Sections 21–30

English witness · section(s) 21

Anuccheda 21

The seventeenth incarnation is described in the next verse of Srimad Bhagavatam (1.3.21):

" Thereafter, in the seventeenth incarnation of Godhead, Sri Vyasadeva appeared in the womb of Satyavati through Parasara Muni and he divided the one Veda into several branches and sub-branches, seeing that the people in general were less intelligent."

Sarva-samvadini Comment

Some say Vyasa is an empowered incarnation because there is description of his previous birth as the sage Apantaratama, as described in some scriptures and others claim that he is actually visnu-tattva, a direct expansion of Lord Visnu.

English witness · section(s) 22

Anuccheda 22

TEXT 1

The Lord's eighteenth incarnation is described in next verse of Srimad Bhagavatam (1.3.22):

" In the eighteenth incarnation, the Lord appeared as King Rama. In order to perform some pleasing work for the demigods, He exhibited superhuman powers by controlling the Indian Ocean and then killing the atheist Kink Ravana who was on the other side of the sea."

TEXT 2

The word "naradevatam" in this verse refers to Lord Ramacandra, the descendant of Maharaj Raghu and the word "atah param" indicates that Lord Rama appeared in the eighteenth cycle of four yugas. Lord Rama is directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The chapters of the Skanda Purana known as the Rama-gita recount Lord Rama's revelation of His Universal Form as well as the prayers offered to Him by Brahma, Visnu and Siva.

Sarva-samvadini Comment

Some commentators think Lord Ramacandra appeared in the Treta-yuga of the twenty-fourth cycle of four yugas.

English witness · section(s) 23–24

Anuccheda 23

TEXT 1

The next verse (S.B. 1.3.23) describes the ninteenth and twentieth incarnations:

" In the ninteenth and twentieth incarnation, the Lord advented Himself as Lord Balarama and Lord Krishna in the family of Vrsni (the Yadu dynasty) and by so doing He removed the burden of the world."

TEXT 2

By using the word "bhagavan" in this verse, Suta Goswami says that Lord Krsna is directly Bhagavan, the original form of the Personality of Godhead. He is not an expansion of the purusa-incarnation Lord Aniruddha.

TEXT 3

Lord Krishna is directly the original form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and Lord Balarama is His immediate plenary expansion. Both Krishna and Balarama removed the burden of the earth, so the phrase "bhagavan aharad bharam" may refer to either of Them.

TEXT 4

We may note there that Lord Balarama is not an expansion of Lord Aniruddha. Just as Lord Krishna is directly the original form of Lord Vasudeva, in the same way, Lord Balarama is the original formof Lord Sankarasana. This is the proper understanding of the transcendental forms of Lord Krishna and Balarama.

Anuccheda 24

The next verse (S.B. 1.3.24) describes the twenty-first incarnations :

" Then, in the beginning of Kali-yuga, the Lord will appear as Lord Buddha, the son of Anjana, in the province of Gaya, just for the purpose of deluding those who are envious of the faithful theist."

Sarva-samvadini Comment

Lord Buddha appears when two thousand years of the Kali age have passed. He appears in a human-like form with two hands, a ruddy complexion and a shaved head.

English witness · section(s) 25

Anuccheda 25

The twenty-second incarnation is described in the next verse (S.B. 1.3.25)

" Thereafter, at the conjunction of two yugas, the Lord of the creation will take His birth as the Kalki incarnation and become the son of Visnu Yasa. At this time the rulers of the earth will have a degenerated in to plunderers."

The phrase "at the conjunction of the two yugas" here means "at the end of Kali-yuga."

Sarva-samvadini Comment

TEXT 1

Lord Buddha and lord Kalki are both empowered (avesa) incarnations who appear in every Kali-yuga. This is confirmed in Visnu-dharma Purana:

TEXT 2

" The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Hari, does not personally appear in the Kali-yuga. Because He only appears in the Satya, Treta and Dvapara-yugas and not in Kali-yuga, the scriptures call Him Triyuga (He who appears in three yugas."

TEXT 3

At the end of Kali-yuga, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva, enters the body of the learned brahmana Kalki and gives him extraordinary powers. Through the agency of Kalki, the Supreme Lord restores the universe to an auspicious condition.

TEXT 4

The Supreme Personality of Godhead then enters the heart of all the great sages who were born before the Kali-yuga and grants extraordinary powers to them. In this way the Lord executes His purpose at the end of the Kali-yuga."

English witness · section(s) 26

Anuccheda 26

Wishing to indicate the Lord's other innumerable other incarnations not described in this passage, such as Hayagriva,Hari, Prsnigarbha, Vibhu, Satyasena, Vaikuntha, Ajita, Sarvabhauma, Visvaksena, Dharmasetu, Sudhana, Yogesarva, Brhadbhanu, Sukla and many others, Suta Goswami spoke the following verse (S.B. 1.3.26):

TEXT 2

" O brahmanas, the incarnations of the Lord are innumerable, like rivulets flowing from inexhaustible sources of water.:

TEXT 3

In this verse the words "harer avatara asankhyeyah sahasrasah" indicate the innumerable celebrated incarations of Lord Hari. Why the incarnations of the Lord are innumberable is described in the word "sattva-nidheh" (transcendental treasure). The Lord is like an immeasurely valuable jewel that has the power to appear in an unlimited number of forms.

TEXT 4

In this verse an appropriate example is given: the incarnations of the Personality of Godhead are compared to innumerable (sahasrasah) rivulets (kulyah) flowing from inexhaustible (avidasinah) sources of water (sarasah).

TEXT 5

" Some of the incarnations mentioned in this list of Srimad Bhagavatam are living entities empowered with certain potencies of the Lord. The Four Kumaras, Narada and others are empowered with transcendental knowledge and devotional service. King Prthu and others are specifically empowered with the potency to perform remarkable deeds (kriya-sakti). Some of these listed incarnations are personal appearances on the Lord's part. This is confirmed in the Lord's own declaration :

" I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead endowed with all powers and opulences."

TEXT 6

Included in this list of incarnations are Lord Matsya and other direct incarnations of the Supreme Lord, who appears with all divine opulences and potencies. These direct incarnations of the Lord are described in the following verse of Brahma-samhita (5.39):

Sarva-samvadini Comment

TEXT 1

The Supreme Personality of Godhead appears in three kinds of incarnations: 1. svayam-rupa or His original form; 2. tad-ekatama-rupa or forms appearing slightly different from His original feature and 3. avesa-rupa or individual living entities granted some extraordinary power by the Lord. The tad-ekatma-rupa incarnations are of two kinds: 1. tat-sama or those directly like the Lord's original form and 2. tad-amsa or incarnations expanded from the Lord's form and manifesting only part of His qualities. The avesa-rupa empowered living entities are divided into three categories, those empowered with : 1. pure devotional service, 2. transcendental knowledge and 3. extraordinary prowess to perform remarkable deeds.

TEXT 2

The original svayam-rupa feature of the Supreme Lord is described in the Brahma-samhita (5.1):

"Krsna, who is known as Govinda, is the supreme controller. He has an eternal, blissful, spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin, for He is the prime cause of all causes."

TEXT 3

Examples of the Lord's tat-sama incarnations are: 1. Narayana, the Lord of Vaikuntha and 2. Lord Vasudeva, who appears within the material world. Examples of the Lord's tad-amsa incarnations are: 1. Lord Sankarsana and the many forms of the Lord expanded from Him and 2. Lord Matsya and many similar other incarnations. Examples of the avesa incarnations are: 1. Narada, who is empowered with pure devotional service, 2. the Four Kumaras, who are empowered with transcendental knowledge and 3. Sesa and Maharaj Prthu, who are empowered with extraordinary power to perform remarkable deeds.

TEXT 4

no translation given

TEXT 5

The Lord's original form (svayam-rupa) is Sri Krishna. Examples of the Lord's tat-sama incarnations are Lord Nrsimha and Lord Ramacandra. Examples of the Lord's vaibhava-rupa are Lord Varaha and Lord Hayagriva. Most of the other incarnations are considered to be prabhava-rupa forms of the Lord.

TEXT 6

Because of Their different activities, the incarnations of the Lord are divided into three categories: 1. purusa-avataras, 2. guna-avataras (incarnations in charge of the modes of material nature) and 3. lila-avataras (pastime-incarnations). These incarnations of the Lord have been elaborately described both in the Paramatma-sandarbha (2.18) and in the verses of Srimad Bhagavatam (1.3.6-28) already quoted in the first portion of this Krsna-sandarbha. These incarnations of the Lord are further divided into five categories: 1. dvaiparadha-avatara (incarnations who appear in each lifetime of Brahma), 2. kalpa-avatara (incarnations who appear in each kalpa), 3. manvantara-avatara (incarnations who appear in the reign of the Manus), 4. yuga-avatara (incarnations who appear in each yuga) and 5. svecchamaya-samaya-avatara (incarnations who appear whenever They wish).

Examples of these kinds of incarnations follow: 1. The purusa-avataras are dvaiparadha-avataras, 2. Lord Ksirodakasayi Visnu and similar incarnations are kalpa-avataras, 3. Lord Yajna and similar incarnations are manvantara-avataras, 4. Lord Sukla and similar other incarnations are yuga-avataras and 5. Lord Sri Krsna, Lord Balarama and other forms of the Lord are svecchamaya-samaya-avataras.

TEXT 7

A list of the manvantara-avataras follows: 1. Yajna, 2. Vibhu, 3. Satyasena, 4. Hari, 5. Vaikuntha, 6. Ajita, 7. Vamana, 8. Sarvabhauma, 9. Rsabha, 10. Visvaksena, 11. Dharmasetu, 12. Sudhama, 13. Yogesvara and 14. Brhadbhanu. The Rsabha mentioned here is the son of Ayusmat. The Rsabha who is the son of Maharaja Nabhi is a different person.

Lord Yajna is an empowered living entity (avesa-rupa). This is confirmed by ample evidence in the Vedic literature. The Vedic literature states that Lord Hari, Lord Vaikuntha and Lord Vamana, are vaibhava forms of the Lord. Most of the other incarnations in this list are prabhava-rupa forms of the Lord, although there is not a very elaborate description of Their status.

TEXT 8

The yuga-avataras are: 1. Sukla, 2. Rakta, 3. Syama and 4. Krsna.

TEXT 9

The purusa-avataras appear before the birth of Brahma and the other living entities. The Four Kumaras, Narada, Varaha, Matsya, Yajna, Nara-Narayana, Rsis, Kapila, Dattatreya, Hayagriva, Hamsa, Prsnigarbh, Rsabhadeva and Prthu appear during the reign of Svayambhuva Manu. Varaha and Matsya appear in both the Svayambhuva and Caksusa periods. Nrsimha, Kurma and Mohini-devi appear in the reign of Caksusa Manu. Kurma appears in the beginning of the kalpa and Dhanvantari appears in both Caksusa and Vaivasvata milleniums. Balarama, Krsna, Buddha and Kalki appear in the reign of Vaivasvata Manu. This is the schedule of the Manvantara-avataras and yuga-avataras.

English witness · section(s) 27

Anuccheda 27

Suta Goswami now describes the potencies of the Lord (S.B. 1.3.27):

" All the rsis, Manus, demigods and descendants of Manu, who are especially powerful, are plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord. This also includes the Prajapatis."

TEXT 2

The word "kala" in this verse means "potencies" (vibhuti). Those comparatively less powerful are called vibhuti, and those more powerful are called avesa incarnations.

English witness · section(s) 28

Anuccheda 28

After concluding the description of the various expansions of Lord Paramatma and His various potencies, Suta Goswami proceeds to describe the original form (Bhagavan) of the Personality of Godhead in the next verse of (S.B. 1.3.28):

" All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Sri Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead."

TEXT 2

In this verse the word "ete" (all these) refers to the incarnations previously described in this chapter of Srimad Bhagavatam. The word "ca" (and) is meant to include all the incarnations not mentioned in this list. The word "pumsah" means of the Supreme Personality of Godhead who expands as the purusa-incarnations" and the words "amsa-kalah" mean plenary portions and portions of the plenary portions."

TEXT 3

In this way the incarnations of the Lord may be grouped into two categories. Some are plenary portions of the Lord and others are portions of the plenary portions of the Lord. In addition to these there are empowered living entities (avesa incarnations) and incarnations of the Lord's potencies (kala).

TEXT 4

Someone may protest: Krsna has already been described as the twentieth in the list of incarnations. For this reason, when Suta Goswami says "Krsnas to bhagavan" the intention is that Bhagavan refers to Lord Vasudeva, the origin of the purusa incarnation.

TEXT 5

To this objection we reply: The following grammatical rule is found in the Ekadasi-tattva:

" One should not state a predicate before its subject."

Therefore it cannot be avoided that in this sentence Krsna is the subject and Bhagavan is the pedicate. By word-jugglery no one can change the clear meaning of this verse: that Krsna is the original form of the Personality of Godhead (Bhagavan) and no one can say that Lord Vasudeva assumed the form of Krsna. In this way this verse clearly demonstrates that Krsna is the original form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and not merely a form of expanded from Vasudeva.

TEXT 6

This verse conclusively proves that Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead and the source of all the incarnations and not simply an expansion of Visnu. This is emphasized by the use of the word "svayam" (in person). Krishna is the original Godhead in person, He is not merely an expansion of the original Godhead and the status of the original Godhead is not falsely attributed to Him.

TEXT 7

Someone may object: Has not Krsna already been mentioned in the list of incarnations of Godhead ? To this I reply: The rules of literary composition state:

" More significant facts and facts meant to be emphasized should be placed at the end of a composition, for the final parts of a composition are naturally considered more important by the reader."

Therefore, because the statement "Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead" is placed at the end of the list of incarnations, that is to be stressed more than the fact that He is also included in that list.

TEXT 8

In the description of the Agnistoma sacrifice, the Sruti-sastra explains:

" If the Udgata priest leaves prematurely and does not complete the sacrifice, he becomes ineligible to receive the priestly remuneration. If his assistant, the Pratiharta priest, then completes the sacrifice, that assistant becomes then entitled to receive all the priestly rewards."

This is another example of the great significance of the final statement or the final activity.

TEXT 9

When two contradictory methods of atonement are prescribed in the scriptures and the difference between them cannot be reconciled by learned scholars, the atonement mentioned last is always considered to overrule what was stated previously and is taken as the final conclusion.

In the same way, the inclusion of Krsna in the list of incarnations is overruled by the statement that appears at the conclusion of the description of the incarnations: that Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead.

TEXT 10

Someone may object: Your Purana may say that Krsna is the original form of the Personality of Godhead, but this conception of God is contradicted by the ultimate scriptural authority: the Sruti-sastra. The actual authority is the Sruti, as confirmed in Vedanta-sutra, which, eloquently explained by Sankaracarya in Sariraka-bhasya, says (Vedanta-sruti 3.3.50):

sruty-adi-baliyastvac ca na badhah " There is no fault in this statement because the Sruti is the most significant and conclusive evidence."

To this I reply: The Sruti-sastra does not contradict the Bhagavatam's explanation that Krsna is the Original Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Sruti clearly explains:

" The Supreme Personality of Godhead is full of all transcendental knowledge."

The passage in the Vajasaneyi-samhita that begins with the phrase "manascit" and that recounts the story of Agnideva clearly refutes the misconception that the Supreme Godhead is not independent and clearly explains that because teh Godhead is full of all knowledge He must therefore also be supremely independent and free to do whatever He likes.

The Sruti does not deny that Krsna is the Original Supreme Personality of Godhead, but rather, by describing the Lord's supreme independence, supports it.

TEXT 11

Although Krsna is sometimes not specifically declared the original Personality of Godhead, when Krsna is counted in this (Bhagavatam, Ist Canto, 3rd Chapter) list of incarnations, He is declared the original Godhead in the phrase "bhagavan aharad bharam (The original Personality of Godhead then removed the burden of the world)".

Therefore, even though counted in the list of incarnations, Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead who, to fill His associates with bliss and wonder and to expand the sweetness of His birth and other pastimes, sometimes comes to this world and is seen by all.

TEXT 12

This is confirmed in Brahma-samhita (5.50):

" I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who by His various plenary portions appeared in the world in different forms and incarnations such as Lord Rama, but who personally appears in His supreme original form as Lord Krsna."

TEXT 13

The word incarnation is defined: " The descent of the Supreme Personality of Godhead into the material world."

Because Lord Balarama is Lord Krsna's constant intimate companion, therefore Lord Balarama cannot be an expansion of the purusa-incarnation, but He must be a direct expansion of Lord Krsna.

By using the word "tu" (but), Lord Krsna is clearly distinguished from the "amsa-kalah" (plenary portions and parts of the plenary portions of the purusa-incarnation). Lord Krsna is not another expansion of the purusa-incarnation.

TEXT 14

The word "tu" may also be used simply to emphasize a statement and may mean "certainly" or "indeed". This is confirmed in the statement "savadharana srutir balavati" (The word tu is used for emphasis). Taken in this way, the word "Tu" emphasized that only Krsna is the Original form of the Personality of Godhead, Narayana or any of the other secondary expansions of the Lord, are not the original form of the Lord.

TEXT 15

The words "pumsah" (the purusa-incarnations) and "bhagavan" (the Original Personality of Godhead) are also used in this chapter of Srimad Bhagavatam (Canto one Chapter three), in the first verse (jagrhe paurusam rupam bhagavan mahad-adibhih) and in verse 23, where the Lord is described with His brother (rama-krsnav it bhuvo bhagavan aharad bharam). To refute any argument by the learned that it should be interpreted to have a different , hidden meaning, the word "bhagavan" is used twice in this chapter. This is so just as the word jyotih is repeated in the chapter describing the jyotistoma-yajna (vasante vasante ca jyotisa yajeta: every spring one should offer a jyotistoma-yajna).

TEXT 16

The tattvavada-gurus accept a different reading of this verse, replacing the word "ca" (and) with the word "sva" (own). They say:

" The word "ete" in this verse refers to the incarnations of the Lord and the word "bhagavan svayam" refers to the Lord Himself, whose form is the origin of the incarnations. What is the Lord's form ? His forms are mentioned in the words "svamsa-kalah" (The incarnations, which are His own plenary portions and portions of the portions, are His forms). His forms are not vibhinnamsa (seperated parts), as are the jivas."

TEXT 17

This is confirmed in the Varaha Purana:

" The two kinds of expansions from the Supreme Personality of Godhead are : 1. svamsa (personal expansions) and 2. vibhinnamsa (separate persons). The svamsa expansions are unlimitedly powerful. Their form and personality are the same as the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself.

TEXT 18

" There is not the slightest difference between the svamsa expansions and the Original Personality of Godhead. The vibhinnamsa expansions are very weak in comparison to Them."

TEXT 19

Here it is said that both the Original Personality of Godhead and His expansions (amsas) are equally powerful. In the phrase "yathavidasinah kulyah sarasah syuh sahasrasah" (The incarnations of the Lord are innumerable like rivulets flowing from inexhaustible sources of water) (1.3.26) it may be understood that, because the Lord and His expansions share the same nature, as the original Supreme Personality of Godhead is eternal, so His expansions are also eternal. Although Lord Vasudeva and Lord Aniuruddha are equal in all respects, Lord Aniruddha sometimes devotedly meditates on Lord Vasudeva. To argue that this is contradicted by the Sruti-sastra is wrong. For the Supreme Lord, who is the source of all incarnations and for all His expansions, there are gradations of higher and lower.

TEXT 20

This is confirmed in Srimad Bhagavatam (3.8.3-4):

" Some time ago, being inquisitive to know, Sanat-kumara, the chief of the boy-saints, accompanied by other great sages, inquired exactly like you about the truths regarding Vasudeva, the Supreme, from the Lord Sankarsana, who is seated at the bottom of the universe. At that time Lord Sankarsana was meditating upon His Supreme Lord, whom the learned esteem as Lord Vasudeva."

TEXT 21

This verse clearly states that Lord Vasudeva is superior to Lord Sankarsana. These gradations of higher and lower do not refer to Krsna. The phrase krsnas tu (but Krsna) separates Him from them. Krsna is then declared to be "bhagavan svayam" (the original Supreme Personality of Godhead).

TEXT 22

This is also confirmed in Vedanta-sutra (2.3.45):

" No one is superior to the Original Personality of Godhead, from who everything has expanded."

In this sutra the difference between the Original Personality of Godhead and His expansions is clearly shown.

TEXT 23

As the splendid sun is not like the tiny fireflies, so the svamas expansions, such as Lord Matsya, are not like the jivas. This difference is clearly enunciated in the statement "Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam" (Lord Sri Krsna is the Original Personality of Godhead).

TEXT 24

The word "indrari" begins the second half of this verse (1.3.28). Because the word "tu" here divides the sentence and because the Lord's desires are always fulfilled, the meaning of this verse is affirmed. The word "tu" has the same meaning as the word "ca". The phrase beginning with "indrari" is followed by the phrase beginning "mrdayanti". This verse is spoken by Sri Suta Goswami.

English witness · section(s) 29

Anuccheda 29

TEXT 1

In this way Sri Krsna is the Original Personality of Godhead (Bhagavan). Because He is all-pervading, the Purusa-incarnation is known as the Paramatma (Supersoul).

TEXT 2

Someone may doubt: " You have presented a single quote to demonstrate that Krsna is the original source of all incarnations of Godhead. This single quote, however, contradicts many other quotes that describe Krsna as an expansion of the Personality of Godhead and not the source of all incarnations."

TEXT 3

To this doubt I reply: Let us consider which scriptural verses support the view that Sri Krsna is the original source of all incarnations and which verses present a different opinion.

TEXT 4 & 5

This third chapter in the First Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam tells the secret of the Lord's birth and gives a summary of all the descriptions of the Lord's incarnations. Because it comes at the beginning of the book and because it describes what will follow later on, its "ete camsa-kalah pumsah" verse (1.3.28) in the paribhasa-sutra (definition of terms, or system of abbreviations, placed in the beginning of book, which must be understood in order to properly understand the remainder of the book), for the Srimad-Bhagavatam.

TEXT 6

Because in the opening statement of a book the truth (pratijna) the book intends to establish is presented, in these descriptions of the incarnations, one should know that Krsna is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead and the others are expansions of the purusa-incarnation.

TEXT 7

A paribhasa-sutra is defined in the following quote:

" A paribhasa-sutra explains the proper method for understanding a book. It gives the key by which one may understand the actual purport of a series of apparently unrelated facts and arguments."

TEXT 8

The paribhasa-sutra is only stated once in a book and it is not repeated. A single paribhasa-sutra may govern the contents even of a very large book with millions of statements or arguments. An example of this is the paribhasa-sutra "vipratisedhe param karyam," which governs the entire TEXT of Panini's Astadhyayi.

TEXT 9

Someone may object: Many verses in the TEXT of Srimad-Bhagavatam contradict the statement of your so-called paribhasa-sutra. If this verse contradicts the TEXT of the book it is supposed to explain, then the argument that it is the paribhasa-sutra for Srimad-Bhagavatam is certainly a very weak and doubtful argument.

TEXT 10

To this objection I reply: Srimad-Bhagavatam describes the ultimate phase of the Absolute Truth and the supreme goal of life. It is not a loose collection of nice stories for casual reading. The weightiness of the subject matter of the Bhagavatam demands that it be prefaced by a paribhasa-sutra to explain the subject matter to follow.

TEXT 11

The objector continues: In many Vedic literatures your assertion that Krsna is the Original Personality of Godhead is emphatically refuted.

TEXT 12

For example, the Chandogya Upanisad explains that the Abstract Brahman effulgence is the actual feature of the Absolute Truth. This is confirmed in the statement "Akasasyanutpattih" (The primeval Brahman effulgence is without an origin in time.) The Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (4.5.6) explains "atmani vijnate sarvam idam vijnatam bhavati" (When the Supreme Self is understood, then everything becomes known.). The Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad further says (2.4.5): "idam sarvam yad ayam atma" (Everything that exists is nothing but the Supreme Self.) In this way the most authoritative statements of the Sruti describe the Absolute Truth as the Abstract Brahman effulgence and refute your idea that the Absolute Truth is the Personality Krsna.

TEXT 13

The actual Vedic authorities, who accept Sridhara Swami as their leader, repeatedly refute these arguments.

TEXT 14

Because in the first (Tattva) sandarbha the truths that the opinion of Srimad-Bhagavatam is perfect, and the statements of the Srimad-Bhagavatam are conclusive and eclipse any scripture that contradicts them, is proven and because in this book the same truths will again be proven, therefore the wise see that other scriptures all follow Srimad-Bhagavatam just as courtiers follow their king's orders.

TEXT 15

Now let us consider whether the verses of Srimad-Bhagavatam contradict the statement of the paribhasa-sutra ("Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam"). The statement "tatramsenavatirnasya" (S.B. 10.1.2) may be presented as a statement contradicting the assertion of our paribhasa-sutra, and someone may claim that these words mean " The Supreme Godhead appeared in this material world by expanding Himself as Sri Krsna ". Actually, however, this is not the proper interpretation of these words. The word "amsena" should be understood to mean "with His plenary portion, Lord Baladeva", and the entire statement should be interpreted: " The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsna, apppeared in this material world accompanied by His plenary portion, Lord Baladeva."

The statement "kalabhyam nitaram hareh" (S.B. 10.20.48) may also be presented as a statement contradicting our paribhasa-sutra and someone may claim that these words mean " The Supreme Godhead appeared in the forms of His two expansions, Krsna and Balarama." Actually, however, this is not the proper interpretation of these words. "Kalabhyam" (by the two plenary portions) is not actually one word, but the two words "kala" and "abhyam", joined by sandhi. The phrase "harer kala" means the earth planet, which is one of Lord Hari's many potencies and "abhyam" means "by Krsna and Balarama". The actual meaning of this statement is: " The earth planet appeared very beautiful because of the presence of Krsna and Balarama."

TEXT 16

Someone may claim that the verse "distyamba te kuksi-gatah parah puman amsena saksad bhagavan bhavaya nah" from Srimad Bhagavatam (10.2.41) contradicts the view presented in our paribhasa-sutra ("Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam"). Such a person may interpret this verse from Srimad Bhagavatam to mean " O mother Devaki, for your good fortune and ours, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself has expanded into His plenary portion known as Krsna. In His Krsna-expansion, He is now within your womb."

This is not the proper way to understand the meaning of this verse. The word "amsena" means by His appearance as Lord Matsya and other incarnations", and the second line of the verse should be understood in the past tense. In this way one will be able to perceive the actual meaning of the verse: "O mother Devaki, the Supreme Personality of Godhead formerly appeared as Lord Matsya and His many other incarnations just for our good-fortune. He has now appeared with your womb, in His original form of Lord Krsna."

TEXT 17

Someone may claim that the statement of our paribhasa-sutra is contradicted by the following verse from (S.B. 10.2.18): "tato jaganmangalam acyutamsam". Such a critic may interpret this statement: " Thereafter, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is auspicious for the entire universe, expanded Himself as His plenary portion Krsna and appeared in this material world."

The world "acyutamsam" in this verse is actually an anyapadartha-bahuvrihi-samasa and it means " He in whom all the incarnations of Godhead are present." The actual meaning of these words of Srimad Bhagavatam is: Thereafter, the Original Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsna, from whom the various forms of the Personality of Godhead have expanded, and who is auspicious for the entire universe, appeared in this material world, accompanied by all His plenary expansions."

TEXT 18

The Lord Krsna is the Original Personality of Godhead is confirmed in the third line of this verse (S.B. 10.2.18): "sarvatmakam atma-bhutam" (Lord Krsna is the Original Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes and origin of the all-pervading Supersoul)."

TEXT 19

An unintelligent critic may try to refute the statement of our paribhasa-sutra by pushing forward this verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.43.23):

etau bhagavatah saksad dharer narayanasya hi avatirnav ihamsena vasudevasya vesmani

and he may interpret this verse to mean: "Krsna and Balaram, who are both plenary expansions of the Original Personality of Godhead, Lord Narayana, have descended to this material world, appearing in the home of King Vasudeva."

In this verse the word "amsena" does not mean as an expansion of Lord Narayana, but rather it means accompanied by all His plenary portions. In this way the actual meaning of the verse is established: "The Original Personality of Godhead, Krsna and Balarama, have descended to this material world accompanied by all Their plenary expansions. They have appeared in the home of King Vasudeva."

TEXT 20

Attempting to discredit the validity of our paribhasa-sutra, someone may quote the following verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam:

tav imau vai bhagavato harer amsav ihagatau bhara-vyayaya ca bhuvah krsnau yadu-kurudvahau

Our critic may try to interpret this verse to mean: "Krsna and Arjuna are plenary expansions of Nara and Narayana Rsis and they have appeared in the Yadu and Kuru dynasties just to remove the burden of the world."

That is not the proper way to interpret this verse. In this sentence, we may note that the past-participle "agatau" is the subject of the sentence, in the nominative case. The word "krsnau" is in the accusative case. The word "bhagavatah" means The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the origin of all incarnations of Godhead", and "hareh" means of the purusa-incarnation." The words "tau imau amsau" refer to Nara-Narayana Rsis and these words are in the nominative case. The word "krsnau" in the accusative case refers to Krsna and Arjuna. The meaning of the sentence is "Nara and Narayana Rsis were present within Krsna and Arjuna." In other words, Nara and Narayana Rsis accompanied Krsna and Arjuna. This verse does not mean that Krsna and Arjuna are expansions of Nara and Narayana Rsis. The remainder of the sentence describes Krsna and Arjuna. Firstly, the verse says that Krsna and Arjuna descended to this world to relieve the burden of the earth. The use of the word "ca" (also) suggests that They also appeared to grant transcendental happiness to the devotees by performing various pastimes. We may also note that the word "yadu-kurudvahau" means who appeared in the Yadu and Kuru dynasties."

Our interpretation of this verse from Srimad Bhagavatam therefore is " Nara and Narayana Rsis appeared within the bodies of Krsna and Arjuna, who took birth in the Yadu and Kuru dynasties just to relieve the burden of the earth."

The following quote from the Agama-sastra explains that Krsna and Arjuna are not expansions of Nara and Narayana Rsis:

arjune tu naravesah krsno narayanah svayam

" Arjuna is an empowered (sakty-avesa)incarnation of Nara Rsi and Lord Krsna is directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Narayana."

That Lord Krsna is the original Lord Narayana is confirmed in the prayers of Lord Brahma (S.B. 10.14.14)"

narayanas twam na hi sarva-dehinam

"O Krsna, are You not the original form of Lord Narayana, who resides in the hearts of all living entities ?"

TEXT 21

Our critic may then dispute our paribhasa-sutra by saying that because Krsna and Arjuna are equals, Krsna cannot be the source of all incarnations. They say that friendship is a relationship of equals and they quote these words spoken by Sri Krsna to Rukmini-devi (S.B. 10.60.15):

" Generally friendship or marriage is contracted between partners who are equal in strength, birth, wealth and activities and not between those who are not equally possessing these assets."

Had Krsna not considered Arjuna His equal, they say, He would not have made friendship with him.

This is confirmed in the following words spoken by Lord Krsna to Arjuna in the Visnu-dharma Purana:

" O Arjuna, O son of Pandu, someone who is able to understand you, is automatically able to understand Me also and someone who becomes your follower, I consider to be My follower also. O Arjuna, I do not consider that there is any difference between you and Me, for we are equal in all respects."

TEXT 22

From these statements we may understand the deep friendship between Lord Krsna and Arjuna. By this friendship we may understand that Arjuna is an empowered incarnation of Nara Rsis, the great friend of Narayana Rsi. That is the real meaning of these words.

TEXT 23

The reason some people maintain that Krsna is a partial expansion of the Original Personality of Godhead and not the Original Personality of Godhead Himself, is described by the Lord in Bhagavad-gita (7.25):

" I am never manifest to the foolish and unintelligent. For them I am covered by My eternal creative potency (yogamaya) and so the deluded world knows Me not, who am unborn and infallible."

Sri Krsna only partially reveals Himself to the ordinary living entities. Because of this partial revelation, ordinary people believe that Krsna is merely an expansion of the Original Godhead.

TEXT 24

The critic of our paribhasa-sutra may push forward the following statement of Gargacarya (S.B. 10.819):

narayana-samo gunaih

Our critic will interpret these words to mean: " Krsna possesses wonderful exalted qualities, just as Lord Narayana does. " Because Gargacarya compared Krsna to Narayana, our critic will have it that Krsna must be an expansion of Narayana. Actually, however, these words mean: " Narayana, the ruler of Vaikunthaloka, possesses transcendental qualities almost equal to the most exalted qualities present in Lord Krsna." Gargacaraya's intention in speaking these words was to compare Narayana to Krsna, not to say that Krsna is so wonderful that He possesses great qualities, just as Lord Narayana does.

TEXT 25

Our beginning statement (that Sri Krsna is the Original Personality of Godhead) is also confirmed in the account of Krsna in the Eighty-ninth Chapter of the Tenth Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam.

TEXT 26

The statements of scripture may be accepted in two ways: 1. by accepting the direct or literal meaning and 2. by accepting an indirect, obscure or allegorical meaning.

TEXT 27

Among the rules for interpreting the scriptures we find the statement:

saksad upadesas tu srutih

" The instructions of the Sruti-sastra should be accepted literally, without fanciful or allegorical interpretations."

TEXT 28

The statements of the Sruti-sastra are always correct and do not need to be substantiated by any external authority. Because the scriptures are thus the supreme authority, they should be taken literally, without imaginative interpretation. Therefore it is said:

nirapeksa-rava srutih

" The statements of the Sruti-sastra are the supreme independent authority."

TEXT 29

The Mimamsa-darsanam (3.3.14) explains: " Scriptural instructions are more authoritative than the logical arguments known as linga, vakya, prakarana and sthana and these logical arguments are more authoritative than conclusions drawn from historical accounts." The statement of our paribhasa-sutra (Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam) that Krsna is the original form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears to contradict the Bhuma-purusa's assertion (S.B. 10.89): " O Krsna and Arjuna, you are both My plenary expansions". The first statement is in the context of a philosophical discussion and the second in the context of an historical narration. For this reason, according to the description given in the Mimamsa-darsanam, the former statement is more authoritative than the second.

TEXT 30

These words of the Bhuma-purusa are not to be taken very seriously for the following reasons: 1. Sri Krsna, who is omniscient, did not begin His conversation with the Bhuma-purusa by offering respectful prayers, as is customary when one approaches a spiritual superior to receive instruction from him, 2. The Bhuma-purusa's statement is contradicted by His activity of stealing the brahmana's sons just to get the audience of Sri Krsna. (The Bhuma-purusa said: "I have taken away the brahmana's sons because I am so eager to see You.") 3. The statement of Suta Goswami in the beginning of Srimad Bhagavatam and the instructions of many other exalted speakers in the Bhagavatam clearly contradict the statement of the Bhuma-purusa's assertion is followed by other statements that contradict it.

TEXT 31

Even though Sri Krsna is the Original Personality of Godhead, He indulgently accepts the Bhuma-purusa's indentification of Him as an incarnation of Narayana Rsi, Sri Krsna will soon reveal that He is actually the Original Godhead, the origin and resting place of the innumerable incarnations of Godhead. The followers of Sripada Ramanujacarya accept that the Original Personality of Godhead is Narayana and Sri Krsna is and incarnation of the purusa-avatara Karanarnavasayi Visnu. They quote the verse "yuvam nara-narayanav rsi dharmam acaratam" (My dear Krsna and Arjuna, You are both incarnations of Nara-Narayana Rsis, who formerly performed exemplary activities for spiritual progress) and the verse "tvarayetam anti me" (O Krsna and Arjuna, please quickly come to Me) to support their views, although the actual meaning of the Vedic literatures refutes their conclusion.

TEXT 32

The followers of Ramanujacaraya cling to their imperfect conclusion that Krsna and Arjuna are incarnations of Nara-Narayana Rsi and the Bhuma-purusa, even though this view is not supported in any other Vedic literature. Our conclusion is different from theirs.

TEXT 33

These two statements of the Bhuma-purusa (" My dear Krsna and Arjuna, You are both incarnations of Nara-Narayana Rsis,who formerly performed exemplary activities for spiritual progress," and "O Krsna and Arjuna, You must quickly come to Me") clearly contradict the description of Krsna found in the Vedic literatures and the writings of the great spiritual masters.

TEXT 34

If Krsna and Arjuna had been plenary expansions of Nara Narayana Rsis, who were expanded from the Bhuma-purusa, then Krnsa and Arjuna would not have been so difficult for the Bhuma-purusa to see. Krsna and Arjuna would have been then very easy for the Bhuma-purusa to see, just as one may very easily see a jewel held in one's own hand. If Krsna and Arjuna had been expansions of the Nara-Narayana Rsis and ultimately the Bhuma-purusa Himself, the Bhuma-purusa would have easily been able to see His own expansions, even if They were performing pastimes far away on the earth planet. Actually, however, the Bhuma-purusa was completely unable to see Krsna and Arjuna and had to devise an elaborate stratagem to see them. This is confirmed in the Bhuma-purusa's own words "yuvayor didrksuna" (I have done all this, simply because I desired to see You). Only if Krsna, revealed Himself would the Bhuma-purusa have been able to see Krsna and Arjuna. Because it was so difficult for the Bhuma-purusa to see Krsna, it must be concluded that Krsna is clearly not an expansion of Narayana Rsi and ultimately the Bhuma-purusa. Actually Krsna is the Original Personality of Godhead, full of all transcendental potencies. This fact is confirmed in the narration of this pastime found in the verses of Bhagavatam.

TEXT 35

When Krsna and Arjuna had pierced the coverings of the material universe, Arjuna became greatly afraid and his eyes became full of pain when he saw the glaring spiritual effulgence emanating from the body of the Bhuma-purusa. At this time Arjuna's distress became immediately relieved by the pastime-potency of Sri Krsna, the Original Personality of Godhead. Krsna's pastime-potency is here shown to be more powerful than the personal effulgence of the Bhuma-purusa. Because Krsna's potency is thus greater than that of the Bhuma-purusa, it must be concluded that Krsna is not an expansion of Narayana Rsi, who is Himself an expansion of the Bhuma-purusa. If Krsna were expanded from the Bhuma-purusa, Krsna's potency would be less powerful than His.

TEXT 36

Sri Krsna's supreme prowess may also be seen in His ability to repeatedly overpower innumerable demons. He is always undefeated in fighting with them.

TEXT 37

Another example of Sri Krsna's supreme prowess may be seen in this account of His visit to the Bhuma-purusa. When Krsna and Arjuna approached the many-layered covering of the material universe, the transcendental horses (who had originally descended into the material world from Vaikunthaloka) stopped drawing Their chariot, unable to proceed because of the great darkness of the coverings of material universe. Krsna enabled the horses to proceed and reveal His great power by illuminating the path with His sudarsana-cakra.

TEXT 38

The critic of our paribhasa-sutra may protest: Krsna approached the Bhuma-purusa with great reverence and devotion. Certainly this shows that Krsna is a subordinate expansion of the Bhuma-purusa and not the Original Form of the Personality of Godhead. To this objection I reply: In His earthly pastimes, Sri Krsna played the role of a human being and offered respects to Siva, Narada and others. This polite decorum on Sri Krsna's part does not disprove His actual status as the Original Personality of Godhead. In this pastime and other pastimes also, we may clearly observe that Sri Krsna is supremely independent and may do whatever He likes. Krsna's supreme independence in these circumstances sufficiently refutes this objection offered by our critics.

TEXT 39

It may appear that the statement of our paribhasa-sutra and the statement of the Bhuma-purusa contradict each other, but actually they do not. This may be seen from the following explanation: Even though Sri Krsna is the Original Personality of Personality, in order to bewilder the residents of Vrajabhumi during the worship of Govardhana Hill, He manifested and expansion of His own transcendental form and then along with the residents of Vraja, offered respectful obeisances to this expanded form of Himself. In this way, even though Krsna is the Original Personality of Godhead, He offered respectful obeisances to His own expansion, as a part of His transcendental pastimes. In the same way, Lord Krsna desired to amaze and bewilder His friend Arjuna and to do this, in His expansion as the Bhuma-purusa, the Lord removed the brahmana's sons, took Arjuna to the Bhuma-purusa's palace and appearing full of awe and wonder, offered respectful obeisances to His own expanded form of the Bhuma-purusa in the company of Arjuna. Offering obeisances to His expansion, Lord Krsna addressed Him with great respect.

TEXT 40

Offering obeisances to His expansion during the worship of Govardhana Hill, Sri Krsna said (S.B. 10.24.36):

" Accompanied by the residents of Vrajabhumi, I offer my respectful obeisances to Myself, the Supreme Person."

In the same way the Lord offered His respects to His Bhuma-purusa expansion. This is recorded in the following words of (S.B. 10.89.57):

" The infallible Personality of Godhead then offered His respectful obeisances to His own self in the form or the unlimited Bhuma-purusa."

TEXT 41

We may also note the following words spoken by Sri Krsna and recorded in the scripture Hari-vamsa. When Krsna and Arjuna had penetrated the coverings of the material universe, they saw the dazzling Brahman effulgence emanating from the spiritual body of the Bhuma-purusa. At that time Krsna informed Arjuna (Visnu-parva 114.9):

"That glaring effulgence is the eternal splendor of My own transcendental body."

By identifying the Bhuma-purusa's effulgence as His own, Lord Krsna affirms that the Bhuma-purusa is an expansion of Lord Krsna.

TEXT 42

Someone may protest: Krsna Himself addresses the Bhuma-purusas (S.B. 10.89.54) as "purusottamam" (superior to the best of persons). This clearly indicates that the Bhuma-purusa and not Krsna, is the Original Form of the Personality of Godhead. To this objection I reply: In the word "purusottamottama" the word "uttama" means "superior". Therefore "purusa-uttama" refers to the all-pervading Supersoul expansion of the Personality of Godhead. Superior ("uttama") to the Supersoul expansion is the Bhuma-purusa, who is the prabhava expansion of the Original Personality of Godhead. From this reason the Bhuma-purusa is addressed as "purusottamottama". By itself this word does not at all establish that the Bhuma-purusa is the Original Personality of Godhead.

TEXT 43

Now let us consider the statement of the Bhuma-purusa (S.B. 10.89.58) that some critics think opposes the premise of our paribhasa-sutra (krsnas tu bhagavan svayam). The verse is:

dvijatmaja me yuvayor didrksuna mayopanita bhuvi dharma-guptaye kalavatirnav avaner bharasurann hatveha bhuyas tvarayetam anti me

The proper interpretation of this verse is:

" I wanted to see both of You and therefore I have brought the sons of the brahmana here. Both of You have appeared in the material world to re-establish religious principles and you have appeared here with all your potencies and the incarnations who have expanded from You. Please kill all the demons and cause them to quickly return to the spiritual world."

TEXT 44

An explanation of these words follows: In the Bhuma-purusa's first statement we may note the following definitions of words: "yuvayoh" means of You two, "didrksuna maya" means by Me, who was desiring to see", "me" means My, "bhuvi" means abode and "upanitah" means taken away.

TEXT 45

In the Bhuma-purusa's second statement, He addresses Krsna and Arjuna as "kalavatirnau". In this compound word, the word "kala" means expansions and the phrase "along with" is understood. In this way the word is a "madhya-pada-lopi-samasa" and it means - O Supreme Lord, who has descended along with all Your visnu-tattva expansions". Because the material world is an expansion of the Supreme Lord's energy, the word "kala" may also be interpreted to mean in the material world. In this interpretation the word "kalavatirnau" means O Lord who has descended to this material world. That the material world is an expansion of Lord Krsna's energy is confirmed in the Purusa-sukta prayers: "pado 'sya visva-bhutani" (The material world is one quarter part of the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead). The word "bhuyah" means again.

The last part of the Bhuma-purusa's statement is: " Please kill the demons who still remain on the earth and liberate them, bringing them quickly back to Me." This means that the demons who are personally killed by the Personality of Godhead become liberated and enter the Brahman effulgence emanating from the transcendental body of the Lord's Bhuma-purusa expansion.

TEXT 46

This effulgence is emanating from the transcendental body of the Personality of Godhead is described to Arjuna by Lord Krsna in the Hari-vamsa (Visnu-parva 114.9-10) in the following words:

" My dear Arjuna, O best of the descendants of Maharaja Bharata, this splendid Brahman effulgence that you have seen is the glowing light emanating from My transcendental form. I am not different from that splendid effulgence, which is My eternal spiritual potency. This potency of Mine is sometimes manifest and sometimes unmanifest. They who have perfected the practice of astanga-yoga may enter this divine effulgence and attain one of the five kinds of liberation."

TEXT 47

In this verse the word "tvarayetam (please cause to quickly arrive)" is in the causative and the potential mood. The potential is used here to indicate a prayer or appeal. The word "anti" is an indeclineable prefix with a dative sense and it is used here to mean "for the purpose of" in much the same way as the infinitive is used. It means here " for the purpose of killing the demons and granting liberation to them (tvarayetam)."

The Bhuma-purusa glorified Krsna and Arjuna, saying "You appear with Your transcendental potencies and various incarnations and expansions (kalavatirnau). This interpretation of the word "kalavatirnau" may be accepted if the word is understood as a trtiya-tatpurusa-samasa. This interpretation is very logical and easy to accept. If one wants to interpret "kalavatirnau" as two words in the nominative case and interpret the two words to mean " Krsna and Arjuna are My expansions", this interpretation will be difficult for the learned reader to accept.

TEXT 48

Someone may quote the following verse (S.B. 10.89.59)

purna-kamav api yuvam nara-narayanav rsi dharmam acaratam sthityai rsabhau loka-sangraham

in an attempt to show that Krsna and Arjuna are actually expansions to Nara and Narayana Rsis. There is, however, no need to interpret in that way. The actual interpretation of this verse follows:

" My dear Krsna and Arjuna, You are both great transcendental personalities and all Your wishes are always automatically fulfilled. You have both formerly appeared as Nara and Narayana Rsis, the best of persons. Appearing as these two sages, you performed exemplary pious activities for the benefit of all living entities."

TEXT 49

In this verse the Bhuma-purusa glorifies Krsna and Arjuna, who are always engaged in furthering the well-being of all living entities. Using the word "rsabhau", the Bhuma-purusa addresses the Original Personality of Godhead (Krsna), the origin of all the incarnations of Godhead. With this word the Bhuma-purusa also addresses Sri Krsna's intimate friend Arjuna. The Bhuma-purusa explains that Sri Krsna and Arjuna formerly appeared among those engaged in spiritual activities as Their partial incarnations Nara and Narayana Rsi to benefit the entire world by preaching the principles of actual religious life. That Narayana Rsi is an expansion of the Original Godhead, Lord Krsna, is confirmed by Lord Krsna Himself in the Bhagavatam 11th Canto, where Lord Krsna says: " narayano muninam ca (Among the sages I incarnate as Narayana Rsi)". Because Krsna and Arjuna had formerly appeared as Nara and Narayana Rsis for the benefit of all living entities, the Bhuma-purusa was convinced that They were the best of all saintly persons. For this reason the Bhuma-purusa stole the brahmana's sons, confident that Krsna and Arjuna would come to rescue them.

TEXT 50

This is also described in the Hari-vamsa (Visnu-parva 114.8), where Lord Krsna says:

" In order to get the opportunity to see Me, the Bhuma-purusa has stolen these sons of the brahmana. Although ordinarily I would not agree to come here, I have come for the sake of a brahmana."

TEXT 51

In this conTEXT we may note that the word "acaratam" in the previously quoted statement of the Bhuma-purusa is a present active participate in the genetive plural ("of those who are engaged in activities"). By identifying Sri Krsna as the best of those engaged in spiritual activities, the Bhuma-purusa has declared that Krsna is superior to everyone, including the Bhuma-purusa Himself. This fact will be confirmed in a quote from the Mrtunjaya Tantra to appear later in this book and it is also confirmed in the following quote from (S.B. 10.89.62):

TEXT 52

" When Arjuna saw the opulent abode of Lord Visnu, he became struck with wonder. Arjuna was able to understand that all the opulences of the various incarnations of Godhead are manifest by the mercy of his own friend, Sri Krsna."

TEXT 53

We may note in this connection that this verse does not say "The opulences of the various incarnations of Godhead are manifest by the mercy of the Bhuma-purusa." In this commentary, Sridhara Swami nicely explains the purport of this chapter of Bhagavatam by saying:

" In order to establish that Sri Krsna is the Original Personality of Godhead (bhagavan), Sukudeva Goswami has spoken this account of the visit to the Bhuma-purusa."

TEXT 54 Leaving the sphere of Bhagavatam, the critic of our paribhasa-sutra may push forward quotes from other Vedic literatures in an attempt to refute our statement that Krsna is the Original Personality of Godhead. In the following section of this essay, we will present the proper explanations of all these verses.

TEXT 55

For example, our critic may quote the following verse from Visnu Purana (5.1.59):

ujjaharatmanah kesau sita-krsnau maha-mune

Our critic may interpret this verse to mean:

"O great sage, Lord Visnu then plucked a white and black hair from His own transcendental body and these two hairs became His incarnations known as Balarama and Krsna."

TEXT 56

Our critic may also quote the following verses from the Mahabharata: " Lord Visnu snatched two hairs, one white and one black, from His head; These two hairs entered the wombs of Rohini and Devaki, members of the Krsna was born of Devaki. Thus Balarama appeared from the first hair and Krsna appeared from the second hair."

TEXT 57

In his commentary on the verse which begins "bhumeh suretara-varutha" (S.B. 2.7.26), Sridhara Swami gives the proper explanation of these passages from the Visnu Purana and Mahabharata:

" Sometimes in the Vedic literatures Krsna and Balarama are described as white and black "kesas". In this conTEXT the word "kesa" does not mean hair, but it is used in the sense of splendor. The phrase "sita-krsna-kesau" means Balarama and Krsna who have beautiful white and black complexions. It does not mean that black and white hairs grew at a certain time on the head of the changeless Supreme Person.

"The Visnu Purana explains: "ujjaharatmanah kesau" This phrase means: The forms as Balarama and Krsna, relieved the burden of the earth. If one tries to interpret the word "kesa" in these passages as hair and contends that Balarama and Krsna are incarnations of two of Lord Visnu's hairs, he will contradict the clear statements of many verses in the Vedic literatures and he will especially contradict the authoritative statement of the verse "krsna's tu bhagavan svayam" (Sri Krsna is the Original Personality of Godhead) found in (S.B. 1.3.28)"

TEXT 58

Even if one insists that the word "kesa" must mean hair and cannot mean anything else, it is not at all necessary that one interpret that Balarama and Krsna are incarnations of Visnu. One may also interpret that Vasudeva and Sankarsana are incarnations of a black and white hair from the head of Lord Krsna. Understood in this way, we may conceive of the following conversation between Lord Krsna and the demigods, in order to properly understand these two quotes from the Visnu Purana and Mahabharata. Lord Krsna may have said to the demigods:

"My dear demigods, why do you ask Me to personally appear in the material world ? I do not need to personally come, but rather I shall send my expansions of Sankarsana and Vasudeva, who are like white and black hairs on My head. Sankarsana and Vasudeva will certainly fulfill your request by removing the burden of the world."

TEXT 59

The statement "ujjaharatmanah kesau" is explained by Bopadeva Goswami in his commentary "muktaphala-tika" : The word "kesau" consists of the two words "ka" and "isau". "Ka" means "blissful" and "isau" means the two Personalities of Godhead. In the phrase "sita-krsna-kesau" the word "sita" is a name of Balarama. This phrase therefore means: Balarama and Krsna who are the two blissful Personalities of Godhead.

The interpretation that these words mean Balarama and Krsna are incarnations of two hairs of Lord Visnu is not correct, for it is contradicted by the following explanation found in the Hari-vamsa:

"After thus instructing the demigods, the Supreme Personality of Godhead travelled on Garuda to a concealed mountain cave. In that cave the Lord assumed His original form as Lord Krsna. Ordering Garuda to wait for Him in that cave, the Lord then descended to earth in His original form."

TEXT 60

What to speak of the Personality of Godhead, even the inferior demigods are free from the defects of old-age. Because the Personality of Godhead is always free from the symptoms of age, His hairs do not turn gray or white with age, as those of a conditioned human being. The Vedic literatures always describe the hairs of the Supreme Lord as black, there is no description of white hairs, hairs either naturally white or turned white with age in the spiritual body of the Personality of Godhead. For this reason the story of white and black hairs from the head of Lord Visnu is not very plausible. The learned will not accept it.

TEXT 61

In the descriptions of Krsna and Balarama's descent to this material world, we generally do not find any mention of the word "kesa" to describe them. In the following quote from the Nrsimha Purana, They are described as "sita-krsna" (white and black), without any use of the word "kesa" which our critics are so eager to interpret as hair.

"Lord Krsna and Balarama, the original black and white forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is full of all transcendental potencies, appeared in the Yadu dynasty as the two sons of Vasudeva and Devaki. In the future these two transcendental personalities will kill King Kamsa and many other demons."

TEXT 62

Someone may object: Very well, then, we shall accept that the work "kesa" means expansion and the "kesavatara" simply is an explanation of how Krsna is an expansion of Visnu. To this I reply: No. This should not be concluded. Krsna is the Original Personality of Godhead (adi-purusa), full of all transcendental potencies.

Another objection may be raised: Krsna, Visnu and other words are used to indicate the Personality of Godhead and no distinction is made between them in the Vedic literatures. Why are you so eager to say the Krsna is the original form and Visnu is the considered equal, without any distinction.

To this I reply: Actually, Krsna is specifically described as the Original Personality of Godhead and the day when He appeared in this world is especially famous, more famous than the appearance-day of any other form of the Lord.

TEXT 63

This is confirmed in the following verse from the Mahabharata:

" Krsna, the son of Vasudeva, is the eternal Original Personality of Godhead (Bhagavan). He is the supreme Brahman, free from all material contamination and He is the object of the yogi's meditation. He is glorified in the pages of this book."

TEXT 64

That Krsna, O inaugurator of the material energy, this wonderful creation works under the control of powerful time, which is divided into seconds, minutes, hours and years. This element of time, which extends for many millions of years, is but another form of Lord Visnu. For Your pastimes, You act as the controller of time, but You are the reservoir of all good fortune. Let me offer my full surrender unto Your Lordship."

TEXT 65

That Krsna is beyond the influence of time is confirmed in the following statement by the residents of Dvaraka-puri (S.B. 1.11.6)

" O Lord, You are worshiped by all demigods like Brahma, the four Sanas and even the King of heaven. You are the ultimate rest for those who are really aspiring to achieve the highest benefit of life. You are the supreme transcendental Lord and inevitable time cannot exert its influence upon You>"

TEXT 66

The false notion that Krsna and Balarama are incarnations of a black and white hair of Lord Visnu is dispelled in the Prabhasa-khanda, which explains that whiteness of hair is produced in old age and because even the subordinate demigods, what to speak of Lord Visnu, the controller of the demigods, remain always free from old-age, their hair never turns white with age. It is not possible that Lord Visnu have white hairs because He is beyond the influence of time and therefore this conception of Lord Visnu's white hair pushed forward by the dry renunciants is not acceptable.

TEXT 67

Similar other faulty statements may also be found in some portions of the scriptures. For example, the Garuda Purana explains :

" I offer my respectful obeisances unto the law of karma because of which Siva carries a skull in his hand and wanders about as a beggar and because of which Visnu was hurled into the painful abyss of having to assume ten incarnations within the material world."

The author's intention in this passage was to emphasize the untrue story.

TEXT 68

The following metaphorical statement in the scriptures may also be quoted to illustrate how an author may speak something untrue in order to emphasize a point:

" Alas, who is able to describe the evils of gold ? Gold is certainly as intoxicating as the poisonous drink dhutura."

TEXT 69

Statements in the Saivite Puranas should not be accepted unless they are corroborated by the Vaisnava Puranas. This is confirmed in the Saivite Puranas (Skanda Purana) where Lord Siva says to Karttikeya:

" Statements in the Saivite Puranas should be accepted only if they are confirmed in the Vaisnava Puranas."

The followers of Lord Siva may try to present a different conclusion, but they are simply contradicting the words of their own master, recorded in their own scripture. From this statement of Lord Siva we may understand that the Saivite Puranas are not a very reliable source of spiritual information. They are not actually able to purify the conditioned souls and their position is described in the following statement of (S.B. 1.8.52)

" It is not possible to filter muddy water through mud or purify a wine-stained pot of wine."

One should not therefore rely on the impure statements of the Saivite Puranas.

TEXT 70

The inferiority of the Saivite Puranas is confirmed in the Uttara Khanda of the Padma Purana, which explains that the Saivite Puranas are intened for those in the mode of ignorance. The Matsya Purana also confirms that the Saivite Puranas are full of faulty and ignorant conclusions.

TEXT 71

Without understanding the Bhagavatam, one cannot properly understand the philosophy of spiritual life. An example of this Romaharsana had not properly understood the exalted position of Lord Balarama. Because of an offense to Lord Balarama, Romaharsana was killed by the Lord. From this we may understand the importance of Bhagavatam. Without reference to the Bhagavatam, one cannot conclusively understand the nature of the Absolute Truth.

That certain sages may sometimes present false conclusions, which may someones even become recorded in the Puranas, is confirmed in the following statement of (S.B. 10.77.30):

" O King, some sages have said that Lord Krsna became bewildered by the mystic jugglery of Salva. Such conclusions should not be accepted, for the contradict the conclusion of all Vedic literatures, Lord Krsna never becomes bewildered."

From this we may understand supreme authoritiy of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Any scriptural explanation that contradicts the version of the Bhagavatam should be rejected.

TEXT 72

We may sometimes notice contradictions in the instructions of the Sruti. The two quotes which follow may serve as an example of such a contradiction within the TEXTs of the Sruti.

" By performing the karma-kanda rituals of the Vedas one becomes ruined." Chandogya Upanisad 8.1.6

" By performing the karma-kanda rituals of the Vedas we have become demigods eligible to drink soma-rasa." Rg-mantra 8.48.3

If a speaker contradicts himself, then his words are not very much appreciated by the speaker of Bhagavatam:

" They who are learned are not inclined to accept the statements of one who contradicts himself." (S.B. 10.77.30)

TEXT 73

Suta Goswami speaks the following verse to reconcile this apparent contradiction in the statements of the scriptures (Mahabharata, Udyogaparva):

" The truths of spiritual life are inconceivable to the crippled materialistic brain. Simply by logic and philosopy one cannot expect to properly understand them."

TEXT 74

Also, in the story of Candra-kalankapatti-karana in the Prabhasa-khanda of the Skanda Purana, in the description of Lord Krsna's appearance, Krsna is described as Lord Visnu Himself. By using the words "svayam visnuh (Visnu Himself)", the concocted idea that Krsna is an incarnation of Lord Visnu's hair is refuted by Vyasadeva.

TEXT 75

The idea that Krsna is an incarnation of Lord Visnu's hair should not be accepted, for it is thus refuted by Vyasa. Only foolish persons with a childlike mentality will insist that the word "kesa" in the phrase "kesavatara" from the Visnu Purana should be interpreted to mean a hair."

TEXT 76

Because it is contradicted by so many descriptions in the Vedic literatures, the statement that Lord Krsna is an incarnation of Lord Visnu's hair must be either a trick to bewilder the atheists, an outlandish playful metaphor, or a falsity spoken in ignorance of the actual nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

TEXT 77

The actual meaning of the word "kesa" when used in a name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is explained by the Lord in the Mahabharata in the description of the thousand names of Lord Visnu. There the Lord Himself says:

" The effulgence of My transcendental body is known by the word "kesa". O best of the sages because I am the source of the Brahman effulgence, the learned devotees, who know everything, call Me by the name Kesava."

TEXT 78

We may also note in this connection that although the word "kesa" is used in the Visnu Purana, it is not used in the many other descriptions of Lord Krsna's appearance found in the Vedic literatures. That the word "kesa" should mean effulgence is supported by Narada Muni's explanation in the Moksa-dharma that the Lord appears in a variety of forms and colors. The explanation of the Visnu Purana that the Lord appears as "sukla-krsna-kesau" or white and black kesas may be understood to mean that the Lord appears in black and white forms. This may be understood to refer to Lord Vasudeva and Lord Sankarsana, or it may also refer to Lord Aniruddha.

TEXT 79

Visnu-tattva expansions of the Personality of Godhead are manifested from the bodily rays of the Lord. (The complexion of Lord Krsna is blackish and therefore the direct expansion of Lord Krsna, which is manifested from His bodily rays, is also blackish - Lord Vasudeva. Because Lord Sankarsana is manifested from Lord Balarama, His complexion is also the same as Lord Balarama;s white.)

The purusa-avatara Lord Aniruddha is described in the (S.B.1.2.23):

" The transcendental Personality of Godhead is indirectly associated with the three modes of material nature, namely passion, goodness and ignorance and just for the material world's creation, maintenance and destruction, He accepts ther three qualitative forms of Brahma, Visnu and Siva. Of these three, all human beings can derive ultimate benefit from Visnu, the form of the quality of goodness."

TEXT 80

That Lord Siva is an expansion of Lord Sankarsana is confirmed in the following prose statement of (S.B. 5.17.16):

" In Ilavrta-varsa, Lord Siva is always encircled by ten billion maidservants of goddess Durga, who minister to him. The quadruple expansion of the Supreme Lord is composed of Vasudeva, Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Sankarsana. Sankarsana, the fourth expansion, is certainly transcendental, but because His activities of destruction in the material world are in the mode of ignorance, He is known as tamasi, the Lord's form in the mode of ignorance. Lord Siva knows that Sankarsana is the original cause of his own existence and thus he always meditates upon Him in trance by chanting the following mantra."

TEXT 81

Therefore the statement of the Visnu Purana (ujjaharatmanah kesau sita-krsnau maha-mune) should be understood in the following way: The word "atmanah" means from Himself, the word "kesau" means the two incarnations Vasudeva and Sankarsana, who have black and white complexions and the word "ujjahara" means manifested. The entire statement means " The Lord then appeared as Vasudeva and Sankarsana, who have black and white complexions."

TEXT 82

Just as by seeing one face of the Mountain Sumeru, one can understand the nature of the entire mountain, in the same way, by properly understanding this verse from Visnu Purana, one will be able to know the actual nature of Lord Krsna's appearance in the material world.

TEXT 83

An explanation of the verses from Mahabharata quoted in Text 56 follows:

In these verses the word "udvavarhe" means that the Lord appears by His own mystic potency. The word "ca" (also) refers the reader to the demigods prayers recorded in the previous verses.

TEXT 84

The word "api" (even) in connection with the word "udvavarhe" (manifested) ("Even if Krsna and Balarama had appeared from Lord Visnu") indicate that in reality Vasudeva and Sankarsana are emanations of Krsna and Balarama.

TEXT 85

An intricate sequence of events is hinted by the use of the phrase "tau capi (the two of them, also,)" in this passage from the Mahabharata. First, Vasudeva and Sankarsana (purusa-incarnations) entered the wombs of Devaki and Rohini. Then, Krsna and Balarama (the original forms of Vasudeva and Sankarsana) entered the wombs of Devaki and Rohini "also". Then, within the womb of Devaki, Vasudeva and Krsna joined to become a single Krsna and within Rohini's womb Sankarsana and Balarama joined to become a single Balarama. In this way the word "api" (also) refers to the joining of Krsna-Vasudeva and Balarama-Sankarsana. In other words, Lord Krsna sent His immediate visnu-tattva expansions into the material world before He personally came and when he personally came, He and His visnu-tattva forms became united into a single form. This is confirmed in the following statements:

1. "tayor eko balabhadro babhuva" (the two of Them then became one Balarama). 2. "nara-narayano bhavet. harir eva bhaven narah" ( Nara-Narayana Rsis joined to become a single Lord Hari).

TEXT 86

Another meaning of this passage from the Mahabharata which explains that Krsna appears as a "kesa" is that "Kesava" is specifically the name of Lord Krsna when He appears as the monarch of Mathura. In this way, the passage from the Mahabharata may be paraphrased: " The original Krsna then appeared in His feature as Kesava (the monarch of Mathura)."

TEXT 87

In the (S.B 2.7.26) Lord Krsna is described as sita-krsna-kesa." This does not mean that Krsna is an incarnation of a black hair from Lord Visnu. The actual explanation of this word is found in the Nrsimha Purana, where the Lord explains : "sita-krsne ca mac-chakti" (I appear in many visnu-tattva forms, which have complexions of white, black and many other colors).

TEXT 88

Because this phrase from the Bhagavatam (sita-krsna-kesah) is somewhat ambiguous, the Bhagavatam should not be considered faulty. The phrase from the Bhagavatam describing Krsna's bewilderment when Salva tricked Him (evam vadanti rajarse) is described as an explanation given by some ages. In other words, although Krsna is never actually bewildered, some sages said that He was bewildered on that occasion. Therefore the statements of the Bhagavatam sometimes contain the opinions of certain sages according to their partial understanding. Sometimes the Original Personality of Godhead chooses to conceal Himself and He appears to be something that He actually is not. Because the Lord sometimes does not reveal His actual nature, therefore it is said that the sages describe Him according to their realization. In other words, the opinions of the sages sometimes present an incomplete view of the Supreme Lord. It is possible to interpret this Bhagavatam verse (2.7.26) (which describes the "sita-krsna-kesah") as such a partial understanding even though it is recorded in the Bhagavatam.

TEXT 89

Lord Krsna is therefore the Original Personality of Godhead and the phrase "kalaya sita-krsna-kesah" means The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who expands as the white and black purusa-incarnations (Lord Sankarsana and Lord Vasudeva)."

TEXT 90

According to the description of Lord Krsna's advent found in the Hari-vamsa (and quoted in Text 59 of this anuccheda), all the potencies of Lord Narayana are present within the form of Lord Krsna. Actually, all the forms of the Personality of Godhead are present within the original form of Krsna.

TEXT 91

The Padma Purana Uttara-khanda explains:

nrsimha-rama-krsnesu sad-gunya-paripuranam

" The six opulences of wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation are fully present in the forms of Lord Nrsimha, Rama and Krsna."

Although all the forms of the Personality of Godhead fully display these six opulences, these three forms are singled out as especially displaying them. Because the most significant word "nrsimha-rama-krsnesu" is a dvandva-compound and because the most important word is generally placed at the end of a compound-word, we may conclude that because Krsna is placed at the end of this compound, He is the most important of all the forms of the Lord.

This is confirmed in the Visnu Purana, where Maitreya Muni asks Parasara Muni why Jaya and Vijaya, although killed by the hands of Lord Nrsimha, Lord Varaha and other forms of the Lord, did not attain liberation, although they both became liberated when killed by the hands of Krsna. To answer this question, Parasara Muni described Lord Krsna's supreme position among all the forms of the Personality of Godhead and His supreme opulence and power.

TEXT 92

Generally speaking, demons cannot attain liberation unless they attain the personal association of Lord Krsna.

TEXT 93

This is described in the following verses of Bhagavad-gita (16.19-20), where Lord Krsna repeats the word "eva" (certainly) twice to emphasize the point:

TEXT 94

" Those who are envious and mischievous, who are lowest among men, are cast by Me into the ocean of material existence, into various demoniac species of life.

TEXT 95

" Attaining repeated birth amongst the species of demoniac life, such persons can never approach Me. Gradually they sink down to the most abominable type of existence."

TEXT 96

According to the descriptions of the Vedic literatures, although the enemies of the Supreme Lord attain liberation by constantly thinking of the Lord or by inadvertantly serving Him in some capacity, generally they do not all become liberated simply by associating with the Lord or being killed by Him. By killing and liberating these demons, Lord Krsna reveals His transcendental opulence, greater than the opulences of any other form of the Personality of Godhead. These statments are all confirmed by the explanations spoken by Parasara Mui and recorded in the Visnu Purana.

TEXT 97

When Lord Krsna considered how Putana and other demons had already become liberated, He began to suspect that perhaps Kalanemi and the other remaining demons would not attain liberation. This possibility became completely intolerable for the Lord. This astonishing transcendental nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsna, is described by Parsara Muni at the end of his prose description of the Lord's opulence. Parasara said (Visnu Purana 4.15.9):

TEXT 98

" The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsna, freely gave liberation to the demons who, although full of hatred for Him, somehow became immersed in remembering Him or talking about Him. If the Lord gave to these demons liberation, which is ordinarily very difficult for them, or even for the demigods or anyone else to achieve, then how shall we be able to describe the benediction He gave to the pure devotees full of love for Him ? "

TEXT 99

The Srimad Bhagavatam explains that Jaya and Vijaya were cursed to take three births as demons. We may note in this connection that they were ultimately liberated by Krsna. Their liberation was possible only from the hand of Krsna and not from any other form of the Lord.

TEXT 100

Even demons who are killed by Lord Krsna, or who think of Him at the time of death in a spirit of emnity, attain liberation. This is confirmed by Narada Muni in the following verse of S.B. (11.5.48):

"Kings like Sisupala, Paundraka and Salva meditated in envy upon the movements, playful gestures, glances and other attractions displayed by Lord Krsna. Thus fixing their minds while engaged in lying down, sitting and in all activities, they attained a status equal to His. How then to compare with those whose minds are naturally attached to Him in a favourable mood ? "

It is also confirmed by Lord Brahma in these words (S.B. 2.7.34):

"All demonic personalities like Pralamba, Dhenuka, Baka, Kesi, Arista, Canura, Mustika, Kuvalayapida elephant, Kamsa, Yavana, Narakasura and Paundraka, great marshals like Salva, Dvivida monkey and Balvala, Dantavakra, the seven bulls, Sambara, Viduratha and Rukmi, as also great warriors like Kamboja, Matsya, Kuru, Srnjaya and Kekaya, would all fight vigorously,e either with the Lord Hari directly or with Him under His names of Baladeva, Arjuna, Bhima, etc. And the demons, thus being killed, would attain either the impersonal brahmajyoti or His personal abode in the Vaikuntha planets."

By His own transcendental potency, Lord Krsna can grant liberation to anyone, regardless of how they think of Him. It is only Lord Krsna who will always grant liberation to the demons killed by Him. If one is thinking of Lord Krsna, even adversely, at the time of death, he will certainly become liberated. If one hatefully thinks of any other from of the Lord at the time of death, lhe may not necessarily become liberated. For example, the demon Vena was unabel to think of the form of Sri Krsna at the time of his death, and therefore the demon did not attain liberation. One who, at the time of his death meditated on the Personality of Godhead in a spirit of animosity is only assured of liberation if the object of his meditation is specifically the form of Sri Krsna.

TEXT 101

Because libration is attainable even for one who remebers the form of Sri Krsna, even in a spirit of animosity, i is said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.1.33)

"Therefore one must somehow think of Krsna, whether in a friendly way, or inimically."

TEXT 102

From lthese statements we may conslude that Lord Krsna is the maser of the most wonderful transcendental potency.

TEXT 103

By answering all objections and by giving the proper interpretation of thoe scriptural passages, which when misinterpreted cover the actual meaning of the Vedic literatures, I have firmly established the fact that Lord Krsna is the Original Form of the Personality of Godhead.

TEXT 104

Someone may object: By speaking only a few arguments, you have attempted to refute the great mass of evidence against your theory. I cannot believe your conclusion. To this I reply: In the Vedanta-sutra and other Vedic literatures many lengthy arfuments are refuted in a few words. The length of an argument is not the criterion of whether it is true or not. Even in the material world we may see an example of this, for sometimes a single strong fighter may defeat a thousand soldiers in the battle. In the same way a single strong argument may defeat thousands of illogical words. All of your arguments are defeated by Lord Krsna Himself, for he describes Himself as the ultimate fmeaning of all the Vedic literatures in the following words (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.21.42-43):

TEXT 105

"What is the direction of all Vedic literatures? On whom do they set focus? Who is the purpose of all speculation? Outside of me no one knows these things. Now you should know that all these activities are aimed at ordaining and setting forth Me. The purpose of Vedic literature is to know Me by different speculations, either by indirect understanding or by dictionary understanding. Everyone is speculationg about Me."

Sarva samvadini Comment That Lord Krsna is not an incarnation of one of Lord Visnu's hairs , but is directly the original Supreme Personality of Godhead is also confirmed in the following statement of the Hari-vamsa: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead,Lord Hari, Whom even the demigods cannot approach, then appeared in that mountain cave in His primeval original transcendental form. After being worshipped by Brahma, Siva,and Visnu, the magnanimous Supreme Lord appeared within the home of Maharaj Vasudeva."

English witness · section(s) 30

Anuccheda 30

TEXT 1 Our paribhasa-sutra (krsna tu bhagavan svayam) now appears as a great heroic king who has just defeated hundreds of enemies in the form of opposing arguments and completely brought them under his submission to the great delight of all onlookers. I shall now bring into view the multitude of arguments that forms the footsoldiers, cavalry,chariot warriors and elephant-riding warriors of his army. The first division of that army consists of the arguments to prove that Sri Krsna is the the origin of all lila-avatars (pastime incarnations). At the beginning of this division is the following verse spoken by the demigods to Lord Krsna (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.2.40):

TEXT 2 "O supreme controller , Your Lordship previously accepted incarnations as a fish , a horse , a tortoise, Narasimhadeva, a boar , a swan , Lord Ramachandra , Parasurama and, among the demigods ,Vamanadeva , to protect the entire world by your mercy .Now please protect us again by Your mercy by diminishing the disturbances in this world. O Krsna, best of the Yadus, we respectfully offer our obeisances unto you."

English witness · section(s) 31

Anuccheda 31

This is confirmed in the following verse spoken by Brahma to Lord Krsna (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.14.20): "O Original Personality of Godhead, O creator of the entire cosmic manifestation , although You never take birth You nevertheless appear among the demigods, sages, human beings, animals, and demons, and bestow Your mercy to the saintly devotees."