English
Indra is the horn, "Gokula Vana" is Vaikuntha. The trees are the Rishis of Vaikuntha. The Daityas (Trinavarta and others) are greed, anger and other passions. Krishna, in the form of Gopa, is Hari. Rama is the Sesha serpent. The eight principal wives and the sixteen thousand and one hun- dred minor wives of Krishna are the Riks and Upanishads. "Chanira" is Dvesha (Dislike). "Mushtika" is Matsara (Egoism, Envy). "Kubalaya pida" is Darpa (pride). "Vaka" is Garva (Arrogance). "Rohini" is Daya (Tenderness). "Satya bhama" is Ahinsa, (Non-Injury). "Agha" is some fatal disease, such as consumption &c. "Kansa" is Kali(?) (Ihe commentator Narayana says that by Kali we are here to understand Kalaha or quarrel, for Kansa is the incar- nation of Kalanemi and Duryodhana is the incarnation of Kali.). "Sudaman" is Sama (restraint of the mind). "Akrira" is Satya (Truth). "Uddhava" is Dama (restraint of the senses). "Sankha" is Vishnu himself in the form of Lakshmi. The Milk products of the Gopis correspond to the ocean of milk in the universe. Kasyapa is the Uldkhala (wooden mortar used in cleansing rice), to which Krishna was tied by Yasoda. The rope that was used in the tying of Sri Krishna is Aditi. Chakra is Veda. The garland Vaijayanti is Dharma. The umbrella is Akasa. Purnendu Narayana Sinha, M. A., B. L. 321 Gada is the Goddess Kalika. The bow of horn (Sarnga) is the Maya of Vishnu. The Arrow is Kala, the destroyer of all lives. The Lotus is the seed of the universe. Garuda is the religious fig tree named Bhandira. The following is taken from GOPI CHANDANA UPANISHAD. "What is Gopi? "She who preserves. "Preserves from what? "Preserves people from Naraka, from death and from fear." HARIVANSA says:— "Kansa is Kalanemi, "Kesin is Haya Griva, "Arishta is son of Bali, the Elephant is Rishta, son of Diti, Chantira and Mushtika are the Asuras, Varaha and Kisora." PADMA PURANA throws the greatest light on the Vrindavana Lila of Sri Krishna. The chapters refer to the Patala Khanda of that Purana. Ch. 38. Of innumerable Brahmandas (solar systems), there is one supreme seat, that of Vishnu. Of this seat, Goloka is the high- est aspect, and Vaikuntha, Siva Loka and others are the lower as- pects. Goloka is represented on the earth by Gokula, and Vaikuntha by Dvaraka. Vrindavana is within the jurisdiction of Mathura. Math- ura has the form of the thousand-petalled lotus, situated in the head. Of the forests in Gokula, the twelve chief ones are:—Bhadra, Sri, Loha, Bhandira, Mahavana, Tala, Khadir, Bakula, Kumud, Kamya, Madhu and Vrindavan. There are several sub-forests too, which wit- nessed some scene or other of Krishna Lila. Gokula is the thousand-petalled lotus and its disc is the seat of Govinda. The petals are the seats of different performances of Sri Krishna and are different occult centres. The southern petal contains a most occult seat, attainable with difficulty by the greatest of Yogins. The south-eastern petal contains two secret recesses. The eastern petal has the most purifying prop- erties. The north-east petal is the seat of fruition. The Gopis attained 322 A Study of the Bhagavata Purana Krishna on this petal, by worshipping Katyayani. Their clothes were also stolen on this petal. The northern petal is the seat of the twelve Adityas. It is as good as the disc itself. The north-west petal is the seat of Kaliya. On the western petal, favor was shewn to the wives of the Vedic Rishis. Here the Asura Agha was killed. Here is also the Lake called Brahma. On the south- western petal, the Asuras Vyoma and Sankha-chiida were killed. These eight petals are situated in Vrindavana. Outside Vrinda- vana, there are sixteen petals. The first petal is the seat of Govard- hana. Here Krishna was installed as Govinda. The first petal contains Madhuvana, the second Khadira, the fourth Kadamba, the fifth Nan- disvara (residence of Nanda), the sixth Nanda, the seventh Bakula, the eighth Tala (where the Asura Dhenuka was killed), the ninth Ku- muda, the tenth Kamya (where Brahma knew Krishna as Vishnu), the eleventh many forests, the twelfth Bhandira, the thirteenth Bhadra, the fourteenth Sri, the fifteenth Loha, and the sixteenth Mahavana. The deeds of Sri Krishna up to the age of five were all performed at Mahavana. Vrindavana is the seed cavity of the thousand-petalled lotus. By all means place Vrindavana in the heart cavity. Krishna is always a Kisora (between ten and fifteen) at Vrindavana, (i.e. Vrindavana proper, the particular forest of that name). At the centre of Vrindavana is the eight-cornered Yoga seat of Sri Krishna. Over that seat is a throne of jewels. The eight petalled lotus lies there. The disc of that lotus is the supreme abode of Govinda. He is the Lord of Vrindavana. Brahma, Vishnu and Siva are all His parts. His primal Prakriti is Radhika. CHAPTER 39. Govinda with Radha is seated on the golden throne. Outside the throne, on the seat of Yoga, remain the chief favorites of Krishna, who are parts of Radhika. Lalita stands on the west, Syamala on the north-west, Srimati on the north, Haripriya on the north-east, Visakha on the east, Saivya on the south-east, Padma on the south, and Bhadra on the south-west. Then there is another group of eight, Chandravali, Chitrarekha, Chandra, Madana Sundari, Sri, Madhumati, Chandra-rekha, and Purnendu Narayana Sinha, M. A., B. L. 323 Haripriya. Of this latter group, Chandravali holds almost equal position with Radhika. These are the sixteen principal Prakritis. Then there are thou- sands of Gopis all devoted to Krishna. On the right side of Sri Krishna are thousands of Sruti girls, who chant His divine mysteries. On the left side are the most beautiful- looking Deva girls, who turn towards Sri Krishna with the greatest eagerness. Outside this inner temple are the Gopa boys, who look like Kr- ishna. Sridaman is on the west, Sudaman on the north, Vasudaman on the east, and Kinkini on the south. Outwards still more, inside a golden temple, seated upon a golden seat, adorned with ornaments of gold, there are thousands of Gopa boys, headed by Stoka Krishna, Ansu Bhadra and others, all devoutly singing the glory of Sri Krishna. The whole of this is surrounded by a shining gold wall. On the west of that wall, within a temple, situated under a Parijata tree, is Vasudeva, with his eight wives, Rukmini, Satyabhama, Jam- bavati, Nagnajiti, Sulakshana, Mitravinda, Anuvinda and Sunanda. On the north, under a Harichandana tree, is Sankarshana with Revati. On the south, under a Santana tree, is Pradyumna with Rati. On the east, under a Kalpataru, is Aniruddha. Surrounding all this is a white stone wall, with four gates. White Vishnu preserves the western gate, Red Vishnu preserves the north- ern gate, yellow Vishnu preserves the eastern gate, Black Vishnu pre- serves the southern. CHAP. 41. Rishi Ugra-tapas meditated on Sri Krishna for one hundred Kalpas. At the end of that period he became a Gopi, named Sunanda. Rishi Satya-tapas meditated on Krishna for ten Kalpas, and he then became a Gopi named Bhadra. Rishi Hari-dhama became a Gopi, named Raktaveni, at the end of three Kalpas. Rishi Javali became Chitra-gandha after ten Kalpas. Suchi-sravas and Suvarna became the daughters of the Gopa Su- vira, at the end of one Kalpa. 324 A Study of the Bhagavata Purana Jatila, Janghapita, Ghritasin, and Karbu became Gopis after three Kalpas. Suka, son of Dirgha-tapas, Vyasa of the previous Kalpa, became daughter of Upananda. One son of Svetaketu became the daughter of Balavani. Chitra-dhvaja, son of Rajarshi Chandraprabha, became Chi- trakala, daughter of Gopa Viragupta, at the end of one Kalpa. Rishi Punya-sravas practised meditation for thirty thousand Kalpas and he was born as the daughter of Nanda’s brother, by name Labanga. These are some of the favorite Gopis of Krishna. CHAP. 42. The form of Sri Krishna, as seen at Vrindavana, is constant. Mathura, Vrindavana, Yamuna, the Gopa girls, the Gopa boys, Sri Krishna as an Avatara—are all constant. The Gopis are the Srutis (forms invoked by Vedic Mantras), Deva girls and devoted Rishis, desirous of liberation. The Gopa boys are Munis, full of the bliss of Vaikuntha. The Kadamba tree is Kalpa Vriksha, (a divine tree that gives all that is desired). The Siddhas, Sadhyas and Gandharvas are the Kokilas (cuckoos) of Vrindavana. Govardhana is the eternal servant of Hari. CHAP. 43. Arjuna wanted to know the mysteries of Vrindavana and of the Gopis. Krishna said they were unknown to Brahma even. He then ad- vised Arjuna to worship the goddess Tripura-sundari, as through her favor only he could know all he asked about. The goddess asked Ar- juna to bathe in a tank called Kulakunda. She then gave directions which were duly performed by Arjuna. The goddess then took Ar- juna to the real, constant Vrindavana, which is placed over Goloka. With the divine vision, given by the goddess, Arjuna saw the myster- ies of Vrindavana, and became full of devotional love. He then asked the goddess what to do next. She then asked him to bathe in another tank, and, when Arjuna did so, he became a female. A divine voice said, "Go back to the former tank. Touch its water and you will attain your object. There you will find your companions." The Gopis gathered round Arjuna out of curiosity. One of them Purnendu Narayana Sinha, M. A., B. L. 325 Priyamuda asked:—"Who art thou? How hast thou come here?" Ar- juna related his story. To satisfy the curiosity of Arjuna, Priyamuda said:—"We are all the dear companions of Krishna. Here are the girls of Vraja. Those are Srutis and these are Munis. We are Gopa girls. Some appeared here from the body of Krishna.