गोविन्द भाष्य (श्रील बलदेव विद्याभूषण - अचिन्त्यभेदाभेद वेदान्त ब्रह्मसूत्र भाष्य सटीक)
Govinda Bhashya of Baladeva Vidyabhushana with Commentary
श्रील बलदेव विद्याभूषण (संपादक: कृष्णदास बाबा जी) द्वारा
Supreme Personality of Godhead, this universe certainly came into being by accepting both the primary and secondary causes of creation."* The process of pañcī-karaṇa is also described here. In this way the creation should be understood. In the process of pañcī-karaṇa each of the five elements is divided in half, half of the halves are again divided in half, and the smaller halves are then joined with the larger in compound elements. In Chāndogya Upaniṣad (6.5.1) it is said: annam aśitaṁ tridhā vidhīyate "When food is eaten it is transformed in three ways." This transformation is completely different from the threefold combination of earth and the other elements previously described. Therefore this passage cannot be used to support the theory that the individual spirit soul is the creator of the names and forms of this world. The scriptural passage uses the phrase "ātmanā jīvena". By thus placing these two words in apposition, it is clear that the word "jīva" (individual soul) here means "by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose potency is the individual spirit souls". In a similar way the passage beginning with the words “viriñco vā" is also explained. Understood in this way the indeclineable past participle "praviśya" and the third-person verb following it can be understood in their primary meanings without any difficulty. In this way it is easily seen that the two actions described by the words "praviśya and "vyākaravāṇi" are certainly performed by the same agent. Therefore it is certainly the Supreme Personality of Godhead who performed the act of creation described in the verb "vyākaravāṇi". This is corroborated by the following words of Taittirīya Āraṇyaka (3.12.16): sarvāṇi rūpāṇi vicitya dhīro nāmāni kṛtvābhivadan yad āste "The all-knowing Supreme Personality of Godhead created all forms and names." Adhikaraṇa 13 The Vehicles of the Soul Are Made of Earth
Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Now the nature of the material body, which is called by the name "mūrti" will be examined. In the Bṛhad-āraṇyaka (3.2.13) it is said that the material body is made of earth: śarīraṁ pṛthivīm apy eti "The material body becomes earth." However, in the Kauṇḍinya-śruti it is said that the material body is made of water: adbhyo hīdam utpadyate āpo vāva māṁsam asthi ca bhavanty āpaḥ śarīram āpa evedaṁ sarvam. "From water the material body is created. Water becomes transformed into flesh and bones. The entire body is water." Another text of the Śruti-śāstra claims that the material body is made of fire: saḥ agner deva-yonyāḥ "The demigods' bodies are made of fire." Saṁśaya (doubt): What is the truth here? Pūrvapakṣa (the opponent speaks): One text says the material body is made of earth, another says it is made of water, and another that it is made of fire. Because the scriptures give these three differing explanations, the truth cannot be ascertained. Siddhānta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sūtras give His conclusion. Sūtra 21
मांसादि भौमं यथाशब्दमितरयोश्च ॥ पदच्छेद एवं शब्दार्थ: मांस — मांस; आदि — इत्यादि; भौमम् — पृथ्वी से उत्पन्न; यथा — जैसा; शब्दम् — श्रुति-शास्त्र; इतरयोः — अन्य दोनों का; च — भी। अनुवाद: जैसा कि श्रुति-शास्त्र कहता है, मांस आदि अवयव पृथ्वी के विकार हैं। अन्य दोनों (जल और तेज) के विषय में भी ऐसा ही समझना चाहिए। श्रील बलदेव विद्याभूषण विरचित गोविन्द-भाष्य (तात्पर्य): मांस आदि शरीर के अवयव पृथ्वी तत्व से बने हैं। रक्त जल से निर्मित है और अस्थियाँ तेज से बनी हैं। यह श्रुति-शास्त्र में वर्णित है (यथा-शब्दम्)। गर्भोपनिषद् में कहा गया है: यत् कठिनं सा पृथिवी यद् द्रवं तद् आपो यद् उष्णं तत् तेजः ॥ श्रुत्यर्थ: "शरीर में जो कठिन (ठोस) भाग है वह पृथ्वी है, जो द्रव रूप है वह जल है, और जो उष्ण (ऊष्मा) है वह तेज है।" इस प्रकार यह सिद्ध होता है कि समस्त भौतिक देह इन तीनों तत्वों के संघात से ही निर्मित हैं। पूर्वपक्ष: यहाँ कोई यह आपत्ति कर सकता है कि यदि सभी भौतिक तत्व त्रिवृत्कृत (परस्पर मिश्रित) हैं और कोई भी तत्व शुद्ध रूप में नहीं है, अपितु सभी तीनों तत्वों के सम्मिश्रण हैं, तो शास्त्र यह क्यों कहते हैं कि "शरीर का यह भाग तेज से बना है, यह भाग जल से बना है और यह भाग पृथ्वी से बना है"? सिद्धान्त: इस आक्षेप का निराकरण करते हुए सूत्रकार निम्नलिखित उत्तर प्रस्तुत करते हैं: सूत्र २२ वैशेषात्तु तद्वादस्तद्वादः ॥ पदच्छेद एवं शब्दार्थ: वैशेषात् — विशेष भाव (तत्व के आधिक्य) के कारण; तु — किन्तु (आशङ्का-निवारणार्थ); तत् — उस रूप; वादः — कथन या व्यवहार; तत् — उस रूप; वादः — कथन (द्विरुक्ति पाद-समाप्ति सूचक है)। अनुवाद: किसी विशेष तत्व की अधिकता होने के कारण ही वैसा व्यपदेश (कथन/नामकरण) किया जाता है। विशेष भाव होने से ही वैसा कहा गया है। श्रील बलदेव विद्याभूषण विरचित गोविन्द-भाष्य (तात्पर्य)
The word "tu" (but) is used to dispel doubt. Everywhere in the material world the elements are arranged in threefold compounds with one element predominating. The elements are therefore named according to the predominating element. The word "tad-vādaḥ" is repeated to indicate the end of the chapter. Epilogue vardhasva kalpāga samaṁ samantāt kuruṣva tāpa-kṣatim āśritānām tvad-aṅga-saṅkīrṇi-karāḥ parās tā hiṁsrā lasad-yukti-kuṭhārikābhiḥ O tree that fulfills all desires, please extend yourself in all directions. To they who take shelter of you please give the shade that stops all troubles. The glistening axes of logic have now cut away the underbrush that choked you. Chapter 3 Pada 1 Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa na vinā sādhanair devo jñāna-vairāgya-bhaktibhiḥ dadāti sva-padaṁ śrīmān atas tāni budhaḥ śrayet The glorious Supreme Personality of Godhead does not give residence in His abode to they who do not follow the path of devotion, knowledge, and renunciation. Therefore the wise should take shelter of that path. In the previous two chapters was explained the truth that the entire Vedānta philosophy describes the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the only creator of the material world, completely faultless, a jewel mine of transcendental virtues,
eternal, full of knowledge and bliss, the supreme person, and meditated on by they who seek liberation. In those chapters all opposing views were refuted, and the real nature of the Supreme was described. In this third chapter will be described the spiritual practices that should be followed in order to attain the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The most important of these are thirst to attain the Supreme Lord and a disinterest in what has no relation to the Lord. That is explained in the first two padas. In the first pada, in order to show that one should renounce the world, the various defects of material existence are explained. In this connection the description of the soul's travels from one kind of material body to another kind of material body are quoted from the Pañcāgni-vidyā chapter of the Chāndogya Upaniṣad. In the second pada, in order to show that one should love the Supreme Lord, the Lord's many glories and virtues will be described. In the Pañcāgni-vidyā portion of the Chāndogya Upaniṣad (Adhyāya 5, khaṇḍas 3-10) are described the individual souls departure for another world and return to this world. Saṁśaya (doubt): When the individual soul goes to the next world does he take his subtle body with him or not? Pūrvapakṣa (the opponent speaks): The soul does not take the subtle body with him. Siddhānta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sūtras gives His conclusion. Sūtra 1 tad-antara-pratipattau raṁhati saṁpariṣvaktaḥ praśna-nirūpaṇābhyām tat - of that; antara - of another; pratipattau - in the attainment; raṁhati - goes; saṁpariṣvaktaḥ - embraced; praśna - from the questions; nirūpaṇābhyām - and answers. In going to another it is embraced. This is so from the questions and answers. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Here the word "tad" means "the body". That meaning is taken from the word "mūrti" in sūtra 2.4.20. When it leaves one gross material body and enters another, the soul takes the subtle body with it. How is that known? It is known from the questions beginning in Chāndogya Upaniṣad 5.3.3 and answers beginning in 5.4.1. Here is the gist of that passage. A king named Pravāhaṇa, who was the ruler of Pañcāla-deśa, asked five
questions of a brāhmaṇa bow named Śvetaketu who had come to his court. These questions concerned: 1. the destination of they who perform pious deeds, 2. the way these persons return to the earth, 3. they who do not attain that world, 4. how the path to the devas and the path to the pitās are different paths, and 5. the question expressed in these words (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 5.3.3): vettha yathā pañcamyām āhutāv āpaḥ puruṣa-vacaso bhavanti "Do you know why the fifth libation is called puruṣa? Unhappy because he did not know the answer to these questions, the boy approached his father, Gautama Muni, and expressed his sorrow. The father also did not know the answers and, wishing to learn them, approached Pravāhaṇa. Pravāhaṇa wished to give wealth to his guest, but Gautama begged from him the alms of the answers to the five questions. Answering the last question first, Pravāhaṇa described (Chāndogya Upaniṣad (5.4.1) the five fires: 1. heaven, 2. rain, 3. earth, 4. man, and 5. woman. Then he described the five libations for these fires: 1. śrāddha, 2.soma, 3. rain, 4. food, and 5. seed. The priests offering all these libations are the devas. The homa (yajña) here is the devas' throwing of the spirit soul, which is enveloped in its subtle body, up to the celestial worlds (dyuloka) so it may enjoy celestial pleasures. The devas here are the senses of the soul who has passed through death. These devas offer śrāddha in the fire of the celestial world. That śrāddha becomes a celestial body named somarāja, a body suitable for enjoying celestial pleasures. When the time of enjoyment is over the devas offer a yajña where this body is placed in the fire of parjanya and transformed into rain. The devas then offer a yajña where that rain is placed in the fire of earth and transformed into grains. The devas then offer a yajña where those grains are placed in the fire of a man's food and transformed into semen. The devas then offer a yajña where that semen is placed in the fire of a woman's womb and transformed into an unborn child. In that way the question was answered with the words (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 5.9.1): iti tu pañcamyām āhutāv āpaḥ puruṣa-vacaso bhavanti. "Thus the fifth libation is called puruṣa." In this sequence it is seen that in the fifth libation semen is offered in the fire of a woman's womb and the result is a material body, which is thus called puruṣa. That is the meaning. In this description it is thus seen that, accompanied by the subtle material body, the soul leaves one gross material body, goes to the celestial world, falls from there, and, still accompanied by the same subtle material body, again enters a woman's womb. Here someone may object: Is it not so that the word āpaḥ" (water) is used here with the word "puruṣa". How, then, can it be that the soul is accompanied by all
the elements of the subtle material body. In the following words the author of the sūtras answers this objection. Sūtra 2 try-ātmakatvāt tu bhūyastvāt tri-ātmakatvāt - because of being threefold; tu - but; bhūyastvāt - because of being prominent. But because of being threefold and because of being prominent. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa The word "tu" (but) is used here to dispel doubt. The other elements go because the water here is threefold, a compound of three elements. Because the semen, which is the seed of the material body, is primarily water, therefore it is porper to call it water. In the Smṛti-śāstra it is said: tāpāpanodo bhūyastvam ambhaso vṛttayas tv imāḥ "Because it has the power to remove heat, water is said to predominate." In this way the water is prominent. Sūtra 3 prāṇa-gateś ca prāṇa - of the pranas; gateḥ - of the departure; ca - and. Also because of the prāṇas' departure. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa When the soul enters another material body the prāṇas also come. This is described in Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad (4.4.2): tam utkrāmantaṁ prāṇo 'nūtkrāmati prāṇam anūtkrāmantam sarve prāṇā anūtkrāmanti. "When the soul departs, the principal prāṇa follows. When the principal prāṇa
departs, the other prāṇas follow." The prāṇas cannot exist without taking shelter of a maintainer. They take shelter of the elements of the subtle material body. Therefore it must be accepted that the subtle material body accompanies the soul. That is the meaning. Sūtra 4 agny-ādi-gati-śruter iti cen na bhāktatvāt agni - fire; ādi - beginning; gati - going; śruteḥ - fromthe Śruti-śāstra; iti - thus; cet - if; na - not;bhāktatvāt - because oif being a metaphor. If it is said that the Śruti-śāstras describe the departure of fire and other elements, then I reply: It is not so, because it is a metaphor only. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Here someone may object: Is it not so that in the Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad it is said: yasyāsya puruṣasya mṛtasyāgniṁ vāg apy eti vātaṁ prāṇa
॥ श्रीवेदान्तदर्शनम् - ब्रह्मसूत्रम् ॥ ॥ तृतीयाध्यायः - प्रथमः पादः (तदन्तरप्रतिपत्तिपादः) ॥ (पूर्वपक्ष-सिद्धान्त-युक्त-श्रुति-निष्कर्षः) इति श्रुतिशास्त्रस्य सिद्धान्तः। ॥ सूत्रम् ५ ॥ प्रथमेऽश्रवणादिति चेन्न ता एव ह्युपपत्तेः ॥ ५ ॥ पदच्छेदः एवं पदविभागार्थः — प्रथमे — प्रथमाहुतौ (प्रथम होम में) अश्रवणात् — अपां शब्देन अश्रुतेः, अभावात् (जल का साक्षात् कथन न होने से) इति चेत् — यदि ऐसी शङ्का की जाए न — तो यह शङ्का ठीक नहीं है ताः एव — ते एवापः (वे जल ही 'श्रद्धा' शब्द से अभिप्रेत हैं) हि — क्योंकि उपपत्तेः — प्रश्न-प्रतिवचनयोरौचित्यात् (प्रश्न और उत्तर की संगति सिद्ध होने से)। भावार्थः — यदि यह कहा जाए कि प्रथमाहुति में जल का श्रवण नहीं है, अतः जीव जलावृत होकर नहीं जाता; तो ऐसा नहीं है, क्योंकि प्रश्न और उत्तर के समन्वय की उपपत्ति से वहाँ 'श्रद्धा' शब्द से जल ही विवक्षित है। श्रीगोविन्दभाष्यम् (श्रील बलदेव विद्याभूषण विरचितम्) — पूर्वपक्षः — अत्र कश्चित् प्रत्यवतिष्ठते — यदि पञ्चास्वप्याहुतिषु सर्वत्र अपां हवनं स्यात्, तर्हि पञ्चम्यामाहुतावापः पुरुषवचसो भवन्तीति जीवस्याद्भिः सम्परिष्वक्तस्य गमनमुपपद्येत। न चैतदस्ति; यतः प्रथमाहुतौ 'आपः' हूयन्त इति नैव श्रूयते, अपि तु 'श्रद्धां' देवा जुह्वतीति श्रूयते। तथा च श्रुतिः — तस्मिन्नेतस्मिन्नग्नौ देवाः श्रद्धां जुह्वति ॥ इति द्युलोकाग्नौ श्रद्धाया एवाहुतिमुपदिशति। 'श्रद्धा' शब्दस्तु चित्तवृत्तिविशेषवाची, न जातुचिदब्वचनः। 'सोम'प्रभृतयः शब्दाः कथञ्चिदप्परतया व्याख्यातुमर्हाः, न तु 'श्रद्धा'शब्दः। तस्मात् जीवस्य अद्भिः सम्परिष्वक्तत्वं न सम्भवतीति पूर्वपक्षे प्राप्ते — सिद्धान्तः — उच्यते — 'न ता एव ह्युपपत्तेः'। प्रथमेऽग्नौ या श्रद्धा हूयते, सा अप एव, न तु मानसिकी चित्तवृत्तिः। कुतः? 'उपपत्तेः' — प्रश्न-प्रतिवचनयोरैकरूप्येण उपपद्यमानत्वात्। तथाहि प्रश्नः — "वेत्थ यथा पञ्चम्यामाहुतावापः पुरुषवचसो भवन्ति" इति। अनेन सर्वास्वेवाहुतिषु अपामेव हवनं पृष्टम्। तदुत्तरे च आरम्भे — 'देवाः श्रद्धां जुह्वति' इति प्रतिपाद्यते। यदि अत्र श्रद्धाशब्देन आपो न गृह्येरन्, तर्हि प्रश्नस्याननुरूपमुत्तरं स्यात्। अतः प्रश्नप्रतिवचनयोरेकार्थतायै श्रद्धाशब्देनाप एव ग्राह्याः। उत्तरासु चतसृष्वाहुतिषु सोम-वृष्टि-अन्न-रेतःशब्दितानाम् अपामेव स्पष्टं श्रवणं दृश्यते। तेषां सोमादीनां श्रद्धाकार्यत्वात्, कार्य-कारणयोश्च सादृश्यात् कारणभूता श्रद्धापि जलरूपा एव। तस्मात् श्रद्धाशब्देन जलमेवोच्यते। अपां श्रद्धाशब्दवाच्यत्वे श्रुतिप्रमाणं च भवति (तैत्तिरीयसंहिता १।६।८।१) — श्रद्धा वा आपः ॥ इति श्रुतिवचनादपि श्रद्धाशब्देनापां ग्रहणं सुतरां सिद्धम्।
"The word śraddhā means water." Therefore the word "śraddhā" here does not refer to a condition of the mind. The meaning of a condition of the mind is not appropriate in this context of offering yajñas. In this way it is shown that the departing soul is certainly accompanied by water. Here someone may object: In this part of the Śruti-śāstra it said that the water departs, but it is not said that the soul departs. The soul is not mentioned in this passage. To remove this doubt the author of the sūtras gives the following reply. Sūtra 6 aśrutatvād iti cen na iṣṭādi-kāriṇāṁ pratīteḥ aśrutatvāt - because of not being described in the Śruti-śāstra; iti - thus; cet - if; na - not; iṣṭādikāriṇām - by they who perfom pious deeds; pratīteḥ - because of the understanding. If it is said that this is not proved in the Śruti-śāstra, then I reply: No, because this is understood to be about they who perform pious deeds. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa The word "aśrutatva" here means "unproved". The passage in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad describes the travel to the moon of they who perform pious deeds. The passage states (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 5.10.3-4): atha ya ime grāme iṣṭāpūrte dattam ity upāsate te dhūmam abhisamviśanti. . . ākāśāc candramasam eṣa somo rājā. "They who perform pious deeds in their village enter the smoke, . . . and then they go from the sky to the moon planet, where the become the king of soma." In this way they who perform pious deeds go to the moon and become known as Somarāja (the king of soma). About the fire and Devaloka it is said (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 5.4.2): devāḥ śraddhāṁ juhvati. tasyāḥ āhuteḥ somo rājā sambhavati. "The devas offer śraddhā in sacrifice. From that offering he becomes a king of soma."
In this way śraddhā-śarīra (a body made of śraddhā) and somarāja (the king of soma) both refer to the same thing. They both mean "body" and in this context the word body" means the individual spirit soul, because the soul takes shelter of a body. In this way it is understood that the departing soul is accompanied by water. Here someone may object: Is it not so that in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad (5.10.4) it is said: eṣa somo rājā devānām annaṁ taṁ devā bhakṣayanti "That king of soma is the devas' food. The devas eat it." Because the Śruti-śāstra thus says that this king of soma is eaten by the devas it is not possible that the phrase king of soma" here refers to the individual spirit soul, for no one can eat the soul. If this is said, then the author of the sūtras gives the following reply. Sūtra 7 bhāktaṁ vānātma-vittvāt tathā hi darśayati bhāktaṁ - metaphor; vā - or; an - not; ātma - the soul; vit - knowing; tvāt - because of the condition; tathā - so;hi - indeed; darśayati - shows. Or it is a metaphor, because of ignorance of the Supersoul. This the Śruti-śāstra shows. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa The word "vā" (or) is used here to dispel doubt. The word "somarāja" here refers ot the individual spirit soul. The description that it is the devas' food is only a metaphor. The soul is said to be the devas' food because the soul serves the devas and thus pleases them. That is the meaning. The do this because they are ignorant of the Supersoul. The Śruti-śāstra shows that they who are ignorant of the Supersoul become servants of the devas. In Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (1.4.10) it is said: atha yo 'nyāṁ devatām upāste anyo 'sāv anyo 'ham asmīti na sa veda yathā paśur eva sa devānām. "A person who thinks, `I am different from the demigods' worships the demigods. He becomes like an animal in the demigods' service.
Here is the meaning of this. It is not possible that the devas eat the individual souls. the meaning here is that the souls please the demigods and in this way become like food for them. They please the demigods by serving them. It is said: viśo 'nnaṁ rājñāṁ paśavo 'nnaṁ viśām "The vaiśyas are the kṣatriyas' food, and the cows are the vaiśyas' food." In this passage it is clear that the word "food" is not used literally. It is used to mean "servant".If the word [food" were used in the literal sense, then the rules of the jyotiṣṭoma and other yajnas would all be meaningless. If the devas ate whomever went to Candraloka, why would the souls beso eager to perform yajnas and go there? In this way it is proved that the deprting soul is accompanied by water. Adhikaraṇa 2 The Soul's Return to the Earth Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Viṣaya (Statement of the Subject): Following Chāndogya Upaniṣad 5.10.3, which describes how the soul that has performed pious deeds travels by the smoke and other pathways, attains Svargaloka, stays there for some time, and then again returns to the earth, is this passage (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 5.10.5): yāvat saṁpātum uṣitvāthaitam evādhvānaṁ punar nivartate. "After staying there for some time his karma is exhausted and he again returns." Saṁśaya (doubt): When it leaves Svargaloka, does the soul bring its past karma or not? Pūrvapakṣa (the opponent speaks): The soul stays in Svargaloka for as long as he has the results of past karma. This is described in Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad (4.4.6): prāpyāntam karmaṇas tasya "He stays there until he reaches the end of his karma." This shows that the soul only falls when his past karma is completely exhausted. The word "saṁpāta" (karma) is derived from the verb "sampat" (to
ascend), as in the words "sampatanty anena svargam" (the instrument by which the souls ascend to Svargaloka). The word "anuśaya" (which also means karma) is derived from the verb śiṣ" (to remain) and means "that which remains after one has enjoyed". It means "that which remains and pushes the soul to experience certain results." In Svargaloka one uses up all his past karma, and therefore no further karma remains. Siddhānta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sūtras gives his conclusion. Sūtra 8 kṛtātyaye 'nuśayavān dṛṣṭa-smṛtibhyām kṛta - of what is done; atyaye - at the end; anuśaya - karma; vān - possessing; dṛṣṭa - from the Śruti-śāstra; smṛtibhyām - from the Smṛti-śāstra. At the end there is still karma, because of the statements of Śruti and Smṛti śāstras. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa When the good karma of pious deeds performed to enjoy in Candraloka is exhausted, the enjoyment ends and the soul attains a new body to enter flames of suffering. In this way, when his good karma is exhausted, he falls down. How is that known? The sūtra explains: "dṛṣṭa-smṛtibhyām" (by the statements of Śruti and Smṛti śāstras). The Śruti-śāstra (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 5.10.7) explains: tad ya iha ramaṇīya-caraṇābhyāso ha yat te ramaṇīyāṁ yonim āpadyeran brāhmaṇa-yoniṁ vā kṣatriya-yoniṁ vaiśya-yoniṁ vā. atha ya iha kapūya- caraṇābhyāso ha yat te kapūyāṁ yonim āpadyeran śva-yoniṁ vā śūkara-yoniṁ vā cāṇḍāla-yoniṁ vā. "When one acts piously, he attains a good birth. He is born as a brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya or a vaiśya. When one acts sinfully, he attains a sinful birth. He is born as a dog, a pig, or an outcaste." Here the words "ramaṇīya-caraṇa" means pious deeds". This refers to pious karma remaining after one has enjoyed pious karmas. The word "abhyāsa" means "repeated practice". This word is formed from the verb "as", the preposition "abhi" and the affix kvip". The meaning of the word "ha" (indeed) is obvious. The word "yat" means "when". In this passage there are when-then clauses. In the Smṛti-śāstra it is said: iha punar-bhave te ubhaya-śeṣābhyāṁ niviśanti.
"Accompanied by the remnants of their good and bad karma, they again enter the world of repeated birth." In this way it is clear that the soul falling from Svargaloka still has past karma. This does not contradict the description in Chāndogya Upaniṣad 5.10.5 because that passage described only the exhaustion of the specific karmas that brought the soul to Svargaloka and not the exhaustion of other karmas. Now the author of the sūtras describes the method of the soul's descent. Sūtra 9 yathetam anevaṁ ca yathā - as; itam - departed; an - not; evam - thus;ca - and. Also, not as he went. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa The soul, who still has karma, does not descend from Candraloka in the same way he rose to Candraloka. The words yathā itam" mean "as he arrived". The word "an-evam" means "in a different way". The soul descends by the path of smoke and the path of ether. These paths were also traveled in the ascent. However, in the descent there is no mention of the night or other paths used in the ascent. Also, in the descent there is mention of the cloud and other paths not used in the ascent. Therefore the descent is not like (anevam) the ascent. Sūtra 10 caraṇād iti cen na tad-upalakṣaṇārtheti kārṣṇājiniḥ caraṇāt - by conduct; iti - thus; cet - if; na - not;tad-upalakṣaṇa-arthā - that meaning; iti - thus; kārṣṇājiniḥ - Kārṣṇājini. If it is said to be by conduct, then Kārṣṇājini replies: No. Here it has the same meaning. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Here someone may object: It is not so that the soul fallen from Svargaloka attains a new birth according to his past karma. The passage quoted here from the
Śruti-śāstra uses the word ramaṇīya-caraṇa" (good conduct). The word "caraṇa" means "conduct". It has not the same meaning as anuśaya" (karma). The difference of the two words is seen in the following statement of Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad: yathācārī yathākārī tathā bhavati "As one performed caraṇa, and as one performed karma, so one attains an appropriate birth." To this I reply: There is no fault here to interpret the word "caraṇa" as a synonym of karma. Kārṣṇājini Muni affirms that in this passage of Chāndogya Upaniṣad (5.10.7) the word "caraṇa" means karma. This is also true because the Śruti-śāstras affirm that karma is the origin of conduct. That is the meaning. Sūtra 11 ānarthakyam iti cen na tad-apekṣatvāt ānarthakyam - meaninglessness; iti - thus; cet - if;na - not; tad-apekṣatvāt - because of being in relation to that. If it is said that it has no meaning, then I reply: No. Because it is in relation to that. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Here someone may object: If karma is indeed the source of all that is good, then good conduct is useless and the rules of good conduct are also useless. If this is said, then the author of the sūtras replies: No. It is not so. Why not? The sūtra explains: "Because good karma itself is created by good conduct." One cannot attain good karma without performing good conduct. The Smṛti-śāstra explains: sandhyā-hīno 'śucir nityam anarhaḥ sarva-karmasu "A person who is impure and does not chant the Gāyatrī prayer is not qualified to perform any pious karmas." Therefore, Kārṣṇājini Muni explains, because good conduct is the cause of good karma, the word "caraṇa" in this passage means "karma".
सूत्र १२ सुकृतदुष्कृते एवेति तु बादरिः ॥ ३।१।१२ ॥ पदच्छेद एवं शब्दार्थ: सुकृत — पुण्य कर्म; दुष्कृते — पाप कर्म; एव — ही / वस्तुतः; इति — इस प्रकार; तु — किन्तु / परन्तु; बादरिः — बादरि मुनि। सूत्रार्थ: किन्तु बादरि मुनि का विचार है कि ('चरण' शब्द से) पुण्य और पाप कर्म ही अभिप्रेत हैं। श्रील बलदेव विद्याभूषण विरचित गोविन्दभाष्य तात्पर्य: यहाँ 'तु' शब्द पूर्वपक्ष का निराकरण करने के लिए प्रयुक्त हुआ है। आचार्य बादरि का विचार है कि यहाँ 'चरण' शब्द का तात्पर्य 'पुण्य और पाप कर्म' ही है। इसका दृष्टान्त इस वाक्य में मिलता है: पुण्यं कर्माचरति अर्थात् "वह पुण्य कर्म का अनुष्ठान करता है।" इस वाक्य में 'आचरति' क्रिया का प्रयोग 'कर्म करने' के अर्थ में ही हुआ है। यदि किसी शब्द का मुख्य (प्राथमिक) अर्थ सम्भव हो, तो गौण अर्थ को स्वीकार करना न्यायसंगत नहीं होता। अतः यहाँ 'चरण' शब्द का अर्थ 'कर्म' ही है, तथा इसके अतिरिक्त अन्य कोई व्याख्या निरर्थक है। 'चरण' (सदाचार) वस्तुतः कर्म का ही एक विशिष्ट प्रकार है। चरण और कर्म में भेद केवल उसी प्रकार है जैसे कुरुओं और पाण्डवों में (ब्राह्मण-परिव्राजक न्यायवत्)। सूत्र में प्रयुक्त 'एव' (ही) शब्द यह संकेत करता है कि यह मत स्वयं सूत्रकार (श्री वेदव्यास जी) का भी अभीष्ट मत है। अतः चूँकि 'चरण' कर्म का ही एक विशेष प्रकार है, यह सिद्ध होता है कि स्वर्गलोक से अवरोहण करने वाला जीव अपने अवशिष्ट कर्मों (अनुशय) से युक्त होकर ही लौटता है। अधिकरण ३ अनिष्ठादिकार्यधिकरणम्: क्या पापी जीव भी चन्द्रलोक को जाते हैं?
Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Thus it has been said that a person who performs pious deeds goes to Candraloka and then again returns with the remainder of his karma. Now will be discussed whether sinners who perform no pious deeds also go and return in the same way. In Īśa Upaniṣad (3) it is said: āsūryā nāma te lokā andhena tamasāvṛtāḥ tāṁs te pretyābhigacchanti ye ke cātma-hano janāḥ "The killer of the soul, whoever he may be, must enter into the planets known as the worlds of the faithless, full of darkness and ignorance."* Saṁśaya (doubt): Do the sinners go to Candraloka or Yamaloka? Pūrvapakṣa (the opponent speaks): The opponent gives his opinion in the following sūtra. Sūtra 13 aniṣṭādi-kāriṇām api ca śrutam an—not; iṣṭa—pious deeds; ādi—beginning with; kāriṇām—of the performers; api—also; ca—and; śrutam—in the Śruti-śāstra. The Śruti-śāstra declares that it is also so for they who do not perform iṣṭa or other pious deeds. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa The Śruti-śāstra declares that they who perform iṣṭa and other pious deeds, as well as they who do not perform iṣṭa and other pious deeds, both go to Candraloka. This is explained in the Kauṣītaki Upaniṣad (1.2):
॥ श्रीब्रह्मसूत्रम् ॥ तृतीयाध्यायः — प्रथमः पादः अधिकरणम् — संयमनाधिकरणम् श्रुति-उद्धरणम् (कौषीतकि-उपनिषद् १.२): ये वै के चास्माल्लोकात्प्रयान्ति चन्द्रमसमेव ते सर्वे गच्छन्ति। श्रुति-अनुवाद: "इस लोक से जो कोई भी प्रयाण करते हैं, वे सभी अवश्य ही चन्द्रलोक को जाते हैं।" पूर्वपक्षः इस श्रुति-वचन द्वारा शास्त्र यह प्रतिपादित करता है कि बिना किसी भेद के 'सभी' जीव चन्द्रलोक को जाते हैं। अतः पापी जन भी उस 'सभी' शब्द के अन्तर्गत ही संगृहीत होते हैं। ऐसा होने पर, ईशोपनिषद् आदि के वचन पापियों को दुष्कर्मों से विरत करने हेतु केवल भय दिखाने मात्र हैं। वस्तुतः पुण्यात्मा और पापात्मा दोनों ही एक समान फल को प्राप्त करते हैं। सिद्धान्तः अत्रोच्यते—नैतदेवम्, पापी कभी भी सुख का अनुभव नहीं करता। इस विषय में सूत्रकार व्यासदेव अपना सिद्धान्त-वचन प्रस्तुत करते हैं: ब्रह्मसूत्रम् (सूत्र १४): संयमने त्वनुभूयेतरेषामारोहावरोहौ तद्गतिदर्शनात् ॥ १४ ॥ पदच्छेदः संयमने, तु, अनुभूय, इतरेषाम्, आरोहावरोहौ, तद्गतिदर्शनात्। शब्दार्थः संयमने = यमराज की संयमनी नगरी में; तु = किन्तु (पूर्वपक्ष के निवारणार्थ); अनुभूय = यातना का अनुभव (भोग) करके; इतरेषाम् = अन्यों का (जिन्होंने इष्टादि पुण्यकर्म नहीं किए हैं अर्थात् पापियों का); आरोहावरोहौ = ऊपर जाना और पुनः नीचे आना (आरोह और अवरोह); तद्गतिदर्शनात् = श्रुति-शास्त्र में उनकी ऐसी ही गति का वर्णन देखे जाने से। सूत्रार्थः किन्तु जो पुण्यकर्मी से इतर (पापी) हैं, वे संयमनी (यमलोक) में जाकर दण्ड भोगकर पुनः नीचे लौटते हैं, क्योंकि श्रुति में उनकी इसी प्रकार की गति का दर्शन होता है। श्रील बलदेव विद्याभूषण विरचित गोविन्दभाष्यम् (तात्पर्य): यहाँ 'तु' शब्द पूर्वपक्ष के निराकरण और खण्डन के लिए प्रयुक्त हुआ है। 'इतरेषाम्' पद का अर्थ है—वे अज्ञानी जीव जिन्होंने इष्टापूर्त आदि धर्म-कर्मों का आचरण नहीं किया। 'संयमने' पद का अभिप्राय यमराज की संयमनी नामक पुरी से है। पापी जीव उसी संयमनी में जाते हैं, जहाँ यमराज द्वारा उन्हें दण्डित किया जाता है और तदुपरान्त वे पुनः भूलोक में फेंक दिए जाते हैं। उनका गमन और आगमन इसी व्यवस्था के अन्तर्गत होता है। सूत्रकार हेतु प्रस्तुत करते हैं—'तद्गतिदर्शनात्' अर्थात् श्रुति-शास्त्र में उनकी ऐसी ही गति का निरूपण मिलता है। जैसा कि कठोपनिषद् (१.२.६) में यमराज नचिकेता से कहते हैं: उपनिषद्-श्रुति (कठोपनिषद् १.२.६): न साम्परायः प्रतिभाति बालं प्रमाद्यन्तं वित्तमोहेन मूढम्। अयं लोको नास्ति पर इति मानी पुनः पुनर्वशमापद्यते मे॥ श्रुति-हिन्दी-व्याख्या: धन के मोह से मूढ़ और प्रमादग्रस्त अविवेकी मनुष्य को परलोक का साधन (तत्त्व-ज्ञान) कभी प्रतिभासित नहीं होता। 'यही लोक सत्य है, परलोक कुछ नहीं है'—ऐसा मानने वाला पुरुष बारम्बार मेरे (मृत्यु अर्थात् यमराज के) वश में आता है। उपसंहार: अतः यह सिद्ध हुआ कि चन्द्रलोक केवल सकाम पुण्यकर्मियों के लिए है, पापी जन संयमनी जाकर यातना भोगकर सीधे अधोलोक को प्राप्त होते हैं।
"The path to liberation does not appear before a childish fool intoxicated by the illusory wealth of this world. He who thinks, `This is the only world. There is no world beyond this,' falls into my control again and again." In this way the Śruti-śāstra explains that the sinners are punished by Yamarāja. That is the meaning. Sūtra 15 smaranti ca smaranti—the Smṛti-śāstra; ca—also. The Smṛti-śāstras also affirm it. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.30.23) explains: tatra tatra patan chrānto mūrchitaḥ punar utthitaḥ pathā pāpīyasā nītas tarasā yama-sādanam "While passing on that road to the abode of Yamarāja, he falls down in fatigue, and sometimes he becomes unconscious, but he is forced to rise again. In this way he is very quickly brought to the presence of Yamarāja."* In the Smṛti-śāstra it is also said: sarve caite vaśaṁ yānti yamasya bhagavan. "O Lord, all sinners come under Yamarja's dominion." In this way the sages and Smṛti-śāstras affirm that the sinners come under Yamarāja's control.
Sūtra 16 api sapta api—also; sapta—seven. There are seven and others also. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa In the Mahābhārata it is said: rauravo 'tha mahāṁś caiva vahnir vaitaraṇī tathā kumbhīpāka iti proktāny anitya-narakāṇi tu tamisras cāṇḍa-tāmisro dvau nityau samprakīrtitau iti sapta pradhānāni balīyas tūttarottaram "The temporary hells named 1. Raurava, 2. Mahān, 3. Vahni, 4. Vaitaraṇī, and 5. Kumbhīpāka, as well as the permanent hells named 6. Tamisra, and 7. Andha- tamisra, are said to be the seven most important hells, each one more horrible than the last." Thus the Smṛti-śāstra explains that sinners are punished for their sins in these hells. These hells are the places where sinners go. The word "api" (also) is used to indicate that in the Fifth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam other hells are also described. Here someone may object: Does this (the description of Yamarāja's punishment of sinners) not contradict the scriptures' declaration that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the supreme controller of everything? The author of the sūtras now answers this objection: