Sri Vedanta-sutra

Volume Four

The Småti-çästras also affirm it.

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

Çrémad-Bhägavatam (3.30.23) explains:

tatra tatra patan chränto

mürchitaù punar utthitaù

pathä päpéyasä nétas

tarasä yama-sädanam

"While passing on that road to the abode of Yamaräja, he falls down in fatigue, and sometimes he becomes unconscious, but he is forced to rise again. In this way he is very quickly brought to the presence of Yamaräja."*

In the Småti-çästra it is also said:

sarve caite vaçaà yänti yamasya bhagavan.

"O Lord, all sinners come under Yamaräja's control."

In this way the sages and Småti-çästras affirm that the sinners come under Yamaräja's control.

Sütra 16

api sapta

api - also; sapta - seven.

There are seven and others also.

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

In the Mahäbhärata it is said:

rauravo 'tha mahäàç caiva

vahnir vaitaraëé tathä

kumbhépäka iti proktäny

anitya-narakäëi tu

tamisras cäëòa-tämisro

dvau nityau samprakértitau

iti sapta pradhänäni

baléyas tüttarottaram

"The temporary hells named 1. Raurava, 2. Mahän, 3. Vahni, 4. Vaitaraëé, and 5. Kumbhépäka, as well as the permanent hells named 6. Tamisra, and 7. Andha-tamisra, are said to be the seven mostimportant hells, each one more horrible than the last."

Thus the Småti-çästra explains that sinners are punished for their sins in these hells. These hells are the places where sinners go. The word "api" (also) is used to indicate that in the Fifth Canto of Çrémad-Bhägavatam other hells are also described.

Here someone may object: Does this (the description of Yamaräja's punishment of sinners) not contradict the scriptures' declaration that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the supreme controller of everything?

The author of the sütras now answers this objection:

Sütra 17

taträpi ca tad-vyäpäräd avirodhaù

tatra - there; api - even; ca - also; tat - of Him; vyäpärät - because of the activities; a - without; virodhaù - contradiction.

There is no contradiction, for He also acts there.

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

The word "ca" (and) is here used for emphasis.

Yamaräja and others punish sinners by the command of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This does not contradict the scriptures' description of the Lord's supremacy. That is the meaning. The Puräëas affirm that, on the Supreme Lord's order, Yamaräja and others punish sinners.

Here someone may object: It must be that, after receiving punishment from Yamaräja, sinners also ascend to Candraloka. This must be so, for the Kauçétaki Upaniñad affirms that all who leave this world travel to Candraloka.

To refute this misconception the author of the sütras speaks the following words.

Sütra 18

vidyä-karmaëos tv iti prakåtatvät

vidyä - of knowledge; karmaëoù - of action; tu - but;iti - thus; prakåtatvät - because of being the topics.

But because pious deeds and knowledge are the topics.

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

The word "tu" (but) is used to begin the answer to the previousobjection. The word "na" (It is not so) is to be understood in this sütra. Sinners do not go to Candraloka. Why not? The sütra explains that only they who perform pious deeds or are situated in true knowledge (vidyä-karmaëoù) travel to the worlds of the devas and pitäs. That is the description of the scriptures (prakåtatvät). In the Chändogya Upaniñad (5.10.1) it is said that they who are situated in knowledge travel on the path to the devas. In Chändogya Upaniñad (5.10.3) it is said that they who perform pious deeds travel on the path to the pitäs. Thus when it is said that all (sarve) go to Candraloka, the meaning is that all who have qualified themselves in these ways go to Candraloka.

Here someone may object: Is it not so that without first going to Candraloka it is not possible for sinners to attain a new material body? This is the reason: Because (without first going to Candraloka) it is not possible to offer the fifth libation (by which one attains a new body). Therefore, in order to attain a new material body, all must first go to Candraloka.

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

Sütra 19

na tåtéye tathopalabdheù

na - not; tåtéye - in the third; tathä - so;upalabdheù - because of the perception.

Not so in the third, for it is so perceived.

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

In the third place there is no need to offer the fifth libation to attain a new material body. Why not? The sütra explains: "tathopalabdheù" (because it is so perceived).

This means: "Because the Çruti-çästra affirms that it is so." In the Chändogya Upaniñad the following question is posed:

yathäsau loko na sampüryate

"Do you know why the world never becomes filled?"

The answer is given (Chändogya Upaniñad 5.10.8):

athaitayoù pathor na katareëa ca tänémäni kñudräëy asakåd

avåtténi bhütäni jévanti jäyasva mriyasvety etat tåtéyaà

sthänam. tenäsau loko na sampüryate.

"There are these two paths and there is also another path, where many tiny creatures live, and where they are ordered:

`Now you must be born.' and `Now you must die.' It is because of this third place that the world never becomes filled."

Aside from the worlds of the devas and the worlds of the pitäs, there isanother, a third world, the home of tiny creatures like mosquitoes, insects, and worms, creatures who do not go to the higher worlds, but are simply again and again ordered: "Now you must be born." and "Now you must die." In this way they are born again and again and they die again and again. That is the meaning. Their abode is this third world. It is said that sinners take birth in the bodies of these insects and other lower creatures. Their place is the third world because it is different from the first and second worlds:

Brahmaloka and Dyuloka.

Because they have not attained true knowledge and thus become able to travel to the world of the devas, and because they have not performed pious deeds and thus become able to travel to the world of the pitäs, they become tiny creatures like mosquitoes and insects and they stay in a third world. That is why the other worlds do not become filled to overflowing. These creatures neither rise to nor descend from the celestial worlds of Dyuloka, and for that reason Dyuloka does not become overfilled. They stay in a third world, where they do not offer the fifth oblation in order to attain a new body.

Sütra 20

smaryate 'pi ca loke

smaryate - affirmed in the Çmåti-çästra; api - and;ca - also; loke - in the world.

The Småti-çästras affirm that it is also in this world.

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

In this world also some pious persons, Droëa and Dhåñöadyumna are two examples, also attain new bodies without offering a fifth oblation. This is described in the Småti-çästras. The words "api ca" (and also) hint that there are other examples also.

Sütra 21

darçanäc ca

darçanät - from seeing; ca - also.

From seeing also.

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

In the Chändogya Upaniñad (6.3.1) it is said:

teñäà khalv eñäà bhütänäà tréëy eva béjäni

bhavanti. aëòa-jaà jéva-jam udbhij-jam.

"Living beings are born in one of three ways. Some are born from an egg, some are born live, and some are plants sprouting from aseed."

The Çruti-çästra affirms that plants sprouting from a seed and tiny creatures born from perspiration take birth without the fifth oblation. They neither ascend to nor descend from Candraloka. They are born from water without the fifth oblation.

This view is not contradicted by the scriptures.

Here someone may object: The passage you quoted from Chändogya Upaniñad mentioned three kinds of birth but did not mention birth from perspiration.

The author of the sütras now gives his answer to this objection.

Sütra 22

tåtéya-çabdävarodhaù saàçoka-jasya

tåtéya - çabda - word; avarodhaù - description; saàçoka - from grief; jasya - born.

The grief-born is included in the third word.

Purport by Çrila Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

The perspiration born creatures, here called grief-born, are included in the description of plants born from seeds. Because they are both born by bursting forth, one bursting from earth and the other bursting from water, they are considered in the same class. They differ in that one one (the perspiration-born creatures) has the power to move about and the other (the plants) does not. In this way it is proved that they who do not perform pious deeds do not go to Candraloka.

Adhikaraëa 4

The Soul Does Not Become Ether

Introduction by Çrila Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

It has already been shown that the soul who performs pious deeds goes, accompanied by his subtle material body, to Candraloka, and (after some time again) descends, accompanied by the remnant of his karma, (to the earth). The way this happens is described in Chändogya Upaniñad (5.10.5):

athaitam evädhvänam punar nivartante yathetam äkäçasm

äkäçäd väyuù bhavati väyur bhütvä dhümo bhavati dhümo

bhütvä abhraà bhavaty abhraà bhütvä megho bhavati megho

bhütvä pravarñati

"He returns by this path. First he becomes ether. From ether he becomes air. Having become air he becomes smoke. Having become smoke he becomes mist. Having become mist he becomes a cloud. Having become a cloud, he becomes rain."

Saàçaya (doubt): Is the descent literally like this, or is it not like this?

Pürvapakña (the opponent speaks): This account of the descending soul becoming ether and other things is to be accepted literally. During its descent does the soul become completely identical with these various things, or does it become only similar to them? If the soul becomes only similar, then a secondary interpretation of the passage must be accepted. For this reason it should be understood that the soul becomes completely identical with these different things.

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

Sütra 23

tat-sväbhävyäpattir upapatteù

tat - of them; sväbhävya - similarity;äpattiù - attainment; upapatteù - because of being reasonable.

It is similar to them, for that is reasonable.

Purport by Çrila Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

This passage should be interpreted to mean that the soul becomes similar to these things. Why is that? The sütra explains:

"upapatteù" (for that is reasonable). On Candraloka the soul attains a a body suitable for enjoyment. However, when the time forenjoyment comes to an end, that body perishes in the fire of grief, just as mist perishes in the sunlight. Thus deprived of its external body, the soul becomes like ether. Then the soul comes under the control of air. Then the soul comes into contact with smoke and the other things. That is a reasonable explanation of these events. This is so because it is not possible for one thing to become another, and also because if it did indeed become ether or these other things, it would not be possible for the soul to continue its descent.

Adhikaraëa 5

The Passage From Ether to Rain Is Quick

Introduction by Çrila Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

Saàçaya (doubt): Is the soul's descent from ether to rain accomplished quickly or slowly?

Pürvapakña (the opponent speaks): No outside force pushes it, so the soul must proceed very slowly.

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

Sütra 24

näti-cireëa viçeñät

na - not; ati - very; cireëa - for long; viçeñät - because of something specific.

Not for very long, because of something specific.

Purport by Çrila Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

The soul's descent from ether and the other things does not take a long time. Why is that? The sütra explains:

viçeñät" (because of something specific). The specific thing here is a specific statement that the passage through rice and other grains is very difficult. Because this part of the passage is singled out as especially difficult it may be inferred that the other parts of the passage are quickly accomplished.

Adhikaraëa 6

The Descending Soul Does Not Take Birth Among the Plants

Introduction by Çrila Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

Viñaya (statement): The passage after entering rain is described in the following statement of Çruti-çästra:

ta iha vréhi-yavä auñadhi-vanaspatayas tila-mäñä jäyante

"The descending souls then take birth as rice, barley, plants, trees, sesame, and beans."

Saàçaya (doubt): Do the souls literally take birth as rice or these other species, or is this description metaphorical?

Pürvapakña (the opponent speaks): The text says "jäyante" (they take birth). This is should be taken literally.

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

Sütra 25

anyädhiñöhite pürvavad abhiläpät

anya - by an other; adhiñöhite - occupied; pürva - before; vat - like; abhiläpät - because of the statement.

In what is occupied by another because of a statement like the previous.

Purport by Çrila Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

Because the bodies of the plants and other beings are already inhabited by other spirit souls, the description here is metaphorical. The descending souls are not born in those species to experience their karma. Why not? The sütra explains:

pürvavad abhiläpät" (because of a statement like the previous). As it was previously said that the descending soul does not become ether, or the other things in its descent, but merely comes into contact with them, so the fallen soul merely comes into contact with the rice and other species. That is the meaning. As when it enters the ether the descending soul is not yet experiencing the specific results of various pious and impious deeds, so when it falls down in the rain the soul is also not yet experiencing the results of specific deeds. This the scriptures say. In Chändogya Upaniñad (5.10.7) it is said:

They who act piously attain an auspicious birth. They who do not act piously attain a birth that is not auspicious." Therefore thedescription here that the descending souls take birth in this way is metaphorical. It is not literal.

Sütra 26

açuddham iti cen na çabdät

açuddham - impure; iti - thus; cet - if; na - not;çabdät - because of Çruti-çästra.

If it is said to be impure, then I reply: No, for that is the statement of the Çruti-çästra.

Purport by Çrila Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

Here someone may object: It is not at all logical to say that the scriptures' statement that the descending soul, accompanied by the remnant of his karma, takes birth in the body of a rice plant or similar species, is only a metaphor, and the soul does not really take birth in those species for the soul has no remaining karma to push it into that birth. The so-called pious deeds performed to attain residence in Svargaloka are actually impure. This is because the Agnisoméya-yajïa and other yajïas like them involve violence to animals. The scriptures give the following prohibition:

mä hiàsyät sarva-bhütäni

"Never commit violence to anyone."*

Therefore, by performing these yajïas there is a pious portion, which sends the performer to Svargaloka, and also an impious portion, which forces him to take birth as a rice plant or similar species. In the Manu-saàhitä (12.9) it is said:

çaréra-jair karma-doñair

yäti sthävaratäà naraù

"A person who sins with his body becomes an unmoving plant."

Therefore the statement that the descending soul takes birth as a rice plant or similar being should be taken literally.

If this is said, then the sütra replies: "na" (No. It is not so). Why not? The sütra explains: "çabdät" (Because that is the statement of the Çruti-çästra). The Vedas order:

agnisoméyaà paçum älabheta

"One should sacrifice an animal in an agnisomiya-yajïa."

Because piety and impiety is known only from the Vedas' statements, the Vedas' order to commit violence must be understood to beactually kind and pious. Therefore the orders of the Vedas are never impure. The prohibitions: "Never commit violence to anyone" and "Violence is a sin" are the general rules decreed by the Vedas, and the statement: "One should sacrifice an animal in an agnisomiya-yajïa" is an exception to that general rule. A general rule and a specific exception to that rule need not contradict each other. There is scope for each. For these reasons, therefore, the scriptures' description that the fallen soul takes birth as a rice plant or similar being is metaphorical and not literal.

What follows in this sequence is described in the next sütra.

Sütra 27

retaù-sig-yogo 'tha

retaù - semen; sik-sprinkling; yogaù - contact;atha - then.

Then there is contact with the male that sprinkles the semen.

Purport by Çrila Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

After entering the rice-plant or other plant, the fallen soul, accompanied by the remainder of his karma, enters the semen of a male. In the Chändogya Upaniñad (5.10.6) it is said:

yo yo 'nnam atti yo retaù siïcati tad bhüya eva bhavati

"A male eats that grain and then sprinkles semen. From that semen the fallen soul takes birth. He becomes just like his father."

The statement that the soul becomes just like the father should not be taken literally, for one thing cannot have exactly the same form as another. In truth, if the offspring were completely identical with the father, and there were no difference at all between them, then the soul would not actually attain a new material body. Therefore this statement should be taken metaphorically. As the soul merely comes into contact with the rice plant or other vegetation, so the soul comes into contact with the father. The soul does not become identical with the father in all respects.

Sütra 28

yoëeù çaréram

yoëeù - from the womb; çaréram - a body.

The body comes from the womb.

Purport by Çrila Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

The word "yoëeù" here is in the ablative case. The soul departs from its father's body and enters its mother's womb. In this way, so it may experience the fruits of its karma, the soul attains a new material body. In the Chändogya Upaniñad (5.10.7) it is said:

tad ya iha ramaëéya-caraëäù

"They who perform pious deeds attain an auspicious birth. They who sin attain an inauspicious birth."

In this way the soul's entrance into the series of things beginning with ether and the series of things beginning with a rice-plant or other vegetation is described. The conclusion is that a person who is actually intelligent will renounce this material world, a world filled with sorrows, and place all his thoughts on Lord Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is filled with transcendental bliss.

Pada 2

Introduction by Çrila Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

vittir viraktiç ca kåtäïjaliù puro

yasyäù paränanda-tanor vitiñöhate

siddhiç ca sevä-samayaà pratékñate

bhaktiù pareçasya punätu sä jagat

May devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, devotion that is filled with transcendental bliss, devotion before whom knowledge and renunciation stand, their hands folded with respect, devotion that mystic power yearns to serve, purify the entire world.

Devotional service, by performing which one falls in love with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and attains His association, will be described in this pada. In order to strengthen the soul's love and devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Lord's glorious creation of dreams and other states of being, the Lord's identity with His many incarnations, His appearance as the all-pervading Supersoul, His non-identity with His worshipers, who are still one with Him in quality, His being attained only by devotional service, His appearance in both spiritual and material worlds, His transcendental blissfulness, His coming before His devotees according to the devotees' love for Him, His supremacy over all, His supreme generosity, and a great host of the Lord's other virtues and glories will also be described here. When a person desires to love, the beloved's glories must be understood.

Otherwise there can be no love. In the beginning of this pada will be described the Lord's creation of the dreaming state. The idea that someone other than the Supreme Lord had created the dreaming state contradicts the scriptures' statement that the Lord is the creator of everything. If the Lordi sky in the heart" here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In this way the Çruti-çästra explains that dreamless sleep is manifested when the soul enters the näòés, the membrane surrounding the heart, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Saàçaya (doubt): Does the soul enter any one of these three places, or does the soul enter all of them?

Pürvapakña (the opponent speaks): The soul may enter any one of these places. This is so because these three places are equally able to be the place where the soul sleeps. The Nyäya-çästra explains:

tulyärthas tu vikalperan

"A list of things equally suitable for a certain activity indicates the option of choosing from them."

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

Sütra 7

tad-abhävo näòéñu tac chruter ätmani ca

tat - of that; abhävaù - the absence; näòéñu - in thenadis; tat - that; çruteù - from Çruti-çästra; ätmani - in the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ca - also.

Its absence occurs in the näòis and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is so because of the Çruti-çästra.

Purport by Çrila Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

The word "ca" (and) here hints the inclusion of the membrane surrounding the heart. The word "tad-abhäva" (its absence) means "the absence of wakefulness and dream". Thus it means "the state of dreamless sleep".

Dreamless sleep occurs in the näòis, the membrane surrounding the heart, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead collectively. Why is that? The sütra explains: "tac chruteù" (This is so because of the Çruti-çästra). Thus the Çruti-çästra declares that they are all, taken collectively, the place of dreamless sleep.

The idea that there is an option here, and that to perform the activity of deep sleep the soul chooses one of these places, is an idea that contradicts the statements of Çruti-çästra. In the scriptures' description of dreamless sleep, it is seen that the näòis and präëas are described together. In the Kauçitaki Upaniñad (4.19) it is said:

täsu tadä bhavati. yadä suptaù svapnaà na kaïcana paçyaty

athäsmin präëa evaikadhä bhavati.

"Then the soul enters the näòis. When sleeping, the soul does not see any dream. Then the soul become one with the präëas."

The explanation that the soul has an option of one of these three places does not apply here, for if that option were to apply, then these three places would have to be equally suitable for the action of dreamless sleep, but the truth is they are not.

What occurs is the soul passes through the door of the näòis, enters the palace of the membrane surrounding the heart, and sleeps on the bed of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In this way all three places are involved in the activity of dreamless sleep, but the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the actual place where dreamless sleep occurs. The word "puritat" here means "the membrane surrounding the lotus of the heart".

Sütra 8

ataù prabodho 'smät

ataù - therefore; prabodhaù - waking; asmät - from Him.

Therefore the waking state is from Him.

Purport by Çrila Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the actual place where dreamless sleep occurs, and the näòis and other things mentioned here are merely doors through which the soul passes in order to rest on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, therefore the waking soul rises from the bed of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the Chändogya Upaniñad it is said:

satas cägatya na viduù sata ägacchamahe

"We had departed from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although we could not understand that we had departed from the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

In this way the idea that sometimes the soul sleeps in the naòis, sometimes in the membrane surrounding the heart, and sometimes in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is disproved. It is not like that. Therefore the soul sleeps on the bed of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Baladeva Vidyabhusana

The Vedantasutras with the Sribhasya of Ramanujacarya: 3 Volumes

The Vedantasutras - http://www.exoticindia.es

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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