Book Title: Multiplex Concepts of Yoga as per Philosophical Framework of Vallabha Vedenta
Author(s): Shyam Manohar Goswami, Achyutanand Dash
Publisher: Shyam Manohar Goswami
Catalog link: https://jainqq.org/explore/250391/1

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Page #1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ Multiplex Concepts of Yoga: As per the Philosophical Framework of Vāllabha Vedānta. Shyam Manohar Goswami Introduction: Conceptual Background on Pramă la & Prameya: The philosophy of Sri-Vallabhācārya, (1478 - 1530) is not speculative in nature but it is reflective as far as the interpretation of the śāstras is concerned. It is thus the four pramā as namely śruti (sabda or Verbatim), pratyaka (Perception), anumāna (Inference) and aitihya (Legend), as proposed in the śāstras' -- are accorded in the school of Vāllabha Vedānta. However, Sri-Vallabhācārya has accepted a different measure on authenticating the conceptual framework of Vedänta from that of all the other schools of Vedānta. In this case, the Vāllabha Vedānta proposes the following Quadra-level cognitive systems (CS) (pramā lavyavastha): The First level of cognitive system is operative at the time of receiving the śāstropadeśa (śästric instructions from the teacher) or at the time of investigating the conceptual foundation of the śāstras or in other words, at the time of having strong desire of knowledge', that is inevitable prior to the śāstric understanding of the entities related to the Brahman and / or the Brahman itself. The Second level of cognitive system is operative at the time when there is a concrete understanding the conceptual foundation of the śāstras or in other words, at the time of investigating / debating the śāstric concepts with those who accept the śāstras as pramā las only after the verbal cognition raised of the intrinsic nature of the entities related to the Brahman and / or the Brahman itself. The Third level of cognitive system is operative at the time when there is an realization of the Brahman or in other words, when the brahmaj (a visualizes the Brahman The Fourth level of cognitive system is operative only at the time of incarnation of the Lord. Mahāprabhu Śrī-Vallabhācārya, opines on the first level of cognitive system that, when the statements of Sruti (the Vedas), Bhagavad-Gītä, Brahmasutra and śrīmadBhāgavatam are found in complete coherent with each other, they alone are accepted to be valid. Because, whatsoever theme is not clear in the statements of the śrutis, it is made clear The article was originally written in Hindi by Goswami Shri Syam Manoharji entitled “Yoga ke Vividha Rapa - Vallabha Vedānta ke Anusār". It is translated into English from the original Hindi by Achyutananda Dash, Professor of Sanskrit, Dr. H. S. Gour University, Sagar. Page #2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ while delving into the Bhagavad-Gītā, and in the same manner if something is not clear even in that, that might be clearer through the investigation of Brahma-sūtras, and further whatsoever is even not clear in that, that certainly is made clearer through the investigation of Srimad-Bhāgavatam. It is thus, these four canonical works are accepted as pramā las only when they are found in complete coherent in each other or being in unanimity. At this level, any contradictory statement that goes against the 'statement of unanimity' (ekavākyatāpannavacana) is not considered to be valid, and in the same manner any statement that repeats something said earlier is also accepted to be invalid since that conveys nothing that remains unknown otherwise. Though this not openly stated anywhere, on the basis of implicative syllogism (arthāpatti) it can be said that, any statement, that occurs in one of these four canonical works, which is not completely coherent with the other three, is also considered to be invalid at this level. It may further be noted here that the invalidity has a limited sphere on account of its applicability for easy understanding of the conceptual framework of the śāstras alone. At the second level, Mahāprabhu (Sri-Vallabhācārya) clarifies that the Only Brahman, has become co-incidentia oppositarum because, It has been manifested into multiplex forms of the universe having mutual contradictory names, forms and actions. Therefore, various statements in different śāstric traditions authenticate the co-incidentia oppositarum character of the Brahman, the ultimate reality by depicting Its mutual contradicting nature. However, it may be noted that due to the contradiction, it is not to be considered invalid; because, apparently two different entities, which appear to be contradictories on account of lonica! framework, may be authentic in the context of Brahman'. In the third level, let alone the question of the authenticity of the śāstric statements, any statement that howsoever may appears to be inauthenticative or meaningless, that cannot be invalid on account of the singularity and co-incidentia oppositarum of the Brahman. At the fourth level the Lord can transgress the untransgressable laws of the nature, because He plays in the universe, that is being formed and controlled by the Time (kāla), Action (karma), Nature (Svabhāva), Prakoti and / or Puruva, by His unthinkable and immeasurable power of yoga-māyā. The clear understanding of these four levels of cognitive system is the keys to open the hidden meanings of the conceptual framework of Sri-Vallabhācārya. Because, any entity or activity, this worldly or the otherworldly, being naturally cognized by the mundane means of cognition, that is considered to be valid only in the mundane world. Even then, if the same entity or activity is otherwise cognized by the śāstras do not reveal a different cognitive state or disprove the former cognitive state. This is how in the śāstric sphere, the mundane reality would not contradict as far as the nature of the particular entity or activity is concerned. This is also true that just after the verbal understanding of a theme by the statements of the śāstras, the 'reality - being known through the common means or through the outward perceptual cognitive instances - does not cease to be. It is because, the essential nature of a thing, as envisaged in a sāstra, is thoroughly realized only when the śāstric means, namely karma (Vedic rituals), jCana (Vedic knowledge), upāsanā (Vedic mode of worship), bhakti (devotion), yoga (yoga), tapa/ (penance), vairāgya (detachment) etc. are well accomplished. These śāstric means reveal the hidden nature of the entities -- this worldly or the otherworldly - being cognized by the common means and without disproving them. For instance, when Lord Srika blessed / granted Arjuna with the divine vision, at that time the human form of Lord K a was not disappeared from the eyes of the latter, as the apparent snake in a rope, but the hidden Universal Form was being visualized in the same Human Form of Lord Srika. For instance, the complex formation of a subtle entity, which is not visible by open eyes, is seen by a microscope and that does not disprove the subtleness of the Page #3 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ entity, on the contrary the hidden complex formation is magnified. Or for instance as the Xray machine takes the picture of the skeleton of a living being without disfiguring the skin & flesh etc. those cover the body; in the same manner the Šāstric or technical knowledge amplifies the subtle nature of an entity without disproving the mundane reality grasped by common means of cognitive instance. B According to the views of Mahāprabhu Sri-Vallabhācārya, the second thing, regarding the 'Non-duality' (Advaita) of the Ultimate Reality as has been described in the Sāstras like the Vedas etc, it may not be understood as the absolute absence of dualism' but as 'positive non-dualism'. For instance if 'A' is considered to be the Brahman - the Absolute Reality without the Beginning and without the End, and further if we accept 'B', 'C', 'D' etc as the names, forms and actions having being born and will be perished in due course, then according to the views of Mahāprabhu 'A' cannot be defined in terms of (A= (-B, -C, -D ...)}; on the contrary, 'A' can be defined in terms of (A = (B, C, D ...))and that is the true sense of 'Non-dualism' (Advaita) according to Vallabha Vedānta. This is established in the following statements of Chandogyopani.ad that says; “How can what is existent be born from what is non-existent? On the contrary, son, in the beginning this world was simply what is existent - one only, without a second. ... and, it thought to itself - Let me become many, It became many". The Chăndogyopani-ad, clearly states that the essential nature of an entity which is a product and is perishable, that indeed is the Brahman, the Compact Truth. In this context, at least the following two statements of Bhadāra yaka Upani.ad may specifically be quoted. It is said here that: “This visible world in the beginning was without real distinction / manifestation. It was distinguished simply in terms of Name and Visible forms." "While the Self is One, yet it is this triple reality. Though it is the Name (nāma), the Visible Form (rūpa) and the Action (karma), still it is only, the only Brahman'". In connection with this framework of Positive Non-dualistic thinking, all the śāstric means namely karma (Vedic rituals), jana (Vedic knowledge), upāsanā (Vedic mode of worship), bhakti (devotion), yoga (yoga), vairāgya (detachment) and tapa /(penance), etc are understood and at the same time when we understand the system of cognitive function along with the objective construction, we can go further for a discussion on the systematic presentation of means (sādhana) as well as the end/result (phala). The Conceptual Framework of the Means and Result based on the said Cognitive and Objective Systems: First of all if we think on the action (karma), there has been a debatable stance in many schools of philosophical systems on the ground that since the action is perishable, the result of the action is ought to be perishable. However, as has been shown above in the Vedic statements that the perishable nature of the action is just an aspect cognized in the worldly affair. The essential nature of the action on the contrary is coherent with the Brahman Therefore, only on the ground of perishable nature of action and its result they are not considered to be false in the Vallabha school of Vedānta. It has been clearly stated in the Šāstras that some time the action gives perishable result and some other time it gives imperishable result depending upon the desire of the lord of action (karma-phaladātā). In the same manner, thinking on the path of knowledge as a means, where the Supreme Reality becomes the 'object of the knowledge' itself, it is considered being beyond the limitation of Time-Space-Objective structure as its distinguishing and distinctive nature. However, all the entities engrossed by the limitation of Time-Space-Objective consideration Page #4 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ appear in the mundane reality are not necessarily remain bereft from the coherence of the Brahman all being in the dualism of name-form-action (näma-rupa-karma). Therefore, without ceasing the Human Form of Lord Krishna, as His Universal Form appeared (before Arjuna) simultaneously giving a scope to both the types, the reality of the dual-status of each and every object appears before the 'knower (brahma-j[fani). Thus Mahāprabhu says: "In the instances of the cognition of illusion, it is only our understanding that alone is erroneous or false. Otherwise the Lord Himself does become the object of the cognition of illusion." "The Brahman being atomic in size can overspread all over the world). Even though Lord Srika is resting on the lap of mother Yaśodā, He is the upholding the whole universe". Therefore, as in climax of the 'realization of the Brahman' (brahmānubhūti) - mundane cognition is not totally obliterated as per the school of Vāllabha Vedānta, but it is the realization of the Supreme Lord as the Inner Controller or intrinsic unity being present in all the mundane entities". Once we understand the means of karma and jana as has been stated above, whether the other means namely upāsanā (Vedic mode of worship), bhakti (devotion) and yoga yield an imaginary result or real can easily be understood. Because, the question comes that when devotional means is adopted for the Brahman, who is of innumerable name-form-action (năma-rūpa-karma), one adheres to the mode of a particular name-form-action, where his devotional attachment remains firm - that in fact is the real acceptance of the true nature of the devotant / worshiped or unreal? In the same manner the question may come that in the path of yoga, when someone's mind has become very clear through the practice of yw niyama-āsana-prā lāyāma-pratyāhāra etc. and his mind is firmly concentrated upon the dhyeya (the ultimate goal of meditation) as part of the mode of dhāra la and dhyāna, whether that is just binding the mind firmly with the object of the meditation that has a Utilitarian Value or that has a Transcendental Truth-corresponding Value? This question creates a problem in between the scholar, an intellectual who has not realized (the Reality) and the sādhaka who has the realization through the above said path of yoga. The Vāllabha Vedānta clearly thinks on this issue that on the basis of the unanimity of the above stated four-level cognitive systems (CS) (pramā la-vyavastha), all these forms not necessarily be accepted as unreal or imaginary. According to the conclusive view of the Vāllabha Vedānta, if there is no Time-Space-Objective correspondence for any mental conception / cognitive instance, that is useful or not in the mundane world, is considered to be unreal or imaginary. For instance, if a yoga-sādhaka (practitioner of yoga) tries to concentrate upon the form of a 'jar' at a time and space where there is absolute absence of the jar, the mental existence of the jar - in which his mind is firmly concentrated upon and in which there is no awareness of any other object at all - can not regarded as proof of objectively valid jar. On the contrary the Supreme Brahman, who is in the Form of every space, every time and every object, remains in the form of the mind itself at the time of meditation, and at the same time He is the object of the meditations, thus the objective imagination of Brahman cannot be false at all. Therefore, in course of practicing yoga or in course of practicing vairāgya, whatsoever blemish is seen or aversion is caused on account of yama-niyama-pratyāhāra or tyāga respectively, that indeed is not a blemish or aversion in a wider sense) in accordance with the positive non-dualism, but it is only in a limited sense of a particular sādhanā (means) that is meant for a particular ‘result'. For example, the holy water of mother Ga=gā also becomes undrinkable in a cup of wine. That's like that?4. Now we can proceed for the enquiry into the theoretical framework of yoga-sādhana only after the brief discussion of these conceptual backgrounds of Vāllabha Vedānta, which is ought to be known. Page #5 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ The Inevitability of Yoga, Its Subordinate and / or Its Prominent Nature According to Vāllabha Vedānta: In the Bhāgavata Purā a, the three means (sādhanās) namely karma (Vedic rituals), jCana (knowledge) and bhakti (devotion) are accepted as yogas and nothing other than these is accepted as means that can lead to the ultimate goal. Yogās trayo mayā proktā noo am śreyo vidhitsayā. janam karma ca bhaktiś ca nopāyo'nyo 'sti kutracit.. nirvir ) lānām j Canayogo nyasinām iha karmasu. tew anirvi) acittānām karmayogastu kāminām .. yad.cchayā matkathādau jātaśraddhas tu ya /pumān. na nirvir)b nätisakto bhaktiyogo'sya siddhidal." In this context, if we look into the characteristics of the three competent practitioners of yoga as has been described, it appears that independent yoga-sādhanā is not required for any of these competent / entitled person. However, Mahāprabhu Śrī Vallabhācārya has explained some of the means of salvation / the highest goal in his works namely Tattvārthadīpanibandha and Bālabodha. That is as follows: - Mokoa / The Highest Goal Vedādi-prama le catuozayopadi.qa Ardgamopadi ea = Taught in the Āgamas handed down from the trend of the lois. Taught in the Quadra-cognitive means starting with the Sruti / the Vedas etc. Parata a) ni käma-śrauta-karma-labhya = Svata Available through the Vedic rituals performed without aiming at any worldly result b) Aupani ad Brahma-j[lana-labhya = | (a) Available through the knowledge of Sãockhyāgamopadi«zathe Brahman taught in the Upani-ads. märgata /= through the path as has been taught in Sãockhya āgama. c) Aupani ad Brahma-vi cayaka- (b) Yogāgamopadia- bhakti labhya = märgata /= through the Available through the devotion of the path as has been taught in Brahman taught in the Upani.ads. Yoga agama. (a) Saivāgamopadiopamārgata /= through the path as has been taught in Saiva āgama. (b) Vai lavaāgamopadi.namärgata /= through the path as has been taught in Vai. ava āgama. We can see that there are only three ways / means for getting mokoa (salvation) as stated in the four cognitive systems (pramā las) starting with the Veda. The yogic system has been incorporated into these three as subordinate and the interesting fact is that these three therefore, are named in Śrīmad-Bhagavad Gītā as 'Karma-yoga', 'Jina-yoga' and 'Bhaktiyoga' instead of just 'karma', 'jCana' and 'bhakti'. It is somehow wrongly presumed by majority of scholars that there is only one way / means i.e. bhakti-marga being accepted for 5 Page #6 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ K the ultimate goal in the Vāllabha Vedānta, because there is an emphasis or an overtone on the means (sādhana) namely the devotional path found in the works of Mahaprabhu Sri Vallabhācārya and further these works are not thoroughly studied. In fact one must ponder on: what are the items shown in the above list not accepted as the means for salvation by Mahāprabhu Śrī Vallabhācārya? As a matter of fact this refers to the means only, which are taught in connection with the ultimate goal in the śāstras. Otherwise, the principles / laws of the means as has been taught in the śāstras will act as bondage to the salvation-seeking beings, of course not for the Supreme Being. Therefore, when the Lord takes an incarnation on the earth He sometime trespasses these laws / principles and grants salvations as part of his līlā (divine play). That is also accepted as divine play of His incarnation in the system of Vallabha Vedānta. The question is: otherwise why and how the Gopis (the cowherd girls) who had a paramour type of relationship with Lord Sri a, which is denounced in the śāstras, got salvations? Śrī Sukamuni, gave the following clarification in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam to king Parīkoita, who had a query of this sort that if the Lord can grant salvation to His enemies, who had strong enmity with Him, why can't He grant salvation to the Gopīs, who had strong desire of love? If Lord's incarnation on the earth is meant for granting salvation for the beings, then whosoever has a strong unfailing and steadfast attachment with Him on any of the emotional aspects of love, anger, fear, affection, closeness or friendliness, he / she ultimately becomes bhagavanmaya (engrossed in the Lord). In that case, how Vāllabha Vedānta can take objection to any method / means, that is prescribed as pure and auspicious in the śāstrus for the ultimate gcal? And therefore, the given list, not only the means as has been taught in the Vedas namely karma, jana and bhakti are accepted as the means for salvation in the Vallabha Vedānta; but also the means of worshipping the lower gods those are taught in the Saiva, Vai lava, Paurā ika and Agama trends in one hand and adhering to the path of self-realization through the means of SãockhyaYoga for those who are the seekers of salvation (mumukous) on the other hand. Yoga is one of the Five Facets of the Brahmavidyā Available only Through the Grace of God is the Best Means in the Brahmic Salvation: On this controversial issue, if someone wants to know the secrets of Vāllabha Vedānta, I can say that according to Mahāprabhu Sri Vallabhācārya, the brahmavidyā - that is gained only through the grace of God - is the direct path of salvation. Brahmavidyā means proper understanding of the nature of Brahman as has been taught in the śāstras. The salvation is possible only when the all-pervasive Brahmic ignorance is completely destroyed on account of this brahmavidyā. As we have seen that the Brahman Himself either manifests or disappears the selfcognizance of himself being part of the Brahman in the form of the individual being (īvātman) which is in the form of consciousness. He concurs the manifestation and disappearance through His own power of Vidyā or Avidyā. The Brahman through His power of Avidyā induces in the individual soul's self-ignorance on account of imposition of internal faculties (anta kara ladhyāsa), imposition of vital energy (prā ladhyāsa), imposition of senseorgans (indriyadhyāsa), and imposition of body (dehādhyāsa) on His own part i.e. consciousness. Therefore, the individual being, which is the direct consciousness-part of the Sac-Cid-Ananda Brahman cannot know himself. These five facets of Avidyā can be ceased only through the power of five-faceted Vidyā. The five facets of vidyā-saktis are enumerated as follows: (i) Vairāgya (detachment), (ii) sãockhya (knowledge), (i) Yoga (yoga), (iv) tapa/ (penance) and (v) bhakti (devotion). Mahāprabhu Sri Vallabhācārya describing the nature of these five facets say that first of all arousing aversion in the matters of sense organs is the Page #7 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ first facet of Vidyā. Next to that through the second facet, when the distinguishing knowledge arises of permanent as well as temporal entities, at that time the attachment of the temporal things is destroyed and thus giving them up becomes possible. Thereafter, the third facet, i.e. yoga comes into picture, and in that one needs to practice the eight-fold yoga viz. yaamaniyama-āsana-prā lāyāma-pratyāhāra-dhāra ā-dhyāna-samādhi lonely. In the forth facet i.e. while practicing tapa /(penance), one needs to concentrate on being in firm meditation of savikalpa-samadhi. This is how when someone constantly goes on practicing the meditation, unfailing love for the Supreme Being arises. That helps in gaining the brahmavidyā, which in turn helps in realizing the Brahman. In other words, the result of the brahmavidyā is the individual being (jivātmā), that is the part of the Supreme Being emerges into the Whole". All the Means of Salvation are the Intermediate Causal Factors of God's Desire towards Granting Salvation to the Individual Beings: At this stage it becomes imperative to know two more things. First of all, all the means for salvation - those are taught or discussed in the śāstras - are not necessarily envisaged as means of salvation in the Vāllabha School of Vedānta; but they are considered without any exception to be the intermediate causal factors to the grace of God for granting salvation. As he speaks himself: all those - karma, j Lana, bhakti, sãockhya, yoga, tapa vairāgya, etc. - accepted as means of salvation are indeed the intermediate causal factors of the grace of the Lord, and thus those are able to grant various types of results. Therefore, in fact, God's grace is the only means for granting salvation. The second thing is that: the Vedic ritual, which is performance dominating; the Upani•adic-path of knowledge, which is śānta-rasa-dominating; the path of devotion as has been narrated in the Bhagavad Gītā and Bhāgavatam, which is bhagavat-rasānubhūti-dominating; the path of Sãockhya, which is detachment-dominating; the path of yoga, which is saocyama-vairāgya-dominating etc. all those means have been designed to reveal some-or-other forms of the Lord, the Supreme Being. The Lord, however, reveals Himself in a form depending upon the means. The Supreme Being who is in the form of Supreme Bliss, when reveals Himself through the Bhakti-yoga, the yoga of devotion, He indeed reveals His form of Ultimate Bliss or Optimum Form of Love that goes well in accordance with His nature of Devotion. Therefore, even though the salvation is available through many means, still there is a difference in the degree of happiness in the Natural Bliss of the Lord and His realization. The path of Sãockhya is a system that gives pleasure for a person who has acquired the strength of tolerating the pains that is caused by the ignorance due to the absence of realizing the sublime Bliss of the Lord. It is as if a person who is very thirsty but he does not get disturbed because he has the strength to tolerate it. The yoga-mărga is a means to be selfdependant of digging up a well and drinking water at the time of feeling thirsty. Bhaktimărga on the other hand, is like arrival of the thirsty man at the bank of a river of pure water, for whom plenty of water is available easily as and when and as much as he might be in need of The Classifications of the Means followed in Yogic Path - Being Subordinate to Karma, JCana & Bhakti and Also Being Independent of These: The theoretical stand of Sãockhya and Yoga has been described to be coming from non-Vedic sources in the first quarter (pada) of the second Adhyāya (Chapter) of Brahmasūtra, technically known as Avirodhādhyāya. In contrast to that the statements of the Srutis, which is the foundation of Brahmasūtra it has been stated clearly that: Page #8 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ "nityo nityānām cetana /cetanānām eko bahūnām vidadhāti kāmān. tat-kāra kam sāockhya-yogādhigamyam jlatvā devam mucyate sarvapāśai /.." “yadā pa cāvatiehante janāni manasă saha. buddhiś ca na vice gati tām āhi /paramām gatim.." "tām yogam iti manyante sthirām indriyadhāra Vām”20 In these statements, the Supreme Reality that is described in the Upani-ads is accepted to be known through the systems of Sãockhya-Yoga. To eradicate this contradiction Mahāprabhu Sri Vallabhācārya says that the Sãockhya theory is seen in various forms and all the 28 entities are treated to be part / form of the Lord that alone is to be accepted as authentic and rest of the others are inauthentic. In the same manner, the mode of Yoga is considered to be authentic which advocates the meditation of the Lord. Because, yoga basically teaches the ways for the cessation of the citta-v óttis (state of mental faculties). If yoga can be useful for meditating upon the Lord, then only it can be taken to be authentic. The system of yoga that refutes the existence of the Lord, and that teaches achieving some short of siddhis or that is applied for gaining some benefit related to the body or sense organs, such yoga should be discarded as inauthentic. Of course there is no particular way for meditating upon the Supreme Lord, still if the individual being (jīvātmā) is considered as the part of the Supreme Being and someone meditates upon Him for gaining the Self-realization, and if such a process is taught somewhere then that the yogic system) can be accepted as authentic. Because by following any one of these means namely vairāgya (detachment), jana (knowledge), yoga, prema (love) or tapa /(penance) if someone firmly prays the Lord, he / she can get the siddhi (the ultimate goal). Yoga is a Part and Parcel of the Five-Faceted Vidyā: It is advisable that one should constantly pray the Lord being well versed in the five faceted vidyā. Because, vairāgya (detachment) is the first amongst the five facets, and in the absence of that, complete absorption with the Lord is not possible and in that case worship of the Lord will not be possible properly. The second facet is jluna and it is all about gaining the knowledge of all manifested beings and things along with the creator. In the absence of this the sādhaka cannot decide the paths and in that case he/she cannot even start his/her course of sādhanā. In the same manner yoga also becomes an essential part because this makes the mind firm and that in turn helps for worshipping him constantly. The fourth facet prema (love) is also accepted to be part and parcel of Brahmavidyā because without that the 'worship’ looses the status of unmotivated self-rewarding character of 'human goal' (svata/ puru cartha) and that results in un-manifestation of bhakti-rasa. The fifth facet tapa/ is accepted because that regulates the due proportion of self-involvement in the body and its various functions. All these five facets cannot be practiced at once and thus if one of them is practiced at a time that is also considered to be fine. It may be pointed out here that the devotion (bhakti) and the yoga both play the subordinate role to Brahmavidyā, which are considered as facets to it and the usefulness of yoga is being taught here in a very general sense?! The Utility of Yoga as part of Navadhā Bhakti (Nine-fold Devotion) as per the Purā la Tradition: Page #9 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ In the same manner Mahāprabhu Śrī Vallabhācārya emphasizes on the adoptability of yogic means in terms of "yoga-sahita-bhajane prema as part of nine-fold devotional path namely śrava a, (listening to Lord's qualities), kīrtana (singing ...), smara la (remembering ...), pādasevana (serving at the feet ...), arcana (offering ...), vandana (saluting ...), dāsya (being a servant like ...), sakhya (being a friend like ...), and ātma-nivedana (self dedication ...) those are described in the Purā las. The yogic process that is part of the devotion has been described in many places of Bhagavata Purā la. For example, in the first and second chapters of the Second Book (Dvitīya Skandha), it has been advised that one ought to concentrate / meditate upon the Special or Universal form of the Supreme Lord. In this context, the yogic process has been taught as subordinate to the first three parts namely śrava la, kīrtana and Smara la of the nine-fold devotional path. In the same fashion, in course of the dialogue between Kapila and Devabūti, that is narrated in detail in the Third Book, the process of meditation is also found. The Subodhini commentary by Mahāprabhu on this portion of Srimad Bhāgavatam is available and therefore, it will be worthwhile in examining that there itself. Just to acquaint with the concerned topic in brief the following statement can be quoted here: "antakäle tu puru wa lāgate gatasādhvasa // chindyâd asa=ga-sastre la sp .hām dehe 'nu ye ca tam // dhira / pu yatirtha-jalāpluta / sucau vivikta asino vidhivat kalpitasane abhyaset manasā śuddham trivt brahmāk aram param. Mano yacched jitaśvāso brahmabijam anusmaran. niyacched vivayebhyo akaan manasā buddhisārathi mana / karmabhi / akciptam śubhārthe dhārayet dhīyā. tatra ekāvayavam dhyāyet avyucchinnena cetasā, mano nirvi ayam yuktyā tata /kilkit na saocsmaret. padam tat param vi. b / mano yatra prasīdati. rajastamobhyām āk iptam vimūāham mana / ātmano yacched dhāra kyā dhīrā / hanti ya tatk tam malam. yatra saocdhāryamā lānām yogina /bhaktilak ea la lāśu saocpadyate yoga laśrayam bhadram ikeata t' (sloka 16-21). In the commentary, Mahāprabhu Śrī Vallabhācārya has explained the utility and the nature of yoga that has been taught here. The process of meditation should not be understood only to be practiced at the time of final departure. This process of meditation indeed is to be followed always by all means. The contemplation (manana) and concentration (nididhyāsana) taught in the Upani.ads are described here. Manana means contemplating the topics of the śrutis with the help of logic. The Lord is told 'to be listened'. Therefore, 'Who is Lord' and 'How is the Lord' - one should have such desire to know and then only the Lord is invariably found in every form (Omnipresent), He is the in the form of all Human Goals, He is the giver of all the results (Omnipotent) and He is in the form of Everything. The question is: how is it possible all that is seen is in fact the form of the Lord? There are several evidences shown in the śrutis for giving a satisfactory reply to this question. However, to strengthen the concept or the contemplation it has been prescribed to identify the whole universe in the body of the Lord as parts or limbs and thereafter one must meditate upon that. Because, in case there is a possibility of envision of the object of meditation, our mind must be competent or alert enough to accept and envisage the form of the Lord, the way He appears before us. When we envisage the whole universe in the body of the Lord, the mind's interference in the way of 'l-ness' and 'mine-ness' that engrosses everything is to be sliced / cut off with the help of the knife called asa=ga (detachment). Thereafter, one has to practice to keep patience not to be disturbed by the external problems like cold or heat etc. By this, in fact what has been technically told is yama that covers a lot of moral values namely non Page #10 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ killing non-violence (ahics), truthfulness (satya), non-stealing (astheya), detachment (asa-ga), non-grabbing (asa kaya), having faith upon (asthikya), celibacy (brahmacarya), silence (mauna), patience (sthairya), forgiveness (keama), fearlessness (abhaya), purity (sauca), chanting the mantra (Japa), penance (tapa), sacrifice (homa), stable faith (áraddha), hospitality (ärithya), adoration for the God (bhagavadarcana), visiting holy places (tirtha ana), thinking of benefaction (parürtheha), satisfaction (tu), serving the teachers (ācārya-sevana) etc. Here the term 'pu a-tirtha-jala' implies that one should give up taking plain water and visiting holy places for fulfilling material desire. The practice of this yoga is advised by sitting on seat made up off either cloth, or skin of antelope, or kusa-(Poacynosuroides)-grass. When someone practices the sabija-prāyāma (a type of breathing exercise that goes along with the chanting of Omkara), it helps him to control the breathing system quickly. The pra kayama is to be practiced with the uni-latter Omkara, that is the name of the Brahman, consisting of three holy letters namely a-kāra, u-kāra and m-kāra. By this practice one gains control over the breathing system. Anybody who cannot control over his/ her breathing system cannot control over his / her mind. A person who can control over his mind can control over his sense organs. Otherwise, the vicious attitude of the mind in the matters of sense organs may cause the mind in distracting from the practice of yoga. The mental faculty constitutes both the sensitive organs as well as the motor organs, and thus with the help of pratyāhāra (a technical name for the fifth part of yoga), one can resist from doing wrong deeds like someone controls the sense organs from their respecting matters. When someone is very perfect in doing this, now he can proceed on making a mental image or the Lord and worship Him by concentrating his mind in different parts or limbs of the image, and this is called dhara à. Concentrating the mind in any single limb/part is called dhyana. One should concentrate on the different limbs and gradually concentrate on the whole unified body. When this type of meditation becomes perfect then only for sometime one should try to make his mind completely empty, bereft of all the matters. In this process when someone realizes that his mind is relaxed and enjoying Supreme bliss then he should understand that the figure of the Lord is established in the Self itself, which is the divine eternal abode of the Lord instead of the mental faculties. Only on the ground of this concentration the yogi regains the perfection of a superior yoga called bhakti-yoga (yoga of devotion). After this king Parikoita asked: how someone can gain this type of concentration? Whether one make a mental image and concentrate upon it or one should make a physical image as per the śāstras? The Lord is of infinite images; in that case, what type of image can be made that will be acceptable to all the yogins without any exception. What type of image? - The question implies whether it should be formal physically or qualitative intentionally? Whether it should be gross or subtle? Whether it should be formless or embodied? Whether one should meditated upon the internal composed image of the Lord or the decorative and attractive external image of the Lord? How all the mental-inflicts are eradicated? In conciliation with this Sukamuni first of all suggested meditating upon the gross image of the Lord. The grossness is constituted with taking whole the universe into account and that helps in conceptualizing the Universal Form of the Lord. For that one has to identify the lower world with the feet of the Lord, and in the process, starting from the feet one has to go up to the head of the Lord by identifying the whole universe gradually and then to meditate upon it. That in turn will help in realizing the whole Universe as the Brahman, and all the matters in the universe will automatically get transformed into the form of the Supreme Divine Being. This happens like in a dreaming state where there is nothing other than the dreamer, or any object of dreaming; neither the sense organ for seeing the dream nor the cognitive experience exists. In the same manner when there is clear realization of the 10 Page #11 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ Brahmic state everywhere the difference from Brahman cease to exist. This is how the Ultimate Truth, invaluable treasure of Complete Bliss, the Lord is prayed through the meditation and concentration. Therefore, He is described as being beyond the three gu las, essentially being in the form of Pleasure and being in the form of the Anything and Everything, the Brahman in the Srimad Bhagavdgītā”. Thus, it is possible to be in close association without any fear or favor with such Bhagavān, the Lord of the Universe, as has been described in the beginning of the 4h Brā mala of the first book of the Bhadāra yaka Upani-ad24. The Upani-ads have found out the solo-feature in the multiplex nature - that settles the issue of double-trouble namely the boredom of remaining alone and fear of staying with other. The process of meditation and concentration on the physical form of the Lord, that has been taught in the Srimad Bhāgavatam, helps the yogin to overcome the boredom due to loneliness being developed during the state of remaining in firm concentration and the fear that comes during the non-concentration state that comes at an earlier stage. For the envision of the Ultimate Truth described in the Upani-ads, the wondrous extensive features of the Universal Form of the Brahman is enumerated / explicated in the Bhadāra yaka Upani.ad in epistemological manner and in Bhāgavata-purāla in the concentration-meditation manner. The Definition of bhakti-yoga as has been given in Nārada Palcarātra - "Firm love in abundance with the knowledge of His Magnanimity" - is accepted in Vāllabha Vedānta. In accordance with that the 'cognizance or the acceptance of the identity of the Self of the devotee with the Brahman in the form of the extensive expansion of the Universe that exists in the outer world arises the knowledge of the Magnanimity of the Brahman within the individual being (līvātmā). In the same manner the 'cognizance or the acceptance of the identity of the Brahman inside the individual being (jivātmā) makes him of having firm love in abundance with the Lord, the Supreme Being, and the Brahman. In other words, this realization of the identity - inwardly and outwardly - of the individual being (jīvātmā) with the Brhman, makes him a devotee-yogin of the Paramātmā, the Supreme Being. It is therefore, the ultimate purpose of the nine-time teaching of the followings in the Chandogyopani ad i.e. -- "sa ya eo a limā, aitadātmyam idam sarvam, tat satyam sa ātmā, tat tvam asi”25 is interpreted by Mahāprabhu Sri Vallabhācārya in accordance with arousing the bhaktiyoga in the form of - "Firm love in abundance with the knowledge of His Magnanimity". Mostly the intension of the Upani.ads in describing the creation of the Universe is to be understood in the sense of describing the Lord's magnanimity only, because that may somehow help the individuals to get engaged in the prayers of the Lord. The other aspect of the devotion is 'firm love in abundance, and to arouse that the Upani-ads teach the identity in between the jīvātman and paramātman. Further, when we go ahead in Srimad Bhāgavatam, it is advised to arouse the same state of identity in the inner hearts of the devotees in concentrating upon the localized image of the Lord: "This is how the self-revealed one in the mental faculties and the dear-most object i.e. the Lord is infinite. The Lord is thus the cause of the cessation of the false concepts of the world (saacsāra) and therefore, one should pray Him blissfully and devotedly. ... Some of the devotees concentrate upon Him in His Localized Personality revealed in their inner heart. They constantly apprehend each and every beauteous limbs of the Fourhanded Lord in their mind. When someone (a sādhaka) is completely victorious 1 Page #12 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ over one after the other beauteous limbs starting from His lotus-feet till His smiling lotus like face by constant concentration, his mental faculties gradually becomes purer and then the devotional yoga becomes firmer in the Omniscient, Omnipotent Supreme Lord. Unless and until this is achieved, one should constantly and consciously try to concentrate upon the physical form of the Lord as advised above". Mahāprabhu Sri Vallabhācārya explaining these kārikās in the commentary - Subodhini - says that: the Lord, who arouses an inciting to be absolutely non-expectant in the mental faculties of a sādhaka, He must be staying somewhere in the mind itself. Such worship-able is being said to be 'dear' because He is the Self, and He is desideratum' because He is dear, He is the 'Lord' because He is desideratum, and He is 'infinite' because He is the Lord. These five forms urge everyone to get engaged in the service of the Lord. The life or the body is dear to everyone. Still, these are limited and thus the love for these naturally becomes limited. Therefore, when there is a contact with someone the other contact is lost. Therefore, one should keep contact with the Lord, the Universal Being. In fact 'love' is an intrinsic property of the Lord. The Lord has distributed this partly with every being for giving them some pleasure. Thus whosoever loves whomsoever he/she gets pleasure out of it. We indeed get the pleasure of love everywhere but the material objects are not real causes of it. In this manner when everything is settled, one should continue in pursuing the path of sadhana starting from the listening to the Vedas)' etc. being in the path of devotion. The fourhanded physical form of the Lord, where the hand-feet-face-stomach-etc narrated are nothing but the 'bliss' alone. This is how while someone practices the worship along with the knowledge, the concentration-meditation of the blissful form is explained in place of the physical form of the Lord as has been described above. The mode that: how one should concentrate and meditate upon in the form of Blissful Lord has been described in detail in the 28th chapter of the third book of Srimad Bhāgavatam, in the context of Kapila-Devahūtī dialogue. All of that is nothing but the subordinate means of yogic path just to arouse the principal three-fold i.e. śrava la-kārtana-smara la or nine-fold devotional ways namely śrava la, (listening to Lord's qualities), kārtana (singing ...), smara la (remembering ...), pādasevana (serving at the feet ...), arcane (adoration ...), vandana (saluting ...), dāsya (being a servant like ...), sakhya (being a friend like ...), and ātma-nivedana (dedicating oneself ...) those are described in the Purā las for the ultimate goal. Yoga and other Subordinate Means are not Required in the Love-Centric Bhakti-Yoga: The love-centric devotion, the tenth one, is innate in all the souls although it may not be explicitly open. Vallabha Vedānta, accepts its root as stated above in the theory of the identity with the Brahman as described in the Upani-ads. This is accepted to be superior to the three-fold or nine-fold devotional means of the Purā las, or it is accepted as the state of perfection that is achieved after the devotional means. "Bhaktyā sa jātayā bhaktya?"29 - it has been stated that as this superior love-centric devotion arises through the three-fold / nine-fold devotion with the help of yoga; in the same manner, that also arises only through the association of the holy-people and self-dedication etc. without the yogic path. This lovecentric devotion is treated as the only bhakti-yoga none other than by the Lord Himself and He shows its distinct nature: "The yogin who is devoted to the Lord, and who sees Him as his own Self, even without the knowledge or detachment he gains benefit in this world. Because Page #13 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ whatsoever is available through good-deeds, through penance, through knowledge and detachment, through donations and auspicious works like that, all that is available to the devotee easily through the devotion to the Lord alone. The composed minded and honest people, who are sincere devotees to the Lord, do not want the salvation that is bereft of rebirth even though the Lord offers the same. This is how those who do not want anything but the Lord alone until the final goal is achieved, there is no scarcity of the Supreme Well-being". Mahāprabhu Sri Vallabhācārya has given a very interesting explanation in the context of this love-centric devotion: In the path of knowledge, there is no distinction with anything that is cognizable being the part and parcel of the non-dualistic state, because everything completely becomes the brahman. In the path of devotion, on the other hand, it is not so simple, because, as the Lord has created the whole Universe, similarly He has created the path of devotion for Himself somehow separately. (This is accepted on the basis of the Sruti that states - "He did not wanted to be alone, He wanted the second one, and therefore, He created everything."'".) He assigned the responsibility to grant the worldly means and results to His powers incarnates, and He remained in His Blissful-state keeping the power of granting the joy of worship to His own desire or pleasure. In the merciful path of devotion, though the outward prayer is accepted as the principal one, still the worship of the internal image of the Lord in the mind is regarded as falling in the path of knowledge. It may be kept in mind that this procedure is applicable to the stage of sādhanā, however, in the stage of the result, the process of outer worship is relaxed. In the phalāahyāya of the Branmasutrabhāeya the Bhāeyakāra says: when the mind is fully concentrated upon the true nature of the Lord, there will be no apprehension of the outward or inward distinction and there will not be any difference between the outer prayer or inner prayer. Therefore, either at the beginning or at the final stage of the love-centric devotion in the association of the means followed in the yoga-mārga remains secondary. The rituals, the epistemic and / or injunctive desires can be governed by the śāstric patterns, but those can neither control the experience nor the love. The Assistance of the Yogic Means in the Adoration Practiced in the Jlanamārga (path of knowledge): In the context of the assistance of the yogic means followed in the sādhanā in the path of knowledge, Mahaprabhu Sri Vallabhācārya says that since the mind is endowed with the power of knowledge and the power of activity, it is potential being the both. Therefore, we are able to know the distinction of both - this-worldly and the otherworldly, the eternal and the temporal, the seen and the unseen, the auspicious and inauspicious - through the śāstra and through the discriminatory / judgmental faculty. If we can enforce the power of activity through yoga, then only mediation or concentration of the mind in the object meditated upon becomes firm; otherwise, generally the active forces inside us destabilize our knowledge. Whatsoever we think improper / inappropriate through the power of knowledge, sometime we are forced to do that. In the activity that leads to produce the result, we see that the desire is more powerful than the knowledge, and the volitional effort is still more powerful than the desire, in the same manner the 'speech' is more powerful than the 'mind' and 'body' is more powerful than the 'speech'. Because, there is an unseen force of 'lust' etc., and the unseen force is so powerful that the mind is forced to enter into the worldly affairs/ pleasure. In that condition, the yogic path even becomes useless. When the wind is blowing forcefully no one can light a candle even though there is a deep darkness. Therefore, when someone can control over the powers of activities related to the body and speech, then only he / she can Page #14 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ concentrate upon the mental image34. It is thus; the assistance of the yogic means is very much required for making the mind firm in the path of knowledge (jina-mārga). At this stage it may be useful to note that if the meditator himself conceives the mental image not as the Brahman but any other divine being for gaining some minor result and he/she meditates upon him, then such yoga will result in giving the minor result only. On the contrary, if the meditator concentrates upon any inferior divinity or mental image of His partial powers as the Brahman, then such yoga being part and parcel of the adoration of the path of knowledge, will help him in gaining the experience of the Brahman". This experience of Brahman is treated either way i.e., Jivanmukti (salvation while alive) or videhamukti (salvation after death) and finally it leads to Brahma-sayujya (communion with the Brahman) or Brühmaikyam (identity with the Brahman). The Assistance of the Yogic Means in the Performance of Karman: As far as the question of karma-yoga is concerned, the views of Vallabha Vedanta are to be understood in a very careful manner. One of the natures of karman is applicable in the context of the creation of the Universe. In other words, out the five foundational requirements of the creation namely käla (time), karma (activity), svabhāva (nature), prakti (Primordial Nature), and purua (the Being), it is included in the Cosmic form (see fn. No. 7 & 8). Further, the karman also mean the sacrificial activities and the worshiping the gods as has been taught in the sastras like the śrutis etc. These are considered as having being included in the form of God or the Lord. Mahaprabhu Śrī Vallabhācārya says: "One should understand the sacrificial activities described in the beginning portion of the Vedas as the form of Lord Hari", In all these sacrifices namely Agnihotra, Darsapur amāsa, Pasu, Caturmasya and Somayaga, one should understand the five forms of Hari. The subordinate sacrifices namely prayaja etc. and the instruments used in sacrifices namely sruk-sruva etc. also are not different from the Hari. These sacrifices are in the form of eternal prakti-karman (primary activities) and that is none other than Hari. On the contrary the kamya-karmans are known to be vik♦tikarmans (secondary activities). 3699 The question is: the sacrificial activities are product of human effort / endeavour and in that sense, can it be considered as 'eternal'? To answer this Mahaprabhu says: as the form /image of the Lord appears in meditation in the same manner; the sacrificial activities, which is of formal placement of fire type or of somayaga type, essentially are nothing but the physical activities and the performance of mental activities like meditation in that, that ultimately reveals the Supreme Self-it is not 'created'37. In any case, during these sacrificial activities, there is an instruction to meditate upon the gods to whom the oblation is offered. In the process of meditating upon these gods, it is said to concentrate upon the images of the gods as has been described in the sastras and that is obligatory38. And here again we find the assistance of the means as adopted in the path of yoga. According to Mahaprabhu, when someone performs the nikama-karma (rituals without any desire of its fruit), that bestows the immortal pleasure upon the individual being (jiva) which is part and parcel of the Brahman, the Supreme Conscious Being. This is considered to be the tiniest conscious part of the Brahman, and that is the Super most pleasure than any of the worldly pleasures 39. 14 Page #15 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ Apart from the adoration activity of the Lord - that is being performed by the individual being, which is part and parcel of the creation of the Universe - the third type of activity is social activity, because, man is a social animal. This can be seen as the duties prescribed in the systems of var as (casts) and aśrama (stages of human life in the ancient śāstras. Srimad Bhagavad-Gītā teaches to perform this as part of the worship activities to the Lord Himself: If someone performs his / her respective duties, he/she gains the ultimate goals. That is available only when someone performs his / her duty which is a different form of worshipping the God, and it is in fact nothing but the intrinsic nature of the being. In other words, one should perform his/her duty thinking that this is nothing but the worshiping of the Lord. In this way, the performance of the action becomes karma-yoga0. The Vi• upurā la clearly states that one should associate his / her mind with the Lord through his / her respective action and that is called "yoga-4l. This is how, even if the means as has been prescribed in the path of yoga are not very much regular in the performance of action, still they cannot be treated completely foreign to it. Because, while performing His own social activities, the Creator of the Universe follows the instinct of performing the activities as has been designed by the Supreme Being in a sense of soft devotional performance and at the same time it is strict meditational action. Therefore, no prejudices can be assigned to it. The Atmayoga to be Performed Independently Without Making it Subordinate to Karma, Jana, and Bhakti: According to Vallabha Vedenta, in all those works of SE.khya-Yoga, where the subject matters / topics are different from those narrated in the rutis, are refuted by the author of Brahmastra himself, and thus they are not taken to be authentic. In spite of that the S@khya-Yoga-* Ostras are considered to be means under the Paura lika category because that presents the knowledge of distinguishing the eternal and non-eternal entities' (nity Enitya-vastu-viveka-j Ena) in one hand and confirming the knowledge through controlling the mind on the other hand. Therefore, this is accepted as a subordinate but effective means either being part of the path of karma, or being part of the path of j *Ona (knowledge) or being part of the path of bhakti (devotion). Therefore, only by following the S ockhyan process when out of the five facets of avidy 3 (ignorance) the followings namely deh Odhy Osa (the superimposed cognition of the Self upon the body), indriy Odhy Osa (the superimposed cognition of the Self upon the sense-organs), pra Edhy Olsa (the superimposed cognition of the Self upon the vital-energy) are eradicated, and further the aha. Era (ego) is removed, then only it (yoga) is considered to be effective means. The question is: whether the yogi being completely free from these superimposed cognitive instances gets salvation from the bondage of the 'ignorance that ought to stay till the death; or he is reborn as a j na-yogi who is competent with the Etm Enubh ti (realization of the Self) as has been taught in the Upani+ads, and who is potent to get liberated. In the same manner, only following the path of yoga, when someone gets the knowledge through the practice of yoga, and after that the yogi gives up his body (dies) and gets released from the bondage of 'ignorance' (avidy). If the path of yoga is practiced as subordinate to the main paths of karma, j* Ona, bhakti described in the *Estras, then only it can give the results depending upon the main paths. However, if the path of yoga that is full of blemishes like that one followed in the vEma-mErga, a sect of Tantra, then it will lead to hell or the yogi is reborn again and in that he may get happiness to some extent. The yoga - that is not associated with the Supreme Page #16 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ Divine Being but independently associated with the individual self- being described in the Puras and since it is included in the means of Puric category, it can give result only if it is practiced accordingly Conclusion: This is how we have seen that the only One, Non-dual, Brahman, in the form of saccid-Emanda Himself spreads His divine plays in the Universe through His manifold namarApa and karma, and following the theory of Km+ra-aivism, it can be said in the VOllabha-Vedanta that: brhma bandho brahma mukti + brahma baddha + tathetara +/ jBnBjBne tath brahma kara le moka-bandhayo+// brahma barhama o bandho brahma y eva yath mata +/ brahma barhama o mukti + brahma y eva tathocyate // Notes and References: 'See: "tatra pratividhāsyāmo vedärthabrahma o vedānukula-vicāra iti kim atra yuktam? Vyākhyānam iti, vyākyānato više apratipatte (Brahmasūtra ubhā❤ya (Br.S.-A) 1.1.1); “sm ♦tipratyakam aitihyam anumanam catu ayam etai /adityama dalam sarvair eva vidhäsyate" (Taittiriyāra yakam 1.2.1); "śrutipratyakam aitihyam anumānam catu ayam prama ⚫u anavasthānāt vikalpāt sa virajyate" (Bhāgavata-Pura)am (Bh.P) 11.11.17). 2 Cf. “Veda |Śrik • • la-valyāni Vyasa-sutra ì caiva hi samādhi-bhã ã Vyāsasya prama l catu Dayam uttaram pūrva-sandehavārakam parikīrttitam aviruddham yat tu asya pramā am tac ca nanyathā etad viruddham yat sarvam na tad mānam katha cana" (Tattvarthadīpanibandha (TDN.) 1.7-8). 3 "artho ayam eva nikhilair api vedavākyai /rāmāya ai /sahita-bhārata-pacarātrai lanyais ca śāstravacanai /saha tattva-sutrai Inir yate sah dayam harina sadaiva" (TDN. 1.104). * "evam pur Jajānodayavadhi yad grähyam pramā atvena tad nirupya tadanantaram yat pramā am tad aha-athava sarvarūpatvāt nāmalilävibhedata /viruddhāśaparityāgāt prama am sarvam eva hi - vā=mātram eva pramā am arthasy bhagavadrūpatvāt... rūpavad nämalilāyā /vibhedānām vaktavyatvād nānāvidhāni vākyāni prav♦ttāni. viruddhavākyatvenaiva parasparam bhāsamānev api avirodhaprakāram āha - viruddhāśaparityāgād iti, viruddhasaparityāgo dvedhā vaktavya bhagavat samarthyena alaukikaprakāre la bhagavata sarvarupatvena vā. ato yukta eva avirodha " (Saprakasa-Tattvärthadipanibandha (TDN-P) 1.9). 5 "kutas tu khalu ... evam syat. katham asata /sad jayeta ? sattveva ... idam agre āsīd ekam evādvitīyam, tad aikata bahu syām prajayeyeti "Chandogyopani ad 6.2.2-3. 6 "tad ha idam tarhi avyāk tam āsīd tad namarupābhyām eva vyākriyata" (Bhadara yakopani ad (BrAU.)1.4.7). 7 "traya idam nāma rūpam karma... brahma etaddhi sarväli nāmāni ...rūpā ) ... karmā) vibharti. tad etad trayam sad eka ayam ātmā. ātmā u eka /san etat trayam" (BrAU.1.6.1-3). 8 "dravyam karma ca kāla /svabhāvao jīva eva ca / vāsudevāt paro brahman! na canyo'sti tattvata // ... sa ea bhagavan li=gai /tribhir ebhir adhokaja // svalakitagati /brahman! sarveam mama ceśvara /// kālam karma svabhāvam ca māyeśo māyayā svayā/ātmani yad♦cchayā prāptam vibubhueu /upādade//" (Bh.P. 2.5.14-21). "yaj Darupo hari purvaka de brahmatanu /pare atārī hari/ ka /śrībhāgavate iyate... pură ev api sarve eu tad tad rūpo hari /tathā. Kriyā jānam ca dvayam prak ik♦tya yo avatir la /ka /sa bhagavate visio nirupyate. ata /kha aso nirupa )am vede bhagavate tu samudayena nirupya tasya līlā /anekavidhā /nirupyante" (TDN-P. 1.11-12) 16 Page #17 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ "ak ayam ha vai căturmāsyayājino suk tam bhavati" (Satapatha Brāhma a 1.6.1). 10 vi ayatā māyājany, vi vayo bhagavān” (Bh.P. - Subodhini 2.9.33). "a api brahma vyāpakam k..la/yaśodākrode sthito sarva-jagadādhāro bhavati" (TDN-P. 1.54). yasmin sarväl bhutāni ātmaivābhūd vijānata // tatra ko moha /ka /soka lekatvam anupaśyata Il/ " (Kenopaniwat 7.). 12 "eko devo vahudhā nivi•qo ajāyamāno vahudhāvijāyate ... tam yatha yathă upăsate tathaiva bhavati" (Mudgalopani-ad 3). "ye yathā mām prapadyante tan tathaiva bhajāmy aham/" (Bhagavad Gītā (BG). 4.11). "api saccrādhane pratyakūnumānābhyām" (Br.S. 3.3.24). "tad rūpam kotakam anugrahärtham tac cetavām aiśvaryāt. Rūpam vā atindriyam anta kara lapratyakanirdeśāt" (Vākyakāra Brahmanandi), "tvam bhāvayogaparibhāvita hot saroja asse śrutek sitapatho ... yad yad dhīyā ta urugăya vibhāvayanti tad tad vapu /pra layase sadanugrahäya" (Bh.P. 3.9.11). 13 "so 'kāmayata dvitiyo me ātmā jāyeteti / sa manasā vācam mithunam samabhavad'' (BrAU.1.2.4). "yo manasi ti zan manaso antaro" (ibid.3.7.20). "bhumir āpo'nalo vāyu /kham mano ... iti iyam bhinnā prkotiť (BhG. 7.4). "sa mānasina lātmā janānām" (Taittirīyāra yaka 3.11.1). 14 "dravyasya śudhy-asuddhi ca drave la vacanena ca/ saocskāre latha kālena mahattvālpatayāthavā // śaktyāśaktyāthavā sam .dhyā yadātmane ... kvacid gu b'pi doa /syād, doo'pi vidhinā gula /” (Bh.P. 11.21.10-16). 19 Bh.P.11.20.6-8. 16 Bh.P. 10.26.11-15. 17 "vidyāvidye hare /sakti te māyayaiva vinirmite te jīvasyaiva na anyasya ... ātmalābho vidyayā dehalābho avidyayā iti. ubhayo ljiva-dharmatvam vyāvartayati hare /šaktī. tena bhagavad icchayaiva tayo lavirbhāva-tīrobhāvayo lhetutvam ... te ubhe jīvarūpasyaiva a ocśasya bhavato na anyasya jadi asasya antaryami b vă ... svarūpāj Lanam ekam hi parva dehendriyāsava /anta kara lam e cam hi caturdhādhyāsa /ucyate. pacaparvā tu avidyā iyam yadbadho yāti sa os tim ... vidyayā avidyānāśe tu jīvo mukto bhaviyati. Dehendriyā /sarve niradhyastā /bhavanti ... svabudhyā līnavat pratibhäne 'pi na sarve näm budhya tathā pratīyante ...evam sādhanasampattau pacaparvā vidyā sampadyate yayä kotvā jātasāk ātkāra /tam praviśed” (TDN-P. 1.46). 18 "ye asmābhi ljCrinādaya /upāyatvena uktā l... bhagavatkopāyuktatve te sam api phalasādhakatvāt ... vastutas tu k paiva sādhanam” (TDN-P. 2.307) 19 "karmayogādaya /sarve k odgamanahetava /udāsīnatayā udbhedad nahi sarvātmanā phalam, bhaktau atyādare laiva praka 0 jayate hari lātmānam ca tato dadyat sukhe kā paridevanā! Sahanam khananam gazgātīsthitivad eva tat să ockhyo yoga /tatha bhakti tatra premā atisaukhyadam" (TDNP. 2.312-314). 20 Śvetāsvataropani-ad 6.13; Kauhopani-ad 2.3.10-11. 21 s hyo bahuvidha /prokta /tatra eka /satpramā laka la gāvimšati-tattvānām svarūpam yatra vai hari /... anye sütre ni idhyante yogo'pi eka sadādota / Yasmin dhyānam bhagavato nirbīje 'pi ātmabodhaka /... cittayottinirodho yoga sa ca bhagavad-dhyānārtham asgatvena upayujyate sa prāmā lika /vastu svatantratayā phalasādhakatvena prokta /tathāsiddhihetu lj Canātmā ca tathā anye dehendriyādisādhaka /te aprāmā likā /...dhyānābhāve'pi ātmabodhāzgabhūta /prāmā lika eva ... vairāgyaj Cünayāgaiś ca prem la ca tapasā tathā ekenäpi d hena iśam bhajan siddhim avāpnuyāt. parā=gayukta-purua /bhagavantam bhajet. tatra prathamam vairāgyam augam, tad abhāve bhagavad-āveśābhāvāt na bhajanasiddhi ... pa[cānām samudāyo durlabha iti gau lapak am āha ... "(TDN-P. 1.93-95). 22 TDN-P. 1.103. 23 mām ca yo 'vyabhicāre la bhaktiyogena sevate / sa gu lan samatītyaitān brahmabhūyāya kalpatell brahma bhi pratiehāham .../ śāsvatasya ca dharmasya sukhasyaikāntikasya ca" (BHG. 14.26-27). 24 ātmaiva idam agra āsīt. so anuvik gya na anyad ātmano apaśyat so 'aham asmi' iti agre vyāharat. tato 'aham'-nāmā abhavat. tasmād api etarhi amantrito 'aham ayam'ity eva agre uktvā atha anyad nāma prabrute yad asya bhavati. Sa yat pūrvo asmāt sarvasmát sarvān păpmān ausat tasmāt purua/ ovati ha vai sa tam yo asmät pürvo vubhū ati ya levam veda. so abibhet tasmät ekāki bibheti. sa ha ayam īkām cakre yad madanyad nästi kasmān nu bibhemi iti. tata eva asya bhayam vīyāya. kasmād Page #18 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ vyabhegyad dvitīvād vai bhayam bhavati, sa vai na reme, tasmād ekaki na ramate, sa dvitiyam aicchat, sa ha etāvān asa, yathā stri-pumā sau samparisvaktau sa imam eva ätmānam dvedhā apātayat ... brahma vā idam agre āsīd. tat ātmānam eva aveda 'aham brahma asmi'iti. tasmāt tat sarvam abhavat, tad yo yo devānām pratyabudhyata sa eva tad abhavat.” (BrAU.1.4.1-3, 10). » Chăndogyopani.ad 6.8-16. 26 anekadha s ikathanasya prayojanam āha-yatha kathaCcid māhātyam tasya savatra var vate bhajanasyaiva sidhyartham - 'tat tvam asi'-adikam tathā. bhaktisvarūpam āha - māhātmyaj Chinapūrvas tu sudhasarvatodhikasneho bhakti liti prokta /..."(TDN-P. 1.41-42). 27 Bh.P. 2.2.6-14. 28 Subodhini on Bh.P. 2.2.6-14. 29 Bh.P. 11.3.39. 30 Bh.P. 11.20.31-35. 31 saiva naiva reme, tasmād ekāki na ramate. sa dvifiyam aicchat sa ha etāvăn āsa" (BrAU.1.4.3). 32 TDN-P. 1.13. 33 Br.S.-A. 4.1.11. 34 Subodhini on Bh.P. 10.37.27. 35 sūryādirūpadh •g brahmakā læjCanā=gam iryate purā bewapi sarve ou tattadrupo hari tathā. upāsanā /nirūpyante. Tat cittaśuddhidvārā iti kecit. Phaladānadvārā māhātmya-pratipādanena bhaktidvārā iti siddhānta / tathā purā bktānām durgā-ga lapati-prabh ótīnām višiązaśe atvam āvara a-devatātvena, tathāpi bhinnārthatvam āśaya tattadrupo hari liti uktam. sādhanarūpa / phalariipa svayam eveti ekavában” (TDN-P. 1.12), "vedokrānām agnyādinām devonason hdth agnihotrādikara le bhedabuddhe /vidyamānatvāt tattaddevatāsāyujyam ... ekada bahudevopāsanāyām karmaprādhānyāt karmamārgiyam eva phalam na upāsanā-phalam” (TDN-P. 2.265-267), "śrutau brahmatvenaiva sarvatra upāsanāyā /uktatvāt upāsyeu bhagavadvibhūti-rūpatvena śuddhabrahmarūpe w api atathātvam jCötvä śruti /brahmatvopāsanāyā /phalasādhanatvam vadati, na tu upāsye brahmatām api iti manvānā /ye upăsate te 'pratīkālambanā | iti ucyante... kintu śuddhabrahmatvam jLatvā ye upăsate tan eva brahma prāpayati iti vādarāya ka lācāryo manyate ... vastutas tu upāsanāyām upāsyasvarüpaj Chinasyāpi a=gatvät...” (Br.S.-A. 4.3.16.) 36 TDN-P. 1.11; 2.2-3. 37 "nanu k tisādhyo yāgādi /katham nitya /? iti cet tatra āha ... yatha dhyāna-dhāra lādibhi / bhagavanmūrte lānandarūpasya abhivyakti tathā ādhānādisomāntakriyābhi /vedabodhitadehace zābhi /dhyānādisahitābhi /yaj[asvarūpi b'pi bhagavato'bhivyakti liti artha t' (TDN-P. 2.15). 38 “yasyai devatāyai havi lg.hītam syāt tām dhyāyed va azkari gan sākād eva taddevatām pri āti pratyakeād devatām yajati” (Aitareya Brāhma a 11.8.1). 39 "sa ca svargo dvividha ... suozhu arjyate iti svarga /sattvākārānta kara le sarvehāniv Ottau yad ātmasukham prakaibhavati tad agnihotrādisādhyam. sarvadevānām tuzau ādhyatmikatve yāgasya jāte ātmānanda /praka bhavati, etad abhāve tu bhautikatve svargaloko tatha bhavitum na arhati" (TDN-P. 2.4-5). 40 sve sve karma abhirata /saasiddhiam labhate nara / svakarma-nirata /sidhim yathā vindati tat śru u Il yata /prav oni/bhütänām yena sarvam idam tatam / svakarma bi tam abhyarcya siddhiam vindati mõnava / (Bh.G. 18.45-46). 41 "ātma-prayatna-sāpek aā visiepāyā mano gati // tasyā līśvarasa cyoga /'yoga / iti abhidhīyate" (Vi. Ju Pură a 6.7.3) 42 ievam sāockhya-yoga-bhaktīnām melane phalam uktvä kevalānām phalam āha ... kevele sāodhye dvayam azgam - saoghātad bhinnatayā ātmaj[Tanam aha.kārābhāva /ca. etayo /nirvāho 'naiva ki[cit karomi' iti buddhi /vairāgyam ca. janmāntare j Cani san utpadayte ... kevalayogam āha ... yāvajjīvam yogābhyāse jānodaye yogavalenaiva deham tyaktvā avidyāto vimucyate. Bhakti-sahita/ cet pūrvoktam eva phalam... ni addhayo /phalam āha ... dharmamärgät bhra e tatsidhyartham kadācit ni ciddham api kuruta (apeyapanena năð śuddhā bhavatiti vimärge paripo cite narakāyaiva bhavata /paścăd (janmāntare) ki[cit sukham bhavet ... sāockhyayogaśāstram purā lamülakam 18 Page #19 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ a=gatvena nirupitam, tad api paramparaya nityanityavastuvivekasya janazgatvam. tatha cittanirodhasya j Canasthapakatvam. anyatha janam stutam bhavatiti tayo la=gam saockhya-yogau na tu sarvatha tat prama am, aprama lasam spa gayati padarthatattva-nirdhare na prama lam katha[cana" (TDN-P. 2.205-208). Author Shyam Manohar Goswami, 63, Swastik Society, 4th Road, Juhu Scheme, Parle (West) Mumbai - 400 056 Tel. 022-26144326 Translator: Achyutananda Dash Professor in Sanskrit B-11, University Campus Sagar - 470 003 (M.P.) Tel. 07582-265454