Volume Six
Pada 4
Invocation
akaitave bhakti-save 'nurajyan
svam eva yaù
sevakasät karoti
tato 'ti-modaà muditaù sa devaù
sadä
cid-änanda-tanur dhinotu
May the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, whose form is
eternal and full of knowledge and bliss, and who, pleased with
His devotees sincere devotion, gives Himself to them, fill us
with transcendental happiness.
Adhikaraëa 1
The Original Forms of the Liberated Souls
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
In this pada will be
described first the original forms of
the liberated souls, and then their glory, opulence, bliss, and
other features. In the Chändogya Upaniñad (8.12.3) the
demigod
Brahmä explains:
evam evaiña samprasädo 'smät
çarérät samutthäya paraà jyotir
upasampadya svena rüpeëäbhiniñpadyate sa
uttamaù puruñaù
"By the Supreme
Lord's mercy, the enlightened soul
leaves his material body and enters the effulgent spiritual
world. There he attains his own spiritual body. He becomes the most
exalted of persons."
Saàçaya
(doubt): Does the liberated soul attain a body,
like the bodies of the demigods, that is different from himself,
or does the manifest his original identity, which is not
different from himself?
Pürvapakña
(the opponent speaks): he attains a body
different from himself. This must be so because the word
abhiniñpadyate" (is attained) is employed here. Any other
interpretation would make this word meaningless and would also
make meaningless the scriptures' statement that liberation is a
benefit attained by the soul. If this form is only the original
nature of the soul and it had existed all along, then attaining
it would not be a benefit granted to the soul. Therefore this
form is newly attained by the soul and is different from the
soul's original nature.
Siddhänta
(conclusion): In the following words the author
of the sütras gives His conclusion.
Sütra 1
sampadyävirbhävaù svena-çabdät
sampadya - of he who has
attained;
ävirbhävaù - manifestation; svena - svena;
çabdät - by the word.
Because of the word
"svena" it is the manifestation
of he who has gone.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
The individual spirit soul
who, by means of devotional
service accompanied with knowledge and renunciation, attains the
effulgent Supreme, becomes free from the bondage of karma and
attains a body endowed with eight virtues. This body is said to
be the soul's original form. Why is that? The sütra explains,
"svena-çabdät" (because of the word
"svena").
The word "svena" here means, "in his own original
form". For this reason it cannot be said that this passage means,
"the soul arrives there and then accepts that form, which
is an external imposition". In that way it is proved that the
form here is the original form of the soul. This is not
contradicted by the use of the word "niñpadyate", for
that word is also used to mean, "is manifested". An
example of that usage is seen in the following words of the
Çruti-çästra:
idam ekaà su-niñpannam
"He is
manifested."
Also, it is not that the
manifestation of the soul's
original form cannot be, because it already exists, a goal of
human endeavor. This is so because even though the soul's
original form exists, it is not openly manifested. Therefore it
is not useless to say that the soul may endeavor to openly
manifest the original form of the soul. Therefore the
manifestation of that form can be an object of human endeavor.
Here someone may say: When
the spirit soul is manifested in
its original form and it attains the effulgent Supreme, as
described in the words "paraà jyotir upasampadya",
the
the liberated state thus attained is characterized mainly by the
cessation of all material sufferings.
If this is said, then I
reply: No. It is not so. The Çruti-
çästra explains that in the liberated state the soul is
filled
with intense spiritual bliss. This is described in Taittiréya
Upaniñad (2.7):
rasaà hy eväyaà labdhvänandé-bhavati
"When one understands
the Personality of Godhead,
the reservoir of pleasure, Kåñëa, he actually
becomes transcendentallyblissful."*
Here someone may object:
How do you know that approaching
the effulgent Supreme Lord is true liberation?
If this is said, the
author of the sütras gives the
following reply.
Sütra 2
muktaù pratijïänät
muktaù - liberated;
pratijïänät - because of the
declaration.
He is liberated because of
the statement.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
The liberated soul
manifests his original form. Why is that?
The sütra explains, "pratijïänät"
(because of the
statement). The original condition of the soul is described in
Chändogya Upaniñad (8.7.1). After that description, the
following promise is given (8.9.3):
etaà tv eva te bhüyo 'nuvyäkhyäsyämi
"Again I will explain
it to you."
The the demigod
Brahmä proceeded to explain that the
liberated soul is free from wakefulness, dreaming, and dreamless
sleep, the three conditions of material consciousness and also
free from the material body, which is created by the karmic
reactions of pleasant and unpleasant deeds. The demigod Brahmä
described this in order to fulfill the promise he made in 8.9.3).
Because this passage explains that the soul becomes liberated
when he is free from the external material body created by karmic
reactions, it should be understood that in the liberated state
the soul is manifested in its original form.
In this way it is proved
that Chändogya Upaniñad (8.12.3)
explains that in the liberated state the soul manifests its
original form. Now another point will be considered.
Saàçaya
(doubt): Does the word "jyotiù" in
Chändogya Upaniñad (8.12.3) refer to the sun-globe or to
the
Supreme Personality of Godhead?
Pürvapakña
(the opponent speaks): It refers to the sun-
globe. This must be so for the Muëòaka Upaniñad
declares that
after passing through the realm of the sun one attains
liberation. The sun-globe is also described in that way in the
Chändogya Upaniñad's description of the path beginning
with
light.
Siddhänta
(conclusion): In the following words the author
of the sütras gives His conclusion.
Sütra 3
ätmä prakaraëät
ätmä - the
Supreme Personality of Godhead;
prakaraëät - because of the context.
It is the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, because of the
context.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
The word
"jyotiù" here refers to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. It does not refer to the sun-globe. Why is
that? The sütra explains, "prakaraëät"
(because of the
context). Although the word "jyotiù" can refer to
either, because of the context it refers to the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. It is like the word "devaù", which in the
sentence "devo jänäti me manaù" (your
lordship
knows my heart) means "your lordship".
The word
ätmä" in this sütra means "the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, who is all-powerful and full of knowledge
and bliss". The word "ätmä" is derived from
the verbal
root "at". In this way "ätmä"
means,
He who is splendidly manifest", "He who is attained
by the liberated souls", and "He who is all-pervading".
It also means "Upaniñad", and it has many other
meanings also. Further, the word "ätmä" also shows
that
the Supreme is a person. This is also seen by the use of the
phrase "uttamaù puruñaù" in the
Upaniñads and
Bhagavad-gétä. In this way it is seen that the
"paraà
jyotiù" in Chändogya Upaniñad (8.12.3) refers
to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Lord Hari.
Adhikaraëa 2
The Individual Soul Meets the Supreme Personality of Godhead
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Now another topic will be
considered.
Saàçaya
(doubt): When the liberated soul attains the
effulgent Supreme in the spiritual world, is the liberation
sälokya (residing on the same planet) or säyujya (meeting
with
the Lord)?
Pürvapakña
(the opponent speaks): As a person entering a
king's capitol resides in the same city as the king but does not
attain a private audience with the king, so the liberated soul
resides on the same planet with the Lord. Therefore the soul
attains sälohya liberation
Siddhänta
(conclusion): In the following words the author
of the sütras gives His conclusion.
Sütra 4
avibhägena dåñöatvät
avibhägena - without
separation; dåñöatvät - because of
being seen.
There is no separation,
for that is seen.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
The liberated soul is not
separated from the Lord. In this
way the soul attains säyujya liberation. Why is that? The
sütra
explains, "dåñöatvät" (for that is
seen). This
means, "for this situation is seen in the
Çruti-çästra".
For example, in Muëòaka Upaniñad (3.2.8) it is
said:
yathä nadyah syandamänäù samudre
astaà gacchanti
näma-rüpe vihäya
yathä vidvän näma-rüpäd vimuktaù
parät paraà
puruñam upaiti divyam
"As flowing rivers
abandon their names and forms and
meet with the sea, so the enlightened soul, free of what
had been his name and form, meets with the effulgent Supreme
Person."
That the word
"säyujya" means "meeting" is
seen in the following passage of the Mahä-Näräyaëa
Upaniñad
(25.1):
ya evaà vidvän udag-ayane praméyate
devänäm eva mahimänaà
gatvädityasya säyujyaà gacchati
"The soul that dies
during the six months when the
sun travels in the north attains the glory of the gods. He
approaches the sun and attains säyujya with it."
Sälokya and the other
kinds of liberation are different
varieties of säyujya. It is not that when they feel the
sentiment of separation from the Lord the liberated devotees are
not also, at that same moment, meeting with the Lord. This is so
because the Lord is always manifested in their thoughts and
continues to touch them with His glories.
The example (of the rivers
entering the ocean) given above
should not be taken to mean that the liberated souls become
identical with the Lord. When water from one place enters water
of another place, the two waters do not actually merge and become
identical. They remain separate. This is seen in the fact the the
volume of water in the ocean increases as the rivers flow into
it.
Adhikaraëa 3
The Qualities of the Liberated Soul
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Now the author will
describe the pleasures experienced by
the liberated soul. In order to describe these pleasures the
author will describe the liberated soul's spiritual form and its
host of advantages, which begin with the blessing at all its
desires are at once fulfilled. First the liberated soul's
advantages and virtues will be described.
Saàçaya
(doubt): When he meets the effulgent Supreme Lord,
does the individual spirit soul manifest a form glorious with
many virtues and advantages, or does the soul manifest a form of
spiritual consciousness, or does the soul manifest a form with
both virtues and consciousness, for these two can certainly exist
together in a single form?
Pürvapakña
(the opponent speaks): Here Jaimini Muni gives
his opinion.
Sütra 5
brähmeëa jaiminir upanyäsädibhyaù
brähmeëa - given
by the Supreme Personality of Godhead;
jaiminiù - jaimini; upanyäsa - references;
ädibhyaù - beginningwith.
Jaimini Muni thinks it is
with what is given by the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, for there are references and other
proofs.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
The liberated soul is
glorious with a host of virtues and
advantages, beginning with sinlessness and the attainment of
every desire, which are all gifts from the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. How is this known? The sütra explains,
upanyäsädibhyaù" (for there are references and
other
proofs). The reference here is to the demigod Brahmä's
description (in Chändogya Upaniñad 8.7.1) of the
individual
spirit soul's virtues. The word "ädi" (beginning with)
refers to the Chändogya Upaniñad's description of the
liberated soul's activities, such as his eating and enjoying
pastimes. In this way the liberated soul is by nature filled with
glories and virtues. That is the opinion of Jaimini Muni. In the
Småti-çäçtra this is also described in the
passage
beginning with the words, "yathä na hréyate
jyotsnä".
Sütra 6
citi tan-mätreëa tad-ätmakatväd ity
auòulomiù
citi - in consciousness;
tan-mätreëa - of that only; tad-
ätmakatvät - because of the nature; iti - thus;
auòulomiù - Auòulomi.
It is consciousness alone,
for that is its nature. That is
the opinion of Auòulomi Muni.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa