contens

Sri Vedanta-sutra

Sütra 12

 

 

sukåta-duñkåte eveti tu bädariù

 

     sukåta - pious deeds; duñkåte - impious deeds; eva - indeed;

iti - thus; tu - but; bädariù - Bädari.

 

 

     But Bädari Muni indeed thinks it means pious and impious

deeds.

 

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

 

 

     The word "tu" (but} is used here to begin a

refutation of the previous argument. Bädari Muni thinks the word

"caraëa" here means "pious and impious deeds".

An example of this is the sentence:

 

 

puëyaà karmäcarati

 

 

     "He performs pious deeds"

 

     In this sentence the verb "carati" is used to mean

"performs karmas". If a word's primary meaning is

possible, then it is not appropriate to accept the secondary

meaning. Therefore the word "caraëa" here means 

karma", and any other interpretation of it is meaningless.

"Caraëa" (good conduct) is merely a specific kind of

karma. Caraëa and karma are thus different in the same way the

Kurus and Päëavas are different. The word "eva" (indeed)

hints that this is also the opinion of the author of the sütras.

Therefore, since "caraëa" is a specific kind of karma, it

is proved that the soul departing from Svargaloka is accompanied

by the remainder of its karma.

.pa

 

 

 

Adhikaraëa 3

 

Do the Impious Also Go to Candraloka?

 

 

Introduction by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

 

 

 

     Thus it has been said that a person who performs pious deeds

goes to Candraloka and then again returns with the remainder of

his karma. Now will be discussed whether sinners who perform

no pious deeds also go and return in the same way. In Iça

Upaniñad (3) it is said:

 

 

äsüryä näma te lokä

     andhena tamasävrtäù

täàs te pretyäbhigacchanti

     ye ke cätma-hano janäù

 

 

     "The killer of the soul, whoever he may be, must

enter into the planets known as the worlds of the faithless, full

of darkness and ignorance."*

 

     Saàçaya (doubt): Do the sinners go to Candraloka or

Yamaloka?

 

     Pürvapakña (the opponent speaks): The opponent gives his

opinion in the following sütra.

 

 

Sütra 13

 

 

aniñt_ädi-käriëäm api ca çrutam

 

     an - not; iñt_a - pious deeds; ädi - beginning with;

käriëäm - of the performers; api - also; ca - and; çrutam - inthe

Çruti-çästra.

 

 

     The Çruti-çästra declares that it is also so for they who do

not perform iñt_a or other pious deeds.

 

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

 

 

     The Çruti-çästra declares that they who perform iñt_a and

other pious deeds, as well as they who do not perform iñt_a and

other pious deeds, both go to Candraloka. This is explained in

the Kauçétaki Upaniñad (1.2):

 

 

ye vai ke casmäl lokät prayänti candramasam eva te sarve

gacchanti

 

 

     "All who leave this world go to Candraloka."

 

     Since with these words the Çruti-çästra declares that all, withoutdistinction, go to Candraloka, then sinners are also

included in that all. This being so, the words of Iça Upaniñad

are only an empty threat to frighten the sinners from acting

badly. In truth the pious and the sinner both attain the same

result.

 

     To this I reply: No. It is not so. The sinner does not enjoy

happiness.

 

     Siddhänta (conclusion): In the following words the author of

the sütras gives His conclusion.

 

 

Sütra 14

 

 

samyamane tv anubhüyetareñäm ärohävarohau tad-gati-darçanät

 

     samyamane - in Samyamani Puri; tv - but;

anubhüya - experiencing; itareñäm - of others; äroha - ascent;

avarohau - descent; tat - of them; gati - travel; darçanät - bythe

Çruti-çästra.

 

 

     But the others go to and return from Samyamana-pura. the

Çruti-çästra describes this as their travels.

 

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

 

 

     The word "tu" (but) is used here to begin the

refutation of the Pürvapakña. The word "itareñäm" (of the

others) here means "of they who did not perform iñt_a

and other pious deeds". The word "samyamane" means 

in the city of Yamaräja". That is where they go. There they

are punished by Yamaräja and then sent back to the earth. Their

departure and return is like that. Why do you say that? The sütra

explains: "tad-gati-darçanät" (Because Çruti-çästra

describes this as their travels). In the Kat_ha Upaniñad (1.2.6)

Yamaräja explains:

 

 

na samparäyaù pratibhäti bälaà

     pramädyantaà vitta-mohena müòham

ayam loko nästi para iti mäné

     punaù punar vaçam äpadyate me

 

 

     "The path to liberation does not appear before a

childish fool intoxicated by the illusory wealth of this world.

He who thinks, `This is the only world. There is no world beyond

this,' falls into my control again and again."

 

     In this way the Çruti-çästra explains that the sinners are

punished by Yamaräja. That is the meaning.

 

 

Sütra 15

 

 

smaranti ca

 

     smaranti - the Småti-çästra; ca - also.

 

     The Småti-çästras also affirm it.

 

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

 

 

     Çrémad-Bhägavatam (3.30.23) explains:

 

 

tatra tatra patan chränto

     mürchitaù punar utthitaù

pathä päpéyasä nétas

     tarasä yama-sädanam

 

 

     "While passing on that road to the abode of

Yamaräja, he falls down in fatigue, and sometimes he becomes

unconscious, but he is forced to rise again. In this way he is

very quickly brought to the presence of Yamaräja."*

 

     In the Småti-çästra it is also said:

 

 

sarve caite vaçaà yänti yamasya bhagavan.

 

 

     "O Lord, all sinners come under Yamar_ja's dominion."

 

     In this way the sages and Småti-çästras affirm that the

sinners come under Yamaräja'scontrol.