Sri Vedanta-sutra

Pada 3

Introduction by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

vittir viraktiç ca kåtäëjaliù puro

yasyäù paränanda-tanor vitiñïhate

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 appearence 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 world in a dream. the idea that someone other than the Supreme Lord had created the material world contradicts the scriptures' statement that the Lord is the creator of everything. If the Lord is the creator of only some parts of the world, then it is not possible for the devotee to have full love for Him. For this reason now will be shown the glory of the Lord as the creator of all.

Adhikaraëa 1

The Supreme Personality of Godhead Creates Dreams

Introduction by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

In the Båhad-äraëyaka Upaniñad (4.3.10) it is said:

na tatra rathä na ratha-yogä na panthäno bhavanty atha rathän ratha-yogän pathaù såjate. na tatränandä mudaù pramudo bhavanty athänandän mudaù pramudaù såjate. na tatra veçantäù puñkariëyaù sravantyaù såjate sa hi kartä.

"In that place there are neither chariots nor animals yoked to chariots. He creates the chariots and animals yoked to chariots. In that place there are neither happiness, nor pleasures, nor bliss. He creates the pleasures there. In that place there are neither streams nor ponds nor lotus flowers. He creates them. He is the creator."

Saàçaya (doubt): Is the individual spirit soul or the Supersoul the creator of this dream world with chariots asnd other things?

Pürvapakña (the opponent speaks): The individual spirit soul is the creator. In Chändogya Upaniñad (8.7.1) Prajäpati declares that by willing the individual soul has the power to create.

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

Sütra 1

sandhye såñïir äha hi

sandhye - in the junction; såñïir - creation; äha - says; hi - indeed.

Indeed, it says that in the junction there is creation.

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

The word "sandhya" (junction) here means

dream". In the Çruti-çästra it is said:

sandhyaà tåtéyaà svapna-sthänam

"The third state is sandhya, or dreaming."

Dreaming is called sandhya (junction) because it stands in the junction between wakefulness and dreamless sleep. The Supersoul creates the chariots and other things present in dreams. Why isthat? The Çruti-çästra explains:

sa hi kartä

"He is the creator."

Thus the Çruti-çästra affirms that the chariots and other things present in dreams are created by Him. The meaning is this. To give the results of of very, very insignificant karmas, the Lord creates the chariots and other things present in dreams, things seen only by the dreaming person. The Lord, who has the inconceivable power to do anything by merely willing it be done, thus creates the things in dreams. In the Kaöha Upaniñad (4.4) it is said: "A wise man, aware that whatever he sees in dreams or awake is all the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His potencies, never laments."

In the liberated state the individual spirit souls also have the power to do anything by merely willing it be done, but what they create with that power is not a dream.

Sütra 2

nirmätäraà caike puträdayaç ca

nirmätäraà - the creator; ca - and; eke - some; putra - sons; ädayas - beginning with; ca - also.

Others that He is the creator. Sons and others also.

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

The Kaöha Upaniñad affirms that the Supersoul creates the objects of desire seen in dreams and other situations. It says (Kaöha Upaniñad 5.8):

ya eñu supteñu jägarti kämaà kämaà puruño nirmimäëa

"Remaining awake, the Supreme Personality of Godhead creates the objects of desire seen in dreams."

Here the word "käma" refers to good sons and other blessings that the individual soul may desire. The word käma" is used in this way in Kaöha Upaniñad (1.1.25):

sarvän kämän chandataù prärthayasva

"You may ask for whatever you wish."

In Kaöha Upaniñad (1.1.23) it is said:

çatäyuñaù putra-pauträn våëéñva

"You may choose many sons and grandsons that live for a hundred years."

In the Småti-çästra it is said:

etasmäd eva putro jäyate. etasmäd bhrätä. etasmäd bhäryä. yad enaà svapnenäbhihanti.

"From the Supreme Personality of Godhead a good son is born. From Him a brother appears. From Him a wife appears. From Him these things appear in a dream."

In the next passage the author of the sütras describes the instrument the Supreme Personality of Godhead employs to create dreams.

Sütra 3

mäyä-mätraà tu kärtsnyenänabhivyakta-svarüpatvät

mäyä - the mäyä potency; mätraà - only; tu - but; kärtsnyena - completely; an - not; abhivyakta - manifested; svarüpatvät - because of the condition of having a form.

But it is the mäyä potency only, because the forms are not completely manifested.

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

The Lord's inconceivable mäyä potency is the creator of what is seen in dreams. What is seen in dreams is not made of the five gross material elements, neither is it created by the demigod Brahmä. Why is that? The sütra explains:

kärtsnyenänabhivyakta-svarüpatvät" (because the forms are not completely manifested). This means: "because they are not seen by everyone". In this way it is proved that the Supersoul is the creator of what is seen in dreams.

Adhikaraëa 2

Not All Dreams Are Illusions

Introduction by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

Saàçaya (doubt): Are dreams reality or illusion?

Pürvapakña (the opponent speaks): When a person wakes up he immediately knows that what he dreamed was an illusion. Therefore dreams are all illusions.

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

Sütra 4

sücakaç ca hi çruter äcakñate ca tad-vidaù

sücakas - an indicator; ca - and; hi - indeed; çruter - of the Çruti-çästra; äcakñate - declare; ca - and; tad - that; vidaù - they who know.

It gives omens. The Çruti-çästra and the experts affirm it.

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

Dreams show good and bad omens. They also reveal mantras and other things. Therefore dreams are reality. Why is it that dreams reveal these things? The sütra explains: "çruteù" (the Çruti-çästra affirms it). the Chändogya Upaniñad (5.2.9) affirms:

yadä karmasu kämyeñu

striyaà svapne 'bhipaçyati

samåddhià tatra jänéyät

tasmin svapna-nidarçane

"If, when the auspicious rites are completed, one sees a woman in a dream, he should know that the rites were successful."

In the Kauñétaké-brähmaëa it is said:

atha svapne puruñaà kåñëaà kåñëa-dantaà paçyati sa enaà hanti

"If in a dream one sees a black man with black teeth, that man will kill him."

The word "tad-vidaù" here means "they who know how to interpret dreams". These persons affirm that dreams reveal omens of good and evil. For example a dream of riding on an elephant is a good omen, and a dream of riding on a donkey is an omen of misfortune. In dreams one may also receive prayers. the Småti-çästra affirms:

ädiñïavän yathä svapne

räma-rakñäm imäà haraù

tathä likhitavän prätaù

prabuddho buddha-kauçikaù

"Then Lord Çiva appeared in a dream and taught him the Räma-rakñä prayer. Waking up in the morning, Buddha Kauçika at once wrote it down."

Therefore, because in dreams one sometimes receives omens, prayers, medicines, and other things, and becauses sometimes a person will actually appear in a dream, therefore sometimes dreams are as real as what is seen in the waking state. That is the conclusion of Çruti-çästra.

Here someone may object: Is it not true that after waking up a person becomes convinced that what he saw in a dream was false. This proves that all dreams are unreal.

In the following words the author of the sütras answers this objection.

Sütra 5

paräbhidhyänät tu tirohitaà tato hy asya bandha-viparyayau

para - of ther Supreme Personality of Godhead; abhidhyänät - by the will; tu - indeed; tirohitaà - withdrawn; tato - from Him; hi - indeed; asya - of him; bandha - bondage; viparyayau - release.

By the will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead it is withdrawn. Indeed, bondage and liberation also come from Him.

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

Because they are created by the will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, chariots and other things seen in a dream are not unreal. They are not like the illusion of silver seen on a seashell. the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the cause of bondage and liberation for the individual spirit soul. this is described in Çvetäçvatara Upaniñad (6.16):

saàsära-mokña-sthiti-bandha-hetuù

"the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the master of this cosmic manifestation in regard to bondage to the conditional state of material existence and liberation from that bondage."*

the Lord brings liberation from the bondage of repeated birth and death.Therefore it is not surprising that He has the power to bring dreams to their end. That is the meaning. Therefore it should be understood that dreams are manifested by Him and withdrawn by Him also. In the Kürma Puräëa it is said:

svapnädi-buddhi-kartä ca

tiraskartä sa eva tu

tad-icchayä yato hy asya

bandha-mokñau pratiñïhitau

"The Supreme Lord creates and ends dreams and other states of being. By His will both bondage and liberation are manifested."

Therefore, because they are created by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, dreams are real.

Adhikaraëa 3

The Supreme Personality of Godhead Creates the Waking State

Introduction by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

Now will be explained that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the creator of the waking state also. In the Kaïha Upaniñad (2.1.4) it is said:

svapnäntaà jägaritäntaà cobhau yenänupaçyati

mahäntam vibhum ätmänaà

matvä dhéro na çocati

"Aware that the all-powerful Supreme Person creates all that is seen in both waking and dreaming states, a wise man never laments."

Saàçaya (doubt): Does the Supreme Personality of Godhead create the waking condition of the individual spirit souls, or not?

Pürvapakña (the opponent speaks): The waking state is not created by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for it is seen that the waking state is under the control of time and other factors. Siddhänta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sütras gives His conclusion.

Sütra 6

deha-yogäd vä so 'pi

deha - of the body; yogäd - from contact; vä - or; so - that; api - even.

That also from contact with the body.

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

As explained in Kaïha Upaniñad 2.1.4, the waking state, qwhich occurs when the soul is in contact with the body, is manifested from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is so because time and the other factors are only inert matter. The word "api" (also) in this sütra hints that the state of dreamless sleep and fainting are also created by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is so because the Çruti-çästra affirms that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is creator of everything.

Adhikaraëa 4

The Supreme Personality of Godhead Is the Creator of Dreamless Sleep

Introduction by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

Now the condition of dreamless sleep will be considered. The Çruti-çästra describes the state of dreamless sleep in the following passages. In the Chändogya Upaniñad (8.6.3) it is said:

äsu tadä näòéñu supto bhavati

"Entering the näòés, the soul sleeps."

In the Båhad-äraëyaka Upaniñad (2.1.19) it is said:

täbhiù praty avasåpya puré-tati çete

"Entering the membrane surrounding the heart, the soul sleeps."

In the Båhad-äraëyaka Upaniñad (2.1.17) it is said:

ya eño 'ntar hådaya äkäças tasmin çete

"Entering the sky of the heart, the soul sleeps."

Many other like verses may also be quoted. The "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 thing 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

tad - of that; abhävo - the absence; näòéñu - in the nadis; tat - that; çruter - from Çruti-çästra; ätmani - in the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ca - also.

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

Purport by Çréla 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 näòés, 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 näòés and präëas are described together. In the Kauçétaki Upaniñad (4.19) it is said:

täsu tadä bhavati. yadä suptaù svapnaà na kaëcana paçyaty athäsmin präëa evaikadhä bhavati.

"Then the soul enters the näòés. 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 näòés, 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 "purétat" here means "the membrane surrounding the lotus of the heart".

Sütra 8

ataù prabodho 'smät

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

Therefore the waking state is from Him.

Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa

Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the actual place where dreamless sleep occurs and the näòés 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 naòés, 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

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