Tattvas II.

Books about Lord Caitanya
Key Events in the Life of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
Memorial Paraphernalia from the Caitanya Era
Sri Nathaji
Time of Sri Rama's Appearance
Saktis

Books about Lord Caitanya and His pure eternal associates

srimad-bhagavatam divyam
puranam vacanam tada
gauranvayasya sampraptir
bhavisyati na samsayah

"Then he will hear the splendid Srimad Bhagavatam Purana, which predicts that the Supreme Personality of Godhead will appear in a fair-complexioned form. Of this there is no doubt." (Garga Samhita 5.24.83)

(1) Sri Caitanya-bhagavata by Srila Vrindavan das Thakura
(2) Sri Caitanya-caritamrta by Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja
(3) Sri Caitanya-mangala by Srila Locana das Thakura
(4) Sri Krsna Caitanya-caritamrta-maha-kavyam by Caitanya Dasa (elder brother of Kavi Karnapura)
(5) Sri Caitanya-candramrta by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati
(6) Sri Caitanya-candrodaya natakam by Kavi Karnapura
(7) Bhakti Ratnakara by Narahari Cakravarti
(8) Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's incarnation is authorized, compiled by Kusakratha Das
(9) Glories to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, many prayers compiled by Kusakratha Das
(10) Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika by Kavi Karnapura
(11) Gaura-caritra-samudra by Narahari Cakravarti
(12) Sri Gaura-krsnodaya by Srimad Govinda-deva Kavi
(13) Sriman Mahaprabhor Asta-kaliya-lila Smarana Mangala Stotram (daily eight-fold pastimes of Lord Gauranga, Sanskrit) by Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, Rupa Gosvami's Gauranga-smarana-mangala-astakam and Visvanatha's Svapna Vilasamrta.
(14) Commentary on Sriman Mahaprabhor Asta-kaliya-lila Smarana Mangala Stotram in Bengali (Krsna das, disciple of Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura).
(15) Sri Gauranga-lila-smarana-mangala-stotram by Bhaktivinoda Thakura
(16) Navadvipa-bhava-taranga by Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Bhaja godruma kanana
(17) Navadvipa-dhama-mahatmya Pramana Khanda & Parikrama Khanda by Bhaktivinoda Thakura
(18) Navadvipa-sataka by Prabodhanada Sarasvati
(19) Narottama Vilasa by Narahari Cakravarti
(20) Rasika Mangala by Gopijana-vallabha Das
(21) Srinivas-carita by Narahari Cakravarti
(22) Shyamananda Prakash by Krsnacaran Das
(23) Shyamananda-satakam by Rasikananda Deva
(24) Karnananda by By Yadunandana Das
(25) Prema-vivarta by Jagadananda Pandit
(26) Namamrta Samudra by Narahari Cakravarti
(27) Sri Gaura-premollasa-stotram by Nandakisora Gosvami
(28) Prema-vilasa by Nityananda Dasa
(29-33) Gitavali, Saranagati, Kalyana-kalpataru, Gitamala, Baul-sangit by Bhaktivinoda Thakura
(34) Hari-nama-cintamani by Bhaktivinoda Thakura
(35) Krsna-prema-tarangini (full Bhagavatam in Bengali) by Bhagavatacarya
(36) Gitamrta by Purnacandra Das

Key Events in the Life of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu

(1486-1533 AD - 47 years)

Dasaratha-suta Das

• February 18, 1486 - His birth in Sri Mayapura
• August, 1486 (age 6 months) ceremony of giving first grains, and ceremony of offering coins and the Srimad-Bhagavatam (He chose the Bhagavatam)
• 1494 (age 8) - He begins His schooling under Ganga Dasa Pandita
• 1496 (age 10) - He becomes a scholar; His brother Visva-rupa takes sannyasa
• 1500 (age 14) - He marries Srimati Laksmi-Priya
• 1502 (age 16) - He starts His own school, teaching Sanskrit grammar
• 1503 (age 17) - He travels to Gaya and accepts initiation from Isvara Puri
• 1509 (age 23) - He propagates the sankirtana movement; He delivers Chand Kazi
• 1510 (age 24) - He formally accepts the renounced order of sannyasa
• February 1510 (age 25) - He travels to Puri, Orissa; He visits the Deity Saksi-Gopala
• March 1510 - He meets with Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya and converts him to Vaisnavism
• April 1510 - He continues toward South India; He meets Ramananda Raya
• August-November 1510 - He spends Caturmasya in Ranga-ksetra
• June 1511 (age 26) - He returns to Jagannatha Puri
• October 1514 (age 28) - He travels to Bengal and meets Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis
• June 1515 (age 29) - He returns to Puri via Santipura; He starts for Sri Vrndavana
• June 1516 (age 30) - He returns to Puri, remaining there for His final 17 years (to 1533)
• 1516-1522 - He inspires active preaching work while based in Puri, devotees from Bengal visit Him every year around the time of Ratha yatra
• March 1517 (age 31) - Sri Rupa Gosvami arrives from Vrndavana; then Sri Sanatana
• July 1517 - Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami is freed from family duties and comes to Puri also
• March 1518 (age 32) - Sri Sanatana is sent Vrndavana; Vallabhacarya arrives
• 1520 (age 34) - The passing away of Sri Haridasa Thakura is celebrated
• 1532 (age 46) - The Mahaprabhu's distressful separation from Lord Krsna increases markedly
• 1533 (age 47) - His disappearance pastime in the temple of Tota Gopinatha, entering aprakata lila (CBh 2.10.283-284, 2.23.513)

Memorial Paraphernalia from the Caitanya Era

Dasaratha-suta Das

(A) Personal Items

(1) Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's wooden sandals, clay water-pot and quilt - in His room called Gambhira at the Sri Radha-Kanta Matha, Jagannatha Puri.

(2) Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's shawl (upper cloth) - at the Sri Madana-Mohana Mandira, Saithiya Bhadrak District, Orissa (on the bank of the Salindi River).

(3) Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's wooden sandals, cloth and water-pot - at the Grantha-Mandira Sri Bhagavatacarya-Patabadi, Varaha-nagara, Calcutta.

(4) A wooden seat (asana) that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu sent to Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami - at Sri Radha-Ramana Mandira, Vrndavana (mentioned in many biographies).

(5) Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's wooden sandals - at Udaya Giri near Bhuvanesvara in Orissa.

(6) Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's wooden paddle (that He used to cross the Ganga) - at Sri Gauridasa Pandita's Mandira, Ambika Kalna, Bengal, Nadiya District (mentioned in Bhakti-Ratnakara, 7.335).

(7) Sriman Nityananda Prabhu's turban - at Sri Haridasa Gosvami's home Navadvipa.

(8) Sriman Nityananda Prabhu's Ananta-Sila, Tripura-Sundari-Yantra, and wooden walking-stick - at Khadadaha Mandira, Bengal.

(9) Sri Sanatana Gosvami's fine Bhutanese blanket - at Etoya on the Yamuna River.

(10) Sri Abhirama Thakura's whip named Jaya-Mangala and his stick named Brahma-Danda - at his temple in Khana-kula Krsna-nagara, Bengal.

(11) Sri Haridasa Thakura's bead-bag and walking stick - at the Haridasa Thakura Matha, Jagannatha Puri, Orissa.

(12) Sri Raghu-nandana Thakura's ankle-bells - at the Mahanta Bati in Kudui-grama, Varddhamana, Bengal.

(13) Srinivasa Acarya Prabhu's wooden sandals - at Vana-Visnu-Pura, Bankuda.

(14) Sri Rasikananda Prabhu's neck-beds and quilt - at Sripata Gopi-vallabha-pura.

(15) Sri Locana Dasa Thakura's stone sitting-place that he had used when writing Sri Caitanya-Mangala - at Ko-grama, Varddhamana District.

(16) Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's piece of dhoti - kept in the family of Lokanatha Swami (ISKCON). Part of it also keeps Indradyumna Swami.

(B) Original Handwriting

(1) Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's handwritten Bhagavad-Gita - at Ambika Kalna in Gauridasa Pandita's Mandira (mentioned in Bhakti-Ratnakara, 7.340)

(2) Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's handwritten notes between the lines of Bhagavad-Gita that was handwritten by Sri Gadadhara Pandita Gosvami - at Bharata-Pura.

(3) Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's handwritten notes on Srimad-Bhagavatam manuscript - Denuda, Varaha-nagar at Patabadi Library, Varddhamana District.

(4) Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's handwritten copy of the book Candi-Grantha - at Buru-grama, District Sri Hatta, Bengal.

(5) Sri Gadadhara Pandita's handwritten Srimad-Bhagavatam - at Denuda.

(6) Handwritten books by Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Sanatana Gosvami - at Sri Radha Damodara Mandira in Vrndavana and at Haribol Kutira, Navadvipa,

(7) Sri Vrndavana Dasa Thakur's handwritten Sri Caitanya-Bhagavatam - at Denuda.

(8) Sri Bhagavat Acarya's handwritten Prema-Tarangini - at Varaha-nagara Patabadi.

(9) A letter written by Sri Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami pertaining to Sri Radha-Kunda - at Radha Kunda and in the library at Panihati.

(10) A bill of sale for some land in Vraja, written from a local resident to Sri Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami - at Varaha-nagara Library.

(11) An old letter written by Humayuna Bada Shah regarding the prohibition of killing animals in Vraja - at Sri Vrndavana.

(C) Sacred Footprints

(1) Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's footprints in stone - at the Jagannatha Mandira, Puri, Orissa. Formerly, these were next to the pillar called Garuda-stambha, but they were moved to a small temple near the north gate of Mandira.

(2) Impression of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's body offering full dandavat (prostrated obeisances with all limbs) - at the Alalanatha Mandira, 14 miles from Puri.

(3) Sri Advaita Prabhu's footprints - upon a grindstone at Jhadu-Mandala in Sri Vrndavana.

(4) Sri Krsna's footprints - atop the mountain called Carana-Pahadi in Kamyavana (one of the 12 forests of Vraja).

(5) Footprints of Sri Krsna and hoofprints of His cows - at carana-pahadi in the village of Baithana in Vraja.

(6) Rocks from Govardhana Hill bearing Sri Krsna's footprint - at the Radha-Damodara Mandira in Sri Vrndavana and also in Jaipura.

(7) Sri Krsna's footprints in rock atop the hill of Nandisvara (Nanda-grama) in Vraja.

(8) A rock from Govardhana Hill bearing Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's thumb-print, which He gave to Sri Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami - at Radha-Gokulananda Mandira, Vrndavana.

(D) Early Deities

(1) Deity of Sri Gaura established by Sri Visnu-priya - at Navadvipa (mentioned by Murari Gupta in Caitanya-Carita, 4.14.8).

(2) Sri Nitai Gaura established by Gauridasa Pandita - at Ambika Kalna (mentioned by Murari Gupta in Sri Caitanya-Carita, 4.14.12).

(3) Sri Nitai-Gaura established by Murari Gupta - at Bana-Khandi Mahadeva, Vrndavana.

(4) Sri Gaura-Govinda established by Sri Kasisvara Pandita - at Sri Govinda Mandira in Vrndavana (mentioned in Sadhan-Dipika, Ch. 2, page 24).

(5) Sri Gaura-Nityananda established by Sri Mahesa Pandita - at Cakadaha, Palapada.

(6) Sri Gaura-Gopala established by Sri Jagadisa Pandita - at Yasoda, Nadiya.

(7) Three Deities of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu that were made during His presence - one installed by Narahari Sarakara Thakura at Srikhanda; one installed by Sri Gadadhara Dasa at Katoya and one installed by Sri Kamsari Ghosa at Ganga-nagara (Baguda).

(8) Sri Laksmi-priya and Gauranga discovered in an abandoned barn by Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura - at Khetuda (mentioned in Bhakti-Ratnakara, 10.191-203).

(9) Sri Sri Yaso-Madhava discovered by Sri Jagannatha Thakura - at Adiyala, Daka.

(10) Sri Meyo-Krsna served by Sri Gadadhara Pandita Gosvami - at Bharata-pura, Mursidabad Districts.

(11) Sri Bala Gopala served by Sri Satya-bhanu Upadhyaya (the wandering vipra mentioned in Sri Caitanya-Bhagavata) - at Sri Haridasa Gosvami's home, Navadvipa.

(12) Sri Ksira-cora Gopinatha - at Remuna Orissa.

(13) Sri Gopinatha served by Sri Abhirama Thakura - at Khana-Kula Krsna-nagara.

(14) Sri Tota-Gopinatha found by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Yamesvara Tota - at Jagannatha Puri, Orissa

(15) Sri Saksi-Gopala - formerly at Kataka, now at a temple near Puri.

Deities Established By The Gosvamis

(16) Sri Govinda installed by Srila Rupa Gosvami at Vrndavana - now in Jaipura.

(17) Sri Madana-Mohana installed by Srila Sanatana Gosvami at Vrndavana - in Karauli.

(18) Sri Radha Damodara installed by Srila Jiva Gosvami in Vrndavana - in Jaipura.

(19) Sri Radha-Ramana installed by Srila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami - in Vrndavana.

(20) Sri Gopinatha installed by Srila Madhu Pandita Gosvami at Vrndavana - in Jaipura.

(21) Sri Radha-Vinoda installed by Srila Lokanatha Gosvami - now in Jaipura.

(22) Sri Syama-Sundara installed by Srila Syamananda Prabhu - now in Jaipura.

(23) Sri Gokulananda installed by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura - in Vrndavana along with Sri Radha-Vijaya-Govinda of Srila Baladeva Vidya-bhusana and Sri Caitanya of Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura.

Deities Established In Vraja By Vajra-nabha, Sri Krsna's Great-grandson

(24-27) Four Devas - (in Vrndavana) Sri Govinda-deva; (in Mathura) Sri Kesava-deva; (in Govardhana) Sri Hari-deva; (in Maha-vana) Sri Baladeva.

(28-31) Four Gopalas - (in Vrndavana) Saksi-Gopala, Gopinath-Gopala, Madana-Gopala; (in Govardhana) Srinatha-Gopala.

(32-35) Four Sivas - (in Mathura) Bhutesvara; (in Vrndavana) Gopisvara; (in Govardhana) Cakresvara; (in Kamya-vana) Kamesvara.

(36-39) Four Devis - (in Mathura) Maha-Devi; (in Vrndavana) Vrnda-Devi; (in Cira-Ghata) Katyayani; (in Sanketa) Sanketak Sanketa-Vasini.

Other Famous Early Deities

(40) Sri Syama-sundara in Khadadaha; (41) Sri Gaura-Nitai in Sukacara; (42) Sri Madana-Mohana in Panihati; (43) Sri Nanda-Dulala in Saibona; (44) Sri Jagannatha in Mahesa; (45) Sri Mahaprabhu in Catara; (46) Bala-Gopala in Endedaha; (47) Sri Radha Vallabha in Vallabha-pura; (48) Sri madana-Gopala in Santi-pura; (49) Mohana-Raya and Krsna-Raya in Baharampura; (50-55) the six sets of Deities established during Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura's celebration of the first Gaura-Purnima festival (appearance day of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu) in Khetari - Gauranga, Vallabhi-Kanta, Radha-Ramana, Vraja-Mohana, Radha-Kanta, and Sri Krsna; (56) Sri Nanda Dulala in Jalala-pura; (57) Sri Laksmi-Visnu-priya established in Rajasahi, Khetari, by Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura; (58) A Deity established in the King's palace of Puri by Maharaja Pratapa Rudra; (59) A Deity established in Campahati, Varddhamana, by Sri Vaninatha Thakura.

(E) Early Paintings

(1) Famous painting done by Sri Visakha Devi herself of Sri Madana-Gopala, painted for the pleasure of Srimati Radharani - as mentioned in Srila Rupa Gosvami's Vidagdha-Madhva-Nataka.

(2) Painting of Sriman Mahaprabhu - at Ma Jahnava Ghata next to Sri Radha-Kunda.

(3) Painting of Sri Mahaprabhu with His associates - at the King's palace in Kunja-ghata, Baharampura.

(4) Life-size painting of Sri Mahaprabhu - in the King's palace at Puri.

(5) Painting in Bhonsala House in Bombay (bought from Vargira Bangala).

(6) Painting of Rasa-Raja-Mahabhava at Srila Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami's bhajana-kutira in Radha-kunda; upon the request of the Muslim emperor of Delhi, the royal artist of the King of Orissa went before Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and painted His portrait exactly true to the Lord's countenance.

(7) Painting of Sri Caitanya Sankirtana done in the mid-17th century; it used to be Srinivasa Acarya's house in Yaji-grama, but is now in Mallika Mahasaya Thakura's house in Endedaha.

Related:
Original portrait of Sri Caitanya (commissioned by Maharaja Prataparudra in Puri)

Sri Nathaji

Mukunda Datta Das

The Deity now known as Sri Govardhana-nathaji, or Srinathaji, who now stays in Nathadvara, is the same Deity once worshiped by Srila Madhavendra Puri, the parama-guru of Lord Caitanya.

Probably the wealthiest Deity in North India, Srinathaji has always been enthusiastically pampered with elaborate and aesthetically refined seva, offered with great affection by many devotees. Especially notable are His diverse sringara (dressing and decoration) and bhoga offerings. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura suggests that we can all learn the art of Deity worship from those who worship Srinathaji. His lotus feet are seen by those who chant Hare Krsna without offense. He is in the pose of holding Govardhana hill aloft with His left hand (cf. CC Madhya-lila 18.38). Like in case of many ancient Deities, there is a pitha (rectangular frame) around His transcendental form, and it is decorated with various auspicious figures and symbols. The Lord's complexion is blackish, like monsoon clouds ready to burst and He often holds lotus flowers. He appears as a charming, seven year old boy. His eyes are also like lotus petals, or, according to Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami (Gopala-raja-stotra, 3), like the bow of Kamadeva; still others explain His downward gaze as His merciful glance, looking down upon us all (krpavalokana).

As described in the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Srinathaji was previously known as Gopala (cf. CC Madhya-lila 4.1). His worship was taken over by devotees in the Vallabha sampradaya shortly after Srila Madhavendra Puri's disappearance. However, this transfer is somewhat controversial, as Vallabhite literature reports that it was a forced takeover: the pujaris' homes were set on fire and while they went to put out the fires, new pujaris took over the temple. But an edition of the Bhaktiratnakara says the Deity service was given to Vitthalanatha Gosvami (Vallabhacarya's son) by Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. Whatever happened, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami clearly recognized the love Vitthalanatha and his followers had for the Gopala Deity (Gopalaraja-stotra, 13-14), as did Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura a couple centuries later (in his Gopaladevastaka, 7). It seems that many of our acaryas previously had closer association with the Pusti-marga acaryas and several of them also saw Srinathaji when He stayed at the home of Vallabha's son near Mathura (cf. CC Madhya-lila 18.47).

Srinathaji, or Gopala, was evidently quite popular with other medieval devotees as well as there were Gaudiya preachers who founded Srinathaji temples in present-day Pakistan (Dera Ghazi Khan). Srinathaji was even worshiped as far away as Russia (in the lower Volga region) and other places on the Central Asian trade routes. About three hundred years ago, the Deity moved from Govardhana to Rajasthana, like many other Deities of Vraja. He has been opulently worshiped there (in the town that has built up around Him) ever since. Tradition holds that He will one day return to Govardhana, though only He really knows when.

From Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura's Gopaladevastaka, 8:

prati-dinam adhunapi preksyate sarvadapi
pranaya-su-rasa-carya yasya varya saparya
ganayati kati bhogan kah krti tat-prayogan
sphuratu hrdi sa eva srila gopala-devah

Every single day, even now, transcendental varieties of nectarean, loving service are offered (to Gopala); in this regard, who is the pious person who could count all the offerings? May that very same Lord, Sri Gopala, manifest within your heart!

Time of Sri Rama' Appearance

Q: Have you heard of the time interval between Rama and Krsna avatars?

A: (Gerald Surya) It is commonly assumed that Rama appeared in the previous Treta yuga. Many sources (Rupa Gosvami's Laghu bhagavatamrta 1.3.78, Vayu Purana 70.47-48 (Motilal Banarsidass), Brahmanda Purana, etc.) say Rama appeared in the 24th cycle. Krsna appeared in the 28th cycle. The interval = 4 caturyugas + 1 Dvapara yuga + some of Treta yuga comes out to between 19 and 20 million years.

Saktis

-relationship analogy in the material world:

Bhagavan, Saktiman, is surrounded by His saktis as a lion is surrounded by lionesses and cubs. Lionesses (sakti) act in creation, maintenance and destruction of the world under the protection and authority of the lion. He himself is materially passive and gets involved only in case of need. Jivas are cubs. Conditioned ones (nondevotees) do nonsense and get punished by lionesses (karma) to reform themselves, while the liberated ones (devotees) are protected by their parents, when they scream in danger (prayer). (realization partially inspired by CC 2.8.6)

-identity in different dhamas:

Vaikuntha: sandhini - spiritual substance, Sri/Ramadevi/Laksmi, Dharani (bhu; also the name of Prthivi/Mahi - Earth)

Ayodhya: Sita (sri & bhu)

Dvaraka: Rukmini (sri), Satyabhama (bhu)

Mathura: ? (sri), Kubja (bhu, according to Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura an expansion of Satyabhama - SB 10.42.1 p.)

Goloka:

Krishna: sandhini - Ananga Manjari, a female form of Balarama
samvit & hladini - Radharani - sri (CC 1.1.5, 1.4.55,59, Harinama-cintamani 15)
Candravali - bhu
Paurnamasi (Yogamaya; not manifested outside Goloka - CC 2.21.104 p.) Tulasi - expansion of Sri Radha (Brahma vaivarta Purana 4.67.65)

Balarama (deity of sandhini, CBh 1.1.16p.): Revati (in Caitanya-lila Raghunatha Vaidya - CC 1.10.124-126p., CBh 3.5), Varuni

Navadvipa (part of Goloka):

Gauranga: Laksmipriya/Gadadhara (sri), Visnupriya (bhu/samvit, Jaiva Dharma 14.2); Jahnava Thakurani (Yogamaya)

Nityananda: Jahnava (Ananga manjari - CC 1.11.21p.), Vasudha (ditto - Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika)

Quotes:

SB 10.39.53-55 purport: Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti explains the Lord's potencies mentioned in these verses: "Sri is the potency of wealth; Pusti that of strength; Gir, knowledge; Kanti, beauty; Kirti, fame; and Tusti, renunciation. These are the Lord's six opulences. Ila is His bhu-sakti, also known as sandhini, the internal potency of whom the element earth is an expansion. Urja is His internal potency for performing pastimes; she expands as the tulasi plant in this world. Vidya and Avidya [knowledge and ignorance] are external potencies who cause the living entities' liberation and bondage, respectively. Sakti is His internal pleasure potency, hladini, and Maya is an internal potency who is the basis of Vidya and Avidya. The word "ca" implies the presence of the Lord's marginal energy, the jiva-sakti, who is subordinate to Maya. Lord Visnu was being served by all these personified potencies."

10.13.57 purport: Krsna's power is variegated, and thus the same sakti, or potency, works in variegated ways. Vividha means "varieties." There is unity in variety. Thus yogamaya and mahamaya are among the varied individual parts of the same one potency, and all of these individual potencies work in their own varied ways. The samvit, sandhini and ahladini potencies - Krsna's potency for existence, His potency for knowledge and His potency for pleasure - are distinct from yogamaya. Each is an individual potency. The ahladini potency is Radharani. As Svarupa Damodara Gosvami has explained, radha krsna-pranaya- vikrtir hladini saktir asmat (CC Adi 1.5). The ahladini-sakti is manifested as Radharani, but Krsna and Radharani are the same, although one is potent and the other is potency.

10.9.20 purport: That exalted platform of prema is described by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as prema pum-artho mahan, and mother Yasoda naturally acts in such an exalted position in loving affairs. She is therefore a nitya-siddha devotee, an expansion of Krsna's hladini potency, His potency to enjoy transcendental bliss through expansions who are special devotees (ananda- cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabhih). Such devotees are not sadhana-siddha.

Brahma-samhita 5.37:

ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabhis
tabhir ya eva nija-rupataya kalabhih
goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhuto
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

"I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who resides in His own realm, Goloka, with Radha, who resembles His own spiritual figure and who embodies the ecstatic potency [hladini]. Their companions are Her confidantes, who embody extensions of Her bodily form and who are imbued and permeated with ever-blissful spiritual rasa."

CC 1.4.59:

radhika hayena krsnera pranaya-vikara
svarupa-sakti - hladini nama yanhara

Srimati Radhika is the transformation of Krsna's love. She is His internal energy called hladini.

1.4.60:

hladini karaya krsne anandasvadana
hladinira dvara kare bhaktera posana

That hladini energy gives Krsna pleasure and nourishes His devotees.

Purport: Srila Jiva Goswami has elaborately discussed the hladini potency in his Priti-sandarbha. He says that the Vedas clearly state, "Only devotional service can lead one to the Personality of Godhead. Only devotional service can help a devotee meet the Supreme Lord face to face. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is attracted by devotional service, and as such the ultimate supremacy of Vedic knowledge rests in knowing the science of devotional service.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead has three kinds of internal potency namely the hladini, or pleasure potency, sandhini, or existential potency, and samvit, or cognitive potency. In the Visnu Purana (1.12.69) the Lord is addressed as follows: "O Lord, You are the support of everything. The three attributes hladini, sandhini and samvit exist in You as one spiritual energy. But the material modes, which cause happiness, misery and mixtures of the two, do not exist in You, for You have no material qualities."

Hladini is the personal manifestation of the blissfulness of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by which He enjoys pleasure. Because the pleasure potency is perpetually present in the Supreme Lord, the theory of the impersonalist that the Lord appears in the material mode of goodness cannot be accepted. The impersonalist conclusion is against the Vedic version that the Lord possesses a transcendental pleasure potency. When the pleasure potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is exhibited by His grace in the person of a devotee, that manifestation is called love of God. Love of God is another epithet of the pleasure potency of the Lord. Therefore devotional service reciprocated between the Lord and His devotee is an exhibition of the transcendental pleasure potency of the Lord.

1.4.62, 2.6.159, 2.8.155:

anandamse hladini, sad-amse sandhini
cid-amse samvit—yare jnana kari’ mani

"Hladini is His aspect of bliss; sandhini, of eternal existence; and samvit, of cognizance, which is also accepted as knowledge.

1.4.64:

sandhinira sara amsa - suddha-satttva nama
bhagavanera satta haya yahate visrama

"The essential portion of the sandhini potency is suddha-sattva. Lord Krsna's existence rests upon it."

1.4.65 purport: "Krsna is always all-spiritual. Aside from the parents of the personality of Godhead, all the other paraphernalia of His existence is also essentially a manifestation of sandhini sakti, or a transformation of visuddha-sattva. To make this more clear, it may be said that this sandhini sakti of the internal potency maintains and manifests all the variegatedness of the spiritual world. In the kingdom of God, the Lord's servants and maidservants, His consorts, His father and mother and everything else are all transformations of the spiritual existence of sandhini sakti. The existential sandhini sakti in the external potency similarly expands all the variegatedness of the material cosmos, from which we can have a glimpse of the spiritual field.

1.4.66:

sattvam visuddham vasudeva-sabditam
yad iyate tatra puman apavrtah
sattva ca tasmin bhagavan vasudevo
hy adhoksajo me manasa vidhiyate

Purport: "This text from Srimad Bhagavatam (4.3.23), spoken by Lord Siva when he condemned Daksa, the father of Sati, as an opponent of Visnu, confirms beyond a doubt that Lord Krsna, His fame, His qualities and everything in connection with His paraphernalia exist in the sandhini sakti of the Lord's internal potency."

1.4.67:

krsne bhagavatta-jnana—samvitera sara
brahma-jnanadika saba tara parivara

"The essence of the samvit potency is knowledge that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is Lord Krsna. All other kinds of knowledge, such as the knowledge of Brahman, are its components."

1.5.27-28 p., according to Maha-samhita:

Sri maintains the universe, Bhu is a creative energy of the universe, Nila/Lila (Durga) destroys the universe.

Related:
Tattvas I.
Subhadra (Yogamaya)

page url: http://www.veda.harekrsna.cz/encyclopedia/tattvas2.htm

Please support us: