Text 51
dharma-gub dharma-kṛd dharmī sad asat kṣaram akṣaram |
avijñātā sahasrāṁśur vidhātā kṛta-lakṣaṇaḥ
Lord Kṛṣṇa protects the religious principles taught in the Vedas (dharma-gup). He teaches the principles of religion for the welfare of all living entities (dharma- kṛt).
Strictly following religious principles, He sets the perfect example for everyone (dharmī). He exists eternally in past, present, and future (sat). And He is always free from lamentation and death (asat).
His lotus feet are the supreme object of worship for all living entities, and He protects the devotees from the demons (kṣaram).
He is the sacred syllable oṁ (akṣaram). He excuses the offenses of those who take shelter of Him (avijñātā). He is omniscient (sahasrāṁśu).
He forgives the offenses of the surrendered souls (vidhātā), and He reveals His original form to the most exalted devotees (kṛta-lakṣaṇa).
Note:
Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa quotes the following scriptural explanations of some of the names in this verse.
The name dharma-gup is explained by the Lord Himself in the Bhāgavad-gītā (4.8):
dharmasaṁsthāpanārthāya
saṁbhavāmi yuge yuge ||
"In order to re-establish the principles of religion,
I appear millennium after millennium."
The name dharma-kṛt is also explained in the Bhāgavad-gītā (3.22) in Lord Kṛṣṇa's own words:
na me parthāsti kartavyam
triṣu lokeṣu kiñcana
nānavāptam avāptavyam
varta eva ca karmaṇi
"O son of Pritha, there is no work prescribed for Me
within all the three planetary systems.
Nor am I in want of anything, nor have I need to obtain anything
- and yet I am engaged in work."
The Smṛti-śāstra explains the name sat:
sad eva saumyaḥ
"Śrīman Nārāyaṇa is eternal"
The name akṣaram is described in the Śruti-śāstra:
om ity ātmānam dhyāyatha
"Please meditate on Śrīman Nārāyaṇa,
who is manifested in the sacred syllable oṁ"
The name avijñātā is explained by Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Bhāgavad-gītā (9.30):
api cetsudurācāro bhajate māmananyabhāk |
sādhureva sa mantavyaḥ samyagvyavasito hi saḥ ||
"Even if one commits the most abominable actions,
if he is engaged in devotional service,
he is to be considered saintly,
because he is properly situated."
The name vidhātā is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:
sva-pāda-mūlam bhajataḥ priyasya
tyaktānya-bhāvasya-hariḥ pareśaḥ
vikarma yac cotpatitam kathañcid
dhunoti sarvam hṛdi sanniviṣṭāḥ
"Pure devotees give up everything
to exclusively worship the lotus feet of the Lord,
and thus they become very dear to Him.
Lord Hari personally appears within the hearts of such devotees,
and cleanses away all the reactions of fruitive activities for them."
Text 52
gabhasti-nemiḥ sattva-sthaḥ siṁhō bhūta-maheśvaraḥ |
ādi-devō mahā-devō deveśō deva-bhṛd guruḥ
Lord Kṛṣṇa holds the effulgent Sudarśana-cakra to protect the devotees from the messengers of Yamarāja (gabhasti-nemi), and He remains always situated in the hearts of the pure devotees (sattva-stha).
He appears like a ferocious lion to protect the devotees from any Yamadūta who attempts to take them into custody (Simha), and He is the absolute monarch who completely controls Yamarāja and his followers (bhūta-maheśvara).
He is the original spiritual master, the teacher of Yamarāja and His followers (ādi-deva). He relishes the pastimes He performs with His devotees, and He yearns to crush whoever would harm His devotees (Mahādeva).
He relishes the pastimes of childhood play performed with His cowherd-boy friends, and He forgives any offenses they may commit in the course of their playing (deveśa).
He is the teacher and maintainer of Brahma, Śiva and all devas (deva-bhṛd guru).
Note:
Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa quotes the explanation of the name Mahādeva found in the Smṛti-śāstra:
bālaḥ krīḍanakair yāvat
krīḍate 'smābhir acyutaḥ
"The infallible Personality of Godhead
accepted the cowherd boys of Vraja as His playmates,
and enjoyed His childhood pastimes in their company."
Text 53
uttarō gōpatir gōptā jñāna-gamyaḥ purātanaḥ |
śarīra-bhūta-bhṛd bhōktā kapīndrō bhūri-dakṣiṇaḥ
Because Lord Kṛṣṇa possesses unlimited wonderful potencies, He is the best of persons (Uttarā).
The sun-god Surya considers Lord Kṛṣṇa His supreme master (gopati), Lord Kṛṣṇa is the protector of all living entities (goptā), and He is understood by spiritual enlightenment (jñāna Gamyā).
He has expanded Himself as the Super-soul in the bodies of all conditioned souls, and He is the oldest persons (purātana).
The transcendental abode of Vṛndāvana is a manifestation of His own transcendental form (śarīra-bhūta-bhṛt), and He eternally relishes transcendental pastimes in that land of Vṛndāvana (Bhoktā). He is the master of the monkeys of Vṛndāvana, who participate in His boyhood pastimes (kapīndra).
On the celebration of His birthday He gave abundant charity to the brāhmaṇas (bhūri-dakṣiṇā).
Note:
Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa and Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Thākura explain that the name jñāna-gamya implies that merely by performing the pious fruitive activities enjoined in the Vedas for elevation to heavenly planets, one will never be able to understand the actual truth about Kṛṣṇa.
The name śarīra-bhūta-bhṛt is described by Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Smṛti-śāstra in the following way:
pañca-yojanam evāsti
vanam me deha-rūpakam
"The land of Vṛndāvana, which extends for five yojanas,
is a manifestation of My own transcendental form."
Text 54
sōmapōmṛtapaḥ sōmaḥ purujit puru-sattamaḥ |
vinayō jayaḥ satya-sandhō dāśārhah sātvatāṁ patiḥ
Lord Kṛṣṇa protects deva Śiva (somapa), and He protects all the other devas as well (amṛtapa).
Lord Kṛṣṇa is very famous and handsome, and He is like a transcendental moon shining over Gokula (soma). He is very powerful and defeats all His enemies (purujit).
He is the best of all living entities (puru-sattama). He is respectfully served by the Yadus, and He responds by humbly rendering similar service to them (vinaya).
Defeated by the affection the Yadus bear for Him, He has become controlled by them (jaya). He promises to always protect His devotees (satya-sandha).
He has descended from King Dāśārha, and He is the most valuable thing in existence (dāśārha).
He is the protector of the Yadus, and the lord and master of the great souls who preach the truth about Him for the benefit of the conditioned souls (sātvatāṁ patiḥ).
Note:
Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa quotes the explanation of the name dāśārha found in the Smṛti-śāstra:
ataḥ patrataraḥ ko 'nyas
triṣu lokeṣu vidyate
Kṛṣṇāt kamala-patrākṣād
devadevāj janārdanāt
“Within the entire expanse of the three planetary systems,
what treasure is more valuable than lotus-petal-eyed Lord Kṛṣṇa,
who is the master of devas and the protector of the devotees?”
Text 55
jīvō vinayitā sākṣī mukundōmita-vikramaḥ |
ambhō-nidhir anantātmā mahōdadhi-śayōntakaḥ
By giving them the nectar of His association, Lord Kṛṣṇa brings to life the devotees distressed by His absence (jīva).
He protects His devotees as if they were His own children (vinayitā), and He is perfectly aware of How they are distressed by not being able to associate with Him directly (Sākṣi).
His smiling face is as beautiful as a kunda flower (Mukuṇḍa), and He uses His unlimited prowess to protect His devotees (amita-vikramā).
From Him the Garbhodaka Ocean has emanated (ambha-nidhi), and He takes rest, reclining on a couch that is the serpent Ananta deva (anantātmā).
He peacefully reclines on Ananta-nāga even when there is a great inundation at the time of universal destruction (mahodadhi-śaya), and even at this time, He is splendidly handsome (antaka).
Text 56
ajō mahārhaḥ svābhāvyō jitāmitraḥ pramōdanaḥ |
ānandō nandanō nandaḥ satya-dharmā trivikramaḥ
Lord Kṛṣṇa appears to take birth within this material world, although He is unborn (ajā).
He is the supreme object of worship (mahārha), and the devotees meditate on Him as Śrīman Nārāyaṇa (svābhāvya).
He easily defeats lust, anger and all other enemies of His devotees (jitāmitrā), and He makes His pure devotees jubilant, their eyes filled with tears of joy (pramodana, ānanda, nandana, and nanda).
His transcendental form is eternal (satya-dharma), and He is the supreme goal described in the three Vedas (tri-vikramā).
Note:
Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa explains that the names in this verse refer to the Lord's incarnation as Kapila Muni, the son of Kardama and Devahūtī.
Text 57
maharṣiḥ kapilācāryaḥ kṛtajñō medinī-patiḥ |
tri-padas tri-daśādhyakṣō mahā-śṛṅgaḥ kṛtānta-kṛt
Lord Kṛṣṇa is the greatest philosopher, and the greatest scholar of Vedic knowledge (Mahāṛṣi), and His complexion is sometimes manifest as reddish- brown (Kapilā).
He is the original teacher of pure spiritual knowledge (ācārya), and He was fully aware of the pious deeds performed by Maharaja Bhagīratha (kṛtajña).
He is the Lord and maintainer of the earth-planet (medinī-pati), and He is manifest as the sacred syllable Auṁ, which consists of the three letters A, U, and Ṁ (tri-pāda).
He is the friend of devas, and He rescues them in times of calamity (tri-daśādhyakṣa).
As Lord Varaha, He carries the earth on His great tusks (mahā-śṛṅgā), and when He killed the demon Hiraṇyākṣa He was formidable as eternal time (kṛtānta-kṛt).
Note:
Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa explains that the names of Lord Kapila end with kṛtajña, and the names of Lord Varaha begin with medinī-pati.
Text 58
mahā-varāhō gōvindaḥ suṣeṇaḥ kanakāṅgadī |
guhyō gabhīrō gahanō guptaś cakra-gadādharaḥ
Lord Varaha manifested the form of a gigantic boar, as large as a great mountain (mahā-varāha), and He found the Earth at the bottom of the Rasātala Ocean and rescued it (Govinda).
He is accompanied by a splendid and invincible army (suṣeṇa), and He is decorated with golden armlets, crown, and ornaments (kanakāṅgadī).
It is very difficult to know the truth of His eternal transcendental form (guhyā), and He is very difficult to approach or understand (gabhīra and gahana).
He protects the devotees with His transcendental potencies (gupta), and He carries the Sudarśana-cakra and Kaumodakī club (cakra- gadādhara).
Note:
The name Govinda may also be interpreted to mean
"He who gives pleasure to the cows, land, and senses."
Text 59
vedhāḥ svāṅgo’jitaḥ kṛṣṇo dṛḍhaḥ saṅkarṣaṇo ’cyutaḥ |
varuṇo vāruṇo vṛkṣaḥ puṣkarākṣo mahā-manāḥ
Lord Kṛṣṇa appointed the various devas and gave them their respective duties (vedhāḥ), and He is the original teacher of Vedic knowledge (svāṅga).
He is invincible (ajita), and His complexion is dark like a blue lotus flower (Kṛṣṇa). He is extremely powerful (dṛḍha), and He defeated the demon Hiraṇyākṣa (Sankarṣaṇa). He is infallible (Acyuta), and He may be attained only by those whom He chooses (Varuṇa).
He always remains near His devotees (Varuṇa), He accepted the goddess Bhūmi as His wife (Vṛkṣa), He entered the waters of the Garbhodaka Ocean to rescue the Earth, and He sees everything (Puṣkarākṣa).
He grants liberation to his devotees (mahā-manāḥ).
Note:
Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa quotes the explanation of the name Varuṇa found in the Upaniṣads:
yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyaḥ
"Śrīman Nārāyaṇa
may be attained only by those whom He chooses."
Text 60
bhagavān bhagahā nandī vana-mālī halāyudhaḥ |
ādityō jyōtir-ādityaḥ sahiṣṇur gati-sattamaḥ
Lord Kṛṣṇa possesses all wealth, strength, fame, knowledge, beauty and renunciation (bhagavān), and He kills the sinful (bhagahā). He is the dear son of Nanda Maharaja (nandī), and He wears a garland of forest flowers given to Him by His friends (vana-mālī).
His immediate expansion is Lord Balarāma, who holds a club (halāyudha), and He also appeared as Lord Vāmana, the son of Āditi (Āditya).
He is as splendid as the sun, they who remember Him become like devas, and His splendour is brighter than thousands of devas (jyotir-āditya).
He is very tolerant, and forgives the offenses of those who take shelter of Him (sahiṣṇu). He gives the most valuable spiritual destination to them who take shelter of Him (gati- sattama).
Note:
Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa quotes the following explanation of the name Bhagavān, found in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa (6.5.72—75,79):
śuddhe mahā-vibhūty-ākhye
para-brahmaṇi śabdate
maitreya bhagavac-chabdaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇe
"O Maitreya, the word Bhagavān
may be defined as a name of the Supreme Brahman,
who is pure, free from all material contamination,
full of unlimited powers and opulences,
and the original cause of all causes."
sambharteti tathā bhartā
bha-kārārtho dvayānvitaḥ
netā gamayitā sraṣṭā
ga-kārārthas tathā mune
"O sage, in the word Bhagavān,
the syllable bha stands for the word bhartā,
which means the maintainer of everything,
or the shelter upon whom everything rests,
and the syllable ga stands for gamayitā, the leader of everyone,
or the creator and annihilator of the entire cosmic manifestation."
aiśvaryasya samagrasya
vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ
jñāna-vairāgyayoś cāpi
saṇṇāṁ bhaga itīṅganā
"The name Bhagavān stands for that Supreme Person
who is full in the six opulences (bhāga)
of all wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation."
vasanti tatra bhūtāni
bhūtātmany akhilātmani
sa ca bhūteṣv aśeṣeṣu
va-kārārthas tato 'vyayaḥ
"In the word Bhagavān,
the syllable va stands for the verb vas (to reside),
because He is Śrīman Nārāyaṇa
in whom the entire creation rests,
and also because He is the Super-soul,
who remains in the hearts of all conditioned souls.
The syllable va also stands for the word avyayaḥ (unchanging),
which indicates that the Supreme Person is eternally the same."
jñāna-śakti-balaiśvarya-
vīrya-tejāmsy aśeṣataḥ
bhagavac-chabda-vācyāni
vinā heyair guṇādibhiḥ
"In this way the name Bhagavān means that person
who possesses all strength, knowledge, beauty,
fame, wealth and renunciation, and all other auspicious qualities,
and is also completely free from any fault or defect."