Sri Caitanya-caritamrta: Adi-lila
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter 7
Adi7.117
TEXT 117
jiva-tattva--sakti, krsna-tattva--saktiman
gita-visnupuranadi tahate pramana
SYNONYMS
jiva-tattva—the truth of the living entities; sakti—energy; krsna-tattva—the truth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sakti-man—the possessor of the energies; gita—the Bhagavad-gita; visnu-purana-adi—Visnu Purana and other Puranas; tahate—in them; pramana—there are evidences.
TRANSLATION
"The living entities are energies, not the energetic. The energetic is Krsna. This is very vividly described in the Bhagavad-gita, the Visnu Purana and other Vedic scriptures.
PURPORT
As already explained, there are three prasthanas on the path of advancement in spiritual knowledge-namely, nyaya-prasthana (Vedanta philosophy), sruti-prasthana (the Upanisads and Vedic mantras) and smrti-prasthana (the Bhagavad-gita, Mahabharata, Puranas, etc.). Unfortunately, Mayavadi philosophers do not accept the smrti-prasthana. Smrti refers to the conclusions drawn from the Vedic evidence. Sometimes Mayavadi philosophers do not accept the authority of the Bhagavad-gita and the Puranas, and this is called ardha-kukkuti-nyaya, “the logic of half a hen.” (A foolish farmer once thought he would save money by cutting off his hen’s head, which he had to feed, and leaving its tail, which produced the eggs.) If one believes in the Vedic literature, one must accept all the Vedic scriptures recognized by the great acaryas, but these Mayavadi philosophers accept only the nyaya-prasthana and sruti-prasthana, rejecting the smrti-prasthana. Here, however, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu cites evidence from the Gita, Visnu Purana, etc., which are smrti-prasthana. No one can avoid the Personality of Godhead in the statements of the Bhagavad-gita and other Vedic scripttures such as the Mahabharata and the Puranas. Lord Caitanya therefore quotes a passage from the Bhagavad-gita (7.5).
Adi7.118
TEXT 118
apareyam itas tv anyam
prakrtim viddhi me param
jiva-bhutam maha-baho
yayedam dharyate jagat
SYNONYMS
apara—inferior energy; iyam—this material world; itah—beyond this; tu—but; anyam—another; prakrtim—energy; viddhi—you must know; me—of Me; param—which is superior energy; jiva-bhutam—they are the living entities; maha-baho—O mighty-armed; yaya—by which; idam—this material world; dharyate—is being conducted; jagat—the cosmic manifestation.
TRANSLATION
" ’Besides these inferior energies, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is another, superior energy of Mine, which comprises all living entities who are exploiting the resources of this material, inferior nature.’.’
PURPORT
In the Bhagavad-gita it is explained that the five elements earth, water, fire, air and ether constitute the gross energy of the Absolute Truth and that there are also three subtle energies, namely, the mind, intelligence and false ego, or identification with the phenomenal world. Thus the entire cosmic manifestation is divided into eight energies, all of which are inferior. As explained in the Bhagavad-gita (mama maya duratyaya), the inferior energy, known as maya, is so strong that although the living entity does not belong to this energy, due to the superior strength of the inferior energy the living entity (jiva-bhuta) forgets his real position and identifies with it. Krsna says distinctly that beyond the material energy there is a superior energy which is known as the jiva-bhuta, or living entities. When in contact with the material energy, this superior energy conducts all the activities of the entire material, phenomenal world.
The supreme cause is Krsna (janmady asya yatah), who is the origin of all energies, which work variously. The Supreme Personality of Godhead has both inferior and superior energies, and the difference between them is that the superior energy is factual whereas the inferior energy is a reflection of the superior. A reflection of the sun in a mirror or on water appears to be the sun but is not. Similarly, the material world is but a reflection of the spiritual world. Although it appears to be factual, it is not; it is only a temporary reflection, whereas the spiritual world is a factual reality. The material world, with its gross and subtle forms, is merely a reflection of the spiritual world.
The living entity is not a product of the material energy; he is spiritual energy, but in contact with matter he forgets his identity. Thus the living entity identifies himself with matter and enthusiastically engages in material activities in the guises of a technologist, scientist, philosopher, etc. He does not know that he is not at all a material product but is spiritual. His real identity thus being lost, he struggles very hard in the material world, and the Hare Krsna movement, or Krsna consciousness movement, tries to revive his original consciousness. His activities in manufacturing big skyscrapers are evidence of intelligence, but this kind of intelligence is not at all advanced. One should know that his only real concern is how to get free from material contact, for by absorbing his mind in material activities he takes material bodies again and again, and although he falsely claims to be very intelligent, in material consciousness he is not at all intelligent. When we speak about the Krsna consciousness movement, which is meant to make people intelligent, the conditioned living entity therefore misunderstands it. He is so engrossed in the material concept of life that he does not think that there can be any activities that are actually based on intelligence beyond the construction of skyscrapers and big roads and the manufacturing of cars. This is proof of mayayapahrta-jnana, or loss of all intelligence due to the influence of maya. When a living entity is freed from such misconceptions, he is called liberated. When one is actually liberated he no longer identifies with the material world. The symptom of mukti (liberation) is that one engages in spiritual activities instead of falsely engaging in material activities.
Transcendental loving devotional service is the spiritual activity of the spirit soul. Mayavadi philosophers confuse such spiritual activity with material activity, but the Bhagavad-gita (14.26) confirms:
mam ca yo ’vyabhicarena
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
One who engages in the spiritual activities of unalloyed devotional service (avyabhicarini-bhakti) is immediately elevated to the transcendental platform, and he is to be considered brahma-bhuta, which indicates that he is no longer in the material world but in the spiritual world. Devotional service is enlightenment or awakening. When the living entity perfectly performs spiritual activities under the direction of the spiritual master, he becomes perfect in knowledge and understands that he is not God but a servant of God. As explained by Caitanya Mahaprabhu, jivera ’svarupa’ haya-krsnera ’nitya-dasa’: the real identity of the living entity is that he is an eternal servant of the Supreme (Cc. Madhya 20.108). As long as one does not come to this conclusion, he must be in ignorance. This is also confirmed by the Lord in the Bhagavad-gita (7.19): bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate. “After many births of struggling for existence and cultivating knowledge, when one comes to the point of real knowledge he surrenders unto Me.” Such an advanced mahatma, or great soul, is very rarely to be seen. Thus although the Mayavadi philosophers appear to be very advanced in knowledge, they are not yet perfect. To come to the point of perfection they must voluntarily surrender to Krsna.
Adi7.119
TEXT 119
visnu-saktih para prokta
ksetra-jnakhya tatha para
avidya-karma-samjnanya
trtiya saktir isyate
SYNONYMS
visnu-saktih—the potency of Lord Visnu; para—spiritual; prokta—it is said; ksetra-jna-akhya—the potency known as ksetra-jna; tatha—as well as; para—spiritual; avidya—ignorance; karma—fruitive activities; samjna—known as; anya—other; trtiya—third; saktih—potency; isyate—known thus.
TRANSLATION
" ’The potency of Lord Visnu is summarized in three categories-namely, the spiritual potency, the living entities and ignorance. The spiritual potency is full of knowledge; the living entities, although belonging to the spiritual potency, are subject to bewilderment; and the third energy, which is full of ignorance, is always visible in fruitive activities.’
PURPORT
This is a quotation from the Visnu Purana (6.7.61).
In the previous verse, quoted from the Bhagavad-gita, it has been established that the living entities are to be categorized among the Lord’s potencies. The Lord is potent, and there are varieties of potencies (parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate). Now, in this quotation from the Visnu Purana, this is further confirmed. There are varieties of potencies, and they have been divided into three categories-namely, spiritual, marginal and external.
The spiritual potency is manifested in the spiritual world. Krsna’s form, qualities, activities and entourage are all spiritual. This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (4.5):
ajo ’pi sann avyayatma
bhutanam isvaro ’pi san
prakrtim svam adhisthaya
sambhavamy atma-mayaya
“Although I am unborn and My transcendental body never deteriorates, and although I am the Lord of all living entities, by My spiritual potency I still appear in every millennium in My original transcendental form.” Atma-maya refers to the spiritual potency. When Krsna comes to this or any other universe, He does so with His spiritual potency. We take birth by the force of the material potency, but as stated here with reference to the Visnu Purana, the ksetra-jna, or living entity, belongs to the spiritual potency; thus when we free ourselves from the clutches of the material potency we can also enter the spiritual world.
The material potency is the energy of darkness, or complete ignorance of spiritual activities. In the material potency, the living entity engages himself in fruitive activities, thinking that he can be happy through expansion in terms of material energy. This fact is prominently manifest in this Age of Kali because human society, not understanding the spiritual nature, is busily expanding in material activities. The men of the present day are almost unaware of their spiritual identity. They think that they are products of the elements of the material world and that everything will end with the annihilation of the body. Therefore they conclude that as long as one has a material body consisting of material senses, one should enjoy the senses as much as possible. Since they are atheists, they do not care whether there is a next life. Such activities are described in this verse as avidya-karma-samjnanya.
The material energy is separated from the spiritual energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus although it is originally created by the Supreme Lord, He is not actually present within it. The Lord also confirms in the Bhagavad-gita (9.4), mat-sthani sarva-bhutani: “Everything is resting on Me.” This indicates that everything is resting on His own energy. For example, the planets are resting within outer space, which is the separated energy of Krsna. The Lord explains in the Bhagavad-gita (7.4):
bhumir apo ’nalo vayuh
kham mano buddhir eva ca
ahankara itiyam me
bhinna prakrtir astadha
“Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego-all together these eight constitute My separated material energies.” The separated energy acts as if it were independent, but here it is said that although such energies are certainly factual, they are not independent but merely separated.
The separated energy can be understood from a practical example. I compose books by speaking into a dictaphone, and when the dictaphone is replayed, it appears that I am speaking personally, but actually I am not. I spoke personally, but then the dictaphone tape, which is separate from me, acts exactly like me. Similarly, the material energy originally emanates from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but it acts separately, although the energy is supplied by the Lord. This is also explained in the Bhagavad-gita (9.10): mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram. “This material nature is working under My direction, O son of Kunti, and it is producing all moving and unmoving beings.” Under the guidance or superintendence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the material energy works as if independent, although it is not actually independent.
In this verse from the Visnu Purana the total energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is classified in three divisions-namely, the spiritual or internal potency of the Lord, the marginal potency, or ksetra-jna (the living entity), and the material potency, which is separated from the Supreme Personality of Godhead and appears to act independently. When Srila Vyasadeva, by meditation and self-realization, saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he also saw the separated energy of the Lord standing behind Him (apasyat purusam purnam mayam ca tad-apasrayam). Vyasadeva also realized that it is this separated energy of the Lord, the material energy, that covers the knowledge of the living entities (yaya sammohito jiva atmanam tri-gunatmakam). The separated, material energy bewilders the living entities (jivas), and thus they work very hard under its influence, not knowing that they are not fulfilling their mission in life. Unfortunately, most of them think that they are the body and should therefore enjoy the material senses irresponsibly, since when death comes everything will be finished. This atheistic philosophy also flourished in India, where it was sometimes propagated by Carvaka Muni, who said:
rnam krtva ghrtam pibet
yavaj jivet sukham jivet
bhasmi-bhutasya dehasya kutah
punar agamano bhavet
His theory was that as long as one lives one should eat as much ghee as possible. In India, ghee (clarified butter) is a basic ingredient in preparing many varieties of food. Since everyone wants to enjoy nice food, Carvaka Muni advised that one eat as much ghee as possible. One may say, “I have no money. How shall I purchase ghee?” Carvaka Muni, however, says, “If you have no money, then beg borrow or steal, but in some way secure ghee and enjoy life.” For one who further objects that he will be held accountable for such unauthorized activities as begging, borrowing and stealing, Carvaka Muni replies, “You will not be held responsible. As soon as your body is burned to ashes after death, everything is finished.” This is called ignorance. From the Bhagavad-gita it is understood that one does not die with the annihilation of his body (na hanyate hanyamane sarire). The annihilation of one body involves changing to another (tatha dehantara-praptih). Therefore, to perform irresponsible activities in the material world is very dangerous. Without knowledge of the spirit soul and its transmigration, people are allured by the material energy to engage in many such activities, as if one could become happy simply by dint of material knowledge, without reference to spiritual existence. Therefore the entire material world and its activities are referred to as avidya-karma-samjnanya.
In order to dissipate the ignorance of the human beings who work under the material energy, which is separated from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Lord comes down to revive their original nature of spiritual activities (yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata). As soon as they deviate from their original nature, the Lord comes to teach them, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: “My dear living entities, give up all material activities and simply surrender unto Me for protection.” (Bg. 18.66)
It is the statement of Carvaka Muni that one should beg, borrow or steal money to purchase ghee and enjoy life (rnam krtva ghrtam pibet). Thus even the greatest atheist of India recommends that one eat ghee, not meat. No one could conceive of human beings’ eating meat like tigers and dogs, but men have become so degraded that they are just like animals and can no longer claim to have a human civilization.
Adi7.120
TEXT 120
hena jiva-tattva lana likhi’ para-tattva
acchanna karila srestha isvara-mahattva
SYNONYMS
hena—such degraded; jiva-tattva—the living entities; lana—taking them; likhi’-having written; para-tattva—as the Supreme; acchanna—covering; karila—did; srestha—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; isvara—the Lord’s; mahattva—glories.
TRANSLATION
"The Mayavada philosophy is so degraded that it has taken the insignificant living entities to be the Lord, the Supreme Truth, thus covering the glory and supremacy of the Absolute Truth with monism.
PURPORT
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura comments in this connection that in all Vedic scriptures the jiva-tattva, the truth of the living entities, is mentioned to be one of the energies of the Lord. If one does not accept the living entity to be a minute, infinitesimal spark of the Supreme but equates the jiva-tattva with the Supreme Brahman or Supreme Personality of Godhead, it must be understood that his entire philosophy is based on a misunderstanding. Unfortunately, Sripada Sankaracarya purposely claimed the jiva-tattva, or living entities, to be equal to the Supreme God. Therefore his entire philosophy is based on a misunderstanding, and it misguides people to become atheists whose mission in life is unfulfilled. The mission of human life, as described in the Bhagavad-gita, is to surrender unto the Supreme Lord and become His devotee, but the Mayavada philosophy misleads one to defy the existence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and pose oneself as the Supreme Lord. Thus it has misguided hundreds and thousands of innocent men.
In the Vedanta-sutra, Vyasadeva has described that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is potent and that everything, material or spiritual, is but an emanation of His energy. The Lord, the Supreme Brahman, is the origin or source of everything (janmady asya yatah), and all other manifestations are emanations of different energies of the Lord. This is also confirmed in the Visnu Purana:
ekadesa-sthitasyagner
jyotsna vistarini yatha
parasya brahmanah saktis
tathedam akhilam jagat
“Whatever we see in this world is simply an expansion of different energies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is exactly like a fire that spreads illumination for a long distance although it is situated in one place.” This is a very vivid example. Similarly, it is stated that just as everything in the material world exists in the sunshine, which is the energy of the sun, so everything exists on the basis of the spiritual and material energies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus although Krsna is situated in His own abode (goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhutah), where He enjoys His transcendental pastimes with the cowherd boys and gopis, He is nevertheless present everywhere, even within the atoms of this universe (andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham). This is the verdict of the Vedic literature.
Unfortunately, the Mayavada philosophy, misguiding people by claiming the living entity to be the Lord, has created havoc throughout the entire world and led almost everyone to godlessness. By thus covering the glories of the Supreme Lord, the Mayavadi philosophers have done the greatest disservice to human society. It is to counteract these most abominable activities of the Mayavadi philosophers that Lord Caitanya has introduced the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.
harer nama harer nama
harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha
“In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way.” People should simply engage in the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, for thus they will gradually come to understand that they are not the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as they have been taught by the Mayavadi philosophers, but are eternal servants of the Lord. As soon as one engages himself in the transcendental service of the Lord, he becomes free.
mam ca yo ’vyabhicarena
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
“One who engages in full devotional service, unfailing in all circumstances, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.” (Bg. 14.26) Therefore the Hare Krsna movement, or Krsna consciousness movement, is the only light for the foolish living entities who think either that there is no God or that if God exists He is formless and they themselves are also God. These misconceptions are very dangerous, and the only way to counteract them is to spread the Hare Krsna movement.
Adi7.121
TEXT 121
vyasera sutrete kahe ’parinama’-vada
’vyasa bhranta’--bali’ tara uthaila vivada
SYNONYMS
vyasera—of Srila Vyasadeva; sutrete—in the aphorisms; kahe—describes; parinama—transformation; vada—philosophy; vyasa—Srila Vyasadeva; bhranta—mistaken; bali’-accusing him; tara—his; uthaila—raised; vivada—opposition.
TRANSLATION
"In his Vedanta-sutra Srila Vyasadeva has described that everything is but a transformation of the energy of the Lord. Sankaracarya, however, has misled the world by commenting that Vyasadeva was mistaken. Thus he has raised great opposition to theism throughout the entire world.
PURPORT
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains, “In the Vedanta-sutra of Srila Vyasadeva it is definitely stated that all cosmic manifestations result from transformations of various energies of the Lord. Sankaracarya, however, not accepting the energy of the Lord, thinks that it is the Lord who is transformed. He has taken many clear statements from the Vedic literature and twisted them to try to prove that if the Lord, or the Absolute Truth, were transformed, His oneness would be disturbed. Thus he has accused Srila Vyasadeva of being mistaken. In developing his philosophy of monism, therefore, he has established vivarta-vada, or the Mayavada theory of illusion.”
In the Brahma-sutra, Second Chapter, the first quote is as follows: tad-ananyatvam arambhana-sabdadibhyah. Commenting on this sutra in his Sariraka-bhasya, Sankaracarya has introduced the statement vacarambhanam vikaro namadheyam from the Chandogya Upanisad (6.1.4) to try to prove that acceptance of the transformation of the energy of the Supreme Lord is faulty. He has tried to defy this transformation of energy in a misguided way, which will be explained later. Since his conception of God is impersonal, he does not believe that the entire cosmic manifestation is a transformation of the energies of the Lord, for as soon as one accepts the various energies of the Absolute Truth, one must immediately accept the Absolute Truth to be personal, not impersonal. A person can create many things by the transformation of his energy. For example, a businessman transforms his energy by establishing many big factories or business organizations, yet he remains a person although his energy has been transformed into these many factories or business concerns. The Mayavadi philosophers do not understand this simple fact. Their tiny brains and poor fund of knowledge cannot afford them sufficient enlightenment to realize that when a man’s energy is transformed, the man himself is not transformed but remains the same person.
Not believing in the fact that the energy of the Absolute Truth is transformed, Sankaracarya has propounded his theory of illusion. This theory states that although the Absolute Truth is never transformed, we think that it is transformed, which is an illusion. Sankaracarya does not believe in the transformation of the energy of the Absolute Truth, for he claims that everything is one and that the living entity is therefore also one with the Supreme. This is the Mayavada theory.
Srila Vyasadeva has explained that the Absolute Truth is a person who has different potencies. Merely by His desire that there be creation and by His glance (sa aiksata), He created this material world (sa asrjata). After creation, He remains the same person; He is not transformed into everything. One should accept that the Lord has inconceivable energies and that it is by His order and will that varieties of manifestation have come into existence. In the Vedic literature it is said, sa-tattvato ’nyatha-buddhir vikara ity udahrtah. This mantra indicates that from one fact another fact is generated. For example, a father is one fact, and a son generated from the father is a second fact. Thus both of them are truths, although one is generated from the other. This generation of a second, independent truth from a first truth is called vikara, or transformation resulting in a by-product. The Supreme Brahman is the Absolute Truth, and the energies that have emanated from Him and are existing separately, such as the living entities and the cosmic manifestation, are also truths. This is an example of transformation, which is called vikara or parinama. To give another example of vikara, milk is a truth, but the same milk may be transformed into yogurt. Thus yogurt is a transformation of milk, although the ingredients of yogurt and milk are the same.
In the Chandogya Upanisad there is the following mantra: aitad-atmyam idam sarvam. This mantra indicates without a doubt that the entire world is Brahman. The Absolute Truth has inconceivable energies, as confirmed in the Svetasvatara Upanisad (parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate), and the entire cosmic manifestation is evidence of these different energies of the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord is a fact, and therefore whatever is created by the Supreme Lord is also factual. Everything is true and complete (purnam), but the original purnam, the complete Absolute Truth, always remains the same. Purnat purnam udacyate purnasya purnam adaya. The Absolute Truth is so perfect that although innumerable energies emanate from Him and manifest creations which appear to be different from Him, He nevertheless maintains His personality. He never deteriorates under any circumstances.
It is to be concluded that the entire cosmic manifestation is a transformation of the energy of the Supreme Lord, not of the Supreme Lord or Absolute Truth Himself, who always remains the same. The material world and the living entities are transformations of the energy of the Lord, the Absolute Truth or Brahman, who is the original source. In other words, the Absolute Truth, Brahman, is the original ingredient, and the other manifestations are transformations of this ingredient. This is also confirmed in the Taittiriya Upanisad (3.1): yato va imani bhutani jayante. “This entire cosmic manifestation is made possible by the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” In this verse it is indicated that Brahman, the Absolute Truth, is the original cause and that the living entities (jivas) and the cosmic manifestation are effects of this cause. The cause being a fact, the effects are also factual. They are not illusion. Sankaracarya has inconsistently tried to prove that acceptance of the material world and the jivas to be by-products of the Supreme Lord is an illusion because in this conception the existence of the material world and the jivas is different and separate from that of the Absolute Truth. With this jugglery of understanding, Mayavadi philosophers have propagated the slogan brahma satyam jagan mithya, which declares that the Absolute Truth is fact but the cosmic manifestation and the living entities are simply illusions, or that all of them are in fact the Absolute Truth and that the material world and living entities do not separately exist.
It is therefore to be concluded that Sankaracarya, in order to present the Supreme Lord, the living entities and the material nature as indivisible and ignorant, tries to cover the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He maintains that the material cosmic manifestation is mithya, or false, but this is a great blunder. If the Supreme Personality of Godhead is a fact, how can His creation be false? Even in ordinary dealings, one cannot think the material cosmic manifestation to be false. Therefore Vaisnava philosophers say that the cosmic creation is not false but temporary. It is separated from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but since it is wonderfully created by the energy of the Lord, to say that it is false is blasphemous.
Nondevotees factually appreciate the wonderful creation of material nature, but they cannot appreciate the intelligence and energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is behind this material creation. Sripada Ramanujacarya, however, refers to a sutra from the Aitareya Upanisad (1.1.1), atma va idam agra asit, which points out that the supreme atma, the Absolute Truth, existed before the creation. One may argue, “If the Supreme Personality of Godhead is completely spiritual, how is it possible for Him to be the origin of creation and have within Himself both material and spiritual energies?” To answer this challenge, Sripada Ramanujacarya quotes a mantra from the Taittiriya Upanisad (3.1) that states:
yato va imani bhutani jayante yena jatani jivanti yat prayanty abhisamvisanti
This mantra confirms that the entire cosmic manifestation emanates from the Absolute Truth, rests upon the Absolute Truth and after annihilation again reenters the body of the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The living entity is originally spiritual, and when he enters the spiritual world or the body of the Supreme Lord, he still retains his identity as an individual soul. In this connection Sripada Ramanujacarya gives the example that when a green bird enters a green tree it does not become one with the tree: it retains its identity as a bird, although it appears to merge in the greenness of the tree. To give another example, an animal that enters a forest keeps its individuality, although apparently the beast merges in the forest. Similarly, in material existence, both the material energy and the living entities of the marginal potency maintain their individuality. Thus although the energies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead interact within the cosmic manifestation, each keeps its separate individual existence. Merging in the material or spiritual energies, therefore, does not involve loss of individuality. According to Sri Ramanujapada’s theory of Visistadvaita, although all the energies of the Lord are one, each keeps its individuality (vaisistya).
Sripada Sankaracarya has tried to mislead the readers of the Vedanta-sutra by misinterpreting the words ananda-mayo ’bhyasat, and he has even tried to find fault with Vyasadeva. All the aphorisms of the Vedanta-sutra need not be examined here, however, since we intend to present the Vedanta-sutra in a separate volume.
Adi7.122
TEXT 122
parinama-vade isvara hayena vikari
eta kahi’ ’vivarta’-vada sthapana ye kari
SYNONYMS
parinama-vade—by accepting the theory of transformation of energy; isvara—the Supreme Lord; hayena—becomes; vikari—transformed; eta kahi’-saying this; vivarta—illusion; vada—theory; sthapana—establishing; ye—what; kari—do.
TRANSLATION
"According to Sankaracarya, by accepting the theory of the transformation of the energy of the Lord, one creates an illusion by indirectly accepting that the Absolute Truth is transformed.
PURPORT
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura comments that if one does not clearly understand the meaning of parinama-vada, or transformation of energy, one is sure to misunderstand the truth regarding this material cosmic manifestation and the living entities. In the Chandogya Upanisad (6.8.4) it is said, san-mulah saumyemah prajah sad-ayatanah sat-pratisthah.The material world and the living entities are separate beings, and they are eternally true, not false. Sankaracarya, however, unnecessarily fearing that by parinama-vada (transformation of energy) Brahman would be transformed (vikari), has imagined both the material world and the living entities to be false and to have no individuality. By word jugglery he has tried to prove that the individual identities of the living entities and the material world are illusory, and he has cited the examples of mistaking a rope for a snake or an oyster shell for gold. Thus he has most abominably cheated people in general.
The example of misunderstanding a rope to be a snake is mentioned in the Mandukya Upanisad, but it is meant to explain the error of identifying the body with the soul. Since the soul is actually a spiritual particle, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (mamaivamso jiva-loke), it is due to illusion (vivarta-vada) that a human being, like an animal, identifies the body with the self. This is a proper example of vivarta, or illusion. The verse atattvato ’nyatha-buddhir vivarta ity udahrtah describes such an illusion. To not know actual facts and thus to mistake one thing for another (as, for example, to accept the body as oneself) is called vivarta-vada. Every conditioned living entity who considers the body to be the soul is deluded by this vivarta-vada. One can be attacked by this vivarta-vada philosophy when he forgets the inconceivable power of the omnipotent Personality of Godhead.
How the Supreme Personality of Godhead remains as He is, never changing, is explained in the Isopanisad: purnasya purnam adaya purnam evavasisyate. God is complete. Even if a complete manifestation is taken away from Him, He continues to be complete. The material creation is manifested by the energy of the Lord, but He is still the same person. His form, entourage, qualities and so on never deteriorate. Srila Jiva Gosvami, in his Paramatma-sandarbha, comments regarding the vivarta-vada as follows: “Under the spell of vivarta-vada one imagines the separate entities, namely, the cosmic manifestation and the living entities, to be one with Brahman. This is due to complete ignorance regarding the actual fact. The Absolute Truth, or Parabrahman, is always one and always the same. He is completely free from all other conceptions of existence. He is completely free from false ego, for He is the full spiritual identity. It is absolutely impossible for Him to be subjected to ignorance and fall under the spell of a misconception (vivarta-vada). The Absolute Truth is beyond our conception. One must admit that He has unblemished qualities that He does not share with every living entity. He is never tainted in the slightest degree by the flaws of ordinary living beings. Everyone must therefore understand the Absolute Truth to possess inconceivable potencies.”
Adi7.123
TEXT 123
vastutah parinama-vada--sei se pramana
dehe atma-buddhi--ei vivartera sthana
SYNONYMS
vastutah—factually; parinama-vada—transformation of the energy; sei—that; se—only; pramana—proof; dehe—in the body; atma-buddhi—concept of self; ei—this; vivartera—of illusion; sthana—place.
TRANSLATION
"Transformation of energy is a proven fact. It is the false bodily conception of the self that is an illusion.
PURPORT
The jiva, or living entity, is a spiritual spark who is part of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Unfortunately, he thinks the body to be the self, and that misunderstanding is called vivarta, or acceptance of untruth to be truth. The body is not the self, but animals and foolish people think that it is. Vivarta (illusion) does not, however, denote a change in the identity of the spirit soul; it is the misconception that the body is the self that is an illusion. Similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead does not change when His external energy, consisting of the eight gross and subtle material elements listed in the Bhagavad-gita (bhumir apo ’nalo vayuh, etc.), acts and reacts in different phases.
Adi7.124
TEXT 124
avicintya-sakti-yukta sri-bhagavan
icchaya jagad-rupe paya parinama
SYNONYMS
avicintya—inconceivable; sakti—potency; yukta—possessed of; sri—the affluent; bhagavan—Personality of Godhead; icchaya—by His wish; jagat-rupe—in the form of the cosmic manifestation; paya—becomes; parinama—transformed by His energy.
TRANSLATION
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead is opulent in all respects. Therefore by His inconceivable energies He has transformed the material cosmic manifestation.