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

The "neti neti" passage quoted by the pūrvapakṣa has already been refuted in sūtra 3.2.22. The word "ādi" (beginning with) should be understood to imply the Lord's other qualities, such as His purity, mercy, forgiveness, omniscience, omnipotence, bliss, handsomeness, and many others. That is why Parāśara Muni defines the word "bhagavān" as "The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is supremely pure, filled with spiritual good qualities, and the master of great potencies". Then Parāśara Muni explains that the Lord has many transcendental qualities, such as His being the maintainer of all, the master of all, the master of all opulences, possessing all intelligence, and many other qualities also. In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa (6.5.72-75) Parāāsra Muni says: śuddhe mahā-vibhūty-ākhye pare brahmaṇi śabdyate maitreya bhagavac-chabdaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇe "O Maitreya, the word bhagavān' means The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is supremely pure, who is the cause of all causes, and who is the master of great potencies.' sambharteti tathā bhartā bha-kāro 'rtha-dvayānvitaḥ netā gamayitā sraṣṭā ga-kārārthas tathā mune "The syllable bha' means the maintainer of all' or the protector of all'. O sage, the syllable ga' means the leader', the savior', or `the creator'. aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ jñāna-vairāgyayos cāpi ṣaṇṇāṁ bhaga itīṅganāḥ "Full wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge, and renunciation: these are the six opulences of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.* vasanti yatra bhūtāni bhūtātmany akhilātmani sa ca bhūteṣv aśeṣeṣu vakārārthas tato 'vyayaḥ

jñāna-śakti-balaiśvarya. . . "The syllable va' means the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in whom everything abode, and who Himself abides in all beings.' Therefore the word bhagavān' means The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has all knowledge, power, and opulences'. " Therefore the Supreme Personality of Godhead's truthfulness and other qualities are not different from Him. In this way it is proved that one should meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead as being not different from His qualities. Adhikaraṇa 18 The Goddess of Fortune Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Now will be explained the truth that the goddess of fortune is the best of the Lord's qualities. In the Śukla Yajur-Veda (31.22) it is said: śrīś ca te lakṣmīś ca patnyau "O Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī and Lakṣmī are Your wives." Some say that Śrī is Ramā-devī and Lakṣmī is Bhāgavatī Sampat. Others say that Śrī is Vāg-devī and Lakṣmī is Ramā-devī. In the Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad (.141) it is said: kamalā-pataye namaḥ "Obeisances to Lord Kṛṣṇa, the goddess of fortune's husband." In the Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad (1.42) it is also said: ramā-mānasa-haṁsāya

govindāya namo namaḥ "Obeisances to Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is the pleasure of the cows, the land, and the senses, and who is a swan swimming in the Mānasa lake of the goddess of fortune's thoughts." In the Rāma-tāpanī Upaniṣad it is said: ramādhārāya rāmāya "Obeisances to Lord Rāma, on whom the goddess of fortune rests." Saṁśaya (doubt): Is the goddess of fortune material, and therefore not eternal, or is she spiritual, and therefore eternal? Pūrvapakṣa (the opponent speaks): In Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad (2.3.6) it is said: athāta ādeśo neti neti "This is the teaching: It is not this. It is not this." These words show that the Supreme has no qualities and therefore it is not possible that, ultimately, the goddess of fortune can be His wife. The goddess of fortune is a material illusion, a manifestation of the material mode of pure goodness.. Therefore the goddess of

because She has many other virtues, She is the source of what is to be desired, both there and in other places also. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa The words "sā eva" (she indeed) are understood from the previous sūtra. The "she" here is the transcendental goddess of fortune, who in both the spiritual sky (tatra), which is untouched by matter, and also in the world of the five material elements (itaratra), fulfills the desires of her master. She is the eternal goddess of fortune. The word "kāma" here means "the desire for amorous pastimes". The word "ādi" (beginning with) here means "personal service and other activities appropriate for these pastimes. In this way the goddess of fortune is transcendental. Why is that? The sūtra explains: "āya-tanādibhyaḥ". The word "āya" means "all-pervading". The word “tana" means "giving liberation an bliss to the devotees". In these two ways she is like the Lord Himself, who possesses truthfulness and a host of other virtues. The word "ādi" (beginning with) here hints that she is spiritual in nature. The statement of Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (6.8) also affirms that she is spiritual. In this way she is spiritual and all-pervading. She has knowledge, compassion, and a host of other virtues, and she is also a giver of liberation. In these ways the goddess of fortune is not different from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa it is said: nityaiva sā jagan-mātā viṣṇoḥ śrīr anapāyinī yathā sarva-gato viṣṇus tathaiveyaṁ dvijottama "The goddess of fortune is the eternal companion of Lord Viṣṇu. She is the mother of the universe. O best of the brāhmaṇas, as Lord Viṣṇu is all-pervading, so is she also." It is also said in the scriptures: ātma-vidyā ca devi tvaṁ vimukti-phala-dāyinī "O goddess of fortune, You are the Lord's spiritual knowledge. You are the giver of liberation." If the goddess of fortune were not spiritual it would be improper to ascribe these two qualities (all-pervasiveness and giving liberation) to her. That the

goddess of fortune is spiritual is described in the following words of the Viṣṇu Purāṇa: procyate parameśo yo yaḥ śuddho 'py upacārataḥ prasīdatu sa no viṣṇur ātmā yaḥ sarva-dehinām "May supremely pure Lord Viṣṇu, who is the master of the spiritual goddess of fortune and the Supersoul of all living entities, be merciful to us." The word "para-mā" in this verse means "the spiritual (para) goddess of fortune (mā)". Because the goddess of fortune has been described as being all-pervading and having other spiritual attributes, it is not possible that she is material. In this way it is proved that the goddess of fortune is not material. For these reasons the goddess of fortune is spiritual and eternal. Here someone may object: Is it not so that if the goddess of fortune is the spiritual potency of the Lord, (which is not different from the Lord), then it is not possible for her to have devotion for the Lord? After all, it is not possible for a person to have devotion to himself. If this objection is raised, then the author of the sūtras replies in the following words. Sūtra 41 ādarād alopaḥ ādarāt—because of devotion; alopaḥ—non-ending. Because of devotion it does not cease. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Although in truth the goddess of fortune is not different from the Lord, still, because the Lord is a jewel mine of wonderful qualities, and also because He is the root of the goddess of fortune's existence, the love and devotion that the goddess bears for Him never ceases. The branch never ceases to love the tree, nor the moonlight the moon. Her love and devotion for the Lord is described in many

places in the Śruti-śāstra. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.29.37) it is said: śrīr yat-padāmbuja-rajaś cakame tulasyā labdhvāpi vakṣasi padaṁ kila bhṛtya-juṣṭam "Dear Kṛṣṇa, the lotus feet of the goddess of fortune are always worshiped by the demigods, although she is always resting on Your chest in the Vaikuṇṭha planets. She underwent great austerity and penance to have some shelter at Your lotus feet, which are always covered by tulasī leaves."* Here someone may object: Is it not true that amorous love is possible only when there are two: the lover and the beloved? If there is no difference between the lover and the beloved, then love is not possible between them. If this is said, then the author of the sūtras gives the following reply. Sūtra 42 upasthite 'tas tad-vacanāt upasthite—being near; ataḥ—thus; tat—of that; vacanāt—from the statement. It is in His presence. It is so because of the statement. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa The word "upasthite" means "nearness". even though the Lord's potency and the Lord Himself, the shelter of that potency, are one, still, because the Lord is the best of males and His potency is the jewel of young girls, when They are together there is naturally the perfection of blissful amorous pastimes. How is that known? The sūtra explains: "tad-vacanāt" (because of the statement). In the Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad (2.25) it is said: yo ha vai kāmena kāmān kāmayate sa kāmī bhavati. yo ha vai tv akāmena kāmān kāmayate so 'kāmī bhavati. "He who lusts after pleasures is lusty. He who enjoys without material lust is not lusty."

In these words the amorous pastimes of the Lord are described. The word "a- kāmena" here means "with something that bears certainly similarities to lust". This thing with some similarities to material lust is the Lord's pure spiritual love. That is the meaning. With spiritual love He enjoys the goddess of fortune, who is actually Himself. In this way He finds pleasure and fulfillment. For this there is no fault on His part. By touching the goddess of fortune, who is actually Himself, the Lord enjoys transcendental bliss. It is like a person gazing at his own handsomeness (in a mirror). That is what is said here. Different from His spiritual potency (parā śakti) is the potency of the Lord's form (svarūpa-śakti). The Śruti-śāstras and other scriptures explain that through the svarūpa-śakti the Supreme Lord manifests as the best of males, and through the parā śakti the Lord manifests His various transcendental qualities. It is through the parā śakti that the Lord manifests His knowledge, bliss, mercy, opulence, power, sweetness, and other qualities. It is also through the parā śakti that the Vedic scriptures are manifested. In the same way is manifested the earth and other places. manifesting as the Lord's pleasure potency (hlādinī śakti), the parā śakti appears as Śrī Rādhā, the jewel of teenage girls. Although the Lord and His parā śakti are not different, still, for enjoying different pastimes, They are manifested as different. In this way the Lord's desires are perfectly and completely fulfilled. These manifestations of the parā śakti, beginning with the manifestation of the Lord's qualities, are not manifested only recently. They are beginningless and eternal. They will never cease to exist. Therefore the devotees should meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead as accompanied by the goddess of fortune. Adhikaraṇa 19 The Many Forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa In the Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad (1.54) it is said: tasmāt eva kṛṣṇaḥ paro devas taṁ dhyāyet taṁ raset taṁ bhajet taṁ yajet. iti. oṁ tat sat. "Therefore, Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One should meditate on Him, glorify Him, serve Him, and worship Him. Oṁ Tat Sat."

Saṁśaya (doubt): Must one always worship Lord Hari as Kṛṣṇa or is it possible to worship Him in another form also? Pūrvapakṣa (the opponent speaks): Because this passage ends the Upaniṣad the proper interpretation is the worship of Lord Hari must always be directed to the form of Lord Kṛṣṇa alone. Siddhānta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sūtras gives His conclusion. Sūtra 43 tan nirdharaṇāniyamas tad dṛṣṭaiḥ pṛthag hy apratibandhaḥ phalam tat—of that; nirdharaṇa—of determination; a—not; niyamaḥ—rule; tat—that; dṛṣṭaiḥ—by what is seen; pṛthak—distinct; hi—indeed; a—not; pratibandhaḥ— obstruction; phalam—fruit. There is no restriction in that regard. It is different because of what is seen. Non-obstruction is the result. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa There is no rule that says one must worship Lord Hari in His form as Kṛṣṇa only and not in His form of Lord Balarāma or any of His other forms. Even when He is a tiny infant as Yaśodā's breast, Lord Kṛṣṇa is always all-pervading, all- knowing, and full of bliss. How is that known? The sūtra explains: "tad-dṛṣṭaiḥ" (Because of what is seen). In Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad (2.48) it is said: yatrāsau saṁsthitaḥ kṛṣṇas tribhiḥ śaktyā samāhitaḥ rāmāniruddha-pradyumnai rukmiṇyā sahito vibhuḥ catuḥ-śabdo bhaved eko hy oṁkāras hy aṁśakaiḥ kṛtaḥ "Lord Kṛṣṇa, accompanied by His three potencies and by Balarāma, Aniruddha, Pradyumna, and Rukmiṇī, stays in delightful Mathurā Purī. These four names are

identical with the name Om." Lord Balarāma and the other incarnations are all forms of Lord Kṛṣṇa and so They also should be worshiped. That is the meaning. Here someone may object: If that is so then the phrase “kṛṣṇa eva" (Kṛṣṇa indeed), emphasizing Lord Kṛṣṇa would become meaningless. To this objection the sūtra replies: "pṛthak" (it is different). This means, "the result is different". What is that different result? the sūtra explains: “apratibandhaḥ" (non-obstruction is the result). This means, "the removal of the obstructions to the worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa, obstructions caused by thinking any other form is the highest form of the Lord." Therefore, if one is able and if one is so inclined, he may worship other forms of the Lord, which are all non-different from Lord Kṛṣṇa. Adhikaraṇa 20 The Spiritual Master Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Now will be explained the truth that Lord Kṛṣṇa is attained by one who approaches a genuine spiritual master. In its description of transcendental knowledge, the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (6.23) explains: yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ prakāśante mahātmanaḥ "Only to those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed."* In the Chāndogya Upaniṣad (6.14.2) it is said: ācāryavān puruṣo veda

"One who approaches a bona fide spiritual master can understand everything about spiritual realization."* In the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (1.2.12) it is said: tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet "To learn the transcendental subject matter, one must approach a spiritual master."* Saṁśaya (doubt): is the result obtained merely by hearing the scriptures from the spiritual master, or must that hearing be accompanied by the attainment of the spiritual master's mercy? Pūrvapakṣa (the opponent speaks): The result is obtained merely by hearing the scriptures. Why would one need to attain the spiritual master's mercy? Siddhānta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sūtras gives His conclusion. Sūtra 44 pradāna-vad eva tad uktam pradāna—gift; vat—like; eva—indeed; tat—that; uktam—said. It is like a gift. That is said. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa When the spiritual master is pleased with a person that person is able to hear the scriptures and follow the path of spiritual advancement. In this way one attains the Lord. By merely hearing the scriptures and following the spiritual path one will not be able to attain the Lord. Therefore it is said that the spiritual master's mercy is essential. The prefix "pra" in this sūtra hints at the word "prasāda" (mercy). The lotus-eyed Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself explains in the Bhagavad-gītā (13.8); ācāryopāsanaṁ śaucam

"ज्ञान का अर्थ है प्रामाणिक सद्गुरु की शरण ग्रहण करना और विशुद्ध होना।" इस प्रकार शास्त्र स्पष्ट करते हैं कि परम पुरुष श्रीभगवान् की प्राप्ति सद्गुरु की कृपा से ही सम्भव होती है। अधिकरण २१ श्रीगुरुकृपा-अधिकरणम् (सद्गुरु की कृपा) श्रील बलदेव विद्याभूषण द्वारा भूमिका संशय: कौन अधिक महत्वपूर्ण है: व्यक्ति का अपना प्रयास अथवा सद्गुरु की कृपा? पूर्वपक्ष: यदि कोई अपनी ओर से यत्न (प्रयास) नहीं करता, तो सद्गुरु की कृपा प्रभावकारी नहीं होगी। अतः व्यक्ति का अपना प्रयास ही अधिक महत्वपूर्ण है। सिद्धान्त: सूत्रकार (श्रीवेदव्यास) निम्नलिखित शब्दों में अपना निष्कर्ष प्रस्तुत करते हैं। सूत्र ४५ लिङ्गभूयस्त्वात् तद्धि बलीयस्तदपि ॥ लिङ्ग — प्रमाणों/लक्षणों के; भूयस्त्वात् — बाहुल्य के कारण; तत् — वह (गुरुकृपा); हि — निश्चय ही; बलीयः — अधिक बलवान्/श्रेष्ठ; तत् — वह; अपि — भी। अनेक प्रमाणों व लक्षणों के बाहुल्य से वह (गुरुकृपा) ही अधिक बलवती है, वह भी। श्रील बलदेव विद्याभूषण कृत भाष्य / तात्पर्य यद्यपि वृषभ तथा अन्य जीवों का रूप धारण करने वाले देवताओं द्वारा पहले ही सत्यकाम को परमतत्त्व का उपदेश प्राप्त हो चुका था, तथापि शिष्य सत्यकाम ने अपने सद्गुरु से ही पुनः प्रार्थना की (छान्दोग्योपनिषद् ४।९।२):

bhagavāṁs tv eva me kāmaṁ brūyāt "O master, please teach me the truth." In the same way Upakośala (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 4.10.1-4.14.3), even though he had already attained spiritual knowledge from the sacred fires, nevertheless approached his spiritual master for instruction. In these two passages of the Chāndogya Upaniṣad it is clearly seen that the mercy of the spiritual master is the most important. Here someone may say: If that is so, then what is the need of doing anything at all? One should not think in that way. One should still study the scriptures and follow the spiritual path. In the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (6.23) it is said: yasya deve parā bhaktiḥ "One should engage in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead." In the Śruti-śāstra it is said: śrotavyaḥ mantavyaḥ "One should meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead and hear His glories." In the Smṛti-śāstra it is said: guru-prasādo balavān na tasmād balavattaram tathāpi śravaṇādiś ca kartavyo mokṣa-siddhaye "The spiritual master's mercy is most important. Nothing is more important. Still, in order to attain liberation one should certainly hear the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and serve Him in many ways."

Adhikaraṇa 22 The Supreme Personality of Godhead and the Individual Spirit Soul Are Not Identical

Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa

In this way it is proved that by attaining the spiritual master's mercy and by worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has the most glorious transcendental qualities, one attains the desired result. Now an apparent contradiction will be resolved. In the Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad the sages ask Brahmā questions beginning with, "Who is the supreme object of worship?" Brahmā answers that Lord Kṛṣṇa is the supreme object of worship, and devotional service is the way to attain Him. However, in the Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad (2.49) it is also said:

tasmād eva paro rajasa iti so 'ham ity avadhārya gopālo 'ham iti bhāvayet. sa mokṣam aśnute sa brahmatvam adhigacchati sa brahma-vid bhavati.

"One should think, I am the Supreme Lord beyond the passions of the material world'. One should think, I am Lord Gopāla'. In this way one attains liberation. In this way one attains the state of being the Supreme Lord. In this way one understands the Supreme."

The words "so 'ham" (I am He) clearly show the idea that the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the individual spirit souls are not different.

Saṁśaya (doubt): Do the words "so 'ham" (I am He) here teach the doctrine that the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the individual spirit souls are identical, or do they teach some aspect of the doctrine of devotional service, a doctrine already been described in this book?

Pūrvapakṣa (the opponent speaks): The natural meaning of the words here is that the doctrine of oneness is the way to liberation.

Siddhānta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sūtras gives His conclusion.

Sūtra 46

pūrva-vikalpaḥ prakaraṇāt syāt kriyā-mānasa-vat pūrva—previous; vikalpaḥ—concept; prakaraṇāt—from the context; syāt—may be; kriyā—actions; mānasa—mind; vat—like. Because of the context it is like what goes before. It is like the thoughts and deeds. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa The declaration "so 'ham" (I am He) in the Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad should be understood according to the passages that precede it. Why is that? The sūtra declares: "prakaraṇāt" (because of the context). In the beginning of Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad (1.14) it is said: bhaktir asya bhajanaṁ tad ihāmutropādhi-nairāśyenāmusmin manaḥ kalpanam etad eva naiṣkarmyam. "Without any desire for material benefit in this life or the next one should engage in devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa. That will bring freedom from the bonds of karma." Devotional service is also described at the end of the Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad in these words: sac-cid-ānandaika-rase bhakti-yoge tiṣṭhati. "One should engage in devotional service, which is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss." The middle portion of the Upaniṣad cannot deal with a topic different from what is discussed in the beginning and end. Here the sūtra gives an example: "kriyā-mānasa-vat" (It is like the thoughts and deeds). The deeds here are the activities of devotional service, which begin with worship of the Lord. The thoughts here are meditation on the Lord. Devotional service was described in the beginning and end of the Upaniṣad. Therefore the declaration "so 'ham" (I am He) should be understood as a description of some feature of the same devotional service already described in the preceding passages. Pushed by intense love or fear, a person may sometimes call out, "I am he!" In

this way a person may sometimes call out, "I am Kṛṣṇa!" or "I am that lion!" In beginning of the Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad (1.2) the question is asked: kaḥ paramo devaḥ "Who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead?" In that passage the sages asked Brahmā about the identity of Supreme, who is the supreme object of worship, the deliverer from the world of repeated birth and death, the shelter of all, the first cause of all causes. Brahmā replied: śrī-kṛṣṇo vai paramaṁ daivatam "Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Then, to help enable meditation on the Lord, Brahmā described Lord Kṛṣṇa's various qualities. Then Brahmā says (Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad 1.6): yo dhyāyati. . . "One who meditates on Lord Kṛṣṇa, glorifies Him, and worships Him, becomes liberated. He becomes liberated." Thus Brahmā shows that by meditating on Lord Kṛṣṇa, chanting mantras glorifying Lord Kṛṣṇa, and engaging in other activities of devotional service, one becomes liberated from the world of birth and death. The again it is said (Gopāla- tāpanī Upaniṣad 1.7): te hocuḥ kiṁ tad-rūpam "The sages said: What is His form?" This question is about devotional service and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is worshiped in devotional service. Brahmā answered this question in these words (1.8): tad u hovāca hairanyo gopa-veśaṁ abhrābham

"Brahmā said: He is a cowherd boy. He is dark like a monsoon cloud." Then, after describing Lord Kṛṣṇa's form, Brahmā describes the mantra to be chanted. He says (1.11): ramyaṁ punā rasanam "Lord Kṛṣṇa's mantra should chanted repeatedly." Then Brahmā describes devotional service in these words (1.14): bhaktir asya bhajanam "One should engage in devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa." Then Brahmā describes the mantra one should chant in order to see Lord Kṛṣṇa's form. Brahmā says (1.24): oṁkāreṇāntaritaṁ yo japati. . . "To one who chants this mantra beginning with Oṁ, Lord Kṛṣṇa reveals His own transcendental form." Then, in Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad 1.38 (tam ekaṁ govindam), Brahmā describes Lord Kṛṣṇa's transcendental form, which is full of knowledge and bliss. Finally Brahmā concludes (1.54): tasmāc chrī-kṛṣṇa eva paro devaḥ "Therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." In the second chapter of Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad it is said that the gopīs, after enjoying pastimes with Lord Kṛṣṇa, and after asking Him questions, and after attaining His permission, presented a great feast before the sage Durvāsā. Pleased, the sage blessed them. When they asked him about Lord Kṛṣṇa, the sage described to them (in the passage beginning with the word "Śrī Kṛṣṇaḥ") the extraordinary nature of Lord Kṛṣṇa's pastimes. He told them that Lord k is the first cause of all causes, that He is conquered by the pure love of His devotees, that He is dear to His devotees, and many other glories of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Then (in the passage beginning with the words “sā hovāca"), Durvāsā is asked about Lord Kṛṣṇa's birth,

activities, mantra, and abode. In the passage beginning with the words "sa hovāca tām" the sage answered the question by recounting a conversation of Brahmā and Lord Nārāyaṇa. In that account he explained that Lord Kṛṣṇa is perfect and complete and he also explained that Lord Kṛṣṇa is the savior from the world of birth and death. Then, in the passage beginning with the words "vanair anekair ullasat", Brahmā described the Lord's spiritual abode named Mathurā, which is protected by the Lord's cakra and which is splendid with many forests. At this point the "so 'ham" passage occurs (Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad (2.49): tasmād eva paro rajasa iti so 'ham "One should think, `I am the Supreme Lord beyond the passions of the material world'." In this way it is said that the condition of thinking oneself non-different from the Lord is the cause of liberation. Because devotional service was described previously in this Upanisad as the cause of liberation, the oneness with the Lord here must but a certain feature of that devotional service. It must be a symptom of ecstatic love, like the shedding of many tears or other symptoms of ecstatic love. The passages “aham asmi" (I am He), "brahmāham asmi" (I am the Supreme), and other similar passages in the Taittirīya Upaniṣad and other scriptures, passages declaring the oneness of the individual soul and the Supreme, should all be taken in this way, as expressions of persons overwhelmed with ecstatic love, expressions that are actually proof that the individual souls and the Supreme are indeed different persons and are not at all identical. This truth has already been explained in this book. In the following sūtra will be presented further proof that the words "so 'ham" (I am He) are indeed a symptom of devotional love and do not at all mean that the individual souls and the Supreme are identical. Sūtra 47 atideśāc ca atideśāt—by comparison; ca—and. Also by comparison. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa

In the Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad (2.63) Lord Nārāyaṇa tells Brahmā: yathā tvaṁ saha putraiś ca yathā rudro gānaiḥ saha yathā śriyābhiyukto 'haṁ tathā bhakto mama priyaḥ "Anyone who becomes My sincere devotee becomes very dear to Me. As dear as you and your sons are, as dear as Lord Śiva and his associates, as dear as the goddess of fortune." In this verse it is seen that as Brahmā is accompanied by his sons, so Lord Kṛṣṇa is always accompanied by His devotees. The word "ca" (and) is explained in the following words of Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad (2.91), where the Supreme Personality of Godhead declares: dhyāyen mama priyo nityaṁ sa mokṣam adhigacchati sa mukto bhavati tasmai svātmānam ca dadāmi vai "One who meditates on Me is eternally dear to Me. He attains liberation. He becomes liberated. I give Myself to him." In these words the Lord declares that the devotees are eternally dear to Him and He also declares that he gives Himself as a gift to His devotees. If the individual souls and the Supreme Lord are ultimately one, these two statements cannot be at all possible. Therefore the scriptures' statement "so 'ham" (I am He) should be understood as the description of a specific symptom of ecstatic love. This statement ("so 'ham"), when found in the Rāma-tāpanī Upaniṣad and other Upaniṣads should also be explained in this way. In conclusion, it is said that one attains liberation by the mercy of the spiritual master and by devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no fault with that statement. Adhikaraṇa 23 Spiritual Knowledge Brings Liberation

Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa True knowledge is defined as the scriptures' description of devotional service. That knowledge leads to liberation. Here begins an elaborate description of that truth. In the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (3.8) it is said: tam eva viditvāti mṛtyum eti nānyaḥ panthā nvidyate 'yanāya "I know the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is transcendental to all material conceptions of darkness. Only he who knows Him can transcend the bonds of birth and death. There is no way for liberation other than this knowledge of that Supreme Person."* In the Puruṣa-sūkta prayers of the Ṛg Veda it is said: tam eva vidvān amṛta iha bhavati "A person who knows the Supreme attains liberation." Saṁśaya (doubt) Is liberation caused by the performance of Vedic rituals (karma), by spiritual knowledge (vidyā), or by rituals and knowledge together? Pūrvapakṣa (the opponent speaks): How is liberation attained? It is attained by performing Vedic rituals. This is proved in sūtras 3.4.2-7. Or, if there must be some knowledge, then Vedic rituals and knowledge should be combined together to bring liberation. In the Śruti-śāstra it is said: tad-dhetor na tu tayor ekataraṁ taṁ vidyā-karmaṇī "Vedic rituals and spiritual knowledge must be combined together to bring liberation. Either of them alone is not enough." It is also said: ubhābhyām eva pakṣābhyāṁ yathā khe pakṣiṇo gatiḥ tathaiva karma-jñānābhyāṁ mukto bhavati mānavaḥ

"As a bird needs two wings to fly in the sky, so a man needs both Vedic rituals and spiritual knowledge to attain liberation." Or, perhaps spiritual knowledge alone is in truth the cause of liberation. After all, the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (3.8) declares: tam eva viditvāti mṛtyum eti "Only one who knows the Supreme Personality of Godhead can transcend the bonds of birth and death." After all is said and done it is not possible to reach a final conclusion in this matter. Siddhānta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sūtras gives His conclusion. Sūtra 48 vidyaiva tu tan-nirdharaṇāt vidyā—knowledge; eva—indeed; tu—certainly; tat—of that; nirdharaṇāt— because of the conclusion. It is knowledge indeed, for that is the conclusion. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa The word "tu" (indeed) is used here to dispel doubt. Spiritual knowledge, and not Vedic ritual, is the cause of liberation. Neither is it necessary that spiritual knowledge be combined with the performance of Vedic rituals in order to bring liberation. Why is that? The sūtra explains: "tan-nirdharaṇāt" (for that is the conclusion). The conclusion is given in Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 3.8. The word "vidyā" (knowledge) here means "the knowledge that leads to devotional service". In the Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad (4.4.21) it is said: vijñāya prajñāṁ kurvīta