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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 1: Maitreyah: Nirgunasya aprameyasya shuddhasya api amalaatmanah | Katham sarga aadi kartrutvam brahmano abhyupagamyate || Nirguna is without any gunaas, is the general meaning. But for Bhagavaan, it is heya guna rahitatva, or praakruta guna rahitatva. Aprameya is immeasurable. Shuddha is most pure. Amala aatma is untouched by any defects. How can creation and other things be attributed for such a person? How can this be accepted?
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Loke raaga dvesha sattva aadi gunakasya shareerinah paricchinnasya
karma vashyasya tat sambandha arhasya eva kulaala aadeh kartrutvam
drushtam | Brahmanah tat vilakshanasya katham jagat sarga aadi
kartrutvam iha uchyate iti chodayati nirgunasya iti | In the world, we see that people like potter are associated with prakruti, having sattva, rajas, tamas, and this leads to raaga, dvesha, desire, hatred, has a praakruta shareera, is limited or bounded, is under the sway of karma, one who is associated with that - any doership is seen only for such persons. [[128]] When we say that Parabrahman is different and distinct from all these, how can we attribute creation, etc., how is it possible, this is the question which Maitreyar is asking.
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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 2: Sri Paraasharah: Shaktayah sarva bhaavaanaam achintya jnyaana gocharaah | Yato ato brahmanastaah tu sarga aadyaa bhaava shaktayah | Bhavanti tapataam sreshta paavakasya yathaa ushnataa || This is being answered by Paraasharar like this. All objects existing, their capabilities cannot be imagined by anyone. In the same way, for Parabrahman also, His powers and capabilities are possible. One who is a sreshtha among tapasvis, just like the capability of causing heat which is present in fire.
Fire burns, which is the natural power of fire. Like that, every object has got its natural powers. One cannot imagine those powers. Paramaatman also is like that, He has got powers.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Pariharati - shaktayah ityaadi saardha shlokena | Shaktaya iti | Sarva
padaarthaanaam vanheh aushnyam iva svaabhaavikyah shaktayah
tarkaih achintyaah sva saadhaka pramaana gocharaah santi | For all objects, just like the burning power of fire, natural powers which cannot be established through debate, which can be known only through its own validity, they exist.
[[129]] Ato brahmano api * paraasya shaktih vividhaiva shrooyate svaabhaaviki
jnyaana bala kriyaa cha * ityaadi shruti prasiddhaah jagat sarga aadi
nimitta bhootaah bhaava shaktayah - svaabhaavika saamarthyaani
santi | For Brahman also, His capabilities are natural, not given by anyone; He has got multifarious capabilities, which is told in the Shrutis, which is well known. His capabilities which are responsible for creation of the world and other things, which cannot be established through tarka, such capabilities exist, such natural capabilities.
Ato loukika kartru vailakshanye api sarga aadi kartrutvam yuktam | Because of that, even though He is different and distinct from any doer, the act of His creation is possible.
Sargaadyaa iti | Srujyate anayaa iti sargah | Creation and others. Sarga means created by these means.
* Akartari cha kaarake * iti karane ghai pratyayah | This is told according to vyaakarana.
Srushtyaadi karana bhootaa ityarthah | These are the instruments for creation, etc. He does not need any instruments like a potter needs various instruments to create a pot.
Tapataam sreshtha iti sambuddhih | He is addressed as tapataam shreshta, one who is excellent among the sages. [[130]]
Atra brahmano ashareeratvam abhyupagamya shaktimatvaat
kartrutvam uktam | Here, ashareeratva is accepted, the Brahman does not have a shareera. But He has the capabilities, and because of this, He can do creation.
Paramaarthah tu divya mangala vigrahavatvam asti eva | He is always endowed with divya mangala vigraha, the divine auspicious form. This is His reality, established in the Shrutis.
Yadvaa loke sattva aadi gunakam paricchinnam cha mrudaadi
upaadaanam drushtam | Example given is of a pot, and this is similar to everything else that is created. Mud and other things are taken as material cause in this world, which are also praakruta, and triguna, and are very limited.
Dehaadi yukto raagaadinaa malinah cha kulaalaalih nimittam. The nimitta kaarana, the efficient cause, is told as the potter and others, who are having a body.
Brahmanah tu tat vailakshanyaat katham upaadaanatvam nimittatvam
cha iti chodyam | What is asked here is that Brahman who is different and distinct from all these, how can He be attributed with both the material and efficient causes of the world?
Uttaram to loke na ayam niyamah | [[131]] The answer is that even in this world, there is no rule that it has to be only like this.
Dravya lakshane hi nirgunam eva achit dravyam gunaanaam
upaadaanam drushtam | The naiyaayikaas, logicians say that whatever is created for an instant, remains without guna; that gunaas are created after the dravya is created. In this way, the dravya becomes upaadaana for guna. The *achit *dravya which does not have any quality becomes the material cause for the qualities. In this, the rule is broken, that nirguna dravya cannot be upaadaana kaarana. So, it is not necessary that *trigunaatmaka *dravya has to be upaadaana kaarana.
Aparicchinaa eva aakaashaadih shabdaadeh; ashareera eva aatmaa sva
shareera prerane nimittam drushtah | It also need not be a limited object. Aakasha which is aparicchinna which exists everywhere in this prakruti mandala, is unlimited; and it becomes the cause of shabda and other qualities. So, paricchinnatva is not necessary. And in the case of individual self, he does not have a body by himself, and body is what is seen outside; in his essential nature, he is *jnyaana aatmaka. *Aatman, being without any body, becomes impeller for the body; he is the nimitta kaarana of this. Acts of walking, eating, are controlled by jeevaatman inside. He becomes the nimitta kaarana of the functioning of the body. He is the nimitta kaarana being ashareeri. Here also the rule is broken that shareera is required for being nimitta kaarana.
Raaga aadi rahita eva skhalanadou, ayatna eva aayaskaantaadih loha
bhramanaadou heturdrushta iti evam tvat ukta vyaapti bhangam iti
abhipraayah | What the naiyaayikaas say, that the magnet attracts the metal, and nothing is seen there; these are all the things where the vyaapti is broken. [[132]]
So, we cannot argue through tarka that because we see like this in this world, Brahman who is ashareeri, cannot create.
Sarva bhaavaanaam sva kaarya utpaadana shaktayah sva pramaana
siddhatvaat anya ananyatvaadi vikalpaih avichaaraneeyaah santi | All objects have got their own capabilities, to do various things, like fire can burn, and water can cool, they are all self valid; we cannot have options like anya siddha, ananya siddha.
Yathaa agneh daahakatva shaktih | It is like the burning power of fire.
Naiyaayikaas say that it has to be ananyathaa siddha. If it is also possible to establish by some other means, then it cannot be told as the cause. Any other thing should not be established as the cause of this effect. If it is anyathaa siddha, it can also be established through some other validity. For example, the burning power of agni is established directly by itself. In the same way, Parabrahman also has such wonderful capabilities, which are told very clearly in the Shrutis; that He made Himself into effect. Through logic, this cannot be rejected.
Evam brahmano jagat sarga aadi hetavah svaabhaavikyah shaktayah
santi iti | In the same way, for Parabrahman also, the natural qualities which are the causes of creation, sustenance, destruction, are existing in Parabrahman.
[[133]] Yathaa aahuh - * Na cha paryanuyogo asti vastu shakteh kathanchana |
Agnirdahati na aakaasham kaa atra paryanuyujyataa || * Aarsha
dharmopadesham cha veda shaastra avirodhinaa | Yah tarkena
anusandhatte sa dharma veda netarah || ityaadi | As is told - We cannot say - ‘Why should fire burn?’ It burns, and it is its natural power. We cannot question why aakaasha does not burn; it is its natural power. Who can question all of this? Fire does not burn aakaasha; we cannot question. The same is for Paramaatman’s capabilities also. Also, what is taught by rishis, Manu, Vyaasa, Paraashara, who have done upadesha of dharmaas; one who understands all of them as not opposed to anything told in the Vedaas, using logic, true logic according to what is taught in the Shrutis, only he knows dharma. We cannot argue against what is told in the *Shrutis *- such a person does not know *dharma. *Tarka has no definite end; and cannot help in deciding realities. A person can argue in one way; another more intelligent person can argue and establish something different; a third person can come later and argue to establish something totally different. It has to be understood according to what is told in the Vedaas. Tarka can be used to understand it in a proper way, but it should always be not against what is taught in the Vedaas.
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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 3: Tat nibodha yathaa sarge bhagavaan sampravartate | Naaraayanaakhyo bhagavaan brahmaa loka pitaamahah || I am going to teach you how Bhagavaan starts to engage in these creation and other things; how Chaturmukha Brahma engages in creation and other things.
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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 4: Utpannah prochyate vidvan nityameva upachaaratah ||
[[134]] We will see these shlokaas in the next class.
So far we saw saamaanaadhikaranya, concomitant coordination, where everything is told as Paramaatman only. Everything is His shareera, and He is present as antaryaami. All these acts are His mere sport. All objects have their natural capabilities. Though Bhagavaan is different and distinct from whatever we see in this world, just as so many objects have so many wonderful powers in this world, which cannot be questioned, in the same way, as Shrutis are establishing, Bhagavaan also has such wonderful qualities, because of which He is able to do all this creation and others. This has to be accepted.
Recap: We have started Adhyaaya 3 of Amsha 1 of Sri Vishnu Puraana. Where Maitreyar is asking how for such a Bhagavaan creation is possible. He is said to be the upaadaana kaarana, and nimitta kaarana; what is seen in the world is that upaadaana kaarana undergoes change in its essential nature. Regarding nimitta kaarana, we find in this world people having all kinds of defects, raaga, dvesha. How can those things be attributed to Paramaatman, who is said to be without any defiling qualities, and without any praakruta gunaas, immeasurably pure. This was answered by Paraasharar as - the capabilities and powers of Paramaatman, are something which cannot be even imagined by anyone; He is *sarva shakta, *sarvajnya, satya sankalpa, endowed with all the auspicious qualities, His nature is opposed to everything that is defiling, one cannot question His powers; similarly we see in this world, just like the burning power of fire, how did fire get that power and why cannot some other object have that power. Every object in this world has its own unique power which can be known from that object itself. If we touch fire, it burns; which proves that it has such wonderful capability.
Similarly, all padaarthaas have got capabilities, which are beyond reach of our mind. Parabrahman being of such wonderful nature, we cannot even [[135]] imagine His capabilities. Because we don’t see Him with a form here, we cannot say that one who does not have such a form cannot be the intelligent cause. In this world, we are the efficient cause of our own *sukha, dukha. *Jeevaatman in his essential nature does not have any form; jeevaatman is the nimitta kaarana for sukha, dukha. Similarly, dravya is accepted as the material cause of guna also. General examples in this world show that all these things are possible, and objects have wonderful capabilities which cannot be questioned, and they are natural. In the same way, Parabrahman also has natural powers and qualities which are causes of creation, of this wonderful world, where He can become the material cause as well as the efficient cause of this universe. This one cannot even question.
In respect of all things which are ateendriya, supersensory, one can know their validity only through shabda pramaana, the Veda shaastra. This is beyond logic, and one cannot disprove it with logic, as logic has no entry into supersensory aspects. If logic is used with respect to what is told in the Vedaas, it is only to firm up our understanding, to firmly establish what is already told in the Vedaas. One who used logic, tarka to understand what is told in the Vedaas by the rishis, as not opposed to what is told in the Vedaas, only such a person can understand what is dharma.
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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 3: Tat nibodha yathaa sarge bhagavaan sampravartate | Naaraayanaakhyo bhagavaan brahmaa loka pitaamahah || Now that there is no doubt that Bhagavaan has such wonderful powers, to be the material and efficient cause of this wonderful universe, know from me how Bhagavaan starts to do this wonderful creation. *Chaturmukha *Brahma does that; he is also said to be Naaraayana, because Naaraayana is antaryaami to him, and in a way, He is only present in that form being antaryaami, and gets all creation done through Chaturmukha Brahma. [[136]]
Chaturmukha Brahma is a chetana, and Bhagavaan being antaryaami of chetana, achetana, He is the impeller and controller of all activities; having Chaturmukha Brahma as His shareera, He gets all these things done.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Tat nibodha iti | Naaraayanaakhyah srushtou naaraayano loka
pitaamaho brahmaa brahma roopena | In the form of Brahma, He gets creation and all of this done.
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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 4: Utpannah prochyate vidvan nityameva upachaaratah ||
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Utpanna iti | Utpanna iti upachaarena uchyate | Sa tu nitya eva | Atra
naaraayanatvam hetuh | Svecchayaa eva sarvaatmakatva roopatvaat
tasya | Karma adheena shareera parigraho hi mukhya utpattih |
Yadvaa raatrou naaraayane praveshena naaraayanaakhyo brahmaa
prati kalpam utpannah iti upachaarata uchyate | Dvi paraardha kaala
sthaayitvena nityatvaat tasya svecchaa gruheeta shareerasya api
kaadaachidkatva saamyaat utpannatva upachaarah | Raatrou
naaraayanatvam brahmanah kourme uktam, * Tato avateerya
vishvaatmaa dehamaashritya chakrinah | Avaapa vaishnaveem nidraam
ekee bhooyaatha vishnunaa || iti | Utpanna is used in the secondary sense. Sriman Naaraayana is the eternal principle, because He is the Supreme Brahman. He by His own willing is present in every form that is seen here, as the inner controller, antaryaami of all the forms we see here. Everything is His mode [[137]] being His shareera; this happens out of His own sankalpa. He just wills and transforms into all these things. Changes are happening in His shareera, and He remains same ekaroopa. Creation or being born in the real sense, is accepting a body due to karmaas. Jeevaatman is nitya, but due to karma, he keeps getting into different bodies, and all the bodies come according to his karma. Whereas for Naaraayana, this is only in the secondary sense. Ajaayamaanah bahudhaa vijaayate, is told with respect to His avataaraas. In the same way, Naaraayana is seen as *Chaturmukha *Brahma; there is no utpatti for Naaraayana. Utpaattis is there only for baddha chetanaas. Naaraayana is only born as Chaturmukha Brahma; He does anupravesha, and Chaturmukha Brahma is created. All chetanaas are His apruthaksiddha visheshana, and He is only present in that form. They are all His prakaara, and He is prakaari. For Him, there is no change in either His essential nature or attributive nature. He remains the same all the time. During the night of Chaturmukha Brahma, He is said to be entering into Naaraayana, and in every kalpa, again, when he wakes up, he is said to be born; Brahma who is one with Naaraayana, during the next day, is said to be born again, in the secondary sense. He is present for the duration of two paraardhaas, according to the measure of deva varsha, which is said to be nitya, because it is a very long time; he takes his body according to his own willing. Chaturmukha Brahma goes and becomes one with Naaraayana every night, is told in Kurma Puraana. Having taken refuge in the body of Chakri, who is Sriman Naaraayana, He becomes one with Vishnu, and is said to have gone into Vaishnavi sleep. Everyday he is not born, but because he becomes one with Naaraayana, and wakes up in the morning.
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Durations and times are told now. Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 5: Nijena tasya maanena aayurvarsha shatam smrutam | Tat paraakhyam tat ardham cha paraardham abhidheeyate || [[138]] According to the time period of the devaas, his lifespan is said to be hundred years. This hundred years of Chaturmukha Brahma is called by the name para, half of that is said to be paraardha.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Nijena iti | Nijena braahmena maanena kaala parimaanena | Sarva
samsaaryaayusho adhikatvaat tasya aayuh param iti uchyate | This is with respect to measure of time, according to Brahma’s time, *divya *varshaas. Chaturmukha Brahma’s lifespan is said to be para, as it is more than all the living beings.
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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 6: Kaala svaroopam vishnoh cha yat mayaa uktam tava anagha | Tena tasya nibodha tvam parinaama upapaadanam || O blemishless Maitreya, what was told to you about the kaala svaroopa of Vishnu, according to that, hear from me what kind of changes happen. There are two paathas here - parinaama, parimaana.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Kaala ityaadi | Tena kaalena, tasya brahmanah, parinaama
upapaadanam, naasha svaroopasya parinaamasya upapaadanam
nirvartanam nibodha | Parimaana upapaadanam iti paathe
brahmaadeenaam jeevane iyattaaklruptih | According to his time, what kind of changes happen in his entire life of hundred years, till everything comes to an end, that you hear from me. Parimaana means measure, in this paatha antara, the limits, are told.
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[[139]] Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 7: Anyeshaam cha eva jantoonaam charaanaam acharaascha ye | Bhoo bhoobhrut saagaraadeenaam asheshanaam cha sattama || All other beings also, all moving and non moving beings, earth, mountains, oceans, all of them, listen to me.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Anyeshaam iti | Anyeshaam cha eva parinaama upapaadanam iti
sheshah | How they all undergo change, I am going to tell you.
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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 8: Kaashthaa pancha dasha aakhyaataa nimesha munisattama | Kaashthaa trimshat kalaa trimshat kalaa mouhoortiko vidhih || O sage, fifteen nimeshaas are said to be one kaashthaa. Nimesha is the smallest measure. Thirty kaasthaas are said to be one kalaa. Thirty kalaas are said to be one muhoortha.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Kaala svaroopam aaha kaashthaa ityaadinaa | Kaasthaa iti |
Mouhoortiko vidhih muhoorta prakaarah |
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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 9: Taavat sankhyaih aho raatram muhoortaih maanusham smrutam | Aho raatraani taavanti maasa pakshadvayaatmakah || [[140]] Thirty muhoortaas are formed as one ahoraatra, one day and night put together, of manushya. Thirty days and nights put together, is called a maasa. Maasa has got two pakshaas.
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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 10: Taih shadbhih ayanam varsham dve ayane dakshina uttare | Ayanam dakshinam raatrih devaanaam uttaram dinam || Six maasaas, form one ayana. One year has got two *ayanaas - *dakshina and uttara. For devaas, dakshinaayana is said to be night, and uttaraayana is said to be the day.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Taavat iti | Yadyapi trimshat muhoortaah saavano ahoraatrah, shukla
krishna dvi pakshaatmakah chaandro maasah, ayana dvayaatmakah
souro abdah, tathaa api souraabdaireva yuga vyavahaaraat dina
maasayoh api souratvam eva atra upalakshyam | The paksha, maasa, ayana, varsha, are told here. Paksha is chaandra, according to the moon - shukla and krishna. One lunar month has got two pakshaas; but the thirty muhoortaas which form a day and night are solar day and night. Two ayanaas are said to be one solar year. Even though there is mix up of lunar month and solar year, the year is said to be solar. Yuga vyavahaara is done considering the solar year only. Because of this, the solar consideration only is taken here.
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After having told the *nimesha, kalaa, kaashtaa, muhoorta, ahoraatra, *paksha, maasa, ayana, varsha, the durations of the yugaas are going to be told. ***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 11: *** [[141]] Divyaih varshaih sahasraih tu kruta tretaadi sanjynitam | Chaturyugam dvaadashabhih tat vibhaagam nibodha me || The divya varshaas, according to the varsha of *devaas *- our one year is one day for them. Twelve thousand divine years, divya varshaas, constitute one chaturyuga - kruta, treta, dvaapara, kaliyuga, all put together is called one chaturyuga. Know how that is divided and what divisions exist in that.
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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 12: Chatvaari treeni dve cha ekam krutaadishu yathaakramam | Divyaabdaahaam sahasraani yugeshu aahuh puraa vidah || Thousands of divine years according to the gods, is divided into the four yugaas, as *Kruta yuga *- four thousand years, *Treta yuga *- three thousand years, *Dvaapara yuga *- two thousand years, *Kali yuga *- one thousand years.
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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 13: Tat pramaanaaih shataih sandhyaa poorvaa tatra abhidheeyate | Sandhyaa amsha cha eva tat tulyo yugasya anantaro hi sah || There is sandhyaa, before every yuga, which is of the same measure as 4, 3, 2, 1, but in hundreds. After the yuga, with the same equivalent count of 400, 300, 200, 100, is called sandhyaamsha.
So, there is first sandhyaa of 400 years, then 4000 years of kruta yuga, then 400 years of sandhyaamsha. Again, 300 years of sandhyaa of treta yuga, then 3000 years of treta yuga, then 300 years of sandhyaamsha for *treta *yuga; and then 200 years of sandhyaa of dvaapara yuga, 2000 years of dvaapara yuga, then 200 years of sandhyaamsha of dvaapara yuga; then 100 years of sandhya of kali yuga, 1000 years of kali yuga, then 100 years [[142]] of sandhyaamsha of kali yuga. So, kruta yuga has 4800 years, treta yuga has 3600 years, dvaapara yuga has 2400 years, kali yuga has 1200 years, which add up to 12000 years.
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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 14: Sandhyaa sandhyaamshayoh antah yah kaalo munisattama | Yugaakhyah sa tu vijnyeyah kruta tretaadi sanjynitah || In between sandhyaa and sandhyaamsha, whatever duration is there, that is known as yuga. Between 400 years of kruta sandhyaa, and 400 years of kruta sandhyaamsha, there is 4000 years of kruta yuga. Similarly, *treta, *dvaapara, kali. Each yuga is preceded by sandhyaa and succeeded by sandhyaamsha.
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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 15: Krutam treta dvaaparascha kalischa eva chaturyugam | Prochyate tat sahasram cha brahmano divasam mune || This is telling about the measure of one day of *Chaturmukha Brahma. Kruta, *treta, dvaapara and kali are together known as chaturyuga. Thousand such chaturyugaas are said to be one day of Chaturmukha Brahma.
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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 16: Brahmano divase brahman manavastu chaturdasha | Bhavanti parinaamam cha teshaam kaala krutam shrunu || In one day of Chaturmukha Brahma, O Maitreya, fourteen Manus are present. Listen to what all happens during their times.
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[[143]] Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 17: Saptarshayah suraah shakro manuh tat soonavo nrupaah | Ekakaale hi srujyante samhriyante cha poorvavat || During this period of one day of Brahma, fourteen Manus, seven rishis, gods, Indra, Manus and their children are all created at the same time, and are all withdrawn at the same time.
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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 18: Chaturyugaanaam samkhyaataa saadhikaa ekasaptatih | Manvantaram manoh kaalah suraadeenaam cha sattama || The duration of each Manu is told here. Seventy one chaturyugaas and a little more, constitute one manvantara.
If we take 71 chaturyugaas per Manu, and 14 Manus, 14 x 71 becomes 994, which means that 6 chaturyugaas are left. If those 6 chaturyugaas are distributed across 14 manvantaraas, it will be a little more than 71 *chaturyugaas *- 5143 divya varshaas.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Chaturyugaanaam iti | Saadhikaa kinchit oona trichatvaarimshat
shataadikam pancha sahasram divya abdaanaam adhikam avashishta
chaturyuga shatka sahasrasya divya abdha sahasraanaam chaturdasha
amshah pratyekam chaturyugaanaam eka saptateh adhika ityartyah |
Tena sahitaa saadhikaa suraadeenaam indra saptarshi manu tat
putraanaam | 71 chaturyugaas and one fourteenth of 6 chaturyugaas, which is a little less than 5143 divine years. [[144]]
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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 19: Ashtou shata sahasraani divyayaa samkhyayaa smrutam | Dvi panchaashat tathaa anyaani sahasraani adhikaani tu || Eight hundred thousand and fifty two, so many thousands is said to be the day.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Manvantare deva samvatsara samkhyaam aaha - ashtaaviti | Adhikam
vineti vakshyati, tat atra api sambadhyate | In terms of gods years, it is told here.
Divine years are converted into years of mortals, by multiplying by 360. One year of man is one day of the gods. 4800 years is the kruta yuga, 3600 is treta, 2400 is dvaapara, 1200 is kali. Multiply each by 360, and we get 4,32,000 divine years for kali yuga.
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shlokaas 20, 21: Trimshat kotyastu sampoornaah samkhyaataa samkhyayaa dvija | Sapta shashtih tathaa anyaani niyutaani mahaamune || Vimshatistu sahasraani kaalo ayam adhikam vinaa | Manvantarasya sankhyeyam maanushaih vatsaraih dvija || Ayuta is 10000. Niyuta is 100000. 852000 divine years is the duration of Manu. In terms of mortals, 30 crores, 67 lakhs, 20000 years, (30,67,20,000 years) is the period of a Manu.
[[145]] Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Tasmin maanusha samvatsara samkhyaam aaha - trimshat iti | Vimshatih iti | Adhikam vinaa manvantaratya maanushaih
varshasseyam sankhyaa iti anvayah |
Like this, there are fourteen Manvantaas in one day of *Chaturmukha *Brahma.
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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 22: Chaturdasha guno hi esha kaalo braahmamahah smrutah | Braahmo naimittiko naama tasyaante prati sancharah || Fourteen times this is (fourteen times one manvantara) is said to be one day of Chaturmukha Brahma. At the end of this day, pralaya happens, this is said to be braahma prati sanchara. This is naimittika pralaya.
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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 23: Tadaa hi dahyate sarvam trailokyam bhoorbhuvaadikam | Janam prayaanti taapaartaa maharloka nivaasinah || All the three lokaas - bhooh, bhuvah, suvah, all get burnt; this is said to be naimittika pralaya. The seven *lokaas - bhooh, bhuvah, suvah, mahah, **janah, tapah, satyam *- out of these the three *lokaas bhooh, bhuvah, *suvah get destroyed; and because of the heat, the people residing in the fourth loka mahah move to the fifth loka, jana loka.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: [[146]] Chaturdasha guna iti | Braahma iti | Brahmano grasanaa braahmah | *
Nimittam tatra yaccheta iti naimittikatvam vakshyati |
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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 24: Ekaarnave tu trailokye brahmaa naaraayanaatmakah | Bhogishayyaam gatah shete trailokya graasa brahmitah || When all the three worlds become one huge ocean, Brahma who is having Naaraayana as his aatmaa, he goes and sleeps in the bed of Aadishesha, having engulfed all the three lokaas, having increased in measure.
This is explained in the vyaakhyaana, which we will see in the next class.
In this sectionr, we saw the divisions of time, *nimesha, kalaa, kaashthaa, *muhurta, ahoraatra, paksha, maasa, ayana, varsha; we also saw the durations of the four yugaas, and the day of Chaturmukha Brahma, which contains 1000 chaturyugaas, and how these are divided. There is sandhyaa and sandhyaamsha before and after each yuga. At the end of a day of Chaturmukha Brahma, naimittika pralaya happens, and all the three worlds are going to be engulfed in fire. Paraasharar is explaining the various durations of the Chaturyugaas, the fourteen Manvantaraas in a day of Chaturmukha Brahma, in terms of *deva *varshaas, and manushya varshaas, the divisions and counts. Fourteen Manvantaraas are one day of Chaturmukha Brahma; at the end of the day, the pralaya is called Braahma, or naimittika pralaya; those staying in mahar loka move to janar loka.
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***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 24: *** [[147]] Ekaarnave tu trailokye brahmaa naaraayanaatmakah | Bhogishayyaam gatah shete trailokya graasa bruhmitah || When all the three worlds become one huge ocean, Brahma who is having Naaraayana as his aatmaa, he goes and sleeps in the bed of Aadishesha, having withdrawn all the three lokaas, having increased in measure.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Chaturdasha guna iti | Braahma iti | Brahmano grasanaat braahmah | *
Nimittam tatra yaccheta iti naimittikatvam vakshyati |
Ekaarnava itiyaadi | Graasa bruhmitah - trailokya graasa samaye
bhagavat anupravesha atishayaat bruhmitah | Graasa bruhmitah means eating up or swallowing. The three lokaas merge into Brahma. There is an increase, atishaya in Chaturmukha Brahma.
Jnyaana bruhmita iti paathe tat tat jeeva karma vaasanaa jnyaana
bruhmitah | There is a paatha called jnyaana bruhmita, where the knowledge of *karma *vaasanaas, there is increase. Brahma withdraws everything into him, and there is some atishaya in him.
Shree janma rahasye parashuraama aadivat brahmanah avataaratva
vachanaat bhagavat cheshtayaah eva udbhootatvaat cha tasya
bhogishayana vachanam abhiruddham | How is Chaturmukha Brahma sleeping on Aadishesha, is it not *Sriman *Naaraayana sleeping on Aadishesha, in Paramapada? This is explained in the Commentary. Just like Parashuraama, who is said to be Bhagavaan’s [[148]] avataara, Chaturmukha Brahma is also said to be an avataara of Bhagavaan, and it is sport of Bhagavaan only, he manifests as a sport of Bhagavaan, so telling him as sleeping on *Aadishesha *- there is nothing wrong.
Avataaratve hi yogi chintyatvam uchyate | Balabhadraadi vadatraapi *
Vishnurbrahmasvaroopena svayameva vyavasthitah * ityuktam | Just like Balaraama, Vishnu is Himself present in the form of Brahma. There are many other explanations given for this.
Atha vaa * Yathaa sushvaapa bhagavaan ap shayyaam eka eva hi *
ityatra ap shaayyaa vachanam bhogi shayyaa vyavadhaanasaham;
yathaa cha * Ksheerode vasati prabhuh * ityatra ksheeroda vaasah
sreemadaayatana divya mantapa yoga peethaadi vyavadhaanasahah | This is also told in another place, that Bhagavaan slept in water, during the interruption, He might have been sleeping on the waters here; in between, Bhagavaan sleeps in ksheera samudra, which is outside the Vaikuntha.
Evam brahmaa bhogishayyagata iti atraapi naabhi saroruha
vyavadhaanasaham | Chaturmukha Brahma is sleeping on Aadishesha may mean that he is sleeping in the lotus in the navel of Bhagavaan.
Tathaa cha sri vishnudharme * Ekaarnave jagatyasmin brahmanyabhita
tejasi | Krishna naabhi hruda udbhoota kamala udara shaayini || In Vishnu Dharma, it is told that Chatumukha Brahma is sleeping on the lotus which is sprouted from the naabhi, navel of Bhagavaan.
[[149]] * Samhrutya vishvam jalashaayine cha namo namah kaitabha
naashanaaya | Sva naabhi padmodara shaayine cha brahma svaroopo
gataaya deva | * Having withdrawn all the worlds, and sleeping on the waters, who destroyed Kaitabha, I do namaskaara. and He Himself has taken the form of Chaturmukha Brahma, who is sleeping on the lotus which is sprouting from His naabhi.
* Sva naabhi kamalodbhoota kamalodara shaayine | One who is sleeping on the lotus which has come out of His navel.
Iti cha bhagavato jalashaayitvam brahmanah padmodara shaayitvam
cha uktam | Bhagavaan is sleeping on the waters, and from His navel, there is a lotus which has come up, and on that Chaturmukha Brahma is sleeping.
Tathaa cha sreehari vamshe * Poorne yugasahasre * iti aarabhya
kalpakshaye brahmanaa saha devaanaam bhagavat anupravesham
uktvaa * It is also told in Hari Vamsha that at the end of the kalpa, along with Chaturmukha Brahma, all the devaas go and merge into Bhagavaan,
Sahasra sheershaa purusho rukmavarnastu ateendriyah | Sushvaapa
salile tasmin * iti bhagavatah salila shayanam uktvaa Bhagavaan is sleeping on the waters.
[[150]] * Brahmaa tu salile tasmin jyotirbhootvaa chacaara ha | Nishaayaam
iva khadyotah praavrutkaale tatastu sah * iti brahmanah salila
upakshite padme shayanam uktam | As though the fireflies in the night in the rainy season, *Chaturmukha *Brahma was going around. These are all pramaanaas. When it says that Chaturmukha Brahma is sleeping on the Aadishesha, it is to be understood like this - Bhagavaan is sleeping there, and in His naabhi, there is a padma which has come out, and Chaturmukha Brahma is sleeping on that lotus.
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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 25: Janasthaih yogibhih devah chintyamaanah abjasambhavah | Tat pramaanam hi taam raatrim tadante srujate punah || Yogis who are present in the jana loka, they meditate upon Him. This is also due to avataara only. A night also happens which has equal measure as the day - this is when Chaturmukha Brahma is sleeping. At the end of the night, he again starts creation.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Janasthairiti || Taam braahmeem raatrim, nairantaryena shete,
srujate punah, trailokyam iti sheshah |
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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 26: Evam tu brahmano varsham evam varsha shatam cha yat | Shatam hi tasya varshaanaam paramaayuh mahaatmanah || Like this, one year, and one hundred years will pass. One day has fourteen Manvantaraas, and an equal duration of one night happens. Like [[151]] this, 365 days is one year, and like this, one hundred years will pass. This hundred years is said to be the life span of Chaturmukha Brahma.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Uktam artham nigamayati - evam ityaadinaa | Evam iti anena
poorvoktaa brahma dina samkhyaa vivakshitaa | Tasya varshanaam
shatam paramaayuh - tasya aayushah param iti samjynaa iti arthah |
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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 27: Ekam asya vyateetam tu paraardham brahmano anagha | Tasya ante abhoot mahaa kalpah paadma iti abhivishtrutah || O blemishless Maitreya, para is one life span of Chaturmukha Brahma. Half of it is paraardha. This half lifespan is already spent. At the end of this first half lifespan, which is called on paraardha, the mahaa kalpa called paadma, happened. This is the last kalpa of the first fifty years of *Chaturmukha *Brahma.
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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 28: Dviteeyasya paraardhasya vartamaanasya vai dvija | Vaaraaha iti kalpo ayam prathamah parikeertitah || The first kalpa of the present paraardha, the second half of *Chaturmukha *Brahma, is called Vaaraaha.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Ekam iti | Paraardham parasya ardham iti arthah |
[[152]] We do sankalpa as Shveta varaaha kalpe.
|| Iti shree vishnu puraane prathame amshe triteeyo adhyaayah || The third chapter of the First Amsha comes to an end.
*|| Iti shree bhagavad raamaanuja paadaaravinda bhrungaayamaana vishnu **chitta virachite shree vshnu puraana vyaakhyaane vishnu chitteeye *parthame amshe triteeyo adhyaayah samaaptah || Sri Engal Aalwaan, who is like a bee in the lotus feet of *Bhagavad *Raamaanuja, the vyaakhyaana of Sri Vishnu Puraana, called *Vishnu *Chitteeya, the third Chapter of the First Amsha comes to an end.
|| Atha Chaturtho Adhyaayah ||