SB 07.09.47 rupe ime sad-asati tava veda-srste... cited

Expressions researched:
"bijankurav iva na canyad arupakasya" |"rupe ime sad-asati tava veda-srste" |"yogena vahnim iva darusu nanyatah syat" |"yuktah samaksam ubhayatra vicaksante tvam"

SB Canto 7

SB 7.9.47, Translation and Purport:

By authorized Vedic knowledge one can see that the forms of cause and effect in the cosmic manifestation belong to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for the cosmic manifestation is His energy. Both cause and effect are nothing but energies of the Lord. Therefore, O my Lord, just as a wise man, by considering cause and effect, can see how fire pervades wood, those engaged in devotional service understand how You are both the cause and effect.

As described in previous verses, many so-called students of spiritual understanding follow the ten different methods known as mauna-vrata-śruta-tapo-'dhyayana-sva-dharma-vyākhyā-raho japa-samādhayaḥ (SB 7.9.46). These may be very attractive, but by following such methods, one cannot actually understand the real cause and effect and the original cause of everything (janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1)). The original source of everything is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself (sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam). This original source of everything is Kṛṣṇa, the supreme ruler. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). He has His eternal spiritual form. Indeed, He is the root of everything (bījaṁ māṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 7.10)). Whatever manifestations exist, their cause is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This cannot be understood by so-called silence or by any other hodgepodge method. The supreme cause can be understood only by devotional service, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā (bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55)). Elsewhere in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.14.21), the Supreme Godhead personally says, bhaktyāham ekayā grāhyaḥ: one can understand the original cause of all causes, the Supreme Person, only by devotional service, not by show-bottle exhibitionism.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 7.9.47 -- Vrndavana, April 2, 1976:

Puṣṭa-Kṛṣṇa: "...authorized Vedic knowledge one can see the cause and effect of the cosmic manifestation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, because the cosmic manifestation is also His energy. Both of them are different energies of the Lord and nothing else. The wise man can see how the fire is spread within the wood by consideration of cause and effect. Similarly, persons engaged in devotional service understand, O my Lord, how You are both the cause and effect."

Prabhupāda:

rūpe ime sad-asatī tava veda-sṛṣṭe

bījāṅkurāv iva na cānyad arūpakasya

yuktāḥ samakṣam ubhayatra vicinate tvam...

In this book it is vicinate. I think that other book, vicikṣate?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Vicakṣate? And in the other book it says.

Prabhupāda: Yes. It doesn't make any difference.

yuktāḥ samakṣam ubhayatra vicinate tvāṁ

yogena vāhnim iva dāruṣu nānyataḥ syāt

(SB 7.9.47)

So yogena, this word, is very important in this verse. There are... Yogena means "by the means of," upayena, "by the means of." So as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says that bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ: (BG 18.55) "Only by devotional service one can understand Me." So here the word yogena should not be understood otherwise. If one says that jñāna-yogena, karma-yogena, haṭha-yogena, dhyāna-yogena... There are many yoga system. One can understand. That is the usual proverb nowadays, that "Any means, you can understand the Absolute Truth." Yata mat tata patha. "You can have your own process or yoga and you can realize God." But that is not possible. Kṛṣṇa personally says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). In another place, bhaktyā ekayā: "Only through devotional service." And practically we see there are many jñānīs and dhyāna-yogīs, karmīs. They have no clear conception of the Absolute Truth. Vague idea. Even in many other religious system they have got some conception of God, not clear idea. But in bhakti-yoga you can understand directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.

Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). There are many expansion of God. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). He has got many forms, but this form which we know as Kṛṣṇa, that is the original Kṛṣṇa, or original God. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat: (BG 7.7) "Although I have got many forms, but the original, supreme form is Kṛṣṇa." But that does not mean that the other forms of Kṛṣṇa, not our manufactured, but as it is stated in the śāstra... Kṛṣṇa has got many names: Rāma, Govinda, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha. There are other forms. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan (Bs. 5.39). Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha. He has got many forms. Rāma is also expansion of Kṛṣṇa. So these forms... We should not consider they are less powerful than Kṛṣṇa. Not that. But Kṛṣṇa is the original form. The example is given in the śāstra, just like candles. Dīpārcir eva hi daśāntaram abhyupetya (Bs. 5.46). The... There are thousands of candles, so we get one of them ignited, light up, and then second, then third, then fourth, then fifth—you can go on increasing millions. The each light, each candle, is equally powerful. There is no doubt. Kṛṣṇa's expansion not... The Viṣṇu-tattva... It is called Viṣṇu-tattva. Dīpārcir eva hi daśāntaram abhyupetya dīpāyate na hi tathā pṛthag asti hetu (Bs. 5.46). So Viṣṇu-tattva. Viṣṇu-tattva is one, but still... Just like the example, candle. One candle, first candle, is Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1), govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi. This is the conclusion.

There are sometimes controversy that "You do not worship Lord Rāmacandra" or "You do not chant the name of Rāmacandra first." These are all material consideration. Either you chant Hare Rāma or Hare Kṛṣṇa, it does not make any difference. If you like, you can begin with Hare Rāma, and if you like, you can... These are, I mean to say, neophyte question, that "You are not chanting Hare Rāma. You are making discrimination." We do not make any discrimination. We equally... But I like the form of Kṛṣṇa. Hanumāncandra(?) liked the form of Rāma. But that does not mean that you like any form and he'll be God. No. You have to go according to the direction of the śāstra. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu. Viṣṇu form, they are stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. You have to accept the direction of the authorities.