Verse Text
kapilo mādhavopendrau nṛsiṁho nanda-nandanaḥ |
balaḥ kūrmas tathā kalkī rāghavo bhārgavaḥ kiriḥ |
mīna ity eṣu kathitāḥ kramād dvādaśa devatāḥ ||119||
Translation
There are twelve deities assigned to the twelve rasas as follows: Kapila (śānta), Mādhava (prīti or dāsya), [Note: Kapila can represent śānta-rasa because of His stance in meditation. Perhaps Mādhava represents dāsya-rasa because of the derivation of Mādhava as mā (Lakṣmī) and dhava (husband), meaning Nārāyaṇa. Upendra or Vāmana can represent sakhya-rasa, since He has a friendly relationship with Indra, and acts as the door keeper in Sutala for Bali. Nṛṣiṁha can represent vātsalya-rasa because of His regarding Prahlāda as His son, placing him on His lap. Kṛṣṇa naturally represents madhura-rasa. Balarāma is fond of joking and therefore suitable to represent hāsya-rasa. Kūrma represents adbhuta-rasa because of His huge and unusual but suitable form for the task at hand. Kalkī is famous for having the sword in His hand, and thus represents vīra-rasa. Rāma represents karuṇa-rasa because of His lamentation at losing Śītā. Parāśurāma destroyed the kṣatriyas out of anger, and thus is suitable to represent raudra-rasa. Varāha represents fear (bhayānaka) perhaps because He created fear in the ocean when He dove in, and had a fearful appearance covered with blood after killing Hiraṇyākṣa.] Upendra (preyān or sakhya), Nṛsiṁha (vatsala), Kṛṣṇa (madhura), Balarāma (hāsya), Kūrma (adbhuta), Kalkī (vīra), Rāma (karuṇa), Parāśurāma (raudra), Varāha (bhayānaka) and Mīna (bībhatsa).
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
For the rasas related to the Lord, avatāras of the Lord are given as the presiding deities, just as forms of the Lord such Aniruddha are assigned to the moon etc. Kiri means Varāha. Sometimes Buddha is substituted for Mīna, since Mīna has a form of eternity knowledge and bliss, and it would be distasteful to assign Him to the rasa of disgust. [Note: Buddha, a śakty-aveśāvatāra, showed disgust with the material world and then went searching for the Truth.]
Purport (Nectar of Devotion)
The twelve different kinds of transcendental humors are controlled by different incarnations of God, such as Kapila, Mādhava, Upendra, Nṛsiṁha, Nanda-nandana, Balarāma, Kūrma, Kalki, Rāghava, Bhārgava, Varāha and Matsya.