yaḥ sva-prāpti-pathaṁ
devaḥ
sevanābhāsato ‘diśat
prāpyaṁ ca sva-padaṁ
preyān
mamāsau śyāmasundaraḥ
“I love handsome and dark Lord Kṛṣṇa, who shows, even to those who have only the dim reflection of devotional service, the path that leads to Him.”
In this Pāda will be described the nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the path that leads to the realm of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Viṣaya [thesis or statement]: In the Chāndogya Upaniṣad [4.15.5-6] it is said:
atha yad u caivāsmin śavyaṁ kurvanti yadi ca nārciṣam evābhisambhavaty arciṣo ‘har aha āpūryamānam āpūryamāna- pakṣād yan sad-udaḍḍeti māsān tān samebhyaḥ samvatsaraṁ samvatsarād ādtityam ādityāc candramasaṁ candramaso vidyutaṁ tat puruṣo ‘mānavaḥ. sa etān brahma gamayaty eṣa deva-patho brahma-patha etena pratipadyamāna imaṁ mānavam āvartaṁ nāvartante.
“Whether his final rites are performed or not, the yogī goes to the light. From the light he goes to the day. From the day he goes to bright fortnight. From the bright fortnight he goes to the six months when the sun travels in the north. From the six months when the sun travels in the north he goes to year. From the year he goes to the sun. From the sun he goes to the moon. From the moon he goes to lightning. From there a divine person leads him to Brahman. This is the path to the Lord, the path to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They who travel this path do not return to the world of human beings.”
In this passage light is the first stage on this path. However, in the Kauṣītakī Upaniṣad [1.3] it is said:
sa etaṁ deva-yānaṁ panthānam āpadyāgnilokam āgacchati sa vāyulokaṁ sa varuṇalokaṁ sa indralokaṁ sa prajāpatilokaṁ sa brahmalokam
“He travels on the path of the heavenly planets. He goes to Agniloka. He goes to Vāyuloka. He goes to Varuṇaloka. He goes toIndraloka. He goes to Prajāpatiloka. He goes to Brahmaloka.”
Here Agniloka is the first stage. In the Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad [5.10] it is said:
yadā ha vai puruṣo ‘smāt lokāt praiti sa vāyum āgacchati tasmai sa tatra vijihīte yathā ratha-cakrasya khaṁ tena ūrdhva ākramate sa ādityam āgacchati
“Leaving this world, the soul goes to Vāyuloka. There he passes through the opening of a chariot-wheel. Then the soul ascends to the sun.”
Here Vāyuloka is the first stage on the path. In the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad [2.11] it is said:
sūrya-dvāreṇa virajāḥ prayānti
“Passing through the doorway of the sun, the soul is cleansed of all impurities.”
Here the sun is the first stage on the path. In other scriptures other accounts are also seen.
Saṁśaya [doubt]: Is only one path to the world of the Supreme described here, or are many different paths, beginning with the path that begins with light, described here in these passages of the Upaniṣads?
Pūrvapakṣa [the opponent speaks]: Because these paths are all different there must be many different paths.
Siddhānta [conclusion]: In the following words the author of the sūtras gives His conclusion.
arcir-ādinā tat prathiteḥ
arciḥ – light; ādinā – beginning with; tat – that; prathiteḥ – because of being well known.
It begins with light, for that is well known.
The enlightened souls travels to the world of the Supreme Personality of Godhead on a path that begins with light. Why is that? The sūtra explains, tat prathiteḥ: “For that is well known.” In the Chāndogya Upaniṣad [5.10.1] it is said:
tad ya ittham vidur ye ceme ‘raṇye śraddhāṁ tapa ity upāsate te arciṣam
“This they know: Those who perform austerities and worship the Lord with faith travel on the path that begins with light.”
This passage is taken from the chapter describing the knowledge of the five fires [pañcāgni-vidyā]. Therefore the path that begins with light is traveled even by they who study the fire and other vidyās. In the Brahma-tarka it is said:
dvāv eva mārgau
prathitāv
arcir-ādir vipaścitām
dhūmādiḥ karmiṇāṁ
caiva
sarva-veda-vinirṇayāt
“Two paths are famous. The path beginning with light is traveled by they who are enlightened with transcendental knowledge, and the path beginning with smoke is traveled by they who perform Vedic rituals. That is the conclusion of all the Vedas.”
This being so, it is understood that the scriptures describe a single path for the enlightened souls, and therefore the differences in the descriptions should be reconciled in the same was they were in the case of the attributes of the Lord. This is so because the knowledge to be described here is one, even though the scriptural texts seem to give different explanations. The conclusion, then, is that the path begins with light. Any other interpretation breaks the real meaning of the Vedic texts.
Viṣaya [thesis or statement]: Now is begun a new discussion to show that Vāyuloka and other places should be added to the sequence that begins with light. In the previously quoted passage from Kauṣītakī Upaniṣad [1.3] it was said:
sa etaṁ deva-yānaṁ panthānam āpadyāgnilokam āgacchati sa vāyulokaṁ
“He travels on the path of the heavenly planets. First he goes to Agniloka and then to Vāyuloka.”
Saṁśaya [doubt]: Should Vāyuloka be added to the path that begins with light, or should it not?
Pūrvapakṣa [the opponent speaks]: It should not, for the Śruti-śāstra describes these stages in a specific sequence, and because that sequence cannot be changed by someone’s whim.
Siddhānta [conclusion]: In the following words the author of the sūtras gives His conclusion.
vāyum abdād aviśeṣa-viśeṣābhyām
vāyum – Vāyu; abdāt – from the year; aviśeṣa – because of not being specific; viśeṣābhyām – and because of being specific.
Vāyu comes after the year, for it both specific and not specific.
In the path beginning with light, the stage of Vāyuloka should be placed after the year and before the sun. Why is that? The sūtra explains, aviśeṣāt: “For it is not specific.” This means that in the passage from Kauṣītakī Upaniṣad [1.3] it was not specifically stated where Vāyuloka comes in the sequence. However, in the passage from Bṛhad- āraṇyaka Upaniṣad [5.10] there is a specific statement that Vāyuloka comes before the sun in this sequence. Also, in Bṛhad-Āranyaka Upaniṣad [6.2.15] it is said that after the months, and after Devaloka, the soul comes to the sun. The Devaloka here should be understood to be Vāyuloka. In the scriptures it is said:
yo ‘yaṁ pavana eṣa eva devānāṁ gṛhaḥ
“Vāyuloka is the home of the devas.”
Therefore, because it is the home of the devas, Vāyuloka is also called Devaloka. Some say that there is a specific planet, Devaloka, which is part of this sequence. If this interpretation is accepted, then Devaloka should be placed after the year and before Vāyuloka. It should not be placed between the months and the year, for that stage in the sequence is well known. Therefore Devaloka and Vāyuloka should both be placed between the year and the sun.
Viṣaya [thesis or statement]: In the Kauṣītakī Upaniṣad [1.3] it is said:
sa varuṇalokaṁ sa indralokaṁ sa prajāpatilokam
“He goes to Varuṇaloka. He goes to Indraloka. He goes to Prajāpatiloka.”
Saṁśaya [doubt]: Is Varuṇaloka one of the stages in the path beginning with light?
Pūrvapakṣa [the opponent speaks]: Because there is no place for it in this path, as there was a place for Vāyuloka, Varuṇaloka is not a stage in this path.
Siddhānta [conclusion]: In the following words the author of the sūtras gives His conclusion.
taḍito ‘dhi varuṇaḥ sambandhāt
taḍitaḥ – lightning; adhi – above; varuṇaḥ – Varuṇa; sambandhāt – because of the relationship.
Varuṇaloka comes after lightning, for that is their relationship.
In the Chāndogya Upaniṣad [4.15.5] it is said:
candramaso vidyutam
“He leaves the moon and goes to lightning.”
It is seen that the soul travels from lightning to Varuṇaloka. Why is that? The sūtra explains sambandhāt, which means “For that is the relationship between lighting and Varuṇaloka.” First lightning is manifested, and then comes rain. In the Śruti-śāstra it is said:
yathā hi viśālā vidyutas tīvra-stanita-nirghoṣā jīmūtodare nṛtyanty athāpaḥ prapatanti vidyotate stanayati varṣayati vai
“When brilliant lightning and heavy thunder play among the clouds, water will fall. Lightning, thunder, and rain follow in that sequence.”
Because the rain has a close connection with Varuṇa, there is also a close relation between Varuṇaloka and the realm of lightning. After Varuṇaloka come Indraloka and Prajāpatiloka. Varuṇaloka should be placed there because there is not other place for it, and because it is reasonable to place it there. In this way the path to the spiritual world, a path that begins with the realm of light and proceeds to Prajāpatiloka, has either twelve or thirteen stages.
Viṣaya [thesis or statement]: Now a certain aspect of the path that begins with light will be considered.
Saṁśaya [doubt]: Are the light and other things landmarks on the path, or are they persons carrying the enlightened soul?
Pūrvapakṣa [the opponent speaks]: They are landmarks, for the text describes them in that way. They are like landmarks people may indicate, just as one may say, “Go to the river. Then there will be a hill, and after that will be a village.” Or they may be persons, for the words could be interpreted in that way.
Siddhānta [conclusion]: In the following words the author of the sūtras gives His conclusion.
ātivāhikās tal-liṅgāt
ātivāhikāḥ – Ativahika demigods; tat – of that; liṅgāt – because of the symptoms.
They are ātivāhika demigods, because of their characteristics.
The things beginning with light are demigods appointed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to carry the soul. They are neither landmarks nor ordinary persons. Why is that? The sūtra explains, tal-liṅgāt: “Because of their characteristics.” This means that they have the characteristics of they who carry others. In the Chāndogya Upaniṣad it is said:
tat-puruṣo ‘mānavaḥ sa etān brahma gamayati
“He is a divine person. He brings them to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
The divine person described here brings the soul to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The light and other things are His assistants. That is the meaning. That they are neither landmarks nor ordinary persons is corroborated in the following sūtra.
ubhaya-vyāmohāt tat siddheḥ
ubhaya – both; vyāmohāt – because of bewilderment; tat – that; siddheḥ – because of proof.
It is proved because the other two are untenable.
Because they who die during the night do not have contact with the daytime and thus cannot have contact with the light and other things on the path, these things cannot be landmarks. Because ordinary persons are not very powerful and therefore cannot carry the soul in this way, the things beginning with light cannot be ordinary persons either. In this way the Śruti-śāstra shows that they can be neither landmarks nor ordinary persons. Therefore they must be ātivāhika demigods. That is the meaning.
Saṁśaya [doubt]: Does the divine person sent by the Supreme Personality of Godhead descend to the plane of light, or does He descend only to the plane of lightning?
Pūrvapakṣa [the opponent speaks]: Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead sends His messengers even to the earth to carry back Ajāmila and others, therefore this divine person must descend to the plane of light.
Siddhānta [conclusion]: In the following words the author of the sūtras gives His conclusion.
vaidyutenaiva tatas tac chruteḥ
vaidyutena – by the person situated in light; eva – indeed; tataḥ – then; tat – that; śruteḥ – from the Śruti-śāstra.
Then by the person in light. This is because of the Śruti-śāstra.
When he comes to the plane of lightning, the enlightened soul is taken farther by a messenger sent by the Lord Himself. How is that known? The sūtra explains, tac chruteḥ: “Because of the Śruti-śāstra.” In Chāndogya Upaniṣad [4.15.5] it is said:
candramaso vidyutaṁ tat-puruṣo ‘mānavaḥ sa etān brahma gamayati
“From the moon he goes to the lightning. There a divine person takes him to the Supreme.”
In this way it is shown the Varuṇaloka and the others are the assistants of that divine person. The case of Ajāmila is extraordinary. It is not typical.
Viṣaya [thesis or statement]: Having thus described the path by which the goal is reached, now the author describes the goal itself. The topic here is Chāndogya Upaniṣad 4.15.5], which says:
sa etān gamayati
“There a divine person takes him to the Brahman.”
In the following section the opinion of Bādari Muni is given first.
Saṁśaya [doubt]: here it is said that a divine person brings the soul to brahma. Is this brahma the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or is it the demigod Brahmā, who has four faces?
Pūrvapakṣa [the opponent speaks]: The word Brahma here must refer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for in this passages explains that the soul attains immortality.
Siddhānta [conclusion]: In the following words Bādari Muni gives his opinion.
kāryaṁ bādarir asya gaty-upapatteḥ
kāryam – the created being; bādariḥ – Bādari Muni; asya – of him; gati – attainment; upapatteḥ – because of being possible.
Bādari Muni says it is the created one, for that is the only possible goal.
Bādari Muni thinks that the divine person takes the soul to the demigod Brahmā. Why is that? The sūtra explains, asya gaty-upapatteḥ: “For that is the only possible goal.” The demigod Brahmā is situated in a single place, and therefore the soul can go from one place to another in order to meet him. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, however, is all-pervading, always present everywhere. Therefore it is not possible for the soul to go from one place to another in order to meet Him. That is the meaning.
viśeṣitatvāc ca
viśeṣitatvāt – because of being specified; ca – also.
Also because it is specifically stated.
In Chāndogya Upaniṣad [7.14.1] it is said:
prajāpateḥ sabhāṁ veśma prapadye
“He attains the home of Prajāpati.”
In this way it is specifically stated that he attains the demigod Brahmā.
sāmīpyāt tu tad vyapadeśaḥ
sāmīpyāt – because of nearness; tu – but; tat – that; vyapadeśaḥ – designation.
But that designation is because of nearness.
In the Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad [4.2.15] it is said:
sa etya brahmalokān gamayati tu teṣu brahmalokeṣu parāḥ parāvanto vasanti. teṣām iha na punar āvṛttir asti.
“Then he takes them to Brahmaloka. In Brahmaloka they stay for many ages. They do not return.”
Here the explanation [vyapadeśaḥ] is that they do not return. This means that because they are near [sāmīpyāt] to liberation, they will be liberated in the future. This means that the enlightened souls attain the world of the demigod Brahmā. They thus attain liberation along with the demigod Brahmā. In this way they do not return. When does this occur? The next sūtra explains.
kāryātyaye tad-adhyakṣeṇa sahātaḥ param abhidhānāt
kārya – of the creation; atyaye – at the end; tat – of that; adhyakṣeṇa – the ruler; saha – with; ataḥ – then; param – the Supreme; abhidhānāt – because of the explanation.
When the creation is annihilated [the soul goes] with its ruler to the Supreme, because of the explanation.
When the material creation up to the world of four-faced Brahmā is destroyed, they go with the ruler of the material world, the four-faced Brahmā, from that created world to the Supreme Brahman, who is different from the four-faced Brahmā. The reason for this is given by the sūtra, abhidhānāt: “Because of the explanation.” In the Taittirīya Upaniṣad [3.1.1] it is said:
brahma-vid āpnoti param
“He who knows Brahman attains the Supreme.”
It is also said there:
so ‘śnute sarvān kāmān saha brahmaṇā
“There, in the company of Brahman, he enjoys the fulfillment of all his desires.”
The phrase “with Brahman” here means, “with the demigod Brahmā, who has four faces.” That is the meaning.
smṛteś ca
smṛteḥ – from the Smṛti-śāstra; ca – also.
From the Smṛti-śāstra also.
In the Smṛti-śāstra it is said:
brahmaṇā saha te sarve
samprāpte
pratisañcare
parasyānte kṛtātmānaḥ
praviśanti
paraṁ padam
“When the material universe is destroyed, they whose hearts are devoted to the Supreme Lord, enter the supreme abode along with the demigod Brahmā.”
In this way the saniṣṭha devotees travel on the path beginning with light, a path that brings them to the demigod Brahmā. That is the opinion of Bādari Muni. In the next sūtra Jaimini Muni gives his opinion.
paraṁ jaiminir mukhyatvāt
param – the Supreme; jaiminiḥ – Jaimini; mukhyatvāt – because of being primary.
Jaimini thinks it is the Supreme, for that is the primary meaning.
Jaimini Muni thinks the soul is taken to the Supreme. Why is that? The sūtra explains, mukhyatvāt, which means “for that is the primary meaning of the word Brahman.”
Also, it is not correct to say that it is not possible to attain the Supreme, for He is all-pervading. When the devotees become free from all material designations then they can attain the Supreme Lord, which means then they can perceive His presence.
darśanāc ca
darśanāt – because of the sight; ca – also.
Also because it is seen.
In the Dahara-vidyā chapter of Chāndogya Upaniṣad [8.12.3] the goal is clearly described as the Supreme Brahman. This is so because the attributes of immortality are ascribed to this Brahman and also because the soul who travels to this Brahman manifests his own original spiritual form. All these explanations would not be appropriate if the Brahman here were the demigod Brahmā. Indeed, this chapter of the Upaniṣad is not about the demigod Brahmā. It is clearly about the Supreme Brahman, the Supreme Lord.
In the Kaṭha Upaniṣad, in the passage beginning śataṁ ca, the Supreme Brahman is clearly described as the goal of this path. In another place in the Śruti-śāstra, in the passage beginning with the word dharmāt, the goal also must be the Supreme Brahman, for he is described there as immortal. It is also said:
na ca kārye pratipatty-abhisandhiḥ
na – not; ca – and; kārye – in the created; pratipatti – knowledge; abhisandhiḥ – desire.
The desire is not to know the created.
Here the word pratipatti means knowledge, and the word abhisandhi means desire. The soul enlightened with transcendental knowledge does not desire to learn the truth about the demigod Brahmā, for the attainment of that knowledge is not the highest goal of life. However, he does desire to attain knowledge of the Supreme Brahman, for that is the highest goal of life. One attains the goal he strives for.
This is explained in Chāndogya Upaniṣad [3.14]. Therefore the conclusion is that the divine person leads the devotees to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the opinion of Jaimini Muni.
Now the author of the sūtras gives his opinion. He says:
apratīkālambanān nayatīti bādarāyaṇa ubhayathā ca doṣāt tat-kratuś ca
a – not; pratīka – form; ālambanān – resting; nayati – leads; iti – thus; bādarāyaṇaḥ – Vyāsadeva; ubhayathā – both; ca – and; doṣāt – because of fault; tat-kratuḥ – by the maxim beginning with the words tat-kratuḥ; ca – also.
He leads they who take shelter of the Lord as He who has no material form. That is Vyāadeva’s opinion. Because both have faults and also because of the maxim beginning with the words tat-kratuḥ.
The divine person leads to the Supreme the saniṣṭhas and all other devotees who do not think that the Supreme is material. These devotees are different from they who worship the Lord as the names and forms of this world. That is the opinion of Vyāsadeva. He does not accept the view that the divine person leads the worshipers of the demigod Brahmā, nor does he accept the view that the divine person leads all the worshipers of the Supreme. Why not? The sūtra explains, ubhayathā ca doṣāt, which means “because both views contradict the statements of scripture.”
The first view contradicts the following words of Chāndogya Upaniṣad [8.12.3]:
paraṁ jyotir upapadya
“He meets the effulgent Supreme Person.”
The second view contradicts the description in Chāndogya Upaniṣad [5.10] of the goal attained by they who have knowledge of pañcāgni-vidyā and who travel on the path beginning with light. Another reason is given in the maxim of Chāndogya Upaniṣad [3.14.1] that declares a person attains a destination appropriate to the nature of his faith. They who identify the Supreme with the words and other things in the material world cannot travel by the path beginning with light, for this would contradict the maxim of Chāndogya Upaniṣad. However, in the scriptures it is affirmed that they who worship the Lord in the words of the Vedic mantras attain their desires independently. In the Chāndogya Upaniṣad [7.1.5] it is said:
sa yo nāma brahmety upāste yāvan nāmno gataṁ tatrāsya kaṁa-cāraḥ
“He who worships the Lord as the sounds of the Vedic mantras attains the goal of the mantras. He attains his desire.”
However, they who are followers of pañcāgni-vidyā travel by the path of light until they reach Satyaloka. They do this because they worship the Supersoul. When they attain perfect knowledge of the Supreme, the are able to rise above the realm of Satyaloka. This is so, for the Śruti-śāstra declares that they who travel on that path never return to the material world.
Viṣaya [thesis or statement]: Now will be explained the truth that the Lord Himself takes certain exalted nirapekṣa devotees back to His own abode. In the Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad [1.22 and 24] it is said:
etad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ
ye
nityodyuktāḥ samyajante na kāmān
teṣām asau
gopa-rūpaḥ prayatnāt
prakāśayed ātma-padaṁ tadaiva
“To they who always diligently worship Lord Viṣṇu’s transcendental form, the Lord, in His original form as a cowherd boy, shows His lotus feet.”
oṁkāreṇāntaritaṁ ye
japanti
govindasya pañca-padaṁ manuṁ tam
teṣām
asau darśayed ātma-rūpaṁ
tasmān mumukṣur abhyasen nityaṁ
śantyai
“To they who chant the five-word mantra with oṁ and Govinda, the Lord reveals His own form. Therefore, to attain transcendental peace, they who desire liberation should regularly chant this mantra.”
Saṁśaya [doubt]: Are the nirapekṣa devotees carried to the spiritual world by the ātivāhika demigods, or by the Supreme Lord Himself?
Pūrvapakṣa [the opponent speaks]: The scriptures affirm:
dvāv eva mārgau
“There are two paths.”
The conclusion is that they who are enlightened with transcendental knowledge travel by the path beginning with light. In that way they enter the spiritual world. That is affirmed by the Śruti-śāstra. That is how the Supreme Lord becomes the cause of their liberation.
Siddhānta [conclusion]: In the following words the author of the sūtras gives His conclusion.
viśeṣaṁ ca darśayati
viśeṣam – special; ca – also; darśayati – shows.
It reveals a special situation also.
The general situation is that the souls enlightened with transcendental knowledge are carried to the spiritual world by the ātivāhika demigods. However, those nirapekṣa devotees who are especially distressed in separation from the Lord are carried there by the Supreme Lord Himself, for the Lord becomes impatient and cannot tolerate any delay in bringing them back to Him. This is a special situation. The Śruti-śāstra reveals the truth of this situation in Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad [1.22 and 24]. The Supreme Lord Himself also explains [Bhagavad-gītā 7.6 and 7]:
ye tu sarvāṇi karmāṇi
mayi
sannyasya mat-parāḥ
ananyenaiva yogena
māṁ dhyāyanta
upāsate
teṣām ahaṁ
samuddhartā
mṛtyu-saṁsāra-sāgarāt
bhavāmi na cirāt
pārtha
mayy āveśita-cetasām
“But those who worship Me, giving up all their activities unto Me and being devoted to Me without deviation, engaged in devotional service and always meditating upon Me, having fixed their minds upon Me, O son of Pṛthā, for them I am the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth and death.”
The word ca [also] in this sūtra means that for the liberated souls there are two paths, one where the material body is cast off, and the other where contact with the material body is maintained. It is not possible to say that the nirapekṣa devotees follow the path that begins in light. Also, in the Varāha Purāṇa the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself says:
nayāmi paramaṁ
sthānam
arcir-ādi-gatiṁ vinā
garuḍa-skandham
āropya
yatheccham anivāritaḥ
“My devotees need not follow the path beginning in light. Riding on Garuḍa’s shoulders, I personally take them to My supreme abode.”
In this way the truth has been explained.