So now we’re on verses 19 to 42, Kṛṣṇa’s opulence. Kṛṣṇa agrees to state the principal manifestations of these different energies.
19, the Supreme Personality of Godhead said, yes, I will tell you of my splendorous manifestations, but only of those which are prominent, or Arjuna, for my opulence is limitless. So prominent means which elements will be, you know, more noticed than the broadest range of devotees’ lives and all that.
I am the Supersoul, or Arjuna, seated in the hearts of all living entities. I am the beginning, the middle and end of all beings. Of the Adityas, I am Visnu. Of lights, I am the radiant sun. Of the Maruts, I am Marici. And among the stars, I am the moon. Of the Vedas, I am the Sama Veda. Of the demigods, I am Indra, the king of heaven. Of the senses, I am the mind, and in living beings, I am the living force, consciousness.
Of all the Rudras, I am Lord Siva. Of the Yaksas and Raksasas, I am the lord of wealth, Kuvera. And of the Vasus, I am fire, Agni. And of mountains, I am Meru.
Of priests, O Arjuna, no need to be the chief, Brhaspati. Of generals, I am Kartikeya. And of bodies of water, I am the ocean. Of the great sages, I am Bhrgu. Of vibrations, I am the transcendental Om. Of sacrifices, I am the chanting of the holy names, Japa.
And of immovable things, I am the Himalaya.
Of all trees, I am the banyan tree. And of the sages among the demigods, I am Narada. Of the Gandharvas, I am Cittarata. And among perfect beings, I am the sage Kapila.
Of horses, no need to be Ucchaisrava, produced during the churning of the ocean for nectar. Of lordly elephants, I am Airavata. And among men, I am the monarch. Of weapons, I am the thunderbolt. Among cows, I am the Surabhi. Of causes for procreation, I am Kandarpa, the god of love. And of serpents, I am Vasuki.
Of the many hooded Nagas, I am Ananta. And among the aquatics, I am the demigod Varuna. Of departed ancestors, I am Aryama. And among the dispensers of law, I am Yama, the lord of death.
Among the Daitya demons, I am the devoted Prahlada. Among the subduers, I am time. Among beasts, I am the lion. And among birds, I am Garuda.
Of purifiers, I am the wind. Of wielders of weapons, I am Rama. Of fishes, I am the shark. And of flowing rivers, I am the Ganges. Of all creations, I am the beginning and the end, and also the middle. O Arjuna, of all sciences, I am the spiritual science of the self. And among logicians, I am the conclusive truth.
Of letters, I am the letter A. And among compound words, I am the dual compound.
I am also inexhaustible time. And of creators, I am Brahma.
I am all-devouring death, and I am the generating principle of all that is yet to be. Among women, I am fame, fortune, fine speech, memory, intelligence, steadfastness, and patience.
Of the hymns in the Sama Veda, I am the Brihatsama. And of poetry, I am the Gayatri. Amongst, I am Mardasirsha, November, December.
And of seasons, I am the flower-bearing spring.
Mardasirsha is there.
I am also the gambling of cheats. And of the splendid, I am the splendor. I am victory. I am adventure. And I am the strength of the strong.
Of the descends of Vrishni, I am Vasudeva. And of the Pandavas, I am Arjuna. Of the sages, I am Vyasa. And among great thinkers, I am Usana.
Among all means of suppressing lawlessness, I am punishment. And of those who seek victory, I am morality. Of secret things, I am silence. And of the wise, I am the wisdom. Furthermore, oh Arjuna, I am the generating seed of all existences. There’s no being, moving or non-moving, that can exist without me. O mighty conqueror of enemies, there is no end to my divine manifestations. Of what I have spoken to you is but a mere indication of my infinite opulences.
Know that all opulent, beautiful, and glorious creations spring from but a spark of my splendor. But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a single fragment of myself, I pervade and support this entire universe.
Srila Prabhupada writes in the purport to verse 20, in this verse, Arjuna is addressed as gudakesa, which means one who has conquered the darkness of sleep. For those who are sleeping in the darkness of ignorance, it is not possible to understand how the Supreme Personality of Godhead manifests Himself in various ways in the material and spiritual worlds.
Thus, this addressed by Krsna to Arjuna, is significant, because Arjuna is above such darkness. The Personality of Godhead agrees to describe His various opulences.
He describes that which can be directly perceived by the common man. Thus, part of His variegated energy was described by Him. Krsna confirms that He is the beginning, the middle, and the end of every manifestation. He lists the representations of Himself in various creations.
Krsna concludes that He is the seed of all existence. Nothing can exist without Him. There is no end of His infinite opulence. Everything glorious is but fragmental manifestation of His opulence. The single fragment of His self, He pervades and supports the entire creation.
By describing His physical manifestation, the Lord gives us an opportunity to connect all our material attachments to Him. If we connect everything we value to Krsna, gradually we will realize that He is the source of all attractive objects. We are ultimately attracted to Him only. The fragmental manifestation of Krsna’s opulence is so attractive. How much more attractive will be the source of all opulence and loving relationships? Akhila-rasamrta-murti, Srila Prabhupada summarizes. If, however, one thoroughly studies the different descriptions of the opulences and expansions of Krsna’s energy, then one can understand without any doubt the position of Lord Sri Krsna and can fix his mind in the worship of Krsna without deviation. The Lord is all-pervading by the expansion of His partial representation, the Supersoul, who enters into everything that is. Pure devotees, therefore, concentrate their minds in Krsna consciousness.
Pure devotees, therefore, concentrate their minds in Krsna consciousness in full devotional service. Therefore, they are always situated in the transcendental position. Devotional service and worship of Krsna are very clearly indicated in this chapter in verses 8 through 11. That is the way of pure devotional service. How one can attain the highest devotional perfection of association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead has been thoroughly explained in this chapter.
So to be able to always see the Lord, because remember he’s saying to remember Him, that’s what’s special, means you perform your duty, right? Let’s say you’re performing your duty and the results for Krsna, you’re not attached to the results. So it’s good because ultimately then it’s connected to Krsna. And the result not being for yourself, then it’s for Krsna. One will be purified, one will be uplifted, one will be liberated, right? It’s done with devotion, then it will be done, it will develop, how you say, that devotion, further devotion to Krsna. So all this is good. But then there’s the element of remembering Him as a person.
That aspect then is very practical.
So if you’re dealing with a person on a personal level, then you’ll remember the person.
So that’s the point that’s here, is that these are, so Krsna’s explained all the opulence so that you can see Him in everything. Because being attached on the material platform, then all these different aspects are important to us. So what He’s mentioning here, these are the aspects that are what we’re looking for. Beginning, middle, and end. So the middle means it’s maintenance. Beginning is creation, is destruction. So all those things are important to us. So if something starts, taking care of it when it’s finished, right? So if it’s something bad, we’re happy when it’s finished. If it’s something good, we’re unhappy when it’s finished. So all these different aspects then are very important to us. So that importance that’s there, that’s actually Krsna.
So whatever we’re dealing with, we’re dealing with Krsna. We’re not dealing with something else. So that’s the idea, is that how in all these different situations that we can remember the Lord. That’s what we’re trying to do. And then the end, Krsna says, but what’s the use of explaining all this? It’s just a portion of my, a fraction of my opulence is maintaining the whole creation. When He said, for Him, when He says whole creation, He doesn’t just mean this one. He means all of them. The whole material existence. So how much more important is the remembrance of Him as a person? So that’s so much greater.
So we can see Krsna in everything, but how much greater is the person in which we’re seeing in everything?
Right? That’s the point being made. So then if you remember Krsna and you do all your work connected to Krsna, then that’s the best.
But otherwise, it is His opulence. So you can see Him in all these ways, but it should remind you of the person. All right? That’s the thing, should remind you of the person. Not just, okay, you know, this is His potency. That’s good as the first step. But ultimately, Krsna’s saying, in this chapter is why it’s special, because it brings out the element of Him as a person being the prominent.
Is that, does that make sense?
Is there any questions on this? Yes. Is there a specific system to how these things are listed? Specific system? Yeah, I mean, some of them, I think, are like… Means your first ones are there because, I mean, first ones are just showing of what’s there that’s the greatest. It’s not that He’s not the light in the stars, but the thing is, is you’re not going to think of each star, but it’s like you can look at the sky and then the moon. So you understand, okay, stars give a little bit of light, but the moon gives the most. So that’s representing Krsna. That’s His potency. But it’s also His potency in the stars, right? All bodies of water, water has a nature. So in purified, so that’s all Krsna, but the ocean is very big and powerful. So you can get an idea of Krsna’s greatness, right? So you’re going to have those ones. Then you’re going to have the elements that, that, you know, how everything, He’s in everything that’s there, right? I say, you know, so, so, yeah. So then, then you go into things that are going to be, you know, specific to, to, you know, death. You know, that’s quite like that. Generating principle, all that’s going to be. So even you want to, you want to start a new business, still that potency to do that, that’s still Krsna. Otherwise, why is it that matter suddenly becomes valuable that people want to buy, right? Like that. You know, these qualities, fame, fortune, fine speech, memory, intelligence, steadfastness, patience, people appreciate this. Anybody has any of these, then they’re considered quite respectable, right? The more they have, the greater the respect. So these are what it’s, it’s based on.
Does that make sense?
Yes. This last quality you mentioned, it specifically mentioned that among women, I have these qualities. What is that? I’m not, among everybody.
What is everybody?
Not good man. Hmm? Not pleasant in men. Hmm? There’s men and women.
No, female. Well, female. Yeah, everybody’s female. Everyone’s property.
Yeah, but Krsna, He is qualities. So He automatically, these are His. But then they’d be manifested there, like that. Okay, here it says. The seven opulences listed, fame, fortune, fine speech, memory, intelligence, steadfastness, and patience are considered feminine. But it doesn’t mean that only a lady would have them, right?
If a person possesses all of them or some of them, he becomes glorious. The man is famous as a righteous man and that makes him glorious.
Sanskrit is a perfect language, so yeah. And therefore, very glorious. If after studying one can remember a subject matter, he’s gifted with a good memory. Okay, that’s going into the other. Oh, okay, he’s going into all these things.
So fine speech is Sanskrit now.
So here, that’s the one thing. Yes? When we spoke about the chit potency, you mentioned the intelligence as being the masculine aspect, so. Means, but are you, are we bringing, when we’re dealing with Sankarsana Pradyumna, Arjuna, and Vasudeva, are we bringing out any feminine aspects there?
The mind, but underlying. So the prominent is we’re looking at the qualities of Krishna and how it’s functioning, right? The opulences and that will be there, but those are like virya and bala and these things like that. So you have that. That other aspect is in that we were taking is the intelligence in the mind. See, because everything’s sambandha, abhidheya, and prayojana, so we’re putting it together in different ways. So you have to see in which list we were discussing it. Because sambandha, abhidheya, and prayojana is everything masculine, everything feminine. But then we’ll be bringing out a particular quality. So that particular quality being brought out, then it’s applied specifically in that way. So if we’re saying about the intelligence being masculine, that’s because we’re bringing out the element that that’s controlled by prajumna, you understand? So that’s the thing. So therefore, the man is intelligent, right? And then because intelligence here, prajumna means that we’re inspired in a situation. So that means that we’re applying our intelligence to the situation. So that would be cleverness. So then that becomes the attractive feature to the feminine.
You know what I’m saying? But if we’re working on that, just by that, Chanakya says women are four times more clever than men. So that means women are impressed by cleverness. So if a man’s clever, that would be attractive. If he’s not clever, it won’t be attractive.
Does that make sense?
You understand? So there’s a difference in usage of it.
Because the same thing, because Krishna is non -dual, the same thing can be masculine and be feminine.
There’s not a problem. It’s just the context in which it’s viewed. So in this case, the reason why intelligence would be mentioned as feminine was it would be because it’s controlled by Krishna? It’s an opulence, it’s an energy. So any energy is feminine.
Right? You understand? Because he’s the source of it, right? So him being the source of it means it’s his, right? But it itself is feminine.
Does that make sense?
And then another purpose is that among those who seek victory, I am morality.
Those who seek victory, I am morality, means that you’re going to be attaining victory through proper application of the scriptures, right? You’re going to be following the, using good qualities to obtain victory. Because people can obtain victory through cheating methods. So he’s not that, not in victory. But of cheaters, it means he’s the cheating element of the cheaters, right? So that brings another aspect out. See, the one is that you’re taking so many aspects of it, he’s the greatest of those. But then you’re also getting, he gives one sweet thing. I am the essence of whatever it is that you’re looking for. Right? So the cheater is there, but he’s the cheating, right? So in other words, he’s the source of anything that’s, you know, any opulence, anything that’s splendorous, anything like that. So anything that we would consider great or special, that’s actually Krishna.
You understand? So from different angles, he’s bringing it out. And then he’s pervading it as super soul. So all different ways he’s entered into everything.
You understand? Of all those things, he’s the greatest of that. But at the same time, he’s also those things.
So his point is this, you know, everything is him. So why worry about that element? Worry about him as a person. Since he is everything, so then worry about him.
Does that make sense?
Just would expect that.
I mean, the essential point of dharma is, okay, let us say, Alexander.
Was he victorious? Was he dharmic?
No. But you see he was ethical, right?
Does that make sense? So therefore, the element is, is that victory will be all throughout.
Somebody’s becoming victorious. So that victory, which is based on good qualities, as opposed to simply one’s own determination to get what you want, that would be considered superior.
Does that make sense? Because if you look at most history of the world, it’s not based on dharma.
You understand? Only those who know it may be based there. Because in basically all world religions and concepts, you’re only dealing with ethics, morality. You’re not dealing with actually dharma. Because they don’t actually know the science of, does that make sense?
So those good qualities, those are there because that’s what dharma recommends.
Right? So that element of dealing, that will be based on those principles, though they’re generic. You know what I’m saying? It’s just you’re being, it’s good, that’s all. But while the dharma’s a little bit more scientific, specifically applied, you know, to that nature. You know what I’m saying? So it’s not so broad. It’s not so general. Like that. Does that make sense?
Yeah, it sounds interesting. I actually want to ask the same question about the first book, or any of that. Oh, okay.
Yeah, appreciate it.
Okay, where did it go?
Okay.
Okay. If after study, one can remember subject matters gifted with a good memory, or smriti, an ability not only to read many books on different subject matters, but to understand them and apply them when necessary, is intelligence made up, another opulence. Right, so he’s defining what these actually mean. The ability to overcome unsteadiness is called firmness, or steadfastness, vritti. And when one is fully qualified, yet is humble and gentle, and when one is able to keep his balance, both in sorrow and the ecstasy of joy, he has the opulence called patience.
So patience, then, is a combination of all these, humble, gentleness, and, you know, being equal poised.
Yes? So if we should try to project this out on every aspect of your situation, could you say that it’s about, not necessarily the thing itself, but the correct application of the thing, or correct mood in any given situation? Yeah, it means you have to do the service, and so you have to focus to see that the service is going nicely, so it’s being done for Krishna. But the point is, as soon as that focus, like that’s not required, one’s thinking about Krishna again, one’s seeing Krishna, you know what I’m saying? Just like Arjuna’s not, you know, rolling around on the cherry in ecstasy thinking of Krishna, he’s actually focusing on shooting the arrows. Does that make sense?
So, so it’s, okay, okay.
There’s no end of my divine manifestations, what I’ve spoken to you, is but a mere indication of my infinite opulences. So it’s just giving an idea, so that, from different angles, so I can try to use it to see Krishna in everything. Yes? In verse 32, Krishna says that it’s an inclusive truth, and then he gives some, some elements of the Nyaya, so I think that’s the, called Vada, and the argument, the evidence, and also, of course, the opposing side is called Jalpa. I was somehow under the impression that the inclusive truth would also support the opposing side, because it would be like the synthesis. Look, means you’re saying something, in other words, you’re saying something, you’re not, means in Jalpa, you’re not actually moving the argument forward. You’re just like filling the time. But it’s in a positive way, as opposed to a negative way, which we call stonewalling, right? You know, it’s just like, yeah, you could do like this, that, that, yeah, so many ways you could, you know, it’s like, you know, all these kinds of things, you know, like Jalpa, it’s like, you know, oh, so we agree to disagree, these are Jalpa. Because you’ve come to no conclusion, you’ve not established any knowledge, you haven’t based it on any evidence. It’s just, you know, you’re just saying things that sound good, basically, you know. So this is a very popular one. So some people can talk like this for a long time. Nothing’s been said, but it sounds great.
Vedanta is just, you will do anything to win. Like that. But it doesn’t mean that it’s right, but you won. So this is another.
So someone who’s very, you know, has a good presence, you know, is very sharp-witted, you know, a very fast thinker, then they can do this very well. But it doesn’t mean it’s correct. So vada means it’s actual conclusion. You’ve actually made the presentation, this is the actual conclusion. So the conclusion will include the other person’s philosophy, what they’re looking for. It will already be, you know what I’m saying.
Does that make sense? Because it doesn’t, Jalpa doesn’t get anywhere. It supports both sides, but it doesn’t really get anywhere. That’s the point.
Does that make sense?
Anything else on this side? Yes. So, can we say that the sophistination leads to using this vipanga, this very witty person? Yeah, witty. If you come to a clever, it sounds good. And so then that’s enough for the mind. It makes sense.
You know? Just win the argument. Just win the argument. That’s all. So that was the difficulty with Socrates. Because basically, in his own mind, you know, I mean, in a lesser way, but he was dealing with an actual conclusion, which was not at all appreciated, you know, in those who deal with Vox Populi. Because Vox Populi can’t be used as a philosophy if there’s actually an absolute truth. Because then, if there’s an absolute truth, then it doesn’t matter what the common person says, because the truth’s truth, whether they like it or not. But if you make it that whatever the mass of people agree to, or at least those who are important agree to, then that becomes truth, then I think the two are very opposed. So then they, you know, just have to…
So that’s the difficulty. So vada’s not necessarily appreciated, because vada means it concludes.
Like that. So generally speaking, you know, you’re a common intellectual, then they don’t, common, I mean, who doesn’t understand this point, right? Common, they don’t want a conclusion, because then in their mind, the opportunity to speculate or engage the intelligence is over.
You know what I’m saying? That’s why you have a theory. So everyone can have their theory, because it just makes more theories, more things to discuss.
Yeah, Mooney. But if you come up with a conclusion, then you’re not dealing with a theory anymore, you’re dealing with reality. And so that means the conversation ends, in their mind, because they only are speculating. What they don’t understand is that on the transcendental platform, then because the absolute truth, which is the conclusion, is unlimited, there’s still unlimited scope to intellectually contemplate and understand the Supreme Lord. So it doesn’t, it begins at conclusion, right? In other words, mundane knowledge ends at conclusion. The spiritual knowledge begins with conclusion.
So that’s the difference.
Does that make sense? So that’s it. Yes. It’s not as though the Supreme Lord implied the silence of the secret himself. Yeah, but how difficult is it to keep a secret? You have an opportunity to tell a secret, and it would be very much appreciated in that situation.
So to not say it and be silent, that’s something very powerful.
Yeah? Yeah. Can you elaborate, like in a day-to -day life, these kind of things should be kept secret?
It means something that someone needs to know, that’s what they do, but if they don’t need to know, then it’s not.
See, there’s a difference between need to know and want to know, because want is a desire, need is actually the position, because with need, there’ll be action. With desire, there’s no action. People talk gossip. Do they do anything with the gossip? No, so that means there was only desire.
Right? But if you’re going to do something with that, then that’s a need.
Does that make sense?
Yeah?
So in other words, Krishna’s explaining all this so that from anything, one can find something connected to Krishna, and then from there, one will naturally step into remembering him as a person, and therefore, whatever’s the environment that you’re remembering him in, that will be connected to him. Does that make sense? So it’s what you would call udipana, right? It means everything becomes an impetus to remember the Lord. So it can start anywhere, because everything is him, so you can start out in the smallest little aspect, and then you will remember the person. Does that make sense? So that’s what, because Brahman realization means you’ll see Krishna in that, but the problem is just the energy. It’s the energies of the Lord that you’re looking at. Right? Paramatma is that. It’s also energies, but how he’s controlling and managing the world. Right? Does that make sense? The application of that power, not just the working of the power, the mechanics of it. Right? But still, the point is, is then beyond that, he, as the Supreme Personality, then has his relations and interactions and pastimes with the devotees. Does this make sense? So this is then what is, okay.
Then chapter 11, the universal form. Lord Krishna grants Arjuna divine vision and reveals his spectacular unlimited form as the cosmic universe. Thus he conclusively establishes his divinity.
Krishna explains that his own all-beautiful human -like form is the original form of Godhead. One can perceive this form only by pure devotional service.
So verses one through eight, Arjuna’s request and Krishna’s description of the universal form. Verses nine to 30, Sanjaya’s description of the universal form. Verses 31 to 34, the battle is already won by Krishna and Arjuna should only become Krishna’s instrument and take the credit. Verses 35 to 46, Arjuna’s prayers. And verses 47 to 55, only the pure devotees can see Krishna’s two-armed form. So verses one to eight, Arjuna’s request and Krishna’s description of the universal form.
So these verses are, after hearing how Krishna pervades and supports the entire universe, Arjuna wants to see the Lord’s all-pervasive form.
Arjuna said, by my hearing the instructions you have kindly given me about these most confidential spiritual subjects, my illusion has now been dispelled.
O lotus-eyed one, I have heard from you in detail about the appearance and disappearance of every living entity and have realized your inexhaustible glories.
O greatest of all personalities, O supreme form, though I see you here before me in your actual position, as you have described yourself, I wish to see how you have entered into this cosmic manifestation. I want to see that form of yours. If you think that I am able to behold your cosmic form, O my Lord, O master of all mystic power, then kindly show me that unlimited universal self. The Supreme Personality of God had said, my dear Arjuna, O son of Pita, see now my opulences, hundreds of thousands of varied, divine and multicolored forms. O best of the Bharatas, see here the different manifestations of Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, Ashwini Kumaras and all the other demigods. Behold the many wonderful things which no one has ever seen or heard of before.
O Arjuna, whatever you wish to see, behold at once in this body of mine. This universal form can show you whatever you now desire to see, whatever you may want to see in the future. Everything moving and non-moving is here completely in one place.
But you cannot see me with your present eyes, therefore I give you divine eyes. Behold my mystic opulence.
By hearing the previous instructions of Krishna, Arjuna’s illusion has been dispelled and he has realized Krishna’s inexhaustible glories. Although he accepts the two-eyed form of Krishna as supreme, he still wants to see how Krishna’s entered into this cosmic manifestation.
So, he has understood that how you can see Krishna, because he’s the cause of all causes. So that means he’s involved in everything. If anything that has any kind of cause, any kind of transformation, right, then any kind of quality, then that origin of that is Krishna. So then Arjuna is seeing this and now he would like to see it all kind of happening at once, right? We’ll see later, he may not, he may have felt himself hasty in, how do you say, this approach, right?
According to Srila Viswanatha Cakravarti Thakur, Arjuna says, whatever you have said about yourself, such as I am supporting the whole universe by one of my portions is indeed true. I do not have any doubt about it. But still desiring to be fully satisfied, I decided to see that form displaying your powers. And I want to see with my eyes that fragmental form of yours by which you support this world, right? So he’s saying only by a fragment, you know, than I am maintaining. So he says, well, I’d like to see that fragment. Not that he doubts it, but he’d like to see it.
Another reason for Arjuna’s request is revealed by Srila Prabhupada in his purports of verses one to three.
Now, as far as Arjuna is concerned, he says that his illusion is over. This means that Arjuna no longer thinks of Krishna as a mere human being, as a friend of his, but as the source of everything.
Arjuna is very enlightened and is glad that he has such a great friend as Krishna. But now.
But now he is thinking that although he may accept Krishna as the source of everything, others may not. So in order to establish Krishna’s divinity for all, he’s requesting Krishna in this chapter to show his universal form. Arjuna wants to see the universal form to set a criterion. For in the future, there would be so many impostors who would pose themselves as incarnations of God. The people, therefore, should be careful. One who claims to be Krishna should be prepared to show his universal form to confirm his claim to the people.
So he wants to see it, but his motive behind it, then Prabhupada’s revealing, is so that others will see. And then they, in this way, they will they will also accept Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because he’s showing his supreme form, but they won’t think that that’s special, right? Because it’s the sweetness, this and that, because why are we in the world? We came to the material world looking for sweetness, right? Isn’t that why we’re here?
Yeah.
So what happened to the element of control and, you know, envy, attachment, you understand?
The purusha-bhava is not the desire to taste rasa. That’s not its definition. Purusha-bhava means the desire to control and enjoy, right? As the enjoyer, not as the taster of rasa.
Does that make sense? Because otherwise, in the taste of rasa, we would be taking that as the prominent. Is that generally what man does? No, it’s the control of something and the enjoy one gets from controlling it.
So then, if you’re looking at control, then you’re looking at power. So therefore, Krishna’s sweetness is not going to impress the powerful.
So you show what is the greatest power there is. And this is just the spark of Krishna’s, but he has no need to show that power in that position of sweetness. That’s the important thing. That’s the fullness. Because if he wants to manifest power, then he does it in a fragment of his, you know, fragmental portion. That’s the side to it. You know, it’s just like the guy is very strong, you know, he’s just one, you know, Mr. Universe and all that. So now there’s a mosquito on his shoulder. So what does he do? You know, he has to flex all his muscles, do the whole thing. No, he just has to take his finger and flick the mosquito off, right? Or even just blow on it and it’s gone. You understand? So manifesting of strength on something like the material, that’s nothing, that’s nothing special.
Krishna requests that if the Lord thinks he’ll be able to behold it, Krishna might show his unlimited universal form to him. This humble attitude is required to obtain the favor of the Lord. Srila Prabhupada explains in his purport, the verse four, right? Because we see immediately Krishna agrees. There’s no discussion. Other things he’s saying, this and that. He says, you know, take my cherry to the middle. He agrees, but he makes a joke. Oh, you want to meet some new friends, make more friends or something? Why are we driving out to the middle, you know? Like that, so here he’s not. He just immediately agrees because of his humility, right? And he has a proper purpose, you know, to benefit everybody else. Because he says, I have no doubt. But for those who may still have a doubt, then, you know, this will clear that doubt.
Arjuna could understand that for a living entity, it is not possible to understand the unlimited infinite. If the infinite reveals himself, then it’s possible to understand the nature of the infinite by the grace of the infinite, right? So it’s only by the Lord’s grace. So through devotional service only is the Lord revealed, right? Both for the devotee and for the Lord, right? Because the Lord understands more of himself through the devotional service of the devotees, right? That’s the power of devotional service.
So then he reveals himself, but then how is that revelation able to happen? Because of Arjuna, the devotee, right? So it’s through devotional service only that it is revealed. So it’s only through devotional service that one will appreciate it also.
The word Yogeshwar is also very significant here because the Lord has inconceivable power. If he likes, he can reveal himself by his grace, although he is unlimited, right? He’s unlimited, so how can you know him? But at the same time, he can show himself.
That’s shown by the element is that Mother Yashoda takes a rope, right? Krishna is a baby. A rope is what they use for churning. A baby’s waist is about this big. So a rope that big, what are you going to do with it? It’s not going to happen.
So she has this big rope, but when she puts it around, it won’t work. So they bring more ropes, and then at some point, all the gopis are bringing all the ropes from all their houses, so the whole place is just covered with ropes. And they’re tying them all together, and still it’s short. Because you have unlimited. So how can you put a rope around unlimited? You can’t. But at the same time, as he’s able to manifest himself, you know, seemingly in a, you know, finite place, at the same time, it’s unlimited. So it’s only through his revelation that this can be understood.
Therefore, Arjuna pleads for the inconceivable grace of Krishna. He does not give Krishna orders. Krishna is not obliged to reveal himself unless one surrenders fully in Krishna consciousness and engages in devotional service. So he sees by that knowledge of these other chapters, you know, up to now, then what’s been given, then Arjuna has come to this point of full surrendering in full Krishna consciousness. Right? So that means he’s become self-realized here. Yes.
Yes.
Well, I’m just saying, those are clever guys that have actually read the Gita. Most likely South Indians.
North Indians wouldn’t come up with that one. They might sing a bhajan for you or something. Distract your attention so you don’t worry about it. Stuff like that. Only South Indians would be able to speak like that.
Well, by the same definition that they’re claiming to be God, right? Because God doesn’t claim everybody else. Everybody else is God. But they’ll claim everybody’s God. So they’re no more God than you are. You know what I’m saying? So somehow or another, their definition is not specific. It would be very generic, you know? So it’s just very cleverly they’ve adjusted the, that position. Because even theirs, the impersonalists, they’ll claim to be God, but they’ll also not believe that God has a form and all this and that. So, you know what I’m saying? So they don’t. So you can bring that up if that doesn’t work. But then the point is, why would they have a choice? Why would they not? What would mean devotee? What does all that have to do? It’s all Brahman. It’s all one. So it doesn’t actually matter. If I’m a devotee or not, it’s all Brahman. So being a devotee or not being a devotee, being that there’s a difference, that’s an illusion anyway. So then what’s the big deal? What’s the importance of this devotion?
Yes. Krishna never showed a universal form to Duryodhana. Yeah, that’s also there. It wasn’t as big. There was a universal form shown to Duryodhana. I know there’s five forms shown in the Mahabharata. Like that. So that was a small one. Because they made this special seat. So when Krishna came as the messenger and all that, then they sat him on the seat. They pulled some lever, and then the seat disappeared into this great big shaft into the ground. I thought that it was closed. So then you get rid of Krishna. Because the idea was this, okay, the Pandavas’ strength comes from Krishna. Get rid of Krishna. The Pandavas have no strength. So therefore, Duryodhana has no problem. Right? Natural logic, right?
So then after having done this, then they’re all sitting around and feeling quite happy with themselves. And then suddenly the palace starts to shake, and the floor is shaking, and then the floor starts breaking, and then big chunks of it. This monstrous peacock feather starts poking its way up to the floor. So then they start to get a little worried. And it comes out with this whole universal form and all that. So naturally, Duryodhana loses his inspiration like that. Decides he’s going to give up again.
But then Shakuni, you know, who’s clever enough to inspire him again. So that was the…
Yeah, because the, oh, that was given today. That was Gita Pradesh.
That someone who gives bad advice will always be persistent in that, you know, until your destruction. And he gave an example, Shakuni is an example. But Shakuni, by his persistent bad advice, destroyed Duryodhana, right? So in other words, Duryodhana wasn’t intelligent because he should not take advice from somebody who is ill-motivated like that. That’s why you’re only supposed to have qualified, pure ministers.
So, Shakuni was successful.
His intention to destroy? His intention was his intention to destroy. That I know of, I have heard it, you know, been explained by, I’ve heard a few different people say it, but those who are more well-read in the Mahabharata, that there’s a point where Krishna, I guess there’s a discussion about who’s their best supporters or well-wishers or friends or something. And Krishna says, Shakuni is your best friend, you know. But all the plans to destroy the Pandavas have all come from Shakuni. So then they kind of doubt, how is this? You know, so I’m not sure if at that time it was told or when it was told, but when Bhima was always harassed by Duryodhana and vice versa, right? You know, they harass each other. So, you know, Bhima was, you know, a little bit stronger. So, you know, it’s like all the Duryodhana bodies would be like, say, in fruit trees, picking fruit. He’d come up and shake the tree and they’d all fall out. You know, he’d do all kinds of stuff. You know, they’d go into the water to wrestle and he’d, you know, wrestle so much they’d almost drown. So, and he was just doing it in this, you know, boyish fun. So he wasn’t noticing the inconvenience.
So something came up that, I can’t remember what he said to Bhima. Oh, and I think he made the point that, you know, that your mother, sometimes there was a connection between Kunti and the demigods. So Pandu’s not your father and this and that, you know. So, you know, you’re not actually of, you know, good birth, you know, like that. So Bhima was very disturbed. He didn’t know what to say. And so then, you know, they’re sitting there and then I think Sakuni came by. What’s the problem? He said this. Says, what’s he complaining about? His mother was, oh yeah, that was the, your mother’s been married to more than one man. So therefore she’s not chaste. And then he says, what’s he talking about? You know, Duryodhana’s mother was married to a banana tree. So it’s like, you know, you know, so who’s talking about, you know, having more than one husband, you know? Because you have this thing, I think it’s, I forget what it is, is that sometimes that they’ll have many marriages. Then they have the marriages, but you marry banana trees, like that. And then, you know, I mean, in the Southern tradition, afterwards, then the other male relatives of the family do away with the banana tree, you know, like that. So, you know, what to do, you know? So then she gets married again. So if it’s like, if there was two marriages, then the first one’s the banana tree, and then the second one would be to a husband. So then she must have had that, so she was married to a banana tree. So then at the next time that Duryodhana brought up about Kunti, then he brought up about Gandhari. She was married to a banana tree. So he got real angry, because he said the only one that knew that was him, you know, his mother, and Shakuni. So he knew his mother didn’t tell him, and he didn’t tell him, so that only left Shakuni. So then he captured Shakuni and his whole family, the whole dynasty, and put them in prison. So there’s a hundred people there. And then, you know, to add insult to injury, he’d give enough food for one person. Every day he’d put in, you know, food for one person. So then they all sat around and thought, how are we going to get this guy? So then the elder, the grandfather, whoever’s like the head of the dynasty, she said, okay, we’ll choose the most intelligent person, you know, the cleverest person, and then they’ll avenge the dynasty. So Shakuni was chosen. He was the youngest also. He was like, would have been like Duryodhana’s age, or a little bit older, you know, just like that age. But because of their marriage, by marriage, then he’s the uncle, but otherwise they’re basically kind of identical.
And so he was chosen, so he ate the food, right? And all the other 99 relatives died.
So then, when I think of this time, Duryodhana was very young. You know, he wouldn’t have been so old. And then, before dying, the grandfather said, you take my knuckles and you make them into dice, and there’ll be magic.
So, whatever number you call, that will come, all right? So that was the means by which Shakuni would destroy Duryodhana. So then, he was there, so then after some time, Duryodhana came to see the fun, and so Shakuni was alive. So then, and then Shakuni being clever, and very humble and everything, immediately surrendered and all this, and was serving, and also Duryodhana was impressed and kept him close and all that. And so, that’s why then he arranged for the gambling match. Because in the gambling match, and it’s also Shakuni’s recommendation to bring Draupadi, because Manu says that if you insult a chaste woman, the whole dynasty evaporates like magic, right?
You know, just like that, they just evaporate, you don’t even know how, they just disappear, the whole dynasty. So then, that was the main thing, because from that, then after that, you just keep them on track, so that the war comes up and they’re all destroyed. But that was the main element, was that the gambling match. So that’s why Krishna said he’s actually the best friend, because he is working very hard for the destruction of Duryodhana.
So he was victorious based on morality? Was he victorious based on morality? You could say the morality of, you know, that loyalty to the family and things like that. But, you know, how he’d get things done would be through meeting, because that’s what Duryodhana would understand.
So he degrades himself, in a sense? Yeah, he presents himself in that way, yeah, he would say. But well, of course, because it’s a material need for revenge, so we’re not, no one ever claimed that Shakuni was a great self -realized soul, right? He’s known for his cleverness, right? So cleverness that’s clever in the circle of emperors. So that means he’s very qualified, you know, because he’s royal family.
But, you know, so he used Niti to get Duryodhana.
But the point is, is that Niti is based on dharma, so you’re only going to, the Niti’s only going to destroy so much. It’s not very big. Well, it’s not very broad, while dharma is more broad. Does that make sense?
Niti is dealing in the moment what will actually get the work done, while dharma’s looking at the bigger picture. So the point is, is he engaged him in Niti, but he actually destroyed him because of dharma. In other words, Duryodhana was dealing with dharma as Niti, but he actually used dharma to destroy him.
You know, so he was their greatest friend or ally in that he was the one, you know, completely bent on destroying Duryodhana. It’s not that he was supportive of the Pandavas, you know. He’s basically just utilizing that relationship to get at Duryodhana. So he didn’t actually mean bad towards the Pandavas, but it’s not that they wouldn’t get bad from his endeavors. He was simply trying to destroy Duryodhana. That’s why they didn’t understand, because all of his plans were bad for them.
But they survived because they were protected by the Lord, but Duryodhana will be destroyed by them.
You know, you just have to wait for the opportunity. He’s persistent, so that’s why he won.
Kṛṣṇa reveals His universal form in which all His opulences, hundreds and thousands of varied, divine and multicolored forms, the different manifestations of all the demigods, everything moving and non-moving and all the wonderful things which no one has ever seen or heard before can be seen in one place. The Lord emphasizes that this form has never been seen before. The universal form shown to Duryodhana was not the same as the universal form Kṛṣṇa reveals to Arjuna. This is just a little something. You know, but that’s the point, a little something still overwhelming.
It’s also the point about being seen in one place, because you can’t see the universe in one place, because the universal form is the whole universe.
But so that means that Kṛṣṇa is giving that special vision in which standing in one place you can see the whole thing. So that’s what’s special, that’s the divine eyes. It’s not that Duryodhana could see, but he can only see a small portion of the universal form. But Kṛṣṇa showed Arjuna the fullest of the universal forms. At least that’s what I would expect, because, you know, down to the little bug, you know. So I mean to say, yes. Well, why divine eyes? You know, you must see Krishna face-to -face. So you certainly have a vision. Yeah, but divine here is that, you know, just like the demigods are divine or something, so there’s a higher thing, is that only if there’s certain qualification, then you can see them, right? So the demigods are there, but the Pandavas can’t see them. So when they reveal themselves and like that, so there’s always that element, that mystic element. That’s why the term Yogeshwara is used, because of the mystical aspect of it. You know, because seeing Kṛṣṇa, that’s devotional, not necessarily mystical.
Yes? Does it mean that divine eyes is something lower than what we have? Yes, that’s there, but it’s just something different, right? The element here is different, because he is seeing Kṛṣṇa and everything, right? The point is, is Kṛṣṇa is here, you can see him here, but to see the whole universe at once, that kind of takes a different ability of vision.
Does that make sense? I suppose, no, in no way greater than the vision you had already by seeing Kṛṣṇa. No, it’s not greater, but it’s because the point we were saying before is Kṛṣṇa is already there, but people don’t accept Him. Some colored glasses? Yes, kind of a little bit rectangular, one’s a little bit more red, one’s a little bit more green, like that. Yes, those ones.
But this topic of Kṛṣṇa’s manifest real in the world, so wouldn’t it be easier for people to see Kṛṣṇa? Yes, but they are not able to appreciate, so just seeing is not enough. That was the question that came up after the class yesterday, is how is it that Dhruva Mahārāja, seeing the Lord, now would be in this illusion? So his point was the qualification is just that seeing the Lord, and that’s it, that’s the end, that’s the final. So how is it that this would happen? The demons, they’re also seeing Kṛṣṇa. So when Kṛṣṇa walked in the arena at Mathura, He had 15 different perspectives of Him. Some thought He was just an incompetent little kid. You know, those who weren’t the wrestlers, right? The wrestlers saw Him as death personified, so different people saw Him in different ways. The Yadus as Paramātmā, the ladies as Cupid, so all these different manifestations.
So according to your qualification you can see, because Kṛṣṇa is everything, so whatever you’re seeing now is also Kṛṣṇa, that you have the qualification to see. But by connecting to the Paramparā, you can see more.
Because others only see the external energy, but by coming in contact with the internal policy, through the Paramparā, then one can see more.
So as Kṛṣṇa reveals, then that’s how much you see.
You know, it’s like Mother Yaśodā sees the universal form, but it’s kind of like, you know, must not have digested breakfast properly or something. That’s kind of like…
Does that make sense? So that’s the… and it’s different, it’s pointed out, because Kṛṣṇa was standing there in the universal forms outside. Mother Yaśodā saw the universal form inside.
Like that, so it’s slightly different.
Because Arjuna could not see His form, this form with His eyes, Kṛṣṇa gives them suitable divine eyes. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains in his purport to Śrīmad -Bhāgavatam 2.1.24, a pure devotee of the Lord, being unaccustomed to looking into such a mundane, gigantic form of the Lord, requires special vision for the purpose. The Lord therefore favored Arjuna with special vision for looking into His Virat-rūpa, which is described in the 11th chapter of the Bhagavad -gītā. So here, then, it’s like you’re saying, it’s something…
something… he’s not accustomed to looking at this… it’s because you’re seeing the Lord in the mundane manifestation. But the point is, is you’re seeing the Lord, right? But all the different… so you’re seeing the power. Otherwise, if you’re just, you know, seeing millions of faces all at once, that’s not a big problem. You’ve never been to Kumbh Mela, it’s standard, right? You know, so that’s not the thing, it’s the power that’s there. That’s what’s overwhelming.
You know, so they’re not used to looking in that way, because they’re just absorbed in seeing, you know, the nice form of Kṛṣṇa.
In his commentary to this verse, Viṣṇujana Cakravartī Ṭhākura poses and answers the following question, Why should Arjuna, who directly perceives with his own eyes the sweetness of the Supreme Person, be unable to perceive a partial expansion of the Lord and need to receive divine eyes? Some explain this by saying that those most excellent eyes which perceive the sweetness of the Supreme Person’s human pastimes are exclusive in their scope of perception. They do not perceive the opulence of the Lord’s God-like pastimes. After all, a tongue tasting crystal sugar cannot simultaneously experience the taste of unrefined gourd or sugarcane.
Right? Because you get the two, you’re going to taste the one.
Okay. It’s just like Mother Deśodā. You know, Kṛṣṇa’s 16 years old. He’s going out dancing with all the gopīs and everything like that.
But when it comes time for His evening bath, Mother Deśodā is, you know, busy making arrangements because Kṛṣṇa has just come back. So she wants to arrange, you know, other things. So something like taking the bath and that, which she’s done in the morning. Then she’s not as worried about it now. Because in the morning, you know, give the bath and all that. And others are already cooking and all that. So then it’s all going on. So she can focus on the bath. But in the evening, then the gopīs aren’t there to cook. Right? So then, you know, it’s just Rohiniśi. So she’s seeing everything. So she gets the Rādhārāṇī’s maidservants to bathe Kṛṣṇa. Right? But because they’re married, they’re considered as, you know, full members of the community, adult women. Right? So even though they’re 12 years old, 14 years old, they’re seen as adult women. Right? So the point is, is they’re married women. So, you know, therefore, they can bathe my baby, Kṛṣṇa. Right? Does that make sense? So that’s what she sees. She doesn’t see anything else. So when others suggest, I don’t think it’s a good idea, you know, that these young gopīs are bathing Kṛṣṇa. What’s the problem? You know, he’s just a boy. And they’re married women. What’s the difficulty?
So you can see where the original allusion about one’s child comes from.
Yeah, yeah. I think it was, I can’t remember what it was. One of these guys, Pretty Boy Floyd, or one of these big Chicago gangsters. Huh? No, that’s the Hatfields and the McCoys. Those are more rustic, I say, manifestations.
You know, big, big gangster. When they caught him, then, you know, his mother’s comment, but he’s such a nice boy. He’s so nice to his mother. You know, so how can he be as bad as they say?
So the point is, is that they just see in a particular way. So they don’t see any other thing. So then Kṛṣṇa has to give him that vision by which he can see in that way. You know, the example is given, if you’re tasting rock candy, and you give some gur, you can only taste the rock candy.
So in the same way, these other aspects may be there, but you’re not interested.
You know, like when Gopu, what’s his name? Yeah, Gopu Kumar, he goes to Vaikuntha. Then he just sees it’s Kṛṣṇa. You know, so then when they’re not, like, sitting in the throne, when they’re out in the garden, then he goes out there, you know, gets out his flute, plays something for Viṣṇu, and Viṣṇu then pulls out his flute and plays something, you know, then brings all the cows and everything like that. So they have a good time.
Yes? Here we’re talking about Arjuna’s vision stepping down from…
Means he’s still going, he still sees Kṛṣṇa, but he’ll be able to see this other aspect. So that’s the point. In our case, we need to try to step up. Basically, we’re using it as something in between. That’s why Kṛṣṇa points out is that he is all these opulences of the world, but still he’s a person beyond those opulences.
You know, that’s the point of the third verse of the Cakrasloka, is that he’s beyond this. Otherwise we’ll get caught up in the opulence and think that’s enough, because I’m seeing Kṛṣṇa in this way, that’s enough. But it’s not, actually. It’s enough to get yourself liberated, but it’s not enough to actually please Kṛṣṇa.
Because liberation is no big deal. Kṛṣṇa is already liberated. The soul already is liberated. He just doesn’t understand He is. His spiritual position is covered by his illusion. But it’s not that the soul itself is actually contaminated by the material energy.
So…
You also said the way the intelligence works, it’s Kṛṣṇa. He gives knowledge, remembrance and forgiveness. But it’s always him revealing instead of always Kṛṣṇa giving it. Yes, it’s always Kṛṣṇa revealing. But the point is that one’s accustomed to seeing in a certain way, so one’s not interested in the other. You know, it’s just like the gopīs are looking for Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa’s disappeared. So they’re looking for Kṛṣṇa. So then Kṛṣṇa takes the forearm form of Nārāyaṇa and stands there with all this opulence and everything. And they just kind of come by and say, Oh, Nārāyaṇa came. Have you seen which way Kṛṣṇa wears? They can recognize Nārāyaṇa, but they’re not interested. They’re looking for Kṛṣṇa.
Does that make sense? But it doesn’t have any… You don’t actually see. That’s the element of Yogamāyā. You only see that aspect of Kṛṣṇa.
In his purport to verse 8, Śrīla Prabhupāda confirms that the attainment of divine vision was not a symptom of Arjuna’s advancement.
A pure devotee does not like to see Kṛṣṇa in any form except His form with two off hands. A devotee must see His universal form by His grace, not with the mind, but with spiritual eyes. To see the universal form of Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna is told not to change his mind, but his vision. The universal form of Kṛṣṇa is not very important. That will be clear in subsequent verses. Yet, because Arjuna wanted to see it, the Lord gives him the particular vision required to see that universal form. Devotees who are correctly situated in a transcendental relationship with Kṛṣṇa are attracted by loving features, not by a godless display of opulences. So this is just his opulence, it’s just the power. But the point is, unless you can see God in that power, then it’s godless.
That’s our point with the qualities of the Lord as they pervade the world because the material world is created from Brahman. So it means that opulences and qualities of the Lord are pervading everything.
But they’re not seen in connection with the Lord. That makes them godless because all there is, is Kṛṣṇa. So what we’re looking at is Kṛṣṇa. Then we can say, well then, everything’s fine. But the point is, that’s not what’s of interest to the devotee.
Yes. Because he’s just, in other words, Kṛṣṇa Himself doesn’t change for him. But the ability to see other aspects of Kṛṣṇa’s manifestation, that would change the vision of the devotee because then he would look at it that way.
Does that make sense? Mind would be seeing Kṛṣṇa.
It means that’s His friend. So Kṛṣṇa is manifesting in universal form. Because as we see, then he starts talking to Kṛṣṇa that this form is pretty wild, take it away, I want to see that. Go back to the other forms. So that means he’s seeing Kṛṣṇa and the universal form.
Does that make sense? So, in other words, he just changes his vision of it, the perception of it, but he doesn’t change his mind, meaning the mood of devotion towards Kṛṣṇa.
Does that make sense?
It means it would be a Yogamāyā but the point is being able to see other aspects that are outside your relationship because Yogamāyā keeps it to that particular view because otherwise then the different views don’t match.
Does that make sense? So, you know, your Ratha-yatra festival is there because the views of the Brajabhasis and the Dwarkabhasis is different.
So even though they’re seeing all the opulence they just see, you know, Vṛndāvana and Kṛṣṇa dressed up as a king. That’s all. They don’t see something different.
Does that make sense? So the ability to see it in that other context, that would mean changing the vision.
Up until now the Lord only spoke about the universal form. In the next verse He bestows divine eyes to Arjuna who is thus able to see this form.
Okay.
Sanjaya said, O King, having spoken thus, the Supreme Lord of all mystic power, the Personality of Godhead displayed His universal form to Arjuna. Arjuna saw in that universal form unlimited mouths, unlimited eyes, unlimited visions, unlimited wonderful visions. The form was decorated with many celestial ornaments and bore many divine upraised weapons. He wore celestial garlands and garments and many divine scents were smeared over his body. All was wondrous, brilliant, unlimited, all-pervading.
If hundreds of thousands of suns were to rise at once into the sky, their radiance might resemble the effulgence of the Supreme Person in that universal form. At that time Arjuna could see in the universal form of the Lord the unlimited expansions of the universe situated in one place, although divided into many, many thousands.
Then, bewildered and astonished, his hair standing on end, Arjuna bowed his head to offer obeisances and with folded hands began to pray to the Supreme Lord. Arjuna said, My dear Lord, I see assembled in your body all the demigods and various other living entities. I see Brahma sitting on the lotus flower as well as Lord Shiva and all the sages and divine serpents. O Lord of the universe, O universal form, I see in your body many, many arms, bellies, mouths, and eyes expanded everywhere without limit. I see in you no end, no middle, and no beginning.
Your form is difficult to see because of its glaring effulgence, spreading on all sides like blazing fire or the immeasurable radiance of the sun. Yet I see this glowing from everywhere, adorned with various crowns, clubs, and disks.
So the universal form but it’s coming from everything. So that means everything actually is effulgent with Krishna’s qualities.
You are the supreme primal object, objective. You are the ultimate resting place of all this universe. You are inexhaustible and you are the oldest. You are the maintainer of the eternal religion, the personality of Godhead. This is my opinion.
So maintainer of eternal religion, what is the eternal religion?
Sanatana Dharma. And what does that entail? Devotional service. But how is that working?
Arunachala. Arunachala. Anything else? What’s the essential elements of Sanatana Dharma?
Bhakti. But how is that applied?
You have to apply this bhakti. Service. And what is in the field that you can render this service? Activity. Activity, but that’s beyond the field. That’s application of the field. Vaishnavas. And what are Vaishnavas made out of? Huh? People. And if we take people down to their essence? Soul.
Matter. Close.
So the soul’s duty is to serve God. That’s the Sanatana Dharma. The soul, the nature is to serve God. So now, in the world what is actually going on?
Souls are doing things. And what are they doing?
They’re doing things for sense gratification but in the actuality what’s happening that they don’t see?
They’re interacting with the Lord’s energy. So are they actually getting the thing done?
No. So that puts them as what part in the activity being done? The instrument. And so in Sanatana Dharma where does the Jiva place himself in relationship to the Lord? As the instrument. So that means the Sanatana Dharma is being maintained right now with every living entity. Just the illusion is the mayas, they don’t think that’s what’s going on. They think I’m doing this on my own.
So that’s the point. It’s just like you cook lunch. Wow, how do you cook lunch? No, I just did it like that. No, no, you must have done some kitchen, some pots. No, no, no kitchen, no pots. No fire, no spoons. I just did it.
You’d think this guy’s crazy. So it’s actually the same thing that he used all the pots in the kitchen but it’s Krishna’s potency that actually you know, the ingredients of cooking the process of cooking the results of cooking, that’s all Krishna. So it’s his potency. So they simply took part as an instrument.
So it goes on. So the point is this Krishna consciousness means removing that illusion that you think you’re doing something else other than Sanatana Dharma.
So those who recognize it are called devotees. Those who don’t recognize it are generally referred to in less less flattering terms.
You are without origin, middle or end. Your glory is unlimited. You have numberless arms and the sun and moon are your eyes. I see you with blazing fire coming forth from your mouth burning this entire universe by your own radiance. Although you are one, you are spread throughout the sky and the planets and all spaces in between. O great one, seeing this wondrous and terrible form, all the planetary systems are afraid.
All the hosts of demigods are surrendering before you and entering into you. Some of them very much afraid are offering prayers with folded hands. Hosts of great sages and perfected beings crying, all peace are praying to you by singing the Vedic hymns.
All the various manifestations of Lord Shiva, the Adityas, the Vasus, the Sadyas, the Visva-Devas, the two Ashwinis, the Maruts, the Forefathers, the Gandharvas, the Yakshas, the Asuras and the perfected demigods are beholding you in wonder. O mighty-armed one, all the planets with the demigods are disturbed at seeing your great form with its many faces, eyes, arms, thighs, legs and bellies and your many terrible teeth and as they are disturbed so am I.
O all-pervading Vishnu, seeing you with your many radiant colors touching the sky, your gaping mouths and your great glowing eyes, my mind is perturbed by fear. I can no longer maintain my steadiness or equilibrium of mind. O Lord of Lords, O Refuge of the Worlds, please be gracious to me. I cannot keep my balance seeing thus your blazing, death-like faces and awful teeth. In all directions I am bewildered.
All the sons of Dhritarashtra along with their allied kings and Bhishma, Drona, Karna and our chief soldiers also are rushing into your fearful mouths and some I see trapped with heads smashed between your teeth. As the many waves of the river flow into the ocean so do all these great warriors enter blazing into your mouths. I see all people rushing full speed into your mouths as moths dash to destruction in a blazing fire. O Vishnu, I see you devouring all people from all sides with your flaming mouths covering all the universe with your effulgence. You are manifest with terrible scorching rays.”
So in other words, he has just confirmed seeing the whole universe at once that the universe is not a nice place.
The form now visible to Arjuna is full of unlimited wonderful features. It is brilliant, wondrous, unlimited in all expanding. Arjuna sees in that brilliant form which is more radiant than thousands of suns the unlimited expansions of the universe situated in one place. Srila Prabhupada explains in his purport to verse 13 the word tatra, there, is very significant.
It indicates that both Arjuna and Krsna are sitting on the chariot when Arjuna saw the universal form. Others on the battlefield could not see this form because Krsna gave the vision only to Arjuna. Arjuna could see in the body of Krsna many thousands of planets but no one could understand what was going on between Arjuna and Krsna. It’s interesting.
Then, bewildered and astonished, Arjuna offers his obeisances and begins praying to Krsna. Arjuna sees in that form all the living entities including the great demigods. He states that the Lord is the supreme objective, the ultimate resting place of the universe, the inexhaustible, the oldest, the maintainer of the eternal religion and the Personality of Godhead. So here the objective means, here we’re talking about the goal. So in other words, in pursuits or any endeavor He is the ultimate goal. So that makes Him the supreme objective here. Same time as that shouldn’t be confused with the application when you’re saying subject and object when you’re dealing with the actual dynamics of the interaction of rasa. So in that way, then Krsna is the subject and Radharani is the object. So He’s the supreme subject, She’s the supreme object.
But the supreme objective is to obtain Krsna. But Krsna in His, because He is the supreme that you’re trying to get to, He’s the supreme goal. But then His goal is to interact with Radharani. So that makes Her the supreme object. That He becomes the supreme subject. Because sometimes we have heard devotees switch it and say, well, Krsna is the supreme object and Radharani is the supreme subject. So She’s the best thing to talk about and He’s what you’re trying to obtain because Radharani is trying to obtain here. But then you’re looking at it in trying to obtain, yes, that He is the supreme object, but then you leave Her out as the subject here. Because here when we say subjective we mean the person performing the activity.
Does that make sense? So it’s two different. So don’t get confused by overlap of terms. You must remember English does have its limits in some of these subtleties of spiritual definition.
According to Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur with his statement in verse 18 Arjuna proves that he has the qualification to see the form of Krsna as time. This form is described in verses 19 to 30. Arjuna sees the Lord burning the entire creation with His radiance. Blazing fire spews out of His mouth. Seeing that form all the planetary systems are disturbed. All the demigods surrender and offer prayers to Him. Arjuna is filled with fears as he sees that all those on the battlefield are rushing into his fearful mouths. So time destroys everything. So that brilliance of the Lord then is having its influence on everything. So everything is being destroyed. So you see all that great opulence and all that and that’s wonderful but then the next point that he’s saying is that being the material world is temporary, everything is being destroyed. Yes?
Where’s his relationship with Krsna?
No. What I’m saying is that his relationship is with Krsna, not with the universal form. So if he can’t see in the universal form his connection to Krsna then one becomes fearful.
Right? Because fear is based on a lack of identity.
Right? So if you identify with the material then losing that material form that will manifest or that material situation or whatever it is, your material identity, any loss of that that will generate fear or opportunity to lose that will generate fear. So for the Mayavadis the idea of losing their material form, that’s not an anxiety for them but having to address the element that their eternal position is a servant of Krsna that becomes a problem for them. So they’re afraid of their relationship with Krsna.
In this case then you’re going further is that they had that relationship with Krsna but they can’t see that relationship here in the universal form. This is the rasa system. Just like Lakshmiji, she’s never separated from the Lord but when she saw the Srinidave then she was afraid. So she wasn’t afraid like the demigods were afraid. They were afraid that he’s going to kill them and they’re going to lose their positions and their enjoyment. She was afraid because she didn’t know how to interact with Krsna in this form.
Like that. Yeah?
That’s there.
He’s seeing there but the point is he’s seeing Krsna but he’s telling Krsna about what he’s seeing. So the universal form makes him afraid.
Krsna doesn’t, otherwise why is he praying to Krsna? So in other words one would take shelter of what would be important to you in such a condition. So he’s taking shelter of Krsna.
Yeah.
That could be there. It could also just be the ability to be conscious that he doesn’t fall unconscious.
Like that. Being able to just sit there peacefully and just observe. It’s becoming too intense.
Emotions and all the different things are all happening at once. It is a universal form. So you’re getting everything at once. OD. OD, yes.
Srila Baladeva Dibhushan explains the significance of the analogies mentioned in verses 28 and 29. Waves of the river flowing into the ocean and moths entering fire. Some of the warriors enter the mouths of the Kalarupa unknowingly just like the rivers flow into the ocean without intentional effort. Another group of warriors by their demoniac mentality are consciously destroying themselves just like moths who intentionally enter fire and perish.
So that’s interesting. So those who are inimical towards Krsna and the Pandavas, then they’re like moths and then all the other ones are just like the waves entering the river.
So we’ll end here and continue tomorrow with this 31 or 34.
Om Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama
