2023.09.06 - SB 10.2.16. Janmashtami (Gita-Nagari) - Bhakti Vijnana Goswami

भगवानपि विश्वात्मा भक्तानामभयङ्कर: ।
आविवेशांशभागेन मन आनकदुन्दुभे: ॥ १६ ॥

bhagavān api viśvātmā
bhaktānām abhayaṅkaraḥ
āviveśāṁśa-bhāgena
mana ānakadundubheḥ

Synonyms
bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; api — also; viśvātmā — the Supersoul of all living entities; bhaktānām — of His devotees; abhayam-karaḥ — always killing the causes of fear; āviveśa — entered; aṁśa-bhāgena — with all of His potent opulences (ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa); manaḥ — in the mind; ānakadundubheḥ — of Vasudeva.

Translation
Thus the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the Supersoul of all living entities and who vanquishes all the fear of His devotees, entered the mind of Vasudeva in full opulence.

Purport
The word viśvātmā refers to one who is situated in everyone’s heart (īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe ’rjuna tiṣṭhati). Another meaning of viśvātmā is “the only lovable object for everyone.” Because of forgetfulness of this object, people are suffering in this material world, but if one fortunately revives his old consciousness of loving Kṛṣṇa and connects with Viśvātmā, one becomes perfect. The Lord is described in the Third Canto (3.2.15) as follows: parāvareśo mahad-aṁśa-yukto hy ajo ’pi jāto bhagavān. Although unborn, the Lord, the master of everything, appears like a born child by entering the mind of a devotee. The Lord is already there within the mind, and consequently it is not astonishing for Him to appear as if born from a devotee’s body. The word āviveśa signifies that the Lord appeared within the mind of Vasudeva. There was no need for a discharge of semen. That is the opinion of Śrīpāda Śrīdhara Svāmī and Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. In the Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī says that consciousness was awakened within the mind of Vasudeva. Śrīla Vīrarāghava Ācārya also says that Vasudeva was one of the demigods and that within his mind the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared as an awakening of consciousness.

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The days on which Krishna’s avatars appear are no different than Krishna Himself. By performing devotional service on these particular tithis, we gain immense benefits. Time, when used correctly, has the power to bring us closer to God. Speaking about Krishna is the most important aspect of this practice. When performed properly, krishna-katha has the ability to transport us to a higher realm. The full purifying effect of hearing krishna-katha is only possible if we are fully present and attentive.

Initially, the Lord's presence manifests coes as sound vibration. When the sound vibration of the Holy name becomes deeply ingrained in our lives, our prana, or life force, becomes unified with the Holy name and the Lord's presence becomes increasingly prominent. Then, the Lord enters our hearts, and in a subtle form, He manifests Himself in our minds. He reveals His form, lila (divine play), and qualities within our consciousness. Finally, the Lord takes on a visible form. The Lord is already within our hearts, and the Lord’s entry into our minds and hearts means that we can experience this unmistakably and we become fearless.

Purifying our hearts requires overcoming some obstacles because we are attached to the impurities within our hearts. The Lord will not reside in a place that is not His own abode. If we seek success in spiritual life, sincerity is the first condition. We shall not try to hide our problems. The sole prerequisite for our purification is our desire and the Lord Himself will assist us in cleansing our hearts. Visuddha-sattva is a state in which our ability to perceive spiritual reality awakens within. Material sattva is crucial since it gives rise to spiritual knowledge. Individuals who cultivate sattva intuitively experience the existence of God. When the potency of existence, consciousness, and bliss are equally manifest, Krishna Himself manifests.

Kamsa symbolizes the fear of material existence. When human beings become somewhat sattvic and understand the real miserable nature of this material existence, they become fearful of material existence and very serious about their spiritual life. The prison cell of Kamsa represents the imprisoned state of mind of those who understand the gravity of our situation in this material world. The fear of material existence traps us in this prison. After being born in the prison cell, Krishna is transported to the loving embrace of Nanda Maharaj, who is governed by pure love.