Sri Vedanta-sutra, Part 155
BY: SUN STAFF
Sep 28, 2021 — CANADA (SUN) — Sri Vedanta-sutra - Volume Six by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana, Translated by Sriman Kusakratha dasa.
Adhikarana 10
The Liberated Soul Has Not the Power to Create the World
Introduction by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana
In Chandogya Upanishad (8.1.6 and 8.2.1) it is said:
atha ya iha atmanam anuvidya vrajanty etams ca satyan kamams tesham sarveshu lokeshu kama-caro bhavati. sa yadi pitriloka-kamo bhavati.
"He who knows the truth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and places his desires in eternal spiritual happinesses may go, when he leaves this body, to any world he wishes. If he desires to create a Pitriloka planet, then that planet is at once created."
Samsaya (doubt): Does the liberated soul have the power to create a material universe, or does he not?
Purvapaksha (the opponent speaks): Because he is equal to the Supreme Lord, and also because all his desires are at once fulfilled, the liberated soul must also have this power.
Siddhanta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sutras gives His conclusion.
Sutra 17
jagad-vyapara-varjyam prakaranad asannihitatvat
Except for creating the universe, because of the context and because he is not near to it.
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana
The creative power of the liberated soul is described in Chandogya Upanishad (8.2.1). However, the liberated soul has not the power to create a material universe. Only the Supreme Personality of Godhead has the power to create, maintain, and destroy the material universes. This is described in Taittiriya Upanishad (3.1.1). How is this known? The sutra explains, "prakaranad asannihitatvat" (because of the context and because he is not near to it). From the context it is seen that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the topic discussed in this passage of Taittiriya Upanishad (3.1.1). Neither by a great struggle nor by chanting mantras can the individual spirit soul obtain this kind of power. This is corroborated by the explanation given in Taittiriya Upanishad (2.6.1). Also, the liberated soul is not the subject of discussion in any passage near to (asannihitatvat) these words of Taittiriya Upanishad (2.6.1). If it were otherwise (and the liberated souls had the power to create the material universe), then the author of the sutras would not have defined the the Supreme Personality of Godhead in these words (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.2):
janmady asya yatah
"That Brahman (the Supreme Spirit) is He from whom the creation, sustenance, and destruction of the manifested universe arises."*
Also, if the liberated souls had the power to create universes, there would be many creators and from that there would arise a great chaos and calamity. Therefore the liberated souls have not the power to create material universes.
Here someone may object: In Taittiriya Upanishad 1.5.3) it is said:
sarve 'smai deva balim avahanti
"All the demigods bring offerings to him."
Also, in Chandogya Upanishad (7.25.2) it is said:
sa svarad bhavati tasya sarveshu lokeshu kama-caro bhavati
"He is independent. He can go to any world."
In this way it is seen that because he is worshiped by all the demigods, and because he has all extraordinary powers, the liberated soul can certainly create material universes.
If this is said, then the author of the sutras gives the following reply.
Sutra 18
pratyakshopadesan neti cen nadhikarika-mandalasyokteh
Someone may say: "No. It is not so. Because there is a direct teaching," If this is said, I reply: "No. What you say is not true. Because those texts describe great leaders."
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana
Here someone may say, "It is not correct to say that the liberated souls have no power to create material universes, for many passages of the Sruti-sastra directly describe that power." If this is said, then the author of the sutra replies, "No. It is not so." Why not? The sutra explains, "adhikarika-mandalasyokteh" (Because those texts describe great leaders). These texts explain how, by the mercy of the Supreme Lord, the liberated soul can travel to the planets of the great demigods, such as that of the four-faced Brahma, and enjoy many pleasures there. In this way it is said that the great liberated souls, such as Narada Muni and the four Kumaras can travel to the planets of the demigods, and when the do the demigods there honor them with great respect.
These passages of the Upanishad mean in truth that by the Supreme Lord's mercy the liberated souls can travel to many different worlds and feel pleasure by seeing the Lord's glories and opulences there. These passages should not be wrongly interpreted to mean that the individual spirit soul has the power to create material universes.
Here someone may object: If the liberated soul is thus an enjoyer of various material pleasures, then he is not different from a conditioned soul, for all material pleasures must come to an end.
If this is said, then the author of the sutras gives the following reply.
Sutra 19
vikaravarti ca tatha hi sthitim aha
Furthermore it is changeless, for it describes that condition.
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana
The word "vikara" here refers to the six kinds of transformation, beginning with birth, that are present in the material world. These transformations do not effect the liberated soul. Neither do these transformations affect the supremely pure Personality of Godhead, his transcendental abode, or anything else that has transcendental qualities like those of the Supreme Lord. Aware of what is the truth about all these worlds, the liberated soul may observe them but he does not really reside in them. The word "hi" in this sutra means, "because". The true nature of the liberated soul is described (sthitim aha) in the following words of Katha Upanishad (2.2.1):
puram ekadasa-dvaram
ajasyavakra-cetasah
anushthaya na socati
vimuktas ca vimucyate
"Although he resides in the city of eleven gates, the city of the unborn and pure-hearted Supreme, he does not lament. He is free. He is liberated."
Although his spiritual form seems to be covered, the soul enlightened with transcendental knowledge is liberated in truth. Although he seems to reside in the world of the three modes, he is liberated. That is the meaning of this verse. In these two ways he is liberated. He has directly attained the goal of life. The covering of material life is like a garland of clouds. It covers the eyes of the conditioned souls, but it does not cover the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Sruti-sastra it is said:
vilajjamanaya yasya
sthatum iksha-pathe 'muya
vimohita vikantthante
mamaham iti durdhiyah
"The illusory energy of the Lord cannot take precedence, being ashamed of her position. But those who are bewildered by her always talk nonsense, being absorbed in thoughts of `It is I' and `It is mine'."*
Therefore the clouds (of material illusion) can never really cover the sun (of the Supreme Personality of Godhead).
Here someone may object: The goal of life is to make manifest the true nature of the individual spirit soul, who is blissful, whose desires are all at once fulfilled, and who has a host of transcendental virtues. That is enough. Why should one labor to understand the Supreme Lord also?
If this is said, the author of the sutras gives the following reply.
Sutra 20
darsayatas caivam pratyakshanumane
Direct perception and logic both reveal it.
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana
Although he has the transcendental qualities already described, because he is atomic in size the liberated soul does not, by himself, have bliss that is limitless. It is when he associates with the Supreme Personality of Godhead that the liberated soul attains limitless bliss. This is described in Taittiriya Upanishad (2.7):
rasam hy evayam labdhvanandi-bhavati
"When one understands the Personality of Godhead, the reservoir of pleasure, Krishna, he actually becomes transcendentally blissful."*
Also, in the Bhagavad-gita (14.27), Lord Krishna explains:
brahmano hi pratishthaham
amritasyavyayasya ca
sasvatasya ca dharmasya
sukhasyasikantikasya ca
"And I am the basis of the impersonal Brahman, which is immortal, imperishable, and eternal, and is the constitutional position of ultimate happiness."*
This is like a poor man who takes shelter of a rich man and becomes wealthy.
Here someone may object: in the Mundaka Upanishad (3.1.3) it is said:
niranjanah paramam samyam upaiti
"Freed from matter, the liberated soul becomes equal to the Supreme."
The Sruti-sastra thus explains that the liberated soul is equal to the Supreme. What is the use, then, of even using the word, "the Supreme Lord"? The so-called atomic nature of the individual soul is only a figure of speech. The truth is that the individual soul is all-pervading.
If this is said, then the author of the sutras gives the following reply.
Sutra 21
bhoga-matra-samya-lingac ca
Also because of the indication that the equality is only in enjoyment.
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana
The word "ca" (also) is used here for emphasis. As a frog jumps, so the word "na" (not) should jump into this sutra from sutra 18. In the Taittiriya Upanisad (2.1.1) it is said:
so 'snute sarvan kaman saha brahmana vipascita
"The liberated soul enjoys all transcendental pleasures in the company of the all-knowing Supreme Personality of Godhead."
The meaning here is that the Upanishad's statement that the liberated soul is equal to the Lord applies only to the soul's enjoyment of transcendental happiness. The liberated soul is not equal in nature to the Supreme Lord. That is the meaning. This objection was previously refuted in sutra 2.3.19. In this way it is proved that the equality of the Supreme and the individual spirit soul is in the matter of enjoyment only, that their natures are different, and that difference is real.
