Bhagavat Sandarbha

327 Pages·01.018 MB·English

by  Bhanu Swami

Bhagavat Sandarbha [Trans. by Bhanu Swami]

Glories to Çré-çré-Rädhä-govinda.

I have repeated examined the original work, which was written by Gopäla Bhaööa, who greatly
pleased Rüpa and Sanätana--parts of which were in order, parts of which were out of order
and parts of which were incomplete. Putting it in a systematic order, I have written this work.

I have repeated examined the original work which resolves various contrary views, and which
was written by Gopäla Bhaööa, who greatly pleased Rüpa and Sanätana. Putting it in a
systematic order, I have written this work

Definition of Bhagavän
1.
Having described in a general way the truth as advaya-jïäna, the speaker describes more
particularly the unique manifestation of that truth according to the particular qualification of
the worshipped in the second part of the verse

vadanti tat tattva-vidas, tattvam yad jïäna-advayam
brahmeti paramätmeti bhagavän iti çabdyate

Advaya-jïäna is called Brahman, Paramätmä and Bhagavän. SB 1.2.11

In other places of Çrémad-bhägavatam and in other scriptures as well, this one tattva is
designated as three: sometimes as Brahman, sometimes as Paramätmä and sometimes as
Bhagavän. This does not refer to the jéva according to the knowledge that Vyäsa obtained in
samädhi. In explaining Brahman and Bhagavän, Paramätmä will naturally be explained. Thus
first Brahman and Bhagavän will be dealt with. The three realizations are placed in a specific
order to indicate the grade of excellence.

The meaning is this. The one continuous entity whose very nature is bliss (advaya-jïänam) is
called Brahman when there is no distinction of çakti and possessor of the çakti, or when that
truth appears in a general way in the consciousness which is unable to grasp the variety in the
svarüpa-çakti of the Lord--when paramahaàsas who have realized bliss while rejecting the
pleasures of Brahmaloka have attained oneness with that tattva by their sädhana.

That tattva called Bhagavän is explained as a distinction of the çaktis from the possessor of
the çakti, though the two are non-different, or as a manifestation of the principal form
possessing çaktis which maintain his inconceivable qualities, by his çakti emanating from his
svarüpa. This form is realized to the internal and external senses endowed with bhakti filled
with the Lord’s hlädiné and samvit çaktis, which are most effective for allowing that
realization, by devotee paramahaàsas who include within their great bliss of realizing
Bhagavän the bliss of experiencing Brahman.

Thus Jaòa-bharata says:

jïänaà viçuddhaà paramärtham ekam
anantaraà tv abahir brahma satyam
pratyak praçäntaà bhagavac-chabda-saàjïaà
yad väsudevaà kavayo vadanti

The wise say that the truth is beyond the guëas, contains everything including liberation, is
one without a second, is all-pervading, is Brahman, Paramätmä and Bhagavän, and is
Väsudeva. SB 5.12.11

Manu speaks to Dhruva:
tvaà pratyag-ätmani tadä bhagavaty ananta
änanda-mätra upapanna-samasta-çaktau
bhaktià vidhäya paramäà çanakair avidyä-
granthià vibhetsyasi mamäham iti prarüòham

When you were five years old, by performing pure devotion to the Lord, who is the soul
within, unlimited, full of bliss, and endowed with all energies, you gradually cut the strong
knot of ignorance concerning I and mine. SB 4.11.30

The verse shows that Bhagavän is bliss itself (änanda-mätre), endowed with all çaktis
(upapanna-samasta-çaktau). It is clear from this that Bhagavän is an indivisible entity
appearing with full manifestation with these çaktis whereas Brahman is an incomplete
manifestation, without appearance of those çaktis. This will be considered in detail later. The
word Bhagavän is explained in Viñëu Puräëa:

yat tad avyaktam ajaram acintyam ajam akñayam |
anirdeçyam arüpaà ca päëi-pädädy-asaàyutam ||
vibhuà sarva-gataà nityaà bhüta-yonim akäraëam |
vyäpy-avyäptaà yataù sarvaà tad vai paçyanti sürayaù ||
tad brahma paramaà dhäma tad dhyeyaà mokña-käìkñiëäm |
çruti-väkyoditaà sükñmaà tad viñëoù paramaà padam ||
tad etad bhagavad-väcyaà svarüpaà paramätmanaù |
väcako bhagavac-chabdas tasyädyasyäkñarätmanaù ||

This akñara, the Lord, is invisible, without old age, inconceivable, without birth, without
decay, indefinable, without material form and without hands or feet. He is powerful, all-
pervasive, eternal, the cause of all beings, without cause, pervading everything but
unpervaded, from which everything arises. The wise know this Lord. The supreme abode is
Brahman. It is the object of meditation for persons desiring liberation. What is described in
the scriptures is this most subtle, supreme abode of Viñëu. That Brahman is called Bhagavän,
the form of the supreme ätmä. The word Bhagavän denotes the first, imperishable being.

sambharteti tathä bhartä bhakäro’rtha-dvayänvitaù |
netä gamayitä srañöä gakärärthas tathä mune ||
aiçvaryasya samagrasya véryasya yaçasaù çriyaù |
jïäna-vairägyayoç caiva ñaëëäà bhaga itéìganä ||
vasanti tatra bhütäni bhütätmany akhilätmani |
sa ca bhüteñv açeñeñu vakärärthas tato’vyayaù ||

The syllable bha means the bestower and the maintainer. The syllable ga means the giver of
prema, creator of qualities in the devotee and the cause of going to Vaikuëöha. The six
bhagas are all control, influence, good qualities, wealth, knowledge and renunciation. The
syllable va means the indestructible Lord in whom all beings dwell and who dwells in all
beings.

jïäna-çakti-balaiçvarya-vérya-tejäàsy açeñataù |
bhagavac-chabda-väcyäni vinä heyair guëädibhiù ||

The word bhagavän means that he is complete with power of mind (omniscience), power of
senses, power of body, influence, control, and beauty, and is devoid of all inferior qualities.
Viñëu Puräëa 6.5.79
Here as previously the main element (viçeñya) and the descriptive elements (viçeñaëa) should
be considered. Some descriptive elements indicate absence of inferior qualities. Arüpaà
päëi-pädädy-asaàyutam (he has no form and not hands and feet) indicates Brahman, the
main element alone (without descriptive elements). Vibhuà sarva-gatam (he is powerful
and all-pervading) and other words describe the Lord with his qualities. Or arüpam can mean
“not having a material form.” Päëi-pädädy-asaàyutam can mean a denial of hands and feet
produced by assembling a material body, but does not deny the existence of intrinsic, eternal
hands and feet. Vibhum means he is endowed with all powers. Vyäpi means he pervades
everywhere. Avyaptam means that any other entity cannot cover or extend beyond him.

Tad etad bhagavad-väcyaà svarüpaà paramätmanaù means the svarüpa of Brahman is called
Bhagavän. It does not indicate that the word Bhagavän is to be taken metaphorically in its
relationship to Brahman rather than literally. The word Bhagavän defines Brahman, just as
the word Gaìgä specifies a particular river. Gaìgä does not specify something other than a
river, such as a bank. Similarly Bhagavän refers to Brahman and not something else.

One should explain the meaning of Bhagavän directly from the syllables of the word. Thus
the syllables bha, ga and va are explained in the Viñëu Puräëa verse. Netä means he who
allows one to attain prema, the result of bhakti. Gamayitä means he who allows attainment of
his planet. Srañöä means he who makes his qualities appear in his devotees. Maintaining the
universe (another meaning of srañöä) and other such qualities are done indirectly through
others. The word Bhagavän has been analyzed as the syllables bha, ga and va with the affix
vän (possessing). However the syllable va is omitted in the final word. (Instead of
bhagavavän, the word becomes Bhagavän).

The word aiçvaryam means he controls all. The word samagrasya should be taken with each
of the six words. Véryam means having influence like gems and mantras. Yaças indicates
fame for his good qualities in body, mind and words. Çré means having all types of wealth.
Jïänam means he is omniscient. Vairägyam means he is not attached to any material object.
Iìganä means “defined.”

The word like sambhartä and bhartä mean that the Lord possesses qualities of maintaining
etc.(instead of meaning sambhartä-vän “he possesses a maintainer”), just as conjugated verbs
or inflected nouns express the state of being (pacati “it ripens” also means “it exists in a
ripened stated.”)

Then Bhagavän is explained according to the meaning possessor of all bhagas or qualities.
Jïäna refers to the power of the Lord’s antaùkaraëa. Çakti is the power of the Lord’s senses.
Aiçvarya (control) and vérya (influence) were previously explained. Tejaù means beauty.
Äçeñataù means “all together.” Bhagavac-chabda-väcyäné indicates that these qualities are the
actual qualities of the Lord, not metaphorical words. The affix vän (possessin) indicates that
these are eternal qualities in the Lord.

Just as Bhagavän was explained as a full manifestation of the tattva, Paramätmä manifests or
can be explained as the tattva which controller of the jéva. Though the three words
Brahman, Paramätmä; and Bhagavän are generally interchangeable in meaning, this has been
explained with the intention of indicating their chief meaning.

Süta speaks the verse.

2.
This topic is expanded through questions and answers. Nimi says:

näräyaëäbhidhänasya brahmaëaù paramätmanaù
niñöhäm arhatha no vaktuà yüyaà hi brahma-vittamäù

You, being most knowledgeable of the Lord, should speak about the svarüpa of Bhagavän,
Näräyaëa, who is also Brahman and Paramätmä. SB 11.3.34

The meaning of the question is this. Naräyaëabhidhänasya refers to Bhagavän since the other
two members of the group of three (Brahman and Paramätmä) are mentioned here. Bhagavän
is equated with Näräyaëa in the following:

bhütair yadä païcabhir ätma-såñöaiù
puraà viräjaà viracayya tasmin
sväàçena viñöaù puruñäbhidhänam
aväpa näräyaëa ädi-devaù

When the primeval Näräyaëa accepted the form of the puruña, he created the universe from
the five elements produced from himself and then entered within the universe by his own
portion. SB 11.4.3
näräyaëas tvaà na hi sarva-dehinäm
ätmäsy adhéçäkhila-loka-säkñé
näräyaëo ’ìgaà nara-bhü-jaläyanät
tac cäpi satyaà na tavaiva mäyä

O Lord, of whom Mahä-viñëu is your expansion! Näräyaëa, Mahä-viñëu, the source of the
other puruñas is not you. Nor is the third puruña, dwelling within all beings, nor is the
second puruña, the witness of all planets. Mahä-viñëu, called Näräyaëa because he is the
shelter of the Käraëa Ocean, which gives rise to material creation, is simply your expansion.
That expansion of yours is real, not illusory. SB 10.14.14

näräyaëe turéyäkhye bhagavac-chabda-çabdite
mano mayy ädadhad yogé mad-dharmä vaçitäm iyät

The yogé who concentrates his mind on my form of Näräyaëa, known as the fourth factor,
Bhagavän, obtains the mystic perfection called vaçitä—not being influenced by the guëas,
since he possesses my qualities. SB 11.15.16

You should describe to us the true nature or tattva (niñöhäm) of these three.

Pippaläyana replies:
sthity-udbhava-pralaya-hetur ahetur asya
yat svapna-jägara-suñuptiñu sad bahiç ca
dehendriyäsu-hådayäni caranti yena
saïjévitäni tad avehi paraà narendra

One should know Näräyaëa who is the cause of creation, maintenance and destruction of the
universe and who also does not act as the cause, who remains present during the conditions
of dream, waking and deep sleep, and beyond those states as well, and who makes the body,
senses, life airs and mind move and come to life. SB 11.3.35

According to the order mentioned in the question Pippiläyana answers by first describing
Bhagavän. He is the cause of creation, maintenance and destruction and is also not the cause.
He is outside of the waking, dreaming and deep sleep states. By him the bodies, senses and
präëas are brought to life and move. Know this form of Näräyaëa alone (according to the
order of the words in the question) to be supreme tattva (param). In order to make the
meaning of Brahman clear, Bhagavän is explained first. Since this tattva has been explained
as one only, with differences of quality and no quality manifest, there are differences in the
names of the manifestations of Brahman and Bhagavän because of the different realizations of
the respective worshippers of these forms.

This should be said. Bhagavän is called “not being the cause (ahetu)” because he resides
indifferent to the creation by the actions of his svarüpa-çakti. He is the cause of creation,
maintenance and destruction through his form as Paramätmä who stimulates prakåti and jéva
into different conditions. Know that form of Bhagavän. He is established as Bhagavän by full
manifestation of his çaktis.

The condition of Paramätmä is described. By him everything is brought to life by his entering
everything in the form of the jévas who are his aàças: and being impelled by him, the body
(with pradhäna and all elements) and senses are made to perform their various functions.
Know this to be the form of Paramätmä.

Varuëa praises Kåñëa:
namas tubhyaà bhagavate brahmaëe paramätmane
na yatra çrüyate mäyä loka-såñöi-vikalpanä

My obeisances unto Bhagavän, Paramätmä and Brahman within whom there is no trace of the
illusory energy, which orchestrates the creation of this world. SB 10.28.6

The commentary says, “Paramätmä means the monitor of all jévas.” He is called Paramätmä
because the jéva’s nature as ätmä depends upon him. Paramätmä means that he assists the
jéva.

Then Brahman, without qualities is described. Know Brahman as that which exists in waking,
dreaming and deep sleep and in samädhi (tad-bahiù) as cin-mätra, consciousness alone,
without qualities.

jägrat svapnaù suñuptaà ca guëato buddhi-våttayaù
täsäà vilakñaëo jévaù säkñitvena viniçcitaù

Waking, sleeping and deep sleep, the three functions of the intelligence, are caused by the
three guëas. The jéva is ascertained to be different from these three states since he is only the
witness of them. SB 11.13.27

The pure jéva is described. However, this not only describes a jéva but implies the full form of
consciousness which includes jéva-çakti. Since it is not possible to describe the full form, it is
useful to indicate a small portion, just as a person points a finger at a portion of the ocean
and says “This is the ocean.” One can understand Brahman by understanding the jéva as non-
different from it. That is why the two are equated in the above verse. The jéva and Brahman
are considered in this way in other places also. The difference is made known by stating that
the jéva exists in states of waking, dreaming and deep sleep and that the pure jéva exists
beyond these states (whereas Brahman never has waking, dreaming or deep sleep). The word
ca indicates that existence beyond the three states.

Know this supreme tattva which manifests in three forms as mentioned. Närada speaks.

3.
Three verses explain these three aspects of the Lord in relation to attaining siddhis:

viñëau try-adhéçvare citta dhärayet käla-vigrahe
sa éçitvam aväpnoti kñetrajïa-kñetra-codanäm

One who concentrates his mind on Viñëu (Paramätmä), the lord of the external energy
consisting of three modes, in the form of time, obtains éçitä, having power over the jévas and
their subtle bodies.

näräyaëe turéyäkhye bhagavac-chabda-çabdite
mano mayy ädadhad yogé mad-dharmä vaçitäm iyät

The yogé who concentrates his mind on my form of Näräyaëa, known as the fourth factor,
Bhagavän, obtains the mystic perfection called vaçitä—not being influenced by the guëas,
since he possesses my qualities.

nirguëe brahmaëi mayi dhärayan viçadaà manaù
paramänandam äpnoti yatra kämo ’vaséyate

One who fixes his pure mind on me as the impersonal Brahman obtains the greatest
happiness, wherein all his desires are completely fulfilled. SB 11.15.15-17