The Understanding of Krsna in Sankaradeva

The Krsna of Sankaradeva (and Madhavadeva) wandering through Vraja looking for butter is not the Krsna of Gujarat but, rather, Paramatma, the supreme spiritual personality, in the setting of the microcosm, on the lookout, as it were, for the product of the senses. Krsna is God Himself in His capacity as the “cowherd” of the senses. It is this paramatmic understanding of God that allowed the “nirguna” poets like Kabir and even Muslim poets—who were from traditions other than the Vedantic-puranic one—to immerse themselves in the love of Hari and Krsna. This is because Krsna is the transcendent Supreme Spirit (Brahman)—Allah or the Lord Himself— in His role of the ‘Preserver of the Senses’ (Go-pala).

The Meaning of the Lord’s Names (II): A Translation of a Passage from the Nama Ghosa

[Duladi Metre]

Since, on mere remembrance, He removes the most dreadful
sorrows of samsara,
for this reason only, the Lord is referred to as
‘Hari’ (The Remover) by all the great exemplar-devotees. 155

Know that, as the immanent soul, in this creation,
He is staying, entering into it.
For this reason only, the Lord is referred to
by the special name of ‘Visnu.’ 156

Since the Lord is entering into the (material) category of
the organs of sense and action;
therefore only, all the exemplar-devotees
are calling the Lord ‘Hrsikesa.’ 157

Since, staying as the inner controller, He
causes the embodied personality (jiva) to experience happiness and miseries;
for this reason only, He is holding the name of ‘Paramatma’ (Supreme Spiritual Personality),
the Lord ever present in time and space. 158

As the Supreme Lord, He is staying as
the shelter of all embodied personalities.
For this reason only, He is known as ‘Narayana;’
such is the transcendental explanation of this name. 159

No material limitation such as mind-organ, etc. can ever
suppress, conceal or obscure Him.
It is for this reason only that the exemplar-devotees
refer to Him as ‘Niranjana’ (The Unstained One). 160

The working of the three qualities of primal matter—sattva, rajas and tamas—
can never suppress Him or make Him extinct.
For that reason only, the body of Vedic scriptures
refer to Him as ‘Niramaya.’ 161

As Hari, The Remover of All Miseries,
is devoid of all material forms,
for that reason only, the name ‘Nirakara’ (Formless One)
the supreme Lord is holding. 162

By the term ‘mā,’ lady Laksmi—primal matter—is implied.
The Lord is, as it were, her husband.
For this reason only, He is known as ‘Madhava’
in the circle of the great exemplar-devotees. 163

By the term ‘janā’ is meant lady illusion (maya);
the Lord destroys the devotees’ illusion.
It is for this reason that the Lord of All Opulence is
holding the name ‘Janardana.’ 164

The seductive maya has made all embodied personalities (jiva)
greatly wild and intoxicated.
As He oppresses and enfeebles the maya of the devotees;
on account of this, He is called ‘Madhusudana.’ 165

By the term ‘go’ (‘cow’) is meant the sensors, the means of acquiring sense-data.
The Lord is preserving them.
On account of this only, He is called ‘Gopala’ (Preserver of the Cows)
by the great pure devotees, know this truth for certain. 166

Indra, the king of the subtle organs of sense and action, and the other controlling units (deva), installing Him as the king of the sensors,
had done His coronation.
Therefore did the Remover of All Afflictions hold directly
the supremely famous name of ‘Govinda’ (Chief of Cows). 167

Time and space, in no way, can ever
hope to find the end of Him.
For only this reason, extremely famous became
the name of the Lord, ‘Ananta’ (The Endless One). 168

All those followers of the path of the Veda, searching for His roots in the scriptures of knowledge (Veda),
cannot find His origin.
Therefore only, the Lord is holding
the supremely famous name of ‘Anadi’ (The One Having No Origin). 169

Even the most inferior person becomes the best
doing pure devotion at His feet.
The name of ‘Purusottama’ (The Most Excellent Person) the Lord is holding
for this very reason. 170

By the term ‘kṣara’ is meant the body.
By the ‘akṣara’ term, the spiritual personality (brahma).
As The Remover of All Afflictions is superior to both of these—matter as well as spiritual personality—
He is extremely well-known as ‘Purusottama’ (The Supreme Spiritual Personality). 171

He is superior to both Prakrti, primal matter, as well as Purusa, the pure spiritual personality.
He is the cause, as it were, of these two entities.
On account of this fact, He is holding the name of ‘Parama Isvara’ (Supreme Lord),
the shelter of all the embodied beings. 172

According to their actions, the Lord Himself maintains
the creatures of this entire creation.
For this reason only, His ‘Jagannatha’ name
has become extremely well-known in this world. 173

On doing pure devotional service to the Lord, the ignorance and the false apprehensions of the jiva, born of illusion (maya), are removed.
By the term ‘Brahma’ (spirit) is meant the pure—liberated—spiritual personality.
The Lord, however, is ‘Paramabrahma,’ the supreme spirit. 174

In the form of the inner controller, He regulates all entities—embodied personalities, etc.
For this reason only, the Lord, know this fact,
is referred to by the epithet of ‘Paramatma’ (Supreme Immanent Personality). 175

Being known by epithets such as The Supreme Spirit (Brahma), The Supreme Atman (Paramatma),
He has no end to His opulences (aisvarya).
For this reason, the great pure devotees of the Lord
call Him ‘Bhagavanta,’ the Possessor of All Opulences. 176

By reason of being His own devotee, The Remover of All Afflictions had made Garuda His own carrier.
For that reason only, the exemplars regard the Lord
as ‘Garudaketu,’ He Who Has Garuda For His Symbol. 177

Time, primal matter, etc.—His mind all of these entities
can never hope to weaken.
It is for this reason that the name ‘Vaikuntha’ of such an unconquerable Lord,
has become extremely well-known. 178

Since it is in Him—the ever-joyous, endless, supremely conscious spiritual personality—that all the adherents of meditative communion always roam;
therefore only, by the name ‘Rama’ is meant
only the Supreme Spirit form of the Lord, know this fact for sure. 179

Since He, as the supremely conscious personality, at all times,
animates the entities of the material creation;
therefore, know, that for this reason only, the Lord is called
by this most sweet name of ‘Rama.’ 180

He is residing in the creation and also,
the creation is residing in Him.
On account of this only, He is known as ‘Vasudeva,’ the immanent world-residence—such is the interpretation of this name. 181

As he does not do pure devotion at the feet of the Lord,
maya, primal matter, ensnares man and makes him dance to her tunes.
And, one does not escape from the seduction of maya
as long as one does not take sole refuge (sarana) in The Remover of All Afflictions. 182

The Meaning of the Lord’s Names: A Translation of a Passage from the Nama Ghosa

The Meaning of the Lord’s Names (namanvaya)

Such a sound as ‘kṛṣ–;’ it is expressive of matter.
The unit ‘ṇa’ stands for pure joy.
When these two are combined into one, the name ‘kṛṣṇa’
signifies only the supreme spiritual personality of joy. 140

On doing pure devotion at the feet of the supreme personality of joy,
all ‘material-ness’ (kṛśatā) of the embodied spiritual personality (jiva) is removed.
For this reason only, know, the Lord is called ‘Krsna.’
Such is this famous and most beautiful interpretation. 141

At all times, He is the embodiment of happiness born of His own blissful nature—
always the personality of impartite, uneclipsable pure joy.
On account of this only, by the names ‘Sadananda’ (Ever-Joyous) and ‘Nityananda’ (Eternally Joyous),
is the Lord referred to for sure. 142

By the tokens ‘k–,’ ‘a,’ and ‘īśa’ are understood,
the cosmic mind (Brahma), the Cosmic Soul (Visnu) and cosmic time (Mahesvara) respectively.
By the ‘va’ unit, the Shelter of All Beings is stringing all three entities together.
For this reason, He is referred to as ‘Kesava.’ 143

Doing pure devotional service at Lord Krsna’s feet, the fallen state (cyuti) of the jiva—
his cycle of material existence—goes away most miraculously.
It is for this reason only, know, that all the great exemplar-devotees
call the Lord ‘Acyuta’ (The Unfalling One). 144

Doing pure devotion at Lord Krsna’s feet, even the most inferior ones
transform into the most excellent.
For this reason only, the ‘Narottama’ (Best of Men) name of God
has become famous throughout the world. 145

Knowing the Lord and doing pure devotion to Him, man secures release from matter
and roams fearlessly in the world like a lion.
Only for this reason has the Lord’s name become ‘Narasimha’ (The Man-Lion);
so say the great exemplar-devotees. 146

Doing pure devotion to the Lord’s lotus-like feet, purifying their consciousness,
even the most inferior ones forsake all intellect-dwarfing false doctrines.
For this reason only, always the great devotees;
they call the Lord ‘Vamana’ (The Dwarf). 147

Beginning with salvation, all the forms of happiness, do not measure up to even an atom
of the pleasure derived from the Lord’s spiritual service.
It is for this reason that the Lord is holding the name ‘Paramananda’ (The Supreme Joy),
in the midst of the company of pure devotees. 148

As only Krsna is the supreme soul, on account of this only,
the multitude of jivas is obtaining all sorts of joys and pleasures.
For this reason, the Lord holds the name of ‘Sarvananda’ (All Joy).
Know this for certain, O all saintly devotees. 149

Because the Shelter of All Beings appears wearing the garland
of five colors representing the five great elements,
please know that it is for this reason that the possessor of all opulences
is holding the name of ‘Vanamali’ (The Wearer of the Garland of Forest-Flowers). 150

Obtaining the happiness arising from the Lord’s pure devotional service, the jiva turns down
the happiness born of contact with objects of the senses.
Because of this reason only, know all of you that He Who Has a Rope Round His Waist
is holding the name of ‘Adhoksaja’ (Supreme Lord of the Senses). 151

Apart from conscious personality, all those material entities having their birth in primal matter;
all of these are sported with by the Lord.
For this reason only, know that the supreme master, the Lord,
is holding the name of ‘Parasurama.’ 152

By the power of His supreme consciousness, the living beings of this unconscious creation,
He actuates, based on their desire-filled actions.
The Lord is having the supremely famous name of ‘Rama’
for only this reason; know this real interpretation. 153

In Him, the illimitable, supremely conscious spiritual personality who is ever joyous,
the followers of meditative communion always roam.
For this reason, by the epithet ‘Rama’ is meant only His supremely spiritual nature;
such is the interpretation of the Lord’s ‘Rama’ name. 154

Translation of Sankaradeva's Bhakti Ratnakara: Chapter on the Difference Between the Embodied Personality (Jiva) and the Lord (Isvara)

জীৱ-ঈশ্বৰ ভেদ-মাহাত্ম্য দুলড়ী শুনা আৱে জীৱ     ঈশ্বৰৰ ভেদ      কৰি সাৱধান মন | টীকাকাৰে যেন ভেদ কহি আছে      কহঞোঁ সেহি বচন || সেহিসে ঈশ্বৰ  যাৰ বশ্য মায়া      পৰম আনন্দময় | মায়া মৰ্দ্দে যাক তাকে বুলি জীৱ      দুঃখতে তাৰ উদয় || ৭৬৩ অতি সুখ-ৰূপ আনন্দে যুগুত      চৈতন্য-ৰুপ ঈশ্বৰ | তাহানে মায়ায়ে ঢাকিলেক নিজ      আনন্দ-সুখ জীৱৰ || দুঃখচয়ে বেঢ়ি  আছয় জীৱক      পাৱে অতি মহাখেদ | কহিলোঁ প্ৰত্যেক জানিবা এতেক      জীৱ-ঈশ্বৰৰ ভেদ || ৭৬৪ চতুৰ্থ স্কন্ধত  মাধৱক ধ্ৰুৱে      বোলন্ত তুতি-বচন | জীৱত কৰিয়া বিলক্ষণ ৰূপে      থাকা তুমি নাৰায়ণ || তুমি নিত্যমুক্ত চৈতন্য তুমিসি      নিত্য-বদ্ধ জড় জীৱ | তোমাৰ সেৱাত হোৱে মুক্ত জীৱ      তুমি দেৱ সদাশিৱ || ৭৬৫ তুমি মাত্ৰ শুদ্ধ তুমিসি সৰ্ব্বজ্ঞ      নিৰ্ব্বিকাৰ ভগৱন্ত | তিনিয়ো গুণৰ তুমি সে ঈশ্বৰ      তোমাৰ নাহিকে অন্ত || অতি অজ্ঞ জীৱ     বিকাৰ পৰম      অশুদ্ধ অতি হোৱয় | ভৈল ভাগ্যহীন গুণৰ অধীন      জীৱে একো নেদেখয় || ৭৬৬ অখণ্ডিত দৃষ্টি  তুমি সৱে দেখা      পুৰুষ আদি অনাদি | যজ্ঞৰ তুমিসি  অধিষ্ঠাতা দেৱ      জীৱৰ আছয় আদি || জীৱ-ঈশ্বৰৰ   যেন বিলক্ষণ      ধ্ৰুৱ বাক্যে ব্যক্ত ভৈলা | একাদশ স্কন্ধে  শুনিয়োক আৰ      ভগৱন্তে যেন কৈলা || ৭৬৭ বোলন্ত উদ্ধৱ  যিটো পৰমাত্মা      তান কৰ্ম্ম নাহিকয় | জীৱৰ নিয়ন্তা  তাহান শকতি      মনো সঞ্চালিত হয় || অলুপুত জ্ঞানে কেৱলে দেখন্ত      কেৱলে বিদ্যা-শকতি | সংসাৰ প্ৰকাশে হেনয় মনক      কৰিলা জীৱে সঙ্গতি || ৭৬৮ আত্মাৰূপে তাক বিচাৰ কৰিয়া      নানা কাম ভোগ কৈলা | এহিসে নিমিত্তে গুণৰ সঙ্গত      জীৱ পুনু বদ্ধ ভৈলা || যোগ-সাৰ শাস্ত্ৰে     জীৱ-ঈশ্বৰৰ      শুনা যেন ভেদ কয় | পৰমাত্মা হৰি  বিজ্ঞান-মূৰুতি      নিৰাকাৰ নিৰাময় || ৭৬৯ নিত্য নিৰঞ্জন  আনন্দ-স্বৰূপ      দেহ ইন্দ্ৰি নাহিকয় | তথাপি শুনয়  বসিয়া থাকয়      কাহাকো কৰন্ত হত | জগতৰে কৰ্ত্তা  পালয় সৱাকো      সংহৰে সবে জগত || ৭৭০ নিশ্চল নিৰ্ম্মল  নাহিকয় সঙ্গ      একো চেষ্টা নাহিকয় | বস্তু-পৰিগ্ৰহ   নাহিকয় তান      কিছু কৰ্ম্ম নকৰয় || স্ৰজিয়া জগত  সদা থাকা তাতে      অতি উদাসীনভাৱে | নুহিকে আকুল  সংসাৰৰ দোষে      তাহাঙ্ক একো নপাৱে || ৭৭১ তানে একো অংশে    জীৱ-আত্মা সিটো      দেহ-ধাৰী ভৈলা আসি | ব্যয় আছে তাৰ অব্যয় হোৱয়      জীৱ নিত্য অবিনাশী || সুখ-দুঃখময়   মায়া-মোহ পাশে      ভৈলা অতি বিমোহিত | কৰ্ম্ম-জৰী-বদ্ধ হুয়া সংসাৰত      পৰি দুঃখ পাৱে নিত || ৭৭২ ঈশ্বৰত কৰি  জীৱ ভিন্ন নুহি      শান্ত অবিকাৰী হয় | ভ্ৰান্তিয়ে অজ্ঞান আবৰিত হুয়া      আপোনাক নজানয় || কৃষ্ণ-পাৱে এক শৰণ পশিয়া      হৰিত কৰি ভকতি | অতি অজ্ঞানীয়ো     অনায়াসে লভে      দুৰ্ল্লভ পৰম গতি || ৭৭৩ জীৱ-আত্মা পৰ-    আত্মা ভেদ জানি      ভকতি কৰে যিজনে | কিকুহিবা তাক পাইবে অতি সুখে      মহাগতি সিটোজনে || ইটো মাহাত্ম্যক কৰিলোঁ সসাঙ্গ      শুনা সৱে বুদ্ধজন | মাধৱক মনে  ধৰি ৰাম ৰাম      বুলিয়োক সৰ্ব্বজন || ৭৭৪

The Difference Between the Embodied Personality (Jiva) and the Lord (Isvara) Verses (duladi metre) Listen now to the difference between the embodied personality (jiva) and the Lord (isvara) making attentive your mind. The difference that the commentator is saying, first those words I will tell. “That only is the Lord under whose control is primal matter (maya); He is the personality of supreme transcendental joy. That which primal nature—its nescience—crushes, that only is embodied personality; he has his rise in affliction. 763 Of the nature of extreme happiness, endowed with bliss is the supremely conscious form of the Lord. It is His nescience (maya) only that has covered and kept under wraps the happiness born of own-joy of the jiva. Various miseries and afflictions are surrounding the embodied person; he is suffering greatly on account of them. I have told directly; know, in this manner, the difference between the embodied personality and the Lord.” 764 In the fourth book, to the Lord of Primal Matter, Dhruva says these words of praise, “In a form characteristically opposite to the jiva, you are staying, Shelter of All Beings. You are forever-liberated; forever in pure conscious form you are only; the jiva, on the other hand, is forever-chained to matter and becomes extremely matter-like (jada) in appearance. Through your service only the jiva becomes free; you are the supreme controlling entity, O the one who is always gracious. 765 You only are spotlessly pure, only you are all-knowing; you do not come under the influence of the modifications of matter; you, my master, are the Lord of All Opulence! Of the three qualities of material nature, you only are the controller; you do not have any ending, being present at all times and across all spaces. But, the jiva is extremely unenlightened; he suffers greatly from the modifications; he is reduced to extremely fallen and impure state. Becoming bereft of good fortune, and under the influence of the gunas, the jiva does not see anything. 766 [Why this difference, my Lord?] Because only you, who are the supreme pure-personality, have the vision of impartite knowledge; you see everything, O the original personality whose origin cannot be found! You only are the controlling-entity of the yajna­-like material processes going on within the microcosm; the jiva—an embodied personality that it is—however, has a beginning.” The striking contrast between jiva and Isvara has been expressed through the words of Dhruva. Listen now, in the eleventh book, what was told by the Lord Himself. 767 He says, “Uddhava, that which is the supreme spiritual personality (paramatma), that has no entanglement with material actions at all. The controller of the organism (jiva), by His power, even the material mind is actuated. By means of His intrinsic uneclipsable knowledge, He only sees; He is ever-enlightened pure-personality. In contrast, that which is the connecting link to material life—with such a mind-device the jiva has associated himself. 768 Thinking that to be his own spiritual self, he is enjoying various desires. For this reason only, in the company of the material qualities, the jiva has become now shackled.” In the spiritual text known as Yogasara (The Essence of Yoga), listen to what is said about the difference between jiva and Isvara: The supreme spiritual personality, The Great Remover, is the embodiment of direct knowledge (vijnana); He is devoid of any average, material form and He is never suppressed by the working of the three qualities of material nature. 769 He is eternal—existing always—, unstained and supremely joyous by nature. He is without a material body and material limitations like organs. But still He hears, still He moves, sits etc. and sometimes even kills somebody! The doer of the creation, He preserves all and dissolves the entire world. 770 Pure, invariable and having no company, He does not do any effort. There is no accumulation of any wealth or property for Him; He does do not do any work! Creating the world, He remains always there in the manner of a stoic! Never perplexed or confounded, the blemishes of the material world do not ever touch Him. 771 It is in a very small part (amsa) of Him—His cosmic body— that the one that is known as embodied spiritual personality (jivatma) comes to be equipped with a material body. That body is subject to wearing out and decay but the jiva is imperishable; he, like His Lord, is also always-existing and indestructible. Caught in the snare of  infatuation with matter—made up of pleasure and pain— he has fallen into extreme delusion. Bound by the rope of desire-actuated material action (karma) to the cycle of trans-migratory existence (samsara), he suffers always from affliction. 772 The jiva is not different in kind from Isvara— he is calm and immutable. But, enveloped by ignorance and false opinion, he does not know his own spiritual nature. *** Entering into sole-refuge in Krsna’s feet and doing pure devotion to the Great Remover of Affliction, even the extremely ignorant one effortlessly obtains the unobtainable supreme deliverance. 773 Knowing the difference between the embodied spiritual personality and the supreme spiritual personality, the one that does bhakti, Oh, what will I say about him! He will obtain in extreme happiness the great and rare deliverance. This chapter here I have concluded; hear, O all enlightened people! Holding in mind the Lord of Primal Matter, ‘Rama!’ ‘Rama!’ please utter, all you people. 774