procuḥ prāñjalayo vibhum

ete devāḥ kalā viṣṇoḥ

kāla-māyāṁśa-liṅginaḥ

nānātvāt sva-kriyānīśāḥ

procuḥ prāñjalayo vibhum

 

The devatās of the various elements, known as portions of Viṣṇu, and possessing power of transformation, emotional states and consciousness, were unable to perform their functions in creating the universe because they were not related with each other. With folded hands they began praising the Lord.

“Mahat-tattva, ahaṅkāra and other elements bound by their qualities, throw the jīvas to Svarga or hell and push them into repeated births. These causeless inflictors should be destroyed completely.”

 

One should not say so. Rather, the elements are causeless assistants and should be worshipped. This verse explains. Jñāna and niskāma-karma, the practices for liberation, cannot be accomplished without these elements. The practices for prema, such as hearing, chanting, remembering, servitude and friendship, are accomplished by these elements, imbued with the Lord’s mercy. But actions which lead to hell, such as stealing another’s wife or property, or violence to cows and brāhmaṇas, are also accomplished by these elements. They should not be condemned. Gaṅgā water is sweet and purifying for saintly people. Entering into grass and shrubs on its banks, into grains and wheat, into jackfruit, mangos, grapes and sugarcane, it is most nourishing and pleasurable for all men. But when Gaṅgā water enters a poisonous tree, it can directly kill humans.  This is not the fault of Gaṅgā water, but depends on the bad quality of the receiver.

 

tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān saṁsāreṣu narādhamān |

kṣipāmy ajasram aśubhān āsurīṣv eva yoniṣu

I cast those hateful, cruel, and lowest of humans, constantly doing evil, into repeated birth and death in the wombs of demons. BG 16.19

 

According to the Gītā statement, what is the fault of the devotees appointed by the Lord as devatās of the elements who are situated in these evil persons? They are actually advanced Vaiṣṇavas. This becomes evident in their prayers which follow. These presiding deities of elements such as mahat-tattva are called portions of Viṣṇu since they function for māyā-śakti. They are the forms of time or transformation, the form of māyā or emotions such as deliberation, joy or sorrow, and the form of consciousness (aṁśa-liṅginaḥ). Because of not having relationship with each other (nānātvāt), the elements are unable (anīśāḥ) to create the universe (sva-kriyā). They began praising the Lord. By the inconceivable will of the Lord, they suddenly possessed all senses and bodies to do this. This shows that they are completely dependent on the Lord’s will.

|| 3.5.39 ||