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----- bhagap292.html
"Padma" is the universe, the primal Maya. It is held by the
hand, representing Tamas.
"Gada " is primal Vidya or wisdom. It is held by the hand, re-
presenting Ahankara.
"Garland " round the neck consists of the Manasa Putras of
Brahma. The crown is Sat, absolute existence. The different life
forms and the underlying Jiva are the two " Kundalas " on the ear.
Then we come to MANTRA BHAGAVATA or Bhagavata writ-
ten in Vedic Mantras, a stiff work not quite intelligible without the ex-
cellent gloss of Nilkantha (published at the Venkatesvara Press,
Bombay). This work is said to have been found out by Nilkantha.
It is divided into four parts Gokula Kanda, Vrindavana Kanda,
Akrura Kanda and MathurS Kanda. The chief events of Krishna's
divine life (Lila) are narrated in this book, but in the order of narration.,
it follows Hari Vansa more than the Bhagavata Purana. I refer only
to those portions of the book, which to me appear important.
We take the following from the Gokula Kanda. The Gopas are
re-incarnations of Devas. They are the messengers of Krishna.
They are fond of Gavya or the products of Cows. The relation be-
tween Krishna and the Gopas is that between an object and its image.
Krishna drove the cattle of Nanda,. just as he drove the horses of
Arjuna, the object of doing so being in both the cases the destruction
of all the enemies (III). In commenting on the 5th Sloka, Nilkantha
calls Krishna the white ray of the Sun, which becomes the blue ray,
which is in reality the ray of Sat, Chit and Ananda. He refers in this
connection to the word Bharga (ray) in the Gayatri. Krishna is the
heart of the Sun.
The sixth sloka explains this:
"It is Krishna who causes bliss. The Sun God (Savitri), being
guided by Krishna, goes his way on the golden chariot (VI)."
In the nth sloka, Krishna is called the Black ray.
Mother Aditi (Earth) asked her son Indra for relief (VII). At
the request of Indra, Vishnu entered the womb of Devaki. He first
ensouled seven Ardha-Garbhas. (Ardha is half and Garbha is a foetal
child. The six sons of Kala-nemi the name of a demon, literally,
the rim of the wheel of time, known as Shat Garbhas, pleased Brahma
by worship and became immortal. They were the grandsons of
Hiranya-Kasipu. He cursed them saying:
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