SB 1.5.20 (1962)

SB (1962) Fifth Chapter - Sri Narada's instructions on Srimad Bhagwatam for Vyasdeva

SB 1.5.19 (1962) - SB 1.5.21 (1962)

Compare Versions: SB 1962 with SB 1972-77

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

TEXT No. 20

Idam hi viswam bhagawan iba itara Yato jagat sthan nirodha sambhavah Taddhi swayam veda bhavans tathapi te Pradeshamatram bhavatah pradarshitam

ENGLISH SYNONYMS

Idam—this, Hi—all, Viswam—cosmos, Bhagawan—the Supreme Lord, Iba—almost the same, Itara—different from, Yato—from whom, Jagat—the worlds, Sthan—exists, Nirodha—annihilation, Sambhavah—creation, Taddhi—all about, Swoyam—personaly, Veda—know, Bhavan—your good self, Tathapi—still, Te—unto your, Pradeshamatram—just a synopsis only, Bhvatah—unto you, Pradarshitam—explained.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Lord Personality of Godhead is Himself this cosmos and still He is aloof from it because from Him only this cosmic manifestation has emanated; unto Him it rests and unto Him it enters after annihilation. Your goodself knows all about this and still I have explained just a synopsis only.

PURPORT

For a pure devotee the conception of Mukunda Lord Sri Krishna is both Personal and impersonal. The impersonal cosmic situation is also Mukunda because it is an emanation of the energy of Mukunda. The example is like the tree and the leaves and branches. The tree is the complete unit whereas the leaves and the branches of the tree are emanated parts and parcels of the tree. The leaves and branches of the tree are also tree but the tree itself is neither the leaf nor the branch. The Vedic version that the whole cosmic creation is nothing but Brahman means that everything being emanations from the Supreme Brahman nothing is apart from Him. Similarly in the whole body the part and parcel hands and legs are called the body but the body as the whole unit is neither the hand nor the leg. The Lord is the transcendental Form of eternity cognition and beauty. And as such the creation of the energy of the Lord appears to be partially eternal full of knowledge and beautiful also. The captivated conditioned souls under the influence of the external energy Maya are therefore fully engaged in the net work of the material nature as all in all without any information of the Lord who is the Primeval cause. But they have no information also that the parts and parcels of the body being detached from the whole body are no longer the same hand or leg as they were when attached with the body. Similarly a Godless civilization detached from the transcendentel loving service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is just like detached hand and legs of the body. Such parts and parcels of the body may appear like the hands and legs but they have no efficiency. The devotee of the Lord Srila Vyasdeva knows it very well and he is further advised by Srila Narada to expand the idea in right earnest so that the entrapped conditioned souls may take lessons from Him and be in order to understand the Supreme Lord as the Primeval cause.

According to the Vedic version the Lord is naturally fully powerful and as such His Supreme Energies are always perfect and identical with Him. Both the spiritual and the material skies and their paraphernalia are emanations of the internal and external energies of the Lord. External energy is comparatively inferior whereas the internal potency is superior. The superior energy is living force and therefore, she is completely identical but the external energy being inert, she is partially identical. But both the energies are neither equal nor greater than the Lord being the generator of all energies; such energies are always under His control, exactly like the electrical energy, however powerful may be it is always under the control of the supreme powerful engineer.

The human being and all other living beings are products of His internal energies. As such the living being is also identical with the Lord. But they are never equal nor superior to the Personality of Godhead. The Lord and living beings are all individual persons and with the help of the material energies the living beings are also creating something but none of them is either equal or superior than the creations of the Lord. The human being create a small playful Sputnik and may throw it in the outer space for floating but that does not mean that he can create a full planet like the earth or moon and float them in the air as the Lord is able to do. Men with poor fund of knowledge only claim to be equal with the Lord. They are never to be equal with the Lord. This is never to be. The human being after attaining complete perfection may achieve a large percentage of the qualities of the Lord say upto 78% but it is never possible to surpass the Lord or to become equal with Him. In diseased condition only the foolish being claims to be one with the Lord and thus become misled by the illusory energy. The misguided living being, therefore, must accept the Supremacy of the Lord and agree to render loving service to Him for which they have been created. Without this there cannot be any peace and tranquility in the world. Srila Vyasdeva is advised by Srila Narada to expand this idea in the Bhagwatam. In the Bhagwat Geeta also the same idea is explained as to surrender fully unto the lotus feet of the Lord and that is the only business of the perfect human being.

(Compare SB 1.5.20 Current Edition)

SB 1.5.19 (1962) - SB 1.5.21 (1962)