Sri Mahavishnu, Sri Lakshmi & Srivaikutham

In one of the letters in this conference, it was said that only ISKCON has the philosophy of the soul originally falling from Krishna-lila in the spiritual world.

What is the origin of the souls the material or the spiritual world or in other words, did we were before our material existence in this material world with the Supreme Personality of Godhead or somewhere else is an interesting topic that is discussed in many religions. Here are some quotes to be considered from the Padma purana that suggest fall-down from the spiritual world. In the next essay we will give the rest of the slokas from the Padma purana on this subject. And later on from the other sattvika puranas.

1.15.228                    ..he goes to Visnu's (the Supreme of all Deities) world and fallen from Visnu's world he goes to Rudraloka and fallen from that place also he is born in the various divisions of the world.

NOTE: Visnu's world is not temporary as the planet of the demigods. Later on we read "it is beyond the darkness of maya, it is eternal, beyond all miseries".

1.20.53            One who donates to a brahmana and garlands the Lord saying "my Lord Pradyumna be pleased" will live in the city of Visnu for a kalpa.

1.20.93                        .one who is performing this tapasya in the month of Visnu and giving a cow to a brahmana, he stays for a kalpa at the place of Visnu.

1.20.98                        .one who is doing this tapasya he goes to the highest position from which return is difficult. This is called Suvrata, having done which rebirth is not easy.

1.20.111                    One who does Laksmi-vrata will live for a kalpa in the world of Laksmi.

1.21.75                        Performing vishaka dvadasi vrata, (elaborately described before) fasting removes all sins. On death he reaches Visnu's or Keshava's city and his recollection of Hari, the enemy of the demons Madhu, Mura and Naraka for 9.018.000.000 years.

1.21.154                    give a mountain of sesame, 140, 70 or 42 kg to a brahmana to be used in Yajna along with the rite

(described before) goes to the abode of Visnu, the murderer of Madhu from which return

(rebirth) is difficult.

1.21.180                    give a mountain of 1000, 500 or 300 pearls (with elaborate rites, described) to a brahmana

goes for 100 kalpas to Visnu's world.

1.21.206                    give mountain of 1000 or 400 kg sugar with rite to priests, goes to Brahmaloka. Then

getting into an aeroplane shining like Moon and Sun he would rise from there and go to the heaven of Lord Visnu for 100 kalpas.

1.24                                  worship Govinda with singing and musical instruments, pray. Donate cows, gold etc.etc.

with rites is honoured in Visnu's world for thousands and hundreds of kalpas.

1.27.59                        The pure one, performing the religious deeds (elaborately described in 5 verses) goes to

Brahmaloka for many kalpas. Moving in many worlds for 2 parardhas (lifetime of Brahma), he again goes to Visnu's abode obtainable by the power of deep and abstract meditation.

1.52.49                        (After descriptions of sins and hells).

Brahmana: how to become free from the reactions of such bad deeds.

Lord (Visnu, Keshava or Hari) said: leave householder's life, always loudly chant My name Govinda an worship Me. All sins perish as cotton or may perish in contact with fire. He will live for a long time in My City. Then he becomes an emperor after having lived in My house according to his desire.

1.57.16                        Vyasadeva: give or construct a water tank (large artificial reservoir for storing water)

           measuring 20 cubits, go to Visnu's Abode. Afterwards born as king or wealthy man or orator.

1.57.17                        if measures  1000 cubits, he doesn't fall from Visnu's heaven. All his sins will be destroyed.

1.57.44                        and will obtain the auspicious salvation.

1.58                                  King constructed bridges, dug wells, planted trees did Yajna, Dana and Tapah.

Again before Yama's assembly.Citragupta.."go to Visnu's Abode".

Aeroplane came, went to Visnu's heaven, the great heaven from which returning is difficult.

2.4.1                                Goloka, the Heaven of Visnu, beyond darkness, the world of salvation.

2.22.25                        Suvrata: O Krsna, O Lord Murari, always sprinkle me with water of knowledge, me - who have fallen in the great ditch covered with fearful darkness called Samsara.

2.98.65            With devotion I Salute the good excellent sanctifying couple of Feet of Vasudeva, Bhagavan who

is the affectionate Emancipator of him who has fallen into the great Ocean of the worldly existence.

2.120.33   The soul bound by faults is taken to the worldly existence.

2.121.3      Tulasi: "Listen O Narada, for what reason does My Lord, the Master of the world go to the

wordly existence"? A man who is bound by sinful and even meritorious acts moves to the worldly existence.

O brahmana, tell me why Visnu would go to worldly existence.

2.125.4      In Treta Yuga men listened to the Padma purana and enjoying the fruit of the 4 goals of life, Dharma,

            Artha, Kama and Moksha they would again reach Visnu.

3.18.62      (..many bhakti-sukrtis..) then going to Visnu's heaven, he is full of sport and enjoyments.

Having enjoyed great pleasures there, he is born as a king in the mortal world.

3.31.126   He who devotedly worships a 100 Saligrama Sila will after living with Visnu in Visnu's heaven, then

born as a sovereign emperor here on earth.

..if with joy worship Visnu's Salagrama stone doesn't fall from heaven till deluge.

3.31.132   human, highly devoted, in Kali-yuga worship Salagrama-silas by offering eatables, flowers, incense, lights, ointments, song, musical instruments, hymns rejoices in Visnu's company (salvation) for a 1000 crores of kalpas.

4.2.4            .one who cleanses with water the temple of the Lord, lives in Visnu's abode for as many thousands of kalpas as dust particles one removes.

4.2       thief sinner before Yamaraja.  Citragupta spoke

            "Committed all the sins Creator created on earth. Once stole from temple, entered temple put feet

            dirty with mud on ground (stamped): ground free from slope, holes and pits. Saluted Radha Krsna

            Murti lying sleeping on a bed, thereby free from all sin. Then he discussed with the Deity "shall I steal or not?

            I am all time thief, I cannot serve Lord, let  me steal". Krsna's maya (magic) and his trembling hands caused   

            jewels etc. fall with too loud noise on the floor, nearly caught, fled. bitten by cobra, died.go to Visnu's

            excellent Abode, lived there for long time as many 1000 kalpas as dust/mud particles he had thrown down

            from his feet.

4.3                 Rat came to eat ghee of lamp offered before Visnu, Krsna, Damodara in Kartika month. It started eating and moved up the ghee. So, the lamp burnt more brightly. Out of fear the rat ran away. It had revived lamp in front of Visnu; sins of crores of previous existences perished. Went from ocean of mundane existence for a hundred ages of Manus to the world of cows, in Visnu's proximity. Then princess here. Then back again.

4.11.20 Laksmi-Narayana, worship 4 consecutive thursdays in Margashirsha month (offer sweets, prayers,

presents). Live in Laksmi's city for so many 1000's of kalpas as many times the worship is practiced.

4.12.62      He who protects brahmanas by giving his life and wealth goes to Visnu's Abode, from which a

return (to the mortal world) is difficult to have.

4.15.43      husband and wife keep Ekadasi fast (incl. stay awake at night etc.) stay together for long time in

Visnu's Abode.

4.16.16      offer with devotion cowries (shell, money/ornament) to the Deity will live in Hari's abode for as many days as number of cowries offered.

COMMENTS: Srila Prabhupada in the purport to the Srimad Bhagavatam 8.5.5 writes: "As described in the Second Canto, Lord Brahma saw Vaikuntha before the creation of the universe. Viraraghava Acarya mentions that this Vaikuntha is within the universe. It is situated above the mountain known as Lokaloka. This planet is worshiped by everyone". The following slokas describe this Vaikuntha.

SB 2.9.9: His personal abode, Vaikuntha, the supreme planet above all others. This transcendental abode of the Lord is adored by all self-realized persons freed from all kinds of miseries and fear of illusory existence.

SB 2.9.10: In that personal abode of the Lord, the material modes of ignorance and passion do not prevail, nor is there any of their influence in goodness. There is no predominance of the influence of time, so what to speak of the illusory, external energy; it cannot enter that region.

SB 2.9.11: The inhabitants of the Vaikuntha planets are described as having a glowing sky-bluish complexion. Their eyes resemble lotus flowers, their dress is of yellowish color, and their bodily features very attractive. They are just the age of growing youths, they all have four hands, they are all nicely decorated with pearl necklaces with ornamental medallions, and they all appear to be effulgent.

SB 2.9.12: Some of them are effulgent like coral and diamonds in complexion and have garlands on their heads, blooming like lotus flowers, and some wear earrings.

Now, just as the living entity can fall down again from the transcendental abode of Vaikuntha of this material world although Visnu Himself is there and many liberated sages and devotees, similarly one can fall down from the transcendental abode of Visnu or Krishna in the spiritual world.

In this regard Sanatana Gosvami describes in the Sri Brhad-bhagavatamrta that as one goes up in the material and spiritual world, the forms of Krishna become transcendentally more opulent and attractive, in other words increasingly less chance of falling down.

If one goes back to Visnuloka situated within the Mahat tattva two things can happen.

1) One can come back again to the material planets. Taking birth at or close to a holy place of Vishnu or Krishna in this earthly planet from where he will go back to either Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavana beyond the mahat-tattva.

2) One can go from the Visnuloka within this mahat-tattva to the Visnuloka of the spiritual world beyond the mahat-tattva. The Visnuloka is in some ways like the bhauma Vrindavana for Krishna bhaktas, an intermediate place before attainment of the highest abode.

Compiled by Sri Sri Nitai Das Prabhu