contens

Sri Vedanta-sutra

Pada 3

 

 

Introduction by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

 

 

vittir viraktiç ca kåtäëjaliù puro

     yasyäù paränanda-tanor vitiñïhate

siddhiç ca sevä-samayaà pratékñate

     bhaktiù pareçasya punätu sä jagat

 

 

     May devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, devotion

that is filled with transcendental bliss, devotion before whom

knowledge and renunciation stand, their hands folded with

respect, devotion that mystic power yearns to serve, purify the

entire world.

 

     Devotional service, by performing which one falls in love

with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and attains His

association, will be described in this pada. In order to

strengthen the soul's love and devotion for the Supreme

Personality of Godhead, the Lord's glorious creation of dreams

and other states of being, the Lord's identity with His many

incarnations, His appearance as the all-pervading Supersoul, His

non-identity with His worshipers, who are still one with Him in

quality, His being attained only by devotional service, His

appearence in both spiritual and material worlds, His

transcendental blissfulness, His coming before His devotees

according to the devotees' love for Him, His supremacy over all,

His supreme generosity, and a great host of the Lord's other

virtues and glories will also be described here. When a person

desires to love, the beloved's glories must be understood.

Otherwise there can be no love.

     In the beginning of this pada will be described the Lord's

creation of the world in a dream. the idea that someone other

than the Supreme Lord had created the material world contradicts

the scriptures' statement that the Lord is the creator of

everything. If the Lord is the creator of only some parts of the

world, then it is not possible for the devotee to have full love

for Him. For this reason now will be shown the glory of the Lord

as the creator of all.

 

 

 

Adhikaraëa 1

 

The Supreme Personality of Godhead Creates Dreams

 

 

Introduction by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

 

 

     In the Båhad-äraëyaka Upaniñad (4.3.10) it is said:

 

 

na tatra rathä na ratha-yogä na panthäno bhavanty atha rathän

ratha-yogän pathaù såjate. na tatränandä mudaù pramudo

bhavanty athänandän mudaù pramudaù såjate. na tatra

veçantäù puñkariëyaù sravantyaù såjate sa hi kartä.

 

 

     "In that place there are neither chariots nor

animals yoked to chariots. He creates the chariots and animals

yoked to chariots. In that place there are neither happiness, nor

pleasures, nor bliss. He creates the pleasures there. In that

place there are neither streams nor ponds nor lotus flowers. He

creates them. He is the creator."

 

     Saàçaya (doubt): Is the individual spirit soul or the

Supersoul the creator of this dream world with chariots asnd

other things?

 

     Pürvapakña (the opponent speaks): The individual spirit soul

is the creator. In Chändogya Upaniñad (8.7.1) Prajäpati declares

that by willing the individual soul has the power to create.

 

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

the sütras gives His conclusion.

 

 

Sütra 1

 

 

sandhye såñïir äha hi

 

     sandhye - in the junction; såñïir - creation; äha - says;

hi - indeed.

 

 

     Indeed, it says that in the junction there is creation.

 

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

 

 

     The word "sandhya" (junction) here means 

dream". In the Çruti-çästra it is said:

 

 

sandhyaà tåtéyaà svapna-sthänam

 

 

     "The third state is sandhya, or dreaming."

 

     Dreaming is called sandhya (junction) because it stands in

the junction between wakefulness and dreamless sleep. The

Supersoul creates the chariots and other things present in dreams. Why isthat? The Çruti-çästra explains:

 

 

sa hi kartä

 

 

     "He is the creator."

 

     Thus the Çruti-çästra affirms that the chariots and other

things present in dreams are created by Him. The meaning is this.

To give the results of of very, very insignificant karmas, the

Lord creates the chariots and other things present in dreams,

things seen only by the dreaming person. The Lord, who has the

inconceivable power to do anything by merely willing it be done,

thus creates the things in dreams. In the Kaöha Upaniñad (4.4)

it is said:

 

     "A wise man, aware that whatever he sees in

dreams or awake is all the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His

potencies, never laments."

 

     In the liberated state the individual spirit souls also have

the power to do anything by merely willing it be done, but what they

create with that power is not a dream.

 

 

Sütra 2

 

 

nirmätäraà caike puträdayaç ca

 

     nirmätäraà - the creator; ca - and; eke - some; putra - sons;

ädayas - beginning with; ca - also.

 

 

     Others that He is the creator. Sons and others also.

 

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

 

 

     The Kaöha Upaniñad affirms that the Supersoul creates the

objects of desire seen in dreams and other situations. It says

(Kaöha Upaniñad 5.8):

 

 

ya eñu supteñu jägarti kämaà kämaà puruño nirmimäëa

 

 

     "Remaining awake, the Supreme Personality of Godhead

creates the objects of desire seen in dreams."

 

     Here the word "käma" refers to good sons and other

blessings that the individual soul may desire. The word 

käma" is used in this way in Kaöha Upaniñad (1.1.25):

 

 

sarvän kämän chandataù prärthayasva

 

 

     "You may ask for whatever you wish."

 

     In Kaöha Upaniñad (1.1.23) it is said:

 

 

çatäyuñaù putra-pauträn våëéñva

 

     "You may choose many sons and grandsons that live

for a hundred years."

 

     In the Småti-çästra it is said:

 

 

etasmäd eva putro jäyate. etasmäd bhrätä. etasmäd bhäryä. yad

enaà svapnenäbhihanti.

 

 

     "From the Supreme Personality of Godhead a good son

is born. From Him a brother appears. From Him a wife appears.

From Him these things appear in a dream."

 

     In the next passage the author of the sütras describes

the instrument the Supreme Personality of Godhead employs to

create dreams.

 

 

Sütra 3

 

 

mäyä-mätraà tu kärtsnyenänabhivyakta-svarüpatvät

 

     mäyä - the mäyä potency; mätraà - only; tu - but;

kärtsnyena - completely; an - not; abhivyakta - manifested;

svarüpatvät - because of the condition of having a form.

 

 

     But it is the mäyä potency only, because the forms are not

completely manifested.

 

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

 

 

     The Lord's inconceivable mäyä potency is the creator of what

is seen in dreams. What is seen in dreams is not made of the five

gross material elements, neither is it created by the demigod

Brahmä. Why is that? The sütra explains: 

kärtsnyenänabhivyakta-svarüpatvät" (because the forms are

not completely manifested). This means: "because they are

not seen by everyone". In this way it is proved that the

Supersoul is the creator of what is seen in dreams.

 

 

 

 

Adhikaraëa 2

 

Not All Dreams Are Illusions

 

 

Introduction by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

 

 

     Saàçaya (doubt): Are dreams reality or illusion?

 

     Pürvapakña (the opponent speaks): When a person wakes up he

immediately knows that what he dreamed was an illusion. Therefore

dreams are all illusions.

 

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

the sütras gives His conclusion.

 

 

Sütra 4

 

 

sücakaç ca hi çruter äcakñate ca tad-vidaù

 

     sücakas - an indicator; ca - and; hi - indeed; çruter - of the Çruti-

çästra; äcakñate - declare; ca - and; tad - that; vidaù - they who

know.

 

 

     It gives omens. The Çruti-çästra and the experts affirm it.

 

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

 

 

     Dreams show good and bad omens. They

also reveal mantras and other things. Therefore dreams are

reality. Why is it that dreams reveal these things? The sütra

explains: "çruteù" (the Çruti-çästra affirms it). the

Chändogya Upaniñad (5.2.9) affirms:

 

 

yadä karmasu kämyeñu

     striyaà svapne 'bhipaçyati

samåddhià tatra jänéyät

     tasmin svapna-nidarçane

 

 

     "If, when the auspicious rites are completed, one

sees a woman in a dream, he should know that the rites were

successful."

 

     In the Kauñétaké-brähmaëa it is said:

 

 

atha svapne puruñaà kåñëaà kåñëa-dantaà paçyati sa

enaà hanti

 

 

     "If in a dream one sees a black man with black

teeth, that man will kill him."

 

     The word "tad-vidaù" here means "they who

know how to interpret dreams". These persons affirm that dreams reveal omens of good and evil. For example a dream of riding on

an elephant is a good omen, and a dream of riding on a donkey

is an omen of misfortune. In dreams one may also receive prayers.

the Småti-çästra affirms:

 

 

ädiñïavän yathä svapne

     räma-rakñäm imäà haraù

tathä likhitavän prätaù

     prabuddho buddha-kauçikaù

 

 

     "Then Lord Çiva appeared in a dream and taught him

the Räma-rakñä prayer. Waking up in the morning, Buddha Kauçika

at once wrote it down."

 

     Therefore, because in dreams one sometimes receives omens,

prayers, medicines, and other things, and becauses sometimes a

person will actually appear in a dream, therefore sometimes

dreams are as real as what is seen in the waking state. That is

the conclusion of Çruti-çästra.

 

     Here someone may object: Is it not true that after waking up

a person becomes convinced that what he saw in a dream was false.

This proves that all dreams are unreal.

 

     In the following words the author of the sütras answers this

objection.

 

 

Sütra 5

 

 

paräbhidhyänät tu tirohitaà tato hy asya bandha-viparyayau

 

     para - of ther Supreme Personality of Godhead;

abhidhyänät - by the will; tu - indeed; tirohitaà - withdrawn;

tato - from Him; hi - indeed; asya - of him; bandha - bondage;

viparyayau - release.

 

 

     By the will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead it is

withdrawn. Indeed, bondage and liberation also come from Him.

 

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

 

 

     Because they are created by the will of the Supreme

Personality of Godhead, chariots and other things seen in a dream

are not unreal. They are not like the illusion of silver seen on

a seashell. the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the cause of

bondage and liberation for the individual spirit soul. this is

described in Çvetäçvatara Upaniñad (6.16):

 

 

saàsära-mokña-sthiti-bandha-hetuù

 

 

     "the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the master of

this cosmic manifestation in regard to bondage to the conditional

state of material existence and liberation from that bondage."*

 

     the Lord brings liberation from the bondage of repeated birth and death.Therefore it is not surprising that He has the

power to bring dreams to their end. That is the meaning.

Therefore it should be understood that dreams are manifested by

Him and withdrawn by Him also. In the Kürma Puräëa it is said:

 

 

svapnädi-buddhi-kartä ca

     tiraskartä sa eva tu

tad-icchayä yato hy asya

     bandha-mokñau pratiñïhitau

 

 

     "The Supreme Lord creates and ends dreams and other

states of being. By His will both bondage and liberation are

manifested."

 

     Therefore, because they are created by the Supreme

Personality of Godhead, dreams are real.

 

 

 

Adhikaraëa 3

 

The Supreme Personality of Godhead Creates the Waking State

 

 

Introduction by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

 

 

     Now will be explained that the Supreme Personality of

Godhead is the creator of the waking state also. In the Kaïha

Upaniñad (2.1.4) it is said:

 

 

svapnäntaà jägaritäntaà

     cobhau yenänupaçyati

mahäntam vibhum ätmänaà

     matvä dhéro na çocati

 

 

     "Aware that the all-powerful Supreme Person creates

all that is seen in both waking and dreaming states, a wise man never

laments."

 

     Saàçaya (doubt): Does the Supreme Personality of Godhead

create the waking condition of the individual spirit souls, or

not?

 

     Pürvapakña (the opponent speaks): The waking state is not

created by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for it is seen

that the waking state is under the control of time and other

factors.

 

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

the sütras gives His conclusion.

 

 

Sütra 6

 

 

deha-yogäd vä so 'pi

 

     deha - of the body; yogäd - from contact; vä - or; so - that;

api - even.

 

 

     That also from contact with the body.

 

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

 

 

     As explained in Kaïha Upaniñad 2.1.4, the waking state,

qwhich occurs when the soul is in contact with the body, is

manifested from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is so

because time and the other factors are only inert matter. The

word "api" (also) in this sütra hints that the state of

dreamless sleep and fainting are also created by the Supreme

Personality of Godhead. This is so because the Çruti-çästra

affirms that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is creator of

everything.

 

 

 

 

Adhikaraëa 4

 

The Supreme Personality of Godhead Is the Creator of Dreamless

Sleep

 

 

Introduction by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

 

 

     Now the condition of dreamless sleep will be considered.

The Çruti-çästra describes the state of dreamless sleep in the

following passages. In the Chändogya Upaniñad (8.6.3) it is

said:

 

 

äsu tadä näòéñu supto bhavati

 

 

     "Entering the näòés, the soul sleeps."

 

     In the Båhad-äraëyaka Upaniñad (2.1.19) it is said:

 

 

täbhiù praty avasåpya puré-tati çete

 

 

     "Entering the membrane surrounding the heart, the

soul sleeps."

 

     In the Båhad-äraëyaka Upaniñad (2.1.17) it is said:

 

 

ya eño 'ntar hådaya äkäças tasmin çete

 

 

     "Entering the sky of the heart, the soul sleeps."

 

     Many other like verses may also be quoted. The "sky

in the heart" here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In this

way the Çruti-çästra explains that dreamless sleep is manifested

when the soul enters the näòés, the membrane surrounding the

heart, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

     Saàçaya (doubt): Does the soul enter any one of these three

places, or does the soul enter all of them?

 

     Pürvapakña (the opponent speaks): The soul may enter any one

of these places. This is so because these three places are

equally able to be the place where the soul sleeps. The Nyäya-

çästra explains:

 

 

tulyärthas tu vikalperan

 

 

     "A list of things equally suitable for a certain

thing indicates the option of choosing from them."

 

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

the sütras gives His conclusion.

 

 

Sütra 7

 

tad-abhävo näòéñu tac chruter ätmani ca

 

     tad - of that; abhävo - the absence; näòéñu - in the nadis;

tat - that; çruter - from Çruti-çästra; ätmani - in the Supreme

Personality of Godhead; ca - also.

 

 

     Its absence occurs in the näòés and the Supreme Personality

of Godhead. This is so because of the Çruti-çästra.

 

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

 

 

     The word "ca" (and) here hints the inclusion of the

membrane surrounding the heart. The word "tad-abhäva"

(its absence) means "the absence of wakefulness and

dream". Thus it means "the state of dreamless sleep".

Dreamless sleep occurs in the näòés, the membrane surrounding the

heart, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead collectively. Why

is that? The sütra explains: "tac chruteù" (This is so

because of the Çruti-çästra). Thus the Çruti-çästra declares that

they are all, taken collectively, the place of dreamless sleep.

The idea that there is an option here, and that to perform the activity

of deep sleep the soul chooses one of these places, is an idea

that contradicts the statements of Çruti-çästra. In the

scriptures' description of dreamless sleep, it is seen that the

näòés and präëas are described together. In the Kauçétaki

Upaniñad (4.19) it is said:

 

 

täsu tadä bhavati. yadä suptaù svapnaà na kaëcana paçyaty

athäsmin präëa evaikadhä bhavati.

 

 

     "Then the soul enters the näòés. When sleeping, the

soul does not see any dream. Then the soul become one with the

präëas."

 

     The explanation that the soul has an option of one of these

three places does not apply here, for if that option were to

apply, then these three places would have to be equally suitable

for the action of dreamless sleep, but the truth is they are not.

What occurs is the soul passes through the door of the näòés,

enters the palace of the membrane surrounding the heart, and

sleeps on the bed of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In this

way all three places are involved in the activity of dreamless

sleep, but the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the actual place

where dreamless sleep occurs. the word "purétat" here

means "the membrane surrounding the lotus of the heart".

 

 

Sütra 8

 

 

ataù prabodho 'smät

 

     ataù - therefore; prabodho - waking; asmät - from Him.

 

 

     Therefore the waking state is from Him.

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

 

 

     Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the actual

place where dreamless sleep occurs and the näòés and other things

mentioned here are merely doors through which the soul passes in

order to rest on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, therefore

the waking soul rises from the bed of the Supreme Personality of

Godhead. In the Chändogya Upaniñad it is said:

 

 

satas cägatya na viduù sata ägacchamahe

 

 

     "We had departed from the Supreme Personality of

Godhead, although we could not understand that we had departed

from the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

 

     In this way the idea that sometimes the soul sleeps in the

naòés, sometimes in the membrane surrounding the heart, and

sometimes in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is disproved. It

is not like that. Therefore the soul sleeps on the bed of the

Supreme Personality of Godhead.