Part V
All of these twelve different Forms of Lord Krishna are known as the predominating deities of the twelve months. According to the Vaishnav almanac, the months are called by different Names of Krishna. This calendar begins from the month of Margasirsa, which is equivalent to late October-November. The month of November is known by the Vaishnavas as Keshava, December is called Narayan, January is called Madhab, February is called Govinda, March is called Vishnu, April is called Vasudevan, May is called Trivikram, June is called Vamana, July is called Sridhas, August is called Hrisikesa, September is called Padmanava and October is caIled Damodar. This Damodar is different from the Damodar in Vraja. The Name Damodar was given when Krishna was bound by ropes by his mother but the Damodar Form in the month of October is a different manifestation.
Similarly, the Vaishnava community marks different parts of the body, and each mark is known by one of these twelve different Names of the Supreme Lord. The mark on the forehead is called Kesava, and for the belly, the breast, and the arms there are different names; the Names that are used for the months are also used for this purpose.
The four formal Forms, the Vasudeva, Samkarshan, Pradyumna and Aniruddhya, are also expanded in the Vilasa Murti. They are eight in number, and their names are Purushottam, Achyuta, Nrisingha, Janardana, Hari, Krishna, Adhoksha and Upendra. Out of these eight names, Adhoksha and Purushottam are the Vilasa or Forms of Vasudeva. Similarly, Upendra and Achyuta are the Vilasa Forms of Samkarshan; Nrisingha and Janardana are the Vilasa Forms of Pradyumna; and Hari and Krishna are the two Vilasa Forms of Aniruddhya. This Krishna is different from the original Krishna. All these twenty-four Forms are known as the Vilasa manifestations of Pravhav (four-handed) Form, and they are differently named according to the different position of the symbolic representations, that is, the mace, the disc, the lotus flower and the conchshell. Out of these twenty-four Forms, there is also a division of Vilasa and Vhaibhava. Names mentioned herein, such as Pradyumna, Trivikram, Vamana, Hari, Krishna are also different in features. Then in regards to the Prahava Vilasa of Krishna, which is Vasudeva, Samkarshan, Pradyumna and Aniruddhya, there are in total twenty further variations. All of them preside over Vaikuntha planets in the Spiritual Sky and are situated in eight different directions; although each of them is eternally in the Spiritual Sky, some of them are manifested in the material world also. In the Spiritual Sky all the planets dominated by the feature of Narayan are eternal, and the highest topmost planet in the Spiritual Sky is called Krishna Loka. That Krishna Loka is divided into three different portions: 1. Gokula, 2. Mathura and 3. Dwarka. In the Mathura portion, the Form of Keshav is always situated. This is also represented on this earthly planet. In India there is a place called Mathura where Keshav Murti is worshipped; similarly there is a Purushottam Form in Jagganath Puri and in Orissa; and in Prayag or Allahabad there is Madhav Brindu Madhar, and, similarly, there is the Form of Madhusudan in Mandhar hill. In Anandanrnya there is the Form of Vishnu, and in Mayapur, the birthplace of Lord Chaitanya, there is the Form of Hari. So there are also many other Forms situated elsewhere on this earthly planet.
Not only in this universe, but in all the other universes, such Forms are distributed all over. On this earthly planet also it is indicated that all the portions of the whole earth are divided into 7 islands or continents, it is understood that on each and every island there are similar Forms, but at the present moment they are found only in India. They are indicated to be in other parts of the world, but at the present there is no information where they are situated. But from Vedic literature we can understand there are Forms in other parts of the world. These different Forms of Krishna are distributed all over the world and the universes to give pleasure to the devotees. Not that the devotees are only born in India, but in all other parts of the world there are devotees who have simply forgotten their identity. Such Forms-incarnate have come not only to give pleasure to the devotees, but to reestablish the devotional service and other activities vitally concerning the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Some of them are incarnations as mentioned in the scriptures, such as the Vishnu incarnation, Trivikram incarnation, Nrisingha incarnation and Vamana incarnation.
In the Siddartha Samhita there is a description of the 24 Forms of Vishnu named differently according to the different positions of the symbolic representations in the 4 hands. In ascribing the different nomenclatures to the different descriptions of Vishnu Murti, the counting should begin 1. with the lower right hand and then rising to the 2. upper right hand, then 3. to the upper left hand and then 4. down to the lower left hand. In these 4 hands are held the four representations: club, wheel conch shell and lotus flower; all in varying positions. Thus in this fashion Vasudeva is represented by 1. club, 2. conchshell, 3. wheel and 4. lotus flower. Similarly, Samkarshan is represented by club, conch shell, lotus flower and wheel. Pradyumna is represented by wheel, conch shell, club and lotus flower. Aniruddhya is represented by wheel, club, conch shell and lotus flower. In the Spiritual Sky also, the representation of Narayan is calculated as follows, at 20 in number: Hrisikesha is represented by conch shell, wheel, flower and club. Narayan is represented by conch shell, lotus flower, club and wheel. Sri Madhava is represented by club, wheel, conch shell and lotus flower. Sri Govinda is represented by wheel, club, lotus flower and conch shell. Vishnu Murti is represented by club, lotus flower, conch shell and wheel. Madhusudan is represented by wheel, conch shell, lotus flower and club. Trivikram is represented by lotus flower, club, wheel and conch shell. Vamana is represented by conch shell, wheel, club and lotus flower. Sridham is represented by lotus flower, wheel, club and conch shell. Hrisikesh is represented by club, wheel, lotus flower and conch shell. Padmanava is represented by conch shell, lotus flower, wheel and club. Damodar is represented by lotus flower, wheel, club and conch shell. Purushottam is represented by wheel, lotus flower, conch shell and club. Sri Achyuta is represented by club, lotus flower, wheel and conch shell. Sri Nrisingha is represented by wheel, lotus flower, club and conch shell. Janardan is represented by lotus flower, wheel, conch shell and club. Sri Hari is represented by conch shell, wheel, lotus flower and club. Sri Krishna is represented by conch shell, club, lotus flower and wheel. Adhoksaja is represented by lotus flower, club, conch shell and wheel. Upendra is represented by conch shell, club, wheel and lotus flower.
According the Hayasirsa Pancharacha, there are sixteen Forms and they are also different in name according to the different positions of the wheel and club. The conclusion is that the Supreme Original Personality of Godhead is Krishna He is called Leela Purushottam and He is principally in Vrindaban as the son of Nanda. It is also learned from the Hayasirsa Pancharacha that nine Forms are protecting two Puris known as the Mathura Puri and the Dwarka Puri, and they are in the 4 Forms like Vasudeva, Samkarshan, Pradyumna, and Aniruddhya; and besides these four Forms there are Narayan Forms, Nrisingha Forms, Hayagriva Forms, Varaha Forms and Brahma. The above descriptions are different manifestations of the Prakhas and Vilasa Forms of Lord Krishna.
Now Lord Chaitanya is informing Sanatan Goswami that there are different forms of the Svamsa also; Svamsa Forms are divided into the Samkarshan division and incarnation division. From the Samkarshan division come the three Purusha avatars, namely the Karanodakshayee Vishnu, Garbhodakshayee Vishnu and Khirodakshayee Vishnu; and the other division, also called avatar, includes the Lord's incarnation as Fish, as Tortoise etc. There are 6 kinds of different incarnations: 1. the Purusha avatar, 2. the Leela avatar, 3. the Guna avatar, 4. the Manu avatar, 5. the Yuga avatar, and 6. the Saktavesh avatar. Out of six kinds of Vilasa manifestations of Krishna there are 2 divisions based on His age. They are called Balya and Pauganda. The original Form of Krishna as the son of Nanda enjoys Himself in the two Forms of His childhood, namely Balya and Pauganda.
The conclusion is that there is no end of the expansions and incarnations of Krishna. Here Lord Chaitanya describes some of them to Sanatan just to give him an idea how the Lord is expanding and how He is enjoying. This is confirmed in the Srimad Bhagawatam, in the 1st canto, 3rd chapter. It is said there that there is no limit to the emanations of incarnations of the Supreme Lord, just as there is no limit to the number of waves in the oceans. As far as the incarnations are concerned, the first incarnations of Krishna are as the 3 Purusha avatars, namely the Maha Vishnu avatar, Garbhodakshayee avatar and Khirodakshayee avatar. This is confirmed in the Shastrasirsa Stotra. Krishna's energies are also divisable into three: His energy of thinking, His energy of feeling, and His energy of acting. In His energy of thinking He is the Supreme Lord; in His energy of feeling He is Lord Vasudeva; and in His energy of acting He is Samkarshan Valaram. Without thinking, feeling and acting there is no possibility for the creation. Although there is no question of the creation of the Spiritual world, there is nonetheless creation of this material world; both the Spiritual world and the material world are manifestations of the active energy of the Forms of Samkarshan and Balarama of Krishna. In the Spiritual world, the Vaikuntha planets and the Krishna Loka planet are situated in His energy of thinking. Although there is no creation of the eternal Spiritual world, still it is to be understood that the Vaikuntha planets are depending on the thinking energy of the Supreme Lord. This thinking energy is described in the Brahma Samhita, 5th chapter, 2nd verse; where it is stated that the Supreme Abode known as Goloka is manifested just like a lotus flower with hundreds of petals. Everything is manifested by the Ananta, Balarama, or Samkarshan Form. The material cosmic manifestation and the different universes are manifested through Maya, or material energy. The material nature of the material energy is not the cause of all this cosmic manifestation. Rather, it is caused by the Supreme Lord's different expansions through the material nature; without superintendence of the Supreme Lord there is no possibility of any creation. The Form by which the energy of the material nature is created is called Samkarshan. It is understood that under the superintendent energy of the Supreme Lord this cosmic manifestation is created. The example is given of the iron which becomes red hot in contact with fire when it is red hot it becomes also like fire. In the Srimad Bhagawatam, 10th canto, 46th chapter, it is said that Rama and Krishna is the Origin of all living entities. These two Personalities enter into everything. It may even now appear that they are differently situated.
A list of the incarnations occurs in the Srimad Bhagawatam, 1st canto. They are as follows: 1. Chaturdasham, 2. Narada, 3. Nara, 4. .Mathsa, 5. Yajna, 6. Naradayan, 7. Kardemenkopeel, 8. Dutakria, 9. Hayasesha, 13. Hansa, 11. Dukupria or Eprishnee Garva, 12. Hrisha, 13. Prithu, 14. Narasingha, 15. Kurma, 16. Dhanantari, 17. Mohini, 18. Vamana, 19. Parkava, 20. Radavendra, 21. Vyas, 22. Brahma Balarama, 23. Krishna, 24. Buddha, 25. Kalki. Out of these 25 Leela avatars almost all of them appear in one day of Brahma, which is called a Kalpa, and therefore they are sometimes called kalpa avatars. Out of these, the incarnation of Hanghan Mohini is not permanent, but Kapila, Notatria, Risha, Nonanaree and Vyas are 5 eternal Forms, and they are more celebrated. The incarnation of Tortoise, Fish, Naradayan, Baraha, Hayagriva, Rishnagumbra, Valumbera, Baladeva are considered as incarnations of Vaibhava. Similarly, there are three incarnation of the qualitative modes of Nature. They are called Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
Of the Mananta avatars there are fourteen in number: 1. Yoga, 2. Beevu, 3. Shutersan, 4. Hari, 5. Vaikuntha, 6. Arjed, 7. Vaman, 8. Sadvoboma, 9. Risha, 10. Vishuction, 11. Darmashetu, 12. Sudama, 13. Jodeshel, 14. Behead bama. Out of these fourteen incarnations of Mananta, Yoga and Vaman are also Leela avatars. The balance are Mananta avatars. These fourteen Mananta avatars are also known as Bhaiva avatars.
The four Yugas are also described in the Bhagvatam: in the Sattya Yuga the incarnation of God is white; in the Treta Yuga the incarnation of God is red; in the Dwapara the incarnation of God is blackish; and the incarnation in the Kali Yuga is also blackish but sometimes, in a special Kali Yuga, the color is yellowish or golden. As far as the Saktavish avatars are concerned, they are Kapila and Deshaga, the Shresh avatar, Ananta, Brahma (sometimes the Lord Himself becomes Brahma), Jutershan (as the incarnation of Knowledge), Narada (as the incarnation of devotional service), King Prithu (as the incarnation of administrative power), and Barshnav (as the incarnation of subduing evil principles).