1
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 1:
Sri Paraasharah -
Nishamya tasyeti vachah paramaarthasamanvitam |
Prashrayaa avanato bhootvaa tamaaha nrupatih dvijam ||
Sri Paraasharar - The king understood that what he is talking is about paramaartha. Listening to that, with lot of obedience and bowing down to him, the king told the Braahmana thus.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Poorvaadhyaaye dehaadi vyatirikta aatmaa iti uktam | Anantarena adhyaayena
sa eva [nityatva ananyaarthatva anoupaadhikatva aadibhih] parama
purushaartha iti uchyate - nishamya iti | Paramaartha samanvitam
paramaarthatayaa vakshyamaanena aatmanaa samanvitam tat vishayam |
In the previous chapter 13, it was told that aatma is different from body and indriyaas. In Chapter 14, which is following it, the same aatman is now said to be parama purushaartha, because he is nitya, he is not meant for enjoyment of prakruti, prakruti is meant for him, aatma is ananyaartha, aatman is not upaadhi. Body and others are not nitya. Prakruti is anyaartha. Body comes due to *upaadhi. *Jeevaatma svaroopa is nirupaadhika aananda maya, existing as it is. Because of all these differences, it is parama purushaartha, is going to be told here. Whatever aatman is told as paramaartha here, is the meaning of *paramaartha *samanvitam.
2
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 2:
Raajaa uvaacha -
Bhagavan yat tvayaa proktam paramaartham ayam vachah |
Shrute tasmin bhramanti iva manaso mama vruttayah ||
King said - Whatever you told, all the words talking about paramaartha, my mind is completely immersed in that wandering in those thoughts only.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Bhagavan iti | Paramaartham ayam aatma yaathaatmya pratipaadakatvena
parama prayojana roopam | Bhramanti parama purushaartha shushrooshayaa
paryaakulaa bhavanti |
You talked about the reality of the aatman, real characteristics of aatman; it is of [[250]]
utmost use, parama prayojana. Now, I want to listen about how it is the paramaartha; that my mind is fully anxious to know.
3
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 3:
Etat viveka vijnyaanam yat ashesheshu jantushu |
Bhavataa darshitam vipra tat param prakruteh mahat ||
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Uktam anuvadan evam prashamsati etat iti | Yat cha prakruteh viveka
vijnyaanam asti tat viveka vijnyaanam yat etat ashesha jantushu anuvruttam |
Viveka vijnyaanam aatma tattvam, tat prakruteh param - vilakshanam mahat
cha |
Whatever was told, he is repeating and praising that. Whatever is the *viveka *vijnyaana, you told, from prakruti, differentiating the knowledge of the special characteristics of aatman, which distinguishes it from prakruti, that knowledge; and that which is present in all the beings. Viveka vijnyana means the aatman, which is different and superior to the prakruti.
4
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 4:
Na aham vahaami shibikaam shibikaa na mayi sthitaa |
Shareeram anyat asmatto yena iyam shibikaa dhrutaa ||
I am not carrying the palanquin, and palanquin is not standing on me. Body is different from me, and body is carrying the palanquin, and I am not carrying.
5
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 5:
Gunapravruttyaa bhootaanaam pravruttih karma choditaa |
Pravartante gunaa hi ete kim mama iti tvayaa uditam ||
The various actions and activities of the beings, it is all because of the karma; it happens because of the influence of gunaas, sattva, rajas, tamas, which are gunaas of prakruti, all the time having influence on the jeevaatman. This association with prakruti has come because of karma. And this is what is making him do various things he is doing here, engaged in so many activities here. Qualities of prakruti, sattva, rajas, tamas only are actually responsible for that, and they are only doing all these; it is not mine.
6
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 6:
Etasmin paramaarthajnya mama shrotra patham gate |
Mano vihvalataameti paramaarthitaam gatam ||
This paramaartha when I heard from you, whatever words you said, O great Brahmin who knows the reality, the ultimate goal which is to be known, when I listen to that, in order to know that parama prayojana, I am really happy and satisfied. I feel that I have listened to what one ought to listen.
[[251]]
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Etasmin iti | * Aatmaa shuddho akshara iti vachanaat | Paramaartha arthitaam
gatam parama prayojana shravanena arthitaam gatam |
‘Paramaarthaarthataam gatam’ iti cha paathah |
What was told earlier that aatmaa shuddhah, aksharah, etc., whatever words you said about the paramaartha.
7
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 7:
Poorvam eva mahaabhaagam kapila rishim aham dvija |
Prashtum abhyudyato gatvaa shreyah kim nu atra shamsa me ||
Earlier itself, in order to enquire about all these, I wanted to go and attain this knowledge from Kapila Rishi, who is a great sage. And I wanted to ask him what is shreyas, good to me.
8
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 8:
Tat antare cha bhavataa yat etat vaakyam eeritam |
Tena eva paramaarthaartham tvayi chetah pradhaavati ||
In between, on the way when I was going, you told all these words, and by this itself, I am very eager to understand what is the paramaartha now.
9
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 9:
Kapila rishih bhagavatah sarva bhootasya vai kila |
Vishnoh amsho jaganmohanaashaaya urveem upaagatah ||
Kapila Rishi is Vishnu’s amsha only, and in order to dispel the illusion or moha, wrong understanding and knowledge, which is existing on this earth, he has come here as the very amsha of Vishnu.
10
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 10:
Sa eva bhagavaan noonam asmaakam hitakaamyayaa |
Pratyakshataam atra gato yathaa etat bhavataa uchyate ||
Based on what you are telling me, I now thing that that Kapila Rishi only has come in front of me in your form. In order to do good to all of us. That he has come directly in front of me here. I think so, because of whatever you told.
*Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
**
**Sa eva iti | Yathaa etat iti | Etat aatma tattvam paramaarthaarthataam gatam
|
Because of the aatma tattva which you are talking about here.
11
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 11:
Tanmahyam pranataaya tvam yat shreyah paramam dvija |
Tatvat aakhila vijnyaana jala veechi udadheeh bhavaan ||
Again, he asks about that shreyas, what is that shreyas. Please do instruct me on that. [[252]]
You are an ocean of that knowledge. (Just as an ocean has water, tides, etc., you are an embodiment of that knowledge with all the specific aspects).
12
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 12:
Braahmana uvaacha -
Bhoopa prucchasi kim shreyah paramaartham nu prucchasi |
Shreyaamsi aparamaarthaarthaani asheshaani cha bhoopate ||
The Braahmana replies - You wanted to know about shreyas earlier also, you wanted to go to Kapila Rishi, in order to know what is shreyas. Now, you are talking about paramaartha. What is it that you are asking - is it shreyas or paramaartha? All the shreyas that is seen here, is all aparamaartha only, and not paramaartha.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Shreyah kim iti nrupena poorvam uktatvaat, shreyah paramaarthayoh atyanta
vailakshanyaat tayoh katarat prucchasi iti vikalpayati - bhoopate |
Aparamaarthaarthaani aparamaartha vastooni; aarshatvaat artha shabdasya
napumsakatvam |
There is a great difference between what is shreyas and what is paramaartha. In this context, shreyas is all loukika, that which is other than moksha. What is taught here is aatma jnyaana. Other than aatma jnyaana, all others are told as shreyas here. Aatma jnyaana is told as paramaartha here. Among them, which one are you asking, is what he asks. All the objects of enjoyment seen here are all* aparamaartha*.
13
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 13:
Devataaraadhanam krutvaa dhanasampadam icchati |
Putraan icchati raajyam cha shreyah tat praapti lakshanam ||
One by one, he talks about shreyas. And then differentiates it from paramaartha. By worshipping all the gods like Indra, Varuna, Agni, through yajnya, yaaga, they want lot of wealth. Or they want children, or kingdom. These are all said to be shreyas.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Dhanaadi yogaantam uttarottara utkrushtam shreyas saptakam darshayati
devataa iti tribhih | Devataaraadhanam iti | Tat praapti lakshanam teshaam
dhana aadeenaam praapti-roopam |
Starting with wealth, each one is little better than the other, each one is relatively better than the other. Dhana, putra, raajya, … - seven kinds of shreyas are told here, by these three shlokaas. One is devataaraadhana. What is attained from devataaraadhana is the dhana, putra, raajya, etc.
14
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 14:
Karma yajnyaatmakam shreyah svarloka phaladaayi yat |
Shreyah pradhaanam cha phale tat eva anabhisamhite ||
[[253]]
The various yajnya yaagaas which are done, various karmaas, are also shreyas, after which they go and attain the svarga lokaas and enjoy there. The karma which is of the form of yajnya and others, which gives fruits of svarga and others, is also shreyas only. When these karmaas are done without desire in fruit, that is also primary shreyas, it is said.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Karma iti | Phale anabhisamhite sati, tat eva karma mukhyam shreyah |
This karma being done, becomes more important than the earlier ones.
15
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 15:
Aatmaa dhyeyah tadaa bhoopa yoga yuktaih tathaa param |
Shreyah tasya eva samyogah shreyo yat paramaatmanaa ||
Those who are engaged in yoga, they meditate on the aatman, they do dhyaana. Doing dhyaana, meditation, is shreyas.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Aatmaa iti | Aatmaa dhyeya iti shreyah - tat dhyaanam shreyah iti arthah |
Tasya eva jeevasya eva paramaatmanaa samyoga aikyam | Shreyo yat
paramaatmane iti cha paathah |
When the jeevaatman becomes united with Paramaatman, that is also shreyas.
16
In further shlokaas, all these are talked about and it is told why these are shreyas, and nor paramaartha.
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 16:
Shreyaamsi evam anekaani shatasho atha sahasrashah |
Santi atra paramaarthastu na tu ete shrooyataam cha me ||
Like this, there are many things which are said to be shreyas here. Hundreds and thousands of things which are called shreyas. None of these are paramaartha, I will tell you what is paramaartha.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Shreyaamsi iti | Anekaani shaastra uktaani sva utprekshitaani cha | Atra - loke |
Ete - padaarthaah, na paramaarthaah, na parama prayojanam | Paramaarthah
tu me - mattah shrayataam |
All are vaidika, told in the shaastra. What I have told here, and there are many others also. All these are not parama prayojana. Listen to me what is paramaartha. I will teach you.
17
He is going to talk about why each one is not paramaartha. Each one is told as shreyas only. First, he tells about why money is not shreyas.
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 17:
Dharmaaya tyajyate kim nu paramaartho dhanam yadi | [[254]]
Vyayah cha kriyate kasmaat kaama praapti upalakshanah ||
In order to do dharma, money is given up, they engage in dharma. One renounces the wealth, and also spends a lot of money for dharma. If something is spent or given up, that cannot be paramaartha. This is only for attaining some desire.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Dhanaadeenaam shreyastvam kramena niraakaroti - dharmaaya ityaadi | Kaama
praapti upaaya lakshanah kaama praapti hetuh | Dhanam dharma kaamaartham
tyaajyatvaat na svayam purushaarthah | Yat artham sarvam yat cha na
anyaartham sah paramaarthah; sa aatmaa eva iti bhaavah; * Aatmanah tu
kaamaay sarvam priyah bhavati iti shruteh |
One by one, in order, that all these are not shreyas, are established in these shlokaas. In order to attain certain desires, money is spent. That which is spent, or given up or renounced, cannot be paramaartha. Dharma and kaama among the purushaarthaas, and dhana is spent. By itself, dhana is not purushaartha. That for the sake of which everything is meant, that which is not meant for others, that is what can be paramaartha. Everything is to serve the purpose of that, and that is not meant for others; that is paramaartha. The meaning is that aatma is only paramaartha. This is also told in Bruhadaaranyaka Upanishad that everything happens and exists as per the sankalpa of the aatman only. Everything is meant for attaining the aatman, and aatman is not meant for others. That is how it is paramaartha.
18
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 18:
Putrah chet paramaarthah syaat so api anyasya nareshvara |
Paramaarthabhootah so anyasya paramaartho hi tat pitaa ||
If you say that putra is paramaartha, that is also meant for someone else. For a father, putra is paramaartha, but for a putra, his putra becomes paramaartha.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Putrah chet iti | So api anyasya - sva pituh; paramaarthah | Tat pitaa cha
anyasya sva pituh paramaarthah | Evam putrasya pitrarthatvaat jagati na
paramaartho asti | Etat upapaadayati evam na paramaartho asti iti |
Son is paramaartha for a father. The father is paramaartha for his father. Like this, if son is meant for father, that way, it is not paramaartha.
19
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 19:
Evam na paramaartho asti jagati asmin chara achare |
Paramaartho hi kaaryaani kaaranaanaam asheshatah ||
In this world having movables and immovables, these are all not *paramaartha. *Kaaryaas are all paramaartha with respect to the kaarana only.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Asheshena putra aadi kaaryaani kaaranaanaam hi - janakaanaam paramaarthah; [[255]]
tasmaat na paramaarthah | Ananya artho hi paramaarthah |
Son is paramartha for father. Father is kaarana, son is kaarya. So, it is not absolute paramaartha, but only relative with respect to the father. Paramaartha is ananyaartha.
20
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 20:
Raajyaadi praaptih atra uktaa paramaarthatayaa yadi |
Paramaarthaa bhavanti atra na bhavanti cha vai tatah ||
If you say raajya, getting kingdom, expanding kingdom are all paramaartha, it will also not become paramaartha,
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Raajyaadi praaptih iti | Raajyaadi praaptih paramaartho yadi, tatah - tarhi
atra - loke, raajyaadayah paramaarthaa bhavanti, na bhavanti cha - nashyanti
cha | Katham asthiraa raajyaadayah paramaartha iti bhaavah | Etat
asthiratvam putraadishu api samaanam |
One day you have a vast kingdom, on the next day, someone will come and conquer your kingdom; so you have no more your kingdom. It is not permanent. So, it cannot be paramaartha. They are all not permanent, it is the same way with putra, and others.
21
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 21:
Rig yajus saama nishpaadyam yajnya karma matam tava |
Paramaartha bhootam tatra api shrooyataam gadato mama ||
If you think that yajnya and other karmaas, which are basically done with *Rig, Yajus, *Saama and other *Veda mantraas *- if you think that that is paramaartha, even with respect to that, listen to me, I will tell you why that is also not paramaartha.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Dharmasya nashvaratvam anumaanena darshayati - rig ityaadinaa |
From these three shlokaas, it is told that dharma is also nashvara. So, it is also not purushaartha.
22
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 22:
Yat tu nishpaadyate kaaryam mrudaa kaarana bhootayaa |
Tat kaarana anugamanaat jnyaayate nrupa mrunmayam ||
Whatever is created, the effect, kaarya pot and others, from mud which is the cause, that is known only because kaarana is continuing in that. Lump of mud became pot, but we identify that also as mud only. Everything is *mrunmaya, Mruttiketi eva *satyam, says Upanishad. From mud whatever is made is mrunmaya, everything is mrunmaya. Mrut is continuing everywhere. Kaarana is continuing there.
23
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 23: [[256]]
Evam vinaashibhih dravyaih samit aajya kusha aadibhih |
Nishpaadyate kriyaa yaa tu saa bhavitree vinaashinee ||
And that mrunmaya, whatever pot is created from mrut, which is told as mrunmaya, the mud got destroyed and pot came. When the pot got destroyed, kapaala comes. Kapaala is also mrunmaya, but the previous state is destroyed. It is vinaashi because it is created from a vinaashi dravya only. It is not avinaashi, as it undergoes changes in its essential nature itself. Similarly, yajnya is also like that. Yajnya is performed with samit, darbhaa, and ghee and other aajyaas. All those are vinaashi dravyaas, which get destroyed, and keep undergoing changes, in their essential nature itself. Yajnya which is an outcome of using all these things is also not permanent. Once the yajnya is completed, it is also over. The set of acts, the yajnya, which is performed with all these ingredients, that also has to get destroyed sometime; it will get ended sometime, and there will be no yajnya afterwards; so it is also temporary only.
24
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 24:
Anaashee paramaarthah cha praajnyaih abhyupagamyate |
Tat tu naashi na sandeho naashi dravya upapaaditam ||
That which does not get destroyed, is only paramaartha is what all the knowledgeable ones are agreeing on. What is obtained from a naashi dravya, material itself undergoing change or getting destroyed, that again cannot be permanent, and that also is naashi only, gets destroyed, keeps changing its state, undergoes modifications.
25
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 25:
Tat eva aphaladam karma paramaartho matah tava |
Mukti saadhana bhootatvaat paramaartho na saadhanam ||
Next, the aphaladam karma, karma done with *anabhisamhita phala, phala abhisandhi *rahita karma, without desire in phala, in the fruits, the karma which is done, if you think that is paramaartha, it is only saadhanaa for mukti. Saadhanaa itself cannot be paramaartha. Means itself cannot become the saadhana, because it is the means to attain moksha.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Tat eva iti | Tat eva - yajnya karma eva | Chet na iti adhyaahaarah | Na hi
paramaartho anyasya saadhanam |
Paramaartha cannot be the means for attaining something else.
Dhana, putra, raajya, karma obtained from rig-yajus-saama, and also karmaas done using the naashi dravyaas, are all not permanent. Only avinaashi is *paramaartha. *Paramaartha is not anyaartha, it is ananyaartha. Aparamaartha is all *anyaartha. *Phala abhisamhita rahita karma is also not paramaartha, because saadhanaa is not paramaartha.
[[257]]
Dhyaana is told, and couple of more things will be told. Then it will be told as to what is paramaartha, in the next few shlokaas.
We are at the end of Amsha 2, Chapter 14, where the Mahaa yogi Bharata is teaching Souveera Raaja, what is aatma jnyaana and what is paramaartha. He shows how money and other things are not paramaartha, because they get spent, and how the kingdom and other things are also not paramaartha. They are all not permanent. Also the yajnya karma is also not paramaartha, because yajnya karma is performed with materials which themselves get destroyed - they are all naashi dravyas, like samit, kusha, etc. Something obtained from naashi dravyaas cannot be permanent - so it is also not paramaartha. If karmaas are done without desire in fruits, phala anabhisamhita karma, that is also not paramaartha because that is paramparayaa saadhana to moksha. That which is saadhana is not paramaartha.
26
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 26:
Dhyaanam naiva aatmano bhoopa paramaartha artha shabditam |
Bhedakaari parebhyah tu paramaartho na bhedavaan ||
Aatma dhyaana is said to be paramaartha artha.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Dhyaanam iti | Paramaartha artha shabditam dhyaanam na parama prayojana
bhoota vastu shabda vaachyam | Yatah tat parebhyo ghataadibhyo bhedam
karoti iti bhedakaari, vishada vishatara aadi avasthaabhedam svasya karoti |
Na evam avasthaa bhedena vaishamyam paramaarthasya | Yat vaa, bhedakaari
- smruti pratyayatvena kshana bhanguratvaat | Na tu paramaartho bhangurah |
Aatma dhyaana is not the parama prayojana bhoota vastu. It differentiates from ghata and other things - the aatma dhyaana, and that is one reason why it is not paramaartha. It creates different kinds of experiences, like vivid, more vivid, most vivid, like this - there are avasthaa bhedaas, which are not there in the paramaartha. Paramaartha cannot have these kinds of differences in experience. There is one more explanation given - dhyaana is nothing but *anusmruti, *smruti after smruti, continuous remembrance of the object of meditation; every instant it is a separate remembrance; so instant after instant, without any break in between and without any other thought coming in between, one has to meditate upon the object of meditation. Because it has to be meditated upon every instant, it stays for one kshana, and then another kshana - paramaartha cannot be like that.
27
The next one is a very important shloka, which is quoted in many places.
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 27:
Paramaatmaatmaatmano yogah paramaartha iti eeshyate |
Mithyaa etat anyat dravyam hi na eti tat dravyataam yatah ||
Yoga means sambandha, in this case, it means aikya, because the second part of the shloka says mithyaa etat. What is false, mithya is the paramaatma-aatma aikya, identity. If you like to think that aikya of paramaatma and aatma is aikya, then that is not true, it is false, because such a thing cannot happen at all. Because [[258]] one dravya cannot become another dravya.
This is also told by Sri Nammaalvaar in *Tiruvaimoli, Koodaamaiyai koodinaalum *aduvum aduve iduvum iduve; even if Paramaatman and jeevaatman go and merge, Paramaatman remains Paramaatman only, and jeevaatman remains jeevaatman only. There is so much difference and distinction between them that one cannot become the other. The second reason is that there is no svaroopa naasha in any of these. Kaarya is avasthaantaraapatti, even kaarya merges into kaarana. For achetana, there is svaroopa vikaara, but there is no svaroopa naasha. For chetanaas, there is no vikaara in svaroopa also. So, Paramaatman and jeevaatman cannot become united where jeevaatman loses its svaroopa itself.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Paramaatma iti | Ishyate yadi iti sheshah | Yogah taadaatymyam, anyathaa
uttara ardheh na asangate | Etat aikyam mithyaa; tatra hetuh anyat iti |
Poorveshu dhana aadishu nashvaratva aadi; yoge tu svaroopa abhaavah |
Yoga is oneness or identity, which is used by other systems of philosophy, as aikya. The taadaatymya what we say is oneness, ekee bhaava, it is not svaroopa aikya, but ekee bhaava. This is told even in pralaya. Otherwise, it will not be proper with the second part of this shloka, which says mithyaa etat. Aikya is mithyaa. The earlier things which were told - dhana, yajnya karma, etc. are all nashvara, impermanent; they don’t remain forever and get destroyed. Whereas here, in *aatma paramaatma *yoga, what is meant is that if it means aikya, then that would be *svaroopa *naasha itself. That cannot be paramaartha, and it is not true at all, because it is mithyaa.
28
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 28:
Tasmaat shreyaamsi asheshaani nrupa etaani na samshayah |
Paramaarthah tu bhoopaala sankshepaat shrooyataam mama ||
Now, he is concluding all the things which he said - which is not paramaartha, and which is paramaartha. Yogi Bharata is telling what is paramaartha. O King, all these things are called shreyas, there is no doubt. But they are not paramaartha. Listen to me about paramaartha, I will tell you.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Upasamharati tasmaat iti | Etaani dhana aadeeni shreyaamsi eva na tu
paramaarthah | Paramaarthah tu shrooyataam |
Dhana, and others are all shreyas, but are not paramaartha.
29
From here, he starts to tell about what is paramaartha, and aatma svaroopa.
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 29:
Eko vyaapee samah shuddho nirgunah prakrute parah |
Janma vruddhi aadi rahitah aatmaa sarvagato avyayah ||
These are all the attributes of aatman told here. Explained below.
[[259]]
Atman is one and not like body which has many forms into which it grows. ’ *Diha *upachaye’ is the root for the word deha, that which grows. And there are so many ’ aneka’ parts of deha while Atman is one, Ekah.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Paramaartham aah - eka iti | Ekah - dehavat na anekah upachaya roopah |
Eka means not like deha. Deha undergoes baalya avasthaa, youvana avasthaa, jaraa, etc., it keeps on changing, there is growth, there is deterioration; whereas paramaartha, which is jeevaatman is not like that; it is eka, remains the same all the time.
Like the body, he does not have many states, like increasing, decreasing, etc. Upachaya means growth.
Vyaapee - jnyaanena sarva vyaapana svabhaavah |
He is vyaapee, means that he can pervade everywhere, through his *dharma bhoota *jnyaana.
Deva manushyaadeenaam vishameshu deheshu sthito api samah - parasparam
cha samah |
He is sama, though he is present in various kinds of bodies which are all very different from each other - one is very big, one is small, they have different characteristics, deva, manushya, pashu, pakshi, praani, but in every body, he is similar; all the aatmans have the same attributes, same svaroopa; they are similar mutually also, all are jnyaana aakaaraas only.
Shuddhah - svato nirmalah | Nirgunah - sattva aadi rahitah | Tatra hetuh -
prakruteh parah - janma aadi shat bhaava vikaara rahitah |
He is shuddha, in his real state, he does not have any defects, but due to karma, he has got caught in this samsaara. He is nirguna, means he does not have the qualities of prakruti, which are sattva, rajas, tamas; he is superior to prakruti; and he also does not have *asti, jaayate, vardhate, viparinamate, apaksheeyate, nashyati *- the six bhaava vikaaraas, he does not have all these bhaava vikaaraas of *prakruti. Shat *bhaava means different kinds of characteristics.
He is bereft of janma, vruddhi, parinaama, apakshaya, naasha, which are all for the body only; it is not there for the jeevaatman.
Aatmaa - chetanah |
Aatma means that it is chetana, which is jnyaana aashrayatva, he is aashraya to jnyaana.
Sarva gatah - naashakaanaam agni jala aadeenaam soukshmyena vyaapakah |
Sarva gata means that even agni, jala, etc, which are all sookshma, they destroy other things by entering inside, being sookshma, but he is more sookshma than that; he can pervade even them. [[260]]
Ato daaha aadi rahitah |
He does not have daaha and others things; he does not get burnt, as he can enter into agni also.
Avyayah - avikalah |
He is niravayavi, partless.
These are some of the characteristics of the aatman told.
30
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 30:
Parajnyaanamayo asadbhih naama jaati aadibhih vibhuh |
Na yogavaan na yukto abhoot naiva paarthiva yokshyate ||
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Parajnyaana maya iti | Parajnyaana mayah - prakrushta jnyaana svaroopah |
Paramajnyaana mayah iti cha paathah | Para shabdena vishaya jnyaanam
vyaavartyate |
He is jnyaana svaroopa. He has superior knowledge, and not the vishaya jnyaana, not the knowledge about sense objects.
Sukha samvit svaroopa iti arthah |
He is jnyaana aananda svaroopa.
Asadbhih - vinaashibhih deva aadi naama roopaih kaala traye api ayuktah |
Asad means those which get destroyed, naama jaati, etc. name, class, etc. He never gets associated with that. He was never connected earlier also, and in future also, he will not be associated with jaati, naama, etc. No connection with jaati, naama, in past, present, future.
Vibhuh - deha indriyaanaam svamee; svatah svaraat iti vaa |
Vibhu means he is the Lord of body and indriyaas. He is svaraat, means when he gets karma svaatantrya, he gets released from the bondage of *karma *- he is said to be sva svaraat bhavati.
31
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 31:
Tasya aatma paradeheshu sato api ekamayam hi yat |
Vijnyaanam paramaartho asou dvaitino atathyadarshinah ||
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Evam eko vyaapee ityaadinaa aatma svaroopam uktam |
By the words eka, vyaapee, etc. the aatma svaroopa was told.
Idaaneam tasya deva aadi roopeshu aatma paradeheshu sato api eka prakaaram
yat vijnyaanam vijnyaana roopam asou paramaartha iti aaha - tasya iti |
After telling about aatma svaroopa, though he exists in his own body, and other [[261]]
bodies, when he is present in deha, indriya, and other bodies, of oneself and others, he is always of the same prakaara, jnyaana svaroopa only, this is the paramaartha, reality of the aatman.
Deva aadi deheshu sthitasya aatmanah tat roopena bhinnatva prateetih
bhraantih iti aaha - dvaitena iti |
Those who see as different, that the aatman in one body is very different from the aatman in another body, in svaroopa also, if he understands like that, that is not correct, not real. Those who see differences or duality in aatmaas, that is not real.
32
This is an often quoted shloka, and is explained in detail in Sri Bhaashya.
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 32:
Venu randhra vibhedena bhedah shadja aadi sanjnitah |
Abheda vyaapino vaayoh tathaa asya paramaatmanah ||
How it is the same jnyaana aakaara in all the bodies, is explained with an example. A flute has many holes, and when the wind is blown, the air goes through each one, and when different holes are covered, different sounds are produced, like *Sa Ri Ga Ma …, *Shadja, Daivata, Madhyama, Panchama, etc., with different combinations of the holes. But the same air passes through all of them. When it passes through different holes, it takes different svaraas. This way, they are all different, and the air particles which go through each one are also different. They are all independent, but are all air only. They are identified as shadja, etc. when they pass through these holes. But by nature, everything is air only.
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Aatmano hi svaroopena parasparam bhinnaah, na tu deva aadi roopena, teshaam
atadroopatvasya uktatvaat |
This is the background which we have to understand before we read this *shloka. *Jeevaatmans are many, and are different in svaroopa. There is a jeevaatman in one body, and is another jeevaatman in another body. They are not different because of the form of the appearance, deva, manushya, etc., but they are jnyaana aakaaraas.
Kechit atra aatmanaam svaroopena bhedo nishidyata iti aahuh; tat ayuktam | *
Tasya aatma paradeheshu, * Tatra tvam aham api atra, * Aham tvam cha tathaa
anye cha, * Tvam cha anye cha iti aadi aatma bahutva pratipaadaka
bahuvachana virodhaat, shruti smruti sootra nyaaya virodhaat cha |
Some say that there is no bheda in svaroopa also, meaning that there is only one single aatma in all the bodies, that there are not multiple *aatmaas *- that is not true. It is told in Shrutis that *Nityo nityaanaam chetanah chetanaanaam eko bahoonaam yo *vidhadhaati kaamaan, this shows multiplicity of aatmans. This is told in the shlokaas here itself - You are there in that body, and I am here; Myself, you and others also; meaning that each individual self exists separately, is different; there are many individual selves, but all are of the same nature. If we say that aatman is only one, in all the bodies, and that there are not multiple aatmans, if the *aatma *bahutva is not told, it is opposed to what was taught here itself in so many shlokaas, which are telling about aatma bahutva. It is also against Shruti, Smruti, Nyaaya, etc. [[262]]
Yadi deva aadi roopena aatmanaam na bhedah, katham tarhi devo ayam,
manushyo ayam iti vaishamyena vyavahaara upapadyate? Tatra aaha - venu
randhra iti |
If there is no difference, bheda in the form of deva, manushya, etc. how can we even say that this is deva, this is namushya, etc.? Then everyone should be addressed in the same way. How can we address different individuals differently? This is answered in this shloka.
Yathaa venoh aneka randhra vartinaam vaayu amshaanaam vaayutvena eka
aakaaraanaam randhra bheda vinishkramana kruta shadja aadi sanjnyaa
bhedah; evam aatmanaam jnyaana eka aakaaraanaam deva aadi deha pravesha
aakruto deva aadi vyavahaarah, na tu taadroopya krutah |
The vaayu amshaas, which are there in various holes, which are all of the same nature as they are all vaayu only, they go through different randhraas, which cause one to be Shadja, another to be Madhyama, another to be Daivata, the difference exists. In the same way, the aatmaas, are of the same nature of jnyaana, consciousness, enter into the body of deva, manushya, etc., and one is called deva, another is called manushya, etc. The aatman itself does not become of the form of the body. The aatman itself does not change the svaroopa, it is eka svaroopa.
Abheda vyaapinah abhedena vaayutva aakaarena vyaapinah |
Without any difference, in the same form as vaayu, it is pervading everywhere.
Atra paramaatma shabdena aatmaa eva uchyate, * Paramaatmaa iti cha api ukto
dehe asmin purushah parah; * Taih eva vigatah shuddhah paramaatmaa
nigadyate, ityaadi darshanaat |
The word Paramaatman is used here. The meaning of Paramaatman is aatman only here. Because of the context, and it is aatma jnyaana which is being taught. An example is given about how the jeevaatman existing in this body is told as Paramaatman. Another reference where jeevaatman is told by the name Paramaatman is given.
33
Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 14, Shloka 33:
Eka svaroopa bhedah cha baahya karma vruti prajah |
Deva aadi bhede apadhvaste na asti eva aavarane hi sah ||
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Uktam artham vivrunvan upasamharati eka svaroopa iti |
Again explaining whatever was taught so far, he is concluding the teaching here.
Eka svaroopa bhedah - * Tasya aatma paradeheshu sato api ekamayam hi yat |
Vijnyaanam paramaartho asou * iti ukta jnyaana eka svaroopasya aatmano
bhedah deva aadi roopah, baahya karma vruti prajah - baahya karma aavarana
jaatah |
Jeevaatmans who are of the same svaroopa as jnyaana aakaara, the bheda seen, the [[263]]
difference as deva, manushya, etc., is meant here. The differences of the form of deva, manushya, etc., of the jeevaatmans, who are of the same nature, *jnyaana *aakaara, is because of the karma, as told here. Though he is existing in his body and other bodies, he is of the same nature everywhere. He is fully made of consciousness. Because he is covered by the karma, external karma, his nature is covered. So, he is not realizing his nature. Prajah means prakarshena jaayate. The baahya karma is covering it.
Phala abhisandhi yuktam bhagavati asamarpitam cha baahya karma, aatmanah
svaroopa bahirbhootam vaa, yathaa vakshyati * Avidyaa karma sanjnyaa anyaa
… tayaa tirohitatvaat cha shaktih kshetra samjnyitaa | Sarva bhooteshu
bhoopaala taaratamyena vartate || iti |
Baahya karma is that karma done with desire in the fruits, and that which is not surrendered into Paramaatman. One wants to enjoy oneself. He thinks that he is only the enjoyer of the fruits, that he is only doing the karma, and he has desire in the fruits. When one does such a karma, it is called baahya karma. It is outside *aatman’s *svaroopa. Aatma svaroopa is not like that. Aatma svaroopa is bhagavat sheshabhoota, that he cannot independently do anything; by nature, he is utterly subservient to Paramaatman, and he has to do all kinds of service to Paramaatman at every stage; this is his very nature. Whereas if one thinks that he is doing the various karmaas, does with a desire in fruits, thinking of himself as the enjoyer, this is baahya karma. In reality, the pradhaana phali is Paramaatman only for all the karmaas. Because of that wrong understanding and performing karmaas in that manner, this difference of deva, manushya, is coming. Aatmaas are all of the same nature, jnyaana aakaaraas. Karma is making them to get these kind of bodies, and experience the fruits. Sri Engal Aalwaan gives pramaanaas, which will come later.
Avidyaa is also called karma. Chetana and achetanaas are the shaktis of Paramaatman, and avidyaa is also one shakti, called karma. Because he is covered by that, by which the shakti called kshetrajnya is covered by the shakti called avidyaa, called karma; in all the beings, there is a pramaana which says that dharma bhoota jnyaana undergoes sankocha vikaasa. In our siddhaanta, it is well established that dharma bhoota jnyaana undergoes *sankocha vikaasa; *samsaara comes because it has become sankuchita. For this, there is a pramaana in Vishnu Puraana, which will come. In all beings, there are differences, various degrees. For those who have not much sankocha, they will be in *punya *janmaas. For those who have very much contracted dharma bhoota jnyaana, they will be born as pashus, pakshis, keeta, vruksha, etc. This is the difference for the bodies they take.
Deva aadi bhedah cha ayam yugapat anekeshaam ekasya cha kaala bhedena
apadhvaste aavarane - karma aavarane, sa deva aadi bhedo na bhavati |
These differences seen in the bodies of deva, manushya, etc. - for many of them, when it gets destroyed, over a period of time, the karma which is covering, that aavarana will not be there any more. That cover will not be there. It can be a difference in time, or it can be the same time for many of them. Moksha has got a [[264]]
beginning, aadi, but it does not have an end. For karma, aadi is not there, but anta is there.
Deva aadi bheda apadhvasta it cha paathah | Yathaa aaha shounakah *
Karminaam karmabhedena deva bhedaadayo yatah || Karmakshayaat
asheshaanaam bhedaanaam samkshayah tatah || iti |
Because of the difference in karma, various karmaas that the individual does, they take various births. When the karmaas get destroyed, all the differences will go. In their svaroopa, they will be jnyaana eka aakaara. And all the individual selves for whom the karma gets destroyed, they will get liberated.
This is the nature of jeevaatman taught in all these shlokaas.
This completes Chapter Fourteen.
|| Iti Sri Vishnu Puraane Dviteeye Amshe Chaturdasho Adhyaayah ||* **|| Iti Sri Vishnu Puraana Vyaakhyaane Vishnu Chitteeye Dviteeye Amshe Chaturdasho Adhyaayah ||
- [[265]]
|| Atha Panchadasho Adhyaayah ||
Rubhu-Nidaagha Samvaada** *
Now, Chapter Fifteen.