Ontology of the Absolute

শ্রী গৌड़िয-কন্ঠহার

Gaudiya Kanṭhahāra:

The Jeweled Necklace of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas

Being a compendium of quotations from revealed scriptures

concerning the truths about the cult of Chaitanya Mahāprabhu

Compiled under the authority and direction of

His Divine Grace

Bhaktisiddhānta Sāraswāti Goswāmī

Prabhupada

The 7th Jewel:

KṚṢṆA-TATTVA

The section that follows begins by asserting the supremacy of the Kṛṣṇa conception and continues with an ontological analysis of the various forms, expansions, and avatars of Kṛṣṇa with an analysis of their respective positions in the hierarchy of the absolute. This analysis, for example of the cater-vyuha forms is mostly taken from the Chaitanya Caritamṛta of Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Goswāmī, who in turn follows the analysis of Rūpa and Sanātana, Jīva, Gopal Bhatta and Ragunātha Dāsa Goswāmi.

The 7th Jewel:

KṚṢṆA-TATTVA

৭.৪৪

কৃষ্ণের স্ৱরূপ-ৱিচার শুন, সনাতন অদ্ৱয-জ্ঞান-তত্ত্ৱ, 

ৱ্রজে ৱ্রজেন্দ্র-নন্দন সর্ৱ-আদি, সর্ৱ-অংশী, কিশোর-শেখর

চিদ্-আনন্দ-দেহ, সর্ৱাশ্রয, সর্ৱেশ্ৱর 

স্ৱযং ভগৱান্ কৃষ্ণ, ঽগোৱিন্দঽ পর নাম 

সর্ৱৈশ্ৱর্য-পূর্ণ যাঙ্র গোলোক নিত্য-ধাম

7.44

kṛṣṇera svarūpa-vicāra śuna, sanātana advaya-jñāna-tattva, 

vraje vrajendra-nandana sarva-ādi, sarva-aṁśī, kiśora-śekhara

cid-ānanda-deha, sarvāśraya, sarveśvara 

svayaṁ bhagavān kṛṣṇa, 'govinda' para nāma 

sarvaiśvarya-pūrṇa yāṅra goloka nitya-dhāma 

[Caitanya Mahāprabhu said] O Sanātana, please hear about the eternal form of

Lord Kṛṣṇa; He is the Absolute Truth, devoid of duality, but present in

Vṛndāvana as the son of Nanda Mahārāja. Kṛṣṇa is the original source and

sum total of everything. He appears as the Supreme Youth. His body is composed of spiritual bliss. He is the shelter of everything and the master of everything. God Himself, svayam bhagavān is Śrī Kṛṣṇa, His supreme name is Govinda, He is full in all opulence, and His eternal abode is Goloka Vṛndāvana.

 (Cc. Madhya 20.152-153,155)

The Vedas Speak of the Pastimes of the Supreme
Lord

७.४५

अपश्यं गोपामनि-पद्यमानमा च परा च पथिभिश् चरन्तम्

स सध्रीचीः स विषूचीर्वसान् आवरीवर्ति- भुवनेस्वन्तः

7.45

apaśyaṁ gopāmani-padyamānamā ca parā ca pathibhiś carantam

sa sadhrīcīḥ sa viṣūcīrvasān āvarīvarti- bhuvanesvantaḥ

I saw a gopāla before me, but could not understand if He came from nearby or

from far away. He wanders from place to place at different times, adopting

different modes of dress. In this way He comes again and again to establish and

withdraw His transcendental pastimes within this material world. 

(Ek Veda Maṇḍala, 22, Anuvāka, 164 Sūkta, 31 Ek) 

By serving Kṛṣṇa, the Universe is Satisfied

७.४६

यथा तरोर् मूल-निषेचनेन 

तृप्यन्ति तत्-स्कन्ध-भुजोपशाखाः 

प्राणोपहाराच् च यथेन्द्रियाणां 

तथैव सर्वार्हणम् अच्युतेज्या

7.46

yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena 

tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ 

prāṇopahārāc ca yathendriyāṇāṁ 

tathaiva sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā

By pouring water on the root of a tree, all the leaves and branches are

automatically nourished. In the same way, by offering service to the lotus feet of

Viṣṇu, all other purposes are satisfied. Just as by offering food to the stomach,

all the limbs of the body are satisfied, similarly, by offering service to Kṛṣṇa the

entire universe is satisfied. 

(Bhāg. 4.31.14) 

The Demigods are Never Envious of Kṛṣṇa

७.४७

हरिर् एव सदाराध्यः सर्वदेवेश्वरेश्वरः

इतरे ब्रह्मा-रुद्राद्या नावज्ञेयाः कदाचन

7.47

harir eva sadārādhyaḥ sarvadeveśvareśvaraḥ 

itare brahmā-rudrādyā nāvajñeyāḥ kadācana 

Śrī Hari alone should be worshiped as the supreme master of the universe.

Brahmā, Śiva and all the demigods never violate this principle at any time.

(Padma Purāṇa)

७.४८

अहं सर्वस्य प्रभवो मत्तः सर्वं प्रवर्तते

इति मत्वा भजन्ते मां बुधा भाव- समन्विताः

7.48

ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate

iti matvā bhajante māṁ budhā bhāva- samanvitāḥ

I am the origin of everything. From Me everything emanates. The wise who

know this perfectly engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all

their hearts. 

(Bhagavad-gītā 10.8)

Kṛṣṇa Appears in Three Categories of Forms
Svayaṁ-rūpa, Tadekātmā-rūpa and Aveśa-rūpa

७.४९

स्वयं-रूप, तद्-एकात्मा-रूप, आवेश नाम प्रथमेइ तिन-रूपे रहेन भगवान्

7.49

svayaṁ-rūpa, tad-ekātmā-rūpa, āveśa nāma prathamei tina-rūpe rahena bhagavān

That Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇa appears in His selfsame form as

svayam-rūpa, in His first expansion as tad- ekātmā-rūpa, and in His empowered manifestations, known as āveśa. 

(Cc. Madhya 20.165)

The Two Divisions of Svayaṁ-rūpa

৭.৫০

ঽস্ৱযং-রূপঽ ঽস্ৱযং-প্রকাশঽ দুই রূপে স্ফূর্তি 

স্ৱযং-রূপে এক ঽকৃষ্ণঽ ৱ্রজে গোপ-মূর্তি

7.50

'svayaṁ-rūpa' 'svayaṁ-prakāśa' dui rūpe sphūrti 

svayaṁ-rūpe eka 'kṛṣṇa' vraje gopa-mūrti

Kṛṣṇa reveals Himself in two forms, as svayam- rūpa, His own form) and

svayam-prakāśa (His own manifestation). Svayam-rūpa is Kṛṣṇa Himself in

Vṛndāvana, in the figure of a cowherd boy. 

(Cc. Madhya 20.166)

Two Divisions of Svayaṁ-rūpa Prābhava and Vaibhava-

৭.৫১

ঽপ্রাভৱ-ৱৈভৱঽ-রূপে দ্ৱিৱিধ প্রকাশে এক-ৱপু বহু রূপ যৈছে হৈল রাসে

7.51

'prābhava-vaibhava'-rūpe dvividha prakāśe eka-vapu bahu rūpa yaiche haila rāse

An example of prābhava-prakāśa is when the Lord accepts two or more identical forms for the sake of enjoying His pastimes, just as He accepted many

identical forms during the rāsa-līlā. 

(Cc. Madhya 20.167)

Prābhava-vilāsa: Expanding Many Forms to Marry Thousands of Queens

৭.৫২

মহিষী-ৱিৱাহে হৈল বহু-ৱিধ মূর্তি

ঽপ্রাভৱ প্রকাশঽ এই শাস্ত্র-পরসিদ্ধি

7.52

mahiṣī-vivāhe haila bahu-vidha mūrti

'prābhava prakāśa' ei śāstra-parasiddhi

In order to marry 16,108 queens, Kṛṣṇa accepted 16,108 forms. These forms are known as prābhava-vilāsa, and the scriptures have declared they are all trancendentally perfect.

 (Cc. Madhya 20.168) 

Vaibhava-prakāśa

৭.৫৩

সেই ৱপু, সেই আকৃতি পৃথক্ যদি ভাসে ভাৱৱেশ-ভেদে নাম ঽৱৈভৱ-প্রকাশেঽ

7.53

sei vapu, sei ākṛti pṛthak yadi bhāse bhāvaveśa-bhede nāma 'vaibhava-prakāśe'

If a form is differently manifested, according to different emotional features, it

is called vaibhava-prakāśa. 

(Cc. Madhya 20.171) 

Examples of Vaibhava prakāśa

৭.৫৪

ৱৈভৱ-প্রকাশ কৃষ্ণের শ্রী-বলরাম ৱর্ণ-মাত্র-ভেদ, 

সব কৃষ্ণের সমান ৱৈভৱ-প্রকাশ যৈছে দেৱকী-তনুজ

দ্ৱিভুজ-স্ৱরূপ কভু, কভু হয চতুর্ভুজ্

7.54

vaibhava-prakāśa kṛṣṇera śrī-balarāma varṇa-mātra-bheda, 

saba kṛṣṇera samāna vaibhava-prakāśa yaiche devakī-tanuja

dvibhuja-svarūpa kabhu, kabhu haya caturbhuja

The first manifestation of the vaibhava feature of Kṛṣṇa, known as vaibhavaprakāśa,

is Śrī Balarāma. Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa have different bodily colors, otherwise Balarāma is equal to Kṛṣṇa in all respects. Another example of vaibhava-prakāśa is Kṛṣṇa as the son of Devakī. He sometimes has two hands and sometimes has four hands. (Cc. Madhya

20.174,175)

Prābhava-prakaśa--The Four-handed Vāsudeva form of Kṛṣṇa is an example of Prābhava-vilāsa

৭.৫৫

যে-কালে দ্ৱিভুজ, নাম ৱৈভৱ-প্রকাশ চতুর্ভুজ হৈলে, নাম প্রাভৱ-প্রকাশ স্ৱযং-রূপের গোপ-ৱেশ, 

গোপ-অভিমান ৱাসুদেৱের ক্ষত্রিয-ৱেশ, ঽামি ক্ষত্রিযঽ-জ্ঞান সৌন্দর্য, ঐশ্ৱর্য, মাধুর্য, 

ৱৈদগ্ধ্য- ৱিলাস ৱ্রজেওদ্র-নন্দনে ইহা অধিক উল্লাস

7.55

ye-kāle dvibhuja, nāma vaibhava-prakāśa caturbhuja haile, nāma prābhava-prakāśa svayaṁ-rūpera gopa-veśa, gopa-abhimāna vāsudevera kṣatriya-veśa, 

'āmi kṣatriya'-jñāna saundarya, aiśvarya, mādhurya, vaidagdhya- vilāsa

vrajeodra-nandane ihā adhika ullāsa 

When the Lord is two-handed, He is called vaibhava-prakāśa, and when He is

four-handed, He is called prābhava-prakāśa. In His original form, the Lord dresses like a cowherd boy and thinks Himself one of them. When He appears as Vāsudeva, the son of Vasudeva and Devakī, His dress and consciousness are those of a kṣatriya. When one compares the beauty, opulence, sweetness, and intellectual pastimes of Vāsudeva, the warrior, to that of Kṛṣṇa, the cowherd son of Nanda Mahārāja, one sees that Kṛṣṇa's attributes are more pleasant.

(Cc. Madhya 20.176-178) 

The definition of Tad-ekātma-rūpa or "non different form"

৭.৫৬

সেই ৱপু ভিন্নাভাসে কিছু ভিন্নাকার ভাৱৱেশাকৃতি-ভেদে ঽতদ্-একাত্মঽ নাম তাঙ্র

7.56

sei vapu bhinnābhāse kichu bhinnākāra bhāvaveśākṛti-bhede 'tad-ekātma' nāma tāṅra 

When the Lord's form is a little differently manifest and its features a slight

different in transcendental emotion and form, it is called tad-ekātma-rūpa. 

(Cc. Madhya 20.183)

Two Divisions of Tad-ekātma-rūpa

৭.৫৭

তদ্-একাত্মা-রূপে ঽৱিলাসঽ, ঽস্ৱাংশঽ দুই ভেদ ৱিলাস,

স্ৱাংশের ভেদে ৱিৱিধ ৱিভেদ

7.57

tad-ekātmā-rūpe 'vilāsa', 'svāṁśa' dui bheda vilāsa,

 svāṁśera bhede vividha vibheda

In the tad-ekātma-rūpa there are two divisions pastime expansions (vilāsa) and

personal expansions (svaṁśa). According to pastime and personal expansion,

there are various differences. 

(Cc. Madhya 20.184)

Two Divisions of Vilāsa Prābhava and Vaibhava

৭.৫৮

প্রাভৱ-ৱিলাস ৱাসুদেৱ, সঙ্কর্ষণ প্রদ্যুম্ন, অনিরুদ্ধ, মুখ্য চারি-জন

7.58

prābhava-vilāsa vāsudeva, saṅkarṣaṇa pradyumna, aniruddha, mukhya cāri-jana 

The chief quadruple expansions are named Vāsudeva, Saṅkarśaṇa, Pradyumna,

and Aniruddha. These are called prābhava vilāsa. 

(Cc. Madhya 20.186)

Balarāma is a Vilāsa Form

৭.৫৯

ৱ্রজে গোপ-ভাৱ রামের, পুরে ক্ষত্রিয-ভাৱন 

ৱর্ণ-ৱেশ-ভেদ, তাতে ঽৱিলাসঽ তাঙ্র নাম

7.59

vraje gopa-bhāva rāmera, pure kṣatriya-bhāvana 

varṇa-veśa-bheda, tāte 'vilāsa' tāṅra nāma 

Balarāma, who has the same original form as Kṛṣṇa, is Himself a cowherd boy

in Vṛndāvana. He also considers Himself to belong to the kṣatriya race in

Dvārakā. Thus His color and dress are different, and He is called a pastime

(vilāsa) form of Kṛṣṇa. (Cc. Madhya 20.187) 

Vaibhava-prakāśa and Prābhava-vilāsa Forms:
Classified according to Different Moods and Pastimes

৭.৬০

ৱৈভৱ-প্রকাশে আর প্রাভৱ-ৱিলাসে

এক-ই মূর্ত্যে বলদেৱ ভাৱ-ভেদে ভাসে

7.60

vaibhava-prakāśe āra prābhava-vilāse

eka-i mūrtye baladeva bhāva-bhede bhāse 

Lord Balarāma is a vaibhava-prakāśa manifestation of Kṛṣṇa. He is also

manifest in the original quadruple expansion of Vāsudeva, Saṅkarśaṇa, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha. These are prābhava- vilāsa expansions with different emotions. 

(Cc. Madhya 20.188)

From That Prābhava-vilāsa Comes the Catur-vyūhas, 4-fold expansions
Which are Vaibhava-vilāsa Features of the Lord

৭.৬১

আদি-চতুর্-ৱ্যুহ ইঙ্হার কেহ নাহি সম

অনন্ত চতুর্ৱ্যুহ-গণের প্রাকট্য-কারণ

7.61

ādi-catur-vyuha iṅhāra keha nāhi sama

ananta caturvyuha-gaṇera prākaṭya-kāraṇa

The first expansion of the catur-vyūha is unique. There is nothing to compare

with them. These quadruple forms are the source of unlimited quadruple forms.

(Cc. Madhya 20.189)

The Original Catur-vyūha 4-fold expansions are the Lords in
Mathurā and Dvārakā

7.62

kṛṣṇera ei cāri prābhava-vilāsa

dvārakā-mathurā-pure nitya iṅhāra vāsa 

These four prābhava-vilāsa pastime forms of Lord Kṛṣṇa reside eternally in

Dvārakā and Mathurā. 

(Cc. Madhya 20.190) 

The Twenty-four Principle Expansions From the Original Catur-vyūha are Known as Vaibhava-vilāsa--

৭.৬৩

এই চারি হৈতে চব্বিশ মূর্তি পরকাশ

অস্ত্র-ভেদে নাম-ভেদ ৱৈভৱ-ৱিলাস

7.63

ei cāri haite cabbiśa mūrti parakāśa

astra-bhede nāma-bheda vaibhava-vilāsa

From the original quadruple expansions, twenty- four forms are manifest. They

differ according to the placement of weapons in Their four hands. They are

called vaibhava-vilāsa. (Cc. Madhya 20.191) 

The Original Catur-vūyha Expands into Vaikuṇṭha

৭.৬৪

পুনঃ কৃষ্ণ চতুর্-ৱ্যূহ লঞা পূর্ৱ-রূপে পরৱ্যোম-মধ্যে

 ৱৈসে নারাযণ-রূপে তাঙ্হা হৈতে পুনঃ চতুর্-ৱ্যূহ-পরকাশ 

আৱরণ-রূপে চারি-দিকে যাঙ্র ৱাস

7.64

punaḥ kṛṣṇa catur-vyūha lañā pūrva-rūpe paravyoma-madhye 

vaise nārāyaṇa-rūpe tāṅhā haite punaḥ catur-vyūha-parakāśa 

āvaraṇa-rūpe cāri-dike yāṅra vāsa

Lord Kṛṣṇa again expands, and within the spiritual sky, He is situated in

fullness as the four-handed Nārāyaṇa, accompanied by expansions of the

original quadruple form. Thus, the original quadruple forms again manifest

Themselves in a second quadruple expansion. The residences of these second

quadruple expansions cover the four directions. 

(Cc. Madhya 20.192,193)

Further Expansions of the Second Quadruples

৭.৬৫

চারি-জনের পুনঃ পৃথক্ তিন তিন মূর্তি

কেশৱাদি যাতা হৈতে ৱিলাসের পূর্তি

7.65

cāri-janera punaḥ pṛthak tina tina mūrti

keśavādi yātā haite vilāsera pūrti

Again these quadruple forms expand three times, beginning with Keśava. That

is the fulfillment of the pastime forms. (Cc. Madhya 20.194)

Svāṁśa Expansions Appear in the Material
World

৭.৬৬

সঙ্কর্ষণ, মৎস্যাদিক, দুই ভেদ তাঙ্র সঙ্কর্ষণ পুরুষাৱতার, লীলাৱতর আর

7.66

saṅkarṣaṇa, matsyādika, dui bheda tāṅra saṅkarṣaṇa puruṣāvatāra, līlāvatara āra

The first personal expansion is Saṅkarṣaṇa, and the others are incarnations like

the fish incarnation. Saṅkarṣaṇa is an expansion of the Puruṣa, or Viṣṇu. The

incarnations such as Matsya appear in different ages for specific pastimes, and

are known as līlā-avatāras. 

(Cc. Madhya 20.244) 

Six Kinds of Avatāras

৭.৬৭

অৱতার হয কৃষ্ণের ষড্-ৱিধ প্রকার 

পুরুষাৱতার এক, লীলাৱতার 

আর গুণাৱতার, আর মন্ৱন্তরাৱতার 

যুগাৱতার, আর শক্ত্যাৱেশাৱতার

7.67

avatāra haya kṛṣṇera ṣaḍ-vidha prakāra 

puruṣāvatāra eka, līlāvatāra 

āra guṇāvatāra, āra manvantarāvatāra 

yugāvatāra, āra śaktyāveśāvatāra

There are six types of avatāras of Kṛṣṇa: Personal Avatāras of Viṣṇu (puruṣaavatāras),

pastime incarnations (līlā-avatāras), incarnations that control the modes of nature (guṇa-avatāras), Avatāras as Manu (manvantara-avatāras),

incarnations in different milleniums (yuga- avatāras), and śaktyāveśa-avatāras, or empowered incarnations.

(Cc. Madhya 20.245,246)