Prayers by the Demigods for Lord Krsna in the Womb 21

Godhead. Still, everyone who died in His presence attained complete libera-
tion from material bondage and was transferred to the spiritual world.

“O Lord, the impersonalists or nondevotees cannot understand that
Your name is identical with Your form.” Since the Lord is Absolute,
there is no difference between His name and His actual form. In the
material world there is a difference between form and name. The mango
fruit is different from the name of the mango. One cannot taste the mango
fruit simply by chanting, “Mango, mango, mango.” But the devotee who
knows that there is no difference between the name and the form of the
Lord chants Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama,
Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, and realizes that he is always in
Krsna’s company.

For persons who are not very advanced in absolute knowledge of the
Supreme, Lord Krsna exhibits His transcendental pastimes. They can
simply think of the pastimes of the Lord and get the full benefit. Since
there is no difference between the transcendental name and form of the
Lord, there is no difference between the transcendental pastimes and the
form of the Lord. For those who are less intelligent (like women,
laborers or the mercantile class), the great sage Vyasadeva wrote Maha-
bharata. In the Mahabharata, Krsna is present in His different activities.
Mahabharata is history, and simply by studying, hearing and memorizing
the transcendental activities of Krsna, the less intelligent can also gradually
rise to the standard of pure devotees.

The pure devotees, who are always absorbed in the thought of the tran-
scendental lotus feet of Krsna and who are always engaged in devotional
service in full Krsna consciousness, are never to be considered to be in the
material world. Sri Ripa Gosvami has explained that those who are always
engaged in Krsna consciousness, by body, mind and activities, are to be
considered liberated even within this body. This is also confirmed in the
Bhagavad-gita: those who are engaged in the devotional service of the Lord
have already transcended the material position.

Krsna appears to give a chance both to the devotees and nondevotees
for realization of the ultimate goal of life. The devotees get the direct
chance to see Him and worship Him. Those who are not on that platform
get the chance to become acquainted with His activities and thus become
elevated to the same position.

“O dear Lord,” the demigods continued, “You are unborn; therefore
we do not find any reason for Your appearance other than for Your
pleasurable pastimes.” Although the reason for the appearance of the Lord
is stated in the Bhagavad-gita (He descends just to give protection to the
