Kaustubha is that light which overpowers all other lights _viz._, Surya,
Agni, Vak and Chandra.
The "four hands" are Satva, Rajas, Tamas and Ahankara.
"Sankha," consisting of the five Bhutas, is held by the hand
representing Rajas.
"Chakra," consisting of Manas, is held by the hand representing Satva.
"Padma" is the universe, the primal Maya. It is held by the hand,
representing Tamas.
"Gada" is primal Vidya or wisdom. It is held by the hand, representing
Ahankara.
"Garland" round the neck consists of the Manasa Putras of Brahma. The
crown is Sat, absolute existence. The different life forms and the
underlying Jiva are the two "Kundalas" on the ear.
Then we come to MANTRA BHAGAVATA or Bhagavata written in Vedic Mantras,
a stiff work not quite intelligible without the excellent gloss of
Nilkantha (published at the Venkatesvara Press, Bombay). This work is
said to have been found out by Nilkantha. It is divided into four parts
-- Gokula Kanda, Vrindavana Kanda, Akrura Kanda and Mathura Kanda. The
chief events of Krishna's divine life (Lila) are narrated in this book,
but in the order of narration., it follows Hari Vansa more than the
Bhagavata Purana. I refer only to those portions of the book, which to
me appear important.
We take the following from the Gokula Kanda. The Gopas are
re-incarnations of Devas. They are the messengers of Krishna. They are
fond of _Gavya_ or the products of Cows. The relation between Krishna
and the Gopas is that between an object and its image. Krishna drove the
cattle of Nanda, just as he drove the horses of Arjuna, the object of
doing so being in both the cases the destruction of all the enemies
(III). In commenting on the 5th Sloka, Nilkantha calls Krishna the white
ray of the Sun, which becomes the blue ray, which is in reality the ray
of Sat, Chit and Ananda. He refers in this connection to the word Bharga
(ray) in the Gayatri. Krishna is the heart of the Sun.