Srimad Bhagavatam – 1.14.35-36 | HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj | ISKCON Chennai | May 19, 2025 |
Om Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya
Om Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya
Om Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya
nama om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine
namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracharine
nirvishesha-shunyavadi-pashchatya-desha-tarine
jaya sri-krishna-chaitanya
prabhu nityananda
sri-adwaita gadadhara
shrivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Reading from Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 1 Chapter 14 Verse 35-36.
ŚB 1.14.35-36
maṅgalāya ca lokānāṁ
āste yadu-kulāmbhodhāv
yad bāhu-daṇḍa-guptāyāṁ
sva-puryāṁ yadavo ’rcitāḥ
krīḍanti paramānandaṁ
mahā-pauruṣikā iva
Synonyms
maṅgalāya — for all good; ca — also; lokānām — of all the planets; kṣemāya — for protection; ca — and; bhavāya — for elevation; ca — also; āste — is there; yadu-kula-ambhodhau — in the ocean of the Yadu dynasty; ādyaḥ — the original; ananta-sakhaḥ — in the company of Ananta (Balarāma); pumān — the supreme enjoyer; yat — whose; bāhu-daṇḍa-guptāyām — being protected by His arms; sva-puryām — in His own city; yadavaḥ — the members of the Yadu family; arcitāḥ — as they deserve; krīḍanti — are relishing; parama-ānandam — transcendental pleasure; mahā-pauruṣikāḥ — the residents of the spiritual sky; iva — like.
Translation
The original Personality of Godhead, the enjoyer, and Balarāma, the primeval Lord Ananta, are staying in the ocean of the Yadu dynasty for the welfare, protection and general progress of the entire universe. And the members of the Yadu dynasty, being protected by the arms of the Lord, are enjoying life like the residents of the spiritual sky.
Purport
As we have discussed many times, the Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, resides within each and every universe in two capacities, namely as the Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and the Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. The Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu has His own planet on the northern top of the universe, and there is a great ocean of milk where the Lord resides on the bed of the Ananta incarnation of Baladeva. Thus Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira has compared the Yadu dynasty to the Ocean of Milk and Śrī Balarāma to the Ananta where Lord Kṛṣṇa resides. He has compared the citizens of Dvārakā to the liberated inhabitants of the Vaikuṇṭhalokas. Beyond the material sky, further than we can see with our eyes and beyond the sevenfold coverings of the universe, there is the Causal Ocean in which all the universes are floating like footballs, and beyond the Causal Ocean there is an unlimited span of spiritual sky generally known as the effulgence of Brahman. Within this effulgence there are innumerable spiritual planets, and they are known as the Vaikuṇṭha planets. Each and every Vaikuṇṭha planet is many, many times bigger than the biggest universe within the material world, and in each of them there are innumerable inhabitants who look exactly like Lord Viṣṇu. These inhabitants are known as the Mahā-pauruṣikas, or persons directly engaged in the service of the Lord. They are happy in those planets and are without any kind of misery, and they live perpetually in full youthfulness, enjoying life in full bliss and knowledge without fear of birth, death, old age or disease, and without the influence of kāla, eternal time. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira has compared the inhabitants of Dvārakā to the Mahā-pauruṣikas of Vaikuṇṭhaloka because they are so happy with the Lord. In the Bhagavad-gītā there are many references to the Vaikuṇṭhalokas, and they are mentioned there as mad-dhāma, or the kingdom of the Lord.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj:
Here, Yudhishthira is describing Krishna as the Supreme Lord. And thus, he uses the word ‘pumān’ which means like Purusha. And he uses the word ‘ādyaḥ’ which means number one or first. So from this we understand that the Supreme Lord has a form. Somewhat similar to a human form. At the same time, he is very different. We don’t call normal people number one or first because they have temporary bodies. Nor can we call any of the Jivas beyond their bodies as first. They are all Jivas, they are all equal.
So how do we know there is some other person other than all the Jivas? We have to go to scripture. So Bhagavatam, Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, Vedas, all speak of the number one person. And of course in Brahma Samhita we have Adi Purusha. Of no first. But he is first in the sense that he is independent, no one is above him. And everyone else is below him, under his control. So, of course we see that in the course we cannot say first in the sense of time because the Lord is eternal, there is scriptures it describes how the Lord creates. But even though he creates, he does not create Jivas. Jivas are also eternal. So we cannot also ask when did the first Jiva appear, they are eternal, so there is no first appearance.
So what is the difference between the Lord and the Jivas? They are very similar. But at the same time, different. So the Lord controls all the Jivas. So that’s why we say all the Jivas are ‘nitya krsna das’, eternally, they are subservient to the Lord. So this indicates the supreme position of the Lord. And these Jivas are eternal, they are also real. So they don’t disappear at a certain time. They are not illusory. So we have a clear distinction between the Lord and the Jivas.
Though the Lord is supreme and controls all the Jivas, He has another relationship with them besides being a controller. And that is, He cares for the Jivas. Of course, sometimes it is described that the Lord is simply the witness. So for instance, we have in Svetasvatara Upanishad, the example of two birds in a tree. And one bird, the Supreme Lord is in the tree but He is not eating the fruit, the other bird is the Jiva who is eating the fruit. So the one bird is not enjoying the fruit, is looking at the other bird but not really doing anything. Of course it is also said that this witness, the Supreme Lord also helps the Jiva fulfill his material desires. However, He also does more than that.
But the form who does more than that is not Paramatma witness, but Bhagavan. So Bhagavan takes care of those living entities who become devotees. So therefore in this verse it says, yes He is the Adipurusha, Adyapuman. But He is producing Mangala, kṣemā and Bhava for the people in this world. Of course some of it is indirect. So, He acts through Devatas and the Devatas give prosperity to the Jivas, particularly human beings, in the material world. But then the Lord also acts in relation to devotees. And what does He do? He encourages the Jivas to take to Bhakti Yoga and attain Prema. And then they attain positions just like the inhabitants of Dwaraka.
So here the inhabitants of Dwaraka are called ‘mahā pauruṣikāḥ’. So ‘pauruṣikāḥ’comes from Purusha. So the Maha-purusha of course is Supreme Lord. But those who serve the Supreme Lord are the ‘mahā-pauruṣikāḥ’. In the spiritual world, they eternally serve. And those who are in Dwaraka, are also eternally serving the Lord. And Jivas in the material world, if they get the mercy of the Lord and the devotees, then they can also attain similar position. And like those inhabitants of the spiritual world, the Jivas from the material world get very similar qualities.
So, in the purport, Prabhupada mentions, these persons are free from material miseries. They don’t have birth and death, old age or disease. They do not suffer the effects of time and karma. So this is an eternal situation for the people of the spiritual world. But such descriptions, of course are rather negative, because they are only saying, they don’t suffer like people of the material world. So as well as being free of all of the problems of the material world, those people of the spiritual world also have eternal bliss. Some people may argue, bliss means absence of suffering. But scripture says bliss arises from rasa. And what is rasa? Rasa is relationship with the Supreme Lord.
So the Jivas in the spiritual world have a loving relationship with the Lord and through that, they get bliss. So there is no question of material suffering, birth, death etc… But more than that, they are fixed in this eternal rasa with eternal bliss. This eternal bliss etc. is a reflection of the Lord’s eternal bliss. The essential quality of the Lord in the Spiritual world is Ananda. How does the Lord experience Ananda? Through rasa also. So who does He establish rasa with? So we can say well, He has all these forms in the spiritual world, He can have rasa with his own forms. But that’s true and therefore we say the Lord is ‘Atmarama’, He enjoys inHimself. But the Lord establishes relationships with the Jivas in the spiritual world, that gives rise to greater bliss. So, by the mercy of the Lord, the Jiva is such by his nature that he can also experience bliss like the Lord.
Of course, in the material world, the Jiva does not experience bliss. And of course we know what is bliss? Bliss is Hladini Shakti. That’s part of the internal energy of the Lord. Jiva is different, he is Tatastha Shakti. So technically the Jiva, just as Jiva is not blissful. However,by practicing Bhakti, then the Hladini Shakti manifests in the Jiva. This qualifies the Jiva for the spiritual world. So the Jiva in the spiritual world has a portion of the Cit Shakti, that is Hladini and Samvit Shaktis, so it’s Jiva, Tatastha Shakti plus a little bit of Cit Shakti, internal energy. And because of that Hladini Shakti in the Jiva that he experiences bliss. So, this bliss becomes natural to the Jiva in the spiritual world. In the material world, Jiva does not have the Hladini Shakti. Hladini Shakti only operates in relation to Supreme Lord. So as long as the Jiva in the material world, refuses to accept the relationship with the Lord, could not get that Hladini Shakti. But when the Jiva recognizes the Lord and begins to serve Him favourably, then that Hladini Shakti becomes manifest in the Jiva. So, the Lord appears in this material world and one of the purposes is to encourage the Jivas to develop that Bhakti. In this way He acts for the auspiciousness of the Jivas.
Hare Krsna!
Q&A
1) You are saying that Rasa is like a relationship with the Lord, Ahkila rasa and the Lord is a personification of the Rasa , raso vai saḥ , but when the Lord enjoys the Rasa, He enjoys His own energy only, which is His Hladini Shakti but it is endowed in the Jiva. So He is enjoying his own energy only, not the Jiva, because He is touching the Jiva here.
Of course, internal energy is non-different from the Lord, tatastha shakti is also non-different from the Lord [Laughs]. Bheda, abheda Prakash, even Prakriti is not different from the Lord ultimately [Laughs]. Nevertheless, it is also Bheda, we make distinctions between the Lord and his Shakti. So it is different and non-different, the Shakti is non-different and different from the Lord. However, with the external energy, material energy, we call it Bahiranga, its relationship is quite distant. The internal energy, Antaranga Shakti, is very close to the Lord it is inseparable from the Lord, it is always within the spiritual world. Therefore, we separate the two worlds, the spiritual world and the material world and keep them separate. So, Tatastha Shakti is in between [Laughs] but, through the process of Bhakti, that Tatastha Shakti also gets a little bit of the internal energy, so it goes close to the Lord. So this allows the Jivas in the spiritual world to have a very close relationship with the Lord.
2) Can we understand that Antaranga Shakti is in front of the Lord, Bahiranga Shakti is in the back side of the Lord ?
In the first Canto of Bhagavatam, Vedavyasa sees the external energy standing behind the Lord [Laughs]. This indicates the inferiority of the Bahiranga Shakti. Unlike the Jiva, it has no consciousness so there is no possibility of rasa with matter. Of course, with Jivas there is possibility, but some Jivas don’t, no relationship also. But, with the internal energy which manifests Vaikuntha, Goloka and the form of the Lord, name of the Lord, pastimes of the Lord etc., we can say, the Lord is always involved with that.
3) Hare Krishna Maharaj. So Maharaj the happiness or bliss that the Lord experiences either within Himself or in relationship with the Jivas is of the same nature, because it is originating from Hladini Shakti?
We often use that word Atmarama to describe a more peaceful state, like Brahman realization. So when the jiva realizes he is atma and disconnects himself from material energy then he is called Atmarama. Is there bliss in that state? In one sense we can say, yes. So, freedom from material misery is one type of bliss [Laughs]. The jiva is completely separate from this misidentification so he is in a natural state so its is blissful in one sense. Of course, it is explained that this state of Brahman, of course
it is prominently in ‘Sat’ but there is a little portion of Ananda, ‘Cit’ also. But in realizing Bhagavan, then the ‘Ananda’ becomes most prominent experience.
4) Maharaj, in the context of the verse, bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir, by each morsel of a food, there is nourishment, satisfaction, etc. So under which Shakti these are all categorized, Maharaj?
So this is in reference to Bhakti. So Bhakti actually is composed of Hladini and Samvit Shaktis. So by performing Bhakti, then the natural function of the Atma manifests completely. So therefore, we get satisfaction, nourishment, etc, it’s a natural result of the Jiva incorporating Bhakti. If the Jiva practices Jnana or Yoga, they don’t get the same result. They get free of Karma and suffering. But where is the real satisfaction, nourishment [Laughs]? It’s not there.
5) Does the Causal Ocean mean Viraja-nadi (Viraja river)?
Yeah, that’s the usual term we use. It’s described that Mahavishnu is residing in the Causal Ocean. So this is more or less, we can say, a border between the material world and the spiritual world. Within that Causal Ocean, then we get all the universes appearing, which is the material realm. And beyond the Causal Ocean, then we get the spiritual world. So the material universes don’t enter into that portion at all.
6) Atma, by nature, is Sac-cid-ānanda Vigraha. So what is the role of this Sac-cid and ānanda? Because again, Hladini and Samvit Shakti is manifested in the Prema stage.
So we say the Atma is Sac-cid-ānanda, but that’s a very general term. It’s obvious that the Jiva is eternal, so he is Sat. He is Cit, so he is conscious. But in the material world, the Jiva is under ignorance. So we can’t say the Jiva is full of all knowledge and bliss in the material world, because he has ignorance instead of knowledge. But that ‘Cit’ aspect of the Jiva’s consciousness manifests as material knowledge. Jivas in the material world don’t have bliss. Under ignorance, they don’t even recognize the Lord, so bliss arises from rasa. There’s no rasa with the Lord, so how can you get bliss?
However, the jiva never gives up his intrinsic nature of being a bhokta, an experiencer. So what does he experience in the material world? Material happiness. But also material suffering, both [laughs]. So even the sat aspect is there, but jiva in the material world doesn’t even realize he is ‘Sat’, because he experiences birth and death. So in the material world, all of these aspects are covered over. By Jnana, you can realize the ‘Sat’ aspect. By yoga, you can realize the ‘Cit’ aspect to some degree. And only by bhakti, then we get the ‘Ananda’.
7) Is Hladini shakti also present as maya shakti within the jiva?
Hladini shakti is internal energy, maya shakti is external, they’re different.
8) Is Hladini and Samvit manifest at the same time in prema stage?
They begin to manifest in bhava stage. So this is explained in the first part of Nectar of Devotion. In describing sadhana, it says ultimately you get to the stage of bhava, which is composed of vishuddha sattva and this means, in the commentary, hladini and samvit shakti.
9) What is stopping jiva from accepting the statements of scriptures as it is and become fully convinced without experiencing it?
Well, you can only approach and accept scripture if you have faith. Even then, people have faith in the Vedas, they may have faith only in karma kanda. So there are different types of faiths, and ultimately if we have faith in bhakti scriptures, then we take to the process of bhakti.
How do we get the faith? It does not arise by karma, it does not arise by punya. It will arise by mercy of devotees.
10) What is the role of Varnashrama in a devotee’s life?
Well, if we look in Nectar of Devotion, Rupa Goswami says Varnashrama is not an anga of bhakti. So it’s not part of bhakti at all. So it is also described in many places in scripture, if one is practicing pure bhakti, then he is no longer obliged to follow regular dharmas. So bhakti does not depend on Varnashrama. And if we think it does, then we have mixed bhakti. This does not mean that we have to completely reject that system. But its rules should never interfere with the rules of bhakti. So we should never fear that if we reject some of those rules that we become sinful. Of course, some of the rules of bhakti are the same as the rules of Varnashrama. So we have non-violence in both systems. We have control of the mind and senses in both systems. But the goal of the Varnashrama system is explicitly material. In itself, it doesn’t even give liberation what to speak of Prema?
11) Is cit shakti and hladini shakti the same?
Cit shakti means antaranga shakti. This is the spiritual shakti. It has divisions like Hladini, Samvit, Sandhini, etc. Cit shakti, another name is antaranga shakti. Another name is svarupa shakti.
12) Tathastha jiva enjoys a rasa in spiritual world. Is it predetermined or it is purely by cultivation through association?
So, it is described in Nectar of Devotion that if you practice bhakti, then the Sthayi bhava manifests as hladini and samvit shaktis in bhava stage. So it is described as manifesting in the heart. But it is also said to be eternal. But it was not in the heart, it manifested in the heart.
So how is it eternal? So it is like Krishna. Krishna manifests in the material world, but he is in the spiritual world eternally. So the bhava or Hladini Samvit shakti is nitya siddha it is not created. But by practicing bhakti in bhava stage, it manifests in the jiva. But as I said, it is actually Cit shakti it is different. It is not tathastha shakti. It is different.
13) Mostly material distraction is breaking our internal remembrance of the Lord. What we should do to avoid this? How to avoid?
Well, the process of bhakti is to develop spiritual attraction instead of material attraction. So the object of attraction is Supreme Lord. And we’re allowed to use our material senses, such as the eye, the ear, the tongue, etc. However, in the process of doing that, if we have faith and devotion, then we develop spiritual perception and spiritual taste. So, the more we develop spiritual taste, the less taste we have for everything in the material world.
Devotees: Grantharaj Srimad Bhagavatham Ki Jai!!! HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj Ki Jai!!!