Madhya6.135

TEXT 135

pramanera madhye sruti pramana--pradhana

sruti ye mukhyartha kahe, sei se pramana

SYNONYMS

pramanera—of the evidences; madhye—in the midst; sruti—the Vedic version; pramana—evidence; pradhana—chief; sruti—the Vedic version; ye—whatever; mukhya-artha—chief meaning; kahe—says; sei se—that indeed; pramana—evidence.

TRANSLATION

“Although there is other evidence, the evidence given in the Vedic version must be taken as foremost. Vedic versions understood directly are first-class evidence.”

PURPORT

Works that should be consulted are Srila Jiva Gosvami’s Tattva-sandarbha (10-11), Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana’s commentary on that, and the following verses of the Brahma-sutra: sastra-yonitvat (1.1.3), tarkapratisthanat (2.1.11) and srutes tu sabda-mulatvat (2.1.27), as commented upon by Sri Ramanujacarya, Sri Madhvacarya, Sri Nimbarkacarya and Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana. In his book Sarva-samvadini, Srila Jiva Gosvami has noted that although there are ten kinds of evidence-direct perception, the Vedic version, historical reference, hypothesis, and so on-and although they are all generally accepted as evidence, the person presenting a hypothesis, reading the Vedic version, perceiving or interpreting by his experience is certain to be imperfect in four ways. That is, he is subject to commiting mistakes, to becoming illusioned, to cheating and to having imperfect senses. Although the evidence may be correct, the person himself is in danger of being misled due to his material defects. Apart from the direct presentation, there is a chance that an interpretation may not be perfect. Therefore the conclusion is that only a direct presentation can be considered evidence. An interpretation cannot be accepted as evidence, but may be considered proof of evidence.

In the Bhagavad-gita, at the very beginning it is stated:

dhrtarastra uvaca
dharma-ksetre kuru-ksetre
samaveta yuyutsavah
mamakah pandavas caiva
kim akurvata sanjaya

The statements of the Bhagavad-gita are themselves proof that there is a place of religious pilgrimage named Kuruksetra where the Pandavas and Kurus met to fight. After meeting there, what did they do? This was Dhrtarastra’s inquiry to Sanjaya. Although these statements are very clear, atheists try to interpret different meanings of the words dharma-ksetra and kuru-ksetra. Therefore Srila Jiva Gosvami has warned us not to depend on any kind of interpretation. It is better to take the verses as they are, without interpretation.

Madhya6.136

TEXT 136

jivera asthi-vistha dui--sankha-gomaya

sruti-vakye sei dui maha-pavitra haya

SYNONYMS

jivera—of the living entity; asthi—the bone; vistha—stool; dui—two; sankha—conchshell; go-maya—cow dung; sruti-vakye—in the words of the Vedic version; sei—that; dui—two; maha—greatly; pavitra—pure; haya—are.

TRANSLATION

Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued, "Conchshells and cow dung are nothing but the bones and the stool of some living entities, but according to the Vedic version they are both considered very pure.

PURPORT

According to Vedic principles, bones and dung are generally considered very impure. If one touches a bone or stool, he must take a bath immediately. That is the Vedic injunction. Yet the Vedas also enjoin that a conchshell, although the bone of an animal, and cow dung, although the stool of an animal, are very sanctified. Even though such statements appear contradictory, on the basis of the Vedic version we still accept the fact that conchshells and cow dung are pure and sanctified.

Madhya6.137

TEXT 137

svatah-pramana veda satya yei kaya

’laksana’ karile svatah-pramanya-hani haya

SYNONYMS

svatah-pramana—self-evidence; veda—Vedic literature; satya—truth; yei—whatever; kaya—say; laksana—interpretation; karile—by making; svatah-pramanya—self-evidential proof; hani—lost; haya—becomes.

TRANSLATION

“The Vedic statements are self-evident. Whatever is stated there must be accepted. If we interpret according to our own imagination, the authority of the Vedas is immediately lost.”

PURPORT

Out of four main types of evidence-direct perception, hypothesis, historical reference and the Vedas-Vedic evidence is accepted as the foremost. If we want to interpret the Vedic version, we must imagine an interpretation according to what we want to do. First of all, we set forth such an interpretation as a suggestion or hypothesis. As such, it is not actually true, and the self-evident proof is lost.

Srila Madhvacarya, commenting on the aphorism drsyate tu (Vedanta-sutra 2.1.6), quotes the Bhavisya Purana as follows:

rg-yajuh-samatharvas ca
bharatam pancaratrakam
mula-ramayanam caiva
veda ity eva sabditah

puranani ca yaniha
vaisnavani vido viduh
svatah-pramanyam etesam
natra kincid vicaryate

The Rg Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, Atharva Veda, Mahabharata, Pancaratra and original Ramayana are all considered Vedic literature. The Puranas (such as the Brahma-vaivarta Purana, Naradiya Purana, Visnu Purana and Bhagavata Purana) are especially meant for Vaisnavas and are also Vedic literature. As such, whatever is stated within the Puranas, Mahabharata and Ramayana is self-evident. There is no need for interpretation. The Bhagavad-gita is also within the Mahabharata; therefore all the statements of the Bhagavad-gita are self-evident. There is no need for interpretation, and if we do interpret, the entire authority of the Vedic literature is lost.

Madhya6.138

TEXT 138

vyasa-sutrera artha--yaiche suryera kirana

sva-kalpita bhasya-meghe kare acchadana

SYNONYMS

vyasa-sutrera—of the Vedanta-sutra, by Vyasadeva; artha—the meanings; yaiche—just as; suryera—of the sun; kirana—shining rays; sva-kalpita—imaginative; bhasya—of the commentary; meghe—by the cloud; kare—does; acchadana—covering.

TRANSLATION

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued, "The Brahma-sutra, compiled by Srila Vyasadeva, is as radiant as the sun. One who tries to interpret its meaning simply covers that sunshine with a cloud.

Madhya6.139

TEXT 139

veda-purane kahe brahma-nirupana

sei brahma--brhad-vastu, isvara-laksana

SYNONYMS

veda-purane—in the Vedas and the Puranas; kahe—it is stated; brahma-nirupana—explaining the Supreme; sei brahma—that Supreme; brhat-vastu—the greatest; isvara-laksana—feature of the Supreme Personality.

TRANSLATION

"All the Vedas and literature that strictly follows the Vedic principles explain that the Supreme Brahman is the Absolute Truth, the greatest of all, and a feature of the Supreme Lord.

PURPORT

Madhya6.140

TEXT 140

sarvaisvarya-paripurna svayam bhagavan

tanre nirakara kari’ karaha vyakhyana

SYNONYMS

sarva-aisvarya-paripurna—full with all opulences; svayam—personally; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tanre—Him; nirakara—impersonal; kari’-making; karaha—you make; vyakhyana—explanation.

TRANSLATION

"Actually, the Supreme Absolute Truth is a person, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, full with all opulences. You are trying to explain Him as impersonal and formless.

PURPORT

Brahman means brhattva, the greatest of all. The greatest of all is Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He possesses all potencies and opulence in full; therefore the Absolute Truth, the greatest of all, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Whether one says “Brahman” or “the Supreme Personality of Godhead,” the fact is the same, for they are identical. In the Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna accepted Krsna as param brahma param dhama. Although the living entities or material nature are sometimes described as Brahman, Param Brahma-the Supreme, the greatest of all Brahmans-is still Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is full with all opulences, and as such He possesses all riches, all strength, all reputation, all knowledge, all beauty and all renunciation. He is eternally a person and eternally supreme. If one tries to explain the Supreme impersonally, one distorts the real meaning of Brahman.

Madhya6.141

TEXT 141

’nirvisesa’ tanre kahe yei sruti-gana

’prakrta’ nisedhi kare ’aprakrta’ sthapana

SYNONYMS

nirvisesa—impersonal; tanre—Him; kahe—say; yei—whatever; sruti-gana—the Vedas; prakrta—mundane; nisedhi—forbidding; kare—does; aprakrta—transcendental; sthapana—confirmation.

TRANSLATION

“Wherever there is an impersonal description in the Vedas, the Vedas mean to establish that everything belonging to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is transcendental and free of mundane characteristics.”

PURPORT

There are many impersonal statements about the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As stated in the Svetasvatara Upanisad (3.19):

apani-pado javano grahita
pasyaty acaksuh sa srnoty akarnah
sa vetti vedyam na ca tasyasti vetta
tam ahur agryam purusam mahantam

Although the Supreme Lord is described as having no hands and legs, He nonetheless accepts all sacrificial offerings. He has no eyes, yet He sees everything. He has no ears, yet He hears everything. When it is stated that the Supreme Lord has no hands and legs, one should not think that He is impersonal. Rather, He has no mundane hands or legs like ours. “He has no eyes, yet He sees.” This means that He does not have mundane, limited eyes like ours. Rather, He has such eyes that He can see past, present and future, everywhere, in every corner of the universe and in every corner of the heart of every living entity. Thus the impersonal descriptions in the Vedas intend to deny mundane characteristics in the Supreme Lord. They do not intend to establish the Supreme Lord as impersonal.

Madhya6.142

TEXT 142

ya ya srutir jalpati nirvisesam

sa sabhidhatte sa-visesam eva

vicara-yoge sati hanta tasam

prayo baliyah sa-visesam eva

SYNONYMS

ya ya—whatever; srutih—the Vedic hymns; jalpati—describe; nirvisesam—impersonal truth; sa—that; sa—that; abhidhatte—directly describes (like a dictionary meaning); sa-visesam—personality; eva—certainly; vicara-yoge—when accepted by intelligence; sati—being; hanta—alas; tasam—of all the Vedic mantras; prayah—mostly; baliyah—more powerful; sa-visesam—personal variety; eva—certainly.

TRANSLATION

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued, " ’Whatever Vedic mantras describe the Absolute Truth impersonally only prove in the end that the Absolute Truth is a person. The Supreme Lord is understood in two features-impersonal and personal. If one considers the Supreme Personality of Godhead in both features, he can actually understand the Absolute Truth. He knows that the personal understanding is stronger because we see that everything is full of variety. No one can see anything that is not full of variety.’

PURPORT

This is a quotation from the Sri Caitanya-candrodaya-nataka (6.67), by Kavi-karnapura.

Madhya6.143

TEXT 143

brahma haite janme visva, brahmete jivaya

sei brahme punarapi haye yaya laya

SYNONYMS

brahma haite—from the Supreme Brahman; janme—emanates; visva—the whole cosmic manifestation; brahmete—in the Absolute Truth; jivaya—exists; sei—that; brahme—in the Absolute Truth; punarapi—again; haye—being; yaya—goes; laya—to annihilation.

TRANSLATION

"Everything in the cosmic manifestation emanates from the Absolute Truth. It remains in the Absolute Truth, and after annihilation it again enters the Absolute Truth.

PURPORT

Madhya6.144

TEXT 144

’apadana,’ ’karana,’ ’adhikarana’-karaka tina

bhagavanera savisese ei tina cihna

SYNONYMS

apadana—ablative; karana—instrumental; adhikarana—locative; karaka—cases; tina—three; bhagavanera—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sa-visesa—in the personality; ei—these; tina—three; cihna—symptoms.

TRANSLATION

“The personal features of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are categorized in three cases-namely ablative, instrumental and locative.”

PURPORT

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura states in his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya that according to the injunction of the Upanisads (“the Supreme Absolute Truth is He from whom everything emanates”), it is understood that the whole cosmic manifestation emanated from Brahman, the Supreme Absolute Truth. The creation subsists by the energy of the Supreme Brahman and, after annihilation, merges into the Supreme Brahman. From this we can understand that the Absolute Truth can be categorized in three cases-ablative, instrumental and locative. According to these three cases, the Absolute Truth is positively personified. In this connection, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati quotes the Aitareya Upanisad (1.1.1):

atma va idam eka evagra asin nanyat kincana misat sa iksata lokan nu srja iti.

Similarly, in the Svetasvatara Upanisad (4.9) it is stated:

chandamsi yajnah kratavo vratani
bhutam bhavyam yac ca veda vadanti
yasman mayi srjate visvam etat
tasmims canyo mayaya sanniruddhah

And in the Taittiriya Upanisad (3.1):

yato va imani bhutani jayante, yena jatani jivanti, yat prayanty abhisamvisanti, tad vijijnasasva, tad brahma.

Madhya6.145-146

TEXTS 145-146

bhagavan bahu haite yabe kaila mana

prakrta-saktite tabe kaila vilokana

se kale nahi janme ’prakrta’ mano-nayana

ataeva ’aprakrta’ brahmera netra-mana

SYNONYMS

bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bahu—many; haite—to become; yabe—when; kaila—made; mana—His mind; prakrta—material; saktite—on the energy; tabe—at that time; kaila—did; vilokana—glancing; se kale—at that time; nahi—not; janme—in creation; prakrta—mundane; manah-nayana—mind and eyes; ataeva—therefore; aprakrta—transcendental; brahmera—of the Absolute Truth; netra-mana—eyes and mind.

TRANSLATION

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued, "When the Supreme Personality of Godhead wished to become many, He glanced over the material energy. Before the creation there were no mundane eyes or mind; therefore the transcendental nature of the Absolute Truth’s mind and eyes is confirmed.

PURPORT

In the Chandogya Upanisad (6.2.3), it is said, tad aiksata bahu syam prajayeya. This verse confirms the fact that when the Supreme Personality of Godhead wishes to become many, the cosmic manifestation arises simply by His glancing over material energy. It may be noted that the Supreme Lord glanced over the material nature before the creation of this cosmic manifestation. Before the creation there were no material minds or material eyes; therefore the mind by which the Supreme Personality of Godhead desired to create is transcendental, and the eyes with which He glanced over material nature are also transcendental. Thus the Lord’s mind, eyes and other senses are all transcendental.

Madhya6.147

TEXT 147

brahma-sabde kahe purna svayam bhagavan

svayam bhagavan krsna,--sastrera pramana

SYNONYMS

brahma-sabde—by the word “Brahman”; kahe—it is said; purna—complete; svayam—personally; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; svayam—personally; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; krsna—Lord Krsna; sastrera pramana—the verdict of all Vedic literature.

TRANSLATION

"The word ’Brahman’ indicates the complete Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is Sri Krsna. That is the verdict of all Vedic literature.

PURPORT

Madhya6.148

TEXT 148

vedera nigudha artha bujhana na haya

purana-vakye sei artha karaya niscaya

SYNONYMS

vedera—of the Vedic literature; nigudha—confidential; artha—meaning; bujhana—understanding; na—not; haya—is; purana-vakye—by the words of the Puranas; sei—that; artha—meaning; karaya—makes; niscaya—certain.

TRANSLATION

"The confidential meaning of the Vedas is not easily understood by common men; therefore that meaning is supplemented by the words of the Puranas.

Madhya6.149

TEXT 149

aho bhagyam aho bhagyam

nanda-gopa-vrajaukasam

yan-mitram paramanandam

purnam brahma sanatanam

SYNONYMS

aho—what great; bhagyam—fortune; aho—what great; bhagyam—fortune; nanda—of Maharaja Nanda; gopa—of other cowherd men; vraja-okasam—of the inhabitants of Vrajabhumi; yat—of whom; mitram—friend; parama-anandam—the supreme bliss; purnam—complete; brahma—the Absolute Truth; sanatanam—eternal.

TRANSLATION

" ’How greatly fortunate are Nanda Maharaja, the cowherd men and all the inhabitants of Vrajabhumi! There is no limit to their fortune, because the Absolute Truth, the source of transcendental bliss, the eternal Supreme Brahman, has become their friend.’

PURPORT

This quotation from Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.14.32) is spoken by Lord Brahma.

Madhya6.150

TEXT 150

’apani-pada’-sruti varje ’prakrta’ pani-carana

punah kahe, sighra cale, kare sarva grahana

SYNONYMS

apani-pada-sruti—the sruti-mantra beginning apani-padah; varje—rejects; prakrta—material; pani-carana—hands and legs; punah—again; kahe—says; sighra cale—walks very fast; kare—does; sarva—of everything; grahana—accepting.

TRANSLATION

"The Vedic ’apani-pada’ mantra rejects material hands and legs, yet it states that the Lord goes very fast and accepts everything offered to Him.

Madhya6.151

TEXT 151

ataeva sruti kahe, brahma--savisesa

’mukhya’ chadi’ ’laksana’te mane nirvisesa

SYNONYMS

ataeva—therefore; sruti—Vedic mantras; kahe—say; brahma—the Absolute Truth; sa-visesa—personal; mukhya—direct meaning; chadi’-giving up; laksana’te—by interpretation; mane—accept; nirvisesa—impersonal.

TRANSLATION

"All these mantras confirm that the Absolute Truth is personal, but the Mayavadis, throwing away the direct meaning, interpret the Absolute Truth as impersonal.

PURPORT

As mentioned above, the Svetasvatara Upanisad (3.19) states:

apani-pado javano grahita
pasyaty acaksuh sa srnoty akarnah
sa vetti vedyam na ca tasyasti vetta
tam ahur agryam purusam mahantam

Madhya6.152

TEXT 152

sad-aisvarya-purnananda-vigraha yanhara

hena-bhagavane tumi kaha nirakara ?

SYNONYMS

sat-aisvarya-purna—with six opulences in full; ananda—blissful; vigraha—form; yanhara—whose; hena-bhagavane—unto that Supreme Personality of Godhead; tumi—you; kaha—said; nirakara—without any form.

TRANSLATION

"Are you describing as formless that Supreme Personality of Godhead whose transcendental form is complete with six transcendental opulences?

PURPORT

If the Supreme Personality of Godhead is formless, how can He be said to walk very fast and accept everything offered to Him? Rejecting the direct meaning of the Vedic mantras, the Mayavadi philosophers interpret them and try to establish the Absolute Truth as formless. Actually, the Supreme Lord has an eternal personal form full of all opulence. The Mayavadi philosophers try to interpret the Absolute Truth as being without potency. However, in the Svetasvatara Upanisad (6.8) it is clearly said, parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate: “The Absolute Truth has multipotencies.”

Madhya6.153

TEXT 153

svabhavika tina sakti yei brahme haya

’nihsaktika’ kari’ tanre karaha niscaya?

SYNONYMS

svabhavika—by nature; tina—three; sakti—potencies; yei—which; brahme—in the Absolute Truth; haya—there are; nihsaktika—without potency; kari’-making; tanre—Him; karaha—you do; niscaya—proof.

TRANSLATION

’’The Supreme Personality of Godhead has three primary potencies. Are you trying to prove that He has no potencies?

PURPORT

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu now quotes four verses from the Visnu Purana (6.7.61-63 and 1.12.69) to explain the different potencies of the Lord.

Madhya6.154

TEXT 154

visnu-saktih para prokta

ksetra-jnakhya tatha para

avidya-karma-samjnanya

trtiya saktir isyate

SYNONYMS

visnu-saktih—the internal potency of Lord Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; para—spiritual; prokta—said; ksetra-jna—the living entities; akhya—known as; tatha—also; para—spiritual; avidya—nescience, or godlessness; karma—and fruitive activities; samjna—known as; anya—another; trtiya—third; saktih—potency; isyate—is accepted as.

TRANSLATION

" ’The internal potency of the Supreme Lord, Visnu, is spiritual, as verified by the sastras. There is another spiritual potency, known as ksetra-jna, or the living entity. The third potency, which is known as nescience, makes the living entity godless and fills him with fruitive activity.

PURPORT

In the Bhagavad-gita, in Sri Krsna’s discourse on the ksetra and the ksetra-jna, it is clearly stated that the ksetra-jna is the living entity who knows his field of activities. The living entities in the material world are forgetful of their eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This forgetfulness is called avidya, or nescience. The avidya-sakti, the avidya potency of the material world, provokes fruitive activity. Although this avidya-sakti (material energy, or nescience) is also an energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is especially intended to keep the living entities in a state of forgetfulness. This is due to their rebellious attitude toward the Lord. Thus although the living entities are constitutionally spiritual, they come under the influence of the potency of nescience. How this happens is described in the following verse.

Madhya6.155

TEXT 155

yaya ksetra-jna-saktih sa

vestita nrpa sarva-ga

samsara-tapan akhilan

avapnoty atra santatan

SYNONYMS

yaya—by which; ksetra-jna-saktih—the living entities, known as the ksetra-jna potency; sa—that potency; vestita—covered; nrpa—O King; sarva-ga—capable of going anywhere in the spiritual or material worlds; samsara-tapan—miseries due to the cycle of repeated birth and death; akhilan—all kinds of; avapnoti—obtains; atra—in this material world; santatan—arising from suffering or enjoying various kinds of reactions to fruitive activities.

TRANSLATION

" ’O King, the ksetra-jna-sakti is the living entity. Although he has the facility to live in either the material or the spiritual world, he suffers the threefold miseries of material existence because he is influenced by the avidya [nescience] potency, which covers his constitutional position.

Madhya6.156

TEXT 156

taya tirohitatvac ca

saktih ksetra-jna-samjnita

sarva-bhutesu bhu-pala

taratamyena vartate

SYNONYMS

taya—by her; tirohitatvatha—from being freed from the influence; ca—also; saktih—the potency; ksetra-jna—ksetra-jna; samjnita—known by the name; sarva-bhutesu—in different types of bodies; bhu-pala—O King; taratamyena—in different degrees; vartate—exists.

TRANSLATION

" ’This living entity, covered by the influence of nescience, exists in different forms in the material condition. O King, he is thus proportionately freed from the influence of material energy, to a greater or lesser degree.’

PURPORT

The material energy acts on the living entity in different degrees, according to how he acquires the association of the three modes of material nature. There are 8,400,000 species of life, some inferior, some superior and some mediocre. The gradations of the bodies are calculated according to the covering of material energy. In the lower categories-including aquatics, trees, plants, insects, birds and so forth-spiritual consciousness is almost nonexistent. In the mediocre category-the human form of life-spiritual consciousness is comparatively awakened. In the superior life forms, spiritual consciousness is fully awakened. Then the living entity understands his real position and tries to escape the influence of material energy by developing Krsna consciousness.