Sie sind auf Seite 1von 214

Gopla-tpan

Upaniad
with commentary by
SWAMI B.V.
TRIPURARI
Author of Aesthetic Vednta and Joy of Self
Kaya Govindya Gopj anavallabhya
G
o
p

l
a
-
t

p
a
n


U
p
a
n
i

a
d
Gopla-tpan Upaniad is one of the
principal 108 Upaniads. It emphasizes
Gopla Ka and the spiritual practice
by which this feature of the divine can
be realized. Gopla Ka represents the
heart of the Absolute and is thus real-
ized by the exercise of the practitioners
heart: from dutiful devotion to love itself.
Within the narratives that this Upa-
niad employs to reveal its esoteric doc-
trine, the very gure of love personied
appears along with loves object. The per-
fect object of love, Ka, while nondual,
is not alone. He appears with the milk-
maid Gndharv, identied elsewhere in
sacred Hindu lore as Rdh. She is his
primary akti. As the principle of sacri-
ce, self-giving, and love, she exemplies
the means to unlock the mystery of life.
In the later section of the book, this lead-
ing lady questions sage Durvs, draw-
ing out insight into the cowherd Ka.
Swm B. V. Tripurris commentary
is deeply perceptive. It draws tastefully
on much older Sanskrit commentaries
penned by saints of Swms own lin-
eage and, in doing so, serves to further
establish him not only as a contempo-
rary voice of devotional Vednta but
as a person of both wisdom and heart.
Audarya
Press
Swami B. V. Tripurari resides in his
monastery, Audarya, in the redwoods of
northern California. Author and spiritual
teacher, Swm has written several books,
including Rasa: Love Relationships in
Transcendence, Ancient Wisdom for Modern
Ignorance, Tattva-sandarbha: Sacred Indias
Philosophy of Ecstasy, Joy of Self, Aesthetic
Vednta: the Sacred Path of Passionate Love,
r Guru-Parampar, Form of Beauty, and
Bhagavad-gt: Its Feeling and Philosophy.
The Upanisads inform us that we should move from
mortality to immortality. However, Gopla-tpan Upaniad takes
us further still, from immortality to the nectar of immortality. It
speaks to us of an experience of immortality that is both positive and
progressive. Rather than an experience of immortality that involves
only the cessation of mortality, retiring the soul in eternal passivity,
the passages of Gopla-tpan underscore the potential of the soul
to experience divine play in a realm where reason nds dignity not
merely in suppressing sensual passions but, more so, in bowing to
divine passion. Although Kas divine play is the ideal of Gopla-
tpan, being an Upaniad, the text is true to its genre and therefore
sober. It stresses the discipline of freedomthe mantraand its fruit,
the music that sets God in motion. As Nietzsche would have it, so too
does Gopla-tpan: freedom is disciplined in that it is a product of a
very long period of constraining oneself. Where Gopla-tpan differs,
of course, is that its eternity is not a euphemism for death. It is the
doorway to a land beyond time through which one enters to participate
in Gods play, where God, believe it or not, has become a dancer.
Apply yourself in the discipline of Gopla-tpan, the yoga of
devotion that sheds light (tpan) on the cowherd Ka (Gopla),
and learn to love like you could never have imagined or reasoned was
possible. This eternal text of revelation descends from a land of love
far beyond the reach of the mindwhere words cannot reachand
thus about which we cannot say enough.
.
S
W
A
M
I

B
.

V
.

T
R
I
P
U
R
A
R
I
Gopla-tpan Upaniad
GaaePaal/TaaPaNaqYaaePaiNazd(
Gopla-tpan Upaniad
SWM B. V. TRIPURRI
Swm B. V. Tripurri 2003
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retriev-
al system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photo-
copying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of the publisher.
i sbn 1-88606069-53-0
OTHER B OOKS B Y S WM B. V. TRI P URRI
Bhagavad-Gt: Its Feeling and Philosophy
Rasa: Love Relationships in Transcendence
Ancient Wisdom for Modern Ignorance
Tattva-sandarbha
Joy of Self
Aesthetic Vednta
r Guru-Parampar
Form of Beauty
For philosophical inquiries contact:
Audarya
22001 Panorama Way
Philo, ca 95466
e-mail: audarya@swami.org
website: www.swami.org
To my gurus, rla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda
and Pujyapada Bhakti Rakaka rdhara Deva Goswm.
contents

ix preface
xi introduction
1 prva-tpan
91 uttara-tpan
i x
Preface
I rst developed an interest in the Gopla-tpan Upaniad when I was liv-
ing in Vndvana, India, in the fall of 1993. At that time I gathered as
much information as I could on the text, discussing it with devotee pundits
and looking for editions in print. It struck me that there was no edition in
English to date and, indeed, no contemporary edition in any language. Al-
though I later found an English edition, it did not contain any of the com-
mentaries of the Gauya cryas other than a very brief gloss attributed to
Baladeva Vidybhaa. This edition did not satisfy my desire for a con-
temporary English rendering with a signicant commentary, and by this
time I had already committed myself to bringing one out.
Gopla-tpan is very esoteric. So too are the commentaries on it, dating
back ve hundred years or more. The discussion on the kma-bja and
Ka mantra is guarded, and one is reminded of the comments of the fa-
ther of the Gauya lineage, r Santana Gosvm, in this regard. In his
Dig-darin commentary on Bhad-bhgavatmta, he writes that such
mantras should be chanted only by qualied persons who have received
them through proper initiation. He says that even when books discuss
these mantras, special efforts are often made to disguise their exact sylla-
bles, or the explanation is purposely made impossible to understand by
those unfamiliar with the cryptic code the author has used.
The Gopla-tpan has not disguised the syllables of the eighteen-syllable
Ka mantra, but it has explained them in a cryptic fashion, and its principal
commentators, while explaining it, have also left much to be desired in the
way of a transparent, modern explanation. It has certainly been my objective
to bridge this gap, yet in doing so, I cannot stress enough the importance of
hearing this mantra from a sad-guru and applying oneself accordingly in spir-
itual practice. This process is the means of realizing the mantras signi-
cance. Indeed, I have no doubt that Gopla-tpan was initially intended to
assist the initiated in taking advantage of this traditionally guru-given man-
tra. Nonetheless, my hope in making this particular commentary widely
available, extending beyond the circle of the duly initiated, is that the text
x
will compel its readers to seek out ritualistic entrance into devotional Vedn-
ta, the likes of which r Caitanyas Gauya lineage represents.
Perhaps the most striking difference between the Gauya lineage and all
other schools of Vednta is that while other systems of Vednta stress the
most worshipable object, Brahman/Ka, the Gauyas emphasize the
worshipable object of Brahman, Gopla Kas principal consort, r R-
dh. In the prva section of the book, we nd signicant references to her
importance as the primal akti of r Ka; in the uttara section, she plays a
leading role in the circle of Kas milkmaids. Gndharv, as she is ad-
dressed in Gopla-tpan, leads us into the romantic life of the Absolute, and
the text emphasizes the underlying theology and philosophy of this love af-
fair. It is no wonder, then, that the Gauyas have embraced this text as their
own. Among the Upaniads, it most lends itself to a Gauya explanation.
A number of r Caitanyas devotees took part in bringing out this edi-
tion. My friend Jagadnanda translated the Sanskrit verses into English.
He also translated summaries of the commentaries that I drew from: the
principal Gauya commentaries and two commentaries from other lin-
eages. In places where I quoted any of these commentaries, I used his
translation. I sincerely hope that his contribution will be appreciated as
much by others as it has been by me. It has been a pleasure to collaborate
with him on this publication.
As much as I could not have completed this manuscript and brought it
into print without Jagadnandas help, so too am I indebted to my editor
and designer Vndraya, who tirelessly dedicated herself, as she has with
all of my publications, in overseeing every aspect of its development. All of
the others who helped, Kamalka and Kg in the interior design,
Caitanya-day and Kaior in editing, Bghumuni in Sanskrit editing, and
Citta Hari, Dayl Govinda, Gaura Ka, Jagadvara, and ymasundara
in proofreading, are to be commended for their sincere efforts. May r
Gndharv and Madana Gopla show them their favor. Jaya Radhe!
Swm B.V. Tripurri
Rdham 2003
xi
Introduction
If our mentor were to call us with the words, Sit near and listen careful-
ly, implying that he or she had a secret to share with us, our excitement
and anticipation would no doubt focus our attention. Pay attention! For
this is the spirit behind this secret doctrine. The word Upaniad means,
To sit near and listen. Monier Williams also denes Upaniad as an eso-
teric treatise that sets to rest ignorance by revealing knowledge of God.
It speaks of the mystery that lies beneath our sensual, mental, and intellec-
tual experience and describes that which animates the worldthe self and
ultimately the Supreme Self.
Gopla means one who protects (pala) cows (go), in other words, a
cowherd. Tpan means to shed light. Thus Gopla-tpan Upaniad is
that esoteric doctrine that sheds light on the cowherd Ka. As we know
from rmad-Bhgavatam, the cowherd Ka is Brahman, replete with in-
conceivable akti. Knowing him requires knowing oneself to be other than
what one can understand by the sensual, mental, and intellectual faculties.
Upaniads are many and vary in their importance from sect to sect. The
famous list of 108 Upaniads, found in the Muaka, includes Gopla-
tpan, and thus this Upaniad is among the most well known. By its own
denition, it is a Vaiava Upaniad, and among Vaiava sects it is most at
home with Gauya Vaiavas, the followers of r Caitanya.
Several of r Caitanyas followers have commented on Gopla-tpan.
The rst to have done so was Prabodhnanda Sarasvat, whose commen-
tary is by far the most important. Indeed, the later commentaries attribut-
ed to r Jva Gosvm and Vivantha Cakravart hkura follow the lead
of r Prabodhnanda and only nuance his work. Although r Baladeva
Vidybhaas commentary does not follow the lead of Prabodhnanda
Sarasvat, it adds little to what has been written before him.
Prabodhnanda Sarasvats commentary was clearly inuenced by the
preceding commentary of Vivevara Trtha, although his doctrine, a mix
of monism and theism, is not that of the Gauya Vaiavas. Vivevara
Trthas lineage is unknown, but it is possible that he followed a lineage
xi i
much like that of the famed rdhara Svm, whose Bhgavata commen-
tary was greatly revered by r Caitanya.
All of these commentaries were written long ago, and with all the inter-
est in the Gauya tradition in the world today, a contemporary commen-
tary is long overdue. Swm B. V. Tripurris work, like his predecessors,
follows the lead of Prabodhnanda Sarasvat. It is lucid and insightful in its
own right and will likely be considered an important commentary on this
Upaniad for some time to come.
The Publishers
H
Prva-tpan
3
1. F""^ d_8d l
H"HB H N{F ll!ll
sac-cid-nanda-rpya kyklia-krie
namo vednta-vedyya gurave buddhi-skie
sac-cid-nanda-rpya to the form of eternity, knowledge, and bliss;
kya to Ka; klia-krie to him whose every act is wonderful/
untroubled; nama obeisances; vednta-vedyya to him who is to be
known by the Vednta; gurave to the spiritual master; buddhi-skie
to the witness present in the intelligence.
I offer obeisances to Ka, the form of eternity, knowledge, and bliss,
whose every act is wonderful, who is the object of knowledge identi-
ed by the Vednta, and who is the guru, the witness present in the in-
telligence.
Hail to the goddess as we begin this sacred commentary on Gopla-tpan!
May the wise, as well as those without wisdom, heed her call to devotion.
Blessed are the devotees! May they take pleasure in this effort despite its
faults, and may those devotees senior to me in knowledge and devotion,
and the pure-hearted commentators r Jva, Vivantha Cakravart, and
r Prabodhnanda Sarasvat in particular, be merciful to me. Above all, I
offer my pramas to r Guru, Gaurga, Govinda, and Gndharvik.
Just as it is standard in modern times to preface a book with a statement
that introduces the text and explains its scope and intention, similarly an-
cient Hindu texts were customarily prefaced with an introductory state-
ment known as a magalcaraa that accomplishes the same purpose and
more. A magalcaraa invokes auspiciousness and, by so doing, creates a
sacred atmosphere. When applied to sacred texts, an auspicious invocation
technically consists of four elements: the subject of the text (viaya), the re-
lationship between the text and its subject (sambandha), the goal to be at-
tained by its study (prayojana), and the person who is qualied to enter into
4
its mysteries (adhikrin).
1
The rst verse of Gopla-tpan contains all of
these elements in the form of a prayer that offers obeisances to Ka.
The subject of Gopla-tpan is Ka. The relationship between the
text of Gopla-tpan and its subject is that the text reveals the spiritual
practices that directly lead to realization of Ka as the highest truth. The
goal to be attained is love of Ka, or pure devotion, and the person qual-
ied to study the text is one motivated to cultivate such pure devotion. Let
us now examine how these four elements are present within Gopla-
tpans magalcaraa verse.
It is clear from this introductory verse that Ka is the subject (viaya) of
Gopla-tpan, for he is propitiated at its onset. It is signicant that there is no
mention of any fruit to be attained from studying the text, for this implies
that those qualied to study the text are uninterested in acquiring material
gain or attaining liberation as a result of their study. Their aim is devotion for
its own sake. Thus the goal (prayojana) of the text is pure devotion. The rela-
tionship (sambandha) between the text and its object (that the text reveals
Ka as the highest truth) is implied within the magala verse. The very
name of this Upaniad implies the same, for Gopla-tpan Upaniad suggests
the esoteric doctrine (upaniad) that sheds light (tpan) on Gopla (Ka).
Prabodhnanda Sarasvat says further that the overall import of the rst
verse is that Ka alone is worthy of refuge, as is apparent from the verses
description of his form, nature, and qualities. Prabodhnanda Sarasvat at-
tributes the speaking of this magala verse to the goddess of revealed
knowledge, ruti-dev, who salutes the Supreme God as she begins to
manifest this sacred text with the homage, I offer obeisances to Ka.
Wisdom and its revelation are thus subordinate to and dependent on
Ka, and therefore ruti-dev prostrates herself before him (nama) with
body, mind, and words, clearly demonstrating that the path to enlighten-
ment lies in this act alone.
1. A magalcaraa often consists of more than one verse and may also involve offering of
obeisances (namaskra), stating in essence what the text concerns (vastu-nirdea), and offering a
blessing (rvda).
5
Stunned by the truth about the Lord, the goddess, well known as a lady
of distinction and discrimination, words and wisdom, is left nearly speech-
less. Nonetheless, she manages to solemnly declare something inconceiv-
able: Ka is the form of eternity, knowledge, and bliss. He has given
shape to these much sought-after idealsnot one, but all three of them
through both example and precept as portrayed and preached in the Bhga-
vata Pura and Bhagavad-gt, respectively. Moreover, Kas nature de-
es and thus belittles logic. We are to think about this truth as much as we
can, until the mind stops and we arrive at knowing beyond thinking.
This form known as Ka is not limited by time or space (sat). Ka is
self-luminous (cit), and joy nds its fullest expression in him (nanda). His
nature being such, he is known by the two syllables k (eternity and
knowledge) and na (bliss). As Ka himself explains in Bhagavad-gt, he
is the form of all-pervasive, self-illumined joy, even as he taxis Arjuna on
that great bowmans chariot during the battle of Kuruketra. He is the all-
pervasive moving from place to place, knowledge serving his deluded dis-
ciple, and joy in the midst of Arjunas agony. The Bhgavata Pura, which
deals exclusively with Ka and devotion to him, describes him similarly
as the controller of his own form of time, he in whom all knowledge is
contained, and the supreme bliss.
2

ruti-dev next describes Kas potency (akti), by which he effortless-
ly accomplishes everything and through which he frees his devotees from
misery. It is said that behind every great man is a great woman. Similarly,
behind the parama-purua is parama-prakti, Kas primal akti, Rdh.
He moves wonderfully under her inuence. The goddess is no doubt par-
tial to Rdh, being one of her expansions, and she introduces Rdh as
the best of Kas milkmaids in the uttara section of this Upaniad, ad-
dressing her by her ruti name, Gndharv. In this verse ruti-dev de-
scribes Ka as klia-krin, one who acts wonderfully, the best example
2. Prabodhnanda Sarasvat cites B 10.3.26, 10. 9.13, and 10.14.32 in support of this point,
showing that Kas ll practically demonstrates that he is the form of eternality, knowledge,
and bliss.
6
of which is his becoming the intimate friend of his devotees. Despite his
exalted position, he is subordinated by love. Such is the inuence of his pri-
mary akti. When she touches ones soul, the nite conquers the innite.
His acts are wonderful, being joy in celebration of itself, and thus they
are not enacted out of any necessity or motivated by any outside inuence.
Ka and Rdh are one soul in two bodies. Merely hearing their won-
derful activities liberates one from the illusory demands of material life,
for they shed light on the possibility of enlightened life beyond the con-
straints of matter and its masks of repeated birth and death.
Turning her thoughts back to reason, ruti-dev suggests that if one in-
sists on logical proof in support of Kas supremacy, it is given in the trea-
tise known as Vednta-stra. Ka is the personied object of knowledge
that the Vednta speaks of, as he himself proclaims in Bhagavad-gt (15.15).
As for the guru, the guide under whom one studies the scripture, ruti-dev
says that Ka is the guru who instructs us on the meaning of the Upaniads.
This too is clear from his discourse to Arjuna in Gtopaniad. Moreover, it is
Ka who manifests as the inner ability to recognize the external manifesta-
tion of guru, for he is the witness present in the intelligence (buddhi-skie).
As the presiding Deity of intelligence, Ka is also the cause of the ability to
understand what is being explained by scripture. Thus he is represented in
the guru who appears before us in the form of a saint as well as the indwelling
guide who presides over the intellect, mind, and senses, enabling them to act
as instruments of perception and understanding, both material and spiritual.
2. H NQ= l d "H l d N l
dF H H H l d" H FF ll-ll
o | munayo ha vai brhmaam cu | ka paramo deva |
kuto mtyur bibheti | kasya vijnenkhila vijta bhavati |
keneda viva sasaratti ||
o O; munaya the sages; ha vai indeed; brhmaam the
brhmaa (Brahm); cu said; ka who; parama deva Supreme
7
Deity; kuta of what; mtyu death; bibheti fears; kasya whose;
vijnena by realization; akhila unlimited; vijta known; bha-
vati becomes; kena by whom; ida viva this universe; sasarati
turns; iti thus.
O. The sages, it is recalled, asked of Brahm, Who is the Supreme
Deity? Of what is death afraid? By knowing what can all things be fully
known? By whom is the universe made to turn?
Sacred texts often reveal spiritual insight through narrative, and ruti-dev
follows this common practice here in Gopla-tpan. She recalls a conver-
sation of yore between the creator Brahm and his four sons, the Kumras,
in which the import of the eighteen-syllable Gopla mantra was explained.
This conversation together with the magala verse and this second stanza
constitutes the entirety of the prva section of the Gopla-tpan.
The goddess begins her narrative with the sacred syllable O in order to
further invoke auspiciousness. O is considered the source of all sound; it
contains all the holy names of God along with all related mantras. r Ka
has identied praava okra with himself in r Gtopaniad (7.8), and it is
the rst word to appear from Brahms mouth at the dawn of creation.
Both Brahm and the Kumras are well-known gures from the sacred
Hindu texts. Brahm is the god of creation, and his four sons are perpetu-
ally youthful celibates (kumra). They chose the ascetic path early in life,
and their sober presence in this Upaniad underscores the mindfulness
necessary to unlock the secrets of the text.
3
One gains access to the love
play of Ka and Gndharvik, the Deities of Gopla-tpan, by taking a
path that requires considerable sobriety and sensual restraint.
The Kumras are thus fertile soil in which to plant the seed of love for
Rdh-Ka, for they have come to the path of love with hearts unclut-
3. Gauya crya rla Rpa Gosvm has mentioned the Kumras in r-r-Rdhik-stava,
a hymn glorifying r Rdh. By referring to the Kumras, he implies that the youthful village
girl of Gokula is more than she appears to be at rst glance. She represents the end of all knowl-
edge, and thus sober sages like the Kumras offer praise to her.
8
tered by material desire. They are persons of wisdom (jnins) about to
tread the path of spiritual love. It is the jnin that r Ka singles out
in his sermon to Arjuna, describing him as most dear among the four
types of pious persons who approach him.
4
When rmad-Bhgavatam
(1.1.2) states that those who study its contents make rapid spiritual ad-
vancement, it refers to the jnin who takes to bhakti.
5
Its principal
speaker, the learned and pure-hearted ukadeva, serves as a prime exam-
ple. Brahm too is no fool. He represents the embodiment of all Vedic
knowledge. In this text he speaks from the vantage point of the love of
Ka he has attained by meditating on the Gopla mantra. Thus ruti-
dev refers us to a conversation between highly positioned persons in the
spiritual hierarchy to further substantiate her solemn declaration about
the supremacy of Ka. The Kumras questions elicit a particular re-
sponse from Brahm, which highlights her chosen Deitys extraordinary
characteristics.
3. " H= NQ l d H "H l
H"N l H[ H l
FH" FF llll
tad u hovca brhmaa | ko vai parama daivata |
govindn mtyur bibheti | gopjanavallabha-jnena taj jna
bhavati | svhayeda sasaratti |
tat u then; ha certainly; uvca said; brhmaa the brhmaa
(Brahm); ka Ka; vai verily; paramam supreme; daivatam
Deity; govindt from Govinda; mtyu death; bibheti fears; gop-
jana-vallabha-jnena by knowledge of Gop-jana-vallabha; taj jna
that knowledge, knowledge of that; bhavati becomes; svhay by
svh; idam this; sasarati revolves; iti thus.
4. Bg. 7.17.
5. See the commentary of Jva Gosvm.
9
Brahm answered: Verily, Ka is the Supreme Deity. Death is afraid
of Govinda and by knowing Gop-jana-vallabha one knows all things.
This world turns through svh.
The process of spiritual initiation (dk) involves the preceptors impart-
ing a dk mantra to the disciple. The principal dk mantra of the
Gauya Vaiava lineage is the eighteen-syllable (adakara) Gopla
mantra, which consists of ve distinct sections
6
and is prefaced by the
kma-bja.
7
While the ve sections of the Gopla mantra are mentioned in
this verse (kya, govindya, gop-jana, vallabhya, and svh), the kma-
bja, which is also the eighteenth syllable of the mantra, is not. This bja
the seed of the mantrawill be explained later in this text, as will the man-
tra in considerable detail.
Along with imparting the mantra at the time of initiation, the guru ex-
plains its signicance, and this is exactly what Brahm does in this and the
following verses of the rst section of Gopla-tpan. Thus we are privi-
leged to witness through the written record of this Upaniad the sacred rite
of spiritual initiation: Brahm imparting and explaining the Gopla man-
tra to the Kumras. It should be noted, however, that witnessing initiation
and being initiated are two different things.
ruti-dev introduces Brahm with the word brhmaa. Brahm is
the perfect brhmaathe leader of the learned priestly class, the upper
strata of Vedic society. Brahms standing as a brhmaa involves much
more than mere ordination into the priesthood and knowledge of reli-
gious ritual and metaphysical theory. An actual brhmaa is one who
knows Brahman, the Absolute. Thus the intention of the goddess in re-
ferring to Brahm with the word brhmaa is clear: she is stressing that
Brahm is highly spiritually qualied. He knows Brahman, the supreme
object of worship. Thus when Brahm answers the sages rst question
by stating that Ka is the Supreme Deity, ko vai parama daivata,
6. r Brahma-sahit (5.3) considers this mantra to be sixfold, dividing svh into two syllables.
7. A bja (seed) is a single-syllable element essential to all mantras. Each Deity has its own
bjaKas being kl.
10
he is saying that Ka is the Supreme Brahman. How is that so? r
Prabodhnanda asks, then answers his own question: Because worship
of Ka corresponds with the form of all varieties of divine joy (brah-
mnanda) combined. There is no difference between what is known as
brahmnanda (the bliss of Brahman) and camatkra (sacred aesthetic rap-
ture, rasa). Furthermore, he goes on to say, Brahms being a knower of
Brahman in the full sense of the term makes him helplessly driven to
contemplate the question, How can a special taste in devotional practice
be attained?
Well-known scriptural evidence for this opinion of r Prabodhnanda
is found in the Taittirya Upaniad (2.7.1) when that esoteric doctrine pro-
claims raso vai sa, He (Brahman) is sacred aesthetic rapture (rasa). As
much as Brahman is rasa, Ka is Brahman, because he embodies all pos-
sibilities for reciprocal dealings in transcendental love. He has therefore
been described by r Rpa Gosvm in his seminal work Bhakti-rasmta-
sindhu (1.1.11) as akhila-rasmta-mrti, the embodiment of the ambrosia
of immortal joy known as rasa. Ka is the Supreme Deity because the
liberated bliss of Brahman is attained in its entirety by worshiping him
and, moreover, because all potential for reciprocal dealings with God in
sacred aesthetic rapture can be realized through his worship. While
Nryaa (God) and Ka are one tattva, one entity, when analyzed in
terms of attractiveness and capacity to reciprocate in love, Ka surpasses
Nryaa and all of his avatras. The well-known pada of the Bhgavata
Pura (1.3.28) says as much, kas tu bhagavn svayam: But Ka is the
original Godhead.
Having answered the sages question concerning the Supreme God,
Brahm turns his attention to the Kumras second question. As learned
sages, the Kumras undoubtedly already had high regard for the liberating
effects of knowledge and devotion. Death is transcended by the culture of
devotion and the knowledge to which it gives rise. Thus the sages are ask-
ing Brahm for something more than an explanation of the standard path
by which one can gradually transcend death. They want to know whom
death itself fears, by the invocation of whose name death is made to ee. In
11
other words, is there any practice by which as a mere by-product one is
able to transcend death?
Brahm replies that death is afraid of Govinda, a reference to Ka rela-
tive to his cowherding ll in the village of Vraja. While the name Ka
also refers to this ll, it is not exclusively tied to his life among the cow-
herds but extends to his princely ll as well. Thus by telling the sages that
death is afraid of Govinda, Brahm extols the path of unalloyed love, rga-
mrga. This path is tread by the devotees of Vraja, who know Govinda as
their intimate friend, his godhood suppressed by the intensity of their love.
The nature of the Vraja devotees love for Govinda is so overwhelming
that it causes the Supreme God to lose sight of his own supremacy. The
greater part of the devotional world regards him with awe, and in this
world people usually pray to him for entrance into heaven and emancipa-
tion from death. While God readily grants such requests, neither these pe-
titions nor reverential devotion attracts him personally. The ideal of the
Vraja bhaktas, on the other hand, completely captivates him. His ll with
them is so spiritually pleasing that simply by remembering these pastimes
and identifying with them one can transcend death without making any
separate effort.
Even the asuras killed by Govinda in Vraja attained freedom from the
cycle of birth and death, what to speak of his devotees. Furthermore, Jva
Gosvm comments that Govindathe cowherdis completely unre-
served and thus sometimes even grants the asuras he kills love of God, a
postliberated position in sacred aesthetic rapture.
8
These Vraja lls are a
complete contrast to Kas lls in Mathur and Dvrak, where he is not
a cowherd but a prince. There he is more restrained and respectful of the
religious system; he thus grants the demons he kills only heaven or libera-
tion. For these reasons, death is particularly afraid of Govinda, whose ll
of love is the essence of the Vedas (go).
Within the transcendental drama of Vraja ll, the cowherd Govinda
has a love affair with the village milkmaids, the gops. Knowing the details
8. The demon Ptan is the best example of a recipient of Kas mercy.
12
of this aspect of his ll, which is a privilege not even granted to all his
Vraja devotees, leaves nothing remaining to be known about the Abso-
lute. Thus, as Brahm conrms here in his answer to the Kumras third
question, by knowing Gop-jana-vallabha, the lover of the gops, one
knows everything.
Gautamya-tantra states that the word gop can also refer to the material
nature and jana to its twenty-ve elements, gopti prakti vidyj janas tat-
tva-samhaka. He who is the resting place of these two, who pervades
them and is the cause of their manifesting as the world, is known as their
master, or vallabha. He is joy personied. Only one who also knows Gop-
jana-vallabha in this sense truly knows the signicance of his love affair
with the gops. Thus Brahm tells the sages that by knowing Gop-jana-
vallabha one knows all things, material and spiritual.
In response to the Kumras fourth question Brahm says, This world
turns through svh. The word svh is uttered when offering oblations
to the sacricial re and thus indicates sacrice. Sacrice is the principle
by which we both live happily in this world and transcend it altogether.
We truly gain only through giving. When we give of our possessions, we
gain in the realm of material acquisition; to the extent that we give of our-
selves, we gain understanding of our true nature.
Svh also makes the drama of Ka ll turn in the spiritual world, for
as we shall see further on in Brahms explanation of the Gopla mantra,
the two syllables sv and h are also identied with the primary akti of
Ka, which fuels his ll. When the spirit of self-sacrice turns to self-
forgetfulness in love, it is called prema-akti. Prabodhnanda Sarasvat
comments that this prema-akti embodied in the gops is indicated by the
syllable sv, while the syllable h signies devotion to Ka. Taken to-
gether, they suggest that the gops belong only to Ka.
Thus the mantra under discussion propitiates the Supreme Deity, brings
an end to death, and reveals all knowledge culminating in the highest love.
It is to be chanted in a spirit of self-sacrice reposed in the Supreme Deity.
The names Ka, Govinda, and Gop-jana-vallabha indicate a progression
ascending from Ka (the all-attractive) to Govinda (the cowherder in
13
Vndvana) to Gop-jana-vallabha (that same cowherder conquered by the
gops love).
4. " = l d dl H"> d'FH l
H[ d l d FH llHll
tad u hocu | ka ka | govinda ca ko sv iti |
gopjanavallabha ka | k svheti ||
tat u then; ha certainly; cu they said; ka who is; Ka
Ka; govinda Govinda; ca and; ka who; asau that; iti
thus; gop-jana-vallabha Gop-jana-vallabha; ka who; k who;
svh svh; iti thus.
The sages then asked: Who is Ka? Who is Govinda? Who is Gop-
jana-vallabha? And who is svh?
After receiving the dk mantra from the guru and hearing his explanation
of it, the disciple is free to seek clarication of its meaning. Indeed, rele-
vant inquiry is encouraged as it gives proof of the disciples keen interest in
the subject matter. In this text, the sages continue their inquiry into the
eighteen-syllable mantra without the slightest hesitation. Although wise
and self-controlled, they are eager to delve into the mystery of the mantra.
Gauya Vaiavas call this eagerness spiritual greed (lobha).
Greed appropriately describes the quality of the Vraja devotees love
for Ka. This love obscures the gulf that separates innitesimal individ-
ual souls (jvas) from the innite Godhead, just as worldly greed obscures
an individuals decorum and leads him to act inappropriately. Similarly, it
is generally considered inappropriate to treat God with anything other
than veneration, but when he appears as Ka in Vraja, he places himself
in the hands of his devotees, allowing them to do with him as they please.
It appears from this Upaniad that the Kumras, who are usually por-
trayed by the Gauyas as jn-bhaktas, have a less well-known connection
14
with the Vraja ll and Gopla mantra. Rpa Gosvm has also mentioned
them in relation to r Rdh in his r-r-Rdhik-stava.
9
At the very
least, such keen interest in Rdh-Ka ll on the part of these four sober
sages serves to underscore the lls deeply spiritual nature despite its su-
percial similarity of a material love affair.
5. 3H= NQ l d H"H" H"
HBddF = Fd NQH ll7ll
tn uvca brhmaa | ppa-karao go-bhmi-veda-vidito vidit
gop-jana-vidy-kal-prerakas tan-my ceti sa-kala
para brahmaiva tat ||
tn to them; uvca said; brhmaa Brahm; ppa-karaa who
destroys sins; go cows; bhmi earth; veda Veda; vidita known
by; vidit the knower; gop-jana cowherd girls; vidy wisdom; kal
arts; preraka inspirer; tan-my his my; ca and; iti thus;
sa-kala taken together; para brahma Supreme Brahman; eva
certainly; tat that.
Brahm answered: Ka is he who destroys our sins; Govinda is the
knower of the cows, the earth, and the Vedas and is also known to
them; and Gop-jana-vallabha is he who inspires the wisdom and arts
of the gops. Svh is his my. All these taken together are the Para-
brahman in his full glory.
Inspired by the sages ardent inquiry, Brahm continues to enthusiastically
explain the signicance of the mantra, dening each of the three epithets
of the Lord that make up the mantra. He says that Ka is the Deity who
9. The Kumras are also portrayed as rga-mrga devotees by the svakya-vda lineage of
Dvaitdvaita. Known today as the Nimbrka sampradya, the Dvaitdvaita lineage was originally
founded by the Kumras themselves.
15
destroys sins, implying that because he is constituted of knowledge, eter-
nity, and bliss, he easily destroys sinful karmic reactions. Kas capacity
to destroy sin knows no limit; it includes in its scope the sins of the demo-
niac (asurpardha), which are perpetrated directly against him, the Su-
preme Deity. Not only is Ka capable of destroying their offenses, he
sometimes does so to such an extent that the demoniac are forever freed
from the capacity to commit sin again and, moreover, become his devo-
tees. Baladeva Vidybhaa adds that the name Ka indicates he
whose transcendental pastimes attract the minds of even the sinful.
Brahm next explains the name Govinda, go-bhmi-veda-vidito vidit:
Govinda is he who is known (vidita) to the cows (go), the earth (bhmi),
and the personied scriptures (veda), all of which are meanings for the
word go. Govinda is well known on earth, where he appears in his human-
like nara-ll. There, he is eternally identied with the cows of earthly
Gokula Vndvana, and this ll is what all the revealed scriptures point to.
Brahm denes Gop-jana-vallabha as gop-jana-vidy-kal-preraka.
Prabodhnanda Sarasvat explains this denition as follows: The words
gop-jana are interpreted to mean the forms or parts (kal) of perfect
knowledge (vidy). This knowledge, in turn, means loving devotion in a
specic mood. He who inspires such devotion and engages the gops in his
personal pastimes is their lover, or vallabha. Prabodhnanda supports his
interpretation of vidy as devotion by referring to the Gt, where devo-
tion is called the king of knowledge and the king of secrets (rja-vidy rja-
guhya). He also quotes the Brahma-sahit (5.37) to support the inter-
pretation of kal as forms: I worship the original person, Govinda,
who, though the soul of all creation, dwells in his abode of Goloka in his
own personal form, accompanied by his expanded portions (kal), or en-
ergies, who are overcome by a special mood of love that is both ecstatic
and transcendental.
With the words tan-my, Brahm explains that svh is the my of
Gop-jana-vallabha; it is that potency under whose inuence his ll is con-
ducted, yogamy. It is his transcendental energy and also his mercy, for
my also means mercy. As explained earlier, svh (sacrice) is the heart
16
of actual life, which animates the world. Under its inuence the illusory
representation of real life dissipates. Gautamya-tantra explains: Sv re-
fers to the knower of the eld; h is the higher, spiritual nature. From the
combination of these two arises the sacred word svh appearing on the
lips. Therefore, the dissolution of the universe takes place in the ocean of
svh.
6. ' F F' H F' H llll
yo dhyyati rasati bhajati so mto bhavati so mto bhavatti
ya whoever; dhyyati meditates; rasati takes pleasure, chants the
mantra; bhajati worships; sa he; amta immortal; bhavati be-
comes.

Whoever meditates upon him, chants his mantra, and worships him
becomes immortal. He becomes immortal.
Here the fruit of meditating on Ka, chanting his mantra, and worshiping
him is revealed: one becomes immortal. Prabodhnanda Sarasvat com-
ments that immortality means that one will attain a spiritual body. He ex-
plains that rasati (takes pleasure) should be understood in relation to bhajati
(worships). Whoever worships Ka with relish will attain this result.
Thus Brahm speaks to the sages of uttam bhakti, or unalloyed devo-
tion, as dened in Nradas essential treatise on devotional tantra, Nrada-
pacartra.
10
Nradas denition forms the basis of r Rpa Gosvms
denition of bhakti penned at the onset of his Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu
(1.1.11). Such bhakti is open to all. The word ya (whoever) in this verse
implies that absolutely anyone has the right (adhikra) to tread the bhakti-
mrga, should such a person develop the faith that through bhaktis culture
alone he or she will attain the ambrosia of eternality, bhakti-rasmta.
10. See Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu 1.1.12.
17
7. = l d " l d F l d~ H l
FH HH"9 llOll
te hocu | ki tad-rpam | ki rasanam |
katha vho tad-bhajanam |
tat sarva vividiatm khyhti ||
te ha cu the sages asked; ki what; tat his; rpam form; ki
what; rasanam relish, japa; katha how; v or; aho please; tat
bhajanam his worship; tat sarva all that; vividiatm to us who
wish to learn; khyhi explain; iti thus.
The sages asked: What is his form? How does one relish him? And
how does one engage in his worship? Please explain all these things to
us, for we are eager to learn.
8. " H= l H d" llll
tad u hovca hairaya | gopa-veam abhrbha
tarua kalpa-drumritam ||
tad u ha then; uvca said; hairaya the golden one (Brahm);
gopa-veam dressed as a cowherd; abhrbha has the color of a
cloud; tarua youthful; kalpa-druma desire tree; ritam has
taken shelter.
The golden one answered: [That form is] dressed as a cowherd, has the
color of a cloud, is youthful, and has taken refuge under a desire tree.
Kas complexion is dark like a rain cloud and is called yma, the color
that corresponds to the mood of conjugal love (gra-rasa) in Indian aes-
thetic theory. Kas youthfulness refers to his eternal adolescent form in
Vndvana, where he has the disposition and dress of a cowherd (gopa-vea).
18
The words kalpa-drumritam refer to the legendary wish-fullling tree
of Vndvana, under which Ka often stands. This tree is also symbolic
of the Vedas, from which one can acquire all knowledge and thus whatever
one desires, as knowledge enables one to perform action properly and thus
realize its fruit. In describing itself, rmad-Bhgavatam extends the meta-
phor of a desire tree, saying that the Vedas represent the tree itself and r-
mad-Bhgavatam the trees ripened fruit. The principal subject of rmad-
Bhgavatam is Rdhs love for Ka, and this is the fruit of the desire tree
of the Vedas, which Ka has taken shelter of and can be attained
through.
9 11. " d H l
FBd HBN l
""H H ll\ll
HH F" l
" ' ll!ll
d"d[F]FH l
= =F d H FF ll $ l ll!!ll
tad iha lok bhavanti
sat-puarka-nayana meghbha vaidyutmbaram |
dvi-bhuja jna-mudrhya vana-mlinam varam ||
gopa-gop-gavvta sura-druma-talrayam |
divylakaraopeta ratna-pakaja-madhya-gam ||
klind-jala-kallola-sagi-mruta-sevitam |
cintayan cetas ka mukto bhavati saste || iti |
tad then; iha here; lok verses; bhavanti are; sat perfect;
puarka lotus; nayana eyes; meghbha the color of a cloud;
vaidyuta lightning-like; ambaram clothes; dvi-bhuja two arms;
jna-mudrhya hands held in the sign of knowledge; vana-mlinam
wearing a garland of forest owers; varam the Lord; gopa-gop-
gavvta surrounded by cowherds, milkmaids, and cows; sura-druma-
19
talrayam standing at the foot of a heavenly tree; divylakaraopeta
covered in divine ornaments; ratna-pakaja-madhya-gam in the mid-
dle of jewels and lotuses; klind-jala the water of the Yamun; kallola-
sagi the spray coming from the waves; mruta-sevitam fanned by the
breezes; cintayan meditating upon; cetas with the mind; ka
Ka; mukta liberated; bhavati becomes; saste from the cycle
of birth and rebirth; iti thus.
The following verses are a meditation on Kas form that are meant
to accompany the eighteen-syllable mantra:
Lord Kas eyes are like perfect lotus petals, his bodily color is that
of a monsoon cloud, and his garments are the color of lightning. He
has two arms, and his hands are held in the jna-mudr. He is wear-
ing a garland of forest owers.
He is surrounded by cowherd men, cowherd girls, and cows, and sits
decorated with divine ornaments on a jeweled lotus at the foot of a
heavenly desire tree.
He is fanned by pleasant breezes moistened by spray from the waters
of the Klind. Anyone who meditates on Ka in this way will be
liberated from repeated birth and death.
This meditation represents how Ka appeared to Brahm. Prabodh-
nanda Sarasvat comments, The clothes Ka wears seem to have been
made out of lightning. The jna-mudr refers to his silence, for as ruti
says, He spoke without words (avacanenaiva provca). All Kas behav-
ior is based on knowledge, yet he is completely absorbed in the delights of
playing his ute, surrounded by the cowherds headed by rdm, the
cowherd girls headed by Rdh, and the cows like Kapil.
20
12. F F l "Fd"dd " l
H" l l H[ l
FH l " ] BH F="F
F " NQ FB NQ FB $ ll ll!-ll
tasya pun rasanam iti |
jala-bhmndu-sampta-kmdi-kyety eka padam |
govindyeti dvityam | gopjaneti ttyam |
vallabhyeti turyam | svheti pacamam iti |
paca-pada japan pacga dyv-bhm srycandramasau sgn
tad-rpatay brahma sampadyate brahma sampadyata iti ||
tasya his; puna further; rasanam relishing, mantra; iti now; jala
water; bhmi earth; indu moon; sampta combination; kmdi
beginning with the kma-bja; kya the word kya; iti thus;
eka one; padam part; govindya iti dvityam the second is govin-
dya; gopjana iti ttyam the third is gop-jana; vallabhya iti turyam
the fourth is vallabhya; svh iti pacamam the fth is svh; iti thus;
paca-pada ve-part; japan chanting; pacgam ve limbs; dyv-
bhm in heaven and on earth; sry-candramasau the sun and the
moon; sa-agn along with re; tad-rpatay possessing this form;
brahma Brahman; sampadyate is attained.
Furthermore, with regard to relishing Ka in mantra dhyna, the
kma-bja is the combination of water, earth, the vowel , and the
moon. The rst section consists of kya preceded by this kma-
bja. The second consists of govindya; the third, gop-jana; the fourth,
vallabhya; and the fth, svh. By chanting this ve-sectioned incan-
tation, one attains the ve-limbed Brahman, which is made up of
heaven, earth, sun, moon, and re.
In text 7, after the sages ask Brahm about Kas form, they inquire how
one relishes this form. Here Brahm begins his answer to this second
21
question. Briey, the answer is that one can relish the form of Ka by
meditating on the vefold mantra, kya govindya gop-jana-vallabhya
svh, preceded by the seed of the mantra (kma-bja, or kl) introduced
in this verse.
Kl is the seed of desire, from which the world above and the world be-
low manifest. Ultimately, it reveals the secret life of the Absolute. Kas
secret life, or ll, arises out of spiritual desire and is thus the result of Brah-
mans fullness, the joyous celebration of being fullled. Unlike material de-
sire, Ka ll arises out of completeness rather than out of necessity born
of incompleteness. Material life based on desire for sense objects, on the
other hand, arises out of the sense of incompleteness that results from the
souls misidentication with dull matter. By uttering the Gopla mantra
prefaced by the kma-bja, one can move from the world of material desire
to the heart of the Absolute and thereby enter the love life of Ka.
As discussed in r Brahma-sahit as well as later on in Gopla-tpan,
Brahm chanted the Gopla mantra preceded by the kma-bja for success
in creation. Because his desire to create was not entirely unrelated to the
seless desire to serve the Absolute in love, he was successful not only in
the work of creation but also in gradually transcending material desire.
Through the continued chanting of his dk mantra he was able to attain
the spiritual world. He thus progressed from sakma-bhakti, devotion with
material desire, to nikma-bhakti, pure devotion devoid of material desire.
He combined worldly aspiration with a desire to serve the Absolute and
thus taught by example how to dovetail ones desires in devotion by utter-
ing the sacred mantra and thereby realizing the heart of the kma-bja.
This twofold power of the kma-bja that Brahm experienced is described
by rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura in his commentary on r
Brahma-sahit (5.24):
One aspect is that it tends to make the pure soul run after
the all-attractive r Ka, Lord of Gokula and of the di-
vine milkmaids. This is the acme of the spiritual tendency of
the jva. When the devotee is free from all sorts of mundane
22
desires and is willing to serve the Lord, he attains the fruition
of his hearts desire, viz., the Lord r Ka. But in the case
of the devotee who is not of unmixed motive, this superexcel-
lent mantra fullls his hearts desire also. The transcendental
kma-bja is inherent in the divine Logos located in Goloka;
and the kma-bja pervertedly reected in worldly affairs sat-
ises all sorts of desires of this mundane world.
The kma-bja and Gopla mantra facilitated Brahms mundane affair of
creation inasmuch as the letters of the kma-bja and the other elements of
the Gopla mantra represent various aspects of the creation in the form of
sound. Brahm thus employed these sounds in his act of creation. How the
various aspects of the creation are represented in the syllables of this eso-
teric mantra is explained in this verse as well as in verse 26. At the same
time, Gopla-tpan recognizes that there are other scriptural explanations
of how the elements of the mantra correspond with different aspects of the
creation. Therefore, more important than the specic correspondence is
the fact that Brahm saw the subtle forms of the material ingredients with-
in the mantra and was able to manifest them by chanting.
As important as the act of creation was to Brahm, creation is not the
principal focus of Gopla-tpan. Its primary concern is the spiritual efca-
cy of the Gopla mantrathat is, the power of the mantra that enabled
Brahm to attain emancipation and love of God. However, an explanation
of the letters of the kma-bja in terms of their transcendental signicance
is not found in the text. Other texts have discussed more esoteric meanings
for the letters of the kma-bja, so we shall now briey turn to them.
The Rsollsa-tantra states that the kma-bja is Ka himself, the tran-
scendental Cupid, Kmadeva. Bhad Gautamya-tantra informs us that the
letter ka indicates Ka, the supreme purua and embodiment of eternali-
ty, knowledge, and bliss. In the same text, the letter in kl is said to indi-
cate the supreme prakti, r Rdh. Rdh and Kas mutual ecstatic ex-
change of transcendental love is implied by la, and the anusvara and bindu
indicate the ecstatic sweetness of their most blissful kiss.
23
The Sanat-kumra-sahit explains further: O Nrada, this kma-bja
is not simply a combination of sounds; it is the body of the Lord himself.
The ka contains Kas scalp, forehead, eyebrows, nose, eyes, and ears. La
is his cheeks, chin, jaws, neck, throat, and back. is his shoulders, arms, el-
bows, hands, ngers, and ngernails. The half-moon is his chest, belly,
sides, navel, and waist. The bindu is his thighs, knees, hips, calves, ankles,
feet, soles, toes, and toenails.
Although Brahm himself does not provide us with any explanation of
how his spiritual ideal is represented in the letters of the kma-bja, he
does mention in this verse that by chanting the Gopla mantra one at-
tains the ve-limbed Brahman, which is made up of heaven, earth, sun,
moon, and re. Prabodhnanda Sarasvat explains that by this statement
Brahm implies that when chanting the ve-sectioned mantra, one should
meditate on the presiding deities of each of the ve sections, starting with
heaven, considering them to be different forms of the Lord. He com-
ments that the fundamental name of the Supreme Brahman is Ka, and
thus this name appearing as the rst section of the mantra indicates that
he stands above all. Because heaven also stands above all in this world, it is
appropriate to equate the two. The second section of the mantra is identi-
ed with the earth because the name Govinda indicates one who gives joy
to the earth. r Govinda does so by enacting his ll on her surface, and
in doing so, reveals the earths glory: it facilitates the pursuit of his ll.
The third section of the mantra, gop-jana, represents the most effulgent
truth of the gops, who are the aktis of Ka and in whose presence he
appears most complete. Thus it is appropriately identied with the sun,
which is the light of lights.
The fourth section of the mantra, vallabha, refers to the husband of the
gops, who charmed them by his mastery of the ute during the harvest
moon. When Parkit Mahrja asked ukadeva how Ka could dance
with the gops when it appeared that they were already married to other
men, ukadeva replied that Ka is the husband of everyone, even the so-
called husbands of the gops. Because the moons rays bring joy to every-
one, Brahm identies the moon with the fourth section of the mantra.
24
The fth section of the mantra, svh, is appropriately identied with re
because it implies surrenderthe re of sacriceby which our eternal
relationship with the Deity is revealed.
Furthermore, the names Ka and Govinda in the mantra represent the
resting place of all beings, gods and humans alike. Thus these names are
appropriately identied with heaven and earth. The other three sections of
the mantragopjana, vallabha, and svhrepresent sources of revelation.
Thus they are appropriately identied with the sun, moon, and re.
Meditation on this ve-sectioned mantra preceded by the kma-bja en-
ables one to relish delight. Prabodhnanda Sarasvat says that this delight
(tasya pun rasanam) implies prema, in which the effect, the experience of
relishing, is assimilated with its cause. In other words, the relish itself be-
comes one with Ka.
13. "9 d l
_""H" d
H" H[ l
NFd"B'F
FFF F ll $ l ll!ll
tad ea loka |
kl ity etad dv dya kya
govindya gopjanavallabhyeti |
bhad-bhnavysakd uccared yo sau
gatis tasysti maku nny gati syt || iti |
tat then; ea this; loka verse; kl the seed syllable kl; iti
thus; etat this; dau at rst; dya taking; kya to Ka;
govindya to Govinda; gop-jana-vallabhya to Gop-jana-vallabha; iti
thus; bhad-bhnavy great daughter of the sun (svh); asakt fre-
quently; uccaret would utter; ya whoever; asau that; gati des-
tination; tasya his; asti is; maku quickly; na no; any other;
gati destination; syt is possible; iti so it is said.
25
In this connection, the following verse is given:
One rst utters the seed kl, following it with kya, govindya,
and then gopjana-vallabhya. One who utters this mantra even once,
concluding with the great daughter of the sun (i.e., svh), will at-
tain the supreme destination; he will know no other destination.
One who chants the Gopla mantra preceded by the kma-bja, under-
standing its meaning as explained by the spiritual preceptor, can directly
attain the highest destination. Such a devotee can thus circumvent the
usual course of gradual elevation through different planes leading to lib-
eration. This is what Gopla-tpan implies in stating that simply by
chanting this mantra once, one will attain the supreme destination and
no other.
In r Gtopaniad, Ka informs Arjuna that his devotees need not be
concerned with passing from the world through the path of light as op-
posed to that of darkness.
11
The path of light gradually elevates one by the
grace of the presiding ativhika-devasthe deities of re, light, day, the
bright lunar fortnight, and the six months of the suns northern solstice.
While this is the auspicious yogic path leading to liberation, Kas devo-
tees need not be concerned with it, because their concern for Ka causes
him to personally deliver them. He does so with the help of the daughter
of the sun.
In this verse the words great daughter of the sun (bhad-bhnav) tell
us something more about the word svh (previously identied with sacri-
ce and yogamy) in terms of its illuminating the path to liberation and
love of Ka.
12
In rmad-Bhgavatam (10.58.20), Kas wife Klind
states that she is the daughter of the sun, aha devasya savitur duhit. This
same Klind is the goddess of the sacred river Yamun.
11. See Swm B. V. Tripurri, Bhagavad-gt: Its Feeling and Philosophy (San Rafael, CA:
Mandala, 2001), 27881.
12. The words bhad-bhnav are unusual as they have no dictionary meaning, only this eso-
teric meaning, which has not been recorded anywhere else.
26
Yamun-dev is identied microcosmically and macrocosmically with
the suum n, the mystic pathway to liberation. Microcosmically, the
suum n appears in the subtle body as the channel from the heart to
the top of the head through which successful yogs travel when leaving
their bodies in the course of attaining liberation. Macrocosmically, the
suum is the path of light passing through the sun that represents the yo-
gic pathway to liberation on leaving the material body. Yamun-dev thus
illumines the yogic path to liberation.
While the daughter of the sun lights the path to the world beyond the
material sky in her form as the suum n, she is also present in Kas
abode manifest here on earthBhauma Vndvana. As we shall see later in
Gopla-tpan, this abode is as much or more about the possibilities of liber-
ated life as it is a potent place from which to perform spiritual practice with a
view to attaining liberation. It is the land of ll that lies beyond the micro-
cosmic and macrocosmic sense of existence, even while appearing within the
world of the mind and senses. In that sacred mystical terrain, r Yamun-
dev ows freely in love of Ka, and Kas devotees who religiously
bathe in her water oat blissfully if not effortlessly on her devotional current
into the heart of liberated life. She is also known by the name Tapat

or Ta-
pan, and thus she too sheds light on Gopla Ka, as does this Upaniad.
13
After accepting the sannysa order, which is considered synonymous
with liberation, r Ka Caitanya offered the following prayer to the Ya-
mun as he desired to enter Vndvana:
cid-nanda-bhno sad nanda-sno
para-prema-ptr drava-brahma-gtr
aghana lavitr jagat-kema-dhtr
pavitr-kriyn no vapur mitra-putr
O daughter of the sun, although you have appeared in the
form of water, you are most dear to the son of Nanda, who is
13. See B 6.6.41, 9.22.4. Tap, the verbal root of tpan, means to illuminate.
27
the spiritual sun. You dispel the sins of all sinners. Please pu-
rify this mortal body (Cc. 2.3.28).
14
Yamun-dev is a manifestation of Kas akti-tattva, the fountainhead of
which is r Rdh. Thus the great daughter of the sun is ultimately
identied with Rdhr. It is r Rdh who more than anyone illumines
the path to love of Ka. Therefore, in the nal analysis the words bhad-
bhnav (svh) point to Rdhr, who is commonly known as Vra-
bhnav-dev. One who gets her favor conquers Ka, making liberation
seem insignicant, if even desirable.
Rdhs fathers name is Vabhnu, and the name Vrabhnav means
daughter of Vabhnu. Rdh is also known as Vabhnu-nandin,
she who gives joy to Vabhnu. Bhnu indicates the sun, and va means
the greatest or best of its kind. Brahman is the greatest sun, and thus
Rdh is the joy of the brightest sun (Brahman/Ka). Va also means
bull. The bull is the symbol of dharma (righteousness). Thus Rdh is
the joy (hldin-akti) of the brightest dharmathe prema-dharma of r
Caitanya.
Because Rdh was born at the rising of the constellation known as
Rdh, she was also appropriately named after it. Rdh appeared in Vra-
jabhmi in the year that followed Kas birth and under the stellar inu-
ence that marks the happiest day in his astrological chart. The name R-
dh also indicates worship (rdhan). She is the best worshiper of Ka.
15

While she is the Supreme Goddess, she is at the same time the supreme
example of devotion to God. She personies the highest expression of
self-sacrice, which is synonymous with svh. Rdh also personies
the hldin-akti, the potency of Ka that gives joy. Similarly, true self-
sacrice is joy. Thus Rdh is further identied with svh. Understanding
svh in this way while chanting the Gopla mantra deepens the devotees
identication with Rdhr and the hldin-akti.
14. Caitanya-candrodaya-naka 5.35.
15. B 10.30.28.
28
14. F l "'F
d l "H = d ll ll!Hll
bhaktir asya bhajanam | tad ihmutropdhi-nairsyenmumin
mana-kalpanam | etad eva ca naikarmyam ||
bhakti devotion; asya his; bhajanam worship; tat that; iha
here in this world; amutra in the next world; updhi desires; nairsy-
ena by the eradication; amumin in him; mana-kalpanam absorb-
ing the mental faculties; etat this; eva emphatically; ca and;
naikarmyam salvation, freedom from the bondage of actions.
Devotion is worship of him. Such worship consists of absorbing the
mental faculties in him without desiring anything in this life or the
next. This worship verily is salvation, or freedom from the bondage
of ones actions.
Here Brahm answers the sages third question, found in verse 7. How
does one worship Ka? One worships through devotion, which is briey
dened here in terms of its marginal characteristics (taastha-lakaa) and
primary characteristics (svarpa-lakaa). The marginal characteristics of
unalloyed bhakti (uddha-bhakti) are threefold. uddha-bhakti is devoid of
any innate tendency to act for a purpose other than bhakti itself, and it is
not encumbered by a desire for jna or karma. In dening uddha-bhakti,
r Rpa Gosvm says, anybhilit-nya jna-karmdy-anvtam.
Anybhilit-nyam means that uddha-bhakti is devoid of extraneous en-
deavor, and the words jna-karmdy-anvtam explain that uddha-bhakti
is not fettered (anvtam) by a desire for material acquisition (karma) or
liberation (jna).
16
Here in Gopla-tpan, Brahm speaks of these mar-
16. Unfettered by karma also means not thinking that ones bhakti will be hampered if one
forgoes mandatory (nitya) and occasional (naimittaka) acts enjoined in dharma-stra. It also
means not thinking that performing such acts will enhance ones bhakti.
29
ginal symptoms of pure devotion when he says that it is devoid of desire
for anything in this life or the next.
Rpa Gosvm says further, nuklyena knulanam: The primary
symptom of pure devotion is the ongoing culture of Ka consciousness
(knulanam) that is exercised in a manner favorable (nuklyena) to
him. Brahm speaks of bhaktis primary symptom when he says that it in-
volves absorbing ones mind in Ka. Absorbing ones mind in Ka im-
plies that one must identify with his will and act in accordance with it.
Both action and emotion are involved. Sanskrit verbal roots imply both of
these as well, and thus the word anulanam indicates the culture of exter-
nal practices (sdhana-bhakti) and the spiritual emotions they awaken
(bhva-bhakti). Practice leads to spiritual emotionthe owering stage of
lovewhich in turn matures into the full fruit of love of God (prema-
bhakti), the nal stage of uddha-bhakti.
All three of these divisions of uddha-bhakti are further divided into orien-
tations of reverence (vaidh) and intimacy (rgnug). Rpa Gosvm identi-
es the two kinds of devotional service in practice as vaidh-sdhana and
rgnug-sdhana. Vaidh-sdhana is the culture of pure devotion that is gov-
erned by the intellectthat is, the motivation to act comes from scriptural
injunctions or logic in support of bhakti. Its limitation is that its culture cul-
minates in a reverential type of love for God. Rgnug-sdhana, on the oth-
er hand, is governed by emotion. It is the culture of devotion inspired by the
love exhibited by Kas eternal associates in his Vraja ll. The culture of
rgnug-sdhana culminates in intimate, condential love of God.
Although it is necessary to absorb ones mind in God in both of these divi-
sions, rgnug-sdhana is particularly concerned with smaraa (meditation),
and it is thus this division of uddha-bhakti that is being indicated in this
verse. Here the word kalpanam implies the meditative visualization em-
ployed in advanced stages of rgnug-sdhana. This is underscored in the
rst line of this verse by the words bhaktir asya bhajanam, Devotion is wor-
ship of him.
Prabodhnanda Sarasvat comments that Brahms conclusion that
worship of Ka is devotion is clearly indicated by the use of the dative
30
case in the principal Ka mantra (kya, govindya, gop-jana-valla-
bhya) as well as through the word svh. The word svh will be further
dened as self-surrender in the following verse. A word in the dative case
tells to or for whom something is done. Thus the mantra is saying, I offer
myself in surrender to Ka, to Govinda, to Gop-jana-vallabha.
Surrender is the stage on which the drama of bhakti is performed. It in-
volves not relying on our physical, mental, or intellectual faculties in and of
themselves but rather using them in giving support to the souls surrender.
Self-surrender is the underlying root of the tree of bhakti, whereas bhaktis
branches are the various uses of our human faculties in the service of devo-
tion. The owers that grow on these branches are the spiritual emotions
(bhva), which then ripen into the fruit of pure love (Ka prema).
The previous verse mentions that by chanting the Gopla mantra one
very quickly (maku) attains freedom from karmic bondage. This result is
a by-product of the culture of pure devotion and rgnug-bhakti in par-
ticular.
17
Although the ripened fruit of rgnug-bhakti is difcult to attain,
liberation comes about through the ongoing culture of devotion without
the practitioners consciously aspiring for it. Rpa Gosvm lists making
small of liberation (moka-laghut-kt) as one of the characteristics of ud-
dha-bhakti. Thus liberation is contained within pure devotion. In this verse
devotion is described as naikarmya, which means exemption from the
necessity to perform religious or worldly acts.
Thus the bhakti of Gopla-tpan is not a means to an end, upon attain-
ing which bhakti herself is abandoned. This Upaniad advocates bhakti for
bhaktis sake. However, those who employ bhakti to attain nondevotional
liberation easily attain it by the grace of Bhakti-dev, who manifests a sattva-
gua form of herself (sttvik-bhakti) to assist them.
15. d H N'
H" F N'''' l
17. Whereas in vaidh-bhakti devotional liberation is aspired for, in rgnug-bhakti such an
aspiration is considered an impediment to attaining prti, intimate spiritual love of Ka.
31
H[ H "'
FH "F ll!7ll
ka ta vipr bahudh yajanti
govinda santa bahudhrdhayanti |
gop-jana-vallabho bhuvanni dadhre
svhrito jagad aijat suret ||
ka to Ka; ta him; vipr the brhmaas; bahudh copi-
ously; yajanti sacrice; govinda Govinda; santa being; bahudh
in many ways; rdhayanti worship; gop-jana-vallabha Gop-
jana-vallabha; bhuvanni the worlds; dadhre has taken hold; svh-
rita taking refuge in svh; jagat the universe; aijat quickened;
suret the virile semen.
The brhmaas have copiously sacriced to that Ka. They have
worshiped him as Govinda. He is Gop-jana-vallabha, who has taken
hold of the planets. Taking shelter of svh, he became the virile se-
men that quickened the universe.
As Brahm continues, he describes a gradation of worship that corresponds
to the mantras three names: Ka, Govinda, and Gop-jana-vallabha. In
so doing, he demonstrates how the scope of the mantra includes the en-
tirety of Ka ll, with each of the three names of God representing dif-
ferent entry points into that ll. Ka is he whom the brhmaas have as-
certained to be the Supreme God, and thus they worship him in the form
of the Deity. Prabodhnanda Sarasvat understands the word yajanti con-
nected to the name Ka in this verse to mean pjayanti, implying the
path of ritualistic worship (arcana-mrga), which is generally tempered
with reverence.
In contrast to the names Govinda and Gop-jana-vallabha, the name
Ka in the mantra corresponds more with love of Ka experienced in
vaidh-bhakti, a spiritual practice in which ritualistic worship (arcana) is
32
more prominent, leading to love of God tinged with reverence. Devotees
who aspire to serve Ka in his lls in Dvrakwhere a stronger sense
of his majesty prevailsworship him through the sdhana of vaidh-bhakti.
They experience the mantra to be speaking primarily of Ka, who is also
known for his Vraja ll, in which he is a cowherder (Govinda) and the lov-
er of the gops (Gop-jana-vallabha).
While the name Ka is the least specic of the three names and per-
tains to all manifestations of his divine ll, the name Govinda refers only
to his Vraja ll. There Govinda is the friend of the cows and one of the
cowherds himself. With his many friends he wanders throughout the for-
est herding Nandas cows. His cowherd friends are on an equal footing
with him. They know no distinction between his body and theirs, and thus
they never hesitate to embrace him or even climb on his shoulders. Those
who aspire for this ideal in rgnug-bhakti experience the Gopla mantra
to be speaking primarily of Govinda, who is also known as Ka and
Gop-jana-vallabha.
18

In the second pada of this verse, the word rdhayanti is used in relation
to Govinda, as opposed to yajanti, which is used in relation to the name
Ka in the rst pada. rdhayanti implies a worship that is superior to
that indicated by the word yajanti, again distinguishing the rga-mrga
from the path of vaidh-bhakti. Vivantha Cakravart hkura says that
while many brhmaas worship Ka and follow the path of the stras
(vaidh-sdhana), many others follow the path of spontaneous love
(rgnug-sdhana), worshiping Govinda as the hero of Gokula, just as its
eternal residents do. Prabodhnanda Sarasvat similarly suggests that the
word vipr in relation to the word rdhayanti means, those brhmaas
who have attained the taste of passion, or rga.
Govinda also means one who gives joy to the gopas and gops, such as
his father and mother, Nanda and Yaod. They worship him in paren-
tal love, and those who follow in their footsteps will see the names
18. Other than the priya-narma-sakhs, Govindas friends do not directly participate in his
pastimes as the lover of the gops.
33
Ka and Gop-jana-vallabha in the Gopla mantra as aspects of their
Govinda.
19

The name Gop-jana-vallabha means the lover of the gops. Brahm
says that Gop-jana-vallabha is the one who has taken hold of the planets.
By this he means that in this form God has bestowed his mercy on the uni-
verse. r Caitanya Mahprabhu is this same Gop-jana-vallabha. He is
Ka, the lover of the gops, aspiring to experience the love of his principal
gop, Rdh. His name is Vivambhara, maintainer of the universe. He
nourishes the universe with the distribution of extraordinary love of God,
unnatojjvala-rasa-sva-bhakti-riyam. One who comes in connection with
his lineage, the Gauya Vaiava sampradya, and thus worships Govinda
and Gop-jana-vallabha in the guru-parampar, receives the full measure
of divine mercy.
r Caitanya, while representing all the four spiritual sentiments of Vraja
bhaktisubservient, fraternal, parental, and conjugal loveis Ka in
search of the highest reach of Rdhs love for him. The experiences of all
three other spiritual sentiments of Vraja are present in the sentiment of con-
jugal love. Those who aspire for this spiritual sentiment in Kas Vraja ll
understand the names Ka and Govinda in the Gopla mantra to be as-
pects of Gop-jana-vallabha. r Caitanya Mahprabhu himself chanted the
ten-syllable Gopla mantra, kl gop-jana-vallabhya svh, rather than the
full eighteen-syllable Gopla mantra given here in Gopla-tpan. Thus it is
to be understood that the names Ka and Govinda in the mantra are not
absolutely necessary for those who aspire for conjugal love of Rdh-Ka.
Brahm concludes this verse by rening his denition of the word
svh. He whom Ka has taken shelter of is his devotee (r Guru). The
devotee is the shelter (raya) of a particular sentiment of divine love. He is
the embodiment of that love and thus the role model for those who aspire
for it. He is its shelter, and that love is a particular manifestation of Kas
19. The fact that Ka is the lover of the gops is known to those in parental love and secretly
approved by them. However, they do not acknowledge it openly in order to facilitate the highest
sentiment of unwedded love (paraky).
34
own nature, his svarpa-akti. Ka places himself in his devotee through
his svarpa-akti and is thereby purchased by him. The guru is such a devo-
tee, the embodiment of self-surrender. Through his agent in whom he has
taken shelter, Ka becomes the virile semen that quickens the uni-
verse. Prabodhnanda Sarasvat says this means that by the intensity of
his love he causes all the universes to be helplessly overcome by trem-
bling and other ecstatic symptoms. Such symptoms were exhibited by r
Cai tanya in his crya-ll, his pastime of teaching the path of rga-bhakti
by his own example.
16. H~d H H8
^ NH l
dF~d' {~
="F " H ll!ll
vyur yathaiko bhuvana pravio
janye janye paca-rpo babhva |
kas tathaiko pi jagad-dhitrtha
abdensau pacapado vibhti || iti |
vyu the air; yath as; eka one; bhuvana the world; pravia
entered; janye janye in each body or manifestation of the creation; pa-
ca-rpa ve-formed; babhva becomes; ka Ka; tath
so too; eka one; api even though; jagat [of] the universe; hita-
artha for the welfare; abdena by the sound; asau that; paca-pada
ve-sectioned; vibhti illumines; iti so it is said.
Just as the air enters into the universe and takes ve forms in each
body, so too does Ka, though one, take this ve-sectioned form of
sound for the welfare of the world.
Brahm further stresses that the mantra, although vefold, represents one
entity, Parabrahman. Thus he gives an example: air is essentially one sub-
35
stance but expresses itself in ve forms within the material body to facili-
tate bodily functions.
20
Similarly, Parabrahman is essentially one entity,
yet for the welfare of the world manifests in a vefold way to give spiritual
life to the worlds inhabitants.
17. = l 3FF
H"F' N ll!Oll
te hocu | upsanam etasya paramtmano
govindasykhildhrio brhti ||
te ha they; cu said; upsanam worship; etasya his; paramtma-
na of the Supreme Soul; govindasya of Govinda; akhila-dhria
of he who contains all; brhi tell; iti end of question.
The sages said: Tell us the means of worshiping (upsan) the Su-
preme Soul, Govinda, who contains everything.
Having heard about the nature of worship in the previous verse, the sages
now ask about the method of worship.
18. 3H= l F 8N
"d'M "BN
d $ NH FNQ'
] ~HH B H8
dH]HF"H"""
HF"H"~"'H l
F'F =FF
H H ll!ll
20. According to the yogic worldview, the life air is one substance, but within the body it ap-
pears vefold as pra, apna, vyna, udna, and samna. See Gopala-tpan 2.79.
36
tn uvca | yat tasya pha hairaya-palam ambuja tad-antarlike
nalsra-yuga tadantardy-arkhila-bja kya nama iti bjrtha sa-
brahmam dhya | anaga-gyatr yathvad vylikhya bh-maala
la-veita ktvga-vsudeva-rukmiy-di-kha-aktndrdi-vasudevdi-
prthdi-nidhy-vta yajet | sandhysu pratipattibhir upacrais
tensykhila bhavaty akhila bhavatti ||
tn to them; uvca he said; yat what; tasya his; pha seat;
hairaya golden; aa-palam eight-petaled; ambuja lotus; tad-
antarlike in the whorl thereof; anala-asra-yuga a six-pointed star
of two inverted triangles; tat-antar in the center of which; di-
arkhila-bja preceded by the foremost of seed mantras; kya nama
iti and the words kya nama; bjrtha the meaning of the seed
mantra; sa-brahmam with the [full] mantra; dhya placing; anaga-
gyatr the kma-gyatr mantra; yathvat properly; vylikhya
writing; bh-maala the orb of the earth; la-veita encircled
by tridents; ktv doing; aga limb; vsudeva Vsudeva; rukmi
Rukmi; di and so on; kha the sky; akti the potencies; indrdi
gods like Indra; vasudevdi Vasudeva and others; prthdi Arjuna
and others; nidhi treasures; vta covered; yajet should worship;
sandhysu in the [three] junctures of the day; pratipattibhi signifying
surrender; upacrai with offerings; tena with that; asya his;
akhila boundless; bhavati becomes; iti thus.
Brahm replied: One should sacrice (yajet) to the seat (pha) [of
the mantra] (i.e., the yantra), which should be made according to the
following specications: It should have the shape of a golden lotus
ower with eight petals, within which should be a six-pointed star
made of two inverted triangles. At the center of this star, the mantra
kya nama should be written, preceded by the foremost of all
seeds (i.e. kl). One should also write the mantra that gives the root
meaning of the seed (i.e., the eighteen-syllable mantra) and then in
the proper place the kma-gyatr. One should then surround the en-
37
tire eld on which the yantra has been drawn with protective tridents,
and so on. In the spaces between the petals, the various other expan-
sions, deities, and energies are to be worshiped in the varaa-pj,
starting with the bodily limbs, then followed by Vsudeva, Rukmi,
the energies of the sky, Indra, his parents, Vasudeva, his friends like
Arjuna, and so on. By making appropriate offerings signifying surren-
der [to this yantra] at the three junctures of the day, the mantra will
bestow upon the worshiper boundless rewards; it will bestow bound-
less rewards.
This text gives a brief description of the Gopla yantrathe worshipable,
mystical diagram corresponding to the mantra. It is recommended that
one imprint this yantra on a gold or copper plate and consecrate it for wor-
ship. All the commentaries on this verse follow Vivevara Trtha, who has
given a detailed description of how to establish this yantra.
The conviction that sounds have corresponding forms or that sound
creates form is not exclusive to mystics. In the eld of cymatics, the study
of the interrelationship between energy and matter, it has been demon-
strated that sounds can be seen. Hans Jenny, a Swiss doctor and author of
Cymatics: The Structure and Dynamics of Waves and Vibrations, invented the
tonoscope about which he says, The tonoscope was constructed to make
the human voice visible without any electronic apparatus as an intermedi-
ate. This yielded the amazing possibility of being able to see the physical
image of the vowel, tone, or song a human being produced directly. Not
only could you hear a melodyyou could see it. By precisely controlling
the rate of vibration, which was not possible without the tonoscope, Jenny
attained identical results in repeated experiments. Relative to the yantra
and sacred sound, further experiments showed that when the syllable O
was intoned, the image produced was a circle lled with concentric squares
and triangles, closely resembling a yantra.
A yantra corresponding with a particular sacred sound, such as the
Gopla mantra, is thus a geometric diagram somewhat analogous to a
blueprint that forms the basis of a plane of spiritual experience, in this case
38
the realm of Gopla Ka. This sacred realm has sometimes been de-
scribed as a hexagonal gure. For example, in r Brahma-sahit 5.3 we
nd the following verse:
The center of the divine lotus is Kas residence. It is pre-
sided over by purua (Ka) and prakti (Rdh) and mapped
as a hexagonal mystic symbol in which the eighteen-syllable
mantra is manifest in six divisions together with the kma-
bja. The self-effulgent Ka stands like a diamond in the
lotuss central pivot. He is the reservoir of rasa, the greatest
bliss, the joy of love.
Before entering such a sacred realm, the spiritual practitioner becomes ac-
quainted with its blueprint (yantra) or an approximation of that realm in
the form of an altar on which the Deity of the mantra is installed. The
spiritual practice of meditating on the yantra or altar of the Deity is what
Brahma advocates in this verse in response to the spirit of the sages inqui-
ry in verse 17.
In their inquiry, the sages use the word upsana, which implies arcana. As
mentioned earlier, arcana is more closely related to vaidh-bhakti than
rgnug-bhakti. However, Rpa Gosvm recommends a rened standard
of arcana intended to nourish ones culture of rga-bhakti.
21
Indeed, r
Rpa and his contemporaries established Deities of Rdh-Ka and en-
gaged their followers in arcana. While they themselves were engaged in
bhva-sev of the Deity and thus were involved in direct service unobstruct-
ed by the medium of ritual, they simultaneously established standards of
ritualistic worship for beginners on the rga-mrga.
When such devotees initiated into the chanting of the Gopla mantra
engage in ritualistic temple worship of the Deity of Ka (arc-vigraha),
such worship serves as an aid to the internal visualization of Ka ll.
The ritual of rati, for example, is performed at specic times that roughly
21. Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu 1.2.296.
39
correspond with the daily lls of Ka in Vraja. Attending the early
morning rati of the Rdh-Ka Deities, devotees offer various items
and sing songs that correspond to the lls of Rdh and Ka taking place
simultaneously in the invisible world of Goloka. Although the ll itself is
spontaneous and ever owing on the waves of spiritual emotion (bhva),
those in whose hearts this ow has not begun envision the rati ritual as a
single framea still picturein the entire motion picture of the ll. Jva
Gosvm has termed this still-picture meditation mantra-may upsan,
which eventually gives way to svrasik, or spontaneous visualization of the
free ow of Kas divine play. Thus arcana can serve as a medium to di-
rect service. From arcana one can develop eligibility for bhajana, the cul-
ture of inner life in pursuit of entering the ll of Ka. Here Brahm rec-
ommends this approach to the sages.
19. " d H
d H FH d $BH
d' F N' H l
' '
F9 F 9 ll!\ll
tad iha lok bhavanti
eko va sarvaga ka ya
eko pi san bahudh yo vibhti |
ta phaga ye nuyajanti dhrs
te sukha vata netarem ||
tat so; iha in this connection; lok verses; bhavanti are; eka
one; va controller; sarvaga all-pervading; ka Ka;
ya worshipable; eka one; api though; san being; bahudh
in many forms; ya who; vibhti appears; ta him; phaga
upon his throne; ye those who; anuyajanti worship constantly; dhr
sages; te their; sukha happiness; vata permanent; na
not; itarem of others.
40
In this connection, there are a number of verses:
The one, all-pervading controller is the worshipable Ka. Although
one, he appears in multiple forms. Those sages who constantly wor-
ship him seated upon his throne attain permanent happiness, and not
others.
This next group of verses (1924) continues the discussion of arcana. Here
Brahm says that he will cite several verses concerning the worship of
Parabrahman in the form of the ve-sectioned mantra,
22
implying that the
verses represent his own experience, as no particular scripture is cited.
However, Brahms verses, while original, are based on those found in the
Vedas and in some cases are only slightly different from well-known Upani-
adic statements about the Parabrahman.
In this verse, Ka is described as simultaneously one and many. He is
one in that he is nondual consciousness and thus devoid of any internal or
external distinctions.
23
He is not constituted of parts that are different
from him. His form is nondifferent from himself, and thus there is no in-
ternal difference (svagata-bheda) in him. Nor is Ka different in sub-
stance from his avatras, who are all of the same tattva. Difference be-
tween objects of the same class is called sajtya-bheda in the language of
Vednta. If he were different from his avatras, he would suffer from
sajtya-bheda and thus not be nondual in the Vedntic sense. This is not
the case with Ka.
However, one may ask, Is Ka not different from his my and the
individual souls (jvas) who worship him? Rephrased in Vedntic termi-
nology: Is Ka not subject to vijtya-bheda, or difference between one
class of objects and another? According to Brahm, the answer is no. As
re is nondifferent from heat and light, Ka is nondifferent from his
22. Variants of the mantra cited here in verse 19 can be found in Kaha Upaniad (2.2.12) and
vetvatara Upaniad (6.12).
23. rmad-Bhgavatam (1.2.11) describes the absolute truth as nondual consciousness (adva-
ya-jna-tattva). Much of the Gauya understanding of the tattva of the Bhgavatam is based on
this verse.
41
my and the individual souls, both of whom are dependent on him. In the
sense that there is no difference between the energetic and the energy it
generates, there is no difference between Ka and his akti.
This is the metaphysical truth of the nature of the Parabrahman, who
nonetheless expresses himself in apparent difference for the sake of his ll.
Thus when scripture speaks of the Parabrahman, it speaks of the incon-
ceivable: concomitant difference within nondifference. r Jva Gosvm
has termed this metaphysic acintya-bhedbheda-tattva. While essentially
one, Ka is at the same time all-pervading. He is thus beyond time and
space, and controls both of them and everything else within their jurisdic-
tion. Although Ka is one, by his inconceivable powers he appears as
many. In addition to his appearance in the world in the form of the ve-
sectioned Gopla mantra, he appears in many other forms, such as his nu-
merous expansions during the rsa-ll and the brahma-vimohana-ll.
Whereas those who worship him attain permanent happiness, those
whose worship is focused on things within time and space cannot attain
enduring joy, for such things are here today and gone tomorrow. Because
they are impermanent, they cannot be worshiped in the true sense of giv-
ing ones self to them entirely and thus realizing a dynamic union with
them. Something that is unable to free one from the limitations of time
and space cannot bring enduring happiness.
Prabodhnanda Sarasvat comments that the word one in this verse
indicates that Ka is svaya bhagavn: he is without equal or superior.
24

He cites the statement of rmad-Bhgavatam (3.2.21), He is the Lord of
the three worlds, who is neither equaled nor excelled. Thus Ka is also
the controller (va). The adjective all-pervading (sarvaga) in this verse
further conrms this assertion.
Brahm stresses that sober, discriminating people (dhra) have reached
this conclusion about Ka. He is not alone in his opinion but is joined by
sages like ukadeva, the narrator of rmad-Bhgavatam, and all those in
24. Svayam = original = God. One who is svayam is the singular source of many expressions
of God.
42
the Bhgavatam that ukadeva mentions who accept Ka as their ia-
devat (worshipful Deity). This list includes all the principal inquirers and
those who answer their inquiries.
25
Because Ka is their ia-devat, they
experience a joy unknown even to those great devotees who worship
Nryaa. This is the implication of the words sukha vata netarem
in this verse. Use of the word sukha as opposed to nanda refers to tran-
scendental humanlike happiness, which is possible only in relation to
Ka, not Nryaa.
20. =>
d N H"' d l
'H '
F9 F{ 9 ll-ll
nityo nityn cetana cetannm
eko bahn yo vidadhti kmn |
ta pha-ga ye 'nubhavanti dhrs
te siddhi vat netarem ||
nitya eternal being; nityn of eternal beings; cetana conscious
being; cetannm of conscious beings; eka one; bahn of many;
ya who; vidadhti fullls; kmn desires; ta him; phaga
upon his throne; ye those who; anubhavanti worship; dhr
sages; te their; siddhi success; vat permanent; na not;
itarem of others.
There is but a single eternal being among all eternal beings, a single
conscious entity among all conscious entities, only one who fullls the
desires of the many. Those sages who constantly worship him seated
upon his throne attain everlasting perfection, and not others.
25. Parkit and ukadeva, Vysa and Nrada, aunaka and Sta Gosvm, Maitreya and
Uddhava, and so on.
43
Prabodhnanda Sarasvat cites rmad-Bhgavatam 10.14.57 as an expla-
nation of the rst two lines of this verse. This Bhgavatam verse is one of
the prayers spoken by Brahm in praise of Ka after the cowherd Ka
revealed his godhood during the brahma-vimohana-ll. At that time Brah-
m said, Everything has an essential value; the value of that value is
Ka. Just try to describe something other than him.

In the same way,
Brahm says here that it is only because Ka is eternal that individual
souls can experience eternity; because he is consciousness that individual
souls are also consciousness.
The one singular eternal (nitya) is the source of eternity for the many
eternals (nitynm). Similarly, this singular consciousness is the source of
the consciousness in the many who are conscious. It is signicant that a
plurality of eternals is mentioned in this verse. The plurality of individual
souls is not merely an illusory perception but an eternal fact.
r Prabodhnanda poses the following question while explaining the
second half of this verse: There are unlimited numbers of worshipers.
Will Kas relations with them be limited by his oneness mentioned in
the previous verse? The answer given: He is the one who fullls the de-
sires of many. Thus his being essentially one does not inhibit him from
the unlimited reciprocation required to satisfy all souls in terms of their
desire for prema, or perfection in love of God. In his Bhad-bhgavatmta
(2.6.21112), Sanatna Gosvm says that each of Kas eternal cow-
herds feels that Ka loves him the most and that it is indeed wonderful
that each of them is correct. All souls can attain everlasting perfection
through devotion to him.
21. WTai' H "
B F d l
9F ^
d"" "H ll-!ll
44
etad dhi vio parama pada ye
nityodyukt sayajante na kmn |
tem asau gopa-rpa prayatnt
prakayed tma-pada tadaiva ||
etat hi this certainly; vio of Viu; parama supreme; pada
situation; ye those who; nitya-udyukt making a constant effort;
sayajante worship; na not; kmn desires; tem of them; asau
that; gopa-rpa in the form of a cowherd; prayatnt taking care;
prakayet reveals; tma-pada his own abode; tad then; eva
most assuredly.
To those who are constantly engaged in worshiping this supreme
abode of Viu rather than their material desires, he immediately ap-
pears in the form of a cowherd boy and carefully reveals his own abode
(tma-padam) at that very time.
The worshipable altar of the Gopla mantra introduced in text 18 (pha/
yantra) is further described in this verse as the supreme abode of Viu
(vio parama padam). The highest plane of consciousness is God con-
sciousness, and within that plane Ka consciousness is superlative.
While Ka appears as a cowherd, he is actually God (Viu), and it is be-
cause he is God that his humanlike ll is so sweet and attractive.
Kas carefree play, which is aloof from involvement with the materi-
al world, is perhaps the best evidence of his supremacy. In order to play,
one must have power. He who plays the most has the most freedom and
power. In r Gtopaniad Ka says that he sustains the entire universe by
a mere portion of himself. This portion (eka) is Viu.
26
While Viu
has some involvement in the material world as its maintainer, Govinda is
that manifestation of God who, lost in divine play with his devotes, has
forgotten about his godhood. rmad-Bhgavatam (10.33.39) advises its
26. See Swm Tripurri, Bhagavad-gt, 35556.
45
readers to note that while Ka appears to dance with unmarried milk-
maids as if he were an ordinary human, he is Viu (God). It teaches that
those who listen with rm faith to descriptions of Kas conjugal love af-
fairs attain a state of devotion that frees them from material conditioning
and establishes them in transcendental love of God.
The stage of constant worship referred to in this verse corresponds to the
stage of rm faith (nih). Ardently listening to descriptions of Ka ll
from the lips of realized souls and worshiping Ka under their guidance
begets revelation of Gopla Ka and his abode. Such revelation is possi-
ble in the stage of uninterrupted spiritual practice, even before one attains
spiritual perfection. Ka reveals himself in this way to help the spiritual
practitioner advance systematically in terms of a specic spiritual focus.
27

Here Gopla-tpan is also saying that ajta-ruci rgnug-bhakti appro-
priately supported by the limbs of vaidh-bhaktisuch as hearing, chant-
ing, remembering, and worshiping the Deityresults in revelation of
Gopla Ka and his abode and thereby eligibility for rgnug proper
(jta-ruci rgnug-bhakti). The mature culture of rgnug-bhakti in-
volves living meditatively in Kas abode. Jva Gosvm renders the
words tma-padam in this verse as his own abode.
r Baladeva Vidybhaa has cited this verse in his Govinda-bhya
(4.3.16) to corroborate the Brahma-stras conclusion that upon passing at
death, devotees who are very dear to God go directly to his abode. They
do not have to take the gradual course via the tivhika deities, nor do they
need to be concerned with passing at an auspicious time.
28
This, however,
does not entirely apply to those following the path of rgnug-bhakti, al-
though their position is hardly less exalted. They take birth in the earthly
manifestation of Kas ll, where they cultivate further developments of
Ka prema in the association of Kas eternal associates before enter-
ing Kas abode along with him when he leaves the world.
29

27. Nrada Muni is an example of this in vaidh-mrga. See B 1.6.1618.
28. See Swm Tripurri, Bhagavad-gt, 27881.
29. Sneha, praaya, mna, rga, anurga, bhva, mahbhva.
46
22. H NQ H"' H
HBFF F d l
"HN{d
H H ll--ll
yo vai brahma vidadhti prva
yo vidys tasmai gopyati sma ka |
ta ha devam tma-buddhi-praka
mumukur vai araam anuvrajeta ||
ya vai he who; brahma Brahm; vidadhti ordained, created;
prva previously; ya who; vidys knowledge; tasmai to him;
gopyati sma entrusted; ka Ka; ta him; ha certainly; de-
vam divine being; tma-buddhi-praka the revealer of self-under-
standing; mumuku the seeker of liberation; vai denitely; araam
refuge; anuvrajeta should take.
He who at the beginning of the creation brought Brahm into being
and then entrusted him with all knowledge is Ka. One seeking lib-
eration should take refuge in that divine being who is the revealer of
the spiritual intelligence by which one knows the self.
30
The knowledge entrusted to Brahm is the eighteen-syllable (ve-sec-
tioned) Gopla mantra, from which he derived all material and spiritual
knowledgethe knowledge of both creation and emancipation in love of
God. Thus Ka, who is nondifferent from the mantra, is described in this
verse as both the creator of Brahm and his deliverer as well. The spiritual
intelligence (tma-buddhi) mentioned here also refers to the Gopla mantra.
It is from this mantra that Brahm acquired his spiritual insight, and thus
Brahm appropriately portrays himself as the spiritual aspirant and Ka as
he who is permanently situated in transcendence, the giver of the mantra.
30. This verse is based on vetvatara Upaniad 6.18.
47
23. d
H"F " l
9F ""^
FF ll-ll
okrentarita ye japanti
govindasya paca-pada manum |
tem asau darayed tma-rpa
tasmn mumukur abhyasen nitya-ntyai ||
okrea by okra; antarita prefaced and followed; ye those
who; japanti chant; govindasya of Govinda; paca-pada ve-part;
manum mantra; tem theirs; asau he; darayet will show; tma-
rpa his own form; tasmt therefore; mumuku the seeker of
liberation; abhyaset should practice; nitya-ntyai for eternal peace.

To those who chant this ve-sectioned Govinda mantra preceded and
followed by okra he shows his personal form. Therefore, anyone
who seeks liberation should constantly repeat this mantra to gain
eternal peace.
Prabodhnanda Sarasvat comments that by prefacing the chanting of the
Gopla mantra with praava okra, one achieves the same result as that
of performing the elaborate ritual of establishing the Gopla yantra. He
also points out that this verse makes it clear that one need not attain the
qualications of a Brahm to derive benet from this mantra. Its efcacy is
open to anyone who chants or meditates upon it after having received it
from an appropriate spiritual lineage.
24. F" ""H
H"F H H l
"BF' F"B
F d~H ll-Hll
48
etasmd anye paca-padd abhvan
govindasya manavo mnavnm |
dardys te pi sakrandandyair
abhyasyante bhti-kmair yathvat ||
etasmt from this; anye others; paca-padt ve-part mantra; abh-
van have come into being; govindasya of Govinda; manava man-
tras; mnavnm of human beings; dardy such as the one con-
taining ten syllables; te they; api also; sakradana-dyai by Indra
and others; abhyasyante are practiced; bhti-kmai desiring worldly
power and opulence; yathvat just as.
All other Govinda mantras used by humankind, such as that of ten syl-
lables, are derived from this ve-part mantra. Meditation on it should
be practiced as was done by Indra and others who sought material
power and opulence.
This verse further glories the eighteen-syllable Gopla mantra by stating
that it is the seed mantra from which all other Ka mantras are derived.
The fact that all desires for opulence and material power can be fullled
from chanting this mantra speaks of its universality. The implication is
that Ka should be approached regardless of ones desire, be it for mate-
rial gain, liberation, or devotion.
The ten-syllable mantra mentioned here is also prominent in the Gau-
ya lineage. r Caitanya himself was initiated with this mantra, as was
Gopa Kumra, the hero of Sanatna Gosvms Bhad-bhgavatmta. In
the case of r Caitanya, the ten-syllable mantra, gop-jana-vallabhya svh,
was considered sufcient because his personal spiritual ideal was clearly to
pursue the spiritual emotions (bhva) of the gops. Thus the names Ka
and Govinda in the eighteen-syllable mantra, which represent love in servi-
tude, friendship, or parenthood, were unnecessary for him.
Gopa Kumra, however, realized fraternal love of Ka. There are two
possible explanations for this, the rst being the simplest: while the name
49
Gop-jana-vallabha primarily represents romantic love of Ka, one can
derive from it any of the four primary spiritual sentiments found in Vraja,
Kas world of spiritual emotion. This is so because romantic love is ob-
jectively the most complete and includes all the excellences of the other
varieties of love within it.
The second explanation requires a brief discussion on the varieties of
fraternal love of Ka, one of which involves the cowherds participation
in Kas romantic affairs with the Vndvana milkmaids. Among the
fraternal devotees of Ka, four groups are mentioned by Rpa Go-
svm in his Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu: suht, sakh, priya-sakh, and priya-
narma-sakh.
Those cowherds known as suht serve Ka in fraternity that is accent-
ed by paternal love. They are his well-wishing friends. Those whose love
is accented by servitude are known as sakhs. The cowherds whose love is
purely fraternal are known as priya-sakhs, dear friends of Ka. The pri-
ya-narma-sakhs are Kas most intimate cowherd friends, and thus their
fraternal love is accented by sgra-rati, the sentiment of romantic love.
They assist Ka in his exploits with the gops. They are the bearers of se-
cret messages that Gop-jana-vallabha whispers into their earsmessages
of love intended for Rdh. They also deliver messages from the gops to
Ka.
Rpa Gosvm gives the following example of the nature of the priya-
narma sakhs involvement in Kas romantic life:
rdh-sandea-vnda kathayati subala paya kasya kare
ym-kandarpa-lekha nibhtam
upaharaty ujjvala pi-padme |
pl-tmblam sye vitarati catura kokilo mrdhni dhatte
tr-dmeti narma-praayi-sahacars
tanvi tanvanti sevm ||
Just look at Subala whispering all of Rdhris messages in
Kas ear. And Ujjvala brings ym-devs love letters and
50
secretly places them in his lotus hand. Catura places Pl-
devs tambla in Kas mouth, and Kokila places the gar-
lands made by Tr-dev on his head. O thin-waisted one,
this is how the priya-narma sakhs render service to Ka
(Brs. 3.2.44).
This verse implies that each of the gopas mentioned has taken shelter of a
gop group leader (ythevar). Similarly, r Govinda-llmta describes
how each of the principal priya-narma sakhs dedicates his forest bower at
yma-kua to a particular gop: Subalas Subalnandada is dedicated to
Rdh; Madhumagalas Madhumagala-anda is dedicated to Lalit; Ujj-
valas Ujjvalnandada is dedicated toViakh, and so on.
Thus although these cowherds are immersed in sakhya bhva, their fra-
ternal love is mixed with conjugal love like that of a sakh. Therefore, their
bhva is sometimes referred to as sakh bhva because they are involved in
Kas romantic life.
Bhad-bhgavatmta, while never directly stating that Gopa Kumra
loves Ka as a priya-narma-sakh, leaves room for reaching this conclu-
sion, harmonizing in a charming fashion the fact that Gopa Kumras
mantra was the ten-syllable Gopla mantra, although it could just as well
have been the adakara Gopla mantra of Gopla-tpan.
31
Gopa
Kumra attained perfection in fraternal love of Ka through the dhyna
of his Gopla mantra and the chanting of Kas holy names. In accor-
dance with the method of Gauya practice, as Gopa Kumra developed a
liking for a particular spiritual sentiment, he sang names of Ka relative
to that sentiment, names that would nourish it. In Bhad-bhgavatmta
(2.4.7) he sings:
31. Although Gopa Kumra (known as Svarpa in his spiritual body) is identied with the
family of rdm, a priya-sakh, this does not preclude his being a priya-narma-sakh. Vidagdha,
another priya-narma-sakh, is a member of Sudms family, and Sudm is a priya-sakh. More-
over, Svarpa is closely associated with Rdhr, taking her orders with great delight. See
Bhad-bhgavatmta 2.7.911.
51
r-ka gopla hare mukunda
govinda he nanda-kiora ka
ha r-yaod-tanaya prasda
r-ballav-jvana rdhikea
O r Ka, Gopla, Hari, Mukunda! Govinda! O Nanda-
kiora! Ka! O darling son of r Yaod, please show me
your favor! O life of the divine cowherd girls! O Lord of
Rdhik!
The names r-ballav-jvana and Rdhikea speak of Kas romantic life
and thus indicate Gopa Kumras acquaintance with and affection for it.
Furthermore, throughout Bhad-bhgavatmta Gopa Kumaras Deity,
the Deity of his mantra, is identied not just as Gopla, but Madana Gop-
la, romantic Gopla.
25. "F FH^~ H= H" l " H= l
NQFH = ' F ' F'N'
H 9 F"HNH ll-7ll
yad etasya svarprtha vc vedayeti te papracchu |
tad u hovca | brahma-savana carato me dhyta stuta
parama parrdhnte so budhyata |
gopa-veo me purua purastd virbabhva ||
yad because; etasya his; svarpa-artha the essential form; vc
with words; vedaya please reveal; iti thus; te they; papracchu
asked; tat u hovca he then said; brahma-savana the Brahma sacri-
ce; carata performing; me me; dhyta meditated; stuta
praised; parama supreme; parrdhnte at the end of my long
night; sa he; abudhyata awoke; gopa-vea dressed as a cowherd;
me me; purua person; purastt before; virbabhva appeared.
52
The sages then said: Please reveal in words the essential meaning of
this mantra.
Brahm replied: As I performed the brahma-savana, I meditated and
praised that Supreme Person who awoke [from his yoga-nidr] at the
end of my long night. That Supreme Person appeared before me in
the dress of a cowherd boy.
The sages were amazed to hear Brahm recite verses 1924, which further
reveal the glory of the Gopla mantra. Here they ask Brahm to say some-
thing more about the mantras essential meaning. In this and the next two
verses, Brahm relates some details about his experience of Gopla Ka
as the Supreme Godhead and his initiation into the chanting of the eigh-
teen-syllable mantra. According to the principal commentators, Brahms
performance of brahma-savana refers to the passing of the rst half of his
life in meditation and prayer, the result of which was that Nryaa be-
came sympathetic to Brahm and thus began to instruct him.
32
A version
of Nryaas instruction to Brahm is related later in Gopla-tpan,
where it makes up the greater balance of the prva-tpan.
As a result of Nryaas instruction, Brahm realized that Gopla
Ka is the supreme form of Godhead, one with yet simultaneously supe-
rior in transcendental excellence to his form as Nryaa. As is clear from
the verse under discussion, at that time Ka appeared before him in the
dress of a cowherd (gopa-vea). Thus Ka rst appeared before Brahm
in the form of Nryaa and then again in his original form as Gopla
Ka. As mentioned in the following verse, Ka then gave Brahm the
eighteen-syllable mantra and disappeared only to reappear later and ex-
plain the signicance of the mantra with regard to creation.
Other than Gopla-tpan, rmad-Bhgavatam and r Brahma-sa hit
also relate with some variation the brahma-savana and Brahms subsequent
32. Brahma-savanam is interpreted by most commentators as brahma-samaya, the time of
Brahm, or the rst half of Brahms life (Cf. B 3.11.3439). Savanam as samaya (time) is also
found in B 8.16.48.
53
revelation of Gopla Ka. In the rmad-Bhgavatams narration of the
brahma-savana, it is not obvious that Ka himself appeared before Brah-
m. Therein it is described that the four-headed Brahm searched in all di-
rections for his source and while earnestly searching heard the Sanskrit syl-
lables ta and pa. He understood this sound to be a divine instruction in
answer to his searching, and thus he engaged himself in tapa, penance.
33
Af-
ter some time, God appeared before him in a four-handed form and re-
vealed his abode. The description of the abode of God (tasmai sva-loka
bhagavn sabhjita)
34
and his form (kirina kualina catur-bhuja
ptuka vakasi lakita riy)
35
indicates that it was Nryaa who ap-
peared before Brahm. However, following this incident Brahm asks,
Please inform me how, in spite of your transcendental form, you assume
an ordinary form, although you have no such form at all (B 2.9.30).
While Nryaas four-handed form is overtly transcendental, Kas
two-handed form appears humanlike. It seems from Brahms question
that Ka had already appeared to Brahm in his humanlike form dressed
as a cowherd and at this point he shook hands with Brahm (prita-man
kare span).
36
It is not customary for Nryaa, who is worshiped in rever-
ential love, to shake hands with his devotees as one would with a friend,
which is how Brahm described this incident, yvat sakh sakhyur ivea te
kta: You have shaken hands with me just as a friend does with a friend.
37

Following this, Ka also told Brahm, All of memy eternal form, na-
ture, color, qualities, and activitieslet everything be awakened within you
out of my causeless mercy. Thus nothing about the form of God remains
to be realized by Brahm. Therefore, it should be understood that in this
conversation two-handed Gopla Ka adorned with the dress of a cow-
33. Here penance indicates spiritual discipline in a life of self-sacrice. The result of such
practice is mystic insight. When such self-sacrice is mature, it manifests as divine love.
34. B 2.9.915.
35. B 2.9.1617.
36. B 2.9.19.
37. B 2.9.30. In his commentary on this verse, rla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda
stresses that this exchange involved the intimacy of fraternal love (sakhya-rasa), which is not ex-
pressed between Nryaa and his devotees, but rather between Ka and his devotees.
54
herd appeared before Brahm and that it is this supreme form of God who
further instructed Brahm in the condential secrets of his own worship,
which constitute the essence of rmad-Bhgavatam, jna parama-
guhya me yad vijna-samanvitam sa-rahasya.
38
Furthermore, in the rmad-Bhgavatams namaskra verse, Vysa of-
fers his obeisances to Ka, the son of Vasudeva, and goes on to say that it
was this son of Vasudeva (vsudeva) who illuminated Brahms heart: tene
brahma hd ya di-kavaye.
39
It is mentioned in the Puras that Vasudeva
is another name for Nanda Mahrja, Gopla Kas cowherd father.
Thus the Bhgavata Pura conrms the Gopla-tpans opinion that it
was Ka in his characteristic gopa-vea who enlightened Brahm from
within his heart and appeared before him.
In Brahma-sahit this scenario is described somewhat differently.
There it is said that after Brahm underwent penance and meditation, he
received divine knowledge (divya-sarasvat) in the form of the Gopla
mantra, presumably from Gopla Ka himself. Upon chanting this man-
tra for some time and visualizing in meditation the yoga-pha of Goloka,
he heard the ute of Ka and thus underwent further initiation into the
chanting of okra, which is synonymous with the kma-bja, implying
that he chanted the kma-gyatr. This kma-gyatr is the gyatr that
should be chanted along with the Gopla mantra.
As mentioned earlier, a version of Brahms enlightenment is also related
in the second section of Gopla-tpan. In that section Durvs describes to
Gndharv the conversation between Brahm and Nryaa. It is not explic-
itly described that Gopla Ka himself appeared before Brahm at that
time. However, from this section in Gopla-tpan it is clear that following
Brah ms conversation with Nryaa, Gopla Ka himself gave Brahm
his darana and instructed him in the secrets of the eighteen-syllable mantra.
38. B 2.9.31. This verse indicating rga-bhakti prefaces the famous catu-lok of rmad-
Bhgavatam. Thus it is clear that in the catu-lok Ka himself and not Nryaa is speaking
about the supreme secret of rga-bhakti (parama-guhyam/sa-rahasyam), the underlying metaphys-
ic of which is acintya-bhedbheda.
39. B 1.1.1.
55
26. 'd "
Q8" FH^ F8 "H l
FF " l
H9 HA" d
" dd" d~H
$'N""FF"d $ _ d"F l
d""d F HB "d9 l
"MF" =" Fd" Fd" ll-ll
tata praato maynuklena hd mahyam adara svarpa
saye dattvntarhita | puna siskato me prdurabht |
tev akareu bhaviyaj-jagad-rpa prakayan |
tad iha ka-krd po la-krt pthiv to gnir bindor indus
tat-samptt tad-arka iti kl-krd asjam | kya-padd
ka khd vyur ity uttart surabhi vidy prdurakram |
tad-uttart str-pusdi ceda sakalam ida sakalam idam iti ||
tata then; praata bowed down to; may by me; anuklena
with a favorable; hd heart; mahyam to me; adara eigh-
teen-syllable mantra; svarpa identity; saye to create; dattv
giving; antarhita disappeared; puna again; siskata desiring to
create; me me; prdurabht appeared; teu in these; akareu let-
ters; bhaviyat the future; jagad-rpa form of the universe; prakay-
an causing to appear; tat that; iha here; ka-krt from the letter
k; pa water; la-krt from the letter l; pthiv earth; -ta from
the letter i; agni from re; bindo from the bindu; indu the moon;
tat-samptt from the combination; tat that; arka the sun; iti
thus; kl-krt from the syllable kl; asjam I created; kya-
padt from the word kya; ka the sky; khd from the sky;
vyu the air; iti thus; uttart from the next word; surabhi
sweet (adj.) or the heavenly Surabh cow (noun); vidy wisdom; prdu-
rakram I caused to appear; tad-uttart after that; str-pusdi
male and female manifestation; ca and; ida this; sakalam all.
56
Then, as I offered him my obeisances, he became favorable to me
and, after giving me the eighteen-syllable form of himself for the sake
of engaging in the creation, he disappeared. When I wished to engage
in the activity of creation, he reappeared to me and revealed that the
form of the future universe was present in the very letters of the
eighteen-syllable mantra. That is, water arises from the letter k, the
earth from the letter l, re from , and the moon from the bindu.
From the combination of all these letters, the sun arises. So I created
all these things out of the sacred syllable kl. Then, from the word
kya, I manifested the sky, followed by the air. From the next
word, I produced the numerous wish-fullling cows and various types
of knowledge. After that came this entire creation of male and female
forms.
Brahm is the purest of those souls under the inuence of the principle of
karma, as well as the embodiment of all such beings. He is thus both a jva
soul and the samai-jva.
40
rmad-Bhgavatam describes both his lotus
seat sprouting from the navel of Nryaa and Brahm himself as the col-
lective of all materially conditioned souls. Brahm alone is born from the
lotus, but his desire to create the world is largely a result of his being the
embodiment of innumerable jvas, whose desires necessitate the creation
of the world for their fulllment. In this sense the materially conditioned
soul is rst born as Brahm after each cycle of creation.
The Hindu, scripturally based notion of the world expanding and
contracting in perpetual cycles with no beginning or end in time is not
contradictory to modern scientic thinking. The same observations that
support the big bang theory also support the theory that the so-called
bang has no beginning in time and results in an expansion of the universe
over trillions of years until it reaches a point of return and contracts,
only to be expanded again ad innitum. The astrophysicist Paul Stein-
40. B 3.20.16. The samai-jva is the collective of all jva souls at the dawn of each creation
before they emerge into differentiated states under the inuence of the principle of karma.
57
hardt has recently put forth such a scientically credible explanation
called the cyclical universe theory, which seeks to explain recently uncov-
ered aws in the current theory of the origin and evolution of all known
things.
Among other things, the big bang theory does not explain the begin-
ning of time, the initial conditions of the universe, or what will happen in
the far-distant future. In Steinhardts model, space and time exist forever,
and the big bang is not the beginning of time but rather a bridge to a pre-
existing contracting era.
The cyclical universe theory has roots in even more complex ideas like
the so-called superstring theory, which suggests there are as many as ten
spatial dimensions, not just the three we know of. Several theorists believe
that the seemingly inexplicable physics of a big bang and a big crunch, or
subsequent contraction of the universe, might be explained with the aid of
these extra dimensions, which are otherwise invisible to us. Such scienti-
cally credible speculations about invisible dimensions leave room for ra-
tionally legitimizing the ontological reality of persons like Brahm and his
lotus birth, who are otherwise thought of as merely mythological. Perhaps
his chanting of the Gopla mantra can itself be construed as the big bang.
After all, those in the scientic community who have embraced the super-
string theory describe the world poetically as a concert of musical vibra-
tions, a song in the mind of God.
In the course of Brahms work of creation under Kas direction,
which facilitates the conditioned souls, he simultaneously demonstrates the
means for their deliverance by combining his desire for worldly interaction
with the desire to follow Kas direction. Through the medium of the
kma-bja and Gopla mantra, Brahm dovetailed his desire for creation
such that it was ultimately transformed into unmotivated love of God. Thus
he engaged in gaua-bhakti, indirect devotion, with regard to his work of
creation. In doing so, he teaches us that when our ordinary worldly activities
are performed so that they are conducive to sdhana-bhakti, they do not im-
plicate us further in karmic reactions. Moreover, they help to support the
culture of love of God. r Jva Gosvm describes this as tena a-tyaktena
58
vistena.
41
As Brahm became puried through engagement in gaua-
bhakti, he proportionally took up mukhy bhakti, or direct service to Ka.
In this verse Brahm describes how he saw the subtle form of the uni-
versal elements within the Gopla mantra. It should be noted that Brah-
ms creation is a secondary creation in which he arranges the universal el-
ements through the power derived from the Gopla mantra. The original
source of the elements is Nryaa.
27. FH ="_
H"dd HF]' ll-Oll
etasyaiva yajanena candra-dhvajo gata-moham tmna vedety
okrntarlika manum vartayet saga-rahito bhynayat ||
etasya of him; eva verily; yajanena by sacricing; candra-dhvaja
iva, whose insignia is the moon; gata-moham free of illusion; tmna
self; veda knew; iti thus; okra O; antarlika both before
and after it; manum mantra; vartayet repeats; saga-rahita free
from attachment; abhynayat attained realization of the Supreme Deity.
By practicing this very same mantra, he whose symbol is the moon
came to know himself, free from illusion. Thus anyone who repeats this
mantra with praava both before and after it, free from attachment, re-
alizes the Paramevara who is beyond material sensory experience.
To add to his own experience with the Gopla mantra, Brahm also relates
ivas experience. In doing so, Brahm explains that just as he attained the
direct darana of Gopla Ka by chanting this mantra, so too did iva.
Therefore, people today should also take advantage of it. iva is he whose
41. See Brahma-sahit 5.61 and r Jvas commentary. Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura
comments on the signicance of this statement: If whatever is accepted is received as a favor
vouchsafed by the Supreme Lord, that worldly activity will cease to be such and will turn into
bhakti. In this connection, he cites a similar statement from opaniad, tena tyaktena bhujth.
59
symbol is the moon (candra-dhvaja). He is also characterized as being free
from material attachment, and thus one who follows his example in this
regard while performing japa of the Gopla mantra prefaced by the sacred
syllable O quickly realizes the Supreme Deity. The words free from at-
tachment imply that to attain this result one must chant the mantra with
total concentration.
Prabodhnanda Sarasvat comments that the sacrice of japa mentioned
in this verse is distinguished from other sacrices in terms of the speed
with which it rewards the practitioner. In the Bhagavad-gt (10.25), r
Ka tells Arjuna, Of sacrices, I am japa.
28. " F" F l "HH = l
F" FF" ll-ll
tad vio parama pada sad payanti sraya |
divva cakur tatam |
tasmd ena nityam abhyasen nityam abhyased iti ||
tat that; vio of Viu; parama supreme; pada station; sad
always; payanti see; sraya the gods; divi in the heavens; iva
like; caku an eye; tatam expanding; tasmt therefore; ena
it; nityam always; abhyaset repeat.
The godly always see that supreme abode of Viu, which is like the
sun expanding through the innite sky. Therefore, one should always
repeat this mantra. One should always repeat this mantra.
42
Here the setting of Lord ivas darana of Gopla Ka is described. This
setting is the supreme abode of God, Mah Vaikuha. Brahm compares
that place to the sun, whose inuence expands everywhere throughout the
sky even while remaining localized.
42. The rst two sentences of this verse are found in g Veda 1.22.20.
60
This supreme abode is also known as Goloka. Those who always see
it are the godly, whose every action is performed under the vigilant yet
loving eye of God. Prabodhnanda Sarasvat comments that the word
cakus (eye) is a synonym for the sun, for it is said in the prayers to Srya
Nr yaa that are to accompany the chanting of the gyatr mantra, nama
savitre jagad-eka-cakue: Homage to the sun, the one eye of the uni-
verse.
The rst line of this verse can also be translated as the godly always see
through the eye of devotion the supreme abode of Viu in that plane of
transcendence. Just as the sun shines in the sky and sustains the world in a
material sense, persons of wisdom know from the spiritual perspective that
it is Viu who sustains the universe.
In this verse Brahm concludes the present lesson of this Upaniad by
urging everyone to chant the Gopla mantra. The repetition of the words
nityam abhyaset is meant to emphasize that one must make this practice a
daily function to achieve the desired result.
29. "d F ~""A
">~">"H $
HH dHFd dHF
FHFH" ll-\ll
tad hur eke yasya prathama-padd bhmir dvitya-padj jala ttya-padt
teja caturtha-padd vyu carama-padd vyoma iti vaiava-
paca-vyhti-maya mantra kvabhsaka kaivalya-styai
satatam vartayet satatam vartayed iti ||
tat it; hu say; eke some people; yasya whose; prathama-padt
from the rst element; bhmi the earth; dvitya-padt from the
second element; jala water; ttya-padt from the third; teja re;
caturtha-padt from the fourth; vyu the air; carama-padt from
the last; vyoma the ether; iti thus; vaiava-paca-vyhti-maya
made up of ve utterances related to Viu; mantra mantra;
61
kvabhsaka revealing Ka; kaivalya-styai for the attainment
of liberation; satatam constantly; vartayet repeat.
Some say that earth arose from the mantras rst element, water from
the second, re from the third, air from the fourth, and ether from the
nal element. One who wishes to attain the kaivalya state of liberation
should constantly repeat this Vaiava mantra, which is uttered in ve
portions and reveals Ka.
Prabodhnanda Sarasvat comments that up to this point the discourse has
been directed at those who lack faith in the effects of chanting the Gopla
mantra. Thus the importance of this form of spiritual practice was empha-
sized. Now, having awakened faith in this practice and its rationale, it is
appropriate to consider an alternative understanding of the mantra. The
alternative understanding mentioned in this verse is negligible, however,
and only concerns which sections of the mantra correspond to which as-
pects of creation. Otherwise, with regard to alternative understandings of
the mantra in general, r Prabodhnanda says it is reasonable to assume
that devotees may experience things differently.
Even after stating a slightly different opinion regarding the mantras
secondary effect in regard to creation, Gopla-tpan continues to stress
the efcacy of chanting the Gopla mantra with regard to its primary ef-
fects of liberation and love of God. Brahm describes it as a Vaiava man-
tra. The words kaivalya-sti thus imply the devotional path by which
Ka is attained. Although the word kaivalya is quite common in the
jna-mrga, it is found infrequently in Vaiava scripture. The common
understanding of the word is repulsive to Gauya Vaiavas. Indeed,
Prabodhnanda has said, kaivalya narakyate: Kaivalya appears like
hell.
43
In this case, the understanding of kaivalya that is compared to hell
is the liberated status of syujya, in which there is no opportunity to serve
43. Caitanya-candrmta 5.
62
God. In rmad-Bhgavatam (4.20.23), Pthu Mahrja also expresses his
distaste for this kind of liberation, tn a kaivalya-pate ve na ca.
According to the Bhgavata Pura, which Gauya Vaiavas consider
the ultimate scriptural evidence in support of their ideal, there are ve
kinds of mukti, four of which involve service to Nryaa. Living on the
same planet with Nryaa (slokya), attaining opulences like those of
Nryaa (sri), becoming a personal servant of Nryaa (smpya), and
attaining a form like Nryaas (srpya) are liberated statuses acceptable
to most Vaiavas. The rst three of these involve inward meditation on
Nryaa, while the fourth, smpya, involves serving in his manifest pres-
ence. Thus it is superior. The fth type of liberation, which involves iden-
tication with Brahman (syujya), is not acceptable to devotees of Nryaa
in and of itself, although the identication with the Absolute that it in-
volves is included in the other four types of liberation. Devotees of Ka
on the rga-mrga, however, nd all ve of these types of liberation unde-
sirable inasmuch as the desire for any of them is considered an obstacle to
attaining love of Ka, which is marginally characterized as being devoid
of the desire for liberation.
44

The rmad-Bhgavatam (2.10.6) also uses the word mukti in a positive
sense, meaning not only freedom from implication in the negative plane of
karmic involvement but also the positive attainment of love of God, muk-
tir hitvnyath-rpa svarpea vyavasthiti. There is a gradation in the
Bhgavatams concept of devotion. At the lower end it entails vaidh-bhakti,
culminating in reverential love of God. The four kinds of Vaiava libera-
tion are included within this kind of love of God. At the higher end is rga-
bhakti, culminating in spontaneous love of Ka, where reverence is over-
shadowed by intimacy.
It is noteworthy, however, that the conclusion of rmad-Bhgavatam
(12.13.12) uses the same word, kaivalya, to describe its ultimate goal: kai-
valyaika-prayojana. Jva Gosvm argues in Bhakti-sandarbha (1) that true
knowledge means to know that one has no existence separate from Ka.
44. Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu 1.1.11.
63
It is ignorance of this relationship that is the source of our bondage in the
world. Thus kaivalya does have a devotional application. Indeed, it speaks
of oneness in love the likes of which can only be found in rga-bhakti.
In his Tattva-stra, Bhaktivinoda hkura also offers a novel under-
standing of syujya mukti for Gauya Vaiavas, one that identies kai-
valya with rga-bhakti. In his comments on stra 19 he writes, Syujya
means union with Brahman. Those Vaiavas who are engaged in the sd-
hana of the sentiments of the gops of Vndvana can also refer to their
practice as brahma-syujya-sdhana.
30 31. " ~ l
F H"FH l
3 =~'H llll
"NFHd FF l
="_' " ll!ll
tad atra gth |
yasya prva-padd bhmir dvityt salilodbhava |
ttyt teja udbhta caturthd gandha-vhana |
pacamd ambarotpattis tam evaika samabhyaset |
candradhvajo gamad vio parama padam avyayam ||
tat that; atra here; gth verses; yasya whose; prva-padt
from the rst word; bhmi earth; dvityt from the second; salila-
udbhava the production of water; ttyt from the third; teja re;
udbhta arose; caturtht from the fourth; gandha-vhana the
air, which carries fragrances; pacamt from the fth; ambara-utpatti
the creation of the sky; tam that; eva certainly; eka alone; sa-
mabhyaset one should cultivate; candradhvaja iva; agamat went;
vio of Viu; parama supreme; pada station; avyayam the
imperishable abode of Viu.
64
The following verses give conrmation of the preceding statements:
One should exclusively culture this mantra. Its rst segment produced
the earth; its second segment, water; its third segment, re; its fourth
segment, air, which carries fragrances; and its fth segment, sky. By
so doing, Candradhvaja went to the supreme imperishable abode of
Viu.
This verse emphasizes exclusive culture of the dk mantra. We should
generally cultivate only one mantra (eka kevala mantrbhysa-mtra
kuryt). The reason for this is that such culture promotes the kind of sin-
gle-mindedness (ekgrata) necessary for successful meditation. Through
exclusive culture of the Gopla mantra, from which the creation ensues,
iva (Candradhvaja) attained Kas abode.
32. H{ H Hd
9"FF] l
" " "H
F HF"H 'H"F ll-ll
tato viuddha vimala viokam
aea-lobhdi-nirasta-sagam |
yat tat-pada paca-pada tad eva
sa vsudevo na yato nyad asti ||
tata therefore; viuddha completely pure; vimala spotless;
viokam free from grief; aea-lobhdi-nirasta-sagam untouched by
any contact with greed or desire; yat that which; tat-pada that
place; paca-pada the ve-part mantra; tat it; eva certainly; sa
he; vsudeva Vsudeva; na not; yata than whom; anyat
anything else; asti is.
The ve-part mantra is the abode of the completely pure and untaint-
ed Supreme, where there is no grief and in which contact with greed
65
and desire have been absolutely defeated. Verily, it is Vsudeva, other
than whom there is nothing.
The purpose of this verse is to stress that the mantra, Vsudeva (Ka),
and his abode (Goloka) constitute a single truth appearing in three forms.
Goloka is forever free from the inuence of the guas of material nature:
sattva, rajas, and tamas. It is the ultimate reality, which is nondifferent
from r Ka himself. This plane of consciousness is also known as va-
sudevasattva viuddha vasudeva-abditam.
45
In this plane of conscious-
ness there is no lamentation, greed, or material desire.
This verse says that other than Vsudeva, nothing exists. This is sup-
ported by r Gtopaniad (7.19), which states that Vsudeva is everything
(vsudeva sarvam iti). This means that the person Vsudeva replete with
his potencies, which are nondifferent from him, is the totality of existence.
Reality is a person. He is both majestic and charming. His majesty is such
that he is all-pervasive and nothing exists outside of him. His charm is
such that he defeats the lust of material desire in general and the charms of
Cupid in particular.
33. d H" F""H
" H"HFF
SaTaTa& SaMa<aae_h& ParMaYaa STauTYaa TaaezYaaiMa ))33))
tam eka govinda sac-cid-nanda-vigraha
paca-pada vndvana-sura-bhruha-talsna
satata samarud-gao ha paramay stuty toaymi ||
tam him; eka alone; govinda Govinda; sac-cid-nanda-vigraha
body of eternity, knowledge, and bliss; paca-pada vefold;
vndvana-sura-bhruha-talsna seated beneath a wish-fullling tree
in Vndvana; satata constantly; sa-marud-gaa with the Maruts;
45. B 4.3.23.
66
aha I; paramay with glorious; stuty hymns; toaymi I en-
deavor to please.
I, along with the Maruts, constantly endeavor to please with glorious
hymns that one supreme Lord, Govinda, whose vefold form is tran-
scendental existence, consciousness, and bliss, and who is seated at
the base of a wish-fullling tree in Vndvana.
With this and the previous verse, Brahm begins to bring his instruction
to the sages to a conclusion. In so doing, he begins his salutation to r
Ka, which continues in verses 3445. Brahm says that the object of his
meditation is Govinda, who is sac-cid-nanda-vigraha. Govindas vefold
form is the vefold mantra consisting of eighteen syllables, which is non-
different from Govinda himselfthe form of eternality, knowledge, and
bliss (as opposed to the formless Brahman). Govinda is the fullest expres-
sion of joy within the reality of nondual consciousness.
Gauya Vedntins experience ultimate reality as nondual conscious-
ness, which on account of its being joy itself
46
is experienced in three real-
izations through three paths to transcendence. These realizations of the
Absolute are experienced as Bhagavn, Paramtm, and Brahman to devo-
tees, yogs, and jns, respectively. The Absolute is joyful by nature. In or-
der to be so, it must also exist and be cognizant of its existence. While
there can be an existence that is not cognizant of itself, as well as a cogni-
zant existence that is not joyful, there cannot be a joyful reality that either
does not exist or is not cognizant of its existence. When existence becomes
cognizant of the extent to which it existsof its purposeit has reason for
celebration.
From the joyful Bhagavn, who is absorbed in divine play, an aura of
pure, undifferentiated consciousness emanates. This aura is Bhagavn ap-
pearing as Brahman. Paramtm is Bhagavn manifesting in relation to
material existence, which consists of the individual souls and matter.
46. nanda-mayo bhyst (Vednta-stra 1.1.12).
67
Paramtm expands and oversees this existence. In this sense, Bhagavn
represents the joy of the Absolute, Brahman consciousness or cognizance,
and Paramtm existence.
While the joyful Bhagavn exists and is cognizant of his existence, his
joy is so pronounced that in his most complete manifestation as Ka he
appears unconscious of anything else, including his own supremacy. As
Brahman, Bhagavn is primarily only cognizant. The joy of Brahman is
that of peace, and there is little if anything that resembles existence with
all its variety and movement in this feature of Bhagavn. Paramtm is ful-
ly involved with material existence. Although he is cognizant and joyful,
these two qualities are less apparent in him. In the Paramtm the play
that expresses joy is called si (creation). As Paramtm plays and thus
manifests the material existence, he also enters into every aspect of this ex-
istence as a witness. The stillness of Brahman lies in between the move-
ment in the spiritual world that Bhagavn is concerned with and the move-
ment of the material world that Paramtm is concerned with. Thus while
all threejoy, cognizance, and existenceare present in all three features
of Godhead, each feature is distinguished from the other by the promi-
nence of one of the three qualities.
According to this understanding, Bhagavn represents joy (nanda),
Brahman cognizance (cit), and Paramtm existence (sat). However,
Paramtm can also be conceived of as existence characterized by cogni-
zance of itself, and Brahman as existence in general. When viewed in this
way, Paramtm represents cit rather than sat, and Brahman represents sat
rather than cit. Brahman is almost always described in scripture as pure
consciousness, so it would seem natural to associate it with cit. However,
since consciousness normally requires an object one can be cognizant of, it
would seem more logical to describe Brahman as simple existence.
Paramtm implies variety and therefore greater cognizance.
From this angle of vision, Paramtm is a more developed manifesta-
tion of Godhead primarily representing cit and Brahman is the lowest of
the three manifestations primarily representing sat. As mentioned, Brah-
man, Paramtm, and Bhagavn can be further understood in terms of
68
their being manifestations of Godhead corresponding with three ap-
proaches to him. Again, the Godhead appears as Brahman to the jn, as
Paramtm to the yog, and as Bhagavn to his devotee.
In this verse Brahms realization is that of a devotee. His object of
meditation is Bhagavn r Ka, the form of eternity, knowledge, and
bliss. While we often think of form as a contracting factor, it can just as
well be conceived of as that which facilitates and thus expands ones capac-
ity to express oneself. Indeed, beauty without form is hardly beautiful;
beauty requires someone to know about it and celebrate it. Brahms ob-
ject of meditation, Govinda, is the form of beauty itself. He is ever-exist-
ing, all-knowing joy personied.
In this verse, the words marud-ga can be understood in two ways.
Overtly, they speak of Brahms worldly associates, the Maruts, or worldly
gods in charge of the wind. Jva Gosvm comments that this understand-
ing of marud-ga implies that Brahm is worshiping Govinda along with
the Maruts, whom he takes with him mentally, for on their own they are
not qualied to enter Govindas abode and have his darana beneath the
desire tree. This abode is only for the desireless.
r Jva offers the alternative possibility that marud-ga indicates the
eternal associates of Ka, by whom he is ever surrounded in love. In this
connection, he cites a verse from Padma Pura based on the Purua-skta,
in which the words sdhy vivadev santan appear.
47
Previously the
Sdhyas, the eternal lords of the universe, and so on, with beautiful forms,
lived in that highest heavenly abode (nka), taking on its glories. r Jvas
prama verse in support of this alternative understanding is based on the
g Veda: te ha nka mahimna sacanto yatra prve sdhy santi dev.
The term sdhy in this prama verse can be taken to mean either the
material demigods of that name or those who have achieved the goal of
perfection and are eternal associates of the Lord in his supreme abode, the
highest heaven.
47. atra prve ye ca sdhy vivadev santan |
te ha nka mahimna sacanta ubha-daran ||
69
Brahms own words in rmad-Bhgavatam also lend support to the
understanding of marud-ga as eternal associates of Govinda. After ex-
periencing Kas supremacy in Vndvana, Brahm aspired to become a
resident of Kas abode even in the most insignicant role as a stone or
blade of grass. Such desire is akma (desirelessness). The Sanskrit letter a
represents Ka, who says in Bhagavad-gt, Of letters I am a. Thus a-
kma means both no desire and the desire for Ka, who is attained by
loving service. Great souls and gods of this world desire this service and
demonstrate that any position in Kas abode, however insignicant, is
far superior to even the highest position attainable in the material world.
Brahm says that attaining any position in Vndvana constitutes the high-
est fortune (tad bhri-bhgyam).
48
Gods of this world who have realized
this truth attain that supreme abode.
Prabodhnanda Sarasvat comments further, Govinda is seated on a
throne placed on a jeweled podium at the foot of a wish-fullling tree in
Vndvana. There he is engaged in various pastimes with his associates.
The words marud-ga refer to these godly devotee companions, for
nondevotees have no license to enter therein. Brahm says that he praises
the Lord in their company because he identies so strongly with these
eternally liberated knowers of Brahman who have the everlasting associa-
tion of the Lord.
For those who aspire to attain Kas abode, his eternal associates are
more important than Ka himself. This is so because they embody the
love that the spiritual aspirant desires to attain. This love is itself nondif-
ferent from Ka, for his appearance in his form of eternity, knowledge,
and bliss (sac-cid-nanda-vigraha) beneath the desire tree in Vndvana is
in reciprocation with that love. The two, the pure heart of the devotee and
Govinda himself, are one and different simultaneously. The former illus-
trates how to attain the latter, and the effect lies latent within its cause. At-
taining Ka means attaining love like that of the inhabitants of
48. B 10.14.34.
70
Vndvana. Attaching ourselves in service to one of his eternal associates,
we experience the full sense of love of Ka through the medium of such
an associate (tad-bhva). This point is appropriately emphasized here, as
Brahm concludes his instructions on rgnug-bhakti to the sages.
34. H^ HF~H l
H H H" llHll
o namo viva-rpya viva-sthity-anta-hetave |
vivevarya vivya govindya namo nama ||
o O; nama salutations; viva-rpya to the form of the uni-
verse; viva-sthity-anta-hetave to the cause of universal preservation and
dissolution; vivevarya to the Lord of the universe; vivya to the
universe; govindya to Govinda; namo nama repeated salutations.
O. Salutations to the form of the universe, the cause of universal
preservation and destruction. Salutations to Govinda, the Lord of the
universe, who is indeed the universe itself.
Here Brahm begins his salutations to Govinda, remembering various lls
that Ka performed on earth. r Prabodhnanda comments that Brah-
ms salutations glorify both Kas majesty (aivarya) and his charm
(mdhurya). Thus both divisions of devotional spiritual culture, vaidh and
rgnug, are addressed.
After his initial enlightenment, Brahm again had the darana of Ka
when he appeared on earth. At that time, as if playing hide and seek with
his devotee, Ka hid the truth of his divinity from Brahm, much like he
did to Arjuna before enlightening him in his Bhagavad-gt discourse.
Brahms bewilderment (brahma-vimohana) brought out the supremacy of
Ka in no uncertain terms.
49
Interfering with Kas ll by kidnapping
49. See B 10.1214.
71
his young friends and calves, Brahm witnessed Kas power to expand
himself into replicate forms of all the stolen boys and calves so precisely
that their mothers could not detect that their actual sons and calves were
not present. Such is the nature of Kas love for his devotees: he knows
their hearts and thus everything about them.
50
Seeing this, Brahm was as-
tonished, and all the more so when Ka caused all the replicated calves
and boys to appear before Brahm in innumerable four-armed forms of
Nryaa, whose lotus navel was his birthplace. Thus Ka revealed not
only that the universe was contained within himself, but that innumerable
universes were within him as well as innumerable forms of Nryaa from
whom the universes originally emanated. Brahms use here of the word
viva-rpa indicates that he is remembering this particular pastime, which
had served to underscore his realization of Kas supreme position.
Chapters 1114 of the rmad-Bhgavatams tenth canto, in which the
brahma-vimohana-ll is related, are the most important chapters of the
text in terms of establishing the Gauya tattva of Kas supremacy
(kas tu bhagavn svyam).
35. H^ "^ l
d ~ H" ll7ll
namo vijna-rpya paramnanda-rpie |
kya gopnthya govindya namo nama ||
nama salutations; vijna-rpya to the embodiment of realized
knowledge; paramnanda-rpie who possesses a form of supreme bliss;
kya to Ka; gopnthya to the Lord of the gops; govindya to
Govinda; namo nama repeated salutations.
50. It is also noteworthy that these replicas of the cowherds and calves were not capable of
satisfying Ka to the extent that the actual calves and cowherds were. The former appeared
before Brahm as Viu tattva, whereas the latter were akti-tattva (svarpa-akti).
72
I offer salutations to Ka, the Lord of the gops, the master of the
cows and cowherds. He is the embodiment of realized knowledge and
possesses a form of supreme bliss.
Prabodhnanda Sarasvat comments, The embodiment of realized
knowledge means that everything is known perfectly through him.
36. d d l
d d llll
nama kamala-netrya nama kamala-mline |
nama kamala-nbhya kamal-pataye nama ||
nama salutations; kamala-netrya to the lotus-eyed; nama salu-
tations; kamala-mline to the one wearing a lotus garland; nama sal-
utations; kamala-nbhya to the lotus-naveled; kamal-pataye to the
husband of Lakm; nama salutations.
Salutations to the lotus-eyed Lord! Salutations to the lotus-garlanded
ymasundara! Salutations to the Lord from whose navel the creation
lotus sprouted! Salutations to the husband of the Goddess of Fortune!
37. NB d'F l
FF H" llOll
barhpbhirmya rmykuha-medhase |
ram-mnasa-hasya govindya namo nama ||
barhpa-abhirmya to one who is beautied by a crown of peacock
feathers; rmya to Rma; akuha-medhase whose intelligence is un-
restricted; ram Lakm; mnasa-hasya the swan of the mind; gov-
indya to Govinda; namo nama salutations again and again.
73
I bow down repeatedly to Govinda, [who is also known as] Rma. He
is adorned with a crown of peacock feathers; his intelligence is unre-
stricted. He is like a swan in the pool of the Goddess of Fortunes,
Rams, mind.
Govindas natural decorations such as his peacock feather crown indicate
his unrivaled beauty, which truly needs no ornamentation to shine forth.
This is the meaning of his simple decorations of forest wildowers and un-
guents made from different colored soils and minerals. Although the pea-
cock feather is a common ornament among Vndvanas cowherds, it is
particularly dear to Ka. Thus although Balarma and other cowherds
may adorn themselves with peacock plumes from time to time, they do so
in imitation of their comrade.
The name Rma in this verse directly refers to Balarma, but it is also
indirectly used as an epithet of Ka, just as it is in the mah-mantra
Hare Ka, Hare Ka, Ka Ka, Hare Hare / Hare Rma, Hare
Rma, Rma Rma, Hare Hare. Prabodhnanda Sarasvat gives its indirect
meaning as Ka with the enchanting form, who brings pleasure to his
devotees. When Rma is used as a name of Ka, it refers particularly to
the lover (or ramaa) of Rdh. This is indicated by the word Ram in this
verse, which is an indirect reference to the gops and Rdh, the source of
Lakm. Govinda, like a swan, swims in the pure mind of Rdh (Ram).
This verse of Gopla-tpan is reminiscent of the famous verse from the
Bhgavatams Veu-gta, which attracted the monist ukadeva to the reci-
tation of the Bhgavatam and marked the beginning of his conversion to
Vaiavism. He subsequently recited it himself to Rja Parkit.

barhpa naa-vara-vapu karayo karikra
bibhrad vsa kanaka-kapia vaijayant ca mlm
randhrn veor adhara-sudhayprayan gopa-vndair
vndraya sva-pada-ramaa prviad gta-krti
74
Wearing a peacock-feather ornament upon his head, blue
karikra owers on his ears, a yellow garment as brilliant as
gold, and the Vaijayant garland, Lord Ka exhibited his
transcendental form as the greatest of dancers as he entered
the forest of Vndvana, beautifying it with the marks of his
footprints. He lled the holes of his ute with the nectar of
his lips, and the cowherd boys sang his glories (B 10.21.5).
In this verse the Vraja gops are meditating on Ka entering the forest
with his cowherd friends and cows. In the Veu-gts seventh verse, they
actually begin to voice their love:
akavat phalam ida na para vidma
sakhya pan anaviveayator vayasyai
vaktra vrajea-sutayor anaveu-jua
yair v niptam anurakta-kaka-mokam
O friends, those eyes that see the beautiful faces of the sons
of Mahrja Nanda are certainly fortunate. As these two sons
enter the forest, surrounded by their friends, driving the
cows before them, they hold their utes to their mouths and
glance lovingly on the residents of Vndvana. For those
who possess eyes, we think there is no greater object of vision
than this (B 10.21.7).
In these verses the gops ostensibly glorify the love of the cowherds for Rma
and Ka, describing the supreme object of vision as the sight of Rma and
Ka entering the forest with their friends and cows. How much better is it,
then, to be in that picture and enter the forest along with them? This is the
gopas great fortune, and this wistful statement by the gops indicates a certain
jealousy toward Kas friends, for whom there are no obstacles to spend-
ing the entire day with Ka. These verses thus support the cowherds sub-
jective reality, in which they consider fraternal love to be most desirable.
75
However, Rma and Ka together are not the object of love for the
gops headed by Rdh. They mention Rma in this verse only to veil their
love for Ka, which they cannot express as openly as the cowherds can.
By mentioning Balarma and the cowherds along with Ka, they dissim-
ulate their conjugal paramour love for Ka. Furthermore, if a practitio-
ners heart follows the love of the gops, these verses will speak to him ac-
cordingly and he will have no difculty making Balarma disappear from
the poetry of this Bhgavatam verse altogether.
51
Those in gop-bhva will
hear the gops in these verses speaking of only Ka.
In the present Gopla-tpan verse, Brahm says that Govindas intelli-
gence is unrestricted (akuha-medhas). This is a reference to the knowing
that is automatic within love: when one loves, one knows what to do. This
is the intelligence Ka gives to his unalloyed devotees (dadmi buddhi-
yoga tam) such that they can overcome all obstacles and come to him
even, as in the case of the gops, in the dead of night.
52
38. dFHH d= l
H9_HB ~F~ llll
kasa-vaa-vinya kei-cra-ghtine |
vabha-dhvaja-vandyya prtha-srathaye nama ||
kasa-vaa-vinya to him who destroyed Kasa and his retinue;
kei-cra-ghtine who killed the demons Ke and Cra; vabha-
dhvaja-vandyya who is the object of Lord ivas prayers; prtha-sra-
thaye the charioteer of Arjuna; nama salutations.
Salutations to the Lord who destroyed Kasa and all his retinue, who
killed Ke and Cra, who is the object of ivas prayers, and who is
the charioteer of Arjuna.
51. See the commentary of Vivantha Cakravart hkura in particular.
52. Bg. 10.10. See Swm Tripurri, Bhagavad-gt, 33537.
76
Kasa-vaa-vinya refers to Kas destruction of Kasa and his asso-
ciates, such as the wrestlers Cra and Muika. Remembering Ka to-
day in relation to these demon-slaying pastimes will destroy ones own evil
tendencies. To achieve this result, the sdhaka must think deeply and in-
trospectively on the signicance of these lls and make a conscious effort
to remove from his heart whatever is unfavorable for spiritual culture.
After Ka defeated ivas devotee Bsura, Lord iva recognized
Kas supremacy and prayed to him. This ll is referred to here with the
words vabha-dhvaja-vandyya.
53
As Prtha-srath, Arjunas charioteer,
Ka demonstrates his most endearing quality of loving submission to his
own devotees, bhakta-vtsalya.
39. HH" " l
d"d dB' ll\ll
veu-vdana-lya goplyhi-mardine |
klind-kla-lolya lola-kuala-dhrie ||
veu-vdana-lya attached to playing his ute; goplya the cow-
herd; ahi-mardine chastiser of the snake; klind-kla-lolya who en-
joys playing on the banks of the Yamun; lola-kuala-dhrie who
wears swinging earrings.
Salutations to the cowherd who is addicted to playing his ute, who
defeated the snake Aghsura, who enjoys playing on the banks of the
Klind, and who wears swinging earrings.
54
One of the most charming aspects of Kas ll is his ute playing, which
has amazing powers. Ka is said to have perfected this art on the full
moon night of the harvest moon. At that time he was able to attract the
53. ivas prayers are found in B 10.69.
54. Prabodhnanda Sarasvat cites the alternative reading, valgave for dhrie, which empha-
sizes the added charm brought by Kas earrings rather than their simple presence.
77
gops and rmat Rdhr in particular to join him in the forest by
sounding the fth note of his ute. Each gop heard her own name called
when this sound entered her heart through the right ear. This sweet sound
awakened such identication with Ka that all the gops were able to
abandon all their household dutieseven the nursing of their infant chil-
drenwithout a second thought. The fth note of Kas ute is identi-
ed with the kma-gyatr mantra, which is to be chanted in connection
with the Gopla mantra. Thus there is a connection between Kas ute
and spiritual initiation (mantra-dk), both of which exercise a fascinating
and attractive power on all living entities.
In the poetry of the Vndvana Gosvms, the slaying of Aghsura,
commemorated in Kas epithets like Agha-damana,
55
Agha-bhit,
56

Aghahara,
57
and so on, are often juxtaposed with Kas lls of love with
the gops. The word agha means sin, and Aghsura symbolizes the compos-
ite of all sin. Love of Ka results in the removal of all sin.
40. H[H l
d llHll
vallav-nayanmbhoja-mline ntya-line |
nama praata-plya r-kya namo nama ||
vallav-nayana the eyes of the gops; mbhoja-mline who is garlanded
by lotuses; ntya-line who likes to dance; nama salutations;
praata-plya who protects those who surrender to him; r-kya
to Ka; namo nama I make repeated salutations.
I make repeated salutations to r Ka, garlanded by the lotus eyes
of the cowherd girls, the joyous dancer who protects those who sur-
render to him.
55. Namakam 5.
56. Ujjvala-nlamai 2.14.
57. Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu 3.3.50.
78
According to r Prabodhnanda, the lotus eyes of the gops are compared
to Kas perpetual garland because they are always xed on him.
41. H'' = l
H HF llH!ll
nama ppa-praya govardhana-dharya ca |
ptan-jvitntya tvrtsu-hrie ||
nama salutations; ppa-praya the destroyer of sin; govardhana-
dharya the lifter of Govardhana; ca and; ptan-jvitntya who
puts an end to the life of Ptan; tvrtsu-hrie the killer of
Tvarta.
Salutations to you, O Lord, the destroyer of sin, the lifter of Govard-
hana. Salutations to you who put an end to the lives of Ptan and
Tvarta.
42. d H {{H l
d llH-ll
nikalya vimohya uddhyuddha-vairie |
advityya mahate r-kya namo nama ||
nikalya who cannot be divided; vimohya in whom there is no illu-
sion; uddhya to the pure; auddha-vairie the enemy of the impure;
advityya to the one without a second; mahate to the great; r-
kya to Ka; namo nama I make repeated salutations.
I offer repeated salutations to the incomparably great r Ka, who
cannot be divided, in whom there is no illusion, who cannot be
equaled, who is pure, and who is the enemy of all impurity.
79
Prabodhnanda Sarasvat explains that the word nikala means free from
my. It literally means without parts. Thus he implies that freedom
from illusion involves transcending material designations (updhis) and
understanding all parts in relation to the whole (advaya-jna-tattva). r
Prabodhnanda comments that nikala can also mean one who causes oth-
ers to take up the path of religion. Kalayati means to enchant, and the
prex ni means completely. Ka is he who completely enchants all
living beings. Such is the force of charm and affection by which he draws
others to dharma. He is enchanting because of his adeptness in the art
(kal) of love. Prabodhnanda Sarasvat offers yet a third meaning for
nikala: One around whose neck hangs (lti) a golden ornament (nika).
Ka wears such an ornament in the form of a locket holding a picture of
r Rdh, just as Rdh wears one containing a picture of Ka.
The word vimoha indicates that Ka is so far beyond illusion that he
cannot be bewildered by great gods like Brahm, who tested his powers to
delude Ka during the brahma-vimohana-ll only to nd him entirely
impervious to them. Indeed, the gods themselves are bewildered by Ka
(muhyanti yat sraya).
58
While he is completely transcendental to illusion,
he nonetheless appears like a human being subject to the delusions of love.
Thus he is also bewildering even within the context of giving enlighten-
ment. Ka is so high that he appears low, so enlightened that he appears
deluded.
Vivantha Cakravart hkura maintains that Kas being the enemy
of impurity (auddha-vairin) implies that he removes material impurities
from the hearts of those attached to hearing and chanting his glories. In
this he has no equal, and indeed Brahm says here that no one can equal
him in anything. This is so because he is svaya bhagavn.
43. F" " F" l
'']l "8 { llHll
58. See B 1.1.1.
80
prasda paramnanda prasda paramevara |
dhi-vydhi-bhujagena daa mm uddhara prabho ||
prasda be merciful; paramnanda O supreme joy; prasda be mer-
ciful; paramevara O Supreme Lord; dhi-vydhi-bhujagena by the
snake of disease and distress; daa bitten; mm me; uddhara lift
up; prabho O Lord.
Be merciful to me, O supreme joy! Be merciful to me. Deliver me, O
Lord, for I have been bitten by the snake of disease and distress.
In the midst of offering Ka praise and remembering his wonderful lls,
Brahm spontaneously demonstrates the effects of such salutations. Con-
templating and praising Kas greatnessboth the majesty of his God-
hood and the charm of his subordination to lovethe great, highly intel-
ligent, four-headed Brahm realizes his own insignicance and breaks
down in tears.
The words vydhi and dhi represent the sum and substance of material
life. Physical pain (vydhi) is the inevitable result of pursuing material de-
sires, whereas one experiences mental pain (dhi) when such desires re-
main unfullled. The solution to this predicament is to take shelter of
Ka, as Brahm teaches by his own example in this verse. Brahm is, in
fact, a great devotee who demonstrates his humility with this prayer, and
any suffering he feels is born of feelings of love in separation from Ka.
44. d d l
Sa&SaarSaaGare MaGan& MaaMaur JaGaurae ))44))
r-ka rukmi-knta gop-jana-manohara |
sasra-sgare magna mm uddhara jagad-guro ||
r-ka O Ka; rukmi-knta O husband of Rukmi; gop-jana-
manohara O stealer of the gops minds; sasra-sgare in the ocean of
81
material existence; magna immersed; mm me; uddhara lift up;
jagad-guro O spiritual master of the universe.
O Ka! Husband of Rukmi! Stealer of the gops minds! O spiritual
master of the universe! Deliver me, for I have fallen into the ocean of
repeated birth and death.
r Prabodhnanda comments, The word r preceding Kas name in
this verse indicates that he possesses all excellences and that by his beauty
he attracts the entire universe. His beauty is so extraordinary that it casts
a spell of attraction on himself. When he sees the effects of his beauty on
Rdh, he desires to experience it himself through her eyes. Once in
Dvrak, he saw his reection in a jeweled pillar and found himself irre-
sistibly drawn to it. In Dvrak, Ka is the husband of Rukmi, Mah
Lakm herself. Thus in her company he is, in the words of r Pra bodh-
nanda, the possessor of the greatest riches and the king of kings.
Ka alone is the jagad-guru, or the macrocosmic expression (samai)
of the guru principle (guru-tattva), because he is the source of the knowl-
edge that all gurus disseminate; indeed, he is that knowledge. Whereas
Ka is the samai-guru, all others who represent him are called vyai, or
microcosmic manifestations of guru-tattva. Thus Gauya Vaiava gurus
generally do not adopt the title jagad-guru, which they reserve for Ka
and even more so for r Caitanya Mahprabhu, who is Ka in crya-
ll, the role of world teacher.
45. dH _ " l
H" " F{ 'H llH7ll
keava klea-haraa nryaa janrdana |
govinda paramnanda m samuddhara mdhava ||
keava O Keava; klea-haraa deliverer from distress; nryaa O
Nryaa; janrdana Janrdana; govinda Govinda; paramnanda O
82
supreme form of bliss; m me; samuddhara deliver; mdhava O
Mdhava.
O Keava! Deliverer from distress! Nryaa! O Janrdana! O Govin-
da! Supreme form of bliss! Mdhava! Please deliver me.
Here Brahm concludes his salutations and in the remaining three verses
of the rst section of Gopla-tpan gives his nal instructions.
46. ~ H F' ~ ~ "
d ' FF ~ H= llHll
atha haiva stutibhir rdhaymi yath yya tath paca-pda
japanta r-ka dhyyanta sasti tariyatheti hovca hairaya ||
atha ha so then; eva in this way; stutibhi with these hymns; rd-
haymi I worship; yath just as; yya you all; tath in the same
way; paca-pda the ve-part mantra; japanta chanting; r-ka
Ka; dhyyanta meditating on; sasti the material world;
tariyatha you will cross over; iti thus; ha uvca spoke; hairaya
Brahm.
In this way I worshiped him with these hymns. Now you should medi-
tate on Ka in the same way, chanting the vefold mantra. By so do-
ing, you will cross over the ocean of material existence. Thus Brahm
concluded his discourse to the sages.
According to Prabodhnanda Sarasvat, after chanting the hymns in salu-
tation to Ka, Brahm became immersed in love for Ka as the import
of his praise penetrated his heart. As a result, the knowledge of how to
please Ka became fully manifest in his heart. Brahm then chanted
more hymns not found in the text of Gopla-tpan, which were not only
more joyful and lled with wonder, but which revealed his desire to serve
83
Ka in a particular sentiment.
59
This is the implication of the word
rdha ymi (I worship) in this verse.
47. " HB
F F dH " l
"d F H "
H H H" llHOll
amu paca-pada mantram vartayed ya sa yty
anysata kevala pada tat |
anejad eka manaso javyo
naitad dev pnuvan prvam arad iti ||
amu that; paca-pada vefold; mantram incantation; vartayet
should repeat; ya whoever; sa he; yti goes; anysata
easily; kevala exclusive; pada destination; tat that; anejat
reached; eka one; manasa than the mind; javya more rapid; na
not; etat this; dev the gods; pnuvan attained; prvam pre-
viously; arat knows; iti thus.
Whoever chants the vefold mantra will easily attain the undivided
realm of liberation [described in the opaniad]: The Lord, though xed
in his abode, is swifter than the mind, so none of the gods can capture
him, however quickly they may run. He knows all before everyone else.
Liberation for the devotees (vaiava-mukti) is here identied with attain-
ing the undivided realm (kevala padam), Kas abode. Although this is
59. Gauya commentators differ on which sentiment this is. Most understand it to be the
sentiment of majar-bhva, which is the predominant sentiment of the sampradya, while others,
such as rla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda, understand it to be that of a gopa, skhya-
bhva. Commenting on B 2.9.30 (yvat sakh sakhyur ivea te kta), rla Prabhupda writes,
Brahm is denitely situated in the humor of friendship with the Lord. . . . It is clearly exhibited
herein that Lord Brahm is related to the Personality of Godhead in the transcendental humor
of friendship.
84
the acme of spiritual accomplishment, the devotee nonetheless easily at-
tains it (anysata) because simply hearing and chanting about Ka with
love or without ulterior motive is itself synonymous with such liberation.
The third and fourth lines of this verse also appear in opaniad (4),
which is another well-known Vaiava Upaniad. These lines stress the
transcendental nature of Ka and his abode, which are not limited by
time and space, being swifter than or beyond the mind. Ka pervades all
time and space and thus cannot be captured, nor can his abode be attained
by those remaining within the material cell and sentence of space and
time, even if they are gods of this world. In this regard, r Prabodhnanda
refers to the instance in which Ka revealed his abode to the inhabitants
of Vndvana in response to Nandas questions about their next life. In
particular he refers to B 10.28.1415, verses often cited by Jva Gosvm
when he writes about Goloka.
60

When Nanda heard Varua praise Ka, describing him as the Brah-
man, Paramtm, and Bhagavn of the advaya-jna-tattva that constitutes
ultimate reality, he was astonished. He related this wonderful incident to
the cowherd community and later, on their behalf, asked Ka what they
could expect in their next life. Ka took them to Akrra Gha, and as
they immersed themselves in the water of the Yamun under his direction,
he gave them a mystic vision of Goloka Vndvana, the heavenly expres-
sion of earthly Vndvana. He revealed to them that they would go from
his humanlike ll (nara-ll) to his godly ll (deva-ll), which are essen-
tially nondifferent from one another. They are, that is, constituted of the
same bhvas, although there are some differences in the details of the lls
expression.
Upon receiving this revelation, the cowherd community was overjoyed
to know that they would be together with one another, along with their
children, cows, and houses, in a setting much like their present surround-
ings. The natural environment would be the same as that found along the
60. See Gopla-camp 2.29.80, Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu 3.4.76, Ujjvala-nlamai 15.3.19, and
Brahma-sahit 5.5 as examples.
85
banks of the Yamun and at the foot of Mount Govardhana, surrounded
by lush forest. Such is the mystery of Kas abode. Intimate involvement
with the innite requires that the innite take on a nite appearance.
Kas descent (avatra) to the material plane of experience involves
the manifestation of all that is dear to him, his svarpa-akti. His svarpa-
akti represents his singular nature expressed in a plurality of family mem-
bers, friends, lovers, and so onexpressions in celebration of his own
completeness, his delight. The svarpa-akti is his primary akti, the foun-
tainhead of all of his innumerable aktis, by which the Absolute expresses
itself, even by creating and maintaining the world in all of its facets. For
example, the akti involved in sustaining the world has its origin in Kas
svarpa-akti in the form of his divine mother, Yaod. She is a manifesta-
tion of his dhra-akti within the general category of his svarpa-akti.
61

What we know as the sustaining force has at its source a personied ex-
pression of motherhood in the drama of Ka ll, where the person who
is reality plays. When this divine play manifests within the material plane,
we have an instance of the cause appearing within the effect and, in doing
so, appearing in many respects as an aspect of the effect.
Appearances, however, can be deceiving. Fire is not a product of wood,
although it may appear to be so when we rub two sticks together and
sparks manifest. is conceived of re as a manifestation of the sun stored
in wood, which is also a product of the sun, as a tree cannot grow without
the sun. Similarly, Ka is indirectly the cause of the world and directly
the cause of his lls manifestation within the world. This ll is the re of
the sun of his unmanifest ll. As re is the essence of the sun, so too is
Kas earthly manifestation the essence of his transcendental reality. His
humanlike ll is the essence of his godly ll.
Transcendence is generally considered the result of culturing detach-
ment. Attachment to ephemeral material names and forms on the part of
one who is eternal is illusion. When we stand back and view the material
61. dhra-akti is a subcategory of the sandhin-akti, which is one of the three principal
constituents of the svarpa-akti.
86
predicament with the unbiased eye of detachment, we get a clearer pic-
ture of the nature of material existence. We see that all material manifes-
tations are here today but gone tomorrow. Only that which sees remains,
not that which is seen. Yet the seer does not see himself in all of this, and
thus his identication with the seen leaves him in a perpetual identity
crisis life after life, as one material manifestation transforms into anoth-
er. Thus ignorance is attachment, and knowledge expresses itself in de-
tachment.
How then are we to understand the attachment of the cowherds for
Ka, for one another, for their hearth and home? How can this be the
acme of transcendental experience? The answer lies in distinguishing be-
tween knowledge and love. While knowledge expresses itself as detach-
ment, love is about attachment. Is love, then, necessarily material and only
knowledge the domain of the spirit? If this were so, the domain of the spir-
it would hardly be a home, but more like a peaceful state of hovering in
suspended animation.
However, if we look more closely at knowledge, we will see that love is
concealed within it. Refraining from lustful exploitation of our partner is
also an expression of love, even though all the overt signs of loving affec-
tion may be absent. Similarly, the seed of love is concealed within the tran-
scendental knowledge that arises from a life of insightful detachment and
spiritual practice. It will manifest in the pure hearts of the truly wise when
they interact with the world in knowledge of its proprietor. Such healthy
interaction nds all material manifestations venerable in relation to their
source. All problems are transformed into opportunities for service, which
is the basis of true love. The ongoing cultivation of this love of God in the
company of advanced devotees involves seeing everything in relation to
him and results in meeting him on intimate terms. This result is played
out in perfection within the drama of Ka ll, where forms and relation-
ships are all expressions of the will of Kahis delight manifesting
through his svarpa-akti.
Thus Goloka, Kas abode, is beyond time and space. Although Ka
himself resides there forever xed, never stepping foot outside, he is at the
87
same time moving faster than the mind and thus is never to be apprehend-
ed by any mental or intellectual exercise. Stop the mind and allow the soul
to live its own lifethe life that Ka alone knows is best for you in his
service. That which is known to him, he will reveal to you and it will mani-
fest in your heart puried through spiritual culture as if it were your own
desire to associate with him on intimate terms as a member of the cowherd
community. Such enlightened life is transcendental bewilderment in
which the godhood of Ka is suppressed by the bond of intimate love.
When in such bewilderment (yogamy) Nanda asked Ka about the
cowherds next life, he showed them, to their delight, that it does not get
any better than thislife in Ka ll.
48. Fd H "HF ' F
" F" llHll
tasmt ka eva paro devas ta dhyyet ta rasayet
ta yajet ta bhajed iti o tat sad iti ||
tasmt therefore; ka Ka; eva most certainly; para the
supreme; deva Deity; ta him; dhyyet should meditate upon;
ta him; rasayet should chant his mantra; ta him; yajet should
sacrice to him; ta him; bhajet should worship; iti thus; o tat sat
o tat sat; iti thus.
Therefore, Ka is the Supreme Deity. One should meditate upon
him, one should relish him, and one should engage in his worship with
a desire to serve. O tat sat.
This Upaniad began with the question, Who is the Supreme Deity? In
consideration of all that has been discussed thus far, ruti-dev makes the
learned conclusion: Ka is the Supreme Deity. What follows logically
from this conclusion is that one should meditate on him and thereby relish
him in aesthetic rapture (rasa), the foundation of which is the service ego.
88
The words o tat sat designate the supreme reality and serve here as a
solemn declaration in his name that everything stated in this Upaniad is
the absolute truth.
62
62. For a detailed explanation of the signicance of o tat sat, see Swm Tripurri, Bhagavad-
gt, 51619.
3
Uttara-tpan
93
1. d" HM Fd H9H
FH d= l 3H= d ll!ll
ekad hi vraja-striya sakm arvarm uitv
sarvevara gopla kam cire | uvca t ka |
ekad once; hi certainly; vraja-striya the women of Vraja; sa-
km possessed by desire; arvarm the night; uitv having
spent; sarvevara the all-powerful Lord; gopla the cowherd;
kam Ka; cire said; uvca said; t to them; ka
Ka.
Once the passionate cowherd women of Vraja spent the night with the
cowherd Ka, who is the Supreme Lord of all. In the morning, they
engaged in a conversation with him as follows:
In the rst part of this Upaniad, the prva-tpan, the goddess of revealed
knowledge, ruti-dev, states that Ka is the Supreme God. The prva-
tpan ends with the words tasmt ka eva paro deva: Therefore, Ka
is the Supreme Deity. Here in the uttara-tpan, the second part of this
Upaniad, the goddess seeks to further demonstrate this truth. To that end
she recounts another narrative, beginning with a conversation that once
took place between Ka and the milkmaids of Vraja, the gops.
In the uttara-tpan, we dive deeply into the mystery of spiritual love.
The primacy of Ka, his devotees, residence, mantras, and more will be
explained through the medium of ruti-devs narrative. The gops will
question Ka, and Ka will answer them and direct them to the sage
Durvs for further instruction. Durvs will answer questions asked by the
gops group leader, Gndharv, and in so doing narrate the history of his
own conversation with Brahm and Brahms discussion with Nryaa.
In these opening sentences, the scene for this narrative is set. It is the
morning after one of Kas nightlong trysts with the gops in the forests
of Vndvana. The word uitv indicates not only that the gops had spent
94
the entire night in Kas company but that they desired these lls with
him to be constant and uninterrupted. Just as young girls are spontaneous-
ly attracted to young boys and any impediment put in the way of their
union serves only to intensify their desire to be together, the gops were
similarly endowed with the spontaneous desire to be united with Ka.
Although such desire on their part supercially appears to be the antithesis
of desirelessness, it is in fact completely devoid of self-interest. The gops
approached Ka with the intensity of young girls who have fallen deeply
in love, and no one so passionate about God can remain attached to the
ephemeral.
Drawing from the world of our experience, ruti-dev speaks to us
about the measure of the gops love with a word intended to help us under-
stand its all-consuming nature: sa-kma. Sa-kma means with passion-
ate love. A more compelling force to compare their spiritual intensity to
is not to be found in this world. It is passionate yet desireless love that cor-
responds to the Absolutes appearance as an adolescent cowherdthe Su-
preme Deity. He is supreme in terms of charm and affection, his power
implied in his freedom to play. Ka is the innite uniting in love with the
nite, appearing as if nite for the sake of intimacy.
2. dF NQ " H ll-ll
anu kasmai brhmaya bhakya dtavya bhavati |
anu then; kasmai to which; brhmaya brhmaa; bhakya ed-
ible; dtavya to be given; bhavati is.
[The gops said:] To which brhmaa should food be given?
The gops appear to be uneducated village girls. On the surface they are re-
ligious, superstitious, and above all, human. Here they ask a religious
question of their young lover, the cowherd Ka. They want to know
which brhmaa, or saintly person, in their village is most worthy of re-
95
ceiving an offering of rice boiled in milk and sugar. Their objective is not
overtly spiritual. They want a benediction. They want Ka as their hus-
band, even though this is not acceptable in religious society. They are, af-
ter all, already marriedor so it seems.
The ll of Ka is, however, not what it seems to be on the surface, for
he is no ordinary cowherd but rather the grave subject of the Upaniads.
He is Brahman in its fullest expression, full in love and affection, full in
aesthetic rapture (rasa), a connoisseur of love. He is rasaraso vai sa.
Kas devotees like the gops belong to him alone; indeed, nothing exists
outside of him. He is reality existing for himself and by himself. He and his
energy, his akti, are one and different simultaneously. The gops represent
his akti, and they energize him such that the one appears as many, a
unity of multiplicity. The gops desire to be perpetually in his company is
part of the drama of his divine play.
Nothing is separate from Ka at any time, yet within the drama of
material life units of consciousness that are particles of his akti can be un-
aware of their connection with him. Through spiritual culture they can
become aware of their real position as parts and parcels of the whole and
unite with him in celebration of this truth. This celebration expresses itself
in endless varieties of eternal pastimes through which Ka tastes his own
joy in relation to his devotees/aktis. In this spiritual drama, the gops some-
times meet personally with Ka and at other times experience the spiri-
tual illusion of separation from him. Touching both banks of the river of
divine love as they ow spontaneously in loves embrace, the gops and
Ka relish the shores of union and separation.
The gops represent the pinnacle of spiritual culture. Their seless love
takes center stage in the love life of the Absolute. Yet in appearance they
seem to be nothing more than religious girls who are not even all that
good at following the religious injunctions. Appearances aside, the philo-
sophical truth underlying their question is that they want nothing other
than to be united in love with Ka, the Supreme Brahman, at every mo-
ment. To that end they engage in various religious acts. Thus while they
worship others (brhmaas, gods, and goddesses) within the ll, their reli-
96
gious ideal transcends anything that can ordinarily be attained by such
worship, and they themselves have already attained that ideal. Experienc-
ing God as Ka, the young cowherd, they are fully immersed in appar-
ently ordinary religious life with human shortcomings, when in reality
they have attained the zenith of spiritual experience.
The esoteric message of the gops question is that one can be fully im-
mersed in the world but with different motives than those of the illusioned
beings who pursue various material desires. The gops interact with the
world only out of love for Ka. The result of such Ka conscious im-
mersion in the world is the realization that enlightened life is not about
running away from or denying the world but fully participating in it with
the proper motivebeing in it but not of it. After all, there is really no
place else to go. Spirituality is about changing our angle of vision.
3. "HFF llll
durvsaseti |
durvsase to Durvs; iti thus.
[Ka answered:] To Durvs.
Prabodhnanda Sarasvat paraphrases Kas thoughts as he answers the
gops: On the pretext of offering food to Durvs, I am sending the gops to
him. However, Durvs will explain to them the nature of their desired
perfection in life. Durvs received an understanding of my Gopla-tpan
in disciplic succession from Brahm and Nryaa, and having recently
come to live for some time in this land of my appearance, he has developed
affection for the gops. He is well known for being outspoken, so he is sure
to tell them exactly what they need to know. Therefore, it is desirable that
they be instructed by no one but him.
Not all commentators agree on who the Durvs of Gopla-tpan is.
While some feel that he is not the Durvs of Mahbhrata and Bhgav-
97
ata Pura fame, who is a partial incarnation of iva, others disagree,
despite Durvss well-known enmity toward Kas devotees, such as
the Pavas and Mahrja Ambara. This opinion seems to be con-
rmed in text 7, where Durvs is identied as the ery-tempered son
of Rudra.
4. d~ F'H H llHll
katha ysymo trtv jala yamuny yata reyo bhavati |
katha how; ysyma will we go; atrtv without crossing; jala
the water; yamuny of the Yamun; yata as a result of which;
reya the ultimate good; bhavati comes about.
[The gops said:] How will we be able to cross the Yamuns waters to
achieve our goal?
The gops were residing on the southern side of the Yamun, and Durvs
lived on the northern bank. If the gops were to serve the sage, they would
have to cross the river. There were no boats, and the current of the Ya-
mun was swift, her waters deep. It is likely that the gops did not even
know how to swim. Prabodhnanda Sarasvat hears the gops say, We
would be unable to cross even a shallow pool, what to speak of a wide river
lled with whirlpools and high waves. Thus the gops ask Ka how they
will be able to cross the Yamun.
The words reyo bhavati in this verse indicate that while ostensibly the
gops wanted to attain the benediction of marrying the cowherd Ka,
their desire for union with Ka represents the ultimate spiritual ideal.
The word reya indicates ultimate benet, as opposed to the immediate
supercial benet of material gain.
It is also implied in this verse that the gops believed that Ka could do
the impossiblethat he was wonderful in every respect. They were aware
that at Kas childhood name-giving ceremony Gargamuni had indicat-
98
ed that Nryaa (God) would do wonderful things through him.
1
They
had also heard of Kas miracles from his cowherd friends.
5. d NQ== H "F ll7ll
keti brahmacrty uktv mrga vo dsyati
ka Ka; iti named; brahmacr is a brahmacr; iti thus; uk-
tv saying; mrga the way; va to you; dsyati will give.
[Ka answered:] Just say that Ka is a brahmacr, and the river
will give way.
By answering the gops in this way, Ka planted a seed of doubt in their
hearts that will be fully resolved later when they inquire from the learned
Durvs. Kas answer seems preposterous, and not for the obvious rea-
son that it is extraordinary for a rivers current to part merely by uttering
something. After all, the gops had seen many miracles, which they attrib-
uted to the well-known fact that Nryaa had graced Ka with his pow-
ers. The cause of the gops hesitation was that Ka had just spent the en-
tire night in the forest with them. How could he be a celibate student?
While words of truth have power, what power is there in stating an un-
truth? Still the gops believed that following Kas instruction would
bring about the desired result. They did not understand how he could be
considered a celibate, but they were charmed by him nonetheless. Thus
after hearing the following verse, in which Ka offers a partial answer by
speaking of his prowess, they followed his advice.
1. The bhva of the cowherd community is that Ka is one of them. The cowherds feel that
Nryaa has chosen to perform miracles through Ka because of the piety of his parents.
However, the tattva, or philosophical truth, that this bhva hides is that Ka is transcendentally
superior to Nryaa, and thus it is Nryaa who derives all of his power from Ka.
99
6. FH' ' H l
FH H l
FHH H H l
FH Fd d H l
FH' H llll
ya m smtvgdh gdh bhavati |
ya m smtvpta pto bhavati |
ya m smtvvrat vrat bhavati |
ya m smtv sakmo nikmo bhavati |
ya m smtvrotriya rotriyo bhavati ||
ya whom; m me; smtv remembering; agdh deep; gdh
shallow; bhavati becomes; ya whom; m me; smtv re-
membering; apta impure; pta pure; bhavati becomes; ya
whom; m me; smtv remembering; avrat unregulated; vrat
regulated; bhavati becomes; ya whom; m me; smtv re-
membering; sakma lled with desire; nikma free from desire;
bhavati becomes; ya whom; m me; smtv remembering;
arotriya unlearned, deaf; rotriya learned in the Vedas or able to
hear; bhavati becomes.
By remembering me, one can nd the bottom of the unfathomable. By
remembering me, an impure person is puried. By remembering me,
one who is unregulated adopts a regulated life. By remembering me,
one who is lled with desire becomes desireless. By remembering me,
one unlearned in the Vedas becomes learned.
r Prabodhnanda comments that some manuscripts of Gopla-tpan of-
fer an alternate reading of this text: nikma sakmo bhavati, which means
that someone who is an tmrma, a spiritually self-satised soul, becomes
lled with desire to see Ka upon remembering him. He also offers a
novel understanding of the word arotriya, which in its conventional use
100
refers to one who is not learned in the scriptures, or one who has not heard
sufciently from the Vedas. He says that here arotriya refers to one who is
devoid of the sense of hearing and by extension devoid of all sense powers.
He cites as examples the tmrma, whose senses are controlled and not in
touch with sense objects, and the lower nonmoving forms of life, such as
trees. Such souls gain a sense of hearing by the inuence of Kas ute or
the spiritually potent recitation of his ll.
In rmad-Bhgavatam, ukadeva is an example of an tmrma whose
spiritual senses became awakened and attracted to the ll of Ka, under-
scoring the postliberated status of Ka ll. The rmad-Bhgavatam also
gives evidence that remembrance of Ka causes the nonmoving beings
to move: From forest to forest, as Ka and Balarma lead the cows with
the help of the other cowherds, they play sweet tunes on their utes caus-
ing the moving creatures to become paralyzed while the unmoving crea-
tures tremble in ecstasy. How beautiful they are with their ropes and sticks
and other cowherd paraphernalia! (B 10.21.19)
Prabodhnanda Sarasvats explanation of the two kinds of arotriya rep-
resents the two ends of the spectrum of living beings: those that are liber-
ated and those that are bound. The former, out of spiritual knowledge, do
not move in relation to ephemeral objects, whereas the latter, out of igno-
rance, do move in relation to ephemeral objects. Neither, however, is ac-
quainted with the postliberated movement of spiritual love at the heart of
reality. Thus all living beings truly come to life only after coming in con-
tact with Ka. Such contact involves making a connection with his devo-
tees, who give the Gopla mantra and kma gyatrthe fth note of
Gopla Kas uteand explain its signicance through discourses on
the narrative of Ka ll.
7. H = H " FH
H F H
H B H " = llOll
101
rutv tad-vca hi vai raudra smtv tad-vkyena trtv tat-saury hi
gatvrama puyatama hi natv muni rehatama hi vai raudra ceti |
rutv on hearing; tat his; vca words; hi vai verily; raudra
ery tempered; smtv remembered; tad-vkyena by his instruc-
tion; trtv crossed; tat then; saury the Yamun; hi certainly;
gatv went; rama to the hermitage; puyatama most holy; hi
certainly; natv bowed down; muni to the sage; rehatama
the best of all; hi vai most emphatically; raudra son of Rudra; ca
and; iti period.
As soon as they heard these words, the gops remembered the ery-
tempered son of Rudra (Durvs) and, doing as Ka had told them,
crossed over the Yamun. Upon their arrival at that great sages most
sanctied hermitage, they offered him their obeisances.
Although the gops had not fully understood the import of Kas conten-
tion that he was celibate, being inspired by the afrmation of his prowess,
they nonetheless uttered the words Ka is a brahmacr as he had told
them to. The Yamun then immediately gave them passage.
Their initial hesitation to follow Kas instruction arose partially
from Kas claim to celibacy and partially from their knowledge of
Durvss reputation for having a ery temper. Kas description of his
extraordinary prowess enabled them to overcome their fear of Durvs,
who, being extremely religious and lled with mystic insight, might have
cursed them for their trysts with Ka. Thus they went to him and of-
fered him respect, food, and service without any reservation. In actuality,
the gops spiritual standing surpassed that of Durvs, but the ll of Ka
dictated that they serve and learn from him.
8. "HF NQ 8 H 8 l
8 F H= H9 H H" llll
102
dattvsmai brhmaya kra-maya ghta-mayam
iatama ha vai miatamam |
tua sa tv bhuktv hitvia prayujynvj tv adt |
dattv having given; asmai to this; brhmaya to the brhmaa;
kra-maya made of milk; ghta-mayam made with ghee; iatama
most desirable; ha vai most certainly; miatamam sweetest; tua
satised; sa he; tu but; bhuktv eating completely; hitv
put it aside; ia blessings; prayujya gave; anu after which; j
permission to leave; tu but; adt gave.
They gave the brhmaa a most desirable sweet rice pudding with
claried butter. Durvs happily ate the sweet rice, then gave the
girls his remnants and blessed them before giving them permission
to return.
The word bhuktv in this verse indicates that Durvs ate everything the
gops offered him. The implication is that he was completely satised with
them. Thus he thought, These girls are Kas beloveds. It is through
good fortune that today I have been able to eat foodstuffs cooked by their
hands, which they have brought to me personally.
While Durvs was well aware that Ka was the Supreme God and
that the gops were his dearmost devotees, the gops themselves were not
conscious of these truths. Absorbed as they were in spiritual love of Ka,
the gops experienced a kind of divine ignorance that suppressed the divin-
ity of Ka for the sake of intimacy. Durvs felt honored by the gops
presence. He gave them permission to go, but out of great respect for
them otherwise remained silent.
9. d~ F'H F ll\ll
katha ysymo trtv saurym |
103
katha how; ysyma will we go; atrtv without crossing; sau-
rym the Yamun.
[The gops asked Durvs:] How can we cross the Yamun to get back?
Here the gops seem to think that Kas instruction was only valid for
crossing the Yamun to see Durvs, but not for returning. Thus they ask
Durvs how they will return, faced with having to cross the Yamun to do
so. Durvss reply in the following verse is similar to Kas instruction,
and as Durvs subsequently explains, both his and Kas cryptic an-
swers address foundational spiritual truths. Realizing these truths makes
all things possible.
10. F H= l "H FH H "F ll!ll
sa hovca muni | drvina m smtv mrga vo dsyatti ||
sa he; hovca said; muni the sage; drvina one who has eat-
en nothing but grass (who has fasted); m me; smtv thinking;
mrga way; va you; dsyati will give you; iti end of quotation.
[The sage said to the gops:] Think of me as having eaten nothing but
drv grass and the river will make a path for you.
The word drvina means either one who has eaten drv grass or one
for whom foodstuffs have remained distant (dre aana yasya tam)i.e.,
one who has fasted. Thus Durvs replies to the gops, If you think of me
as one who has fasted, the river will part and give you passage.
Although the gops were about to depart, Durvss answer caused them
to pause and question him about the signicance of the similar instructions
he and Ka had given them. How could Durvs be said to have fasted af-
ter eating what they had offered him? What was the mystic truth behind the
apparently contradictory statements made by both Durvs and Ka?
104
11. F ' B 'H QH= H H H= ll!!ll
ts madhye hi reh gndharv hy uvca
ta ha vai tbhir eva vicrya |
ts of the gops; madhye among; hi certainly; reh the best;
gndharv Gndharv (Rdh); hi certainly; uvca said; ta him;
ha vai certainly; tbhi with them; eva thus; vicrya deciding.
The best among the gops, Gndharv, spoke to the sage after consid-
ering several questions with the other gops.
In this verse the best among the gops, Gndharv, is introduced. As will
be mentioned in verse 13, all the gops accepted the leadership of Gnd-
harv. The Gauyas consider these verses to be ruti-pramascrip-
tural evidence from the Upaniads (as opposed to that found in the smti
literature such as the Puras)for the primacy of Rdh over all the
other gops.
The idea that Rdh is the best of the gops is clearly mentioned in the
Padma Pura and other smti texts. It is also mentioned covertly in the
Bhgavata Pura (10.30.28). Drawing on this text of Gopla-tpan, r
Rpa Gosvm refers to Rdh by the names Gndharv and Gndharvik
in his Ujjvala-nlamai (7.51, 11.96). In Ujjvala-nlamai 4.4 he cites this
Gopla-tpan text as evidence from the Upaniads that one of the gops is
considered preeminent. Gauya crya rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat
hkura was fond of this epithet for Rdh, as it underscores the sober
Upaniadic basis of the Gauya doctrine, in which the divine service of
Rdh constitutes the zenith of spiritual attainment.
12. d~ d NQ= d~ "H ll!-ll
katha ko brahmacr katha drvino muni |
105
katha how is; ka Ka; brahmacr chaste; katha how is;
drvina fasting; muni the sage.
[Gndharv asked:] How can Ka be called a brahmacr? And how
can you be said to be a fasting sage?
13. H' H dH F ll!ll
t hi mukhy vidhya prvam anu ktv tm su ||
t hi her alone; mukhy the best of them; vidhya choosing;
prvam in front of them; anu placing; ktv doing; tm-su
become silent.
Having made Gndharv their spokeswoman, the other gops simply
stood behind her and remained silent.
14 15. ="Hd l ="d l FdFB l
d B l F QdF H" l
F Q' d~ H ll!Hll
FH H l FH l F H B l
H H" F Q d~ H ll
^H"" l^ l FFB l
H" F Q d~ H ll
FH l F= l FFB l F B l
F H" l F Q d~ H ll
'H l ' l F FB l
B l F H" l F Q d~ H ll!7ll
abdavn ka | abdkbhy bhinna |
tasminn kas tihati | ke tihati | sa hy kas ta na veda |
sa hy tmha katha bhokt bhavmi ||
106
sparavn vyu | spara-vyubhy bhinna |
tasmin vyau tihati | vyur na veda ta hi
sa hy tmha katha bhokt bhavmi |
rpavad ida hi teja | rpgnibhy bhinna |
tasminn agnis tihati | agnir na veda ta hi
sa hy tmha katha bhokt bhavmi |
rasavatya pa | rasbbhyo bhinna |
tasminn pas tihanti | apsu tithti | pas ta na vidu |
sa hy tmha katha bhokt bhavmi |
gandhavatya bhmi | gandha-bhmibhy bhinna |
tasmin bhmis tihati | bhmau tithti | bhmis ta na veda |
sa hy tmha katha bhokt bhavmi |
abdavn possessing sound; ka space; abdkbhy from
sound and space; bhinna distinct; tasmin in him; ka space;
tihati is situated; ke in the sky; tihati is situated; sa that; hi
very; ka sky; ta him; na veda does not know; sa that; hi
very; tm soul, self; aha I; katha how; bhokt the enjoyer;
bhavmi be; sparavn possessing touch; vyu the air; spara-
vyubhy bhinna distinct from both the sense of touch and the air; tas-
min vyau tihati situated in that air; vyu the air; ta him; na veda
does not know; sa that; hi very; tm soul, self; aha I;
katha how; bhokt the enjoyer; bhavmi be; rpavad possessing
form; ida this; hi very; teja re; rpgnibhy from form and
re; bhinna distinct; tasmin in him; agni re; tihati is situated;
agni re; ta him; na veda does not know; sa that; hi very;
tm soul, self; aha I; katha how; bhokt the enjoyer; bhavmi
be; rasavatya possessing taste; pa water; rasbbhya from wa-
ter; bhinna distinct; tasmin from him; pa water; tianti is situ-
ated; apsu water; tihti is situated; pa water; ta that; na
107
vidu does not know; sa that; hi very; tm soul, self; aha I;
katha how; bhokt the enjoyer; bhavmi be; gandhavatya pos-
sessing scent; bhumi earth; gandha-bhmibhy from scent and earth;
bhinna distinct; tasmin in him; bhmi earth; tihati is situated;
bhmau in the earth; tihati is situated; bhmi earth; ta him;
na veda does not know; sa that; hi very; tm soul, self; aha
I; katha how; bhokt the enjoyer; bhavmi be.
[Durvs answered:] Sound is the quality present in space. The tm
is distinct from both sound and space. Space is situated in that tm,
and the tm is in space. That very same space, however, does not
know the tm. Since I am verily that tm, how can I be considered
an enjoyer?
Touch is the quality associated with the air. The tm is distinct from
both touch and air. The air is situated in that tm, and the tm is in
the air. The air, however, does not know the tm. Since I am verily
that tm, how can I be considered an enjoyer?
Form is the quality present in re. The tm is distinct from both
form and re. Fire is situated in that tm, and the tm is in re. Fire,
however, does not know the tm. Since I am verily that tm, how
can I be considered an enjoyer?
Flavor is the attribute of water. The tm is distinct from both avor
and water. Water is situated in that tm, and the tm is in the water.
The water, however, does not know the tm. Since I am verily that
tm, how can I be considered an enjoyer?
Scent is the attribute of the earth. The tm is distinct from both
scent and earth. The earth is situated in that tm, and the tm is in
the earth. The earth, however, does not know the tm. Since I am
verily that tm, how can I be considered an enjoyer?
108
Durvs answers Gndharvs questions with Upaniadic wisdom, and
thus from deep within the esoteric ll of Ka, Gopla-tpan speaks to us
about a fundamental spiritual principle: there is a categorical difference
between the soul and the body, consciousness and matter. It is also note-
worthy that the charm of Ka ll is grounded in spiritual knowledge and
thus has the power to bring about disenchantment with material life and
extricate the soul from its worldly entanglement.
In answering Rdh, Durvs gives an example here and in the follow-
ing verse to illustrate that the soul is different from the body. The exam-
ple shows that the soul is not the enjoyer and experiencer of sense objects,
for only the senses and the sense objects are interacting as the soul looks
on. If this is true for the materially conditioned soul, how much more is it
the case for self-realized souls and God himself? The distinction between
self-realized souls and materially illusioned souls, as well as the distinc-
tion between the individual soul and God, lies ahead in this important
section.
In the meantime, Durvss example involves a comparison between
matter and spirit. Because Durvs speaks in abstract language common to
the Upaniads, some explanation is required. When he mentions the mate-
rial elements, he is really referring to the senses. For example, the material
element of space corresponds with the sense of hearing. Air represents the
sense of touch, re the sense of sight, water the sense of taste, and earth
the sense of smell. Durvs compares these elements/senses with the posi-
tion of the soul. The soul, tm, is present within each of the elements be-
cause it is present within the material body that possesses the senses. The
material elements are also present within the soul because the material
forms that are constituted of material elements are in one sense concep-
tions of the soul. When the soul desires to hear, the sense of hearing and
its object of sound are manifest by material nature.
Thus material nature in the form of the body becomes the container of
the soul. However, while the soul can become aware of matter and its own
conditioning under the inuence of matter, matter cannot know the soul.
In this example, the container cannot know the contained, but the con-
109
tained can know the container. The tm is therefore categorically differ-
ent from matter. This being the case, how can the soul enjoy or suffer in
relation to sense objects when the sense objects and the entire material ex-
perience are but a virtual reality? When the soul dons the material body, it
thinks that it is suffering or enjoying in relation to sense objects. In truth,
however, it is aloof from the sense objects and only witnesses the material
phenomena.
16. $" FHH" l " ll!ll
ida hi manas tev eveda manute | tnda hi ghti |
ida this; hi denitely; mana mind; teu among these; eva
verily; ida this; manute thinks; tni them; ida this; hi cer-
tainly; ghti grasps.
It is the mind alone that considers itself the enjoyer of sense objects,
because it alone grasps them.
Durvs has anticipated Gndharvs question, If the self is not the en-
joyer of sense objects, who is? And why does the soul think that it is the
enjoyer?
The mind is matter, yet it is more subtle matter than the senses and
their objects. It is more closely related to consciousness and thereby has
the capacity to grasp sense objects through its functions of thinking and
conceiving. The mind presides over the ve senses and is thus commonly
referred to as the sixth sense. Its capacity for perception is greater than the
capacity of the other ve senses. The mind is the link between conscious-
nessthe souland the senses and their objects. It is the subjective con-
nection to the objective world. Its inuence over the materially condi-
tioned soul causes the soul to think itself the enjoyer of sense objects and
the doer of acts in relation to them, when in reality the soul is merely the
witness to the movements of material nature.
110
17. FHH H d l H H
F Q d~ H ll!Oll
yatra sarvam tmaivbht tatra v kutra manute |
kva v gacchatti sa hy tmha katha bhokt bhavmi |
yatra where; sarvam everything; tm the self; eva verily; abht
has become; tatra there; v or; kutra where; manute thinks;
kva v and where else; gacchati goes; iti thus; sa he; hi cer-
tainly; tm the self; aha I; katha how; bhokt the enjoyer;
bhavmi become.
In the realization that everything has become the self alone, how can
the self think itself the enjoyer, and of what? Where indeed will the
self go? In consideration of this, how could I, being that self, be the
enjoyer of the sense objects?
Lest the gops think that Durvss position is no different from anyone
elses and that by the force of his mind he too thinks himself the enjoyer of
sense objects, the sage states here that his own position, that of a liberated
soul, is fundamentally different from that of materially conditioned souls.
He does not identify himself with either the knowledge-acquiring senses
(jnendriya) or those of action (karmendriya). Thus how can he think
himself the enjoyer or sufferer of material interactions? His experience is
that everything has become the self, in other words, he realizes that in
reality there is only God and nothing separate from him.
Realizing oneself to be of the nature of consciousness and the self and
even material nature to be manifestations of Ka, one experiences reality
as nondual consciousnesstattva yaj jnam advayam (B 1.2.11). Such
realization, however, is not a static experience of nondual consciousness in
which there is no diversity. One realizes that reality is a person (Ka) re-
plete with potencythe energetic (aktimn) and its energy (akti), by
which it fully experiences and expresses itself. The individual soul is con-
111
stituted of the akti of Ka, and because this akti has no existence inde-
pendent of Ka, in this sense it is one with him.
r Prabodhnanda paraphrases the import of Durvss reply thus:
Because I am situated in knowledge, I have absolutely no sense of being
the enjoyer in connection with this body. Even so, if I am seen to be enjoy-
ing ecstasies of an unlimited variety, it is through my relationship with you
who are the most dearly beloved of r Bhagavn. r Jva Gosvm adds
to this by citing rmad-Bhgavatam 1.7.10, where it is said that the sage
ukadeva was distracted from his meditation on Brahman upon hearing a
recital of r Kas qualities.
These comments bring out the deepest lesson in this section of Gopla-
tpan. The basic instruction is that the soul is not the body and that the
bodily activities are only the movements of material nature activated by
the souls presence. The soul merely witnesses and does not actually take
part in these movements. The deeper instruction is that in the highest re-
ality, within Kas divine play, all movement is still in relation to mate-
rial nature. Witnessing material nature in absolute peace, unmoved by the
ocean of material emotions, sages like ukadeva and Durvs, not to speak
of the gops, move in devotional trancenot out of ignorance, material de-
sire, or perceived material necessity, but in celebration of the fullness of
the Absolute. As Nietzsche said, I would believe only in a God who could
dance. Such is the play of Ka.
18. d H B d H ll!ll
aya hi ko yo vo hi preha arra-dvaya-kraa bhavati |
aya this; hi very; ka Ka; ya who; va you; hi cer-
tainly; preha dearmost; arra-dvaya-kraa the cause of both the
gross and subtle bodies; bhavati become.
This very Ka, who is your most dearly beloved, is the cause of both
bodies.
112
Understanding the gopis primary interest in Ka, Durvs says that he
who is their most dearly beloved is the cause of all causes. Both the subtle
and gross material bodies that implicate the soul in the karmic law of ma-
terial nature are subordinate to Ka and can have no inuence over him.
All power is derived from him, and thus no power can overcome him. His
dalliance with the gops is not born out of any necessity on his partit is
not under the jurisdiction of karma. His body is spiritual, as are those of
the gops, and their dance of love is seless and giving in the most complete
sense. Indeed, it is the gops selessness reposed in God that affords them
the spiritual bodies that correspond with the heart of the Absolute appear-
ing in the form of Ka.
19. F H NQ'F~ H l
F H l H' B l l
H H ~' d H ll!\ll
dv suparau bhavato brahmao a-bhtas tathetaro bhokt bhavati |
anyo hi sk bhavatti | vka-dharme tau tihata |
ato bhoktr-abhoktrau | prvo hi bhokt bhavati
tathetaro bhokt ko bhavatti |
dv two; suparau beautifully plumed birds; bhavata are;
brahmaa of Brahman; aa-bhta fragmentary portion; tath
similarly; itara the other; bhokt the enjoyer; bhavati is; anya
the other; hi denitely; sk witness; bhavati is; iti thus; vka-
dharme in the body, which is meant to be felled like a tree; tau they;
tihata are situated; ata therefore; bhoktr-abhoktrau the enjoy-
er and nonenjoyer; prva the former; hi certainly; bhokt enjoyer;
bhavati is; tath similarly; itara the other; abhokt the nonen-
joyer; bhavati is; ka Ka; bhavati is; iti thus.
There are two beautifully plumed birds making their home in this
body, which, like a tree, is meant to be felled. The lesser of the two is
113
the fragmentary portion of Brahman who enjoys and suffers; the other
is merely an observer. They are thus enjoyer and nonenjoyer. The
former is the enjoyer; the latter, the nonenjoyer, is Ka.
In the previous passage, Durvs spoke of Kas position from a macro-
cosmic point of view. In this stanza he continues to extol Kas virtues by
speaking of his exalted position from the microcosmic point of view. Ka
is the indwelling soul that accompanies the nite soul throughout its ma-
terial sojourn, life after life, body after body. The nite soul (jvtm) in
the ignorance of bodily identication thinks itself the enjoyer of the fruits
of the bodily tree. The indwelling Supersoul (paramtm) merely witness-
es the plight of the nite soul. Thus Ka in his manifestation as the in-
dwelling Supersoul, although within the material body, is not identied
with it. He thus is not the enjoyer of the fruits of material life, which lead
to misery and thus speak to the wise as to the need to fell the bodily tree,
ending the cycle of birth and death.
r Prabodhnanda comments, Durvs thought, From the microcos-
mic point of view, Ka and other jvas appear similar. However, there is
a great difference between a jva like myself and Ka, the indwelling soul
of all beings. To clarify the difference between them, he then spoke this
passage. By saying two birds, he indicates that the soul and Supersoul are
inseparable companions. By saying that they are beautifully plumed, he
further implies that they are both conscious. By saying there are, he
shows that they both exist without beginning. However, of the two, the
lesser one is the jva, who is comparable to the rays of the other, who is like
the sun globe of Brahman while simultaneously being the indwelling soul
of the sum total of all jvas.
20. HBHB H" HBHB l
HB F d~ H9 H ll-ll
yatra vidyvidye na vidmo vidyvidybhy bhinna |
vidymayo hi ya sa katha viay bhavatti |
114
yatra where; vidyvidye knowledge and ignorance; na vidma we
do not know; vidyvidybhy from knowledge and ignorance; bhinna
different; vidymaya knowledge in essence; hi certainly; ya
one who; sa he; katha how; viay a sensualist; bhavati be; iti
end of section.
Whereas we understand neither knowledge nor ignorance, he is dis-
tinct from both knowledge and ignorance. How can one who is knowl-
edge in essence be a sensualist?
Here Durvs elaborates further on the position of both the conditioned
souls and Ka, whose partial manifestation is the indwelling Supersoul.
The conditioned souls understand neither complete knowledge of their
self nor the extent of their ignorance. However, both Ka and those who
identify with him through devotion are beyond the self-knowledge of
sattva-gua as well as the ignorance of this world, both of which are func-
tions of the material potency.
Transcending the material potencies of knowledge and ignorance is the
result of knowing that Ka is the source of the indwelling Supersoul,
who in turn is the source of the knowledge and ignorance of this world. As
stated in the Viu Pura (1.9.52), yasy yutyu t e viva-aktir iya
sthit: The creative power of this universe is situated in the portion of a
portion [of Viu].
In the present passage of Gopla-tpan, Durvs explains how Ka is
transcendental to knowledge and ignorance: He is knowledge in es-
sence. r Ka himself says it thus to Uddhava, vidyvidye mama tan:
Both knowledge and ignorance are my potencies (B 11.11.3). Thus
Ka is transcendental to the knowledge arising from sattva-gua, and he
never becomes bewildered by the ignorance of material identication.
Therefore, he cannot fall prey to the illusory notion of being the enjoyer
of what is actually misery. He is the essence of knowledgelove.
115
21. H d d d F d H l
H Hd d d F'd H ll-!ll
yo ha vai kmena kmn kmayate sa km bhavati |
yo ha vai tv akmena kmn kmayate so km bhavati |
ya one who; ha vai verily; kmena with selsh desire; kmn
sense pleasures; kmayate desires; sa he; km a sensualist; bhavati
is; ya one who; ha vai verily; tu on the other hand; akmena
with no selsh intent; kmn sense pleasures; kmayate desires;
sa he; akm not a sensualist; bhavati is.
A sensualist is one who desires sense gratication with a yearning to
enjoy. A nonsensualist is one who desires sense objects without any
such motivation.
Under scrutiny, it is clear from the lls of Ka and the gops recorded in
the Bhgavata Pura that Ka is not a sensualist. All of his interactions
with the milkmaids of Vraja are seless acts of giving. Such is the position
of the gops as well. Durvss words are meant to counter the gops doubt,
Well, we seem to experience Ka as a sensualist.
The word kma appears in different forms in this sentence: a km
means a sensualist, or viay; the object kmn refers to the objects of sense
gratication; and the instrumental kmena means with a desire to enjoy.
In contrast, akmena means without a desire to enjoy, by which we
should understand a love that is exclusively dedicated to the pleasure of the
other (kevalennuklya-mayena prem). There are several statements in
the Bhgavata that indicate that this attitude is true of Ka, such as t-
mrma py arramat: Though completely self-fullled, he enjoyed [with
the gops] (B 10.29.42).
A person who takes pleasure in the self (tmrma) nds actual pleasure.
Should he act in relation to others, he does so not to nd pleasure in them
but to give of himself spiritually. In this connection, sage ukadeva de-
116
scribes Kas interaction with the gops thus, prmjat karua prem
antamenga pin: With his gentle hand, the compassionate one lov-
ingly wiped the gops perspiring foreheads (B 10.33.20).
22. F~B' 'F F
B 'F 9 B 'F l
'F 9 B l 'F FH9 H"9 B l
'F FHH" l 'F FH9 HH
H"' F H FH H ll--ll
janma-jarbhy bhinna sthur ayam acchedyo ya yo sau saurye tihati
yo sau gou tihati yo sau g playati | yo sau gopeu tihati | yo sau
sarveu vedeu tihati | yo sau sarva-vedair gyate | yo sau sarveu bhtev
viya bhtni vidadhti sa vo hi svm bhavati |
janma-jarbhy from birth and old age; bhinna distinct; sthu
immovable; ayam this; acchedya cannot be cut; ayam this; ya
who; asau that; saurye in the effulgence of the sun; tihati is sit-
uated; ya who; asau that; gou among the cows; tihati resides;
ya who; asau that; g the cows; playati herds; ya who;
asau that; gopeu among the cowherds; tihati resides; ya who;
asau that; sarveu vedeu in all the Vedas; tihati is situated; ya
who; asau that; sarva-vedair gyate gloried in all the Vedas; ya
who; asau that; sarveu bhteu in all living beings; viya entering;
bhtni beings; vidadhti ordains; sa he; va your; hi most
certainly; svm husband; bhavati is.
He is beyond birth and old age, immovable, and unseverable. He is
situated in the effulgence of the sun. He resides among the cows,
herds the cows, and associates with the cowherds. He is found in and
gloried by all the Vedas. He enters into all living beings and brings
them life. That person is Ka, your husband.
117
Having explained that Ka is not the enjoyer or sufferer of karma,
Durvs further explains Kas transcendental position to the gops: Al-
though appearing as your husband, he is not subject to the six kinds of
transformations that affect ordinary living beings. This means (1) he is
not subject to birth; (2) being immovable, he is not subject to growth; (3)
he is not subject to maturation; (4) he is not subject to reproduction; (5)
being beyond old age, he is not subject to decline; and (6) since he cannot
be cut into pieces, he is not subject to destruction.
2
The gops relationship
with Ka is thus not an ordinary love affair. They are wedded to God.
What must their position be? Prabodhnanda Sarasvat comments that
Durvs is saying to the gops, Because you are Kas svarpa-aktis and
your worship of Ka is without material desire, it is incorrect to say that
you are unfaithful wives or lusty girls. Indeed, the gops are wedded to the
supreme object of love.
Being situated in the effulgence of the sun, Ka is the object of ven-
eration in the gyatr mantra, the prototype of all Vedic mantras. As ex-
plained in the rst section of this book, the river Yamun that ows
through Kas pastoral home is considered to be the suns daughter, an-
other name for whom is Sauri. Thus as Prabodhnanda Sarasvat points
out, Kas being situated in the effulgence of the sun (saurya) also indi-
cates that he is situated in Vraja. The crya remarks further, In the Sa-
hasra-nma, Kas epithet suymuna is found. Ymuna is explained in
the commentary to mean the residents of Vraja who live on the banks of
the Yamun River. Thus Kas being situated in the effulgence of the
sun also means that he is situated within the embrace of the inhabitants
of Vraja.
After describing the truth about the name Ka, Durvs comments
on the epithet Govinda. Out of compassion for the cows, Govinda resides
among them as a cowherd, although the words bhtni vidadhti clarify
that he is not an ordinary cowherd but he who enters all beings and gives
them life (God).
2. ri Jva Gosvm cites B 10.14.23 in this regard. See rdhara Svms commentary.
118
Regarding the epithet gop-jana-vallabha, r Prabodhnanda comments
that in saying that Ka is the husband of the gops Durvs indicates that
their apparent marriage to other men is simply an illusory appearance cre-
ated by the inuence of yogamy. The truth is that they are eternally wed-
ded to Ka but appear otherwise for the sake of the ll.
23. F QH 'H d~ HFF 'F l
d~ H 'F H d l
d HF l d HF F~ l
d~ H "H l d HF H l
d" F F H l Fd '
d~ HH H ll-ll
s hy uvca gndharv katha vsmsu jto sau gopla |
katha v jto sau tvay mune ka | ko vsya mantra |
ki vsya sthna |
katha v devaky jta | ko vsya jyyn rmo bhavati |
kd pjsya goplasya bhavati |
skt-prakti-paro yo yam tm gopla katha tv
avatro bhmy hi vai ||
s she; hi verily; uvca spoke; gndharv Gndharv; katha v
how then; asmsu among us; jta born; asau that; gopla
cowherd Ka; katha v and how; jta become known; asau
he; tvay by you; mune O sage; ka Ka; ka what; v
furthermore; asya his; mantra mantra; ki v and what; asya
his; sthna place; katha v and how; devaky to Devak;
jta born; ko v and who; asya his; jyyn older brother; rma
Balarma; bhavati is; kd what type; pj worship; asya gopla-
sya of this cowherd Ka; bhavati is; skt directly; prakti-para
beyond material nature; ya he who; ayam this; tm self; gop-
la Gopla; katha why, how; tu furthermore; avatra de-
scended; bhmy to earth; hi vai verily.
119
Gndharv then asked: How did Gopla come to take birth among us
cowherds? And how did you, O sage, come to recognize him for who
he is? What is his mantra? What is his place, and how did he take birth
as the son of Devak? Who is his older brother, Rma? By which ritu-
als should this Gopla be worshiped? And how could this cowherd,
who is the soul of all and is beyond material nature, have descended
onto this earth?
Durvs will answer these questions by referring to a conversation be-
tween Brahm and Nryaa, which Brahm himself related to him. Brah-
ms conversation with Nryaa makes up the balance of this Upaniad.
Gndharvs rst question will be addressed in texts 25 and 35, the second
in text 38, the third in text 36, the fourth in text 25, questions 5 and 6 in
text 35, question 7 in text 36, and question 8 in text 25.
24. F H= H l d H H "H l
F d > > l F
A'=FH F H "" l
F dH HH l F "" ll-Hll
sa hovca t ha vai | eko ha vai prva nryao deva | yasmin lok ot ca
prot ca | tasya ht-padmj jto bjayonis tapitv tasmai hi vara dadau | sa
kma-pranam eva vavre | ta hsmai dadau |

sa he; hovca said; t her; ha vai verily; eka alone; ha vai
verily; prva in the beginning; nryaa Nryaa; deva
God; yasmin in whom; lok the worlds; ot lengthwise; ca
and; prot crosswise; tasya his; ht-padmj from the lotus of his
heart; jta born; abja-yoni Brahm, the lotus-born; tapitv aus-
terities; tasmai him; hi certainly; vara boon; dadau awarded;
sa he; kma-pranam any question he would like; eva certainly;
vavre chose; ta that; hsmai to him; dadau gave.
120
Durvs answered: In the beginning, only Lord Nryaa existed.
The worlds were contained within him, interwoven in him like the
thread in a cloth. Born in the lotus of his heart, Brahm performed
austerities until Nryaa awarded him a boon. Brahm asked for
permission to pose any question he chose and Nryaa granted him
this wish.
The beginning referred to in this text is the time prior to the manifesta-
tion of the material world, when the cosmos lie within Nryaa, like a
web within a spider, waiting to manifest once again. Nryaa is the form
of Ka from whose navel the lotus of Brahms birth sprouted.
In Brahms own words (found in B 10.14.14),
3
Ka is the Supreme
Nryaa. Nryaa means the refuge (yana) of the aggregate of all be-
ings (nra), whereas Ka is the refuge of all Nryaas. The Nryaa of
Vaikuha is the source of the three Nryaas, or Vius, who appear in
connection with the material manifestation, and this Nryaa of
Vaikuha is the vilsa expansion of r Ka, svaya bhagavn.
4
The transcendental superiority of Ka over Vaikuhas Nryaa is
also established in Kas name-giving ceremony (B 10.8.19). Gar-
gcrya told Nanda that by dint of his virtues, Nryaa is Kas equal,
tasmn nandtmajo ya te nryaa-samo guai. By reading Gargcryas
statement as a bahu-vrhi rather than a tat-purua compound, Kas supe-
riority over Nryaa is revealed.
The superiority of Ka over his expansion Nryaa is described as
follows by rla Rpa Gosvm:
3. Brahm spoke this verse to Ka after seeing Ka manifest innumerable Nryaas.
This takes place at the end of the pastime known as Brahm-vimohana-ll. r Kadsa Kavir-
ja Gosvm calls this verse the paribh loka of the Bhgavatamthe one verse that unlocks its
true import. It can be understood as an explanation of B 1.3.28, which r Jva calls the parib-
h loka.
4. B 1.3.28. This verse follows a number of verses in which Sta Gosvm describes the dis-
tinguishing characteristics of various avatras. The distinguishing characteristic of Ka, how-
ever, is that he is the source of all the avatras (svaya bhagavn). This includes the purua
avatras, from whom the other avatras manifest, as well as their source, Nryaa of Vaikuha.
121
siddhntatas tv abhede pi ra-ka-svarpayo
rasenotkyate ka-rpam e rasa-sthiti
In terms of metaphysical truth (tattva), there is no differ-
ence between Ka and Nryaa; in terms of aesthetic
rapture (rasa), however, Ka surpasses Nryaa (Brs.
1.2.59).
Both Ka and Nryaa are the same person: God. Nonetheless, Ka
is a superior expression of divinity when we consider these two forms of
the Godhead from the vantage point of their capacity to relish and ex-
change loving sentiments with their devotees.
25. F H== l 'H ' B'H
d H l dF8 "F8 H l
FH FFFH l
d~ HFHF NQ H ll-7ll
sa hovcbjayoni |
yo vatr madhye reho vatra ko bhavit |
yena loks tu devs tu bhavanti |
ya smtv mukt asmt sasrd bhavanti |
katha vsyvatrasya brahmat bhavati |
sa hovcbjayoni the lotus-born said; ya one who; avatr of
all incarnations; madhye among; reha the best; avatra
avatra; ka who; bhavit would be; yena by whom; lok the
world; tu is satised; dev the gods; tu satised; bhavanti
become; ya whom; smtv remembering; mukt liberated;
asmt from this; sasrt world of entanglement; bhavanti be-
come; katha how; v or; asya of this; avatrasya incarnation;
brahmat nature of Brahman; bhavati is.
122
The lotus-born then began his inquiries: Among all avatras,
which is paramount? By which avatra are the people of the world
and the gods most pleased? And by remembering which avatra
does one become liberated from the cycle of birth and death? How
can such an avatra be considered to possess the characteristics of
Brahman?
Here Durvs relates Brahms questions to Nryaa. In his rst ques-
tion Brahm indicates that there is a gradation within divinity. He wants
to know which of the avatras is the supreme personal aspect of Brahman
(bhagavn svayam) and what this avatras distinguishing characteristics
are. Brahm wonders, Even though all the forms of Godhead are essen-
tially one, being existence, consciousness, and ecstasy, which one is wor-
thy of praise in absolutely every respect? Which one is the source of all
being and the soul in all entities? Which is all-pervading and completely
pure?
Brahm then asks, By which avatra are the people of the world and
the gods most pleased? It should be clear that Ka and his ll are far
more captivating and charming than anything we know about Nryaa or
any of his avatras. Even the Muslims general disdain for the Hindu gods
did not stop a number of the Moghul rulers from commissioning artists to
celebrate Kas ll in art. The world over, people are charmed by
Kas name, form, qualities, and pastimes even without serving and sur-
rendering to Ka in devotion. Indeed, even the gods and goddesses of
Hindu scripture are in no short supply of praise for Ka.
Brahms next question regarding which avatra if remembered leads
one beyond birth and death is most perfectly answered by referring to
Ka, who if remembered even in enmity grants liberation. Furthermore,
the liberation afforded to certain asuras (such as Ptan) is extraordinary.
Brahms nal question as to how the pra-avatra can be understood
to possess the characteristics of Brahman is answered ahead. Brahms
other questions will also be answered in greater detail.
123
26. F H= "H l Fd ]l ~
FR H l ~ d Fd> =
FR H l F ' FQ ll-ll
sa hovca ta hi nryao deva |
sakmy mero ge yath sapta-pryo bhavanti |
tath nikmy sakmy ca bhgola-cakre sapta-pryo bhavanti |
ts madhye skd brahma gopla-purti ||
sa he; ha uvca said; ta to him; hi alone; nryaa
Nryaa; deva Lord; sa-kmy those with desirable things; mero
of Mount Meru; ge on the peak; yath just as; sapta-prya
seven cities; bhavanti there are; tath so too; nikmy bestowing
freedom from desire; sakmy bestowing sense enjoyment; ca and;
bhgola-cakre around the world; sapta-prya seven cities; bhavanti
there are; ts madhye among them; skd directly; brahma
the Absolute itself; gopla-pur the city of the cowherds; iti end of
statement.
Lord Nryaa then answered Brahm: Just as on the peak of Mount
Meru there are seven heavenly or wish-fullling (sakmy) cities,
similarly, on the surface of the earth there are also seven cities, some
of which are sources of sensual enjoyment, others that are sources of
liberation and freedom from desire. Of these, the city of the cow-
herds, Gopla Pur, is directly Brahman itself.
There are seven well-known cities on earth that are capable of bestowing
liberation: Ayodhy, Mathur, Haridvra, Vras, Kcpuram, Jagan-
ntha Pur, and Dvrak.
5
Gopla Pur is another name for Mathur. Any
city that can bestow liberation can also bestow material enjoyment. Thus
each of these cities is both sakmya and nikmya. However, r Jva Gos-
5. Some commentators include Avant in the list of cities, thus bringing the count to eight cities.
124
vm comments that the enjoyments they bestow are the four types of de-
votional liberation that satisfy ones spiritual senses: attaining opulence
like that of Nryaa (sti), living in his abode (slokya), serving him per-
sonally (smpya), and attaining a form like his (srpya).
Thus just as there are seven heavenly cities that fulll ones material de-
sires, after which one returns to earth, similarly there are seven cities on
earth capable of fullling ones material desires. Moreover, these cities
grant freedom from material desire and, subsequently, liberation. Fur-
thermore, these cities on earth offer the spiritual enjoyment of devotional
liberation. What, then, is the value of pursuing heavenly attainment when
earth offers so much more? This is especially true in regard to Mathur,
which is in a category of its own.
In this text Nryaa distinguishes Gopla Pur, or Mathur, from the
six other cities by stating that it is directly Brahman (skd brahma gopla-
pur), even while appearing on earth. Nryaas glorication of Mathur
is for the purpose of establishing that Ka is the Supreme Brahman. If
Mathur is itself skd-brahma, how much more so is its Deity, r Ka?
This is his logic.
In citing Nryaas reply, Durvs further establishes that Ka is the
Supreme Brahmanthe most complete expression of Godhead. At the
same time, he answers Gndharvs questions regarding Kas birth
among the cowherds, his abode, and the nature of his descent into the ma-
terial world. Regarding Kas birth among the cowherds, r Jva Go-
svm refers to text 22, which preceded Gndharvs questions, and states
that Durvs implies in this section of his narration that Ka enjoys
eternally in your [the gops] association. Now in the course of events, he
has appeared with you here in this world; this appearance (praka-bhva)
is called his birth. You have become so absorbed in your pastimes with him
that you are unable to recognize this.
Because Ka is Brahman, his abode is that city which is also Brah-
manMathurand because this is the city of the cowherds, he is a
cowherd. His descent is thus like that of his abode in that he appears in
the material world but is not inuenced by it. This nature of his descent
125
is claried by the example of the lotus, which will be given in the follow-
ing text.
What follows is an extensive glorication of Mathur by Nryaa, in
which the balance of Gndharvs questions are addressed.
27. Fd d "H FH9 H l
~ H FF B ~ B =
H ~ F" H ll-Oll
sakmy nikmy devn sarve bhtn bhavati |
yath hi vai sarasi padma tihati tath bhmy tihatti
cakrea rakit hi vai mathur tasmd gopla-pur bhavati |
sakmy bestowing sense enjoyments; nikmy bestowing libera-
tion; devn of the gods; sarve of all; bhtn creatures;
bhavati it is; yath just as; hi vai verily; sarasi on a pond; padma
lotus ower; tihati stands; tath so; bhmy on the earth;
tihati stands; iti thus; cakrea by the discus; rakit protected;
hi vai verily; mathur Mathur; tasmt therefore; gopla-pur
the city of the cowherds; bhavati is.
This Gopla Pur bestows both sense enjoyment and liberation on all
the gods and the inhabitants of this world. Just as a lotus ower sits on
a pool of water, so Mathur is situated on this earth, ever protected by
Vius sudarana discus. Therefore, Mathur is verily Goplas city.
The beauty of a lotus is not affected by the muddy water of the pond it sits
upon. Similarly, the spiritual nature of Mathur is not affected by its ap-
pearance on earth. The word hi in this verse indicates certainty in this re-
gard, and the word vai indicates that this conclusion is well reasoned.
r Prabodhnanda states that there are no special qualications neces-
sary to enter Mathur, such as detachment from the material world or at-
tachment to Ka. It is for this reason that Nryaa says that Mathur
126
blesses all the inhabitants of the world. Residence in Mathur Pur even as
a blade of grass is more auspicious than birth among the gods, including
birth as the creator, Brahm.
6
Even those who resist devotion to Ka in
Mathur are nonetheless granted devotion. Whatever faults are perceived
to exist in Mathur are those of perception, nothing more. Indeed, no sin-
ful reaction arises there when ordinary sins are performed.
7

28. N ''H FH d dH
N NH d" d"H " "H
" "H B $ BH H H
H" H"HH H ll-ll
bhad bhad-vana madhor madhu-vana tlas
tla-vana kmya kmya-vana
bahul bahula-vana kumuda kumuda-vana
khadira khadira-vana bhadro bhadra-vana
bhra iti bhra-vana r-vana loha-vana
vndy vnd-vanam etair vt pur bhavati ||
bhat being great; bhad-vana named Bhadvana; madho of the
demon named Madhu; madhu-vana named Madhuvana; tla tala
fruit; tla-vana Tlavana; kmya desirable; kmya-vana Km-
yavana; bahul Bahul; bahul-vana Bahulvana; kumuda lily;
kumuda-vana Kumudavana; khadira khadira trees; khadira-vana
Khadiravana; bhadra blessed; bhadra-vana Bhadravana;
bhra iti the bhra tree; bhra-vana Bhravana; r-
vana rvana; loha-vana Lohavana; vndy of Vnd-dev;
vnd-vanam Vndvana; etai by them; vt covered; pur the
city; bhavati is.
6. See B 10.14.34, where Brahm himself aspires for a birth in Mathur-maala.
7. This excludes offenses to Kas name, devotees, the holy city of Mathur itself, and so on,
all of which do have consequences when committed in Mathur.
127
That abode of Gopla is surrounded by twelve forests. The rst is the
largest and is therefore known as Bhadvana (great forest). The sec-
ond is named Madhuvana after the demon known as Madhu; the third
is known as Tlavana for the tla palm trees that ll it; the fourth is
known as Kmyavana because it fullls desires; the fth is Bahulvana,
the forest of Bahul; the sixth is Kumudavana, the forest lled with
kumuda owers; the seventh is Khadiravana, the forest of khadira
trees; the eighth is Bhadravana, the forest of bhadra trees; the ninth is
Bhravana, the forest of bhra trees; the tenth is rvana, the
forest of Lakm; the eleventh is Lohavana; and the twelfth is Vn d-
vana, the forest of Vnd.
rla Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda comments on the twelve forests
surrounding Kas abode in his purport to Caitanya-caritmta 2.17.193:
Vndvana is the name given to the forest where rmat Vnd-dev
(Tulas-dev) grows profusely. There are twelve such vanas in Vndvana.
Some are located on the western side of the Yamun and others on the
eastern side. The forests situated on the eastern side are Bhadravana, Bil-
vavana, Lohavana, Bhravana, and Mahvana. On the western side are
Madhuvana, Tlavana, Kumudavana, Bahulvana, Kmyavana, Khadira-
vana, and Vndvana. These are the twelve forests of the Vndvana area.
The names Mahvana and Bilvavana are other names for Bhadvana and
rvana, respectively.
Later Gopla-tpan will state that these forests can be considered two
rather than twelve: Bhadravana and Kavana, distinguished by their re-
lationship with either Rma or Ka. Those on the eastern side of the Ya-
mun are more closely associated with Rma (Bhadravana), and those on
the western side are more closely associated with Ka (Kavana).
8

All of these forests facilitate Gopla Ka in his cowherd lls and his
rendezvous with the gops. Among them Vndvana is the most important,
and for this reason it is mentioned last in the list given here in Gopla-
8. Opinions on the grouping of these forests differ among cryas.
128
tpan. The word vnda also means group, and it is to be understood that
Vndvana is the group leader of all twelve of Gopla Purs forests.
Among other things, it supplies all of the owers for Kas pastimes and
is personied as the forest nymph Vnd who shares in Yogamy
Pauramss service of orchestrating Kas ll.
29. HH HH "H 'H
d ll-\ll
tatra tev eva gahanev eva dev manuy gandharv
ng kinnar gyantti ntyantti |
tatra there; teu among them; eva certainly; gahaneu in these
deep; eva thus; dev gods; manuy humans; gandharv
heavenly singers; ng divine serpents; kinnar monkeys; gyanti
sing; iti it is said; ntyanti dance; iti so it is said.
In the midst of these deep forests, gods, humans, Gandharvas, Ngas,
and Kinnaras sing and dance together.
The forests of Gopla Pur are deep in the sense that their secrets concern-
ing Ka ll are unknown even to the Vedas and great sages who follow the
Upaniads. Although its secrets are hidden from great sages, they are known
to Kas devotees who reside there in the form of simple, uneducated vil-
lagers whose sole wealth is love for Ka. It is said elsewhere that these for-
ests abound with wish-fullling trees. However, their real opulence is their
inhabitants, who have no wish to fulll due to their love for Ka.
Gods also dwell in these spiritual forests, and their singing and dancing
mentioned here indicate their absorption in love of Ka. r Brahma-
sahit describes that in the abode of Ka all talking is song and all
movement dance. What, then, must the singing and dancing there be like?
Such poetic spiritual life of the eternal inhabitants of Kas abode causes
the gods themselves to sing and dance.
129
30. "" d" " 8 HFH
FR NQ "> Hd
H " Nd
d H "
B ] =HH llll
tatra dvdadity ekdaa rudr aau vasava sapta munayo brahm nrada
ca paca vinyak vrevaro rudrevaro ambikevaro gaevaro nlakahevaro
vivevaro goplevaro bhadrevara dyni ligni caturviatir bhavanti |
tatra there; dvdaa twelve; dity dityas; ekdaa eleven; ru-
dr Rudras; aau eight; vasava Vasus; sapta seven; munaya
sages; brahm Brahm; nrada Nrada; ca and; paca ve;
vinyak Vinyakas; vrevara Vrevara; rudrevara Ru-
drevara; ambikevara Ambikevara; gaevara Gaevara;
nlakahevara Nlakahevara; vivevara Vivevara;
goplevara Goplevara; bhadrevara Bhadrevara; dyni etcet-
era; ligni liga-mrtis; caturviati twenty-four; bhavanti
there are.
The twelve dityas, eleven Rudras, eight Vasus, seven sages, Brahm,
Nrada, and iva ligas, such as the ve Vinyakas, Vrevara, Ru-
drevara, Ambikevara, Gaevara, Nlakahevara, Vivevara,
Goplevara, and Bhadrevara reside there. Altogether, there are
twenty-four ligas including these.
In some form or another all these divine personalities reside in Kas
abode. The Rudras listed here indicate liga-mrtis perpetually worshiped
in the dhma.
31. H F dH "H l
"H l
HH "HFB F{ F{ R ll!ll
130
dve vane sta ka-vana bhadra-vanam |
tayor antar dvdaa-vanni puyni puyatamni |
tev eva devs tihanti siddh siddhi prpt |
dve two; vane woods; sta are; ka-vana Kavana; bhadra-
vanam Bhadravana; tayo of these two; anta within; dvdaa-
vanni twelve forests; puyni holy; puyatamni most holy; teu
in them; eva verily; dev gods; tihanti live; siddh perfect-
ed beings; siddhi perfection; prpt attained.
There are in fact only two forests in Mathur. These are named
Kavana and Bhadravana. It is within these two forests that the
aforementioned twelve forests, some of which are pure and holy and
others of which are most pure and holy, are contained. The gods live
there, and the perfected souls attained their perfections there.
Other than r Kas eternal retinue, other devotees have attained the
status of residing in his abode as cowherds. According to the scriptural re-
cord, these devotees include those who descended to earth from among
the gods during Kas manifest ll and perfected their spiritual lives at
that time as cowherds, as well as spiritual practitioners from earth who at-
tained this same perfection through spiritual practice (sdhana-siddha).
The scriptures give several examples of such sdhana-siddhas. The V-
mana Pura describes how the presiding deities of certain Upaniads de-
sired to attain the spiritual status of gops and were blessed by Ka to take
birth in his manifest ll to fulll their desire. Gyatr-dev also attained
this status by Kas blessing. According to the Padma Pura, she had
been kidnapped from the cowherd community to assist Brahm in a reli-
gious ritual, and when the cowherds objected, Viu promised to appear
among them in the future as a concession. Later Gyatr herself worshiped
Ka and received his benediction that she could take birth on earth dur-
ing his manifest ll and become one of his gops. Furthermore, the sages of
the Daakraya forest who had the darana of r Rmacandra were
131
blessed by him in accordance with their sdhana to take birth as gops at the
time of Kas manifest ll. Notably, their mantra was the eighteen-
syllable Gopla mantra of this Upaniad.
32. F BF B
{F{ dF d l
HHH ~FHH " H ll-ll
tatra hi rmasya rma-mrti pradyumnasya pradyumna-mrtir
aniruddhasyniruddha-mrti kasya ka-mrti |
vanev eva mathursv eva dvdaa-mrtayo bhavanti |
tatra there; hi verily; rmasya Balarmas; rma-mrti Rmas
Deity form; pradyumnasya Pradyumnas; pradyumna-mrti Prad-
yumnas Deity form; aniruddhasya Aniruddhas; aniruddha-mrti
Ani ruddhas Deity form; kasya Kas; ka-mrti Kas De-
ity form; vaneu in the forests; eva thus; mathursu in those of
Mathur; eva so; dvdaa-mrtaya twelve Deity forms; bhavanti
are present.
In the forests of Mathur, Ka is present in different forms. Rmas
form as Rma-mrti, Pradyumnas form as Pradyumna-mrti, Ani rud-
dhas form as Aniruddha-mrti, and Kas form as Ka-mrti are all
present. In this way, twelve different forms of Ka are present there.
This text implies that Ka is eternally present in the twelve forests of
Gopla Pur. It also informs us that he is present there in twelve different
forms and introduces the famed catur-vyha consisting of Vsudeva Ka,
Sakaraa Rma, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha.
Regarding the twelve different forms, Prabodhnanda Sarasvat cites
the description in rmad-Bhgavatam (10.43.17) of Rma and Ka en-
tering Kasas wrestling arena to ght the wrestlers Cra and Muika.
In r ukadevas description, all those who were blessed with the darana
132
of Ka saw him differently. Like a priceless gem with many facets, he
showed himself in different ways to everyone present. Each of them saw
Ka in relation to one of the ve primary or seven secondary rasas. Their
varied perceptions bear out the truth of Kas position as rasa-rja, the
king of connoisseurs of love. He tastes and is tasted in all ve primary and
seven secondary avors of sacred aesthetic rapture (bhakti-rasa).
After citing this Bhgavata verse, r Prabodhnanda concludes, This,
then, is why there are twelve different forms in the different forests of
Mathur-maala. While it may seem that Prabodhnanda Sarasvat is
leaning toward an esoteric understanding of this verse in which the twelve
Deities are identied with the twelve expressions of sacred aesthetic rap-
ture (rasa), he does not actually say this, nor does the text ahead bear it out.
Nonetheless, the fact that the text speaks of twelve Deities and the verse
cited by the crya explaining it involves twelve rasas, all of whom have tit-
ulary Deities, leads one to make a connection between the twelve Deities
of Mathur and the titulary Deities of the twelve rasas. Indeed, there are a
number of other verses that could have been cited to explain this verse that
would not have brought this connection to mind and at the same time
would have made clear what the text of Gopla-tpan is emphasizing here.
9

Thus it is worth considering that the titulary Deities of the twelve rasas
may also reside in Mathur-maala and that this may have been on the
cryas mind.
10
It is certainly acceptable for an crya to imply this, for
more important than what the text itself says on the surface is what it says
to such souls.
This possibility aside, the Gopla-tpan text itself emphasizes that God
appears to different devotees relative to their approach to him. Thus there
are numerous forms of God even as God is essentially one.
9. Bg. 4.11 immediately comes to mind.
10. According to Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu, the titulary Deities of the ve direct (mukhya) and
seven indirect (gaua) rasas are Kapila (nta/neutrality), Mdhava (dsya/servitude), Upendra
(sakhya/fraternal love), Nsiha (vtsalya/parental love), Nandanandana (gra/conjugal love),
Balarma (hsya/laughter), Krma (adbhuta/wonder), Kalki (vrya/chivalry), Rmacandra (kruya/
empathy), Paraurma (krodha/anger), Varaha (bhaya/fear), and Matsya (vbhatsa/disgust).
133
33. d " l NQ l
NQ l =~ l
Hd l 9B HFH l
FR9 l 8 'H l
HFF l " H Q' B l
d" FH" l " B llll
ek hi rudr yajanti | dvity hi brahm yajati | tty brahmaj yajan-
ti | caturth maruto yajanti | pacam vinyak yajanti | ah vasavo
yajanti | saptamm ayo yajanti | aam gandharv yajanti | navamm ap-
saraso yajanti | daam vai hy antardhne tihati | ekdaameti svapada
gat | dvdaameti bhmy hi tihati ||
ek the rst; hi specically; rudr Rudras; yajanti is wor-
shiped; dvity the second; hi specically; brahm Lord Brah-
m; tty the third; brahmaj the sons of Brahm; caturth
the fourth; maruta the wind gods; pacam the fth; vinyak
the Vinyakas; ah the sixth; vasava the Vasus; saptamm
the seventh; aya the seers; aam the eighth; gandharv the
Gandharvas; navamm the ninth; apsarasa the heavenly courte-
sans, the Apsars; daam the tenth; vai hi most certainly; antard-
hne in an invisible state; tihati remains; ekdaam the elev-
enth; iti known as; svapada to his own abode; gat gone;
dvdaam the twelfth; iti known as; bhmy on earth; hi
verily: tihati remains.
The rst of these twelve forms is worshiped by the Rudras, the second
by Brahm, the third by the sons of Brahm, the fourth by the Maruts,
the fth by the Vinyakas, the sixth by the Vasus, the seventh by the
seven is, the eighth by the Gandharvas, the ninth by the Apsars.
The tenth is invisible, the eleventh has gone to the Vaikuha abode,
and the twelfth is on earth.
134
Brahm is perplexed by this section of the text, and in the section begin-
ning with text 75 he will voice his doubts, which Nryaa will subse-
quently address. The basic point Nryaa is making here is that the one
Supreme God appears in different forms. Of the twelve forms mentioned
here, the eleventh is the most important, as will be explained later in this
Upaniad.
34. l
d " llHll
t hi ye yajanti te mtyu taranti mukti labhante | garbha-janma-jar-
maraa-tpa-traytmaka dukha taranti ||
t that; hi one; ye those who; yajanti worship; te they;
mtyu death; taranti cross over; mukti liberation; labhante
attain; garbha in the womb; janma from birth; jar from old age;
maraa from death; tpa-traytmaka the threefold miseries;
dukha miseries; taranti cross over.
Those who worship any one of these forms will conquer death and at-
tain liberation. They conquer over the threefold miseries, suffering in
the womb, and suffering during birth, old age, and death.
35. " d H l
F ~ F" NQ"FH l
S="]l F" ll7ll
tad apy ete lok bhavanti |
samprpya mathur ramy sad brahmdi-sevitm |
akha-cakra-gad-rga-rakit musaldibhi |
tat therefore; api also; ete these; lok verses; bhavanti are;
samprpya coming; mathur the land of Mathur; ramy love-
135
ly; sad always; brahmdi by Brahm and others; sevitm frequent-
ed; akha the conch; cakra the discus; gad the mace; rga
the bow; rakit protected; musaldibhi with clubs, and so on.
There are a number of verses in this connection:
Coming to the lovely land of Mathur, which is always frequented by
Brahm and other gods and protected by the Lords weaponsthe
conch, discus, mace, bow, and various clubs[one is fullled].
Prabodhnanda Sarasvat comments, Nryaa will now recite some
mantras that conrm the statements he has already made. As this verse
does not make a complete sentence, one should understand the authors
intention to be that those who come to Mathur attain complete fulll-
ment.
36. F FF~ dM H F l
{B F H llll
yatrsau sasthita kas tribhi akty samhita |
rmniruddha-pradyumnai rukmiy sahito vibhu ||
yatra there; asau he; sasthita remains; ka Ka; tribhi
with three; akty by his akti; samhita attended; rma Rma;
aniruddha Aniruddha; pradyumnai Pradyumna; rukmiy
Rukmi; sahita with; vibhu the powerful Lord.
The powerful Lord Ka resides there eternally with his three ex-
pansions, Rma, Aniruddha, and Pradyumna, and his akti, Rukmi.
Nryaas words to Brahm in this verse partially answer Gndharvs
question concerning Kas older brother. They also indirectly answer
her questions concerning Kas birth from Devak, and, once again, how
he took birth among the cowherds.
136
Kas elder brother Rma is his immediate expansion (vaibhava-praka),
from whom the catur-vyha consisting of Vsudeva Ka, Sakaraa Rma,
Pradyumna, and Aniruddha expand for the sake of lls in the city of Mathur.
Rma and Ka are one and the same person. Their complexion and emo-
tional makeup differ slightly, but they are the same Supreme God. Here
Nryaa tells Brahm that Rma is a member of the catur-vyha. In subse-
quent verses he will reveal that Rma is synonymous with the praava okra
(O). Thus Nryaa speaks here of Rmas majesty.
By mentioning Rukmi as the akti of Ka, Nryaa implies that she
represents the entirety of his akti. All of Kas innumerable aktis ema-
nate from his svaya-akti. Although Kas svaya-akti is Rdh, this
akti appears as r Rdh in Vndvana and as Rukmi in Dvrak/
Mathur, rukmi dvravaty tu rdh vndvane vane.
11

When Nryaa says that Ka resides with his aktis, he implies that
Ka eternally resides in all his lls with a host of devotees, all of whom
are akti-tattva. One such devotee is his mother Devak. Kas birth from
Devak is an expression of his virbhva-akti, the power to manifest him-
self. In the Bhagavad-gt, r Ka refers to this power when he says,
sambhavmy tma-myay: I manifest by my own power. Ka appeared
to Devak in Mathur in a four-armed form. This form is his Vsudeva ex-
pansion, a member of the original catur-vyha mentioned in this verse,
which corresponds with the sentiment of his akti Devak.
In contrast to his four-armed appearance in Mathur, Ka appears in
Vndvana in a two-armed form, the form that Gndharv is most familiar
with. This two-armed form is his original form (svaya bhagavn), where-
as his appearance before Devak is a partial manifestation of this form,
athham aa-bhgena devaky putrat ubhe (B 1.2.9).
What follows is a more detailed explanation of Kas expansions and
aktis, emphasizing the catur-vyhas identity with the syllable O.
11. Prabodhnanda Sarasvat cites this verse in his commentary on verse 50. He attributes it
to both the Skanda and Matsya Puras. Rpa Gosvm brings out the connection between
Rdh/Satyabhm and Candrval/Rukmi in his works Vidagdha-mdhava and Lalita-mdhava.
137
37. ==" H"d QFd d llOll
catu-abdo bhaved eko hy okrasyakai kta ||
catu-abda that which consists of four words; bhavet would be; eka
one; hi certainly; okrasya of okra; aakai the constitu-
ent elements; kta composed of.
The one is verily made up of four words that are derived from the ele-
ments of the syllable O.
In this verse Prabodhnanda Sarasvat nds the answers to Gndharvs ques-
tions concerning the mantra and rituals by which Gopla Ka should be
worshiped. Durvs, through Nryaas instructions to Brahm, instructs
Gndharv on the signicance of the praava okra. The praava okra is
the seed form of all Vedic mantras, and both precedes and follows their utter-
ance. It contains the essential and singular import of all four Vedas.
The one mentioned in this verse is the Supreme Brahman, whom
Nryaa has equated with Ka. This one is also known as the fourfold
vyha: Vsudeva Ka, Sakaraa, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha. They, in
turn, are identied with the syllable O, which consists of the three San-
skrit letters a, u, m, and their vibration. By establishing Kas identity
with the catur-vyha and the catur-vyhas identity with okra, it is clear
that Ka is the Supreme Brahman.
38. F"H F F'
$H' ' H llll
tasmd eva paro rajaseti so ham
ity avadhrytmna goplo ham iti bhvayet |
tasmt therefore; eva in this way; para beyond; rajas the
modes of passion; iti thus; so ham I am he; iti thus; avadhrya
138
being conscious; tmna self; gopla Gopla; aham I; iti thus;
bhvayet one should think.
Therefore, in the consciousness that I am the divine Lord beyond
the mode of passion, one should meditate on the self, [thinking], I
am Gopla.
It has been stressed earlier in this text (1.14) that bhakti, when purely ex-
pressed, includes liberation. Ahead in Gopla-tpan (2.78), we also nd
that the object of bhakti, Kas form, is eternal, ghana sac-cid-nandaika-
rase bhakti-yoge tihati: [His form] is permanently situated in bhakti-yoga,
exclusively characterized by eternity, knowledge, and bliss. Gopla-tpan
(2.73) also states, sa mukto bhavati tasmai svtmna ca dadmi vai: Once
he is liberated, I most certainly give myself to him. The act of giving one-
self is not possible if the giver and receiver are absolutely one.

Thus both
the beginning and the end of this Vaiava Upaniad teach a devotional
form of Vednta in which the liberated perfection of life involves an eter-
nal relationship between God and his devotees.
12
When the beginning and
the end of a text teach one thing, the middle portion of the text cannot
teach something different.
In the case of Gopla-tpan, the beginning and end of the text teach us
that the individual soul and God experience a dynamic union in love in
which the two, while one in will, nonetheless remain distinct from one an-
other. Thus here in its middle portion this Upaniad is not teaching some-
thing different, such as the notion of absolute identity between the indi-
vidual soul and Brahman. Indeed, no Vaiava sect teaches that the
individual soul and Brahman are one in all respects. Thus the meditation
(so ham/goplo ham) recommended in this verse must be understood in
light of Vaiava philosophy and the context in which it appears in the text
itself. The spirit of this meditation is: My existence is to Gods as the rays
of the sun are to the sun itself. The satisfaction of the root of existence re-
12. Gopla-tpan (1.29) refers to the mantra of this Upaniad as a Vaiava mantra.
139
sults in the complete satisfaction of the twigs and branches; in this con-
sciousness, whatever is to be done for oneself should be done as an offer-
ing to him.
Vednta-stra 4.4.17 (jagad-vypra-varjyam) offers scriptural evidence
in support of the Vaiava position on the difference between the individ-
ual soul and God. The phrase jagad-vypra-varjyam states that the liber-
ated soul has the powers of God with the exception (varjyam) of the pow-
er to create (vypra) the world (jagat). Another stra worth citing is
3.3.46, prva-vikalpa prakarat syt kriy mnasavat: This so ham is a
form of that previously mentioned (bhakti), because of the context [in
which it appears in the Upaniads], just as worship, meditation, and so on,
[are forms of bhakti]. Stra 3.3.47 then goes on to establish that the indi-
vidual soul and Brahman are not one in all respects. There, Bdaryaa
writes, atidec ca: And on account of comparison. By this he means that
in the Upaniads Gods relationship with his devotees is compared with the
relationship that Brahm has with his sons. Thus just as Brahms sons are
dear to him and one with him in this sense, they are still his sons and thus
not one with him in every respect. Similarly, Gods devotees are dear to
him and in this sense one with him, yet being his devotees they are not one
with him in every respect. For example, in Gopla-tpan 2.49 Nryaa
says to Brahm: My devotee is dear to me just as you are to your sons, Ru-
dra is to his associates, and I am to Lakm.
To further explain the appropriate orientation to the meditation rec-
ommended in this verse, Prabodhnanda Sarasvat refers to the meaning
of a similar mantra, asv adom. This mantra says that the Supreme Soul
(asau) is one with the individual soul (ada), yet it goes on to qualify this
statement with the word O. Here O indicates Brahman/Gopla, the
root of all existence, and thus according to Prabodhnanda Sarasvat, this
mantra teaches that the jva and God are one in the sense that God is the
origin of the jva, just as the sun is the origin of its rays.
The Puric record also supports the Vaiava understanding of this
text. In rmad-Bhgavatam, which is clearly the most sophisticated theo-
logical treatise among the Puras, we nd the milkmaids of Vraja chant-
140
ing so ham at the height of their love in separation from Gopla Ka. Af-
ter Ka disappeared from the circular love dance, the gops, lost in
thought of him, declared themselves to be Ka (asv aha) (B 10.30.3).
However, even as they declared themselves to be Ka, they were search-
ing for him. They did not actually become Ka, for if they had there
would have been no further possibility to enjoy rasa with him for which
they were so eager. Thus their feelings of oneness with him are described
in the same Bhgavata verse as being vibhrama, mistaken. Theirs was a case
of mistaken identity caused by love. Moreover, vibhrama means beauty.
Thus they experienced a nuance of love within a beautiful pastime (vibhrama-
vilsa) of lover and beloved. In Ujjvala-nlamai 11.2830, Rpa Gosvm
identies this nuance as the anubhva called ll, which he understands in
this instance to mean imitation of the beloved.
39. F l F NQH' l F NQHH ll\ll
sa mokam anute | sa brahmatvam adhigacchati | sa brahmavid bhavati |
sa he; mokam the liberated state; anute enjoys; sa he; brah-
matvam the status of Brahman; adhigacchati attains; sa he; brah-
mavit knower of Brahman; bhavati becomes.
Such a person enjoys the liberated state. He attains the status of Brah-
man. He becomes a knower of Brahman.
The result of perfecting the devotional meditation recommended in the
previous verse is described here: one attains liberation by being delivered
from the karmic web of ignorance, one attains divine status, and one
comes to know Brahman in the fullest sense. Knowing Brahman in the
fullest sense is understood to be knowing him as Gopla Ka, since the
recommended meditation specically refers to him (goplo ham) and not a
generic sense of Brahman. Prabodhnanda Sarasvat comments that at-
taining the status of Brahman means realizing a spiritual relationship with
141
Brahman in which one possesses a form of pure consciousness. Being de-
livered from the negative inuence of karma and attaining ones spiritual
identity constitutes the twofold standard of mukti (liberation) spoken of in
the Bhgavata Pura (2.10.6), muktir hitvnyath-rpa svarpea vyavas-
thiti. Bhagavad-gt (18.55) speaks of this twofold development as well
when Ka tells Arjuna that by attaining Brahman (brahma-bhta) one
transcends the material conditions of hankering and lamenting (na ocati
na kkati) and thus becomes qualied for a life of devotion proper (mad-
bhakti labhate parm).
The svarpa (spiritual form) of the liberated soul exists eternally in a
dormant condition and is awakened through the cultivation of bhakti. r
Jva Gosvm says the following about this form in his Prti-sandarbha (10):
In the spiritual world, there are innumerable spiritual forms expanding
from the effulgence of Bhagavn. When liberated souls attain these forms,
Bhagavn enjoys pastimes with them. Each of these spiritual forms is
constituted of eternity, knowledge, and bliss. These forms are embodi-
ments of Ka prema, through which liberated souls participate in Ka
ll. They exist in a dormant condition prior to the individiual souls at-
tainment of liberation and are activated by the grace of Bhakti-dev. Cai-
tanya-caritmta explains the same idea thus, nitya-siddha ka-prema s-
dhya kabhu naya ravadi-uddha-citte karaye udaya: Love of Krsna exists
in eternal perfection. It is not something that is attained [as the fruits of
karma are]. By engaging in hearing and other forms of bhakti, ones con-
sciousness is puried and prema awakens.
It is important to note that the spiritual svarpa of the jva is manifest in
an act of grace. Regardless of how hard or how well one practices medita-
tion on ones svarpa, actual svarpvea is entirely dependent on revela-
tion. It is sva-praka, self-manifest. Therefore aragati, the surrender of
resigning oneself to a life of devotion, must be emphasized more than any-
thing else for those who desire to attain their svarpa.
Other than the rst two fruits derived from worshiping Gopla Ka,
deliverance from karma and attainment of spiritual identity, which can
also be attained by worshiping other forms of Godhead, a third fruit per-
142
tains to his worship alone: knowledge of Brahman in the form of Gopla
Ka, who represents the heart of BrahmanBrahman in full, appearing
in humanlike form (narkti para brahma).
13
40. H H HF8
F H l BF' l NQ
dd "d^ F' l
H FN' F'"
F d l ' H l
F H' llHll
yo gopn jvn vai tmatvensi-paryantam lti sa goplo bhavati hi | o
tad yat so ham | para brahma ktmako nitynandaika-rpa so ham |
o tad gopla eva para satyam abdhitam | so ham ity tmnam dya
manasaikya kuryt | tmna goplo ham iti bhvayet | sa evvyakto nan-
to nityo gopla ||
ya one who; gopn the cowherds; jvn the living beings; vai
certainly; tmatvena as his very self; si-paryantam from the begin-
ning of creation; lti takes; sa he; gopla Gopla; bhavati is
known as; hi verily; o O; tat that; yat which; so ha I am
he; para supreme; brahma Brahman; ktmaka the essence of
whom is Ka; nitynanda eternal bliss; eka-rpa one with; so
ham I am he; o O; tat that; gopla Gopla; eva certainly;
para supreme; satyam truth; abdhitam unobstructed; so ham
I am he; iti thus; tmnam self; dya controlling; manas with
the mind; aikya oneness; kuryt should do; tmna the self;
gopla Gopla; aham I am; iti thus; bhvayet should think; sa
he; eva certainly; avyakta unmanifest; ananta unlimited; ni-
tya eternal; gopla Gopla.
13. r Jva Gosvm uses the term narkti para brahma for Gopla Ka throughout his
writing. He attributes it to the Bhat-sahasra-nma-stotra of the Brahmda Pura.
143
He who from the very beginning of creation takes the living entities,
known as the gopas, as his very self is verily Gopla. One should think:
The truth is identical with the sacred syllable O, and I am he. I am he
who is the Supreme Brahman, the essence of whom is Ka, whose
only form is one of eternal bliss. That Gopla is the unobstructed Su-
preme Truth. Thinking, I am he, one should take control of the self
and concentrate the mind. One should then meditate on the self, think-
ing, I am Gopla. Verily Gopla is unmanifest, innite, and eternal.
The cowherd people of Ka ll are all examples of perfected spiritual
forms of pure consciousness engaged in divine sport with Gopla Ka.
Among them, Kas cowherd friends in particular serve him in the spirit
of equality. r Kadsa Kavirja Gosvm describes the principal ingre-
dient of their sentiment with the word virambha: virambha-pradhna
sakhya (Cc. 2.19.224). Virambha means familiarity, intimacy, and absence
of restraint, and it implies a strong sense of equality. Thus the cowherd
friends of Ka think of themselves as his equals. Their love for him is an
example of praaya, the sense that there is no difference between Gopla
Kas body and their own. Thus they never hesitate to touch him, the
Parabrahman, even with their feet. Indeed, within the ll they often defeat
him in play ghting, the consequence of which is that Ka must carry
them on his shoulders. Sometimes they serve him and sometimes they ac-
cept service from him, ke seve, ke karya pana-sevana (Cc. 2.19.223).
r Prabodhnanda says that in this verse Nryaa tells Brahm that
the name Gopla means he who accepts the gopas, or those who are en-
tirely dependent on him for their existence, as his very self, with un-
equalled affection as though nondifferent from him throughout all time.
14

He comments further on the spirit of Nryaas statement: Just as the
cowherds are always by Gopla Kas side in the spirit of oneness with
him, so too do all living beings remain with him. All living beings remain
14. Vivevara Trtha explains Gopla thus: he who from the very beginning (a) accepts
(alati) the jvas (gopan) as identical with himself.
144
with him as his loving devotees in potential, and the principal path for
them chalked out here in Gopla-tpan is one that culminates in loving
him in the oneness characterized by the cowherds of Vraja. On this path
devotees progress from worshiping to actually being worship itself in the
form of becoming the bhva, or spiritual emotion, they cultivate. This
spiritual emotion for Ka is nondifferent from him, inasmuch as Gopla
Ka is that face of Brahman that corresponds with the bhva of Vraja
bhakti that this spiritual planes inhabitants are constituted of. The dynam-
ic nature of advaya-jna-tattva (nondual consciousness) that is experi-
enced by the enlightened is fully expressed as Golokathe dynamic union
of love between Gopla Ka and his cowherds, who know svaya bhaga-
vn r Ka as their very own in a compact of love.
In this verse Nryaa further describes Gopla Ka as the unob-
structed Supreme Truth. By this he implies that his own position is sub-
ordinate to that of Gopla Ka when considered in terms of potential for
experiencing and being experienced in aesthetic rapture. Therefore,
Kas being the unobstructed Supreme Truth implies that he is akhila
rasmta mrti, the reservoir of sacred aesthetic rapture (Brs. 1.1.1). He is
the Deity of ahaituk (causeless), apratihat (unobstructed) love. It is this
love alone that fully satises him (yaytm samprasdati).
15
Devotees should worship Gopla Ka thinking themselves to be spiri-
tual in nature and thus qualitatively one with him, and moreover, they
should feel that he is their very life. Nryaa advises that this is the way to
attain mastery over the lower self and be delivered from the oppression of
the mind and senses. When Nryaa says, Verily he is unmanifest, in-
nite, and eternal, r Prabodhnanda concludes that Nryaa means
Gopla is whole in himself (svaya-siddha), not revealed by anyone other
than himself, and thus self-manifesting.
41. ~ F~NQ FH" H l
S="HHF H llH!ll
15. See B 1.2.6.
145
mathury sthitir brahman sarvad me bhaviyati |
akha-cakra-gad-padma-vana-ml-vtas tu vai ||
mathury in Mathur; sthiti living; brahman O Brahm; sar-
vad always; me my; bhaviyati will become; akha conch; cakra
discus; gad club; padma lotus; vana-ml a forest-ower gar-
land; vta surrounded by; tu but; vai certainly.
O Brahm, I will remain forever in Mathur, surrounded by my sym-
bolsthe conch, discus, club, lotus, and ower garland.
Here Nryaa continues to praise Gopla Ka and underscore Kas su-
perior position by stating that he will forever reside in Gopla Kas abode.
42. H^ FH^ ^H l
" FF NQ " > llH-ll
viva-rpa para jyoti-svarpa rpa-varjita |
hd m sasmaran brahman tat-pada yti nicitam ||
viva-rpa the universal form; para jyoti the supreme effulgence;
svarpa the form; rpa-varjita without form; hd with the
heart; m me; sasmaran remembering; brahman O Brahm;
tat-pada that abode; yti goes; nicitam certainly.
O Brahm, by remembering me with a devoted heart as the universal
form, the supreme form of effulgence, who is yet devoid of form, you
will certainly attain that supreme abode.
In this verse Nryaa speaks about how one can attain eternal residence
in Mathur. r Prabodhnanda comments that some readings have cit-
svarpam in place of viva-rpam, in which case the text changes from the
universal form to who possesses a spiritual form as his identity. Other-
146
wise, viva-rpam means he in whom the universe is contained or he in
whom all forms are contained, in which case it is a reference to Ka
within whom his form as Nryaa resides. In either case, his form is ex-
traordinary and effulgent, unlike material forms. So much is this the case
that Nryaa describes himself as formless here only to emphasize that
his spiritual form has no material qualities. Descriptions of God as form-
less are found throughout the Upaniads, as are descriptions of his spiritual
form. Thus it should be clear that when the ruti describes God as form-
less, it speaks of his being without material form.
In the vetvatara Upaniad (6.8) it is said:
He does not possess bodily form like that of an ordinary liv-
ing entity. There is no difference between his body and his
soul. He is absolute. All his senses are transcendental. Any
one of his senses can perform the action of any other sense.
Therefore, no one is greater than him or equal to him. His
potencies are multifarious, and thus his deeds are automati-
cally performed as a natural sequence.
16

Elsewhere in rmad-Bhgavatam (10.14.22) Brahm tells Ka, O Ka,
your eternal transcendental form is full of knowledge and bliss.
43. ~B F N F~' H l
'= = F H llHll
mathur-maale yas tu jambu-dvpe sthito pi v |
yo rcayet pratim m ca sa me priyataro bhuvi ||
mathur-maale in the district of Mathur; ya one who; tu on
the other hand; jambu-dvpe on the island of Jambu; sthita residing;
16. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda, trans., Bhagavad-gt: As it Is
(Los Angeles: BBT, 1983), 188.
147
api even; v or; ya one who; arcayet worships; pratim De-
ity form; m me; ca and; sa he; me my; priyatara most
dear; bhuvi in the world.
Or simply by residing in the region of Mathur in Jambdvpa and
worshiping my Deity form, one becomes most dear to me.
Whereas in the previous verse Nryaa speaks of meditation (smaraam),
in this verse he speaks of ritualistic worship (arcanam), which is generally
recommended for those who are not yet qualied to sit in meditation. Rit-
ualistic worship of Ka is very common in Mathur and has been for
centuries. The most important Deities of Ka, dating back to the time of
his grandson Vajra, were worshiped by the principal followers of r Cai-
tanya, who through their devotional zeal were able to secure the patronage
of Hindu monarchs and thus establish large temples for these Deities. In
this way, they attracted many pilgrims to Mathur, making it one of the
most important places of pilgrimage on earth (referred to here by its an-
cient scriptural name, Jambdvpa).
44. F'B d^ FH F" l
=' =F'd"H llHHll
tasym adhihita ka-rp pjyas tvay sad |
caturdh csydhikra-bhedatvena yajanti mm ||
tasym in that place; adhihita that resides; ka-rp the form
of Ka; pjya is worshipable; tvay by you; sad always; caturd-
h in four ways; ca and; asya his; adhikra-bhedatvena according
to the differences of qualication; yajanti worships; mm me.
The Deity form of Ka situated in Mathur is to be always wor-
shiped by you. People worship me in four ways according to their
qualications.
148
Prabodhnanda Sarasvat comments that through the words of Nryaa,
Durvs stresses Kas pj as being above all others. He is saying to the
gops: For those like you who are the most qualied (paramdhikr),
Kas form in Mathur is the most worshipable, not the other Viu
forms present there, such as Padmanbha. Some people also worship
Ka as one of the members of the catur-vyha. For them, it is said here
that there are different levels of qualication that correspond with the par-
ticular object of their worship. He also emphasizes that when Nryaa
says m in this verse, he means himself in the form of Ka.
45. H d F'F l
F F llH7ll
yugnuvartino lok yajantha sumedhasa |
gopla snuja rma-rukmiy saha tat-param ||
yugnuvartina those following the principles of religion according to
the age; lok people; yajanti worship; iha in this world; sumedha-
sa truly intelligent; gopla Gopla; snuja with his brother;
rma-rukmiy with Rma and Rukmi; saha with; tat-param
thereafter.
In this world, the most intelligent people following the principles of
religion for the age will worship Gopla and those born after him, such
as his brother Rma and Rukmi for whom he has great affection.
The word anuja in this verse should not be understood to indicate that
Rma was born after Ka, for within the ll he is his elder brother. It
should be understood in terms of Balarma being an expansion of Ka
and in this sense appearing after him.
The worship of Gopla Ka in the current age of quarrel (Kali-yuga)
is best performed through congregational chanting of his name (sa kr-
tanam), as demonstrated by him in his appearance as r Ka Caitanya
149
(Gaura) some ve hundred years ago. The word sumedhasa in this verse
also appears in rmad-Bhgavatam 11.5.32, where the avatra for the
Kali-yuga is described along with the method of his worship. While
sumedhasa literally refers to those endowed with very good intelligence, it
refers more to those who have acquired spiritual merit in relation to bhakti
(bhakty-unmukh-sukti) in this and previous lives. They thus have subtle
theistic intellect and a psychological makeup that enables them to embrace
the worship of Gaura and Gopla.
46. ' B' F l
'{'=' llHll
goplo ham ajo nitya pradyumno ha santana |
rmo ham aniruddho ham tmnam arcayed budha ||
goplo ham I am Gopla; aja unborn; nitya eternal; pradyumno
ha I am Pradyumna; santana everlasting; rmo ham I am
Rma; aniruddho ham I am Aniruddha; tmnam self; arcayet
worships; budha the wise man.
I am Gopla, unborn and eternal. I am the everlasting Pradyumna. I
am Rma and I am Aniruddha. The wise man thus worships the tm.
r Prabodhnanda understands tm in this verse to refer to the paramt-
m, as it often does throughout the Upaniads. Thus as discussed earlier,
one should worship God thinking I am Gopla in the sense that the indi-
vidual soul is ultimately of the same spiritual nature as God (abhedopsa-
nam). r Prabodhnanda comments further that the wise person referred
to here is one who is xed in the mood he personally prefers (svasyea-
bhvan-sudhah).
47. FH' d H l
H "dHF llHOll
150
mayoktena sva-dharmea nikmea vibhgaa |
tair aya pjanyo vai bhadra-ka-nivsibhi ||
may by me; uktena enunciated; sva-dharmea by the performance
of ones prescribed duties; nikmea without desire; vibhgaa in
their various divisions; tai by them; aya this person; pjanya
worshipable; vai verily; bhadra-ka-nivsibhi by those living in
Bhadravana and Kavana
Those living in the forests of Bhadravana and Kavana should wor-
ship this form of the Lord without material desire by personal religious
principles, which I myself have enunciated in their various divisions.
Prabodhnanda Sarasvat suggests that books such as Bhad-gautamya-
tantra contain the methods for the worship of Ka that he himself teach-
es. The religious principles are those acts by which Ka is attained that
are characterized by desirelessness.
48. { F l
d F H 9 FHF~ llHll
tad-dharma-gati-hn ye tasy mayi parya |
kalin grasit ye vai te tasym avasthiti ||
tad-dharma-gati-hn without any direction in these religious princi-
ples; ye those who; tasy in Mathur; mayi to me; parya
devoted; kalin by the age of Kali; grasit swallowed up; ye those
who; vai most certainly; te their; tasym in Mathur; avasthiti
situated.
Even those who are without any direction in these religious principles
and who are swallowed up by the argumentative character of this age
may still reside in Mathur if they are devoted to me.
151
Here the zenith of Mathurs glory is revealed: it overows with benevo-
lence. It is supreme among holy places because residence there is not lim-
ited to pious souls. Prabodhnanda Sarasvat cites the divarha Pura in
this regard, ye kvpi gatir nsti te madhupuri gati: Those who have
no other refuge can nd shelter in Mathur.
In this verse Nryaa also underscores the value of devotion. The
power of afnity for Ka is unmatched in terms of how easily it affords
spiritual progress, as well as the degree of spiritual advancement it culmi-
nates in. Furthermore, Nryaas statement expresses the very nature of
love: those who have love for Ka, however lacking in other areas, are
special to him. This is something we all experience within the scope of hu-
manity. Loving eyes can never see, and for good reason.
49. ~ H F F ~ " F l
~ ' ~ llH\ll
yath tva saha putrais tu yath rudro gaai saha |
yath riybhiyukto ha tath bhakto mama priya ||
yath just as; tva you; saha with; putrai sons; tu but; yath
just as; rudra Rudra iva; gaai associates; saha with; yath
just as; riy with Lakm; abhiyukta joined with; aha I; tath
so; bhakta devotee; mama my; priya dear.
My devotee is dear to me just as you are to your sons, Rudra is to his
associates, and I am to Lakm.
50. F H== l ="H d~d "H FH l
d d d~ ll7ll
sa hovcbjayoni | caturbhir devai katham eko deva syd
ekam akara yad virutam anekkara katha bhtam |
152
sa he; hovca said; abjayoni Brahm, the lotus-born; caturbhi
with four; devai Deities; katham how; eka one; deva De-
ity; syt could be; ekam one; akara letter; yat what; virutam
famous; aneka many; akara letter; katha how; bhtam
became.
Then the lotus-born asked: How can four Deities make a single God?
And how does the single syllable O, which has been explained as be-
ing unique in the rutis, become fourfold?
After hearing Nryaas explanation, the four-headed Brahm expresses
his doubts.
51. F H= H l H dH NQF l F"H l
F"H l H d l F" Hd l
l H H ll7!ll
sa hovca ta ha vai prva hi ekam evdvitya brahmst |
tasmd avyaktam evkaram | tasmd akart mahat-tattvam |
mahato vai hakra | tasmd evhakrt paca-tanmtri |
tebhyo bhtni | tair vtam akara bhavati |
sa he; hovca said; ta to him; ha vai certainly; prva
originally; hi verily; ekam one; eva only; advitya without a
second; brahma Brahm; st was; tasmt from that; avyaktam
the unmanifest; eva certainly; akaram indestructible syllable;
tasmt from that; akart syllable; mahat-tattvam mahat-tattva;
mahata from the mahat; vai certainly; hakra ego; tasmt
from that; eva verily; ahakrt from the ego; paca-tanmtri
the ve sense objects; tebhya from them; bhtni the elements; tai
with them; vtam covered; akara imperishable sound; bhavati
became.
153
Nryaa answered: Originally there was only one truth without a
second. That was Brahman. From that Brahman came the unmanifest
and indestructible syllable O. From that indestructible sound vibra-
tion came the mahat-tattva. From the mahat came the ego. From the
ego, the ve tanmtras, or sense objects; from them, the elements.
The imperishable sound O is covered by the elements.
Nryaa begins his answer to Brahms submissive inquiry by explaining
that the entire varied creation expands from a singular source. Thus it
should not be difcult to understand that if the singular Brahman, which is
represented in sound by the syllable O, can manifest a variegated uni-
verse that is different in nature from himself, being unconscious, certainly
he can manifest expansions of himself who are, like himself, pure con-
sciousness. Nryaa goes on to say that the praava okra and by exten-
sion any of its expansions, such as the catur-vyha and their particular rep-
resentation in sound, are covered by the material elements. By this he
means that they are covered in the sense that they are the hidden keys to
freeing one from the inuence of these elements, for they can never be
covered by the material elements in the way illusioned beings are.
Nryaas statement can also be understood to mean that the material el-
ements cover the materially conditioned souls from God.
In Nryaas statement that Brahman is originally one without a sec-
ond, the word one indicates that he is free of sajtya-bheda, or difference
from an object of the same category as himself. The word only indicates
that he has no internal differences and is thus free of svagata-bheda; the
words without a second indicate that nothing exists which is different
from him, indicating that he is free of vijtya-bheda, or difference from an
object categorically different from himself. He is advaya-jna-tattva,
nondual consciousness, even while possessed of akti.
r Jva Gosvm points out that while Nryaa says that originally
there was only one Brahman and does not mention his svarpa-akti, this is
appropriate because Gods svarpa-akti is nondifferent from himself. His
svarpa-akti is his nature and the source of all other aktis, by which he ex-
154
periences and expresses the joy that he is. She is his power, which is insep-
arable from the powerful himself, akti-aktimator abhinna-vastutvt.
17
52. 'd''''
NQ H F 'F l 'F ll7-ll
akaro ham okro ham ajaro maro bhayo mto
brahmbhaya hi vai sa mukto ham asmi | akaro ham asmi ||
akara imperishable; aham I; okra okra; aham I; ajara
never grow old; amara never die; abhaya fearless; amta im-
mortal; brahma Brahman; abhaya fearless; hi vai most certainly;
sa he; mukta liberated; aham I; asmi am; akara inde-
structible; aham I; asmi am.
I am imperishable. I am okra that never grows old, dies, or knows
fear. I am immortal. I am verily the fearless Brahman. Therefore, I am
liberated and indestructible.
The word akara means both imperishable and syllable. The charac-
teristics of the syllable okra mentioned are also shared by akara, the
imperishable Brahman. Thus the two are one, and in turn, both Brahman
and okra are identied with Nryaa. Nryaa is both imperishable
and represented by the syllable O. He tells Brahm as much in this verse:
akaro ham, okro ham.
In this way Nryaa is building on his answer to Brahm, as he begins
in this verse to move from his example of the variegated universe arising
from the singular Brahman back to the actual question as to the fourfold
nature of Brahman/okra that gives rise to the catur-vyha.
17. Jva Gosvm quotes this statement from an unidentied source.
155
53. F H^ d d ~ l
dH NQ =8 ll7ll
satt-mtra viva-rpa praka vypaka tath |
ekam evdvaya brahma myay tu catuayam ||
satt-mtra pure existence only; viva-rpa the universal form;
praka light; vypaka all-pervasive; tath so; ekam one; eva
only; advaya nondual; brahma Brahman; myay through
my; tu however; catuayam fourfold.
Brahman is pure existence, the universal form, and light. He is all-
pervasive and one without a second, but through my he becomes
fourfold.
Brahman is pure existence, which is joyful and thus free from all misery.
Through his akti he becomes the form of the universe (viva-rpam). It is
stated in the Vednta-stra that Brahmans motivation for expanding him-
self as the universe is to express joy in the form of divine play (lokavat tu ll
kaivalyam), the ll of creation (si-ll).
The word viva also means unlimited, and the word rpam can be ex-
trapolated to include not only form but also attributes, pastimes, and pow-
ers. In this sense, Brahman is said to be pure existence that is possessed of
unlimited form, attributes, and powers by which he engages in limitless
pastimes. Being light (praka), he reveals himself everywhere for the ben-
et of others and is thus all-pervading (vypaka).
The four characteristics attributed to Brahman in this verse are person-
ied by the four aspects of the catur-vyha. Vsudeva Ka personies
pure consciousness (satt-mtra), Sakaraa (Rma) personies existence
(viva-rpam), Pradyumna personies revelation (praka), and Aniruddha
personies all-pervasiveness (vypaka). Vsudeva is further identied with
Nryaa, Sakaraa with Mah Viu, Pradyumna with Garbhodaka-
y Viu, and Aniruddha with Krodakay Viu. These four are fur-
156
ther identied with consciousness, ego, intelligence, and mind, respective-
ly, as well as with the four directions.
r Jva Gosvm comments that the word my is dened in the Viva-
praka lexicon as both pride and mercy, my dambhe kpy ca. While it
is commonly used to indicate the external akti of God, here it indicates his
internal energy dwelling in the hearts of his devotees. By his internal akti
and out of mercy for his devotees, the singular Brahman becomes four-
fold, appearing in various forms that correspond with his devotees love
for him.
54 55. dFH l
Fd B 3dFH ll7Hll
d'{ dFH l
'd d F H B ll77ll
rohi-tanayo rmo a-krkara-sambhava |
taijastmaka pradyumna u-krkara-sambhava ||
prjtmako niruddho ma-krkara-sambhava |
ardhamtrtmaka ko yasmin viva pratihitam ||
rohi-tanaya the son of Rohi; rma Rma; a-krkara-sambha-
va arises out of the letter a; taijastmaka composed of re; prady-
umna Pradyumna; u-krkara-sambhava arises out of the letter u;
prjtmaka identied with the praj state; aniruddha Aniruddha;
ma-krkara-sambhava arises out of the letter m; ardha-mtrtmaka
the half syllable; ka Ka; yasmin in whom; viva the
universe; pratihitam is established.
The son of Rohi, Rma, comes out of the rst part of the praava,
produced from the letter a. Pradyumna, who is composed of re, is
produced from the vowel u.
157
Aniruddha is identied with the praj state and is produced from the
letter m, the third element of okra. The half syllable that cuts off
the vowel is Ka, in whom the entire universe is seated.
Having established Brahmans identity with O, Nryaa begins to ex-
plain how the four Deities of the catur-vyha are contained within this sa-
cred syllable and how they manifest from it. O represents the entire con-
scious reality manifest in the four stages of waking, dreaming, deep sleep,
and beyond. The rst three of these represent covered material stages of
consciousness, while the fourth represents enlightenment.
The waking state (viva/universe) is so-called because it involves the
sensual experience common to all. In this state, souls look outward, identi-
fying with sense objects. The dream state, (taijasa/luminous) is so-called
because it involves looking inward while the senses other than the mind
rest. The stage of deep dreamless sleep (praj/knowing) is so-called be-
cause it involves existence in which all of the senses including the mind are
at rest, a condition likened to self-realization in which the self uncon-
sciously lives momentarily in itself, unfettered by the mind and senses.
The fourth state (turya/the fourth), involves transcendence of the other
three stages, a permanent condition of self- and God-realization.
The four Deities of the catur-vyha contained within the syllable O
are the tutelary Deities presiding over these four stages of consciousness.
rmad-Bhgavatam 12.11.2122 describes this as follows:
vsudeva sakaraa
pradyumna purua svayam
aniruddha iti brahman
mrti-vyho bhidhyate
Vsudeva, Sakaraa, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha are the
names of the direct personal expansions of the Supreme
Godhead, O brhmaa aunaka.
158
sa vivas taijasa prjas
turya iti vttibhi
arthendriyaya-jnair
bhagavn paribhvyate
One can conceive of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in
terms of awakened consciousness, sleep, and deep sleep
which function respectively through external objects, the
mind, and material intelligenceand also in terms of the
fourth, transcendental level of consciousness, which is char-
acterized by pure knowledge.
18
Rma, being Rohis son, is Balarma and thus is not to be confused with
the catur-vyha headed by Rmacandra. He presides over the waking state
of consciousness. Pradyumna presides over the dream state of conscious-
ness, and Aniruddha presides over deep dreamless sleep. These three are
represented within okra by the letters a, u, and m, respectively.
Vsudeva Ka presides over the fourth, or enlightened, stage of con-
sciousness. He is represented by the entire okra. r Prabodhnanda
comments that the half syllable mentioned in the verse refers to the en-
tire praava taken as a whole, because it cannot be pronounced on its own.
Thus by this device of equating Ka with the praava as a whole, it is in-
dicated that he is the complete manifestation of the Supreme Person.
Therefore, Nryaa says, in whom the entire universe is established.
Another thing to be noticed about the language of these verses is that rath-
er than using the word sambhava (produced from) as in the previous three
lines, in this last line the word tmaka is used to denote the direct relation-
ship of the letter to the divine manifestation. This gives added glory to the
praava in its entirety by emphasizing its nondifference from Ka.
Mkya Upaniad 912, which it appears a number of commentators
have drawn from in commenting on this verse, concludes its discussion on
18. Disciples of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda, trans. and eds.,
rmad-Bhgavatam, canto 12 (Los Angeles: BBT, 1987), 32526.
159
the four stages of consciousness as follows: The word O as one sound is
the fourth state of supreme consciousness. It is beyond the senses and the
end of evolution. It is nonduality and love. He goes with his self to the Su-
preme Self who knows this, who knows this.
56. dd d d l
HMF NQF] l
HH d H" NQH" ll7ll
ktmik jagat-kartr mla-prakt rukmi |
vraja-str-jana-sambhta-rutibhyo brahma-sagata |
praavatvena prakti vadanti brahma-vdina ||
ktmik having Ka as her essence; jagat-kartr the creator of the
universe; mla-prakti the basis of the material nature; rukmi
Rukmi; vraja-str-jana the wives of Vndvana, the gops; sambhta
arise; rutibhya from the revealed scriptures; brahma-sagata
through contact with Brahman; praavatvena okra; prakti nature;
vadanti say; brahma-vdina the philosophers who say all is Brahman.
Having Ka as her essence, Rukmi is the basis of the material na-
ture (mla-prakti) and the creator of the universe. Based on the re-
vealed knowledge (ruti) arising from the questions of the women of
Vraja and also on account of her being associated with Brahman, K-
as potency (Rukmi) is identied with praava by the Brahmavdins.
Having explained how the catur-vyha is inherent within okra, Nryaa
goes on to explain how Kas principal akti also inheres therein. She is
represented alphabetically within okra by the bindu, and theologically
speaking she is present because God and his akti are nondifferent, just as
energy and its energetic source are one.
r Jva Gosvm comments elsewhere that some philosophers think
that my is only that aspect of Brahman that manifests the world, which
160
they, in turn, think is ultimately unreal (asat). r Jva says, however, that
they are mistaken and cites several verses and Sanskrit lexicons to establish
that the word my, while referring to the illusory world of material names
and forms, also refers to Gods spiritual energy (cit-akti). Here, this akti
is addressed as Rukmi and described as being Kas essence, the basis
of the material energy, and the creator of the universe.
r Jva also explains that the use of the name Rukmi does not refer to
her alone but to the internal akti of Ka in general. In this connection,
he cites the following statement that he attributes to both the Matsya and
Skanda Puras, rukmi dvravaty tu rdh vndvane vane: The sva-
rpa-akti appears in Dvrak as Rukmi and in Vndvana as Rdh.
Thus by extension it can be concluded that the name Rukmi used in
this verse includes other forms of Kas internal akti and r Rdh in
particular since the Gopla-tpan deals ultimately with the kind of bhakti
that is centered on Kas original form, the form standing next to Rdh.
However, because the subject here is overtly the catur-vyha, Rukmis
name is mentioned, as she is the manifestation of Kas akti in relation
to his form within the catur-vyha.
The primacy of Rdh, however, is further implied in this verse when
Nryaa attributes this Upaniad to the questions of the gops headed by
Gndharv.
19
Without their questions and level of interest in Ka, this
text would not be known to human society. They are not interested in
Kas appearance within the catur-vyha; they are attached to him in his
original form, the most complete expression of Parabrahman.
Jva Gosvm comments elsewhere that para means supreme and m
means mother.
20
The gops are the supreme mothers who rightfully stand
next to Brahman, making him whole. They alone, and among them Rdh
19. The ruti is considered to be eternal, although it manifests within human society through
sages, whose names are often attached to those rutis. Thus although the conversation between
Nryaa and Brahm cited by Durvs took place long before the gops asked Durvs their
questions about Ka, Nryaa still knows of Gopla-tpans future appearance and considers
the gops questions to be the source of this section of it.
20. See Jva Gosvms commentary on the rst verse of r Brahma-sahit.
161
in particular, can reveal all there is to know about him. Indeed, it is for her
saketo shed light on the measure of her lovethat Ka manifests as
the catur-vyha and conducts his ll in Mathur and Dvrak. In these lls
he apparently leaves her behind, but under scrutiny it becomes clear that
he did so only to highlight her love in separation as surpassing all other ex-
pressions of love for him and endearing him the most. Thus it should be
clear that she is his svaya-akti, and as much as he is represented within
the praava okra, so too is she.
Prabodhnanda Sarasvat comments further in this regard that the
words vraja-str can be read as connected to the previous line, breaking up
the word vraja-str-jana-sambhta. The verse then reads, Having Ka as
her essence, Rukmi is the basis of the material nature and the creator of
the universe. She is a woman of Vraja. In the rutis that were produced
among the people, her association with Brahman is celebrated. For this
reason and because the praava-mantra glories the divine nature, the
Brahmavdins call her prakti. This readingShe is a woman of Vra-
jaserves to further emphasize the position of Rdhr in terms of her
being the supreme manifestation of Kas akti (svaya-akti), even while
Rukmis name is used in the verse.
57. F"dF HFF~ ll7Oll
tasmd okra-sambhto goplo viva-sasthita |
tasmt therefore; okra-sambhta proceeds from okra; gopla
Gopla; viva-sasthita in whom the universe is situated.
Therefore, Gopla, in whom the entire universe is situated, proceeds
from the okra.
This verse concludes uttara-tpans instruction on the signicance of
okra in relation to Gopla Ka and the catur-vyha, which began with
verse 37. Therefore (tasmt) marks the conclusion. The word viva-
162
sasthita can also mean that Gopla Ka manifests in different forms or
that all forms are within him.
58. _dFH H NQH" l
~ H9 ' ll7ll
kl-okrasyaikyatva pahyate brahma-vdibhi |
mathury vieea m dhyyan mokam anute ||
kl the kma-bja syllable; okrasya of okra; aikyatva
identity; pahyate is read; brahma-vdibhi by those knowledgeable
about Brahman; mathury in Mathur; vieea especially; m
me; dhyyan meditating; mokam the state of liberation; anute
enjoy.
Those who are knowledgeable about Brahman utter the syllable kl
in the understanding that it is one with O. All who meditate on me,
especially those in the land of Mathur, enjoy the state of liberation.
This verse prefaces Nryaas instructions on pj and meditation that
begin with the following verse and conclude in verse 62 with the words
veu-ga-dhara tu v. In this preface Nryaa stresses the value of
pj and meditation performed in Mathur, making it clear that location
inuences ones spiritual practice and that the best location in which to
worship and meditate on Gopla Ka is Mathur.
The liberation spoken of here is freedom from obstacles in attaining
Ka. The two seed mantras o and kl have the identical essence, iden-
tical power, and designate the same reality. Thus the foregoing analysis of
the praava okra also applies to kl.
59. 8 HdF FF~ l
"_F =( = ll7\ll
163
aa-patra vikasita ht-padma tatra sasthitam |
divya-dhvajtapatrais tu cihnita caraa-dvayam ||
aa-patra eight petals; vikasita blossoming; ht-padma lotus
in the heart; tatra there; sasthitam situated; divya divine; dhvaja
ag; tapatrai parasol; tu well; cihnita marked; caraa-dvay-
am lotus feet.
One should visualize me situated on a blooming, eight-petaled lotus
in the heart and meditate on my feet, which are marked with the di-
vine signs of the ag and parasol.
Prabodhnanda suggests that the spirit of this verse is that one should
meditate on Nryaa/Ka being situated in Mathur as if ones heart
were that sacred abode.
60. HF> F~ dF l
= S=]l"H llll
rvatsa-lchana ht-stha kaustubha-prabhay yutam |
catur-bhuja akha-cakra-rga-padma-gadnvitam ||
rvatsa-lchana marked with the sign known as rvatsa; ht-stha
situated in the heart; kaustubha the kaustubha jewel; prabhay by the
effulgence; yutam combined; catur-bhuja four-armed; akha-
cakra-rga-padma-gadnvitam holding the conch, discus, bow, lotus,
and mace.
[Meditate on me] with the sign of rvatsa on my chest, with the efful-
gent kaustubha jewel over my heart, and holding with four arms my
weapons and symbols: the conch, discus, bow, lotus, and mace.
In his four hands Nryaa sometimes holds ve articles. At such times he
164
holds the lotus and bow in the same hand. At other times, he places the
bow before him and holds only four articles.

61. FdH N d F l
Bd<H FddB ll!ll
sukeyurnvita bhu kaha ml-suobhitam |
dyumat-kira-valaya sphuran-makara-kualam ||
sukeyura with armbands; anvita decorated; bhu arm; kaha
neck; ml garland; suobhitam decorated; dyumat-kira-valaya
armband and bracelets; sphuran-makara-kualam dangling dolphin
earrings.
[One should meditate on me] decorated with armbands, a beautiful
garland, an effulgent crown, and dangling, dolphin earrings.
In his commentary on the Dmodarakam of Padma Pura, Santana
Gosvm states that the gops consider Kas earrings his most fortunate
ornaments because they are free to kiss his cheeks on a regular basis.
62. F FH" l
'F H]l' H ll-ll
hiramaya saumya-tanu sva-bhaktybhaya-pradam |
dhyyen manasi m nitya veu-ga-dhara tu v ||
hiramaya golden; saumya-tanu beautiful body; sva-bhaktya
to his own devotee; abhaya-pradam bestowing fearlessness; dhyyet
should meditate; manasi in the mind; m me; nitya always;
veu-ga-dhara holding the ute and horn; tu but; v or.
One should always meditate on me in this effulgent form, which is
165
beautiful and awards fearlessness to my devotees. Or, alternatively,
one should meditate on my form holding a ute and buffalo horn.
Here Nryaa concludes his description of the meditation he recommends
to Brahm. Having described himself in the previous verses, in this verse he
suggests as an alternative that one can meditate on svaya bhagavn r
Gopla Ka, who bears the ute and buffalo horn in his two hands. Gop-
la Ka is crowned with a colorful peacock feather, garlanded with forest
owers, and decorated with different colored clays from the rich Vndvana
soil. His sweet and charming attire is less majestic than that of Nryaa.
The two separate meditations recommended in these verses differenti-
ate the vidh-mrga from the rga-mrga, both of which, as we have seen,
are discussed throughout Gopla-tpan.
63. ~ FH NQ H l
F BF ~ F B llll
mathyate tu jagat sarva brahma-jnena yena v |
tat-sra-bhta yad yasy mathur s nigadyate ||
mathyate is churned; tu but; jagat the world; sarva the whole;
brahma-jnena by knowledge of Brahman; yena by which; v or;
tat-sra-bhta its manifest essence; yat which; yasy in it;
mathur Mathur; s it; nigadyate is said.
The name Mathur has been given to this land because the manifest
essence of the knowledge of Brahman, by which the entire universe
has been churned, appears there.
In verses 6374, Nryaa gives his own explanation of the meditation
recommended in the previous ve verses. He extends the meditation such
that it becomes identied with the viva-rpa, thus revealing the universal-
ity of the object of contemplation. In meditation on the viva-rpa, which
166
is recommended for beginners, the universe itself is conceived of as a form
of God.
Verses 58 and 59 spoke of meditating on Ka while residing in
Mathur, if not physically, at least within ones heart. Before Nryaa be-
gins to speak about meditating on a universal form of himself in which
natural phenomena are identied as his bodily parts, he further glories
Mathur as that place within the universe that, being one with himself/
Ka, brings an end to ones material entanglement. He also explains why
Mathur is so named. All the commentators have written on the etymolo-
gy of the word Mathur in their explanation of this verse, and in doing so
they have taken poetic license.
21

The Sanskrit verbal root math means to churn, as in churning but-
ter from milk. r Prabodhnanda Sarasvat comments as follows: The
act of churning produces butter from cream; similarly, knowledge of the
Supreme Personthe personal form of Brahmanis revealed through
the churning of the entire universe. The word v (or) indicates an alter-
native that is not openly mentioned in the verse, namely bhakti-yoga.
The place where both knowledge of the Lord and bhakti-yoga are re-
vealed in their fullest, most perfect manifestation is known as Mathur.
In other words, mathur refers to the practices of knowledge and devo-
tion (jna-bhakti-sdhanam). He suggests that this meaning derived
from the etymology of the word Mathur can be established from the
Udi-stra.
22
Vivevara Trtha comments, That by which the entire universe is
churned is called matha, or knowledge of Brahman. That knowledge is the
person Gopla. He adds that the word v implies that the universe is
churned by Madana Gopla.
This Gopla conquers manmatha (Cupid, who churns the mind). The
gops have referred to him in the midst of their moonlight rendezvous re-
21. Scholars have not been able to nd conclusive etymology for Mathur. The word matha
does not have a corresponding meaning in the dictionary, and there is no sufx -ur in usage in
Sanskrit.
22. Udi-stra is a predecessor of Pinis grammar. It describes the usage of afxes.
167
corded in rmad-Bhgavatam (10.32.2) as skn-manmatha-manmatha,
He who bewilders or churns the mind of Cupid. For this reason he is
also known as Madana Gopla.
If Cupid churns the world, as he no doubt does, he who captivates Cu-
pid churns the impurity of lust out of ones heart and leaves pure love of
God. This puried substance is the king of knowledge: prema-bhakti (rja-
vidy).
23
It is this knowledge that makes it possible to understand the world
perfectly, transcend it, and enter the land of love.
The status of Ka as the transcendental Cupid, however, is qualied
by the maidservants of Rdh. Her parrot sings thus:
rdh-sage yad bhti
tad madana-mohana
anyath viva-moho pi
svaya madana-mohita
When Ka is with Rdhr he shines brightly and is thus
known as the enchanter of Cupid; otherwise, he himself is
enchanted by erotic feelings [for her], even though he en-
chants the entire world. (Govinda-llmta 13.32)
Jaya Rdhe! Madana-mohana-mohin!
64. 8" HdF l
FFHF& FH F llHll
aa-dik-plibhir bhmi padma vikasita jagat |
sasrrava-sajta sevita mama mnase ||
aa-dik-plibhi by the guardians of the eight directions; bhmi
land; padma lotus; vikasita blooming; jagat the world;
23. See Swm Tripurri, Bhagavad-gt, 28384.
168
sasrrava the ocean of material life; sajta produced from;
sevita served; mama my; mnase in mind.
The blooming lotus is the earth and is identical with the universe; it
grows from the waters of the ocean of sasra and is dwelt in by the
eight lords of the directions. It exists in my mind.
Nryaa here explains the meditation suggested in verse 58 in terms of
the vira-rpa. The earth is an auspicious place within the universe be-
cause it offers humanity the opportunity for spiritual practice as well as
material enjoyment. The impetus it provides for spiritual advancement is
unparalleled throughout the universe because on earth r Ka enacts
his humanlike pastimes (nara-ll) and reveals the highest reach of love.
Thus the earth dwells like a blooming lotus in the mind of Nryaa. Its
blooming represents Nryaas mental blessing, issuing forth in all eight
directions throughout the universe. This lotus grows from the waters of
sasra and rests above its waves of illusion. Those who wish to contem-
plate the world as the form of God should think in this way about his
mind.
65. ="FH9 "_ l
NQd'_ = F ll7ll
candra-srya-tvio divy dhvaj merur hiramaya |
tapatra brahma-lokam adhordhva caraa smtam ||
candra-srya-tvia the light of the moon and sun; divy divine; dh-
vaj ags; meru Mount Meru; hiramaya golden; tapatra
parasol; brahma-lokam Brahmaloka; adhordhva above and below;
caraa feet; smtam are held to be.
The feet of that universal form are said to be both above and below.
The splendors of the sun and moon are the divine ags that decorate
169
them, and Mount Meru is the golden staff holding up the parasol,
Brahmaloka.
Here Nryaa elaborates on verse 58. Similar descriptions with varying
details can be found in rmad-Bhgavatam. Another description of the
viva-rpa is found in the eleventh chapter of Bhagavad-gt. Because this
form is considered imaginary, serving as a tool for meditation, differing
descriptions are of little consequence.
66. HF = FH^ = H > F l
HF> Fd~ NQH" llll
rvatsa ca svarpa ca vartate lchanai saha |
rvatsa-lchana tasmt kathyate brahma-vdibhi ||
rvatsa the sign known as rvatsa; ca and; svarpa identity; ca
and; vartate remains; lchanai symbols; saha with; rvatsa-
lchana the epithet rvatsa-lchana; tasmt therefore; kathyate
is said; brahma-vdibhi by the knowers of Brahman.
Both my form and the universal form have their identifying marks,
such as the rvatsa. Therefore, I am known to the philosophers of
Brahman by the name rvatsa-lchana.
Nryaa mentioned his rvatsa, a marking on his chest, in verse 60. This
mark consists of curling white hairs that approximate the shape of the
moon and indicate his relationship with his consort. r Jva Gosvm de-
scribes it thus: The rvatsa is said to be either a white mark in the shape
of the moon on the Lords chest (according to the Gautamya-tantra) or
hairs that curl to the right (according to Bhvrtha-dpik and other
sources).
Based on this verse, Prabodhnanda Sarasvat has further identied the
rvatsa as the vairja-jva svarpa, or the samai-jva of the universal form
170
of God. The samai-jva is the collective status of individual souls just pri-
or to their individual manifestations in accordance with the rule of kar-
ma.
24
The jva souls are merged in a state of deep sleep (suupti) within
Mah Viu, and when the time for the creation to manifest arises, these
jvas move toward differentiation by rst appearing as a collective within
Brahm and then expressing their individuality in accordance with their
latent karma. As mentioned earlier, it is in this sense that the baddha-jva
rst takes birth as Brahm. This Brahm, the vairja-purua or vairja-jva,
represents the rvatsa of Nryaa when the universe is conceived of as
Nryaas form.
67. FH=" F FHFH^ l
H dF H" llOll
yena srygni-vk-candra tejas sva-svarpi |
vartate kaustubhkhya hi mai vadanta-mnina ||
yena by those; srya the sun; agni re; vk speech; candra
moon; tejas by light; sva-svarpi possessing this identity; vartate
exists; kaustubhkhya named kaustubha; hi certainly; mai
jewel; vadanti say; a-mnina those who accept me as God.
Those who accept that I am God (as the vira-rpa) say that the word
and the power of the Lord to illuminate, from which the sun, re,
speech, and the moon have their beginnings, is the kaustubha jewel.
Those who worship the vira-rpa conceive of the celestial lights and
speechs power to illuminate as the kaustubha jewel. In verse 60, Nryaa
mentions that the kaustubha jewel decorates his chest. This jewel is also
considered to represent all jvas, whom Nryaa keeps close to his heart.
Because the celestial realms give shelter to the pious, they too are consid-
24. See B 11.3.12 commentary of rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura. See also B
3.20.16 and Gopla-tpan 1.26.
171
ered the refuge of the jvas, as is the illuminating power of speech on ac-
count of its capacity to give solace.
The etymology of the word kaustubha is explained by r Jva Gosvm
as follows: Ka refers to the sun and re, due to its similarity with the sun.
The letter a refers to the word (vk) due to its being the rst sound from
which all words are formed. The vowel au refers to the moon, because the
word glau (which means moon) partially contains this sound, and the ety-
mologists say apy akara-smyena nirbryt, One can also explain the
meaning of a word by a similarity of syllables.
68. FH F $ d> l
d S d F FF~ llll
sattva rajas tama iti ahakra catur-bhuja |
paca-bhttmaka akha kare rajasi sasthitam ||
sattva the mode of goodness; raja passion; tama darkness; iti
thus; ahakra ego; catur-bhuja four arms; paca-bhttmaka
ve elements; akha conch shell; kare in the hand; rajasi in
the mode of passion; sasthitam situated.
The material ego (ahakra) and the modes of goodness, passion, and
ignorance are the four arms [of my universal form]. The hand that
holds the conch shell, which is identied with the ve elements, rep-
resents the mode of passion.
In this verse Nryaa explains how devotees of the vir-rpa conceive of
his arms, which were previously mentioned in verse 60. He also begins to
describe the vir-rpas paraphernalia. Three of his four arms represent
the three modes of nature. The fourth arm represents ahakra, or the
material sense of identity (ego). The hand identied with the mode of pas-
sion bears the conch, and the conch itself is identied with the ve ele-
ments: earth, water, re, air, and space.
172
r Prabodhnanda adds to this the idea that because these modes of na-
ture and the material ego are considered the four arms of the vir-rpa,
they are worshipable. In his commentary to the subsequent verses describ-
ing the universal form, he concludes that all things conceived of as bodily
parts of the vir-rpa are venerable.
69. NFH^ > B l
B H] H d F~ ll\ll
bla-svarpam atyanta mana cakra nigadyate |
dy my bhavec chrga padma viva kare sthitam ||
bla-svarpam the nature of a child; atyanta exceedingly; mana
the mind; cakra the discus; nigadyate is said to be; dy the origi-
nal; my my; bhavet shall be; rga Kas bow; padma
the lotus; viva the universe; kare in the hand; sthitam placed.
The mind, whose nature is exceedingly like that of a child, is said to be
the universal forms discus. The original energy, known as my, is his
bow, rga, and the universe is the lotus situated in his hand.
The mind in and of itself is innocent or pure. However, just as children are
colored by their association, and this often at the cost of innocence, the
mind becomes colored by its association and loses its purity or neutrality.
Following the description of the conch in the previous verse, this verse
continues the explanation of Nryaas weapons. r Nryaa identies
the mind with the vira-rpas discus. The discus of the vira-rpa is held
in his hand that represents the sattva-gua. Both the bow and the lotus are
held together in the hand that represents the tamo-gua.
25
The bow and
lotus in this hand are identied, respectively, with my-aktis power to
throw the jva into illusion (vikeptmika) and the universe itself.
25. r Prabodhnanda has stated in his commentary to verse 60 that the bow is lying before
the Lord and is not in any hand.
173
Nryaas description of how devotees conceive of the vira-rpas mace
continues in the following verse.
70. B HB " HB FH" d F~ l
'~dd"" llOll
dy vidy gad vedy sarvad me kare sthit |
dharmrtha-kma-keyrair divyair divya-mahritai ||
dy original; vidy knowledge; gad the mace; vedy to be
known; sarvad always; me kare in my hand; sthit situated; dhar-
ma-artha-kma-keyrai with the armlets of dharma, artha, and kma;
divyai with the divine; divya-mah-ritai praised by the residents of
the divine world.
The original knowledge is to be known as the mace, which is always
situated in my hand. My arm is decorated with divine armlets, praised
by the residents of the transcendental world, which are the three goals
of life: dharma, artha, and kma.
The original knowledge (dy vidy) is knowledge of the self. Nryaa
identies it with the mace of the vira-rpa, which is held in the hand of
the universal form of God identied in verse 68 with the material ego
(ahakra). The armlets of Nryaa, described earlier in verse 61, are
identied here in relation to the three common goals of life: dharma (reli-
gion), artha (economic development), and kma (sense enjoyment).
Prabodhnanda Sarasvat comments that the fourth goal, moka (libera-
tion) is implied in this description. These four are the armlets of the uni-
versal form. They are praised by transcendentalists because they are the
blessings of life.
The balance of Nryaas ornaments mentioned in text 61 are elabo-
rated on in the following two verses.
174
71. d B l
B NQFH F F llO!ll
kaha tu nirgua prokta mlyate dyayjay |
ml nigadyate brahmas tava putrais tu mnasai ||
kaha neck; tu but; nirgua free from material qualities;
prokta said; mlyate adorned with a garland; dyay by the origi-
nal; ajay unborn; ml garland; nigadyate said; brahman O
Brahm; tava your; putrai by sons; tu but; mnasai by mind.
O Brahm, my neck is said to be free of material qualities. It is encircled
by my unborn, original energy, which your mind-born sons call a garland.
The neck of the universal form is nirviea-brahma and his garland is the
covering aspect (varatmik) of his my-akti.
72. d<F~ FFH^ = d< H" l
F dB F llO-ll
ka-stha sat-svarpa ca kira pravadanti mm |
karottama prasphuranta kuala-yugala smtam ||
ka-stha unchangeable; sat-svarpa whose form is truth; ca
and; kira crown; pravadanti they say; mm me; karottama
supreme aspect of the mutable; prasphuranta appearing; kuala
earring; yugala pair; smtam are said to be.
They also say of me, whose divine form is unchangeable, that I am the
crown. My earrings are the supreme aspect of the mutable world.
Here Nryaa identies himself as the crown of the vir-rpa and his
earrings with the supreme aspect of the material world, that which brings
175
about the liberation of the living beings from the worlds clutches. Prabod-
hnanda Sarasvat comments on the universal forms earrings: In the per-
ishable universe, the two things that are supreme are skhya and yoga;
they are the Lords earrings. This is conrmed by the Bhgavata (12.11.11),
bibharti skhya yoga ca devo makara-kuale: The Lord wears skhya
and yoga as a pair of makara-shaped earrings. Wherever different spiritual
paths are mentioned in the Vedas or Puras, it should be understood that
the same fundamental teaching is being presented according to different
schools.
r Gtopaniad (5.5) describes skhya and yoga as one because they lead
to the same goal. In the Gt these two terms imply contemplative practice
and seless action, respectively. They can also be understood to mean ex-
ternal and internal processes of self-realization. In this understanding,
skhya involves distinguishing the self from material nature through an
external process of elimination, whereas yoga speaks of an internal process
of elimination beginning with yama-niyama and ending in samdhi. In ei-
ther case, the fulllment of these two well-known systems is a passport to
leave the material atmosphere, whereas Bhakti-dev herself is the visa to
Ka ll.
73. ' F ' l
F H F FH = "" H llOll
dhyyen mama priyo nitya sa mokam adhigacchati |
sa mukto bhavati tasmai svtmna ca dadmi vai ||
dhyyet should meditate; mama my; priya dear; nitya con-
stantly; sa he; mokam liberation; adhigacchati attains; sa he;
mukta liberated; bhavati becomes; tasmai to him; svtmna
my self; ca and; dadmi I give; vai most certainly.
The dear devotee who constantly meditates on me in this way will at-
tain liberation. Once he is liberated, I most certainly give myself to him.
176
This is an important verse in which this Upaniad once again makes it clear
that love of God is a postliberated status. This was stated earlier in the
commentary to verse 38 of the uttara-tpan. Furthermore, Baladeva
Vidybhaa cites it in his bhya to Vysadevas Vednta-stra 3.3.47.
This stra, atidec ca, establishes that there is an eternal distinction be-
tween the individual soul and Brahman, even while the two are united in
love. Here Nryaa says it thus: Once my devotee attains liberation, I
most certainly subordinate myself to him.
74. FH H H' H l
FH^ H' =H F d llOHll
etat sarva bhaviyad vai may prokta vidhe tava |
svarpa dvividha caiva sagua nirgutmakam ||
etat this; sarva all; bhaviyat will be; vai certainly; may by
me; prokta spoken; vidhe O Brahm; tava your; svarpa
identity; dvividha two kinds; ca both; eva verily; sagua with
attributes; nirgutmakam without attributes.
O Brahm, all that I have spoken to you regarding the two types of
form, sagua and nirgua, will come to be.
The fruit of the meditation Nryaa has been describing is delineated in
this and the preceding verse, bringing this section to its conclusion. Two
types of meditation have been prescribed for those initiated into the chant-
ing of the Gopla mantra, one leading to the other. Meditation on the
vir-rpa, described in this verse as sagua (with material qualities), leads
to meditation on the actual form of Nryaa/Ka, described here as
nirgua (without material qualities).
This latter meditation on the spiritual form of Gopla Ka accompa-
nied by the chanting of the Gopla mantra results in mature realization of
Parabrahmanhis form, qualities, and pastimesfrom the vantage point
177
of ones particular service identity. What Nryaa has recommended in
this section for those not qualied to engage in such internal meditation is
a method of xing the mind on himself in conjunction with the world of
the sensesthe external universe. Contemplation of the worldly creation
as the body of Nryaa by identifying aspects of it with his spiritual form
leads naturally to internal meditation on that form.
75. F H== l d~
H H l d~ H "H "
NQ NQ Hd
"" HFH 'H l
FH"' B d l d llO7ll
sa hovcbjayoni | vyaktn mrtn proktn katha tv bharani
bhavanti | katha v dev yajanti rudr yajanti brahm yajanti brahmaj
yajanti vinyak yajanti dvdadity yajanti vasavo yajanti gandharv
yajanti | svapadnugntardhne tihati k |k manuy yajanti |
sa he; ha then; uvca said; abjayoni the lotus-born (Brahm);
vyaktn of the manifest; mrtn forms; proktn spoken of;
katha how; tu but; bharani ornaments; bhavanti being;
katha v or how; dev the gods; yajanti worship; rudr the
Rudras; yajanti worship; brahm Lord Brahm; yajanti worship;
brahmaj the sons of Brahm; yajanti worship; vinyak the
Vinyakas; yajanti worship; dvdadity the twelve dityas; yajanti
worship; vasava the Vasus; yajanti worship; gandharv the
Gandharvas; yajanti worship; sva-padnuga gone to his own abode;
antardhne after passing from this world; tihati is situated; k
which; k whom; manuy human beings; yajanti worship.
The lotus-born Brahm asked: How is it possible for the manifest
mrtis of the Lord that were previously mentioned to have orna-
ments? And how do gods such as the Rudras, Brahm, the sons of
178
Brahm, the Vinyakas, the twelve dityas, the Vasus, and the Gand-
harvas worship them? Which mrti returns to his own abode and
which remains after disappearance? Which mrti do human beings
worship?
As this new section of the text begins, Brahm expresses the doubts that
arose in him on hearing Nryaas description of the twelve Deities of
Mathurs twelve forests (2.32). The text in the manuscript that this trans-
lation and commentary are derived from reads vyaktn mrtnm (man-
ifest Deities). However, both Vivevara Trthas commentary and the fol-
lowing verse leave room to reasonably conjecture that the manuscript he
was working with may have read avyaktn mrtnm (unmanifest Dei-
ties). Thus Brahm may have asked, How is it possible for the unmanifest
mrtis of the Lord that were previously mentioned to have ornaments?
Prabodhnanda also comments that some manuscripts read vyaktn
mrtnm (separate Deities), which would then make the verse say, How
is it possible for the separate mrtis of the Lord that were previously men-
tioned to have ornaments?
Brahm wants to know in what manner the gods worship these Deities.
The word v (or) implies that he also wants to know which gods worship
which Deities. His confusion arises partly from the teaching that
Nryaa/Ka is worshipable by everyone, while previously, in verse 33,
it was mentioned that certain gods worship certain Deities. Brahm also
wants to better understand Nryaas description of the tenth, eleventh,
and twelfth Deities of the Mathur forests, who were respectively de-
scribed as being invisible (antardhne), as having returned to Vaikuha
(sva-pade), and as remaining on the earth (bhumihe) and being worshiped
by humans.
76. F H= H "H l
B " FH9 d9
FH9 "H9 FH9 9 B llOll
179
sa hovca ta hi vai nryao deva | dy avyakt dvdaa-mrtaya
sarveu lokeu sarveu deveu sarveu manuyeu tihanti |
sa he; hovca spoke; ta to him; hi vai certainly; nryaa
deva Lord Nryaa; dy original; avyakt unmanifest; dvda-
a-mrtaya twelve forms; sarveu lokeu in all the worlds; sarveu de-
veu among all the gods; sarveu manuyeu among all humans;
tihanti are situated.
Lord Nryaa said to Brahm: The twelve originally unmanifest
forms are present in all worlds, among all gods and all humans.
Here Nryaa responds to the rst question: How can these Deities be
decorated when they are unmanifest in form? Nryaa tells Brahm that
these Deities, while unmanifest in the sense that they only manifest to
those who worship them, are nonetheless eternally existing in all worlds
among both gods and humans. They are dya, original, or eternally exist-
ing without beginning. r Jva Gosvm comments that the word dy
means andi-siddha, existing in the same perfect state without any begin-
ning. He adds that the word avyakta means that they are unmanifest to
anyone other than those who worship them and that the word tihanti un-
derscores the idea that these Deities are manifest only to their worshipers.
Thus Brahms rst question concerning how Deities that are unmani-
fest can be ornamented is answered by Nryaa in conjunction with de-
scribing how they are worshiped by the various gods. By their worship, the
Deities become manifest. If Brahms question is how the twelve manifest
Deities can be worshiped when the teaching thus far has emphasized the
exclusive worship of the one Supreme Brahmana question about how
one Deity can also be manyNryaa begins his answer in this verse and
concludes it in the following one.
77. "9 " NQH NQ "H9 "H
9 H Hd9 H
180
"9 'H9 'H FFHH
HFHH d ' d llOOll
rudreu raudr brahmay eva brhm deveu daiv
manuyeu mnav vinyakeu vighna-nin dityeu jyotir
gandharveu gndharv apsarasv eva
gaur vasuv eva kmy antardhne prakin ||
rudreu among the Rudras; raudr the form of a Rudra; brahmai
to Brahm; eva in the same way; brhm a Brahm-like form;
deveu among the gods; daiv a godlike form; manuyeu among
humans; mnav a human form; vinyakeu among the Vinyakas;
vighna-nin a form that destroys obstacles; dityeu among the
dityas; jyoti light; gandharveu among the Gandharvas; gndharv
a Gandharva form; apsarasu among the Apsars; eva in the
same way; gau the singer; vasuu among the Vasus; eva in the
same way; kmy desirable; antardhne after becoming invisible;
prakin Prakin, or Aprakin (if sandhi is considered to have been
applied).
I am worshiped by the Rudras in my form as Rudra, on Brahmaloka as
Brahm, to the gods as God, to humans as a human. Among the Vin-
yakas my form is that of the remover of obstacles, Gaea; to the dit-
yas I am light; to the Gandharvas I appear as a Gandharva; to the Ap-
sars I appear as Gau, whose form is revealed in song; to the Vasus I
appear as the desirable Vsav; and after I disappear, I then appear in
the invisible form Aprakin [or the form that sometimes reveals it-
self, Prakin].
These twelve forms are different manifestations of the same God as he ap-
pears to specic groups of worshipers. Their appearance and ornamenta-
tion reect the hearts of their devotees. The many forms of the one God are
one with the pure hearts of his devotees. God is fully present within love of
181
God, and there is no meaning to God independent of love of God. Indeed,
we are well advised to venerate love of God more than God himself.
This truth accounts for the spiritual bias that fuels the liberated worlds
of sacred aesthetic rapture (rasnanda). Thus this obscure yet important
section of Gopla-tpan provides a ruti reference for this experience of
the Vaiavas.
The word gau, which usually means cow, is the cause of some confu-
sion. Does this mean that God appears to the Apsars as a cow? Prabod-
hnanda Sarasvat solves this problem in the following way: The word
gau should be understood here to be derived from the verbal root gai, to
sing. The name thus means one whose form is revealed by song. It is
explained here that the Deity described as invisible is called Prakin, vis-
ible only in the heart of his devotees. The Deity that remains on earth is
the one worshiped by the human beings who are Brahman-realized.
78. HHH FH" B l
F F FHd 9
H" F""dF
B llOll
virbhva-tirobhv sva-pade tihati |
tmas rjas sttvik mnu vijna-ghana nanda-ghana
sac-cid-nandaika-rase bhakti-yoge tihati ||
virbhva appearance; tirobhv disappearance; sva-pade own
abode; tihati stands; tmas in the mode of ignorance; rjas in
the mode of passion; sttvik in the mode of goodness; mnu hu-
man; vijna spiritual realization; ghana solid; nanda joy; gha-
na embodied; sac-cid-nanda eternity, knowledge, and bliss; eka-
rase exclusively characterized; bhakti-yoge in bhakti-yoga; tihati
stands.
182
The mrti that is sometimes manifest and sometimes unmanifest re-
mains in his own abode. His forms, whether human or in the modes of
ignorance, passion, or goodness, are the embodiment of spiritual real-
ization and joy, and are permanently situated in bhakti-yoga, exclu-
sively characterized by eternity, knowledge, and bliss.
More details are given here about the Deity who in texts 33 and 75 was de-
scribed as having gone to his own abode (Vaikuha). Prabodhnanda
Sarasvat comments that this mrti, which is sometimes manifest and
sometimes unmanifest, occasionally descends to this world and at other
times remains situated in his own abode (sva-pade). The word sva-pade is
taken as signicant by r Prabodhnanda and indicates that in his opinion
this Deity is the source of Mathurs other eleven Deities. His own
abode is Goloka, which, r Prabodhnanda says, is a special manifesta-
tion of earthly Vndvana.
r Prabodhnanda hears this Deity speaking about his manifest and
unmanifest pastimes in Vndvana in the following verses, which he attri-
butes to the Gautamya-tantra:
26

This beautiful land of Vndvana is my eternal abode. The
woods that extend for ve yojanas are veritably my own body.
The Klind River, which ows through it, is the Suumn
channel that carries the currents of pure nectar. Living there
in subtle form are the gods and other beings, and I, who am
the essence of all the gods, never abandon this wood at any
time. In every age, I am sometimes manifest and sometimes
unmanifest, but this effulgent, transcendental aspect of my
abode is not perceptible to the mundane sense of sight.
Although his different forms appearing in the world are apparently in differ-
ent modes of nature (animal forms, godly forms, and so on), they are not un-
26. I have not been able to nd these verses in the extant edition of Gautamya-tantra, but it is
in Padma Pura (4.75.813).
183
der the inuence of material nature. His form is described here as being
the embodiment of spiritual realization and joy and permanently situ-
ated in bhakti-yoga, exclusively characterized by eternity, knowledge, and
bliss.
He can be perceived in the pure condition of bhakti-yoga by those who
have knowledge (vijna) characterized by realization of his form, quali-
ties, and pastimes, which are the antithesis of unconscious matter. In ex-
plaining this, Prabodhnanda Sarasvat comments that the word ghana in
this verse means solid or dense, and thus nanda-ghana means solid-
ied spiritual energy or spiritual energy that has taken form. nanda-
ghana (solidied joy) also indicates a form that is the antithesis of all dis-
tress. As Ka is constituted of eternity, knowledge, and bliss, so too is
pure devotion.
79. l
FHFHFF H llO\ll
o tat prtmane
o tat sad bhr bhuva svas tasmai vai prtmane namo nama |
o O; tat that; prtmane the soul of the life breath; o tat sat
this is the truth; bh bhuva sva the earth, the atmosphere, and
heaven; tasmai to him; vai denitely; prtmane to the soul of the
life breath; namo nama repeated obeisances.
I offer obeisances to the soul of the life breath. O, this is the truth
throughout the three worlds. I offer repeated obeisances to him who
is verily the soul of pra.
With this verse Nryaa begins a seventeen-verse prayer (stuti) glorifying
Gopla Ka as the essence of all forms of God, the Supreme Brahman.
Previously it was shown that the praava okra represents Ka. Here
Nryaa states that he is prtm, the soul (tm) of ones life air (pra).
184
r Prabodhnanda says that Ka is deserving of the commitment of
ones entire life breath. That which is designated by the praava is not
pra, which is, after all, unconscious matter, but that supreme substance
possessing multiple energies, Brahman.
The word pra is often used to refer to the vefold life air, which the
soul is said to be oating on within the body. The vefold division of
this life air is pra, apna, udna, vyna, and samna. The movements of
the body are generated from the heart, and all subsequent movement,
which is made possible by the senses, is powered by the life airs. The main
air passing through the nose in breathing is called pra. The air that
passes through the rectum as evacuated bodily air is called apna. The
air that pervades the entire body and adjusts the foodstuff within the
stomach is called samna. The air that passes through the throat during
breathing is called udna. The air that governs muscular functioning is
called vyna.
In the Muaka Upaniad (3.1.9) the situation of the soul in relation to
pra is explained as follows:
eo ur tm cetas veditavyo
yasmin pra pacadh savivea
prai citta sarvam otam prajn
yasmin viuddhe vibhavaty ea tm
The atomic soul is oating in ve kinds of bodily airs. When
puried from the inuence of these airs, it shines forth and
can be known by perfect intelligence.
Pra is mentioned in all but one of the verses in this stuti. The other four
life airs, apna, vyna, udna, and samna, are mentioned in verses 81, 83,
85, and 87, respectively. r Prabodhnanda comments that because pra
is situated in the heart and vyna pervades the entire body, these two airs
are predominant and are thus related more closely to Ka himself. Ap-
185
na, samna, and udna, on the other hand, are more closely related to his
secondary features or expansions.
Nryaa points out that along with his being the soul of everyones life
air, Ka is also the soul of the three worldsbh, bhuva, svawhich
represent the physical, mental, and intellectual planes of experience. Since
the jvas in which he dwells as the inner soul pervade the three worlds, he
is the soul of all jvas and the entire world.
The fact that it is Ka whom Nryaa is glorifying and equating with
praava okra is clear from the following verse, in which his names
Ka, Govinda, and Gop-jana-vallabha are once again used and identi-
ed with the praava okra, the Supreme Brahman.
80. d H" H[ l
FHFHFF H llll
o r-kya govindya gop-jana-vallabhya
o tat sad bhr bhuva svas tasmai vai prtmane namo nama |
o O; r-kya to Ka; govindya to the Lord of the cows;
gop-jana-vallabhya to the lover of the gops.
O. Obeisances to Ka, Lord of the cows and lover of the gops.
O, this is the truth throughout the three worlds. I offer repeated
obeisances to him who is verily the soul of pra.
81. l
FHFHFF H ll!ll
o apntmane
o tat sad bhr bhuva svas tasmai vai prtmane namo nama |
apntmane to the downward breath.
186
O. Obeisances to the soul of the downward breath. O, this is the
truth throughout the three worlds. I offer repeated obeisances to him
who is verily the soul of pra.
82. d B{ l
FHFHFF H ll-ll
o kya rmya pradyumnyniruddhya
o tat sad bhr bhuva svas tasmai vai prtmane namo nama |
kya to Ka; rmya to Rma; pradyumnya to Pradyumna;
aniruddhya to Aniruddha.
Obeisances to Ka, Balarma, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha. O, this
is the truth throughout the three worlds. I offer repeated obeisances
to him who is verily the soul of pra.
83. l
FHFHFF H llll
o vyntmane
o tat sad bhr bhuva svas tasmai vai prtmane namo nama |
vyntmane to the bodily airs that govern muscular functioning.
O. Obeisances to the soul of the breath that governs muscular func-
tioning (vyna). O, this is the truth throughout the three worlds. I
offer repeated obeisances to him who is verily the soul of pra.
84. d l
FHFHFF H llHll
187
o r-kya rmya
o tat sad bhr bhuva svas tasmai vai prtmane namo nama |
r-kya rmya to Ka and Rmacandra.
O. Obeisances to Ka who is the same as Rmacandra (or Balar-
ma). O, this is the truth throughout the three worlds. I offer repeat-
ed obeisances to him who is verily the soul of pra.
85. 3" l
FH FHFF H ll7ll
o udntmane
o tat sad bhr bhuva svas tasmai vai prtmane namo nama |
udntmane to the breath that passes through the throat.
O. Obeisances to the soul of the breath that passes through the
throat (udna). O, this is the truth throughout the three worlds. I
offer repeated obeisances to him who is verily the soul of pra.
86. d "Hd" l
FHFHFF H llll
o kya devak-nandanya
o tat sad bhr bhuva svas tasmai vai prtmane namo nama |
kya devak-nandanya to Ka, the son of Devak.
O. Obeisances to Ka, the son of Devak. O, this is the truth
throughout the three worlds. I offer repeated obeisances to him who
is verily the soul of pra.
188
87. F l
FHFHFF H llOll
o samntmane
o tat sad bhr bhuva svas tasmai vai prtmane namo nama |
samntmane the life air that pervades the whole body.
O. That Gopla is the soul of the life air that pervades the whole
body. O, this is the truth throughout the three worlds. I offer re-
peated obeisances to him who is verily the soul of pra.
88. FH^ l
FHFHFF H llll
o goplya nija-svarpya
o tat sad bhr bhuva svas tasmai vai prtmane namo nama |
goplya to Gopla; nija-svarpya the Supreme Truths own form.
O. Obeisances to Gopla, the true form of the Supreme Truth. O,
this is the truth throughout the three worlds. I offer repeated obei-
sances to him who is verily the soul of pra.

89. 'F ' l
FHFHFF H ll\ll
o yo sau pradhntm gopla
o tat sad bhr bhuva svas tasmai vai prtmane namo nama |
ya the one who; asau that person; pradhntm the soul of the
material energy; gopla Gopla.
189
O. That Gopla is the soul of the source of the material energy
(pradhna). O, this is the truth throughout the three worlds. I offer
repeated obeisances to him who is verily the soul of pra.
90. 'FH" l
FHFHFF H ll\ll
o yo sv indriytm gopla
o tat sad bhr bhuva svas tasmai vai prtmane namo nama |
ya the one who; asau that person; indriytm the soul of the sens-
es; gopla Gopla.
O. That Gopla is the soul of all the senses. O, this is the truth
throughout the three worlds. I offer repeated obeisances to him who
is verily the soul of pra.
91. 'F l
FHFHFF H ll\!ll
o yo sau bhttm gopla
o tat sad bhr bhuva svas tasmai vai prtmane namo nama |
ya the one who; asau that person; bhttm the soul of the mate-
rial elements; gopla Gopla.
O. That Gopla is the soul of the material elements. O, this is is
the truth throughout the three worlds. I offer repeated obeisances to
him who is verily the soul of pra.
92. 'FH9 l
FHFHFF H ll\-ll
190
o yo sv uttama-puruo gopla
o tat sad bhr bhuva svas tasmai vai prtmane namo nama |
ya the one who; asau that person; uttama-purua the Supreme
Person; gopla Gopla.
O. That Gopla is the Supreme Person. O, this is the truth
throughout the three worlds. I offer repeated obeisances to him who
is verily the soul of pra.
93. 'F NQ
FHFHFF H ll\ll
o yo sau para brahma gopla
o tat sad bhr bhuva svas tasmai vai prtmane namo nama |
ya the one who; asau that person; param brahma the Supreme
Spirit; gopla Gopla.
O. That Gopla is the Parabrahman. O, this is the truth through-
out the three worlds. I offer repeated obeisances to him who is verily
the soul of pra.
94. 'F FH
FHFHFF H ll\Hll
o yo sau sarva-bhttm gopla
o tat sad bhr bhuva svas tasmai vai prtmane namo nama |
ya the one who; asau that person; sarva-bhttm the soul of all
beings; gopla Gopla.
191
O. That Gopla is the soul of all beings. O, this is the truth
throughout the three worlds. I offer repeated obeisances to him who
is verily the soul of pra.
95. 'F FHFFR l
FHFHFF H ll\7ll
o yo sau jgrat-svapna-suuptim attya turytto gopla |
o tat sad bhr bhuva svas tasmai vai prtmane namo nama ||
ya the one who; asau that person; jgrat-svapna-suuptim the
three states of consciousness; attya transcends; turytta beyond the
fourth state of consciousness; gopla Gopla.
O. Gopla transcends the three states of consciousness: wakeful-
ness, dream, and deep sleep; he is even beyond the fourth state of
divine consciousness. O, this is the truth throughout the three
worlds. I offer repeated obeisances to him who is verily the soul of
pra.
Among the Hindu sages, consciousness is generally considered to encom-
pass four dimensions: waking (jgrata), dreaming (svapna), dreamless deep
sleep (suupti), and transcendence, referred to simply as the fourth
(turya). Each dimension represents a successively more profound experi-
ence of the nature of being.
The rst two dimensions represent the experience of the physical and
mental planes, in which consciousness perceives itself through the medi-
um of the senses and the mind. The physical world is the world of every-
day experience, and the mental world is the world of greater possibilities
drawn from the experience of the physical or waking state but not limited
by its jurisdiction. It affords a greater sense of the freedom that corre-
sponds with the nature of the self. Each of these dimensions, however,
conceals to a large extent the possibility of the soul, which exists indepen-
192
dently of the senses and mental system. Should these twothe mind and
sensesshut down, the soul itself can rest.
In a limited way, we experience this in dreamless deep sleep. Similarly,
when the world of physical and mental experience begins to withdraw and
ultimately shut down, as the expansion of the world represented by the
outgoing breath of Viu reverses with his inhalation, all materially condi-
tioned souls enter suupti. In dreamless deep sleep, they exist in restful ex-
perience independent of the world of the mind and senses until the world
again manifests. At that time in conformance with the constraints of karma
under which they are still bound, all materially conditioned souls again en-
ter the stream of life. If they are fortunate, in one of their innumerable
lives they can reach the shore of transcendence, the fourth dimension:
turya, self- and God-realization. In this dimension, being is experienced
from the vantage point of the Godhead.
Gopla-tpan, however, seeks to take us to a fth dimension, and thus
here in its next-to-concluding words it states, turytto gopla. Moka, lib-
eration, including devotional liberation, is turya (the fourth dimension),
but Vraja prema in which Gopla Ka is realized is beyond the fourth.
It is the fth goal of life, pacama-pururthaprema vastu. This prema, or
seless, spontaneous love, is the highest ideal, to which Gopla Ka
bows and through which he is realized.
96. d "H FH9 "
FH FH l
d' FH'HF
F = dH > llll
eko deva sarva-bhteu gha
sarva-vyp sarva-bhtntartm |
karmdhyaka sarva-bhtdhivsa
sk cet kevalo nirgua ca ||
193
27. This text is also found in vetvatara Upaniad 6.11.
eka one; deva Deity; sarva-bhteu in all beings; gha hidden;
sarva-vyp all-pervading; sarva-bhtntartm the indwelling soul of
all creatures; karmdhyaka the director of karma; sarva-bhtdhivsa
the resort of all beings; sk the witness; cet the consciousness; kev-
ala only; nirgua without material qualities; ca and.
One Supreme Deity is hidden in every living being. He is the all-per-
vading, indwelling soul of all creatures. He is the director of the activ-
ities of creation, the resort of all beings, the witness, and conscious-
ness, unique and free from material qualities.
27
In his conversation with Nryaa, Brahm questioned how the singular
Supreme Brahman can at the same time be fourfold, as in the case of the
catur-vyha. In this verse Nryaa anticipates further doubts from Brah-
m regarding the Supreme Souls becoming many, as in the case of the in-
numerable jva souls. How does he do so? Here Nryaa explains that he
enters into each soul and hides within them. Taittirya Upaniad (2.6.1)
states that Brahman desired to become many, so kmoyata, bahu sy pra-
jyeyeti. He then created and entered his creation, tat sv tad evnu-
praviat. He became the many souls and also entered into them, where he
hides waiting to be discovered as the jva realizes its brightest prospect in
life: to meet its master and know his love.
Because God is all-pervasive, his entrance into the world is different
from that of ordinary jvas, who are limited by time and space. Such jvas
perceive the material sky to be all-pervasive, but Gods all-pervasiveness is
not merely like that of the sky, for he is indwelling at the same time that he
is all-pervading. He rests in the heart of all jvas, and indeed, within every
atom of material existence, while he simultaneously pervades the entirety
of the material world. Furthermore, being the director of all beings, he is
not like the God of the Mmskas, who sets up the world but remains
uninvolved in it, allowing it to be ruled by the principle of karma. Because
194
he is the resort of all beings, no being is equal to him, unlike what the
Nyya philosophers hold. He is both the efcient and ingredient cause of
the world. He is not transformed from his transcendent status into the
world of matter, for he is witness to it all and thus remains unchanged.
The world is the transformation of his akti. He, being nirgua, is pure
consciousness free from material qualities and unique in that he possesses
innumerable potencies.
97. " l " l Hd l
F l HB l $" l
l l l
HH l dH l $ l
NQ l FH "H ll\Oll
rudrya nama | adityya nama | vinyakya nama | sryya nama |
vidyyai nama | indrya nama | agnaye nama | yamya nama | nirtaye
nama | vyave nama | kuverya nama | nya nama | brahmae
nama | sarvebhyo devebhyo nama |
rudrya to Rudra; nama salutations; adityya to ditya; vinyakya
to Vinyaka (Ganea); sryya to Srya, the sun god; vidyyai to the
goddess of learning (Sarasvat); indrya to Indra; agnaye to the god of
re (Agni); yamya to the god of death; nirtaye to the goddess of the
lower regions; vyave to the wind god Vyu; kuverya to the treasurer
of the gods, Kuvera; nya to Lord iva; brahmae to Lord Brahm;
sarvebhya to all; devebhya to the gods; nama salutations.
Salutations to Rudra. Salutations to ditya. Salutations to Vinyaka.
Salutations to Srya. Salutations to Sarasvat. Salutations to Indra.
Salutations to Agni. Salutations to Yamarja. Salutations to Nirti. Sal-
utations to Vyu. Salutations to Kuvera. Salutations to na. Saluta-
tions to Brahm. Salutations to all the gods.
195
In this text consisting of fourteen salutations, Nryaa shows Brahm
how to worship the one Supreme God as he appears in different forms. r
Prabodhnanda considers all the personalities mentioned to be vibhtis, or
manifestations of Gods divine power. By this power, others are able to do
Gods work.
98. "H F NQ FHFH^ l
dH FH' NH F ll\ll
dattv stuti puyatam brahmae sva-svarpie |
karttva sarvabhtnm antardhne babhva sa ||
dattv having offered; stuti these hymns; puyatam most holy;
brahmae to Lord Brahm; sva-svarpie his own original identity;
karttva mastery; sarva-bhtnm over all living beings; antardhne
invisible; babhva became; sa he (Nryaa).
After giving this most sacred hymn, Nryaa accepted Brahm as a
manifestation of himself and bestowed on him mastery over all crea-
tures. Then Nryaa disappeared.
With this and the following verse, Durvs concludes his teaching to
Gndharv and the gops, having recited the sacred conversation between
Nryaa and Brahm. He mentions here that after receiving Nryaas
instruction Brahm was empowered by him for the work of creation and
thereby accepted by Nryaa as an empowered manifestation of himself,
avevatra.
99. NQ NQ " ~ l
~ F 'H _ FHd ll $ ll ll\\ll
brahmae brahma-putrebhyo nradya yath rutam |
tath proktas tu gndharvi gacchadhva svlayntikam || iti ||
196
brahmae to Lord Brahm; brahma-putrebhya to the sons of Brah-
m; nradya to Nrada; yath just as; rutam heard; tath so;
prokta spoken; tu so; gndharv O Gndharv; gacchadhva
you gops; svlayntikam to your own homes; iti thus concludes
Durvss speech.
I have told you, Gndharv, exactly what was said to Brahm, to Brah-
ms sons, and to Nrada, just as I have heard it. You and all the gops
may now go home.
Thus Gopala-tpan-ruti rests. May all who read it now go home following
the teaching of this text, which points us in the proper direction. May r
Prabodhnanda Sarasvat, r Jva Gosvm, r Vivantha Cakravart
hkura, r Baladeva Vidybhaa, and the host of commentators
whose work preceded this commentary be pleased with it. I offer it unto
my divine guardians, rla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda and
rla Bhakti Rakaka rdhara Deva Gosvm, on this Purim day in the
month of July 2003, which corresponds with the day commemorating the
disappearance of r Santana Gosvm, the divine architect of the
Gauya sampradya. May he also be pleased with this commentary and
mercifully bestow sambandha-jna on those who study it carefully in the
mood of devotion to r Gaura-Gopla.
Gopla-tpan
Upaniad
with commentary by
SWAMI B.V.
TRIPURARI
Author of Aesthetic Vednta and Joy of Self
Kaya Govindya Gopj anavallabhya
G
o
p

l
a
-
t

p
a
n


U
p
a
n
i

a
d
Gopla-tpan Upaniad is one of the
principal 108 Upaniads. It emphasizes
Gopla Ka and the spiritual practice
by which this feature of the divine can
be realized. Gopla Ka represents the
heart of the Absolute and is thus real-
ized by the exercise of the practitioners
heart: from dutiful devotion to love itself.
Within the narratives that this Upa-
niad employs to reveal its esoteric doc-
trine, the very gure of love personied
appears along with loves object. The per-
fect object of love, Ka, while nondual,
is not alone. He appears with the milk-
maid Gndharv, identied elsewhere in
sacred Hindu lore as Rdh. She is his
primary akti. As the principle of sacri-
ce, self-giving, and love, she exemplies
the means to unlock the mystery of life.
In the later section of the book, this lead-
ing lady questions sage Durvs, draw-
ing out insight into the cowherd Ka.
Swm B. V. Tripurris commentary
is deeply perceptive. It draws tastefully
on much older Sanskrit commentaries
penned by saints of Swms own lin-
eage and, in doing so, serves to further
establish him not only as a contempo-
rary voice of devotional Vednta but
as a person of both wisdom and heart.
Audarya
Press
Swami B. V. Tripurari resides in his
monastery, Audarya, in the redwoods of
northern California. Author and spiritual
teacher, Swm has written several books,
including Rasa: Love Relationships in
Transcendence, Ancient Wisdom for Modern
Ignorance, Tattva-sandarbha: Sacred Indias
Philosophy of Ecstasy, Joy of Self, Aesthetic
Vednta: the Sacred Path of Passionate Love,
r Guru-Parampar, Form of Beauty, and
Bhagavad-gt: Its Feeling and Philosophy.
The Upanisads inform us that we should move from
mortality to immortality. However, Gopla-tpan Upaniad takes
us further still, from immortality to the nectar of immortality. It
speaks to us of an experience of immortality that is both positive and
progressive. Rather than an experience of immortality that involves
only the cessation of mortality, retiring the soul in eternal passivity,
the passages of Gopla-tpan underscore the potential of the soul
to experience divine play in a realm where reason nds dignity not
merely in suppressing sensual passions but, more so, in bowing to
divine passion. Although Kas divine play is the ideal of Gopla-
tpan, being an Upaniad, the text is true to its genre and therefore
sober. It stresses the discipline of freedomthe mantraand its fruit,
the music that sets God in motion. As Nietzsche would have it, so too
does Gopla-tpan: freedom is disciplined in that it is a product of a
very long period of constraining oneself. Where Gopla-tpan differs,
of course, is that its eternity is not a euphemism for death. It is the
doorway to a land beyond time through which one enters to participate
in Gods play, where God, believe it or not, has become a dancer.
Apply yourself in the discipline of Gopla-tpan, the yoga of
devotion that sheds light (tpan) on the cowherd Ka (Gopla),
and learn to love like you could never have imagined or reasoned was
possible. This eternal text of revelation descends from a land of love
far beyond the reach of the mindwhere words cannot reachand
thus about which we cannot say enough.
.
S
W
A
M
I

B
.

V
.

T
R
I
P
U
R
A
R
I

Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen