20241130 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.11.42

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram
hariḥ oṁ tat sa

Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.11.42

tad āhur akṣaraṁ brahmā
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
viṣṇor dhāma paraṁ sākṣāt
puruṣasya mahātmanaḥ

Translation: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, is therefore said to be the original cause of all causes. Thus the spiritual abode of Viṣṇu is eternal without a doubt, and it is also the abode of Mahā-Viṣṇu, the origin of all manifestations.

Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: Lord Mahā-Viṣṇu, who is resting in yoga-nidrā on the Causal Ocean and creating innumerable universes by His breathing process, only temporarily appears in the mahat-tattva for the temporary manifestation of the material worlds. He is a plenary portion of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and thus although He is nondifferent from Lord Kṛṣṇa, His formal appearance in the material world as an incarnation is temporary. The original form of the Personality of Godhead is actually the svarūpa, or real form, and He eternally resides in the Vaikuṇṭha world (Viṣṇuloka). The word mahātmanaḥ is used here to indicate Mahā-Viṣṇu, and His real manifestation is Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is called parama, as confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā:

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam

“The Supreme Lord is Kṛṣṇa, the original Personality of Godhead, known as Govinda. His form is eternal, full of bliss and knowledge, and He is the original cause of all causes.”

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Jayapatākā Swami: So this is the last verse of this chapter.  So Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes. That is why He is also the cause of Mahā-Viṣṇu. Mahā-Viṣṇu came for the caitanya-līlā, He is known as Advaita. He took initiation from Mādhavendra Purī. He saw that the people in Kali-yuga, they were very un-Kṛṣṇa conscious. Now, in the form as Viṣṇu, He can award liberation. But to give the people kṛṣṇa-prema, that needs Kṛṣṇa. Now Kṛṣṇa was thinking that I enjoyed so much in Vraja dhāma. But these conditioned souls are deprived of this transcendental bliss.

So, Parāśara Muni was analyzing how many qualities each personality had. So he saw that Lord Brahmā and some of the material beings in the material world had 50 qualities. But Lord Śiva had 55 qualities. And Viṣṇu expansions like Nārāyaṇa, Mahā-Viṣṇu and others had 60 qualities. But Kṛṣṇa had 64. So, by his analysis, Kṛṣṇa was the Supreme Person. So, Advaita wanted Kṛṣṇa as Caitanya Mahāprabhu to descend. In Advaita’s house in Śāntipura, He worshiped the sālagrāma-śilā with Ganges water, tulasī-mañjarīs, he fasted and cried out for Lord Kṛṣṇa to come.  So, Lord Caitanya said I have come because of Advaita. So, here we see Mahā-Viṣṇu in His manifestation. In this form of Mahā-Viṣṇu, by His breath creates millions and millions of universes. This way Mahā-Viṣṇu created different universes. In each universe, He expands Himself as Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. He manifests a lotus flower from His navel. And on top of the lotus flower Lord Brahmā is born. Lakṣmī, She is massaging the lotus feet of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, but she is not required for the birth of Lord Brahmā. Then, in every living entity’s heart, Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is there present as the Supersoul. So this is the situation in the material worlds. So, Mahā-Viṣṇu stays in the spiritual world, usually. When it is time for the material world to be created, He comes and lies down on the Causal Ocean. So by His breathing, He is able to create unlimited universes.

So, Śrīla Prabhupāda is saying that Mahā-Viṣṇu eternally resides in Vaikuṇṭha. But when it is time to manifest the material world, then He comes and lies on the Causal Ocean. So, Kṛṣṇa is known as:

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam

So, Kṛṣṇa, He can give unlimited mercy! And His expansions, as different Viṣṇu forms, He can give also very great blessings. But some devotees like Nārada Muni, since they have kṛṣṇa-prema, they can also give blessings. They can give one ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa. And so, devotees if they are bhāva-bhaktas, they can also give blessings up to their position. So, all of you can also give blessings, if you are a sādhana-bhakta, following the vidhi-mārga, with your blessing, you can give faith in Kṛṣṇa. So, they say that when distributing books, you pray to give blessings to the person who receives the books. Śrīla Prabhupāda, his blessings are so great! By his desire, someone could take to kṛṣṇa-bhakti.

And in the last class I asked, if anyone has any ideas for preaching to people who come to Māyāpur. Yesterday was a relatively small day! 24,000 people came! So I got ideas from Māyāpur, the UK and the USA. So those who hear the class throughout the world, they are thinking how they can help expand the preaching. So it is quite amazing, while giving class this room is packed. Not only that, we have people listening from all over the world! So, one person, he suggested to give a small paper that tells about the Māyāpur App QR Code. Like that there are different ideas. It is very nice that they are thinking how preaching can be expanded in Māyāpur. Also, I hope that all of you will also think.

Anyway, today is the Vyāsa-pūjā of His Holiness Rādhānātha Swami. I was sick so I could not go on the last days to his Yātrā in Māyāpur. I could only attend three days. So he came up to see me in the Lotus Building. I would like to say something about him in this regard because it was a very nice exchange. The year after I had the stroke, I was in the Bhaktivedanta Hospital in Mira Road. So, His Holiness Rādhānātha Swami, he invited me to come to the Pune Yātrā. So I told the doctors that I want to go to the Yātrā, your guru has invited me. But the doctors said, “No, you cannot go, you are sick! Your guru has invited me”, I said. “What kind of disciples are you that you are saying that I cannot go!” So, I did not know this, this was a new thing that him up and told him to please take back his invitation! He said, “I may become a lizard or something in my next life, I cannot take back the invitation.” So then he recommended that they talk to one of their senior doctors and see what he says. So, they went to a senior doctor, he was not initiated, he wasn’t a devotee. Maybe he was a devotee, I don’t know. (He was favorable) So he said, “You are all doctors, you like the hospital! But Jayapatākā Swami is a preacher, he likes to preach! So you should let him preach and let him do what he likes to do, that is the best medicine for him!” So that was an interesting experience.

So, today’s class was about Mahā-Viṣṇu. If we get the blessings of Mahā-Viṣṇu, who is Advaita Mahāśaya, and through Him we can get the mercy of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda... So, the devotees have an opportunity to see how the Supreme Lord, His expansions, His avatāras, how they work.

Mahā Viṣṇu, He is coming down and through His breathing He makes unlimited universes. What time is it? So, Mahā-Viṣṇu came as Advaita and prayed for the coming of Lord Caitanya. We go every year to Śāntipura to distribute prasāda to all the devotees. So, reading the lilas of the different avatāras, the Viṣṇu avatāras gives unlimited mercy for us! So, we want to do everything and anything which pleases Kṛṣṇa. So we are going to have an oath taking ceremony of Vasu Śreṣṭha Prabhu. Before that is there any question or comment?

Comment: Hare Kṛṣṇa Guru Mahārāja! (The devotee was suggesting a way to preach in the temple to visitors).

Jayapatākā Swami: Don’t give your ideas for preaching to me now, you can write a letter and send it to me. Because I don’t hear so clearly. And this is not the time for that. If there are any questions from my class?