Sri Vedanta-sutra
BY: SUN STAFF
Jan 25, CANADA (SUN) — Sri Vedanta-sutra - Volume Five by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana, Translated by Sriman Kusakratha dasa.
Adhikarana 33
Meditation on the Form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
Introduction by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana
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 Gopala-tapani Upanishad (1.38), the demigod Brahma explains:
tam ekam govindam sac-cid-ananda-vigraham panca-padam vrindavana-sura-bhuruha-talasinam satatam sa-marud-gano 'ham paramaya stutya toshayami.
"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 Vrindavana, and who is this five-word mantra."
In the verse that follow Brahma speaks prayers describing the gentle smile, merciful glance, and other features on the Supreme Lord's face, eyes, and other parts of the body.
Samsaya (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?
Purvapaksha (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.
Siddhanta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sutras gives His conclusion.
Sutra 63
angeshu yathasraya-bhavah
Appropriate meditation on the limbs.
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana
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.
Sutra 64
sishtais ca
Also by the disciples.
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana
In the Gopala-tapani Upanishad (1.51) it is said:
atha haivam stutibhir aradhayami tatha yuyam panca-padam japantah krishnam dhyayantah samsritim tarishyatha.
"Brahma said: As I worship Him, so should you. Chanting this five word mantra, and meditating on Lord Krishna, you will transcend the world of birth and death."
In this way Brahma teaches his disciples to meditate on the qualities present in Lord Krishna's form. That is the meaning.
Here someone may object: In the Chandogya Upanishad (1.6.7) it is said:
yatha kapyasam pundarikam evam akshini
"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 sutras gives the following reply.
Sutra 65
samaharat
Because of being together.
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana
The word "na" (it is not so) should be added here from three sutras previous. The word applies to both sutras. In this passage of Chandogya Upanishad 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.
Sutra 66
guna-sadharanya-srutes ca
Also because the Sruti-sastra declares that the qualities are held in common.
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana
In Bhagavad-gita (13.14) it is said:
sarvatah pani-padam 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-samhita (5.32) it is said:
angani yasya sakalendriya-vrttimanti
pasyanti panti kalayanti tatha 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 sutras refutes this idea.
Sutra 67
na va tat-saha-bhavasruteh
Or not, for the Sruti-sastra does not declare that they have the same nature.
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana
The word "va" (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 sutra explains: "tat-saha-bhavasruteh" (for the Sruti-sastra does not declare that they have the same nature). This means that the Sruti-sastra 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-gita 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.
Sutra 68
darsanac ca
By seeing also.
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana
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 and described.
