Sri Vedanta-sutra

Volume Five

Adhikaraëa 29

The Different Features of the Supreme Personality of Godhead

Introduction by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

Viñaya (the subject to be discussed) Now the following texts from the Gopäla-täpané Upaniñad will be considered:

eko 'pi san bahudhä yo 'vabhäti

"Although He is one, Lord Kåñëa appears in many forms."

ekaà santaà bahudhä dåçyamänam

"Although He is one, the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears to be many."

atha kasmäd ucyate brahma

"Why is He called the Supreme?"

He Supreme Personality of Godhead has many very different forms. In this way He is like a vaidürya jewel. Although He is one He has many different forms and many different qualities.

Saàçaya (doubt): Should one meditate on the fact that the Supreme Personality of Godhead has many different forms and many different qualities, or should one not meditate on this fact?

Pürvapakña (the opponent speaks): The Lord's blissfulness and other like qualities should always be the object of meditation (as was explained in sütra 3.3.12). However, the plurality of forms contradicts the Lord's oneness. Therefore the Lord's plurality of forms should not be an object of meditation.

Siddhänta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sütras gives His conclusion.

Sütra 59

bhümnaù kratu-vaj jäyastvaà tathä hi darçayati

bhümnaù - of the plurality; kratu - yajïa; vat - like; jäyastvam - pre-eminence; tathä - si; hi - indeed;darçayati - shows.

Like a yajïa, plurality is most important. So, indeed, it reveals.

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

The Lord's plurality of forms is His most important feature. As yajïas should always be performed, so the Lord's plurality of forms should always be an object of meditation, for this plurality is an essential feature of the Lord.

As in an agniñöoma-yajïa, from its beginning until the avabhåta ceremony at its end, it remains always a yajïa, in the same way among all the qualities of the Lord, His plurality of forms is always present and of prime importance. The evidence for this is given in this sütra in the words, "tathä hi darçayati" (So, indeed, the scriptures reveal). In the Chändogya Upaniñad (7.23.1) it is said:

bhümaiva sukham nälpe sukham asti

"The bliss of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is in His abundant variety. His bliss is not present in a lack of variety."

Thus the Lord's bliss and other qualities are present in great abundance and great variety. They should be meditated on in this way. The scriptures reveal this of them. The word "darçayati" in. this sütra means, "they teach this in every circumstance". Without accepting the Lord's plurality of forms it is not possible to accept that His actions are all eternal.

Adhikaraëa 30

Different Meditations on the Lord's Different Forms

Introduction by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

Saàçaya (doubt): Are 4 these many forms of the Lord worshiped in one way only or are there many ways to worship them?

Pürvapakña (the opponent speaks): Because the object of worship certainly remains one, there must be only way way to worship Him.

Siddhänta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sütras gives His conclusion.

Sütra 60

nänä çabdädi-bhedät

nänä - variety; çabda - words; ädi - beginning; bhedät - because of the difference.

They are different because of different words and other things.

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

There are different kinds of worship for the different forms of the Lord. For each form there is a different kind of worship. Why is that? The sütra explains: "çabdädi-bhedät" (because of different words and other things). This means, because the names of Lord Nåsiàha and the Lord's other forms are different, the mantras for worshiping these forms are different, the forms themselves are different, and Their activities are also different". In the Småti-çästra it is said:

kåtaà tretä dväparaà ca

kalir ity eñu keçavaù

nänä-varëäbhidhäkäro

nänaiva vidhinejyate

"In the Satya, Tretä, Dväpara, and Kali yugas, Lord Kåñëa appears in different forms with different colors and different names, forms that are worshiped in different ways."

In this way it is proved that the Lord's different forms are worshiped in different ways.

Adhikaraëa 31

The Steadfast Worship of the Lord

Introduction by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

That the forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, beginning with the form of Lord Nåsiàha, should be worshiped in ways that are different for each form has thus been described. Saàçaya (doubt): Must the worshipers of these various forms meditate on all the Lord's forms together, or is such meditation only optional?

Siddhänta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sütras gives His conclusion.

Sütra 61

vikalpo 'viçiñöha-phalatvät

vikalpaù - option; aviçiñöha - not better; phalatvät - because of the result.

It is optional, for a better result is not obtained.

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

They have an option. One should worship the Supreme Lord according to the truths taught by a particular community of saintly devotees. One should remain steadfast in that form of worship and not leave it. Why is that? The sütra explains:

aviçiñöha-phalatvät" (for a better result is not obtained). This means that of all the ways to worship the Lord no one way is better than the others. They are all equal. They are all said to bring the same result, which is that liberation where one directly associates with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If by following one such method of worship one attains perfection, what is the need of accepting another method of worship? The lesson taught in the sütra that begins with the words "tad viduñäm" should not be forgotten. Therefore, in order to give more evidence to the truth that the ekänti devotees are the best, this instruction is repeated. There is no fault in this.

Adhikaraëa 32

Worshiping the Lord To Attain a Specific Benediction

Introduction by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

The different kinds of worship of the Lord's different forms, such as the form of Lord Nåsiàha and the other forms, all bring liberation as their result. Therefore these activities of worship should be regularly performed by the ekänti devotees. However, in the Båhad-äraëyaka Upaniñad and other scriptures are also described other kinds of worship of the Lord, kinds of worship meant for attaining fame, followers, victory, wealth, and other like benedictions. Saàçaya (doubt): May one choose any form of the Lord for such worship, or must one direct this kind of worship to one's chosen deity alone?

Pürvapakña (the opponent speaks): Because the worship of any form of the Lord brings the same result as the worship of any other form of the Lord, one should direct this worship to one's chosen Deity alone, as was previously explained.

Siddhänta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sütras gives His conclusion.

Sütra 62

kämyäs tu yathä-kämaà samuccéyeran na vä pürva-hetv-abhävät

kämyäù - for the objects of desire; tu - but; yathä - as; kämam - desire; samuccéyeran - may collect; na - not;vä - or; pürva - previous; hetu - reason; abhävät - because of the non-existence.

For attaining a desire one may accept another or not, as one wishes, for the previous reason is now absent.

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

To fulfill desires other than direct association with the Supreme Lord, desires like the attainment of fame in this world, one may worship any for of the Lord, as one wishes, or one need not (worship another form of the Lord, and may instead to continue to worship one's own chosen Deity). Why is that? The sütra explains: "pürva-hetv-abhävät" (for the previous reason is now absent). This is is so because the result to be obtained is different. When there is a desire to attain these various material benediction, then one may worship any form of the Lord. When one does not desire these material benefits, one may not adopt the worship of forms of the Lord other than one's chosen Deity. The meaning here is that if one who desires liberation also desires some material benediction, then he should worship Lord Hari alone in order to attain it. He should not worship the demigods to attain his desire. This is explained by Çrémad-Bhägavatam (2.3.10) in the following words:

akämaù sarva-kämo vä

mokña-käma udära-dhéù

tévreëa bhakti-yogena

yajeta puruñaà param

"A person who has broader intelligence, whether he be full of all material desire, or desiring liberation, must by all means worship the supreme whole, the Personality of Godhead."*

Thus have been explained the various kinds of worship of the Lord, kinds of worship beginning with the chanting of the ten-syllable mantra. As explained before, this worship should be directed to one's chosen Deity.

Adhikaraëa 33

Meditation on the Form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead

Introduction by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

In the previous passages meditation on the Lord's qualities and virtues has been described. Now will be described meditation on the Lord's bodily limbs and features. In Gopäla-täpané Upaniñad (1.38), the demigod Brahmä explains:

tam ekaà govindaà sac-cid-änanda-vigrahaà païca-padaà våndävana-sura-bhüruha-taläsénaà satataà sa-marud-gaëo 'ham paramayä stutyä toñayämi.

"With eloquent prayers I and the Maruts please Lord Govinda, whose form is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss, who stays under a desire tree in Våndävana, and who is this five-word mantra."

In the verse that follow Brahmä speaks prayers describing the gentle smile, merciful glance, and other features on the Supreme Lord's face, eyes, and other parts of the body.

Saàçaya (doubt): Are the gentle smile and other features on the Lord's face and the other parts of His body to be meditated on or not?

Pürvapakña (the opponent speaks): Because by meditating on the Lord's general qualities and virtues one attains the goal of life, and because that goal thus attained is so great and exalted, there is no need to meditate on the features of the Lord's body. Siddhänta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sütras gives His conclusion.

Sütra 63

aìgeñu yathäçraya-bhävaù

aìgeñu - on the limbs; yathä - as; äçraya - shelter; bhävaù - nature.

Appropriate meditation on the limbs.

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

One should appropriately meditate on the Lord's mouth and the other parts of His body. This means that one should meditate on the qualities that have taken shelter of the parts of the Lord's body. Thus, on the Lord's mouth there are a gentle smile and sweet words, on His eyes there is a merciful glance, and on the other parts of His body there are other features.

Sütra 64

çiñöaiç ca

çiñöaiù - by the disciples; ca - and.

Also by the disciples.

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

In the Gopäla-täpané Upaniñad (1.51) it is said:

atha haivaà stutibhir ärädhayämi tathä yüyaà païca-padaà japantaù kåñëaà dhyäyantaù samsåtià tariñyatha.

"Brahmä said: As I worship Him, so should you. Chanting this five word mantra, and meditating on Lord Kåñëa, you will transcend the world of birth and death."

In this way Brahmä teaches his disciples to meditate on the qualities present in Lord Kåñëa's form. That is the meaning.

Here someone may object: In the Chändogya Upaniñad (1.6.7) it is said:

yathä kapyäsaà puëòarékam evam akñiëé

"The Supreme Lord's eyes are like lotus flowers."

Here there is no mention of the Lord's merciful glance or His other features.

If this is said, then the author of the sütras gives the following reply.

Sütra 65

samähärät

samähärät - because of being collective.

Because of being together.

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

The word "na" (it is not so) should be added here from three sütras previous. The word applies to both sütras. In this passage of Chändogya Upaniñad many other features of the Lord's body are implied. This passage does not mean that the Lord has only lotus eyes and no other bodily features.

Here someone may object: The idea that one should meditate on the parts of the Lord's body as having only certain attributes and not others is wrong. I refute it with the following words.

Sütra 66

guëa-sädhäraëya-çruteç ca

guëa - of qualities; sädhäraëya - commonness; çruteù - from the Çruti-çästra; ca - also.

Also because the Çruti-çästra declares that the qualities are held in common.

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

In Bhagavad-gétä (13.14) it is said:

sarvataù päëi-pädam tat

"Everywhere are His hands and legs."*

This passage shows that one should meditate on the parts of the Lord's body as all having the same qualities in common. In Brahma-saàhitä (5.32) it is said:

aìgäni yasya sakalendriya-vrttimanti

paçyanti pänti kalayanti tathä jaganti

"Each of the limbs of the Lord's transcendental figure possesses in Himself the full-fledged functions of all organs and eternally sees, maintains, and manifests the infinite universes, both spiritual and mundane."**

In this way the scriptures declare that each part of the Lord's body has all the qualities of all the other parts.

In the following words the author of the sütras refutes this idea.

Sütra 67

na vä tat-saha-bhäväçruteù

na - not; vä - or; tat - that; saha - together;bhäva - being; a - not; çruteù - from the Çruti-çästra.

Or not, for the Çruti-çästra does not declare that they have the same nature.

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

The word "vä" (or) is used here for emphasis. One should not meditate on the different parts of the Lord's body as all having the same features in common. Why is that? The sütra explains: "tat-saha-bhäväçruteù" (for the Çruti-çästra does not declare that they have the same nature). This means that the Çruti-çästra does not declare that the qualities of one part of the body are present in the other parts. Also, one should not meditate on the parts of the Lord's body as having the same qualities as the other parts. The descriptions in Bhagavad-gétä 13.14 and other passages in the scriptures should be understood to mean that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, being all-powerful, can do anything with any part of His body. That is the meaning.

Sütra 68

darçanäc ca

darçanät - from seeing; ca - also.

By seeing also.

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

Therefore the Lord's gentle smile should be understood to be present in His face and His other qualities to be present in the other parts of His body, each in its appropriate place. In this way it is both seen anddescribed.

Autor: Govinda Bhasya (Baladeva Vidyabhusana) en http://www.veda.harekrsna.cz/library/
Links: http://www.veda.harekrsna.cz/library/govinda_bhasya.zip
Contenido: Estudio sobre las Antiguas Obras Vaishnavas
Fecha: 27 Feb 2010

Govinda Bhasya - incomplete (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
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Govinda Bhasya (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
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Baladeva Vidyabhusana