Chapter 1

"I glorify the Gopala-tapani Upanisad. showering the nectar of the Supreme Lord's spiritual form, it delights the devotees." I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Gopala-tapani Upanisad, which is part of the Atharva Veda, and which describes the transcendental form and pastimes of Lord Krsna. I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Krsna, whom theSama Upanisad and Srimad-Bhagavatam proclaim the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The name of Krsna refers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose spiritual form is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss. This is confirmed in the following verse ofMahabharata:

"The word krs is the attractive feature of the Lord's existence, and na means spiritual pleasure. When the verb krs is added to affix na, it becomes "Krsna", which indicates the Absolute Truth." The name Krsna may also be interpreted to mean the perfection of transcendental knowledge and bliss. Lord Krsna's mercy is described in the word "aklita-karine", which means that the Lord rescues the living entities from the five-fold miseries of material existence, and also that the Lord is so kind that He even liberated those demons fortunate enough to be personally killed by Him. The word "vedanta-vedyaya" means that Lord Krsna may be understood only by following the instructions of the Vedas, which lead the follower to liberation. Other so-called spiritual paths will not help one become liberated. The word "gurave" means that the Lord becomes the teacher who enlightens His devotees. The Lord does this by appearing as the Supersoul (buddhi-saksine) in everyone's heart. This is confirmed in the following verses from the Vedic literatures:

"Become My devotee, accept Me as your spiritual master, come to Me and worship Me." "Appearing as the spiritual master in the heart, the Supreme Personality of Godhead reveals the path of spiritual enlightenment." (Srimad-Bhagavatam)

"To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they may come to Me." (Bhagavad-gita 10.11)

"May our heart eternally rest on Govinda, who is full of bliss, the master of unlimited inconceivable transcendental potencies, the witness of everything, the expert protector of the devotees, and the creator of the material world."

"Appearing in this word with Sri Sanatana Gosvami and Srila Rupa Gosvami, and bringing great tidal waves to the ocean of transcendental bliss, may the wonderful and splendid rising moon of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu dispel the darkness within our hearts."

I glorify the Gopala-tapani Upanisad, which to the pious reveals Lord Krsna, the original Personality of Godhead, the Supersoul near to all moving and unmoving creatures. The name "Krsna" is used to describe the Personality of Godhead because His complexion is like a dark atasi flower. This is confirmed in the following verse from the Narayaniya, where the Lord Himself says: krsno varnas ca me yasmattasmat krsno’ham arjuna "O Arjuna, because My complexion is blackish, I am known as Krsna."

The sages here are the Four Kumaras. they phrased their questions in such a way as to elicit the eighteen-syllableGayatri mantra as their father's reply.

The syllable om is used here, as it is generally used in the Vedic hymns, to invoke auspiciousness. The Kumara's first question is "Who is the supremely opulent and worshipable Personality of Godhead, than whom no one is greater or equal?" The subsequent questions all relate to the qualities of the Supreme Person.

The statement that death fears Govinda means that Krsna rescues the living entities from the hands of death. The name Gopijanavallabha means "Krsna, who is very dear to the gopis." By knowing Him, the entire spiritual and material world becomes known. The process of understanding Him is described by Lord Gopjanavallabha Himself in the Bhagavad-gita (18.56):

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead can be understood only by devotional service."

By answering the Kumaras' question in this way, Brahma initiated them in the chanting of the eighteen-syllable Gayatri mantra.

The sages asked these questions to elicit from Brahma a more elaborate description of Lord Krsna's qualities.

The name papa-karsana may also be interpreted to mean: 1. He whose transcendental pastimes attract the minds of even the sinful conditioned souls, or 2. The merciful Supreme Person who liberated Putana, Agha, Kesi and many other demons killed by Him. The name Govinda means the Supreme Lord who is famous to the Surabhi cows of Vraja. He is glorified in the verses of theVedas, and He is famous on the earth because He removed the burden of demoniac kings. Govinda also means He who protects the cows, land and Vedas. Lord Govinda is the Supreme protector, who rescues the living entities from the hands of death. Gopijanavallabha means He who enchants the gopis, who are all manifestations of His hladini potency. Then Lord enchants them with the sweetness His handsomeness and other transcendental qualities, removes their materialism, and grants them ecstatic love for Him. In this way He has become very dear (vallabha) to them. The name svaha means the Lord's potency by which everything is manifested.

The following explanation of the name Krsna is found in the Vedic literatures:

"For they who chant the auspicious holy name of Krsna, millions of grievous sinful reactions become immediately burned to ashes."

"One who chants "Krsna Krsna Krsna" at the time of death becomes eligible for liberation." In the name Gopijanavallabha the gopis are expansions of the Lord's internal potency. This is confirmed in the following verses:

"I worship the Personality of Godhead, Govinda, who, by expansion of His internal potency of transcendental existence, knowledge and bliss, enjoys in His own and expanded forms. ballavyo me madatmikah "The gopis are expansions of My own internal potency." The Lord is glorious in the gopi's association. This is described in Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.33.7):

"Lord Krsna appeared very glorious in the association of the gopis." The sruti describes the Lord as the master of transcendental potencies (Svaha):

"The sages say that Lord Visnu, is the master of all transcendental potencies."

Liberation means freedom from the cycle of birth and death and eternal association with Lord Krsna.

In this text the goal of life is described: By meditating on, glorifying and worshipping Lord Krsna, one becomes liberated.

Devotional service to Krsna and liberation are actually synonymous, this is confirmed in the Padma Purana:

"Pure devotional service to Lord Hari is actual liberation."

Bhakti means engaging the senses in the service of Lord Krsna. This is confirmed in the Narada Pancaratra in the following words:

"One should be free from all material designations, and cleansed of all material contamination. He should be restored to his pure identity, in which he engages his senses in the service of the proprietor of the senses. This is called devotional service. The activities of bhakti are listed in the following way: 1. hearing the Lord's glories, 2. reciting the Lord's glories, 3. remembering the Lord constantly, 4. serving the lotus feet of the Lord, 5. worshipping the Lord, 6. chanting prayers to the Lord, 7. carrying out the orders of the Lord, 8. making friends with the Lord, and 9. surrendering everything to the Lord. As a result of engaging in Lord Krsna's service, one develops intense ecstatic love for Him. This is described in the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam:

"As one becomes advanced in devotional service to the Lord, he becomes ecstatic. The hairs of his body stand on end, and he manifests ecstatic symptoms."

Many brahmanas, following the path of the sastras, worship Krsna. Many others, following of the path of spontaneous love as the residents of Gokula followed it, worship Lord Govinda, the hero of Gokula.

This description of the spiritual world is confirmed by the following verse from the Sanat-Kumara Samhita:

"In the whorl of the lotus flower which is Lord Krsna’s transcendental abode, the Kama Gayatri mantra is written." This is also described in the following mantra:

"I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Vasudeva, the all-pervading Supreme Personality of Godhead who resides in His own transcendental abode, which resembles a lotus flower." This is described in the Padma Purana:

"O Narada, placing the Lord on His altar, I worship Him with prayers, incense ,lamps, arghya and other gifts."

That Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead is confirmed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.3.28):

"Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead."

This is confirmed in Vedanta-sutra:

"The Personality of Godhead reveals Himself to His pure devotees."

The persons desiring opulence in this verse are the four Kumaras' followers, who desire liberation, and Narada's followers, who desire pure devotional service.

The goddesses of fortune here are the gopis. This is described in verses 29 and 56 of the Brahma-samhita:

"Lord Govinda is served with great reverence by hundreds and thousands of gopis."

"The damsels of Vrndavana, the gopis, are super goddesses of fortune."

The goddess of fortune here is srimati Radharani, who is described in the Purusa-bodhini Upanisad.:

"Candravali and Radhika always remain at Lord Krsna's side. Laksmi, Durga, and the Lord's other potencies are expansions of Sri Radhika." The Gautamiya Tantra also explains:

"The transcendental goddess srimati Radharani is the direct counterpart of Lord Sri Krsna. She is the central figure for the goddess of fortune. She possesses all the attractiveness to attract the all-attractive Personality of Godhead. She is the primeval internal potency of the Lord."

The word ‘niskalaya’ may also mean "He who is beyond the influence of material illusion" and the word ‘vimohaya’ may be interpreted to mean "He who is omniscient and cannot be put into illusion even by Brahma or Siva". The word ‘asuddhi-vairine’ may be interpreted to mean "He who removes material impurities from the hearts of those attached to hearing and chanting His glories."

Vyadhi, or physical pain, inevitably comes when one fulfils his material desires. when material desires remain unfulfilled, however, the conditioned soul experiences mental pain, oradhi. Either condition is inauspicious for the conditioned soul.

In the Hari-vamsa, Lord Siva explains the meaning of the name Kesava:

"Both Brahma (Ka) and I (Isa), the master of all living entities, were born from You, and for this reason, O Lord, You are known as Kesava."