Text 30-34 :Vasudeva , Krsna manifests the material worlds in His Three Vishnu Features

1. Text 30-34 :Vasudeva , Krsna manifests the material worlds in His Three Vishnu Features

2. Offering obeisances näräyaëaà namaskåtya naraà caiva narottamam devéà sarasvatéà vyäsaà tato jayam udérayet “Before reciting this Çrémad-Bhägavatam, which is the very means of conquest, one should offer respectful obeisances unto the Personality of Godhead, Näräyaëa, unto Nara-näräyaëa Åñi, the supermost human being, unto mother Sarasvaté, the goddess of learning, and unto Çréla Vyäsadeva, the author.” SB 1.2.4

3. nañöa-präyeñv abhadreñu nityaà bhägavata-sevayä bhagavaty uttama-çloke bhaktir bhavati naiñöhiké “By regular attendance in classes on the Bhägavatam and by rendering of service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Personality of Godhead, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact.” SB1.2.18

5. So Far in Chapter 2…. • Suta Goswami begins answering the questions of the sages • Explains the ultimate good for all people • Only bhakti is to be gained through performance of duties • Progression in bhakti – 14 stages • Only Vasudeva, Krsna is the object of worship and only He should be served Text 30-34 answer the third and fourth questions of the sages

6. Fourth Question by the sages SB 1.1.17: His transcendental acts are magnificent and gracious, and great learned sages like Nārada sing of them. Please, therefore, speak to us, who are eager to hear about the adventures He performs in His various incarnations. Lord and His interaction in the material world? Srila Jiva Goswami states that it specifically refers to the Lord’s creation pastimes. Therefore Suta Goswami responds in 1.3.30-33 Srila VCT explains it as the sages’ desire to hear about the various incarnations of the Lord. (Covered in chapter3 and rest of SB

7. Topics outlined in 1.3.30-33 • How Krsna creates and maintains the material world through His three purusa avatars • Maha-Vishnu • Garbhodaksayi Vishnu • Ksirodaksayi Vishnu

8. 1.2.30 sa evedaḿ sasarjāgre bhagavānātma-māyayā sad-asad-rūpayā cāsau guṇamayāguṇo vibhuḥ In the beginning of the material creation, that Absolute Personality of Godhead [Vasudeva], in His transcendental position, created the energies of cause and effect by His own internal energy. Here Bhagavan= Karanodaksayi Vishnu

9. Main points • Vasudeva referred to in 1.2.28-29(vasudeva para veda..) acts as Vishnu the source of material worlds • Aguna :Transcendental • Idam: “This” • Refers to entirety of material world • Begins with mahat- tattva and extends to Brahma

10. 1.2.31 tayāvilasiteṣveṣu guṇeṣuguṇavāniva antaḥ-praviṣṭaābhāti vijñānenavijṛmbhitaḥ After creating the material substance, the Lord [Vāsudeva] expands Himself and enters into it. And although He is within the material modes of nature and appears to be; one of the created beings, He is always fully enlightened in His transcendental position.

11. Main points 1.2.31… • Expands Himself • Karanodaksayi –> Garbhodaksayi Vishnu • Enters into it: • Enters each universe as Garbhodaksayi Vishnu • Enters into heart of every living entity and into all matter, as Ksirodaksayi Vishnu • …

12. …Main points 1.2.31 • Remains transcendental despite the fact He appears to be in matter Creating Universes, Source of unlimited Vishnus wrestling with gopas, dancing with gopis Krsna is extraordinary, HE IS GOD But these are ordinary human like activities? • This understanding is foundational to understanding: • Krsna’s Vrindavan pastimes • How small we are and who the real controller is , else we are considering Him as an ordinary human being

13. 1.3.31 tayāvilasiteṣveṣu guṇeṣuguṇavāniva antaḥ-praviṣṭaābhāti vijñānenavijṛmbhitaḥ After creating the material substance, the Lord [Vāsudeva] expands Himself and enters into it. And although He is within the material modes of nature and appears to be; one of the created beings, He is always fully enlightened in His transcendental position.

14. 1.3.32 yathā hy avahito vahnir dāruṣv ekaḥ sva-yoniṣu nāneva bhāti viśvātmā bhūteṣu ca tathā pumān The Lord, as Supersoul, pervades all things, just as fire permeates wood, and so He appears to be of many varieties, though He is the absolute one without a second.

15. Main Points :1.2.32 • How can we perceive Lord Ksirodaksayi Vishnu?

16. Main Points:1.2.32 • How can we perceive Lord Ksirodaksayi Vishnu? …the presence of the Lord as Paramātmā can be felt by the process of legitimate hearing and chanting of the transcendental subjects which are especially treated in the Vedic literatures like the Upaniṣads and Vedānta. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the bona fide explanation of these Vedic literatures. As fire is kindled from wood by another fire, the divine consciousness of man can similarly be kindled by another divine grace. Wood like living entity Krishna’s servant His Divine Grace the spiritual master can kindle the spiritual fire from the woodlike living entity by imparting proper spiritual messages injected through the receptive ear. Therefore one is required to approach the proper spiritual master with receptive ears only, and thus divine existence is gradually realized. The difference between animality and humanity lies in this process only. A human being can hear properly, whereas an animal cannot.

17. 1.2.33 asau guṇamayair bhāvair bhūta-sūkṣmendriyātmabhiḥ sva-nirmiteṣu nirviṣṭo bhuńktebhūteṣutad-guṇān The Supersoul enters into the bodies of the created beings who are influenced by the modes of material nature and causes them to enjoy the effects of these modes by the subtle mind.

18. Main point: 1.2.33 (upadrsta anumanta) Connection with Material energy Desires of the jiva The Supersoul is very merciful. Based on the desires of the jiva, the Supersoul connects and inspires the jiva Connection with Spiritual energy He is so kind that He constantly remains with the living being as Paramātmā and always tries to convert the living being towards the real happiness.

19. Text 34: Answer to the third question of the sages: Why Does Krsna Descend?

20. 1.2.34 bhāvayaty eṣasattvena lokānvailoka-bhāvanaḥ līlāvatārānurato deva-tiryań-narādiṣu Thus the Lord of the universes maintains all planets inhabited by demigods, men and lower animals. Assuming the roles of incarnations, He performs pastimes to reclaim those in the mode of pure goodness.

21. Main Points: 1.2.34 • The happiness which the living beings are hankering for is not to be • found anywhere except in the kingdom of God. Because they are • covered by the three modes they cannot understand this. • The Lord, therefore, comes to propagate the message of the kingdom of God, either personally, as an incarnation or through His bona fide representative as the good son of God.

22. Main Points: 1.2.34 Assuming the roles of incarnations, He performs pastimes to reclaim those in the mode of pure goodness. • The Lord (Vishnu) incarnates Himself in each and every • universe • type of living society. • He manifests His transcendental pastimes amongst them: • just to create the desire to go back to Godhead. • Pastimes help us think about Him and talk about Him through His pastimes • He appears to be differently manifested according to the particular time, circumstances and society. • Such incarnations or sons of God are not making propaganda for going back to Godhead only within the human society. • Their work is also going on in all types of societies, amongst demigods and those other than human beings.

23. Super merciful nature of the Lord Answer to fourth question : Lord and His interaction with the material energy? • 3 purusa avatars, remains transcendental • Creates the material world and enters into it. • Playground for us to satisfy our desires • He gives an opportunity for aspiring sadhakas yet not on the prema platform to increase their devotion (How answered in Text 34) • As Supersoul – • allows jiva to enjoy • Always tries to bring back the jiva Text 30-33

24. Super merciful nature of the Lord Answer to THIRD question : WHY DOES THE LORD INCARNATE Text 34 • To reclaim those in the mode of goodness • Performs wonderful pastimes • This helps the sadhakas : • Think about Krsna • Talk and preach about Krsna • Thus the sadhakas remain absorbed in transcendence even in the material world

25. ISKCON is double mercy: How? • Mahaprabhu and Srila Prabhupada have given us this wonderful preaching movement • This is a continuation of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s pastimes • We can dovetail all our material tendencies and desires in this preaching movement • We are getting a chance to not only think and preach about Mahaprabhu’s pastimes but also be a part of the Lila.

26. The only price we need to pay is give up our tendency to be the controller and enjoyer. • Very hard to give up but it is a small price to please the Lord and attain His service.

27. From Prahlada Maharaj’s Prayers • Connecting the threads from 7.9.9-11- We do service for the pleasure of the Lord? What does our service please the Lord • The Lord is pleased if we make the endeavor of offering glorification and service to Him, even if he does not need it. He is pleased because by doing so we get purified and free from material life.Lord Narsimha Dev ki jai - the Lord's reason for pleasure is amazing. • This is unconditional love of the Lord for us.

28. References • Srimad Bhagavatam • Unveiling his Lotus Feet by HG Bhurijana Prabhu • Lecture Link: BJP Bhakti Vaibhva Course SB-111

29. Thank You

30. Prayers like this help us realize that he is the Supreme controller – see in Gajendra’s pastime or Brahma talking with demigods in 8th canto. • Reclaim lost souls: • He is pleased when we take steps to go back to him – prahlada maharaj’s prayers • Our duty is to engage the way it wants • Read bhagavatam • Pastimes