Adhyaya 1 - Pada 3 AdhikaraNa 7
The Devas Can Meditate on the Supreme Personality
of Godhead
Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
ViShaya: In order to prove that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the person the size of a thumb, the Vedic scriptures were quoted to establish that it is human beings who have the right to meditate on the Supreme Person. That evidence may lead to the belief that human beings alone have the right to meditate on the Supreme Person. Now, by refuting that false belief, the right of others to meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead will be proved.
The BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (1.4.10) says:
tad yo yo devAnAM pratyabudhyata sa eva tad abhavat
tatharShINAM tathA manuShyANAm
"Whoever among the devas meditated on
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, attained Supreme Personality of Godhead. Whoever among the sages meditated on Him attained Him. Whoever among the human beings meditated on Him attained Him."
The BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (4.4.16)
also says:
tad devA jyotiShAM jyotir Ayur hopAsate
.amR^itam
"The devas meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the splendor of all splendors, and who is eternity and life."
SaMshaya: Is it possible for the devas to meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as human beings do, or is it not possible?
PUrvapakSha: Because the devas have no senses they are not able to meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Indra and the other devas are beings created by mantras. They have no bodily senses. Because they have no senses they have neither material desires nor spiritual renunciation.
SiddhAnta: The conclusion follows.
SUtra 26
tad upary api bAdarAyaNaH sambhavAt
tad - that; upari - above; api - also; bAdarAyaNaH - VyAsadeva; sambhavAt - because of being possible.
Beings superior to humankind are able to meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the opinion of VyAsa.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The devas and other beings superior to humankind are able to meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the opinion of Lord VyAsadeva. Why? Because according to the UpaniShads, Vedic mantras, ItihAsas, PurANas, and ancient tradition, they do indeed have bodies and senses. Because they have heavenly bodies and senses they are able to meditate and they are also able to become detached from their heavenly opulence and voluntarily renounce it. Because they are aware of the baseness and impermanence of their celestial opulence they are able to be detached from it and renounce it. The ViShNu PurANa (6.5.50) explains:
na kevalaM dvija-shreShTha
narake duHkha-paddhatiH
svarge .api yAta-bhItasya
kShayiShNor nAsti nirvR^itiH
"O best of the brAhmaNas, torment does not exist only in hell. The residents of the heavenly planets, afraid that they may one day fall from heaven, have no happiness."
For this reason the devas desire spiritual
happiness. This is so because they have heard from the
shruti-shAstra that spiritual bliss is limitless, eternal, and pure. The shruti explains that to attain spiritual knowledge the devas and other celestial beings observe vows of celibacy. This is described in the BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (5.2.1) in these words: tatra yAH prAjApatyAH prajApatau pitari brahmacaryam UShur devA
manuShyA asurAH (The devas, humans, and asuras, who were all sons of Lord BrahmA, lived with their father as celibate students of spiritual knowledge). In the ChAndogya UpaniShad (8.11.3) King Indra is described in the following words: eka-shataM ha vai varShANi maghavA prajApatau brahmacaryam uvAsa (For a hundred years King Indra lived as a celibate student of spiritual knowledge in the home of Lord BrahmA). For these reasons, therefore, the devas and other higher beings are able to meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The following objection may be raised: "This idea (that the devas are not beings created by mantras but are conditioned living entities residing in material bodies) is not consistent with the activities of the devas and other higher beings because it is not possible that a single embodied demigod could come to many different places at once when called to appear at many agnihotra-yaj~nas in many different places simultaneously."
If this is said, he (VyAsa) speaks the following words:
SUtra 27
virodhaH karmaNIti cen nAneka-pratipatter darshanAt
virodhaH - contradiction; karmaNi - in
activities; iti - thus; cet - if;
na - not; aneka - many;
pratipatteH - because of the acceptance;
darshanAt - because of seeing.
If it is objected that this idea is refuted by the very activities of the devas, then I say no, because it is seen that the devas have the power to manifest many forms simultaneously.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
There is no contradiction here if it accepted that the devas are embodied souls with material bodies. Why? The sUtra says aneka-pratipatter darshanAt (because it is seen that the devas have the power to manifest many forms simultaneously). This is so because many powerful beings, such as Saubhari Muni and others, are able to manifest many forms simultaneously.
The objector may say: It may be that in the description of the devas.a activities there is no contradiction for they who say that the devas have bodies. There remains, however, a contradiction in the description of the words of the Vedas. Before the birth and after the death of each demigod a period would exist when the name of that demigod would not have any meaning. At that time the words of the Vedas would become meaningles, like the statement "the son of a barren woman." In this way this idea is refuted. The MImAMsA-sUtra says: autpattikas tu shabdenArthasya sambandhaH (In the Vedas the relation between name and the object named is eternal). This idea (that the devas are embodied souls) would then contradict the eternality of the names in the Vedas
.
If this objection is raised, then he (VyAsa) replies:
SUtra 28
shabda iti cen nAtaH prabhavAt pratyakShAnumAnAbhyAm
shabdaH - the words of the Vedas; iti - thus; cet - if; na - no; ataH - from this; prabhavAt - because of creation; pratyakSha - because of shruti; anumAnAbhyAm - and smR^iti.
If someone objects that this idea is inconsistent with the eternal nature of the words in the Vedas, then I say no because of the description of the creation of the world and also because of the evidence given in shruti and smR^iti.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The idea stated here (that the devas have bodies) is not inconsistent with the nature of the words in the Vedas. Why? The sUtra says prabhavAt pratyakShAnumAnAbhyAm (because of the description of the creation of the world and also because of the evidence given in shruti and smR^iti. The creation of the material bodies (of the devas and other beings in the universe) is done (by Lord BrahmA) remembering their eternal, archetypal forms recorded in the statements of the Vedas. These archetypal forms are eternal, and existed before any of the bodies of the living entities were manifested. These archetypal forms are described by VishvakarmA in his own scripture for drawing forms in the words yamaM daNDa-pANiM likhanti varuNaM tu pAsha-hastam (They draw the demigod Yama with a mace in his hand, and the demigod VaruNa with a noose in his hand). The Vedic words describing the devas and other kinds of living entities are names of certain classes of living entity, just as the word "cow" is the name of a certain kind of living entity. The names of the devas are not names of specific persons, as for example, the name Caitra. Because the words of
the Vedas are eternal in this way the Vedas are genuine sources of knowledge. This explanation is not at all inconsistent with the previously quoted explanation from the MImAMsA-sUtra.
Why is this? The sUtra says pratyakShAnumAnAbhyAm, which means "because of the evidence given in shruti and smR^iti." The shruti (Pa~nca-vaiMshati
BrAhmaNa (6.9,13,22) discussing the creation of the world, which was preceded by the (eternal) words (of the Vedas), gives the following description: eta iti ha vai prajApatir devAn asR^ijat asR^igram iti manuShyAn indava iti pitR^iIMs tiraH-pavitram iti grahAn Asuva iti stotraM vishvAnIti mantram abhisaubhagety anyAH prajAH (Reciting the word ete from the Vedas, Lord BrahmA created the devas. Reciting the word asR^igram, he created the human beings. Reciting the word indava, he created the pitAs. Reciting the word tiraH-pavitram, he created the planets. Reciting the word asuva, he created songs. Reciting the word vishvAni, he created mantras. Reciting the word abhisaubhaga, he created the other creatures).
The smR^iti also
confirms this in the following words (ViShNu PurANa
1.5.64):
nAma rUpaM ca bhUtAnAM
kR^ityAnAM ca prapa~ncanam
veda-shabdebhya evAdau
devAdInAM cakAra saH
"By reciting the words of the Vedas in the
beginning, Lord BrahmA created the names and forms of the
material elements, the rituals, the devas, and all
other living entities."
SUtra 29
ata eva ca nityatvam
ataH eva - therefore; ca - and;
nityatvam - eternity.
And for this very reason the eternity (of the Veda is proved).
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The eternity of the Vedas is proved by the fact that the creator (BrahmA) creates (the world) by (reciting the Vedic) words (describing the) eternal forms and by remembering (the previous creation). KaThaka Muni and the (other sages) should be understood to be merely the speakers (and not the authors of the Vedas).
The objection may be raised: So be it. The shruti explains that by remembering the words of the Vedas Lord BrahmA creates the forms of the devas and other living entities. This may be in the case after the ( naimittika) partial cosmic devastation, but how can this method of creation be employed after the (prAkR^ita) complete cosmic devastation, when absolutely everything is destroyed, and how can the Vedas be eternal under the circumstances of such complete destruction?
If this is said, then he replies:
SUtra 30
samAna-nAma-rUpatvAc cAvR^ittAv apy avirodho darshanAt smR^itesh ca
samAna - same; nAma - because of the names; rUpatvAt - and forms; ca - also;
avR^ittAu - in the repetition; api - also; avirodhaH - not a contradiction; darshanAt because of the shruti$ smR^itesh - because of the smR^iti ; ca - indeed.
Because the names and forms remain the same even at the beginning of a new creation, there is no contradiction. This is proved by shruti and smR^iti.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The word ca (indeed) is used here to dispel doubt. That after a complete cosmic devastation there must be a new creation does not at all disprove the eternalness of the words of the Vedas. Why? The sUtra says samAna-nAma-rUpatvAc cAvR^ittAv apy avirodho darshanAt smR^itesh ca (Because the names and forms remain the same even at the beginning of a new creation, there is no contradiction. This is proved by shruti and smR^iti). The meaning here is "because the previously spoken names and forms remain the same." At the time of the great cosmic devastation the eternal Vedas and the eternal archetypal forms described by the Vedas enter Lord Hari, the master of transcendental potencies, and rest within Him, becoming one with Him. At the time of the next creation they again become manifested from the Lord. Lord Hari and the four-faced demigod BrahmA both precede their acts of creation with recitation of Vedic mantras, which recitation leads to meditation on the archetypal forms. At the time of a new creation the creator remembers what He created in the previous creation and He again creates as He had created before. This is like a potter who, by saying the word "pot" remembers the forms of pots he previously fashioned, and goes on to make another pot. Just as the process of creation is performed in this way after the partial cosmic devastation, in the same way the process of creation is also performed after the complete cosmic devastation.
How is all this known? The sUtra says darshanAt smR^itesh ca (because this is proved by shruti and smR^iti. The shruti says:
AtmA vA idam eka evAgra AsIt sa aikShata lokAn utsR^ijAH
"In the beginning was only the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He thought: I shall create many worlds).
- Aitareya UpaniShad 1.1
yo brahmANaM vidadhAti pUrvaM yo vai vedAMsh ca prahiNoti tasmi tam
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead created the Vedas and taught them to the demigod BrahmA).
- shvetAshvatara UpaniShad
6.18
sUryA-candramasau dhAtA yathA-pUrvam akalpat
"BrahmA created the sun and moon as he had done before."
- Rg Veda
The smR^iti says
nyagrodhaH su-mahAn alpe
yathA bIje vyavasthitaH
samyame vishvam akhilam
bIja-bhUte yathA tvayi
"O Lord, just as a great banyan tree rests within a tiny seed, in the same way at the time of cosmic devastation the entire universe rests within You, the seed from which it originally sprouted."
- ViShNu PurANa
nArAyaNaH paro devas
tasmAj jAtash caturmukhaH
"NArAyaNa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. From him the
demigod BrahmA was born."
- VarAha PurANa
tene brahma hR^idA ya Adi-kavaye
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead first imparted the Vedic knowledge unto the heart of BrahmAjI, the original living
being."*
- shrImad-BhAgavatam 1.1.1
A summary of this gist of this explanation follows: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, at the end of the period of cosmic devastation, meditating on the material universe at it had been before, desiring in His heart "I shall become many," differentiating again the jIvas and material elements that had become merged within Him, creating again, as it had been before, the material universe extending from the mahat-tattva to the demigod BrahmA, manifesting the Vedas exactly as they had been before, teaching the Vedas to the demigod BrahmA within the heart, engaging the demigod BrahmA in the creation of the forms of the devas and other living entities as they had been before, and personally entered the universe and controlling it from within. Omniscient by the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the demigod BrahmA, meditating on the archetypal forms described in the Vedas, creates the devas and other creatures as they had been before. In this way the relationship between the names of the devas headed by Indra and their archetypal forms described in the Vedas is explained. In this way the opponent.as argument of the Vedic words does not at all refute (this explanation of the nature of the devas). In this way it is proved that the devas and other superior beings have the ability to meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Personality of Godhead.as form the size of a thumb is not at all contradicted by this description of the ability of the devas to meditate on Him. This is so because the form of the Lord is the size of a deva.as thumb in this case.
Now will be considered the question of whether the devas are eligible or not to engage in those meditations where they themselves are the object of meditation. In the ChAndogya UpaniShad (3.1.1) is the statement asau vA Adityo deva-madhu tasya dyaur eva tirashcIna-vaMshaH (The sun is honey for the
devas. The heavenly planets are the crossbeam, the sky
is the beehive, and the rays of sunlight are the children). The sun is here the honey of the devas and the rays of sunlight are the openings (for drinking the honey). Five classes of devas, the vasus, rudras, Adityas, maruts, and sAdhyas, all headed by their leaders, gaze at the honey of the sun and become happy. That is said here. The sun is here called honey because it is the abode of a certain sweetness one becomes eligible for by performing certain religious works described in the Rg Veda and one attains by entering through the doorway of the sun.as rays. In other places in the scriptures it is said that the devas can perform these meditations. In this matter he now explains the opinions of others.
SUtra 31
madhv-AdiShv asambhavAd anadhikAraM jaiminiH
madhu-AdiShu - in madhu-vidyA and other Vedic meditations; asambhavAt - because of impossibility; anadhikAram - qualification; jaiminiH - Jaimini.
Jaimini says the devas do not engage in madhu-vidyA and other forms of Vedic meditation because it is not possible for them to do so.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
Jaimini Muni thinks that the devas are not qualified to engage in madhu-vidyA and other forms of Vedic meditation. Why? The sUtra says asambhavAt (because it is not possible for them to do so). The object of worship cannot also be the worshiper. It is not possible for one person to be both. Furthermore, because the devas do not aspire to attain the result of madhu-vidyA meditation, namely to become vasus or exalted devas, because they already are vasus and devas.
SUtra 32
jyotiShi bhAvAc ca
jyotiShi - in the splendor; bhAvAt - because of
existence; ca - and.
And because the devas do meditate on the effulgent Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (4.4.16) says tad devA jyotiShAM jyotiH (the devas meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the light of all lights). Because the devas do meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is described in this passage from the shruti as the supreme effulgence, they naturally do not engage in the madhu-vidyA and other inferior meditations. The explanation that the devas, as well as the human beings, naturally engage in meditation on the Supreme Personality of Godhead shows that the devas are averse to any other kind of meditation.
Now that this view has been expressed, he (VyAsa) gives his opinion.
SUtra 33
bhAvaM tu bAdarAyaNo .asti hi
bhAvam - existence; tu - but;
bAdarAyaNaH - VyAsadeva; asti - is;
hi - because.
VyAsadeva says the devas do engage in these meditations.
Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa
The word tu (but) is used here to dispel doubt. Lord VyAsa thinks the devas are able to engage in madhu-vidyA and other kinds of Vedic meditation. The word hi (because) here implies "desiring to again become devas and Adityas, they worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the archetypal deva and aditya. Because of this worship they develop a desire to gain the company of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In this way it is possible for them to engage in the madhu-vidyA and other Vedic meditations." This is so because it is understood that the worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is both the goal and the means of attaining the goal.
They who are now
vasus, Adityas, and other kinds of devas meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the archetypal vasu and Aditya. At the end of the kalpa they become vasus and Adityas and engage in the meditation and worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the Supersoul in their hearts, and who is the cause of their becoming vasus and Adityas again. As a result of this worship they will eventually become liberated.
The words Aditya, vasu, and the names of the other devas, are all also names of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is confirmed by the words ya etam evaM brahmopaniShadaM veda (He who understands this UpaniShad describing the Supreme Personality of Godhead) at the end of the
UpaniShad.
It is not that because the devas have already attained their exalted positions therefore they have no desire to become devas and therefore have no interest in attaining the results of Vedic meditation. This is so because it is seen in this world that many people, even though they already have sons in this lifetime, yearn to again have sons in the next life. Furthermore, because they are actually meditations on the Supreme Personality of Godhead the madhu-vidyA meditations of the devas are described in the words of the BR^ihad-AraNyaka UpaniShad (4.4.16) tad devA jyotiShAM jyotir (The devas meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead).
The scriptures say prajApatir akAmayata prajAyeyeti sa etad agnihotraM mithunam apashyat. tad udite sUrye .ajuhot. (The demigod BrahmA desired: "Let me create children." He then saw two agnihotra sacrifices. When the sun rose he performed agnihotra sacrifices). The scriptures also say devA vai satram Asata (the devas then performed a Vedic sacrifice). These and other passages from the scriptures show that the shruti does not disagree with the idea that the devas are able to perform Vedic sacrifices. They perform these sacrifices by the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in order to protect the material world.
Now someone may object: They who perform the madhu-vidyA and other Vedic meditations must wait many kalpas before they attain liberation. How is it possible for one who yearns for liberation to tolerate such a delay? They who yearn for liberation do not desire to enjoy any material happiness, even the happiness of Brahmaloka.
The answer is given: This is true. Still, the scriptures explain that because of certain unknown past actions some persons voluntarily postpone their personal liberation to take up the duties of administering the affairs of the material world. This adhikaraNa shows that because even the devas perform the ordinary Vedic duties, how much more so should human beings perform these duties.
25.
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