20211108 Three Principal Forms of Bhagavān 1-svayaṁ-rūpa

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on November 08th, 2021 in Sri Dhama Mayapur, India.

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram

Hariḥ oṁ tat sat!

Hare Kṛṣṇa! Dear Devotees! Today we will continue with the compilation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Today's chapter is entitled as:

Three Principal Forms of Bhagavān 1. Svayaṁ-rūpa

Under the section: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Instructs Sanātana Gosvāmī in the Science of the Absolute Truth

Introduction: Today is the tirobhāva-tīthī of His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. We are compiling this Caitanya book to satisfy His Divine Grace and in the beginning the book had many parts, so we compiled six or seven, eight works of Lord Caitanya. In the last section it is mainly Caitanya-caritāmṛta and couple of other books like the Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka and now we are proceeding with the forms of Bhagavān, Lord Caitanya instructed to Sanātana Gosvāmī and we offer our humble obeisances to His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.165

ekai kṛṣṇera trividha rūpa—

(a) svayaṁ-rūpa, (b) tadekātma-rūpa o (c) āveśa-rūpa —

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

Translation: “The Supreme Personality of Godhead exists in three principal forms — svayaṁ-rūpa, tad-ekātma-rūpa and āveśa-rūpa.

Purport: Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has described the svayaṁ-rūpa in his Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta, Pūrva-khaṇḍa, verse 12: ananyāpekṣi yad rūpaṁ svayaṁ-rūpaḥ sa ucyate. “The form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead that does not depend on other forms is called the svayaṁ-rūpa, the original form.” This form is also described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (1.3.28). “Kṛṣṇa is the original form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” That Kṛṣṇa’s form as a cowherd boy in Vṛndāvana is the original form of the Personality of Godhead (svayaṁ-rūpa) is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.1):

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam

There is nothing superior to Govinda. He is the ultimate source and the cause of all causes. This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.7), where the Lord says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat: “There is no truth superior to Me.”

The tad-ekātma-rūpa forms are also described in the Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta (Pūrva-khaṇḍa, verse 14):

yad rūpaṁ tad-abhedena
svarūpeṇa virājate
ākṛtyādibhir anyādṛk
sa tad-ekātma-rūpakaḥ

“The tad-ekātma-rūpa forms exist simultaneously with the svayaṁ-rūpa form and are nondifferent. At the same time, their bodily features and specific activities appear to be different.”

The tad-ekātma-rūpa forms are divided into two categories — svāṁśa and vilāsa.

Lord Kṛṣṇa’s āveśa forms are also explained in the Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta (Pūrva 18):

jñāna-śakty-ādi-kalayā
yatrāviṣṭo janārdanaḥ
ta āveśā nigadyante
jīvā eva mahattamāḥ

“A living entity who is specifically empowered by the Lord with knowledge or strength is technically called āveśa-rūpa.”

As stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Antya 7.11), kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nahe tāra pravartana: Unless a devotee is specifically empowered by the Lord, he cannot preach the holy name of the Lord all over the world. This is an explanation of the word āveśa-rūpa.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the three forms of Bhagavān is mentioned svayaṁ-rūpa, tad-ekātma-rūpa and the āveśa-rūpa. So, we are directed directly to the svayaṁ-rūpa of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.166

(a) ‘svayaṁ-rūpa’—dvividha ;

(1) ‘svayaṁ-rūpa’ vrajendranandana o (2) ‘svayaṁ-prakāśa’:—

‘svayaṁ-rūpa’ ‘svayaṁ-prakāśa’—dui rūpe sphūrti
svayaṁ-rūpe—eka ’kṛṣṇa’ vraje gopa-mūrti

Translation: “The original form of the Lord [svayaṁ-rūpa] is exhibited in two forms — svayaṁ-rūpa and svayaṁ-prakāśa. In His original form as svayaṁ-rūpa, Kṛṣṇa is observed as a cowherd boy in Vṛndāvana.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the original form of Kṛṣṇa is in Goloka Vṛndāvana, but He also another form called svayaṁ-prakāśa which is non-different from His form in Vṛndāvana.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.167

kṛṣṇa-svarūpera ṣaḍ-vidha vilāsera madhye (2) svayaṁ-prakāśa dvividha,

(a) prābhava o (b) vaibhava; tanmadhye (a) prābhava-prakāśa- rūpe bahurūpe līlā vā vilāsa—yathā rāse, yathā mahiṣī-vivāhe —

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

Translation: “In His original form, Kṛṣṇa manifests Himself in two features — prābhava and vaibhava. He expands His one original form into many, as He did during the rāsa-līlā dance.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, we can see that this is a science how the Lord expands Himself in different forms and which forms are non-different and which forms are non-different but somewhat different.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.168

mahiṣī-vivāhe haila bahu-vidha murti
‘prābhava prakāśa’—ei śāstra-parasiddhi

Translation: “When the Lord married 16,108 wives at Dvārakā, He expanded Himself into many forms and the expansions at the rāsa dance are called prābhava-prakāśa, according to the directions of revealed scriptures.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, we can see that the prābhava-prakāśa forms appear completely identical with His original form.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.169

tāṅhārā ātmārāmerao manohārī, kakhanai prākṛta nahena —

saubhary-ādi-prāya sei kāya-vyūha naya
kāya-vyūha haile nāradera vismaya nā haya

Translation: “The prābhava-prakāśa expansions of Lord Kṛṣṇa are not like the expansions of the sage Saubhari. Had they been so, Nārada would not have been astonished to see them.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the yogi expands Himself into eight forms and still one consciousness. So all the forms are experiencing the same emotions. When Nārada saw the different expansions of Kṛṣṇa with the different queens of Dvārakā, each one was manifesting some independent mood, therefore Kṛṣṇa's expansions are unique and not like the expansions of the yogīs.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.170

Śrīmad-Bhāgavate (10.69.2)—

citraṁ bataitad ekena
vapuṣā yugapat pṛthak
gṛheṣu dvy-aṣṭa-sāhasraṁ
striya eka udāvahat

Translation: “‘It is astounding that Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is one without a second, expanded Himself in sixteen thousand similar forms to marry sixteen thousand queens in their respective homes.’

Purport: This verse is spoken by Nārada Muni in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.69.2).

Jayapatākā Swami: Since sādhu śāstra and guru are the standard for understanding and since śāstra is the basis so this verse where Nārada Muni felt astounding that Kṛṣṇa had expanded Himself into sixteen thousand one hundred and eight forms although similar but each one was manifesting a different mood or different activity.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.171

(b) vaibhava-prakāśera saṁjñā:—

sei vapu, sei ākṛti pṛthak yadi bhāse
bhāvāveśa-bhede nāma ‘vaibhava-prakāśe’

Translation: “If one form or feature is differently manifested according to different emotional features, it is called vaibhava-prakāśa.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.172

ekai aṁśī kṛṣṇera asaṁkhya prābhava o vaibhava-prakāśe acintya-śakti-hetu paraspare nāma-rūpādi-vaicitrya —

ananta prakāśe kṛṣṇera nāhi mūrti-bheda
ākāra-varṇa-astra-bhede nāma-vibheda

Translation: “When the Lord expands Himself in innumerable forms, there is no difference in the forms, but due to different features, bodily colors and weapons, the names are different.

Jayapatākā Swami: Actually, each form of Kṛṣṇa has the same power but there may be some slight differences in their appearances. So that Kṛṣṇa has unlimited powers, He can simultaneously manifest in multiple unlimited forms.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.173

Śrīmad-Bhāgavate (10.40.7)—

anye ca saṁskṛtātmāno
vidhinābhihitena te
yajanti tvan-mayās tvāṁ
vai bahu-mūrty eka-mūrtikam

Translation: “‘In different Vedic scriptures, there are prescribed rules and regulative principles for worshiping different types of forms. When one is purified by these rules and regulations, he worships You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although manifested in many forms, You are one.’

Purport: This verse is quoted from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.40.7). In the Vedas it is stated that the one becomes many (eko bahu syām). The Supreme Personality of Godhead expands Himself in various forms — viṣṇu-tattva, jīva-tattva and śakti-tattva.

According to the Vedic literatures, there are different regulative principles for the worship of each of these forms. If one takes advantage of the Vedic literatures and purifies himself by following the rules and regulations, ultimately he worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.11): mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ. Worship of the demigods is in a sense worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but such worship is said to be avidhi-pūrvakam, improper. Actually demigod worship is meant for unintelligent men. One who is intelligent considers the words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead: sarva dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. One who worships demigods worships the Supreme Lord indirectly, but according to the revealed scriptures, there is no need to worship Him indirectly. One can worship Him directly.

Jayapatākā Swami: Since the demigods are appointed authorities by Kṛṣṇa to manage the affairs of the universe. if one worships the demigods indirectly, they are worshipping Kṛṣṇa, but actually people want some temporary results, so they worship the demigods. So as they are looking fortemporary inferior results they are less intelligent. By worshipping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa we will not achieve any of these temporary results, we will achieve eternal result.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.174

(b) vaibhava prakāśa (1) balarāma —

vaibhava-prakāśa kṛṣṇera—śrī-balarāma
varṇa-mātra-bheda, saba—kṛṣṇera samāna

Translation: “The first manifestation of the vaibhava feature of Kṛṣṇa is Śrī Balarāmajī. Śrī Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa have different bodily colors, but otherwise Śrī Balarāma is equal to Kṛṣṇa in all respects.

Purport: To understand the difference between svayaṁ-rūpa, tad-ekātma-rūpa, āveśa, prābhava and vaibhava, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has given the following description. In the beginning, Kṛṣṇa has three bodily features: (1) svayaṁ-rūpa, as a cowherd boy in Vṛndāvana; (2) tad-ekātma-rūpa, which is divided into svāṁśaka and vilāsa; and (3) āveśa-rūpa. The svāṁśaka, or expansions of the personal potency, are (1) Kāraṇodakaśāyī, Garbhodakaśāyī, Kṣīrodakaśāyī Kṣīrodakaśāyī and (2) incarnations such as the fish, tortoise, boar and Nṛsiṁha. The vilāsa-rūpa has a prābhava division, including Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. There is also a vaibhava division, in which there are twenty-four forms, including the second Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. For each of these, there are three forms; therefore there are twelve forms altogether. These twelve forms constitute the predominant names for the twelve months of the year as well as the twelve tilaka marks on the body. Each of the four Personalities of Godhead expands into two other forms; thus there are eight forms, such as Puruṣottama, Acyuta, etc. The four forms (Vāsudeva, etc.), the twelve (Keśava, etc.), and the eight (Puruṣottama, etc.) all together constitute twenty-four forms. The forms are differently named in accordance with the placement of the weapons They hold in Their four hands.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, here Kṛṣṇa is svayaṁ-rūpa and then He has svayaṁ-prakāśa which is Balarāma, who is equivalent to Kṛṣṇa but in different colour. Then we have Balarāma and His various expansions and how they are expanded is described, which is very technical and one has to study this very carefully to understand how the Supreme Lord is one in many forms.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.175

(2) kṛṣṇarūpī dvibhuja vāsudeva vā devakīnandana,

(3) kṛṣṇarūpī caturbhuja vāsudeva vā devakīnandana —

vaibhava-prakāśa yaiche devakī-tanuja
dvibhuja-svarūpa kabhu, kabhu haya caturbhuja

Translation: “An example of vaibhava-prakāśa is the son of Devakī. He sometimes has two hands and sometimes four hands.

Purport: When Lord Kṛṣṇa took His birth, He appeared outside the womb as four-handed Viṣṇu. Then Devakī and Vasudeva offered their prayers to Him and asked Him to assume His two-handed form. The Lord immediately assumed His two-handed form and ordered that He be transferred to Gokula, on the other side of the river Yamunā.

Jayapatākā Swami: This explains how Kṛṣṇa has both four hands and two hands, born of Vasudeva and Devakī and how He was transferred in the two handed form to Gokula.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.176

ukta caturbhuja—ukta dvibhujerai prakāśa-vigraha —

ye-kāle dvibhuja, nāma—vaibhava-prakāśa
caturbhuja haile, nāma—prābhava-prakāśa

Translation: “When the Lord is two-handed, He is called vaibhava-prakāśa, and when He is four-handed He is called prābhava-prakāśa.

Jayapatākā Swami: In Bengali it mentions as prābhava-vilasa but in the translation it says prābhava-prakāśa. Anyway the Lord assumes different form and each form is non-different from the other and has all the potency of the others.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.177

vrajendranandane gopābhimāna o vāsudeve kṣatriyābhimāna —

svayaṁ-rūpera gopa-veśa, gopa-abhimāna
vāsudevera kṣatriya-veśa, ‘āmi—kṣatriya’-jñāna

Translation: “In His original form, the Lord dresses like a cowherd boy and thinks Himself one. When He appears as Vāsudeva, the son of Vasudeva and Devakī, His dress and consciousness are those of a kṣatriya, a warrior.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Kṛṣṇa in Gokula has a consciousness of a cowherd boy and Kṛṣṇa in Dvārakā has a consciousness of a kṣatriya or a warrior king.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.178

vāsudeva apekṣā nandanandane cāriṭī adhika camatkāritā :—

saundarya, aiśvarya, mādhurya, vaidagdhya-vilāsa
vrajendra-nandane ihā adhika ullāsa

Translation: “When one compares the beauty, opulence, sweetness and intellectual pastimes of Vāsudeva, the warrior, to Kṛṣṇa, the cowherd boy, son of Nanda Mahārāja, one sees that Kṛṣṇa’s attributes are more pleasant.

Jayapatākā Swami: Kṛṣṇa as a cowherd boy is more pleasant than Kṛṣṇa as a kṣatriya, anyway Kṛṣṇa has this variety of consciousness and the six Gosvāmīs are studying these different forms of Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.179

nandanandana-mādhurye vāsudevao mugdha o ākṛṣṭa —

govindera mādhurī dekhi’ vāsudevera kṣobha
se mādhurī āsvādite upajaya lobha

Translation: “Indeed, Vāsudeva is agitated just to see the sweetness of Govinda, and a transcendental greed awakens in Him to enjoy that sweetness.

Jayapatākā Swami: Some pastimes in Dvārakā, Vāsudeva Kṛṣṇa, He saw the form of cowherd boy Kṛṣṇa and He became very attracted to experience the sweetness of that form of Kṛṣṇa

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.180

Lalitā-mādhave (4.19)—

udgīrṇādbhuta-mādhurī-parimalasyābhīra-līlasya me
 dvaitaṁ hanta samīkṣayan muhur asau citrīyate cāraṇaḥ
cetaḥ keli-kutūhalottaralitaṁ satyaṁ sakhe māmakaṁ
 yasya prekṣya svarūpatāṁ vraja-vadhū-sārūpyam anvicchati

Translation: “‘My dear friend, this dramatic actor appears like a second form of My own self. Like a picture, He displays My pastimes as a cowherd boy overflowing with wonderfully attractive sweetness and fragrance, which are so dear to the damsels of Vraja. When I see such a display, My heart becomes greatly excited. I long for such pastimes and desire a form exactly like that of the damsels of Vraja.’

Purport: This verse is found in the Lalita-mādhava (4.19). It was spoken by Vāsudeva in Dvārakā.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Kṛṣṇa in Dvārakā He expresses Himself how He is attracted by the sweetness of Kṛṣṇa as a cowherd boy.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.181

dṛṣṭānta-sthala—mathurāya o dvārakāya —

mathurāya yaiche gandharva-nṛtya-daraśane
punaḥ dvārakāte yaiche citra-vilokane

Translation: “One instance of Vāsudeva’s attraction to Kṛṣṇa occurred when Vāsudeva saw the Gandharva dance at Mathurā. Another instance occurred in Dvārakā when Vāsudeva was surprised to see a picture of Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: When Vāsudeva Kṛṣṇa sees His picture as Yaśodānandana Kṛṣṇa, He gets attracted and so Rādhārānī when She met Kṛṣṇa in Kurukṣetra, She expressed Her desire for Him to return to Gokula.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.182

Lalitā-mādhave (8.34)

aparikalita-pūrvaḥ kaś camatkāra-kārī
 sphuratu mama garīyān eṣa mādhurya-pūraḥ
ayam aham api hanta prekṣya yaṁ lubdha-cetāḥ
 sarabhasam upabhoktuṁ kāmaye rādhikeva

Translation: “‘Who manifests an abundance of sweetness greater than Mine, which has never been experienced before and which causes wonder to all? Alas, I Myself, My mind bewildered upon seeing this beauty, impetuously desire to enjoy it like Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.’

Purport: This verse spoken by Vāsudeva in Dvārakā is also recorded by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī in his Lalita-mādhava (8.34).

Jayapatākā Swami: So, seeing Kṛṣṇa in Dvārakā and in Vṛndāvana but the original form in Vṛndāvana is very sweet sweeter than the sweet sweet, there is a verse which says that Kṛṣṇa in Gokula is madhuram, madhuram, madhuram and in Mathurā He is madhuram madhuram and in Dvārakā He is madhuram. So, Kṛṣṇa in Dvārakā sees the picture of Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana, He becomes attracted, so understanding the science of Kṛṣṇa is something that the six Gosvāmīs gave to the world and thus we see the science of Kṛṣṇa is very elaborate and very wonderful.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Three Principal Forms of Bhagavān 1-svayaṁ-rūpa 
Under the section: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Instructs Sanātana Gosvāmī in the Science of the Absolute Truth