Section Thirty-two
The Lord's Form is Unlimited 

Now a new section is initiated to again establish that the Lord's form is simultaneously limited and all-pervading, through the experience of learned authorities, using the ukta-poña-nyäya, or the principle of fortifying the previous experience. Lord Brahmä spoke this in eleven verses (S.B.10.14.11)

          What am I, a small creature measuring seven spans of my own hand? I am enclosed in a pot-like universe composed of material nature, the total material energy, false ego, ether, air, water, and earth. And what is Your glory? Unlimited universes pass through the pores of Your body just as particles of dust pass through the openings of a screened window.

The meaning is clear.         

          (Verse 12) O Lord Adhoksaja, does a mother take offense when the child within her womb kicks with his legs? And is there anything in existence--whether designated by philosophers as real or unreal--that is outside Your abdomen? 

          Brahmä is saying, "Because everything exists in your belly, I am also within it. Please tolerate my offences as a mother tolerates the kicking of her unborn child. Moreover it is well-known that I am specifically born from You".

          To convey this Brahmä says: (Verse 13):

          My dear Lord, it is said that when the three planetary systems are merged into the water at the time of dissolution a lotus flower grows from Lord Näräyaëa's navel and Brahmä takes birth upon that flower. Certainly, these words are not false. Thus am I not born from You? 

          Brahmä is asking, "Am I not born from You? What he means is, "Definitely I have taken birth from you".

          If Kåñëa objects, "If I were Garbhodakaçäyé Näräyaëa, then it could be said that you took birth from Me, but the fact is, I am not Näräyaëa".

           Then for clarification Brahmä speaks this verse (14):

          Are You not the original Näräyaëa, O Supreme controller, since You are the Soul of every embodied being and the eternal witness of all created realms? Indeed, Lord Näräyaëa is Your expansion, and He is called Näräyaëa because He is the generating source of the primeval water of the universe. He is not a product of Your illusory Mäyä; He is real. 

          Brahmä is saying, "O Sovereign Lord! Adhéça or one who is superior even to Näräyaëa, the controller and Supersoul of everyone. That means O Bhagavän Hi means certainly. Actually, You are not Näräyaëa, rather He is but a fraction of You. Although it is true that I am born from Näräyaëa, still You are the whole body and source of Näräyaëa. He is but Your part, thus I am definitely born from You".

          The Lord asks, "Why is He called Näräyaëa and how do I differ from Him?

          Brahmä answers, "He is the Supersoul of all embodied souls, therefore He is called Näräyaëa because He the living beings (näram) His shelter (ayanam). But You are the original Personality of Godhead and indifferent even in the function of being the Supersoul.           Furthermore, Näräyaëa is akhila-loka-säkñé, the witness of all beings, or one who sees all entities directly. Because He knows (ayati) all beings (näram) He is called Näräyaëa. But You witness the living beings only indirectly through Him who is Your fraction. You do not witness them directly. This is what distinguishes You from Him".

          Kåñëa responds, Therefore you are saying, "That Näräyaëa is not You." But I am different kind of Näräyaëa? If so, then what kind?"

          Brahmä responds by the same address,-adhéça, the controller of the controller. Éça means inspirer. He is Näräyaëa, because all activities (ayanam) of  the living beings proceed from Him. "Because, Your controlling potency is superior to His, You are supreme controller and thus You are also Näräyaëa. Just as both the ruler of a province and the monarch, who iis th ruler of such rulers, are called king. In Kåñëa Sandarbha it will be established through an essay that Lord Kåñëa is directly the original Personality of Godhead, superior even to Näräyaëa.

          But the definition of Näräyaëa is, "The elements that emanate from the Lord are called nara by learned people. In the beginning of creation the Lord enters them therefore He is called Näräyaëa.

          And the Viñëu Puräëa states (l.4.6.), "The water generated from the Lord in the beginning of creation is called nara and He makes it His abode, thus He is called Näräyaëa."

          Thus Näräyaëa is called so because of different reasons. Keeping this doubt in the mind, Brahmä (S.B. 10.14.14.) states nara-bhu jala-ayanat, "the elements and water that emanated from nara are the resting place of the Lord and thus He is called Näräyaëa."

          Lord Kåñëa asks Brahmä, "Why is it that you give up this celebrated definition of Näräyaëa and say differently--that I am also Näräyaëa"

Brahmä answers, Satyam na-it is not true. The meaning is that the water of dissolution is not really the support of the Lord, but because of Your illusion it appears so tavaiva mäyä".

          The word mäyä, here means deceiving potency, as Viçvaprakäça dictionary says Mäyä means deceit and mercy. "Your form appears limited  by your inconceivble internal potency although it is unlimited therefore cannot be contained in the water (of dissolution). "

          The import of the above four verses (spoken by Brahmä) is that the Näräyaëa expansion who comprises the whole universe, beginning with the mahat element, is Himself within Kåñëa. This quality of Näräyaëa is described in the following mantra (Mähä Näräyaëa Upaniñad 9.5.) "Whatever can be seen or heard in the universe, everything inside and outside of it, is pervaded by Lord Näräyaëa.

 

PURPORT

          After showing that Lord Kåñëa's body is unlimited, though it appears limited, Çréla Jéva Gosvämé now cites the experience of Lord Brahmä to bolster this fact.  Lord Brahmä is the teacher of the four Vedas and thus knows the essence of vedic scripture.  Moreover, his four heads imply that he is all seeing, yet even he was confounded by Kåñëa, what to speak of ordinary persons.  If this same Brahmä could be shown to be in agreement with the conclusion of JévaGosvämé then the point about the Lord's personal from would have been firmly established. Thus there is need to discuss this topic at greater length in this Text.

          Lord Brahmä spoke these verses after he tried to test Lord Kåñëa.  When Lord Kåñëa entered the body of Aghäsura, the personification of sin, the soul of the demon left his body and hung in the air waiting for the Lord to come out.  This created a dazzling light all over the world and while the other demigod's celebrated, Lord Brahmä's attention was drawn to the earth.  Searching for the source of this radiance, Brahmä descended, witnessed the liberation of Aghäsura, and was astounded.  He had previously heard that a sinful person may get liberation, but he never thought that sin personified could be so fortunate.  And this feat was not done by someone looking extraordinary having four arms or thousnd heads. This aroused his curiosity, and he planned to test Kåñëa so he could witness further pastimes.  He stole the calves and cowherd boys and returned to Gokula a year later to see Kåñëa's response. He was astounded to see Kåñëa still among the calves with all his friends.  Then he saw them all turn into Viñëu mürtis. He became totally bewildered, his ego completely smashed.  Brahmä then prayed to the Lord begging His pardon for having disturbed His sporting activities. The eleven verses cited, four in this text and the remaining in the following texts are from his prayers. The import of these verses is that Lord has form which is unlimited yet appears limited.

          In Verse (10.14.11) Lord Brahmä expressed how insignificant he is compared to the Lord.  He explains that his body is within this universe, which is covered with seven layers--mahat, ahaà, sky, fire, air, water, and earth.  The width of the first layer is ten times the diameter of the universe and each preceding layer is ten times thicker than the previous one. Maitreya Muni states (S.B. 3.11.40-41): 

          "This phenomenal material world is expanded to a diameter of four billion miles, as a combination of eight material elements transformed into sixteen further categories, within and without, as follows."

          "The layers or elements covering the universes are each ten times thicker than the one before, and all the universes clustered together appear like atoms in a huge combination."

          Brahmä is just one fragment of this universal egg along with its coverings and there are unlimited such eggs clustered in space.  As he explains here as well as in the Brahma Saàhitä these unlimited gigantic universes emanate from the pores of Mahä Viñëu just like dust particles pass through a screen, and become visible in the sunlight coming into a dark room.  From this one can just imagine the immense size of Lord Maha-Viñëu's body.  If an unlimited number of universes exist in His body, then certainly His body must be unlimited.  If even Brahmä, who has four heads can not fathom it, then how can an ordinary person with one head gauge the size of the Lord's body? And yet some bewildered fools consider themselves or some other bewildered fools as God.

          Brahmä says that with his own hand his body measures only seven spans, or vitasti, which is the distance between the extended thumb and little finger.  This distance is also equal to the width of the four fingers multiplied by three, or twelve fingers.  According to Sämudrika çästra, the science of physiognomy, a normal person is seven vitasti--or 84 fingers in height according to his own hand.  The Lord's body however, is nine vitasti, or 108 fingers in height and such a body is called Nyagrodha parimaëòala and considered one of the marks of greatness and beauty.  In this verse (S.B. 10.14.11) the use of two gua "where" implies a great difference between the bodies of Brahmä and the Supreme Lord.

          In the next verse (10.14.12) Brahmä begs the Lord's pardon because he created disturbance in His lunch.  He likens the Lord to a pregnant woman because the creation is held within Him.  The child in the womb sometimes kicks but this does not offend the mother, rather she feels delighted that her baby is alive and kicking.  Brahmä requests the Lord to regard his act of stealing the calves and cowherd boys as an innocent kick on the part of His son.  He addresses the Lord as Adhokñaja or one who is beyond sense perception. This implies that he committed the offenses because he was not able to recognize the Lord with his imperfect senses. To certify their relation Brahmä expresses that the Lord's abdomen is unlimited and that nothing exists outside it.  Both existence (asti) and non-existence (nasti) of objects is within Him.  Asti can also refer to conscious objects and nästi to inert objects, which continuously transform and which exists within the Lord's body. There is no other existence to be found outside of the Lord.  Kåñëa confirms this in Bhagavad-gétä (9.6):

          "Understand that as the mighty wind, blowing everywhere rests always in the sky, all created beings rest in Me."

          The clear implication of the Bhagavatam verse (10.14.12) is that all existence is within the body of the Lord, yet that same Lord is standing before Brahmä as a small child.

          But after comparing Kåñëa to a pregnant woman Brahmä fears He may object because He is a male. In the next verse (10.14.13), therefore, he refers to Kåñëa as his father.  Or if Kåñëa was to respond that a mother delivers her baby, but when did He deliver him, then Brahmä counters that he has also been delivered, vinirgato'smi.  Then the Lord questions Brahmä,  "But you are called Aja (unborn), so how have you taken birth?"  Brahmä's response is that the scripture say so and they are not wrong väìna vaimåñä.  The Näräyanopaniñad (1) states, näräyaëäd brahmä jäyate.  "Brahmä takes birth from Näräyana."  So I am certainly born from You, who declared in Bhagavad-gétä (9.17)

          "I am the father of this universe, the mother, the support and the grandsire.  I am the object of knowledge, thepurifier and the syllable oà.  I am also Åg, Säma, and Yajur Vedas."

          In Brahmä's case this is especially true for Lord Näräyaëa is his mother as well as father. Because Brahmä takes birth from the lotus born from the Lord's navel, Lord is also the grandfather. He addresses the Lord as Éçvara which means that Lord has inconceivable power and thus He can be mother and father at the same time.

          Surprised to hear this, Kåñëa counters that He is but a young boy, the son of Nanda Mahäräja, and questions how He could be the father of anyone, especially Brahmä.  He told Brahmä that his claim would be true if He was Näräyaëa.  "Why are you trying to impose this on Me?," He asked Lord Brahmä.

          Brahmä speaks the next verse (10.14.14) and attributes the characteristics of Näräyaëa to Kåñëa.  He asserts that Kåñëa is certainly Näräyaëa, and not that Näräyaëa is Kåñëa.  Here the indeclinable, hi, is used to establish certainty.  The Amarakoña dictionary says hi hetävavadhäraëe (3.3.257)--hi means definite, or cause.  In this verse Brahmä derives various meanings of the word Näräyaëa and proves that all these are applicable to Lord Kåñëa.  He uses the logic of the emperor and the ruler of a province, who are both called king.  Similarly, because the Näräyaëa form is an expansion of Kåñëa, Kåñëa may also be called Näräyaëa, as He has all His characteristics. Brahmä had a personal experience of this which led him to recite these prayers.

          In the first canto, third chapter, Süta Gosvämé lists twenty-two incarnations but declares that unlimited incarnations come from the Lord, like rivulets flowing from an inexhaustible lake  Then he explains that all these incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of plenary portions of the Puruña (Garbhodaksäyi Viñëu), but kåñëastu bhagavän svayam.  The orignal form of the Supreme Lord is Kåñëa.  Brahmä's prayers confirm this statement. So does the Brahmä Saàhita (5.39):

          "I worship Govinda, the pimeval Lord, who manifested Himself personally as Kåñëa and the different avatäras in the world in the form of Räma, Nåsiàha. Vamana, etc., as His subjective portions." This subject will be discussed in much greater detail in Çré iKåñëa Sandarbha.

          Anoher important point to be noted here is that Lord Kåñëa Himself is not the direct witness of the living entities' activities. He is the supreme enjoyer and thus keeps Himself completely aloof from the material creation. He conducts the material affairs through His Näräyaëa expansions. Therefore Çréla Jéva Gosvämé says that Näräyaëa is the direct witness lokaà säkñät paçyati but Kåñëa knows through Näräyaëa tenäàça naiva drañöä na tu säkñät. Thus He says to Arjuna (Bg. 9.5) na ca matsthäni bhütäni paçya me yogamaiçvaram--And yet everything that is created does not rest in Me. Behold my mystic opuplence.

          Näräyaëa, who is the source of the universe, of Lord Brahmä, and various incarnations, is but a portion of Kåñëa--näräyaëa aëgam.  Aëgam means limb.  Just as a limb is a part of the whole body, Näräyaëa is a part of Kåñëa.  What exists in one part of the body can be said to exist in the whole.  So Brahmä concludes that whatever exists in Näräyaëa, exists in Kåñëa.  Still Kåñëa is standing in front of Brahmä in one little part of Våndävana.  This is the inconceivable potency of the Lord, without accepting which it is impossible to understand Him.

          In the next Text Çréla Jéva Gosvämé continues to discuss Brahmä's experience of Lord's body.