Heirarchy of Devatas and Swayam Krishna Bhagavan

This is a republication from an article in reference one. The spiritual world has a certain hierarchy. This is a complex topic and approach it slowly.

ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA’S EXPANSIONS: Catur-Vyūha I & II, The Puruṣa Avatāras & Lord Sadāśiva

WHAT IS THE CATUR-VYŪHA?

A COMPLETE OVERVIEW OF LORD KṚṢṆA’S EXPANSIONS

THE FIRST CATUR-VYŪHA (QUADRUPAL EMANATION)

Svayam Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa, The Original Person (adi-purusa) expands into first expansion who is Lord Balarāma.

Lord Balarāma, who is vaibhava-prakāśa emanation expands into the first , what is called the “Catur-vyūha “(Quadruple Emanation). (see below for charts and a detailed explanation).

The Catur-vyūha (Four Emanations), Their expansions and the Vilāsa forms (pastime forms, slightly less in qualities), all together fall under the tad-ekātma category of forms of the Lord.

Unlike the many expansions of the Svayam Rupa, These Tad-ekātma (unity in essence) forms resemble the svayaṁ–rūpa form, and have the same potency, but with some differences, (such as having 4 arms, etc.)

The Catur-vyūha are further categorized within the Svāṁśa (svā means ‘own’; and āṁśa means ‘part’) or expansions of the Lord.

These Prābhava (four handed forms) expand, and then divide further into more vilāsa (pastime expansions).

The first Catur-Vyūha (consisting of Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha) expand into the 24 Guardian forms of Vishnu, which preside over all of the Vaikuṇṭha planets in the spiritual world, beginning from the east in consecutive order. In each of eight directions, there are three different forms. [CC Madhya 20.191].

Caturvyūha (चतुर्व्यूह): Catur means ‘four’, and vyūha means ‘guard’ or ‘arms’. Thus, the meaning of the word Catur-vyūha means, “the incarnations of the Lord who have four arms and guard the four directions”.

Although They all have Their residences eternally in the spiritual sky, some of Them are situated within the material universes.

THE 2ND CATUR-VYŪHA (QUADRUPAL EMANATION) FROM LORD NĀRĀYAṆA

Lord Nārāyaṇa expands from Mūla-Saṅkarṣaṇa (of the first Catur-Vyūha).

Then a partially potent 2nd Catur-Vyūha expansion of – Vasudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha – emanate from this Lord Nārāyaṇa.

3 PURUṢĀVATĀRAS & THEIR LĪLĀ AVATĀR INCARNATIONS

Puruṣā-avatāras (पुरुषावतार) refers to Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s 3 Expansions that create the cosmic manifestation for the upliftment of the rebellious living entities:

Kāraṇod-akaśāyī (Maha-Viṣṇu) – CAUSAL (Lying in the Casual Ocean)

Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu – EMBRYONIC (Lying on the Garbodha Ocean)

Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu – MILK (Lying on the Milk Ocean)

(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.3.1–3 and 2.6.39–42)

These 3 Puruṣa-Avatāras are considered part of the svāmśa-vigrahas (plenary portion forms) , which expands from the second Catur-vyūha (also situated as Guardians of the 4 Directions of the material sky)

There are thus two types of avatāras in the svāṁśa vigrahas (portions from the 2nd Saṅkarṣaṇa): 1. the 3 Puruṣā avatāras; and 2. the līlā-avatāras (the 25 pastime incarnations).

(1) Kumāras, (2) Nārada, (3) Varāha, (4) Matsya, (5) Yajña, (6) Nara-nārāyaṇa, (7) Kārdami Kapila, (8) Dattātreya, (9) Hayaśīrṣa, (10) Haṁsa, (11) Dhruvapriya or Pṛśnigarbha, (12) Ṛṣabha, (13) Pṛthu, (14) Nṛsiṁha, (15) Kūrma, (16) Dhanvantari, (17) Mohinī, (18) Vāmana, (19) Bhārgava (Paraśurāma), (20) Rāghavendra, (21) Vyāsa, (22) Pralambāri Balarāma, (23) Kṛṣṇa, (24) Buddha (25) Kalki. Because almost all of these twenty-five līlā-avatāras appear in one day of Brahmā, which is called a kalpa, they are sometimes called kalpa-avatāras.

LĪLĀ-AVATĀRS (PASTIME INCARNATIONS) APPEAR FROM KṢĪRODAKAŚĀYĪ-VIṢṆU

Kṣīrodakaśāyī-Viṣṇu appears as different incarnations to establish the principles of real religion and vanquish the principles of irreligion. Whenever there is trouble in the universe the demigods come to the beach of the ocean of milk and communicate with Kṣīrodakaśāyī-Viṣṇu. They cannot see Him on the island of Śvetadvīpa. But they offer transcendental prayers to the Lord and beseech His help to appear as an incarnation. He then descends to maintain the material world.

THE 3 PURUṢĀ-AVATĀRAS ARISE FROM THE 2nd CATUR-VYŪHA

Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu (Maha-Viṣṇu) arises from Saṅkarṣaṇa (of the 2nd Catur-vyūha);

Garbhodhakaśāyī Vishnu arises from Pradyumna (of the 2nd Catur-vyūha);

Kṣīrodakaśāyī-Viṣṇu (who is the Paramātmā) arises from Aniruddha (of the 2nd Catur-vyūha);

ŚHAMBU EXPANDS FROM SADĀŚIVA (VIṢNU-TATTVA) A VILĀSA EXPANSION OF KṚṢṆA

Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Prabhupāda:: “The annihilator, Rudra, is born from Saṅkarṣaṇa and the ultimate fire to burn the whole creation. In the Vāyu Purāṇa there is a description of Sadāśiva in one of the Vaikuṇṭha planets.

That Sadāśiva is a direct expansion of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s form for pastimes. It is said that Sadāśiva (Lord Śambhu) is an expansion from the Sadāśiva in the Vaikuṇṭha planets (Lord Viṣṇu) and that his consort, Mahāmāyā, is an expansion of Ramā-devī, or Lakṣmī. Mahāmāyā is the origin or birthplace of material nature.” (Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Adi 6.79, Purport:)

Śrīla Visvanātha Cakravartīpāda: “Lord Sadāśiva is transcendental to the three modes of material nature. He is the vilāsa expansion of the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu. And Sadāśiva is also the source of the Lord Śiva who is serving as one of the 3 Guṇa-Avatāras (Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva). Thus Sadāśiva is equal to Lord Viṣṇu, superior to Lord Brahmā, and superior to and separate from the conditioned, guna-bound jivas. (Bhagavatāmrita-kana) [Śiva is Śiva-tattva; jīvas are jīva-tattva]

Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmīpāda: “Śiva’s abode is manifest in the northeast part of Vaikuṇṭhaloka.” (Laghu Bhag. I.5.298) “Sadāśiva Loka is attained by the best of Lord Shiva’s devotees who know that Shiva is nondifferent from Śri Kṛṣṇa and not by others.” (BBT tika, Brhad Bhag. I.2.96)

“Lord Shiva knows that Saṅkarṣaṇa is the original cause of his own existence, and thus he always sits in trance meditating upon Lord Sankarsana.” (Śrīmad Bhagavatam 5.17.16.)

In conclusion, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, in His form as Mūla-Saṅkarṣaṇa, expands as Maha-Viṣṇu, along side Sadāśiva.

However, Śrī Kṛṣṇa alone is the supreme, the origin and cause of all causes. In Gītā (10.8),

Śrī Kṛṣṇa emphatically proclaims this: “I am the source of everything and everything emanates from Me, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ

Thus, we can better appreciate how Bhagavad-Gītā summarizes the Vedic knowledge’s highest spiritual conclusions.

WHERE THE CATUR-VYŪHA RESIDE IN FOUR ABODES OF THE SPIRITUAL SKY

Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Prabhupāda:: “The Padma Purāṇa, as quoted by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī in his Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta, describes that in the spiritual sky there are four directions, corresponding to east, west, north and south, in which Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Aniruddha and Pradyumna are situated. The same forms are also situated in the material sky.

The Padma Purāṇa also describes a place in the spiritual sky known as Vedavatī-pura, where Vāsudeva reside :

Vedavatī-pura, is where Vāsudeva eternally resides. (Para-Vāsudeva)

Viṣṇuloka (above Satyaloka), is where Mahā-saṅkarṣaṇa eternally resides. (Saṅkarṣaṇa)

Dvārakā-pura is where Pradyumna eternally resides.

Śvetadvīpa (Island in the ocean of milk), is where Aniruddha eternally resides on the eternal bed of Śeṣa, generally known as ananta-śayyā,

(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Adi-Līla 5.40)

24 PRĀBHAVA-VILĀSA MURTIS (FOUR HANDED PASTIME EXPANSIONS)

Each of the Original Four Vyūha Forms brings forth each, three other forms, known as Vilāsa-vigrahas (pastime forms): Also these first 12 expansions are known as the predominating Deities for the twelve months, according to the Vaiṣṇava almanac. The twelve months of the year are named according to these twelve Vaikuṇṭha forms of Lord Kṛṣṇa, (Also known as the Solar Nārāyaṇas)

1. From Vāsudeva – Keśava, Nārāyaṇa and Mādhava

2. From Saṅkarṣaṇa – Govinda, Viṣṇu and Madhusudana

3. From Pradyumna – Trivikrama, Vāmana and Śrīdhāra

4. From Aniruddha – Hṛṣīkeśa, Padmanābha and Dāmodara

VAIBHĀVA-VILĀSA MURTI (OPULENT PASTIME FORMS SITUATED IN VARIOUS MOODS)

The four forms (Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha) are also expanded in their vilāsa-mūrti forms.

8 VAIBHĀVA-VILĀSA MURTIS: Puruṣottama, Acyuta, Nṛsiṁha, Janārdana, Hari, Kṛṣṇa, Adhokṣaja and Upendra.

Adhokṣaja & Puruṣottama – are the vilāsa forms of Vāsudeva;

Upendra & Acyuta are the vilāsa forms of Saṅkarṣaṇa;

Nṛsiṁha & Janārdana are the vilāsa forms of Pradyumna.

Hari & Kṛṣṇa are the vilāsa forms of Aniruddha.

(These forms are are different from the original Kṛṣṇa, Hari, Nṛsiṁha, etc.)

THESE FORMS ALSO CORRESPOND TO DEITIES IN TEMPLES ON THE PLANET AND IN THE UNIVERSE

“All of these forms are mūrti forms, and They are worshiped in the temples. Their names are Keśava at Mathurā, Puruṣottama or Jagannātha at Nīlācala, Śrī Bindu Mādhava at Prayāga, Madhusūdana at Mandāra, and Vāsudeva, Padmanābha and Janārdana at Ānandāraṇya, which is situated in Kerala, South India. At Viṣṇu-kāñcī, which is situated in the Barada state, there is Lord Viṣṇu, and Hari is situated at Māyāpur, Lord Caitanya’s birthsite. Thus in different places throughout the universe there are various Deities in temples bestowing Their causeless mercy upon the devotees. All these Deity forms are nondifferent from the mūrtis in the spiritual world of the Vaikuṇṭhas. Although the arcā-mūrti, the worshipable Deity form of the Lord, appears to be made of material elements, it is as good as the spiritual forms found in the spiritual Vaikuṇṭhalokas. (Purport to Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya 20.217)

THESE TEMPLE MURTIS (DIETIES) USED TO BE FOUND IN ALL PARTS OF WORLD

“It is indicated that this earth is divided into seven islands, which are the seven continents, and it is understood that on each and every island there are similar forms, but at the present moment these are found only in India.

Although from Vedic literatures we can understand that there are forms in other parts of the world, at present there is no information of their location.

The different forms of Kṛṣṇa are distributed throughout the universe to give pleasure to the devotees. It is not that devotees are born only in India. There are devotees in all parts of the world, but they have simply forgotten their identity. ” (Teachings of Lord Chaitanya: Chapter 7)

CHATURVIṂŚATI MURTIS (24 KEŚAVA-NĀMAS)

These twenty-four forms are known as the vilāsa manifestations of the Prābhava (four-handed) forms, and they are named differently according to the position of the symbolic representations (mace, disc, lotus flower and conch shell).

According to the Vaiṣṇava almanac, the twelve months of the year are named according to the twelve Vaikuṇṭha forms of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and these forms are known as the predominating Deities for the twelve months.

This calendar begins with the month of Mārgaśīrsa, which is equivalent to late October and early November. The remainder of November is known by Vaiṣṇavas as Keśava. December is called Nārāyaṇa, January is called Mādhava, February is Govinda, March is Viṣṇu, April Śrī Madhusūdana, May Trivikrama, June Vāmana, July Śrīdhara, August Hṛṣīkeśa, September Padmanābha, and early October is known as Dāmodara. (The name Dāmodara was given to Kṛṣṇa when He was bound by ropes by His mother, but the Dāmodara form in the month of October is a different manifestation).

The Vaiṣṇava community marks (by applying tilaka) twelve parts of the body according to these names . For instance, the tilaka mark on the forehead is called Keśava, and on the stomach, breast and arms the other names are also given. These are the same names as those given the months

CHATURVIṂŚATI-MURTI Twenty-four Four Handed Vilāsa Murtis which are distinguished from each other mainly by the arrangement of the four characteristic weapons of Vishnu, viz., conch (Śańkha), discus (Cakra), mace (gadā) and lotus (Padmā). Lotus symbolizes creation, discus preservation, and mace- dissolution and conch emancipation of the soul from bondage.

DETAILED SUMMARY OF TERMS WITH ŚĀSTRIC REFERENCE

Since Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks fluent Sanskrit and understands the Krishna Consciousness very well, so he gives us terms like “prābhava”, in case a reader may not know the root meaning of these Sanskrit terms, I have included this section here.

It helps to be aware that for each distinct types of forms: svayam-rupa (personal form), tad-ekatma-rupa (differientated form), and avesa-rupa (empowered living beings, each have very specific and scientific division prābhava and vaibhava division, according to technical definition. But knowing this you can very easily see it being layed out very systematically.

For clarity, those Sanskrit root words are listed here, as well as the scriptural references, and a chart. This may assist in understanding the origin of these terms when reading the two chapters from Śrīla Prabhupāda’s “Teachings of Lord Chaitanya” below.

THREE MAIN CATEGORIES OF SVĀRŪPA (LORD OWN FORMS)

Lord Krishna Eternally manifest in 3 forms:

svayam-rūpa (original forms),

tadekātma-rūpa (those with bodily differences),

āveśa-rūpa / śaktyāveśa-avatāra (empowered living entities)

svayaṁ rūpas tad-ekātma-

rūpa āveśa-nāmakaḥ

ity asau trividhaṁ bhāti

prapañcātīta-dhāmasu

Kṛṣṇa appears in three forms in his abodes beyond the material world: svayaṁ-rūpa (essential form), tad-ekātma-rūpa (forms which are nondifferent from it) and āveśa-rūpa (empowered forms).

SVAYAM-RŪPA (ORIGINAL FORM)

tatra svayaṁrūpaḥ —

ananyāpekṣi yad rūpaṁ

svayaṁ-rūpaḥ sa ucyate

That form which is not dependent on others is called the svayaṁ-rūpa (LB 1.1.12)

He whose svarūpa (rūpam) does not depend on anything else is called the svayaṁ-rūpa. Just as it is said that a man of austerity is not dependent on anyone for service, but is fully dependent only on himself (svayam), that form of Kṛṣṇa which is self-manifesting and is not dependent on others for its appearance is called svayaṁ-rūpa

Krishna as the cowherd in Vṛndāvana is the svayam-rūpa.

TADEKĀTMA-RŪPA (APPEARS DIFFERENTIATED)

Tad-ekatama rūpa is defined as follows:

atra tad-ekātma-rūpaḥ – yad-rūpaṁ tad-abhedena

svarūpeṇa virājate ākṛtyādibhir anyādṛk sa tad-ekātma-rūpakaḥ ||

sa vilāsaḥ svāṁśa iti dhatte bheda-dvayaṁ punaḥ ||14||

That form which is non-different from the svayaṁ-rūpa but appears to be different because of differing shape, activities etc., is called tad-ekātma-rūpa. That tad-ekātma-rūpa has two forms: vilāsa and svāṁśa (LB 1.1.14)

Non-difference is indicated in the sense that all the forms of the Lord are perfect. The difference is a difference in manifestation of powers.

Tad-ekatma rupa is divided into two categories:

vilāsa

svāṁśa

VILĀSA FORMS (PASTIME FORM)

Vilāsa is defined as follows: manifests almost similar qualities as svayam-rūpa

tatra vilāsaḥ – svarūpam anyākāraṁ yat tasya bhāti vilāsataḥ |

prāyeṇātma-samaṁ śaktyā sa vilāso nigadyate ||15||

That form which is different from the original form for performing different pastimes and which is very slightly less in qualities is called the vilāsa form. (LB 1.1.15)

NĀRĀYANA IS VILĀSA OF GOVINDA & VĀSUDEV IS THE VILĀSA OF NĀRĀYANA

Just as the Lord of the spiritual sky, Nārāyaṇa, is the vilāsa form of Govinda, so Vāsudeva is the vilāsa form of the Lord of the spiritual sky (original Nārāyaṇa in Vaikuṇṭha).

SVĀMŚA (LESSER APPEARANCES)

Svāṁśaḥ is defined as follows: manifests lesser qualities compared to vilāsa forms

svāṁśaḥ – tādṛśo nyūna-śaktiḥ yo vyanakti svāṁśa īritaḥ |

saṅkarṣaṇādir matsyādir yathā tat-tat-svadhāmasu ||17||

Definition of svāṁśa: That form which is similar to the vilāsa form but manifests fewer powers than the vilāsa form is called svāṁśa. Examples are the forms of Saṅkarṣaṇa and Matsya in their abodes in the spiritual world (Laghu B 1.1.17)

ĀVEŚA / ŚAKTYAVEDA (EMPOWERED LIVING BEINGS)

Āveśā forms are defined as follows:

tatra āveśaḥ – jñāna-śakty-ādi-kalayā yatrāviṣṭo janārdanaḥ |

ta āveśā nigadyante jīvā eva mahattamāḥ ||18||

Definition of āveśa: Exalted jīvas empowered by the Lord with portions of his powers such as knowledge are called āveśa forms. (Laghu Bhāgavatāmṛta 1.1.18)

They are of two types: Primary and Secondary.

Primary ones are like Ṛṣabhadeva and they identify themselves with Supreme Lord. Secondary ones like Nārada, Kumāras identify themselves differently.

SVAYAM-PRAKĀŚA (PERSONAL EMANATIONS)

When Svayam Rūpa manifests into many forms like when he is different gopis like Rādhā, Chandrāvalī or Rukmiṇī etc, it is called prakāśa. (not to be counted as tadekātma)

prakāśas tu na bhedeṣu gaṇyate sa hi no pṛthak ||20||

The prakāśa forms of Kṛṣṇa are not considered among these types (tadekātma- rūpa). They are non-different from the svayaṁ-rūpa. (Laghu Bhāgavatāmṛta 1.1.20)

(Svayam) Prakasa are of two types:

prābhava-prakāśa

vaibhava-prakāśa.

mahiṣī-vivāhe haila bahu-vidha mūrti

‘prābhava prakāśa’ — ei śāstra-parasiddhi

“When the Lord married 16,108 wives at Dvārakā, He expanded Himself into many forms. These expansions and the expansions at the rāsa dance are called prābhava-prakāśa, according to the directions of revealed scriptures (CC Madhya 20.168)

sei vapu, sei ākṛti pṛthak yadi bhāse

bhāvāveśa-bhede nāma ‘vaibhava-prakāśe’

“If one form or feature is differently manifested according to different emotional features, it is called vaibhava-prakāśa. (CC Madhya 20.171)

vaibhava-prakāśa kṛṣṇera — śrī-balarāma

varṇa-mātra-bheda, saba — kṛṣṇera samāna

“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.

vaibhava-prakāśa yaiche devakī-tanuja

dvibhuja-svarūpa kabhu, kabhu haya caturbhuja

“An example of vaibhava-prakāśa is the son of Devakī. He sometimes has two hands and sometimes four hands” (CC Madhya 174-175)

(LB) Laghu Bhāgavatāmṛta by Rūpa Gosvāmī

(CC) Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 20th Chapter by Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī

3 PARĀVASTHA-AVATĀRS (HIS SUPREME STATE)

The most important forms of the Lord are known as the parāvastha-avataras

Padma Purana explains:

“In Lord Nṛsimha, Rāmacandra, and Kṛṣṇa the 6 transcendental opulences are perfect and complete. They are the parāvasthas (most important forms of the Lord). From Him (Krishna) they are manifested as lamps are lighted from an (original) lamp.” (LB Chapter 5)

TEACHINGS OF LORD CHAITANYA: CHAPTER 6

HIS FORMS ARE ONE AND THE SAME

BELOW IS AN EXTREMELY CONCISE EXPLANATION & PERFECT SUMMARY OF KṚṢṆA’S EXPANSIONS

BY His Divine Grace Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Prabhupāda

“By devotional service one can understand that Kṛṣṇa first of all manifests Himself as svayam-rūpa, His personal form, then as tadekātma-rūpa, and then as āveśa-rūpa. It is in these three features that He manifests Himself in His transcendental form.

The feature of svayam-rūpa is the form by which Kṛṣṇa can be understood by one who may not understand His other features. In other words, the form by which Kṛṣṇa is directly understood is called svayam-rūpa, or His personal form.

The tadekātma-rūpa is that form which most resembles the svayam-rūpa, but there are some differences in the bodily features.

The tadekātma-rūpa is divided into two manifestations-the personal expansion (svāṁśa) and the pastime expansion (vilāsa).

As far as the āveśa-rūpa is concerned, when Kṛṣṇa empowers some suitable living entity to represent Him, that living entity is called āveśa-rūpa, or śaktyāveśa-avatāra.

The personal form (svāṁśa) of Kṛṣṇa can be divided into two: svayam-rūpa and svayam-prakāśa.

As far as His svayam-rūpa (or pastime form) is concerned, it is in that form that He remains always in Vṛndāvana with the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana.

This personal form (svayam-rūpa) can be further divided into the prābhava and vaibhava forms.

For instance, Kṛṣṇa expanded Himself in multiple forms during the rāsa dance in order to dance with each and every gopī who took part in forms in order to accommodate His 16,108 wives. There are some instances of great mystics’ also expanding their bodily features in different ways, but Kṛṣṇa did not expand Himself by any yoga process. Each expansion of Kṛṣṇa was a separate individual. In Vedic history, Saubhari Ṛṣi, a sage, expanded himself into eight forms by the yoga process, but Saubhari Ṛṣi remained one.

As far as Kṛṣṇa is concerned, when He manifested Himself in different forms, each and every one of them was a separate individual. When NāradaMuni visited Kṛṣṇa at different palaces at Dvārakā, he was astonished at this, and yet Nārada is never astonished to see expansions of a yogī’s body, since he knows the trick himself. Yet in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is stated that Nārada was actually astonished to see the expansions of Kṛṣṇa. He wondered how the Lord was present with His queens in each and every one of His 16,108 palaces. With each queen, Kṛṣṇa Himself was in a different form, and He was acting in different ways. In one form He was engaged in playing with His children, and in yet another form He was performing some household work.

These different activities are conducted by the Lord when He is in His “emotional” forms, which are known as vaibhava-prakāśa expansions. Similarly, there are other unlimited expansions of the forms of Kṛṣṇa, but even when they are divided or expanded without limit, they are still one and the same. There is no difference between one form and another. That is the absolute nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is stated that when Akrūra was accompanying both Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma from Gokula to Mathurā, he entered into the waters of the Yamunā River and could see in the waters all the planets in the spiritual sky. He also saw there the Lord in His Viṣṇu form as well as Nārada and the four Kumāras, who were worshiping Him. As stated in the Bhāgavata Purāṇa (SB 10.40.7):

anyeca saṁskṛtātmāno

vidhinābhihitena te

yajanti tvan-mayās tvāṁvai

bahumūrty-ekamūrtikam

There are many worshipers who are purified by different processes of worship-such as the Vaiṣṇavas or the Āryans-who also worship the Supreme Lord according to their convictions and spiritual understanding. Each process of worship involves understanding different forms of the Lord, as mentioned in scriptures, but the ultimate idea is to worship the Supreme Lord Himself.

In His vaibhava-prakāśa feature, the Lord manifests Himself as Balarāma. The Balarāma feature is as good as Kṛṣṇa Himself, the only difference being that the bodily hue of Kṛṣṇa is dark and that of Balarāma is fair.

The vaibhava-prakāśa form was also displayed when Kṛṣṇa appeared before His Mother Devakī in the four-handed form of Nārāyaṇa, just when He entered the world. At the request of His parents, however, He transformed Himself into a two-handed form. Thus He sometimes manifests four hands and sometimes two.

The two-handed form is actually vaibhava-prakāśa, and the four-handed form is prābhava-prakāśa.

In His personal form, Kṛṣṇa is just like a cowherd boy, and He thinks of Himself in that way. But when He is in the Vāsudeva form, He thinks of Himself as the son of a kṣatriya and acts as a princely administrator. In the two-handed form, as the cowherd son of NandaMahārāja, Kṛṣṇa fully exhibits His opulence, form, beauty, wealth, attractiveness and pastimes. Indeed, in some of the Vaiṣṇava literatures it is found that sometimes, in His form as Vāsudeva, He becomes attracted to the form of Govinda in Vṛndāvana.

Thus as Vāsudeva He sometimes desires to enjoy as the cowherd boy Govinda does, although the Govinda form and the Vāsudeva form are one and the same. In this regard, there is a passage in the Fourth Chapter of the Lalita-mādhava (4.19), in which Kṛṣṇa addresses Uddhava as follows: “My dear friend, the form of Govinda, the cowherd boy, attracts Me. Indeed, I wish to be like the damsels of Vraja, who are also attracted by this form of Govinda.” Similarly, in the Eighth Chapter, Kṛṣṇa says: “O how wonderful it is! Who is this person? After seeing Him, I am so attracted that I am now desiring to embrace Him just like Rādhikā.”

There are also forms of Kṛṣṇa which are a little different, and these are called tadekātma-rūpa forms.

These may be further divided into the vilāsa and svāṁśa forms, which in turn have many different features and can be divided into prābhava and vaibhava forms.

As far as the vilāsa forms are concerned, there are innumerable prābhava-vilāsas by which Kṛṣṇa expands Himself as Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha. Sometimes the Lord thinks of Himself as a cowherd boy, and sometimes He thinks of Himself as the son of Vasudeva, a kṣatriya prince, and this “thinking” of Kṛṣṇa is called His “pastimes.” Actually He is in the same form in His vaibhava-prakāśa and prābhava-vilāsa, but He appears differently as Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa.

His expansions as Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are in the original catur-vyūha, or four-handed forms. There are innumerable four-handed manifestations in different planets and different places, and they are manifested in Dvārakā and Mathurā eternally.

From the four principal four-handed forms (Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha) there are manifest the principal twenty-four forms called vaibhava-vilāsa, and they are named differently according to the placement of different symbols (conch, mace, lotus and disc) in their hands.

The four principal manifestations of Kṛṣṇa are found in each planet in the spiritual sky, and these planets are called Nārāyaṇaloka or Vaikuṇṭhaloka.

In the Vaikuṇṭhaloka He is manifested in the four-handed form of Nārāyaṇa. From each Nārāyaṇa the forms of Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are manifested. Thus Nārāyaṇa is the center, and the four forms of Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha surround the Nārāyaṇa form. Each of these four forms again expand into three, and these all have different names, beginning with Keśava.

These forms are twelve in all, and they are known by different names according to the placement of symbols in their hands. As far as the Vāsudeva form is concerned, the three expansions manifested from Him are Keśava, Nārāyaṇa and Mādhava. The three forms of Saṅkarṣaṇa are known as Govinda, Viṣṇu and Śrī Madhusūdana.

(It should be noted, however, that this Govinda form is not the same Govinda form that is manifested in Vṛndāvana as the son of NandaMahārāja.) Similarly, Pradyumna is also divided into three forms known as Trivikrama, Vāmana and Śrīdhara; and the three forms of Aniruddha are known as Hṛṣīkeśa, Padmanābha and Dāmodara.

TEACHINGS OF LORD CHAITANYA CHAPTER 7

UNLIMITED FORMS OF GODHEAD

According to the Vaiṣṇava almanac, the twelve months of the year are named according to the twelve Vaikuṇṭha forms of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and these forms are known as the predominating Deities for the twelve months. This calendar begins with the month of Mārgaśīrsa, which is equivalent to late October and early November. The remainder of November is known by Vaiṣṇavas as Keśava. December is called Nārāyaṇa, January is called Mādhava, February is Govinda, March is Viṣṇu, April Śrī Madhusūdana, May Trivikrama, June Vāmana, July Śrīdhara, August Hṛṣīkeśa, September Padmanābha, and early October is known as Dāmodara. (The name Dāmodara was given to Kṛṣṇa when He was bound by ropes by His mother, but the Dāmodara form in the month of October is a different manifestation).

Just as the months of the year are known according to the twelve different names of the Supreme Lord, the Vaiṣṇava community marks twelve parts of the body according to these names. For instance, the tilaka mark on the forehead is called Keśava, and on the stomach, breast and arms the other names are also given. These are the same names as those given the months.

The four forms (Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha) are also expanded in the vilāsa-mūrti. These are eight in number, and their names are Puruṣottama, Acyuta, Nṛsiṁha, Janārdana, Hari, Kṛṣṇa, Adhokṣaja and Upendra. Out of these eight, Adhokṣaja and Puruṣottama are the vilāsa forms of Vāsudeva. Similarly, Upendra and Acyuta are the forms of Saṅkarṣaṇa; Nṛsiṁha and Janārdana are the forms of Pradyumna, and Hari and Kṛṣṇa are the vilāsa forms of Aniruddha. (This Kṛṣṇa is different from the original Kṛṣṇa.)

These twenty-four forms are known as the vilāsa manifestation of the prābhava (four-handed) form, and they are named differently according to the position of the symbolic representations (mace, disc, lotus flower and conch shell). Out of these twenty-four forms there are vilāsa and vaibhava forms. Names mentioned herein, such as Pradyumna, Trivikrama, Vāmana, Hari and Kṛṣṇa, are also different in features. Then, coming to the prābhava-vilāsa of Kṛṣṇa (including Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha), there are a total of twenty further variations.

All of these have Vaikuṇṭha planets in the spiritual sky and are situated in eight different directions. Although each of them is eternally in the spiritual sky, some of them are nonetheless manifest in the material world also. In the spiritual sky all the planets dominated by the Nārāyaṇa feature are eternal.

The topmost planet in the spiritual sky is called Kṛṣṇaloka and is divided into three different portions: Gokula, Mathurā and Dvārakā. In the Mathurā portion, the form of Keśava is always situated. He is also represented on this earthly planet. In Mathurā, India, the Keśavamūrti is worshiped, and similarly there is a Puruṣottama form in Jagannātha Purī in Orissa.

In Ānandāraṇya there is the form of Viṣṇu, and in Māyāpur, the birthplace of Lord Caitanya, there is the form of Hari. Many other forms are also situated in various places on the earth. Not only in this universe but in all other universes as well the forms of Kṛṣṇa are distributed everywhere.

It is indicated that this earth is divided into seven islands, which are the seven continents, and it is understood that on each and every island there are similar forms, but at the present moment these are found only in India.

Although from Vedic literatures we can understand that there are forms in other parts of the world, at present there is no information of their location.

The different forms of Kṛṣṇa are distributed throughout the universe to give pleasure to the devotees. It is not that devotees are born only in India. There are devotees in all parts of the world, but they have simply forgotten their identity.

These forms incarnate not only to give pleasure to the devotee but to reestablish devotional service and perform other activities which vitally concern the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Some of these forms are incarnations mentioned in the scriptures, such as the Viṣṇu incarnation, Trivikrama incarnation, Nṛsiṁha incarnation and Vāmana incarnation. In the Siddhārtha-saṁhitā, there is a description of the twenty-four forms of Viṣṇu, and these forms are named according to the position of the symbolic representations in Their four hands.

When one describes the positions of objects in the hands of the Viṣṇumūrti, one should begin with the lower right hand then move to the upper right hand, upper left hand and, finally, to the lower left hand. In this way, Vāsudeva may be described as being represented by mace, conch shell, disc and lotus flower. Saṅkarṣaṇa is represented by mace, conch shell, lotus flower and disc. Similarly, Pradyumna is represented by disc, conch shell, mace and lotus flower. Aniruddha is represented by disc, mace, conch shell and lotus flower. In the spiritual sky the representations of Nārāyaṇa are twenty in number and are described as follows: Śrī Keśava (flower, conch shell, disc, mace), Nārāyaṇa (conch, flower, mace and disc), Śrī Mādhava (mace, disc, conch and flower), Śrī Govinda (disc, mace, flower and conch), Viṣṇu-mūrti (mace, flower, conch and disc), Madhusūdana (disc, conch, flower and mace), Trivikrama (flower, mace, disc and shell), Śrī Vāmana (conch, disc, mace and flower), Śrīdhara (flower, disc, mace and shell), Hṛṣīkeśa (mace, disc, flower and conch), Padmanābha (shell, flower, disc and mace), Dāmodara (flower, disc, mace and shell), Puruṣottama (disc, flower, shell and mace), Acyuta (mace, flower, disc and shell), Nṛsiṁha (disc, flower, mace and shell), Janārdana (flower, disc, shell and mace), Śrī Hari (shell, disc, flower and mace), Śrī Kṛṣṇa (shell, mace, flower and disc), Adhokṣaja (flower, mace, shell and disc), and Upendra (shell, mace, disc and flower).

According to the Hayaśīrṣa-pañcarātra, there are sixteen forms, and these forms are named differently according to the situations of the disc and mace. The conclusion is that the Supreme Original Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa. He is called līlā-puruṣottama, and He resides principally in Vṛndāvana as the son of Nanda. It is also learned from the Hayaśīrṣa-pañcarātra that there are nine forms protecting each of the two Purīs known as the MathurāPurī and the DvārakāPurī: Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha protect one, and Nārāyaṇa, Nṛsiṁha, Hayagrīva, Varāha and Brahmā-protect the other. These are different manifestations of the prakāśa and vilāsa forms of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Lord Caitanya also informs Sanātana Gosvāmī that there are different forms of svāṁśa as well, and these are divided into the Saṅkarṣaṇa division and the incarnation division. From the first division come the three puruṣa-avatāras-the Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu-and from the other division come the līlā-avatāras, such as the Lord’s incarnations as a fish, tortoise, etc. There are six kinds of incarnations: (1) the puruṣa-avatāra, (2) the līlā-avatāra, (3) the guṇa-avatāra, (4) the manvantara-avatāra, (5) the yuga-avatāra, and (6) the śaktyāveśa-avatāra.

Out of the six vilāsa manifestations of Kṛṣṇa, there are two divisions based on His age, and these are called bālya and paugaṇḍa. As the son of NandaMahārāja, Kṛṣṇa in His original form enjoys both of these childhood aspects-namely bālya and paugaṇḍa. It is thus safe to conclude that there is no end to the expansions and incarnations of Kṛṣṇa.

Lord Caitanya explains some of them to Sanātana just to give him an idea of how the Lord expands and enjoys. These conclusions are also confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.3.26). There it is said that there is no limit to the incarnations of the Supreme Lord, just as there is no limit to the waves of the ocean.

Kṛṣṇa first incarnates as the three puruṣa-avatāras, namely the Mahā-Viṣṇu or Kāraṇodakaśāyī avatāra, the Garbhodakaśāyī avatāra and the Kṣīrodakaśāyī avatāra. This is confirmed in the Sātvata-tantra. Kṛṣṇa’s energies can also be divided into three: His energy of thinking feeling and acting. When He exhibits His thinking energy, He is the Supreme Lord; when He exhibits His feeling energy, He is Lord Vāsudeva; when He exhibits His acting energy, He is Saṅkarṣaṇa Balarāma. Without His thinking, feeling and acting, there would be no possibility of creation. Although there is no creation in the spiritual world-for there the planets are beginningless-there is creation in the material world. In either case, however, both the spiritual and material worlds are manifestations of the energy of acting, in which Kṛṣṇa acts in the form of Saṅkarṣaṇa and Balarāma.

The spiritual world of the Vaikuṇṭha planets and Kṛṣṇaloka, the supreme planet, is situated in His energy of thinking. Although there is no creation in the spiritual world, which is eternal, it is still to be understood that the Vaikuṇṭha planets depend on the thinking energy of the Supreme Lord. This thinking energy is described in Brahma-saṁhitā (5.2), where it is said that the supreme abode, known as Goloka, is manifested like a lotus flower with hundreds of petals. Everything there is manifested by Ananta, the Balarāma or Saṅkarṣaṇa form. The material cosmic manifestation and its different universes are manifest through māyā, or material energy. However, one should not think that material nature or material energy is the cause of this cosmic manifestation. Rather, it is caused by the Supreme Lord, who uses His different expansions through material nature. In other words, there is no possibility of any creation without the superintendence of the Supreme Lord. The form by which the energy of material nature works to bring about creation is called the Saṅkarṣaṇa form, and it is understood that this cosmic manifestation is created under the superintendence of the Supreme Lord.

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.46.31) it is said that Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa are the origin of all living entities and that these two personalities enter into everything. A list of incarnations is given in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.3), and they are as follows: (1) Kumāras, (2) Nārada, (3) Varāha, (4) Matsya, (5) Yajña, (6) Nara-nārāyaṇa, (7) Kārdami Kapila, (8) Dattātreya, (9) Hayaśīrṣa, (10) Haṁsa, (1 1) Dhruvapriya or Pṛśnigarbha, (12) Ṛṣabha, (13) Pṛthu, (14) Nṛsiṁha, (15) Kūrma, (16) Dhanvantari, (17) Mohinī, (18) Vāmana, (19) Bhārgava (Paraśurāma), (20) Rāghavendra, (21) Vyāsa, (22) Pralambāri Balarāma, (23) Kṛṣṇa, (24) Buddha (25) Kalki. Because almost all of these twenty-five līlā-avatāras appear in one day of Brahmā, which is called a kalpa, they are sometimes called kalpa-avatāras

Out of these, the incarnation of Haṁsa and Mohinī are not permanent, but Kapila, Dattātreya, Ṛṣabha, Dhanvantari and Vyāsa are five eternal forms, and they are more celebrated. The incarnations of the tortoise Kūrma, the fish Matsya, Nara-nārāyaṇa, Varāha, Hayaśīrṣa, Pṛśnigarbha, and Balarāma are considered to be incarnations of vaibhava.

Similarly, there are three guṇa-avatāras, or incarnations of the qualitative modes of nature, and these are Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva.

Of the manvantara-avatāras, there are fourteen: (1) Yajña, (2) Vibhu, (3) Satyasena, (4) Hari, (5) Vaikuṇṭha, (6) Ajita, (7) Vāmana, (8) Sārvabhauma, (9) Ṛṣabha, (10) Viṣvaksena, (11) Dharmasetu, (12) Sudhāmā, (13) Yogeśvara, (14) Bṛhadbhānu. Out of these fourteen manvantara-avatāras, Yajña and Vāmana are also līlā-avatāras, and the rest are manvantara-avatāras.

These fourteen manvantara-avatāras are also known as vaibhava-avatāras.

The four yuga-avatāras are also described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In the Satya-yuga, the incarnation of God is white; in the Tretā-yuga He is red; in the Dvāpara-yuga, He is blackish; and in the Kali-yuga He is also blackish, but sometimes, in a special Kali-yuga, His color is yellowish (as in the case of Caitanya Mahāprabhu).

As far as the śaktyāveśa-avatāras are concerned, they include Kapila and Ṛṣabha, Ananta, Brahmā (sometimes the Lord Himself becomes Brahmā), Catuḥsana (the incarnation of knowledge), Nārada (the incarnation of devotional service), King Pṛthu (the incarnation of administrative power), and Paraśurāma (the incarnation who subdues evil principles).

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