Paramātma · Sanskrit §11 · English §11–13
Source[११] यथा वा - सरस्वत्यास् तटे राजन् ऋषयः सत्रम् आसते । वितर्कः समभूत् तेषां त्रिष्व् अधीशेषु को महान् ॥ [भ्प् १०.८९.१] इत्य् आदिर् इतिहासः । श्री-विष्णोः स्थानं च क्षीरोदादिकं पाद्मोत्तर- खण्डादौ जगत्-पालन-निमित्तक-निवेदनार्थं ब्रह्मादयस् तत्र मुहुर् गच्छतीति प्रसिद्धेः । विष्णु-लोकतया प्रसिद्धेश् च । बृहत्-सहस्र-नाम्नि च क्षीराब्धि-मन्दिर इति तन्-नाम-गणे पठ्यते । श्वेत-द्वीप-पतेः क्वचिद् अनिरुद्धतया ख्यातिश् च तस्य साक्षाद् एवाविर्भाव इत्य् अपेक्षयेति ॥ ॥ १०.८९ ॥ श्री-शुकः ॥११॥
[11] yathā vā - sarasvatyās taṭe rājan ṛṣayaḥ satram āsate | vitarkaḥ samabhūt teṣāṃ triṣv adhīśeṣu ko mahān || [BhP 10.89.1] ity ādir itihāsaḥ | śrī-viṣṇoḥ sthānaṃ ca kṣīrodādikaṃ pādmottara- khaṇḍādau jagat-pālana-nimittaka-nivedanārthaṃ brahmādayas tatra muhur gacchatīti prasiddheḥ | viṣṇu-lokatayā prasiddheś ca | bṛhat-sahasra-nāmni ca kṣīrābdhi-mandira iti tan-nāma-gaṇe paṭhyate | śveta-dvīpa-pateḥ kvacid aniruddhatayā khyātiś ca tasya sākṣād evāvirbhāva ity apekṣayeti || || 10.89 || śrī-śukaḥ ||11||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 11–13
Anuccheda 11
Text 1
This is also described in the story narrated in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto Ten, Chapter Eighty-nine, which begins with this verse (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.89.1):
“Long ago there was an assembly of great sages on the bank of the river Sarasvati, and they performed a great sacrifice of the name Satrayaja. In such assemblies, the great sages present usually discuss Vedic subject matters and philosophical topics, and in this particular meeting the following question was raised: The three predominating deities of the material world, namely Lord Brahma, Lord Visnu, and Lord Siva, are directing all the affairs of this cosmos, but who among them is the Supreme?”*
Text 2
This truth (that Lord Visnu is the Supreme) is also proved by the fact that Brahma and the other demigods again and again go to the milk-ocean and the other abodes of Lord Visnu to beg the Lord for protection, and also by the fact that the transcendental realm of Lord Visnu is celebrated above all others. For example, the Lord’s abode is glorified in the Brhat-sahasra-nama, which counts “ksirabdhi-mandira” (He whose palace is on the milk-ocean) among Lord Visnu’s names. In some places in the scriptures, Lord Aniruddha is called “svetadvipa-pati” (the master of Svetadvipa). Lord Aniruddha is a direct incarnation of Lord Visnu. The verse quoted in the beginning of this anuccheda was spoken by Srila Sukadeva Gosvami.
Anucchedas 12 and 13
Text 1
In this story (Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto Ten, Chapter Eighty-nine) a certain test clearly determines the relative importance of the three Deities (Visnu, Brahma, and Siva). The relative of importance of these three Deities is also explained in two verses of Srimad-Bhagavatam. The first of these verses is given here (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.23):
Text 2
“The transcendental Personality of Godhead is indirectly associated with the three modes of material nature, namely passion, goodness, and ignorance, and just for the material world’s creation, maintenance, and destruction He accepts the three qualitative forms of Brahma, Visnu, and Siva. Of these three, all human beings can derive ultimate benefit from Visnu, the form of the quality of goodness.”*
Text 3
This verse means: “Even though (api) He employs goodness and the other modes of material nature (taih) to create, maintain, and destroy (sthity-adaye) the material universe, the one (ekah) Supreme Person (parah) remains always untouched by these three modes. In this way He appears as the three forms Visnu, Brahma, and Siva (hari-virinca-hareti-samjah). Nevertheless, the best results are obtained from Lord Visnu, who is the master of the potency of goodness (sattva-tanoh). These best results are religion, economic development, sense gratification, liberation, and devotional service.”
Text 4
Here is the meaning: One who worships Brahma or Siva with the idea that they are the deities of the modes of passion and ignorance obtains only religion, economic development, and sense gratification, which bring only very little happiness, as his result. He obtains only this because he is completely bewildered by the modes of passion and ignorance. Even if he abandons the idea that Brahma and Siva are the Deities of specific modes, such a person cannot at once attain true liberation. Only when he understands that Brahma and Siva are partial expansions of the Supersoul, and when he strives to find the Supersoul, can that person attain true liberation.
Text 5
If one does not see them as expansions of the Supersoul, one will not attain auspiciousness by worshiping Brahma and Siva. However, even thinking Him only the Deity of the mode of goodness, if one worships Lord Visnu, one will attain auspiciousness. Such a person will easily attain whatever happiness may be obtained from religion, economic development, and sense gratification. He obtains this because of the peaceful and auspicious nature of the mode of goodness.
Text 6
Thus by worshiping Lord Visnu without any material desires one attains true liberation. This is hinted by the following words of Bhagavad-gita (14.17):
“From the mode of goodness, real knowledge develops.”*
It is also hinted by these words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.25.24):
“The mode of goodness brings spiritual knowledge.”
Text 7
That the worship of Lord Visnu brings liberation is also confirmed by the following words of the Skanda Purana:
“He binds the souls with the ropes of birth and death. He unties the ropes of birth and death that bind the souls. Eternal Lord Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, brings liberation.”
Text 8
By giving up the idea that Lord Visnu is merely the Deity of the mode of goodness one becomes eligible to attain devotional service, which is the fifth goal of life (superior to the other four goals: religion, economic development, sense gratification, and liberation). Such a person attains devotional service because he understands that Lord Visnu is identical with the Supersoul. In this way all good things (sreyamsi) come from worshiping Lord Visnu.
Text 9
Some philosophers, claiming that the three Deities Brahma, Visnu, and Siva are identical in all respects, may dispute these conclusions. Here is the explanation given in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.23): Although the three modes of nature are not equal, and are indeed situated in different levels of merit, nevertheless, they are all manifested and controlled by the one Supreme Personality of Godhead (parah purusa ekah). Therefore the controllers of the modes are not different from Lord Visnu. These words are certainly the truth. However, Brahma, Visnu, and Siva are still different in the sense that some are direct manifestations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and others are indirect manifestations of the Lord. Therefore one cannot reject the idea that the modes and their Deities are situated in different levels of importance. This is described in the following example given by Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.24):
Text 10
“Firewood is a transformation of earth, but smoke is better than the raw wood. And fire is still better, for by fire we can derive the benefits of superior knowledge (through Vedic sacrifices). Similarly, passion (rajas) is better than ignorance (tamas), but goodness (sattva) is best because by goodness one can come to realize the Absolute Truth.”*
Text 11
Firewood manifested from earth (parthivat) is not like smoke, for smoke has some fire within it. In the same way the mode of ignorance does not manifest the duties described in the Vedas, but in the mode of passion the duties described in the Vedas may be partially manifested. By rubbing two wooden sticks one may create smoke and then a fire that may be used to perform a yajna. In this way smoke may lead to performance of Vedic duties (trayimayah). In this way smoke, or passion, is considered to be a better resting place for the duties described in the Vedas. Better than smoke, however, is fire. In this way it is seen that in the mode of goodness the duties described in the Vedas are directly manifested. Therefore goodness is better than passion. As wood is far from actual fire, so ignorance is far from goodness. As smoke is not as far from fire, so passion is not as far from goodness. From the mode of goodness one may attain brahma-darsanam (the realization of the Absolute Truth). Thus by following the duties described in the Vedas one comes to have realization of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Text 12
By the word “tu” (but) is hinted the truth that the mode of ignorance brings destruction. Because it brings some material knowledge, the mode of passion brings a little light to see the Supreme. In other words, in the mode of passion one comes closer to seeing the Supreme. However, because it is so agitating and troublesome, the mode of passion does not allow one to see the Supreme properly.
Text 13
In this verse goodness is compared to fire. This is because in goodness one can directly see the Supreme. Because goodness is by nature peaceful and pure, goodness enables one to directly and properly see the Supreme. In this way it is proved that Brahma and Siva are indirect incarnations and Lord Visnu is a direct incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the meaning.
Text 14
The truth that Lord Visnu is directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead is also explained in these words of Sri Vamana Purana:
“The three forms of Brahma, Visnu, and Siva are all manifested from Lord Visnu, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Brahma appears in the form of Brahma, and Siva appears in the form of Siva. Lord Visnu, however, is different from either Brahma or Siva, for Lord Visnu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, the Lord who delivers His devotees from distress.”
Text 15
The relative natures of Brahma, Siva, and Visnu are also described in these words of Brahma-samhita (5.49, 5.45, and 5.46):
“I adore the primeval Lord Govinda from whom the separated subjective portion Brahma receives his power for the regulation of the mundane world, just as the sun manifests some portion of his own light in all the effulgent gems that bear the names of suryakanta etc.**
Text 16
“Just as milk is transformed into curd by the action of acids, but yet the effect curd is neither the same as, nor different from, its cause, viz. milk, so I adore the primeval Lord Govinda of whom the state of Sambhu is a transformation for the performance of the work of destruction.”**
Text 17
“The light of one candle being communicated to another candle, although it burns separately in them, is the same in its quality. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, who exhibits Himself equally in the same mobile manner in His various manifestations.”**
Text 18
The example of curd given in this verse does not support the impersonalists’ theory of transformation, for that theory is again and again refuted by the scriptures, and the scriptures’ opinion should be accepted, as is declared by the Vedanta-sutra (2.1.27):
srutes tu sabda-mulatvat
“The scriptures are the root of knowledge.”
Text 19
An example of the scriptures refutation of the impersonalists’ theory of transformation is given in these words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.87.15):
“As many things may be created from clay and then again dissolved into the original clay, but the original clay itself remains unchanged, in the same way the Supreme Personality of Godhead creates and annihilates the worlds, but He Himself remains always unchanged.”
Text 20
The three examples given in the verses from Brahma-samhita may be understood in the following way. The example of the sun and the suryakanta jewels describes Brahma. In this way it is seen that Brahma is a very limited manifestation of the Supreme Lord. The example of milk and curd describes Siva. In this way it is seen that Siva is not like the Supreme Lord. The example of one lamp lighting other lamps describes Lord Visnu. In this way it is seen that Lord Visnu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself in all fullness. The verse quoted in the beginning of this anuccheda was spoken by Sri Suta Gosvami.
Paramātma · Sanskrit §12 · English §14
Source[१२] एवं परोक्षया तत्र त्रिदेव्यास् तारतम्यम् अपि स्फुटम् । तथा चान्यत्र द्वयेनाह - सत्त्वं रजस् तम इति प्रकृतेर् गुणास् तैर् युक्तः परम-पुरुष एक इहास्य धत्ते । स्थित्य्-आदये हरि-विरिञ्चि-हरेति संज्ञाः श्रेयांसि तत्र खलु सत्त्व-तनोर् नॄणां स्युः ॥ [भ्प् १.२.२३] इह यद्यप्य् एक एव परः पुमान् अस्य विश्वस्य स्थित्य्-आदये सृष्टि-स्थिति- लयार्थं तैः सत्त्वादिभिर् युक्तः सन् हरि-विरिञ्च-हरेति संज्ञा भिन्ना धत्ते तत्-तद्-रूपेणाविर्भवतीत्य् अर्थः । तथापि तत्र तेषां मध्ये श्रेयांसि धर्मार्थ-काम-मोक्ष-भक्त्य्-आख्यानि शुभ-फलानि सत्त्व-तनोर् अधिष्ठित-सत्त्व-शक्तेः श्री-विष्णोर् एव स्युः । अयं भावः । उपाधि-दृष्ट्या तौ द्वौ सेव्यमाने रजस्-तमसोर् घोर-मूढत्वात् भवन्तोऽपि धर्मार्थ- कामा नाति-सुखदा भवन्ति तथोपाधि-त्यागेन सेवमाने भवन्न् अपि मोक्षो न साक्षान् न च झटिति किन्तु कथम् अपि परमात्वांश एवायम् इत्य् अनुसन्धाना-भ्यासेनैव परमात्मन एव भवति । अथोपाधि-दृष्ट्यापि श्री-विष्णुं सेव्यमाने सत्त्वस्य शान्त्तत्वात् धर्मार्थ-कामा अपि सुखदाः । तत्र निष्कामत्वेन तु तं सेव्यमाने सत्त्वात् सञ्जायते ज्ञानम् इति [गीता १४.१७] कैवल्यं सात्त्विकं ज्ञानम् [भ्प् ११.२५.२४] इति चोक्तेर् मोक्षस्य साक्षात् । अत उक्तं स्कान्दे - बन्धको भव-पाशेन भव-पाशाच् च मोचकः । कैवल्यदः परं ब्रह्म विष्णुर् एव सनातनः ॥ इति । उपाधि-परित्यागेन तु पञ्चम-पुरुषार्थो भक्तिर् एव भवति तस्य परमात्माकारेणैव प्रकाशात् । तस्मात् श्री-विष्णोर् एव श्रेयांसि स्युर् इति । अत्र तु यत् त्रयाणाम् अभेद-वाक्येनोपजप्त-मतयो विवदन्ते तत्रेदं ब्रूमः । यद्यपि तारतम्यम् इदम् अधिष्ठान-गतम् एव अधिष्ठाता तु परः पुरुष एक एवेति भेदासम्भवात् सत्यम् एवाभेद-वाक्यं तथापि तस्य तत्र तत्र साक्षात् त्वासाक्षात् त्व् अभेदेन प्रकाशेन तारतम्यं दुर्निवारम् एवेति सट्टष्टान्तम् आह ॥
[12] evaṃ parokṣayā tatra tridevyās tāratamyam api sphuṭam | tathā cānyatra dvayenāha - sattvaṃ rajas tama iti prakṛter guṇās tair yuktaḥ parama-puruṣa eka ihāsya dhatte | sthity-ādaye hari-viriñci-hareti saṃjñāḥ śreyāṃsi tatra khalu sattva-tanor nṝṇāṃ syuḥ || [BhP 1.2.23] iha yadyapy eka eva paraḥ pumān asya viśvasya sthity-ādaye sṛṣṭi-sthiti- layārthaṃ taiḥ sattvādibhir yuktaḥ san hari-viriñca-hareti saṃjñā bhinnā dhatte tat-tad-rūpeṇāvirbhavatīty arthaḥ | tathāpi tatra teṣāṃ madhye śreyāṃsi dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣa-bhakty-ākhyāni śubha-phalāni sattva-tanor adhiṣṭhita-sattva-śakteḥ śrī-viṣṇor eva syuḥ | ayaṃ bhāvaḥ | upādhi-dṛṣṭyā tau dvau sevyamāne rajas-tamasor ghora-mūḍhatvāt bhavanto'pi dharmārtha- kāmā nāti-sukhadā bhavanti tathopādhi-tyāgena sevamāne bhavann api mokṣo na sākṣān na ca jhaṭiti kintu katham api paramātvāṃśa evāyam ity anusandhānā-bhyāsenaiva paramātmana eva bhavati | athopādhi-dṛṣṭyāpi śrī-viṣṇuṃ sevyamāne sattvasya śānttatvāt dharmārtha-kāmā api sukhadāḥ | tatra niṣkāmatvena tu taṃ sevyamāne sattvāt sañjāyate jñānam iti [Gītā 14.17] kaivalyaṃ sāttvikaṃ jñānam [BhP 11.25.24] iti cokter mokṣasya sākṣāt | ata uktaṃ skānde - bandhako bhava-pāśena bhava-pāśāc ca mocakaḥ | kaivalyadaḥ paraṃ brahma viṣṇur eva sanātanaḥ || iti | upādhi-parityāgena tu pañcama-puruṣārtho bhaktir eva bhavati tasya paramātmākāreṇaiva prakāśāt | tasmāt śrī-viṣṇor eva śreyāṃsi syur iti | atra tu yat trayāṇām abheda-vākyenopajapta-matayo vivadante tatredaṃ brūmaḥ | yadyapi tāratamyam idam adhiṣṭhāna-gatam eva adhiṣṭhātā tu paraḥ puruṣa eka eveti bhedāsambhavāt satyam evābheda-vākyaṃ tathāpi tasya tatra tatra sākṣāt tvāsākṣāt tv abhedena prakāśena tāratamyaṃ durnivāram eveti saṭṭaṣṭāntam āha ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 14
Anuccheda 14
Text 1
The relative status of Brahma, Visnu, and Siva is also described in these words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.88.3-5):
“The truth about Lord Siva is that he is always covered with three material coverings: vaikarika, taijasa, and tamasa. Because of these three modes of material nature, he always associates with the external energy and egotism itself.*
Text 2
“From egotism are manifested the sixteen elements. Pursuing these elements, the living entity enjoys various opulences.
Text 3
“Sri Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is situated beyond the range of material nature. Therefore He is the supreme transcendental person. He can see everything inside and outside. Therefore He is the supreme overseer of all living entities. If someone takes shelter at His lotus feet and worships Him, he also attains a transcendental position.”*
Text 4
The word “sasvac-chakti-yutah” means “In the beginning Lord Siva is accompanied by his eternal potency.” That is to say he is accompanied by the material feature where the modes of nature are balanced equally against each other, and no one of them dominates the others. The word “tri-lingah” means “when the modes are agitated, the equilibrium is broken, and the three material modes manifest their individual natures.”
Text 5
Here someone may ask: “The scriptures declare that Lord Siva associates with the mode of ignorance. Why do you say, then, that he associates with all the modes?” To this question this passage of Srimad-Bhagavatam answers with the word “vaikarikah” (Lord Siva associates with goodness, passion, and ignorance).
Text 6
Here the word “aham” means “egotism”, and “tridha” means “that egotism is manifested in three forms”. The meaning is that Lord Siva is the presiding deity of these three kinds of egotism. In this passage the direct meaning should not be accepted. The secondary meaning should be accepted in its place.
Text 7
In this way Lord Siva acts as the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. From egotism are manifested the sixteen (sodasa) transformations (vikarah) that are the material elements. The living entities pursue (kincana upadhavan) all (sarvasam) the opulences (vibhutinam) manifested among these elements. By worshiping Lord Siva, they attain their goals (gatim).
Text 8
In the last of these verses the word “hi” means either “it is certainly well known” or “it is certainly proved”. The words “harih purusah prakrteh parah” mean “Lord Hari is never touched by the material energy”. For this reason, Lord Hari is said here to be nirgunah” (beyond the modes of material nature). This being so, how is it possible that Lord Hari can come under the influence of the material modes? (It is not possible.) The reason Lord Hari never comes under the influence of the material modes is given in the words “saksat purusah”, which mean that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller. He is not a reflection of something else that is the true Supreme. He is the Supreme.
Text 9
Here the word “tanuh” is used in the same way as in Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.11.3. In various places in the scriptures the potency of the Lord is described. In this way, merely by glancing, Lord Hari can perform various activities. That is the meaning. The word “upadrasta” here means that Lord Hari is the witness. “Sarva-drk” means that Lord Hari has direct knowledge of Siva, Brahma, and all other living entities. The words “tam bhajan nirguno bhavet” mean that a person who worships Lord Hari also transcends the influence of the material modes. The verses quoted in the beginning of this anuccheda were spoken by Srila Sukadeva Gosvami.
Paramātma · Sanskrit §13 · English §15
Source[१३] पार्थिवाद् दारुणो धूमस् तस्माद् अग्निस् त्रयीमयः । तमसस् तु रजस् तस्मात् सत्त्वं यद् ब्रह्म-दर्शनम् ॥ [भ्प् १.२.२४] पार्थिवान् न तु धूमवद्-अंशेनाग्नेयात् तत एव वेदोक्त-कर्मणः साक्षात् प्रवृत्ति-प्रकाश-रहिताद् दारुणो यज्ञीयान् मथन-काष्ठात् सकाशाद् अंशेनाग्नेयो धूमस् त्रयीमयः पूर्वापेक्षया वेदोक्त-कर्म-स्थानीयस्य तत्-तद्-अवतारिणः पुरुषस्य प्रकाश-द्वारम् । तु-शब्देन लयात्मकात् तमसः सकाशाद् रजसः सोपाधिक-ज्ञान-हेतुत्वेनेषद्-गुण-विप्रादुर्भाव- रूपं किञ्चित् ब्रह्म-दर्शन-प्रत्यासत्ति-मात्रम् उक्तं न तु सर्वथा विक्षेपकत्वम् । यद् अग्नि-स्थानीयं सत्त्वं तत् साक्षात् ब्रह्मणो दर्शनम् । साक्षाद् एव सम्यक् तत्-तद्-गुण-रूपाविर्भाव-द्वारं शान्त-स्वच्छ- स्वभावात्मकत्वात् । अतो ब्रह्म-शिवयोर् असाक्षात्त्वं श्री-विष्णौ तु साक्षात्त्वं सिद्धम् इति भावः । तथा च श्री-वामन-पुराणे -- ब्रह्म-विष्ण्व्-ईश-रूपाणि त्रीणि विष्णोर् महात्मनः । ब्रह्मणि ब्रह्म-रूपः स शिव-रूपः शिवे स्थितः ॥ पृथग् एव स्थितो देवो विष्णु-रूपी जनार्दनः ॥ इति । तद् उक्तं ब्रह्म-संहितायां - भास्वान् यथाश्म-शकलेषु निजेषु तेजः स्वीयं कियत् प्रकटयत्य् अपि तद्वद् अत्र । ब्रह्मा य एव जगद्-अण्ड-विधान-कर्त्रा गोविन्दम् आदि-पुरुषं तम् अहं भजामि ॥ [ब्रह्मस् ५.४८] क्षीरं यथा दधि-विकार-विशेष-योगात् सञ्जायते न तु ततः पृथग् अस्ति हेतोः । यः शम्भुताम् अपि तथा समुपैति कार्याद् गोविन्दम् आदि-पुरुषं तम् अहं भजामि ॥ [ब्रह्मस् ५.४५] दीपार्चिर् एव हि दशान्तरम् अभ्युपेत्य दीपायते विवृत-हेतु-समान-धर्मा । यस् तादृग् एव हि च विष्णुतया विभाति गोविन्दम् आदि-पुरुषं तम् अहं भजामि ॥ इत्य् आदि [ब्रह्मस् ५.४६]। न च दधि-दृष्टान्तेन विकारित्वम् आयातम् । तस्य श्रुतेस् तु शब्द-मूलत्वाद् इति न्यायेन मुहुः परिहृतत्वात् । यथोक्तम् - यत उदयास्तमयौ विकृतेर् मृद् इवाविकृताद् इति । दृष्टान्त-त्रयेण तु क्रमेणेदं लभ्यते । सूर्य-कान्त-स्थानीये ब्रह्मोपाधौ सूर्यस्येव तस्य किञ्चित् प्रकाशः । दधि-स्थानीये शम्भूपाधौ क्षीर-स्थानीयस्य न तादृग् अपि प्रकाशः । दशान्तर- स्थानीये विष्णूपाधौ तु पूर्ण एव प्रकाश इति ॥ १.२ ॥ श्री-सूतः ॥१३॥
[13] pārthivād dāruṇo dhūmas tasmād agnis trayīmayaḥ | tamasas tu rajas tasmāt sattvaṃ yad brahma-darśanam || [BhP 1.2.24] pārthivān na tu dhūmavad-aṃśenāgneyāt tata eva vedokta-karmaṇaḥ sākṣāt pravṛtti-prakāśa-rahitād dāruṇo yajñīyān mathana-kāṣṭhāt sakāśād aṃśenāgneyo dhūmas trayīmayaḥ pūrvāpekṣayā vedokta-karma-sthānīyasya tat-tad-avatāriṇaḥ puruṣasya prakāśa-dvāram | tu-śabdena layātmakāt tamasaḥ sakāśād rajasaḥ sopādhika-jñāna-hetutveneṣad-guṇa-viprādurbhāva- rūpaṃ kiñcit brahma-darśana-pratyāsatti-mātram uktaṃ na tu sarvathā vikṣepakatvam | yad agni-sthānīyaṃ sattvaṃ tat sākṣāt brahmaṇo darśanam | sākṣād eva samyak tat-tad-guṇa-rūpāvirbhāva-dvāraṃ śānta-svaccha- svabhāvātmakatvāt | ato brahma-śivayor asākṣāttvaṃ śrī-viṣṇau tu sākṣāttvaṃ siddham iti bhāvaḥ | tathā ca śrī-vāmana-purāṇe -- brahma-viṣṇv-īśa-rūpāṇi trīṇi viṣṇor mahātmanaḥ | brahmaṇi brahma-rūpaḥ sa śiva-rūpaḥ śive sthitaḥ || pṛthag eva sthito devo viṣṇu-rūpī janārdanaḥ || iti | tad uktaṃ brahma-saṃhitāyāṃ - bhāsvān yathāśma-śakaleṣu nijeṣu tejaḥ svīyaṃ kiyat prakaṭayaty api tadvad atra | brahmā ya eva jagad-aṇḍa-vidhāna-kartrā govindam ādi-puruṣaṃ tam ahaṃ bhajāmi || [BrahmaS 5.48] kṣīraṃ yathā dadhi-vikāra-viśeṣa-yogāt sañjāyate na tu tataḥ pṛthag asti hetoḥ | yaḥ śambhutām api tathā samupaiti kāryād govindam ādi-puruṣaṃ tam ahaṃ bhajāmi || [BrahmaS 5.45] dīpārcir eva hi daśāntaram abhyupetya dīpāyate vivṛta-hetu-samāna-dharmā | yas tādṛg eva hi ca viṣṇutayā vibhāti govindam ādi-puruṣaṃ tam ahaṃ bhajāmi || ity ādi [BrahmaS 5.46]| na ca dadhi-dṛṣṭāntena vikāritvam āyātam | tasya śrutes tu śabda-mūlatvād iti nyāyena muhuḥ parihṛtatvāt | yathoktam - yata udayāstamayau vikṛter mṛd ivāvikṛtād iti | dṛṣṭānta-trayeṇa tu krameṇedaṃ labhyate | sūrya-kānta-sthānīye brahmopādhau sūryasyeva tasya kiñcit prakāśaḥ | dadhi-sthānīye śambhūpādhau kṣīra-sthānīyasya na tādṛg api prakāśaḥ | daśāntara- sthānīye viṣṇūpādhau tu pūrṇa eva prakāśa iti || 1.2 || śrī-sūtaḥ ||13||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 15
Anuccheda 15
Text 1
That Lord Visnu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself is confirmed by the following words, where the demigod Brahma describes Lord Visnu (Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.6.32):
Text 2
“By His will, I create, Lord Siva destroys, and He Himself, in His eternal form as the Personality of Godhead, maintains everything. He is the powerful controller of these three energies.”*
Text 3
Here the word “aham” (I) refers to Lord Brahma. That Lord Hari is the Supreme Personality of Godhead is also confirmed by the following words of the Maha Upanisad (2.3.14):
“Using Brahma as His agent, Lord Hari creates the material universe. Using Siva as His agent, Lord Hari destroys the material universe. Lord Hari is the blissful Supreme Personality of Godhead. He was never born. He is the shelter in which everything rests.”
Text 4
The verse in Text 1 was spoken by Lord Brahma to Narada Muni.
Paramātma · Sanskrit §14 · English §16
Source[१४] एवम् एवाह त्रिभिः - शिवः शक्ति-युतः शश्वत् त्रिलिङ्गो गुण-संवृतः । वैकारिकस् तैजसश् च तामसश् चेत्य् अहं त्रिधा ॥ [भ्प् १०.८८.३] ततो विकारा अभवन् षोडशामीषु कञ्चन । उपधावन् विभूतीनां सर्वासाम् अश्नुते गतिम् ॥ [भ्प् १०.८८.४] हरिर् हि निर्गुणः साक्षात् पुरुषः प्रकृतेः परः । स सर्व-दृग् उपद्रष्टा तं भजन् निर्गुणो भवेत् ॥ इति [भ्प् १०.८८.५] शश्वच्-छक्ति-युतः प्रथमतस् तावन् नित्यम् एव शक्त्या गुण-साम्यावस्थ- प्रकृति-रूपोपाधिना युक्तः । गुण-क्षोभे सति त्रिलिङ्गो गुण-त्रयोपाधिः । प्रकटेश् च सद्भिस् तैर् गुणैः संवृतश् च । ननु तम-उपाधित्वम् एव तस्य श्रूयते कथं तत्-तद्-उपाधित्वं तत्रावैकारिक इति । अहम् अहं-तत्त्वं हि तत्-तद्-रूपेण त्रिधा । स च तद्- अधिष्ठात्य् अर्थः । ततस् तेन भगवत्-प्रतिनिधि-रूपेणाधिष्ठिताद् अहन्- तत्त्वात् षोडश-विकारा ये अभवन् अमीषु विकारेषु मध्ये सर्वासां विभूतीनां सम्बन्धिनं कञ्चन उपधावन् तद्-उपाधिकत्वेन तम् उपासीनो गतिं प्राप्यं फलं लभते । हि प्रसिद्धौ हेतौ वा । हरिस् तु प्रकृतेर् उपाधितः परस् तद्-धर्मैर् अस्पृष्टः । अतएव त्रिर् गुणोऽपि कुतस् त्रिलिङ्गत्वादिकम् इति भावः । तत्र हेतुः साक्षाद् एव पुरुष ईश्वरः । न तु प्रतिबिम्बवद् व्यवधानेनेत्य् अर्थः । अतो विद्याविद्ये मम तनू [भ्प् ११.११.३] इतिवत् तनु-शब्दोपादानात् कुत्रचित् सत्त्व-शक्तित्व-श्रवणम् अपि प्रेक्षादि-मात्रेणोपकारित्वाद् इति भावः । अतएव सर्वेषां शिव-ब्रह्मादीनां दृक् ज्ञानं यस्मात् तथाभूतः सन्न् उपद्रष्टा तद्-आदि-साक्षी भवति । अतः स तं भजन् निर्गुणो भवेद् गुणातीत-फल-भाग् भवतीति ॥ १०.८८ ॥ श्री- शुकः ॥१४॥
[14] evam evāha tribhiḥ - śivaḥ śakti-yutaḥ śaśvat triliṅgo guṇa-saṃvṛtaḥ | vaikārikas taijasaś ca tāmasaś cety ahaṃ tridhā || [BhP 10.88.3] tato vikārā abhavan ṣoḍaśāmīṣu kañcana | upadhāvan vibhūtīnāṃ sarvāsām aśnute gatim || [BhP 10.88.4] harir hi nirguṇaḥ sākṣāt puruṣaḥ prakṛteḥ paraḥ | sa sarva-dṛg upadraṣṭā taṃ bhajan nirguṇo bhavet || iti [BhP 10.88.5] śaśvac-chakti-yutaḥ prathamatas tāvan nityam eva śaktyā guṇa-sāmyāvastha- prakṛti-rūpopādhinā yuktaḥ | guṇa-kṣobhe sati triliṅgo guṇa-trayopādhiḥ | prakaṭeś ca sadbhis tair guṇaiḥ saṃvṛtaś ca | nanu tama-upādhitvam eva tasya śrūyate kathaṃ tat-tad-upādhitvaṃ tatrāvaikārika iti | aham ahaṃ-tattvaṃ hi tat-tad-rūpeṇa tridhā | sa ca tad- adhiṣṭhāty arthaḥ | tatas tena bhagavat-pratinidhi-rūpeṇādhiṣṭhitād ahan- tattvāt ṣoḍaśa-vikārā ye abhavan amīṣu vikāreṣu madhye sarvāsāṃ vibhūtīnāṃ sambandhinaṃ kañcana upadhāvan tad-upādhikatvena tam upāsīno gatiṃ prāpyaṃ phalaṃ labhate | hi prasiddhau hetau vā | haris tu prakṛter upādhitaḥ paras tad-dharmair aspṛṣṭaḥ | ataeva trir guṇo'pi kutas triliṅgatvādikam iti bhāvaḥ | tatra hetuḥ sākṣād eva puruṣa īśvaraḥ | na tu pratibimbavad vyavadhānenety arthaḥ | ato vidyāvidye mama tanū [BhP 11.11.3] itivat tanu-śabdopādānāt kutracit sattva-śaktitva-śravaṇam api prekṣādi-mātreṇopakāritvād iti bhāvaḥ | ataeva sarveṣāṃ śiva-brahmādīnāṃ dṛk jñānaṃ yasmāt tathābhūtaḥ sann upadraṣṭā tad-ādi-sākṣī bhavati | ataḥ sa taṃ bhajan nirguṇo bhaved guṇātīta-phala-bhāg bhavatīti || 10.88 || śrī- śukaḥ ||14||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 16
Anuccheda 16
Text 1
In Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.5.1) it is also said:
“In this book the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Hari, is described again and again. Lord Hari is the soul of the universe. From His mercy Brahma is born, and from His anger Siva is born.”
Text 2
Although the word “visnu” is not expressly used here, Lord Visnu is meant, for Lord Visnu is not different from Lord Hari. This is confirmed by the following words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.8.15):
“Lord Visnu personally entered as the Supersoul.”*
Text 3
In the Narayana Upanisad (1) it is said:
“Narayana is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He desired, ‘I shall create children’. From Narayana Brahma was born. From Narayana the living entities and material elements were manifested.”
Text 4
In the scriptures it is also said:
“Narayana is the Supreme Brahman. He is the Supreme Truth. He is the real, eternal Supreme Spirit. He is a person with a dark complexion.”
Text 5
It is also said:
In the beginning of creation there was only the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, and there was no existence of Brahma or Siva.* Manifesting His transcendental form, Narayana began to think, and from His thinking were born the universe and the demigods Brahma, Agni, Varuna, Siva, and Indra.”
Text 6
Therefore, for these reasons one should describe the glories of Lord Narayana. The verse quoted in the beginning of this anuccheda was spoken by Srila Suta Gosvami.
Paramātma · Sanskrit §15 · English §17
Source[१५] अतएव विष्णोर् एव परम-पुरुषेण साक्षाद् अभेदोक्तिम् आह - सृजामि तन्-नियुक्तोऽहं हरो हरति तद्-वशः । विश्वं पुरुष-रूपेण परिपाति त्रि-शक्ति-धृक् ॥ इति [भ्प् २.६.३१] अहं ब्रह्मा । श्रुतिश् चात्र -- स ब्रह्मणा सृजति स रुद्रेण विलापयति । सोऽनुत्पत्तिर् अलय एव हरिः परः परमानन्दः ॥ इति महोपनिषदि[*एन्द्नोते #३] ॥ ॥ २.६ ॥ ब्रह्मा नारदम् ॥१५॥
[15] ataeva viṣṇor eva parama-puruṣeṇa sākṣād abhedoktim āha - sṛjāmi tan-niyukto'haṃ haro harati tad-vaśaḥ | viśvaṃ puruṣa-rūpeṇa paripāti tri-śakti-dhṛk || iti [BhP 2.6.31] ahaṃ brahmā | śrutiś cātra -- sa brahmaṇā sṛjati sa rudreṇa vilāpayati | so'nutpattir alaya eva hariḥ paraḥ paramānandaḥ || iti mahopaniṣadi[*ENDNOTE #3] || || 2.6 || brahmā nāradam ||15||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 17
Anuccheda 17
Text 1
Here someone may protest: Is it not so that Srimad-Bhagavatam (4.7.54) declares:
One who does not consider Brahma, Visnu, and Siva, or the living entities in general, to be separate from the Supreme, and who knows Brahman, actually realizes peace. Others do not.”*
Is it not also so that in Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.10.22) Lord Visnu Himself declares:
“The devotees do not think that I am different from the demigod Brahma.”
In another Purana it is also said that anyone who thinks that Brahma and Siva are different from Lord Visnu becomes a resident of hell.
To this protest I give the following reply: That is true. We also say that Brahma and Siva are not different from Lord Visnu. From the very beginning we have said that even though He manifests many different forms, the Supreme Personality of Godhead remains one person.
Text 2
Although Siva and Brahma may seem to be independent of Lord Visnu, they are not truly independent in their duties of cosmic creation and annihilation. They are dependent on Lord Visnu. That is the meaning of the word visnv-atmaka” applied to them. The word means that they are dependent on Lord Visnu.
This is also described in the following words of the Vamana Purana:
“The demigod Brahma takes shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
Text 3
Brahma and Siva are not direct incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They are indirect incarnations. We consider that the Lord has different grades of incarnations, some direct and other indirect. This is explained in the best of scriptures. Among the varying grades of incarnations the guna-avataras Siva and Brahma are accepted as different from the Supreme Lord. Dattatreya is counted among the direct incarnations, but Siva and Durvasa Muni are not counted among the direct incarnations.
Text 4
This is also confirmed in the Brahma-vaivarta Purana, where Brahma says:
“I am not the Supreme, Siva is not the Supreme, and the other demigods are not the Supreme either. We are parts of the parts of one of the Supreme Lord’s potencies. As an adult plays with children, so the infallible Supreme Personality of Godhead plays with us.”
Text 5
In the Sruti-sastra, Sakti says:
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead says: When I desire to destroy the universe, I employ ferocious Siva. When I desire to create the universe, I employ saintly intelligent Brahma. When I desire to maintain the universe, I Myself appear. I manifest a form that lies down on the Karana waters.”
Text 6
Here the words “apasv antah” refer to Lord Karanodakasayi Visnu. Here “apah” means “water” and “yoni” means “cause” (karana).
Text 7
In the Skanda Purana it is said:
“O Lord Hari, You alone are the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If Brahma, Siva, and the demigods cannot accomplish something, then only You can accomplish it.”
Text 8
Persons who think Brahma and Siva equal to Lord Visnu make a great mistake. This is explained in the following words of the Vaisnava Tantra:
Text 9
“Fools who think Brahma and Siva equal to Lord Visnu do not attain pure devotion to Lord Hari.”
Text 10
In another place in the scriptures it is said:
“A person who considers demigods like Brahma and Siva to be on an equal level with Narayana is to be considered an offender, a pasandi.”*
Text 11
This is also confirmed by the following words of the Mantra-varna:
“Then Lord Vamana sat in the middle and all the demigods worshiped Him.”
Text 12
Here someone may protest: Is it not true that in other scriptures it is said that Lord Siva is the Supreme Personality of Godhead?
Text 13
That is true. Still, when the scriptures consider what is good and true, they reject that idea. For example, in both the Padma Purana (Uttara-khanda 42.105-106) and the Siva Purana, Lord Siva repeats to Parvati the following words originally spoken by Lord Visnu:
Text 14
“O Siva, I will accept this service from you: When the Dvapara-yuga has ended and the Kali-yuga has begun, I want you to incarnate among the human beings.
Text 15
“In Kali-yuga, mislead the people in general by propounding imaginary meanings for the Vedas to bewilder them.* In this way turn the people away from Me. Make them averse to Me. Hide Me from them.”
Text 16
In the Varaha Purana Lord Visnu says:
“I will create a situation where the people will be bewildered. O mighty-armed Siva, please write books that will bewilder the people.
Text 17
“O mighty-armed Siva, please write books that preach many lies and conceal the real truth. Make yourself prominent, and conceal Me.”
Text 18
The Puranas in the mode of goodness glorify Lord Visnu, whereas the Puranas in the mode of ignorance glorify Lord Siva and others. Therefore the Puranas that glorify Lord Visnu present the actual truth. This is also confirmed by the following words of Bhagavad-gita (14.17):
“From the mode of goodness real knowledge develops.”*
Text 19
In the Matsya Purana (53.67-68) it is also said:
The sages know that the glorification of Lord Hari, which is contained in the goodness Puranas is better than the glorification of Brahma, which is contained in the passion Puranas.
Text 20
The sages also say that the glorification of Lord Hari is better than the glorification of Siva and Agni, which is contained in the ignorance Puranas, and the glorification of Lord Hari is also better than the glorification of Sarasvati and the Pitas, which is contained in a host of miscellaneous scriptures.”
Text 21
In the Matsya Purana, Lord Siva also says:
O beautiful one, it is said that the Puranas in the mode of goodness are: 1. Visnu, 2. Narada, 3. Srimad-Bhagavatam, 4. Garuda, 5. Padma, and 6. Varaha.
Text 22
It is said that the Puranas in the mode of passion are: 1. Brahmanda, 2. Brahma-vaivarta, 3. Markandeya, 4. Bhavisya, 5. Vamana, and 6. Brahma.
Text 23
It is said that the Puranas in the mode of ignorance are: 1. Matsya, 2. Kurma, 3. Linga, 4. Siva, 5. Skanda, and 6. Agni.”
Text 24
In the Skanda Purana, Lord Siva tells Karttikeya:
“The statements of the Siva scriptures should be accepted only when they agree with the Visnu scriptures. Lord Visnu is the only Supreme Lord, and knowledge of Him is the path to liberation. That is the conclusion of all the scriptures. Any other conclusions are meant only to bewilder the people.”
Text 25
This is also seen in the following passage of the Moksa-dharma, Narayaniyopakhyana, where Vaisampayana says:
Text 26
“O saintly king, please know that there are many different philosophies, such as the sankhya, yoga, pancaratra, Vedic, and Saiva philosophies.
Text 27
“The great sage Kapila is the propounder of the sankhya philosophy. Ancient Brahma is the knower of yoga. No one is like him.
Text 28
The sage Apantaratama is said to be the teacher of the Vedas. Some call him by the name Pracinagarbha.
Text 29
Lord Siva, who is Brahma’s son, Parvati’s husband, and the ghosts’ master, and who has a glorious neck and is detached from material life, spoke the Saiva philosophy.
Text 30
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is Himself the speaker of the pancaratra philosophy. O best of kings, the pancaratra philosophy is seen as the best of all the philosophies.
Text 31
To whatever extent one understands the scriptures and knows the truth of spiritual life, to that extent one will have faith that Lord Narayana is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. O king, persons who are trapped in the mode of ignorance cannot understand that Narayana is the Supreme Lord.
Text 32
The wise authors of the scriptures declare that Narayana is the Supreme Lord. The sages place their faith in Lord Narayana. None but Him is the Supreme. Those are my words.
Text 33
Lord Hari always stays with persons who have faith in Him. He does not stay among the faithless.
Text 34
O king, the pure devotees, who know the truths explained in the Pancaratras, attain the company of Lord Hari.
Text 35
“Sankhya and yoga are both eternal. All the Vedas are also eternal. All the sages declare that Lord Narayana is the ancient Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all the worlds.”
Text 36
Here the word “apantaratama” is Sri Krsna-dvaipayana Vyasa’s name in a previous birth. These verses explain that all these different philosophies ultimately lead to the Pancaratra philosophy, which declares that Lord Narayana is the supreme master of all. The verse quoted here in text 30 specifically declares that the Pancaratra philosophy is the best of all philosophies.
Text 37
In Bhagavad-gita (16.6) the Supreme Personality of Godhead declares:
“O son of Prtha, in this world there are two kinds of created beings. One is called the divine and the other the demonic.”*
Text 38
In these verses (beginning with text 26) the demonic and saintly natures are both described. In the words beginning with the verse quoted here in text 30 it is said that the final conclusion of the Pancaratra philosophy is the understanding that Lord Narayana is the Sri Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the verse quoted here and in text 31 the demons are criticized.
Text 39
In the Visnu Purana, Dharma Purana, and Agni Purana it is said:
“There are two classes of men in the created world. One consists of the demonic and the other of the godly. The devotees of Lord Visnu are the godly, whereas those who are just the opposite are called demons.”*
Text 40
Here someone may protest: Is it not true that there are many different philosophies, and they are all valid in their own way?
To this protest a reply may be given by quoting the verse given here in text 32. Aside from the author of the Pancaratras, the authors of the scriptures are of two kinds: 1. persons who have some knowledge, and 2. persons who have all knowledge. The first of these, the persons who have some knowledge, can describe some portions of the truth, according to what they have the power to understand of it. It is very difficult to describe the entire ocean, but one may describe a portion of it. The glories of Lord Narayana are vast like an ocean. Therefore these authors of scripture are able to describe only a certain portion of them.
Text 41
Scripture authors who have all knowledge do not think ‘Let us write misleading things to bewilder the demons’. On the contrary, they think ‘Let us write things to enlighten the godly’.
Text 42
Seeing that the imperfect scriptures in the modes of passion and ignorance bring only a host of troubles, and also seeing that the original Vedas are very difficult to follow properly, and thus being very dissatisfied with both of them, the all-knowing scripture authors affirm the superiority of the Pancaratras, which describe the pure absolute truth, Lord Narayana, and the worship of Lord Narayana, which is very easy to perform.
Text 43
This is confirmed in the Moksa-dharma verse quoted here in text 33. In the Moksa-dharma verse quoted here in text 34, it is said that to quickly understand the true meaning and purpose of the Vedas one should study the Pancaratras. That conclusion is given its final form in the Moksa-dharma verse quoted in this anuccheda in text 35.
Text 44
That the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the original, the highest feature of the Supreme is the truth taught in the Pancaratras. This truth is also confirmed by the following words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.7.10):
“All different varieties of atmaramas (those who take pleasure in atma, or spirit self), especially those established on the path of self-realization, though freed from all kinds of material bondage, desire to render unalloyed devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead. This means that the Lord possesses transcendental qualities and therefore can attract everyone, including liberated souls.”*
What more need be said?
Text 45
It may also be noted in the context of these words that Lord Sadasiva is not the same as the demigod Siva of the three guna-avataras. In the Siva scriptures it is clearly said that Lord Sadasiva is an expansion of the purusa-avatara and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (in Canto Ten. Chapter Eighty-nine), the crest jewel of all scriptures, the question “Who is the most exalted of the three guna- avataras?” is raised. In the answer given there it is clear that the demigod Siva is not an expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the purusa-avatara.
Text 46
The demigod Lord Siva is described in the following words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.14.29):
Demigods like Brahma also follow the religious rites observed by him (Siva). He (Siva) is the controller of the material energy, which causes the creation of the material world. He is great, and therefore his devilish activities are simply imitation.”*
Text 47
From these words of Srimad-Bhagavatam it should be understood that the demigod Siva is one of the guna-avataras. He is different from the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Text 48
Here someone may protest: Is it not so that the following words are found in the Eighth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam (8.7.31):
“O Lord Girisa, since the impersonal Brahman effulgence is transcendental to the material modes of goodness, passion, and ignorance, the various directors of the material world certainly cannot appreciate it or even know where it is. It is not understandable even to Lord Brahma, Lord Visnu, or the King of heaven, Mahendra.”*
These words of Srimad-Bhagavatam’s Eighth Canto clearly show that Lord Siva is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Text 49
To this protest I reply: It is not so. The idea that Lord Siva is the Supreme Personality of Godhead is disproved by the following words of the Vedas:
“By glorifying Lord Visnu, the demigods become powerful.”
The Srimad-Bhagavatam verse you quoted was an appeal to Lord Siva begging him to destroy the ocean of Kalakuta poison.
Text 50
In that same chapter of Srimad-Bhagavatam (8.7.40) Lord Siva himself affirms the supremacy of Lord Visnu. Siva says:
“My dear gentle wife Bhavani, when one performs benevolent activities for others, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, is very pleased. And when the Lord is pleased, I am also pleased, along with all other living creatures.”*
Text 51
That Lord Siva is not the Supreme Personality of Godhead is also confirmed by these words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (9.4.56) where Lord Siva himself explains:
“My dear son, I, Lord Brahma, and the other demigods, who rotate within this universe under the misconception of our greatness, cannot exhibit any power to compete with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for innumerable universes and their inhabitants come into existence and are annihilated by the simple direction of the Lord.”*
Text 52
In Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.17.23) Lord Siva himself affirms:
“Therefore, I worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is greater than any of us and under whose control are situated all the demigods, material elements, and senses, and even Lord Brahma and I myself, like birds bound by a rope.”*
These two verses of Srimad-Bhagavatam clearly refute the idea that Lord Siva is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Text 53
Or, considering this from another point of view, it may be said that Lord Siva’s effulgence, which is described in the verse (Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.7.31, quoted here in text 48) previously quoted by you, is the home of all-knowing Lord Visnu, who is known as the Paramatma, or Supersoul. Understood in this way, it is quite proper that Lord Siva’s effulgence is beyond the living entities’ understanding.
Text 54
That Lord Visnu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead is also confirmed by the following words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.87.41), where the Personified Vedas pray to Lord Visnu:
“Our dear Lord, although Lord Brahma, the predominating deity of the highest planet, Brahmaloka, and King Indra, the predominating demigod of the heavenly planet, as well as the predominating deities of the sun planet, the moon planet, etc. are all very confidential directors of this material world, they have very little knowledge about You. And what to speak of ordinary human beings and mental speculators? It is not possible for anyone to enumerate the unlimited transcendental qualities of Your Lordship. No one, including the mental speculators and the demigods in the higher planetary systems is actually able to estimate the length and breadth of Your form and characteristics.”*
Text 55
In the words of Brahma-samhita it is said that Lord Sadasiva is a direct expansion of Lord Visnu. However, the other Siva, the demigod Siva, is not a direct expansion of Lord Visnu. This is described in the following words of Brahma- samhita (5.8 and 5.10) where Lord Krsna’s status as the original cause of all causes is described in these words:
Text 56
“Ramadevi, the spiritual (cit) potency, beloved consort of the Supreme Lord, is the regulatrix of all entities.”**
Text 57
“The divine plenary portion of Krsna creates the mundane world. At creation there appears a divine halo of the nature of His own subjective portion (svamsa). This halo is divine Sambhu, the masculine symbol or manifested emblem of the Supreme Lord. This halo is the dim twilight reflection of the supreme eternal effulgence. This masculine symbol is the subjective portion of divinity who functions as progenitor of the mundane world, subject to the supreme regulatrix (niyati). The conceiving potency in regard to mundane creation makes her appearance out of the supreme regulatrix. She is Maya, the limited non-absolute (apara) potency, the symbol of mundane feminine productivity.”*
Text 58
“The Lord of the world Maha-Visnu is manifest in him (Siva) by His subjective portion in the form of His glance.”**
Text 59
Lord Sadasiva is thus a direct expansion of Lord Visnu. Therefore the words of the following verse (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.18.21) refer not to Him, but to the demigod Siva:
Text 60
“Who can be worthy of the name of the Supreme Lord but the Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna? Brahmaji collected the water emanating from the nails of His feet in order to award it to Lord Siva as a worshipful welcome. This very water (the Ganges) is purifying the whole universe, including Lord Siva.”*
Text 61
The meaning of this verse is clear. The verse quoted in the beginning of this anuccheda was spoken by Srila Suta Gosvami.
Paramātma · Sanskrit §16 · English §18
Source[१६] तत्रैवाह -- अत्रानुवर्ण्यतेऽभीक्ष्णं विश्वात्मा भगवान् हरिः । यस्य प्रसाद-जो ब्रह्मा रुद्रः क्रोध-समुद्भवः ॥ [भ्प् १२.५.१] अत्र श्री-विष्णुर् न कथित इति तेन साक्षाद् अभेद एवेत्य् आयातम् । तद् उक्तम् - स उ एव विष्णुर् इति [भ्प् ३.८.१५] । श्रुतिश् च पुरुषो वै नारायणोऽकामयत अथ नारायणाद् अजोऽजायत यतः प्रजाः सर्वाणि भूतानि [नारायणउ] । नारायणः परं ब्रह्म तत्त्वं नारायणः परम् । ऋतं सत्यं परं ब्रह्म पुरुषं कृष्ण-पिङ्गलम् ॥ इति । [महानु १३.४] एको ह नारायण आसीन् न ब्रह्मा न च शङ्करः । स मुनिर् भूत्वा समचिन्तयत् । तत एव व्यजायन्त विश्वो हिरण्यगर्भोऽग्निर् वरुण-रुद्रेन्द्रा इति च । तस्मात् तस्यैव वर्णनीयत्वम् अपि युक्तम् ॥१२.५॥ श्री-सूतः ॥१६॥
[16] tatraivāha -- atrānuvarṇyate'bhīkṣṇaṃ viśvātmā bhagavān hariḥ | yasya prasāda-jo brahmā rudraḥ krodha-samudbhavaḥ || [BhP 12.5.1] atra śrī-viṣṇur na kathita iti tena sākṣād abheda evety āyātam | tad uktam - sa u eva viṣṇur iti [BhP 3.8.15] | śrutiś ca puruṣo vai nārāyaṇo'kāmayata atha nārāyaṇād ajo'jāyata yataḥ prajāḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni [NārāyaṇaU] | nārāyaṇaḥ paraṃ brahma tattvaṃ nārāyaṇaḥ param | ṛtaṃ satyaṃ paraṃ brahma puruṣaṃ kṛṣṇa-piṅgalam || iti | [MahāNU 13.4] eko ha nārāyaṇa āsīn na brahmā na ca śaṅkaraḥ | sa munir bhūtvā samacintayat | tata eva vyajāyanta viśvo hiraṇyagarbho'gnir varuṇa-rudrendrā iti ca | tasmāt tasyaiva varṇanīyatvam api yuktam ||12.5|| śrī-sūtaḥ ||16||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 18
Anuccheda 18
Text 1
That Lord Siva is not the Supreme Personality of Godhead is also very eloquently said in these words of the Brahma-vaivarta Purana, where Lord Siva himself declares:
“I, Lord Siva, am not the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the other demigods are not the Supreme Personality of Godhead either. We are all parts of one of the Supreme Lord’s transcendental potencies.”
Text 2
That Lord Siva is not the Supreme Personality of Godhead is also confirmed by the following words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.68.37) where Lord Balarama declares:
“Brahma, Siva, and I are parts of the parts of Lord Krsna.”
Text 3
The meaning of this verse is clear. This verse was spoken by Lord Balarama
Paramātma · Sanskrit §17 · English §19
Source[१७] ननु त्रयाणाम् एक-भावानां यो न पश्यति वै भिदां, तथा - न ते मय्य् अच्युतेऽजे च भिदाम् अण्व् अपि चक्षते इत्य् [भ्प् १२.१०.१७] आदाव् अभेदः श्रूयत पुराणान्तरे च विष्णुतस् तयोर् भेदे नरकः श्रूयते सत्यं वयम् अपि भेदं न ब्रूमः । परम-पुरुषस्यैव तत्-तद्-रूपम् इत्य् एकात्मत्वेनैवोपक्रान्तत्वात् । शिवो ब्रह्मा च भिन्न-स्वभावादितया दृश्यमानोऽपि प्रलये सृष्टौ न तस्मात् स्वतन्त्र एकान्य ईश्वर इति न मन्तव्यं किन्तु विष्वात्मक एव सः इति हि तत्रार्थः । तद् उक्तं ब्रह्मणि ब्रह्म-रूपः स इत्य् [वामनप्] आदि । न च प्रकाशस्य साक्षाद् असाक्षाद्-रूपत्वाद्-तारतम्यं वयं कल्पयामः परं शास्त्रम् एव वक्ति । शास्त्रं तु दर्शितम् । एवं भगवद्- अवतारानुक्रमणिकासु त्रयाणां भेदम् अङ्गीकृत्यैव केवलस्य श्री-दत्तस्य गणना सीम-दूर्वासोस् त्व् अगणना । किं च ब्राह्मे ब्रह्म-वैवर्ते च ब्रह्म-वाक्यं - नाहं शिवो न चान्ये च तच्-छक्त्येकांअ-भागिनः । बाल-क्रीडनकैर् यद्वत् क्रीडतेऽस्माभिर् अच्युतः ॥ इति । अतएव श्रुतौ - यं कामये तम् उग्रं कृणोमि तं ब्रह्माणं तमुषिं तं सुमेधाम् इत्य् उक्त्वा मम योनिर् अप्स्व् अन्तर् इति [ऋग्-वेद १०.१२५.५,७] शक्ति- वचनम् । अप्स्व् अन्तर् इति कारणोदशायी सूच्यते । आपो नारा इति प्रोक्ता इत्य् आदेः । योनिः कारणम् । एवम् एव स्कान्दे ब्रह्मेशानादिभिर् देवैर् यत् प्राप्तुं नैव शक्यते । तद्वत् स्वभावः कैवल्यं स भवान् केवओल् हरे ॥ इति । तथा विष्णु-सामान्य-दर्शिनो दोषः श्रूयते । यथा वैष्णव-तन्त्रे - न लभेयुः पुनर् भक्तिं हरेर् ऐकान्तिकीं जडाः । ऐका यं मनसश् चापि विष्णु-सामान्य-दर्शिनः ॥ इति । अन्यत्र- यस् तु नारायणं देवं ब्रह्म-रुद्रादि-दैवतैः । समत्वेनैव वीक्षेत स पाषण्डी भवेद् ध्रुवम् ॥ इति [वैष्णव-तन्त्र] । तथा च मन्त्र-वर्णः । मध्ये वामनम् आसीनं विश्वे देवा उपासत [कठउ २.२.३] इति । ननु क्वचिद् अन्य-शास्त्रे शिवस्यैव परम-देवत्वम् उच्यते सत्यं तथापि शास्त्रस्य सारासारत्व-विवेकेन तद् वाधितम् इति । तथा च पाद्म-शैवयोर् उमां प्रति श्री-शिवेन श्री-विष्णु-वाक्यम् अनुकृतम् - त्वाम् आराध्य तया शम्भो ग्रहीष्यामि वरं सदा । द्वापरादौ युगे भूत्वा प्रलया मनुषादिषु ॥ स्वागमैः कल्पितैस् त्वं तु जनान् मद्-विमुखं कुरु । मां च गोपय येन स्यात् सृष्टिर् एषोत्तरोत्तरा ॥ इति । वाराहे च - एष महीं सृजाम्य् आशु यो जनान् मोहयिष्यति । त्वं च रुद्र महाबाहो मोह-शास्त्राणि कारय ॥ अतथ्यानि वितथ्यानि दर्शयस्व महाभुज । प्रकाशं कुरु चात्मानम् अप्रकाशं च मां कुरु ॥ इति । पुराणानां च मध्ये यद् यत् तामस-कल्प-कथामयं तच् छिवादि-महिम- परम् इति श्री-विष्णु-प्रतिपादक-पुराणस्यैव सम्यग्-ज्ञान-प्रदत्वम् । सत्त्वात् सञ्जायते ज्ञानम् इति दर्शनात् । तथा च मात्स्ये - सात्त्विकेषु च कल्पेषु माहात्म्यम् अधिकं हरेः । राजसेषु च माहात्म्यम् अधिकं ब्रह्मणो विदुः ॥ तद्वद् अग्नेश् च माहात्म्यं तामसेषु शिवस्य च । सङ्कीर्णेषु सरस्वत्याः पितॄणां च निगद्यते ॥ इति । अत उक्तं स्कान्दे षण्मुखं प्रति श्री-शिवेन - शिव-शास्त्रेषु तद् ग्राह्यं भगवच्-छास्त्र-योगिषत् । परमो विष्णुर् एवैकस् तज्-ज्ञानं मोक्ष-साधनम् । शास्त्राणां निर्णयस् त्व् एषस् तद् अन्यन् मोहनाय हि ॥ इति । तथैव च द्रष्टुं मोक्ष-धर्मे नारायणोपाख्याने - सांख्यं योगं पञ्चरात्रं वेदाः पाशुपतं तथा । ज्ञानान्य् एतानि राजर्षे विद्धि नाना मतानि वै ॥ सांख्यस्य वक्ता कपिलः परमर्षिः स उच्यते । हिरण्यगर्भो योगस्य वेत्ता नान्यः पुरातनः ॥ अपान्तरतमाश् चैव वेदाचार्यः स उच्यते । प्राचीन गर्भं तम् ऋषिं प्रवदन्तीह के चन ॥ उमापतिर् भूतपतिः श्रीकन्थो ब्रह्मणः सुतः । उक्तवान् इदम् अव्यग्रो ज्ञानं पाशुपतं शिवः ॥ पञ्चरात्रस्य कृत्स्नस्य वेत्ता तु भगवान् स्वयम् । सर्वेषु च नृप-श्रेष्ठ ज्ञानेष्व् एतेषु दृश्यते ॥ यथागमं यथा ज्ञानं निष्ठा नारायणः प्रभुः । न चैनम् एवं जानन्ति तमो भूता विशां पते ॥ तम् एव शास्त्र-कर्तारं प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः । निष्ठां नारायणम् ऋषिं नान्यो ऽस्तीति च वादिनः ॥ निःसंशयेषु सर्वेषु नित्यं वसति वै हरिः । ससंशयान् हेतु-बलान् नाध्यावसति माधवः ॥ पञ्चरात्र-विदो ये तु यथा-क्रम-परा नृप । एकान्त-भावोपगतास् ते हरिं प्रविशन्ति वै ॥ सांख्यं च योगं च सनातने द्वे वेदाश् च सर्वे निखिलेन राजन् । सर्वैः समस्तैर् ऋषिभिर् निरुक्तो नारायणो विश्वम् इदं पुराणम् ॥ इति [म्भ् १२.३३७.५९-६८] अत्रोपान्तरतमा इति श्री-कृष्ण-द्वैपायनस्यैव जन्मान्तर-नाम-विशेष इति तत्रैव ज्ञेयम् । अत्रैवं व्याख्येयम् । पञ्चरात्र-सम्मतं श्री-नारायणम् एव सर्वोत्तमत्वेन वक्तुं नानामतं दर्शयति । साङ्ख्यम् इति । तत्र पञ्चरात्रम् एव गरिष्ठम् आचष्टै पञ्चरात्रस्यैत्नादौ भगवान् स्वयम् इति । अथ - द्वौ भूतसर्गौ लोके ऽस्मिन् दैव आसुर एव च इति श्री-गीतासु [गीता १६.६] श्रूयते । यद् एव तानि नानामतानीत्य् उक्तं तत्त्वासुर-प्रकृत्य्- अनुसारेणेति ज्ञेयम् । दैव-प्रकृतयस् तु तत्-तत्-सर्वावलोकेन पञ्चरात्र- प्रतिपाद्ये श्री-नारायण एव पर्यवस्यन्तीत्य् आह सर्वेष्व् इति । आसुरास् तु निन्दति न चैनम् इति । तद् उक्तं विष्णु-धर्माग्निपुराणयोः द्वौ भूत-सर्गौ लोकेऽस्मिन् दैव आसुर एव च । विष्णु-भक्ति-परो दैव आसुरस् तद्-विपर्ययः ॥ इति । ननु तत्र तत्र नाना-मतय एव दृश्यन्ते तत्राह तम् एव इति । पञ्चरात्रेतर-शास्त्र-कर्तारो हि द्वि-विधाः किञ्चिज्-ज्ञाः सर्व-ज्ञाश् च । तत्राद्या यथा - स्व-स्व-ज्ञानानुसारेण यत् किञ्चित् तत्त्वैक-देशं वदन्ति नासाभिर् आसुराणां मोहनार्थम् एव कृतानि शास्त्राणि किन्तु दैवानां व्यतिरेकेण बोधनार्थम् । ते हि रजस्-तमः-शबलस्य खण्डस्य च तत्त्वस्य तथा क्लेश-बहुलस्य साधनस्य प्रतिपादकान्य् एतानि शास्त्राणि दृष्ट्वा वेदांश् च दुर्गान् दृष्ट्वा निर्विद्य सर्व-वेदार्थ-सारस्य शुद्धाखण्ड- तत्त्व-श्री-नारायणस्य सुखमय-तद्-आराधनस्य च सुष्ठु प्रतिपादके पञ्चरात्रे एवे गाढं प्रवेक्ष्यन्तीति । तद् एतद् आह निःसंशयेष्व् इति । तस्माज् झटिति वेदार्थ-प्रतिपत्तये पञ्चरात्रम् एवाधेतव्यम् इत्य् आह । पञ्चरात्रेति । यत एवं तत उपसंहरति साङ्ख्यं च योगश् चेति । तद् एवं पञ्चरात्र-प्रतिपाद्यस्य श्री-भगवत एवम् उत्कर्षे स्थिते आत्मारामाश् च मुनय इत्य् आद्य् असकृद् अपूर्वम् उपदिशता श्री-भागवतेन प्रतिपाद्य- रूपस्य तस्य किम् उतेत्य् अपि विवेचनीयम् । तद् एतद् उक्तानुसारेण सदा- शिवेश्वर-त्रिदेवी-रूप-व्यूहोऽपि निरस्तः । तस्माद् एव च श्री-भगवत्- पुरुषयोर् एव शैवागमे सदा-शिवादि-संज्ञे तन्-महिम-ख्यापनाय धृत इति गम्यते । सर्व-शास्त्र-शिरोमणौ श्री-भागवते तु त्रिदेव्याम् एव तत् तारतम्य-जिज्ञासा पुरुष-भगवतोस् तु तत् प्रसङ्ग एव नास्ति । ननु न ते गिरित्राखिल-लोकपाल-विरिञ्चि-वैकुण्ठ-सुरेन्द्र-गम्यम् । ज्योतिः परं यत्र रजस् तमश् च सत्त्वं न यद् ब्रह्म निरस्त-भेदम् इत्य् [भ्प् ८.७.३१] अत्र तस्य परत्वं श्रूयते एवाष्टमे । मैवम् । महिम्ना स्तूयमाना हि देवा वीर्येण वर्धतु इति वैदिक- न्यायेन तद्-युक्तेः । स हि स्तवः काल-कूट-नाशनार्थ इति । तत्रैव प्रीते हरौ भगवति प्रीयेऽहं सचराचर इति [भ्प् ८.७.४०] । तथा नवमे - वयं न तात प्रभवाम भूम्नि यस्मिन् परेऽन्येऽप्य् अजजीव-कोषाः । भवन्ति काले न भवन्ति हीदृशाः सहस्रशो यत्र वयं भ्रमामः ॥ इति [भ्प् ९.४.५६] एते वयं यस्य वशे मतात्मनः स्थिताः शकुन्ता इव सूत्र-यन्त्रिताः । इति च तद्-वाक्य-विरोधात् अथवा यत् शिवस्य ज्योतिस् तत्र स्थितं परमात्माख्यं चैतन्यं तत्-सम्यग्-ज्ञाने तस्याप्य् अक्षमता युक्तैव । यद् उक्तम् - द्युपतयः एव ते न ययुर् अन्तम् अनन्ततया त्वम् असीति [भ्प् १०.८७.४१] । ब्रह्म-संहित-मते तु भगवद्-अंश-विशेष एव सदा-शिवो न त्व् अन्यः । यथा तत्रैव सर्वादि-कारण-गोविन्द-कथने - नियतिः सा रमा-देवी तत्-प्रिया तद्-वशंवदा । तल्-लिङ्गे भगवान् शम्भुर् ज्योती रूपः सनातनः ॥ या योनिः सा परा शक्तिर् इत्य् आदि तस्मिन् आविर्भभूल् लिङ्गे महाविष्णुर् इत्य् आद्य् अन्तम् ॥ तद् एतद् अभिप्रेत्य सदाशिवत्वादि-प्रसिद्धिम् अप्य् आक्षिप्याह । अथापि यत्-पद-नखावसृष्टं जगद्-विरिञ्चोपहृतार्हणाम्भः । सेशं पुनात्य् अन्यतमो मुकुन्दात् को नाम लोके भगवत् पदार्थः ॥ [भ्प् १.१८.२१] स्पष्टम् ॥ १.१८ ॥ श्री-सूतः ॥१७॥
[17] nanu trayāṇām eka-bhāvānāṃ yo na paśyati vai bhidāṃ, tathā - na te mayy acyute'je ca bhidām aṇv api cakṣate ity [BhP 12.10.17] ādāv abhedaḥ śrūyata purāṇāntare ca viṣṇutas tayor bhede narakaḥ śrūyate satyaṃ vayam api bhedaṃ na brūmaḥ | parama-puruṣasyaiva tat-tad-rūpam ity ekātmatvenaivopakrāntatvāt | śivo brahmā ca bhinna-svabhāvāditayā dṛśyamāno'pi pralaye sṛṣṭau na tasmāt svatantra ekānya īśvara iti na mantavyaṃ kintu viṣvātmaka eva saḥ iti hi tatrārthaḥ | tad uktaṃ brahmaṇi brahma-rūpaḥ sa ity [VāmanaP] ādi | na ca prakāśasya sākṣād asākṣād-rūpatvād-tāratamyaṃ vayaṃ kalpayāmaḥ paraṃ śāstram eva vakti | śāstraṃ tu darśitam | evaṃ bhagavad- avatārānukramaṇikāsu trayāṇāṃ bhedam aṅgīkṛtyaiva kevalasya śrī-dattasya gaṇanā sīma-dūrvāsos tv agaṇanā | kiṃ ca brāhme brahma-vaivarte ca brahma-vākyaṃ - nāhaṃ śivo na cānye ca tac-chaktyekāṃa-bhāginaḥ | bāla-krīḍanakair yadvat krīḍate'smābhir acyutaḥ || iti | ataeva śrutau - yaṃ kāmaye tam ugraṃ kṛṇomi taṃ brahmāṇaṃ tamuṣiṃ taṃ sumedhām ity uktvā mama yonir apsv antar iti [Ṛg-veda 10.125.5,7] śakti- vacanam | apsv antar iti kāraṇodaśāyī sūcyate | āpo nārā iti proktā ity ādeḥ | yoniḥ kāraṇam | evam eva skānde brahmeśānādibhir devair yat prāptuṃ naiva śakyate | tadvat svabhāvaḥ kaivalyaṃ sa bhavān kevaol hare || iti | tathā viṣṇu-sāmānya-darśino doṣaḥ śrūyate | yathā vaiṣṇava-tantre - na labheyuḥ punar bhaktiṃ harer aikāntikīṃ jaḍāḥ | aikā yaṃ manasaś cāpi viṣṇu-sāmānya-darśinaḥ || iti | anyatra- yas tu nārāyaṇaṃ devaṃ brahma-rudrādi-daivataiḥ | samatvenaiva vīkṣeta sa pāṣaṇḍī bhaved dhruvam || iti [Vaiṣṇava-tantra] | tathā ca mantra-varṇaḥ | madhye vāmanam āsīnaṃ viśve devā upāsata [KaṭhaU 2.2.3] iti | nanu kvacid anya-śāstre śivasyaiva parama-devatvam ucyate satyaṃ tathāpi śāstrasya sārāsāratva-vivekena tad vādhitam iti | tathā ca pādma-śaivayor umāṃ prati śrī-śivena śrī-viṣṇu-vākyam anukṛtam - tvām ārādhya tayā śambho grahīṣyāmi varaṃ sadā | dvāparādau yuge bhūtvā pralayā manuṣādiṣu || svāgamaiḥ kalpitais tvaṃ tu janān mad-vimukhaṃ kuru | māṃ ca gopaya yena syāt sṛṣṭir eṣottarottarā || iti | vārāhe ca - eṣa mahīṃ sṛjāmy āśu yo janān mohayiṣyati | tvaṃ ca rudra mahābāho moha-śāstrāṇi kāraya || atathyāni vitathyāni darśayasva mahābhuja | prakāśaṃ kuru cātmānam aprakāśaṃ ca māṃ kuru || iti | purāṇānāṃ ca madhye yad yat tāmasa-kalpa-kathāmayaṃ tac chivādi-mahima- param iti śrī-viṣṇu-pratipādaka-purāṇasyaiva samyag-jñāna-pradatvam | sattvāt sañjāyate jñānam iti darśanāt | tathā ca mātsye - sāttvikeṣu ca kalpeṣu māhātmyam adhikaṃ hareḥ | rājaseṣu ca māhātmyam adhikaṃ brahmaṇo viduḥ || tadvad agneś ca māhātmyaṃ tāmaseṣu śivasya ca | saṅkīrṇeṣu sarasvatyāḥ pitṝṇāṃ ca nigadyate || iti | ata uktaṃ skānde ṣaṇmukhaṃ prati śrī-śivena - śiva-śāstreṣu tad grāhyaṃ bhagavac-chāstra-yogiṣat | paramo viṣṇur evaikas taj-jñānaṃ mokṣa-sādhanam | śāstrāṇāṃ nirṇayas tv eṣas tad anyan mohanāya hi || iti | tathaiva ca draṣṭuṃ mokṣa-dharme nārāyaṇopākhyāne - sāṃkhyaṃ yogaṃ pañcarātraṃ vedāḥ pāśupataṃ tathā | jñānāny etāni rājarṣe viddhi nānā matāni vai || sāṃkhyasya vaktā kapilaḥ paramarṣiḥ sa ucyate | hiraṇyagarbho yogasya vettā nānyaḥ purātanaḥ || apāntaratamāś caiva vedācāryaḥ sa ucyate | prācīna garbhaṃ tam ṛṣiṃ pravadantīha ke cana || umāpatir bhūtapatiḥ śrīkantho brahmaṇaḥ sutaḥ | uktavān idam avyagro jñānaṃ pāśupataṃ śivaḥ || pañcarātrasya kṛtsnasya vettā tu bhagavān svayam | sarveṣu ca nṛpa-śreṣṭha jñāneṣv eteṣu dṛśyate || yathāgamaṃ yathā jñānaṃ niṣṭhā nārāyaṇaḥ prabhuḥ | na cainam evaṃ jānanti tamo bhūtā viśāṃ pate || tam eva śāstra-kartāraṃ pravadanti manīṣiṇaḥ | niṣṭhāṃ nārāyaṇam ṛṣiṃ nānyo 'stīti ca vādinaḥ || niḥsaṃśayeṣu sarveṣu nityaṃ vasati vai hariḥ | sasaṃśayān hetu-balān nādhyāvasati mādhavaḥ || pañcarātra-vido ye tu yathā-krama-parā nṛpa | ekānta-bhāvopagatās te hariṃ praviśanti vai || sāṃkhyaṃ ca yogaṃ ca sanātane dve vedāś ca sarve nikhilena rājan | sarvaiḥ samastair ṛṣibhir nirukto nārāyaṇo viśvam idaṃ purāṇam || iti [MBh 12.337.59-68] atropāntaratamā iti śrī-kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyanasyaiva janmāntara-nāma-viśeṣa iti tatraiva jñeyam | atraivaṃ vyākhyeyam | pañcarātra-sammataṃ śrī-nārāyaṇam eva sarvottamatvena vaktuṃ nānāmataṃ darśayati | sāṅkhyam iti | tatra pañcarātram eva gariṣṭham ācaṣṭai pañcarātrasyaitnādau bhagavān svayam iti | atha - dvau bhūtasargau loke 'smin daiva āsura eva ca iti śrī-gītāsu [Gītā 16.6] śrūyate | yad eva tāni nānāmatānīty uktaṃ tattvāsura-prakṛty- anusāreṇeti jñeyam | daiva-prakṛtayas tu tat-tat-sarvāvalokena pañcarātra- pratipādye śrī-nārāyaṇa eva paryavasyantīty āha sarveṣv iti | āsurās tu nindati na cainam iti | tad uktaṃ viṣṇu-dharmāgnipurāṇayoḥ dvau bhūta-sargau loke'smin daiva āsura eva ca | viṣṇu-bhakti-paro daiva āsuras tad-viparyayaḥ || iti | nanu tatra tatra nānā-mataya eva dṛśyante tatrāha tam eva iti | pañcarātretara-śāstra-kartāro hi dvi-vidhāḥ kiñcij-jñāḥ sarva-jñāś ca | tatrādyā yathā - sva-sva-jñānānusāreṇa yat kiñcit tattvaika-deśaṃ vadanti nāsābhir āsurāṇāṃ mohanārtham eva kṛtāni śāstrāṇi kintu daivānāṃ vyatirekeṇa bodhanārtham | te hi rajas-tamaḥ-śabalasya khaṇḍasya ca tattvasya tathā kleśa-bahulasya sādhanasya pratipādakāny etāni śāstrāṇi dṛṣṭvā vedāṃś ca durgān dṛṣṭvā nirvidya sarva-vedārtha-sārasya śuddhākhaṇḍa- tattva-śrī-nārāyaṇasya sukhamaya-tad-ārādhanasya ca suṣṭhu pratipādake pañcarātre eve gāḍhaṃ pravekṣyantīti | tad etad āha niḥsaṃśayeṣv iti | tasmāj jhaṭiti vedārtha-pratipattaye pañcarātram evādhetavyam ity āha | pañcarātreti | yata evaṃ tata upasaṃharati sāṅkhyaṃ ca yogaś ceti | tad evaṃ pañcarātra-pratipādyasya śrī-bhagavata evam utkarṣe sthite ātmārāmāś ca munaya ity ādy asakṛd apūrvam upadiśatā śrī-bhāgavatena pratipādya- rūpasya tasya kim utety api vivecanīyam | tad etad uktānusāreṇa sadā- śiveśvara-tridevī-rūpa-vyūho'pi nirastaḥ | tasmād eva ca śrī-bhagavat- puruṣayor eva śaivāgame sadā-śivādi-saṃjñe tan-mahima-khyāpanāya dhṛta iti gamyate | sarva-śāstra-śiromaṇau śrī-bhāgavate tu tridevyām eva tat tāratamya-jijñāsā puruṣa-bhagavatos tu tat prasaṅga eva nāsti | nanu na te giritrākhila-lokapāla-viriñci-vaikuṇṭha-surendra-gamyam | jyotiḥ paraṃ yatra rajas tamaś ca sattvaṃ na yad brahma nirasta-bhedam ity [BhP 8.7.31] atra tasya paratvaṃ śrūyate evāṣṭame | maivam | mahimnā stūyamānā hi devā vīryeṇa vardhatu iti vaidika- nyāyena tad-yukteḥ | sa hi stavaḥ kāla-kūṭa-nāśanārtha iti | tatraiva prīte harau bhagavati prīye'haṃ sacarācara iti [BhP 8.7.40] | tathā navame - vayaṃ na tāta prabhavāma bhūmni yasmin pare'nye'py ajajīva-koṣāḥ | bhavanti kāle na bhavanti hīdṛśāḥ sahasraśo yatra vayaṃ bhramāmaḥ || iti [BhP 9.4.56] ete vayaṃ yasya vaśe matātmanaḥ sthitāḥ śakuntā iva sūtra-yantritāḥ | iti ca tad-vākya-virodhāt athavā yat śivasya jyotis tatra sthitaṃ paramātmākhyaṃ caitanyaṃ tat-samyag-jñāne tasyāpy akṣamatā yuktaiva | yad uktam - dyupatayaḥ eva te na yayur antam anantatayā tvam asīti [BhP 10.87.41] | brahma-saṃhita-mate tu bhagavad-aṃśa-viśeṣa eva sadā-śivo na tv anyaḥ | yathā tatraiva sarvādi-kāraṇa-govinda-kathane - niyatiḥ sā ramā-devī tat-priyā tad-vaśaṃvadā | tal-liṅge bhagavān śambhur jyotī rūpaḥ sanātanaḥ || yā yoniḥ sā parā śaktir ity ādi tasmin āvirbhabhūl liṅge mahāviṣṇur ity ādy antam || tad etad abhipretya sadāśivatvādi-prasiddhim apy ākṣipyāha | athāpi yat-pada-nakhāvasṛṣṭaṃ jagad-viriñcopahṛtārhaṇāmbhaḥ | seśaṃ punāty anyatamo mukundāt ko nāma loke bhagavat padārthaḥ || [BhP 1.18.21] spaṣṭam || 1.18 || śrī-sūtaḥ ||17||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 19
Anuccheda 19
Text 1
The individual spirit soul is the marginal potency of the Lord. The soul is counted among the associates of the Supersoul. This is explained in the following words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.11.12)
“The individual soul bereft of Krsna consciousness has many ideas and activities created in the mind by the external energy. They have existed from time immemorial. Sometimes they are manifest in the waking state and the dream state, but during deep sleep (unconsciousness) or trance, they disappear. A person who is liberated in this life (jivan-mukta) can see all these things vividly.”***
That the individual spirit soul is the marginal potency of the Supreme Lord is confirmed by the statements of Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda, by the statements of the great Sri Vaisnava acarya Sri Ramanujacarya, and also by the statements of the sage Jamata Muni.
Text 2
That the individual spirit soul is the marginal potency of the Supreme Lord is confirmed by these words of Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda, Chapter 90:
“The individual spirit soul is full of knowledge, virtuous, beyond the touch of matter, unborn, unchanging, and naturally situated in a single spiritual form.
Text 3
“He is atomic in size, all pervading within the material body, full of spiritual bliss, a separate and distinct person, unchanging, the knower of the field of activities, eternal, and different from others.
Text 4
“He cannot be burned, cut, moistened, dried, withered, or killed. He has these and many other spiritual virtues. He is part and parcel of the Supreme.
Text 5
“In the sacred syllable Om, the letter m stands for the individual spirit soul. The individual soul is the knower of the field of activities. He is transcendental, and he is, in his original spiritual nature, a servant of Lord Hari. He is not a servant of anyone else.”
Text 6
Sri Jamata Muni teaches:
“The soul is not a demigod, not a human being, not a animal, not an unmoving plant, not the material body, not the senses, not the mind, not the life breath, and not the intelligence.
Text 7
“The soul is not made of matter, nor is he subject to the changes matter imposes. His knowledge is not limited to the perception of the material world. He is conscious. He is all pervading within the material body. He is self-manifest. He has His own original spiritual form, which is full of spiritual knowledge and bliss.
Text 8
“He is an individual person, different from other persons. He is atomic in size. He is eternally pure. In his original spiritual nature he is a knower, a doer, and an enjoyer. Eternally he is a part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
Text 9
In his commentary, Sri Ramanuja Acarya gives the same explanation. In this way the idea that the individual soul is a demigod or other kind of material identity within his material world is clearly rejected. This idea is also rejected in the following words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.3.39), which I have previously quoted in Sri Tattva-sandarbha:
Text 10
“The spirit soul is born in many different species of life within the material world. Some species are born from eggs, others from embryos, others from the seeds of plants and trees, and others from perspiration. But in all species of life the prana, or vital air, remains unchanging and follows the spirit soul from one body to another. Similarly the spirit soul is eternally the same despite its material condition of life. We have practical experience of this. When we are absorbed in deep sleep without dreaming, the material senses become inactive, and even the mind and false ego are merged into a dormant condition. But although the senses, mind, and false ego are inactive, one remembers upon waking that he, the soul, was peacefully sleeping.”*
Text 11
The idea that the soul is the material body or some other material thing is again rejected by these words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.10.8):
Text 12
“As fire is different from firewood, so the soul, the seer of things, is different from the subtle and gross material bodies.”
Text 13
The reason why the soul is different from the material body is given in the word “iksita” which means “he who sees”. The word “sva-drk” means “self-manifest”. This verse was spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Paramātma · Sanskrit §18 · English §20
Source[१८] तस्मान् नाहं न च शिवोऽन्ये च तच्-छक्त्य्-एकांश-भागिनः इत्य् एवोक्तं साध्येव इत्य् आह । ब्रह्मा भवोऽहम् अपि यस्य कलाः कलाया इति [भ्प् १०.६८.३७] । शेषं स्पष्टम् ॥ १०.६८ ॥ श्री-बलदेवः ॥१८॥
[18] tasmān nāhaṃ na ca śivo'nye ca tac-chakty-ekāṃśa-bhāginaḥ ity evoktaṃ sādhyeva ity āha | brahmā bhavo'ham api yasya kalāḥ kalāyā iti [BhP 10.68.37] | śeṣaṃ spaṣṭam || 10.68 || śrī-baladevaḥ ||18||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 20
Anuccheda 20
Text 1
The idea that the soul is material is again rejected in these words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.13.27):
“The soul is different from whatever the modes of nature perform in waking, dreaming, or dreamless sleep, for the soul is a witness only.”
Text 2
In Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.13.28), the Supreme Personality of Godhead advises:
“The soul should renounce the material world and find Me, who am always situated in transcendence.”
In this way it is proved that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is always beyond the touch of the material world.
Text 3
The word “turiya” here can also be interpreted in a different way, as Srila Sridhara Svami explains in these words (Sri Bhavartha-dipika, commentary on Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.15.16):
“The Lord has three forms: 1. Ksirodakasayi Visnu, 2. Garbhodakasayi Visnu, and Karanodakasayi Visnu. His fourth form is Lord Vasudeva. That is why Lord Vasudeva is called ‘turiya’ (the fourth).”
Text 4
Or, the word “turiya” may mean: Among the four Catur-vyuha forms of the Lord, Lord Vasudeva is the fourth. That is why He is called ‘turiya’ (the fourth).
Paramātma · Sanskrit §19 · English §21
Source[१९] अथ परमात्म-परिकरेषु जीवस् तस्य च तटस्थ-लक्षणं क्षेत्रज्ञ एता इत्य् एवोक्तं स्वरूप-लक्षणं पाद्मोत्तर-खण्डादिकम् अनुसृत्य श्री- रामानुजाचार्याद् अति-प्राचीनेन श्री-वैष्णव-सम्प्रदाय-गुरुणा श्री- जामातृ-मुनिनोपदिष्टम् । तत्र प्रणव-व्याख्याने पाद्मोत्तर-खण्डं यथा - ज्ञानाश्रयो ज्ञान-गुणश् चेतनः प्रकृतेः परः । न जातो निर्विकारश् च एकरूपः स्वरूप-भाक् ॥ अणुर् नित्यो व्याप्ति-शीलश् चिद्-आनन्दात्मकस् तथा । अहम् अर्थोऽव्ययः क्षेत्री भिन्न-रूपः सनातनः ॥ अदाह्योऽच्छेद्य अक्लेद्य अशोष्योऽक्षर एव च । एवम् आधि-गुणैर् युक्तः शेष-भूतः परस्य वै ॥ म-कारेणोच्यते जीवः क्षेत्र-ज्ञः परवान् सदा । दास-भूतो हरेर् एव नान्यस्यैव कदाचन ॥ इति । श्री-जामातृ-मुनिनाप्य् उपदिष्टं, यथा - आत्मा न देवो न नरो न तिर्यक् स्थावरो न च । न देहो नेन्द्रियं नैव मनः प्राणो न नापि धीः ॥ न जडो न विकारी च ज्ञान-मात्रात्मको न च । स्वस्मै स्वयं प्रकाशः स्याद् एकरूपः स्वरूप-भाक् ॥ चेतनो व्याप्ति-शीलश् च चिदानन्दात्मकस् तथा । अहम् अर्थः प्रतिक्षेत्रं भिन्नोऽणुर् नित्य-निर्मलः ॥ तथा ज्ञातृत्व-कर्तृत्व-भोक्तृत्व-निज-धर्मकः । परमात्मैक-शेषत्व-स्वभावः सर्वदा स्वतः ॥ इति । श्री-रामानुज-भाष्यानुसारेण व्याख्या चेयम् । तत्र देवादित्वं निरस्तम् एवास्ति तत्त्व-सन्दर्भे । अण्डेषु पेशिषु तरुष्व् अविनिश्चितेषु प्राणो हि जीवम् उपधावति तत्र तत्र । सन्ने यद् इन्द्रिय-गणेऽहमि च प्रसुप्ते कूटस्थ आशयम् ऋते तद् अनुस्मृतिर् नः ॥ [भ्प् ११.३.३९] इत्य् अनेन ॥ देहादित्वं निरस्यन्न् आह - विलक्षणः स्थूल-सूक्ष्माद् देहाद् आत्मेक्षिता स्वदृक् । यथाग्निर् दारुणो दाह्याद् दाहकोऽन्यः प्रकाशकः ॥ [भ्प् ११.१०.८] विलक्षणत्वे हेतुर् ईक्षिता तस्य द्रष्टा प्रकाशकश् च स्वयं तु स्वदृक् स्व- प्रकाश इति ॥ श्री-भगवान् ॥१९॥
[19] atha paramātma-parikareṣu jīvas tasya ca taṭastha-lakṣaṇaṃ kṣetrajña etā ity evoktaṃ svarūpa-lakṣaṇaṃ pādmottara-khaṇḍādikam anusṛtya śrī- rāmānujācāryād ati-prācīnena śrī-vaiṣṇava-sampradāya-guruṇā śrī- jāmātṛ-muninopadiṣṭam | tatra praṇava-vyākhyāne pādmottara-khaṇḍaṃ yathā - jñānāśrayo jñāna-guṇaś cetanaḥ prakṛteḥ paraḥ | na jāto nirvikāraś ca ekarūpaḥ svarūpa-bhāk || aṇur nityo vyāpti-śīlaś cid-ānandātmakas tathā | aham artho'vyayaḥ kṣetrī bhinna-rūpaḥ sanātanaḥ || adāhyo'cchedya akledya aśoṣyo'kṣara eva ca | evam ādhi-guṇair yuktaḥ śeṣa-bhūtaḥ parasya vai || ma-kāreṇocyate jīvaḥ kṣetra-jñaḥ paravān sadā | dāsa-bhūto harer eva nānyasyaiva kadācana || iti | śrī-jāmātṛ-munināpy upadiṣṭaṃ, yathā - ātmā na devo na naro na tiryak sthāvaro na ca | na deho nendriyaṃ naiva manaḥ prāṇo na nāpi dhīḥ || na jaḍo na vikārī ca jñāna-mātrātmako na ca | svasmai svayaṃ prakāśaḥ syād ekarūpaḥ svarūpa-bhāk || cetano vyāpti-śīlaś ca cidānandātmakas tathā | aham arthaḥ pratikṣetraṃ bhinno'ṇur nitya-nirmalaḥ || tathā jñātṛtva-kartṛtva-bhoktṛtva-nija-dharmakaḥ | paramātmaika-śeṣatva-svabhāvaḥ sarvadā svataḥ || iti | śrī-rāmānuja-bhāṣyānusāreṇa vyākhyā ceyam | tatra devāditvaṃ nirastam evāsti tattva-sandarbhe | aṇḍeṣu peśiṣu taruṣv aviniściteṣu prāṇo hi jīvam upadhāvati tatra tatra | sanne yad indriya-gaṇe'hami ca prasupte kūṭastha āśayam ṛte tad anusmṛtir naḥ || [BhP 11.3.39] ity anena || dehāditvaṃ nirasyann āha - vilakṣaṇaḥ sthūla-sūkṣmād dehād ātmekṣitā svadṛk | yathāgnir dāruṇo dāhyād dāhako'nyaḥ prakāśakaḥ || [BhP 11.10.8] vilakṣaṇatve hetur īkṣitā tasya draṣṭā prakāśakaś ca svayaṃ tu svadṛk sva- prakāśa iti || śrī-bhagavān ||19||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 21
Anuccheda 21
Text 1
That the soul is subject to change is refuted by these words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.7.48):
“Although the invisible movements of time push it through different phases, the moon is always unchanged. In this same way, although the body is pushed through many changes, which begin with birth and end with death and cremation, the soul is always unchanged.”
Text 2
Because the moon is composed of water, and because it shines with light reflected from the sun, the moon itself is not changed when it goes through different phases. In the same way the soul is not changed when time forces the material body to go through the changes that begin with birth and end with death. This verse was spoken by Sri Dattatreya to King Yadu.
Paramātma · Sanskrit §20 · English §22
Source[२०] जडत्वं निरस्यन्न् आह - जाग्रत्-स्वप्न-सुषुप्तं च गुणतो बुद्धि-वृत्तयः । तासां विलक्षणो जीवः साक्षित्वेन विनिश्चितः ॥ [भ्प् ११.१३.२७] या तु मयि तुर्ये स्थितो जह्याद् इत्यादौ [भ्प् ११.१३.२८] परमेश्वरेऽपि तुर्यत्व- प्रसिद्धिः सान्यथैव । विराट् हिरण्यगर्भश् च कारणं चेत्य् उपाधयः । ईश्वरस्य यत् त्रिभिर् हीनं तुरीयं तत्-पदं विदुः ॥[*एन्द्नोते #४] इत्य् आद्य्-उक्तेर् वासुदेवस्य चतुर्-व्यूहे तुर्य-कक्षाक्रान्तत्वाद् वा ॥ ११.१३ ॥ श्री-भगवान् ॥ २० ॥
[20] jaḍatvaṃ nirasyann āha - jāgrat-svapna-suṣuptaṃ ca guṇato buddhi-vṛttayaḥ | tāsāṃ vilakṣaṇo jīvaḥ sākṣitvena viniścitaḥ || [BhP 11.13.27] yā tu mayi turye sthito jahyād ityādau [BhP 11.13.28] parameśvare'pi turyatva- prasiddhiḥ sānyathaiva | virāṭ hiraṇyagarbhaś ca kāraṇaṃ cety upādhayaḥ | īśvarasya yat tribhir hīnaṃ turīyaṃ tat-padaṃ viduḥ ||[*ENDNOTE #4] ity ādy-ukter vāsudevasya catur-vyūhe turya-kakṣākrāntatvād vā || 11.13 || śrī-bhagavān || 20 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 22
Anuccheda 22
Text 1
The phrase “jnana-matratmako na ca” in the verse from Jamata Muni’s teachings (quoted in this book in anuccheda 19, text 7) means that the individual soul is not only the potency of transcendental knowledge, but the soul is also the potency of transcendental glory. The soul is described in the following words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.3.38):
Text 2
“The soul was never born. It will never die. It never grows. It never decays. The soul is the witness, observing the changes time forces on changeable things. The soul is consciousness, existing always and in every situation. As, influenced by the senses, one mistakenly thinks the life force changes, so the soul, bewildered about his own nature, thinks that he also changes.”
Text 3
This is also shown in the explanations of Sri Tattva-sandarbha. Here the words “upalabdhi-matram” and “savana-vit” clearly show that the individual soul is the potency of transcendental knowledge.
Text 4
In Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.11.12) the soul is also described in these words:
“A person who is liberated in this life (jivan-mukta) can see all these things vividly.”*
Text 5
Different from the liberated soul is the conditioned soul. The conditioned soul is described in these words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.26.5):
“Divided into varieties by her threefold modes, material nature creates the forms of the living entities, and the living entities, seeing this, are illusioned by the knowledge- covering feature of the illusory energy.”*
Text 6
Here the words “vilokya”, “mumuhe”, and “jnana-guhaya” point to the actions of the inauspicious material potency. Different from that material potency is the Lord’s internal spiritual potency, which brings transcendental knowledge.
Text 7
The inauspicious material potency is also described in these words of Bhagavad-gita (5.15):
“Embodied beings are bewildered, however, because of the ignorance that covers their true knowledge.”*
Text 8
Lord Kapiladeva spoke the verse quoted in the beginning of this anuccheda.