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

Sūtra 26 prakāśaś ca karmaṇy abhyāsāt prakāśaḥ—appearance; ca—and; karmaṇi—in activity; abhyāsāt—by repetition. And when the activity is repeated, then He appears. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa The word "ca" (and) is used here to dispel doubt. When activities like meditation and worship are repeated, then the Lord appears. In the Dhyāna-bindu Upaniṣad (18) it is said: dhyāna-nirmathanābhyāsād devaṁ paśyen nigūḍhavat "By repeated meditation one is able to see the Supersoul hidden in the heart." By repeated meditation one develops love for the Lord, and at that time one is able to see the Lord. However, in the Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa it is said: na tam ārādhayitvāpi kaścid vyaktī-kariṣyati nityāvyakto yato devaḥ paramātmā sanātanaḥ "No one, simply by engaging in worship, can force the Lord to become visible. To a person who tries to force Him in this way, the eternal Lord is always invisible." The worship described here is worship performed without sincere love for the Supreme Lord. Here someone may object: Is it not true that the Supreme Lord is present within everything? If He is present within, then it is a contradiction to say that He can come out. He remains within and He does not come out. Therefore the statement that the Supreme Lord comes out and becomes directly visible is a collection of meaningless words, words that contradict the truth that the Lord is always present

within everything. If this objection is raised, then the author of the sūtras gives the following reply. Sūtra 27 ato 'nantena tathā hi liṅgam ataḥ—therefore; anantena—by the infinite; tathā—so; hi—indeed; liṅgam— evidence. It is so by the infinite. There is evidence. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa There is evidence to support both ideas: that the Supreme Lord is present within everything, and that the Supreme Lord becomes visible to they who meditate on Him. The unlimited Supreme Lord, pleased by His devotees' worship of Him, shows to them His own form. He does this by His inconceivable mercy. That should be accepted. How is this known? The sūtra explains: “There is evidence.” In the Atharva Veda it is said: vijñāna-ghanānanda-ghana-sac-cid-ānandaika-raso bhakti-yoge tiṣṭhati "The Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose sweet form is eternal and full of bliss and knowledge, becomes visible when He is worshiped with devotion." This means that by His mercy the Lord appears before they who worship Him with devotion. In the Nārāyaṇādhyātma it is said: nityāvyakto 'pi bhagavān īkṣate nija-śaktitaḥ tāṁ ṛte paramātmānaṁ kaḥ paśyetām itaṁ prabhum "Although He is always invisible, the Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes visible by His own power. Without first obtaining His mercy, who can see Him?"

This means that the Lord becomes visible by His own wish. The Supreme Lord Himself declares (Bhagavad-gītā 7.24): avyaktaṁ vyaktim āpannaṁ manyante mām abuddhayaḥ paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto mamāvyayam anuttamam "Unintelligent men, who do not know Me perfectly, think that I, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, was impersonal before and have now assumed this personality. Due to their small knowledge, they do not know My higher nature, which is imperishable and supreme."* Because the Lord becomes visible in response to His devotees' love, that does not mean that He is not also all-pervading, present within everything. He does both these actions by the power of His own internal potency. However, to they who do not love Him, He presents only a reflection or a shadow of Himself. The Lord Himself affirms (Bhagavad-gītā 7.25): nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ "I am never manifest to the foolish and unintelligent. For them I am covered by My internal potency."* Therefore, even though He is full of transcendental bliss and other auspicious qualities, He appears terrible and ferocious to they who have no love for Him. Therefore to they who do not love Him He remains invisible. Adhikaraṇa 14 The Lord's Qualities Are Not Different From His Self Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Now will be proved the truth that the Lord's qualities are not different from His self. If the Lord's qualities were different from His self, then His qualities would be secondary and unimportant, and thus love for the Lord, love inspired by those

गुण भी गौण तथा महत्त्वहीन हो जाएँगे। किन्तु, भगवान् के प्रति प्रेम गौण और महत्त्वहीन नहीं है। यह स्पष्ट रूप से देखा जाता है कि भगवान् के प्रति प्रेम परम महत्त्वपूर्ण है। भगवान् के गुणों का वर्णन श्रुति-शास्त्र में इस प्रकार है: विज्ञानमानन्दं ब्रह्म ॥ "परम पुरुष भगवान् ज्ञान और आनन्द-स्वरूप हैं।" यः सर्वज्ञः सर्वविद् ॥ "परम पुरुष भगवान् सर्वज्ञ एवं सर्ववित् (सब कुछ जानने वाले) हैं।" आनन्दं ब्रह्मणो विद्वान् ॥ "विद्वान् पुरुष ब्रह्म के आनन्द को भली-भाँति जानता है।" संशय: क्या उपास्य परमतत्त्व स्वयं ज्ञान और आनन्द रूप गुण ही है, और इस प्रकार निर्विशेष (निराकार) है, अथवा परमतत्त्व वह परम पुरुष है जो आनन्द और ज्ञान आदि गुणों से सम्पन्न है? पूर्वपक्ष: क्योंकि शास्त्रों में दोनों ही पक्षों का प्रतिपादन मिलता है, अतः किसी एक निश्चित निष्कर्ष पर पहुँचना सम्भव नहीं है। सिद्धान्त: निम्नलिखित शब्दों में सूत्रकार (महर्षि बादरायण) अपना निर्णय प्रस्तुत करते हैं। सूत्र २८ उभयव्यपदेशात्त्वहिकुण्डलवत् ॥ २८ ॥ उभय — दोनों का; व्यपदेशात् — कथन होने से; तु — किन्तु/निश्चय ही; अहि — सर्प; कुण्डल — और उसकी कुण्डली (वलयाकार स्थिति); वत् — के समान। अन्वय-अर्थ: दोनों ही प्रकार के (अभेद और भेद के) श्रुति-वचनों का व्यपदेश होने से, ब्रह्म और उसके गुणों का सम्बन्ध सर्प और उसकी कुण्डली के समान है। श्रीमद्बलदेवविद्याभूषण-विरचित गोविन्दभाष्य तात्पर्य

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the qualities of knowledge and bliss themselves, and He is also a person who possesses the qualities of knowledge and bliss. He is like a snake and its coils. As a snake both is and possesses its coils, so the Supreme Personality of Godhead both is and possesses His qualities. How is this known? The sūtra explains: “Because there is description of both.” The Śruti- śāstra describes both. That is the meaning. The word "tu" (indeed) here hints that the passages of the Śruti-śāstra have a single meaning. The meaning here is that the Lord is inconceivable. The Lord is not divided. It is not that these two kinds of explanations of the scriptures mean that one part of the Lord has one nature and another part of Him has a different nature. He is not divided into parts in that way. Sūtra 29 prakāśāśrayavad vā tejastvāt prakāśa—of light; āśraya—the shelter; vat—like; vā—or; tejastvāt—because of being splendid. Or, because He is effulgent He is like an abode of light. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is effulgent, that is to say because He is full of consciousness, therefore He is the abode of light. That is the conclusion. As the effulgent sun is the abode of light, so the all-knowing Supreme Personality of Godhead is the abode of knowledge. That is the meaning. The word "tejaḥ" is defined to mean either “the destroyer of ignorance” or “the destroyer of darkness". Sūtra 30 pūrvavad vā pūrva—past; vat—as; vā—or. Or, as the past.

Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa As it is said that time both possesses the past and also is the past itself, so the Supreme both possesses knowledge and bliss and also is knowledge and bliss. Thus the Supreme is both the quality and the possessor of the quality. In the Brahma Purāṇa it is said: ānandena tv abhinnena vyavahāraḥ prakāśavat pūrvavad vā yathā kālaḥ svāvecchedakatāṁ vrajet "As the sun is not different from its light or time is not different from its quality of the past, so the Supreme is not different from His bliss." In this series of analogies (sūtras 28-30) each analogy is more subtle than the one before it. Sūtra 31 pratiṣedhāc ca pratiṣedhāt—because of denial; ca—also. Also because it is denied. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa The word "ca" (also) is used here for emphasis. In the Kaṭha Upaniṣad (2.4.11 and 14) it is said: manasaivedam āptavyaṁ neha nānāsti kiñcana mṛtyoḥ sa mṛtyum āpnoti ya iha nāneva paśyati

"A pure heart can understand that the Lord and His attributes are not different. He who sees them as different travels from death to death." yathodakaṁ durge vṛṣṭaṁ parvateṣu vidhāvati evaṁ dharmān pṛthak paśyaṁs tān evānuvidhāvati "One who thinks the Lord and His attributes are different falls into hell as rainwater glides down a mountain peak." In the Nārada-pañcarātra it is said: nirdoṣa-pūrṇa-guṇa-vigraha ātma-tantro niścetanātmaka-śarīra-guṇaiś ca hīnaḥ ānanda-mātra-kara-pāda-mukhodarādiḥ sarvatra ca svagata-bheda-vivarjitātmā "The Supreme Personality of Godhead is independent, faultless, filled with virtues, not residing in a material body, untouched by the modes of nature or a material body fashioned of inanimate matter, but still possessing a face, belly, hands, feet and other features of a spiritual body filled with bliss. He is not different from His various limbs, features, and qualities." Because in this way the scriptures deny that the Lord is different from His attributes, therefore the Lord is not different from His attributes. Therefore the word “bhagavān” (the all-opulent Supreme Lord) is defined in terms of the Lord's knowledge and other attributes. In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa it is said: jñāna-śakti-balaiśvarya- vīrya-tejāṁsy aśeṣataḥ bhagavac-chabda-vācyāni vinā heyair guṇādibhiḥ "The word bhagavān' means He who has all knowledge, strength, wealth, power, heroism, and splendor, but no faults'." Although the Lord and His attributes are actually one, they are spoken of as being two in the same way that a body of water and its waves are spoken of as being two. The Lord is blissful. He is also bliss itself. Therefore His form is full of bliss. Because the Lord's activities are eternal, therefore the Lord's form is also eternal. However, for the sake of ordinary dealings a pretended distinction is made

between the Lord and His attributes, even though there is in truth no distinction at all. If this is not done then it would not be possible to speak sentences like, "Existence exists," "Time is always," and "Space is everywhere," statements that are useful in ordinary discourse. Nor are statements like “Existence exists" foolish illusions. They are meaningful statements, as the sentence "The jar exists" is a meaningful statement. These statements are not metaphors like the sentence "Devadatta is a lion", for the statement “Existence does not exist" can never be truthfully said. Nor do these statements hint that attributes do not exist, for in the previously stated example of water flowing from a mountain peak there are certainly attributes. However, the idea that the Supreme Lord is different from His attributes is certainly denied here. In this way the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not different from the attributes He possesses. Adhikaraṇa 15 The Supreme Personality of Godhead Experiences the Highest Bliss Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Now will be described the truth that the bliss and other attributes of the Lord are all of the highest nature. If the bliss and other attributes of the individual spirit souls were equal to the bliss and attributes of the Lord, love and devotion for the Lord would not be possible. Viṣaya (the subject to be discussed): Now will be discussed the texts that describe these attributes of the Lord. Saṁśaya (doubt): Are the bliss and other attributes of the Supreme Lord greater than the bliss and other attributes of the individual spirit souls, or are they not greater than them? Pūrvapakṣa (the opponent speaks): Because the bliss of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is described in the same terms used to describe the ordinary blisses of the material world, therefore the Lord's bliss is not greater. After all, when one speaks the word "jar" one doesn't mean something greater than a jar. Siddhānta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sūtras gives His conclusion.

Sūtra 32 param ataḥ setūnmāna-sambandha-bheda-vyapadeśebhyaḥ param—greater; ataḥ—than this; setu—of a bridge; unmāna—immeasurable; sambandha—relationship; bheda—difference; vyapadeśebhyaḥ—from the descriptions. It is greater because of the statements about a bridge, immeasurability, a relationship, and a difference. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa The bliss and other attributes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are greater than the bliss and attributes of the individual spirit souls. Why is that? The sūtra declares: "because of the statements about a bridge, immeasurability, a relationship, and a difference." The statement about a bridge is given in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad (8.4.1), where the bliss of the Supreme Lord is described in these words: eṣa setur vidhṛtiḥ "It is the highest bridge." The statement about immeasurability is given in the Taittirīya Upaniṣad (2.4.1): yato vāco nivartante "Unable to describe the immeasurable bliss of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, words return and become silent." The statement about a relationship is given in the Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad (4.3.32): etasyaivānandasyānyāni bhūtāni mātram upajīvanti "The bliss of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the highest. All others experience only a small portion of that bliss."

The statement about a difference is given in the following words: anyaj jñānaṁ tu jīvānāṁ anyaj jñānaṁ parasya ca nityānandāvyayaṁ pūrṇaṁ paraṁ jñānaṁ vidhīyate "The knowledge possessed by the individual spirit souls is one thing and the knowledge possessed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead is another. The perfect, complete, blissful, and immutable knowledge possessed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead is higher." The bliss and other attributes described in these statements are not at all like the ordinary bliss and other attributes found in this world. Here someone may object: Still, what is described with the word "jar" cannot really be different from a jar. To answer this objection the author of the sūtras speaks the following words. Sūtra 33 sāmānyāt tu sāmānyāt—because of resamblance; tu—but. But because of a common quality. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa The word "tu" (but) is used here to dispel doubt. As the word "jar" is used to describe many different kinds of jars, which all have a single quality of "jarness" in common, so the word "bliss" describes many different kinds of ordinary and extraordinary blisses, which all have a single quality of "blissness" in common. However the different kinds of bliss and other attributes are not alike in all respects. Therefore it is said: para-jñānamayo 'sadbhir

nāma-jāty-ādibhir vibhuḥ na yogavān na yukto 'bhūn naiva pārthiva yokṣyati "The Supreme Personality of Godhead has the highest transcendental knowledge. He never is, was, or will be touched by the temporary names and forms of the material world." It this way it is demonstrated that the knowledge possessed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead is superior to the knowledge possessed by the individual spirit souls. Here someone may object: If the Supreme Personality of Godhead is actually superior to the individual spirit souls and to the inanimate material world, then why does the Chāndogya Upaniṣad (3.14.1) declare: sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma taj jalān iti śānta upāsīta "Everything is the Supreme. Everything is manifested from Him. A peaceful sage should worship Him." In the following words the author of the sūtras answers this objection. Sūtra 34 buddhy-arthaḥ pāda-vat buddhi—of understanding; arthaḥ—for the purpose; pāda—foot; vat—like. It is for understanding, like the word "foot". Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa This teaching is meant to increase understanding. The understanding here is that everything belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is like the explanation of the word "foot" in the scriptures. In the Ṛg Veda (10.90.3) it is said: pādo 'sya viśvā bhūtāni

"पादोऽस्य सर्वा भूतानि त्रिपादस्यामृतं दिवि।" "समग्र जड़-प्रपञ्च उस परमेश्वर का केवल एक पाद (चरण) मात्र है।" यह सम्यक् बोध होने पर कि यह सम्पूर्ण जड़ जगत् परमेश्वर का केवल एक ही पाद है, साधक किसी से भी द्वेष नहीं करता, और तदनन्तर उसका हृदय श्रीभगवान् के प्रति अनन्य प्रेम-भक्ति में समर्पित हो जाता है। तथापि इसका अर्थ यह कदापि नहीं है कि मनुष्य प्रत्येक वस्तु में आसक्त हो जाए, क्योंकि ऐसा करने से बुद्धि मोहग्रस्त हो जाती है। ॥ अधिकरणम् १६ ॥ परमेश्वरस्य वैचित्र्यविशिष्टत्वम् (भगवान् वैचित्र्य-विहीन नहीं हैं) श्रीमद्-बलदेव-विद्याभूषण-विरचिता भूमिका (गोविन्दभाष्य-अवतरणिका): अथ नानाविधप्रेमानुरूपं भजनीयस्य नानाविधत्वं दर्शयति— अब यह तथ्य प्रतिपादित किया जाता है कि भगवान् के प्रति भक्तों के नानाविध प्रेम और भाव-वैचित्र्य के अनुरूप ही, उपास्य परमेश्वर श्रीहरि भी अनेक प्रकार के दिव्य विग्रहों (स्वरूपों) को स्वीकार करते हैं। यदि ऐसा न हो, तो भक्तों के नानाविध प्रेम-वैविध्य का प्रयोजन ही व्यर्थ सिद्ध होगा। भगवान् के ये अनन्त रूप अनादि एवं नित्य हैं। जैसा कि श्रुति-शास्त्र में वर्णित है: "एकोऽपि सन् बहुधा योऽवभाति" (यद्यपि वे एक ही हैं, तथापि वे अनेक रूपों में प्रकाशित होते हैं।) इस प्रकार, वे एक ही अद्वितीय परमपुरुष नित्य रूप से विभिन्न धामों एवं रूपों में युगपत् आविर्भूत रहते हैं। संशयः (सन्देह)—किं तेषु रूपेषु तारतम्यं (न्यूनाधिकभावः) अस्ति न वेति? संशय (हिन्दी)—क्या भगवान् के इन विभिन्न स्वरूपों में परस्पर कोई उच्च-नीच अथवा न्यूनाधिक भेद का तारतम्य है अथवा नहीं? पूर्वपक्षः—सर्वसाम्यात् परमात्मस्वरूपाणां परस्परं तारतम्यं नास्तीति। पूर्वपक्ष (हिन्दी)—चूँकि ये समस्त स्वरूप एक ही पूर्णब्रह्म परमेश्वर के हैं, अतः वे सभी सर्वथा समान हैं और उनमें कोई भेद या तारतम्य नहीं है। सिद्धान्तः—अत्रोच्यते, सूत्रकारः स्वसिद्धान्तं प्रकटयति— सिद्धान्त (हिन्दी)—इसके उत्तर में सूत्रकार महर्षि बादरायण निम्नलिखित शब्दों द्वारा अपने सिद्धान्त का प्रतिपादन करते हैं: ॥ सूत्रम् ३५ ॥ उपपत्तेश्च ॥ ३५ ॥

sthāna-viśeṣāt prakāśādi-vat sthāna—of places; viśeṣāt—from the variety; prakāśa—light; ādi—beginning with; vat—like. Like light and other things, so He also is different in different places. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead is one, nevertheless, in different places and before different devotees He manifests different kinds of opulence, power, and sweetness. In this way, in the presence of devotees in the various mellows, such as the mellows of peacefulness, servitude, and friendship, the Lord manifests many different kinds of forms. He does this in the same way as light or other things also manifest many different kinds of forms. As the light of a lamp appears clear or red when reflected from crystals or rubies set in a temple's walls, and as sound, although originally one, appears different when sounded by a conchshell, mṛdaṅga, flute, or other musical instrument, so the Supreme Personality of Godhead manifest sweetness and other attributes according to the different circumstances. That is the meaning. When the Lord manifests His great opulence, He is worshiped by the rules and regulations of vidhi-bhakti. That manifestation is compared to the light reflected from crystal. When the Lord manifests His great sweetness, He is worshiped by the spontaneous love of ruci- bhakti. That manifestation is compared to the light reflected from rubies. In this way the Lord's many manifestations in different abodes and in relation to the different kinds of devotion of different kinds of devotees, are basically of these two kinds (opulence and sweetness). Sūtra 36 upapateś ca upapateḥ—because of reasonableness; ca—also. Also because it is reasonable. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa

छान्दोग्योपनिषदि (३.१४.१) अपि तथैव वर्णितम्— "यथाक्रतुरस्मिँल्लोके पुरुषो भवति तथेतः प्रेत्य भवति" इति। (अर्थात्: जैसा मनुष्य का इस लोक में संकल्प या श्रद्धा होती है, परलोक में वह वैसा ही फल प्राप्त करता है।) नैतदन्यथा भवति। यथैकस्मिन् परमेश्वरे नानाविधानुरागाः सन्ति, तथैव स एक एव प्रभुर्बहुधा रूपैरात्मानं विस्तारयति। ॥ अथ सप्तदशं पराधिकरणम् ॥ (अधिकरणम् १७) विषयः: परमेश्वरस्यैव सर्वोत्कृष्टत्वम् (भगवान् ही सर्वोपरि हैं) श्रीमद्बलदेवविद्याभूषणविरचिता भूमिका (अवतारणिका): इदानीं परमेश्वरस्यैव सर्वोपरित्वरूपं सत्यं प्रतिपाद्यते। यदि परमेश्वरादपि कश्चिद् उत्कृष्टः स्यात्, तदा तस्मिन् प्रेमाभक्तिभावस्य विकास एव न सम्भवेत्। श्वेताश्वतरोपनिषद् (३.४) स्पष्टमेव कथयति यत् स एव प्रभुः सर्वमहान्। किन्तु श्वेताश्वतरोपनिषदि (३.१०) परमेश्वरादपि परं किमपि तत्त्वमस्तीति वर्णितमिव प्रतिभाति। संशयः: किं समाराध्यतम-परमेश्वरादपि उत्कृष्टतरः कश्चिद् व्यक्तिर्वा तत्त्वं विद्यते, उत नास्ति? पूर्वपक्षः: परमेश्वरादपि परं किमपि श्रेष्ठतरं तत्त्वमस्ति, यतः श्वेताश्वतरोपनिषदि (३.१०) "ततो यदुत्तरतरं तदरूपमनामयम्" इति स्पष्टं वर्णितम्। सिद्धान्तः: अस्मिन् विषये सूत्रकारः श्रीवेदव्यासः स्वसिद्धान्तं प्रतिपादयति— ॥ ब्रह्मसूत्रम् ॥ तथान्याप्रतिषेधात् ॥ ३.२.३७ ॥ पदच्छेदः एवं शब्दार्थः: तथा — तथा एव (परमेश्वर एव सर्वोत्कृष्टः); अन्य — अन्यस्य (परमेश्वरात् परस्य श्रेष्ठतरस्य); प्रतिषेधात् — निषेधदर्शनात् (श्रुतिभिः खण्डितत्वात्)। सूत्रार्थः (हिन्दी अनुवाद): वैसा ही है (अर्थात् परमेश्वर ही सर्वोपरि तत्त्व हैं), क्योंकि श्रुतियों द्वारा उनसे श्रेष्ठ किसी भी अन्य तत्त्व का स्पष्ट निषेध किया गया है।

Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Nothing is greater than the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Why is that? The sūtra explains: "for another is denied." In the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (3.9) it is said: yasmāt paraṁ nāparam asti kiñcid yasmān nāṇīyo na jyāyo 'sti kiñcit "There is no truth superior to that Supreme Person because He is the supermost. He is smaller than the smallest, and He is greater than the greatest."* In this way the scriptures deny the existence of anything greater than the Supreme Lord. That is the meaning here. In Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (3.8) it is said: vedāham etaṁ puruṣaṁ mahantam āditya-varṇaṁ tamasaḥ parastāt tam eva viditvāti mṛtyum eti nānyaḥ panthāḥ vidyate 'yanāya "I know that Supreme Personality of Godhead who is transcendental to all material conditions of darkness. Only he who knows Him can transcend the bonds of birth and death. There is no way for liberation other than knowledge of that Supreme Person."* After thus teaching that no path but knowledge of the Supreme Person leads to liberation, the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (3.9) explains: yasmāt paraṁ nāparam asti "There is no truth superior to that Supreme Person." In this way is proved that there is no truth superior to the Supreme Lord. In Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (3.10) it is said: tato yad uttarataraṁ tad arūpam anāmayam ya etad vidur amṛtās te bhavanty athetare duḥkham evāpi yānti

"They who know that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is greater than the greatest, and has no material body and no faults, become immortal. They who do not know Him suffer." In this way the scriptures declare that there is no truth superior to the Lord. In this way the false idea of our opponent is disproved. In Bhagavad-gītā (7.7), the Supreme Lord Himself declares: mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya "O conqueror of wealth, there is no truth superior to Me."* Adhikaraṇa 18 The Lord is All-pervading Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Now, to show that the object of worship is always nearby, the truth that the Supreme Lord is all-pervading will be described. Otherwise, if the Supreme Lord were not always nearby, then there would not be enthusiasm to love the Lord, and love for the Lord would become slackened. In the Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad it is said: eko vaśī sarva-gaḥ kṛṣṇa īḍyaḥ "Lord Kṛṣṇa, the supreme controller and the supreme object of worship, is present everywhere." Saṁśaya (doubt): Is Lord Hari, the supreme object of meditation, all-pervading, or does He stay only in one place? Pūrvapakṣa (the opponent speaks): Because the Lord is of moderate height, and because He stays aloof from the material world, the Lord cannot be everywhere and does not go to every place. Therefore the Lord is not all-pervading. Siddhānta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sūtras gives

His conclusion. Sūtra 38 anena sarvagatatvam āyāma-śabdādibhyaḥ anena—by Him; sarva—everywhere; gata—going; tvam—the state of being; āyāma—all-pervasiveness; śabda—Śruti-śāstra; ādibhyaḥ—beginning with. He is everywhere, for the Śruti-śāstra and other scriptures declare that He is all- pervading. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Even though His form is of a moderate height, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is all-pervading. Why is that? The sūtra explains: "the Śruti-śāstra and other scriptures declare that He is all-pervading." Here the word "āyāma" means "all-pervading". The word "ādi" (beginning with) here means "because He has inconceivable potencies". In the Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad it is said: eko vaśī sarva-gaḥ kṛṣṇa īḍyaḥ "Lord Kṛṣṇa, the supreme controller and the supreme object of worship, is present everywhere." In the Taittirīya Āraṇyaka it is said: yac ca kiñcij jagat sarvaṁ dṛśyate śrūyate 'pi vā antar bahiś ca tat sarvaṁ vyāpya nārāyaṇaḥ sthitaḥ "Lord Nārāyaṇa is present everywhere. He is within and without everything. He is within everything that has ever been seen or heard." In this way it is declared that, even though He has a form of moderate height, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is certainly all-pervading. Because of His inconceivable potencies the Lord is greater than all and present everywhere, even

though His form is of a moderate height. In Bhagavad-gītā (9.4 and 5), the Supreme Lord Himself declares: mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ na ca mat-sthāni bhūtāni paśya me yogam aiśvaram "By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them. And yet everything that is created does not rest in Me. Behold My mystic opulence!"* Because the Supreme Lord is different from matter does not mean that He cannot be all-pervading within the material world, for the Śruti-śāstra clearly declares that He is certainly present within and without. The scriptures also affirm that as oil is present in sesame seeds and as butter is present in yogurt, so the Supreme Lord is present everywhere. In this way it is proved that worshipable Lord Hari is present everywhere. This is clearly shown in His Dāmodara pastime. Even though He was a small child, still He displayed His power of being all- pervading. Adhikaraṇa 19 The Supreme Lord Awards the Fruits of Action Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Now will be described the truth that the Supreme Lord awards all the fruits of action. Otherwise, if He did not award the fruits of action, or if He awarded only some of the fruits of action, because of His miserliness it would be difficult to develop love for Him. In the Praśna Upaniṣad (3.7) it is said: puṇyena puṇyaṁ lokaṁ nayati "The Supreme Lord takes the pious to the world of the pious."

संशयः — क्या स्वर्गलोक-प्राप्ति आदि पुण्य-फल यज्ञादि कर्मों के अनुष्ठान से स्वतः प्राप्त होते हैं, अथवा वे परमेश्वर के विधान (स्वीकृति) द्वारा प्राप्त होते हैं? पूर्वपक्षः — ये समस्त फल यज्ञादि कर्मों के सम्पादन से ही उत्पन्न होते हैं; इसमें परमेश्वर की कोई भूमिका नहीं है। सिद्धान्तः — इसके समाधान में सूत्रकार भगवान् बादरायण अपना निश्चित मत (सिद्धान्त) प्रस्तुत करते हैं—

सूत्र ३९

फलमत उपपत्तेः ॥ ३९ ॥ पदच्छेदः एवं शब्दार्थः फलम् — कर्मफल; अतः — उस परमेश्वर से ही; उपपत्तेः — क्योंकि यही युक्तिसंगत (उपपन्न) है। सूत्रार्थः कर्मों का फल उस परमेश्वर से ही प्राप्त होता है, क्योंकि यही युक्तियुक्त है। श्रील बलदेव विद्याभूषण विरचित गोविन्दभाष्य (तात्पर्य) स्वर्गलोक की प्राप्ति तथा अन्य पुण्य-फल, जो यज्ञादि सद्धर्मों के अनुष्ठान से साध्य हैं, वस्तुतः स्वयं परमेश्वर द्वारा ही प्रदान किए जाते हैं। ऐसा क्यों? इस पर सूत्रकार कहते हैं—"उपपत्तेः" (क्योंकि यही तर्कसंगत है)। नित्य, सर्वज्ञ, सर्वशक्तिमान् एवं परम उदार परमेश्वर की जब यज्ञादि कर्मों द्वारा आराधना की जाती है, तब वे ही कालान्तर में उन सत्कर्मों का अभीष्ट फल प्रदान करते हैं। कर्म तो स्वतः अचेतन (जड़) हैं तथा उत्पन्न होकर क्षणमात्र में विनष्ट हो जाते हैं; अतः वे विनष्ट होकर कालान्तरभावी फल देने में असमर्थ हैं। यही इसका तात्पर्य है। अग्रिम सूत्र में सूत्रकार इसका श्रुति-प्रमाण प्रस्तुत करते हैं—

सूत्र ४०

श्रुतत्वाच्च ॥ ४० ॥ पदच्छेदः एवं शब्दार्थः श्रुतत्वात् — श्रुति-शास्त्र में ऐसा ही प्रतिपादित होने के कारण; च — तथा / भी। सूत्रार्थः तथा श्रुति-शास्त्र द्वारा प्रमाणित होने के कारण भी (वही फलदाता सिद्ध होते हैं)।

Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa In the Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad (3.9.28) it is said: vijñānaṁ ānandaṁ brahma rātir dātuḥ parāyaṇaṁ "The Supreme Personality of Godhead is full of knowledge and bliss. It is He who gives the fruits of actions to they who perform yajñas." In the Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad (4.4.24) it is also said: sa vā eṣa mahān aja ātmā annādo vasu-dānaḥ "The unborn Supreme Personality of Godhead gives the fruits of work." These two passages explain that the Supreme Lord gives the fruits of action. The word "dātuḥ" means "of the performer of yajña", and "rātiḥ" means “the giver of the results". Sūtra 41 dharmaṁ jaiminir ata eva dharmaṁ—piety; jaiminiḥ—Jaimini; ataḥ—from Him; eva—indeed. Jaimini affirms that piety comes from Him. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Jaimini holds that piety comes from the Supreme Lord. The pious deed that gives an auspicious result itself comes from the Supreme Lord. In the Kauṣītaki Upaniṣad (3.8) it is said: eṣa eva sādhu karma kārayati