Sri Vedanta-sutra
Volume Five
Pada 3
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa
parayä nirasya mäyäà guëa-
karmädéni yo bhajati nityam
devaç caitanya-tanur manasi
mamäsau parisphuratu kåñëaù
May Lord Kåñëa, who with the aid of His transcendental potency pushes aside the influence of mäyä, who has a host of transcendental virtues eternally, who enjoys eternal transcendental pastimes, and who has now appeared as Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, appear in my heart.
In this pada will be revealed the way of worshiping the Lord's transcendental attributes. As in a vaidürya jewel many splendid colors are always manifest, so in the Supreme Personality of Godhead many different transcendental forms, all perfect and without beginning, are also manifest eternally. Understanding that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is supremely perfect, complete, and pure, has many different forms, a devotee becomes attracted to one of the Lord's forms and directs his worship to that form. If the various scriptures describe transcendental virtues present in that form of the Lord, all those virtues may also be ascribed to that single chosen form. Thus a person who worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead as present in His powers and opulences, such as the mind and the other powers of the world, should review the scriptures' descriptions of the various qualities of these forms, but not of other forms of the Lord.
Others, however, speak in the following way: The one Supreme Personality of Godhead assumes different forms as an actor assumes different roles on the stage. In this way the Lord has many different names and abodes. For this reason all the qualities and pastimes of the different forms of the Lord, as described in the scriptures, may be ascribed to any one of the Lord's forms.
Here someone may object: Is it not so that many of the qualities of many of the Lord's forms, qualities described in the scriptures, cannot be properly ascribed to all of the Lord's forms? Is it not so that sweetness, opulence, peacefulness, austerity, ferociousness, and other qualities may be mutually contradictory, and it may also be contradictory to ascribe the features of having a horn, tail, mane, tusk, or other features appropriate to the Lord's forms like Varäha and others to the Lord's humanlike forms, which carry a flute, conchshell, bow, arrows, and other paraphernalia? Therefore in the Mahäbhärata it is said:
yo 'nyathä santam ätmänam
anyathä pratipadyate
kià tena na kåtaà päpaà
caureëätmäpahäriëä
"A person who ascribes to the Supreme Lord qualities that the Lord does not actually possess is a thief who robs himself. Does he not sin with his words?"
Therefore, because of both the injunction of Småti-çästra and the experience of the wise sages, one should not ascribe the qualities of one of Lord's forms to another of the Lord's forms.
If this is said, then the following reply may be given: The qualities of one of Lord's forms may be ascribed to another of the Lord's forms only when the qualities are appropriate to that particular form. Ascribing the qualities of one of Lord's forms to another of the Lord's forms is of two kinds: 1. cintana, and 2. dhé-mätra. They who perform this first kind of meditation are called sva-niñöha, and they who perform the second kind of meditation are called ekänté. In the next pada three kinds of wise devotees, headed by the sva-niñöha devotees, will be described. The sva-niñöha devotees have equal love for all the Lord's forms. They see all the qualities of all the Lord's forms present equally in each of the Lord's forms. They do not see anything improper in ascribing many contradictory qualities to each of the Lord's forms. They consider that the Lord by His great potency may possess many mutually contradictory qualities, just as a vaidürya jewel may display many different colors. The ekänté devotees, who are divided into two groups: pariniñöhita and nirapekña, do not have equal love for all the Lord's forms. They meditate only on the qualities of one form the Lord, the form they have chosen. They see the qualities of this form alone. Even though they are well aware of the Lord's other forms, they do not meditate or gaze upon them. On His part, the Lord generally does not reveal His other forms to these devotees. This will be reveled in another adhikaraëa. As for the passage quoted from the Mahäbhärata, its true meaning is that it is a rebuke hurled at the impersonalists, who claim that the Supreme is consciousness and nothing else. The truth that the Supreme certainly does have qualities, and therefore the Lord's qualities should be sought out by they who seek liberation, is described in Chändogya Upaniñad (8.1.1-6). It is also said, in thw Taittiréya Upaniñad (2.4.1):
änandaà brahmaëo vidvän
na bibheti kutaçcana
"He who knows that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is full of bliss never fears anything."
This means that they who understand the qualities of the Supreme become free of fear. In this way the scriptures affirm that the Supreme certainly does have qualities. The impersonalists claim that the Lord's qualities are either falsely ascribed toHim or else are accepted only because of the material traditions of this world. However, because many of these qualities are present in the Lord alone and no one else, it cannot be said that these qualities are falsely ascribed to the Lord, and because the revelation of scripture does not describe them as such, it also cannot be said that the qualities of the Lord are accepted only because of the material traditions of this world. They who claim that the qualities of the Lord are imagined to facilitate worship of the Lord, as in the statement, "Imagining the goddess of speech to be a cow, one should worship her", are all fools. Their idea is destroyed by the simple statement of the scriptures:
satyam etyopäséta
"Approaching the Supreme Reality, one should worship Him."
Even the impersonalists, in their commentaries on sütras 3.3.12 and 3.3.38, affirm that the Supreme is bliss and there is no difference between the individual souls and the Supreme. In this way they accept the idea that the qualities of the worshipable Supreme are real and not metaphors. When the scriptures say that the Supreme has no qualities (nirguëa), the intention is that He has no material qualities. Because it is clearly stated that the Lord is not different from His qualities, this objection of the impersonalists should not be taken seriously. For the purpose of meditation the Lord's qualities should be understood to be of two kinds: aìgi-niñöha (general qualities) and aìga-niñöha (features of the Lord's form). It is said that one may collect from all the different parts of the Vedas descriptions of the Lord's qualities.
Adhikaraëa 1
The Lord Should Be Sought
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa
Viñaya (the subject to be discussed): To understand the Lord's qualities one should search all the texts of the Vedas.
Saàçaya (doubt): Should one learn about the Supreme by studying the branch (çäkha) of Vedic texts in one's own community, or should one study all the branches of the Vedas?
Pürvapakña (the opponent speaks): Because all the branches of the Vedas are different, one should study only one's own branch of the Vedas.
Siddhänta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sütras gives His conclusion:
Sütra 1
sarva-vedänta-pratyayaà codanädy-aviçeñät
sarva - all; veda - Vedas; anta - end;pratyayam - meaning; codana - injunctions; ädi - beginning with; aviçeñät - because of not being different.
Because the Vedic injunctions and all other sources of real knowledge are not genuinely different, therefore knowledge of Him is the conclusion of all the Vedas.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa
The word "anta" (end) here means
ubhayor api dåñöo 'ntaù
"This they have concluded by studying the nature of both."*
Thus knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the final conclusion taught by all the Vedas. Why is that? The sütra explains: "because the Vedic injunctions and all other sources of real knowledge are not genuinely different." The
ätmety evopäséta
"One should worship the Supreme."
These words, as well as the promptings of logic, confirm the truth that these statements and many others like them in passages of all the Vedas, all describe the same Supreme Lord. The same Supreme Lord is described in the same way in the Kaëva, Madhyandina, and other recensions of the Vedas.
Here someone may object: In one part of the Vedas (Båhad-
vijïänam änandam brahma
"The Supreme is knowledge and bliss."
However, in another part of the Vedas (Muëòaka Upaniñad 1.1.9) it is said:
yaù sarva-jïaù sarva-vit
"The Supreme knows everything."
Because in this way each branch of the Vedas speaks differently of the Supreme, they do not all describe the same object as the Supreme.
If this is said, the author of the sütras gives the following reply.
Sütra 2
bhedäd iti cen naikasyäm api
bhedät - because of difference; iti - thus; cet - if; na - not; ekasyäm - in one; api - also.
If it is said, "because they are different," then I reply, "It is not so, for it is also in one".
Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa
It is not so. That is so because these differences are seen even within the same branch of the Vedas. An example of this is the Taittiréya Upaniñad, which gives the following two statements.
satyaà jïanam anantaà brahma
"The limitless Supreme is both knowledge and truth."
änando brahma
"The Supreme is bliss."
In this way the many different branches of the Vedas describe the sameform of the Supreme Lord. They do not contradict each other at all.
Sütra 3
svädhyäyasya tathätvena hi samäcäre 'dhikäräc ca
svädhyäyasya - of Vedic study; tathätvena - by being so; hi - indeed; samäcäre -in Vedic rituals; adhikärät - because ofbeing qualified; ca - also.
Because of being qualified to study the Vedas and to perform rituals.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa
In the Taittiréya Araëyaka (2.15) it is said:
svädhyäyo 'dhyetavyaù
"One should study the Vedas."
In this way one is ordered to study all the Vedas. In the Småti-çästra it is said:
vedaù kåtsno 'dhigantavyaù sa-rahasyo dvijanmanä
"A brähmaëa should study the entire Veda, including even its confidential portions."
The word "samäcäre" in this sütra means
sarva-vedokta-märgeëa
karma kurvéta nityaçaù
änando hi phalaà yasmäc
chäkhä-bhedo hy açakti-jaù
sarva-karma-kåtau yasmäd
açaktäù sarva-jantavaù
çäkhä-bhedaà karma-bhedaà
vyäsas tasmäd acékÿpad
"Following the path of all the Vedas, one should regularly perform pious rituals. Bliss is the result attained by this. The Veda was divided into different branches because the people were not able to perform all the pious deeds described in the Veda. That is why Vyäsa divided the Veda into many branches and the one collection of pious rituals into many collections."
Therefore, if a person is able to do so, he may understand the Supreme by performing all the spiritual practices described in all the branches of the Vedas. In the next sütra the author gives an example of indirect reasoning leading to the same conclusion.
Sütra 4
sava-vac ca tan niyamaù
sava - yajïas; vat - like; ca - and; tat - that; niyamaù - rule.
That rule is like the yajïas.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa
The "savas" here are the seven yajïas beginning with the saurya-yajïa and ending with the çataudana-yajïa which, because they are performed with only one fire, may be performed only by the followers of the Atharva Veda. The worship of the Supreme Lord, however, can performed by the followers of all the Vedas.
The word "salila-vat" (like water) is an alternate reading of the first word in this sütra. If this reading is accepted, then the sütra means, "As all waters flow, without restriction, into the sea, so all the statements of the Vedas describe, as much as they have the power, the Supreme Personality of Godhead." In the Agni Puräëa it is said:
yathä nadénäà salilaà
çaktyä sägaratäà vrajet
evaà sarväëi väkyäni
puà-çaktyä brahma-vittaye
"As the water of rivers, as far as it has the power, always enters the sea, so all words, as far as their speaker has the power, should be employed to understand the Supreme Lord."
Sütra 5
darçayati ca
darçayati - reveals; ca - also.
It also reveals it.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa
In the Kaöha Upaniñad (1.2.15) it is said:
sarve vedä yat-padam ämananti
"All the Vedas describe the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
This means that the Supreme Lord is known by all the Vedas, or, in other words, the Vedas reveal the truth of Lord Hari. The word "ca" (and) in this sütra hints, "as far as one has the power". They who have the power may worship the Supreme Lord byperforming the pious rituals described in all the branches of the Vedas. They who do not have the power must worship the Supreme Lord by performing the pious rituals described in their own community's branch of the Vedas. The conclusion is that the Supreme Lord is the final object of knowledge sought by all the branches of the Vedas. This truth was also described in the very beginning of Vedänta-sütra (1.1.4):
tat tu samanvayät
"But that (Lord Viñëu is the sole topic of discussion in the Vedas) is confirmed by all scriptures."
This truth is thus repeated here in the discussion of the properness of studying the different qualities of the Supreme Lord. Because this repetition strengthens the argument here, there is no fault in it.
Adhikaraëa 2
The Lord's Qualities Are Described in Many Scriptures
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa
Now the author of the sütras will show that the many qualities of the Lord may be understood by studying all the Vedas. For example, in the Atharva Veda's Gopäla-täpané Upaniñad (1.8), the Supreme Lord is described as a cowherd boy dark like a tamäla tree, dressed in yellow garments, decorated with a Kaustubha jewel, wearing a peacock-feather, playing graceful melodies on a flute, and surrounded by gopas, gopés, and surabhi cows. There He is the Deity of Gokula. In the Räma-
prakåtyä sahitaù çyämaù
péta-väsä jaöä-dharaù
dvi-bhujaù kuëòalé ratna-
mälé dhéro dhanur-dharaù
"Decorated with earrings and a jewel necklace, His complexion dark, His garments yellow, and the hair on His head matted, saintly, two-armed Lord Räma is accompanied by Goddess Sétä."
In the scriptures the Lord's form as Nåsiàha is described as having a frightening face and filling His enemies with fear. The word "bhéñaëa" (frightening), which occurs in Lord Nåsiàha's mantra, is explained in the following words of the Nåsiàha-täpané Upaniñad:
atha kasmäd ucyate bhéñaëam iti. yasmäd yasya rüpaà dåñövä sarve lokäù sarve deväù sarväëi bhütäni bhétyä paläyante svayaà yataù kutaçcin na bibheti. bhéñäsmäd vätaù pavate bhéñodeti süryaù. bhéñäsmäd agniç cendraç ca måtyur dhävati païcamaù.
"Why is the Lord called frightening? Because when all the demigods, all the worlds, and all living entities see His form, they all flee in fear. He fears no one. Out of fear of Him the wind blows and the sun rises. Out of fear of Him fire, the moon, and death all flee."
The Lord's form as Trivikrama is described in the Åg Veda (1.154.1):
viñëor nu kaà véryäëi prävocaà yaù pärthiväni vimame rajäàsiyo askambhayad uttaraà sadhasthaà vicakramäëas tredhorugäya
"How can I describe all the glories and powers of Lord Viñëu, who created the heaven and earth, established the worlds above and below, and with three steps passed over all the worlds?"
Therefore, like the yajïas, which are different because they are offered to different demigods, so the method of worship to be offered to the different forms of the Supreme Lord are all different because the qualities of the Lord's different forms are different.
Saàçaya (doubt): Should the Çruti-çästra's description of the Lord's qualities in one kind of worship be added in another kind of worship, or not?
Pürvapakña (the opponent speaks): The Çruti-çästra's description of the Lord's qualities in one passage should be heard. One should not mix that description with other descriptions of the Lord in other passages.
Siddhänta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sütras gives His conclusion.
Sütra 6
upasaàhäro 'rthäbhedäd vidhi-çeña-vat samäne ca
upasaàhäraù - combination; artha - of meaning; abhedät - because of non-difference; vidhi - of duties; çeña - remainder; vatlike; samäne - in being the same; ca - also.
In what is common there may be combination, for the meaning is not different. This is like what is appropriate for the rules and regulations.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa
The word "ca" (and) is used here for limitation. When the method of worship is the same, when the pure Supreme Personality of Godhead is the object of worship, and when the Lord's form is the same, then the qualities described in different places may be combined together. Why is that? The sütra explains: "for the meaning is not different." This means
yo vai çré-rämacandraù sa bhagavän ye matsya-kürmädy-
avatärä bhür bhuvaù svas tasmai namo namaù.
"Bhüù Bhuvaù Svaù. Obeisances to Çré Rämacandra, the Supreme Lord who descends in a host of incarnations, such as Lord Matsya and Lord Kürma."
In this passage the forms of Lord Matsya and other incarnations are brought into a meditation on Lord Rämacandra.
In the Gopäla-täpané Upaniñad it is said:
eko 'pi san bahudhä yo 'vabhäti
"Although He is one, He appears in many forms."
In this passage the forms of Lord Rämacandra and other incarnations are brought into a meditation on Lord Kåñëa.
In Çrémad-Bhägavatam it is said of Lord Kåñëa:
namas te raghu-varyäya
rävaëäntakaräya ca
"Obeisances to You, the best of the Raghus and the killer of Rävaëa."
Many other passages may be quoted to show meditations where descriptions of different forms of the Lord are brought together.
Here someone may object: In the Båhad-äraëyaka Upaniñad (1.4.7) it is said:
atmety evopäséta
"One should worship the Supreme."
Therefore one should worship the Lord alone and not bring other forms into one's method of worship.
If this is said, then the author of the sütras gives the following reply.
Sütra 7
anyathätvaà çabdäd iti cen näviçeñät
anyathätvam - otherwise; çabdät - because of the Çruti-
If someone says, "It is otherwise because of the Çruti-çästra", then I reply, "It is not so, for there is nothing specific".
Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa
If someone claims that Båhad-äraëyaka Upaniñad (1.4.7) refutes the idea of thus bringing together the Lord's qualities, then I reply: No. It is not so. Why not? The sütra explains: "for there is nothing specific". This means that no scriptural passage declares, "the Lord's qualities should not be worshiped together." The word "eva" (indeed) in Båhad-äraëyaka Upaniñad (1.4.7) means that one should not worship what is not the Supreme Lord. It does not mean that the Lord's qualities can not be worshiped together. If it is said, "The king alone is seen", that does not mean that the king's royal parasol and other royal paraphernalia were absent. It is said:
tasmäd yathä-çakti-guëäç cintyäù
"Therefore, as far as one is able, one should meditate on the Lord's various transcendental qualities."
In this way it is proved that one may bring together the various qualities of the Lord.
As a vaidürya jewel manifests many different colors, so the Supreme Lord manifests many different forms. Each of these forms is the same perfect, complete, and pure Supreme Lord. In some forms the Lord displays all His qualities, and other forms the Lord does not display all His qualities. Therefore a wise devotee may meditate on all the Lord qualities, as described in the scriptures, as being present in the particular form of the Lord that is chosen for worship.
Adhikaraëa 3
The Ekänté Devotees Do Not Meditate On All the Lord's Qualities
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa
Although they are learned in the many branches of the Vedas, still the ekänté devotees meditate only the Lord's qualities as revealed in their own Upaniñads, which they have carefully studied. Even though they are aware of other qualities, they do not meditate on them. In this way there is an exception to what was previously described.
Viñaya (the subject matter): The subject matter here is a passage of Gopäla-täpané Upaniñad.
Saàçaya (doubt): In the worship performed by the ekänté devotees, should all the qualities of the Supreme Lord be brought together or not?
Pürvapakña (the opponent speaks): Because the Lord's qualities are to be praised, the ekänté devotees should meditate in this way, if they are able.
Siddhänta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sütras gives His conclusion.
Sütra 8
na vä prakaraëa-bhedät parovaréyastvädi-vat
na - not; vä - or; prakaraëa - of devotion;bhedät - because of differences; parovaréyastva - greater than the greatest; ädi - beginning with; vat - like.
Certainly not. Because of the differences in devotion. Like the Parovaréya and others.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa
The word "vä" (or) is used in the sense of
"prakaraëa-bhedät" (because of the differences in devotion). The word "prakaraëa" here means "the most exalted (pra) activity (karaëa)."Therefore the word
Here someone may object: Is it not so that the ekäntés and svaniñöhas are both called devotees of the Lord and therefore they must both meditate on all the Lord's qualities just as they who call themselves brähmaëas must all meditate on the Gäyatré-mantra?
If this is said, then the author of the sütras gives the following reply.
Sütra 9
saàjïätaç cet tad uktam asti tu tad api
saàjïätaù - by the name; cet - if; tat - that; uktam - spoken; asti - is; tu - but; tat - that; api - also.
If it is because of the name, then I reply, "But it was already said. That also."
Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa
The word "tu" (but) is employed here to dispel doubt. If it is said that all who worship the Supreme must meditate on all His qualities, then the answer was already given in the previous sütra. The answer is, "Certainly not. Because of the differences in devotion." Although they are certainly included in the general category of the Lord's devotees, the ekäntés are the best of the devotees, and therefore they do not meditate on all the qualities of the Lord. If it were otherwise then they would not be the best of the devotees. Because the ekänté devotees are passionately devoted to one particular form of the Lord, they are superior to the svaniñöha devotees who are in a general way devoted to all the forms of the Lord. Also, even the svaniñöha devotees are not able to meditate on every single one of the Lord's qualities. In the Åg Veda (1.154.1) it is said:
viñëor nu kaà véryäëi prävocaà
"How can I describe all the glories and powers of Lord Viñëu?"
In the Småti-çästra it is said:
näntaà guëänäm aguëasya jagmur
yogeçvarä ye bhava-pädma-mukhyäù
"Even Brahmä, Çiva, the demigods, and the masters of yoga could not find the end of the transcendental qualities of the Lord, who is beyond the touch of the modes of matter."
The sütra explains, "asti" (it is that), which here means, "the idea that all devotees are exactly alike because they all bear the name `devotee' is the logical fallacy called `hetor anvaya-vyabhicära'." As the worshipers of the Parovaréya form of the Lord and the worshipers of the Hiraëmaya form of the Lord have different conceptions of the Lord, even though both are considered worshipers of the Udgétha, in the same way the svaniñöha and ekänté devotees also have different conceptions of the Lord, the svaniñöha devotees meditating on all the Lord's qualities and the ekänté devotees meditating only on the qualities of the particular form of the Lord they have chosen to worship. That is the conclusion of these two adhikaraëas.
Adhikaraëa 4
The Lord's Childhood and Youth
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa
Now the author begins a discussion of bringing together in meditation the Lord's qualities in His childhood and other ages. In the Gopäla-täpané Upaniñad it is said:
kåñëäya devaké-nandanäya oà tat sat. bhür bhuvaù svas tasmai vai namo namaù.
"Oà Tat Sat. Bhür Bhuvah Svaù. Obeisances to Lord Kåñëa, the son of Devaké."
The author of Näma-kaumudé defines the name Kåñëa in the following way:
kåñëa-çabdas tu tamäla-néla-tviñi yaçodä-stanandhaye rüòhiù
"The word Kåñëa means: Yaçoda's infant son, who is dark like a tamäla tree."
In the Räma-täpané Upaniñad it is said:
oà cin-maye 'smin mahä-viñëau jäte däçarathe harau
raghoù kule 'khilaà räti
räjate yo mahé-sthitaù
"Oà. Born as Daçaratha's son in King Raghu's dynasty, the spiritual Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as Maùa-Viñëu and Hari, was splendidly manifested on the earth. He delighted everyone."
In this way the Çruti-çästra describes the qualities of the Supreme Lord in His childhood and other ages. Many similar descriptions are also found in the Småti-çästra.
Saàçaya (Doubt): Should one meditate on these descriptions of the Lord in His childhood and other ages, or should one not meditate on them?
Pürvapakña (the opponent speaks): One should not meditate on the form of the Lord in His different ages, for then the Lord's form would be sometimes large and sometimes small. This would contradict the Çruti-çästra's advice that in one's meditation the features of the Lord should be harmonious.
Siddhänta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sütrasgives His conclusion.
Sütra 10
vyäpteç ca samaïjasam
vyäpteù - becasue of being all-pervading; ca - also; samaïjasam - proper.
It is proper because He is all-pervading and for other reasons also.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa
It is proper to meditate on the Lord in His childhood and other ages because the Lord is all-pervading and because the Lord is not limited to His features in His different ages. In sütra 3.2.38 the Lord's all-pervasiveness was confirmed. The Lord's so-
ajäyamäno bahudhä vijäyate
"Although He is never born, the Lord takes birth again and again in many different forms."
Therefore the word "birth" here means
raso vai saù
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the reservoir of transcendental mellows."*
By His inconceivable potency, the Supreme Lord appears in a particular form appropriate to the mellows and pastimes His devotees desire. This is perfectly proper. The Lord has numberless devotees, beginning with the liberated souls. This is described in the Åg Veda (1.22.20):
tad viñëoù paramaà padaà
sadä paçyanti sürayaù
"The wise and learned devotees always see the supreme abode of Lord Viñëu."*
The Supreme Lord, who is always one, simultaneously appears in His different ages before His different devotees. Something similar is seen in Båhad-äraëyaka Upaniñad (5.2.1-3), where the syllable "da" was interpreted in three ways by the demigods, human beings, and demons. In this way, because the Supreme Lord is all-pervading and because the Lord always remains one, oneshould certainly meditate on the Lord's pastimes of childhood and other ages.
Adhikaraëa 5
The Lord's Activities Are Eternal
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa
Pürvapakña (the opponent speaks): Because the Supreme Lord is by nature eternal, it may be said that His activities performed with His associates in His childhood and other ages are also eternal. In this way His many different activities, from beginning to end, may all be considered to be eternal. However, it is illogical to say that there can be an eternal previous action that is followed by another action. If the previous action is followed by a subsequent action, then the eternality of the previous action is destroyed. If one action is eternal then any subsequent action must be performed by a different person. To say that the subsequent action is performed by the same person contradicts both scripture and direct experience. Every action has a beginning and an end. Without beginning and end no action can be brought to completion, and without such beginnings and ends there can be no experience of the nectar of transcendental mellows (rasa). For these reasons, how can it be possible that the Lord's activities are eternal? If the Lord's activities were eternal they would be still and unchanging, like a painted picture. If it is said that the same actions are repeated again and again and in that way they are eternal, then I say that there are bound to be times when the beginning of the action is different, and thus the subsequent actions will become changed, and the action would then not be repeated in the same way as before. Therefore, how can it be that the activities of the Lord are eternal? Therefore it should not be accepted that the activities of the Lord are eternal.
Siddhänta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sütras gives His reply to this idea.
Sütra 11
sarväbhedäd anyatreme
sarva - all; abhedät - because of non-difference; anyatra - in another place; ime - they.
Because of complete non-difference they are in another place.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa
Both Lord Hari and His associates are the same persons in both previous and subsequent actions. Why is that? The sütra explains: "sarväbhedäd" (because of complete non-
eko 'pi san bahudhä yo 'vabhäti
"Although He is one, the Supreme Lord appears in many forms."
Also, in the Småti-çästra it is said:
ekäneka-svarüpäya
"Although He is one, the Supreme Lord appears in many forms."
This is also true of the Lord's liberated associates, who remain one even though they appear in many forms. In the Bhüma-
yad bhütaà bhavac ca bhaviñyac ca
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead exists in the past, present, and future."
In the Atharva Veda it is said:
eko devo nitya-lélänuraktaù
"The one Supreme Personality of Godhead is eternally engaged in many, many transcendental forms in relationships with His unalloyed devotees."*
The Supreme Lord Himself affirms (Bhagavad-gétä 4.9):
janma karma ca me divyam
"One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna."*
Only a person who has attained the Supreme Lord's mercy can understand and accept all of this, as the Supreme Lord Himself declares (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.9.32):
yävän ahaà yathä-bhävo
yad-rüpa-guëa-karmakaù
tathaiva tattva-vijïänam
astu te mad-anugrahät
"All of Me, namely My actual eternal form and My transcendental existence, color, qualities, and activities, let all be awakened within you by factual realization, out of My causeless mercy."*
In this way it is proved that the Lord's activities are eternal. However, only the actions that the Lord performs with the help of His spiritual potency are eternal, and the actions that the Lord performs with the help of His material potencies and material time are not eternal, for if the Lord's creation of the material universes were eternal then the eventual dissolution of the universes could not occur.
Adhikaraëa 6
Meditation on the Lord's Qualities
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa
Now the author of the sütras discuses the following point. In the Vedänta scriptures the Lord's blissfulness and other transcendental qualities are all described.
Saàçaya (doubt): Should all the qualities of the Lord be combined together in the devotees' meditation, or should they not be combined in that way?
Pürvapakña (the opponent speaks): The qualities of the Lord should not be combined in meditation, for there is not evidence to say that this should be done. Because it is not said in scripture that all the qualities of the Lord should be combined in meditation, therefore they should not be so combined.
Siddhänta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sütras gives His conclusion.
Sütra 12
änandädayaù pradhänasya
änanda - bliss; ädayaù - beginning with; pradhänasya - of the Supreme.
Of the Supreme those qualities that begin with bliss.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa
The transcendental qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, such as His bliss and knowledge, and His paternal affection for they who take shelter of Him, are all described in the Çruti-çästra. These qualities should all be combined in the devotees' meditation, for all together they increase the
Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The Vedantasutras - http://www.exoticindia.es
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- Vedanta Sutra - Volumen Four - Adhikarana 11 (04--...
- Vedanta Sutra - Volumen Four - Pada 3 (04-3-1)
- Vedanta Sutra - (03-2-2)
- Sri Gopala-Tapani Upanishad
- Vedanta Sutra - Volumen - Pada 3 (03-2-1)
- Vedanta Sutra - Volumen - Sutra 12 (03-1-12)
- Sri Vedanta-sutra - Invocation
- Govinda Bhasya (index)
- Vedanta Sutra - Volumen One - Pada 4 (01-4-1)
- Vedanta Sutra - Volumen One - Pada 3 (01-3-1)
- Vedanta Sutra - Volumen One - Pada 2 (01-2-1)
- Vedanta Sutra - Volumen One (01--intro)
- Baladeva Vidyabhushana
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)
Download - govinda_bhasya.zip 558 kB
Govinda Bhasya (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
fragments Download - govinda_bhasya_fragments.zip 553 kB
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