Jiva Gosvami teaching Narottam, Srinivas and Syamananda at Radha Damodar Temple
BY: SUN STAFF
Apr 13, CANADA (SUN) —
Sri Paramatma-Sandarbha, Volume 6, by Srila Jiva Goswami
Anuccheda 105 (Part Four)
Text 70
mahopanisadi ca sa brahmana srjati sa rudrena vilapayati ity adikam.
In the Maha Upanisad it is said:
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead employs Brahma to create the world and siva to destroy it."
Text 71
ata eva vivrtam
nimitta-matram isasya
visva-sarga-nirodhayoh hiranyagarbhah sarvas ca
kalasyarupinas tava. iti.
This is also confirmed by these words addressed to the Supreme Lord (srimad-Bhagavatam 10.71.8):
"Actually, You are creating and destroying the entire cosmic manifestation. Lord Brahma and Lord Siva are only the superficially visible causes. Creation and destruction are actually being performed by the invisible time factor, which is Your impersonal representation."
Text 72
tava yo rupa-rahitah kalah kala-saktis tasya nimitta-matram iti vyadhikarana eva sasthi.
Here the words "tava kalasyarupino nimittam" mean "Your time-potency, which is formless, is the intermediate cause". Here time is in the genitive case.
Text 73
tatha adyo 'vatarah purusah parasya ity adi.
That the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the original cause of time and the material world is also confirmed by these words of srimad-Bhagavatam (2.6.42):
"Karanarnavasayi Visnu is the first incarnation of the Supreme Lord, and He is the master of eternal time, space, cause and effects, mind, the elements, the material ego, the modes of nature, the senses, the universal form of the Lord. Garbhodakasayi Visnu, and the sum total of all living beings, both moving and non-moving."
Text 74
yad-amsato 'sya sthiti-janma-nasah ity adi ca.
This is also confirmed by these words of srimad-Bhagavatam (6.3.12):
"Above me and above all other demigods, including Indra and Candra, is the one supreme master and controller. The partial manifestations of His personality are Brahma, Visnu, and siva, who are in charge of the creation, maintenance, and annihilation of this universe. He is like the two threads that form the length and breadth of a woven cloth. The entire world is controlled by Him just as a bull is controlled by a rope in his nose."
Text 75
tad evam atrapi tatha-vidha-murtir bhagavan evopakrantah. tad evam tatastha-laksanena param nirdharya tad eva laksanam brahma-sutre sastra-yonitvat. tat tu samanvayat ity etat sutra-dvayena sthapitam asti.
In this way the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is described. The way the individual spirit souls, or marginal potency, can understand the truth about the Supreme Lord is described in two statements of Vedanta-sutra (1.1.3-4):
"The Supreme Lord is the author of all revealed scriptures, and all revealed scriptures are for knowing the Supreme Lord."
"That the Supreme Lord is the author of all revealed scriptures is confirmed by the words of the scriptures."
Text 76
tatra purva-sutrasyarthah kuto brahmano jagaj-janmadi- hetutvam. tatraha sastram yonir jnana-karanam yasya tattvat.
The first of these sutras is explained in this way: Why is it said that the Supreme is the original cause of the material universe's creation, maintenance, and annihilation? This question is answered by the words "sastra-yonitvat", which mean "because the scriptures are the way to know the truth".
Text 77
yato va imani bhutani ity adi sastra-pramanakatvad iti.
Scriptural evidence for the truth that the Supreme Lord is the origin of material creation is found in these words of Taittiriya Upanisad (3.1.1):
"The Supreme Absolute Truth is that from which everything is born."
Text 78
natra darsanantara-vat tarka-pramanakatvam. tarkapratisthanat. atyantatindriyatvena pratyaksadi- pramanavisayatvad brahmanas ceti bhavah.
Unlike other philosophies, the philosophy of Vedanta does not accept logic as the best kind of evidence. In Vedanta-sutra (2.1.11) it is said:
"Transcendental topics cannot be understood by argument or logic."
The Supreme is beyond the perception of the material senses. Therefore material direct perception and other kinds of material sources of knowledge are not helpful to understand Him. that is the meaning here.
Text 79
vainasikas tv avirodhadhyaye tarkenaiva nirakarisyante. atra tarkapratisthanam caivam isvarah karta na bhavati. prayojana-sunyatvan muktatma-vat.
Still, in other places logic is used to refute the theories of the Buddhists and other atheists and heretics. However, unaided material logic cannot be used to describe the nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the creator of the material world.
Text 80
nanu bhuvanadikam jiva-kartrkam karyatvat ghata-vat. vimati-visayah kalo na loka-sunyah. kalatvat vartamana-kala- vad ity adi. tad evam darsananugunyenesvaranumanam tu darsanantara-pratikulya-parahatam iti sastraika-pramanakah para-brahma-bhutah sarvesvarah purusottamah.
Here someone may protest: "Is it not so that just as an individual soul can create a clay pot, so an individual soul can also create a material universe?"
To this protest is given the following reply: Material time does not exist outside of the material world. Outside of the material world time is manifested as an eternal present. From that spiritual perspective logic proves the truth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and any theory that there is not Supreme Personality of Godhead is at once refuted by logic. Therefore, for the residents of the material world the only way to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead is by accepting the revelation of scripture.
Text 81
sastram tu sakaletara-pramana-paridrsta-samasta-vastu- vijatiya-sarvajnya-satya-sankalpatvadi- misranavadhikatisayaparimitodara-vicitra-guna-sagaram nikhila-heya-pratyanika-svarupam pratipadayatiti na pramanantaravasita-vastu-sadharmya-prayukta-dosa-gandhah. ata eva svabhavikananta-nitya-murtimattvam api tasya sidhyatiti.
Scripture teaches that the Supreme Personality of Godhead has an ocean of wonderful good qualities. such as all-knowledge, His every wish being at once fulfilled, being free of all limits, and countless other virtues and noble qualities. he also has no faults. He has not even the slightest scent of any fault.
Text 82
athottara-sutrasyarthah brahmanah katham sastra- pramanakatvam. tatraha tat tv iti.
Now the second sutra (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.4) will be explained. Someone may ask: "Why do you say that the studying the scriptures is the proper way to understand the Supreme?" Vedanta-sutra 1.1.4 is then spoken to answer this question.
Text 83
tu-sabdah prasaktasanka-nivrtty-arthah. tac-chastra- pramanakatvam brahmanah sambhavaty eva. kutah. samanvayat. anvaya-vyatirekabhyam upapadanam samanvayas tasmat.
The sutra begins its answer with the word "tu" (but), which is a word appropriate for beginning the answer to an objection. The scriptures describe the Supreme. Someone may ask: "Why do you say that?" The answer is given in the sutra with the word "samanvayat", which means, "because all this scriptures, directly and indirectly, affirm that it is so".
Text 84
tatranvayah satyam jnanam anantam brahma iti. anando brahma iti. ekam evadvitiyam brahma iti. tat satyam sa atma iti. sad eva saumyedam agra asit iti. brahma va idam ekam evagra asit iti. atma va idam eka evagra asit purusa-vidhah iti. puruso ha vai narayanah iti. eko ha vai narayana asit iti. tad aiksata bahu syam prajayayeti iti. tasmad va etasmad atmana akasah sambhutah iti. tat tejo 'srjata iti. yato va imani bhutani jayante iti. puruso ha vai narayano 'kamayata. atha narayanad ajo 'jayata. yatah prajah sarvani bhutani.
Many passages may be quoted from scripture to describe the Supreme Lord and to prove that He created the material world. For example, in the Taittiriya Upanisad (2.11) it is said:
satyam jnanam anantam brahma
"The Supreme is eternal, real, limitless, and full of knowledge."
In the the Taittiriya Upanisad (3.6.1) it is said:
anando brahma
"The Supreme is full of bliss."
In the the Chandogya Upanisad (6.2.1) it is said:
ekam evadvitiyam brahma
"No one can rival the Supreme Lord."
In the the Chandogya Upanisad (6.8.7) it is said:
tat satyam sa atma
"The Supreme Lord is eternal and real."
In the the Chandogya Upanisad (6.2.1) it is said:
sad eva saumyedam agra asit
"O gentle one, before the material world was manifested, the Supreme Lord existed."
In the the Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (1.4.10) it is said:
brahma va idam ekam evagra asit
"Before the material world was manifested, the Supreme Lord existed."
In the the Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (6.2.1) it is said:
atma va idam eka evagra asit purusa-vidhah
"Before the material world was manifested, the Supreme Personality of Godhead existed."
In the the Narayana Upanisad (text 1) it is said:
puruso ha vai narayanah
"Lord Narayana is the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
In the the Maha-Narayana Upanisad (1.1) it is said:
eko ha vai narayana asit
"Lord Narayana is the only Supreme Personality of Godhead."
In the the Chandogya Upanisad (6.2.3) it is said:
tad aiksata bahu syam prajayaya
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead thought: Let Me become many. Let Me father many children."
In the the Taittiriya Upanisad (2.1.3) it is said:
tasmad va etasmad atmana akasah sambhutah
"From the Supreme Personality of Godhead the sky was born."
In the the Chandogya Upanisad (6.2.3) it is said:
tat tejo 'srjata
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead created fire and the other material elements."
In the the Taittiriya Upanisad (2.1.3) it is said:
yato va imani bhutani jayante
"All created beings emanate from the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
In the the Maha-Narayana Upanisad it is said:
puruso ha vai narayano 'kamayata. atha narayanad ajo 'jayata. yatah prajah sarvani bhutani.
"In the beginning Lord Narayana desired to create the material world. Then from Lord Narayana the demigod Brahma was born, and from Brahma all the living entities were manifested."
Text 85
narayanah param brahma
tattvam narayanah param rtam satyam param brahma
purusam krsna-pingalam. ity adisu ca.
In the the Maha-Narayana Upanisad it is said:
"Narayana is the Supreme Brahman. Narayana is the supreme truth. Narayana is the supreme truth, the supreme object of worship, and the Supreme Brahman. His transcendental form is dark and splendid."
Text 86
atha vyatirekah katham asatah saj jayeta iti. ko hy evanyat kah pranyad yad esa akasa anando na syat iti. eko ha vai narayana asin na brahma na ca sankarah ity adisu.
The Lord is indirectly described in these words of Chandogya Upanisad (6.2.2):
katham asatah saj jayeta
"How is it possible that the real world was born from something that is not real?
In the Taittiriya Upanisad (2.7.1) it is said:
ko hy evanyat kah pranyad yad esa akasa anando na syat
"Who could breathe or remain alive if the blissful Supreme Lord did not reside in his heart?"
In the the Maha-Narayana Upanisad (1.1) it is said:
eko ha vai narayana asin na brahma na ca sankarah
"In the beginning there was only Lord Narayana. there was no Brahma and no siva."
Text 87
anyesam ca vakyanam samanvayas tatraiva vaksyate. anandamayo 'bhyasat ity adina.
Many other passages from scripture may be quoted to describe the Supreme Personality of Godhead. For example, in Vedanta-sutra (1.1.12) it is said:
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead is by nature full of joy."
Text 88
sa caivam paramananda-rupatvenaiva samanvito bhavatiti tad- upalabdhyaiva parama-purusarthatva-siddher na prayojana- sunyatvam api.
One who thus understands that the Supreme Personality of Godhead has a form of transcendental bliss attains the supreme goal of life. Nothing remains unattained by such a person.
tad evam sutra-dvayarthe sthite tad etad vyacaste anvayad itaratas carthesu iti. arthesu nana-vidhesv api veda-vakyarthesu satsu anvayad anvaya-mukhena yato yasmad ekasmad asya janmadi pratiyate. athetarato vyatireka-mukhena ca yasmad evasya tat pratiyata ity arthah. ata eva tasya sruty-anvaya-vyatireka- darsitena parama-sukha-rupatvena parama-purusarthatvam ca dhvanitam.
These two sutras (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.3-4) are explained by the words "anvayad itaratas carthesu" in srimad- Bhagavatam 1.1.1. Here "arthesu" means "the various statements of the Vedic scriptures", "anvayat" means "with the direct descriptions of He who is the cause of the creation, maintenance, and annihilation of the material world", "itaratah" means "with the indirect descriptions of Him". In this way, by understanding the direct and indirect statements of the Vedas, one easily attains the supreme goal of life.
Text 90
eko ha vai narayana asit ity adi sastra-pramanatvena prak sthapita-rupatvam ceti.
The Maha-Narayana Upanisad's (1.1) statement "eko ha vai narayana asit" (Before the material world was created, only Lord Narayana existed) is scriptural proof that the form of Lord Narayana existed before the material world was created.
Text 91
atha iksater nasabdam iti vyacaste abhijna iti.
The next sutra is (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.5) is:
iksater nasabdam
"Because it is said that the Supreme glanced on the material nature, it is not said by the scriptures that pradhana (the unmanifested state of matter) is the cause of the material world."
This sutra is explained by the word "abhijnah" in srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.1.
Text 92
atra sutrarthah idam amnayate chandogye sad eva saumyedam agra asid ekam evadvitiyam brahma iti. tad aiksata bahu syam iti. tat tejo 'srjata ity adi.
This sutra is also explained by many passages in the scriptures. In the Chandogya Upanisad (6.2.1) it is said:
sad eva saumyedam agra asid ekam evadvitiyam brahma
"O gentle one, in the beginning only the Supreme existed. There was none but Him."
In the Upanisads it is also said:
tad aiksata bahu syam
"The Supreme thought" Let Me become many."
In the Upanisads it is again said:
tat tejo 'srjata ity adi.
"The Supreme created the element fire and the other material elements."
Text 93
atra paroktam pradhanam api jagat-karanatvenayati. tac ca nety aha iksater iti. yasmin sabda eva pramanam na bhavati. tad asabdam anumanikam pradhanam ity arthah. na tad iha pratipadyam.
Here someone may protest: "Is it not said that the pradhana (unmanifested material nature) is the creator of the material world?" To this protest the words of Vedanta-sutra 1.1.5 say: "No. That is not true. The Vedic scriptures do not say that the pradhana is the ultimate cause of the material world."
Text 94
kuto 'sabdatvam tasyety asankyaha iksateh.
Fearing that someone might say "Where do the scriptures say that pradhana is not the creator of the material world?", Vedanta-sutra (1.1.5) says: "iksateh" (Because it is said that the Supreme glanced on the material energy).
Text 95
sac-chabda-vacya-sambandhi-vyapara-visesabhidhayina iksater dhatoh sravanat. tad aiksata itiksanam cacetane pradhane na sambhavet. anyatra ceksa-purtikaiva srstih. sa aiksata lokan nu srja iti. sa iman lokan asrjata ity adau.
The word "iksateh" here describes the activity of seeing performed by the Supreme. When the Upanisads say the creator of the world glanced (tad aiksata) on the material energy, these words cannot describe the inanimate unconscious pradhana, which does not have to power to see anything. That the creator of the material has the power to see is confirmed in these words of Aitareya Upanisad (1.1.1):
sa aiksata lokan nu srja
"With a glance He created the material worlds."
In Aitareya Upanisad (1.1.2) it is also said:
sa iman lokan asrjata
"By glancing He created the material world."
Text 96
iksanam catra tad-asesa-srjya-vicaratmakatvat sarvaj atvam eva krodi-karoti. tad etad aha abhijna iti.
Because He created everything with a glance, and because He thus sees everything that was created, the Supreme is all- knowing. This is described in srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.1 by the word "abhijna".
Text 97
nanu tadanim ekam advitiyam ity uktes tasyeksana-sadhanam na sambhavati. tatraha svarad iti.
Here someone may protest: "The scriptures say that the Lord is `ekam evadvitiyam' (one without a second). This must mean that, because He is everything, the Lord cannot be so limited as to have the power to see, and because He cannot see anything, He cannot possible be all-knowing."
By speaking the word "sva-rat" (He is independent), srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.1 refutes this objection.
Text 98
svarupenaiva tatha tatha rajata iti na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate ity adau. svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca ity adi sruteh.
This means that the Supreme can do anything He wishes. In the svetasvatara Upanisad (6.8) it is said:
"He does not possess bodily form like that of an ordinary living entity. There is no difference between His body and His soul. He is absolute. All His senses are transcendental. Any one of His senses can perform the action of any other sense. Therefore, no one is greater than Him or equal to Him. His potencies are multifarious, and thus His deeds are automatically performed as a natural sequence."
Text 99
eteneksana-van-murtimattvam api tasya svabhavikam ity ayatam. nihsvasitasyapy agre darsayisyamanatvat. tac ca yathoktam eveti ca.
In this way it is seen that the Supreme Lord has a form and that form has the power to see. The Lord also has the power to breathe, as will be shown later (text 102) in this book.
Text 100
atha sastra-yonitvat ity asyarthantaram vyacaste tena iti.
Another interpretation of Vedanta-sutra 1.1.3 is given in srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.1's word "tene" (He imparted).
Text 101
tac carthantaram yatha katham tasya jagaj-janmadi-kartrtvam. katham va nanya-tantroktasya pradhanasya na canyasyeti. tatraha sastrasya veda-laksanasya yonih karanam.
Now this second interpretation will be discussed. Here someone may protest: "How is it possible that the Supreme is the creator, maintainer, and destroyer of the material universes? Do the scriptures not say that the pradhana (unmanifested material energy) is the creator of the material worlds?"
To this protest the following answer is given: The Vedas affirm that the Supreme is the creator (yoni) of the material worlds.
Text 102
tad-rupatvat. evam va are 'sya mahato bhutasya nisvasitam etad yad rg-vedo yad yajur-vedah sama-vedo 'tharvangirasa itihasa-puranam vidya upanisadah slokah sutrany apy asutrani vyakhyanani iti sruteh.
That the Supreme Lord has the power to breathe is confirmed by these words of Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (2.4.10):
"From the breath of the Supreme Being came the Rg Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, Atharva Veda, Itihasas, Puranas, Upanisads, verses, sutras, prose explanations, and Vedic commentaries."
Text 103
sastram hi sarva-pramanagocara-vivdhananta-jnana- mayam. tasya ca karanam brahmaiva sruyata iti. tad evam mukhyam sastra-jnam tadrsam sarvajnatvam vina ca sarva- srsty-adikam anyasya nopapadyata iti prokta-laksanam brahmaiva jagat-karanam. na pradhanam. na ca jivantaram iti.
Scripture brings knowledge of a limitless variety of things, including many things that cannot be known in any other way. The scriptures themselves declare that the Supreme Himself is their original author. Therefore the Supreme is all-knowing. Also, if He were not all-knowing, it would not be possible for Him to create, maintain, and annihilate the material universes. In this way it is proved that the Supreme is the original creator of the material world. Neither pradhana nor any individual soul is the creator.
Text 104
tad eva vivrtyaha tene brahma hrda ya adi-kavaye iti brahma vedam adi-kavaye brahmane brahmanam prati hrdantahkarana- dvaraiva. na tu vag-dvara. tene avirbhavitavan.
That the Supreme is the original author of the Vedic scriptures is also described in srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.1 in the words "tene brahma hrda ya adi-kavaye" (It is He only who first imparted the Vedic knowledge unto the heart of Brahmaji, the original living being). Here the word "brahma" means "the Vedic scriptures", "adi-kavaye" means to the demigod Brahma", "hrda" means "not by words, but through the heart", and "tene" means manifested".
Text 105
atra brhad-vacakena brahma-padena sarva-j anamayatvam tasya jnapitam. hrdety anenantaryamitvam sarva-saktimayatvam ca jnapitam. adi-kavaya ity anena tasyapi siksa-nidanatvac chastra-yonitvam ceti.
The word "brahma" is derived from the word brhat" (great). In this way it is said that the scriptures (brahma) are the "great knowledge" or the knowledge of everything". The word "hrda" here teaches us that the Supreme Lord is the Supersoul in everyone's heart and the master of all potencies. Because He is the original teacher of all knowledge, the Supreme Lord is thus the original author of the Vedas, as Vedanta-sutra 1.1.3 (sastra- yonitvat) explains.
Text 106
srutis catra
yo brahmanam vidadhati purvam
yo vai vedams ca prahinoti tasmai tam ha devam atma-buddhi-prakasam
mumuksur vai saranam aham prapadye. iti.
This is also described in the following words of svetasvatara Upanisad (6.18):
"Because I desire liberation, let me surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who first enlightened Lord Brahma in Vedic knowledge through Lord Brahma's heart. The Lord is the original source of all enlightenment and spiritual advancement."
Text 107
mukta-jiva api tat-karanam nety aha muhyantiti. yatra brahmani vedakhye surayah sesadayo 'pi. anena ca sayana-lila- vyanjita-nisvasitamaya-vedo brahmadi-vidhanacanas ca yah padmanabhas tad-adi-murtikah sri-bhagavan evabhihitah.
The liberated individual souls are certainly not the original authors of the Vedic scriptures. This is confirmed by the word "muhyanti" (even the great sages and demigods are placed into illusion) in srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.1. This means that even the great demigods, such as Lord sesa, are not the authors of the Vedas. The Vedas were manifested from the breathing of Lord Garbhodakasayi Visnu, who is one of the many forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as He enjoyed pastimes of sleep. At that time the Vedas were revealed to the demigod Brahma.
Text 108
vivrtam caitat pracodita yena pura sarasvati ity adina.
That the Supreme Lord taught the Vedas to the demigod Brahma is confirmed by the following words of srimad-Bhagavatam (2.4.22):
"May the Lord, who in the beginning of the creation amplified the potent knowledge of Brahma from within his heart and inspired him with full knowledge of creation and of His own Self, and who appeared to be generated from the mouth of Brahma, be pleased with me."
Go to Anuccheda One Hundred-six to seven
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