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Amsa means

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 3

Aṁśa means "direct expansion,"
SB 3.24.10, Purport:

Another important point is stated here. Sattvenāṁśena: when the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears, He brings with Him all His paraphernalia of Vaikuṇṭha; therefore His name, His form, His quality, His paraphernalia and His entourage all belong to the transcendental world. Real goodness is in the transcendental world. Here in the material world, the quality of goodness is not pure. Goodness may exist, but there must also be some tinges of passion and ignorance. In the spiritual world the unalloyed quality of goodness prevails; there the quality of goodness is called śuddha-sattva, pure goodness. Another name for śuddha-sattva is vasudeva because God is born from Vasudeva. Another meaning is that when one is purely situated in the qualities of goodness, he can understand the form, name, quality, paraphernalia and entourage of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The word aṁśena also indicates that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, appeared as Kapiladeva in a portion of His portion. God expands either as kalā or as aṁśa. Aṁśa means "direct expansion," and kalā means "expansion of the expansion." There is no difference between the expansion, the expansion of the expansion, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly, as there is no difference between one candle and another—but still the candle from which the others are lit is called the original. Kṛṣṇa, therefore, is called the Para-brahman, or the ultimate Godhead and cause of all causes.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Aṁśa means parts and parcels.
Lecture on BG Introduction -- New York, February 19-20, 1966:

So the Supreme Lord is the driver, adhyakṣa. He is the Supreme Personality under whose direction everything is working. Now these jīva, or the living entities, they have been accepted by the Lord in this Bhagavad-gītā, as we'll know it in later chapters, that they are parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). Aṁśa means parts and parcels. Now as a particle of gold is also particle, a drop of water of the ocean is also salty, similarly, we, the living entities, being part and parcels of the supreme controller, īśvara, Bhagavān, or Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, we have got, I mean to say, qualitatively all the qualities of the Supreme Lord in minute. Because we are minute īśvara, subordinate īśvara. We are also trying to control. We are just trying to control over the nature. In the present days you are trying to control over the space. You are trying to float imitation planets. So this tendency of controlling or creating is there because partially we have got that controlling tendency.

Aṁśa means direct expansion.
Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 7, 1972:

Buddha's name is also there. But in the conclusive portion it is declared there: ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). In that list, the name of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Lord Balarāma is there also. But the conclusion is given by Vyāsadeva that "Except Kṛṣṇa, all others, they are plenary expansion of Kṛṣṇa, or part of plenary expansion of Kṛṣṇa." Aṁśa-kalāḥ. Aṁśa means direct expansion. And kalāḥ means expansion of the..., secondary expansions. So it is concluded there that ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ. All these incarnations, they are either aṁśa or kalāḥ. But Kṛṣṇa, the name Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam: He's the original Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.

Aṁśa means "plenary partial expansion."
Lecture on BG 4.5 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

No. Ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). The list of different incarnations in different ages, they are enlisted in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and it is summarized in the last verse, ete. Ete means "all these." Ete ca aṁśa-kalāḥ. Aṁśa means "plenary partial expansion." Kalā, "expansion of the expansion." There are many expansions directly from Kṛṣṇa and there are many expansions who are expansions from the expansions. So direct expansion is called aṁśa, and expansion of the expansion is called kalā.

Aṁśa means plenary portion.
Lecture on BG 4.10 -- Bombay, March 30, 1974:

So this is greatness of Kṛṣṇa. This Mahā-Viṣṇu is only kalā-viśeṣaḥ. Viṣṇur mahān sa iha yasya kalā-viśeṣaḥ. Kalā means portion of the plenary portion. That is called kalā. Aṁśa means plenary portion. And kalā means... So all the incarnation of Viṣṇu... And Kṛṣṇa described in the Śrīmad Bhagavad, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, First Canto, Third Chapter. And at the conclusion it is said, ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Kṛṣṇa's name is also there, but just to make distinction between all the avatāras and Kṛṣṇa, it is concluded: ete, all of them are, ca aṁśa, some of them are plenary portions, some of them, portion of the plenary portion. In this, they are situated. But the name Kṛṣṇa which is there, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam... That is stated.

Aṁśa means plenary manifestation.
Lecture on BG 4.34 -- New York, August 14, 1966:

Now, after giving that list, the conclusion is made that ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam.

Now, we have given the list, the author of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, but all these incarnation of Godhead, they are either plenary manifestation or manifestation of the plenary manifestation, like that. Ete cāṁśa. Aṁśa means plenary manifestation, and kalāḥ means manifestation of the plenary manifestation. So the conclusion in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is that "This name Kṛṣṇa, which is given here..." Because Kṛṣṇa also appeared, and He proclaimed Himself that yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). So He is accepted as the original Supreme Personality of God.

Aṁśa means direct expansion.
Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Vrndavana, August 9, 1974:

Yasya kalā-viśeṣo viṣṇur mahān sa iha yasya kalā-viśeṣaḥ. Kalā-viśeṣaḥ means... Kalā means part of the expansion, not direct expansion, but part of the expansion. That is called kalā. Aṁśa-kalā. Aṁśa means direct expansion, and kalā means expansion of the aṁśa. So the Mahā-Viṣṇu is described as kalā-viśeṣaḥ, an expansion of the aṁśa, secondary. And what is that Mahā-Viṣṇu? Now, yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). Jagad-aṇḍa means this universe. There are millions and millions of universes. This is only one universe. This universe, what you are seeing, this is only one. There are millions. (aside:) What is that?

Aṁśa means expansion.
Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Vrndavana, August 13, 1974:

"All the incarnations mentioned in this chapter, they are either expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead or expansion of the expansion, secondary expansion." Aṁśa-kalā. Aṁśa means expansion, and kalā means expansion of the expansion. Just like a... First expansion is Balarāma, and from Balarāma, next expansion is the catur-vyūha, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Vāsudeva, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, Saṅkarṣaṇa. These expansions are going on. But that expansion does not mean one expansion is less powerful than the other. This is transcendental, the same formula.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Aṁśa means part and parcel.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Mauritius, October 5, 1975:

The Lord says that "These living entities, they are part and parcel of Me." Mamaiva aṁśa. Aṁśa means part and parcel. Just like this finger is the part and parcel of my body, so the finger's business is to carry out or to see the comforts of the body. I want to itch my nostril; immediately the finger is engaged. And if the fingers cannot help me, then it is diseased. Similarly, we are part and parcel of God. If we cannot help God, if we cannot assist God, if we cannot serve God, that is our diseased condition. That is our diseased condition.

Aṁśa means direct expansion.
Lecture on SB 1.3.29 -- Los Angeles, October 4, 1972:

So don't consider that incarnation means less important. No. But because Kṛṣṇa is the original source, therefore Bhāgavata is pointing out that "These incarnation, all these incarnation, they are expansion of the original Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, or expansion of the expansion," kalāḥ. Aṁśa and kalā. Aṁśa means direct expansion, and kalā means expansion of the expansion. Just like Kṛṣṇa's direct expansion is Balarāma. Then, from Balarāma, there is further expansion: Saṅkarṣaṇa, Aniruddha, Pradyumna, like that. Then Mahā-Viṣṇu, another expansion. Then from Mahā-Viṣṇu to Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Then Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu to Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. From Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, Paramātmā, Īśvara. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61).

Aṁśa means part and parcel.
Lecture on SB 1.7.23 -- Vrndavana, September 20, 1976:

Kṛṣṇa also has agreed, "All right. You do independently. But it is not possible for you to live independently. That is not possible. So I'll give you sanction for independent living." Just see how Kṛṣṇa is friend. You cannot live independently. That is not possible. Because you are aṁśa. Aṁśa means part and parcel. Just like this finger. Finger is finger so long he's with the body; otherwise who cares his finger? Suppose a finger is cut and thrown in the street. Who cares for it? The finger is important so long it is with the body. Similarly, we are always with Kṛṣṇa indirectly or directly. But here Arjuna sees sākṣāt, directly. But we are forced to accept Kṛṣṇa indirectly, māyā. Arjuna is māyāṁ vyudasya. He has no intervention by māyā. And we have got intervention by māyā. Therefore we cannot see Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa is always there. Kṛṣṇa is always there.

Aṁśa means direct expansion.
Lecture on SB 1.7.51-52 -- Vrndavana, October 8, 1976:

Kṛṣṇa is the original. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. Ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). It is summarized in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that there are so many descriptions of the incarnation of Viṣṇu, but at the end, Vyāsadeva concludes that whatever incarnations are described here, they are aṁśa-kalā. Aṁśa means direct expansion, and kalā means expansion of the expansion. Just like Kṛṣṇa, the first expansion is Balarāma, Baladeva. And the next expansion is Saṅkarṣaṇa, Vāsudeva, Aniruddha, Pradyumna. The next expansion is Nārāyaṇa. The next expansion again second catur-vyūha. Saṅkarṣaṇa again. Dvitīya-catur-vyūha. Then next expansion, Viṣṇu, Mahā-Viṣṇu. Next expansion, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu.

Aṁśa means plenary portion, not personally.
Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Hawaii, January 20, 1974:

It is never satiated. So Kṛṣṇa's incarnations are also like that, incessantly coming, one after another, one... Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). So ananta-rūpa, how many rūpa, how many forms we have seen Kṛṣṇa's? No. That is not possible.

So the conclusion is all these forms, ete, all these, ca aṁśa-kalāḥ... Aṁśa means plenary portion, not personally. Aṁśa... And kalā means portion of the portion. Just like first of all, Kṛṣṇa. Then His next expansion is Balarāma. His next expansion is Saṅkarṣaṇa. Next, Aniruddha, Pradyumna. Saṅkarṣaṇa, Aniruddha, Pradyumna. In this way, next expansion Nārāyaṇa. Then, from Nārāyaṇa, another quadruple expansion: Pradyumna, Aniruddha, Saṅkarṣaṇa... Then Mahā-Viṣṇu, the origin of this material creation. Yaḥ kāraṇārṇava-jale bhajati sma yoga-nidrām ananta-jagad-aṇḍa-saroma-kūpaḥ (Bs. 5.47). Yaḥ kāraṇārṇava-jale bhajati sma yoga-nidrām anantam. That is Mahā-Viṣṇu.

Sad-aṁśa means only eternity.
Lecture on SB 2.9.3 -- Melbourne, April 5, 1972:

Those who are merging in the Brahman effulgence, they are getting the department of eternity. The Brahman is sac-cid-ānanda. So they are simply accepting sad-aṁśa. Sad-aṁśa means only eternity. Just like if you are asked to sit down in a place eternally, no, it will be impossible. You must desire a change, variety, because we are living entities, living beings. So therefore our Vaiṣṇava philosophy has varieties of enjoyment.

This Māyāvādī philosophy, they are thinking of Brahman, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, "I have become Nārāyaṇa." So how long they will think like that? Therefore they fall down. Artificially he is Brahman. That's all right. Everyone is Brahman. But simply thinking, "I am Brahman, I am Brahman."

Aṁśa means partially present in Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 6.1.27-34 -- Surat, December 17, 1970:

Just like Lord Brahmā. He is also not viṣṇu-tattva. Lord Śiva is between viṣṇu-tattva and jīva-tattva. So powers, energies of the Lord exhibited in different categories... The viṣṇu-tattva is full of the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Others, they are not full. And Kṛṣṇa is the fullest, ṣoḍaśa-kalāḥ. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. Ete cāṁśa, aṁśa. Aṁśa means partially present in Kṛṣṇa. Ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28).

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Aṁśa means part and parcel.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.8 -- Vrndavana, March 15, 1974:

We are also expansion of Kṛṣṇa, but we are not equal to the Viṣṇu-tattva. We are fragment fires. The example is given, just like the big fire and the spark fire. So we living entities, we are spark fire. We are also fire, because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, vibhinnāṁśa... Aṁśa means part and parcel. So Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Spirit, and we are part and parcel. We are also spirit, but we are not supreme. That is the difference. Svayaṁ bhagavān kṛṣṇa ekale īśvara. So actually, īśvara means the controller. The supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa.

Aṁśa means part, and kalāḥ means part of the part.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.149-50 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

"You are searching after God? Here is God." Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. In the Bhāgavata has given different list of different incarnation of God but ultimately concludes that ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam: (SB 1.3.28) "All the incarnations, they are parts or parts of the parts." Aṁśa means part, and kalāḥ means part of the part. "But svayaṁ pūrṇa-bhagavān, ṣoḍaśa-kala pūrṇa, ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa-bhagavān is Kṛṣṇa." That is the verdict all Vedas, all śāstras. So we should also accept in that light. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). And Kṛṣṇa also says personally, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: (BG 10.8) "I am the origin of even Brahma, Śiva, and Viṣṇu also." Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. So from any...

Page Title:Amsa means
Compiler:Rishab, RupaManjari, Visnu Murti, Vaishnavi
Created:24 of Nov, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=1, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=16, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:17