Adhyaya 3 Pada 4 AdhikaraNa 4
The Principal PrANa (the Life-Force) Has an Origin
Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
In the MuNDaka UpaniShad (2.1.3) it is said:
etasmAj jAyate prANaH
"From Him the prANa (life-force) is born."
Here the word "prANa" means "the principal
prANa".
SaMshaya (doubt): Is the principal prANa (life-force) created
in the same way the individual spirit soul is "created"
or is this prANa created in the same way ether and the other
elements are created?
PUrvapakSha (the opponent speaks): The shruti-shAstra declares:
naiSha prANa udeti nAstam eti
"This prANa is never born and never dies."
The SmR^iti-shAstra also declares:
yat-prAptir yat-parityAga
utpattir maraNaM tathA
tasyotpattir mR^itish caiva
kathaM prANasya yujyate
"Birth and death come and go. How can birth and
death affect the prANa?"
Therefore it is concluded that the principal prANa is
created" in the same way the individual spirit soul is
created".
SiddhAnta (conclusion): In the following words the author of
the sUtras gives His conclusion.
SUtra 8
shreShThash ca
shreShThash - the principal one; ca - also.
The principal one also.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The principal prANa (life-force) is created in the same way
ether and the other elements are created. This is confirmed in
the words of the MuNDaka UpaniShad (2.1.3):
jAyate prANaH
"The prANa was created."
In its pratij~nA statement the MuNDaka UpaniShad
declares:
sa idaM sarvam asR^ijata
"He created everything."
To avoid contradicting these words it must be accepted that
the principal prANa was also created. For this reason the
scriptural passages stating that the prANa was never created
should be understood allegorically and not literally. One prANa is
called the principal prANa because it maintains the material
body. So its meaning can be carried into the next sUtra, this
sUtra is given separately and not joined to the previous sUtra.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
59. The Senses Are Atomic
Adhyaya 3 Pada 4 AdhikaraNa 3
The Senses Are Atomic in Size
Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Next the author of the sUtras considers the question of the
nature and size of the senses.
SaMshaya (doubt): Are the senses all-pervading or are they
atomic?
PUrvapakSha (the opponent speaks): The senses must be all-
pervading, for things can be seen or heard from far away.
SiddhAnta (conclusion): In the following words the author of
the sUtras gives his conclusion.
SUtra 7
aNavash ca
aNavaH - atoms; ca - and.
They are also atoms.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The word "ca" (also) is used here to indicate
certainty. The eleven senses are atomic in size. This is so
because the shruti-shAstra declares that the senses leave
the material body. Things can be heard from far away and in other
ways be perceived from far away because the quality, or power, of
the senses extend beyond the senses themselves. As the individual
spirit soul is all-pervading within the material body, from the
head to the feet, so the senses can also act at a distance. In
this way the theory of sa~Nkhya philosophers, that the senses are
all-pervading, is refuted.
The Senses Are Atomic in Size
Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Next the author of the sUtras considers the question of the
nature and size of the senses.
SaMshaya (doubt): Are the senses all-pervading or are they
atomic?
PUrvapakSha (the opponent speaks): The senses must be all-
pervading, for things can be seen or heard from far away.
SiddhAnta (conclusion): In the following words the author of
the sUtras gives his conclusion.
SUtra 7
aNavash ca
aNavaH - atoms; ca - and.
They are also atoms.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The word "ca" (also) is used here to indicate
certainty. The eleven senses are atomic in size. This is so
because the shruti-shAstra declares that the senses leave
the material body. Things can be heard from far away and in other
ways be perceived from far away because the quality, or power, of
the senses extend beyond the senses themselves. As the individual
spirit soul is all-pervading within the material body, from the
head to the feet, so the senses can also act at a distance. In
this way the theory of sa~Nkhya philosophers, that the senses are
all-pervading, is refuted.
58. The Senses Are Eleven
Adhyaya 3 Pada 4 AdhikaraNa 2
The Senses Are Eleven
Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
After refuting this false idea about the senses, an idea
that contradicts the descriptions in shruti-shAstra, the author of
the sUtras refutes a false idea about how many senses there are.
In the MuNDaka UpaniShad (2.1.8) it is said:
sapta prANAH prabhavanti tasmAt
saptArciShaH samadhiH sapta-homAH
sapteme lokA yeShu sa~ncaranti
prANA guhAshayA nihitA sapta sapta
"From Him come the seven prANas, the seven arcis,
the seven homas, and the seven lokas. These seven are placed in
every heart."
However, in the BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (3.9.4) it is said:
dasheme puruShe prANA Atmaikadasha
"In the living entity there are ten prANas. The soul
is the eleventh."
SaMshaya (doubt): Are the prANas seven or eleven?
PUrvapakSha (the opponent speaks): The pUrvapakSha speaks the
following sUtra.
SUtra 5
sapta-gater visheShitvAc ca
sapta - of seven; gateH - because of going;
visheShitvAt - because of the specific description; ca - also.
Because of the departure of seven and also because of a
specific description.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The prANas are seven. Why is that? Because that is the
opinion of scripture. In the shruti-shAstra it is said:
saptAnAm eva jIvena saha sa~ncAra-rupAyA gateH
"Accompanied by the seven prANas, the soul leaves
the body."
In the KaTha UpaniShad (6.10) it is said:
yadA pa~ncAvatiShThante
j~nAnAni manasA saha
buddhish ca na viceShTeta
tAm AhuH paramAM gatim
"The sages say that the supreme goal is attained
when the five knowers are at peace and the mind and intelligence
are no longer active."
This passage describes the condition of the senses in the
state of yogic trance. This passage describes five senses, which
begin with the ears. To them are added the mind and intelligence.
In this way the living entity has seven senses. The shruti-shAstra
also describes five working instruments, beginning with the voice
and hands, but these cannot be called senses in the primary
meaning of the word because these instruments do not accompany
the soul when he leaves the material body and also because these
instruments are less useful to the soul than the seven primary
senses.
SiddhAnta (conclusion): If this is said, the author of the
sUtras replies with the following conclusion.
SUtra 6
hastAdayas tu sthite .ato naivam
hasta - the hands; AdayaH - beginning with; tu - but;
sthite - situated; ataH - therefore; na - not; evam - like that.
But when he is situated in that way, the hands and other
instruments are also present. Therefore it is not like that.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The word "tu" (but) is used here to begin the
refutation of the PUrvapakSha.as objection. Although they are not
included among the seven, the instruments beginning with the
hands are to be considered among the prANas. Why is that? Because
as long as the soul is situated in the material body these
instruments help in experiencing various things and in performing
various tasks. In the BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad it is said:
hastau vai grahaH sarva-karmaNAbhigraheNa gR^ihItAH
hastAbhyAM karma karoti.
"The hands are a sense, for with the hands one
grasps things and performs actions."
In this way there are more than seven senses. There are five
knowledge-acquiring senses, five working senses, and the mind. In
this way there are eleven senses. In the BR^ihad-AraNyaka
UpaniShad (3.9.4) it is said:
AtmaikAdasha
"The AtmA is the eleventh sense."
The word "AtmA" here means "the mind". In
this way it should be understood.
There are five objects of perception: sound, touch, form,
taste, and smell. To perceive these objects there are five
knowledge-acquiring senses: ears, skin, eyes, tongue, and nose.
There are five kinds of action: speech, grasping, moving,
excretion, and reproduction. To perform these actions there are
five working senses: voice, hands, feet, anus, and genital.
To co-ordinate the actions of all these and to take
consideration of the three phases of time (past, present, and
future), there is the mind. Sometimes the mind is considered to
have four aspects. In this way the actions of the mind are:
desiring, coming to conclusions, understanding one.as identity,
and thinking. To perform these actions the mind is divided into
the heart (manaH), intelligence (buddhi), false-ego (aha~NkAra),
and thinking (citta). In this way there are eleven senses.
The Senses Are Eleven
Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
After refuting this false idea about the senses, an idea
that contradicts the descriptions in shruti-shAstra, the author of
the sUtras refutes a false idea about how many senses there are.
In the MuNDaka UpaniShad (2.1.8) it is said:
sapta prANAH prabhavanti tasmAt
saptArciShaH samadhiH sapta-homAH
sapteme lokA yeShu sa~ncaranti
prANA guhAshayA nihitA sapta sapta
"From Him come the seven prANas, the seven arcis,
the seven homas, and the seven lokas. These seven are placed in
every heart."
However, in the BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (3.9.4) it is said:
dasheme puruShe prANA Atmaikadasha
"In the living entity there are ten prANas. The soul
is the eleventh."
SaMshaya (doubt): Are the prANas seven or eleven?
PUrvapakSha (the opponent speaks): The pUrvapakSha speaks the
following sUtra.
SUtra 5
sapta-gater visheShitvAc ca
sapta - of seven; gateH - because of going;
visheShitvAt - because of the specific description; ca - also.
Because of the departure of seven and also because of a
specific description.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The prANas are seven. Why is that? Because that is the
opinion of scripture. In the shruti-shAstra it is said:
saptAnAm eva jIvena saha sa~ncAra-rupAyA gateH
"Accompanied by the seven prANas, the soul leaves
the body."
In the KaTha UpaniShad (6.10) it is said:
yadA pa~ncAvatiShThante
j~nAnAni manasA saha
buddhish ca na viceShTeta
tAm AhuH paramAM gatim
"The sages say that the supreme goal is attained
when the five knowers are at peace and the mind and intelligence
are no longer active."
This passage describes the condition of the senses in the
state of yogic trance. This passage describes five senses, which
begin with the ears. To them are added the mind and intelligence.
In this way the living entity has seven senses. The shruti-shAstra
also describes five working instruments, beginning with the voice
and hands, but these cannot be called senses in the primary
meaning of the word because these instruments do not accompany
the soul when he leaves the material body and also because these
instruments are less useful to the soul than the seven primary
senses.
SiddhAnta (conclusion): If this is said, the author of the
sUtras replies with the following conclusion.
SUtra 6
hastAdayas tu sthite .ato naivam
hasta - the hands; AdayaH - beginning with; tu - but;
sthite - situated; ataH - therefore; na - not; evam - like that.
But when he is situated in that way, the hands and other
instruments are also present. Therefore it is not like that.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The word "tu" (but) is used here to begin the
refutation of the PUrvapakSha.as objection. Although they are not
included among the seven, the instruments beginning with the
hands are to be considered among the prANas. Why is that? Because
as long as the soul is situated in the material body these
instruments help in experiencing various things and in performing
various tasks. In the BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad it is said:
hastau vai grahaH sarva-karmaNAbhigraheNa gR^ihItAH
hastAbhyAM karma karoti.
"The hands are a sense, for with the hands one
grasps things and performs actions."
In this way there are more than seven senses. There are five
knowledge-acquiring senses, five working senses, and the mind. In
this way there are eleven senses. In the BR^ihad-AraNyaka
UpaniShad (3.9.4) it is said:
AtmaikAdasha
"The AtmA is the eleventh sense."
The word "AtmA" here means "the mind". In
this way it should be understood.
There are five objects of perception: sound, touch, form,
taste, and smell. To perceive these objects there are five
knowledge-acquiring senses: ears, skin, eyes, tongue, and nose.
There are five kinds of action: speech, grasping, moving,
excretion, and reproduction. To perform these actions there are
five working senses: voice, hands, feet, anus, and genital.
To co-ordinate the actions of all these and to take
consideration of the three phases of time (past, present, and
future), there is the mind. Sometimes the mind is considered to
have four aspects. In this way the actions of the mind are:
desiring, coming to conclusions, understanding one.as identity,
and thinking. To perform these actions the mind is divided into
the heart (manaH), intelligence (buddhi), false-ego (aha~NkAra),
and thinking (citta). In this way there are eleven senses.
57. PrANas Are Manifested
Adhyaya 3 Pada 4 AdhikaraNa 1
The PrANas Are Manifested From the Supreme Personality of
Godhead
Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
In the Third Pada contradictory scriptural passages describing
the elements were harmonized. In the Fourth Pada contradictory
passages describing the prANas (life-force and senses) will be harmonized.
The prANas are of two kinds: primary and secondary. The secondary
prANas are the eleven senses, beginning with the eyes. The
primary prANas are the five life-airs, beginning with apAna.
First the secondary prANas will be examined. In the MuNDaka
UpaniShad (2.1.3) it is said:
etasmAj jAyate prANo manaH sarvendriyANi ca
"From this are born prANa, mind, and all the
senses."
SaMshaya (doubt): Is this description of the creation of the
senses metaphorical, like the description of the creation of the individual
souls, or literal, like the description of the creation of ether
and the other elements?
PUrvapakSha (the opponent speaks): This is explained in the
following words of the shruti-shAstra:
asad vA idam agra AsIt tad AhuH kiM tad AsId iti R^iShayo
vAva te asad AsIt tad AhuH ke te R^iShaya iti prANA vAva
R^iShayaH.
"He said: In the beginning was non-being. They said:
What was that non-being? He said: The non-being was many sages.
They said: Who were those sages? He said: Those sages were the
prANas."
This passage from the shruti-shAstra clearly shows that the
the senses, which are here called prANas or sages, existed before
the creation of the material world. Therefore the senses are like
the individual spirit souls (and the scriptures.a descriptions of
the creation of the senses are only allegories.)
SiddhAnta (conclusion): In the following words the author of
the sUtras gives His conclusion.
SUtra 1
tathA prANAH
tathA - so; prANAH - the prANAs.
The praNas are like that.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
As ether and the other elements were manifested from the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, so the prANas and the senses were
also manifested from Him. That is the meaning here. In the
beginning of creation the ingredients of the material world were
merged together into one. Then the different ingredients were
manifested. This is described in MuNDaka UpaniShad (2.1.3):
etasmAj jAyate prANo manaH sarvendriyANi ca
"From this are born prANa, mind, and all the
senses."
The creation of the material senses is not like the creation
of the conscious individual spirit souls, because the souls are
free from the six transformations that are always present in
matter. When they describe the creation of the individual spirit
souls, the words of the scriptures are all allegories, but when
they describe the creation of the senses, the words of the
scriptures are literal descriptions. This is so because the
senses are by nature material. This being so, the words prANa and
R^iShi (sages) in this passage refer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
This is so because both these words are names of the all-knowing
Supreme Person.
Here someone may object: Is it not so that because the words
"prANAH" and "R^iShayaH" (sages) are both in the
plural it is not possible that they can here be names of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead?
In the following words the author of the sUtras answers this
objection.
SUtra 2
gauNy asambhavAt
gauNI - secondary meaning; asambhavAt - because of
impossibility.
This must be a secondary use of the word, because the
primary use is impossible.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The use of the plural in this passage from the shruti-shAstra
must be a secondary usage of the plural. Why is that? Because
there are not many Gods, there is only one God, the plural cannot
be used to describe Him. Still, the plural may be applied to Him
to refer to His many different manifestations. Although the
Supreme Lord is one, He appears in His many incarnations like an
actor assuming different roles or a vaidUrya jewel displaying differentcolors. In this secondary sense the plural is
appropriate in relation to Him. This is confirmed by the
following words of the shruti-shAstra:
ekaM santaM bahudhA dR^ishyamAnam
"Although He is one, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead is seen to be many."
The SmR^iti-shAstra also explains:
ekAneka-svarUpAya
"Although He is one, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead appears in many forms."
SUtra 3
tat prAk shrutesh ca
tat - that; prAk - before; shruteH - from the shrutishAstra; ca - and.
Because the shruti-shAstra declares that He existed before the
creation.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Because in the beginning of creation the varieties of
material nature were not yet manifested, and thus the material
world was all one, it is also not proper to accept the use of the
plural here in a literal sense. This is so because the shruti-
shAstras declare that in the beginning of material creation only
the Supreme Personality of Godhead existed. Therefore the plural
here must be used in a secondary sense.
In the following words the author of the sUtras gives
another reason why the word "prANa" should be interpreted
as a name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SUtra 4
tat-pUrvakatvAd vAcaH
tat - that; pUrvakatvAt - because of being before;
vAcaH - speech.
Because speech existed before the material creation.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The word "vAcaH" (speech) here means "the
names of things other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
the master of many spiritual potencies". This speech existed
before the pradhAna, the mahat-tattva, and the other features of
the material world were created. Because the names and forms of the variousmaterial features were not yet created, and because
the material senses also were not yet created at that time in the
beginning of creation, the word "prANa" here must be used
as a name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The BR^ihad-
AraNyaka UpaniShad (1.4.7) explains:
tad dhedaM tarhi
"In the beginning they were not manifested. Only
later were the material forms and names manifested."
This explains that in the beginning of the material
creation the material names and forms were not yet manifested.
Thus at that time the material senses as well as the elements
beginning with ether, were not yet manifested.
The PrANas Are Manifested From the Supreme Personality of
Godhead
Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
In the Third Pada contradictory scriptural passages describing
the elements were harmonized. In the Fourth Pada contradictory
passages describing the prANas (life-force and senses) will be harmonized.
The prANas are of two kinds: primary and secondary. The secondary
prANas are the eleven senses, beginning with the eyes. The
primary prANas are the five life-airs, beginning with apAna.
First the secondary prANas will be examined. In the MuNDaka
UpaniShad (2.1.3) it is said:
etasmAj jAyate prANo manaH sarvendriyANi ca
"From this are born prANa, mind, and all the
senses."
SaMshaya (doubt): Is this description of the creation of the
senses metaphorical, like the description of the creation of the individual
souls, or literal, like the description of the creation of ether
and the other elements?
PUrvapakSha (the opponent speaks): This is explained in the
following words of the shruti-shAstra:
asad vA idam agra AsIt tad AhuH kiM tad AsId iti R^iShayo
vAva te asad AsIt tad AhuH ke te R^iShaya iti prANA vAva
R^iShayaH.
"He said: In the beginning was non-being. They said:
What was that non-being? He said: The non-being was many sages.
They said: Who were those sages? He said: Those sages were the
prANas."
This passage from the shruti-shAstra clearly shows that the
the senses, which are here called prANas or sages, existed before
the creation of the material world. Therefore the senses are like
the individual spirit souls (and the scriptures.a descriptions of
the creation of the senses are only allegories.)
SiddhAnta (conclusion): In the following words the author of
the sUtras gives His conclusion.
SUtra 1
tathA prANAH
tathA - so; prANAH - the prANAs.
The praNas are like that.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
As ether and the other elements were manifested from the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, so the prANas and the senses were
also manifested from Him. That is the meaning here. In the
beginning of creation the ingredients of the material world were
merged together into one. Then the different ingredients were
manifested. This is described in MuNDaka UpaniShad (2.1.3):
etasmAj jAyate prANo manaH sarvendriyANi ca
"From this are born prANa, mind, and all the
senses."
The creation of the material senses is not like the creation
of the conscious individual spirit souls, because the souls are
free from the six transformations that are always present in
matter. When they describe the creation of the individual spirit
souls, the words of the scriptures are all allegories, but when
they describe the creation of the senses, the words of the
scriptures are literal descriptions. This is so because the
senses are by nature material. This being so, the words prANa and
R^iShi (sages) in this passage refer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
This is so because both these words are names of the all-knowing
Supreme Person.
Here someone may object: Is it not so that because the words
"prANAH" and "R^iShayaH" (sages) are both in the
plural it is not possible that they can here be names of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead?
In the following words the author of the sUtras answers this
objection.
SUtra 2
gauNy asambhavAt
gauNI - secondary meaning; asambhavAt - because of
impossibility.
This must be a secondary use of the word, because the
primary use is impossible.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The use of the plural in this passage from the shruti-shAstra
must be a secondary usage of the plural. Why is that? Because
there are not many Gods, there is only one God, the plural cannot
be used to describe Him. Still, the plural may be applied to Him
to refer to His many different manifestations. Although the
Supreme Lord is one, He appears in His many incarnations like an
actor assuming different roles or a vaidUrya jewel displaying differentcolors. In this secondary sense the plural is
appropriate in relation to Him. This is confirmed by the
following words of the shruti-shAstra:
ekaM santaM bahudhA dR^ishyamAnam
"Although He is one, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead is seen to be many."
The SmR^iti-shAstra also explains:
ekAneka-svarUpAya
"Although He is one, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead appears in many forms."
SUtra 3
tat prAk shrutesh ca
tat - that; prAk - before; shruteH - from the shrutishAstra; ca - and.
Because the shruti-shAstra declares that He existed before the
creation.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Because in the beginning of creation the varieties of
material nature were not yet manifested, and thus the material
world was all one, it is also not proper to accept the use of the
plural here in a literal sense. This is so because the shruti-
shAstras declare that in the beginning of material creation only
the Supreme Personality of Godhead existed. Therefore the plural
here must be used in a secondary sense.
In the following words the author of the sUtras gives
another reason why the word "prANa" should be interpreted
as a name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SUtra 4
tat-pUrvakatvAd vAcaH
tat - that; pUrvakatvAt - because of being before;
vAcaH - speech.
Because speech existed before the material creation.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The word "vAcaH" (speech) here means "the
names of things other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
the master of many spiritual potencies". This speech existed
before the pradhAna, the mahat-tattva, and the other features of
the material world were created. Because the names and forms of the variousmaterial features were not yet created, and because
the material senses also were not yet created at that time in the
beginning of creation, the word "prANa" here must be used
as a name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The BR^ihad-
AraNyaka UpaniShad (1.4.7) explains:
tad dhedaM tarhi
"In the beginning they were not manifested. Only
later were the material forms and names manifested."
This explains that in the beginning of the material
creation the material names and forms were not yet manifested.
Thus at that time the material senses as well as the elements
beginning with ether, were not yet manifested.
56. The path that is right
Adhyaya 3 Pada 4
Invocation
tvaj-jAtAH kalitotpAtAH
mat-prANAH santy amitra-bhit
etAn shAdhi tathA deva
yathA sat-patha-gAminaH
O Supreme Personality of Godhead, O destroyer of enemies, my
life-breaths, which are born from You, have left the path of
virtue. O Lord, please bring them under control and push them on
the path that is right.
Invocation
tvaj-jAtAH kalitotpAtAH
mat-prANAH santy amitra-bhit
etAn shAdhi tathA deva
yathA sat-patha-gAminaH
O Supreme Personality of Godhead, O destroyer of enemies, my
life-breaths, which are born from You, have left the path of
virtue. O Lord, please bring them under control and push them on
the path that is right.
55. The Lord’s Incarnations
Adhyaya 3 Pada 3 AdhikaraNa 18
The Lord’s Incarnations Are Not Part and Parcel of the Lord, For
They Are the Lord Himself
Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Digressing, for the moment, from the main topic, the author of
the sUtras next considers the nature of the Lord’s incarnations.
In the GopAla-tApanI UpaniShad it is said:
eko vashI sarva-gaH kR^iShNa iDya
eko .api san bahudhA yo .avabhAti
"Lord KR^iShNa is the worshipable, all-pervading
supreme controller, and although He is one, He manifests in many
forms."
In the ViShNu PurANa (1.2.3) it is said:
ekAneka-svarUpAya
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead is one, although
He has many forms."
Here it is said that the Lord is one because He remains one
person, even though He appears in many forms, and He is also called many
because of the great variety of these forms. That is the
meaning.
SaMshaya (doubt): Are the incarnations of the Lord, such as
the incarnation Matsya, part and parcel of the Lord in the same
way the individual spirit souls are, or are They different from
the individual spirit souls?
PUrvapakSha (the opponent speaks): There is no difference
between the individual spirit souls and the incarnations of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SiddhAnta (conclusion): In the following words the author of
the sUtras gives His conclusion.
SUtra 44
prakAshAdi-van naivaM paraH
prakAsha - light; Adi - beginning with; vat - like;na - not;
evam - thus; paraH - the Supreme.
The Supreme is not like light or other things.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Although the Lord.as incarnations, such as Lord Matsya, are
called "parts" of the Supreme, They are not like the
individual spirit souls. Here the author of the sUtras gives and
example: "The Supreme is not like light or other things."
As the sun and a firefly may both be called "light", but
are in truth very different, and as nectar and wine may both be
called "liquid", but in truth are very different, so the
individual spirit souls and the incarnations of the Lord do not
have a similar nature, but are very different.
SUtra 45
smaranti ca
smaranti - the SmR^iti-shAstras say; ca - and.
The SmR^iti-shAstras also say it.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
In the VarAha PurANa it is said:
svAMshash cAtha vibhinnAMsha
iti dvedhAMsha iShyate
aMshino yat tu sAmarthyaM
yat-svarUpaM yathA sthitiH
"It is said that there are two kinds of parts and
parcels of the Supreme: direct parts and separated parts. Direct
parts have exactly the same nature as the Lord.
tad eva nANumAtro .api
bhedaH svAMshAMshino kvacit
vibhinnAMsho .alpa-shaktiH syAt
ki~ncit sAmarthya-mAtra-yuk
"Separated parts are different from the Lord. They
are atomic in size and have very slight powers.
sarve sarva-guNaiH pUrNAH
sarva-doSha-vivarjitAH
"All direct parts of the Lord are filled with all
virtues and glories and free of all vices and defects."
In shrImad-BhAgavatam (1.3.28) it is said:
ete cAMsha-kalAH puMsaH
kR^iShNas tu bhagavAn svayam
"All the above mentioned incarnations are either
plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but LordshrI KR^iShNa is the original Personality of Godhead."*
Thus Lord KR^iShNa is the original Supreme Personality of
Godhead and the various incarnations, such as Lord Matsya, are
parts of Him, but they are not different from Lord KR^iShNa, as the
individual spirit souls are. Lord KR^iShNa is like a vaidUrya stone,
which manifests different colors from moment to moment. In this
way Lord KR^iShNa appears in different forms.
In His various incarnations Lord KR^iShNa may display all or
only some of His powers. That is the description of the
scriptures. Lord KR^iShNa, the source of all incarnations, displays
all of His six transcendental opulences in full. When the Lord
does not display all His opulences in full, He appears as an aMsha
incarnation, and when He displays even fewer of His opulences, He
appears as a kalA incarnation. In this circumstance He is like a
great teacher, learned in the six sciences, who in certain
circumstances teaches only a small portion of what he actually
knows.
In the PuruSha-bodhinI UpaniShad it is said that Lord KR^iShNa
appears with all His transcendental potencies, headed by Goddess
RAdhA. In the Tenth Canto of shrImad-BhAgavatam it is said that
various transcendental qualities, such as being supreme over all,
being filled with great love, being accompanied by loving
associates, filling with wonder BrahmA, shiva, and all the
demigods, sages, and wise devotees, manifesting many pastimes,
such as sweetly playing the flute, that fill everyone with
wonder, displaying a great sweetness of transcendental
handsomeness, and being very kind and merciful, are eternally
manifested in YashodA.as infant KR^iShNa. Lord Matsya and the other
incarnations manifest some but not all of these qualities. Still,
the incarnations of the Lord are not like the individual spirit
souls, for the incarnations actually are the Lord Himself.
Now the author of the sUtras presents another argument.
SUtra 46
anuj~nA-parihArau deha-sambandhAt jyotir-Adi-vat
anuj~nA - permission to act; parihArau - cessation from
action; deha - of the body; sambandhAt - from the contact;
jyotiH - eye; Adi - beginning with; vat - like.
Bondage and liberation come from contact with the material
body, like the eye and other things.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Even though they are parts and parcels of the Supreme, the
individual spirit souls, because beginningless ignorance, and
also because of contact with material bodies, are subject to
material bondage and liberation. The incarnations of the Lord,
such as Lord Matsya, however, are not subject to such things.
This is the description of the shruti-shAstra. In the shruti-shAstra
it is also said that the incarnations of the Lord do not have
material bodies, but are directly the Lord Himself. That is the greatdifference between the individual spirit souls and the
incarnations of the Lord.
The word "anuj~nA" here means "permission".
It is by the Lord.as permission that the individual spirit souls
can perform pious and impious deeds, as the KaushItaki UpaniShad
(3.8) explains:
eSha eva sAdhu karma kArayati
"The Lord engages the living entity in pious
activities so he may be elevated."*
The word "parihAra" means "liberation". This
is described in the shruti-shAstra:
tam eva viditvAti mR^ityum eti
By understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead one is
able to cross beyond this world of death."
Next, speaking the words "jyotir-Adi-vat" (like the
eye), the author of the sUtras gives an example to explain this.
The eyes of the living entities are like small portions of the
sun. However, the eyes depend on the sun for the power of sight,
and if the sun does not give permission, in the form of the
sunlight, the eyes cannot see. In this way the eyes are dependent
on the sun. The sunlight on the sun-planet, however, is identical
with the sun itself, and thus it makes no sense to say they are
dependent on the sun. The difference between the individual
spirit souls and the incarnations of the Lord is like that, the
incarnations being like the sunlight and the souls being like the
eyes.
SUtra 47
asantatesh cAvyatikaraH
asantateH - because of imperfection; ca - not;
avyatikaraH - without bewilderment.
Because it is imperfect there can be no mistake.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Because he is imperfect, the individual spirit soul cannot
be mistaken for an incarnation of the Lord. The individual spirit
souls are therefore not the same as or equal to the incarnations
of the Lord, beginning with Lord Matsya, who are all perfect. In
the shvetAshvatara UpaniShad (5.9), the individual spirit soul is
described in the following words:
bAlAgra-shata-bAgasya
"If we divide the tip of a hair into one hundred
parts and then take one part and divide this into another one hundred parts,that ten-thousandth part is the dimension of the
living entity."*
Instead of being atomic and limited, as the individual
spirit souls are, the Lord.as incarnations, beginning with Lord
Matsya, are perfect and complete in every way, as the Isha
UpaniShad explains:
pUrnam adaH pUrNam idam
"The Personality of Godhead is perfect and
complete."*
In the following words the author of the sUtras shows the
great fault in thinking the individual soul identical with the
Supreme.
SUtra 48
AbhAsa eva ca
AbhAsaH - fallacy; eva - indeed; ca - also.
It is also a fallacy.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
In this sUtra is refuted the idea that because they are both
called "aMshas", or parts of the Lord, therefore the
individual spirit souls and the incarnations of the Lord are
identical. This idea is based on the logical fallacy of sat-
pratipakSha (undistributed middle). Because of its imperfect
reasoning, this idea is wrong.
The word "ca" (also) here hints that some examples
may be given to show this. One example is that of earth and sky.
Earth and sky are both substances, but that does not mean that
they are identical. Existence and non-existence are both
categories, but that does not mean they are equal. In the same
way the individual spirit souls and the incarnations of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead may both be parts of the Supreme,
but that does not mean that they are equal.
The Lord’s Incarnations Are Not Part and Parcel of the Lord, For
They Are the Lord Himself
Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Digressing, for the moment, from the main topic, the author of
the sUtras next considers the nature of the Lord’s incarnations.
In the GopAla-tApanI UpaniShad it is said:
eko vashI sarva-gaH kR^iShNa iDya
eko .api san bahudhA yo .avabhAti
"Lord KR^iShNa is the worshipable, all-pervading
supreme controller, and although He is one, He manifests in many
forms."
In the ViShNu PurANa (1.2.3) it is said:
ekAneka-svarUpAya
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead is one, although
He has many forms."
Here it is said that the Lord is one because He remains one
person, even though He appears in many forms, and He is also called many
because of the great variety of these forms. That is the
meaning.
SaMshaya (doubt): Are the incarnations of the Lord, such as
the incarnation Matsya, part and parcel of the Lord in the same
way the individual spirit souls are, or are They different from
the individual spirit souls?
PUrvapakSha (the opponent speaks): There is no difference
between the individual spirit souls and the incarnations of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SiddhAnta (conclusion): In the following words the author of
the sUtras gives His conclusion.
SUtra 44
prakAshAdi-van naivaM paraH
prakAsha - light; Adi - beginning with; vat - like;na - not;
evam - thus; paraH - the Supreme.
The Supreme is not like light or other things.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Although the Lord.as incarnations, such as Lord Matsya, are
called "parts" of the Supreme, They are not like the
individual spirit souls. Here the author of the sUtras gives and
example: "The Supreme is not like light or other things."
As the sun and a firefly may both be called "light", but
are in truth very different, and as nectar and wine may both be
called "liquid", but in truth are very different, so the
individual spirit souls and the incarnations of the Lord do not
have a similar nature, but are very different.
SUtra 45
smaranti ca
smaranti - the SmR^iti-shAstras say; ca - and.
The SmR^iti-shAstras also say it.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
In the VarAha PurANa it is said:
svAMshash cAtha vibhinnAMsha
iti dvedhAMsha iShyate
aMshino yat tu sAmarthyaM
yat-svarUpaM yathA sthitiH
"It is said that there are two kinds of parts and
parcels of the Supreme: direct parts and separated parts. Direct
parts have exactly the same nature as the Lord.
tad eva nANumAtro .api
bhedaH svAMshAMshino kvacit
vibhinnAMsho .alpa-shaktiH syAt
ki~ncit sAmarthya-mAtra-yuk
"Separated parts are different from the Lord. They
are atomic in size and have very slight powers.
sarve sarva-guNaiH pUrNAH
sarva-doSha-vivarjitAH
"All direct parts of the Lord are filled with all
virtues and glories and free of all vices and defects."
In shrImad-BhAgavatam (1.3.28) it is said:
ete cAMsha-kalAH puMsaH
kR^iShNas tu bhagavAn svayam
"All the above mentioned incarnations are either
plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but LordshrI KR^iShNa is the original Personality of Godhead."*
Thus Lord KR^iShNa is the original Supreme Personality of
Godhead and the various incarnations, such as Lord Matsya, are
parts of Him, but they are not different from Lord KR^iShNa, as the
individual spirit souls are. Lord KR^iShNa is like a vaidUrya stone,
which manifests different colors from moment to moment. In this
way Lord KR^iShNa appears in different forms.
In His various incarnations Lord KR^iShNa may display all or
only some of His powers. That is the description of the
scriptures. Lord KR^iShNa, the source of all incarnations, displays
all of His six transcendental opulences in full. When the Lord
does not display all His opulences in full, He appears as an aMsha
incarnation, and when He displays even fewer of His opulences, He
appears as a kalA incarnation. In this circumstance He is like a
great teacher, learned in the six sciences, who in certain
circumstances teaches only a small portion of what he actually
knows.
In the PuruSha-bodhinI UpaniShad it is said that Lord KR^iShNa
appears with all His transcendental potencies, headed by Goddess
RAdhA. In the Tenth Canto of shrImad-BhAgavatam it is said that
various transcendental qualities, such as being supreme over all,
being filled with great love, being accompanied by loving
associates, filling with wonder BrahmA, shiva, and all the
demigods, sages, and wise devotees, manifesting many pastimes,
such as sweetly playing the flute, that fill everyone with
wonder, displaying a great sweetness of transcendental
handsomeness, and being very kind and merciful, are eternally
manifested in YashodA.as infant KR^iShNa. Lord Matsya and the other
incarnations manifest some but not all of these qualities. Still,
the incarnations of the Lord are not like the individual spirit
souls, for the incarnations actually are the Lord Himself.
Now the author of the sUtras presents another argument.
SUtra 46
anuj~nA-parihArau deha-sambandhAt jyotir-Adi-vat
anuj~nA - permission to act; parihArau - cessation from
action; deha - of the body; sambandhAt - from the contact;
jyotiH - eye; Adi - beginning with; vat - like.
Bondage and liberation come from contact with the material
body, like the eye and other things.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Even though they are parts and parcels of the Supreme, the
individual spirit souls, because beginningless ignorance, and
also because of contact with material bodies, are subject to
material bondage and liberation. The incarnations of the Lord,
such as Lord Matsya, however, are not subject to such things.
This is the description of the shruti-shAstra. In the shruti-shAstra
it is also said that the incarnations of the Lord do not have
material bodies, but are directly the Lord Himself. That is the greatdifference between the individual spirit souls and the
incarnations of the Lord.
The word "anuj~nA" here means "permission".
It is by the Lord.as permission that the individual spirit souls
can perform pious and impious deeds, as the KaushItaki UpaniShad
(3.8) explains:
eSha eva sAdhu karma kArayati
"The Lord engages the living entity in pious
activities so he may be elevated."*
The word "parihAra" means "liberation". This
is described in the shruti-shAstra:
tam eva viditvAti mR^ityum eti
By understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead one is
able to cross beyond this world of death."
Next, speaking the words "jyotir-Adi-vat" (like the
eye), the author of the sUtras gives an example to explain this.
The eyes of the living entities are like small portions of the
sun. However, the eyes depend on the sun for the power of sight,
and if the sun does not give permission, in the form of the
sunlight, the eyes cannot see. In this way the eyes are dependent
on the sun. The sunlight on the sun-planet, however, is identical
with the sun itself, and thus it makes no sense to say they are
dependent on the sun. The difference between the individual
spirit souls and the incarnations of the Lord is like that, the
incarnations being like the sunlight and the souls being like the
eyes.
SUtra 47
asantatesh cAvyatikaraH
asantateH - because of imperfection; ca - not;
avyatikaraH - without bewilderment.
Because it is imperfect there can be no mistake.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Because he is imperfect, the individual spirit soul cannot
be mistaken for an incarnation of the Lord. The individual spirit
souls are therefore not the same as or equal to the incarnations
of the Lord, beginning with Lord Matsya, who are all perfect. In
the shvetAshvatara UpaniShad (5.9), the individual spirit soul is
described in the following words:
bAlAgra-shata-bAgasya
"If we divide the tip of a hair into one hundred
parts and then take one part and divide this into another one hundred parts,that ten-thousandth part is the dimension of the
living entity."*
Instead of being atomic and limited, as the individual
spirit souls are, the Lord.as incarnations, beginning with Lord
Matsya, are perfect and complete in every way, as the Isha
UpaniShad explains:
pUrnam adaH pUrNam idam
"The Personality of Godhead is perfect and
complete."*
In the following words the author of the sUtras shows the
great fault in thinking the individual soul identical with the
Supreme.
SUtra 48
AbhAsa eva ca
AbhAsaH - fallacy; eva - indeed; ca - also.
It is also a fallacy.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
In this sUtra is refuted the idea that because they are both
called "aMshas", or parts of the Lord, therefore the
individual spirit souls and the incarnations of the Lord are
identical. This idea is based on the logical fallacy of sat-
pratipakSha (undistributed middle). Because of its imperfect
reasoning, this idea is wrong.
The word "ca" (also) here hints that some examples
may be given to show this. One example is that of earth and sky.
Earth and sky are both substances, but that does not mean that
they are identical. Existence and non-existence are both
categories, but that does not mean they are equal. In the same
way the individual spirit souls and the incarnations of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead may both be parts of the Supreme,
but that does not mean that they are equal.
54. Spirit Soul Is Part and Parcel
Adhyaya 3 Pada 3 AdhikaraNa 17
The Individual Spirit Soul Is Part and Parcel of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead
Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Next, to corroborate the previous explanation the author of
the sUtras explains that the individual spirit soul is part and
parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the muNDaka
UpaniShad (3.1.1) it is said:
dvA suparNA
"The soul and the Supersoul within the body are
compared to two friendly birds sitting together."*
The first bird here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead
and the second is the individual spirit soul.
SaMshaya (doubt): Is the individual spirit soul in truth the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, only seeming to be different
because of the illusion of mAyA, or is the the individual spirit
soul part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
different from the Lord, but related to Him as a ray of sunlight
is related to the sun?
PUrvapakSha (the opponent speaks): What is the truth? The
truth is the individual spirit soul covered by the illusion of
mAyA is in truth the same as the Supreme Personality of Godhead?
The Brahma-bindu UpaniShad (13) explains:
ghaTa-samvR^itam AkAshaM
nIyamAne ghaTe yathA
gato lIyeta nAkAshaM
tadvaj jIvo nabhopamaH
"The space within a jar is not moved when the jar is
moved, nor is it destroyed when the jar is broken. The spirit
soul is like that unbreakable space."
The ChAndogya UpaniShad also (6.8.7) affirms:
tat tvam asi
"You are that."
SiddhAnta (conclusion): In the following words the author of
the sUtras gives his conclusion.
SUtra 41
aMsho nAnA vyapadeshAd anyathA cApi dAsa-kitavAditvam adhIyate eke
aMshaH - part; nAnA - many; vyapadeshAt - because of the
teaching; anyathA - otherwise; ca - and; api - also;dAsa - servant;
kitava - gambler; Adi - beginning with; tvam - the state of being;
adhIyate - is read; eke - some.
He is a part because of the description of being many, and
also because some scriptures describe him as a servant, as
a gambler, or as something else.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The individual spirit soul is a part and parcel of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead as a ray of sunlight is part and
parcel of the sun. The individual spirit soul is different from
the Lord, dependent on the Lord, and related to the Lord. That is
the meaning. Why is that? The sUtra explains: "Because of
the description of being many." The Subala UpaniShad explains:
udbhavaH sambhavo divyo deva eko nArAyaNo mAtA pitA
bhrAtA nivAsaH sharaNaM suhR^id gatir nArAyaNaH
"NArAyaNa is the transcendental Supreme Personality
of Godhead. NArAyaNa is the creator, destroyer, mother, father,
brother, home, shelter, friend, and goal."
In Bhagavad-gItA (9.18) Lord KR^iShNa declares:
gatir bhartA prabhuH sAkShI
nivAsaH sharaNaM suhR^it
"I am the goal, the sustainer, the master, the
witness, the abode, the refuge, and the most dear friend. I am
the creation and the annihilation, the basis of everything, the
resting place, and the eternal seed."*
The words "nAnA vyapadeshAd" in this sUtra describe
the many relationships that exist between the Supreme Personality
of Godhead and the individual spirit soul, relationships like
that between the creator and created, controller and controlled,
shelter and person who takes shelter, master and servant, friend
and friend, and goal and seeker. Some passages in the Atharva
Veda declare that because the Supreme is all-pervading, the
individual spirit souls and the Supreme are identical. The
Atharva Veda declares:
brahma dAsA brahma dAshA brahma kitavAH
"These servants are the Supreme. These fishermen are
the Supreme. These gamblers are the Supreme."
It is not possible that this passage intends to say that the
individual spirit soul is actually not different from the
Supreme. It is not possible that the Supreme is simultaneously both thecreator and created, the pervader and pervaded, nor is
it possible that supremely intelligent Lord becomes a servant or
other lowly being. If it were true that the
individual spirit souls are identical with the Supreme, then the
scriptures.a advice to renounce the world would become
meaningless. Nor is it possible that the Supreme has become
covered by the influence of illusion, for illusion has no power
to bewilder the Lord. Nor is it possible that the individual
spirit souls are parts of the Supreme like fragments cut with a
chisel from a great stone, for that would contradict the
scriptures.a statements that the Supreme can neither be broken nor
changed. Therefore the individual spirit soul is different from
the Supreme, but related to Him as created to creator, and in
other ways also. The individual spirit soul is thus a part and
parcel of the Supreme. The truth is that the individual spirit
soul is a potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is
described in ViShNu PurANa (6.7.61):
viShNu-shaktiH parA proktA
kShetraj~nAkhyA tathA parA
"Originally, KR^iShNa’s energy is spiritual, and the
energy known as the living entity is also spiritual."*
When it is said that the individual spirit soul is a part of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the word "part" is
used in the same way as in the sentence, "The circle of
Venus is a one-hundredth part of the moon.as circle," or the
same way as in the definition, "A part, although situated
in a smaller area than the whole, is identical with the whole in
substance." The use of the word "part" here is not
different from that definition. Thus the Supreme Personality of
Godhead is the master of all potencies, and the individual spirit
soul is a part of the Lord.as spiritual potency. This, by being a
localized manifestation of one of the Lord.as potencies, the
individual spirit soul is a part of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. That is their relationship.
The example of the pot means that when the mistaken
identification of the soul for the body is broken, the
individual soul meets the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The
ChAndogya UpaniShad.as statement "tat tvam asi" (You are
that) therefore means "You are dependent on the Supreme."
The context of that passage supports this view. It does not
support any other interpretation. Therefore the individual spirit
soul and the Supreme Personality of Godhead are separate and
different. One is the controller, the other the controlled. One is
all-pervading, the other atomic in size. This is directly seen in
the scriptures. It is not possible to prove otherwise. In the
next sUtra the author continues his explanation.
SUtra 42
mantra-varNAt
mantra - of the mantras; varNAt - from the description.
Because of the description in the Vedic mantras.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
In the Rg Veda (10.90.3) it is said:
pAdo .asya sarvA bhUtAni
"All living entities are part and parcel of the
Supreme."
In this way the Vedic mantras declare that the individual
spirit souls are part and parcel of the Supreme. The word
pAda" here means "part". No other meaning makes sense
in this context. The word "sarvA bhUtAni" (all living
entities) here is in the plural, whereas the word "aMshaH"
(part) in sUtra 41 is in the singular. The singular here is used
in a generic sense to denote all spirit souls. This kind of usage
is also seen in many other places.
SUtra 43
api smaryate
api - also; smaryate - in the SmR^iti-shAstra.
Also in the SmR^iti-shAstra.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
In the Bhagavad-gItA (15.7) Lord KR^iShNa explains:
mamaivAMsho jIva-loke
jIva-bhUtaH sanAtanaH
"The living entities in this conditioned world are
My eternal fragmental parts."*
By using the word "sanAtana" (eternal), the Lord
refutes the idea that the living entities referred to here are
the temporary external bodies in which the eternal souls reside.
In this way it is seen that the individual spirit souls are part
and parcel of the Supreme and have an relationship with Him. the
Supreme is the creator and dominant in other ways also, and the
individual spirit souls are dependent on Him. The nature of the
individual spirit souls is described in the following passage of
Padma PurANa:
j~nAnAshrayo j~nAna-guNash
cetanaH prakR^iteH paraH
na jAto nirvikArash ca
eka-rUpaH svarUpa-bhAk
"The individual spirit soul is the shelter of knowledge, has knowledge asone if his qualities, is
consciousness, is beyond the world of matter, is never born,
never changes, and has one form, a spiritual form.
aNur nityo vyApti-shIlash
cid-AnandAtmakas tathA
aham artho .avyayaH sAkShI
bhinna-rUpaH sanAtanaH
"The soul is atomic, eternal, is present by
consciousness everywhere in the material body, is by nature full
of spiritual bliss and knowledge, has a sense of individual
identity, is unchanging, is a witness within the body, is
eternal, and is different from the Supreme.
adAhyo .acchedyo .akledyo
.ashoShyo .akShara eva ca
evam-Adi-guNair yuktaH
sheSha-bhUtaH parasya vai
"The soul can never be burned, cut, moistened,
withered, or killed. It has these and many more qualities. It is
part and parcel of the Supreme.
ma-kareNocyate jIvaH
kShetra-j~naH paravAn sadA
dAsa-bhUto harer eva
nAnyasyaiva kadAcana
"Thus the word .ama.a refers to the individual spirit
soul. The soul is the knower of the field of activities. The soul
is spiritual. The soul is an eternal servant of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. The soul is never the servant of anyone
else.
The phrase "evam-Adi-guNaiH" (with these and many
more qualities) refers to the soul.as other qualities, such as his
ability to perform actions, to experience sensations, to
attain enlightenment, and to enlighten others. The word
enlightenment" here has two features. In the first feature
the soul itself attains enlightenment. In the second feature the
soul brings enlightenment to others. That is the nature of the
soul. A lamp sheds light on itself and on other objects also. A
jar or similar object has no power to bring light. Although a
lamp may shine, because it is inanimate matter it cannot benefit
from its own light. The individual soul, however, can benefit
from the light it brings. Because the soul can thus become
illuminated, it is said that the soul is spiritual and full of
knowledge.
The Individual Spirit Soul Is Part and Parcel of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead
Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Next, to corroborate the previous explanation the author of
the sUtras explains that the individual spirit soul is part and
parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the muNDaka
UpaniShad (3.1.1) it is said:
dvA suparNA
"The soul and the Supersoul within the body are
compared to two friendly birds sitting together."*
The first bird here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead
and the second is the individual spirit soul.
SaMshaya (doubt): Is the individual spirit soul in truth the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, only seeming to be different
because of the illusion of mAyA, or is the the individual spirit
soul part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
different from the Lord, but related to Him as a ray of sunlight
is related to the sun?
PUrvapakSha (the opponent speaks): What is the truth? The
truth is the individual spirit soul covered by the illusion of
mAyA is in truth the same as the Supreme Personality of Godhead?
The Brahma-bindu UpaniShad (13) explains:
ghaTa-samvR^itam AkAshaM
nIyamAne ghaTe yathA
gato lIyeta nAkAshaM
tadvaj jIvo nabhopamaH
"The space within a jar is not moved when the jar is
moved, nor is it destroyed when the jar is broken. The spirit
soul is like that unbreakable space."
The ChAndogya UpaniShad also (6.8.7) affirms:
tat tvam asi
"You are that."
SiddhAnta (conclusion): In the following words the author of
the sUtras gives his conclusion.
SUtra 41
aMsho nAnA vyapadeshAd anyathA cApi dAsa-kitavAditvam adhIyate eke
aMshaH - part; nAnA - many; vyapadeshAt - because of the
teaching; anyathA - otherwise; ca - and; api - also;dAsa - servant;
kitava - gambler; Adi - beginning with; tvam - the state of being;
adhIyate - is read; eke - some.
He is a part because of the description of being many, and
also because some scriptures describe him as a servant, as
a gambler, or as something else.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The individual spirit soul is a part and parcel of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead as a ray of sunlight is part and
parcel of the sun. The individual spirit soul is different from
the Lord, dependent on the Lord, and related to the Lord. That is
the meaning. Why is that? The sUtra explains: "Because of
the description of being many." The Subala UpaniShad explains:
udbhavaH sambhavo divyo deva eko nArAyaNo mAtA pitA
bhrAtA nivAsaH sharaNaM suhR^id gatir nArAyaNaH
"NArAyaNa is the transcendental Supreme Personality
of Godhead. NArAyaNa is the creator, destroyer, mother, father,
brother, home, shelter, friend, and goal."
In Bhagavad-gItA (9.18) Lord KR^iShNa declares:
gatir bhartA prabhuH sAkShI
nivAsaH sharaNaM suhR^it
"I am the goal, the sustainer, the master, the
witness, the abode, the refuge, and the most dear friend. I am
the creation and the annihilation, the basis of everything, the
resting place, and the eternal seed."*
The words "nAnA vyapadeshAd" in this sUtra describe
the many relationships that exist between the Supreme Personality
of Godhead and the individual spirit soul, relationships like
that between the creator and created, controller and controlled,
shelter and person who takes shelter, master and servant, friend
and friend, and goal and seeker. Some passages in the Atharva
Veda declare that because the Supreme is all-pervading, the
individual spirit souls and the Supreme are identical. The
Atharva Veda declares:
brahma dAsA brahma dAshA brahma kitavAH
"These servants are the Supreme. These fishermen are
the Supreme. These gamblers are the Supreme."
It is not possible that this passage intends to say that the
individual spirit soul is actually not different from the
Supreme. It is not possible that the Supreme is simultaneously both thecreator and created, the pervader and pervaded, nor is
it possible that supremely intelligent Lord becomes a servant or
other lowly being. If it were true that the
individual spirit souls are identical with the Supreme, then the
scriptures.a advice to renounce the world would become
meaningless. Nor is it possible that the Supreme has become
covered by the influence of illusion, for illusion has no power
to bewilder the Lord. Nor is it possible that the individual
spirit souls are parts of the Supreme like fragments cut with a
chisel from a great stone, for that would contradict the
scriptures.a statements that the Supreme can neither be broken nor
changed. Therefore the individual spirit soul is different from
the Supreme, but related to Him as created to creator, and in
other ways also. The individual spirit soul is thus a part and
parcel of the Supreme. The truth is that the individual spirit
soul is a potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is
described in ViShNu PurANa (6.7.61):
viShNu-shaktiH parA proktA
kShetraj~nAkhyA tathA parA
"Originally, KR^iShNa’s energy is spiritual, and the
energy known as the living entity is also spiritual."*
When it is said that the individual spirit soul is a part of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the word "part" is
used in the same way as in the sentence, "The circle of
Venus is a one-hundredth part of the moon.as circle," or the
same way as in the definition, "A part, although situated
in a smaller area than the whole, is identical with the whole in
substance." The use of the word "part" here is not
different from that definition. Thus the Supreme Personality of
Godhead is the master of all potencies, and the individual spirit
soul is a part of the Lord.as spiritual potency. This, by being a
localized manifestation of one of the Lord.as potencies, the
individual spirit soul is a part of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. That is their relationship.
The example of the pot means that when the mistaken
identification of the soul for the body is broken, the
individual soul meets the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The
ChAndogya UpaniShad.as statement "tat tvam asi" (You are
that) therefore means "You are dependent on the Supreme."
The context of that passage supports this view. It does not
support any other interpretation. Therefore the individual spirit
soul and the Supreme Personality of Godhead are separate and
different. One is the controller, the other the controlled. One is
all-pervading, the other atomic in size. This is directly seen in
the scriptures. It is not possible to prove otherwise. In the
next sUtra the author continues his explanation.
SUtra 42
mantra-varNAt
mantra - of the mantras; varNAt - from the description.
Because of the description in the Vedic mantras.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
In the Rg Veda (10.90.3) it is said:
pAdo .asya sarvA bhUtAni
"All living entities are part and parcel of the
Supreme."
In this way the Vedic mantras declare that the individual
spirit souls are part and parcel of the Supreme. The word
pAda" here means "part". No other meaning makes sense
in this context. The word "sarvA bhUtAni" (all living
entities) here is in the plural, whereas the word "aMshaH"
(part) in sUtra 41 is in the singular. The singular here is used
in a generic sense to denote all spirit souls. This kind of usage
is also seen in many other places.
SUtra 43
api smaryate
api - also; smaryate - in the SmR^iti-shAstra.
Also in the SmR^iti-shAstra.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
In the Bhagavad-gItA (15.7) Lord KR^iShNa explains:
mamaivAMsho jIva-loke
jIva-bhUtaH sanAtanaH
"The living entities in this conditioned world are
My eternal fragmental parts."*
By using the word "sanAtana" (eternal), the Lord
refutes the idea that the living entities referred to here are
the temporary external bodies in which the eternal souls reside.
In this way it is seen that the individual spirit souls are part
and parcel of the Supreme and have an relationship with Him. the
Supreme is the creator and dominant in other ways also, and the
individual spirit souls are dependent on Him. The nature of the
individual spirit souls is described in the following passage of
Padma PurANa:
j~nAnAshrayo j~nAna-guNash
cetanaH prakR^iteH paraH
na jAto nirvikArash ca
eka-rUpaH svarUpa-bhAk
"The individual spirit soul is the shelter of knowledge, has knowledge asone if his qualities, is
consciousness, is beyond the world of matter, is never born,
never changes, and has one form, a spiritual form.
aNur nityo vyApti-shIlash
cid-AnandAtmakas tathA
aham artho .avyayaH sAkShI
bhinna-rUpaH sanAtanaH
"The soul is atomic, eternal, is present by
consciousness everywhere in the material body, is by nature full
of spiritual bliss and knowledge, has a sense of individual
identity, is unchanging, is a witness within the body, is
eternal, and is different from the Supreme.
adAhyo .acchedyo .akledyo
.ashoShyo .akShara eva ca
evam-Adi-guNair yuktaH
sheSha-bhUtaH parasya vai
"The soul can never be burned, cut, moistened,
withered, or killed. It has these and many more qualities. It is
part and parcel of the Supreme.
ma-kareNocyate jIvaH
kShetra-j~naH paravAn sadA
dAsa-bhUto harer eva
nAnyasyaiva kadAcana
"Thus the word .ama.a refers to the individual spirit
soul. The soul is the knower of the field of activities. The soul
is spiritual. The soul is an eternal servant of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. The soul is never the servant of anyone
else.
The phrase "evam-Adi-guNaiH" (with these and many
more qualities) refers to the soul.as other qualities, such as his
ability to perform actions, to experience sensations, to
attain enlightenment, and to enlighten others. The word
enlightenment" here has two features. In the first feature
the soul itself attains enlightenment. In the second feature the
soul brings enlightenment to others. That is the nature of the
soul. A lamp sheds light on itself and on other objects also. A
jar or similar object has no power to bring light. Although a
lamp may shine, because it is inanimate matter it cannot benefit
from its own light. The individual soul, however, can benefit
from the light it brings. Because the soul can thus become
illuminated, it is said that the soul is spiritual and full of
knowledge.
53. Spirit Soul is Dependent
Adhyaya 3 Pada 3 AdhikaraNa 16
The Individual Spirit Soul is Dependent on the Supreme
Personality of Godhead
Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Now another doubt is considered.
SaMshaya (doubt): Is the individual spirit soul independent
in his actions, or does he depend on another?
PUrvapakSha (the opponent speaks): The scriptures say:
svarga-kAmo yajeta
"One who desires Svargaloka should perform yaj
24as."
and
tasmAd brAhmaNaH surAM na pibet pApmanotsaMsR^ija
"A brAhmaNa should not drink liquor and should not
commit sins."
That the scriptures give orders and prohibitions for the
soul to follow is proof that the soul is independent, for
independence means to have the power to do one thing and to
refrain from doing another.
SiddhAnta (conclusion): In the following words the author of
the sUtras gives his conclusion.
SUtra 39
parAt tu tac-chruteH
parAt - from the Supreme; tu - but; tat - of that;shruteH - from
the scriptures.
But from the Supreme, because of the scriptures.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The word "tu" (but) is used to remove doubt. The
Supreme Personality of Godhead inspires the individual spirit
soul to act. How is that known? The sUtra explains: "tac-
chruteH" (It is known from the scriptures). The scriptures give
the following explanations:
antaH praviShTaH shAstA janAnAm
"Entering their hearts, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead controls all living entities."
ya Atmani tiShThann AtmAnam antaro yamayati
"Entering their hearts, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead controls all living entities."
eSha eva sAdhu karma kArayati
"The Lord engages the living entity in pious
activities so he may be elevated."*
Here someone may object: So be it. However, if the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is the actual performer of actions, then
the orders and prohibitions of the scriptures are all
meaningless. The scriptures can give orders and prohibitions only
if the individual spirit soul is independent and thus has the
power to make choices.
If this is said, then the author of the sUtras gives the
following reply.
SUtra 40
kR^ita-prayatnApekShas tu vihita-pratiShiddhAvaiyarthyAdibhyaH
kR^ita - done; prayatna - effort; ApekShaH - relation;tu - but;
vihita - ordered; pratiShiddha - forbidden; a - not;
vaiyarthya - meaninglessness; AdibhyaH - beginning.
But it is by effort because then orders and prohibitions are
not without meaning.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The word "tu" (but) is used here to dispel doubt.
The individual spirit soul performs pious and impious deeds.
Taking into consideration the individual soul.as efforts, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead gives him facility to act in a
certain way. Therefore the previously stated objection is not valid.
The pious and impious deeds of the individual spirit soul
are like different seeds that sprout into different kinds of
plants. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is like the rain that
falls on these seeds and makes them grow. Therefore in this
situation is the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the instrument
by which these seeds of karma bear fruit. The seeds of various
trees, vines, and other plants are the specific cause of these
plants, and the rain that makes them grow is the general cause.
If no raincloud brings water there will not be any variety of
sweet flowers or other plants. If there is no seed there will not
any flowers or plants either. In this way the Supreme Personality
of Godhead gives the results of the pious and impious deeds
performed by the individual spirit soul. Even though dispatched by another, aperson is still the performer of the
actions he does. Therefore it cannot be said that the individual
spirit soul does not perform actions.
Why is that? The sUtra explains: "Because then
orders and prohibitions are not without meaning." The word
Adi" (beginning with) in this sUtra means that the Supreme
Personality of Godhead gives mercy and punishment according to
the pious and impious actions of the individual spirit souls. If
that interpretation is accepted, then the orders and prohibitions
of the scriptures are not without meaning. If the Supreme
Personality of Godhead actually forces the individual spirit soul
to act piously or impiously, and the soul is like a rock or a log
and has no independence, then the orders of the scripture to
perform pious deeds and avoid impious deeds are all worthless and
should be rejected.
The scriptures say that when He is merciful the Supreme
Personality of Godhead engages the individual spirit soul in
pious activities so he may be elevated, and when He withdraws His
mercy the Supreme Personality of Godhead engages the individual
spirit soul in impious activities so he may go to hell. If this
means that the individual living entity has no choice, and pious
and impious deeds are forced on him by the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, then the Supreme Personality of Godhead is cruel and
unjust, a monster. Therefore it must be concluded that the
individual spirit soul does have free will, and is responsible
for his actions, although he does not have the power to transfer
his desire and will into concrete action unless the Supreme
Personality of Godhead permits. In this way everything is
explained.
The Individual Spirit Soul is Dependent on the Supreme
Personality of Godhead
Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Now another doubt is considered.
SaMshaya (doubt): Is the individual spirit soul independent
in his actions, or does he depend on another?
PUrvapakSha (the opponent speaks): The scriptures say:
svarga-kAmo yajeta
"One who desires Svargaloka should perform yaj
24as."
and
tasmAd brAhmaNaH surAM na pibet pApmanotsaMsR^ija
"A brAhmaNa should not drink liquor and should not
commit sins."
That the scriptures give orders and prohibitions for the
soul to follow is proof that the soul is independent, for
independence means to have the power to do one thing and to
refrain from doing another.
SiddhAnta (conclusion): In the following words the author of
the sUtras gives his conclusion.
SUtra 39
parAt tu tac-chruteH
parAt - from the Supreme; tu - but; tat - of that;shruteH - from
the scriptures.
But from the Supreme, because of the scriptures.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The word "tu" (but) is used to remove doubt. The
Supreme Personality of Godhead inspires the individual spirit
soul to act. How is that known? The sUtra explains: "tac-
chruteH" (It is known from the scriptures). The scriptures give
the following explanations:
antaH praviShTaH shAstA janAnAm
"Entering their hearts, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead controls all living entities."
ya Atmani tiShThann AtmAnam antaro yamayati
"Entering their hearts, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead controls all living entities."
eSha eva sAdhu karma kArayati
"The Lord engages the living entity in pious
activities so he may be elevated."*
Here someone may object: So be it. However, if the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is the actual performer of actions, then
the orders and prohibitions of the scriptures are all
meaningless. The scriptures can give orders and prohibitions only
if the individual spirit soul is independent and thus has the
power to make choices.
If this is said, then the author of the sUtras gives the
following reply.
SUtra 40
kR^ita-prayatnApekShas tu vihita-pratiShiddhAvaiyarthyAdibhyaH
kR^ita - done; prayatna - effort; ApekShaH - relation;tu - but;
vihita - ordered; pratiShiddha - forbidden; a - not;
vaiyarthya - meaninglessness; AdibhyaH - beginning.
But it is by effort because then orders and prohibitions are
not without meaning.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The word "tu" (but) is used here to dispel doubt.
The individual spirit soul performs pious and impious deeds.
Taking into consideration the individual soul.as efforts, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead gives him facility to act in a
certain way. Therefore the previously stated objection is not valid.
The pious and impious deeds of the individual spirit soul
are like different seeds that sprout into different kinds of
plants. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is like the rain that
falls on these seeds and makes them grow. Therefore in this
situation is the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the instrument
by which these seeds of karma bear fruit. The seeds of various
trees, vines, and other plants are the specific cause of these
plants, and the rain that makes them grow is the general cause.
If no raincloud brings water there will not be any variety of
sweet flowers or other plants. If there is no seed there will not
any flowers or plants either. In this way the Supreme Personality
of Godhead gives the results of the pious and impious deeds
performed by the individual spirit soul. Even though dispatched by another, aperson is still the performer of the
actions he does. Therefore it cannot be said that the individual
spirit soul does not perform actions.
Why is that? The sUtra explains: "Because then
orders and prohibitions are not without meaning." The word
Adi" (beginning with) in this sUtra means that the Supreme
Personality of Godhead gives mercy and punishment according to
the pious and impious actions of the individual spirit souls. If
that interpretation is accepted, then the orders and prohibitions
of the scriptures are not without meaning. If the Supreme
Personality of Godhead actually forces the individual spirit soul
to act piously or impiously, and the soul is like a rock or a log
and has no independence, then the orders of the scripture to
perform pious deeds and avoid impious deeds are all worthless and
should be rejected.
The scriptures say that when He is merciful the Supreme
Personality of Godhead engages the individual spirit soul in
pious activities so he may be elevated, and when He withdraws His
mercy the Supreme Personality of Godhead engages the individual
spirit soul in impious activities so he may go to hell. If this
means that the individual living entity has no choice, and pious
and impious deeds are forced on him by the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, then the Supreme Personality of Godhead is cruel and
unjust, a monster. Therefore it must be concluded that the
individual spirit soul does have free will, and is responsible
for his actions, although he does not have the power to transfer
his desire and will into concrete action unless the Supreme
Personality of Godhead permits. In this way everything is
explained.
52. Activity
Adhyaya 3 Pada 3 AdhikaraNa 15
Activity Is the Soul's Nature
Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
In the following words the author of the sUtras gives an
example to show that the individual spirit soul performs actions,
using other its own potency, or some other instrument to perform
them.
SUtra 38
yathA ca takShobhayathA
yathA - as; ca - and; takSha - carpenter; ubhayathA - inboth
ways.
In both ways like a carpenter.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
As a carpenter performs actions, employing both his own
power and a host of tools, so does the individual spirit soul,
employing both his own power and the various life-airs. Thus the
soul employs the material body and other instruments also, to
perform actions. It is the pure spirit soul who thus uses the
modes of material nature to perform actions. That is why the
scriptures sometimes say that the modes of material nature are
the performer of actions.
That the individual spirit soul is indeed the performer of
actions is confirmed in Bhagavad-gItA (13.22), where it is said:
kAraNaM guna-sa~Ngo .asya
sad-asad-yoNi-janmasu
"The living entity in material nature thus follows
the ways of life, enjoying the three modes of nature. Thus he
meets with good and evil among the various species."*
These words explain the scripture passages that declare the
modes of nature to be the performers of action. It is foolish for
a person to think himself the sole performer of action and ignore
the five factors of action. Of course it is not that the
individual spirit soul never performs any action. The idea that
the soul never does anything is clearly refuted by the many
scriptural statements urging the soul to act such a way that he
may attain liberation. When in the Bhagavad-gItA (2.19) the Lord says:
nAyaM hanti na hanyate
"The self slays not nor is slain."
that does not mean that the individual spirit soul never performs
any action, but rather that the eternal spirit soul can never be
cut or slain. The meaning of the statement that the soul never
acts has thus already been explained.
In both this life and the next the devotees perform various
actions of devotional service to the Lord. Because these actions
are free from the touch of the modes of nature, because they are
under the jurisdiction of the Lord.as spiritual potency and
because they lead to liberation, these actions are said not to be
action, for they are not material actions. This is explained by
the Supreme Lord Himself in these words:
sAttvikaH kArako .asa~NgI
rAgAndho rAjasaH smR^itaH
tAmasaH smR^iti-vibhraShTo
nirguNo mad-apAshrayaH
"One who acts without attachment is in the mode of
goodness. One who is blinded with desire is in the mode of
passion. One whose intelligence is broken is in the mode of
ignorance. One who takes shelter of Me is free from the grip of
the modes of nature."
That the pure spirit soul experiences the results of his
actions is described in Bhagavad-gItA (13.21):
puruShaH sukha-duHkhAnAM
bhoktR^itve hetur ucyate
"The living entity is the cause of the various
sufferings and enjoyments in this world."*
Because it is by nature conscious it is the soul that
experiences the results of actions, the modes of nature do not
experience them. This refutes the idea that the modes are active
and the soul is not. In this way it is proved that it is the conscious
soul who experiences happiness and other sensations. In this way
the individual spirit soul brings knowledge to itself and others.
Both kinds of action exist for the soul. In the Prashna UpaniShad
(4.9) it is said:
eSha hi draShTA spraShTA shrotA
"It is the soul who sees, touches, and hears."
Thus, by this example of the carpenter, the idea that the
individual spirit soul is the only factor in action, and there
are no others, is clearly refuted.
Activity Is the Soul's Nature
Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
In the following words the author of the sUtras gives an
example to show that the individual spirit soul performs actions,
using other its own potency, or some other instrument to perform
them.
SUtra 38
yathA ca takShobhayathA
yathA - as; ca - and; takSha - carpenter; ubhayathA - inboth
ways.
In both ways like a carpenter.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
As a carpenter performs actions, employing both his own
power and a host of tools, so does the individual spirit soul,
employing both his own power and the various life-airs. Thus the
soul employs the material body and other instruments also, to
perform actions. It is the pure spirit soul who thus uses the
modes of material nature to perform actions. That is why the
scriptures sometimes say that the modes of material nature are
the performer of actions.
That the individual spirit soul is indeed the performer of
actions is confirmed in Bhagavad-gItA (13.22), where it is said:
kAraNaM guna-sa~Ngo .asya
sad-asad-yoNi-janmasu
"The living entity in material nature thus follows
the ways of life, enjoying the three modes of nature. Thus he
meets with good and evil among the various species."*
These words explain the scripture passages that declare the
modes of nature to be the performers of action. It is foolish for
a person to think himself the sole performer of action and ignore
the five factors of action. Of course it is not that the
individual spirit soul never performs any action. The idea that
the soul never does anything is clearly refuted by the many
scriptural statements urging the soul to act such a way that he
may attain liberation. When in the Bhagavad-gItA (2.19) the Lord says:
nAyaM hanti na hanyate
"The self slays not nor is slain."
that does not mean that the individual spirit soul never performs
any action, but rather that the eternal spirit soul can never be
cut or slain. The meaning of the statement that the soul never
acts has thus already been explained.
In both this life and the next the devotees perform various
actions of devotional service to the Lord. Because these actions
are free from the touch of the modes of nature, because they are
under the jurisdiction of the Lord.as spiritual potency and
because they lead to liberation, these actions are said not to be
action, for they are not material actions. This is explained by
the Supreme Lord Himself in these words:
sAttvikaH kArako .asa~NgI
rAgAndho rAjasaH smR^itaH
tAmasaH smR^iti-vibhraShTo
nirguNo mad-apAshrayaH
"One who acts without attachment is in the mode of
goodness. One who is blinded with desire is in the mode of
passion. One whose intelligence is broken is in the mode of
ignorance. One who takes shelter of Me is free from the grip of
the modes of nature."
That the pure spirit soul experiences the results of his
actions is described in Bhagavad-gItA (13.21):
puruShaH sukha-duHkhAnAM
bhoktR^itve hetur ucyate
"The living entity is the cause of the various
sufferings and enjoyments in this world."*
Because it is by nature conscious it is the soul that
experiences the results of actions, the modes of nature do not
experience them. This refutes the idea that the modes are active
and the soul is not. In this way it is proved that it is the conscious
soul who experiences happiness and other sensations. In this way
the individual spirit soul brings knowledge to itself and others.
Both kinds of action exist for the soul. In the Prashna UpaniShad
(4.9) it is said:
eSha hi draShTA spraShTA shrotA
"It is the soul who sees, touches, and hears."
Thus, by this example of the carpenter, the idea that the
individual spirit soul is the only factor in action, and there
are no others, is clearly refuted.
51. Spirit Soul Performs Actions
Adhyaya 3 Pada 3 AdhikaraNa 14
The Individual Spirit Soul Performs Actions
Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Now the author of the sUtras will consider another point. In
the TaittirIya UpaniShad (2.5.1) it is said:
vij~nAnaM yaj~naM tanute. karmANi tanute .api ca.
"Consciousness performs yaj~nas.
Consciousness performs actions."
SaMshaya (doubt): Does the individual soul, indicated in this
passage by the word "consciousness", perform actions or
not?
PUrvapakSha (the opponent speaks): In the KaTha UpaniShad
(2.18) it is said:
hantA cen manyate hantuM
hatash cen manyate hatam
ubhau tau na vijAnItau
nAyaM hanti na hanyate
"Neither he who thinks the living entity the slayer
nor he who thinks it slain is in knowledge, for the self slays
not nor is slain."*
These words clearly declare that the individual spirit soul
never performs actions. In the Bhagavad-gItA (3.27) it is said:
prakR^iteH kriyamANAni
guNaiH karmANi sarvashaH
aha~NkAra-vimUDhAtmA
kartAham iti manyate
"The spirit soul bewildered by the influence of
false-ego thinks himself the doer of activities that are in
actuality carried out by the three modes of material nature."*
In the Bhagavad-gItA (13.21) it is also said:
kArya-kAraNa-kartR^itve
hatuH prakR^itir ucyate
puruShaH sukha-duHkhAnAM
bhoktR^itve hetur ucyate
"Nature is said to be the cause of all material
causes and effects, whereas the living entity is the cause of the
various sufferings and enjoyments in this world."*
Therefore the individual spirit soul does not perform
actions. When a person understands the truth he understands that
all actions are actually performed by the material energy and the
individual spirit soul is merely the person who experiences the
fruits of action.
SiddhAnta (conclusion): In the following words the author of
the sUtras gives the proper conclusion.
SUtra 31
kartA shAstrArthavat-tvAt
kartA - the doer; shAstra - of the scriptures;Artha - meaning;
vat - possessing; tvAt - because of having the nature.
He performs actions. This is so because the scriptures are
meaningful.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
It is the individual spirit soul who performs actions, not
the modes of material nature. Why is that? The sUtra explains:
"Because the scriptures are meaningful." In the
scriptures it is said:
svarga-kAmo yajeta
"A person who desires Svargaloka should perform
yaj~nas."
and
AtmAnam eva lokam upAsIta
"One should worship the Supreme Personality of
Godhead."
These statements have meaning only if the individual spirit
soul does actually perform actions. If all actions are performed
by the modes of nature and the individual spirit soul never does
anything, these statements of the scriptures are meaningless.
These statements of scripture are intended to motivate the
individual spirit soul to act in a certain way so he can enjoy
the results of his actions. It is not even possible in this way
to try to motivate the inert material modes to act in any way at
all.
That the individual spirit soul does actually perform
actions is also confirmed in the next sUtra.
SUtra 32
vihAropadeshAt
vihAra - of pastimes; upadeshAt - because of the teaching.
Because of the teaching about pastimes.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The ChAndogya UpaniShad (8.12.3) describes the activities of
the liberated souls:
sa tatra paryeti jakShan krIDan ramamANaH
"In the spiritual world the individual spirit soul
eats, plays, and enjoys."
Therefore action by itself does not brings pain and
unhappiness to the soul, rather it is the bondage of the three
modes of nature that brings unhappiness. This is so because the
three modes of nature obscure the reality of the soul.as spiritual
nature.
SUtra 33
upAdAnAt
upAdAnAt - because of taking.
Because of taking.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
In the BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (2.1.18) it is said:
sa yathA mahA-rAjaH . . . evam evaiSha etAn prANAn
gR^ihItvA sve sharIre yathA-kAmaM parivartate
"In the dreaming state the individual spirit soul
acts like a king. The soul grasps the life-airs and does as it
wishes."
In the Bhagavad-gItA (15.8) it is also said:
gR^ihItvaitAni samyAti
vAyur gandhAn ivAshayAt
"The living entity in the material world carries his
different conceptions of life from one body to another as the air
carries aromas. Thus he takes one kind of body and again quits it
to take another."*
In these passages it is seen that the individual spirit soul
does perform actions, for the soul moves the life-airs as a
magnet moves iron. The life-airs may move many things, but it is
the individual spirit soul who moves the life-airs. Nothing else
moves them.
In the following words the author of the sUtras now gives
another reason.
SUtra 34
vyapadeshAc ca kriyAyAM na cen nirdesha-viparyayaH
vyapadeshAt - because of designation; ca - and; kriyAyAm - in
action; na - mpt; cet - if; nirdesha - grammaticalconstruction;
viparyayaH - different.
Also because of the name in the action. If this were not so
the grammatical structure would be different.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
In the TaittirIya UpaniShad (2.5.1) it is said:
vij~nAnaM yaj~naM tanute. karmANi tanute .api ca.
"Consciousness performs yaj~nas.
Consciousness performs actions."
These words clearly show that the individual spirit soul is
the primary performer of Vedic and ordinary actions. If the word
"vij~nAnam" is interpreted to mean not the individual
spirit soul, but the intelligence, then the grammatical structure
of the sentence would be different. Then the word
vij~nAna" would be in the instrumental case, for the
intelligence would be the instrument by which the action is
performed. However, the word is not in the instrumental case. If
the intelligence were the performer of the action here, then
another word must be given in the instrumental case to show with
what instrument the intelligence performs the action, for there
must be an instrument in every action. However, if the individual
spirit soul is the performer of the action there is not need for
another word in the instrumental case to show the instrument
used, for in that situation the individual spirit soul is both
the performer of the action and the instrument employed.
Here someone may object: Is it not so that the individual
spirit soul, being independent and able to act as he likes, will
naturally act for his own welfare and will not perform actions
that bring him harm?
To this I reply: No. It is not like that. The individual
spirit soul desires to benefit himself, but because his past
karma acts against him, he sometimes creates his own misfortune.
For these reasons it is clear that the individual spirit soul
certainly performs actions. When the scriptures sometimes say
that the individual spirit soul does not perform actions, the
meaning is that the soul is not independent and free to do
exactly everything he wishes.
Here someone may object: It is not possible that the
individual spirit soul is the performer of actions, for it is
clearly seen that these actions often bring him suffering.
To this I reply: No. It is not so. If the individual spirit soul is notthe performer of actions, then the scriptural
descriptions of the darsha, paurNamas_sa, and other yaj~nas
would not make any sense.
In the following words the author of the sUtras refutes the
idea that material nature is the real performer of actions.
SUtra 35
uplabdhi-vad aniyamaH
uplabdhi - consciousness; vat - like; aniyamaH - uncertainty.
As in the situation of consciousness, it would be
indefinite.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
In previous sUtras it was shown that if the individual
spirit soul were all-pervading, then consciousness would be vague
and indefinite. In the same way if all-pervading material nature
were the sole performer of all actions, then all actions would
bring the same result to all spirit souls simultaneously. Clearly
this is not so. Also, it could not be said that the individual
spirit soul would need to be near the place where a certain
action was performed in order to experience the result of that
action. The sa~Nkhya philosophers cannot say this, for in their
theory each individual spirit soul is all-pervading and is thus
already near the places where all actions are performed.
SUtra 36
shakti-viparyayAt
shakti - of power; viparyayAt - because of difference.
Because the power is changed.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
If the material nature is the performer of actions, then
material nature must also experience the good and bad results of
those actions. However, the shvetAshvatara UpaniShad (1.8) affirms:
bhoktR^i-bhAvAt
"The individual spirit soul enjoys the good and bad
results of actions."
In this way the idea that the material nature is the
performer of actions is refuted. Because the individual spirit
soul enjoys the good and bad results of actions, the individual
spirit soul must also be the performer of those actions.
SUtra 37
samAdhy-abhAvAc ca
samAdhi - of liberation; abhAvAt - because of the non-
existence; ca - also.
Also because there is no liberation.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Actions are meant to bring one to liberation from the
material world. Because it is not possible for the material
nature to act in such a way and attain such a goal, the idea that
the material nature is the performer of actions cannot be
entertained. Liberation means understanding the truth "I
am different from matter". Because it is unconscious, and also
because it really is matter, it is not possible for the material
nature to come to this understanding. In this way it is proved
that the individual spirit soul is the performer of actions.
The Individual Spirit Soul Performs Actions
Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Now the author of the sUtras will consider another point. In
the TaittirIya UpaniShad (2.5.1) it is said:
vij~nAnaM yaj~naM tanute. karmANi tanute .api ca.
"Consciousness performs yaj~nas.
Consciousness performs actions."
SaMshaya (doubt): Does the individual soul, indicated in this
passage by the word "consciousness", perform actions or
not?
PUrvapakSha (the opponent speaks): In the KaTha UpaniShad
(2.18) it is said:
hantA cen manyate hantuM
hatash cen manyate hatam
ubhau tau na vijAnItau
nAyaM hanti na hanyate
"Neither he who thinks the living entity the slayer
nor he who thinks it slain is in knowledge, for the self slays
not nor is slain."*
These words clearly declare that the individual spirit soul
never performs actions. In the Bhagavad-gItA (3.27) it is said:
prakR^iteH kriyamANAni
guNaiH karmANi sarvashaH
aha~NkAra-vimUDhAtmA
kartAham iti manyate
"The spirit soul bewildered by the influence of
false-ego thinks himself the doer of activities that are in
actuality carried out by the three modes of material nature."*
In the Bhagavad-gItA (13.21) it is also said:
kArya-kAraNa-kartR^itve
hatuH prakR^itir ucyate
puruShaH sukha-duHkhAnAM
bhoktR^itve hetur ucyate
"Nature is said to be the cause of all material
causes and effects, whereas the living entity is the cause of the
various sufferings and enjoyments in this world."*
Therefore the individual spirit soul does not perform
actions. When a person understands the truth he understands that
all actions are actually performed by the material energy and the
individual spirit soul is merely the person who experiences the
fruits of action.
SiddhAnta (conclusion): In the following words the author of
the sUtras gives the proper conclusion.
SUtra 31
kartA shAstrArthavat-tvAt
kartA - the doer; shAstra - of the scriptures;Artha - meaning;
vat - possessing; tvAt - because of having the nature.
He performs actions. This is so because the scriptures are
meaningful.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
It is the individual spirit soul who performs actions, not
the modes of material nature. Why is that? The sUtra explains:
"Because the scriptures are meaningful." In the
scriptures it is said:
svarga-kAmo yajeta
"A person who desires Svargaloka should perform
yaj~nas."
and
AtmAnam eva lokam upAsIta
"One should worship the Supreme Personality of
Godhead."
These statements have meaning only if the individual spirit
soul does actually perform actions. If all actions are performed
by the modes of nature and the individual spirit soul never does
anything, these statements of the scriptures are meaningless.
These statements of scripture are intended to motivate the
individual spirit soul to act in a certain way so he can enjoy
the results of his actions. It is not even possible in this way
to try to motivate the inert material modes to act in any way at
all.
That the individual spirit soul does actually perform
actions is also confirmed in the next sUtra.
SUtra 32
vihAropadeshAt
vihAra - of pastimes; upadeshAt - because of the teaching.
Because of the teaching about pastimes.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The ChAndogya UpaniShad (8.12.3) describes the activities of
the liberated souls:
sa tatra paryeti jakShan krIDan ramamANaH
"In the spiritual world the individual spirit soul
eats, plays, and enjoys."
Therefore action by itself does not brings pain and
unhappiness to the soul, rather it is the bondage of the three
modes of nature that brings unhappiness. This is so because the
three modes of nature obscure the reality of the soul.as spiritual
nature.
SUtra 33
upAdAnAt
upAdAnAt - because of taking.
Because of taking.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
In the BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (2.1.18) it is said:
sa yathA mahA-rAjaH . . . evam evaiSha etAn prANAn
gR^ihItvA sve sharIre yathA-kAmaM parivartate
"In the dreaming state the individual spirit soul
acts like a king. The soul grasps the life-airs and does as it
wishes."
In the Bhagavad-gItA (15.8) it is also said:
gR^ihItvaitAni samyAti
vAyur gandhAn ivAshayAt
"The living entity in the material world carries his
different conceptions of life from one body to another as the air
carries aromas. Thus he takes one kind of body and again quits it
to take another."*
In these passages it is seen that the individual spirit soul
does perform actions, for the soul moves the life-airs as a
magnet moves iron. The life-airs may move many things, but it is
the individual spirit soul who moves the life-airs. Nothing else
moves them.
In the following words the author of the sUtras now gives
another reason.
SUtra 34
vyapadeshAc ca kriyAyAM na cen nirdesha-viparyayaH
vyapadeshAt - because of designation; ca - and; kriyAyAm - in
action; na - mpt; cet - if; nirdesha - grammaticalconstruction;
viparyayaH - different.
Also because of the name in the action. If this were not so
the grammatical structure would be different.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
In the TaittirIya UpaniShad (2.5.1) it is said:
vij~nAnaM yaj~naM tanute. karmANi tanute .api ca.
"Consciousness performs yaj~nas.
Consciousness performs actions."
These words clearly show that the individual spirit soul is
the primary performer of Vedic and ordinary actions. If the word
"vij~nAnam" is interpreted to mean not the individual
spirit soul, but the intelligence, then the grammatical structure
of the sentence would be different. Then the word
vij~nAna" would be in the instrumental case, for the
intelligence would be the instrument by which the action is
performed. However, the word is not in the instrumental case. If
the intelligence were the performer of the action here, then
another word must be given in the instrumental case to show with
what instrument the intelligence performs the action, for there
must be an instrument in every action. However, if the individual
spirit soul is the performer of the action there is not need for
another word in the instrumental case to show the instrument
used, for in that situation the individual spirit soul is both
the performer of the action and the instrument employed.
Here someone may object: Is it not so that the individual
spirit soul, being independent and able to act as he likes, will
naturally act for his own welfare and will not perform actions
that bring him harm?
To this I reply: No. It is not like that. The individual
spirit soul desires to benefit himself, but because his past
karma acts against him, he sometimes creates his own misfortune.
For these reasons it is clear that the individual spirit soul
certainly performs actions. When the scriptures sometimes say
that the individual spirit soul does not perform actions, the
meaning is that the soul is not independent and free to do
exactly everything he wishes.
Here someone may object: It is not possible that the
individual spirit soul is the performer of actions, for it is
clearly seen that these actions often bring him suffering.
To this I reply: No. It is not so. If the individual spirit soul is notthe performer of actions, then the scriptural
descriptions of the darsha, paurNamas_sa, and other yaj~nas
would not make any sense.
In the following words the author of the sUtras refutes the
idea that material nature is the real performer of actions.
SUtra 35
uplabdhi-vad aniyamaH
uplabdhi - consciousness; vat - like; aniyamaH - uncertainty.
As in the situation of consciousness, it would be
indefinite.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
In previous sUtras it was shown that if the individual
spirit soul were all-pervading, then consciousness would be vague
and indefinite. In the same way if all-pervading material nature
were the sole performer of all actions, then all actions would
bring the same result to all spirit souls simultaneously. Clearly
this is not so. Also, it could not be said that the individual
spirit soul would need to be near the place where a certain
action was performed in order to experience the result of that
action. The sa~Nkhya philosophers cannot say this, for in their
theory each individual spirit soul is all-pervading and is thus
already near the places where all actions are performed.
SUtra 36
shakti-viparyayAt
shakti - of power; viparyayAt - because of difference.
Because the power is changed.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
If the material nature is the performer of actions, then
material nature must also experience the good and bad results of
those actions. However, the shvetAshvatara UpaniShad (1.8) affirms:
bhoktR^i-bhAvAt
"The individual spirit soul enjoys the good and bad
results of actions."
In this way the idea that the material nature is the
performer of actions is refuted. Because the individual spirit
soul enjoys the good and bad results of actions, the individual
spirit soul must also be the performer of those actions.
SUtra 37
samAdhy-abhAvAc ca
samAdhi - of liberation; abhAvAt - because of the non-
existence; ca - also.
Also because there is no liberation.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Actions are meant to bring one to liberation from the
material world. Because it is not possible for the material
nature to act in such a way and attain such a goal, the idea that
the material nature is the performer of actions cannot be
entertained. Liberation means understanding the truth "I
am different from matter". Because it is unconscious, and also
because it really is matter, it is not possible for the material
nature to come to this understanding. In this way it is proved
that the individual spirit soul is the performer of actions.
50. Spirit Souls Are Atomic
Adhyaya 3 Pada 3 AdhikaraNa 13
The Individual Spirit Souls Are Atomic
Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Now the author of the sUtras considers the size of the
individual spirit souls. In the MuNDaka UpaniShad (3.1.9) it is
said:
eSho .aNur AtmA cetasA veditavyo yasmin prANaH pa~ncadhA
samviveSha
"When the life-breath withdraws the five activities,
the mind can understand the atomic soul."
SaMshaya (doubt): Is the individual spirit soul atomic or
all-pervading?
PUrvapakSha (the opponent speaks): The individual spirit soul
is all-pervading. BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (4.4.14) declares that
the soul is "mahAn" (great). The statement that the soul
is atomic is merely a poetic metaphor.
SiddhAnta (conclusion): The author of the sUtras gives the
conclusion in the following words.
SUtra 18
utkrAnti-gaty-AgatInAm
utkrAnti - departure; gati - travel; AgatInAm - and of return
Because of departure, travel, and return.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
In this sUtra the word "aNuH" (the atomic soul)
should be understood from the previous sUtra. In this sUtra the
genitive case is used in the sense of the ablative. The
individual spirit soul is atomic and not all-pervading. Why is
that? The sUtra explains: "Because of departure, travel,
and return."
In the BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (4.4.2) it is said:
tasya haitasya hR^idayasyAgraM pradyotate. tena pradyotenaiSha
AtmA niShkrAmati cakShuSho vA mUrdhno vAnyebhyo vA
sharIra-deshebhyaH
"The soul shines in the heart. At the moment of
death the effulgent soul leaves through the opening of the eyes,
the opening at the top of the the head, or another opening in the body."
In the BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (4.4.11) it is said:
anandA nAma te lokA
andhena tamasAvR^itAH
tAMs te pretyAbhigacchanti
avidvAMso .abudhA janAH
"Sinful fools enter into planets known as the worlds
of torment, full of darkness and ignorance."
In the BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (4.4.6) it is said:
prApyAntaM karmaNas tasya
yat ki~ncedam karoty ayam
tasmAt lokAt punar etya
yasmai lokAya karmaNe
"At the time of death the soul reaps the results of
his works. He goes to the world where he deserves to go. When
the results of his past deeds are exhausted, again he returns to
the middle planets, the world of karma."
In this way the BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad describes the soul.as
travel from one place to another. If he were all-pervading,
the soul would not be able to travel from one place to another,
for he would already be everywhere.
In shrImad-BhAgavatam (10.87.30) it is said:
aparimitA dhruvAs tanu-bhR^ito yadi sarva-gatAs
tarhi na shAsyateti niyamo dhruva netarathA
"O Lord, although the living entities who have
accepted material bodies are spiritual and unlimited in number,
if they were all-pervading there would be no question of their
being under Your control."*
However, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although all-
pervading, can travel from place to place. This is possible
because He possesses inconceivable powers.
Here someone may object: The individual spirit soul can be
all-pervading and unmoving, and still, because he mistakenly
identifies with the external material body, imagine that he goes
and comes. He is like the ruler of a village who never really
leaves his realm.
To this the reply is given: Because it is said that he both
departs and returns it is not possible that the soul is actually
stationary and unmoving. The author of the sUtras confirms this
in the following words.
SUtra 19
svAtmanash cottarayoH
sva - own; AtmanaH - of the soul; ca - and; uttarayoH - ofthe
latter two.
Also because the last two refer to the soul.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The word "ca" (also) is used here for emphasis. Here
the word "uttarayoH" (the last two) means "of the
coming and going". The coming and going here definitely occurs to
the individual spirit soul. This is so because the coming and
going in the pervious sUtra clearly refer to an agent, to the
performer of the action. The coming and going here are understood
to be coming and going from a material body. This is clearly seen
in the first BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (4.4.2) passage quoted in
the previous purport. It is also seen in the following words of
Bhagavad-gItA (15.4):
sharIraM yad avApnoti
yac cApy utkrAmatIshvaraH
gR^ihItvaitani samyAti
vAyur gandhAn ivAshayAt
"The living entity in the material world carries his
different conceptions of life from one body to another as the air
carries aromas. Thus he takes one kind of body and again quits it
to take another."*
If someone says that the soul actually never goes anywhere,
although it seems to go places because of the misidentification of
the external material body as the self, then I say this is a
foolish idea. In the following words the KaushitakI UpaniShad
refutes this idea:
sa yadAsmAt sharIrAt samutkrAmati sahaivaitaiH sarvair
utkrAmati
"At the time of death the soul, accompanied by all
his powers, leaves the material body."
The word "saha" (accompanied by) is used when the
more important is accompanied by another of lesser importance. An
example is the sentence: "Accompanied by (saha) his son,
the father took his meal." Another example is in Bhagavad-gItA
(15.4), which declares that the soul carries his different
conceptions of life from one body to another as the air carries
aromas. In this way the foolish example pushed forward by the
impersonalists, the example of the air in the jar and in the sky,
is clearly refuted.
SUtra 20
nANur atac chruter iti cen netarAdhikArAt
na - not; aNuH - atom; atat - not that; shruteH - fromthe
scriptures; iti - thus; cet - is; na - not;itara - other;
adhikArAt - because of being appropriate.
If it is claimed that the shruti-shAstra denies the idea that
the soul is atomic, then I reply that it is not so, because those
descriptions apply to someone else.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Here someone may object: Is it not so that that the
individual spirit soul is not atomic? After all, the BR^ihad-
AraNyaka UpaniShad (4.4.22) affirms:
sa vA eSha mahA-jana AtmA
"The soul is very great."
After all, to be great in size is the very opposite of being atomic.
If someone claims this, then the sUtra replies: "No.
It is not so." Why not? The sUtra explains: "itara"
(because these descriptions apply to someone else). These
words are descriptions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the
all-pervading Supersoul. In the BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (4.3.7)
it is said:
yo .ayam vij~nAnamayaH prANeShu
"He is full of knowledge. He stays among the life-
airs."
Although this passage begins by describing the individual
spirit soul, it proceeds with a description of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, as is seen in a following passage (BR^ihad-
AraNyaka UpaniShad 4.3.13):
yasyAnuvittaH pratibuddha AtmA
"He is the self who knows everything."
These words clearly describe the Supreme Personality of
Godhead and not the individual spirit soul.
SUtra 21
sva-shabdonmAnAbhyAM ca
sva - own; shabda - word; unmAnAbhyAm - with measure;ca - and.
Because of its word and measurement.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The word "sva-shabda" (the word describing it) here means that the wordatomic is used to describe the individual
spirit soul. An example of this is in MuNDaka UpaniShad (2.1.9):
eSho .aNur AtmA
"The soul is atomic in size."
The word "unmAna" here means "Its measurement is
atomic in size". The precise measurement of the individual
spirit soul is given in the shvetAshvatara UpaniShad (4.9):
bAlAgra-shata-bhAgasya
shatadhA kalpitasya ca
bhAgo jIvaH sa vij~neyaH
sa cAntantyAya kalpate
"When the upper point of a hair is divided into one
hundred parts and again each of these parts is further divided
into one hundred parts, each such part is the measurement of the
dimension of the spirit soul."*
In these two ways the atomic size of the soul is proved. the
word Anantya" here means "liberation". "Anta"
means "death", and "an" means "without".
Therefore the word "Anantya" means "the condition
of being free from death".
Here someone may object: Is it not so that if it is atomic
in size and situated in a specific place in the material body,
the soul could not perceive sensations in all other parts of the
body, where the soul is not actually present?
If this is said, then the author of the sUtras replies in
the following words.
SUtra 22
avirodhash candana-vat
avirodhaH - not contradicting; candana - sandal; vat - like
It does not contradict. It is like sandal paste.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
As a drop of sandal paste placed on one part of the body
brings a pleasant sensation to the body as a whole, so the soul,
although situated in one place, perceives what happens in the
entire body. Therefore, there is no contradiction. In the
BrahmANDa PurANa it is said:
aNu-mAtro .apy ayaM jIvaH
sva-dehaM vyApya tiShThati
yathA vyApya sharIrANi
haricandana-vipruShaH
"As the sensation created by a drop of sandal paste
pervades the entire body, so the individual spirit soul,
although atomic in size, is conscious of what happens in the
entire body."
SUtra 23
avasthiti-vaisheShyAd iti cen nAbhyupagamAd dhR^idi hi
avasthiti - abode; vaisheShyAt - because of being specific;
iti - thus; cet - if; na - not; abhyupagamAt - because ofacceptance;
hR^idi - in the heart; hi - certainly.
If it is denied because it has no specific abode, then I say
no, because it resides in the heart.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Here someone may object: Is it not so that the drop of
sandal paste has a single, clearly visible, place where it resides
on the body but the soul has no such single residence in the
body? There is no reason to make guesses about the location of
the soul in the body. The soul is clearly present everywhere in
the body, just as the element ether is present everywhere.
Therefore the sandal-paste example is clumsy and wrong.
If this objection is raised, then the author of the sUtras
replies: "No. It is not so." Why not? The sUtra explains:
"Because it resides in the heart." This means that the
soul really does reside in a single place in the material body.
The soul resides in the heart. This is confirmed in the following
words of Prashna UpaniShad (3.6):
hR^idi hy eSha AtmA
"The soul resides in the heart."
In the final conclusion the spirit soul, although atomic in
size is, in one sense, all-pervading throughout the entire
material body. This is explained in the following sUtra.
SUtra 24
guNAd vAlokavat
guNAt - by quality; vA - or; Aloka - light; vat - like.
By quality or like light.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Although the soul is atomic in size, it pervades the body by
the quality of consciousness. Like light it pervades the entire
body. As the sun, although situated in one place, fills the
universe with light, so the soul fills the body with
consciousness. The Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself declares this inBhagavad-gItA (13.34):
yathA prakAshayaty ekaH
kR^itsnaM lokam imaM raviH
kShetraM kShetrI tathA kR^itsnaM
prakAshayati bhArata
"O son of Bharata, as the sun alone illuminates all
this universe, so does the living entity, one within the body,
illuminate the entire body by consciousness."*
When the sun emanates sunlight it does not lose any atoms
from its mass, nor does it become diminished in any way. Rubies
and other jewels also emanate light without losing atoms from
their mass or becoming diminished in any way. It is not possible
to say that when light is emanated from them these things become
diminished in size. The light they emanate is their quality, not
their mass.
The quality can function in a plane apart from the substance
that possesses it. The author of the sUtras explains this in the
following example.
SUtra 25
vyatireko gandhavat tathA hi darshayati
vyatirekaH - difference; gandha - fragrance; vat - like;tathA - so;
hi - indeed; darshayati - shows.
As a fragrance is in a different place, so it is also in a
different place. This the scripture shows.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
As the fragrance of flowers or other objects may travel to a
place far from its source, so the consciousness that emanates
from the soul may travel from the heart and enter the head, feet,
or other parts of the body. The Kaushitaki UpaniShad (3.6) explains:
praj~nayA sharIraM samAruhya
"By consciousness the soul is all-pervading in the
material body."
Even though the fragrance may travel very far it is never
actually separated from its source, just as the light of a jewel
is also not separated from its source. In the SmR^iti-shAstra it is
said:
upalabhyApsu ced gandhaM
kecid brUyur anaipuNAH
pR^ithivyAm eva tam vidyAd
apo vAyuM ca saMshritam
"They who do not understand may sometimes say that fragrance is presentin water. Earth is the natural home of
fragrance, although it may sometimes take shelter of water or
air."
In the Prashna UpaniShad (4.9) it is said:
eSha hi dR^iShTA
"The soul is the person who sees."
SaMshaya (doubt): Is the consciousness that the soul possesses
eternal or not?
PUrvapakSha (the opponent speaks): The soul is by nature
unconscious. It is like a stone. Consciousness only arises when
the soul comes in contact with the mind. This is seen in the
scriptures.a statement: "I slept happily. I was not
conscious of anything." This statement shows that consciousness
is not an inherent quality of the soul but rather is attained by
contact with something else. It is like iron and fire. When
placed in fire, an iron rod gradually assumes the qualities of
fire. If it were an inherent quality of the soul, then
consciousness would not be lost in deep sleep.
SiddhAnta (conclusion): In the following words the author of
the sUtras gives the conclusion.
SUtra 26
pR^ithag-upadeshAt
pR^ithak - separate; upadeshAt - because of the teaching.
Because there is a specific teaching.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The soul is conscious eternally. How is that known? The
sUtra explains: "Because there is a specific teaching."
Some examples of that teaching follow.
In the Prashna UpaniShad (4.9) it is said:
eSha hi dR^iShTA
"The soul sees eternally."
In the BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (4.5.14) it is said:
avinAshI vA are ayam AtmAnucitti-dharmA
"The soul.as consciousness is never destroyed."
The soul does not become conscious merely by contact with
the mind, for soul and mind are both indivisible and cannot interact. Turningaway from the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
the soul obscures its natural spiritual knowledge. Turning
towards the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the soul revives its
natural spiritual consciousness. This is described in the SmR^iti-
shAstra:
yathA na kriyate jyotsnA
mala-prakShAlanAn maNeH
doSha-prahANAn na j~nAnam
Atmanah kriyate tathA
"As by washing away the dirt that covered a jewel,
the jewel.as splendor is not created but merely uncovered, so by
removing the dirt of materialism that covered the soul, the
soul.as splendor is not created, but merely uncovered.
yathodapAna-khananAt
kriyate na jalAntaram
sad eva niyate vyaktim
asataH sambhavaH kutaH
"As by digging a well, water is brought forth but
not created, so by spiritual activities the nature of the soul is
brought forth but not created. How would it be possible to create
the the soul.as qualities from nothing?
tathA heya-guNa-dhvaMsAd
avarodhAdayo guNAH
prakAshyante na jAnyante
nitya evAtmano hi te
"When material faults are destroyed, the soul.as
qualities become revealed. The soul.as qualities are eternal. they
are never created."
Here someone may object: These quotes from scripture merely
show that the soul is synonymous with consciousness. They do not prove
that the soul itself is conscious.
To this objection the author of the sUtras replies in the
following words.
SUtra 27
tad-guNa-sAratvAt tad vyapadeshaH prAj~na-vat
tat - of that; guNa - quality; sAratvAt - because of being the
essence; tat - that; vyapadeshaH - designation;prAj~na - intelligent;
vat - like.
It is called that because that is its essential nature, just
as He who is intelligent.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Because the soul is consciousness itself, therefore it
is conscious. Why is that? The sUtra explains: "It is
called that because that is its essential nature."
In this sUtra the word "guNa" (quality) refers to
the soul.as quality of consciousness. The word "sAra"
means "the essential nature of the thing, the absence of
which makes the thing non-existent." The word "prAj~na-
vat" means "Like Lord ViShNu, who is known as
prAj~na" (all-knowing) because He is all knowledge.
Because He is all-knowledge personified, Lord ViShNu is said to
know everything. In the same way, because the soul is
consciousness personified, therefore the soul is conscious. That
the statements "the soul is consciousness personified"
and "the soul is conscious" mean the same thing is also
confirmed in the next sUtra.
SUtra 28
yAvad Atma-bhAvitvAc ca na doShas tad-darshanAt
yAvat - as long as; Atma - of the soul; bhAvitvAt - because of
existence; ca - and; na - not; doShaH - fault; tat - ofthat;
darshanAt - because of the sight.
It exists as long as the soul exists. There is no fault in
this, because it is clearly seen.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
There is no fault in saying that the two sentences
the soul is consciousness" and "the soul is
conscious" mean the same thing. That is the meaning here. Why is
that? The sUtra explains: "It exists as long as the soul
exists. There is no fault in this, because it is clearly seen."
The soul.as consciousness exists for as long as the soul exists.
As long as the soul exists, the soul.as consciousness will not be
destroyed. The soul exists eternally, without a beginning or end
in time, and the soul.as consciousness also exists eternally. The
sun may be given here as an example. The sun is both light and
the bringer of light. As long as the sun exists it will have
these two features, which are actually not different. In the same
way the soul is both consciousness and conscious.
Here someone may object: Is it not true that consciousness is
born from the modes of material nature? Is it not true that,
because it does not exist in the state of dreamless sleep,
consciousness is not eternal? Is it not true that even when the
living entity is fully awake his consciousness is in fact created
by a barrage of various sense-objects?
If these objections are raised, the author of the sUtras
replies in the following words.
SUtra 29
puMstvAdi-vat tv asya sato .abhivyakti-yogAt
puMstva - virility; Adi - beginning with; vat - like;tu - but;
asya - of him; sataH - of the existing; abhivyakti-yogAt - because of
manifestation.
But like virility and other things it exists and then is
manifest.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The word "tu" (but) is used here to dispel doubt.
The word "na" (It is not like that) is understood in this
sUtra. It is not true than consciousness is non-existent in
dreamless sleep and only exists in the waking state. Why is that?
the sUtra explains: "But like virility and other things
it exists and then is manifest." In the state of dreamless sleep
the soul.as consciousness exists in a dormant state, and in the
state of wakefulness that dormant consciousness becomes fully
manifested. Here the sUtra gives the example of virility. In
childhood virility and other qualities associated with it exist
in a dormant state. Then, at the beginning of adulthood, they
become manifested. In the same way consciousness is dormant in
dreamless sleep and fully manifested in the waking state. This is
described in the following words of BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad
(4.3.30):
yad vai tan na vijAnAti vijAnan vaitad vij~neyam na vijAnAti na hi
vijnAtur vij~nAnAt viparilopo vidyate avinAshitvAn na tu tad
dvitIyam asti tato .anyad vibhaktaM yad vijAnIyAt
"In the state of dreamless sleep the soul is both
conscious and unconscious. The soul is always conscious, and
consciousness can never be separated from it, because the soul
and its consciousness can never be destroyed. Still, in the state
of dreamless sleep no object is presented before the soul for it
to be conscious of."
When there is no object for consciousness to perceive, then
consciousness is dormant. Therefore in dreamless sleep
consciousness is dormant. When the senses contact the sense-
objects, then consciousness becomes manifested. Had it
not existed in a dormant state during dreamless sleep,
consciousness could not have manifested itself in the waking
state, just as a person born a eunuch cannot manifest virility at
the beginning of adulthood. In this way it is proved that the
individual spirit soul is atomic, is consciousness, and is
conscious eternally.
Now the author of the sUtras refutes the theory of the
sa~Nkhya philosophers.
SaMshaya (doubt): Is the individual spirit soul consciousness
and nothing else? Is the individual spirit soul all-pervading?
PUrvapakSha (the opponent speaks): The individual spirit soul
is all-pervading. This is so because the results of its actions
are seen everywhere. Had it been atomic, the soul would be unable
to perceive the pains and pleasures present in different parts of
the body. Had it been of a medium size, the soul would not be
eternal. Therefore the individual spirit soul must be all-
pervading.
SiddhAnta (conclusion): In the following words the author of
the sUtras gives the proper conclusion.
SUtra 30
nityopalabdhy-anupalabdhi-prasa~Ngo .anyatara-niyamo vAnyathA
nitya - eternal; upalabdhi - perceptionl; anupalabdhi - non-
perception; prasa~NgaH - result; anyatara - otherwise;
niyamaH - restriction; vA - or; anyathA - otherwise.
Otherwise there would be eternal consciousness, eternal
unconsciousness, or the limited existence of one or the other.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
If the soul were only consciousness and nothing else, and if
it were all-pervading, then the soul would be either always
conscious or always unconscious. Either that or there would be a
limited existence of one or the other. This is the meaning: It is
clear to the entire world that consciousness and unconsciousness
both exist. If the cause of this were a soul that is
consciousness only and also all-pervading, then consciousness and
unconsciousness would both be perceived simultaneously at every
moment by the entire world. If this all-pervading soul were the
cause of consciousness only and not unconsciousness, then no one
would ever be unconscious, and if this all-pervading soul were
the cause of unconsciousness only and not consciousness, then no
one would ever be conscious.
It cannot be said that consciousness is created by contact
with the senses and unconsciousness is created when there is no
contact with the senses, because if the soul is all-pervading
then it would be always in contact with the senses. Furthermore,
if the individual spirit soul were all-pervading then everyone
would simultaneously experience the pains and pleasures of
everyone else. If this were so there would be no meaning to
individual experience, individual desire, or individual destiny.
This effectively refutes the theory that the individual spirit
soul is all-pervading.
However, our theory, which affirms that the spirit soul is
atomic in size and different in each material body, is not
refuted by these considerations. Although atomic in size, the
individual spirit soul can act in any place, although it cannot
act in every place simultaneously. By its quality of
consciousness the individual spirit soul can pervade its material
body and perceive the happiness and other sensations present in
the various parts of the material body.
The Individual Spirit Souls Are Atomic
Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Now the author of the sUtras considers the size of the
individual spirit souls. In the MuNDaka UpaniShad (3.1.9) it is
said:
eSho .aNur AtmA cetasA veditavyo yasmin prANaH pa~ncadhA
samviveSha
"When the life-breath withdraws the five activities,
the mind can understand the atomic soul."
SaMshaya (doubt): Is the individual spirit soul atomic or
all-pervading?
PUrvapakSha (the opponent speaks): The individual spirit soul
is all-pervading. BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (4.4.14) declares that
the soul is "mahAn" (great). The statement that the soul
is atomic is merely a poetic metaphor.
SiddhAnta (conclusion): The author of the sUtras gives the
conclusion in the following words.
SUtra 18
utkrAnti-gaty-AgatInAm
utkrAnti - departure; gati - travel; AgatInAm - and of return
Because of departure, travel, and return.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
In this sUtra the word "aNuH" (the atomic soul)
should be understood from the previous sUtra. In this sUtra the
genitive case is used in the sense of the ablative. The
individual spirit soul is atomic and not all-pervading. Why is
that? The sUtra explains: "Because of departure, travel,
and return."
In the BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (4.4.2) it is said:
tasya haitasya hR^idayasyAgraM pradyotate. tena pradyotenaiSha
AtmA niShkrAmati cakShuSho vA mUrdhno vAnyebhyo vA
sharIra-deshebhyaH
"The soul shines in the heart. At the moment of
death the effulgent soul leaves through the opening of the eyes,
the opening at the top of the the head, or another opening in the body."
In the BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (4.4.11) it is said:
anandA nAma te lokA
andhena tamasAvR^itAH
tAMs te pretyAbhigacchanti
avidvAMso .abudhA janAH
"Sinful fools enter into planets known as the worlds
of torment, full of darkness and ignorance."
In the BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (4.4.6) it is said:
prApyAntaM karmaNas tasya
yat ki~ncedam karoty ayam
tasmAt lokAt punar etya
yasmai lokAya karmaNe
"At the time of death the soul reaps the results of
his works. He goes to the world where he deserves to go. When
the results of his past deeds are exhausted, again he returns to
the middle planets, the world of karma."
In this way the BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad describes the soul.as
travel from one place to another. If he were all-pervading,
the soul would not be able to travel from one place to another,
for he would already be everywhere.
In shrImad-BhAgavatam (10.87.30) it is said:
aparimitA dhruvAs tanu-bhR^ito yadi sarva-gatAs
tarhi na shAsyateti niyamo dhruva netarathA
"O Lord, although the living entities who have
accepted material bodies are spiritual and unlimited in number,
if they were all-pervading there would be no question of their
being under Your control."*
However, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although all-
pervading, can travel from place to place. This is possible
because He possesses inconceivable powers.
Here someone may object: The individual spirit soul can be
all-pervading and unmoving, and still, because he mistakenly
identifies with the external material body, imagine that he goes
and comes. He is like the ruler of a village who never really
leaves his realm.
To this the reply is given: Because it is said that he both
departs and returns it is not possible that the soul is actually
stationary and unmoving. The author of the sUtras confirms this
in the following words.
SUtra 19
svAtmanash cottarayoH
sva - own; AtmanaH - of the soul; ca - and; uttarayoH - ofthe
latter two.
Also because the last two refer to the soul.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The word "ca" (also) is used here for emphasis. Here
the word "uttarayoH" (the last two) means "of the
coming and going". The coming and going here definitely occurs to
the individual spirit soul. This is so because the coming and
going in the pervious sUtra clearly refer to an agent, to the
performer of the action. The coming and going here are understood
to be coming and going from a material body. This is clearly seen
in the first BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (4.4.2) passage quoted in
the previous purport. It is also seen in the following words of
Bhagavad-gItA (15.4):
sharIraM yad avApnoti
yac cApy utkrAmatIshvaraH
gR^ihItvaitani samyAti
vAyur gandhAn ivAshayAt
"The living entity in the material world carries his
different conceptions of life from one body to another as the air
carries aromas. Thus he takes one kind of body and again quits it
to take another."*
If someone says that the soul actually never goes anywhere,
although it seems to go places because of the misidentification of
the external material body as the self, then I say this is a
foolish idea. In the following words the KaushitakI UpaniShad
refutes this idea:
sa yadAsmAt sharIrAt samutkrAmati sahaivaitaiH sarvair
utkrAmati
"At the time of death the soul, accompanied by all
his powers, leaves the material body."
The word "saha" (accompanied by) is used when the
more important is accompanied by another of lesser importance. An
example is the sentence: "Accompanied by (saha) his son,
the father took his meal." Another example is in Bhagavad-gItA
(15.4), which declares that the soul carries his different
conceptions of life from one body to another as the air carries
aromas. In this way the foolish example pushed forward by the
impersonalists, the example of the air in the jar and in the sky,
is clearly refuted.
SUtra 20
nANur atac chruter iti cen netarAdhikArAt
na - not; aNuH - atom; atat - not that; shruteH - fromthe
scriptures; iti - thus; cet - is; na - not;itara - other;
adhikArAt - because of being appropriate.
If it is claimed that the shruti-shAstra denies the idea that
the soul is atomic, then I reply that it is not so, because those
descriptions apply to someone else.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Here someone may object: Is it not so that that the
individual spirit soul is not atomic? After all, the BR^ihad-
AraNyaka UpaniShad (4.4.22) affirms:
sa vA eSha mahA-jana AtmA
"The soul is very great."
After all, to be great in size is the very opposite of being atomic.
If someone claims this, then the sUtra replies: "No.
It is not so." Why not? The sUtra explains: "itara"
(because these descriptions apply to someone else). These
words are descriptions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the
all-pervading Supersoul. In the BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (4.3.7)
it is said:
yo .ayam vij~nAnamayaH prANeShu
"He is full of knowledge. He stays among the life-
airs."
Although this passage begins by describing the individual
spirit soul, it proceeds with a description of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, as is seen in a following passage (BR^ihad-
AraNyaka UpaniShad 4.3.13):
yasyAnuvittaH pratibuddha AtmA
"He is the self who knows everything."
These words clearly describe the Supreme Personality of
Godhead and not the individual spirit soul.
SUtra 21
sva-shabdonmAnAbhyAM ca
sva - own; shabda - word; unmAnAbhyAm - with measure;ca - and.
Because of its word and measurement.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The word "sva-shabda" (the word describing it) here means that the wordatomic is used to describe the individual
spirit soul. An example of this is in MuNDaka UpaniShad (2.1.9):
eSho .aNur AtmA
"The soul is atomic in size."
The word "unmAna" here means "Its measurement is
atomic in size". The precise measurement of the individual
spirit soul is given in the shvetAshvatara UpaniShad (4.9):
bAlAgra-shata-bhAgasya
shatadhA kalpitasya ca
bhAgo jIvaH sa vij~neyaH
sa cAntantyAya kalpate
"When the upper point of a hair is divided into one
hundred parts and again each of these parts is further divided
into one hundred parts, each such part is the measurement of the
dimension of the spirit soul."*
In these two ways the atomic size of the soul is proved. the
word Anantya" here means "liberation". "Anta"
means "death", and "an" means "without".
Therefore the word "Anantya" means "the condition
of being free from death".
Here someone may object: Is it not so that if it is atomic
in size and situated in a specific place in the material body,
the soul could not perceive sensations in all other parts of the
body, where the soul is not actually present?
If this is said, then the author of the sUtras replies in
the following words.
SUtra 22
avirodhash candana-vat
avirodhaH - not contradicting; candana - sandal; vat - like
It does not contradict. It is like sandal paste.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
As a drop of sandal paste placed on one part of the body
brings a pleasant sensation to the body as a whole, so the soul,
although situated in one place, perceives what happens in the
entire body. Therefore, there is no contradiction. In the
BrahmANDa PurANa it is said:
aNu-mAtro .apy ayaM jIvaH
sva-dehaM vyApya tiShThati
yathA vyApya sharIrANi
haricandana-vipruShaH
"As the sensation created by a drop of sandal paste
pervades the entire body, so the individual spirit soul,
although atomic in size, is conscious of what happens in the
entire body."
SUtra 23
avasthiti-vaisheShyAd iti cen nAbhyupagamAd dhR^idi hi
avasthiti - abode; vaisheShyAt - because of being specific;
iti - thus; cet - if; na - not; abhyupagamAt - because ofacceptance;
hR^idi - in the heart; hi - certainly.
If it is denied because it has no specific abode, then I say
no, because it resides in the heart.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Here someone may object: Is it not so that the drop of
sandal paste has a single, clearly visible, place where it resides
on the body but the soul has no such single residence in the
body? There is no reason to make guesses about the location of
the soul in the body. The soul is clearly present everywhere in
the body, just as the element ether is present everywhere.
Therefore the sandal-paste example is clumsy and wrong.
If this objection is raised, then the author of the sUtras
replies: "No. It is not so." Why not? The sUtra explains:
"Because it resides in the heart." This means that the
soul really does reside in a single place in the material body.
The soul resides in the heart. This is confirmed in the following
words of Prashna UpaniShad (3.6):
hR^idi hy eSha AtmA
"The soul resides in the heart."
In the final conclusion the spirit soul, although atomic in
size is, in one sense, all-pervading throughout the entire
material body. This is explained in the following sUtra.
SUtra 24
guNAd vAlokavat
guNAt - by quality; vA - or; Aloka - light; vat - like.
By quality or like light.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Although the soul is atomic in size, it pervades the body by
the quality of consciousness. Like light it pervades the entire
body. As the sun, although situated in one place, fills the
universe with light, so the soul fills the body with
consciousness. The Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself declares this inBhagavad-gItA (13.34):
yathA prakAshayaty ekaH
kR^itsnaM lokam imaM raviH
kShetraM kShetrI tathA kR^itsnaM
prakAshayati bhArata
"O son of Bharata, as the sun alone illuminates all
this universe, so does the living entity, one within the body,
illuminate the entire body by consciousness."*
When the sun emanates sunlight it does not lose any atoms
from its mass, nor does it become diminished in any way. Rubies
and other jewels also emanate light without losing atoms from
their mass or becoming diminished in any way. It is not possible
to say that when light is emanated from them these things become
diminished in size. The light they emanate is their quality, not
their mass.
The quality can function in a plane apart from the substance
that possesses it. The author of the sUtras explains this in the
following example.
SUtra 25
vyatireko gandhavat tathA hi darshayati
vyatirekaH - difference; gandha - fragrance; vat - like;tathA - so;
hi - indeed; darshayati - shows.
As a fragrance is in a different place, so it is also in a
different place. This the scripture shows.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
As the fragrance of flowers or other objects may travel to a
place far from its source, so the consciousness that emanates
from the soul may travel from the heart and enter the head, feet,
or other parts of the body. The Kaushitaki UpaniShad (3.6) explains:
praj~nayA sharIraM samAruhya
"By consciousness the soul is all-pervading in the
material body."
Even though the fragrance may travel very far it is never
actually separated from its source, just as the light of a jewel
is also not separated from its source. In the SmR^iti-shAstra it is
said:
upalabhyApsu ced gandhaM
kecid brUyur anaipuNAH
pR^ithivyAm eva tam vidyAd
apo vAyuM ca saMshritam
"They who do not understand may sometimes say that fragrance is presentin water. Earth is the natural home of
fragrance, although it may sometimes take shelter of water or
air."
In the Prashna UpaniShad (4.9) it is said:
eSha hi dR^iShTA
"The soul is the person who sees."
SaMshaya (doubt): Is the consciousness that the soul possesses
eternal or not?
PUrvapakSha (the opponent speaks): The soul is by nature
unconscious. It is like a stone. Consciousness only arises when
the soul comes in contact with the mind. This is seen in the
scriptures.a statement: "I slept happily. I was not
conscious of anything." This statement shows that consciousness
is not an inherent quality of the soul but rather is attained by
contact with something else. It is like iron and fire. When
placed in fire, an iron rod gradually assumes the qualities of
fire. If it were an inherent quality of the soul, then
consciousness would not be lost in deep sleep.
SiddhAnta (conclusion): In the following words the author of
the sUtras gives the conclusion.
SUtra 26
pR^ithag-upadeshAt
pR^ithak - separate; upadeshAt - because of the teaching.
Because there is a specific teaching.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The soul is conscious eternally. How is that known? The
sUtra explains: "Because there is a specific teaching."
Some examples of that teaching follow.
In the Prashna UpaniShad (4.9) it is said:
eSha hi dR^iShTA
"The soul sees eternally."
In the BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (4.5.14) it is said:
avinAshI vA are ayam AtmAnucitti-dharmA
"The soul.as consciousness is never destroyed."
The soul does not become conscious merely by contact with
the mind, for soul and mind are both indivisible and cannot interact. Turningaway from the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
the soul obscures its natural spiritual knowledge. Turning
towards the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the soul revives its
natural spiritual consciousness. This is described in the SmR^iti-
shAstra:
yathA na kriyate jyotsnA
mala-prakShAlanAn maNeH
doSha-prahANAn na j~nAnam
Atmanah kriyate tathA
"As by washing away the dirt that covered a jewel,
the jewel.as splendor is not created but merely uncovered, so by
removing the dirt of materialism that covered the soul, the
soul.as splendor is not created, but merely uncovered.
yathodapAna-khananAt
kriyate na jalAntaram
sad eva niyate vyaktim
asataH sambhavaH kutaH
"As by digging a well, water is brought forth but
not created, so by spiritual activities the nature of the soul is
brought forth but not created. How would it be possible to create
the the soul.as qualities from nothing?
tathA heya-guNa-dhvaMsAd
avarodhAdayo guNAH
prakAshyante na jAnyante
nitya evAtmano hi te
"When material faults are destroyed, the soul.as
qualities become revealed. The soul.as qualities are eternal. they
are never created."
Here someone may object: These quotes from scripture merely
show that the soul is synonymous with consciousness. They do not prove
that the soul itself is conscious.
To this objection the author of the sUtras replies in the
following words.
SUtra 27
tad-guNa-sAratvAt tad vyapadeshaH prAj~na-vat
tat - of that; guNa - quality; sAratvAt - because of being the
essence; tat - that; vyapadeshaH - designation;prAj~na - intelligent;
vat - like.
It is called that because that is its essential nature, just
as He who is intelligent.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Because the soul is consciousness itself, therefore it
is conscious. Why is that? The sUtra explains: "It is
called that because that is its essential nature."
In this sUtra the word "guNa" (quality) refers to
the soul.as quality of consciousness. The word "sAra"
means "the essential nature of the thing, the absence of
which makes the thing non-existent." The word "prAj~na-
vat" means "Like Lord ViShNu, who is known as
prAj~na" (all-knowing) because He is all knowledge.
Because He is all-knowledge personified, Lord ViShNu is said to
know everything. In the same way, because the soul is
consciousness personified, therefore the soul is conscious. That
the statements "the soul is consciousness personified"
and "the soul is conscious" mean the same thing is also
confirmed in the next sUtra.
SUtra 28
yAvad Atma-bhAvitvAc ca na doShas tad-darshanAt
yAvat - as long as; Atma - of the soul; bhAvitvAt - because of
existence; ca - and; na - not; doShaH - fault; tat - ofthat;
darshanAt - because of the sight.
It exists as long as the soul exists. There is no fault in
this, because it is clearly seen.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
There is no fault in saying that the two sentences
the soul is consciousness" and "the soul is
conscious" mean the same thing. That is the meaning here. Why is
that? The sUtra explains: "It exists as long as the soul
exists. There is no fault in this, because it is clearly seen."
The soul.as consciousness exists for as long as the soul exists.
As long as the soul exists, the soul.as consciousness will not be
destroyed. The soul exists eternally, without a beginning or end
in time, and the soul.as consciousness also exists eternally. The
sun may be given here as an example. The sun is both light and
the bringer of light. As long as the sun exists it will have
these two features, which are actually not different. In the same
way the soul is both consciousness and conscious.
Here someone may object: Is it not true that consciousness is
born from the modes of material nature? Is it not true that,
because it does not exist in the state of dreamless sleep,
consciousness is not eternal? Is it not true that even when the
living entity is fully awake his consciousness is in fact created
by a barrage of various sense-objects?
If these objections are raised, the author of the sUtras
replies in the following words.
SUtra 29
puMstvAdi-vat tv asya sato .abhivyakti-yogAt
puMstva - virility; Adi - beginning with; vat - like;tu - but;
asya - of him; sataH - of the existing; abhivyakti-yogAt - because of
manifestation.
But like virility and other things it exists and then is
manifest.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The word "tu" (but) is used here to dispel doubt.
The word "na" (It is not like that) is understood in this
sUtra. It is not true than consciousness is non-existent in
dreamless sleep and only exists in the waking state. Why is that?
the sUtra explains: "But like virility and other things
it exists and then is manifest." In the state of dreamless sleep
the soul.as consciousness exists in a dormant state, and in the
state of wakefulness that dormant consciousness becomes fully
manifested. Here the sUtra gives the example of virility. In
childhood virility and other qualities associated with it exist
in a dormant state. Then, at the beginning of adulthood, they
become manifested. In the same way consciousness is dormant in
dreamless sleep and fully manifested in the waking state. This is
described in the following words of BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad
(4.3.30):
yad vai tan na vijAnAti vijAnan vaitad vij~neyam na vijAnAti na hi
vijnAtur vij~nAnAt viparilopo vidyate avinAshitvAn na tu tad
dvitIyam asti tato .anyad vibhaktaM yad vijAnIyAt
"In the state of dreamless sleep the soul is both
conscious and unconscious. The soul is always conscious, and
consciousness can never be separated from it, because the soul
and its consciousness can never be destroyed. Still, in the state
of dreamless sleep no object is presented before the soul for it
to be conscious of."
When there is no object for consciousness to perceive, then
consciousness is dormant. Therefore in dreamless sleep
consciousness is dormant. When the senses contact the sense-
objects, then consciousness becomes manifested. Had it
not existed in a dormant state during dreamless sleep,
consciousness could not have manifested itself in the waking
state, just as a person born a eunuch cannot manifest virility at
the beginning of adulthood. In this way it is proved that the
individual spirit soul is atomic, is consciousness, and is
conscious eternally.
Now the author of the sUtras refutes the theory of the
sa~Nkhya philosophers.
SaMshaya (doubt): Is the individual spirit soul consciousness
and nothing else? Is the individual spirit soul all-pervading?
PUrvapakSha (the opponent speaks): The individual spirit soul
is all-pervading. This is so because the results of its actions
are seen everywhere. Had it been atomic, the soul would be unable
to perceive the pains and pleasures present in different parts of
the body. Had it been of a medium size, the soul would not be
eternal. Therefore the individual spirit soul must be all-
pervading.
SiddhAnta (conclusion): In the following words the author of
the sUtras gives the proper conclusion.
SUtra 30
nityopalabdhy-anupalabdhi-prasa~Ngo .anyatara-niyamo vAnyathA
nitya - eternal; upalabdhi - perceptionl; anupalabdhi - non-
perception; prasa~NgaH - result; anyatara - otherwise;
niyamaH - restriction; vA - or; anyathA - otherwise.
Otherwise there would be eternal consciousness, eternal
unconsciousness, or the limited existence of one or the other.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
If the soul were only consciousness and nothing else, and if
it were all-pervading, then the soul would be either always
conscious or always unconscious. Either that or there would be a
limited existence of one or the other. This is the meaning: It is
clear to the entire world that consciousness and unconsciousness
both exist. If the cause of this were a soul that is
consciousness only and also all-pervading, then consciousness and
unconsciousness would both be perceived simultaneously at every
moment by the entire world. If this all-pervading soul were the
cause of consciousness only and not unconsciousness, then no one
would ever be unconscious, and if this all-pervading soul were
the cause of unconsciousness only and not consciousness, then no
one would ever be conscious.
It cannot be said that consciousness is created by contact
with the senses and unconsciousness is created when there is no
contact with the senses, because if the soul is all-pervading
then it would be always in contact with the senses. Furthermore,
if the individual spirit soul were all-pervading then everyone
would simultaneously experience the pains and pleasures of
everyone else. If this were so there would be no meaning to
individual experience, individual desire, or individual destiny.
This effectively refutes the theory that the individual spirit
soul is all-pervading.
However, our theory, which affirms that the spirit soul is
atomic in size and different in each material body, is not
refuted by these considerations. Although atomic in size, the
individual spirit soul can act in any place, although it cannot
act in every place simultaneously. By its quality of
consciousness the individual spirit soul can pervade its material
body and perceive the happiness and other sensations present in
the various parts of the material body.
49. Knowledge and Knowers
Adhyaya 3 Pada 3 AdhikaraNa 12
The Individual Spirit Souls Are Both Knowledge and Knowers
Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Now the author of the sUtras considers the nature of the
individual spirit soul. In the BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (3.7.22)
it is said:
yo vij~nAne tiShThan
"The individual spirit soul is situated in
knowledge."
In another passage it is said:
sukham aham asvapsaM na ki~ncid avediShi
"I slept happily. I did not know anything."
SaMshaya (doubt): Is the individual spirit soul unalloyed
knowledge only, or is the soul the knower that experiences
knowledge?
PUrvapakSha (the opponent speaks): The individual spirit soul
consists of knowledge only. This is confirmed by the statement of
BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (3.7.22): "The individual spirit
soul is situated in knowledge." The soul is not the knower or the
perceiver of knowledge. The intelligence is the knower.
Therefore statement, "I slept happily. I did not
know anything." is spoken by the intelligence, not by the soul.
SiddhAnta (conclusion): The author of the sUtras gives the
following conclusion.
SUtra 17
j~no .ata eva
j~naH - knower; ataH eva - therefore.
Therefore he is the knower.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The individual spirit soul is both knowledge and knower. In
the Prashna UpaniShad (4.9) it is said:
eSha hi draShTA spraShTA shrotA rasayitA ghrAtA mantA boddhA kartA
vij~nAnAtmA puruShaH
"The individual spirit soul is the seer, the
toucher, the hearer, the taster, the smeller, the thinker, the
determiner, the doer, and the knower."
This truth is accepted because it is declared by scripture,
not because it is understood by logic. Our acceptance of the
truth of scripture is described in sUtra 2.1.27:
shrutes tu shabda-mUlatvAt
"The statements of shruti-shAstra are the root of real
knowledge."
In the SmR^iti-shAstra it is said:
j~nAtA j~nAna-svarUpo .ayam
"The individual spirit soul is both knower and
knowledge."
Therefore the individual spirit soul is not knowledge alone
without being anything else, and this is not at all proved by
the statement, "I slept happily. I did not know
anything," for such an idea would contradict these scripture
statements that affirm the soul to be the knower. Therefore it is
concluded that the individual spirit soul is both knowledge and
knower.
The Individual Spirit Souls Are Both Knowledge and Knowers
Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Now the author of the sUtras considers the nature of the
individual spirit soul. In the BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (3.7.22)
it is said:
yo vij~nAne tiShThan
"The individual spirit soul is situated in
knowledge."
In another passage it is said:
sukham aham asvapsaM na ki~ncid avediShi
"I slept happily. I did not know anything."
SaMshaya (doubt): Is the individual spirit soul unalloyed
knowledge only, or is the soul the knower that experiences
knowledge?
PUrvapakSha (the opponent speaks): The individual spirit soul
consists of knowledge only. This is confirmed by the statement of
BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (3.7.22): "The individual spirit
soul is situated in knowledge." The soul is not the knower or the
perceiver of knowledge. The intelligence is the knower.
Therefore statement, "I slept happily. I did not
know anything." is spoken by the intelligence, not by the soul.
SiddhAnta (conclusion): The author of the sUtras gives the
following conclusion.
SUtra 17
j~no .ata eva
j~naH - knower; ataH eva - therefore.
Therefore he is the knower.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The individual spirit soul is both knowledge and knower. In
the Prashna UpaniShad (4.9) it is said:
eSha hi draShTA spraShTA shrotA rasayitA ghrAtA mantA boddhA kartA
vij~nAnAtmA puruShaH
"The individual spirit soul is the seer, the
toucher, the hearer, the taster, the smeller, the thinker, the
determiner, the doer, and the knower."
This truth is accepted because it is declared by scripture,
not because it is understood by logic. Our acceptance of the
truth of scripture is described in sUtra 2.1.27:
shrutes tu shabda-mUlatvAt
"The statements of shruti-shAstra are the root of real
knowledge."
In the SmR^iti-shAstra it is said:
j~nAtA j~nAna-svarUpo .ayam
"The individual spirit soul is both knower and
knowledge."
Therefore the individual spirit soul is not knowledge alone
without being anything else, and this is not at all proved by
the statement, "I slept happily. I did not know
anything," for such an idea would contradict these scripture
statements that affirm the soul to be the knower. Therefore it is
concluded that the individual spirit soul is both knowledge and
knower.
48. Individual Spirit Souls Are Eternal
Adhyaya 3 Pada 3 AdhikaraNa 11
The Individual Spirit Souls Are Eternal and Without Beginning
Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Because He is the origin of everything, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead has no other origin from which He was
created. This has already been described. Now we will determine
the nature of the individual spirit soul. First the idea that the
individual soul has an origin will be refuted.
In the TaittirIya AraNyaka, MahA-NArAyaNa UpaniShad (1.4) it
is said:
yataH prasUtA jagataH prasUtI
toyena jIvAn vyasasarja bhUmyAm
"From the Supreme Personality of Godhead the
universe was born. With water He created the living entities on
the earth."
In the ChAndogya UpaniShad it is said:
san-mUlAH saumyemAH sarvAH prajAH
"O gentle one, all living entities have their roots
in the Supreme."
SaMshaya (doubt): Do the individual spirit souls have an
origin or not?
PUrvapakSha (the opponent speaks): Because He is the creator
of the material universe, which contains both sentient living
entities and insentient matter, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead must be the creator of the individual spirit souls. Any
other idea would be illogical.
SiddhAnta (conclusion): The author of the sUtras gives the
following conclusion.
SUtra 16
nAtmA shruter nityatvAc ca tAbhyaH
na - not; AtmA - the individual spirit soul; shruteH - from the
shruti-shAstra; nityatvAt - because of being eternal; ca - and;
tAbhyaH - from them.
Because the individual spirit soul is eternal, and because
of the statements of shruti-shAstra and other scriptures, this idea
about the individual spirit soul is not true.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The individual spirit soul was never created. Why not? The
sUtra explains: "shruteH" (because of the statements of
shruti-shAstra). In KaTha UpaniShad (1.2.18) it is said:
na jAyate mriyate vA vipashcin
nAyaM kutashcin na babhUva kashcit
ajo nityaH shAshvato .ayaM purANo
na hanyate hanyamAne sharIre
"O wise one, for the soul there is neither birth nor
death at any time. He has not come into being, does not come
into being, and will not come into being. He is unborn, eternal,
ever-existing, and primeval. He is not slain when the body is
slain."*
That the individual spirit soul was never born is also
declared in the shvetAshvatara UpaniShad (1.9):
j~nAj~nau dvAv ajAv IshAnIshau
"Neither the Supreme Personality of Godhead nor the
individual spirit souls were ever born."
The word "tAbhyaH" in the sUtra means "the
eternality of the individual spirit soul is described in the
shruti and SmR^iti -shAstras". The word "ca" (and) in the
sUtra means that the individual spirit soul is also conscious and
full of knowledge.
In the KaTha UpaniShad (2.5.13) it is said:
nityo nityAnAM cetanash cetanAnAm
"Of all eternal living souls there is one who is the
leader. Of all eternal souls there is one who is the leader."
In the Bhagavad-gItA the Supreme Lord explains:
ajo nityaH shAshvato .ayaM purANaH
"The soul is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, and
primeval."
Therefore, when it is said, "Yaj~nadatta is born and
again he dies," such words refer only to the external material
body. The jAta-karma ceremony and other ceremonies like it also
refer to the external material body. The individual spirit soul
is different from the external material body and resides in it
like a passenger. In the BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (4.3.8) it is
said:
sa vA ayaM puruSho jAyamAnaH sharIram abhisampadyamAnaH sa utkraman
mriyamANaH
"At the moment of birth the spirit soul enters a
material body and at the moment of death the soul leaves the
body."
In the ChAndogya UpaniShad (6.11.3) it is said:
jIvopetam vAva kiledaM mriyate na jIvo mriyate
"The soul resides in the material body. When the
body dies the soul does not die."
Here someone may object: How can this be? If this is so,
then this fact disagrees with the scriptural description of the
individual souls.a creation.
To this objection I reply: The individual spirit souls are
said to be created because they are effects of the Supreme. The
Supreme Personality of Godhead has two potencies, and these are
said to be His effects. Here is what makes these two potencies
different. One potency is the pradhAna and other inert,
unconscious, not alive potencies that are meant to be objects of
enjoyment and various experiences. The other potency is the
individual spirit souls, who are not inert, dull matter, but are
conscious, alive beings, and who are able to enjoy and perceive
various experiences. These two potencies share one common
feature: that they are both the effects of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. In this way the scriptural description of
the souls.a creation is not contradicted. In this way the
scriptures are correct, and in this way, also, the individual
spirit souls are never born.
The Individual Spirit Souls Are Eternal and Without Beginning
Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Because He is the origin of everything, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead has no other origin from which He was
created. This has already been described. Now we will determine
the nature of the individual spirit soul. First the idea that the
individual soul has an origin will be refuted.
In the TaittirIya AraNyaka, MahA-NArAyaNa UpaniShad (1.4) it
is said:
yataH prasUtA jagataH prasUtI
toyena jIvAn vyasasarja bhUmyAm
"From the Supreme Personality of Godhead the
universe was born. With water He created the living entities on
the earth."
In the ChAndogya UpaniShad it is said:
san-mUlAH saumyemAH sarvAH prajAH
"O gentle one, all living entities have their roots
in the Supreme."
SaMshaya (doubt): Do the individual spirit souls have an
origin or not?
PUrvapakSha (the opponent speaks): Because He is the creator
of the material universe, which contains both sentient living
entities and insentient matter, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead must be the creator of the individual spirit souls. Any
other idea would be illogical.
SiddhAnta (conclusion): The author of the sUtras gives the
following conclusion.
SUtra 16
nAtmA shruter nityatvAc ca tAbhyaH
na - not; AtmA - the individual spirit soul; shruteH - from the
shruti-shAstra; nityatvAt - because of being eternal; ca - and;
tAbhyaH - from them.
Because the individual spirit soul is eternal, and because
of the statements of shruti-shAstra and other scriptures, this idea
about the individual spirit soul is not true.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The individual spirit soul was never created. Why not? The
sUtra explains: "shruteH" (because of the statements of
shruti-shAstra). In KaTha UpaniShad (1.2.18) it is said:
na jAyate mriyate vA vipashcin
nAyaM kutashcin na babhUva kashcit
ajo nityaH shAshvato .ayaM purANo
na hanyate hanyamAne sharIre
"O wise one, for the soul there is neither birth nor
death at any time. He has not come into being, does not come
into being, and will not come into being. He is unborn, eternal,
ever-existing, and primeval. He is not slain when the body is
slain."*
That the individual spirit soul was never born is also
declared in the shvetAshvatara UpaniShad (1.9):
j~nAj~nau dvAv ajAv IshAnIshau
"Neither the Supreme Personality of Godhead nor the
individual spirit souls were ever born."
The word "tAbhyaH" in the sUtra means "the
eternality of the individual spirit soul is described in the
shruti and SmR^iti -shAstras". The word "ca" (and) in the
sUtra means that the individual spirit soul is also conscious and
full of knowledge.
In the KaTha UpaniShad (2.5.13) it is said:
nityo nityAnAM cetanash cetanAnAm
"Of all eternal living souls there is one who is the
leader. Of all eternal souls there is one who is the leader."
In the Bhagavad-gItA the Supreme Lord explains:
ajo nityaH shAshvato .ayaM purANaH
"The soul is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, and
primeval."
Therefore, when it is said, "Yaj~nadatta is born and
again he dies," such words refer only to the external material
body. The jAta-karma ceremony and other ceremonies like it also
refer to the external material body. The individual spirit soul
is different from the external material body and resides in it
like a passenger. In the BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (4.3.8) it is
said:
sa vA ayaM puruSho jAyamAnaH sharIram abhisampadyamAnaH sa utkraman
mriyamANaH
"At the moment of birth the spirit soul enters a
material body and at the moment of death the soul leaves the
body."
In the ChAndogya UpaniShad (6.11.3) it is said:
jIvopetam vAva kiledaM mriyate na jIvo mriyate
"The soul resides in the material body. When the
body dies the soul does not die."
Here someone may object: How can this be? If this is so,
then this fact disagrees with the scriptural description of the
individual souls.a creation.
To this objection I reply: The individual spirit souls are
said to be created because they are effects of the Supreme. The
Supreme Personality of Godhead has two potencies, and these are
said to be His effects. Here is what makes these two potencies
different. One potency is the pradhAna and other inert,
unconscious, not alive potencies that are meant to be objects of
enjoyment and various experiences. The other potency is the
individual spirit souls, who are not inert, dull matter, but are
conscious, alive beings, and who are able to enjoy and perceive
various experiences. These two potencies share one common
feature: that they are both the effects of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. In this way the scriptural description of
the souls.a creation is not contradicted. In this way the
scriptures are correct, and in this way, also, the individual
spirit souls are never born.
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