Meaning of Purusha Part 5

Meaning of Purusha - Part 5
Date: February 9, 2013 Author: Narahari Krishna dasa

Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Matajis,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva.
In the previous offering we saw the meaning of Purusha as
1. puri sayaanaat purushah - The Lord resides in the body (both the individual body and universal
body) called 'pura' or 'puri'.
2. purvam eva aham iha aasam eti purushah - As the Lord existed before everything, He is called
purusha.
In this offering we will see the next meaning of purusha.
3. poornatvat purushah - He is called Purusha because He is poorna.:Poorna has three meanings
a. He is complete in all spiritual qualities, powers and all His desires are fulfilled.
b. He fills the entire universe pervading every particle.
c. He is satisfied even with the simple offerings made to Him with love.
The Supreme Lord is glorified as Purna in the Vedic literature since He is full in all powers, all
qualities and all perfections. He is aapta kaama (one whose desires are fulfilled). He does not have
anything to wish from Himself. Whatever He wishes is for the benefit of the living entities. And He
has all powers to fulfill whatever He wishes for the living entities. In the material world, we don't
find anyone who is full in all opulences, qualities and powers and because of this we always work
hard to acquire more power, opulences and qualities. And because of this we are always
dissatisfied. Another important factor is that the Lord innately has all these opulences (nija laabha
purna) without acquiring from anyone/anywhere whereas we have to work hard/borrow/inherit
from some one to acquire them. The shruti mantras glorify the Lord's fullness as follows.
om purnamadah purnam idam / purnaat purnam udacyate

purnasya purnam aadaaya / purnam evaa vasishyate
"The Personality of Godhead is perfect and complete, and because He is completely perfect,
all emanations from Him, such as this phenomenal world, are perfectly equipped as complete
wholes. Whatever is produced of the Complete Whole is also complete in itself. Because He is
the Complete Whole, even though so many complete units emanate from Him, He remains the
complete balance."
There is a nice story in the Vedas (Gopala Tapani Upanishad) explaining the Lord's complete and
self satisfied nature. Once the gopis headed by Srimati Radharani enjoyed the rasa dance
throughout the night with Lord Krishna. Next day morning, they wanted to feed a brahmana sage
and give charity to him. They asked Krishna to whom they should offer food and charity. Lord
Krishna replied "Please give it to sage Durvasa who is living on the other side of Yamuna." At that
time Yamuna's current was very swift and there were no boats. The gopis did not know how to
swim. So they asked Krishna, "Please help us cross the river." Lord Krishna replied, "Just say that
Krishna is a brahmacari, and the river will give way." The gopis were surprised by this but they
faithfully followed His words and uttered the words to Yamuna as Krishna said. The Yamuna
parted and gave way to them. They crossed the river and went to the other side and offered
wonderful sweet rice pudding with butter and sweets. He honored all of them and blessed them.
The gopis took his blessings and asked him how to cross the Yamuna and go back to their village.
Durvasa replied, "Think that me (Durvasa) has fasted completely and Yamuna will give you way."
The gopis were surprised at this reply and Sri Radha who was the chief of the gopis requested sage
Durvasa to explain how Krishna is brahmachari and how Durvasa muni has fasted. The sage replied
as follows. "The sense objects which contain form, taste, flavor, touch and sound are all products of
material nature. The spirit soul which is transcendental to all of them cannot factually enjoy them.
Only by mis-identifying with the gross and subtle bodies, the soul enjoys these things in a false
way. But I am free from such wrong identification and I am fully aware that I am the soul different
from gross and subtle coverings. The soul does not need all these varieties of food. Whatever you
offered I ate them as an offering to the Super Soul in my heart and not with a motive to enjoy. So in
that sense I have fasted today. As for as your beloved husband Lord Krishna is concerned, He is the
creator of the gross and subtle bodies of all living entities and He Himself is free from these
coverings (He is fully spiritual). He is the Supersoul in everyone's heart and He does not take part
in the enjoyment/suffering of living entities. He is full in knowledge and bliss (purna) and
completely satisfied in Himself. So His dancing with you all is just to give pleasure to you
(reciprocating your pure devotion) and not with a lusty motive to enjoy you. So in this sense
Krishna is a brahmachari." The gopis were happy to hear this explanation and went back after
Yamuna gave way to them.
From the above story we can learn that the Lord is fully satisfied in Himself in His own bliss. So
He doesn't look for any pleasure from outside whereas we seek bliss from material things or the
Lord for our satisfaction. Whenever the Lord reciprocates the devotional service of His devotees, it
is only to bless the devotees and not for His personal benefit. The Bhagavata purana also confirms
this by stating that the Lord is purusham poornam (the perfectly complete purusha).
Krishna willing we shall meditate on the other meanings of Purusha in the subsequent offerings.
Thank you very much,

Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva
Narahari Krishna dasa
Chennai

Meaning of Purusha Part 5

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Meaning of Purusha - Part 5

Date: February 9, 2013 Author: Narahari Krishna dasa

In the previous offering we saw the meaning of Purusha as

In this offering we will see the next meaning of purusha.

3. poornatvat purushah - He is called Purusha because He is poorna.:Poorna has three meanings

om purnamadah purnam idam / purnaat purnam udacyate

Thank you very much,

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