TEXT 22
BaUmaeBaRr"Avatar"NAAya yaäu"SvajanmaA
jaAta: k(ir"Syaita s$aurE"r"ipa äu"Sk(r"AiNA
vaAdE"ivaRmaAeh"yaita yaÁak{(taAe'tad"h"ARna,
zAU#‰"Ana, k(laAE iºaitaBaujaAe nyah"inaSyad"ntae
bhümer bharävataraëäya yaduñv ajanmä
jätaù kariñyati surair api duñkaräëi
vädair vimohayati yajïa-kåto 'tad-arhän
çüdrän kalau kñiti-bhujo nyahaniñyad ante
SYNONYMS
bhümeù—of the earth; bhara—the burden; avataraëäya—to diminish;
yaduñu—in the Yadu dynasty; ajanmä—the unborn Lord; jätaù—taking birth;
kariñyati—He will perform; suraiù—by the demigods; api—even;
duñkaräëi—difficult deeds; vädaiù—by speculative arguments; vimohayati—He
411
will bewilder; yajïa-kåtaù—the performers of Vedic sacrifices;
atat-arhän—who are unfit to be so engaged; çüdrän—the low-class men;
kalau—in the degraded age of Kali; kñiti-bhujaù—rulers; nyahaniñyat—He will
kill; ante—at the end.
TRANSLATION
To diminish the burden of the earth, the unborn Lord will take birth in the
Yadu dynasty and perform feats impossible even for the demigods. Propounding
speculative philosophy, the Lord, as Buddha, will bewilder the unworthy
performers of Vedic sacrifices. And as Kalki the Lord will kill all the low-class
men posing as rulers at the end of the age of Kali.
PURPORT
It is understood that in this verse the description of the Lord's appearance
in the Yadu dynasty refers to the appearance of both Kåñëa and Balaräma, who
together removed the demoniac rulers who were burdening the earth. Çréla
Jéva Gosvämé has pointed out that the description of the incarnations to deal
with çüdrän, or low-class men, refers to both Buddha and Kalki. Those who
misuse Vedic sacrifice to engage in gross sense gratification, such as the sinful
killing of animals, are certainly in the category of çüdra, as are the so-called
political leaders of Kali-yuga who perform many atrocities in the name of state
management.
Friday, November 19, 2010
THE AVATARS?
The Personality of Godhead Lord Viñëu has appeared in various partial
incarnations for the benefit of the entire world and has given instructions in
spiritual knowledge in the forms of Haàsa, Dattätreya, Sanaka and the other
Kumära brothers, and Åñabhadeva. In the form of Hayagréva He killed the
demon Madhu and saved all the Vedas. In the avatära of Matsya, the fish, He
protected both the earth and Satyavrata Manu. In the incarnation of Varäha,
the boar, He delivered the earth and destroyed Hiraëyäkña; in that of Kürma,
the tortoise, He carried Mandara Mountain upon His back; and in the form of
Çré Hari He gave liberation to the king of the elephants. The Lord delivered
the Välakhilyas, who had been trapped in the water in a cow's hoofprint, He
delivered Indra from the reaction for murdering a brähmaëa, and He delivered
the wives of the demigods from imprisonment in the palaces of the demoniac
asuras. In the avatära of Nåsiàha, He killed Hiraëyakaçipu. In the reign of
each Manu He kills the demons, fulfills the needs of the demigods and protects
all the planetary systems. In the form of Vämana, the dwarf brähmaëa boy, He
cheated Bali Mahäräja; in the form of Paraçuräma He rid the earth of kñatriyas
twenty-one times; and in the form of Çré Räma He brought the ocean under
His submission and killed Rävaëa. Descending into the Yadu dynasty, He
removed the burden of the earth. In the form of Buddha, by His argumentative
preaching in defiance of the Vedas He bewildered the demons who were
unqualified to perform sacrifices, and at the end of Kali-yuga He will destroy
the çüdra kings in His form of Kalki. In this way the innumerable appearances
and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Hari are described.
incarnations for the benefit of the entire world and has given instructions in
spiritual knowledge in the forms of Haàsa, Dattätreya, Sanaka and the other
Kumära brothers, and Åñabhadeva. In the form of Hayagréva He killed the
demon Madhu and saved all the Vedas. In the avatära of Matsya, the fish, He
protected both the earth and Satyavrata Manu. In the incarnation of Varäha,
the boar, He delivered the earth and destroyed Hiraëyäkña; in that of Kürma,
the tortoise, He carried Mandara Mountain upon His back; and in the form of
Çré Hari He gave liberation to the king of the elephants. The Lord delivered
the Välakhilyas, who had been trapped in the water in a cow's hoofprint, He
delivered Indra from the reaction for murdering a brähmaëa, and He delivered
the wives of the demigods from imprisonment in the palaces of the demoniac
asuras. In the avatära of Nåsiàha, He killed Hiraëyakaçipu. In the reign of
each Manu He kills the demons, fulfills the needs of the demigods and protects
all the planetary systems. In the form of Vämana, the dwarf brähmaëa boy, He
cheated Bali Mahäräja; in the form of Paraçuräma He rid the earth of kñatriyas
twenty-one times; and in the form of Çré Räma He brought the ocean under
His submission and killed Rävaëa. Descending into the Yadu dynasty, He
removed the burden of the earth. In the form of Buddha, by His argumentative
preaching in defiance of the Vedas He bewildered the demons who were
unqualified to perform sacrifices, and at the end of Kali-yuga He will destroy
the çüdra kings in His form of Kalki. In this way the innumerable appearances
and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Hari are described.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
SALUTATIONS TO BUDDHA!
SB 10.40.22 - Obeisances to Your form as the faultless Lord Buddha, who
will bewilder the Daityas and Dänavas, and to Lord Kalki, the annihilator of the
meat-eaters posing as kings.
will bewilder the Daityas and Dänavas, and to Lord Kalki, the annihilator of the
meat-eaters posing as kings.
SALUTATIONS TO BUDDHA!
TEXT 22
namaAe bauÜ"Aya zAuÜ"Aya
dE"tyad"AnavamaAeih"nae
mlaecC$‘aAyaºa‡ah"n‡ae
namastae k(ilk(è&ipaNAe
namo buddhäya çuddhäya
daitya-dänava-mohine
mleccha-präya-kñatra-hantre
namas te kalki-rüpiëe
SYNONYMS
namaù—obeisances; buddhäya—to Lord Buddha; çuddhäya—the pure;
daitya-dänava—of the demoniac descendants of Diti and Dänu; mohine—to
the bewilderer; mleccha—of the outcaste meat-eaters; präya—resembling;
kñatra—kings; hantre—to the killer; namaù—obeisances; te—to You;
1147
kalki-rüpiëe—in the form of Kalki.
TRANSLATION
Obeisances to Your form as the faultless Lord Buddha, who will bewilder the
Daityas and Dänavas, and to Lord Kalki, the annihilator of the meat-eaters
posing as kings.
namaAe bauÜ"Aya zAuÜ"Aya
dE"tyad"AnavamaAeih"nae
mlaecC$‘aAyaºa‡ah"n‡ae
namastae k(ilk(è&ipaNAe
namo buddhäya çuddhäya
daitya-dänava-mohine
mleccha-präya-kñatra-hantre
namas te kalki-rüpiëe
SYNONYMS
namaù—obeisances; buddhäya—to Lord Buddha; çuddhäya—the pure;
daitya-dänava—of the demoniac descendants of Diti and Dänu; mohine—to
the bewilderer; mleccha—of the outcaste meat-eaters; präya—resembling;
kñatra—kings; hantre—to the killer; namaù—obeisances; te—to You;
1147
kalki-rüpiëe—in the form of Kalki.
TRANSLATION
Obeisances to Your form as the faultless Lord Buddha, who will bewilder the
Daityas and Dänavas, and to Lord Kalki, the annihilator of the meat-eaters
posing as kings.
BUDDHA - CHEAT
TEXT 11
çré-çuka uväca
iti te kñvelitais tasyä
äçvasta-manaso 'suräù
jahasur bhäva-gambhéraà
daduç cämåta-bhäjanam
SYNONYMS
çré-çukaù uväca—Çré Çukadeva Gosvämé said; iti—thus; te—those demons;
kñvelitaiù—by speaking as if jokingly; tasyäù—of Mohiné-mürti;
äçvasta—grateful, with faith; manasaù—their minds; asuräù—all the demons;
jahasuù—laughed; bhäva-gambhéram—although Mohiné-mürti was full of
gravity; daduù—delivered; ca—also; amåta-bhäjanam—the container of
nectar.
copyright ©1998 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, all rights reserved – www.krishna.com
397
TRANSLATION
Çré Çukadeva Gosvämé continued: After the demons heard the words of
Mohiné-mürti, who had spoken as if jokingly, they were all very confident.
They laughed with gravity, and ultimately they delivered the container of
nectar into Her hands.
PURPORT
The Personality of Godhead in His form of Mohiné was certainly not joking
but talking seriously, with gravity. The demons, however, being captivated by
Mohiné-mürti's bodily features, took Her words as a joke and confidently
delivered the container of nectar into Her hands. Thus Mohiné-mürti
resembles Lord Buddha, who appeared sammohäya sura-dviñäm [SB 1.3.24]—to
cheat the asuras. The word sura-dviñäm refers to those who are envious of the
demigods or devotees. Sometimes an incarnation of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead cheats the atheists. Thus we see here that although Mohiné-mürti
was speaking factually to the asuras, the asuras took Her words to be facetious.
Indeed, they were so confident of Mohiné-mürti's honesty that they
immediately delivered the container of nectar into Her hands, as if they would
allow Her to do with the nectar whatever She liked, whether She distributed
it, threw it away or drank it Herself without giving it to them.
çré-çuka uväca
iti te kñvelitais tasyä
äçvasta-manaso 'suräù
jahasur bhäva-gambhéraà
daduç cämåta-bhäjanam
SYNONYMS
çré-çukaù uväca—Çré Çukadeva Gosvämé said; iti—thus; te—those demons;
kñvelitaiù—by speaking as if jokingly; tasyäù—of Mohiné-mürti;
äçvasta—grateful, with faith; manasaù—their minds; asuräù—all the demons;
jahasuù—laughed; bhäva-gambhéram—although Mohiné-mürti was full of
gravity; daduù—delivered; ca—also; amåta-bhäjanam—the container of
nectar.
copyright ©1998 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, all rights reserved – www.krishna.com
397
TRANSLATION
Çré Çukadeva Gosvämé continued: After the demons heard the words of
Mohiné-mürti, who had spoken as if jokingly, they were all very confident.
They laughed with gravity, and ultimately they delivered the container of
nectar into Her hands.
PURPORT
The Personality of Godhead in His form of Mohiné was certainly not joking
but talking seriously, with gravity. The demons, however, being captivated by
Mohiné-mürti's bodily features, took Her words as a joke and confidently
delivered the container of nectar into Her hands. Thus Mohiné-mürti
resembles Lord Buddha, who appeared sammohäya sura-dviñäm [SB 1.3.24]—to
cheat the asuras. The word sura-dviñäm refers to those who are envious of the
demigods or devotees. Sometimes an incarnation of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead cheats the atheists. Thus we see here that although Mohiné-mürti
was speaking factually to the asuras, the asuras took Her words to be facetious.
Indeed, they were so confident of Mohiné-mürti's honesty that they
immediately delivered the container of nectar into Her hands, as if they would
allow Her to do with the nectar whatever She liked, whether She distributed
it, threw it away or drank it Herself without giving it to them.
SALUTATIONS TO BUDDHA!
TEXT 12
namaù çäntäya ghoräya
müòhäya guëa-dharmiëe
copyright ©1998 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, all rights reserved – www.krishna.com
105
nirviçeñäya sämyäya
namo jïäna-ghanäya ca
SYNONYMS
namaù—all obeisances; çäntäya—unto Him who is above all material qualities
and completely peaceful, or unto Väsudeva, the Supersoul in every living
entity; ghoräya—unto the fierce forms of the Lord like Jämadagnya and
Nåsiàhadeva; müòhäya—the form of the Lord as an animal, such as the boar;
guëa-dharmiëe—who accepts different qualities within the material world;
nirviçeñäya—who is without material qualities, being fully spiritual;
sämyäya—Lord Buddha, the form of nirväëa, wherein the material qualities
stop; namaù—I offer my respectful obeisances; jïäna-ghanäya—who is
knowledge or the impersonal Brahman; ca—also.
TRANSLATION
I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Väsudeva, who is all-pervading, to
the Lord's fierce form as Lord Nåsiàhadeva, to the Lord's form as an animal
[Lord Varähadeva], to Lord Dattätreya, who preached impersonalism, to Lord
Buddha, and to all the other incarnations. I offer my respectful obeisances unto
the Lord, who has no material qualities but who accepts the three qualities
goodness, passion and ignorance within this material world. I also offer my
respectful obeisances unto the impersonal Brahman effulgence.
PURPORT
In the previous verses it has been described that although the Supreme
Personality of Godhead has no material form, He accepts innumerable forms
to favor His devotees and kill the demons. As stated in Çrémad-Bhägavatam,
there are so many incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead that
they are like the waves of a river. The waves of a river flow incessantly, and no
copyright ©1998 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, all rights reserved – www.krishna.com
106
one can count how many waves there are. Similarly, no one can calculate
when and how the different incarnations of the Lord appear according to the
necessities of time, place and candidates. The Lord appears perpetually. As
Kåñëa says in Bhagavad-gétä (4.7):
yadä yadä hi dharmasya
glänir bhavati bhärata
abhyutthänam adharmasya
tadätmänaà såjämy aham
"Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant
of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend
Myself." In the material world there is always the possibility of deviation from
Kåñëa consciousness, and therefore Kåñëa and His devotees always act in
various forms to curb such godlessness.
Even impersonalists who stress the knowledge feature of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead want to merge in the effulgence of the Lord.
Therefore, here the word jïäna-ghanäya indicates that for atheists who
disbelieve in the form and existence of the Lord, all these various incarnations
appear. Since the Lord comes to teach in so many forms, no one can say that
there is no God. The word jïäna-ghanäya is especially used here to refer to
those whose knowledge has become solidified by dint of their searching for the
Lord through speculative philosophical understanding. Superficial knowledge
is useless for understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but when
one's knowledge becomes extremely intense and deep, one understands
Väsudeva (väsudevaù sarvam iti sa mahätmä sudurlabhaù [Bg. 7.19]). A jïäné
attains this stage after many, many births. Therefore the word jïäna-ghanäya
is used here. The word çantäya indicates that Lord Väsudeva is situated in
everyone's heart but does not act with the living entity. Impersonalist jïänés
realize Väsudeva when they are fully mature in knowledge (väsudevaù samam
iti sa mahätmä sudurlabhaù).
namaù çäntäya ghoräya
müòhäya guëa-dharmiëe
copyright ©1998 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, all rights reserved – www.krishna.com
105
nirviçeñäya sämyäya
namo jïäna-ghanäya ca
SYNONYMS
namaù—all obeisances; çäntäya—unto Him who is above all material qualities
and completely peaceful, or unto Väsudeva, the Supersoul in every living
entity; ghoräya—unto the fierce forms of the Lord like Jämadagnya and
Nåsiàhadeva; müòhäya—the form of the Lord as an animal, such as the boar;
guëa-dharmiëe—who accepts different qualities within the material world;
nirviçeñäya—who is without material qualities, being fully spiritual;
sämyäya—Lord Buddha, the form of nirväëa, wherein the material qualities
stop; namaù—I offer my respectful obeisances; jïäna-ghanäya—who is
knowledge or the impersonal Brahman; ca—also.
TRANSLATION
I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Väsudeva, who is all-pervading, to
the Lord's fierce form as Lord Nåsiàhadeva, to the Lord's form as an animal
[Lord Varähadeva], to Lord Dattätreya, who preached impersonalism, to Lord
Buddha, and to all the other incarnations. I offer my respectful obeisances unto
the Lord, who has no material qualities but who accepts the three qualities
goodness, passion and ignorance within this material world. I also offer my
respectful obeisances unto the impersonal Brahman effulgence.
PURPORT
In the previous verses it has been described that although the Supreme
Personality of Godhead has no material form, He accepts innumerable forms
to favor His devotees and kill the demons. As stated in Çrémad-Bhägavatam,
there are so many incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead that
they are like the waves of a river. The waves of a river flow incessantly, and no
copyright ©1998 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, all rights reserved – www.krishna.com
106
one can count how many waves there are. Similarly, no one can calculate
when and how the different incarnations of the Lord appear according to the
necessities of time, place and candidates. The Lord appears perpetually. As
Kåñëa says in Bhagavad-gétä (4.7):
yadä yadä hi dharmasya
glänir bhavati bhärata
abhyutthänam adharmasya
tadätmänaà såjämy aham
"Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant
of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend
Myself." In the material world there is always the possibility of deviation from
Kåñëa consciousness, and therefore Kåñëa and His devotees always act in
various forms to curb such godlessness.
Even impersonalists who stress the knowledge feature of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead want to merge in the effulgence of the Lord.
Therefore, here the word jïäna-ghanäya indicates that for atheists who
disbelieve in the form and existence of the Lord, all these various incarnations
appear. Since the Lord comes to teach in so many forms, no one can say that
there is no God. The word jïäna-ghanäya is especially used here to refer to
those whose knowledge has become solidified by dint of their searching for the
Lord through speculative philosophical understanding. Superficial knowledge
is useless for understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but when
one's knowledge becomes extremely intense and deep, one understands
Väsudeva (väsudevaù sarvam iti sa mahätmä sudurlabhaù [Bg. 7.19]). A jïäné
attains this stage after many, many births. Therefore the word jïäna-ghanäya
is used here. The word çantäya indicates that Lord Väsudeva is situated in
everyone's heart but does not act with the living entity. Impersonalist jïänés
realize Väsudeva when they are fully mature in knowledge (väsudevaù samam
iti sa mahätmä sudurlabhaù).
MAY BUDDHA PROTECT!
This chapter describes how Indra, the King of heaven, was victorious over
the soldiers of the demons, and it also describes the shield of the Viñëu mantra.
To take protection from this shield, one must first touch kuça grass and
wash one's mouth with äcamana-mantras. One should observe silence and then
place the eight-syllable Viñëu mantra on the parts of his body and place the
twelve-syllable mantra on his hands. The eight-syllable mantra is oà namo
näräyaëäya. This mantra should be distributed all over the front and back of
the body. The twelve-syllable mantra, which begins with the praëava, oàkära,
is oà namo bhagavate väsudeväya. One syllable should be placed on each of the
fingers and should be preceded by the praëava, oàkära. Thereafter, one must
chant oà viñëave namaù, which is a six-syllable mantra. One must progressively
place the syllables of the mantra on the heart, the head, between the two
eyebrows, on the çikhä and between the eyes, and then one should chant maù
asträya phaö and with this mantra protect himself from all directions. Nädevo
devam arcayet: one who has not risen to the level of a deva cannot chant this
mantra. According to this direction of the çästra, one must think himself
copyright ©1998 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, all rights reserved – www.krishna.com
455
qualitatively nondifferent from the Supreme.
After finishing this dedication, one must offer a prayer to the eight-armed
Lord Viñëu, who sits on the shoulders of Garuòadeva. One also has to think of
the fish incarnation, Vämana, Kürma, Nåsiàha, Varäha, Paraçuräma,
Rämacandra (the elder brother of Lakñmaëa). Nara-Näräyaëa, Dattätreya (an
empowered incarnation), Kapila, Sanat-kumära, Hayagréva, Näradadeva (the
incarnation of a devotee). Dhanvantari, Åñabhadeva, Yajïa, Balaräma,
Vyäsadeva, Buddhadeva and Keçava. One should also think of Govinda, the
master of Våndävana, and one should think of Näräyaëa, the master of the
spiritual sky. One should think of Madhusüdana, Tridhämä, Mädhava,
Håñékeça, Padmanäbha, Janärdana, Dämodara and Viçveçvara, as well as the
Supreme Personality of Godhead Kåñëa Himself. After offering prayers to the
Lord's personal expansions known as the sväàça and çaktyäveça-avatäras, one
should pray to the weapons of Lord Näräyaëa, such as the Sudarçana, gadä,
çaìkha, khaòga and bow.
After explaining this process, Çukadeva Gosvämé told Mahäräja Parékñit
how Viçvarüpa, the brother of Våträsura, described the glories of the
Näräyaëa-kavaca to Indra.
TEXTS 1-2
çré-räjoväca
yayä guptaù sahasräkñaù
savähän ripu-sainikän
copyright ©
the soldiers of the demons, and it also describes the shield of the Viñëu mantra.
To take protection from this shield, one must first touch kuça grass and
wash one's mouth with äcamana-mantras. One should observe silence and then
place the eight-syllable Viñëu mantra on the parts of his body and place the
twelve-syllable mantra on his hands. The eight-syllable mantra is oà namo
näräyaëäya. This mantra should be distributed all over the front and back of
the body. The twelve-syllable mantra, which begins with the praëava, oàkära,
is oà namo bhagavate väsudeväya. One syllable should be placed on each of the
fingers and should be preceded by the praëava, oàkära. Thereafter, one must
chant oà viñëave namaù, which is a six-syllable mantra. One must progressively
place the syllables of the mantra on the heart, the head, between the two
eyebrows, on the çikhä and between the eyes, and then one should chant maù
asträya phaö and with this mantra protect himself from all directions. Nädevo
devam arcayet: one who has not risen to the level of a deva cannot chant this
mantra. According to this direction of the çästra, one must think himself
copyright ©1998 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, all rights reserved – www.krishna.com
455
qualitatively nondifferent from the Supreme.
After finishing this dedication, one must offer a prayer to the eight-armed
Lord Viñëu, who sits on the shoulders of Garuòadeva. One also has to think of
the fish incarnation, Vämana, Kürma, Nåsiàha, Varäha, Paraçuräma,
Rämacandra (the elder brother of Lakñmaëa). Nara-Näräyaëa, Dattätreya (an
empowered incarnation), Kapila, Sanat-kumära, Hayagréva, Näradadeva (the
incarnation of a devotee). Dhanvantari, Åñabhadeva, Yajïa, Balaräma,
Vyäsadeva, Buddhadeva and Keçava. One should also think of Govinda, the
master of Våndävana, and one should think of Näräyaëa, the master of the
spiritual sky. One should think of Madhusüdana, Tridhämä, Mädhava,
Håñékeça, Padmanäbha, Janärdana, Dämodara and Viçveçvara, as well as the
Supreme Personality of Godhead Kåñëa Himself. After offering prayers to the
Lord's personal expansions known as the sväàça and çaktyäveça-avatäras, one
should pray to the weapons of Lord Näräyaëa, such as the Sudarçana, gadä,
çaìkha, khaòga and bow.
After explaining this process, Çukadeva Gosvämé told Mahäräja Parékñit
how Viçvarüpa, the brother of Våträsura, described the glories of the
Näräyaëa-kavaca to Indra.
TEXTS 1-2
çré-räjoväca
yayä guptaù sahasräkñaù
savähän ripu-sainikän
copyright ©
THE AVATARS?
This chapter describes how Indra, the King of heaven, was victorious over
the soldiers of the demons, and it also describes the shield of the Viñëu mantra.
To take protection from this shield, one must first touch kuça grass and
wash one's mouth with äcamana-mantras. One should observe silence and then
place the eight-syllable Viñëu mantra on the parts of his body and place the
twelve-syllable mantra on his hands. The eight-syllable mantra is oà namo
näräyaëäya. This mantra should be distributed all over the front and back of
the body. The twelve-syllable mantra, which begins with the praëava, oàkära,
is oà namo bhagavate väsudeväya. One syllable should be placed on each of the
fingers and should be preceded by the praëava, oàkära. Thereafter, one must
chant oà viñëave namaù, which is a six-syllable mantra. One must progressively
place the syllables of the mantra on the heart, the head, between the two
eyebrows, on the çikhä and between the eyes, and then one should chant maù
asträya phaö and with this mantra protect himself from all directions. Nädevo
devam arcayet: one who has not risen to the level of a deva cannot chant this
mantra. According to this direction of the çästra, one must think himself
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455
qualitatively nondifferent from the Supreme.
After finishing this dedication, one must offer a prayer to the eight-armed
Lord Viñëu, who sits on the shoulders of Garuòadeva. One also has to think of
the fish incarnation, Vämana, Kürma, Nåsiàha, Varäha, Paraçuräma,
Rämacandra (the elder brother of Lakñmaëa). Nara-Näräyaëa, Dattätreya (an
empowered incarnation), Kapila, Sanat-kumära, Hayagréva, Näradadeva (the
incarnation of a devotee). Dhanvantari, Åñabhadeva, Yajïa, Balaräma,
Vyäsadeva, Buddhadeva and Keçava. One should also think of Govinda, the
master of Våndävana, and one should think of Näräyaëa, the master of the
spiritual sky. One should think of Madhusüdana, Tridhämä, Mädhava,
Håñékeça, Padmanäbha, Janärdana, Dämodara and Viçveçvara, as well as the
Supreme Personality of Godhead Kåñëa Himself. After offering prayers to the
Lord's personal expansions known as the sväàça and çaktyäveça-avatäras, one
should pray to the weapons of Lord Näräyaëa, such as the Sudarçana, gadä,
çaìkha, khaòga and bow.
After explaining this process, Çukadeva Gosvämé told Mahäräja Parékñit
how Viçvarüpa, the brother of Våträsura, described the glories of the
Näräyaëa-kavaca to Indra.
TEXTS 1-2
çré-räjoväca
yayä guptaù sahasräkñaù
savähän ripu-sainikän
copyright ©
the soldiers of the demons, and it also describes the shield of the Viñëu mantra.
To take protection from this shield, one must first touch kuça grass and
wash one's mouth with äcamana-mantras. One should observe silence and then
place the eight-syllable Viñëu mantra on the parts of his body and place the
twelve-syllable mantra on his hands. The eight-syllable mantra is oà namo
näräyaëäya. This mantra should be distributed all over the front and back of
the body. The twelve-syllable mantra, which begins with the praëava, oàkära,
is oà namo bhagavate väsudeväya. One syllable should be placed on each of the
fingers and should be preceded by the praëava, oàkära. Thereafter, one must
chant oà viñëave namaù, which is a six-syllable mantra. One must progressively
place the syllables of the mantra on the heart, the head, between the two
eyebrows, on the çikhä and between the eyes, and then one should chant maù
asträya phaö and with this mantra protect himself from all directions. Nädevo
devam arcayet: one who has not risen to the level of a deva cannot chant this
mantra. According to this direction of the çästra, one must think himself
copyright ©1998 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, all rights reserved – www.krishna.com
455
qualitatively nondifferent from the Supreme.
After finishing this dedication, one must offer a prayer to the eight-armed
Lord Viñëu, who sits on the shoulders of Garuòadeva. One also has to think of
the fish incarnation, Vämana, Kürma, Nåsiàha, Varäha, Paraçuräma,
Rämacandra (the elder brother of Lakñmaëa). Nara-Näräyaëa, Dattätreya (an
empowered incarnation), Kapila, Sanat-kumära, Hayagréva, Näradadeva (the
incarnation of a devotee). Dhanvantari, Åñabhadeva, Yajïa, Balaräma,
Vyäsadeva, Buddhadeva and Keçava. One should also think of Govinda, the
master of Våndävana, and one should think of Näräyaëa, the master of the
spiritual sky. One should think of Madhusüdana, Tridhämä, Mädhava,
Håñékeça, Padmanäbha, Janärdana, Dämodara and Viçveçvara, as well as the
Supreme Personality of Godhead Kåñëa Himself. After offering prayers to the
Lord's personal expansions known as the sväàça and çaktyäveça-avatäras, one
should pray to the weapons of Lord Näräyaëa, such as the Sudarçana, gadä,
çaìkha, khaòga and bow.
After explaining this process, Çukadeva Gosvämé told Mahäräja Parékñit
how Viçvarüpa, the brother of Våträsura, described the glories of the
Näräyaëa-kavaca to Indra.
TEXTS 1-2
çré-räjoväca
yayä guptaù sahasräkñaù
savähän ripu-sainikän
copyright ©
BUDDHA - PURPOSE?
The word sura-dviñäm, which in this verse means "of the enemies of the
demigods," also refers to the atheists. Çrémad-Bhägavatam elsewhere says that
Lord Buddha appeared for the purpose of bewildering the demons or atheists.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead always awards His benediction to
devotees. The Lord Himself confirms this in Bhagavad-gétä (9.31):
kaunteya pratijänéhi
na me bhaktaù praëaçyati
"O son of Kunté, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes."
TEXT 40
demigods," also refers to the atheists. Çrémad-Bhägavatam elsewhere says that
Lord Buddha appeared for the purpose of bewildering the demons or atheists.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead always awards His benediction to
devotees. The Lord Himself confirms this in Bhagavad-gétä (9.31):
kaunteya pratijänéhi
na me bhaktaù praëaçyati
"O son of Kunté, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes."
TEXT 40
HOW MANY BUDDHAS?
TEXT 1
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614
çré-çuka uväca
bharatasyätmajaù sumatir nämäbhihito yam u ha väva kecit päkhaëòina
åñabha-padavém anuvartamänaà cänäryä aveda-samämnätäà devatäà
sva-manéñayä päpéyasyä kalau kalpayiñyanti.
SYNONYMS
çré-çukaù uväca—Çré Çukadeva Gosvämé continued to speak; bharatasya—of
Bharata Mahäräja; ätma-jaù—the son; sumatiù näma-abhihitaù—named
Sumati; yam—unto whom; u ha väva—indeed; kecit—some;
päkhaëòinaù—atheists, men without Vedic knowledge; åñabha-padavém—the
path of King Åñabhadeva; anuvartamänam—following; ca—and;
anäryäù—not belonging to the Äryans who strictly follow the Vedic
principles; aveda-samämnätäm—not enumerated in the Vedas; devatäm—to be
Lord Buddha or a similar Buddhist deity; sva-manéñayä—by their own mental
speculation; päpéyasyä—most sinful; kalau—in this age of Kali;
kalpayiñyanti—will imagine.
TRANSLATION
Çréla Çukadeva Gosvämé continued: The son of Mahäräja Bharata known as
Sumati followed the path of Åñabhadeva, but some unscrupulous people
imagined him to be Lord Buddha himself. These people, who were actually
atheistic and of bad character, took up the Vedic principles in an imaginary,
infamous way to support their activities. Thus these sinful people accepted
Sumati as Lord Buddhadeva and propagated the theory that everyone should
follow the principles of Sumati. In this way they were carried away by mental
concoction.
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615
PURPORT
Those who are Äryans strictly follow the Vedic principles, but in this age of
Kali a community has sprung up known as the ärya-samäja, which is ignorant
of the import of the Vedas in the paramparä system. Their leaders decry all
bona fide äcäryas, and they pose themselves as the real followers of the Vedic
principles. These äcäryas who do not follow the Vedic principles are presently
known as the ärya-samäjas, or the Jains. Not only do they not follow the Vedic
principles, but they have no relationship with Lord Buddha. Imitating the
behavior of Sumati, they claim to be the descendants of Åñabhadeva. Those
who are Vaiñëavas carefully avoid their company because they are ignorant of
the path of the Vedas. In Bhagavad-gétä (15.15) Kåñëa says, vedaiç ca sarvair
aham eva vedyaù: "The real purpose of the Vedas is to understand Me." This is
the injunction of all Vedic literatures. One who does not know the greatness
of Lord Kåñëa cannot be accepted as an Äryan. Lord Buddha, an incarnation
of Lord Kåñëa, adopted a particular means to propagate the philosophy of
bhägavata-dharma. He preached almost exclusively among atheists. Atheists do
not want any God, and Lord Buddha therefore said that there is no God, but
he adopted the means to instruct his followers for their benefit. Therefore he
preached in a duplicitous way, saying that there is no God. Nonetheless, he
himself was an incarnation of God.
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614
çré-çuka uväca
bharatasyätmajaù sumatir nämäbhihito yam u ha väva kecit päkhaëòina
åñabha-padavém anuvartamänaà cänäryä aveda-samämnätäà devatäà
sva-manéñayä päpéyasyä kalau kalpayiñyanti.
SYNONYMS
çré-çukaù uväca—Çré Çukadeva Gosvämé continued to speak; bharatasya—of
Bharata Mahäräja; ätma-jaù—the son; sumatiù näma-abhihitaù—named
Sumati; yam—unto whom; u ha väva—indeed; kecit—some;
päkhaëòinaù—atheists, men without Vedic knowledge; åñabha-padavém—the
path of King Åñabhadeva; anuvartamänam—following; ca—and;
anäryäù—not belonging to the Äryans who strictly follow the Vedic
principles; aveda-samämnätäm—not enumerated in the Vedas; devatäm—to be
Lord Buddha or a similar Buddhist deity; sva-manéñayä—by their own mental
speculation; päpéyasyä—most sinful; kalau—in this age of Kali;
kalpayiñyanti—will imagine.
TRANSLATION
Çréla Çukadeva Gosvämé continued: The son of Mahäräja Bharata known as
Sumati followed the path of Åñabhadeva, but some unscrupulous people
imagined him to be Lord Buddha himself. These people, who were actually
atheistic and of bad character, took up the Vedic principles in an imaginary,
infamous way to support their activities. Thus these sinful people accepted
Sumati as Lord Buddhadeva and propagated the theory that everyone should
follow the principles of Sumati. In this way they were carried away by mental
concoction.
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615
PURPORT
Those who are Äryans strictly follow the Vedic principles, but in this age of
Kali a community has sprung up known as the ärya-samäja, which is ignorant
of the import of the Vedas in the paramparä system. Their leaders decry all
bona fide äcäryas, and they pose themselves as the real followers of the Vedic
principles. These äcäryas who do not follow the Vedic principles are presently
known as the ärya-samäjas, or the Jains. Not only do they not follow the Vedic
principles, but they have no relationship with Lord Buddha. Imitating the
behavior of Sumati, they claim to be the descendants of Åñabhadeva. Those
who are Vaiñëavas carefully avoid their company because they are ignorant of
the path of the Vedas. In Bhagavad-gétä (15.15) Kåñëa says, vedaiç ca sarvair
aham eva vedyaù: "The real purpose of the Vedas is to understand Me." This is
the injunction of all Vedic literatures. One who does not know the greatness
of Lord Kåñëa cannot be accepted as an Äryan. Lord Buddha, an incarnation
of Lord Kåñëa, adopted a particular means to propagate the philosophy of
bhägavata-dharma. He preached almost exclusively among atheists. Atheists do
not want any God, and Lord Buddha therefore said that there is no God, but
he adopted the means to instruct his followers for their benefit. Therefore he
preached in a duplicitous way, saying that there is no God. Nonetheless, he
himself was an incarnation of God.
BUDDHA WORSHIP?
The impersonalists and the voidists also have to see the form of the
Absolute. In Buddhist temples there are forms of Lord Buddha in meditation,
but these are not worshiped like the forms of the Lord in Vaiñëava temples
(forms like Rädhä-Kåñëa, Sétä-Räma or Lakñmé-Näräyaëa). Amongst the
different sampradäyas (Vaiñëava sects) either Rädhä-Kåñëa or
Lakñmé-Näräyaëa is worshiped. Lord Çiva wants to see that form perfectly, just
as the devotees want to see it. I he words rüpaà priyatamaà svänäm are
specifically mentioned here, indicating that Lord Çiva wants to see that form
which is very dear to the devotees. The word svänäm is especially significant
because only the devotees are very, very dear to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. The jïänés, yogés and karmés are not particularly dear, for the karmés
simply want to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead as their order supplier.
The jïänés want to see Him to become one with Him, and the yogés want to see
Him partially represented within their heart as Paramätmä, but the bhaktas, or
the devotees, want to see Him in His complete perfection. As stated in
Brahma-saàhitä (5.30):
veëuà kvaëantam aravinda-daläyatäkñaà
barhävataàsam asitämbuda-sundaräìgam
kandarpa-koöi-kamanéya-viçeña-çobhaà
govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi
"I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept at playing on His flute,
whose eyes are blooming like lotus petals, whose head is bedecked with peacock
feathers, whose beauty is tinged with the hue of blue clouds, and whose unique
loveliness charms millions of Cupids." Thus Lord Çiva's desire is to see the
Supreme Personality of Godhead as He is described in this way-that is, he
wants to see Him as He appears to the bhägavatas, the devotees. The
conclusion is that Lord Çiva wants to see Him in complete perfection and not
in the impersonalist or voidist way. Although the Lord is one in His various
forms (advaitam acyutam anädim), still His form as the young enjoyer of the
copyright ©1998 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, all rights reserved – www.krishna.com
427
gopés and companion of the cowherd boys (kiçora-mürti) is the most perfect
form. Thus Vaiñëavas accept the form of the Lord in His Våndävana pastimes
as the chief form.
Absolute. In Buddhist temples there are forms of Lord Buddha in meditation,
but these are not worshiped like the forms of the Lord in Vaiñëava temples
(forms like Rädhä-Kåñëa, Sétä-Räma or Lakñmé-Näräyaëa). Amongst the
different sampradäyas (Vaiñëava sects) either Rädhä-Kåñëa or
Lakñmé-Näräyaëa is worshiped. Lord Çiva wants to see that form perfectly, just
as the devotees want to see it. I he words rüpaà priyatamaà svänäm are
specifically mentioned here, indicating that Lord Çiva wants to see that form
which is very dear to the devotees. The word svänäm is especially significant
because only the devotees are very, very dear to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. The jïänés, yogés and karmés are not particularly dear, for the karmés
simply want to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead as their order supplier.
The jïänés want to see Him to become one with Him, and the yogés want to see
Him partially represented within their heart as Paramätmä, but the bhaktas, or
the devotees, want to see Him in His complete perfection. As stated in
Brahma-saàhitä (5.30):
veëuà kvaëantam aravinda-daläyatäkñaà
barhävataàsam asitämbuda-sundaräìgam
kandarpa-koöi-kamanéya-viçeña-çobhaà
govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi
"I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept at playing on His flute,
whose eyes are blooming like lotus petals, whose head is bedecked with peacock
feathers, whose beauty is tinged with the hue of blue clouds, and whose unique
loveliness charms millions of Cupids." Thus Lord Çiva's desire is to see the
Supreme Personality of Godhead as He is described in this way-that is, he
wants to see Him as He appears to the bhägavatas, the devotees. The
conclusion is that Lord Çiva wants to see Him in complete perfection and not
in the impersonalist or voidist way. Although the Lord is one in His various
forms (advaitam acyutam anädim), still His form as the young enjoyer of the
copyright ©1998 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, all rights reserved – www.krishna.com
427
gopés and companion of the cowherd boys (kiçora-mürti) is the most perfect
form. Thus Vaiñëavas accept the form of the Lord in His Våndävana pastimes
as the chief form.
THE KIND OF BUDDHAAVATAR?
TEXT 37
bhavän pariträtum ihävatérëo
dharmaà janänäà samayänurüpam
venäpacäräd avaluptam adya
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1032
tad-dehato viñëu-kaläsi vainya
SYNONYMS
bhavän—Your Majesty; pariträtum—just to deliver; iha—in this world;
avatérëaù—incarnated; dharmam—religious system; janänäm—of the people
in general; samaya-anurüpam—according to the time and circumstances;
vena-apacärät—by the misdeeds of King Vena; avaluptam—almost vanished;
adya—at the present moment; tat—his; dehataù—from the body; viñëu—of
Lord Viñëu; kalä—part of a plenary portion; asi—you are; vainya—O son of
King Vena.
TRANSLATION
O King Påthu, son of Vena, you are the part-and-parcel expansion of Lord
Viñëu. Due to the mischievous activities of King Vena, religious principles were
almost lost. At that opportune moment you descended as the incarnation of
Lord Viñëu. Indeed, for the protection of religious principles you have appeared
from the body of King Vena.
PURPORT
The way in which Lord Viñëu kills the demons and protects the faithful is
mentioned in Bhagavad-gétä (4.8):
pariträëäya sädhünäà
vinäçäya ca duñkåtäm
dharma-saàsthäpanärthäya
sambhavämi yuge yuge
"In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to
reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after
millennium."
copyright ©1998 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, all rights reserved – www.krishna.com
1033
In two hands Lord Viñëu always carries a club and a cakra to kill demons,
and in His other two hands He holds a conchshell and a lotus to give
protection to His devotees. When His incarnation is present on this planet or
in this universe, the Lord kills the demons and protects His devotees
simultaneously. Sometimes Lord Viñëu appears in His person as Lord Kåñëa or
Lord Räma. All of these appearances are mentioned in the çästras. Sometimes
He appears as a çaktyäveça-avatära like Lord Buddha. As explained before,
these çaktyäveça-avatäras are incarnations of Viñëu's power invested in a living
entity. Living entities are also part and parcel of Lord Viñëu, but they are not
as powerful; therefore when a living entity descends as an incarnation of
Viñëu, he is especially empowered by the Lord.
When King Påthu is described as an incarnation of Lord Viñëu, it should be
understood that he is a çaktyäveça-avatära, part and parcel of Lord Viñëu, and
is specifically empowered by Him. Any living being acting as the incarnation
of Lord Viñëu is thus empowered by Lord Viñëu to preach the bhakti cult. Such
a person can act like Lord Viñëu and defeat demons by arguments and preach
the bhakti cult exactly according to the principles of çästra. As indicated in
Bhagavad-gétä, whenever we find someone extraordinary preaching the bhakti
cult, we should know that he is especially empowered by Lord Viñëu, or Lord
Kåñëa. As confirmed in Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 7.11), kåñëa-çakti vinä nahe
tära pravartana: one cannot explain the glories of the holy name of the Lord
without being specifically empowered by Him. If one criticizes or finds fault
with such an empowered personality, one is to be considered an offender
against Lord Viñëu and is punishable. Even though such offenders may dress as
Vaiñëavas with false tilaka and mälä, they are never forgiven by the Lord if
they offend a pure Vaiñëava. There are many instances of this in the çästras.
bhavän pariträtum ihävatérëo
dharmaà janänäà samayänurüpam
venäpacäräd avaluptam adya
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1032
tad-dehato viñëu-kaläsi vainya
SYNONYMS
bhavän—Your Majesty; pariträtum—just to deliver; iha—in this world;
avatérëaù—incarnated; dharmam—religious system; janänäm—of the people
in general; samaya-anurüpam—according to the time and circumstances;
vena-apacärät—by the misdeeds of King Vena; avaluptam—almost vanished;
adya—at the present moment; tat—his; dehataù—from the body; viñëu—of
Lord Viñëu; kalä—part of a plenary portion; asi—you are; vainya—O son of
King Vena.
TRANSLATION
O King Påthu, son of Vena, you are the part-and-parcel expansion of Lord
Viñëu. Due to the mischievous activities of King Vena, religious principles were
almost lost. At that opportune moment you descended as the incarnation of
Lord Viñëu. Indeed, for the protection of religious principles you have appeared
from the body of King Vena.
PURPORT
The way in which Lord Viñëu kills the demons and protects the faithful is
mentioned in Bhagavad-gétä (4.8):
pariträëäya sädhünäà
vinäçäya ca duñkåtäm
dharma-saàsthäpanärthäya
sambhavämi yuge yuge
"In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to
reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after
millennium."
copyright ©1998 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, all rights reserved – www.krishna.com
1033
In two hands Lord Viñëu always carries a club and a cakra to kill demons,
and in His other two hands He holds a conchshell and a lotus to give
protection to His devotees. When His incarnation is present on this planet or
in this universe, the Lord kills the demons and protects His devotees
simultaneously. Sometimes Lord Viñëu appears in His person as Lord Kåñëa or
Lord Räma. All of these appearances are mentioned in the çästras. Sometimes
He appears as a çaktyäveça-avatära like Lord Buddha. As explained before,
these çaktyäveça-avatäras are incarnations of Viñëu's power invested in a living
entity. Living entities are also part and parcel of Lord Viñëu, but they are not
as powerful; therefore when a living entity descends as an incarnation of
Viñëu, he is especially empowered by the Lord.
When King Påthu is described as an incarnation of Lord Viñëu, it should be
understood that he is a çaktyäveça-avatära, part and parcel of Lord Viñëu, and
is specifically empowered by Him. Any living being acting as the incarnation
of Lord Viñëu is thus empowered by Lord Viñëu to preach the bhakti cult. Such
a person can act like Lord Viñëu and defeat demons by arguments and preach
the bhakti cult exactly according to the principles of çästra. As indicated in
Bhagavad-gétä, whenever we find someone extraordinary preaching the bhakti
cult, we should know that he is especially empowered by Lord Viñëu, or Lord
Kåñëa. As confirmed in Caitanya-caritämåta (Antya 7.11), kåñëa-çakti vinä nahe
tära pravartana: one cannot explain the glories of the holy name of the Lord
without being specifically empowered by Him. If one criticizes or finds fault
with such an empowered personality, one is to be considered an offender
against Lord Viñëu and is punishable. Even though such offenders may dress as
Vaiñëavas with false tilaka and mälä, they are never forgiven by the Lord if
they offend a pure Vaiñëava. There are many instances of this in the çästras.
AGAINST SACRIFICE?
TEXT 36
ebhir indropasaàsåñöaiù
päkhaëòair häribhir janam
hriyamäëaà vicakñvainaà
yas te yajïa-dhrug açva-muö
SYNONYMS
ebhiù—by these; indra-upasaàsåñöaiù—created by the King of heaven, Indra;
päkhaëòaiù—sinful activities; häribhiù—very attractive to the heart;
janam—the people in general; hriyamäëam—being carried away;
vicakñva—just see; enam—these; yaù—one who; te—your;
yajïa-dhruk—creating a disturbance in the performance of the sacrifice;
açva-muö—who stole the horse.
TRANSLATION
Just see how Indra, the King of heaven, was creating a disturbance in the
midst of the sacrifice by stealing the sacrificial horse. These attractive sinful
activities he has introduced will be carried out by the people in general.
PURPORT
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1030
As stated in Bhagavad-gétä (3.21):
yad yad äcarati çreñöhas
tad tad evetaro janaù
sa yat pramäëaà kurute
lokas tad anuvartate
"Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his
footsteps. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world
pursues."
For his own sense gratification, King Indra thought to defeat Mahäräja
Påthu in the performance of one hundred horse sacrifices. Consequently he
stole the horse and hid himself amid so many irreligious personalities, taking
on the false guise of a sannyäsé. Such activities are attractive to the people in
general; therefore they are dangerous. Lord Brahmä thought that instead of
allowing Indra to further introduce such irreligious systems, it would be better
to stop the sacrifice. A similar stance was taken by Lord Buddha when people
were overly engrossed in the animal sacrifices recommended by Vedic
instructions. Lord Buddha had to introduce the religion of nonviolence by
contradicting the Vedic sacrificial instructions. Actually, in the sacrifices the
slaughtered animals were given a new life, but people without such powers
were taking advantage of such Vedic rituals and unnecessarily killing poor
animals. Therefore Lord Buddha had to deny the authority of the Vedas for
the time being. One should not perform sacrifices that will induce reversed
orders. It is better to stop such sacrifices.
As we have repeatedly explained, due to a lack of qualified brahminical
priests in Kali-yuga, it is not possible to perform the ritualistic ceremonies
recommended in the Vedas. Consequently the çästras instruct us to perform
the saìkértana-yajïa. By the saìkértana sacrifice, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, in His form of Lord Caitanya, will be satisfied and worshiped. The
entire purpose of performing sacrifices is to worship the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, Viñëu. Lord Viñëu, or Lord Kåñëa, is present in His form of Lord
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1031
Caitanya; therefore people who are intelligent should try to satisfy Him by
performing saìkértana-yajïa. This is the easiest way to satisfy Lord Viñëu in
this age. people should take advantage of the injunctions in different çästras
concerning sacrifices in this age and not create unnecessary disturbances
during the sinful age of Kali. In Kali-yuga men all over the world are very
expert in opening slaughterhouses for killing animals, which they eat. If the
old ritualistic ceremonies were observed, people would be encouraged to kill
more and more animals. In Calcutta there are many butcher shops which keep
a deity of the goddess Kälé, and animal-eaters think it proper to purchase
animal flesh from such shops in hope that they are eating the remnants of food
offered to goddess Kälé. They do not know that goddess Kälé never accepts
nonvegetarian food because she is the chaste wife of Lord Çiva. Lord Çiva is
also a great Vaiñëava and never eats nonvegetarian food, and the goddess Kälé
accepts the remnants of food left by Lord Çiva. Therefore there is no
possibility of her eating flesh or fish. Such offerings are accepted by the
associates of goddess Kälé known as bhütas, piçäcas and Räkñasas, and those
who take the prasäda of goddess Kälé in the shape of flesh or fish are not
actually taking the prasäda left by goddess Kälé, but the food left by the bhütas
and piçäcas.
ebhir indropasaàsåñöaiù
päkhaëòair häribhir janam
hriyamäëaà vicakñvainaà
yas te yajïa-dhrug açva-muö
SYNONYMS
ebhiù—by these; indra-upasaàsåñöaiù—created by the King of heaven, Indra;
päkhaëòaiù—sinful activities; häribhiù—very attractive to the heart;
janam—the people in general; hriyamäëam—being carried away;
vicakñva—just see; enam—these; yaù—one who; te—your;
yajïa-dhruk—creating a disturbance in the performance of the sacrifice;
açva-muö—who stole the horse.
TRANSLATION
Just see how Indra, the King of heaven, was creating a disturbance in the
midst of the sacrifice by stealing the sacrificial horse. These attractive sinful
activities he has introduced will be carried out by the people in general.
PURPORT
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1030
As stated in Bhagavad-gétä (3.21):
yad yad äcarati çreñöhas
tad tad evetaro janaù
sa yat pramäëaà kurute
lokas tad anuvartate
"Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his
footsteps. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world
pursues."
For his own sense gratification, King Indra thought to defeat Mahäräja
Påthu in the performance of one hundred horse sacrifices. Consequently he
stole the horse and hid himself amid so many irreligious personalities, taking
on the false guise of a sannyäsé. Such activities are attractive to the people in
general; therefore they are dangerous. Lord Brahmä thought that instead of
allowing Indra to further introduce such irreligious systems, it would be better
to stop the sacrifice. A similar stance was taken by Lord Buddha when people
were overly engrossed in the animal sacrifices recommended by Vedic
instructions. Lord Buddha had to introduce the religion of nonviolence by
contradicting the Vedic sacrificial instructions. Actually, in the sacrifices the
slaughtered animals were given a new life, but people without such powers
were taking advantage of such Vedic rituals and unnecessarily killing poor
animals. Therefore Lord Buddha had to deny the authority of the Vedas for
the time being. One should not perform sacrifices that will induce reversed
orders. It is better to stop such sacrifices.
As we have repeatedly explained, due to a lack of qualified brahminical
priests in Kali-yuga, it is not possible to perform the ritualistic ceremonies
recommended in the Vedas. Consequently the çästras instruct us to perform
the saìkértana-yajïa. By the saìkértana sacrifice, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, in His form of Lord Caitanya, will be satisfied and worshiped. The
entire purpose of performing sacrifices is to worship the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, Viñëu. Lord Viñëu, or Lord Kåñëa, is present in His form of Lord
copyright ©1998 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, all rights reserved – www.krishna.com
1031
Caitanya; therefore people who are intelligent should try to satisfy Him by
performing saìkértana-yajïa. This is the easiest way to satisfy Lord Viñëu in
this age. people should take advantage of the injunctions in different çästras
concerning sacrifices in this age and not create unnecessary disturbances
during the sinful age of Kali. In Kali-yuga men all over the world are very
expert in opening slaughterhouses for killing animals, which they eat. If the
old ritualistic ceremonies were observed, people would be encouraged to kill
more and more animals. In Calcutta there are many butcher shops which keep
a deity of the goddess Kälé, and animal-eaters think it proper to purchase
animal flesh from such shops in hope that they are eating the remnants of food
offered to goddess Kälé. They do not know that goddess Kälé never accepts
nonvegetarian food because she is the chaste wife of Lord Çiva. Lord Çiva is
also a great Vaiñëava and never eats nonvegetarian food, and the goddess Kälé
accepts the remnants of food left by Lord Çiva. Therefore there is no
possibility of her eating flesh or fish. Such offerings are accepted by the
associates of goddess Kälé known as bhütas, piçäcas and Räkñasas, and those
who take the prasäda of goddess Kälé in the shape of flesh or fish are not
actually taking the prasäda left by goddess Kälé, but the food left by the bhütas
and piçäcas.
BUDDHA ATHEIST?
TEXT 30
brahma ca brähmaëäàç caiva
yad yüyaà parinindatha
setuà vidhäraëaà puàsäm
ataù päñaëòam äçritäù
SYNONYMS
brahma—the Vedas; ca—and; brähmaëän—the brähmaëas; ca—and;
eva—certainly; yat—because; yüyam—you; parinindatha—blaspheme;
setum—Vedic principles; vidhäraëam—holding; puàsäm—of mankind;
ataù—therefore; päñaëòam—atheism; äçritäù—have taken shelter.
TRANSLATION
Bhågu Muni continued: Since you blaspheme the Vedas and the brähmaëas,
who are followers of the Vedic principles, it is understood that you have already
taken shelter of the doctrine of atheism.
PURPORT
Bhågu Muni, in cursing Nandéçvara, said that not only would they be
degraded as atheists because of this curse, but they had already fallen to the
standard of atheism because they had blasphemed the Vedas, which are the
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99
source of human civilization. Human civilization is based on the qualitative
divisions of social order, namely the intelligent class, the martial class, the
productive class and the laborer class. The Vedas provide the right direction
for advancing in spiritual cultivation and economic development and
regulating the principle of sense gratification, so that ultimately one may be
liberated from material contamination to his real state of spiritual
identification (ahaà brahmäsmi(1)). As long as one is in the contamination of
material existence, one changes bodies from the aquatics up to the position of
Brahmä, but the human form of life is the highest perfectional life in the
material world. The Vedas give directions by which to elevate oneself in the
next life. The Vedas are the mother for such instructions, and the brähmaëas,
or persons who are in knowledge of the Vedas, are the father. Thus if one
blasphemes the Vedas and brähmaëas, naturally one goes down to the status of
atheism. The exact word used in Sanskrit is nästika, which refers to one who
does not believe in the Vedas but manufactures some concocted system of
religion. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu has said that the followers of the Buddhist
system of religion are nästikas. In order to establish his doctrine of
nonviolence, Lord Buddha flatly refused to believe in the Vedas, and thus,
later on, Çaìkaräcärya stopped this system of religion in India and forced it to
go outside India. Here it is stated, brahma ca brähmaëän. Brahma means the
Vedas. Ahaà brahmäsmi(2) means "I am in full knowledge." The Vedic
assertion is that one should think that he is Brahman, for actually he is
Brahman. If brahma, or the Vedic spiritual science, is condemned, and the
masters of the spiritual science, the brähmaëas, are condemned, then where
does human civilization stand? Bhågu Muni said, "It is not due to my cursing
that you shall become atheists; you are already situated in the principle of
atheism. Therefore you are condemned."
brahma ca brähmaëäàç caiva
yad yüyaà parinindatha
setuà vidhäraëaà puàsäm
ataù päñaëòam äçritäù
SYNONYMS
brahma—the Vedas; ca—and; brähmaëän—the brähmaëas; ca—and;
eva—certainly; yat—because; yüyam—you; parinindatha—blaspheme;
setum—Vedic principles; vidhäraëam—holding; puàsäm—of mankind;
ataù—therefore; päñaëòam—atheism; äçritäù—have taken shelter.
TRANSLATION
Bhågu Muni continued: Since you blaspheme the Vedas and the brähmaëas,
who are followers of the Vedic principles, it is understood that you have already
taken shelter of the doctrine of atheism.
PURPORT
Bhågu Muni, in cursing Nandéçvara, said that not only would they be
degraded as atheists because of this curse, but they had already fallen to the
standard of atheism because they had blasphemed the Vedas, which are the
copyright ©1998 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, all rights reserved – www.krishna.com
99
source of human civilization. Human civilization is based on the qualitative
divisions of social order, namely the intelligent class, the martial class, the
productive class and the laborer class. The Vedas provide the right direction
for advancing in spiritual cultivation and economic development and
regulating the principle of sense gratification, so that ultimately one may be
liberated from material contamination to his real state of spiritual
identification (ahaà brahmäsmi(1)). As long as one is in the contamination of
material existence, one changes bodies from the aquatics up to the position of
Brahmä, but the human form of life is the highest perfectional life in the
material world. The Vedas give directions by which to elevate oneself in the
next life. The Vedas are the mother for such instructions, and the brähmaëas,
or persons who are in knowledge of the Vedas, are the father. Thus if one
blasphemes the Vedas and brähmaëas, naturally one goes down to the status of
atheism. The exact word used in Sanskrit is nästika, which refers to one who
does not believe in the Vedas but manufactures some concocted system of
religion. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu has said that the followers of the Buddhist
system of religion are nästikas. In order to establish his doctrine of
nonviolence, Lord Buddha flatly refused to believe in the Vedas, and thus,
later on, Çaìkaräcärya stopped this system of religion in India and forced it to
go outside India. Here it is stated, brahma ca brähmaëän. Brahma means the
Vedas. Ahaà brahmäsmi(2) means "I am in full knowledge." The Vedic
assertion is that one should think that he is Brahman, for actually he is
Brahman. If brahma, or the Vedic spiritual science, is condemned, and the
masters of the spiritual science, the brähmaëas, are condemned, then where
does human civilization stand? Bhågu Muni said, "It is not due to my cursing
that you shall become atheists; you are already situated in the principle of
atheism. Therefore you are condemned."
BUDDHA'S PRINCIPLE?
Lord Çiva was ordered by the Supreme Personality of
Godhead to preach the impersonal, or Mäyäväda, philosophy for a particular
purpose, just as Lord Buddha preached the philosophy of voidness for
particular purposes mentioned in the çästras.
Godhead to preach the impersonal, or Mäyäväda, philosophy for a particular
purpose, just as Lord Buddha preached the philosophy of voidness for
particular purposes mentioned in the çästras.
DOES BUDDHA OF THE VIEW 'NO GOD'?
The conclusion is that no one falls from the spiritual world, or Vaikuëöha planet, for it
is the eternal abode. But sometimes, as the Lord desires, devotees come into this material
world as preachers or as atheists. In each case we must understand that there is a plan of
the Lord. Lord Buddha, for example, was an incarnation, yet he preached atheism:
"There is no God." But actually there was a plan behind this, as explained in the
Bhägavatam.
is the eternal abode. But sometimes, as the Lord desires, devotees come into this material
world as preachers or as atheists. In each case we must understand that there is a plan of
the Lord. Lord Buddha, for example, was an incarnation, yet he preached atheism:
"There is no God." But actually there was a plan behind this, as explained in the
Bhägavatam.
MANY BUDDHAS?
This incarnation of Lord Buddha is not the same Buddha incarnation we
have in the present history of mankind. According to Çréla Jéva Gosvämé, the
Buddha incarnation mentioned in this verse appeared in a different Kali age.
In the duration of life of one Manu there are more than seventy-two
Kali-yugas, and in one of them the particular type of Buddha mentioned here
would appear. Lord Buddha incarnates at a time when the people are most
materialistic and preaches common-sense religious principles. Such ahiàsä is
not a religious principle itself, but it is an important quality for persons who
are actually religious. It is a common-sense religion because one is advised to
do no harm to any other animal or living being because such harmful actions
are equally harmful to he who does the harm. But before learning these
principles of nonviolence one has to learn two other principles, namely to be
humble and to be prideless. Unless one is humble and prideless, one cannot be
harmless and nonviolent. And after being nonviolent one has to learn
tolerance and simplicity of living. One must offer respects to the great
religious preachers and spiritual leaders and also train the senses for controlled
action, learning to be unattached to family and home, and enacting devotional
service to the Lord, etc. At the ultimate stage one has to accept the Lord and
become His devotee; otherwise there is no religion. In religious principles there
must be God in the center; otherwise simple moral instructions are merely
subreligious principles, generally known as upadharma, or nearness to religious
principles.
have in the present history of mankind. According to Çréla Jéva Gosvämé, the
Buddha incarnation mentioned in this verse appeared in a different Kali age.
In the duration of life of one Manu there are more than seventy-two
Kali-yugas, and in one of them the particular type of Buddha mentioned here
would appear. Lord Buddha incarnates at a time when the people are most
materialistic and preaches common-sense religious principles. Such ahiàsä is
not a religious principle itself, but it is an important quality for persons who
are actually religious. It is a common-sense religion because one is advised to
do no harm to any other animal or living being because such harmful actions
are equally harmful to he who does the harm. But before learning these
principles of nonviolence one has to learn two other principles, namely to be
humble and to be prideless. Unless one is humble and prideless, one cannot be
harmless and nonviolent. And after being nonviolent one has to learn
tolerance and simplicity of living. One must offer respects to the great
religious preachers and spiritual leaders and also train the senses for controlled
action, learning to be unattached to family and home, and enacting devotional
service to the Lord, etc. At the ultimate stage one has to accept the Lord and
become His devotee; otherwise there is no religion. In religious principles there
must be God in the center; otherwise simple moral instructions are merely
subreligious principles, generally known as upadharma, or nearness to religious
principles.
BUDDHA'S CONTRIBUTION
Under the circumstances, one
should never be encouraged in making a plan for sense enjoyment in the name
of religious functions. Such diversion of the human energy results in a
misguided civilization. Çréla Vyäsadeva is the authority in Vedic explanations
in the Mahäbhärata, etc., and his encouragement in sense enjoyment in some
form or other is a great barrier for spiritual advancement because the people in
general will not agree to renounce material activities which held them in
material bondage. At a certain stage of human civilization when such material
activities in the name of religion (as sacrificing animals in the name of yajïa)
were too much rampant, the Lord incarnated Himself as Buddha and decried
the authority of the Vedas in order to stop animal sacrifice in the name of
religion. This was foreseen by Närada, and therefore he condemned such
literatures. The flesh-eaters still continue to perform animal sacrifice before
some demigod or goddess in the name of religion because in some of the Vedic
literatures such regulated sacrifices are recommended. They are so
recommended to discourage flesh-eating, but gradually the purpose of such
religious activities is forgotten, and the slaughterhouse becomes prominent.
This is because foolish materialistic men do not care to listen to others who are
actually in a position to explain the Vedic rites.
should never be encouraged in making a plan for sense enjoyment in the name
of religious functions. Such diversion of the human energy results in a
misguided civilization. Çréla Vyäsadeva is the authority in Vedic explanations
in the Mahäbhärata, etc., and his encouragement in sense enjoyment in some
form or other is a great barrier for spiritual advancement because the people in
general will not agree to renounce material activities which held them in
material bondage. At a certain stage of human civilization when such material
activities in the name of religion (as sacrificing animals in the name of yajïa)
were too much rampant, the Lord incarnated Himself as Buddha and decried
the authority of the Vedas in order to stop animal sacrifice in the name of
religion. This was foreseen by Närada, and therefore he condemned such
literatures. The flesh-eaters still continue to perform animal sacrifice before
some demigod or goddess in the name of religion because in some of the Vedic
literatures such regulated sacrifices are recommended. They are so
recommended to discourage flesh-eating, but gradually the purpose of such
religious activities is forgotten, and the slaughterhouse becomes prominent.
This is because foolish materialistic men do not care to listen to others who are
actually in a position to explain the Vedic rites.
KRISHNA'S SPECIALITY
एते चांशकलाः पुंसः कृष्णस्तु भगवान् स्वयम् ।
इन्द्रारिव्याकुलं लोकं मृडयन्ति युगेयुगे ।। 28।।
TRANSLATION
All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or
portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Çré Kåñëa is the original
Personality of Godhead. All of them appear on planets whenever there is a
disturbance created by the atheists. The Lord incarnates to protect the theists.
PURPORT
In this particular stanza Lord Çré Kåñëa, the Personality of Godhead, is
distinguished from other incarnations. He is counted amongst the avatäras
Copyright © 1998 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Int'l. All Rights Reserved.
(incarnations) because out of His causeless mercy the Lord descends from His
transcendental abode. Avatära means “one who descends.” All the
incarnations of the Lord, including the Lord Himself, descend on the different
planets of the material world as also in different species of life to fulfill
particular missions. Sometimes He comes Himself, and sometimes His different
plenary portions or parts of the plenary portions, or His differentiated portions
directly or indirectly empowered by Him, descend on this material world to
execute certain specific functions. Originally the Lord is full of all opulences,
all prowess, all fame, all beauty, all knowledge and all renunciation. When they
are partly manifested through the plenary portions or parts of the plenary
portions, it should be noted that certain manifestations of His different powers
are required for those particular functions. When in the room small electric
bulbs are displayed, it does not mean that the electric powerhouse is limited by
the small bulbs. The same powerhouse can supply power to operate large-scale
industrial dynamos with greater volts. Similarly, the incarnations of the Lord
display limited powers because so much power is needed at that particular
time.
For example, Lord Paraçuräma and Lord Nåsiàha displayed unusual
opulence by killing the disobedient kñatriyas twenty-one times and killing the
greatly powerful atheist Hiraëyakaçipu. Hiraëyakaçipu was so powerful that
even the demigods in other planets would tremble simply by the unfavorable
raising of his eyebrow. The demigods in the higher level of material existence
many, many times excel the most well-to-do human beings, in duration of life,
beauty, wealth, paraphernalia, and in all other respects. Still they were afraid
of Hiraëyakaçipu. Thus we can simply imagine how powerful Hiraëyakaçipu
was in this material world. But even Hiraëyakaçipu was cut into small pieces by
the nails of Lord Nåsiàha. This means that anyone materially powerful cannot
stand the strength of the Lord’s nails. Similarly, Jämadagnya displayed the
Lord’s power to kill all the disobedient kings powerfully situated in their
respective states. The Lord’s empowered incarnation Närada and plenary
incarnation Varäha, as well as indirectly empowered Lord Buddha, created
faith in the mass of people. The incarnations of Räma and Dhanvantari
displayed His fame, and Balaräma, Mohiné and Vämana exhibited His beauty.
Copyright © 1998 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Int'l. All Rights Reserved.
Dattätreya, Matsya, Kumära and Kapila exhibited His transcendental
knowledge. Nara and Näräyaëa Åñis exhibited His renunciation. So all the
different incarnations of the Lord indirectly or directly manifested different
features, but Lord Kåñëa, the primeval Lord, exhibited the complete features of
Godhead, and thus it is confirmed that He is the source of all other
incarnations. And the most extraordinary feature exhibited by Lord Çré Kåñëa
was His internal energetic manifestation of His pastimes with the cowherd
girls. His pastimes with the gopés are all displays of transcendental existence,
bliss and knowledge, although these are manifested apparently as sex love. The
specific attraction of His pastimes with the gopés should never be
misunderstood. The Bhägavatam relates these transcendental pastimes in the
Tenth Canto. And in order to reach the position to understand the
transcendental nature of Lord Kåñëa’s pastimes with the gopés, the Bhägavatam
promotes the student gradually in nine other cantos.
According to Çréla Jéva Gosvämé’s statement, in accordance with
authoritative sources, Lord Kåñëa is the source of all other incarnations. It is
not that Lord Kåñëa has any source of incarnation. All the symptoms of the
Supreme Truth in full are present in the person of Lord Çré Kåñëa, and in the
Bhagavad-gétä the Lord emphatically declares that there is no truth greater
than or equal to Himself. In this stanza the word svayam is particularly
mentioned to confirm that Lord Kåñëa has no other source than Himself.
Although in other places the incarnations are described as bhagavän because
of their specific functions, nowhere are they declared to be the Supreme
Personality. In this stanza the word svayam signifies the supremacy as the
summum bonum.
The summum bonum Kåñëa is one without a second. He Himself has
expanded Himself in various parts, portions and particles as svayaà-rüpa,
svayam-prakäça, tad-ekätmä, präbhava, vaibhava, viläsa, avatära, äveça, and
jévas, all provided with innumerable energies just suitable to the respective
persons and personalities. Learned scholars in transcendental subjects have
carefully analyzed the summum bonum Kåñëa to have sixty-four principal
attributes. All the expansions or categories of the Lord possess only some
percentages of these attributes. But Çré Kåñëa is the possessor of the attributes
Copyright © 1998 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Int'l. All Rights Reserved.
cent percent. And His personal expansions such as svayam-prakäça, tad-ekätmä
up to the categories of the avatäras who are all viñëu-tattva, possess up to
ninety-three percent of these transcendental attributes. Lord Çiva, who is
neither avatära nor äveça nor in between them, possesses almost eighty-four
percent of the attributes. But the jévas, or the individual living beings in
different statuses of life, possess up to the limit of seventy-eight percent of the
attributes. In the conditioned state of material existence, the living being
possesses these attributes in very minute quantity, varying in terms of the
pious life of the living being. The most perfect of living beings is Brahmä, the
supreme administrator of one universe. He possesses seventy-eight percent of
the attributes in full. All other demigods have the same attributes in less
quantity, whereas human beings possess the attributes in very minute quantity.
The standard of perfection for a human being is to develop the attributes up to
seventy-eight percent in full. The living being can never possess attributes like
Çiva, Viñëu or Lord Kåñëa. A living being can become godly by developing the
seventy-eight-percent transcendental attributes in fullness, but he can never
become a God like Çiva, Viñëu or Kåñëa. He can become a Brahmä in due
course. The godly living beings who are all residents of the planets in the
spiritual sky are eternal associates of God in different spiritual planets called
Hari-dhäma and Maheça-dhäma. The abode of Lord Kåñëa above all spiritual
planets is called Kåñëaloka or Goloka Våndävana, and the perfected living
being, by developing seventy-eight percent of the above attributes in fullness,
can enter the planet of Kåñëaloka after leaving the present material body.
इन्द्रारिव्याकुलं लोकं मृडयन्ति युगेयुगे ।। 28।।
TRANSLATION
All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or
portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Çré Kåñëa is the original
Personality of Godhead. All of them appear on planets whenever there is a
disturbance created by the atheists. The Lord incarnates to protect the theists.
PURPORT
In this particular stanza Lord Çré Kåñëa, the Personality of Godhead, is
distinguished from other incarnations. He is counted amongst the avatäras
Copyright © 1998 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Int'l. All Rights Reserved.
(incarnations) because out of His causeless mercy the Lord descends from His
transcendental abode. Avatära means “one who descends.” All the
incarnations of the Lord, including the Lord Himself, descend on the different
planets of the material world as also in different species of life to fulfill
particular missions. Sometimes He comes Himself, and sometimes His different
plenary portions or parts of the plenary portions, or His differentiated portions
directly or indirectly empowered by Him, descend on this material world to
execute certain specific functions. Originally the Lord is full of all opulences,
all prowess, all fame, all beauty, all knowledge and all renunciation. When they
are partly manifested through the plenary portions or parts of the plenary
portions, it should be noted that certain manifestations of His different powers
are required for those particular functions. When in the room small electric
bulbs are displayed, it does not mean that the electric powerhouse is limited by
the small bulbs. The same powerhouse can supply power to operate large-scale
industrial dynamos with greater volts. Similarly, the incarnations of the Lord
display limited powers because so much power is needed at that particular
time.
For example, Lord Paraçuräma and Lord Nåsiàha displayed unusual
opulence by killing the disobedient kñatriyas twenty-one times and killing the
greatly powerful atheist Hiraëyakaçipu. Hiraëyakaçipu was so powerful that
even the demigods in other planets would tremble simply by the unfavorable
raising of his eyebrow. The demigods in the higher level of material existence
many, many times excel the most well-to-do human beings, in duration of life,
beauty, wealth, paraphernalia, and in all other respects. Still they were afraid
of Hiraëyakaçipu. Thus we can simply imagine how powerful Hiraëyakaçipu
was in this material world. But even Hiraëyakaçipu was cut into small pieces by
the nails of Lord Nåsiàha. This means that anyone materially powerful cannot
stand the strength of the Lord’s nails. Similarly, Jämadagnya displayed the
Lord’s power to kill all the disobedient kings powerfully situated in their
respective states. The Lord’s empowered incarnation Närada and plenary
incarnation Varäha, as well as indirectly empowered Lord Buddha, created
faith in the mass of people. The incarnations of Räma and Dhanvantari
displayed His fame, and Balaräma, Mohiné and Vämana exhibited His beauty.
Copyright © 1998 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Int'l. All Rights Reserved.
Dattätreya, Matsya, Kumära and Kapila exhibited His transcendental
knowledge. Nara and Näräyaëa Åñis exhibited His renunciation. So all the
different incarnations of the Lord indirectly or directly manifested different
features, but Lord Kåñëa, the primeval Lord, exhibited the complete features of
Godhead, and thus it is confirmed that He is the source of all other
incarnations. And the most extraordinary feature exhibited by Lord Çré Kåñëa
was His internal energetic manifestation of His pastimes with the cowherd
girls. His pastimes with the gopés are all displays of transcendental existence,
bliss and knowledge, although these are manifested apparently as sex love. The
specific attraction of His pastimes with the gopés should never be
misunderstood. The Bhägavatam relates these transcendental pastimes in the
Tenth Canto. And in order to reach the position to understand the
transcendental nature of Lord Kåñëa’s pastimes with the gopés, the Bhägavatam
promotes the student gradually in nine other cantos.
According to Çréla Jéva Gosvämé’s statement, in accordance with
authoritative sources, Lord Kåñëa is the source of all other incarnations. It is
not that Lord Kåñëa has any source of incarnation. All the symptoms of the
Supreme Truth in full are present in the person of Lord Çré Kåñëa, and in the
Bhagavad-gétä the Lord emphatically declares that there is no truth greater
than or equal to Himself. In this stanza the word svayam is particularly
mentioned to confirm that Lord Kåñëa has no other source than Himself.
Although in other places the incarnations are described as bhagavän because
of their specific functions, nowhere are they declared to be the Supreme
Personality. In this stanza the word svayam signifies the supremacy as the
summum bonum.
The summum bonum Kåñëa is one without a second. He Himself has
expanded Himself in various parts, portions and particles as svayaà-rüpa,
svayam-prakäça, tad-ekätmä, präbhava, vaibhava, viläsa, avatära, äveça, and
jévas, all provided with innumerable energies just suitable to the respective
persons and personalities. Learned scholars in transcendental subjects have
carefully analyzed the summum bonum Kåñëa to have sixty-four principal
attributes. All the expansions or categories of the Lord possess only some
percentages of these attributes. But Çré Kåñëa is the possessor of the attributes
Copyright © 1998 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Int'l. All Rights Reserved.
cent percent. And His personal expansions such as svayam-prakäça, tad-ekätmä
up to the categories of the avatäras who are all viñëu-tattva, possess up to
ninety-three percent of these transcendental attributes. Lord Çiva, who is
neither avatära nor äveça nor in between them, possesses almost eighty-four
percent of the attributes. But the jévas, or the individual living beings in
different statuses of life, possess up to the limit of seventy-eight percent of the
attributes. In the conditioned state of material existence, the living being
possesses these attributes in very minute quantity, varying in terms of the
pious life of the living being. The most perfect of living beings is Brahmä, the
supreme administrator of one universe. He possesses seventy-eight percent of
the attributes in full. All other demigods have the same attributes in less
quantity, whereas human beings possess the attributes in very minute quantity.
The standard of perfection for a human being is to develop the attributes up to
seventy-eight percent in full. The living being can never possess attributes like
Çiva, Viñëu or Lord Kåñëa. A living being can become godly by developing the
seventy-eight-percent transcendental attributes in fullness, but he can never
become a God like Çiva, Viñëu or Kåñëa. He can become a Brahmä in due
course. The godly living beings who are all residents of the planets in the
spiritual sky are eternal associates of God in different spiritual planets called
Hari-dhäma and Maheça-dhäma. The abode of Lord Kåñëa above all spiritual
planets is called Kåñëaloka or Goloka Våndävana, and the perfected living
being, by developing seventy-eight percent of the above attributes in fullness,
can enter the planet of Kåñëaloka after leaving the present material body.
BUDDHAAVATAR - HEARTY THANKS TO ISKCON BHAGAVATAM
ततः कलौ संप्रवृत्ते संमोहाय सुरद्विषाम् ।
बुद्धो नाम्नाञ्जनसुतः कीकटेषु भविष्यति ।।24।।
SYNONYMS
tataù—thereafter; kalau—the age of Kali; sampravåtte—having ensued;
sammohäya—for the purpose of deluding; sura—the theists; dviñäm—those
who are envious; buddhaù—Lord Buddha; nämnä—of the name;
aïjana-sutaù—whose mother was Aïjanä; kékaöeñu—in the province of Gayä
(Bihar); bhaviñyati—will take place.
TRANSLATION
Then, in the beginning of Kali-yuga, the Lord will appear as Lord Buddha,
the son of Aïjanä, in the province of Gayä, just for the purpose of deluding
those who are envious of the faithful theist.
PURPORT
Lord Buddha, a powerful incarnation of the Personality of Godhead,
appeared in the province of Gayä (Bihar) as the son of Aïjanä, and he
preached his own conception of nonviolence and deprecated even the animal
sacrifices sanctioned in the Vedas. At the time when Lord Buddha appeared,
the people in general were atheistic and preferred animal flesh to anything
else. On the plea of Vedic sacrifice, every place was practically turned into a
slaughterhouse, and animal-killing was indulged in unrestrictedly. Lord
Buddha preached nonviolence, taking pity on the poor animals. He preached
that he did not believe in the tenets of the Vedas and stressed the adverse
Copyright © 1998 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Int'l. All Rights Reserved.
psychological effects incurred by animal-killing. Less intelligent men of the age
of Kali, who had no faith in God, followed his principle, and for the time being
they were trained in moral discipline and nonviolence, the preliminary steps
for proceeding further on the path of God realization. He deluded the atheists
because such atheists who followed his principles did not believe in God, but
they kept their absolute faith in Lord Buddha, who himself was the
incarnation of God. Thus the faithless people were made to believe in God in
the form of Lord Buddha. That was the mercy of Lord Buddha: he made the
faithless faithful to him.
Killing of animals before the advent of Lord Buddha was the most
prominent feature of the society. People claimed that these were Vedic
sacrifices. When the Vedas are not accepted through the authoritative
disciplic succession, the casual readers of the Vedas are misled by the flowery
language of that system of knowledge. In the Bhagavad-gétä a comment has
been made on such foolish scholars (avipaçcitaù). The foolish scholars of Vedic
literature who do not care to receive the transcendental message through the
transcendental realized sources of disciplic succession are sure to be
bewildered. To them, the ritualistic ceremonies are considered to be all in all.
They have no depth of knowledge. According to the Bhagavad-gétä (15.15),
vedaiç ca sarvair aham eva vedyaù: the whole system of the Vedas is to lead one
gradually to the path of the Supreme Lord. The whole theme of Vedic
literature is to know the Supreme Lord, the individual soul, the cosmic
situation and the relation between all these items. When the relation is
known, the relative function begins, and as a result of such a function the
ultimate goal of life or going back to Godhead takes place in the easiest
manner. Unfortunately, unauthorized scholars of the Vedas become captivated
by the purificatory ceremonies only, and natural progress is thereby checked.
To such bewildered persons of atheistic propensity, Lord Buddha is the
emblem of theism. He therefore first of all wanted to check the habit of
animal-killing. The animal-killers are dangerous elements on the path going
back to Godhead. There are two types of animal-killers. The soul is also
sometimes called the “animal” or the living being. Therefore, both the
slaughterer of animals and those who have lost their identity of soul are
Copyright © 1998 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Int'l. All Rights Reserved.
animal-killers.
Mahäräja Parékñit said that only the animal-killer cannot relish the
transcendental message of the Supreme Lord. Therefore if people are to be
educated to the path of Godhead, they must be taught first and foremost to
stop the process of animal-killing as above mentioned. It is nonsensical to say
that animal-killing has nothing to do with spiritual realization. By this dangerous
theory many so-called sannyäsés have sprung up by the grace of Kali-yuga who
preach animal-killing under the garb of the Vedas. The subject matter has
already been discussed in the conversation between Lord Caitanya and
Maulana Chand Kazi Shaheb. The animal sacrifice as stated in the Vedas is
different from the unrestricted animal-killing in the slaughterhouse. Because
the asuras or the so-called scholars of Vedic literatures put forward the
evidence of animal-killing in the Vedas, Lord Buddha superficially denied the
authority of the Vedas. This rejection of the Vedas by Lord Buddha was
adopted in order to save people from the vice of animal-killing as well as to
save the poor animals from the slaughtering process of their big brothers who
clamor for universal brotherhood, peace, justice and equity. There is no justice
when there is animal-killing. Lord Buddha wanted to stop it completely, and
therefore his cult of ahiàsä was propagated not only in India but also outside
the country.
Technically Lord Buddha’s philosophy is called atheistic because there is no
acceptance of the Supreme Lord and because that system of philosophy denied
the authority of the Vedas. But that is an act of camouflage by the Lord. Lord
Buddha is the incarnation of Godhead. As such, he is the original propounder
of Vedic knowledge. He therefore cannot reject Vedic philosophy. But he
rejected it outwardly because the sura-dviña, or the demons who are always
envious of the devotees of Godhead, try to support cow-killing or
animal-killing from the pages of the Vedas, and this is now being done by the
modernized sannyäsés. Lord Buddha had to reject the authority of the Vedas
altogether. This is simply technical, and had it not been so he would not have
been so accepted as the incarnation of Godhead. Nor would he have been
worshiped in the transcendental songs of the poet Jayadeva, who is a Vaiñëava
äcärya. Lord Buddha preached the preliminary principles of the Vedas in a
Copyright © 1998 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Int'l. All Rights Reserved.
manner suitable for the time being (and so also did Çaìkaräcärya) to establish
the authority of the Vedas. Therefore both Lord Buddha and Äcärya Çaìkara
paved the path of theism, and Vaiñëava äcäryas, specifically Lord Çré Caitanya
Mahäprabhu, led the people on the path towards a realization of going back to
Godhead.
We are glad that people are taking interest in the nonviolent movement of
Lord Buddha. But will they take the matter very seriously and close the animal
slaughterhouses altogether? If not, there is no meaning to the ahiàsä cult.
Çrémad-Bhägavatam was composed just prior to the beginning of the age of
Kali (about five thousand years ago), and Lord Buddha appeared about
twenty-six hundred years ago. Therefore in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam Lord
Buddha is foretold. Such is the authority of this clear scripture. There are
many such prophecies, and they are being fulfilled one after another. They will
indicate the positive standing of Çrémad-Bhägavatam, which is without trace of
mistake, illusion, cheating and imperfection, which are the four flaws of all
conditioned souls. The liberated souls are above these flaws; therefore they can
see and foretell things which are to take place on distant future dates.
बुद्धो नाम्नाञ्जनसुतः कीकटेषु भविष्यति ।।24।।
SYNONYMS
tataù—thereafter; kalau—the age of Kali; sampravåtte—having ensued;
sammohäya—for the purpose of deluding; sura—the theists; dviñäm—those
who are envious; buddhaù—Lord Buddha; nämnä—of the name;
aïjana-sutaù—whose mother was Aïjanä; kékaöeñu—in the province of Gayä
(Bihar); bhaviñyati—will take place.
TRANSLATION
Then, in the beginning of Kali-yuga, the Lord will appear as Lord Buddha,
the son of Aïjanä, in the province of Gayä, just for the purpose of deluding
those who are envious of the faithful theist.
PURPORT
Lord Buddha, a powerful incarnation of the Personality of Godhead,
appeared in the province of Gayä (Bihar) as the son of Aïjanä, and he
preached his own conception of nonviolence and deprecated even the animal
sacrifices sanctioned in the Vedas. At the time when Lord Buddha appeared,
the people in general were atheistic and preferred animal flesh to anything
else. On the plea of Vedic sacrifice, every place was practically turned into a
slaughterhouse, and animal-killing was indulged in unrestrictedly. Lord
Buddha preached nonviolence, taking pity on the poor animals. He preached
that he did not believe in the tenets of the Vedas and stressed the adverse
Copyright © 1998 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Int'l. All Rights Reserved.
psychological effects incurred by animal-killing. Less intelligent men of the age
of Kali, who had no faith in God, followed his principle, and for the time being
they were trained in moral discipline and nonviolence, the preliminary steps
for proceeding further on the path of God realization. He deluded the atheists
because such atheists who followed his principles did not believe in God, but
they kept their absolute faith in Lord Buddha, who himself was the
incarnation of God. Thus the faithless people were made to believe in God in
the form of Lord Buddha. That was the mercy of Lord Buddha: he made the
faithless faithful to him.
Killing of animals before the advent of Lord Buddha was the most
prominent feature of the society. People claimed that these were Vedic
sacrifices. When the Vedas are not accepted through the authoritative
disciplic succession, the casual readers of the Vedas are misled by the flowery
language of that system of knowledge. In the Bhagavad-gétä a comment has
been made on such foolish scholars (avipaçcitaù). The foolish scholars of Vedic
literature who do not care to receive the transcendental message through the
transcendental realized sources of disciplic succession are sure to be
bewildered. To them, the ritualistic ceremonies are considered to be all in all.
They have no depth of knowledge. According to the Bhagavad-gétä (15.15),
vedaiç ca sarvair aham eva vedyaù: the whole system of the Vedas is to lead one
gradually to the path of the Supreme Lord. The whole theme of Vedic
literature is to know the Supreme Lord, the individual soul, the cosmic
situation and the relation between all these items. When the relation is
known, the relative function begins, and as a result of such a function the
ultimate goal of life or going back to Godhead takes place in the easiest
manner. Unfortunately, unauthorized scholars of the Vedas become captivated
by the purificatory ceremonies only, and natural progress is thereby checked.
To such bewildered persons of atheistic propensity, Lord Buddha is the
emblem of theism. He therefore first of all wanted to check the habit of
animal-killing. The animal-killers are dangerous elements on the path going
back to Godhead. There are two types of animal-killers. The soul is also
sometimes called the “animal” or the living being. Therefore, both the
slaughterer of animals and those who have lost their identity of soul are
Copyright © 1998 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Int'l. All Rights Reserved.
animal-killers.
Mahäräja Parékñit said that only the animal-killer cannot relish the
transcendental message of the Supreme Lord. Therefore if people are to be
educated to the path of Godhead, they must be taught first and foremost to
stop the process of animal-killing as above mentioned. It is nonsensical to say
that animal-killing has nothing to do with spiritual realization. By this dangerous
theory many so-called sannyäsés have sprung up by the grace of Kali-yuga who
preach animal-killing under the garb of the Vedas. The subject matter has
already been discussed in the conversation between Lord Caitanya and
Maulana Chand Kazi Shaheb. The animal sacrifice as stated in the Vedas is
different from the unrestricted animal-killing in the slaughterhouse. Because
the asuras or the so-called scholars of Vedic literatures put forward the
evidence of animal-killing in the Vedas, Lord Buddha superficially denied the
authority of the Vedas. This rejection of the Vedas by Lord Buddha was
adopted in order to save people from the vice of animal-killing as well as to
save the poor animals from the slaughtering process of their big brothers who
clamor for universal brotherhood, peace, justice and equity. There is no justice
when there is animal-killing. Lord Buddha wanted to stop it completely, and
therefore his cult of ahiàsä was propagated not only in India but also outside
the country.
Technically Lord Buddha’s philosophy is called atheistic because there is no
acceptance of the Supreme Lord and because that system of philosophy denied
the authority of the Vedas. But that is an act of camouflage by the Lord. Lord
Buddha is the incarnation of Godhead. As such, he is the original propounder
of Vedic knowledge. He therefore cannot reject Vedic philosophy. But he
rejected it outwardly because the sura-dviña, or the demons who are always
envious of the devotees of Godhead, try to support cow-killing or
animal-killing from the pages of the Vedas, and this is now being done by the
modernized sannyäsés. Lord Buddha had to reject the authority of the Vedas
altogether. This is simply technical, and had it not been so he would not have
been so accepted as the incarnation of Godhead. Nor would he have been
worshiped in the transcendental songs of the poet Jayadeva, who is a Vaiñëava
äcärya. Lord Buddha preached the preliminary principles of the Vedas in a
Copyright © 1998 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Int'l. All Rights Reserved.
manner suitable for the time being (and so also did Çaìkaräcärya) to establish
the authority of the Vedas. Therefore both Lord Buddha and Äcärya Çaìkara
paved the path of theism, and Vaiñëava äcäryas, specifically Lord Çré Caitanya
Mahäprabhu, led the people on the path towards a realization of going back to
Godhead.
We are glad that people are taking interest in the nonviolent movement of
Lord Buddha. But will they take the matter very seriously and close the animal
slaughterhouses altogether? If not, there is no meaning to the ahiàsä cult.
Çrémad-Bhägavatam was composed just prior to the beginning of the age of
Kali (about five thousand years ago), and Lord Buddha appeared about
twenty-six hundred years ago. Therefore in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam Lord
Buddha is foretold. Such is the authority of this clear scripture. There are
many such prophecies, and they are being fulfilled one after another. They will
indicate the positive standing of Çrémad-Bhägavatam, which is without trace of
mistake, illusion, cheating and imperfection, which are the four flaws of all
conditioned souls. The liberated souls are above these flaws; therefore they can
see and foretell things which are to take place on distant future dates.
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