Prameya-ratnavali

The Jewels of Truth

translated by Kusakratha dasa

Table of Contents

Prameya 1     

Mangalacaranam, The disciplic succession, Madhvacarya's Nine Philosophical
Truths, Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead                       

Prameya 2    

The Supreme Personality of Godhead Is Known By Study of the Vedas          

Prameya 3    

The Material World Is Real                  

Prameya 4    

The Jivas (Living Entities) Are Different From Lord Visnu                  

Prameya 5    

The Jivas (Living Entities) Are By Nature the Servants of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead                                

Prameya 6    

In Both Conditioned and Liberated States, the Jivas Are Situated in Higher
and Lower Statuses

Prameya 7   

Liberation Does Not Mean an Impersonal Merging, But the Attainment of
Direct Association With Lord Krsna                        

Prameya 8   

Pure Devotional Service Grants Liberation   

Prameya 9   

Direct Perception, Logic and Vedic Revelation Are Three Sources of Actual
Knowledge     

First Prameya

TEXT 1

jayati sri-govindo

     gopinathah sa madana-gopalah

vaksyami yasya krpaya

     prameya-ratnavalim suksmam

     jayati -- all glories; sri-govindah -- to Lord Govinda; gopinathah --
to Lord Gopinatha; sah -- to Him; krpaya -- by the mercy; prameya -- of
philosophy; ratna -- of jewels; avalim -- the series; suksmam -- subtle
and excellent;

     All glories to Lord Govinda, who is known as Gopinatha and
Madana-Gopala. By His mercy, I shall now speak this excellent and subtle
book Prameya-ratnavali (Jewels of the Vaisnava Philosophy).

TEXT 2

bhakty-abhasenapi tesam dadhane

     dharmadhyakse visva-nistari-namni

nityanandadvaita-caitanya-rupe

     tattve tasmin nityam astam ratir nah

     bhakti -- of devotional service; abhasena -- ty the dim reflection;
 api -- even; tosam -- satisfaction; dadhane -- experience; dharma -- of
religious activities; adhyakse -- the controllers; visva -- the universe;
 nistari -- delivering; namni -- the chanting of their holy names;
 nityananda -- Lord Nityananda; advaita -- Lord Advaita; caitanya -- Lord
Caitanya; rupe -- consisting of; tattve -- truths; tasmin -- to them;
 nityam -- constantly; astam -- let there be; ratih -- intense devotion;
 nah -- on our part.

     We pray that we may develop intense constant devotion for Lord
Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord Nityananda Prabhu, and Lord Advaita Prabhu, the
controllers of all religious activities. They are pleased even with the
dim reflection of devotional service. The chanting of Their holy names
delivers the entire universe.

TEXT 3

anandatirtha-nama sukha-

     maya-dhaama yatir jiyat

samsararnava-taranim yam

     iha janah kirtayanti budhah

     anandatirtha-nama -- Madhvacarya, who is known as Anandatirtha;
 sukhamaya -- consisting of transcendental bliss; dhama -- abode; yatih --
sannyasi; jiyat -- all glories; samsara -- of material existence; arnava
 -- the ocean; taranim -- the boat for crossing; yam -- whom; iha -- in
this world; janah -- persons; kirtayanti -- glorify; budhah -- intelligent
and learned.

     All glories to Srila Madhvacarya Svami, the abode of transcendental
happiness. Those who are learned and intelligent glorify him, for he is
like a boat which enables the conditioned souls to cross beyond this realm
of repeated birth and death.

TEXT 4

bhavati vicintya vidusa

     niravakara guru-paramapara nityam

ekantitvam sidhyati yayod-

     ayati yena hari-tosam

     bhavati -- there is; vicintya -- should be considered; vidusa -- free
from fault; niravakara -- free from impurity; guru -- of spiritual
masters; parampara -- disciplic succession; nityam -- always; ekantitvam
 -- exclusive and unalloyed devotional service; sidhyati -- becomes
perfect; yaya -- by which; udayati -- arises; yena -- by whom; hari -- of
Lord Hari; tosam -- the satisfaction.

     A discriminating person pleases Lord Hari by remembering the faultless
disciplic succession of bona-fide spiritual masters, who enable one to
attain the perfection of unalloyed devotional service.

TEXT 5

yad uktam padma-purane

sampradya-vihina ye

     mantras te nisphala matah

atahh kalau bhavisyanti

     catvarah sampradayinah

sri-brahma-rudra-sanaka

     vaisnavah ksiti-pavanah

catvaras te kalau bhavya

     hy utkale purusottamat

     yat -- which; uktam -- is spoken; padma-purane -- in the Padma Purana;
 sampradaya-vihinah -- those who are not connected to the bona-fide
disciplic succession; ye -- those who; mantrah -- mantras; te -- they;
 nisphalah -- without result; matah -- are considered; atah -- for this
reason; kalau -- in the age of Kali; bhavisyanti -- there will be;
 catvarah -- four; sampradayah -- bona-fide disciplic successions; sri --
from Laksmi-devi; brahma -- from Lord Brahma; rudra -- from Lord Siva;
 sanakah -- and from Sanaka and the Kumara sons of Brahma; vaisnavah -- in
relation to Lord Visnu; ksiti -- the world; pavanah -- purifying; catvarah
 -- four; te -- they; kalau -- in the age of kali; bhavyah -- will be;
 hi--indeed; utkale -- in Orissa; purusottamat -- from Jagannatha Puri.

 

     The Padma Purana explains: "Unless one is initiated by a bona-fide
spiritual master in the disciplic succession, the mantra he might have
received is without any effect. For this reason four Vaisnava disciplic
successions, inaugurated by Laksmi-devi, Lord Brahma, LordSiva, and the
four Kumaras, will appear in the holy place of Jagannatha Puri, and purify
the entire earth during the age of Kali."

TEXT 6

ramnujam srih svi-cakre

     madhvacryam caturmukhah

sri-visnu-svaminam rudro

     nimbadityam catuhsanah

ramanujam -- Ramanuja; srih -- Laksmi-devi; svi-cakre -- selected;
 madvacaryam -- Madhvacarya; caturmukah -- Lord Brahma; sri-visnu-svaminam
 -- Visnu Svami; rudrah -- Lord Siva; nimbadityam -- Nimbarka; catuhsanah
 -- the four Kumaras.

     Laksmi-devi chose Ramanujacarya to represent her disciplic succession.
In the same way Lord Brahma chose Madhvacarya, Lord Siva chose Visnu
Svami, and the four Kumaras chose Nimbarka.

TEXT 7

tatra guru-parampara yatha

sri-krsna-brahma-devarsi-

     badarayana-samjnakan

sri-madhva-sri-padmanabha-

     sriman-nrhari-madhavan

aksobhya-jayatirtha-sri-

     jnanasindhu-dayanidhin

sri-vidyanidhi-rajendra-

     jayadharman kramad vayam

purusottama-brahmanya-

     vyasatirthams ca samstumah

tato laksmipatim sriman-

     madhavendram ca bhaktitah

tac-chisyan srisvaradvaita-

     nityanandan jagad-gurun

devam isvara-sisyam sri-

     caitanyam ca bhajamahe

sri-krsna-prema-danena

     yena nistaritam jagat

     tatra -- in this connection; guru -- of bona-fide spiritual masters;
 parampara -- the disciplic succession; yatha -- just as; sri-krsna -- Lord
Krsna; brahma -- Brahma; devarsi -- Narada; badarayana -- Vyasa; samjnakan
 -- named; sri-madhva -- Madhvacarya; sri-padmanabha -- Padmanabha;
 srimat-nrhari -- Nrhari; madhavan -- Madhava; aksobhya -- Aksobhya;
 jayatirtha -- Jayatirtha; sri-jnanansindhu -- Jnanasindhu; dayanidhin --
Dayanidhi; sri-vidyanidhi -- Vidyanidhi; rajendra -- Rajendra; jayadharman
 -- Jayadharma; kramat- one after another; vayam -- we; purusottama --
Purusottama; brahmanya -- Brahmanya; vyasatirtha -- Vyasatirtha; ca --
and; samstumah -- offer prayers; tatah -- then; laksmipatim -- Laksmipati;
 srimat-madhavendram -- Madhavendra Puri; ca -- and; bhaktitah -- with
devotion; tat -- his; sisyan -- disciples; sri-isvara -- Isvara Puri;
 Advaita- Advaita Prabhu; nityanandan -- Nityananda Prabhu; jagat -- of the
entire universe; gurun -- spiritual masters; devam -- the disciple;
 sri-caitanyam -- Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; ca -- and; bhajamahe -- we
worship; sri-krsna -- of Sri Krsna; prema -- of pure love; danena -- by
the gift; yena -- by whom; nistaritam -- delivered; jagat -- the universe.

     With great devotion we glorify the spiritual masters in the Gaudiya
Vaisnava disciplic successions. A list of their names follows: 1) Krsna,
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, 2) Brahma, 3) Narada, 4) Vyasa, 5)
Madhvacarya, 6) Padmanabha, 7) Nrhari, 8) Madhava, 9) Aksobhya, 10)
Jayatirtha, 11) Jnanasindhu, 12) Dayanidhi, 13) Vidyanidhi, 14) Rajendra,
15) Jayadharma, 16) Purusottama, 17) Brahmanya, 18) Vyasatirtha, 19)
Laksmipati, 20) Madhavendra Puri, and 21) Isvara Puri, Advaita Prabhu and
Nityananda Prabhu (who were all disciples of Madhavendra Puri). We worship
Isvara Puri's disciple, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, who delivered the entire universe by granting the gift of
krsna-prema (pure love of Krsna).

TEXT 8

atha prameyany uddisante

sri-madhvah praha visnum paratamam akhilamnaya-vedyam ca visvam

     satyam bhedam ca jivam hari-carana-jusas taratamyam ca tesam

moksam visnv-anghri-labham tad-amala-bhajanam tasya hetum pramanam 

     pratyaksadi-trayam cety upadisati harih krsna-caitanyacandrah

     atha -- now; prameyani -- philosophical truths; uddisante --
delineate; sri-madhvah -- Madhvacarya; praha -- said; visnum -- Lord
Visnu; paratamam -- is the Supreme Absolute truth; akhila -- all; amnaya
 -- by the Vedic scriptures; vedyam -- knowable; ca -- and; visvam -- the
material universe; satyam -- is real; bhedam -- distinction; ca -- and;
 jivan -- the living entities; hari -- of Lord Hari; carana -- of the lotus
feet; jusah -- servants; taratamyam -- distinction (in that some are
liberated and some conditioned); ca -- and; tesam -- of them; moksam --
liberation; visnu -- of Lord Visnu; anghri -- of the lotus feet; labham --
the attainment; tat -- of the Lord; amala -- pure; bhajanam -- devotional
service; tasya -- of that hetum -- the cause; pramanam -- evidence;
 pratyaksa -- by direct perception; adi -- headed; trayam -- group of
three; ca -- and; iti -- thus; upadisati -- teaches; harih -- the Supreme
Personality of Godhead; see pg nine -- Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

     A summary of the Vaisnava philosophy follows

     Madhvacarya taught that 1) Lord Visnu is the Absolute Truth, than whom
nothing is higher, 2) He is known by study of the Vedas, 3) the material
world is real, 4) the jivas (living entities) are different from Lord
Visnu 5) the Jivas are by nature servants of Lord Visnu's lotus feet, 6)
In both the conditioned and liberated condition, the jivas are situated in
higher and lower statuses, 7) liberation does not mean an impersonal
merging, but the attainment of Lord Visnu's lotus feet, 8) Pure devotional
service grants liberation, 9) direct perception, logic, and Vedic
authority are the three sources of actual knowledge. These same truths are
also taught by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself in His
appearance as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

TEXT 9(a)

paratamya prakaranam

sri-visnoh paramatvam

yatha sri-gopalopanisadi

tasmat krsna eva paro devam tam dhyayet tam raset tam bhajet tam yajet.
iti.

paratamya -- about Lord Visnu's supremacy; prakaranam -- chapter;
 sri-visnoh -- of Lord Visnu; paramatvam -- the position of the Absolute
Truth; yatha -- just as; sri-gopala-upanisadi -- in the Gopala-tapani
Upanisad; tasmat -- therefore; krsnah -- Krsna; eva -- certainly; parah --
is the Supreme; devam -- that Supreme Lord; tam -- upon Him; dhyayet --
one should meditate; tam -- Him; raset -- one should chant the holy name;
 tam -- Him; bhajet -- one should serve; tam -- Him; yajet -- one should
worship; iti -- thus.

1. Lord Visnu is the Absolute Truth, than whom, nothing is higher

     Lord Visnu's supremacy is described in the Gopala-tapani Upanisad:
"Therefore, Krsna is the Supreme Absolute Truth, and nothing is higher
than Him. One should meditate upon Him, chant His holy names, serve, and
worship Him."

TEXT 9 (b)

svetasvataropanisadi ca

jnatva devam sarva-pasapahanih

     ksinaih klesair janma-mrtyu-prahanih

tasyabhidhyanat trtiyam deha-bhede

     visvaisvaryam kevalam apta-kamah

etaj jneyam nityam evatma-sastham

     natah param veditavyam hi kincit

     svetasvatara-upanisadi -- in the Svetasvatara Upanisad; ca- and;
jnatva -- having understood; devam -- the Supreme Personality of Godhead;
 sarva -- all; pasa -- ropes; apahanih -- removed; ksinaih -- destroyed;
 klesaih -- with material sufferings; janma -- of birth; mrtyuh -- and
death; prahanih -- destruction; tasya -- of Him; abhidhyanat -- from
constant remembrance; trtiyam -- the spiritual world; deha -- of the gross
and subtle material body; bhede -- on the destruction; visva -- complete;
 aisvaryam -- with opulence; devalam -- beyond the touch of material
energy; apta -- attained; kamah -- all desires; etat -- this; jneyam --
knowable; nityam -- eternal; atma-samstham -- the Absolute Truth; na --
not; atah -- than Him; param -- superior; veditavyam -- may be known; hi
 -- indeed; kincit -- at all.

     This is confirmed in the Svetasvatara Upanisad"When one understands
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then the ropes of illusion which bind
one to this material world become cut, the material miseries end, and the
repetition of birth and death in the cycle of transmigration also ends. By
constantly remembering the Supreme Lord, at the time of death one attains
the fully opulent spiritual world, far beyond the touch of matter, and all
his desires become fulfilled. In this way he directly perceives the
 Supreme Personality of Godhead, than whom there is nothing higher to be
known." (1.11)

TEXT 9 (c)

gitasu ca

mattah parataram nanyat

     kincid asti dhananjaya

     gitasu -- in the Bhagavad-gita; ca -- and; mattah -- beyond Myself;
 parataram -- superior; na -- not; anyat -- anything; kincit -- something;
 asti -- there is; dhananjaya -- O conqueror of wealth.

   This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (7.7), where Krsna says"O
conqueror of wealth (Arjuna), there is no truth superior to Me."

TEXT 10

hetutvad vibhu-caitanya-

     nandatvadi-gunasrayat

nitya-laksmy-adimatvac ca

     krsnah paratamo matah

     hetutvat -- because of being the original cause of everything; vibhu
 -- all powerful; caitanya -- consciousness; ananda -- of bliss; tva --
because of the state; adi -- etc.; guna -- of all transcendental
qualities; asrayat -- because of being the reservoir; nitya -- eternally;
 laksmi -- by the goddess of fortune; adi -- and others; matvat -- because
of being served with great reverence; ca -- and; krsnah -- Krsna;
 paratamah -- the ultimate; matah -- is considered.

     Krsna is accepted as the highest truth because He is the origin of
both the material and spiritual worlds, because His spiritual form is
all-powerful, all-cognizant, and full of transcendental bliss, because He
is the reservoir of all auspicious spiritual qualities, and because He is
served with great reverence and affection by hundreds and thousands of
goddesses of fortune, and uncountable millions of other devotees as well.

TEXT 11 (a)

sarva-hetutvam, yathahuh svetasvatarah

ekah sa devo bhagavan varenyo

     yoni-svabhavan adhitisthaty ekah

yac ca svabhavam pacati visva-yonih

     pacyams ca sarvan parinamayed yah

     sarva -- of everything; hetutvam -- the state of being the origin;
 yatha -- just as; ahuh -- explains; svetasvatarah -- the Svetasvatara
Upanisad; ekah -- one; sah -- He; devah -- Supreme Personality of Godhead;
 bhagavan -- full of all opulences; varenyah -- worshipable; yoni-svabhavan
 -- all material elements; adhitisthati -- he establishes; ekah -- alone;
 yat -- which; ca -- and; sva-bhavam -- nature of the living entity; pacati
 -- creates; visva -- of the universe; yonih -- the origin; pacyan --
developed; ca -- and; sarvan -- all; parinamayet -- transforms; yah --
who.

     The Supreme Lord is the source of everything. This is confirmed in the
Svetasvatara Upanisad (5.4-5): 

     "The one supremely opulent and worshipable Personality of Godhead is
the origin of the entire universe. He creates the material elements and
their attributes, and He also transforms those elements."

TEXT 11 (b)

vibhu-caitanyanandatvam, yatha kathake

mahantam vibhum atmanam

     matva dhire na socati

     vibhu -- all powerful; caitanya -- conscious of everything; ananda --
of bliss; tvam -- the state; yatha -- just as; kathake -- in the Katha
Upanisad; mahantam -- supremely worshipable; vibhum -- full of all powers
and opulences; atmanam -- Supreme Person;matva -- having understood;
 dhirah -- an intelligent person who knows the distinction between material
bondage and liberation; na -- does not; socati -- lament for any material
distress.

     That the Lord is all powerful, all-cognizant, and all-blissful is
confirmed in the following verse from the Katha Upanisad (1.2.22)"An
intelligent person, who understands the distinction between material
bondage and liberation, ends all material bondage when he understands the
supremely worshipable Personality of Godhead, who is full of all powers
and opulences."

TEXT 11 (c)

vijnana-sukha-rupatvam

     atma-sabdena bodhyate

anena mukta-gamyatvam

     vyutpatter iti tad-vidah

     vijnana -- of transcendental knowledge; sukha -- and bliss; rupatvam
 -- the state of having a form; atma -- "atma"; sabdena -- by the word;
 bodhyate -- is understood; anena -- by this; mukta -- by the liberated
souls; gamyatvam -- understandable; vyutpatteh -- derivation; iti -- thus;
 tat -- the truth; vidah -- those who know.

     Those learned in spiritual matters know that the word "atma" means
"that which is full of spiritual knowledge and bliss". This knowledge and
bliss is possessed both by the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the
liberated individual living entities.

TEXT 12 (a)

vajasaneyis cahuh

vijnanam anandam brahma

     ratir datum parayanam

     vajasaneyih -- The Vajasaneya-brahmana; ca -- and; ahuh--explains;
vijnanam -- full of knowledge; anandam -- and bliss; brahma -- the supreme
spirit; ratih -- giving the result of sacrifice; datum -- to the
worshipper; parayanam -- the Absolute Truth.

     The Vajasaneya-brahmana (3.9.28) also explains: "The Supreme Spirit,
who is full of knowledge and bliss, grants the results to those who
worship Him with sacrifice."

TEXT 12 (b)

sri-gopalopanisadi ca

tam ekam govindam

     sac-cid-ananda-vigraham

     sri-gopala-upanisadi -- in the Gopala-Tapani Upanisad; ca -- also; tam
 -- to Him; ekam -- one; govindam -- Govinda; sat -- eternal; cit -- full
of knowledge; ananda -- and bliss; vigraham -- form.

     The Gopala-tapani Upanisad (1.35) also confirms: "Lord Govinda is
beyond the duality of the material world, and He is not different from His
form which is eternal, full of knowledge and bliss."

TEXT 12 (c)

murtatvam pratipattavyam

     cit-sukhasyaiva ragavat

vijnana-ghana-sabdadi-

     kirtanac capi tasya tat

deha-dehi-bhida nastity

     etenaivopadarsitam

     murtatvam -- the state of having a form; pratipattavyam -- may be
understood; cit -- spiritual; sukhasya -- of bliss; eva -- certainly;
ragavat -- just as a melody; vijnana -- of the Lord's supreme knowledge;
 ghana -- "ghana"; sabda -- with the word; adi -- the mantra which begins
with; kirtanat -- from the description; ca -- and; api -- also; tasya --
of Him; tat -- that; deha -- of the body; dehi -- of the possessor of the
body; bhida -- difference; na -- not; asti -- is; iti -- thus; etena -- by
this; eva -- certainly; upadarsitam -- is revealed.

     Lord Govinda possesses a form of spiritual bliss, just as a melody,
although apparently formless, actually possesses a subtle form within the
mind. The mantra beginning "vijnana-ghana" confirms that the Lord's form
is not material, but a spiritual manifestation which is eternal and full
of knowledge and bliss, and that there is no difference between the Lord
and His spiritual form.

TEXT 13 (a)

murtasyaiva vibhutvam, yatha mundake

vrksa iva stabdho divi tisthaty ekas tenedam purnam purusena sarvam.

     murtasya -- of the form; eva -- certainly; vibhutvam -- the state of
being all-powerful and opulent; yatha -- just as; mundake -- in the
Mundaka Upanisad; vrksah -- a tree; iva -- just as; stabdhah -- fixed;
 divi -- in the spiritual sky; tisthati -- is situated; ekah -- one; tena
 -- by Him; idam -- this; purnam -- perfect and complete; purusena -- by
the person; sarvam -- everything.

     The Mundaka Upanisad confirms that the Lord's form possesses unlimited
potency: "The Supreme Person appears like a tree situated in the spiritual
sky. From that tree the perfect and complete spiritual and material worlds
have become manifested."

TEXT 13 (b)

dyu-stho 'pi nikhila-vyapity

     akhyanan murtiman vibhuh

yugapad dhyatr-vrndesu

     saksat-karac ca tadrsah

     dyu -- in the spiritual sky; stah -- remaining; api -- although;
 nikhila -- everywhere; vyapi -- pervading; iti -- thus; akhyanam -- from
the description of the Vedas; murtiman -- possessing a form; vibhuh --
all-powerful; yugapat -- simultaneously; dhyatr -- to the perfect living
beings; vrndesu -- to the community; saksat-karat -- by direct perception;
 ca -- and; tadrsah -- the same.

     The Vedic mantras explain that the all-powerful Absolute Truth
possesses a spiritual form, and although He remains in the spiritual sky,
He is simultaneously present everywhere. He personally appears within the
heart of the perfect devotees who constantly meditate upon Him.

TEXT 14 (a)

sri-dasame ca

na cantar na bahir yasya

     na purvam napi caparam

purvaparam bahis cantar

     jagato yo jagac ca yah

     sri-dasame -- in the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam; ca -- also; na
 -- not; ca -- also; antah -- interior; na -- nor; bahih -- exterior; yasya
 -- whose; na -- neither; purvam -- beginning; na -- nor; api -- indeed; ca
 -- also; aparam -- end; purva-aparam -- the beginning and the end; bahih
ca antah -- the external and the internal; jagatah -- of the whole cosmic
manifestation; yah -- one who is; jagat ca yah -- and who is everything in
creation in total.

     This is confirmed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.9.13): "The Supreme
Personality of Godhead has no beginning and no end, no exterior and no
interior, no front and no rear. In other words, He is all-pervading.
Because He is not under the influence of the element of time, for Him
there is no difference between past, present and future; He exists in his
own transcendental form at all times. Being absolute, beyond relativity,
He is free from distinctions between cause and effect, although He is the
cause and effect of everything."

TEXT 14 (b)

sri-gitasu ca

maya tatam idam sarvam

    jagad avyakta-murtina

mat-sthani sarva-bhutani

     na caham tesv avasthitah

na ca mat-sthani bhutani

     pasya me yogam aisvaram

     sri-gitasu -- in the Bhagavad-gita; ca -- also; maya -- by Me; tatam
 -- spread; idam -- all these manifestations; sarvam -- all; jagat --
cosmic manifestation; avyakta-murtina -- unmanifested form; mat-sthani --
unto Me; sarva-bhutani -- all living entities; na -- not; ca -- also; aham
 -- I; tesu -- in them; avasthitah -- situated; na -- never; ca -- also;
 mat-sthani -- situated in Me; bhutani -- all creation; pasya -- just see;
 me -- My; yogam aisvaram -- inconceivable mystic power.

     The Lord confirms in the Bhagavad-gita (9.4-5): "By Me, in My
unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me,
but I am not in them. And yet everything that is created does not rest in
Me. Behold my mystic opulence!"

TEXT 14 (c)

acintya-saktir astise

     yoga-sabdena cocyate

virodha-bhanjika sa syad

     iti tattva-vidam matam

     acintya -- inconceivable; saktih -- potency; asti -- there is; ise --
in the supreme Personality of Godhead; yoga -- "yoga"; sabdena -- by the
word; ca -- and; ucyate -- is explained; virodha -- contradiction;
 bhanjika -- resolving; sa -- that potency; syat -- is; iti -- thus; tattva
 -- the truth; vidam -- of those who understand; matam -- the opinion.

     The fact that the Supreme Personality of Godhead possesses
inconceivable potency (yogam aisvaram) resolves the apparent contradiction
in this statement by the Lord. This is the opinion of those who know the
truth.

TEXT 15 (a)

adina sarva-jnatvam, yatha mundake

     yah sarva-jnah sarva-vit

     adina -- by the word adi (etc.) (found in verse 10); sarva-jnatvam --
omniscience; yatha -- just as; mundake -- in the Mundaka Upanisad; yah --
who; sarva -- eerything; jnah -- knows; sarva -- all; vit -- perceives.

     By the use of the word "adi" (etc.) in text 10, the Lord's omniscience
may be inferred. This is confirmed in the Mundaka Upanisad (2.2.7): "The
Supreme Personality of Godhead is omniscient."                     

TEXT 15 (b)

ananditvam ca, taittiriyake

anandam brahmano vidvan

     na vibheti kutascana

     ananditvam -- the state of being full of transcendental bliss; ca --
also; taittiriyake -- in the Taittiriya Upanisad; anandam -- spiritual
bliss; brahmanah -- of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vidvan -- a
person who knows; na -- does not; bibheti -- fear; kutascana -- anything.

     That the Lord is full of transcendental bliss is confirmed in the
Taittiriya Upanisad (2.4.1): "One who understands the transcendental bliss
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, no longer fears anything."

TEXT 15 (c)

prabhutva-suhrttva-jnanadatva-mocakatvami ca, svetasvatara-srutau

sarvasya prabhum isanam

     sarvasya saranam suhrt

prajna ca tasmat prasrta purani

     samsara-bandha-sthiti-moksa-hetuh

     prabhutva -- the state of being the supreme master; suhrttva -- the
state of being the supreme friend; jnanadatva -- the state of being the
supreme teacher; mocakatvani -- the state of being the ultimate deliverer;
 ca -- and; svetasvatara-srutau -- in the following quotes from the
Svetasvatara Upanisad; sarvasya -- of everyone; prabhum -- the master;
 isanam -- the controller; sarvasya -- of everyone; saranam -- the shelter;
 suhrt--and friend; prajna -- spiritual knowledge; ca -- and; tasmat --
from Him; prasrta -- becomes manifest; purani -- eternal; samsara -- of
material existance; bandha -- of the bondage; sthiti -- from the
situation; moksa -- of liberation; hetuh -- the cause.

     That the Lord is the supreme master, friend, teacher, and deliverer is
confirmed in the following quotes from the Svetasvatara Upanisad:

     "The Personality of Godhead is everyone's supreme master, controller,
shelter and friend." (3.17)

     "The Personality of Godhead is the teacher who reawakens the eternal
spiritual knowledge of the conditioned souls." (4.18)

     "The Personality of Godhead delivers the conditioned souls from the
bondage of repeated birth and death." (6.16)

TEXT 15 (d)

madhuryam ca sri-gopalopanisadi

sat-pundarika-nayanam

     meghabham vaidyutambaram

dvi-bhujam mauna-mudradhyam

     vana-malinam isvaram

     madhuryam -- the charming beauty of the Lord; ca -- and;
 sri-gopala-upanisadi -- in the Gopala-tapani Upanisad; sat -- manifested;
 pundarika -- like lotus flowers; nayanam -- eyes; megha -- of a fresh
rain-cloud; abham -- splendor; vaidyuta -- as splendid as lightning;
 ambaram -- garments; dvi -- with two; bhujam -- arms; mauna-mudradhyam --
full of transcendental knowledge; isvaram -- the Supreme Controller.

     The Lord's charming beauty is described in the Gopala-tapani Upanisad
(1.13): "The Supreme Personality of Godhead appears as splendid as a fresh
rain-cloud, and His eyes are as beautiful as lotus flowers. He has two
arms and wears garments as yellow as lightning. He is decorated with a
garland of forest flowers, and He is full of transcendental knowledge."

TEXT 16

na bhinna dharmino dharma

     bheda-bhanam visesatah

yasmat kalah sarvadastity

     adi-dhir vidusam api

     na -- not; bhinnah -- different; dharminah -- from the possessor of
qualities; dharmah -- qualities; bheda -- distinction; bhanam --
appearance; visesatah -- specifically; yasmat -- from whom; kalah -- time;
 sarvada -- eternally; asti -- exists; iti -- thus; adi -- original; dhih
 -- intelligence; vidusam -- among the learned philosophers; api -- and.

     The Supreme Personality of Godhead is not different from His
transcendental form and attributes, and any apparent distinction is an
illusion. He is the original learned philosopher, and He is the source of
eternal time.

TEXT 17

evam uktam narada-pancaratre

nirdosa-purna-guna-vigraha atma-tantro

     niscetanatmaka-sarira-gunais ca hinah

ananda-matra-kara-pada-mukhodaradih

     sarvatra ca svagata-bheda-vivarjitatma

     evam -- in this way; uktam -- described; narada-pancaratre -- in the
Narada Pancaratra; nirdosa -- without fault; purna -- full; guna -- of
transcendental attributes; vigrahah -- form; atma-tantrah -- independant;
 niscetana -- material; atmaka -- mind; sarira -- body; gunaih -- and
attributes; ca -- and; hinah -- without; ananda -- spiritual bliss; matra
 -- exclusively consisting of; kara -- hands; pada -- feet; mukha -- face;
 udara -- belly; adih -- etc.; sarvatra -- in every respect; ca -- and;
 svagata -- from Himself; bheda -- with a difference; vivarjita -- devoid
of; atma -- Supreme Personality of Godhead.

     This is described in the Narada Pancaratra: "The independent Supreme
Personality of Godhead possesses a spiritual form full of perfect and
faultless qualities. He is not different from the hands, feet, face,
belly, or other parts of his form, which are all made exclusively of
transcendental bliss."

TEXT 18 (a)

atha nitya-laksmikatvam, yatha visnu-purane

nityaiva sa jagan-mata

     visnuh srir anapayini

yatha sarvagato visnus

     tathaiveyam dvijottama

     atha -- now; nitya -- eternal; laksmikatvam -- position of
Laksmi-devi; yatha- just as; visnu-purane -- in the Visnu Purana; nitya --
eternal; eva -- certainly; sa -- she; jagat -- of the universe; mata --
the mother; visnoh -- to Lord Visnu; srih -- Srimati Laksmidevi, the
goddess of fortune; anapayini -- eternally faithful; yatha -- just as;
 sarva-gatah -- all-pervading; visnuh -- Lord Visnu; tatha -- in the same
way; eva -- certainly; iyam -- she; dvija -- of brahmanas; uttama -- O
best.

     The eternal transcendental position of Srimati Laksmi-devi is
described in the Visnu Purana: "O best of the brahmanas, Lord Visnu's
transcencental potency, Srimati Laksmidevi, is His constant faithful
companion. She is eternal, and she is the mother of the entire material
universe. She is all-pervading, just as Lord Visnu is."

TEXT 18 (b)

visnoh syuh saktayas tisras

     tasu ya kirtita para

saiva sris tad-abhinneti

     praha sisyan prabhur mahan

     visnoh -- of Lord Visnu; syuh -- there are; saktayah -- potencies;
 tisrah -- three; tasu -- among them; ya -- that which; kirtita -- is
glorified; para -- as the transcendental and superior; sa -- she; eva --
certainly; srih -- Srimati Laksmi-devi; tat -- with the Lord; abhinna --
not different; iti -- thus; praha -- spoke; sisyan -- to His students;
 prabhuh mahan -- Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

     Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed His disciples in the following
way: "Srimati Laksmi-devi is the best of Lord Visnu's three potencies, and
She is not different from the Lord Himself."

TEXT 18 (c)

tatra trisakti-visnuh, yatha svetasvataropanisadi

parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate

     svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca

pradhana-ksetrajna-patir gunesah

     tatra -- in this connection; tri-sakti -- possessing three potencies;
 visnuh -- Lord Visnu; yatha -- just as; svetasvatara-upanisadi -- in the
Svetasvatara Upanisad; para -- supreme; asya -- of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead; saktih -- potency; vividha -- various; eva -- certainly;
 sruyate -- is heard; svabhaviki -- according to nature; jnana -- potency
of knowledge; bala -- potency of eternal existence; kriya -- potency of
spiritual bliss; ca -- and; pradhana -- the unmanifested material nature;
 ksetrajna -- and the individual living entities; patih -- the master; guna
 -- of the three modes of material nature; isah -- the master.

     The Svetasvatara Upanisad (6.8) describes the three energies of Lord
Visnu: "It has been heard in the Vedas that Lord Visnu possesses
multifarious potencies, which may be divided into three categories: 1. the
potency of transcendental knowledge, 2. the potency of eternal existence,
and 3. the potency of spiritual bliss. Lord Visnu is also the master of
all living entities, and the controller of the material cosmos both in its
unmanifested stage, and its developments of the three modes of nature."

TEXT 19 (a)

sri-visnu-purane ca

visnu-saktih para prokta

     ksetrajnakhya tatha paraa

avidya-karma-samjnanya

     trtiya saktir isyate

     sri-visnu-purane -- in the Visnu Purana; ca -- and; visnu-saktih --
the potency of Lord Visnu; para -- spiritual; prokta -- it is said;
 ksetrajna-akhya -- the potency known as ksetrajna; tatha -- as well as;
 para -- spiritual; avidya -- ignorance; karma -- fruitive activities;
 samjna -- known as; anya -- other; trtiya -- third; saktih -- potency;
 isyate -- known thus.

     The Visnu Purana explains: "The potency of Lord Visnu is summarized in
three categories: namely, the spiritual potency, the living entities and
ignorance. The spiritual potency is full of knowledge; the living
entities, although belonging to the spiritual potency, are subject to
bewilderment; and the third energy, which is full of ignorance, is always
visible in fruitive activities."

TEXT 19 (b)

paraiva visnv-abhinna srir ity uktam. tatraiva

kala-kastha-nimesadi-

     kala-sutrasya gocare

yasya saktir na suddhasya

     prasidatu sa no harih

     para -- transcendental potency; visnu -- than Lord Visnu; abhinna --
not different; srih -- Srimati Laksmi-devi; iti -- thus; uktam -- spoken;
 tatra -- there; eva -- certainly; kala -- seconds; kastha -- seconds;
 nimesa -- moment; adi -- etc; kala -- of time; sutrasya -- of the
measuring string; gocare -- within the perception; yasya -- of whom;
 saktih -- potency; na -- not; suddhasya -- free from all material
impurity; prasidatu -- may be merciful; sah -- He; nah -- to us; harih --
Lord Hari.

     Srimati Laksmi-devi, the supreme spiritual potency, is non-different
from Lord Visnu:

     The spiritual potencies of the Lord are described in the following
verses from Visnu Purana: "Lord Hari's transcendental potency cannot be
measured by the string of time, calibrated in minutes and seconds. May
that supremely pure Personality of Godhead be merciful to us.

TEXT 19 (c)

procyate parameso yo

     yah suddho 'py upacaratah

prasidatu sa no visnur

     atma yah sarva-dehinam                                             

     procyate -- is described; parama-isah -- the supreme controller; yah
 -- who; yah -- who; suddhah -- pure; api -- and; upacaratah -- served;
 prasidatu -- may be merciful; sah -- He; nah -- to us; visnuh -- Visnu;
 atma -- Supersoul; yah -- who; sarva -- of all; dehinam -- living entities
in the material world.

     "Lord Visnu is described as the supreme controller, free from all
material impurity. He is the object of Srimati Laksmi-devi's service, and
He is the Supersoul of all conditioned living entities. May He be merciful
to us."

TEXT 19 (d)

esa paraiva tri-vrd ity uktam tatraiva

hladini sandhini samvit

     tvayy eka sarva-samsthitau

hlada-tapakari misra

     tvayi no guna-varjite

     esa -- this; para -- superior potency; eva -- certainly; tri-vrt --
three-fold; iti -- thus; uktam -- described; tatra -- there; eva --
indeed; hladini -- pleasure potency; sandhini -- existence potency; samvit
 -- knowledge potency; tvayi -- in You; eka -- one; sarva-samsthitau -- who
are the basis of all things; hlada -- pleasure; tapa -- and misery; kari
 -- causing; misra -- a mixture of the two; tvayi -- in You; no -- not;
 guna-varjite -- who are without the three modes of material nature.

     The Visnu Purana explains that the Lord's spiritual potency has three
aspects: "O Lord, You are the support of everything. The three attributes
hladini (pleasure potency), sandhini (existence potency), and samvit
(knowledge potency) exist in You as one spiritual energy. But the material
modes, which cause happiness, misery and mixtures of the two, do not exist
in You, for You have no material qualities."

TEXT 20 (a)

eko 'pi visnur ekapi

     laksmis tad-anapayini

sva-siddhair bahubhir vesair

     bahur ity abhidhiyate

     ekah -- one; api -- although; visnuh -- Lord Visnu; eka -- one; api --
although; laksmi -- Laksmi-devi; tat -- of Him; anapayini -- the constant
associate; sva-siddhaih -- spiritually perfect; bahubhih -- by many;
 vesaih -- appearances; bahuh -- many; iti -- thus; abhidhiyate -- is
described.

     Lord Visnu is one, and His constant associate Laksmi-devi is also one.
Assuming many different spiritual forms, they appear to have become many.

TEXT 20 (b)

tatraikatve satyeva visnor bahutvam, sri-gopalopanisadi

eko vasi sarvagah krsna idya

     eko 'pi san bahudha yo 'vabhati

tam pithastham ye tu yajanti dhiras

     te sam sukham sasvatam netaresam

     tatra -- in this connection; ekatve -- in the oneness; satya --  the
truth; iva -- as if; visnoh -- of Lord Visnu; bahutvam -- the state of
being many; sri-gopala-upanisadi -- in the Gopala Tapani Upanisad; ekah --
one; vasi -- the supreme controller; sarvagah --  all-pervading; krsnah --
Lord Krsna; idyah -- supremely worshipable; ekah -- one; api -- although;
 san -- being; bahudha --  in many forms; yah -- who; avabhati --
manifests; tam -- Him; pithastham -- in His transcendental abode; ye --
those who; yajanti -- worship; dhirah -- intelligent persons; tesam -- of
them; sukham -- happiness; sasvatam -- eternal; na -- not; itaresam -- of
others.

     The Gopala-tapani Upanisad (1.21) confirms that Lord Visnu is one,
although He manifests in many forms: "Lord Krsna is the worshipable,
all-pervading supreme controller, and although He is one, Hi manifests in
many forms. Those who are intelligent worship that Supreme Lord, who
remains in His spiritual abode. Those persons attain the eternal
transcendental happiness which is not available for others."

TEXT 20 (c)

atha laksmyas tad yatha

parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate. ity adi.

     atha -- now; laksmyah -- of Laksmi-devi; tat -- that; yatha -- just
as; para -- supreme; asya -- of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; saktih
 -- potency; vividha -- various; eva -- certainly; sruyate -- is heard; iti
 -- thus; adi -- etc.

     Srimati Laksmi-devi also manifests in many forms. This is confirmed in
the Svetasvatara Upanisad (6.8): "It has been heard in the Vedas that Lord
Visnu's transcendental potency manifests in many forms."     

TEXT 21 (a)

purtih sarvatriki yady apy

     avisesa tathapi hi

taratamyam ca tac-chakti-

     vyakty-vyakti-krtam bhavet

     purtih -- perfection and completeness; sarvatriki -- at all times and
circumstances; yadi api -- although; avisesa -- without any distinction;
 tatha api -- nevertheless; hi -- indeed; taratamyam -- distinction of
superiority and inferiority; ca -- and; tat -- of Him; sakti -- of the
potency; vyakti -- manifest; avyakti-krtam -- and unmanifest; bhavet --
may be.

     Although all of the transcendental forms of Visnu and Laksmi are
always equally perfect and complete in all circumstances, these forms are
considered higher and lower according to the different qualities and
potencies which they manifest or refrain from manifesting.

TEXT 21 (b)

tatra nisnoh sarvatriki purtir yatha vajasaneyake

"purnam adah purnam idam

     purnat purnam udacyate

purnasya purnam adaya

     purnam evavasisyate"                                            

     tatra -- in this connection; visnoh -- of Lord Visnu; sarvatriki -- 
in all circumstances; purtih -- perfection and completeness; yatha -- just
as; vajasaneyike -- in the Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad;om -- the complete
whole; purnam -- perfectly complete; adah --  that; purnam -- perfectly
complete; idam -- this phenomenal world; purnat -- from the all-perfect;
 purnam -- complete unit; udacyate -- is produced; purnasya -- of the
complete whole; purnam -- completely, all; adaya -- having been taken
away; purnam -- the complete balance; eva -- even; evasisyate -- is
remaining.

     Lord Visnu is always perfect and complete. This is described in the 
Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (5.1.1): "The Personality of Godhead is perfect and
complete, and because He is completely perfect, all emanations from Him,
such as this phenomenal world, are perfectly equipped as complete wholes.
Whatever is produced of the complete whole is also complete in itself.
Because He is the complete whole, even though so many complete units
emanate from Him, He remains the complete balance."

TEXT 21 (c)

maha-varahe ca

sarve nityah sasvatas ca

     dehas tasya paratmanah

hanopadana-rahita

     naiva prakrtijah kvacit

     maha-varahe -- in the Maha-varaha Purana; ca -- and; sarve -- all;
 nityah -- eternal; sasvatah -- imperishable; ca -- and; dehah -- forms;
 tasya -- of Him; para-atmanah -- of the Supreme Personality of Godhead;
 hana -- destruction; upadana -- origin; rahitah -- devoid of; na -- not;
 eva -- certainly; prakrti-jah -- produced from the material energy; kvacit
 -- at any time.

     The Maha-varaaha Purana also explains: "The transcendental forms of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead are eternal and imperishable. They were
not created at a certain point, and they are never to be destroyed. They
are not products of the material energy.

TEXT 21 (d)

paramananda-sandoha

     jnana-matras ca sarvatah

sarve sarva-gunaih purnah

     sarva-dosa-vivarjitah

     parama -- transcendental; ananda -- of bliss; sandohah -- the great
abundance; jnana -- of knowledge; matrah -- exclusively; ca -- and;
 sarvatah -- all; sarve -- all; gunaih -- auspicious transcendent
qualities; purnah -- filled; sarva -- all; dosa -- of defects; vivarjitah
 -- devoid.

     "All the forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are completely
filled with transcendental bliss, knowledge and all auspicious qualities.
These spiritual forms of the Lord are free from all material defects."

TEXT 22 (a)

atha sriyah sa yatha sri-visnu-purane

evam yatha jagat-svami

     deva-devo janardanah

avatram karoty esa

     tatha sris tat-sahayini

     atha--now; sriyah -- of Srimati Laksmi; sa -- she; yatha -- just as;
 sri-visnu-purane -- in the Visnu Purana; evam -- in the same way; yatha --
just as; jagat -- of the universe; svami -- the lord; deva -- of all
demigods; devah -- the master; janardanah -- Lord Janardana; avataram --
incarnation; karoti -- manifests; esah -- He; tatha -- in the same way;
 srih -- Srimati Laksmi-devi; tat -- His; sahayini -- eternal companion.

     Srimati Laksmi-devi is described in the same way in the Visnu Purana:
"Just as Lord Janardana, the controller of the universe and master of the
demigods incarnates in different forms, so also does His eternal consort,
Srimati Laksmi-devi.

TEXT 22 (b)

punas ca padmad udbhuta

     adityo 'bhud yada harih

yada ca bhargavo ramas

     tadabhud dharini tv iyam

     punah -- again; ca -- and; padmat -- from the lotus; udbhuta --  born;
 adityah -- as the son of Aditi (Lord Vamana); abhut -- became manifest;
 yada -- when; harih -- Lord Hari; yada -- when; ca -- and; bhargavah -- in
the dynasty of Bhrgu; ramah -- Lord Parasurama; tada -- then; abhut --
appeared; dharini -- as Dharini; tu -- indeed; iyam -- she.

     "When Lord Hari appeared as Vamana, the son of Aditi, Laksmi-devi
appeared as Padma, and when the Lord appeared as Parasurama, she appeared
as Dharini.

TEXT 22 (c)

raghavatve 'bhavat sita

     rukmini krsna-janmani

anyesu cavataresu

     visnor esa sahayini

     raghavatve -- in the appearance of Lord Ramacandra; abhavat -- she
became; sita -- Sita-devi; rukmini -- Princess Rukmini; krsna -- of Lord
Krsna; janmani -- in the incarnation; anyesu -- in others; ca -- and;
 avataresu -- during the incarnations; visnoh -- of Lord Visnu; esa -- she;
 sahayini -- the consort.

     "When the Lord appeared as Ramacandra, she became Sita-devi, and when
He descended in His original form as Lord Krsna, she was Princess Rukmini.
In Lord Visnu's many other incarnations, she always appeared as the Lord's
consort.

TEXT 22 (d)

devatve deva-deheyam

     manusatve ca manusi

visnor dehanurupam vai

     karoty esatmanas tanum

syat svarupa-sati purtir

     ihaikyas iti vin-matam

     devatve -- when the Lord appears as a demigod; deva -- of demigod;
 deha -- assuming the form; iyam -- she; manusatve -- when the Lord
incarnates as a human being; ca -- and; manusi -- in the form of a human;
 visnoh -- of Lord Visnu; deha -- of the form; anurupam -- corresponding;
 vai -- certainly; karoti -- manifests; esa -- she; atmanah -- of Herself;
 tanum -- the form; syat -- there is; sva-rupa-sati -- related to her
transcendental form; purtih -- perfection and completeness; iha -- in this
connection; aikyat -- because of non-difference; iti -- thus; vit -- of
the transcendental scholars; matam -- the opinion.

     "Laksmi-devi appears in different forms, corresponding to the forms of
Lord Visnu. When the Lord appears as a demigod, she assumes a demigod-like
form, and when He appears in a human-like form, she assumes a human-like
form also. As the Lord's transcendental potency, she is not different form
Him, and her spiritual forms are all perfect and complete. This is the
opinion of the learned transcendentalists."

TEXT 23 (a)

atha tathapi taratamyam

atha sri-visnos tad yatha sri-bhagavate (1.3.28)

ete camsa-kalah pumsah

     krsnas tu bhagavan svayam

     atha -- now; tatha api -- nevertheless; taratamyam -- distinction of
superior and inferior; atha -- now; sri-visnoh -- of Lord Visnu; tat --
that; yatha -- just as; sri-bhagavate -- in the Srimad-Bhagavatam; ete --
all these; ca -- and; amsa -- plenary portions; kalah -- portions of the
plenary portions; pumsah -- of the Supreme; krsnah -- LOrd Krsna; tu --
but; bhagavan -- the Personality of Godhead; svayam -- in person.

     Some forms of the Lord are considered superior to other forms of the
Lord. In this connection the Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.3.28) explains: "All of
the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions
of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Sri Krsna is the original
Personality of Godhead."

TEXT 23 (b)

astamas tu tayor asit

     svayam eva harih kila

     astamah -- the eighth; tu -- indeed; tayoh -- of Vasudeva and Devaki;
 asit -- was; svayam -- personally; eva -- indeed; harih -- Lord Hari; kila
 -- certainly.

     "The Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared in His original form as
the eighth son of Vasudeva and Devaki."

TEXT 24 (a)

atha sris tad yatha purusa-bodhinyam atharvopanisadi

"gokulakhye mathuramandale" ity upakramya

"dve parsve candravali radhika ca" ity abhidhaya

paratra "yasya amse laksmi-durgadika-saktih" iti.

     atha -- now; srih -- the goddess of fortune; tat -- that; yatha --
just as; purusa-bodhinyam -- in the Purusa-bodhini; atharva -- of the
Atharva Veda; upanisadi -- in the Upanisad; gokula -- Gokula; akhye --  in
the place named; mathura -- of Mathura; mandale -- in the district; iti --
thus; upakramya -- having begun; dve -- two; parsve -- at the sides;
 candravali -- Candravali; radhika -- Srimati Radharani; ca -- and; iti
thus; abhidhaya -- describing by name; paratra -- in another place; yasyah
 -- of Her; amse -- as parts; laksmi -- Laksmi; durga -- Durga; adika --
beginning with; saktih -- the Lord's potencies; iti -- thus.

     The same differing importance of forms applies to Srimati Laksmi-devi.
The Purusa-bodhini Upanisad of the Atharva Veda explains:

     "In the supreme abode of Gokula in the district of Mathura, Srimati
Radharani and Srimati Candravali-devi stand at the left and right side of
Lord Krsna."

     "Srimati Radharani expands Herself as Laksmi, Durga, and many other
potencies of the Lord which are all her incarnations."

TEXT 24 (b)

gautamiya-tantre ca

devi krsnamayi prokta

     radhika para-devata

sarva-laksmimayi sarva-

     kantih sammohini para

     gautamiya-tantre -- in the Gautamiya Tantra; ca -- and; devi -- who
shines brilliantly; krsna-mayi -- nondifferent from Lord Krsna; prokta --
called; radhika -- Srimati Radharani; para-devata -- most worshipable;
 sarva-laksmi-mayi -- presiding over all the goddesses of fortune;
 sarva-kantih -- in whom all splendor exists; sammohini -- whose character
completely bewilders Lord Krsna; para -- the superior energy.

     This is also confirmed in the Gautamiya Tantra: "The transcendental
goddess Srimati Radharani is the direct counterpart of Lord Sri Krsna. She
is the central figure for all the goddesses of fortune. she possesses all
the attractiveness to attract the all-attractive Personality of Godhead.
She is the primeval internal potency of the Lord."

TEXT 25 (a)

atha nitya-dhamatvam adi-sabdat, yatha chandogye

sa bhagavah kasmin pratisthitah. iti.

sve mahimni. iti

mundake ca

divye pure hy esa samvyomny atma pratisthitah. iti

     atha -- now; nitya -- eternal; dhamatvam -- the state of the abode;
 adi -- "adi"; sabdat -- from the word; yatha -- just as; chandogye -- in
the Chandogya Upanisad; sah -- He; bhagavah -- O Sanat-kumara; kasmin --
where?; pratisthitah -- is situated; iti -- thus; sve -- in His own;
 mahimni -- glorious abode; iti -- thus; mundake -- in the Mundaka
Upanisad; divye -- splendid; pure -- in the abode; hi -- certainly; esah
 -- He; samvomni -- in the spiritual sky; atma -- the supreme Personality
of Godhead; pratisthitah -- is situated; iti -- thus.

     The Lord's eternal abode may be understood by the use of the word
"adi" (etc.) in the quote from the Purusa-bodhini Upanisad. In this
connection, the following question and answer are found in the Chandogya
Upanisad:                                      

     "O Sanat-kumara, where does the Supreme Personality of Godhead
reside?" "He resides in His own splendid abode."

     The Mundaka Upanisad also confirms:

     "The Supreme Personality of Godhead resides in His own splendid abode
in the spiritual sky."

TEXT 25 (b)

rksu ca

tam vam vastuny usmasi gamadhye yatra gavo bhuri-srnga ayasah.

atraha

tad urugayasya krsnah paramam padam avabhati bhuri. iti.

     rksu -- in the Rg Veda; ca -- and; tam -- that; vam -- of the divine
couple (Sri Sri Radha and Krsna); vastuni -- the transcendental abodes;
 usmasi -- we desire; gamadhye -- to attain; yatra -- where; gavah --
surabhi cows; bhuri -- with excellent; srngah -- horns; ayasah -- move
about; atra -- in the same scripture; aha -- the seer describes; tat --
that; urugayasya -- of Lord Krsna, who is glorified by the liberated
souls; vrsnah -- and who fulfills all the desires of the devotees; paramam
 -- transcendental; padam -- abode; avabhati -- is splendidly manifest;
 bhuri -- unlimitedly; iti--thus.

     The Rg Veda (1.154.6) explains: "We desire to attain the
transcendental abode of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna, which is full of splendid
surabhi cows."

     The Sruti also explains: "Unlimited Vaikuntha planets are the abode of
Lord Krsna, who is glorified by the liberated souls and who fulfills all
the desires of the devotees."

TEXT 26 (a)

sri-gopalopanisadi ca

tasam madhye saksad brahma gopala-puri hi. iti.

     sri-gopala-upanisadi -- in the Gopala Tapani Upanisad; ca -- and;
 tasam -- of the seven holy cities of Bharata-varsa; madhye -- in the
midst; saksat -- directly; brahma -- the spiritual world; gopala -- of
Lord Gopala; puri -- the city; hi -- ertainly; iti -- thus.

     The Gopala-tapani Upanisad explains: "Among the seven sacred cities of
Bharata, the city of Mathura, where Lord Gopala resides, is a direct
manifestation of the spiritual world."

TEXT 26 (b)

jitante tantre ca

lokam vaikuntha-namanam

     divyad-sad-gunya-samyutam

avaisnavanam aprapyam

     guna-traya-vivarjitam

     jitante tantre -- in the Jitanta Tantra; ca -- and; lokam -- world;
 vaikuntha -- Vaikuntha; namanam -- named; divyat -- spiritual; sat -- six;
 gunya -- attributes; samyutam -- endowed; avaisnavanam -- by the
non-devotees; aprapyam -- unattainable; guna -- modes of material nature;
 traya -- ot the three; vivarjitam -- devoid.

     The Jitanta Tantra explains: "Unattainable by the non-devotees, free
from the influence of the three modes of material nature, and filled with
the six spiritual opulences, the supreme abode of the Personality of
Godhead is known as Vaikuntha.

TEXT 26 (c)

nitya-siddhaih samakirnam

     tan-mayaih panca-kalikaih

sabha-prasada-samyuktam

     vanais copavanaih subham

     nitya-siddhaih_with the eternally liberated souls; samkirnam --
filled; tat-mayaih -- by the Lord's spiritual associates; panca-kalikaih
 -- engaged in the five activities of approaching the Lord, accepting
things from Him, worshipping Him, hearing about and remembering Him; sabha
 -- great halls; prasada -- and palaces; samyuktam -- endowed; vanaih --
with forests; ca -- and; upavanaih -- gardens; subham -- very splendid.

     "Appearing very splendid with gardens, forests, halls and great
palaces, that Vaikuntha world is inhabited by the Supreme Lord's liberated
associates who are always engaged in the devotional activities of
approaching the Lord, asociating with Him, worshipping, hearing about and
remembering Him at every moment.

TEXT 26 (d)    

vapi-kupa-tadagais ca

     vrksa-sandaih sumanditam

aprakrtam surair vandyam

     ayutarka-sama-prabham

     vapi -- with lakes; kupa -- wells; tadagaih -- ponds; ca -- and; vrksa
 -- of desire-trees; sandaih -- with multitudes; sumanditam -- nicely
decorated; aprakrtam -- beyond the influence of material nature; suraih --
by the demigods; vandyam -- worshipable; ayuta -- millions; arka -- of
suns; sama -- equal; prabham -- splendor.

     "That Vaikuntha world is beyond the reach of the material nature, and
it is worshipped by the demigods. It is nicely decorated with wells,
ponds, lakes, and various desire-trees, and it is as effulgent as millions
of suns."

TEXT 26 (e)

brahma-samhitayam ca

sahasra-patram kamalam

     gokulakhyam mahat-padam

tat-karnikaram tad-dhama

     tad-anantamsa-sambhavam

     brahma-samhitayam -- in the Brahma-samhita; ca -- and; sahasra --
thousands; patram -- of petals; kamalam -- lotus flower; gokula -- Gokula;
 akhyam -- named; mahat -- great; padam -- abode; tat -- of that;
 karnikaram -- the whorl; tat -- that; dhama -- abode; tat -- that; ananta
 -- unlimited; amsa -- parts; sambhavam -- born.

     The Brahma-samhita (verse 2) presents the following description: "The
superexcellent station of Krsna, which is known as Gokula, has thousands
of petals and corolla like that of a lotus sprouted from a part of His
infinatary aspect, the whorl of the leaves being the actual abode of
Krsna."

TEXT 27 (a)

prapance svatmakam lokam

     avatarya mahesvarah

avirbhavati tatreti

     matam brahmadi-sabdatah

     prapance -- in the jurisdiction of the material energy; sva -- atmakam
-- own; lokam -- abode; avatarya -- having caused to descend; mahesvarah
 -- the Supreme Personality of Godhead; avirbhavati -- manifests; tatra --
there; iti- thus; matam -- the opinion; brahma -- of Brahma- adi -- and
others; sabdatah -- from the words.

     The Supreme Personality of Godhead brings His own spiritual realm
within the jurisdiction of the material world, and then personally appears
there. This is the opinion of Lord Brahma and the other learned
spiritualists.

TEXT 27 (b)

govinde sac-cid-anande

     nara-darakata yatha

ajnair nirupyate tadvad

     dhamni prakrtita kila

     govinde -- for Lord Govinda; sat -- whose form is eternal; cit -- full
of knowledge; anande -- and bliss; nara -- human; darakata -- the state of
being a child; yatha -- just as; ajnaih -- by the ignorant; nirupyate; is
considered; tadvat -- to that extent; dhamni -- to the Lor's spiritual
abode; prakrtita -- the state of being material; kila -- indeed.

     Just as they consider the eternal, omniscient and blissful spiritual
form of Lord Krsna to be only the form of an ordinary human child, the
foolish also consider the Lord's spiritual abodes to be simply a
manifestation of material energy.

TEXT 28 (a)

atha nitya-lilatvam ca. tathahi srutih

     yad gatam bhavac ca bhavisyac ca. iti.

eko devo nitya-lilanurakto

     bhakta-vyapi bhakta-hrdy antaratma. iti ca.

     atha -- now; nitya -- eternal; lilatvam -- the state of performing
pastimes; ca -- and; tatha hi -- furthermore; srutih -- in the Vedas; yat
 -- which; gatam -- happened in the past; bhavat -- happens at present;
 bhavisyat -- will occur in the future; ca -- and; iti -- thus; ekah --
one; devah -- Supreme Personality of Godhead; nitya -- eternal; lila -- by
pastimes; anuraktah -- delighted; bhakta -- for the devotees; vyapi --
all-pervading; bhakta -- of the devotees; hrdi -- within the heart;
 antaratma -- the Supersoul.

     The Supreme Lord Performs eternal pastimes. This is confirmed in the 
Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad: "The Supreme Lord performs pastimes eternally: in
the past, present and future."

     The Atharva Veda explains: "The one supreme Personality of Godhead is
eternally engaged in many, many transcendental forms in relationships with
His unalloyed devotees."

TEXT 28 (b)

smrtis ca

janma karma ca me divyam

     evam yo  etti tattvatah

tyktva deham punar janma

     naiti mam iti so'rjuna

     smrtih -- the smrti; ca -- and; janma -- birth; karma -- work; ca --
also; me -- of Mine; divyam -- transcendntal; evam -- like this; yah --
anyone who; vetti -- knows; tattvatah -- in teality; tyaktva -- leaving
aside; deham -- this body; punah -- again; janma -- birth; na -- never;
 eti -- does attain; mam -- unto Me; eti -- does attain; sah -- he; arjuna
 -- O Arjuna.

     The Lord Himself expains in Bhagavad-gita (4.9): "One who knows the
transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon
leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains
My eternal abode, O Arjuna."

TEXT 29

rupanantyaj jananantyad

     dhamanantyac ca karma tat

nityam syat tad-abhedac cety

     uditam tattva-vittamaih

     rupa -- of the Lord's spiritual forms; anantyat -- because of the
numberlessness; jana -- of the Lord's associates; anantyat -- because of
the numberlessness; dhama -- of the Lord's abodes; anantyat -- because of
the infinite extent; ca -- and; karma -- pastimes; tat -- these; nityam --
eternal; syat -- are; tat -- from them; abhedat -- because Hi is not
different; ca -- and; iti -- thus; uditam -- described; tattva --
vittamaih -- by the learned transcendentalists, who know the truth.

     Because the Lord's forms, followers, and abodes are all unlimited, and
because the Lord's forms and abodes are not different from Him, the
learned transcendentalists have described that the Lord's pastimes are
eternally manifest.

Second Prameya

TEXT 1 (a)

athakhilamnaya-vedyatvam. yatha sri-gopalopanisadi

yo 'sau sarvair vedair giyate. iti.

kathake ca- -- 

sarve veda yat-padam amananti

     tapamsi sarvani ca yad vadanti

     atha -- now; akhila -- all; amnaya -- by the Vedas; vedyatvam -- the
state of being known; yatha -- just as; sri-gopala-upanisadi -- in the
Gopala-tapani Upanisad; yah -- who- asau -- He; sarvaih -- by all; vedaih
 -- the Vedas; giyate -- is glorified; iti -- thus; kathake -- in the Katha
Upanisad; sarve -- all; vedah -- the Vedas; yat -- whose; padam -- lotus
feet; amananti -- worship; tapamsi -- austerities; sarvani -- all; ca --
and; yat -- whom; vadanti -- glorify.

     2. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is known by study of the Vedas:

     The Gopala-tapani Upanisad confirms this: "All the Vedas proclaim the
glories of the  Supreme Personality of Godhead."                          

     And the Katha Upanisad (1.2.15) also confirms it: "All the Vedas
worship the Supreme Lord's lotus feet, and all austerities proclaim His
glories."

TEXT 1 (b)

sri-hari-vamse ca

vede ramayane caiva

     purane bharate tatha

adav ante ca madhye ca

     harih sarvatra giyate

     sri-hari-vamse -- in the Hari-vamsa; ca -- and; vede -- in the Vedas;
 ramayane -- in the Ramayana; ca -- and; eva -- certainly; purane -- in the
Puranas; bharate -- in the Mahabharata; tatha -- in the same way; adau --
in the beginning; ante -- in the middle; ca -- and; madhye -- in the
middle; ca -- and; harih -- the supreme Personality of Godhead; sarvatra
 -- everywhere; giyate -- is glorified.

     The Hari-vamsa states: "In the Vedic literature, including the
Ramayana, Puranas ad Mahabharata, from the very beginning (adau), to the
end (ante ca), as well as within the middle (madhye ca), only Hari, the
supreme Personality of Godhead, is explained."

TEXT 2

saksat paramparabhyam

     veda gayanti madhavam sarve

vedantah kila saksad

     apare tebhyah paramparaya

     saksat -- directly; paramparabhyam -- systematically; vedah -- the
four Vedas; gayanti -- glorify; madhavam -- Lord Madhava; sarve -- all;
 vedantah -- the Vedanta-sutras; kila -- indeed; saksat -- directly; apare
tebhyah -- other Vedic literatures; paramparaya -- systematically.

     The four Vedas, Vedanta-sutras, and supplementary Vedic literatures,
all directly and systematically glorify the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Lord Madhava.

TEXT 3

kvacit kvacid avacyatvam

     yad vedesu vilokyate

kartsnena vacyam na bhaved

     iti syat tatra sangatih

anyatha tu tad arambhe

     vyarthah syad iti me matih

     kvacit kvacit -- here and There; avacyatvam -- indescribableness; yat
 -- which; vedesu -- in the Vedas; vilokyate -- is observed; kartsnena --
with completeness; vacyam -- able to be described; na -- not; bhavet --
may be; iti -- thus; syat -- is; tatra -- there; sangatih -- the
appropriate interpretation; anyatha -- otherwise; tu -- indeed; tat --
that; arambhe -- endeavor; vyarthah -- useless and illogical; syat -- is;
 iti -- thus; me -- my; matih -- opinion.

     At different places in the Vedic literatures the absolute truth is
said to be indescribeable. This means that His qualities are unlimited and
He cannot be adequately described. It is my opinion that any other
interpretation of this is illogical and senseless.

TEXT 4

sabda-pravrtti-hetunam

     jaty-adinam abhavatah

brahma-nirdharmakam vacyam 

     naivety ahur vipascitah

     sabda -- of words; pravrtti -- employment; hetunam -- of the causes;
 jati -- of birth; adinam -- and other things (qualities, activities,
manes, etc.); abhavatah -- because of the non-existance; brahma -- of the
Supreme; nirdharmikam -- without attributes; vacyam -- description; na --
not; eva -- certainly; iti -- thus; ahuh -- speak; vipascitah -- those who
understand the Supreme.

     They who understand the actual nature of spirit never say that the
supreme never takes birth, or that He is devoid of qualities, pastimes and
names, which constitute the realm describable by words. those who are
learned do not say that the Supreme cannot be described by words.

TEXT 5

sarvaih sabdair avacye tu

     laksana na bhaved atah

laksyam ca na bhaved dharma--

     hinam brahmeti me matam

     sarvaih -- by all; sabdaih -- words; avacye -- not describeable; tu --
indeed; laksana -- character; na -- not; bhavet -- is; atah -- therefore;
 laksyam -- characterizeable; ca -- and; na -- not; bhavet -- may be;
 dharma -- of attributes; hinam -- devoid; brahma -- the Supreme Absolute;
 iti -- thus; me -- my; matam -- opinion.

     I do not consider that the Absolute Truth is without attributes and
therefore beyond the descriptive power of words.

Third Prameya

TEXT 1 (a)

atha visva -- satyatvam.

sva-saktya srstavan visnur

     yathartham sarva-vij jagat

ity uktah satyam evaitad

     vairagyartham asad-vacah

     atha -- now; visva -- of the material world; satyatvam -- the reality;
 sva -- wwn; saktya -- by the potency; srstavan -- created; visnuh -- Lord
Visnu; yatha-artham -- real; sarva-vit -- omniscient; jagat -- the
material world; iti -- thus; ukteh -- from this statement; satyam --
reality; eva -- certainly; etat -- this; vairagya-artham -- for the
purpose of renunciation; asat-vacah -- it is described as asat (temporary)
in the Vedas.

     3. The Material World is Real

     Because omniscient Lord Visnu created this material world with His own
potency,therefore it is real. The word asat used to describe the material
world in the Vedas should be interpreted to mean temporary, not unreal.
Describing the the temporality of this world, the Vedas instruct us in the
importance of renunciation.

TEXT 1 (b)

tatha hi svetasvataropanisadi

ya eko'varno bahudha-sakti-yogad

     varnan anekan nihitartho dadhati

     tatha hi -- furthermore; svetasvatara-upanisadi -- in the Svetasvatara
Upanisad; yah -- who; ekah -- one without a second; avarnah -- without any
material qualities; bahudha -- many; sakti -- of potencies; yogat --
because of contact; varnan -- different classes of human beings, demigods,
and animals; anekan -- many; nihita-arthah -- desiring to create; dadhati
 -- created.

     The Svetasvatara Upanisad (4.1) explains: "The Absolute Truth, who is
one without a second, and who possesses no material attributes, desired to
manifest the material world, and created the different classes of human
beings, animals and demigods."

TEXT 1 (c)

sri-visnu-purane ca

ekadesa-sthitastagner

     jyotsna vistarini yatha

parasya brahmanah saktis

     tathedam akhilam jagat

     eka-desa -- in one place; sthitasya -- situated; agneh -- of a fire;
 jyotsna -- the effulgence; vistarini -- spead; yatha -- just as; parasya
 -- of the supreme; brahmanah -- spirit; saktih -- energy; tatha -- in the
same way; idam -- this; akhilam -- entire; jagat -- world.

     The Visnu Purana explains: "Whatever we see in this world is simply an
expansion of different energies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who
is exactly like a fire which spreads illumination for a long distance,
although it is situated in one place."

TEXT 1 (d)

isopanisadi

sa paryagac chukram akayam avranam

     asnaviram suddham apapa-viddham

kavir manisi paribhuh svayambhur

     yathatathyato 'rthan vyadadhac chasvatibhyah

     samabhyah

     isopanisadi -- in the Isopanisad; sah -- that person; paryagat -- must
know in fact; sukram -- the omnipotent; akayam -- unembodied; avranam --
without reproach; asnaviram -- without veins; suddham -- antiseptic;
 apapa-viddham -- prophylactic; kavih -- omniscient; manisi -- philosopher;
 paribhuh -- the greatest of all; svayambhuh -- self-sufficient;
 yathatathyatah -- just in pursuance of; arthan -- desirables; vyadadhat --
awards; sasvatibhyah -- immemorial; samabhyah -- time.

     The Isopanisad explains: "Such a person must factually know the
greatest of all, who is unembodied, omniscient, beyond reproach, without
veins, pure and uncontaminated, the self-sufficient philosopher who has
been fulfilling everyone's desire since time immemorial."

TEXT 2

sri-visnu-purane ca

tad etad aksayam nityam

     jagan muni-varakhilam

avirbhava-tirobhava

     janma-nasa-vikalpavat

     sri-visnu-purane -- in the Visnu Purana; ca -- and; tat -- that; etat
 -- this; aksayam -- imperishable; nityam -- eternal; jagat -- material
world; muni -- of sages; vara -- O best; akhilam -- entire; avirbhava --
manifestation; tirobhava -- dissapearance; janma -- birth; nasa --
destruction; vikalpavat -- only the appearance.

     The Visnu Purana explains: "O best of the sages, this entire material
world is eternal and imperishable. When it is manifested from the Supreme,
it only appears to have begun it's existence, and when it again enters the
Supreme, it only appears to be destroyed."

TEXT 3

mahabharate ca

brahma satyam tapah satyam

     satyam caiva prajapatih

satyad bhutani jatani

     satyam bhutam ayam jagat

     mahabharate -- in the Mahabharata; ca -- and; brahma -- the Supreme
Personality of Godhead; satyam -- is real; tapah -- austerity; satyam --
is real; satyam -- real; ca -- and; eva -- certainly; prajapatih --
Brahma, the creator of the living beings; satyat -- from the reality;
 bhutani -- the living entities; jatani -- are born; satyam -- real; bhutam
 -- manifested; ayam -- this; jagat -- material world.

     The Mahabharata explains: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose
form eternal, full of knowledge and bliss, is real. Austerities are real,
and Lord Brahma is also real. Because the living entities and the material
world have taken birth from the  supreme reality, they are also real."

TEXT 4

atma va idam ity adau

     vana-lina-vihangavat

sattvam visvasya mahtavyam

     ity uktam veda-vedibhih

     atma -- the Supreme Absolute; vai -- certainly; idam -- this; iti --
thus; adau -- in the beginning; vana -- in the forest; lina --
disappeared; vihangavat -- like a bird; sattvam -- reality; visvasya -- of
the material world; mantavyam -- should be considered; iti -- thus; uktam
 -- spoken; veda -- of the Vedas; vedibhih -- by the knowers.

     When the Vedas explain that in the beginning only the supreme exists,
it may be understood that at that time the material world rests within the
supreme in it's dormant state and remains invisible, just as a bird which
has disappeared into a forest. In this way the knowers of the Vedas assert
the reality of the material world.

Fourth Prameya

TEXT 1 (a)

atha visnuto jivanam bhedah

tatha hi svetasvatarah pathanti

dva suparna sayuja sakhaya

     samanam vrksam parisasvajate

tayor anyah pippalam svadv atty

     anasnann anyo 'bhicakasiti

     atha -- now; visnutah -- from Visnu; jivanam -- of the living
entities; bhedah -- the distinction; tatha hi -- furthermore;
 svetasvatarah -- the Svetasvatara Upanisad; pathanti -- reads; dva -- two;
 suparna -- birds; sayuja -- associated; sakhaya -- friends; samanam -- the
same; vrksam -- tree; parisasvajate -- contacting; tayoh -- of the two;
 anyah -- the other; pippalam -- banyan fruit; svadu -- palatable; atti --
eats; anasnan -- not eating; anyah -- the other; abhicakasiti -- observes.

     4. The jivas (living entities) are different from Lord Visnu:

     The Svetasvatara Upanisad (4.6-7) explains: "Two birds reside in the
metaphorical banyan tree of the material body. One of them is engaged in
eating the material happiness and distress which is the fruit of that
tree, while the other does not eat, but only witnesses the actions of his
friend. The witness is the Supreme Lord Visnu, and the fruit-eater is the
living entity.

TEXT 1 (b)

samane vrkse puruso nimagno

     hy anisaya socati muhyamanah

justam sada pasyaty anyam isam

     asya mahimanam eti vita-sokah

     samane -- same; vrkse -- on the tree; purusah -- person; nimagnah --
entered; hi -- certainly; anisaya -- helplessly; socati -- laments;
 muhyamanah -- bewildered; justam -- happy; sada -- continually; pasyati --
sees; anyam -- the other; isam -- the Supreme Personality of Godhead; asya
 -- of Him; mahimanam -- the glories; eti -- goes; vita -- free from; sokah
 -- lamentation.

     "Although the two birds are on the same tree, the eating bird is fully
engrossed with anxiety and moroseness as the enjoyer of the fruits of the
tree. But if in some way or other he turns his face to His friend who is
the Lord and knows His glories_at once the suffering bird becomes free
from all anxieties."

TEXT 2

brhat-samhitayam

upakramopasamharav

     abhyaso 'purvata-phalam

artha-vadopapatti ca

     lingam tatparya-nirnaye

iti tatparya-lingani

     sad yany ahur manisinah

bhede tani pratiyante

     tenasau tasya gocarah                                        

     brhat-samhitayam -- in the Brhat-samhita; upakrama -- beginning;
 upasamharau -- and end; abhyasah -- repetition; apurvata-phalam -- not
known by the material senses; artha-vada -- prayers; upapatti -- and
logic; ca -- and; lingam -- characteristic; tatparya -- in determining the
meaning; nirnaye -- in the establishment; iti--thus; tatparya -- of a
correct understanding; lingani -- characteristics; sat -- six; yani --
which; ahuh -- describe; manisinah -- philosophers; bhede -- in
difference;_tani -- they; pratiyante -- are proved; tena tena -- by that;
 asau -- this tasya -- of that; gocarah -- the field of perception.

     The Brhat-samhita explains: "Learned philosophers have concluded that
the correct interpretation of the Vedic texts is determined by
understanding- -- their beginning and concluding statements, what is
repeatedly stated within them, evidence presented within them which is
beyond the power of the limited material senses to perceive, and the
prayers and logical arguments presented within them. A correct
understanding of these six elements leads to a proper interpretation of
the Vedas. By studying in this way one comes to the correct
interpretation- -- that the living entities are different from the
Supreme."

TEXT 3 (a)

kim ca mundake

yada pasyah pasyate rukma-varnam

     kartaram isam purusam brahma-yonim

tada vidvan punya-pape vidhuya

     niranjanah paramam samyam upaiti

     kim ca -- and furthermore; mundake -- in the Mundaka Upanisad; tada --
when; pasyah -- the seer; pasyate -- sees; rukma -- of gold; varnam -- the
color; kartaram -- the supreme actor; isam -- of Godhead; purusam -- the
Personality; brahma -- of the Supreme Brahman; yonim -- the source; tada
 -- then; vidvan -- the learned devotee; punya -- pious deeds; pape -- s
well as sins; vidhuya -- having cleansed; niranjanah -- free from material
contact; paramam -- supreme; samyam -- equality; upaiti -- attains.

     The Mundaka Upanisad (3.1.3) explains: "One who sees that
golden-colored Personality of Godhead, the Supreme Lord, the supreme
actor, who is the source of the Supreme Brahman, becomes free from the
reactions to past pious and sinful deeds, and becomes liberated, attaining
the same transcendental platform as the Lord."

TEXT 3 (b)

kathake ca

yathodakam suddhe suddham

     asiktam tadrg eva bhavati

evam mune vijanata

     atma bhavati gautama

     kathake -- in the Katha Upanisad; ca -- and; yatha -- just as; udakam
 -- water; suddhe -- in the pure; suddham -- pure; asiktam -- cast; tadrk
 -- like that; eva -- certainly; bhavati -- becomes; evam -- in this way;
 mune -- O sage; vijanatah -- of one situated in transcendental knowledge;
 atma -- the supreme spirit; gautama -- O Naciketa.

     The Katha Upanisad (2.1.15) explains: "O Naciketa, when a drop of pure
water is thrown into a reservoir of pure water, the drop does not change
it's nature in any way. In the same way, the individual living entity,
when situated in transcendental knowledge, does not change his nature when
he comes into contact with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but retains
his individuality in all respects."

TEXT 4 (a)

brahmaham eko jivo 'smi

     nanye jivo na cesvarah

mad-avidya-kalpitas te

     syur itittham ca dusitam

anyatha nitya ity adi-

     sruty-artho nopapadyate

     brahma -- the Supreme Brahman; aham -- I; ekah -- one; jivah -- living
entity; asmi -- am; na -- not; anye -- others; jivah -- living entities;
 na -- not; ca -- and; isvarah -- Supreme Personality of Godhead; mat -- of
me; avidya -- by ignorance; kalpitah -- imagined; te -- they; syuh -- may
come into existance; iti -- thus; ittham -- in this say; ca -- and;
 dusitam -- the polluted conclusion; anyatha -- otherwise; nitya-iti-adi --
beginning with the word nitya; sruti -- of the Vedas; artha -- the
meaning; na -- not; upapadyate -- may be interpreted.

     The impersonalist followers of Sankaracarya proclaim:

     "I, the living entity, am the only supreme, and other living entities,
as well as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, do not actually exist, but
are only imagined in the mind when there is ignorance of my actual
nature." This is their polluted conclusion.

     The following Vedic quotation, beginning with the word nitya, presents
the actual truth. It is stated so clearly that the impersonalists cannot
twist a different meaning from it.

TEXT 4 (b)

tatha hi kathah pathanti

nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam

     eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman

tam atmastham ye 'nupasyanti dhiras

     tesam santih sasvati netaresam

     tatha hi -- furthermore; hi -- certainly; kathah -- the Katha
Upanisad; pathanti -- reads; nityah -- a single eternal; nityanam -- among
the many eternals; cetanah -- a single conscious being; cetananam -- among
many conscious beings; ekah -- one; bahunam -- of the many; yah -- who;
 vidadhati -- grants; kaman -- the desires; tam -- Him; atmastham --
situated within the heart; ye -- those who; anupasyanti -- see; dhirah --
saintly persons; tesam -- of them; santih -- peace; sasvati -- eternal; na
 -- not; itaresam -- of others.

     The Katha Upanisad (2.2.13) explains: "Of all eternals, there is one
who is the chief eternal. Of all conscious living entities, there is one
who is the chief conscious entity. That supreme living entity, the
Personality of Godhead, maintains the others, and fulfills their desires
according to their merits. Only saintly persons, who can see, within and
without, the same Supreme Lord, can actually attain to perfect and eternal
peace."

TEXT 5

ekasmad isvaran nityac

     cetanat tadrsa mithah

bhidyante bahavo jivas

     tena bhedah sanatanah

     ekasmat -- one; isvarat -- supreme Personality of Godhead; nityat --
eternal; cetanat -- conscious; tadrsah -- like this; mithah -- mutually;
 bhidyante -- are distinct entities; bahavah -- the many; jivah --
individual souls; tena -- by this; bhedah -- distinction; sanatanah --
eternal.

     This verse states that both the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the
individual loving entities are eternal and conscious. By affirming the
eternality of both the one and the many, the distinction between them is
described as eternal.

     Note: Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura remarks in this
connection that the impersonalists may object that the distinction between
the living entity (jiva) and the Supreme (isvara) is not an eternal
distinction. To support their view they may quote many verses from the
Upanisads, such as sarvam khalv idam brahma (everything is brahman), and
tat tvam asi svetaketo (O Svetaketu, you are that). Srila Baladeva
Vidyabhusana replies to their objections in the following way: 

TEXT 6 (a)

pranaikadhina-vrttitvad

     ragadeh pranata yatha

tatha brahmadhina-vrtter

     jagato brahmatocyate

     prana -- life force; eka -- exclusively dependent; vrttitvat --
because of the nature; raga -- adeh -- of the senses; pranata -- the life
force; yatha -- just as; tatha -- in the same way; brahma -- the supreme;
 adhina-vrtteh -- completely dependent; jagatah -- from the material
universe; brahma -- the distinct Supreme; ucyate -- is described.

     Just as the life-force is different from the senses of the material
body which are completely dependent upon it, in the same way the Supreme
Lord is distinct from the material world which is completely dependent
upon Him.

TEXT 6 (b)

tatha hi chandogye pathyate

na vai vaco na caksumsi na srotrani na manamsity acaksate. prana ity
acaksate. prano hy evaitani sarvani bhavati. iti.

     tatha hi -- moreover; chandogye -- in the Chandogya Upanisad; pathyate
 -- it is read; na -- not; vai -- certainly; vacah -- words; na -- nor;
 caksumsi -- eyes; na -- nor; srotrani -- ears; na -- nor; manamsi --
minds; iti -- thus; acaksate -- names; pranah -- the life-force; iti --
thus; acaksate -- he names; pranah -- the life-force; hi -- indeed; eva --
certainly; etani -- them; sarvani -- all; bhavati -- is; iti--thus.

     The Chandogya Upanisad (5.1.15) explains in this connection: "The
different senses, such as the voice, sense of sight, sense of hearing, and
the mind, are all known as the life-force, but the actual life-force is
different from all these senses, which are dependent upon it. They are
named after the life-force, although it is actually different from them."

     Note: Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura explains in this
connection that the mayavadis may argue that the Vedas say: "sarvam khalv
idam brahma (everything is brahman)" and "tat tvam asi svetaketo (O
Svetaketu, you are that)", and therefore the only thing in existance is
impersonal brahman, and everything else is an illusion. To counter this
argument, Baladeva Vidyabhusana quotes this verse from the Chandogya
Upanisad, where there is an explanation of how everything is brahman. The
various senses are dependent upon the life-force, and therefore, they are
collectively known as the life-force, although the actual life-force is
different from them. In this way the senses are designated as the
life-force because they are manifested from the life-force, although they
are actually different from it. In the same way, the individual living
entities have emanated from the Supreme Brahman, and they are therefore
designated Brahman to show their source of origin, although they are
actually different from the Supreme Brahman.

TEXT 7

brahma-vyapyatvatah kaiscij jagad brahmeti manyate.

yad uktam sri-visnu-purane

yo 'yam tavagato deva

     samipam devata-ganah

satyam eva jagat-srasta

     yatah sarvagato bhavan

     brahma -- by the Absolute Truth; vyapyatvatah -- because of being
present everywhere; kaiscit -- by some; jagat -- the material universe;
 brahma -- identical with the Supreme; manyate -- is considered; yat --
which uktam -- spoken; sri-visnu-purane -- in the Visnu Purana; yah --
who; ayam -- this; tava -- to You; agatah -- approached; deva -- O Lord;
 samipam -- near; devata -- of demigods; ganah -- the host; satyam -- the
eternally real Supreme Personality of Godhead; eva -- certainly; jagat --
of the material world; srasta -- the creator; yatah -- because; sarvagatah
 -- all-pervading; bhavan -- You.

     Some maintain that because the Supreme is all-pervading, the material
universe must be identical with Him.

     The Visnu Purana dispels this misconception: "O Supreme Personality of
Godhead, although You have created this material universe, and although
You are everywhere present within it, You are nevertheless eternally
distinct from it."

TEXT 8

pratibimba-pariccheda-

     paksau yau svi-krtau paraih

vibhutvavisayatvabhyam

     tau vidvadbhir nirakrtau

     pratibimba -- a reflected manifestation; pariccheda -- a different
manifestation; paksau -- the two parties; yau -- which; svi-krtau --
accepted; paraih -- by others; vibhutva -- because of all-pervasiveness;
 avisayatvabhyam -- because of being beyond the reach of the material
senses; tau -- they; vidvadbhih -- by those who know the truth; nirakrtau
 -- not accepted.

     Some maintain that the universe is identical with the Supreme because
the universe is the Supreme's reflected image, and others say that they
are identical because the Supreme has divided Himself into the various
pieces that constitute the universe. Those who are wise do not accept
these faulty arguments, because they know that the Supreme is
simultaneously all-pervading and beyond the reach of the material senses.

     Note: Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura explains the defect in
the arguments of these two groups of mayavadis. The first group of
mayavadis say that just as the sun or moon may be reflected in various
pots or reservoirs of water, in the same way, the Supreme reflects
Himself- -- the reflections being the individual living entities. This
view cannot be maintained because the Supreme is, by His very nature,
all-pervading. Something all-pervading cannot be reflected anywhere, just
as the all-pervading dimension of space, upon which all the material
elements rest, cannot be reflected anywhere.

     The opinion of the second camp of mayavadis is that the Supreme has
cut Himself into many little pieces which are the individual living
entities and the material elements. This view cannot be held because the
Supreme is avisaya- -- spiritual, beyond the reach of the material senses.
Because the Supreme is spiritual, imperishable, and without change, He
cannot be cut into many pieces as the mayavadis say.

TEXT 9

advaitam brahmano bhinnam

     bhinnam va tvayocyate

adye dvaitapattir ante

     siddha-sadhanata sruteh

     advaitam -- the Supreme Brahman, who is one without a second;
 brahmanah -- from the Brahman; bhinnam -- different; abhinnam -- not
different; va -- or; tvaya -- by you; ucyate -- spoken; adye -- in the
beginning; dvaita -- of difference; apattih -- attainment; ante -- in the
end; siddha -- perfection; sadhanata -- attainment; sruteh -- from the
Vedas.

     O Mayavadis, you insist that the individual living entities and the
Supreme are identical, even though this view contradicts all the
descriptions found in the Vedic texts.

TEXT 10

alikam nirgunam brahma

     pramanavisayatvatah

sraddheyam vidusam naivety

     ucire tattva-vadinah

     alikam -- untrue; nirgunam -- without attributes; brahma -- Supreme;
 pramana -- of evidence; avisayatvatah -- because of the non-perception;
 sraddha -- faith; iyam -- this; vidusam -- of those who are intelligent
and learned in the spiritual science; na -- not; eva -- certainly; iti --
thus; ucire -- said; tattva -- of the truth; vadinah -- the knowers.

     There is no evidence to support the erroneous conception that the
Supreme is an amorphous mass without any qualities. Those who know the
truth declare that those learned in the spiritual science never accept
such a conclusion.

     Note: In this connection, Srila Bhaktisiddhaanta Sarasvati Thakura
comments that the three sources of evidence- -- direct perception, logic,
and scriptural revelation- -- tell us that although the Supreme is devoid
of material qualities, He possesses innumerable spiritual qualities. That
the Supreme possesses spiritual qualities (bhagavan) in the ultimate issue
is described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.11):

vadanti tat tattva-vidas

     tattvam yaj jnanam advayam

brahmeti paramatmeti

     bhagavan iti sabdyate

     "Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this
non-dual substance Brahman, Paramatma or Bhagavaan (full of all
opulences)."

Fifth Prameya

TEXT 1

atha jivanam bhagavad-dasatvam

tatha hi svetasvatarah pathanti

tam isvaranam paramam mahesvaram

     tam daivtanam paramam ca daivatam

patim patinam paramam parastat

     vidama devam bhuvanesam idyam

     atha -- now; jivanam -- of the individual living entities; bhagavat --
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; dasatvam -- the state of being the
servants; tatha hi -- furthermore; svetasvatarah -- the Svetasvatara
Upanisad; pathanti -- reads; tam -- Him; isvaram -- controller; tam --
Him; daivatanam -- of all the demigods; paramam -- supreme; ca -- and;
 daivatam -- worshippable deity; patim -- the director; patinam -- of all
directors; paramam -- greater; parastat -- than the greatest; vidama -- we
understand; devam -- the Supreme Lord; bhuvana -- of the entire world;
 isam -- the master; idyam -- worshipable.

     5. The jivas (living entities) are by nature the servants of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead:

     The Svetasvatara Upanisad (6.7) explains: "The Supreme Lord is the
controller of all other controllers, and He is the greatest of all the
diverse planetary leaders. Everyone is under His control. All entities are
delegated with particular power only by the Supreme Lord; they are not
supreme themselves. He is also worshipable by all demigods, and is the
supreme director of all directors. Therefore, He is transcendental to all
kinds of material leaders and controllers and is worshipable by all. There
is no one greater than Him, and He is the supreme cause of all causes."

TEXT 2 (a)

smrtis ca

brahma sambhus tathaivarkas

     candramas ca satakratuh

evam adyas tathaivanye

     yukta vaisnava-tejasa

     smrtih -- the Smrti-sastra; ca -- and; brahma -- Brahma; sambhuh --
Siva; tatha -- in the same way; eva -- certainly; arkah -- Surya;
 candramah -- Candra; satakratuh -- Indra; evam -- in this way;
 adyah--beginning with; tatha -- in the same way; anye -- others; yuktah --
engaged; vaisnava -- of Lord Visnu; tejasa -- by the prowess.

     The Smrti-sastra declares: "Brahma, Siva, Surya, Candra, Indra, and
all the other demigods are appointed to their posts by Lord Visnu and
given extraordinary powers by Him. They areall the servants of Lord
Visnu."

TEXT 2 (b)

sa-brahmakah sa-rudras ca

     sendra deva maharsibhih

arcayanti sura-srestham

     devam narayanam harim 

     sa-brahmakah -- with many Brahmas; sa-rudrah -- with many Sivas; ca --
and; sa-indrah -- with many Indras; devah -- demigods; maha-rsibhih --
with the great sages; arcayanti -- worship; sura -- of all the demigods;
 srestham -- the best; devam -- the Supreme Personality of Godhead;
 narayanam -- known as Narayana; harim -- and Hari.

     The Sastras explain: "Innumerable Brahmas, Sivas, Indras, sages and
demigods, all worship the Supreme Lord Narayana, the best of the
demigods."

TEXT 2 (c)

padme ca, jiva-laksane

dasa-bhuto harer eva

     nanyasyaiva kadacana

     padme -- in the Padma Purana; jiva -- of the living entities; laksane
 -- in the description; dasa-bhutah -- a servant; hareh -- of Lord Hari;
 eva -- certainly; na -- not; anyasya -- of anyone else; kadacana -- at any
time.

     The Padma Purana describes the nature of the jiva (individual living
entity) in the following way: "By nature the living entity is eternally
the servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Hari. He is never
the servant of Brahma, Siva, or anyone else."

Sixth Prameya

TEXT 1

atha jivanam taratamyam

anu-caitanya-rupatva-

     jnanitvadya-visesatah

samye saty api jivanam

     taratamyam ca sadhanat

     atha -- now; jivanam -- of the living entities; taratamyam --
gradations of importance; anu -- minute; caitanya -- consciousness;
 rupatva -- possessing; jnanitva -- the state of possessing knowledge; adya
 -- geginning with; visesatah -- particularly; samye -- equality; sati --
being so; api -- although; jivanam -- of the living entities; taratamyam
 -- gradation; ca -- and; sadhanat -- because of activities, or because of
advancement in devotional service.

     6. In both conditioned and liberated states, the jivas are situated in
higher and lower statuses.

     Although all living entities are equally conscious and full of
knowledge, according to the small capacity of an individual soul, they
nevertheless manifest that original spiritual nature in varying degrees.
The extent to which that original nature is uncovered is determined by
their purity and devotion to the Supreme Lord.

TEXT 2 (a)

tatranuktam uktam svetasvataraihh

balagra-sata-bhagasya

     satadha kalpitasya ca

bhago jivah sa vijneyah

     sa canantyaya kalpate

     tatra -- there; anuktam -- not described; uktam -- described;
 svetasvataraih -- in the Svetasvatara Upanisad; bala-agra -- the tip of a
hair; sata-bhagasya -- of one hundreth; satadha -- into one hundred parts;
 kalpitasya -- divided; ca -- and; bhagah -- minute portion; jivah -- the
living entity; sah -- that; vijneyah -- to be understood; sah -- that; ca
 -- and; anantaya -- for the unlimited; kalpate -- worthy.

     The Svetasvatara Upanisad (5.9) describes the individual spirit soul:
"When the upper point of a hair is divided into one hundred parts and
again each of such parts is further divided into one hundred parts, each
such part is the measurement of the dimension of the spirit-soul."

TEXT 2(b)

caitanya-rupatvam jnanitvadikam ca sat-prasnyam

esa hi drasta sprasta srota ghrata rasayita manta boddha karta vijnanatma
purusah. iti.

     caitanya-rupatvam -- state of being conscious; jnanitva -- state of
possessing knowledge; adikam -- beginning with; ca -- and; sat -- six;
 prasnyam -- in the Prasna Upanisad; esah -- he; hi -- indeed; drasta --
the seer; sprasta--the one who touches; srota -- the hearer; ghrata -- the
one who smells; rasayita -- the one who tastes; manta -- the one who
thinks; boddha -- the one who understands; karta -- the doer; vijnana --
full of knowledge; atma -- soul; purusah -- person; iti -- thus.

     The Prasna Upanisad (4.9) explains the soul's consciousness, knowledge
and and other qualities: "It is the individual soul who perceives the
activities of the senses. It is he who sees, touches, hears, smells,
tastes, thinks, and understands."

TEXT 3 (a)

adina gunena deha-vyapitvam ca. sri-gitasu

yatha prakasayaty ekah

     krtsnam lokam imam ravih

ksetram ksetri tatha krtsnam

     prakasayati bharata

     adina -- beginning with; gunena -- qualities; deha -- in the body; 
vyapitvam -- omnipresence; ca -- and; gitasu -- in Bhagavad-gita; yatha --
as; prakasayati -- illuminates; ekah -- one; krtsnam -- the whole; kam --
universe; imam -- this; ravih -- the sun; ksetra -- this body; ksetri --
the soul; tatha -- similarly; krtsnam -- all prakasayati -- illuminates;
 bharata -- son of Bharata.

     The soul pervades the material body, as Bhagavad-gita (13.34)
explains: "O son of Bharata, as the sun alone illuminates all this
universe, so does the living entity, one within the body, illuminate the
entire body with consciousness."

TEXT 3 (b)

aha caiva sutrakarah

     gunad balarokavad iti. 

guna-nityatvam uktam vajasaneyibhih

     avinasi va are ayam atmanuchitti-dharma. iti. 

     aha -- said; ca -- and eva -- certainly; sutrakarah -- the author of
Vedanta-sutra; gunat -- by spiritual qualities; bala -- newly risen; arka
 -- sun; vat -- like; iti -- thus; guna -- of the qualities; nityatvam --
eternality; uktam -- described; vajasaneyibhih -- ty Yajnavalkya; avinasi
 -- without destruction; va -- or; are -- Oh; ayam -- this; atma -- soul;
 anucchitti-dharma -- cannot be cut.

     The author of Vedanta-sutra explains (2.3.14): "Just as the newly
risen sun remains in one place and yet fills the entire sky with light, in
the same way the individual soul, although remaining in one place,
pervades the entire body by consciousness."

     Yajnavalkya Muni (in the Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad, 4.5.14) describes
the eternality of the soul: "O Maitreyi, the soul is imperishable, and can
never be cut or changed."

TEXT 4 (a)

evam samye 'pi vaisamyam

     aihikam karmabhih sphutam

prahah paratrikam tat tu

     bhakti-bhedaih su-kovidah

     evam -- in this way; samye -- in equality; api -- although; vaisamyam
 -- inequality; aihikam -- in this world; karmabhih -- by activities;
 sphutam -- manifested; prahuh -- describe; paratrikam -- the spiritual
world; tat -- that; tu -- and; bhakti -- of devotion; bhedaih -- by
distinctions; su-kovidah -- those learned in the spiritual science.

     They who are learned in the spiritual science say that although in one
sense all individual souls are equal, they manifest different activities
in the material world, and even in the spieitual world, they possess
different degrees of pure devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

TEXT 4 (b)

tatha hi kauthumah pathanti

yatha-kratur asmil loke puruso bhavati tathetah pretya bhavati. iti.

smrtis ca

yadrsi bhavana samye siddhir bhavati tadrsi. iti.

     tatha hi -- moreover; kauthumah -- the Kauthumiya recension of the
Vedas; pathanti -- read; yatha -- according to; kratuh -- sacrifice; asmin
 -- inthis; loke -- world; purusah -- a person; bhavati -- becomes; tatha
 -- in the same way; itah -- from that; pretya -- in the next world;
 bhavati -- becomes; iti -- thus; smrtih -- in the Smrti-sastra; yadrsi --
in whatever extent; bhavana -- devotional meditation; samye -- in
equality; siddhih -- perfection; bhavati -- becomes; tadrsi -- like that;
 iti -- thus.

     The following explanation is found in the Kauthumiya recension of the
Vedas: "The degree to which one engages in devotional activities in this
world determines his status in the next world."

     The Smrti-sastra also confirms: "The extent to which one is devoted to
the Supreme Personality of Godhead determines the degree of his spiritual
perfection."

TEXT 4 (c)

santy-adya rati-paryanta

     ye bhavah panca kirtitah

tair devam smaratam pumsam

     taratamyam mitho matam

     santi -- the neutral-rasa; adya -- giginning with; rati -- the
madhurya-rasa; paryanta -- culminating in; ye -- those; bhavah -- mellows
of loving exchange; panca -- five; kirtitah -- are described; taih -- by
them; devam -- one whould remember; pumsam -- of the living entities;
 taratamyam -- gradation; mithah -- mutual; matam -- are considered.

     Neutrality, servitorship, friendship, parenthood, and conjugal love
are described as the five mellows of loving exchange with the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. Those who meditate upon the Lord in these
different mellows attain the appropriate different destinations. In this
way, the living entities possess different gradations of good-fortune.

Seventh Prameya

TEXT 1 (a)

atha sri-krsna-prapter moksatvam. yatha

jnatva devam sarva-pasapahanir ity adi.

eko vasi sarvagah krsna idya ity adi ca.

     atha -- now; sri-krsna -- of Lord Krsna; prapteh -- of the attainment;
 moksatvam -- the state of liberation; yatha -- just as; jnatva -- having
understood; devam -- the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sarva -- all;
 pasa -- the ropes of entanglement in material existence; apahanih --
destroyed; iti -- thus; adi -- etc. (The entire verse reads jnatva devam
sarva-pasapahanih, ksinaih klesair janma-mrtyu-prahanih tasyabhidhyanat
trtiyam deha-bhede, visvaisvaryam kevala); apta-kamah; ekah -- one; vasi
 -- all powerful; sarvagah -- all-peravding; krsnah -- Lord Krsna; idyah --
supremely worshipable; iti -- thus; adi -- etc. (The entire verse reads 
eko vasi sarvagah krsna idya eko 'pi san badhudha yo vibhati tam pithastham
ye 'nubhajanti diras tesam sukham sasvatam netaresam).

     7. Liberation does not mean an impersonal merging, but the attainment
of direct association with Lord Krsna:

     The Svetasvatara Upanisad (1.14) explains: "By understanding the truth
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead from a bona-fide spiritual master,
one becomes free from the entangling ropes of identification with the
material 

body, as well as the various miseries and the trap of repeated birth and
death which spring from that false-identification. By constantly
meditating on the Supreme Lord, he becomes free from the subtle material
body of mind, intelligence and false-ego. He attains the form of an
eternally liberated associate of the Supreme Lord in the spiritual world,
and all his desires become fulfilled."

     The Gopala-tapani Upanisad (1.21) also explains: "Lord Krsna is the
all-powerful, all-pervading Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He is the
object of the prayers and worship of the demigods. Intelligent persons
worship Him as He resides in His own spiritual abode. They thus attain the
eternal transcendental bliss which is not available for others."

TEXT 1 (b)

bahudha bahubhir vesair

     bhati krsnah svayam prabhuh

tam istva tat-pade nitye

     sukham tisthanti moksinah

     bahudha -- in many ways; bahubhih -- with many; vesaih -- forms; bhati
 -- is manifested; krsnah -- Krsna; svayam -- personally; prabhuh -- the
Supreme Personality of Godhead; tam -- Him; istva -- having worshipped;
 tat -- His; pade -- in the spiritual abode; nitye -- eternal; sukham --
bliss; tisthanti -- situated; moksinah -- liberated.

     The Supreme Personality of Godhead is manifested in many forms- -- but
His original form is Lord Krsna. Those who worship that original form of
Lord Krsna become liberated from this material world, and attain
transcendental bliss in the Lord's eternal abode.

                         Eighth Prameya

TEXT 1 (a)

athaikanta-bhakter moksa-hetutvam

     yatha sri-gopala-tapanyam

bhaktir asya bhajanam tad iha-mutropadhi-nairasyenamusmin manah-kalpanam
etad eva naiskarmyam.

     atha -- now; eka-anta -- unalloyed; bhakteh -- of devotional service;
 moksa -- of liberation; hetutvam -- the state of being the cause; yatha --
just as; sri-gopala-tapanyam -- in the Gopala-tapani Upanisad; bhaktih --
devotional service; asya -- of Him; bhajanam- worship; tat -- that; iha --
in this world; mutra -- in the next world; upadhi -- designations;
 nairasyena -- renunciation; amusmin -- among us; manah -- of the mind;
 kalpanam -- meditation; etat -- that; eva -- certainly; naiskarmyam --
freedom from the bonds of karma.

     8. Pure devotional service grants liberation:

     The Gopala-tapani Upanisad (1.15) explains: "Devotional service means
worship and meditation directed to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Such devotional service frees one from the desire for sense-gratification
both in this life and the next, and breaks the bonds of karma."

TEXT 1 (b)

narada-pancaratre ca

sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam

     tat-paratvena nirmalam

hrsikena hrsikesa-

     sevanam bhaktir ucyate

     narada-pancaratre- -- in the Narada-pancaratra; ca -- and;
 sarva-upadhi-vinirmuktam -- free from all kinds of material designations,
or free from all desires except the desire to render service to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead; tat-paratvena -- by the sole purpose of
serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead. nirmalam -- uncontaminated by
the effects of speculative philosophical research or fruitive activity;
 hrsikena -- by purified senses freed from all designations; hrsikesa -- of
the master of the senses; sevanam -- the service to satisfy the senses;
 bhaktih -- devotional service; ucyate -- is called.

     The Narada-pancaratra also explains: "Bhakti, or devotional service,
means engaging all our senses in the service of the Lord, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, the master of all the senses. When the spirit soul
renders service unto the Supreme, there are two side effects. One is freed
from all material designations, and, simply by being employed in the
service of the Lord, one's senses are purified."

TEXT 2 (a)

navadha caisa bhavati. yad-uktam sri-bhagavate

sravanam kirtanam visnoh

     smaranam pada-sevanam

arcanam vandanam dasyam

     sakhyam atma-nivedanam

iti pumsarpita visnau

     bhaktis cen nava-laksana

kriyeta bhagavaty addha

     tan manye 'dhitam uttamam

     navadha -- nine-fold; ca -- and; esa--this; bhavati -- is; yat --
which; uktam -- spoken; sri -- bhagavate -- in the Srimad-Bhaagavatam;
 sri-prahradah uvaca -- Prahlada Maharaja said; sravanam -- hearing;
 kirtanam -- chanting; visnoh -- o Lord Visnu (not anyone else); smaranam
 -- remembering; pada-sevanam -- serving the feet; arcanam -- offering
wership (with sodasopacara, the sixteen kinds of paraphernalia); vandanam
 -- offering prayers; dasyam -- becoming the servant; sakhyam -- becoming
the best friend; atma-nivedanam -- surrendering everything, whatever one
has; iti -- thus; pumsa arpita -- offered by the devotee; visnau -- unot
Lord Visnu (not to anyone else); bhaktih -- devotional service; cet -- if;
 nava-laksana -- possessing nine different precesses; kriyeta -- one should
perform; bhagavati -- unto the Supreme Personality ofGodhead; addha --
directly or completely; tat -- that; manye -- I consider; adhitam --
learning; uttamam -- topmost.

     The Lord's devotional service consists of nine parts, as the
Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.23-24) explains: "Hearing and chanting about the
transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of
Lord Visnu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering
the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering
prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best
friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him
with the body, mind and words)  --  these nine processes are accepted as
pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of
Krsna through these nine methods should be understood to be the most
learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge."

TEXT 2 (b)

sat-seva guru-seva ca

     deva-bhavena ced bhavet

dadaisa bhagavad-bhaktir

     labhyate nanyatha kvacit

     sat -- of the devotees; seva -- servide; guru -- of the spiritual
master; seva -- service; ca -- and; deva -- of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead; bhavena -- with meditation; cet -- if; bhavet -- may be; tada --
then; esa -- this; bhagavat -- of the Supreme Lord; bhaktih -- devotional
service; labhyate -- is attained; na -- not; anyatha -- otherwise; kvacit
 -- under any circumstance.

     If one engages in the service of the devotees and the spiritual
master, considering them equal to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then
he may attain the devotional service of the Lord. There is no other way in
which this service may be obtained.

TEXT 3 (a)

deva-bhavena sat-seva. yatha taittiriyake

atithi-devo bhava. iti.

     deva -- as the Supreme Lord; bhavena -- with the conception; sat -- of
the devotees; seva -- service; yatha -- just as; taittiriyake -- in the
Taittiriya Upanisad; atithi -- as a guest; devah -- the Supreme
Personality of Godhead; bhava -- please become; iti -- thus.

     That one should serve the devotees, considering them equal to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, is described in the Taittiriya
Upanisad (1.10): "One should serve devotee in the same way as one serves
the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself."

TEXT 3 (b)

taya tad-bhaktir yatha sri-bhagavate

naisam matis tavad urukramanghrim

     sprsaty anarthapagamo yad-arthah

mahiyasam pada-rajo- 'bhisekam

     niskincananam na vrnita yavat

     taya -- by this; tat-bhaktih -- this devotional service to Him; yatha
 -- as; sri-bhagavate_in Srimad-Bhagavatam; na -- not; esam -- of these;
 matih -- the consciousness; tavat -- that long; urukrama-anghrim -- the
litus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is famous for
performing uncommon activities; sprsati -- does touch; anrtha -- of
unwanted things; apagamah -- the disappearance; yat -- of which; arthah --
 the purpose; mahiyasam -- of the great sous (the mahatmas, or devotees);
 pada-rajah -- by the dust of the litus feet; abhisekam -- consecration;
 niskincananam -- of devotees who have nothing to do with this material
world; na -- not; vrnita -- may accept; yavat -- as long as.

     The Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.32) confirms that this is the only way to
attain the Lord's devotional service: "Unless they smear upon their bodies
the dust of the lotus feet of a Vaisnava completely freed from material
contamination, persons very much inclined toward materialistic life cannot
be attached to the lotus feet of the Lord, who is glorified for His
uncommon activities. Only by becoming Krsna conscious and taking shelter
at the lotus feet of the Lord in this way can one be freed from material
contamination."

TEXT 4(a)

deva-bhavena guru-seva yatha taittiriyake

     acarya-devo bhava. iti.

     deva -- as the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhavena -- considering;
 guru -- of the spiritual master; seva -- service; yatha -- just as;
 taittiriyake -- in the Taittiriya Upanisad; acarya -- the spiritual
master; devah -- as the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhava -- please
be; iti -- thus.

     That one should also serve the spiritual master as the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is confirmed in the Taittiriya Upanisad (1.10):
"One should serve the spiritual master in the same way one serves the
Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself."

TEXT 4 (b)

svetasvataropanisadi ca

yasya deve para bhaktir 

     yatha deve tatha gurau

tasyaite kathita hy arthah

     prakasante mahatmanah

     svetasvatara-upanisadi -- in the Svetasvatara Upanisad; yasya -- of
whom; deve for the Supreme Personality of Godhead; para -- supreme;
 bhaktih -- devotion; yatha -- just as; deve -- for the Lord; tatha -- in
the same way; gurau -- for the spiritual master; yasya -- of him; ete --
they; kathitah -- explained; hi -- certainly; arthah -- the meaning of the
Vedic literatures; prakasante -- become manifested; maha-atmanah -- for
such a great soul.

     The Svetasvatara Upanisad (6.23) also explains: "Only unto those great
souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master
are all the imports of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed."

TEXT 4 (c)

taya tad-bhaktir yatha sri-bhagavate

tasmad gurum prapadyeta

     jijjnasuh sreya uttamam

sabde pare ca nisnatam

     brahmany upasamjasrayam

tatra bhagavatan dharman

     siksed gurvatma-daivatah

amayayanuvrttya yais

     tusyed atmatmado harih

     taya -- by that; tat -- for the Supreme Personality of Godhead;
 bhaktih -- devotion; yatha -- just as; sri-bhagavate -- in the
Srimad-Bhagavatam; tasmat -- therefore; gurum -- to the spiritual master;
 prapadyeta -- one should surender; jijnasuh -- eager to know; sreyah
uttamam -- the supreme goal of life; sabde pare -- in the transcendental
messages of the Vedas; ca -- also; nisnatam -- expert; brahmani -- of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead; upasamasrayam -- taken shelter; tatra --
in this regard; bhagavatan -- of the Supreme Lord; dharman -- the
devotional service; sikset -- should teach; guru-atma-daivatah -- one who
has taken the service of the guru as his life and soul; amayaya -- with
non-duplicitous; anuvrttya -- behavior; yaih -- by this; tusyet -- may be
satisfied; atma -- the Supreme Lord; atma-dah -- giving Himself; harih --
Hari.

     That one should be devoted to the Spiritual Master in the same way
that he is devoted to the Supreme Lord is described in the
Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.3.22-23): "Any person who is seriously desirous of
achieving real happiness must seek out a bona-fide spiritual master and
take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of a spiritual master
is that he must have realized the conclusion of the scriptures by
deliberation and arguments and thus be able to convince others of these
conclusions. Such great personalities who have taken complete shelter of
the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, are to be
understood as bona-fide spiritual masters. One who takes the instructions
of such a bona-fide spiritual master as his life and soul, and sincerely
worships and serves him, considering him equal to the Supreme as
worshipable as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, greatly satisfies the
Supreme Lord, who then gives Himself to such a sincere devotee. The Lord
gives such a devotee the power to preach His message."

TEXT 5

avapta-panca-samskaro

     labdha-dvividha-bhaktikah

saksat-krtya harim tasya

     dhamni nityam pramodate

     avapta -- attained; panca -- five; samskarah -- purificatory rites;
 labdha -- attained; dvi-vidha -- two-fold; bhaktitah -- devotional
service; saksat-krtya -- directly attaining; harim -- Lord Hari; tasya --
of Him; dhamni -- in the spiritual abode; nityam -- eternally; pramodate
 -- rejoices.

     One who has passed through the five purificatory rituals, and been
initiated into the vaidhi and raga stages of devotional service, may
directly perceive Lord Hari, and attain the eternal bliss of serving Him
in the spiritual abode.

TEXT 6 (a)

tatha panca-samskarah. yatha smrtau padmottara-khande

tapah pundram tatha nama

     mantro yagas ca pancamah

ami hi panca samskarah

     paramaikanti-hetavah

     tatha -- in this way; panca -- five; samskarah -- purificatory
procedures; yatha -- just as; smrtau -- in the Smrti; padma-uttara-khande
 -- in the Uttara-khanda of the Padma Purana; tapah -- austerity; pundram
 -- tilaka markings; tatha -- in the same way; nama -- chanting the Lord's
holy names; mantrah -- chanting various mantras; yagah -- worshipping the
Salagrama-sila and other deities; ca -- and; pancamah -- the fifth; ami --
these; hi -- indeed; panca -- five; samskarah -- purificatory procedures;
 parama -- supreme; aikanti -- of causeless devotional service; hetavah --
the causes.

     These five purificatory procedures are described in the Padma Purana,
Uttara Khanda: "1. Austerity, 2. wearing tilaka markings, 3. Accepting a
new name at the time of initiation, 4. chanting various mantras glorifying
the Lord, and 5. engaging in the performance of sacrifice, are the five
purificatory procedures which grant the Lord's unalloyed devotional
service."

TEXT 6 (b)

tapo 'tra tapta-cakradi-

     mudra-dharanam ucyate

tenaiva hari-namadi-

     mudra capy upalaksyate

     tapah -- austerity; atra -- here; tapta -- hot; cakra -- cakra; adi --
and other symbols of Lord Visnu; mudra -- the marks; dharanam -- wearing;
 ucyate is described; tena -- by this; eva -- certainly; hari -- of Lord
Hari; nama -- the holy names; adi -- beginning with; mudra -- marks of the
Lord; ca -- and; api -- also; upalaksyate -- is observed.

     In this verse the word austerity means to accept the branded marks of
Lord Visnu (the cakra, lotus, conch and mace) and also the marks of His
holy names.

     Note: Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura comments that this
difficult austerity is not actually needed. The previous great devotees
have set the example of marking the body with the Lord's holy names and
symbols drawn in sandalwood paste. This is quite sufficient.

TEXT 6 (c)

yatha smrtau

hari-namaksarair gatram

     ankayec candanadina

sa loka-pavano bhutva

     tasya lokam avapnuyat

     yatha -- just as; smrtau -- in the Smrti-sastra; hari -- of Lord Hari;
 nama -- of the holy names; aksaraih -- with the letters; candana -- with
sandalwood paste; adina -- and other similar substances; sah -- he; loka
 -- of the entire world; pavanah -- the purifier; bhutva -- having become;
tasya -- of the Supreme Lord; lokam -- the planet; avapnuyat -- may attain.

     The Smrti-sastra explains: "One who marks his body with the letters of
Lord Hari's holy names drawn in sandalwood paste or other similar
substances, purifies the entire world and becomes eligible to enter the
Lord's spiritual abode."

TEXT 6 (d)

pundram syad urdhva-pundram tac

     chastre bahu-vidham smrtam

hari-mandiram tat-pada-

     krty-adyati-subhavaham

     pundram -- the word pundram; syat -- may be; urdhva-pundram -- tilaka
markings; tat -- that; sastre -- in the scriptures; bahu-vidham -- in many
ways; smrtam -- is considered; hari -- of Lord Hari; mandiram -- the
temple; tat -- the Lord's; pada -- of the lotus feet; akrti -- with the
form; adya -- etc.; ati -- very; subha -- auspicious; avaham -- causing.

     The word pundram in the previous quote from the Padma Purana (6a)
means tilaka markings, many varieties of which have been described in the
scriptures. By marking the body with tilaka, or with the forms of the
Lord's lotus feet, or other auspicious marks, the body is sanctified and
designated as temple of Lord Hari.

TEXT 6 (e)

namatra gaditam sadbhir

     hari-bhrtyatva-bodhakam

mantro 'stadasa-varnadih

     svesta-deva-vapur matah

     nama -- the name; atra -- here; gaditam -- described; sadbhih -- by
the saintly devotees; hari -- of Lord Hari; bhrtyatva -- the state of
being Lord's Hari's servant; bodhakam -- indicating; mantrah -- the
mantra; astadasa -- eighteen; varna -- letters; adih -- beginning with;
 sva -- own; ista -- worshippable; deva -- of the deity; vapuh -- the form;
 matah -- considered.

     The word nama means name. This means that when one is initiated by a
spiritual master, one should accept a new name indicating that he is a
servant of Lord Hari. The mantra referred to is the eighteen syllable
Gopala mantra, which is considered non-different from the spiritual form
of the Lord.

TEXT 6 (f)

salagramadi-puja tu

     yaga-sabdena kathyate

pramanany esu drsyani

     puranadisu sadhubhih

     salagrama -- the Salagrama-sila; adi -- beginning with; puja --
worship; tu -- and; yaga -- yaga; sabdena -- by the wors; kathyate -- is
described; pramanani -- evidences; esu -- among them; drsyani -- are seen;
 purana -- in the Puranas; adisu -- and other Vedic literatures; sadhubhih
 -- by the saintly devotees.

     By the word yaga, the worship of Salagrama-sila and other deity forms
of the Lord is described. In this way, the saintly devotees find many
references in the Puranas and other Vedic literatures to describe the five
purificatory processes. 

TEXT 7

navadha bhakti-vidhi-ruci-

     purva dvedha bhaved yaya krsnah

bhutva svayam prasanno

     dadati tat tad ipsitam dhama

     navadha -- nine-fold; bhakti -- devotional service; vidhi -- the
beginning stage of following the rules and regulations without spontaneous
attraction; ruci -- spontaneous attraction; purva -- beginning; bhavet --
may be; yaya -- by which; krsnah -- Krsna; bhutva -- having become; svayam
 -- Himself; prasannah -- pleased; dadati -- grants; tat -- this; tat --
and that; ipsitam -- desired; dhama -- abode.

     The nine-fold process of devotional service described in Text 2a may
be considered in two stages. The first stage is called vidhi-bhakti, or
following the rules and regulations of bhakti. The second stage is called
ruci, and it is attained when there is spontaneous attraction to Krsna and
His service. Lord Krsna becomes personally very satisfied by this loving
service, He fulfills all the desires of His servitor and brings him back
to the spiritual realm.

TEXT 8

vidhinabhyarcyate devas

     catur-bahv-adi-rupa-dhrk

rucyatmakena tenasau

     nr-lingah paripujyate

     vidhina -- by the rules and regulations; abhyarcyate -- is worshiped;
 devah -- the Supreme Personality of Godhead; catuh -- four; bahu -- arms;
 adi -- and other; rupa -- forms; dhrk -- manifesting; ruci-atmakena -- by
spontaneous attraction; tena -- by this; asau -- He; nr-lingah --
appearing as a human being, the son of Yasoda-devi; paripujyate -- is
worshipped.

     By the process of vidhi-bhakti, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is
worshipped in His Narayana feature, manifesting four, or sometimes eight
or ten arms. By the process of ruci-bhakti, the Lord is worshipped in His
original human-like form as the son of Yasoda.

TEXT 9

tulasy-asvattha-dhatry-adi-

     pujanam dhama-nisthata

arunodaya-viddhas tu

     santyajyo hari-vasarah

janmastamy-adikam suryo-

     daya-viddham parityajet

     tulasi -- of the tulasi plant; asvattha -- of the banyan tree; dhatri
 -- of the amalaki tree; adi -- beginning with; pujanam -- worship; dhama
 -- in the holy place where the Lord performed His pastimes; nisthata --
residence; arunodaya-viddhah -- if mixed with the dasami; tu -- but;
 santyajyah -- should be abandoned; hari-vasarah -- ekadasi; janmastami --
janmastami; adikam -- beginning with; surodaya-viddham -- if mixed with
the saptami; parityajet -- one should abandon.

     One should worship the tulasi plant,the banyan and amalaki trees, and
everything else which is in relationship with the Lord. One should not
fast on the ekadasi day which partly falls on the dasami, and one should
not fast on the janmastami day which falls on the saptami.

TEXT 10

loka-sangraham anvicchan

     nitya-naimittikam budhah

pratisthitas caret karma

     bhakti-pradhanyam atyajan

     loka -- of the devotees; sangraham -- the association; anvicchan --
desiring; nitya -- regular; naimittikam -- and occasional; budhah -- the
learned devotees; pratisthitah -- fixed; caret--should perform; karma --
action; bhakti -- devotional service;pradhanyam -- principally; atyajan-
not abandoning.

     A learned and intelligent devotee, fixed in service to the Lord,
should reside in a holy place, aspire for the association of advanced
devotees, and engage in the regular and special activities of devotional
service.

TEXT 11

dasa namaparadhams tu

     yatnatah parivarjayet

     dasa -- ten; nama -- to the holy name; aparadhan -- offenses;tu --
also; yatnatah -- with geat endeavor; parivarjayet -- one whold avoid.

     One should carefully avoid the ten offenses in the chanting of the
holy name of the Lord.

TEXT 12

krsnavapti-phala bhaktir

     ekantatrabhidhiyate

jnana-vairagya-purva sa

     phalam sadyah prakasayet

     krsna -- of Krsna; avapti -- the attainment; phala -- the fruit;
 bhaktih -- devotional service; ekanta -- unalloyed; atra -- here;
 abhidhiyate -- is described; jnana -- with scriptural knowledge; vairagya
 -- and renunciation; purva -- formerly; sa -- that; phalam -- fruit;
 prakasayet -- causes to become manifest.

     Unalloyed devotional service, which causes one to attain Krsna, is
described here. When that devotion is enriched with renunciation and
scriptural scholarship, it very quickly bears fruit.

Ninth Prameya

TEXT 1 

atha pratyaksanumana-sabdanam eva pramanatvam

yatha sri-bhagavate

srutih pratyaksam aitihyam

     anumanam catustayam

     atha -- now; pratyaksa -- direct perception; anumana -- logic;
 sabdanam -- and Vedic authority; eva -- certainly; pramanatvam -- sources
of evidence; yatha -- just as; sri-bhagavate -- in the Srimad-Bhagavatam
(11.16.17); srutih -- the four Vedas; pratyaksam -- direct perception;
 aitihyam -- the Puranas and historical records; anumanam -- and logic;
 catustayam -- four sources of evidence.

     9. Direct Perception, logic and Vedic revelation are three sources of
actual knowledge:

     This is described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.16.17): "The Four
Vedas, direct perception, the Puranas and Vedic histories, as well as
logic are four sources of actual knowledge."

TEXT 2

pratyaksam anumanam ca

     yat-sacivyena suddhimat

maya-mundavalokadau

     pratyaksam vyabhicari yat

     pratyaksam -- direct perception; anumanam -- logic; ca -- also; yat --
to which; sacivyena -- favorable; suddhimat -- pure; maya-munda -- of
those bewildered by the illusory energy of the Lord; avaloka -- in the
vision; adau -- beginning with; pratyaksam -- direct perception;
 vyabhicari -- evidence; yat -- which.

     Direct perception and logic are actual sources of knowledge when they
confirm the authoritative statements found in Vedic revelation. Only
foolish persons bewildered by the illusory material energy of the Lord
accept the misleading evidence of direct sensory perception.

TEXT 3

anuma cati-dhume 'drau

     vrsti-nirvapitagnike

atah pramanam tat tac sa

     svatantram naiva sammatam

     anuma -- logic; ca -- also; ati-dhume -- with much smoke; adrau -- on
a mountain; vrsti -- by rain; nirvapita -- extinguished; agnike -- on a
fire; atah -- from this; pramanam--evidence; tat -- this; tat -- and that;
 ca -- also; sva-tantram -- independent; na--not; eva -- certainly;
 sammatam -- considered.

     Logic and mental speculation are inconclusive and unreliable sources
of knowledge. They may be compared to the forest fire on top of a hill
which has just been extinguished by showers of rain, and thus yields no
light, but only a great quantity of smoke. Intelligent persons to not
therefore consider logic and sensory perception to be independent and
infallible sources of knowledge, but rather they are dependent assistants
to the principal source of knowledge: the Vedic revelation.

TEXT 4

anukulo matas tarkah

     suskas tu parivarjitah

     anukulah -- favorable to the knowledge revealed inthe scriptures;
 matah -- considered; tarkah -- logic; suskah -- dry; tu -- but;
 parivarjitah -- rejected.

     When logic confirms the Vedic revelation, it should be accepted, but
otherwise not.

TEXT 5 (a)

tatha hi vajasaneyinah

atma va are drastavyah srotavyo mantavyo nididhyasitavyah. iti.

     tatha hi -- furthermore; hi -- indeed; vajasaneyinah -- Yajnavalkya
explains in the Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad; atma -- the Supreme Personality
of Godhead; vai -- certainly; are -- O Maitreyi; drastavyah -- should be
seen; srotavyah -- should be heard; mantavyah -- should be understood;
 nididhyasitavyah -- should be meditated upon; iti -- thus.

     The proper use of logic is described by Yajnavalkya Muni in the Brhad
-aranyaka Upanisad (4.5.6): "O Maitreyi, one should directly perceive the
supreme Personality of Godhead by hearing about Him from a bona-fide
spiritual master. In this way one con properly understand His position,
and constantly meditate upon Him."

TEXT 5 (b)

kathake

naisa tarkena matir apaneya proktany eva jnanaya prestha.iti.

     kathake -- in the Katha Upanisad; na -- not; esah -- He; tarkena --
simply by logic; apaneya -- is brought; proktani -- the elucidations of a
bona-fide spiritual master; eva -- certainly; jnanaya -- for actual
knowledge; prestha -- O dear Naciketa; iti -- thus.

     Logic which has no foundation in scriptural revelation is described in
the Katha Upanisad (1.2.9): "My dear Naciketa, simply by logic one will
never be able to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but only
by the descriptions of a realized spiritual master."

TEXT 6

smrtis ca

purvaparavirodhena

     ki 'trartho 'bhimato bhavet

ity adyam uhanam tarkah

     suska-tarkam tu varjayet

     smrtih -- the Smrti-sastra; ca -- and; purvapara -- with the previous
Vedic authorties; avirodhena -- not in disagreement; kah -- what; atra --
in this connection; arthah -- the meaning; abhimatah -- accepted; bhavet
 -- may be; iti -- thus; adyam -- beginning; uhanam -- guesswork
speculation; tarkah -- logic; suska -- dry; tarkam -- logic; tu -- indeed;
 varjayet -- one should reject.

     The Smrti-sastra confirms: "One should reject the dry logic that
considers: 'How important is it that one's reasoning follow the conclusion
previously described in Vedic revelation? It cannot be very important.'
Such logic leads one to the process known as speculative guessing."

TEXT 7 (a)

naveda-vidusam yasmad

     brahmadir upajayate

yac caupanisadam brahma

     tasman mukhya srutir mata

     na -- not; aveda-vidusam -- dried-up philosophers who do not accept
the Vedic conclusion; yasmat -- for this reason; brahma -- of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead; dhih -- the proper understanding; upajayate -- is
produced; yat -- which; ca -- and; aupanisadam -- described in the
Upanisads; brahma -- the Supreme; tasmat -- therefore; mukhya -- most
important; srutih -- the Vedas; mata -- are considered.

     The Supreme Personality of Godhead is described in the statements of
the Upanisads, and for this reason Vedic revelation is the best of all
sources of knowledge. They who spurn the Vedic revelation do not have the
power to properly understand the Supreme.

TEXT 7 (b)

tatha hi srutih

navedavin manute tam brhantam. iti.

aupanisadam purusam prcchami. iti.

     tatha hi--furthermore; srutih -- the Vedas explain; na -- not;
 aveda-vit -- one ignorant of the Vedic revelation; manute -- understands;
 tam -- Him; brhantam -- the greatest; iti -- thus; aupanisadam --
described in the Upanisads; purusam -- Supreme Person; prcchami -- I am
inquiring about; iti -- thus.

     This conclusion is confirmed in the Vedas: 

     "One ignorant of Vedic knowledge cannot actually understand the
Supreme." (Sruti-sastra)

     "Please tell me about the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is
revealed in the Upanisads." (Brhad-aranyaka 3.9.26)

Concluding Words

TEXT 1

sri-madhva-mate harih paratamah satyam jagat tattvato

     bhedo jiva-gana harer anucara nicocca-bhavam gatah

muktir naija-sukhanubhutir amala bhaktis ca tat-sadhanam

     aksadi-tritayam pramanam akhilamnayaika-vedyo harir iti

     sri-madhva -- of Sri Madhvacarya; mate -- in the conception; harih --
Hari; paratamah -- is the Absolute Truth; satyam -- real; jagat -- the
material world is; tattvatah -- in truth; bhedah -- distinction; jiva --
of living entities; ganah -- the multitudes; hareh -- of Lord Hari;
 anucara -- the servants; nica -- lowly; ucca -- and exalted; bhavam --
position; gatah -- attained; muktih -- liberation; naija -- own; sukha --
bliss anubhutih -- the experience; amala -- pure; bhaktih -- devotional
service; ca -- and; tat -- to that end; sadhanam -- the means; aksa --
direct perception; adi -- beginning with; tritayam -- three; pramanam --
sources of knowledge; akhila -- all; amnaya -- by the Vedas; eka --
exclusively; vedyah -- knowable; harih -- Hari; iti -- thus.

     The Philosophy of Madhvacarya may be summarized in the following way:
1. Lord Hari is the Absolute Truth, and nothing is greater than He, 2. the
material world is real, 3. the jivas (living entities) are different from
Lord Hari, 4. the jivas are by nature Lord Hari's servants, 5. the jivas
are situated in varying positions both in the material and spiritual
worlds, 6. liberation does not mean an impersonal merging, but the
experience of the bliss of devotional service, 7. Pure devotional service
grants liberation, 8. direct perception, logic, and Vedic revelation are
the three sources of knowledge, and 9. Lord Hari is revealed in the Vedic
scriptures.

TEXT 2

anandatirthai racitani yasyam

     prameya-ratnani navaiva santi

prameya-ratnavalir adarena

     pradhibhir esa hrdaye nidheya

     anandatirthaih -- by Madhvacarya; racitani -- written; yasyam -- in
which; prameya -- of philosophical truths; nava -- nine; eva -- certainly;
 santi -- are; premeya-ratnavalih -- this book, Prameya-ratnavali; adarena
 -- with great respect; pradhibhih -- by those who are intelligent; esa --
this book; hrdaye -- in the heart or upon the chest; nidheya -- should be
placed.'

     The nine jewels of philosophical truth formulated by Madhvacarya have
been described in this book. Let those who are actually intelligent,
respectfully place this book, Prameya-ratnavali, within their hearts.

TEXT 3

nityam nivasatu hrdaye

     caitanyatma murarir nah

niravedyo nirvrtiman

     gajapatir anukampaya yasya

     nityam -- eternally; nivasatu -- may reside; hrdaye -- in the heart;
 caitanya -- either spiritual, or Lord Caitanya; atma -- form; murarih --
Lord Krsna; nah -- our; niravedyah -- purified; nirvrtiman -- and
liberated; gajapatih -- either Gajendra, the king of the elephants, or
Maharaja Prataparudra; anukampaya -- by the mercy; yasya -- of whom.

     This concluding verse may be interpreted either for Lord Krsna or Lord
Caitanya. Interpreted for Lord Krsna, it may be translated in the
following way.

     May Lord Krsna, whose form is spiritual and full of knowledge, and who
mercifully purified and delivered Gajendra, the king of the elephants,
eternally reside within our hearts.

     Interpreted for Lord Caitanya, the same verse may be translated in the
following way. 

     May Lord Caitanya, who is actually Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, and who mercifully purified and delivered Maharaja
Prataparudra, eternally reside within our hearts.