Kṛṣṇa Is the Source of All Incarnations

The third chapter is an answer to the request (by the sages) to describe the various avatāras. This chapter explains that the Lord in one form alone makes his appearances and performs activities.

At the end of the previous chapter it was said that the Lord was absorbed in various līlāvatāras. What pastimes and what avatāras are these? Sūta begins by describing the puruṣāvatāras in five verses. Pauruṣam means with the form of a man, or defined as a puruṣa. “By saying that the Lord accepts this form, it means that it did not exist before. That means it is a temporary form.” Therefore the form is described as sambhūtam, samyag bhūtam: existing continuously. It is always situated in its svarūpa which is the highest truth, param satyam. The Lord accepted this form of the puruṣa who eternally exists for creating the universes. He accepts a form which already exists. One never sees a sentence such as “He accepted the pot” where the pot did not previously exist. Similarly we say, “The king accepted the general because he desired victory.” Amara-koṣa says yukte kṣmād āvṛte bhūtaṁ prāṇy-atīte same triṣv: bhūta means joined with, elements like earth, composed of, a living being, in the past, in all three genders.

The same word sambhūta should be applied to the person described in verse 6 with sa eva prathamaṁ deva and other places as well. With a desire for creating the worlds collectively and individually by mahat-tattva, ahaḍkara and other elements, the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha accepted the form of the puruṣa who is like the full moon with sixteen digits (ṣodāsa-kalam), being full of forms like Matsya and Kūrma. Kalā means a sixteenth part according to the dictionary and ṣoòaśa-kala means having sixteen parts. This refers to the form of Mahā-viṣṇu, the first puruṣa, a portion of Saḍkarṣaṇa, lying on the Kāraṇa Ocean, who glances over prakṛti, This is confirmed by the Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta (1.5.121).

The expanse of planets is imagined to be situated at various places on his limbs. This form of the Lord is pure sattva, unmixed with rajas and tamas, and is composed of eternity, knowledge and bliss.

That puruṣa entering into each universe situated in his hair holes, lay down on the Garbhodaka water which he created there and went into a state of trance (yoga-nidrām). The planets from Pāṭala to Satya-loka (loka-vistaraḥ) are imagined to be situated at particular places on his limbs (avayava-saṁsthānaiḥ). This form is Padmanābha, Garbhodakaśāyī-viṣṇu, a portion of Pradyumna. The form mentioned in the previous chapter hari-viriñca-hareti saṁjñā (SB 1.2.23) refers to the third puruṣa Kṣīrodakaśāyī, an expansion of Aniruddha.

The first form Mahā-viṣṇu is the inner soul of prakṛti. The second form Garbhodakaśāyī is the inner soul of the collective jīvas in each universe. The third form, Kṣīrodakaśāyī, is the inner soul of each jīva. The three acting as inner souls are expansions of Saḍkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. It is said:

ekaṁ tu mahataḥ sraṣṭṛ dvitīyaṁ tv aṇòa-saṁsthitam |

tṛtīyaṁ sarva-bhūtasthaṁ tāni jñātvā vimucyate ||

The first is the creator of mahat-tattva. The second form is situated in the universe. The third form is situated in all living entities. One who knows these forms is liberated. Sātvata Tantra

This is the order of the activities of Mahā-viṣṇu related to this topic. When he developed the desire to lie down again in a particular place, he lay down in the Kāraṇa ocean. He then glanced at his energy prakṛti as soon as it came out with his breathing. By that glance, making his intention known, accomplishing merely by the power of his desire, he produced the mahat-tattva and other elements spontaneously, and after creating the universe out of the elements, Garbhodakaśāyī master of the universe, was informed, “O master enter it and go to sleep.” Entering into the universe, Garbhodakaśāyī went to sleep for a second. After he again entered the universe, he then rejected the universe as a useless sleeping place, since it is material. Then again, Garbhodakaśāyī is made to sleep in a new universe for the life time of Brahmā. It is said in the Third Canto:

kālo ’yaṁ dvi-parārdhākhyo nimeṣa upacaryate

avyākṛtasyānantasya hy anāder jagad-ātmanaḥ

The duration of the two parts of Brahmā’s life, as above mentioned, is calculated to be equal to one nimeṣa [less than a second] for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is unchanging and unlimited and is the cause of all causes of the universe. SB 3.11.38

These forms are all spiritual. This form is pure sattva, devoid of rajas and tamas (viśuddham sattvam) and excellent (ūrjitam), completely spiritual, made of eternity, knowledge and bliss.

Those who have reached perfection by bhakti see this form. Adabhra means “not scant,” spiritual.

Previously it was said that the Lord was complete with sixteen parts. This verse shows that. Though he acts as the source (bījam), he is equal to many seeds. Therefore he is called a storeroom or treasure (nidhānam). He is the aṁśī, the source of the avatāras who will be discussed in this chapter. And he is eternal (avyayam). His part is Brahmā and Brahmā’s parts are Marīci and others. By them, the Lord creates the devatās and others. The devatās are considered the Lord’s vibhūtis.

Now the avatāras starting with the Kumāras are described. Padmanābha, Garbhodakaśāyī, who carries out creation of the devatās and others through portions of his portion, Brahmā, made his appearance in the Kumāras (kaumāram sargam āśritaḥ). Becoming brāhmaṇas (brahmā) they undertook vows of abstinence (brahmacaryam cacāra). This means that they preached this by their conduct to the world. The words first, second, etc. are only enumerating the avatāras and not indicating the exact chronology of the avatāras’ appearances.

His activity is described by the words “he lifted up the earth for its welfare.” In each case the avatāra and his activity has been mentioned.

The Lord making his appearance among the sages as Nārada, made the Pañcarātra texts (tantram sātvatam). From these one can learn that devotional activities (karmaṇām) will liberate one from the bondage of karma (naiṣkarmyam).

Turye means fourth. Dharma-kalā, part of Dharma, refers to the wife of Dharma, since the śṛuti says ardho vā eṣa ātmano yat patnī: the wife is half of oneself. Appearing in her (sarge) he became the two sages. They are considered one avatāra.

Āsuri is the name of a brāhmaṇa.

Being selected by Anasūyā, the wife of Atri, he became her son. This is described in the Brahmāṇòa Purāṇa in the story of the pativrata:

anasūyābravīn natvā devān brahmeśa-keśavān |

yūyaṁ yadi prasannā me varārhā yadi vāpy aham |

prasādābhimukho bhūtvā mama putratvam eṣyatha ||

Offering respects, Anasūyā spoke to the Brahmā, Śiva and Viṣṇu. If you are pleased with me, and consider me worthy of blessing, being merciful, you should become my son.

Ānvīkṣikīm means knowledge of the ātmā.

The Yamas were Yajña’s sons. With the assistance of the devatās named the Yamas, he gave protection during the reign of Svāyambhuva. At that time he became Indra.

Ṛṣabha was born from the son of Āgnīdhra named Nābhi.

Pārthivam vapuḥ means the body of a king, Pṛthu. Pārthavam is another version, which means relating to Pṛthu. “Herbs” is representative of other things also. He milked all things from the earth. Dugdha should actually be adugdha. This form is poetic license. Because of that he is considered the most desirable of the avatāras (uśattamaḥ). Uśa means desired or dear.

During Cākṣuṣa manvantara there was a flood of water. Another version has cākṣuṣāntara-samplave. The earth acted as a boat (nāvi mahī-mayyām). Matsya protected (apād) the person who would be Vaivasvata-manu. Śrīdhara Svāmī says though there is not a flood at the end of this manvantara, an illusory flood was shown to Satyavrata for fun. However in Viṣṇu-dharmottara, Vajra asks Mārkaṇòeya, “What happens at the end of the manvantara?” Mārkaṇòeya says:

ūrmi-mālī mahā-vegaḥ sarvam āvṛtya tiṣṭhati |

bhūrlokam āśritaṁ sarvaṁ tadā naśyati yādava ||

na vinaśyanti rājendra viśrutāḥ kula-parvatāḥ |

naur bhūtvā tu mahā-devī yadu-kulodvaha |

dhārayaty atha bījāni sarvāṇy evāviśeṣataḥ || [1.75.5-6, 9 |

O Vajra, the great Lord, in the form of water, greatly agitated with countless waves, covers the earth and the lower planets with water. O Yādava! All things on the earth planet are destroyed at that time. Only the famous mountains are not destroyed, O best of kings! At that time, the earth personified, taking the form of a boat, protects all the seeds without discrimination, O offspring of the Yadu family!

This explains that there is destruction at the end of the manvantara. In Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta, Rūpa Gosvāmī also states that there is a devastation by water after every manvantara. In his comments on some verses of Hari-vaṁśa as well he says the same. The verse mentions the Cākṣuṣa-manvantara. Because Satyavrata was a great devotee of Matsya, and Matsya was attracted to his devotee, Matsya appeared at this time. The following verse illustrates how the Lord is controlled by his devotee.

svacchandopātta-dehāya viśuddha-jñāna-mūrtaye

sarvasmai sarva-bījāya sarva-bhūtātmane namaḥ

Unto Him who assumes transcendental bodies according to the desires of His devotees, unto Him whose form is itself pure consciousness, unto Him who is everything, who is the seed of everything and who is the Soul of all creatures, I offer my obeisances. SB 10.27.11

Therefore this particular narration is representative of events that take place after every manvantara.

The devatās and demons churned the ocean to receive nectar. Kamaṭha means turtle.

Dhānvantaram dvādaśamam means that the form of Dhanvantari is the twelfth avatāra. His activity was bringing a pot of nectar. The use of dvādaśamam instead of dvādaśam is poetic license. Taking the thirteenth form, he let the devatās drink nectar. What was his form? As the woman Mohinī, he bewildered the demons (anyān).

Erakā is a type of grass without joints.

Pratyāditṣuḥ means “he desired to snatch away.”

Triḥ-sapta-kṛtvaḥ means twenty-one times (3x7). Kṛtvaḥ is used as a suffix after numerals to indicate counting of repeated actions. Also numerals with the suffix suc such as triḥ indicate repeated actions. (Pāṇini 5.4.17-18)

Alpa-medhasaḥ means “having small knowledge.”

Nara-devatvam refers to Rāma. Taking the form of Rāma, he performed actions such as controlling the ocean. Since this can be seen even today at Setubandha, it indicates his show of great power. Thus it is mentioned here as the chief among all his activities.

The word should be viṁśatitame instead of viṁśatime, but the syllable ta is dropped for metrical reasons. The Lord, appearing in the Vṛṣṇi dynasty as the nineteenth and twentieth avatāras, named Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa (rāma-kṛsṇau), relieved the burden of the earth.

Ajina-sūtaḥ is another version. Kīkaṭeṣu means “in the area of Gayā.”

Kalki will appear from the brāhmaṇa named Viṣṇu-yaśas.

This verse summarizes all the avatāras since some like Hayagrīva and Haṁsa were not mentioned in this list. A comparison is made with a treasure house (sattva-nidheḥ) or an ocean of pure śuddha-sattva forms of eternity, knowledge and bliss, because the forms cannot be counted. Avidāsinaḥ means inexhaustible. Normally by giving out water, a lake becomes exhausted. Countless avatāras arise from the Lord like thousands of small streams (kulyāh), natural torrents, flowing from an inexhaustible lake. Asaḍkhyeyā means not countable. However there is another meaning: not well known (asamyak khyāta). Some like the puruṣāvatāras are well known. Others are not so well known. Prahlāda has said:

itthaṁ nṛ-tiryag-ṛṣi-deva-jhaṣāvatārair

lokān vibhāvayasi haṁsi jagat pratīpān |

dharmaṁ mahā-puruṣa pāsi yugānuvṛttaṁ

channaḥ kalau yad abhavas tri-yugo ’tha sa tvam ||

In this way, by appearing in various incarnations as a human being, an animal, a great saint, a demigod, a fish or a tortoise, you maintain the worlds, kill those who cause disturbance and protect dharma in all the yugas. Great Lord! Since you will appear covered in Kali-yuga, you are called Tri-yuga. SB 7.9.38

Channaḥ indicates that the avatāra is not well known.

Having described the avatāras, now the vibhūtis are described.

Are all these avatāras equal or are they graded? This verse answers. Those avatāras previously described (ete) and those not described (ca), are aṁśas (Matsya, Kūrma etc.) and some of whom are kalā (Kumāras, Nārada, etc., āveśāvatāras) of the first puruṣa described (Mahā-viṣṇu). Thus it is said in Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta

jñāna-śakty-ādi-kalayā yatrāviṣṭo janārdanaḥ |

ta āveśā nigadyante jīvā eva mahattamāḥ ||

vaikuṇṭhe’pi yathā śeṣo nāradaḥ sanakādayaḥ |:

Exalted jīvas empowered by the Lord with portions of his powers such as knowledge are called āveśa forms. Examples existing even in Vaikuṇṭha are Śeṣa, Nārada and the Kumāras. (Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta 1.1.18-19)

Padma Purāṇa says:

Āviṣṭo bhūt kumāreṣu nārade ca harir vibhuḥ |

The Supreme Lord invested his powers in the Kumāras and Nārada.

āviveśa pṛthuṁ devaḥ śaḍkhī cakrī caturbhujaḥ ||

etat te kathitaṁ devi jāmadagner mahātmanaḥ |

śaktyāveśāvatārasya caritaṁ śārḍgiṇaḥ prabhoḥ ||

kaler ante ca samprāpte kalkinaṁ brahma-vādinam |

anupraviśya kurute vāsudevo jagat-sthitim ||

The Lord with four hands holding the conch and cakra entered into Pṛthu, O goddess! The activities of the great soul Parāśurāma, a śaktyāveśāvatāra of the Supreme Lord, holder of the bow, has been described.

At the end of Kali-yuga, Vāsudeva enters into Kalki, a teacher of spiritual matters, and protects the world. Entering in Kali-yuga into those jīvas who have previously appeared, the Lord carries out his desired activities. Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta 1.4.37, 39, 42

The Kumāras and Nārada are invested with śakti of jñāna and bhakti. Pṛthu and others are invested with kriyā-śakti--action. Some are invested with great powers and others with little power. Included in the first type with great powers are Kumāras and Nārada. They are called avatāras. Others with less power such as Marīci, and the Manus, are called vibhūtis. But he who was called the twentieth avatāra, Kṛṣṇa is bhagavān, not an aṁśa. Nor is he an aṁśī puruṣāvatāra. He is bhagavān. The avatārī, bhagavān is the source of the puruṣa was already stated in the verse jagṛhe pauruṣaṁ rūpaṁ bhagavān mahad-ādibhiḥ: Bhagavān accepted the form of the puruṣa. (SB 1.3.1) Thus bhagavān is different from the puruṣa. It is said:

anuvādam anuktvā tu na vidheyam udīrayet

na hy alabdhāspadaṁ kiñcit kutracit pratitiṣṭhati

One should not state a predicate before its subject, for it cannot thus stand without proper support. Ekādaśī-tattva

Thus kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān means that Kṛṣṇa (the subject) fulfills completely the qualities inherent in bhagavān, the predicate. It does not mean that Kṛṣṇa is another form of bhagavān. Thus it means that Kṛṣṇa alone is bhagavān, the basis of every other form. This is made clear by the word svayam. This means that Kṛṣṇa is superior to the puruṣāvatāra called bhagavān and even to Mahā-nārāyaṇa. Thus in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad it is said jyāyāṁś ca pūruṣaḥ: the puruṣa is greater than that; sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma: everything is brahman; yat prāṇā ādityā: the prāṇas are the Ādityas. Having said this, everything is summarized by saying kṛṣṇāya devakī-putrāya: this puruṣa sacrifice is subservient to Kṛṣṇa, the son of Devakī. (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 3.17.6) By this it is understood that Kṛṣṇa is superior to the puruṣa.

But Kṛṣṇa is counted among the avatāras, because he appears in Mathurā and other places situated on the earth planet, performs pastimes like a human, shows mercy to the people of the material world, and appears and disappears. Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad thus says:

sa hovācābja-yonir yo ’vatārāṇāṁ madhye śreṣṭho ’vatāraḥ ko bhavati yena lokās tuṣṭā bhavanti, yaṁ smṛtvā muktā asmāt saṁsārāt taranti | kathaṁ āsyāvatārasya brahmatā bhavati

Brahmā said: who is the best among all the avatāras, by which all the people are satisfied, whom remembering, they become liberated from this world? How is this avatāra the supreme brahman?

“But how can you establish that Kṛṣṇa is the complete form of God on the basis of this one statement, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam? There are countless statements which refute this such as the following:

yadoś ca dharma-śīlasya nitarāṁ muni-sattama

tatrāṁśenāvatīrṇasya viṣṇor vīryāṇi śaṁsa naḥ

O best of munis, you have also described the descendants of Yadu, who were very pious and strictly adherent to religious principles. Now, if you will, kindly describe the wonderful, glorious activities of the expansion of Lord Viṣṇu, who appeared in that Yadu dynasty. SB 10.1.2

diṣṭyāmba te kukṣi-gataḥ paraḥ pumān

aṁśena sākṣād bhagavān bhavāya naḥ

mābhūd bhayaṁ bhoja-pater mumūrṣor

goptā yadūnāṁ bhavitā tavātmajaḥ

O mother Devakī, by your good fortune and ours, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, as an expansion, is now within your womb. Therefore you need not fear Kaṁsa, who has decided to be killed by the Lord. Your eternal son, Kṛṣṇa, will be the protector of the entire Yadu dynasty. SB 10.2.41

tāv imau vai bhagavato harer aṁśāv ihāgatau

bhāra-vyayāya ca bhuvaḥ kṛṣṇau yadu-kurūdvahau

That Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi, whose a partial expansion is Kṛṣṇa, has now appeared in the dynasties of Yadu and Kuru, in the forms of Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna respectively, to mitigate the burden of the world. SB 4.1.59

At t In the beginning of Bhāgavatam, this chapter concerning the mysterious appearance of the Lord (janma guhyaṁ bhagavato, SB 1.3.29) is called a sūtra, since it threads together (sūc) statements concerning all the avatāras. And in this chapter, ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam is a paribhāṣā-sūtra, which supplies a general definition for the whole work. Thus, wherever avatāras are described in the Bhāgavatam, others should be known as expansions of the puruṣāvatāra, but Kṛṣṇa should be known as svayam bhagavān. This conclusion is prevalent everywhere in the Bhāgavatam. It has been said:

paribhāṣā hy eka-deśasthā sakalaṁ śāstram abhiprakāśayati yathā veśma-pradīpa

The paribhāṣā statement, situated in one place, lights up the whole scripture, just as a lamp lights up the whole house.

This sūtra appears once in the work and is not continually repeated. Though there are millions of statements in the scripture, this sūtra controls them all like a king. Thus statements which contradict the sūtra must be explained so that they agree with the sūtra. That is because these contrary statements are weak, since they belong to secondary subjects in the work, and because the sūtra’s statement is strong, being supported by śruti. Thus these statements should be harmonized with the sūtra by giving them another meaning, according to the rule śruti-liḍga-vākya-prakaraṇa-sthāna-samākhyānāṁ samavāye pāradaurbalyam artha-viprakarṣād; where there is a combination of direct statements, inference, rules, discussion, philosophical stances, and interpretations, the later statements are considered progressively weaker in authority, because of their possibility of contrary meaning. (Jaiminī-sūtra 3.3.14) This is not just deference to a rule. Śrīdhara Svāmī has reconciled things in this way in many places.

Since there are many different avatāras such as Matsya and Kūrma, and Kṛṣṇa himself has two-armed and four-armed forms, and as well displays ages such as kaumāra and kaiśora, and they are all said to be eternal, does that mean that there are many Gods? No. The Tenth Canto says bahu-mūrty-eka-mūrtikam: he is one God manifested as many. (SB 10.40.7) The jīva at different times shows different temporary forms with less or more power, but the one Supreme Lord who pervades everything, by his inconceivable energy, can simultaneously have infinite eternal forms which are not different from him. The jīvas show infinite variety simply because there are infinite jīvas. The Lord shows infinite variety of forms by being one person. Thus when the jīva sees the Lord he perceives the Lord as if there are many Lords, like jīvas.

The supreme lord, bliss alone, knowledge alone, and all pervading, manifests aṁśī and aṁśa. Is it possible for the indivisible Lord to be divided and subdivided? Mahā-varāha Purāṇa says:

sarve nityāḥ śāśvatāś ca dahās tasya parātmanaḥ |

hānopādāna-rahitā naiva prakṛtijāḥ kvacit ||

paramānanda-sandohā jñāna-mātrāś ca sarvataḥ |

sarve sarva-guṇaiḥ pūrṇā sarva-doṣa-vivarjitāḥ ||

All the forms of the Lord are eternal, appearing constantly within the material world with bodies of Paramātmā, without any destructible elements made of prakṛti. They are completely filled with the highest bliss and knowledge, full of all good qualities and devoid of all faults.

This is true, but though the aṁśa forms are perfect and complete, they are called aṁśa because they display only various degrees of the lord’s qualities such as sweetness, power, and mercy. According to the particular goal, lesser powers are shown, in the forms known as aṁśa. Real completeness means fully displaying all the powers in full. This takes place in the aṁśī. In Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta it is said:

śakter vyaktis tathāvyaktis tāratamyasya kāraṇam ||

śaktiḥ samāpi pūryādi-dāhe dīpāgni-puñjayoḥ |

śītādy-ārti-kṣayenāgni-puñjād eva sukhaṁ bhavet ||

The manifestation and non-manifestation of śakti is the cause of grading the aṁśī and the aṁśa. Though the śakti of the lamp and the bonfire is the same in that both can burn down a town, only from the bonfire one obtains comfort because it destroys cold and other types of suffering.

Thus the difference between different forms because of display of complete or partial features has been experienced by the great realized devotees.

āsīnam urvyāṁ bhagavantam ādyaṁ

saḍkarṣaṇaṁ devam akuṇṭha-sattvam |

vivitsavas tattvam ataḥ parasya

kumāra-mukhyā munayo ’nvapṛcchan ||

svam eva dhiṣṇyaṁ bahu mānayantaṁ

yad vāsudevābhidham āmananti ||

Some time ago, being inquisitive to know, Sanat-kumāra, the chief of the boy-saints, accompanied by other great sages, inquired exactly like you about the truths regarding Vāsudeva, the Supreme, from Lord Saḍkarṣaṇa, who is seated at the bottom of the universe. At that time Lord Saḍkarṣaṇa was meditating upon His Supreme Lord, whom the learned esteem as Lord Vāsudeva. SB 3.8.3-4

There is nothing contradictory if there are differences between the aṁśī and aṁśa, since the Lord is spiritual substance. Varāha Purāṇa says svāṁśaś cātha vibhinnāṁśa iti dvedhāṁśa iṣyate: there are two types of aṁśas, the expansions of the Lord and the jīvas. Śrīdhara Svāmī says, “Though the forms such as Matsya possess all powers and all knowledge since they are avatāras, according to the circumstances they display certain amounts of knowledge and action, and the Lord enters into the Kumāras, Nārada and others by his expansions or parts of his expansions. There is an ancient explanatory verse:

nṛsiṁho jāmadagnyaś ca kalkiḥ puruṣa eva ca |

bhagavattve ca tatrāder aiśvaryasya prakāśakāḥ ||

nārado ’tha tathā vyāso varāho buddha eva ca |

dharmāṇām eva vaividhyād amī dharma-pradarśakāḥ ||

rāmo dhanvantarir yajñaḥ pṛthuḥ kīrti-pradarśinaḥ |

balarāmo mohinī ca vāmanaḥ śrī-pradhānakāḥ ||

dattātreyaś ca matsyaś ca kumāraḥ kapilas tathā |

jñāna-pradarśakā ete vijñātavyā manīṣibhiḥ ||

nārāyaṇo naraś ceti kūrmaś ca ṛṣabhas tathā |

vairāgya-darśino jñeyās tat-tat-karmānusārataḥ ||

kṛṣṇaḥ pūrṇa-ṣaò-aiśvarya-mādhuryāṇāṁ mahodadhiḥ |

antarbhūta-samastāvatāro nikhila-śaktimān ||

Nṛsiṁha, Parāśurāma, Kalki, and the puruṣāvatāras show the power of the Lord. Nārada, Vyāsa, Varāha, and Buddha show dharma, because they preach various paths of dharma. Rāma, Dhanvantari, Yajña and Pṛthu display fame. Balarāma, Mohinī and Vāmana display beauty. Dattātreya, Matsya, the Kumāras and Kapila display knowledge which should be known by the wise. Nara-nārāyaṇa, Kūrma and Ṛṣabha display detachment by their respective actions. Kṛṣṇa is the great ocean of complete sweetness and complete display of the six aiśvaryas mentioned in the other forms above. He contains all avatāras within himself, and is the possessor of all śaktis.

The verse mentions the goal common to all the avatāras. The avatāras create happiness (mṛòayanti) in the world whenever (yuge yuge) it is afflicted (vyākulam) by the demons (indrāri) and their ideas.

This describes the results of glorifying the avatāras. Guhyam means very concealed or mysterious. Gṛṇan means “glorifying.”

“The universal form of the Lord has been recommended as the first type of worship in the Second Canto and other places with such verses as pātālam etasya hi pāda-mūlam: Pātāla is the base of his feet. (SB 2.1.26) Why is this not considered an avatāra of the Lord?” This verse answers.

This material realm, composed of collective and individual universes, is a material form of the Lord who has a spiritual form of consciousness (cid-ātmanaḥ), and is devoid of a material form (arūpasya). This material form is composed of the material guṇas and the elements from mahat-tattva to earth (mahadādibhiḥ) situated on the paramātmā as its basis (ātmani). In other words this universal form composed of matter is not counted among the avatāras such as Matsya and Kūrma composed of viśuddha-sattva.

To what can this be compared? Just as a group of clouds are attributed to the sky or particles of dust are attributed to the air, so this universal form is attributed to the Lord. It is like a man on a pedestal being called “the pedestal.” The universal form, situated in the Lord is called the Lord. This is the meaning. What is seen (dṛśyatvam), what is controlled by the Lord, is attributed to be the seer or the controller, the Lord (draṣṭari) who is actually invisible, by foolish people (abuddhibhiḥ). Though sky and air are invisible, we see the sky because it is blue or the air because it is dusty. The adventitious qualities of cloud and dust which are visible are attributed to be the sky and air which are actually invisible, because they become visible through the clouds and dust. Thus the meaning here is that the Lord, visible as the universe, is thus worshipped by the yogīs situated at the beginning stage of practice.

Just as yogīs worship the visible form of the universe as the Lord, even though it is material, oher yogīs worship a subtle form of the universe as the Lord, even though it is also material. These forms are described later:

amunī bhagavad-rūpe mayā te hy anuvarṇite

ubhe api na gṛhṇanti māyā-sṛṣṭe vipaścitaḥ

The wise do not accept these two forms of the Lord described by me since they are composed of matter. SB 2.10.35

indrādayo bāhava āhur usrāḥ karṇau diśaḥ śrotram amuṣya śabdaḥ

nāsatya-dasrau paramasya nāse ghrāṇo ’sya gandho mukham agnir iddhaḥ

The devatās such as Indra are his arms. The devatās of the directions and the organ for hearing arise from his ears. Sound arises from his organ of hearing. The Aśvinis and the organ for smelling arise from his nostrils. Fragrance arises from his organ of smelling. Flaming fire is his mouth. SB 2.1.29

vijñāna-śaktiṁ mahim āmananti sarvātmano ’ntaḥ-karaṇaṁ giritram

aśvāśvatary-uṣṭra-gajā nakhāni sarve mṛgāḥ paśavaḥ śroṇi-deśe

They say that mahat-tattva is his citta. Rudra is his false ego. Horses, mules, camels and elephants are his nails. All animals are his hips. SB 2.1.35

The subtle form is different from the gross form of the universe. It is actually invisible or subtle (avayktam) because it is devoid of specific forms (avyūòha-guṇa-bṛṁhitam); it does not have evolved hands and feet. Why? It is not like things with form, like you, I or Indra who can be seen and heard (adṛsṭāśruta-vastutvāt). What is the proof of its existence? The subtle body is the proof. The word jīva should be understood to mean the imposition on the jīva of the subtle body.

“The gross body of the jīva is his false designation for enjoyment in this world. Why do we need to make another false designation?” Because by this subtle body the jīva takes repeated births, involving leaving a body, entering a body and remaining in a body. This would be impossible without the subtle body.

These forms are attributed to be the Lord, but are not actually the Lord, because both the gross and subtle bodies are material and their souls are the jīvas individually and collectively. It is said:

virāò hiraṇyagarbhaś ca kāraṇaṁ cety upādhayaḥ |

īśasya yantribhir hīnaṁ turīyaṁ tat pracakṣate ||

The universal form of matter, Hiraṇyagarbha (the form of the collective jīvas), as the cause of the universe, is false. The state of the Supreme Lord is aid to be devoid of such limitations

And the Bhāgavatam says that both these forms should not be worshipped as quoted above with amuni bhagavad-rūpe. (SB 2.10.35)

If this is actually all material how can we see brahman? This verse answers. These two material forms gross and subtle are removed. This means that the non-material form of the lord is not removed. These forms are removed by the realization (samvidā) of the Lord’s devotees (sva). Why are these to forms not situated in the Lord? These forms are imposed on the jīva by ignorance, and are not situated in the Lord. It is said:

dehāhaḍkāraṇād dehādhyāso jīve hy avidyayā |

na tathā jagad-adhyāsaḥ paramātmani yujyate ||

The imposition of body exists in the jīva by ignorance, by identifying with the body.

In this manner, the universe is not imposed upon the Paramātmā. With the removal of these two material forms, one can seen brahman.

Vaiśāradī refers to the Lord who is skilful (viśārada) at understanding what is beneficial for his devotees. He thinks, “Let this jīva see me.” If the merciful desire of the Lord arises, then he acts in this way. There is no other way. yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyas tasyaiṣa ātmā vivṛṇute tanuṁ svām: the Lord reveals himself unto that person whom he alone chooses. (Muṇòaka Upaniṣad 3.2.3) Or vaiśāradī matiḥ can mean “the person who thinks of the Lord.” Thus the first line means “If Māyā-devī withdraws her influence, then the Lord favors the devotee” or “When Māyā withdraws her influence, the jīva thinks of the Lord.” The person, thinking in this way or endowed with the Lord’s mercy, is well furnished (sampannaḥ), whereas others are poor. The wise understand that he who is situated in this glorious position (sve mahimni) is worthy of worship (mahīyate).

Evam means “thus rejecting these two material forms.” Although the Lord is not born he is also born, according to the śruti text ajāyamāno bahudhābhijāyate: not being born, the Lord appears as many. (Mahā-nārāyaṇa Upaniṣad) The Lord is not the doer, but performs actions. According to śruti text na cāsya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate: the Lord has no senses and no body. (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.8) And as well śruti says svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca: by his nature the Lord’s actions are endowed with knowledge and strength. (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.8)

“But one also sees birth and actions of the jīva, who actually has no birth and no material actions.” That is true. But the jīva’s birth and actions are related to matter, and the Lord’s birth and actions are without relation to matter at all. This is the difference. These facts about the Lord’s birth and actions are established in the all Vedas because they are the highest, most excellent truths (veda-guhyāni.) This means that the facts about the jīva are different, being inferior, because his birth and actions are related to matter. The Gītā also says janma-karma ca me divyam evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ: he who remembers my birth and actions as non-material does not take birth.(BG 4.9) Referring to the Lord as hṛt-pateḥ (Lord in the heart, Paramātmā) indicates that the universal form is not considered among the avatāras, since it does not reside in the heart.

There are many other remarkable qualities of the Lord. First his unlimited power is described. From far off, the Lord senses the six sense objects (ṣāò-vargikam), but is not attached to them. Why? He is the master of the six senses (ṣad-guṇeśaḥ). Or he is the master of the six auspicious qualities (aiśvarya, vīrya, yaśas etc.) Thus he experiences happiness arising from these six qualities.

The Lord cannot be understood by material knowledge. By skill in jñāna or yoga (nipuṇena) no ignorant person (kumanīṣa jantuḥ) can understand the pastimes (ūtīh), names and forms of the Lord through material mind and speech, since the lord is beyond mind and words. He who is devoid of bhakti, the jñānī, says that any object with the name and form is illusory. That notion is indicated by the word kumanīṣa (person with bad intelligence). The Lord broadcasts (santanvataḥ) these names and forms when he repeatedly appears in the world by his mercy. An example of ignorance is given. The person ignorant of drama cannot understand the names and forms indicated by the actor through theatrical gestures of the hands and poetic words indicating the moon or the lotus. Thus he does not appreciate the drama and says there is no rasa. The person in knowledge directly experiences the rasa, which pervades all his senses and heart.

The Lord is understood by bhakti.

Sūta speaks to Śaunaka and the sages, who were lamenting, “Since we are without bhakti, let us become the object of criticism!” According to Vaiṣṇava-nirukti, sarvajñāḥ vetti vidyām avidyāṁ ca sa vācyo bhagavān: the word bhagavān means he who knows knowledge and ignorance. Thus in this verse bhagavantaḥ means knowledgeable sages rather than great devotees, since they were not so advanced. When persons concentrate their minds completely (sarvātmakam ātmabhāvam) on Vāsudeva, there is no more repetition of birth and death (parivarta).

“O Sūta! What novel scripture, unheard before this time, are you reciting?” To this, Suta replies in this verse. Brahma means equal to Kṛṣṇa. Rṣiḥ refers to Vyāsa.

Vyāsa affectionately fed the Bhāgavatam, the essence of the essence of the Vedas, like butter appearing from churning yogurt, to his son Śukadeva. This indicates that his effort of churning the Vedas was successful. And Śukadeva, though the best of the self-realized souls (ātmavatām varam), took it with greed, because of its wonderful taste.

Prāyopaviṣtam (literally “sitting till death”) means “sitting down while fasting till death.” It is like the expression go-dohanam āste; he sits until the milking of the cow is finished. Medinī says prāyo maraṇānaśane mṛtyau bāhulyayor: prāyo means fasting till death, death, majority and similar.

What more can be said? You asked where dharma has taken shelter (SB 1.1.23) Please understand the answer now. Kṛṣṇa having departed from his abode Dvārakā (sva-dhāma), arrived at (upagate) Prabhāsa, and then disappeared along with his six powers such as dharma and jñāna. The details are not mentioned clearly because the pastime of Kṛṣṇa’s disappearance causes disturbance to the devotee. Naṣṭa-dṛṣām refers to persons who have lost knowledge. The word dṛk (sight) suggests a verse at the end of the Eleventh Canto:

apaśyatas tvac-caraṇāmbujaṁ prabho dṛṣṭiḥ praṇaṣṭā tamasi praviṣṭā

diśo na jāne na labhe ca śāntiṁ yathā niśāyām uòupe praṇaṣṭe

Just as on a moonless night people are merged into darkness and cannot find their way, now that I have lost sight of Your lotus feet, my Lord, I have lost my vision and am wandering blindly in darkness. I cannot tell my direction, nor can I find any peace. SB 11.30.43

From that, the following inference can be made. Kṛṣṇa is the sun, and Mathurā is like the Sunrise Mountain. Prabhāsa is the Sunset Mountain. The righteous persons are like cakravāka birds which mourn in the night and rejoice in the day. The evil persons are like fog. Darkness is the totality of sins. The devotees are like a grove of lotuses. Kṛṣṇa is clearly compared to the sun in the following verse:

kṛṣṇa-dyumaṇi nimloce gīrṇeṣv ajagareṇa ha

kiṁ nu naḥ kuśalaṁ brūyāṁ gata-śrīṣu gṛheṣv aham

My dear Vidura, the sun of the world, Lord Kṛṣṇa, has set, and our house has now been swallowed by the great snake of time. What can I say to you about our welfare? SB 3.2.7

Though the sun of Kṛṣṇa has set, the sun of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa has risen. A form corresponding to the sun becomes the sun.

Sitting at one place in the assembly (tatra niviṣṭaḥ), getting his mercy, I learned (adhyāgamam) this scripture from Śukadeva (viprarṣeḥ), who recited it in the assembly (tatra). That Sūta was present there is understood from the following:

imāṁ vakṣyaty asau sūta ṛṣibhyo naimiṣālaye

dīrgha-satre kuru-śreṣṭha sampṛṣṭaḥ śaunakādibhiḥ

O best of the Kurus, the same Sūta Gosvāmī who is sitting before us will speak this Bhāgavatam to the sages assembled in the great sacrifice at Naimiṣāraṇya. This he will do when questioned by the members of the assembly, headed by Śaunaka. SB 12.4.43

I do not concoct anything (yathādhītam) but follow Śukadeva who understood everything, grasping its full extent with his intelligence (yathā matiḥ).