Prabhupāda: As the necessity of the time. Sometimes He appears as svayaṁ bhagavān; sometimes He appears as plenary expansion. But svayaṁ bhagavān or plenary expansion, there is no difference. Just like in the present age, Kṛṣṇa has appeared as holy name. So we should not consider that holy name of Kṛṣṇa is less important than Kṛṣṇa. The holy name of Kṛṣṇa is as powerful as Kṛṣṇa. Nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis tatrārpitā (CC Antya 20.16, Śikṣāṣṭaka 2). All the potencies of Kṛṣṇa is there. As soon as we are able to chant pure name . . . pure name means offenseless. We have discussed several times that there are ten kinds of offenses in the matter of chanting this holy name. And if we be careful to avoid those four . . . ten kinds of offenses, then pure, we can appreciate the purity of Kṛṣṇa's name. Kṛṣṇa's name is always pure. Nitya-mukta-śuddha-abhinnatva-nāma.
It is also our appreciation. Just like Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. Here, of course, in the temple or anywhere, Kṛṣṇa is there, but we have no appreciation. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is very kind to appear in this age as holy name so that we can very easily approach Kṛṣṇa simply by chanting. But we have got many misgivings. Otherwise, so many people there are, they inquire, "What is God?" And if you say, "Here is God," they won't believe you. It is their appreciation. But God is there in His name, "Kṛṣṇa."
So one has to prepare the receptive process. Otherwise, God is here. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena. Tat-paratvena nirmalam. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11). Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). Now I want to see Kṛṣṇa, but I want to keep my identity as member of this family or member of this nation or father of this child or husband of this wife. So I keep myself in the material condition, and I want to see God—that is offense. So we have to first of all become clear of all designation.
- sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ
- tat-paratvena nirmalam
- hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-
- sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate
- (CC Madhya 19.170)
So Kṛṣṇa is there, His potency is there, everything is there, always available, easily available, provided we are prepared to receive Him. That's all. Kṛṣṇa is already there by His name. Nāma-rūpe kali-kāle kṛṣṇa-avatāra (CC Adi 17.22). Kṛṣṇa has descended by His name. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu preached the chanting, that you can become . . . but the profit is that even if you are in offense, even if you do not have the power of appreciation, because Kṛṣṇa is all-potential, simply by chanting in any condition of life you become purified. But the more you have got the power of appreciation, the more you get benefit. But immediate benefit is in whatever condition you may be, if you simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, then the benefit begins immediately, without any moment.
You have got any question? Yes?
Mahāpuruṣa: I'm not sure if I understand yet. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is svayaṁ bhagavān.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Mahāpuruṣa: And the appearances of Kṛṣṇa in all the other yugas is also called svayaṁ bhagavān? . . . (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: No. Ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). The list of different incarnations in different ages, they are enlisted in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and it is summarized in the last verse, ete. Ete means "all these." Ete ca aṁśa-kalāḥ. Aṁśa means "plenary partial expansion." Kalā, "expansion of the expansion." There are many expansions directly from Kṛṣṇa and there are many expansions who are expansions from the expansions. So direct expansion is called aṁśa, and expansion of the expansion is called kalā.
Just like Mahā-Viṣṇu. Mahā-Viṣṇu is expansion of the expansion. The direct expansion is Baladeva. The next expansion is Saṅkarṣaṇa. The next expansion is the catur-vyūha. In this way, Viṣṇu, Mahā-Viṣṇu, is expansion of the expansion, kalā. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). Yasya kalā-viśeṣaḥ. Kalā means expansion of the expansion. That Mahā-Viṣṇu is kalā of Kṛṣṇa. Govindam Adi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi . . .
So not necessarily all appearances of Kṛṣṇa is direct or He, Himself. There are expansions and expansion of the expansion. That is clearly explained. Ete ca aṁśa-kalāḥ. Some of them are direct, some of them are indirect. But this word "Kṛṣṇa" is, kṛṣṇas tu, He is but the Supreme Person. Bhagavān svayam, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Guest: We are expansions of Rādhā? . . . (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: No. Rādhā is the internal potency; we are marginal potency. Of course, originally, in that sense, everything is Kṛṣṇa's expansion. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. But even there are expansions . . . that is the difference between Māyāvāda philosophy and Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Caitanya Mahāprabhu . . . . acintya-bhedābheda. We are always simultaneously one and different. Always. We should remember.
We are, because we are expansion of Kṛṣṇa, we are expansion of Rādhā also, because Rādhā is also expansion of Kṛṣṇa. But still, different. That is the philosophy: one and different simultaneously. Acintya-bhedābheda. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy is inconceivable simultaneously one and different. Energy.
This will be explained in the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā. The energy and the energetic is the same. Śakti-śaktimator abheda. Just like sun and the sunshine, they are the same. There is no difference. But the molecules of the sunshine particles, that is not equal to the sun. These truths we shall always remember. Acintyāḥ khalu ye bhāvāḥ. Therefore these are inconceivable. We are simultaneously one with Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā, and at the same time different.