Volume Five
Adhikaraëa 29
The Different Features of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Viñaya (the subject
to be discussed) Now the following
texts from the Gopäla-täpané Upaniñad will be
considered:
eko 'pi san bahudhä yo 'vabhäti
"Although He is one,
Lord Kåñëa appears in many
forms."
ekaà santaà bahudhä dåçyamänam
"Although He is one,
the Supreme Personality of
Godhead appears to be many."
atha kasmäd ucyate brahma
"Why is He called the
Supreme?"
He Supreme Personality of
Godhead has many very different
forms. In this way He is like a vaidürya jewel. Although He is
one He has many different forms and many different qualities.
Saàçaya
(doubt): Should one meditate on the fact that the
Supreme Personality of Godhead has many different forms and many
different qualities, or should one not meditate on this fact?
Pürvapakña
(the opponent speaks): The Lord's blissfulness
and other like qualities should always be the object of
meditation (as was explained in sütra 3.3.12). However, the
plurality of forms contradicts the Lord's oneness. Therefore the
Lord's plurality of forms should not be an object of meditation.
Siddhänta
(conclusion): In the following words the author
of the sütras gives His conclusion.
Sütra 59
bhümnaù kratu-vaj jäyastvaà tathä hi
darçayati
bhümnaù - of
the plurality; kratu - yajïa; vat - like;
jäyastvam - pre-eminence; tathä - si; hi -
indeed;darçayati - shows.
Like a yajïa,
plurality is most important. So, indeed, it
reveals.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
The Lord's plurality of
forms is His most important feature.
As yajïas should always be performed, so the Lord's
plurality of forms should always be an object of meditation, for
this plurality is an essential feature of the Lord.
As in an
agniñöoma-yajïa, from its beginning until the
avabhåta ceremony at its end, it remains always a yajïa, in
the same
way among all the qualities of the Lord, His plurality of forms
is always present and of prime importance. The evidence for this
is given in this sütra in the words, "tathä hi
darçayati" (So, indeed, the scriptures reveal). In the
Chändogya Upaniñad (7.23.1) it is said:
bhümaiva sukham nälpe sukham asti
"The bliss of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead
is in His abundant variety. His bliss is not present in a lack
of variety."
Thus the Lord's bliss and
other qualities are present in
great abundance and great variety. They should be meditated on in
this way. The scriptures reveal this of them. The word
darçayati" in. this sütra means, "they teach
this in
every circumstance". Without accepting the Lord's plurality of
forms it is not possible to accept that His actions are all
eternal.
Adhikaraëa 30
Different Meditations on the Lord's Different Forms
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Saàçaya
(doubt): Are4 these many forms of the Lord
worshiped in one way only or are there many ways to worship them?
Pürvapakña
(the opponent speaks): Because the object of
worship certainly remains one, there must be only way way to
worship Him.
Siddhänta
(conclusion): In the following words the author
of the sütras gives His conclusion.
Sütra 60
nänä çabdädi-bhedät
nänä - variety;
çabda - words; ädi - beginning;
bhedät - because of the difference.
They are different because
of different words and other
things.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa
There are different kinds
of worship for the different forms
of the Lord. For each form there is a different kind of worship.
Why is that? The sütra explains:
"çabdädi-bhedät"
(because of different words and other things). This means,
because the names of Lord Nåsiàha and the Lord's other
forms
are different, the mantras for worshiping these forms are
different, the forms themselves are different, and Their
activities are also different". In the
Småti-çästra it is said:
kåtaà tretä dväparaà ca
kalir ity eñu
keçavaù
nänä-varëäbhidhäkäro
nänaiva vidhinejyate
"In the Satya,
Tretä, Dväpara, and Kali yugas,
Lord Kåñëa appears in different forms with different
colors and
different names, forms that are worshiped in different ways."
In this way it is proved
that the Lord's different forms are
worshiped in different ways.
Adhikaraëa 31
The Steadfast Worship of the Lord
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
That the forms of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead,
beginning with the form of Lord Nåsiàha, should be
worshiped in
ways that are different for each form has thus been described.
Saàçaya
(doubt): Must the worshipers of these various
forms meditate on all the Lord's forms together, or is such
meditation only optional?
Siddhänta
(conclusion): In the following words the author
of the sütras gives His conclusion.
Sütra 61
vikalpo 'viçiñöha-phalatvät
vikalpaù - option;
aviçiñöha - not better; phalatvät - because
of the result.
It is optional, for a
better result is not obtained.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
They have an option. One
should worship the Supreme Lord
according to the truths taught by a particular community of saintly
devotees. One should remain steadfast in that form of worship and
not leave it. Why is that? The sütra explains:
aviçiñöha-phalatvät" (for a better result
is not
obtained). This means that of all the ways to worship the Lord no
one way is better than the others. They are all equal. They are all
said to bring the same result, which is that liberation where one
directly associates with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
If by following one such
method of worship one attains
perfection, what is the need of accepting another method of
worship? The lesson taught in the sütra that begins with the
words
"tad viduñäm" should not be forgotten.
Therefore, in
order to give more evidence to the truth that the ekänti
devotees are the best, this instruction is repeated. There is no
fault in this.
Adhikaraëa 32
Worshiping the Lord To Attain a Specific Benediction
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
The different kinds of
worship of the Lord's different
forms, such as the form of Lord Nåsiàha and the other
forms,
all bring liberation as their result. Therefore these activities
of worship should be regularly performed by the ekänti
devotees. However, in the Båhad-äraëyaka
Upaniñad and other
scriptures are also described other kinds of worship of the
Lord, kinds of worship meant for attaining fame, followers, victory,
wealth, and other like benedictions.
Saàçaya
(doubt): May one choose any form of the Lord for
such worship, or must one direct this kind of worship to one's
chosen deity alone?
Pürvapakña
(the opponent speaks): Because the worship of
any form of the Lord brings the same result as the worship of any
other form of the Lord, one should direct this worship to one's
chosen Deity alone, as was previously explained.
Siddhänta
(conclusion): In the following words the author
of the sütras gives His conclusion.
Sütra 62
kämyäs tu yathä-kämaà samuccéyeran
na vä pürva-hetv-abhävät
kämyäù -
for the objects of desire; tu - but; yathä - as;
kämam - desire; samuccéyeran - may collect; na -
not;vä - or;
pürva - previous; hetu - reason; abhävät - because of
the non-
existence.
For attaining a desire one
may accept another or not, as one
wishes, for the previous reason is now absent.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
To fulfill desires other
than direct association with the
Supreme Lord, desires like the attainment of fame in this world,
one may worship any for of the Lord, as one wishes, or one need
not (worship another form of the Lord, and may instead to
continue to worship one's own chosen Deity). Why is that? The
sütra explains: "pürva-hetv-abhävät"
(for the previous
reason is now absent). This is is so because the result to be
obtained is different. When there is a desire to attain these
various material benediction, then one may worship any form of
the Lord. When one does not desire these material benefits, one
may not adopt the worship of forms of the Lord other than one's
chosen Deity.
The meaning here is that
if one who desires liberation also
desires some material benediction, then he should worship Lord
Hari alone in order to attain it. He should not worship the
demigods to attain his desire. This is explained by
Çrémad-
Bhägavatam (2.3.10) in the following words:
akämaù sarva-kämo vä
mokña-käma
udära-dhéù
tévreëa bhakti-yogena
yajeta
puruñaà param
"A person who has
broader intelligence, whether he
be full of all material desire, or desiring liberation, must by
all means worship the supreme whole, the Personality of
Godhead."*
Thus have been explained
the various kinds of worship of the
Lord, kinds of worship beginning with the chanting of the ten-
syllable mantra. As explained before, this worship should be
directed to one's chosen Deity.
Adhikaraëa 33
Meditation on the Form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
In the previous passages
meditation on the Lord's qualities
and virtues has been described. Now will be described meditation
on the Lord's bodily limbs and features. In
Gopäla-täpané
Upaniñad (1.38), the demigod Brahmä explains:
tam ekaà govindaà sac-cid-änanda-vigrahaà
païca-padaà
våndävana-sura-bhüruha-taläsénaà
satataà sa-marud-gaëo
'ham paramayä stutyä toñayämi.
"With eloquent
prayers I and the Maruts please Lord
Govinda, whose form is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss,
who stays under a desire tree in Våndävana, and who is this
five-
word mantra."
In the verse that follow
Brahmä speaks prayers describing
the gentle smile, merciful glance, and other features on the
Supreme Lord's face, eyes, and other parts of the body.
Saàçaya
(doubt): Are the gentle smile and other features
on the Lord's face and the other parts of His body to be
meditated on or not?
Pürvapakña
(the opponent speaks): Because by meditating
on the Lord's general qualities and virtues one attains the goal
of life, and because that goal thus attained is so great and
exalted, there is no need to meditate on the features of the
Lord's body.
Siddhänta
(conclusion): In the following words the author
of the sütras gives His conclusion.
Sütra 63
aìgeñu yathäçraya-bhävaù
aìgeñu - on
the limbs; yathä - as; äçraya - shelter;
bhävaù - nature.
Appropriate meditation on
the limbs.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
One should appropriately
meditate on the Lord's mouth and
the other parts of His body. This means that one should meditate
on the qualities that have taken shelter of the parts of the
Lord's body. Thus, on the Lord's mouth there are a gentle smile
and sweet words, on His eyes there is a merciful glance, and on
the other parts of His body there are other features.
Sütra 64
çiñöaiç ca
çiñöaiù - by the disciples; ca - and.
Also by the disciples.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
In the
Gopäla-täpané Upaniñad (1.51) it is said:
atha haivaà stutibhir ärädhayämi tathä
yüyaà païca-padaà
japantaù kåñëaà dhyäyantaù
samsåtià tariñyatha.
"Brahmä said: As
I worship Him, so should you.
Chanting this five word mantra, and meditating on Lord
Kåñëa, you
will transcend the world of birth and death."
In this way Brahmä
teaches his disciples to meditate on the
qualities present in Lord Kåñëa's form. That is the
meaning.
Here someone may object:
In the Chändogya Upaniñad (1.6.7)
it is said:
yathä kapyäsaà puëòarékam evam
akñiëé
"The Supreme Lord's
eyes are like lotus flowers."
Here there is no mention
of the Lord's merciful glance or
His other features.
If this is said, then the
author of the sütras gives the
following reply.
Sütra 65
samähärät
samähärät -
because of being collective.
Because of being together.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
The word "na"
(it is not so) should be added here
from three sütras previous. The word applies to both sütras.
In
this passage of Chändogya Upaniñad many other features of
the
Lord's body are implied. This passage does not mean that the Lord
has only lotus eyes and no other bodily features.
Here someone may object:
The idea that one should meditate
on the parts of the Lord's body as having only certain attributes
and not others is wrong. I refute it with the following words.
Sütra 66
guëa-sädhäraëya-çruteç ca
guëa - of qualities;
sädhäraëya - commonness; çruteù - from
the Çruti-çästra; ca - also.
Also because the
Çruti-çästra declares that the qualities
are held in common.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
In
Bhagavad-gétä (13.14) it is said:
sarvataù päëi-pädam tat
"Everywhere are His
hands and legs."*
This passage shows that
one should meditate on the parts of
the Lord's body as all having the same qualities in common. In
Brahma-saàhitä (5.32) it is said:
aìgäni yasya sakalendriya-vrttimanti
paçyanti pänti
kalayanti tathä jaganti
"Each of the limbs of
the Lord's transcendental
figure possesses in Himself the full-fledged functions of all
organs and eternally sees, maintains, and manifests the infinite
universes, both spiritual and mundane."**
In this way the scriptures
declare that each part of the
Lord's body has all the qualities of all the other parts.
In the following words the
author of the sütras refutes
this idea.
Sütra 67
na vä tat-saha-bhäväçruteù
na - not; vä - or;
tat - that; saha - together;bhäva - being; a - not;
çruteù - from the Çruti-çästra.
Or not, for the
Çruti-çästra does not declare that they have
the same nature.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
The word
"vä" (or) is used here for emphasis. One
should not meditate on the different parts of the Lord's body as
all having the same features in common. Why is that? The sütra
explains: "tat-saha-bhäväçruteù"
(for the Çruti-
çästra does not declare that they have the same nature).
This
means that the Çruti-çästra does not declare that
the qualities
of one part of the body are present in the other parts. Also, one
should not meditate on the parts of the Lord's body as
having the same qualities as the other parts. The descriptions in
Bhagavad-gétä 13.14 and other passages in the scriptures
should
be understood to mean that the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
being all-powerful, can do anything with any part of His body.
That is the meaning.
Sütra 68
darçanäc ca
darçanät -
from seeing; ca - also.
By seeing also.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Therefore the Lord's
gentle smile should be understood to be
present in His face and His other qualities to be present in the
other parts of His body, each in its appropriate place. In this
way it is both seen anddescribed.