samāna evañcābhedāt ..3.3.20..

SUTRA III. 3. 19.

 

कार्याख्यानादपूर्वम्॥३.३.१९॥

kāryākhyānādapūrvam ..3.3.19..

 

.. Karya, of the effect, i.e., the fruit. … Akhyanat, because of the statement. … Apurvam. something similar to the Purva or the former attributes of Brahman. The force of .. in Apurva is that of indicating similarity.

 

19. The (qualities of fatherhood, etc., being) similar to the preceding ones (of Perfection, etc., are to be comprised in the meditation on Brahman), because of the statement of the result (of such devotion, namely, release). — 380.

 

COMMENTARY

 

The «former» qualities (Purva) are such as Perfection, Bliss, etc. The word ‘Apurva’, means the qualities similar to the Purva, i.e., the qualities of fatherhood, etc. These qualities must be meditated upon by those who worship Him in these aspects. Why? Karyakhyanat: Because of the statement of the effect or fruit resulting from such meditation with such devotional sentiments. (That is to say, devotion to the Lord as father, mother, etc., also leads to Release). As says the Shruti (Shvetashvatara Upanishad, V., 14):

Those who know Him who is to be grasped by devotion (Bhava-grahyam), who is not the body (nest), who makes existence and non-existence, the auspicious One, who also creates the elements, they have left the body.

(This shows that the Lord is Bhava-grahya or attained by devotion, whatever form that devotion may take).

So also says the Lord in the Bhagavata Purana:

Of those to whom I am dear, the self, the son, the friend, the teacher, the lover, the Destiny and the Desired.

Therefore, the devotee (Bhavuka, the sentimental), must think the Lord as father, mother, etc., just as he thinks Him to be all full, all bliss etc.

As regards the Shruti that «Atman alone is to be meditated upon», that does not prohibit meditation on the Lord as father, mother, etc. This objection has been previously dealt with under Sutra III., 3. 7.

Adhikarana IX — Meditation on a form necessary

 

Now the author takes up the topic that the Lord may be meditated upon as having a form (Vigraha) also.

Vishaya: In some Shrutis we find texts like the following describing the Lord as mere Self:

‘...’ — (Brihad. Up., I., 4. 7).

He must be worshipped as 5.tman alone.

‘…’ — (Brihad. Up., I., 4. 15).

Lot a man worship the Atman only as his true state.

But in other Shrutis, the Lord is described as having a form, such as in the Gopala Purva Tapani, quoted before: «Then Brahma said: Meditate on Brahman, dressed as a cowherd, cloud-coloured, young, standing under the Kalpa tree, and about whom are the following verses: His eyes are like full-blown- white lotus, He has the colour of the blue cloud, His raiments are sparkling as lightning. He has two arms, etc».

Then the Upanishad, after so reciting His form, concludes thus:

Thus meditating with concentrated mind on Krishna, a man becomes freed from the cycle of births and deaths.

Doubt: Now arises the doubt: Does the Release result from worshipping the Lord as mere Self (Atman), only (without any form), or is it the result of worshipping Him as the Self having a Form?

Purvapaksha: The Purvapakshin says, the Mukti is obtained by worshipping Him as Atman alone, and not by adoring Him as having a form. For in such meditation as Atman, there is a uniform flow of sentiment, (uninterrupted by any distraction or jarring emotion). It is stated that the Mukti or release comes from the meditation consisting of one uniform flow of devotional sentiment (Ekarasa). But in meditating on the Lord as having a shape, there is no oneness of sentiment; for the thought dwells sometimes on the eyes, sometimes on the ears, hands, etc., and thus there is no uniformity in such meditation, for a form has always different parts. Therefore, Release is not obtainable by Form-worship.

Siddhanta: This view is set aside in the next Sutra:

SUTRA III. 3. 20.

 

समान एवञ्चाभेदात्॥३.३.२०॥

 

… Samanah, same, uniformity of sentiment. Evam, even. .. Cha, though, …. Abhedat, owing to non-difference.