पुराणे विश्वासटिप्पन्यः

1

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 1:
Sri Paraasharah -
Ityukte mouninam bhooyah chintayaanam maheepatim |
Prati uvaacha atha vipro asou advaita antargataam kathaam || *Sri Paraasharar *- When he was taught all these things by Mahaayogi Bharata, the King Souveera Mahaaraaja started to think about the aatma svaroopa, the paramaartha which was told, what was not paramaartha, etc., he went into deep thinking. And again, he told Bharata. There is a story which is also teaching a similar thing, where aatma svaroopa is being taught. That story he started to recite.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Ityukta iti | Iti ukte - evam aatmano vaishamya abhaava ukte | Kshut pipaasa
aadi dharmakatva bhraantyaa aatmano dvaitam chintayaanam mouninam
vaachaa achodayantam maheepatim abhipraayajnyo viprah chitvastu vaishamya
abhaava vishayaam kathaam uvaacha | In this way, it was told that the aatmans are all of the same nature; that the essential nature of all aatmans is the same. When he was still thinking, still not very clear; that the body appearance is one thing - the deva, manushya, etc., but how about hunger, thirst, etc. he started to think about them. Is hunger, thirst real, not real, is it in aatma svaroopa, or not, is it due to karma, etc., he started to think. The difference can still exist because things like thirst, hunger, are different for different people. It is something other than the form of the body which is seen. The king was silent thinking about this. The Braahmana knew what the king was thinking. He then started to tell him a story about this, to clear those doubts. That there is no difference in the chit vastu, all are jnyaana eka aakaaraas only. With respect to this, he started to tell one more story. In which thirst, hunger are all addressed.

2

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 2:
Braahmanah -
Shrooyataam nrupa shaardoola yat geetam rubhunaa puraa |
Avabodham janayataa nidaaghasya mahaatmanah || *Braahmana *- O King, listen to this story of Rubhu and Nidaagha, whatever Rubhu taught to Nidaagha, in order to enlighten him, with proper knowledge. Nidaagha also was a great person, yogi. In order to enlighten him with proper knowledge, Rubhu taught him. I will tell you that.

3

***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 3: [[266]]
Rubhuh naama abhavat putro brahmanah parameshthinah |
Vijnyaata tattva sadbhaavo nisargaat eva bhoopate || Chaturmukha Brahma had a son called Rubhu. By nature itself, he had *tattva *jnyaana, the knowledge of the realities.

4

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 4:
Tasya shishyo nidaagho abhoot pulastya tanayah puraa |
Praadaat ashesha vijnyaanam sa tasmai parayaa mudaa || He had a student by name Nidaagha, who was Pulastya Brahma’s son. To that Nidaagha, he gave all his knowledge, very happily.

5

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 5:
Avaapta jnyaana tantrasya na tasya advaita vaasanaam |
Sa rubhuh tarkayaamaasa nidaaghasya nareshvara || Rubhu after teaching everything to Nidaagha, started to argue to himself that still his advaita vaasanaa is not gone.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Avaapta iti | Jnyaana tantram adhyaatma shaastram | Advaita vaasanaa na iti
tarkayaamaasa | Na tasya advaita vaasanaam iti cha paathah | The shaastra which is teaching about aatman. Advaita vaasanaa is not there. *Advaita *vaasanaa means that they are all of the same nature. That he has still not understood that all aatmans are of the same jnyaana svaroopa.

6

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 6:
Devikaayaah tate veera nagaram naama vai puram |
Samruddham ati ramyam cha pulastyena niveshitam || On the banks of the river Devikaa, there was a city called Veera Nagara. It had all the wealth, and it was a very beautiful place. Pulastya had built that city.

7

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 7:
Ramya upavana paryante sa tasmin paarthiva uttama |
Nidaagho naama yogajnyah rubho shishyo avasat puraa || Rubhu shishya Nidaagha, was living there, near the forest, a beautiful forest. He was a yogi.

8

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 8:
Divye varsha sahasre tu samateete asya tat puram |
Jagaama sa rubhuh shishyam nidaagham avalokakah || One thousand Divya varshaas, the years of the Devaas, passed. At that time, Rubhu again wanted to see Nidaagha. He came there in order to see him, at Veera Nagara.

***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Divye varsha iti | Avalokakah - avalokayitum | ***

[[267]]
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9

**SrI VishNu PurANam (Vol. 2) *****Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 9:
Sa tasya vaishva deva ante dvaaraalokana gochare |
Sthitah tena gruheetaardhyo nija veshma praveshitah || ***When Nidaagha who was a yogajnya, was performing his nitya karma anushthaana, after performing Vaishva Deva yaaga, he came to the door, and at the door, saw that Rubhu was standing there. He offered him arghya, and took him inside his house.

10

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 10:
Prakshaalita anghri paanim cha kruta aasana parigraham |
Uvaacha sa dvija shreshtho bhujyataam iti saadaram || He gives him paadya, and cleans his feet, and gives him a set to be seated. With great respect, he told him O great Brahmin, and does atithi satkaara. He tells him - Please partake food in our house.

Nidaagha does not recognize Rubhu.

11

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 11:
Rubhuh -
Bho vipravarya bhoktavyam yat annam bhavato gruhe |
Tat kathyataam kadanneshu na preetih satatam mama || *Rubhu *- O great Brahmin, tell me what is there to eat in your house? It is not like ordinary food. I want something special.

12

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 12:
Nidaaghah -
Saktu yaavaka vatyaanaam apoopaanaam cha me gruhe |
Yat rochate dvija shreshtha tat tvam bhunkshva yathaa icchayaa || Saktu is rice flour mixed with jaggery, which stays for many days. Yaavaka is made of wheat. Vaatya is barley and others. Apoopa is rice cake. Nidaagha says that these are all there in the house. Whatever you like, you can take as much as you like.

13

***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 13:
Rubhu -
Kadannaani dvija etaani mrushtam annam prayaccha me |
Samyaava paayasaadeeni drapsa phaanitavanti cha || ****Rubhu *- These are all ordinary food items, I don’t want all these things. Give me delicious savouries.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Kadannaani iti | Mrushtam - ruchyam madhuram vaa | Samyaavah -
yavagodhooma vikaaro rajju roopo bhakshyah | Drapsam dadhidhanetarat |
Phaanitam vikruta goudaani | Mrushtam means that which is sweet, and tasty. Samyaavah is wheat flour and others, and a couple of flours which are mixed, which is like a rope, like chakli, murukku, etc. Drapsam is curd which is not very thick, like buttermilk. Paanitam is special dishes made of jaggery. I want all these delicacies, good sweets, paayasa, etc. [[268]]

14

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 14:
Nidaaghah -
He he shaalini mat gehe yat kinchit ati shobhanam |
Bhakshya upasaadhanam mrushtam tena asya annam prasaadaya || Nidaagha addresses his wife - Whatever is there which is very tasty, and very special in our house, and the various items which are used to make special delicacies, prepare something out of these, and offer to this atithi. ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
He he shaalini iti | Shaalaa - gruham, tadvati, gruhinee iti arthah |***

15

***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 15:
Braahmanah -
Iti uktaa tena saa patnee mrushtam annam dvijasya yat |
Prasaaditavatee tat vai bhartuh vachana gouravaat || ****Braahmana Bharata *- Having told like this, listening to her husband’s words, she prepares really good food, delicacies. And offers to the atithi.

16

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 16:
Tam bhuktavantam icchaato mrushtam annam mahaamunim |
Nidaaghah praaha bhoopaala prashrayaa avanatasthitah || Once he took the special delicacies which were offered to him, that Muni Rubhu, addressed Nidaagha, with great respect and love.

17

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 17:
Nidaagha -
Api te paramaa truptih utpannaa tushtih eva cha |
Api te maanasam svastham aahaarena krutam dvija || *Nidaagha *- O Brahmin, were you satisfied, happy with what you had? With what was offered? Is your mind pleased with the food which was offered to you?

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Api iti | Truptih - kshut pipaasa aadi nivruttih, tushtih - alam buddhih, manasah
kshobha abhaavah svaasthyam | Api te manasah svaasthyam iti cha paathah | This is the doubt which Souveera Mahaaraaja had, sensing which Bharata is narrating this story. Trupti is thirst and hunger. Tushti is sufficiency, was it enough in quantity, was it enough to quench your hunger, thirst. Are you happy in your mind also?

18

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 18:
Kvanivaaso bhavaan vipra kva cha gantum samudyatah |
Aagamyate cha bhavataa yatah tat cha dvija uchyataam || Now, Nidaagha asks Rubhu - Where do you live? O Brahmin, where is your place of living? Where are you going from here? From where are you coming? Please do tell me all that.* [[269]]
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Kva iti | Kva nivaasa iti bahuvreehih | Yatra saayamgruha itivat | Kva nivaasah is addressed to *Rubhu *- which is your place of living. Travellers travelling from place to place taking a long journey, at the end of the day, they go and stay in some place. They start their journey the next day, and again at the end of the day, they stay in some place. This is called Saayamgruhaa gatih. Are you passing through this place like that?

Further Rubhu starts to teach the aatma svaroopa. These are similar to what Souveera Mahaaraaja asks Bharata.* *

We are at the end of Amsha 2, Chapter 15, where the story of Sri Bharata, the great yogi is reciting the story of Rubhu and Nidaagha, to Souveera Mahaaraaja. Rubhu comes to teach the paramaartha to his shishya Nidaagha, who, he thought had not really attained that true knowledge. And seeing a Brahmin come to his house, after finishing Vaishvedeva, Nidaagha invites him and offers him food. Rubhu says that he wants really good savouries, mrushtaanna, and do not want ordinary food, “I don’t want amrushtaanna”. As per his wish, Nidaagha’s wife prepares all the good food, and they serve him. After that, Nidaagha asks his *atithi Rubhu *-

17

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 17:
Nidaagha -
Api te paramaa truptih utpannaa tushtih eva cha |
Api te maanasam svastham aahaarena krutam dvija || *Nidaagha *- O Brahmin, were you satisfied, was that enough for you? Was it sufficient for you? Are you pleased in your mind?

18

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 18:
Kvanivaaso bhavaan vipra kva cha gantum samudyatah |
Aagamyate cha bhavataa yatah tat cha dvija uchyataam ||*** Where are you staying? Where are you coming from, and where are you proceeding from here?

***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Kva iti | Kva nivaasa iti bahuvreehih | Yatra saayamgruha itivat | ***The travellers stay every evening in one place, and continue the journey from there the next day. [[270]]

19

***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 19:
Rubhuh -
Kshudyasya tasya bhukte anne truptih braahmana jaayate |
Na me kshut abhavat truptim kasmaat maam dvija prucchasi || ****Rubhu *- O Brahmin, one who is hungry, if he eats, has food, then he will be satisfied. I never had hunger. So why are you asking me whether my hunger was satisfied? I never had hunger in the first place.

20

***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 20:
Vanhinaa paarthive dhaatou kshapite kshut samudbhavah |
Bhavati ambhasi cha ksheene nrunaam trut api jaayate || ***The paarthiva dhaatu which is there in the body, if that is digested or reduced by means of the jaatharaagni, the fire in the stomach, then only one feels hunger. When the water component in the body is dried up, they feel thirst.

21

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 21:
Kshut trushne deha dharmaakhye na mama ete yato dvija |
(Tatah kshut sambhava abhaavat truptih asti eva me sadaa | )
Tatah kshut sambhavaat truptih api na asti eva me sadaa || Hunger and thirst are known as the qualities of the deha. I do not have these. So, there is no possibility of me getting hunger. So I am always satisfied. The other paatha is - Because they are deha dharmaas, and because of that only, the hunger comes, for me there is no satisfaction also, and there is no hunger also. Meaning that hunger happens to the body only.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Kshut trushne iti | Bubhukshaa pipaasayoh icchaatvena antahkarana dharmatve
api deha dharmatva aakhyaa dehastha dhaatu kshayatvaat oupachaarikee | *
Ashanaaya pipaase praanasya shoka mohou manasah * iti shrutou praana
dharmatva uktih cha praanasya antahkarana kriyaa shaktitvena tat abhedaat |
Trupti grahanam tu tushti aadeh upa lakshanam | Hunger and thirst are basically desires and they are the dharma of the antahkarana or mind. They are told to be qualities of the body, because the dhaatus which are there in the body, when that gets reduced, or is absent, then this happens. So, this is only upachaara, just told like that. It is because of the dhaatus in the deha that this happens, though it is a quality of the mind. It is an icchaa of the mind. *Icchaa, *dvesha happen to the mind. The Shruti says that hunger and thirst are for praana, and grief and moha belong to the mind. The shruti vaakya says that hunger and thirst are not for deha, but for praana. Jaraa and mrutyu are deha dharmaas. So, this is basically a kriyaa shakti of manas only, the antahkarana only. Trupti is upalakshana to tushti.

[[271]]
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**SrI VishNu PurANam (Vol. 2) **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 22:
Manasah svasthataa tushtih chitta dharmou imou dvija |
Chetaso yasya tat pruccha pumaan ebhih na yujyate || Trupti and tushti of the mind, is all the dharma of the chitta, so go and ask that mind. All these three - trupti, tushti, svasthataa, all belong to the mind. So, go and ask the mind, why are you asking me? The aatman does not come into contact with this.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Manasa iti | Etat dharma trayam me sadaa asti iti upachaarah | Vastutah tu
manasa eva svasthataadayo dharmaah | Tasmaat yasya chetasa ime dharmaah
tat chetah imaan cheto dharmaan pruccha | For me, all these dharmaas are oupachaarika vrutti, secondary sense only.

23

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 23:
Kva nivaasah tava iti uktam kva gantaasi cha yat tvayaa |
Kutah cha aagamyate tatra tritaye api nibodha me || You also asked me - “Where do you live?” and “Where are you going?” and also “Where are you coming from?” For all these, listen to me what is the reality.

24

Here, he teaches how aatman is different from the body, and how these don’t belong to the aatman. Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 24:
Pumaan sarvagato vyaapee aakaashavat ayam yatah |
Kutah kutra kva gantaa aaseet etat api arthavat katham || Jeevaatman is all pervading. He is present everywhere. Just like the aakaasha. Because he travels everywhere, is present everywhere, is all pervading, how can you ask me - “Where are you going”, “Where are you coming from”.

Sarvagata and vyaapee is told for jeevaatman. How can it be told for jeevaatman who is anu? This needs explanation. ***
Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Pumaan iti | Na atra pumso gaganavat parama mahatvena gamana aadi
nishidhyate, tathaa sati sarvagata vyaapi padayoh pounarukhtyaat |*** Aakaasha is said to be parama mahat, is present everywhere. Because of that, it does not have gamana, movement. Just like aakaasha, aatman is not meant to be told here as parama mahat. That is why gamana is not there - this is not the reason. If that had been the case, sarvagata and vyaapee would not be proper - it would have been punarukti, which is not generally done when svaroopa lakshana is told.

Paramaanu is the most minute thing, and parama mahat is the biggest thing. Aakaasha is parama mahat. [[272]]

Gamana, aagamana is not there, not because jeevaatman is *parama *mahat like aakaasha.

Poorvatra gamana anumatyaa parimitatva abhyupagamaat, sootra virodhaat
cha na para mahatvam aatmanah | Earlier, gamama was told, and it is also accepted that he is any svaroopa, very subtle. In Sutra also, it is told that " Naanuh atat shruteh iti". Poorva paksha says that aatman is not anu. Shruti says " Na cha aananytyaaya kalpate". When the jeevaatman svaroopa is being told, sootra virodha will happen if that had been the case.

Shruti tells clearly about jeevaatman that gamana, aagamana, are very clearly told. And aatman’s characteristics are told in the Second Adhyaaya, Third Paada. It is clearly established that aatman is anu svaroopa.

It is also told *Vaalaagra shata bhaagasya shatadhaa kalpitasya cha | **Bhaago jeevasya vijnyeyah … *The same Shruti also says " Sa cha aanantyaaya kalpate". Aanantya is through his dharma bhoota jnyaana, and not in svaroopa.

So, there will be virodha with Shruti and Sootra if that is accepted - that it is *parama *mahat. So, we have to understand that though it is said as aakaashavat, it is not because he is parama mahat. Other sutraas said - Upaadaanaat vihaaropadeshaat cha, he moves around in the body. When he leaves this body also, he goes in *Archiraadi *maarga, and reaches *Paramaatman - all these are clearly told in the Sutras. So Sutra virodha will also happen if it is told that aatman is parama mahat. So, that is not the meaning here. ***
Ayam arthah - sarvagatah - sarvatra deva aadi dehe avasthitah ayam aatmaa,
vyaapee niravayavatvena ati sookshmatvaat sarva achetana vyaapana sheelah | This is the correct meaning. That he can enter into any body, anywhere in the Prakruti mandala. There are innumerable, ananta koti jeevaas in the *Prakruti *mandala. They are all in different bodies. So he can be anywhere in any body. This is the meaning of sarvagata. He is present in deva, manushya, krimi, keeta. Vyaapee means that is niravayavi, part-less, he is extremely subtle in proportion. He can pervade all the achetanaas, however sookshma the achetana is.

Atah asya niravayavasya amoortasya cha aakaashaadivat ati soukshmymatvaat
svato gamana aagamane na bhavatah | Amoorta means that he cannot be perceived by our maamsa chakshus. And he is part-less. Aakaasha is also very subtle. By himself, he cannot move and come. Means that [[273]]
he always needs a shareera for movement.

Yathaa iha sarvagataanaam amoortaanaam jaati guna aadeenaam svatah kriyaa
naasti, kintu aashraya dvaaraa deshaantara praaptih | Jaati, guna, are also present everywhere - *deva, manushya, pashu, pakshi *- so many jaatis are there in all the beings. We see jaati, guna everywhere. They are all amoorta. Jaati cannot move. We cannot separate guna from dravya in which it is residing. Through the object in which it is residing, movement happens for *jaati, *guna. Like this, through the object in which it is residing.

Evam amoortasya aatmano api deha dvaaraa deshaantara praaptih, yathaa
savaahanasya pangoh | In the same way, aatman also is amoorta, like a lame person who sits on a vehicle and moves. Just like this, the jeevaatman also needs an aashraya for movement. He has deha as aashraya. When he dies, he takes sookshma shareera from body to body. Even when he goes to moksha, there is sookshma shareera. Due to the power of upaasanaa or prapatti, he gets a special sookshma shareera using which he goes in archiraadi maarga. So, he needs a deha for aashraya for movement. ***
Yathaa uktam poorvatra * Aham tvam cha tathaa anye cha bhooteruhyaama
paarthiva | * Upabhoga nimittam cha sarvatra gamana kriyaa | * Upabhoga
nimittam cha deshaat deshaantara aagamah * ityaadi |*** It was told earlier in this Vishnu Puraana itself. Bharata told this to the *Souveera *Raaja in the beginning, when Souveera Raaja said that “You are carrying my palanquin, and I am being carried”, that “You and I are all being carried by the pancha bhootaas”. The same questions - “Where are you coming from”, “Where are you going”, were asked by Souveera Raja to Bharata also. He had said that a person moved everywhere in order to experience the results of one’s karma only. Bhoga is karma phala anubhava. This is the reason why jeevaatman moves around in different dehaas; for every karma, the phala is very well decided that in this particular deha, in this particular place, desha, in this particular time, kaala, he will be experiencing this. This is very well decided. In order to experience that, he takes a particular body, goes to a particular place, at a particular time, and experiences the results of karmaas. One moves around from place to place to experience the karma phala.

Evam poorva apara virodhaat ayam eva arthah | Asya tava etat vachah katham
arthavat iti anvayah | So, in order that there is no contradiction between what was taught earlier and what is taught now, this is how the meaning has to be understood. Because of this, how can you ask “Where are you coming from?” , “Where are you going?”, etc. Because he can be present in anybody, anywhere, and is all pervading. He resides in a body and can move around anywhere. He is very sookshma, can enter into the [[274]]
minutest achetana also.

25

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 25:
So aham gantaa na cha agantaa na eka desha niketanah |
Tvam cha anye cha na cha tvam cha na anye na eva aham api aham || I am not going anywhere, I did not come from anywhere. I don’t have a home in one place. You, me and others and all these are like that only.

***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Atah svato me gamana aadi na sambhavati, deha eva gamana aadi kartaa iti
abhipraayena aaha so aham iti | Yathaa aham na gamana aadi kartaa evam
tvam cha anye cha aatmanah | Nanu asti hi aham gacchaami iti pratyayah, tatra
aaha na cha tvam iti | Yah tvayaa gamana aadi kartrutvena abhimato deho na
sa tvam | Evam uttarayoh | ***So, by myself, I cannot move everywhere. I take resort in a body and move around. Body is moving, and I am not actually moving. I am residing in the body. Just as I am not the doer of this coming, going, etc., in the same way, you and other individual selves are also like that only. One cannot say that “I am going”, you also cannot say like that, and others also cannot say like that. What you meant about the movement, coming, going, etc. - you meant the aatman itself in your question, but that is not the truth, not reality. You meant the body, when you said “Where did you come from”. This applies to you also. He explains the aatma svaroopa and answers like this.

26

***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 26:
Mrushtam na mrushtam iti eshaa jijnyaasaa me krutaa tava |
Kim vakshyasi iti tatra api shrooyataam dvija sattama || ***Your wanting to know whether I like it or not. I told you that I want mrushtaanna, and not amrushtaanna. You want to know how did I say that. Rubhu is telling to *Nidaagha *- You ask a question about mrushta, amrushta, how Can I say that? Let me explain.

*Jnyaatum icchaa jijnyaasaa. *

***Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Mrushtam iti | Mrushtam na amrushtam iti cha paathah
| Mrushtam me deyam na amrushtam iti mayaa abhihite mrushta amrushta
aadi bhedah svaabhaavikah iti vaa, atha oupaadhika iti kim uttaram ayam
vakshyati iti tava jijnyaasaa krutaa, na tu tayoh svaabhaavikatva adheeya iti
arthah | Tatra api - mrushta amrutha vishaye, shrooyataam -
asvaabhaavikatvam iti bhaavah | ***After he gives mrushtaanna, he says that I never had hunger. I did not get satisfied, trupti is not there for me. He gives the answer that he is always satisfied. I asked you in the beginning to give me mrushtaanna, and not amrushtaanna. The [[275]]
quality of the food - is it mrushtaanna, or amrushtaanna, is it natural to that? Or is because of some upaadhi, adjunct? If I ask this question, what will Rubhu answer? is what perhaps you are wanting to know. Not because it is svaabhaavika. There also, listen to me means that it is not svaabhaavika. It is not natural.

27

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 27:
Kimasvaadu athavaa mrushtam bhunjato asti dvijottama |
Mrushtam eva yathaa amrushtam tat eva udvega kaarakam ||

28

***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 28:
Amrushtam jaayate mrushtam mrushtaat udvijate janah |
Aadi madhya avasaaneshu kim annam ruchikaarakam || ***Amrushaanna becomes mrushta, and with mrushtaanna itself, people are troubled. In this journey where the jeevaatman does not have any of these things, which is the anna which is tasty to the aatman? This is told here.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Tat eva aaha - kimasvaadu iti | Kimasvaadvatha iti | Bhunjaanasya kim annam
niyamenaasvaadu athavaa kimannam mrushtam? Na kim api iti bhaavah | Tat
eva upapaadayati mrushtam eva iti | Amrushtam eva yadaa yato mrushtam, tat
mrushtam eva cha udvegakaarakam | Amrushtam iti ekasya ubhaya roopatvam
asvaabhaavikatve hetuh | One who eats - is something very good, or something not good? Does something exist like that? Whatever is mrushtaanna, the most enjoyable food, tasty food - that itself will be not enjoyable in some other time, to the same person. So, mrushtaanna itself can cause trouble to him. So, it is not natural to the food itself.

For one who eats, is a food which he does not like, all the time like that? Or is some food, which is enjoyable, always tasty, all the time like that? There is nothing like that, is the meaning. When amrushtaanna itself becomes mrushtaanna, food which is disliked at some time, itself becomes very tasty, and tasty food itself causes one to be troubled at some other time, and they don’t like it, it is said that it is not svaabhaavika, not natural to the food itself. One itself is mrushta, it itself is amrushta, it has got both applicable to the same food. This is why we can infer clearly that it is not natural to the food itself. ***
Tathaa ahi kshudhi satyaam amrushtam kulmaashaadikam, mrushtam ruchyam
jaayate | Kshut abhaave mrushtaat samyaava paayasaadeh api udvijate |*** When one is very hungry, even very bad food also will be very tasty. It will feel like mrushtaanna. When one is not at all hungry, even if one is given the most tasty paayasam, and all the delicacies, it will not be liked, and he will just reject it.

***Ato bhoktuh avasthaa vashaat annaadeh ruchyatva aruchyatve niyate, ato [[276]]
mrushta amruthsa bhedo na svaabhaavika iti bhaavah | Because of the various states of the person who is eating, when the food becomes tasty or not tasty, this is not natural to the food itself. Because it is not always like that.

29

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 29:
Mrunmayam hi gruham yadvat mrudaa liptam sthiram bhavet |
Paarthivo ayam tathaa dehah paarthivaih paramaanubhih || The house, which is made of mud, which is smeared all through with mud, becomes steady, and stands firm. It is all paarthiva only. In the same way, deha is also made up of paramaanus, paarthiva, it is also bhoutika.

30

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 30:
Yava godhooma mudgaadi ghrutam tailam payo dadhi |
Gudam phalaadeeni tathaa paarthivaah paramaanavah || All are avasthaa visheshaas of pruthivi only, they are all paarthiva. All are made up of atoms or paramaanu, of panchabhoota. Ghee, milk, oil, curd, wheat, jaggery, fruits, are all made of pancha bhoota, pruthivi. They are all variations or modifications of pruthivi only.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Tarhi taadruk annam kim tvayaa bhuktam iti aashankya karmaaneetena taadruk
annena taadruk deha eva sthairyaartham lipyate na aatmaa iti aaha -
mrunmayam iti | Because of karma only, that kind of body comes into contact with that kind of a food. In that kind of body, that kind of aatman has to eat that kind of food, is all because of the karma only. This is being explained, and it is not really connected with aatman, is told here. ***
Yava iti | Bhuktasya yavaadi annasya sthoolo amsho mala mootra bhooto
nirgacchati; sookshmaamsho maamsa aadi dhaatuh syaat; sookshamataro manah
poshaka iti dyotayitum paramaanu shabdah | Yathaa cchaandogye *
Annamashitam tredhaa vidheeyate ityaadi |*** All the food that is eaten has three aspects, three parts. One is the thick part, fatty part, the sthoola amsha. Then is the medium the sookshma amsha. And the *sookshma *tara, the very subtle part of it. The fatty part of the food is sent out of the body through excreta. The sookshma amsha, subtle part of it goes into muscle, maamsa. The most sookshma, most subtle part nurtures the mind. So, food has an effect on the mind, it is told. This is told in the Upanishads very clearly. In order to show that, paramaanu shabda is used here.

31

***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 31:
Tat etat bhavataa jnyaatvaa mrushta amrushta vichaari yat | [[277]]
Tat manah samataa aalambi kaaryam saamyam hi muktaye || Do ponder over mrushta, amrushta, whatever I said. Knowing the reality, your mind has to have a samatva buddhi, that they are all deha dharmaas, they are not svaabhaavika for the food. All this happens to a particular person because of the karma, and aatman is not really associated with all these things. Because of the karma, because of the upaadhi that he has got a body, that he is enjoying, doing all these things, but they are not in reality the karmaas of the aatman.

In all the bodies, it is in the same way. All the jeevaatmans in all the bodies are similar. Knowing all these is samatva. That will lead you to moksha.

The *saamya, samatvam yoga uchyate *- is told in Geetha.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Upasamharati tat etat iti | Etat - aatmano deha vyatiriktatva aadikam uktam
artha jaatam, jnyaatvaa | Mrushta amrushta vichaari iti upalakshanam |
Mrushtam idam amrushtam idam, devo aham manushyah aham ityaadi karma
kruta bheda avalambi yat manah tat aatmanaam jnyaana eka aakaaratvena
samatvaalambi kaaryam | Anusamhitam hi saamyam muktaye bhavati | He concludes with this. Whatever is explained, all this, that he is different and distinct from the body, knowing that, … all these are because of karma. But, when the mind thinks that they are all aatma dharmaas, then that is not correct; that bheda is not there. All these bheda that “I am deva”, “I am manushya”, “this is mrushta”, “this is amrushta” is not there; all the aatmans are of the same essential nature as jnyaana, that is what one has to understand, and experience. When one starts experiencing that, that will lead one to moksha, is told. ***

32

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 32:
Braahmanah -
Iti aakarnya vacah tasya paramaartha aashritam nrupa |
Pranipatya mahaabhaago nidaagho vaakyam abraveet ||*** Bharata tells - Having heard all about this paramaartha, Nidaagha pays obeisance and says -

33

***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 33:
Praseeda mat hitaarthaaya katthyataam kah tvam aagatah |
Nashto mohah tava aakarnya vachaamsi etaani me dvija || ***O Brahmin, please do now tell me who are you really (whether you are my aachaarya). Be pleased with me, and for my good, whatever you told, please reveal your identity. My wrong knowledge is all destroyed. Having listened to your upadesha.

34

***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 34: [[278]]
***Rubhuh -
Rubhuh asmi tava aachaaryah prajnyaa daanaaya te dvija |
Iha aagato aham yaasyaami paramaarthah tava uditah || ****Rubhu *- In order to enlighten you, I came. I am your acharya Rubhu. I came here all the way to teach you this paramaartha. I am going back

35

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 35:
Evam ekam idam viddhi na bhedi sakalam jagat |
Vaasudeva abhidheyasya svaroopam paramaatmanah || In this way, know that everything is one. There is no difference, no bheda in this entire world. These are all svaroopa of Vaasudeva, who is the Paramaatman.

Vishnu Puraana, right from the beginning is telling about srushti, who did it, and these things - from Vishnu only. It was told that everything is Vaasudevaatmaka, Bhagavadaatmaka, in all the prakaranaas. This na bheda, which is told here is not svaroopa aikya, this is explained clearly below. Words advaita, or abheda do not mean that it is svaroopa aikya.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:
Uktam artham spashtayati - evam iti | Evam ukta prakaarena idam - aatma
svaroopam jnyaana eka aakaaratvena ekam samam viddhi | Na bhedi deva aadi
bheda rahitam | Kshut pipaasa aadi rahitam cha viddhi | In the way I explained all these things, this *aatma svaroopa *- are all of the same nature of Jnyaana, that is why it was told as one, they are all similar. They do not have the differences of the form of deva, manushya, pashu, pakshi. Also, know that the aatmans do not have thirst or hunger.

Anyat cha veditavyam asti | Chetana achetanaatmakam sakalam jagat
vaasudevasya - * sarvatra * Vaasanaat vaasudevasya vaasitam te jagat trayam
| Sarva bhoota nivaaso asi vaasudeva namostu te || iti evam vaasanaat
vaasudeva pada abhidheyasya paramaatmanah svaroopam - shareeram viddhi |
* Parasya braahmano roopam purushah prathamam dvija * Taani sarvaani tat
vapuh * Tat sarvam vai hareh astu * Yasya aatmaa shareeram * ityaadi | Atra
aatma svaroopa niroopana prakaara nigamane * Tanmamah samataa aalambi
kaaryam saamyam hi muktaye * iti vachanaat * Evam ekam idam viddhi
ityaadishu aatmagatam uktam ekatvam jnyaana eka aakaaratayaa samatvam
eva, na tu svaroopam aikyam iti avagantavyam | Chit achit aatmakasya jagatah
vaasudeva shareeratva vachanaat aatma paramaatmanah cha abhedo
maharsheh na abhipretah iti anusandheyam | There is also something more which you have to know. All this world made of sentients and non-sentients, Vaasudeva is told. Vaasudeva is present everywhere, He is living in all three worlds. He is having every being as His place of residence. Because He lives everywhere, He is called Vaasudeva. Svaroopa is His *shareera. *[[279]]
Shareera, roopa, vapu, tanu, are told. It is clearly told that aatma is also shareera to Him. These are all told very clearly in the Shrutis. Aatma svaroopa is being explained here. The concluding part of the aatma svaroopa, that mind which thinks that all aatmans are equal or similar, that they are all jnyaana eka aakaara, all are similar in nature, they only will lead one to moksha. Whole world is the shareera of Vaasudeva, Paramaatman, that also you have to understand as - the ekatva which is told with respect to aatman, is *jnyaana eka aakaaratayaa *samatvam eva; is the similarity or equality of all being jnyaana eka aakaara. It is not svaroopa aikya. This world which is made up of chit and achit, sentient and non-sentient beings, are all shareera of Vaasudeva; it was also told that one dravya cannot become another dravya; so it cannot be svaroopa aikya, then svaroopa naasha would happen which is not possible. Because of this, the whole world is taken as shareera, as told in Antaryaami Braahmana, in Bruhadaaranyakopanishad in much detail. The whole world is told as shareera of Vaasudeva; aatma and Paramaatman are one, is not the abhipraaya of Maharshi Paraasharar here; so aikya is not meant here.

There is jeeva - Paramaatma saamya, because both are *jnyaana svaroopa. *Jeevaatman is anu, Paramaatman is vibhu, in svaroopa itself. Jeevaatman is anu in svaroopa, but he can be present everywhere, in every body, in every achetana, so he is told to be sarvagata. He can pervade everything, can be moving around everywhere. Through dharma bhoota jnyaana, in moksha, he is all-pervading, aanantyaaya kalpate. So, it is not *svaroopa *aikya between aatma and *Paramaatman. Aatma-aatma saamya, aatma-Paramaatma *saamya are told in Bhagavad Gita also. Every aatman is of the same nature as *jnyaana *eka aakaara. So, it is not identity, it is similarity. The shareera vaachi shabdaas also denote the shareeri. So, " aham" can go up to shareeri also. So, any name told can also go up to Paramaatman. So, every name, and every form - there is a jeevaatman and Paramaatman also. He is antaryaami, present as aatman in everything. So, all names and forms can also denote Paramaatman in the ultimate analysis, aparyavasaana vrutti.

Chetana achetana aatmaka jagat is Paramaatman’s shareera, Vaasudeva shareera. It is not told that aatman and Paramaatman are one.

36

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 2, Chapter 15, Shloka 36:
Braahmanah -
Tathaa iti uktvaa nidaaghena pranipaata purassaram |
Poojitah parayaa bhaktyaa icchaatah prayayaavrubhuh || Braahmana - Bharata concludes the reciting of this story to Souveera Mahaaraaja. Nidaagha does namaskaara and worships him with great devotion, and Rubhu gives him all the aasheervaadaas. Rubhu went away after having taught him the knowledge. [[280]]

***|| Iti Sri Vishnu Puraane Dviteeye Amshe Panchadasho Adhyaayah ||

|| Iti Sri Vishnu Puraana Vyaakhyaane Vishnu Chitteeye Dviteeye
Amshe Panchadasho Adhyaayah ||** *

We have one more Chapter left in this Amsha. In Chapter 15, Mahaayogi Bharata was reciting the story of Rubhu and Nidaagha to Souveera Mahaaraaja, and he teaches him that aatma jnyaana and then leaves that place. After that, again, he comes, visits after a long time, and this is continued in Chapter 16.

*** [[281]]

|| Atha Shodasho Adhyaayah ||
Rubhu-Nidaagha Samvaada***

Now, Chapter 16.