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

In this pada will be described first the original forms of the liberated souls, and then their glory, opulence, bliss, and other features. In the Chāndogya Upaniṣad (8.12.3) the demigod Brahmā explains: evam evaiṣa samprasādo 'smāt śarīrāt samutthāya paraṁ jyotir upasampadya svena rūpeṇābhiniṣpadyate sa uttamaḥ puruṣaḥ "By the Supreme Lord's mercy, the enlightened soul leaves his material body and enters the effulgent spiritual world. There he attains his own spiritual body. He becomes the most exalted of persons." Saṁśaya (doubt): Does the liberated soul attain a body, like the bodies of the demigods, that is different from himself, or does the manifest his original identity, which is not different from himself? Pūrvapakṣa (the opponent speaks): he attains a body different from himself. This must be so because the word “abhiniṣpadyate" (is attained) is employed here. Any other interpretation would make this word meaningless and would also make meaningless the scriptures' statement that liberation is a benefit attained by the soul. If this form is only the original nature of the soul and it had existed all along, then attaining it would not be a benefit granted to the soul. Therefore this form is newly attained by the soul and is different from the soul's original nature. Siddhānta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sūtras gives His conclusion. Sūtra 1 sampadyāvirbhāvaḥ svena-śabdāt sampadya—of he who has attained; āvirbhāvaḥ—manifestation; svena—svena; śabdāt—by the word. Because of the word "svena" it is the manifestation of he who has gone. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa The individual spirit soul who, by means of devotional service accompanied with knowledge and renunciation, attains the effulgent Supreme, becomes free from the bondage of karma and attains a body endowed with eight virtues. This body is said to be the soul's original form. Why is that? The sūtra explains, "svena-