Bhagavān – Page 14 – Anuśīlana.in

evaṁ tad-āśraya-rūpasya vilakṣaṇa-prakāśa-sthānatvād

evaṁ tad-āśraya-rūpasya vilakṣaṇa-prakāśa-sthānatvād eva śrī-viṣṇor vyāpakatve’pi śālagrāmādiṣu nirdhāraṇam | tac ca puruṣavan nāntaryāmi-dṛṣṭy-apekṣam, kintu svabhāva-nirdeśa-param eva, tan-nivāsa-kṣetrādīnāṁ mahātīrthatvāpādanādinā kīkaṭādīnām api kṛtārthatva-kathanāt | … pādme—‘śālagrāma-samīpe tu krośa-mātraṁ samantataḥ | kīkaṭe’pi mṛto yāti vaikuṇṭha-bhuvanaṁ naraḥ ||’ iti |

(Bhakti Sandarbha: 294)

“Although Śrī Bhagavān is all-pervading, there is determination [of his presence in particular] in Śālagrāmas and so forth because of [Śālagrāmas and so forth] being places of the special manifestation of his form as their [viz., prema-bhaktas’] shelter. This [conclusion], furthermore, is not based on vision of the Inner Regulator (Antaryāmī) as in a human being [i.e., Śrī Bhagavān’s presence in Śālagrāma and so on is not understood to be because of his being the omnipresent Inner Regulator of every living being], but rather is based solely on ascertainment of his nature [i.e., Śrī Bhagavān is understood to be naturally manifest in special objects of worship like Śālagrāmas in a special way, that is, under the pull of his bhaktas’ bhakti], as per the narrations of the successfulness even of the Kīkaṭas and others [i.e., other non-Aryans] as a result of the transformation into grand tīrthas of regions and other places of their [i.e., a Śālagrāma and so forth’s] residence. … In Padma Purāṇa [it is said in this regard], ‘A human being who dies even in [the region of] Kīkaṭa in the vicinity of a Śālagrāma—anywhere within a krośa [i.e., roughly two miles]—goes to the world of Vaikuṇṭha.’”

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mumukṣu-prabhṛtīnāṁ jñāni-pūjaiva mukhyā

mumukṣu-prabhṛtīnāṁ jñāni-pūjaiva mukhyā, puruṣāntara-pūjā tu tad-abhāva eva, tathā prema-bhakti-kāmānāṁ prema-bhakta-pūjā jñeyā | tataḥ prema-bhaktānām api yac cittasya paramāśraya-rūpaṁ, tad-abhivyakteḥ sutarām evārcāyā ādhikyam api | … tasmād arcāyā ādhikyam eva hi sthitam |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 294)

“For seekers of liberation and others, worship of the jñānī is primary [i.e., is the primary existential seat of Bhagavān to be worshiped], and worship of other living beings is only in his absence [i.e., is only to be performed when a jñānī is not available]. Similarly, for those who desire prema-bhakti, worship of a prema-bhakta is to be understood [as the primary existential seat of Bhagavān to be worshiped]. The Deity (Arcā) is a manifestation of [Śrī Bhagavān,] he whose nature is that of the supreme shelter of the hearts of even prema-bhaktas, and thus is even more [worshipable] than them [i.e., that prema-bhaktas]. … Therefore, definitive superiority of the Deity [as the greatest object of worship and existential seat of Bhagavān] is established.”

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adhiṣṭhāna-vicāre śrīmad-arcāto’pi yaḥ pūruṣa-mātrātiśayas tatrāpi jñāninaḥ

adhiṣṭhāna-vicāre śrīmad-arcāto’pi yaḥ pūruṣa-mātrātiśayas tatrāpi jñāninaḥ, sa ca kaivalya-kāmo bhakty-āśrayaḥ | … ca bhaktasyaiva tato’py utkarṣaḥ, kim uta tad-upāsyāyāḥ śrīmad-arcāyāḥ | …
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 286)

“In deliberation upon dwelling places (adhiṣṭhānas) [of Śrī Bhagavān], a human being is [considered] greater [i.e., a greater dwelling places (adhiṣṭhānas) of Śrī Bhagavān] than even the sacred deity. Furthermore among them [i.e., among human beings], a possessor of knowledge (jñānī) [is greater]. He [i.e., a jñānī], furthermore, is [understood to be] a seeker of liberation (kaivalya) whose shelter is in [the path of] bhakti. … Furthermore, the excellence of a bhakta is indeed even greater than him [i.e., than a jñānī], so what more of the sacred deity, his object of worship? [Although it is said in general that a human being is a greater dwelling place (adhiṣṭhāna) of Bhagavān than a deity of Bhagavān because one who doesn’t recognize Bhagavān’s presence in all living beings has no eligibility (adhikāra) to perform worship of a deity of Bhagavān, the deity is also the object of worship of a bhakta, who is a greater dwelling place (adhiṣṭhāna) of Bhagavān than a common human being and a jñānī. Thus, the deity is actually the greatest dwelling place (adhiṣṭhāna) of Bhagavān and highest object of worship for all, provided one has the necessary understanding.]”

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sa ya eṣo’ṇimaitadātmyam idaṁ sarvaṁ tat satyaṁ sa ātmā tat tvam asi śvetaketo

sa ya eṣo’ṇimaitadātmyam idaṁ sarvaṁ tat satyaṁ sa ātmā tat tvam asi śvetaketo … |
(Chāndogya Upaniṣad: 6.8.7)

“That which is this minuteness (aṇimā) [i.e., that which is the subtle basis of perceptible world]—this whole [perceptible world] is possessed of the nature of this [i.e., of this subtle-most existence]. That [i.e., that subtle-most existence which is the source of everything] is being (satya). That is the Self (Ātmā). You are that, O Śvetaketu.”

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ekasyaiva viśeṣaṇa-bhedena tad-aviśiṣṭatvena ca pratipādanāt

ekasyaiva viśeṣaṇa-bhedena tad-aviśiṣṭatvena ca pratipādanāt tathaiva tat-tad-upāsaka-puruṣānubhava-bhedāc cāvirbhāva-nāmnor bheda … |
(Bhagavat Sandarbha: 4)

“Because of defining of the One [i.e., the Absolute Reality, both] with the distinction of [possessing] qualifiers and as being unqualified by them [i.e., as being unpossessed of any qualifiers], and so also because of difference in the experiences of persons who are worshippers of those [i.e., of those different aspects of the One, namely, the qualified aspect and the unqualified aspect], there is a difference in the names of the manifestations [of the One, the Absolute Reality, i.e., its qualified aspect is known as Bhagavān and its unqualified aspect is known as Brahman].”

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sarvato bṛhattamatvād brahmeti yad viduḥ

sarvato bṛhattamatvād brahmeti yad viduḥ, tat khalu paramasya puṁso bhagavataḥ padam eva, nirvikalpatayā sākṣātkṛteḥ prāthamikatvāt, brahmaṇaś ca bhagavata eva nirvikalpa-sattā-rūpatvāt, vicitra-rūpādi-vikalpa-viśeṣa-viśiṣṭasya bhagavatas tu sākṣātkṛtes tad-anantarajatvāt, tadīya-svarūpa-bhūtaṁ tad brahma tat-sākṣātkārāspadaṁ bhavatīty arthaḥ |
(Bhagavat Sandarbha: 7)

“That which is known as Brahman because of [its] being the greatest of all is an aspect of the Supreme Person, Bhagavān, (1) because of direct perception (sākṣātkṛti) [of it] being initially occurrent [i.e., occurrent before that of Bhagavān] on account of [that perception’s] being indeterminate (nirvikalpa), (2) because of Brahman’s also being Bhagavān’s form of indeterminate being, and (3) because of direct perception (sākṣātkṛti) of Bhagavān, who is qualified by determinate specifics such as a wonderful form, being occurrent after that [i.e., after indeterminate perception of Brahman]. Brahman, being constituted of his [i.e., Bhagavān’s] nature, is thus the basis of direct perception (sākṣātkṛti) of him [i.e., Bhagavān, meaning, Brahman and Bhagavān are one and the same entity, the former being an indeterminate perception of that entity, and the latter being a determinate perception of that entity].”

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bhagavad-rūpa-pūrṇāvirbhāvaṁ tat tattvaṁ

bhagavad-rūpa-pūrṇāvirbhāvaṁ tat tattvaṁ … jīvādi-niyantṛtvena sphurad vā pratipādyamānaṁ vā paramātmeti śabdyata iti |
(Bhagavat Sandarbha: 3)

“When the [Absolute] Reality in its complete manifestation in the form of Bhagavān manifests, or is to be defined, as the regulator of jīvas and so forth [i.e., of all aspects of saṁsāra], it is known as Paramātmā.”

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tad ekaṁ tattvaṁ svarūpa-bhūtayaiva śaktyā kam api viśeṣaṁ

tad ekaṁ tattvaṁ svarūpa-bhūtayaiva śaktyā kam api viśeṣaṁ dhartuṁ parāsām api śaktīnāṁ mūlāśraya-rūpaṁ, tad-anubhāvānanda-sandohāntarbhāvita-tādṛśa-brahmānandānāṁ bhāgavata-paramahaṁsānāṁ tathānubhavaika-sādhakatama-tadīya-svarūpānanda-śakti-viśeṣātmaka-bhakti-bhāviteṣv antar-bahir apīndriyeṣu parisphurad vā, tadvad vivikta-tādṛśa-śakti-śaktimattā-bhedena pratipādyamānaṁ vā bhagavān iti śabdyate | … evaṁ cānanda-mātraṁ viśeṣyaṁ, samastāḥ śaktayo viśeṣaṇāni, viśiṣṭo bhagavān ity āyātam | tathā caivaṁ vaiśiṣṭye prāpte pūrṇāvirbhāvatvenākhaṇḍa-tattva-rūpo’sau bhagavān | brahma tu sphuṭam aprakaṭita-vaiśiṣṭyākāratvena tasyaivāsamyag āvirbhāva ity āyātam |
(Bhagavat Sandarbha: 2–3)

“When the one [Absolute] Reality, which is by nature the fundamental shelter of [all] other śaktis, to manifest some type of [wonderful] specificity solely by means of its own inherent śakti, fully manifests to the internal and external senses of devoted transcendentalists (bhāgavata-paramahaṁsas), subsumed in whose [experience of an] abundance of bliss from experience thereof [i.e., of the Absolute Reality so manifest with specificity] is such [experience of the] bliss of Brahman, [and whose internal and external senses are] imbued with bhakti [which is] constituted of a specific inherent śakti of bliss thereof [i.e., of that Absolute Reality] that is singularly most effectual of such experience [of that Absolute Reality’s manifest specificity], or, when it as such is to be defined with discrimination between the distinction of [its] being [both] śakti and the possessor of śakti (śaktimat), it is known as Bhagavān. … In this way, furthermore, it is understood that bliss alone is the qualificand (viśeṣya), all śaktis are [its] qualifiers (viśeṣaṇas), and Bhagavān is the qualified entity (viśiṣṭa). Furthermore, when possessed of such specificity (vaiśiṣṭya), that undivided [Absolute] Reality is Bhagavān on account of being the complete manifestation [thereof], whereas Brahman, evidently, is an incomplete manifestation thereof on account of [its] being an appearance devoid of manifest specificity. This is understood.”

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śrī-bhagavata eva sarva-hitopadeṣṭṛtvāt sarva-duḥkha-haratvāt

śrī-bhagavata eva sarva-hitopadeṣṭṛtvāt sarva-duḥkha-haratvāt raśmīnāṁ sūryavat sarveṣāṁ parama-svarūpatvāt sarvādhika-guṇa-śālitvāt parama-prema-yogatvam iti prayojanaṁ ca sthāpitam |
(Tattva Sandarbha: 45)

“Because of Śrī Bhagavān alone being supremely worthy of prema on account of [his] being (1) the benevolent advisor of all, (2) the remover of suffering for all, (3) the ultimate nature [i.e., Self] of all, like the sun [is] of [its] rays, and (4) the bearer of qualities superior to [those of] all, the prayojana [i.e., the supreme puruṣārtha, prema for Śrī Bhagavān] is also established.”

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tasya paramānandaika-rūpasya sva-parānandinī svarūpa-śaktir yā hlādinī-nāmnī vartate

nanu niratiśaya-nityānanda-rūpasya bhagavataḥ kathaṁ tayā sukham utpadyeta, niratiśayatva-nityatvayor virodhāt? ucyate—śāstre khalu niratiśayānandatvaṁ nityatvaṁ ca bhagavataḥ śrūyate | bhakter api tathā tat-prīti-hetutvaṁ śrūyate | tata evaṁ gamyate—tasya paramānandaika-rūpasya sva-parānandinī svarūpa-śaktir yā hlādinī-nāmnī vartate, prakāśa-vastunaḥ sva-para-prakāśana-śaktivat parama-vṛtti-rūpaivaiṣā | tāṁ ca bhagavān sva-vṛnde nikṣipann eva nityaṁ vartate | tat-sambandhena ca svayam atitarāṁ prīṇātīti | ata eva tasya prīti-rūpasyāpi bhakti-prīṇanīyatvam āha—‘yat-prīṇanād barhiṣi deva-tiryaṅ-manuṣya-vīrut-tṛṇam ā viriñcāt, prīyeta sadyaḥ sa ha viśva-jīvaḥ prītaḥ svayaṁ prītim agād gayasya’ | … ata eva tathābhūtatvenātmārāmasya pūrṇa-kāmasyāpi tasya kṣudra-guṇa-vastv api paritoṣāya kalpata iti dṛṣṭānenāha—‘tatropanīta-balayo raver dīpam ivādṛtāḥ | ātmārāmaṁ pūrṇa-kāmaṁ nija-lābhena nityadā || prīty-utphulla-mukhāḥ procur harṣa-gadgadayā girā | pitaraṁ sarva-suhṛdam avitāram ivārbhakāḥ ||’ … tathā ātmārāma-pūrṇa-kāmatve’pi tādṛśasya sva-sambandhābhimāni-prītimat-putrādiṣu prīti-viśeṣodayo yathā dṛśyate, tathā teṣu taṁ prītimantam … | evaṁ kalpataru-dṛṣṭānte’pi bhagavato bhakta-viṣayikā kṛpā yathārtham evopapadyate | ye khalu sahaja-tat-prītim evātmani prārthayamānā bhajante, tebhyas tad-dāna-yāthārthyasyāvaśyakatvāt | tasmād asty evānanda-rūpasyāpi bhaktāv ānandollāsa iti |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 142–143)

“[A doubt is raised:] ‘Well, how can pleasure (sukha) be produced by that [i.e., by bhakti] for Bhagavān, he who is of the nature of all-exceeding, eternal bliss, on account of the contradiction to the all-exceedingness and eternality [of his bliss if bhakti where to also produce pleasure for him]?’ [To this] It is said that Bhagavān’s all-exceeding blissfulness and eternality are certainly heard of in the śāstra. Bhakti’s being a cause of pleasure (prīti) for him is also heard of therein. Therefore, this is understood: this intrinsic potency (svarūpa-śakti) delighting to himself and others of [i.e., that belongs to] he who is the sole embodiment of the supreme bliss [viz., Bhagavān] which exists bearing the name hlādinī and verily has the form of a superlative function (vṛtti) like a luminous object’s potency of illumination of itself and others—Bhagavān exists eternally verily casting that [viz., this svarūpa-śakti known as hlādinī, which is to say, bhakti] into the many who are his own [viz., his bhaktas] and by connection with that [i.e., by then receiving expressions of bhakti back from his bhaktas] personally feels even greater pleasure [than he does as a result of that hlādinī-śakti’s presence within himself]. Therefore, Śrī Śukadeva describes his [viz., Śrī Bhagavān’s] being able to be pleased by bhakti even though he is the embodiment of pleasure [in SB 5.15.13], ‘He because of whose pleasure the devas, animals, human beings, and plants beginning with Brahmā immediately become pleased, [he who is] the very life of the universe, [and] pleasure himself [i.e., the very embodiment of pleasure], became pleased at the sacrifice of [King] Gaya [i.e., by the bhakti offered to him therein].’ …

“Therefore, even an object possessed of meager qualities is capable of greatly satisfying him even though he is possessed of satisfaction from within the self and of fulfilled desires by virtue of being such [i.e., by virtue of being both the embodiment of pleasure and able to be pleased by bhakti]. Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī describes this with an illustration [in SB 1.11.4–5], ‘There [i.e., Dvārakā], offering gifts like worshippers [offering] a lamp to the sun, [their] faces blossoming out of love, they [i.e., the citizen of Dvārakā] began to speak, like children to their father, with words stammering out of delight to [Kṛṣṇa,] he who is ever possessed of satisfaction from within the self, he of fulfilled desires by virtue of gain from within himself [i.e., by virtue of the supreme bliss that is his essential nature], he who is the well-wisher of all and guardian.’ … Moreover, even in the midst of [his] being of possessed of satisfaction from within the self and of fulfilled desires, he [viz., Bhagavān] is [seen to be] possessed of love (prīti) for them [i.e., for the people of Dvārakā, that is, his bhaktas] just as the emergence of a special form of love (prīti) on the part of one who is such [i.e., one who is possessed of satisfaction from within the self and of fulfilled desires] for a son and others who are possessed of love (prīti) and sense of self that is related to him is [seen in the world]. … In this way, even in the case of the illustration of a desire tree [i.e., even when Bhagavān’s character and conduct is compared to a desire tree, that is, a tree that grants one whatever one so desires from it], Bhagavān’s grace the object of which is [his] bhaktas is indeed rightly manifested on account of the necessity of reciprocal accuracy in granting natural love for himself to they in particular who perform worship [of himself] praying in the heart for that specifically. Therefore, there is indeed an increase in bliss because of bhakti on the part even of he who is the embodiment of bliss [viz., Bhagavān].”

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