1
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 1:
Sri Paraasharah -
Rathah tri chakrah somasya kundaabhaah tasya vaajinah |
Vaama dakshinato yuktaah dasha tena charati asou || *Sri Paraasharar *- The Moon’s chariot has got three wheels, the horses are shining like (or have the fragrance of) the jasmine flowers, they are tied on the left and right sides, and there are ten horses.
2
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 2:
Veethi aashrayaani rukshaani dhruvaadhaarena veginaa |
Haasa vruddhi kramah tasya rashmeenaam savituh yathaa || ***The nakshatraas are all supported by Naaga veethi and this is supported by Dhruva. Riding the chariot which has Dhruva as the aadhaara, support, he traverses along with the nakshatraas located along the Naaga veethi. Just like Sun’s rays, even the Moon’s rays increase and decrease during the rising time and setting time. ***
3
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 3:
Arkasya eva hi tasya ashvaah sakruth yuktaa vahanti te |
Kalpam ekam muni shreshtha vaari garbha samudbhavaah ||*** The horses of the Moon are born of waters, and just like the horses of the Sun, they are tied only once to the chariot and they carry on the chariot till the end of the kalpa. For the entire duration of the kalpa, they carry the chariot of the Moon.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Arkasya eva iti | Vaari garbha samudbhavaah jala mayaah, * Vaari garbha
samudbhooto rathah sa-ashvah sa-saarathih iti aaditya puraane | ***They are born of water, so they are jala maya. This is told in Aaditya Puraana.
4
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 4:
Ksheenam peetam suraih somam aapyaayayati deeptimaan |
Maitreya eka kalam santam rashminaa ekena bhaaskarah || During Shukla Paksha, whatever the Sun feeds, all the devaas are eating away one kalaa at a time, and it is nectar for them. This way, the Moon which has lost all its brightness, in Krushna Paksha, is left with only one kalaa. Through one particular ray, the Sun feeds it again, and pleases the Moon.
[[186]]
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Ksheenam iti | Ksheenam alpeebhoota shukla kalam | Tat uktam * Devaih
sapeeyamaanasya shuklaa vardhanti vai kalaah | Somasya krushna pakshaadou
bhaaskara abhimukhasya tu | Praksheeyante apare bhaage peeyamaanaah kalaa
kramaat | ityaadi | Aapyaayaayati shukla kalaa vardhayati * Sushumnaa
aapyaayamaanasya shukle vardhanti vai kalaa iti | The brightness of the moon reduced is ksheenam. In the Shukla paksha, the Sun is nurturing and feeding the Moon. In the Krushna paksha, this reduces because they are being drunk by the devaas. Through the Sushumnaa ray, the Sun feeds and makes the Moon brighter and brighter, one kalaa every single day.
5
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 5:
Kramena yena peeto asou devaih tena nishaakaram |
Aapyaayaayati anudinam bhaaskaro vaari taskarah || ***Bhaaskara, who steals the waters, feeds the Moon every single day. The brightness of the Moon decreases every day being eaten away by the devaas.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Kramena iti | Yena kramena iti | Krushna pakshe yat thitou bimbasya yat
bhaage yaavaan hraasah shukle tat bhaage taavati eva vruddhih iti | Taskarah
alakshitam hartaa | ***In the Krushna paksha, whichever part is reducing, in the same order, the Sun keeps on feeding him in the Shukla paksha, one kalaa at a time. Taskara is told as someone who steals, where we don’t even know. Like this, the Sun is stealing the waters.
6
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 6:
Sambhrutam cha ardhamaasena tat somastham sudhaamrutam |
Pibanti devaa maitreya sudhaahaaraa yato amaraah || ***Devaas are told to be amaraas, and have partaken the nectar, ambrosia, Amruta. This Amruta is consumed from the Moon, it is said; that Amruta, which is accumulated in the Moon during the Shukla paksha. Because, for the devaas, that Amruta only is the food.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Subhrutam iti | Sudhaamrutam sushtu dheeyate peeyate iti sudhaa, saa eva
amrutam | Whatever is consumed by the devaas, that is Amruta.
7
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 7:
Trayastrimshat sahasraani trayastrimshat shataani cha |
Trayastrimshat tathaa devaah pibanti kshanadaakaram || Thirty three thousand, thirty three hundred, and thirty three (which is 36,333) devaas consume the nectar from the Moon.
8
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 8:
Kalaadvayaavashishtah tu pravrushtah sooryamandalam | [[187]]
Amaakhya rashmou vasati amaavaasyaa tatah smrutaa || Paraasharar is telling why it is called as Amaavaasyaa, it means living in Amaa. He would be left with two kalaas, parts, at the end of the Krushna Paksha, he enters into the Soorya Mandala, and lives in one rashmi called Amaa. This is why it is called as Amaavaasyaa. ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Kalaadvayaavashishtah iti | Pravishta iti | Tat rashmi abhibhavaat pravishta
iva |
9
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 9:
Apsu tasmin ahoraatre poorvam vishati chandramaah |
Tato veerutsu vasati prayaati arkam tatah kramaat || ***During that day, he first stays in waters. After that, he lives in plants, herbs, twiners; after that, he goes towards the Sun.
10
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 10:
Chinatti veerudho yah tu veerut samsthe nishaakare |
Patram vaa paatayati ekam brahma hatyaam sa vindati || ***During that Amaavaasyaa time, when the Moon is staying in the plants, if someone cuts off a plant or a tree, or even plucks one leaf, during that time, he gets *Brahma *hatyaa dosha, it is told.
Therefore, it is said that during Amaavaasyaa, one should not pluck plants, or even Tulasi.
11
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 11:
Somam pancha dashe bhaage kinchit shishte kalaatmake |
Aparaahne pitru ganaah jaghanyam paryupaasate || On the 15th day, when he is left with only two kalaas, on the second half of the day, the pitru ganaas worship him, are satisfied by him.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Somam iti | Kaalaatmake pancha dashe amshe kinchit shishte darsha aparaahne,
jaghanyam paschaat dvikalam somam pitruganaah pari upaasate | ***For the 15th part, some part is left in the second half of the Amaavaasyaa, when he was left with only two kalaas, the pitrus partake it.
12
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 12:
Pibanti dvi kalaakaaram shishtaa tasya kalaa tu yaa |
Sudhaamrutamayee punyaa taam indoh pitaro mune || When two kalaas are there in the Moon, they consume only one kalaa from that. It is made of nectar, it is told, and is very sacred. The pitrus consume that one kalaa.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Pibanti iti | Kinchit shishtaa yaa panchadashee kalaa taam kalaam pitarah [[188]]
***pibanti na shodasheem iti arthah | ***
13
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 13:
Nissrutam tat amaavaasyaam gabhastibhyah sudhaamrutaam |
Maasam truptim avaapyaagryaam pitarah santi nirvrutaah |
Soumyaa barhishadah cha eva agnishvaattah cha te tridhaa || ***There are three types of pitrus, Soumyaas, Barhishadaas, Agnishvaattaas, who consume that nectar on the Amaavaasyaa day. Whatever was fed from the Sun’s rays to the Moon, all the Amruta, the pitrus get satisfied and are very happy, and get trupti.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Nissrutam iti | Aaditya rashmi dvaaraa nissrutam tat sudhaamrutam peetvaa iti
sheshah | Through the Sushumnaa rashmi of Aaditya, that Amruta which is placed in the Moon, the three kinds of pitrus consume, and are satisfied with that.
14
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 14:
Evam devaan site pakshe krushna pakshe tathaa pitruun |
Veerudhah cha amrutamayaih sheetaih ap paramaanubhih || This way, the Sun satisfies the devaas in the Shukla paksha, at the end of the *Krushna *paksha, pitrus are satisfied; that which is cool and pleasant and made of the water molecules, which are like Amruta, the plants are fed by the Sun only.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Kim cha, * Tasmaat aapooryamaana pakshe yajanta iti shruteh, * Aparapakshe
pitruunaam iti smruteh cha shukla krushnayoh devaan pitruun cha yaaga
dvaarena aapyaayayati iti aaha evam iti |
15
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 15:
Veerudhoshadhinishpattyaa manushya pashu keetakaan |
Aapyaayayati sheeta amshuh praakaashya aahlaadanena cha || ***The plants, trees, oshadhis, twiners, manushyaas, pashus, keetaas; this way, the Moon also with his brightness, and is very pleasant, the Moon also feeds them, keeps them happy.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Veerut iti | Prakaashasya bhaavah praakaashyam, praakaashyam aahlaadanam
cha iti dvandva ekavat bhaavah | Prakaasha aahlaadanena cha iti paathah |
Now, continuing further, the various other planets, chariots, horses, are going to be described.
We just concluded Amsha 2, Chapter 12, where we studied about the Moon, how the Sun gives trupti to everyone on the earth, through the plants, through the rains caused by the Sun. Through his rays, the amrutamaya chandra, the Moon, where [[189]]
each kalaa is consumed by the devaas as amruta, and by the pitrus on the Amaavaasyaa day. In this way, the Sun is responsible for satisfying all of them, the devaas, pitrus, and the manushyaas. We saw the Moon’s description, about how every planet has a ratha, chariot - this is going to be told now.
The devaas consume amruta from the Moon only. During Amaavaasya, the pitrus consume. Through his prakaasha, as well as bringing joy to everyone, the Moon brings happiness to all the plants also, the humans, insects, etc. The Moon brings joy because of his pleasantness in the nights.
The other planets, and their description is given next.
16
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 16:
Vaayu agni dravya sambhooto rathah chandrasutasya cha |
Pishangaih turagaih yuktah so ashtaabhih vaayuvegibhih || Chandra’s son is Budha, Mercury, and his chariot is made of Vaayu and Agni. The horses are of reddish brown colour, eight horses, which have the speed of Vaayu.
17
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 17:
Savaroothah sa anukarsho yukto bhoo sambhavaih hayaih |
Sopaasangapataakah tu shukrasya api ratho mahaan || ***Shukra’s chariot is huge, tied with eight horses again, born of earth, along with the chair which protects the chariot ( varootha), which covers and protects whoever is inside the chariot, with the pole below the chariot ( anukarsha), the part where all the weapons are kept, and the ratha dhvaja. These are in Shukra’s huge chariot.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Savaroothah iti | * Varootho ratha guptih yaa tirodhatte rathasthitam |
Rathasya adhah sthitam kaashtham anukarsho nigadyate | Upasango
rathopasthah, iti |
18
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 18:
Ashtabhih kaanchanah shreemaan bhoumasya api ratho mahaan |
Padmaraaga arunaih ashvaih samyukto vanhi sambhavaih || ***Shukra’s chariot is of golden hue. Angaaraka, Bhoumaa’s golden chariot, also has eight horses, red like the ruby, and are born of fire.
19
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 19:
Ashtaabhih paanduraih yukto vaajibhih kaanchano rathah |
Tasminstishthati varsham vai raashou raashou bruhaspatih || Bruhaspati also has a gold chariot, with eight horses, of pale white colour. In each raashi, riding on this chariot, every year, he passes through this raashi.
[[190]]
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Ashtaabhih iti | Raashou varsham tishthati iti tat tat graha raashi chaara
upalakshanam |
20
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 20:
Aakaasha sambhavaih ashvaih shabalih syandanam yutam |
Samaaruhya shanaih yaati mandagaamee shanaishcharah || ***Shani or Saturn, has a chariot with eight horses, born of Aakaasha. They are spotted, and he travels in that slowly; he is one who moves slowly.
21
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 21:
Svarbhaanoh turagaah hi ashtou bhrungaabhaa dhoosaram ratham |
Sakrut yuktaah tu maitreya vahanti aviratam sadaa || Raahu, his chariot also has eight horses, they have the hue of the bees, and the chariot is dusty white in colour. Once the horses are tied to the chariot, they carry the chariot without any break till the end of the kalpa.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Svarbhaanoh iti | Stoka paanduh tu dhoosarah | Aviratam avicchedam | Sadaa -
yaavat kalpam | ***
22
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 22:
Aadityaat nissruto raahuh somam gacchati parvasu |
Aadityameti somaat cha punah soureshu parvasu || ***Raahu emanates from the Soorya, and approaches the Moon during *Chandra parva, *pournami. Again, moving away from the Moon, he approaches the Sun during *Soorya *Parva, Amaavaasya.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Aadityaat iti | Arkendvoh upari truteeya dyu sthaane charannapi raahuh
chandrasya arkasya vaa grahana kaale adho gatvaa bhoo cchaayaatmakam tamo
mayam bimbam gruheetvaa tena tou (raahuh) meghavat cchaadayan tat kaala
eva drushyatvameti | Yathaa kourmaadishu * Svarbhaanostu gruhasthaanam
truteeyam yat tamomayam | Tulyah tayo astu svarbhaanuh bhootvaa adhastaat
prasarpati | ityaadi | Raahu keeps moving between Moon and Sun alternately, during the Paksha kaalaas. He moves in the third place, full of darkness above the Sun. During grahana kaala, he moved down, and covers the Sun like a cloud, and has a dark shade. Above the Sun, in the third place in the Aakaasha; during the eclipse time, he comes down, covers like a shade on the earth. During that time only he is seen. This is also told in the Koorma Puraana.
23
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 23: [[191]]
Tathaa ketu rathasya ashvaa api ashtou vaata ramhasah |
Palaala dhooma varnaabhaa laakshaarasa nibhaarunaah || In the same way, Ketu’s chariot also has eight horses, moving at the speed of Vaayu. It has the hue of smoke, seen when the stars are burnt. The colour is reddish like wax.
24
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 24:
Ete mayaa grahaanam vai tava aakhyaataa rathaa nava |
Sarve dhruve mahaabhaaga prabaddhaa vaayu rashmibhih || All the nine planets - the nine chariots, I have told you now; Paraasharar tells Maitreyar. All of them are tied to Dhruva, through the reins made of Vaayu.
25
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 25:
Graharksha taaraadhishnyaani dhruve baddhaani asheshatah |
Bhramati uchita chaarena maitreya anila rashmibhih || ***All the grahaas, nakshatraas, vimaanaas, all are tied through the aerial cords, made of Vaayu, to Dhruva. They are moving at their own specific speeds, held by the aerial cords.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Graheti | Dhishnyaani vimaanaani | Uchita chaarena * Souro angiraah cha
shukrascha jnyeyaa manda prachaarinah | Soorya somou budhah cha eva
sheeghraghaah * ityaadi koorma ukta sva sva gatyaa saha prayangmukham
bhramanti | Some of them are moving slowly - Shani, Angiras and Shukra. Sun, Moon, Budha are moving at a higher speed. It is told in the Koorma Puraana that they are rotating at their own specific speeds.
26
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 26:
Yaavantyaah cha eva taaraah taa taavanto vaata rashmayah |
Sarve dhruve nibaddhaah te bhramanto bhraamayanti tam || As many stars are there, so many aerial cords are there, they are all tied to Dhruva. When they are all rotating around Dhruva, they also make Dhruva also to rotate.
27
An example is given here. Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 27:
Tailapeedaa yathaa chakram bhramanto bhraamayanti vai |
Tathaa bhramanti jyoteemshi vaata viddhaani sarvashah || It is like the bullocks tied to a wheel for extraction of oil. When they rotate, the spindle also rotates, the wheel also rotates. This is how Dhruva is also made to rotate.
28
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 28: [[192]]
Alaata chakravat yaanti vaata chakreritaani tu |
Yasmaat jyoteemshi vahati pravahah tena sa smrutah || A stick having fire at one end, when rotating very fast, we see a circle of fire there. This is like that. In the same way, the stars are all seen. Because the air carries all these luminary bodies, which are rotating, it is called as pravaha.
29
Now, Paraasharar is going to tell about the Shimshumaara. ***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 29:
Shimshumaarah tu yah proktah sa dhruvo yatra tishthati |
Sannivesham cha tasya api shrunushva munisattama || ***Earlier, it was told about the Shimshumaara chakra, like the aquatic animal, the porpoise. The tail part of it is where Dhruva is located. At the heart of Shimshumaara, Sriman Naaraayana is located. How they are all arranged is going to be told, O Maitreyar, do listen to me.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Shimshumaara iti | Yah proktah * Taaraamayam bhagavatah iti atra, * Tasya
pucche dhruvah sthitah iti lakshanasya uktam, tasya sannivesham shrunu |
30
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 30:
Yat ahnaa kurute paapam tam drushtvaa nishi muchyate |
Yaavatyah cha eva taaraah taah shimshumaara aashritaa divi |
Taavanti eva tu varshaani jeevanti abhyadhikaani cha || Whatever sins are committed during the day, in the night, if we look at the Shimshumaara chakra, we get rid of all those sins. As many stars are supported in the Shimshumaara chakra in the sky, the person who sees everyday the *Shimshumaara *chakra, he lives for as many years as there are the number of stars in that, and even more.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Yat ahnaa iti | Yat ahneti nitya drashtavyataa uktih | One has to see the Shimshumaara chakra everyday, is being told.
31
Now, it is told by giving analogy of the various parts of the human body. Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 31:
Uttaanapaadah tasya adho vijnyeyo hi uttaro hanuh |
Yajnyo adharah cha vijnyeyo dharmo moordhaanam aashritah || Dhruva is located in the upper jaw. Yajnya is located in the lower jaw position. Dharma is located in the forehead portion.
32
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 32:
Hrudi naaraayanah cha aaste ashvinou poorva paadayoh |
Varunah cha aryamaa cha eva paschime tasya sakthini || [[193]]
In the heart location, Naaraayana is present. In the front feet, Ashvini devataas are present. Varuna and Aryamaa are in the back part of the thigh.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Hrudi iti | Sakthinee ooroo |
33
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 33:
Shishnah samvatsarah tasya mitra upaanam samaashritah || ***Samvatsara is located in the regenerative part, and Mitra is located at the back, rectal part.
34
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 34:
Pucche agnih cha mahendrah cha kaashyapo atha tatho dhruvah |
Taarakaa shimshumaarasya na astameti chatushtayam || In the tail part, Agni, Mahendra, Kaashyapa and Dhruva are located. These four stars will never set.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Puccha iti | Agni aadi devataa roopam taaraa chatushkam pucchastham
dhruvavat nityam drushyate, na tu shimshumaara gaatra antargata
arkshavadastameti dhruvasahayaayitvaat | These four stars, Agni, Mahendra, Kaashyapa, Dhruva, can be seen everyday. The other part of the Shimshumaara chakra, whatever stars are there, they are not seen everyday.
35
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 35:
Iti esha sannivesho yah pruthivyaa jyotishaam tathaa |
Dveepaanaam udadheenaam cha parvataanaam cha keertitah || Thus, I have told you all the arrangements and disposition of the earth, stars, islands, oceans, mountains.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Ityesha iti | Uktasya bhuvanakoshasya anuktam bhagavat aatmakatvam
vaktum anuvaadah ityesha iti | ***This is said in order to say whatever has not been told so far. That everything is Bhagavat aatmaka, which is the actual tattva.
36
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 36:
Varshaanaam cha nadeenaam cha ye cha teshu vasanti vai |
Teshaam svaroopam aakhyaatam sankshepah shrooyataam punah || And also the various lands, demarcated by the Varshaadris, the various rivers, whose who live there, everything I have told you. Now, a very important explanation is going to start by Paraasharar. Again, listen to that briefly, I am going [[194]]
to tell you what was not told earlier.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Varshaanaam cha iti | Atha chit achit mishre jagati chit amshah sva samvedya
svaroopa bhedo jnyana ekaakaarah avinaashitvena asti shabda vaachyah, achit
amshah tu chit amsha karma nimitta parinaama bhedo vinaashee iti naasti
shabda vaachyah | Ubhayam api parabrahma bhoota vaasudeva shareeratayaa
tadaatmakam iti etat roopam sankshepena uchyate iti aaha - sankshepah
shrooyataam iti | ***What is that Paraasharar is intending to convey here? In this world, which is mixed with sentient and non-sentient, one who knows himself without any jnyaana or pramaana, having jnyaana only as the svaroopa, his essential nature is of consciousness, and he is indestructible, and that is why he is called as Asti; and the non-sentient part of the world, and it attains many forms due to the modifications it undergoes, because of the karmaas of the sentients, in order to give them the experience of the fruits of the karmaas, (deha, insriyaas, vishayaas, are all given), which are all modifications of prakruti only, it undergoes destruction (there is no svaroopa naasha, but there is svaroopa parinaama), it is called by the word Naasti. Both these are shareera for Vaasudeva, who is Parabrahma; both these have Parabrahma, Vaasudeva as their aatma. This is going to be told briefly.
Svasmai bhaasamaanastvam is told.
This world has two parts - sentient and non-sentient.
Shareera is because of the three relationships - *Yasya chetanasya yat **dravyam, sarvaatmanaa svaarthe niyantum dhaarayitum cha yat *shakyam that sheshataika svaroopam cha tat tasya shareeram, itarah shareeri. This is the lakshana told by Sri Bhaashyakaarar in Sri Bhaashya and *Vedaarthasangraha. *Shareera is a dravya, under the control of the shareeri, that which is controlled, supported and meant for the purpose of the shareeri. One who controls, supports and is the Master, is the shareeri. This is the relationship. Everything is having Him as the self, this way, everything is His shareera. He is aatma for everything.
37
This is an extremely important shloka, where the principle which is to be understood for all the remaining shlokaas is explained. What we have to understand first is explained. The next ten shlokaas are commented by Bhaashyakaarar in Sri Bhaashya. The commentary which we see here in Sri Engal Aalwaan’s vyaakhyaana, is exactly same as what is found in Sri Bhaashya, 99 percent same. Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 37:
Yat ambu vaishnavah kaayah tato vipra vasundharaa |
Padmaakaaraa samudbhootaa parvata abdhi aadi samyutaa || Water, is shareera of Vishnu, and because of water only, earth in the form of lotus, is [[195]]
born. It has the mountains, oceans, etc.
This is told in the Shrutis, for creation, *Aatmanah aakaashah sambhootah, aakaashaat *vaayuh, vaayoragnih, angeraapah, apbhyah pruthivee, pruthivyaa oshadhayah. From waters, pruthivi is created, and it has got plants, rivers, etc. Water itself is the shareera of Vishnu. Earth which has come from water is also in the same way.
Saamaanaadhikaranya is a very important concept in *Vedaanta. Bhinna pravrutti *nimittaanaam shabdaanaam ekasmin arthe vruttih saamaanaadhikaranyam. This is told by the grammarian KaiyaTa. We agree with this definition and Bhaashyakaarar explains everything according to this. Saamaanaadhikaranya means words which are in the same vibhakti, indicate different visheshana, which denote different aspects of the same qualified object. A single object can be qualified by multiple attributes, which are not opposed to each other. Visheshanaanaam vyaavartakatvaat, is a commonly understood thing. Attributes actually eliminate others. If we say “He is a tall boy”, it is understood that “He is not a short boy”. The attribute Tall eliminates Short. If something is white, it eliminates black, red, blue, etc. Attributes are always of the nature of eliminating others. Other views, pakshaas say that multiple visheshanaas, attributes, cannot qualify the same object because they are all of the nature of elimination; so they have to qualify different objects is what they say, in Satyam jnyaanam anantam brahma; so they give a secondary meaning for all those words. But Bhaashyakaarar says that if they are not opposed to each other, there is nothing wrong in multiple attributes qualifying the same object. This is the meaning of Saamaanaadhikaranya. Adhikarana is the visheshya, and the padaas are all visheshanaas. Different visheshanaas which are not contradicting each other can qualify the same visheshya. Ekasmin arthe vruttih. They all qualify the same artha, object. Because everything is shareera of Vishnu, words which denote the shareera, can also denote the shareeri. Shareera vaachaka shabda also denotes the shareeri. This is why saamaanaadhikaranya is possible.
Even for humans, when we say Devadatta, Yajnyadatta, it is not just the body outside which we are addressing, but also the jeevaatman who is inside, who is *visheshya. *Jeevaatman who is qualified by the body is addressed as Devadatta. But, it is a manushya shareera, so Devadatta as a man addresses the manushya jaati, but also denotes the shareeri who is qualified by the shareera. This is why Devadatta can be used for either the chetana or the body. When we say *Devadattah sama parimaanah *yuvaa, they are all different attributes not contradicting each other; one tells about his age, one tells about his being handsome, one tells about his colour. These are all different aspects qualifying the same object. This is how any word can be told in coordination with Vishnu because everything is His shareera only. This is what *Sri *Paraasharar is telling; first he tells about everything is His shareera, then he tells in coordination that everything is Vishnu only. [[196]]
How can we say saamaanaadhikaranya with Vishnu for everything? This is because of the shareera shareeri bhaava. This is the most important thing we have to understand. First, Paraasharar made it clear that everything is shareera to Vishnu. And then, because of the shareera aatma bhaava, everything can be said to be in coordination with Vishnu in Saamaanaadhikaranya.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Yat iti | Tatra yat ambu iti anena shlokena ambunah vishnoh kaayatvena tat
parinaama bhootam brahmaandam api tasya kaayah, tasya cha vishnuh aatmaa
iti, sakala shruti gata taadaatmya upadesha upabrahmana roopasya *
Jyoteemshi ityaadinaa vakshyamaanasya saamaanaadhikaranasya shareera
aatma bhaava eva nibandhanam iti aaha | Tatah ambunah | In the next shlokaas we see Jyoteemshi Vishnuh, everything is told in coordination with Vishnu. All the world are Vishnu only, all the forests are Vishnu only, all the mountains and directions are Vishnu, stars are Vishnu, rivers and oceans are Vishnu, everything is told as Vishnu. All are told in coordination, how is this to be understood? This is called saamaanaadhikaranya. By telling that water is shareera of Vishnu, that which is created is an effect of water, the brahmaanda, vasundharaa, padmaakaaraa, the lotus shaped Brahmaanda, which contains mountains, oceans, etc. is also an effect of that only, as it also is shareera of Vishnu.
Because waters are Vishnu’s shareera, the effect of that, the modifications of water, Brahmaanda is also Vishnu’s shareera. Vishnu is aatmaa for that also, this is told in all the shrutis, and also here. Vishnu Puraana is upabrahmana, vishadeekarana, Shruti vaakyaas are explained in detail here. Taadaatmya is unity, that everything is one only - *Sarvam khalvidam *brahma, that everything is Brahman. This upadesha is explained here in detail. The taadaatmya which is told in the Shrutis, these shlokaas are upabrahmana for that. These are the explanation for how we have to understand that. The saamaanaadhikaranya, concomitant coordination which will be told further, is to be understood. How can that happen, means that because of *shareera aatma *bhaava, saamaanaadhikaranya is perfectly valid. This explains the shrutis which tell the taadaatmya.
Paraasharar gives a few examples, and after that concludes with a generic statement - ’ yadasti yat naasti cha'.
38
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 38:
Jyoteemshi vishnuh bhuvanaani vishnuh vanaani vishnuh girayo dishascha |
Nadyah samudraah cha sa eva sarvam yat asti yat naasti cha vipravarya || [[197]]
All the luminary bodies are Vishnu only, the worlds are all Vishnu, forests are all Vishnu, the mountains, directions, rivers, oceans, everything is Vishnu only. Whatever is denoted by asti shabda, whatever is denoted by naasti shabda, all are Him only.
There is nothing other than asti or naasti, everything is either chetana or achetana. There are only three realities, chit, achit and Eeshvara. Apart from Eeshvara, there are only two other realities - chit and achit. He first tells about all things we see around, various luminary bodies, stars, the worlds, forests, mountains, directions, rivers, oceans. Paraasharar says that they are all Vishnu only, shareera of Vishnu. This is told in coordination, Saamaanaadhikaranya. After mentioning a few things, anything that can be denoted as asti shabda vaachya, and anything which is naasti shabda vaachya, everything is Vishnu only. What are these asti and naasti, and why are they called so, is explained in the next few shlokaas.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:** **Tat etat taadaatmyam saamaanaadhikaranyena vyapadishati jyoteemshi iti |
Atra asti aatmakam naasti aatmakam cha jagat antargatam vastu vishnoh
kaayatayaa vishnu aatmakam iti uktam | The taadaatmya, unity, is explained by the words jyoteemshi, etc. *Shareera vaachi *shabdaas are going up to shareeri, shareeri paryanta. Because of *shareera shareeri *bhaava, this saamaanaadhikaranya is to be understood. Whatever is in this world, denoted by asti and naasti; asti is told as asti because it is eternal, does not undergo change in its essential nature. All three realities are nitya only. Even prakruti is nitya in its avyakta avasthaa. But, prakruti is *satata *parinaami, keeps on undergoing change all the time. This is why it is called as naasti. When we have a pot, for example, when the pot is broken, it is destroyed, it becomes kapaala, and when that gets broken, it becomes powder. When each avasthaa goes to another avasthaa, it is naasti, naasti, naasti, it attains newer and newer states. Whereas chetana is always jnyaana eka aakaara, therefore it is said to be asti shabda vaachya, svaroopa parinaama is not there, change happens only in svabhaava.
39
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 39:
Jnyaana svaroopa bhagavaan yato asou ashesha moortih na tu vastu bhootah |
Tato hi shailaabdhi dhara aadi bhedaan jaaneehi vijnyaana vijhrumbitaani || Bhagavaan is jnyaana svaroopa, because He is only present in all forms. What we see as deva, manushya, shaila, etc. are not that. Know all these things as only the expressions of the jnyaana, due to the karma, with the anusandhaana that happens. It is not the nature of aatman, which is called by the asti shabda. [[198]]
Here, the srushti prakarana which was also told earlier, is that during pralaya, the entire world consisting of the sentients and non-sentients, chetana and achetana, the entire thing is merged into Bhagavaan, united into Bhagavaan as one, as though there are no two entities. This is told in the Shrutis. During Srushti, what Paramaatman does is that those which are there during *pralaya *(in very subtle form, without any name and form differentiation), Paramaatman does sankalpa, and by mere willing, brings all these into their gross state, sthoola avasthaa, where the name and form differentiation is seen. *Sookshma chit achit vishishta *Paramaatman becomes sthoola chit achit vishishta Paramaatman. In both the causal state and state of effect, these are all visheshana to Him; they are all like His attributes. They are all inseparably associated with Him.
Why is it so? He is the supporter of everything, He is controller of everything, and He is also the Inner Self. Nothing can exist without Him. They are always associated with Him, whether in the subtle or gross state, this entire world consisting of sentients and non sentients is inseparably associated with Paramaatman. But, they are existing as shareera of Paramaatman. Paramaatman’s svaroopa and svabhaava are told in thousands of places in the Shrutis, that Paramaatman’s svaroopa is *Satyam, *Jnyaanam, Anantam; that He is all pervading, omniscient, omnipotent, immutable. His svabhaava is such that He is storehouse of all auspicious qualities, without any blemish, it is told as *nirgunah, niranjanah, apahata paapmaa, vijarah, vimrutyuh, *vishokah, vijighatsah, apipaasah, satya kaamah, satya sankalpah. He is without any defect in any state, at any time, and is storehouse of all auspicious qualities.
Whereas chetana and achetana have got certain defects. Achetana undergoes change all the time in its essential nature itself, so, it is said to be naasti shabda vaachya. Whatever was a lump of mud becomes a pot; when the pot is broken, we say that the pot is gone, and that it is only the pieces, kapaala; from that it becomes powder. So, achetana is all the time changing. *Achetanaa paraarthaa cha nityaa satata *vikriyaa. Trigunaa karmanaamshe prakrute roopam uchyate | Prakruti which is achetana, undergoing change all the time, in its very essential nature itself. But it is told that it is also nitya. How is this possible? If it is changing all the time, how can it be said to be nitya, eternal? That is always remaining in one particular state, of moola prakruti, avyakta, pradhaana. It is existing in this state all the time, nitya, eternal. This undergoes changes and modifies into *mahat, ahamkaara, pancha *bhootaas and the bhoutika padaarthaas we see here. All the time, it is the shareera of Paramaatman. Changes happen in the shareera, the *svaroopa *parinaama of prakruti which is happening does not affect Paramaatman, as it is happening in His shareera, and does not affect His nature in any way.
In the same way, jeevaatmans undergo contraction and expansion in their *dharma *bhoota jnyaana, attributive knowledge. They are avikaari in svaroopa, the essential nature does not undergo any change any time. That is also *apahata paapma, vijarah, *[[199]]
vimrutyuh, vishokah, vijighatsah, apipaasah, satya kaamah, satya sankalpah. In essential nature, he is without any defect, pure. Whereas in his attributive nature, he has contraction and expansion because of the dharma. What is this contraction and expansion; contraction means that he forgets the true reality of his nature. He forgets that he is sheshabhoota to Paramaatman, he forgets that he is pure in reality. He thinks that he is the body he has taken due to the karma to experience these fruits. He takes on bodies of deva, manushya, etc. and he thinks that he himself is deva. Whereas he is not. He suffers in agonies, sorrows, has happiness, etc. whereas in reality, these are all not connected to his essential nature. This is what happens to jeevaatman. He is always in the same way, without any change, He is eternally present like that. There is no change in his essential nature, this is why he is called as nitya. This is asti shabda vaachya. But, here also, jeevaatmans are having Paramaatman as the inner controller. They are also his shareera. There is change in the attributive nature of the jeevaatman, who is shareera of Paramaatman. This does not affect Paramaatman in any way.
In His essential and attributive nature, Paramaatman is untouched by any of these changes.
This is what is explained in these shlokaas as asti and naasti. What we see in this world - rivers, mountains, oceans - all of them have Paramaatman as the aatman or inner self. Words which denote the body also denote the inner self. In our case, we have a body, and there is an individual self inside. The name given the body addresses the individual self also; it is not merely the body. In the same way, the same name also addresses the Paramaatman who is Inner Self. So, everything can be said to be Paramaatman only. This is told here as *jnyaana svaroopah bhagavaan yatah. *Bhagavaan is jnyaana svaroopa.
*Ashesha moortih asou *- all these forms are Him only. Mountain is also Bhagavaan only. He is jnyaana svaroopa. He Himself is not the mountain; mountain is His *shareera, *prakruti which has modified into the form of mountain, which is shareera to Paramaatman, inseparably associated with Paramaatman, He being the Inner Self is always there. He can also be said to be the mountain in that way. He Himself is not the mountain, but is antaryaami of the mountain. Because it is inseparably associated with Him all the time, He can also be called as mountain.
It is only the outer expression of Paramaatman’s Self that all these - *shaila, abdhi, **dharaa *- the multifarious , multitude of things we see here, they are all modifications in the body of the Paramaatman. This is said as vijnyaana vijhrumbhitaani.
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Idam astyaatmakam, idam naastyaatmakam, (iti atra) asya cha
naastyaatmakatve hetuh ayam iti aaha - jnyaana svaroopa iti | Ayam arthah - [[200]]
ashesha kshetrajnya aatmanaa avasthitasya bhagavato jnyaanam eva
svaabhaavikam roopam na deva manushyaadi vastu roopam | Yata evam ata eva
achit roopa deva manushya shaila abdhi dharaa aadayah tat vijnyaana
vijhrumbhitaah tasya jnyaana eka aakaarasya sato devaadi aakaarena sva
aatma vaividhya anusandhaana moolaah, deva aadi aakaara anusandhana moola
karma (moolaah) kalpitaah iti arthah | Yatah cha achit vastu kshetrajnya karma
anuguna parinaama aaspadam tatah tat naasti shabda abhidheyam, itarat asti
shabda abhidheyam iti arthaat uktam bhavati | This is going to be explained, what is astyaatmaka, and what is *naastyaatmaka. *Kshetrajnyaas are jeevaatmans with deha. Cf Chapter 13 of *Bhagavad *Geetha. Bhagavaan is only present as all the kshetrajnyaas. The nature of Bhagavaan is actually jnyaana roopa; though He is present in all these forms, He is present as shareeri, and the changes happen only in the shareera. Shareeri is eternal, eka roopa, and there is no change in Bhagavaan’s svaroopa, svabhaava. What we see as deva, manushya, etc., are not the nature of Bhagavaan. He is only present as everything. His svaabhaavika roopa is jnyaana only, it is not deva and manushya. Because it is so, that which is seen in *achit roopa *(non sentient form) as *deva, **manushya, shaila *(mountains), *dharaa *(earth), they are all the expressions of the aatman due to wrong understanding, what we see outward; inside the vijnyaana is eka roopa, unchanged. The chetanaas also think that ‘I am only deva’, ‘I am only manushya’, etc., they think that everything is Him, the *jnyaana eka *aakaara is svaabhaavika roopa, these are all just the understanding. Because of the karma, the chetana thinks that he only is manushya, but he is not manushya, he is jnyaana svaroopa inside; he does not understand this because of the karma. The achit vastu, non-sentient is always getting modified, undergoes change in the svaroopa itself, according to the karmaas of the kshetrajnyaas, that is why it is called by the word naasti. The other jnyaana svaroopa is told as asti shabda. What is said as asti-aatmaka and naasti-aatmaka - asti is that which exists all the time, and naasti is that which is not there or destroyed - and what is the reason why they are told like that? This is told in this shloka.
Bhagavaan is only present as all the kshetrajnya. Kshetrajnyas are embodied souls, jeevaatman having the body. Kshetra is the body, and kshetrajnya is jeevaatman. Paramaatman is present as Inner Self. He is only present as all. The kshetra is not the natural form of Paramaatman, as that is undergoing change all the time, and Bhagavaan does not undergo change like that. Because of that, these things - mountain, ocean - all are the outer expression of His vijnyaana, His jnyaana only told as His sankalpa. Because of His sankalpa, He said - Bahusyaam prajaayeya; and everything became gross like this. This is said to be vijnyaana vijhrumbitaani.
He did sankalpa, that Let Me become many; and He became many. Because of this [[201]]
reason, He is seen in all these forms. He brought this subtle state to the gross state like this. Why should He do like this? He creates all these into the gross state, He wants to give the jeevaatmans the experiences of the fruits of their karma. In order to do that, He Himself expresses in all these forms, so that jeevaatmans can get into all these, and can experience the results of their karma. And that they can also do the anusthaana of upaaya, means to emancipation, and get rid of samsaara. He gives them an opportunity to experience the fruits of the actions they have done, karmaas; and based on the karmaas of each individual, different experiences are there; those experiences happen in various kinds of bodies, and all these bodies are created because of that. This is told as kalpita, kalpanaa means srushti; this is also told in one Brahma Sutra, Kalpanopadeshaat cha. Kalpanaa is *sooryaa chandramasou dhaataa *yathaa poorvam akalpayat. Kalpanam srushtih is explained by Bhaashyakaarar.
Generally, when we translate the word kalpita, we say “imagined”. He did sankalpa; they are all true. Nothing is false in our siddhaanta; everything is true; it is not an illusion. Why is it true? It is to give a place for experience of the karmaas, fruits of the karmaas, for the jeevaatman. Paramaatman Himself has to support everything, He is supporting all the time; He brings about this change in the shareera, and then He makes jeevaatmans get into the various bodies, makes them experience the results of the karma, creation is done because of that. But, by His nature, He Himself is not the mountain, He is unaffected by any of the defects of the *shareera, *chetana or achetana. He remains in the same form all the time.
The achit vastu, which is non-sentient, is getting modified according to the karmaas of the kshetrajnya. So, it is told as the naasti shabda. It does not remain the same all the time, keeps on changing. When a person dies, that person is gone, he is naasti. Whereas he enters another body. The body merges into the five elements, pancha bhootaas. And a new body is created, and is given to the jeevaatman. Achetana is all the time undergoing change, and does not remain in the same state always. Because of this, it is said to be naasti shabda vaachya.
Jeevaatmans are called by asti shabda, because the same jeevaatman enters into another body. There is only contraction in his dharma bhoota jnyaana, but he remains constant without any change.
40
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 40:
Yadaa tu shuddham nijaroopi sarvam karmakshaye jnyaanam apaasta dosham |
Tadaa hi sankalpataroh phalaani bhavanti no vastushu vastu bhedaah || When all the karmaas end, he gets rid of all the doshaas, defects, because of which his dharma bhoota jnyaana has contracted; therefore he thinks that he himself is deva, manushya, krimi, keeta. When the karma kshaya happens, all the dosha goes. [[202]]
All the fruits in the tree of sankalpa, when they end, this kind of experience will not exist any more, is the meaning of this shloka.
When he is in the body of deva, manushya, etc., he will act according to that, again accumulate karma, and fruits, good or bad, and in order to experience, he will get another body.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Tat etat eva vivrunoti yadaa tu shuddham iti | Yadaa etat jnyaana ekaakaaram
aatmavastu devaadi aakaarena sva aatmani vaividhya anusandhaana moola
sarva karma kshayaat nirdosham parishuddham nija roopi bhavati, tadaa
devaadi aakaarena ekeekrutya aatma kalpanaa moola karma phala bhootah tat
bhoga arthaa vastushu vastu bhedaa na bhavanti - ye devaadishu vastushu
aatmatayaa abhimateshu bhogya bhootaa deva manushya shaila abdhi dharaa
aadi vastu bhedaah te moola bhoota karmasu vinashteshu na bhavanti iti, achit
vastunah kadaachitka avasthaa vishesha yogitayaa naasti shabda
abhidheyatvam itarasya sarvadaa nija siddha jnyaana ekaroopatvena asti
shabda abhidheyatvam iti arthah | When he is real jnyaana eka aakaara, shuddha. The most important attribute of aatman is that he is jnyaana eka aakaara. That is why he is addressed at many places as jnyaana itself, because it is the saara bhoota guna of jeevaatman. His *nija *roopa is that only, but because of karma, it is covered because of the avidyaa. When he gets rid of that, which is the cause of the anusandhaana that ‘I am different’, when all the defects are completely gone, he becomes pure and his original state, the various objects of experience which are here, that will not be there anymore with the karma completely gone. In order to experience the karma only, all these are there, we think that ‘We are eating food’, in the real state, all these things are not there, when he attains his real state without any karma. Because of the karma, he thinks of himself as deva, manushya, etc., he thinks of them to be enjoyable, this is addressed by the word naasti. Chetana is in its original state, which is *jnyaanaika roopa, *shuddha, denoted by the asti shabda.
We are studying Amsha 2, Chapter 12, where Paraasharar is teaching very important aspects. After having taught about the bhuvanaas, the various worlds, Paraasharar is teaching a very important concept that everything is controlled by Paramaatman, *Sri *Mahaavishnu, and that He is antaryaami of everything. He is existing as everything. All these aspects, Paraasharar is teaching here.
Jeevaatman is also jnyaana eka aakaara. Jeevaatman who is also *jnyaana eka *aakaara, being pure and untainted even in the bound state in his essential nature, but his attributive nature only changes. When he is in a body of a deva, he identifies himself with the deva, he thinks he himself is the body. But, he is not deva, he is actually a jnyaana svaroopa. He forgets this because of the contraction in attributive [[203]]
knowledge. He identifies himself with all these achetana padaarthaas. Whereas he is chetana, jnyaana avaroopi, he forgets that. This happens because of the karma that he has accumulated. He has to experience the results of that karma. When he surrenders unto the Lord, does bhakti yoga, gets rid of that karma, all these defects vanish. At that time, he is without any defect, and goes into his natural state, *nija *roopi. Identifying himself with the deva and other forms, he thinks of himself in those forms - these forms are a result of the karmaas of the jeevaatmans, and also the enjoyable things which are there - the sense objects, bhoga arthaah. When his karmaas all end, then he will not experience these forms and sense objects any more, he will never think of himself as deva, manushya, etc. All these things we see in this world, as most enjoyable, it will not be like that, because he will be in his true original state where his dharma bhoota jnyaana will be in proper original state. He will never be subjected to these limited experiences which happen here. When he was in a body like deva and others, when he thought of himself as the body, the objects of experience and enjoyment, which are nothing but *deva, manushya, shaila, *abdhi, dharaa, the various objects we see here, when the karmaas are destroyed, these kinds of experiences will not be there any more. The achit vastu, which is insentient, matter, is always taking some state or the other, undergoing change, is called by the naasti shabda. Jeevaatmans are all the time in their essential nature, jnyaana eka roopa, and because of that, they are called by the asti shabda.
41
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 41:
Vastu asti kim kutrachit aadi madhya paryanta heenam (cha sadaa eka)
satataika roopam |
Yat cha anyathaatvam dvija yaati bhooyo na tat tathaa tatra huto hi tattvam
|| The first line of this shloka is telling about jeevaatman, and the second line is telling about achetana.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Prati kshanam anyathaa bhootatayaa kaadaachitka avasthaa yoginah chit
vastunah naasti shabda abhidheyatvam eva iti aaha - vaastu asti iti | Asti
shabda abhidheyo hi aadi madhya paryanta heenah satata eka roopah
padaarthah, tasya kadaachit api naasti buddhi anarhatvaat | Achit vastu kinchit
kvachit api tathaa bhootam na drushtacharam | Tatah kim iti atra aaha - yat
cha anyathaatvam iti | Yat vastu prati kshanam anyathaatvam yaati tat
uttarottara avasthaa praaptyaa poorva poorva avasthaam jahaati iti tasya
poorva avasthasya uttara avasthaayaam na prati sandhaanam asti, atah
sarvadaa tasya naasti shabda abhidheyatvam eva | The achetana which is all the time undergoing change in its essential nature itself, is always said to be by the naasti shabda only. It is called naasti as it never exists in the same state, keeps on modifying from one state to another state. We have ice, when heated it becomes water, then it becomes steam, water is gone. This is told [[204]]
as naasti. It always exists in some other state, there is no complete destruction in its essential nature, because in some state, it is eternal. That which is called as *asti, *jeevaatman, do not have a beginning or middle or end, as they exist in the same state all the time. The essential nature of jeevaatman is identical for ever, all the time, it is always eka roopa padaartha; it is never told as naasti. Whereas the inert matter is never seen like that, not in the same state all the time. Because of this, what happens? That which is attaining different states all the time, which is undergoing changes, is it told at any time as asti? No. it is never told like that, it is always told as naasti only.
Have you seen any matter, material which can be told as not having beginning or middle or end? No, we can never see like that because they are always created, destroyed, they go to different states, they keep on changing. We can never say that they are existing forever in one state, with respect to the achetanaas, non-sentient matter.
42
***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 42:
Mahee ghatatvam ghatatah kapaalikaa kapaalikaa choorna rajah tato anuh |
Janaih sva karmastimita aatma nishchayaih aalakshyate broohi kim atra vastu
|| ***Mud which becomes a pot, pot when broken becomes kapaala, kapaalikaa when broken becomes powder, that becomes very subtle dust, then it becomes anu or atomic. It changes state like this. Kapaala is not called as ghata; ghata gets destroyed. Kapaala gets destroyed, and then it becomes choorna. Choorna is destroyed and becomes rajas. Rajas gets destroyed and goes into anu state. People who have lost the knowledge of their real self, because of their own karmaas done - how can they say that it is asti shabda? They will not say like that.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Tathaa hi upalabhyata iti aaha - mahee ghatatvam iti | Choornam sookshmam,
rajah sookshmataram, anuh sookshmatamah, sva karmanaa dev amanushyaadi
bhaavena stimita aatma nishchayaih sva bhogya bhootam achit vastu prati
kshanam anyathaa bhootam aalakshyate anubhooyate | Evam sati kimapi achit
vastu asti shabdam arham aadi madhya paryanta heenam satata eka roopam
aalakshitam asti kim ? Na hi asti iti abhipraayah | The naasti shabda, is what we see in this world. Each one is more subtle than the previous state. Because of their karma, they are identifying themselves as *deva, *manushya; so the nature of understanding their own self is obstructed. When they are finding all this matter as enjoyable, objects of enjoyment, they also see that the achit vastu is changing all the time; even though they do not have an understanding of the nature of the self; even such people do not see it as *asti shabda *vaachya. Even with people who have got limited knowledge of their self, they also see that achetana is changing all the time; so it can never be told by the asti shabda. [[205]]
There is no achetana padaartha which is changing all the time.
43
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 43:
Tasmaat na vijnyaanam rute asti kinchit kvachit kadaachit dvija vastu jaatam |
Vijnyaanam ekam nija karma bheda vibhinna chittaih bahudhaa abhyupetam || Leaving out the vijnyaana, there is nothing which is *asti shabda vaachya. Aatma *vastu is only thought of or identified with all these, but in reality it is not because of the nature of aatman, but because of the nature of achit, with which it is associated, due to the karma.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Yasmaat evam tasmaat jnyaana svaroopa aatma vyatiriktam achit vastu
kadaachit kvachit kevala asti shabda vaachyam na bhavati iti aaha tasmaat na
vijnyaanam iti | Aatmaa to sarvadaa jnyaana eka aakaaratayaa devaadi bheda
pratyaneeka svaroopo api devaadi shareera pravesha hetu bhoota sva kruta
vividha karma moola devaadi bheda bhinna aatma buddhibhih tena tena roopena
bahudhaa anusamhita iti, tat bheda anusandhaanam na aatma svaroopa
prayuktam iti aaha vijnyaanam ekam iti | Excepting the aatma vastu, which is jnyaana eka aakaara, there is nothing which is asti shabda vaachya. Leaving out the jnyaana svaroopa aatma, any achetana, material we see around here, at any point of time, and for whatever reason cannot be called by the asti shabda. Though he is of a nature very different from deva and others, the cause of taking on a body like deva, manushya, etc., are the various karmaas done himself; and the identifying with the body of deva and others, also happens due to the karma only. Always he is associated and going with those forms only, it is not because of the aatma, but because of the achetana which is naasti shabda vaachya.
Paraasharar is telling that no achetana, for whatever reason, cannot be called as *asti *shabda. Jeevaatman only is the thing which can be called as asti shabda. Even though jeevaatman is taking the form and identifying himself, it is due to the association with prakruti and not because of nature of aatman. It is not because of the nature of aatman because it is unchanging all the time, and all the time *jnyaana *eka aakaara.
44
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 44:
Jnyaanam vishuddham vimalam (cha nityam) vishokam ashesha lobhaadi nirasta
sangam |
Ekam sadaikam paramah pareshah sa vaasudevo na yato anyat asti || Aatma svaroopa is jnyaana eka aakaara, is vishuddha, karma rahita. It is not associated with all these, shoka, moha, lobha, grief, desire, greed, and all these experiences we see here.
[[206]]
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Aatma svaroopam tu vishuddham karma rahitam, tata eva vimalam mala roopa
prakruti sparsha rahitam, tatah cha tat prayukta shoka moha lobhaadi ashesha
heya guna asangi, ekam upachaya apachaya anarhataa ekam, tata eva sadaa
eka roopam; tat cha vaasudeva shareeram iti tadaatmakam, atadaatmakasya
kasyachit api abhaavaat iti aaha jnyaanam vishuddham iti | Aatma does not have all these karmaas which we do here or see here. Because of association with achetana prakruti, we are thinking that we are doing all these, but in reality that is not true. Aatma svaroopa is always very pure, karma rahita. Even in the bound state, jeevaatma svaroopa is untainted by the prakruti because it remains pure jnyaana svaroopa only even in the baddha dashaa. Only in the *dharma bhoota *jnyaana, attributive nature only, there is change. Aatma svaroopa is only one, does not undergo increase or decrease. It is always eka roopa. Jeevaatma is also Vaasudeva means that jeevaatman is Vaasudeva’s shareera, having Vaasudeva as his aatma, or Inner Self. He is Vaasudeva because there is nothing other than Him, means that he is shareera of Vaasudeva, having Paramaatman Vaasudeva as his aatma; there is nothing which does not have Vaasudeva as his *aatma. *Abrahmaatmaka vastu does not exist. All the padaarthaas are Brahmaatmaka only.
45
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 45:
Sadbhaava evam bhavato mayaa ukto jnyaanam yathaa satyam asatyam anyat |
Etat tu yat samvyavahaara bhootam tatra api choktam bhuvanaashritam te || Sadbhaava is only told to you by me. That everything is Vaasudevaatmaka, everything is Brahmaatmaka. There is nothing which does not have Vaasudeva as the aatman. Everything is His shareera, being inseparably associated with Him, supported by Him, controlled by Him. The chetana amsha, jnyaana does not undergo changes in its nature. The achetana is undergoing change every moment. ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Chit amshah sadaa eka roopatayaa sarvadaa asti shabda vaachyah | Achit
amshah tu kshana parinaamitvena sarvadaa naasha garbhamiti sarvadaa naasti
shabda abhidheyah | Evam roopam chit achit aatmakam jagat vaasudeva
shareeram tadaatmakam iti jagat yaathaatmyam samyak uktam iti aaha -
sadbhaava evam iti | “Esho bhavatah” iti paathe aarshatvaat supo lopaabhaavah
| Atra satyam asatyam iti yat asti yat naasti iti prakraantasya upasamhaarah |
Etat jnyaana ekaakaaratayaa samam, ashabda gochara svaroopa bhedam eva
achit mishram, bhuvanaashritam - deva manushya aadi roopena samyak
vyavahaara arha bhedam yat vartate tatra hetuh karma eva iti uktam it iaaha -
etat tu yat iti |*** In this embodied soul, there is a chetana amsha, and *achetana amsha. *Chetanaamsha is always eka roopa in its essential nature. He always exists. When someone dies, aatman is always existing, and takes on a different body. When body dies, it disintegrates, and various elements merge into their causes. [[207]]
Whereas jeevaatman remains in the same state, constant in his essential nature. Achit amsha is changing every moment, is called naasti shabda. This kind of world having chetanaas and achetanaas, is the shareera of Vaasudeva, supported by Him, controlled by Him, and He is master of all. Always it is having Vaasudeva as the self. That is the reality of this world, which I have explained you in detail. I have explained you in detail, very clearly, that this is the yaathaatmya of the jagat, reality, real nature of this world, which has chetana and achetana, everything having Vaasudeva as the aatman. Everything is the shareera for Vaasudeva.
Yat asti, yat naasti, whatever was told in the beginning, is being concluded here with the words satya and asatya. Asatya does not mean it is false or illusion, but that it is naasti shabda vaachya. Because the upadesha here is started with the world being Vaasudevaatmaka, by telling as asti, naasti. Whatever is started in the upakrama, beginning, is concluded here in the upasamhaara with the words satya and asatya. The aatma-aatma saamya, which is told in Geetha also, that all the aatmans are similar because all are jnyaana eka aakaara. Every aatma in every body is jnyaana eka aakaara. They are multiple individuals but are all *jnyaana eka *aakaaraas. There is no identity, but it is similarity. There are innumerable number of jeevaatmans, but all are jnyaanaikaakaaraas. Ashabda is prakruti, which is achetana, as told in the Brahma Sutras. The entire thing present in this world is mixture of chetana and achetana. In the vyavahaara, when we do our daily activities, as deva, manushya - karma only is the cause for all this.
46
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 46:
Yajnyah pashuh vahnih ashesha rutvik somah suraah svargamayah cha kaamah |
Ityaadi karmaashrita maarga drushtam bhooraadi bhogaah cha phalaani teshaam
||
***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Tat eva vivrunoti - yajnyah pashuh iti | Karma aashrita maarga drushtam
yajnya pancha aadi roopam karma eva aashrito maargah, tatra drushtam deva
manushyaadi roopam teshaam karmanaam bhooh aadi bhogaah cha phalaani | ***That only is again explained here. We have to understand as karma aashrita maarga, and *drushtam *(what is seen there) - there are two. The path of the *karmaas - *Vedaas tell about yaagaas, yajnyaas, etc. about *Jyotishtoma yaaga, Ashvamedha *Yaaga, Vaajapeya, etc. - all of them consist of a yajnya, a *pashu *(bali), vahni or *agni, *ritviks (hotru, udgaataa, adhvaryu, etc.), soma rasa, devataas associated with that who are worshipped through the yajnyaas, svarga aadi phalaas; these are all the karmaas there, the karma maarga. For those who are following the *karma *maarga, there we see the deva, manushya, these kind of forms. We see that we are worshipping a devataa, only a yajamaana is performing the yajnya, these worlds where there are enjoyments - they are the fruits of that karma.
[[208]]
After telling about asti and naasti shabda, it tells about those following the *karma *maarga. In this karma maarga, all of these are involved - *yajnya, pashu, ritwiks, *manushyaas, devataas being worshipped; and that enjoyments in the worlds are the fruits, like bhooloka, bhuvarloka, etc.
47
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 12, Shloka 47:
Yat cha etat bhuvanagatam mayaa tavoktam sarvatra vrajati hi tatra
karmavashyah |
Jnyatvaa evam (tat) dhruvam achalam sadaa ekaroopam tat kuryaat vishati hi
yena vaasudevam || Paraasharar gives an ultimate message, upadesha here. A karmavashya, who is performing only the karma maarga, offering havis through various yaagaas, and enjoying the fruits of svarga and other things found in this world, and all the worlds explained to you, *bhoo, bhuva, suva, maha, jana, tapa, satya *(in the previous chapters), and all the aavaranaas beyond that, ahamkaara, mahat, up to *avyakta *- the jeevaatmans are always traversing here, because of experiencing the fruits of karma. They cannot escape from this samsaara. They undergo this cycle of births and deaths. One has to follow that path through which he will attain Vaasudeva, and will attain eternal bliss, eka roopa, which does not change, to escape from this cycle of births and deaths. He then enjoys communion with the Lord.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Jagat yaathaatymya jnyaana prayojanam moksha upaaye yatanam iti aaha - yat
cha etat iti | Jnyaatvaa etat iti | Karma phalasya asthiratvam jnyaatvaa
dhruvam iti aahadi vaasudeva visheshanam, tat - upaasanaadi | Why should one know about the various worlds, lokaas, svargaas, narakaas, the aavaranaas, which Paraasharar explained in such detail? One should know that whoever is here, in all these worlds - they are all ending some time or the other. If one starts associating with these, and identifying with these only, he will keep on coming into the cycle of births and deaths only. Having known all these, one should put effort to escape from samsaara. This is the purpose of all of this. One has to put effort to liberate from this samsaara. Knowing that the fruits of karma are all asthira, impermanent. Vaasudeva who is *sadaa achala, sadaa ekaroopa, dhruva *- whatever is to be performed in order to attain, gain communion with Vaasudeva, then he will attain that. He will go and attain Paramaatman. Upaasanaa, prapatti, etc.
Having told about the 14 worlds, in such great detail, having told that everything is Vaasudevaatmaka, having told the chetana amsha is only nitya here, the *asti *shabda vaachya, that the essential nature of aatman is untainted, that achetana is all the time undergoing changes, that they are all created by Paramaatman in order to experience the fruits of the karma that the chetanaas have done, that the chetanaas get into that and identify themselves, that even those not having a proper knowledge see that achetana is all the time changing, realizing that [[209]]
the karmaas are giving fruits which are impermanent, short lived and meagre; one has to put effort towards the means required in order to attain unity with Paramaatman, who is eternal and ultimate bliss. This is the purpose of teaching all that.
This concludes Chapter 12. Next, he is going to talk about Bharata who actually did this, the means to attain Vaasudeva.
***|| Iti Sri Vishnu Puraane Dviteeye Amshe Dvaadasho Adhyaayah ||
|| Iti Sri Vishnu Puraana Vyaakhyaane Sri Vishnu Chitteeye Dviteeye Amshe
Dvaadasho Adhyaayah ||***
*** [[210]]
|| Atha Trayodasho Adhyaayah ||
Jadabharata Upaakhyaana***