Sri Krsna Sandarbha (Volume – III)

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Introduction

In Krsna-Sandarbha, Srila Jiva Gosvami explicitly endeavors to prove once and for all that Sri Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead, ad all other forms of Godhead are His expansions. In this volume, we also see some quotations from the Sarva-samvadini, which is Jiva Gosvami commentary on his own Sat-sandarbha.

In the Krsna-sandarbha itself, second-to-last text, the purpose of the book is very succinctly stated: The description of sambandha (the relationship between the individual living entities and the Supreme Personality of Godhead), which was begun in the Tattva-sandarbha, and continued in the Bhagavat-sandarbha ad Paramatma-sandarbha, is now concluded in this Krsna-sandarbha. In the next book (Srimad-bhakti-sandarbha), I shall describe abhidheya (devotional service, or the activities of the relationship between the individual living entities and the Supreme Lord) and in the last book (Priti-sandarbha), I shall describe prayojana (pure love for Krsna, the result of engaging in the activities of devotional service).

In the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta of Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, there is mention of the literature compiled by Srila Jiva Gosvami: Sri Rupa Gosvami's nephew, Srila Jiva Gosvami, has compiled so many books on devotional service that there is no counting them. In Sri Bhagavata-sandarbha, Srila Jiva Gosvami has written conclusively about the ultimate end of devotional service. (CC Madhya 1.42-43)

In this purport, Srila Prabhupada has written: The Bhagavata-sandarbha is also known as the Sat-sandarbha. In the first part, called Tattva-sandarbha, it is proved that Srimad-Bhagavatam is the most authoritative evidence directly pointing to the Absolute Truth. The second Sandarbha, called Bhagavat-sandarbha, draws a distinction between impersonal Brahman and localized Paramatma and describes the spiritual world and the domination of the mode of goodness devoid of contamination by the other two material modes. In other words, there is a vivid description of the transcendental position known as suddha-sattva.

The third Sandarbha is called Paramatma-sandarbha, and in this book there is a description of Paramatma (the Supersoul) and an explanation how the Supersoul exists in millions and millions of living entities. There are discussions of the differences between the qualitative incarnations, and discourses concerning the living entities, maya, the material world, the theory of transformation, the illusory energy, the sameness of this world and the Supersoul, and the truth about this material world. In this connection, the opinions of Sridhara Svami are given.

The fourth Sandarbha is called Krsna-sandarbha, and in this book Krsna is proved to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are discussions of Krsna's pastimes and qualities, His superintendence of the Purusa-avataras, and so forth. The opinions of Sridara Svami are corroborated. In each and every scripture, the supremacy of Krsna is stressed. Baladeva, Sankarsana and other expansions of Krsna are emanations of Maha-Sankarsana. All the incarnations and expansions exist simultaneously in the body of Krsna, who is described as two-handed. There are also descriptions of the Goloka planet, Vrndavana (the eternal place of Krsna), the identity of Goloka and Vrndavana, the Yadavas and the cowherd boys (both eternal associates of Krsna), the equality of the manifest and Unmanifest pastimes, Sri Krsna's manifestation in Gokula, the queens of Dvaraka as expansions of the internal potency, and superior to them, the superexcellent Gopis. There is also a list of Gopis names and a discussion of the topmost position of Srimati Radharani.

The fifth Sandarbha is called Bhakti-sandarbha, and in this book there is a discussion of how devotional service can be directly executed, and how such service can be adjusted, either directly or indirectly. There is a discussion of the knowledge of all kinds of scripture, the establishment of the Vedic institutions of varnasrama, bhakti as superior to fruitive activity, and so forth.

The sixth Sandarbha is called Priti-sandarbha, a thesis on love of Godhead. Here it is stated that through love of Godhead, one becomes perfectly liberated and attains the highest goal of life. A distinction is made between the liberated condition of a personalist and that of an impersonalist, and there is a discussion of liberation during one's lifetime as distinguished from liberation from material bondage.

In this, the third volume of this edition of Krsna-sandarbha, the superexcellent and supreme love of the Gopis for Krsna is described at great length. Although externally the Gopis may appear to be engaged with Krsna I an immoral relationship, the truth of the matter is that the Gopis are the eternal wives of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the course of this discussion, Srila Jiva Gosvami reveals that Sisupala and Dantavakra did not possess material bodies, as we might suppose, but eternal spiritual forms. As evidence, as for all questions the author cites many examples from sastra, especially Srimad-Bhagavatam. It is then explained that when the Gopis went to dance with Krsna in the rasa dance, they left behind them material bodies so that their so-called husbands would have no idea that they had departed. It is then explained that the Gopis did not leave behind their own material bodies, these bodies were special creations of yogamaya for the purpose of enhancing Lord Krsna's pastimes.

Next, the great fortune of Nanda Maharaja and mother Yasoda is discussed, a fortune that could not be obtained by even Brahma, Siva, or Laksmi. In the course of this discussion, it is disclosed that Nanda Maharaja ad mother Yasoda are the eternal parents of Lord Krsna I the spiritual sky. After this, there is a lengthy discussion of Lord Krsna's prakata (manifest) and prakata (Unmanifest) pastimes. When the Lord appears within the material world and displays His pastimes before the vision of the conditioned souls this is call prakata, or manifest pastimes. The Lord's pastimes that are eternally being enacted in the spiritual would and thus are not visible to the senses of the conditioned souls are called aprakata, or Unmanifest pastime. The author goes to great lengths to convince us that there is actually no difference between the prakata and aprakata pastimes. The pastimes are one and the same but when they are visible to the conditioned souls, they are called prakata, or manifest.

Meditation upon Lord Krsna is described in this volume of Krsna-sandarbha with many references of Brahma-samhita. Next, it is explained how one should worship the Lord's unmanifested (aprakata) pastimes by adopting two processes: 1. mantropasanamayi, and 2. svarasiki. The first process (mantropasanamayi) entails remaining permanently in a place where the Lord enjoyed His pastimes of Lord Krsna appear before the devotee like a constantly flowing Ganges River. In other words, the process of mantropasanamayi (worship by chanting mantras) culminates in svarasiki (realization of, or entering into, the Lord's eternal pastimes). From this we may understand that the svarasiki stage is very elevated and difficult to achieve. The most confidential matters are understandable in that svarasiki stage of realization.

Here, it is very interesting to read how the author explains that not only Lord Krsna, but His associates as well, can perform many different pastimes simultaneously. The description of how Narada Muni visited Dvaraka and saw Lord Krsna engaged with each of His wives in different activities simultaneously is quoted from Srimad-Bhagavatam. It is then very elaborately described how Lord Krsna was never separated from the Gopis because He eternally remains in Vrndavana in His aprakata (Unmanifest) from. It was to reveal this truth that the Lord sent Uddhava to Vrndavana with a message for the Gopis.

It is here that Srila Jiva Gosvami makes a great effort to convince us that the Gopis are the eternal wives of Lord Krsna and thus there is no question of impropriety or immorality in their dealings with Him. It is said: Sri Krsna is the real husband of the Gopis. The cowherd men who played the role of being the gopis' husbands were actually not their husbands. The husband and wife relationship between the various cowherd men and the gopis was existing only in their imagination and only for enhancing Krsna's parakiya relationship with the gopis.

Next, is a very interesting discussion of the sequence of Lord Krsna's pastimes. Although there appear to be many contradictory statements is the scriptures about this sequence of events, Srila Jiva Gosvami very soundly establishes the proper sequence with ample evidence. In the course of this discussion, the author gives evidence showing that Krsna actually returned to Vrndavana and thus did not break His promise to the gopis.

After this there is given the proper explanation of the disappearance of Lord Krsna and the annihilation of the Yadu dynasty. These are considered illusory pastimes and are only properly understood by the pure devotees of the Lord. Thereafter, it is proven that Queen Rukmini is the original goddess of fortune, and that Srimati Radharani is the most important of all the gopis. In conclusion the author says: That Sri Krsna in the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, (as the sruti-mantra explains: Sri Krsna, accompanied by Srimati Radharani, is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead) has been explained in this Krsna-sandarbha.

Srila Prabhupada would sometimes mention the Krsna Sandarbha in his lectures, as in the following expert from a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam given in London in 1971.

Pradyumna (reading from the purport to Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.1): Sri Vyasadeva asserts herein that Sri Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead and all others are His direct or indirect plenary portions or portion of the portion. Srila Jiva Gosvami has even more explicitly explained the subject matter in his Krsna Sandarbha, and Brahma, the original living being.

Prabhupada: Jiva Gosvami has got six sandarbha, theses: Bhagavat-sandarbha, Krsna-sandarbha, Tattva-sandarbha, Priti-sandarbha, like that. So, I don't think that these books are published in English. These sandarbhas of Jiva Gosvami are so philosophically discussed that throughout the whole world, there is not a single philosopher who can defy them. We belong to the Gaudiya-sampradaya from Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, coming in the disciplic succession of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. We have got immense literature to understand God. One who wants to understand God through philosophy, science, argument and logic, to supply them reading material, we have got immense literature, Vedic literature. So, one of them is mentioned here, Krsna-sandarbha.

From this we can understand what a great service Kusakratha dasa has done in translating these six sandarbhas. And, as would be expected, these translations are very pleasing to read due to being imbued with Kusakratha dasa's great and unalloyed devotion for the Lord and the literature of the great acaryas.

From the Jacket

Meditation upon Lord Krsna is described in this volume of Krsna-sandarbha with many references of Brahma-samhita

In this, the third volume of this edition of Krsna-sandarbha, the superexcellent and supreme love of the gopis for Krsna is described at great length.

All the incarnations and expansions exist simultaneously in the body of Krsna, who is described as two-handed. In this book are also descriptions of the Goloka planet, Vrndavana – the eternal place of Krsna, the identity of Goloka and Vrndavana, the eternal associates of Krsna, the quality of the manifest and Unmanifest pastimes, Sri Krsna's manifestation in Gokula, the queens of Dvaraka as expansions of the internal potency, and, superior to them, the superexcellent gopis. There is also a list of the gopis names and a discussion of the topmost position of Srimati Radharani.

The truth is that the gopis are the eternal wives of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

"Jiva Gosvami has got six Sandarbhas, these: Bhagavat-sandarbha, Krsna-sandarbha, Tattva-sandarbha, Priti-sandarbha, like that. So, I don't think that these books are published in English. These Sandarbhas of Jiva Gosvami are so philosophically discussed that throughout the whole world, there is not a single philosopher who can defy them. We belong to the Gaudiya-sampradaya from Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, coming in the disciplic succession of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. We have got immense literature to understand God. One who wants to understand God through philosophy, science, argument and logic, to supply them reading material, we have got immense literature, Vedic literature".

Back of the Book

Sri Krsna becomes controlled by the pure love of His devotees, and He increased the pleasure of the resident of Vrajabhumi in transcendental reciprocation for their pure love for Him.

That pure love of Godhead is perfectly manifested in the body abode of Gokula, and Nanda and Yasoda, the king and queen of Gokula, are perfect examples of that pure love for Krsna.

The transcendental goddess, Srimati Radharani, is the direct counterpart of Lord Sri Krsna. She is the central figure for all goddesses of fortune. She possesses all the attractiveness to attract the all-attractive Personality of Godhead. She is the primeval internal potency of the Lord.