1
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 1:
Maitreyah -
Kathitam bhootalam brahman mama etat akhilam tvayaa |
Bhuvah loka aadikaan lokaan shrotum icchaami aham mune || Maitreya says - O Paraasharar, you have told me everything about bhoo loka. Now, I want to know about bhuvah loka, suvah loka, the seven higher *lokaas - bhoo, bhuvah, *suvah, mahah, janah, tapah, satyam.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Kathitam iti | Kathitam iti aadi bhuvana sheshasya jyotih chakrasya cha
prashnah | ***There is also some remaining part related to bhoo loka, which is jyotischakra, which is also going to be told now.
2
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 2:
Tathaa eva graha samsthaanam pramaanaani yathaa tathaa |
Samaachakshva mahaabhaaga tat mahyam pariprucchate || And also about the planets, what is the measure of those planetary worlds; do kindly tell me about all those things.
3
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 3:
Sri Paraasharah -
Ravi chandramasoh yaavat mayookhaih avabhaasyate |
Sa samudra sarih shailaah taavatee pruthivee smrutaa || ***Whatever area is brightened by the rays of the sun and moon, including all the oceans and rivers, mountains, all of this is said to be pruthivee, the earth.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Ravi iti | Taavatee bhoolokaakhyaa |
4
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 4:
Yaavat pramaanaa pruthivee vistaara parimandalaat |
Nabhah taavat pramaanam vai vyaasa mandalato dvija || ***Whatever is the expanse, and also the outer circumference of the earth, the *bhuvah *[[92]]
loka is also of the same size.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Yaavat iti | Yaavat pramaanaa abhitah kataaha dvaya spruk, vistaara
parimandalaat vyaasaat vrutta paridhimaanaat cha nabhah bhuvah lokaakhyam
| Vyaasa mandalatah taavat vistaaraat panchaashat koti vrutta paridheh |
Saardha shata kotikam svah loka avadheh, sooryasya lakshocchritatva uktayaa
bhuvah loko laksha utsedha iti api arthaat uktam | ***Nabha means bhuvah loka. All around, it is touching the cosmic shell; the same measure is the *bhuvah loka *- the circumference and also the diameter. Fifty crores is the circumference. Fifty crores is bhoo loka, and fifty crores is *bhuvah loka. Suvah *loka is also fifty crores; totally they are hundred and fifty crores in circumference. Soorya mandala is said to be one lakh yojanaas high. Bhuvah loka is also to be taken as the same measure.
5
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 5:
Bhoomeh yojana lakshe tu souram maitreya mandalam |
Lakshaat divaakarasya api mandalam shashinah sthitam || From the earth, one lakh yojanaas above is the Soorya mandala. From *Soorya *mandala, one lakh yojanaas above is the Chandra mandala. ***
6
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 6:
Poorne shata sahasre tu yojanaanaam nishaakaraat |
Nakshatra mandalam krutsnam uparishtaat prakaashate ||*** One lakh yojanaas from Chandra mandala is Nakshatra mandala, and is shining brightly above.
7
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 7:
Dvi lakshe cha uttare brahman budho nakshatra mandalaat |
Taavat pramaana bhaage tu budhasya api ushanaa sthitah || From the Nakshatra mandala, two lakh yojanaas above is Budha, Mercury. Two lakh yojanaas above the Budha mandala, is the Shukra mandala, Venus.
8
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 8:
Angaarako api shukrasya tat pramaane vyavasthitah |
Laksha dvaye tu bhoumasya sthito devapurohitah || Angaaraka, Mars, is said to be two lakh is said to be two lakh yojanaas above *Shukra *mandala. Two lakh yojanaas above is Bruhaspati, Jupiter.
9
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 9:
Sourirbruhaspateh cha oordhve dvi lakshe samavasthitah |
Saptarshi mandalam tasmaat lakshamekam dvijottama || Two lakh yojanaas above that is Shani mandala, Saturn. From Saturn, one [[93]]
lakh yojanaas above is Saptarshi mandala.
10
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 10:
Rishibhyah tu sahasraanaam shataat oordhvam vyavasthitah |
Medhibhootah samastasya jyotih chakrasya vai dhruvah || One lakh yojanaas above Saptarshi mandala is Dhruva mandala. It is like the pivot, or axis of the planetary circle, like a huge pole supporting the planetary worlds; it is called Jyotischakra.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Rishibhyah iti | Medhih khala madhya nikhaatastambhah | ***
11
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 11:
Trailokyam etat kathitam utsedhena mahaamune |
Ijyaaphalasya bhooh eshaa ijyaa cha atra pratisthitaa || ***These three worlds I have told you ( Bhooh, Bhuvah, Suvah), from earth up to the Soorya mandala is called Bhuvah loka, from Soorya mandala up to Dhruva loka is called Suvah loka. the altitude of these three lokaas was told by me to you.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Trailokyam iti | Ijyaa phalasya tyaaga phalasya, bhooh bhoga bhoomih, eshaa
idam trailokyam | Ijyaa cha atra bhaarata varshe kartavyaa | Upaasanaa yoga
aadi kriyaa tat phalam cha sarva lokeshu api syaat * yogeeshvaraanaam gatim
aahuh antarbahih trailokyaa iti vachanaat | ***The various yaagaas have to be done in Bhaarata varsha only. These three lokaas are bhoga bhoomis, the lands where one experiences the fruits of yajnya, yaaga done in Bhaarata varsha. Upaasanaa, yoga, are possible in all the worlds. Yogishvaraas can go inside and outside these three worlds.
Upaasanaa eligibility is there for devataas also, as told in Shrutis, and *Brahma Sutraas *(Devataadhikarana).
12
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 12:
Dhruvaat oordhvam mahah loko yatra te kalpavaasinah |
Eka yojana kotih tu yatra te kalpavaasinah || Above Dhruva loka is the Mahah loka, one crore yojanaas above Dhruva loka. Those who stay there stay till the end of the kalpa. The height of this is said to be one crore yojanaas.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Dhruvaat iti | Kalpa vaasinah kalpaavadhika aayushah; manvantara
adhikaarinah indraadyaah sva adhikaara nivruttou kaala prateekshayaa mahah
loke tishthanti, * vinivrutta adhikaaraah tu mahah loka nivaasinah, iti shaiva [[94]]
ukteh, * kalpa adhikaarinah cha atra samsthitaah dvija pungavaah, iti koorma
ukteh cha | Punah taan anoodya tat loka ucchraayah abhidheeyate eka iti | They live as long as the kalpa. Kalpa is one day for Chaturmukha Brahma, which is 1000 Chaturyugaas. There are 14 Manvantaraas in one day of Chaturmukha Brahma; one Manvantara is about 71 Chaturyugaas; Indra and other devataas who are in the Manvantara, once their term ends in that position, will be there till the end of the kalpa, and they stay in Mahah loka. Shiva Puraana and Koorma Puraana say this.
13
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 13:
Dve kotee tu jano loko yatra te brahmanah sutaah |
Sanandanaadyaa prathitaah maitreya amala chetasah || From there, upto two crore yojanaas above, is the Janah loka. Where *Brahma’s *maanasa putraas, Sanaka, Sanandana, etc. who are well known, and of pure mind live there.
14
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 14:
Chaturguna uttare cha oordhvam jana lokaat tapah sthitah |
Vairaajaa yatra te devaah sthitaah daaha vivarjitaah || Four times this distance above, that is, eight crore yojanaas above, is *Tapah loka. *Devataas called Variaajaas are present there, and they never suffer from thirst, and during pralaya, the pralaya agni does not touch them.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Chaturguna uttara iti | Chaturgunottara iti koti dvayam prakruti uktatvaat jana
lokaat ashta koti uttare vyomni tapah | Shat gunena iti atra api tapaso
dvaadasha koti ucchraaye satyam | Ittham trayo vimshati kotyo dhruvaat
oordhvam satyam aarabhya anda kataaha antam kinchit oonam koti dvayam
jnyeyam | Brahma loka eva bhagavatah param rudraadeenaam cha | Tat upari
tamah tato andakataahah cha | Yat tu * Jana lokaat tapo lokah chatasrah
kotayah smrutaah | Praajaapatyaat brahma lokah koti shaktam tu srujyate | iti
puraana antara vachanam tat tu tat tat lokaantaraala vishayam | Idam tu
chaturguna uttare chat gunena iti aadi vachanam tat tat lokaantaraalasya loka
ucchraaya ghanasya cha samhatya manu ukti param iti avirodhah | The height distance is eight crores. Eight crore yojanaas above Jano loka is Tapo loka. From Tapo loka, six times is told - there also this two crore is to be considered, which is twelve crores. Thus, this comes to twenty three crores, above Dhruva loka; from Satya loka till the end of the cosmic shell of the Brahmaanda, is a little less than two crore yojanaas. Brahma loka is the loka of Chaturmukha Brahma, Rudra, etc. Above this Brahma loka is tamas, darkness, and after that is the outer shell. In one more Puraana, there is a mention that from the Jana loka, Tapo loka is four crores, and from there, Brahma loka is six crores; this is to be taken as the distances told inside those lokaas. The total measure is to be taken, and that is how we have to resolve the differences. [[95]]
15
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 15:
Shat gunena tapo lokaat satya loko viraajate |
Apunah maarakaa yatra brahma loko hi samsmrutah || Six times from Tapo loka is Satya loka. This is Brahma loka, and is said to be such that they don’t come back to samsaara again.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Shat gunena iti | Apunarmaarakaah | Satya lokam praaptaah hi na punah
samsaranti, * Brahma lokam abhidampannaa na punah imam maanavam
aavartam aavartante iti shruteh | * Brahmanaa saha te sarve sampraapte
pratisanchare | Parasya ante krutaatmaanah pravishanti param padam || iti
smruteh cha | * Aabrahma bhuvana aadityaadi smrutyi uktam aavartanam
chaturmukhaadi upaasanena tat tat loka praapti vishayam kalpyam * Teshaam
eshaam kechana brahma lokaa rudrasya anye santi tatra eva lokaah |
Vishnoranye santi lokaah vishalaah taan taan lokaan taan upaasya vrajanti ||
iti puraanaantara vachanaat | [Teshaam api naatyantikee samsaara mandala
apraapti lakshanaa nivruttih, kintu brahma loka laye ye mrutaah punah tasmin
srushte tatra eva jaayante ] Those who go to Satya loka do not come to samsaara. Upanishad says that those who attain Brahma loka, do not come to this maanava loka again. Along with *Chaturmukha *Brahma, at the end of his life span, they all go to Paramapada is also told. In *Smrutis, *Bhagavad Gita, it is said that for all lokaas from Earth to Brahma loka, there is rebirth. How to resolve this difference? There are two things (i) Those who do upaasanaa of a particular devataa, they attain that devataa’s loka and saamya with that devataa; similarly when one does upaasanaa of Chaturmukha Brahma, he attains Chaturmukha Brahma loka, which is Satya loka; this will not lead to moksha and they return back at the end of their term; for moksha, one has to do upaasanaa of Parabrahman only. (ii) Parabrahma upaasakaas also attain *Satya *loka, and from there they go to Paramapada. Those whose life ends in Brahma loka, they will be born there itself. Only *Parabrahma *upaasakaas can attain Paramapada, and not others.
16
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 16:
Paada gamyam tu yat kinchit vastu asti pruthivee mayam |
Sa bhooh lokah samaakhyaato vistaro asya mayaa uditah || Whatever is reachable by feet, which is all on the earth, all that has to be taken as Bhoo loka. I already told you the details of that.
17
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 17:
Bhoomi soorya antaram yat cha siddha aadi muni sevitam |
Bhuvah lokah tu so api ukto dviteeyo munisattama || Between earth and the Soorya loka, the space where Siddhaas and others live there, [[96]]
that is to be taken as Bhuvah loka. This is the second loka I told you.
18
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 18:
Dhruva soorya antaram yat cha niyutaani chaturdasha |
Svah lokah so api gadito loka samsthaana chintakaih || From Dhruva loka to Soorya loka, fourteen lakh yojanaas, this is to be taken as *Suvah */ Svah loka.
19
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 19:
Trailokyam etat krutakam maitreya paripathyate |
Janah tapah tathaa satyam iti cha akrutakam trayam || These three lokaas, Bhooh, Bhuvan, Suvah are said to be *krutaka. Janah, Tapah, *Satyam are said to be akrutaas.
Krutaka means that at the end of the kalpa, they are destroyed; they get created again and again. Akrutaka means they are not destroyed in the kalpa, but they stay till praakruta pralaya.
20
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 20:
Krutaka akrutakayoh madhye mahah lokah iti smrutah |
Shoonyo bhavati kalpa ante yo atyantam na vinashyati || ***In between the Krutaka and Akrutaka lokaas, is said to be Mahah loka. This also does not get destroyed at the end of the kalpa, but it becomes empty.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Krutaka akrutakayoh iti | Shoonyah nirjanah | ***
21
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 21:
Ete sapta mayaa lokaa maitreya kathitaah tava |
Paataalaani cha sapta eva brahmaandasya esha vistarah || These are the seven worlds which I told you, above the earth. Seven lokaas below, the Paataalaas, are there.
These are the fourteen lokaas, chaturdasha bhuvanaas, which is the Brahmaanda in total. ***
22
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 22:
Etat anda kataahena tiryak cha oordhvam adhah tathaa |
Kapitthasya yathaa beejam sarvato vai samaavrutam ||*** This is surrounded all around, above and below, by the anda kataaha, the shell of the egg, just like the outer skin of the wood apple is surrounding the seeds, in the same way, this anda kataaha is surrounding these fourteen lokaas.
[[97]]
www.sadagopan.org
23
**SrI VishNu PurANam (Vol. 2) **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 23:
Dasha uttarena payasaa maitreya andam cha tat vrutam |
Sarvo abhi uparidhaano asou vanhinaa veshtito bahih || Above this anda kataaha, ten times that size, there is another layer all around, which is filled with water. Surrounding the water layer is a layer of fire.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Dasha uttarena iti | Asou ambu pareeto andah |
24
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 24:
Vanhih cha vaayunaa vaayuh maitreya nabhasaa avrutah |
Bhootaadinaa nabhah so api mahataa pariveshtitah |
Dasha uttaraani asheshaani maitreya etaani sapta vai || Fire is surrounded by Vaayu, and above this is aakaasha. Aakaasha is surrounded by bhootaadi, which is ahamkaara tattva. Surrounding the bhootaadi is mahat tattva. All these seven are ten times of each’s size.
These are all the tattvaas, ap, tejas, vaayu, aakaasha. Order of creation is *moola *prakruti - mahat - ahamkaara - pancha bhootaas.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Vanhih cha iti | Pradhaanasya aanantyaat dashottaram api asti iti shate
panchaashat nyaayaat dashottaraani sapta iti upapannam | Yat vaa kataaha
aadeeni mahat antaani sapta aavaranaani; tatra kataahasya dasha uttaratva
vachanam cchatra nyaayaat | ***Ten times chaturdasha bhuvana is ap tattva; ten times ap is tejas; ten times tejas is vaayu; ten times vaayu is aakaasha; ten times aakaasha is bhootaadi; ten times bhootaadi is mahat tattva; above that is *pradhaana, moola prakruti. *Pradhaana is said to be ananta. Just like 50 is included in 100, these are all included in pradhana which is ananta; this is possible. From kataaha, up to mahat, there are seven layers. There is a a nyaaya called Cchatra nyaaya, cchatrino gacchanti; when four people are going in an umbrella, we say that those who are holding the umbrella are going, whereas only one person will be holding the umbrella. The *dasha *uttaraani is told once, and it is applicable to all of them.
25
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 25:
Mahaantam cha samaavrutya pradhaanam samavasthitam |
Anantasya na tasya antah sankhyaanam vaa api vidyate || Surrounding the Mahat tattva is pradhaana, moola prakruti. It is endless, ananta, and there is no measure for this.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Mahaantam iti | Anantarasya iti | Yatah tasya - anantasya, antah - kaalato [[98]]
naashah, samkhyaanam yojana iyattaa aadih cha naasti | There is no time limit, it is eternal. Moola prakruti tattva is not there in Paramapada. For pradhaana, it is not possible to say the yojanaas, as it is so huge.
26
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 26:
Tatah ananta asankhyaata pramaanam cha api vai yatah |
Hetu bhootam asheshasya prakrutih saa paraa mune || Moola prakruti is of immeasurable size.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Tat iti | Ato anantam asankhyaata pramaanam tat pradhaanam iti anvayah | ***Moola prakruti is of immeasurable size.
27
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 27:** Andaanaam tu sahasraanaam sahasraani ayutaani cha | Eedrushaanaam tathaa tatra koti koti shataani cha || **Such brahmaandaas are thousands and thousands and lakhs. Hundreds of crores of such brahmaandaas are present, like this.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Andaanaam cha iti | Tatra - pradhaane, santati iti sheshah |
28
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 28:
Daaruni agnih yathaa tailam tile tadvat pumaan api |
Pradhaane avasthito vyaapee chetana aatmaa aatmavedanah || ***Now, about the chetana tattva which is present in this prakruti mandala. Chetana is present in this prakruti, and is present as fire in firewood. Just as when two firewoods are rubbed, fire is generated, whereas nobody can see the fire present in that piece of wood. In the same way, oil inside a seed is not seen, and we don’t know where it is. Similarly, jeevaatman is also pervasive, within the body, with his jnyaatrutva, dharma bhoota jnyaana, he pervades all over the body, and can enter into any body - krimi, keeta, deva, manushya, vruksha, etc. Chetana, by svaroopa is anu, but by svabhaava, within a body where he is there, his *dharma *bhoota jnyaana is all pervading in the body. He is self knowing, reveals to himself,
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Daaruni iti | Chetana aatmaa - jnyaatru svaroopah, aatmavedanah - svayam
prakaashah | Daarunee iti aadinaa durvivechatvam uktam | ***Jeevaatman is a knower, svayam prakaasha. Just like in a firewood, we cannot say where the fire is, in the same way, for jeevaatman also, it is impossible to say his nature.
29
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 29: [[99]]
Pradhaanam cha pumaan cha eva sarva bhootaatma bhootayaa |
Vishnu shaktyaa mahaa buddhe vrutou samshraya dharminou || Pradhaana, which is primordial matter, and jeevaatman. That which is pervading all beings is Vishnu shakti. Pradhaana and chetana are united in such a way that we cannot make out one from the other. They are supported in this way by the shakti of Paramaatman, which is His sankalpa.
This Bhagavaan’s sankalpa is supporting all beings.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Pradhaanam iti | Sarva bhootaatma bhootayaa - sarva bhoota vyaapinyaa,
vishnu shaktyaa - vishnu sankalpena, samshraya dharminou - anyonya
samslishtou, vrutou - dhrutou | ***
30
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 30:
Tayoh saa eva pruthak bhava kaaranam samshrayasya cha |
Kshobha kaarana bhootaa cha sarga kaale mahaa mate || ***Vishnu shakti, which is told as sankalpa of Bhagavaan, is only the cause of jeevaatman separating from pradhaana and attaining moksha, or getting into samsaara. Moola prakruti has sattva, rajas and tamas; when one of them becomes more or less, there is creation. How can achetana change its gunaas by itself, this is because of Bhagavaan’s sankalpa. Kshobha is the variation in the gunaas, the vaishamya.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Tayoh iti | Saa eva - shaktih, pruthak bhaavah - mokshah, samshrayah -
bandhah, tayoh kaaranam - purushasya bandha moksha hetuh iti arthah |
Kshobha kaarana bhootaa - guna vaishamya ounmukhya hetuh |
31
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 31:
Yathaa saktam chale vaato bibharti kanikaa shatam |
Shaktih saa api tathaa vishnoh pradhaana purushaatmakam || ***How it is supporting everything, and in spite of supporting everything, it is untainted by the defects of all these, is told here. Air carries hundred of droplets of water, when it blows; but it is untouched, untainted, unaffected by the water droplets. In the same way, Bhagavaan’s sankalpa, shakti also is supporting these pradhaana and purusha, achetana and chetana, and is untainted by the defects of all these.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Yathaa iti | Yathaa vayuh jale sthitam kanikaa shatam, asaktam - nirlepam
yathaa bibharti, tathaa vishnoh saa shaktih, pradhaana purusha aatmakam
sarvam tadgata doshaih asprushtam bibharti | Anena shlokena dhaaranaadou [[100]]
***aklesho api darshitah | ***Air is untainted by the water. In the same way, Vishnu’s shakti supports, bears everything, and is untainted by the defects of all that. There is absolutely no strain or taint for Paramaatman in supporting.
32
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 32:
Yathaa cha paadayoh moolah skandha shaakhaa aadi samyutah |
Aadi beejaat prabhavati beejaani anyaani vai tatah || The stem of a tree, there are roots, stem, branches. From a seed the roots are born, then comes the stem, branches - all these are from one seed. From this tree, more seeds are produced, and each of those seeds gives rise to these trees, which again have these roots, stem, branches.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Yathaa cha iti | Kaarya bhootaa vrukshaa yat lakshanaat tat lakshanena tat
dharmakena paarthivatva vrukshatva chootatva aadi dharmavataa dravyena
upaadaana kaarana bhootena yathaa anugatah, evam sattva aadi guna mayaa
mahat aadyaah taadrushaat eva avyaktaat jaayante | ***The trees which are the effects of the seed, the characteristics of those trees, like the roots, tender leaves - they are all the upaadaana, and this is all there in the seed, and accordingly the tree gets created. Similarly, sattva, etc. which are created from modifications of moola prakruti, which is having sattva, rajas, tamas, and everything is trigunaatmaka.
33
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 33:
Prabhavanti tatah tebhyah sambhavanti apare drumaah |
Te api tat lakshana dravya kaarana anugataa mune || From seed, come tree, which has seeds, which gives rise to more trees. The will also have the same characteristics as the seed.
34
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 34:
Evam avyaakrutaat poorvam jaayante mahat aadayah |
Vishesha antah tatah tebhyah sambhavanti sura aadayah |
Tebhyah cha putraah teshaam cha putraanaam apare sutaah || ***From the Pradhaana, which is moola prakruti, mahat and other tattvaas are created. This all ends in specifics, like deva, manushya, gandharva, vruksha, etc. Avyaakruta is that which is undifferentiated into name and form, from it come mahat, ahamkaara, etc. From there, up to the pancha bhootaas and the bhoutika vishayaas, are all created. The bodies of gods, man, etc. are created from that only. From there, their children are born, and then their children, and it is going on forever.
[[101]]
The next shlokaas tell about Paramaatman’s jagat kaaranatva, upaadana kaaranatva.* *
We are studying the seven lokaas - Bhooh, Bhuvah, etc. The description of these lokaas was given by Sri Paraasharar to Maitreyar. Beyond these sapta lokaas, there are sapta aavaranaas of tattvaas, pancha mahaa bhoota tattvaas, then the ahamkaara tattva (bhootaadi), then the mahat tattva, and beyond this is pradhaana, moola prakruti. Within this prakruti mandala, all the chetanaas are united with prakruti very closely; every chetana has a body, indriyaas, etc.; they are so closely united that we cannot separate and see them; this is because of their karmaas. Bhagavaan, Vishnu shakti is supporting all of these, as aadhaara; they are all held together by Vishnu shakti only. Because of His sankalpa, chetanaas get associated with prakruti; and with His own grace, when they do upaaya anusthaana, they get liberated. Bandha and moksha are all because of Bhagavaan’s sankalpa, and this is based on the karmaas of each chetana.
At the time of creation, He creates the three gunaas, and when they become unequal, they start to create. Though Bhagavaan is controlling and supporting all these, Bhagavaan is untainted by their defects.
From moola prakruti, everything is getting created, and so everything is trigunaatmaka. Just a a tree has branches, fruits, flowers, and then the seed is produced; from those seeds, more trees are produced, and all the trees have the same characteristics. In the same way, from pradhaana, moola prakruti, all these are modifications, all are created and everything is trigunaatmaka. ***
35
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 35:
Beejaat vruksha prarohena yathaa na apachayah taroh |
Bhootaanaam bhoota sargena na eva asti apachayah tathaa || ***When the tree which has lot of seeds in its fruit, and those seeds are sown, they give rise to more trees like that. The original tree does not deteriorate because of this. In the same way, when the beings are created, the source does not get deteriorated.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Beeja iti | Yathaa na apachayah taroh aneka beeja vruksha kaarana bhaave api
yathaa vrukshasya na vihaashah kena api avayavena, evam deva aadi sarva
sarge api pancha bhootaanaam na kshayah | ***When so many beings get created, will all the tattvaas get exhausted, because they are all used up to create the bhoutika vishayaas? It does not happen like that. Just as a tree produces a lot of seeds, and they produce many trees like it, in the same way, it is going on happening, and the source does not get destroyed.
36
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 36:
Sannidhaanaat yathaa aakaasha kaala aadyaah kaaranam taroh | [[102]]
Tathaa eva aparinaamena vishvasya bhagavan harih || In the same way, though the seed is the main cause, it also needs space and time, water, etc.; they are also causes. They are just present, but just because of space or time or water, it does not decide the nature of the tree; the seed decides the nature of the tree. Space and others which are there as the causes, don’t get affected or modified when the seed grows into a tree. Bhagavaan, who is the kaarana for all these, His sankalpa is there, He is present, He does not get affected or involved in this creation, though He is one of the causes.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Jagat upaadaana kaaranatve api bhagavatah sva shareera bhoota pradhaana
amsha nishtatayaa vikaaranaam kaala aadivat svaroopena parinaamitvam
naasti iti aaha sannidhaanaat iti | ***Space and others are just present, and they aid in the growth of the plant from the seed. If space or water or time are not there, the seed cannot grow. So they are all required for the seed to grow into a tree, but they don’t get affected or modified in the process. In the same way, Bhagavaan is said to be the material cause, *upaadaana *kaarana of everything. Though He is the material cause, He does not get modified or affected in any way, because all changes are happening in His *shareera. *Chetana and achetana are present as His shareera.
Shareera, does not mean hands, legs, eyes, etc. Shareera is by the three relationships. (i) He is sheshi, and everything is shesha bhoota to Him, existing for His use, His prayojana, (ii) He is the niyaamaka, controller, and everything is niyaamya, controlled, (iii) He is the aadhaara, supporter, and everything is aadheya, supported. This is true for all times. These are the three kinds of relationships which define the shareera shareeri bhaava. Changes are happening in His shareera, which are also dravyaas. He does not get affected in this. Pradhaana, moola prakruti, which is also His shareera; vikaaraas are all happening in that. Just like kaala and others, which don’t get modified, though they are causes, just by mere presence, just like that, Bhagavaan does not get affected.
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***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 37:
Vreehi beeje yathaa moolam naalam patra ankurou tathaa |
Kaandam koshah tathaa pushpam ksheeram tadvat cha tandulaah || ***Everything is present in that seed - root, stalk, leaves, sprouts, fruits, juice inside the fruit, flowers.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Aatmanaam deva aadi bhedena utpattih api tat tat karma anuroopa bhagavat
sankalpaayattaa iti aaha vreehi ityaadi | Vreehi beeje moola naalaadayah
kaarana bhoota vreehi dravya roopena sthitaah parinaama shaktimantah
kshetra karshana upti jala sekaadi praroha hetu saamagreem aasaadya [[103]]
***moolanaalaadi avasthayaa yathaa aavirbhavanti, evam aatmaanah sva karma
shakti sahita vishnu shakti roopa saamagreem aasaadya devaadi roopena
aavirbhavati iti | ***After pralaya, when srushti happens, all the chetanaas according to their *karma, *Bhagavaan’s sankalpa creates and they get the respective bodies as deva, manushya, etc. This is what is told in this example. In the seed, the root, stalk, everything is present, in the cause itself, present as the grain itself. They are capable of getting modified into a plant, and are aided by various samaagris; the farming is done, land is prepared, and the seeds are sown, and water is sprinkled on that, these are all the aiding equipment required for the plant to grow. They grow into root, stalk, leaves, etc.; in the same way, the jeevaatmans, along with the karma which is there, with the help of Vishnu shakti, which is Bhagavaan’s sankalpa, they are born taking the form of deva, manushya, etc. ***
38
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 38:
Tushaah kanaah cha santo vai yaanti aavirbhaavam aatmanah |
Praroha hetu saamagryam aasaadya munisattama ||*** In the same way, in the grain, rice is there, outer cover, husk, everything is embedded in it. In the same way, the aavirbhaava of jeevaatman happens. The causes of all the growth, is the saamagri, the things required.
39
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 39:
Tathaa karmasu anekeshu deva aadyaah tam avasthitaah |
Vishnu shaktim samaasaadya praroham upayaanti vai || In the same way, various karmaas which are there along with the chetanaas, *Vishnu *shakti is the saamagri, aiding the birth in taking various forms.
40
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 40:
Sa cha vishnuh param brahma yatah sarvam idam jagat |
Jagat cha yo yatra cha idam yasmin cha layam eshyati || That Vishnu is none other than Parabrahman. This way, the fact that Vishnu is the sole cause of the universe, is told, that everything is His shareera, and aided by His sankalpa, and their own karmaas, chetanaas are born. Achetana, which is *moola *prakruti gets modified; they are all shareera of Paramaatmab; so modifications or changes are happening in His shareera. He it not affected by any of these. Everything is supported by Him, and His sankalpa is only the cause of start of creation. Who should get which body, is all because of Vishnu sankalpa, and this is based on their respective karmaas only. He is the upaadaana kaarana, nimitta kaarana. He only is known as Parabrahman in the shrutis. From Him only, the whole world is created. He Himself is the whole world; everything is His mode, prakaara, being His shareera. Everything is established in Him only, and goes and merges into Him only during pralaya.
[[104]]
Shareera vaachi shabda also denotes shareeri. Words which denote the body also denote the soul inside the body. When we call someone Devadatta, it does not just mean his outside body we are referring to, but also the deha vishishta jeevaatman; the connotation extends up to deha vishishta jeeva vishishta Paramaatman also. In this way, everything that we see here is Paramaatman only. Everything is His shareera and prakaara only. In this way, we can say Sarvam khalvidam brahma.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Evam vishnoh jagat kaaranatvam uktam | Sa eva param brahma iti aaha - sa cha
iti | ***
41
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 41:
Tat brahma tat param dhaama sat asat tatparam padam |
Yasya sarvam abhedena jagat etat chara acharam || ***
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Atra yat vruttaih vishnuh paraamrushyate | Kaarana vaakyeshu sat brahma aadi
shabda vaachyam api sa eva iti aaha tat brahma iti | Param padam parama
praapyam, etat chara acharam jagat avisheshena yasya yadeeyam iti arthah | ***How is Vishnu told? In the shrutis, there are many vaakyaas talking about the creation of the world - they are all called Kaarana vaakyaas. In Taittiriya, it comes as Aatmanah aakaashah sambhootah, aakaashaat vaayuh, vaayoragnih, agneraapah, etc. In the same way, Purusha Sookta also tells about *Tasmaat viraat ajaayata, *viraajo adhi poorushah, etc. These are all Kaarana vaakyaas. In *Chaandogya, Sat eva *somya idam agra aaseet, ekam eva adviteeyam, tat aikshata bahusyaam prajaayeya; this is also a Kaarana vaakya. In another place, it is told that everything is born from aakaasha only. In the same way, everything is told as being born from praana only. Various words are used to denote the cause of the universe. In Chaandogya, it says sat as the cause of the universe; we cannot make out whether sat is chetana, achetana, big or small; it was there before creation, it willed that I should become many. In another place, Brahma is told. In another place, it is told as aatman. In other places, aakaasha, praana, jyoti, are told. Many things are told in shrutis, for denoting the jagat kaarana vastu. In the Subaalopanishat, and Naarayana Anuvaaka, it is told as *Naaraayana. Sat, brahma, aakaasha, jyoti *- all these are common words which are all ending in a specific word Naaraayana, which is the devataa vishesha, jagat kaarana vastu. Vishnu and Naaraayana are *paryaaya *shabdaas denoting the same devataa. Tat is also told, as in *tat aikshata. Yato vaa *imaani bhootaania jaayante, yatah is told. All these are denoting the specific word Naaraayana. This is Saamaanya vishesha nyaaya, saamaanya shabdaas are ending in visesha shabda Naaraayana. All the Kaarana vaakyaas are denoting Vishnu only. He is the one, the ultimate goal of all. Param dhaama is also the ultimate one to be attained. Everything is His only, everything is subservient to Him. Everything is His vibhooti, shareera. It is all His glory, all meant for His purpose only. Not leaving [[105]]
anything, this world of sentients and non-sentients, all are His only.
Brahma shabda is napumsaka linga, so tat is told. Vishnu is pullinga, so it is told as sah.
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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 42:
Sa eva moola prakrutih vyakta roopee jagat cha sah |
Tasmin eva layam sarvam yaati tatra cha tishthati || Moola prakruti is avyakta, avyaakruta, undifferentiated, unmanifest, primordial matter, very subtle, very sookshma. This is also Him only, it is also His shareera only. What is manifest, differentiated into name and form, world which is seen, is also Him only. Everything goes and merges into Him only. Everything is established in Him only.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Sa eva iti | Jagat cha sa iti ananyatva upapaadanam sa eva moola prakruti iti | ***Jagat cha sah was told. Meaning that moola prakruti is also Him only. ***
43
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 7, Shloka 43:
Kartaa kriyaanaam sah sah ijyate kratuh sa eva tat karma phalam cha tasya |
Sruk aadi yat saadhanam api ashesham hareh na kinchit vyatiriktam asti ||*** He is the doer of everything, He only get everything done. He is antaryaami of everything, and if He is not there, nobody can do anything, nothing can move or act. He being antaryaami, controls everything. Because of Him, chetanaas are able to act, able to know. He is only worshipped by all the karmaas, yaaga, kratu are also Him only. Everything is shesha bhoota to Him. Ultimate enjoyer of all the fruits is Bhagavaan only. Sruk, sruva, things used in yaaga, pradhaana darvi, upadarvi, are all Him only, everything is Bhagavat aatmaka. There is nothing which is not *Bhagavat *aatmaka.
Mattah smrutih jnyaanam apohanam cha is told in Bhagavad Geetha.* **Brahmaarpanam brahma havih brahmaagnou brahmanaa hutam | *Brahmaiva tena gantavyam brahma karma samaadhinaa || As told in the Geetha.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Tat praapti upaayo yaagaadih tat saadhanam cha sa eva iti aaha kartaa
kriyaanaam iti | Tat karma tasya anusthaanam | Tasya kratoh | ***Yaaga, etc. are means to attain Paramaatman. He is only instrumental in getting all these done.
Having told the fourteen lokaas, Chaturdasha bhuvana, and the sapta aavaranaas, up to the moola prakruti, it is told that everything is controlled by *Bhagavaan, Vishnu’s *[[106]]
sankalpa, He is only the cause, jagat kaarana; with this, this chapter comes to a close.
***|| Iti Sri Vishnu Puraane Dviteeya Amshe Saptamo Adhyaayah ||
|| Iti Sri Vishnu Puraana Vyaakhyaane Sri Vishnu Chitteeye Dviteeye Amshe
Saptamo Adhyaayah ||**** **** [[107]]
|| Atha Ashtamo Adhyaayah ||
Surya Mandala****** ***