Sri Vedanta-sutra
Volume One
Pada 2
Adhikaraëa 1
The Word "Manomaya" Refers to Brahman
Introduction by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa
manomayädibhiù çabdaiù
svarüpaà yasya kértyate
hådaye sphuratu çrémän
mamäsau çyämasundaraù
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 Chändogya Upaniñad, Çäëòilya-vidyä (3.14.1) the following explanation is given:
sarvaà khalv idaà brahma taj jalän iti çänta upäséta. atha khalu kratumayaù puruñaù. yathä kratur asmin loke puruño bhavati tathetaù pretya bhavati. sa kratuà kurvéta. manomayaù präëa-çaréro bhä-rüpaù satya-saìkalpa äkäçätmä sarva-karmä sarva-kämäù sarva-gandhaù sarva-rasaù sarvam idaà abhyäto aväkyän ädaraù.
"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."
Saàçaya: Do the adjectives (beginning with manomaya) in this passage describe the jéva or the Paramätmä?
Pürvapakña: The words manaù and präëa here appropriately describe the jéva. The Muëòaka Upaniñad (2.1.2) explains: apräëo hy amanäù çubhraù (The splendid Supreme Person has neither breath nor mind). Because this passage from the Chändogya Upaniñad contradicts the description of the Supreme Lord in this way, it should be understood to refer to the jéva. The opening words sarvaà khalv idaà 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 jéva and the word brahma at the end of the passage should also be understood to refer to the jéva.
Siddhänta: The proper conclusion is:
Sütra 1
sarvatra prasiddhopadeçät
sarvatra—everywhere; prasiddha—celebrated; upadeçät—because of the teaching.
(The word "manomaya" here refers to the Paramätmä) because (in this passage) the famous (attributes of the Paramätmä as are taught) everywhere (in Vedänta literature are) described.
Purport by Çréla Baladeva Vidyäbhüñaëa
This passage describes the Paramätmä and not the jéva. Why? Because the qualities that belong only to the Paramätmä, beginning with His being the creator of the material universes, and which are described everywhere (saravatra) in Vedänta literature, are mentioned in this passage in the phrase taj-jalän and other phrases and words also.
Although the opening words of this passage (sarvaà khalv idaà brahma) are not intended to teach about Brahman but to invoke peacefulness, the word manomaya definitely describes the Supreme Brahman. The word kratu means "devotional service" and manomaya means "He who can by understood by a pure mind." The Båhad-äraëyaka Upaniñad (4.4.19) explains manasaivänudrañöavyam (He may be seen by a pure mind). The passage yato väcä nivartante apräpyo manasä saha (The Supreme cannot be described in words or understood by the mind) means the foolish cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead and even the wisest sages cannot understand Him completely.
The word präëa-çaréra (life-body) means {.sy 168}He who is the controller of life." Some also interpret this word to mean "He whose transcendental form is most dear." The words apräëo hy amanäù (He has neither breath nor mind) may mean either that He is supremely independent and does not need breath or mind, or it may mean that he does not possess material breath or material mind. The çruti-çästra explains manovän (The Supreme has a spiritual mind) and änéda-vätam (The Supreme has spiritual breath).
Other scriptural passages also state that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is described by the word manomaya. Some of these passages follow.
manomayaù präëa-çaréra-netä
"He is understood by the pure mind (manomaya). He is the guide of the body and senses."
—Muëòaka Upaniñad 2.2.7
sa eño 'ntar-hådaya äkäças tasminn ayaà puruño manomayo 'måtamayo hiraëmayaù
"The golden Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is full of nectar, and who is known by the pure mind (manomaya), resides in the sky of the heart."
—Taittiréya Upaniñad 1.6.1
hådä manéñä manasäbhiklpto ya etad vidur amåtas te bhavanti
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead is known by they who have a pure heart and a pure mind. They who know Him in this way become free from death."
—Kaöha Upaniñad 7.9
präëasya präëaù
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the life of all life."
—Båhad-äraëyaka Upaniñad 4.4.18
Sütra 2
vivakñita-guëopapatteç ca
vivakñita—wished to be said; guëa—qualities; upapatteù—because of being appropriate; ca—and.
The word "manomaya" here must refer to Brahman) because the qualities (given here) most appropriately describe Brahman.
Manomaya (knowable by the pure mind), präëa-çaréra (the controller of life), bhä-rüpa (effulgent and glorious) and the other qualities mentioned here are appropriate for the Supreme Personality of Godhead but not at all for the jéva.
Sütra 3
anupapattes tu na çäréraù
anupapatteù—because of inappropriateness; tu—indeed; na—not; çäréraù—the jéva.
(The word "manomaya" here) cannot refer to the jéva because the qualities (described in this passage) cannot be attributed to him.
The manomaya her cannot refer to the jéva because it is not possible that the qualities described here refer to the tiny, glowworm-like jéva.
Sütra 4
karma-kartå-vyapadeçäc ca
karma—object; kartå—agent; vyapadeçät—because of the statement; ca—also.
And because the distinction is drawn here between the agent and the object.
With the words (Båhad-äraëyaka Upaniñad 3.14.4) etam itaù pretyäbhisambhavitäsmi (After death I will attain Him) at the end the manomaya is clearly designated as the object of the sentence and the jéva, with the words abhisambhavitäsmi (I will attain) is clearly identified as the agent. Therefore the manomaya, being the object, must be different from the jéva, which is the agent. The manomaya must therefore be the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The word abhisambhavitäsmi here describes meeting. The jéva meets the Supreme Lord as a great river meets the ocean.
Sütra 5
çabda-viçeñät
çabda—words; viçeñät—because of the difference.
(The word "manomaya" here cannot refer to the jéva because the words are in different cases.
The text says (Chändogya Upaniñad 3.14.3) eña ma ätmäntar-hådaye (He is within my heart). In these words the devotee jéva is placed in the genitive case and the object of his worship is placed in the nominative case. Because the jéva and the object of his worship are in different cases they must be two distinct persons. Therefore the manomaya here must be the worshipable Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is different from the devotee jéva.
Sütra 6
småteç ca
småteù—because of the småti-çästra; ca—also.
And because of the statement of småti-çästra also.
That the Supreme Personality of Godhead is different from the jéva is also confirmed by the following statement of Bhagavad-gétä (18.61):
éçvaraù sarva-bhütänäà
håd-deç/e 'rjuna tiñöhati
bhrämayan sarva-bhütäni
yanträrüòhäni mäyayä
"The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy."*
Someone may object: The Chändogya Upaniñad (3.14.3) describes the manomaya in the following words: eña ma ätmäntar-hådaye 'ëéyän vrér heva yaväd vä (In my heart is the Self, smaller than a grain of rice or barley). This text shows that because it is very tiny the manomaya must be the jéva and cannot be the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Sütra 7
arbhakaukastvät tad-vyapadeçäc ca neti cen na nicäyyatväd evaà vyomavac ca
arbhaka—small; okastvät—because of the residence; tat—of that; vyapadeçät—because of the teaching; ca—and; na—not; iti—thus; cet—if; na—not; nicäyyatvät—because of meditation; evam—in this way; vyomavat—like the sky; ca—also.
If it be said that the word "manomaya" here cannot refer to Brahman because here it is said that the residence of "manomaya" is very tiny, then I say no because Brahman should be meditated on in this way and because in the same passage the "manomaya" is said to be as great as the sky.
For these two reasons it cannot be said that the manomaya is not the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In this passage from Chändogya Upaniñad the manomaya is said to be greater that the entire Earth planet. The text says jyäyän antarékñät (He is greater than the sky). Because the Supreme Brahman is all-pervading the word vyomavat (like the sky) is used in this sütra.
How may these two statements (that Brahman is very small and very great) be reconciled? To answer this question he says nicäyyatväd evam (Because Brahman should be meditated on in this way). This means that it is said that Brahman is very small so He may become the object of meditation. This means that when in the Vedic literatures it is said that the infinite, all-pervading Supreme Personality of Godhead is as small as the distance bewteen the thumb and forefinger or some other very small distance, in some instances it is meant to be taken figuratively and in other places literally. In the first instance (figuratively) the devotee meditates on the Lord in his heart and in the second (literally) by His inconceivable potencies, the Lord personally appears in the heart out of kindness to His devotee. Although the Supreme Lord has only one original form, He still manifests in many different forms to His devotees. This is described in the småti-çästra in the words eko 'pi san bahudhä yo 'vabhäti (Although He is one He manifests in many forms). Because of His inconceivable potency the Supreme Lord, although He is all-pervading, may become as small as an atom. This will be described (later in this book) in the section (Sütra 25) describing Vaiçvänara. In this way when the Supreme Personality of Godhead is manifested in a very small form, as the size of an atom or the distance between the thumb and forefinger, that very small size is present everywhere, so in this way also the Supreme Lord is all-pervading.
Someone may object: If the Paramätmä is then also present within the material body just as the jéva is, then, because of His contact with the body the Paramätmä must also feel all the pleasures and sufferings of the body just as the jéva does. To answer this he says:
Sütra 8
sambhoga-präptir iti cen na vaiçeñyät
sambhoga—of enjoyment; präptir—attainment; iti—thus; cet—if; na—not; vaiçeñyät—because of the difference.
If it is said that (the Paramätmä in the heart also) experiences (the pains and) pleasures (of the material body), then I say no because there is a great difference (between Him and the jéva.
In the word sambhoga the prefix sam means "with" as it also does in the word samväda (with+words=conversation). Therefore this sütra states that the Supreme Personality of Godhead does not enjoy with (the jéva). Why? Because there is a difference between them. This is the meaning: mere contact with a certain body does not by itself bring suffering and enjoyment. Being under the dominion of karma is the real cause of material suffering and enjoyment. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is not under the power of the law of karma. This is described in the Muëòaka Upaniñad (3.1.1): anaçnann anyo 'bhicäkaçéti (Two birds sit in the metaphorical tree of the material body. One bird eats. The other bird does not eat, but only looks) and in the Bhagavad-gétä (4.14), where Lord Kåñëa says: na mäà karmäëi limpanti na me karma-phale spåhä (There is no work that affects me; nor do I aspire for the fruits of action).
Adhikaraëa 2
The Eater is Brahman
Viñaya: The Kaöha Upaniñad (1.2.25) says:
yasya brahma ca kñätraà ca
ubhe bhavataù odanaù
måtyur yasyopasecanaà
ka itthä veda yatra saù
"There is a person for whom the brähmaëas and ...
dhruva