Sutra 26
prthag-upadecat
prthak - separate; upadecat - because of the teaching.
Because there is a specific teaching.
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The soul is conscious eternally. How is that known? TheSutra explains: "Because there is a specific teaching." Some examples of that teaching follow.
In the Pracna Upanisad (4.9) it is said:
esa hi drsta
"The soul sees eternally."
In the Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (4.5.14) it is said:
avinaci va are ayam atmanucitti-dharma "The soul's consciousness is never destroyed."
The soul does not become conscious merely by contact with the mind, for soul and mind are both indivisible and cannot interact. Turning away from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the soul obscures its natural spiritual knowledge. Turning towards the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the soul revives its natural spiritual consciousness. This is described in the Smrti- sastra:
yatha na kriyate jyotsna
mala-praksalanan maneh dosa-prahanan na jnanam atmanah kriyate tatha
"As by washing away the dirt that covered a jewel, the jewel's splendor is not created but merely uncovered, so by removing the dirt of materialism that covered the soul, the soul's splendor is not created, but merely uncovered.
yathodapana-khananat
kriyate na jalantaram sad eva niyate vyaktim
asatah sambhavah kutah
"As by digging a well, water is brought forth but not created, so by spiritual activities the nature of the soul is brought forth but not created. How would it be possible to create the the soul's qualities from nothing?
tatha heya-guna-dhvamsad avarodhadayo gunah prakacyante na janyante nitya evatmano hi te
"When material faults are destroyed, the soul's qualities become revealed. The soul's qualities are eternal. they are never created."
Here someone may object: These quotes from scripture merely show that the soul is synonymous with consciousness. They do not prove that the soul itself is conscious.
To this objection the author of the sutras replies in the following words.
Sutra 27
tad-guna-saratvat tad vyapadecah prajYa-vat
tat - of that; guna - quality; saratvat - because of being the essence; tat - that; vyapadecah -designation; prajYa - intelligent; vat - like.
It is called that because that is its essential nature, just as He who is intelligent.
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
Because the soul is consciousness itself, therefore it is conscious. Why is that? The sutra explains: "It is called that because that is its essential nature."
In this sutra the word "guna" (quality) refers to the soul's quality of consciousness. The word "sara" means "the essential nature of the thing, the absence of which makes the thing non-existent." The word "prajYa- vat" means "Like Lord Visnu, who is known as {.sy 168}prajYa" (all-knowing) because He is all knowledge. Because He is all-knowledge personified, Lord Visnu is said to know everything. In the same way, because the soul is consciousness personified, therefore the soul is conscious. That the statements "the soul is consciousness personified" and "the soul is conscious" mean the same thing is also confirmed in the next sutra.
Sutra 28
yavad atma-bhavitvac ca na dosas tad-darcanat
yavat - as long as; atma - of the soul; bhavitvat - because of existence; ca - and; na - not; dosah -fault; tat - of that; darcanat - because of the sight.
It exists as long as the soul exists. There is no fault in this, because it is clearly seen. Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
There is no fault in saying that the two sentences {.sy 168}the soul is consciousness" and "the soul is conscious" mean the same thing. That is the meaning here. Why is that? The sutra explains: "It exists as long as the soul exists. There is no fault in this, because it is clearly seen." The soul's consciousness exists for as long as the soul exists. As long as the soul exists, the soul's consciousness will not be destroyed. The soul exists eternally, without a beginning or end in time, and the soul's consciousness also exists eternally. The sun may be given here as an example. The sun is both light and the bringer of light. As long as the sun exists it will have these two features, which are actually not different. In the same way the soul is both consciousness and conscious.
Here someone may object: Is it not true that consciousness is born from the modes of material nature? Is it not true that, because it does not exist in the state of dreamless sleep, consciousness is not eternal? Is it not true that even when the living entity is fully awake his consciousness is in fact created by a barrage of various sense-objects?
If these objections are raised, the author of the sutras replies in the following words. Sutra 29
pumstvadi-vat tv asya sato 'bhivyakti-yogat
pumstva - virility; adi - beginning with; vat - like; tu - but; asya - of him; satah - of the existing; abhivyakti-yogat - because of manifestation.
But like virility and other things it exists and then is manifest.
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The word "tu" (but) is used here to dispel doubt. The word "na" (It is not like that) is understood in thisSutra. It is not true than consciousness is non-existent in dreamless sleep and only exists in the waking state. Why is that? the sutra explains: "But like virility and other things it exists and then is manifest." In the state of dreamless sleep the soul's consciousness exists in a dormant state, and in the state of wakefulness that dormant consciousness becomes fully manifested. Here the sutra gives the example of virility. In childhood virility and other qualities associated with it exist in a dormant state. Then, at the beginning of adulthood, they become manifested. In the same way consciousness is dormant in dreamless sleep and fully manifested in the waking state. This is described in the following words of Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (4.3.30):
yad vai tan na vijanati vijanan vaitad vijYeyam na vijanati na hi vijnatur vijnanat viparilopo vidyate avinacitvan na tu tad dvitiyam asti tato 'nyad vibhaktam yad vijaniyat
"In the state of dreamless sleep the soul is both conscious and unconscious. The soul is always conscious, and consciousness can never be separated from it, because the soul and its consciousness can never be destroyed. Still, in the state of dreamless sleep no object is presented before the soul for it to be conscious of."
When there is no object for consciousness to perceive, then consciousness is dormant. Therefore in dreamless sleep consciousness is dormant. When the senses contact the sense- objects, then consciousness becomes manifested. Had it not existed in a dormant state during dreamless sleep, consciousness could not have manifested itself in the waking state, just as a person born a eunuch cannot manifest virility at the beginning of adulthood. In this way it is proved that the individual spirit soul is atomic, is consciousness, and is conscious eternally.
Now the author of the sutras refutes the theory of the sagkhya philosophers.
Samcaya (doubt): Is the individual spirit soul consciousness and nothing else? Is the individual spirit soul all-pervading?
Purvapaksa (the opponent speaks): The individual spirit soul is all-pervading. This is so because the results of its actions are seen everywhere. Had it been atomic, the soul would be unable to perceive the pains and pleasures present in different parts of the body. Had it been of a medium size, the soul would not be eternal. Therefore the individual spirit soul must be all- pervading.
Siddhanta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sutras gives the proper conclusion.
Sutra 30
nityopalabdhy-anupalabdhi-prasaggo 'nyatara-niyamo vanyatha
nitya - eternal; upalabdhi - perceptionl; anupalabdhi - non- perception; prasaggah - result; anyatara - otherwise; niyamah - restriction; va - or; anyatha - otherwise.
Otherwise there would be eternal consciousness, eternal unconsciousness, or the limited existence of one or the other.
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
If the soul were only consciousness and nothing else, and if it were all-pervading, then the soul would be either always conscious or always unconscious. Either that or there would be a limited existence of one or the other. This is the meaning: It is clear to the entire world that consciousness and unconsciousness both exist. If the cause of this were a soul that is consciousness only and also all-pervading, then consciousness and unconsciousness would both be perceived simultaneously at every moment by the entire world. If this all-pervading soul were the cause of consciousness only and not unconsciousness, then no one would ever be unconscious, and if this all-pervading soul were the cause of unconsciousness only and not consciousness, then no one would ever be conscious. It cannot be said that consciousness is created by contact with the senses and unconsciousness is created when there is no contact with the senses, because if the soul is all-pervading then it would be
always in contact with the senses. Furthermore, if the individual spirit soul were all-pervading then everyone would simultaneously experience the pains and pleasures of everyone else. If this were so there would be no meaning to individual experience, individual desire, or individual destiny. This effectively refutes the theory that the individual spirit soul is all-pervading.
However, our theory, which affirms that the spirit soul is atomic in size and different in each material body, is not refuted by these considerations. Although atomic in size, the individual spirit soul can act in any place, although it cannot act in every place simultaneously. By its quality of consciousness the individual spirit soul can pervade its material body and perceive the happiness and other sensations present in the various parts of the material body.
Adhikarana 14
The Individual Spirit Soul Performs Actions Introduction by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
Now the author of the sutras will consider another point. In the Taittiriya Upanisad (2.5.1) it is said:
vijnanam yajnam tanute. karmani tanute 'pi ca. "Consciousness performs yajnas. Consciousness performs actions."
Samcaya (doubt): Does the individual soul, indicated in this passage by the word "consciousness", perform actions or not?
Purvapaksa (the opponent speaks): In the Katha Upanisad (2.18) it is said:
hanta cen manyate hantum
hatac cen manyate hatam ubhau tau na vijanitau
nayam hanti na hanyate
"Neither he who thinks the living entity the slayer nor he who thinks it slain is in knowledge, for the self slays not nor is slain."*
These words clearly declare that the individual spirit soul never performs actions. In the Bhagavad-gita (3.27) it is said:
prakrteh kriyamanani
gunaih karmani sarvasah ahagkara-vimudhatma kartaham iti manyate
"The spirit soul bewildered by the influence of false-ego thinks himself the doer of activities that are in actuality carried out by the three modes of material nature."*
In the Bhagavad-gita (13.21) it is also said:
karya-karana-kartrtve
hatuh prakrtir ucyate purusah sukha-duhkhanam bhoktrtve hetur ucyate
"Nature is said to be the cause of all material causes and effects, whereas the living entity is the cause of the various sufferings and enjoyments in this world."*
Therefore the individual spirit soul does not perform actions. When a person understands the truth he understands that all actions are actually performed by the material energy and the individual spirit soul is merely the person who experiences the fruits of action.
Siddhanta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sutras gives the proper conclusion.
Sutra 31
karta sastrarthavat-tvat
karta - the doer; sastra - of the scriptures; artha - meaning; vat - possessing; tvat - because of having the nature.
He performs actions. This is so because the scriptures are meaningful.
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
It is the individual spirit soul who performs actions, not the modes of material nature. Why is that? The sutra explains: "Because the scriptures are meaningful." In the scriptures it is said:
svarga-kamo yajeta
"A person who desires Svargaloka should perform yajnas." and
atmanam eva lokam upasita
"One should worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
These statements have meaning only if the individual spirit soul does actually perform actions. If all actions are performed by the modes of nature and the individual spirit soul never does anything, these statements of the scriptures are meaningless. These statements of scripture are intended to motivate the individual spirit soul to act in a certain way so he can enjoy the results of his actions. It is not even possible in this way to try to motivate the inert material modes to act in any way at all. That the individual spirit soul does actually perform actions is also confirmed in the next sutra.
Sutra 32
viharopadecat
vihara - of pastimes; upadecat - because of the teaching.
Because of the teaching about pastimes.
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
The Chandogya Upanisad (8.12.3) describes the activities of the liberated souls: sa tatra paryeti jaksan kridan ramamanah
"In the spiritual world the individual spirit soul eats, plays, and enjoys."
Therefore action by itself does not brings pain and unhappiness to the soul, rather it is the bondage of the three modes of nature that brings unhappiness. This is so because the three modes of nature obscure the reality of the soul's spiritual nature.
Sutra 33
upadanat
upadanat - because of taking.
Because of taking.
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
In the Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (2.1.18) it is said:
sa yatha maha-rajah . . . evam evaisa etan pranan grhitva sve carire yatha-kamam parivartate
"In the dreaming state the individual spirit soul acts like a king. The soul grasps the life-airs and does as
it wishes."
In the Bhagavad-gita (15.8) it is also said:
grhitvaitani samyati vayur gandhan ivacayat
"The living entity in the material world carries his different conceptions of life from one body to another as the air carries aromas. Thus he takes one kind of body and again quits it to take another."*
In these passages it is seen that the individual spirit soul does perform actions, for the soul moves the life-airs as a magnet moves iron. The life-airs may move many things, but it is the individual spirit soul who moves the life-airs. Nothing else moves them.
In the following words the author of the sutras now gives another reason.
Sutra 34
vyapadecac ca kriyayam na cen nirdeca-viparyayah
vyapadecat - because of designation; ca - and; kriyayam - in action; na - mpt; cet - if; nirdeca -grammatical construction; viparyayah - different.
Also because of the name in the action. If this were not so the grammatical structure would be different.
Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana In the Taittiriya Upanisad (2.5.1) it is said:
vijnanam yajnam tanute. karmani tanute 'pi ca.
"Consciousness performs yajnas. Consciousness performs actions."
These words clearly show that the individual spirit soul is the primary performer of Vedic and ordinary actions. If the word "vijnanam" is interpreted to mean not the individual spirit soul, but the intelligence, then the grammatical structure of the sentence would be different. Then the word {.sy 168}vijnana" would be in the instrumental case, for the intelligence would be the instrument by which the action is performed. However, the word is not in the instrumental case. If the intelligence were the performer of the action here, then another word must be given in the instrumental case to show with what instrument the intelligence performs the action, for there must be an instrument in every action. However, if the individual spirit soul is the performer of the action there is not need for another word in the instrumental case to show the instrument used, for in that situation the individual spirit soul is both the performer of the action and the instrument employed.
Here someone may object: Is it not so that the individual spirit soul, being independent and able to act as he likes, will naturally act for his own welfare and will not perform actions that bring him harm? To this I reply: No. It is not like that. The individual spirit soul desires to benefit himself, but because his past karma acts against him, he sometimes creates his own misfortune.
For these reasons it is clear that the individual spirit soul certainly performs actions. When the scriptures sometimes say that the individual spirit soul does not perform actions, the meaning is that the soul is not independent and free to do exactly everything he wishes.
Here someone may object: It is not possible that the individual spirit soul is the performer of actions, for it is clearly seen that these actions often bring him suffering.
To this I reply: No. It is not so. If the individual spirit soul is not the performer of actions, then the scriptural descriptions of the darca, paurnamassa, and other yajnas would not make any sense.
In the following words the author of the sutras refutes the idea that material nature is the real performer of actions.
Sutra 35
uplabdhi-vad aniyamah
uplabdhi - consciousness; vat - like; aniyamah - uncertainty. As in the situation of consciousness, it would be indefinite. Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
In previous sutras it was shown that if the individual spirit soul were all-pervading, then consciousness would be vague and indefinite. In the same way if all-pervading material nature were the sole performer of all actions, then all actions would bring the same result to all spirit souls simultaneously. Clearly this is not so. Also, it could not be said that the individual spirit soul would need to be near the place where a certain action was performed in order to experience the result of that action. The sagkhya philosophers cannot say this, for in their theory each individual spirit soul is all-pervading and is thus already near the places where all actions are performed.
Sutra 36
sakti-viparyayat
sakti - of power; viparyayat - because of difference. Because the power is changed. Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
If the material nature is the performer of actions, then material nature must also experience the good and bad results of those actions. However, the Svetasvatara Upanisad (1.8) affirms:
bhoktr-bhavat
"The individual spirit soul enjoys the good and bad results of actions."
In this way the idea that the material nature is the performer of actions is refuted. Because the individual spirit soul enjoys the good and bad results of actions, the individual spirit soul must also be the performer of those actions.