Invocation
yaù sva-präpti-pathaà devaù
sevanäbhäsato
'diçat
präpyaà ca sva-padaà preyän
mamäsau
çyämasundaraù
I love handsome and dark
Lord Kåñëa, who shows, even to they
who have only the dim reflection of devotional service, the path
that leads to Him.
Adhikaraëa 1
Many Paths or One?
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
In this pada will be
described the nature of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead and the path that leads to the realm of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the Chändogya
Upaniñad
(4.15.5-6) it is said:
atha yad u caiväsmin çavyaà kurvanti yadi ca
närciñam
eväbhisambhavaty arciño 'har aha
äpüryamänam äpüryamäna-
pakñäd yan sad-udaòòeti mäsän
tän samebhyaù samvatsaraà
samvatsaräd ädtityam ädityäc candramasaà
candramaso
vidyutaà tat puruño 'mänavaù. sa etän
brahma gamayaty eña
deva-patho brahma-patha etena pratipadyamäna imaà
mänavam
ävartaà nävartante.
"Whether his final
rites are performed or not, the
yogé goes to the light. From the light he goes to the day. From
the day he goes to bright fortnight. From the bright fortnight he
goes to the six months when the sun travels in the north. From
the six months when the sun travels in the north he goes to
year. From the year he goes to the sun. From the sun he goes to
the moon. From the moon he goes to lightning. From there a divine
person leads him to Brahman. This is the path to the Lord, the
path to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They who travel this
path do not return to the world of human beings."
In this passage light is
the first stage on this path.
However, in the Kauñétaké Upaniñad (1.3)
it is said:
sa etaà deva-yänaà panthänam äpadyägnilokam
ägacchati sa
väyulokaà sa varuëalokaà sa indralokaà
sa prajäpatilokaà
sa brahmalokam
"He travels on the
path of the heavenly planets. He
goes to Agniloka. He goes to Väyuloka. He goes to
Varuëaloka.
He goes to Indraloka. He goes to Prajäpatiloka. He goes to
Brahmaloka."
Here Agniloka is the first
stage. In the Båhad-äraëyaka
Upaniñad (5.10) it is said:
yadä ha vai puruño 'smät lokät praiti sa
väyum ägacchati tasmai
sa tatra vijihéte yathä ratha-cakrasya khaà tena
ürdhva äkramate
sa ädityam ägacchati
"Leaving this world,
the soul goes to Väyuloka.
There he passes through the opening of a chariot-wheel. Then the
soul ascends to the sun."
Here Väyuloka is the
first stage on the path. In the
Muëòaka Upaniñad (2.11) it is said:
sürya-dväreëa virajäù prayänti
"Passing through the
doorway of the sun, the soul is
cleansed of all impurities."
Here the sun is the first
stage on the path. In other
scriptures other accounts are also seen.
Saàçaya
(doubt): Is only one path to the world of the
Supreme described here, or are many different paths, beginning
with the path that begins with light, described here in these
passages of the Upaniñads?
Pürvapakña
(the opponent speaks): Because these paths are
all different there must be many different paths.
Siddhänta
(conclusion): In the following words the author
of the sütras gives His conclusion.
Sütra 1
arcir-ädinä tat prathiteù
arciù - light;
ädinä - beginning with; tat - that;
prathiteù - because of being well known.
It begins with light, for
that is well known.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
The enlightened souls
travels to the world of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead on a path that begins with light. Why is
that? The sütra expains, "tat prathiteù" (for
that is well known). In the Chändogya Upaniñad (5.10.1) it
is
said:
tad ya ittham vidur ye ceme 'raëye çraddhäà
tapa ity upäsate
te arciñam
"This they know: They
who perform austerities and worship the Lord withfaith travel on the path that
begins with
light."
This passage is taken from
the chapter describing the
knowledge of the five fires (païcägni-vidyä). Therefore
the
path that begins with light is traveled even by they who study
the fire and other vidyäs. In the Brahma-tarka it is said:
dväv eva märgau prathitäv
arcir-ädir
vipaçcitäm
dhümädiù karmiëäà caiva
sarva-veda-vinirëayät
"Two paths are
famous. The path beginning with light
is traveled by they who are enlightened with transcendental
knowledge, and the path beginning with smoke is traveled by they
who perform Vedic rituals. That is the conclusion of all the
Vedas."
This being so, it is
understood that the scriptures describe
a single path for the enlightened souls, and therefore the
differences in the descriptions should be reconciled in the same
was they were in the case of the attributes of the Lord. This is
so because the knowledge to be described here is one, even though
the scriptural texts seem to give different explanations. The
conclusion, then, is that the path begins with light. Any other
interpretation breaks the real meaning of the Vedic texts.
Adhikaraëa 2
Väyuloka
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Now is begun a new
discussion to show that Väyuloka and
other places should be added to the sequence that begins with
light. In the previously quoted passage from
Kauñétaké
Upaniñad (1.3) it was said:
sa etaà deva-yänaà panthänam
äpadyägnilokam ägacchati sa
väyulokaà
"He travels on the
path of the heavenly planets.
First he goes to Agniloka and then to Väyuloka."
Saàçaya
(doubt): Should Väyuloka be added to the path
that begins with light, or should it not?
Pürvapakña
(the opponent speaks): It should not, for the
Çruti-çästra describes these stages in a specific
sequence, and
because that sequence cannot be changed by someone's whim.
Siddhänta
(conclusion): In the follwoing words the author
of the sütras gives His conclusion.
Sütra 2
väyum abdäd
aviçeña-viçeñäbhyäm
väyum - Väyu;
abdät - from the year; aviçeña - because of not
being specific; viçeñäbhyäm - and because of
being specific.
Väyu comes after the
year, for it both specific and not
specific.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
In the path beginning with
light, the stage of Va/yuloka
should be placed after the year and before the sun. Why is that?
The sütra explains, "aviçeñät" (for
it is not
specific). This means that in the passage from
Kauñétaké
Upaniñad (1.3) it was not sepcifically stated where
Väyuloka
comes in the sequence. However, in the passage from Båhad-
äraëyaka Upaniñad (5.10) there is a specific
statement that
Väyuloka comes before the sun in this sequence. Also, in
Båhad-
äranyaka Upaniñad (6.2.15) it is said that after the
months,
and after Devaloka, the soul comes to the sun. The Devaloka here
should be understood to be Väyuloka. In the scriptures it is
said:
yo 'yaà pavana eña eva devänäà
gåhaù
"Väyuloka is the
home of the devas."
Therefore, because it is
the home of the devas, Väyuloka is
also called Devaloka. Some say that there is a sepcific planet,
Devaloka, which is part of this sequence. (If this interrpetation
is accepted, then Devaloka) should be placed after the year and
before Väyuloka. It should not be placed bewteen the months and
the year, for that stage in the sequence is well known. Therefore
Devaloka and Väyuloka should both be placed between the year and
the sun.
Adhikaraëa 4
Varuëaloka
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
In the
Kauñétaké Upaniñad (1.3) it is said:
sa varuëalokaà sa indralokaà sa prajäpatilokam
"He goes to
Varuëaloka. He goes to Indraloka. He
goes to Prajäpatiloka."
Saàçaya
(doubt): Is Varuëaloka one of the stages in the
path beginning with lighet?
Pürvapakña
(the opponent speaks): Because there is no
place for it in this path, as there was a place for Väyuloka,
Varuëaloka is not a stage in this path.
Siddhänta
(conclusion): In the following words the author
of the sütras gives His conclusion.
Sütra 3
taòito 'dhi varuëaù sambandhät
taòitaù -
lightning; adhi - above; varuëaù - Varuëa;
sambandhät - because of the relationship.
Varuëaloka comes
after lightning, for that is their
relationship.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
In the Chändogya
Upaniñad (4.15.5) it is said:
candramaso vidyutam
"He leaves the moon
and goes to lightning."
It is seen that the soul
travels from lightning to
Varuëaloka. Why is that? The sütra explains,
sambandhät", which means "for that is the
relationship between lighting and Varuëaloka". First
lightning
is manifested, and then comes rain. In the
Çruti-çästra it is
said:
yathä hi viçälä vidyutas
tévra-stanita-nirghoñä jémütodare
nåtyanty athäpaù prapatanti vidyotate stanayati
varñayati vai
"When brilliant
lightning and heavy thunder play among the clouds, waterwill fall. Lightning,
thunder, and rain
follow in that sequence."
Because the rain has a
close connection with Varuëa, there
is also a close relation between Varuëaloka and the realm of
lightning. After Varuëaloka come Indraloka and
Prajäpatiloka.
Varuëaloka should e placed there because there is not other
place for it and because it is reasonable to place it there. In
this weay the path to the spiritual world, a path that begins
with the realm of light and proceeds to Prajäpatiloka, has
either twelve or thirteen stages.
Adhikaraëa 4
The Ativähika-devatä Demigods
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Now a certain aspect of
the path that begins with light will
be considered.
Saàçaya
(doubt): Are the light and other things lanmarks
on the path, or are they persons carrying the enlightened soul?
Pürvapakña
(the opponent speaks): They are landmarks, for
the text describes them in that way. They are like landmarks
people may indicate, just as one may say, "Go to the
river. Then there will be a hill, and after that will be a
village." Or they may be persons, for the words could be
interpreted in that way.
Siddhänta
(conclusion): In the follwoing words the author
of the sütras gives His conclusion.
Sütra 4
ätivähikäs tal-liìgät
ätivähikäù - Ativahika demigods; tat - of that;
liìgät - because of the symptoms.
They are
ätivähika demigods, because of their
characteristics.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
The things beginning with
light are demigods appointed by
the Supreme Personality of Godhead to carry the soul. They are
neither landmarks nor ordinary persons. Why is that? The sütra
explains, "tal-liìgät" (because of their
characteristics). This means that they have the characteristics
of they who carry others. In the Chändogya Upaniñad it is
said:
tat-puruño 'mänavaù sa etän brahma gamayati
"he is a divine
person. He brings them to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead."
The divine person
described here brings the soul to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. The light and other things are
his assistants. That is the meaning.
That they are neither
landmarks nor ordinary persons is
corroborated in the following sütra.
Sütra 5
ubhaya-vyämohät tat siddheù
ubhaya - both;
vyämohät - because of bewilderment;tat - that;
siddheù - because of proof.
It is proved because the
other two are untenable.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Because they who die
during the night do not have contact
with the daytime and thus cannot have contact with the light and
other things on the path, these things cannot be landmarks.
Because ordinary persons are not very powerful and therefore
cannot carry the soul in this way, they cannot be ordinary
persons either. In this way the Çruti-çästra shows
that they can
be neither landmarks nor ordinary persons. Therefore they must be
ätivähika demigods. That is the meaning.
Adhikaraëa 5
The Divine Person
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Saàçaya
(doubt): Does the divine person sent by the Supreme
Personality of Godhead descend to the plane of light, or does
he descend only to the plane of lightning?
Pürvapakña
(the opponent speaks): Because the Supreme
Personality of Godhead sends His messengers even to the
earth to carry back Ajämila and others, therefore this divine
person must descend to the plane of light.
Siddhänta
(conclusion): In the following words the author
of the sütras gives His conclusion.
Sütra 6
vaidyutenaiva tatas tac chruteù
vaidyutena - by the person
situated in light; eva - indeed;
tataù - then; tat - that; çruteù - from the
sruti-sastra.
Then by the person in
light. This is because of the çruti-
çästra.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
When he comes to the
planeof lightning, the enlightened soul
by a messenger sent by the
Lord Himself. How is that known? the
sütra explains, "tac chruteù" (because of the
çruti-
çästra). In Chändogya Upaniñad (4.15.5) it is
said:
candramaso vidyutaà tat-puruño 'mänavaù sa
etän brahma gamayati
"From the moon he
goes to thhe lightning. There a
divine person takes him to the Supreme."
In this way it is shown
the Varuëaloka and the others are
the assistants of that divine person. The case of Ajämila is
extraordinary. It is not typical.
Adhikaraëa 6
Bädari Muni's Opinion
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Having thus described the
path by which the goal is reached,
now the author describes the goal itself.
Viñaya (the topic
to be discussed): The topic here is
Chändogya Upaniñad 4.15.5), which says:
sa etän gamayati
"There a divine
person takes him to the Brahman."
In the following section
the opinion of Bädari Muni is given
first.
Saàçaya
(doubt): here it is said that a divine person
brings the soul to "brahma". Is this "brahma" the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, or is it the demigod Brahmä, who
has four faces?
Pürvapakña
(the opponent speaks): The word
brahma" here must refervto the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, for in this passages explains that the soul attains
immortality.
Siddhänta
(conclusion): In the following words Bädari Muni
gives his opinion.
Sütra 7
käryaà bädarir asya gaty-upapatteù
käryam - the created
being; bädariù - Bädari Muni; asya - of of
him; gati - attainment; upapatteù - because of being possible.
Bädari Muni says it
is the created one, for that is the only
possible goal.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Bädari Muni thinks
that the divine person takes the soul to
the demigod Brahmä. Why is that? The sütra explains,
asya gaty-upapatteù" (for that is the only possible goal).
The demigod Brahmä is situated in a single place, and therefore
the soul can go from one place to another in order to meet Him.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, however, is all-pervading,
always present everywhere. Therefore it is not possible for the
soul to go from one place to another in order to meet Him. That is
themeaning.
Sütra 8
viçeñitatväc ca
viçeñitatvät - because of being specified; ca - also.
Also because it is
specifically stated.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
In Chändogya
Upaniñad (7.14.1) it is said:
prajäpateù sabhäà veçma prapadye
"He attains the home
of Prajäpati."
In this way it is
sepcifically stated that he attains the
demigod Brahmä.
Sütra 9
sämépyät tu tad vyapadeçaù
sämépyät
- because of nearness; tu - but; tat - that;
vyapadeçaù - designation.
But that designation is
beacuse of nearness.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
In the
Båhad-äraëyaka Upaniñad (4.2.15) it is said:
sa etya brahmalokän gamayati tu teñu brahmalokeñu
paräù
parävanto vasanti. teñäm iha na punar ävåttir
asti.
"Then he takes them
to Brahmaloka. In Brahmaloka
they stay for many ages. They do not return."
Here the explanation
(vyapadeçaù) is that they do not
return. This means that because they are near
(sämépyät) to
liberation, they will be liberated in the future. This means
that the enlightened souls attain the world of the demigod
Brahmä. They thus attain liberation along with the demigod
Brahmä. In this way they do not return.
When does this occur? The
next sütra explains.
Sütra 10
käryätyaye tad-adhyakñeëa sahätaù
param abhidhänät
kärya - of the
creation; atyaye - at the end; tat - of that;
adhyakñeëa - the ruler; saha - with; ataù - then;
param – the Supreme; abhidhänät - because of the explanation.
With its ruler to the
Supreme when the creation is
annihilated because of the explanation.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
When the material creation
up to the world of foru-faced
Brahmä is destroyed, they go with the ruler of the material
world, the four-faced Brahmä, from that created world to the
Supreme Brahman, who is different from the four-faced Brahmä. The
reason for this is given by the sütra,
"abhidhänät"
(because of the explanation). In the Taittiréya Upaniñad
(3.1.1) it is said:
brahma-vid äpnoti param
"He who knows Brahman
attains the Supreme."
It is also said there:
so 'çnute sarvän kämän saha brahmaëä
"There, in the
company of Brahman, he enjoys the
fulfillment of all his desires."
The phrase "with
Brahman" here means, "with
the demigod Brahmä, who has four faces." That is the
meaning.
Sütra 11
småteç ca
småteù - from
the Småti-çästra; ca - also.
From the
Småti-çästra also.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa
In the
Småti-çästra it is said:
brahmaëä saha te sarve
sampräpte
pratisaïcare
parasyänte kåtätmänaù
praviçanti
paraà padam
"When the material
universe is destroyed, they whose
hearts are devoted to the Supreme Lord, enter the supreme
abode along with the demigod Brahmä."
In this way the
sanñöha devotees travel on the path
beginning with light, a path that brings them to the demigod
Brahmä. That is the opinion of Bädari Muni.
In the next sütra
Jaimini Muni gives his opinion.
Adhikaraëa 7
Jaimini Muni's Opinion
Sütra 12
paraà jaiminir mukhyatvät
param - the Supreme;
jaiminiù - Jaimini; mukhyatvät - because of
being primary.
Jaimini thinks it is the
Supreme, for that is the primary meaning.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Jaimini Muni thinks the
soul is taken to the Supreme. Why is
that? The sütra explains, "mukhyatvät", which
means
"for that is the primary meaning of the word Brahman".
Also, it is not correct to say that it is not possible to attain
the Supreme (for He is all-pervading). When the devotees become
free from all material designations then they can attain the
Supreme Lord, which means then they can perceive His presence.
Sütra 13
darçanäc ca
darçanät -
because of the sight; ca - also.
Also because it is seen.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
In the Dahara-vidyä
chapter of Chändogya Upaniñad
(8.12.3) the goal is clearly described as the Supreme Brahman.
This is so because the attributes of immortality are ascribed to
this Brahman and also because the soul who travels to this
Brahman manifests his own original spiritual form. All these
explanations would not be appropriate if the Brahman here were
the demigod Brahmä. Indeed, this chapter of the Upaniñad
is
not about the demigod Brahmä. It is clearly about the Supreme
Brahman, the Supreme Lord.
In the Kaöha
Upaniñad, in the passage beginning
çataà ca", the Supreme Brahman is clearly described
as the
goal of this path. In another place in the
çruti-çästra, in
the passage beginning with the word "dharmät", the goal
also must be the Supreme Brahman, for he is described there as
immortal. It is also said:
Sütra 14
na ca kärye pratipatty-abhisandhiù
na - not; ca - and;
kärye - in the created;pratipatti - knowledge;
abhisandhiù - desire.
The desire is not to know
the created.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa
Here the word
"pratipatti" means "knowledge",
and the word "abhisandhi" means "desire". the
soul enlightened with transcendental knwoledge does not desire to
learn the truth about the demigod Brahmä, for the attainment of
that knowledge is not the highest goal of life. However, he does
desire to attain knowledge of the Supreme Brahman, for that is
the highest goal of life. One attains the goal he strives for.
This is explained in Chändogya Upani/äd (3.14). Therefore
the
conclusion is that the divine person leads the devotees to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the opinion of Jaimini
Muni.
Now the author of the
sütras gives his opinion. He says:
Sütra 15
apratékälambanän nayatéti
bädaräyaëa ubhayathä ca
doñät tat-kratuç ca
a - not; pratéka -
form; älambanän - resting; nayatileads;
iti - thus; bädaräyaëaù - Vyäsadeva;
ubhayathä - both;ca - and;
doñät - because of fault; tat-kratuù - by the maxim
beginning with
the words "tat-kratuù"; ca - also.
He leads they who take
shelter of the Lord as He who has no
material form. That is Vyäadeva's opinion. Because both have
faults and also because of the maxim beginning with the words
"tat-kratuù".
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
The divine person leads to
the Supreme the saniñöhas and
all other devotees who do not think that the Supreme is
material. These devotees are different from they who worship the
Lord as the names and forms of this world. That is the opinion of
Vyäsadeva. He does not accept the view that the divine person
leads the worshipers of the demigod Brahmä, nor does he accept
the view that the divine person leads all the worshipers of the
Supreme. Why not? The sütra explains, "ubhayathä ca
doñät", which means "because both views
contradict
the statements of scripture".
The first view contradicts
the following words of Chändogya
Upaniñad (8.12.3):
paraà jyotir upapadya
"He meets the
effulgent Supreme Person."
The second view contradicts
the description in Chändogya
Upaniñad (5.10) of the goal attained by they who have knowledge
of païcägni-vidyä and who travel on the path beginning
with
light. Another reason is given in the maxim of Chändogya
Upaniñad (3.14.1) that declares a person attains a destination
appropriate to the nature of his faith. They who identify the
Supreme with the words and other things in the material world
cannot travel by the path beginning with light, for this would
contradict the maxim of Chändogya Upaniñad. However, in
the
scriptures it is affirmed that they who worship the Lord in the
words of the Vedic mantras attain their desires independently. In
the Chändogya Upaniñad (7.1.5) it is said:
sa yo näma brahmety upäste yävan nämno
gataà taträsya
kaàa-cäraù
"He who worships the
Lord as the sounds of the
Vedic mantras attains the goal of the mahntras. He attains his
desire."
However, they who are
followers of pancagni-vidyä travel by
the path of light until they reach Satyaloka. They do this
because they worship the Supersoul. When they attain perfect
knowledge of the Suipreme, the are able to rise above the realm
of Satyaloka. This is so, for the Çruti-çästra
declares that they
who travel on that path never return to the material world.
Adhikaraëa 9
A Special Situation
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
Now will be explained the
truth that the Lord Himself takes
certain exalted nirapekña devotees back to His own abode. In
the Gopäla-täpané Upaniñad (1.22 and 24) it is
said:
etad viñëoù paramaà padaà ye
nityodyuktäù
samyajante na kämän
teñäm asau gopa-rüpaù prayatnät
prakäçayed
ätma-padaà tadaiva
"To they who always
diligently worship Lord
Viñëu's transcendental form, the Lord, in His original
form as
a cowherd boy, shows His lotus feet.
oàkäreëäntaritaà ye japanti
govindasya
païca-padaà manuà tam
teñäm asau darçayed ätma-rüpaà
tasmän
mumukñur abhyasen nityaà çantyai
"To they who chant
the five-word mantra with Oà and
Govinda, the Lord reveals His own form. Therefore, to attain
transcendental peace, they who desire liberation should regularly
chant this mantra."
Saàçaya
(doubt): Are the nirapekña devotees carried to
the spiritual world by the ätivähika demigods, or by the
Supreme
Lord Himself?
Pürvapakña
(the opponent speaks): The scriptures affirm:
dväv eva märgau
"There are two
paths."
The conclusion is that
they who are enlightened with
transcendental knowledge travel by the path beginning with light.
In that wya they enter the spiritual world. That is affirmed by
the Çruti-çästra. That is how the Supreme Lord
becomes the cause
of their liberation.
Siddhänta
(conclusion): In the following words the author
of the sütras gives His conclusion.
Sütra 16
viçeñaà ca darçayati
viçeñam -
special; ca - also; darçayati - shows.
It reveals a special
situation also.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva
Vidyäbhüñaëa
The general situation is
that the souls enlightened with
transcendental knowledge are carried to the spiritual world by
the ätivähika demigods. However, those nirapkña
devotees who
are especially distressed in separatyion from the Lord are
carried there by the Supreme Lord Hismelf, for the Lord become
simpatient and cannot tolerate any delay in bringing them back to
Him. This is a special situation. The Çruti-çästra
reveals the
truth of this situaion in Gopäla-öäpané
Upaniñad (1.22 and
24). The Supreme Lord Himself also explains (Bhagavad-gétä
7.6
and 7):
ye tu sarväëi karmäëi
mayi sannyasya
mat-paräù
ananyenaiva yogena
mäà
dhyäyanta upäsate
teñäm ahaà samuddhartä
måtyu-saàsära-sägarät
bhavämi na cirät pärtha
mayy äveçita-cetasäm
"But those who
worship Me, giving up all their
activities unto Me and being devoted to Me without deviation,
engaged in devotional service and always meditating upon Me,
having fixed their minds upon Me, O son of Påthä, for them
I am
the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth and death."*
The word "ca"
(also) in this sütra means that for
the liberated souls there are two paths, one where the material
body is cast off, and the other where contact with the
material body is maintained. It is not possible to say that the
nirapekña devotees follow the path that begins in light. Also,
in the Varäha Puräëa the Supreme Personality of Godhead
Himself says:
nayämi paramaà sthänam
arcir-ädi-gatià vinä
garuòa-skandham äropya
yatheccham aniväritaù
"My devotees need not
follow the path beginning in
light. Riding on Garuòa's shoulders, I personally take them to
My supreme abode."
In this way the truth has
been explained.