Table of Contents
Acyuta - infallible or imperishable; one who is never
deviated, moved, or shaken; one who never falls from the transcendental
position; a name for Sri Krsna.
Advaita Acarya - an intimate associate of Sriman Mahaprabhu and one
of the members of the panca-tattva. He is the combined form of Maha
Visnu and Sada-Siva. He was a disciple of Sri Madhavendra Puri and by age
senior to Sri Caitanya. Seeing the fallen condition of the jivas in Kali
yuga, He prayed to the Lord to descend. Sriman Mahaprabhu appeared partly to
fulfill His request.
Ahalya - the wife of the great sage Gautama Rsi. Indra, the
chief of the devas, was infatuated with the beauty of Ahalya. Once in
Satyayuga, while Gautama Rsi was away, Indra assumed the form of Gautama by mystic
power and had union with Ahalya. When Gautama returned he could understand the
whole situation through his yogic power. Furious with his wife, Gautama cursed
her to become a stone. Ahalya was deeply aggrieved and fell crying at Gautama’s
feet to beg for deliverance from the curse. Gautama consoled her by saying that
in Treta-yuga, when Bhagavan Ramacandra would appear on the earth, He would
touch the stone with His foot and she would thus be delivered from the curse.
Normally Satya-yuga is followed by Dvapara and then Treta in the
cycle of the four yugas. Ahalya appealed to Gautama, saying that she would not
be able to bear waiting so long for the appearance of Ramacandra. Gautama
assured her that in this particular cycle of the four yugas, Treta would
follow Satya. By the desire of Gautama Rsi, the order of the yugas was
reversed. When Ramacandra appeared, He touched that stone with His foot and Ahalya
was released from the curse. Thus Ahalya, who had assumed the form of a stone,
was liberated from the state of covered consciousness (achadita-cetana),
at which time she was reunited with her husband.
Ananga Manjari - the younger sister of Srimati Radhika. She is thirteen
years old and her complexion is the color of vasanta-ketaki, a
beautiful golden flower blossoming in spring. Her dress is the color of indivara,
a blue lotus flower. Her principal service is preparing tambula for the
pleasure of Radha and Krsna. In gauranga-lila she manifests as Jahnava
Devi, the consort and sakti of Sri Nityananda Prabhu.
Angada - the son of Tara and Vali, the monkey chieftain of the kingdom
of Kiskindha. Sugriva had enlisted the help of Bhagavan Rama to kill Vali. When
Vali was on his death-bed, he offered his son, Angada, at the feet of Sri Rama.
After Vali’s death, Ramacandra appointed Sugriva as the king of Kiskindha and
Angada as the crown prince. Angada assisted Sri Rama in the battle against Ravana.
Thus, although in the body of a monkey, which is representative of the state of
sankucita-cetana (contracted consciousness), he engaged in the
process of bhakti.
Badarayana Rsi - see Vyasadeva.
Bharata - the eldest of one hundred sons of Lord Rsabhadeva,
who was a saktyavesa-avatara, an impowered incarnation of Sri Bhagavan. Although his father was a brahmana, Bharata
exhibited the nature of a ksatriya and thus he acted in that capacity.
By the desire of his father, Bharata was enthroned as the emperor of the entire
earth. Nonetheless, he was a great bhakta
of Sri Bhagavan. After ruling the kingdom for a considerable time,
detachment awakened in his heart for the world. Dividing the kingdom and his
possessions amongst his sons, he went alone to the asrama of Pulaha Rsi
in Hariharaksetra to absorb himself in the worship of Bhagavan.
Once, after bathing in the River Gandaki close by his hermitage,
he sat down on the sacred banks of that river, and began to chant sri-nama. He saw a thirsty doe drinking
water, and looking around cautiously. Just then, she heard the fierce roar of a
lion nearby, and out of fear jumped into the river to cross it. She was
pregnant, and due to her sudden jump the baby deer fell out of her womb into
the current of the river. The doe died after crossing the river. Bharata’s heart
melted. He ran and picked up the drowning, motherless baby deer, brought it to
his hermitage, and began to take care of it with great affection.
Bharata’s affection for the baby deer gradually increased, and
as it did so, his sadhana-bhajana decreased, until he finally gave up
his devotional practices completely. One day, he could not find the baby deer
and he started lamenting “Ha deer! Ha deer!” and overwhelmed with
grief, finally gave up his life. In due course of time, he received the body of
a deer, according to his thoughts at the time of death. However, due to the
influence of the devotional practices performed in his previous birth, he could
remember the cause of his falldown, and became repentant. Leaving his parents,
he again went to Pulaha-asrama and was delivered by hearing the holy name. This
is an example of a contracted consciousness (sankucita-cetana). Similarly, if a renounced person or a
hermit becomes attracted to women etc., he certainly falls down from his
exalted position. Some people put forward the theory that one attains the human
birth, which is the best of all births, through a natural progression, and that
one does not fall down from it. Such a proposition is quite wrong, and very
misleading. One takes birth according to his desires, and there is no scope for
changing this principle. Bharata demonstrated this principle through his own
life.
Brahma - the first created being in the universe. Directed by
Sri Visnu, he creates all life forms in the universe and rules the mode of passion.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu - also referred to as Sri Caitanya, Sriman Mahaprabhu,
Gaura, Gauracandra, Gaura-Hari, Gaura-kisora, Gauranga, Gaurasundara, Gaura,
Krsna-Caitanya, Nimai Pandita, Sacinandana, and Visvambhara; the Supreme Lord
who appeared approximately five hundred years
ago (1486 A.D.) in Navadvipa, West Bengal. Although He is identical to Sri
Krsna, He appeared with the bhava (internal mood) and kanti (bodily
complexion) of Srimati Radhika in order to taste the mellows of Her love for
Krsna. Assuming the mood of a bhakta,
He spread love for Krsna through the chanting of sri-hari-nama.
Catuhsana - see Kumara.
Chand Kazi - the guru of Hussain Shah and chief magistrate
of Navadvipa during the time of Sri Caitanya. He forbade the performance of kirtana
in Navadvipa and had a mrdanga drum broken. Later, he received the mercy of Sriman
Mahaprabhu and became a great devotee. In krsna-lila he was King Kamsa.
Chota Haridasa - one of Lord Caitanya’s intimate associates. He accepted
the renounced order and was chastised for a slight indiscretion. Once Bhagavan Acarya requested Chota
Haridasa to beg some good quality rice from the elderly Madhavi Devi so that he
could feed Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Madhavi Devi was an exemplary devotee of
Mahaprabhu, deeply absorbed in bhajana. When Mahaprabhu tasted the
excellent quality of the rice, He inquired where it had come from. Bhagavan
Acarya explained that Chota Haridasa had received it from Madhavi Devi. Hearing
this Mahaprabhu was silent. Later He informed the devotees that Chota Haridasa
was no longer permitted to come to Him, for He could not bear to see the face
of a renunciate who freely converses with women. Chota Haridasa eventually went to Prayaga and gave up his life in
the Ganga. Thereafter he attained the form of a Gandharva in Vaikuntha. In that
form he would visit Mahaprabhu every night and perform melodious kirtana for
His pleasure. Chota Haridasa did not actually commit any offense; this was
simply a pastime of the Lord with an unalloyed devotee to establish the
sanctity of the renounced order.
Dhruva -This pastime occurred at the beginning of creation.
Emperor Uttanapada, who was born in the dynasty of Svayambhuva Manu, had two
queens. The elder was named Suniti, while the younger,
who controlled the king, was called Suruci. Suniti had a son by the name of
Dhruva. Child Dhruva was deprived of his father’s affection, and could not
tolerate his stepmother’s tortures. Following
his mother’s advice, he therefore went into the deep forest, where he became
completely absorbed in very austere and difficult worship of the lotus-eyed Sri
Hari. His prayer was not to attain the Supreme, but to fulfill his material
desire for a kingdom. However, by the
mercy of Sri Bhagavan, not only was his ambition for a kingdom fulfilled, but
he also obtained pure bhakti. If one performs bhakti with
undivided attention, even to fulfill a material desire, one always attains all
auspiciousness in the end. Dhruva is an example of such an artharthi.
Dinanatha - the guardian and refuge of destitute souls; a name
for Sri Krsna.
Durga - the wife of Lord Siva, also known as Sakti,
Mahavidya, Kali, Syama, and Nistarini. She presides over the material energy
and is one of the five deities worshiped by the pancopasakas. Durvasa Muni - the son of Maharsi
Atri and Anusuya. A partial expansion of Sri Rudra, a great rsi and
propounder of the jnanasastras. Like
Lord Siva, he was easily angered and easily pleased. He could give great
benedictions and terrible curses. Durvasa Muni was always surrounded by sixty
thousand disciples. Consequently, his unexpected arrival could create an
awkward situation for his host. The Muni’s intimidating presence, and the
difficulty of accommodating so many disciples could cause fear of the possible repercussion
of displeasing him.
Four Kumaras - see Kumara.
Gadadhara Pandita - an intimate associate of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He
is one of the members of the panca-tattva. He embodies Sri Krsna’s
internal potency and is a manifestation of Srimati Radhika. After Mahaprabhu
accepted sannyasa, Gadadhara Pandita accompanied Him to Puridhama. He
used to recite the Srimad-Bhagavatam for the pleasure of Sri Gauranga.
Mahaprabhu wrote a sloka in His own handwriting in Gadadhara Pandita’s Bhagavad-Gita.
After Mahaprabhu’s disappearance from this world, Gadadhara Pandita could
not bear the pain of separation. He departed from this world eleven months
after His disappearance.
Gajendra - the following pastime took place during the fourth manvantara.
An elephant called Gajendra was the leader of many strong elephants, and he
lived with many she-elephants in the deep jungle in a valley of Trikuta, the
King of mountains. In the valley was a large, beautiful and inviting lake, and
one day Gajendra was fearlessly absorbed in sporting in the lake with his
female elephants and children. All of a sudden, a strong crocodile angrily caught
hold of his leg. Gajendra used all his strength to try to release himself, but
the strong elephant could not get free, even after struggling for a thousand
years. Slowly, Gajendra begun to lose strength. When he saw that he had no
other protection, he took complete and exclusive shelter of Sri Bhagavan, and
began to chant in great distress, eloquent Sanskrit slokas learned by
him in his previous birth as King Indradyumna. Sri Bhagavan, who carries the cakra,
arrived there riding on Garuda, and released Gajendra by cutting open the
crocodile’s mouth with His cakra.
In his previous life, Gajendra had been King Indradyumna of the
state of Dravida, a member of the Pandava dynasty. Once Maharsi Agastya came to
visit Indradyumna, but when he arrived
there, the king was
worshiping Sri Bhagavan in deep trance, and therefore could not greet the rsi.
Due to this offense, Maharsi Agastya cursed the king to take birth as an
elephant. This is an
example of a person in distress
(artta) and contracted consciousness (sankucita-cetana).
Ganesa - the son of Lord Siva and Parvati. He removes all
material impediments and bestows great wealth upon his worshipers; one of the
five deities worshiped by the pancopasakas. Gangesopadhyaya - author of a famous treatise on nyaya,
Tattvacintamani. There are no
authentic records regarding his birth or place of origin, but he is believed to
have been from Mithila and to have lived in the 12th-13th
century. He was a keen dialectician and a brilliant
polemicist. He made the nyaya-sastra a science and an art of debate. He
developed a new school of nyaya known as navya-nyaya. His Tattva-cintamani
is a systematic account of epistemology, logic and philosophy of grammar.
It deals almost exclusively with the epistemology of the nyaya system
with little attention to metaphysics or ontology. The Tattva-cintamani laid
the foundation of a new system of dialectics in India. His book became so
popular that no one thereafter could be considered a scholar of nyaya unless
they wrote a commentary on this book. The
most famous commentary on Tattva-cintamani was written by Raghunatha
(Kanaibhatta) Siromani, a contemporary of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (see
Siromani).
Gaura - a short form of the name Gauranga.
Gauracandra - one who has arisen like a dazzling golden moon; a name
for Caitanya Mahaprabhu (see Caitanya).
Gaura-Hari - one who has stolen the golden complexion of Srimati Radhika;
a name for Krsna appearing in the form of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Gaura-kisora - the beautiful golden youth; a name for Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Gauranga - one whose limbs have a hue of molten gold; a name
for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is Sri Krsna Himself, endowed with the bhava
(inner mood) and kanti (bodily complexion) of Srimati Radhika.
Gaura-Nitai - a short name for Sri Gauranga and Sri Nityananda Prabhu.
Gaurasundara - one who has a splendid golden form; a name for Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu (see Caitanya).
Gauridasa Pandita - a beloved associate of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. His
father was Kamsari Misra and his mother was Sri Kamala Devi. He had five
brothers named Suryadasa, Damodara, Jagannatha, Krsnadasa, and
Nrsimha-Caitanya. His eldest brother, Suryadasa, had two daughters – Srimati
Vasudha Devi and Srimati Jahnava Devi – who became the wives of Nityananda Prabhu.
Gauridasa’s wife was Vimala Devi. They had two sons, Balarama and
Raghunatha. Gauridasa lived
in Ambika Kalna, on the opposite side of the
Ganga from Santipura. Just next to Gauridasa’s house there
is a large tamarind tree, beneath which Sriman Mahaprabhu
and Sri Nityananda Prabhu
would sit. Once Gauridasa implored the two brothers to remain in his home
forever. In order to pacify Gauridasa, Mahaprabhu made a beautiful set of
Gaura-Nitai Deities from a nearby neem tree and presented them to him. In krsnalila
Gauridasa Pandita is Subala-sakha, one of the dvadasa-gopalas of Vraja (Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika 128).
Gautama - is popularly known as Aksapada Gautama. According to
some scholars, he lived in the 5th century BC and founded the pracina,
or older, nyaya school of philosophy. He wrote Nyayasutra, which
is known as the earliest systematic literature of the system. The traditional nyaya
system as it stands today is mainly based on this work of Gautama. The Nyaya-sutra
is divided into five adhyayas, or lessons, usually called books.
Each lesson is divided into two ahnikas, or daily portions, and these in
turn contain a number of sutras, or aphorisms. These sutras are
also divided into prakaranas, or topics, by commentators such as Vatsyayana
and Vacaspati.
Gopijana-vallabha - the lover of the gopis of Vraja; a name for
Sri Krsna.
Gopinatha Acarya - a great devotee of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He was the husband of Sarvabhauma
Bhattacarya’s sister. During Mahaprabhu’s childhood, he lived in Nadiya. He
later lived with the Bhattacarya in Puridhama while Mahaprabhu was there. He was
the first one in Puri to proclaim Sri Caitanya as Bhagavan, for which he was
initially ridiculed by the Bhattacarya, who later obtained the mercy of Mahaprabhu.
Govinda - a name for Krsna; one who pleases the gopis, gopas,
cows, senses, the earth, and Govardhana Hill.
Gunaraja Khana - an associate of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and resident
of Kulinagrama. He was also known as Sri Maladhara Vasu. His father was
Bhagiratha Vasu and his mother was Indumati.
He wrote a famous book known as Sri Krsna-vijaya which was much
appreciated by Mahaprabhu. Gunaraja Khana used to visit Sri Caitanya every year
for the performance of the ratha-yatra festival
at Puri. It was there that the residents from Kulinagrama inquired from the
Lord about the characteristics of a Vaisnava.
Hari - a name for Sri Krsna which means ‘One who takes
away’ He takes away everything inauspicious, and who steals the hearts of His bhaktas.
Indra - the predominating deity of the atmosphere, sky and
rain, he is a deva who is subordinate to Brahma, Visnu, and Siva, but is
the chief of all the other celestial devas.
Jagadananda Pandita - a confidential friend and eternal associate of Sri
Caitanya. He used to perform kirtana with Sriman Mahaprabhu. He knew
nothing other than the Lord. According to the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (51),
in krsna-lila Jagadananda Pandita has a mood like that of Satyabhama’s,
the chief wife of Sri Krsna (satyabhama prakaso ‘pi jagadananda panditah).
As Satyabhama always exhibited a haughty and contrary mood, Jagadananda
exhibited a similar mood in his relationship with Mahaprabhu. He remained with
the Lord in Puridhama, constantly engaged in His service. He is the author of Sri
Prema-vivarta.
Jahnava Devi - was the daughter of Suryadasa, the elder brother of Gauridasa
Pandita, and one of the two wives of Nityananda Prabhu. According to Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (65-66),
in krsna-lila she is Revati, the consort of Lord Balarama, and Ananga
Manjari, the younger sister of Srimati Radhika.
Jaimini - the founder of the purva-mimamsa system of
Indian philosophy, better known as the mimamsa system. According to
modern scholars he composed his purva-mimamsa-sutra around
the 4th century BC. It deals with the investigation of the nature of
dharma and lays down the principle interpretation of the Vedic texts on
which the performance of sacrifices wholly depends. It describes the different
sacrifices and their purposes. The mimamsa-sutra consists of twelve
chapters, the first of which deals with the source of knowledge and the
validity of the Vedas. It is recognized as the basic comprehensive work
of the mimamsa school of philosophy which gave rise to a host of
commentaries and sub-commentaries.
Jamavanta - also known as Jambavan and Rksaraja, a king among bears.
In Treta-yuga he was one of the ministers of the monkey king Sugriva. In age,
wisdom, strength, and moral judgment he was superior to all. It was he who
reminded Hanuman of his strength when it came time to cross the ocean. He was
the chief minister in the war against Ravana. Sri Ramacandra took his advice in
all matters and offered him great respect. In the battle of Lanka, when all
were bewildered by the mayic power of Meghanada (Indrajit), Jambavan remained
unaffected by that maya. Both Meghanada and Ravana fell unconscious from
the blows of the fists of Jambavan. After Rama returned to Ayodhya and was corronated
as king, He ordered Jambavan and all the monkeys to return to their kingdom.
Jambavan agreed only upon receiving the Lord’s promise that he would obtain the
Lord’s association again in Dvapara-yuga. Thus when Sri Krsna appeared in
Dvaparayuga, Jambavan’s desire was fulfilled.
Jiva Gosvami - the son of Sri Vallabha (Anupama), who was the brother
of Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis. Even as a young boy he was deeply attracted Sri
Krsna. He spent his time not in playing but in worshiping Bhagavan with
flowers, sandalwood, and other articles.
In his youth he went to Varanasi to study Sanskrit under Madhusudana
Vacaspati, a disciple of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. After completing his studies he went to Vrndavana and took
shelter of his uncles, Sri Rupa and Sanatana. After the disappearance of Rupa
and Sanatana, he became the leader amongst all of the Vaisnava followers of
Sriman Mahaprabhu. His numerous literary contributions, which include books
such as Sat-sandarbha and Gopal-Campu, and commentaries on Srimad-Bhagavatam,
Bhakti-rasamrtasindhu, and Ujjvala-nilamani, have lent support with
sastric evidence to the teachings of Sri Caitanya. According to Gauraganoddesa-dipika
(194-207) he is Vilasa Manjari in krsna-lila.
Kakkhati - Srimati Radhika’s pet female monkey.
Kali - a form of the Goddess Durga; one whose complexion is
dark or black.
Kaliya - a gigantic naga or serpent of the race of
Kadru and Kasyapa. At the time of Sri
Krsna’s appearance, he took up residence in the Yamuna river and poisoned the
water with his venom. Krsna chastised Kaliya by dancing on his hoods. By the
touch of Krsna’s lotus feet, Kaliya was purified and he left the Yamuna for
Ramanakadvipa, a small island adjacent to Jambudvipa.
Kanada - an ancient sage. He is the originator of the vaisesika
system of Indian philosophy (see vaisesika in the Glossary of Terms). The word kanada primarily means “one
who lives on a small particle of food.” This may have some connection to the
basic tenet of the school which says that the universe is formed of the
minutest units of matter, called anu (the Nyaya-kandali of Sridhara
may be consulted for further information on this point). Kanada is also
referred to by the synonyms of his name, e.g. Kanabhuja and Kanabhaksa, or by
his genealogical name Kasyapa. He is also known as Uluka, which literally means
an owl. Tradition explains this name with a story that Lord Siva appeared
before the sage in the form of an owl and revealed the vaisesika system
to him. It is traditionally believed that Kanada lived and taught in Varanasi.
Kanada is credited with the authorship of the Vaisesika-sutra,
the basic text of the system, but the precise dates of his life and work cannot
be ascertained. While tradition sets him in the 8th century BC,
modern scholarship assigns the composition of the Vaisesikasutra to the
first century AD. The basic tenets of the system were known to the early
compilers of the Caraka-samhita – not only to its final editor, Caraka,
but to its original author, Agnivesa, who is thought to have lived several
centuries prior to the Christian era. The
vaisesika philosophy, as propounded in the sutra, is acknowledged
by several schools of Buddhist philosophy, particularly the madhyamikas and
the vaibhasikas. The Pali work, Milindapanha, which was written in the 1st
century AD, mentions vaisesika as an established branch of Indian
learning.
Kapiladeva - an avatara of Sri Krsna, who appeared as the
son of Kardama Muni and Devahuti. He taught the true purport of the sankhya philosophy
to his mother. In this original sankhya philosophy of Kapiladeva there
are twenty-five principles. Beyond these there is the existence of Sri
Bhagavan, who is the source of the other principles. There was another Kapila
who appeared later in the dynasty of Agni who taught an atheistic version of
the sankhya philosophy (see Kapila above). The atheistic sankhya accepts
the twenty-five principles but denies the existence of God. The sankhya of
Kapiladeva ultimately culminates in bhakti.
Kasyapa - the son of Marici, who was one of the six sons
produced from the mind of Brahma. Kasyapa was one of the first progenitors of
the universe. He married thirteen daughters of Daksa, headed by Aditi. The
universe was filled with living beings of all different varieties by the
combination of Kasyapa and his wives. Aditi was the mother of the devas headed
by Indra. Kasyapa and Aditi performed severe austerities to please the Lord,
and as a result He appeared as their son, Vamanadeva.
Kavi Karnapura - one of the three sons of Sivananda Sena. His brothers
were named Caitanya dasa and Rama dasa. His real name was Paramananda Sena, but
he was given the names Puri dasa and Karnapura by Sriman Mahaprabhu. When he
was a young boy he sucked the toe of Mahaprabhu. He was a superlative writer
and poet. He wrote many famous books, including Gaura-ganoddesadipika, Sri Caitanya-candrodaya-nataka,
Ananda-vrndavana-campu, Sri
Caitanya-carita-mahakavya, Arya-sataka, Krsnahnika-kaumudi, Alankara-kaustubha,
a commentary on the tenth canto of Srimad- Bhagavatam, and Caitanya-sahasra-nama-stotra.
Kesava - a name for Krsna. When the word kesa is taken
to mean the Kesi demon, the word va is connected to the verbal root vadh,
to kill. In this sense, Kesava means the slayer of the Kesi demon. Another meaning
of kesa is hair. When this is combined with the verbal root vah (to
wear or possess), Kesava means one who has beautiful long hair. Srila
Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has given two further explanations of the name
Kesava: kesan vayate samskarotiti kesava, when kesa is combined
with the verbal root ve (to braid),
Kesava means one who expertly braids and decorates the hair of His beloved,
Srimati Radhika; and ko brahma iso mahadeva tavapi vayase vasikarosi,
the syllable ka refers to Brahma, the word isa refers to Mahadeva
and the verbal root ve here is used in the sense of bringing under
control. Thus Kesava means one who brings even Brahma and Mahadeva under His
control.
Krsna - the original Supreme Lord, Svayam Bhagavan. He is avatari,
the source of all other avataras. His partial manifestation is the Paramatma
and His bodily effulgence is the all-pervading brahma. His body is composed of sac-cid-ananda –
eternality, knowledge, and bliss. He is the personification of all spiritual
mellows, raso vai sa. His father is Nanda Maharaja, His mother is
Yasoda, His brother is Balarama, and His eternal consort is Srimati Radhika. He
is a charming young cowherd boy with a complexion like that of a fresh monsoon
raincloud. His wears a brilliant yellow dhoti, a peacock feather on His
crown, and a garland of fresh forest flowers. He possesses sixty-four primary
transcendental qualities, out of which four are unique to Him alone: venu-madhurya,
He attracts the entire world and especially the gopis with the melodious
sound of His flute; rupa-madhurya, He possesses extraordinary beauty
which captivates the minds of all; prema-madhurya, He is surrounded by
intimate loving associates whose prema is completely unbounded by reverence
or formality; and lila-madhurya, He performs beautiful and enchanting
pastimes, amongst which rasa-lila is the summit.
Krsna Caitanya - a name for Caitanya Mahaprabhu (see Caitanya).
Krsnadasa Kaviraja - the author of Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta. He received
the darsana of Nityananda Prabhu in a dream and was ordered by Him to go
to Vrndavana. At the repeated request of the Vaisnavas, and after obtaining the
blessings of the Madana-Gopala Deity, he accepted the task of writing the
biography of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He also wrote Govinda-lilamrta, a
description of Radha and Krsna’s eight-fold daily pastimes, and a commentary
known as Saranga-rangada on Bilvamangala Thakura’s famous book, Krsnakarnamrta. He is Kasturi Manjari in krsna-lila.
Kumara -The four Kumaras are called Sanaka, Sanatana,
Sanandana and Sanat. Brahma created them in the beginning of creation from his mind (manah). That is why they are
called Brahma’s manasa-putra (sons born of his mind). Because of their
profound knowledge, they were completely detached from worldly attraction, and
they did not give any assistance in their father’s task of creation, because
they had developed an inclination for impersonal speculation (brahma-jnana).
Brahma was extremely displeased with this, and he prayed to Bhagavan Sri Hari
for the welfare of his sons. Sri Bhagavan was pleased by Brahma’s prayers, and
in His Hamsa (swan) avatara, He attracted their minds away from dry
impersonal knowledge to the knowledge of pure devotional service on the
absolute platform. Because of this, Sanaka Rsi and his brothers are known as jnani-bhaktas.
They are the originators of the Nimbaditya disciplic succession.
Lalita-Sakhi - an intimate friend of Srimati Radhika. She is the
first and most prominent of the asta-sakhis, the eight confidential
girlfriends of Sri Radha. According to Srila Rupa Gosvami’s Sri Radha-Krsna
Ganoddesa-dipika (Baharampura edition) she is twenty-seven days
older than Sri Radha and she is also known as Anuradha. She has a contradictory
and haughty nature. Her complexion is like gorocana, a brilliant yellow
pigment. Her garments are the colors of peacock feathers. Her mother is Saradi
and her father is Visoka. Her husband
is Bhairava, who is a friend of Govardhana Malla, the husband of Candravali.
The eight principal sakhis in her yutha (group) are Ratna-prabha,
Ratikala, Subhadra, Bhadra-rekhika, Sumukhi, Dhanistha, Kala-hamsi, and
Kalapini. Lalita is the leader of the parama-prestha-sakhis; she
instructs and directs all the sakhis; she understands all the different
moods of loving affairs; and she is expert in the tactics of union and
separation in the matter of prema.
If by chance Krsna ever commits any offense toward Sri Radha, Lalita is
quick to rebuke Him, raising her head in anger.
Madhva - the chief acarya of the Brahma sampradaya; born
in 1239 near Udupi. His father and mother were Sri Madhyageha Bhatta and
Srimati Vedavidya. He accepted diksa and sannyasa at age twelve from
Acyuta-preksa. His sannyasa name was Purnaprajna. He wrote commentaries
on the Bhagavad-Gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam,
Brahmasutra, and many other books. He established the doctrine of dvaitavada
which emphasizes the eternal distinction between the living entities and
the Supreme Lord. He preached vigorously against the kevaladvaitavada teachings
of Sri Sankaracarya.
Mahadeva - a name for Lord Siva; the great Lord or the chief
among the devas (see Siva).
Mahaprabhu - the Great Master, Sri Krsna Caitanya (see Caitanya).
Mahavidya - a name for the Goddess Durga. This name indicates that
because Goddess Durga is the personification of the material energy, she is the
source of all material science.
Mahesa - the great (maha) Lord or master (isa).
This is a name for Lord Siva.
Maitreyi - Yajna-valkya had two wives, namely Katyayani and Maitreyi.
When he reached the age of fifty, he called his two wives and divided all his
wealth between them saying “Be happy and allow me to go the forest to chant and
remember Krsna.”
Katyayani told him, “ You have given me everything. So now you can
go and practice as you desire.” The second wife Maitreyi said, “ First, please
answer my question. You are giving me everything. My question is, can these
things make me happy forever? You are giving me all these things, and
previously you had all these possessions.
Why are you giving them up and going to the forest? If these things can
give me eternal happiness, why did you not get happiness from them? Why are you
giving them up and going to the forest? I know that these material things could
not actually make you happy. They only gave you momentary happiness.”
Yajna-valkya was satisfied to hear his wife speaking in this way. He embraced
her and said, “Truly, you are my svadharmani, my religious wife. No
ordinary person can ask a question like this. Such a person is very rare.”
He then took that wife Maitreyi with him to the forest and, helping
each other, they began to practice bhakti-yoga.
Manu - any one of fourteen principal progenitors and
administrators of the universe appearing in succession; the first of these is known as Svayambhuva to whom the famous lawbook, Manusamhita,
is ascribed.
Mukunda - a name for Sri Krsna. The word muku is
equivalent to mukti and the verbal root da means to give or
bestow. Thus, Mukunda means the granter of liberation. Also means one whose
face is lusterous like the kunda flower.
Narada - a great sage among the devas; he is thus known
as Devarsi. He was born from the mind
of Brahma. He is a liberated associate of Sri Krsna, who travels throughout the
material and spiritual worlds broadcasting His glories. In Caitanya lila he
appears as Srivasa Pandit
Narayana - nara–mankind,
ayana–the shelter of. Means the shelter for mankind. An expansion of
Krsna; the opulent Lord of Vaikuntha.
Nilambara Cakravarti - the father of Sri Saci Mata, and maternal grandfather
of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; a great astrologer. According to Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika
(104-105), in krsna-lila he was Garga Muni and Sumukha gopa.
Nimai Pandita - Sriman Mahaprabhu’s childhood name was Nimai because
He was born beneath a neem tree. In His youth He became a great scholar, and
thus He came to be known as Nimai Pandita.
Nimbaditya - also known as Nimbarkacarya; the head acarya of
the Kumara sampradaya. He established the philosophical doctrine of dvaitadvaita-vada,
which delineates both the oneness and the distinction of all things with the
Lord. He performed his bhajana at Dhruva-ksetra near Govardhana. He
wrote a commentary on Vedanta-sutra named Vedanta-saurabha, as well as
Vedantakamadhenu- dasa-sloka,
Krsna-stavaraja, Guruparampara, Vedantatattva-bodha, Vedanta-siddhanta-pradipa,
Svadharmadhva-bodha, Aitihya-tattva-siddhanta, Radhastaka, and a commentary
on Bhagavad-Gita.
Nistarini - a name of Durga-Devi meaaning she who transports one
across material existence; she who awards moksa.
Nitai
- a nickname for Nityananda Prabhu.
Nityananda - a manifestation of Sri Krsna who in krsna-lila is
Sri Balarama. He appeared together with Sriman Mahaprabhu and was the Lord’s
chief assistantin distributing harinama-sankirtana to the fallen jivas
of Kali-yuga. He was born in Ekacakra in 1473 on the day of sukla-trayodasi
in the month of magha (January-February). His father was Hadai
Pandita and His mother was Padmavati. According to some, He was the disciple of
Sri Madhavendra Puri, and according to others the disciple of Laksmipati, the guru
of Madhavendra Puri.
Nrga - a great king and the son of Maharaja Iksvaku. He was
exceedingly generous. He once gave an incalculable number of exceptional cows
to a brahmana in charity. By chance one of those cows escaped and
returned to the King’s herd. Unwittingly, Nrga gave that same cow to a
different brahmana. Along the way, the first brahmana recognized
the cow and was very upset. The two brahmanas went to Nrga to settle the
matter. Although the King offered each of the brahmanas a hundred
thousand cows in exchange for the one cow, they both left feeling dissatisfied.
Shortly thereafter, the King died. When he was brought before Yamaraja, he was
given the choice to first enjoy the results of his pious actions or to suffer
the reactions to his misdeeds. He chose to first suffer the reactions to his
misdeeds. Instantly he obtained the body of a lizard and was cast to Earth,
where he was made to live in a dried-up well.
One day in Dvapara-yuga, Nrga was found by some boys of the Yadu
dynasty. The boys went and reported this to Krsna who then came and lifted the
lizard out of the well with His left hand.
Upon being touched by the lotus-hand of Sri Krsna, Nrga was released
from the body of the lizard. He is an example of someone who attained Krsna’s
mercy from the state of sankucita-cetana, contracted consciousness.
Nrsimhadeva - the half-man, half-lion avatara of Krsna. He
appeared in a ferocious mood to protect His beloved bhakta, Prahlada Maharaja,
when Prahlada was being severely oppressed by his demoniac father,
Hiranyakasipu.
Padmanabha - one whose navel is shaped like a lotus; a name for Krsna
or Visnu.
Pandavas - the five sons of Pandu: Yudhisthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula,
and Sahadeva. They were great devotees of Sri Krsna. They are the heroes of the
Mahabharata and were the victorious party in the battle of Kuruksetra.
Pariksit Maharaja - the son of Abhimanyu and Uttara, and the grandson of
Arjuna. He appeared just at the end of Dvapara-yuga. After the battle of Kuruksetra, he was the sole living descendant
of the Pandavas and Kauravas. While still in his mother’s womb, Krsna protected
him from the deadly brahmastra weapon of Asvatthama. When Pariksit was fully grown, the Pandavas
installed him as emperor and retired to the Himalayas. He was such a powerful
ruler that he was able to forestall the onset of the age of Kali. Later, by the
influence of the Lord’s internal potency, he committed an act of indiscretion
against the sage Samika Rsi and was cursed by the sage’s five year old son,
Srngi, to die from a snake-bite within seven days. Pariksit calmly accepted the
curse as the mercy of Sri Krsna. He
left the kingdom in the hands of his son, Janamejaya, and went to the bank of
the Ganga. Great sages from all over the world immediately gathered there to
witness his passing away. He spent his final days hearing the narration of Srimad-Bhagavatam
from the sage Sukadeva. Absorbed in ambrosial descriptions of Sri Krsna and
His bhaktas, Pariksit Maharaja gave up eating, drinking, sleeping, and
all fear of his imminent death.
Patanjali - a great maharsi and author of the yoga-sutra
(see yoga in the Glossary of Terms).
Patita-pavana - one who purifies and delivers the fallen souls; a name
for Sri Caitanya and Nityananada and Sri Guru.
Prabodhananda Sarasvati - the uncle of Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami. He was a resident of Ranga-ksetra and a sannyasi
of the Sri Ramanuja sampradaya. Gopala Bhatta Gosvami received diksa
from him. Prabodhananda was a worshiper of Laksmi-Narayana, but by the mercy
of Sri Gaurasundara he adopted the worship of Sri Radha- Govinda. He wrote many
books such as Sri Vrndavana-mahimamrta, Sri Radha-rasa-sudhanidhi, Sri Caitanya-candramrta, Sangitamadhava, Ascarya-rasa-prabandha,
Sri Vrndavana-sataka, Sri Navadvipa-sataka, Sruti-stuti-vyakhya,
Kamabija-Kamagayatrivyakhyana, Gita-Govinda-vyakhyana, and Sri
Gaura-sudhakaracitrastaka. According to Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (163), in
krsna-lila Prabodhananda Sarasvati is Tungavidya, one of the asta-sakhis of
Srimati Radhika.
Pradyumna Brahmacari - a personal associate of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He was
a worshiper of Sri Nrsimhadeva and thus Sriman Mahaprabhu additionally gave him
the name Nrsimhananda. In Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Srila Krsna Dasa
Kaviraja has narrated how within his mind Nrsimhananda Brahmacari created a
road out of valuable jewels and surrounded it by all kinds of sublime
paraphanalia (lakes and gardens etc.) so that Sri Sacinandana could feel
delight as He travelled to Sri Vrndavana.
Prahlada - a great bhakta of Sri Krsna and son of
Hiranyakasipu. As a small boy of only five years old he was severly oppressed
by his father, Hiranyakasipu, who was bitterly opposed to Visnu for having killed
his brother, Hiranyaksa. In spite of many threats and attempts on his life,
Prahlada remained composed and absorbed in remembrance of Sri Krsna. He was
protected in all such situations and ultimately the Lord appeared as
Nrsimhadeva to kill his demoniac father. The history and teachings of Prahlada
are renowned in Srimad-Bhagavatam and other scriptures.
Radha - the eternal consort of Sri Krsna and the embodiment
of the hladini potency. She is known as mahabhava-svarupini, the
personification of the highest ecstacy of divine love. She is the source of all
the gopis, the queens of Dvaraka, and the Laksmis of Vaikuntha. Her father is Vrsabhanu Maharaja, Her mother
is Kirtida, Her brother is Sridama, and Her younger sister is Ananga Manjari.
She has an effulgent, golden complexion and She wears blue garments. She is adorned with unlimited auspicious
qualities and is the most dearly beloved of Sri Krsna.
Radha-Syama - the divine couple Sri Sri Radha-Krsna.
Raghunandana Bhattacarya - the son of Harihara Bhattacarya and a contemporary
of Sriman Mahaprabhu. He was also known as Smarta Bhattacarya. He wrote a
lengthy book known as Astavimsati-tattva (28 principles) dealing with
the scriptural codes of conduct for upanayana, marriage, sraddha,
and many other essential social and moral functions. Aside from this he wrote
several other smrti-sastras including
Rasayatra-paddhati, Sankalpa-candrika, Tripuskarasanti-tattva,
Dvadasa-yatra-pramana-tattva, and Harismrti-sudhakara. Kalirama Vacaspati and Radha-Mohan Gosvami of
Santipura each wrote commentaries on his Asta-vimsati-tattva.
Raghunatha dasa Gosvami - also known as Dasa Gosvami; a confidential associate
of Sriman Mahaprabhu. He was born in 1494 in the village of Krsnapura within
the Hugali district of West Bengal. His
father was Govardhana Majumadara and His uncle was Hiranya Majumadara. His diksa-guru
was Sri Yadunandana Acarya. At an
early age he gave up a beautiful wife and opulence like that of Indra to take
shelter at the feet of Sriman Mahaprabhu in Jagannatha Puri. Mahaprabhu placed
him under the guidance of Svarupa Damodara Gosvami. After the disappearance of
Sri Caitanya and Svarupa Damodara, he went to Vrndavana and remained under the
shelter of Sri Rupa and Sri Sanatana Gosvamis.
He stayed at Radha-kunda, constantly absorbed in bhajana. He wrote
three books: Stavavali, Danakeli-cintamani, and Mukta-carita. In krsna-lila he is Rati Manjari.
Rama - a lila-avatara or pastime avatara of Sri
Krsna; He is the famous hero of the Ramayana. He is also known as Ramacandra, Raghunatha,
Dasarathi-Rama, and Raghava-Rama. His father was Maharaja Dasaratha, His mother
was Kausalya, and His wife was Sita. He had three brothers named Laksmana,
Bharata, and Satrughna. The celebrated monkey Hanuman was His beloved servant
and devotee. After killing the pernicious demon, Ravana, and rescuing Sitarani
with the help of the monkey army, Rama returned to Ayodhya and was crowned
king.
Ramanuja - the celebrated Vaisnava acarya of the Sri sampradaya
who founded the Vedantic school which taught the doctrine of visistadvaitavada,
qualified non-dualism. He lived at Kancipuram and Sri Rangam in South
India in the 12th century. He is believed to have been an
incarnation of Sesa and is known also as both Ramanujacarya and
Yatiraja. He wrote commentaries on Bhagavad- Gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and Vedanta-sutra.
Rasaraja - the emperor of rasa; one who is supreme in
relishing the mellows of rasa; this is a name for Sri Krsna who is akhilarasamrta-murti,
the embodiment of the essence of all rasa.
Rupa Gosvami - an eternal associate of Sriman Mahaprabhu. He is glorified
as having established the inner desire of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in this
world. He understood the confidential moods of Sri Krsna and broadcast them in
his many books. He was personally instructed by Mahaprabhu at Prayaga and
empowered to write books explaining the esoteric truths of uttama-bhakti.
His unique contribution was to explain how bhakti is transformed
into rasa and how rasa
is the real basis of loving relationships with Sri Krsna. Some of his
prominent books are Bhakti-rasamrtasindhu, Ujjvala-nilamani, Vidagdha-madhava, and Lalita-madhava. According
to Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (180), he is Sri Rupa Manjari in krsna-lila.
Sacinandana - the son of mother Saci; a name for Caitanya Mahaprabhu
(see Caitanya).
Sanatana Gosvami - an eternal associate of Sriman Mahaprabhu and elder
brother of Rupa Gosvami. He was personally instructed by Mahaprabhu, who
ordered him to write books explaining the principles of bhakti and to
excavate the lost places of krsna-lila in Vraja. His Brhad-bhagavatamrta
is considered to be the earliest of the Gosvami writings and the source of
inspiration for many other works. He wrote a famous commentary on the tenth
canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, originally titled Vaisnava-tosani,
which later became known as Brhad-Vaisnava-tosani after Srila Jiva
Gosvami wrote a tenth canto commentary known as Laghu-Vaisnava-tosani. He also enumerated the basic principles of bhakti
in his book Haribhakti-vilasa. According to Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika
(181), he is Lavanga Manjari in krsna-lila.
Sanda - one of the sons of Sukracarya and a teacher of
Prahlada Maharaja. The word sanda means a bull. Sanda embodies the
nature of one who is dull-witted in the matter of spiritual realization.
Sankara - another name for Siva (see Siva). Sometimes Sankara
is used as a short name for Sankaracarya.
Sankaracarya - a celebrated teacher of Vedanta philosophy
and the reviver of Brahmanism. He is understood to have been an incarnation of
Lord Siva. He was born in 788 and he died in 820 at the age of thirty-two.
According to some accounts of his life, he was born approximately 200 BC. He
was born into a Nambudaripada brahmana family in the village of Kalapi
or Kasala in the province of Kerala. His
father’s name was Sivaguru and his mother was Subhadra. The couple worshiped
Lord Siva for a long time to obtain a son, and thus when their son was finally
born, he received the name Sankara. His father passed away when Sankara was
only three years old. By the time he was six, Sankara was a learned scholar,
and he accepted the renounced order at the age of eight. He travelled all over
India to suppress the Buddhist doctrine and revive the authority of Vedic dharma.
Sankaracarya wrote a famous commentary on Vedanta-sutra known
as Sariraka-bhasya, Inquiry into the Nature of the Embodied Spirit.
Although he made an invaluable contribution by re-establishing Brahmanism and
the Vedic authority, which laid some groundwork for the teachings of Sri
Caitanya, the precepts he established are at odds with the Vedic conclusion and
the Vaisnava acaryas. He declared the Supreme brahma to be devoid
of form, characteristics, potencies, and qualities. He states that although brahma
is full of knowledge, it is not a conscious all-knowing being. Although brahma
is of the nature of transcendental bliss, it is not a subjective
experiencer of that bliss. brahma is not the creator of the world. When
that featureless brahma comes in contact with maya, it assumes
material qualities. These ideas have been strongly refuted by all the Vaisnava acaryas.
Sapta-tala - the seven tala (palmyra) trees. In Treta-yuga
the monkey chief Vali once procured seven succulent tala fruits. He kept
them aside and went to bathe, thinking that he would enjoy them later. Upon his
return, he discovered that a poisonous snake had already ruined them. Vali
became furious and cursed the snake to obtain the body of a tree. By the
potency of this curse, the snake at once manifested as seven Palmyra trees (sapta-tala).
The father of the snake was acutely distressed and cursed Vali in return that
whoever could pierce all seven tala trees with a single arrow would be the
cause of Vali’s death. Later, Sri Ramacandra accomplished this feat to assure
Sugriva of His ability to kill Vali. In Kali-yuga when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
travelled to South India to deliver the jivas of that place, He came
upon the sapta-tala trees. Upon seeing them, He became overwhelmed with prema
and rushed forward to embrace them. As soon as He did so, the trees
disappeared. By the touch of Sriman Mahaprabhu they were delivered from the
state of acchadita-cetana, covered consciousness. When the local
residents witnessed this astonishing event, they could understand that Sriman
Mahaprabhu was directly Sri Ramacandra.
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya - an associate of Sriman Mahaprabhu; also
known as Sri Vasudeva Sarvabhauma. According to the Gaura-Ganoddesa-dipika (119)
he was formerly Brhaspati, the preceptor of the devas. At first his
residence was in Navadvipa, but he came to Puri dhama on the invitation
of King Prataparudra, and was the chief pandita in the king’s court. He was one
of the foremost scholars of his time. When Mahaprabhu came to Puri dhama,
Sarvabhauma instructed Him for one week in the impersonal conception of Vedanta.
After this, Mahaprabhu explained the true meaning of Vedanta and
bestowed His mercy upon Sarvabhauma in such a way that the Bhattacarya could
understand Sri Krsna’s true identity. At that point Sarvabhauma submitted
himself unto His lotus feet.
Saunaka and rsis - Once, Saunaka and other rsis organized
sacrificial yajnas for a thousand years in the holy place of
Naimisaranya, hoping to attain the supreme benediction. After some time, they lost
all hope of attaining their desired goal in this way, but they attained their
desired perfection through the answers that Sri Suta Gosvami (the disciple of
Sri Krsna-dvaipayana Vedavyasa) gave to their questions. The six questions that
they asked him are: (1) What is the ultimate benediction for the jivas?
(2) What topic can we hear that will please
the life of all souls, Paramatma Sri Hari? (3) What were the purposes that
Vasudeva Sri Krsna desired to fulfill when He appeared from Devaki’s womb? (4)
What pastimes did Bhagavan Vasudeva perform in His different avataras?
(5) Please describe the qualities and glories of Sri Hari. (6) Where did dharma
take shelter when Sri Krsna returned to His own abode?
All these rsis took shelter of Sri Suta Gosvami as guru,
although they took birth in high-caste brahmana families, whereas he
took birth in a lower caste. When they expressed their inquisitiveness to Sri
Suta Gosvami in a simple-hearted way, this dearmost disciple of Sri Vedavyasa
answered all their questions with gentle affection. When they heard his answers, they all attained the supreme
perfection. This is an example of an inquisitive (jijnasu) devotee.
Siromani, Raghunatha - also known as Kanai Siromani or Kanabhatta; a
contemporary of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and author of Didhiti, the
famous nyaya commentary on the Tattvacintamani of
Gangesopadhyaya. He was a student of Sri Vasudeva Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya in
Navadipa. After completing his studies, he went to Mithila for some time and
then returned to Navadipa to open his own school of nyaya. At that time
Vasudeva Sarvabhauma was invited by King Prataparudra to come to Orissa to be
the chief pandita in his court. As a result, Siromani became distinguished
as the foremost scholar of nyaya in Navadvipa during his time. According
to the Advaita-prakasa, Siromani desired that his Didhiti would
become the most famous commentary on Tattvacintamani. However, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had written
a commentary on Tattva-cintamani which surpassed the work of Siromani. Seeing this, Siromani became despondent. In
order to fulfill Siromani’s desire, Mahaprabhu threw His own commentary into the
Ganga. Thereafter, Siromani’s commentary became celebrated as the pre-eminent
commentary on Tattva-cintamani.
Siva - a qualitative expansion of Sri Krsna who supervises
the material mode of ignorance, and who annihilates the material cosmos; one of
the five deities worshiped by the pancopasakas. His name literally means
auspicious. In the Brahma-samhita (5.45) it is described that Sri Krsna
assumes the form of Lord Siva for the purpose of carrying out the material
creation. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.13.16) Siva is described as the
best of all Vaisnavas: vaisnavanam
yatha sambhu.
Simantini-devi - is a name for Parvati, who at the instigation of her consort
Lord Siva, desired to have darsana of Gauranga Mahaprabhu. Thus she went
to see Him. After being blessed by Him she took His footdust and placed it on
her simanta (hair parting). Thus
that place bwcame famous as Simanta-dvipa. Ignorant people call it Simuliya.
Sriman Mahaprabhu - a name for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (see Caitanya).
Sukadeva - the son of Badarayana Vyasadeva and speaker of the Srimad-Bhagavatam
to Maharaja Pariksit. In Goloka-dhama, Krsna’s eternal abode in the
spiritual world, he is the parrot of Srimati Radhika.
Sugriva - the monkey chieftain in the Rsya-muka mountain, who received
Rama and Laksmana when they were searching for Sita. He was the brother of Vali, who, due to a misunderstanding, was vehemently
inimical toward him. After taking Rama’s help to kill his brother, he summoned
the monkey army to assist Rama in conquering Ravana and recovering Sita. After
the death of Ravana, Sugriva accompanied Rama and Laksmana on their return to Ayodhya.
Surabhi - a cow of divine origin. After Indra committed a grave offense
against Sri Krsna by flooding Gokula with torrents of rain, he became very
fearful, and thus he approached Surabhi for shelter, knowing cows to be most
dear to Krsna. The two of them went to Navadvipa-dhama, knowing that Krsna
would appear there in Kaliyuga as Sri Gauranga. By chanting Gauranga’s name,
tears of love filled their eyes and they quickly attained the darsana of
Gauranga. The Lord assured them that
they would attain His service when He would appear there. After He disappeared,
Surabhi remained there beside a banyan tree, constantly serving the lotus feet
of Gauranga by engaging in worship and bhajana.
Svarupa Damodara - one of the most intimate associates of Sriman Mahaprabhu (Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila 2.105-106). His previous name
was Purusottama Acarya. After accepting sannyasa he received the name
Svarupa Damodara. He accompanied Mahaprabhu to Puri and served Him constantly
by reciting appropriate slokas to nourish His confidential moods. He
recorded the activities of Sriman Mahaprabhu in the form of Sanskrit slokas,
which later became the basis of Caitanya-caritamrta and other biographical
works on the life of Sri Caitanya. In krsna-lila he is Lalita Sakhi.
Syama - (1) a name for Srimati Radhika, one who is absorbed in
Syama (Sri Krsna), (2) a name for the Yamuna River, (3) a short name for
Syamala, a sakhi friend of Sri Radha, (4) a form of Durga worshiped by tantrikas.
Tala - see Sapta-tala.
Uddharana Datta - a confidential associate of Nityananda Prabhu. He
was born into a wealthy family of gold merchants in 1481 in the town of
Saptagrama. His father and mother were Srikara Datta and Bhadravati. His wife
was Mahamaya and his son was Srinivasa Datta Thakura. Uddharana Datta’s wife
died when he was only twenty-six. After this he abandoned his wealth and family
and wandered everywhere as a servant of Nityananda Prabhu. In krsnalila he
was the cowherd boy known as Subahu, one of the dvadasagopalas of Vraja,
the twelve intimate cowherd boyfriends of Krsna and Baladeva, who descended
with Nityananda Prabhu (Gauraganoddesa-
dipika 129).
Vamsi-vadanananda - the son of Chakauri Cattopadhyaya. At birth, Srila
Vamsi-vadanananda Thakura was given the name Vamsi or Vamsi dasa. He was also
known as Vadana and Vadanananda. He was born in 1494 or, according to others,
in 1505, and was regarded as an incarnation of
Krsna’s flute. This was later confirmed in Sri Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (179)
– written approximately 1576 – the book of Srila Kavi Karnapura which reveals
the identities of Mahaprabhu’s associates in krsna-lila. The name Vamsi-vadana refers to Sri
Krsna, the flute-player. One who gives ananda
(bliss) to Krsna by enabling Him to play on the flute and thus attract the
beloved gopis to Him is known as Vamsi-vadanananda. Thus, although his
birth name was simply Vamsi dasa, he came to be known as Vamsi-vadanananda Prabhu
or Thakura. The names Prabhu and Thakura are titles of respect for great
personalities.
Vasudeva - the indwelling Lord of all beings, Sri Krsna who
resides everywhere and in all things. This word comes from the verbal root vas,
to reside. In another sense it means the son of Vasudeva, derived from the
Sanskrit verbal root vis to pervade; means the all-pervading and
omnipotent one.
Visnu - the Supreme Lord of the cosmos who presides over the material
mode of goodness; the supreme amongst the five deities worshiped by the pancopasakas.
Visnupriya - the second wife of Sriman Mahaprabhu. Bhagavan has
three potencies known as sri, bhu, and nila. Sri Visnupriya Devi
embodies the bhu potency. In krsna-lila she is Satyabhama (Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika
47-48). Her father was Sanatana Misra, who was King Satrajita in krsna-lila.
After Mahaprabhu accepted sannyasa, Visnupriya engaged constantly in
chanting hari-nama. She would
set aside one grain of rice for every round of hari-nama that she
chanted. In the evening she would cook that rice and offer it to her Deity of
Sri Gauranga. She would then give half to Saci Mata and eat the remainder.
Visnusvami - the head acarya of the Rudra sampradaya. He
established the doctrine of suddhadvaitavada, purefied non-dualsim, in contrast
to the impure doctrine of kevaladvaitavada, the impersonal interpretation
of monism. The famous Vaisnava acarya, Sri Vallabha, established his
conclusions on the basis of the philosophical principles laid down by
Visnusvami. Vallabhacarya is said to be an incarnation of Visnusvami.
Visvambhara - a name for Caitanya Mahaprabhu which means one who
maintains and nourishes the entire universe (see Caitanya).
Vrnda Devi - a confidential servant of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna. She is
expert in making all arrangements for Radha-Krsna’s amorous pastimes in the kunjas
of Vrndavana. She is the predominating goddess of the Vrndavana forest and
her partial expansion is Tulasi-Devi. Sometimes the name Vrnda-Devi is used
simply to refer to Tulasi-Devi.
Vyasadeva - a great sage and empowered incarnation of the Lord. He
was also known as Badarayana, Dvaipayana, and Veda-Vyasa. His father was Parasara and his mother was
Satyavati. He was the step-brother of Vicitravirya and Bhisma. Because of the
untimely death of Vicitravirya, Satyavati requested Vyasa to become the husband
of Vicitravirya’s two childless widows. From the womb of Ambika, Dhrtarastra
was born and from the womb of Ambalika, Pandu was born. He was also the father
of Vidura by a servant girl. In addition, by his wife Arani, Vyasadeva was the
father of the great sage Sri Sukadeva, who spoke the Bhagavata Purana to
Maharaja Pariksit. Vyasadeva compiled and arranged the Vedas, Vedanta-sutra,
the Puranas, the Mahabharata, and Srimad- Bhagavatam, and he also
established the uttara-mimamsa system of philosophy.
Yadunandana - a name for Sri Krsna meaning one who appeared in the
Yadu dynasty.
Yamalarjuna - the twin Arjuna trees. Formerly they were Nalakuvara
and Manigriva, the sons of Kuvera, the treasurer of the devas in the
heavenly planets. Once, intoxicated with sensuous desire and accompanied by
many young ladies, Nalakuvara and Manigriva were sporting naked in the
Mandakini river. The sage Narada Muni passed by at that moment. The ladies at
once covered themselves in shame and fell at the feet of Narada to beg his
forgiveness. However, Nalakuvara and Manigriva were so intoxicated that they
took no notice of Narada. Seeing them bereft of
all sense, Narada blessed them by cursing them to take birth as trees. Thus
they were born as twin Arjuna trees in Gokula. When Bhagavan Sri Krsna appeared
in Dvapara-yuga, He delivered them from the state of covered consciousness by
touching them with His lotus feet.
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