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 Vallabha Vedanta. Shyam Manohar Goswami Introduction: Conceptual Background on Prama la & Prameya: The philosophy of Sri-Vallabhacarya, (1478 - 1530) is not speculative in nature but it is reflective as far as the interpretation of the sastras is concerned. It is thus the four prama as namely sruti (sabda or Verbatim), pratyaka (Perception), anumana (Inference) and aitihya (Legend), as proposed in the sastras' -- are accorded in the school of Vallabha Vedanta. However, Sri-Vallabhacarya has accepted a different measure on authenticating the conceptual framework of Vedanta from that of all the other schools of Vedanta. In this case, the Vallabha Vedanta proposes the following Quadra-level cognitive systems (CS) (prama lavyavastha): The First level of cognitive system is operative at the time of receiving the sastropadesa (sastric instructions from the teacher) or at the time of investigating the conceptual foundation of the sastras or in other words, at the time of having strong desire of knowledge', that is inevitable prior to the sastric 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 sastras or in other words, at the time of investigating / debating the sastric concepts with those who accept the sastras as prama 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. Mahaprabhu Sri-Vallabhacarya, opines on the first level of cognitive system that, when the statements of Sruti (the Vedas), Bhagavad-Gita, Brahmasutra and srimadBhagavatam 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 srutis, it is made clear The article was originally written in Hindi by Goswami Shri Syam Manoharji entitled "Yoga ke Vividha Rapa - Vallabha Vedanta ke Anusar". 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-Gita, and in the same manner if something is not clear even in that, that might be clearer through the investigation of Brahma-sutras, and further whatsoever is even not clear in that, that certainly is made clearer through the investigation of Srimad-Bhagavatam. It is thus, these four canonical works are accepted as prama 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' (ekavakyatapannavacana) 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 (arthapatti) 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 sastras alone. At the second level, Mahaprabhu (Sri-Vallabhacarya) 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 sastric 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 sastric 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 (kala), Action (karma), Nature (Svabhava), Prakoti and / or Puruva, by His unthinkable and immeasurable power of yoga-maya. The clear understanding of these four levels of cognitive system is the keys to open the hidden meanings of the conceptual framework of Sri-Vallabhacarya. 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 sastras do not reveal a different cognitive state or disprove the former cognitive state. This is how in the sastric 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 sastras, 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 sastra, is thoroughly realized only when the sastric means, namely karma (Vedic rituals), jCana (Vedic knowledge), upasana (Vedic mode of worship), bhakti (devotion), yoga (yoga), tapa/ (penance), vairagya (detachment) etc. are well accomplished. These sastric 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 Sastric 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 Mahaprabhu Sri-Vallabhacarya, the second thing, regarding the 'Non-duality' (Advaita) of the Ultimate Reality as has been described in the Sastras 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 Mahaprabhu '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 Vedanta. 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 Chandogyopani-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 Bhadara 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 (nama), the Visible Form (rupa) and the Action (karma), still it is only, the only Brahman'". In connection with this framework of Positive Non-dualistic thinking, all the sastric means namely karma (Vedic rituals), jana (Vedic knowledge), upasana (Vedic mode of worship), bhakti (devotion), yoga (yoga), vairagya (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 (sadhana) 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 Vedanta. It has been clearly stated in the Sastras 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-phaladata). 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 (nama-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 Mahaprabhu 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 Yasoda, He is the upholding the whole universe". Therefore, as in climax of the 'realization of the Brahman' (brahmanubhuti) - mundane cognition is not totally obliterated as per the school of Vallabha Vedanta, 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 upasana (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 (nama-rupa-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-asana-pra layama-pratyahara etc. and his mind is firmly concentrated upon the dhyeya (the ultimate goal of meditation) as part of the mode of dhara la and dhyana, 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 sadhaka who has the realization through the above said path of yoga. The Vallabha Vedanta clearly thinks on this issue that on the basis of the unanimity of the above stated four-level cognitive systems (CS) (prama la-vyavastha), all these forms not necessarily be accepted as unreal or imaginary. According to the conclusive view of the Vallabha Vedanta, 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-sadhaka (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 vairagya, whatsoever blemish is seen or aversion is caused on account of yama-niyama-pratyahara or tyaga 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 sadhana (means) that is meant for a particular 'result'. For example, the holy water of mother Ga=ga 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-sadhana only after the brief discussion of these conceptual backgrounds of Vallabha Vedanta, which is ought to be known. Page #5 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ The Inevitability of Yoga, Its Subordinate and / or Its Prominent Nature According to Vallabha Vedanta: In the Bhagavata Pura a, the three means (sadhanas) 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. Yogas trayo maya prokta noo am sreyo vidhitsaya. janam karma ca bhaktis ca nopayo'nyo 'sti kutracit.. nirvir ) lanam j Canayogo nyasinam iha karmasu. tew anirvi) acittanam karmayogastu kaminam .. yad.cchaya matkathadau jatasraddhas tu ya /puman. na nirvir)b natisakto 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-sadhana is not required for any of these competent / entitled person. However, Mahaprabhu Sri Vallabhacarya has explained some of the means of salvation / the highest goal in his works namely Tattvarthadipanibandha and Balabodha. That is as follows: - Mokoa / The Highest Goal Vedadi-prama le catuozayopadi.qa Ardgamopadi ea = Taught in the Agamas handed down from the trend of the lois. Taught in the Quadra-cognitive means starting with the Sruti / the Vedas etc. Parata a) ni kama-srauta-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 Saockhyagamopadi<Page #6 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ K the ultimate goal in the Vallabha Vedanta, because there is an emphasis or an overtone on the means (sadhana) namely the devotional path found in the works of Mahaprabhu Sri Vallabhacarya 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 Mahaprabhu Sri Vallabhacarya? As a matter of fact this refers to the means only, which are taught in connection with the ultimate goal in the sastras. Otherwise, the principles / laws of the means as has been taught in the sastras 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 lila (divine play). That is also accepted as divine play of His incarnation in the system of Vallabha Vedanta. 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 sastras, got salvations? Sri Sukamuni, gave the following clarification in Srimad Bhagavatam to king Parikoita, 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 Gopis, 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 Vallabha Vedanta can take objection to any method / means, that is prescribed as pure and auspicious in the sastrus 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 Vedanta; but also the means of worshipping the lower gods those are taught in the Saiva, Vai lava, Paura ika and Agama trends in one hand and adhering to the path of self-realization through the means of SaockhyaYoga for those who are the seekers of salvation (mumukous) on the other hand. Yoga is one of the Five Facets of the Brahmavidya 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 Vallabha Vedanta, I can say that according to Mahaprabhu Sri Vallabhacarya, the brahmavidya - that is gained only through the grace of God - is the direct path of salvation. Brahmavidya means proper understanding of the nature of Brahman as has been taught in the sastras. The salvation is possible only when the all-pervasive Brahmic ignorance is completely destroyed on account of this brahmavidya. 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 (ivatman) which is in the form of consciousness. He concurs the manifestation and disappearance through His own power of Vidya or Avidya. The Brahman through His power of Avidya induces in the individual soul's self-ignorance on account of imposition of internal faculties (anta kara ladhyasa), imposition of vital energy (pra ladhyasa), imposition of senseorgans (indriyadhyasa), and imposition of body (dehadhyasa) 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 Avidya can be ceased only through the power of five-faceted Vidya. The five facets of vidya-saktis are enumerated as follows: (i) Vairagya (detachment), (ii) saockhya (knowledge), (i) Yoga (yoga), (iv) tapa/ (penance) and (v) bhakti (devotion). Mahaprabhu Sri Vallabhacarya 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 Vidya. 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-asana-pra layama-pratyahara-dhara a-dhyana-samadhi 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 brahmavidya, which in turn helps in realizing the Brahman. In other words, the result of the brahmavidya is the individual being (jivatma), 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 sastras - are not necessarily envisaged as means of salvation in the Vallabha School of Vedanta; 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, saockhya, yoga, tapa vairagya, 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 santa-rasa-dominating; the path of devotion as has been narrated in the Bhagavad Gita and Bhagavatam, which is bhagavat-rasanubhuti-dominating; the path of Saockhya, which is detachment-dominating; the path of yoga, which is saocyama-vairagya-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 Saockhya 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-marga is a means to be selfdependant of digging up a well and drinking water at the time of feeling thirsty. Bhaktimarga 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 Saockhya and Yoga has been described to be coming from non-Vedic sources in the first quarter (pada) of the second Adhyaya (Chapter) of Brahmasutra, technically known as Avirodhadhyaya. In contrast to that the statements of the Srutis, which is the foundation of Brahmasutra it has been stated clearly that: Page #8 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ "nityo nityanam cetana /cetananam eko bahunam vidadhati kaman. tat-kara kam saockhya-yogadhigamyam jlatva devam mucyate sarvapasai /.." "yada pa cavatiehante janani manasa saha. buddhis ca na vice gati tam ahi /paramam gatim.." "tam yogam iti manyante sthiram indriyadhara Vam"20 In these statements, the Supreme Reality that is described in the Upani-ads is accepted to be known through the systems of Saockhya-Yoga. To eradicate this contradiction Mahaprabhu Sri Vallabhacarya says that the Saockhya 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 ottis (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 (jivatma) 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 vairagya (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 Vidya: It is advisable that one should constantly pray the Lord being well versed in the five faceted vidya. Because, vairagya (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 sadhaka cannot decide the paths and in that case he/she cannot even start his/her course of sadhana. 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 Brahmavidya 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 Brahmavidya, 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 Navadha Bhakti (Nine-fold Devotion) as per the Pura la Tradition: Page #9 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ In the same manner Mahaprabhu Sri Vallabhacarya emphasizes on the adoptability of yogic means in terms of "yoga-sahita-bhajane prema as part of nine-fold devotional path namely srava a, (listening to Lord's qualities), kirtana (singing ...), smara la (remembering ...), padasevana (serving at the feet ...), arcana (offering ...), vandana (saluting ...), dasya (being a servant like ...), sakhya (being a friend like ...), and atma-nivedana (self dedication ...) those are described in the Pura las. The yogic process that is part of the devotion has been described in many places of Bhagavata Pura la. For example, in the first and second chapters of the Second Book (Dvitiya 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 srava la, kirtana and Smara la of the nine-fold devotional path. In the same fashion, in course of the dialogue between Kapila and Devabuti, that is narrated in detail in the Third Book, the process of meditation is also found. The Subodhini commentary by Mahaprabhu on this portion of Srimad Bhagavatam 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: "antakale tu puru wa lagate gatasadhvasa // chindyad asa=ga-sastre la sp .ham dehe 'nu ye ca tam // dhira / pu yatirtha-jalapluta / sucau vivikta asino vidhivat kalpitasane abhyaset manasa suddham trivt brahmak aram param. Mano yacched jitasvaso brahmabijam anusmaran. niyacched vivayebhyo akaan manasa buddhisarathi mana / karmabhi / akciptam subharthe dharayet dhiya. tatra ekavayavam dhyayet avyucchinnena cetasa, mano nirvi ayam yuktya tata /kilkit na saocsmaret. padam tat param vi. b / mano yatra prasidati. rajastamobhyam ak iptam vimuaham mana / atmano yacched dhara kya dhira / hanti ya tatk tam malam. yatra saocdharyama lanam yogina /bhaktilak ea la lasu saocpadyate yoga lasrayam bhadram ikeata t' (sloka 16-21). In the commentary, Mahaprabhu Sri Vallabhacarya 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 (nididhyasana) taught in the Upani.ads are described here. Manana means contemplating the topics of the srutis 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 srutis 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 (araddha), hospitality (arithya), adoration for the God (bhagavadarcana), visiting holy places (tirtha ana), thinking of benefaction (parurtheha), satisfaction (tu), serving the teachers (acarya-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-prayama (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-kara, u-kara and m-kara. 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 pratyahara (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 a. 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 sastras? 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 Bhagavdgita". Thus, it is possible to be in close association without any fear or favor with such Bhagavan, the Lord of the Universe, as has been described in the beginning of the 4h Bra mala of the first book of the Bhadara 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 Bhagavatam, 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 Bhadara yaka Upani.ad in epistemological manner and in Bhagavata-purala in the concentration-meditation manner. The Definition of bhakti-yoga as has been given in Narada Palcaratra - "Firm love in abundance with the knowledge of His Magnanimity" - is accepted in Vallabha Vedanta. 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 (livatma). In the same manner the 'cognizance or the acceptance of the identity of the Brahman inside the individual being (jivatma) 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 (jivatma) with the Brhman, makes him a devotee-yogin of the Paramatma, 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 lima, aitadatmyam idam sarvam, tat satyam sa atma, tat tvam asi"25 is interpreted by Mahaprabhu Sri Vallabhacarya 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 jivatman and paramatman. Further, when we go ahead in Srimad Bhagavatam, 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 (saacsara) 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 sadhaka) 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". Mahaprabhu Sri Vallabhacarya explaining these karikas in the commentary - Subodhini - says that: the Lord, who arouses an inciting to be absolutely non-expectant in the mental faculties of a sadhaka, 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 Bhagavatam, in the context of Kapila-Devahuti dialogue. All of that is nothing but the subordinate means of yogic path just to arouse the principal three-fold i.e. srava la-kartana-smara la or nine-fold devotional ways namely srava la, (listening to Lord's qualities), kartana (singing ...), smara la (remembering ...), padasevana (serving at the feet ...), arcane (adoration ...), vandana (saluting ...), dasya (being a servant like ...), sakhya (being a friend like ...), and atma-nivedana (dedicating oneself ...) those are described in the Pura 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 Vedanta, 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 Pura las, or it is accepted as the state of perfection that is achieved after the devotional means. "Bhaktya sa jataya 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". Mahaprabhu Sri Vallabhacarya 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 sadhana, however, in the stage of the result, the process of outer worship is relaxed. In the phalaahyaya of the Branmasutrabhaeya the Bhaeyakara 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-marga remains secondary. The rituals, the epistemic and / or injunctive desires can be governed by the sastric patterns, but those can neither control the experience nor the love. The Assistance of the Yogic Means in the Adoration Practiced in the Jlanamarga (path of knowledge): In the context of the assistance of the yogic means followed in the sadhana in the path of knowledge, Mahaprabhu Sri Vallabhacarya 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 sastra 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-marga). 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 Bruhmaikyam (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 kala (time), karma (activity), svabhava (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 srutis etc. These are considered as having being included in the form of God or the Lord. Mahaprabhu Sri Vallabhacarya 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 amasa, 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 viktikarmans (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 asrama (stages of human life in the ancient sastras. Srimad Bhagavad-Gita 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* upura 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 pratividhasyamo vedarthabrahma o vedanukula-vicara iti kim atra yuktam? Vyakhyanam iti, vyakyanato vise apratipatte (Brahmasutra ubhaya (Br.S.-A) 1.1.1); "sm tipratyakam aitihyam anumanam catu ayam etai /adityama dalam sarvair eva vidhasyate" (Taittiriyara yakam 1.2.1); "srutipratyakam aitihyam anumanam catu ayam prama u anavasthanat vikalpat sa virajyate" (Bhagavata-Pura)am (Bh.P) 11.11.17). 2 Cf. "Veda |Srik * * la-valyani Vyasa-sutra i caiva hi samadhi-bha a Vyasasya prama l catu Dayam uttaram purva-sandehavarakam parikirttitam aviruddham yat tu asya prama am tac ca nanyatha etad viruddham yat sarvam na tad manam katha cana" (Tattvarthadipanibandha (TDN.) 1.7-8). 3 "artho ayam eva nikhilair api vedavakyai /ramaya ai /sahita-bharata-pacaratrai lanyais ca sastravacanai /saha tattva-sutrai Inir yate sah dayam harina sadaiva" (TDN. 1.104). * "evam pur Jajanodayavadhi yad grahyam prama atvena tad nirupya tadanantaram yat prama am tad aha-athava sarvarupatvat namalilavibhedata /viruddhasaparityagat prama am sarvam eva hi - va=matram eva prama am arthasy bhagavadrupatvat... rupavad namalilaya /vibhedanam vaktavyatvad nanavidhani vakyani pravttani. viruddhavakyatvenaiva parasparam bhasamanev api avirodhaprakaram aha - viruddhasaparityagad iti, viruddhasaparityago dvedha vaktavya bhagavat samarthyena alaukikaprakare la bhagavata sarvarupatvena va. ato yukta eva avirodha " (Saprakasa-Tattvarthadipanibandha (TDN-P) 1.9). 5 "kutas tu khalu ... evam syat. katham asata /sad jayeta ? sattveva ... idam agre asid ekam evadvitiyam, tad aikata bahu syam prajayeyeti "Chandogyopani ad 6.2.2-3. 6 "tad ha idam tarhi avyak tam asid tad namarupabhyam eva vyakriyata" (Bhadara yakopani ad (BrAU.)1.4.7). 7 "traya idam nama rupam karma... brahma etaddhi sarvali namani ...rupa ) ... karma) vibharti. tad etad trayam sad eka ayam atma. atma u eka /san etat trayam" (BrAU.1.6.1-3). 8 "dravyam karma ca kala /svabhavao jiva eva ca / vasudevat paro brahman! na canyo'sti tattvata // ... sa ea bhagavan li=gai /tribhir ebhir adhokaja // svalakitagati /brahman! sarveam mama cesvara /// kalam karma svabhavam ca mayeso mayaya svaya/atmani yadcchaya praptam vibubhueu /upadade//" (Bh.P. 2.5.14-21). "yaj Darupo hari purvaka de brahmatanu /pare atari hari/ ka /sribhagavate iyate... pura ev api sarve eu tad tad rupo hari /tatha. Kriya janam ca dvayam prak iktya yo avatir la /ka /sa bhagavate visio nirupyate. ata /kha aso nirupa )am vede bhagavate tu samudayena nirupya tasya lila /anekavidha /nirupyante" (TDN-P. 1.11-12) 16 Page #17 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ "ak ayam ha vai caturmasyayajino suk tam bhavati" (Satapatha Brahma a 1.6.1). 10 vi ayata mayajany, vi vayo bhagavan" (Bh.P. - Subodhini 2.9.33). "a api brahma vyapakam k..la/yasodakrode sthito sarva-jagadadharo bhavati" (TDN-P. 1.54). yasmin sarval bhutani atmaivabhud vijanata // tatra ko moha /ka /soka lekatvam anupasyata Il/ " (Kenopaniwat 7.). 12 "eko devo vahudha nivi*qo ajayamano vahudhavijayate ... tam yatha yatha upasate tathaiva bhavati" (Mudgalopani-ad 3). "ye yatha mam prapadyante tan tathaiva bhajamy aham/" (Bhagavad Gita (BG). 4.11). "api saccradhane pratyakunumanabhyam" (Br.S. 3.3.24). "tad rupam kotakam anugrahartham tac cetavam aisvaryat. Rupam va atindriyam anta kara lapratyakanirdesat" (Vakyakara Brahmanandi), "tvam bhavayogaparibhavita hot saroja asse srutek sitapatho ... yad yad dhiya ta urugaya vibhavayanti tad tad vapu /pra layase sadanugrahaya" (Bh.P. 3.9.11). 13 "so 'kamayata dvitiyo me atma jayeteti / sa manasa vacam mithunam samabhavad'' (BrAU.1.2.4). "yo manasi ti zan manaso antaro" (ibid.3.7.20). "bhumir apo'nalo vayu /kham mano ... iti iyam bhinna prkotit (BhG. 7.4). "sa manasina latma jananam" (Taittiriyara yaka 3.11.1). 14 "dravyasya sudhy-asuddhi ca drave la vacanena ca/ saocskare latha kalena mahattvalpatayathava // saktyasaktyathava sam .dhya yadatmane ... kvacid gu b'pi doa /syad, doo'pi vidhina gula /" (Bh.P. 11.21.10-16). 19 Bh.P.11.20.6-8. 16 Bh.P. 10.26.11-15. 17 "vidyavidye hare /sakti te mayayaiva vinirmite te jivasyaiva na anyasya ... atmalabho vidyaya dehalabho avidyaya iti. ubhayo ljiva-dharmatvam vyavartayati hare /sakti. tena bhagavad icchayaiva tayo lavirbhava-tirobhavayo lhetutvam ... te ubhe jivarupasyaiva a ocsasya bhavato na anyasya jadi asasya antaryami b va ... svarupaj Lanam ekam hi parva dehendriyasava /anta kara lam e cam hi caturdhadhyasa /ucyate. pacaparva tu avidya iyam yadbadho yati sa os tim ... vidyaya avidyanase tu jivo mukto bhaviyati. Dehendriya /sarve niradhyasta /bhavanti ... svabudhya linavat pratibhane 'pi na sarve nam budhya tatha pratiyante ...evam sadhanasampattau pacaparva vidya sampadyate yaya kotva jatasak atkara /tam pravised" (TDN-P. 1.46). 18 "ye asmabhi ljCrinadaya /upayatvena ukta l... bhagavatkopayuktatve te sam api phalasadhakatvat ... vastutas tu k paiva sadhanam" (TDN-P. 2.307) 19 "karmayogadaya /sarve k odgamanahetava /udasinataya udbhedad nahi sarvatmana phalam, bhaktau atyadare laiva praka 0 jayate hari latmanam ca tato dadyat sukhe ka paridevana! Sahanam khananam gazgatisthitivad eva tat sa ockhyo yoga /tatha bhakti tatra prema atisaukhyadam" (TDNP. 2.312-314). 20 Svetasvataropani-ad 6.13; Kauhopani-ad 2.3.10-11. 21 s hyo bahuvidha /prokta /tatra eka /satprama laka la gavimsati-tattvanam svarupam yatra vai hari /... anye sutre ni idhyante yogo'pi eka sadadota / Yasmin dhyanam bhagavato nirbije 'pi atmabodhaka /... cittayottinirodho yoga sa ca bhagavad-dhyanartham asgatvena upayujyate sa prama lika /vastu svatantrataya phalasadhakatvena prokta /tathasiddhihetu lj Canatma ca tatha anye dehendriyadisadhaka /te aprama lika /...dhyanabhave'pi atmabodhazgabhuta /prama lika eva ... vairagyaj Cunayagais ca prem la ca tapasa tatha ekenapi d hena isam bhajan siddhim avapnuyat. para=gayukta-purua /bhagavantam bhajet. tatra prathamam vairagyam augam, tad abhave bhagavad-avesabhavat na bhajanasiddhi ... pa[canam samudayo durlabha iti gau lapak am aha ... "(TDN-P. 1.93-95). 22 TDN-P. 1.103. 23 mam ca yo 'vyabhicare la bhaktiyogena sevate / sa gu lan samatityaitan brahmabhuyaya kalpatell brahma bhi pratiehaham .../ sasvatasya ca dharmasya sukhasyaikantikasya ca" (BHG. 14.26-27). 24 atmaiva idam agra asit. so anuvik gya na anyad atmano apasyat so 'aham asmi' iti agre vyaharat. tato 'aham'-nama abhavat. tasmad api etarhi amantrito 'aham ayam'ity eva agre uktva atha anyad nama prabrute yad asya bhavati. Sa yat purvo asmat sarvasmat sarvan papman ausat tasmat purua/ ovati ha vai sa tam yo asmat purvo vubhu ati ya levam veda. so abibhet tasmat ekaki bibheti. sa ha ayam ikam cakre yad madanyad nasti kasman nu bibhemi iti. tata eva asya bhayam viyaya. kasmad Page #18 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ vyabhegyad dvitivad vai bhayam bhavati, sa vai na reme, tasmad ekaki na ramate, sa dvitiyam aicchat, sa ha etavan asa, yatha stri-puma sau samparisvaktau sa imam eva atmanam dvedha apatayat ... brahma va idam agre asid. tat atmanam eva aveda 'aham brahma asmi'iti. tasmat tat sarvam abhavat, tad yo yo devanam pratyabudhyata sa eva tad abhavat." (BrAU.1.4.1-3, 10). >> Chandogyopani.ad 6.8-16. 26 anekadha s ikathanasya prayojanam aha-yatha kathaCcid mahatyam tasya savatra var vate bhajanasyaiva sidhyartham - 'tat tvam asi'-adikam tatha. bhaktisvarupam aha - mahatmyaj Chinapurvas 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, tasmad ekaki na ramate. sa dvifiyam aicchat sa ha etavan asa" (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 suryadirupadh *g brahmaka laejCana=gam iryate pura bewapi sarve ou tattadrupo hari tatha. upasana /nirupyante. Tat cittasuddhidvara iti kecit. Phaladanadvara mahatmya-pratipadanena bhaktidvara iti siddhanta / tatha pura bktanam durga-ga lapati-prabh otinam visiazase atvam avara a-devatatvena, tathapi bhinnarthatvam asaya tattadrupo hari liti uktam. sadhanarupa / phalariipa svayam eveti ekavaban" (TDN-P. 1.12), "vedokranam agnyadinam devonason hdth agnihotradikara le bhedabuddhe /vidyamanatvat tattaddevatasayujyam ... ekada bahudevopasanayam karmapradhanyat karmamargiyam eva phalam na upasana-phalam" (TDN-P. 2.265-267), "srutau brahmatvenaiva sarvatra upasanaya /uktatvat upasyeu bhagavadvibhuti-rupatvena suddhabrahmarupe w api atathatvam jCotva sruti /brahmatvopasanaya /phalasadhanatvam vadati, na tu upasye brahmatam api iti manvana /ye upasate te 'pratikalambana | iti ucyante... kintu suddhabrahmatvam jLatva ye upasate tan eva brahma prapayati iti vadaraya ka lacaryo manyate ... vastutas tu upasanayam upasyasvarupaj Chinasyapi a=gatvat..." (Br.S.-A. 4.3.16.) 36 TDN-P. 1.11; 2.2-3. 37 "nanu k tisadhyo yagadi /katham nitya /? iti cet tatra aha ... yatha dhyana-dhara ladibhi / bhagavanmurte lanandarupasya abhivyakti tatha adhanadisomantakriyabhi /vedabodhitadehace zabhi /dhyanadisahitabhi /yaj[asvarupi b'pi bhagavato'bhivyakti liti artha t' (TDN-P. 2.15). 38 "yasyai devatayai havi lg.hitam syat tam dhyayed va azkari gan sakad eva taddevatam pri ati pratyakead devatam yajati" (Aitareya Brahma a 11.8.1). 39 "sa ca svargo dvividha ... suozhu arjyate iti svarga /sattvakaranta kara le sarvehaniv Ottau yad atmasukham prakaibhavati tad agnihotradisadhyam. sarvadevanam tuzau adhyatmikatve yagasya jate atmananda /praka bhavati, etad abhave tu bhautikatve svargaloko tatha bhavitum na arhati" (TDN-P. 2.4-5). 40 sve sve karma abhirata /saasiddhiam labhate nara / svakarma-nirata /sidhim yatha vindati tat sru u Il yata /prav oni/bhutanam yena sarvam idam tatam / svakarma bi tam abhyarcya siddhiam vindati monava / (Bh.G. 18.45-46). 41 "atma-prayatna-sapek aa visiepaya mano gati // tasya lisvarasa cyoga /'yoga / iti abhidhiyate" (Vi. Ju Pura a 6.7.3) 42 ievam saockhya-yoga-bhaktinam melane phalam uktva kevalanam phalam aha ... kevele saodhye dvayam azgam - saoghatad bhinnataya atmaj[Tanam aha.karabhava /ca. etayo /nirvaho 'naiva ki[cit karomi' iti buddhi /vairagyam ca. janmantare j Cani san utpadayte ... kevalayogam aha ... yavajjivam yogabhyase janodaye yogavalenaiva deham tyaktva avidyato vimucyate. Bhakti-sahita/ cet purvoktam eva phalam... ni addhayo /phalam aha ... dharmamargat bhra e tatsidhyartham kadacit ni ciddham api kuruta (apeyapanena nad suddha bhavatiti vimarge paripo cite narakayaiva bhavata /pascad (janmantare) ki[cit sukham bhavet ... saockhyayogasastram pura lamulakam 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