Radha Tattva

compiled by Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada.



SHAKTI-TATTVA

The Energies of the Supreme are Unlimited



8.1

kutah punar grinato 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 drisyate

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 transcendental. Nothing is greater than Him or equal to Him. His potencies are multifarious, such as cognitive, will and active potency. (Svetasvatara Upanishad 6.8)

8.3

ananta-sakti-madhye krishnera tina sakti pradhana

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

iccha-sakti-pradhana krishna icchaya sarva-karta

jnana-sakti-pradhana vasudeva adhishthata

iccha-jnana-kriya vina na haya shrijana

tinera tina-sakti meli' prapanca-racana

kriya-sakti-pradhana sankarshana balarama

prakritaprakrita-shrishti karena nirmana

ahankarera adhishthata krishnera icchaya

goloka, vaikuntha shrije cic-chakti-dvaraya

yadyapi ashrijya nitya cic-chakti-vilasa

tathapi sankarshana-icchaya tahara prakasa

Krishna 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 Krishna and the power of the spiritual energy, He creates the spiritual world, which consists of Goloka Vrindavana and Vaikuntha. Although there is no question of creation as far as the spiritual world is concerned, the spiritual world is noneteless 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

krishnera ananta-sakti, tate tina pradhana

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

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

antaranga 'svarupa-sakti' sabara upare

Krishna 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 krishnera tina-prakara 'sakti' haya

krishnera 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. Krishna has three varieties of energy. Lord Krishna 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-tishthaty 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 unlimited 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 Upanishad 1.3)

8.7

sa vishvakrid visvavidatma-yonih

jnah kalakalo guni sarva-vid yah

pradhana-kshetrajna-patir-gunesah

samsara-moksha-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, kshetrajna) 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 Smriti for Cit-sakti



8.8

ajo 'pi sann avyayatma bhutanam isvaro 'pi san

prakritim svam adhishthaya 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 Smriti for Jiva-sakti

8.9

bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca

ahankara itiyam me bhinna prakritir ashtadha

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 prakritim 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-krishnam bahvih prajah shrijamanam sarupah

ajo hyeko jushamano'nusete jahatyenam bhukta-bhogamajo'nyah

Material nature consists of three modes goodness, passion, and ignorance 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 Upanishad 4.5)

The Evidence From Smriti for Maya-sakti-

8.12

prakritim svam avashtabhya vishrijami punah punah

bhuta-gramam imam kritsnam avasam prakriter vasat

This whole cosmic order is under Me. By My will it is automatically manifested again and again, and by My will it is annihilated. (Bhagavad-gita 9.8)

8.13

mayadhyakshena prakritih suyate sa-caracaram

hetunanena kaunteya jagad viparivartate

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

rite '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

shrishthi-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktir-eka

chayeva yasya bhuvanani vibharti durga

icchanurupam api yasya ca ceshtate sa

govindam adi purusham tam aham bhajami

The external energy, maya, is of the nature of the shadow of the cit potency. She is worshiped as Durga the agent of the Lord who is responsible for creating, preserving, and destroying the mundane world. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, in accordance with whose will Durga conducts herself. (Brahma-Samhita 5.44)

8.16

vilajjamanaya yasya sthatum iksha-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. (Vishnu 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-lakshmy-apta-samasta-kamah

balim haradbhis cira-loka-palaih

kirita-koty edita-pada-pithah

Lord Shri Krishna is the Lord of all kinds of threes and is independently supreme by achievement of all kinds of fourtune. He is worshiped by the eternal 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

vishnu-saktih para prokta kshetra-jnakhya tatha-para

avidya karma-samjnanya tritiya saktir-ishyate

Vishnu-sakti, the energy of Krishna is threefold: para-sakti, or the Lord's superior, spiritual energy; kshetrajna-sakti, or the marginal living beings; and avidya-sakti, or the illusory energy, which is characterized by karma, the world of action and reaction. In other words, the potency of Lord Vishnu is summarized in three categories namely, the spiritual potency, the living entities and ignorance. 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. (Vishnu Purana 6.7.61)

Those who are Most Dear to Krishna are His Internal Energy

8.21

isvarera sakti haya e-tina prakara

eka lakshmi-gana, pure mahishi-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 Lakshmis in Vaikuntha, the queens in Dvaraka, and the gopis in Vrindavana. The gopis are the best of all, for they have the privilege of serving Shri Krishna, the primeval Lord, the son of the King of Vraja (Cc. Adi 1.79,80)

Shri Radhika is Krishna's Most Complete Energy

8.22

radha purna-sakti, krishna purna-saktiman

dui vastu bheda nai, sastra-paramana

mrigamada, tara gandha yaiche aviccheda

agni, jvalate yaiche kabhu nahi bheda

radha-krishna aiche sada eka-i svarupa

lila-rasa asvadite dhare dui-rupa

Shri Radha is the full energy, and Lord Krishna 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 Krishna are one, yet They have taken two forms to enjoy the mellows of pastimes. (Cc. Adi 4.96-98)

All the Lakshmis are Expansions of Shri Radha

8.23

avatari krishna yaiche kare avatara

amsini radha haite tina ganera vistara

vaibhava-gana yena tmnra anga-vibhuti

bimba-pratibimba-rupa mahishira tati

lakshmi-gana tmnra vaibhava-vilasamsa-rupa

mahini-gana vaibhava prakasa svarupa

akara-svabhava-bhede vraja devi gana

kaya-vyuha-rupa tmnra rasera karana

Just as Shri Krishna is the fountainhead of all avataras, so Shri 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 Shri Radha, and the queens of Dvaraka are reflections of Her image. The goddesses 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)