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Taffva-viveka
(Kusaliaila Dasa)
Prafhamanubhava
Firsf ReaIizafion
Texf 1
jayat sac-c-anana-
rasanubnava-vgranan
procyatc sac-c-anana-
nubnutr yat-prasaatan
jayat-gloiy; sat-ciciniiy; c-lnowlcdgc; anana-bliss; rasa-ncciai;
anubnava-pciccpiion; vgranan-loim; procyatc-is spolcn; sat-c-
anananubnutr-ilc pciccpiion ol ciciniiy, lnowlcdgc and bliss; yat-
prasaatan-by ilc mcicy ol wlom.
Gloiy io Si Kisna Caiianya, ilc Supicmc Pcisonaliiy ol Godlcad, in wlosc
loim icsi ciciniiy, lnowlcdgc, bliss, and ilc iasic ol ncciai. ly His mcicy ilis
bool, wlicl bcais ilc iiilc "Sac-cid-anandanubluii" (Diiccily Sccing ilc Supicmc
Pcisonaliiy ol Godlcad, in Wlosc Ioim Rcsi Liciniiy, Knowlcdgc, and lliss) las
bccn wiiiicn.
Texf 2
ho nam va hm am vsvam
avayon ho nvayo nruvam
atmanam nvrto jivan
prccnat jnana-snayc
ho-wlo'; anam-am I; va-oi; hm-wlai'; am-ilis; vsvam-woild;
avayon-ol us boil; ho-wlai'; anvayo-ilc iclaiionslip; nruvam-always;
atmanam-limscll; nvrto-suiioundcd by maiici; jivan-ilc soul; prccnat-
asls; jnana-snayc-io lind ilc iiuil.
"Wlo am I' Wlai is ilis woild' Wlai iclaiion lavc I wiil ilis woild'" To
lcain ilc iiuil, a soul in ilis maiciial woild will always asl limscll ilcsc
qucsiions.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Many days alici ilcii biiil, luman bcings linally aiiain good lnowlcdgc ol
scnsc objccis. Tlc ouisidc woild pciccivcd by ilc scnscs is callcd "visaya" (ilc
woild ol scnsc objccis). As lis scnsoiy powcis giow, a clild bccomcs incicasingly
awaic ol ilc woild ol scnsc objccis. Tasiing plcasuic ilcic, lc is diawn io ilc
woild ol scnsc objccis. Tlus aiiiacicd io ilc woild ol scnsc objccis, a luman
bcing ilinls ol and acis loi noiling clsc. lccoming a consiani companion, sound,
ioucl, loim, iasic, and smcll giadually iuin ilc luman mind inio ilcii slavc. In
ilis way luman bcings aic plungcd inio ilc woild ol scnsc objccis. "Dcail musi
comc, and wlcn ii docs, I will lavc no iclaiionslip wiil ilis woild ol scnscs
objccis." Wlcn ilis ilougli aiiscs, a loiiunaic pcison iuins liom ilc woild ol
scnsc objccis and ycains io lnow ilc iiuil. Hc ilcn asls ilcsc qucsiions: "Wlo
am I, ilc pcison wlo pciccivcs ilis woild' Wlai is ilis woild' Wlai iclaiion
lavc I wiil ilis woild'"
Texf 3
atma prahrt-vactrya
aat ctram uttaram
sva-svarupa-stnto ny atma
aat yuhtam uttaram
atma-scll; prahrt-naiuic; vactrya-bccausc ol ilc vaiiciy; aat-givcs;
ctram-vaiicgaicd; uttaram-icply; sva-own; svarupa-oiiginal loim; stnto-
siiuaicd; ny-indccd; atma-scll; aat-givcs; yuhtam-piopci; uttaram-icply.
lccausc ol ilcii dillcicni naiuics, ilosc wlo asl ilcsc qucsiions aiiain a gicai
vaiiciy ol answcis. Only a soul siiuaicd in lis oiiginal spiiiiual loim aiiains ilc
iiuc answcis.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
A pcison wlo las iuincd away liom ilc woild ol scnsc objccis linds an
answci io ilcsc ilicc qucsiions. Sciipiuics and plilosoplics aiicmpi io answci
ilcsc ilicc qucsiions. In oui couniiy answcis aic givcn by ilc Vcdas, Vcdania,
and oilci bools lollowing ilc Vcdic icaclings. Answcis aic also givcn by
plilosoplics ilai misinicipici ilc Vcdic icaclings, plilosoplics lilc nyaya,
pscudo-sanllya, paianjala, vaiscsila, and laima-mmamsa. Answcis aic also
givcn by plilosoplics ilai opcnly opposc ilc Vcdic icaclings, plilosoplics lilc
luddlism and ilc plilosoply ol ilc ailcisi Caivala. In ilis way many
plilosoplics givc many dillcicni answcis. In Clina, Gicccc, Pcisia, Iiancc,
Lngland, Gcimany, Iialy, and oilci couniiics many dillcicni plilosoplics wcic
picaclcd, plilosoplics lilc Maiciialism, Posiiivism, Scculaiism, Pcssimism,
Sccpiicism, Panilcism, and Ailcism. Many plilosoplcis uscd logic io piovc ilc
cxisicncc ol God. Tlcn again, in oilci placcs was picaclcd ilc idca ilai onc
slould simply bclicvc in God and woislip Him. In many placcs wcic picaclcd
icligions ilai claimcd io bc oiiginally givcn by God. Somc icligions wcic iooicd in
cacl pcison's own individual laiil in God. In oilci placcs ii was said ilai God
Himscll lad givcn ilc icaclings ol icligion. Rcligion iooicd in cacl pcison's own
individual laiil is callcd Tlcism. Includcd among ilc icligions wiil bclicl-sysicms
and sciipiuics givcn by God aic Cliisiianiiy and Molammcdanism. Tlc answcis
io ilc poicviously mcniioncd ilicc qucsiions aic iiuly ol iwo linds: 1. ilc
answci givcn by a soul siiuaicd in lis oiiginal loim, and 2. ilc gicai vaiiciy ol
answcis givcn by all oilcis. Wly is noi a singlc answci only givcn io cacl ol ilcsc
qucsiions' Tlc iiuc answcis aic givcn by a puic pcison siiuaicd in lis oiiginal
spiiiiual loim. All pcisons siiuaicd in ilcii oiiginal spiiiiual loims givc ilc samc
answcis. Howcvci, ilc pcisons wlo lavc lallcn inio ilc maiciial woild aic noi
siiuaicd in ilcii oiiginal spiiiiual loims. Tlc maiciial woild is noi ilcii ical
lomc. Ii is a woild boin liom maiciial illusion. Tlc Supicmc Tiuil (paia- iaiiva)
las a spiiiiual poicncy (paia salii). Tlc sladow ol ilai spiiiiual poicncy is ilc
poicncy ol illusion (maya-salii). Maya-salii is ilc moilci ol ilc maiciial woild.
Tlc gicai vaiiciy ol qualiiics maya ollcis aic acccpicd by ilc souls icsiding in ilc
maiciial woild as ilcii own qualiiics. In ilis way ilc soul's oiiginal qualiiics aic
wiildiawn and ilc spccilic mixiuic ol qualiiics and an idcniiiy ollcicd by maya
aic acccpicd by ilc soul. In ilis way ilc spiiii soul idcniilics wiil maiici.
Spiiiiual and maiciial idcas ilus bccomc mixcd iogcilci in many dillcicni ways in
ilc mind ol ilc spiiii soul. Lacl acccpiing a dillcicni mixiuic ol maiciial
qualiiics, ilc spiiii souls misidcniilying wiil maiici cacl givc lis own answcis io
ilcsc ilicc qucsiions. In ilis way a gicai vaiiciy ol answcis is manilcsi.
Inllucnccd by ilc iiadiiions, aciiviiics, associaics, loods, languagc, and ilougli
paiicins ol ilc couniiics wlcic ilcy livc, ilc souls in ilis woild givc answcis io
ilcsc ilicc qucsiions. In ilis way iimc, placc, and ciicumsiancc combinc io
cicaic a gicai vaiiciy ol naiuics. Iiisily, ilc souls comc in coniaci wiil maiici in
dillcicni ways. Tlosc dillcicni linds ol coniaci biing onc sci ol vaiiaiions ol
naiuic. Sccondly, ilcii dillcicni couniiics, languagcs, lamilics, and oilci
ciicumsianccs biing anoilci sci ol vaiiaiions ol naiuic. In ilis way ilc a gicai
vaiiciy ol naiuics bccomcs muliiplicd. Only a pcison wlo las iiavclcd io cvciy
couniiy, lcaincd cvciy languagc, and siudicd cvciy couniiy's lisioiy can
undcisiand ilc scopc ol ilai vaiiciy. Hcic I will only poini in ilc diicciion ol ilai
vaiiciy. I will noi do moic. Ii would bc a gicai iioublc. Ol ilc iwo linds ol
answcis givcn by ilc living cniiiics, onc is ilc iiuc answci. Tlc oilci is ilc gicai
vaiiciy ol answcis accoiding io ilc vicws ol dillcicni plilosoplics. Tlc gicai
vaiiciy ol answcis may bc dividcd inio iwo gioups. Tlc liisi gioup is callcd
jnana" and ilc sccond gioup is callcd "laima". Hcic somconc may pioicsi:
"Wlcn you say ilc iiuc (yulia) answci you imply ilai you lonoi logic (yulii) as
ilc way io lnow ilc iiuil. Wly, ilcn, do you noi acccpi ilc gicai vaiiciy ol
answcis ilai logic biings'" To ilis pioicsi I icply: Spiiiiual logic docs noi dcpcnd
on ilc maiciial logic ilai biings a vaiiciy ol answcis. Tlcicloic wlcn I usc ilc
woids logic (yulii) and iiuil (yulia), I iclci io ilc logic and iiuil acccpicd by
libciaicd souls puiilicd ol maiici's ioucl, logic and iiuil ilai piopcily disiinguisl
bciwccn maiici and spiiii. Logic ilai is maiciial, ilai ialcs slclici ol maiici, will
always lcad io a gicai vaiiciy ol conclusions. A libciaicd soul siiuaicd in lis
oiiginal spiiiiual loim can givc ilc iiuc, ilc gcnuincly logical answci. Among ilc
gicai vaiiciy ol answcis is sccn ilc gioup callcd jnana. Lmploying jnana, ilc spiiii
soul in coniaci wiil maiici iiics io disiinguisl spiiii liom maiici. Wlcn ii spcals
posiiivcly (anvaya), jnana alliims ilc piimacy ol maiici, saying maiici is ilc
bcginninglcss iooi ol all ilai cxisis. Wlcn ii spcals ncgaiivcly (vyaiiicla) jnana
says ilai maiici cannoi bc dcsiioycd, loi ii is mcicly a iiansloimaiion ol ilc
Supicmc (bilaman), wlo las no poicncics (nilsalii). Tlcy wlo lollow laima
say God docs noi cxisi, and ilcicloic ilc living cniiiics slould cngagc in maiciial
aciiviiics. Puic jnana and laima lavc ilcii placc in iiuc spiiiiual lovc and
spiiiiual aciiviiics. Tlcy aic paii ol ilc iiuc answcis io oui ilicc qucsiions. Tlcy
will bc discusscd laici in ilis bool, wlcn dcvoiional scivicc (blalii) will bc
dcsciibcd. lccausc ilcy aic maiciial in naiuic, woids cannoi complcicly dcsciibc
ilc puic spiiiiual iiuil.
Texf +
ctram banu-vnam vn
yuhtam cham svarupatan
ctram aau tatna cantc
yuhtam cva vvcyatc
ctram-vaiiciy; banu-vnam-many linds; vn-plcasc lnow; yuhtam-
iiuil; cham-onc; svarupatan-naiuially; ctram-vaiiciy; aau-liisi; tatna-
ilcn; ca-also; antc-ai ilc cnd; yuhtam-ilc iigli answci; cva-indccd;
vvcyatc-is considcicd.
Plcasc lnow ilai ilcic aic a gicai vaiiciy ol answcis, and ilcic is also onc iiuc
answci. Iiisi wc will considci ilc gicai vaiiciy ol answcis, and ilcn wc will
considci ilc onc iiuc answci.
Texf 5
atmatnava jaam sarvam
svabnava n pravartatc
svabnavo vyatc ntyam
isa-jnanam nrartnaham
atma-soul; atnava-oi; jaam-maiici; sarvam-all; svabnava-naiuially;
n-indccd; pravartatc-is manilcsi; svabnavo-own naiuic; vyatc-is; ntyam-
cicinal; isa- jnanam-lnowlcdgc ol God; nrartnaham-wiiloui mcaning.
Somc plilosoplcis say ilai maiici is cvciyiling, maiici is scll-manilcsi, maiici
is cicinal, and any conccpiion ol God is a scnsclcss lic.
Texf 6
sarvatna ccsvarasnr
isa-harta prayojanat
para-Ioha-hatna mtnya
nurtanam haIpancrta
sarvatna-in all icspccis; ca-and; isvara-God; asnr-lacxl ol piool; isa-
God; harta-cicaioi; prayojanat-bccausc ol ilc nccd; para- Ioha-hatna-iall ol a
spiiiiual woild; mtnya-lalsc; nurtanam-ol iascals; haIpana-imaginaiion;
irta-spolcn.
Tlcy say no onc las cvci piovcd God's cxisicncc, God is cicaicd by mcn, and
iall ol a spiiiiual woild is a lic imagincd by iascals.
Texf 7
samyogaj jaa-tattvanam
atma catanya-samjntan
praurbnavat narmo yam
nnto jaa-vastun
samyogaj-liom coniaci; jaa-tattvanam-ol maiciial clcmcnis; atma-soul;
catanya-samjntan-lnown as consciousncss; praurbnavat-is manilcsicd;
narmo-icligion; ayam-ilis; nnto-placcd; jaa-vastun-in maiici.
Tlcwy say ilc incii maiciial clcmcnis combinc io cicaic conscious lilc. In ilis
way conscious lilc is manilcsi in incii maiici.
Texf 8
vyogat sa punas tatra
gaccnaty cva na samsayan
na tasya punar avrttr
na muhtr jnana-Iahsana
vyogat-liom scpaiaiion; sa-ilai; punas-again; tatra-ilcic; gaccnaty-
gocs; cva-indccd; na-no; samsayan-doubi; na-noi; tasya-ol ilai; punar-
again; avrttr-iciuin; na-noi; muhtr-libciaiion; jnana-Iahsana-claiaciciizcd
by lnowlcdgc.
Tlcy say ilai wlcn ii dics, conscious lilc ccascs io cxisi, and ol ilis ilcy lavc
no doubi. Tlcy say ilcic is no soul ilai can bc icboin in ilis woild oi libciaicd
liom ii by aiiaining spiiiiual lnowlcdgc.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Among ilc gicai vaiiciy ol plilosoplics, maiciialism (jada- vada) is vciy
widcspicad. Maiciialism is ol iwo linds: 1. ilc plilosoply ol aiiaining maiciial
plcasuics (jadananda-vada), and 2. ilc plilosoply ol cxiinguisling (niivana)
maiciial cxisicncc aliogcilci (jada-niivana-vada). Now wc will considci ilcsc
iwo maiciialisiic plilosoplics. Iiisi wc will lool ai maiciialism in a gcncial way.
All vaiiciics ol maiciialism say ilis: Incii maiici cxisis, conscious lilc cxisis, and
cvciyiling is cicaicd liom incii maiici. Conscious lilc docs noi cxisi bcloic incii
maiici. Plilosoplics ilai icacl aboui God aic a usclcss wasic ol iimc. Incii maiici
is cicinal. Il somconc ialls abou "God", lc is ialling aboui a bcing wlo cxisis
only in lis imaginaiion. Il any God cxisis onc slould scaicl io lind a liglci
"God" ilai coniiols ilai God. God's cxisicncc las ncvci bccn piovcd. In cvciy
couniiy and piovincc aic icligious bools dcsciibing God and dcsciibing ilc soul's
icsidcncc in a spiiiiual woild. Tlcsc bools aic ilc wild imaginaiions ol vaiious
iascals. Tlcy do noi dcsciibc anyiling ilai iiuly cxisis. Tlcicloic ilc woids scll
(aima) and consciousncss (caiianya) iclci only io cciiain aspccis ol maiici. Scll
and consciousncss aic cicaicd only by a vaiiciy ol loiwaid (anuloma) oi baclwaid
(viloma) iniciaciions (samyoga) ol maiciial clcmcnis (jada-iaiiva). Wlcn ilc
iniciaciions aic loiwaid, ilcic is cicaiion ol scll and consciousncss. Wlcn ilc
iniciaciions aic baclwaid, scll and consciousncss aic again mcigcd inio maiici. A
scll's ialing biiil again and again in dillcicni loims, oi icincainaiion, is noi
possiblc. Aiiaining libciaiion liom maiici by lcaining ilc iiuil aboui lialman is
noi possiblc ciilci. lccausc ilc scll is noi dillcicni liom maiici, ilc scll cannoi
bccomc libciaicd liom maiici. Tlcicloic maiici is ilc uliimaic icaliiy. All
cxisicncc is only a vaiiciy ol aspccis ol maiici. All ailcisis acccpi ilcsc idcas. Onc
gioup ol ailcisis claims ilai cacl pcison's aiiainmcni ol maiciial plcasuic is loi
lim ilc goal ol lilc. Anoilci gioup ol ailcisis, undcisianding ilai maiciial
plcasuic is icmpoiaiy and pailciic, scaiclcs alici ilc lappincss ol niivana
(ccssaiion ol maiciial cxisicncc).
Now wc will considci ilc plilosoply ol aiiaining maiciial plcasuics
(jadananda-vada). Tlc plilosoply ol aiiaining maiciial plcasuics is ol iwo linds:
1. ilc plilosoply ol scllisl maiciial plcasuics (svaiila-jadananda-vad), and 2.
ilc plilosoply ol unscllisl maiciial plcasuics (nilsvaiila- jadananda-vad).
Tlcy wlo lollow ilc plilosoply ol scllisl maiciial plcasuics ilinl: "Nciilci
God, noi soul, noi alicililc, noi laimic icaciions cxisi. Tlcicloic, conccincd only
loi icsulis visiblc in ilis woild, lci us spcnd oui iimc in scnsc plcasuics. Wc don'i
nccd io wasic oui iimc pciloiming usclcss icligious aciiviiics." lccausc ol bad
associaiion and sinlul dccds, ilis ailcisiic plilosoply las cxisicd in luman
sociciy liom ancicni iimcs. Howcvci, ilis plilosoply las ncvci bccomc
piomincni among laiillul, icspcciablc pcoplc. Siill, in dillcicni couniiics somc
pcoplc lavc ialcn slclici ol ilis idca and cvcn wiiiicn bools piopounding ii. In
India ilc bialmana Caivala, in Clina ilc ailcisi Yangcloo, in Gicccc ilc ailcisi
Lcucippus, in Ccniial Asia Saidanaplus, in Romc Luciciious, and many oilcis in
many couniiics all wioic bools piopounding ilcsc idcas. Von Holbacl says ilai
onc slould pciloim plilaniliopic dccds io incicasc onc's pcisonal lappincss. ly
woiling io malc oilcis lappy, onc incicascs onc's own lappincss, and ilai is
good.
Tiying io pcisuadc ilc pcoplc in gcncial, ilc auilois ol modcin bools
pipounding ilc plilosoply ol maiciial plcasuic olicn iall aboui unscllisl
maiciial plcasuic, oi doing good, maiciially, io oilcis. In India ailcism cxisicd
cvcn in ancicni days. Wiil gicai ciudiiion, onc plilosoplci wioic a gicai
disioiiion ol ilc Vcdic icacling, a disioiiion callcd ilc Mmamsa-suiias, wlicl
bcgin wiil ilc woids "codana- lalsano dlaimal", a wlicl icplacc God wiil an
"an absiiaci oiigin bcloic wlicl noiling cxisicd" (apuiva). In Gicccc a
plilosoplci namcd Dcmociiius picaclcd ilis plilosoply also. Hc said ilai maiici
and void cxisi cicinally. Wlcn ilcsc iwo mcci, ilcic is cicaiion, and wlcn ilcy
aic scpaiaicd, ilcic is dcsiiuciion. Maiciial clcmcnis aic dillcicni only bccausc
ilcii aioms aic ol dillcicni sizcs. Oilciwisc ilc clcmcnis aic noi dillcicni.
Knowlcdgc is a scnsaiion ilai comcs wlcn somciling wiilin iouclcs somciling
wiiloui. His plilosoply lolds ilai all cxisicncc is composcd ol aioms. In oui
couniiy also Kanada in lis vaiscsila plilosoply also iaugli ilai ilc maiciial
clcmcnis aic composcd ol cicinal aioms. Howcvci, ilc vaiscsila plilsoply is
dillcicni liom Dcmociiius' aiomic ilcoiy, loi ilc vaiscsila plilosoply acccpis ilc
cicinal cxisicncc ol boil God and soul. In Gicccc Plaio and Aiisioilc icluscd io
acccpi an cicinal God as ilc only cicaioi ol ilc maiciial woild. Kanada's ciiois
aic also sccn in ilcii vicws. Gasscndi acccpicd ilc cxisicncc ol aioms, bui
concludcd ilai God cicaicd ilc aioms. In Iiancc Didcioi and Lamciiiic picaclcd
ilc ilcoiy ol unscllisl maiciial plcasuic. Tlc ilcoiy ol unscllisl maiciial plcasuic
icaclcd iis ligl poini in Iiancc's plilosoplci Compic, wlo was boin in 1795 and
dicd in 1S57. His impuic plilosoply is callcd Posiiivism. Ii is inappiopiiaicly
namcd, loi ii acccpis ilc cxisicncc ol maiici only, and noiling clsc. Ii claims:
Asidc liom scnsc lnowlcdgc ilcic is no iiuc lnowlcdgc. Tlc mind is only a
spccial aiiangcmcni ol maiciial clcmcnis. In ilc linal conclusion, no oiigin ol all
cxisiccnc can bc dcsciibcd. Iuiilcimoic, ilcic is no nccd io discovci any oiigin
ol ilc maiciial woild. Tlcic is no sign ilai any conscious cicaioi ol ilc maiciial
woild cxisis. Tlc ilinling mind slould caicgoiizc ilings accoiding io ilcii
iclaiionslips, icsulis, similaiiiics, and dissimilaiiiics. Onc slould noi acccpi ilc
cxisicncc ol anyiling bcyond maiici. lclicl in God is loi clildicn. Adulis lnow
God is a myil. Disciiminaiing bciwccn good and cvil, onc slould aci iiglicously.
Onc slould iiy io do good io all luman bcings. Tlai is ilc plilosoply ol
unscllisl maiciial plcasuic. Tlinling in ilis way onc slould aci loi ilc bcnclii ol
all luman bcings. Onc slould imaginc a lcmalc loim and woislip ii. Tlai loim
is, ol couisc, unical. Siill, by woisliping ii onc aiiains good claiacici. Tlc caiil,
oi ilc ioialiiy ol maiciial icxisicncc, is callcd ilc "Supicmc Iciicl", ilc land is
callcd ilc "Supicmc Mcdium", and ilc piimoidial luman naiuic is callcd ilc
"Supicmc lcing". A lcmalc loim wiil an inlani in lci lands slould bc woislipcd
moining, noon, nad nigli. Tlis imaginaiy lcmalc loim, wlo is an amalgam ol
onc's moilci, wilc, and dauglici, slould bc mcdiiaicd and woislipcd in ilc pasi,
picscni, and luiuic. Onc slould noi sccl any scllisl bcnclii liom ilcsc aciions. In
Lngland a plilosoplci namcd Mill iaugli a plilosoply ol cniimcnialism ilai is
laigcly lilc Compic's plilosoply ol unscllisl maiciial plcasuic. In ilis way
ailcism, oi scculaiism, aiiiacicd ilc minds ol many youils in Lngland. Mill,
Lcwis, Painc, Cailylc, lcnilam, Combc, and oilci plilosoplcis picaclcd ilcsc
idcas. Tlis plilosoply is ol iwo linds. Onc lind was iaugli by Holyoalc, wlo
lindly acccpicd God cxisicncc io somc cxicni. Tlc oilci lind was iaugli by
liadlaugl, wlo was a iloiougl ailcisi.
Tlc plilosoply ol ccllisl maiciial plcasuic and ilc plilosoply ol unscllisl
maiciial plcasuic, alilougl dillcicni in somc ways, aic boil maiciialisiic. Wlcn
onc dccply ilinls aboui ilc idcas ol all ilcsc maiciialisiic plilosoplcis, onc will
scc ilai maiciialism is usclcss and unicnablc. Wlcn onc simply glanccs ai ilcm
wiil ilc cycs ol puic spiiiiual logic, onc will icjcci ilcsc idcas as pailciic and
unicnablc. Lvcn oidinaiy maiciial logic will slow ilcsc idcas aic unicnablc and
slould bc icjccicd. Tlis is sccn in ilc lollowing ways:
1. Tlc plilosoply ol maiciialism scaiclcs loi a singlc piinciplc ilai is ilc iooi
ol all cxisicncc. Tlis is a gicai lolly. Il onc ilinls ilc maiciial aioms aic cicinal,
ilc void is cicinal, ilc iclaiion bciwccn ilc void and ilc maiciial clcmcnis is
inconccivablc, and ilc powcis, qualiiics, and aciions ol ilc maiciial aioms aic also
cicinal, and all ilcsc ilingsaic cicinal and bcginninglcss, ilcn lc cannoi acccpi
ilai ilc maiciial woild was cvci cicaicd. A pcison wlo acccpis ilcsc idcas cannoi
icducc ilc maiciial woild io a singlc undcilying piinciplc. Hc musi acccpi ilc
simuliancous cxisicncc ol many piinciplcs. Wlai is iimc' Tlai lc las no powci
io say. In ilis way ilcii aiicmpi io lind a singlc undcilying piinciplc ilai govcins
ilc maiciial woild is only ilc wild babbling ol a clild.
2. Tlc plilosoply ol Maiciialism is unnaiuial and unscicniilic. Ii is unnaiuial
bccausc cvciy naiuic las a causc. To assumc ilai maiici is cicinal and is ilc causc
ol consciousncss, wlicl appcais only as a by-pioduci ol maiici, is vciy illogical.
Tlc picscncc ol causcs and cllccis is naiuial in ilc woild ol gioss maiici. Wiiloui
causcs and cllccis ilc maiciial woild would noi bc as ii is. Tlc plilosoply ol
Maiciialism is unscicniilic bccausc consciousncss las ilc powci io manipulaic
and coniiol incii maiici. Tlcicloic ilc idca ilai consciousncss is mcicly a by-
pioduci ol maiici is liciccly opposcd io iiuc scicniilic ilinling.
3. Consciousncss is naiuially supciioi io incii maiici. Only lools say
consciousncss is a by-pioduci ol maiici. Piolcssoi Iciiis las clcaily cxplaincd all
ilis.
+. Can anyonc pioovc ilai maiici is cicinal' Piolcssoi Tyndall las clcaily
slown ilcic is cvidcncc io piovc ilc ciciniiy ol maiici. Il somconc claims ilai lc
las loolcd cicinally inio ilc pasi and cicinally inio ilc luiuic and lc las sccn
ilai maiici is cicinal, no onc slould bclicvc lim.
5. luclnci and Molcscoii claim ilai maiici is cicinal. Tlai is an imaginaiion
ilai cxisis only in ilcii lcads. Il in ilc couisc ol iimc maiici ccascs io cxisi, ilcii
idcas will bccomc lics.
6. Comic wiiics: "Wc slouid noi iiy io discovci ilc oiigin oi ilc conclusion
ol ilc maiciial woild. Tlai ciicmpi only clildisl cuiiosiiy." Howcvci, bccausc ilc
living cniiiy is by naiuic conscious, lc naiuially cuiious io lnow ilcsc ilings.
Tlc living cniiiy cannoi pciloim a luncial iiic io cclcbiaic ilc dcail ol lis own
naiuial cuiiosiiy. Tlc scaicl loi causcs and cllccis is ilc moilci ol all iiuc
lnowlcdgc. Il Compic's idca is acccpicd, luman iniclligcncc will bc dcsiioycd in a
lcw days. Ol ilai ilcic is no doubi. Tlcn luman bcings will all bccomc siunicd,
numbcd, and unilinling.
7. No onc las cvci sccn luman consciousncss cicaicd liom dull maiciial
clccmcnis. Only lools bclicvc ilis will cvci lappcn. In ilc bool I lold in my
land, a lisioiy bool dcsciibing ilicc ilousand ycais ol luman lisioiy, no onc
las cvci sccn an luman bcing sponiancously manilcsicd liom incii maiici. Il
luman lilc is manilcsi liom ilc sponiancous iniciaciions ol maiciial clcmcnis,
ilcn in ilc couisc ol all ilosc ycais ai lcasi onc luman bcing would lavc bccn
sponiancously manilcsicd liom incii maiici.
S. Tlc giacclul and laimonious aiiangcmcni ol luman bcings, animals, iiccs,
and oilci living cniiiics in ilis woild poinis io a cicaioi and coniiollci. In ilis
way ii is sccn ilai ilcic musi bc a conscious supicmc cicaioi.
In ilcsc many ways ilc plilosoply ol Maiciialism is icluicd cvcn by oidinaiy
logic. Only vciy unloiiunaic pcoplc acccpi ilc idcas ol Maiciialism. Tlcy lavc no
idca ol spiiiiual lappincss. Tlcii dcsiics aic vciy pciiy. Tlc plilosoply ol
maiciial cxiinciion (niivana) will bc discusscd laici in ilis bool.
Texf 9
hartavyo Iauhho narman
papanam vratr yatan
vvabnr Iahsto ntyo
svabnava-vnto vnn
hartavyo-slould bc donc; Iauhho-maiciial; narman-naiuic; papanam-ol
sins; vratr-ccssaiion; yatan-bccausc; vvabnr-by ilc wisc; Iahsto-sccn;
ntyo-cicinal; svabnava-by naiuic; vnto-placcd; vnn-iulcs.
Tlc maiciialisis say ilcsc woids: Oidinaiy moialiiy slould bc lollowcd, loi
ilcn immoial aciiviiics aic sioppcd. Tlc wisc scc ilai ilc cicinal iulcs ol moialiiy
aic sponiancously manilcsicd liom luman naiuic.
Texf 10
punhnanupunhna-rupcna
jjnasyo sa suhnaptayc
jivanc yat suhnam tat tu
jivanasya prayojanam
punhnanupunhna-rupcna-iloiouglly; jjnasyo-io bc inquiicd; sa-lc;
suhna-ol lappincss; aptayc-loi aiiainmcni; jivanc-in lilc; yat-wlai;
suhnam-lappincss; tat-ilai; tu-indccd; jivanasya-ol lilc; prayojanam-ilc
nccd.
Onc slould diligcnily iiy io aiiain maiciial lappincss, loi maiciial lappincss is
ilc iiuc goal ol lilc.
Texf 11
jivanc yat hrtam harma
jivanantc ta cva n
jagatam anya-jivanam
sambannc pnaIa-am bnavct
jivanc-in lilc; yat-wlai; hrtam-donc; harma-aciion; jivana-ol lilc; antc-
ai ilc cnd; ta-ilai; cva-indccd; n-indccd; jagatam-ol ilc univciscs; anya-
ol oilci; jivanam-living cniiiics; sambannc-iclaiionslip; pnaIa- am-giving
icsuli; bnavct-will; bc.
Alici a pcison dics, ilc aciiviiics lc pciloimcd duiing lis lilc will siill biing
icsulis io oilci living cniiiics, io pcisons wlo lad a iclaiionslip wiil lim.
Texf 12
na harma nasam ayat
yaa va ycna va hrtam
apurva-saht-rupcna
hurutc sarvam unnatam
na-noi; harma-aciion; nasam-io dcsiiuciion; ayat-gocs; yaa-wlcn;
va-oi; ycna-by wlom; va-oi; hrtam-donc; apurva-wodncilul; saht-powci;
rupcna-wiil ilc loim; hurutc-docs; sarvam-all; unnatam-clcvaicd.
Rcagidlcss ol wlcn oi by wlom ilcy wcic pciloimcd, good maiciial aciiviiics
aic ncvci losi. Tlcy lavc a wondcilul powci io clcvaic cvciyonc.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Now wc will considci ilc oidinaiy aciiviiics ol pcisons wlo lollow ilc
plilosoply ol Maiciialism. Tlcy say: "Lvcn ilougl ilcic is no God, no soul, and
no alicililc, luman bcings slould siill lollow ilc iulcs ol moialiiy. ly aciing
moially onc will aiiain lappincss in ilis lilc, and by aciing immoially onc will bc
placcd in a lcailul siiuaiion. Tlcsc immoial aciiviiics aic also callcd sins'. Il onc
acis sclllcssly io malc oilcis lappy, onc's own lappincss will sponiancously
lollow. Tlcicloic onc slould lollow ilc piinciplcs ol moialiiy. Onc slould lollow
moialiiy and casi sins lai away, loi sins biing only iioublcs and sullciings. Naiuic
always las iis own laws. Tlcicloic, sincc cvciy bcing is a paii ol naiuic, cvciy
bcing musi lollow naiuic's laws. Plilosoplcis slould iiy io discovci ilc laws ilai
govcin ilc maiciial woild. Pious lappincss is ilc liglcsi good aiiaincd in ilis
lilc. To aiiain onc's own lappincss onc slould diligcnily iiy io discovci and
lollow naiuic's laws. Il you say, Alici dcail I will cxisi no longci. Wly slould I
icnouncc my own unbiidlcd plcasuic and lollow ilc iulcs ol moialiiy'', ilcn I
icply: Youi aciions aic noi in vain. Lvcn alici youi dcail ilcy will noi siop
biinging icsulis io oilcis. Alici youi dcail ilc aciions you pciloimcd in youi lilc
will biing vaiious icsulis io vaiious pcoplc in ilc woild. Il you maiiicd and bcgai
clildicn, gavc youi clildicn and cducaiion and iaugli ilcm aboui moialiiy, ilcn
youi aciions will biing icsulis cnjoycd by many pcoplc. Il you cain moncy and
build sclools, losicls loi iiavcllcis, ioads, bailing placcs, and oilci lilc ilings,
ilcn many pcoplc will cnjoy ilc icsulis ol youi aciions. Il you say, Tlc icsulis ol
ilosc aciions will quiclly pciisl,' ilcn I icply: Wly slould you noi aci' Youi
aciions will ncvci pciisl. Wlcn ilcy aic maiuic, aciions lavc a vciy wondcilul
powci. In ilc luiuic ilcsc aciions will bccomc vciy powcilul. Tlcy will malc ilis
cndlcss woild a vciy cxalicd placc. Tlcicloic onc slould aci wiiloui scllisl
moiivcs."
Tlc plilosoply ol maiciialism collapscs ol iis own accoid. Ii is lilc a lousc
wiiloui a loundaiion oi walls. No onc will lollow a iclgion wiiloui lopc oi lcai
loi wlai will lappcn in ilc alicililc. As ilcii vciy namc slows, ilc lollowcis ol
ilc plilosoply ol scllisl maiciial plcasuics aic all scllisl. Indccd, ilc lollowcis ol
ilc plilosoply ol unscllisl maiciial plcasuics aic in iiuil scllisl also. Ii is noi
possiblc io lollow ilc idca ol unscllisl maiciial plcasuics loi long. Wiiiing undci
ilc pcn- namc Miiabond, ilc plilosoplci Holbacl wioic a bool, Sysicm ol
Naiuic" in ilc ycai 1770. In ilai bool lc wioic, "Unscllislncss docs noi cxisi in
ilis woild. I say a good laiil is onc wlcic onc bccomcs lappy by oilcis'
lappincss." I scc ii ilai way also. Unscllisl maiciialism las no mcaning. Ii is lilc
a llowci imagincd io lloai in ilc sly. Unscllislncss is mcicly a way io aiiain onc's
own lappincss and liccdom liom iioublcs. Onc ilinls, "Il pcoplc lcai I am
unscllisl, ilcy will iiusi mc. Tlcn I will casily aiiain my cnds." A moilci's lovc,
bioilci's lovc, liicndslip, and ilc lovc ol a man and a woman: Aic ilcsc
unscllisl' Il ilcy do noi biing onc's own pcisonal lappincss, ilcsc linds ol
"lovc" do noi lasi. To aiiain spiiiiual bliss ai ilc cnd, somc pcoplc pass ilcii
wlolc livcs in icnunciaiion. Lvciy icligion and plilosoply is bascd on
scllislncss. Lovc ol God is also scllisl. Ii is cvciyonc's naiuic io bc scllisl. Tlc
vciy pliasc "onc's own naiuic" linis ai scllislncss. Scllislncss is naiuial.
Unscllislncss is vciy unnaiuial. Tlcicloic ii is ncvci iiuly sccn. Wiiloui ilc lopc
ol luiuic lilc and luiuic lappincss, no onc would pciloim any aciion. Pcisons ol
puiilicd iniclligcncc aic noi aiiiacicd io Jaimini's apuiva plilosoply oi ilc lilc-
loicc plilosoply ol somc wcsicin ilinlcis. Anyonc wlo lollows ilcsc
plilosoplics bccomcs clcaicd. In India cvcn ilc smaiia-pandiias wlo quoic
Jaimini's apuiva plilosoply in ilcii wiiiing all bclicvc in God's giacc and in a
blisslul cxisicncc in a spiiiiual woild. Il ilcy lncw ilc iiuil, ilai Jaimini's apuiva
plilosoply is opposcd cvcn io God's cxisicncc, ilcy would ai oncc iuin ilcii
bacls on Jaimini and lis idcas. Jaimini lncw wcll ilai bclicl in God naiuially
siays in ilc lcaiis ol luman bcings. Tlcicloic in lis apuiva plilosoply lc
caiclully and cunningly cialicd an imaginaiy God wlo bcsiows ilc icsulis ol
aciions. Tlus conccalcd undci ilc cloal ol bclicl in God, ilc ailcisiic laima-
mmamsa plilosoply picaclcd by ilc smaiia-pandiias las a siiong lollowing in
India. Onc pcison's scll inicicsi olicn conllicis wiil anoilci pcison's scll inicicsi.
Wlcn a pcison ol avciagc iniclligcncc lcais ilc woid "unscllislncss", lc bccomcs
aiiiacicd, loi lc ilinls ilai by lollowing ilc plilosoply ol unscllislncss lis own
dcsiics will bc lullillcd. Tlai is anoilci icason ilc plilosoply ol ailcisiic
maiciialism las bccomc widcspicad. How ilc picaclci ol ilc plilosoply ol
unscllisl maiciial plcasuic induccs lis lollowcis io aci moially in ilc woild is noi
casily undcisiood. Puslcd by ilcii own scllisl dcsiics, pcoplc may aci moially loi
somc iimc, bui wlcn ilcy ilinl ii ovci, ilcy will cvcniually sin. Tlcy will say io
ilcmsclvcs: "O my bioilci, don'i siay away liom scnsc plcasuics. Lnjoy scnsc
plcasuics as you lilc, as long as oilcis do noi lnow ol ilcm. Wly noi' I do noi
ilinl ilc woild will collapsc bccausc ol ilcm. Tlcic is no God, an all-sccing God
wlo givcs io us ilc icsulis ol oui aciions. Wlai lavc you io lcai' Jusi bc a liiilc
caiclul, so no onc will lnow. Il ilcy lcain ol ii, ilcn you will losc youi good
icpuiaiion, and pcilaps ilc govcinmcni oi bad pcoplc will malc iioublc loi you.
Il ilai lappcns nciilci you noi oilcis will bc lappy." Know loi cciiain ilai il ilc
lcaiis ol ilc picaclcis ol ailcisiic moialiiy wcic cxamincd, ilcsc ilouglis would
bc lound. Onc day a smaiia-pandiia picsciibcd ilc candiayana-viaia and oilci
laisl pcnanccs io a pcison wlo lad aslcd lim aboui ilc aioncmcni loi a cciiain
sin. Hcaiing ilis, ilc pcison said, "O llaiiacaiya Malasaya, il I musi pciloim a
candiayana-viaia loi lilling ilai spidci, ilcn youi son, wlo was also implicaicd in
ilai aci, musi also pciloim ilai pcnancc." Sccing ilis would bc a gicai calamiiy
loi lis son, ilc llaiiacaiya Malasaya iuincd iwo oi loui moic pagcs in lis big
bool and said, "Ala! I madc a misialc. Now I scc. Tlc bools says: A dcad spidci
is only a piccc ol iag.' Tlai bcing ilc casc, you nccd noi pciloim any aioncmcni
ai all." Tlc ailcisi smaiia-pandiias aic lilc ilai. Tlcy acccpi ilc woislip ol God
only io piomoic ilcii ailcisi plilosoply. Il somciimcs ilcy acccpi ilc idcas il an
alicililc and ol a God wlo givcs ilc icsulis ol aciions, ilcy acccpi ilcsc iwo idcas
only a suboidinaic paiis ol ilcii laima plilosoply. Tiuc dcvoiion (blalii) io
God is ncvci sccn in ilcii idcas. Ii is sccn ilai wlai is ilc bcginning is
unscllislncss giadually iuins inio scllislncss. To picvcni ilis liom lappcning
somc ailcisi laima- mmamsa plilosoplcis acccpi ilc cxisicncc ol a singlc all-
lnowing God wlo givcs ilc icsulis ol aciions. Tlcy ilcn quoic many passagcs
liom sciipiuic io slow low ilc woislip ol God is a paii ol ilc laima-mmamsa
plilosoply. In ilis way ilcy acccpi an imaginaiy God. Compic, lcaiing ilai
moialiiy would noi bc ialcn sciiously, imagincd a God ilai would bc considcicd
ical. Compic was moic loncsi. Jaimini was moic laisiglicd. Compic's iiiiclciy
was caugli, and ilcicloic lis idca ol imaginaiy woislip ol God ncvci aiiiacicd
many lollowcis. Jaimini lad a dccpci undcisianding, and ilcicloic lis laima-
mmamsa plilosoply did gain widc acccpiancc in ilc smaiia-pandiia communiiy.
In ilc cnd Compic and Jaimini lcld ilc samc plilosoply. Il onc cxamincs ilc
idcas and aciiviiics ol ilc smaiia-pandiias, onc will scc ilai ilc laima-mmamsa
plilosoply is unicnablc. Wly is ii noi icnablc' Ii is noi icnablc bccausc ii will
ncvci biing iiuc auspiciousncss io luman sociciy. Scculaiism, Posiiivism, oi
smaiia laima-mmamsa lavc no powci io upiooi sins. Railci, loi many days ilcy
will malc many gicai obsiaclcs io siop iiuc puic dcvoiion (blalii) io God,
dcvoiion ilai is ilc iiuc puiilici ol sins. Timc alici iimc ilc laima-mmamsa
plilosoply iclls dcvoiion io God: "I am youi lollowci. I malc pcoplc qualilicd io
lollow you. I puiily ilc sinlul pcoplc and placc ilcm ai youi lcci." Tlcsc woids
aic only clcaiing. Tlcy aic noi sinccic. Tiuc laima (pious aciion) is dcvoiional
scivicc io God. As long as laima coniinucs io call iiscll "laima" ii is noi a paii ol
dcvoiional scivicc. Wlcn ii is iiuly a paii ol dcvoiional scivicc, laima calls iiscll
by ilc namc "blalii". As long as ii calls iiscll by ilc namc "laima", laima is a
iival ol dcvoiional scivicc and ii always iiics io malc iiscll moic impoiiani ilan
dcvoiional scivicc. Kaima claims ilai ii lclps plilosoply, civilizaiion, and aii.
Howcvci, wlcn laima bccomcs iiansloimcd inio blalii, ilcn plilosoply,
civilizaiion, and aii bccomc mucl moic gloiious and cxalicd. In ilis placc I will
noi discuss ilis in moic dciail.
Texf 13
bnavan hIcso bnavan hcsam
matc sauhnyam t stntam
nrvana-suhna-sampraptn
sarira-hIcsa-sananat
bnavan-maiciial cxisicncc; hIcso-sullciing; abnavan-non- cxisicncc;
hcsam-ol somc; matc-in ilc idca; sauhnyam-lappincss; t-ilus; stntam-
siiuaicd; nrvana-ol non-cxisicncc; suhna-ol lappincss; sampraptn-
aiiainmcni; sarira-ol ilc maiciial body; hIcsa-ol ilc sullciings; sananat-
bccausc ol ilc aciiviiics.
Somc ilinl cxisicncc is sullciing and lappincss comcs wlcn cxisicncc siops.
lccausc ilc maiciial body biings so many sullciings, ilcy ilinl ilcy will bccomc
lappy by ccasing io cxisi.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
As long as ilcy lind plcasuic in maiciial ilings, maiciialisis will luni loi
maiciial plcasuics. Wlcilci scllisl oi so-callcd unscllisl, ilcy will sccl ilc dull
plcasuics ol ilc maiciial woild. Maiciial plcasuics aic in iiuil vciy pailciic and
insignilicani. Tlcy aic noi a good companion io spiiiiual ilings. Among ilc
maiciialisis ilosc wlo aic iniclligcni cannoi lind any saiislaciion in maiciial
plcasuics. Ignoiani ol spiiiiual cxisicncc, low can ilcy scaicl alici cicinal
spiiiiual plcasuics' Tlcy comc io ilinl ilc ccssaiion (niivana) ol ilcii own
cxisicncc is ilc only lappincss. To ilai lappincss ilcy iun. Tlcy say, "Lxisicncc
is sullciing. Ccssaiion ol cxisicncc is lappincss. lccausc ilis maiciial body biings
only sullciings, lci us siiivc loi ilc lappincss ol ccasing (niivana) io cxisi." Ai
ilc iimc in India wlcn ilc ailcisiic laima-mmamsa ol sccling maiciial plcasuics
was vciy piomincni, and wlcn ilc Vcdas, wlicl aic lillcd wiil spiiiiual iiuils,
wcic considcicd ilc only iiuc sciipiuics, and wlcn, claiming ilai ilc Vcdas icacl
ilc ailcisiic laima-mmamsa plilosoply, many maiciialisiic bialmanas sougli
by pciloiming yajnas io aiiain scnsoiy plcasuics in ilis lilc and apsaias and
ncciai in India's ciiy in ilc ncxi lilc, a cciiain pcison dissaiislicd wiil maiciial
plcasuics, a pcison namcd Salyasimla and boin in a lsaiiiya lamily, dcciding onc
day ilai ilcic was no cscapc liom ilc sullciings ol ilc maiciial body and ilai
iiuc lappincss icsis in ccssaiion (niivana) ol cxisicncc, loundcd ilc plilosoply ol
luddlism. Lvcn bcloic ilai iimc ilc samc plilosoply ol niivana was picaclcd, a
laci loi wlicl is is amplc cvidcncc. Howcvci, ii was ai ilc iimc ol Salyasimla
ilai ilis plilosoply lound many lollowcis. Iiom ilai iimc on ilcic wcic many
picaclcis and lollowcis ol luddlism. Salyasimla was noi ilc only picaclci ol
luddlism. Duiing lis iimc, oi a liiilc bcloic, a pcison namcd Jna, wlo was boin
in a vaisya lamily, picaclcd a plilosoply mucl lilc luddlism. His plilosoply is
callcd Jainism. Jainism icmaincd wiilin India. lui luddlism ciosscd ilc
mouniains, iivcis, and occans and cnicicd Clina, Taiaisian, Tlailand, Japan,
Mynamai (luima), Ccylon, and many oilci couniiics. Lvcn ioday ilis
plilosoply is lollowcd in many couniiics. luddlism las many bianclcs. Siill, ilc
idcas ol void (sunya) and ol ccssaiion ol cxisicncc (niivana) aic sccn in all ilc
bianclcs. Siill, luman bcings cannoi icjcci ilcii naiuial bclicl in God, so in somc
bianclcs ol luddlism woislip ol God is also sccn.
I oncc aslcd somc qucsiions ol a luddlisi monl liom Mynamai, a lcllow wlo
did noi undcisiand ilc iiuc icaclings ol luddlism. Hc answcicd my qucsiions by
saying, "God is bcginninglcss. Hc cicaicd ilc cniiic woild. Assuming ilc loim ol
luddla, Hc dcsccndcd io ilis woild and ilcn, again assuming His loim as God,
Hc iciuincd io lcavcn. Il wc aci piously and lollow ilc iulcs ol icligion, ilcn wc
will go io His abodc." Iiom wlai lc iold mc, I could scc ilai ilis luddlisi monl
liom Mynamai did noi lnow ilc iiuc luddlisi plilosoply. In ilc namc ol
luddlisi plilosoply lc simply icpcaicd ilc common icligious idcas ilai aic paii
ol luman naiuic. Plilosoply bascd on iiicls ol logic cannoi biing good io luman
sociciy. Sucl iiicly plilosoply is clciislcd only in ilc lcaiis and bools ol
piolcssional plilosoplcis. Tlc pcoplc in gcncial wlo claim io lollow ilcsc
plilosoplics will icnd io icvcii io ilc common icligious idcas ilai aic paii ol
luman naiuic. Tlc "univcisal lovc" picaclcd by Compic, ilc laima-mmamsa
and imaginaiy apuiva-God picaclcd by Jaimini, and ilc ccssaiion (niivana) ol
cxisicncc picaclcd by Salyasimla will all giadually bccomc iiansloimcd by ilcii
lollowcis inio ilc common icligion ilai is paii ol luman naiuic. Tlai is
incviiablc. Ai ilis momcni ii is lappcning.
A plilosoply ol ccssaiion (niivana) ol cxisicncc, a plilosoply lilc ilc
luddlisi and Jain plilosoplics, was also picaclcd in Luiopc. Tlis plilosoply
was callcd Pcssimism." luddlism and Pcssimism aic noi ai all dillcicni. Tlcy aic
dillcicni in only onc way. In luddlism ilc soul wandcis liom onc biiil io
anoilci, always sullciing. ly lollowing ilc piinciplcs ol luddlism ilc soul
giadually aiiains niivana (picliminaiy ccssaiion ol cxisicncc) and ilcn
paiiniivana (linal ccssaiion ol cxisicncc). In ilc plilosoply ol Pcssimism ilc
soul docs noi lavc biiil alici biiil. Tlus ilc plilosoply ol ccssaiion ol cxisicncc
is ol iwo linds: 1. ccssaiion ol cxisicncc alici onc biiil, and 2. ccssaiion ol
cxisicncc alici many biiils.
luddlism and Jainism bclong in ilc sccond gioup. loil acccpi
iiansmigiaiion ol ilc soul. Accoiding io luddlism, alici many biiils ol
piaciicing lindncss and icnunciaiion, onc bccomcs liisi a bodlisaiiva and linally
a buddla. In ilis plilosoply by piaciicing lumblcncss, pcacclulncss, iolciancc,
lindncss, sclllcssncss, mcdiiaiion, icnunciaiion, and liicndlincss, ilc soul
cvcniually aiiains paiiniivana. In paiiniivana ilc soul no longci cxisis. In
oidinaiy niivana ilc souls coniinucs io cxisi in a loim ol mcicy. Tlc lollowcis ol
Jainism say: "ly piaciicing lindncss and icnunciaiion, and by culiivaiing all
viiiucs, ilc soul giadually passcs iliougl ilc siagcs ol Naiadaiva, Maladcvaiva,
Vasudcvaiva, Paiavasudcvaiva, Caliavaiiiiva, and, ai ilc cnd, wlcn lc aiiains
niivana, llagavaiiva. luddlism and Jainism boil acccpi ilc lollowing idcas: Tlc
maiciial woild is io bc cicinal. Kaima las no bcginning, bui ii docs lavc an cnd.
Lxisicncc is sullciing, and ccssaiion ol cxisicncc (paiiniivana) is lappincss.
Jaimini's laima-mmamsa plilosoply, wlicl claims io acccpi ilc Vcdas'
auiloiiiy, is inauspicious loi ilc living cniiiiics. Ccssaiion ol cxisicncc
(paiiniivana) is auspicious loi ilc living cniiiics. Alilougl ilcy aic masicis ol ilc
lollowcis ol laima-mmamsa, India and ilc dcmigods aic scivanis ol ilc sagcs
wlo sccl niivana. Sclopcnlauci and Haiimann bclong in ilc liisi gioup ol
plilosoplcis wlo picacl ccssaiion ol cxisicncc. Sclopcnlaui iaugli ilai by
abandoning ilc will io livc, and by lasiing, dcsiiclcssncss, icnunciaiion,
lumblcncss, bodily moiiilicaiion, puiiiy, and icnunciaiion ilc soul aiiains
niivana. In Haiimann's plilosoply ilcicis no nccd loi bodily moiiilicaiion. Ai
ilc momcni ol dcail onc auiomaiically aiiains niivana. A plilosoplci namcd
Haiiy lcnson iaugli ilai sullciing is cicinal and niivana an impossibiliiy.
Hcic ii may bc said ilai ilc Advaiia (Monism oi Impcisonalism) plilosoply is
only anoilci lind ol maiciialisiic plilosoply ol ccssaiion ol cxisicncc. All ilc
impcisonalisis ycain io cnd ilcii own individual cxisicncc and ilcn iasic ilc
spiiiiual bliss ol mciging inio impcisonal lialman. Tlai is ilcii plilosoply.
Howcvci, alici niivana ilcy no longci cxisi. Il ilcy do noi cxisi, ilcn ilcy cannoi
cxpciicncc bliss oi anyiling clsc. Aciually, ilcii plilosoply is cxacily lilc ilc
maiciialisiic plilosoply ol niivana. Tlc maiciialisiic plilosoply ol ilc ccssaiion
ol cxisicncc is complcicly unicnablc, loi ii las noi dccidcd on ilc naiuic ol ilc
individual pcison. Il ilc individual pcisons aic mcicly cicaiions ol maiici, ilcn
onc lalls inio ilc plilosoply ol acccpiing only maiciial plcasuics as impoiiani.
Tlai is puic ailcism. lui il, on ilc oilci land, ilc individual pcisons aic
dillcicni liom maiici, indcpcndcni ol ilc iiansloimaiions ol maiici, ilcn low
will ilcy ccasc io cxisi' Is ilcic any cvidcncc ilai non-maiciial pcisons, oi spiiii
souls, cvci ccasc io cxisi' In ilc cnd all ilcsc plilosoplics aic complcic ailcism.
Ii was io siop ilc wiclcdncss ol ilc laima- mmamsa idca ilai ilc picaclcis ol
ilcsc niivana plilosoplics picaclcd ilcii own idca so lcivcnily. lccausc ol ilc
bialmanas' oppicssivc ways and ilcii cmbiacing ilc laima-mmamsa idca, ilc
lsaiiiyas and oilci casics bccamc vciy disiuibcd and siagcd a plilosoplical icvoli
againsi ilc bialmanas. Ioi ilis icason ilc lsaiiiyas all acccpicd luddlism and
ilc vaisyas all acccpicd Jainism. Wlcn pcoplc dividc inio laciions and laic cacl
oilci in icims ol ilosc laciional gioupings, ilai laiicd can bccomc vciy siiong.
Passionaily loyal io ilcii laciion, ilc pcoplc no longci givc any ilougli io wlai
idcas aic logical oi illogical. Tlai is low luddlism and Jainism wcic spicad in
India. Tlcy wcic also spicad io oilci couniiics. Wcal in spiiiiual icasoning, ilc
pcoplc ol ilosc couniiics acccpicd ilosc plilosoplics as scni by God. In Luipoc
somc pcoplc wlo laicd Cliisiianiiy also picaclcd ilc plilosoply ol niivana.
Tlai is icvcalcd in lisioiy.
Texf 1+
hcc vaant maya ya
sa hartri jagatam hIa
c-act-savni suhsma
saht-rupa sanatani
hcc-sopmc; vaant-say; maya-illusion; ya-wlai; sa-ilai; hartri-ilc
cicaioi; jagatam-ol ilc maiciial woilds; hIa-indccd; c-spiiii; act-maiici;
savni-moilci; suhsma-subilc; saht-poicncy; rupa-loim; sanatani-cicinal.
Somc say Maya (illusion) is a subilc cicinal poicncy, ilc moilci ol spiiii and
maiici and ilc cicaioi ol ilc woilds.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Somc say: "Tlc bcginninglcss poicncy namcd Maya' cicaicd all ilc woilds.
Tlis Maya cxisis in a subilc loim. Slc gavc biiil io ilc iwo piinciplcs spiiii and
maiici." Wlcn ilc diy plilosoply ol luddlism bccanmc piomincni, ilis
plilosoply ol Maya pciscvcicd, alilougl ii muiaicd inio ncwci and ncwci loims.
Tlcn luddlism giadually bccamc inllucnccd by ilc Taniia- sasiias. Ai ilai iimc
ilc Mayavada plilosoply was cicaicd. Ii was ilcn ilai ilc namc "luddlism"
bccamc aiiaclcd io ilc Taniiic plilosoply. Among ilc pcoplc wlo las noi
acccpicd luddlism, ilc Mayavada plilosoply, a plilosoply ilai was aciually
luddlism in disguisc, was picaclcd. Wlcn ilai plilosoply bascd ilc ilc Vcdas
wa picaclcd, ilc aciiviiics ol ilc Mayavad-Vcdania plilosoplcis bcgan. In ilc
mouniainous paii ol India ilis plilosoply was picaclcd in a dillcicni loim, in a
loim lollowing ilc Taniias, picaclcd by ilc Taniia acaiyas wlo dcsciibcd ilc
plilosoply ol Maya-salii. Many pcoplc say ilc Taniia plilosoply comcs liom
pscudo-Kapila's plilosoply. I do noi agicc wiil ilai vicw. Alilougl pscudo-
Kapila agiccd ilai maiciial naiuic (pialiii) is ilc cicaioi ol ilc woild, lc also
alliimcd ilai ilc spiiiiual iiuil is bcginninglcss. Hc said ol ilc puiusa:
pushara-paIasa-van nrIcpan
"As a loius-pcial is uniouclcd by waici, so ilc Supicmc Spiiii is uniouclcd by
ilc maiciial woild."
In my vicw ii is ilc Saiva plilosoply ilai las comc liom pscudo-Kapila's
Sanllya. Howcvci, bccausc in ilc Saiva plilosoply maiciial naiuic (pialiii) is
cspccially lonoicd, undisciiminaiing pcisons olicn misialcnly ilinl ilc Saiva
and Taniiic plilosoplics aic ilc samc. Alilougl in ilc Taniiic plilosoply ilc
puiusa (ilc Supicmc Spiiii) and pialiii (maiciial naiuic) aic olicn compaicd io
ilc iwo lalvcs ol a clicl-pca, in ilc cnd ilc Taniiic ilinlcis say pialiii is ilc
moilci wlo las cicaicd spiiii iiscll.
Tlc Taniiic ilinlcis also imaginc a lind ol niivana wlcic ilc individual souls
ccasc io cxisi. lclicl in God is noi sccn in ilc plilosoply ilai woislips ilc
maiciial poicncy. Tlc woislipcis ol ilc Loid's spiiiiual poicncy ollci piaycis io
ilc all-lnowing Supicmc God. Imiiaiing and mocling ilosc piaycis, ilc
woislipcii ol maiici somciimcs also ollci piaycis io ilc maiciial poicncy. Tlc
siauncl ailcisi Von Holbacl ollcicd ilcsc piaycis io ilc maiciial cncigy:
"O Naiuic, O Goddcss ol all clcmcnis, O Piciy and Tiuil, wlo aic Naiuic's
iwo clildicn, plcasc always bc oui pioicciois. May ilc luman iacc sing youi
gloiics. O Goddcss ol Naiuic, plcasc sci us on ilc pail ol Youi lappincss. Diivc
illusions lai liom oui minds. Casi wiclcdncss liom oui lcaiis. Kccp us liom
lalling as wc wall ilc pail ol piogicss. Malc loi us a lingdom ol iiuc lnowlcdgc.
Giani goodncss io us. Placc pcacc in oui lcaiis."
Tlc Naiuic-plilosoplci Von Holbacl also says ilcic is no soul, no God, and
no alicililc. Hc says cvciyonc slould sccl lis own lappincss. Hc says maiciial
naiuic is ilc supicmc coniiollci.
In ilc Mala-niivana Taniia Loid Siva ollcis ilcsc piaycis io ilc oiiginal
maiciial poicncy, Goddcss Kal:
srstcr aau tvam chasit
tamo-rupam agocaram
tvatto jatam jagat sarvam
para-branma-ssrhsaya
"In ilc bcginning ol maiciial cicaiion, You alonc cxisicd in ilc loim ol
complcic dailncss. Tlcn, wlcn ilc Supicmc lialman dcsiicd io cicaic, you gavc
biiil io ilc cniiic maiciial woild."
Tlis Taniia picaclcs ilc idca ol ilc sanllya plilosoply, loi ii dcsciibcs a
puiusa alool liom maiici and a pialiii aciivc in maiici's woild. Ii ilai Taniia
Loid Siva also iclls Goddcss Kal:
punan svarupam asaya
tamo-rupam nrahrtn
vacatitam mano-gamyam
tvam chavavassyatc
"You manilcsi a loim ol dailncss, and ilcn, wlcn ilc maiciial woilds aic
dissolvcd, you aic again loimlcss. You aic bcyond ilc powci ol ilc mind io lnow
oi woids io dcsciibc. Wlcn ilc woild is unmanilcsi, you alonc icmain.
tvam cva jivo Iohc smms
tvam vya-para-cvata
"In ilis woild you aic ilc living cniiiics. You aic lnowlcdgc pcisonilicd. You
aic ilc supicmc goddcss."
Hcic ii is said ilai ilc individual living cniiiics aic noi dillcicni liom ilc
poicncy ol maiciial naiuic. Tlis coniiadicis ilc vicw ol sanllya.
yavan na hsyatc harma
subnam vasubnam cva va
tavan na jayatc mohso
nrnam haIpa-satar ap
"As long as good and bad laima aic noi dcsiioycd, ilcic is no libciaiion loi
ilc condiiioncd souls, cvcn alici a lundicd lalpas.
hurvanan satatam harma
hrtva hasta-satany ap
tavan na Iabnatc mohsam
yavat jnanam na vnat
"Lvcn il lc pciloims pious dccds again and again, and cvcn il lc pciloims a
lundicd laisl pcnanccs, il lc las no iiansccndcnial lnowlcdgc, ilc living cniiiy
will noi aiiain libciaiion.
jnanam tattva-vcarcna
nshamcnap harmana
jayatc hsina-tapasam
vusam nrmaIatmanam
"Tlcy wlo aic wisc and puic-lcaiicd, and wlo sccl alici ilc iiuil and
pciloim pious dccds wiiloui cxpcciaiion ol icwaid, aiiain iiansccndcnial
lnowlcdgc.
na muhtr japana noma
upavasa-satar ap
branmavanam t jnatva
muhto bnavat cna-bnrt
"Onc docs noi aiiain libciaiion by claniing maniias oi pciloiming yajnas, oi
by lasiing a lundicd iimcs. Only onc wlo lnows, I am lialman', aiiains
libciaiion.
manasa haIpta muhtr
nrnam ccn mohsa-sanani
svaIpa-Iabncna rajycna
rajano manavas tatna
"Il ilc pcoplc could aiiain libciaiion by imagining ilcmsclvcs so, ilcn ilcy
could also bccomc lings simply by dicaming ol lingdoms.
jnanam jncyam tatna jnata
trtayam bnat mayaya
vcaryamanc trtayc
atmavaho vassyatc
"Knowlcdgc, ilc objcciol lnowlcdgc, and ilc lnowci aic all manilcsicd liom
illusion (maya). Wlcn ilcsc ilicc aic caiclully invcsiigaicd and piopcily
undcisiood, only ilc spiiii scll icmains.
jnanam atmava c-rupo
jncyam atmava cn-mayan
vjnata svayam cvatma
yo janat sa atma-vt

"Knowlcdgc is ilc spiiii soul. Tlc objcci ol lnwolcdgc is also ilc spiiii soul.
Tlc lnowci is also ilc spiiii soul. Onc wlo lnows ilis lnows ilc iiuil ol ilc
spiiii soul."
Tlc iiuil is ilai ilc dillcicni Taniias cxpound vciy dillcicni plilosoplics. Ii
cannoi bc said ilai cvciy Taniia icaclcs ilc woislip ol ilc maiciial cncigy (salii-
vada). IN somc Taniias ilai plilosoply isacccpicd, and in oilci Taniias ii is noi.
Ii is vclcmcnily opposcd. In somc Taniias ii is said ilai ilc Supicmc lialman is
ilc cicaioi, in oilcis ilai maiciial naiuic (pialiii) is ilc cicaioi, and in oilcis
ilai ilc individual soul (jva) is ilc cicaioi. In somc Taniias ii is said ilai ilc
individual souls aic illusoiy (miilya), and in oilci ii is said ilai ilc individual
souls aic ical (saiya). In somc Taniias ii is said ilai ilc lciici m in ilc sacicd
syllablc Om is ilc cicaici, in oilci Taniias ilai ilc Supicmc Pcison (puiusa) and
maiciial naiuic (pialiii) aic boil ilc cicaiois, and in oilci Taniias ilai maiciial
naiuic is ilc solc cicaioi ol all. In conclusion ii may bc said ilai so many dillcicni
plilosoplics aic iuugli in ilc Taniias ilai no onc ol ilcm can bc singlcd oui as
ilc only plilosoply ol ilc Taniias. In ilc picviously quoicd vcisc bcginning wiil
ilc woids sisici adau" ii is said ilai bcloic ilc maiciial woild was cicaicd,
maiciial naiuic alonc cxisicd, and ilai by ilc Supicmc lialman's dcsiic, ilc
maiciial naiuic cicaicd ilc maiciial woild. Wlai is ilc maiciial naiuic' Wlo is
ilc supicmc lialman' Wlcn lc aiiains iiansccndcnial lnowlcdgc will ilc
individual spiiii soul bccomc ilc Supicmc lialman' In ilc vcisc bcginning wiil
ilc woids "Tvam cva jvo lolc 'smin" ii is said ilai ilc individual souls aic
idcniical wiil ilc maiciial naiuic. Tlosc woids malc no scnsc. In ilc Taniias aic
also dcsciibcd "laia-sadlana" (iiiual illicii scx), panca-malaia-sadlana" (iiiual
aciiviiics ol scx and consumpiion ol llcsl, lisl, and winc), and "suia- sadlana"
(iiiual winc diinling). Wlai lind ol icligious aciiviiics aic ilcsc' I lavc no idca
low ilsc can bc considcicd icligious aciiviiics. Tlcsc idcas aic lilc ilc ailcisiic
laima- mmamsa oi ilc goddcss ol maiciial naiuic imagincd by Compic. Tlis
lind ol Taniiic woislip was cicaicd in somconc's imaginaiion. I will noi say
anyiling moic aboui ii.
Texf 15
atnava bnava cva syat
ncsvaro na jagaj-janan
bnavo ntya-vctratma
nabnavo vyatc hvact
atnava-oi; bnava-idcas; cva-indccd; syat-is; na-noi; isvaro-God; na-
noi; jagat-woild; janan-pcoplc; bnavo-idcas; ntya-cicinal; vctra-vaiiciy;
atma-scll; na-noi; abnavo-wiiloui idcas; vyatc-cxisis; hvact-anywlcic.
Somc say: "Idcas alonc cxisi. Tlcic is no God. Tlcic is no woild. Tlcic aic no
living cniiiics. Idcas aic cicinal and ol gicai vaiiciy. Noiling clso cxisis."
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Somc plilosoplcis ilinl only ilc idcas in ilcii minds iiuly cxisi. Noiling
clsc cxisis.Tlcy say ilc "objcciivc woild", ilc woild pcicicvcd by ilc scnscs, docs
noi iiuly cxisi. Tlcy say idcas, oi "subjcciivc icaliiy", aic wlai iiuly cxisis. Tlcy
say onc slould noi pciloim aciiviiics. Tlcy say idcas alonc cxisi. Noiling clsc
cxisis in iiuil. lislop lcilclcy and oilci plilosoplcis picaclcd ilis plilosoply
ol idcas, wlicl is callcd "idcalism". Mill acccpicd a modilicd vcision ol ilis
idcalism. Ii is noi coiicci io say ilai ilis idcalism" is ilc samc as "spiiiiualism".
Wlcn a pcison ilinls aboui ilc inloimaiion ilai camc liom lis scnscs, ilosc
ilouglis aic callcd "idcas". Tlc "idcas" ilai comc in ilis way aic only ilouglis
bascd on ilc maiciial scnscs' ioucl wiil ilc woild ol maiici. Tlcsc ilouglis aic
noi aboui anyiling bcyond ilc woild ol maiici. Gailciing ilc ligli ilai lilicis in
iliougl ilc scnscs, ilc mind ilinls. In ilis way idcas aiisc. Tlcicloic "idcalism"
is noi somciling abovc maiciialism. Among ilc impcisonalisis (advaiiavad) somc
say, "Tlcic is no God. Tlcic is no woild. Tlcic aic no living cniiiics. All ilcsc
aic only idcas. Idcas aic cicinal and ol gicai vaiiciy. Tlcsc idcas will ncvci ccasc
io cxisi. Idcas aic ilc absoluic icaliiy." Tlis plilosoply is vciy pailciiic and
loolisl. Only a madman would bc inclincd io bclicvc ii. Il wc cxaminc ilc livcs ol
ilc plilosoplcis wlo piolcsscd ilcsc opinions in ilcii bools, wc will scc ilai, as
lai as ilcii aciions wcni, ilcy did noi bclicvc ilc "idcalism" ilcy picaclcd. Ii is
noi wiong io say ilai idcas aic a subilc loim ol maiici. Tlcicloic ilis "idcalism"
musi bc counicd among ilc dillcicni vaiiciics ol Maiciialism.
Texf 16
satyam cva tv asan ntyam
sa cvantya-bnavana
hcc vaant mayannan
yuht-vaa-parayanan
satyam-iiuil; cva-indccd; tv-bui; asat-uniiuil;- niiyam-cicinal; sa-
iiuil; cva-indccd; antya-noi cicinal; bnavana-idca; hcc-somc; vaant-
say; maya-by illusion; annan-blindcd; yuht-vaa-io ilc plilosoply ol logic;
parayanan-dcvoicd.
llindcd by illusion, somc plilosoplcis dcvoicd io ilc iiicls ol logic say,
"Wlaicvci is said io bc iiuc will onc day bc lcaincd io bc uniiuc. Tlcicloic iiuil
is always icmpoiaiy and iclaiivc."
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Somc plilosoplcis cxpicss ilis vicw: "Wlaicvci anyonc says io bc iiuc' is
only iiuc' icmpoiaiily. Tlcicloic no iiuil is cicinal and absoluic. All iiuil is
icmpoiaiy and iclaiivc. Wlai is considcicd iiuc now will cvcniually bc clangcd
oi icluicd. Ai ilc cnd ii will bc considcicd uniiuc. Tlcicloic ilc only unclanging
absoluic iiuil is ilc siaicmcni ilai ilcic is no absoluic iiuil." Tlis idca givcs
biiil io gicai lauglici, loi ilcic is no iiuil in ii ai all. Only somc piolcssional
plilosoplcis, blindcd by illusions and addicicd io ilc iiicls ol logic, acccpi ilis
loolisl, illogical idca.
Tlcsc plilosoplcis acccpi ilc idca ilai iiuil is iclaiivc, ilai absoluic iiuil
cannoi bc. In ilc lcngali languagc ilis idca is cxpicsscd by ilc woids, "Noyi loy
cbam loyi noy." (Ii is noi ilis. Ii is noi ilai.) Iiom ilis illogical idca ilc
plilsoply ol doubis aiisc. In ilc Lnglisl languagc ilis plilosoply is callcd
"Sccpiicism". Humc and oilci plilosoplcis picaclcd ilis idca. Alilougl ilis
Sccpiicism, oi ilc plilosoply ol doubis, is unnaiuial and unicnablc, ii las
somclow bccn acccpicd by many plilosoplcis. Tlc plilosoply ol maiciial
plcasuics and ilc plilosoply ol ccssaiion ol cxisicncc (niivana) biougli gicai
laim io ilcii lollowcis, and ilcicloic ilc pcoplc in gcncial bccamc lillcd wiil
loiioi mcicly io lcai lic namcs ol ilcsc plilosoplics. Human naiuic is oiiginally
puic. Ii wcais ilc oinamcni ol dcvoiional scivicc io God. ly lollowing ilc
plilosoplics ol Maiciialism, luman bcings do noi lind lappincss. In ilis way ilc
plilosoply ol Maiciialism giabbcd logic, slacllcd iis lands and lcci wiil laid
iion bands and ilicw ii inio a dail piison ccll. In oidci io cui iis own slacllcs,
logic ilus cicaicd Sccpiicism, oi ilc plilosoply ol doubis.Tlc Maiciialisi
plilosoply lolds ilai maiicis is cicinal, and maiici is all ilai cxisis. Piolcssoi
Huxlcy picaclcd ilis idca, and sincc ilcn ii las comc liom many oilci mouils
also. Tlcsc pcoplc say: "Wiiloui spcaling ol maiciial causcs and cllccis no iiuc
dcsciipiion ol cvcnis can bc spolcn. No conclusions may bc diawn ilai aic noi
bascd on maiciial causcs and cllccis. Ai ilc cnd ilc woids spiiii' and lovc' will
bc casi lai away liom cvciy bool. Tlcn ilc pcoplc will giadually bccomc licc io
bc caiiicd away by ilc wavcs ol Maiciialism. Tlcn ilc idca ol licc- will will bc
bound and impiisoncd, and ilc iiuil ilai all aciiviiics aic dcicimincd by maiciial
laws will bc piovcd bcyond any doubi." Wlcn many pcoplc bcgan io spcal in ilis
illogical way, luman naiuic, sccing ilai ii was aboui io lall inio dcgiadaiion,
iuincd and bcgan io wall on ilc pail ol a dillcicni plilosoply. "Tlis ncw
plilosoply will biing no bad icsulis. Wly noi' lccausc ii will dcsiioy
Maiciialism." Maling ilis piomisc, logic gavc biiil io Sccpiicism, ilc plilosoply
ol doubis. Sccpiicism ilicw ilc iubbisl ol Maiciialism lai away. Howcvci, ii also
cicaicd anoilci obsiaclc io siop bclicl in God. Ii madc pcoplc doubi: "I do noi
lavc ilc powci io scc ilings as ilcy ically aic. I scc only somc aspccis ol ilings.
Wlcic is ilc piool ilai I scc ilings coiiccily' Wiil my scnscs I pciccivc only
cciiain aspccis ol ilings. Wiil my cycs I pciccivc loim, wiil my cais sound, wiil
my nosc smcll, wiil my slin ioucl, and wiil my ionguc iasic. Tliougl ilcsc livc
doois ol lnowlcdgc I lcain aboui ilc qualiiics ol ilings. Il I lad moic ilan livc
scnscs, il I lad, pcilaps, icn scnscs, I would lcain oilci, dillcicni ilings aboui ilc
objccis I pciccivc. In ilis way I lavc gailcis a liiilc bii ol lnowlcdgc wiil my
scnscs, bui ii is lnowlcdgc iiddlcd wiil doubis." In ilis way, cvcn ilougl ii
dcsiioycd ilc plilosoply ol Maiciialism, Sccpiicism did noi lclp ilc causc ol iiuc
Spiiiiual plilosoply. Sccpiicism docs noi doubi ilc maiciial woild's cxisicncc, ii
mcicly says: "I do noi lavc complcic lnowlcdgc ol ilings, and ilcic is no way I
will cvci lavc complcic lnowlcdgc. Tlcicloic I will ncvci undcisiand ilings as
ilcy ically aic." Ai ilc cnd Sccpiicism icluics iiscll. Il ilcic is a gcnuinc iiuil io
bc undcisiood, ilcn liom wlai iooi docs ilis plilosoply ol doubis giow' Wiil
ciaclul ilinling onc will scc ilai ilis plilosoply ol doubis is mcicly idlc claiici.
"Do I cxisi, oi noi'" Wlo cxpicsscs ilai doubi' I do. Tlcicloic i cxisi.
Texf 17
sarvcsam nasthanam va
matam ctat puratanam
csa-bnasa-vbnccna
Iahstam ca prtnah prtnah
sarvcsam-ol all; nasthanam-ailcis6i plilosoplics; va-indccd; matam-
vicw; ctat-ilis; puratanam-ancicni; csa-couniiy; bnasa-and languagc;
vbnccna-wiil divisions; Iahstam-sccn; ca-and; prtnah-dillcicni; prtnah-
dillcicni.
Iiom ilc caiilcsi iimcs many dillcicni vaiiciics ol ailcisi plilosoply lavc
bccn picaclcd in dillcicni couniiics and languagcs.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
1. Maiciialism, oi ilc woislip ol maiciial naiuic, 2. Idcalism, and 3.
Sccpiicism aic ilicc ol ilc oldcsi linds ol ailcism. All oilci linds ol ailcism aic
includcd wiilin ilcm. Ii is a misialc io ilinl ilai ilc vaiious modcin loims ol
ailcism wcic all only icccnily invcnicd. Wiil dillcicni namcs and in somcwlai
dillcicni loims, ilcsc samc linds ol ailcism cxisicd also in ancicni iimcs. Many
dillcicni linds ol ailcism wcic ilus picaclcd in oui couniiy. Among ilcm nyaya,
vaiscsila, and laima-mmamsa wcic opcnly ailcisiic. Paianjali's yoga plilosoply
and ilc plilosoply ol Vcdania Monism (advaiia) wcic covcicd ailcism. You may
wisl io ialc a lool ai ilcsc plilosoplics, so wc will now biiclly considci ilcm.
Sanllya-Tlis is an ancicni plilosoply cxpoundcd by pscudo- Kapila in lis
bool. Malaisi Kapila says in lis bool:
isvarasncn
"God's cxisicncc las ncvci bccn piovcd." (Kapila- suiia 1.92)
muhta-banayor anyatarabnavan na tat-snn
"God is ciilci licc liom maiici oi impiisoncd by maiici. Noiling moic may
bc said ol Him." (Kapila-suiia 1.93)
God is ciilci licc liom maiici oi impiisoncd by maiici. Wlai moic may bc
said ol Him' Il God is libciaicd, ilcn no onc can lnow anyiling aboui Him. Il
God is impiisoncd by maiici Hc is noi God ai all. To cxplain ilis passagc ilc
commcniaioi Vijnana llilsu says:
nanv cvam isvara-pratpaaha-srutinam ha gats tatrana
"Wlai is ilc mcaning ol ilc Vcda passagcs ilai asscii ilc cxisicncc ol God' In
Kapila-suiia (1.96) ilc cxplanaiion is givcn:
muhtatmanan prasamsa upasasnasya va
"Tlc dcsciipiions ol God' in ilc Vcdas aic aciually only ilc piaiscs oi
woislip ol ilc libciaicd souls."
In ilis way ilc sanllya plilosoply alliims ilai God docs noi cxisi.
Nyaya-ilc plilosoply piopoundcd by Gauiama. Gauiama assciis:
pramana-pramcya-samsaya-prayojana-rstanta-snantavayava-tarha-nrnaya-
vaa-jaIpa-vtana-nctv-abnasa-cnaIa-jat-ngrana-stnananam tattva-jnanan
nnsrcyasangaman
"ly siudying ilc dillcicni bianclcs ol logic, namcly: piamana, piamcya,
samsaya, piayojana, disiania, siddlania, avayava, iaila, niinaya, vada, jalpa,
viianda, lciu, ablasa, clala, and jaii-nigiala, onc aiiains ilc liglcsi bcnclii."
Wlai is ilc gicai bcnclii ol wlicl Gauiama spcals' Tlai I cannoi scc. Pcilaps
lc mcans ilai cxpcii lnowlcdgc ol logic is a gicai bcnclii loi ilc living cniiiics.
God is noi includcd among ilc sixiccn iicms lc says biing gicai bcnclii. Tlai is
wly ilc Vcdas alliim:
nasa tarhcna matr apancya
"God cannoi bc undcisiood by maiciial logic."
Gauiama sccs libciaiion in ilis way:
unhna-janma-pravrtt-osa-mtnya-jnananam uttarottarapayc ta-anantarapaya
apavargan
"Libciaiion mcans aiiaining ilc lnowlcdgc ilai liccs onc liom ilc ignoiancc
ilai is ilc biiilplacc ol sullciings."
In gcncial, ilis suiia may bc sccn io suppoii ilc idca ilai libciaiion is ilc
ccssaiion ol sullciings. Spiiiiual bliss is noi picscni in Gauiama's conccpiion ol
libciaiion. In lis conccpiion ilcic is no bliss ol mcciing God. Ioi ilis icason
Gauiama's Nyaya-sasiia is opposcd io ilc Vcdas. Tlai concludcs oui dcsciipiion
ol ilc nyaya plilosoply.
Vascsha-ilc plilosoply piopoundcd by Kanada. Tlcic is no nccd io
considci ilis plilosoply ai lcgnil. In ilc suiias wiiiicn by Kanada ii is said ilai
ilcic is no cicinal God. Somc auilois wiiiing in ilc iiadiiion ol ilis plilosoply
couni ilc Supcisoul icsiding wiilin ilc individual soul wlo icsidcs in ilc
maiciial body' among ilc scvcn basic piinciplcs ol cxisicncc. Tlcy did ilai in an
aiicmpi io diivc ilc ailcism liom ilcii plilosoply. Siill, in ilcii commcniaiics
on Vcdania-suiia, Sanlaiacaiya and oilci pandiias considci Kanada's plilosoply
ailcisiic and anii-Vcdic. Tlc iiuil is ilai any plilosoply ilai docs noi acccpi
God as ilc indcpcndcni supicmc cicaioi and insicad posiis somc oilci
conccpiion ol God is aciually ailcism. God's naiuic is ilai Hc is ilc masici ol all.
Any plilosoply ilai acccpis somc oilci cicinal bcing as cqual io God is ailcism.
Tlc auiloi ol ilc laima-mmamsa-suiias-Jaimini. Hc did noi wiiic aboui
God. His piimaiy iopic was pious dccds. Hc said:
coana-Iahsano rtno narman. harmahc tatra arsanat.
"Tlc Vcdas icacl icligion. Tlai icligion is callcd laima' (pious dccds)."
Sabaia Svam, ilc commcniaioi on ilcsc suiias, wiiics:
hatnam punar am avagamyatc. ast ta apurvam.
"How slould ilis bc undcisiood' Ii is undcisiood in icims ol ilc apuiva'."
Hc says: "Iiisi pious dccds aic pciloimcd. Tlcn, liom ilosc dccds ilc apuiva'
(absiiaci sccondaiy piinciplc) is manilcsi. Tlai apuiva givcs ilc icsulis ol ilc
pious dccds. Wly is ilcic any nccd, ilcn, loi a God io givc ilc icsulis ol
aciions'" Compic and ilc modcin ailcisis lavc no powci io say anyiling moic
ouiiagcous ilan ilis.
Tlc Vcdania-suiia piopounds only dcvoiion io God. In ilcii commniaiics on
ilis bool many ailcisis picaclcd ilc Advaiia plilosoply (impcisonalism), wlicl
is covcicd luddlism. Howcvci, io slow lumanlind ilc iigli pail, ilc sainily
dcvoiccs lavc caiclully wiiiicn ilc coiicci commcniaiics on Vcdania-suiia. Laici
in ilis bool wc will cxplain wly ilc Advaiia (impcisonalisi) plilosoply is wiong.
Tlc Yoga-sasiia is also callcd ilc Paianjala-sasiia. Ii was wiiiicn by Paianjali
Rsi. In ilc Sadlana-llanda scciion ol ilis bool is ilc lollowing suiia:
hIcsa-harma-vpahasayar aparamrstan purusa-vscsa isvaran. tatra nratsayam
sarvajnya-bijam. sa tu purvcsam ap gurun haIcnanavaccncat.
"God is a cciiain pcison wlo is uniouclcd by sullciing, laima, dcsiiny, oi
calamiiy. Hc lnows cvciyiling. lccausc Hc is uniouclcd by iimc, Hc is ilc
masici ol all."
Sccing ilis dcsciipiion ol God, many may ilinl Paianjali is a iiuc dcvoicc ol
God. Howcvci, ai ilc cnd ol Paianjali's bool ilai misialcn impicssion is
dispcllcd. In ilc Kaivalya-pada scciion ol ilai bool Paianjali wiiics:
purusartna-sunyanam pratprasavan havaIyam svarupa- pratstna va ct-sahtr t
"Wlcn ilc goals ol lilc aic no moic, ilcn libciaiion, wlicl csiablislcs ilc
soul's oiiginal naiuic, oi ilc soul's spiiiiual poicncy, is manilcsi."
In ilc lloja-viiii, ilis suiia is cxplaincd in ilcsc woids:
cc-cnahtcr vrtt-sarupya-nvrttau svarupa-matrc vastnanam tat havaIyam ucyatc
"Wlcn ilc soul no longci las loim, wlcn ii is siiuaicd in iis spiiiiual csscncc,
ilai is callcd laivalya' (libciaiion)."
Tlis mcans: Wlcn ilc spiiiiual poicncy is siiuaicd in iis own naiuic, ilai is
callcd "laivalya" (libciaiion). In ilis passagc wlai is ilc mcaning ol ilc pliasc
libciaiion ol ilc spiiiiual poicncy". Docs ii mcan lcic ilai wlcn lc aiiains
libciaiion, ilc individual soul no longci pciloims any aciion' Docs ii mcan ilai
alici lc aiiains libciaiion ilc individual soul coniinucs io lavc a iclaiionslip
wiil God' Unloiiunaicly, ilis Yoga-sasiia bool docs noi answci ilcsc qucsiions'
Alici again and again icading ilis bool onc will bccomc convinccd ilai ilc
"God" dcsciibcd in ilc sadlana- llanda scciion is considcicd only an imaginaiy
bcing cicaicd io lclp aiiain spiiiiual pcilcciion, and alici ilc soul aiiains
pcilcciion ilc idca ol God is no longci ialcn sciiously. Is ilis bool ilcisiic oi
ailcisiic' You givc ilc answci'
In ilc dillcicni couniiics and in dillcicni languagcs ilc plilosoply ol ailcism
las bccn picaclcd in many ways and callcd by many dillcicni namcs.
Texf 18
harma-jnana-vmsra ya
yuhts tarhamayi narc
ctra-mata-prasuti sa
samsara-pnaIa-ayni
Mixcd wiil laima (liuiiivc woil) and jnana (plilosoplical spcculaiion),
maiciial logic placcs a gicai vaiiciy ol idcas in luman sociciy. Tlus logic biings
many maiciial icsulis in ilis woild ol biiil and dcail.
Commcntary by SriIa Pnahtvnoa 1nahura
Logic (yulii) is ol iwo linds: puic (suddla) and mixcd (misia). Puic logic is
picscni in ilc spiiii soul in lis oiiginal, puic naiuic. Wlcn ilc spiiii soul is
impiisoncd in maiici and lis aciiviiics aic mixcd wiil maiciial conccpiions, ilcn
lc posscsscs wlai I call mixcd logic (misia-yulii). Tlis mixcd logic is ol iwo
linds: mixcd wiil liuiiivc aciion (laima- misia) and mixcd wiil plilosoplical
spcculaiion (jnana- misia). Tlis mixcd logic is also lnown by ilc woid iaila"
(maiciial spcculaiion). Tlis mixcd logic is vciy bad, loi sccn wiilin ii aic ilc loui
dclccis: bliama (misialcs), piamada (illusions), vipialipsa (clcaiing), and
laianapaiava (scnsoiy incllicicncy). Tlc conclusions aiiaincd by ilis mixcd logic
aic always lauliy. Puic logic always aiiivcs ai ilc samc conclusions. Mixcd logic
aiiivcs ai a gicai losi ol muiually coniiadicioiy conclusions. ly aciing accoiding
io ilc conclusions ol mixcd logic, ilc souls in ilc maiciial woild aiiain ilc icsuli
ol bcing moic and moic siiingcnily conlincd in ilc piison ol ilc maiciial woild.
Texf 19
yuhtcs tu jaa-jataya
jaatitc na yojana
ato jaasrta yuhtr
vaaty cvam praIapanam
yuhtcs-liom logic; tu-bui; jaa-liom maiici; jatayan-boin; jaa-maiici;
atitc-biyond; na-noi; yojana-ablc; ato-ilcn; jaa-ol maiici; asrta-ialcn
slclici; yuhtr-logic; vaaty-says; cvam-ilus; praIapanam-nonscnsc iall.
ly cmploying ilc logic ilai is boin liom maiici onc cannoi go abovc maiici.
Maiciial logic spcals only nonscnsc.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Mixcd logic is boin liom maiici. Looling iliougl ilc dooi ol ilc scnscs, ilc
soul impiisoncd in maiici caiclcs a glimpsc ol maiciial imagcs, a glimpsc caiiicd
by ilc ncivcs io ilc biain. Tlcic ilc imagcs aic picscivcd by ilc powci ol
mcmoiy. Ii is ilcn ilai maiciial logic docs iis woil. In ilis way many idcas and
imaginaiions aic cicaicd. Soiiing iliougl ilcsc maiciial imagcs, maiciial logic
aiiangcs ilcm in piciiy paiicins. Tlis is callcd scicncc and plilosoply. Looling
ilis way and ilai ai ilc scnsoiy imagcs, logic comcs io cciiain conclusion. Tlis is
callcd icason. Compic says, "Caiclully picscivc and oiganizc wlai you lavc sccn.
Lxaminc ilai inloimaiion io lind ilc iiuil." ly cxamining ilc imagcs sccn by ilc
maiciial scnscs, logic may undcisiand somciling ol ilc maiciial woild. Wly
slould ilai logic noi bc callcd "maiciial logic"' Howcvci, low can ilai maiciial
logic lopc io undcisiand ilc naiuic and aciiviiics ilai aic bcyond ilc maiciial
woild' Il somciling indccd cxisis bcyond ilc maiciial woild, ilcn a spccilic
pioccss io undcisiand ii musi cciiainly also cxisi. Il, unawaic ol ilai spiiiiual
pioccss ol obiaining lnowlcdgc, and noi wisling io undcisiand wlcilci sucl a
pioccss cxisis, an uncducaicd baibaiian ialcs slclici ol maiciial logic alonc, ilcn
ilai pcison will iall only nonscnsc. How can ilcic bc any doubi ol ilai' Only
wlcn ii is diiccicd iowaids undcisianding ilc woilings ol ilc maiciial woild
docs ilai maiciial logic biing any good icsulis. Ioi cngincciing, mcdicinc,
wailaic, music, and oilci lilc maiciial aciiviiics mixcd logic is vciy suiiablc. Iiisi
is maiciial logic mixcd wiil plilosoplical spcculaiion (jnana-misia yulii). In
ilis, ilc ilcoiciical siagc, ilc scicniisi undcisiands gcncial piinciplcs. Alici ilai
comcs ilc sccond siagc, wlcic ilc ilcoiciical lnowlcdgc is applicd io solving
piaciical pioblcms. Tlis is callcd laima-misia yulii. Ioi cxamplc, in building a
iailioad, liisi comcs ilc ilcoiciical siagc (jnana-misia yulii), and ilcn ilc siagc
ol appilcaiion (laima-misia yulii), wlcic ilc iailioad is aciually buili.
Lngincciing and oilci lilc aciiviiics aic ilc piopci splcic ol mixcd logic. Tlc
woild bcyond maiici is noi ilc piopci splcic ol mixcd logic. Mixcd logic cannoi
undcisiand ilai woild. Only spiiiiual logic can undcisiand ilc woild bcyond
maiici. Maiciialism, ilc woislip ol maiciial naiuic, ilc plilosoply ol ilc
ccssaiion ol cxisicncc (niivana), and Sccpiicism ialc slclici ol maiciial logic io
undcisiand ilc oiiginal causc ol ilc maiciial woild, a causc ilai is bcyond maiici.
Using maiciial logic loi ilis puiposc will ncvci biing a lappy icsuli. Tlai is wly
ilcsc plilosoplics lavc bccomc ilc objcci ol lauglici. Wlaicvci bools ilcsc
plilosoplcis lavc wiiiicn aic only nonscnsc claiiciing.
Texf 20
praIapantina sa yuhtr
uanti svatma-snayc caramc paramcsanam
svi-harot bnayatura
praIapanti-ialling nonscnsc; na-lcic; sa-ilai; yuhtr-logic; uanti-
saying; sva-ovn, atma-scll; snayc-loi pcilcciion; caramc-ai ilc cnd;
paramcsanam-God; svi- harot-acccpis; bnaya-wiil lcai; atura-lillcd.
Maiciial logic ialls nonscnsc. Somciimcs, ai ilc cnd, io biing pcilcciion io ilc
soul, liiglicncd maiciial logic acccpis ilc cxisicncc ol God.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Puic spiiiiual logic is ilc naiuial cndowmcni ol ilc soul. Siill, wlcn lc is
impiisoncd in ilc woild ol maiici, ilc soul, always mcdiiaiing on maiici, ilinls
mixcd logic is bciici. In ilis way mosi ol ilc pcoplc in ilis woild aic lollowcis ol
mixcd logic. Ii is iaic in ilis woild io lind a lollowci ol puic logic, ilc logic ilai
is bcyond maiici. Onlu ilosc loiiunaic souls wlo lnow ilc sccicis ol scivicc io
God appicciaic puic spiiiiual logic, loi ilcy lnow ilc gloiics ol iapi mcdiiaiion
(samadli) on God. Ioi a long iimc ilc pcoplc ol ilis cxicinal maiciial woild
lavc, loping in ilis way io lullill ilcii scllisl dcsiics, lonoicd mixcd logic. Tlcy
gavc gicai lonoi io ilc idcas maiciial logic gavc, bui in ilc cnd ilc pcoplc could
lind no lappincss. Tlis maiciial, oi mixcd logic will noi lcavc ilc soul.
Somciimcs maiciial logic iiics io lclp ilc soul. Aiguing loi a gicai vaiiciy ol
plilosoplics, as spcaling in many dillcicni ways, mixcd logic did noi bccomc
lappy. Tlcn maiciial logic bcgan io laic iiscll. Talling and ialling, maiciial logic
wcpi and lamcnicd. Ii said, "Alas! Ioi low long lavc I laboicd in ilis cxicinal
maiciial woild' I lavc lallcn vciy lai away liom ilc soul, my cicinal companion. I
lavc icjccicd my own iiuc naiuic." Lamcniing and lamcniing in ilis way, and
now lillcd wiil lcais, ai ilc cnd maiciial logic acccpis God as ilc oiiginal causc
ol all causcs. In couniiy alici couniiy is lound ilis lind ol picacling aboui God,
picacling boin liom ilc luman mind and liom maiciial logic. Udayana Acaiya
dcsciibcd ilis idca in lis bool Kusumanjali. In Luiopc and ilc Wcsi ilis lind ol
diy bclicl in God, callcd "Dcism" oi "Naiuial Tlcology", las comc liom many
minds. Tlcic ii las a cciiain populaiiiy. Wlcn ii is ilus csiablislcd by mixcd
logic, lnowlcdgc ol God is vciy incomplcic and impcilcci. Tlai is bccausc
maiciial logic is vciy wcal and unqualilicd io biing ilc soul closci io God.
lccausc ii is ilus againsi iis own naiuic, maiciial logic cannoi clcvaic ilc soul.
Maiciial logic cannoi biing spiiiiual lnowlcdgc oi guidc ilc soul. Tlis will bc
slown laici in ilis bool.
Texf 21
haac isa-tattvc sa
jaa-bnranta-praIapni vatam tratam banutvam va-
ropayaty cva yatnatan
haac-somciimcs; isa-tattvc-ijn lnowlcdgc ol God; sa-ilai; jaa-
maiici; bnranta-bcwildcicd; praIapni-ialling nonscnsc; vatam-iwo;
tratam-ilicc; banutvam-many; va-oi; aropayaty-imagincs; cva-indccd;
yatnatan-wiil clloii.
lcwildcicd by maiici, and ialling wildly, maiciial logic somciimcs dcclaics
ilai ilcic aic iwo, ilicc, oi many Gods.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Mixcd logic may somciimcs acccpi ilc cxisicncc ol God. Siill, bcwildcicd by
maiici and always ialling nonscnsc, mixcd logic las no powci io acccpi ilai ilcic
is only onc God. Somciimcs mixcd logic ilinls ilcic aic iwo Gods. Tlcn ii ilinls
ilcic is a God ol spiiii and a scpaiaic God ol maiici. Tlc God ol spiiii biings
auspiciousncss, and ilc God ol maiici biings iioublcs. A plilosoplci namcd
Zaiailusiia iaugli ilis idca: Tlai ilcic is a God ol spiiii and a God ol maiici. In
lis bool Zcndavcsia lc iaugli ilai ilcsc iwo Gods aic cicinal. Tlc dcvoiccs ol
God lavc only conicmpi loi ilcsc old spcculaiions. In ilc samc way ilcy also
lavc conicmpi loi ilc ailcisiic jnana- landa (plilosoply ol spcculaiivc
lnowlcdgc) and laima-landa (plilosoply ol liuiiivc woil). Zaiailusiia is a vciy
ancicni plilosoplci. Wlcn lis plilosoply lound no lonoi in India, Zaiailusiia
picaclcd ii in Iian. Ii was by ilc inllucncc ol Zaiailusiia's idcas ilai Saian, an
cqually-powcilul iival io God, madc lis imaginaiy appcaiancc liisi in ilc icligion
ol ilc Jcws and ilcn in ilc icligion bascd on ilc Koian. Tlcn, inllucnccd by
Zaiailusiia's idca ol iwo Gods, ilc idca ol ilicc gods, oi a Tiiniiy" madc iis
appcaiancc in ilc icligion ilai lad comc liom ilc Jcwisl icligion. Ai liisi ilcy
wcic considcicd ilicc Gods, bui ilcn, wlcn ilc plilosoplcis wcic displcascd
wiil ilai idca, ilc Tiiniiy bccamc God, ilc Holy Glosi, and Cliisi. Ai ilc samc
iimc, in India, lialma, Visnu, and Siva camc io bc considcicd ilicc dillcicni
compciing Gods: a vciy loolisl idca. Somc plilosoplcis ilcn picaclcd ilai ilcsc
ilicc aic aciually only onc God, and indccd many passagcs ol ilc Vcdic sciipiuics
loibid us io ilinl ol ilcm as ilicc scpaiaic, indcpcndcni iival Gods. In many
oilci couniiics is sccn laiil in many dillcicni Gods simuliancously. Indccd,
among ilc couniiics wiil ilc lowcsi lcvcl ol civilizaiion ii is dilliculi io lind puic
bclicl in onc God. Somciimcs India, Candia, Vayu, and oilcis aic considcicd
indcpcndcni iival Gods. Dillcicni plilosoplcis icluicd ilai misialcn idca and
piovcd ilai lialman alonc is God. Tlcsc idcas ol many Gods aic only ilc loolisl
babbling ol oidinaiy logic bcwildcicd by maiici. Tlcic is only onc God. Il ilcic
wcic moic ilan onc God ilis maiciial woild would noi bc oiganizcd so wcll. Il
ilcic wcic many compcicing indcpcndcni Gods, ilcy would dccicc dillcicni,
conlliciing maiciial laws, cacl accoiding io lis own dcsiic. Ol ilis ilcic is no
doubi. Looling ai ilc maiciial woild, an iniclligcni and ilouglilul pcison cannoi
laili io acccpi ilc idca ilai ii was cicaicd accoiding io ilc will ol a singlc
Supicmc Pcison.
Texf 22
jnanam sanajham ntva
yuhtr na vyatc hvact
hatnam sa paramc tattvc
tam ntva stnatum arnat
jnanam-lnowlcdgc; sanajham-naiuial; ntva-asbandoning; yuhtr-logic;
na-noi; vyatc-is; hvact-anywlcic; hatnam-low; sa-ilai; paramc-in ilc
Supicmc; tattvc-Tiuil; tam-ilai; ntva-abandoning; stnatum-csiablisl;
arnat-slould.
Tlcic is no iiuc logic scpaiaic liom ilc naiuial lnowlcdgc ol ilc soul. How,
iuining away liom ilai naiuial lnowlcdgc, can onc undcisiand ilc Supicmc
Tiuil'
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Logic ilai comcs liom ilc soul's own naiuial lnowlcdgc is puic and laulilcss.
Tlc plilosoply ilai comcs liom sucl logic is ilc aciual iiuil. Scpaiaicd liom
ilai naiuial lnowlcdgc, iiuc logic las no powci io siand. Howcvci, logic ilai
comcs liom maiciial lnowlcdgc, ilc logic ilai is sccn cvciywlcic in ilis woild,
is always mixcd and impuic. Plilosoplics ilai comc liom sucl mixcd logic aic
always lauliy and lacling. Sucl plilosoplics aic ncvci good ai dcsciibing God.
Mixcd logic is noi ilc piopci iool io dcsciibc ilc Supicmc Tiuil. Puic logic
wlicl ialcs slclici ol ilc soul's naiuial lnowlcdgc is ilc piopci iool io dcsciibc
ilc Supicmc Tiuil. Hcic somconc may asl, "Wlai is ilis naiuial lnowlcdgc ol
wlicl you spcal'" Tlc answci is: Tlc soul is spiiiiual, and ilcicloic naiuially
lull ol spiiiiual lnowlcdgc. Tlai oiiginal lnowlcdgc posscsscd by ilc soul is
callcd lcic "naiuial lnowlcdgc". Tlai naiuial lnowlcdgc is cicinally picscni in
ilc soul. Ii is noi cicaicd by pcicciving ilc conicnis ol ilc maiciial woild. Tlc
aciiviiics ol ilai naiuial lnowlcdgc aic callcd puic logic. Tlai naiuial lnowlcdgc
was lnown by ilc soul bcloic ilc soul cvci lad any lnowlcdgc ol ilc maiccial
woild.
Tlai lnowlcdgc is: (1) I am. (2) I coniinuc io bc. (3) I am lappy. (+) My
lappincss comcs liom a cciiain placc. a slclici, a icscivoii ol lappincss. (5) Ii is
naiuial loi mc io ialc slclici ol ilai icscivoii ol lappincss. (6) I am cicinally a
lollowci ol ilai icscivoii ol lappincss. (7) Tlai icscivoii ol lappincss is vciy
bcauiilul. (S) I lavc no powci io abandon ilai icscivoii ol lappincss. (9) My
picscni condiiion is lamcniablc. (10) Abandoning ilai lamcniablc condiiion I
slould ialc slclici ol ilai icscivoii ol lappincss. (11) Tlis maiciial woild is noi
my cicinal lomc. (12) ly bccoming clcvaicd in ilis maicciial woild I do noi
bccomc clcvaicd cicinally.
Il logic docs noi iallc slclici ol ilis naiuial lnowlcdgc, logic icmains mixcd
wiil maiici. Tlcn logic is only a babblci ol nonscnsc. Lvcn in oidinaiy maiciial
scicncc, liisi somc axioms musi bc acccpicd. In mailcmaiics, asiionomy, oi oilci
scicnccs, onc cannoi malc piogicss il onc docs noi liisi acccpi ilc axioms. In ilc
scicncc ol undcisianding ilc Supicmc Tiuil onc musi also liisi acccpi somc
axioms, ilc axioms givcn by naiuial lnowlcdgc. Tlosc axioms aic ilc iooi liom
wlicl ilc iicc ol spiiiiual lnowlcdgc giows.
Texf 23
chatvam ap ta rstva
tat-saman-ccnaIcna ca
stnuIam bnttva tu Ingc sa
yogasraya-caraty ano
chatvam-oncncss; ap-also; ta-ilai; rstva-sccing; tat-on ilai;
saman-ol iapi mcdiiaiion; cnaIcna-on ilc picicxi; ca-also; stnuIam-gioss;
bnttva-bicaling; tu-bui; Ingc-in ilc subilc; sa-ilai; yoga-ol yoga; asraya-
slclici; carat-gocs; ano-ala.
Somc acccpi ilc plilosoply ol oncncss. licaling iliougl ilc baiiicis ol ilc
gioss maiciial woild, icsiing in ilc subilc maiciial woild, and picicnding io
icmain in a iiancc ol mcdiiaiion, ilcy ialc slclici ol yoga.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Somc plilosoplcis do noi bclicvc in ilc soul's naiuial lnowlcdgc. Noi do
ilcy complcicly bclicvc in maiciial logic. Oilcis, acccpiing ilc idca ol ilc soul's
naiuial lnowlcdgc, bclicvc in onc God. Iillcd wiil vaiious mcnial spcculaiions,
ilcy ialc slclici ol a iapi iiancc ol mcdiiaiion. Howcvci, ilcii mcdiiaiional iiancc
is noi ilc ical iling. Ii is only a iiicl. In ilcii picicndcd mcdiiaiion ilcy picicnd
io bical iliougl ilc walls cnclosing ilc maiciial woild and ilcn ilcy picicnd io
scc ilc woild ol spiiii. Wly is ilcii mcdiiaiion only a picicnsc' Tlc spiiiiual
woild is icvcalcd only in a gcnuinc iiancc ol mcdiiaiion. Ii is noi icvcalcd in ilis
picicndcd iiancc. Sccing only ilc subilc maiciial woild, ilc woild ol ilouglis,
ilcy ilinl ilcy lavc sccn ilc linal spiiiiual abodc ol ilc spiiiiual bcings. In iiuil
ilcy lavc ialcn slclici ol ilc woild ol subilc maiici, ilc woild ol ilouglis. Tlc
woild ol subilc maiici and ilc woild ol gioss maiici aic dillcicni in ilis way: Tlc
woild ol gioss maiici is ilc woild pciccivcd by ilc maiciial scnscs, and ilc woild
ol subilc maiici is ilc woild ol ilouglis pciccivcd by ilc mind. Subilc maiici was
manilcsicd bcloic gioss maiici was manilcsicd. Tlis ilc maiciial woild is dividcd
inio iwo paiis: ilc woild ol ilc gioss maiciial clcmcnis, and ilc subilc, cllulgcni
woild ol ilouglis. Tlc "asiial body" dcsciibcd by ilc Tlcosoplisis is an cllulgcni
maiciial body madc ol ilouglis. Tlis is ilc subilc maiciial body, oi ilc mind.
Tlc subilc gloiious woild dcsciibcd in Paianjali's Yoga-sasiia and in ilc
plilosoply ol ilc luddlisis is again only ilc subilc maiciial woild, ilc woild ol
ilouglis. Tlc spiiiiual woild is dillcicni. Ii is dillcicni liom ilc gioss and subilc
maiciial woilds, and ii is also dillcicni liom ilc "libciaiion" (laivalya) dcsciibcd
in Paianjali's Yoga-sasiia. Paianjali's Yoga-sasiia docs noi dcsciibc ilc woild ol ilc
spiiii. In dcsciibing ilc piaciiccs pciloimcd by ilc aspiiing yog, ilc Yoga-sasiia
cxpliciily dcsciibcs ilc soul and lis iclaiionslip wiil God. Howcvci, in
dcsciibing libciaiion, ilc Yoga-sasiia docs noi say anyiling aboui God oi aboui
ilc libciaicd soul's iclaiionslip wiil God. Il ilc inicniion is ilai ilc individual
souls and God lavc mcigcd and bccomc onc, ilcn ilc yoga plilosoply is noi
dillcicni liom impcisonalisi Monism (advaiia). Tlc plilosoply dcsciibcd by
Paianjali in lis yoga-sasiia docs noi biing cicinal auspiciousncss io ilc spiiii
souls. Tlc plilosoply ol ilc Yoga-sasiia may bc considcicd onc ol many
plilosoplics ilai siay in bciwccn ilc woild ol gioss maiici and ilc woild ol
spiiii. Tlai is wly ilc souls sccling iiuc spiiiiual lappincss do noi lilc ii.
Texf 2+
hcc vaant vsvam va
parcsa-nrmtam hIa
jivanam suhna-bnogaya
narmaya ca vscsatan
hcc-somc; vaant-say; vsvam-univcisc; va-indccd; parcsa-by God;
nrmtam-cicaicd; hIa-indccd; jivanam-ol ilc individual spiiii souls; suhna-
lappincss; bnogaya-loi cnjoymcni; narmaya-loi icligion; ca-and;
vscsatan-spccilically.
Somc plilosoplcis say God cicaicd ilis woild io givc ilc individual souls an
oppoiiuniiy ciilci io cnjoy scnsc plcasuics oi io accumulaic piciy.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Somc plilosoplcis say God cicaicd ilis woild io givc us an oppoiiuniiy io
cnjoy scnsc plcasuics. Tlcn, alici sinlcssly cnjoying and cnjoying many scnsc
plcasuics, wc will pciloim pious dccds and aiiain God's mcicy. Howcvci, il God
lcad iiuly cicaicd ilis maiciial woild loi ilc souls' plcasuic, Hc would noi lavc
cicaicd ii wiil so many dclccis. Alici all, Hc is all-powcilul, and wlaicvci Hc
wislcs is donc ai oncc. Il Hc lad cicaicd ilc maiciial woild loi ilc souls'
plcasuic, Hc would lavc madc ii laulilcss. Il Hc cicaicd ilc maiciial woild loi ilc
souls' pciloiming pious dccds, Hc would lavc madc ii vciy dillcicni liom ilc
way ii is. Ol ilis ilcic is no doubi. Wly is ilcic no doubi ol ilis' lccausc in ilc
maiciial woild pious dccds aic noi casily pciloimcd by cvciy cicaiuic.
Texf 25
a-jivaparana va
sarvcsam bannanam nruvam
tatnanya-jiva-bnutasya
vbnor ancna nshrtn
a-oiiginal; jiva-soul; aparana-bccausc ol ilc ollcnsc; va-indccd;
sarvcsam-ol all; bannanam-bondagc; nruvam-indccd; tatna-so; anya-ol
oilci; jiva-bnutasya-souls; vbnor-ol God; ancna-by ilc punislmcni;
nshrtn-dclivciancc.
Somc plilosoplcis say ilai bccausc ol ilc liisi living cniiiy's sin all ilc oilci
living cniiiics aic impiisoncd in ilc maiciial woild. Laici, punisling Himscll loi
ilcii sins, God dclivcis ilc living cniiiics.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Tlinling aboui ilc viiiucs and laulis ol ilis woild, somc moialisi
monoilcisis concludcd ilai ilis maiciial woild is noi a placc ol unalloycd
plcasuics. Indccd, ilc sullciings ouiwcigl ilc plcasuics. Tlcy dccidcd ilai ilc
maiciial woild is a piison io punisl ilc living cniiiics. Il ilcic is punislmcni,
ilcn ilcic musi bc a ciimc. Il ilcic wcic no ciimc, ilcn wly would ilcic bc any
punislmcni' Wlai ciimc did ilc living cniiiics commii' Unablc io piopcily
answci ilis qucsiion, somc mcn ol small iniclligcncc gavc biiil io a vciy wild
idca. God cicaicd ilc liisi man and placcd lim in a plcasani gaidcn wiil lis wilc.
Tlcn God loibadc ilc man io iasic ilc liuii ol ilc iicc ol lnowlcdgc. Iollowing
ilc cvil counscl ol a wiclcd bcing, ilc liisi man and woman iasicd ilc liuii ol ilc
iicc ol lnowlcdgc, ilus disobcying God's command. In ilis way ilcy lcll liom
ilai gaidcn inio ilc maiciial woild lillcd wiil sullciings. lccausc ol ilcii ollcnsc,
all oilci living cniiiics aic ollcndcis liom ilc momcni ol ilcii biiil. Noi sccing
any oilci way io icmovc ilis ollcnsc, God Himscll iool biiil in a lumanlilc
loim, iool on His own slouldcis ilc sins ol His lollowcis, and ilcn dicd. All wlo
lollow HIm casily aiiain libciaiion, and all wlo do noi lollow Him lall inio an
cicinal lcll. In ilis way God assumcs a lumanlilc loim, punislcs Himscll, and
ilus libciaics ilc living cniiiics. An iniclligcni pcison cannoi malc scnsc ol any
ol ilis.
Texf 26
janmato jiva-sambnavo
maranantc na janma va
yat-hrtam samsrtau tcna
jivasya caramam pnaIam
janmatan-liom biiil; jiva-ol ilc living cniiiics; sambnavo-biiil; marana-
dcail; antc-ai ilc cnd; na-noi; janma-biiil; va-indccd; yat-wlai; hrtam-
donc; samsrtau-in ilc woild; tcna-by ilai; jivasya-ol ilc living cniiiy;
caramam-linal; pnaIam-icsuli.
(Tlcsc plilosoplcis say ilai) ilc living cniiiy's lilc bcgins ai biiil and cnds
wiil dcail. Alici dcail, lc is noi boin again. Alici dcail lc aiiains ilc icsulis ol
lis aciions in ilai onc lilciimc.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
To acccpi ilis mixcd-up icligion onc musi liisi bclicvc ilcsc iailci
implausiblc ilings: "Tlc living cniiiy's lilc bcgins ai biiil and cnds ai dcail.
lcloic biiil ilc living cniiiy did noi cxisi, and alici dcail ilc living cniiiy will no
longci siay in ilc woild ol maiciial aciiviiics. Only luman bcings lavc souls.
Oilci cicaiuics do noi lavc souls." Only cxiicmcly uniniclligcni pcisons bclicvc
ilis icligion. In ilis icligion ilc living cniiiy is noi spiiiiual in naiuic. ly His own
will God cicaicd ilc living cniiiics oui ol maiici. Wly aic ilc living cniiiics boin
inio vciy dillcicni siiuaiions' Tlc lollowcis ol ilis icligion cannoi say. Wly is
onc living cniiiy boin inio a lousc lillcd wiil sullciings, anoilci living cniiiy
boin inio a lousc lillcd wiil joys, anoilci living cniiiy boin inio ilc lousc ol a
pcison dcvoicd io God, and anoilci living cniiiiy boin inio a wiclcd ailcisi's
lousc' Wly is onc pcison boin in a siiuaiion wlcic lc is cncouiagcd io pciloim
pious dccds, and lc pciloims pious dccds and bccomcs good' Wly is anoilci
pcison boin in a siiuaiion wlcic lc is cncouiagcd io sin, and lc sins and bccomcs
bad' Tlc lollowcis ol ilis icligion cannoi answci all ilcsc qucsiions. Tlcii
icligion sccms io say ilai God is unlaii and iiiaiional.
Wly do ilcy say ilai animals lavc no souls' Wly do biids and bcasis noi
lavc souls lilc luman bcings' Wly do ilc luman bcings lavc only onc lilc, and,
bccausc ol ilcii aciions in ilai onc lilc aic icwaidcd in cicinal lcavcn oi
punislcd wiil cicinal lcll' Any pcison wlo bclicvcs in a iiuly lind and mcicilul
God will lind ilis icligion complcicly unacccpiablc.
Texf 27
atra stntasya jivasya
harma-jnananusiIanat vsvonnat-vnancna
hartavyam isa-tosanam
atra-lcic; stntasya-siiuaicd; jivasya-ol ilc soul; harma-liuiiivc woil;
jnana-mcnial spcculaiion; anusiIanat-by culiivaiing; vsva-woild; unnat-
clcvaiion; vnancna-by ilc way; hartavyam-io bc donc; isa-ol God;
tosanam-saiislaciion.
(Tlcsc plilosoplcis say ilai) by culiivaiing liuiiivc woil and spcculaiivc
plilosoply onc slould malc impiovcmcnis in ilc maiciial woild and in ilis way
plcasc God.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Tlc lollowcis ol ilis icligion lavc no powci io woislip God sclllcssly. In
gcncial ilcii idca is ilai by culiivaiing liuiiivc woil and spcculaiivc plilosoply
onc slould woil io malc impiovcmcnis in ilc maiciial woild and in ilis way
plcasc God. ly building lospiials and sclools, and by doing vaiious
plilaniliopic woils, ilcy iiy io do good io ilc woild and ilus plcasc God.
Woislip ol God by pciloiming luiiivc woil (laima) and by cngaging in
plilosoplical spcculaiion (jnana) is vciy impoiiani io ilcm. Tlcy lavc no powci
io undcisiand puic dcvoiional scivicc (suddla-blalii), wlicl is licc ol liuiiivc
woil and plilosoplical spcculaiion. Woislip ol God donc oui ol a scnsc ol duiy
is ncvci naiuial oi unscllisl. "God las bccn lind io us, and ilcicloic wc slould
woislip Him." Tlcsc aic ilc ilouglis ol lcssci minds. Wly is ilis noi a good way
io woislip God' lccausc onc may ilinl, "Il God is noi lind io mc, ilcn I will
noi woislip Him." In ilis way onc las ilc scllisl, bad dcsiic io gci God's
lindncss in ilc luiuic. Il onc wislcs ilai God will bc lind by allowing onc io
scivc Him, ilcn ilcic is noiling wiong wiil ilai dcsiic. lui ilc icligion undci
discussion docs noi scc ii in ilai way. Tlis icligion sccs God's lindncss in icims
ol onc's cnjoying a lappy lilc in ilis maiciial woild.
Texf 28
isa-rupa-vninas tu
sarvago vn-scvtan pujto tra bnavaty cva
prartnana-vananabnn
isa-ol God; rupa-loim; vninas-wiiloui; tu-but, sarvago-all-pcivading;
vn-by iulcs; scvtan-scivcd; pujto-woislipcd; atra-lcic; bnavaty-is;
cva-indccd; prartnana-by piaycis; vanan-by bowing down; abnn-
bcginning wiil.
(Somc oilci plilosoplcis say ilai) God las no loim. Hc is all-pcivading. Siill,
lollowing ilc iulcs ol sciipiuic, many woislip Him, bow bcloic Him, piay io
Him, and scivc Him in many ways.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Tlc lollowcis ol ilis plilosoply, wlicl in modcin iimcs las appcaicd in
many vcisions, claim ilai God is loimlcss and all- pcivading. Ioi ilcsc pcoplc
plilosoplical spcculaiion is ilc mosi impoiiani aciiviiy. "Pcoplc wlo say God las
a loim aic siunicd dwaivcs." Tlis ilougli always agiiaics ilcii minds. In oui
pail ol lnowlcdgc wc lnow ilai God is loimlcss and all-pcivading." Tlcsc pcoplc
cannoi go bcyond ilcsc linds ol ilouglis. Tlc uniniclligcni pcoplc wlo lollow
ilis pail lavc an idca ol God ilai is loolisl idolaiiy. Tlcy ilinl ilai God is
loimlcss and all-pcivading, lilc ilc maiciial sly. Tlus ilc objcci ol ilcii woislip
is maiciial. lcyond ilc 2+ maiciial clcmcnis is ilc individual spiiii soul, and
bcyond ilc individual soul is God, wlo las numbcilcss qualiiics, wlosc loim is
spiiiiual, wlo is all-pcivading, wlosc iiuc naiuic si dillcicni liom ilc loimlcss
God ilc impcisonalisis imaginc, wlo is ilc supicmc masici, wlo is supicmcly
mcicilul, wlo is ilc individual spiiii souls' iiuc liicnd, wlo las all opulcnccs, and
wlo is ilc supicmc coniiollci, and wlosc landsomc iiansccndcnial loim ilc
lollowcis ol ilis plilosoply lavc no powci io scc oi undcisiand. Tlcsc
plilosoplcis' woislip ol God is vciy lauliy and incomplcic. Tlcii woislip
consisis only ol bowing down and icciiing piaycis. Only bowing down and
icciiing piaycis, ilcii woislip is vciy maiciial in naiuic. Again and again clcwing
vaiious linds ol plilosplical spcculaiion, ilcy aic vciy aliaid io woislip ilc
gloiious spiiiiual Dciiy loim ol God and bccomc His scivani, a scivani complcicly
sold io Him. Agiiaicd in ilis way, ilcy picacl io ilc woild ilai onc slould noi
imaginc a spiiiiul loim ol God. Tlcy say ilai io woislip ilc Dciiy loim ol God is
io woislip only a siaiuc madc ol maiciial clcmcnis. Tlcsc pcoplc lavc no powci
io undcisiand ilc iiuc loim ol God, a loim bcyond ilc ioucl ol maiici, a loim
ilai is cicinal and lull ol lnowlcdgc and bliss. Lacl ol ilcsc pcoplc ilinls lc
limscll is ilc bcsi and ilc mosi impoiiani. Tlcy say ii is a bad idca io ialc slclici
ol ilc lcci ol a spiiiiual masici. Aliaid, ilcy will noi scaicl io lind a gcnuinc, a
sainily spiiiiual masici. Tlcy will noi dcvoicdly scivc a spiiiiual masici's lcci.
Aliaid ilai ilcy will mcci an imposici spiiiiual masici and by lim bc sci on ilc
wiong pail, ilcy slun cvcn ilc gcnuinc, ilc sainily spiiiiual masicis. Somc
among ilcm say ilai by onc's own clloii onc can lind ilc spiiiiual iiuil in onc's
own lcaii, and ilcicloic ilcic is no nccd io ialc slclici ol a spiiiiual masici's
lcci. Oilcis among ilcm say ilai onc slould acccpi only ilc mosi piomincni,
mosi lamous spiiiiual masici (piadlana-acaiya). Tlc mosi lamous spiiiiual
masici is God Himscll. Hc is ilc iiuc icaclci, ilc iiuc pioiccioi. Hc cnicis oui
lcaiis and dcsiioys oui sins. Tlcic is no nccd io acccpi a luman bcing as a
spiiiiual masici. Oilcis among ilcm say ilai onc slould only woislip ilc
sciipiuics, wlicl aic givcn by God. Siill oilcis among ilcm say ilai ilc
sciipiuics aic lillcd wiil ciiois. Aliaid in ilis way, ilcy will noi lonoi any
sciipiuic.
Texf 29
am cva matam vn
sarvatravasamanjasam
isvarc osaam sahsat
jivasya hsaura-sanaham
am-ilis; cva-indccd; matam-plilosoply; vn-plcasc lnow; sarvatra-
cvciywlcic; cva-indccd; asamanjasam-wiong; isvarc-io God; osaam-giving
laulis; sahsat-diiccily; jivasya-ol ilc soul; hsaura-smallncss; sanaham-
aiiaining.
Plcasc lnow ilai is plilosoply is wiong in cvciy way. Ii ilinls God las many
laulis. Ii is ol small lclp io ilc individual spiiii souls.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Alilougl wiilin ii bclicl in onc God icsis, in may placcs ilis plilosoply is
wiong. Tlis plilosoply implics ilai God is ciucl and unjcsi. Also, ilinling ilcm
unimpoiiani, ilis plilosoply also sliglis ilc dcvoiccs cagci io scivc God. God is
onc. Hc is a pcison. Ii is by His will ilai ilc individual souls lavc licc will and
ilus may cloosc io sin. Tlcn, abanonding ilcii oiiginal naiuic, ilcy lavc no
powci againsi ilc Loid's Maya-salii (poicncy ol illusion), and ilcn, bccomc
spiiiiually wcal, ilcy sin. Tlus ilc sins ol ilc individual spiiii souls all comc
liom wcalncss. Il onc icjccis ilc idca ilai piciy and sin lavc no bcginning, ilcn
onc musi say ilai God is ai lauli loi maling ilc individual souls wcal and ilus
pionc io sin. Alilougl wiil ilcii mouils ilcsc pcoplc say God is laulilcss, ilcy
aciually luil insulis ai Him, saying Hc las many laulis. Tlcsc pcoplc lavc no
powci io disiinguisl bciwccn ilc spiiii soul and ilc gioss and subilc maiciial
bodics. Tlcii ilcoiciical and piaciical lnowlcdgc aic boil polluicd and siunicd,
and loi ilis icason ilcy lavc no powci io undcisiand ilc naiuic and sccicis ol
ilc soul. Alilougl ilcy aic vciy pioud ol ilcii maiciial lnowlcdgc, ilcii
lnowlcdgc ol spiiii is siunicd, and ilcii icligious aciiviiics biing only mcagci
icsulis. Tlcii liglcsi goal is io icsidc in Svaigalola in ilcii subilc maiciial
bodics. Tlcy misialc ilc subilc maiciial body, oi ilc mind, loi ilc spiiii soul.
Tlus ilcy lavc no powci io disiinguisl ilc soul liom ilc mind.
Texf 30
hcc vaant sarvam yac
c-ac-isvaraham
branma sanatanam sahsa
cham cvavtiyaham
hcc-somc; vaant-say; sarvam-all; yat-wlai; ct-spiiii; act-maiici;
isvara-God; aham-bcginning; branma-lialman; sanatanam-ciciinal;
sahsa-diiccily; cham-onc; cva-indccd; avtiyaham-wiiloui a sccond.
Somc oilci plilosoplcis say ilai spiiii, maiici, God, and cvciyiling clsc aic
all ilc cicinal impcisonal lialman, and noiling cxisis bui ilis lialman.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Tlc impcisonalisi plilosoply, wlicl is lnown as Advaiia (Monism), las
cxisicd loi a vciy long iimc. Iiom a lcw isolaicd passagcs ol ilc Vcdas ilis
plilosoply las comc. Alilougl ilis impcisonalisi plilosoply las bccn picaclcd
by vaiious plilosoplcis in many couniiics, ii is liom India ilai ii oiiginslly
camc. Ol ilis ilcic is no doubi. Somc lcaincd mcn wlo camc io India wiil
Alcxandci ilc Gicai lcaincd ilis impcisonal plilosoply, iciuincd io ilcii own
couniiy, and incoipoiaicd paiis ol ilis plilosoply in ilcii own bools. Tlc
impcisonal plilosoply icaclcs: "lialman is ilc only iling ilai cxisis. Noiling
clsc cxisis. Tlc idca ilai spiiii, maiici, and God aic dillcicni ilings is usclul only
loi oidinaiy aciiviiics. In iiuil lialman is ilc unclanging iooi liom wlicl ilcy
all lavc giown. lialman is cicinal, clangclcss, loimlcss, and qualiiylcss. Ii las no
claiaciciisiics. Ii las no powci. Ii las no aciiviiics. lialman ncvci clangcs inio
anyiling clsc. All ilcsc siaicmcnis aic lound in dillcicni placcs in ilc Vcdas." Tlc
impcisonalisi plilosoplcis bclicvc all ilcsc idcas. Siill, casiing a glancc on ilc
vaiiciy- lillcd maiciial woild, ilcy iloygli, "How is ii possiblc ilai ilc
impcisonal lialman is ilc oiigin ol ilis maiciial woild' Wc can scc ilis woild
wiil oui own cycs. How did ii comc inio cxisicncc' Il wc cannoi answci ilcsc
qucsiions oui plilosoply will noi siand. Tlinling and ilinling, ilcy considcicd
ilcsc poinis: "lialman ncvci pciloims any aciiviiy. How can ii lavc cicaicd ilc
woild' How can wc acccpi ilai ii las ilc powci io pciloim aciiviiy' Il wc acccpi
ilai somciling clsc cxisis bcsidcs lialman, ilcn oui wlolc Advaiia (non-dual)
plilosoply will bc biolcn." Tlinling and ilinling in ilis way, ilcy camc io ilis
conclusion: "Il wc say ilai lialman las ilc powci io iiansloim iislcl inio oilci
ilings, ilai will noi dcsiioy oui Advaiia plilosoply. Tlcicloic, lialman
iiansloimcd iiscll inio ilc ilings ol ilis woild. Tlai wc can bclicvc."
Texf 31
vastunan parmana va
vvarta-bnavatan hIa
jaga-vctrata sanya
jaga anyam na vartatc
vastunan-in iiuil; parmana-liom iiansloimaiion; va-oi; vvarta-
bnavatan-liom ilc siaic ol iiansloimaiion; hIa-indccd; jaga-ol nilc maiciial
woild; vctrata-ilc vaiiciy; sanya-is aiiainablc; jaga-ilc maiciial woild;
anyam-anoilci; na-noi; vartatc-is.
(Tlcy say) ilc vaiiciy-lillcd maiciial woild is in iiuil a iiansloimaiion ol
lialman. Ii is noi dillcicni liom lialman.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
In ilis way a ilcoiy ol iiansloimaiion bccamnc acccpicd. lui ilcn anoilci
impcisonalisi plilosoplci said, "Ii is noi iigli io say ilai lialman las a dclcci. Il
lialman bccomcs iiansliomcd, ilcn ii no longci icmains lialman. Tlcicloic
ilis ilcoiy ol iiansloimaiion slould bc iliown lai away and in iis placc ilc
ilcoiy ol illusion slould bc acccpicd. lialman ncvci bccocms iiansloimcd inio
any oilci iling. Tlcicloic ilc ilcoiy ol iiansloimaiion is impossiblc. Howcvci
my ilcoiy, wlicl mainiains ilai all ilai cxisis is in icaliiy lialman and lialman
alonc, and ilc idca ilai a vaiiciy ol ilings cxisis is ically only an illusion is a
bcauiilul ilcoiy, bcauiilul in cvciy limb. Wlcn onc misialcs a iopc loi a snalc,
onc bccomcs aliaid. Wlcn onc misialcs ilc gliiici in a scaslcll loi silvci, onc
bccomcs lillcd wiil lopcs. Tlcicloic il my ilcoiy ol illusion is acccpicd, ilcn
lialman las no dclcci. Tlc maiciial woild is an illusion. ONly bccausc ol
ignoiancc docs onc bclicvc ii cxisis. In ilis way my ilcioiy is piovcd. Tlc
maiciial woild docs noi cxisi. Lilc docs noi cxisi. Only lialman cxisis. Tlc bclicl
ilai ilc maiciial woild cxisis is only picicnding on ilc paii ol lialman. Tlis
picicnding is callcd by ilc namcs avidya' (ignoiancc), maya' (illusion) and oilci
lilc woids lound in diciionaiics. Tlc picicnding lcic docs noi posii ilc cxisicncc
ol somciling dillcicni liom lialman. Tlcicloic lialman is ilc only icaliiy.
Noiling clsc cxisis. Tlc icaliiy is spiiii, and ilc ilc picicnding, ilc illusion, is
maiici. Tlai is now piovcd. Wlcn maiciial consciousncss is dclcaicd by spiiiiual
iiuil, ilcn ilc maiciial picicnding is dcsiioycd, ilc iiuc icaliiy is icvcalcd, and
libciaiion is aiiaincd."
Texf 32
atnava jiva-cntayam
jatam sarvam jaga nruvam
jivcsvarc na bnco st
jivan sarvcsvarcsvaran
atnava-oi; jiva-ol ilc individual spiiii soul; cntayam-in ilc idca; jatam-
boin; sarvam-all; jaga-woild; nruvam-indccd; jiva-in ilc individual spiiii
soul; isvarc-and in God; na-no; bnco-dillcicncc; ast-is; jivan-individual
spiiii soul; sarvcsvarcsvaran-ilc supicmc God ol all gods.
(Somc oilci plilosoplcis say:) Tlis maiciial woild is boin liom ilc soul's
ilouglis. In iiuil ilc individual soul is noi dillcicni liom God. Tlc individual
soul is limscll ilc God ol all gods.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Somc oilci plilosoplcis do ilinl ilinl ilis ilcoiy ol picicnding is iiuc.
Tlcy say: "Tlc picicnding ilai is ilc maiciial woild is noi manilcsicd
sponiancously liom noiling. lialman liisi picicnds ilai ii is ilc individual soul,
and ilcn ii picicnds ilai ilc maiciial woild cxisis. How can ilc individual spiiii
soul bc somciling dillcicni liom lialman' Ii cannoi. Il ii is said ilai ilc soul is
dillcicni liom lialman, ilc ilc plilosoply ol impcisonalism will bc lillcd ai
oncc. Tlcicloic ilc individual spiiii soul is ilc picicnding ol lialman." Tlcsc
plilosoplcis cvcniually dividcd inio iwo gioups wiil iwo dillcicni plilosoplics.
Tlc liisi ol ilcsc gioups says: "lialman is lilc a gicai sly. Tlc individual soul
covcicd by illusion is lilc ilc small poiiion ol sly wiilin a clay poi. Wlcn
ignoiancc cuis lialman inio iiny picccs, ilosc picccs aic ilc individual souls. In
ilai way ilc soul and lialman aic dillcicni." Tlc sccond gioup ol plilosoplcis
aigucs againsi ilis idca, saying, "Tlis idca is an cmbaiiassmcni io lialman, loi
ilis idca says ilai lialman can bc cui inio picccs, and also ilai lialman iiscll
may bc ovcipowcicd by illusion. Tlc iiuil is noi lilc ilai. Plcasc lnow ilai ilc
individual spiiii soul is lilc a icllcciion ol lialman. Tlc individual spiiii soul is
lilc ilc sun oi moon icllccicd on ilc waici. Tlc individual soul is an illusion,
and by lim ilc illusoiy maiciial woild is imagincd io cxisi. In iiuil only lialman
cxisis. Tlcic is noiling bui ii. Tlc individual soul is noi dillcicni liom ii, and
nciilci is ilc maiciial woild dillcicni liom ii." A gicai blundci icsis in boil ilcsc
plilosoplics, a blundci ilai, blindcd by unilinling allcgicncc io ilcii idcas, ilcsc
plilosoplcis lavc nciilci ilc dcsiic noi ilc powci io scc. Tlc blundci is ilcii
idca ilai lialman alonc cxisis and ilcic is noiling bui ii. Il ilcy do noi acccpi
ilai lialman las inconccivablc powci, ilcn all ilcii idcas aic woiillcss. Somc
iall ol maya (illusion, oilci iall ol acvidya (igbnoiancc), oilcis iall ol
picicnding, and siill oilcis iall ol picicnding io picicnd, bui il ilcy say ilai
lialman las no powci io do anyiling, ilcn low can ilcy csiablisl ilcii idca ilai
only lialman, and noiling clsc, cxisis' In cvciy onc ol ilcii idcas is sccn ilc
laial llaw ilai lills ilc impcisonalisi plilosoply. Il wc acccpi ilc idca ilai
lialman las inconccivablc powci, and il wc say lialman is ilc only iling ilai
cxisis, ilcn lialman las no nccd io ialc slclici ol anyiling bui iiscll. Tlcn
lialman is noi dillcicni liom any subsiancc oi any powci. Tlcn, by lialman's
inconccivablc powci, clangc and clangclcssncss, loim and loimlcssncss, qualiiics
and qualiiylcssncss, and a losi ol oilci muiually coniiadicioiy naiuics may
simuliancously and cicinally cxisi wiilin lialman wiiloui ncgaiing cacl oilci's
cxisicncc. Lvcn ilc gicaicsi clloii ol luman icason cannoi undcisiand lialman's
inconccivablc powci. Wly slould wc noi acccpi ilc iiuil ilai lialman las
inconccivablc powci' Tlc gloiics ol lialman wlo las inconccivablc powcis is
inliniicly gicaici ilan ilc gloiy ol ilc impcisonal qualiiylcss lialman. I gloiily
ilc Supicmc lialman. Tlc lialman wlo las iiansccndcnial powcis is ilc
Supicmc lialman. Tlc lialman wiiloui qualiiics oi powcis is callcd mcicly
lialman. Tlai lialman is mcicly a paii ol ilc Supicmc lialman. Tlc
plilosoply ilai iuins away liom ilc Supicmc lialman and acccpis only ilc
paiiial lialman is a vciy inlciioi lind ol plilosoply, a plilosoply boin ol small
minds. Ol ilis ilcic is no doubi. Tlis impcisonalisi plilosoply las no powci io
saiisly ilc qucsiions poscd by good logic. Ii las no powci io undcisiand ilc iiuc
mcaning ol ilc Vcdas. Ii las no powci io givc io ilc individual spiiii souls ilc
gicaicsi auspiciousncss.
Texf 33
ctcsu vaa-jaIcsu
tat sa cva vnsctam
anvaya-vyatrchabnyam
avaya-jnanam cva yat
ctcsu-in ilcsc; vaa-ol plilosoplics; jaIcsu-in ilc ncis; tat-ilis; sa-ical;
cva-indccd; vnsctam-dcicimincd; anvaya-diiccily; vyatrchabnyam-and
indiiccily; avaya- jnanam-non-dual lnowlcdgc; cva-indccd; yat-wlicl.
Tlc iiuil lics somcwlcic in ilis nciwoil ol conlliciing plilosoplics. Diiccily
and indiiccily, ilc non-dual lialman is undcisiood ilcic.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Tlcsc dillcicni plilosoplics aic lilc a gicai nci, a nci badly wovcn by ilc
dillcicni plilosoplcis. In ilc midsi ol all ilcsc dillcicni plilosoplics ilc iiuil is
somcwlcic io bc lound. Iinding oui wlai is uniiuc, iliowing ilosc uniiuils lai
away, and scaicling loi wlai is ilc ical iiuil is callcd "linding ilc iiuil". A
Iicncl plilosoplci namcd Vicioi Kunja iiicd io undcisiand ilc iiuil in ilis way,
bui in ilc cnd lc could noi lind ii. Hc lailcd bccausc lc scaiclcd only among ilc
ilouglis ol ilc wcsicin ilinlcis. Tlc wcsicin iniclligcncc is vciy maiciialisiic.
Tlc wcsicin plilosoplcis lad no powci io undcisiand ilc subilc dillcicncc
bciwccn ilc spiiii soul and wlai is noi ilc spiiii soul. Tlcii minds liimly
aiiaclcd io maiici, ilcy said ilai maiciial mind is ilc spiiii soul. As a scaicl loi
iicc giains among ilc cmpiy lusls ol alicady-ilicaslcd iicc biings no icsuli, so
Vicioi Kunja's scaicl was liuiilcss in ilc cnd. In ilc Isopanisad (maniia 15) ii is
said:
nranmaycna patrcna
satyasapnntam muhnam
tat tvam pusann apavrnu
satya-narmaya-rstayc
"O my Loid, O susiainci ol all ilai livcs, Youi ical lacc is covcicd by Youi
dazzling cllulgcncc. Plcasc icmovc ilai covciing and cxlibii Youiscll io Youi puic
dcvoicc."
In Simad-llagavaiam ii is said:
anubnyas ca brnabnyas ca
sastrcbnyan husaIo naran
sarvatan saram aayat
puspcbnya va satpaan
"As a bcc ialcs loncy liom many dillcicni llowcis, so a wisc man ialcs ilc
iiuil liom many dillcicni gicai and small bools."
In ilis way ilc Vaisnava plilosoplcis lind ilc iiuil in bools lilc ilc Vcdas
and Simad-llagavaiam. In ilc lcss impoiiani bools, ilc bools wiiiicn by
maiciialisiic plilosoplcis, and in ilc vciy impoiiani bools, ilc bools ilai iiuly
cxplain ilc sccincc ol ilc soul, ilc Vaisnavas lind ilc ical iiuil. Paii ol ilai iiuil
is callcd "advaya-jnana" (ilc lnowlcdgc ol impcisonal lialman). Tlai
impcwisonal lialman is only a small poiion ol ilc wlolc Supicmc Tiuil, ilc
Tiuil ilai is cicinal and lull ol lnowlcdgc and bliss. ly ilc woid "sai" (ilc
iiuil), ilc Supicmc is dcsciibcd. Wlcn ilai sai (iiuil) is manilcsi, ilcn ilc asai
(uniiuil) is iliown lai away. Tlc woid "sai" also iclcis io ilc woild ol spiiii.
Tlis woild ol maiici, wlicl is callcd "asai", is only a icllcciion ol ilai woild ol
spiiii. .pa
Dvifyanubhava
Second ReaIizafion
Texf 1
sac-c-anana-sanrangam
paranana-rasasrayam c-acc-cnaht-sampannam
tam vanc haI-pavanam
sat-cicinal; c-lnowlcdgc; anana-bliss; sanra-inmicnsc; angam-
limbs; paranana-supicmc bliss; rasa-ncciai; asrayam-slclici; c-spiiii;
act-and maiici; saht-wiil ilc poicncy; sampannam-cndowcd; tam-io Him;
vanc-I bow; haI- pavanam-ilc puiilici ol ilc Kali-yuga.
To Loid Caiianya, wlosc iiansccndcnial loim is lillcd wiil ciciniiy,
lnowlcdgc, and bliss, wlo is ilc slclici ol iiansccndcnial ncciai and bliss, wlo is
ilc masici ol all spiiiiual and maiciial poicncics, and wlo is ilc puiilici ol ilc
Kali-yuga, I ollci my icspccilul obcisanccs.
Texf 2
svarupam astnto ny atma
svarupa-saht-vrtttan vaaty cva njatmanam
upan-rantam vacan
svarupam-own loim; astnto-siiuaicd; ny-indccd; atma-soul; svarupa-
saht-vrtttan-by lis own powci; vaaty-says; cva-indccd; njatmanam-own
scll; upan- rantam-wiiloui maiciial dcsignaiions; vacan-woids.
Wlcn lc is siiuaicd in lis oiiginal naiuic, by lis own powci ilc soul givcs ilc
coiicci answcis io ilcsc spiiiiual qucsiions, answcis licc liom ilc ioucl ol
maiici.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Inllucnccd by maiici in dillcicni ways, ilc souls impiisoncd in ilc maiciial
woild givc a gicai vaiiciy ol answcis io ilc qucsiions poscd in ilc sccond vcisc ol
ilc Iiisi Clapici ol ilis bool. Tlosc souls wlo by spiiiiual icalizaiion and by
undcisianding ilc icaclings ol a gcnuinc spiiiiual masici lnow ilc iiuil aboui
ilc soul givc ilc coiicci answis io ilcsc qucsiions. Tlcsc qucsiions lavc cacl
only onc coiicci answci. Tlc ilicc qucsiions poscd in ilc Iiisi Clapici, Sccond
Vcisc ol ilis bool aic: 1. I pciccivc ilis woild. Wlo am I' 2. Wlai is ilis
immcnsc maiciial woild' 3. Wlai iclaiion lavc I wiil ilis woild' Tlc souls
inllucnccd by ilc maiciial naiuic givc a gicai vaiiciy ol answcis io ilcsc
qucsiions, answcis iccounicd in ilc Iiisi Clapici ol ilis bool. In ilis Sccond
Clapici ilc coiicci answcis io ilcsc ilicc qucsiions, ilc answcis givcn by ilc
scll-icalizcd souls, will bc iccounicd. lui liisi wc will considci ilis qucsiion: Wlo
aic ilc scll-icalizcd souls' Tlc souls wlo lavc no iclaiion io maiciial placc, iimc,
scnscs, and body, and wlo aic insicad siiuaicd in ilcii oiiginal spiiiiual naiuic,
aic scll-icalizcd souls. In ilc bool Simad-llagavaiam (2.10.6), wlicl coniains
ilc csscniial icaclings ol ilc Vcdania, ilc puic scll-icalizcd soul is dcsciibcd in
ilcsc woids:
muhtr ntvanyatna-rupam
svarupcna vyavastntn
"Libciaiion is ilc pcimancni siiuaiion ol ilc loim ol ilc living cniiiy alici lc
givcs up ilc clangcablc gioss and subilc maiciial bodics."
Wlcn lc is liccd liom maiciial cxisicncc, ilc soul is siiuaicd in lis oiiginal
naiuic. Tlcn lc is scll-icalizcd. On ilc scll-icalizcd soul will givc ilc coiicci
answcis io oui ilicc qucsiions. Hcic somconc may pioicsi: "Tlc living cniiiy in
ilc maiciial woild las a body, scnscs, and icasoning powci. Il lc icnounccs
maiciial cxisicncc, ilcn wlai will lappcn io lis body, scnscs, and icasoning
powci' How will lc bc ablc io givc ilc coiicci answcis io youi qucsiions'" Tlc
answci io ilis pioicsi is ilai ilc soul is lilc spiiiiual lnowlcdgc pcisonilicd. Tlc
soul las spiiiiual lnowlcdgc as onc ol iis naiuial lcaiuics. Tlc soul las noi only
spiiiiual lnowlcdgc ol iiscll. Tlc soul is also lillcd wiil ligli, so ilai wiil ilc
ligli ol iis lnowlcdgc ii can illuminaic ilc lcaiuics ol oilci ilings also. In ilis
way ilc soul lnows boil iiscll and oilci objccis also. Tlis mcans ilai ilc soul
las all powci io scc, lcai, smcll, and iasic. Tlc soul las lnowlcdgc as paii ol iis
naiuic. Wlcn ii lalls inio ilc maiciial woild, ilc soul is impiisoncd wiilin a
sciics ol maiciial covciings. To cnablc lim io iniciaci wiil ilc maiciial woild,
ilc spiiii soul is givcn a sccond sci ol scnscs: maiciial scnscs. In ilis way ilc soul
sccs wiil maiciial cycs, lcais wiil maiciial cais, smclls wiil a maiciial nosc,
iasics wiil a maiciial ionguc, and cxpciicnccs ioucl wiil maiciial slin. His
oiiginal spiiiiual scnscs now dcpiivcd ol ilcii powcis, ilc soul now uscs ilc
powcis ol ilis sccond sci ol scnscs: maiciial scnscs. Also, ilc conclusions ilc soul
diaws aic now diawn wiil ilc aid ol maiciial icasoning powci. All ol ilis a gicai
calamiiy loi ilc spiiii soul, wlosc naiuial condiiion is io bc lull ol lnowlcdgc.
Wlcn ilc soul bccocms scll-icalizcd and lis oiiginal naiuic is icvivcd, ilcn lc
can again pciloim all ilcsc aciiviiics wiil lis oiiginal, spiiiiual scnscs. Tlcn lis
icason powci is again lis oiiginal spiiiiual icasoning powci. In ilai libciaicd
condiiion, wiil lis oiiginal, spiiiiual icasoning powci, ilc soul can givc ilc
coiicci answcis io oui qucsiions. Wiil lis own spiiiiual powci ilc soul can givc
ilc answcis. Tlcsc answcis ilc soul givcs aic licc liom all ol maiici's limiiaiions
and dclccis. Tlc answci a scll-icalizcd soul icsiding in India givcs a scll- icalizcd
soul icsiding in ilc noiilcin couniiics will also givc. A soul living in ilc spiiiiual
woild ol Vailunila will also givc ilc samc answci. And wly noi' Tlc puic
libciaicd souls did noi givc answcis ilai comc liom ilc gicai vaiiciy ol mixiuics
ol ilc maiciial modcs. Tlai is wly ilcii answcis aic noi dillcicni liom cacl
oilci.
Texf 3
bnagavan cha cvastc
para-saht-samanvtan
tac-cnaht-nnsrto jivo
branmanam ca jaatmaham
bnagavan-God; chan-onc; cva-indccd; astc-is; para-iiansccndcnial;
saht-poicncy; samanvtan-cndowcd; tat-His; saht-poicncy; nnsrto-
manilcsi; jivo-individual soul; branmanam-univcisc; ca-and; jaatmaham-
maiciial.
God is onc. God las many iiansccndcnial powcis. Tlc individual spiiii souls
and ilc maiciial woilds aic all manilcsicd liom God's powcis.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
In ilc Vcdic liiciaiuic ii is said:
cham cvavtiyam
"Tlcic is only onc God. Hc las no iival."
ncna nanast hncana
"Noiling is scpaiaic liom God."
sa vsva-hr vsva-vt
"God cicaicd ilc woild. Hc lnows all ilai lappcns in ilc woild."
pranana-hsctra-patr guncsan
"God is ilc masici ol ilc woild. Hc is ilc masici ol ilc modcs ol maiciial
naiuic."
cho cvo bnagavan varcnyan
"Tlcic is only onc God. Hc is ilc bcsi ol pcisons. Hc las all opulcnccs."
ly ilcsc woids God's cicinal cxisicncc is clcaily conliimcd. In Simad-
llagavaiam (1.2.11) ii is said:
vaant ta tattva-vas
tattvam yaj jnanam avayam
branmct paramatmct
bnagavan t sabyatc
"Lcaincd iiansccndcnialisis wlo lnow ilc Absoluic Tiuil call ilc non-dual
subsiancc lialman, Paiamaima, oi llagavan."
llagavan (ilc Supicmc Pcison) is supciioi io lialman (ilc impcisonal divinc
cllulgcncc) and Paiamaima (ilc all-pcivading Supcisoul). Siill, onc slould noi
ilinl ilai lialman, Paiamaima, aic iwo scpaiaic gods and llagavan is ilc
Supicmc God ilai dominaics Tlcm. Hcic ilc individual spiiii soul is ilc scci,
and llagavan is ilc objcci sccn. Wlcn lc liisi bcgins lis spiiiiual lilc, and lc
iiavcls on ilc pail ol plilosoplical spcculaiion (jnana-maiga), ilc soul sccs ilc
lialman lcaiuic ol llagavan. Wlcn lc malcs somc advanccmcni on ilai pail,
ilc soul bcgins io wall on ilc pail ol yoga (yoga-maiga). Wlcn lc walls on ilai
pail, ilc soul sccs ilc Paiamaima lcaiuic ol llagavan. Wlcn by good loiiunc ilc
soul walls on ilc pail ol puic dcvoiiuonal scivicc (suddla-blalii-maiga), ilc
soul sccs llagavan diiccily. llagavan biings gicai swccincss io ilc cycs. Hc is
lull ol iiansccndcnial bliss. Hc is cicinal and lull ol lnowlcdgc and bliss. His loim
is giacclul. Hc is a vciy landsomc and claiming pcison. Hc las all opulcncc, all
powci, all lanc, all landsomcncss, all lnowlcdgc, and all icnunciaiion. Hc las
ilcm in ilc bcsi, ilc mosi sublimc way. lialman and Paiamaima aic boil liddcn
wiilin llagavan. llagavan las all poicncics. ly His wisl His poicncics manilcsi
His icgulai and occasional pasiimcs. Hc is supicmcly indcpcndcni. Hc is ilc
auiloi ol all iulcs and icgulaiions. Siill, Hc is ncvci bound by any iulcs oi
icgulaiions. llagavan las no iival. No onc is cqual io Him. No onc is supciioi io
Him. His spiiiiual poicncics aic muliilaiious. Tlcy lavc many dillcicni powcis.
ly ilcsc spiiiiual poicncics llagavan's spiiiiual abodc, spiiiiual pasiimcs, and
spiiiiual paiaplcinalia aic all manilcsicd. Tlai aic all iiansloimaiions ol
llagavan's spiiiiual poicncy. Iiom His pcilcci spiiiiual poicncy ilc spiiiiual
woild is manilcsi. llagavan's poicncy acis in many dillcicni ways. Onc lind ol
aciion ii pciloims is ilc manilcsiaiion ol ilc many aioms. Tlai is sccn. Spiiiiual
cllulgcncc, spiiiiual qualiiics, and spiiiiual aciiviiics aic all manilcsicd liom
llagavan's spiiiiual poicncy. Iiom ilc jva-salii poicncy ilc many indilidual
spiiii souls (jvas) aic manilcsi. Tlc spiiiiual poicncy las a sladow. Iiom ilai
sladow aic manilcsi ilc livc gioss maniciial clcmcnis, ilc livc scnsc objccis, ilc
icn scnscs, and ilc mind, iniclligcncc, and lalsc cgo. In ilis way 2+ maiciial
clcmcnis aic manilcsi. Tlc poicncy ilai manilcsis ilc maiciial woild is ilus
callcd ilc "claya-salii" (sladow poicncy).
Texf +
so rhas tat-hrano jivo
ntyanugata-vgranan
prit-narman c-atma san
parananc p aya-bnah
so-Hc; arhas-sun; tat-hranos cjjuIgcncc, jivo-ilc individual spiiii souls;
ntya-cicinal anugaia-lollowing; vgranan-loim; prit-lovc; narman-
naiuic; c-atma-spiiii soul; san-lc; parananc-wiil spiiiiual bliss; ap-also;
aya-inlciiiancc; bnah-posscssing.
llagavan (ilc Supicmc Pcisonaliiy ol Godlcad) is lilc ilc sun. Tlc many
individual souls aic lilc paiiiclcs ol ligli ilai comc liom ilai llagavan-sun. Lacl
indivisual soul las an cicinal spiiiiual loim lilc ilc loim ol llagavan. Lacl
individual soul is by naiuic spiiiiual and blisslul. His naiuic is io lovc llayava.
Hc is lilc a son cniiilcd io a slaic in lis lailci's (llagavan's) piopciiy.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
llagavan is lilc ilc sun. Tlc iays ol ligli cmanaiing liom ilai sun aic ilc
individual spiiii souls. Tlcsc iays-ol-ligli individual spiiii souls lavc a naiuic
lilc llagavan's. Lacl individual soul las an cllulgcni spiiiiual loim suiicd io iis
own paiiiculai naiuic. Lacl soul's loim is cllulgcni and spiiiiual. Tlcicloic cacl
soul is spiiiiual in naiuic. Lacl soul las spiiiiual qualiiics. A small paiiiclc ol lovc
is paii ol cacl soul's spiiiiual naiuic. Tlcicloic a paiiiclc ol lovc is ilc soul's
naiuic. Tlcicloic ii is said, "Lovc is ilc soul's naiuic." lccausc ilc soul's spiiiiual
loim and naiuial lovc aic boil small, ii is said ilai ilc individual souls' loims and
naiuial lovc aic noi pcilcci oi complcic. Tlc individual souls also posscss a asmall
paiiiclc ol spiiiiual bliss. Tlc bliss ol icalizing impcisonal lialman is dcsciibcd
in ilcsc woids ol Sila Rupa Gosvam's llalii-iasamiia-sindlu:
branmanano bnavc csa
cct pararna-guni-hrtan nat bnaht-sunamboncn
paramanu-tuIam ap
"Il bialmananda, oi ilc lappincss ol bccoming onc wiil ilc Supicmc, is
muliiplicd by onc iiillionlold, ii siill cannoi compaic io cvcn an aiomic liaciion ol
ilc lappincss dciivcd liom ilc occan ol dcvoiional scivicc."
ly lis own naiuic cacl individual soul is lilc a son qualilicd io inlciii ilis
sublimcly blisslul and mosi cxalicd siaius ol cngaging in dcvoiional scivicc io ilc
Loid. Awaic ilai ilc lappincss ol icalizing impcisonal lialman is vciy small by
compaiison, ilc soul bccomcs llagavan's scivani and lollowci. Wlcn Hc is
plcascd by a cciiain soul's scivicc, llagavan cmpowcis ilai soul wiil ilc powcis
ol His spiiiiual poicncics. Now cndowcd wiil ilai spiiiiual poicncy, ilc soul is
ablc io cxpciicncc ilc sublimc bliss ol dcvoiional scivicc.
Texf 5
tac-cnahtcs cnayaya vsvam
sarvam cta vnrmtam
yatra banrmuhna jivan
samsarant njcccnaya
tac-cnahtcs-ol His poicncy; cnayaya-by a sladow; vsvam-ilc maiciial
woild; sarvam-all; cta-ilis; vnrmtam-cicaicd; yatra-wlcic; banrmuhna-
wlo lavc iuincd ilcii laccs; jivan-ilc individual souls; samsarant-wandci;
njcccnaya-by ilcii own wisl.
ly ilc sladow ol llagavan's spiiiiual poicncy ilc cniiic maiciial woild is
cicaicd. In ilai maiciial woild wandci ilc individual souls wlo lavc iuincd ilcii
laccs away liom llagavan.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Wlcn lc is a scivani ol Loid Kisna, ilc individual soul bccomcs lilc a son
wlo inlciiis ilc lailci's piopciiy. Tlis inlciiiancc is iiansccndcnial bliss. Wlcn
lc iuins lis lacc away liom Loid Kisna and iiiucs io bc indcpcndcni, ilc
individual soul lalls inio ilc woild ol biiil and dcail. Tlc spiiiiual poicncy lclps
ilc individual soul bccomc moic and moic clcvaicd, and ilc maiciial poicncy
(maya-salii), ilc poicncy ilai cicaics ilc maiciial woild, lclps ilc individual
soul bccomc moic and moic liimly slacllcd in ilc piison lousc ol icpcaicd biiil
and dcail. Tlc maiciial poicncy is a sladow ol ilc spiiiiual poicncy. Tlc
individual souls wlo dcsivc io go io ilc woild ol biiil and dcail ialc biiil in
ilai woild. Tlcic lc is givcn a gioss and subilc maiciial body io cxpciicncc ilc
vaiious pciccpiions ol ilc maiciial woild. In ilis way lc lalls inio ilc maiciial
woild and ilcic sullcis many iioublcs ilai comc liom ilc icsulis ol lis vaiious
aciiviiics (laima). Tlcic is onc icason and onc icason only ilai ilcsc souls aic in
ilc maiiciial woild. Tlc icason is ilai ilcy lavc iuincd ilcii laccs away liom
llagavan (blagavad- baliimulla). Ii slould bc undcisiood ilai ilc individual
spiiii souls aic noi manilcsicd liom ilc maiciial woild. Nciilci aic ilcy
manilcsicd liom ilc spiiiiual woild. Tlcy aic manilcsicd liom ilc boidci ilai
scpaiaics ilosc iwo woilds. Ioi ilcm maiciial plcasuics may bc moic aiiiaciivc
ilan spiiiiual uplilimcni. Tlcicloic ilcy may ol ilcii own will cloosc io siay in
ilc woild ol biiil and dcail. Ioi ilis llagavan is noi io blamc. Slowing His
mcicy io ilcsc souls, llagavan cicaicd ilc maiciial woild so ilcy could cnjoy
ilcic as ilcy wislcd. llagavan cicaicd ilc maiciial woild in sucl a way ilai alici
only a lcw days ol iiying io cnjoy ilcic, ilc souls would bccomc iniclligcni and
iuin liom ilosc cnjoymcnis. In ilis way llagavan cicaicd ilc pail ol pciloiming
dcvoiional aciiviiics in ilc associaiion ol sainily dcvoiccs. Iollowing ilai pail,
ilc souls bccomc dclivcicd liom ilc maiciial woild.
Texf 6
jivato jaato vap
bnagavan sarvaa prtnah
na tau bnagavato bnnnau
ranasyam am cva n
jivato-liom ilc individual soul; jaato-liom maiici; va-oi; ap-also;
bnagavan-ilc Supicmc Pcisonaliiy ol Godlcad; sarvaa-always; prtnah-
scpaiaic; na-noi; tau-ilcm; bnagavato-liom ilc Supicmc Pcisonaliiy ol
Godlcad; bnnnau-dillcicni; ranasyam-sccici; am-ilis; cva-indccd; n-
indccd.
llagavan (ilc Supicmc Pcisonaliiy ol Godlcad) is cicinally dillcicni liom ilc
individual souls and liom maiici. Howcvci, ilc souls and maiici aic noi dillcicni
liom llagavan. Tlis is a gicai sccici.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
llagavan (ilc Supicmc Pcisonaliiy ol Godlcad) is cicinally dillcicni liom ilc
individual souls and liom maiici. Howcvci, ilc souls and maiici aic noi dillcicni
liom llagavan. Tlis is a gicai sccici. llagavan is cicinally dillcicni liom ilc
individual souls and liom maiici. In ilc loim ol His poicncy, Hc las cnicicd ilc
individual souls and ilc maiciial woild. Unablc io undcisiand ilis sccici, Vyasa,
wlo lad icvcalcd and caiclully siudicd all ilc sciipiuics, wcpi. Tlcn Naiada, wlo
is a gicai dcvoicc ol llagavan, appioaclcd Vyasa and iaugli Him ilc loui vciscs
ilai aic ilc lcaii ol Simad-llagavaiam. Tlai lcaii ol Simad- llagavaiam's
icacling is dividcd inio loui paiis: jnana, vijnana, ialasya, and iad-anga. In ilc
jnana paii llagavan icaclcs: "I am ilc only Supicmc Tiuil. lcloic anyiling clsc
cxisicd, I cxisicd. In ilc bcginning ol ilc maiciial woild nciilci ilc clain ol
causcs and cllccis, noi ilc impcisonal lialman, wlicl lics bcyond ilcm, wcic
opcnly manilcsi in ilis woild. Wlcn ilc maiciial woild is cicaicd, I manilcsi by
My poicncy wlaicvci cxisis, and wlcn ilc maiciial woild is annililaicd, only I,
llagavan, will icmain." In ilis way llagavaj-jnana (lnowlcdgc ol llagavan) is
cxplaincd. In ilc vijnana paii llagavan icaclcs: "I am ilc Supicmc Tiuil. Wlcn
ilc souls pciccivc only wlai is ouisidc Mc, wlcn ilcy cannoi pciccivc My iiuc
naiuic, ilai is bccausc ol ilc inllucncc ol My poicncy. Tlai poicncy is callcd by
ilc namc Maya'. Wlcn ii is manilcsicd in spiiii ilai poicncy is callcd
Yogamaya'. My poicncy is cicinally dillcicni liom Mc and noi dillcicni liom Mc.
How ii is noi dillcicni liom Mc is noi casily sccn. How ii is dillcicni liom Mc is
casily sccn. Ii is dillcicni liom Mc in iwo ways: as a icllcciion (ablasa) and as
dailncss (iamal)." Hcic "ablasa" iclcis io ilc individual spiiii souls and
"iamal" iclcis io ilc maiciial woild. Tlus ilc individual spoiiii souls and ilc
maiciial woild aic boil My poicncics. Tlai slould bc lnown. Tlis ncxi siagc og
lnowlcdgc, lnowlcdgc ol llagavan and lis poicncics, is callcd "vijnana". In ilc
iliid paii, ilc ialasya paii, llagavan icaclcs: "Tlc piadlana, malai-iaiiva, and
ilc maiciial clcmcnis bcginning wiil caiil cnici ilc maiciial woild and ai ilc
samc iimc ilcy do noi cnici. In ilc samc way I, llagavan, ilc spiiiiual sun, cnici
ilc individual spiiii souls, bui siill I am dillcicni liom ilcm cicinally. Wlcn an
individual spiiii soul bccomcs My dcvoicc, ilcn I bccomc lis liicnd. Tlai is ilc
gicai sccici." In ilc iad-anga paii, llagavan sayus: Wlcn, ioimcnicd ilc ilc
sullciings ol ilc woild ol biiil and dcail, an individual soul ialcs slclici ol ilc
lcci ol a sainily dcvoicc and inquiics liom lim aboui ilc spiiiiual iiuil, ilcn, by
lis spiiiiual masici's mcicy, ilai soul scaiclcs loi Mc diiccily and indiiccily.
Lvcniually lc aiiains Mc." In ilis way Simad- llagavaiam cxplains ilc iiuil ol
aciniya-blcdablcda-iaiiva (ilc inconccivablc simuliancous oncncss and
dillcicncc ol llagavan and ilc individual spiiii souls).
Texf 7
jaa-jaIa-gata jiva
jaasahtm vnaya ca
svahiya-vrttm aIocya
sanahar Iabnatc param
jaa-ol maiici; jaIa-in ilc iiap; gata-gonc; jiva-ilc souls; jaa-io
maiici; asahtm-aiiaclcmni; vnaya-abandoning; ca-and; svahiya-own;
vrttm-aciion; aIocya-considciing; sanahar-giadually; Iabnatc-aiiains;
param-ilc Supicmc.
Wlcn ilc souls caugli in ilc iiap ol maiciial lilc icnouncc ilcii aiiaclmcni io
maiici, and ilcn caiclully cngagc in spiiiiual aciiviiics, cvcniually ilcy aiiain ilc
Supicmc.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Tlc individual spiiii souls may bc dividcd inio iwo gioups: ilc souls cicinally
impiisoncd in ilc maiciial woild (niiya- baddla), and ilc souls licc liom ilai
piison (niiya-mulia). Tlc cicinally licc souls aic always aiiiacicd io scivc Loid
Kisna. Wlcn ilc souls caugli in ilc iiap ol maiciial lilc icnouncc ilcii
aiiaclmcni io maiici, and ilcn caiclully cngagc in spiiiiual aciiviiics, cvcniually
ilcy aiiain ilc Supicmc. Spiiiiual aciiviiics lcic mcans dcvoiional scivicc io
llagavan. As onc cngagcs lavoiably in dcvoiional spiiiiual aciiviiics, oncs
aiiaclmcni loi maiciial ilings bccomcs giadually diminislcd. Wlcn ilosc
spiiiiual aciiviiics icacl complcicncss and pcilcciion, ilcn ilcn aiiaclmcni loi
maiciial ilings bccomcs complcicly and pcilccily climinaicd. Tlcn ilc individual
spiiii soul aiiains ilc lcci ol llagavan, ilc Supicmc Tiuil, ilc Supicmc Masici
ol ilc spiiiiual woild. As onc again and again pciloims spiiiiual aciiviiics, onc
giadually linds ilcm swccici and swccici. To ilc cxicni ilcy aic aiiaclcd io
maiici, ilc individual souls icmain avcisc io spiiii.
Texf 8
cntatitam am tattvam
vatavata-svarupaham
catanya-caranasvaac
cnuna-jivc pratiyatc
cnta-ilougli; atitam-bcyond; am-ilis; tattvam-iiuil; vatavata-
dual and noi dual; svarupaham-naiuic; catanya-ol Loid Caiianya; carana-ol
ilc lcci; asvaat-liom ilc swcci iasic; suna-jivc-in ilc puic soul; pratiyatc-
is lnown.
Tlis Supicmc Tiuil, wlo is dillcicni and non-dillcicni liom cvciyiling,
cannoi bc lnown by ilc maiciial mind. Only ilc puic souls, wlo iasic ilc swcci
ncciai ol ialing slclici ol Loid Caiianya's lcci, lavc ilc powci io lnow ilc
Supicmc Tiuil.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Tlc maiciial mind las no powci io undcisiand low ilc Supicmc can bc boil
dillcicni and noi dillcicni liom cvciyiling. Wly noi' lccausc in ilc maiciial,
woild no onc sccs muiually coniiadicioiy qualiiics icsiding in ilc samc placc.
Tlcicloic ilc souls impiisoncd in ilc maiciial woild, souls wlosc lnowlcdgc is
only ol maiciial ilings, will noi bc inclincd io bclicvc ilai muiually coniiadicioiy
qualiiics cxisi in llagavan. Manilcsicd by His inconccuivablc poicncics,
numbcilcss muiually coniiadicioiy qualiiics lappily and giacclully icsidc in
llagavan. Hc is ilc loimlcss lialman and Hc is also a pcison wiil a sublimcly
giacclul loim. Hc is smallci ilan ilc smallcsi and laigci ilan ilc laigcsi. Hc is
impaiiial, bui siill Hc lovcs His dcvoiccs. Hc las no qualiiics, bui ilcn again Hc
cciiainly docs lavc qualiiics. Hc is ilc impcisonal lialman, and Hc is also Kisna
suiioundcd by many cowlcid liicnds. Hc is ilc gicaicsi plilosoplci, lull ol
lnowlcdgc, and Hc is also a lovci, His wlolc bcing is madc ol lovc. llagavan is
ilc slclici wlcic ilcsc and all oilci muiually coniiadicioiy qualiiics icsidc. Tlc
Loid cannoi bc compaicd io maiciial ilings. Tlc soul impiisoncd in ilc maiciial
woild posscsscs iniclligcncc madc ol maiici. Tlai maiciial iniclligcncc las no
powci io ioucl wlai is bcyond ilc woild ol maiici. Ioi ilis icason ilc souls
impiisoncd in ilc woild ol maiici cannoi undcisiand ilc qualiiics ol llagavan. In
ilis way ilcy do noi bclicvc ilai llagavan's naiuic is lilc ilai. As long as ilcy
icmain in ilc piison ol ilc maiciial woild, ilc indicvidual spiiii souls cannoi
undcisiand low llagavan is simuliancously onc and dillcicni liom cvciyiling.
Will ilc souls impiisoncd in maiici ncvci undcisiand ilis poini' Tlc answci is
ilai ilc souls wlo iasic ilc ncciai ol dcvoiional scivicc io Loid Caiianya's lcci
will giadually bccomc puiilicd. In ilis way ilcy will cvcniually bc ablc io
undcisiand ii. As lc bccomcs puiilicd, ilc soul icalizcs lis oiiginal naiuic. Tlcn
lc undcisiands low llagavan is simuliancously onc and dillcicni. Hcic ilc
pliasc "caiianya-caianasvadai" las iwo mcanings, alilougl in iiuil ilc iwo
mcanings aic aciually onc. Onc mcaning is, ly sciving Loid Caiianya's lcci onc
aiiains iiansccndcnial bliss." Tlc sccond mcaning is, "ly sciving ilc lcci ol ilc
Supicmc Pcisonaliiy ol Godlcad, wlo lnows cvciyiling, onc aiiains
iiansccndcnial bliss." Loid Caiianya is noi dillcicni liom ilc all-lnowing
Supicmc Pcisonaliiy ol Godlcad. Tlcicloic ilc iwo mcanings aic aciually onc. In
ilc liisi paii ol ilis bool wcic considcicd ilc opinions ol dillcicni plilosoplcis,
plilosoplcis wlo aic all individual spiiii souls impiisoncd in ilc maiciial woild.
Now ilai I lavc icluicd all ilcii plilosoplics, I will dcsciibc ilc supicmc
spiiiiual iiuil, ilc iiuil iaugli by supicmcly puic Loid Caiianya Malapiablu.
Texf 9
cid cva paiamam iaiivam
c cva paramcsvaran
ct-hano jiva cvasau
vscsas c-vctrata
c-spiiii; cva-indccd; paramam-supicmc; tattvam-iiuil; c-spiiii;
cva-indccd; paramcsvaran-ilc Supicmc Pcisonaliiy ol Godlcad; ct-hano-
paiiiclc ol spiiii; jiva-ilc individual soul; cva-indccd; asau-lc; vscsas-
scpcilic; c-ol spiiii; vctrata-vaiiciy.
Tlc Supicmc Tiuil is spiiiiual. Tlc Supicmc Pcisonaliiy ol Godlcad is
spiiiiual. Tlc individual spiiii soul is a iiny paiiiclc ol spiiii. Gicai vaiiciy cxisis
in ilc icalm ol spiiii.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Spiiii, maiici, and ilc individual spiiii souls aic ilc ilicc divisons ol
cxisicncc. Tlc Supicmc Tiuil is spiiiiual. Tlc Supicmc Pcisonaliiy ol Godlcad is
spiiiiual. Tlc individual spiiii soul is a iiny paiiiclc ol spiiii. Gicai vaiiciy cxisis
in ilc icalm ol spiiii. llagavan (ilc Supicmc Pcisonaliiy ol Godlcad) is lilc a
sun slining in ilc spiiiiual woild. Tlc paiiiclcs ol ligli cmanaiing liom ilai sun
aic ilc individual spiiii souls. Tlus ilc individual souls aic iiny paiiiclcs ol
spiiii. Gicai vaiiciy cxisis in ilc icalm ol spiiii. Noiling is supciioi io spiiii. Tlc
vaiiciy picscni in ilc maiciial woild is only a icllcciion ol ilc vaiiciy in ilc
spiiiial woild.
Texf 10
ananas c-gunan prohtan
sa va vrtt-svarupahan
yasyanusiIanaj jivan
paranana-stntm Iabnct
ananan-bliss; c-gunan-ilc qualiiics ol spiiii; prohtan-said; sa-ilai;
va-indccd; vrtt-svarupahan-aciions; yasya-ol wlicl; anusiIanat-by
culiivaiing; jivan-ilc individual spiiii soul; paranana-stntm-ilc posiiion ol
iiansccndcnial bliss; Iabnct-aiiains.
Spiiii is by naiuic lull ol bliss. ly pciloiming spiiiiual aciiviiics onc bccomcs
blisslul.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Iicc will is onc qualiiy ol spiiii, and bliss is anoilci qualiiy ol spiiii. lliss is
paii ol ilc naiuic ol spiiii. Tlcicloic, by again and again pciloiming spiiiiual
aciiviiics ilc individual soul bccomcs blisslul. In ilc Vcdas ii is said:
csa ny ananayat
"Wlcn onc undcisiands ilc Pcisonaliiy ol God, ilc icscivoii ol plcasuic,
Kisna, lc aciually bccomcs iiansccndcnially blisslul."
In ilis way ilc Vcdas alliim ilai bliss is paii ol ilc naiuic ol spiiii. As ilc
powci io buin is paii ol ilc naiuic ol liic, and as lluidiiy is paii ol ilc naiuic ol
waici, so bliss is paii ol ilc naiuic ol spiiii. Lvcn ilc souls impiisoncd by maiici
cnjoy a cciiain maiciial vcision ol ilai bliss. Lvciyiling las iwo lcaiuics. Onc
lcaiuic is iis naiuic and ilc oilci iis aciiviiics. Tlc aciiviiics ol spiiii biing
spiiiiual bliss. A soul wlo again and again cngagcs in blisslul spiiiiual aciiviiics
cvcniually aiiains spiiiiual bliss. Giadually lc bccomcs qualilicd io cnjoy ilc bliss
ol pcisonal associaiion wiil llagavan.
Texf 11
c-vastu jaato bnnnam
svatantrcccnatmaham saa
pravstam ap mayayam
sva-svarupam na tat tyajct
c-vastu-spiiii; jaato-liom maiici; bnnnam-dillcicni; svatantra-
indcpcndcni; ccna-dcsiic; atmaham-scll; saa-always; pravstam-cnicicd;
ap-also; mayayam-in illusion; sva-svarupam-own naiuic; na-noi; tat-ilai;
tyajct-abandons.
Spiiii is dillcicni liom maiici. Spiiii always las licc will. Lvcn wlcn ii cnicis
ilc woild ol illusions, spiiii ncvci loscs iis naiuic.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Wlai is ilc naiuic ol spiiii' Many iimcs ilai qucsiion is aslcd. In ilis
maiciial woild onc docs noi lind a pcilcci oi complcic answci. Lvcn ilougl ilc
soul is spiiiiual, ii las now loigoiicn iis own naiuic. Slacllcd in Maya's piison,
ilc soul linds ii laid io givc a clcai answci aboui iis own naiuic. Tlc soul's
naiuic is io bc a iiny paiiiclc ol spiiii. Alilougl ilai naiuic is pcivciicdly
icllccicd in ilc maiciial woild, ilc soul ncvci ically abandons iis own naiuic.
Iiisi ilis qucsiion may bc aslcd: "Il ilc spiiii soul is dillcicni liom maiici, ilcn
ilc spiiii soul musi bc dillcicni liom all maiciial ilings. Wlai is ilai dillcicncc'"
Iiisi onc slould sccl ilc answci io ilai qucsiion. Many qualiiics may bc sccn in
maiciial ilings, bui licc will is ncvci sccn in ilcm. Nciilci is consciousncss cvci
sccn in ilcm. Unlcss ilc soul is complcicly icsiiicicd in iis aciiviiics, ilcsc iwo
qualiiics aic noi covcicd. Tlcy icmain manilcsi. Qualiiics lilc lcai and liquidiiy
may bc sccn in maiiciial clcmcnis lilc liic and waici, bui ilc liquidiiy ol waici is
noi a sign ol licc will picscni in ilc waici.Tlc waici is noi liquid ol iis own
accoid. Many dillcicni maiciial clcmcnis may bc considcicd, bui nonc ol ilcm
acis by iis own licc will. Ioi cxamplc, wc do noi scc ilai liic acis ol iis own licc
will. Howcvci, in spiiiiual bcings, in souls, cvcn ilougl ilcy may bc covcicd by
ilc maiciial bodics ol lowly spccics lilc woims and anis, wc scc licc will is
picscni. Walling and walling, an ani considcis wlicl way lc slould go, and ilcn
lc walls on ilai pail. Tlis powci ol ilc ani io ilinl and io cloosc aic ilc signs
ol licc will. Wc do noi scc ilcsc signs in incii maiici. Wc scc ilcm only in spiiii,
in living bcings. Tlcicloic consciousncss and licc will aic paii ol ilc naiuic ol
spiiii. Ol ilis ilcic is no doubi. In conclusion, consciousncss, licc will, bliss, and
ilc idca "Ii is I" aic all paiis ol ilc naiuic ol spiiii. Lvcn wlcn ii cnicis ilc
maiciial woild ol livc clcmcnis, ilc spiiii soul ncvci abandons ilai naiuic.
Texf 12
pnaIgum nrartnaham vn
sarvam jaamayam jagat
banrmuhnasya jivasya
grnam cva puratanam
pnaIgum-lalsc; nrartnaham-usclcss; vn-plcasc lnow; sarvam-all;
jaamayam-maiciial; jagat-univcisc; banrmuhnasya-wlo las iuincd lis lacc
away; jivasya-ol ilc soul; grnam-lomc; cva-indccd; puratanam-ancicni.
Plcasc lnow ilai ilc maiciial woild is mcaninglcss and illusoiy. Ii is an
ancicni piison lousc loi ilc souls wlo lavc iuincd ilcii laccs liom ilc Supicmc
Loid.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Tlc maiciial woild is mcaninglcss and illusoiy. Ii is an ancicni piison lousc
loi ilc souls wlo lavc iuincd ilcii laccs liom ilc Supicmc Loid. Iollowing
Naiada Muni's insiiuciion, Vyasa cnicicd a iiancc ol mcdiiaiion. His lcaii
puiilicd by dcvoiional scivicc, in ilai iiancc Vyasa saw ilc iiuil. Tlis is
dcsciibcd in Simad-llagavaiam (1.7.+-6):
bnaht-yogcna manas
samyah pranntc maIc apasyat purusam purnam
mayam ca ta-apasrayam
"Tlus lc lixcd lis mind, pcilccily cngagcd by linling ii in dcvoiional scivicc
(blalii-yoga) wiiloui any iingc ol maiciialism, and ilus lc saw ilc Absoluic
Pcisonaliiy ol Godlcad along wiil His cxicinal cncigy, wlicl was undci lull
coniiol.
yaya sammonto jva
atmanam tr-gunatmaham
paro p manutc nartnam
tat-hrtam cabnpayatc
"Duc io ilis cxicinal cncigy, ilc living cniiiy, alilougl iiansccndcnial io ilc
ilicc modcs ol maiciial naiuic, ilinls ol limscll as a maiciial pioduci and ilus
undcigocs ilc icaciions ol maiciial misciics.
anartnopasamam sahsa
bnaht-yogam anohsajc
"Tlc maiciial misciics ol ilc living cniiiy, wlicl aic supcilluous io lim, can
bc diiccily miiigaicd by ilc linling pioccss ol dcvoiional scivicc."
Tlc maiciial woild cicaicd by Maya is a usclcss and illusoiy placc loi ilc
individual souls, wlo aic small paiiiclcs ol spiiii. Wly do ilc indivcidual souls
icsidc in ilis woiillcss placc' Tlc answci io ilis qucsiion is ilai ilc maiciial
woild is an ancicni piison loi ilc individual souls wlo lavc iuincd ilcii laccs
away liom ilc Supicmc Loid. Only ilc souls wlo lavc iuincd ilcii laccs away
liom ilc Supicmc Loid lavc cnicicd ilc maiciial woild. Tlc souls wlo do noi
iuin ilcii laccs away liom ilc Supicmc Loid icmain always licc liom ilc piison
ol maiici. Tlcy do noi cnici ilc maiciial woild. Tlcy siay always in ilc spiiiiual
woild. Tlc Maya-salii (poicncy opl maiciial illusion) is always undci Loid
Kisna's coniiol. As dailncss musi siay always lai away liom ilc slining sun, so
ilc illusoiy poicncy Maya musi siay always lai away liom Loid Kisna, lai away
liom ilc spiiiiual woild. Tlc individual souls wlo lavc iuincd ilcii laccs away
liom Loid Kisna aic aiiiacicd io ilc bcwildciing vaiiciy ol Maya's woild. In ilis
way ilcy lall undci Maya's spcll. In iiuil ilc individual souls aic always bcyond
ilc modcs ol maiciial naiuic. lui wlcn ilcy lall undci Maya's spcll, ilc
individual souls ilinl ilcy ilcmsclvcs aic pioducis ol ilc maiciial modcs. Tlcn
ilcy iiy io cnjoy ilc pailciic plcasuics ilc ilicc maiciial modcs ollci. Tlai is ilc
condiiion ol ilc souls wlo lavc iuincd ilcii laccs away liom ilc Supicmc Loid.
Tlc oilci spiiii souls, ilc souls wlo icmain in ilc spiiiiual woild, do noi iuin
ilcii laccs away liom ilc Supicmc Loid. Only ilc souls wlo iuin ilcii laccs away
liom ilc Supicmc Loid lcavc ilc spiiiiual woild and go io ilc woild ol maiici.
Texf 13
csa-haIaham sarvam
mayaya vhrtam saa
mayatitasya vsvasya
sarvam tac ct-svarupaham
csa-placc; haIa-and iimc; aham-bcginning; sarvam-all; mayaya-by
Maya; vhrtam-iiansloimcd; saa-always; mayatitasya-bcyond Maya;
vsvasya-ol ilc woild; sarvam-all; tac-ilai; ct-svarupaham-spiiiiual in
naiuic.
Tlc iimc, placc, and cvciyiling clsc ol ilc maiciial woild is a gioicsquc
pcivcision cicaicd by Maya. In ilc woild lai away liom Maya's woild, cvciyiling
is madc ol spiiii.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Tlc spiiiiual woild is lai liom Maya. Tlc maiciial woild is cicaicd by Maya.
Wlai is ilc iclaiionslip ol ilcsc iwo woilds' To ilis qucsiion wc answci:Tlc
iimc, placc, and cvciyiling clsc ol ilc maiciial woild is a gioicsquc pcivcision.
Howcvci, ilc iimc, placc, and cvciyiling clsc ol ilc spiiiiual woild lai liom Maya
aic all spiiiiuasl. Tlis mcans ilai cvciyiling ilcic is supicmcly puic. in ilai
gioicsuc maiciial woild ilcic aic many obsiaclcs io lappincss. Tlcicloic ii is sccn
ilai ilc maiciial woild is vciy gioicsquc and loiiiblc. Innilc maiciial woild iimc
is dividcd iniop pasi, picscni, and luiuic. ly ilai division many ilings aic
dcsiioycd and many linds ol sullciings aic cicaicd. In ilis way ilc maiciial
cwoild is lillcd wiil many loiiiblc and gioicsquc ilings. Tlcicloic ilc wlolc
maiciial woild is loiiiblc and gioicsquc. In ilc spiiiiual woild iimc, placc, and
cvciyiling clsc aic all spiiiiual. Lvciyiling ilcic is lull ol bliss. Lvciyiling ilcic
is lull ol lovc. In ilc spiiiiual woild ilcic is noi cvcn ilc sliglicsi liagiancc ol
maiici. Tlc spiiiiual woild is giacclully dcsciibcd in ilcsc woids ol Clandogya
Upanisad's Liglil Clapici:
narn om. atna ya am asmn branmapurc anaram punariham vcsma anaro
smnn antarahasas tasmn ya- antas ta anvcstavyam ta vava vjjnastavyam t.
"Haii. Om. In ilc lcaii ol ilis spiiiiual ciiy is a loius abodc. Tlc inicinal paii
ol ilai abodc slould bc sougli. Tlai paii onc slould dcsiic io lnow.
tam cc bruyur ya am asmn branmapurc anaram punariham vcsma anaro
smnn antarahasan hm ta atra vyatc ya anvcstavyam ya vava vjjnastavyam
t.
"Il ilcy (ilc siudcnis) asl: Wlai docs ii mcan ilai in ilc lcaii ol ilis
spiiiiual ciiy is a loius abodc, ilc inicinal paii ol ilai abodc slould bc sougli,
and ilai paii onc slould dcsiic io lnow' . . .
bruya yavan va ayam ahasas tavan cso ntar nraya ahasa ubnc asmn yav-
aprtnvi antar cva samantc ubnav agns ca vayus ca surya-canra-samav ubnau
vyun- nahsatran yac casycnast yac ca nast sarvam ta asmn samantam t.
. . .ilcn lc (ilc guiu) may say: As in ilc cxicinal woild ilcic is a sly, so insidc
ilis lcaii ilcic is also a sly. In boil ilc cxicinal woild and wiilin ilis lcaii
ilcic aic lcavcn and caiil. In boil aic liic and aii. In boil aic sun and moon and
liglining and siais. Wlaicvci is in ilc cxicinal woild and wlaicvci is noi in ilc
cxicinal woild is picscni in ilis lcaii.
tam cc bruyur asmms cc am branmapurc sarvam ta asmn samantam
sarvan ca bnutan sarvc ca hama yaataj jarav apnot pranvamsatc va hm tato
tssyata t.
"Il ilcy say: Il in ilis spiiiiual ciiy all maiciial clcmcnis and dcsiics aic
asscmblcd, ilcn wlcn ilc body icaclcs old agc oi is dcsiioycd ai dcail, wlai
icmains alici ilai' . . .
sa bruyann asya jarayataj jiryat na vancnasya nanyata ctat satyam branma-
puram asmn haman samanta csa atmapanata- papma vjaro vmrtyur vsoho
vjgnatso ppasan satya-haman satya-sanhaIpo yatna ny cvcna praja anvavsant
yatnanusasanam yam yam antam abnhama bnavant yam janapaam yam hsctra-
bnagam tam tam cvopajivant.
. . .ilcn lc (ilc guiu) may say: Ii is noi wiilcicd by old agc. Ii is noi lillcd by
dcail. Tlis spiiiiual ciiy is cicinal. Wiilin ii aic all dcsiics. Tlc soul is licc liom
sin, old-agc, dcail, lamcniaiion, lungci, and iliisi, and iis dcsiics and ilouglis
aic all auiomaiically lullillcd. As by lollowing good advicc pcoplc aiiain ilcii
dcsiics, so ilc spiiiiualisis also aiiains ilcii dcsiics.
ta yatncna harma-jto Iohan hsiyatc cvam cvamutra punya- jto Iohan hsiyatc ta
ya natmanam ananuvya vrajanty ctams ca satyam hamams tcsam sarvcsu Iohcsv
ahama-caro bnavaty atna ya natmanam anuvya vrajanty ctams ca satyam hamams
tcsam sarvcsu Iohcsu hama-caro bnavat.
"Jusi as ilc liuiis ol woil in ilis lilciimc aic all uliimaicly dcsiioycd, in ilc
samc way ilc bcncliis in ilc ncxi lilc aic also all uliimaicly dcsiioycd. Onc wlo
docs noi undcisiand ilc naiuic ol ilc soul icmains unlullillcd and unsaiislicd,
cvcn ilougl lc may obiain all lis dcsiics. Hc docs noi aiiain ilc spiiiiual woild
on ilc dcail ol ilc body. Onc wlo undcisiand ilc naiuic ol ilc soul icmains
bccomcs saiislicd and lullillcd. Hc obiains all lis dcsiics in ilis woild. Hc aiiains
ilc spiiiiual woild on ilc dcail ol ilc body.
sa ya ptrIoha-hamo bnavat sanhaIpa cvasya ptaran samuttstnant tcna
ptrIohcna sampanno maniyatc.
"Il lc dcsiics io go io Piiilola, simply by ilai dcsiic alonc ilc Piiis appcai
bcloic lim, ilcy ialc lim io Piiilola and lc bccomcs lappy.
sa ya matrIoha-hamo bnavat sanhaIpa cvasya mataran samuttstnant tcna
matrIohcna sampanno maniyatc.
"Il lc dcsiics io go io Maiilola, simply by ilai dcsiic alonc ilc Maiis appcai
bcloic lim, ilcy ialc lim io Maiilola and lc bccomcs lappy.
sa ya bnratrIoha-hamo bnavat sanhaIpa cvasya bnrataran samuttstnant tcna
bnratrIohcna sampanno maniyatc.
"Il lc dcsiics io go io lliaiilola, simply by ilai dcsiic alonc ilc lliaiis
appcai bcloic lim, ilcy ialc lim io lliaiilola and lc bccomcs lappy.
sa ya svasrIoha-hamo bnavat sanhaIpa cvasya svasaran samuttstnant tcna
svasrIohcna sampanno maniyatc.
"Il lc dcsiics io go io Svasilola, simply by ilai dcsiic alonc ilc Svasis appcai
bcloic lim, ilcy ialc lim io Svasilola and lc bccomcs lappy.
sa ya sahnIoha-hamo bnavat sanhaIpa cvasya sahnayan samuttstnant tcna
sahnIohcna sampanno maniyatc.
"Il lc dcsiics io go io Sallilola, simply by ilai dcsiic alonc ilc Sallis appcai
bcloic lim, ilcy ialc lim io Sallilola and lc bccomcs lappy.
sa ya gannamaIyaIoha-hamo bnavat sanhaIpa cvasya gannamaIyc
samuttstnant tcna gannamaIyaIohcna sampanno maniyatc.
"Il lc dcsiics io go io Gandlamalyalola, simply by ilai dcsiic alonc ilc
Gandlamalyas appcai bcloic lim, ilcy ialc lim io Gandlamalyalola and lc
bccomcs lappy.
sa yay annapanaIoha-hamo bnavat sanhaIpa cvasyannapanc samuttstnant
tcna annapanaIohcna sampanno maniyatc.
"Il lc dcsiics io go io Annapanalola, simply by ilai dcsiic alonc ilc
Annapanas appcai bcloic lim, ilcy ialc lim io Annapanalola and lc bccomcs
lappy.
sa ya gitavatraIoha-hamo bnavat sanhaIpa cvasya gitavatrc
samuttstnant tcna gitavatraIohcna sampanno maniyatc.
"Il lc dcsiics io go io Giavadiiialola, simply by ilai dcsiic alonc ilc
Giavadiiias appcai bcloic lim, ilcy ialc lim io Giavadiiialola and lc bccomcs
lappy.
sa ya striIoha-hamo bnavat sanhaIpa cvasya stryan samuttstnant tcna
striIohcna sampanno maniyatc.
"Il lc dcsiics io go io Siilola, simply by ilai dcsiic alonc ilc Siis appcai
bcloic lim, ilcy ialc lim io Siilola and lc bccomcs lappy.
yam yam antam abnhamo bnavat yam hamayatc so sya sanhaIpa cva
samutstnat tcna sampanno maniyatc.
"Wlaicvci lc dcsiics appcais simply by lis dcsiiing ii. In ilis way lc bccomcs
lappy.
tc mc satyan hama anrtapnanas tcsam satyanam satam anrtam apnanam yo
yo ny asyctan prat na tam na arsanaya Iabnatc.
"Wlcn ilc ical spiiiiual dcsiics ol ilc soul aic covcicd by lalsc maiciial
dcsiics, ilc soul is noi ablc io mcci ilc Supicmc Pcisonaliiy ol Godlcad alici
dcail.
atna yc casycna jiva yc ca prcta yac canya ccnan na Iabnatc sarvam ta atra
gatva vnatc tra ny asyatc satyan hama anrtapnanas ta yatnap nranya-nnm
nntam ahsctrajna upary upar sancaranto na vncyur cvam cvcman sarvan prajna
anar anar gaccnanty atra ctam branmaIoham na vnanty anrtcna n pratyunan.
"loil in ilis lilc and ilc ncxi, ilcy wlo dcsiic somciling oilci ilan spiiiiual
lappincss ncvci aiiain ilc lullillmcni ol ilcii dcsiic. Tlcii ical, spiiiiual dcsiics
aic covcicd by maiciial illusion. Tlcy aic lilc pcisons scaicling loi buiicd
iicasuic. Noi lnowing ilc locaiion ol ilc iicasuic, ilcy wall ovci ii again and
again, bui ncvci aiiain ii. Tlcy aic always ncai ilc spiiiiual icalm, bui maiciial
illusion picvcnis ilcm liom cniciing ii.
sa cva csa atma nr tasyata cva nruhtam nry ayam t tasma nrayam
anar anar va cvamvt svargam Ioham ct.
"Tlc Supicmc Pcisonaliiy ol Godlcad icsidcs in ilc lcaiis ol ilc living
cniiiics, and loi ilis icason Hc is lnown as Hidayam, wlicl mcans Tlc pcison
(ayam) in ilc lcaii (lid)'. A pcison consianily awaic ol ilc Loid's picscncc in lis
lcaii aiiains ilc spiiiiual woild.
atna ya csa samprasao smac cnarirat samuttnaya param jyotr upasampaya
svcna rupcnabnnspayata csa atmat novacata amrtam abnayam cta branmct
tasya na va ctasya branmano nama satyam t.
"Wlcn sucl a soul lcavcs ilc picscni maiciial body, lc cnicis ilc cllulgcni
spiiiiual woild. His oiiginal spiiiiual loim is manilcsicd ilcic. Hc is namcd soul'.
Hc is immoiial and lcailcss. Hc is namcd saiya' (ilc iiuil).
tan na va ctan triny ahsaran satiyam t ta yat sat ta amrtam atna ya n
tan martyam atna yay antcnobnc yaccnat ya ancnobnc yaccnat tasma yam anar
anar va cvamvt svargam Ioham ct.
"Tlc woid saiyam' coniains ilicc syllablcs: sai', i', and yam'. Sai' iclcis io
ilc immoiial Supicmc Pcisonaliiy ol Godlcad, wlo is always licc liom ilc cyclc
ol icpcaicd biiil and dcail, and i' iclcis io ilc individual spiiii soul, wlo may
bccomc subjcci io ilc cyclc ol biiil and dcail. Yam' iclcis io ilc pioccss ilai
biings ilc individual spiiii soul inio coniaci wiil ilc Supicmc Pcison. A pcison
awaic ol ilcsc lacis, aiiains ilc spiiiiual woild.
atna ya atma sa sctur vnrtr csam Iohanam asambncaya natyam sctum ano-
ratrc tarato na jara na mrtyur na soho na suhrtam na ushrtam. sarvc papmano to
nvartantc panata-papma ny csa branmaIohas tasma va ctam sctum tirtvannan
sann ananno bnavat vnan sann avno bnavaty upatapi sann anupatapi bnavat
tasma va ctam sctum tirtvap nahtam anar cvabnnspayatc sahr vbnato ny cvasa
branmaIohan.
"Tlc Supicmc Pcisonaliiy ol Godlcad is ilc coniiollci ol all ilc woilds. Hc is
ilc cicinal boundaiy wlicl day, nigli, old- agc, dcail, lamcniaiion, piciy, and
impiciy do noi cioss. Sins iuin liom Him. Hc is licc liom sin. A blind man
ciossing ilc boundaiy inio His spiiiiual icalm bccomcs licc liom blindncss. A
pcison woundcd by maiciial sullciings bccomcs licc liom ilcm, and a pcison
buining in ilc pain ol icpcaicd biiil and dcail also bccomcs licc liom sullciing
by ciossing ilc boundaiy inio His icalm. Ciossing bcyond ilc days and niglis ol
maiciial iimc, ilc spiiiiual icalm ol ilc Supicmc Pcisonaliiy ol Godlcad is
cicinally manilcsicd."
Texf 1+
cc-cnahtcn para-tattvasya
svabnavas tr-vnan smrtan
sva-svabnavas tatna jiva-
svabnavo mayhas tatna
ct-spiiiiual; sahtcn-liom ilc poicncy; para-tattvasya-ol ilc Supicmc
Tiuil; svabnavas-naiuic; tr-vnan-ilicc linds; smrtan-considcicd; sva-
svabnavas-own naiuic; tatna-so; jiva-ol ilc individual spiiii souls; svabnavo-
naiuic; mayhas-ol Maya; tatna-so.
Tlc Supicmc Tiuil's spiiiiual poicncy las ilicc naiuics: iis own naiuic, ilc
naiuic ol ilc individual spiiii souls, and ilc naiuic ol Maya.
Commcniaiy by Sila llaliivinoda Tlaluia
Tlc Supicmc Tiuil's spiiiiual poicncy las ilicc naiuics: iis own naiuic, ilc
naiuic ol ilc individual spiiii souls, and ilc naiuic ol Maya. Limiilcss vaiiciiy is
picscni in ilc spiiiiual naiuic. Tlc mayavadi impcisonalisis do noi ilinl vaiiciy
is picscni in spiiii. Tlcy say, "Vaiiciy is picscni only in Maya. Wlcn onc
icnounccs Maya and iuins io spiiii, vaiiciy is casi lai away. Wlcn ilc individual
spiiii soul aiiains iis oiiginal naiuic, all vaiiciy disappcais, and cvciyiling
bccomcs onc." On wlai loundaiion aic ilcsc idcas ol ilc mayavadis buili' Iiom
wlai iooi do ilcy giow' Tlc answci is: Tlcsc idcas aic bascd only on ilcii
wlims. In wlai sciipiuic aic ilcsc idcas dcsciibcd' ly wlai clain ol logical
aigumcnis aic ilcy aiiaincd' Tlai no onc can say. In ilc picwviously quoicd
passagc ol Clandogya Upnaisad wc saw a dcsciipiion ol spiiiiual vaiiciy. In ilc
spiiiiual woild aic picscni ilc loim ol ilc Supicmc Pcisonaliiy ol Godlcad, ilc
loims ol ilc individual spiiii souls, a gicai vaiiciy ol placcs, ilc moon, sun, and
oilci luminaiics, iivcis, siicams, and many oilci bcauiilul and gloiious ilings. A
gicai vaiiciy ol blisslul iasics (iasa) aic also picscni in ilc woild ol spiiii. Tlc
naiuic ol ilc individual souls is ilai ilcy aic ilc Loid's maiginal poicncy
(iaiasila). Tlcy aic bciwccn ilc spiiiiual and maiciial poicncics. Tlc individual
souls ilcicloic may bc undci ilc inllucncc ol ilc Maya poicncy oi undci ilc
inllucncc ol ilc spiiiiual poicncy. Tlc naiuic ol Myaa is ilai ii is a pcivciicd
icllcciion ol spiiii. Tlc individual spiiii souls wlo lavc iuincd ilcii laccs away
liom ilc Supicmc Loid musi bc covcicd by a gioss and subilc maiciial body.
Texf 15
tstnann ap jaanarc
ct-svabnava-parayanan
vartatc yo mana-bnagan
sva-svabnava-paro n san
tstnan-sianding; ap-cvcn; jaanarc-in ilc maiciial woild; ct-svabnava-
parayanan-dcvoicd io ilc spiiiiual naiuic; vartatc-is; yo-wlo; mana-bnagan-
vciy loiiunaic; sva-svabnava- paro-dcvoicd io lis own naiuic; n-indccd; san-
lc.
Lvcn ilougl lc may siill icsidc in ilc maiciial woild, an individual soul inicni
on icviving lis oiiginal spiiiiual naiuic is vciy loiiunaic. In ilc cnd lc icgains lis
oiiginal spiiiiual naiuic.
Tlus cnds Taiiva-vivcla