Sri Krishna Upanisad and Other Vaisnava Upanisads Table of Contents Sri Krishna Upanisad Page 2 Sri Narayana Upanisad Page 5 Sri Kali-santarana Upanisad Page 7 Sri Vasudeva Upanisad Page 8 Sri Krishna Upanisad Chapter One Introduction Seeing Lord Mahavisnu-Ramacandra, whose every limb was very handsome, some sages living in the forest became filled with wonder. To Him they said, "Alas, we cannot understand Your incarnations. We will simply embrace You." Then Lord Ramacandra said to them, "In another birth, when I become Krishna, you will become gopis and then you will embrace Me. Others will incarnate as gopas and you will be their wives." 1 (Then Siva and the demigods said), 'We will also accept those forms. Again and again You will touch us and we will touch You." 2 Hearing these words of Siva and the demigods, the Supreme Personality of Godhead said, "I will touch your limbs. I will do what you have said." 3 All the demigods became happy. "Now our lives are successful," they said. One of them became blissful Nanda and another became his wife Yasoda, who was liberated even while staying in the world. 4-5 The illusory potency Maya is said to have three features: goodness, passion, and ignorance. The mode of goodness is said to be manifested in the devotee Siva, the mode of passion in Brahma, and the mode of ignorance in the demons. In this way Maya is said to have three features. Her devotees chant her names Maya, Ajaya and Vaisnavi. She was born before Lord Krishna. 6 Devaki, who is glorified by the Vedas, had the Supreme Personality of Godhead as her son. Vasudeva, who was learned in all the Vedas, was the father of Krishna and Balarama. 7 The Supreme Personality of Godhead, whom the (sages and demigods) glorify without end, descended to the earth. In the forest of Vrndavana He enjoyed pastimes with the saintly gopas and gopis. 8 The personified Vedas became gopis and cows, Brahma became Lord Krishna's stick, Lord Siva became Lord Krishna's flute, and Indra became Lord Krishna's buffalo-horn bugle. Someone became the demon Aghasura. 9 The forest of the spiritual world became Gokula. Personified austerities became the trees there. Greed, anger, and other vices became demons. The time of Kali disappeared. 10 The Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared in His original form as a cowherd boy. Cheated and bewildered by His illusory potency, the world could not understand His true identity. 11 Even all the demigods cannot defeat the Lord's Maya potency. By the Lord's Yogamaya potency Brahma became a stick and Siva became a flute. How did the Lord's Maya potency manifest the entire universe? 12 Knowledge is the strength of the demigods. The Lord's Maya potency steals away that knowledge in a single moment. Lord Sesanaga appeared in His original form as Lord Balarama. The eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared in His original form as Lord Krishna. 13 The personified Vedas and personified Upanisads became 16 108 women whose forms were perfectly spiritual. 14 Personified hatred became the wrestler Canura. Personified envy became Mustika. Personified arrogance became Kuvalayapida. Personified pride became the demonic bird Baka. 15 Personified mercy became Mother Rohini. The earth goddess became Satyabhama. Personified disease became Aghasura. Personified quarrel became King Kamsa. 16-17 Personified peacefulness became the Lord's friend Sudama. Personified truthfulness became Akrura. Personified self-control became Uddhava. Lord Visnu Himself became Krishna's conch shell, which made a roar like thunder and which, also born from the milk-ocean, was the goddess of fortune's kinsman. Breaking a pot to steal yoghurt, Lord Krishna created an ocean of milk. 18 In this way the Lord becomes a child and enjoys pastimes as He had before in the great ocean (of milk). Lord Krishna appeared to remove His enemies and protect (His devotees). 19 To show mercy to all living entities, Lord Krishna fathered a son, religion, who protects all. Lord Krishna also created His cakra, which is made of spirit. 20 Vayu became the time of Lord Krishna's birth. Yamaraja became Lord Krishna's camara. Lord Siva became Lord Krishna's glittering sword. 21 Kasyapa became the grinding mortar and Mother Aditi became the rope. The siddhi and the bindu on the head of all became Lord Krishna's cakra and conch shell. 22 The wise bow down before all the forms the sages say to be incarnations of Lord Krishna. Of this there is no doubt. 23 Time became Lord Krishna's club, the killer of all enemies. The Lord's yogamaya potency became His Sarnga bow. The autumn season became His delicious meals. 24 In His hand Lord Krishna playfully holds the lotus root that is the seed of the material universes. Garuda became a great banyan tree (in Vrndavana). Narada Muni became Sudama. 25 Personified devotional service became the gopi Vrnda. The activities of devotional service became the wisdom that enlightens all living beings. The all-powerful Supreme Lord is not different from these. Neither is He exactly the same as them either. 26 The Lord brought to the earth the entire spiritual world along with its inhabitants Chapter Two 1 From Lord Vasudeva was manifested Lord Sesa, who was also named Sankarsana, and who was the father of all living entities. He desired, "I shall create children." 2 From Him was born the person named Pradyumna. From Pradyumna was born Aniruddha, who had the names Ahankara and Hiranyagarbha. From Pradyumna were born the ten Prajapatis, beginning with Marici and including Sthanu, Daksa, Kardama, Priyavrata, Uttanapada, and Vayu. In this way from Lord Sesa all living beings were born and into Sesa they enter (at the time of cosmic devastation). 3 Lord Sesa fathered all living beings. He protects them. He created grammar, astrology, and the other sciences. He is worshipped by the sages that yearn for liberation. He holds the entire universe on His head. The sages know His glories. The sages glorify Him with prayers. With His many heads He eclipses Mount Meru's thousand peaks. He created the ether and false ego. 4 Lord Sesa is the Personality of Godhead. Yuga after yuga He appears in many forms. He took birth as Laksmana, the son of Sumitra and descendent of King Iksvaku. Learned in the science of archery and weapons, He killed all the demons and protected varnasrama-dharma. 5 Lord Sesa is the Personality of Godhead. At the time of the yuga-sandhya (junction of the yugas) He appeared as Lord Balarama, the son of Vasudeva and Rohini. He was splendid like an autumn cloud. Expert in fighting with a club and other weapons, and yearning to kill the hosts of demon kings, he uprooted the earth's burden. 6 In the fourth yuga the Supreme Personality of Godhead takes birth in a brahmana family. Desiring to teach the message of all the Upanisads, preach the truths of the dharma-sastras, and deliver all the people, He preaches all the truths of vaisnava-dharma and He also uproots all the atheists and offenders. 7 He is the Supersoul present in everyone's heart. He is the object of meditation for they who yearn after liberation. He is the giver of liberation. By meditating on Him one becomes free from all sins. By chanting His holy names one attains liberation. 8 One who meditates on Him during the day becomes free from the sins of the previous night. One who meditates on Him at night become free from the sins of the previous day. This is the secret of the Vedas. This is the secret of the Upanisads. By meditating on Him one attains the fruits of all seasons, one attains peace, one attains a pure heart, one attains the result of all pilgrimages. He who knows this becomes free from again entering a material body. Thus the Upanisad. Sri Narayana Upanisad Chapter One Narayana is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He desired, 'I shall create children'. From Narayana the life breath, mind, all the senses, ether, air, fire, water, and earth, which maintains the universe, were born. From Narayana Brahma was born. From Narayana Siva was born. From Narayana Indra was born. From Narayana Prajapati was born. From Narayana the twelve Adityas, the Rudras, the Vasus, and all the Vedic hymns were born. From Narayana they were manifested. Into Narayana they again enter. This is the crown of the Rg Veda. Chapter Two Narayana is eternal. Narayana is Brahma. Narayana is the universe. Narayana is Indra. Narayana is time. Narayana is the primary directions. Narayana is the secondary directions. Narayana is above. Narayana is below. Narayana is within and without. Narayana is everything, whatever was and whatever will be. Narayana is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one without a second, free of all impurity, untouched by matter, liberated, pure, beyond the power of material words to describe. One who understands Him in this way becomes like Lord Visnu. He becomes like Lord Visnu. This is the crown of the Yajur Veda. Chapter Three First one pronounces the letter 'Om'. Then one pronounces the word 'namah', then one pronounces the word 'Narayanaya'. 'Om' has one syllable. 'Namah' has two syllables. 'Narayanaya' has five syllables. This is the eight syllable mantra of Lord Narayana. One who respectfully recites this eight syllable mantra of Lord Narayana attains long life. He has good children, royal opulence, and wealth of many cows, he becomes immortal. This is the crown of the Sama Veda. Note: The mantra here is "Om namo Narayanaya". Chapter Four The blissful Supreme Personality of Godhead appears as the sacred syllable Om, which consists of three letters: a, u and m. A yogi who once recites this sacred syllable Om is released from the bondage of repeated birth and death. A person who worships the Lord by reciting the mantra "Om namo narayanaya" will go to the spiritual world of Vaikuntha. Vaikuntha is a great lotus flower. It is filled with spiritual knowledge. It is splendid like a lightning flash. In that Vaikuntha resides the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the son of Devaki and the killer of the Madhu demon. Lord Narayana is the one Supreme Person who resides in the hearts of all living beings. He is the source of the purusa-avataras. No one is the source of Him. He is the Supreme. He appears as the sacred syllable Om. This is the crown of the Atharva Veda. Phala-stutih (The Result of Hearing the Upanisad) One who studies this Upanisad in the morning destroys the sins he committed in the previous night. One who studies this Upanisad in the evening destroys the sins he committed in the previous day. When one studies this Upanisad in the morning and evening his sins are sins no longer. One who faces the sun and studies this Upanisad at midday becomes free from the five great and petty sins. He attains the piety of following all the Vedas. He attains the liberation of meeting Lord Narayana. He attains the liberation of meeting Lord Narayana. In this way it is understood. Thus the Upanisad. Sri Kali-santarana Upanisad 1 At the end of Dvapara-yuga Narada approached Brahma and asked, "O glorious one, how can I cross beyond the Kali-yuga as I wander over the earth?' Brahma replied, 'The question you have asked me is excellent. Please listen to this answer, which is very confidential and contains the secret of all the Vedas, an answer that enable you to transcend the world of birth and death in the age of Kali. Simply by chanting aloud the mantra of the holy names of Lord Narayana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one shakes away the age of Kali. 2 Narada again asked, 'What is that holy name?' Brahma replied, 'The sixteen words of the Hare Krishna mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, are especially meant for counteracting the sins of the age of Kali. To save oneself from the contamination of this age there is no alternative but to chant the Hare Krishna mantra. After searching through all the Vedic literatures one cannot find a method of religion for this age so sublime as the chanting of Hare Krishna.* The sixteen words of the maha-mantra destroy the illusions that cover the conditioned soul. This mantra makes the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself appear as the brilliant sun appears when a host of clouds are dispersed." 3 Again Narada asked, 'O glorious one, what are the rules for chanting this mantra?' Brahma replied, 'There are no rules. Even if he is impure, a devotee who chants this mantra becomes pure. He attains the kinds of liberation known as salokya, samipya, sarupya and sayujya. One who chants these sixteen names forty five million times becomes free of the sin of killing a brahmana. He becomes free from the sin of killing a ksatriya. He becomes purified of the sin of stealing gold. He becomes purified of the sin of approaching a vrsali woman. He becomes purified of the sin of insulting pitas, demigods, or human beings. He is at once purified of the sin of abandoning all religious duties. At once he becomes liberated. At once he becomes liberated. Thus the Upanisad. Sri Vasudeva Upanisad 1 Om. The great sage Narada bowed down before the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Vasudeva and asked: O Lord, please teach me the rules of Vaisnava tilaka. Please tell me of the substances, mantras, places, and other things in connection with it. 2 Lord Vasudeva said: To please Me, My devotees headed by the demigod Brahma, wear Visnu-candana, which comes from the spiritual world of Vaikuntha. Because every day the gopis anoint My limbs with this candana and then again wash it away, it is also known as gopi-candana. This sacred yellow candana, which holds within it My cakra, and which is present at Cakra-tirtha, brings liberation (to they who wear it). 3 In the following prayer one praises and bows down before gopi-candana: O gopi, O destroyer of sins, O candana manifested from Lord Visnu's transcendental body and marked with His cakra, I offer my obeisances to you. Please give me liberation, for I am anointed with you. 4 One should go to My Ganges, take some water, bring it to My temple, and use it to make gopi-candana paste. Then, reciting either the mantras that begin 'deva avantu nah' (May the Lord protect us), or the Visnu gayatri, or my names beginning with the name Kesava, one should apply gopi-candana tilaka. 5 A brahmacari or vanaprastha should, while chanting the Visnu-gayatri or the holy names beginning with Krishna, apply this tilaka to his forehead, chest, neck, and shoulders. 5 (A) Three times he should chant this mantra: O Lord who holds the conch shell, cakra, and club in Your hands, O infallible Lord who resides in Dvaraka, O lotus-eyed Lord Govinda, please protect me, who have surrendered to You and taken shelter of You. 5 (B) After meditating in this way, a grhastha should, while chanting the Visnu-gayatri or the holy names beginning with Kesava, apply this tilaka with his ring finger to twelve parts of his body, beginning with his forehead. 6 A brahmacari or grhastha should, while chanting the Visnu-gayatri or the holy names beginning with Krishna, apply this tilaka to his forehead, chest, neck and shoulders. 7 A sannyasi, while chanting the sacred syllable Om, should apply this tilaka with his forefinger to his head, forehead and chest. 8 As there are three Deities (Brahma, Visnu and Siva), three vyahrtis (Bhuh, Bhuvah and Svah), three metres in the Vedic hymns, three sacred fires, three times, three states of being, three atmas, and three letters (a, u, and m) in the sacred syllable Om, so Vaisnava tilaka has three parts, which correspond to the letters in the sacred Om. 9 A person who chants the sacred syllable Om goes upward (urdhva). That is why Vaisnava tilaka is called 'urdhva-pundra.' 10 A paramahamsa should say the sacred syllable Om and place Vaisnava tilaka on his forehead. 11 When he sees the Supersoul in his heart illumined with the lamp of truth, the yogi attains the liberation of meeting Me. 12 Or the yogi may surrender his heart to the Lord in the tilaka mark on his chest or to the Lord in the lotus of his heart. 13 In the heart is a flame reaching upwards, a flame like a lightning flash from a dark cloud, or like a slender rice-plant. In that flame the Supersoul stays. 14 In the lotus flower of the heart one should search for the Supreme Lord, who is present as the tilaka mark. Gradually one should become rapt in meditation on Me, Lord Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is present as the Supersoul. 15 He becomes liberated who, with single-pointed concentration meditates on Me, Lord Hari, the eternal Supersoul who stays in the lotus flower of the heart. Of this there is no doubt. 16 By engaging in My devotional service one is able to understand My transcendental form, which is spiritual, eternal, self-manifest, filled with knowledge and bliss, and beyond the touch of the material world of dualities. 17 I am Lord Visnu, the one Supersoul who stays in the hearts of the many moving and unmoving creatures. 18 As oil stays in sesame seeds, as fire stays in wood, as butter stays in milk, and as fragrance stays in flowers, so I, the Supersoul, stay in the hearts of all living creatures. 19 By anointing one's body with gopi-candana tilaka and by meditating on the Supreme Lord, Hari, splendid like a transcendental sun in the brahma-randhra, heart, and between the eyebrows, one attains the Lord in His supreme abode. 20 His sannyasa danda raised, his semen flowing upwards, His Vaisnava tilaka vertical, and his practice of yoga elevated, the sannyasi, in this four ways ascending, goes to the highest spiritual abode. 21 The final conclusion is that by serving Me with devotion one attains the supreme perfection. Wearing gopi-candana tilaka, with single pointed concentration one should always engage in My devotional service. 22 Of all brahmanas and followers of the Vedas he is best who wears Vaisnava tilaka of gopi-candana mixed with water. 23 If gopi-candana is not available one may use the earth from the roots of the Tulasi plant. In order to attain the spiritual goal that cannot be seen by materialistic men, a person who yearns for liberation should wear Vaisnava tilaka every day. 24 One should apply Vaisnava tilaka using the sacred atriratri-agnihotra ashes of the sacred syllable Om, the Visnu-gayatri, or the mantras beginning with the words 'Visnus trini pada.' 25 In this way one should apply Vaisnava tilaka with gopi-candana. 26 A person who studies this Upanisad becomes purified of all sins. Sinful thoughts do not arise in his mind. He attains the results of bathing in all sacred rivers and lakes. He attains the results of performing all yajnas. He is to be worshipped by all the demigods. He attains unwavering devotion to Me, Lord Narayana, the goddess of fortune's husband. When his spiritual knowledge is perfect he attains the liberation of meeting Lord Visnu. He does not return to the world of birth and death. He does not return to the world of birth and death. 27 Thus spoke Lord Vasudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. 28 One who studies this Upanisad certainly attains this. Om. That is the truth. Thus the Upanisad.