Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusanas

Sri Vedanta-syamantaka
The Syamantaka Jewel of Vedanta
Table of Contents
Prathamah Kiranah
First ay of !i"ht
Pramana-nirnayah
#viden$e for the Truth Pa"e %
&vitiyah Kiranah
Se$ond ay of !i"ht
Sarvesvara-tattva-nirnayah
The Su'reme Personality of (odhead Pa"e )
Trtiyah Kiranah
Third ay of !i"ht
Jiva-niru'anah
The *ndividual S'irit Souls Pa"e +,
Caturthah Kiranah
Fourth ay of !i"ht
Prakrtitva-niru'anah
-atter Pa"e %.
Pan$amah Kiranah
Fifth ay of !i"ht
Kala-tattva-niru'anah
Time Pa"e /%
Sasthah Kiranah
Si0th ay of !i"ht
Karma-tattva-niru'anah
1$tion Pa"e //
#'ilo"ue Pa"e /2
Prathamah Kiranah
First ay of !i"ht
Pramana-nirnayah
#viden$e for the Truth
1 May the wonderful moon of Lord Caitanya, a moon that
reveals the eternal form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a
moon that creates great waves in the fooding ocean of
transcendental bliss, a moon that taught the truth to upa
Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami, a moon that removes the
dar!ness, rise in our hearts"
1
# $vidence is needed to understand the truth" %he
philosopher Carva!a accepts only the evidence of direct sense
perception &pratya!sa'" %he (aisesi!a philosophy accepts both
sense perception and logic &anumana'" Patan)ali and pseudo *
+apila accept sense*perception, logic, words and analogies
&upamana'" %he mimamsa!as accept sense perception, logic,
words, analogies and also inference &arthapatti' and the
impossibility of non e,istence &anupalabdhi'" %he followers of the
Puranas accept sense perception, logic, words, analogies,
inference and the impossibility of none e,istence and tradition
&aihitya' and e-uivalence &sambhava' as well" .e see all these
as evidence for the truth" /n this way there are eight !inds of
evidence to 0nd the truth1 sense perception, logic, words,
analogies, inference, the impossibility of non e,istence, tradition
and e-uivalence"
2 /n sense perception, which is the lowest !ind of evidence,
one says, 3/ see it with my own eyes"4 %hen there is logic" 5ne
may see smo!e rising from a mountaintop" $ven though one
cannot see any 0re, by logic one !nows a 0re e,ists"
6ow we will consider words" .ords may be ordinary, such
as the statement 37ive trees grow on the riverban!4, or words may
also be the words of the (edas, li!e the statement 3%hey who wish
to go to Svargalo!a should perform agnistoma*ya)na"4 5ne may
also see how one thing is li!e another" %hat is called analogy" 8n
e,ample of that is the statement 38n o, is something li!e a cow4"
5ne may also infer one thing from another" 9earing the
words, 3Chubby :evadatta passed the whole day without eating4,
one may infer that perhaps he eats at night"
/n the impossibility of non e,istence, one may understand,
3/n this situation it is not possible a pot is not present"4 /n this
way one surmises the pot4s e,istence" /n e-uivalence one may
thin!, 3%en is automatically included within a hundred" %herefore,
if a hundred are present, then ten are also present within it"4
%radition is a common understanding" 8n e,ample is a
commonly accepted statement, li!e the statement, 38 ya!sa lives
under that banyan tree"4 8nother e,ample is the raising of ten
0ngers to signify ten pots or other ob)ects" /n this way there are
various !inds of evidence"
; 8mong these di<erent !inds of philosophers, Carva!a, who
accepts only direct perception as evidence, says, 38 bewildered
fool who is full of doubts cannot understand the truth" %herefore
one should not accept the opinions of others, for they may only
be bewildered fools who are full of doubts and who cannot
understand the true situation even when they see it with their
own faulty eyes" /f such persons try to tal! about things beyond
the material world, intelligent persons will not believe anything
they say"=
> 9owever, in spea!ing these words Carva!a, even though
unwillingly, uses the tools of logic" %herefore he becomes the
ob)ect of laughter" 35 Carva!a who accepts only direct sense
perception as evidence, why do you sadly sigh as you suspect
your wife is pregnant from her paramour?4 8 person who never
accepts the word of others, thin!ing others unreliable fools, and
who never accepts the process of logic, of deducing one thing
from another, must, because he has abandoned all other sources
2
of !nowledge, nevertheless accept the statements of others as
truth"
@ .ords &sabda' and analogies &upamana' are two di<erent
!inds of evidence" %he vaisesi!a philosophers accept analogies
as evidence" 8nalogies are di<erent from logic" %his we will
e,plain later" :irect perception, logic, and words are the 0rst
!inds of evidence" 8nalogies and the other !inds of evidence are
in a di<erent category" %his the vaisesi!a philosophers say"
A /n analogy an o, may be compared to a cow" %he words
38n o, is li!e a cow4 use the tools of logic" 8n intelligent person
must consider how an o, and a cow are similar" %his uses logic"
8lso, this person must have with his eyes seen how an o, and a
cow are similar" %his uses direct perception" %herefore an
analogy cannot be considered in a category separate from logic
and direct perception"
B &6ow inference will be considered'" 8 person who does not
eat during the daytime will not remain chubby if he does not eat
at night" %herefore the thought 39is chubbiness is evidence that
he eats at night4 uses the tools of logic" Cecause this person is
chubby, one thin!s, 39e must eat at night" /f he does not eat at
night, and again he fasts during the day, then he cannot remain
chubby"4 8 person who fasts both day and night cannot remain
chubby" %herefore inference also uses the tools of logic"
D %he impossibility of non e,istence is also not a separate
!ind of evidence" %o assume that it is impossible that a pot or
other ob)ect not be present implies that one has with one4s eyes
seen the situation that demands the pot4s presence" %herefore
the evidence called 3impossibility of non e,istence4 is not di<erent
from direct perception" $-uivalence, where one says, 3%en is
automatically included within a hundred4, ma!es use of the tools
of logic" %radition does not become a source of evidence if faith in
the spea!er is absent" %herefore tradition is also included within
the evidence of scripture" Eltimately there are only three !inds of
evidence1 direct perception, logic and scripture" Persons who
wish to 0nd the pure truth accept these three as the true !inds of
evidence"
1F Sense perception can perceive only what is nearby and
gross" /t cannot perceive things very near or very far away" 7or
e,ample, the eyes have only limited power to see a bird fying in
the s!y" 6either can the eyes see the mascara with which they
are decorated" $ven gross things, when they are present in the
mind, cannot be seen with the e,ternal senses" %herefore one
may say, 3.ith my eyes / cannot see the thoughts of my mind4"
Sense perception cannot perceive things that are hidden or
eclipsed or overpowered by other things, or invisible, or the
original ingredients of a blend" /n this way with the eyes one
cannot see the stars in the daytime for they are overpowered by
the sunshine" 6or can one see mil!4s potential to become
yoghurt" 6or can one see the clouds raining on the middle of the
ocean" 6or one can see the atom"
11 %he senses sometimes fail to see even what is very close"
7or e,ample, it may be said, 3.ith his unaided eyes Ga)nadatta
cannot see that his head was shaved by the tric! of a magician
with mystic powers"4 $ven when it cannot be seen directly by the
senses, the truth can often be inferred from certain symptoms"
%his is the use of logic" /n this way when one sees smo!e on a
3
mountain one may infer the e,istence of a 0re, and when that
smo!e is followed by a rainfall, one may infer that the rain
e,tinguished the 0re"
1# .hen sense perception and logic both fail, other tools may
be used to !now the truth" /n some situation the nature of the
words themselves reveals the truth" %hus the mountains named
9imalaya reveal by their name that snow &hima' is present on
them" 8lso, the word 3ratnalaya4 &storehouse of )ewels' implies
that )ewels are present at such a place" 8lso, the )ewel
Surya!anta tells us by its name that it bursts into fames when
e,posed to sunlight" %he evidence that sound gives in this way is
independent of both sense perception and logic" %hat evidence is
not established by sense perception or logic nor is it refuted by
them" Sound is thus our !ind friend and counsellor" .ith its help
we can see what otherwise would be invisible to us"
12 %hus in a certain situation one may be told 3Gou are the
tenth person"4 %he hearer then !nows, 3/ am the tenth person"4 /n
this way sound is a source of !nowledge independent of either
sense perception or logic" /n this way sound can dispel illusion
and establish truth"
1; 8 mantra physician may chant the mantra 3sarpa*daste
tvayi visam nasti4 &8lthough you were bitten by a sna!e, there is
no poison in you', or the mantra 3vahni*taptam angam vahni*
tapena samyati4 &%he limb hurt by 0re is now soothed', or the
mantra 3sauvarnam*bhasitam snigdham4 &6ow you are e<ulgent
li!e gold', or the mantra 3e!am evausadham tri*dosa*ghnam4 &%he
disease is cured by this medicine'" %he e<ectiveness of these
mantras is manifest by the mantras themselves" %hat
e<ectiveness is not refuted by sense perception or logic" /t is by
hearing that one learns 37ire is the medicine for cold weather"4 /t
is by hearing that one learns the properties of diamonds" 5ne
cannot understand those properties by ordinary sense perception
simply by loo!ing at them" Cy ordinary logic one may thin!,
3:iamonds are stones that come from the earth" Stones are cut
by iron" %herefore diamonds may be cut by iron"4 /n this way by
mere logic also one cannot !now the truth of diamonds" /t is by
hearing from a !nowledgeable person that one understands,
3:iamonds cut iron4" 8s far as they are able, sense perception
and logic may be the helpful friends of the evidence that comes
from hearing" 8 person whose head has been shaved by the tric!
of a magician with mystic powers may not be aware of that fact,
but a demigod in the s!y may call down to him, 3/t is so"4 /n the
same way one may hear from a !nowledgeable person, 3/ron may
cut ordinary stones, but it does not cut diamond4, or 30re soothes
the su<ering brought by cold weather4, or one may believe the
words of a person who says 3%he smo!e you saw on the mountain
was indeed a 0re, and that 0re was indeed e,tinguished by the
rain" / directly saw it all myself4" .hen one has no power to see
directly, then it is best to hear a description from a reliable
person" /n this way, for e,ample, from a learned astrologer one
hears of one4s astrological chart, or of future solar eclipses, or of
other li!e things"
1> Saintly persons accept that hearing the statements of
scripture is the best way to attain !nowledge" /n the Sruti*sastra
it is said1
4
H/ as! about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is
described in the Epanisads" / person who does not !now the
teaching of the (edas cannot understand 9im"=
.hen philosophers meet and discuss philosophy they will
never come to a conclusion that will answer their -uestion, a
conclusion they will all accept" 7or this reason one should !now
that those -uestions are answered only in the eternal (edic
scriptures" /n the Sruti*sastra it is said1
H%he real truth is described by the words of the glorious,
eternal (edas"=
/n the Smrti*sastra it is said1
H%he words spo!en by the demigod Crahma in the
beginning of creation are the words of the (edas" %hose words
have neither beginning nor end" %hose words are glorious and
spiritual" 7rom those words all the rules of religion have come"4
Cecause they are free from the four defects of mista!es,
cheating, illusion, and imperfect senses, the words of the (edas
are perfect and faultless"
&vitiyah Kiranah
Se$ond ay of !i"ht
Sarvesvara-tattva-nirnayah
The Su'reme Personality of (odhead
1 6ow we will consider the topics of this boo!" %hese topics
are 0ve1 1" %he Supreme Personality of Godhead, #" %he individual
spirit soul, 2" %he material nature, ;" %ime, and >" 8ction &!arma'"
6ow the 0rst topic will be discussed" /n the Sruti*sastra it is said1
H%he Supreme Controller is a person" %hat highest person
has all powers" 9e has all !nowledge" 9e is supremely blissful"
9e has a host of transcendental -ualities"=
H%he Supreme is full of !nowledge and bliss" 9e is eternal
and full of !nowledge" 9e !nows everything" 9e !nows
everything" 9is every desire is at once ful0lled" /t is at once
ful0lled" 9e is a person, the highest person"=
/n the Sruti*sastra it is also said1
H%he Supreme Lord is the master of all" 9e was never born"
9e will never die"=
H.e meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead" 9e
is the controller of all other controllers, and 9e is the greatest of
all the diverse planetary leaders" $veryone is under 9is control"
8ll entities are delegated with particular power only by the
Supreme Lord" %hey are not supreme themselves" 9e is also
worshipable by all demigods and is the supreme direction of all
directors" %herefore, 9e is transcendental to all !inds of material
leaders and controllers and is worshipable by all" %here is no one
greater than 9im, and 9e is the supreme causes of all causes"=I
&Svetasvatara Epanisad @"A'
H5f all that has a cause, 9e is the cause and the !ing" 6o
one will ever become a !ing that rules over 9im"=
# /n the Sruti*sastra it is said1
HPlease !now that the Supreme Personality of Godhead
appears in this world by 9is own will" 9e is never born"=
/n the Smrti*sastra &Chagavad*gita ;"@' Lord +rsna says1
5
H8lthough / am unborn and My transcendental body never
deteriorates and although / am the Lord of all living entities, / still
appear in every millennium in my original transcendental form"=I
5ne who !now this truth of the Lord attains liberation" /n
Chagavad*gita &;"D' Lord +rsna says1
H5ne who !nows the transcendental nature of My
appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, ta!e
his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal
abode, 5 8r)una"=I
2 9ere someone may protest1 /s it not true that Crahma, Siva
and the other demigods are also masters of the world? %o this we
reply1 Ges" /t is true" %he demigods are masters because they are
very -uali0ed and powerful" Still, Lord +rsna has supreme
mastery" 9e is master of all the demigods" %his is con0rmed in
Svetasvatara Epanisad @"A &-uoted in the preceding paragraph'"
%he demigods are li!e servants of a !ing" %he servants are vested
with some of the !ing4s authority and power"
%he Sruti*sastras aJrm that all the demigods were born
from Lord +rsna" /n Sri 6arayana Epanisad it is said1
HLord 6arayana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
desired1 3Let Me create some children"4"""%hen, from Lord
6arayana Crahma was born" 7rom Lord 6arayana Siva was born"
7rom Lord 6arayana Pra)apati was born" 7rom Lord 6arayana
/ndra was born" 7rom Lord 6arayana the eight (asus were born"
7rom Lord 6arayana the eleven udras were born" 7rom Lord
6arayana the twelve 8dityas were born"=
/n the Maha Epanisad it is said1
H/n the beginning of the creation there was only the
Supreme Personality of 6arayana" %here was no Crahma, no Siva"
I"""%hen Lord 6arayana meditated, and from 9is forehead was
born a three*eyed person holding a trident in his hand" %hen Lord
6arayana created wealth, truth, celibacy, austerity, and
renunciation"=
/n that Epanisad it is also said1
3Crahma, who has four faces, was born from Lord
6arayana"=
; %he word 6arayana means, 3the husband of Goddess
La!smi4" /t is said1
H%he word 6arayana means, 3the husband of Goddess
La!smi4"=
> /n Sri (isnu Purana the demigod Crahma says1
H/, the creator of the living beings, was born from Lord
6arayana4s happiness" Siva, the destroyer of the worlds, was
born from Lord 6arayana4s anger" 7rom Lord 6arayana was also
born Lord (isnu, who is greater than the greatest, and who is the
maintainer of the worlds"=
/n the Mo!sa*dharma Lord +rsna says1
H%he patriarchs, Siva and others are created by Me, though
they do no !now that they are created by Me because they are
deluded by My illusory energy"=I
/n the Chandogya it is said that Siva is the son of Crahma1
H5beisances to infallible Lord Siva, who has three eyes and
who also has a form with a thousand eyes" 9e is the master of
the worlds and the master of !arma" 9e is an e,pansion of the
creator Crahma" 9e is Crahma4s eldest son"=
6
/n the Satapatha*brahmana, 8stamurta*brahmana, the birth
of Siva is described1
H8fter one year, a child was born" .hen the child cried,
Crahma said, 3Child, why do you cry? Gou were born from my
austerities4" %hen the child said, 3/ have no sins" 6ow please give
me a name4"=
/n Sri (araha Purana it is said1
H6arayana is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and
from 9im Crahma was born, from whom Siva was born"=I
%his relationship, where Siva was born from Crahma, was
established in a di<erent !alpa"
@ 9ere someone may protest1 /s it not true that Lord Siva4s
name 3Mahesa4 &great lord' is proof that Lord Siva is the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, the master of all?
%o this / reply1 6o" /t is not as you thin!" %hat name has
the same meaning as Lord /ndra4s name 3mahendra4 &great !ing'"
%o thin! the names 3mahesa4 and 3mahendra4 aJrm that Siva and
/ndra are the Supreme Personality of Godhead is a mista!e" /t is
true that a certain demigod is named 3indra4 &!ing' and it is true
that the :hatu*patha &:ictionary of (erbs' aJrms, 3/ndra means
ones who has supreme power and opulence4" Still, /ndra does not
have mastery over all" 8lso, the master he does have he attained
by his pious deeds, by performing a hundred ya)nas" %herefore he
is also called 3Satama!ha4 &he who performed a hundred ya)nas'"
%he word 3Mahadeva4 is li!e /ndra4s name" /ts true meaning is 39e
who is the !ing of the demigods4" /t truly testi0es to Lord Siva4s
great power" %hat is its true meaning" %he word 3maha4 in
Mahesa means 3great4, )ust as when we say 3a great tree4"
A /n the Mahabharata it is said that Crahma and Siva became
masters of the world because they worshipped Lord (isnu, who is
the ya)na*purusa, the ob)ect of all ya)nas1
H8fter worshipping Lord (isnu for a thousand yugas, a
certain faithful devotee was born in a lotus fower and attained
the post of Crahma, the creator of the worlds"=
Lord +rsna 9imself e,plains1
H/n ancient times / created Crahma" .hen Crahma
worshipped Me, / became pleased and o<ered him many boons"=
H8t the beginning of the !alpa / allowed him to become My
son" %hen / gave him mastery over the worlds"=
/n consoling the grieving Gudhisthira, Lord +rsna also said1
HLord Siva performed a great sarvamedha*ya)na where he
o<ered all living entities, including himself"
HLord Siva performed a great sarvamedha*ya)na where he
o<ered himself" 8s a result he became glorious and e<ulgent"
9is fame 0lled all the worlds"=
B %he Sruti*sastras e,plain that because he attained a boon
from Lord +rsna, Lord Siva became 3pasupati4 &master of the
beastly human beings'1
HLord +rsna said, 3Gou may as! a boon"4 %hen Lord Siva
said, 3Please ma!e me the master of the beastly human beings"4
%hat is how Lord Siva became the master of the beastly human
beings"=
D /n the Padma Purana it is said1
H8gain and again Lord (isnu protected Crahma and rescued
the (edas"4
/n the Smrti*sastras it is said1
7
HCy chanting Lord +rsna4s holy names Lord Siva became
free from the sin of !illing a brahmana"=
/n the Matsya Purana Lord Siva says1
H%hen my eyes red with anger, with my left thumbnail /
beheaded that brahmana"
%hen the brahmana said1
HCecause, even though / was innocent, you still beheaded
me, you are now cursed" Gou will be decorated with s!ulls"=
%hen Siva said1
H:istraught my murder of that brahmana, / wandered the
holy places of the earth" 5 goddess, then / climbed the 9imalaya
Mountains"
H%here / met glorious Lord 6arayana" / begged from 9im a
boon" .ith 9is 0ngernail 9e touched 9is own side and from that
place a stream of blood fowed"
H5 girl with the beautiful thighs, by Lord (isnu4s mercy /
became freed from my troubles" Cut from that time / have carried
a thousand s!ulls" %hey are li!e a treasure / found in a dream"=
1F Lord (isnu arranged that invincible Lord Siva would !ill the
demon %ripura" /n the Mahabharata it is said1
H%he Supreme Lord (isnu touched limitlessly powerful
Siva4s bowstring" %hat is how Siva became able to !ill the %ripura
demon"=
/n the (isnu*dharma Purana it is said1
H5 best of the +urus, as Lord Siva prepared to !ill the
%ripura demon, Lord Crahma spo!e a mystic amulet to protect
Lord Siva, an amulet that was a description of Lord (isnu4s
transcendental form"
/n Canasura4s battle, Lord +rsna attac!ed Lord Siva with a
yawning weapon" %his is described in the (isnu Purana1
H%hrowing 9is yawning weapon, Lord +rsna made Lord Siva
yawn" %hen all the demons were easily !illed"
H:efeated by the yawning weapon, Lord Siva stepped down
from the chariot" 9e had no power to 0ght" 9e was defeated by
Lord +rsna, whose will is never thwarted"=
11 /n Sri amayana, Lord Parasurama says1
HSeeing Lord Siva stunned and yawning, the demigods and
sages understood that Lord +rsna is more powerful than Lord
Siva"=
.hen Lord Siva was han!ering to 0ght and defeat 6ara
si4s friend Lord 6arayana si, then Lord Crahma advised Siva to
surrender instead to Lord 6arayana si" %his is described in the
Mahabharata1
H%hen Lord Siva tried to please Lord 6arayana" 9e
surrendered to Lord 6arayana, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead who blesses 9is devotees"=
Cy chanting Lord +rsna4s holy names, Lord Siva was able to
neutralise the !ala!uta poison" %his is described in the Smrti*
sastra1
HChanting the mantra 38cyutananta govinda on namah4,
Lord Siva cupped his hands and dran! the poison"=
1# 8t the time of 0nal cosmic annihilation Crahma and
everyone else perishes" 5nly Lord 6arayana remains" %his is
described in the Sruti*sastra1
H/n the beginning of the creation there was only the
Supreme Personality 6arayana" %here was no Crahma, no Siva"=I
8
/n the Mahabharata it is said1
H.hen Crahma, the demigods, the moving and unmoving
beings, and all the worlds are merged in the unmanifest material
nature, only the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord 6arayana,
the master of all, remains"=
/n the (isnu*dharma Purana it is said1
HCrahma, Siva, Surya, Candra, /ndra and all the demigods
have power given by Lord (isnu"
H.hen the universe is destroyed their powers are removed"
Powerless, they rush to destruction"=
12 /n the (isnu Purana it is said1
H%he individual spirit souls and the manifest and
unmanifest material nature, which is called maya, all merge into
the Supreme Personality of Godhead at the time of cosmic
devastation"
H8t that time everything rests in the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, whose name is (isnu, and who is glori0ed in the (edas
and (edanta"=
/n Srimad Chagavatam &1F"2"#>' this prayer is o<ered to
Lord +rsna1
H8fter millions of years, at the time of cosmic annihilation,
when everything, manifested and unmanifested, is annihilated by
the force of time, the 0ve gross elements enter into the subtle
conception, and the manifested categories enter into the
unmanifested substance" 8t that time, Gou alone remain, and Gou
are !nown as 8nanta Sesa*naga"=I
/n this way, because Crahma and Siva are born from Lord
+rsna and also enter into 9im at the time of cosmic annihilation,
it is proved that neither Crahma nor Siva can be considered the
master of Lord +rsna"
1; /n this way it is seen that Crahma, Siva and the demigods
are all devotees of Lord +rsna" /n Srimad Chagavatam &1"1B"#1' it
is said1
H.ho can be worthy of the name of the Supreme Lord but
the Personality of Godhead Sri +rsna? Crahma)i collected the
water emanating from the nails of 9is feet in order to award it to
Lord Siva as a worshipful welcome" %his very dear water &the
Ganges' is purifying the whole universe, including Lord Siva"=I
/n Srimad Chagavatam &2"#B"##' it is also said1
H%he blessed Lord Siva becomes all the more blessed by
bearing on his head the holy water of the Ganges, which has its
source in the water that washed the Lord4s lotus feet"=I
/n another Purana it is said1
H5ne person massages Lord +rsna4s feet" 8nother person
washes Lord +rsna4s feet" 8nother person places to his head Lord
+rsna4s feet" 5f these three, who is the best? Please tell me"=
/n the 6rsimha Purana it is said1
H/n ancient times Crahma and all the demigods worshipped
Lord (isnu" /t is by Lord (isnu4s mercy that the demigods
attained their posts"=
/n the 6arayaniya it is said1
HManifest in a great variety of forms, the demigods and
sages worshipped Lord (isnu with devotion" %hen Lord (isnu
placed them in their respective posts"=
Some people say1
9
H.e touch the Ganga4s water that falls from Lord Siva4s
limbs, for it is very holy and purifying"=
Some people thin! the Ganga is holy and purifying because
it is touched by Lord Siva4s limbs" %hat is a foolish idea" %hese
people say this -uote means 3%he Ganga is holy and purifying
because Lord Siva carried it on his head"4 %he truth is that Lord
Siva became pure by touching the Ganga, and that is why he has
the power to purify others"
1> 9ere someone may protest1 %o rescue Samba, Lord +rsna
worshipped Lord Siva" 8lso, Lord Siva defeated 8r)una in a duel"
%his is described in the Mahabharata"
%o this / reply1 Lord +rsna also worshipped 6arada and the
sages" %hese actions are part of Lord +rsna4s pastimes"
%hen someone may again protest1 5n Mount :rona, (yasa
glori0ed Lord Siva with a hundred prayers" 9e said Lord Siva is
the cause of all causes"
%o this / reply1 9is prayers were in truth addressed to Lord
(isnu, the Supersoul in Lord Siva4s heart" %his must be so, for
there cannot be two Supreme Personality of Godheads, and no
one can be e-ual to the Supreme Personality of Godhead"
/n this way the supreme position of Lord (isnu is proved"
5ne should not be bewildered by reading in some Puranas some
statements that Crahma or other demigods have the highest
supremacy" %hose statements are in Purana meant for persons in
the modes of passion or ignorance, and therefore those
statements should be re)ected"
1@ /n the Matsya Purana it is said1
HSome religious rules are in the mode of ignorance, some
in passion, some in goodness, and some in mi,tures of di<erent
modes" 7or the people4s bene0t the demigod Crahma spo!e
these four !inds of religious rules"
H/n ancient times Crahma recorded these di<erent !inds of
religious rules in di<erent Puranas" /n them he glori0ed di<erent
:eities"
H/n the Puranas meant for persons in the mode of
ignorance, Crahma glori0ed 8gni and Siva" /n the Puranas meant
for persons in the mode of passion, he said the worship of
Crahma was better"
H/n the Puranas meant for persons in mi,ed modes, he
glori0ed the worship of Sarasvati and the Pitas" 7inally in the
Puranas meant for persons in the mode of goodness, he said the
worship of Lord (isnu is best" Persons who follow the goodness
Puranas and become perfect in yoga go to the supreme spiritual
abode"=
1A /n the +urma Purana it is said1
H/n the Puranas the wise sages, considering the present
time and circumstances, described numberless religious rituals for
the worship of Crahma, (isnu and Siva"
H/n the religious rituals meant for people in the mode of
goodness, the sages said the worship of Lord (isnu is best" /n the
religious rituals meant for people in the mode of ignorance, they
glori0ed the worship of Lord Siva" /n the religious rituals meant
for people in the mode of passion, they glori0ed Lord Crahma"=
Manu e,plains that any Smrti*sastra that contradicts the
four (edas should be re)ected" 9e says1
10
H8ny Smrti*sastra that contradicts the four (edas is wic!ed
and useless" 8nyone who follows such a sastra should be
considered bewildered by the mode of ignorance"=
H%he Puranas in the mode of goodness provide evidence
that should be accepted" 8ny evidence contradicting this
evidence should be clearly re)ected"= %hey who are wise thin! in
this way" %hey are not bewildered by any evidence contradicting
the Puranas in the mode of goodness"
1B Lord (isnu has three potencies" %he are called Para
&spiritual', +seta)na &the individual spirit souls', and Maya
&illusion'" /n the Sruti*sastra &Svetasvatara Epanisad @"B' it is
said1
HLord (isnu has various energies"=I
/n the Sruti*sastra it is said1
HLord (isnu is the master of the individual spirit souls and
the material nature" 9e is the master of the three modes" 9e
delivers the souls imprisoned in the cycle of birth and death"=
/n the (isnu Purana it is said1
H%he potency of Lord (isnu is summarised in three
categories, namely the spiritual potency, the living entities, and
ignorance" %he spiritual potency is full of !nowledge, the living
entities, although belonging to the spiritual potency, are sub)ect
to bewilderment, and the third energy which is full of ignorance, is
always visible in fruitive activities"=I
1D Esing 9is para &spiritual' potency as the primary force, and
using 9is !setra)na &individual spirit souls' and maya &material
elements' potencies as the ingredients, Lord (isnu created the
material world" %his is described in the Sruti*sastra1
HEsing parts of 9imself, the Supreme created the material
world"=
#F Lord (isnu4s body and self are not di<erent" Lord (isnu4s
spiritual body is described in these words of the Sruti*sastra
&Gopala*tapani Epanisad 1"1F'1
HLord +rsna4s eyes are li!e lotus fowers" 9is comple,ion is
li!e a monsoon cloud" 9is garments are li!e lightning" 9e has two
hands" 9e is rich with transcendental !nowledge" 9e is adorned
with a garland of forest fowers" 9e is the Supreme Personality of
Godhead"=
Lord +rsna is the supersoul present in every soul in the
material world and every atom of material nature" 9e is
described in these words of the Sruti*sastra &Gopala*tapani
Epanisad 1"2B'1
H+rsna is the only Supreme Personality of Godhead" 9is
form is eternal and full of !nowledge and bliss"=
9e is full of transcendental bliss" %his is described in these
words of the Sruti*sastra &Gopala*tapani Epanisad'1
HLord +rsna4s transcendental body is full of bliss"=
#1 Lord (isnu is not di<erent from 9is transcendental bliss,
!nowledge, and other limitless transcendental -ualities" /n the
Sruti*sasta it is said1
HLord (isnu is identical with 9is transcendental -ualities"
%hey are not di<erent from 9im"=
Still, by a speci0c potency of the Lord, 9is -ualities seem to
be di<erent from 9im"
## 5ne should thin!, 3Lord (isnu4s -ualities may seem to be
di<erent from 9is self, but in truth they are not really di<erent"4
11
5ne should thin!, 3Lord (isnu may seem to be situated in time,
but in truth 9e is eternal" 7or 9im time is forever4" %hus Lord
(isnu is not di<erent from any of 9is attributes"
#2 %o thin!, 3Lord (isnu is not eternal4 is an illusion in the
same way as to say, 3%his pot / now see does not e,ist4, is to
spea! the words of a person who is illusioned" %o say 3Lord (isnu
is eternal4 is not a metaphor" /t is not li!e saying, 3%hat man is a
lion4" %he words 3Lord (isnu is eternal4 mean that Lord (isnu will
never cease to e,ist" %hey mean, 3Lord (isnu was never born and
9e will never die" 9is e,istence is eternal"4 %herefore Lord (isnu
is not di<erent from 9is attributes" /f 9is attributes seem to be
di<erent from 9is self that is merely seeming"
#; /n the Sruti*sastra &+atha Epanisad #"1"1;' it is said1
H%he attributes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are
li!e rains that fall e-ually on the mountains and the valleys" 5ne
who thin!s the Supreme Lord is di<erent from 9is attributes will
fall down"=
/n this way we are forbidden to thin! the Supreme Lord is
di<erent from 9is attributes &dharman'" %he Supreme Lord is not
li!e an ordinary living being, who has a host of -ualities, all
di<erent from his original spiritual identity" %he word 3dharman4 is
not used in that way in this passage" %he Lord4s -ualities are
beyond what others can attain"
#> %he impersonalists do not thin! Lord (isnu is di<erent from
9is attributes" 6either do they thin! Lord (isnu is the same as
9is attributes" %hat is because they thin! Lord (isnu is an
illusion"
#@ /f the Supreme has no attributes, then 9is oneness with
everything, being an attribute, will not e,ist" /f 9e has no
attributes, 9e cannot be on with everything, oneness being an
attribute" 9ow, then, can one say the Supreme is di<erent from
9is attributes? 7or these reason it must be accepted that the
Supreme has attributes"
#A /n this way the Supreme has attributes and 9e is also one
with everything" 7or this reason 9e must have more than one
state of being" /n this way it is proved that the Supreme certainly
has attributes"
#B /n this way it is !nown that Lord (isnu is the Supreme Self"
/n Chagavad*gita &1F"#F' Lord (isnu declares1
H/ am the Self, 5 Guda!esa, seated in the hearts of all
creatures"=I
Cy aJrming that 9e is the Self, Lord (isnu here shows 9is
oneness with all beings" /n the Sruti*sastra it is said1
HLord (isnu desired1 3/ will become many" / will father many
children"4=
/n Srimad Chagavatam &#"D"22' Lord (isnu aJrms1
HCrahma, it is /, the Personality of Godhead, who was
e,isting before the creation, when there was nothing but Myself"
6or was there the material nature, the cause of this creation"
%hat which you see now is also /, the Personality of Godhead, and
after annihilation what remains will also be /, the Personality of
Godhead"=I
/n this way it is seen that Lord (isnu is the Supreme Self"
#D Cecause 9e is the Supreme Self, by surrendering to Lord
(isnu one attains 0nal liberation" Lord (isnu 9imself con0rms this
in the following words &Chagavad*gita A"1;'1
12
H%his divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes
of material nature, is very diJcult to overcome" Cut those who
have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it"=I
Lord (isnu also aJrms &Chagavad*gita 1B">>'1
H5ne can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead
as 9e is only by devotional service" 8nd when one is in full
consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can
enter into the !ingdom of God"=I
/n this way the word 3/4 is understood to mean 3the pure
Supreme Personality of Godhead4" 9e is the true doer, the true
en)oyer and the true !nower" /n the Sruti*sastra it is said1
HLord (isnu is the creator and !nower of the universes" 9e
is the father of all" 9e is the supreme doer" 9e is the great Self"=
H8ccompanied by the wise liberated souls, Lord (isnu
en)oys all spiritual pleasures"=
/n Chagavad*gita &D"#@' Lord +rsna says1
H/f one o<ers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a fower,
fruit, or water, / will accept it"=I
9ere the words 3bha!tya prayacchati4 indicate that the Lord
eats what 9is devotees voluntarily o<er with devotion" %he Lord
does this by 9is own wish" 8s Lord Crahma says, Lord (isnu is
3svecchamaya4 &supremely independent'"
2F /n the scriptures it is said that the Supreme Personality of
Godhead manifests various forms, sometimes with two arms,
sometimes with four, and sometimes with eight arms" 9is two*
armed form is described in these words of the 8tharva (eda
&Gopala*tapani Epanisad'1
HLord +rsna4s eyes are li!e lotus fowers" 9is comple,ion is
li!e a monsoon cloud" 9is garments are li!e lightning" 9e has
two hands" 9e is rich with transcendental !nowledge" 9e is
adorned with a garland of forest fowers" 9e is the Supreme
Personality of Godhead"=
H%he goddess of fortune stands by 9is side" 9e has two
arms, a dar! comple,ion, graceful hair, yellow garments, graceful
earrings, and a )ewel nec!lace" 9e holds a bow" 9e is peaceful
and saintly"=
/n the %aittiriya*sruti it is said1
H%he Supreme Lord has two arms and two legs" 9e has ten
0ngers and ten toes" 9is broad chest is #> measures"=
/n the ahasyamnaya it is said1
H%he handsome Supreme Personality of Godhead has two
hands"=
/n the Satvata*sastra it is said1
H/n the spiritual s!y dwells the limitless, eternal, peaceful
Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose form is made of spiritual
!nowledge" 9e has no material form" 5ut of compassion for 9is
devotees, 9e shows them 9is spiritual form" 9e shows them 9is
great handsomeness, more glorious than many millions of moons"
H/n 9is two hands, which are mar!ed with the signs of the
conchshell and ca!ra, 9e holds the three worlds" 9e gives 9is
devotees the gift of fearlessness"=
/n the San!arsana*sastra it is said1
H%he Supreme Personality of Godhead is splendid li!e pure
crystal" 9e has two feet and one face" .ith 9is two hands 9e
gives the gift of fearlessness" 9e turns bac! the results of
!arma"=
13
21 Lord (isnu4s four*armed form is described in these words of
(isva!sena*samhita1
H%he Supreme Personality of Godhead is the creator and
maintainer of all the worlds" 9is youthful spiritual body is eternal"
9e is always beyond the material world" 9e is served by the
pure, blissful, untroubled, eternally liberated souls, who stand
before 9im with folded hands" 9is limbs are dar!" 9e has four
arms" 9e is accompanied by the goddesses Sri, Chu and 6ila"=
H9is eternal form is decorated with eternal, pure glistening
ornaments" 9e has 0ve weapons" 9e holds the conchshell and
ca!ra" 9e removes everything inauspicious"=
/n Srimad Chagavatam &1F"2"D' it is said1
H(asudeva then saw the newborn child, who had very
wonderful lotusli!e eyes, and who bore in 9is four hands the four
weapons san!ha, ca!ra, gada and padma" 5n 9is chest was the
mar! of Srivatsa, and on 9is nec! the brilliant +austubha gem"
:ressed in yellow, 9is body blac!ish li!e a dense cloud, 9is
scattered hair fully grown, and 9is helmet and earrings spar!ling
uncommonly with the valuable gem vaidurya, the child, decorated
with a brilliant belt, armlets, bangles and other ornaments,
appeared very wonderful"=I
/n Chagavad*gita &11";@' 8r)una says to Lord +rsna1
H5 Eniversal Lord, / wish to see Gou in Gour four*armed
form"=I
%he Lord4s eight*armed form is described in these words of
Srimad Chagavatam &;"2F"A'1
H8round the nec! of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
hung a fower garland that reached 9is !nees" 9is eight stout and
elongated arms were decorated with that garland, which
challenged the beauty of the goddess of fortune" .ith a merciful
glance and a voice li!e thunder, the Lord addressed the sons of
+ing Pracinabarhisat, who were very much surrendered unto
9im"=
/n the 8nanda*samhita all three of these forms are
described1
HGreat is the Lord4s eight*armed form" Subtle is 9is four*
armed form" Most e,alted is 9is two*armed form" 5ne should
worship these three forms of the Lord"=
2# 8s a vaidurya gem &lapis laKuli' manifests di<erent colours
when observed from di<erent angles, so the Supreme Personality
of Godhead manifests many di<erent forms" 5f all these forms,
9is two*armed form is the most handsome and has all the Lord4s
transcendental -ualities in completeness" %he other forms are
not li!e it" /n the Sruti*sastra it is said1
H%he other forms of the Lord are not e-ual to 9is two*
armed form"=
9ere someone may protest1 %he Lord4s two*armed form and
other forms are all inferior to 9is four*armed form, which stays
always in (ai!unthalo!a"
%o this / reply1 %hat is not an idea fashioned with much
thought" /n the Maha*(araha Purana it is said1
H8ll the forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are
eternal" %hey are never born and they never die" %hey are not
material"=
H%hey are all full of bliss and !nowledge" %hey are full of all
transcendental -ualities and free of any faults"=
14
%he +atha Epanisad declares that the Lord4s two*armed
form is the highest" 8ny idea that contradicts this is wrong"
%he Supreme Lord is identical with each of 9is forms" %hey
are all 9im" %hat a certain from of the Lord is 9is original form, or
an e,pansion of that form, or an e,pansion of the e,pansion is
determined only by how much of 9is powers the Lord chooses to
display when 9e manifests that form" 5nly in that way are some
forms of the Lord considered higher and others less high" %he
great devotees of the Lord declare1
H%he Lord4s forms are considered greater or lesser on the
basis of how much of 9is transcendental power the Lord chooses
to manifest when 9e reveals them"=
22 %he Supreme Personality of Godhead is the husband of the
goddess of fortune" /n the Ga)ur (eda it is said1
HSri and La!smi are two wives of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead"=
/n the 8tharva (eda it is said1
H5beisances to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is
the husband of Goddess +amala" 5beisances to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, who is a swan playing in the Manasa La!e
of Goddess ama4s thoughts" 5beisances to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, who holds Goddess ama in 9is arms"=
%he goddess Sri, Gir*devi &Sarasvati', La!smi and ama will
be described later"
9ere someone may protest1 /n the Sruti*sastra it is said1
H%he Supreme is one" 9e is not many"=
%his shows that La!smi and the other goddesses must be
manifested from the illusory potency Maya" La!smi, Sarasvati
and the other goddesses do not have forms of spiritual goodness
li!e the spiritual form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead"
%o this foolish, bewildered idea / reply1 8s heat is
inseparable from 0re, so the potencies of the Lord are inseparable
from 9im" %hey share 9is nature" %hey are perfectly spiritual"
%his is described in the Sruti*sastra1
H%he Lord4s potency is spiritual"=
/n this way it is understood that La!smi, Sarasvati, and the
other goddesses that have a relation to the Supreme Lord, are all
spiritual" /n the (isnu Purana it is said1
HMay Lord (isnu, who is supremely pure, who is the
Supersoul in the hearts of all beings, and who is the husband of
the spiritual goddess of fortune, be merciful to us"=
/n the S!anda Purana it is said1
H%he Lord has a material potency and a spiritual potency"
%he material potency manifests an e,ternal form of dull matter"
Goddess Sri is the Lord4s spiritual potency" She has a spiritual
form" She ta!es shelter of Lord (isnu"=
/n the S!anda Purana, Gih*stotra it is said1
H/ o<er my respectful obeisances to Goddess Sarasvati"
She rests on Lord +rsna4s chest" She is a goddess very dear to
Lord +rsna" She is eternal, her comple,ion is fair, and she brings
auspiciousness"=
/n this way the protest is answered"
2; 9ere someone may again protest1 /n the Sruti*sastra it is
said1
H%he Supreme is one" 9e is not many"=
15
%his proves that the Supreme is impersonal and has no
attributes"
%o this / reply1 Please don4t thin! in that way" %hese words
of the Sruti*sastra mean that nothing e,ists that does not have a
relationship with the Supreme Lord" 7or e,ample, the goddess of
fortune4s relationship with the Lord is described in these words of
scripture1
H5 Supreme Lord, Goddess Sri is Gours, and Goddess
La!smi is also Gours"=
La!smi, Sarasvati and the other goddesses all have
di<erent forms" %his is described in the (isnu Purana1
HSandhya, atri, Prabha, Chuti, Medha, Sraddha and
Sarasvati are included among the goddesses"=
/n the (isnu Purana &1"1#"@D' is also said1
H5 Lord,, Gou are the support of everything" %he three
attributes hladini, sandhini and samvit e,ist in Gou as one spiritual
energy" Cut the material modes, which cause happiness, misery
and mi,tures of the two, do not e,ist in Gou, for Gou have no
material -ualities"=I
%hus the Lord4s spiritual potency is manifested in three
ways" %he samvit potency is Goddess Sarasvati" %he hladini
potency is Goddess La!smi" /t should be !nown that of the two
goddesses mentioned here, the 0rst mentioned actually comes
second" %hus Sarasvati follows La!smi" %hus the !nowledge
potency &samvit' follows after the pleasure potency &hladini'"
2> Cecause she is not di<erent from the Supreme Lord,
Goddess La!smi is also all pervading" /n the Smrti*sastra it is
said1
HGoddess La!smi is the mother of the worlds" She is the
constant companion of Lord (isnu" 8s Lord (isnu is all pervading,
so is she"=
%o thin! that Goddess La!smi is di<erent from Lord (isnu,
but still all*pervading, is a false, a heretical idea" /n this way the
idea that Goddess La!smi is an individual spirit soul, li!e the
many millions of other individual spirit souls if refuted" 8s Lord
(isnu has limitless transcendental -ualities, so does Goddess
La!smi" /n the scriptures it is said1
H5 Goddess, even if we had tongues li!e the demigod
Crahma, we still could not describe all Gour transcendental
-ualities" 5 Lotus*eyed Goddess La!smi, please do not ever
abandon your devotees"=
2@ 9er power to give liberation, her power to bring Lord (isnu
under her control, and some other of her transcendental -ualities
are described in these words of scripture1
H5 Goddess La!smi, Gou are full of transcendental
!nowledge" Gou are the giver of liberation" .ho is glorious li!e
Gou? Gour form is made of sacred ya)nas"
H5 goddess the yogis always meditate on Gou as Gou rest on
Lord (isnu" 7or your sa!e, the people are willing to renounce the
three worlds"
H7or your sa!e they become almost dead" 7rom Gour glance
come wives, children, home, friends, wealth and good fortune"=
H5 glorious one, from your glance the people attain the
wealth and happiness of this material body" %hey attain the
destruction of their enemies"
16
H5 goddess, for persons who have attained your glance,
truthfulness, purity, and a host of virtues are not diJcult to
attain"
H5 saintly one, the people you abandon are truly
abandoned" %he people you glance on attain all virtues"
H$ven if previously they had no virtues, they attain good
family and wealth" %hey become glorious, virtuous, fortunate,
respectable, and intelligent"
H5 goddess, a person on whom you glance becomes heroic
and powerful" 5 beloved of Lord (isnu, 5 mother of the worlds, if
you turn away from a person, that person 0nds all his virtues
become sins"=
.hen Lord (isnu assumes di<erent forms, Goddess La!smi
also assumes di<erent forms and follows 9im" /n the scriptures it
is said1
H.hen Lord (isnu assumes the form of a demigod, Goddess
La!smi assumes the form of a demigoddess" .hen 9e assumes
the form of a human man, she assumes the form of a human
woman" /n this way she assumes a form to match the form of
Lord (isnu"=
2A Sri adha is the origin of all the forms of Goddess La!smi"
Sri +rsna is the origin of all the forms of Lord (isnu" /n the
Purusa*bodhini Epanisad it is said1
H/n the land of Go!ula in Mathura*mandala, Lord +rsna
resides" 8t 9is two sides are adha and Candravali"
%here it is also said1
HLa!smi, :urga, and the Lord4s potencies are e,pansions of
Sri adha"=
Sri adha4s name is hidden in Srimad Chagavatam &#";"1;'
where Srila Su!adeva Gosvami says1
HLord +rsna is the supreme en)oyer of both the material
and spiritual worlds, yet 9e en)oys 9is own abode in the spiritual
s!y" %here is no one e-ual to 9im because 9is transcendental
opulence &radhasa' is immeasurable"=I
/n the Crhad*Gautamiya %antra it is said1
H%he transcendental goddess Srimati adharani is the
direct counterpart of Sri +rsna" She is the central 0gure for all the
goddess of fortune" She possesses all the attractiveness to
attract the all*attractive Personality of Godhead" She is the
primeval internal potency of the Lord"=I
/n Srimad Chagavatam &1"2"#B' it is said1
H8ll the above*mentioned incarnations are either plenary
portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord
Sri +rsna is the original Personality of Godhead"=I
/n Srimad Chagavatam it is also said1
H%he eight son of (asudeva and :eva!i is Lord +rsna, the
original Personality of Godhead"=
Trtiyah Kiranah
Third ay of !i"ht
Jiva-niru'anah
The *ndividual S'irit Souls
17
1 6ow we will discuss the individual spirit souls &)ivas'" %he
individual spirit souls are described as tiny particles of spiritual
consciousness" /n the Sruti*sastra &Munda!a Epanisad 2"1"D' it is
said1
H%he soul is atomic in siKe and can be perceived by perfect
intelligence" %his atomic souls is foating in the 0ve !inds of air
&prana, apana, vyana, samana and udana', is situated within the
heart, and spreads its infuence all over the body of the embodied
living entities"=I
/n the Sruti*sastra &Svetasvatara Epanisad >"D' it is also
said1
H.hen the upper point of a hair is divided into one hundred
parts, and again each of such parts is further divided into one
hundred parts, each such part is the measurement of the
dimension of the spirit soul"=I
%he relationship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
and the individual spirit souls is described in these words of the
Sruti*sastra &+atha Epanisad #"#"12 and Svetasvatara Epanisad
@"12'1
H5f all eternal beings one is the foremost" 5f all conscious
beings one is the foremost" %hat one foremost eternal conscious
being ful0ls the desires of all the others"=
/n the Sruti*sastra it is also said1
H%he devotees who worship the Supreme Personality of
Godhead attain eternal peace" 6o one else attains true peace"=
# Some philosophers ma!e the mista!e of thin!ing there is
ultimately only one spirit soul and that one spirit soul is the
Supreme" %hat the e,istence of many di<erent souls is an
illusion, li!e chariots or other things seen in a dream" %his false
idea is clearly refuted in the Sruti*sastra, which clearly states that
the many spirit souls are individuals eternally"
2 %he individual spirit soul each has his distinct
consciousness, !nowledge, and -ualities eternally" /n the Sruti*
sastra it is said1
H%he individual souls are all eternal" $ach possesses an
individual nature that is never destroyed"=
/n the Sruti*sastra it is said1
H%he individual consciousness of each individual spirit soul
is never lost"=
8lthough he is atomic in siKe, the individual spirit soul 0lls
with consciousness every part of the e,ternal material body" /n
the (edanta*sutra it is said1
H8s the sun 0lls the universe with light, so the individual
soul 0lls the material body with consciousness"=
/n Chagavad*gita &12"2;' Lord +rsna says1
H5 son of Charata, as the sun alone illuminates all this
universe, so does the living entity, one within the body, illuminate
the entire body by consciousness"=I
; H%he individual spirit soul is seen in the word 3/4" /n the
dreamless sleep that individual identity, that 3/4 is destroyed"=
Some people may spea! in that way about the soul4s nature"
9owever, this false idea is refuted by the Sruti*sastra, which
aJrms the soul4s continued individual e,istence even during
dreamless sleep" /n the Sruti*sastra it is said1
H/ slept happily" / did not dream"=
18
> %he soul is di<erent from the e,ternal material body and
from anything else also" 6either does the soul undergo the si,
!inds of transformations that change the material body" /n
Srimad Chagavatam &11"#B"#;' it is said1
H%he individual spirit self is not the e,ternal material body"
6or is the self the senses, the demigods, the life*air, water, 0re,
mind, what is nourished by food, intelligence, nature, false ego,
ether, earth, a sense ob)ect, or oneness with everything"=
/n Srimad Chagavatam &11"2"2B' it is also said1
H%he individual spirit soul is never born, never dies, never
grows, and never decays" 9e is the !nower of the ever*changing
material realm" 9e is eternal" 9e never ceases to e,ist" %he soul
is consciousness" /t is a mista!e to thin! the soul is the breath or
the material senses"=
@ %he individual spirit soul is a fragmental part of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead" /n Chagavad*gita &1>"A' Lord
+rsna declares1
H%he living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal
fragmental parts"=I
A %he individual spirit souls is a performer of activities" 9e
perceives the sense ob)ects" 9e en)oys pleasures" /n the Sruti*
sastra it is said1
H%he individual spirit soul ac-uires !nowledge" 9e
performs ya)nas" 9e performs activities"=
/n the Sruti*sastra it is also said1
H%he individual spirit souls en)oys what he desires"=
Some philosophers thin, 3%he individual spirit soul is the
highest doer, the highest !nower, the highest en)oyer" %his idea
is a foolish mista!e" %he Supreme Personality of Godhead alone is
the highest doer, !nower and en)oyer" /n Mahabharata, (ana*
parva, Gamara)a tells Mahara)a Soma!a1
H%he Supreme Personality of Godhead is alone the highest
doer, !nower, and en)oyer" 6o one else ever becomes a doer,
!nower, or en)oyer li!e 9im"=
B 9ere someone may protest1 8ctivities always bring
su<erings, and therefore it is not possible for any spiritual being
to be a doer of activities" %hat is the message of the Sruti*
sastra"=
%o this / reply1 it is not as you thin!" Material activities, li!e
the darsa and paurnamasa ya)nas, are certainly troublesome" Cut
the spiritual pastimes of the Lord and 9is associates never bring
trouble or su<ering"
D Passages from the Sruti*sastra that seem to prove the soul
is ultimately inactive do not in truth prove it" %he soul4s nature is
seen always to be active, and therefore a condition where no
activity is every performed is not possible for the soul" %o be
active is part of the soul4s nature" %his the sages say" /n the
same way passages from the Sruti*sastra that seem to prove that
the soul has no changes of thoughts or changes of emotions do
not in truth prove it" %he soul4s !nowledge, -ualities, and other
features may undergo changes" Still, as the s!y never changes,
so the spirit soul is never a<ected by the gross material changes
that are part of the material world" %he soul remains steady in his
e,istence" 9is e,istence continues unchanged, even in dreamless
sleep, as is seen in the wordsL H/ slept happily" / did not dream"=
19
/n this way it is seen that the soul is completely spiritual in
nature"
1F %he individual spirit souls are dependent on the Supreme
Personality of Godhead" /n the (edas it is said1
H%he Lord engages the living entity in pious activities so he
may be elevated" %he Lord engages him in impious activities so
he may go to hell" %he living entity is completely dependent in
his distress and happiness" Cy the will of the Supreme he can go
to heaven or hell, as a cloud is driven by the air"=I
/n (edanta*sutra it is said1
H%he individual soul is dependent on the Supreme" %hat is
con0rmed in the Sruti*sastras"
11 %he individual spirit souls are all servants of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead" /n the Padma Purana it is said1
H%he individual spirit souls are all servants of Lord +rsna"
%hey are never servants of anyone else"=
9ere someone may protest1 %he individual spirit souls
cannot ultimately be eternal servants of Lord +rsna, for the souls
are by nature formless, impersonal, and devoid of any -ualities"
%his truth is seen in the teachings of the scriptures"
%o this / reply" 6o" /t is not as you thin!" %o be a servant of
Lord +rsna is the original nature of the individual spirit soul" 8s
butter is e,tracted from cream by churning, and as 0re is
e,tracted from wood by friction, so the individual spirit soul4s
original nature of being a servant of Lord +rsna is manifested by
following the teachings of the scriptures"
1# Cy worshipping the spiritual master the individual spirit
soul attains devotional service to Lord +rsna" /n this way he
attains the true goal of life" /n the Sruti*sastra &Svetasvatara
Epanisad @"2B' it is said1
H5nly unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both
the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of (edic
!nowledge automatically revealed"=I
/n the Sruti*sastra &Crhad*aranya!a Epanisad' it is also
said1
H8 person who has accepted a true spiritual master !nows
the spiritual truth" 9e will attain liberation" 9e will become very
fortunate"=
/n the Sruti*sastra it is also said1
HCy faithfully engaging in devotional service one attains the
Supreme"=
/n the Sruti*sastra it is also said1
H/n their meditations the sages see the Supreme
Personality of Godhead"=
/n Srimad Chagavatam &11"2"#1*##' it is said1
H8ny person who seriously desires to achieve real
happiness must see! out a bona 0de spiritual master and ta!e
shelter of him by initiation" %he -uali0cation of his spiritual
master is that he must have realised the conclusion of the
scriptures by deliberation and be able to convince others of these
conclusions" Such great personalities who have ta!en shelter of
the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations
are to be understood as bona 0de spiritual masters"=I
H8ccepting his spiritual master as the :eity he worships in
his heart, the disciple learns from him the science of devotional
20
service" Lord +rsna, who gives 9imself to 9is devotees, is
pleased by such a disciple4s sincere service"=
12 :evotional service is described in the scriptures" /n the
Sruti*sastra it is said1
H8 saintly brahmana places his thoughts on the Supreme
Personality of Godhead"=
8fter they attain liberation the individual souls continue to
worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead" /n the Sruti*sastra
it is said1
H%he liberated souls sing the praises of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead"=
/n the Sruti*sastra &g (eda 1"##"#F' it is also said1
H%he Personality of Godhead (isnu is the 8bsolute %ruth,
whose lotus feet the demigods are always eager to see"=I
1; /n this way it is seen that the Supreme Personality of
Godhead is handsome and glorious li!e the moon" 9e possesses
a great host of transcendental -ualities, powers, and opulences"
9e eternally possesses these transcendental -ualities to an
in0nite degree, and the individual spirit souls eternally possess
similar transcendental -ualities to an in0nitesimal degree" %hat is
the eternal distinction between the Supreme Personality of
Godhead and the individual spirit souls" %his truth is proved in all
the scriptures"
1> 9ere someone may protest1 .hat are you saying? 6ever
have / heard anything li!e this" Gou say the individual spirit soul is
di<erent from the Supreme? /n the Sruti*sastra it is said1
H5 Supreme Lord, / am Gou" .hat Gou are / am" Gou are
that"=
/n the Sruti*sastra it is also said1
H$verything is the Supreme" .ho sees whom?=
.hen he attains liberation, the individual soul and the
Supreme are no longer di<erent" Cecause the di<erence between
them is only an illusion, anyone who thin!s they are di<erent is a
fool to be rebu!ed" /n the Sruti*sastra &!atha Epanisad #"1"1F' it
is said1
H8nyone who sees the soul and the Supreme as di<erent,
attains after his death another life and another death in this
world"=
/n the Sruti*sastra it is also said1
H8 person who thin! what is inside himself is di<erent from
the rest of the world supposedly outside himself attains only fear
in this world"=
1@ %o this / reply1 /t is not as you thin!" /n the Sruti*sastra
&Svetasvatara Epanisad ;"@ and Munda!a Epanisad 2"1"1' it is
said1
H%he individual spirit soul and the Supersoul, Personality of
Godhead, are li!e two friendly birds sitting on the same tree" 5ne
of the birds &the individual atomic soul' is eating the fruit of the
tree &the sense grati0cation a<orded to the material body', and
the other bird &the Supersoul' is not trying to eat these fruits, but
is simply watching 9is friend"=I
/n the Sruti*sastra &+atha Epanisad #"1"1>' it is also said1
H.hen pure water is poured into pure water, the two
waters become li!e each other" 5 wise 6aci!eta, please !now
that the individual soul is li!e that" 8fter liberation he becomes
glorious li!e the Supreme Lord"=
21
/n the Sruti*sastra &Munda!a Epanisad 2"1"2' it is also said1
HLiberated from the material world, the individual soul
becomes li!e the Supreme"=
/n this way it is seen that after liberation the individual
spirit soul become li!e the Supreme Personality of Godhead"
8lthough they are li!e each other, the Supreme Lord and the
individual spirit soul are still di<erent persons"
1A %hat after liberation the individual spirit soul remains
di<erent from the Supreme Personality of Godhead is con0rmed in
the Smrti*sastra" /n the Sruti*sastra &Chagavad*gita' Lord +rsna
aJrms1
HCy becoming 0,ed in this !nowledge one can attain to the
transcendental nature, which is li!e My own nature" %hus
established, one is not born at the time of creation nor disturbed
at the time of dissolution"=I
/n the scriptures it is also said1
H%he individual spirit soul, whose nature is li!e that of the
Supreme Lord, meets the Supreme Lord"=
%he meaning here is that the individual spirit soul has a
spiritual nature li!e that of the Supreme Lord" /f one interprets
these words to mean that the individual soul merges into the
Supreme Lord, one should !now that interpretation is contradicted
by the scriptures in many places"
%hus your interpretation of +atha Epanisad #"1"1F and your
assertion that anyone who thin!s the individual spirit soul and the
Supreme are di<erent is a fool worthy to be rebu!ed are false
ideas, lies that should be re)ected by the wise, lies that contradict
the clear teachings of the scriptures"
1B Some persons may believe that the scripture passage
beginning with the words 3tvam vaham asmi bhagavo4 describes a
situation where the individual spirit soul and the Supreme are not
di<erent" %he truth, however, is that the Supreme is the all*
pervading supreme master, and the individual spirit souls are
always dependent on 9im" 7or his life*breath, for his ability to
spea!, and for other things also, the individual soul is always
dependent on prana &life*breath'" %his is described in the
following discussion of prana &life*breath' in Chandogya Epanisad
&>"1"1>'1
H/t is not said 3the words independently spea!4" 6or is it
said 3the eyes independently see4" 6or is it said 3the ears
independently hear4" 6or is it said 3the mind independently
thin!s4" /t is the prana &life*force' that arranges speech, sight,
hearing and thought"=
%hat the Supreme Lord is present everywhere is described
in these words of the Smrti*sastra &(isnu Purana'1
H.hoever comes before Gou, be he a demigod, is created
by you, 5 Supreme Personality of Godhead"I Gou are the creator
of the universes" Gou are present everywhere"=
/n Chagavad*gita &11";F' 8r)una tells Lord +rsna1
H5 Lord, Gou are all pervading, and thus Gou are
everything"=I
%hus the scripture passage beginning with the words 3tvam
vaham asmi bhagavo4 means that the Supreme Personality of
Godhead is all*pervading, present in the bodies, senses, and all
else of even the liberated souls" /n this sense the Supreme
22
Personality of Godhead is everything" 8ny other interpretation of
that scripture passage is useless"
1D 9ere someone may protest1 5ne may accept or not accept
an indirect interpretation of the scripture passage beginning with
the words 3tvam vaham asmi bhagavo4" Still, one should ignore
all varieties of -ualities, -ualities that begin with the Supreme4s
all*pervasiveness and the individual soul4s minuteness, and
instead thin! only of consciousness" Cecause they are both
consciousness, the Supreme and the Soul are the same"
%o this / reply1 %hat is a foolish suggestion" Gou cannot
simply choose to ignore the eternal -ualities of the Supreme Lord
and the individual souls" 8nyway, you cannot say anything about
the Supreme, for you thin! the Supreme is beyond the description
of words"
#F 9ere the protester may say1 /n the Sruti*sastra &%aittiriya
Epanisad #";"1' it is said1
H.ords cannot describe the Supreme" 6or can the mind
understand 9im"=
%herefore, the Supreme cannot be described"
%o this / reply1 Please do not thin! in that way" %his passage
means that the Supreme cannot be described completely" 6ot
that 9e cannot be described at all" /n Srimad Chagavatam it is
said1
H6o one can describe the Supreme Lord completely"=
/n the Sruti*sastra it is said1
H8ll the (edas meditate on the feet of the Supreme Lord"=
/n Chagavad*gita &1>"1>' Lord +rsna aJrms1
HCy all the (edas / am to be !nown"=I
%he idea that the word 3aprayah4 in %aittiriya Epanisad
#";"1 means that the Supreme is beyond the descriptive power of
words is refuted by all the -uotes from the scriptures"
#1 9ere someone may protest1 %he individual spirit soul is the
Supreme refected in ignorance" /n the Sruti*sastra it is said1
H8s the s!y, which is one and undivided, is present in many
di<erent clay pots, and as the sun, which is one, is refected in
many di<erent bodies of water, so the Supreme Self, which is one,
is present in many places simultaneously"=
.hen the clay pot is bro!en, the air within the pot merges
with the great totality of air" /n the same way, when material
ignorance is destroyed, the soul understands that he is actually
the Supreme" /n this way the philosophy of advaita &oneness' is
proved"
%o this / reply" %hose words are all lies" %hese ideas, that
the all*powerful Supreme is cut into many tiny pieces to form the
individual spirit souls, or that the Supreme is li!e the air in the
s!y, or that the all*pervading Supreme is li!e a sun in the s!y, a
sun refected in ignorance, are all very foolish" %hey who !now
the truth of the (edas never believe the mista!en ideas of the
advaita philosophy"
## 9ere someone may protest1 %he pure conscious spirit being
is one and undivided" %he idea that spirit is divided into the
Supreme Lord and the individual souls comes only from
ignorance" %hat ignorance is li!e the dar!ness that covers the s!y
at night" .hen the dar!ness is dispelled then the idea that the
Supreme and the individual soul are di<erent is cast away" %hen
it is !nown that there is only one spiritual conscious being"
23
#2 %o this / reply1 %hese are only a rash, unsubstantiated
claims" %hese descriptions of illusion are not appropriate" /t is
true that dar!ness sometimes covers the s!y" Cut the dar!ness of
ignorance never covers the pure !nowledge possessed by the
Supreme Lord" 9ow will the !nowledge possessed by the
Supreme be dispelled? .hat will be changed? .ill the
!nowledge Supreme has be changed or the state of e,istence in
which the Supreme is situated be changed? Cecause 9e is
eternal, the Supreme cannot fall into illusion" Cecause 9e is
eternal, the Supreme does not change the state in which 9e
e,ists" /f the Supreme is never illusioned, how can 9is illusion be
dispelled? 5nly our misconceptions about 9im can be dispelled"
9ere the classic e,ample of a misconception is the idea that the
glittering surface of a seashell is made of silver"
#; 9ere someone may protest1 %he idea that the Supreme and
the individual soul are di<erent is a useless idea not supported by
the statements of the scriptures" /f in the scriptures such
descriptions are sometimes seen, they are only appro,imate and
incomplete descriptions of the truth" %hey are li!e the statements
3/n the morning the sun rises from the eastern ocean and in the
evening the sun enters the western ocean"4 Such a statement is
only an inaccurate appro,imation, for the sun never actually rises
from or enters either of those oceans"
%o this / reply1 %hose statements are all foolish" /n the
Sruti*sastra &Svetasvatara Epanisad 1"@ and ;"A' it is said1
H8 swan wanders in the great circle of material life" .hen
he learns that he is di<erent from the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, and become active in 9is service, the swan attains
immortality"=
H8lthough the two birds are on the same tree, the eating
bird is fully engrossed with an,iety and moroseness as the
en)oyer of the fruits of the tree" Cut if in some way or other he
turns his face to his friend who is the Lord and !nows 9is glories,
at once the su<ering bird becomes free of all an,ieties"=I
/n this way it is seen that the idea that the Supreme and
the individual souls are one is an idea refuted by scripture and
also by common sense" %he scriptures clearly state that the
Supreme is all*powerful and all pervading and the individual spirit
souls are in0nitesimal" %he idea that the Supreme and the
individual souls are not di<erent is an illusion, li!e the illusion of
thin!ing a horn can sprout from a human head" %his idea that the
Supreme and the individual souls are not di<erent is refuted in
the Sruti*sastras, which declare that the Supreme is all powerful
and the individual souls are subordinate to 9im and depend upon
9im" %hat is the relationship of the Supreme and the individual
spirit souls"
#> 8re the individual souls identical with or di<erent from the
Supreme? %he idea that the individual souls are not di<erent
from the Supreme and therefore the idea that the conception that
they are di<erent is false, is not accepted as truth in the Sruti*
sastras" 5n the other hand, in many places the Sruti*sastra aJrm
that the individual spirit souls are indeed di<erent from the
Supreme" %he Sruti*sastras aJrm that the Supreme is never
lowly and fallen" 9e is eternally situated in perfection"
#@ %he idea that the individual spirit souls are not di<erent
from the Supreme is never taught in the Sruti*sastras" /f the
24
individual spirit souls are not di<erent from the Supreme, then
teacher, taught, and !nowledge that is taught all have no
meaning, for then the teacher and the taught are not di<erent
persons"
#A 9ere someone may protest1 %o see that the individual souls
are di<erent from the Supreme is li!e seeing a mirage" %herefore
there is no need of a teacher and your ob)ection about the
teacher is not valid"
%o this / reply1 %hese are foolish words" Gour e,ample
refutes itself" 8 mirage e,ists only because water is present in
another place" Gou use the e,ample of a mirage to describe
something that does not e,ist at all, to say that the di<erence of
the individual souls and the Supreme does not e,ist at all"
%herefore the conclusion is that in your philosophy there is neither
teacher nor taught" 6or is there any teaching that can be
learned"
#B 9ere someone may protest1 5ut of ignorance one imagines
that the material universe e,ists, even though the material
universe is actually the pure Supreme" %his is li!e mista!ing a
rope for a sna!e" /n this way the advaita &oneness' philosophy is
proved"
%o this / reply" %hese arguments have not been made with
care and attention" %hey fall apart on careful analysis" .ho is
the person that mista!es a rope for a sna!e? /f you say it is the
Supreme, then that is not possible, for the Supreme is always
situated in transcendence and always full of !nowledge" /f you
say it is the individual spirit soul, then that is not possible either,
for in your conception the individual soul is the Supreme"
#D 8re these e,amples appropriate or not? %hey are not
appropriate to understand the nature of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, for these e,amples are themselves di<erent from 9is
nature" Still, the foolish people who push these e,amples forward
do not see their own folly" 8 fool does not thin! himself a fool"
%he Supreme Personality of Godhead is beyond the cause and
e<ect of this material world" %herefore even a philosopher armed
with the eight mystic powers cannot understand 9im" %he
e,ample of the air in the clay pots and other li!e e,amples are all
drawn from the world of causes and e<ects, of space, time and
material actions, and thus they have no bearing on the Supreme
Person who is beyond that world" %hese e,amples are all li!e so
many fantasies, li!e fowers imagined to foat in the s!y" %he
Supreme Personality of Godhead is beyond the material world"
9e is not understood by e,amples drawn from the material world
of three things, of causes, e<ects, and causes and e<ects mi,ed
together"
2F $mploying 9is spiritual potency &para*sa!ti', the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is the remote cause &nimitta' of the
material world" $mploying 9is pradhana*sa!ti and other material
potencies, 9e is the immediate cause, or ingredient &upadana' of
the material world" Cecause 9e is 9imself the ingredient of which
the material world is made, the material world is actually spiritual
in its nature" %hat 9e is the ingredient of the world is con0rmed
in these words of the Sruti*sastra1
H%he Supreme Personality of Godhead desired1 / will
become many" / will father many children"=
25
H5n Lord (isnu4s order, Crahma performed austerities"
$mpowered by his austerities, Crahma created this material
universe"=
/n the Sruti*sastra &/sa Epanisad B' it is said1
HSuch a person must factually !now the greatest of all, who
is unembodied, omniscient, beyond reproach, without veins, pure
and uncontaminated, the self*suJcient philosopher who has been
ful0lling everyone4s desire since time immemorial"=I
/n the Sruti*sastra it is said1
H%he Supreme Personality of Godhead personally created
this material world"=
/n the (isnu Purana it is said1
H5 best of the sages, %he Supreme Personality of Godhead
created both the material world and the eternal spiritual world"
Pretending to ta!e birth and to die, 9e appears in this world and
then disappears"=
/n the Mahabharata it is said1
H%he Supreme Personality of Godhead is real" 8usterity is
real" %he demigod Crahma is real" 7rom the real Supreme
Personality of Godhead the many living entities are born"
%herefore the material world 0lled with living entities is reality"=
/n the Sruti*sastra it is said1
H%he Supreme Personality of Godhead is one without a
second"=
%he Supreme Personality of Godhead remains hidden in the
material world" 9e is li!e a green bird that fies into a green tree,
and is thus very diJcult to 0nd among the foliage"
/n this way it is proved that the material world is real, for it
was created by the supremely real Supreme Personality of
Godhead" %he idea that the material world is unreal is thus
defeated" 8s the Sruti*sastra e,plains1
H%he Supreme Personality of Godhead desired1 / will
become many" / will father many children"=
21 /f someone as!s1 9ow did the Supreme fall into the illusion
of thin!ing 9imself an individual spirit soul? %hen / reply1 9e
never fell into illusion" 9e is supremely independent, when 9e
appears in the material world 9e does so only by 9is own will,
and he never becomes bewildered about his own identity"
Cecause his !nowledge is eternally perfect, 9e never thin!s
9imself an individual soul, or a true resident of the material
world" /n the scriptures it is said1
H/t is a mista!e to thin! the Supreme is li!e the ordinary
people of this world" %he Supreme is eternal and unchanging"=
/n this way it is proved that the Supreme Personality of
Godhead is never illusioned and is never li!e the ordinary
residents of the material world" 9e is always spiritual and beyond
the material world" 8s the silvery glitter on a seashell is di<erent
from actual silver purchased in the mar!et place, so the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is di<erent from the individual spirit souls"
/n this way it is proved that the individual souls are all di<erent
from the Supreme Personality of Godhead" %hey are all 9is
servants"
Caturthah Kiranah
Fourth ay of !i"ht
26
Prakrtitva-niru'anah
-atter
1 6ow we will discuss material nature &pra!rti'" %he material
nature is said to be the resting place of the three modes that
begin with goodness" /n the Sruti*sastra &Culi!a Epanisad' it is
said1
HMaterial nature is li!e a cow" She never had a beginning"
She is the mother of all living entities" She is blac!, white, and
red" She is a cow whose mil! ful0ls all of Lord (isnu4s desires"=
/n the Smrti*sastra it is said1
HMaterial nature consists of the three modes" She is the
mother of the material universes" She is never born and never
dies" She is eternal and unchanging" She is said to be 0eld where
the conditioned souls perform their actions"=
# Material nature manifests the three modes" %he modes are
sattva &goodness', ra)as &passion', which is the cause of passion
and su<ering, and tamas &ignorance', which is cause of madness
and laKiness" 8s death comes when the three elements bile,
mucous and air are in perfect e-uilibrium, so the material
universe becomes destroyed when the three modes is upset and
some modes become more prominent than the others, the mahat*
tattva and the other ingredients of the material universe become
manifest" .hen the modes are in e-uilibrium the material
universe is destroyed, and when the e-uilibrium is bro!en, the
material universe is created" %hese activities repeatedly create
and destroy the material universes" /n this way the three modes
become the causes of various material transformations" /n the
(isnu Purana it is said1
H%he mahat tattva &primordial material nature' is divided
into the three modes goodness, passion and ignorance"=
2 /n the material nature false ego &ahan!ara' is manifested"
7alse ego is the cause of the soul4s misidenti0cation with the
e,ternal material body" 7alse ego is manifested in three ways in
goodness, passion and ignorance" %hese three !inds of false ego
are also called 3vai!ari!a4 &goodness', 3tai)asa4 &passion' and
3bhuta4 &ignorance'" 7rom the di<erent !inds of false ego in the
di<erent modes various things are manifest" 7rom false ego in
the mode of goodness are manifest the mind and the demigods
that control the senses" 7rom false ego in the mode of passion
are manifest the ten senses" 7rom false ego in the mode of
ignorance are manifest the 0ve !inds of sense ob)ects, beginning
with ether" %his is described in the following words of Srimad
Chagavatam &11"#;"@*B'1
H7rom the mahat*tattva, the bewildering false ego is born"=
H%he three !inds of false ego are vai!ari!a &false ego in
goodness', tai)asa &false ego in passion' and tamasa &false ego in
ignorance'" 7alse ego is the cause of the mind, senses and sense*
ob)ects" 7alse ego is present in both spirit and matter"
H7rom false ego in the mode of ignorance the sense ob)ects
were born" 7rom false ego in the mode of passion the senses
were born" 7rom false ego in the mode of goodness the mind and
the eleven demigods were born"=
/n Srimad Chagavatam &2"#@"#2*#;' it is also said1
H%he material ego springs up from the mahat*tattva, which
evolved from the Lord4s own energy" %he material ego is
27
endowed predominantly with active power of three !inds1 good,
passionate, and ignorant" /t is from these three types of material
ego that the mind, the senses of perception, the organs of action,
and the gross elements evolve"=I
/n this verse the word 3ca4 &and' means 3all of them in the
same se-uence"=
; %he gist is this1 %he senses are of two !inds1 the internal
senses and the e,ternal senses" %he internal sense is the mind,
which is composed of false ego in the mode of goodness,
performs the activities of accepting and re)ecting and is situated
in the heart" 8ccording to the di<erent natures of its di<erent
thin!ing processes, this internal sense is called by the names
mind, intelligence, and false ego" .hen it is directed toward
material things the mind become the cause of material bondage"
/n the Sruti*sastra it is said1
H%he mind is the cause of both bondage and liberation" 8n
impure mind is 0lled with material desires" 8 pure mind is free of
material desires"=
%he mind is also the performer of remembering and other
li!e activities"
> %he e,ternal senses are composed of false ego in the mode
of passion" %he e,ternal senses are of two !inds1 the !nowledge
ac-uiring senses and the active senses" %he !nowledge ac-uiring
senses are 0ve" %hey are the ears, s!in, eyes, tongue and nose"
%he sense that perceives sound is called the ear" /n human
beings and other creatures the sense of hearing resides in the ear"
/n sna!es it resides in the eyes" %he sense that perceives touch is
called the s!in" %he sense of touch is present in every part of the
body4s e,ternal covering, with the sole e,ceptions of the nails and
hair and other li!e places" %o the degree life is present in the
body4s e,ternal covering, to that degree the sense of touch is
present" %he sense that perceives form is the eye" %he sense
that perceives taste is the tongue" %he sense that perceives
smell is the nose"
@ %he ears and other !nowledge ac-uiring senses perceive
sense ob)ects in the ether and the other 0ve elements" %hese
senses and elements are all material" %he mind, life*air &prana',
and speech are thus manifest in the elements earth, water, and
0re" %hey are described in these words of the Sruti sastra1
H5 gentle one, mind is related to earth, breath is related to
water, and speech is related to 0re"=
A %he second group of senses, the active senses, are also 0ve
in number" %hey are the voice, hands, feet, genital and anus"
%he voice is the sense that creates speech" /t is situated in the
throat, chest, and related places" /n the (eda*bhasya it is said1
H%he di<erent syllables are created in eight places1 the
chest, throat, head, tongue, teeth, nose, lips and palate"=
Cecause they do not have the same abilities to create a
variety of sounds in these eight places, cows and other creatures
do not have the power of speech" 8nother of these wor!ing
senses is the sense that creates various ob)ects, li!e crafts or art"
/n human beings and many other creatures this sense reposes in
the hands and 0ngers" /n elephants this sense reposes in the
trun!" %he ne,t sense is the sense of moving from one place to
another" /n human beings and many other creatures this sense
reposes in the feet" /n sna!es this sense is in the chest, and in
28
birds it is in the wings" %he ne,t sense is the sense of removing
impurities from the body, a sense that resides in the anus" %he
last of these senses is the sense for providing a speci0c intense
pleasure" %his sense resides in the genitals" %he genitals also
discharge urine"
B 7rom false ego in the mode of goodness Candra and the
other demigods that control these 1; senses are manifested"
8mong these :eities Crahma, Siva and (isnu govern the intern
senses of mind, intelligence and false ego" /n this way the living
entities are able to ma!e decisions, become resolute, identify
their identity, and thin!" %he :i!*palas, Maruts, Surya, (aruna,
and the 8svini*!umaras govern the ears, s!in, eyes, tongue and
nose respectively" /n this way the living entities are able to
perceive sound, touch, form, taste, and fragrance" 8gni, /ndra,
Ependra, Gama, and Pra)apati govern the voice, hands, feet, anus,
and genitals respectively" /n this way the living entities are able
to spea!, grasp things, move about, defecate and en)oy a speci0c
intense pleasure"
D 7rom false ego in the mode of ignorance are manifest 0rst
the 0ve sense ob)ects and then the 0ve gross material elements"
7irst the false ego in the mode of ignorance and then the gross
material elements are manifest" %hen they are transformed into
the sense ob)ects, which are called the tan*matras" 8s mil! is
transformed into yoghurt, and as a newly conceived embryo is
transformed into a child, so the gross elements are transformed
into the sense ob)ects" %he gross elements are called bhutas"
%he sense ob)ects are subtle, and the elements are gross"
1F %he se-uence in which the gross elements are manifest is
described in a number of di<erent ways" /t is said that from the
Supreme Lord ether was manifest" 7rom ether air was manifest"
7rom air the ne,t elements was manifest, and so one" /n this way
the Sruti*sastra describes the creation of the gross material
elements" /n the Subala Epanisad it is said1
H7rom false ego the 0ve gross sense ob)ects are manifest"
7rom the sense ob)ects the 0ve gross elements are manifest"
%his is also described in the Gopala*tapani Epanisad" 7rom
false ego the 0ve sense ob)ects are manifest" 7rom the sense
ob)ects are manifest, one after another, the gross material
elements" %his is described in the Gopala*tapani Epanisad" 7rom
false ego is manifest sound" 7rom sound is manifest ether" 7rom
ether are manifest sound and touch" 7rom ether is manifest air"
7rom air are manifest sound, touch, and form" 7rom air is
manifest 0re" 7rom 0re are manifest sound, touch, form and
taste" 7rom 0re is manifest water" 7rom water are manifest
sound, touch, form, taste, and fragrance" 7rom water is manifest
earth"
11 %he 0ve elements have speci0c -ualities" $ther has sound
and touch" /t does not have any other sense ob)ects" 8ir has
coolness to the touch, but it does not have fragrance or warmth"
7ire had warmth and light" .ater has coolness to the touch but id
does not have fragrance" $arth has fragrance"
1# 8fter the gross elements were created, the sense ob)ects
were manifested within them" 8fter creating them, Lord (isnu,
the Personality of Godhead, divided the 0ve gross material
elements into two parts" %hen 9e divided them again, so now
29
there were four parts" /n this way he divided the gross material
elements" /n the scriptures it is said1
H%he Supreme Personality of Godhead divided the 0ve
material elements each into two parts" %hen each of those parts
9e divided again" %hen 9e loo!ed at how 9e had divided the 0ve
elements"=
12 %hen the fourteen planetary systems were manifested from
the 0ve material elements" %he seven upper planets, namely
Chur, Chuvar, Svar, Mahar, Manas, %apas and Satya were
manifested" %he seven lower planets, namely 8tala, (itala,
Sutala, asatala, %alatala, Mahatala, and Patala were also
manifested" 7rom them the four types of material bodies of the
living entities, bodies born from wombs, from eggs, from
perspiration and from seeds, were manifested" 9uman beings,
cows, and other li!e creatures are born from wombs" Cirds,
sna!es, and other li!e creatures are born from eggs" Lice,
mos-uitoes, and other li!e creatures are born from perspiration"
%rees, bushes, and other plants are born from seeds"
1; /n this / have given a general description" /t is not possible
here to give many details" %hen the sun was placed in the s!y
and made to rise in the east" %hen the directions of outer space
were created"
1> Prana &life*breath' is not a separate element" /t is included
within air &vayu'" Prana is of 0ve !inds1 prana, apana, samana,
udyana, and vyana"
%he di<erent parts of material nature, from mahat*tattva to
the element earth may be considered a single whole" Still, when
the di<erent activities of material nature are performed, they may
be considered separate units"
1@ %he eight elements are transformed into si,teen" Cy the
Lord4s potency the false ego is transformed into sound" 7rom
sound s!y and touch are manifest" 7rom touch air and form are
manifest" 7rom form 0re and taste are manifest" 7rom taste
water and fragrance are manifest" 7rom fragrance earth is
manifest" %he 0ve sense ob)ects, namely sound, touch, form,
taste and fragrance are manifest before the eleven senses" %he
sense ob)ects are manifest, one after the other, in the gross
material elements" /n ether only one sense ob)ect, namely sound,
is manifest" /n air sound and touch are manifest" /n 0re, sound,
touch and form are manifest" /n water sound, touch, form and
taste are manifest" /n earth sound, touch, form, taste and
fragrance are manifest" /n the Smrti*sastras the 0ve sense
ob)ects are sometimes considered collectively as a single unit"
%hen again they are also considered separately" %he sense
ob)ects are considered the origin of the gross material elements"
%herefore they are di<erent from the gross elements" %hus the
material nature &pra!rti', mahat*tattva, false ego, eleven senses,
0ve sense ob)ects, and 0ve gross elements are said to be the #;
material elements"
1A Material nature, mahat*tattva, false ego and the 0ve gross
material elements are the ingredients of the gross material body"
%he eleven senses are li!e )ewel ornaments placed on the gross
material body" %he 0ve sense ob)ects, eleven senses, and prana
are said to be the ingredient of the subtle material body"
1B Controlled by consciousness, the material body is
manifested, performs actions, and 0nally comes to an end" /n the
30
body are perceptions and activities, but, as the wife is controlled
by the husband, the perceptions and activities are under the
control of the consciousness" %he material body is made of
pra!rti and the other material elements" /t has no other
ingredients" %he material body is li!e a ball of earth" /t is not
di<erent from a clay pot or other li!e thing" /n this way the
components of the body are counted" /t is not otherwise" .ithin
the body are both its cause and its e<ect" %hey are not di<erent"
%he logicians say cause and e<ect are di<erent, are li!e the warp
and woof of a loom" %hat is not true" %hey are not divided in that
way" %he san!hya philosophers say the cause and e<ect are
di<erent and not di<erent" %hat is not true either, for it
contradicts the statements of scripture" %herefor the conclusion
is that the cause and e<ect are not di<erent"
Pan$amah Kiranah
Fifth ay of !i"ht
Kala-tattva-niru'anah
Time
1 6ow we will discuss time" %ime is a speci0c material
element that is independent of the three modes of nature" /t
consists of past, present and future, and it has simultaneity,
delay, speed, and other aspects" /t is the cause of the material
universe4s creation and destruction" /t is li!e a turning wheel, a
wheel that has spo!es beginning with second and ending with
eons" /t is described in the following words of the Sruti*sastra1
HLord (isnu is the controller of time" 9e !nows everything"
9e has all transcendental -ualities"=
/n Srimad Chagavatam &1F"2"#@' it is said1
H5 inaugurator of the material energy, this wonderful
creation wor!s under the control of powerful time, which is
divided into seconds, minutes, hours and years" %his element of
time, which e,tends for many millions of years, is but another
form of Lord (isnu" 7or Gour pastimes Gou act as the controller of
time, but Gou are the reservoir of all good fortune" Let me o<er
my full surrender unto your Lordship"=I
/n the Smrti*sastra it is said1
H%he material universe is li!e a wheel" %ime is li!e a
wheel"=
%ime is powerful and eternal" /n the Sruti*sastra it is said1
Cefore the material universe was manifested, time e,isted"
H5 gently one, before the material universe was created,
time e,isted"=
%ime acts everywhere" /n the Sruti*sastra it is said1
H%here is no place in the material world where time is not
present"=
%ime controls the material world" Still, time itself is under
the control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead" %his is
con0rmed by the passage beginning 3)nah !ala*!alah4 in the Sruti*
sastra and also by Srimad Chagavatam 1F"2"#@, both passages
-uoted above" %ime has no power in the spiritual world" /n
Srimad Chagavatam &#"#"1A' it is said1
31
H/n that transcendental state of labdhopasanti there is no
supremacy of devastating time, which controls even the celestial
demigods who are empowered to rule over mundane creatures"=I
Sasthah Kiranah
Si0th ay of !i"ht
Karma-tattva-niru'anah
1$tion
1 6ow we will discuss !arma &action'" Some actions have
piety as their goal" 5ther actions have material pleasures as their
goal" Some actions bring reactions that are dormant li!e seeds"
/n other actions the reaction have already begun to sprout" /n
(edanta*sutra it is said1
H/f someone says1 before the material world was created
there were no activities=, then / reply1 36o" %hat is not true"
8ctivities are eternal" %hey never had a beginning"=
8ctivities are of two !inds1 auspicious and inauspicious"
/nauspicious activities are activities forbidden in the (edas" %hose
activities bring unwanted results" %hey lead the performed to
hell" 8uspicious activities are activities encouraged by the (edas"
%hese activities bring the ful0lment of speci0c desires" 7or
e,ample, if one desires to reside in Svargalo!a one should
perform a Myotistome*ya)na" Chanting the gayatri*mantra and
performing agni*hotras are e,amples of auspicious activities that
to be performed regularly" Performing a speci0c ya)na to obtain a
son is an e,ample of an auspicious activity meant for a speci0c
occasion" Performing a candrayana fast is an e,ample of an
auspicious activity meant as a penance to atone for a sin" /n this
way there are many !inds of auspicious activities" 8 person who
desire to attain liberation should avoid the forbidden activities, for
they will become stumbling bloc!s on the path to liberation"
8uspicious activities should always be performed, for they purify
the heart and mind"
# %ranscendental !nowledge destroys the reactions of all
auspicious and inauspicious deeds" /n the Chandogya Epanisad it
is said1
H%herefore a person situated in transcendental !nowledge
is never touched by !armic reactions" 8s a ball of cotton burns in
a 0re, so all his sins are burned to ashes"=
H8s a lotus leaf us always untouched by water, so a person
situated in transcendental !nowledge is always untouched by
sinful reactions"=
/n this way both sinful and pious !armic reactions are
destroyed" /n Crhad*aranya!a Epanisad it is said1
HCrossing beyond both pious and sinful !armic reactions,
one attains liberation"=
/n this way a person situated in transcendental !nowledge
crosses beyond both pious and sinful !armic reactions" %his
means that all his !armic reactions are destroyed" 9e is freed of
all past !armic reactions"
2 .hen by transcendental !nowledge one becomes free of
past !armic reactions, one attains the lotus feet of Lord +rsna"
$n)oying eternal happiness, one eternally stays with 9im in the
32
spiritual world" 5ne never returns to the material world" /n the
Sruti*sastra it is said1
H8 person who !nows the Supreme attains the spiritual
world"=
/n the Sruti*sastra &Svetasvatara Epanisad 2"B' it is said1
H/ !now that Supreme Personality of Godhead who is
transcendental to all material conceptions of dar!ness" 5nly he
who !nows 9im can transcend the bonds of birth and death"
%here is no way for liberation other than this !nowledge of that
Supreme Person"=I
/n the Sruti*sastra it is said1
H5ne who goes to the spiritual world en)oys all spiritual
pleasures there" 9e never returns to this material world"=
; +nowledge is of two !inds1 !nowledge of the visible world
and !nowledge beyond the visible world" %hese two !inds of
!nowledge are called paro!sa and aparo!sa respectively"
8paro!sa !nowledge is full of transcendental bliss" %hat
!nowledge is the same as devotional service" /n Gopala*tapani
Epanisad it is said1
H%he Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is eternal and
full of transcendental !nowledge and bliss, is attained by
devotional service"=
Many devotees have directly attained the Supreme
Personality of Godhead" 8ssociating with great devotees and
performing the pure devotional activities that begin with hearing
and chanting the Lord4s glories, they became puri0ed at heart and
attained shelter at Lord +rsna4s feet"
/n Srimad Chagavatam &#"#"2A' it is said1
H%hose who drin! through aural reception, fully 0lled with
the nectarean message of Lord +rsna, the beloved of the
devotees, purify the polluted aim of life !now as material
en)oyment and thus go bac! to Godhead, to the lotus feet of 9im
&the Personality of Godhead'"=I
> %hese 0ve truths are described in the words of Sri (isnu
Purana1
H5 brahmana, the material nature and the individual spirit
souls are both di<erent from the transcendental form of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead" %he material world is created
and destroyed by time" %he living entities attain the results of
their own actions" 8 person who !nows these 0ve truths, who is
rich in the devotional activities described in the scriptures, and
who is pure at heart attains Lord +rsna4s feet" 8t Lord +rsna4s
feet he is eternally glorious and happy"=
#'ilo"ue
May Lord +rsna, who manifested in this world as Lord
Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and whose mercy puri0ed and delighted
Ga)endra and Mahara)a Prataparudra, reside always in our hearts"
Chanting the names adha*:amodara, a certain brahmana
o<ers this (edanta*syamanta!a to Srimati adharani" 9e hopes
this boo! will please 9er"
Thus ends Sri Vedanta-syamantaka
33