Sri Krishna’s Brindavanam and Dvarka Lilas : 2. Glory of Srimad Maha Bhagavatam : Swami Krishnananda

13/12/2018
Sri Krishna’s Brindavanam and Dvarka Lilas : 2

The evolutionary process that is seen in the various avataras of Vishnu—such as Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, etc.—reaches a culmination in Rama and Krishna.

From the lower levels of life through which God incarnates, as demonstrated in the earlier avataras, human perfection is reached in Rama’s avatara. But that is not enough. God has to descend into the world in the full force and power of His Completeness.

 (Srimad.Bhagavatam - 1.3.28).

Ete camsa-kalah pumsah
 krsnas tu bhagavan svayam
indrari-vyakulaṁ lokam
 mrdayanti yuge yuge

"Ete camsa-kalah pumsah krsnas tu bhagavan svayam"

As the entire energy of the sun may be concentrated on a lens through which this energy passes, and it has the capacity to work as the sun would work, so is the way in which we have to understand the nature of an incarnation, especially of the type of superman such as Bhagavan Sri Krishna.

The universal forces congeal and concentrate themselves in one personality when it becomes purna avatara. It is as if the force of the ocean rushes through a single conduit pipe, and we can imagine the energy that is conducted through this pipe when the entire ocean is passing through it.

The Bhagavatam also describes God as a threefold manifestation: Brahma, Paramatman and Bhagavan.

Brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate (S.B. 1.2.11).

He is the transcendent Supreme Being, the Absolute, which is Brahman; He is the creative operative power, which is Paramatman; He is also the incarnation, which is Bhagavan. Three stages of the operation of God are here portrayed in the description of God being Brahman, Paramatman and Bhagavan.

To be continued ...