Friday, May 31, 2024

Understanding "plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions" of the Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes.

Srimad Bhagavatam - "O brāhmaṇas, the incarnations of the Lord are innumerable, like rivulets flowing from inexhaustible sources of water." (ŚB, Canto 1 Ch 3 text 26)

Srila Prabhupada - "The list of incarnations of the Personality of Godhead given herein is not complete. It is only a partial view of all the incarnations. There are many others, such as-

Śrī Hayagrīva, 

Hari, 

Haṁsa, 

Pṛśnigarbha, 

Vibhu, 

Satyasena, 

Vaikuṇṭha, 

Sārvabhauma, 

Viṣvaksena, 

Dharmasetu, 

Sudhāmā, 

Yogeśvara, 

Bṛhadbhānu, 

And unlimited others of the bygone ages. 

Śrī Prahlāda Mahārāja said in his prayer- 

“My Lord, You manifest as many incarnations as there are species of life, namely the aquatics, the vegetables, the reptiles, the birds, the beasts, the men, the demigods, etc, just for the maintenance of the faithful and the annihilation of the unfaithful. 

You advent Yourself in this way in accordance with the necessity of the different yugas. In the Kali-yuga You have incarnated garbed as a devotee, this incarnation of the Lord in the Kali-yuga is Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. 

There are many other places, both in the Bhāgavatam and in other scriptures, in which the incarnation of the Lord as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is explicitly mentioned. In the Brahma-saṁhitā also it is said indirectly that although there are many incarnations of the Lord, such as- 

Rāma, 

Nṛsiṁha, 

Varāha, 

Matsya, 

Kūrma 

And many others.

The Lord Himself sometimes incarnates in person. Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are not, therefore, incarnations, but the original source of all other incarnations.

This will be clearly explained in the next śloka. So, the Lord is the inexhaustible source for innumerable incarnations which are not always mentioned. But such incarnations are distinguished by specific extraordinary feats which are impossible to be performed by any living being (individual jiva-souls). 

That is the general test to identify an incarnation of the Lord, directly and indirectly empowered. Some incarnations mentioned above are almost plenary portions. For instance- 

The Kumāras are empowered with transcendental knowledge. 

Śrī Nārada is empowered with devotional service. 

Mahārāja Pṛthu is an empowered incarnation with executive function. 

The Matsya incarnation is directly a plenary portion.

So, the innumerable incarnations of the Lord are manifested all over the universes constantly, without cessation, as water flows constantly from waterfalls." (ŚB, Canto 1 Ch 3 text 26 Purport)

Srimad Bhagavatam - "All the ṛṣis, Manus, demigods and descendants of Manu, who are especially powerful, are plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord. This also includes the Prajāpatis." (SB, Canto 1 Ch 3 text 27)

Srila Prabhupada - "Those who are comparatively less powerful are called vibhūti, and those who are comparatively more powerful are called āveśa incarnations." (SB, Canto 1 Ch 3 text 27 Purport)

Srimad Bhagavatam - "All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the original Personality of Godhead. All of them appear on planets whenever there is a disturbance created by the atheists. The Lord incarnates to protect the theists." (SB, Canto 1 Ch 3 text 28)

Srila Prabhupāda - "In this particular stanza Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, is distinguished from other incarnations. He is counted amongst the avatāras (incarnations) because out of His causeless mercy the Lord descends from His transcendental abode. Avatāra means “one who descends." All the incarnations of the Lord, including the Lord Himself, descend to the different planets of the material world as also in different species of life to fulfill particular missions. 

Sometimes He comes Himself, and sometimes His different plenary portions or parts of the plenary portions, or His differentiated portions directly or indirectly empowered by Him, descend to this material world to execute certain specific functions. 

Originally the Lord is full of all opulences (64 qualities), all prowess, all fame, all beauty, all knowledge and all renunciation. When they are partly manifested through the plenary portions or parts of the plenary portions, it should be noted that certain manifestations of His different powers are required for those particular functions. When in the room small electric bulbs are displayed, it does not mean that the electric powerhouse is limited by the small bulbs. The same powerhouse can supply power to operate large-scale industrial dynamos with greater volts. 

Similarly, the incarnations of the Lord (Visnu-tattva expansions) display limited powers because so much power is needed at that particular time. For example, Lord Paraśurāma and Lord Nṛsiṁha displayed unusual opulence by killing the disobedient kṣatriyas twenty-one times and killing the greatly powerful atheist Hiraṇyakaśipu. 

Hiraṇyakaśipu was so powerful that even the demigods in other planets would tremble simply by the unfavorable raising of his eyebrow. 

The demigods in the higher level of material existence many, many times excel the most well-to-do human beings in duration of life, beauty, wealth, paraphernalia and all other respects. 

Still, they were afraid of Hiraṇyakaśipu, thus we can simply imagine how powerful Hiraṇyakaśipu was in this material world. But even Hiraṇyakaśipu was cut into small pieces by the nails of Lord Nṛsiṁha. This means that anyone materially powerful cannot stand the strength of the Lord’s nails. 

1 - Similarly, Jāmadagnya displayed the Lord’s power to kill all the disobedient kings powerfully situated in their respective states. 

2 - The Lord’s empowered incarnation Nārada and plenary incarnation Varāha, as well as indirectly empowered Lord Buddha, created faith in the mass of people. 

3 - The incarnations of Rāma and Dhanvantari displayed His fame

4 - Balarāma, Mohinī and Vāmana exhibited His beauty

5 - Dattātreya, Matsya, Kumāra and Kapila exhibited His transcendental knowledge. 

6 - Nara and Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣis exhibited His renunciation

So, all the different indirectly or directly empowered incarnations of the Lord manifested different features, but Lord Kṛṣṇa, the primeval Lord, exhibited the complete features (all 64 qualities) of Godhead, and thus it is confirmed that He is the source of all other incarnations. And the most extraordinary feature exhibited by Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa was His internal energetic manifestation of His pastimes with the cowherd girls. 

His pastimes with the gopīs are all displays of transcendental existence, bliss and knowledge, although these are manifested apparently as sex love. 

The specific attraction of His pastimes with the gopīs should never be misunderstood. The Bhāgavatam relates these transcendental pastimes in the Tenth Canto. 

And in order to reach the position to understand the transcendental nature of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes with the gopīs, the Bhāgavatam promotes the student gradually in nine other cantos.

According to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī’s statement, in accordance with authoritative sources, Lord Kṛṣṇa is the source of all other incarnations. It is not that Lord Kṛṣṇa has any source of incarnation.

All the symptoms of the Supreme Truth in full are present in the person of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and in the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord emphatically declares that there is no truth greater than or equal to Himself (Krsna). 

In this stanza the word svayam is particularly mentioned to confirm that Lord Kṛṣṇa has no other source than Himself. 

Although in other places the incarnations are described as bhagavān because of their specific functions, nowhere are they declared to be the Supreme Personality. 

In this stanza the word svayam signifies the supremacy as the summum bonum.

The summum bonum Kṛṣṇa is one without a second. He Himself has expanded Himself in various parts, portions and particles as- 

svayaṁ-rūpa, 

svayam-prakāśa, 

tad-ekātmā, 

prābhava, 

vaibhava, 

vilāsa, 

avatāra, 

āveśa, 

jīva-souls (individual marginal living entities)

All provided with innumerable energies just suitable to the respective persons and personalities. 

Learned scholars in transcendental subjects have carefully analyzed the summum bonum Kṛṣṇa to have sixty-four principal attributes. All the expansions or categories of the Lord possess only some percentages of these attributes but Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the possessor of the attributes cent percent. 

And His personal expansions such as svayam-prakāśa and tad-ekātmā, up to the categories of the avatāras who are all viṣṇu-tattva and possess up to 93.75% of Krsna's transcendental attributes, meaning all Visnu/Narayana expansions have 60 of Krsna's 64 qualities which is 93.75%.

Lord Śiva, who is neither avatāra ((Viṣṇu) nor āveśa (jiva-soul) nor in between them, possesses 85.938% of Krsna’s 64 qualities meaning Siva has 55 of Krsna's 64 qualities which is 85.938%.

Krsna's separated energy are the individual jiva-souls (marginal living entities) who have 78.125% of Krsna's qualities which is having 50 of Krsna's 64 qualities.

Understanding these percentages is just basic mathematics, for example-

1 - Only Kṛṣṇa the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes has all 64 qualities all the time (100%)  

2 - What is the percentage of 60 into 64 = 93.75% (Visnu-tattva or Visnu/ Narayana expansions)

3 - What is the percentage of 55 into 64 = 85.938% (Siva-tattva or Lord Siva and his expansions)

4 - What is the percentage of 50 into 64 = 78.125% (Jiva-tattva, marginal living entities or the individual eternal jiva-souls)  

But the eternal individual jīva-souls, or the individual marginal living entities in different statuses of life, possess up to the limit of seventy-eight percent (exactly 78.125% as mathmatically explained above) of the attributes.

In the conditioned state of material existence, the living being (eternal individual jiva-soul) possesses these attributes in very minute quantity, varying in terms of the pious life of the living being. 

The most perfect of living beings is Brahmā (jiva-soul), the supreme administrator of one material universe. He possesses seventy-eight percent (exactly 78.125% which is having 50 of Krsna's 64 qualities) of the attributes in full. 

All other demigods have the same attributes in less quantity, whereas human beings possess the attributes in very minute quantity. 

The standard of perfection for a human being is to develop the attributes up to seventy-eight percent (exactly 78.125%) in full. The living being can never possess attributes like Śiva, Viṣṇu or Lord Kṛṣṇa.

A living beings (eternal individual jiva-souls) can become godly by developing the seventy-eight-percent (exactly 78.125% as explained above) transcendental attributes in fullness, but he can never become a God like Śiva, Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa. He can become a Brahmā in due course. 

The godly living beings who are all residents of the planets in the spiritual sky are eternal associates of God in different spiritual planets called Hari-dhāma and Maheśa-dhāma. 

The abode of Lord Kṛṣṇa above all spiritual planets is called Kṛṣṇaloka or Goloka-Vṛndāvana, and the perfected living being (jiva-souls), by developing seventy-eight percent (78.125% as explained above) of the above attributes in full, can enter the planet of Kṛṣṇaloka after leaving the present material body." (Canto 1 Ch 3 text 28 Purport)

This young beautiful boy Krsna from Vrindavana is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes. 

Krsna is likened to the original candle who lights all the other candles (His unlimited Visnu-tattva expansions) of the same luminosity.

Srila Prabhupada - "Although there are many expansions, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the origin, as confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā. He is like the original candle, from which many thousands and millions of candles are lit. Although any number of candles can be lit, the original candle still retains its identity as the origin. In this way Kṛṣṇa expands Himself into so many forms, and all these expansions are called viṣṇu-tattva. Viṣṇu is a large light, and we are small lights, but all are expansions of Kṛṣṇa." (CC Introduction)

Srila Prabhupada - "The original Lord Kṛṣṇa never leaves Goloka Vṛndāvana. All the plenary expansions are one and the same Viṣṇu-tattva, and there is no difference in Their potency." (SB, Canto 3 Ch 1 Text 34 Purport)

Krsna is the source of all Narayana/Visnu expansions of God, who all originated (expanded) from Krsna in Goloka-Vrindavana.

Each Visnu/Narayana Form further have their own perpetual Vaikuntha planet and unique name describing their particular pastimes, where they reside as a four armed Form 

An unlimited number of Vaikuntha planets surround Krsna's central Abode of Goloka-Vrindavana. 

Together the Vaikuntha planets and Goloka Vrindavana take up 75% of the Spiritual Sky where everything there is living as individual forms, lifeless material energy or Maya does not exist there in the Vaikuntha planets or Goloka-Vrindavana.  

The other 25% of the Spiritual Sky is the temporary (decomposing) material world where the visiting individual jiva-souls from the spiritual world, must acquire a material bodily container or vessel to enter the material creation.

Srila Prabhupada - "We are not the owner of this material body, not the owner of the material senses. The senses are "hired" from the Supreme Lord. This is very subtle understanding; one should know the proprietor of the senses is God." (March 1966, New York City)

All the material bodily vessels in the material world belong to Maha-Visnu and must be aquired from Him in order to enter the material world.

However, all such material bodily vessels are temporary and subject to constant decline, decay and always in need of constant maintenance, nothing made of matter lasts forever in the material world, everything is always in a constant state of decomposition.

This causes the eternal individual jiva-souls within those material bodies, who are visiting from the spiritual worlds as passengers in those bodily vessels, to continue taking birth after birth in the material world and continue trying to satisfy their desires and material senses.

The temporary material world is created and maintained by Krsna's expansion's 

1 - Karanarnavasayi Visnu (Maha-Visnu), who creates all the unlimited massive Brahmanda universes. 

2 - Garbhodakashayi Visnu (Hiraņyagarbha) who creates a "secondary material universe" inside the massive surrounding Brahmanda universe.

3 - Ksirodakasayi Visnu (Paramatma or Super Soul) who resides next to every marginal living entity (jiva-soul) within what ever material bodily vessel they take out of the 8 million 400 species of material life.

Srila Prabhupada - "For material creation, Krsna's plenary expansion assumes three Visnus. The first, Mahā Viṣṇu, creates the total material energy, known as the mahat-tattva. The second, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, enters into all the universes to create diversities and the third, Kṣīrodakaśāyī Visnu, is diffused as the all-pervading super soul in all the universes; in the heart of every living being, is known as Paramātmā. He is present even within the atoms.The goal of life is to know Kṛṣṇa, who is situated within the heart of every living being as Paramātmā, the four-handed Viṣṇu form." (BG, Ch 7 text 4 Purport)

There is only one Maha-Visnu, but unlimited Garbhodakashayi Visnus and Ksirodakasayi Visnus.

This is because of the unlimited number of "secondary universes" there are, that are each deep within their massive Brahmanda universe.

Krsna is the original source of Maha-Visnu who creates these material universes (Brahmandas) that originate from Maha-Visnu's breathing and the pores of His skin as seen in photo below.

As said above, deep inside each Brahmanda material universe, there is a "secondary inner" enclosed universe where Maha-Visnu expands as Garbhodakashayi Visnu, from whom Lord Brahma appears at the top of a lotus flower growing from the naval of Garbhodakashayi Visnu and builds the many planetary systems in his material universe. 

There are unlimited Brahmanda universes, each having a secondary material universe inside of them meaning each has their own Garbhodakashayi Visnu and Lord Brahma.

In these "secondary material universes" created by Garbhodakashayi Visnu deep within each Brahmanda universe, Lord Brahma builds the 14 planetary systems.

In our secondary material universe, there are 14 planetary systems.

In other material universes inside their Brahmanda, they have many more planetary systems than just 14.

Our material universe (Brahmanda) and its secondary universe inside it is one of the smallest.

The size of each Brahmanda and inner universe depends on how many heads Lord Brahma has, in our material universe he has four heads, while in other material universes Brahma may have 10, 20, 50, 100, 100,000, one million or 10 million. The workings of this material universe is beyond our comprehension.

The individual jiva-souls are eternal "persons" as a spiritual bodily form like Krsna's spiritual Body.

This means each individual jiva-soul (marginal living entity) is a unique spiritual bodily form eternally, no individual jiva-souls are the same, they are all individual personalities.

The spiritual energy is not all-one, it is a unlimited collection of "individual eternal jiva-souls" as spiritual bodily forms who are voluntarily acting (serving) in unlimited ways in Krsna's pastimes.

Each individual jiva-soul expresses their own unique personality and character endowed with the free will, so they can voluntarily serve Krsna in 5 different ways or pastimes as explained in the Book "Nectar of Devotion."

The eternal spiritual bodily form of the individual jiva-soul is-

sat, 

cit, 

ananda, 

vigraha.

These words mean

eternity, 

knowledge, 

bliss, 

spiritual bodily form.

Fortunately, over 90% of eternal individual jiva-souls choose to remain in the spiritual world's of the Vaikuntha planets and Goloka-Vrindavana even though they can choose to leave if they want. 

However, almost 10% do choose to leave the spiritual world and enter the material creation via the dreams of Maha-Visnu.

The individual jiva-souls have the free will to make their own choices which includes even rejecting Krsna if they choose to do so. This freedom Krsna allows, otherwise free will has no meaning and voluntary loving exchanges can never exist.

In the spiritual world's of Visnu/Narayana's Vaikuntha planets, and Krsna’s central planet of Goloka-Vrindavana, the individual jiva-soul's relationship with Visnu and Krsna is always voluntary.

The individual contributions of the eternal jiva-souls (devotees) are always expressed in both the Vaikuntha planets, and Goloka-Vrindavana in a "two-way" reciprocal exchange that Krsna encourages to create diversity, individual contributions, and a "two-way" mood of voluntary cooperation and service.

In the spiritual world the eternal jiva-souls are never forced to surrender to Krsna against their will, or do anything they choose not to do. 

For loving service and exchanges to truly exist, the individual jiva-souls must be able to act on their free will and make their own choices,  decisions and offerings (freedom of expression),  even if that also means rejecting Krsna if they choose, otherwise there can be no meaning to voluntary loving exchanges or free will.

Each eternal individual jiva-soul can voluntarily express themselves as an independent individual that allows them to experience and contribute to unique loving exchanges, reciprocation in a two-sided  personal relationship of wonderful cooperation.

Srila Prabhupada - "So, unless there is a possibility of misusing our free will, there is no question of freedom." (Dialectical Spiritualism, Critique of Descartes)

Srila Prabhupada - "Free will means that you can act wrongly or rightly, that is free will. Unless there is chance of doing wrong or right, there is no question of free will. Where is free will then? If I act only one sided, that means I have no free will. Because we act sometimes wrongly, that means we have free will." (Discussions on Rene Descartes philosophy)

Srila Prabhupada – "So everyone can know that independence (free will) means one can use it properly or one can misuse it, that is independence, that is the meaning of free will. If you make it one way only so you cannot fall down, that is not independence (free will), that is force." (Mayapur, June 20, 1973)

So, the choice to even leave the Vaikuntha planets or Goloka Vrindavana is possible because Krsna allows a "two-way" relationship (free-will) allowing one to can accept, or reject Krsna if they choose.

Srila Prabhupada - "Free will means that you can act wrongly. That is free will, unless there is chance of doing wrong or right, there is no question of free will. Where is free will then? If I act only one sided, that means I have no free will. Because we act sometimes wrongly, that means free will."

Hayagriva dasa - "A man may know better but still act wrongly."

Srila Prabhupada - "Yes, but that is free will He misuses his. Just like a thief, he knows that his stealing is bad but still he does it. That is free will. He cannot check his greediness, so in spite of his knowing that he is doing wrong thing—he will be punished, he knows; he has seen another thief, he was punished, he was put into prison— everything he knows, but still he steals. Why? Misuse of free will. Unless there is misuse of free will, there is no question of free will." (Talk with Rene Descartes)

This quality of free will is part and parcel of the individual jiva-soul's marginal constitution that allows them to be the independent free thinking separate expansion of the Krsna they eternally are. 

Therefore being a marginal living entity (jiva-soul) also means having free will that is included when describing the qualities and constitution of the individual jiva-souls. 

As said above, Krsna allows this freedom the jiva-souls have because without free will loving exchanges, personal offerings and a two-way reciprocal relationship with Krsna could never exist.

Srila Prabhupada – "You have got little independence therefore you can violate. Because you are part and parcel of God you have got independence, proportionately, therefore if he likes he can return to the material atmosphere. That independence has to be accepted, little independence. We can misuse that." (Mayapur, Feb 19, 1976)

Having free will is the eternal constitutional make up of all marginal living entities (individual jiva-souls)

Free will is eternally part and parcel of their individual character and personality in the spiritual world.

This means the individual jiva-souls can even choose to leave   Visnu/Narayana Vaikuntha planets, or Krsna’s Personal abode of Goloka-Vrindavana if they choose, at anytime.

It is nonsense to claim the eternal jiva-souls can never again fall down in the Vaikuntha planets or Goloka-Vrindavana.

This is because free will always allows them to always have a choice, and without that freedom to voluntarily choose, there is no question of loving exchanges or free will.

So, the choice to even leave the Vaikuntha planets or Goloka-Vrindavana, is always possible because Krsna allows a "two-way" relationship where one can accept or reject Krsna if they choose.

Srila Prabhupada - "Free will means that you can act wrongly. That is free will, unless there is chance of doing wrong or right, there is no question of free will. Where is free will then? If I act only one sided, that means I have no free will. Because we act sometimes wrongly, that means free will."

Hayagriva dasa - "A man may know better but still act wrongly."

Srila Prabhupada - "Yes, but that is free will He misuses his. Just like a thief, he knows that his stealing is bad but still he does it. That is free will. He cannot check his greediness, so in spite of his knowing that he is doing wrong thing—he will be punished, he knows; he has seen another thief, he was punished, he was put into prison— everything he knows, but still he steals. Why? Misuse of free will. Unless there is misuse of free will, there is no question of free will." (Talk on Rene Descartes philosophy with Prabhupada)

There is only one classification of eternal individual jiva-souls, not two as some scholars claim. 

Therefore, each individual jiva-soul has "two-sides" to their personality, they can be either "nitya baddha" i(conditioned in the material world and the impersonal brahmajyoti), or can be "nitya-siddha" (liberated in the Vaikuntha planets and Goloka-Vrindavana)

In this way the individual jiva-souls can choose for themselves to be with Krsna, or reject Krsna.

This is because each eternal individual jiva-soul, as part of their spiritual constitutional make-up, has the free will to be with Krsna, or reject Krsna.

Devotee – "Is the original body of the individual jiva-soul a human form?"

Srila Prabhupada – "Yes, human form, God is also human form, "Man is made after the shape of God." I think there is in the Bible, is it not? So God is also like human form. Here you see Krsna, two hands, two legs."

Hari-sauri dasa – "How do we understand then, that there are peacocks and flowers and trees in the spiritual world? Are these not eternal forms?"

Srila Prabhupada – [describing material form first] - "Yes, they are more covered, just like if you cover your body with blanket, the hands and legs are invisible, but you are not the blanket. So the trees and plants, they are more covered. They are not in full manifestation of the jiva-soul's full potential. The human form is the full manifestation of the soul."

Hari-sauri dasa - "So they are covered in the spiritual world?"

Srila Prabhupada - "Not in the spiritual world, there that is always voluntary. This means the devotee can always choose how they want to serve Krsna, and never told how to serve Krsna, it is their choice. Some devotees want to serve Krsna as flower; so they become flower there. If I want that, to be a flower I shall lie down at the lotus feet of Krsna, then he becomes flower, voluntarily, and he can change his, from flower to human body. That is spiritual life. There is no restriction. If some devotee wants to serve Krsna as cow, he serves Krsna as cow, as calf, as flower, as plant, as water, as ground, field, or as father, as mother, as friend, as beloved, anything. It is inconceivable, yet a fact." (SB, Canto 6 Ch 1 text 1-4 Melb, Australia May 20, 1975)

All the individual personal contributions (service) from the eternal jiva-souls are forever expanding their unique ability of self expression (personal contributions) on the Vaikuntha planets serving Visnu, and in Goloka Vrindavana serving Krsna.

This allows the eternal individual jiva-souls to always make voluntary offerings to Krsna that forever increase and expand loving emotions in healthy "two-way" exchange between Kṛṣṇa and the individual jīva-souls.<^^>















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