God As Govinda - The Primeval Cause of All Causes
While the Vedic literatures provide countless names for the Supreme Lord based on His various activities, the name Govinda holds a position of supreme intimacy and absolute authority. Śrīla Prabhupāda constantly quotes the Brahma-saṁhitā to establish that Govinda is not merely another incarnation; He is the original, primeval Personality of Godhead, the source of all existence, and the ultimate object of all pure love.
The Original Personality of Godhead
When trying to understand the hierarchy of the cosmos, one must look to the creator of the universe, Lord Brahmā. Śrīla Prabhupāda frequently cites Lord Brahmā's realization in the Brahma-saṁhitā: govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi ("I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord"). Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that Govinda has no cause and no beginning; He is the unborn origin of everything.
- In the Brahma-samhita Lord Brahma offers his respect to the adi-purusa, Govinda, the original person, who has no beginning, whereas the creation of this material world has a beginning.
- It is confirmed in the Brahma-samhita, anadir adir govindah: (Brahma-samhita 5.1) Govinda, the Supreme person, has no cause. He is unborn. But the living entity is born of Him.
- All the demigods, including Lord Brahma, are manifested from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore the original person, the cause of all causes, is Govinda, the adi-purusam.
- He (Brahma) has described expansions of the Supreme Lord, Govinda, in his Brahma-samhita (Brahma-samhita 5.38), - I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is nondual and infallible. He is the original cause of all causes, even though He expands in many, many forms.
The Source of All Expansions
It is a common misconception to view Kṛṣṇa or Govinda as an incarnation of Viṣṇu. Śrīla Prabhupāda forcefully corrects this by explaining that even the most majestic forms of Godhead are simply expansions of Govinda. Mahā-Viṣṇu, who breathes out countless universes, is merely a portion of a plenary portion of Govinda. Furthermore, all powerful demigods, including Lord Śiva and Durgādevī, act strictly under Govinda's supreme control.
- Brahma and other lords of the mundane worlds, appear from the pores of hair of Maha-Visnu, remain alive as long as the duration of His one exhalation. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, of whose subjective personality Maha-Visnu is the portion of a portion.
- Maha-Visnu, Garbhodakasayi Visnu and all the other visnu-tattvas, as well as the sakti-tattvas like Durgadevi - are all worshiped by the process of worshiping Govinda with the words govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami.
- Lord Siva is described in the Brahma-samhita (Brahma-samhita 5.38): Govinda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, assumes the form of Lord Siva for the special purpose of material transactions. I (Brahma) offer my obeisances at Lord Govinda's lotus feet.
- I (Lord Brahma) adore the primeval Lord Govinda, in accordance with whose will Durga conducts herself.
Beyond the Impersonal Brahman
Many philosophers meditate on the impersonal brahmajyoti (Brahman effulgence) as the ultimate truth. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that dry speculators can never understand the ultimate personal form of the Lord. The Brahma-saṁhitā reveals that this glowing, unlimited, impersonal Brahman is actually nothing more than the physical effulgence radiating from Govinda's transcendental body.
- The dry speculators, however, because of their following the principles of austerity and penance, can have knowledge of the impersonal features of the Lord to some extent, but there is no chance of their understanding His ultimate form as Govinda.
- I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is endowed with great power. The glowing effulgence of His transcendental form is the impersonal Brahman, which is absolute, complete and unlimited - Brahma-samhita 5.40.
- Sankaracarya warned his disciples that if they concerned themselves only with the principles of grammar, not worshiping Govinda, they were fools who would never be saved.
Pleasing the Senses of Govinda
The name Govinda translates to "He who gives pleasure to the cows and the senses." Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that in material life, we are separated from Govinda and absorbed in trying to gratify our own mundane senses. However, when a devotee purifies their senses through devotional service, they can render real service to Govinda and thereby experience true transcendental pleasure.
- He is Govinda because He is the pleasure of the cows and the senses. Those who have purified their senses by the devotional service of the Lord can render unto Him real service and thereby derive transcendental pleasure out of such purified senses.
- The Lord has different names according to His different activities. For example, His name is Madhusudana because He killed the demon of the name Madhu; His name is Govinda because He gives pleasure to the cows and to the senses.
- The Lord is called "Govinda," or the prime cause of all causes and the reservoir of all blessings. and the people in general can attain to perfect peace and tranquillity when they come to know Him by the gradual process of work with transcendental results.
The Supreme Stage of Love
Because Govinda is the reservoir of all pleasure, separation from Him is the ultimate agony for a pure devotee. Śrīla Prabhupāda often quotes the Śikṣāṣṭaka prayers of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to illustrate this highest stage of love (mahābhāva). When one's eyes are smeared with the ointment of pure love, they see Govinda everywhere. But in the mood of separation, the entire universe feels completely vacant without Him.
- Caitanya Mahaprabhu prays in His Siksastaka: O Govinda! Feeling Your separation, I am considering a moment to be like twelve years or more. Tears are flowing from my eyes like torrents of rain, and I am feeling all vacant in the world in Your absence.
- He (Caitanya Mahaprabhu) was feeling separation of Govinda, Krsna, so intensely that He was thinking one moment as twelve years. So these are mahabhava. Great transcendental ecstasy can be achieved simply by chanting this Hare Krsna mantra.
- In material life we are all separated from Govinda and are absorbed in material sense gratification. Therefore, when one comes to his senses on the spiritual platform he becomes so eager to meet Govinda that without Govinda the entire world becomes vacant.
- Sunyayitam jagat sarvam govinda virahena me: "I see everything vacant without Govinda." That is the supreme stage of love. Is that clear or not.
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda summarizes the Vedic conclusion simply: if you know Govinda, you know everything. By recognizing Govinda as the primeval Lord and the ultimate cause of all causes, and by engaging our purified senses in His loving service, we can end the cycle of birth and death and experience the supreme, unbroken ecstasy of His eternal association.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category God As Govinda. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience the teachings in their direct, verbatim form.