Prayers and Quotes: Srila Jiva Gosvami
A Comprehensive Guide to Śrī Vṛndāvana Dhāma
Quotes
from a commentary on Brahma-Samhita, a favorite Vaisnava scripture
Text Five (The surrounding external plane of Gokula is described in this verse).
"There is a mysterious quadrangular place named Svetadvipa surrounding the outskirts of Gokula. Svetadvipa is divided into four parts on all sides. The abode of Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are separately located in each of these four parts.
These four divided abodes are enveloped by the fourfold human requirements such as piety, wealth, passion and liberation, as also by the four Vedas, viz., Rg, Sama, Yajur, and Atharva, which deal with the mantra and which are the bases of achievements of the fourfold mundane requirements. Ten tridents are fixed in the ten directions, including the zenith and nadir. The eight directions are decorated with the eight jewels of Mahapadma, Padma, Sankha, Makara, Kacchapa, Mukunda, Kunda, and Nila.
There are ten protectors (dik-palas) of the ten directions in the form of mantra. The associates of the hues of blue, yellow, red and white and the extraordinary potencies bearing the names of Vimala, etc., shine on all sides."
Commentary by Srila Jiva Gosvami
In the four verses that comprise text 5, the author describes the surrounding external plane of Gokula. The word "caturasram" here refers to the quadrangular place named Svetadvipa surrounding the outskirts of Gokula. This Svetadvipa is another name for Gokula. Although this Svetadvipa is within the boundary of Gokula, because it is a specific part of Gokula it is given a separate name.
This quadrangular place should therefore be known to be the place named Vrndavana. Vrndavana is described in the Svayambhuvagama-sastra, in the passage beginning "dhyayet tatra visuddhatma idam sarvam kramena vai", in these words:
- '"Vrndavana is filled with beautiful flowers, trees and birds. In this way one should meditate on Vrndavana."'
Vrndavana is also described in the Vamana Purana, where the Personified Vedas offer the following prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead:
- "In ancient times the great sages saw Your blissful transcendental form. O Lord, if You wish to grant us a benediction, then please reveal to us that same transcendental form."
"Hearing these words, the Supreme Personality of Godhead revealed to them the land of Gokula, which is beyond the touch of material energy. Within that Gokula-dhama he revealed the eternal, blissful, transcendental kalpavrksa-tree forest named Vrndavana."