In2-MeC

Wellington, New Zealand
19 November 2003

Sri Krishna Upanisad

Introduction

Seeing Lord Mahavisnu-Ramacandra, whose every limb was very handsome, some sages living in the forest became filled with wonder. To Him they said, "Alas, we cannot understand Your incarnations. We will simply embrace You." Then Lord Ramacandra said to them, "In another birth, when I become Krishna, you will become gopis and then you will embrace Me. Others will incarnate as gopas and you will be their wives."

Chapter One

1    (Then Siva and the demigods said), 'We will also accept those forms. Again and again You will touch us and we will touch You."

2    Hearing these words of Siva and the demigods, the Supreme Personality of Godhead said, "I will touch your limbs. I will do what you have said."

3    All the demigods became happy. "Now our lives are successful," they said. One of them became blissful Nanda and another became his wife Yasoda, who was liberated even while staying in the world.

4-5    The illusory potency Maya is said to have three features: goodness, passion, and ignorance. The mode of goodness is said to be manifested in the devotee Siva, the mode of passion in Brahma, and the mode of ignorance in the demons. In this way Maya is said to have three features. Her devotees chant her names Maya, Ajaya and Vaisnavi. She was born before Lord Krishna.

6    Devaki, who is glorified by the Vedas, had the Supreme Personality of Godhead as her son. Vasudeva, who was learned in all the Vedas, was the father of Krishna and Balarama.

7    The Supreme Personality of Godhead, whom the (sages and demigods) glorify without end, descended to the earth. In the forest of Vrndavana He enjoyed pastimes with the saintly gopas and gopis.

8    The personified Vedas became gopis and cows, Brahma became Lord Krishna's stick, Lord Siva became Lord Krishna's flute, and Indra became Lord Krishna's buffalo-horn bugle. Someone became the demon Aghasura.

9    The forest of the spiritual world became Gokula. Personified austerities became the trees there. Greed, anger, and other vices became demons. The time of Kali disappeared.

10    The Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared in His original form as a cowherd boy. Cheated and bewildered by His illusory potency, the world could not understand His true identity.

11    Even all the demigods cannot defeat the Lord's Maya potency. By the Lord's Yogamaya potency Brahma became a stick and Siva became a flute. How did the Lord's Maya potency manifest the entire universe?

12    Knowledge is the strength of the demigods. The Lord's Maya potency steals away that knowledge in a single moment. Lord Sesanaga appeared in His original form as Lord Balarama. The eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared in His original form as Lord Krishna.

13    The personified Vedas and personified Upanisads became 16 108 women whose forms were perfectly spiritual.

14    Personified hatred became the wrestler Canura. Personified envy became Mustika. Personified arrogance became Kuvalayapida. Personified pride became the demonic bird Baka.

15    Personified mercy became Mother Rohini. The earth goddess became Satyabhama. Personified disease became Aghasura. Personified quarrel became King Kamsa.

16-17    Personified peacefulness became the Lord's friend Sudama. Personified truthfulness became Akrura. Personified self-control became Uddhava. Lord Visnu Himself became Krishna's conch shell, which made a roar like thunder and which, also born from the milk-ocean, was the goddess of fortune's kinsman. Breaking a pot to steal yoghurt, Lord Krishna created an ocean of milk.

18    In this way the Lord becomes a child and enjoys pastimes as He had before in the great ocean (of milk). Lord Krishna appeared to remove His enemies and protect (His devotees).

19    To show mercy to all living entities, Lord Krishna fathered a son, religion, who protects all. Lord Krishna also created His cakra, which is made of spirit.

20    Vayu became the time of Lord Krishna's birth. Yamaraja became Lord Krishna's camara. Lord Siva became Lord Krishna's glittering sword.

21    Kasyapa became the grinding mortar and Mother Aditi became the rope. The siddhi and the bindu on the head of all became Lord Krishna's cakra and conch shell.

22    The wise bow down before all the forms the sages say to be incarnations of Lord Krishna. Of this there is no doubt.

23    Time became Lord Krishna's club, the killer of all enemies. The Lord's yogamaya potency became His Sarnga bow. The autumn season became His delicious meals.

24    In His hand Lord Krishna playfully holds the lotus root that is the seed of the material universes. Garuda became a great banyan tree (in Vrndavana). Narada Muni became Sudama.

25    Personified devotional service became the gopi Vrnda. The activities of devotional service became the wisdom that enlightens all living beings. The all-powerful Supreme Lord is not different from these. Neither is He exactly the same as them either.

26    The Lord brought to the earth the entire spiritual world along with its inhabitants

Chapter Two

1    From Lord Vasudeva was manifested Lord Sesa, who was also named Sankarsana, and who was the father of all living entities. He desired, "I shall create children."

2    From Him was born the person named Pradyumna. From Pradyumna was born Aniruddha, who had the names Ahankara and Hiranyagarbha. From Pradyumna were born the ten Prajapatis, beginning with Marici and including Sthanu, Daksa, Kardama, Priyavrata, Uttanapada, and Vayu. In this way from Lord Sesa all living beings were born and into Sesa they enter (at the time of cosmic devastation).

3    Lord Sesa fathered all living beings. He protects them. He created grammar, astrology, and the other sciences. He is worshipped by the sages that yearn for liberation. He holds the entire universe on His head. The sages know His glories. The sages glorify Him with prayers. With His many heads He eclipses Mount Meru's thousand peaks. He created the ether and false ego.

4    Lord Sesa is the Personality of Godhead. Yuga after yuga He appears in many forms. He took birth as Laksmana, the son of Sumitra and descendent of King Iksvaku. Learned in the science of archery and weapons, He killed all the demons and protected varnasrama-dharma.

5    Lord Sesa is the Personality of Godhead. At the time of the yuga-sandhya (junction of the yugas) He appeared as Lord Balarama, the son of Vasudeva and Rohini. He was splendid like an autumn cloud. Expert in fighting with a club and other weapons, and yearning to kill the hosts of demon kings, he uprooted the earth's burden.

6    In the fourth yuga the Supreme Personality of Godhead takes birth in a brahmana family. Desiring to teach the message of all the Upanisads, preach the truths of the dharma-sastras, and deliver all the people, He preaches all the truths of vaisnava-dharma and He also uproots all the atheists and offenders.

7    He is the Supersoul present in everyone's heart. He is the object of meditation for they who yearn after liberation. He is the giver of liberation. By meditating on Him one becomes free from all sins. By chanting His holy names one attains liberation.

8    One who meditates on Him during the day becomes free from the sins of the previous night. One who meditates on Him at night become free from the sins of the previous day. This is the secret of the Vedas. This is the secret of the Upanisads. By meditating on Him one attains the fruits of all seasons, one attains peace, one attains a pure heart, one attains the result of all pilgrimages. He who knows this becomes free from again entering a material body. Thus the Upanisad.

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