God Is The Primeval Lord - The Supreme Ādi-puruṣa
Śrīla Prabhupāda consistently refers to the Brahma-saṁhitā to establish the supreme position of Lord Kṛṣṇa. In these beautiful prayers, Lord Brahmā, the first created being, repeatedly addresses Kṛṣṇa as Govinda, the primeval Lord. Understanding God as the primeval root of all spiritual and material phenomena completely dispels the ignorance of atheism and impersonalism.
The Source of All Incarnations and Demigods
The primeval Lord is the causeless cause from whom all other divine personalities expand. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that even the gigantic Mahā-Viṣṇu and the powerful Lord Śiva are simply plenary expansions or transformations of the original primeval Lord, Govinda.
- I worship the primeval Lord, Govinda, the original Personality of Godhead. By His partial plenary expansion as Maha-Visnu, He enters into material nature. Then He enters every universe as Garbhodakasayi Visnu.
- The Brahmas and other lords of the mundane worlds appear from the pores of Maha-Visnu and remain alive for the duration of His one exhalation. I adore the primeval Lord, Govinda, of whom Maha-Visnu is a portion of a plenary portion.
- I adore the primeval Lord, Govinda, of whom the state of Sambhu is a similar transformation for the performance of the work of destruction.
- 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.
The Controller of Cosmic Administration
The vast and complex administration of the material universe operates flawlessly, not by chance, but by the supreme will. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that prominent administrative deities like Lord Brahmā, Gaṇeśa, and Durgā, as well as the sun itself, function solely under the order of the primeval Lord.
- I adore the primeval Lord, Govinda, from whom the separated subjective portion Brahma receives his power for the regulation of the mundane world.
- I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, in accordance with whose will Durga conducts herself.
- I worship the primeval Lord, Govinda. Ganesa always holds His lotus feet upon the pair of tumuli protruding from his elephant head in order to obtain power for his function of destroying all obstacles on the path of progress in the three worlds.
- As stated in the Brahma-samhita: I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, under whose control even the sun, which is considered to be the eye of the Lord, rotates within the fixed orbit of eternal time.
The Eternal Personal Form
Mental speculators often deduce that the ultimate source of everything must be formless. In stark contrast, Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that the Vedic scriptures describe the primeval Lord as a beautiful person tending cows in His eternal, spiritual abode.
- Nor does the Lord become a formless entity at any time, for ultimately He is the eternal form, the primeval Lord. His impersonal aspect, or Brahman effulgence, is but the glow of His personal rays, just as the sun's rays are the glow of the sun-god.
- Since He is addressed as the primeval philosopher and maintainer and well-wisher of the universe, the Supreme Truth cannot be impersonal. This is the verdict of Sri Isopanisad.
- I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, the first progenitor, who is tending the cows, fulfilling all desire, in abodes built with spiritual gems, surrounded by millions of wish-fulfilling trees.
- I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, whose transcendental form displays the varieties of countless planets, with their different opulences, in millions and millions of universes.
Revealed Through Pure Devotion
Although the primeval Lord is the oldest person and the origin of everything, He remains hidden from those lacking devotion. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that only by smearing the eyes with the ointment of pure love (prema) can one see the beautiful form of Śyāmasundara.
- In the words of the Brahma-samhita: I worship the primeval Lord, Govinda, who is always seen by the devotee whose eyes are anointed with the pulp of love. He is seen in His eternal form of Syamasundara, situated within the heart of the devotee.
- In the Brahma-samhita, which is compiled by Brahmaji, he repeats the aphorism govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami: "I am a worshiper of the original Personality of Godhead, Govinda, the primeval Lord."
- O Lord, O primeval philosopher, maintainer of the universe, O regulating principle, destination of the pure devotees, well-wisher of the progenitors of mankind, please remove the effulgence of Your transcendental rays so that I can see Your form of bliss.
- Such words from the lips of a sincere devotee cannot be false. All possibilities abide in Him, for He is the primeval Lord.
Conclusion
A comprehensive understanding of the Absolute Truth must culminate in the realization of Bhagavān, the primeval Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda establishes through the prayers of Lord Brahmā that Govinda is the original, primeval cause of all causes (ādi-puruṣa). He is the source of the vast impersonal Brahman effulgence, the gigantic Mahā-Viṣṇu, and all the powerful demigods who administer the cosmic manifestation. Yet, despite His supreme majesty and unlimited expansions, the primeval Lord remains an eternal, beautiful youth tending cows in the spiritual realm of Goloka Vṛndāvana. He is not a formless energy, but the supreme philosopher and the ultimate object of love. By engaging in pure devotional service and anointing the eyes with the salve of transcendental love, the sincere devotee eternally perceives this primeval Lord within the core of their heart.
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