Śrī Brahma-saṁhitā 5.33

Prabhupāda:

advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṅa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi [Bs 5.33]

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is inaccessible to the Vedas, but obtainable by pure unalloyed devotion of the soul, who is without a second, who is not subject to decay, is without a beginning, whose form is endless, who is the beginning, and the eternal puruṣa; yet He is a person possessing the beauty of blooming youth.]

So advaita. Advaita means without duality. Advaita acyuta, Kṛṣṅa and Kṛṣṅa's expansion. Kṛṣṅa's expansion: Baladeva, Saṅkarṣaṅa, Aniruddha, Pradyumna. Then Nārāyaṅa, then Mahā-Viṣṅu, Kāraṅodakaśāyī Viṣṅu—innumerable expansions.

Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam [Bs 5.33]. Each and every form, Kṛṣṅa's, they are without any duality. Just like I and my photograph, that is my expansion, but it is not one; it is dual. What service you can take from me, you cannot take the service from the photograph. Therefore it is not advaita; it is dvaita, duality. You may have millions of photographs, but each one of them, they're different. But Kṛṣṅa, He has got millions of forms, They're one. That is the difference.

Advaitam acyutam. Acyutam means one who does not fall down. Because He has expanded in so many forms, it does not mean the potency of Kṛṣṅa has decreased. The same thing you chant in the Īśopaniṣad: pūrṅasya pūrṅam ādāya pūrṅam evāvaśiṣyate [Iso Invocation].

[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.]

Kṛṣṅa is so full, pūrṅa. Pūrṅa means complete. If you take complete Kṛṣṅa from Kṛṣṅa, still, He is Kṛṣṅa.

That you cannot understand in the materialistic condition, because if I have got one rupee or one dollar, if I take that one dollar, then it becomes zero. But Kṛṣṅa is so complete, you go on taking Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa, still, Kṛṣṅa is complete. Advaita acyuta. Acyuta means does not diminish or does not fall.

Advaitam acyutam anādi. Anādi means it has no beginning. Because we have got this material body we have got a beginning. You may ask somebody, "What is your birthday?" That means beginning. Anything material, it has got a beginning and end. Anything which has got beginning has got end also, and change also. So Kṛṣṅa has no beginning, there is no end, and there is no change. Try to understand.

Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam [Bs 5.33].

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is inaccessible to the Vedas, but obtainable by pure unalloyed devotion of the soul, who is without a second, who is not subject to decay, is without a beginning, whose form is endless, who is the beginning, and the eternal puruṣa; yet He is a person possessing the beauty of blooming youth.]

Ananta means unlimited. Unlimited forms, Kṛṣṅa. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṅa-puruṣam. He's the original, oldest person. Because ādyaṁ, original. Just like if you find out in your family who is the original man, so as far as you can count, you go a hundred years, two hundred years back, find out who is the origin of your family members, so that man must be purāṅa. Purāṅa means very old. Kṛṣṅa, being the original person, ādi-puruṣam... Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ. Ādi means original.

So you do not think that He might have become very, very old. Because our material conception... Sometimes we paint picture: "God is the original person. Then He must be very old. He must have grown so much white, gray hairs." No. The Vedic knowledge says, advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṅa-puruṣam [Bs 5.33].

The oldest man, but nava-yauvanaṁ ca, always just like a young man, sixteen to twenty years old. That is called nava-yauvana. When a man or woman comes to sixteen years, that is the beginning of youthful life. So sixteen to twenty years, this is very nice—in full energy. And that is the time for growth, intelligence.

Unfortunately, we spoil this period, so we become less intelligent, life becomes shorter. If we spoil this period, then our life will be shortened. And if we keep this period complete celibacy, brahmacārī, then you can live up to hundred years. So this period is very nice. It is called nava-yauvana, just new youthful life. So Kṛṣṅa you'll find all new, always new youthful. You'll never find Kṛṣṅa's picture as old. Nava-yauvanaṁ ca.

Then again, it is said, vedeṣu durlabha.

[aside:] What is that sound?

Vedeṣu durlabham. Vede means in the Vedic literature, if you make research work how Kṛṣṅa is, then it will be very difficult. Then you come to the impersonal only. Vedeṣu durlabham. You have to go beyond the Vedas. What is that? Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau [Bs 5.33].

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is inaccessible to the Vedas, but obtainable by pure unalloyed devotion of the soul, who is without a second, who is not subject to decay, is without a beginning, whose form is endless, who is the beginning, and the eternal puruṣa; yet He is a person possessing the beauty of blooming youth.]

Kṛṣṅa is available through His confidential devotee. Not that if anyone has studied very nicely all Vedic literatures he'll understand Kṛṣṅa. No. Maybe, but it is very difficult. Kṛṣṅa can be delivered by His devotee, ātma-bhaktau. Therefore you have to take shelter of Kṛṣṅa's devotee. That is paramparā system.

If you want to understand Kṛṣṅa, if you want to have Kṛṣṅa... Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung a very nice song. He's praying to a Vaiṣṅava, vaiṣṅava ṭhākura tomāra kukkura baliyā jānaha more [from Śaraṅāgati]: "Sir, Vaiṣṅava, you are Ṭhākura. You are as good as Kṛṣṅa, or God. Kindly accept me as your dog." Vaiṣṅava ṭhākura tomāra kukkura baliyā jāna... Kukkura means dog. Just like dog follows the master very faithfully.

We have to learn something from the dog. The dog also is a teacher: how to become faithful to the master. That teaching we can have even from the dog. He is very satisfied. Whatever food you give, he'll not protest; still, he'll remain faithful. There are so many good qualifications of a dog. So therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, vaiṣṅava ṭhākura tomāra kukkura baliyā jānaha more: "Kindly accept me as your dog. I shall serve you faithfully."

Why? Kṛṣṅa se tomāra kṛṣṅa dite pāra: "Because Kṛṣṅa is yours, you can deliver Kṛṣṅa." Very nice song. "Kṛṣṅa is yours. By your devotional service, you have made Kṛṣṅa your property; so you can deliver Kṛṣṅa to me. Therefore I want to follow you as faithfully as a dog."

Vedeṣu durlabham. This is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā: vedeṣu durlabha. If you study independently all the Vedas... Veda is the source of knowledge. So vedeṣu durlabha, it will be difficult. But if we approach Kṛṣṅa's devotee, then it will be very easy. Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau.

advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṅa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvenaṁ ca vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi [Bs 5.33]

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is inaccessible to the Vedas, but obtainable by pure unalloyed devotion of the soul, who is without a second, who is not subject to decay, is without a beginning, whose form is endless, who is the beginning, and the eternal puruṣa; yet He is a person possessing the beauty of blooming youth.]

This is the next śloka. The record is aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛtti-manti [Bs 5.32].

Next śloka is this, advaitam acyutam anādim. You can repeat. Advaita.... I say, you say.

[devotees repeat:]

advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṅa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

[sings:]

advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṅa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi [Bs 5.33]

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is inaccessible to the Vedas, but obtainable by pure unalloyed devotion of the soul, who is without a second, who is not subject to decay, is without a beginning, whose form is endless, who is the beginning, and the eternal puruṣa; yet He is a person possessing the beauty of blooming youth.]

Thank you very much. [end]