sarve vedā yat padam āmanti

sarve vedā yat padam ā manti

All the Vedas describe the Supreme Lord’s feet. Kaṭ ha Upaniṣ ad 1. 2. 15

caraṇ aṁ pavitraṁ vitataṁ purā ṇ aṁ yena pū tas tarati duṣ kṛ tā ni

We become pufified and can cross saṁ sā ra by that pure, ancient foot which extended itself. Mahā -nā rā yaṇ a Upaniṣ ad

Text 21

duravagamā tma-tattva-nigamā ya tavā tta-tanoś

carita-mahā mṛ tā bdhi-parivarta-pariś ramaṇ ā ḥ

na parilaṣ anti kecid apavargam apī ś vara te

caraṇ a-saroja-haṁ sa-kula-saṅ ga-visṛ ṣ ṭ a-gṛ hā ḥ

Translation

My Lord, some fortunate souls have gotten relief from the fatigue of material life by diving into the vast nectar ocean of your pastimes, which you enact when you manifest your personal forms to propagate your form, qualities and pastimes. These rare souls, indifferent even to liberation, renounce the happiness of home and family because of their association with devotees who are like flocks of swans enjoying the lotus of your feet.

Destroying saṁ sā ra was mentioned. Do the devotees worship the Lord to get liberation? No. They announce to the devotees your inconceivable nature (duravagamā tma-tattva-nigamā ya). Though you are one, you are many. Though you are without qualities, you have many astonishing qualities. Though you have four forms as caturvyū ha, you are indivisible. Or they announce your inconceivable, blissful, sweet form, qualities and pastimes. You have appeared as Kṛ ṣ ṇ a (ā tta-tanoḥ ). They reverse the material fatigue by the great sweet ocean of your pastimes. Destroying the fatigue of wandering in saṁ sā ra is a secondary result.

The word api indicates that the four goals of artha, dharma, kā ma and mokṣ a are rejected. The devotees do not desire liberation (apavargam), even as a joke (parilaṣ anti) since its happiness is insignificant, being merely the negation of suffering, and it obstructs bhakti-rasa. O capable Lord (ī ś vara). The devotees are of this nature by the power of bhakti to you.

Or in order to whirl (parivartana) in the ocean of your pastimes, they renounce the house under the influence of devotees. They find pleasure in you alone. The swans at the lotus feet are the devotees dear to the Lord. By association they take liberation as useless.

tulayā ma lavenā pi

na svargaṁ nā punar-bhavam

bhagavat-saṅ gi-saṅ gasya

martyā nā ṁ kim utā ś iṣ aḥ

We do not compare attainment of Svarga or liberation to even a moment’s association with a devotee, what to speak of comparing it to the enjoyments of this life. SB 6. 30. 34

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — -

Hearing this and having their own bhā va stimulated, Upaniṣ ads situated at his feet directly describe his sweetness. O Lord, whose powers are the highest! Some rare souls do not at all desire liberation what to speak of other things. You have appeared in this world with your spiritual form in order that people experience your form, qualities and pastimes as they are, which are difficult to understand since they eixst in Goloka or Vaikuṇ ṭ ha beyond everyone’s vision and mind. These rare souls immerse themselves in your topics which are like a great ocean of nectar, including the bliss of liberation and sā lokya etc. while at the same time they obtain relief from the fatigue of saṁ sā ra. “Many people hear these topics, but they do not experience relief. What is the reason? ” The secret is placed at the end of the verse. Swans related to lotuses in this world are compared to persons who have realized the highest truth (haṁ sa) related to the Lord’s feet. These people have given up their houses by even one contact with a group of disciples of disciples (kula) of persons who are like swans relishing the sweetness of the Lord’s lotus feet, which derides the bliss of liberation. What to speak of having constant contact with such devotees. What to speak of meeting the disciples and what to speak of meeting the swan-like persons in person.

The chief ś rutis related to this point are as follows:

oṁ caraṇ aṁ pavitraṁ vitataṁ purā ṇ aṁ

yena pū tas tarati duṣ kṛ tā ni

tena pavitreṇ a ś uddhena pū tā

api pā pmā nam arā tiṁ tarema

The sacred water that has washed the Lord's feet and that is famous from ancient times washes away all sins. Purified by that sacred water, we will escape the hostile world of birth and death, the home of sins. Mahā -nā rā yaṇ a Upaniṣ ad

lokasya dvā ram ā rcayat pavitraṁ jyotiṣ mat vibhrā jamā naṁ mahas tad amṛ tasya dhā rā bahudhā dohamā naṁ caraṇ aṁ loke sudhitā ṁ dadhā tu.

The splendid and sacred stream of nectar that has washed the Lord feet is the door to the spiritual world. Running in many swelling streams, may it flood the world with nectar. Mahā -nā rā yaṇ a Upaniṣ ad

The phrase amṛ tasya dhā rā bahudhā dohamā nam is similar to carita-mahā mṛ tā bdhi. The verse gives understanding of the Lord by describing with devotion his feet, which represent his beautiful form. Other ś rutis following in their footsteps say yaṁ sarve devā namanti mumukṣ avo brahma-vā dinaś ca: those who enjoy, those desiring liberation, and brahma-vā dis offer him respects. (Nṛ siṁ ha-tā panī Upaniṣ ad) The order of persons is with increasing excellence. Devatā s enjoy, those desiring liberation give up enjoyment, and the brahma-vā dis teach those desiring liberation. They are liberated. Brahma-vā di means one who reveals Brahman. Madhvā cā rya quotes the following ś ruti. Muktā api hy enam upā sate muktā nā m api bhaktir hi paramā nanda-rū pinī: those who are libereated worship the Lord; bhakti gives the highest bliss to even liberated persons. (Sauparṇ a ś ruti) Muktopasṛ pya vyapdeś ā t: liberated souls attain the Lord. (Brahma-sū tra 1. 3. 2)

Text 22

tvad-anupathaṁ kulā yam idam ā tma-suhṛ t-priya-vac

carati tathonmukhe tvayi hite priya ā tmani ca

na bata ramanty aho asad-upā sanayā tma-hano

yad-anuś ayā bhramanty uru-bhaye ku-ś arī ra-bhṛ taḥ

Translation

This human body, related to the ā tmā, is actually temporary. It acts as one’s self, friend and beloved. But unfortunately, although you always show mercy to the conditioned souls and affectionately help them in every way, and although you are their true self, people in general fail to have attraction for you. Instead they commit spiritual suicide by serving temporary objects related to their bodies. Alas, because they persistently hope for success in their attraction to the unreal, they continue to wander about this greatly fearful world, assuming various degraded bodies.

The final goal is rati for the Lord’s lotus feet. This verse indicates that rati. This human body (idam) is temporary (kulā yam). Made of earth, it merges with the air (when burned). Or whatever is visible (idam) moves like the ā tmā. The body, mistaken for the ā tmā, becomes dear like a friend or lover.

Or the body is friends with the ā tmā, having a relationship by birth and benefiting it. The lover is dearer than even sons or dear, because she carries out one’s desires. But actually the body is not dear. It is only an appearance (vat).

Though (tathā ) you face the jī va or face the jiva in an inconceivable way because of your natural mercy, and give the jī va benefit (hite) as an unconditional friend, and though you show affection or are the object of affection (priye) as Paramā tmā (ā tmani), since its aṁ ś as are very dear, or though you inspire the jī va to good action and act as guru (ā tmani), people do not take pleasure in you. Rati for the Lord is a means and a goal. This is because they injure the atmā by worshipping temporary things.

Or kulā yam means that which is destroyed in a low way, becoming ashes. If that body follows the path of bhakti (tvad anupatham) it becomes dear like a friend. Moreover, you turn towards this devotee, benefit him and show affection for him. Those who injure ā tmā do not enjoy with you by hearing and chanting etc.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Hearing from the ś rutis the excellence of pure rati for the Lord, some other ś rutis, their followers, praise the Lord by stating the opposite condition to strengthen the statement. The temporary body which is dependent on ā tmā (anupatham) is something like the soul (kulā yam) by being related to you, Paramā tmā. This means that it seems to be the object of rati with that form. But when the body dies, it is no longer attractive. It is like the self because by ahaṅ kā ra one thinks of the body as the self. The body is a friend because it offers enjoyment of objects. It is dear because it is the object of affection. Because of the presence of ā tmā, there is a combination of ā tmā and body. The body becomes the object of pleasure because of appearing like the ā tmā — by having a relationship with ā tmā. Because you are present as Paramā tmā within the body, you have forms which are facing the jī vas (unmukhe), and because you are self-revealing, you by your nature give benefit (hite) to those who recognize you, and you inspire that jī va to seek out those forms. You are not insentient like the body. It is astonishing that people do not have attraction for you as much as for their bodies. How unfortunate! It is not so astonishing. The cause presents itself spontaneously. By serving objects related to the body (asat), they kill themselves. This it is reasonable that they are not attracted to you. In hopes for things related to the body, they wander about in great fear, taking degraded bodies. Ś ruti supports this conclusion. Others also support this such as asū ryā nā ma te lokā ḥ: the killer of the soul, whoever he may be, must enter into the planets of darkness. (Ī ś opaniṣ ad)

Text 23

nibhṛ ta-marun-mano-’kṣ a-dṛ ḍ ha-yoga-yujo hṛ di yan

munaya upā sate tad arayo ’pi yayuḥ smaraṇ ā t

striya uragendra-bhoga-bhuja-daṇ ḍ a-viṣ akta-dhiyo

vayam api te samā ḥ sama-dṛ ś o ’ṅ ghri-saroja-sudhā ḥ

Translation

Simply by constantly thinking of him, the enemies of the Lord attained the same Supreme Truth whom sages fixed in yoga worship by controlling their breath, mind and senses. Similarly, we ś rutis, who generally see you as all-pervading, becoming equal to you by prema, will achieve the nectar from your lotus feet because of loving attraction to your mighty, serpentine arms.

Having described the materialist wandering in saṁ sā ra, the ś rutis now describe the attainment of the worshippers of the Lord. Those inclined to contemplation (munayaḥ ), worshipping Brahman in their hearts, attained Brahman. The enemies by remembrance of the Lord in hatred attained that same Brahman. Moreover we ś rutis or the women of Mathurā will attain the nectar of your lotus feet, with minds were absorbed in your huge, snakelike arms. This indicates their particular bhā va. As devotees, they see with equal vision (sama-dṛ ś aḥ ) because they see antaryaṁ ī everywhere. Or they see the lord with Lakṣ mī (sama-dṛ ś aḥ ), being on the same planet.

“Attaining the nectar of his lotus feet” indicates that they are fixed in pure bhakti or that they serve directly by massaging the feet. We become equal to you (samā ḥ ). On attaining the Lord they become one with him. Though the enemies and the devotees do not attain the same oneness, Brahman and the form of Bhagavā n are considered one in this statement. Or the sages and the enemies attained Brahman but the women attain equality with you by your affection.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — x

Upaniṣ ads like Gopā la-tā panī, standing there with a desire to praise the Lord at the end, with deep devotion to Kṛ ṣ ṇ a alone, hearing the other ś rutis’ various conclusions and not being able to surpress their enthusiasm, directly describe the greatness of Kṛ ṣ ṇ a’s intimate devotees along with the description of the excellence of his appearance in this world. Taking support from what was just said, they produce this verse.

Why should his ordinary qualities be described? Please hear about his extraordinary nature. Four groups of people (sages, enemies, gopī s, and ś rutis) are described in this verse. The word api separates the sages and enemies mentioned in the first two lines from those mentioned in the last two lines, and the enemies are lesser in status than the sages and the ś rutis are lesser than the gopī s. The second two attained the Lord to a greater degree than the first two. That is the meaning.

Sages on their own, with great effort (nibhṛ ta), in the pure antaḥ -karaṇ a, worship or realize or attain you, after a long time, in the form of Brahman without qualities. The enemies of the Lord, being of opposite nature to the sages, are eternally qualified for the worst hell. But they, just by remembering the Lord with great offense, achieve the Lord before the sages do. This means they merge with the Lord. Ah! Let that be! This is the special quality which distinguishes Kṛ ṣ ṇ a from the appearances of all avatā ras: he gives liberation to those who hate him. [33]

Hear about the qualities of the gopī s who are greater than us. Your eternal consorts (striyaḥ ), such as Rā dhā, take (upā sate) your lotus feet which are sweet to the touch (’ṅ ghri-saroja-sudhā ḥ ) on their chests (hṛ di). Yat te sujā ta-caraṇ ā mburuhaṁ staneṣ u: your lotus feet are so soft that we place them gently on our breasts. (SB 31. 19) The plural (sudhā ḥ ) indicates that they continually do this. Ś ukadeva also describes this through the words of the women of Mathurā. Aho gopyas tapaḥ kim acaran: what severe austerities the gopī s must have performed to be able to regularly see Kṛ ṣ ṇ a and Balarā ma, who are the greatest source of pleasure for all mankind! (SB 10. 41. 31) Those feet are incomparable and ever fresh. We ś rutis also desire that sweetness of his feet as expressed by Uddhava, though we are unqualified.

ā sā m aho caraṇ a-reṇ u-juṣ ā m ahaṁ syā ṁ

vṛ ndā vane kim api gulma-latauṣ adhī nā m

yā dustyajaṁ sva-janam ā rya-pathaṁ ca hitvā

bhejur mukunda-padavī ṁ ś rutibhir vimṛ gyā m

The gopī s of Vṛ ndā vana have given up the association of their husbands, sons and other family members, who are very difficult to give up, and they have forsaken the path of chastity to take shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda, Kṛ ṣ ṇ a, which one should search for by Vedic knowledge. Oh, let me be fortunate enough to be one of the bushes, creepers or herbs in Vṛ ndā vana, because the gopī s trample them and bless them with the dust of their lotus feet. (SB 10. 47. 61)

We wish to attain bodies of gopī s in Vraja, women with forms similar to theirs. Their minds were attached to your strong arms. What austerity did they do to become like this?

nā yaṁ ś riyo ’ṅ ga u nitā nta-rateḥ prasā daḥ

svar-yoṣ itā ṁ nalina-gandha-rucā ṁ kuto ’nyā ḥ

rā sotsave ’sya bhuja-daṇ ḍ a-gṛ hī ta-kaṇ ṭ ha-

labdhā ś iṣ ā ṁ ya udagā d vraja-sundarī ṇ ā m

When Kṛ ṣ ṇ a was dancing with the gopī s in the rā sa-lī lā , the gopī s were embraced by the arms of the Lord. This favor was never bestowed upon the goddess of fortune, though she was intensely attracted to him, or to other consorts in the spiritual worldwhose bodily luster and aroma resemble the lotus flower. And what to speak of worldly women? SB 10. 47. 60

This means the gopī s were endowed with the rarest mahā bhā va brought about by realizations of Kṛ ṣ ṇ a’s sweetness. The feet of the manvantarā vatā ra, son of Vikuṇ ṭ ha, [34] were also desired by the great sages:

evaṁ tadaiva bhagavā n aravinda-nā bhaḥ

svā nā ṁ vibudhya sad-atikramam ā rya-hṛ dyaḥ

tasmin yayau paramahaṁ sa-mahā -munī nā m

anveṣ aṇ ī ya-caraṇ au calayan saha-ś rī ḥ

At that moment, the Lord, with lotus navel, who appears within the hearts of the deserving, understanding that his servants had offended the Kumā ras, came to the seventh gate with Lakṣ mī, moving his feet which should be sought by the great renounced sages. SB 3. 15. 37

How will the ś rutis attain this position? They should have bhā vas following after those of the gopī s (samadṛ ś aḥ ). May similar service as the gopī s, with the highest bhā vas for the object of our desires become visible (dṛ ś aḥ ). The word “arm” indicates their strong rā ga for Kṛ ṣ ṇ a’s embrace. The word “foot” indicates their devotion to him, expressing their humble position. These words indicate parabrahman in human form. Bṛ had-vā mana Purā ṇ a says:

brahmā nanda-mayo loko vyā pī vaikuṇ ṭ ha-saṁ jñ itaḥ

tal-loka-vā sī tatra-sthaiḥ stuto vedaiḥ parā tparaḥ

ciraṁ stutyā tatas tuṣ ṭ aḥ parokṣ aṁ prā ha tā n girā

tuṣ ṭ o ‘smi brū ta bhoḥ prā jñ ā varaṁ yan manasecchatha

All the spiritual planets are spread with bliss of the Lord. The inhabitants are praised by the Vedas residing there. After praising a long time, the Lord was satisfied and spoke to the Vedas while remaining invisible. “I am pleased with you. O Vedas! Please ask the boon which you desire. ”

ś rutaya ū cuḥ

yathā tal-loka-vā sinyaḥ kā ma-tattvena gopikā ḥ

bhajanti ramaṇ aṁ matvā cikī rṣ ā jani nas tathā

The ś rutis replied, ‘We have developed the desire to become like the cowherd women of the mortal world who, inspired by lust, worship you in the mood of a lover. ’

ś rī -bhagavā n uvā ca

ā gā mini viriñ cau tu jā te sṛ ṣ ṭ y-artham udite

kalpaṁ sā raś vataṁ prā pya vraje gopyo bhaviṣ yatha

‘When the next Brahmā takes birth to faithfully execute his duties of creation, and when the day of his life called the Sā rasvata-kalpa arrives, you will all appear in Vraja as gopī s. ’

Among them, the chief, Gā yatrī, attained him as a gopī . This is stated in Padma Purā ṇ a. One can consult the commentaries on the rā sa-lī lā. The chief ś rutis also state this.

apū taḥ pū to bhavati yaṁ mā ṁ smṛ tvā, avratī vratī bhavati yaṁ mā ṁ smṛ tvā, niṣ kā maḥ sa-kā mo bhavati yaṁ mā ṁ smṛ tvā, aś rotrī ś rotrī bhavati yaṁ mā ṁ smṛ tvā:

By remembering me, one who is impure becomes pure. By remembering me, one who follows no vows becomes a strict follower of vows. By remembering me, one who is desireless develops desires to serve me. By remembering me, one who has studied no Vedic mantras becomes an expert knower of the Vedas. Gopā la-tā panī Upaniṣ ad (Uttara 4)

Text 24

ka iha nu veda batā vara-janma-layo ’gra-saraṁ

yata udagā d ṛ ṣ ir yam anu deva-gaṇ ā ubhaye

tarhi na san na cā sad ubhayaṁ na ca kā la-javaḥ

kim api na tatra ś ā stram avakṛ ṣ ya ś ayī ta yadā

Translation

Everyone in this world has recently been born and will soon die. So how can anyone here know this topic, since Mahā viṣ ṇ u existed prior to everything else and gave rise to sense devatā s and rulers of planets like Brahmā? When he lies down and withdraws everything within himself, nothing else remains — no gross or subtle matter or bodies composed of these, no force of time or scriptures.

Having described the astonishing glories of hearing, chanting and remembering the Lord, the ś rutis point out that giving respect to jñ ā na is not proper. How can any person who is born and dies know this topic of the Lord? No one can, because they are all low (avara). Nu indicates conjecture. Even Brahmā, who lives a long time but must die (laya), is considered low, since it is impossible for him or others to understand. They cannot know because the Lord existed previously (agrasaram) or because the Lord is beyond (agrasaram) the senses. Or no one can know the Lord because Brahma appeared along with the senses (deva-ganā ḥ ) and the sages inclined to enjoyment or renunciation (ubhaye), and then disappear at night, with no possibility of getting knowledge.

When Brahmā lies down in the lotus in the Navel of Viṣ ṇ u, there are no gross actions of sacrifice (sat) or subtle processes like meditation (asat) or processes which mix these two (ubhayam) or the daily passage of day and night (kā la-javah), and no Vedas (ś ā stram). They do not function in the three worlds since they are destroyed. Janaloka and other planets above however exist during the night. (Thus there is no means of knowledge).

Or who knows Kṛ ṣ ṇ a? First the puruṣ a arises from him. In the puruṣ aḥ arises mahat and other elements which produce a universe. The Lord enters as antaryā mī and lies on the water. From his navel Brahmā is born. Both the ingredients and the devatā s like Brahmā (ubhaye) arose. They are all recent. Time was present, indicated by the words tarhi and yadā (when). But its force (javaḥ ) was not present. The Vedas were present as the breathing of the Lord, but were not manifested externally. Thus the great Upaniṣ ads were not manifested externally. But because of this the ś rutis began reciting these verses. When the Lord lay down and withdrew (avakṛ ṣ ya) all the universes, nothing was manifested.

anantā ni tavoktā ni yā ny aṇ ḍ ā ni mayā purā

sarvā ṇ i tā ni saṁ hṛ tya sama-kā laṁ jagat-patiḥ

prakṛ tau tiṣ ṭ hati tadā sa rā tris tasya kī rtitā

As I have already explained to you, the Lord destroys all the numberless material universes at the same time. Then the universes remain in their unmanifest state within the Supreme Lord (prakṛ tau). This is known as the Lord's night. Viṣ ṇ u-dharmottara

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Some ś rutis, delighted by what was said, excuse their fault in being ignorant of the matter. Who in the universe knows this (understood from previous verse)? The ś rutis who made the statement know. Nu indicates conjecture. Frowning they say, “No one else knows. ” It is beyond everyone’s birth and knowledge (agrasaram) because Mahā -viṣ ṇ u (ṛ ṣ ih), who manifests the Vedas through his breathing, rose up. Ā dyo ’vatā raḥ puruṣ aḥ parasya: Kā raṇ ā rṇ avaś ā yī Viṣ ṇ u is the first incarnation of the Supreme Lord. (SB 2. 6. 42) But ultimately Kṛ ṣ ṇ a is indicated. Yasyā ṁ ś ā ṁ ś ā ṁ ś a-bhā gena viś votpatti-layodayā ḥ: O Soul of all that be, the creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe are all carried out by a fraction of an expansion of an expansion of your expansion. (SB 10. 85. 31) After him, the two types of devatā s — deities of the senses (directions, sun, wind etc. ) and deities of the planets (Brahmā etc) appeared. Eko nā rā yaṇ a ā sī n na brahmā neś ā na, tasmā d evaite vyajā yante: first there was only Nā rā yaṇ a, not Brahmā or Ś iva and from him they all arose. Thee living entities are born and die. So who can know him? No one knows him.

The scriptures exist during maintenance, but because of absence of ability to hear and also no scriptures at destruction, there is ignorance about you. At the time of universal destruction, the Lord takes the scriptures which praise him to his spiritual abode and pays no attention to the activities of the universe. The jī vas are thus without knowledge of you. At that time there is no gross or subtle matter. There is no sense of time, since there is no creation. The ś rutis also say the same thing. Ś rī dhara Svā mī quotes the following:

ko ’ddhā veda ka iha pravocat

kuta ā yā tā ḥ kuta iyaṁ visṛ ṣ ṭ iḥ

arvā g devā visarjanenā -

thā ko veda yata ā babhū va

\Who in this world actually knows, and who can explain, whence this creation has come? The demigods, after all, are younger than the creation. Who, then, can tell whence this world has come into being? Ṛ g Veda 3. 54. 5

Text 25

janim asataḥ sato mṛ tim utā tmani ye ca bhidā ṁ

vipaṇ am ṛ taṁ smaranty upadiś anti ta ā rupitaiḥ

tri-guṇ a-mayaḥ pumā n iti bhidā yad abodha-kṛ tā

tvayi na tataḥ paratra sa bhaved avabodha-rase

Translation

Supposed authorities who declare that matter is the origin of existence, that the permanent qualities of the soul can be destroyed, that everything is different from the the self or that attaining results of work is the only reality — all such authorities base their teachings on mistaken ideas that hide the truth. They speak in this way because the jī va is covered by the three guṇ as. All these philosophies are created out of ignorance. The ignorant person does not know you who are far away, composed of deep knowledge.

Some think that everything is completely different from Brahman (ā tmani bhidam) or that Brahman is divided up into many. Some think (smaranti) that everything arises from matter (asataḥ ) or that the goal of life is wealth (asataḥ ).

ā ś ā -pā ś a-ś atair baddhā ḥ kā ma-krodha-parā yaṇ ā ḥ
ī hante kā ma-bhogā rtham anyā yenā rtha-sancayā n

Bound by hundreds of shackles of desire, surrendered to lust and anger, they strive to amass heaps of wealth through illegal means in order to enjoy sense objects. BG 16. 12

Meditating on these material attainments, they become sinful and thinking that everyone else is similar, they think of how to kill the devotees (sataḥ mṛ tim), making the devotees enemies because of their evil nature. They think of everyone as different from themselves.

idam adya mayā labdham idaṁ prā psye manoratham
idam astī dam api me bhaviṣ yati punar dhanam

I have gained this today. Next I will fulfill my other desires. I have this wealth now. This wealth will also be mine.

asau mayā hataḥ ś atrur haniṣ ye cā parā n api
ī ś varo ’ham ahaṁ bhogī siddho ’haṁ balavā n sukhī

I have killed my enemy. I will kill others also. I am the lord. I am the enjoyer. I am perfect, strong and happy.

ā ḍ hyo ’bhijanavā n asmi ko ’nyo ’sti sadṛ ś o mayā
yakṣ ye dā syā mi modiṣ ya ity ajñ ā na-vimohitā ḥ

I am wealthy and high born. Who is equal to me? I shall perform sacrifices, give charity and rejoice. In this way, they are bewildered by ignorance. BG 16. 13-15

Those who think that material endeavors for sons, wive and wealth are the highest truth speak because of bad intentions in the mind (ā rupitaiḥ ).

Because (yat) all jivas (pumā n) are covered by the three guṇ as, the person of demonic mentality think and teach according to their nature of rajas or tamas. Or the three qualities are wealth, strength and knowledge.

Sampad ā tmopabhogā ya ś atru-nā ś ā ya pauruṣ am

Goṣ ṭ hi-jayā ya vidyeti saṅ khyā ḥ puṁ sā ṁ guṇ ā s trayaḥ

Wealth is for one’s enjoyment. Strength is for destroying enemies. Knowledge is for victory in discussion. These are the three qualities of a human.

They teach that one becomes a human by having these three qualities in abundance.

In this way there are many ideas produces by ignorance of you (abodha-kṛ tā ḥ ). Such a person who thinks or teaches is not a person in you: he does not know you. He attains fearful saṁ sā ra.

The plural is used at the beginning and singular (saḥ ) at the end of the verse. This indicates that among the many, not even one becomes favorable to you.

Or the one who is most ignorant and wicked (saḥ ) does not know you, does not touch your path but rather goes to the greatest hell. He does not know you, because you are far away (paratra) and rare to achieve even by knowledge (avabodha-rase).

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — -

Approving of this statement, some ś rutis discuss this with further proofs, and show that even some who are respected as gurus do not know this. Because they do not think of the Paramā tmā, the followers of Sā ṅ khya think the jī vas are completely aloof from the body. Some think incorrectly that you Paramā tmā (tvayi) are the jī va (pumā n) endowed with the three guṇ as. This arises from ignorance. It is not possible in you. What to speak of making this a philosophy (bhidā ). This is because you have a spiritual form (paratra) that cannot be dealt with as the object and subject (being jī va and the supreme). And this is because ignorance cannot exist in you since you have pure knowledge (avabodha-rase). How can one in knowledge make you into the subject and object, composed of light, which is similar to darkness? Because of ignorance of the greatness of your acintya-ś akti, they imagine in this manner.

To refute the idea that everything comes from matter, it is said sad eva saumyedam agra ā sī t: the Lord existed before this world. (Chā ndogya Upaniṣ ad) To refute the idea that the ā tmā is destructible, it is said yat prayanty abhisaṁ viś anti: after annihilation everything is conserved in Brahman. (Taittirī ya Upaniṣ ad 3. 1. 1)

yathodakam suddhe suddham asiktam tadrgeva bhavanti

evam muner-vijanata atma bhavati gautama

As pure water poured into pure water becomes the very same, so the self of the seer

who is endowed with knowledge becomes like the Supreme Self. Kaṭ ha Upanisad II. 1. 15

samā ṇ e vkṣ e puruṣ o nimagno nī ś ayā ś ocati muhymā naḥ

The jī va is in the same tree, bewildered and lamenting, unaware of the Lord. Ś vetā ś vatara Upaniṣ ad 4. 7

The Lord being the jī va is refuted with the following. Eko devaḥ sarva-bhū teṣ u gū ḍ haḥ: he is the one Lord situated in all beings. (Ś vetā ś vatara Upaniṣ ad 6. 11) Sarva-bhū ta-antarā tmā: the Lord resides within all beings (Kaṭ ha Upaniṣ ad) Ekadhā bahudhā caiva dṛ ś yate jala-candravat: he is perceived as one and as many like the moon in the water. (Amṛ ta-bindu Upaniṣ ad)

One form appears like many reflections, but does not really become reflections. Ambuvat agrahaṇ ā t tu na tathā tvam: the jī va is not a reflection of the Lord since he is not perceived as such. (Brahma-sū tra 3. 2. 19) Vṛ ddhi-hrā sa-bhā ktvaṁ antarbhā vā d ubhaya-sā mañ jasyā d eva: in a secondary sense the comparion of the Lord and jī va to the sun and its reflection is acceptable in terms of greatness and smallness. (Brahma-sū tra 3. 2. 20)

That material world is the only reality is also refuted.

tad yatheha karma jito lokaḥ kṣ ī yate evam evā mutra puṇ ya jito lokaḥ kṣ ī yata

Just as whatever benefit one works hard to attain in this world is eventually depleted, so whatever life one earns for oneself in the next world by his piety will also eventually end. Chā ndogya Upaniṣ ad 8. 1. 16

The Lord is beyond the three guṇ as. Ā ditya-varṇ aṁ tamasaḥ parastā t: the Supreme Lord is beyond the material world and beyond all darkness. (Ś vetā ś vatara Upaniṣ ad)

Acintya-ś akti is illustrated in the following. Parā sya ś aktir vividhaiva ś ruyate: the Lord has a variety of ś aktis. Mā yā ṁ tu prakṛ tiṁ vidyā n mā yinam tu maheś varam: know the material energy and its Lord, the cause of mā yā.

naiṣ ā tarkeṇ a matir ā paneyā

proktā nyenaiva su-jñ ā nā ya preṣ ṭ ha

This realization, dear boy, cannot be acquired by logic. It must be spoken by an exceptionally qualified spiritual master to a knowledgeable disciple. Kaṭ ha Upaniṣ ad 2. 9

avidyā yā m antare vartamā nā ḥ

svayaṁ dhī rā ḥ paṇ ḍ itaṁ manyamā nā ḥ.

jaṅ ghanyamā nā ḥ pariyanti mū ḍ hā

andhenaiva nī yamā nā yathā ndhā ḥ

Caught in the grip of ignorance, self-proclaimed experts consider themselves learned authorities. They wander about this world befooled, like the blind leading the blind. Kaṭ ha Upaniṣ ad 1. 2. 5

Text 26

sad iva manas tri-vṛ t tvayi vibhā ty asad ā -manujā t

sad abhimṛ ś anty aś eṣ am idam ā tmatayā tma-vidaḥ

na hi vikṛ tiṁ tyajanti kanakasya tad-ā tmatayā

sva-kṛ tam anupraviṣ ṭ am idam ā tmatayā vasitam

Translation

The mind composed of the three guṇ as, carrying out action within you, gives true knowledge if it is dedicated to you. Just as things made of gold are not to be rejected, since their substance is actual gold. The devotee absorbed (anupraviṣ ṭ am) in your actions (sva-krṭ am) and is discerned (avasitam) as most dear is similarlhy accepted.

O lord! If a man teaching various ideas takes shelter of you at some time, somehow, by some inconceivable good fortune, he becomes proper. The mind, composed of the three guṇ as, though temporary (asat), appearing to function properly (sad iva), from men to animals (ā manujā t), shines brightly (vibhā ti) from purification by knowledge if it is inclined to worship you (tvayi).

Ā tatatatvā c ca mā ṭ ṛ tvā d ā tmā hi paramo hariḥ : the Lord is the supreme ā tmā because he spreads everywhere and acts as a mother. Those who say that you should be served (ā tmavidaḥ ), your devotees, know correctly (sad abhimṛ ś anti) that the jī va dedicated to you (aś eṣ am) is not separate from you.

Men do not give up transformations of gold. They accept the products of gold. Thus they accept the devotees as nondifferent from the Lord, since their minds are in the Lord (tad-ā tmatayā ). They know the devotee who is absorbed (anupraviṣ ṭ am) in your actions (sva-krṭ am) and is discerned (avasitam) as most dear.

Or the mind from human to animal is afflicted by the three sufferings and filled with faults (asat). If that mind somehow concentrates on you by the mercy of the devotee, it becomes tinged with you (sad iva) a little. Later it becomes really sat.

If the impure can become pure, thing related to you can become free of the guṇ as. It is not surprising. Those who know you (ā tma-vidaḥ ) know that things related to you (aś eṣ am) are pure, (sat), having attained oneness with you by knowledge.

cetanā tu dvidhā proktā jī va ā tmeti ca prabho

Jī vā brahmā dayaḥ proktā ā tmaikas tu janā rdanaḥ

Itareṣ v ā tma-ś abdas tu sopacā ro ‘bhidhī yate

There are two conscious beings: the jī va and the lord (ā tmā ). Jī vas are Brahmā and others and the Lord is one, Janā rdana. The word ā tmā is used in a secondary sense for other things. Padma Purā ṇ a

Jñ ā naṁ man niṣ ṭ haṁ nirguṇ aṁ smṛ tam: knowledge fixed in me is beyond the guṇ as (SB 11. 25. 24) Man-niketaṁ tu nirguṇ am: my temple is beyond the guṇ as (SB 11. 25. 25)

Nirguṇ o mad apā ś rayaḥ : the devotee is beyond the gunas (SB 11. 25. 26

The Lord makes all things related to him pure. The cintā maṇ i by touch alone can make iron into gold. What to speak of the power of the spiritual cintā maṇ i, the Lord endowed with unlimited powers. One does not reject transformations of gold. Similarly one does not reject an object related to the devotee (svakrṭ am) since it enters and remains (avasitam) one with the Lord.

Or your devotees (ā tma-vidaḥ ) realize (abhimṛ ś anti) as real this world (idam) since the whole world is composed of both the real and unreal. By devotion to you they realize the true form, after destroying the false forms. By realizing the truth, they offer you objects like fragrances, flowers, incense, lamps and pure food. To strength the point the ś rutis say that one does not reject transformations of gold. We confirm (avasitam) that you accept (anupraviṣ ṭ am) as dear (ā tmatayā ) what is offered by the devotee (svakṛ tam).

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — -

Asato ’dhimano ’sṛ jyata: the original mind was created from asat. The word asat here means “beyond the effects of what is real in this world: the cause of everything. ” Vedā nta-sū tra (2. 1. 17) corroborates this interpretation with asad-vyapadeś ā n neti cen na dharmā ntareṇ a vā kya-ś eṣ ā t: if one objects that the material world and its source cannot be of one substance because the world has been called unreal, we reply, ‘No, because the statement that Brahman is asat makes sense in terms of his having qualities distinct from those of the creation. ’ Thus the Lord (asat) manifested the controller of everything (adhimanaḥ ), his own mind. He did this for his own purpose.

atha punar eva nā rā yaṇ aḥ so ’nyaṁ kā maṁ manasā dhyā yet. tasya dhyā nā ntaḥ -sthasya lalanā t svedo ’patat. tā imā pratatā pa tā su tejo hiraṇ -mayam aṇ ḍ aṁ tatra brahmā catur-mukho ’jā yata.

Then Nā rā yaṇ a meditated upon another desire and as he pondered, a drop of perspiration fell from his forehead. All the material creations evolved from the fermentation of this drop. Therein the fiery, golden egg of the universe appeared, and within that globe four-headed Brahmā took his birth. Mahā -nā rā yaṇ a Upaniṣ ad 1. 4

A doubt is raised by a person in ignorance, which should be resolved. “The ś rutis have taught first about voidness. Then they have taught about knowledge of the mind. Finally they speak of asat as the final cause. Because of the predominance of mind in these descriptions, it is the cause of knowledge in all circumstances by its logical ability. Because mind is produced the ś rutis, how can it be revealed by the ś rutis? ”

The answer is given. Since the mind arising from the three guṇ as acts within you (asat), it appears to produce real knowledge. But actually it is not produce true knowledge. Vedā nta-sū tra (2. 1. 11) declares, tarkā pratiṣ ṭ hā nā t: logical reasoning is inconclusive. Those who know you as the root svarū pa of everything (ā tma-vidaḥ ) see you alone (aś eṣ am idam) with a real form pervading the jī va, as the root form of everything (ā tmatayā ).

Padma Purā ṇ a says:

cetanā tu dvidhā proktā jī va ā tmā ca sā prabho

Jī vā brahmā dayaḥ proktā ā tmaikas tu janā rdanaḥ

Itareṣ v ā tma-ś abdas tu sopacā ro ‘bhidhī yate

There are two conscious beings: the jī va and the lord. Jī vas are Brahmā and others and the Lord is one, Janā rdana. The word ā tmā is used in a secondary sense for other things.

The ś rutis present this by an example. The merchant does not reject objects made from gold because those things follow after gold. They accept gold and gold objects as the same. Everything in the world following after the Lord (sva-krṭ am) is confirmed as manifestations of his svarū pa. Thus void is not the cause nor is mind the main factor. Everything belongs to you. You are the main subject of the ś rutis:

yas tv avijñ ā navā n bhavaty ayuktena manasā sadā

tasyendriyā ṇ y avaś yā ni duṣ ṭ ā ś vā iva sā ratheḥ 5

yas tu vijñ ā navā n bhavati yuktena manasā sadā

tasyendriyā ṇ i vaś yā ni sad-aś vā iva sā ratheḥ

yas tv avijñ ā navā n bhavaty amanaskaḥ sadā ’ś uciḥ

na sa tat-padam ā pnoti saṁ sā raṁ cā dhigacchati

yas tu vijñ ā navā n bhavati sa-manaskaḥ sadā ś uciḥ

sa tu tat-padam ā pnoti yasmā d bhū yo na jā yate

vijñ ā na-sā rathir yas tu manaḥ pragrahavā n naraḥ

so’dhvanaḥ pā ram ā pnoti tad viṣ ṇ oḥ paramaṁ padam

indriyebhyaḥ parā hy arthā arthebhyaś ca paraṁ manaḥ

manasas tu parā buddhir buddher ā tmā mahā n paraḥ

mahataḥ parama-vyaktam avyaktā t puruṣ aḥ paraḥ

puruṣ ā n na paraṁ kiṁ cit sā kā ṣ ṭ hā sā parā gatiḥ

The individual is the passenger in the car of the material body, and the intelligence is the driver. Mind is the driving instrument, and the senses are the horses. The self is thus the enjoyer or sufferer in the association of the mind and senses. So it is understood by great thinkers. For a fool who does not control his mind, the senses are wild horses drawing the charioteer. For the wise man who controls his mind, the senses are good horses obedient to the charioteer. An impious fool who does not control his mind does not attain the spiritual world. He attains the world of repeated birth and death. A pious wise man who controls his mind attains the spiritual world. He never again takes birth. A person who has transcendental knowledge as a charioteer, and who tightly holds the reins of the mind, attains the path's final destination: the supreme abode of Lord Viṣ ṇ u. The sense-objects are higher than the senses. The mind is higher than the sense-objects. Intelligence is higher than the mind. The mahat-tattva is higher than the intelligence. The avyakta (prakṛ ti) is higher than the mahat. The puruṣ a (person) is higher than the unmanifested. Nothing is higher than Viṣ ṇ u. Viṣ ṇ u is the highest. Kaṭ ha Upaniṣ ad

Also there is the statement aupaniṣ adaḥ puruṣ aḥ : the Lord is to be known by the Upaniṣ ads. (Bṛ had-ā raṇ yaka Upaniṣ ad)

Text 27

tava pari ye caranty akhila-sattva-niketatayā

ta uta padā kramanty avigaṇ ayya ś iro nirṛ teḥ

parivayase paś ū n iva girā vibudhā n api tā ṁ s

tvayi kṛ ta-sauhṛ dā ḥ khalu punanti na ye vimukhā ḥ

TRA NSLATION

The devotees who worship you as the shelter of all beings disregard death and place their feet on his head. But with the words of the Vedas you bind the nondevotees like animals, though they are vastly learned scholars. It is your affectionate devotees who can purify themselves and others, not those who are inimical to you.

Even (uta) the devotee who worship you as the puruṣ a avatā ra, the controller of everything in sattva-guṇ a, the maintainer, place their feet on the head of death. What to speak of the devotees who worship you as Kṛ ṣ ṇ a, playing in Vṛ ndā vana. They do this easily (avigaṇ ayya), as a secondary result.

You bind up those who are not devotees, who are involved with the puruṣ ā rthas and karmas by use of words indicating rules and forbiddances, who may be very intelligent. This indicates that the devotees are beyond the rules of karma.

Those who are friendly to you purify others. Those inimical to you do not purify anyone since they are bound by ropes of rules. They continuall suffer in saṁ sā ra. Or those fools either intelligent or foolish whom you tie up by words, making them absorbed in karmas, by becoming friendly to you, purify others.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — -

Some ś rutis inclined to bhakti speak. What is the use of jñ ā na, devoid of prema for you, and difficult to perform? Service to you, filled with the highest prema, which yields that result, is the best because it provides shelter for everyone or because it is the shelter of all ś udda-sattva forms and qualities, or because it causes absorption of everyone’s antaḥ -karaṇ a. That service is the best because it produces the highest prema. Since it is everyone’s highest attainment, liberation is a side effect. By the Lord’s mercy this liberation will not be contradictory to the prema. Those who practice jñ ā na cannot escape from the natural bondage created by the words of ordinance and forbiddance in the Vedas, which are filled with your mā yā . Your devotees disregard the head of death. They do not give it any regard and surpass it. They become liberated. You tie up those who have knowledge as defined in the ś rutis because only those who become friendly to you, who desire to serve you in prema, become purified, whereas those who do not serve do not become purified.

ś reyaḥ -sṛ tiṁ bhaktim udasya te vibho

kliś yanti ye kevala-bodha-labdhaye

teṣ ā m asau kleś ala eva ś iṣ yate

nā nyad yathā sthū la-tuṣ ā vaghā tinā m

O Lord! If fools give up bhakti the all-inclusive path and suffer to attain realization of ā tmā without bhakti, they attain simply suffering and nothing else. They are like fools who beat emply husk. SB 10. 14. 4

The ś rutis say:

juṣ ṭ aṁ yadā paś yaty anyam ī ś am

asya mahimā nam iti vī ta-ś okaḥ

ṛ co ’kṣ are pare vyoman

yasmin devā adhi viś ve niṣ eduḥ

yas taṁ veda kim ṛ cā kariṣ yati

ya it tad vidus ta ime samā sate

The Supreme Lord is he who is referred to by the mantras of the Ṛ g Veda, who resides in the topmost, eternal sky, and who elevates his saintly devotees to share that same position. One who has developed pure love for him and realizes his uniqueness then appreciates his glories and is freed from sorrow. What further good can the Ṛ g mantras bestow on one who knows that Supreme Lord? All who come to know him achieve the supreme destination. Ś vetā ś vatara Upaniṣ ad 4. 7–8

The service to the Lord (juṣ ṭ am) is shown in this verse:

yo vedā nā m adhipo yasmiḷ lokā adhiś rī tā ḥ

ya ī ś o ’sya dvipadaś catuṣ padas tasmai devā ya haviṣ ā vidhema

To him who is the master of all the Vedas, in whom all planets rest, who is the Lord of all known creatures, both the two-legged and the four-legged — to him we offer our worship with oblations of ghee. Ś vetā ś vatara Upaniṣ ad 4. 13

Text 28

tvam akaraṇ aḥ sva-rā ḍ akhila-kā raka-ś akti-dharas

tava balim udvahanti samadanty ajayā nimiṣ ā ḥ

varṣ a-bhujo ’khila-kṣ iti-pater iva viś va-sṛ jo

vidadhati yatra ye tv adhikṛ tā bhavataś cakitā ḥ

Translation

Though you have no material senses, you are the self-effulgent sustainer of everyone’s sensory powers. The devatā s and material nature herself offer you tribute, while also enjoying the tribute offered to them by their worshipers, just as subordinate rulers of various districts in a kingdom offer tribute to their lord, the ultimate proprietor of the land, while also enjoying the tribute paid them by their own subjects. In this way the universal creators faithfully execute their assigned services out of fear of you.

You are devoid of relationship with material senses of the jī va since it is impossible to mix spiritual with material. You possess power to do anything because you are independent (svarā ṭ ), shining with your special ś akti. By your ś akti you give the jī va power to operate his senses.

Or you are devoid of material action (karaṇ aḥ ), such as making a pot. You possess the power of all the elements (karaka) used in creation. You start the creation by your will alone, because you are independent of others. You shine with your own ś akti. Thus all jī vas are dependent on you.

Or you are devoid of material senses of the jī va, since you have a form of eternity, knowledge and bliss. There is no distinction of body and possessor of the body and sense and possessor of the sense in the Lord. Thus it is said apā ṇ ipā daḥ : the lord has no hands and feet. (Ś vetā ś vatara Upaniṣ ad) You have senses superior to those of the devatā s. Though your senses cannot be separated from you body, they have all excellence. Thus you are independent. Some Vaiṣ ṇ avas consider difference in the Lord’s body and senses.

The devatā s like Brahmā and Ś iva (animiṣ aḥ ) make offerings to you (udvahanti) and enjoy them completely (samadanti). It is not like minor kings offering tribute to the ruler and enjoying without fear their independence for a short time. Brahma and others are always fearful (cakitā ).

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Other ś rutis nourish the previous statement. You are without action in regards to creating the universe. You are not like a potter making a pot. You are without relationship to the senses, though you make the senses of the jī vas and Brahmā operate. You remain separate from the senses. You support the ś akti for all the senses, since you have unlimited ś aktis manifesting in different ways, with billions of senses, though you do not reveal your own senses to others. Sarvataḥ pā ṇ i-pā dam: the Lord has his hands and legs all over the universe. BG 13. 14

You give ś akti wherever it is necessary, in small portions. Why? You shine with your own acintya-ś akti (svarā ṭ ). Your senses do not depend on being manifested like those of the jī va.

The devatā s like Brahmā offer you tribute. That is fine, but their controller is mā yā. They offer tribute along with mā yā (ajayā ). The previous ś rutis spoke correctly. Those who serve you surpass death.

na tasya kā ryaṁ karaṇ aṁ ca vidyate

na tat-samaś cā bhyadhikaś ca dṛ ś yate

parā sya ś aktir vividhaiva ś rū yate

svā bhā vikī jñ ā na-bala-kriyā ca

He has no body and no senses. No one is equal to him or higher. His supreme power is manifold. His actions are naturally revealed with knowledge and strength. Ś vetā svatara Upaniṣ ad

apā ṇ i-pā do javano grahī tā

paś yaty acakṣ uḥ sa ś ṛ ṇ oty akarṇ aḥ

sa vetti vedyaṁ na ca tasya vettā

tam ā hur agryaṁ puruṣ aṁ purā ṇ am

He has no feet or hands, yet he is the swiftest runner and can grasp anything. Though without eyes or ears, he sees and hears. Nobody knows him, the Lord. Ś vetā ś vatara Upaniṣ ad

Text 29

sthira-cara-jā tayaḥ syur ajayottha-nimitta-yujo

vihara udī kṣ ayā yadi parasya vimukta tataḥ

na hi paramasya kaś cid aparo na paraś ca bhaved

viyata ivā padasya tava ś ū nya-tulā ṁ dadhataḥ

Translation

O eternally liberated Lord, though you sport with your devotees, after glancing at them with spiritual power, your material energy causes the various moving and nonmoving species of life to appear by activating their material desires. You, the Supreme Lord, see no one in the world as an intimate friend and no one as a stranger, just as the ethereal sky has no connection with perceptible qualities. In this sense you resemble a void.

O liberated Lord (vimukta)! You are devoid of association with the effects of mā yā. The syllable vi indicates difference from the liberated jī vas since the Lord is eternally emdowed with all powers and truth. Thus you are supreme (parasya). If your (parasya) play (viharaḥ ) with mā yā (ajayā ) happens by your glance then certainly births of plants and animals (sthira-cara-jā tayaḥ ) joined with action (nimitta-yujaḥ ) will arises. Because of the Supreme Lord, all the jī vas manifest and the primary creation takes place with the appearance of mahat-tattva and other elements. Brahmā makes bodies of plants and animals. This is called visarga or secondary creation. What is the purpose of your play (viharaḥ )? You are independent (vimukta), because you are the supreme Lord (parasya). Who can understand your intention?

Or if various jī vas as plants or animals manifest by your will (ī kṣ ayā ), that is your play with mā yā. This is visarga, for various pastimes. “If I am eternally liberated how do I show friendship or hatred to devatā s and asuras? ” You do not show compassion or aversion. These are produced by men because of dual vision of defeat and victory etc.

Or “The plants suffer. Among moving beings the animals suffer. Why are such beings created by mā yā? ” The activities of plants and animals (uttha-nimitta-yujaḥ ) arise by your glance alone (ikṣ ayā ). “Can they not become happy by removing beginningless karmas? ” The just Lord does not help some and give pain to others. You have no connection (apadasya) with them since they have not surrendered. You are neutral like ether to them. You do not hear of them. The meaning is this. You give ordinary jī vas who are not devotees results according to karma. In this way you are equal. Destroying the prā rabdha-karmas of the devotees, you show favoritism. But this is glorious, since it surpasses being neutral.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — -

Bhagavā n, endowed with all attractive qualities, the mover of the senses, should be worshipped by all the jī vas who possess meager qualities and dependent senses. This was confirmed previous statements. His superior ś akti was shown. Now other ś rutis come forward.

You are not only the cause, but are also responsible for the manifestation of the bodies of the living entities. O Lord beyond prakṛ ti (vimukta)! Though you are seen playing (viharaḥ ) in the world in order to give happiness to your devotees here, after (tataḥ ) glancing attractively at your perfect devotees in this world, all the jī vas, endowed the subtle bodies that produce higher and lower bodies and engaged by karma agitated by the prakṛ ti, make their appearance. That glance is purely spiritual, since it is previous to the agitation of prakrṭ i and is eternal (ajayā ). Ī kṣ ater nā ś abdam: Brahman (who glances) is not inexpressible by words. (Brahma-sū tra) What is your nature? You are endowed with your extraordinary svarū pa-ś akti (parasya). “Why do I not glance so that the jī vas awaken, just as he does for those with whom he desires pastimes? ” Since you are without infatuation for persons with material qualities (paramasya), you have no attraction for inferior or superior persons in the world. You are not obstructed since you do not have attraction and repulsion.

samo ’haṁ sarva-bhū teṣ u na me dveṣ yo ’sti na priyaḥ

ye bhajanti tu mā ṁ bhaktyā mayi te teṣ u cā py aham

I am equal to all living beings. I do not hate anyone nor do I favor anyone. But those who worship me with devotion are in me, and I am in them. BG 9. 29

Mad bhaktā nā ṁ vinodā rthaṁ karomi vividhā ḥ kriyā ḥ : I perform various pastimes for the pleasure of my devotees. (Padma Puraṇ a) Why are these jī vas not attracted to you, since you are the cause of pastimes? You appear to be void. You are invisible like the sky. The meaning is this. Though the sky is real, no one can grasp it since it is impossible to grasp. You are not visible to all because they lack bhakti. Therefore they should receive bhakti from the devotees.

sa aikṣ ata

The Lord glanced (Taittirī ya Upanisā d)

yathā gneḥ kṣ udrā ḥ

The jī vas are like sparks of a fire. Bṛ had-ā raṇ yaka Upaniṣ ad 2. 1. 20

akṣ arā t parataḥ paraḥ

The Lord is superior to the akṣ ara. Muṇ ḍ aka Upaniṣ ad

asad vā idam agre ā sī t:

The Lord existed before the universe. Ṛ g Veda 10. 1. 29

sandṛ ṣ e tiṣ ṭ hati rū pam asya

The Supreme Lord's form is not like that. Kaṭ ha Upaniṣ ad

sad rū pam advayaṁ brahma madhyā dy anta-vivarjitam

suprabhaṁ sac cidā nandaṁ bhaktyā jā nā ti cā vyayam

By bhakti one knows the Lord with an eternal, non-dual form, devoid of beginning, middle and end, full of consciousness and bliss, and indestructible. Vā sudeva Upaniṣ ad

Text 30

aparimitā dhruvā s tanu-bhṛ to yadi sarva-gatā s

tarhi na ś ā syateti niyamo dhruva netarathā

ajani ca yan-mayaṁ tad avimucya niyantṛ bhavet

samam anujā natā ṁ yad amataṁ mata-duṣ ṭ atayā

Translation

O shelter of everything! If the jī vas were unlimited and eternal, and all powerful, the scriptures would not say that they are under your control. But the jī vas are not so, and thus are under your control. The product which has the qualities of the cause cannot be separated from the cause. The cause is thus the controller of the effect. Those who think you are like other objects are in ignorance since they reject the conclusion of scripture.

To define the nature of other jī va, he is first rejected as being a supreme entity. The jivas are unlimited in number (aparimitā ḥ ). One never sees lack of a multitude of jī vas, since from beginningless time they are released from the Lord during every mahā kalpa. They are eternal (dhruvā ḥ ) according to the Vaiṣ ṇ avas, since when they destroy their material bodies, coverings of ignorance, they attain spiritual bodies. But if these eternal unlimited jī vas were all pervading, they would not be under your control, being equal to you. They are otherwise (itaratha), not all pervading.

Since the spark (yan-mayam) is not separate from the fire (tad avimucya), the fire is its controller (niyantṛ ) since the spark is its aṁ ś a and small.

Cit ś akti has two types: supreme and ordinary. The supreme cit ś akti resides in the Lord and by his mercy, a special portion of that resides in the associates in the spiritual world. The ordinary cit ś akti resides in the jī vas, time and pradhā na. [35] After mahā pralaya the jī vas endowed with ordinary cit ś akti, like sparks of a fire, covered by beginningless ignorance, manifest from the Lord as Vā sudeva or Paramā tmā, the form of great consciousness. They are controlled by the Lord.

Kalpā nā ṁ jana-sā mye hi muktir naivopapadyate

Kadā cid api dharmajñ a tatra pṛ cchā mi kā raṇ am

Ekaikasmin nare muktiṁ kalpe kalpe gate dvija

Abhavisyaj jagac chū yaṁ kā lasyā der abhavataḥ

At the end of Brahmā ’s life the jī vas should not attain liberation at all. O knower of dharma! I ask the reason. If the all jī vas attained liberation in each kalpa the universe would become empty and there would be no time. Viṣ ṇ u-dharma

Asked by Vajra, Mā rkaṇ ḍ eya answered.

Jī va-sthā nasya sargeṇ a nare muktim upā gate

Acintya’ś aktir bhagavā n jagat pū rayate sadā

Brahmaṇ ā saha mucyante brahmalokam upā gatā ḥ

Sṛ jyante ca mahā kalpe tad vidhā ś cā parā janā ḥ

Sarve jī vā ḥ pramā ṇ ā ḥ syuḥ sarve kalpā s tathā nṛ pa

When men are liberated in the created world where they reside, the Lord with his acintya-ś akti fills it up. Those who attain Brahmaloka attain liberation with Brahmā. Other persons are created in the mahā kalpa. All jī vas are measured out. This occurs in all kalpas, O king!

It is said the jī vas are created. How can they be without beginning? The unlimited jī vas remain a special cavity of the Lord’s mā ya-ś akti since the jī vas have piles of waiting karmas. Among them some manifest in a particular kalpa. That is called sarga. They are not created. These jī vas are small particles since ś rutis describe them as the size of the tip of a spoke. Ahaṁ sū kṣ mā nā ṁ apy aham jī va: of small things I am the jī va. (SB 11. 16. 11)

bā lā gra-ś ataś o bhā gaḥ kalpito yaḥ sahasra-dhā

tasyā pi ś ataś o bhā go jī va ity abhidhī yate

If a tip of hair is divided into hundred piees and then each into a thousand, and then each piece is again divided into a hundred, that is the size of the jī va. Viṣ ṇ u-dharmottara

Though small particles they pervade the body by their consciousness. Just as a lamp spreads light in a room, the small jī va brings life to the body by its special influence of consciousness. By influence a magnet makes a piece of iron near it move.

aṇ u-mā tro 'py ayaṁ jī vaḥ sva-dehaṁ vyā pya tiṣ ṭ hati

yathā vyā pya ś arī rā ṇ i haricandana-vipruṣ aḥ

Just as a drop of sandalwood oil spreads throughout the body, the atomic jī va spreads throughout the body and remains there. Brahmā ṇ ḍ a Purā ṇ a

Though this is the general svarū pa of all jī vas, by the influence of bhakti, the svarū pa of the devotees, manifesting astonishing ś akti, is very different. They experience the Lord since the Lord is attracted to bhakti alone. To others he is neutral.

Some know the Lord as equal (samam) to the devotee and to others. Or since you are the controller of the jī vas you should see them equally. But this is wrong (amatam) because of contaminated knowledge (matasya). Or “Jī vas may be controlled but Ś iva and others are equal to the Lord. ” Some know them as equal, but that is wrong.

— — — — — — — — -, — — — — — — — — — —

Some ś rutis decide to define the jī va in order to show that they should have bhakti for the Lord. Some say that there is only one conscious entity spread everywhere which becomes unlimited jī vas by upā dhis of prominent rajas and tamas arising from avidyā (ignorance). By predominance of sattva-guṇ a that consciousness becomes the Supreme Lord. Others say that jī vas arise when pure consciousness takes shelter of avidyā. By rejecting that position, others say that the jī vas are by their nature perfect, infinite, eternal and full of power like the Lord. Previously deciding to defeat the idea that the jī va is independently perfect, accepting the unlimited and eternal nature as a possible condition of the jī va by using the word “if”, the ś rutis then refute this hypothesis. O shelter of everything (dhruva)! If the jī vas were unlimited and eternal, and consequently all-pervading (meaning powerful), the jī vas would not be under your control as defined in the scriptures, since your power would not extend to them. And if they are not all-powerful, then one cannot say that the definition did not apply to them, since your power would extend to them.

No object is independent of you. By your knowledge, all beings become empowered with knowledge. It is also said that all jī vas arise from you. Thus they are under your control by the extension of your powers. The effects such as a spark arising from fire cannot be separated from fire. Spreading over the whole object by a portion of its ś akti or a portion of its svarū pa, the fire becomes the controller. In its absence the spark would not have qualities of fire. Those who say that you are like other objects and accept that as a fact do not know your form as antaryā mī. Such opinions reject the knowledge given in the ś rutis (duṣ ṭ atayā ). Like the sun and its rays and particles of light, from you the tataṣ ṭ ha-ś akti arises in the form of small particles. By the special power of the object, the jī vas then give life to their bodies like magnets, in the manner of guṇ ā d vā: the ā tmā pervades the body like light. (Brahma-sū tra 2. 3. 24) Mahā n aja ā tmā : the ā tmā is unborn and great. (Bṛ had-ā raṇ yaka Upaniṣ ad) Mahā means “having consciousness” in the context. The ā tmā spreads its influence just as a great gem spreads its influence. In this way, it is concluded that the jī va is subject to control. The jī va is a servant and thus bhakti is proven, as previously and later.

yathā prakā ś ayaty ekaḥ kṛ tsnaṁ lokam imaṁ raviḥ

kṣ etraṁ kṣ etrī tathā kṛ tsnaṁ prakā ś ayati bhā rata

Just as one sun lights up the whole world, this ā tmā illuminates the whole body, O descendent of Bharata. BG 13. 34

Kṛ ṣ ṇ a speaks to Uddhava, indicating his unlimited greatness and the jī va’s smallness. Mahatā ṁ ca mahā n aham sū kṣ mā ṇ ā m apy ahaṁ jī vaḥ: among great things I am the total material creation; among subtle things I am the jī va. SB 11. 16. 11

bā lā gra-ś ataś o bhā gaḥ kalpito yaḥ sahasra-dhā

tasyā pi ś ataś o bhā go jī va ity abhidhī yate

If a tip of hair is divided into hundred piees and then each into a thousand, and then each piece is again divided into a hundred, that is the size of the jī va. Viṣ ṇ u-dharmottara

Ś ruti says:

bā lā gra-ś ata-bhā gasya ś atadhā kalpitasya ca

bhā go jī vaḥ sa vijñ eyaḥ sa cā nantyā ya kalpate

When the upper point of a hair is divided into one hundred parts and again each of such parts is further divided into one hundred parts, each such part is the measurement of the dimension of the spirit soul. Ś vetā ś vatara Upaniṣ ad

Eko devaḥ sarva-bhū teṣ u gū ḍ haḥ

The one Lord is hidden in all jī vas. Ś vetā ś vatara Upaniṣ ad

na tat-samas abhyadhikaś ca dṛ ś yate

The Lord has no equal or superior. Ś vetā ś vatara Upaniṣ ad

One should see the details in the Paramā tmā and Bhagavat Sandarbhas.

Text 31

na ghaṭ ata udbhavaḥ prakṛ ti-pū ruṣ ayor ajayor

ubhaya-yujā bhavanty asu-bhṛ to jala-budbuda-vat

tvayi ta ime tato vividha-nā ma-guṇ aiḥ parame

sarita ivā rṇ ave madhuni lilyur aś eṣ a-rasā ḥ

Translation

Neither material nature nor the soul who tries to enjoy her are ever born, yet living bodies come into being when these two combine, pervaded by you, just as bubbles form where water and air join with ā kā ś a. And just as rivers merge into the ocean or the nectar from many different flowers blends into honey, so all these conditioned beings eventually merge back into you, the Supreme, along with their various names and qualities.

Jī vas taking birth was mentioned in verse 29. Is the birth of the jī va simply an aṁ ś a of prakṛ ti, or an aṁ ś a of the puruṣ a avatā ra of the Lord? That is rejected in this verse, because the puruṣ a and prakṛ ti are both without beginning. How does the manifestation take place? Jī va manifests by a combination of prakṛ ti and puruṣ a’s glance (but is not created). Or the combination impels the jī va’s manifestation (ubhaya-yuj).

pradhā naṁ ca pumā ṁ ś caiva sarva-bhū tā tma-bhū tayā /

viṣ ṇ u-ś aktyā mahā buddhe vṛ tau saṁ ś raya-dharmiṇ au //

Prakṛ ti and jī va, whose qualities depend on his, operate by Viṣ ṇ u’s ś akti which gives rise to all the bodies of the jī va. Viṣ ṇ u Purā ṇ a

Or ubhaya-yuj means the general cit ś akti which is different and non-different from the jī vā. The jī va manifests in the world by this general cit ś akti. That ś akti is different and non-different from you, since it is the play of your ś akti. The jī va has cit ś akti but is also a small particle. An example is given. By contact with air, bubbles are different from water and are also the same as water. Another example is the sun and its ray.

Since it is not too different from you, the jiva merges into you. The rivers merge into their cause (parame), the ocean. Worrying that there is complete lack of differencel, another example is given: nectar merging into honey.

When jī vas merge with the Lord at liberation, the jī vas still maintain individual existence. Though they merge into the Lord after destroying gross and subtle bodies, by the will of the Lord they can attain a spiritual body. (Thus their individuality is not lost. ) In Brahmā ṇ ḍ a Purā ṇ a there is a story of Prahlā da merging into the Lord and attaining a spiritual body.

Or “Will the jī va attain similarity to me and Lakṣ mī in some birth? ” Laksmī (prakṛ ti) and Nā rā yaṇ a (puruṣ a) do not have birth like the jī va, because they have no birth. They are not born like the jī vas but for pastimes manifest themselves by their own power in this world. The jī vas (asu-bhṛ taḥ ) appear by union of mother and father (ubhaya-yuj) just as bubbles arise from union of water with air.

You and your consort appear in order to destroy saṁ sā ra. Endowed with ulimited rasa, the jī vas attain a meeting with you, endowed with the sweetness of conjugal rasa (madhuni) by counting or cultivating your names (vividha-nā ma-guṇ aiḥ ). Past tense is used to indicate certainty.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — -

According to the previous verse, it was established that the Lord pervades the jī vas just as fire pervades sparks. Now other ś rutis, following that conclusion, make their own conclusion based on that. There are two types of characteristics in effects: those arising later as unessential and those which follow logically because of connection or disconnection with something else. The former is not so pleasing since the perception does not take place at the same time as the effect. But the taste can be experienced later in the object.

The jī va has no beginning. Why? It is without birth. Ajā m ekā m: the ā tmā is without birth. (Ś vetā ś vatara Upaniṣ ad) Prakṛ ti and the jī va, like the Lord, have no beginning and no end.

Prakṛ tiṁ puruṣ aṁ caiva viddhy anā dī ubhā v api: material nature and the living entities should be understood to be beginningless. (BG 13. 20) The previous verse mentioned birth (ajani), but that was an appearance of birth to show the pervasive nature of the Lord. You are one with both of them (ubhaya-yujā ). You pervade both jī va and prakṛ ti. Your expansion as the puruṣ a “created” jī vas by these two ś aktis: the jī vas are “born” in the sense of accepting the upā dhi of prakṛ ti. They are born like bubbles — ā kā ś a combined with water and air. You are the material cause.

prakṛ tir yasyopā dā nam ā dhā raḥ puruṣ aḥ paraḥ

sato ’bhivyañ jakaḥ kā lo brahma tat tritayaṁ tv aham

Prakrṭ i is the material cause and the puruṣ a is the foundational cause. Time, the indirect cause, is agitator of prakṛ ti. I am all three. SB 11. 24. 19

You pervade them by your very nature, since you have unlimited ś akti. Viṣ ṇ u Purā ṇ a says:

pradhā naṁ ca pumā ṁ ś caiva sarva-bhū tā tma-bhū tayā /

viṣ ṇ u-ś aktyā mahā buddhe vṛ tau saṁ ś raya-dharmiṇ au //

Prakṛ ti and jī va, whose qualities depend on his, operate by Viṣ ṇ u’s ś akti which gives rise to all the bodies of the jī va.

The jī vas enter you at the time of destruction of the universe and on achieving liberation.

Just as the water of a river merge in the ocean, so the names and qualities of the jī vas are destroyed in you. But the svarū pa of the jī va does not become one with you since the jī vas are separate particles.

etā s tisro devatā anena jī venā tmanā nupraviś ya nā marū pe vyā karavā ṇ i

Entering the three devatā s as jī va, I will reveal name and form. Chā ndogya Upaniṣ ad 6. 3. 2

yathā saumya madhu madhu-kṛ to nistiṣ ṭ hanti nā nā tyayā nā ṁ vṛ kṣ ā nā ṁ rasā n samavahā ram ekatā ṁ saṅ gayanti. te yathā tatra na vivekaṁ labhante amuṣ yā haṁ vṛ kṣ asya raso ’smy amuṣ yā ham raso ’smī ty evam eva khalu saumyemā ḥ sarvā ḥ prajā ḥ sati sampadya na viduḥ sati sampadyā mahe:

My dear boy the partial dissolution resembles what happens when honeybees collect honey by extracting the nectar from the flowers of various kinds of trees and merge it all into a single mixture. Just as the mixed nectars cannot distinguish, ‘I am the juice of such-and-such a flower, ’ or ‘I am the juice of another flower, ’ so, dear boy, when all these living entities merge together they cannot consciously think, ‘Now we have merged together. ’ Chā ndogya Upaniṣ ad 6. 9. 1–2

Text 32

nṛ ṣ u tava mayayā bhramam amī ṣ v avagatya bhṛ ś aṁ

tvayi su-dhiyo ’bhave dadhati bhā vam anuprabhavam

katham anuvartatā ṁ bhava-bhayaṁ tava yad bhru-kuṭ iḥ

sṛ jati muhus tri-nemir abhavac-charaṇ eṣ u bhayam

Translation

The wise souls who understand how your mā yā deludes all human beings attain a state of constant bliss, and understand that you stop birth and death. How can fear of material life affect your faithful servants? On the other hand, your furrowing eyebrows — the triple-rimmed wheel of time — repeatedly terrify those who refuse to take shelter of you.

Acceptance of liberation is not attractive for your devotees. Among liberated souls, those who are intelligent, understanding the falsity (bhramam) of thinking knowledge of liberation as the highest by giving up the ocean of bliss of bhakti to you because of your mā yā, perform bhakti (bhavam) to you, the ultimate shelter. The happiness of liberation is included in the happiness of bhakti just as the water of a well is included in the water of a lake. (BG 2. 46) They do this in every birth (anuprabhavam). They do not accept libration, but accept birth to experience bhakti-rasa.

“By experiencing birth and death, there will suffering of saṁ sā ra. ” How can fear of saṁ sā ra follow them? By bhakti they destroy saṁ sā ra. How can it affect them? The cause is given. Those who take shelter of your feet do not have fear of time. What to speak of those who have bhā va. By the continuation of impressions of bhakti at all times they are happy and will not experince sufferings like sickness.

Or persons of pure intelligence perform bhakti to you. Men like Ṣ aṇ ḍ a and Amā rka, born in Bhrgu’s dynasty, gave up Viṣ ṇ u and served demons. This is explained by Nā rada.

Viṣ ṇ uṁ visṛ jyā nvacarac ca daityaṁ kiṁ vā na kuryuḥ bharanā ya lubdhā ḥ:

He gave up Viṣ ṇ u and served the demon. What will the greedy not do for maintaining themselves?

Hair-bhakti-sudhodaya

Understanding the mistake of such persons, the intelligent, Prahlada and others, show rati (bhā vam) which continually causes clear manifestion of your mercy (anuprabhavam).

“Devotees also take birth. Why is it said that they have destroyed saṁ sā ra? ” There is no fear of birth for those who just repeat the acts of bhakti (anuvartatā m), what to speak of those who concentrate on bhakti. Thus Prahlā da prays: