IV

ISVARA IN THE THREE PRASTHANAS

It is the Isvara who comes to this world as the

avatara to save the mankind from total decay and destruction

I propose now to take up this concept for study. The Real,
(i.e., Brahman) is one, and in itself is of the nature of

Pure Consciousness and Bliss. It is the one underlying

principle, that is present behind all manifestations in

its own inexhaustible nature. But apart from the transcen­

dental aspect of Brahman, there is also another aspect,

i.e., the immanent aspect, that explains the fact of the

creation of the world, society and God's incarnation to

save the society from total decay and destruction.

In its nirgupa aspect Brahman is represented as the

infinite and inexhaustible principle of Pure Consciousness

But if we consider Brahman in this pure transcendental

sense, then it would be absolutely separated from the

world; an-abstract, incomprehensible, remote being,

exalted beyond all predicates. But this difficulty is

overcome when we consider the sagupa aspect of Brahman.

Being the immanent principle, Brahman is revealed

partially into the multiplicity of changes of this

empirical world.
According to the principle of causation, the cause

and effect are inseparably related with each other. The

 123

emergent effects can never be separated from their

underlying causal power on which they stand. As for

instance, a pot which is a transformed state of clay,

can never stand separated from clay, the basic underlying

cause out of which the pot is produced. Similarly the

empirical world of objects must be accompanied by their

basic underlying causal reality, i.e., Brahman, on which

they stand. This causal relationship between the two

shows that Brahman can never be considered as purely

transcendental and absolutely unrelated to the changes in

the world.

Brahman, being eternally endowed with mavi or the

power, becomes the material and efficient cause of the

world. The act of creation does not make a distinction

between Brahman and Isvara. The nature of Brahman being

infinite and inexhaustible is only partially revealed in

the act of creation. For if Brahman would exhaust its

nature fully in creating the world, then the world in that

case would have been a complete and finished whole. But

it would contradict the nature of Brahman, which is infinite

and inexhaustible. So every fresh act of creation is only

a partial revelation of the nature of Brahman. Thus Isvara

being the cause of the world does not become something

other than Brahman. The immanent God is in reality the

same transcendental Brahman. Samkara makes the point more

 124

explicit in his Glta-Bhagya when he says that it is the

same transcendental Reality who penetrates everything in

the three worlds by His Vital Energy.“1 Moreover in the

nothing JL
Mundaka-Bhasva it is said that the indwelling Self is
transcendental Brahman.* Thus through the
two aspects of Brahman, Samkara shows the two-fold relation

of Brahman with the world, i.e,, standing unaffected but

controlling the activities in the world. For all practical

concerns of life the question of the creator and creation,

the controller and the controlled arises but not in the

state of the Highest Reality where one does not see any
thing else, does not know anything else.3

1. GOD AMD THE WORLD

The world is the manifested form of Brahman.

Brahman, of Its own motion, has manifested Its nature in

the form of the universe, in order to reveal to the human

beings Its own immense and infinite power. But this does
— /
not mean that because the world is deduced from Isvara,
He is entirely manifested in the world. Being the cause

of this world, His nature cannot be restricted to the

manifested states of this world; He is something more

than that. No particular definition can exhaust His

potentiality, no actualisation can be regarded as final.

Thus the true view of the case is given :

.......Iswara (God) though the
creator or the cause of the
 125

world, has not and does not

necessarily becone restricted
or entirely reduced to the
effects......created, but
He has also a transcendental
nature which remains unaffected
b£ these.^

Under the influence of avidva. people ignore the

transcendental aspect of Brahman and consider the immanent

aspect alone,thereby making a distinction between Isvara

and Brahman. But it is the same Reality who assumes various

forms and appears acting in the world in the immanent

aspect} and at the same time remains unaffected in the

transcendental sense. So the immanence of God should not

be considered independently, nor His transcendency be

considered in the absolute sense, thereby separating Him

from the world as something unknown and unknowable. He is

the indwelling Spirit of all ( sarvabhutantaratma).^

The world of names and forms are evolved from the

" nature " of Brahman for Its own realisation. The created

elements are not something other than Brahman's nature.

Nor is the creation purposeless. The realisation of the

Infinite is the final end or purpose that is working

behind the structure of the created elements of the world.

If we look into the evolutionary process of the world,

then We find that the inexhaustible power (Brahman) is

present behind all manifestations. It is the eternal Force,

•••••which is realising its own

Swaruoa gradually in higher and
 126

higher forms, through the

successive stages of nature.®

In the beginning the Self wished to appear as many and

having so wished Reflected on the plan of the creation

of the world, that was latent In Itself. As a result of

such reflection, the world of names and forms was created.7

The Self created the panca mahabhutas, the great

elements of earth, water, fire, air and ether, that

support everything in this world.® Then the five sense-

organs (jnanendrlya ) and the five motor organs (karmendriya)

along with the mind (the internal organ of thinking) were

also created. After that the Supreme Self has manifested

the divine essence through the five sheaths. The five

kosas are : armamaya, pragamaya, manomaya, vljnmamaya and

anandamava kosa.9 Thus the divine essence is gradually

manifested through the five sheaths, beginning from the

insentient objects and ending with the blissful ones.

The plan and purpose of creation does not end here.

After creating the great elements, the sense organs, and

the five sheaths, the Great Lord also created the mantras

comprising the Rk, Yajur, Sama and Atharva texts. These

scriptures, being authentic, provide the knowledge of

gods, animal, men, castes and various stages of life in

an ideal society. The texts provide the religious activities

 127

to guide the individuals in the society for the realisation

of the purpose of creation. Even though the Supreme Self

remains as the principle of pure consciousness above all

modifications, in Its dynamic cosmic aspect, It not only

supports but also governs the whole universe being the

indwelling Spirit in all creations. The purpose of creation

is the realisation of the divine essence and this can be

done if proper harmony is maintained among the different

members of the society. And God, the unmoved mover, always

keeps an eye on the various activities in His creation,

Himself intervening when necessary. This watch-like

universe is mended, if required, by the Divine Architect

who has created it. God does not stand aside leaving the

individuals to make or unmake themselves. Thus it has been

said:

Whenever by the abuse of freedom

unrighteousness increases and
the world gets stuck in a rut,
He creates Himself to lift the
world from out of its rut and
set it on new tracks.10

2. ISVARA IN THE UFANIgADS : (Sarvabhutantaratma)

In the Upanisads Brahman is mostly described as

the indwelling Self of all, that remains hidden within all

beings. It is the omniscient and omnipresent God that is

the cause of the origin, continuance and dissolution of this

universe. Being the creator of this world, Isvara has created

 128

the elements. The world and all the changes are mere means

or medium through which Brahman is expressing Its own

nature. The created elements are meaningful only in

connection with the underlying Brahman which they express.

They can never be regarded as something self-sufficient

and complete in themselves. But the same is not true in

case of Brahman. The unity of Brahman remains untouched

and unaffected by the evolving changes. In its immanent

aspect only Brahman appears as the creator, protector and

dissolver of the universe, not in the transcendental sense.

The world of name and form exists latently in the Self

before the evolution. During the time of creation they get

manifested, and evolve into all the states having their

intrinsic nature as the Self in all circumstances. These

evolutes remain indistinguishable from Brahman in time

and space, though Brahman is not so related.

The creation of the world is done according to a

particular plan and the purpose, for which nature perpe­

tually works. This fact is clear in the verse :

"He (the Self) wished,'Let me

be many, let me be bora. He
undertook a deliberation.
Having deliberated, he created
all this that exists. That
(Brahman), having created(that)
entered into that very thing.
And having entered there, It
became the formed and the
formless............11
 129

The Self after having reflected on the plan of the

creation of the world, created this universe with all

its elements. The evolution of name and fora is nothing

but the appearance of Brahman as many. And Brahman having

no other distinctive attribute, cannot be realised anywhere

else. The association of the Self with the limiting

adjuncts leads to the knowledge of Brahman. It is in this

sense only the entry of the Self is assumed. The Self must

exist as the cause of this universe, the supporting tail

of all modifications. After entering into the creation,

the Self becomes all that exists, the formed and the

formless, the defined and the undefined etc. The

unmanifested name and form existing in the Self, when

manifested as distinct entities, still continue to be

inseparable from the Self in time and space. Thus Brahman

exists as the indwelling Self of all that is created. This

point is made clear when we look into the passages as follows :

The indwelling Self of all is surely

He of whom heaven is the head....12
Puruga alone is all this-(comprising)
the karma and knowledge. 13

God, who is one only, is hidden in

all beings. He is all-pervading,
and is the inner self of all creatures.
All this is Brahman. (This) is born
from, dissolves in, and exists
in That. 15

He is hidden in all beings 16

A. Isvara in The Successive Stages of Evolution

The creation of the world is done by the deliberate

and free will of God. Brahman when associated with His

maya, (the most wonderful and indefinable power of God)

becomes the material and efficient cause of the world.

Thus it is said,

The self-effulgent Self imagines

Itself through Itself by the
power of Its own Maya...... ' >
Now if we look into the evolutionary process, we

find that the eternal, inexhaustible power, which is

present behind all manifestations is revealing its own

svarupa gradually in higher and higher forms.

The Self after having deliberated, created the

panca mahabhutas, the five great elements that support

everything. These elements are the material constituents
of all physical bodies and objects.I8 The five elements

are; space, air, fire, water and earth which possess the

seriatim qualities of sound, touch, colour, taste and

smell, together with all the qualities that belong to

the predecessors of each.19

Besides the great elements, the Self also created
the five sense organs (.jnanendriya) and the five motor
organs (karmendriya) along with the mind, the internal
organ which acts as the chief among the aggregate of

body and the senses. The five sense-organs are that of

 131

sight, smell, taste, touch and sound. And the five motor

organs are the functions of speech, grasping, movement,

excretion and reproduction. After creating the great

elements and the eleven sense-organs, God manifested the

divine essence through the five sheaths.
Food (annam) being the source of all other creatures,

the annamaya kosa is the first born of all beings. All

living beings originate from food, live on food, and
merge into food.2® From the annamaya kosa evolves the

praqaaaya koga i.e., the living beings. That is why it is

said that all living beings have their origin from food.

From this self constituted by air, is evolved another self

called manomaya kosa. i.e., the self constituted by mind.

Manah means the internal organ comprising volition, desire,
will etc. It is the inner self of the vital body. From

this mental self is evolved the vijnanamaya kosa; the

self which is constituted by well-ascertained knowledge

that is authoritative by nature. The person who is possessed

of well-ascertained knowledge becomes aware of Brahman, the

cause of all intellectual cognitions. And from this

vljnanaaaya koga evolves another finer self known as the

anandamaya kosa; the conditioned self made of bliss. This
blissful self which evolves gradually acts as a pointer to
the Bliss Brahman, which i& the culmination of the growth
and bliss in the cavity of the heart. Thus Brahman is the

inmost of all the selves beginning from the physical one

 132

and ending with the blissful self. And this truth can

be revealed, only by proper knowledge, by following a

process of eliminating the five sheaths, just as rice is

extracted from the grain called "kodrava” that has
many husks.21

The five great elements, the eleven sense-organs

and the five sheaths, all are introduced for the realisation

of the divine essence. The non-dual Brahman, being the

inmost self of all objects, acts as the supporting tail

Op
of all duality. The Supreme Self is manifested in all
objects; unconsciously in insentient objects and consciously

in sentient objects. But in man the Self is most manifested,

for he is best endowed with intelligence, while other

beings have the consciousness of hunger and thirst only.

Thus the world at large is a general revelation

of Brahman, where the Supreme Reality expresses Its own

nature at different levels through the order of nature.

God as the indwelling Self, is immanently present in all

objects, beginning from inanimate things to human beings.

And Brahman,

.......whose nature is consciousness

and joy is manifesting itself in
ever-ascending degrees of being,
knowledge and bliss, and the highest
manifestation of it is the man who
knows himself to be identical with
Brahman. 23

B. The Ideal Society and The Jivanmukta Purugas

God created the world of name and form according, to

 133

a definite plan and purpose. The plan of creation was

to develop an ideal society, and the purpose is the

realisation of the divine essence, that is present

behind all manifestations.

At the beginning of each world-cycle God promul­

gates the Vedas comprising the gk, Yajur, Sima and

Atharva texts. These mantras provide the different

religious activities that are required for the attain­

ment of the knowledge of the ultimate Reality.2^ These

eternally composed and already existent Vedas are mani­

fested like the breath of the infinite Reality, without

any thought or effort.25 These scriptures provide the

knowledge of gods, animals, men, castes, different stages

of life of human beings in an ideal society, in their

different actions. Thus every individual in the society

can lead his life accordingly as prescribed in the texts.

In a social organisation, different individuals

with varying capacities are bound together. Though all

are not equally capable, but all are equally necessary

for the maintenance of the society, and their contributions

from different stations are of equal value. Thus in an

ideal society the different individual members contribute

to the general good in different ways.

In order to maintain harmony and unity in the society,

the four-fold caste system was introduced from the very

 134

beginning. The four castes are Brahmapa, Kgatriya,

/ * *P.

Vaisya and Sudra. The four-fold, division is done not

according to the birth or colour of the individuals but

in accordance with their nature. All the objects in

this world are made up of the three gupas, that are the

constituents of Prakrti. The three gupas are sattva.

rajas and tawas. The svabhava of the different indivi­

duals is determined according to the predominance of

any one of the three gupas.

Each individual has his inborn nature (svabhava)

and to sake it effective in his life is his duty (svadhanaa) >

4

The duties of a Brahmapa are self-restraint, forgiveness,

purity, knowledge, faith, etc. The duties of a Kgatriya

are lordliness, generosity, boldness, bravery, promptness

and so on. The duties of a Vaisya are cattle-rearing,

trade and ploughing, while the duty of a Sudra is to

work for others. Thus the duties of an individual in the

society is not determined by birth or colour, but by one's

own nature (svabhava). This fact is made clear in the

Upanigad, where Satyakama Jabala. a boy who was not a

Brahmapa by birth was accepted as a Brahmacarin by

Gautama who was impressed by the frank and truthful words

of the boy. Thus he said s

No one who is not a Brahmapa can

speak thus. Dear boy, bring the
sacrificial fuel, I shall ini­
tiate you as a Brahmacarin. for A
you have not deviated from truth*2®
Even though Satyakama was not a Brahmaqa by birth, still

he possessed the qualities of a Brahmapa and was accepted

as a Brahmacarin by the teacher. This point is also
stated in the Dhammapada :

Not by matted hair, not by lineage,

not by caste does one become a
Brahmin. He is a Brahmin in whom
there are truth and righteousness.27

Besides the dispositional duties, the scriptures

also provide some other duties that an individual has

to do through the different stages of his life in the

society. In order to lead a fully developed rational

life, each individual has to perform certain duties

while passing through the four stages (asramas) of his
life. They are Brahaaciri (the life of the scholar),
Gphastha (the life of the house-holder), ffinaprastha
(the life of a solitary thinker) and Sannyasa (the
life of a hermit).

These are the different individual stations of one'

life. The scriptures maintain that in the first three

stages the mind still remains impure, it is only in the

last stage when the person becomes ready for liberation,

the mind becomes pure. An aspirant to liberation should

perform the duties enjoined for his social order and

stage of life in a spirit of dedication to God. Thus it

is said :

The Brahmapas seek to know It

 136

through the study of the Vedas,

sacrifices, charity, and aus­
terity consisting in a dis­
passionate enjoyment of sense-
objects. 28

The Chindogya Upanigad also discusses the different

stages (asramas) of life :

There are three divisions of

virtue,, One is sacrifice, study
and charity. The second is aus­
terity itself. The third is the
Brahmacarin living in the house
of his teacher, wholly dedica­
ting himself there for life.
All these become the attainers
of the virtuous worlds; the man
established in Brahman attains
immortality. 29

Every individual has to pass through these four

stages of life, and should perform the duties that are

ascribed to him in the different individual stations of

life. And the practice of this varpasramadharma is

essential in the sense that they are conducive to the

emergence of right knowledge, i. e., the knowledge of

Brahman.

Vidya or knowledge is the means of liberation

from the chain of avidya-kama-karma. Realisation of the
divine essence through direct experience is the wisdom.

And this wisdom is always present, it is not a thing to

be acquired, but it is only to be revealed. The individual

who sincerely follows the instructions given in the

scriptures, and performs the various rites and duties

accordingly, slowly moves towards the attainment of
the absolute truth. He then becomes a liberated soul
(jlvaniaukta puruga). having no more desire for any

worldly involvement. He never confuses between Self

not-Self. Thus a knower of Brahman is described in

the Upanigad :

....... he who knows it as such

becomes self-controlled, calm,
withdrawn into himself, enduring
and concentrated, and sees the
Self in his own self (body); he
sees all as the Self. Evil does
not overtake him, but he trans­
cends all evil. Evil does not
trouble him (but) he consumes
all evil. He becomes sinless,
taintless, free from doubts,
and a Brahmapa (knower of Brahman).50

When ignorance, which presents the objects other than the

Self, is removed by knowledge, then the individual self

becomes,
(transparent) like water,
one, the witness, and without a
second. This is the sphere (state)
of Brahman, ......................
This is its supreme attainment,
this is its supreme glory, this
is its highest world, this is its
supreme bliss.31
Thus through the successive stages of the evolu­

tionary process, Isvara has revealed His own nature

(svarupa) gradually in higher and higher forms.
The five great elements, the eleven sense-organs and

the five sheaths; all are introduced only with a view

 138

in revealing the truth that Brahman is the indwelling

Self of all objects. Only the human beings are endowed

with the power of realising the ultimate truth, because

the Self is most manifested in man. It is man who can

judge between what is right and what is wrong, good and

bad, being best endowed with the power of intelligence.

But due to the impact of ignorance all men are not

successful in realising the Truth, only a few can achieve

the ultimate end. The jXvanmukta puruga who directly

realises the effulgent Self becomes free from ignorance,

desire and all sorts of motivated actions. He realises

the Self In one form only, i.e., as Homogeneous Pure

Intelligence, without any break in it like the ether.32

C. God as The Protector of -All

God after manifesting His own nature as the external

world, does not leave His creation unattained and un­

controlled, He is always interested in the well being of

the various members in the society. He keeps on watching

over the actions of erring humanity, and whenever the evil

forces threaten to destroy human values or dharma, He

manifests Himself to save the mankind from the clutches
of evil. Out of His maya He can assume any form to protect
His devotees who are in danger. During the time of calamity
and enslavement God appears as the saviour of mankind. He

Is the Lord of all, the ruler of all and supreme protector

of all beings. This point is clearly mentioned in the
Upanl?adlc passage :

......It is the controller of

all, the lord of all, the ruler
of all. It does not grow better
through good work nor worse
through bad work. It is the lord
of all, It is the ruler of all
beings, It is the protector of
all beings.33

The fact that God has made the divisions of caste and

order of life among the different individuals in the

society, and watches all tHe activities of all beings

is expressed through the words as follows :

It is the bank that serves as

the boundary to keep the
different worlds apart. 34

If God would not have divided them like a bank, then

their limits would be obliterated. In order to maintain

the proper harmony in the world, it is the Lord who acts

as the embankment.

The world diversified through names and forms

has its origin from Brahman (ta.j.ja) and again returns

back during the time of dissolution and gets merged in

the Brahman (talla), becomes wholly identified with
Brahman and continues to live on that Reality during
the state of its existence (tadana). Thus in the three
states, the world cannot be separated from Brahman

which is its 'source. That is why Brahman is described

as, "tajjalan".
 Sarvaa khalu idam Brahma tajjalin
iti ....m
The fact that God is the protector of all beings,

and the controller of all the forces is made clear in

the following Upani§adic passage :

It is the self-same One who exists

alone at the time of creation and
dissolution of the universe, that
assumes manifold powers and appears
as the Divine Lord by virtue of
His inscrutable power of Maya. He
it is that protects all the Worlds
and controls all the various forces
working therein,3b

They realise Him as shining by the

functions of all the senses yet
without the senses, as Hie Lord
of all, the ruler of all, the
refuge of all and the friend of all.37
Then, that which is the Self, is a
dam which is a sure protection for
the worlds for their non-disintegra­
tion. Day and night do not reach
the dam, neither do decrepitude
nor death, nor sorrow, nor virtue,
nor vice.....38

Thus the whole world is held together by God, the

Supreme Ordainer, in accordance with the rules of

distinctions in castes and stages of life. Being a sure

protection, He acts like a dam to prevent the disinte­

gration in the world.

Being the protector of the world, it is the

function of God to keep the world going on the lines

of righteousness. But when in the evolutionary process,

the unrighteousness in the society increases, and

the social and moral order is gradually declined; on

those occasions the Supreme though unborn and undying,

assumes embodiment through His own mayi to reestablish

right and to overthrow the forces of ignorance and

selfishness.

In the Upanigads there is no special mention about

any of the avataras of God. But there are some passages
which clearly show that the Supreme Power interferes in

the working order of the individuals only on special

occasions, to preserve the equilibrium of the society.

He alone is the protector of the

world at the proper time. He is
the lord of the universe hidden
in all creatures.39

Here in this verse the words "protector of the world at

the proper time" mean that God being the protector of

the world interferes and saves His creation whenever

the forces of evil threaten to destroy human values.

He who protects and controls the

worlds by His own powers, He-Rudra-
is indeed one only. There is no
one beside Him who can make Him
the Second. 0 men, He is present
inside the hearts of all beings.
After projecting and maintaining
all the worlds, He finally with­
draws them into Himself.^

In this passage it is shown that God being the indwelling

Self of all, watches the works of men; good as well as

bad. The word Rudra here means, the punisher of those

who break His laws, physical, moral and spiritual, as

well as the destroyer of the sins and sorrows of devotees

and the bestower of knowledge and bliss on them^As the

indwelling Self, He guides the activities of all. And

in the hour of calamity He saves His devotees from the

hands of evil, confers bliss and wisdom on them. At the

same time He punishes those- who break His laws.

This point is also clearly mentioned in another

Upanisadic passage :

* May He, who created the Gods and

•supports them; who is the origin
also of the cosmic soul; who
confers bliss and wisdom on the
devoted, destroying their sins and
sorrows, and punishing all breaches
of laws:- may He the great seer and
the lord of all , endow us with good
thoughts. 42

During the time of creation, God after projecting

the four castes was not satisfied. He projected the

excellent form of righteousness (Pharma) to preserve

the equilibrium of the society.

The nature of the Absolute being Pure consciousness

It cannot be grasped through any particular form. There is

no image of Him. No body can perceive Him with the eye. He

can only be known through the faculty of intuition. But

when God finds His devotees to be in danger. He appears

before them in any particular form out of His mayi. But
this appearance of God is not real. Out of His grace
and love, He can appear either as a teacher or as a

friend or in any form according to His free will. For

the sake of adoration, He is sometimes spoken of as

possessed of all the good qualities, the golden Person

who is seen in the sun, who has a golden heard and

golden hair.^ But in the divine context He is described

as n soundless, touchless, formless, undiminishing....

In order to express His nature, God has partially

manifested Himself as the world of name and form. The

nature of the Absolute is expressed in the ever-ascending

process of being through the five sheaths. But on account

of the growth of sensual desires in human mind, when there

is a decline of dharma, God interferes to reestablish the

moral and social order of the world. Through His own free

will He can assume any form. But all these forms are only

illusory, for in Himself God is immutable. This revela­

tion of Brahman through avatara, is implicitly contained

in the teachings of the Upanisads. which is later expli­

citly developed in the teachings of Lord Kpgpa in

Bhagavad-Gita.

3. ISVARA IN THE BRAHMA - SUTRA AS THE ONLY CAUSE OF

THE WORLD.

In the Upanigads, God is regarded as the material

as well as the efficient cause of the world, so also in

the Sutra-Bhasyas, Brahman is that omniscient and

omnipotent source from which occur the birth, conti­
nuance and dissolution of this universe that is mani­
fested through the varieties of name and form. ^

Without any external help, Brahman can create the

universe by Itself, by virtue of the possession of

His diverse powers. Just as the spider creates its

threads by itself, so also God creates the universe

without looking for any external means.^7 But this ana­

logy does not limit the nature of God, for it is only

for ,the knowledge of the human mind that the example

is cited. It only shows the fact that God is the one,

conscious principle, that becomes the cause of the

universe through a transformation that needs no exter­

nal help.

Space, air, fire, water and earth; the eleven

sense-organs, the sentient and insentient objects all

are created by God. It is God Himself, abiding in these

elements as their Self, has created every effeet.through

profound meditation.

A. The Individual and the Society

The fourfold caste division along with the four

stages of life is also mentioned in the Sutra-Bhagya

of Badarayapa. In any society the individual members
are bound together by a common social tie. Every indi­

vidual has to perform some duties that are good for the
society. The social harmony.can be established if each
individual member performs his duties accordingly. For
that the scriptures provide certain duties that every

human being has to perform in his different stages

of life.

The duties of the different stages of life are

needed not for the fruition of the result of knowledge,

but for the emergence of knowledge. The obligatory duties

are to be performed even by those who simply stick to

an order of life without any craving for liberation,

since these are prescribed by the scriptures. ^9

In the Sutra-Bhagya, equal importance is given to

the four orders of life, for the Vedic texts speak equally

of.all the stages of life.The duties of the respective

stages of life are all but means for the emergence of

knowledge. ', since the Vedas mention that one incurs sin

by giving up the duties of.one's own stage of life. A

seeker after knowledge must be endowed with control of

body and mind and such other virtues, because these are
enjoined as subsidiaries of knowledge. 51

Thus the picture of an ideal society is inherent

behind the teachings of all the texts, the Upanigads,

Brahma-Sutras and the Smytis (which will be discussed
later). The ultimate aim of human life, the final end

of creation can be realised only in an ideal society;

 146

the society where there is proper harmony among the

different individual members possessing different

temperaments, qualities and capacities. And this

harmony is established when people do not deviate from

their respective duties in the different stages of life.

B. The JIvanmukta

Consciousness is most manifested in cases of

human beings, because it is only man who has the

reasoning, power, who is endowed with intelligence. In

animals consciousness is present only in the form of

hunger and thirst. The human being can judge what is

right and what is wrong, and should try to lead a

rational life.

The duties of the different stages of life are

helpful to the acquisition of knowledge. The person

having the desire for knowledge must be endowed with

control of body and mind and should perform sacrifices

without any motive for fruits. And when the person is

enlightened by knowledge of the Absolute, he realises

his identity with the Supreme Self. He strengthens his

steadfastness in Brahman through self-control and the

like. He can realise the one divine Reality that is

underlying behind all manifestations.

The enlightened person is the most developed of

human beings, for in him there is the highest manifestation

 of consciousness. He can only realise the identity of

his own self with Brahman. That is what is declared

in the texts :

When the Self which is both high

and low is realised, the knot of
the heart gets untied, all doubts
become solved, and all one's
actions become dissipated. 52

, C. God and The Society

Brahman is the one ultimate Reality and is of the

nature of pure consciousness and bliss. In its transcenden

tal aspect It is present behind all manifestations in

Its own inexhaustible nature. But being the immanent

principle, It is revealed in the world in the diversities

of name and form.

The difference between God and the individual soul

is only due to the association with the limiting adjuncts.

When these are absolutely negated

(nivara), then there is no God
and no individual, but there
remains only the eternal, absolute
and pure Brahman.53

The individual soul under the influence of ignorance,

seems to become identified with the body and suffers

the sorrows occuring to the body. But God being omni-

' scient is free from any such suffering that is caused

due to the wrong identification. God alone is free from

the avaraga doga, while the individuals are not. Just

as light etc. are not affected by the things that
condition them, so also the Supreme Self is not touched
by the suffering of the individual soul.5^

The relationship between the Supreme Self and

the individual self, being that of both difference and

non-difference, it is mentioned as the relationship

between the snake and its coil (ahi-kundal-vat) ^5 or
like light and its source (prakasa-asraya-vat).56

Just as the snake in itself is non-different, but it

differs in its having a coil; or the sunlight and its

substratum, the sun, both being luminous, are not

entirely different,, and yet they are thought of as

different; so also is the case with Brahman and the

individual self. In its own essence It is the one Self

alone, but appears to be different only during activity.

Being the indwelling Self of all, God is present

behind all manifestations, as the one underlying Reality.

He is the internal Ruler who watches the activities of

all beings, good as well as bad. Like an embankment the

Self holds together the world being its inner Ruler

and maintains its boundaries of norms, duties etc.57

This involvement of God with the society does

not limit His nature. Being the possessor of infinite

powers, He is never associated with the limiting adjuncts

like the individual soul. In its own essence He remains

as the principle of pure consciousness. Out of His rniaya
 149

He appears in different forms on different occasions.

Through His own free will, God can assume any

form, but all these forms are illusory, for in Himself

He is immutable. Having the absolute power of ruling

over the worlds, God watches the actions of all and

planishes those who break His laws and rewards His

devotees. He can assume any form created at His will

out of roaya for the sake of favouring the aspirants.5s

Thus the relationship between God and the society

is that of both difference and non-difference. As the

internal Ruler of all, God acts as the embankment and

interferes whenever the situations demand. He always

helps His devotees and punishes evil-doers, and thereby

preserves the equilibrium of the society. Though there

is no mention of any of the special avataras of God in

the Sutra-Bhagya, still the appearance of God in
different forms before His devotees is mentioned. This

shows that besides the general revelation of God into

the world of name and form, there are also special

appearances of God for the establishment of law and order

in the world.

4. ISVARA IN THE BHAGAVAD-GITA : SOURCE OF ALL THE AVATARAS

Lord Kpgga, the teacher of GItl speaks to Arjuna

that the Supreme Lord through His two prakptis becomes the
cause of the origin, sustenance and dissolution of the
universe. The prakrti which is composed of the three
gunas and transforms itself into all objective forms,
such as the bodies, the senses and sense-objects|,is

called "kgetra" ■ It is the field, the body, the matter,

that is impure, productive of evil, itself constituting

the bondage of the world. It is the inferior prakrti of

God. But the superior prakrti is the very Self of the
Supreme Lord, the kgetrajna in all the kgetras.59

It is the Supreme Self by which life is sustained, that

which enters within the whole universe and sustains it.

From Brahma down to a clump of grass, He is present in

all the bodies; but in Itself is devoid'of all the

various conditions. Through this twofold prakrtis, the

omniscient Lord becomes the cause of the universe; the
source and dissolution of the whole universe.60

Isvara is the seed-giving father. He is the

possessor of the two potencies, the two prakptis of
ksetra and ksetrajna. When Isvara unites the two; the
k$etrajna wrongly confirms Himself to the Lord’s upadhis

of avidya, that are born of the Lord's maya. And then

the birth of all beings starts.^

A. Brahman as the One Self in All

The one integral principle is the identical spirit

in all the creatures. It does not differ from body to

body. It is one like the ether that fills everything.

It is to be realised as the creator, destroyer and
supporter of all beings. Isvara is the cause of the

universe. During the period of sustenance of the world

Csthiti), He is the supporter of all beings; at the

time of dissolution (pralaya), He devours them; and

at the time of creation (utpatti), He generates them
afresh.62 Though He seems to be divided among all

beings, He is undivided and indivisible in them

(avibhaktam ca bhutegu). He is the one Self in all
beings (sarvegu bhutegu tigthantam paramesvaram).63

All things are derived from Him, supported by Him and

taken back into Him. He is the Goal, the sustainer,

the Lord, the Witness, the Abode, the Shelter, the Friend,

the origin, the dissolution and. stay, the resting place

and the imperishable seed.

Gatir bharta prabhufr sakgi

nivasab daranafc suhpt
prabhavah pralayab sthanam
nidhanaA bijam avyayam 64

The Supreme Lord is the goal of all actions- the

fruits of actions, both good and bad. He is the great

witness to the entire cosmic process with good and bad

intermixed. He is the abode wherein all living beings

dwell. He relieves the distressed who seek His help. He

is the greatest Friend for all His devotees. He is the

source of this world, in which it is dissolved and in

which it stays. He is the imperishable seed of all living

things and endures them as long as the world endures.

So the Lord is the uncaused cause of this entire cosmic

process, without any beginning and without any end.

The Supreme Self, being distinct from the body,

the senses, is a mere witness of all their activities,

not acting Himself. Beyond Him there is no seer in the

interior. He is also the permitter (anumantr), who
though Himself not engaged in action, seems to be

active in co-operation with them. He never stands in

the way of those that are engaged in their respective

activities. He is the supporter (bhartp) of all and
also the enjoyer (bhoktp) of all. And as one with the

whole universe and independent of all He is the

Great Lord. Thus it is said :

Upadragta'numanta ca
bhartabhoktg mahegvarab
paramatme'ti ca’pyukto
dehe ■ smin purugafr paraft 65

In Gita, Isvara is described as the Highest Self

(Purusottama), distinct from the two categories- the
perishable (kgara) and the imperishable (akgara). He

is eternal, pure, intelligent and free from the limita­

tion of the two categories. It is the Supreme principle

which transcends the perishable, and is even higher

than the imperishable, and thus supreme to both. He is

known both in the world and in the Vedas, as the

Highest Spirit. 66
 153

From the cosmic end, the Supreme

is ilvara, the Highest Person,
Purugottama, the Lord of the
universe who dwells in the. heart
of every creature. °7

The Highest Puruga is described as follows :

He is the Eternal Omniscient Lord

Narayana, who penetrates by His
Vital Energy (Bala-Sakti) the three
worlds-the Earth (Bhufo),the Mid­
region (Bhuvafr) and rfeaven (Suvafr)-
and supports them by his mere
existence in them. °8

Isvara is the Supreme Self (antaratma). He is Supreme in

comparison with other bound souls, such as the physical

body; and He is the Self as constituting the unfailing

inner consciousness of all beings.^9

The world in general is a partial manifestation

of the nature of the Absolute Reality. And though

Brahman manifests Itself through the upadhis of external

and internal senses, in Itself It is devoid of all the

senses. Because It is devoid of the senses, therefore

It is unattached. It is the basic underlying Reality that

supports all. Thus it is described :

without and within (all) beings;
the unmoving as also the moving....
B. Interference of God as Avatara-

The four-fold caste division along with the four

orders of life is mentioned by God in the scriptures for

the maintenance of law and order in the society. Though the

Great Lord is the author of this act of creating the
four castes, when viewed from the standpoint of mayl,

still in reality He is the non-agent, free from the

fruits of all actions. Every individual has to perforin

his respective duties in order to attain success. One

can worship the Great Lord by performing one's own

duty. By doing so man can attain perfection, becomes

qualified for the devotion of knowledge.71 Abandoning

one's own duty, though a man performs another's duty,'

then he is not free from fault. So better is the per­

formance of one's own duty even in a faulty manner,

than the performance of another's duty.72

The ideal society with its practice of varpasrama-

dharma is inherent behind the teachings of all scriptures.
The motive behind the arrangement of the four classes

is the division of action among the different individuals

in the society so that the social organisation should go

in an orderly way. This principle is applicable to all

the societies, be it a Hindu or a western one. The basis

of division of works in a western society, though not

done on the caste basis, but on the basis -of some other

principle. This division of action is essential in order

to face the growing needs of the fast developing societies.73

According to Gita, it is the duty of everyone to

perform all the actions, which are prescribed for him,
according to his own status (svadharma), in the different
stages of life. The performance of the vargasramadharma

leads one to release, and also aims at the universal

welfare. The universal welfare (lokasamgraha) means the

maintenance and sustenance of the society. And even if

one has to die in the performance of one's own duties,

that is meritoriousj but taking up the duties (dharma)

of another person is dangerous, "svadharme nidhanam

sreyafr paradharmo bhayavahah" (G III.35). The chief

object of Gita is :
....whatever the arrangement of
society may be, one should enthu­
siastically perform all the duties
which have come to one's share,
according to one's status in life,
mid acquire the benefit of the
Atman in the shape of the happi­
ness of all created things.7^

Thus the equilibrium of the society remains

undisturbed when everybody performs the respective duties

sincerely. The sincere devotion towards the performance

of one's own duty leads him towards the path of perfection

And once the person attains the absolute knowledge, he is

free from desire for objects of pleasure. He renounces

all actions with accessories, except what is necessary

for the bare bodily maintenance. And such a devotee,

steady in his devotion to knowledge, becomes liberated
(jlvanmukta purusa).
The harmony in the society is maintained when the

individuals perform their respective duties sincerely. But

 156

in the evolutionary process when sattva gupa is pre­

dominated by the other two, rajas and tamas; the

individuals deviate from their own path. The egoistic

trend in the human mind becomes more powerful and

their outlook gradually changes.

To the egoists the Vedas and other scriptures

have no moral value. They are just a body of literature

having no validity. For them there exists no Isvara

ruling the universe according to any moral order. The

law of karma is an unnecessary concept having no rele­

vance in connection with the evolution of the world.

The whole universe is moreover caused by the mutual

union of man and woman under the impulse of lust.75

The egoists' hearts are filled with insatiable

desire, pride and arrogance. Their highest aim in life

is sensual enjoyment for which they adopt all manners

of evil means.76 They think themselves to be the lord of

the world, the possessor of everything, the most success­

ful individuals.77 Being urged by egotism, power, haughti­

ness, lust and anger, these fools show their hatred for

Isvara, who abides in their own and other bodies as the

Eternal Spectator of all their thoughts and deeds. They
disobey all divine laws.78

Whenever these people become powerful in the society,

the practice of virtue (dharma) is on the decline and
vice (adharma) prevails. This leads to disorder in the
 157

society. And on those occasions the Almighty Lord mani­

fests Himself through His maya, for the preservation

of the earthly Brahman (Bhaumasya Brahman). It is only
by the preservation of the spiritual life (Brahmapatva)

on the earth, the two-fold Vedic religion of pravrtti-

dharma and nivrtti dharma could be preserved, since
thereon depend the maintenance of order in the society.

In the Bhagavad-GIta, the fact of incarnation is

explicitly mentioned. Lord Krgpa declares Himself to be
an incarnation (avatarapa) of the Supreme Lord, the unity
that underlies behind the manifold universe, the Reality

that is transcendent over all and immanent in all.

The Supreme,in Its three activities of creation,

preservation and dissolution of the universe, is represented

_ /
as Brahma, Vi§pu and Siva in Hindu religion. God with
His creative idea is Brahma. As Vispu, He pours out His
love and perpetually works to save the world. And at the
' /
time of dissolution He is represented as Siva. Thus the
three are fundamentally one though conceived in a three­

fold manner. In the Gita, Lord Krssa represents the VigQU

aspect of the Supreme, appearing as the saviour of man­

kind in the hour of calamity and enslavement.

God is never born in the ordinary sense. When the

Lord is said to manifest Himself at a particular time,

on a particular occasion, it is only an appearance of

God through His maya. Being the Lord of all beings,

 158

ruling over His own nature (prakrti). He appears to be

born and embodied through His own maya (atmamayaya),
though in reality He is unborn and indestructible.79

In the Bhagavad-Gita explaining the purpose of

divine incarnation, Lord Kpgqa says to Arjuna :
Whenever there is a decay of reli­
gion, 0 Bharata, and an ascendency
of irreligion, then I manifest
Myself. For the protection of the
good, for the destruction of evil­
doers, for the firm establishment
of religion, I am born in every age.80

During the time of calamity, the Supreme Lord

manifests Himself for the protection of the good, the

destruction of the evil and the establishment of the

kingdom of righteousness. Growth of vice causes untold

suffering to the righteous, the people who follow the

scriptures. The Lord gets His special manifestation to

protect the devotees, and to destroy the wicked, those

who are the enemies of. the world.

The appearance of the avatara is not impelled by

the law of karma. It is His divine will that makes Him
assume a form. Through His maya, He works for mankind
with no personal interest. During the special appearance,

He preserves the world by establishing the dharma declined.

The chief purpose of incarnation is to reveal the eternal

truth that is contained in the Vedas and forgotten due

to the growth of sensual desires in human mind. And this

divine work can be done only by the avatara, who is a

descent of God into man. In this sense the avatara is

different from the liberated souls who are ascent of

man into God. The actions of the avatara are like fried
seeds, that are incapable of producing any result. And
even though the Supreme Lord incarnates Himself into

any finite form, He does not cease to be the creator,

sustainer and dissolver of the world; the omniscient

and omnipotent Being. All His manifestations are

partial. Even when the liberated souls realise the

Divine Essence, they do not possess the power of'

creation, preservation and dissolution of the universe.

 160

NOTES TO CHAPTER IV.

1. A.M.Sastry, The Bhagavad-GIta, Samata

books, Madras, 1981, XV. 17.

2. S.Gambhirananda, Eight Upanisads, Vol. II,

Advaita Ashrama, 5, Dehi
Entally Road, Calcutta-14,
1978, Mu.Up. II.i.4.

3. S.Gambhirananda, Chandogya Upanisad, Advaita

Ashrama, 5, Dehi Entally Road,
Calcutta-14, Ch.VII.24.1,

4. K.Sastri, Vidyaratna, An Introduction To Adwaita

Philosophy, Bharatiya Publishing
House, Delhi, 1979, P.43.

5. S.Gambhirananda, Eight Upanisads, Vol.II,

Mu/Up. II.i*4.

6. K.Sastri, Vidyaratna, An Introduction To Adwaita

Philosophy. T.3.--- :------

7. S,Gambhirananda, Eight Upanigads, Vol.I, Advaita

Ashrama, 5, Dehi Entally Road,
Calcutta-14, 1977, Tai.Up.II.vi.

8. S.Gambhirananda, Eight Upanisads, Vol.'ll,

Mu.Up. ll.i.3.

9. S.Gambhirananda, Eight Upanisads, Val.I, Tal.Up.

II.1.1 to II.V.1.

10. S.Radhakrishnan, The Bhagavad-GIta, Blackie & Son

(India) Ltd. 1977, P.33.

11. S.Gambhirananda, Eight Upanisads, Vol.I.

Tai.Up. II.vi.1.

12. S.Gambhirananda, Eight Upanisads, Vol.II.

Mu.Up. II.i.4.

13. c Ibid. , Mu.Up. II.i.10.

i —/
14. S,Tyagis ananda, Svetasvatara Upani§ad, Sri
Raaakrishna Math, Madras,
1979, VI.11.
 161

33. S. Kadhavananda, The Brhadaranyaka Upanigad,

IV.iv.22.
34. - Ibid.

35. S. Gambhirainanda, Chandogya Upanigad, III.14.1.

36. S.Tyaglsananda, Svetasvatara Upanigad, III.1.

37. Ibid., III.17.

00

S.Gambhirananda, Chandogya Upanigad, VIII.4.1.

.

/ _,
39. S,Tyaglsananda, Svetasvatara Upanigad, IV.15.

40. Ibid., III.2.

41. Ibid., P.60.

OJ

Ibid., III.4.
.

43. S. Madhavananda, The Bphadarapyaka Upanigad,

I.iv.14.

44. S.Gambhirananda, Chandogya Upanigad, 1.6.7.

45. S.Gambhirananda, Eight Upanigads, Vol.I.

rirrnfosr"
46, S.Gambhirananda, Brahma-Sutra-Bhagya, Advaita
Ashrama, 5, Dehi Entally Road
Calcutta-14, 1977, I.i.2.

47. Ibid., II.i.26.

48. Ibid., II.iii.13.

49. Ibid., III.iv.32.

50. Ibid., III.iv.19.

51. Ibid., III.iv.27.

52. S.Gambhirananda, Eight Upanigads, Vol.II.

Mu. II.ii.8.

53. K.S.Murty, Revelation and Reason in

Advaita Vedanta, P.3.
 162

15. S,Gambhirananda, Chandogya Upanigad, III.14.1.

16. S.Gambhirananda, Eight Upanigads, Vol.I.

Ka.Up. I.iii.12.

17. S.Gambhirananda, Eight Upanisads, Vol.II.

Ma.K§rikS# ,11.12.

18. Ibid.. Mu. II.i.3.

19. Ibid.

20. S.Gambhirananda, Eight Upanigads, Vol.I.

Tai. II.ii.1.

21. Ibid.. P.309.

CM
CM

Ibid.. II.v.1.
.

23. K.S.Murty, Revelation and Reason in Mvaita

Vedlhta, Motilal Banarasidass,
1974, P.6.

24. S.Gambhirananda, Eight Upanigads, Vol.II. Pr.VI.4.

25. S.Madhavananda, The Brhadaranyaka Upanigad,

Advaita Ashrama, 5, Dehi Entally
Road, Calcutta-14, 1975, II.iv.10
26. S.Swahananda, The Chandogya Upanigad, Sri
Ramakrishna Math, Madras,
1980, IV.4.5.
27. S.Radhakrishnan, The Dhammapdda,Oxford University
Press, MadrasT 1982, 393, P.180.

28. S,Madhavananda, The Brhadiranvaka Upanigad,

IV.iv.22.

29. S.Gambhirananda, Chindogya Upanigad, 11.23.1.

30. S.Madhavananda, The Bphadarapyaka Upanigad,

IV.iv.23.

31. Ibid., IV.iii.32.

32. Ibid., IV.iv.20.

 163

54. 3,Gambhirananda, Brahma-Sutra-Bhagya, II.iii.46.

55. Ibid.. III.ii.27.

56. Ibid., III.ii.28.
57. Ibid., III.ii.32,
58. Ibid., P. 80-81.

59. A.M.Sastry, The Bhagavad-GTta, VII.5.

60. Ibid., VII.6.
61. Ibid., XIV.3.
62. Ibid., XIII.16.

63. S.Radhakrishnan, The Bhagavad-GTta, XIII.27.

64. Ibid., IX.18.

65. Ibid., XIII.22.

66. A.M.Sastry, The Bhagavad-GTta, XV.18.
67. S.Radhakrishnan, The Bhagavad-GTta, P.332.
68. A.M.Sastry, The Bhagavad-GTta, P.411,

69. Ibid., XV.17.

70. Ibid.. P.351. XIII.15.
71. Ibid., XVIII.46.

72. Ibid., XVIII.48.

73. B.G.Tilak, Gfta-Rahasya, Vol.II, Lokamanya

Tilak Mandir, 568, Narayan Peth
Poona City, India, 1936, P.697.
74. Ibid., P.698.

75. AiM.Sastry, The Bhagavad-GTta, XVI.8.

76. Ibid., XVI.11.

77. A.M.Sastry, The Bhagavad-GIta, XVI.14

78. Ibid., XVI.18.

79. Ibid., IV.6.

80 Ibid., P. 121-122