10

That Maha-Visnu who lies on the Causal Ocean is actually an expansion of
Balarama, who is Ksna’s first expansion, and, in the Vrndavana pastimes, is the
brother of Krsna. In the mahd-mantra Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare
Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, the word Rama refers to
Balarama. Since Nityananda is an expansion of Balarama, Rama also refers to Lord
Nityananda. Thus Hare Krsna, Hare Rama addresses not only Krsna and Balarama
but Lord Caitanya and Nityananda as well.

The subject matter of Caitanya-caritamrta primarily deals with what is beyond
this material creation. The cosmic material expansion is called maya because it has
no eternal existence. Because it is sometimes manifested and sometimes not
manifested, it is regarded as illusory. But beyond this temporary manifestation
there is a higher nature, as indicated in Bhagavaa-gita:

paras tasmat tu bhavo ‘nyo
‘vyakto ‘vyaktat sanatanah
yah sa sarvesu bhiitesu
nasyatsu na vinasyati
“Yet there is another nature, which is eternal and is transcendental to this manifested
and unmanifested matter. It is supreme and is never annihilated. When all in this
world is annihilated, that part remains as it is.” (Bg. 8.20)

That supreme nature is beyond the manifested (vyaktah) and unmanifested
(avyaktah). This superior nature which is beyond both creation and annihilation is
the living force which is manifest in the bodies of all living entities. The body itself
is composed of inferior nature, matter, but it is the superior nature that is moving
the body. The symptom of that superior nature is consciousness. Thus in the
spiritual world, where everything is composed of the superior nature, everything is
conscious. In the material world inanimate objects are not conscious, but in the
spiritual world this is not so. There a table is conscious, the land is conscious, the
trees are conscious—everything is conscious.

It is not possible to imagine how far this material manifestation extends. In the
material world everything is calculated by imagination or by some imperfect
method, but Vedic literatures give information of what lies beyond the material
universe. Those who believe in experimental knowledge may doubt the Vedic con-
clusions, for they cannot even calculate how far this universe is extended, nor can
they reach far into the universe itself. It is not possible to obtain information of
anything beyond this material nature by experimental means. That which is beyond
our power of conception is called acintya, inconceivable. It is useless to argue or
speculate about what is inconceivable. If it is truly inconceivable, it is not subject to
speculation or experimentation. Our energy is limited, and our sense perception is
limited; therefore we must rely on the Vedic conclusions regarding that subject
matter which is inconceivable. Knowledge of the superior nature must simply be
accepted without argument. How is it possible to argue about something to which
we have no access? The method for understanding transcendental subject matter is
