Krishna voice april 2016 Magazine

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupada, Founder- Acharya of the International
Society for Krishna Consciousness, came to America
in 1965, at age 69, to fulfill his spiritual master’s
request that he teach the science of Krishna
consciousness throughout the English-speaking world.
In a dozen years he published some seventy volumes
of translation and commentary on India’s Vedic
literature, and these are now standard in universities
worldwide. Meanwhile, travelling almost nonstop, Srila
Prabhupada moulded his international society into a
world wide confederation of ashramas, schools, temples
and farm communities. He passed away in 1977, in
Vrindavana, the place most sacred to Lord Krishna. His
disciples and followers are carrying forward the
movement he started.
To know more about Srila Prabhupada visit
www.iskconbangalore.org/srila-prabhupada
April 2016Vol 17, No.4
CONTENTS
Sacrifice Made Easy 4
Srila Prabhupada Speaks Out 9
Turning to the Beauty of Krishna 11
Personally Speaking 15
Vana Purushothama Temple 21
Published and owned by Sankirtana Seva Trust. Editor:
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© 2016 Sankirtana Seva Trust, Bangalore. All
Krishna art and the works of Srila Prabhupada are
© Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.
All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction
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Printed at Manipal Printers (P) Ltd., Manipal.
Cover pages-4 Text pages-32
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Krishna Voice, April 2016 3

SACRIFICE
MADE EASY"Everyone must perform sacrifice,"
Lord Krishna says.
And He comes as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
to show us how easy it can be.
A lecture in London on September 5, 1973
by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
yajna-dana-tapah-karma
na tyajyam karyam eva tat
yajno danam tapas caiva
pavanani manisinam
"Acts of sacrifice, charity, and penance are not to be given up; they must be performed. Indeed, sacrifice, charity,
and penance purify even the great souls." (Bhagavad-gita 18.5)
There are four stages of spiritual life: brahmacharya [celibate student life], grihastha (householder life], vanaprastha
[retired life], and sannyasa [renounced life]. From the beginning of student life, brahmacharya, one must be trained
how to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The brahmachari is trained to rise early in the morning, offer
fire sacrifice, study the Vedas, and then perform sankirtana, preaching the glories of the Lord. There are so many
routine duties for brahmacharis, and these must be executed.
For grihasthas [householders], the first duty is to give charity. And who will accept this charity? The brahmacharis
and sannyasis [renunciants]. The brahmachari may accept charity on behalf of the spiritual master, and the sannyasi
may accept just enough charity for his maintenance, but no more.
A householder cannot accept charity, unless he is a brahmana. Then he may accept charity, but he cannot
accumulate money. Whatever he gets, he must use as much as he needs for his maintenance and then give any
extra money in charity. There is a Bengali proverb that says. "Even if a brahmana gets 100.000 rupees, he remains
a beggar." Why? Because he immediately distributes it all in charity.
And for the sannyasis and vanaprasthas [retirees], tapasya is most important. Tapasya means voluntarily accepting
all kinds of inconveniences. In material life one tries to avoid all inconveniences, but spiritual life means to accept
many different kinds of austerities for the sake of Krishna, even at the risk of all inconvenience.
So, here Lord Krishna says, yajna-dana-tapah-karma na tyajyam: "One should never give up sacrifice, charity,
and austerity." These things must be continued under all circumstances.
Now, the impersonalistic, Mayavadi sannyasis strictly follow the principles of austerity—at least those who are
genuine, not false. Three times a day they take a bath. even in the severest cold; they lie down on the floor to
sleep; and they always study Vedanta and Sankhya philosophy. But in spite of all these austerities, they do not
approve of the worship of the Deity, the transcendental form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because
they are impersonalists, they do not worship the form of God. So the shastra [scripture] says, ye 'nye 'ravindaksa
vimukta-maninas tvayy asta-bhavad avisuddha-buddhayah: "Although the Mayavadis think themselves liberated,
they are averse to worshiping the lotus feet of Krishna, and so their consciousness is impure."
The Mayavadi sannyasis address one another. "Namo-narayanaya [Obeisances to Narayana]." This means that
they think every one of them has become Narayana, the Supreme Lord. This is their philosophy.
So, for the Mayavadis Narayana has become a very cheap thing: "Everyone has become Narayana; everyone

Krishna Voice, April 20166
has become God." And then the rascal God goes to the hospital and has an operation. They have no shame. They
never think, "If I am God, why can't I cure my bodily pains? What kind of God am I?" No, this thought never occurs
to them.
No. We do not accept such a God. Our God is different Our Narayana is the real Narayana—the exalted Supreme
Personality of Godhead. He cannot be compared even with such demigods as Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva, what
to speak of these rascal Mayavadis. As it is said,
yas tu narayanam devam
brahma-rudradi-daivataih
samatvenaiva vikseta
sa pasandi bhaved dhruvam
"Any person who thinks that Lord Brahma or Lord Shiva is equal to Lord Narayana is a rascal." So the Mayavadis
are rascals. They say, "Any demigod is as good as Vishnu. You can worship any god and get the same result; it
doesn't matter." They believe that ultimately the Absolute Truth is impersonal. And so you can imagine any form
and meditate on that, and ultimately you will merge into that impersonal Brahman. This is their philosophy, but
this is not the fact.
In the ultimate issue, the Absolute Truth is Krishna, Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Brahmeti
paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate: The Absolute Truth is realized in three phases—the impersonal Brahman;
the localized Paramatma [Supersoul; and Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna (krishnas
tu bhagavan svayam). Ultimately the Absolute Truth is Bhagavan, and there are many expansions of Bhagavan
(advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam). Krishna has millions and trillions of expansions. One of them is the
Paramatma, the Supersoul in everyone's heart (isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati).And the Paramatma
also resides in every atom: andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham.
So, Lord Krishna has many expansions, but they are all one, advaitam. For example, if you place millions of pots
of water in the sunshine, you will find millions of suns reflected in the water. But although we see that millions of
suns are reflected in the millions of pots, we know that the sun is one. Similarly, God is one, but He can expand
Himself into millions and trillions of forms. There is no question of counting them.
The Mayavadi philosophy is that because God has expanded Himself into so many forms and is thus all-pervading,
He is finished. This is a materialistic conception. Suppose you take a big piece of paper, tear it into small pieces,
and then throw the pieces away. Then the original paper is lost; it no longer exists. That is the Mayavadi philosophy:
Because God is all-pervading, He has no form.
But this is not the spiritual conception. The spiritual conception is purnasya purnam adaya purnam evavasisyate:
Lord Krishna is the complete, supreme whole, and even though He expands Himself into millions and trillions of
complete forms. He still remains complete. Therefore Krishna is described as avyaya, which means He is never
diminished in anyway. Suppose I have one hundred pounds in my bank balance. If I take one, two, three, four,
five—in this way, my bank balance will be finished. But Krishna is not like that He is so complete that although
unlimited complete forms expand from Him. He still remains the complete whole. This is the statement of the
Isopanishad, and this is the real conception of God.
So, unless you practice yajna [sacrifice], how will you understand this philosophy? It is not possible. In the present
age, however, the ritualistic sacrifices recommended in the Vedas are not possible to execute. They are very
expensive. You have to acquire so much ghee and grains, along with so many other things. Daily you have to feed
so many people. This is all very difficult in this age.
Therefore Krishna has made yajna easy. As recommended in Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.5.32],
krishna-varnam tvisakrishnam
sangopangastra-parsadam
yajnaih sankirtana-prayair
yajanti hi su-medhasah
What is the yajna for the present age? Sankirtana, the congregational chanting of the holy names of God. This
process was taught by the incarnation of God for the present age of Kali.
Now, one may ask. Who is the incarnation of God for the present age? The Bhagavatam says, krishna-varnam.
The word varna means "category." So Krishna-varnam means that the incarnation for the present age is in the
category of Krishna, not in the category of the jiva soul. In other words, He is Krishna Himself. Or, krishna-varnam

7Krishna Voice, April 2016
can also mean "one who describes (varna-yati)
Krishna." So the incarnation who teaches sankirtana
is always describing Krishna or chanting the holy name
of Krishna, and He is Krishna because He belongs
to the category of Krishna.
The Bhagavatam also describes this incarnation as
tvisakrishnam, "having a non-blackish complexion."
But we know that Krishna has a blackish complexion.
He is described as asitambuda-sundarangam. Asita
means "black," and ambuda means "cloud." So His
complexion is like a blackish cloud, but very, very, very,
very beautiful. Kandarpa-koti-kamaniya: He is so
beautiful that many millions of Cupids cannot be
compared with Him.
So, although the incarnation who teaches sankirtana
is the same as Krishna, His complexion is not blackish.
Then may He be any colour except blackish? No.
There are fixed colours for the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. When the greatly learned astrologer Garga
Muni performed the birth ceremony for Krishna at
Nanda Maharaja's place, he said, suklo raktas tatha
pita idanim krishnatam gatah: "Nanda Maharaja,
formerly this son of yours appeared three times with
three different colours—white, red, and yellow. Now
He has appeared in a blackish colour." Therefore the
incarnation for the present age must be either white,
red, or yellow.
So, the complexion of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is
a yellowish golden colour. Also. He is always describing Lord Krishna and chanting His name, and He is in the
same category as Krishna. Therefore it is understood that He is the incarnation for the present age.
Next the Bhagavatam says, sangopangastra-parsadam: "He is always surrounded by His associates and expansions."
Anga means "immediate expansion." and upanga means "an expansion of the expansion," which is also known
as a kala. The first expansion is called an avatara, and when there is another avatara from the first avatara. He
is called a kala. Lord Chaitanya appeared with His immediate expansion, Nityananda Prabhu, and with the expansion
of the expansion. Advaita Prabhu, and also with Srivasa Thakura, Gadadhara Pandita, and many other devotees
(gaura-bhakta-vrnda). Therefore Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has all the symptoms of the incarnation for the present
age.
There is a very scientific analysis of God in the shastras. It is not that any rascal can come and declare. "I am
God." This is not acceptable. We have to understand God according to the shastra. Because Sri Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu appeared like an ordinary man, Nimai Pandita, but was actually shown to be the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, so many rascals have imitated Him: As far as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is concerned, there are
innumerable references proving that He is God—in the Mahabharata, the Srimad-Bhagavatam. the Upanishads.
Therefore we accept Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is not that by some rascal's vote we can
declare some ordinary man as God, and then he becomes God.
So, one may ask. How should we worship Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu? The Bhagavatam says, yajnaih sankirtana-
prayair yajanti hi su-medhasah: "Those who are intelligent worship Lord Chaitanya by the process of sankirtana,
the congregational chanting of the holy names." Those who have nice brain substance will perform this sacrifice.
In this way they fulfill the Lord's injunction in the Bhagavad-gita: yajna-dana-tapah-karma na tyajyam. "Sacrifice,
charity, and austerity should never be given up."
Sankirtana is the sacrifice for this age. You cannot give up the performance of sacrifice at any stage of life, but
the sacrifices mentioned in the Vedas are not possible in this age of Kali. As the Bhagavatam says, mandah su-
manda-matayo manda-bhagya hy upadrutah: In this age people may advertise that they have made so much
progress, but they are misguided, lazy, unfortunate, and disturbed. This is the position of the people in this age.
ADVERTISEMENT

8 Krishna Voice, April 2016
Srila Prabhupada, the founder-acharya of ISKCON, has delivered more than
1500 lectures on Vedic scriptures like Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam and
Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita. The audio recording of his lectures are available in
ISKCON centers. You can also hear some of these lectures in
www.iskconbangalore.org/lectures-and-conversations
How can they perform Vedic ritualistic ceremonies? It is not possible.
Therefore Krishna has given us the opportunity to perform the sankirtana-yajna. In the temple, if you keep a picture
of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates and perform sankirtana before them, you will become all-perfect,
it is so easy.
It is said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam [12.3.52]:
krte yad dhyayato visnum
tretayam yajato makhaih
dvapare paricaryayam
kalau tad dhari-kirtanat
"The same result one could obtain in previous ages by other means, one can obtain in this age simply by chanting
the holy names of God." In the Satya-yuga the process was meditation, in the Treta-yuga, elaborate sacrifice, and
in the Dvapara-yuga, Deity worship. But in the Kali-yuga it is simply sankirtana. This is the shastric injunction.
So, I am very pleased that you are keeping this center nicely up to our standard by performing sankirtana. Today
is Radhastami, the appearance anniversary of Srimati Radharani. She is Krishna's internal pleasure potency.
Krishna can expand Himself. So when He wants to enjoy, He manifests His pleasure potency from His body, and
that pleasure potency is Radharani. Radharani is not an ordinary living entity: She is Krishna's personal pleasure
potency, ahladini-sakti.
Radharani's only business is to please Krishna and this should be our only business also. Samsiddhir hari-tosanam:
"Your perfection is to please Krishna." And in the Bhagavad-gita [15.15] Krishna says, vedais ca sarvair aham eva
vedyah: The whole of Vedic literature is meant for searching out Krishna and satisfying Him.
Krishna personally comes to give you this information: sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. "You
rascal! Just give up all other engagements and surrender to Me." And what about the demigods? There are so
many demigods. Should we worship them? Krishna says, kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah prapadyante 'nya-devatah:
"The demigods are worshiped by persons who have lost all intelligence." There is no need to worship the demigods.
As Krishna says, mam ekam saranam vraja: "Simply surrender unto Me alone." That is the shastric instruction.
So, Krishna can be worshiped through Radharani. Therefore we don't keep Krishna alone on the altar. No. We
worship Radha-Krishna. First you have to worship Radharani. In Vrindavana all the devotees address one another,
"Jaya Radhe!" Why? Because they know that if Radharani is pleased, Krishna will also be pleased. Radharani is
the original pleasure potency of Krishna and is always absorbed in thought of Him. So when someone comes
before Her to serve Krishna, She becomes so pleased—"Oh, here is a devotee of Krishna." Immediately She
recommends. "My dear Krishna, here is a devotee of Yours. He is better than I am." This is Radharani's mood.
I may not be a devotee—I may be the most fallen rascal—but if I try to reach Krishna through Radharani then my
life is successful. Therefore we should worship Radharani first. Instead of directly offering Krishna a flower, just
put it in the hands of Radharani: "O mother Radharani, please kindly take this flower and offer it to Krishna."
"Oh," Radharani says, "you have brought a flower for Krishna. This pleases Me so much." Krishna says, patram
puspam phalam toyam: "One can please Me with a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or some water offered with love." But
don't offer it to Krishna directly. Just offer it through Radharani. Then She will appreciate it very much, and Krishna
will accept your offering.
So, this is our philosophy: to please Krishna through Radharani. And today is the auspicious anniversary of Her
appearance. Therefore you should offer flowers to Radharani and pray to Her. "Kindly be merciful and tell Your
Krishna about me." Krishna is not independent; He is Radharani's property. So you have to approach Krishna
through Radharani. Therefore worship Radharani very nicely and be happy.
Thank you very much. Hare Krishna.

SRILA PRABHUPADA SPEAKS OUT
False Pride in a Foolish Age
This exchange between His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and some of his disciples and
guests took place during a morning walk in Hamburg, in December 1969.
Srila Prabhupada: So last night at the lecture, our
explanation of spiritual life was all right?
Disciple: Oh, yes, Srila Prabhupada. And there would
have been even more people present but this is the
week for the big world-championship
football matches. So everyone tries
to see those matches. Either they
stay home and watch the
matches on television, or they
go out to the stadium.
Everyone wants to see them.
Srila Prabhupada: Because
they have been taught like that.
What is their fault? They have
not been taught the importance
of human life. They
have been taught
"Eat, drink, be merry,
and enjoy." That's
all.
And then in your next life, become a dog. That's all. But
people do not know. They simply say, "Never mind. I
shall become a dog. After all, in my next life I will forget
everything."
In the universe there are so many planets, so many
different standards of life. But people know nothing.
They do not know anything.
Guest: But beings on the other planets may have
forms more spiritual than ours.
Srila Prabhupada: No. They have material
forms. For instance, although you cannot live
within the water and only the fish can live
within the water, still, a fish's body is not
spiritual. It is material. Likewise,
you cannot go to the sun
planet, because for you
that is a foreign
atmosphere. But there
are living entities who
live on the sun planet.
They have got their
suitable material
body.

Guest: But I think for the people all this is difficult to
understand.
Srila Prabhupada: They are trained up to be fools.
[Laughter.] How will they understand? They are simply
fools. eating flesh and becoming like tigers and dogs.
That's all. A tiger may be very strong, but what kind of
brain has he got? No brain. [Laughter.]
To have a brain, one must be a brahmana. Samo damas
tapah saucam: as Krishna explains in Bhagavad-gita,
real intelligence means one must be peaceful, self-
controlled, austere, and pure. To truly have a brain, one
must be qualified spiritually. A tiger may attack me and
kill me—he is very strong. But that does not mean he
has got a better brain than me.
Guest: Yes, yes, I see.
Srila Prabhupada: So the modern civilization is making
tigers—discovering the atomic bomb and teaching
people how they can be physically strong and kill others.
They are busy only in these things: the dog's business—
how to attack another dog. That's all.
Guest: Your Diving Grace, this will be a very nice area
here for your spiritual community.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, yes.
Guest: And I think you will provide a very very good
example for the people around here.
Srila Prabhupada: But the so-called advanced human
beings—they come here for hunting. They come here
to shoot animals.
Guest: Yes.
Srila Prabhupada: The animals—they are living
peacefully in their own atmosphere. And these people—
they come to kill them. This killing business has become
very prominent at the present moment, and therefore
so many humans are being killed in the very womb of
their mother. Abortion—children killed. That people do
not know. Nature will not excuse you. You are killing;
you'll be killed within your mother's womb. You'll never
see the light of the sun. You will go on being killed, life
after life—as many lives as the number of animals you
have killed. People do not know.
And the time will come in this age when there will be
no food, and man will kill man and eat. That time is
coming. Yes. They are now killing animals, but animals
live on these grasses and grains. When there are no
more grasses and no more grains, where will people
get animals? They'll kill their own sons and eat them.
That time is coming.
Nature's law is that you grow your own food. But people
are not interested in growing food. They are interested
in manufacturing bolts and nuts.
Guest: Manufacturing . . . ?
Srila Prabhupada: Bolts and nuts.
Guest: Yes, yes, yes. I see.
Srila Prabhupada: Factories. Big, big factories. So in
time they will have to eat bolts and nuts. Where will they
get food grains? They thought, "Let us eat the animals
and manufacture bolts and nuts." But then, when all the
animals are gone—then what will they eat?
Disciple: Srila Prabhupada, the scientists are making
artificial food. So they're not very worried.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, yes. That is why I'm talking of
bolts and nuts. That "artificial food" means bolts and
nuts. Somebody told me that the scientists have
manufactured artificial butter, and when people ate it
they were vomiting. There is already ample butter
supplied. Why are these rascals interested in
manufacturing artificial butter to show off their scientific
brains?
Just see what rascals they are! They think they can get
unlimited quantities of butter, huh?—just as Krishna
was stealing unlimited quantities of butter from His
mother and throwing it to the monkeys. Butter can be
produced by the Lord's cows, so that everyone can eat
sumptuously. But no. "Kill the animals, eat artificial
butter, and vomit." That's all. Just see their intelligence.
And they are proud of their advanced civilization.
Apr 17 Ekadashi
Apr 18 break fast
May 3 Ekadashi
May 4 break fast
Fasting
Apr 14 Beginning of Salagrama &Tulasi Jala Dana
Apr 15 Rama Navami:
Appearance of Lord Sri Ramachandra
fasting till sunset
Apr 21 19th Brahmotsava celebrations begin:
Dhvaja Arohana
Apr 30 Brahma Ratha
May 2 Brahmotsava celebrations end:
Dhvaja Avarohana
May 9 Akshaya Trititya
Festivals

Turning
to the
Beauty of
Krishna
The beauty found in this
relative world pales
before the beauty of
Krishna's perfect form.
by Ajitananda dasa
People are very much enamoured by the beauty of this
world. The Vedic literature, however, offers us penetrating
insight into the actual nature of material beauty. If people
would take the time to hear from these revered sources,
they would be surprised to learn that what is accepted
as beauty within this world is but the pale, illusory
reflection of the unlimited spiritual beauty of Lord Krishna,
the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Of course, some would disagree with the idea that
material beauty is false. The smitten young man sees
his sweetheart as the epitome of loveliness, the scholar
is moved by the rich imagery in a masterpiece of poetry,
and the artist views the pastoral scenery as the handiwork
of angels. In each case the viewer appreciates what he
or she perceives to be true beauty. Why, then, is it said
to be false?
The answer to this question is given in the Second
Chapter of the Bhagavad-gita, where Lord Krishna tells
Arjuna, "Those who are seers of the truth have concluded
that of the nonexistent there is no endurance and of the
existent there is no cessation. This seers have concluded
by studying the nature of both."
Material beauty is herein deemed false in the sense
that its manifestation is very, very brief. It appears
momentarily and then disappears like a mirage. The
attractive young body becomes old and wrinkled; it dies,
decays, and is eaten by worms. And the beauty of the
poem. although preserved for some time in book form,
must also perish, as must the flowered countryside, lost
forever in the dark wells of time.
Material beauty also proves false when we look more
closely or shift our perspective. If the young man, for
instance, were to peel away the covering layer of skin
on the alluring young body—the object of his attraction—
he would immediately become repulsed, proving
conclusively that material beauty is only skin deep. And
the poem or country scene, appreciated at one moment
as quintessential beauty, may be seen in the next as
utterly devoid of all charm by the same admirer, who,
having endured some emotional trauma, now sees
everything much differently.
Finally, material beauty is false in that it can never fully
satisfy the soul, and in time the young man desires
another lover, the scholar purchases a new book of
poems, and the artist goes on to view another scene,
each searching for an absolute level of fulfillment that
continually eludes him, even up to death.
All of these points are mentioned not to invoke a mood
of gloom and despair but rather to illustrate that although
our love of beauty is a perfectly natural sentiment we
are looking for it in all the wrong quarters. As a miner
carefully studies his maps before prospecting, we also
must determine the whereabouts of true beauty if we
wish to unearth this valuable treasure.
The Vedic literature tells us that the reservoir of beauty
is Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
He is the Absolute Truth, or the source of everything.
The relative beauty found in this world has its origin in
Him, and ultimately we must turn to Him if we wish to
realize our desire to know perfect beauty. In the Brahma-
samhita. Lord Brahma eloquently describes the

transcendental beauty of Lord Krishna:
I worship Govinda [Krishna], the primeval Lord,
who is adept at playing on His flute, whose
blooming eyes are like lotus petals, whose head
is bedecked with a peacock's feather, whose
figure of beauty is tinged with the hue of blue
clouds, and whose unique loveliness is charming
millions of Cupids.
This factual description of Krishna's spiritual beauty is
not a whimsical creation of Brahma's imagination. Rather,
it was spoken by Brahma in a trance of self-realization,
in which he saw the Lord standing before him face to
face. In his next verse Brahma continues to describe
his vision, with notable reference to the eternality of
Krishna's form:
I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, round
whose neck is swinging a garland of jeweled
ornaments, who is always reveling in pastimes
of love, whose graceful, threefold-bending form
of Shyamasundara is eternally manifest.
As Krishna's form is "eternally manifest" so is the beauty
of that form, thus fulfilling the Bhagavad-gita's definition
of reality—that which has "no cessation." Not only is
Krishna's beauty eternal, but it is also ever fresh, like
an endlessly blooming springtime. A devotee never tires
of viewing that divine form, which is so magnificent that
Krishna Himself cannot estimate it for in one moment
He measures, and in the next moment it expands
unlimitedly, eluding even His vast capacity to understand.
Since Krishna is the Absolute Truth. His beauty is also
absolute and is never canceled or diminished by closer
examination or change in perspective. His form is the
vessel of pure spiritual energy—eternity, knowledge,
and bliss—and it is therefore beautiful through and
through. Indeed it has been compared to the radiant
vaidurya gem, which, although appearing differently
according to the play of light upon its numerous coloured
facets, is extraordinarily beautiful from whichever angle
it is viewed. Thus Krishna's beauty is always appreciated
by the countless pure devotees who inhabit the spiritual
sky, some of whom regularly descend to this material
plane to turn our attention back to Him.
Krishna's absolute nature is also such that anything
connected with Him, be it His name, form, words,
pastimes, or paraphernalia. also exhibits His superlative
beauty. In Srila Prabhupada's book Krishna, this
remarkable feature of Krishna's personality is apparent
in the following statement by a devotee, in which the
beauty of the Lord's flute-playing is feelingly described:
My dear friends, Krishna is so beautiful that the
goddess of fortune always remains on His chest
and He is always adorned with a golden necklace.
Beautiful Krishna plays His flute in order to enliven

the hearts of many devotees. He is the only
friend of the suffering living entities. When He
plays His flute, all the cows and other animals
of Vrindavana, although engaged in eating, simply
take a morsel of food in their mouths and stop
chewing. Their ears raise up and they become
stunned. They do not appear alive but like painted
animals. Krishna's flute-playing is so attractive
that even the animals become enchanted, and
what to speak of ourselves.
All of these features combine to make Krishna's beauty
fully satisfying. While material beauty offers momentary
pleasure to the senses. Krishna's spiritual beauty touches
the very soul of the living being. thrilling him with a
pleasure so wonderful that once having relished it he
can never give it up. Srila Rupa Gosvami has therefore
advised,
My dear friend, if you still have any desire to
enjoy the company of your friends within this
material world, then don't look upon the form of
Krishna, who is standing on the bank of Kesi-
ghata. He is known as Govinda, and His eyes
are very enchanting. He is playing upon His flute,
and on His head there is a peacock feather. His
whole body is illuminated by the moonlight in the
sky.
The more a devotee appreciates Krishna's beauty, the
less he falls for the flickering attractions of this material
world. Once, Haridasa Thakura, a great devotee of the
Lord, was chanting Hare Krishna alone, absorbed in
the beauty of the Lord's holy name. An alluring young
prostitute appeared and tried to divert him from his vow
of chanting Krishna's names 300,000 times daily.
Haridasa's attraction to Krishna's beauty was so deep,
however, that he remained unaffected by her advances.
Instead, he converted the prostitute into a virtuous
devotee greatly attached to the beauty of Krishna.
Although descriptions of Krishna's beauty are fascinating,
we may rightfully wonder how we can overcome our
own attraction to the world's enticements and achieve
the coveted vision of Krishna's spiritual beauty. We can
begin by remembering that even the flickering beauty
of this world has its origin in Krishna. The sunrise, the
fragrant flower, the taste of water, or anything else of
value can remind us of Krishna and thus act as an agent
for our spiritual enlightenment.
Furthermore, by hearing and chanting about Krishna in
the company of devotees and by worshiping His Deity
form in the temple, we can accelerate our spiritual
advancement.This combination of pleasurable devotional
activities will very surely and effectively raise us to the
platform of pure love for Krishna, enabling us to view
Him face to face and enjoy the nectar of His moonlike
beauty.

Personally Speaking
Why do so many people find it hard to think of God as a person?
by Krishna Dharma Dasa
Whenever the press runs articles about faith, the idea
that God might be person seems more or less abhorrent
to the authors. Even those who may term themselves
theists balk at the idea, offering all kinds of alternatives.
The Guardian (London) regularly prints a column dealing
with different beliefs. In one article published, a professor
of philosophy gave his opinion that it is time to discard
the "old God concept of Western faiths. . . . We should
now rum to the more intelligent philosophy of Advaita
Vedanta." Another article, coming from a noted
psychiatrist, speaks about the idea of God as being
"irreconcilable with the reality of cruelty, misery and
pain, ... a dangerous word (God) in any sense, giving
license to persecution and murder."
These are but a couple of examples of the confusion
regularly exhibited in the column. The only thing common
to the writers is that they all make the same mistake.
They assume, somewhat conceitedly, that because they
do not know anything about God, either nothing can be
known, or at least no one else knows. "I can't understand

16 Krishna Voice, April 2016
how God could be a person; therefore He can't be." But
perhaps they simply have not yet encountered that
knowledge. After all, there are so many things we do
not know, but we can learn about them by approaching
a proper teacher.
Indeed, what are we coming to? Is it so difficult to
understand the nature of God? There are so many
simple yet profound arguments to help us understand.
For instance, just as a watch obviously has a maker, so
the universe, infinitely more complex than a watch, must
also have a brain behind it. Or if God created man in
the image of Himself, would that make God formless
energy? Can we find even a single example of an act
of creation not carried out by a person?
Nothing happens by chance; everything follows the law
of cause and effect. Even in probability theory the word
chance cannot be properly defined. If I can perfectly
repeat the conditions of a dice throw for the next throw,
I will get the same number. We may not be aware of
the variables, but something determines the result. Fixed
variables, such as loaded dice, will fix the result. There
must also be an ultimate cause of all causes, and just
a little thought demands that it must be a person.
Consider: Can order arise from disorder without the
influence of intelligence? Do material objects tend to
decay, or do they restore themselves and grow? What
is our experience? How can we say that the world, with
its infinite, ordered intricacies, simply developed of its
own accord from a vast cauldron of boiling "primordial
soup"? Or funnier still—from a mass of exploding rock.
The universe is full of laws that cannot be broken. We
must submit to time—grow old and die. Everything must
disintegrate and form again into new objects. The sun
rises and sets with perfect precision; the stars and
planets similarly move. Can there be laws without a
lawmaker? Again, what is our experience?
Nowadays we even hear the absurd proposal that we
are all God. But can I honestly say that everything is
controlled by me?Am I omniscient, even though I cannot
see beyond the walls of the room I am in? How many
hairs are there on my own head? Can I create even a
single atom? Clearly there is a flaw in the suggestion
that I am the Supreme Being, possessed of all and
perfect knowledge.
Others offer the theory that, although we are now
unaware of our Godhood, we will realize our supremacy
upon attaining nirvana, or some such state. We are now
in illusion, but that will end when we are self-realized.
But what is the meaning of our supremacy if we are
overwhelmed by illusion or forgetfulness? If the force
of illusion, whatever it may be, is greater than we are,
how can we be supreme?
Obviously I am not supreme, but something must be.
Even the most primitive people offer respects to
greatness. Sometimes they worship the sky, sometimes
mountains, oceans, and even the rainfall upon which
all life depends. In any event, there is an acceptance
of superiority; there are things greater than I. This cannot
be denied. The force of nature is greater, bringing
transformation and death inevitably to all.
But what is the ultimate greatness? We see a beautiful
painting and wonder—who painted it? But what about
the original landscape? Who painted that? Rains fall,
and the food by which we are nourished grows—a
wonderful system. And yet no one engineered it? Great
scientific brains struggle hard and yet fail to emulate
even a small aspect of nature, such as the creation of
a tiny amoeba.
Although I am not supreme. I still have the attribute of
personality. I can think, feel, will, and desire. Could it
be that I am capable of something of which God, the
Supreme, is not?
These are all elementary arguments, and though they
may not be all-encompassing in their logic, and though
I have not addressed all the possible objections to them,
an honest person will have to admit that they are sensible.
Compare the simple logical points of the theistic
presentation with the complex and often barely intelligible
arguments made to support atheism. Which seem more
credible?
It is hopeless to speculate grandly and finally conclude
that there are no answers to life's big questions. The
real conclusion is that our brain power is insufficient to
independently arrive at the answers. We have to accept
the answers of the authority on these questions: scripture.
All the scriptures speak of God as a person. Dismissing
this evidence, we enter the realm of personal conjectures
and find that these are endless and without agreement.
Although the subject of the Absolute Truth is the most
profound area of study, everyone will offer his own
theory about it. If. instead of going to law college. I
decided to make my own laws and set up a legal practice,
would anyone come to me? But anyone will speak about
God without having studied hardly one word about Him.
Are we foolish enough to listen?
As devotees of Krishna, we are sometimes accused of
having surrendered our intelligence to a fixed belief
system. But hasn't the lawyer surrendered to a system
by accepting the laws of the land, studying them, and
then repeating them to his clients? We have accepted
the obvious fact that God exists and have made it our
business to study Him and His purpose, under the
guidance of the Vedic literature and the authorized
spiritual master.
It is certainly painful for us, having dedicated ourselves
to a careful study of the science of God, to see people
misled by the absurd postulations of part-time,
speculative philosophers. Perhaps the press would be
wise to examine the credentials of authors who offer
opinion-forming articles in areas where they have little
or no knowledge. They owe it to their readers.

Vishnu Sahasranama Personified
Vana Purushothama Temple
by Sampatkumara Ramanuja Dasan (Adv. Ashwin.S)
Located about 5 km from the Sirkali Temple is the
exquisite temple of Lord Vishnu as Purshothama - Sri
Vana Purushothama Temple.
The Legend
The temple has everything to do with the chanting of
the Vishnu Sahasranama, as Lord Vishnu as Vana
Purushotaman is Vishnu Sahasranama personified.
It would take a devotional journey to understand the
circumstances under which Sri Vishnu Sahasranama
Stotram came into existence. Yudhishtira, the eldest of
the five Pandavas, was mentally disturbed because of
the war with the Kauravas. The misery of death and
suffering that was created by the war in which he had
been a major player was the biggest concern of
Yudhishtira. The grandfather of the Pandavas and
Kauravas, Sri Bhishma Pitamaha, was on his arrow bed
awaiting the journey to the supreme abode. With his
passing away, his irreplaceable wisdom, based on the
experiences of a long life of virtue, righteousness and
devotion, was about to be lost to the world. Sage Vyasa
and Lord Sri Krishna advised Yudhishtira, who himself
was an epitome of dharma, to seek the advice and
blessings of Bhishma on any and all aspects of life.
Yudhishtira did as advised, and a series of conversations
took place between them, witnessed by Lord Krishna
and great sages.
In one of these sessions, Yudhishtira sought Bhishma's
advice on the easiest and best means by which mankind
can attain peace of mind and relief from all bondage
and sorrows. Bhishma started advising Yudhishtira with
the welfare of all future generations in his mind.
And behold! Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram was
born!
The Composition
The following shloka in the introduction of Sri Vishnu
Sahasranama Stotram explains some important aspects
of the nature and mode of the composition.
vishnor nama sahasrasya vedavyaso mahamunih I
chandonustup tatha devo bhagavan devaki sutah II
“Sri Vedavyasa is the author of Sri Vishnu's one thousand
names, i.e., the sage who strung together the thousand
names as they were revealed by Bhishma to Yudhishtira.
Anushtup (eight syllables per quarter) is its meter. Lord
Krishna, the son of Devaki, is the Lord being worshiped.”
Six reasons are generally identified for the greatness
of the Stotram. These are:

1. It is the essence of the Mahabharata.
2. Sages such as Narada, the Alwars, and composers
including Sri Thyagaraja have made repeated references
to the Thousand Names of Vishnu in their devotional
works.
3. Sri Vishnu Sahasranama says vyasaya vishnu rupaya
vyasa rupaya vishnave, which means that Vyasadeva
is none other than an incarnation of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead Sri Narayana. And as such
Vishnu Sahasranama is the work of Lord Vishnu Himself.
4. Bhishma says that it is the best and easiest of all
dharmas, or the means to attain relief from all bondage
is to chant Vishnu Sahasranama.
5. It is widely accepted that the chanting of this Stotram
gives relief from all sorrows and leads to happiness and
peace of mind.
6. It is in conformity with the teachings of the Bhagavad-
gita and other Upanishads and Puranas.
Unlike other compositions on the Supreme Lord, Vishnu
Sahasranama is very unique in many aspects. It was
no ordinary person's advice that was sought. Bhishma
was the son of Mother Ganga and a person sanctified
by his unswerving devotion to Lord Krishna, one who
had controlled and conquered all his senses. No ordinary
person was seeking the advice - Yudhishtira was the
son of Yamaraja or Dharmaraja, and himself a practitioner
of justice, righteousness, truth, honesty and integrity.
And at no ordinary person's urging was the advice being
sought. Sri Vedavyasa was the knower of all Vedas.
Lord Krishna was the witness and it was the Supreme
Lord Himself who advised Yudhishtira, thereby opening
the way for the easiest and best means to achieve
happiness and peace of mind. As we know, the advice
is in the form of Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram.
The Vishnu Sahasranama is in three divisions. First is
the introduction along with the invocatory prayers.
Second are the one thousand names of the Supreme
Lord and the last is the benefits of chanting the Vishnu
Sahasranama Stotram.
In the introductory part of the Vishnu Sahasranama
Stotram, Yudhishtira asks Bhishma six questions. These
are contained in two stanzas starting with kim ekam
daivatam loke in the Stotram. These questions are:
1. Who is the One Supreme Deity?
2. What is the highest goal of life?
3. By praising which Deity's auspicious qualities will
human beings attain prosperity in this world as well as
transcendental happiness in the next?
4. By meditating on which Deity will human beings attain
prosperity in this world as well as bliss in the next?
5. By reciting which mantra will man be released from
the bondage of the cycle of birth and death?
6. Of the three means referred to above, which is the
best means for attaining the grace of the Supreme Deity
based on your vast experience and knowledge?
Bhishma thus starts explaining to Yudhistira.
dhyayan, stuvana, namasyamsca,
yajamanas tameva ca
A person tides over all the sorrows in this world by
reciting with undiluted devotion, the Thousand Names
of the Eternal Person, worshiping Him always with
devotion, meditating upon Him, glorifying Him, saluting
Sri Vana Purushothama with consorts

Him by prostrating before Him, and adoring Him.
Bhishma adds that of all dharmas, the dharma or practice
involving service done to the lotus-eyed Lord Krishna,
without any desire for benefit, through worship, is the
best dharma.
It is interesting to note that chanting of the holy names
of the Lord requires no expense. If one is capable of
speaking, he can very well chant the holy names of the
Lord. Other methods of attaining the Supreme Lord like
yagas, Deity worship, etc., require elaborate objects of
worship, which are difficult to get in Kali Yuga.
For the purpose of chanting the names of God, there
is also no constraint on the ashrama (i.e., brahmacharya,
grihastha, etc.) to which a person belongs, unlike, for
example, the constraints that the Vedas place on
performing the ceremonial rites with sacrificial fire.
Certain mantras could be chanted by only life celibate
brahmacharis. Certain mantras can be chanted only by
grihasthas. But Vishnu Sahasranama can be chanted
by anyone and at any time.
The key element of the act of chanting as a means to
attain the Lord's grace is the sincerity and purity of mind,
and there is no other constraint or consideration.
In summary, Yudhishtira asks Bhishma, “I am in a
perplexed situation. I want relief from my despair by the
least effort but want to get the most benefit out of it.
Please tell me the means for this."
And Bhishma's response was:
"Chant the Thousand Names of Lord Vishnu with
devotion. This does not require any effort other than the
willingness to chant. This is the best way to get relief
from all miseries, sorrows, and sins.”
The Real Text of Vishnu Sahasranama
The word sahasra means "one thousand.” The main
body of Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram consists of
108 stanzas which contain the thousand names of Sri
Mahavishnu. Every one of the thousand names in Vishnu
Sahasranama is full of significance in that it refers to
one particular quality, guna, characteristic or attribute
of Paramatma.
Knowing the infinite nature of the Paramatma who is
not governed or constrained by any of the physical laws,
the choice of a Thousand Names of Vishnu by Bhishma
should be recognized as a representation of some of
the better-known qualities of Sriman Narayana that are
repeatedly described in our great epics, Vedas, Puranas,
etc., and sung by the devout sages repeatedly.
As was indicated earlier, the thousand names are strung
together in a poetic form by Sri Vedavyasa, while
identifying the thousand names of Narayana from this
poetic composition describing the qualities of the infinite
Super Soul.
As was pointed out earlier, traditionally our prayers end
with an aspect called as phala shruthi - a section on the
benefits of reciting the prayer. The Vishnu Sahasranama
Stotram also ends with a magnificent phala shruthi.
The necessity of cleansing our body regularly to maintain
our physical hygiene and good health is recognized by
everyone. The necessity of keeping our minds clean is
not as clearly recognized. However, those who do not
"cleanse" their mind on a regular basis become "mentally"
sick over a period of time, just as they become physically
sick if they do not cleanse their body on a regular basis.
Prayers are a means to mental cleansing when they
are chanted with sincerity and devotion. This aspect of
the usefulness of prayers in everyone's life is common
to all prayers.
The importance of Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram is
that the Deity being worshiped is none other than
Vasudeva, who is described in various shlokas in the
invocatory and conclusion prayers.
sri maha vishnuh paramatma sriman narayano devata;
saktir devaki nandanah; itidam kirtaniyasya kesavasya
mahatmanah namnam sahasram divyanam aseshena
prakirtitam; sahasram vasudevasya namnam etat
prakirtayet
Another shloka says:
sa chandrarka nakshatra kham diso bhur mahodadhih
vasudevasya viryena vidhrtani mahatmanah
Sri Vyasa points out that it is by the power and command
of Vasudeva that the sun, the moon, the stars, the world,
and the oceans are controlled.
The whole universe of the demigods, asuras,
Gandharvas, etc., is under the sway of Lord Krishna as
explained:
sasurasura gandharvam sayakshoraga rakshasam
jagat vase varttha thedham krishnasya sacharacharam
In Bhishma's expert judgment, chanting Vasudeva's
name with devotion and sincerity will ensure relief from
sorrows and bondage.
This, in a nutshell, is the phala shruthi or the benefit of
chanting Sri Vishnu Sahasranama.
Some have held the view that the phala shruthi need
not be, or even should not be chanted, because they
somehow feel that it is for some benefits and a devotee
must not expect any benefits.
This is not consistent with the age-old practices of our
ancestors. It is true that the phala shruthi says that
anything that is desired can be obtained if the prayer is
sincere and offered with devotion. But a real devotee
must desire to serve the Supreme Lord over and over
again in the eternal world Sri Vaikunta.
The phala shruthi in Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram

is not an aspect which has been added to get some
popularity to the Stotram, but is an integral part of the
Mahabharata text.
Sri Parashara Bhatta, one of the greatest acharyas in
the Sri sampradaya has written commentaries to the
phala shruthi shlokas. It is very important for a devotee
to understand the phala shruthi to know about the
magnanimity of the Supreme Lord and His holy names
which are non-different from Him.
Perhaps the most important of the benefits attained by
one who chants the Stotram with devotion and sincerity
is the cleansing of one's mind from all evil thoughts,
and this is very important, since this is the first step
towards achieving pure happiness and absolute bliss.
Firmness of mind, good memory, happiness of the self
(inner happiness), and freedom from anger, jealousy,
and greed, are some of the benefits that accrue to one
who recites the Stotram with devotion and eagerness.
The key is sincerity.
The person who chants or recites is not the only one
who benefits. Those who, for whatever reason are
unable to chant, benefit by just hearing the chanting:
ya edam shrunuyat nityam yaschhapi parikeertayet
Nashubham-prapnuyat-kinchit so mutreha-cha-manavah
Many devotees in the modern age are not well- versed
in Sanskrit and are not in a position to derive any
meaning out of the 1008 Sanskrit names of the Supreme
Lord. They may feel that chanting of the holy names
without knowing the meaning is not a worthwhile exercise.
However, this is completely false and not in concordance
with the scriptures. We could compare it with a treasure
box without a key. As long as you have a treasure box,
it is yours and you just need to get the key to benefit
from possessing it. The treasure box is the Vishnu
Sahasranama and the key is the knowledge of the
meaning of the words. The key is received whenever
one takes shelter at the lotus feet of any acharya in a
bona fide sampradaya.
One does not even need to know how to pronounce the
words, as Sanskrit pronunciation is not so easy for non-
Indians. It would be compared like a mother to whom
a child goes and asks for an orange. The child does not
know how to pronounce the word "orange", and so asks
for "ange.” The mother does not turn away the child and
does not refuse to give the child the orange just because
the child does not know how to pronounce the word.
So the Supreme Lord does not consider the
mispronunciation, and only looks at the sincerity, just
like a genuine cry by the child for mother. So as long
as one chants the name of the Supreme Lord with
sincerity, considerations such as not knowing the
Sri Vana Purushothama sits majesticaly in His throne

meaning, not knowing the pronunciation, etc., do not
matter, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari,
who is the Master of the entire creation will confer His
blessings on us even if we spell the request in mistake.
Sage Vedavyasa concludes the Stotra with the assertion:
na te yanti parabhavam - ne te yanti parabhavam
om nama iti
Emphasizing by repetition twice, Vedavyasa says that
there is no way a devotee of Vishnu can meet with any
dishonour or disgrace of any kind.
In the conclusion Lord Shiva advises Parvati Devi:-.
sri rama rama rameti rame rame manorame
sahasra nama tat tulyam rama nama varanane
If you just chant the name "Rama" it is equivalent to
chanting the 1000 names of Sri Maha Vishnu.
So an inquisitive devotee may analyze, “Why would one
chant 1008 names of the Lord if it can be equal to one
name of the Supreme Lord?”
Sri Parashara Bhattar very nicely gives the explanation
on why it is desirable to delve into an analysis of the
meanings behind the names: "Names pronounced
merely and without knowledge of their meanings are
beneficial, but revelation through the transcendental
meaning quickly affords the highest pleasure to the
mind and body.”
In his Bhagavad Guna Darpana which is a commentary
on Vishnu Sahasranama by Sri Parashara Bhattar, the
great acharya proceeds to explain the names of Maha
Vishnu in accordance with rules of grammar and
interpretation by the great sages, with special reference
to their significance, context, and propriety.
In his commentary on Sri Vishnu Sahasranama, Sri
Bhattar has beautifully traced a thread of connectivity
in the sequence of the 1000 names as they occur in the
Stotram. The great acharya was instructed to write a
commentary on the Vishnu Sahasranama by the great
acharya Sri Ramanuja himself.
Sri Pancharatra Agama, which is a treatise on Deity
worship classifies the Supreme Lord’s incarnations in
five manifestations based on characteristics.
Sri Parashara Bhattar has identified an organization
and structure in the composition that refers to the gunas
of the Lord in the five manifestations in which He has
revealed Himself to us in the Pancharatra Agama.
These manifestations are:
1. Para
2. Vyuha
3. Vibhava
4. Archa
5. Antaryami
It would not be out of context to understand the meaning
of these five forms:
shadgunya vigraham devam bhasvajjvalana tejasam
sarvatah pani padam tat iti upakramya
param etat samakhyatam ekam sarvasrayam vibhum
"In the para form, the Lord has the body endowed with
all six qualities. He shines with intense brilliance and
luminosity, and has hands and feet all around. This form
is unique, is the support of all, and is all-pervasive.” -
Satvata Samhita of Parasara Bhattar
The Vyuha Form
In the vyuha manifestation, the Lord assumes different
forms which are rich in some of the six qualities, with
different functions which emphasize these qualities. The
vyuha forms can be viewed as the different forms of the
Supreme Lord which arise from the para form.
Pradyumna - aishvarya and virya - function of creation
Aniruddha - shakti and thejas - function of protection
and preservation. Sankarshana - jnana and bala -
function of destruction
etat purvam trayam ca anyat
jnanadyaih bheditam gunai: I
viddhi etat vyuha samgjnam
vai nissreyasa phala pradam II
"From this para form emerge three other forms
(Sankarshana, Pradyumna, Aniruddha), which are
distinguished by the possession of knowledge and other
qualities allotted to each one of them, and which bestow
these benefits to the devotees.”- Satvata Samhita of
Parasara
The Vibhava Form
The vibhava is that group of manifestations which are
taken by Bhagavan in the form of god, man, animal,
etc. (sura, nara, thiryagadi).
Vibhava occurs in one of four forms:
1. Some like Matsya and Kurma are direct
manifestations.
2. In some incarnations, the Lord enters into the bodies
of distinguished sages such as Sri Vyasa.
3. In others, He invests His shakti for some period of
time in others.
4. There are others in which He manifests Himself in
the Deity as for instance in the archa incarnation.
Sri Parasara Bhattar, in his commentary, has grouped
the archa form as a subgroup of the vibhava form which
again proves beyond doubt that the Deity of the Lord
is non- different from Him. Sri Bhattar distinguishes the
vibhava form from the Lord's creations such as the four-
faced Brahma, who are not manifestations of Bhagavan,
but are the creations of Bhagavan. Sri Bhattar refers to

the following to give us an understanding of the
difference:
jnanopadeshta bhagavan kapilakshastu adhokshaja: |
vidyamurti: caturvaktro brahma vai loka pujita: ||
tadamsa bhuto vai yasya visva vyanjana lakshana: ||
"The lotus-eyed Bhagavan, Adhokshaja, is the teacher
of all knowledge. The four-faced Brahma who is the
embodiment of learning and who is worshiped by all
worlds is but a tiny amsha (part) of Bhagavan. He is the
subordinate of Bhagavan, and he only propounds the
knowledge he got from Bhagavan to all in the world.” -
Paushkara Samhita of Parasara
Thus Vishnu Sahasranama is a complete explanation
of the Vedanta philosophy. The Lord Vana Purushothama
is the manifestation of Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram.
There is yet another interesting pastime of the supreme
mother’s affection in this temple. Maharshi Vyakrapatha
came to the garden in the temple with his child
Upamanyu. He went into the garden to pick flowers,
leaving the child at the entrance. The child cried for the
father and for milk, as it was hungry. Hearing the child
crying, the Lord created a milk ocean. Mother
Purushothama Nayaki fed the child with the milk.
The Temple
The temple is a simple and elegant structure. There is
a pond, Thiruparkadal, in the temple where the rituals
of the Lord taking a holy dip to commemorate the
conclusion of a festival is held. The rajagopuram is a
simple three tiered structure. The main sanctum is under
Sanjeevivigraha Vimanam.
The presiding Deity faces the east in a standing position
along with His consorts Sridevi and Bhoodevi. Goddess
Mother Purushothama Nayaki is in the southwest corner
of the temple in a sitting pose. Andal, Rama, Sita
Lakshmana, Anjaneya, Nammalwar, Ramanuja and
Vishwaksena are in the inner prakara of the temple.
Festivals
The ten-day Brahmotsava in the month of Panguni
(March-April), Pavithra Utsava in Avani (September-
October) and Garuda Seva on the day after the new
moon day in Thai (January-February) are festival days
in the temple. Thirumangai Alwar visits this temple every
year during the month of Thai and sings songs in praise
of the Lord.
Thirumangai Alwar has sung a beautiful ten-stanza on
this Supreme Lord.
Sri Rama built a bridge across the rough ocean, entered
Lanka and destroyed the ten heads of Ravana with His
terrible arrow, gave the big kingdom to Vibeeshana. He
resides in Vana Purushothama Temple which has plenty
of jackfruit trees, mango trees, banana trees, champaka
trees, madhavi creeper, areca nut trees, making the city
beautiful and aromatic.
The Supreme Lord Sri Krishna climbed on to the
kadamba tree full of young shoots and flowers on the
banks of the lake where Kaliya the wicked serpent lived.
Manavala Mamuni in the temple Gauruda Seva of Vana Purushothama

To read online visit: www.goo.gl/tZAUTR
He jumped on to the hoods of the serpent
making it His dancing dais and danced
beautifully. This deva deva lives in Vana
Purushothama temple—where Vaidika
brahmanas perform the three agni sacrifices
daily, chant four Vedas and teach six Vedangas.
Every year the cowherd men used to offer a
vast variety of foods to Indra as a token of
gratitude. But Krishna asked them to offer
these to Govardhana. When they did so, He
Himself ate all of them in the form of the
mountain. He protected the cattle and grazed
them. He resides in Thiru Vana Purushothama
temple— where there are cool forests due to
dark rain clouds making thunderous noise. The
peacocks dance and the bees sing for them.
The Supreme Lord Sri Krishna went to Mathura
and entered Kamsa’s palace. Before He could
enter the court, Kuvalayapeeda, a wild mad
elephant, came charging at Him. Krishna pulled
out a tusk of this long-trunked elephant and
killed both the mahout and the animal. Next
He killed the wrestlers. Finally He kicked Kamsa
from the throne, pulling him by the hair. He
resides in Thiru Vana Purushothama temple
where there are sugarcane fields with paddy
crops growing between them. The streets are
lined with beautiful trees.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna kicked
Shakatasura when He was a mere child. It was He who
killed Banasura and made Shiva, his army and retinue
run away from the battlefield. Shiva could not keep his
promise of helping his friend Banasura, for he is not a
rakshaka. He resides in Vana Purushothama temple—
where there are tall buildings on the top of which flags
fly spreading their cloth in the vast sky, making a canopy
that hides the heat and light from the sun.
When Mahabali poured water into the hands of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, handing Him his
kingdom, the Lord stretched His lotus foot and covered
the sky. At that time, His lotus foot pierced through
Brahmaloka where Lord Brahma washed His lotus feet.
This water that Brahma washed His feet with flowed as
Ganga. The Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri
Krishna resides in Thiru Vana Purushothama temple—
where there are beautiful women whose lips are like
the kumuda flowers, breasts are like the kongu buds
and faces are like lotuses.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead resides happily
in the divya desam called Vana Purushothama temple.
It is He who took the Narasimha incarnation and split
open the chest of Hiranya and dipped His hands in the
blood. It is He who killed the asura called Keshi who
came as a horse. The divya desam where He resides
is very beautiful with beautiful girls dancing and playing
with balls. The sound of their anklets when they dance
and the sound of their bangles when they hit the ball
mix together giving a pleasant sound to the ears.
Our Muhil Vannan once helped Shiva to get rid of a
curse by pouring blood into his kapala. He resides in
Vana Purushothama temple where coconut trees and
areca nut trees grow side by side. The heavy coconuts
fall into the river where fish live. The fish fear these
huge balls as predators and leave the place to live
elsewhere.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead first created
Brahma from His stomach. Brahma then created Rudra
who has matted lock and a crescent moon. Thus He
reveals His paratva and sarveswaratva. He resides in
Vana Purushothama temple where female monkeys
hug their babies, eat bananas, leave the place and sit
on the branches of mango trees to eat mangoes.
Thirumangai Alwar, the chief of Thiruvalinadu, who has
sought the lotus feet of Bhagavan residing in Vana
Purushothama temple and considers himself very
fortunate, has sung these ten pasurams on Him. Those
who read these pasurams will rule over this earth
enjoying all the pleasures and finally reach Paramapada
to become one of the eternal residents of Vaikunta.
Photo courtesy: Santhanakrishnan, Srirangam
Vana Purushothama utsavar

Distinguished Visitors
Thank you for a great warm welcome. Today is my great karma to visit a holy temple ISKCON. May the
relationship between India and Bali (Indonesia) will be stronger in the future.
—Dr. Shri I Gusti Ngurah Arya Wedakarna, MWS III
We are much overwhelmed by the courtesy and briefing given to us this day by Prabhu Chanchalapathi
Das who gave us an great opportunity to visit this temple shrine of ISKCON Bangalore which indeed is
beyond words. The sanctum sanctorum gave us bliss of heaven and we got blessed from Lord Krishna.
We join hands to this absolute great service of humanity. Hope rest of world joins this service and make
vision more stronger. Hare Krishna.
—Maharishi Veda Brahma Angiras Vishwabandhu Santirasa Ramesh Sastry
Director, Bali Sanskrit University
His Royal Highness Dr Shri I Gusti Ngurah Arya Wedakarna, King of Indonesia (Bali)
and Dr. Ramesh Sastry Guruji, Director, Bali Sanskrit University visited
ISKCON Sri Radha Krishna temple on Feb 28, 2016.

Krishna Voice Monthly Magazine, April 2016 Vol.17, No.4 Price `30/-
Posted on 5th or 10th of the Month at MBC, Manipal, License to post without prepayment No. WPP-08, Reg No. KA/BGGPO/2521/
2015-17, Registered with Registrar of Newspapers for India under No. RNI 71022/99, Posted at MBC, Manipal, 576104.
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Krishna voice april 2016 Magazine

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