There are three kinds of flutes used by Kṛṣṇa. One is called veṇu, one is called muralī, and the third is called vaṁśī. Veṇu is very small, not more than six inches long, with six holes for whistling. Muralī is about eighteen inches long with a hole at the end and four holes on the body of the flute. This kind of flute produces a very enchanting sound. The vaṁśī flute is about fifteen inches long, with nine holes on its body. Kṛṣṇa used to play on these three flutes occasionally when they were needed. Kṛṣṇa has a longer vaṁśī, which is called mahānandā, or sammohinī. When it is still longer it is called ākarṣiṇī. When it is even longer it is called ānandinī. The ānandinī flute is very pleasing to the cowherd boys and is technically named vaṁśulī. These flutes were sometimes bedecked with jewels. Sometimes they were made of marble and sometimes of hollow bamboo. When the flute is made of jewels it is called sammohinī. When made of gold, it is called ākarṣiṇī.
Muralidhara
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 9
The majority of transcendentalists understand only the impersonal Brahman or localized Paramātmā, for the Personality of Godhead is very difficult to understand. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (7.3):
- manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu
- kaścid yatati siddhaye
- yatatām api siddhānāṁ
- kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ
"Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth." The yogīs and jñānīs—that is, the mystic yogīs and the impersonalists—can understand the Absolute Truth as impersonal or localized, but although such realized souls are above ordinary human beings, they cannot understand how the Supreme Absolute Truth can be a person. Therefore it is said that out of many siddhas, the souls who have already realized the Absolute Truth, one may understand Kṛṣṇa, who exactly resembles a human being (narākṛti). This human form was explained by Kṛṣṇa Himself after He manifested the virāṭ-rūpa. The virāṭ-rūpa is not the original form of the Lord; the Lord's original form is Dvibhuja-śyāmasundara, Muralīdhara, the Lord with two hands, playing a flute (yaṁ śyāmasundaram acintya-guṇa-svarūpam). The Lord's forms are proof of His inconceivable qualities. Although the Lord maintains innumerable universes within the period of His breath, He is dressed with a form exactly like that of a human being. That does not mean, however, that He is a human being. This is His original form, but because He looks like a human being, those with a poor fund of knowledge consider Him an ordinary man.
SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13
Pure devotees, whose eyes are anointed with the ointment of prema, love, want to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Śyāmasundara, Muralīdhara, with a flute swaying in His two hands. This is the form available to the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, who are all in love with the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Śyāmasundara, not as Lord Viṣṇu, Nārāyaṇa, who is worshiped in Vaikuṇṭha, where the devotees admire His opulence. Although Devakī is not on the Vṛndāvana platform, she is near the Vṛndāvana platform. On the Vṛndāvana platform the mother of Kṛṣṇa is mother Yaśodā, and on the Mathurā and Dvārakā platform the mother of Kṛṣṇa is Devakī. In Mathurā and Dvārakā the love for the Lord is mixed with appreciation of His opulence, but in Vṛndāvana the opulence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not exhibited.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
On Baṅkima Rāya's right side is a deity of Jāhnavā, and on His left side is Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. The priests of the temple describe that Lord Nityānanda Prabhu entered within the body of Baṅkima Rāya and that the deity of Jāhnavā-mātā was therefore later placed on the right side of Baṅkima Rāya. Afterwards, many other Deities were installed within the temple. On another throne within the temple are Deities of Muralīdhara and Rādhā-Mādhava. On another throne are Deities of Manomohana, Vṛndāvana-candra and Gaura-Nitāi. But Baṅkima Rāya is the Deity originally installed by Nityānanda Prabhu.
CC Antya-lila
Uddhava said to Kṛṣṇa, "O most auspicious Kṛṣṇa, please hear me. The tribulation caused by Your absence has made Viśākhā languid. Her lips tremble like trees in a strong wind. Her beautiful face is like a lotus flower that has withered under the snow, and her eyes are like lotus petals scorched by the heat of the autumn sun."
Pralāpa, mad talking, is explained in the Lalita-mādhava as follows:
- kva nanda-kula-candramāḥ kva śikhi-candra-kālaṅkṛtiḥ
- kva mandra-muralī-ravaḥ kva nu surendra-nīla-dyutiḥ
- kva rāsa-rasa-tāṇḍavī kva sakhi jīva-rakṣauṣadhir
- nidhir mama suhṛttamaḥ kva tava hanta hā dhig vidhiḥ
This is Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s lamentation for Her beloved Kṛṣṇa, who was away from home. A woman whose husband has left home and gone to a foreign land is called proṣita-bhartṛkā. Lamenting for Kṛṣṇa in the same way that such a woman laments for her husband, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī said, "My dear friend, where is the glory of the family of Mahārāja Nanda, who wears a half-moon ornament on His head? Where is Kṛṣṇa, whose hue is like that of the indranīla jewel and who plays so nicely on His flute? Where is your friend, the best of all men, so expert in dancing in the circle of the rāsa dance? Where is He who is the real medicine to save Me from dying of heart disease? I must condemn Providence, for he has caused Me so many tribulations by separating Me from Kṛṣṇa."
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Nectar of Devotion
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
It is not so easy thing that "I do everything, whatever I like." Some rascals preach that "Oh, religion has nothing to do with your eating. You can eat anything you like, and still you become a religious man." This is all nonsense. Nobody can become religious man if he is attracted by sinful activities. It is not possible. You must stop sinful activities. That is first condition. Otherwise you cannot understand what there... People... Perhaps, in this Kṛṣṇa conscious, except this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement, all rascals, they do not know what is God. They have no clear conception of God. Because they are sinful. We can give the name, address and everything of God, clear conception, not vague idea, "God may be like this, God may be like that." Why maybe? He is God.
- veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ
- barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam
- kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ
- govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
- (Bs. 5.30)
Clear conception. The śāstra, Brahma-saṁhitā, clear description of God, veṇuṁ kvaṇantam. He is playing on flute. It is not that the Muralīdhara, Śyāmasundara, Kṛṣṇa, has been imagined by some poet. No, it is described in the śāstra, the form of the Lord. He is busy in playing flute, veṇuṁ kvaṇantam. Aravinda dalāyatākṣaṁ (Bs. 5.30), His eyes are just like petals of the lotus flower. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda, barhāvataṁsa, there is a peacock feather on His head. Kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ, and He is so beautiful that His beauty can cut down thousands of Cupids. Cupid is supposed to be the most beautiful in this material world. Kandarpa-koti-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi (Bs. 5.30). Clear conception.
So to become devotee is not at all difficult. Without doing anything, if you simply follow this instruction of Kṛṣṇa, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto... Simply you think of Kṛṣṇa. Here is Kṛṣṇa. If you come in the temple, you get impression of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is not nirakara. Here is Kṛṣṇa's akāra, dvi-bhūja-muralī-dhara. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritāḥ (BG 9.11).
Just like we are changing body, kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā, similarly, the old body, "old order changes to a new." Again we get another body. And this is very, very great botheration of life. They do not understand. But it can be stopped. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). It can be stopped. How? Simply by understanding Kṛṣṇa. Janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). You simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself. Where is the difficulty to understand Kṛṣṇa? You haven't got to speculate. You haven't got to manufacture ideas what kind of Kṛṣṇa He is. He is present, dvi-bhuja-muralīdhara-kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa when He was present in the, upon this earth, everyone has seen. Kṛṣṇa has His temple, thousands and millions of temples, Kṛṣṇa. You can see His picture. Description is there, veṇuṁ kvaṇantam, in the Vedic literature.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So in the Vedas, in the Purāṇas, in the Upaniṣads, and confirmed by great sages, saintly persons, everyone accepts Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then why these rascals cannot find out God? We are giving the name of God, the address of God, the father, God's father's name also, Nanda-nandana, Devakī-nandana. So where is the difficulty to find out? There is no difficulty. But the rascals will not accept. They will continue their rascaldom. That is the difficulty. Otherwise, it is not at all difficulty to find out where is God. God is neither dead, nor God has become void or impersonal. He's person, dvi-bhuja-muralīdhara, Kṛṣṇa, playing on His flute and jāmuna-tīra-vana-cārī. He is existent always. Adyāpi kare līlāya gaura-rāya, kona kona bhāgyavān dekhibāre pāya(?). Kṛṣṇa is always existing. Kṛṣṇa's incarnations are always existing, before us. But if we are fortunate enough, we can see; otherwise not.
Nowadays they are doing, reading Bhāgavatam in their own way, but that does not appeal to any sane man. Sometimes I have seen a big Māyāvādī is explaining one verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that "Because you are God, therefore if you are pleased, then God is pleased." This is their philosophy. "You do not require to please God separately. So if you are pleased by drinking wine, then God is pleased." This is their explanation. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has condemned this Māyāvādī commentary. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said, māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa (CC Madhya 6.169). Māyāvādī kṛṣṇe aparādhī. He has plainly said. No compromise. The Māyāvādīs, they're great offender to Kṛṣṇa. Tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān (BG 16.19), Kṛṣṇa also says. They're very, very envious to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is dvi-bhuja-muralīdhara, śyāmasundara, and the Māyāvādī explains that "Kṛṣṇa has no hand, no leg. This is all imagination." How much offensive it is they do not know. But to warn people like us, Caitanya Mahāprabhu has plainly warned that "Don't go to Māyāvādīs." Māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa. Māyāvādī haya kṛṣṇe aparādhī. This is the statement of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
So this viśvātman, viśveśa, these are Kṛṣṇa's opulences, vibhūti. But in His original form, He is Kṛṣṇa, two hands, playing on the flute. That is His original form. The universal form is causal, because Arjuna wanted to see. Arjuna was a devotee, so He showed him. That is not actual form. Just like a person, he, he may dress himself as a king or something, but that is not his real appearance, his appearance at home. So Kṛṣṇa's real form is Vṛndāvana, at home. That is real form. And all other forms are expansion of His plenary portions. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33), in the Brahma-saṁhitā. Ananta-rūpam. He can expand Himself in millions and millions of forms, ananta-rūpam. But advaita, but He's one. Advaita, acyuta. Acyuta means who never falls. Infallible. So Kṛṣṇa's infallible, not infallible, Kṛṣṇa's real form... In any form, He's not fallible. He's acyuta. But His real form is the dvi-bhuja-muralīdhara. Dvi-bhuja, two hands, having a flute in the hand. That is real form. Therefore, Kuntīdevī's addressing that "You are, You have got universal form. But the form in which You are standing before me, that is Your real form."
Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that "Any rascal who thinks that the body of Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu is prākṛta, material, this is the greatest offense." The Māyāvādī philosophers, they think like that, that the Absolute Truth, (is) imperson; but when He comes in form He accepts a material body. This is the greatest offense, aparādha nāhi yāra ihāra rūpa.(?) Therefore they cannot understand very well because they're aparādhī. Kṛṣṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, māyāvādī kṛṣṇe aparādhī. The Māyāvādīs, they're offenders to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, offenders. Kṛṣṇa is not exposed to the offenders. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). So the Māyāvādīs, they cannot see Kṛṣṇa. They cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. They'll avoid Kṛṣṇa. They'll speak so many things, spiritual knowledge, but avoid Kṛṣṇa's figure, Kṛṣṇa's form. They think it is māyā. It is māyā. But it is not māyā. That is the original form. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Because Kṛṣṇa has got the form exactly, the dvibhuja-muralī-līlā, two hands with flute. That is Kṛṣṇa's original form.
Real knowledge means to understand God. That is real knowledge. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). What is the Veda, Vedānta? To know Kṛṣṇa, or God. Kṛṣṇa and God, the same. If one knows God but does not know Kṛṣṇa, his knowledge of God is incomplete. His knowledge of God is incomplete. When he knows that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam, then his knowledge is perfect.
- ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ
- kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam
- indrāri-vyākulaṁ lokaṁ
- mṛḍayanti yuge yuge
- (SB 1.3.28)
And Kṛṣṇa said that ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). The Vedānta says, janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "God, or Absolute Truth, means the source of everything." And the source of everything is coming down before you and in His original form, Kṛṣṇa. Dvi-bhuja-muralīdhara, Kṛṣṇa. Here He is standing, and He is preaching, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: "I am the source of everything." Mūḍho nābhijānāti. But the rascals, they do not understand that God is speaking in everyone's presence, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ, "I am," aham "like this," aham. Mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. Still, the rascal will not. Just see how much rascals we are.
So actually, everything has got form, and there is—why not?—the form of God also. He has got virāḍ-rūpa, and He has got small, also, rūpa. We have got experience of the virāḍ-rūpa in the Bhagavad-gītā. But that is not permanent rūpa. Permanent rūpa of Kṛṣṇa: Dvi-bhuja-muralīdhara. He has got two hands and playing on flute. That is permanent rūpa. Virāḍ-rūpa, as it was shown to Arjuna, it is called naimittika, "under certain conditions." That is not eternal rūpa. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta... Anādi, eternal.
ust like the materialistic persons, they cannot understand why we are worshiping Deity. They are puzzled. They think, "Why these fools are taking one brass doll and worshiping as God?" They laugh. You see? They cannot understand. They are hard... What is called? It is impossible for them. Therefore they have been recommended that "You think of God, the universal form." That they like, their meditation, that universal form. They cannot understand or concentrate on this form, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28), dvi-bhuja-muralīdhāra, Śyāmasundara form. They cannot. But by this arca process we are giving chance to everyone. But for the materialistic person it is difficult. They think that they are idol worshipers. But actually, the Vaiṣṇavas, they are not so fools that they will worship an idol. Therefore they have been recommended to concentrate on the universal form.
So evaṁ sahasra-vadana. Sahasra-vadana. This virāṭ-rūpa. This is māyāmayam. Kṛṣṇa's virāṭ-rūpa is another feature. His real rūpa or form is dvi-bhuja-muralīdhara, two hands. That is His original form. There is in the Brahma-saṁhitā,
- veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ
- barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam
- kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ
- govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
- (Bs. 5.30)
That is Kṛṣṇa's real form. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam: "He is playing on flute." But here it is said that sahasra-vadanāṅghri-śiraḥ-karoru. Here Brahmā saw He has got many sahasra... What is that? Sahasra-vadana, faces, aṅghri. As soon as there is face, as soon as there is one face, there must be two legs, two hands. So He appeared before Brahmā with thousands of faces. So similarly, number of hands and legs must increase proportionately. So Lord Brahmā saw Him in His virāṭa-rūpam, virāṭ-rūpam. Kṛṣṇa, Brahman, Brahman, Para-brahman. Para-brahman means the great, the great. And He is Para-brahman. Nobody is greater than Him. So if anyone wants to see Kṛṣṇa in His Para-brahman rūpa, then He exhibits His virāṭ-rūpa. Just like Arjuna saw virāṭ-rūpa, the same.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Now somebody, some big sannyāsī, very famous in your country, he's explaining Kṛṣṇa, "Something dark within us which we do not know, that is Kṛṣṇa." That is explanation of Kṛṣṇa. "Kṛṣṇa is not dvi-bhuja-muralīdhara-śyāmasundara; He's something dark which you do not know." This is the explanation of big scholar, big swami. So in this way, we are being misled. Take it, Kṛṣṇa, as He is. Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the Supreme." Accept it, supreme. Actually He's supreme. Who can be bet..., more supreme than Kṛṣṇa? Prove it by śāstra, by history, by incidences, by action—everything. By votes also. If there are so many rascal Gods, but if you take vote, still in this age, the vote for Kṛṣṇa will be greater. Still. Although we are so fallen. So how we can escape Kṛṣṇa? And śāstra says, confirm, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). If you want the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Īśvara means controller. So everyone is controller, but nobody's supreme controller. That is not possible.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: For Kali-yuga, this is Kṛṣṇa. Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya (SB 12.3.51). Kali-yuga, kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya.
Guest: I asked which form, that is the form...
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa form.
Guest: Kṛṣṇa form holding muralī(?) in His hand?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Veṇu, muralīdhara.
- veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ
- barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda sundarāṅgam
- kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ
- govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
- (Bs. 5.30)
Guest: But when you chant "Rāma," the other...
Prabhupāda: Yes. Rāma is another... There is no difference between Rāma and Kṛṣṇa. If you like...
Guest: The form comes different in the...
Prabhupāda: Yes, but they are the same. Rāmādi mūrti.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
- premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena
- santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti
- yaṁ śyāmasundaram acintya-guṇa...
- govindam ādi-puruṣam...
- (Bs. 5.38)
The Govinda, Śyāmasundara, dvi-bhuja-muralīdhara. Here is the Supreme Being. Take His instruction. Always think of Him. You become perfect. Where is the difficulty? (Hindi) Why do you create difficult position? This is going on. (Hindi) Surrender to Kṛṣṇa, follow His instruction, and be happy.
Correspondence
1974 Correspondence
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 21, with enclosed photographs. So Kirtanananda Maharaja has installed Deities. But without twenty devotees how you can have Deities? Your men are coming and going so why you are having Deity installation? You must have twenty devotees. Kirtanananda Maharaja, he should supply those devotees since he has authorized the installation. You can name the Deities, Radha-Muralidhara.
| Page Title: | Muralidhara |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Serene |
| Created: | 11 of Jul, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=2, CC=2, OB=1, Lec=13, Con=3, Let=1 |
| No. of Quotes: | 22 |