कृष्णवर्णं त्विषाकृष्णं साङ्गोपाङ्गास्त्रपार्षदम् ।
यज्ञैः सङ्कीर्तनप्रायैर्यजन्ति हि सुमेधसः ॥
kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam |
yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.5.32; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.458; Laghu Bhāgavatāmṛta: 1.1.2; Tattva Sandarbha: 1; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 1.3.52, 2.6.103, 2.11.100, 2.20.342, 3.20.10)
[Translated according to the Bhāvārtha-dīpikā and Dig-darśinī commentary:] “Those of fine intellect verily worship with sacrifices consisting primarily of saṅkīrtana he whose complexion is swarthy (kṛṣṇa-varṇam), who is [also] non-swarthy (akṛṣṇam) by virtue of his luster (tviṣā), and who is replete with his limbs, sub-limbs [i.e., decorations such as the Kaustubha], weapons [e.g., the Sudarśana cakra], and associates [e.g., Sunanda and others].”
[Alternate translation according to the Dig-darśinī commentary:] “Those of fine intellect verily worship with sacrifices consisting primarily of saṅkīrtana he whose complexion is swarthy (kṛṣṇa-varṇam), who is Kṛṣṇa [himself endowed] with luster (tviṣā), and who is replete with his limbs, sub-limbs [i.e., accoutrements such as the flute], weapons [e.g., a stick], and associates [e.g., Śrīdāma and others].”
[Translated according to the Sarva-saṁvādinī commentary:] “Those of fine intellect verily worship with sacrifices consisting primarily of saṅkīrtana he whose name contains the syllables kṛṣ–ṇa [i.e., whose name is Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya] (kṛṣṇa-varṇam), who is non-swarthy (akṛṣṇam) by virtue of his luster (tviṣā), and who is replete with the weapons and associates of his limbs and sub-limbs [i.e., ornaments and so forth].”
[Translated according to commentaries of Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda:] “Those of fine intellect verily worship with sacrifices consisting primarily of saṅkīrtana he whose complexion is swarthy (kṛṣṇa-varṇam), who is non-swarthy (akṛṣṇam) by virtue of his luster (tviṣā), and who is replete with his limbs [i.e., Nityānanda and Advaita], sub-limbs [i.e., Śrīvāsa and so forth], weapons [i.e., names], and associates [i.e., Gadādhara, Govinda, and so forth].”
Commentary
Śrī Jīva Gosvāmīpāda also offers the following additional interpretations in his Sarva-saṁvādinī and Krama-sandarbha commentaries:
Kṛṣṇa-varṇam: “He who describes, that is, sings and teaches about, Kṛṣṇa.”
Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇam: (1) “He who is non-swarthy (akṛṣṇam) and a teacher about [i.e., revealer of] Kṛṣṇa (Kṛṣṇa-varṇam) by virtue of his luster (tviṣā);” (2) “He who is non-swarthy (akṛṣṇam) yet of swarthy complexion (kṛṣṇa-varṇam) by virtue of his luster (tviṣā).”
Sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam: “Replete with his associates, such as Advaita Ācārya, who are his limbs, sub-limbs, and weapons.”
rukṣatāṁ vyāvartayati—tviṣā kāntyākṛṣṇam indranīla-maṇivad ujjvalam | yad vā, tviṣā kṛṣṇaṁ kṛṣṇāvatāram | anena kalau kṛṣṇāvatārasya prādhānyaṁ darśayati | aṅgāni hṛdayādīni, upāṅgāni kaustubhādīni, astrāṇi sudarśanādīni, pārṣadāḥ sunandādayaḥ, tat sahitam | yajñair arcanaiḥ saṅkīrtanaṁ nāmoccāraṇaṁ stutiś ca tat pradhānaiḥ | sumedhaso vivekinaḥ |
(Bhāvārtha-dīpikā)
”He [i.e., Śrī Karabhājana Yogīndra, the speaker of SB 11.5.32] excludes golden-ness (rukṣmatā) [from the figure of the avatāra for the Kali-yuga by saying]: by virtue of [his] luster (tviṣā), [he is] non-swarthy (akṛṣṇam), that is, brilliant like a blue sapphire. Alternately, [instead of tviṣā-akṛṣṇam, the reading is tviṣā kṛṣṇam, which means] the Kṛṣṇa-avatāra [endowed] with luster (tviṣā). By this [i.e., by mention of tviṣā kṛṣṇam], he [i.e., Śrī Karabhājana Yogīndra] shows the predominance of the Kṛṣṇa-avatāra in [the Age of] Kali. ‘Limbs’ refers to the heart and so forth. ‘Sub-limbs’ to the Kaustubha and so forth. ‘Weapons’ to the Sudarśana and so forth. ‘Associates’ to Sunanda and so forth. Replete with these [is the meaning of sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam]. ‘By sacrifices’ means by forms of worship wherein saṅkīrtana, that is, utterance of the name, and praising (stuti) are predominant. ‘Those of fine intellect’ refers to those who are discerning.”
tviṣā kāntyā akṛṣṇam indranīla-maṇivad ujjvalam iti rukṣatāṁ vyāvartayati | yad vā, tviṣā viśiṣṭaṁ kṛṣṇam iti śrī-kṛṣṇāvatārasya tatra prādhānyaṁ darśayati | aṅgāni hṛdayādīni, upāṅgāni kaustubhādīni, astrāṇi sudarśanādīni, pārṣadāḥ sunandādayaḥ, tat-sahitam | ekānti-pakṣe—upāṅgāni veṇv-ādīni, astrāṇi yaṣṭhy-ādīni, pārṣadāḥ śrīdāmādaya iti pūrvavad vijñeyam | yajñaiḥ arcanaiḥ saṅkīrtanaṁ nāmoccāraṇaṁ gītaṁ stutiś ca nāma-mayī, tat-pradhānaiḥ | sumedhasaḥ vivekinaḥ | evam api kalau pūjātaḥ śrīman-nāma-saṅkīrtanasya māhātmyam eva siddham, dravya-śuddhy-āder asambhavāt, likhita-nyāyena māhātmya-viśeṣāc ceti dik |
(Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.458)
”By virtue of [his] luster (tviṣā), [he is] non-swarthy (akṛṣṇam), that is, brilliant like a blue sapphire. In this way, he [i.e., Śrī Karabhājana Yogīndra, the speaker of SB 11.5.32] excludes golden-ness (rukṣmatā) [from the figure of the avatāra for the Kali-yuga]. Alternately, [instead of tviṣā-akṛṣṇam, the reading is tviṣā kṛṣṇam, which means] Kṛṣṇa endowed with luster (tviṣā). In this way, he shows the predominance of the Śrī Kṛṣṇa-avatāra then [i.e., in the Age of Kali]. ‘Limbs’ refers to the heart and so forth. ‘Sub-limbs’ to the Kaustubha and so forth. ‘Weapons’ to the Sudarśana and so forth. ‘Associates’ to Sunanda and so forth. Replete with these [is the meaning of sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam]. For the one-pointed [upon Śrī Kṛṣṇa of Vraja], ‘sub-limbs’ refers to the flute and so forth, ‘weapons’ to the stick and so forth, and ‘associates’ to Śrīdāma and so forth [i.e., to Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s paraphernalia and associates in Śrī Vraja Dhāma]. In this way the verse is to be understood as previously. ‘By sacrifices’ means by forms of worship wherein saṅkīrtana, that is, utterance of the name, and singing and praising (stuti) based on the name, are predominant. ‘Those of fine intellect’ refers to those who are discerning. In this way, also, the greatness of saṅkīrtana of the blessed name in comparison to ritual worship (pūjā) in [the Age of] Kali is verily established because of the impossibility of purity of the articles [used for pūjā] and so forth, and because of the special greatness [of saṅkīrtana] as per the reasoning written [earlier in the section of Hari-bhakti-vilāsa about saṅkīrtana]. This is the direction.”
atha śrī-bhāgavata-sandarbha-nāmānaṁ grantham ārabhamāṇo mahābhāgavata-koṭi-bahir-antar-dṛṣṭi-niṣṭaṅkita-bhagavad-bhāvaṁ nijāvatāra-pracāra-pracārita-sva-svarūpa-bhagavat-pada-kamalāvalambi-durlabha-prema-pīyūṣamaya-gaṅgā-pravāha-sahasraṁ sva-sampradāya-sahasrādhidaivaṁ śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-deva-nāmānaṁ śrī-bhagavantaṁ kali-yuge’smin vaiṣṇava-janopāsyāvatāratayārtha-viśeṣāliṅgitena śrī-bhāgavata-padya-saṁvādena stauti—kṛṣṇa-varṇam iti | ekādaśa-skandhe kali-yugopāsya-prasaṅge padyam idam | arthaś ca—tviṣā kāntyā yo’kṛṣṇo gauras taṁ kalau sumedhaso yajanti | gauratvaṁ cāsya—āsan varṇās trayo hy asya gṛhṇato’nuyugaṁ tanūḥ | śuklo raktas tathā pīta idānīṁ kṛṣṇatāṁ gataḥ || ity ataḥ pāriśeṣya-pramāṇa-labdham | idānīm etad avatārāspadatvenābhikhyāte dvāpare ‘kṛṣṇatāṁ gata’ ity ukteḥ, śukla-raktayoḥ satya-tretā-gatatvenaikādaśa eva varṇitatvāc ca | pītasyātītatvaṁ prācīna-tad-avatārāpekṣayā | uktaṁ caikādaśe dvāparopāsyatvaṁ śrī-kṛṣṇasya śyāmatva-mahārājatva-vāsudevādi-caturmūrtitva-lakṣaṇa-tal-liṅga-kathanena—’dvāpare bhagavān śyāmaḥ pīta-vāsā nijāyudhaḥ | śrīvatsādibhir aṅkaiś ca lakṣaṇair upalakṣitaḥ || taṁ tadā puruṣaṁ martyā mahārājopalakṣaṇam | yajanti veda-tantrābhyāṁ paraṁ jijñāsavo nṛpa || namas te vāsudevāya namaḥ saṅkarṣaṇāya ca | pradyumnāyāniruddhāya tubhyaṁ bhagavate namaḥ ||’ iti | ato viṣṇu-dharmottarādau yac ca dvāpare śuka-pakṣa-varṇatvam, kalau ca nīla-ghana-varṇatvaṁ śrūyate, tad api yadā śrī-kṛṣṇāvatāro na syāt, tad dvāpara-viṣayam eva mantavyam | evaṁ ca yad-dvāpare śrī-kṛṣṇo’vatarati, tad-anantara-kalāv eva śrī-gauro’py avataratīti svārasya-labdheḥ, sākṣāt svayaṁ śrī-kṛṣṇāvirbhāva-viśeṣa evāyaṁ śrī-gaura ity āyāti, tad-avyabhicārāt | ata eva yad viṣṇu-dharmottare nirṇītam—‘pratyakṣa-rūpa-dhṛg-devo dṛśyate na kalau hariḥ | kṛtādiṣv eva tenaiva triyugaḥ paripaṭhyate || kaler ante ca samprāpte kalkinaṁ brahma-vādinām | anupraviśya kurute vāsudevo jagat-sthitim ||’ ity-ādi | tad apy amaryādaiśvarya-kṛṣṇatvenaivātikrāntam, tasya kali-prathama-vyāpti-darśanāt | tad etad-āvirbhāvatvaṁ tasya svayam eva viśeṣaṇa-dvārā vyanakti—kṛṣṇa-varṇam | kṛṣṇety etau varṇau yatra yasmin śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-deva-nāmni śrī-kṛṣṇatvābhivyañjakaṁ kṛṣṇeti varṇa-yugalaṁ prayuktam astīty arthaḥ | tṛtīye śrīmad-uddhava-vākye—‘samāhutāh’ ity-ādi-padye, ‘śriyaḥ savarṇena’ ity atra ṭīkāyām, ‘śriyo rukmiṇyāḥ samānaṁ varṇa-dvayaṁ vācakaṁ yasya sa śriyaḥ savarṇo rukmī’ ity api dṛśyate | yad vā, kṛṣṇaṁ varṇayati tādṛśa-sva-paramānanda-vilāsa-smaraṇollāsa-vaśatayā svayaṁ gāyati, parama-kāruṇikatayā ca sarvebhyo’pi lokebhyas tam evopadiśati yas tam | athavā svayam akṛṣṇaṁ gauraṁ tviṣā sva-śobhā-viśeṣeṇaiva kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ kṛṣṇopadeṣṭāraṁ ca | yad-darśanenaiva sarveṣāṁ śrī-kṛṣṇaḥ sphuratīty arthaḥ | kiṁ vā, sarva-loka-dṛṣṭāv akṛṣṇaṁ gauram api bhakta-viśeṣa-dṛṣṭau tviṣā prakāśa-viśeṣeṇa kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tādṛśa-śyāmasundaram eva santam ity arthaḥ | tasmāt tasmin sarvathā śrī-kṛṣṇa-rūpasyaiva prakāśāt tasyaiva sākṣād āvirbhāvaḥ svayaṁ sa iti bhāvaḥ | tasya śrī-bhagavattvam eva spaṣṭayati—sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam, bahubhir mahānubhāvair asakṛd eva tathā dṛṣṭo’sāv iti gauḍa-varendra-baṅga-suhmotkalādi-deśīyānāṁ mahā-prasiddhiḥ | tathāṅgāni parama-manoharatvād upāṅgāni bhūṣaṇādīni mahāprabhāvavattvāt tāny evāstrāṇi, sarvadaikānta-vāsitvāt tāny eva pārṣadā | yad vā, atyanta-premāspadatvāt tat-tulyā eva pārṣadāḥ śrīmad-advaitācārya-mahānubhāva-caraṇa-prabhṛtayaḥ, taiḥ saha vartamānam iti cārthāntareṇa vyaktam | tam evaṁ-bhūtaṁ kair yajanti? yajñaiḥ pūjā-sambhāraiḥ ‘na yatra yajñeśa-makhā mahotsavāḥ’ ity ukteḥ | tatra ca viśeṣaṇena tam evābhidheyaṁ vyanakti—saṅkīrtanaṁ bahubhir militvā tad-gāna-sukhaṁ śrī-kṛṣṇa-gānam, tat-pradhānaiḥ | tathā saṅkīrtana-prādhānyasya tad-āśriteṣv asakṛd eva darśanāt sa evātrābhidheya iti spaṣṭam |
(Sarva-saṁvādinī on Tattva Sandarbha: 1)
“Now, beginning this text entitled Śrī Bhāgavata Sandarbha, the author praises Śrī Bhagavān—(1) who bears the name Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanyadeva, (2) who is the Supreme Deity of thousands of his own sampradāyas [alt., the Supreme Deity of his own thousand-fold [i.e., highly exalted] sampradāya], (3) because of the manifestation of whose own avatāra [i.e., descent into the phenomenal world] have manifested thousands of Gaṅgā streams full of the nectar of rare to attain prema fixed upon the lotus feet of his own inherent form as [i.e., which is of the nature of] Bhagavān, and (4) whose nature as Bhagavān [i.e., whose Bhagavattva] has been affirmed by the external and internal vision of crores of superlative bhaktas (mahābhāgavatas)—with a versified statement of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam invested with the special meaning of [his, i.e., Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanyadeva’s] being the avatāra [of Śrī Bhagavān] and object of worship (upāsya) of Vaiṣṇavas in this Age of Kali: Kṛṣṇa-varṇam … [i.e., he cites SB 11.5.32]. This verse is [found] in the Eleventh Canto [of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam] in the section about the object of worship (upāsya) in the Age of Kali. And the meaning [is as follows]: those of fine intellect worship in [the Age of] Kali he who is non-swarthy (akṛṣṇa), that is, golden (gaura), by virtue of [his] luster (tviṣā). Furthermore, his goldenness (gauratva) is apprehended by the evidence of remainder (pāriśeṣya-pramāṇa) from [the following statement of Gargācārya to Nanda Mahārāja in SB 10.8.13], ‘According to the age (yuga), his [i.e., your son Kṛṣṇa’s] forms appear assuming three [different] complexions: fair, reddish, and golden; now, it has become swarthy,’ on account of the statement [that] it has become swarthy ‘now,’ that is, in this [Age of] Dvāpara well known for being the place of this [i.e., Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s] avatāra, and on account of the fair and reddish’s [i.e., the avatāras of fair and reddish complexions’] being described specifically in [this section of] the Eleventh Canto [regarding the time periods of the manifestations of particular avatāras] as having occurred in [the Ages of] Satya and Tretā. The pastness of the golden [i.e., the mention of the avatāra of golden complexion having manifested in the past in SB 10.8.13] is on account of his prior descent [in the previous kalpa]. Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s being the object of worship (upāsya) in [the Age of] Dvāpara is also stated in the Eleventh Canto [in SB 11.5.27-29] with the description of his marks and characteristics of swarthiness, great kingship, and having the four-armed forms of Vāsudeva and so forth: ‘In Dvāpara, Bhagavān is swarthy, wears yellow garb, is possessed of his own weapons, and is distinguished by marks such as the śrīvatsa and [other] characteristics. Then, O King, mortals who are inquisitive about the Supreme, worship him, the Puruṣa possessed of the accoutrements of a great king, in accord with the Vedas and Tantras [saluting him as follows]: “Obeisance unto you, Vāsudeva. And obeisance unto Saṅkarṣaṇa. Obeisance unto Pradyumna, unto Aniruddha, unto you, Bhagavān.”’
“Then, the greenish complexion [of the avatāra for the age] in Dvāpara and dark bluish complexion [of the avatāra for the age] in Kali that are heard of in Viṣṇu-dharmottara and elsewhere are to be considered related to a Dvāpara [-yuga] when an avatāra of Śrī Kṛṣṇa shall not occur. Similarly also, only in the Kali after that Dvāpara in which Śrī Kṛṣṇa descends does Śrī Gaura also descend because of the apprehended self-evidence [of this conclusion]. ‘This Śrī Gaura is verily a special manifestation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa himself directly (sākṣāt svayaṁ Śrī-Kṛṣṇāvirbhāva-viśeṣa eva)’ thus comes [as the conclusion] because of non-transgression of this [i.e., of the recurrent and immediately consecutive descents of Śrī Kṛṣṇa in his swarthy figure and then in his golden figure, the latter of which is known as Śrī Gaura].
“Therefore, although it is determined in the Viṣṇu-dharmottara (104), ‘Deva, Hari, who is possessed of a perceptible form, is not visible in Kali. Verily therefore, he is called “Triyuga” [i.e., “he who appears in three ages”] in regard only to Kṛta and so forth [i.e., Tretā and Dvāpara, and not Kali]. When the end of Kali has arrived, Vāsudeva enters Kalki, the proponent of Brahman [for that time], and stabilizes the world,’ still, on account of observance of his [i.e., Śrī Gaura’s] invariable concomitance (vyāpti) at the beginning of Kali [i.e., Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s manifestation as Śrī Gaura at the beginning of the Age of Kali always following his direct manifestation at the end of Dvāpara in his form as Śrī Kṛṣṇa], this [generally recurrent phenomenon of an avatāra not manifesting in Kali until its end-time by entering Kalki] is overstepped solely because of [his, i.e., this unique Kali-yugāvatāra, viz., Śrī Gaura] being Kṛṣṇa [himself], who is possessed of boundless capability (amaryādā-aiśvarya).
“Thus, he [i.e., Śrī Karabhājana Yogīndra, the speaker of SB 11.5.32] definitively expresses through a qualifier this manifestness of he himself [i.e., of Śrī Kṛṣṇa himself as Śrī Gaura]: kṛṣṇa-varṇam, that is, the two syllables kṛṣ–ṇa wherein, meaning, in the name Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanyadeva, where the pair of syllables kṛṣ–ṇa is employed indicating the existence of Śrī Kṛṣṇa [i.e., ‘Kṛṣṇa-varṇam’ has been stated in regard to and so as to refer to he in whose full name the two syllables kṛṣ and ṇa are present, viz., Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanyadeva, and since the two syllables kṛṣ and ṇa indicate Śrī Kṛṣṇatva, that is, the existence of Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the compound Kṛṣṇa-varṇam indicates that Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanyadeva is Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa himself]. Also observable in the commentary [by Śrī Śrīdhara Svāmīpāda] in regard to [the phrase] Śriyaḥ Sarvarṇena in the verse beginning [with the word] samāhutāḥ in a statement of Śrīmad Uddhava in the Third Canto [i.e., in SB 3.3.3] is [the following explanation of this same type], ‘He who [i.e., whose name] has two referent syllables that are the same as Śrī, that is, Rukmiṇī, is [called] Śriyaḥ Savarṇo, meaning, Rukmī [i.e., the phrase Śriyaḥ Savarṇo refers to Rukmiṇī’s brother, viz., Rukmī, that is, he whose name shares two syllables with that of his sister Rukmiṇī, viz., ruk and mi].
“Alternately, [the compound Kṛṣṇa-varṇam means] he who describes (varaṇayati) Kṛṣṇa, that is, who personally sings [of Kṛṣṇa, or, sings the name of Kṛṣṇa] because of being captivated by the elation produced by remembrance of his own play (vilāsa) of supreme bliss as such [i.e., as Śrī Kṛṣṇa himself], and [who] also teaches only about him [i.e., himself, viz., Śrī Kṛṣṇa] to all people because of [his] being supremely compassionate. Alternately also, [the meaning can be taken as follows:] himself non-swarthy (akṛṣṇam), that is, golden (gaura), he is Kṛṣṇa-varṇam, that is, a teacher about Kṛṣṇa, by virtue of [his] luster (tviṣā), that is, solely by virtue of his own beauty, just by the sight of which Śrī Kṛṣṇa manifests to everyone. This is the meaning. Or, although he is non-swarthy (akṛṣṇam), that is, golden (gaura), to the vision of all people, by virtue of [his] luster (tviṣā), that is, by means of a special manifestation [of himself], he becomes Kṛṣṇa-varṇam, that is, verily such like Śyāmasundara [i.e., he manifests his beautiful, swarthy complexioned form as Śrī Kṛṣṇa] to the vision of special bhaktas. Therefore, because of the manifestation solely of the form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa in him [i.e., in Śrī Gaura] in every respect, he is a direct manifestation solely of he himself [i.e., of Śrī Kṛṣṇa]. This is the purport.
“He [i.e., Śrī Karabhājana Yogīndra, the speaker of SB 11.5.32] clarifies his [i.e., the avatāra described in this verse’s] definitive status of being Śrī Bhagavān (Bhagavattva) [with the following qualifier]: sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam [i.e., ‘replete with the limbs and sub-limbs of his weapons and associates’]. That he was seen exactly so [i.e., to be Śrī Bhagavān replete with the limbs and sub-limbs of his weapons and associates] indeed repeatedly by numerous persons of great authority is extremely well known among the peoples of Gauḍa, Varendra, Baṅga, Suhma, Utkala, and other regions. So also, these limbs (aṅgas) [of his], because of [their] being supremely captivating to the mind, and sub-limbs (upāṅgas) [of his], that is, ornaments and so forth, because of [their] being possessed of tremendous influence, were themselves [his] weapons (astras), and because of [their] always staying exclusively [with him], were [also] his associates (pārṣadas). Alternately, [sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam means] he who is present with them, [meaning, his] associates such as the great authority Śrīmad Advaita Ācāryacaraṇa, who are verily equal to those [i.e., to his own limbs, sub-limbs, and weapons] because of [his associates’] being objects of [his] profound prema. Thus, [the compound sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam] is perceived [alt., embellished] with another meaning.
“With what do they worship he who is existent as such? ‘With sacrifices’ (yajñaiḥ), that is, with multitudes of offerings of worship (pūjās), on account of the statement [in SB 5.19.23], ‘[Even that plane of the lord of the suras [i.e., Brahmaloka] is not to be resorted to] Where grand festivals consisting of sacrificial rites for the Lord of sacrifice do not occur.’
“Therein, furthermore, he [i.e., Śrī Karabhājana Yogīndra] definitively expresses that itself [i.e., such sacrifice] to be the abhidheya [i.e., the principal direction of the śāstra and means to attain the highest end] with a qualifier [i.e., by qualifying ‘with sacrifices’ (yajñaiḥ) with the compound saṅkīrtana-prāyair]: that wherein saṅkīrtana, that is, the joy of singing about him—singing about Śrī Kṛṣṇa—by many having united, is predominant. So also, because of observance indeed repeatedly of the predominance of saṅkīrtana among those who have taken shelter in him [i.e., in he who is the object of worship for Vaiṣṇavas in the Age of Kali, viz., Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanyadeva], that [i.e., sacrifice wherein saṅkīrtana is prominent] is verily the abhidheya. This is clear.”
Śrī Jīva Gosvāmīpāda’s commentary on this verse in his Krama-sandarbha-ṭīkā differs only slightly from the aforementioned commentary from Sārva-saṁvādinī. First, one additional point regarding SB 10.8.13 is added as follows:
atra śrī-kṛṣṇasya paripūrṇa-rūpatve’pi yugāvatāratvaṁ tasmin sarve’py avatārā antar-bhūtā iti tat-tat-prayojanaṁ tasminn ekasminn eva sidhyatīty apekṣayā | tad evaṁ yad dvāpare śrī-kṛṣṇo’vatarati, tadaiva kalau śrī-gauro’py avataratīti svārasya-labdheḥ śrī-kṛṣṇāvirbhāva-viśeṣa evāyaṁ gaura ity āyāti, tad-avyabhicārāt |
“Here, Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s being [considered in SB 10.8.13] an avatāra for the age (yugāvatāra) even though he is the ultimate complete form [of Śrī Bhagavān] is [said] out of the consideration that all avatāras are included in him and thus their respective aims are definitively accomplished by him alone.”
Secondly, the following additional content is added at the end of the commentary:
ata eva sahasra-nāmni tad-avatāra-sūcakāni nāmāni kathitāni, suvarṇa-varṇo hemāṅgo varāṅgaś candanāṅgadī | sannyāsa-kṛc chamaḥ śāntaḥ ity ādīni | darśitaṁ ca etat parama-vidvac-chiromaṇinā śrī-sārvabhauma-bhaṭṭācāryeṇa—‘kālān naṣṭaṁ bhakti-yogaṁ nijaṁ yaḥ prāduṣkartuṁ kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmā | āvirbhūtas tasya pādāravinde gāḍhaṁ gāḍhaṁ līyatāṁ citta-bhṛṅgaḥ |’
“Therefore, names indicating this avatāra are stated in the thousand names [i.e., in the Viṣṇu-sahasra-nāma-stotra in verses 92 and 95 inside Mahābhārata]: ‘He who recounts the finest syllables [i.e., he who performs kīrtana of Kṛṣṇa’s names] (Suvarṇa-varṇaḥ); he of golden figure (Hemāṅgaḥ), he of exalted figure (Varāṅgaḥ), he who wears ornaments and sandalwood paste (Candanāṅgadī), he who accepts sannyāsa (Sannyāsa-kṛt), he who is equanimous (Samaḥ), he who is tranquil (Śāntaḥ), and so forth.’ This [i.e., Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanyadeva’s being Svayaṁ Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa himself] has also been shown by the crest-jewel of the greatly learned, Śrī Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya [as recorded in Caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭaka, 6.74]: ‘May the bee of my heart be deeply, deeply absorbed to the lotus feet of he bearing the name Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya who has appeared to manifest the practice of bhakti to himself which had been lost in the course of time.’”
kṛṣṇeti nānā-kali-yuga-pakṣe kṛṣṇa-varṇa-deham; rukṣatvaṁ vyāvartayati—tviṣā kāntyā akṛṣṇam indranīla-maṇivad ujjvalam ity arthaḥ | ekataḥ kali-yuga-pakṣe kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ, kintu tviṣā bahiḥ-sphurantyā kāntyā akṛṣṇaṁ śukla-rakta-śyāmānām uktatvāt pāriśeṣyeṇa pītam antaḥ-kṛṣṇaṁ bahir gauram ity arthaḥ | yad vā, kṛṣṇāvatāra-līlādi-varṇanāt kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ | sāṅgopāṅgety ādikam ubhaya-pakṣe’pi spaṣṭa-pracchannatvābhyāṁ tulya evārthaḥ | yajñaiḥ paricaryā-mārgaiḥ saṅkīrtana-pradhānair, ye sumedhasaḥ—‘śuklo raktas tathā pīta idānīṁ kṛṣṇatāṁ gataḥ’ iti, ‘channaḥ kalau’ iti, ‘kalāv api tathā śṛṇu’ ity ādīnāṁ tātparyārtha-dhāraṇāvatī yeṣāṁ buddhiḥ śobhamānā bhavet ta eva nānye ity arthaḥ |
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā)
“[Regarding the compound] Kṛṣṇa-varṇam, in the case of various Kali-yugas, [the meaning is] he whose body has a swarthy (kṛṣṇa) complexion. He [i.e., Śrī Karabhājana Yogīndra, the speaker of SB 11.5.32] excludes golden-ness (rukṣmatā) [in this regard by saying]: by virtue of [his] luster (tviṣā), [he is] non-swarthy (akṛṣṇam), that is, brilliant like a blue sapphire. This is the meaning. In the case of one [particular] Kali-yuga, [the meaning is] he who has a swarthy (kṛṣṇa) complexion (varṇam) yet by virtue of [his] luster (tviṣā), that is, [his] shining externally, is non-swarthy (akṛṣṇam), that is, golden, by the remainder from the mention of fair, reddish, and darkish (śyāma) [in SB 10.8.13]; he is internally swarthy (kṛṣṇam) [alt., he is internally Kṛṣṇa himself], and externally golden (gauram). This is the meaning. Alternately, because of describing the līlā and so forth of the Kṛṣṇa-avatāra, he is Kṛṣṇa-varṇam [i.e., ‘he who describes Kṛṣṇa’]. Even in both cases [i.e., in the case of the meaning related to the regularly recurrent Kali-yuga-avatāra and the meaning related to the unique, once in a kalpa Kali-yuga-avatāra], [the compound] sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam has the very same meaning because of [his] evidently being covered [i.e., manifested in a manner that partially covers his nature]. ‘By sacrifices’ (yajñaiḥ) means by means of service [alt., attendance] wherein saṅkīrtana is predominant. Those who are of ‘fine intellect’ (sumedhasaḥ) means only they, and not others, whose intellect shall be luminous by virtue of being a carrier of the intended meaning (tātparyārtha) of [statements such as SB 10.8.13], ‘[According to the age (yuga), his [i.e., your son Kṛṣṇa’s] forms appear assuming three [different] complexions:] fair, reddish, and golden; now, it has become swarthy,’ [SB 7.9.38] ‘Since you will be covered in [the Age of] Kali, you are [known as] “Tri-yuga” [i.e., “he who descends in three ages”],’ and [SB 11.5.31], ‘Hear how mortals worship the Īśvara of the universe in [the Age of] Kali as well by means of various Tantras.’”
śrī-bādarāyaṇo bhagavān vyāso brahma-sūtrāṇi prakāśya tad-bhāṣya-bhūtaṁ śrī-bhāgavatam āvirbhāvya śukaṁ tad adhyāpitavān | tad-arthaṁ nirṇetu-kāmaḥ śrī-jīvaḥ pratyūha-kulācala-kuliśaṁ vāñchita-pīyūṣa-balāhakaṁ sveṣṭa-vastu-nirdeśaṁ maṅgalam ācarati—kṛṣṇeti | nimi-nṛpatinā pṛṣṭaḥ karabhājano yogī satyādi-yugāvatārān uktvātha ‘kalāv api tathā śṛṇu’ iti tam avadhāpyāha—kṛṣṇa-varṇam iti | sumedhaso janāḥ kalāv api hariṁ bhajanti | kaiḥ? ity āha saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajñaiḥ arcanair iti | kīdṛśaṁ tam? ity āha—kṛṣṇo varṇo rūpaṁ yasyāntar iti śeṣaḥ | tviṣā kāntyā tv akṛṣṇam | ‘śuklo raktas tathā pītaḥ idānīṁ kṛṣṇatāṁ gataḥ’ iti gargokti-pāriśeṣya-vidyud-gauram ity arthaḥ, aṅge nityānandādvaitau, upāṅgāni śrīvāsādayaḥ, astrāṇi avidyā-cchettṛtvād bhagavan-nāmāni, pārṣadān gadādhara-govindāyaḥ, taiḥ sahitam iti mahābalitvaṁ vyajyate | garga-vākye pīta iti prācīna-tad-avatārāpekṣayā | ayam avatāraḥ śveta-varāha-kalpa-gatāṣṭaviṁśa-vaivasvata-manvantarīya-kalau bodhyaḥ | tatratye śrī-caitanya evokta-dharma-darśanāt, anyeṣu kaliṣu kvacic chyāmatvena kvacic chuka-patrābhatvena vyakter ukteḥ | ‘channaḥ kalau yad abhavaḥ’ iti, ‘śuklo raktas tathā pītaḥ’ iti, ‘kalāv api tathā śṛṇu’ iti ca ye vimṛśanti te sumedhasaḥ | channatvaṁ ca preyasī-tviṣāvṛtatvaṁ bodhyam |
(Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇapāda’s ṭīkā on Tattva-sandarbha: 1)
“Śrī Bādarāyaṇa, Bhagavān Vyāsa, presented the Brahma-sūtras, manifested Śrīmad Bhāgavatam as the commentary on them, and taught this to Śuka [i.e., Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī]. Desiring to ascertain the meaning of this [i.e., Śrīmad Bhāgavatam], Śrī Jīva invokes auspiciousness in the form of a specification of his desired object (iṣṭa) [i.e., his worshipable Deity, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanyadeva], who is a lightning bolt upon the mountain of obstacles and thundercloud of hankered for nectar: kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ … [i.e., he cites SB 11.5.32]. Having been asked by King Nimi, Karabhājana Yogī mentions the avatāras for the ages of Satya and so forth [i.e., Tretā and Dvāpara], causes him to turn his attention [by saying in SB 11.5.31,] ‘Hear [how mortals worship the Īśvara of the universe] in [the Age of] Kali as well,’ and then says kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ … [i.e., he speaks SB 11.5.32 to describe the Kali-yugāvātara]. Persons of fine intellect worship Hari in [the Age of] Kali as well. By what means? He says, ‘By sacrifices’ (yajñaiḥ), that is, by forms of worship wherein saṅkīrtana is primary. What is the nature of he [who is worshiped in this way]? He says, ‘He whose complexion (varṇa), that is, form, is swarthy (kṛṣṇa); ‘internally’ is the remainder [i.e., when he is described as having a swarthy complexion, the intended sense is that his inner nature is that of a form of swarthy complexion]. By virtue of his luster (tviṣā), he is non-swarthy (akṛṣṇam). Because of the remainder from the statement of Garga [to Nanda Mahārāja in SB 10.8.13], ‘According to the age (yuga), his [i.e., your son Kṛṣṇa’s] forms appear assuming three [different] complexions: fair, reddish, and golden; now, it has become swarthy,’ lightning gold is the meaning [i.e., that he is said to be non-swarthy is to be understood to mean he has a golden complexion reminiscent of lightning].
“‘Limbs’ refers to Nityānanda and Advaita. ‘Sub-limbs’ to Śrīvāsa and so forth. ‘Weapons’ to names of Bhagavān because of [their] being axes for ignorance (avidyā). ‘Associates’ refers to Gadādhara, Govinda, and so forth. Replete with these [is the meaning of sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam]. [His] Being tremendously powerful is thus suggested. The [mention of] golden in the statement of Garga is on account of his prior descent [in a golden form in the previous kalpa]. This avatāra [i.e., the avatāra at the beginning of the Kali-yuga following the appearance of Svayaṁ Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa at the end of Dvāpara-yuga] is to be understood [to appear] in the twenty-eighth [Age of] Kali belonging to the Vaivasvata-manvantara during the Śveta-varāha-kalpa because of observation of the stated qualities in that regard [i.e., the characteristics stated in regard to that avatāra] only in Śrī Caitanya on account of the mention of manifestation [of the avatāra] in other Kalis being sometimes darkish (śyama) and sometimes greenish (śuka-patrābha) [and Śrī Caitanya being known to be solely of golden complexion]. Those who are of ‘fine intellect’ (sumedhasaḥ) means they who deliberate upon [statements in the śāstra, such as Gargācārya’s statement to Nanda Mahārāja in SB 10.8.13], ‘[According to the age (yuga), his [i.e., your son Kṛṣṇa’s] forms appear assuming three [different] complexions:] fair, reddish, and golden; now, it has become swarthy,’ [Śrī Prahlāda’s statement to Śrī Bhagavān in SB 7.9.38] ‘Since you will be covered in [the Age of] Kali, you are [known as] “Tri-yuga” [i.e., “he who descends in three ages”],’ and [Śrī Karabhājana Yogī’s earlier statement in SB 11.5.31], ‘Hear how mortals worship the Īśvara of the universe in [the Age of] Kali as well by means of various Tantras.’” [This avatāra’s] Being covered [as aforementioned in SB 7.9.38], furthermore, is to be understood as [his] being covered by the luster of his beloved (preyasī).”
atha kṛṣṇāvirbhāvasya sva-sākṣātkṛta-pādāmbujasya śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanyasya vijaya-vyañjanaṁ maṅgalam | nimi-nṛpeṇa pṛṣṭaḥ karabhājana-yogī satyādi-yugāvatārān uktvā ‘kalāv api tathā śṛṇu’ iti tam avadhāpayann āha—kṛṣṇeti | sumedhasaḥ puruṣāḥ kalāv api hariṁ yajanti | kaiḥ? ity āha—saṅkīrtana-prāyaiḥ yajñaiḥ arcā-vidhibhir iti | taṁ kīdṛśam? ity āha—kṛṣṇo varṇo rūpaṁ yasyāntar iti śeṣaḥ | ‘varṇo dvijādi-śuklādi-yaśo-guṇa-kathāsu ca’ iti medinī | tviṣā tv akṛṣṇaṁ, ‘śuklo raktas tathā pīta idānīṁ kṛṣṇatāṁ gataḥ’ iti gargokti-pāriśeṣyāt, vidyud-gaura-kāntikam ity arthaḥ | aṅgeti nityānandādvaitau, upāṅgeti śrīvāsa-paṇḍitādayaḥ, astrāṇi avidyā-vana-cchettṛtvāt tat-samāni bhagavan-nāmāni, pārṣadāḥ—śrī-gadādhara-govindādayaḥ, taiḥ sahitam, iti mahābalitvam asya vyajyate | garga-vākye pīta iti prācīna-tad-avatārāpekṣayā | ayam avatāraḥ śveta-vārāha-kalpa-gatāṣṭāviṁśatitama-vaivasvata-manvantarīya-kalau bodhyā, tatratye śrī-caitanye eva padyokta-dharmāṇāṁ darśanāt, anyeṣu kaliṣu tu kvacic chyāmatvena, kvāpi śuka-patrābhatvena vāvatārasyokteḥ; sa ca sa ca tad-āviṣṭo jīva-viśeṣa iti | ‘pratyakṣa-rūpa-dhṛg-devo dṛśyate na kalau hariḥ’ ity-ādi-vākyaṁ tad-viṣayam | tad-yājinaḥ sumedhasas tu ‘channaḥ kalau yad abhavaḥ’, ‘śuklo raktas tathā pītaḥ’, ‘kalāv api tathā śṛṇu’ ity-ādi-vākya-bhāva-vido bodhyāḥ | channatvaṁ preyasī-tviṣāvṛtatvam | bṛhan-nāradīye caivam uktam—aham eva kalau vipra nityaṁ pracchanna-vigrahaḥ | bhagavad-bhakta-rūpeṇa lokān rakṣāmi sarvathā || iti | śrutiś caivam abhipraiti—‘yadā paśyaḥ paśyate rukma-varṇaṁ kartāram īśaṁ puruṣaṁ brahma-yonim’ ity-ādinā muṇḍake, ‘mahān prabhur vai puruṣaḥ sattvasyaiṣa pravartakaḥ’ iti śvetāśvatarāṇām upaniṣadi ca | yat tu dvāpare’pi kvacit skānde hari-vaṁśe ca pītatvam uktaṁ, tad api kādācitkam astu, harer nānāvatāratvāt |
(Sāraṅga-raṅgadā-ṭīkā on Laghu Bhāgavatāmṛta: 1.1.2)
“Now, [there is an invocation of] auspiciousness indicating the glory of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, the manifestation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa whose lotus feet he [i.e., the author, Śrī Rūpapāda] has directly perceived. Having been asked by King Nimi, Karabhājana Yogī mentions the avatāras for the ages of Satya and so forth [i.e., Tretā and Dvāpara], causes him to turn his attention [by saying in SB 11.5.31,] ‘Hear [how mortals worship the Īśvara of the universe] in [the Age of] Kali as well,’ and says kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ … [i.e., he speaks SB 11.5.32 to describe the Kali-yugāvātara]. Persons of fine intellect worship Hari in [the Age of] Kali as well. By what means? He says, ‘By sacrifices’ (yajñaiḥ), that is, by methods of worship wherein saṅkīrtana is primary. What is the nature of he [who is worshiped in this way]? He says, ‘He whose complexion (varṇa), that is, form, is swarthy (kṛṣṇa); ‘internally’ is the remainder [i.e., when he is described as having a swarthy complexion, the intended sense is that his inner nature is that of a form of swarthy complexion]. [The word] Varṇa means the twice-born and so forth [i.e., it is used to refer to the four classes, viz., brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, and śūdra], white and so forth [i.e., it means color, examples of which are white and so on], fame, quality, and narration, according to Medinī [i.e. to, the lexicon known as the Medinī-kośa]. By virtue of his luster (tviṣā), he is non-swarthy (akṛṣṇam). Because of the remainder from the statement of Garga [to Nanda Mahārāja in SB 10.8.13], ‘[According to the age (yuga), his [i.e., your son Kṛṣṇa’s] forms appear assuming three [different] complexions:] Fair, reddish, and golden; now, it has become swarthy,’ a lightning golden luster is the meaning [i.e., that he is said to be non-swarthy is to be understood to mean his figure has a golden luster reminiscent of lightning].
“‘Limbs’ refers to Nityānanda and Advaita. ‘Sub-limbs’ to Śrīvāsa and so forth. ‘Weapons’ to names of Bhagavān, which are equal to him [i.e., non-different from him] because of [their] being axes for the forest of ignorance (avidyā). ‘Associates’ refers to Gadādhara, Govinda, and so forth. Replete with these [is the meaning of sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam]. [His] Being tremendously powerful is thus suggested.
“The [mention of] ‘golden’ in the statement of Garga is on account of his prior descent [in a golden form in the previous kalpa]. This avatāra [i.e., the avatāra at the beginning of the Kali-yuga following the appearance of Svayaṁ Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa at the end of Dvāpara-yuga] is to be understood [to appear] in the twenty-eighth [Age of] Kali belonging to the Vaivasvata-manvantara during the Śveta-varāha-kalpa because of observation of the qualities stated in the verse in that regard [i.e., the characteristics stated in the verse regard to that avatāra] only in Śrī Caitanya on account of the mention of an avatāra in other Kalis being sometimes darkish (śyama) or sometimes greenish (śuka-patrābha) [and Śrī Caitanya being known to be solely of golden complexion]. He, as well as he [i.e., the yugāvātara with a darkish complexion and the yugāvatāra with a greenish complexion that descend in Ages of Kali other than the Age of Kali immediately following the Dvāpara-yuga once in a kalpa when Svayaṁ Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa descends] is a particular jīva into whom he [i.e., Bhagavān] has entered [i.e., these yugāvatāras in other Kali-yugas are not of golden complexion and are not direct manifestations of Svayaṁ Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa but rather are jīvas who are empowered by Bhagavān]. The statement [in Viṣṇu-dharmottara (104)], ‘Deva, Hari, who is possessed of a perceptible form, is not visible in Kali …’ is related to them [i.e., to these common yugāvatāras, who appear in all the Kali-yugas other than the Kali-yuga in which Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanyadeva appears].
“Those performers of sacrifice [mentioned in SB 11.5.32] who are of ‘fine intellect’ (sumedhasaḥ) are to be understood to be those who know the purport of statements such as [Gargācārya’s statement to Nanda Mahārāja in SB 10.8.13], ‘[According to the age (yuga), his [i.e., your son Kṛṣṇa’s] forms appear assuming three [different] complexions:] fair, reddish, and golden; now, it has become swarthy,’ [Śrī Prahlāda’s statement to Śrī Bhagavān in SB 7.9.38] ‘Since you will be covered in [the Age of] Kali, you are [known as] “Tri-yuga” [i.e., “he who descends in three ages”],’ and [Śrī Karabhājana Yogī’s earlier statement in SB 11.5.31], ‘Hear how mortals worship the Īśvara of the universe in [the Age of] Kali as well by means of various Tantras.’
“[This avatāra’s] Being covered [as aforementioned in SB 7.9.38], furthermore, refers to [his] being covered by the luster of his beloved (preyasī). It is also similarly stated in Bṛhan Nāradīya Purāṇa, ‘O Brāhmaṇa! In [the Age of] Kali, I always have a covered form. With the form of a bhakta of Bhagavān, I protect the planes [all throughout the universe] in all respects.’ The Śruti, also, intends the same, as in the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (3.1.3), ‘When a seer sees the golden-complexioned Maker, the Lord, the Puruṣa, the Source of Brahman, then that wise one casts away virtue and sin, and attains taintless, supreme likness (sāmyam) [to the Puruṣa],’ and in the Śvetāśvatara Upaṇiṣad (3.12), ‘The Puruṣa is indeed supremely capable [i.e., capable of emanation, preservation, and destruction of the cosmos; alt., the Supreme Master (Mahān Prabhuḥ)]. He is the instigator of sattva [i.e., of the antaḥkaraṇa, or, loosely, the mind] towards the completely taintless attainment [i.e., the supreme state]; [he is] the Lord, the Light, and the Imperishable.’ Also, let the [occurrence of the avatāra’s] golden-ness even in Dvāpara sometimes, which is mentioned in Skanda Purāṇa and Hari-vaṁśa Purāṇa, be [considered] occasional on account of Hari having various avatāras.”