Sakti-tattva

 

The Energies of the Supreme are Unlimited

 

8.1

kutah punar grnato nama tasya

mahattamaikanta-parayanasya

yo 'nanta-saktir bhagavan ananto

mahad-gunatvad yam anantam ahuh

 

            What to speak of those who are under the direction of the great devotees,

chanting the holy name of the Unlimited, who has unlimited energy. The Lord,

who is unlimited in energy and in transcendental attributes, is called ananta,

unlimited. (Bhag. 1.18.19)

 

The Lord's Unlimited Energy is Divided

Into Three Principle Categories

 

8.2

na tasya karyam karanamca vidyate

na tat samas cabhyadhikas ca drsyate

parasya saktir-vividhaiva-sruyate

svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca

 

            He does not have a bodily form like that of an ordinary living entity: He

has a transcendental form of bliss and knowledge. His senses are all tran-

scendental. Nothing is greater than Him or equal to Him. His potencies are

multifarious, such as cognitive, will and active potency. (Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.8)

 

8.3

ananta-sakti-madhye krsnera tina sakti pradhana

'iccha-sakti', 'jnana-sakti', 'kriya-sakti' nama

iccha-sakti-pradhana krsna icchaya sarva-karta

jnana-sakti-pradhana vasudeva adhisthata

iccha-jnana-kriya vina na haya srjana

tinera tina-sakti meli' prapanca-racana

kriya-sakti-pradhana sankarsana balarama

prakrtaprakrta-srsti karena nirmana

ahankarera adhisthata krsnera icchaya

goloka, vaikuntha srje cic-chakti-dvaraya

yadyapi asrjya nitya cic-chakti-vilasa

tathapi sankarsana-icchaya tahara prakasa

 

            Krsna has unlimited potencies, out of which three are chief--willpower,

the power of knowledge, and the creative energy. He is the predominator of

the willing energy, for by His supreme will everything comes into existence. In

willing, there is a need for knowledge, and that knowledge is expressed through

Vasudeva. There is no possibility of creation without thinking, feeling, willing,

knowledge, and activity. The combination of supreme will, knowledge, and

action brings about the cosmic manifestation. Lord Sankarsana is Lord

Balarama. Being the predominator of the creative energy, He creates both the

material and spiritual worlds. That original Sankarsana is the cause of both the

material and spiritual creation. He is the predominating Deity of egotism, and

by the will of Krsna and the power of the spiritual energy, He creates the spiri-

tual world, which consists of Goloka Vrndavana and Vaikuntha. Although

there is no question of creation as far as the spiritual world is concerned, the

spiritual world is nonetheless manifest by the supreme will of Sankarsana. The

spiritual world is the abode of the pastimes of the eternal spiritual energy.

(Cc. Madhya 20.252-257)

 

Three Varieties of the Lord's Energy

 

8.4

krsnera ananta-sakti, tate tina pradhana

'cic-chakti', 'maya-sakti', 'jiva-sakti'-nama

'antaranga', 'bahiranga', 'tatastha' kahi yare

antaranga 'svarupa-sakti' sabara upare

 

            Krsna has unlimited potencies. They are divided into three main parts-

the spiritual energy, the material energy, and the marginal energy, which is the

living entities. In other words, these are all potencies of God internal, external,

and marginal. However, the internal energy is the Lord's personal energy

and stands over the other two. (Cc. Madhya 8.151-152)

 

8.5

suryamsa-kirana, yaiche agni-jvala-caya

svabhavika krsnera tina-prakara 'sakti' haya

krsnera svabhavika tina-sakti-parinati

cic-chakti, jiva-sakti, ara maya-sakti

 

            The living entity is a manifestation simultaneously one and different from

the Lord, like a molecular particle of sunshine or fire. Krsna has three varieties

of energy. Lord Krsna naturally has three energetic transformations and these

are known as the spiritual energy, the living entity energy, and the illusory

energy. (Cc. Madhya 20.109,111)

 

The Evidence From Sruti for Cit-sakti

 

8.6

 

te dhyana-yoganugata apasyan devatma-saktim svagunair-nigudham

yah karanani nikhilani tani, kalatma-yuktanyadhi-tisthaty ekah

 

            Those who meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead can see His

confidential, divine power (cit-sakti). The Supreme Lord alone is the energetic

source of all energies. His divine power is the immediate cause of the unlim-

ited universes. Thus the Lord Himself is the instrumental cause (nimitta) of

manifesting the living beings, the worlds of time and space and all that reposes

within them. (Svetasvatara Upanisad 1.3)

 

8.7                        

sa visvakrd visvavidatma-yonih 

jnah kalakalo guni sarva-vid yah

pradhana-ksetrajna-patir-gunesah 

samsara-moksa-sthiti-bandha-hetuh

 

            The Supreme Lord is the ultimate creator of the universe. He knows the

purpose of the universe. He is the Supersoul, the Lord in the heart of every

living being. He is all-knowing, and is the greatest philosopher. He knows

past, present, and future. He has all excellencies and good qualities. He is the

master of the material energy (pradhana), the living beings (jiva-sakti, ksetrajna)

and the internal, spiritual energy known as (cit-sakti, guna). He alone is the

cause of liberation from the cycle of repeated birth and death (samsara) and

the bondage of ignorance. (Svetasvatara 6.16)

 

The Evidence From Smrti for Cit-sakti

 

8.8

ajo 'pi sann avyayatma bhutanam isvaro 'pi san

prakrtim svam adhisthaya sambhavamy atma-mayaya

 

            Although I am unborn and My transcendental body never deteriorates,

and although I am the Lord of all living beings, I still appear by My own energy                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

(atma-maya) in every millennium in My original transcendental form.

(Bhagavad-gita 4.6)

 

Note: atma-maya refers to the spiritual potency, or cit-sakti.

 

The Evidence From Smrti for Jiva-sakti

 

8.9

bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca

ahankara itiyam me bhinna prakrtir astadha

 

            Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego these eight

comprise My separated external energy. (Bhagavad-gita 7.4)

 

8.10

apareyam itas tv anyam prakrtim viddhi me param

jiva-bhutam maha-baho yayedam dharyate jagat

 

            O mighty-armed Arjuna, apart from My external energy, I have another

energy, which is superior to matter. This energy is comprised of the living

entities who are exploiting the material nature and sustaining it by infusing it

with consciousness. (Bhagavad-gita 7.5)

 

The Evidence From Sruti for Maya-sakti

 

8.11

ajam-ekam lohita-sukla-krsnam bahvih prajah srjamanam sarupah

ajo hyeko jusamano'nusete jahatyenam bhukta-bhogamajo'nyah

 

            Material nature consists of three modes goodness, passion, and igno-

rance and is the mother of the innumerable living beings within the universe. It

is brought into existence and supported by the one unborn Lord, who is full in

self-knowledge. That unborn Lord, however, does not consort with His material

energy. He independently enjoys the pleasure of His transcendental pastimes.

But the living entity enjoys her and thus becomes bound.

(Svetasvatara Upanisad 4.5)

 

The Evidence From Smrti for Maya-sakti

 

8.12

prakrtim svam avastabhya visrjami punah punah

bhuta-gramam imam krtsnam avasam prakrter vasat

 

            This whole cosmic order is under Me. By My will it is automatically mani-

fested again and again, and by My will it is annihilated. (Bhagavad-gita 9.8)

 

8.13

mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram

hetunanena kaunteya jagad viparivartate

           

            O son of Kunti, material nature is under My control. It produces all be-

ings, both moving and non-moving. Under My supervision the material world

comes into existence. (Bhagavad-gita 9.10)

 

Two Kinds of Maya Guna-maya and Jiva-maya

 

8.14

rte 'rtham yat pratiyeta na pratiyeta catmani

tad vidyad atmano mayam yathabhaso yatha tamah

 

            O Brahma, whatever appears to be of any value, if it is without relation to

Me, has no reality. Know it as My maya, My illusory energy that reflection

which appears in darkness. (Bhag. 2.9.34)

 

Material Maya is the Shadow of Yoga-maya

 

8.15

srsthi-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktir-eka

chayeva yasya bhuvanani vibharti durga

icchanurupam api yasya ca cestate sa

govindam adi purusam tam aham bhajami

 

            The external energy, maya, is of the nature of the shadow of the cit po-

tency. She is worshiped as Durga the agent of the Lord who is responsible

for creating, preserving, and destroying the mundane world. I adore the -

Lord Govinda, in accordance with whose will Durga conducts herself.

(Brahma-Samhita 5.44)

 

8.16

vilajjamanaya yasya sthatum iksa-pathe 'muya

vimohita vikatthante mamaham iti durdhiyah

 

            The illusory energy of the Lord cannot take precedence, being ashamed

of her position, but those who are bewildered by her always talk nonsense,

being absorbed in thoughts of "It is I" and "It is mine." (Bhag. 2.5.13)

 

Hladini, Samvit, Sandhini Three Kinds of Energy

 

8.17

hladini sandhini samvit tvayyeka sarva samsthitau

hladatapakari misra tvayi no guna-varjite

 

            O Lord, You are the support of everything. The three attributes hladini,

sandhini, and samvit exist only in You as one spiritual energy, but the material

 modes, which cause happiness, misery, and mixtures of the two, do not exist in

You, for You have no material qualities. (Visnu Purana 1.12.68)

 

8.18

sac-cid-ananda-maya haya isvara-svarupa

tina amse cic-sakti haya tina rupa

anandamse 'hladini', sad-amse 'sandhini'

cid-amse 'samvit', yare jnana kari mani

 

            The Supreme Person in His original form is full of eternity, knowledge,

and bliss. The spiritual potency in these three portions assumes three different

forms. These three potencies are called hladini reposes (the bliss portion),

sandhini (the eternity portion), and samvit (the knowledge portion). Knowledge

of these is full knowledge of the Supreme Lord. (Cc. Madhya 6.158,159)

 

8.19

svayan tv asamyatisayas-tryadhisah

 svarajya-laksmy-apta-samasta-kamah

balim haradbhis cira-loka-palaih

kirita-koty edita-pada-pithah

 

            Lord Sri Krsna is the Lord of all kinds of threes and is independently

supreme by achievement of all kinds of fortune. He is worshiped by the eter-

nal maintainers of the creation, who offer Him the paraphernalia of worship by

touching their millions of helmets to His feet. (Bhag. 3.2.21)

 

8.20

visnu-saktiu para prokta kstretrajnakhya tatha-para

avidya karma-samjnanya trtiya saktir-isyate

 

            Visnu-sakti, the energy of Krsna is threefold: para-sakti, or the Lord's su-

perior, spiritual energy; ksetrajna-sakti, or the marginal living beings; and avidya-

sakti, or the illusory energy, which is characterized by karma, the world of ac-

tion and reaction. In other words, the potency of Lord Visnu is summarized in

three categories namely, the spiritual potency, the living entities and igno-

rance. The spiritual potency is full of knowledge; the living entities, although

belong to the spiritual potency, are subject to bewilderment; and the third

energy, which is full of ignorance, is always visible in fruitive activities.

(Visnu Purana 6.7.61)

 

Those who are Most Dear to Krsna are His Internal Energy

 

8.21

isvarera sakti haya e-tina prakara

eka laksmi-gana, pure mahisi-gana ara

vraje gopi-gana ara sabhate pradhana

vrajendra-nandana ya'te svayam bhagavan

 

            The energies (consorts) of the Supreme Lord are of three kinds: the

Laksmis in Vaikuntha, the queens in Dvaraka, and the gopis in Vrndavana.

The gopis are the best of all, for they have the privilege of serving Sri Krsna,

the primeval Lord, the son of the King of Vraja (Cc. Adi 1.79,80)

 

Sri Radhika is Krsna's Most Complete Energy

 

8.22

radha purna-sakti, krsna purna-saktiman

dui vastu bheda nai, sastra-paramana

mrgamada, tara gandha yaiche aviccheda

agni, jvalate yaiche kabhu nahi bheda

radha-krsna aiche sada eka-i svarupa

lila-rasa asvadite dhare dui-rupa

 

            Sri Radha is the full energy, and Lord Krsna is the possessor of full power.

The two are not different, as evidenced by the revealed scriptures. They are

indeed the same, just as musk and its scent are inseparable, or as fire and its

heat are nondifferent. Thus Radha and Lord Krsna are one, yet They have

taken two forms to enjoy the mellows of pastimes. (Cc. Adi 4.96-98)

 

All the Laksmis are Expansions of Sri Radha

 

8.23

avatari krsna yaiche kare avatara

amsini radha haite tina ganera vistara

vaibhava-gana yena tmnra anga-vibhuti

bimba-pratibimba-rupa mahisira tati

laksmi-gana tmnra vaibhava-vilasamsa-rupa

mahini-gana vaibhava prakasa svarupa

akara-svabhava-bhede vraja devi gana

kaya-vyuha-rupa tmnra rasera karana

 

            Just as Sri Krsna is the fountainhead of all avataras, so Sri

Radha is the cause of all the consorts of the Supreme Lord in all his different

features. The goddesses of fortune in Vaikuntha are partial manifestations of

Sri Radha, and the queens of Dvaraka are reflections of Her image. The god-

desses of fortune are Her plenary portions, and they display the forms of

vaibhava-vilasa. The queens are of the nature of Her vaibhava-prakasa.

(Cc. Adi 4.76-78)

 

Thus ends the Eight Chapter of the Gaudiya Kanthahara, entitled Sakti-tattva.