The Word "Manomaya" Refers to Brahman Introduction by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana
manomayadibhih sabdaih
svarupam yasya kirtyate hrdaye sphuratu sriman
mamasau syamasundarah
In the First Pada of this chapter it was said that one should inquire about the Supreme Brahman, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the creator of all universes. Certain words used in Vedic literature were also clearly shown to refer to that Supreme Brahman. In the Second and Third Padas it will be demonstrated that certain other words, although less clearly related to Brahman, also describe Him.
In the Chandogya Upanisad, Sandilya-vidya (3.14.1) the following explanation is given:
sarvam khalv idam brahma taj jalan iti santa upasita. atha khalu kratumayah purusah. yatha kratur asmin loke puruso bhavati tathetah pretya bhavati. sa kratum kurvita. manomayah prana-sariro bha-rupah satya-saikalpa akasatma sarva-karma sarva-kamah sarva-gandhah sarva-rasah sarvam idam abhyato avakyan adarah.
"Everything is Brahman. From Him everything has come. The peaceful sage should worship Brahman with this idea. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the activities of devotional service. When devotional service is performed in this world the Supreme Personality of Godhead is present. As one performs devotional service in this life he will attain an appropriate body after death. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is known by those whose minds are pure. He is the controller of all life. He is effulgent and glorious. His every desire is automatically fulfilled. He is all-pervading. He is the original creator of everything. He fulfills all desires. He possesses all pleasant fragrances. He is all sweetness. He is present everywhere. He cannot be described in words. He cannot be known."
Samsaya: Do the adjectives (beginning with manomaya) in this passage describe the jiva or the Paramatma?
Purvapaksa: The words manah and prana here appropriately describe the jiva. The Mundaka Upanisad (2.1.2) explains: aprano hy amanah subhrah (The splendid Supreme Person has neither breath nor mind). Because this passage from the Chandogya Upanisad contradicts the description of the Supreme Lord in this way, it should be understood to refer to the jiva. The opening words sarvam khalv idam brahma (Everything is Brahman) do not necessarily mean that the entire passage following them are about Brahman, but are merely spoken so that the worshiper may become peaceful. The teaching there is that because Brahman is everything one should become peaceful. The rest of the passage should then be understood to refer to the jiva and the word brahma at the end of the passage should also be understood to refer to the jiva. Siddhanta: The proper conclusion is: