Waterfalls

Expressions researched:
"waterfall" |"waterfalls"

SB Canto 1

SB 1.3.26, Translation and Purport:

O brāhmaṇas, the incarnations of the Lord are innumerable, like rivulets flowing from inexhaustible sources of water.

The list of incarnations of the Personality of Godhead given herein is not complete. It is only a partial view of all the incarnations. There are many others, such as Śrī Hayagrīva, Hari, Haṁsa, Pṛśnigarbha, Vibhu, Satyasena, Vaikuṇṭha, Sārvabhauma, Viṣvaksena, Dharmasetu, Sudhāmā, Yogeśvara, Bṛhadbhānu and others of the bygone ages. Śrī Prahlāda Mahārāja said in his prayer, "My Lord, You manifest as many incarnations as there are species of life, namely the aquatics, the vegetables, the reptiles, the birds, the beasts, the men, the demigods, etc., just for the maintenance of the faithful and the annihilation of the unfaithful. You advent Yourself in this way in accordance with the necessity of the different yugas. In the Kali-yuga You have incarnated garbed as a devotee." This incarnation of the Lord in the Kali-yuga is Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. There are many other places, both in the Bhāgavatam and in other scriptures, in which the incarnation of the Lord as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is explicitly mentioned. In the Brahma-saṁhitā also it is said indirectly that although there are many incarnations of the Lord, such as Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha, Matsya, Kūrma and many others, the Lord Himself sometimes incarnates in person. Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are not, therefore, incarnations but the original source of all incarnations. This will be clearly explained in the next ślokas. So the Lord is the inexhaustible source for innumerable incarnations which are not always mentioned. But such incarnations are distinguished by specific extraordinary feats which are impossible to be performed by any living being. That is the general test to identify an incarnation of the Lord, directly and indirectly empowered. Some incarnations mentioned above are almost plenary portions. For instance, the Kumāras are empowered with transcendental knowledge. Śrī Nārada is empowered with devotional service. Mahārāja Pṛthu is an empowered incarnation with executive function. The Matsya incarnation is directly a plenary portion. So the innumerable incarnations of the Lord are manifested all over the universes constantly, without cessation, as water flows constantly from waterfalls.

SB Canto 3

SB 3.8.24, Translation and Purport:

The luster of the transcendental body of the Lord mocked the beauty of the coral mountain. The coral mountain is very beautifully dressed by the evening sky, but the yellow dress of the Lord mocked its beauty. There is gold on the summit of the mountain, but the Lord's helmet, bedecked with jewels, mocked it. The mountain's waterfalls, herbs, etc., with a panorama of flowers, seem like garlands, but the Lord's gigantic body, and His hands and legs, decorated with jewels, pearls, tulasī leaves and flower garlands, mocked the scene on the mountain.

The panoramic beauty of nature, which strikes one with wonder, may be taken as a perverted reflection of the transcendental body of the Lord. One who is therefore attracted by the beauty of the Lord is no longer attracted by the beauty of material nature, although he does not minimize its beauty. In Bhagavad-gītā (2.59) it is described that one who is attracted by param, the Supreme, is no longer attracted by anything inferior.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.1.18, Translation:

In that mountain valley flows a river named Nirvindhyā. On the bank of the river are many aśoka trees and other plants full of palāśa flowers, and there is always the sweet sound of water flowing from a waterfall. The husband and wife reached that beautiful place.

SB 4.6.11, Translation:

There are many waterfalls, and in the mountains there are many beautiful caves in which the very beautiful wives of the mystics are found.

SB 4.6.13, Translation:

There are tall trees with straight branches that appear to call the sweet birds, and when herds of elephants pass through the hills, it appears that the Kailāsa Hill moves with them. When the waterfalls resound, it appears that Kailāsa Hill does also.

SB 4.25.18, Translation and Purport:

The branches of the trees standing on the bank of the lake received particles of water carried by the spring air from the falls coming down from the icy mountain.

In this verse the word hima-nirjhara is particularly significant. The waterfall represents a kind of liquid humor or rasa (relationship). In the body there are different types of humor, rasa or mellow. The supreme mellow (relationship) is called the sexual mellow (ādi-rasa). When this ādi-rasa, or sex desire, comes in contact with the spring air moved by Cupid, it becomes agitated. In other words, all these are representations of rūpa, rasa, gandha, śabda and sparśa. The wind is sparśa, or touch. The waterfall is rasa, or taste. The spring air (kusumākara) is smell. All these varieties of enjoyment make life very pleasing, and thus we become captivated by material existence.

SB Canto 5

SB 5.16.17, Translation:

When all those solid fruits fall from such a height, they break, and the sweet, fragrant juice within them flows out and becomes increasingly more fragrant as it mixes with other scents. That juice cascades from the mountain in waterfalls and becomes a river called Aruṇodā, which flows pleasantly through the eastern side of Ilāvṛta.

SB 5.16.19, Purport:

We can only imagine how much juice there might be in a fruit that is the size of an elephant but has a very tiny seed. Naturally the juice from the broken jambū fruits forms waterfalls and floods the entire land of Ilāvṛta. That juice produces an immense quantity of gold, as will be explained in the next verses.

SB Canto 8

SB 8.2.2-3, Translation:

The length and breadth of the mountain are of the same measurement (eighty thousand miles). Its three principal peaks, which are made of iron, silver and gold, beautify all directions and the sky. The mountain also has other peaks, which are full of jewels and minerals and are decorated with nice trees, creepers and shrubs. The sounds of the waterfalls on the mountain create a pleasing vibration. In this way the mountain stands, increasing the beauty of all directions.

SB 8.10.25, Translation and Purport:

Sitting on Airāvata, an elephant who can go anywhere and who holds water and wine in reserve for showering, Lord Indra looked just like the sun rising from Udayagiri, where there are reservoirs of water.

On the top of the mountain called Udayagiri are large lakes from which water continuously pours in waterfalls. Similarly, Indra's carrier, Airāvata, holds water and wine in reserve and showers it in the direction of Lord Indra. Thus Indra, King of heaven, sitting on the back of Airāvata, appeared like the brilliant sun rising above Udayagiri.

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

SB 10.12.7-11, Translation:

All the boys would be differently engaged. Some boys blew their flutes, and others blew bugles made of horn. Some imitated the buzzing of the bumblebees, and others imitated the voice of the cuckoo. Some boys imitated flying birds by running after the birds' shadows on the ground, some imitated the beautiful movements and attractive postures of the swans, some sat down with the ducks, sitting silently, and others imitated the dancing of the peacocks. Some boys attracted young monkeys in the trees, some jumped into the trees, imitating the monkeys, some made faces as the monkeys were accustomed to do, and others jumped from one branch to another. Some boys went to the waterfalls and crossed over the river, jumping with the frogs, and when they saw their own reflections on the water they would laugh. They would also condemn the sounds of their own echoes. In this way, all the cowherd boys used to play with Kṛṣṇa, who is the source of the Brahman effulgence for jñānīs desiring to merge into that effulgence, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead for devotees who have accepted eternal servitorship, and who for ordinary persons is but another ordinary child. The cowherd boys, having accumulated the results of pious activities for many lives, were able to associate in this way with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. How can one explain their great fortune?

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 10.18.4, Translation:

In Vṛndāvana, the loud sound of waterfalls covered the crickets' noise, and clusters of trees constantly moistened by spray from those waterfalls beautified the entire area.

SB 10.20.27, Translation:

The Lord saw the joyful aborigine girls of the forest, the trees dripping sweet sap, and the mountain waterfalls, whose resounding indicated that there were caves nearby.

SB 12.8.18-20, Translation:

Groves of pious trees decorated the holy āśrama of Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi, and many saintly brāhmaṇas lived there, enjoying the abundant pure, sacred ponds. The āśrama resounded with the buzzing of intoxicated bees and the cooing of excited cuckoos, while jubilant peacocks danced about. Indeed, many families of maddened birds crowded that hermitage. The springtime breeze sent by Lord Indra entered there, carrying cooling drops of spray from nearby waterfalls. Fragrant from the embrace of forest flowers, that breeze entered the hermitage and began evoking the lusty spirit of Cupid.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 17.66, Translation:

The Lord used to bathe three times a day in the warm water of the waterfalls. He also used to heat Himself morning and evening with a fire made with the limitless wood.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 18:

The inhabitants of Vṛndāvana were never disturbed by the scorching heat of the sun or the high summer temperatures. The lakes of Vṛndāvana are surrounded by green grasses, and various kinds of lotus flowers bloom there, such as the kahlāra, kañja and utpala, and the air blowing in Vṛndāvana carries the aromatic pollen of those lotus flowers. When the particles of water from the waves of the Yamunā, the lakes and the waterfalls touched the bodies of the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, they automatically felt a cooling effect. Therefore they were practically undisturbed by the summer season.

Krsna Book 20:

Vṛndāvana forest improved from the rains and was replete with ripened dates, mangoes, blackberries and other fruits. Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, along with His boyfriends and Lord Balarāma, entered the forest to enjoy the new seasonal atmosphere. The cows, being fed by new grasses, became very healthy, and their milk bags were all very full. When Lord Kṛṣṇa called them by name, they immediately came to Him out of affection, and in their joyful condition the milk flowed from their bags. Lord Kṛṣṇa was very much pleased when passing through the Vṛndāvana forest by the site of Govardhana Hill. On the bank of the Yamunā He saw all the trees decorated with beehives pouring honey. There were many waterfalls on Govardhana Hill, and their flowing made a nice sound. Kṛṣṇa heard them as He looked into the caves of the hill. When the rainy season was not ended completely but was gradually turning to autumn, sometimes, especially when there was rainfall within the forest, Kṛṣṇa and His companions would sit under a tree or within the caves of Govardhana Hill and enjoy eating the ripened fruits and talking with great pleasure.

Light of the Bhagavata

Light of the Bhagavata 24, Translation:

When the Lord entered the forest of Vṛndāvana, all the inhabitants of the forest, both animate and inanimate, were eager to receive Him. He saw that the flowers of the forest, all fully blossoming, were weeping in ecstasy, honey flowing down their petals. The waterfalls on the hilly rocks were gladly flowing, and one could hear sweet sounds from the caves nearby.

Light of the Bhagavata 24, Purport:

Flowers, waterfalls, trees, fruits, hills, caves, birds, beasts, and human beings are nothing but combinations of God's energy. Therefore when the Personality of Godhead appeared before them they all became spiritually inclined, and by natural affection they wanted to serve the Almighty in various capacities.

Light of the Bhagavata 33, Translation:

There are waterfalls flowing from the hills of the forest, but sometimes water does not flow from them. So the waterfalls are not like ordinary rainfall. They are compared to great reformers, who speak or do not speak, as the time requires.

Light of the Bhagavata 33, Purport:

There are two different kinds of religious preachers. One of them is called the professional preacher, and the other is called the ācārya. The professional preachers are like the rainfall from the sky, but the ācāryas are like waterfalls. The professional traders in Bhāgavatam and Rāmāyaṇa will speak from the portion of the scripture that will appeal to the mundane senses of the audience. For example, the professional Bhāgavatam reciter will generally speak on the subject of rāsa-līlā, which appears to the layman to be something like the dealings of ordinary men and women. Thus the professional reciters earn money from their so-called admirers. But an ācārya will never speak on rāsa-līlā to the general mass of people. The rāsa-līlā chapters of the Bhāgavatam are the most confidential part of the scripture, and they are meant for advanced students of spiritual realization. In the Bhāgavatam there are twelve cantos, and the rāsa-līlā is in the tenth. So before one comes to the Tenth Canto, the Bhāgavatam tries to convince him of the transcendental nature of the Absolute Truth. Unless one has grasped the spiritual status of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one is sure to accept Him as an ordinary man and thereby commit offenses at His lotus feet by so many unwanted activities.

Light of the Bhagavata 33, Purport:

The ācārya is he who knows the scriptures well and teaches his disciples in terms of the disciple's capacity to understand and advance in spiritual realization. Therefore he sometimes speaks and sometimes does not speak. The holy messages of Godhead have to be received from the realized soul, and not from the professional man. Although rainwater and the waterfalls are the same, the water from the waterfalls has a different effect than ordinary rainwater. One should not accept messages from the professional men, as one should not accept milk touched by the tongue of a serpent. Milk is good, but as soon as it is touched by the snake it becomes poisonous. The ācārya, therefore, is not a mercenary order-supplier like the professional reciter of scriptures.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.10.3-4 -- Tehran, March 13, 1975:

In the Kali-yuga other yajñas are very difficult to perform. There is no money. There is no qualified brāhmaṇa. Therefore this yajña... Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32). Those who have got brain substance, not cow dung, they will take this process, yajñaiḥ. Let everyone chant Hare Kṛṣṇa home to home. Whatever they have got, all right. Just begin chanting. Just see what happens. We are trying to introduce this chanting. But the rascals will not take it. What can be done? There is no loss if they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa worldwide. Where is the loss? But still, they will not. And everything can be had. Sarva-kāma-dughā mahī. Mahī. Kṛṣṇa, He is... The mother... Kṛṣṇa, how He has arranged this mahī? Everything is coming. Actually you will find that the rose flower is coming, the mine is coming, the gold is coming, the coal is coming, the petrol is coming. Everything is there in the mahī. And who has arranged it? Just see. Sarva-kāma-dughā mahī. And if there is regular waterfall, then you get everything supply. And by performing yajña, you get regular waterfall, rainfall. And in this age all other types of yajña is not possible.

Lecture on SB 1.10.4 -- London, November 25, 1973:

Pradyumna: Parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ.

Prabhupāda: And parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. Parjanya means if there is waterfall, rainfall, then you can produce anna. Parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. One after another. You require foodgrains, and for producing foodgrains, you require sufficient rainfall. Parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. Then?

Pradyumna: Yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ.

Prabhupāda: Yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ (BG 3.14). And the the rain supply be regular if you perform sacrifice. Therefore, what is that next?

Pradyumna: Yajñād bhavati parjanyo yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ (BG 3.14).

Prabhupāda: Ah, yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ. Yajña, karma. Karma means, according to the varṇāśrama, brāhmaṇa should work according to his own position. They will chant Vedic mantra. That is also one karma, activity. They must understand what is Vedas; they must explain. That is brāhmaṇa's business. And kṣatriya's business, karma... This is called kṣātraṁ karma svabhāva-jam.

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- Los Angeles, June 26, 1975:

So if we want to know, everything is there; but to understand, that will require a separate brain. That is recommended here. You create your brain. Tapasā, first of all austerity. You cannot create your brain by doing nonsense things. That is not possible. You have to control: śamena damena, tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). These are the process to create a brain to understand God. Otherwise it is useless. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). It is simply laboring for nothing. So this is the recommended, that treatment. That is also not sufficient. In the last, Śukadeva gives an hint that "This kind of purification, by tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13), is like veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ." Veṇu-gulma, veṇu-gulma means the dried creepers and grass. You can set fire. In India or here also—I have seen in London—they set fire, and all the dried creepers and grass become... But what is the purpose of saying veṇu-gulman ivānalaḥ? Veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ means that superficially we see that now it is burnt into ashes, but the root remains there. As soon as there will be rain, waterfall, they will come out again. So the whole process is how to become detached from this material world. So this, even if you practice this tapasya, it is not completely able to finish these attachments. Therefore it is said, veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- June 22, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: And the land for farming?

Jayatīrtha: Yes, at least half the land is good for farming. It's level and there's a good water supply.

Prabhupāda: There is some river?

Jayatīrtha: No, there's no river, but there's a...

Prabhupāda: Waterfall?

Jayatīrtha: ...pond there.

Prabhupāda: Oh. (break)

Jayatīrtha: ...fifty devotees in Paris now. So that temple there is very crowded. Impossible.

Prabhupāda: So, why not some of them moved?

Jayatīrtha: Yes, that's their plan. (break) ...enough for several hundred devotees very easily. (break) They're letting us through in the mornings for nothing now, I think, unless this man is going to nip us. (break)

Prabhupāda: Why?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He was in maṅgala āratik. I don't know where he is now. (break)

Prabhupāda: Brahmānanda is not come? Nobody knows why? (break)

Devotees: He was in maṅgala āratik.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He was not dancing very much, though. So maybe he was not... (break)

Rādhā-ballabha: Here comes Brahmānanda.

Prabhupāda: How he comes? (laughing) He is running. Oh, another car?

Bahulāśva: Yes.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- July 4, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Nonphysical... Just like axiomatic truth point has no length, no breadth, but it has length and breadth. You cannot measure it.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: But does this not imply—one ten-thousandth the size—does that not imply measurement, that it can be measured?

Prabhupāda: Yes, measurement, measurement is there. This is closed?

Vipina: Yes, this is the service road, but up here is a very nice way to look at the waterfall. (break)

Prabhupāda:

keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya

śatadhā kalpitasya ca

bhāgo jīvaḥ sa vijñeyaḥ

sa cānantyāya kalpate

(CC Madhya 19.140)

In the microbe there is soul. If it is not so small, how in the microbe there can be soul?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, it is small.

Prabhupāda: This is the falls?

Devotee: Yes.

Morning Walk -- July 4, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Vipina: Manmade waterfalls.

Prabhupāda: Manmade?

Rūpānuga: This is the dam part. The other part, this is manmade dam here. There's other parts where it flows freely.

Prabhupāda: Airplanes. (laughter)

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Little flies.

Prabhupāda: They can manufacture airplanes like this with pilot.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: But they can manufacture bigger ones.

Prabhupāda: That's all right, do it.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: What will be the technique to attract the Bengali educational class? To attract the Bengalis who are educated, what technique will be most effective?

Prabhupāda: This kīrtana and prasāda distribution.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Second Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 24, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So make arrangement.

Mr. Dwivedi: And very near about there are beautiful places. Mahārāja will be able to enjoy them only from below, but we have a Kedara Sakti, a beautiful cave temple.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Mr. Dwivedi: And round about the whole year from the mountain water flows back, water drizzles over a banyan tree and then inside into the mountain...

Prabhupāda: It is waterfall.

Mr. Dwivedi: Waterfall. The waterfall is different. This water drizzles from the mountain. Waterfall is five miles away, so I do not count it. They say 150 feet or so, waterfall.

Prabhupāda: How far it is, waterfall?

Mr. Dwivedi: Waterfall is about four or five miles away from our buildings.

Prabhupāda: Oh, that's nothing.

Mr. Dwivedi: But this is...

Prabhupāda: Very good atmosphere.