Sutra 12
visesanac ca
visesanat—because of distinctive qualities; ca—also. Also because of the differences between them.
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
In this section of Katha Upanisad the jiva and the Supreme Personality of Godhead are carefully distinguished, the jiva described as the meditater and the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the object of meditation. Thus is Katha Upanisad 1.2.12 quoted above they are carefully distinguished: one as the
meditater and the other as the object of meditation. In Katha Upanisad 1.3.1 in the words chaya-tapau (shade and light) they are again distinguished: one being all-knowing and the other having only a small sphere of knowledge. Katha Upanisad 1.3.9 explains:
vijnana-sarathir yas tu
manah-pragrahavan narah so 'dhvanah param apnoti tad visnoh paramam Padam
"A person who has transcendental knowledge as his charioteer and who carefully holds the reins of the mind reaches the end of the path: the transcendental realm of Lord Visnu."
In these words they are again distinguished: one being the goal to be attained and the other the person who attains the goal.
Adhikarana 4
The Person in the Eye is the Supreme Personality of Godhead
Introduction by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana Visaya: Chandogya Upanisad4.15.1-2 says:
ya eso 'ntar-aksini puruso drsyate sa esa atmeti hovaca. etad amrtam ayam etad brahma tad yad yad asmin sarpir vodakam va sincati vartmani eva gacchati. etam sampad-dhama ity acaksate etam hi sarvani kamany abhisamyanti
"He said: He who is seen in the eye is the atma. He is immortal, He is nectar. He is the greatest. Because He is present neither water nor liquid butter will stay on the eye, but both will slide from it. He is the abode of all opulences. For one who sees Him all desires are at once fulfilled."
Samsaya: Is this person a reflection, a demigod, the jiva, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead?
Purvapaksa: It may be the first, for the observer sees himself reflected in another's eye. It may be the second because Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad(5.5.2) says: rasmibhir eso 'sminpratisthitah (With the rays of sunlight the sun-god enters the eye). It may be the third because a person sees with his eyes, so he may also be the person in the eye. In this way the person in the eye is one of these three. Siddhanta: The conclusion follows.
Sutra 13
antara upapatteh
antarah—the person within; upapatteh—because of reason. The person in (the eye is the Supreme Personality of Godhead) because (that conclusion is dictated) by reason.
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The person in the eye is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Why? The sutra says upapatteh (because that conclusion is dictated by reason). This is so because of the proof given (in the quote from the Chandogya Upanisad) in the description of the qualities beginning with being the Supreme Self(atma), immortality (amrta), being the greatest (brahma), being untouched by material things, and being the abode of all opulences (sampad-dhama). (These qualities can properly be attributed only to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.)
Sutra 14
sthanadi-vyapadesac ca
sthana—the place; adi—beginning with; vyapadesat—because of the statement. ca—also. And also because of the teaching (in the scriptures that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is present) in this place and in other places as well.
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
That the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the controller who resides with the eye is described in Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad(3.7.18):
yas caksusi tisthams caksuso 'ntaro yam caksur na veda yasya caksur sariram yas caksur antaro yam ayaty esa ta atmantaryamy amrtah
"He who stays in the eye, who is within, whom the eye does not know, who is the ultimate proprietor of the eye and the body, and who, residing within, controls the eye, is the immortal Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead who resides in the heart."
Sutra 15
sukha-visistabhidhanad eva
sukha—by happiness; visista—distinguished; abhidhanat—because of the description; eva—
indeed.
Also because He is described as (full of) bliss. Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
This sutra refers to Chandogya Upanisad (4.10.5), which says: prano brahma kam brahma kham brahma (the Supreme Personality of Godhead is life. the Supreme Personality of Godhead is bliss. the Supreme Personality of Godhead is sky). The discussion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead that begins with these words continues through some paragraphs up to the paragraph under discussion (Chandogya Upanisad4.15.1), which describes the person in the eye. For this reason the person in the eye must be the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The interpolation of agni-vidya between 4.10.5 and 4.15.1 does not break the context because agni-vidya is a part of the discussion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The word visista (distinguished) in this sutra means that the Supreme Personality of Godhead has all-knowledge and all other transcendental qualities.
Sutra 16
srutopanisatka-gaty-abhidhanac ca
sruta—heard; upanisatka—Upanisad; gati—destination; abhidhanat—because of the description; ca—also.
And because of the description of the destination of they who hear the Upanisads.
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
One who hears the Upanisads and understands the secret knowledge of the Vedas travels to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Of the person who knows the person in the eye Upakosala Muni says arcisam abhisambhavati (He attains the realm of light). Because these two persons (he who knows the secrets of the Vedas and he who knows the person in the eye) attain the same destination it must be understood that the person in the eye is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Sutra 17
anavasthiter asambhavac ca netarah
anavasthiteh—because the abode is not eternal; asambhavat—because of being impossible; ca —and; na—not; itarah—anyone else.
(The person in the eye) is not anyone else (but the Supreme Personality of Godhead) because (the others) do not stay always in the eye and because it casnnot be them (according to the context).
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
These other persons cannot be the person in the eye because none of them stay permanently in the eye and because non of them possess immortality or any of the other qualities attributed to the person in the eye. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is therefore the person in the eye referred to in this text.
Adhikarana 5
The Internal Ruler is the Supreme Personality of Godhead
Introduction by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana Visaya: Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad3.7.18 says:
yah prthivyam tisthan prthivya antaro yam prtivi na veda yasya prthivi sariram yah prthivim antaro yam ayaty esa ta atmantaryamy amrtah
"He who stays in the earth, who is within, whom the earth does not know, who is the ultimate proprietor of the earth and the body, and who, residing within, rules the earth, is the immortal Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead who resides in the heart."
Samsaya: In this verse is the ruler who lives within the earth and other places pradhana, the jiva, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead?
Purvapaksa: The ruler within may be pradhana because pradhana resides within. The cause is always woven into the effect. The cause is the controller if the effect. (Because pradhana is the cause of the earth, pradhana must therefore be the controller within the earth also.) Because it gives happiness the
pradhana may be figuratively called atma (the great self), or because it is all-pervading it may also be figuratively called atma (the great self). Because it is eternal it may also be called amrta (eternal). Or the ruler within may be a certaim jiva who is a great yogi. With the yogic powers of entering everywhere and becoming invisible at will a great yogi may become the ruler (within) and with this ruling power, the ability to become invisible, and other yogic powers, he may be called atma (the great self), and amrta (eternal) in the direct senses of the words without resorting to figurative language. In this way the ruler within must be either the pradhana or a jiva. Siddhanta: The conclusion follows.
Sutra 18
antaryamy adhidaivadisu tad-dharma-vyapadesat
antaryami—the ruler within; adhidaiva—the elements; adisu—beginning with; tat—of Him; dharma—the nature; vyapadesat—because of the description.
The ruler who resides within the elements (is the Supreme Personality of Godhead) because His qualities are described (in this passage).
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The ruler within described in these words of Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Why? The sutra says tad-dharma-vyapadesat (because His qualities are described in this passage). The Supreme Person is described here because the qualities of the person described here, which include being situated within the earth and all other material elements, being unknowable, being the supreme controller, and being all-pervading, all-knowing, all-blissful, and eternal, are all qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Sutra 19
na ca smartam atad-dharmabhilapat
na—not; ca—and; smartam—what is taught in the smrti; atad—not of it; dharma—the qualities; abhilapat—because of description.
The ruler within is not (the pradhana, which is) described in the smrti, because the qualities (mentioned in this passage) cannot be attributed (to pradhana).
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
For these reasons it may not be said that the pradhana, which is described in the smrti, is the ruler within. Why? The sutra says atad-dharmabhilapat (because the qualities mentioned in this passage cannot be attributed to it. The Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad(3.7.23) says:
adrsto drasta asruto srota amato manta avij{.sy 241}ato vijnata nanyato 'sti drasta nanayto 'sti srota nanyato 'sti manta nanyato 'sti vijnataisa ta atmantaryamy amrta ito 'nyat smartam
"Unobserved, He is the observer. Unheard, He is the hearer. Inconceivable, He is the thinker. Unknown, he is the knower. There is no other observer. There is no other hearer. there is no other
thinker. There is no other knower. he is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the eternal ruler within. (Thepradhana) described in the smrti is different from Him."
The list of qualities here, beginning with being the observer, may be attributed to the Supreme Personality of Godhead only.
Sutra 20
sariras cobhaye 'pi hi bhedenainam adhiyate
sarirah—the jiva; ca—also; ubhaye—in bothe recensions; api—also; hi—indeed; bhedena—by the difference; enam—this; adhiyate—is read.
The ruler within is not a jiva because in both (recensions of the Upanisad) the jiva is described as different from Him.
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The word na (not) from the preceding sutra should be understood in this sutra also. For the reasons already given it cannot be said that a jiva who is a great yogi is the ruler within. Why? The sutra answers hi, which means "because," ubhaye (in both), which means "in both the Kanva and Madhyandina recensions of the Upanisad," enam (He), which means "the ruler within," bhedena adhiyate (is described as different).
(The Kanva recension gives) yo vij{.sy 241}anam antaro yamayati (The transcendental knowledge that rules within) and (the Madhyandina recension, gives) ya atmanam antaro yamayati (The Supreme Personality of Godhead who rules within). In both readings is a clear distinction between the ruler and the ruled. Therefore the ruler within is Lord Hari, the Personality of Godhead. In the Subala Upanisad the Kathas say: prthivy-adinam avyaktaksaramrtaantanam sri-narayano 'ntaryami (Lord Narayana is the ruler within the earth and other elements, within the unmanifested pradhana, and within the unchanging, eternal jiva).
The Brahmanas say: antah-sarire nihito guhayam (The Supreme Personality of Godhead stays in the heart of the jiva), aja eko nityah (The Supreme Personality of Godhead is unborn, eternal, and one without a second), and yasya prthivi sariram yah prthivim antare sancaran yam prthivi na veda (The earth is His body. He stays within the earth. The earth does not understand Him, the Supreme Personality of Godhead).
Adhikarana 6
"Aksara" is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Introduction by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
Visaya: The Mundaka Upanisad (1.1.5-6) says:
atha para yaya tad aksaram adhigamyate. yat tad adresyam agrahyam agotram avarnam acaksuh-srotram tad apani-Padam nityam vibhum sarva-gatam su-suksmam tad avyayam yad bhuta-yonim paripasyanti dhirah
"Here is the transcendental knowledge by which the Supreme Personality of Godhead is known. The great sages directly see the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who cannot be seen, who cannot be grasped, who has no name, who has no color, who has no eyes or ears, who has no hands or feet, who is eternal, all-powerful, all-pervading, subtle, and changeless, and who is the creater of all that is."
Later the Mundaka Upanisad (2.1.2) also says:
divyo hy amurtah purusah sa-bahyabhyantaro hy ajah aprano hy amanah subhro 'ksarat paratah parah
"The Supreme Person is transcendental, formless, without inside or out, unborn, unbreathing, without mind, splendid, and higher than the highest of the eternals."
Samsaya: Do these two passages describe first the pradhana and then the purusa (jiva), or do they describe the Supreme Personality of Godhead?
Purvapaksa: Because in these passages there is no mention of being the observer or any other qualities of a conscious being, and because there is mention of the word yoni (source of everything), which refers to the ingredient of which the creation is made, these passages describe the eternal pradhana, and above that eternal pradhana, the purusa (jiva). Above the eternal, ever-changing pradhana is the jiva, who is the knower of the field of activities. Therefore in these passages the pradhana and jiva should be known to be the topics of discussion. Siddhanta: The conclusion follows.
Sutra 21
adrsyatvadi-gunako dharmokteh
adrsyatva—being invisible; adi—beginning with; gunako—qualities; dharma—qualities; ukteh —because of the statement.
(These passages describe the Supreme Personality of Godhead,) who possesses many transcendental qualities, including invisibility, because His qualities are described here.
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
In both passages the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who possesses many transcendental qualities, including invisibility, should be understood (to be the topic of discussion). Why? the sutra says dharmokteh (because His qualities are described here). The Mundaka Upanisad (1.1.9) says:
yah sarvajnah sarvavidyasya jnanamayam tapah. tasmad etad brahma nama-rupam annam ca
jayate
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead knows everything. He knows everything. He is full of knowledge. From Him is born that Brahman that is the material form of this world."
Because in the pasage of Mundaka Upanisad (1.1.6) that begins divyo hy amurtah purusah (The Supreme Person is transcendental and formlesss) the aksara is described as possessing a host of
transcendental qualities, which include omniscience, and because that aksara is described as the ultimate goal of all knowledge, the aksara must be the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Sutra 22
visesana-bheda-vyapadesabhyam ca netarau
visesana—modifiers; bheda—difference; vyapadesabhyam—because of the description; ca— and; na—not; itarau—the other two.
Because of the description of the qualities (of the aksara) in these two (passages, the aksara) cannot be the other two (pradhana and jiva).
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The other two, that is pradhana and jiva, should not be thought (to be the topic of discussion here). Why? the sutra says visesana (because of the description of the qualities). Because the description in Mundaka Upanisad (1.1.9), beginning with the words yah sarvajna (The Supreme Personality of Godhead knows everything), specifically identifies the aksara as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and because the description in Mundaka Upanisad (1.1.6), beginning with the word divya (The Supreme Person is transcendental), identifies the aksara as a being different from the jiva, therefore the aksara mentioned in both passages must be understood to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the original cause of all causes.
Sutra 23
rupopanyasac ca
rupa—of a form; upanyasat—because of the mention; ca—also. And also because there is mention of a form.
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana The Mundaka Upanisad (3.1.3) says:
yada pasyah pasyate rukma-varnam
kartaram isam purusam brahma-yonim tada vidvan punya-pape vidhuya niranjanah paramam samyam upaiti
"One who sees the golden-colored Personality of Godhead, the Supreme Lord, the supreme actor, who is the source of the Supreme Brahman, becomes free from the reactions to past pious and sinful deeds, and becomes liberated, attaining the same transcendental platform as the Lord."*
Because the form of the aksara is described in this way as the original cause of all causes, the form of the aksara here must be the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It cannot be either pradhana or jiva.
prakaranat
prakaranat—because of the context. (The aksara here must be the Supreme Personality of Godhead) because of the context.
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana The meaning of this sutra is clear.
The smrti-sastra also confirms that this text refers to Lord Visnu. The Visnu Purana (6.5.65-70) says: dve vidye veditavye
iti catharvani srutih paraya tv aksara-praptih ri-vedadi-mayi apara
yat tad avyaktam ajaram
acintyam ajam avyayam anirdesyam arupam ca
paniPadady-asamyutam
vibhum sarva-gatam nityam
bhuta-yonim akaranam vyapya-vyapyam yatah sarvam tad vai pasyanti surayah
tad brahma paramam dhama
tad dhyeyam moksa-kaiksinam sruti-vakypditam suksmam tad visnoh paramam Padam
tad eva bhagavad-vacyam
svarupam paramatmanah vacako bhagavac-chabdas tasyadyasyaksaratmanah
evam nigaditarthasya
sa-tattvam tasya tattvatah jnayate yena taj-jnanam param anyat trayimayam
"The Atharva Veda says there are two kinds of knowledge: superior and inferior. Superior knowledge is that which brings one to the eternal and inferior knowledge is the teaching of the Rg Veda and the other Vedas. The eternal is unmanifested, without decay, inconceivable, unborn, unchanging, without material form, without material hands or feet, all-powerful, all-pervading, eternal, the source of all living entities, causeless, present within everything, untouched by anything, and the source from which everything has come. Saintly persons see Him. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is the supreme abode. He is the object of meditation for they who yearn for liberation. He is described in the words of the Vedas. He is supremely subtle. He is Lord Visnu. He is known as Bhagavan (the Supreme Personality of Godhead). He is the Supreme Lord who has a transcendental form. He is Bhagavan. He is eternal. One who knows these truths knows the truth. He knows the real truth. The inferior truth of the three Vedas is something else." Adhikarana 7
Introduction by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
Visaya: The Chandogya Upanisad says (5.11.1): ko nu atma kim brahmeti (Who is the atma? Who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead?), and (5.11.6) atmanam evam vaisvanaram sampraty adhyesi tam eva no bruhi (You know about Vaisvanara. Please describe Him.) and (5.18.1) yas tv enam evam pradesa-matram abhivimanam atmanam vaisvanaram upaste sa sarvesu lokesu sarvesu bhutesu sarvesu atmasu annam atti (One who meditates on Vaisvanara, who is the size of the distance between the thumb and forefinger, and who is present in all worlds, in all elements, and in all hearts, eats food and is nourished.) and (5.18.2) etasya ha va etasyatmano vaisvanarasya murdhaiva su-tejas caksur visvarupah pranah prthag-vartma sandeho bahulo vastir eva vayih prthivy eva Padav ura eva vedir lomanir bahir hrdayam garhapatyo mano 'nvaharyapacana asyam ahvaniyah (Heaven is the head of Vaisvanara, the sun is His eye, the wind is His breath, the sky is His body, the oceans are His bladder, the earth is His feet, the sacrificial arena is His chest, the sacrificial grass is His head, the garhapatya fire is His heart, the anvaharyapacana fire is His mind, and the ahavaniya fire is His mouth). Samsaya: Is the Vaisvanara the fire of digestion, the demigod Agni, the fire element, or Lord Visnu? Purvapaksa: The word vaisvanara is commonly used in all these four meanings, so its meaning in this passage is unclear. Siddhanta: The conclusion follows.