The Wives
As Lord of the Universe, Sri Krishna became wedded to the eightfold energies of Prakriti, His eight principal wives, so that he might influence, through them, individuals formed by these divisions of Prakritis. These energies are: —
Rukmini or Mula Prakritî, Buddhi.
Jâmba-vati or Mahat, Universal mind.
Satya-bhâmâ or Ahankâra.
Kâlindi or Akâsa-Tanmâttra, sound, Akâsa.
Mitra Vinda or Vâyu-Tanmatra, Touch, Air.
Satya or Nagnajiti, Agni-Tanmatra, Form, Fire.
Bhadrâ, Ap-Tanmâtra, Taste, Water.
Lakshanâ, Kshiti-Tanmâtra, smell, Earth.
The Energies of Prakriti have a double tendency, one of lower transformation, of materialisation, of descent and another of higher transformation, of spiritualisation, of ascent. Sri Krishna, by His Avatârship, attracted to Himself the higher tendency of all the energies of Prakriti. This is how he was wedded to all the aspects of Prakriti.
Rukmini is the spiritual energy of Mula Prakriti. Read the talk between Krishna and Rukmini (X. 80).
The legend of the Syamantaka jewel is a mysterious one. It was the gift of the Sun-God. It used to produce gold every day.
The Hiranya-Garbha Purusha of Vedic Upâsanâ has its seat inside the Sun-God. “The Purusha inside Âditya.” This Purusha is the Adhi-daiva of Bhagavat Gitâ, as explained by Sankarâchârya. All the Devas proceed from Him. He is the one Deva, also called Prâna. (Vide Yajnavalkya’s answer to Sakala Brihat Aranyaka Upanishad III. 9.) Hiranya is gold. Hiranya-garbha is that which has gold in its womb. The Syamantaka jewel gave protection against diseases, accidents, and other dangers. These are all the results of Hiranya-garbha Upâsanâ. Syamantaka represents Hiranyagarbha Upâsanâ.
Sri Krishna wanted that this Upâsanâ should be replaced by the Upâsanâ of Íshvara.
The jewel was lost. It was carried away by some religious movement, represented as a lion.
Jâmba-vat snatched it from the Lion. Jâmbavat, the bear king, was one of the chief allies of Sugriva. He was the oldest in years and the wisest in counsel.
“When Vâmana stepped over the three Lokas, I made a respectful circuit round Him.” Râmayana Kishkindha Kânda. Chap. 64-15.
“When Vâmana became an Avatâra I moved round the earth twenty one times. I threw plants into the Sea which yielded Amrita by churning. Now I am old.” Râmayana Kishkindha Kânda Chap. 65-32.
While Râma was about to ascend to heaven he addressed the old Jâmbavat, as a son of Brahmâ, and asked him to stay behind till the approach of Kali — Uttarâ Kânda. Chap. 121-34.
Jâmbavat represents a very old religious movement, which was out of date even in Râma’s time.
Hiranyagarbha Upâsanâ became old and a thing of the past. But however hoary it might be with years, it was holy with the traditions of the Vedas and though Krishna had no direct hand in its disappearance, people thought the disappearance was the outcome of His Avatarship. To save His reputation, Krishna restored the jewel from Jâmbavat, but it could not long remain in the hands of Satrajit. Vedic Upâsanâ did survive. But it survived only in Vedic Sandhyâ and Gâyatri, which were represented by Akrûra.
Krishna was wedded to Jâmbavatî, the spiritual energy of Mahat.
Satya-bhâmâ is the spiritual energy of Ahankâra. She holds the Vinâ, with the seven notes of differentiation. The Vedas proceed from these notes and also all departments of knowledge, Satyabhâmâ is the goddess of learning.
There is not much to say about the five other principal wives.
The last of these wives, Lakshanâ, represents the spiritual energy of earth. Coming down to earth, we proceed to Naraka, son of Earth. The word Naraka literally means Hell, hence gross materiality. We have found that the Purâna writers place Naraka below the Pâtâlas. Sixteen thousand girls representing all earthly and material energies had been snatched away by Naraka. They all became wedded to Sri Krishna.
Vâsudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna, Aniruddha.
The following correspondences were given by Kapila to his mother Devahûti. (III. 26 ).
| Upâsya | Adhibhûta | Adhyatma | Adhideva |
| Vâsudeva | Mahat | Chitta | Kshetrajna |
| Sankarsana | Ahankâra | Ahankâra | Rudra |
| Aniruddha | Manas | Manas | The Moon god |
| Pradyumna | Buddhi | Buddhi | Brahmâ |
Chitta is transparent, without transformation, and calm, even as the first state of water. III. 26. XXI.
“Transparent” — capable of of receiving the image Bhagavat.
“Without transformation” — without indolence and distraction. Śridhara
Chitta is the abode of Bhagavat, i.e. Bhagavat is perceived by Chitta. III. 26. XX.
Differences cause many-sidedness and distraction.
Ahankâra Tatva brings differences into manifestation.
Beyond the plane of Ahankâra Tatva, is the plane of Mahat.
Mahat literally means big, great, universal.
It is the plane of universal manifestation.
The mind is universal on this plane. As soon as the One Purusha wished to be many, Prakriti gave rise to the Mahat transformation and Mahat took up the wish to be many. It was one, but it had the potency of becoming many. The whole universe that was to manifest itself was mirrored in Mahat, and was the subject matter of one thought, the thought of one who had the universe for his body. During the period of creation, Mahat soon transformed itself into Ahankâra, the Tatva of differences. Ahankâra gave rise to different bodies, different minds and different faculties; individuals appeared and they started on separate lines of manifestation and of evolution.
On their homeward journey, individuals again reach the plane of Mahat, when they rise above all differences, lose all sense of personality and carry their experiences to the plane of the Universe. Their thoughts then become thoughts of the Universe, guided by one feeling, that of compassion for those that remain behind. There is no thought of self, no distraction, no impurity, it is all calm and tranquil; such a mind is called Chitta by Kapila. This Chitta is the abode of peace, the abode of Bhagavat.
Bhagavat, when reflected on Chitta, is VASUDEVA. He is the Purusha seated on Ananta.
SANKARSANA is Bhagavat as reflected on Ahankâra. He is called Ananta or endless, as there is no end of individuals. He is Bhagavat as manifested in every individual and may be called, in one sense, the Purusha of Individual souls. Balarâma is said to be an incarnation of Sankarshana. As individuals proceed in their course of life journeys, they become crystallised into separate entities, with a strong sense of personality. The inner self, the real self, runs the risk of becoming swallowed up by the outer self, the Upadhi of individuality. The point is reached, when individuals are to be drawn back to their homes, their real selves. Therefore Balarâma used the plough to draw in others. This is a process of destruction. The material nature is gradually destroyed in us. Therefore Balarâma is also called an incarnation of Rudra or Śiva according to Vaishnava texts. He is Rudra Himself. The fire from the mouth of Sankarshana burns the Trilokî at Pralaya. Sankarshana literally means “he who draws in completely.” The process of Pralaya has already set in. The whole process of spiritual ascent is a process of material Pralaya. According to some therefore, Vishnu and Śiva united to form Harihara, at the time of the Great Churning, when this process first set in. When individuals throw off their material garb, or when, by Pralayic force, their material cover is forcibly removed, they become fit to be gathered together and to become merged at Pralaya in the One.
PRADYUMNA is the wish of Bhagavat, as imprinted on the course of universal evolution. He is the wish of God. When the one wished to be many, He represented that wish and gave the entire turn to the course of evolution, that it might adopt itself to that wish. Individuals multiplied. Desires became many and all actions became Sakama. Pradyumna was then called Kâmadeva, the God of Love, or desire.
When the course of descent was arrested, Kâmadeva was destroyed by fire from the forehead of Śiva. He appeared again, but this time he appeared as the son of Krishna. The wish of his father now was to be one again, for He had already become many, as many as the Karma of the previous Kalpa would allow. And Pradyumna had to impress this wish upon individuals generally, so that the ascent of matter to spirit might be universal.
According to Kapila, Pradyumna is reflected on Buddhi. Buddhi is defined by him as that faculty by which objects are perceived. Doubt, false understanding, true understanding, memory and sleep, these are the indications of that faculty. (III. 26. XXVIII, XXIX).
ANIRUDDHA is the son of Pradyumna. According to Kapila, he is reflected on Manas, the faculty of Sankalpa and Vikalpa. Sankalpa in Sânkhya terminology is the first or general idea of a thing.
Vikalpa is the idea of the peculiarity of a thing. Thus when I cast a passing glance at a man, I know nothing of him except that he is a man. But when I look at him carefully, I know his peculiarities and can differentiate him from others.
The first idea is the idea of a thing in its primity or dawn.
The second idea is the idea of its peculiarities. It is the second idea which gives rise to likes and dislikes.
In the course of ascent, we must carry general ideas. We must rise from particulars to generals. The mind will thus be freed from the burden of personal and material thoughts.
Aniruddha became wedded to Usha or Dawn. He is Bhagavat as perceived by Manas.
END OF THE TENTH SKANDHA.