Pancha Tattva deities are very special because they have all the five Absolute Truths, are in there embodied in them.
- The Supreme Truth
- The Expansion of Supreme Truth
- The Incarnation of Supreme Truth
- The Energy of Supreme Truth
- And the Pure Devotees of the Supreme Truth
These are all embodied in Pancha Tattva.
Sri Krishna Caitanya Prabhu Nithyananda Sri Advaita Gadhadhara Srivas Adi Gaura Bhakta Vrinda!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Who is God
The personhood of Krishna is not an idea invented by human beings naively creating a God in their own image. Nor is personhood a limiting concept when applied to God, or the Absolute Truth. As the source of everything, Krishna naturally has His own personal identity, just as each of us does. The Vedas define God as the one supreme conscious being among all other conscious beings. He is infinite, we are finite, and He maintains us all.
Naturally, the best way to understand God is to learn from Him. In the Bhagavad-gita (“The Song of God”), Lord Krishna—a real, transcendental person—tells us that He is God and reveals many things about Himself.
“Unintelligent men, who do not know Me perfectly, think that I, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, was impersonal before and have now assumed this personality. Due to their small fund of knowledge, they do not know My higher nature, which is imperishable and supreme.”—Sri Krishna, Bhagavad-gita 7.24
Many people have a hard time conceiving that God can be an actual person. But the Vedas tell us that God’s unique personal identity is His highest aspect. Here’s an analogy to show how God has three main features.
Looking at a mountain from a distance, we can make out only its size and shape. This is compared to comprehending God only as Brahman, His impersonal energy, which emanates from Him just as light shines out from its source.
As we move closer, we’ll start to make out more of the mountain’s characteristics—the colors of its foliage, for example. This is compared to understanding that God is within our hearts as Paramatma, or the Supersoul.
Finally, when we arrive at the mountain we can explore its soil, vegetation, animals, rivers, and so on. This is compared to understanding God the person, or Bhagavan.
Bhagavan is the source of Brahman and Paramatma and is therefore, in a sense, one with them. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan are called the three phases of the Absolute Truth.
The word “Brahman,” or simply “Brahma,” is used in a generic sense to mean spirit. God, the individual souls, and the spiritual effulgence of God are all referred to as Brahman (its Sanskrit root means “the greatest”).
When the word is used in the context of Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan—the three phases of the Absolute Truth—it refers to the impersonal effulgence of God (Bhagavan). Brahman is also called the brahma-jyoti, or “spiritual light.” It is fills the spiritual world and, when transformed by God, becomes the primordial elements of the material world. Thus it is said to pervade everything.
The Absolute Truth exists in three phases: Brahman, Paramatama, and Bhagavan. Paramatma is God’s expansion as the Supersoul within our heart.
The Vedic sages distinguish between the Supersoul and the small individual soul. Both reside within the heart, but one is infinite, the other infinitesimal. The soul, the tiny spark of consciousness within, is our true self—eternal, blissful, and wise. But it is small, and so it may get lost in illusion and entangled in material life.
But the Supersoul, great and infinite, is ever beyond illusion.
Bhaga means “opulence” or “assets,” and van means “one who possesses.” Because God owns everything, He is called Bhagavan. The Vedic sage Parashara has defined Bhagavan as the one who possesses in full these assets: beauty, wealth, fame, strength, knowledge, and renunciation.
God, in His personal feature, has all the attributes found in other living beings—but His are all infinite, unlimited, unrestricted by the conditions of matter. That Supreme, the Personality of Godhead, Krishna, exists in His own realm, beyond all dualities and illusions.
Localized Paramatma and all-pervading Brahman are features of the original personality, Bhagavan.
The complete conception of God includes God and His energies, which exist simultaneously with Him and are in a sense identical to Him. The sum of Krishna’s energies is Radha, His eternal consort. Like the sun and sunshine, Krishna and Radha are one.
Radha embodies the totality of love for Krishna. Thus She is known as the personification of Bhakti, or loving devotion to God.
Loving God is our natural state, now dormant. By Her pure example, Radha is the beacon calling everyone to re-awaken full love for Krishna. She also dispenses mercy to help us achieve that goal.
Radha-Krishna are the male and female aspects of God. Known as the Divine Couple, together they are the full manifestation of God.
“Radharani is a tenderhearted feminine counterpart of the supreme whole, resembling the perfectional stage of the worldly feminine nature. Therefore, the mercy of Radharani is available very readily to the sincere devotees, and once She recommends such a devotee to Lord Krishna, the Lord at once accepts the devotee’s admittance into His association.” —Srila Prabhupada, Bhagavatam 2.3.23
Naturally, the best way to understand God is to learn from Him. In the Bhagavad-gita (“The Song of God”), Lord Krishna—a real, transcendental person—tells us that He is God and reveals many things about Himself.
“Unintelligent men, who do not know Me perfectly, think that I, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, was impersonal before and have now assumed this personality. Due to their small fund of knowledge, they do not know My higher nature, which is imperishable and supreme.”—Sri Krishna, Bhagavad-gita 7.24
Many people have a hard time conceiving that God can be an actual person. But the Vedas tell us that God’s unique personal identity is His highest aspect. Here’s an analogy to show how God has three main features.
Looking at a mountain from a distance, we can make out only its size and shape. This is compared to comprehending God only as Brahman, His impersonal energy, which emanates from Him just as light shines out from its source.
As we move closer, we’ll start to make out more of the mountain’s characteristics—the colors of its foliage, for example. This is compared to understanding that God is within our hearts as Paramatma, or the Supersoul.
Finally, when we arrive at the mountain we can explore its soil, vegetation, animals, rivers, and so on. This is compared to understanding God the person, or Bhagavan.
Bhagavan is the source of Brahman and Paramatma and is therefore, in a sense, one with them. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan are called the three phases of the Absolute Truth.
The word “Brahman,” or simply “Brahma,” is used in a generic sense to mean spirit. God, the individual souls, and the spiritual effulgence of God are all referred to as Brahman (its Sanskrit root means “the greatest”).
When the word is used in the context of Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan—the three phases of the Absolute Truth—it refers to the impersonal effulgence of God (Bhagavan). Brahman is also called the brahma-jyoti, or “spiritual light.” It is fills the spiritual world and, when transformed by God, becomes the primordial elements of the material world. Thus it is said to pervade everything.
The Absolute Truth exists in three phases: Brahman, Paramatama, and Bhagavan. Paramatma is God’s expansion as the Supersoul within our heart.
The Vedic sages distinguish between the Supersoul and the small individual soul. Both reside within the heart, but one is infinite, the other infinitesimal. The soul, the tiny spark of consciousness within, is our true self—eternal, blissful, and wise. But it is small, and so it may get lost in illusion and entangled in material life.
But the Supersoul, great and infinite, is ever beyond illusion.
Bhaga means “opulence” or “assets,” and van means “one who possesses.” Because God owns everything, He is called Bhagavan. The Vedic sage Parashara has defined Bhagavan as the one who possesses in full these assets: beauty, wealth, fame, strength, knowledge, and renunciation.
God, in His personal feature, has all the attributes found in other living beings—but His are all infinite, unlimited, unrestricted by the conditions of matter. That Supreme, the Personality of Godhead, Krishna, exists in His own realm, beyond all dualities and illusions.
Localized Paramatma and all-pervading Brahman are features of the original personality, Bhagavan.
The complete conception of God includes God and His energies, which exist simultaneously with Him and are in a sense identical to Him. The sum of Krishna’s energies is Radha, His eternal consort. Like the sun and sunshine, Krishna and Radha are one.
Radha embodies the totality of love for Krishna. Thus She is known as the personification of Bhakti, or loving devotion to God.
Loving God is our natural state, now dormant. By Her pure example, Radha is the beacon calling everyone to re-awaken full love for Krishna. She also dispenses mercy to help us achieve that goal.
Radha-Krishna are the male and female aspects of God. Known as the Divine Couple, together they are the full manifestation of God.
“Radharani is a tenderhearted feminine counterpart of the supreme whole, resembling the perfectional stage of the worldly feminine nature. Therefore, the mercy of Radharani is available very readily to the sincere devotees, and once She recommends such a devotee to Lord Krishna, the Lord at once accepts the devotee’s admittance into His association.” —Srila Prabhupada, Bhagavatam 2.3.23
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Maha-Vishnu
Maha-Vishnu is the first of the Purushas (“controllers,” also known as Vishnus), incarnations of Krishna for the creation of the material universe.
Maha-Vishnu creates innumerable universes. He lies down in the Causal Ocean on the bed of Ananta Shesha and initiates the creation by glancing at His personified material energy, Maya.
From Maha-Vishnu come the other two Vishnus: Garbhodakashayi Vishnu and Kshirodakashayi Vishnu.
Maha-Vishnu creates the innumerable universes: Garbhodakashayi Vishnu enters into each individual universe to oversee it; and Ksirodakashayi Vishnu enters into each atom in every universe and sits with us souls in our hearts as Supersoul.
Maha-Vishnu creates innumerable universes. He lies down in the Causal Ocean on the bed of Ananta Shesha and initiates the creation by glancing at His personified material energy, Maya.
From Maha-Vishnu come the other two Vishnus: Garbhodakashayi Vishnu and Kshirodakashayi Vishnu.
Maha-Vishnu creates the innumerable universes: Garbhodakashayi Vishnu enters into each individual universe to oversee it; and Ksirodakashayi Vishnu enters into each atom in every universe and sits with us souls in our hearts as Supersoul.
Prema Sarovara
Once, when Radha and Krishna were sitting together, a bee was disturbing Radharani by flying near Her. Krishna requested a friend to chase away the bee, and after finishing the task the friend came back proclaiming that madhu was gone. As the word can refer to either the bee or Krishna, Radharani “mistakenly” took it in the latter sense and began to cry, thinking Krishna was now gone. Even though She was right there in Krishna’s arms, She was totally gripped by vipralambha-bhava, the mood of separation, a level of divine love aspired for by advanced Vaisnavas. Seeing Radharani’s tears of love, Krishna also began to cry, and their tears mingled together to become the sacred pond known as Prema Sarovara in present-day Vraja (Vrindavana).
Monday, October 13, 2008
Regulative Principles
In the Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 22.115-28), Lord Caitanya lists sixty-four regulative principles one must follow to be elevated to the highest platform of devotional service. Even after being elevated to the highest platform of devotional service, one must continue following the scriptural injunctions for devotional life. The sixty-four regulative principles are as follows:
(1) To accept a bona fide spiritual master.
(2) To become initiated by the spiritual master.
(3) To engage oneself in the service of the spiritual master.
(4) To receive instructions from the spiritual master and inquire about advancing on the path of devotional service.
(5) To follow in the footsteps of previous acaryas and follow the directions given by the spiritual master.
(6) To give up anything for the satisfaction of Krsna, and to accept anything for the satisfaction of Krsna.
(7) To live in a place where Krsna is present--a city like Vrndavana or Mathura, or a Krsna temple.
(8) To minimize one's means of living as much as one can, while living comfortably to execute devotional service.
(9) To observe fasting days, such as Ekadasi.
(10) To worship cows, brahmanas, Vaisnavas, and sacred trees like the banyan.
These ten principles of devotional service are the beginning.
Additional principles are as follows:
(11) One should avoid committing offenses against the holy name, the Deity, etc.
(12) One should avoid associating with nondevotees.
(13) One should not aspire to have many disciples.
(14) One should not unnecessarily divert his attention by partially studying many books so as to appear very learned. For devotional service, it is sufficient to scrutinizingly study books like the Bhagavad-gita, the Srimad-Bhagavatam, and the Caitanya-caritamrta.
(15) One should not be disturbed in either loss or gain.
(16) One should not allow oneself to be overwhelmed by lamentation for any reason.
(17) One should not blaspheme the demigods, although one should not worship them. Similarly, one should not criticize other scriptures, although one should not follow the principles therein. (18) One should not tolerate blasphemy of the Supreme Lord or His devotees.
(19) One should not indulge in idle talks, such as those about relationships between men and women.
(20) One should not unnecessarily disturb any living being, whatever he may be.
The above-mentioned twenty items are the doorway to devotional service. And among them, the first three--namely, acceptance of the spiritual master, initiation by the spiritual master, and service to the spiritual master--are the most important.
Then come the following items:
(21) To hear about the Lord.
(22) To chant His glories.
(23) To remember Him.
(24) To serve and meditate upon the lotus feet of the Lord and His devotees.
(25) To worship Him.
(26) To pray to Him.
(27) To think of oneself as the Lord's eternal servant.
(28) To become the Lord's friend.
(29) To offer everything to the Lord.
(30) To dance before the Deity.
(31) To sing before the Deity.
(32) To inform the Lord of everything about one's life.
(33) To bow down to the Lord.
(34) To offer respect to the spiritual master and the Supreme Lord by standing up at the appropriate time.
(35) To follow the spiritual master or the Supreme Lord in procession.
(36) To visit places of pilgrimage and temples of the Supreme Lord.
(37) To circumambulate the temple.
(38) To recite prayers.
(39) To chant the Lord's name softly to oneself.
(40) To chant the Lord's name loudly in congregation.
(41) To smell incense and flowers offered to the Deity.
(42) To eat the remnants of food offered to the Deity.
(43) To regularly attend the arati offered to the Deity, as well as special festivals.
(44) To regularly look upon the Deity.
(45) To offer one's dearmost possessions to the Supreme Lord.
(46) To meditate on the Lord's name, form, pastimes, etc.
(47) To water the tulasi plant.
(48) To serve the Lord's devotees.
(49) To try to live in Vrndavana or Mathura.
(50) To relish the topics of the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
(51) To take all kinds of risks for Krsna.
(52) To always expect the mercy of Krsna.
(53) To observe ceremonies like Janmastami (the appearance day of Lord Krsna) and Rama-navami (the appearance day of Lord Ramacandra) with devotees.
(54) To fully surrender to Krsna.
(55) To observe special regulations like those followed during the month of Kartika (Oct.-Nov.). (56) To mark the body with Vaisnava tilaka (clay markings).
(57) To mark the body with the holy names of God.
(58) To accept the remnants of garlands that have been offered to the Supreme Lord.
(59) To drink caranamrta, the water that has washed the lotus feet of the Deity.
Among these fifty-nine items, five are considered so important that they are mentioned again separately, thus completing the sixty-four items of devotional service. These five are:
(60) associating with devotees,
(61) chanting the holy name of the Lord,
(62) hearing the Srimad-Bhagavatam,
(63) residing at a place of pilgrimage like Mathura, and
(64) worshiping the Deity with faith and veneration.
(1) To accept a bona fide spiritual master.
(2) To become initiated by the spiritual master.
(3) To engage oneself in the service of the spiritual master.
(4) To receive instructions from the spiritual master and inquire about advancing on the path of devotional service.
(5) To follow in the footsteps of previous acaryas and follow the directions given by the spiritual master.
(6) To give up anything for the satisfaction of Krsna, and to accept anything for the satisfaction of Krsna.
(7) To live in a place where Krsna is present--a city like Vrndavana or Mathura, or a Krsna temple.
(8) To minimize one's means of living as much as one can, while living comfortably to execute devotional service.
(9) To observe fasting days, such as Ekadasi.
(10) To worship cows, brahmanas, Vaisnavas, and sacred trees like the banyan.
These ten principles of devotional service are the beginning.
Additional principles are as follows:
(11) One should avoid committing offenses against the holy name, the Deity, etc.
(12) One should avoid associating with nondevotees.
(13) One should not aspire to have many disciples.
(14) One should not unnecessarily divert his attention by partially studying many books so as to appear very learned. For devotional service, it is sufficient to scrutinizingly study books like the Bhagavad-gita, the Srimad-Bhagavatam, and the Caitanya-caritamrta.
(15) One should not be disturbed in either loss or gain.
(16) One should not allow oneself to be overwhelmed by lamentation for any reason.
(17) One should not blaspheme the demigods, although one should not worship them. Similarly, one should not criticize other scriptures, although one should not follow the principles therein. (18) One should not tolerate blasphemy of the Supreme Lord or His devotees.
(19) One should not indulge in idle talks, such as those about relationships between men and women.
(20) One should not unnecessarily disturb any living being, whatever he may be.
The above-mentioned twenty items are the doorway to devotional service. And among them, the first three--namely, acceptance of the spiritual master, initiation by the spiritual master, and service to the spiritual master--are the most important.
Then come the following items:
(21) To hear about the Lord.
(22) To chant His glories.
(23) To remember Him.
(24) To serve and meditate upon the lotus feet of the Lord and His devotees.
(25) To worship Him.
(26) To pray to Him.
(27) To think of oneself as the Lord's eternal servant.
(28) To become the Lord's friend.
(29) To offer everything to the Lord.
(30) To dance before the Deity.
(31) To sing before the Deity.
(32) To inform the Lord of everything about one's life.
(33) To bow down to the Lord.
(34) To offer respect to the spiritual master and the Supreme Lord by standing up at the appropriate time.
(35) To follow the spiritual master or the Supreme Lord in procession.
(36) To visit places of pilgrimage and temples of the Supreme Lord.
(37) To circumambulate the temple.
(38) To recite prayers.
(39) To chant the Lord's name softly to oneself.
(40) To chant the Lord's name loudly in congregation.
(41) To smell incense and flowers offered to the Deity.
(42) To eat the remnants of food offered to the Deity.
(43) To regularly attend the arati offered to the Deity, as well as special festivals.
(44) To regularly look upon the Deity.
(45) To offer one's dearmost possessions to the Supreme Lord.
(46) To meditate on the Lord's name, form, pastimes, etc.
(47) To water the tulasi plant.
(48) To serve the Lord's devotees.
(49) To try to live in Vrndavana or Mathura.
(50) To relish the topics of the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
(51) To take all kinds of risks for Krsna.
(52) To always expect the mercy of Krsna.
(53) To observe ceremonies like Janmastami (the appearance day of Lord Krsna) and Rama-navami (the appearance day of Lord Ramacandra) with devotees.
(54) To fully surrender to Krsna.
(55) To observe special regulations like those followed during the month of Kartika (Oct.-Nov.). (56) To mark the body with Vaisnava tilaka (clay markings).
(57) To mark the body with the holy names of God.
(58) To accept the remnants of garlands that have been offered to the Supreme Lord.
(59) To drink caranamrta, the water that has washed the lotus feet of the Deity.
Among these fifty-nine items, five are considered so important that they are mentioned again separately, thus completing the sixty-four items of devotional service. These five are:
(60) associating with devotees,
(61) chanting the holy name of the Lord,
(62) hearing the Srimad-Bhagavatam,
(63) residing at a place of pilgrimage like Mathura, and
(64) worshiping the Deity with faith and veneration.
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