FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.32.14

तत्रोपविष्टो भगवान् स ईश्वरो योगेश्वरान्तर्हृदि कल्पितासन: । चकास गोपीपरिषद्गतोऽर्चित- स्त्रैलोक्यलक्ष्म्येकपदं वपुर्दधत् ॥ १४ ॥
tatropaviṣṭo bhagavān sa īśvaro
[tatropavishto bhagavaan sa eeshvaro]
yogeśvarāntar-hṛdi kalpitāsanaḥ
[yogeshvaraantar-hridi kalpitaasanah]
cakāsa gopī-pariṣad-gato ’rcitas
[chakaasa gopee-parishad-gato ’rchitas]
trailokya-lakṣmy-eka-padaṁ vapur dadhat
[trailokya-lakshmy-eka-padam vapur dadhat]
tatra — there upaviṣṭaḥ — seated bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead saḥ — He īśvaraḥ — the ultimate controller yoga - īśvara — of the masters of mystic meditation antaḥ — within hṛdi — the hearts kalpita — arranged āsanaḥ — His seat cakāsa — He appeared resplendent gopī - pariṣat — in the assembly of the gopīs gataḥ — present arcitaḥ — worshiped trai - lokya — of the three worlds lakṣmī — of the beauty and other opulences eka — the exclusive padam — reservoir vapuḥ — His transcendental, personal form dadhat — exhibiting .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tatropaviṣṭo bhagavān sa īśvaro
tatra
there
upaviṣṭaḥ
seated
bhagavān
the Supreme Personality of Godhead
saḥ
He
īśvaraḥ
the ultimate controller
yogeśvarāntar-hṛdi kalpitāsanaḥ
yoga - īśvara
of the masters of mystic meditation
antaḥ
within
hṛdi
the hearts
kalpita
arranged
āsanaḥ
His seat
cakāsa gopī-pariṣad-gato ’rcitas
cakāsa
He appeared resplendent
gopī - pariṣat
in the assembly of the gopīs
gataḥ
present
arcitaḥ
worshiped
trailokya-lakṣmy-eka-padaṁ vapur dadhat
trai - lokya
of the three worlds
lakṣmī
of the beauty and other opulences
eka
the exclusive
padam
reservoir
vapuḥ
His transcendental, personal form
dadhat
exhibiting .
  • īśvaraḥ — the ultimate controller
    From √īś — to rule. Īśvara in Bhāgavata names Bhagavān as the controller of all controllers. Specifically used here to mark that Kṛṣṇa seated among gopīs has not relinquished His sovereignty — He chooses the seat; He is not subordinated to the scene.
  • yoga - īśvara — of the masters of mystic meditation
    Compound: yoga + īśvara. The yogeśvaras are the great yogīs — Patañjali, Kapila, the eight-limbed-yoga adepts. Bhāgavata routinely contrasts what they reach by discipline with what Vraja-vāsīs reach by love. This verse is one of the cleanest such contrasts.
  • antaḥ - hṛdi — within the hearts
    Compound: antaḥ (within) + hṛd (heart). The hṛd-antaḥkaraṇa is the locus of dhyāna-yoga. That Kṛṣṇa is also enthroned externally in Vraja, on a real shawl, on real sand — this is acintya-bhedābheda made concrete: the same Person, interior and exterior at once.
  • gopī - pariṣat — in the assembly of the gopīs
    Compound: gopī + pariṣad (assembly, council). Pariṣad has the formal connotation of a deliberative council. Calling the gopīs a pariṣad ennobles them — they are not a casual group but Kṛṣṇa's eternal court, the rāsa-maṇḍala's permanent membership.
  • trai - lokya - lakṣmī — of the beauty of the three worlds
    Compound: trailokya (three worlds) + lakṣmī (beauty, fortune). Kṛṣṇa's vapus is the eka-padam (sole reservoir) of all that the three worlds call beautiful. Gauḍīya aesthetics: there is no beauty anywhere that is not derived from Him.
Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for whom the great masters of mystic meditation arrange a seat within their hearts, took His seat in the assembly of gopīs. His transcendental body, the exclusive abode of beauty and opulence within the three worlds, shone brilliantly as the gopīs worshiped Him.

The masters of mystic meditation include Lord Śiva, Ananta Śeṣa and other exalted personalities, all of whom keep the Lord seated within the lotus of their hearts. This same Lord, conquered by the intense, selfless love of the gopīs, agreed to become their boyfriend and dance with them in Vṛndāvana, after sitting upon their fragrant shawls on the bank of the Yamunā River.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for whom the great masters of mystic meditation arrange a seat within their hearts, took His seat in the assembly of gopīs. His transcendental body, the exclusive abode of beauty and opulence within the three worlds, shone brilliantly as the gopīs worshiped Him.
Commentary

Krsna sat upon his asana laid out by the successive groups of gopis. How could Krsna sit upon so many cloths with only one body? Because he is the controller (isvara) he expanded him form into many without anyone noticing, in order to fulfill his desires (bhagavan). Bhaga means desire (kama) as well as wealth and glory according to the Amara Kosa. Bhagavan therefore means one who possesses desires. As soon as his aisvarya sakti (isvasra) noted his desire to sit on all the asanas, these forms were manifested by the yoga maya potency. The indestructible, most valued sitting place of the Lord, is difficult to attain by anyone in the three worlds, and is established in the hearts of Sesa and Siva by their meditation. But the gopis arranged his asana from their used garments, perfumed by scents they had enjoyed. And Krsna accepted that asana, and appeared brilliant as he sat on it. He who is svayam bhagavan, who appears only by the praises of Brahma, Siva and others on the bank of the milk ocean, and who for a few seconds makes his appearance in their hearts, of his own accord, now came, uncalled for, and appeared as a companion to the gopis (gopi parisad gata). There are two readings of this verse. One has the word arcita. Krsna was respected or worshipped by offering of tambula, smiles, joking, and glances. If the word acyuta is used, it means he sat there for a long time accepting worship. Why did he appearing among the gopis? He whose body is the only shelter of all opulence up to his own infinite expansions in all the lower, middle and upper regions of the material and spiritual worlds (trailokya laksmi ekapadam vapur dadhat) was nourished by immersion in the sweet ocean of the gopis beauty, soft smiles, and glances. Another meaning is as follows. Krsna was seated there on the bank of the Yamuna on such asanas. At that time, Krsna ,with his extraordinary sitting arrangement, shining among the gopis with his extraordinary beauty, and worshipped by the them with extraordinary love, was brought into the hearts of Siva and others, by their meditation (yogesvara antar hrdi kalpita asanah) (He became the object of meditation of Siva and others from that time.)

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Kṛṣṇa, like the moon, increasing the ocean of prema-rasa, though endowed with the six powers as Bhagavān and though capable of revealing these powers continually in ever more astonishing ways (īśvaraḥ), sitting on that seat, revealed impossible beauty (cakāśa). But he was not available anywhere else. The masters of yoga like Śiva, perfect in samādhi, only establish a seat for him using intense concentration in the heart, or they just imagine a seat for him in their hearts. But he took his seat here personally with the gopīs after the gopīs made a seat of cloth. This shows the greatness of the gopīs’ relationship with Kṛṣṇa. The uniqueness of that relationship is described in the rest of the verse. Or, because of entering among the gopīs and sitting, the masters of yoga were able to imagine a seat for him in their hearts. He was respected by offerings of seat, betel nut, jokes and smiling glances. How did he reveal his beauty? He revealed (dadhat) in front of them a manifestation (vapuḥ) which gives exclusive shelter to the wealth of all types of beauty of all objects existing until his appearance in all the three worlds and even Mahā-vaikuṇṭha. This beauty will be explained later: gopyas tapaḥ kim acaran yad amuṣya rūpaṁ lāvaṇya-sāram asamordhvam ananya-siddham dṛgbhiḥ pibanty anusavābhinavaṁ durāpam ekānta-dhāma yaśasaḥ śrīya aiśvarasya What austerities must the gopīs have performed! With their eyes they always drink the nectar of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s form, which is the essence of loveliness and is not to be equaled or surpassed. That loveliness is the only abode of beauty, fame and opulence. It is self-perfect, ever fresh and extremely rare. SB 10.44.14

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Though he is supremely independent (īśvaraḥ), endowed with all powers (bhagavān), the crest jewel of rasikas, who increases the ocean of sweet prema, Kṛṣṇa, sat on the seat and shone. Or revealing his essential qualities as Bhagavān, endowed with all śaktis (īśvaraḥ), he sat on each of the seats individually to satisfy each gopī and himself, while others could not see. In samādhi sages like the Kumāras (yogeśvara) with great effort make jeweled seats for him to sit on during mental worship while concentrating fully in their hearts. Or they offer him a seat by saying “āsanam kalpayāmi” during worship. It is hinted that he does not accept these seats. He shone. Another reason is given. He was in the center surrounded by the assembly of seated gopīs. This indicates his lordship. He had been respected by them by their offering him seats. Or they worshipped him by jokes, glances, and offerings of betel nut. Though the Lord’s body is always the shelter of all wealth in the three worlds, now it took on an excellent like never before. This shows the nature of his shining.

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Udyama (Industriousness / Effort)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)
Related verses
Kṛṣṇa, whom yogīs install in the lotus of their hearts, sits down among the gopīs — the abode of all beauty and opulence — and is worshiped by them. The Lord who is hidden from meditators makes Himself externally available to those whose love is selfless.
Reflection Questions
  • Are you trying to find Kṛṣṇa only through meditation, missing where He sits among devotees?
  • What kind of love does the Lord prefer to be 'conquered' by — strength of mind or selflessness of heart?

Kṛṣṇa, for whom yogeśvaras prepare a seat in their hearts after long discipline, here takes a seat made of gopīs' kuṅkuma-stained shawls on a riverbank. The same Person — but the route is reversed. Where yogīs labor to install Him, the gopīs need only spread cloth. Vraja telescopes ages of sādhana into one offering.

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