the Bhojas as death, the unintelligent as the Supreme Lords universal form, the yogs as the Absolute Truth and the Vis as their supreme worshipable Deity.

CC Adi 4.86

kimv, prema-rasa-maya kera svarpa tra akti tra saha haya eka-rpa kimvor; prema-rasathe mellows of love; mayamade of; keraof Lord Ka; svarpathe real nature; traof Him; aktithe energy; tra sahawith Him; hayathere is; eka-rpaoneness. Or ka-may means that She is identical with Lord Ka, for She embodies the mellows of love. The energy of Lord Ka is identical with Him.

Muaka Upaniad (2.2.7):

divye brahma-pure hy ea vyomny tm pratihita raso vai sa That Paramtm eternally resides in the transcendental Brahma-pura that is the form of Paravyoma. He is the embodiment of rasa. Explanation Rasa has been defined as that ecstatic principle that comprehends sthayi-bhava, vibhava, anubhava, sattvik, and sanchari. Vibhava is divided into alambana and uddipana. Alambana is subdivided into vishaya and ashraya. Ashraya is that person who has in himself the principle of sthayi-bhava, and vishaya is that person to whom the stayi-bhava directs itself. Sthayi-bhava has been explained to be rati or the tendency of the pure spiritual heart. By a connection of ashraya and vishaya the sthayi-bhava arrives at its stage of action. When it obtains its active stage, certain signs are exhibited in the person which are called the anubhavas. These are thirteen in number. Eight other bhavas exhibited in the body are known as sattvik-bhavas, such as tears, shivering, etc. Thirty-three other bhavas, such as harsha, vishad, etc. have been shown to be sancharibhavas. These combined in the soul form the rasa. This process of exhibition of rasa relates to the exhibition of rasa in the person enthralled by matter. But rasa itself is an eternal principle identified with the Supreme, Hari. Hari is the ocean of rasa, and in the human soul only a drop of that ocean could be conceived. Rasa naturally is spiritual, but in man subjected to maya, the progenitor of matter, it has been identified in a perverted state with the sensual pleasure of man in connection with material objects. In this condition, the soul loses itself in the mind, and the mind acting through the senses enjoys the perverted reflection of rasa in the five different kinds of objects of the five senses. This is the souls going abroad with avidya, or ignorance of the spiritual self. When the soul looks inward, it obtains its spiritual rasa, and the perverted rasa wanes off in proportion to the development of the spiritual rasa. In spiritual rasa, the souls with each other and with the all-beautiful Lord have their unfettered action in Vrindavan, rising above material time and space. Hari, with His infinite supreme free will, has eternal ecstasy in His spiritual power or chit-shakti. The hladini attribute of chit-shakti (spiritual wisdom) gives Him infinite pleasure. The samvit attribute of chit-shakti produces all bhavas, relations, and affections. The sandhini attribute of chit-shakti produces all existence (other than the free will), including the dhams (abodes), individualities, and other substances in connection with the action of the spiritual rasa. All these exhibitions are from chit-shakti or the spiritual power. The mayik or material creation, including time, space, and gross objects, has no place in chit-jagat or the spiritual world, which is the same as Vrindavan. Maya-shakti is a perverted reflection of the chit-shakti. Hence, the qualities in the mayik-jagat (material world) resemble the qualities in the chit-jagat (spiritual universe), but are not substantially the same. The chit-jagat is the model of the mayik-jagat, but they are not identical. We must guard ourselves against the idea that man has imagined chit-jagat from an experience of the mayik-jagat. This idea is pantheistic, and it may also be styled atheistic. Reason not spiritualized has a tendency to create such a doubt, but one who has a wish to enjoy spiritual love must give it up as misleading.

The eternal rasa of Krishna exists spiritually in chit-jagat. To us who are in the relative world, there is a screen which intervenes between our eyes and the great spiritual scene of Krishna lila. When by the grace of Krishna that screen is drawn up, we have the privilege to see it, and again when it pleases the Almighty to drop the screen, the great Vrindavan lila disappears. Taste the subject and your conviction will be the same as mine. Brethren, do not give up such an important subject without liberal examination!

loka 5: The soul is His vibhinnangsha, or separated part.

sphulig ddhgner iva cid-aavo jva-nicay hare sryasyaivpthag api tu tad-bheda-viay vae my yasya prakti-patir evevara iha sa jvo mukto pi prakti-vaa-yogya sva-guata iva like; sphulig sparks; ddha-agne of a blazing fire; jva-nicay the multitude of jvas; (are) eva indeed; cid-aava spiritual atoms; sryasya of the sun; hare of r Hari; api although; apthag non-different; (from Him in quality) bheda-viayh they are different; tad from Him; viay in capacity; eva indeed; iha in this world; vara the Supreme Lord; prakti-pati is the master of His potency; (and) yasya has; my that illusory potency; vae under his control; api whereas even; sa mukta jva the liberated living entity; yogya is capable; vaa of being controlled; prakti by that illusory potency; sva-guata by his (constitutional) nature. Just as many tiny sparks burst out from a blazing fire, so the innumerable jvas are like atomic, spiritual particles in the rays of the spiritual sun, r Hari. Though these jvas are non-different from r Hari, they are also eternally different from Him. The eternal difference between the jva and vara is that vara is the Lord and master of my-akti, whereas the jva can fall under the control of my, even in his liberated stage, due to his constitutional nature. Evidence from the Vedic scriptures

mamaivo jva-loke jva-bhta santana mana-ahnndriyi prakti-sthni karati mamaMy; evacertainly; aafragmental particle; jva-lokein the world of conditional life; jvabhtathe conditioned living entity; santanaeternal; manawith the mind; ahnithe six; indriyisenses; praktiin material nature; sthnisituated; karatiis struggling hard. The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind.

BG 15.7

ekasyaiva mamasya jvasyaiva mah-mate bandho syvidyayndir vidyay ca tathetara ekasyaof the one; evacertainly; mamaMy; aasyapart and parcel; jvasyaof the living entity; evacertainly; mah-mateO most intelligent one; bandhabondage; asyaof him; avidyayby ignorance; andibeginningless; vidyayby knowledge; caand; tathsimilarly; itarathe opposite of bondage, liberation. O most intelligent Uddhava, the living entity, called jva, is part and parcel of Me, but due to ignorance he has been suffering in material bondage since time immemorial. By knowledge, however, he can be liberated.

SB 11.11.4

sva-vistracatur-vyha, avatra-gaa vibhinna jvatra aktite gaana sva-aa-vistrathe expansion of His personal forms; catur-vyhaHis quadruple form; avatra-gaa the incarnations; vibhinna-aaHis separated forms; jvathe living entities; traHis; aktitein the category of potency; gaanacalculating. Expansions of His personal selflike the quadruple manifestations of Sakaraa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Vsudevadescend as incarnations from Vaikuha to this material world. The separated expansions are the living entities. Although they are expansions of Ka, they are counted among His different potencies.

CC Mad 22.9

Bhad-rayaka Upaniad (2.1.20)

yathgne kudr visphulig vyuccaranti evam evsmad tmana sarvi bhtni vyuccaranti Innumerable jvas emanate from para-brahma, just like tiny sparks from a fire. Explanation By soul, the Vedic literatures refer to all sorts of souls, whether animal, human, or celestial. It must be understood that Mahaprabhu taught the very liberal principle of transmigration (reincarnation) of the soul. Although certain readers may reject this idea on the grounds that certain forms of faith do not support this theory, it is not prudent to reject a theory because it differs with the dogmas of certain sectarian creeds. Indeed, it is a matter that reason cannot dare to meddle with. Candidly examining, we cannot find any strong reason to disbelieve the theory of transmigration. Rather, our unprejudiced mind is inclined to accept it. The belief that the human soul has only one trial in life is evidently dogmatic, unjust, and contrary to the belief that God is all good. When our spiritual sentiment supports the Vedic conclusions, which have taught us the facts about continual existence of the soul in different stages of creation, we must give up the idea of disbelieving in the principle of transmigration of the soul. However educated and scientific a man may be, he is always liable to a creeping error, and that error may even be supported by an entire sect or nation. The soul, according to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, is an atomic part of the Divine Soul. It is a part of Gods power to produce beings who are spiritual in essence, but liable to be enthralled by maya (illusion) when they forget their position as eternal servants of the Supreme. God here is compared with the sun, and the souls are said to be the atomic portions of that suns rays, unable to stand freely unless they are protected by another attribute of Gods power. The word part is not meant in the same way as to describe portions cut out of a

piece of stone by an axe, but should be understood by the example of one lamp lit from another, or gold produced from an alchemical stone. The souls are also compared with separate atomic sparks of a burning fire. Each soul has drawn from its fountainhead a proportionate share of the attributes of the Supreme, and consequently, a small proportion of the free will. These souls are naturally located between the chit-jagat and mayik-jagat. Those who chose to serve their God were protected from falldown by the interference of the hladini attribute of the Supremes chit-shakti. They have been admitted as eternal servants of the Lord in various ways. They know not the troubles of maya and the karma-chakra, or the rotative principles of mayik action and its result. Those who wanted to enjoy were captured by maya from the other side. They are in Mayas karma-chakra, ending only when they again see their original position as servants of the Supreme Lord. These souls, whether liberated from Mayas charm or enthralled by her, are separate responsible beings depending on the Supreme, Hari. Hari is the Lord of Maya; she serves Him at His pleasure. The soul or jiva is so constructed as to be liable to be enthralled by maya when unassisted by the hladini shakti of the Lord. Hence, there is a natural and inherent distinction between God and the jiva that no pantheistic maneuver can annihilate. Please avoid the misleading question, When were these jivas created and enthralled? The mayik time has no existence in spiritual history because it has its commencement after the enthrallment of jivas in matter; one cannot, therefore, employ mayik chronology in matters like these.

loka 6: Certain souls are engrossed by prakriti, or His illusory energy.

svarprthair hnn nija-sukha-parn ka-vimukhn harer my-dayn gua-nigaa-jlai kalayati tath sthlair ligair dvi-vidhvaraai klea-nikarair mah-karmlnair nayati patitn svarga-nirayau kalayati she (my-akti) binds; patitn the fallen souls; hnn who are divorced; svarpa-arthai from the purpose of their spiritual constitution; parn who are dedicated; nija-sukha to selfish happiness; ka-vimukhn who are turned away from r Ka; tath and; my-dayn who are suitable to receive punishment; hare from r Hari; nigaa-jlai with the shackles and net; gua of the three binding influences (sattva, rajas and tamas); nikarai through the agency of a multitude; klea of sufferings; nayati she leads; (them) svarga-nirayau to heaven and hell; dvividha through the agency of two kinds; varaai of bodily coverings; sthlai gross; ligai and subtle; (and) mah-karma-lnai with the powerful ropes of fruitive activity. By his original nature the jva is an eternal servant of Ka. His svarpa-dharma is service to r Ka. Bhagavns bewildering energy (my) punishes those jvas who are bereft of that svarpadharma. These jvas are diverted from Ka, and are concerned with their own happiness. She binds them in the ropes of the three modes of material nature sattva, raja and tama covers their svarpa with gross and subtle bodies, throws them into the miserable bondage of karma, thus repeatedly causing them to experience happiness and distress in heaven and hell.

BG 15.8

Evidence from the Vedic scriptures

arra yad avpnoti yac cpy utkrmatvara ghtvaitni sayti vyur gandhn ivayt arramthe body; yatas; avpnotigets; yatas; ca apialso; utkrmatigives up; varathe lord of the body; ghtvtaking; etniall these; saytigoes away; vyuthe air; gandhnsmells; ivalike; aytfrom their source. The living entity in the material world carries his different conceptions of life from one body to another as the air carries aromas. Thus he takes one kind of body and again quits it to take another.

na m duktino mh prapadyante nardham myaypahta-jn sura bhvam rit nanot; mmunto Me; duktinamiscreants; mhfoolish; prapadyantesurrender; naraadhamlowest among mankind; myayby the illusory energy; apahtastolen; jnwhose knowledge; suramdemonic; bhvamnature; ritaccepting. Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, who are lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons do not surrender unto Me.

BG 7.15

SB 11.11.6

suparv etau sadau sakhyau yadcchayaitau kta-nau ca vke ekas tayo khdati pippalnnam anyo niranno pi balena bhyn suparautwo birds; etauthese; sadausimilar; sakhyaufriends; yadcchayby chance; etau these two; ktamade; naua nest; caand; vkein a tree; ekaone; tayoof the two; khdati is eating; pippalaof the tree; annamthe fruits; anyathe other; nirannanot eating; apialthough; balenaby strength; bhynHe is superior. By chance, two birds have made a nest together in the same tree. The two birds are friends and are of a similar nature. One of them, however, is eating the fruits of the tree, whereas the other, who does not eat the fruits, is in a superior position due to His potency.

ka-nitya-dsajva th bhuli gela ei doe my tra galya bndhila ka-nitya-dsaeternal servant of Ka; jvathe living entity; ththat; bhuliforgetting; gelawent; ei doefor this fault; mythe material energy; trahis; galyaon the neck; bndhilahas bound. The living entity is bound around the neck by the chain of my because he has forgotten that he is eternally a servant of Ka.

CC Mad 22.24

vetvatara Upaniad (4.9-10):

Paramevara is the Lord of my, He has created the entire world wherein the jvas are bound in the illusion of material identification. It should be understood that my is His prakti, and He is Mahevara, the controller of my. This entire world is pervaded by His limbs.

asmn my sjate vivam etat tasmi cnyo myay sanniruddha myn tu prakti vidyn myinan tu mahevaram tasyvaya-bhtais tu vypta sarvam ida jagat

Explanation
Prakriti, maya, pradhan, prapancha, and avidya are different names of the same principle according to its different phases and attributes. Maya is not an independent shakti from the supreme svarup-shakti. She is simply a devotee serving God executing His orders to reform those who become ungrateful to Him. Maya is in charge of Gods house of correction, and her energy is a reflection of Gods supreme power. Those jivas who, in abusing their free will, forgot that they were eternal servants of the Lord and thought of enjoying for themselves, were captured by Maya for their penal servitude and correction. Maya has three attributes: sattva, rajas, and tamas. Those attributes are just like chains used to bind the ungrateful souls. Maya then applies a double casing on the spiritual form of the soul. The casing is described by the words linga and sthul. The mayik existence has twenty-four substances. The five elements (earth, water, fire, air, and ether), the five properties (sound, touch, sight, taste, and smell), the five knowledge-acquiring senses (eye, ear, nose, tongue, and skin), and the five working senses (the hands, legs, speech, genital, and organ for evacuation); these twenty form the sthul or outer-casing. The mind, intelligence, contaminated consciousness, and false ego comprise the linga-deha or inner-casing. Then, after encasing the spiritual form of the soul, Maya employs the fallen souls in different kinds of work. Mayik work is composed of karma, akarma, and vikarma. Karma is conventially good action done to obtain punya or virtue, such as performance of duties enjoined by the varnashram dharma of the Smartas. Karma elevates one to the heavenly realm. Akarma (failure to perform ones duty) places one in an unpleasant state on Earth, and vikarma (sinful or criminal actions) hurls souls down to hellish life. The fallen souls travel from body to body with their linga-deha, doing karma or vikarma, rising up to the heavens and again coming down at the exhaustion of their virtues, going down to hell, and after suffering punishment, again rising up to the platform of fruitive work. Thus, the state of the fallen souls is deplorable to the extreme degree, as they sometimes suffer massacre and murder, and sometimes enjoy as princes. The material world is, therefore, a prison or a house of correction, and not a place for enjoyment, as some people assert.

loka 7: Certain souls are released from the grasp of prakriti.

yad bhrma bhrma hari-rasa-galad-vaiava-jana kadcit sampayan tad-anugamane syd ruci-yuta tad kvtty tyajati anakair myika-da svarpa bibhro vimala-rasa-bhoga sa kurute yad when; kadcit at some time; bhrma bhrmam after wandering repeatedly throughout the three worlds in the eighty-four lakhas of species; sampayan by beholding; vaiava-janam a Vaiava; galad (whose heart) is melting; hari-rasa due to (relishing) the mellows of r Haris nma, rpa, gua and ll; syd he may become; yuta possessed; ruci of spiritual taste; anugamane through following in the footsteps; tad of that Vaiava; tad then; ka-vtty by entering the (service of that servant) of r Ka; anakai by very gradual stages; tyajati he abandons; myikadam the state of (being influenced by) material illusion; (and) bibhrna accepting; svarpam his constitutional cinmaya form (of ekdaa-bhva); sa kurute he engages; bhogam in the bliss; vimala-rasa of unalloyed rasa. When, in the course of wandering amongst the higher and lower species in the material world, a jva is able to behold a Vaiava absorbed in the flowing rasa of r-hari-bhakti, taste arises in his heart for following the Vaiava way of life. By chanting r-ka-nma, he gradually becomes free from his conditioning. Step by step, he then gains his intrinsic, cinmaya-svarpa (transcendental form), and becomes qualified to taste the pure and spiritual rasa of direct service to r Ka. Evidence from the Vedic scriptures mm upetya punar janma dukhlayam avatam npnuvanti mahtmna sasiddhi param gat

BG 8.15

mmMe; upetyaachieving; punaagain; janmabirth; dukha-layamplace of miseries; avatam temporary; nanever; pnuvantiattain; mah-tmnathe great souls; sasiddhimperfection; paramm ultimate; gathaving achieved. After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogs in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection.

BG 7.14

daiv hy e gua-may mama my duratyay mm eva ye prapadyante mym et taranti te

daivtranscendental; hicertainly; ethis; gua-mayconsisting of the three modes of material nature; mama My; myenergy; duratyayvery difficult to overcome; mmunto Me; evacertainly; yethose who; prapadyantesurrender; mym etmthis illusory energy; tarantiovercome; tethey. This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.

SB 11.11.7

tmnam anya ca sa veda vidvn apippaldo na tu pippalda yo vidyay yuk sa tu nitya-baddho vidy-mayo ya sa tu nitya-mukta

tmnamHimself; anyamthe other; caalso; saHe; vedaknows; vidvnbeing omniscient; apippala-ada not eating the fruits of the tree; nanot; tubut; pippala-adathe one who is eating the fruits of the tree; ya who; avidyaywith ignorance; yukfilled; sahe; tuindeed; nityaeternally; baddhaconditioned; vidy mayafull of perfect knowledge; yawho; sahe; tuindeed; nityaeternally; muktaliberated. The bird who does not eat the fruits of the tree is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who by His omniscience perfectly understands His own position and that of the conditioned living entity, represented by the eating bird. That living entity, on the other hand, does not understand himself or the Lord. He is covered by ignorance and is thus called eternally conditioned, whereas the Personality of Godhead, being full of perfect knowledge, is eternally liberated.

CC Mad 22.14-15

kma-krodhera dsa ha tra lthi khya bhramite bhramite yadi sdhu-vaidya pya tra upadea-mantre pic palya ka-bhakti pya, tabe ka-nikaa yya kmaof lusty desires; krodheraand of anger; dsathe servant; habecoming; traby them; lthi khyais kicked; bhramite bhramitewandering and wandering; yadiif; sdhua devotee; vaidya physician; pyahe gets; trahis; upadea-mantreby instruction and hymns; picthe witch (the external energy); palyaflees; ka-bhaktidevotional service to Ka; pyaobtains; tabein this way; ka-nikaa yyahe goes to Ka. In this way the conditioned soul becomes the servant of lusty desires, and when these are not fulfilled, he becomes the servant of anger and continues to be kicked by the external energy, my. Wandering and wandering throughout the universe, he may by chance get the association of a devotee physician, whose instructions and hymns make the witch of the external energy flee. The conditioned soul thus gets into touch with devotional service to Lord Ka, and in this way he can approach nearer and nearer to the Lord.

Muaka Upaniad 3.1.2 and vetvatara Upaniad 4.7

samne vke puruo nimagnonay ocati muhyamna jua yad payaty anyam am asya mahimnam eti vta-oka The jva and the indwelling Paramtm both reside in the same tree, namely the material body. The jva is attached to material sense enjoyment, and is therefore sunk in the bodily conception of life. Bewildered by my, he cannot find any means of deliverance, and thus he laments. However, by the influence of sukti acquired over many lifetimes, he can obtain the mercy of vara or His uddhabhaktas. At that time, he will see in his heart that there is a second individual within the tree of his body. This is vara, who is served eternally by His unalloyed bhaktas. When the jva witnesses the uncommon glories of r Ka, he becomes free from all lamentation.

Explanation Jivas are traveling on the path of mayik existence from time immemorial, experiencing all sorts of pleasure and pain. How can one become free from this unpleasant condition? Religious rituals, performance of duty, yoga, development of powers of the body and the mind, sankhya (empiric philosophical analysis), simple knowledge that one is a spiritual being, and vairagya, giving up all enjoyments in the world, are not the proper means by which one can actually achieve what he or she genuinely wants. When a person comes in contact with a Vaishnava whose heart has been melted by hari-bhakti-rasa, it is then that he or she may desire to imbibe the sweet principle of bhakti and follow in the holy footsteps of the devotee by constantly practicing krishna-bhakti. They slowly wash off the mayik condition, and in the end, after obtaining their true nature, enjoy the sweetest unalloyed rasa, which is the ultimate attainment of the soul. Satsanga, or the company of spiritual people, is the only means to obtain the ultimate object of life. Bhakti is a principle which comes from soul to soul, and like electricity or magnetism in gross matter, it conducts itself from one congenial soul to another. The principle of bhakti is sincere, entire dependence on the Supreme Lord in every act of life. The principle of duty is not part of bhakti, as it acts on the basis of gratitude for favors obtained, and it involves obligation, which is contrary to natural love. The principle of morality in the mortal world, though good in its own way, scarcely brings spiritual results in the end. Faith in the supreme beauty of the Lord, a desire for the eternal unselfish service of that Supreme Being, and a consequent repulsion of every other thought of pleasure or self-aggrandizement are the three principles which constitute sraddha, or actual hankering after bhakti. Bhakti by nature is ananya or exclusive. Is it chance, then, which brings bhakti? No, sukriti or good work is the prime moving principle. Good work is of two types. One type, passing as morality, includes those works that bring virtue and aggrandizement. The other type of good work includes all activities that have a tendency to bring about spiritual progress. This latter type of good work or sukriti brings one in contact with a sincere Vaishnava from whom one can initially imbibe sraddha or faith in spirit; and being then capable of receiving bhakti, one obtains the seed of devotional service from that Vaishnava, who is actually the persons guru.

loka 8: All spiritual and material phenomena are the achintya-bhedabheda-prakash of Hari, the Almighty.
hare akte sarva cid-acid akhila syt pariati vivarta no satya rutim iti viruddha kali-malam harer bhedbhedau ruti-vihita-tattva suvimala tata premna siddhir bhavati nitar nitya-viaye sarvam everything; cid-acid both spiritual and material; syt should be understood to be; pariati a transformation; akte of the energy; hare of r Hari; vivartam the impersonal philosophy of illusion; (is) u certainly; na not; satyam factual; (it is) kali-malam an impurity produced by the personified age of quarrel; (it is) viruddham contrary; rutim to the Vedic conclusion; suvimalam the spotless; tattvam truth; vihita established; ruti by the Vedas; (is) iti that; akhilam everything; bheda-abhedau is one and different; hare from r Hari; tata for this reason; siddhi perfection; premna of love; bhavati comes into being; nitarm as the complete reality; nityaviaye when one accepts this principle as eternal and all-encompassing. The entire spiritual and material creation is a transformation of r Kas akti. The impersonal philosophy of illusion (vivarta-vda) is not true. It is an impurity that has been produced by Kali-yuga, and is contrary to the teachings of the Vedas. The Vedas support acintya-bhedbheda-tattva (inconceivable oneness and difference) as the pure and absolute doctrine, and one can attain perfect love for the Eternal Absolute when he accepts this principle. Evidence from the Vedic scriptures

may tatam ida sarva jagad avyakta-mrtin mat-sthni sarva-bhtni na cha tev avasthita mayby Me; tatampervaded; idamthis; sarvamall; jagatcosmic manifestation; avyakta-mrtin by the unmanifested form; mat-sthniin Me; sarva-bhtniall living entities; nanot; caalso; ahamI; teuin them; avasthitasituated. By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them. na ca mat-sthni bhtni paya me yogam aivaram bhta-bhn na ca bhta-stho mamtm bhta-bhvana nanever; caalso; mat-sthnisituated in Me; bhtniall creation; payajust see; meMy; yogam aivaraminconceivable mystic power; bhta-bhtthe maintainer of all living entities; nanever; caalso; bhta-sthain the cosmic manifestation; mamaMy; tmSelf; bhta-bhvanathe source of all manifestations. And yet everything that is created does not rest in Me. Behold My mystic opulence! Although I am the maintainer of all living entities and although I am everywhere, I am not a part of this cosmic manifestation, for My Self is the very source of creation.

BG 9.4-5

aham evsam evgre nnyad yat sad-asat param pacd aha yad etac ca yo vaiyeta so smy aham ahamI, the Personality of Godhead; evacertainly; samexisted; evaonly; agrebefore the creation; nanever; anyatanything else; yatall those; satthe effect; asatthe cause; paramthe supreme; pactat the end; ahamI, the Personality of Godhead; yatall these; etatcreation; caalso; ya everything; avaiyetaremains; sathat; asmiI am; ahamI, the Personality of Godhead. Brahm, it is I, the Personality of Godhead, who was existing before the creation, when there was nothing but Myself. Nor was there the material nature, the cause of this creation. That which you see now is also I, the Personality of Godhead, and after annihilation what remains will also be I, the Personality of Godhead. te rtha yat pratyeta na pratyeta ctmani tad vidyd tmano my yathbhso yath tama tewithout; arthamvalue; yatthat which; pratyetaappears to be; nanot; pratyetaappears to be; caand; tmaniin relation to Me; tatthat; vidytyou must know; tmanaMy; mymillusory energy; yathjust as; bhsathe reflection; yathas; tamathe darkness. O Brahm, whatever appears to be of any value, if it is without relation to Me, has no reality. Know it as My illusory energy, that reflection which appears to be in darkness. yath mahnti bhtni bhteccvacev anu praviny apravini tath teu na tev aham yathjust as; mahntithe universal; bhtnielements; bhteu ucca-avaceuin the minute and gigantic; anuafter; pravinientered; apravininot entered; tathso; teuin them; nanot; teuin them; ahamMyself. O Brahm, please know that the universal elements enter into the cosmos and at the same time do not enter into the cosmos; similarly, I Myself also exist within everything created, and at the same time I am outside of everything. etvad eva jijsya tattva-jijsuntmana anvaya-vyatirekbhy yat syt sarvatra sarvad etvatup to this; evacertainly; jijsyamis to be inquired; tattvathe Absolute Truth; jijsunby the student; tmanaof the Self; anvayadirectly; vyatirekbhymindirectly; yatwhatever; sytit may be; sarvatrain all space and time; sarvadin all circumstances. A person who is searching after the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, most certainly search for it up to this, in all circumstances, in all space and time, and both directly and indirectly.

SB 2.9.32-35

CC Adi 7.124

avicintya-akti-yukta r-bhagavn icchya jagad-rpe pya parima avicintyainconceivable; aktipotency; yuktapossessed of; rthe affluent; bhagavnPersonality of Godhead; icchyaby His wish; jagat-rpein the form of the cosmic manifestation; pyabecomes; parimatransformed by His energy. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is opulent in all respects. Therefore by His inconceivable energies He has transformed the material cosmic manifestation.

CC Mad 20.108

jvera svarpa hayakera nitya-dsa kera taasth-akti bhedbheda-praka srya-kiraa, yaiche agni-jvl-caya svbhvika kera tina-prakra akti haya jveraof the living entity; svarpathe constitutional position; hayais; keraof Lord Ka; nityadsaeternal servant; keraof Lord Ka; taasthmarginal; aktipotency; bheda-abhedaone and different; prakamanifestation; srya-aapart and parcel of the sun; kiraaa ray of sunshine; yaicheas; agni-jvl-cayamolecular particle of fire; svbhvikanaturally; keraof Lord Ka; tinaprakrathree varieties; aktienergies; hayathere are. It is the living entitys constitutional position to be an eternal servant of Ka because he is the marginal energy of Ka and a manifestation simultaneously one with and different from the Lord, like a molecular particle of sunshine or fire. Ka has three varieties of energy.

r opaniad 1

vsyam idam sarva yat kica jagaty jagat tena tyaktena bhujth m gdha kasya svid dhanam aby the Lord; vsyamcontrolled; idamthis; sarvamall; yat kicawhatever; jagatymwithin the universe; jagatall that is animate or inanimate; tenaby Him; tyaktenaset-apart quota; bhujthyou should accept; mdo not; gdhaendeavor to gain; kasya svitof anyone else; dhanamthe wealth. Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong. Explanation Metaphysical discussions are perfectly useless. The Vedas sometimes establish that the jiva is distinct from the Lord, and sometimes the jiva is the same as the Lord. Factually, the Vedas always tell the truth. The jiva is simultaneously distinct from and identical with God (achintya-bhedabheda-prakash). This is not understood by the rationalist. Hence, it must be said that in the exercise of His powers beyond human comprehension, God is distinct from the jiva and the world, and yet identical with them at all times. The Vedanta teaches us the shakti-parinamvad, and not the erroneous vivartavad of Shankaracharya. Shankaras teachings are explained in different ways. Some say that the world and the jiva have emanated from God, and others establish that the jiva and the world are but developments of the Godhead. Shankara, in order to avoid brahma-parinam (transformation of the Godhead into the world) theorizes that Srila Vyasadeva teaches us

vivartavad (that God undergoes no change whatsoever, but it is maya that covers a part of the Supreme, just as a pot encloses a part of the sky); or that God is reflected on avidya or ignorance, while in fact nothing other than God has yet come into existence. These are worthless and abstruse arguments. It is plain that the Vedanta teaches us that God is unchangeable and is never subject to modifications. His power alone creates the jiva and the material world by its own parinam (modification). The example is in the action of the alchemists stone, the power of which comes in the form of gold while the stone remains unchanged. Thus, chit-shakti appears in the form of the chit-jagat, with all its particularities of eternal rasa, and jiva-shakti appears in the form of the innumerable jivas, some staying in Vaikuntha as parishads or angels, and others moving in this world in various shapes and forms under very different circumstances. Maya-shakti creates numerous worlds for the habitations and entertainments of the fallen souls. Vivartavad is no doubt an error and is quite opposed to the teachings of the Vedas, whereas shaktiparinamvad alone is true and supports the fact that spiritual love is eternal. If vivartavad were true, the natural consequence would be to declare spiritual love to be a temporary principle.

loka 9: Bhakti is the only means of attaining the final objective existence.
ruti kkhyna smaraa-nati-pj-vidhi-ga tath dsya sakhya paricaraam apy tma-dadanam navgny etnha vidha-gata-bhakter anudina bhajan raddh-yukta suvimala-rati vai sa labhate

of spiritual

(The following are) vidhi-ga the group of spiritual principles: ruti hearing; (and) kkhynam chanting about r Ka; smaraa remembering His nma, gua, rpa and ll; nati offering (prayers of) submission; pj offering worship to His r-vigraha; tath also; dsyam accepting oneself as His servant; sakhyam becoming His friend; paricaraam travelling by foot to the trthas established by His lotus feet; api as well as; tma-dadanam offering ones whole self to His feet; iha in this world; sa one; raddh-yukta endowed with faith; bhajan who performs bhajana; etni of these (following); nava-agni nine limbs; bhakte of devotional service; gata according to; vidha the sacred injunctions of scripture: anu-dinam day after day; vai certainly; labhate attains; suvimala-rati sublime and faultless sprout of prema. One should perform bhajana of the nine processes of vaidh-bhakti, namely, ravaam (hearing), krtanam(chanting), smaraam (remembering), vandanam (offering prayers), arcanam (worshiping), pdasevanam (serving Kas lotus feet), dsyam (acting as Kas servant), sakhyam (becoming Kas friend), and tma-nivedanam (surrendering oneself fully to r Ka). One who with faith daily practices bhajana in this way certainly achieves pure ka-rati.

mahtmnas tu m prtha daiv praktim rit bhajanty ananya-manaso jtv bhtdim avyayam mah-tmnathe great souls; tubut; mmunto Me; prthaO son of Pth; daivmdivine; praktimnature; rithaving taken shelter of; bhajantirender service; ananya-manasawithout deviation of the mind; jtvknowing; bhtaof creation; dimthe origin; avyayaminexhaustible. O son of Pth, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible.

BG 9.13

Evidence from the Vedic scriptures

BG 9.14

satata krtayanto m yatanta ca dha-vrat namasyanta ca m bhakty nitya-yukt upsate satatamalways; krtayantachanting; mmabout Me; yatantafully endeavoring; caalso; dhavratwith determination; namasyantaoffering obeisances; caand; mmMe; bhaktyin devotion; nitya-yuktperpetually engaged; upsateworship. Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.

SB 11.3.21

tasmd guru prapadyeta jijsu reya uttamam bde pare ca nita brahmay upaamrayam tasmttherefore; guruma spiritual master; prapadyetaone should take shelter of; jijsubeing inquisitive; reya uttamamabout the highest good; bdein the Vedas; parein the Supreme; caand; nitamperfectly knowledgeable; brahmai(in these two aspects) of the Absolute Truth; upaamarayamfixed in detachment from material affairs. Therefore any person who seriously desires real happiness must seek a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of the bona fide guru is that he has realized the conclusions of the scriptures by deliberation and is able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, should be understood to be bona fide spiritual masters.

SB 7.5.23

r-prahrda uvca ravaa krtana vio smaraa pda-sevanam arcana vandana dsya sakhyam tma-nivedanam iti pusrpit viau bhakti cen nava-laka kriyeta bhagavaty addh tan manye dhtam uttamam

r-prahrda uvcaPrahlda Mahrja said; ravaamhearing; krtanamchanting; vioof Lord Viu (not anyone else); smaraamremembering; pda-sevanamserving the feet; arcanamoffering worship (with oaopacra, the sixteen kinds of paraphernalia); vandanamoffering prayers; dsyambecoming the servant; sakhyambecoming the best friend; tma-nivedanamsurrendering everything, whatever one has; itithus; pus arpitoffered by the devotee; viauunto Lord Viu (not to anyone else); bhaktidevotional service; cetif; nava-lakapossessing nine different processes; kriyetaone should perform; bhagavatiunto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; addhdirectly or completely; tatthat; manyeI consider; adhtamlearning; uttamam topmost. Prahlda Mahrja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Viu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord ones best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words)these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Ka through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.

SB 10.33.39

vikrita vraja-vadhbhir ida ca vio raddhnvito nuuyd atha varayed ya bhakti par bhagavati pratilabhya kma hd-rogam v apahinoty acirea dhra

vikritamthe sporting; vraja-vadhbhiwith the young women of Vndvana; idamthis; caand; vioby Lord Viu; raddh-anvitafaithfully; anuuythears; athaor; varayetdescribes; yawho; bhaktim devotional service; parmtranscendental; bhagavatiunto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pratilabhya obtaining; kmammaterial lust; htin the heart; rogamthe disease; auquickly; apahinotihe drives away; acireawithout delay; dhrasober. Anyone who faithfully hears or describes the Lords playful affairs with the young gops of Vndvana will attain the Lords pure devotional service. Thus he will quickly become sober and conquer lust, the disease of the heart.

CC Mad 19.168

anya-vch, anya-pj chi jna, karma nuklye sarvendriye knulana

anya-vchother desires; anya-pjother types of worship; chigiving up; jnamaterial knowledge; karmamaterial activities; nuklyefavorably; sarva-indriyewith all the senses; ka-anulanacultivation of Ka consciousness. A pure devotee must not cherish any desire other than to serve Ka. He should not offer worship to the demigods or to mundane personalities. He should not cultivate artificial knowledge, which is devoid of Ka consciousness, and he should not engage himself in anything other than Ka conscious activities. One must engage all ones purified senses in the service of the Lord. This is the favorable execution of Ka conscious activities.

CC Mad 22.5

ka-bhaktiabhidheya, sarva-stre kaya ataeva muni-gaa kariyche nicaya ka-bhaktidevotional service to Lord Ka; abhidheyathe real activity of life; sarva-streall Vedic literatures; kayasay; ataevatherefore; muni-gaaall saintly persons; kariychehave made; nicaya firm conclusion. A human beings activities should be centered only on devotional service to Lord Ka. That is the verdict of all Vedic literatures, and all saintly people have firmly concludeded this.

Bhad-rayaka Upaniad (4.5.6)

tm vre daavya rotavyo mantavyo nididhysitavya One should see, hear about, think of, and meditate on the Supreme Absolute Truth. Explanation Karma alone cannot directly and immediately produce a spiritual result. When it does, it does so by means of bhakti. Hence, bhakti is independent, and karma and jnana are dependent principles. Jnana, or the knowledge that man is a spiritual being, cannot directly bring the ultimate result. When it does, it does so with the assistance of bhakti. Bhakti, therefore, is the only means to obtain the ultimate goal. Bhakti is thus defined as the cultivation of a friendly sentiment for Krishna, free from all desires other than those for the sentiments own improvements, and unalloyed by such other ingredients as karma and jnana, etc. It will be seen that bhakti is itself both a feeling and an action. Bhakti has three stages: sadhana-bhakti, bhava-bhakti, and prema-bhakti. Sadhana-bhakti is that stage of culture when the feeling of love for Krishna has not yet been aroused. In bhava-bhakti the feeling awakens, and in prema-bhakti the feeling is fully set into action. Bhakti is a spiritual feeling toward the spiritual object of love. Sadhana-bhakti is of two kinds: one is called vaidhi-sadhana-bhakti, and the other is called raganugasadhana-bhakti. The word vaidhi is from vidhi, or rule. Vaidhi-bhakti is practiced by following the rules of the shastras as long as feeling is not aroused, whereas in raganuga-bhakti, one out of natural tendency loves Krishna, and there is a strong desire to serve the Lord of the heart. One who is charmed by the beauty of this process is quickly able to cultivate his feeling for Krishna; but of the two, raganuga-bhakti is stronger than vaidhi-bhakti. Cultivation of the friendly feelings for Krishna is performed in nine different ways: 1. Hearing of the spiritual name, form, attributes, and lila of Krishna. 2. Speaking about and singing the glories of all those. 3. Meditating on and remembering all those.

4. Serving His holy feet. 5. Worshiping. 6. Bowing down. 7. Doing all that pleases Him. 8. Developing friendship toward Him. 9. Complete surrender to Him. Of all these processes, kirtan, or singing the name of Krishna, is the best.
Humble knowledge is necessary in these types of worship, and fruitless discussions must be avoided. There are some who object to the idea of worshiping Srimurti (the Deity form of Krishna). They say, It is idolatry to worship Srimurti. Srimurti is an idol formed by an artist and introduced by no one other than Satan himself. Worshiping such an object would arouse the jealousy of God and limit His omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence! To this we reply, Brethren! Candidly understand the question and do not allow yourself to be misled by sectarian dogmas. God is not jealous, as He is one without a second. Satan is none other than an object of the imagination or the subject of an allegory. An allegorical or imaginary being should not be allowed to act as an obstacle to bhakti. Those who believe God to be impersonal simply identify Him with some power or attribute in nature, though in fact He is above nature, her laws, and her rules. His holy wish is law and it would be sacrilege to confine His unlimited excellence by identifying Him with attributes which may exist in created objects such as time, space, etc. His excellence lies in His having mutually contradicting powers and attributes ruled by His supernatural Self. He is identical with His all-beautiful form, having such powers as omnipresence, omniscience, and omnipotence, the like of which cannot be found elsewhere. His holy and perfect personality exists eternally in the spiritual world, and at the same time exists in every created object and place in all its fullness. This idea excels all other ideas of the Deity. Mahaprabhu rejects idolatry, yet considers the worship of Srimurti to be the only unexceptionable means of spiritual culture. It has been shown that God is personal and all beautiful. Sages like Vyasadeva and others have seen that beauty in their souls eyes and left us descriptions. Of course, words carry the grossness of matter; but truth is still perceivable in those descriptions. According to those descriptions, one delineates a Srimurti and sees the great God of our heart there with intense pleasure. Brethren! Is that wrong or sinful? Those who say that God has no form, either material or spiritual, and at the same time imagine a false form for worship, are certainly idolatrous. But those who see the spiritual form of the Deity in their souls eyes carry that impression as far as possible to the mind, and then frame an emblem for the satisfaction of the material eye for continual study of the higher feeling, are by no means idolatrous. While seeing a Srimurti, do not even see the image itself, but see the spiritual model of the image and you are a pure theist. Idolatry and Srimurti worship are two different things! But my brethren, you simply confuse one with the other out of hastiness. To tell you the truth, Srimurti worship is the only true worship of the Deity, without which you cannot sufficiently cultivate your religious feelings. The world attracts you through your senses, and as long as you do not see God in the objects of your senses, you live in an awkward position, which scarcely helps you in procuring your spiritual elevation. Place a Srimurti in your house. Think that God Almighty is the guardian of the house. Offer food to Him and take it as His prasada (mercy). Flowers and scents should also be offered to Him and accepted as prasada. The eye, ear, nose, skin, and tongue all have a spiritual culture. You do it with a holy heart and God will know it and judge you by your sincerity. Satan will have nothing to do with you in that matter!

All sorts of worship are based on the principle of Srimurti. Look into the history of religion and you will come to this noble truth. The Semitic idea of a patriarchal God, both in the pre-Christian period of Judaism and period of Christianity thereafter, and Mohammedanism, are nothing but limited ideas of Srimurti. The monarchic idea of a Jove among the Greeks and of an Indra among the Aryan karma-kandis is also a distant view of the same principle. The ideas of a force and Jyotirmaya Brahma of the meditators, and a formless energy of the Shaktas are also very faint views of the Srimurti. In fact, the principle of Srimurti is the truth itself differently exhibited in different people according to their different phases of thought. Even Jaimini and Comte, who are not prepared to accept a creating God, have prescribed focusing on certain aspects of the Srimurti, simply because they have been impelled by some inward action from the soul! And of course, we meet with people who have adopted the Cross, the Shalagram-shila, the Shiva-lingam, and other such emblems as indicators of the inward idea of Srimurti. Furthermore, if divine compassion, love, and justice could be portrayed by the pencil and expressed by the chisel, then why shouldnt the personal beauty of the Deity be portrayed in poetry or in picture or expressed by the chisel for the benefit of man? If words can impress thoughts, a watch can indicate time, and a sign can tell us a history, then why cant a picture or figure bring associations of higher thoughts and feelings related to the transcendental beauty of the Supreme Lord? Srimurti worshipers are divided into two classes: the ideal and the physical. Those of the physical school are obliged from their circumstances of life and state of mind to establish temple institutions. Those who are by circumstances and position entitled to worship the Srimurti within the mind have, with due deference to the temple institutions, a tendency to worship usually by sravana (hearing) and kirtan (glorifying), and their church is universal and independent of considerations of caste and color. Mahaprabhu preferred this latter class, and exemplified their worship in his Shikshastaka. Worship, then, without interruption in a mood of surrender, and in a very short time you will be blessed with prema.

loka 10: Krishna prema alone is the final object of spiritual existence.
svarpvasthne madhura-rasa-bhvodaya iha vraje rdh-ka-svajana-jana-bhva hdi vahan parnande prti jagad-atula-sampat-sukham aho vilskhye tattve parama-paricary sa labhate iha at that time; avasthne in the (mature) stage; svarpa when the jva realizes his own original form; udaye upon the arousal; bhva of ecstatic love; madhura-rasa in the conjugal mellow; vahan as he bears; hdi in his heart; bhvam the internal mood; jana (felt) by the rgtmika persons (Vrajavss); sva-jana who are personal associates (antaraga-parikra); rdh-ka of r Rdh-Ka; vraje in Their abode of Vraja; aho How wonderful!; sa labhate he (gradually) attains; sukham that bliss; sampat (which is) the opulence; atula incomparable; jagad within the universe; (that is) prtim prema (love); parama-paricarym in the form of the supreme service; para-nande of the supremely blissful; tattve (Absolute) Truth; (that service which is) khye known; vilsa as pleasure-pastimes. In the mature stage of sdhana-bhakti, when the jva becomes situated in his svarpa, then by the influence of the hldin potency, the state of bhva in madhura-rasa arises within him. In other words, the mood to follow in the footsteps of the dearmost associates of r r Rdh Ka in Vraja arises in his heart. Gradually he obtains happiness and prosperity that is unsurpassed in this world, in the form of the supreme service of paramnanda-tattva, which is known as vilsa. There is no greater gain than this for the jva.

loka 10b prabhu ka ko jva katha idam acid-vivam iti v vicryaitn arthn hari-bhajana-kc chstra-catura abhed dharmn sakalam apardha pariharan harer nmnanda pibati hari-dso hari-janai ka who?; (is) prabhu the Master; ka who?; (is) jva the living entity; katham why; (has) idam this; vivam world; a-cid of unconscious dull matter; (come about) v and (how does the spiritual realm exist?); iti thus; vicrya having considered; etn these; arthn points; haribhajana-kt one engaged in the worship of r Hari; stra-catura becomes expert in siddhnta (scriptural conclusions); pariharan completely abandons; the desire; abheda for impersonal liberation; dharmn attachment to dharma and adharma; (and) sakalam all; apardham offences; hari-dsa that servant of r Hari; pibati drinks; nandam the blissful; nma name; hare of r Hari; hari-janai in the company of the r Haris people. Who is Ka? Who am I, the jva? What is this temporary material (acit) world, and the eternal spiritual (cit) world? He, who is exclusively devoted to the bhajana of r Hari and has made an intelligent analysis of the vaiava-stras under the guidance of uddha-bhaktas, who has abandoned all offences and attachment to dharma and adharma, and who can consider and dispose of all questions, that servant of r Hari drinks the sublime beverage of r-hari-nma in the company of other hari-janas. sasevya daa-mla vai hitv vidym aya jana bhva-pui tath tui labhate sdhu-sagata aya that; jana person; sasevya having cultivated (through hearing, chanting etc.); daa-mlam of these ten fundamental verses; vai certainly; hitv after casting away; avidym (the material disease generated from) ignorance; labhate attains; bhva-puim nourishment of his ecstatic relationship with r Hari; tath and; tuim satisfaction; sdhu-sagata through association with sdhu. When the jva studies and carefully follows this Daa-mla, he throws far away material disease in the form of ignorance. Thereafter, through the association of sdhus, he obtains the nourishment of bhva, and becomes fully satisfied. Evidence from the Vedic scriptures

BG 9.22

anany cintayanto m ye jan paryupsate te nitybhiyuktn yoga-kema vahmy aham ananyhaving no other object; cintayantaconcentrating; mmon Me; yethose who; jan persons; paryupsateproperly worship; temof them; nityaalways; abhiyuktnmfixed in devotion; yogarequirements; kemamprotection; vahmicarry; ahamI. But those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating on My transcendental formto them I carry what they lack, and I preserve what they have. BG 9.29

samo ha sarva-bhteu na me dveyo sti na priya ye bhajanti tu m bhakty mayi te teu cpy aham
samaequally disposed; ahamI; sarva-bhteuto all living entities; nano one; meto Me; dveyahateful; astiis; nanor; priyadear; yethose who; bhajantirender transcendental service; tubut; mmunto Me; bhaktyin devotion; mayiare in Me; tesuch persons; teuin them; caalso; apicertainly; ahamI. I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him.

BG 18.65

man-man bhava mad-bhakto mad-yj m namaskuru mm evaiyasi satya te pratijne priyo si me

mat-manthinking of Me; bhavajust become; mat-bhaktaMy devotee; mat-yjMy worshiper; mmunto Me; namaskuruoffer your obeisances; mmunto Me; evacertainly; eyasiyou will come; satyamtruly; te to you; pratijneI promise; priyadear; asiyou are; meto Me. Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.

SB 11.3.31-32

smaranta smrayanta ca mitho ghaugha-hara harim bhakty sajtay bhakty bibhraty utpulak tanum

smarantaremembering; smrayanta caand reminding; mithaone another; agha-ogha-haramwho takes away everything inauspicious from the devotee; harimthe Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhaktyby devotion; sajtayawakened; bhaktyby devotion; bibhratipossess; utpulakmagitated by ecstasy; tanumbody. The devotees of the Lord constantly discuss the glories of the Personality of Godhead among themselves. Thus they constantly remember the Lord and remind one another of His qualities and pastimes. In this way, by their devotion to the principles of bhakti-yoga, the devotees please the Personality of Godhead, who takes away from them everything inauspicious. Being purified of all impediments, the devotees awaken to pure love of Godhead, and thus, even within this world, their spiritualized bodies exhibit symptoms of transcendental ecstasy, such as standing of the bodily hairs on end.

kvacid rudanty acyuta-cintay kvacid dhasanti nandanti vadanty alaukik ntyanti gyanty anulayanty aja bhavanti t param etya nirvt
kvacitsometimes; rudantithey cry; acyutaof the infallible Supreme Lord; cintayby the thought; kvacit sometimes; hasantithey laugh; nandantitake great pleasure; vadantispeak; alaukikacting amazingly; ntyantithey dance; gyantising; anulayantiand imitate; ajamthe unborn; bhavantithey become; tm silent; paramthe Supreme; etyaobtaining; nirvtfreed from distress. Having achieved love of Godhead, the devotees sometimes cry out loud, absorbed in thought of the infallible Lord. Sometimes they laugh, feel great pleasure, speak out loud to the Lord, dance or sing. Such devotees, having transcended material, conditioned life, sometimes imitate the unborn Supreme by acting out His pastimes. And sometimes, achieving His personal audience, they remain peaceful and silent.

SB 10.32.22

na praye ha niravadya-sayuj sva-sdhu-ktya vibudhyupi va y mbhajan durjara-geha-khal savcya tad va pratiytu sdhun nanot; prayeam able to make; ahamI; niravadya-sayujmto those who are completely free from deceit; sva-sdhu-ktyamproper compensation; vibudha-yuwith a lifetime as long as that of the demigods; apialthough; vato you; ywho; mMe; abhajanhave worshiped; durjaradifficult to overcome; geha-khalthe chains of household life; savcyacutting; tatthat; vaof you; pratiytulet it be returned; sdhunby the good activity itself. I am not able to repay My debt for your spotless service, even within a lifetime of Brahm. Your connection with Me is beyond reproach. You have worshiped Me, cutting off all domestic ties, which are difficult to break. Therefore please let your own glorious deeds be your compensation.

ei uddha-bhaktiih haite prem haya pacartre, bhgavate ei lakaa kaya eithis; uddha-bhaktipure devotional service; ih haitefrom which; premunalloyed love of Ka; hayathere is; pacartrein the Vedic literatures known as the Pacartras; bhgavatealso in the rmad-Bhgavatam; eithese; lakaasymptoms; kayaare described. These activities are called uddha-bhakti, pure devotional service. If one renders such pure devotional service, he develops his original love for Ka in due course of time. In Vedic literatures like the Pacartras and rmad-Bhgavatam, these symptoms are described.

CC Mad 19.169

sei bhva gha haile dhare prema-nma sei prem prayojana sarvnanda-dhma sei bhvathat emotional condition; gha hailewhen it becomes intensified; dharetakes; premanmathe name love of Godhead; sei premthat love of Godhead; prayojanathe ultimate goal of life; sarva-nanda-dhmathe reservoir of all pleasure. When that ecstatic emotional stage intensifies, it is called love of Godhead. Such love is lifes ultimate goal and the reservoir of all pleasure.

CC Mad 23.13

Bhad-rayaka Upaniad (2.4.3)

sa hovca maitreyi yenha nmmrtasya kim aha tena kuryam He said: O maitreyi, what shall I do to become immortal?

Taittirya Upaniad (2.7):

yad vai tat sukta raso vai sa rasa hy evya labdhvnand bhavati ko hy evnyt ka pryt yad ea ka nando na syt ea hy evnandayti Para-brahma Paramtm is the sukta-brahma (the very handsome supreme spirit). His svarpa is unalloyed rasa, and when the jva realizes this rasa-svarpa para-brahma, he becomes full of nanda. Who would endeavor to live if that undivided Reality were not the embodiment of nanda in the form of rasa? Paramtm alone gives bliss to all.

Taittirya Upaniad 2.4.1

amanita ca taittiryake nanda brahmao vidvn na vibheti katakana Amanita- the state of being full of transcendental bliss; ca-also; taittiryake- in the Taittirya Upaniad; nanda-spiritual bliss; brahmaah- of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vidvn-a person who knkows; na-does not; bibheti-fear; kutacana-anything. He who understands the transcendental bliss of the Supreme Personality of Godhead no longer fears anything. Explanation The karma-margis declare that enjoyment in this world and in the heavens hereafter is all that a man requires. Karma, or action, is of two types: karma done with a view to obtain a material result, and karma done with a view to please God. To the karma-margis, both types of karma have the object of procuring enjoyment. God is worshiped simply to grant material enjoyment. Here is the line of demarcation between bhakti and karma. Bhakti aims at procuring the principle of priti or divine love as the final result of all actions, while karma aims at selfish enjoyment as the ultimate goal of action. The jnana-margis, on the other hand, cultivate jnana or spiritual knowledge to obtain mukti or salvation as the final aim of their cultivation. Mukti is defined to be of two kinds. In one kind of mukti, total absorption of the soul in God is effected, bringing about the annihilation of the separate existence of the soul from God. This is known as sayujya. In the other kind of mukti, the soul stands eternally distinct from God, and when salvation ensues, the soul goes to the spiritual world, obtaining either: salokya or residence in the kingdom of God; samipya or close association with the Lord; sarupya or attainment of a spiritual form like that of God Himself; or sarshti, the attainment of powers similar to the powers of God. The latter class of mukti is inevitable when it pleases the Almighty to grant us that state. But then after obtaining that mukti, we serve God with priti or pure love. The first kind of mukti is rejected by the bhaktas as not worth having because of its tendency to annihilate the highest principle of love. The second type of mukti cannot be the ultimate objective, as it acts like an intermediate condition of the soul, priti there acting as the ultimatum. Mukti therefore must be treated as an intermediate result of our spiritual disenchantment. Besides that, a hankering after mukti spoils the action of spiritual cultivation, since it is a strong desire for something other than the improvement of bhakti. It has a tint of selfishness which is not in keeping with the unselfish principle of pure bhakti. We must therefore cultivate bhakti, being always free from the two contending forces, i.e., a desire for bhukti, or selfish enjoyment, and a desire for mukti, or salvation. We must depend on Krishna to either give us mukti or not as it pleases Him. We must pray for continual development of our religious sentiment, or bhakti alone. Priti, or pure love, is the final object of our existence. Rati, as explained above, is the unit of the principle of pure spiritual love of Krishna. When rati (attachment) is mixed with ulas (zeal), it becomes priti. Priti creates exclusive love for Krishna and repulsion for things and persons other than Krishna and His

entourage. When the idea that Krishna is mine is added to priti, it becomes prema. Here begins the idea that Krishna is my own Lord and I am His servant. Add confidence to prema and it becomes pranaya wherein arises the relationship of friendship with Krishna. In pranaya, the idea of respect loses its hold. Add to pranaya the idea that Krishna is my exclusive and dearest object of love, and it curiously turns into mana. Krishna, with all His greatness and power, exhibits a sort of submission to it. With excessive melting of the heart being added, prema turns into sneha. Here ensues the relationship of a son and parents between Krishna and His devotee. In this stage, much weeping for Krishna, want of satiety in communion, and a desire to protect the interest of Krishna naturally occur. Then, an increase in desire added to sneha is raga. In this stage, a moments separation is unbearable. Here commences the relationship of husband and wife between Krishna and His devotee. Distress attending upon want of mutual interview is happiness. Raga, seeing its object as new at every moment, and being itself new at every moment, converts itself into anuraga. In this stage, reciprocal subjection and a strong desire to accompany the lover everywhere are the principal features. Anuraga, infinitely rising in an astonishing state, mounting as if to madness, becomes mahabhava. This is indescribable! From rati to mahabhava, the whole principle is what is known as sthayibhava. Added to vibhava, anubhava, svastika, and sanchari, the sthayibhava becomes Krishna-premarasa, the eternal ecstasy and beatitude.We have a perverted picture of this noble rasa in human life, as life in the kingdom of Maya is a perverted reflection of spiritual life. When the soul alone works toward its proper object, the Supreme Lord Krishna, the rasa is pure; when the mind and the senses work toward a wrong object, rasa is degraded and becomes deplorable. The perverted rasa gives us a clue as to the nature of the noble spiritual rasa; hence these descriptions have been attempted in words which may also be used to describe features of the perverted rasa. We ask our readers to take care to make a definite distinction between spirit and gross matter, otherwise a misunderstanding is inevitable.One who studies the names, forms, attributes, and lila of Krishna, as described in the Srimad Bhagavatam, with a sincere heart, mind and strength in the company of one who has realized the spirit, will rise higher and higher by the influence of bhakti. One who is apt to analyze everything in an academic way can scarcely acquire the truth in matters of spirit, as by the law of God, reason in its present state can never reach the sphere of spirit.In order to have the opportunity to go as far as we have stated, one must make a further inquiry from the heart, and the allbeautiful Lord will then help him to realize the spirit and rise higher and higher in its realm. But as long as the mind is confounded by material allurements, there is no way to rise beyond matter in its various forms. The great mistake that most Western philosophers have made is to identify the mind and the perverted ego (ahankara) with the soul or spirit. This is most unfortunate.To summarize, man in his present state has three different principles in him: (1) The sthul principle, or gross matter composing his body; (2) the linga principle, or sublimated matter appearing in the form of mind, intelligence, contaminated consciousness, and the perverted ego, by which one is bewildered within the material world. This state has been caused by the influence of maya, or the illusory energy, with the object of correcting the soul in his wrong intention to enjoy in forgetfulness of his nature as Gods servant. (3) Man in fact is solely independent of Maya and her connection. The only way to get rid of the present difficulty is by the influence of pure bhakti imbibed from a true bhakta. Bhakti, as a means, elevates man up to the all-beautiful abode of Krishna, and again, as an end, maintains him with eternal krishna-prema.While located in the mayik world, man must live peacefully with the object of cultivating the spirit. In this society he must lead a pure life, avoid sins, and do as much good as he can to his fellow man. He must be humble, bearing the difficulties of life with heroism. He must not boast of any virtues or grandeur that he has, and he must treat everyone with the respect due to them. Marriage with a view toward a peaceful and virtuous life and with the intent to procreate servants of the Lord is a good institution for a Vaishnava. Spiritual cultivation is the main object of life. Do everything that helps it and abstain from doing anything which thwarts the cultivation of the spirit.

Have strong faith that only Krishna can protect you. Admit Him as your only guardian. Do everything Krishna wants you to do, and never act independent of the holy wish of Krishna. Do all that you do with humility. Always remember that you are a foreigner in this world, and be prepared to go to your own home. Do your duties and cultivate bhakti as a means to obtain the great goal of life, krishna priti. Employ your body, mind, and spirit in the service of the Lord. In all your actions, worship your great Lord. Thus we have presented a summary of Sriman Mahaprabhus life and precepts. Our gentle readers will now find that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu preached pure monotheism and chased out idolatry. He taught us that idolatry is the worship of things and persons that are not God Himself. When the sannyasis of Benares addressed Him as God Almighty, Mahaprabhu told them that it was the worst of sins to address a jiva as God. And He has several times denounced the worship of a form or image other than the true image of God (after which man was created). God is one without a second. There is none to compete with Him is the motto of Mahaprabhus religion. Also, Mahaprabhu showed, both in His character and preaching, the purest morality as an accompaniment of spiritual improvement. Morality, as a matter of course, will grace the character of a bhakta. If it is not seen in the character of one who presents himself as a Krishna bhakta, his sincerity may be doubted. There are four classes of thought: atheistic, pantheistic, indifferent, and theistic. Chaitanyas religion rejects the first three as inimical to religion. He preaches pure theism alone and advises men to avoid the others. He preaches that Varnashram dharma, including the caste system, is simply a social institution introduced by the Rishis (sages) to do good to man in society. Such social institutions should be allowed to decorate the devotees as long as they do not oppose spiritual improvement. By sending Pradyumna Misra, a rigid Brahmana, to Ramananda Raya for spiritualization, Mahaprabhu has shown that one who is aware of Krishnatattva may be a guru, be he a Shudra, Brahmana, or sannyasi. Mahaprabhu preaches the equality of men in the enjoyment of spiritual fulfillment. He preaches that human thought should never be allowed to be shackled with sectarian views. He preaches universal fraternity among men and special brotherhood among Vaishnavas who are, according to Him, the best pioneers of spiritual improvement. He tells us that a man should earn money in a befitting way through sincere dealings with others and should not immorally obtain it. When Gopinath Pattanayaka, one of the brothers of Ramananda Raya, was being punished by the King for immoral gains, Lord Chaitanya warned all of His associates to be moral in their worldly dealings. In His own early life, Mahaprabhu taught the grihasthas (householders) to give all sorts of assistance to the needy and the helpless, and has shown that it is necessary, for one who has the power to do it, to assist in the education of the people, especially the Brahmanas, who are expected to study the higher subjects of human knowledge. Sri Chaitanyadeva, as a teacher, has taught men both by precepts and His holy life. There is scarcely a spot in His life that may be made the subject of criticism. His taking sannyas, His severe treatment of junior Haridas, and other such acts, have been viewed as objectionable by certain persons, but we believe that those men have either been led to a hasty conclusion or suffer from party spirit. Mahaprabhu was an undaunted hero in the execution of his resolutions. When he was told by some malicious Brahmanas that the emperor was sending an army against him, he said that he wished the reigning Prince would be cognizant of what he was doing. He was amiable to everyone, yet stern in the discharge of His duty. Once, Brahmananda Bharati, the godbrother of Mahaprabhus sannyas-guru, Keshava Bharati, appeared before Him dressed in a tigers skin. Mahaprabhu would not bow down to him until he gave up the tiger skin and wore linen cloth. He said, The person before Me is not Bharati. How is it that one equal to My guru

could put on an animals skin? The sannyasis do not support the killing of beasts for the sake of their personal use. Bharati understood that Mahaprabhu did not like that, and he changed his apparel. Lord Chaitanya then bowed down to him, showing proper respect to His gurus godbrother. Another time, Vallabha Bhatta (a scholar of great renown) wrote what he thought to be an improved commentary on the Srimad Bhagavatam and showed it to Mahaprabhu, saying that he would not submit to Sridhar Swami. The Lord said that it was an unchaste women who disregarded her swami (husband). This was a remark which mortified Vallabha Bhatta and dissuaded him from expressing further disrespectful opinions about Sridhar Swami, the commentator of the Bhagavatam. Finally, Mahaprabhu impressed upon His disciples that they should enter into the spirit of the shastras without being confined by the words themselves. Devananda Pandit did not understand the spirit of bhakti while reading the Bhagavatam, and so he incurred offense in the course of his dealings with the Lords devotees. But when he captured the true spirit of bhakti, then Lord Chaitanya embraced him and pardoned him for all that he had done before. The religion preached by Mahaprabhu is universal and non-sectarian. The most learned and the most ignorant are both entitled to embrace it. The learned people can accept it by studying the literatures left by the great acharyas. The ignorant can have the same privilege by simply chanting the name of the Lord and mixing in the company of pure Vaishnavas. The church of kirtan invites all classes of people, without distinction as to caste or clan, to engage in the highest cultivation of the spirit. This church, it appears, will extend all over the world, and take the place of all sectarian institutions which exclude outsiders from the precincts of the mosque, church, or temple. If you are inclined, after a study of these pages, to identify Sri Chaitanyadeva as the Supreme Lord, we would beg you not to think that God has entered into the carnal coil like the fallen men. His supreme power can bring Him down to the material world with all His glory and attributes without being touched by the lower energy of maya. To believe otherwise would be to commit the sin of minimizing His true position. We make no objection if the reader does not believe His miracles, as miracles alone never represent the Godhead. Demons like Ravana and others have also performed miracles, which do not prove that they were God. It is unlimited prema and its overwhelming influence which can be seen in no one other than God Himself. In conclusion, we leave it to our readers to decide how to view Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The Vaishnavas have accepted Him as the Supreme Lord Krishna Himself. Others have regarded Him as a bhaktaavatar (a divine incarnation to distribute love of God). It is at the request of some Vaishnavas that we have composed the Smarana Mangal verses in the form of prayers for daily recitation at the time of worship. Those of you who are not prepared to accept them in that way may accept Nimai Pandit as a noble and holy teacher. That is all we want our readers to believe. Noble readers! Pardon us for intruding on you with these pages. As servants of Sri Chaitanyadeva, it was our duty to propagate His supreme teachings and in doing a duty we are entitled to pardon for any trouble we may have given you. We are natives of Bengal and in couching our words in a foreign language we might have been liable to mistakes for which you will please forgive. In conclusion, we beg to say that we should be glad to reply to any questions which our brethren would like to address to us on these important subjects. We feel great interest in trying to help our friends to seek the way to spiritual love.