Volume Four
Adhikaraëa 11
The "Neti Neti" Text Explained
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Here someone may object:
It is not true that the individual
spirit soul is a separate conscious person in some ways like the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. The individual soul is only a
reflection of the Supreme. In the Båhad-äraëyaka
Upaniñad (2.3.1)
it is said:
dve väva brahmaëo rüpe mürtaà
caivämürtaà ca
"The Supreme has two
forms: the subtle and the
gross."
After dividing the five
elements into two categories, the
Upaniñad declares that all are forms of the Supreme. Then the
Upaniñad (2.3.6) declares:
tasya haitasya puruñasya rüpaà yathä
mahärajanaà väso
yathä päëòv-ävikaà yathendragopo
yathägny-arcir yathä
puëòarékaà yathä sakåd
vidyutaà sakåd vidyutaiva ha vä
asya çrér bhavati ya evaà veda.
"That person's form
is like gold, like white wool,
like an indragopa, like a burning flame, like a white lotus, like
a lightning flash. He who understands this becomes splendid like
a lightning flash."
Then, having described
this person splendid like gold, the
Upaniñad (2.3.6) declares:
athäta ädeço neti neti. na hy etasmäd iti. nety
anyat param
asti. atha nämadheyam satyasya satyam iti. präëa vai
satyaà
teñäm eva satyam.
"This is the
teaching: No. No. Not than Him. Nothing
is greater than Him. Nothing is greater than Him. His name is the
truth of the true. He is life. He is truth. He is truth."
The meaning of this
passage is this: the Supreme is greater
that all the subtle and gross things in the material world.
No person or thing is greater than Him. That is the meaning of
the words, "No. No." in this passage. The words
No. No." therefore mean "Not than the Supreme
Personality of Godhead". The word "no" is repeated
twice
to mean, "the material elements and material desires are
not greater than Him" or to mean, "inanimate matter and
the conscious living beings are not greater than Him", or to mean
"other groups of two are not greater than Him". Thus he speaks
the teaching(ädeça): "No" (na). In this way he
says, "No person or thing is greater than the Supreme
Personality of Godhead".
Here someone may object:
Is it not so that this passage
means, "As the material world does not exist in reality,
so the Supreme Personality of Godhead also does not exist in
reality? That is the meaning of the Upaniñad's assertion
no". The form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which is
eternal and spiritual, and which ends all illusions, is not
different from the visible material world. This also means that
the individual spirit soul is also not different from the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. The spirit soul is a reflection of the
Supreme. The individual spirit soul, who is atomic, and the
Supreme, who is all-pervading, are not different. They are like
the air in a pot and the air in the great sky. Therefore it is
not correct to say that they are different.
If this objection is
raised, then the author of the sütras
gives the following reply:
Sütra 22
prakrtaitävattvaà hi pratiñedhati tato
bravéti ca bhüyaù
prakrtä - the topic
under discussion; etävattvam - being like
that; hi - indeed; pratiñedhati - denires; tataù -
then;bravéti - says;
ca - and; bhüyaù - more.
The previous statement
denies that He is like them. It
affirms that He is greater.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
This passage of
Çruti-çästra does not teach that the one
Supreme has no qualities. It teaches only that the Supreme is not
like other persons. It teaches that the Supreme is superior to
all others. In this way the Çruti-çästra affirms
that the
Supreme is not like other persons or things. The Båhad-
äraëyaka Upaniñad's (2.3.1) statement that the subtle
and
gross elements of the world are forms of the Supreme does not
mean that the Supreme is like the things of this world. The forms
of the Supreme are not material. Therefore it is said that the
Supreme is superior to everything in the material world and
therefore He has the name "the truth of the true". That
is the teaching here. He is more than the forms of this world.
Because His form has no limit, therefore the Upaniñad declares,
"No. No." that is the meaning here. The meaning is that
the form of the Lord is not like the subtle and gross forms of
the material world. He is not like them because His form is
eternal and true, and therefore He has the name "the
truth of the true". This is what the
Çruti-çästra teaches. Then
the scriptures affirm "No person or thing is greater than
Him". (na hy etasmät). Because nothing is greater than Him,
therefore He has the name "the truth of the true". That is
why the text heresays, "no". By this explanation of a
small part of the Lord's nature, the Lord's nature as a whole may
be understood.
Now the word
"nämadheyam" will be explained. The
Lord's name here is "satyasya satyam" (the truth of the
true). This name describes the form of the Supreme. Then the text
declares that the Supreme is "präëa".
Präëa" here means,
"the life of all that live". In this way the Lord's forms
are superior to all others. This proves that the Lord's form is
better than all other forms, either spiritual or material. No
other form is better than His. In the material world the material
forms are of two kinds: subtle and gross. That the Supreme Lord's
forms are not material is explained in Båhad-äraëyaka
Upaniñad
(2.3.6). Then the text declares that the Supreme is the truth of
life. Because both the Lord and the individual spirit souls are
not made of the material elements, which begin with ether,
therefore they are both called truth. However, unlike the
individual spirit souls, the Supreme is not subject to the
different transformations of the material nature, which grant and
remove true knowledge in different circumstances. Thus the
individual spirit soul is certainly spiritual and conscious.
However, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is superior to the
individual souls for the Supreme Lord has limitless auspicious
qualities. When they are understood, then devotion for the Lord
naturally develops. Thus the Çruti-çästra does not
deny the existence
of the Lord's form, for in Båhad-äraëyaka
Upaniñad (2.3.6) the
Lord's spiritual form was described. Only a madman would state
one thing and then immediately contradict his own words.
Therefore the author of the sütras says that "the Supreme
is not like that". The author does not say "the Lord has
no form at all". Thus the proper explanation is given.
Adhikaraëa 12
The Form of the Lord
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Now it will be proved that
the Supreme Lord's form is
spiritual and not perceivable by the material senses. This must
be so, for if the Lord were not spiritual, that is, if he
were an ordinary, common, easily available material object, like a
pot or something of that nature, then it is not possible that
there should be love and devotion for Him. The
Çruti-çästra also
affirms this, for it says:
sac-cid-änanda-rüpäya
"I offer my
respectful obeisances to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, whose form is eternal and full of
knowledge and bliss."
Saàçaya
(doubt): Is the Supreme Lord's form spiritual, and
thus beyond the understanding of the material senses, or is it
material, and thus easily seen by the material senses?
Pürvapakña
(the opponent speaks): The Lord's form must be
material, for many demigods, demons, and human beings have
certainly seen it.
Siddhänta
(conclusion): In the following words the author of
the sütras gives His conclusion.
Sütra 23
tad avyaktam äha hi
tat - that; avyaktam -
unmanifest; äha - said; hi - indeed.
Scripture says it is
unmanifest.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
The Lord can be seen only
by spiritual senses. This is
described in Kaöha Upaniñad (6.9):
na sadåçe tiñöhati rüpam asya na
cakñuñä paçyati kaçcanainam
"The Supreme Lord's
form is not like that. Material
eyes have never seen His form."
In
Båhad-äraëyaka Upaniñad (3.9.26) it is said:
agåhyo na hi gåhyate
"The Supreme
Personality of Godhead is not perceived
by material senses."
In the
Bhagavad-géöa (8.21) it is said:
avyakto 'kñara ity uktas
tam ähuù
paramäà gatim
"They say He is
unmanifest and infallible. They say
He is the supreme destination."
Adhikaraëa 13
The Supreme Personality of Godhead Can Be Seen
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Now will be revealed the
truth that although the Supreme
Lord is spiritual by nature, still He can be seen by they who
have love, devotion, and spiritual wisdom. If the Supreme
Personality of Godhead were always invisible and never to be
seen, then it would not be possible to have love and devotion for
Him. In the Kaivalya Upaniñad (2) it is said:
çraddhä-bhakti-dhyäna-yogäd avaiti
"One who has faith
and devotion, and who meditates
on Him, can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
In this way it is explained that a faithful devotee who
meditates on Lord Hari, attains the direct sight of Lord Hari.
Saàçaya
(doubt): Is the Supreme Lord seen by the mind or by
the eyes and other senses?
Pürvapakña
(the opponent speaks): The Supreme Lord is seen
by the mind. This is described in Båhad-äraëyaka
Upaniñad (4.4.19):
manasaivänudrañöavyam
"The Supreme
Personality of Godhead is indeed seen
by the mind."
Siddhänta
(conclusion): In the following words the author of
the sütras gives His conclusion.
Sütra 24
api samrädhane pratyakñänumänäbhyäm
api - certainly;
samrädhane - in worship; pratyakña - by the
Çruti-çästra; anumänäbhyäm - by the
Småti-çästra.
Certainly it is in worship
because of the Çruti-çästra and
Småti-çästra.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
The word "api"
(certainly) is used here to mock the
pürvapakña (opponent). When one has sincere devotion
(samrädhane) with one's eyes and other senses one can directly
see the Lord. Why is that? The sütra explains: "Because
of the Çruti-çästra and
Småti-çästra." In the Kaöha Upaniñad
(2.4.1)it is said:
paräïci khäni vyatåëat svayambhüs
tasmät parän
paçyati näntarätman
kaçcid dhéraù pratyag ätmänam
aikñad
ävåta-cakñur amåtatvam icchan
"The Supreme
Personality of Godhead made the
conditioned souls gaze at external things and not at what is within
the heart. A rare saint who yearns for liberation will look
inside his heart and see the Supreme Lord staying there."
In the Muëòaka
Upaniñad (3.1.8) it is said:
jïäna-prasädena viçuddha-sattvas
tatas tu taà
paçyati niñkalam dhyäyamänaù
"In the course of his
meditation a pure-hearted
saint will become enlightened. Then he sees the perfect Supreme
Lord directly."
In the
Bhagavad-gétä (11.53-54) The Lord Himself declares:
nähaà vedair na tapasä
na dänena na
cejyayä
çakya evam-vidho drañöuà
dåñöavän asi mäà yathä
"The form you are
seeing with your transcendental
eyes cannot be understood simply by studying the Vedas, nor by
undergoing serious penances, nor by charity, nor by worship. It
is not by these means that one can see Me as I am.*
bhaktyä tv ananyayä çakya
aham evam-vidho 'rjuna
jïätuà drañöuà ca tattvena
praveñöuà ca parantapa
"My dear Arjuna, only
by undivided devotional
service can I be understood as I am, standing before you, and
can thus be seen directly. Only in this way can you enter into
the mysteries of My understanding."*
In this way it is proved
that with the aid of devotional
service one can see Lord Hari directly. Thus with the aid of the
eyes and other senses one can perceive the Lord directly. Thus
the Lord can be perceived by the senses. Thus the word
eva" (indeed) in Båhad-äraëyaka Upaniñad
(4.4.19) does not
hint that one cannot see the Lord with the aid of senses.
Sütra 25
prakäçädi-vac cävaiçeñyät
prakäça -
fire; ädi - beginning with; vat - like;ca - and; a - not;
vaiçeñyät - with differences.
He is (not) like fire or
other things, for He has no such
different features.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
The word "na"
(not) should be taken from a
previous sütra (3.2.19) and placed here also.
Here someone may object:
As fire has two forms: subtle and
gross, the subtle form invisible and unmanifest, and the gross
form visible and manifest, so does the Supreme Lord also have two
forms in the same way.
If this objection is
stated, then I reply: "No. It
is not so." Why not? The sütra explains: "Because He is
not subtle and gross like fire". The
Båhad-äraëyaka Upaniñad
(3.4.4) explains:
asthülam anaëv ahrasvam
"The Supreme
Personality of Godhead is neither
subtle, nor gross, nor short, nor tall."
In the Garuòa
Puräëa it is said:
sthüla-sükñma-viçeño 'tra
na kaçcit
parameçvare
sarvatraiva prakäço 'sau
sarva-rüpeñv
ajo yataù
"Because He appears
everywhere and in every form,
the distinctions of subtle and gross do not apply to the unborn
Supreme Personality of Godhead."
Here someone may object:
Is it not so that the Supreme Lord
does not always appear before the devotees when they worship Him
with devotion. For this reason it must be true that the Lord does
not always appear when He is worshiped with love.
Fearing that someone may
doubt in this way, the author of
the sütras gives the following explanation.
Sütra 26
prakäçaç ca karmaëy abhyäsät
prakäçaù - appearance; ca - and; karmaëi - in
activity;
abhyäsät - by repetition.
And when the activity is
repeated, then He appears.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
The word "ca"
(and) is used here to dispel doubt.
When activities like meditation and worship are repeated, then
the Lord appears. In the Dhyäna-bindu Upaniñad (18) it is
said:
dhyäna-nirmathanäbhyäsäd
devaà paçyen
nigüòhavat
"By repeated
meditation one is able to see the
Supersoul hidden in the heart."
By repeated meditation one
develops love for the Lord, and
at that time one is able to see the Lord. However, in the Brahma-
vaivarta Puräëa it is said:
na tam ärädhayitväpi
kaçcid
vyakté-kariñyati
nityävyakto yato devaù
paramätmä
sanätanaù
"No one, simply by
engaging in worship, can force
the Lord to become visible. To a person who tries to force Him
in this way, the eternal Lord is always invisible."
The worship described here
is worship performed without
sincere love for the Supreme Lord.
Here someone may object:
Is it not true that the Supreme
Lord is present within everything? If He is present within, then
it is a contradiction to say that He can come out. He remains
within and He does not come out. Therefore the statement that the
Supreme Lord comes out and becomes directly visible is a
collection of meaningless words, words that contradict the truth
that the Lord is always present within everything.
If this objection is
raised, then the author of the sütras
gives the following reply.
Sütra 27
ato 'nantena tathä hi liìgam
ataù - therefore;
anantena - by the infinite; tathä - so;
hi - indeed; liìgam - evidence.
It is so by the infinite.
There is evidence.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
There is evidence to
support both ideas: that the Supreme
Lord is present within everything, and that the Supreme Lord
becomes visible to they who meditate on Him. The unlimited
Supreme Lord, pleased by His devotees' worship of Him, shows to
them His own form. He does this by His inconceivable mercy. That
should be accepted. How is this known? The sütra explains: There isevidence." In the Atharva Veda
it is said:
vijïäna-ghanänanda-ghana-sac-cid-änandaika-raso
bhakti-yoge
tiñöhati
"The Supreme
Personality of Godhead, whose sweet
form is eternal and full of bliss and knowledge, becomes visible
when He is worshiped with devotion."
This means that by His
mercy the Lord appears before they
who worship Him with devotion. In the
Näräyaëädhyätma it is
said:
nityävyakto 'pi bhagavän
ékñate
nija-çaktitaù
täm åte paramätàanaà
kaù
paçyetäm itaà prabhum
"Although He is
always invisible, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead becomes visible by His own power. Without
first obtaining His mercy, who can see Him?"
This means that the Lord
becomes visible by His own wish.
The Supreme Lord Himself declares (Bhagavad-gétä 7.24):
avyaktaà vyaktim äpannaà
manyante mäm
abuddhayaù
paraà bhävam ajänanto
mamävyayam anuttamam
"Unintelligent men,
who do not know Me perfectly,
think that I, the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
Kåñëa, was
impersonal before and have now assumed this personality. Due to
their small knowledge, they do not know My higher nature, which
is imperishable and supreme."*
Because the Lord becomes
visible in response to His
devotees' love, that does not mean that He is not also all-
pervading, present within everything. He does both these actions
by the power of His own internal potency. However, to they who do
not love Him, He presents only a reflection or a shadow of
Himself. The Lord Himself affirms (Bhagavad-gétä 7.25):
nähaà prakäçaù sarvasya
yogamäyä-samävåtaù
"I am never manifest
to the foolish and
unintelligent. For them I am covered by My internal potency."*
Therefore, even though He
is full of transcendental bliss
and other auspicious qualities, He appears terrible and ferocious
to they who have no love for Him. Therefore to they who do not
love Him He remains invisible.
Adhikaraëa 14
The Lord's Qualities Are Not Different From His Self
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Now will be proved the
truth that the Lord's qualities are
not different from His self. If the Lord's qualities were
different from His self, then His qualities would be secondary and
unimportant, and thus love for the Lord, love inspired by those
qualities, would also become secondary and unimportant. However,
love for the Lord is not secondary and unimportant. It is clearly
seen that love for the Lord is of the greatest importance. The
Lord's qualities are described in the Çruti-çästra:
vijïänam änandaà brahma
"The Supreme
Personality of Godhead is full of
knowledge and bliss."
yaù sarva-jïaù sarva-vid
"The Supreme
Personality of Godhead is all-knowing."
änandam brahmaëo vidvän
"A wise man knows
that the Supreme Personality of
Godhead is full of bliss."
Saàçaya
(doubt): Is the worshipable Supreme Truth the
actual qualities of bliss and knowledge themselves, and thus
impersonal, or is the Supreme Truth a person who possesses the
qualities of bliss and knowledge?"
Pürvapakña
(the opponent speaks): Because both ideas are
described in the scriptures it is not possible to come to a final
conclusion.
Siddhänta
(conclusion): In the following words the author
of the sütras gives His conclusion.
Sütra 28
ubhaya-vyapadeçät tv ahi-kuëòala-vat
ubhaya - of both;
vyapadeçät - because of the description;
tu - indeed; ahi - the snake; kuëòala - and the coils;vat
- like.
Because indeed there is
description of both, He is like a
snake and its coils.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
The Supreme Personality of
Godhead is the qualities of
knowledge and bliss themselves, and He is also a person who
possesses the qualities of knowledge and bliss. He is like a
snake and its coils. As a snake both is and possesses its coils,
so the Supreme Personality of Godhead both is and possesses His
qualities. How is this known? The sütra explains:
Because there is description of both." The
Çruti-çästra
describes both. That is the meaning. The word "tu"
(indeed) here hints that the passages of the
Çruti-çästra have a
single meaning. The meaning here is that the Lord is
inconceivable. The Lord is not divided. It is not that these two
kinds of explanations of the scriptures mean that one part of the
Lord has one nature and another part of Him has a different
nature. He is not divided into parts in that way.
Sütra 29
prakäçäçrayavad vä tejastvät
prakäça - of
light; äçraya - the shelter; vat - like;vä - or;
tejastvät - because of being splendid.
Or, because He is
effulgent He is like an abode of light.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Because the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is effulgent,
that is to say because He is full of consciousness, therefore He
is the abode of light. That is the conclusion. As the effulgent
sun is the abode of light, so the all-knowing Supreme
Personality of Godhead is the abode of knowledge. That is the
meaning. The word "tejaù" is defined to mean
either
the destroyer of ignorance" or "the destroyer of
darkness".
Sütra 30
pürvavad vä
pürva - past; vat -
as; vä - or.
Or, as the past.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
As it is said that time
both possesses the past and also
is the past itself, so the Supreme both possesses knowledge and
bliss and also is knowledge and bliss. Thus the Supreme is both
the quality and the possessor of the quality. In the Brahma
Puräëa it is said:
änandena tv abhinnena
vyavahäraù
prakäçavat
pürvavad vä yathä kälaù svävecchedakatäà vrajet
"As the sun is not
different from its light or time
is not different from its quality of the past, so the Supreme is
not different from His bliss."
In this series of
analogies (sütras 28-30) each analogy is
more subtle than the one before it.
Sütra 31
pratiñedhäc ca
pratiñedhät -
because of denial; ca - also.
Also because it is denied.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
The word "ca"
(also) is used here for emphasis. In
the Kaöha Upaniñad (2.4.11 and 14) it is said:
manasaivedam äptavyaà
neha nänästi
kiïcana
måtyoù sa måtyum äpnoti
ya iha näneva
paçyati
"A pure heart can
understand that the Lord and His
attributes are not different. He who sees them as different
travels from death to death."
yathodakaà durge våñöaà
parvateñu
vidhävati
eväà dharmän påthak paçyaàs
tän
evänuvidhävati
"One who thinks the
Lord and His attributes are
different falls into hell as rainwater glides down a mountain
peak."
In the
Närada-païcarätra it is said:
nirdoña-pürëa-guëa-vigraha ätma-tantro
niçcetanätmaka-çaréra-guëaiç
ca hénaù
änanda-mätra-kara-päda-mukhodarädiù
sarvatra ca
svagata-bheda-vivarjitätmä
"The Supreme
Personality of Godhead is independent,
faultless, filled with virtues, not residing in a material body,
untouched by the modes of nature or a material body fashioned of
inanimate matter, but still possessing a face, belly, hands, feet
and other features of a spiritual body filled with bliss. He is
not different from His various limbs, features, and qualities."
Because in this way the
scriptures deny that the Lord is different fromHis attributes, therefore the
Lord is not
different from His attributes. Therefore the word
bhagavän" (the all-opulent Supreme Lord) is defined in terms
of the Lord's knowledge and other attributes. In the Viñëu
Puräëa it is said:
jïäna-çakti-balaiçvarya-
vérya-tejäàsy açeñataù
bhagavac-chabda-väcyäni
vinä heyair
guëädibhiù
"The word
`bhagavän' means `He who has all
knowledge, strength, wealth, power, heroism, and splendor, but no
faults'."
Although the Lord and His
attributes are actually one, they
are spoken of as being two in the same way that a body of water
and its waves are spoken of as being two. The Lord is blissful.
He is also bliss itself. Therefore His form is full of bliss.
Because the Lord's activities are eternal, therefore the Lord's
form is also eternal. However, for the sake of ordinary dealings
a pretended distinction is made between the Lord and His
attributes, even though there is in truth no distinction at all.
If this is not done then it would not be possible to speak
sentences like, "Existence exists," "Time is
always," and "Space is everywhere," statements that are
useful in ordinary discourse. Nor are statements like
Existence exists" foolish illusions. They are meaningful
statements, as the sentence "The jar exists" is a
meaningful statement. These statements are not metaphors like the
sentence "Devadatta is a lion", for the statement
Existence does not exist" can never be truthfully said. Nor
do these statements hint that attributes do not exist, for in the
previously stated example of water flowing from a mountain peak
there are certainly attributes. However, the idea that the
Supreme Lord is different from His attributes is certainly denied
here. In this way the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not
different from the attributes He possesses.
Adhikaraëa 14
The Supreme Personality of Godhead Experiences the Highest Bliss
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Now will be described the
truth that the bliss and other
attributes of the Lord are all of the highest nature. If the
bliss and other attributes of the individual spirit souls were
equal to the bliss and attributes of the Lord, love and devotion
for the Lord would not be possible.
Viñaya (the subject
to be discussed): Now will be
discussed the texts that describe these attributes of the Lord.
Saàçaya
(doubt): Are the bliss and other attributes of the
Supreme Lord greater than the bliss and other attributes of the
individual spirit souls, or are they not greater than them?
Pürvapakña
(the opponent speaks): Because the bliss of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead is described in the same terms
used to describe the ordinary blisses of the material world,
therefore the Lord's bliss is not greater. After all, when one
speaks the word "jar" one doesn't mean something greater
than a jar.
Siddhänta
(conclusion): In the following words the author
of the sütras gives His conclusion.
Sütra 32
param ataù
setünmäna-sambandha-bheda-vyapadeçebhyaù
param - greater;
ataù - than this; setu - of a bridge;
unmäna - immeasurable; sambandha - relationship;bheda -
difference;
vyapadeçebhyaù - from the descriptions.
It is greater because of
the statements about a bridge,
immeasurability, a relationship, and a difference.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa
The bliss and other
attributes of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead are greater than the bliss and attributes of the
individual spirit souls. Why is that? The sütra declares:
because of the statements about a bridge, immeasurability, a
relationship, and a difference." The statement about a bridge is
given in the Chändogya Upaniñad (8.4.1), where the bliss
of
the Supreme Lord is described in these words:
eña setur vidhåtiù
"It is the highest
bridge."
The statement about
immeasurability is given in the
Taittiréya Upaniñad (2.4.1):
yato väco nivartante
"Unable to describe
the immeasurable bliss of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, words return and become silent."
The statement about a
relationship is given in the Båhad-
äraëyaka Upaniñad (4.3.32):
etasyaivänandasyänyäni bhütäni mätram
upajévanti
"The bliss of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead is
the highest. All others experience only a small portion of that
bliss."
The statement about a difference is given in the following
words:
anyaj jïänaà tu jévänäà
anyaj
jïänaà parasya ca
nityänandävyayaà pürëaà
paraà
jïänam védhiyate
"The knowledge
possessed by the individual spirit
souls is one thing and the knowledge possessed by the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is another. The perfect, complete,
blissful, and immutable knowledge possessed by the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is higher."
The bliss and other
attributes described in these statements
are not at all like the ordinary bliss and other attributes found
in this world.
Here someone may object:
Still, what is described with the
word "jar" cannot really be different from a jar.
To answer this objection
the author of the sütras speaks the
following words.
Sütra 33
sämänyät tu
sämänyät -
because of resamblance; tu - but.
But because of a common
quality.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
The word "tu" (but) is used here to dispel doubt. As
the word "jar" is used to describe many different kinds
of jars, which all have a single quality of "jarness" in
common, so the word"bliss" describes many different
kinds of ordinary and extraordinary blisses, which all have a
single quality of "blissness" in common. However the
different kinds of bliss and other attributes are not alike in
all respects. Therefore it is said:
para-jïänamayo 'sadbhir
näma-jäty-ädibhir vibhuù
na yogavän na yukto 'bhün
naiva pärthiva
yokñyati
"The Supreme
Personality of Godhead has the highest
transcendental knowledge. He never is, was, or will be touched by
the temporary names and forms of the material world."
It this way it is
demonstrated that the knowledge possessed
by the Supreme Personality of Godhead is superior to the
knowledge possessed by the individual spirit souls.
Here someone may object:
If the Supreme Personality of
Godhead is actually superior to the individual spirit souls and
to the inanimate material world, then why does the Chändogya
Upaniñad (3.14.1) declare:
sarvaà khalv idaà brahma taj jalän iti
çänta upäséta
"Everything is the
Supreme. Everything is manifested
from Him. A peaceful sage should worship Him."
In the following words the
author of the sütras answers
this objection.
Sütra 34
buddhy-arthaù päda-vat
buddhi - of understanding;
arthaù - for the purpose;
päda - foot; vat - like.
It is for understanding,
like the word "foot".
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
This teaching is meant to
increase understanding. The
understanding here is that everything belongs to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. This is like the explanation of the word
"foot" in the scriptures. In the \Rg Veda (10.90.3) it is
said:
pädo 'sya viçvä bhütäni
"The entire material
universe is His one foot."
By understanding that the
entire material universe
is a single foot of the Supreme, a person no longer hates anyone, and
then hisheart becomes devoted to the Lord. This does not
mean, however, that one should become attracted to everything,
for that would bewilder the intelligence.
Adhikaraëa 16
The Supreme Is Not Devoid of Variety
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Now will be explained the
truth that because there is a
great variety of kinds of love and devotion for Him, worshipable
Lord Hari assumes a great variety of forms. If this were not so
then many kinds of love for the Lord would be thwarted. These
many forms of the Lord are all beginningless and eternal. In the
Çruti-çästra it is said:
eko 'pi san bahudhä yo 'vabhäti
"Although He is one, He appears in many forms."
Thus the one Supreme
Personality of Godhead appears
eternally in many different places.
Saàçaya
(doubt): Are there varieties of greater and lesser
in these forms, or not?
Pürvapakña
(the opponent speaks): Because these forms are
all equally the Supreme Lord, therefore they are all the same and
they are not different.
Siddhänta
(conclusion): In the following words the author
of the sütras gives His conclusion.
Sütra 35
sthäna-viçeñät prakäçädi-vat
sthäna - of places;
viçeñät - from the variety;
prakäça - light; ädi - beginning with; vat - like.
Like light and other
things, so He also is different in
different places.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead is one,
nevertheless, in different places and before different devotees
He manifests different kinds of opulence, power, and sweetness.
In this way, in the presence of devotees in the various mellows,
such as the mellows of peacefulness, servitude, and friendship,
the Lord manifests many different kinds of forms. He does this
in the same way as light or other things also manifest many different
kinds
of forms. As the light of a lamp appears clear or red when
reflected from crystals or rubies set in a temple's walls, and as
sound, although originally one, appears different when sounded by
aconchshell, måòaìga, flute, or other musical instrument,
so
the Supreme Personality of Godhead manifest sweetness and other
attributes according to the different circumstances. That is the
meaning. When the Lord manifests His great opulence, He is
worshiped by the rules and regulations of vidhi-bhakti. That
manifestation is compared to the light reflected from crystal.
When the Lord manifests His great sweetness, He is worshiped by
the spontaneous love of ruci-bhakti. That manifestation is
compared to the light reflected from rubies. In this way the
Lord's many manifestations in different abodes and in relation to
the different kinds of devotion of different kinds of devotees,
are basically of these two kinds (opulence and sweetness).
Sütra 36
upapateç ca
upapateù - because
of reasonableness; ca - also.
Also because it is
reasonable.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
This is also described in
Chändogya Upaniñad (3.14.1),
which explains:
"As one has faith in
the Lord, so one is rewarded."
It is not otherwise. As
there are different kinds of love
for the one Supreme Lord, so the one Lord expands into many
different forms.
Adhikaraëa 17
The Lord is the Highest
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Now will be explained the
truth that the Supreme Lord is the
highest. If anyone were superior to the Supreme Lord, then it
would not be possible to develop love and devotion to Him.
Çvetäçvatara Upaniñad (3.4) clearly states
that the Lord is the
greatest. However, Çvetäçvatara Upaniñad
(3.10) describes
something superior to the Supreme Lord.
Saàçaya
(doubt): Is there a person or thing greater than the
worshipable Supreme Lord, or is there not?
Pürvapakña
(the opponent speaks): There is something
greater than the Supreme Lord. This is clearly described in
Çvetäçvatara Upaniñad (3.10).
Siddhänta
(conclusion): In the following words the author
of the sütras gives His conclusion.
Sütra 37
tathänya-pratiñedhät
tathä - so; anya - of
another; pratiñedhät - because of the
denial.
It is so, for another is
denied.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Nothing is greater than
the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Why is that? The sütra explains: "for another is
denied."
In the Çvetäçvatara Upaniñad (3.9) it is
said:
yasmät paraà näparam asti kiïcid
yasmän
näëéyo na jyäyo 'sti kiïcit
"There is no truth
superior to that Supreme Person
because He is the supermost. He is smaller than the smallest, and
He is greater than the greatest."*
In this way the scriptures
deny the existence of anything
greater than the Supreme Lord. That is the meaning here. In
Çvetäçvatara Upaniñad (3.8) it is said:
vedäham etaà puruñam mahantam
äditya-varëaà
tamasaù parastät
tam eva viditväti måtyum eti nänyaù panthäù vidyate 'yanäya
"I know that Supreme
Personality of Godhead who is
transcendental to all material conditions of darkness. Only he
who knows Him can transcend the bonds of birth and death. There is
no way for liberation other than knowledge of that Supreme
Person."*
After thus teaching that
no path but knowledge of the
Supreme Person leads to liberation, the
Çvetäçvatara Upaniñad
(3.9) explains:
yasmät paraà näparam asti
"There is no truth
superior to that Supreme Person."
In this way is proved that
there is no truth superior to the
Supreme Lord. In Çvetäçvatara Upaniñad
(3.10) it is said:
tato yad uttarataraà
tad arüpam
anämayam
ya etad vidur amåtäs te bhavanty
athetare duùkham
eväpi yänti
"They who know that
the Supreme Personality of
Godhead is greater than the greatest, and has no material body
and no faults, become immortal. They who do not know Him suffer."
In this way the scriptures declare that there is no truth
superior to the Lord. In this way the false idea of our opponent
is disproved. In Bhagavad-gétä (7.7), the Supreme Lord
Himself
declares:
mattaù parataraà nänyat
kiïcid asti
dhanaïjaya
"O conqueror of
wealth, there is no truth superior
to Me."*
Adhikaraëa 18
The Lord is All-pervading
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Now, to show that the
object of worship is always nearby,
the truth that the Supreme Lord is all-pervading will be
described. Otherwise, if the Supreme Lord were not always nearby,
then there would not be enthusiasm to love the Lord, and love for
the Lord would become slackened. In the Gopäla-täpané
Upaniñad it
is said:
eko vaçé sarva-gaù kåñëa
éòyaù
"Lord
Kåñëa, the supreme controller and the supreme
object of worship, is present everywhere."
Saàçaya
(doubt): Is Lord Hari, the supreme object of
meditation, all-pervading, or does He stay only in one place?
Pürvapakña
(the opponent speaks): Because the Lord is of
moderate height, and because He stays aloof from the material
world, the Lord cannot be everywhere and does not go to every
place. Therefore the Lord is not all-pervading.
Siddhänta (conclusion):
In the following words the author of
the sütras gives His conclusion.
Sütra 38
anena sarvagatatvam äyäma-çabdädibhyaù
anena - by Him; sarva -
everywhere; gata - going; tvam - thestate
of being; äyäma - all-pervasiveness; çabda - Çruti-çästra;
ädibhyaù - beginning with.
He is everywhere, for the
Çruti-çästra and other scriptures
declare that He is all-pervading.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Even though His form is of
a moderate height, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is all-pervading. Why is that? The sütra
explains: "the Çruti-çästra and other
scriptures declare
that He is all-pervading." Here the word
"äyäma" means
"all-pervading". The word "ädi" (beginning
with)
here means "because He has inconceivable potencies".
In the
Gopäla-täpané Upaniñad it is said:
eko vaçé sarva-gaù kåñëa
éòyaù
"Lord
Kåñëa, the supreme controller and the supreme
object of worship, is present everywhere."
In the Taittiréya
Araëyaka it is said:
yac ca kiïcij jagat sarvaà
dåçyate
çrüyate 'pi vä
antar bahiç ca tat sarvaà
vyäpya
näräyaëaù sthitaù
"Lord
Näräyaëa is present everywhere. He is within
and without everything. He is within everything that has ever
been seen or heard."
In this way it is declared that, even though He has a form
of moderate height, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is
certainly all-pervading. Because of His inconceivable potencies
the Lord is greater than all and present everywhere, even though
His form is of a moderate height. In Bhagavad-gétä (9.4
and 5),
the Supreme Lord Himself declares:
mayä tatam idaà sarvaà
jagad
avyakta-mürtinä
mat-sthäni sarva-bhütäni
na cähaà
teñv avasthitaù
na ca mat-sthäni bhütäni
paçya me yogam
aiçvaram
"By Me, in My
unmanifested form, this entire
universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them.
And yet everything that is created does not rest in Me. Behold My
mystic opulence!"*
Because the Supreme Lord
is different from
matter does not mean that He cannot be all-pervading within the
material world, for the Çruti-çästra clearly
declares that He is
certainly present within and without. The scriptures also affirm
that as oil is present in sesame seeds and as butter is present
in yogurt, so the Supreme Lord is present everywhere. In this way
it is proved that worshipable Lord Hari is present everywhere.
This is clearly shown in His Dämodara pastime. Even though He was
a small child, still He displayed His power of being all-
pervading.
Adhikaraëa 19
The Supreme Lord Awards the Fruits of Action
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Now will be described the
truth that the Supreme Lord awards
all the fruits of action. Otherwise, if He did not award the
fruits of action, or if He awarded only some of the fruits of
action, because of His miserliness it would be difficult to
develop love for Him. In the Praçna Upaniñad (3.7) it is
said:
puëyena puëyaà lokaà nayati
"The Supreme Lord
takes the pious to the world of
the pious."
Saàçaya
(doubt): Are the pious results that begin with
entrance into Svargaloka attained by performing yajïas
and other pious deeds, or are they attained by the sanction given
by the Lord?
Pürvapakña
(the opponent speaks): These results are
caused by performance of yajïas and other pious deeds. The
Supreme Lord has nothing to do with it.
Siddhänta
(conclusion): In the following words the author
of the sütras gives His conclusion.
Sütra 39
phalam ata upapatteù
phalam - fruit;
ataù - from Him; upapatteù - because it is
reasonable.
The result is from Him,
for that is reasonable.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
The attainment of
Svargaloka and other pious benefits,
benefits attained by performing yajïas and other pious deeds,
are actually awarded by the Supreme Lord Himself. Why is that?
The sütra explains: "for that is reasonable." In this
way it is shown that the eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful,
and supremely generous Lord, when He is worshiped by the
performance of yajïas and other pious deeds, after some time has
elapsed grants the rewards of these pious deeds. The deeds
themselves, which are only inert matter and which perish in
a moment as soon as they are performed, do not grant these
rewards. That is the meaning.
In the next sütra the
author gives the proof of this.
Sütra 40
çrutatväc ca
çrutatvät -
because of being described in the Çruti-çästra;
ca - also.
Also because it is
affirmed by the Çruti-çästra.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
In the
Båhad-äraëyaka Upaniñad (3.9.28) it is said:
vijïänam änandaà brahma rätir
dätuù paräyaëam
"The Supreme
Personality of Godhead is full of
knowledge and bliss. It is He who gives the fruits of actions to
they who perform yajïas."
In the
Båhad-äraëyaka Upaniñad (4.4.24) it is also said:
sa vä eña mahän aja ätmä annädo vasu-dänaù
"The unborn Supreme
Personality of Godhead gives the
fruits of work."
These two passages explain
that the Supreme Lord gives the
fruits of action. The word "dätuù" means
"of
the performer of yajïa", and "rätiù"
means
the giver of the results".
Sütra 41
dharmaà jaiminir ata eva
dharmam - piety;
jaiminiù - Jaimini; ataù - from Him;eva - indeed.
Jaimini affirms that piety
comes from Him.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Jaimini holds that piety
comes from the Supreme Lord. The
pious deed that gives an auspicious result itself comes from the
Supreme Lord. In the Kauñétaki Upaniñad (3.8) it
is said:
eña eva sädhu karma kärayati
"The Lord engages the
living entity in pious
activities."*
According to Jaimini, the
Supreme Lord does not give the
results of actions, either directly or indirectly. The Lord
creates only the actions themselves and the results are given by
the actions.
Here someone may object:
Is it not so that actions are over
in a moment, whereas there is often a great lapse of time before
actions bear their karmic result? If the actions quickly cease to
exist they cannot create the karmic results, for something that
has ceased to exist cannot create something new.
To this objection Jaimini
may reply: No. It is not so. Even
though the action itself comes to an end, it leaves behind a
potential result. Only when this result is fulfilled is the
action actually completed. Even if there is a considerable lapse
of time, the action itself gives the result to the person, a
result appropriate to that particular action. Thus actions are
the givers of results.
In the following words
Çréla Vyäsadeva, the author of the
sütras, gives His opinion.
Sütra 42
pürvaà tu bädaräyaëo
hetu-vyapadeçät
pürvam - previous; tu
- but; bädaräyaëaù - Vyäsadeva;hetu - of
the cause; vyapadeçät - from the description.
But Vyäsadeva holds
the previous view, for the Lord is
described as the cause.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Here the word
"tu" (but) is employed to dispel
doubt. Vyäsadeva holds the previous view, that the Supreme
Personality of Godhead awards the fruits of action. Why so? The
sütra explains: "for the Lord is described as the
cause". In the Praçna Upaniñad (3.7) it is said:
puëyena puëyaà lokaà nayati päpena
päpam
"The Supreme Lord
takes the pious to the world of
the pious and the sinful to the world of the sinful."
In this way the scriptures
teach that the Supreme Lord
awards the results of action. That is the meaning. Because they
already have ceased to exist, the actions themselves cannot be
the cause of the karmic results. Also, it is the Supreme Lord
Himself who is the creator of karma, for the scriptures say:
dravyaà karma ca kälaç ca
"The Supreme
Personality of Godhead is creator of
matter, karma, and time.
In this way it is proved
that the Lord is the creator of
karma. The idea that actions leave behind a potential result is a
lame and foolish idea. Actions are inanimate and unconscious. They are
like ablock of wood or a stone, and therefore they have
no power to award the results of actions. Also, the
Çruti-çästra
never describes them as awarding the results of actions.
Here someone may object:
Is it not so that the demigods are
worshiped in the performance of yajïas and it is the demigods
themselves who give the results of these yajïas.
If this is said, then I
reply: It is by the sanction of the
Supreme Lord that the demigods are able to give these results.
This is clearly described in the Antaryämi Brähmaëa.
Therefore
the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself awards the results of
actions. The lotus-eyed Supreme Lord Himself affirms this in the
following words (Bhagavad-gétä 7.21-22):
yo yo yaà yaà tanuà bhaktaà
çraddhayärcitum icchati
tasya tasyäcaläà çraddhäà
täm eva
vidadhämy aham
"I am in everyone's
heart as the Supersoul. As soon
as one desires to worship some demigod, I make his faith steady
so he can devote himself to that particular deity.*
sa tayä çraddhayä yuktas
tasyärädhanam
ihate
labhate ca tataù kämän
mayaiva vihitän hi
tän
"Endowed with such a
faith, he endeavors to
worship a particular demigod and obtain his desires. But in
actuality these benefits are bestowed by Me alone."*
In this way worshiped by
the performance of yajïa,
the Supreme Lord Himself gives the auspicious results to
the worshiper. When He is thus pleased by devotion, the Supreme
Lord will give everything, even Himself to His devotee. This will
be described later on with quotes from the
Çruti-çästra.
Thus, in these two padas
has been seen: 1. the fault
of the material world, which is an abode of many
sufferings, beginning with repeated birth and death, 2. the
faultless glories of the Lord, 3. the Lord's being the
controller of all, 4. the Lord's form of pure spirit, and 5.
the Lord's being not different from His attributes. By
hearing of these things one develops a great thirst to
attain the Lord's association and a great disgust for all
that is far from the Lord. In this way one comes to attain
the Lord. That is what was revealed in these twopadas.