Amṛta-Pravāha Bhāṣya

In the Fifth Chapter, in five ślokas, the glories of Śrī Nityānanda have been described as follows. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is Svayaṁ Bhagavān Himself; His Vilāsa-mūrti, in other words, His second form, is Śrī Balarāma. Beyond material nature there exists a transcendental abode called Paravyoma. At the topmost region of that transcendental abode is Kṛṣṇaloka. Within Kṛṣṇaloka are Dvārakā, Mathurā, and Gokula. There resides the original Catur-vyūha: Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma, Pradyumna (that is, Kāmadeva), and Aniruddha. Within that Kṛṣṇaloka, the abode known as Vṛndāvana is called Śvetadvīpa. Below Kṛṣṇaloka lies the Paravyoma known as Vaikuṇṭha. There, Kṛṣṇa’s Vilāsa-mūrti, the four-armed Nārāyaṇa, reigns. He who is Balarāma in Kṛṣṇaloka is the original Saṅkarṣaṇa. His Vilāsa-mūrti in the Paravyoma-Vaikuṇṭha is Mahā-Saṅkarṣaṇa. By the will of that Mahā-Saṅkarṣaṇa, all śuddha-sattva manifestations in Paravyoma are revealed. Through the jīva-śakti, all pure jīvas reside there, while the māyā-śakti has no presence there. In Nārāyaṇa’s abode, there is a second Kāya–vyūha. Beyond that Paravyoma lies the effulgent realm called Brahmaloka. Beyond that lies the kāraṇa-samudra (Causal Ocean), possessed of transcendental water. On the far side of the Causal Ocean, in an untouched condition, māyā resides. The Ādi-Puruṣāvatāra, Mahā-Viṣṇu, is an expansion of the original Saṅkarṣaṇa. He, from afar, casts His glance upon māyā. Through the reflection of His form (that is, it appears as His form but is not actually so) He comes into contact with the material cause of māyā. Māyā herself is the material cause as pradhāna and the efficient cause as prakṛti. The glance of Mahā-Viṣṇu is the primary efficient cause of material nature, hence prakṛti is only a secondary efficient cause. That Mahā-Viṣṇu, reclining on the Causal Ocean, enters the aggregate universe as Garbhodakaśāyī, and enters each universe and each individual jīva as Kṣīrodakaśāyī. That Kṣīrodakaśāyī Puruṣa manifests a Vaikuṇṭha in each universe, presides there in forms such as Viṣṇu, Paramātmā, and Īśvara, and reclines upon the bed of Śeṣa in the watery portion of the universe. He is the father of Brahmā. From one of His portions the Virāṭ form may be conceived. In each universe, within the kṣīra-samudra (ocean of milk), a Śvetadvīpa has been manifested in which Viṣṇu resides. Thus Śvetadvīpa is twofold – one in Kṛṣṇaloka and another in the kṣīra-samudra of each individual universe. The Śvetadvīpa of Kṛṣṇaloka is, being non-different from Vṛndāvana, situated there, the ground for certain supplementary līlās of Kṛṣṇa. The form of Śeṣa within the universe serves Viṣṇu in the forms of His umbrella, sandals, couch, pillow, garment, dwelling, sacred thread, throne etc. Balarāma, residing in Kṛṣṇaloka, is indeed Śrī Nityānanda. Therefore, He is the original Saṅkarṣaṇa. The Mahā-Saṅkarṣaṇa of Paravyoma and His Puruṣāvatāras are thus expansions of Śrī Nityānanda.

In this chapter, the author has written a narrative concerning his own journey to Vṛndāvana and his attainment of all perfection there. From it one learns that his former residence was in the village of Jhāmaṭapura near Nehāṭī in the Kāṭoyā region. There were two brothers. Śrī Mīnaketana Rāma Dāsa, an associate of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, was invited to their home and became displeased with the pūjārī Guṇārṇava Miśra. Kavirāja Gosvāmī’s brother, siding with the latter, did not acknowledge the greatness of Śrī Nityānanda. (For this reason Śrīla Kavirāja Gosvāmī rebuked his brother.) Rāma Dāsa broke his own flute and departed from that place, whereupon the immediate ruin of the Kavirāja Gosvāmī’s brother came to pass. That very night, Kavirāja Gosvāmī received in a dream the mercy and command of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, and the very next day he departed for Vṛndāvana.

(1)
vande’nantādbhutaiśvaryaṁ śrī-nityānandam īśvaram
yasyecchayā tat-svarūpam ajñenāpi nirūpyate

I offer obeisance unto Lord Śrī Nityānanda, whose opulences are unlimited and wonderful, by whose desire even an ignorant person may describe His true nature.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

“I offer obeisance to Nityānanda, the Supreme Controller possessed of infinite and wondrous opulences. Even the ignorant, by His will, become capable of ascertaining His nature.”

(2)
jaya jaya śrī-caitanya jaya nityānanda
jayādvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

Glories, glories to Śrī Caitanya! Glories to Nityānanda! Glories to Advaita-candra! Glories to Gaura’s devotees!

(3)
ei ṣaṭ-śloke kahila kṛṣṇa-caitanya-mahimā
pañca-śloke kahi nityānanda-tattva-sīmā

In these six ślokas the glories of Kṛṣṇa Caitanya have been spoken, and in five ślokas I shall speak the extent of nityānanda-tattva.

(4)
sarva-avatārī kṛṣṇa svayaṁ bhagavān
tāṅhāra dvitīya deha śrī-balarāma

Kṛṣṇa, the source of all avatāras, is Svayaṁ Bhagavān, and Śrī Balarāma is His second body.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

Tāṅhāra dvitīya deha mean the Vilāsa form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

(5)
eka-i svarūpa doṅhe, bhinna-mātra kāya
ādya kāya-vyūha, kṛṣṇa-līlāra sahāya

The two are one in identity, differing only in body. He is the original bodily expansion, the assistant in Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes.

(6)
sei kṛṣṇa – navadvīpe śrī-caitanya-candra
sei balarāma – saṅge śrī-nityānanda

That Kṛṣṇa is Śrī Caitanya-candra in Navadvīpa, and that Balarāma is Śrī Nityānanda along with Him.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

Śrī Baladeva is Kṛṣṇa’s primary bodily expansion (ādi-kāya-vyūha), meaning, His bodily expansion – and He assists in the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa. That same Kṛṣṇa descended at Navadvīpa in the form of Śrī Caitanyacandra, and that same Śrī Balarāma, the adi–kāya-vyūha, accompanied Him as Śrī Nityānanda.

(7)
saṅkarṣaṇaḥ kāraṇa-toya-śāyī garbhoda-śāyī ca payo ’bdhi-śāyī
śeṣaś ca yasyāṁśa-kalāḥ sa nityānandākhya-rāmaḥ śaraṇaṁ mamāstu

May that Rāma known as Nityānanda be my shelter – whose plenary portions and parts of plenary portions are Saṅkarṣaṇa, Kāraṇatoyaśāyī, Garbhodaśāyī, Payobdhiśāyī, and Śeṣa.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

“May that Nityānandā-Rāma, of whom Saṅkarṣaṇa, Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī, Garbhodaśāyī, Kṣīrodaśāyī, and Śeṣa are all parts and portions (aṁśas and kalās), be my shelter.”

(8)
śrī-balarāma gosāi mūla-saṅkarṣaṇa
pañca-rūpa dhari’ karena kṛṣṇera sevana

Śrī Balarāma Gosāi is the original Saṅkarṣaṇa. Assuming five forms, He performs service to Kṛṣṇa.

(9)
āpane karena kṛṣṇa-līlāra sahāya
sṛṣṭi-līlā-kārya kare dhari’ cāri kāya

He Himself assists in Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, and for the activities of the creational pastimes, He assumes four bodies.

(10)
sṛṣṭy-ādika sevā, – tāṅra ājñāra pālana
‘śeṣa’-rūpe kare kṛṣṇera vividha sevana

The service of creation etc. is the carrying out of His command, and in the form of Śeṣa He performs various services to Kṛṣṇa.

(11)
sarva-rūpe āsvādaye kṛṣṇa-sevānanda
sei balarāma – gaura-saṅge nityānanda

In all forms He relishes the bliss of service to Kṛṣṇa. That Balarāma is Nityānanda in the company of Gaura.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

Śrī Balarāma, the primary kāya-vyūha, may be called the original Saṅkarṣaṇa; for, as a portion of His secondary svarūpa, He is ‘Mahā-Saṅkarṣaṇa,’ and as His plenary-forms He is Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī, Garbhodaśāyī, Kṣīrodaśāyī, and Śeṣa – thus assuming these five forms, He renders service to Kṛṣṇa. He personally remains an assistant in Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes and, in the four forms of Mahā-Saṅkarṣaṇa, Kāraṇābdhiśāyī, Garbhodaśāyī, and Kṣīrodaśāyī, performs the activities of cosmic creation and related functions. In His form known as Ananta, designated as Śeṣa, He renders various kinds of service to Kṛṣṇa. In all these forms, that same Balarāma relishes the bliss of serving Kṛṣṇa.

(12)
saptama ślokera artha kari cāri-śloke
yāte nityānanda-tattva jāne sarva-loke

I have explained the meaning of the seventh śloka in four ślokas, so that all persons may understand nityānanda-tattva.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

The meaning of the seventh verse — what was stated in the 7th verse is being elaborated upon in the 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th verses.

(13)
māyātīte vyāpi-vaikuṇṭha-loke
pūrṇaiśvarye śrī-catur-vyūha-madhye
rūpaṁ yasyodbhāti saṅkarṣaṇākhyaṁ
taṁ śrī-nityānanda-rāmaṁ prapadye

I surrender unto Śrī Nityānanda Rāma, whose form known as Saṅkarṣaṇa manifests in the all-pervading Vaikuṇṭha realm beyond māyā, amidst the fully opulent Catur-vyūha.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

“In Vaikuṇṭhaloka, which is beyond māyā and all-pervading, resides the Catur-vyūha of Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha, fully endowed with all opulences. Unto that Rāma, who is of Nityānanda’s own nature, in whom the Saṅkarṣaṇa form of this Catur-vyūha is manifest, I offer my obeisance.”

(14)
prakṛtira pāra ‘paravyoma’-nāme dhāma
kṛṣṇa-vigraha yaiche vibhūty-ādi-guṇavān

Beyond material nature is the abode named Paravyoma, where the forms of Kṛṣṇa possess opulence and all other qualities.

(15)
sarvaga, ananta, vibhu – vaikuṇṭhādi dhāma
kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa-avatārera tāhāñi viśrāma

The abodes beginning with Vaikuṇṭha are all-pervading, unlimited, and infinite. There is the resting place of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa’s avatāras.

(16)
tāhāra upari-bhāge ‘kṛṣṇa-loka’-khyāti
dvārakā-mathurā-gokula – tri-vidhatve sthiti

Above that is the region known as Kṛṣṇa-loka, which has three divisions – Dvārakā, Mathurā, and Gokula.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

Above the twenty-four material elements of prakṛti there exists a spiritual realm called Paravyoma. That realm is endowed with all the opulence and qualities similar to the nature of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. In that abode are situated the all-pervading infinite Brahman effulgence, the Vaikuṇṭha worlds, and all other spiritual realms. In all those abodes, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself and all varieties of His avatāras reside. In the uppermost third portion of those dhāmas is the supremely excellent spiritual world, whose name is Kṛṣṇaloka. That Kṛṣṇaloka is variously manifested in three forms – Dvārakā, Mathurā, and Gokula.

(17)
sarvopari śrī-gokula – vrajaloka-dhāma
śrī-goloka, śvetadvīpa, vṛndāvana nāma

Highest of all is Śrī Gokula, the abode of Vrajaloka, known by the names Śrī Goloka, Śvetadvīpa, and Vṛndāvana.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

Above all, in that Paravyoma-dhāma, is Śrī Gokula – in other words, Vrajaloka-dhāma. Śrī Goloka means Kṛṣṇa’s dhāma which is endowed with svakīya-bhāva, Śvetadvīpa, or Vṛndāvana.

(18)
sarvaga, ananta, vibhu, kṛṣṇa-tanu-sama
upary-adho vyāpiyāche, nāhika niyama

Like the body of Kṛṣṇa, it is all-pervading, unlimited, and infinite, spreading above and below without restriction.

(19)
brahmāṇḍe prakāśa tāra kṛṣṇera icchāya
eka-i svarūpa tāra, nāhi dui kāya

By Kṛṣṇa’s desire it is manifested within the universe. Its intrinsic nature is one alone. It does not have two forms.

(20)
cintāmaṇi-bhūmi, kalpa-vṛkṣa-maya vana
carma-cakṣe dekhe tāre prapañcera sama

Its land is made of divine touchstone, its forests are filled with desire trees, yet with physical eyes, one sees it as the same as the material world.

(21)
prema-netre dekhe tāra svarūpa-prakāśa
gopa-gopī-saṅge yāṅhā kṛṣṇera vilāsa

With eyes of prema one sees its true manifestation, where Kṛṣṇa performs pastimes with the gopas and gopīs.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

That spiritual Vrajā-dhāma, although manifested in this material universe by Kṛṣṇa’s will, retains its identical nature. Some people think that Goloka and the other abodes situated in the spiritual sky are separate from Vraja-dhāma as manifested within the material world – however, that is not so. They are of the same essential nature (svarūpa); they are simply manifest simultaneously both in the Paravyoma and in the material world. The Vraja that is manifest in the physical world is also a land of cintāmaṇi and forests of wish-fulfilling trees – it’s true nature is perceived through eyes of prema, whereas to the eyes of flesh it merely appears as something of this phenomenal world.

(22)
cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-
lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam
lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

“I worship Govinda, the original Person, who is surrounded by abodes made from cintāmaṇi gems and millions of desire trees (kalpa-vṛkṣa), who tends the wish-fulfilling surabhī cows, and is graciously served by hundreds and thousands of Lakṣmīs.” (Brahma Saṁhitā 29)

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

“I worship that primeval personality, Śrī Govinda-candra, who resides in a place built of cintāmaṇi gems, surrounded by millions upon millions of wish-fulfilling trees (kalpa-vṛkṣas), who tends the surabhi cows, and who is worshipped with great respect by hundreds of thousands of Lakṣmīs.”

(23)
mathurā-dvārakāya nija-rūpa prakāśiyā
nānā-rūpe vilasaye catur-vyūha haiñā

Manifesting His own forms in Mathurā and Dvārakā, He enjoys in various forms as the Catur-vyūha.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

In the Mathurā-Dvārakā portions of that Kṛṣṇa-dhāma, Kṛṣṇa manifests the Ādi-Catur-vyūha (the original quadruple expansion) – Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha – and performs various pastimes in many forms. The Catur-vyūha present in Dvārakā is the source of all other Catur-vyūhas and is purely spiritual.

(24)
vāsudeva-saṅkarṣaṇa-pradyumnāniruddha
sarva-catur-vyūha-aṁśī, turīya, viśuddha

He is the source of all Catur-vyūhas – Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha – who are beyond all states (turīya) and completely pure.

(25)
ei tina loke kṛṣṇa kevala-līlā-maya
nija-gaṇa lañā khele ananta samaya

In these three realms, Kṛṣṇa is fully replete with pastimes, sporting with His own associates for eternally.

(26)
para-vyoma-madhye kari’ svarūpa prakāśa
nārāyaṇa-rūpe karena vividha vilāsa

Manifesting His own form in the spiritual sky, He performs various pastimes in the form of Nārāyaṇa.

(27-28)
svarūpa-vigraha kṛṣṇera kevala dvi-bhuja
nārāyaṇa-rūpe sei tanu catur-bhuja
śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-padma, mahaiśvarya-maya
śrī-bhū-nīlā-śakti yāṅra caraṇa sevaya

Kṛṣṇa’s original form possesses only two arms, but in the form of Nārāyaṇa that same body has four arms, bearing conch, disc, club, and lotus, full of great opulence, and whose feet are served by the potencies Śrī, Bhū, and Nīlā.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

Kṛṣṇa’s own inherent form is always two-armed. His manifestation in the Paravyoma is as Nārāyaṇa with four arms, attended by the three potencies – Śrī, Bhū, and Nīlā. There are detailed descriptions of these three śaktis in the texts of the Vaiṣṇavas of the Śrī sampradāya.

(29)
yadyapi kevala tāṅra krīḍā-mātra dharma
tathāpi jīvere kṛpāya kare eka karma

Although playful pastimes are His sole nature, still, out of mercy to the jīvas, He performs one activity.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

Although His sole function is sporting, yet out of compassion for the jīvas, He performs a single pastime in the form of their deliverance.

(30)
sālokya-sāmīpya-sārṣṭi-sārūpya-prakāra
cāri mukti diyā kare jīvera nistāra

Giving the four kinds of liberation – sālokya, sāmīpya, sārṣṭi, and sārūpya – He delivers the jīvas.

(31)
brahma-sāyujya-muktera tāhā nāhi gati
vaikuṇṭha-bāhire haya tā’sabāra sthiti

Those who attain liberation by merging into Brahman have no access there. The place for all of them is outside Vaikuṇṭha.

(32)
vaikuṇṭha-bāhire eka jyotir-maya maṇḍala
kṛṣṇera aṅgera prabhā, parama ujjvala

Outside Vaikuṇṭha is a realm of effulgence, the supremely brilliant radiance of Kṛṣṇa’s body.

(33)
‘siddha-loka’ nāma tāra prakṛtira pāra
cit-svarūpa, tāṅhā nāhi cic-chakti vikāra

Its name is Siddha-loka, beyond material nature; it is of the nature of consciousness, yet there is no transformation of the cit-śakti there.

(34)
sūrya-maṇḍala yena bāhire nirviśeṣa
bhitare sūryera ratha-ādi saviśeṣa

It is just like how the sun globe appears impersonal from outside, but within there are specific features such as the sun-god’s chariot and so on.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

By the word ‘Vaikuṇṭha’ one should understand both Kṛṣṇa-dhāma and Paravyoma also. Outside that spiritual sky, the effulgence emanating from Kṛṣṇa’s body has expanded, forming a luminous spiritual realm. That is called Siddhaloka, Brahmaloka etc. That alone is the sole abode for the liberation of sāyujya with Brahman. That realm is indeed of the nature of consciousness (cit), yet therein there is no transformation of the cit-śakti – in other words, no variegatedness. Just as the solar orb appears externally as undifferentiated (nirviśeṣa), being simply luminous without variety, yet within the orb the chariot and other details of the Sun are observed as differentiated (saviśeṣa) – meaning that, just as manifold variety is perceived, similarly it is here. The outer portion of the solar orb is comparable to the Brahman-dhāma.

(35)
kāmād dveṣād bhayāt snehād yathā bhaktyeśvare manaḥ
āveśya tad aghaṁ hitvā bahavas tad gatiṁ gatāḥ

“Absorbing the mind in the Lord through lust, hatred, fear, affection, or devotion, many persons, giving up their vice, attained His destination.” (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 7.1.30).

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

“Many persons, through lust, hatred, fear and affection, in the manner of devotion, fix their minds upon Him and, having abandoned those vices, attain liberation in Him.”

In some editions, this additional verse is found in the alternate reading:

kāmād gopyo bhayāt kaṁso dveṣāc caidyādayo nṛpāḥ
sambandhād ṛṣṇayaḥ snehād yūyaṁ bhaktyā vayaṁ vibho

The gopīs attained the Lord through desire, Kaṁsa through fear, the kings headed by Śiśupāla through hatred, the Vṛṣṇis through kinship, yourselves through affection, and ourselves through bhakti.

(36)
yad arīṇāṁ priyāṇāṁ ca prāpyam ekam ivoditam
tad brahma-kṛṣṇayor aikyāt kiraṇārkopamā-juṣoḥ

The destination attained by the Lord’s enemies and loved ones alike is said to be one because of the oneness of Brahman and Kṛṣṇa, just as sunshine and the sun are compared.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

In all those places in śāstra where the attainment of oneness of the enemies and the beloved of Bhagavān is mentioned, it has been stated only in the context of considering the oneness of the ‘ray’ of Brahman and the ‘sun’ of Kṛṣṇa. In conclusion, persons dear to Bhagavān attain the variety of Vaikuṇṭha, while the enemies of Bhagavān attain Siddhaloka, which is devoid of divine pastimes.

(37)
taiche para-vyome nānā cic-chakti-vilāsa
nirviśeṣa jyotir-bimba bāhire prakāśa

Similarly, in the spiritual sky, there are various manifestations of spiritual potency, while outside is manifest the impersonal effulgence.

(38)
nirviśeṣa-brahma sei kevala jyotir-maya
sāyujyera adhikārī tāṅhā pāya laya

That non-differentiated Brahman is only effulgence, and those qualified for sāyujya attain absorption there.

(39)
siddha-lokas tu tamasaḥ pāre yatra vasanti hi
siddhā brahma-sukhe magnā daityāś ca hariṇā hatāḥ

Siddhaloka is beyond darkness, where dwell the perfected beings absorbed in the happiness of Brahman, as well as the demons slain by Hari.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

Here, tamaḥ means the illusory world, beyond which is Siddhaloka, or Brahma-dhāma. There the māyāvādīs who are immersed in the bliss of Brahman dwell, as do the demons such as Kaṁsa who were slain by the Lord. The practitioners of Pātañjala-yoga who attain kaivalya (oneness) will also reach that realm.

(40)
sei para-vyome nārāyaṇera cāri pāśe
dvārakā-catur-vyūhera dvitīya prakāśe

There in the spiritual sky, surrounding Nārāyaṇa on all four sides, is the second manifestation of the Dvārakā Catur-vyūha.

(41)
vāsudeva-saṅkarṣaṇa-pradyumnāniruddha
‘dvitīya catur-vyūha’ ei – turīya, viśuddha

This is the second Catur-vyūha – Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha – beyond all states and completely pure.

(42)
tāṅhā ye rāmera rūpa – mahā-saṅkarṣaṇa
cic-chakti-āśraya tiṅho, kāraṇera kāraṇa

That form of Rāma there is Mahā-Saṅkarṣaṇa. He is the shelter of the cit-śakti and the cause of all causes.

(43)
cic-chakti-vilāsa eka – ‘śuddha-sattva’ nāma
śuddha-sattva-maya yata vaikuṇṭhādi-dhāma

One manifestation of the cit-śakti is called śuddha-sattva. All the abodes beginning with Vaikuṇṭha are composed of śuddha-sattva.

(44)
ṣaḍ-vidhaiśvarya tāṅhā sakala cinmaya
saṅkarṣaṇera vibhūti saba, jāniha niścaya

The six kinds of opulence there are all spiritual. Know for certain that all are the opulences of Saṅkarṣaṇa.

(45)
‘jīva’-nāma taṭasthākhya eka śakti haya
mahā-saṅkarṣaṇa – saba jīvera āśraya

There is one potency called the taṭastha (marginal potency), known as the jīva. Mahā-Saṅkarṣaṇa is the shelter of all jīvas.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

This second manifestation (of the Catur-vyuha) resides in Paravyoma. This Catur-vyūha is called the second Catur-vyūha. It too is purely spiritual. There, the nature of Balarāma is Mahā-saṅkarṣaṇa. In that manifestation, the sandhinī-vilāsa (the manifestation of the sandhinī potency) of the cit-śakti, known as śuddha-sattva, is that by which Vaikuṇṭha-dhāma and all the remaining abodes of pure existence and the sixfold divine opulences are all vibhūtis (manifestations) of Mahā-saṅkarṣaṇa.

Mahā-saṅkarṣaṇa is the shelter of all the jīvas. Consequently, He is the shelter of the taṭasthā jīva-śakti. Although the jīva, being a spiritual particle (cit-kaṇa), arises from the jīva-śakti, it is fashioned in such a way as to be subjugated by māyā-śakti. Hence, due to its quality of standing on the border of both māyā and cit, it has received the name taṭastha (marginal).

(46)
yāṅhā haite viśvotpatti, yāṅhāte pralaya
sei puruṣera saṅkarṣaṇa samāśraya

Saṅkarṣaṇa is the shelter of that Puruṣa from whom the universe is created and into whom it is dissolved.

(47)
sarvāśraya, sarvādbhuta, aiśvarya apāra
‘ananta’ kahite nāre mahimā yāṅhāra

He is the shelter of all. He is all-astounding, with unlimited opulence. Ananta cannot fully describe His glories.

(48)
turīya, viśuddha-sattva, ‘saṅkarṣaṇa’ nāma
tiṅho yāṅra aṁśa, sei nityānanda-rāma

That Saṅkarṣaṇa, who is turīya (beyond all states), of pure goodness, is an expansion of Śrī Nityānanda Rāma.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

Mahā-saṅkarṣaṇa – He is of purely spiritual, transcendental existence. He is the aṅga, that is to say the prakāśa (manifestation), of Nityānanda-Rāma.

(49)
aṣṭama ślokera kaila saṅkṣepe vivaraṇa
navama ślokera artha śuna diyā mana

Thus the eighth śloka has been briefly explained. Now hear attentively the meaning of the ninth śloka.

(50)
māyā-bhartājāṇḍa-saṅghāśrayāṅgaḥ
śete sākṣāt kāraṇāmbhodhi-madhye
yasyaikāṁśaḥ śrī-pumān ādi-devas
taṁ śrī-nityānanda-rāmaṁ prapadye

I surrender unto Śrī Nityānanda Rāma, whose plenary portion is the original Puruṣa, the primeval Lord, who lies directly in the midst of the Causal Ocean, and whose expansion is the shelter of the aggregate of universes and the controller of māyā.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

“He whose one portion is the bearer of māyā, who as Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī is the resting place of all the universes, who is the original Lord and Puruṣa-avatāra – to that Nityānanda Rāma. I offer my obeisance.”

(51)
vaikuṇṭha-bāhire yei jyotir-maya dhāma
tāhāra bāhire ‘kāraṇārṇava’ nāma

Outside Vaikuṇṭha is the effulgent realm, and beyond that is the place called Kāraṇārṇava, the Causal Ocean.

(52)
vaikuṇṭha beḍiyā eka āche jala-nidhi
ananta, apāra – tāra nāhika avadhi

Surrounding Vaikuṇṭha is an ocean of water, endless and boundless, without limit.

(53)
vaikuṇṭhera pṛthivy-ādi sakala cinmaya
māyika bhūtera tathi janma nāhi haya

The earth and all else in Vaikuṇṭha are completely spiritual. Māyika elements do not appear there.

(54)
cinmaya-jala sei parama kāraṇa
yāra eka kaṇā gaṅgā patita-pāvana

That spiritual water is the supreme cause, and one particle of it is the Gaṅgā, the purifier of the fallen.

(55)
sei ta’ kāraṇārṇave sei saṅkarṣaṇa
āpanāra eka aṁśe karena śayana

There in that Causal Ocean, that Saṅkarṣaṇa reclines as one of His own plenary portions.

(56)
mahat-sraṣṭā puruṣa, tiṅho jagat-kāraṇa
ādya-avatāra kare māyāya īkṣaṇa

That Puruṣa, creator of the Mahat-tattva, is the cause of the universe. As the original avatāra, He casts His glance upon māyā.

(57)
māyā-śakti rahe kāraṇābdhira bāhire
kāraṇa-samudra māyā paraśite nāre

The māyā-śakti remains outside the Causal Ocean. Māyā cannot touch the Causal Ocean.

(58)
sei ta’ māyāra dui-vidha avasthiti
jagatera upādāna ‘pradhāna’, prakṛti

That māyā has two conditions – the ingredient cause of the universe is called pradhāna, or prakṛti.

(59)
jagat-kāraṇa nahe prakṛti jaḍa-rūpā
śakti sañcāriyā tāre kṛṣṇa kare kṛpā

The material form of prakṛti by itself is not the cause of the universe. Kṛṣṇa, infusing power into it, bestows His mercy upon it.

(60)
kṛṣṇa-śaktye prakṛti haya gauṇa kāraṇa
agni-śaktye lauha yaiche karaye jāraṇa

By Kṛṣṇa’s potency, prakṛti becomes the secondary cause, just as iron burns by the power of fire.

(61)
ataeva kṛṣṇa mūla-jagat-kāraṇa
prakṛti – kāraṇa yaiche ajā-gala-stana

Therefore Kṛṣṇa is the original cause of the universe, while prakṛti is a cause only in the way that the fleshy neck of a goat resembles a breast.

(62)
māyā-aṁśe kahi tāre nimitta-kāraṇa
seha nahe, yāte kartā-hetu – nārāyaṇa

In relation to māyā He is called the efficient cause, yet even that is not independent, for Nārāyaṇa is the actual cause of action.

(63)
ghaṭera nimitta-hetu yaiche kumbhakāra
taiche jagatera kartā – puruṣāvatāra

Just as a potter is the efficient cause of a clay pot, similarly the Puruṣa-avatāra is the creator of the universe.

(64)
kṛṣṇa – kartā, māyā tāṅra karena sahāya
ghaṭera kāraṇa – cakra-daṇḍādi upāya

Kṛṣṇa is the doer, and māyā acts as His assistant, just as the wheel, rod, and other instruments assist in making a pot.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

Beyond the realm of Paravyoma is the effulgent Brahma-dhāma. Beyond that is the kāraṇa-samudra (Causal Ocean). The spiritual world is devoid of any material cause. Māyā is the realm of causation. The intermediate region between these two is described as the Causal Ocean, conceived as an ocean of divine water. This is because that Lord reclining upon the waters performs the acts of creation etc. by casting His glance toward māyā, which lies outside Him. Kṛṣṇa and the Lord of Paravyoma, in Their essential natures are devoid of creative activity, and have no functions connected with māyā. Mahā-Saṅkarṣaṇa, by a distant portion of His glance, while reclining upon that ocean, creates the Mahat-tattva. He is the original avatāra. Māyā-śakti is situated outside the Causal Ocean. Bhagavān casts His glance upon her. Māyā cannot touch the Causal Ocean. The glance of Bhagavān, entering into māyā, renders māyā active. Māyā has two modes of existence – pradhāna, the material cause of the world, and māyā, the instrumental cause of the world. Prakṛti is in reality inert by nature. When the power of Bhagavān’s glance is infused into prakṛti, she thereby becomes the secondary cause of the creation of the universe – just as fire, entering into iron, gives it the power to burn. Hence, Kṛṣṇa alone is the ultimate cause of the world. The material causality of prakṛti is like the nipple on a goat’s neck – merely nominal.

Even with respect to the efficient causation attributed to a portion of māyā, i.e., the guṇa-portion, Nārayāṇa alone is the efficient cause. In the making of a pot, the wheel, the stick, and the potter are the efficient causes. Nārayāṇa holds the position of the potter (the primary efficient cause), and māyā holds the position of the wheel and stick (the secondary efficient cause). Therefore, just as a pot cannot be made without the potter, so too the world cannot exist without Nārayāṇa. The secondary efficient cause – in the form of the guṇas, corresponding to the wheel and stick – operates only as an instrument in service of Nārayāṇa, the primary efficient cause.

(65)
dūra haite puruṣa kare māyāte avadhāna
jīva-rūpa vīrya tāte karena ādhāna

From a distance, the Puruṣa casts His attention upon māyā, and places within her the seed in the form of the jīvas.

(66)
eka aṅgābhāse kare māyāte milana
māyā haite janme tabe brahmāṇḍera gaṇa

By a mere partial manifestation He unites with māyā, and then from māyā the multitude of universes is born.

(67)
agaṇya, ananta yata aṇḍa-sanniveśa
tata-rūpe puruṣa kare sabāte prakāśa

In all the innumerable and infinite universes, the Puruṣa manifests Himself in corresponding forms.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

From afar, Kāraṇābhidhāśāyī Puruṣa casts His glance upon māyā. That glance, taking the form of a spark of consciousness, performs two kinds of work – namely,  in the form of rays emanating from Him, He casts the infinite jīvas into māyā, and He Himself, through a semblance of His partial expansion, unites with māyā and creates innumerable infinite universes. Into each such universe He enters in the form of the Puruṣa. The word aṅgābhāsa denotes a mere semblance of contact between His expansions — it is not actual contact in the true sense.

(68)
puruṣa-nāsāte yabe bāhirāya śvāsa
niśvāsa sahite haya brahmāṇḍa-prakāśa

When breath comes out from the nose of the Puruṣa, the universes become manifest along with that exhalation.

(69)
punarapi śvāsa yabe praveśe antare
śvāsa-saha brahmāṇḍa paiśe puruṣa-śarīre

Again, when the breath enters within, the universes enter into the body of the Puruṣa along with that inhalation.

(70)
gavākṣera randhre yena trasareṇu cale
puruṣera loma-kūpe brahmāṇḍera jāle

Just as particles of dust (trasareṇu) move through the holes of a window, so the clusters of universes move within the pores of the Puruṣa’s body.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

Trasareṇu –  one trasareṇu consists of three atoms.

(71)
yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya
jīvanti loma-vila-jā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ
viṣṇur mahān sa iha yasya kalā-viśeṣo
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

“One exhalation of Mahā-Viṣṇu is the lifespan of Brahmā and the controllers of this universe which is born from His skin pores. I worship Govinda, the original Person, whose specific expansion, in other words, whose expansion of an expansion, is that Mahā-Viṣṇu.” (Brahma Saṁhitā 48)

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

“The lords of all the universes, who are born from His pores and remain for the duration of His exhalation – that Mahā-Viṣṇu is but a kalā (a portion) of Him. I worship that Govinda, the primeval Personality.”

(72)
kvāhaṁ tamo-mahad-ahaṁ-kha-carāgni-vār-bhū-
saṁveṣṭitāṇḍa-ghaṭa-sapta-vitasti-kāyaḥ
kvedṛg-vidhāvigaṇitāṇḍa-parāṇu-caryā-
vātādhva-roma-vivarasya ca te mahitvam

“What am I – a being whose body is but seven spans within an egg-like universe covered by darkness, the Mahat-tattva, false ego, ether, air, fire, water, and earth – and what is Your greatness, within the opening of whose pores move the currents carrying the innumerable atomic universes?” (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.14.11)

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

“Where indeed am I – this body, composed of prakṛti, the Mahat-tattva, ahaṇkāra, and the five elements, and measuring only seven spans (in height)? And You, of such greatness that all the universes, reduced to atomic particles, wander within the pores of Your body – what, then, are Your glories? That is to say, my cosmic form is nothing in comparison to Your greatness.”

(73)
aṁśera aṁśa yei, ‘kalā’ tāra nāma
govindera pratimūrti śrī-balarāma

A portion of a portion is called a kalā. Śrī Balarāma is the counterpart form of Govinda.

(74)
tāṅra eka svarūpa – śrī-mahā-saṅkarṣaṇa
tāṅra aṁśa ‘puruṣa’ haya kalāte gaṇana

One form of Him is Śrī Mahā-Saṅkarṣaṇa, and the Puruṣa is counted as a kalā of Him.

(75)
yāṅhāke ta’ kalā kahi, tiṅho mahā-viṣṇu
mahā-puruṣāvatārī teṅho sarva-jiṣṇu

He whom we call that kalā is Mahā-Viṣṇu, the source of the Mahā-Puruṣa, who pervades all.

(76)
garbhoda-kṣīroda-śāyī doṅhe ‘puruṣa’ nāma
sei dui, yāṅra aṁśa, – viṣṇu, viśva-dhāma

Garbhodaśāyī and Kṣīrodakaśāyī are both called Puruṣas. Viṣṇu, the abode of the universe, is the source of those two.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

Balarāma, the vilāsa-mūrti of Kṛṣṇa, is Mūla-Saṅkarṣaṇa. His own direct expansion (svarūpa–aṁśa) in Paravyoma is Saṅkarṣaṇa. His portion is Mahā-Viṣṇu, the Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī (who lies on the Causal Ocean). Since He is an portion of a portion of a portion, He is called kalā. The two Puruṣas, Garbhodaśāyī and Kṣīrodaśāyī, are portions of Mahā-Viṣṇu.

(77)
viṣṇos tu trīṇi rūpāṇi puruṣākhyāny atho viduḥ
ekaṁ tu mahataḥ sraṣṭṛ dvitīyaṁ tv aṇḍa-saṁsthitam
tṛtīyaṁ sarva-bhūta-sthaṁ tāni jñātvā vimucyate

“Know that Viṣṇu has three forms known as Puruṣas. One is the creator of the Mahat-tattva, the second resides within the universes, and the third resides within all beings. Knowing these, one becomes liberated.” (Viṣṇu Purāṇa)

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

“In the eternal abode, Viṣṇu has three forms – first, Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Mahā-Viṣṇu, the creator of the Mahat-tattva; second, Garbhodaśāyī, the Puruṣa of the aggregate universe; third, Kṣīrodaśāyī, the Puruṣa residing within each individual universe, who is the indweeling monitor (Antaryāmī), the controller (Īśvara) and Supreme Conciousness (Paramātmā) within every jīva. One who understands the principle of these three is liberated from materialistic intelligence.”

(78)
yadyapi kahiye tāṅre kṛṣṇera ‘kalā’ kari
matsya-kūrmādy-avatārera tiṅho avatārī

Although we speak of Him as a kalā of Kṛṣṇa, He is the source of avatāras such as Matsya and Kūrma.

(79)
ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam
indrāri-vyākulaṁ lokaṁ mṛḍayanti yuge yuge

“The various avatāras are either plenary expansions or parts of plenary expansions. But Kṛṣṇa is the original source of all these avatāras. When impious elements disturb His devotees, He manifests age after age in order to protect them.” (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.3.28)

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

See Ādi-līlā, Chapter 2, verse 67.

(80)
sei puruṣa sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralayera kartā
nānā avatāra kare, jagatera bhartā

That Puruṣa is the performer of creation, maintenance, and dissolution. He manifests various avatāras and sustains the universe.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

(In the form of the maintainer of the universe) that Puruṣa-avatāra is Kṣīrodaśāyī.

(81)
sṛṣṭy-ādi-nimitte yei aṁśera avadhāna
sei ta’ aṁśere kahi ‘avatāra’ nāma

That expansion who turns His attention toward creation etc. – that expansion is called an avatāra.

(82)
ādyāvatāra, mahā-puruṣa, bhagavān
sarva-avatāra-bīja, sarvāśraya-dhāma

The original avatāra, Mahā-Puruṣa Bhagavān, is the seed of all avatāras, and the abode of all shelters.

(83)
ādyo ’vatāraḥ puruṣaḥ parasya
kālaḥ svabhāvaḥ sad-asan manaś ca
dravyaṁ vikāro guṇa indriyāṇi
virāṭ svarāṭ sthāsnu cariṣṇu bhūmnaḥ

“The first avatāra of the Supreme is the Puruṣa. Time, nature, cause and effect, mind, the elements, transformation, the modes, the senses, the universal form, the independent beings, the immovable and movable – all arise from Him, the complete whole.” (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 2.6.42)

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

“The Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Puruṣa is the primordial avatāra of Bhagavān. Time, nature, prakṛti as cause and effect, the mind and the Mahat-tattva, ahaṅkāra and the great elements, sattva and other guṇas, the senses, Virāṭ, Svarāṭ, the immobile and the mobile – all of these are His vibhūtis (manifestations).”

In alternate editions, these ślokas are found:

ahaṁ bhavo yajña ime prajeśā
dakṣādayo ye bhavad-ādayaś ca
svarloka-pālāḥ khagaloka-pālā
nṛloka-pālās talaloka-pālāḥ

gandharva-vidyādhara-cāraṇeśā
ye yakṣa-rakṣoraga-nāga-nāthāḥ
ye vā ṛṣīṇām ṛṣabhāḥ pitṝṇāṁ
daityendra-siddheśvara-dānavendrāḥ

anye ca ye preta-piśāca-bhūta-
kūṣmāṇḍa-yādo-mṛga-pakṣy-adhīśāḥ
yat kiñca loke bhagavan mahasvad
ojaḥ-sahasvad balavat kṣamāvat
śrī-hrī-vibhūty-ātmavad adbhutārṇaṁ
tattvaṁ paraṁ rūpavad asva-rūpam

I, Brahmā, the Yakṣas, these lords of creation – Dakṣa etc, those such as you – the guardians of the celestial abodes, the guardians of the aerial realms, the guardians of the earthly realms, the guardians of the lower realms; the lords of the Gandharvas, Vidyādharas and Cāraṇas, the lords of the Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, serpents and Nāgas; or those who are the foremost among the ṛṣis, the Pitṛs, the lords of the Daityas, chiefs of the Siddhas and Dānavas; and others such as the Pretas, Piśācas, Bhūtas, Kūṣmāṇḍas, aquatics, animals and birds – whatever is endowed with greatness, vigour, power, strength, endurance, beauty, fortune, majesty, selfhood, wonder,– none of these are of the nature of Bhagavān. (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 2.6.43-45)

(84)
jagṛhe pauruṣaṁ rūpaṁ bhagavān mahad-ādibhiḥ
sambhūtaṁ ṣoḍaśa-kalam ādau loka-sisṛkṣayā

“In the beginning, desiring to create the worlds, Bhagavān assumed the Puruṣa form, manifest with the sixteen principles beginning from the Mahat-tattva.” (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.3.1)

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

“With the intention of creating the worlds, Bhagavān assumed the form known as Puruṣa manifested the Mahat and endowed with the sixteen kalās (primary potencies).”

(85)
yadyapi sarvāśraya tiṅho, tāṅhāte saṁsāra
antarātmā-rūpe tiṅho jagat-ādhāra

Although He is the shelter of all and the universe exists within Him, in the form of the indwelling Supreme Consciousness, He is the support of the universe.

(86)
prakṛti-sahite tāṅra ubhaya sambandha
tathāpi prakṛti-saha nāhi sparśa-gandha

He has connection with both prakṛti and the universe, yet there is not even trace scent of any contact with prakṛti in Him.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

Although the universe rests in Him because He is the support of all, still, as the indwelling Super Consciousness, He is the foundation of the universe. Even though He is related to material nature in these two ways, He does not accept the defect of being contaminated by prakṛti.

(87)
etad īśanam īśasya prakṛti-stho ’pi tad-guṇaiḥ
na yujyate sadātma-sthair yathā buddhis tad-āśrayā

“This is the divine power of the Supreme Lord – although situated within material nature, He is never affected by its qualities. Just as the intelligence, though situated within the body, remains distinct from the qualities of the body which it governs.” (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.11.38)

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

See Ādi-līlā, Chapter 2, verse 55.

(88)
ei mata gītāteha punaḥ punaḥ kaya
sarvadā īśvara-tattva acintya-śakti haya

In this way, the Gītā repeatedly says that the reality of Īśvara always possesses inconceivable potency.

(89)
āmi ta’ jagate vasi, jagat āmāte
nā āmi jagate vasi, nā āmā jagate

“I dwell within the universe, and the universe dwells within Me, yet I do not dwell in the universe, nor does the universe dwell in Me.”

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

“I am situated in the world and the world is also situated in Me; yet again, I am not in the world and the world is not in Me” – this is an inconceivable explanation (of His opulence).

(90)
acintya aiśvarya ei jāniha āmāra
ei ta’ gītāra artha kaila paracāra

“Know this to be My inconceivable opulence.” This is the conclusion proclaimed by the Gītā.

(91)
sei ta’ puruṣa yāṅra ‘aṁśa’ dhare nāma
caitanyera saṅge sei nityānanda-rāma

That Puruṣa, who is known as His expansion, is that same Nityānanda Rāma in the company of Śrī Caitanya.

(92)
ei ta’ navama ślokera artha-vivaraṇa
daśama ślokera artha śuna diyā mana

Thus is the explanation of the ninth śloka. Now hear attentively the meaning of the tenth śloka.

(93)
yasyāṁśāṁśaḥ śrīla-garbhoda-śāyī
yan-nābhy-abjaṁ loka-saṅghāta-nālam
loka-sraṣṭuḥ sūtikā-dhāma dhātus
taṁ śrī-nityānanda-rāmaṁ prapadye

I surrender unto Śrī Nityānanda Rāma, whose portion of a portion is Garbhodaśāyī Viṣṇu, from whose lotus navel sprouts the stem that is the birthplace of Brahmā, the creator of the worlds.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

“He from whose lotus navel-stem is the birthplace of Brahmā, the creator of the worlds, and the resting-place of all beings – that Garbhodaśāyī is an expansion of an expansion of Him – I offer my obeisance unto that Nityānanda-Rāma.”

(94)
sei ta’ puruṣa ananta-brahmāṇḍa sṛjiyā
saba aṇḍe praveśilā bahu-mūrti hañā

That Puruṣa, having created unlimited universes, entered into each universe in many forms.

(95)
bhitare praveśi’ dekhe saba andhakāra
rahite nāhika sthāna karila vicāra

Entering within, He saw only darkness everywhere and considered that there was no place to reside.

(96)
nijāṅga-sveda-jala karila sṛjana
sei jale kaila ardha-brahmāṇḍa bharaṇa

He created water from the perspiration of His own body and filled half of the universe with that water.

(97)
brahmāṇḍa-pramāṇa pañcāśat-koṭi-yojana
āyāma, vistāra, dui haya eka sama

The measure of the universe is fifty crores of yojanas, its length and breadth being equal.

(98)
jale bhari’ ardha tāṅhā kaila nija-vāsa
āra ardhe kaila caudda-bhuvana prakāśa

Filling half with water, He made it His own residence, and in the other half He manifested the fourteen planetary systems.

(99)
tāṅhāi prakaṭa kaila vaikuṇṭha nija-dhāma
śeṣa-śayana-jale karila viśrāma

There He manifested Vaikuṇṭha, His own abode, and rested upon the waters on the bed of Śeṣa.

(100-101)
ananta-śayyāte tāṅhā karila śayana
sahasra mastaka tāṅra sahasra vadana
sahasra-caraṇa-hasta, sahasra-nayana
sarva-avatāra-bīja, jagat-kāraṇa

He reclined upon the bed of Ananta, who has thousands of heads, thousands of faces, thousands of feet and hands, and thousands of eyes – He is the seed of all avatāras and the cause of the universe.

(102)
tāṅra nābhi-padma haite uṭhila eka padma
sei padme haila brahmāra janma-sadma

From the lotus of His navel arose a lotus, and upon that lotus appeared the birthplace of Brahmā.

(103)
sei padma-nāle haila caudda-bhuvana
teṅho brahmā hañā sṛṣṭi karila sṛjana

Within the stem of that lotus were the fourteen worlds, and he, becoming Brahmā, performed creation.

(104)
viṣṇu-rūpa hañā kare jagat pālane
guṇātīta-viṣṇu sparśa nāhi māyā-guṇe

Assuming the form of Viṣṇu, He maintains the universe. That transcendental Viṣṇu has no contact with the qualities of māyā.

(105)
rudra-rūpa dhari’ kare jagat saṁhāra
sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya – icchāya yāṅhāra

Assuming the form of Rudra, He destroys the universe. Creation, maintenance, and dissolution all occur by His will.

(106)
hiraṇya-garbha, antaryāmī, jagat-kāraṇa
yāṅra aṁśa kari’ kare virāṭa-kalpana

He is Hiraṇyagarbha, the indwelling Super Consciousness, and the cause of the universe – by His expansion they conceive of the universal form.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

Garbhodaśāyī Viṣṇu Himself is Hiraṇyagarbha, the Antaryāmī, and the cause of the universe. His partial expansion is what is designated as the Virāṭ.

(107)
hena nārāyaṇa, – yāṅra aṁśera aṁśa
sei prabhu nityānanda – sarva-avataṁsa

Such a Nārāyaṇa is but the expansion of an expansion of Nityānanda Prabhu, the source of all avatāras.

(108)
daśama ślokera artha kaila vivaraṇa
ekādaśa ślokera artha śuna diyā mana

Thus the meaning of the tenth śloka has been explained. Now hear attentively the meaning of the eleventh śloka.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

Daśama ślokera artha – in the tenth śloka and the ślokas that follow it, there is a description of Viṣṇu who reclines in the Garbhodaka Ocean.

(109)
yasyāṁśāṁśāṁśaḥ parātmākhilānāṁ
poṣṭā viṣṇur bhāti dugdhābdhi-śāyī
kṣauṇī-bhartā yat-kalā so ’py anantas
taṁ śrī-nityānanda-rāmaṁ prapadye

I surrender unto Śrī Nityānanda Rāma, whose expansion of an expansion of an expansion is Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, the Supreme Consciousness of all beings and maintainer of all, and whose kalā is Ananta, the supporter of the earth.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

“He whose own portion’s portion’s portion is Kṣīrodaśāyī, the Paramātmā of all, Viṣṇu the sustainer; whose kalā is Ananta who bears the earth – to that Nityānanda-Rāma I offer my obeisance.”

(110)
nārāyaṇera nābhi-nāla-madhyete dharaṇī
dharaṇīra madhye sapta samudra ye gaṇi

Within the stem arising from Nārāyaṇa’s navel is the earth, and within the earth the seven oceans are counted.

(111)
tāṅhā kṣīrodadhi-madhye ‘śvetadvīpa’ nāma
pālayitā viṣṇu, – tāṅra sei nija dhāma

There, within the Ocean of Milk, is the place called Śvetadvīpa, the abode of Viṣṇu, the maintainer.

(112)
sakala jīvera tiṅho haye antaryāmī
jagat-pālaka tiṅho jagatera svāmī

He becomes the indwelling monitor of all jīvas. He is the maintainer of the universe and the Lord of the universe.

(113)
yuga-manvantare dhari’ nānā avatāra
dharma saṁsthāpana kare, adharma saṁhāra

In various yugas and manvantaras He assumes many avatāras, establishing dharma and destroying adharma.

(114)
deva-gaṇe nā pāya yāṅhāra daraśana
kṣīrodaka-tīre yāi’ karena stavana

Hosts of Devas cannot obtain His direct audience, so they go to the shore of the Milk Ocean and offer prayers.

(115)
tabe avatari’ kare jagat pālana
ananta vaibhava tāṅra nāhika gaṇana

Then He descends and maintains the universe. His unlimited opulences cannot be counted.

(116)
sei viṣṇu haya yāṅra aṁśāṁśera aṁśa
sei prabhu nityānanda – sarva-avataṁsa

That Viṣṇu is but the expansion of the expansion of an expansion of Nityānanda Prabhu, the source of all avatāras.

(117)
sei viṣṇu ‘śeṣa’-rūpe dharena dharaṇī
kāṅhā āche mahī, śire, hena nāhi jāni

That same Viṣṇu, in the form of Śeṣa, holds the earth. One cannot know where upon His heads the earth rests.

(118)
sahasra vistīrṇa yāṅra phaṇāra maṇḍala
sūrya jini’ maṇi-gaṇa kare jhala-mala

The circles of His hoods extend for thousands of miles, and the jewels upon them shine brilliantly, defeating the sun.

(119)
pañcāśat-koṭi-yojana pṛthivī-vistāra
yāṅra eka-phaṇe rahe sarṣapa-ākāra

The earth, extending for fifty crores of yojanas, rests upon one of His hoods appearing like a mustard seed.

(120)
sei ta’ ‘ananta’ ‘śeṣa’ – bhakta-avatāra
īśvarera sevā vinā nāhi jāne āra

That Ananta Śeṣa is the avatāra of the devotee-avatāra. He knows nothing but service to the Lord.

(121)
sahasra-vadane kare kṛṣṇa-guṇa gāna
niravadhi guṇa gā’na, anta nāhi pā’na

With thousands of mouths He sings the qualities of Kṛṣṇa. Though He sings those qualities endlessly, He never reaches their end.

(122)
sanakādi bhāgavata śune yāṅra mukhe
bhagavānera guṇa kahe, bhāse prema-sukhe

The devotees headed by Sanaka hear from His mouth the qualities of Bhagavān, and speak them while floating in the happiness of prema.

(123)
chatra, pādukā, śayyā, upādhāna, vasana
ārāma, āvāsa, yajña-sūtra, siṁhāsana

Umbrella, sandals, bed, pillow, garments, resting place, residence, sacred thread, and throne…

(124)
eta mūrti-bheda kari’ kṛṣṇa-sevā kare
kṛṣṇera śeṣatā pāñā ‘śeṣa’ nāma dhare

…assuming all these forms, He serves Kṛṣṇa, and because He has attained the position of being Kṛṣṇa’s servant, He bears the name Śeṣa.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

Śeṣatā means the ultimate state of servitude.

(125)
sei ta’ ananta, yāṅra kahi eka kalā
hena prabhu nityānanda, ke jāne tāṅra khelā

That Ananta is but one kalā of Him. Who can know the pastimes of that Nityānanda Prabhu?

(126)
e-saba pramāṇe jāni nityānanda-tattva-sīmā
tāṅhāke ‘ananta’ kahi, ki tāṅra mahimā

From all these evidences we know something of the extent of nityānanda-tattva, yet what can be said of His glories if we merely call Him ‘Ananta’?

(127)
athavā bhaktera vākya māni satya kari’
sakala sambhave tāṅte, yāte avatārī

However, I accept the words of the devotees as true. Everything is possible in Him, for He is the source of all avatāras.

(128)
avatāra-avatārī – abheda, ye jāne
pūrve yaiche kṛṣṇake keho kāho kari’ māne

They understand the non-difference between the avatāra and the avatārī (the source of all avatāras). Formerly people accepted Kṛṣṇa in various ways.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

One who does not understand the distinction between the avatāra and the avatārī considers Kṛṣṇa to be equal to avatāras such as Vāmana. Similarly, those who fail to perceive such distinction speak of Nityānanda merely as Ananta etc. Yet when devotees speak in this way, it is not false – for within the Supreme Truth, all such manifestations are possible.

(129)
keho kahe, kṛṣṇa sākṣāt nara-nārāyaṇa
keho kahe, kṛṣṇa haya sākṣāt vāmana

Some say Kṛṣṇa is directly Nara-Nārāyaṇa, and some say Kṛṣṇa is directly Vāmana.

(130)
keho kahe, kṛṣṇa kṣīroda-śāyī avatāra
asambhava nahe, satya vacana sabāra

Some say Kṛṣṇa is the avatāra of Kṣīrodakaśāyī. None of these statements are impossible – all are true.

(131)
kṛṣṇa yabe avatare sarvāṁśa-āśraya
sarvāṁśa āsi’ tabe kṛṣṇete milaya

When Kṛṣṇa descends, He is the shelter of all expansions, and all expansions then enter into Him.

(132)
yei yei rūpe jāne, sei tāhā kahe
sakala sambhave kṛṣṇe, kichu mithyā nahe

In whatever form one understands Him to be, that is what one speaks about. Everything is possible in Kṛṣṇa. Nothing is false.

(133)
ataeva śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya gosāi
sarva avatāra-līlā kari’ sabāre dekhāi

Thus, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Gosāi displayed to everyone the pastimes of all avatāras.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

Therefore Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, the highest of all tattvas, has displayed the līlās of the avatāras such as Varāha, Nṛsiṁha etc.

(134)
ei-rūpe nityānanda ‘ananta’-prakāśa
sei-bhāve – kahe mui caitanyera dāsa

In this way Nityānanda is the manifestation of Ananta. In that mood he says “I am the servant of Śrī Caitanya.”

(135)
kabhu guru, kabhu sakhā, kabhu bhṛtya-līlā
pūrve yena tina-bhāve vraje kaila khelā

Sometimes He serves Him as a guru, sometimes as a friend, sometimes in the līlā of a servant – just as formerly He performed pastimes in Vraja in these three moods.

(136)
vṛṣa hañā kṛṣṇa-sane māthā-māthi raṇa
kabhu kṛṣṇa kare tāṅra pāda-saṁvāhana

He fought head-to-head with Kṛṣṇa like a bull, and sometimes Kṛṣṇa massaged His feet.

(137)
āpanāke bhṛtya kari’ kṛṣṇe prabhu jāne
kṛṣṇera kalāra kalā āpanāke māne

Considering Himself a servant, He regards Kṛṣṇa as His master and regards Himself as but a portion of a portion of Kṛṣṇa.

(138)
vṛṣāyamāṇau nardantau yuyudhāte parasparam
anukṛtya rutair jantūṁś ceratuḥ prākṛtau yathā

“Roaring like bulls, the two fought with one another, imitating the cries of animals and moving about like ordinary creatures.” (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.11.40)

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

“Sometimes, like ordinary living beings, the two brothers would fight with each other whilst making the sounds of a bull. At other times, they would imitate swans, peacocks and other such creatures, making their respective sounds.”

(139)
kvacit krīḍā-pariśrāntaṁ gopotsaṅgopabarhaṇam
svayaṁ viśrāmayaty āryaṁ pāda-saṁvāhanādibhiḥ

“Sometimes, when His elder brother was fatigued from play and resting with His head upon the lap of a cowherd boy, Kṛṣṇa personally gave Him relief by massaging His feet and rendering other services.” (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.15.14)

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

“At other times, exhausted from play, Kṛṣṇa would Himself lie down with His head in the laps of the cowherd boys and, having made Baladeva lie down as well, would massage His feet.”

(140)
keyaṁ vā kuta āyātā daivī vā nāry utāsurī
prāyo māyāstu me bhartur nānyā me ’pi vimohinī

(Brahmā said) “Who is this, and from where has she come from? Is she divine or demoniac? In this case, she must surely be the māyā of my Master, for no one else could bewilder me.” (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.13.37)

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

“What is this māyā? Is she divine, human, or demonic? No other māyā can deceive me except the māyā of my Lord Kṛṣṇa.”

(141)
yasyāṅghri-paṅkaja-rajo ’khila-loka-pālair
mauly-uttamair dhṛtam upāsita-tīrtha-tīrtham
brahmā bhavo ’ham api yasya kalāḥ kalāyāḥ
śrīś codvahema ciram asya nṛpāsanaṁ kva

“The dust of His lotus feet, which are the source of sanctity for holy places, is held upon the heads of the controllers of the world. Brahmā, Śiva, Myself, and even Lakṣmī are merely parts of a part of Him, and we also eternally carry that dust upon our heads. What is a royal throne to Him? (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10. 68.37)

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

“The guardians of the worlds bear upon their heads the dust of the feet of He who is the very sanctifying essence of all holy places. Brahmā, Śiva, I (Baladeva) and Lakṣmī – some of us as His plenary portions, others as portions of portions — perpetually bear the dust of His feet. What then is the greatness of a mere royal throne for Him?”

(142)
ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa, āra saba bhṛtya
yāre yaiche nācāya, se taiche kare nṛtya

Kṛṣṇa alone is the Supreme Controller – everyone else is His servant. As He makes someone dance, so that person dances.

(143)
ei mata caitanya-gosāi ekale īśvara
āra saba pāriṣada, keha vā kiṅkara

In this same way, Caitanya Gosāi alone is the Supreme Controller, and all others are His associates or servants.

(144-145)
guru-varga, – nityānanda, advaita ācārya
śrīvāsādi, āra yata – laghu, sama, ārya
sabe pāriṣada, sabe līlāra sahāya
sabā lañā nija-kārya sādhe gaura-rāya

Elders such as Nityānanda, Advaita Ācārya, Śrīvāsa and all others, whether junior, equal, or senior, are all associates and assistants in His pastimes. Taking them all with Him, Gaura Rāya accomplishes His own purposes.

(146)
advaita ācārya, nityānanda, – dui aṅga
dui-jana lañā prabhura yata kichu raṅga

Advaita Ācārya and Nityānanda are HIs two principal limbs, and with these two, the Lord performs all His pastimes.

(147)
advaita-ācārya-gosāi sākṣāt īśvara
prabhu guru kari’ māne, tiṅho ta’ kiṅkara

Advaita Ācārya Gosāi is directly the Supreme Lord Himself, yet He accepts the Lord as His master and guru, considering Himself a servant.

(148)
ācārya-gosāira tattva nā yāya kathana
kṛṣṇa avatāri yeṅho tārila bhuvana

The tattva concerning Ācārya Gosāi cannot be fully explained. He delivered the world by causing Kṛṣṇa to descend.

(149)
nityānanda-svarūpa pūrve ha-iyā lakṣmaṇa
laghu-bhrātā haiyā kare rāmera sevana

Previously Nityānanda Svarūpa became Lakṣmaṇa, and as the younger brother He served Rāma.

(150)
rāmera caritra saba, – duḥkhera kāraṇa
svatantra līlāya duḥkha sahena lakṣmaṇa

All the activities of Rāma were causes of sorrow, and in those independent pastimes Lakṣmaṇa endured suffering.

(151)
niṣedha karite nāre, yāte choṭa bhāi
mauna dhari’ rahe lakṣmaṇa mane duḥkha pāi’

Being the younger brother, Lakṣmaṇa could not object. Remaining silent, He endured sorrow within His mind.

(152)
kṛṣṇa-avatāre jyeṣṭha hailā sevāra kāraṇa
kṛṣṇake karāila nānā sukha āsvādana

During Kṛṣṇa’s avatāra He became the elder brother for the sake of service, and caused Kṛṣṇa to taste many kinds of happiness.

(153)
rāma-lakṣmaṇa – kṛṣṇa-rāmera aṁśa-viśeṣa
avatāra-kāle doṅhe doṅhāte praveśa

Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa are particular expansions of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, and at the time of descending, the two enter into the two.

(154)
sei aṁśa lañā jyeṣṭha-kaniṣṭhābhimāna
aṁśāṁśi-rūpe śāstre karaye vyākhyāna

Accepting those expansions, They assume the moods of elder and younger brother, and the śāstra describes Them in terms of the source and the expansion.

(155)
rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan
nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu
kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ pumān yo
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

“I worship Govinda, the original Person, that Supreme Personality who, existing as various avatāras in forms such as Rāma etc., as well as personal expansions and plenary portions, is manifest in this world and personally appears in the form of Kṛṣṇa.” (Brahma Saṁhitā 39)

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

“In the gradation of partial manifestations, Bhagavān has manifested various avatāras in the world, beginning with Rāma etc, but I worship that original person Govinda, who Himself appears in the form of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Person.”

(156)
śrī-caitanya – sei kṛṣṇa, nityānanda – rāma
nityānanda pūrṇa kare caitanyera kāma

Śrī Caitanya is that same Kṛṣṇa, and Nityānanda is that same Rāma. Nityānanda fulfills all the purposes of Śrī Caitanya.

(157)
nityānanda-mahimā-sindhu ananta, apāra
eka kaṇā sparśi mātra, – se kṛpā tāṅhāra

The ocean of Nityānanda’s glories is infinite and boundless. Merely touching one drop of it is His mercy.

(158)
āra eka śuna tāṅra kṛpāra mahimā
adhama jīvere caḍhāila ūrdhva-sīmā

Hear another glory of His mercy. He raised a fallen jīva to the highest limit.

(159)
veda-guhya kathā ei ayogya kahite
tathāpi kahiye tāṅra kṛpā prakāśite

These confidential topics of the Vedas are not fit to be spoken to the unqualified, yet I speak them to reveal His mercy.

(160)
ullāsa-upari lekhoṅ tomāra prasāda
nityānanda prabhu, mora kṣama aparādha

By Your mercy, I write with joy. O Nityānanda Prabu, forgive my offences.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

Ullāsa-upari – being exceedingly delighted and unable to keep it concealed, I am writing the account of Your glories to please You.

(161)
avadhūta gosāira eka bhṛtya prema-dhāma
mīnaketana rāmadāsa haya tāṅra nāma

One servant of Avadhūta Gosāi was named Mīnaketana Rāma Dāsa, who was an abode of prema.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

Avadhūta gosāi refers to Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu. Prema-dhāma means the abode of prema.

(162)
āmāra ālaye aho-rātra-saṅkīrtana
tāhāte āilā teṅho pāñā nimantraṇa

At my house there was saṅkīrtana day-and-night, and receiving an invitation, he came there.

(163)
mahā-prema-maya tiṅho vasilā aṅgane
sakala vaiṣṇava tāṅra vandilā caraṇe

Filled with great prema, he sat in the courtyard, and all the Vaiṣṇavas offered obeisance at his feet.

(164)
namaskāra karite, kā’ra uparete caḍe
preme kā’re vaṁśī māre, kāhāke cāpaḍe

When someone offered obeisance, he would climb upon them. In prema he struck some with his flute and slapped others.

(165)
ye nayana dekhite aśru haya mane yāra
sei netre avicchinna vahe aśru-dhāra

Seeing his eyes would bring tears to the heart of anyone who saw them. They would stream continuously with tears.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

Upon seeing the eyes of Mīnaketana Rāma Dāsa, a jīva’s eyes would begin to shed

tears, for his (Mīnaketana Rāma Dāsa) eyes were constantly shedding a flood of tears. In another reading, ye nayane dekhite means – those who in their hearts, desired to see him shed tears, would shed tears themselves.

(166)
kabhu kona aṅge dekhi pulaka-kadamba
eka aṅge jāḍya tāṅra, āra aṅge kampa

Sometimes there was clusters of horripilations on his body. One limb became stunned while another trembled.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

Kadamba means ‘multitude.’ Jāḍa means ‘stupor.’

(167)
nityānanda bali’ yabe karena huṅkāra
tāhā dekhi’ lokera haya mahā-camatkāra

When he roared the name “Nityānanda!”, people became greatly astonished upon seeing it.

(168)
guṇārṇava miśra nāme eka vipra ārya
śrī-mūrti-nikaṭe teṅho kare sevā-kārya

A noble brāhmaṇa named Guṇārṇava Miśra was engaged in service near the Deity.

(169)
aṅgane āsiyā teṅho nā kaila sambhāṣa
tāhā dekhi’ kruddha hañā bale rāma-dāsa

When he came into the courtyard, he did not address him. Seeing this, Rāma Dāsa became angry and spoke.

(170)
‘ei ta’ dvitīya sūta romaharaṣaṇa
baladeva dekhi’ ye nā kaila pratyudgama’

“Here is a second Romaharṣaṇa Sūta, who did not rise upon seeing Baladeva!”

(171)
eta bali’ nāce gāya, karaye santoṣa
kṛṣṇa-kārya kare vipra – nā karila roṣa

Saying this, he danced and sang in satisfaction. The brāhmaṇa continued his service to Kṛṣṇa and did not become angry.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

Guṇārṇava Miśra, the servant of the Deity, was seated in the courtyard and did not offer respectful to the servant of Śrī Nityānanda, whereupon Mīnaketana Rāma Dāsa became enraged and declared, “This Guṇārṇava Miśra is a second Romaharṣaṇa Sūta.”

The explanation is this –  just as Romaharṣaṇa Sūta, upon seeing Baladeva at Naimiṣāraṇya-kṣetra, did not rise from the seat of Vyāsa to greet Him, similarly Guṇārṇava Miśra behaved improperly. Guṇārṇava Miśra had no particular faith in Śrī Nityānanda. Perceiving this, Mīnaketana developed disregard for him. For this action, the devotees do not fault Mīnaketana as being proud or arrogant.

(172)
utsavānte gelā tiṅho kariyā prasāda
mora bhrātā-sane tāṅra kichu haila vāda

After the festival, he showed his mercy to everyone. Some disagreement then arose between him and my brother.

(173)
caitanya-prabhute tāṅra sudṛḍha viśvāsa
nityānanda-prati tāṅra viśvāsa-ābhāsa

He had firm faith in Lord Caitanya, but only a semblance of faith in Nityānanda.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

“Seeing the aforesaid behaviour, my brother had some altercation with Mīnaketana. My brother had firm faith in Lord Śrī Caitanya, but did not have similar faith in Nityānanda Prabhu.”

(174)
ihā jāni’ rāma-dāsera duḥkha ha-ila mane
tabe ta’ bhrātāre āmi karinu bhartsane

Understanding this, Rāma Dāsa became sorrowful in mind, and I then rebuked my brother.

(175)
dui bhāi eka-tanu – samāna-prakāśa
nityānanda nā māna, tomāra habe sarva-nāśa

“The two brothers are one body, and are identical manifestations. If you do not accept Nityānanda, your complete ruin will come.”

(176)
ekete viśvāsa, anye nā kara sammāna
“ardha-kukkuṭī-nyāya” tomāra pramāṇa

“You have faith in one but do not honour the other. Your reasoning is like the logic of half a hen.”

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

“Ardha-kukkuṭī-nyāya – ardha-jaratī nyāya (the logic of ‘half old’) means that half of a hen is old and half is young – a proposition that is altogether unacceptable as proof.  Similarly, by applying the ardha-kukkuṭī–nyāya (the logic of a half a hen),* you accept one of the two aspects of the undivided Supreme, Caitanya and Nityānanda, and reject the other. This is your impiety and hypocrisy.”

*Translator’s Note: The logic of a half a hen means accepting the one half of the hen which gives eggs, but rejecting the other half which needs feeding. One must accept both – without feeding the hen, eggs will not be produced.

(177)
kiṁvā, doṅhā nā māniñā hao ta’ pāṣaṇḍa
eke māni’ āre nā māni  – ei-mata bhaṇḍa

“Otherwise, by not accepting both, you will become an atheist. To accept one and not the other – this is hypocrisy.”

(178)
kruddha haiyā vaṁśī bhāṅgi’ cale rāma-dāsa
tat-kāle āmāra bhrātāra haila sarva-nāśa

Becoming angry, Rāma Dāsa broke his flute and departed. At that very moment my brother met with complete ruin.

(179)
ei ta’ kahila tāṅra sevaka-prabhāva
āra eka kahi tāṅra dayāra svabhāva

Thus, I have described the power of His servant. Now I shall describe another feature – His merciful nature.

(180)
bhāike bhartsinu mui, lañā ei guṇa
sei rātre prabhu more dilā daraśana

Having rebuked my brother in this way, that very night the Lord granted me His darśana.

(181)
naihāṭi-nikaṭe ‘jhāmaṭapura’ nāme grāma
tāṅhā svapne dekhā dilā nityānanda-rāma

In a village named Jhāmaṭapura near Naihāṭi, Nityānanda Rāma appeared to me in a dream.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

Two kroṣas to the north of Kaṭoyā (Katwa), near the village of Nehāṭi, in the village of Jhāmaṭapura, was the residence of Kavirāja Gosvāmī. At that place, the Deity of Śrī Mahāprabhu is presently established.

(182)
daṇḍavat haiyā āmi paḍinu pāyete
nija-pāda-padma prabhu dilā mora māthe

Offering daṇḍavats, I fell at His feet, and the Lord placed His lotus feet upon my head.

(183)
‘uṭha’, ‘uṭha’ bali’ more bale bāra bāra
uṭhi’ tāṅra rūpa dekhi’ hainu camatkāra

Saying “Rise! Rise!” to me again and again, He lifted me up, and upon seeing His form I became astonished.

(184)
śyāma-cikkaṇa kānti, prakāṇḍa śarīra
sākṣāt kandarpa, yaiche mahā-malla-vīra

His complexion was dark and glossy, His body strong like Kāmadeva Himself, like a great heroic wrestler.

(185)
suvalita hasta, pada, kamala-nayāna
paṭṭa-vastra śire, paṭṭa-vastra paridhāna

His hands and feet were beautifully formed, His eyes lotus-like. Silk cloth adorned His head, and silk garments clothed His body.

(186)
suvarṇa-kuṇḍala karṇe, svarṇāṅgada-vālā
pāyete nūpura bāje, kaṇṭhe puṣpa-mālā

Golden earrings hung from His ears, golden armlets adorned Him, ankle-bells on His feet resounded, and a flower garland rested upon His neck.

(187)
candana-lepita-aṅga, tilaka suṭhāma
matta-gaja jini’ mada-manthara payāna

His limbs were smeared with sandalwood paste, and His tilaka was most beautiful. His slow, proud gait surpassed that of a maddened elephant.

(188)
koṭi-candra jini’ mukha ujjvala-varaṇa
dāḍimba-bīja-sama danta tāmbūla-carvaṇa

The splendour of His face defeated millions of moons. His teeth, like pomegranate seeds, shone as He chewed betel.

(189)
preme matta aṅga ḍāhine-vāme dole
‘kṛṣṇa’ ‘kṛṣṇa’ baliyā gambhīra bola bale

Maddened with prema, His body swayed from side to side, and He loudly uttered “Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa!” in a deep voice.

(190)
rāṅgā-yaṣṭi haste dole yena matta siṁha
cāri-pāśe veḍi āche caraṇete bhṛṅga

Swinging a red staff in His hand like an intoxicated lion, He stood surrounded on all sides by bees at His feet.

(191)
pāriṣada-gaṇe dekhi’ saba gopa-veśe
‘kṛṣṇa’ ‘kṛṣṇa’ kahe sabe saprema āveśe

I saw all His associates dressed as cowherd boys, all crying “Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa!” in prema.

(192)
śiṅgā vāṁśī bājāya keha, keha nāce gāya
sevaka yogāya tāmbūla, cāmara ḍhulāya

Some played horns and flutes, some danced and sang, while servants offered betel and waved cāmaras.

(193)
nityānanda-svarūpera dekhiyā vaibhava
kibā rūpa, guṇa, līlā – alaukika saba

Seeing the opulence of Nityānanda-svarūpa – His form, qualities, and pastimes – everything was completely transcendental.

(194)
ānande vihvala āmi, kichu nāhi jāni
tabe hāsi’ prabhu more kahilena vāṇī

Overwhelmed with bliss, I knew nothing else. Then the Lord smiled and spoke to me.

(195)
āre āre kṛṣṇa-dāsa, nā karaha bhaya
vṛndāvane yāha, – tāṅhā sarva labhya haya

“O Kṛṣṇa Dāsa, do not fear. Go to Vṛndāvana – there everything will be attained.”

(196)
eta bali’ prerilā more hātasāni diyā
antardhāna kaila prabhu nija-gaṇa lañā

Saying this, He directed me with a touch of His hand, and then the Lord disappeared along with His associates.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

Hātasāna – a touch of the hand.

(197)
mūrcchita ha-iyā muñi paḍinu bhūmite
svapna-bhaṅga haila, dekhi, hañāche prabhāte

Falling unconscious to the ground, I lay there. When the dream broke, I saw that morning had come.

(198)
ki dekhinu ki śuninu, kariye vicāra
prabhu-ājñā haila vṛndāvana yāibāra

Reflecting on what I had seen and heard, I understood that the Lord had ordered me to go to Vṛndāvana.

(199)
sei kṣaṇe vṛndāvane karinu gamana
prabhura kṛpāte sukhe āinu vṛndāvana

At that very moment I departed for Vṛndāvana, and by the Lord’s mercy I happily arrived there.

(200)
jaya jaya nityānanda, nityānanda-rāma
yāṅhāra kṛpāte pāinu vṛndāvana-dhāma

Glories, glories to Nityānanda! Glories to Nityānanda Rāma, by whose mercy I attained the abode of Vṛndāvana.

(201)
jaya jaya nityānanda, jaya kṛpā-maya
yāṅhā haite pāinu rūpa-sanātanāśraya

Glories, glories to Nityānanda, glories to He who is full of mercy, from whom I attained the shelter of Rūpa and Sanātana.

(202)
yāṅhā haite pāinu raghunātha-mahāśaya
yāṅhā haite pāinu śrī-svarūpa-āśraya

From Him I attained Śrī Raghunātha Mahāśaya, and the shelter of Śrī Svarūpa.

(203)
sanātana-kṛpāya pāinu bhaktira siddhānta
śrī-rūpa-kṛpāya pāinu bhakti-rasa-prānta

By Sanātana’s mercy I attained the conclusions of bhakti, and by Śrī Rūpa’s mercy I attained the limits of bhakti-rasa.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

Bhakti-rasa-prānta means approaching the proximity of bhakti-rasa.

(204)
jaya jaya nityānanda-caraṇāravinda
yāṅhā haite pāinu śrī-rādhā-govinda

Glories, glories to the lotus feet of Nityānanda, from whom I attained Śrī Rādhā-Govinda.

(205)
jagāi mādhāi haite muñi se pāpiṣṭha
purīṣera kīṭa haite muñi se laghiṣṭha

I am more sinful than Jagāi and Mādhāi, and lower than a worm in stool.

(206)
mora nāma śune yei tāra puṇya kṣaya
mora nāma laya yei tāra pāpa haya

Whoever hears my name loses his piety, and whoever chants my name incurs sin.

(207)
emana nirghṛṇa more kebā kṛpā kare
eka nityānanda vinu jagat bhitare

Who within this world would show mercy to such a merciless person as me, except Nityānanda alone?

(208)
preme matta nityānanda kṛpā-avatāra
uttama, adhama, kichu nā kare vicāra

Nityānanda, maddened with prema, is the avatāra of mercy. He makes no distinction between high and low.

(209)
ye āge paḍaye, tāre karaye nistāra
ataeva nistārilā mo-hena durācāra

Whoever comes before Him, He delivers. Therefore He delivered a wicked person like me.

(210)
mo-pāpiṣṭhe ānilena śrī-vṛndāvana
mo-hena adhame dilā śrī-rūpa-caraṇa

He brought a great sinner like me to Śrī Vṛndāvana, and gave the feet of Śrī Rūpa to such a fallen person as me.

(211)
śrī-madana-gopāla-śrī-govinda-daraśana
kahibāra yogya nahe e-saba kathana

Taking darśana of Śrī Madana-Gopāla and Śrī Govinda – these topics are not fit for me to describe.

(212)
vṛndāvana-purandara śrī-madana-gopāla
rāsa-vilāsī sākṣāt vrajendra-kumāra

Śrī Madana-Gopāla, the Lord of Vṛndāvana, enjoys the rāsa pastimes and is directly the Son of the king of Vraja.

(213)
śrī-rādhā-lalitā-saṅge rāsa-vilāsa
manmatha-manmatha-rūpe yāṅhāra prakāśa

With Śrī Rādhā and Lalitā He performs pastimes of rāsa, manifesting a form that bewilders Kāmadeva himself.

(214)
tāsām āvirabhūc chauriḥ smayamāna-mukhāmbujaḥ
pītāmbara-dharaḥ sragvī sākṣān manmatha-manmathaḥ

“Then Śauri appeared among them, His lotus face smiling, dressed in yellow garments and adorned with garlands – directly the enchanter of Kāmadeva himself.” (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.32.2)

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

“Suddenly, after the lament of separation of the gopīs during the rāsa-līlā, Madana-mohana. The enchanter of Kāma, Himself manifested in their midst, with a smiling face and wearing yellow garments and a garland of forest flowers.”

(215)
sva-mādhurye lokera mana kare ākarṣaṇa
dui pāśe rādhā lalitā karena sevana

By His own sweetness He attracts the minds of all people, while Rādhā and Lalitā serve Him on both sides.

(216)
nityānanda-dayā more tāṅre dekhāila
śrī-rādhā-madana-mohane prabhu kari’ dila

By the mercy of Nityānanda I saw Him, and the Lord entrusted me to Śrī Rādhā-Madana-Mohana.

(217)
mo-adhame dila śrī-govinda daraśana
kahibāra kathā nahe akathya-kathana

To such a fallen person as me He granted the darśana of Śrī Govinda – words cannot describe such indescribable matters.

(218-219)
vṛndāvane yoga-pīṭhe kalpa-taru-vane
ratna-maṇḍapa, tāhe ratna-siṁhāsane
śrī-govinda vasiyāchena vrajendra-nandana
mādhurya prakāśi’ karena jagat mohana

In Vṛndāvana, at the yogapīṭha within a forest of desire trees, in a jewelled pavilion upon a gem-bedecked throne, sits Śrī Govinda, the son of the king of Vraja, manifesting His sweetness and enchanting the universe.

(220)
vāma-pārśve śrī-rādhikā sakhī-gaṇa-saṅge
rāsādika-līlā prabhu kare kata raṅge

On His left side is Śrī Rādhikā with the assembly of sakhīs. The Lord performs many playful rāsas and other pastimes.

(221)
yāṅra dhyāna nija-loke kare padmāsana
aṣṭādaśākṣara-mantre kare upāsana

In his own abode, sitting on a lotus, Brahmā meditates upon Him and worships Him with the eighteen-syllable mantra.

(222)
caudda-bhuvane yāṅra sabe kare dhyāna
vaikuṇṭhādi-pure yāṅra līlā-guṇa gāna

Throughout the fourteen worlds everyone meditates upon Him, and in Vaikuṇṭha and the other abodes, His pastimes and qualities are sung.

(223)
yāṅra mādhurīte kare lakṣmī ākarṣaṇa
rūpa-gosāñi kariyāchena se-rūpa varṇana

Rūpa Gosāi has described that form, whose sweetness Lakṣmī herself becomes attracted to.

(224)
smerāṁ bhaṅgī-traya-paricitāṁ sāci-vistīrṇa-dṛṣṭiṁ
vaṁśī-nyastādhara-kiśalayām ujjvalāṁ candrakeṇa
govindākhyāṁ hari-tanum itaḥ keśi-tīrthopakaṇṭhe
mā prekṣiṣṭhās tava yadi sakhe bandhu-saṅge ’sti raṅgaḥ

“O friend, if you still desire enjoyment with your companions, then do not look upon that form of Hari named Govinda near Keśī-tīrtha – smiling, curved in three places, with broad restless eyes, His tender lips placed upon the flute, and illuminated by moonlike splendour.” (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.239)

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

“O friend, if you have a desire to associate with worldly companions, then do not behold the divine form of Govinda near Keśī-ghāṭa – He who is adorned with a gentle smile, possessing a three-fold bening posture, with sidelong glances from His left eye, His flute resting upon His lotus-like lips, brilliantly beautified by tender sprouts and peacock feathers.”

The purport is this – if one beholds the divine form of Śrī Govinda, dispassion towards everything else will immediately arise.

(225-226)
sākṣāt vrajendra-suta ithe nāhi āna
yebā ajñe kare tāṅre pratimā-hena jñāna
sei aparādhe tāra nāhika nistāra
ghora narakete paḍe, ki baliba āra

He is directly the Son of the king of Vraja and none other. Whoever, out of ignorance, considers Him a mere statue, for such an offence there is no deliverance. He falls into a terrible hell. What more can be said?

(227)
hena ye govinda prabhu, pāinu yāṅhā haite
tāṅhāra caraṇa-kṛpā ke pāre varṇite

Who can describe the mercy of the feet of Him from whom I attained Lord Govinda?

(228)
vṛndāvane vaise yata vaiṣṇava-maṇḍala
kṛṣṇa-nāma-parāyaṇa, parama-maṅgala

The assemblies of Vaiṣṇavas residing in Vṛndāvana are devoted to the Name of Kṛṣṇa and supremely auspicious.

(229)
yāṅra prāṇa-dhana – nityānanda-śrī-caitanya
rādhā-kṛṣṇa-bhakti vine nāhi jāne anya

Their very life and treasure are Nityānanda and Śrī Caitanya, and they know nothing other than bhakti to Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.

(230)
se vaiṣṇavera pada-reṇu, tāra pada-chāyā
adhamere dila prabhu-nityānanda-dayā

The dust of the feet of those Vaiṣṇavas and the shade of their feet were given to this fallen person by the mercy of Lord Nityānanda.

(231)
‘tāṅhā sarva labhya haya’ – prabhura vacana
sei sūtra – ei tāra kaila vivaraṇa

“There everything may be attained” – this was the Lord’s statement, and this is the explanation of that aphorism.

(232)
se saba pāinu āmi vṛndāvane āya
sei saba labhya ei prabhura kṛpāya

Coming to Vṛndāvana, I attained all those things. Everything became attainable by the mercy of the Lord.

Amṛta-pravāha Bhāṣya

Āya means ‘having come.’

(233)
āpanāra kathā likhi nirlajja ha-iyā
nityānanda-guṇe lekhāya unmatta kariyā

Becoming shameless, I write about myself, made mad by the qualities of Nityānanda.

(234)
nityānanda-prabhura guṇa-mahimā apāra
‘sahasra-vadane’ śeṣa nāhi pāya yāṅra

The glories and qualities of Nityānanda Prabhu are boundless. Even Śeṣa with His thousand mouths cannot reach their end.

(235)
śrī-rūpa-raghunātha-pade yāra āśa
caitanya-caritāmṛta kahe kṛṣṇa-dāsa

Placing his hope in the lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Raghunātha, Kṛṣṇa Dāsa narrates the Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

Thus ends the Amṛta-pravāha commentary to the fifth chapter