Shloka 46
Description of the Origin of the Cosmic Egg (Brahmāṇḍa) and the Ocean as King of Tīrthas
स एव रामः कृष्णश्च वस्तुतो गुणतः पृथक् । सर्वे प्राकृतिका लोका गोलोको निर्गुणः स्वयम् ॥ ४६ ॥
sa eva rāmaḥ kṛṣṇaśca vastuto guṇataḥ pṛthak | sarve prākṛtikā lokā goloko nirguṇaḥ svayam || 46 ||
He alone is Rāma and also Kṛṣṇa—one in essence, yet distinguished by manifest qualities. All other worlds are of prakṛti, whereas Goloka, by its very nature, is nirguṇa, beyond the guṇas.
Narada (teaching in the Uttara-Bhaga context; dialogue tradition aligns with Narada’s instruction to sages such as Sanatkumara and related interlocutors)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It affirms a core Vaiṣṇava teaching: Rāma and Kṛṣṇa are the same Supreme Lord in essence, while their manifested līlās show distinct attributes; it also distinguishes material (prākṛtika) realms from the transcendental, nirguṇa realm of Goloka.
By identifying the one Lord appearing as Rāma and Kṛṣṇa, it directs bhakti toward the single Supreme Reality; devotion aims to transcend the guṇas of prakṛti and attain the Lord’s nirguṇa abode (Goloka).
The verse primarily conveys tattva (metaphysics) rather than a Vedāṅga technique; its practical takeaway is doctrinal clarity—using precise distinctions of guṇa/prakṛti (a sāṅkhya-style analytic lens) to understand scripture and guide devotion beyond material conditioning.