गोविन्द भाष्य (श्रील बलदेव विद्याभूषण - अचिन्त्यभेदाभेद वेदान्त ब्रह्मसूत्र भाष्य सटीक)

(hypocritically) does so only to defeat its opponents. Saṁśaya---Is or is not the Supreme Personality of Godhead the ingredient of which the material universe is made? Pūrvapakṣa---Is the Supreme Personality of Godhead the ingredient of which the material universe is made? No, because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is completely different from this world of matter. It is generally accepted that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is all-knowing, all- powerful, completely pure, and full of all transcendental bliss. The material universe, on the other hand, is directly seen to be full of ignorance, weakness, impurity, and misery. Therefore there is no debate about whether the two of them have differing natures. That a substance and the ingredient of which it is made must have the same nature is clearly seen. For example clay, gold, and thread are the ingredients of which poettery, crowns, and cloth are made. However, because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is different in nature from the material universe, another ingredient should be sought. That ingredient is pradhāna because pradhāna possesses the same nature as this material universe filled with material happinesses, material sufferings, and various illusions. In order to prove that the Supreme Personality of Godhead has the same nature as the material universe, someone may say: "Within the Supreme Personality of Godhead are two very subtle potencies: a conscious spiritual potency, and an inert material potency. In this way the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ingredient of which the material universe is made." Because it states that a very subtle potency is the ingredient of which the very gross material world is made, even this argument does not resolve the great difference between the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the material universe. Other differences between the two may also be seen. In this way the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not the ingredient of which the material universe is made. Although logic must be subordinate to scripture, still, in order to understand the truth scripture must sometimes be subordinate to logic. This is the statement of the Pūrvapakṣa. Siddhānta---He now refutes this argument. Sutra 6 dṛṣyate tu But this is (not) seen by direct perception. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa The word tu (but) is used here to dispel doubt. The word na (not), taken from the previous sūtra, should be understood in this sūtra also. Someone may say: "Because He is different in nature, the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be the ingredient from which the material universe is made." The answer is given: "Because it is many times seen that there is a difference between things and the ingredients of which they are made, it cannot be said that the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be the ingredient of which the material universe is made." The

material universe is made from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, just as many things are manifested from sources very different in nature, just as worms come from honey, as elephants, horses, and other animals come from the kalpa- drumatree, and as gold and other things come from the cintāmaṇi jewel. The ātharvaṇikas give the following example (Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.1.7): yathorṇanābhiḥ sṛjate gṛṇate ca* yathā pṛthivyām oṣadhayaḥ sambhavanti yathā sataḥ puruṣāt keśa-lomani tathākṣarāt sambhavatīha viśvam "As a spider expands and withdraws its web, as innumerable plants sprout from the soil, and as hairs grow on a person's body, so is the material universe manifested from the imperishable Supreme Personality of Godhead." Adhikaraṇa 6 Nothingness Is Not The First Cause Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Someone may object: "If the material world is different from its ingredient, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then before the world was manifested, it was not already existent within the Supreme. Before it was manifested it did not exist. Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead alone existed then, in the beginning the material world did not exist. However this view cannot be held by they who affirm that the the material world is real because it is created by the Supreme Reality." If this objection is raised, he replies is the following words. Sūtra 7 If someone maintains the material world to be unreal, then I say no. The world is not unreal merely because it is in nature different from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa There is no fault in this. Why? The sūtra says pratiṣedha-mātratvāt (The world is not unreal merely because it is in nature different from the Supreme Personality of Godhead). The previous sūtra denied that a substance and its ingredient must have the same nature. It is not that a thing and its ingredient are different in substance. This is so because the Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes transformed, becoming the body of the material world, which is by nature different from Him. This is the meaning: Is it because 1. His nature is different from the

nature of the world, or because 2. none of His qualities are present in the world that you reject the idea that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ingredient of the material world? The first is not a good reason because (difference) is naturally present in the relation between ingredient and product. For example a clay pot or other piece of pottery is, because it is not an amorphous lump, unlike the ball of clay that is its ingredient. In this way they are different. The second argument is, because existence (sat) and many other qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are present in the material world, not a valid argument either. If the objection is raised: "The qualities of the ingredient that differentiate it from other things should be transferred from the ingredient to the substance it creates. The qualities that distinguish gold from thread are also seen to distinguish golden bracelets and other ornaments from cloth made of thread," then the following answer may be given: "Because insects come from honey, many other things are also created from ingredients very unlike the final product, and even articles of gold often present a nature very different from the original substance, this argument is not valid. Just as gold is not different from the cintāmaṇi jewel that created it and a bracelet is not different from the gold that created it, in the same way the material world, because it is created from the Supreme Reality, is not different from Him, and is therefore not unreal. Sutra 8 apītau tadvat prasaṅgād asama/vjasam (Someone may object: "If the Supreme Personality of Godhead were the ingredient of which the material world is made, then) at the time when the material world is destroyed, (the Supreme Personality of Godhead would be destroyed). Because this view is untenable (the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be the ingredient of the material world)." Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa If the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all subtle spiritual potencies, is the ingredient from which the material world, which consists of both matter and spirit, and which thwarts the spiritual aspirations of the living entities, then at the time of cosmic devastation, (when the material universes enter the Lord's body), the Lord must become like the material world (infected with all its faults). In the sūtra's word tadvat the word tad is in the genitive case and the word vat means "like." ( CHAPTER II Pada 1 - Sutras 9 onwards and the complete Pada 2 missing!)

Pada 3 Adhikaraṇa 1 Ether Is Created Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa vyomādi-viṣayaṁ gobhir bibharti vijaghāna yaḥ sa tāṁ mad-viṣayāṁ bhāsvān kṛṣṇaḥ praṇīhaniṣyati May the brilliant sun of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who with rays of logic destroys a host of misconceptions about ether and the other elements, destroy the misconceptions in my heart. In the Second Pāda were revealed the fallacies present in the theories of they who say pradhāna is the the first cause and they who claim something other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the first cause. In the Third Pāda will be shown the truth that the various elements of the material world are manifested from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that they merge into Him at the end, that the individual spirit souls always existed, there not being a point in time when they were created, that the individual spirit souls have spiritual bodies full of knowledge, that the individual spirit souls are atomic in size although by their consciousness they are all-pervading within the material body, that the individual spirit souls are part-and-parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that Matsya-avatāra and the other avatāras are directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and that the variety of situations into which the conditioned souls are placed is caused by the previous karma. These will all be proved by refuting the ideas of they who claim that these statements are not true. The various aspects of the material world are created in the following sequence:

1. pradhāna, 2. mahat-tattva, 3. false-ego, 4. the tan-mātras, 5. the senses, and 6. the gross elements, beginning with ether. This sequence is given in the Subala- śruti and other scriptures. The sequence found in the Taittirīya Upaniṣad and other scriptures will also be discussed in order to show that sequence does not contradict what has already been said. Chāndogya Upaniṣad (6.2.1) explains:

sad eva saumyedyam agra āsīt "O gentle one, in the beginning the Supreme Personality of Godhead alone existed." Chāndogya Upaniṣad (6.2.3-4) continues: tad aikṣata bahu syāṁ prajāyeyeti tat tejo 'srjata. tat teja aikṣata bahu syāṁ prajāyeyeti tad āpo 'srjata . . . tā āpa aikṣanta bahvayaḥ syāma prajāyemahīti tā annam asrjanta. "The Supreme Personality of Godhead thought: I shall become many. I shall father children.' Then He created fire. Then fire thought: I shall become many. I shall father children.' Then fire created water. . . . Then water thought: `I shall become many. I shall father children.' Then water created grains." In this way it is clearly shown that fire, water, and grains were created. In this, however, there is a doubt. Saṁśaya (doubt): Was ether ever created or not? Pūrvapakṣa (the opponent speaks): Because the Śruti-śāstra does not mention any creation of ether, therefore ether was never created, but was always existing. This idea is expressed in the following sūtra. Sūtra 1 na viyad aśruteḥ na—not; viyat—ether; aśruteḥ—because of not being described in the Śruti- śāstra. Not so for ether, because that is not described in the Śruti-śāstra. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Ether is eternal and was never created. Why is that? The sūtra explains: "Because that is not described in the Śruti-śāstra." The relevant passage of Chāndogya Upaniṣad mentions the creation of the other elements, but it does not

mention the creation of ether. In the previously quoted passage of Chāndogya Upaniṣad the creation of fire, water, and grains is mentioned. However there is no mention of the creation of ether. For this reason ether must not have been created. That is the meaning. This idea is refuted in the following sūtra: Sūtra 2 asti tu asti—is; tu—indeed. Indeed it is so. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa The word "tu" (indeed) is used here to remove doubt. The word "asti" (it is so) means, "It is so that ether was created." Although the creation of ether is not described in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad, it is described in the Taittirīya Upaniṣad in the following words: tasmād vā etasmād ātmana ākāśaḥ sambhūtaḥ ākāśād vāyur vāyor agnir agner āpo ābhyo mahatī pṛthivī "From the Supreme Personality of Godhead, ether was manifested. From ether, air was manifested. From air, fire was manifested. From fire, water was manifested. From water, earth was manifested." Another doubt is expressed in the next sūtra. Sūtra 3 gauṇy asambhavāc chabdāc ca gauṇī—figure of speech; asambhavāt—because of being impossible; śabdāt— because of scripture; ca—also.

Because of scripture, and because it is impossible, it must be a mere figure of speech. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa It is not possible that ether was created. This is confirmed by Kaṇāda Muni and other great philosophers. The Taittirīya Upaniṣad's description of the creation of ether is a mere figure of speech, as when, in ordinary speech one says, "Please make some space" or "Some space has been made". For what other reasons is it not possible that ether is created? Because it is impossible to create ether. It is not possible to create ether because ether is formless and all-pervading, because it is not included in the chain of causes, and because scripture proclaims that ether is not created. Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad (2.3.2-3) proclaims: vāyus cāntarīkṣaṁ caitad amṛtam "Air and ether are both eternal." This proves that ether was never created. However, if the passage from the Taittirīya Upaniṣad used the word "sambhūta" (created) only once to refer to the list of elements beginning with fire, how is it possible to claim that this word is used literally for all the elements and figuratively for ether alone? The opponent of Vedānta replies in the next sūtra. Sūtra 4 syāc caikasya brahma-śabda-vat syāt—may be; ca—and; ekasya—of one; brahma—Brahma; śabda—the word; vat—like. It may be for one, as in the word "Brahman". Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa In the Taittirīya Upaniṣad (3.2) it is said:

tapasā brahma vijijñāsasva tapo brahma "By performing austerities strive to understand Brahman, for austerities are Brahman." In this passage the word Brahman is used in two ways. Used to describe the object of knowledge attained by performing austerities, Brahman is used in its literal sense. Then, equated with austerities, it is used figuratively to mean, "the way to know Brahman". In the same way the word "sambhūta" in the previously discussed passage can be use literally and figuratively simultaneously. In this way the fact that the passage of the Chāndogya Upaniṣad makes no mention of it refutes the description in other Upaniṣads that ether was created. The author of the sūtras refutes this idea in the following words. Sūtra 5 pratijñāhānir avyatirekāc cabdebhyaḥ pratijñā—statement of intent; ahāniḥ—non-abandonment; avyatirekāt— because of non-difference; śabdebhyaḥ—from the statements of scripture. It is affirmed because it is not different and because of the statements of scripture. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa The Chāndogya Upaniṣad (6.1.3) affirms: yenāśrutaṁ śrutaṁ bhavati "Now I will teach how to hear what cannot be heard." In these words the intention to teach about Brahman is expressed. If this intention is not broken, then all that follows must be about Brahman and it must be affirmed that nothing is different from Brahman. The idea that something is different from Brahman is to be rejected. If everything is not-different from Brahman, then Brahman is clearly the ingredient of which everything is made. Thus, simply by knowing Brahman one knows everything. If this is accepted then

it is also accepted that ether was created. The Chāndogya Upaniṣad (6.2.1) again affirms: sad eva saumyedam agra āsīd ekam evādvitīyam aitad-ātmyam idaṁ sarvam "O gentle one, in the beginning the Supreme Personality of Godhead alone existed. He was alone. There was no one else. Everything has Him as its ingredient." These words affirm that in the beginning everything was manifested from Him, and after the creation was manifested everything had Him as its ingredient. This should be accepted. Here someone may object: There is no clear statement in that Upaniṣad that ether was created. How can you talk like that? In the following words the author of the sūtras replies to this objection. Sūtra 6 yāvad vikāraṁ tu vibhāgo loka-vat yāvat—to what extent; vikāram—creation; tu—indeed; vibhāgaḥ—creator; loka—the world; vat—like. Indeed, if there is a creation there must be a creator, as we see in the world. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa The word "tu" (indeed) is used here to remove doubt. The Chāndogya Upaniṣad explains: aitad-ātmyam idaṁ sarvam "Everything has Him as its ingredient." This statement shows that there is both a creator and a creation. When the

Subala Upaniṣad and other scriptures explain that the pradhāna, mahat-tattva, and other things are created, they imply that everything that exists was created. That is the meaning. The following example from the material world may be given. A person may say, "All these are the sons of Caitra." In this way he affirms that they were all born from a man named Caitra. In the same way, when the Upaniṣad affirms that, “Everything has the Supreme Personality of Godhead as its ingredient," it is clear that pradhāna, mahat-tattva, and everything else has come from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus when the Upaniṣad states that fire, water, and grains come from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it means to say that everything comes from Him. In this way it is understand that ether also was created. The word "vibhāgaḥ" in this sūtra means “creation". Sūtra 3 affirmed that it is not possible for ether to have been created. However, the Śruti-śāstra affirms that the Supreme Personality of Godhead has inconceivable powers. Even though it may be inconceivable, He can do anything without restriction. In some passages it is said that ether is immortal, which means that it is neither created nor destroyed. These statements may be taken as figures of speech because we can find other passages describing the creation and destruction of ether. Because ether is counted among the elements it must be created and also destroyed. Because ether has temporary material qualities, as fire and the other elements do, it must also be temporary, as the other elements are. Whatever is not matter is spirit. Ether is not like spirit. It is different. In this way the idea that ether was not created is disproved. Modern philosophers that state the contrary are wrong. It must be accepted that ether was created. Adhikaraṇa 2 Air Is Created Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa To show that the same arguments may also show the creation of air, the author of the sūtras gives the following explanation. Sūtra 7 etena mātariśvā vyākhyātaḥ etena—by this; mātariśvā—air; vyākhyātaḥ—is explained.

This also refers to air. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa This proof that ether was created clearly shows that air, which exists within ether, must also have been created. That is the meaning. This is so because the limbs of something must have the same qualities as the whole of which they are parts. Our opponent may object: Because it was never described in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad, it is clear that air was never created. To this I reply: The Taittirīya Upaniṣad explains that air was created from ether. Then our opponent may say: That description of the creation of air must have been a figure of speech, because the Śruti-śāstra explains that air is eternal. To this I reply: The Chāndogya Upaniṣad affirms in a pratijñā statement (aitad- ātmyam idaṁ sarvam) that everything was created by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In this way the creation of air is proved. When it is said that air is eternal the intention is that it is so only relative to some other things. Air was discussed in a separate sūtra and not discussed together with ether. This was done to facilitate the argument of Sūtra 9. Adhikaraṇa 3 The Eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead Is Not Created Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa The Chāndogya Upaniṣad (6.2.1) affirms: sad eva saumyedam "O gentle one, in the beginning the Supreme Personality of Godhead alone existed." A doubt may arise about this statement. Was the eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead created or not? Pradhāna, mahat-tattva, and many other things that are causes or creators of other things were created, so perhaps the Supreme

Personality of Godhead was also created at some point. This may be so because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not really different from these other causes. In the following words the author of the sūtras addresses this doubt. Sūtra 8 asambhavas tu sato 'nupapatteḥ asambhavaḥ—the state of not being created; tu—indeed; sataḥ—of the eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead; anupapatteḥ—because of impossibility Indeed, the eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead was never created, for such a creation is impossible. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa The word "tu" (indeed) is used here either to remove doubt or affirm the truth of this statement. The eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead was never created. Why not? The sūtra explains: "anupapatteḥ" (because that is impossible). There is no creator of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, because it is illogical and inappropriate to assume the existence of such a creator. That is the meaning here. Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (6.9) explains: sa kāraṇaṁ kāraṇādhipādhipo na cāsya kaścij janitā na cādhipaḥ "the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the cause of all causes. He is the king of all other causes. No one is His creator. No one is His king." It is not possible to say that because all other causes are created by something else therefore the Supreme Personality of Godhead must have been created by someone else, for such a statement contradicts these words of the Śruti-śāstra. A root cause of everything must be accepted, for if it is not then there is an unending chain of causes. By definition the root cause of everything does not have another cause, a root from which it has sprung. This is described in the Saṅkhya-sūtra (1.67) in these words: mūle mūlābhāvāt

"This is so because the root cause of everything is not caused by another root cause." In this way the doubt that perhaps the Supreme Personality of Godhead is created by someone else is clearly refuted. Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the first cause of all causes, by definition He is not caused by someone else. However, the secondary causes, such as the avyakta and the mahat-tattva are all created by another cause. The sūtras explaining that ether and the other material elements were all created were given as examples of this general truth. Adhikaraṇa 4 Fire Is Manifested From Air Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa After concluding this discussion, we will consider what seems to be a contradiction in the Śruti-śāstra's description of fire. Chāndogya Upaniṣad (6.2.3) explains: tat tejo 'sṛjata "Then the Supreme Personality of Godhead created fire." In this way it is explained that the Supreme Personality of Godhead created fire. However, the Taittirīya Upaniṣad (2.1.3) explains: vāyor agniḥ "From air, fire is manifested." These words explain that air created fire. Someone may say that in this second quote the word "vāyoḥ" is in the ablative case (meaning "after air"), and in this way there is no contradiction because both elements were created by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and fire was created after air was created. Considering that someone may say this, the author of the sūtras speaks the

following words. Sūtra 9 tejo 'tas tathā hy āha tejaḥ—fire; ataḥ—from that; tathā—so; hy—indeed; āha—said. Fire comes from it. Indeed, it said that. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa From air comes fire. This is confirmed in the Śruti-śāstra, which explains: vāyor agniḥ "From air comes fire." The word "sambhūta" is used here. The use of that word shows that the meaning is that from air fire is created. Also, the primary meaning of the ablative- case is "from". If the primary meaning of a word makes sense, then the primary meaning should be accepted. In that circumstance the secondary meaning should not be accepted. As will be explained later, this statement does not contradict the statement that everything is created by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Adhikaraṇa 5 Water Is Manifested From Fire Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Now the author describes the origin of water. In some places the scriptures

संशय-निराकरणम् / पूर्वपक्ष-समाधानम् कहीं श्रुति यह प्रतिपादन करती है कि अग्नि से जल की उत्पत्ति होती है, और कहीं अन्य प्रकार से वर्णन मिलता है। इस प्रकार उत्पन्न हुए संशय के निवारणार्थ सूत्रकार अग्रिम सूत्र प्रस्तुत करते हैं— ॥ ब्रह्मसूत्रम् २.३.१० ॥ सूत्रम्: आपः ॥ १० ॥ पदच्छेदः: आपः — जल (प्रथमा बहुवचनम्)। सूत्रार्थः: (तेज से) जल उत्पन्न होता है। श्रील बलदेवविद्याभूषण-विरचितं गोविन्दभाष्यम् (भावानुवाद एवं व्याख्या) पूर्वसूत्र से 'अतस्तथा ह्याह' (उससे ही, क्योंकि श्रुति ऐसा ही कहती है) इस पदसमूह की यहाँ अनुवृत्ति होती है। इसका अर्थ यह है कि तेज (अग्नि) से ही जल की उत्पत्ति होती है; क्योंकि श्रुति-शास्त्र स्पष्ट रूप से ऐसा ही विधान करता है। श्रुति-प्रमाणम् (१): छान्दोग्योपनिषत् (६.२.३) में कहा गया है— "तदपोऽसृजत" अनुवाद: "उस (तेज) ने जल की सृष्टि की।" श्रुति-प्रमाणम् (२): तैत्तिरीयोपनिषत् (२.१) में भी कहा गया है— "अग्नेरापः" अनुवाद: "अग्नि से जल उत्पन्न हुआ।" ये दोनों श्रुति-वाक्य सर्वथा स्पष्ट हैं और इनके लिए किसी विस्तृत व्याख्या की आवश्यकता नहीं है। तेज से जल की उत्पत्ति का प्रत्यक्ष लौकिक दृष्टान्त छान्दोग्योपनिषद् के अग्रिम वचनों में इस प्रकार समझाया गया है— श्रुति-प्रमाणम् (३): "तस्माद्यत्र क्व च शोचति स्वेदते वा पुरुषस्तेजस एव तदध्यापो जायन्ते" हिन्दी-भावार्थ: "इसी कारण जब कभी कोई मनुष्य शोक से सन्तप्त होता है (मनस्ताप रूपी तेज से) अथवा पसीने से युक्त होता है (शारीरिक ताप रूपी तेज से), तब उस तेज (गर्मी) से ही जल (अश्रु अथवा स्वेद/पसीना) उत्पन्न होता है।"

Adhikaraṇa 6 Earth Is Manifested From Water, and the Word "Anna" in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad Means "Earth" Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa In the Chāndogya Upaniṣad it is said: tā āpa aikṣanta bahvayaḥ syāma prajāyemahīti tā annam asṛjanta "Water thought: `I shall become many. I shall father many children.' Then water created anna." What is the meaning of the word "anna" here? Does it mean "barley and other food", or does it mean “earth"? In the Chāndogya Upaniṣad it is said: tasmād yatra kvacana varṣati tad eva bhūyiṣṭham annaṁ bhavaty adbhya eva tad adhy annādyaṁ jāyate "Therefore, whenever it rains there is abundant anna. In this way anna is produced by water." This passage seems, therefore, to support the idea that the word "anna" here means barely and other food". To explain the proper meaning here, the author of the sūtras speaks the following words. Sūtra 11 pṛthivy-adhikāra-rūpa-śabdāntarebhyaḥ pṛthivi—earth; adhikāra—context; rūpa—color; śabda—quotes from the Śruti-

śāstra; antarebhyaḥ—because of other. "Because its color, its context, and other quotes from the Śruti-śāstra, all confirm that earth is the proper meaning. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Here the meaning "earth" should be accepted. Why? Because of the context and other reasons. It should be accepted because the context (adhikāra) of the passage is a description of the creation of the five material elements. It is also so, because the "anna" here is described as being black in color (rūpa), in the words: yat kṛṣṇaṁ tad annasya "That anna is black in color." It is also so because in other scriptures (śāstrāntarebhyaḥ) it is said (in the Taittirīya Upaniṣad): adbhyaḥ pṛthivī "From water, earth is manifested." The passage: "Therefore, whenever it rains there is abundant anna. In this way anna is produced by water," clearly uses the word "anna" to mean "food". However, because this passage is in the context of a description of the five material elements being manifested one from the other, the "food" here is a metaphor for "earth". Thus the two meanings "food" and "earth" combine in the word "anna" in this passage. Adhikaraṇa 7 The Elements Are Manifested From the Supreme Personality of Godhead Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa

The description here, that the material elements are manifested in a particular sequence, beginning with ether, is given to remove controversy in regard to the sequence in which the elements are manifested. The fact that the pradhāna, mahat- tattva, and all the elements are created by the Supreme Personality of Godhead has already been proved in sūtra 1.1.2 (janmādy asya yataḥ). Now the author of the sūtras begins a more detailed description of that creation. In the Subāla Upaniṣad it is said: tad āhuḥ kiṁ tad āsīt tasmai sa hovāca na san nasan na sad asad iti tasmāt tamaḥ sañjāyate tamaso bhūtādir bhūtāder ākāśaṁ ākāśād vāyur vāyor agnir agner āpo 'dbhyaḥ pṛthivī tad aṇḍam abhavat "They said: What was in the beginning? He replied: In the beginning was neither existence nor non-existence. Nothing existed and nothing did not exist. In the beginning there was darkness. From the darkness the origin of the material elements was born. From the origin of the material elements, ether was born. From ether, air was born. From air, fire was born. From fire, water was born. From water, earth was born. In this way the egg of the material universe was created." Here it should be understood that akṣara, avyakta, mahat-tattva, tan-mātras, and material senses should also be placed, in this sequence, between darkness and ether. This should be done to complement the following statement of Agnimalaya: sandagdhvā sarvāṇi bhūtāni pṛthivy apsu pralīyate. āpas tejasi pralīyante. tejo vāyau pralīyate. vāyur ākāśe pralīyate. ākāśaṁ indriyeṣv indriyāṇi tan-mātreṣu tan- mātrāṇi bhūtādau vilīyante. bhūtādir mahati vilīyate. mahān avyakte vilīyate. avyaktam akṣare vilīyate. akṣaraṁ tamasi vilīyate. tama ekī-bhavati parasmin. parasmān na san nasan na sad asat. "When the all the elements are burned up, earth merges into water, water merges into fire, fire merges into air, air merges into ether, ether merges into the senses, the senses merge into the tan-mātras, the tan-mātras merge into the origin of the material elements, the origin of the material elements merges into the mahat-tattva, the mahat-tattva merges into the avyakta, the avyakta merges into the akṣara, and the akṣara merges into the great darkness. Then the great darkness becomes one with the Supreme. In the Supreme is neither existence nor non- existence. Nothing exists and nothing does not exist." The word "origin of the material elements" here means "the false-ego". False- ego is of three kinds. From false-ego in the mode of goodness, the mind and the demigods are manifested. From false-ego in the mode of passion, the material senses are manifested. From false-ego in the mode of ignorance are manifested the tan-mātras, from which are manifested the ether and the other elements. In this way these different explanations all corroborate each other.

In the Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad it is said: pūrvam hy ekam evādvitīyaṁ brahmāsīt. tasmād avyaktam vyaktam evākṣaraṁ tasmād akṣarān mahān mahato vā ahaṅkāras tasmād ahaṅkārāt pañca-tan-mātrāṇi tebhyo bhūtāni tair āvṛtam akṣaraṁ bhavati. "Before the material world was manifest, only the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is one without a second, existed. From Him came the avyakta. From the avyakta came the akṣara. From the akṣara came the mahat-tattva. From the mahat-tattva came false-ego. From false-ego came the five tan-mātras. From them came the material elements. The akṣara is filled with all these." Saṁśaya (doubt): Do the pradhāna and other parts of this sequence arise one from the other or do they all arise directly from the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Pūrvapakṣa: They arise from each other, for that is the statement of the texts. Siddhānta (the conclusion): The author of the sūtras gives His conclusion in the following words. Sūtra 12 tad abhidhyānād eva tu tal liṅgāt saḥ tat—that; abhidhyānāt—because of meditation; eva—indeed; tu—indeed; tat— that; liṅgāt—because of the body; saḥ—He. Because of meditation and because of the body, it is indeed He. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa The word "tu" (indeed) is used to dispel doubt. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the master of all potencies, including the potency of great darkness, the potency that begins the material creation. He is the direct cause, and the pradhāna, earth, and other features of the material creation are effects created by Him. Why is that? The sūtra explains: "Because of meditation and because of the body." The Śruti-śāstra explains:

so 'kāmayata bahu syāṁ prajāyeya "The Supreme Personality of Godhead desired: Let Me become many. Let me create the material world." Thus, it is by the desire of the all-powerful Supreme Personality of Godhead that the pradhāna and other features of the material world are created. That is how He is the cause of the material world. Also, the material world is the body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Personality of Godhead enters the great darkness of the material world and transforms it into pradhāna and the others aspects of matter. In this sense the material world is His body. This is confirmed by the Antaryāmī-brāhmaṇa of the Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad, and also by the Subala Upaniṣad, which explains: yasya pṛthivī śarīram "The world is the body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Adhikaraṇa 8 The Supreme Personality of Godhead Is the Cause of Matter's Transformations Sūtra 13 viparyayeṇa tu kramo 'ta upapadyate ca viparyayeṇa—by the reverse; tu—indeed; kramaḥ—sequence; ataḥ—from this; upapadyate—is manifested; ca—and. Indeed, this sequence is also reversed. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa The word "tu" (indeed) is used here for emphasis. In the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (2.1.3) it is said: