येऽन्येऽरविन्दाक्ष विमुक्तमानिन-
स्त्वय्यस्तभावादविशुद्धबुद्धयः ।
आरुह्य कृच्छ्रेण परं पदं ततः
पतन्त्यधोऽनादृतयुष्मदङ्घ्रयः ॥
ye’nye’ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ |
āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
patanty adho’nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.2.42; cited in Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.7.14; Bhakti Sandarbha: 111, 121; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.22.30, 2.24.131, 141, 2.25.32)
“[The devas address Śrī Kṛṣṇa in the womb of Mother Devakī:] O Lotus-eyed One, others, who consider themselves fully liberated yet are of not fully purified intellect because of having forsaken bhāva for you, ascend with hardship to the highest position but fall down from there because of their having disregarded your feet.”
Commentary
nanu vivekināṁ kiṁ mad-bhajanena muktā eva hi te? tatrāhuḥ—ye’nye iti | vimukta-mānino vimuktā vayam iti manyamānāḥ | tvayi asto nirasto’ta evāsan yo bhāvas tasmād bhakter abhāvād ity arthaḥ | na viśuddhā buddhir yeṣāṁ te tathā | yad vā tvayi ‘asta-bhāḥ’ iti chedaḥ | ato’sta-matayo vādeṣv eva viśuddha-buddhayaḥ | kṛcchreṇa bahu-janma-tapasā paraṁ padaṁ mokṣa-sannihitaṁ sat-kula-tapaḥ-śrutādi | patanti vighnair abhibhūyante, nādṛtau yuṣmad-aṅghrī yais te |
(Bhāvārtha-dīpikā)
“[A question is raised by Śrī Bhagavān:] ‘Well, what [is the use] of worship of me for the discerning [i.e., for jñānīs] since they are certainly are liberated?’ To this, they [i.e., the devas addressing Śrī Kṛṣṇa situated in the womb of Mother Devakī] say ye’nye … [i.e., they speak this verse]. ‘They who consider themselves fully liberated’ (vimukta-māninaḥ) refers to they who are thinking, ‘We are fully liberated.’ ‘Because of having forsaken (asta) bhāva for you’ (tvayy asta-bhāvāt) means because of the absence of bhakti [for you in them]. Thus, [they are] ‘they whose intellect is not fully purified’ (aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ). Alternately, the break is tvayy asta-bhāḥ … [i.e., alternately, the second line can be read as tvayy asta-bhā vāda-viśuddha-buddhayaḥ rather than tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ]. In this case, [the meaning is that] they have a rejected (asta) view (bhāḥ) [i.e., their ideas, or, ‘brilliance’ (bhāḥ) is rejected] and are of clear intellect only in disputes [i.e., they are only brilliant sophists whose views are ultimately faulty and rejected]. ‘With hardship’ (kṛcchreṇa), that is, by means of austerities over the course of many births, [they ascend] to the ‘highest position’ (paraṁ padam), that is, near to mokṣa, meaning, they become endowed with noble birth, austerities, learning, and so on, but they fall [down from there], meaning, they are vanquished by obstacles [because they become] they by whom your feet are disregarded.”
tad-bhaktiṁ vinā brahma-vido’pi sannyāsino vividha-duḥkhaṁ prāpnuvantīty āhuḥ—ya iti | he aravindākṣeti dṛṣṭi-mātreṇa sarva-tāpa-hāritvam uktam | tādṛśe’pi tvayi | yuṣmac-chabdena tvadīyāś ca gṛhyante |
(Bṛhad Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī-ṭīkā)
“Without bhakti to him [i.e., Śrī Bhagavān], even sannyāsīs who are knowers of Brahman undergo various sufferings. Thus, they [i.e., the devas addressing Śrī Kṛṣṇa situated in the womb of Mother Devakī] say ye’nye … [i.e., they speak this verse]. By, ‘O Lotus-eyed One’ (aravindākṣa), [Śrī Bhagavān’s] being a remover of all afflictions just by sight [of him] is stated [i.e., the address ‘O Lotus-eyed One’ (aravindākṣa) indicates that anyone who beholds Śrī Bhagavān becomes free from all afflictions just by the power of seeing him]. Even for you who are such … [i.e., others, meaning, non-bhaktas, who consider themselves fully liberated, forsake bhāva, meaning, bhakti, even for you who are of such nature that you can liberate jīvas just by giving them the privilege of seeing you]. By the word ‘your’ (yuṣmat), those who are your own is also understood [i.e., the word ‘your’ (yuṣmat) in the compound anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ can be interpreted to be either singular or plural; when it is read as singular, it means ‘your’ and refers to Śrī Bhagavān and thus ‘your feet’ means Śrī Bhagavān‘s feet, but when it is read as plural, it means ‘those who are your own’ and refers to bhaktas of Śrī Bhagavān, and thus ‘the feet of those who are your own’ means the feet of your bhaktas; the purport is that one falls down from ‘the highest position’ (paraṁ padam), that is jīvan-mukti, if one disrespects your, that is, Śrī Bhagavān’s, feet, or if one disrespects the feet of those who are your own, that is, the feet of Śrī Bhagavān’s bhaktas].”
nanu vināpi mat-padāśrayaṁ jñānenaiva saṁsārottaraṇādikaṁ bhavet, kiṁ tena? tatrāhuḥ—ya iti | he aravindākṣa iti dṛṣṭi-mātreṇa sarva-tāpa-hāritvam uktaṁ, tādṛśe’pi tvayi, bahutva-paryavasitvena yuṣmat-padena tadīyāś ca gṛhyante | anyat taiḥ | tatra śrutādīty ādi-grahaṇāt manana-nididhyāsanādi | yad vā prathamatas tāvat tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ—‘dharmaḥ satya-dayopeto vidyā vā tapasānvitā | mad-bhaktyāpetam ātmānaṁ na samyak prapunāti hi ||’ ity-ādy-ukteḥ | tathāpi jñāna-mārgam āśritya vimukta-mānino deha-dvayātiriktatvenātmānaṁ bhāvayantaḥ, tataḥ—‘kleśo’dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām’ ity-ādy-ukteḥ kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ jīvan-mukti-rūpām āruhya prāpyāpi, tato’dhaḥ patanti bhraśyanti | kadety apekṣāyām āha—anādṛta- iti | yadīti śeṣaḥ | teṣāṁ bhakti-prabhāvasyānanuvṛtter abuddhi-pūrvakasya tvad-anādarasya nivartakābhāvāt | tathāpi dagdhānām api pāpa-karmaṇāṁ mahā-śakti-śrī-bhagavat-pāda-padmāvajñayā punar virodhāt | tathā ca vāsanā-bhāṣyotthāpitaṁ bhagavat-pariśiṣṭa-vacanam—‘jīvan-muktā api punar bandhanaṁ yānti karmabhiḥ | yady acintya-mahāśaktau bhagavaty aparādhinaḥ ||’ ata eva tatraiva—‘jīvan-muktāḥ prapadyante kvacit saṁsāra-vāsanām | yogino vai no lipyante karmabhir bhagavat-parāḥ ||’ iti | tathā rathayātrā-prasaṅge viṣṇu-bhakti-candrodayādi-dhṛtaṁ purāṇāntara-vacanam—‘nānuvrajati yo mohād vrajantaṁ parameśvaram | jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāpi sa bhaved brahma-rākṣasaḥ ||’ iti | tad evaṁ bhakti-sopāna-jñāna-mārge ‘tac cāpi citta-baḍiśaṁ śanakair viyuṅkte’ ity ādau, tatra ‘labdha-padaṁ cittam ākṛṣya vyomni dhārayet’ ity ādau ca yad dhyāna-tyāgo dhāraṇāntaraṁ siddhiś ca śrūyate, tatrānādaro na mantavyaḥ, kintu brahma-kaivalyecchā-saṁskāra-vaśāc chaithilyam eva, yathā nidrā-saṁskāra-vaśād viṣayāviṣṭānāṁ viṣaye tad dṛśyate | tatra śrī-bhagavatā vañcanā ca kriyate iti brahmaṇy eva magnatā syāt | ‘astv evam aṅga bhajatāṁ bhagavān mukundo muktiṁ dadāti karhicit sma na bhakti-yogam ||’ ity ādeḥ | anādare’pi tu narako’pi śrūyate ‘nātaḥ paraṁ parama yad bhavataḥ svarūpam’ ity-ādiṣu ‘yo’nādṛto naraka-bhāgbhir asat-prasaṅgaiḥ’ ity-ādy-ukteḥ | tasmāt sarvaṁ samañjasam |
(Laghu Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī-ṭīkā)
“[Śrī Kṛṣṇa may raise an objection:] ‘Well, even without the shelter of my feet, deliverance from saṁsāra and so forth can occur just by means of jñāna. [So,] What [is the use] of that [i.e., of the shelter of my feet?]’ To this, they [i.e., the devas addressing Śrī Kṛṣṇa situated in the womb of Mother Devakī] say ye’nye … [i.e., they speak this verse]. By, ‘O Lotus-eyed One’ (aravindākṣa), [Śrī Bhagavān’s] being a remover of all afflictions just with sight [of him] is stated [i.e., the address ‘O Lotus-eyed One’ (aravindākṣa) indicates that anyone who beholds Śrī Bhagavān becomes free from all afflictions just by the power of seeing him]. By the word ‘your’ (yuṣmat), by means of [its] being determined to be plural, those who are your own is also understood [i.e., the word ‘your’ (yuṣmat) in the compound anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ can be interpreted to be either singular or plural; when it is read as singular, it means ‘your’ and refers to Śrī Bhagavān and thus ‘your feet’ means Śrī Bhagavān‘s feet, but when it is read as plural, it means ‘those who are your own’ and refers to bhaktas of Śrī Bhagavān, and thus ‘the feet of those who are your own’ means the feet of your bhaktas; the purport is that one falls down from ‘the highest position’ (paraṁ padam), that is jīvan-mukti, if one disrespects your, that is, Śrī Bhagavān’s, feet, or if one disrespects the feet of those who are your own, that is, the feet of Śrī Bhagavān’s bhaktas]. The rest is [already explained] by him [i.e., by Śrī Śrīdhara Svāmīpāda]. Therein [i.e., in Śrī Svāmīpāda’s commentary], contemplation (manana), meditation (nididhyāsana) and so forth are present [i.e., indicated] by understanding [the meaning of] ‘and so forth’ (ādi) in the mention of ‘learning and so on’ (śrutādi) [i.e., when it was said that those who have forsaken bhakti to you may ascend to the ‘highest position’ (paraṁ padam), that is, near to mokṣa, and it was explained that ‘near to mokṣa’ means endowed with noble birth, austerities, learning, and so forth, that ‘and so forth’ (ādi) refers to contemplation, meditation, and other practices enjoined for those following the path of jñāna; the purport is that if even someone engages in contemplation, meditation, and other practices, they fall down if they disrespect you or your bhaktas].”
“Alternately, [the verse under discussion may also be interpreted as follows:] first of all, they [i.e., those who considered themselves full liberated] are of not fully purified intellect (aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ) because of having forsaken bhāva (asta-bhāvāt) for you (tvayi) as per the statement [in SB 11.14.22], ‘Devoid of bhakti to me, dharma endowed with truthfulness and compassion, or knowledge accompanied by austerity, certainly do not fully purify the mind.’ Despite this, they follow the path of jñāna and consider themselves fully liberated (vimukha-māninaḥ), that is, they conceive of themselves as being beyond the two bodies [i.e., the gross and the subtle bodies]. Then, as per the statement [in BG 12.5], ‘The hardship [during sādhana] of those whose minds are attached to the unmanifest [i.e., to a non-distinct object of meditation rather than a form of Śrī Bhagavān] is greater,’ even after ascending (āruhya), that is, reaching, with hardship the highest position in the form of jīvan-mukti, they fall down (adhaḥ patanti) from there. In expectation of [the question], ‘When?’ [i.e., ‘When does this happen?’], they say, ‘They who have disregarded your feet’ (anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ). ‘If’ is the remainder [i.e., they fall down from the state of jīvan-mukti if ever they disregard your feet] because of the absence of their [having any] inhibitor against unintentional disregard of you as a result of the non-continuance of the influence of bhakti [over them since they have forsaken bhakti], and furthermore because of the regrowth even of burned away acts of sin [i.e., sinful karma] also as a result of disrespect for the supremely potent lotus feet of Śrī Bhagavān. Similarly too, there is a statement in the Bhagavat-pariśiṣṭa cited in the Vāsanā-bhāṣya, ‘Even jīvan-muktas again enter bondage by means of karmas if they are offenders of Bhagavān, who is possessed of immense, inconceivable potency.’ Thus, therein also [it is said], ‘Sometimes jīvan-muktas acquire an inclination (vāsanā) for saṁsāra. Yogīs devoted to Bhagavān [however] are not tainted by karmas.’ Similarly, there is a statement from another Purāṇa cited in the Viṣṇu-bhakti-candrodaya in relation to Ratha Yātrā, ‘One who out of delusion does not follow the Lord of the Universe traveling [on his chariot] shall become a brahma-rākṣasa even if one’s karma has been burned away by the fire of jñāna.’
“Then, in this way, [however,] in the case of the relinquishment of meditation and the attainment (siddhi) after concentration (dhāraṇa) heard of on the path of jñāna wherein bhakti is [used as] a stairwell in [statements such as SB 3.28.34], ‘Despite this [i.e., despite a yogī having attained bhāva for Bhagavān], the hook of the [yogī’s] mind is gradually withdrawn [from Bhagavān],’ and in [Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s statement of instruction in SB 11.14.44], ‘Retracting the mind, which has taken position there [i.e., which was fixed on my face], one should fix it on the sky …,’ disrespect [towards Śrī Bhagavān] is not to be considered [to occur], and rather only a slackening because of the influence of the saṁskāra for the desire for Brahma-kaivalya [i.e., sāyujya-mukti, is to be considered to occur], just as when that [i.e., slackening] is observed in regard to objects the senses (viṣaya) on the part of those who are fixated upon objects of the senses because the influence of the saṁskāra for sleep [i.e., just as a slackening in fixity upon objects of the senses on the part of those are normally fixed on them occurs because of the pull of sleep on their mind, so the fixity that jñānīs have upon Bhagavān as an object of meditation slackens under the influence of their desire for sāyujya-mukti; in that case, the slackening in meditation upon Bhagavān in a jñānī’s mind is not an act of disrespect to Bhagavān]. Therein, deception is also done by Śrī Bhagavān, and thus, absorption solely in Brahman occurs [for such jñānīs], as per [the statement in SB 5.6.18], ‘O dear one, Bhagavān Mukunda gives mukti to worshippers, but not always bhakti-yoga,’ and as per the statement [in SB 3.9.4], ‘[Obeisance unto him, Bhagavān,] Who is disrespected by those adherent to falsity whose destiny is Naraka.’ Therefore, everything is appropriate [i.e., since jñānīs take up the practice of meditation upon a Bhagavān as a means to attain sāyujya-mukti because they desire such mukti as their ultimate attainment, Bhagavān allows them to do this and grants them this ultimate attainment; since these jñānīs’ worship of Bhagavān is motivated by a desire to attain something other than Bhagavān and pure bhakti to him, it can be called a form of deceptive behavior towards Bhagavān, and since Bhagavān grants these jñānīs sāyujya-mukti as their ultimate attainment even though such an attainment is inferior to the attainment of him and bhakti to him, it can be said that Bhagavān’s granting them that is also a form of deceptive behavior towards them although in doing so he is simply reciprocating with these worshipers of himself in a manner that corresponds to their worship of him and is desired by them; thus, there is no fault on his part for doing this].”
prathamatas tāvat tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ—‘dharmaḥ satya-dayopeto vidyā vā tapasānvitā | mad-bhaktyāpetam ātmānaṁ na samyak prapunāti hi ||’ ity-ādy-ukteḥ | tathāpi jñāna-mārgam āśritya vimukta-mānino deha-dvayātiriktatvenātmānaṁ bhāvayantaḥ, tataḥ—‘kleśo’dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām’ ity-ādy-ukteḥ kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ jīvan-mukti-rūpām āruhya prāpyāpi, tato’dhaḥ patanti bhraśyanti | kadety apekṣāyām āha—anādṛta- iti | yadīti śeṣaḥ | teṣāṁ bhakti-prabhāvasyānanuvṛtter abuddhi-pūrvakasya tvad-anādarasya nivartakābhāvāt | tathāpi dagdhānām api pāpa-karmaṇāṁ mahā-śakti-śrī-bhagavat-pāda-padmāvajñayā punar virodhāt | tathā ca vāsanā-bhāṣyotthāpitaṁ bhagavat-pariśiṣṭa-vacanam—‘jīvan-muktā api punar bandhanaṁ yānti karmabhiḥ | yady acintya-mahāśaktau bhagavaty aparādhinaḥ ||’ ata eva tatraiva—‘jīvan-muktāḥ prapadyante kvacit saṁsāra-vāsanām | yogino vai no lipyante karmabhir bhagavat-parāḥ ||’ iti | tathā rathayātrā-prasaṅge viṣṇu-bhakti-candrodayādi-dhṛtaṁ purāṇāntara-vacanam—‘nānuvrajati yo mohād vrajantaṁ parameśvaram | jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāpi sa bhaved brahma-rākṣasaḥ ||’ iti | evam evoktaṁ—‘yo nādṛto naraka-bhāgbhir asat-prasaṅgaiḥ’ iti | ata evopadiṣṭam—‘tasmāj jñānena sahitaṁ jñātvā svātmānam uddhava | jñāna-vijñāna-sampanno bhaja māṁ bhakti-bhāvataḥ ||’ tasmāt sutarām eva sarveṣāṁ śrī-hari-bhaktir nityety āyātam ||
(Excerpt from Bhakti Sandarbha: 111)
“First of all, they [i.e., those who consider themselves full liberated] are of not fully purified intellect (aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ) because of having forsaken bhāva (asta-bhāvāt) for you (tvayi) as per the statement [in SB 11.14.22], ‘Devoid of bhakti to me, dharma endowed with truthfulness and compassion, or knowledge accompanied by austerity, certainly do not fully purify the mind.’ Despite this, they follow the path of jñāna and consider themselves fully liberated (vimukha-māninaḥ), that is, they conceive of themselves as being beyond the two bodies [i.e., the gross and the subtle bodies]. Then, as per the statement [in BG 12.5], ‘The hardship [during sādhana] of those whose minds are attached to the unmanifest [i.e., to a non-distinct object of meditation rather than a form of Śrī Bhagavān] is greater,’ even after ascending (āruhya), that is, reaching, with hardship to the highest position in the form of jīvan-mukti, they fall down (adhaḥ patanti) from there. In expectation of [the question], ‘When?’ [i.e., ‘When does this happen?’], they say ‘They who have disregarded your feet’ (anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ). ‘If’ is the remainder [i.e., they fall down from the state of jīvan-mukti if ever they disregard your feet] because of the absence of their [having any] inhibitor against unintentional disregard of you as a result of the non-continuance of the influence of bhakti [over them since they have forsaken bhakti], and furthermore because of the regrowth even of burned away acts of sin [i.e., sinful karma] also as a result of disrespect for the supremely potent lotus feet of Śrī Bhagavān. Similarly also, there is a statement in the Bhagavat-pariśiṣṭa cited in the Vāsanā-bhāṣya, ‘Even jīvan-muktas again enter bondage by means of karmas if they are offenders of Bhagavān, who is possessed of immense, inconceivable potency.’ Thus, therein also [it is said], ‘Sometimes jīvan-muktas acquire an inclination (vāsanā) for saṁsāra. Yogīs devoted to Bhagavān [however] are not tainted by karmas.’ Similarly, there is a statement from another Purāṇa cited in the Viṣṇu-bhakti-candrodaya in relation to Ratha Yātrā, ‘One who out of delusion does not follow the Lord of the Universe traveling [on his chariot] shall become a brahma-rākṣasa even if one’s karma has been burned away by the fire of jñāna.’ Similarly also, it is said [in SB 3.9.4], ‘[Obeisance unto him, Bhagavān,] Who is disrespected by those adherent to falsity whose destiny is Naraka.’ Therefore, it is instructed [by Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa to Uddhava in SB 11.19.5], ‘Therefore, O Uddhava, knowing your own self by means of knowledge (jñāna), and [thus] being endowed with knowledge (jñāna) [i.e., knowledge of the jīva’s essential nature] and higher knowledge (vijñāna) [i.e., knowledge of Brahman], worship me out of bhakti.’ Thus, indeed consequently, it comes [as the conclusion] that bhakti to Śrī Hari is compulsory for everyone.”
vaiṣṇavānām eva bhavārṇavo goṣpadībhavati ye tu tava viśuddha-sattvamaya-vapuṣi māyā-bhānavanto jñāninas teṣāṁ tu sudustaro bhīma eva ‘kṛcchro mahān iha bhavārṇavam aplaveśāṁ ṣaḍ-varga-nakram asukhena titīrṣanti | tattvaṁ harer bhagavato bhajanīyam aṅghriṁ kṛtvoḍupaṁ vyasanam uttara-dustarārṇam ||’ iti yathā sanat-kumāreṇoktam | ‘kleśo’dhikataras teṣāṁ’ iti yathā bhagavatāpi ‘naiṣkarmyam apy acyuta-bhāva-varjitaṁ na śobhate jñānam alaṁ nirañjanaṁ’ iti yathā nāradenāpi tathaiva devā apy āhuḥ—ye iti | anye ukta-lakṣaṇebhyas tvad-anugṛhītebhyaḥ sadbhyo bhinnāḥ | aravindākṣeti tvat-kṛpāvalokana-mādhuryānanubhavina iti bhāvaḥ | vimukta-mānina iti tvad-bhaktā yathā saṁsārottīrṇā api saṁsāri-māninas tathā evaite saṁsāra-madhya-patitā api vimukta-māninaḥ | tatra hetuḥ—tvayy aravindākṣe madhurākāre asta-bhāvāt māyā-śābalya-mananena prīty-abhāvāt | ‘avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam’ iti bhagavad-ukter mauḍhyād aviśuddha-jñānāḥ kāmādi-nirjaya-mūlakāntaḥkaraṇa-śuddhimattvād utpannam api jñānaṁ na viśuddhim ity arthaḥ | tad api kṛcchreṇa tapaḥ-śama-damādi-kṛcchra-janitena vijñānena paraṁ padaṁ jīvan-mukta-daśāyām āruhyaiteṣāṁ guṇī-bhūta-bhaktyā yuktatvaṁ jñeyam, tāṁ vinā parama-padārohāsambhavāt | ‘śreyaḥ-sṛtiṁ bhaktim udasya te vibho kliśyanti’ ity-ādes tāṁ vinā jñānasya marīcikā-jalāyamānatvāt tato’dhaḥ patanti | nanu bhakti-sattve katham adhaḥ patanti? tatrāhuḥ—na ādṛtau māyikatva-buddhyā yuṣmad-aṅghrī yais te | ayam arthaḥ—jñānināṁ jñānāṅga-bhūtā bhaktir dvividhā—bhaktiṁ vinā jñānaṁ na siddhyed iti śāstrājñayaiva kiñcin-mātrī-kriyamāṇā, bhajanīya-bhagavad-vigrahādiṣu māyika-buddhyā māyā-buddhyā vā anādaravatī anādara-rahitā ca | ādyayā teṣāṁ tapaḥ-śama-damādimatāṁ bahu-kālenāvidyā-nirasanīṁ vidyām utpādya brahma-bhūtatva-daśāyām utpādya sahasaivāntardhīyate, te vimukta-mānina evocyante, na tu vastuto jīvan-muktāḥ | ‘bhaktyāham ekayā grāhyaḥ’ iti bhagavad-ukteḥ, bhaktiṁ vinā tat-padārthasyāparokṣānubhavālābhāt, bhagavad-aparādha-sambhavāc ca dagdhānām api karmaṇāṁ punaḥ prarohād adhaḥ patanti ca | yad uktaṁ rathayātrā-prasaṅge śrī-viṣṇu-bhakti-candrodaya-dhṛtaṁ purāṇa-vacanaṁ—‘nānuvrajati yo mohād vrajantaṁ jagad-īśvaram | jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāpi sa bhaved brahma-rākṣasaḥ ||’ iti | vāsanā-bhāṣyotthāpitaṁ pariśiṣṭa-vacanaṁ ca—‘jīvan-muktā api punar bandhanaṁ yānti karmabhiḥ | yady acintya-mahāśaktau bhagavaty aparādhinaḥ ||’ iti |dvitīyayā tu teṣāṁ brahma-bhūtatva-daśām utpādya avidyā-vidyayor uparāme’py anuparamantyā tat-padārtha-sākṣātkāram anubhāvyamānā jīvan-muktāḥ siddhā eva syuḥ yad uktaṁ—‘brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati | samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām || bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ | tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā viśate tad-anantaram ||’ iti |
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā)
“The ocean of material existence, which becomes the size of a cow-hoof print only for Vaiṣṇavas, is indeed fearsome and extremely difficult to traverse for those jñānīs who perceive māyā within your form constituted of completely pure existence (viśuddha-sattva), as stated by Sanat Kumāra [in SB 4.22.40], ‘There is severe hardship here for those desirous of somberly crossing the ocean of material existence, filled with the crocodiles of the six [senses], who do not have the boat, [viz.,] Īśa [i.e., Bhagavān]; therefore, making the worshipable feet of Bhagavān Hari [your] boat, you should cross over the plight of this difficult to traverse ocean,’ as also [stated] by Bhagavān [in BG 12.5], ‘The hardship [during sādhana] of those whose minds are attached to the unmanifest [i.e., a non-distinct object of meditation rather than a form of Śrī Bhagavān] is greater,’ and as [stated] also by Nārada [in SB 1.5.12], ‘Even untainting jñāna illuminative of Brahman (naiṣkarmya) [when] devoid of bhāva for Acyuta does not shine greatly.’ In the very same way, the devas too say ye … [i.e., they speak this verse]. ‘Others’ (anye) refers to those other than the sat of [the afore] stated characteristics [mentioned in the previous verse] who are favored by you [i.e., by Śrī Bhagavān]. As per [the address of Śrī Bhagavān in the verse], ‘O Lotus-eyed One’ (aravindākṣa), they [i.e., the ‘others’ spoken of in the verse under discussion] are those who do not experience the sweetness (mādhurya) of a glance of your glance. This is the purport. Regarding, ‘They who consider themselves fully liberated’ (vimukta-māninaḥ), as your bhaktas consider themselves saṁsārīs even though they have crossed beyond saṁsāra, so exactly they consider themselves fully liberated even though they are fallen inside saṁsāra. The cause in this regard [is stated as follows]: because of having forsaken bhāva for you, who are possessed of lotus eyes and a sweet figure, meaning, because of an absence of prīti [for you] as a result of contemplation of [your being] an amalgamation of māyā. As a result of the folly [described] in the statement of Śrī Bhagavān [in BG 9.11], ‘Fools deride me as having donned a [māyika] human form,’ they are of unpurified knowledge, meaning, although [their] knowledge has been produced by virtue of [their] being of purified psyche (antaḥkaraṇa) caused by [their] conquest over kāma and so forth, it is not fully purified [because they do not understand that the essential nature of Bhagavān and bhakti to him is not of the nature of māyā]. Despite that, they ascend ‘with hardship’ (kṛcchreṇa), that is, by means of realization (vijñāna) produced by the hardship of austerity, control of the mind, control of the senses, and so forth, to the ‘highest position’ (paraṁ padam), that is, to the state of a jīvan-mukta. Their being endowed with ancillary (guṇībhūta) bhakti is to be understood because of the impossibility of [their] ascending to that highest position without that. As per [the statement in SB 10.14.4], ’O Lord, for those who abandon bhakti to you, that from which there is a flow of auspiciousnesses [alt., that which is the path to auspiciousness], and struggle to attain awareness of oneness, only this hardship remains and nothing else, as is the case for those who thresh thick chaff,’ they fall down from there [i.e., from the state of being a jīvan-mukta] because of jñāna’s being a mirage of water without that [i.e., because jñāna is like a mirage if it is not supported by actual bhakti, meaning, bhakti that is primary rather than merely ancillary].
“[A question is raised:] ‘Well, why do they fall down [even] in the presence of [such ancillary] bhakti?’ To this, they say, ‘They by whom your feet are disregarded as a result of thought of [your feet] being māyika’ (anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ). The meaning is this: the bhakti existent as a limb of jñānīs’ jñāna is of two types: (1) that being practiced minimally solely because of the injunction in śāstra, ‘Jñāna shall not become accomplished without bhakti,’ and possessed of disrespect as a result of thought of māyā or thought of the māyika in regard to the worshipable figure and so forth [i.e., qualities, acts, and so on] of Bhagavān [which are mediated upon by such jñānīs], and (2) that free from [such] disrespect. By means of the first [type of bhakti], production of knowledge (vidyā) that dispels ignorance (avidyā) after a long time for those who are possessed of austerity, control of the mind, control of the senses, and so on, production of the state of being [one with] Brahman, and sudden withdrawal [of such bhakti upon reaching the state which the jñānīs that were using such bhakti to reach] occur. They [who have this first type of bhakti, i.e., bhakti that is ancillary] are said only to be those who consider themselves fully liberated (vimukta-māninaḥ), and are not, rather, actually jīvan-muktas. (1) Because of Bhagavān’s statement [in SB 11.14.21], ‘I am attainable by means of one-pointed bhakti,’ (2) because of the non-attainment of unmeditated (aparokṣa) experience of the referent of tat [i.e., Brahman] without bhakti, and (3) because of the possibility of [their committing] offense to Bhagavān, they also fall down because of the regrowth even of [previously] burnt away karmas, as described in a statement from another Purāṇa cited in the Viṣṇu-bhakti-candrodaya in relation to Ratha Yātrā, ‘One who out of delusion does not follow the Lord of the Universe traveling [on his chariot] shall become a brahma-rākṣasa even if one’s karma has been burned away by the fire of jñāna.’ There is also a statement from Pariśiṣṭa cited in the Vāsanā-bhāṣya: ‘Even jīvan-muktas again enter bondage by means of karmas if they are offenders of Bhagavān, who is possessed of immense, inconceivable potency.’ By means of the second [type of bhakti, i.e., that which is free from disrespect for Bhagavān], however, which remains uninterrupted even after their state of being [one with] Brahman is produced and [their] ignorance (avidyā) and knowledge (vidyā) recede, jīvan-muktas are caused to experience direct perception of the referent of tat [i.e., Brahman] and shall verily become siddhas, as stated [in BG 18.54–55], ‘Situated in Brahman and of clear mind, one neither laments nor hankers. Equal to all beings, one attains supreme bhakti to me. By bhakti, one knows me truly, as far as, and as to who, I am. Then, having come to know me truly, one enters thereafter.’”
anīdṛśās tu vidvāṁṣo’pi saṁsarantīti—ye’nye iti | he aravindākṣa ye tvad-anugṛhītebhyaḥ sadbhyo’nye ya ‘ātmāpahata-pāpma’ iti prajāpaty uktam aṣṭa-guṇaṁ svātmānaṁ ‘vijñānaṁ brahma ced veda’ ity ādi-śruti-nikhila-phaladatvena jānantas tasya samādhinā kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tad-ātma-vastv āruhya sākṣātkṛtya vimukti-mānino jātāḥ, asmākaṁ vimuktir iti sa-garvāḥ santo nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ kim anena sākāratvād anityeneti tvac-caraṇau nādriyante, te tvayi sarva-svāminy asta-bhāvāt bhāva-tyāgād vaimukhyād aviśuddha-buddhayo viṣaya-rāga-kaluṣita-dhiyaḥ santaḥ, tataḥ padāt kṛcchrārūḍhād adhaḥ patanti—‘jīvan-muktā api punar bandhanaṁ yānti karmabhiḥ | yady acintya-mahāśaktau bhagavaty aparādhinaḥ ||’ ity ādi-smṛtibhyaḥ | tathā ca para-brahma-vigrahas tvaṁ, tvāṁ tathā jānanto mūrkhā evaṁ jaiva-svarūpa-sākṣātkāro’pi tvad-bhakti-sācivyād eva ‘yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ’ ity-ādi ity-ādi śrī-gītābhyaḥ |
(Vaiṣṇavānandinī-ṭīkā)
“Even the learned who are dissimilar [to those described in the previous verse], however, transmigrate [i.e., remain bound in saṁsāra]. Thus, ye’nye … [i.e., thus the devas speaks this verse]. O Lotus-eyed One, those other than the sādhus favored by you, who know that [i.e., Paramātmā] to be a bestower of all the results [described] in the Śruti [e.g., Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2.5.1], ‘If one knows awareness to be Brahman,’ (vijñānaṁ brahma ced veda), that is, [if one’s knows awareness] to be one’s own Self replete with the eight qualities mentioned by Prajāpati [i.e., Brahmā, in Chāndogya Upaniṣad 8.1.5], ‘The Self is (1) free from sin, (2) free from old age, (3) free from death, (4) free from sorrow, (5) free from hunger, (6) free from thirst, (7) of truthful desire [i.e., possessed of the power to make every desire come true], and (8) of truthful resolve [i.e., possessed of the power to make every resolve come true],’ and by means of hardship (kṛcchreṇa), that is, samādhi upon that [i.e., Paramātmā], ascend to and directly perceive the ‘highest position’ (paraṁ padam), that is, that Self Entity, [then] become ‘they who consider themselves fully liberated’ (vimukta-māninaḥ), that is, become possessed of the pride, ‘We have full liberation,’ and [then] become ‘they by whom your feet are disregarded’ (anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ), that is, they by whom your feet are disregarded [with the thought], ‘What [is the use] of this [i.e., Paramātmā] which is impermanent because of being possessed of form?’ [—those who ascend as aforementioned and then think in this way] remain ‘of not fully purified intellect’ (aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ), that is, of mind polluted by attachment to objects of the senses (viṣaya), ‘because of having forsaken bhāva’ (asta-bhāvād) for you, who are the Possessor of everything, and then [they] fall from there, that is, from that position ascended to with hardship, as per the Smṛtis [i.e., statements in the Smṛti-śāstra] such as [this statement in the Bhagavat-pariśiṣṭa cited in the Vāsanā-bhāṣya], ‘Even jīvan-muktas again enter bondage by means of karmas if they are offenders of Bhagavān, who is possessed of immense, inconceivable potency.’ Furthermore, those who know you to be so [i.e., who think you are possessed of merely an impermanent, māyika form]—you who are [in reality] the Embodiment of Parabrahman—are foolish, and even [their] direct perception of the essential nature (svarūpa) of the jīva occurs only because of the assistance of bhakti to you as per [the statement in] Śrī Gītā [2.61], ‘A yogī dedicated to me shall sit …’ (yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ).”