Gita Bhasya 3

33rrrddd V
Voolluum
mee ((C
Chhaapptteerrss 77,, 88 aanndd 99))
With Slokas in Devanagari (Unicode) and Roman Lipi with diacritic marks
and Swamiji’s Commentary in English
Verbatim transcription and typeset by

Swayamjyotih, Sri. V.K.Vancheeswaran of Chennai and
Sri P.S.Ramachandran of Nana Nani Homes, Coimbatore
{1st August 2020)

NOTE: Swami Paramarthananda has not verified the transcription of
talks. The transcriptions have been done with Swamiji’s
blessings by his disciple.
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SRIMAD BHAGAVAD GĪTA
Śaṁkara Bhāṣyam – 3rd Volume (7, 8 and 9 chapters)
ஸ்ர பகவத கீதா ஶம்கர பாஷ்-3
|| �ी मद्भगवद्ग�ता शंकर भाष– ३ ||
SWAMI PARAMARTHANANDA
Verbatim Transcription of Swamiji’s Classes conducted in Chennai
Transcribed by SwayamJyothi and Sri V.K. Vancheeswaran, Chennai
And Sri P.S. Ramachandran, Nana Nani Homes, Coimbatore
Published by:
Arsha Avinash Foundation

104, Third Street, Tatabad,
Coimbatore 641 012, India
Ph. 91 94873 73635
Email: arshaavinash@gmail.com
www.arshaavinash.in
Explanation & Commentary by
SWAMI PARAMARTHANANDA
His Holiness Swami Paramarthananda, disciple of His Holiness Dayananda Saraswati

studied Vedanta and Sanskrit under him for a period of three years at Sandeepany
Sadhanalaya, Mumbai. After his studies and initiation he came to Chennai and started
teaching Bhagavad-Gita, Upanishads and other Vedantic texts. He has been conducting
several weekly classes in different parts of Chennai since 1978. He is well read in the sastras
and is a great Sanskrit scholar. His talks are known for their clarity, simplicity and are an
excellent guide for practical use of Vedantic truths in daily life.
This is the transcription of the Bhagavad-Gita Sankara Bashyam lectures delivered at

Chennai.
This is the Third volume containing verbatim transcription of the 7, 8 and 9th chapters.
The rest of the volumes would be uploaded as and when it gets ready.
Key to Transliteration
अ आ इ ई उ ऊ ऋ
a ā i ī u ū ṛ
ॠ लृ ए ऎ ओ औ
ṝ lṛ e ai o au
क ख ग घ ङ
ka kha ga gha ṅa
च छ ज झ ञ
ca cha ja jha ña
ट ठ ड ढ ण
ṭa ṭha ḍa ḍha ṇa
त थ द ध न
ta tha da dha na
प फ ब भ म
pa pha ba bha ma
य र ल व ◌ं
ya ra la va ṃ
श ष स ह :
śa ṣa sa ha ḥ
Swami Paramarthananda‟s classes on Bhagavad Gīta Śankara Bhāṣyam
Contents
Śrīmad Bhagavad Gītā bhāṣyam ...................................................................... 3050
Chapter 07 – Jñāna-Vijñāna Yōga ................................................................... 3050
264 Chapter-7, Introduction and Verse-1 ......................................................... 3050
265 Verses 07-01 To 07-04 ............................................................................ 3061
Verse 07-01 Continuing;.............................................................................. 3061
Verse 07-02 Introduction; ........................................................................... 3062
Verse 07-02 ............................................................................................... 3062
Verse 07-03 Introduction ............................................................................ 3067
Verse 07-03 ............................................................................................... 3067
266, Verse-07-04 ........................................................................................... 3071
Verse 07-04 ............................................................................................... 3071
267 Verses 07-04 and 07-05 ........................................................................... 3082
Verse 07-05 ............................................................................................... 3086
268 Verses-07-05 to 07-08 ............................................................................. 3092
Verse 07-06 ............................................................................................... 3094
Verse 07-07 ............................................................................................... 3099
269 Verses-07-07 and 07-08........................................................................... 3102
Verse 07-08 ............................................................................................... 3107
270 Verses -07-08 to 07-10 ............................................................................ 3112
Verse 07-09 ............................................................................................... 3113
Verse 07-10 ............................................................................................... 3118
271 Verses 07-11 and 07-12 ........................................................................... 3121
Index downloaded from arshaavinash.in pg. xxix


Verse 07-11 ............................................................................................... 3122
Verse 07-12 ............................................................................................... 3126
272 Verses 07-12 and 07-13 ........................................................................... 3130
273 Verses 07-13 and 07-14 ........................................................................... 3139
Verse 07-13 Introduction Continuing; .......................................................... 3139
Verse 07-13 ............................................................................................... 3140
Verse 07-14 ............................................................................................... 3144
274 Verses 07-14 to 07-17 ............................................................................. 3149
Verse 07-15 ............................................................................................... 3150
Verse 07-16 ............................................................................................... 3152
Verse 07-17 ............................................................................................... 3155
275 Verses 07-17 and 07-18 ........................................................................... 3158
Verse 07-18 ............................................................................................... 3162
276 Verses 07-19 and 07-20 ........................................................................... 3167
Verse 07-19 ............................................................................................... 3168
Verse 07-20 ............................................................................................... 3174
277 Verses 07-20 to 07-22 ............................................................................. 3177
Index downloaded from arshaavinash.in pg. xxx


Verse 07-21 ............................................................................................... 3180
Verse 07-22 ............................................................................................... 3184
278 Verses 07-22 to 07-24 ............................................................................. 3186
Verse 07-23 ............................................................................................... 3190
279 Verses 07-24 to 07-26 ............................................................................. 3195
Verse 07-24 ............................................................................................... 3195
Verse 07-25 ............................................................................................... 3199
280 Verses 07-26 and 07-27 ........................................................................... 3204
Verse 07-26 ............................................................................................... 3205
Verse 07-27 ............................................................................................... 3209
281 Verses 07-27 to 07-30 ............................................................................. 3212
Verse 07-28 Introduction. ........................................................................... 3217
Verse 07-28 ............................................................................................... 3218
Verse 07-29 ............................................................................................... 3220
Verse 07-30 ............................................................................................... 3221
Chapter 08- Akṣarabrahma-yōga ..................................................................... 3225
282 Verses 08-01 to 08-03 ............................................................................. 3225
Introduction bhāṣyam; ................................................................................ 3225
Verse 08-01 & 02 ....................................................................................... 3226
Index downloaded from arshaavinash.in pg. xxxi

Verse 08-03 ............................................................................................... 3229

283 Verse 08-03 ............................................................................................ 3233
Verse 08-03 ............................................................................................... 3233
284 Verses 08-03 to 08-05 ............................................................................. 3242
Verse 08-04 ............................................................................................... 3244
Verse 08-05 ............................................................................................... 3251
285 Verses 08-05 to 08-07 ............................................................................. 3252
Verse 08-06 Introduction. ........................................................................... 3255
Verse 08-06 ............................................................................................... 3255
Verse 08-07 ............................................................................................... 3258
286 Verses 08-07 to 08-09 ............................................................................. 3262
Verse 08-08 ............................................................................................... 3264
Verse 08-09 ............................................................................................... 3269
287 Verses 08-09 and 08-10 ........................................................................... 3273
Verse 08-10 ............................................................................................... 3276
288 Verses 08-11 and 08-12 ........................................................................... 3282
Verse 08-11 ............................................................................................... 3284
289 Verses 08-12 and 08-13 ........................................................................... 3292
Verse 08-12 ............................................................................................... 3297
Verse 08-13 ............................................................................................... 3300
Index downloaded from arshaavinash.in pg. xxxii

290 Verses 08-13 to 08-15 ............................................................................. 3301

Verse 08-14 ............................................................................................... 3303
Verse 08-15 ............................................................................................... 3307
291 Verses 08-15 and 08-16 ........................................................................... 3311
Verse 08-16 ............................................................................................... 3314
292 Verses-08-16 to 08-18 ............................................................................. 3320
Verse 08-17 ............................................................................................... 3322
Verse 08-18 ............................................................................................... 3326
293 Verses 08-18 and 08-19 ........................................................................... 3329
Verse 08-19 ............................................................................................... 3338
294 Verses 08-19 and 08-20 ........................................................................... 3339
Verse 08-20 ............................................................................................... 3343
295 Verses-08-20 to 08-22 ............................................................................. 3349
Verse 08-21 ............................................................................................... 3353
Verse 08-22 ............................................................................................... 3356
296 Verses 08-22 and 08-23 ........................................................................... 3359
Index downloaded from arshaavinash.in pg. xxxiii


Verse 08-23 ............................................................................................... 3364
297 Verses 08-23 and 08-24 ........................................................................... 3369
Verse 08-24 ............................................................................................... 3371
298 Verses-08-25 to 08-28 ............................................................................. 3378
Verse 08-25 ............................................................................................... 3378
Verse 08-26 ............................................................................................... 3380
Verse 08-27 ............................................................................................... 3383
Verse 08-28 ............................................................................................... 3384
Chapter 9 – राजविद्या राजगुह्य योग .................................................................. 3388
299 Chapter-9, Introductory bhāṣyam and Verse-1 .......................................... 3388

Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga - The Yoga of the Greatest Secret ........................ 3388
Introductory bhāṣyam. ................................................................................ 3388
300 Verses-1 and 2 ........................................................................................ 3398
Verse 09-01Continuing;............................................................................... 3398
Verse 09-02 ............................................................................................... 3404
301 Verse-2 ................................................................................................... 3408
302 Verses-2 and 3 ........................................................................................ 3418
Verse 09-03 ............................................................................................... 3421
303 Verse-4 ................................................................................................... 3427
Verse 09-04 ............................................................................................... 3428
304 Verse-5 ................................................................................................... 3436
Index downloaded from arshaavinash.in pg. xxxiv


Verse 09-05 ............................................................................................... 3437
305 Verses-5 To 7 .......................................................................................... 3445
Verse 09-06 ............................................................................................... 3448
Verse 09-07 ............................................................................................... 3450
306 Verses-7 to 9 .......................................................................................... 3452
Verse 09-08 ............................................................................................... 3455
Verse 09-09 ............................................................................................... 3459
307 Verses-9 and 10 ...................................................................................... 3461
Verse 09-10 ............................................................................................... 3468
308 Verse-10 ................................................................................................. 3470
309 Verses-10 and 11 .................................................................................... 3479
Verse 09 -10 Continuing; ............................................................................ 3479
Verse 09-11 ............................................................................................... 3485
310 Verse-11 ................................................................................................. 3489
Verse 09-12 ............................................................................................... 3493
311 Verse-12 to 14 ........................................................................................ 3500
Index downloaded from arshaavinash.in pg. xxxv

Verse 09-13 ............................................................................................... 3502

Verse 09-14 ............................................................................................... 3505
312 Verses-15 and 16 .................................................................................... 3509
Verse 09-15 ............................................................................................... 3510
Verse 09-16Introduction; ............................................................................ 3515
Verse 09-16 ............................................................................................... 3516
313 Verses-16 to 18 ....................................................................................... 3519
Verse 09-17 ............................................................................................... 3521
Verse 09-18 ............................................................................................... 3523
314 Verses-18 and 19 .................................................................................... 3527
Verse 09-19 ............................................................................................... 3529
315 Verses 20 to 22 ....................................................................................... 3536
Verse 09-20 ............................................................................................... 3537
Verse 09-21 ............................................................................................... 3541
Verse 09-22 ............................................................................................... 3544
316 Verse-22 ................................................................................................. 3546
317 Verses-23 and 24 .................................................................................... 3554
Verse 09-23 ............................................................................................... 3557
Verse 09-24 ............................................................................................... 3560
Index downloaded from arshaavinash.in pg. xxxvi

318 Verses-25 to 27 ....................................................................................... 3563

Verse 09-25 ............................................................................................... 3564
Verse 09-26 ............................................................................................... 3567
Verse 09-26 ............................................................................................... 3568
Verse 09-27 ............................................................................................... 3570
319 Verses-28 and 29 .................................................................................... 3573
Verse 09-28 ............................................................................................... 3574
Verse 09-29 ............................................................................................... 3580
320 Verses-29 To 34 ...................................................................................... 3583
Verse 09-30 ............................................................................................... 3585
Verse 09-31 ............................................................................................... 3587
Verse 09-32 ............................................................................................... 3588
Verse 09-33 ............................................................................................... 3590
Verse 09-34 ............................................................................................... 3591
Index downloaded from arshaavinash.in pg. xxxvii

Śrīmad Bhagavad Gītā bhāṣyam
Chapter 07 – Jñāna-Vijñāna Yōga
264 Chapter-7, Introduction and Verse-1
ॐ सदाशिव समारम्भाम् िङ् कराचायय मध्यमाम् अस्मदाचायय पययन्ताम् वन्दे गुरु परम्पराम् ॥ ॐ ॥
In the last class we completed the sixth chapter of the Bhagavad Gītā, and now we
have to enter into the seventh chapter. In our mūlam class I had talked about the
classification of the entire Bhagavad Gītā into three ṣaṭkams. Saṭkam means a group
of six chapters. The first six chapters constitute the prathama ṣaṭkam, the second six
chapters from the seventh to the twelfth constitute the madhyama ṣaṭkam, and the
third six chapters from the thirteenth to the eighteenth constitute the carama or
antima ṣaṭkam.
Śaṅkarācārya doesn‟t deal with this topic prominently, he doesn‟t mention the ṣaṭka-
trayam in his bhāṣyam but all other commentators and subcommentators make this
division prominent. This division has been made because in each ṣaṭkam we can see
certain topics are dealt along with tātparyam and because of this topic wise
difference the ṣaṭka-trayam has been talked about. In my mūlam class I have
elaborately dealt with the topics of ṣaṭka-trayam and I assume that all the bhāṣyam
students or mūlam students also. I have been repeatedly emphasizing and I will
emphasize once again the bhāṣyam should never be studied without the study of the
mūlam from the guru. Mūlam study should be done first and then bhāṣyam study
has to be done – whether it is Gītā-bhāṣyam or upaniṣat-bhāṣyam. And if there are
students here who are coming only to the bhāṣyam class, I will very strongly
recommend that they should listen to mūlam classes also at least parallelly. Without
listening to the mūlam classes listening to bhāṣyam alone can create problem.
Therefore I am assuming that all the students here have heard the Gītā-mūlam
classes. And in the mūlam class I have dealt with the ṣaṭka-trayam and in each
ṣaṭkam I have talked about three topics. So total nine topics are dealt with in Gītā, I
have explained in mūlam classes. And since I am assuming that you are familiar with
those nine topics, I am not going to deal with that in the bhāṣyam class. Now we will
enter into the introductory bhāṣyam for the seventh chapter.
Page 196
Seventh Chapter downloaded from arshaavinash.in Page 3050

‘योगगनामगप सवेषाां मद्गतेनान्तरात्मना । श्रद्धावान्भजते याः माां साः मे युक्ततमो मताः’ [गीता ६-४७] इगत प्रश्नबीजम्
उपन्यस्य, स्वयम् एव ‘ईरॅिां मदीयां तत्त्वम्; एवां मद्गतान्तरात्मा स्यात्’ इगत एतत् गववक्ुाः ॥
श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
„yōgināmapi sarvēṣāṁ madgatēnāntarātmanā | śraddhāvānbhajatē yaḥ māṁ saḥ

mē yuktatamō mataḥ‟ [Gītā 6-47] iti praśnabījam upanyasya, svayam ēva „īdr̥śaṁ
madīyaṁ tattvam; ēvaṁ madgatāntarātmā syāt‟ iti ētat vivakṣuḥ ||
ŚrīBhagavān uvāca |
Śaṅkarācārya is first quoting the last verse of the sixth chapter, in which Lord Kr̥ṣṇa
has mentioned that among the various meditators yōginām means dhyāyinām, those
people who do Īśvara-dhyānam are superior to those people who meditate upon
various dēvatās. There are countless adhiṣṭhāna-dēvatās and there are many people
who meditate upon various adhiṣṭhāna-dēvatās, who are apūrṇa-dēvatās and who
are only jīva‟s in exalted position. Thus dēvatā-dhyāna-kartās are there and there
are some intelligent people who do not take to various apūrṇa-dēvatā-dhyānam but
those who take to pūrṇa-Īśvara-dhyānam. And those who practice pūrṇa-Īśvara-
dhyānam are superior to those who practice apūrṇa-dēvatā-dhyānam. This is how
Lord Kr̥ṣṇa concluded the sixth chapter, glorifying pūrṇa-Īśvara-dhyānam.
And the same topic he has indicated as the end of the fifth chapter also. If you look
at the last ślōka of the fifth chapter, there Kr̥ṣṇa had said
भोक्तारां यज्ञतपसाां सवयलोकमहेश्वरम् ।

सुहृदां सवयभूतानाां ज्ञात्वा माां िान्न्तमृच्छगत ॥ गीता ५-२९ ॥
bhōktāraṁ yajñatapasāṁ sarvalōkamahēśvaram |
suhr̥daṁ sarvabhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntimr̥cchati || Gītā 5-29 ||
Kr̥ṣṇa has mentioned pūrṇa-Īśvara. Thus at the end of the fifth chapter and at the
end of the sixth chapter Kr̥ṣṇa is referring to pūrṇa-Īśvara without explaining who
that pūrṇa-Īśvara is. In the second chapter, fourth chapter, etc., Kr̥ṣṇa has talked
about the ātmā which is different from the body, dēha-vyatirikta-ātmā has been
talked about in the second chapter, fourth chapter and fifth chapter, etc., but who is
the pūrṇa-Īśvara Kr̥ṣṇa has not been discussed in the prathama ṣaṭkam. But without
discussing that pūrṇa-Īśvara is Kr̥ṣṇa is mentioning that the meditation on pūrṇa-
Īśvara is great. So naturally the listener will have this question. Kr̥ṣṇa is glorifying
pūrṇa-Īśvara-dhyānam without explaining who is that pūrṇa-Īśvara. Therefore
naturally praśna will come. Praśna means question. Two questions will come. What
are those two questions?
1) Who is pūrṇa-Īśvara?
2) And how to practice pūrṇa-Īśvara-dhyānam?

Pūrṇa-Īśvara kaḥ? Pūrṇa-Īśvara-dhyānam kim? These two questions will naturally

come to a listener and Arjuna also may get this question.
And Arjuna doesn‟t ask this question. Even though Arjuna doesn‟t ask these two
questions viz., pūrṇa-Īśvara kaḥ? Pūrṇa-Īśvara-dhyānam kim? Even though Arjuna
doesn‟t ask these two questions Kr̥ṣṇa being a fantastic teacher, He imagines the
possible questions from the intelligent student like you all. He imagines those two
questions and Kr̥ṣṇa Himself voluntarily answers those two questions in the following
six chapters from seventh to twelfth chapters. All these six chapters constituting the
madhyama ṣaṭkam is an answer to two possible questions pūrṇa-Īśvara kaḥ? Pūrṇa-
Īśvara-dhyānam kim?
And why does this question come, because at the end of the sixth chapter Kr̥ṣṇa has
glorified pūrṇa-Īśvara meditator as superior to apūrṇa-dēvatā-dhyānam.
Circumambulating Āñjanēya in the temple of Rāma. So many people go to Rāma
temple and go round and round around Āñjanēya who is on the pillar leaving out the
pūrṇa-Rāma who is in the garbhagr̥ha . If Āñjanēya has got some blessing power,
that Āñjanēya‟s power comes from Lord Śrī Rāma. Āñjanēya doesn‟t have any glory
but he goes on saying Harē Rāma or Sītā Rāma, why cannot the devotees directly go
to Śrī Rāma? Many don‟t understand what is apūrṇa-dēvatā and pūrṇa-Īśvara. So we
have to go to Rāma, Hanumān must inspire us to go to Rāma. Sticking to Hanumān
is unwise approach; Hanumān must inspire us to go Rāma. That is called wisdom.
Hanumān is apūrṇa-dēvatā and Rāma is pūrṇa-Īśvara. And who is that Rāma? Who
is that Kr̥ṣṇa? Who is pūrṇa-Īśvara? That is the topic of the following six chapters.
Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says: iti – in this manner. In which manner? Through the
last verse of the sixth chapter, praśnabījam upanyasya – Lord Kr̥ṣṇa has presented a
ślōka which triggers two questions. So Kr̥ṣṇa has presented question-triggering
verse. Praśnabījam means question triggering verse. Question triggering for whom?
a thinking student. For a thinking student a bījam (seed) for asking the following two
questions. And svayam ēva – Kr̥ṣṇa Himself, iti ētat vivakṣuḥ – wants to answer also,
vivakṣuḥ comes later, vivakṣuḥ means Kr̥ṣṇa Himself wants to answer also those two
questions. And what are those two questions? What is pūrṇa-Īśvara? And what is his
meditation? And what is the answer Kr̥ṣṇa gives? „Īdr̥śaṁ madīyaṁ tattvam‟ – which
is the answer to the first question. Īdr̥śam – this is My svarūpam. This is My
svarūpam. „My‟ means pūrṇa-Īśvara-svarūpam is the following six chapters. What is
going to be the discussion? Parā-prakr̥ti plus aparā-prakr̥ti is equal to pūrṇa-Īśvara.
So īdr̥śam means parā -aparā-prakr̥ti dvayam is My natu re. Thus Kr̥ṣṇa is going to
answer if only you patiently study the seventh chapter. This is the answer to the first

question. After tattvam you have to put a semicolon. Then the answer to the second
question is „ēvaṁ madgatāntarātmā syāt‟ – in the following manner one should fix
the mind upon God. Ēvam means in the following manner . In the follower means as
discussed in the seventh chapter to twelfth chapter . So īdr̥śam refers to the six
chapters and ēvam refers to six chapters, in the following manner, madgata-
antarātmā, antarātmā means mind and madgata means is fixed on Bhagavān. So
you should practice pūrṇa-Īśvara-dhyānam in the manner as described in the
following six chapters which is the answer to the second question. So ēvam onwards
up to syāt is within inverted comma. Iti – in this manner, ētat vivakṣuḥ – Kr̥ṣṇa is
going to answer these two important questions.
Therefore Śrī Bhagavān uvāca – Bhagavān voluntarily starts the seventh chapter.
Kr̥ṣṇa did not know whether Arjuna has any interest or not. He decided and goes on.
The proof that Arjuna is interested is he has not walked out. Therefore Kr̥ṣṇa
assumes. Now we will enter the ślōka, very important foundation ślōka for the
following six chapters. This is a mahā foundation for the six chapters commencing
from seventh to twelfth chapter. We will read.
Verse 07-01
मय्यासक्तमनााः पाथय योगां युञ्जन्मदाश्रयाः ।

असांियां समग्रां माां यथा ज्ञास्यशस तच्छृ णु ॥ गीता ७-१ ॥
mayyāsaktamanāḥ pārtha yōgaṁ yuñjanmadāśrayaḥ |

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tacchr̥ṇu || Gītā 7-1 ||
First I will give you gist of the ślōka. It is a very important ślōka. In the first half
Kr̥ṣṇa defines a spiritual seeker. „Who is a spiritual seeker?‟ definition He gives. The
definition consists of three descriptions.
1) Mayi āsakta-manāḥ – he is interested in pūrṇa-Īśvara. So the first description

of a spiritual seeker is that he is no more interested in apūrṇa-puruṣārtha, apūrṇa--
dharma, apūrṇa-artha, apūrṇa-kāma, apūrṇa-dēvatā, anything apūrṇam he is not
interested in and he has fixed his goal in pūrṇa-Īśvara. That is my top priority. He
has got nitya-anitya-vastu-vivēkaḥ and he is a mumukṣu. A spiritual seeker is
interested in pūrṇa-Īśvara.
2) The second description is mat āśrayaḥ. For attaining the pūrṇa-Īśvara he is

depending upon, he is taking the support of pūrṇa- Īśvara. He wants to attain the
pūrṇa-Īśvara and for attaining the pūrṇa-Īśvara he takes the support of pūrṇa-
Īśvara. So through pūrṇa- Īśvara‟s support one has to attain the pūrṇa- Īśvara.

Therefore the means is also pūrṇa-Īśvara and the end is also pūrṇa- Īśvara. அவன்
அருளாலெ அவன் தாள் வணங்கி அவனை அனைய வவண்டும் (ஶிவபுராணம்).
{avan arulālē avan tāl vaṇaṅgi avanē aḍaiya vēṇḍum(Śivapurāṇam). It is through

His grace alone that we bow down to His feet and attain Him}. So pūrṇa-Īśvara is
the āśrayaḥ for him. This is the second description.
3) The third description is yōgam yuñjan – he put forth the appropriate effort
for reaching the God. Yōgam means appropriate effort. Yuñjan means the one who
puts forth, the one who invests, the one who practices, and yōgam appropriate
spiritual sādhana. Here yōga is a generic word to include all the spiritual sādhanas,
karma-yōga at the initial level, the upāsana-yōga in the intermediary level and
jñāna-yōga at the culmination level. That at the appropriate stage appropriate yōga
he wants to practice. That means he doesn‟t say everything is Bhagavān‟s will, that
whenever He wishes let Him give mōkṣa; he doesn‟t reject the freewill. Many
religious people reject freewill saying that „everything Bhagavān only does, when
Bhagavān wants to give mōkṣa He will give mōkṣa, my job is prapatti, śaraṇāgati at
the feet of someone‟. They do not want to do anything. We appreciate śaraṇāgati
but we say śaraṇāgati is not dropping responsibility. Śaraṇāgati doesn‟t replace
responsibility. Śaraṇāgati enhances the power of responsibility. Thus in the mūlam
class I had said yōgam yuñjan refers to prayatna and mat āśrayaḥ refers to
prasādaḥ. Īśvara‟s grace is required and our efforts are also required. Effort plus
grace is equal to success. Effort minus grace is unsuccessful; grace minus effort is
also unsuccessful only.
Thus what are the three descriptions of a spiritual seeker? Īśvara is the goal, Īśvara
is the path and appropriate effort. The one who has got Īśvara as the goal and one
who has got Īśvara Himself as the path, and the one who puts forth appropriate
effort – all these three put together defines a spiritual seeker. This is the first half of
the ślōka.
In the second half the prayōjanam, the phalam is pointed out. If a spiritual seeker
has got these three components success is definite. What is success? Samagram
mām yathā jñāsyasi – he will come to discover pūrṇa-Īśvara. Samagram means
pūrṇa, jñāsyasi means he will discover pūrṇa-Īśvara. What do you mean by pūrṇa-
Īśvara? Parā-prakr̥ti plus aparā-prakr̥ti is equal to pūrṇa-Īśvara. In vēdānta language
Brahman plus māyā is equal to pūrṇa-Īśvara. Both have to be comprehended clearly.
So samagram mām yathā jñāsyasi – he will discover pūrṇa-Īśvara. And the discovery
of pūrṇa-Īśvara is equal to attainment of pūrṇa-Īśvara. Īśvara-jñānam ēva Īśvara-

prāptiḥ. In Viśiṣṭādvaitam Īśvara-jñānam and Īśvara-prāpti are not identical. You

have to gain Īśvara-jñānam in this janma and you have to worship, dhyānam, etc.,
thereafter after death you will go through śukla-gati and go to Vaikuṇṭha and attain
Īśvara. Īśvara-jñānam and Īśvara prāpti are two separate things, not only spatially
separate but time-wise also separate in Viśiṣṭādvaitam. Whereas in advaitam Īśvara-
jñānam ēva Īśvara prāpti,
ब्रह्मगवदाप्नोगत परम् । ॥ तैत्तिरीयोपगनषत् २-१-१ ॥
brahmavidāpnōti param | || Taittirīyōpaniṣat 2-1-1 ||
And therefore jñāsyasi is equal to prāpsyasi. Arjuna being a true spiritual seeker you
will discover Me and you will attain Me.
And what are the chances of success? What is the percentage of success? Kr̥ṣṇa
says asaṁśayam – definitely you will discover and attain Me by being a spiritual
seeker endowed with these three descriptions – mayi āsakta-manāḥ you should be,
mat āśrayaḥ you should be and yōgam yuñjan you should be.
And naturally you are curious to know how will all this happen? It is nice to listen to,
how is it possible? If you have that curiosity śr̥ ṇu – I am going to tell. Allow me to
speak. This is the gist of the ślōka. Now we will go to the bhāṣyam.
मयय वक्ष्यमाणगविेषणे परमेश्वरे आसक्तां मनाः यस्य साः मयय आसक्त-मन ाः, हे प थथ, योगं युञ्जन् मनाःसमाधानां कुवयन,्
मत् आश्रयाः अहम् एव परमेश्वराः आश्रयाः यस्य साः मदाश्रयाः ।
mayi vakṣyamāṇa viśēṣaṇē paramēśvarē āsaktaṁ manaḥ yasya saḥ mayi āsakta-
manāḥ, hē pārtha, yōgaṁ yuñjan manaḥsamādhānaṁ kurvan, mat āśrayaḥ aham
ēva paramēśvaraḥ āśrayaḥ yasya saḥ madāśrayaḥ |
So mayi āsakta-manāḥ, is the first word, Śaṅkarācārya explains that. Mayi

literally means in Me. When Kr̥ṣṇa is referring to Himself as Kr̥ṣṇa, according to the
context we have to take the appropriate meaning, sometimes Kr̥ṣṇa will refer to
Himself as an avatāra with a date of birth and a date of svargārōhaṇam. Kr̥ṣṇa as
Mr. Kr̥ṣṇa is spatially and time-wise limited, but when Kr̥ṣṇa refers to Himself as the
infinite God, then He is not referring to avatāra Kr̥ṣṇa but he is referring to the
Paramēśvara Himself. In this context mayi refers to not finite-Kr̥ṣṇa but infinite-
Īśvara. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says mayi is equal to Paramēśvarē, in Kr̥ṣṇa the
infinite God. And who is the infinite God? Vakṣyamāṇaviśēṣaṇē – the one who is
going to be described in the seventh chapter. Vakṣyamāṇam means who is going to
be described, viśēṣaṇam means description. What is the description? Parā-prakr̥ti
and aparā-prakr̥ti. I am using these two words because I am assuming you are

mūlam class students. Therefore vakṣyamāṇa viśēṣaṇē paramēśvarē, āsaktaṁ

manaḥ yasya saḥ – a spiritual seeker is one whose mind is āsaktam, āsaktam means
craving for; he is desperately interested in Īśvara alone as the puruṣārtha because
he has understood that everything other than Bhagavān is unpredictable,
uncontrollable and unsustainable; therefore unstable and therefore unreliable. This
you have to thoroughly understand. Other than Bhagavān nothing is reliable as the
support. Therefore the one who is desperately interested in Bhagavān alone as the
top priority. That is the meaning of āsaktam. Manaḥ yasya saḥ bahuvrīhi samāsa.
Mayi āsakta-manāḥ. So mayi can be taken as a separate word and āsakta-
manāḥ as a separate word; bahuvrīhi samāsa. Or you can take the whole thing as a
collective compound also. Mayyāsaktamanāḥ itself as a compound also. Then it
will become aluk samāsa. Hē Pārtha – Hē Arjuna, this is description one. The first
description is God is the goal of life. God is the goal.
The second description is yōgaṁ yuñjan. Yōga is equal to manaḥ-samādhānam, it

means focus of the mind, yuñjan means kurvan. So yōgaṁ yuñjan means
focusing the mind on the Lord performing the appropriate sādhana. That is
understood. I focus my mind either by practicing karma-yōga or by practicing
upāsana-yōga or by practicing jñāna-yōga which yōga I practice will depend upon in
which level I am. Because in karma-yōga also focus is on God only because in
karma-yōga īśvarārpaṇa-bhāvanā is there, and Īśvara-prasāda-bhāvanā is there.
Therefore in karma-yōga also I focus my mind on God. In upāsana-yōga I am
practicing upāsana on either ēkarūpa-Īśvara or Viśvarūpa-Īśvara or arūpa-Īśvara.
Therefore upāsana-yōga is also focused and in jñāna-yōga I am doing brahma -māyā
vivēka, dr̥k-dr̥śya vivēka, that is also focusing the mind. Therefore focusing the mind
means yōga trayam abhyasan iti arthaḥ. So by practicing appropriate yōga is the
second description. Samādhānam means focus. This is the second description.
The third description is mat āśrayaḥ, mat āśrayaḥ means aham ēva
paramēśvaraḥ āśrayaḥ yasya saḥ – for the spiritual seeker paramēśvaraḥ alone is
the āśrayaḥ, or paramēśvara-jñānam alone is the āśrayaḥ. So God alone is the
āśraya means support. Bhagavān alone is the walking stick or the walker. Bhagavān
is the walker to walk on the spiritual path. Why walker? Otherwise we fall down.
Therefore aham ēva āśrayaḥ yasya saḥ. Again bahuvrīhi samāsa. That person is
called madāśrayaḥ. This is the third description.
Bhagavān is the support can be understood as bhagavat-jñānam is the support for

attaining Bhagavān because knowledge is the path for reaching mōkṣa.

तमेवां गवद्वान् अमृत इह भवगत । नान्याः पन्ााः गवद्यतेऽयनाय ॥ पुरुषसूक्तम् १७ ॥
tamēvaṁ vidvān amr̥ta iha bhavati | nānyaḥ panthāḥ vidyatē:'yanāya ||

Puruṣasūktam 17 ||
He doesn‟t want to take karma support because karma does not take him to
Bhagavān. Karma takes to anātmā only.
प्लवा ह्येते अरॅढा यज्ञरूपा अष्टादिोक्तमवरां येषु कमय । एतच्छ्रे यो येऽत्तभनन्दन्न्त मूढा जरामृत्युां ते पुनरेवागप यन्न्त ॥
मुण्डकोपगनषत् १-२-७ ॥
plavā hyētē adr̥ḍhā yajñarūpā aṣṭādaśōktamavaraṁ yēṣu karma | ētacchrēyō

yē:'bhinandanti mūḍhā jarāmr̥tyuṁ tē punarēvāpi yanti || Muṇḍakōpaniṣat 1-2-
7 ||
He doesn‟t want to take karma support but he wants to take jñānam support only.
That Śaṅkarācārya will clarify in the next paragraph, we will read.
याः गह कत्तित् पुरुषाथेन केनशचत् अथी भवगत साः तत्साधनां कमय अग्ननहोत्रादद तपाः दानां वा गकञ्चचत् आश्रयां प्रगतपद्यते,
अयां तु योगी मामेव आश्रयां प्रगतपद्यते, गहत्वा अन्यत् साधन-अन्तरां मयय एव आसक्त-मनााः भवगत ।
yaḥ hi kaścit puruṣārthēna kēnacit arthī bhavati saḥ tatsādhanaṁ karma

agnihōtrādi tapaḥ dānaṁ vā kiñcit āśrayaṁ pratipadyatē, ayaṁ tu yōgī māmēva
āśrayaṁ pratipadyatē, hitvā anyat sādhana-antaraṁ mayi ēva āsakta-manāḥ
bhavati |
So this is the general consolidation of all the three descriptions of a spiritual seeker.
Here ācārya says yaḥ hi kaścit – suppose there is a human being, kēnacit
puruṣārthēna arthī – interested in one goal or the other, kēnacit puruṣārthēna
means interested in any puruṣārtha, in any human goal which may fall under either
dharma, he wants to attain puṇyam and take care of his next janma, or he wants to
get artha, or he wants to get kāma. Artha, kāma, puṇyam, any puruṣārtha he is
interested in. kēnacit arthī, arthī means seeker of. So seeker of any human goal, saḥ
kiñcit āśrayaṁ pratipadyatē – such a human being takes to appropriate means as
the support. Here āśraya means or sādhana. Pratipadyatē means resort to. So if he
is interested in money as the puruṣārtha, he has to immediately go to the
appropriate sādhana, it can be either in the form of laukika karma, take up a job.
Therefore you take to a laukika-karma to earn money or there are some people who
take to āvahantī hōmam. This hōma is mentioned in Taittirīyōpaniṣat. They do not
remember Brahman in Taittirīyōpaniṣat but they remember āvahantī hōma. You
know what is āvahantī hōma? It is a ritual for getting Lakṣmīdēvī.
ततो मे त्तश्रयमावह । लोमिाां पिुत्तभाः सह स्वाहा ॥ तैत्तिरीयोपगनषत् १-४-२ ॥

tatō mē śriyamāvaha | lōmaśāṁ paśubhiḥ saha svāhā || Taittirīyōpaniṣat 1-4-2

||
Whether Nārāyaṇa comes or not doesn‟t matter. I want Lakṣmīdēvī. Therefore

whoever is interested in any goal, takes to an appropriate āśraya, āśraya means
sādhanam pratipadyatē. That Śaṅkarācārya says tatsādhanam – an appropriate
sādhana. Sādhanam should be connected with āśrayam, sādhanam āśrayam
pratipadyatē. And what are the various sādhanas involved? Agnihōtrādi karma – it
can be in the form of an agnihōtra ritual which guarantees svarga, the heaven, or
tapaḥ – varieties of austerities for getting various goals, and dānam – varieties of
dānam for getting a particular puruṣārtha, vā kiñcit – or any such appropriate
sādhana prescribed in vēdapūrva bhāga. Pratipadyatē; this is the general rule. But
ayaṁ tu yōgī – whereas this spiritual seeker has already understood the limitation of
all the apūrṇa puruṣārthas, and therefore he has renounced the vēdapūrva bhāga
itself,
न कमयणा न प्रजया धनेन त्यागेनैके अमृतत्वमानिुाः ॥ कैवल्योपगनषत् १-३ ॥
na karmaṇā na prajayā dhanēna tyāgēnaikē amr̥tatvamānaśuḥ ||

Kaivalyōpaniṣat 1-3 ||
He has renounced all the karmas, all the upāsanas because he knows karma-phalam
is finite, upāsana-phalam is also apūrṇam. How did he discover?
परीक्ष्य लोकान् कमयशचतान् ब्राह्मणो गनवेदमायान्नास्त्यकृताः कृतेन । तगद्वज्ञानाथं स गुरुमेवात्तभगच्छे त् सयमत्पात्तणाः श्रोगत्रयां
ब्रह्मगनष्ठम् ॥ मुण्डकोपगनषत् १-२-१२ ॥
parīkṣya lōkān karmacitān brāhmaṇō nirvēdamāyānnāstyakr̥taḥ kr̥tēna |

tadvijñānārthaṁ sa gurumēvābhigacchēt samitpāṇiḥ śrōtriyaṁ Brahmaniṣṭham
|| Muṇḍakōpaniṣat 1-2-12 ||
While studying the bhāṣyam one has to be familiar with all these mantras. That is
the qualification to study the bhāṣyam. Therefore he has already gone through
karma, upāsana and he has understood the limitation of karma-phalam and
upāsana-phalam and now he has come to Bhagavān otherwise called Brahman.
Therefore ayaṁ tu yōgī, anyat sādhana-antaraṁ hitvā, hitvā means sannyasya, he
has renounced all the karmas and upāsanas having known the limitations of them .
So sādhana -antaram means karma upāsanādi sādhana -antaram he has renounced
or if he is a gr̥hastha he has reduced them . Either he has taken to sannyāsa and
renounced them totally or he has become a mental sannyāsi and reduced saguṇa
karma and saguṇa upāsanas also, and he has taken to mām ēva āśrayam – he has
come to Īśvara, pūrṇa-Bhagavān he has come to.

And how does he approach pūrṇa Bhagavān? Vēdānta vicāra dvārā. You can take
the support of nirguṇam-brahma only by enquiring into nirguṇam-brahma. Therefore
mām ēva means Īśvara ēva, āśrayaṁ pratipadyatē – he takes as the āśraya.
How? Anyat sādhana-antaraṁ hitvā sannyāsam svīkr̥tya that is the idea , mayi ēva
āsakta-manāḥ bhavati. When he comes to vēdānta bhāga, vēdānta vicāra bhāga,
śravaṇa-manana-nididhyāsana bhāga, what does he say when you ask what do you
want, he will not mention anyone of the local needs, he will say I want, exactly like
Nacikētas when he was offered by Yamadharmarājā I will give you house, car, gold,
svarga lōka, apsarās etc. What did nine year old Nacikētas say?
श्वोभावा मत्ययस्य यदन्तकैतत् सवेंदियाणाां जरयांगत तेजाः । अगप सवं जीगवतमल्पमेव तवैव वाहास्तव नृत्यगीते ॥
कठोपगनषत् १-१-२६ ॥
śvōbhāvā martyasya yadantakaitat sarvēṁdriyāṇāṁ jarayaṁti tējaḥ | api

sarvaṁ jīvitamalpamēva tavaiva vāhāstava nr̥tyagītē || Kaṭhōpaniṣat 1-1-26 ||
They are wonderful, keep with yourself. Give me Bhagavān, I don‟t want anything
else. This is the definition of a spiritual seeker. Continuing;
याः त्वां एवांभूताः सन् असंशयं समग्रं समस्तां गवभूगतबलिक्तत्यैश्वयायददगुणसम्पन्नां म ं यथ येन प्रकारेण ज्ञ स्यसस सांियम्
अन्तरेण ‘एवम् एव भगवान्’ इगत, तत् शृणु उच्यमानां मया ॥ ७-१ ॥
yaḥ tvaṁ ēvaṁbhūtaḥ san asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ samastaṁ

vibhūtibalaśaktyaiśvaryādiguṇasampannaṁ māṁ yathā yēna prakārēṇa jñāsyasi
saṁśayam antarēṇa „ēvam ēva Bhagavān ‟ iti, tat śr̥ṇu ucyamānaṁ mayā || 7-1
||
So yaḥ tvaṁ ēvaṁ bhūtaḥ san – suppose Arjuna you become such a spiritual seeker.
In the first half Kr̥ṣṇa defined a spiritual seeker in a general sense, now He is
addressing Arjuna and says suppose you are such a spiritual seeker, that is why
tvaṁ ēvaṁbhūtaḥ, tvam means you, ēvaṁbhūtaḥ means such a spiritual seeker, and
such a spiritual seeker means having been above mentioned three descriptions. So if
you come under that category, asaṁśayam is in the first line and in the third line
meaning is given saṁśayam antarēṇa, it means doubtlessly. What will happen
doubtlessly? Samagram is in the mūlam, is equal to samastam, and samastam
means in its entirety, in totality, mām jñāsyasi – you will come to know Me, you
will know Me fully or entirety, entirety means vibhūti-bala-śakti-aiśvarya-ādi-guṇa-
sampannam – as endowed with all these virtues, all these characters, all these
features. And what are these features? Vibhūti – the total glory of both aparā-prakr̥ti
and parā-prakr̥ti. Aparā-prakr̥ti has variety, parā-prakr̥ti has no variety; aparā-prakr̥ti
has attributes, parā-prakr̥ti has no attributes; aparā-prakr̥ti is unstable, parā-prakr̥ti

alone is stable; aparā-prakr̥ti is object, parā-prakr̥ti is subject; aparā-prakr̥ti is

observed and parā-prakr̥ti is observer. All these glories, vibhūti means glory, bala
means physical strength, śakti means mental strength. So sthūla-śarīra balam,
sūkṣma-śarīra śakti and then aiśvaryam means overlordship, ādi means etcetera.
Etcetera means omniscience, omnipotence and omnipresence all the glories of the
Lord, both saguṇa glories and nirguṇa glories mām jñāsyasi – you will come to
know if you become such a spiritual seeker. How? In the next class.
ॐ पूणयमदाः पूणययमदम् पूणायत्पूणयमुदच्यते । पूणयस्य पूणयमादाय पूणयमेवावशिष्यते ॥ ॐ िान्न्ताः िान्न्ताः िान्न्ताः ॥ हरराः ॐ.॥

265 Verses 07-01 To 07-04
Page 196 Chapter 7 verse 1 bhāṣyam last paragraph
Verse 07-01 Continuing;

याः त्वां एवांभूताः सन् असंशयं समग्रं समस्तां गवभूगतबलिक्तत्यैश्वयायददगुणसम्पन्नां म ं यथ येन प्रकारेण ज्ञ स्यसस सांियम्
अन्तरेण ‘एवम् एव भगवान्’ इगत, तत् शृणु उच्यमानां मया ॥ ७-१ ॥
yaḥ tvaṁ ēvaṁbhūtaḥ san asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ samastaṁ

vibhūtibalaśaktyaiśvaryādiguṇasampannaṁ māṁ yathā yēna prakārēṇa jñāsyasi
saṁśayam antarēṇa „ēvam ēva Bhagavān ‟ iti, tat śr̥ṇu ucyamānaṁ mayā || 7-1 ||
Śaṅkarācārya is commenting upon the second half of the ślōka, samagram mām
jñāsyasi. „Arjuna you will know Me completely if you fulfil three conditions of being a
spiritual seeker. The first condition being mayi āsakta-manāḥ, the second condition
is yōgam-yuñjan, and the third condition is mat-āśrayaḥ. If these three conditions
are there, then you will know Me completely and certainly‟. We are seeing the last
paragraph. And when Kr̥ṣṇa says you will know Me completely, the adverb
„completely‟ should be carefully understood, completeness indicates both saguṇa-
svarūpam as well as nirguṇa-svarūpam. Knowing saguṇa-svarūpam alone will never
become complete, nirguṇa-Īśvara which will be called parā-prakr̥ti that also must be
known. As long as saguṇa-svarūpam, alone I know I will be in bhēda-bhakti, only
when I know the nirguṇa-svarūpam bhēda-bhakti will be converted into abhēda-
bhakti. To remember Nārada Bhaktisūtra Īśvara prēma will be converted into
ātmaprēma. And therefore saguṇa-nirguṇa-svarūpam mām jñāsyasi. And
asaṁśayam, asaṁśayam is in adverbial form. First we have to make it nañ
bahuvrīhi and then convert it into adverb. Saṁśayaḥ na bhavati yatra, na vidyatē
saṁśayaḥ yasmin tad asaṁśayam. Then tadyathā bhavati tathā asaṁśayam,
doubtlessly, certainly. So saṁśayam antarēṇa mām jñāsyasi. And how will he know?
That is put within inverted commas. „ēvam ēva Bhagavān‟ – Bhagavān is in this
manner, dr̥śya-rūpēṇa, dr̥g-rūpēṇa. Dr̥śya-rūpēṇa saguṇa-Bhagavān asti, aham-dr̥g
rūpēṇa nirguṇa Bhagavān asti. Saguṇa-Bhagavān is in the form of what-I-experience
and nirguṇa-Bhagavān is in the form of I-the-experiencer. „ēvam ēva Bhagavān ‟ iti
jñāsyasi – thus you will know certainly. And tat śr̥ ṇu ucyamānam, tat is in the
mūlam, is equal to ucyamānam, ucyamānam tat means samprakāram, that method
of knowing; ucyamānam – which is going to be taught by Me, may you śr̥ṇu – may
you listen to.

The anvaya is, Hē pārtha! Mayi āsakta-manāḥ mat āśrayaḥ (tvaṁ) yōgam yuñjan
(san), samagram mām yathā asaṁśayam jñāsyasi, tat śr̥ṇu | Continuing;
Verse 07-02 Introduction;

तत् च मगद्वषयम् ––
tat ca madviṣayam ––
Verse 07-02
ज्ञानां तेऽहां सगवज्ञानयमदां वक्ष्याम्यिेषताः ।
यज्ज्ज्ञात्वा नेह भूयोऽन्यज्ज्ज्ञातव्यमवशिष्यते ॥ गीता ७-२ ॥
jñānaṁ tē:'haṁ savijñānamidaṁ vakṣyāmyaśēṣataḥ |

yajjñātvā nēha bhūyō:'nyajjñātavyamavaśiṣyatē || Gītā 7-2 ||
I will give you the gist of this ślōka. Ācārya says tat ca madviṣayam jñānam – the
knowledge that I am going to deal with is Īśvara viṣayam. Madviṣayam means Īśvara
viṣayam, because Lord Kr̥ṣṇa says it is the knowledge about Me, and when Kr̥ṣṇa
says Me it refers to Īśvara. Therefore madviṣayam means Īśvara-viṣayam-jñānam.
And Kr̥ṣṇa says I am going to give you two forms of knowledge: Īśvara-jñānam also
I am going to give, Īśvara-vijñānam also I am going to give. Both jñānam and
vijñānam I am going to give. And Śaṅkarācārya will translate vijñānam as anubhava-
sahitam-jñānam – it is a knowledge along with Īśvara-anubhavaḥ, and this word
anubhava alone is creating lot of confusion, anubhava must be understood as
binary-format mindset alone means brahma-anubhavaḥ. Whenever we talk about
brahma anubhava or ātma anubhava we should never understand it as an objective
experience happening at a particular time. Objective experience at a particular time
is possible only for anātmā. Ātma-viṣaya-anubhava should be translated; experience
should be translated as change of format alone. Conversion of dāsō:'ham to sō:'ham
is anubhavaḥ. And again conversion of sādhaka-jīva into siddham-brahma. I don‟t
look upon myself as sādhaka-jīvaḥ but I look upon myself as siddha-brahma. This
two-fold conversion alone we call as anubhava. Dāsō:'ham to sō:'ham, sādhaka-jīva
aham to siddha-brahma aham, this mindset should come and this mindset should
become spontaneous to me throughout my life. Spontaneous binary-format is
brahma-anubhava. Other than this spontaneous binary-format there is no other
brahma-anubhava. This brahma-anubhava alone is called vijñānam.
Whereas when we have got clear knowledge of the scriptures and we continue in
triangular-format that is called jñānam in this context. Only in this context jñānam
word is used when we say I understand vēdānta very well; having the understanding

but continuing in the triangular-format we call as jñānam. Along with jñānam when I
change to binary-format, binary-format-sahita-jñānam is equal to vijñānam. Binary-
format-rahitam-jñānam, triangular-format sahita-jñānam is called jñānam. The
difference between jñānam and vijñānam is not a new mystic experience but the
difference is only caused by format-change from triangular to binary. That I am
going to give Īśvara-vijñāna sahita-jñānam. This is the gist of the first line of this
ślōka.
In the second line Kr̥ṣṇa says that Īśvara-vijñānēna sarva vijñānam bhavati, in
keeping with Muṇḍaka style. Muṇḍaka style means you should immediately
recognize Gītā-bhāṣyam student should have completed the upaniṣat study. So
Īśvara-vijñānēna sarva vijñānam bhavati because Īśvara ēva sarvam. Why Īśvara
ēva sarvam? All Muṇḍaka we should remember because Īśvara is kāraṇam and
sarvam is kāryam, therefore ēka kāraṇa vijñānēna sarva kārya vijñānam bhavati.
Therefore after Īśvara-jñānam you have nothing else to know. So yat jñātvā
jñātavyam anyat nāsti – there is nothing else to be known. This is the gist of this
important ślōka. This is called pratijñā ślōka. Ēka vijñānēna sarva vijñāna pratijñā
ślōka.
Depth of the Gītā we will get only after Upanishadic study. We will get only
superficial knowledge if you study Gītā by itself. Therefore Gītā study should be
conducted in two ways. First study Gītā, then study upaniṣats, then go back to Gītā.
Then Gītā will give a depth which the other person will never understand. That is
what Madhusūdana commentary is. He brings the full depth of Gītā by taking the
Upanishadic portion also. Śaṅkarācārya shows that, indicate that, but Madhusūdana
Sarasvatī makes it explicit. But he brings in some other problems also and therefore
we don‟t go to that. Now we will read the bhāṣyam.
ज्ञ नं ते तुभ्यम् अहं सविज्ञ नं गवज्ञानसगहतां स्वानुभवसांयुक्तम् इदं िक्ष्य यम कथययष्यायम अशेषताः कात्स्न्येन ।
jñānaṁ tē tubhyam ahaṁ savijñānaṁ vijñānasahitaṁ svānubhavasaṁyuktam

idaṁ vakṣyāmi kathayiṣyāmi aśēṣataḥ kārtsnyēna |
Jñānam is in the mūlam, and he has already indicated in the introduction

madviṣayam. The word madviṣayam which is in the introduction that should be
added here, the knowledge about God. Then tē is in the mūlam, is equal to
tubhyam. Aham is in the mūlam, savijñānam is in the mūlam, is equal to vijñāna-
sahitam – along with vijñānam. What do you mean by vijñānam?
Svānubhavasaṁyuktam. Anubhava is equal to binary-format saṁyuktam. I will insist

upon your changing the format. So format=change saṁyuktam=jñānam. Idam

means this knowledge. Idam indicates vakṣyamāṇam, it is going to be said very
soon and therefore idam. Vakṣyāmi is in the mūlam, is equal to kathayiṣyāmi – I
shall teach you. Aśēṣataḥ is equal to kārtsnyēna – completely. Again here
completeness indicates both saguṇa and nirguṇa, dvaita and advaita. In saguṇa-
Īśvara-anubhava we have got different types of experiences possible. In saguṇa-
Īśvara-anubhava you can get Bhagavān‟s darśana whenever He is pleased like Rāma
giving darśanam to Śabarī etc. Saguṇa-Īśvara-anubhava can happen when saguṇa-
Īśvara in the form of iṣṭa-dēvatā gives darśanam. Vēdānta is not very much
interested in saguṇa-iṣṭa dēvatā-darśanam; vēdānta doesn‟t have any tātparyam.
Whereas vēdānta has got tātparyam in saguṇa-viśvarūpa-darśanam. Saguṇa-
viśvarūpa-darśanam vēdānta is very particular, because that is going to be talked in
the eleventh chapter. How do you get saguṇa-viśvarūpa-darśanam? When will
saguṇa-viśvarūpa come in front of you? Saguṇa-viśvarūpa need not come, saguṇa-
viśvarūpa is available; you will get saguṇa-viśvarūpa-darśanam by changing the
mindset. What is the mindset change? Sarvam Īśvara-mayam jagat. Good people,
bad people, ugly people, all types of things are nothing but saguṇa-viśvarūpa only.
Thus by changing the mindset we have to divinize the world, that is called saguṇa-
Īśvara-darśanam. So what is the definition of saguṇa-Īśvara-darśanam? Divinizing
the world. Saguṇa-Īśvara-darśanam is divinization of the world.
What is nirguṇa-Īśvara darśanam? Claiming I am nirguṇa-Īśvara is nirguṇa-Īśvara

darśanam. Saguṇa-Īśvara-darśanam is divinization of the world. Nirguṇa-Īśvara-
darśanam is claiming I am nirguṇa-Īśvara. How do you claim? Claiming nirguṇa-
Īśvara is nothing but entertaining the thought deliberately. What is that thought? I
am nirguṇa-Īśvara always.
So therefore svānubhava-saṁyuktam – in the form of divinization and claiming.

kārtsnyēna ahaṁ vakṣyāmi. For this you should remember an important ślōka of
the tenth chapter, ahamātmā guḍākēśa sarvabhūtāśayasthitaḥ (Gītā 10-20). Kr̥ṣṇa
tells you don‟t look for Kr̥ṣṇa darśanam, I am in the form of the very You, the ātmā.
yō vēda nihitam guhāyām paramē vyōman (Taittirīyōpaniṣat 2-1-1) Continuing;
तत् ज्ञानां गववत्तक्तां स्तौगत श्रोतुाः अत्तभमुखीकरणाय ।
tat jñānaṁ vivakṣitaṁ stauti śrōtuḥ abhimukhīkaraṇāya |
So he introduces the second half of the ślōka. Tat jñānam – that saguṇa-nirguṇa-
Īśvara-jñānam and saguṇa-nirguṇa-Īśvara-anubhavaḥ; in our language it is

divinization plus claiming. Saguṇa-nirguṇa-Īśvara-anubhavaḥ in the form of

divinization of the world and claiming I am nirguṇam brahma. That jñānaṁ
vivakṣitam – is going to be taught in the chapters from seventh to twelfth of Gītā. It
is going to be taught in six chapters. That is why this pratijñā ślōka is a solid
pratijñā, because this is the summary of six chapters, this is the sāra of six chapters.
Saguṇa-nirguṇa-Īśvara-anubhava is the sāra of six chapters. Vivakṣitam – is going to
be taught. Stauti – Kr̥ṣṇa glorifies. So the essence, the message of the madhyama
ṣaṭkam Kr̥ṣṇa glorifies. Why should He glorify? Śrōtuḥ abhimukhīkaraṇāya – so that
the student will sit straight and listen to the teaching with full attention. Therefore
abhimukhīkaraṇam means drawing the attention of the student. Śrōtuḥ means
student. So to draw the attention of the student Kr̥ṣṇa glorifies the message of the
madhyama ṣaṭkam. What is that glory? We will read.
यत् ज्ञ त्ि यत् ज्ञानां ज्ञात्वा न इह भूयाः पुनाः ज्ञ तव्यं पुरुषाथयसाधनम् अिशशष्यते न अविेषाः भवगत । इगत मित्त्वज्ञाः
याः, साः सवयज्ञाः भवगत इगत अथयाः । अताः गवशिष्टफलत्वात् रृलयभां ज्ञानम् ॥ ७-२ ॥
yat jñātvā yat jñānaṁ jñātvā na iha bhūyaḥ punaḥ jñātavyaṁ

puruṣārthasādhanam avaśiṣyatē na avaśēṣaḥ bhavati | iti mattattvajñaḥ yaḥ,
saḥ sarvajñaḥ bhavati iti arthaḥ | ataḥ viśiṣṭaphalatvāt durlabhaṁ jñānam || 7-
2 ||
So yat jñātvā is equal to yat jñānaṁ jñātvā – having learnt this message of the
madhyama ṣaṭkam which is saguṇa nirguṇa-Īśvara-anubhavaḥ is equal to
divinization of the world plus claiming that I am nirguṇa-Īśvara. So this saguṇa-
nirguṇa-Īśvara-anubhavaḥ; jñātvā – after receiving this message, iha, iha is in the
mūlam, is equal to in this world, in this manuṣya janma, punaḥ, bhūyaḥ is in the
mūlam, is equal to punaḥ – again or more, jñātavyam anyat na avaśiṣyatē –
there is nothing else to be known; after knowing Īśvara there is nothing else to be
known, and there is nothing else worth knowing also. And therefore Śaṅkarācārya
adds puruṣārthasādhanam – there is nothing else worth knowing as a means of
puruṣārtha, because once this jñānam comes all the four puruṣārthas are attained. I
attain mōkṣa directly, then dharma-artha-kāma puruṣārthas I indirectly accomplish
sō:'śnutē sarvān kāmān saha brahmaṇā vipaścitēti (Taittirīyōpaniṣat 2-1-1) by
attaining mōkṣa directly I am indirectly attaining dharma-artha-kāma; because
mōkṣa includes sarva puruṣārtha. Therefore anyat puruṣārthasādhanam
Śaṅkarācārya says na avaśiṣyatē; that na should be connected from the first line.
na avaśiṣyatē is equal to na avaśēṣaḥ bhavati – nothing remains worth knowing. If
at all you want to know more and more it is only a hobby but it is not going to
improve the quality of life. Because quality of life need not be improved as I have
discovered my pūrṇatvam and after discovering pūrṇatvam I may learn some more

tarka for fun, some more vyākaraṇam I may learn for fun, but I don‟t have to learn,
there is no pressure in learning. To put it in another language intellectual satisfaction
comes from this knowledge alone, in any other branch of knowledge intellectual
satisfaction will not come. Just as money will produce more greed for money,
material knowledge will generate more greed for material knowledge. Therefore
more and more dissatisfaction will come; intellectual dissatisfaction will increase
through material knowledge. Intellectual satisfaction will come only through spiritual
knowledge. That is why parā vidyā is sa brahmavidyām sarvavidyāpratiṣṭhām
atharvāya jyēṣṭhaputrāya prāha (Muṇḍakōpaniṣat 1-1-1). So very significant
message. Therefore he says iti; here iti is hētvarthē, therefore, yaḥ mattattvajñaḥ –
Īśvara tattvajñaḥ, the knower of Īśvara svarūpam, here tattva means svarūpam,
whoever is the knower of Īśvara svarūpa; saḥ sarvajñaḥ bhavati – he will become
omniscient. Iti arthaḥ.
Here also we have to make an aside note. Through Īśvara-jñānam, sarvajñatvam,

omniscience will come it is said. Sarvajñaḥ bhavati. Now a mīmāṁsā questions.
When you say the jñāni becomes omniscient, will this statement come under the
phalam of jñānam or glorification of jñānam. Because ṣaḍliṅgas are there
upakramōpasaṁhārau abhyāsō:'pūrvatā phalam. Arthavādōpapattī ca liṅgaṁ
tātparyanirṇayē. When you talk about that jñāni becomes omniscient, does it come
under stuti, i.e., arthavāda or does it come under phalam, the benefit of getting
jñānam. Is it arthavāda or is it phalam? Śaṅkarācārya says it is arthavāda and not
phalam. Omniscience is only glorification; it is not the result of Self-knowledge.
Why? If omniscience is declared as the result of Self-knowledge, then all the
students will interview a jñāni and they will ask the question do you know how to
make spaghetti, an Italian dish. He doesn‟t know what spaghetti is. So you only said
by Self-knowledge you will become omniscient. You don‟t know even spaghetti, what
omniscience you have? Remember no jñāni will become omniscient in the literal
sense of the term. It is only a figurative statement; don‟t take it literally. Literal
omniscience is possible only for Īśvara. Īśvara will not only know spaghetti and in
future if you are going to discover newer and newer recipes, you cook something
and it becomes something else and you show it as new recipe in TV. Like that newer
and newer recipes, future recipes also Bhagavān will know because Bhagavān is
trikāla jñāni. But when you say jñāni is omniscient it is not the phalam of jñānam, it
is only arthavāda, figuratively glorifying the jñānam. And why this figurative
glorification? It is because everything is essentially Brahman. Therefore you say

jñāni knows that everything is Brahman. And that is why Śaṅkarācārya says stauti,
omniscience is only arthavāda not phalam. Very important. Iti arthaḥ.
Then he adds the last line ataḥ viśiṣṭaphalatvāt – since it is an extraordinary

knowledge with extraordinary glory of omniscience, durlabhaṁ jñānam – this
knowledge is very very rare. Why does Śaṅkarācārya suddenly say this knowledge is
durlabham? Kr̥ṣṇa has not said that, He only said jñāni becomes omniscient. Why
Śaṅkarācārya comments this knowledge is rare? He says because this is the seed for
the next ślōka. Therefore durlabham is making the statement getting us ready for
the next ślōka. There in the next ślōka Kr̥ṣṇa says among thousands of people only a
few attend Gītā bhāṣyam classes, only a few will come to spiritual knowledge. This is
the introduction for that statement. In fact, ataḥ viśiṣṭaphalatvāt you can add as an
introduction to the next ślōka also.
The anvaya is, aham tē idam savijñānam jñānam aśēṣataḥ vakṣyāmi, yat jñātvā iha
bhūyaḥ anyat jñātavyam na avaśiṣyatē. Continuing;
Verse 07-03 Introduction

कथम् इगत उच्यते ––
katham iti ucyatē ––
Verse 07-03
मनुष्याणाां सहस्रेषु कत्तिद्यतगत शसद्धये ।
यततामगप शसद्धानाां कत्तिन्माां वेत्ति तत्त्वताः ॥ गीता ७-३ ॥
manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasrēṣu kaścidyatati siddhayē |

yatatāmapi siddhānāṁ kaścinmāṁ vētti tattvataḥ || Gītā 7-3 ||
I will give you the gist. So katham iti ucyatē, katham durlabham, in the previous
commentary he said jñānam durlabham. That we have to supply here. katham
jñānam durlabham iti ucyatē – how do you say this Īśvara-anubhava jñānam is rare.
For that the answer is given in the ślōka because the majority of humanity is not
interested in Īśvara. They don‟t have time for that also because PORT (Possessions,
Obligations, Responsibilities, Transactions) keeps us busy and preoccupied.
Bālastāvat krīḍāsaktaḥ taruṇastāvat taruṇīsaktaḥ (Bhaja gōvindam 7). Because
people are busy with PORT, they don‟t have time or interest. Even if people get
interested in Īśvara, they are interested in Īśvara only for changing the world. They
want to improve their set up. Īśvara jñānārtham na Īśvara bhakti but for changing
the set up change they need Īśvara bhakti. Even Īśvara is brought in as a part of

PORT. Instead of dropping the PORT and going to Īśvara, we bring Īśvara also to
the PORT. That is what we manage. And therefore many people don‟t come to
Īśvara. And even if some people are interested in Īśvara, they don‟t come to this
jñānam, because of lack of sādhana-catuṣṭaya-sampatti. Only very few people come
to jñānam and vijñānam. And there also Īśvara-anubhava; three things. People even
in Īśvara-anubhava they are interested in iṣṭa-dēvatā Īśvara-anubhava alone is given
importance which is not at all important according to vēdānta. Iṣṭa-dēvatā anubhava
is not necessary, we require viśvarūpa-Īśvara divinization is important, that they are
not giving importance. Nirguṇa-Īśvara-anubhava in the form of claiming I am
nirguṇa-Īśvara, for that Īśvara-anubhava nobody comes. Therefore this knowledge is
durlabham. This is the essence. Now we will read the bhāṣyam.
मनुष्य ण ं मध्ये सहस्रेषु अनेकेषु कशित् यतवत प्रयत्नां करोगत ससद्धये शसद्ध्यथयम् । तेषाां यतत म् अवप ससद्ध न म् –
शसद्धा एव गह ते ये मोक्ाय यतन्ते – तेषाां कशित् एव गह म ं िेसि तत्त्िताः यथावत् ॥ ७-३ ॥
manuṣyāṇāṁ madhyē sahasrēṣu anēkēṣu kaścit yatati prayatnaṁ karōti

siddhayē siddhyartham | tēṣāṁ yatatām api siddhānām – siddhā ēva hi tē yē
mōkṣāya yatantē – tēṣāṁ kaścit ēva hi māṁ vētti tattvataḥ yathāvat || 7-3 ||
Manuṣyāṇām is in the mūlam, Śaṅkarācārya adds the word madhyē to indicate

that this is ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti which is nirdhāranē ṣaṣṭhī. For grammar students
Śaṅkarācārya is indicating nirdhāranē ṣaṣṭhī. Wherever the word madhyē comes
after ṣaṣṭhī it should be understood as nirdhāranē ṣaṣṭhī which means among. So
manuṣyāṇām means among the human beings, madhyē means among. And
among how many human beings? Sahasrēṣu – among thousands and millions and
billions of human beings. That is why he says sahasrēṣu is equal to anēkēṣu. Here
sahasra does not represent thousand only you can say billions and billions of
human beings. Kaścit is in the mūlam, which means only one rare person. Yatati is
in the mūlam, is equal to prayatnaṁ karōti – strives starting from ārta-bhakti,
progressing to arthārthī-bhakti thereafter he never comes to jijñāsu-bhakti like
clearing CA examination, only ārta-bhakti and arthārthī-bhakti and never goes
beyond them, people never comes to jijñāsu-bhakti, and even among jijñāsu-
bhaktas one person alone becomes binary-format-bhakta. Therefore kaścit yatati
prayatnaṁ karōti – puts forth effort. For what? Siddhayē is in the mūlam, is equal
to siddhyartham, here siddhi means mōkṣa siddhiḥ, for attaining mōkṣa-puruṣārtha.
Now Śaṅkarācārya comes to the second line; tēṣāṁ yatatām api – even for those
who striving seekers, aspiring seekers, madhyē this is also nirdhāranē ṣaṣṭhī,
madhyē is understood, even among those striving, aspiring seekers, siddhānām,
then in parenthesis Śaṅkarācārya explains what siddhaḥ is. After siddhānām you

have put an en dash and after yatantē you have put another en dash. It is an
explanation of the word siddha. Here this explanation is required because Kr̥ṣṇa uses
the word siddha, and the dictionary meaning of the word siddha is liberated. And in
the first line he has talked about the seekers. If you literally translate this ślōka there
will be problem. Among those liberated seekers only some will get liberated.
siddhānām madhyē kaścit mām tattvataḥ vētti if you literally translate it will
mean among those liberated seekers only a few will become liberated. How can you
say among the liberated seekers? Therefore Śaṅkarācārya wants to clarify that. Here
the word liberated should not be taken literally. What Kr̥ṣṇa wants to say is once a
person becomes a serious seeker he is almost liberated. Like a fiancé, a would-be-
husband, here also siddhānām means almost liberated seekers or about to be
liberated seekers. Therefore he says yē mōkṣāya yatantē – even those people who
are seriously striving for mōkṣa they are as good as liberated. Therefore
siddhānām means as good as. And nowadays there is a method it seems; I don‟t
know how far it is true. Suppose I am studying for M.A or PhD. And it is about to be
completed, so I cannot officially claim I am a PhD. I have not got the certificate. But
it is almost over for all practical purposes you can take me as a PhD. How to indicate
that? There is a method it seems. You write PhD and put a line on the top. It means
almost PhD.
Now Śaṅkarācārya says in this ślōka, siddhānām you put a line, that is what the
explanation is. Yē mōkṣāya yatantē – those who are serious seekers who have got
manuṣyatvam, mumukṣutvam mahāpuruṣasaṁśrayaḥ they are liberated with a line
on the top. Therefore siddhāḥ – among those serious sādhakas who are almost
liberated, tēṣām – among them also kaścit – some rare ones, māṁ vētti – know
Me, tattvataḥ, tattvataḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to yathāvat. Yathāvat means
properly and completely. What is proper knowledge? Saguṇa-nirguṇa-jñānam,
divinization of the world plus claiming I am nirguṇa-Īśvara is yathāvat jñānam.
The anvaya is, manuṣyāṇām sahasrēṣu (madhyē) kaścit siddhayē yatati | yatatām
siddhānām api kaścit mām tattvataḥ vētti | Here sahasrēṣu is nirdhāranē saptamī.
Continuing;

श्रोतारां प्ररोचनेन अत्तभमुखीकृत्य-आह –
śrōtāraṁ prarōcanēna abhimukhīkr̥tya-āha ––

So Śaṅkarācārya says the first three verses are introductory verses. Actual teaching
is going to start from the fourth ślōka only. The first three verses are introduction of
the topic as well as the glory of that. What is the topic? Īśvara-anubhava-jñānam
which is saguṇa-nirguṇa-Īśvara-anubhava-jñānam. Divinization of the world is
saguṇa-Īśvara-anubhava and claiming nirguṇa-Īśvara as me is nirguṇa-Īśvara-
anubhava. Saguṇa-Īśvara-anubhava is divinization of the world. Nirguṇa-Īśvara-
anubhava is claiming I am nirguṇa-Īśvara. This saguṇa nirguṇa-Īśvara-anubhava
jñānam is the topic of the following six chapters. Not only the topic Kr̥ṣṇa introduced
this topic he has talked about the glory also. What is the glory? Total intellectual
satisfaction. No more questions like why should Bhagavān create the world, could he
not keep silent, and if he created the world why did he create mosquitoes making
me buy the bat and hit centuries. So why, why, why, why? All these why‟s
disappear. Total intellectual satisfaction is the phalam of this. Having glorified this
topic, introduced as glorified, the teaching begins. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says
having drawn the attention of student in these three verses Kr̥ṣṇa starts the topic in
the next verse.

266, Verse-07-04
Page 207, Verse No.04
Verse 07-04
भूयमरापोऽनलो वायुाः खां मनो बुद्धद्धरेव च ।
अहङ् कार इतीयां मे त्तभन्ना प्रकृगतरष्टधा ॥ गीता ७-४ ॥
bhūmirāpō:'nalō vāyuḥ khaṁ manō buddhirēva ca |

ahaṅkāra itīyaṁ mē bhinnā prakr̥tiraṣṭadhā || Gītā 7-4 ||
In the first three verses of this chapter Lord Kr̥ṣṇa introduced the subject matter in
the form of Īśvara-svarūpam and talked about the glory of knowledge of Īśvara-
svarūpam. Having introduced in the three verses, now from the fourth verse Kr̥ṣṇa
enters into the actual teaching. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya gave the introduction
śrōtāraṁ prarōcanēna abhimukhīkr̥tya ; abhimukhīkaraṇam means drawing the
attention of śrōtā; śrōtā means the listener, the student. Having drawn the attention
of the Gītā student towards Himself; how did he draw the attention? What is the
method used? Prarōcanēna – by tempting the student, by making the student love
the subject as a subject matter which will give total intellectual satisfaction.
yajjñātvā nēha bhūyō:'nyajjñātavyamavaśiṣyatē (Gītā 7-2). So intellectual
satisfaction is the benefit of this knowledge. Of course emotional satisfaction is a by-
product but intellectual satisfaction is the primary benefit. Thus tempting the student
Kr̥ṣṇa enters into the subject-matter. First I will give you the gist of the verse and
then we will enter the bhāṣyam.
In these two verses four and five Lord Kr̥ṣṇa defines Īśvara as a mixture of two
factors. Īśvara, Bhagavān is defined as a mixture two components which Kr̥ṣṇa calls
as parā-prakr̥ti, the higher nature or the higher component and aparā-prakr̥ti, the
lower nature or the lower component. Thus parā-prakr̥ti and aparā-prakr̥ti is Īśvara.
And Kr̥ṣṇa chooses the word prakr̥ti here to indi cate that both together make the
cause of the creation. Because in saṁskr̥ta language the word prakr̥ti ḥ means
upādāna-kāraṇam, the material cause. Therefore by using the word parā-prakr̥ti and
aparā-prakr̥ti Kr̥ṣṇa conveys the idea that Bhagavān is prakr̥ti ḥ, Bhagavān is
upādāna-kāraṇam, the material cause of the creation.
And an aside note that we have to add is parā-prakr̥ti is called vivarta-upādāna-

kāraṇam, non-changing-material-cause and aparā-prakr̥ti is pariṇāmī-upādāna-

kāraṇam, changing-material-cause. Thus Bhagavān is a mixture of non-changing and

changing-material-cause of the entire universe. The non-changing material-cause
parā-prakr̥ti‟s contribution to the creation is sat , cit and ānanda. The changing-
material cause aparā-prakr̥ti‟s c ontribution to the creation is nāma and rūpa. Thus
vivarta-upādāna-kāraṇam contributes saccidānanda, pariṇāmī-upādāna-kāraṇam
contributes nāma-rūpa. Thus we have a wonderful creation which is a mixture of
nāma-rūpa plus saccidānanda.
अस्स्त भागत गप्रयां रूपां नाम चेत्यांिपचचकम् । आद्यत्रयां ब्रह्मरूपां जगद्रूपां ततो द्वयम् ॥ रॅनरॅश्यगववेकाः २० ॥
asti bhāti priyaṁ rūpaṁ nāma cētyaṁśapañcakam | ādyatrayaṁ brahmarūpaṁ

jagadrūpaṁ tatō dvayam || dr̥g dr̥ śya vivēkaḥ 20 ||
Of these two components first Kr̥ṣṇa enumerates aparā-prakr̥ti in verse four and
parā-prakr̥ti in verse five. Then Kr̥ṣṇa points out this aparā-prakr̥ti itself is a
composite factor consisting of eight division, the aparā-prakr̥ti itself is endowed with
eight-fold division. Therefore He names it aṣṭadhā-aparā-prakr̥ti, and parā-prakr̥ti is
ēkadhā-parā-prakr̥ti. Thus ēkadhā-parā-prakr̥ti plus aṣṭadhā-aparā-prakr̥ti is equal to
Īśvara who is pariṇāmī-vivarta-upādāna-kāraṇam of this universe.
And while enumerating the eight-fold division of aparā-prakr̥ti, Kr̥ṣṇa or Vyāsa, the
author is making use of the sāṅkha theory of creation. This description is based on
the sāṅkhya approach to creation. It has been given through the chart.
Avyaktam/Mula Prakriti
Mahat Buddhi
Ahamkara
Mana Dasa Indriyani (Pancha Jnendriyani Pancha suksma bhutani

plus Pancha karmendriyani

Pancha stula bhutani
Avyaktam / Mula prakriti 1

Mahat / Buddhi: 1
Ahamkara 1
Dasa Indriyani (Pancha Jnendriyani Pancha suksma
Manah 16
and Pancha karmendriyani bhutani
Pancha stula bhutani 5
Total 24
causal
Avyaktam, Mahat, Ahamkara and Pancha suksma bhutani 8
Tatvams
Non-causal
Manah:, Dasa Indriyani, Pancha stula bhutani 16
tatvams

If you look at the chart the top one is avyaktam otherwise called mūla-prakr̥ti which
is the seed of creation according to sāṅkha which is adapted by vēdānta. This
avyaktam is anādiḥ, uncreated. The only difference between sāṅkha and vēdānta is
in sāṅkha philosophy avyaktam is satyam whereas in vēdānta darśanam avyaktam is
mithyā. That is the only difference. That we are setting aside now.
Then from avyaktam comes mahat otherwise called buddhiḥ. Buddhiḥ is the
technical world used; it does not refer to individual human intellect. Buddhiḥ refers
to the first evolution from avyaktam. The buddhi refers to the cosmic material aspect
which is the first evolution from avyaktam.
Then from mahat the next flow chart is ahaṅkāraḥ. This ahaṅkāra is also not the
individual-ego but it refers to the cosmic-material-aspect of the creation which has
evolved from mahat. It is the second evolution.
The next evolution is from ahaṅkāra sixteen tattvams evolve. Sāṅkha philosopher
calls each one a tattvam. It is a technical word. The first tattvam is avyaktam,
second tattvam is mahat, and third tattvam is ahaṅkāra, from ahaṅkāra sixteen
tattvams evolve. For the word tattvam the English translation has to be category.
Category also is a technical word. What are those sixteen tattvams which evolve
from ahaṅkāra? 1) manaḥ – the mind, then 2) daśa indriyāṇi – ten sense organs
(pañca jñānēndriyāṇi plus pañca karmēndriyāṇi), and then 3) pañca sūkṣma bhūtāni
– five subtle elements. So one mind plus ten sense organs plus five subtle elements
that makes total of sixteen categories. Here we should note the word manaḥ does
not indicate the individual-mind but it is the cosmic-mind-principle. Similarly, daśa
indriyāṇi does not refer to individual-sense-organs, but the indriya-concepts or
possibilities. And then pañca-sūkṣma-bhūtāni, the subtle elements. So sixteen
tattvams are born.
And then comes the last stage of evolution. From the five subtle elements five gross
elements evolve, pañca-sthūla-bhūtāni.
And here we can see another difference from Vedantic-creation. In sāṅkha creation
ten sense organs are born out of ahaṅkāra tattvam and from ahaṅkāra only five
subtle elements are born. But in Vedantic-creation, the sense organs are born out of
subtle elements, whereas in sāṅkha sense organs are not born out of subtle
elements, sense organs are born out of ahaṅkāra tattvam. This is a difference
between sāṅkhya-sr̥ṣṭi and vēdānta-sr̥ṣṭi. But vēdānta borrows sāṅkha-sr̥ṣṭi because
ultimately we are going to negate everything.

So what is the final evolution? Pañca-sthūla-bhūtāni. With the pañca-sthūla-bhūtas

all the tattvams are over.
And if you count all these tattvams we will get caturviṁśati tattvāni, twenty-four
tattvams are there in this. Avyaktam, mahat, ahaṅkāra, (3 tattvams). Then ten
sense organs (10 tattvam). Then ten elements (sthūla plus sūkṣma, daśa bhūtāni).
And then one mind. Thus twenty-four tattvams we find in the chart.
Now keeping the chart when you study, you will find eight tattvams happen to be
causal tattvams by which I mean they are the causes of another tattvam. Sixteen
are non-causal tattvams from which no other tattvam is born. Thus out of twenty-
four tattvams we have got eight causal-tattvams and sixteen non-causal tattvams.
Causal-tattvams are called prakr̥ti and non -causal tattvams are called vikr̥ti in
saṁskr̥ta. Thus eight prakr̥tis and sixteen vikr̥tis are there . Thus there are twenty-
four tattvams.
Now we have to identify the eight prakr̥tis . Avyaktam will come under causal prakr̥ti .
Why? Because from that mahat has come, which is another tattvam. Mahat is causal
prakr̥ti because from that aha ṅkāra has come. Ahaṅkāra is causal prakr̥ti because
from that sixteen tattvams have come. So many tattvams have come. So three. So
avyaktam, mahat and ahaṅkāra, so far three. Then five subtle elements are also
causal tattvams because from that five gross elements are born. Thus avyaktam,
mahat, ahaṅkāra and pañca-sūkṣma-bhūtāni; three plus five is eight are causal-
prakr̥tis, causal-tattvams.
And to talk about the greatness of avyaktam ; all the eight are prakr̥tis because from
all the eight some other tattvams are born but avyaktam has got the superior status
because it is the original one. And therefore it is called mūla-prakr̥tiḥ. The other
seven are not mūla-prakr̥tiḥ but they are all prakr̥tis . Thus totally eight prakr̥tis are
there.
The other sixteen are vikr̥tis . Manaḥ is vikr̥ti because it is non -causal factor, non-
causal tattvam. The next one is daśa-indriyāṇi, ten sense organs are non-causal
tattvams. Then finally pañca-sthūla-bhūtāni they are five non- causal category.
So eight causal categories and sixteen non-causal categories. So one mind, ten
sense organs, five sthūla-bhūtāni – sixteen are non-causal categories and eight are
causal categories. Eight causal-categories are called prakr̥tis and sixteen non -causal
categories are called vikr̥tis.

And these eight causal-categories Kr̥ṣṇa calls as aparā-prakr̥ti of Bhagavān. They are
avyaktam, mahat, ahaṅkāra and pañca sūkṣma bhūtāni. What is the common nature
of all of them? All causal categories are pariṇāmī-upādāna-kāraṇam and all of them
are jaḍam in nature. Whereas what is parā-prakr̥ti? Consciousness is parā-prakr̥ti
which is vivarta-upādāna-kāraṇam and which is cētanam in nature. That is going to
be said in the next ślōka. But here in the fourth ślōka, Kr̥ṣṇa talks about eight
causal- factors together called aparā-prakr̥ti.
Here Kr̥ṣṇa creates a problem. What is that problem? The eight causal-factors while
enumerating, Kr̥ṣṇa does not mention the avyaktam at all in this ślōka, which is the
most important one, the first causal-factor. Now you cannot say Kr̥ṣṇa is ignorant.
For some reason He misses that. And second thing is manaḥ, the mind should not
come under prakr̥ti category , it should come under vikr̥tis category . Why? It is
because from mind no other tattvam is born. Therefore mind should not be included
in eight-fold aparā-prakr̥ti because mind happens to be vikr̥ti -tattvam. So mind
should not be included, but Kr̥ṣṇa includes. Avyaktam should be included, but Kr̥ṣṇa
excludes. He wants to do some mischief.
Then how to solve the problem? Madhusūdana Sarasvatī solves the problem in a
simpler way, but Śaṅkarācārya solves in slightly complicated way, which will see
during bhāṣyam. Madhusūdana Sarasvatī says the word manaḥ should be
understood as avyaktam as the lakṣyārtha. Vācyārtha is manaḥ. Lakṣyārtha is
avyaktam. Because avyaktam is the ultimate cause of everything including the mind.
Therefore mind refers to avyaktam in this context. Therefore according to
Madhusūdana Sarasvatī the contextual meaning of the word mind is avyaktam. If
you look at the ślōka the eight-fold causal categories are mentioned. Bhūmiḥ, āpaḥ,
analaḥ, vāyuḥ, kham – pañca-sūkṣma-bhūtāni. Then manaḥ, according to
Madhusūdana Sarasvatī, manaḥ means avyaktam and then buddhiḥ means mahat-
tattvam and ahaṅkāraḥ means ahaṅkāra-tattvam. These are aṣṭadhā bhinnā
prakr̥tiḥ. With this background we will go to the bhāṣyam.
भूयमाः इगत पृशथवीतन्मात्रम् उच्यते, न स्थूला, ‘त्तभन्ना प्रकृगतरष्टधा’ इगत वचनात् । तथा अबादयाः अगप तन्मात्रात्तण एव
उच्यन्ते,
bhūmiḥ iti pr̥thivītanmātram ucyatē, na sthūlā, „bhinnā prakr̥tiraṣṭadhā‟ iti

vacanāt | tathā abādayaḥ api tanmātrāṇi ēva ucyantē,
So bhūmiḥ iti, the first word in the ślōka is bhūmiḥ, pr̥thivītanmātram ucyatē .
tanmātram means sūkṣma bhūtam. Therefore bhūmiḥ is the subtle earth. So
naturally we will wonder how did Śaṅkarācārya know. Because Kr̥ṣṇa only says

bhūmiḥ. It can be sthūla or sūkṣma. Kr̥ṣṇa doesn‟t say which one. Then how did
Śaṅkarācārya know that it is sūkṣmam. Śaṅkarācārya says if you study the ślōka you
will know. Kr̥ṣṇa says these are all prakr̥ti ḥ. It will come under prakr̥ti . If sthūla-
pr̥thivī had been mentioned, then sthūla-pr̥thivī will not come under prakr̥ti c ategory,
it will come under vikr̥ti category . And since Kr̥ṣṇa uses the word „bhinnā
prakr̥tiraṣṭadhā‟, it should refer to only sūkṣma-pr̥thivī. Therefore he says pr̥thivī
tanmātram ucyatē, that is sūkṣma-pr̥thivī ucyatē , na sthūlā ucyatē – it is not
referring to sthūla pr̥thivī because it would have been called vikr̥ti , a product.
Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says „bhinnā prakr̥tira ṣṭadhā‟ iti vacanāt – because of
Kr̥ṣṇa‟s expression as „bhinnā prakr̥tira ṣṭadhā‟. In this quotation also which word
should be underlined? Bhinnā is not important, aṣṭadhā is not important , prakr̥ti
word is to be underlined . That is the clue to interpret . And tathā – by applying the
same logic, tathā prakr̥ti pada prayōga balēna , because of the same logic, abādayaḥ
api, abādayaḥ means ap ādayaḥ. AP means jalam. So abādayaḥ is equal to ap
ādayaḥ means jala ādayaḥ. In the ślōka the word is āpaḥ. Therefore abādayaḥ
means jalam etc. Etcetera means agni vāyu and ākāśa. Analaḥ vāyuḥ kham. Kham
means ākāśa. All these five are tanmātrāṇi ēva ucyantē, tanmātram is a technical
word very often used in vēdānta śāstram, I don‟t use this word very often, but you
should note tanmātram means sūkṣma-bhūtāni. Why is it called tanmātram? The
reason also you should note. Sūkṣma pr̥thivī is called tanmātram because sūkṣma-
pr̥thivī has got only sūk ṣma-pr̥thivī and it doesn‟t have the other elements . Whereas
when you take sthūla-pr̥thivī it is not pure -pr̥thivī, it is not tanmātram, it is an alloy,
it is a mixture of all the five elements. All are based on Tattvabōdha Pañcīkaraṇam.
In sthūla-pr̥thivī 50% alone is pr̥thivī , and 12.5 percent each are of the other four
elements. Therefore sthūla-pr̥thivī is not tanmātram , it is a mixture. Therefore the
word tanmātram. And plural tanmātrāṇi. So tanmātrāṇi ēva ucyantē. So now we
have got five aparā-prakr̥ti. Now three more are there. We will read.
आपाः अनलाः ि युाः खम् मनाः इगत मनसाः कारणम् अहङ् काराः गृह्यते । बुशद्धाः इगत अहङ् कारकारणां महत्-तत्त्वम् ।
अहङ् क राः इगत अगवद्या-सांयुक्तम् अव्यक्तम् ।
āpaḥ analaḥ vāyuḥ kham manaḥ iti manasaḥ kāraṇam ahaṅkāraḥ gr̥hyatē |
buddhiḥ iti ahaṅkārakāraṇaṁ mahat-tattvam | ahaṅkāraḥ iti avidyā-saṁyuktam
avyaktam |
In fact, after tanmātrāṇi ēva ucyantē in the previous paragraph there is a full stop.
That full stop should not be there and there must be a comma. And this portion is
continuation up to kham iti, you have to add iti and put a full stop. Therefore, āpaḥ
analaḥ vāyuḥ kham iti abādayaḥ tanmātrāṇi ucyantē. Thus in the ślōka āpaḥ

analaḥ vāyuḥ kham all refer to sūkṣma-bhūtāni ēva. Then he comes to the word
manaḥ. As I said the word manaḥ should not be there in this ślōka because
manaḥ doesn‟t come prakr̥ti, it comes under vikr̥ti . Therefore it should not be there
I said. Madhusūdana Sarasvatī solves the problem by taking manaḥ as avyaktam
which has been missed out. That is Madhusūdana Sarasvatī‟s the simple
interpretation. But Śaṅkarācārya interprets differently. He says manaḥ iti. So
through the expression manaḥ in this ślōka, manasaḥ kāraṇam ahaṅkāraḥ gr̥hyatē.
Therefore the word manaḥ in this ślōka means ahaṅkāra tattvam.
Naturally you will get a question. What about ahaṅkāra occurring in this ślōka. That
we will see later, here note this much that the word manaḥ in this ślōka means
ahaṅkāraḥ. How? Lakṣaṇayā, by lakṣaṇā, the implied meaning manaḥ means
ahaṅkāraḥ. And what is ahaṅkāraḥ? Manasaḥ kāraṇam which is the cause of the
mind, which you will get if you remember the flow chart. One stream from ahaṅkāra
is manaḥ. Then buddhiḥ iti ahaṅkārakāraṇaṁ mahat-tattvam ucyatē – the word
buddhiḥ refers to mahat-tattvam as explained in sāṅkha śāstram. The word
buddhiḥ iti mahat-tattvam ucyatē. It refers to mahat, there is no complication
involved. What type of mahat-tattvam? Ahaṅkārasya-kāraṇam – which is the cause
of ahaṅkāra.
And now what about the word ahaṅkāra which occurs in this ślōka? Śaṅkarācārya
says the word ahaṅkāra in this ślōka does not mean ahaṅkāra. It is because already
the word manaḥ refers to ahaṅkāra. Since the word manaḥ I have interpreted as
ahaṅkāra, the word ahaṅkāra should not be taken as ahaṅkāra, if ahaṅkāra is also
taken as ahaṅkāra there will be two ahaṅkāras. Therefore he says the word
ahaṅkāra in this ślōka means avyaktam. Whereas Madhusūdana Sarasvatī says the
word manaḥ means avyaktam. Śaṅkarācārya says the word ahaṅkāra means
avyaktam. Therefore he says ahaṅkāraḥ iti. The word ahaṅkāraḥ refers to
avyaktam. What type of avyaktam? Avidyā-saṁyuktam avyaktam. Here the word
avidyā must be translated as potential-ahaṅkāra which Śaṅkarācārya later translates
as avidyā-ahaṅkāra-vāsanā. So the word avidyā in the bhāṣyam should be translated
as potential-ahaṅkāra and the saṁskr̥ta word for potential -ahaṅkāra is ahaṅkāra-
vāsanā. Vāsanā means seed; ahaṅkāra bījam. Therefore avidyā-saṁyuktam
avyaktam is equal to ahaṅkāra-bīja-saṁyuktam-ahaṅkāram avyaktam iti ucyatē. So
Śaṅkarācārya‟s interpretation is ahaṅkāra refers to avyaktam because ahaṅkāra in
seed form is there in avyaktam.

How do you know ahaṅkāra is in seed from in avyaktam? Very simple. From
avyaktam only all these tattvams are evolving. Everything is evolving from
avyaktam. Just as the leaves, fruits, etc., they all must be there in potential form in
the seed. How do you prove it? From the seed all of them emerge. Therefore if they
should emerge they all must be in potential form. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says since
ahaṅkāra bījam is there in avyaktam, the word ahaṅkāra can be taken as avyaktam.
Therefore he says avidyā-saṁyuktam, ahaṅkāra-vāsanā-saṁyuktam, ahaṅkāra-bīja-
saṁyuktam avyaktam ahaṅkāra śabdēna ucyatē. Therefore all the eight tattvams
have been covered.
Now he wants to justify Lord Kr̥ṣṇa. How can the word ahaṅkāra be used to convey
the avyaktam which contains ahaṅkāra-bījam? Suppose somebody asks. How can
such an expression be used, isn‟t Kr̥ṣṇa violating all the norms of communication?
Just because ahaṅkāra is mixed in avyaktam, it is potentially there in avyaktam, you
use the word ahaṅkāra for avyaktam. What is the logic behind such a
communication? Śaṅkarācārya says I will give you the logic. That is his brilliance.
यथा गवषसांयुक्तम् अन्नां गवषम् उच्यते, एवम् अहङ् कारवासनावत् अव्यक्तां मूलकारणम् अहङ् काराः इगत उच्यते ।
प्रवतयकत्वात् अहङ् कारस्य ।
yathā viṣasaṁyuktam annaṁ viṣam ucyatē, ēvam ahaṅkāravāsanāvat avyaktaṁ

mūlakāraṇam ahaṅkāraḥ iti ucyatē | pravartakatvāt ahaṅkārasya |
He says he will give two logics. One reason is we do have such usages in our
common parlance. When poison is used in some food, then poison-mixed-food itself
is called poison. When we say he consumed poison, he would have consumed some
liquid or solid in which poison is mixed and we do use the expression poison even
though it is not direct poison he has consumed but he consumed something in which
poison is mixed. If we can use poison to convey something in which poison is mixed
we can use the word ahaṅkāra for avyaktam in which ahaṅkāra is mixed. Ahaṅkāra
is also a type of poison only. Still whether you call it poison or not, once it is mixed
you can call it by that name. There is nothing wrong in it. Therefore he says
viṣasaṁyuktam annaṁ viṣam ucyatē, ēvam ahaṅkāravāsanāvat avyaktam,
ahaṅkāravāsanā means ahaṅkāra bīja, vat means saṁyuktam. So ahaṅkāra-bīja
saṁyuktam avyaktam ahaṅkāraḥ iti ucyatē. The word ahaṅkāra-vāsanā used here is
the avidyā word used in the third line above. Because in sāṅkha philosophy avidyā is
defined as ahaṅkāra only. The definition atasmin tadbuddhiḥ mixture is called
avidyā. Therefore in sāṅkha philosophy ahaṅkāra can be called avidyā. Therefore, he
uses the word avidyā as per sāṅkha-śāstra or yōga-śāstra. And what is that

avyaktam? Mūla-kāraṇam, which is nothing mūlakāraṇam or mūla-prakr̥ti. This is

reason number one. So miśritatvāt lakṣaṇayā ucyatē.
And now Śaṅkarācārya gives another logic also for using the word ahaṅkāra in the
meaning of avyaktam. He wants to give the second reason which is called gauṇa-
prayōgaḥ. There is a method of communication called gauṇa-prayōgaḥ. Gauṇa-
prayōgaḥ means using one word for another because of some common features.
Gauṇa-prayōgaḥ means guṇa-sāmānya-nimitta-prayōgaḥ gauṇa-prayōgaḥ. The
usage which is based on some common characteristics like they give the example in
the śāstra – he is a lion. We call a person as a lion. The word lion is used for a
person who is not a lion because of his courage, majesty, rulership etc. Another
example that they give is he is the pillar of the organization. Why do we call him a
pillar? Is it because he is immobile? Just as a pillar supports the whole building this
person supports the organization, the supporting faculty is called guṇa-sāmānyam.
In the case of lion vīratvam, krauryam etc., is the guṇa sāmānyam. Similarly,
ahaṅkāra and avyakta have got one sāmānya guṇam, a common feature is there for
such a usage, and that common feature is pravartakatvāt. It means both are
initiators of action or process. Both have got initiating power. What are the initiating
powers? Avyaktam has got the power to initiate the whole creation process because
from avyaktam only mahat came, then ahaṅkāra, sūkṣma bhūtāni, sthūla bhūtāni
etc. yataḥ pravr̥ttiḥ prasr̥tā purā ṇī (Gītā 15-4). The entire creation is initiated by
mūla-prakr̥ti. And ahaṅkāra is also a great initiator of the entire saṁsāra process.
यधया सहोदे गत यधयास्तमेगत लोकस्ततो धीप्रगवभास्य एषाः । धीलोकजन्मक्यधाम पूणं सद्वस्तु जन्मक्यिून्यमेकम् ॥
सद्दियनम् ९॥
Dhiyā sahōdēti dhiyāstamēti lōkastatō dhīpravibhāsya ēṣaḥ.

dhīlōkajanmakṣayadhāma pūrṇaṁ sadvastu janmakṣayaśūnyamēkam.
(Saddarśanam 9).
Along with ahaṅkāra all our problems will arise and along with ahaṅkāra all our
problems will resolve. Ahaṅkāra sattvē saṁsāra pravr̥tti sattvam aha ṅkāra abhāvē
saṁsāra pravr̥tti abhāvaḥ. How do you prove that? Here Ramaṇa Maharṣi specializes
on ahaṅkāra. During sleep no ahaṅkāra, therefore no initiative. Even the most active
Rājasic person during deep sleep state is in total rest because ahaṅkāra is not there.
Ahaṅkāra abhāvē pravr̥tti abhāva ḥ. But the moment we wake up the first thing we
see is watch. Invariably we have overslept. Ahaṅkāra wakes up and mamakāra
comes, my family duties, class duties, so many duties awake. Because ahaṅkāra is
kartā bhōktā pramātā. Therefore along with ahaṅkāra kartr̥tvam arise and along with
kartr̥tvam nitya -karmāṇi, naimittika-karmāṇi, kāmyakarmāṇi, prāyaścittakarmāṇi, so

many karmas all arise with kartr̥tvam. Kartr̥tvam arises because of ahaṅkāra. So thus
avyaktam is sr̥ ṣṭi-pravartakam and ahaṅkāra is saṁsāra-pravartakam. Ubhayōḥ api
pravartakatvāt ca. Because of this common feature of initiatorhood or initiative,
ahaṅkārasya – ahaṅkāra being a great initiator like avyaktam. Therefore the word
ahaṅkāra can be used for avyaktam. More in the next class.

267 Verses 07-04 and 07-05
Page 198 bhāṣyam top line

आपाः अनलाः ि युाः खम् मनाः इगत मनसाः कारणम् अहङ् काराः गृह्यते । बुशद्धाः इगत अहङ् कारकारणां महत्-तत्त्वम् ।
अहङ् क राः इगत अगवद्या-सांयुक्तम् अव्यक्तम् ।
यथा गवषसांयुक्तम् अन्नां गवषम् उच्यते, एवम् अहङ् कारवासनावत् अव्यक्तां मूलकारणम् अहङ् काराः इगत उच्यते ।
प्रवतयकत्वात् अहङ् कारस्य ।
अहङ् काराः एव गह सवयस्य प्रवृत्तिबीजां रॅष्टां लोके ।
āpaḥ analaḥ vāyuḥ kham manaḥ iti manasaḥ kāraṇam ahaṅkāraḥ gr̥hyatē |
buddhiḥ iti ahaṅkārakāraṇaṁ mahat-tattvam | ahaṅkāraḥ iti avidyā-saṁyuktam
avyaktam |
yathā viṣasaṁyuktam annaṁ viṣam ucyatē, ēvam ahaṅkāravāsanāvat avyaktaṁ

mūlakāraṇam ahaṅkāraḥ iti ucyatē | pravartakatvāt ahaṅkārasya |
ahaṅkāraḥ ēva hi sarvasya pravr̥ttibījaṁ dr̥ṣṭaṁ lōkē |
In this fourth verse Lord Kr̥ṣṇa is talking about aparā-prakr̥ti which is one of the two
components of Īśvara. We should not say Īśvara is endowed with these two prakr̥tis ,
we should say Īśvara is the mixture of these two prakr̥tis . And aparā-prakr̥ti itself is
subdivided into eight factors which were enumerated in the ślōka we saw in the last
class. Pañca-sūkṣma-bhūtāni, ahaṅkāraḥ, buddhiḥ and manaḥ. And we saw that
manaḥ should not be, really speaking, occurring in this list because manaḥ is not the
prakr̥ti, manaḥ is only a vikr̥ti . And since manaḥ should not be occurring but it is
occurring Śaṅkarācārya interprets the word differently. And the word manaḥ is taken
as ahaṅkāraḥ. And once manaḥ is interpreted as ahaṅkāraḥ, this problem is solved
but another problem arises. What is that other problem? If manaḥ is taken as
ahaṅkāraḥ then how will you interpret the word ahaṅkāraḥ occurring in the ślōka?
Śaṅkarācārya says the word ahaṅkāraḥ should mean avyaktam or mūla-prakr̥tiḥ.
Because in the ślōka avyaktam or mūla-prakr̥tiḥ is not occurring and that must be
included. In fact, that is the prime constituent. It is like a marriage party without
groom. So therefore mūla-prakr̥tiḥ which is the most important component of aparā-
prakr̥ti Kr̥ṣṇa has quietly left in the ślōka. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says ahaṅkāraḥ
refers to mūla-prakr̥tiḥ. And then the question comes how can the word ahaṅkāraḥ
refer to mūla-prakr̥tiḥ, you cannot take any meaning for any word then there will be

communication confusion. And for that Śaṅkarācārya gives two reasons. Ahaṅkāraḥ
is there in the mūla-prakr̥tiḥ in potential form. And Śaṅkarācārya calls the potential
ahaṅkāraḥ as avidyā or ahaṅkāra-vāsanā. This is an idiom Śaṅkarācārya will use
often, those who study bhāṣyam should be aware of it. Śaṅkarācārya uses the word
avidyā for ahaṅkāraḥ in potential form. Therefore avidyā means ahaṅkāraḥ in
potential form and another word he uses is ahaṅkāra-vāsanā. And since ahaṅkāra-
vāsanā otherwise called ahaṅkāraḥ in potential form otherwise called avidyā is in
mūla-prakr̥tiḥ, ahaṅkāraḥ can be used for referring to mūla-prakr̥tiḥ. And he gave
the example of a food which is mixed with poison is called poison. Viṣasaṁ yuktam
annaṁ viṣam iti ucyatē ēvam ahaṅkāra saṁyuktā mūla-prakr̥tiḥ ahaṅkāraḥ iti ucyatē.
This is reason number one, which we completed in the last class. Then he gave the
second reason also.
The second reason for what? Using the word ahaṅkāraḥ in the meaning of mūla-
prakr̥tiḥ. What is the second reason? Guṇa sāmānyāt gauṇa-prayōgaḥ. We can use
one word in the meaning of the other if both have got certain common features like
a person with majesty, power etc., can be called a lion. Even though he is not a lion
he has got certain characteristics similar to lion, therefore siṁha guṇa sāmānyāt
siṁha iti ucyatē. It is called guṇa sāmānya nimitta prayōgaḥ gauṇa-prayōgaḥ.
And another example Śaṅkarācārya gives is he is a fire. Agnirmānavataḥ. Agni is also

brilliant, the student is also brilliant ēvam tējasvitva guṇa-sāmānya-nimitta-prayōgaḥ
gauṇa-prayōgaḥ agnir-mānavataḥ. Similarly ahaṅkāra and mūla-prakr̥tiḥ have got
one sāmānya guṇa called pravr̥ttikāraṇam. Mūla-prakr̥ti is the cause of the entire
creation and ahaṅkāra also is the cause of the entire saṁsāra.
In the last class I gave you the anvaya-vyatirēka logic also. Ahaṅkāra sattvē saṁsāra
pravr̥tti aha ṅkāra abhāvē saṁsāra pravr̥tti abhā vaḥ tasmāt ahaṅkāra ēva saṁsāra-
pravr̥tti-kāraṇam. That is why in jāgrad-avasthā ahaṅkāra is there, saṁsāra is fully
active. In suṣupti avasthā ahaṅkāra is gone, saṁsāra is gone, we are all muktas. Not
only we are liberated, others around us also are liberated from us . Neither we have
any problem, nor others have any problem because of us . Thus pravr̥tti-bījatva-rūpa
guṇa-sāmānyāt ahaṅkāraḥ avyaktam bhavati. I said in the second paragraph third
line after iti ucyatē there must be a full stop and from pravartakatvāt onwards is a
second explanation. Therefore we should add the word cakāra, pravartakatvāc ca
ahaṅkārasya because of this second reason also ahaṅkāra is avyaktam. And
pravartakatvāt hētu is explained in the next sentence. Ahaṅkāraḥ ēva hi sarvasya
pravr̥ttibījaṁ dr̥ṣṭaṁ lōkē. That ahaṅkāra is the initiator of all problem you don‟t

require śāstram our own daily experience is the proof . That is why he says lōkē
dr̥ṣṭam. In the world it is the experience of everyone. What is the experience? The
ahaṅkāraḥ is the pravr̥ttibījam – is the seed for all the activities, sarvasya. And
initially the ahaṅkāra produces mamakāra with the pañca anātmās. First ahaṅkāra
comes, and the moment it comes the first job of it is to generate mamakāra. My
body, my mind, my family, my possession, my profession. Ahaṅkāra creates the
pañca mamakāras and once the pañca mamakāras come, activity starts.
And incidentally one more point. The word ahaṅkāra has got two different meaning
in dharma-śāstra and vēdānta-śāstra. In this ślōka ahaṅkāra is not dharma-śāstra
ahaṅkāra but it is vēdānta-śāstra ahaṅkāra. This is an aside note. Śaṅkarācārya
doesn‟t mention, better we note. What is dharma-śāstra ahaṅkāra? Dharma-śāstra
ahaṅkāra is pride, vanity, arrogance, haughtiness, etc., as opposed to humility.
Mānitvam, dambhitvam etc. Whereas in vēdānta-śāstra the word ahaṅkāra means
dēha-abhimāna caused by ātma-ajñānam. And all the ajñānis have got that
ahaṅkāra, Vedantic-ahaṅkāra. According to vēdānta even a humble person has got
ahaṅkāra as long as he is an ajñāni. Even when he says dāsō:'ham, vēdānta says he
says so because of ahaṅkāra. Vēdānta says the very humility is because he thinks he
is small because he doesn‟t know he is brahmāsmi. I hope you are able to
understand this difference. Up to this we saw in the last class. Continuing;
इवत इयं यथोक्ता प्रकृवताः मे मम ईश्वरी मायािशक्ताः अष्टध शभन्न भेदम् आगता ॥ ७-४ ॥
iti iyaṁ yathōktā prakr̥tiḥ mē mama īśvarī māyāśaktiḥ aṣṭadhā bhinnā bhēdam
āgatā || 7-4 ||
In the mūlam after ahaṅkāraḥ the word iti iyam is there, that Śaṅkarācārya
comments. iti – in this manner, as described above, iyaṁ prakr̥tiḥ – this is My
lower nature, iyam is equal to yathōktā – above mentioned, prakr̥tiḥ,
Śaṅkarācārya doesn‟t comment on this word, it should be understood as lower
nature which is the cause, the pariṇāmī upādāna-kāraṇam. Literally the word
prakr̥tiḥ means upādāna-kāraṇam. And here pariṇāmī upādāna-kāraṇam. The word
prakr̥ti is derived from the sa ṁskr̥ta √pra + √kr̥, prakriyatē iti prakr̥ti ḥ. A material
cause is called prakr̥ti because it is shaped into various products . Wood is called
prakr̥ti, because it is shaped into several things. The nimitta-kāraṇam will always
work on the upādāna-kāraṇam. Who is the nimitta-kāraṇam? Carpenter. What is
upādāna-kāraṇam? Wood. What does the carpenter do? Carpenter works on the
material cause to convert into verities of furniture. Goldsmith works on the gold bar

and converts into ornaments. Thus that which is shaped into, modified into different
products is called prakr̥ti . Prakriyatē iti prakr̥ti ḥ. Karma vyutpatti. That which is
shaped into verities of products by nimitta-kāraṇam. Thus what is the definition of
upādāna-kāraṇam? That which is shaped into verities of products by nimitta-
kāraṇam is called upādāna-kāraṇam. Upādānam is derived from the upa+ā+√dā.
Upādānam means that which is taken by nimitta-kāraṇam. Upādīyatē iti upādānam.
Carpenter always goes in search of upādānam, because then alone he can shape.
Therefore that which is taken by nimitta-kāraṇam to shape into various product is
called upādāna prakr̥ti ḥ. So upādīyatē iti upādānam. Prakriyatē iti prakr̥ti ḥ.
upādānam ca asau prakr̥ti ḥ ca upādāna prakr̥tiḥ is avyaktam. Mē is in the mūlam, is
equal to mama. Mama means īśvarī – belonging to Īśvara. Īśvara sambandhini īśvarī.
Īśvarī is called māyā-śaktiḥ. Aparā-prakr̥ti is another name for māyā-śakti. This word
is very important here.
Because here Kr̥ṣṇa is borrowing this eightfold prakr̥ti from sā ṅkha philosophy. Since
Kr̥ṣṇa or Vyāsācārya, the author is taking the idea from sāṅkha philosophy, one may
conclude that vēdānta philosophy and sāṅkha philosophy are one and the same. To
avoid that confusion Śaṅkarācārya wants to show the difference between sāṅkha
and vēdānta. What is the common factor ? They also talk about prakr̥ti . We are also
talking about prakr̥ti . The word prakr̥ti is common to sā ṅkha and vēdānta. Then
what is the difference? Śaṅkarācārya says in sāṅkha philosophy prakr̥ti is never
equated to māyā . They use the word prakr̥ti but they will not equate it to māyā
whereas we talk about prakr̥ti and we equate it to māyā . Then the next question is
so what ? What is the difference between prakr̥ti -equated-to-māyā and prakr̥ti -not-
equated-to-māyā? If prakr̥ti is equated to māyā prakr̥ti becomes mithyā . And if it is
mithyā it cannot be counted. You can experience it but you cannot count it, like our
reflection in the mirror. We experiences the reflection but we don‟t count the
reflection. Since prakr̥ti is not counted we become Advaitin. The moment you equate
prakr̥ti to māyā , prakr̥ti is not counted , therefore we will become Advaitin. Whereas
in sāṅkha, since prakr̥ti is not equated to māyā , prakr̥ti be comes satyam . And if
prakr̥ti is satyam , it should be counted. And once it is counted, you are no more
Advaitin and you become Dvaitin. Sāṅkha is dvaita-darśanam, yōga is dvaita-
darśanam, nyāya is dvaita-darśanam, vaiśēṣika is dvaita-darśanam, pūrva-
mīmāṁsaka is dvaita-darśanam all of them are dvaita-darśanams because they all
say upādāna-kāraṇam satyam whereas we alone say upādāna-kāraṇam mithyā. All
these ideas are communicated by one word māyāśaktiḥ. And to differentiate sāṅkha

and vēdānta alone Vyāsācārya wrote hundred and thirty sūtras in the brahmasūtra
first chapter from īkṣatērnāśabdam (Brahmasūtra 1-1-5).
From the fifth sūtra onwards up to the end of the first adhyāyaḥ, ētēna sarvē
vyākhyātā vyākhyātāḥ (Brahmasūtra 1-4-28) hundred and thirty odd sūtras all the
struggle to differentiate vēdānta and sāṅkhya, vēdānta and yōga. In fact, many
problems in vēdānta is because we do not differentiate vēdānta and yōga and the
very confusion of nirvikalpaka-samādhi invoking the concept of nirvikalpaka-samādhi
into vēdānta we have got into a very huge problem, where Yogic-nirvikalpaka
samādhi we don‟t require in vēdānta, but ninety percent of vēdānta śāstra now is
hovering around the wrongly borrowed nirvikalpaka-samādhi belonging to yōga
darśanam, in fact, we don‟t require that at all. By bringing an unwanted nirvikalpaka-
samādhi into vēdānta we have successfully confused ourselves. This is the glory of
māyā-śaktiḥ. Māyā-śaktiḥ iti aṣṭadhā bhinnā – in this manner aparā-prakr̥ti is
divided into eight divisions. Bhinnā is equal to bhēdam āgatā – divided.
The anvaya is, bhūmiḥ, āpaḥ, analaḥ, vāyuḥ, kham, manaḥ, buddhiḥ ahaṅkāraḥ ēva
ca – iti iyam mē aṣṭadhā bhinnā prakr̥tiḥ (bhavati) | Continuing;
Verse 07-05
अपरेययमतस्त्वन्याां प्रकृततिं गवद्धद्ध मे पराम् ।
जीवभूताां महाबाहो ययेदां धाययते जगत् ॥ गीता ७-५ ॥
aparēyamitastvanyāṁ prakr̥tiṁ viddhi mē parām |

jīvabhūtāṁ mahābāhō yayēdaṁ dhāryatē jagat || Gītā 7-5 ||
I will give you the gist of this ślōka . This eight -fold prakr̥ti is called aparā-prakr̥ti
which is the pariṇāmī upādāna-kāraṇam of the universe and which is jaḍam, inert in
nature, and this alone contributes to the nāma and rūpa of the universe. Aparā-
prakr̥ti matter alone contributes to the nāma and rūpa of the universe. Then Kr̥ṣṇa
says this is called lower nature of Mine; lower nature because it cannot exist
independent of parā-prakr̥ti, it being mithyā, it being paratantra, it is inferior and
Śaṅkarācārya gives another reason also. It is inferior because it causes problems.
Duḥkham is the nature of aparā-prakr̥ti; sukham is of the nature of parā-prakr̥ti.
Duḥkha rūpatvāt duḥkha kāraṇatvāt ca aparā-prakr̥tiḥ, sukha rūpatvāt sukha
kāraṇatvāt ca parā-prakr̥tiḥ. So this is aparā-prakr̥ti and other than the aparā-prakr̥ti
māyā I have got another higher nature and He says that higher nature is parā-
prakr̥ti. He gives two important descriptions. Yayā idam dhāryatē jagat – parā-prakr̥ti
supports two things. What are the two things? One parā-prakr̥ti supports aparā-

prakr̥ti, and not only that when aparā-prakr̥ti gets modified it becomes the prapañca.
Aparā-prakr̥ti modified is jaḍa-prapañca, nāma-rūpa-prapañca, dr̥śya-prapañca,
which has got dr̥śyatvam , bhautikatvam, saguṇatvam, savikāratvam, āgama-
āpāyitvam, this prapañca, parā-prakr̥ti sustains the prapañca also. Thus parā-prakr̥ti
sustains aparā-prakr̥ti, parā-prakr̥ti sustains the modified aparā-prakr̥ti which is
called prapañca. This is one nature of parā-prakr̥ti. You can say sat rūpēṇa in the
form of pure existence it sustains aparā-prakr̥ti by giving sattā-pradānēna just as
waker sustains the dream by lending existence, parā-prakr̥ti lends existence to
aparā-prakr̥ti also. Parā-prakr̥ti lends existence to prapañca also. Thus sat rūpēṇa
dhāryatē.
Then Kr̥ṣṇa gives another important description which is called mahā-vākyam. This is
a mahā-vākyam mantra. And He says that after aparā-prakr̥ti produces all the bodies
and minds, parā-prakr̥ti alone enters all the bodies and minds in the form of jīva. Tat
sr̥ṣṭvā tadēvānuprāviśat (Taittirīyōpaniṣat 2-6-6), aparā-prakr̥ti creates body-mind-
complexes and parā-prakr̥ti performs gr̥hapravēśam . When parā-prakr̥ti enters all
the body-mind-complex parā-prakr̥ti gets a new name, just as waker jīvātmā creates
the dream world and enters the dream world and gets a new name dreamer-
jīvātmā, similarly, parā-prakr̥ti alone becomes jīvaḥ. Therefore jīva-bhūtām is the
mahā-vākya line. So parām-prakr̥tim is tat -pada-lakṣyārtha, jīva-bhūtām is tvam-
pada-lakṣyārtha, Śaṅkarācārya will say kṣētrajña-lakṣaṇām, Śaṅkarācārya goes
„crazy‟. He remembers the thirteenth chapter kṣētrajñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi
sarvakṣētrēṣu bhārata (Gītā 13-2). In the thirteenth chapter there is a mahā-
vākyam, here in the seventh chapter also we have a mahā-vākyam. Śaṅkarācārya
links those two mahā-vākyams by translating jīva-bhūtām as kṣētrajñalakṣaṇām,
that is tvam pada lakṣyārtha. Parā-prakr̥ti is tat pada lakṣyārtha. Tat pada lakṣyārtha
tvam lakṣyārtha aikyam viddhi. In fact, Bhagavad Gītā is over because students are
continuing to sit Kr̥ṣṇa is continuing, that is all. So jīva-bhūtām viddhi. jīva-bhūtām
indicates parā-prakr̥ti in cit rūpam, dhāryatē jagat indicates parā-prakr̥ti is sat
rūpam. Therefore jīva-bhūtām dhāryatē jagat means saccidānanda svarūpa parā-
prakr̥ti is introduced. In fact, you can extract the entire vēdānta śāstra from this one
ślōka. If you have got enough time and skill you can extract the entire vēdānta
śāstra out of this one ślōka. Jīva-bhūtām brings in cit, dhāryatē jagat brings in sat.
Viddhi brings in ānanda.
How viddhi brings in ānanda? Kr̥ṣṇa says you should know this. So naturally the
student asks why I should know, I have got so many other things to know. You
should know because it is worth knowing. It is jñēyam. Śāntaṁ śivam advaitaṁ

caturthaṁ manyantē sa ātmā sa vijñēyaḥ (Māṇḍūkyōpaniṣat 7). It is worth knowing.

viddhi means it is worth knowing. And why is it worth knowing? Ānanda pradam.
Therefore the word viddhi indicates ānanda svarūpatvam, saccidānanda has been
brought. Any way this is the gist of this ślōka. Now we will go to the bhāṣyam.
अपर न परा गनकृष्टा अिुद्धा अनथयकरी सांसारबन्धनात्त्मका इयम् ।
aparā na parā nikr̥ṣṭā aśuddhā anarthakarī saṁsārabandhanātmikā iyam |
So aparā iyam, so the word iyam means the prakr̥ti mentioned in the previous
ślōka. We should make a note, these are all very subtle points. In the previous ślōka
Kr̥ṣṇa only enumerated eight factors and said it is prakr̥ti ; He did not add the
adjective there aparā or parā, He only said this is the prakr̥ti , the material-cause.
That it is inferior-material-cause that is not said in the previous ślōka. In this ślōka
alone He is introducing that topic, therefore we should know iyam, the material-
cause mentioned in the previous ślōka is aparā, is inferior.
And for the inferiority two causes can be given, I gave you an objective inferior
cause, nonjudgmental inferior cause that it has got dependent-existence, therefore it
is inferior. So pāratantryam is conveyed through aparatvam.
But Śaṅkarācārya wants to give another reason. Na parā, aparā means na parā –
not superior. Aparā means not param, not param means not superior. So aparā
means not superior, not superior means inferior. Therefore he says nikr̥ ṣṭā. Why is it
inferior? Aśuddhā – full of rāga-dvēṣa, kāma-krōdha, lōbha-mōha, mada-mātsarya,
ajñāna, saṁśayaḥ, viparyayaḥ. Intellectual impurities: are ajñāna saṁśaya
viparyaya, ignorance, doubt and misconception respectively. What are emotional
impurities? Rāga-dvēṣa, kāma-krōdha etc. All these belong to aparā-prakr̥ti.
Therefore anarthakarī . So nikr̥ ṣṭā is equal to aśuddhā is equal to anarthakarī.
Anarthakarī means the cause of varieties of problems. Anartha means problems. It is
problem creator.
What type of problem it creates? If it is minor problem we can ignore that. There are
so many problem created by so many things. We don‟t have time to look into all the
problems. If aparā-prakr̥ti is causing minor problem, then we can ignore it. So
Śaṅkarācārya says saṁsāra-bandhanātmikā – it doesn‟t create a minor problem , all
problems are created by this one only . It is the mother or father , I say mother
because prakr̥ti is feminine gender , therefore I say mother of all problems. So
saṁsāra-bandhanātmikā – it is of the nature of the entrapment called saṁsāra;
saṁsāra I have defined that the sense of feeling or being entrapped. Whenever I

feel I am trapped, either in the body I feel trapped as we grow older and older we
look upon the body itself as a trap, or we feel family is a trap, or we feel a particular
relation is a trap or a particular job is a trap, whenever I feel I am helplessly
trapped, and I don‟t know how to get out of this. The sense of entrapment is called
saṁsāra. So saṁsāra-bandhanātmikā. It can be guru-śiṣya also. If the guru feels I
am trapped with this student that is also saṁsāra. And if you feel you are trapped
with this guru that is also saṁsāra. It is possible; still some śiṣyas continue because
he is afraid that guru may curse him. Therefore he continues with the guru. So
releasing guru can become a binding guru. That is why in our tradition during
vividiṣā-sannyāsa, guru and śiṣya bond each other and during vidvat-sannyāsa guru
himself tells the śiṣya hereafter you have no more bond with me. You can have an
informal non-binding relationship. After vidvat-sannyāsa, guru-śiṣya sambandha is
also loosened. It is non-binding relationship. Na śāstā na śāstram na śiṣyō na śikṣā
na ca tvam na cāham na cāyam prapañcaḥ svarūpāvabōdhō vikalpāsahiṣṇuḥ
tadēkō:'vaśiṣṭaḥ śivaḥ kēvalō:'ham (atha daśaślōkī 7). No trap. That is why clean
shaven. Previously tuft was there with which guru will catch hold. Now guru himself
during sannyāsa ceremony, guru comes with a scissors and guru cuts the tuft saying
we have no formal relationships. Therefore aparā-prakr̥ti alone is the cause of all
relationships.
गवश्वां पश्यगत काययकारणतया स्वस्वायमसांबन्धताः शिष्याचाययतया तथैव गपतृपुत्राद्यात्मना भेदताः । स्वप्ने जाग्रगत वा एष पुरुषो
मायापररभ्रायमताः तस्मै श्री गुरुमूतयये नम इदां श्रीदत्तक्णामूतयये ॥ श्रीदत्तक्णामूर्तिं स्तोत्रम् ८ ॥
Viśvaṁ paśyati kāryakāraṇatayā svasvāmisaṁbandhataḥ śiṣyācāryatayā tathaiva

pitr̥putrādyātmanā bhēdataḥ. svapnē jāgrati vā ēṣa puruṣō māyāparibhrāmitaḥ
tasmai Śrī gurumūrtayē nama idaṁ Śrīdakṣiṇāmūrtayē. (Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti
stōtram 8)
Guru-śiṣya-sambandha is also ultimately bandha. Any sambandha is some bandha.

Even dāsō:'ham-sambandha is some bandha. sō:'ham that is possible only in parā-
prakr̥ti. All this started because of the word bandhanātmikā. Continuing;
इताः अस्यााः यथोक्तायााः तु अनय ं गविुद्धाां प्रकृततिं मम आत्मभूताां विशद्ध मे पर ं प्रकृष्टाां जीि-भूत ं क्ेत्रज्ञलक्णाां
प्राणधारणगनयमिभूताां हे मह ब हो, यय प्रकृत्या इदं ध यथते जगत् अन्ताः प्रगवष्टया ॥ ७-५ ॥
itaḥ asyāḥ yathōktāyāḥ tu anyāṁ viśuddhāṁ prakr̥tiṁ mama ātmabhūtāṁ viddhi

mē parāṁ prakr̥ṣṭāṁ jīva-bhūtāṁ kṣētrajñalakṣaṇāṁ
prāṇadhāraṇanimittabhūtāṁ hē mahābāhō, yayā prakr̥tyā idaṁ dhāryatē jagat
antaḥ praviṣṭayā || 7-5 ||
Itaḥ tu anyām means other than this. So asyāḥ yathōktāyāḥ aparā prakr̥tē ḥ
anyām. Anyām means other. Other than asyāḥ, asyāḥ means yathōktāyāḥ,

yathōktāyāḥ means previously mentioned aparā-prakr̥ti. So other than previously

mentioned aparā-prakr̥ti, tu, tu indicates of a totally different nature, unlike,
vilakṣaṇārthē tu. Totally unlike the aparā-prakr̥ti is the other one, anyām prakr̥tim.
Why do you say the other prakr̥ti is different ? Viśuddhām – opposite of aśuddha is
viśuddha. So viśuddha means viśēṣēṇa-śuddha, totally pure. And why is it totally
pure? There are many things pure, but we can become impure. Mind you can purify
but mind can again get impure. Anātmā problem is, it can never be eternally pure, it
can never be totally pure, and even if you make it totally pure, it will not be eternally
pure. That is why I say never look for a liberation in which mind will become perfect.
Never look for a liberation in which mind will become totally and perfectly and
eternally pure. As long as you are in that trap, you will postpone the liberation. Mind
based liberation will be eternally postponed. Therefore I am not the impure mind is
liberation. And therefore to know that we require some purity. Therefore purify the
mind enough to know that I am not the mind. But if your aim is perfectly purifying
mind and thereafter getting knowledge, I wish you all the best, you will say even
after twenty janmas Svāmiji I have not got sādhana-catuṣṭaya-sampatti, even after
hundred billion janmas this complaint will continue. Therefore viśuddhām – ever
pure prakr̥ti. And what is parā-prakr̥ti? Mama ātma-bhūtām. Is Kr̥ṣṇa jñāni or ajñāni?
Kr̥ṣṇa says mama ātmabhūtām – which is My real nature. Even Kr̥ṣṇa doesn‟t want
to identify with this aparā-prakr̥ti. Even though Bhagavān‟s aparā-prakr̥ti is far
superior, even Bhagavān doesn‟t want to identify with his aparā-prakr̥ti, because
Bhagavān‟s aparā-prakr̥ti has also got its own problem. Therefore Kr̥ṣṇa doesn‟t
want to identify with that. Therefore He says mama ātmabhūtām – the parā-prakr̥ti
which is My real Self, viddhi – may you know; mē parāṁ prakr̥ṣṭāṁ prakr̥tim –
that prakr̥ti should be connected with parāṁ prakr̥ṣṭām, parām is in the mūlam , is
equal to prakr̥ṣṭām, prakr̥ṣṭām means superior.
Why parā-prakr̥ti is superior? We can give two reasons. One is it is independently

existent, parā-prakr̥ti doesn‟t borrow existence from aparā-prakr̥ti whereas aparā-
prakr̥ti borrows existence from parā-prakr̥ti. Since parā-prakr̥ti has got svatantra
sattā, it is superior.
What is the second reason? Parā-prakr̥ti being pure it is mōkṣa-kāraṇam. Aparā-

prakr̥ti is saṁsāra-kāraṇam and parā-prakr̥ti is mōkṣa-kāraṇam. How parā-prakr̥ti is
mōkṣa-kāraṇam? If you know parā-prakr̥ti it gives liberation. Parā-prakr̥ti is mōkṣa-
kāraṇam doesn‟t mean parā-prakr̥ti will call you and say take this mōkṣa. Therefore
parā-prakr̥ti is mōkṣa-kāraṇam does not mean it gives mōkṣa, it means it becomes
the nimittam for mōkṣa, when you know parā-prakr̥ti it gives you liberation. Known

parā-prakr̥ti is the cause of liberation, unknown parā-prakr̥ti is the cause of bondage.

This is the rule. Ajñātam brahma is saṁsāra-kāraṇam jñātam Brahman is mōkṣa-
kāraṇam.
Therefore prakr̥ ṣṭām – superior prakr̥ti , jīva-bhūtām in the second line, this parā-
prakr̥ti alone is jīva. How mahā-vākyam! Very important mahāvākyam. But when
Kr̥ṣṇa says Īśvara is jīvaḥ, then those people who have practiced dāsō:'ham
dāsō:'ham dāsō:'ham they will be disturbed. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya explains the
word jīva has two meanings, one if vācyārtha and the other is lakṣyārtha. The direct
meaning of the word jīva is ahaṅkāra, the cidābhāsa. And jīva as ahaṅkāra is
saṁsāri. Whereas here the word jīva is not vācyārtha jīvaḥ, not cidābhāsa jīvaḥ, but
cit rūpa jīvaḥ. Therefore in this context don‟t take the cidābhāsa, don‟t take the
mind, don‟t take the body, but avasthā traya sākṣi.
Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says kṣētrajña-lakṣaṇām, lakṣyārtha bhūtām, tvam pada

lakṣyārtha bhūtām, kṣētrajña-lakṣaṇām – which is in the form sākṣi caitanyam. Why
does Śaṅkarācārya use the word kṣētrajña? Because Kr̥ṣṇa Himself will use this
expression in the thirteenth chapter. I said this is a mahā-vākyam ślōka, therefore
this ślōka deserves a very huge commentary but Śaṅkarācārya doesn‟t write a huge
commentary, this ślōka deserves such a commentary. Why Śaṅkarācārya doesn‟t
write? By using word kṣētrajña-lakṣaṇām Śaṅkarācārya says in thirteenth chapter I
will give you a detailed commentary. Because in that ślōka Śaṅkarācārya is going to
write a big commentary. And if we come to that ślōka we will be spending double
digit classes perhaps. Since it is going to be elaborated there, Śaṅkarācārya says
now I will let you off the hook. More in the next class.
ॐ पूणयमदाः पूणययमदम् पूणायत्पूणयमुदच्यते । पूणयस्य पूणयमादाय पूणयमेवावशिष्यते ॥ ॐ िान्न्ताः िान्न्ताः िान्न्ताः ॥ हरराः ॐ

268 Verses-07-05 to 07-08
Page 198, verse 07-05, bhāṣyam 2nd paragraph.

इताः अस्यााः यथोक्तायााः तु अनय ं गविुद्धाां प्रकृततिं मम आत्मभूताां विशद्ध मे पर ं प्रकृष्टाां जीि-भूत ं क्ेत्रज्ञलक्णाां
प्राणधारणगनयमिभूताां हे मह ब हो, यय प्रकृत्या इदं ध यथते जगत् अन्ताःप्रगवष्टया ॥ ७-५ ॥
itaḥ asyāḥ yathōktāyāḥ tu anyāṁ viśuddhāṁ prakr̥tiṁ mama ātmabhūtāṁ viddhi

mē parāṁ prakr̥ṣṭāṁ jīva-bhūtāṁ kṣētrajñalakṣaṇāṁ
prāṇadhāraṇanimittabhūtāṁ hē mahābāhō, yayā prakr̥tyā idaṁ dhāryatē jagat
antaḥpraviṣṭayā || 7-5 ||
After talking about aparā-prakr̥ti in the fourth verse Lord Kr̥ṣṇa is defining the parā-
prakr̥ti, His higher nature. If aparā-prakr̥ti can be called māyā, parā-prakr̥ti can be
equated to Brahman. And this parā-prakr̥ti which is the caitanyam-brahma is
introduced in the fifth verse and Kr̥ṣṇa voluntarily gives an important information.
Even though this information is not at all required for the context, Kr̥ṣṇa gives an
additional information which is extremely important. For the context information
required is parā-prakr̥ti is the caitanya-svarūpam-brahma. He has to say māyā and
Brahman together is the jagat-kāraṇam. And therefore there is not jagat other than
māyā and Brahman. This alone is required but Kr̥ṣṇa carefully adds an information
that Brahman alone is available in the body of everyone as the very jīvātmā. The
jagat-kāraṇa-paramātmā alone is very much available in everybody in the form of
the very jīvātmā. Thus voluntarily jīvātmā-paramātmā-aikyam Kr̥ṣṇa brings in. And
when we use the word jīvaḥ, in some context it will refer to cidābhāsa-caitanyam,
reflected-consciousness and in some other context it refers to cit, the original
Consciousness. Cidābhāsa is the vācyārtha of the word jīva, cit is the lakṣyārtha of
the word jīva. So naturally a question will come in this context whether the word jīva
it refers to cidābhāsa or cit. And therefore Śaṅkarācārya clarifies here the word jīva
does not mean cidābhāsa but it refers to the very cit itself. Therefore he adds the
word kṣētrajña-lakṣaṇām, which is otherwise called kṣētrajñaḥ, which will be
elaborately analyzed in the thirteenth chapter; therefore I am not explaining the
word kṣētrajñaḥ here. Note this much kṣētrajñaḥ is sākṣi-caitanyam, OC, the original
Consciousness. Then in which context should jīva be understood as cidābhāsa? If in
this context jīva means cit, then in which context should jīva be taken as cidābhāsa?
In the entire karma-kāṇḍa context when we talk about the jīva travelling from one
body to another, when jīva travels from one lōka to another, when the children are

offering śrāddham, tarpaṇam, etc., to the jīva; in the context of karma-kāṇḍa, in the
context of śrāddham, tarpaṇam, etc., the jīva should not be equated to cit, in that
context the jīva must be equated to cidābhāsa. And therefore karma-kāṇḍē - jīvaḥ
cidābhāsaḥ, jñāna-kāṇḍē jīvaḥ cit, karma-kāṇḍē jīvaḥ vācyārthaḥ jñāna-kāṇḍē jīvaḥ-
lakṣyārthaḥ, karma-kāṇḍē jīvaḥ ahaṅkāraḥ jñāna-kāṇḍē jīvaḥ sākṣi. And in the Gītā
class are we in karma-kāṇḍam or jñāna-kāṇḍam? We are supposed to be in jñāna-
kāṇḍam? Therefore contextually Śaṅkarācārya brilliantly translates jīva-bhūtām
kṣētrajña-lakṣaṇām. And then the grammatical definition of jīva also Śaṅkarācārya
gives here. According to grammar jīvaḥ is derived from the √jīv jīvati. What is the
meaning according to Paninian dhātupāṭha? Prāṇadhāraṇē. That which holds the
sūkṣma-śarīram along with the sthūla-śarīram is called the jīvaḥ. Therefore he says
prāṇa-dhāraṇa-nimitta-bhūtām – because of which alone the prāṇa is now confined
to sthūla śarīram. Otherwise it would have said goodbye. Therefore if prāṇa is
continuing to be in the śarīram it is because of the jīva, the caitanyam.
ममैवाांिो जीवलोके जीवभूताः सनातनाः ।

मनाःषष्ठानीद्धन्ियात्तण प्रकृगतस्थागन कषयगत ॥ गीता १५-७ ॥
mamaivāṁśō jīvalōkē jīvabhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ |

manaḥṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakr̥tisthāni karṣati || Gītā 15-7 ||
Caitanyam alone helps the sūkṣma śarīram remain in the sthūla śarīram, caitanyam
alone pushes this sūkṣma śarīram out of the sthūla śarīram also. That caitanyam is
jīvaḥ. Therefore prāṇa-dhāraṇa-nimitta-bhūtām – which is the cause of the life
remaining in the body. Hē mahābāhō viddhi – may you know this. Yayā is in the
mūlam, is equal to prakr̥tyā – because of this parā-prakr̥ti alone, yayā is equal to
prakr̥tyā and prakr̥tyā is equal to parā prakr̥tyā , because of the parā-prakr̥ti alone,
idam jagat dhāryatē – the entire creation is sustained. Idam should be
connected with jagat. So, idam jagat dhāryatē. And why does the world require
the support of parā-prakr̥ti? Because the world is mithyā and mithyā requires
support of satyam, parā-prakr̥ti. And how does the parā-prakr̥ti support the world?
By giving or donating three important things. Parā-prakr̥ti alone donates three
important things to the prapañca. What are those three important things? Don‟t say
food, clothing and shelter; though they are necessary but more important that those
is „sat, cit and ānanda‟. Parā-prakr̥ti lends existence to the material-world, parā-
prakr̥ti lends Consciousness to the material-world, and parā-prakr̥ti lends happiness
to the mind now and then. Because of the now and then happiness also the human
beings have got some hope that they will enjoy ānanda tomorrow. Some hope is
possible only because of now and then donation of ānanda to the mind in the form

of pratibimba ānanda. Priya, mōda, pramōda ānanda is parā-prakr̥ti‟s gift to ānanda-

maya-kōśa which is part of this world . Therefore prakr̥tyā idam jagat dhāryatē.
And how does it sustain? Antaḥ praviṣṭayā – by inhering the aparā-prakr̥ti or the
world. Not by remaining far away in vaikuṇṭham or kailāsam but by interpenetrating,
by inhering just as the rope inheres the snake to sustain the snake, just as the
waker inheres the dream to sustain. Similarly, parā-prakr̥ti is not far away wherever
the world is there, there itself parā-prakr̥ti is there, when I am saying the mic is, the
„is‟ness which is intimate in the mic is nothing but parā-prakr̥ti. The very „is‟ness is
nothing parā-prakr̥ti. Asti bhāti priyaṁ rūpam I have said this in the last class, all
those we have to note here. Antaḥpraviṣṭayā. antaḥpraviṣṭayā is adjective to
prakr̥tyā. By the inherent parā-prakr̥ti the world is sustained. And in the fifteenth
chapter of the Gītā, the parallel verse is
उिमाः पुरुषाः तु अन्याः परम्-आत्मा इगत उदाहृताः ।

याः लोक-त्रयम् आगवश्य गबभर्तिं अव्ययाः ईश्वराः ॥ गीता १५-१७ ॥
uttamaḥ puruṣaḥ tu anyaḥ param-ātmā iti udāhr̥taḥ |

yaḥ lōka-trayam āviśya bibharti avyayaḥ Īśvaraḥ || Gītā 15-17 ||
Āviśya is antaḥpraviṣṭayā. Bibharti is dhāryatē, they both have the same meaning.
The anvaya is, hē mahābāhō! Iyam aparā (prakr̥tiḥ asti). Itaḥ anyām (prakr̥tim) tu
mē parām prakr̥tim jīva-bhūtām viddhi, yayā idam jagat dhāryatē | Continuing;
Verse 07-06
एतद्योनीगन भूतागन सवायणीत्युपधारय ।
अहां कृत्स्नस्य जगताः प्रभवाः प्रलयस्तथा ॥ गीता ७-६ ॥
ētadyōnīni bhūtāni sarvāṇītyupadhāraya |

ahaṁ kr̥tsnasya jagataḥ prabhavaḥ pralayastathā || Gītā 7-6 ||
I will give you the gist of this verse. Here the Lord Kr̥ṣṇa says both parā-prakr̥ti and
aparā-prakr̥ti put together is called Īśvara. Thus Īśvara is endowed with both
components. And this Īśvara with both components put together is jagat-kāraṇam.
And from this we should not an aside point that parā-prakr̥ti by itself can never
become a kāraṇam, aparā-prakr̥ti also by itself cannot become a kāraṇam. And
therefore both of them are mutually dependent to play the role of kāraṇam, both of
them are mutually dependent to enjoy kāraṇam status. Naturally a question will
come if they are mutually dependent, according to vēdānta, dependence is mithyā.
Dependence is defined as mithyātvam. Rope-snake is mithyā because it is
dependent on the rope. So if you say parā-prakr̥ti is dependent on aparā-prakr̥ti and

aparā-prakr̥ti depends on parā-prakr̥ti then both have got equal status, why do you
say one is satyam and the other is mithyā? You can say both of them are satyam or
both of them are mithyā. I have talked about this elsewhere. But being important I
am repeating this. Both of them mutually depend to become kāraṇam of the
universe. The dependence is there from the standpoint of kāraṇam status, but there
is no dependence on aparā-prakr̥ti from the standpoint of existence. When vēdānta
talks about the dependence in the context of satyam and mithyā, we are talking
about the dependence for existence, parā-prakr̥ti exists independently without
depending on aparā-prakr̥ti. Parā-prakr̥ti enjoys existence independently without
depending upon aparā-prakr̥ti that means parā-prakr̥ti does not borrow existence
from aparā-prakr̥ti. Then from where does it borrow? It doesn‟t borrow from
anywhere. Parā-prakr̥ti enjoys svatantram-sattā whereas aparā-prakr̥ti doesn‟t have
intrinsic-existence of its own, it has to borrow existence from parā-prakr̥ti. Therefore
we say aparā-prakr̥ti is mithyā. From sattā-angle one is dependent and the other is
independent. Aparā-prakr̥ti is dependent and parā-prakr̥ti is independent. Therefore
the independent-one is called satyam and dependent-one is called mithyā from the
sattā angle. From kāraṇam angle both of them depend mutually. Kāraṇatvam is
possible only when both of them are available. This is one aside note.
Then the second aside note is this. Here Lord Kr̥ṣṇa is emphasizing the upādāna-
kāraṇatvam of Īśvara, Īśvara as the material-cause of the universe. Even though
Īśvara is both nimitta-kāraṇam as well as upādāna-kāraṇam, in this context the
highlight is upādāna-kāraṇam. And what Īśvara? Parā-aparā-prakr̥ti dvayabhūta
Īśvara is together the upādāna-kāraṇam of the universe. It is the second point to be
noted. That means parā-prakr̥ti gives upādāna-kāraṇam status to aparā-prakr̥ti and
aparā-prakr̥ti gives the upādāna-kāraṇam to parā-prakr̥ti. Just as mother gives
parenthood to the father and father gives parenthood to the mother and both enjoy
parenthood because of the other one. Thus both parā-prakr̥ti and aparā-prakr̥ti
enjoy upādāna kāraṇatvam because of the other one. This is the second note.
Then there is a third note. Because of parā-prakr̥ti aparā-prakr̥ti becomes upādāna-

kāraṇam. And what type of upādāna-kāraṇam? Pariṇāmī-upādāna-kāraṇam,
changing-material-cause aparā-prakr̥ti becomes. Because of the blessings of parā-
prakr̥ti aparā-prakr̥ti gets upādāna-kāraṇam status. What type of upādāna-kāraṇam?
Changing-material-cause. Because aparā-prakr̥ti is a matter and matter has to
change to evolve into the universe. If matter doesn‟t change, the universe evolution
will not come. Therefore parā-prakr̥ti blesses aparā-prakr̥ti to get the status of
pariṇāmī-upādāna-kāraṇam. Whereas aparā-prakr̥ti helps parā-prakr̥ti in getting

vivartha-upādāna-kāraṇam status, non-changing material cause. Parā-prakr̥ti is

vivartha-upādāna-kāraṇam. Vivarta-upādāna-kāraṇam means non-changing-material
cause otherwise called adhiṣṭhāna-upādāna-kāraṇam. One is sāvikāra-upādāna-
kāraṇam and the other is nirvikāra-upādāna-kāraṇam.
How does parā-prakr̥ti becomes nirvikāra-upādāna-kāraṇam? How it becomes non-

changing-material-cause? By donating sat, cit and ānanda without undergoing any
change. So cit gives cidābhāsa, sadābhāsa and ānanda ābhāsa by donating sat, cit
and ānanda. And how does parā-prakr̥ti donates? It donates without undergoing any
change. It becomes vivarta upādāna-kāraṇam by lending existence and
Consciousness. And how does it lend? Sannidhi mātrēṇa, without undergoing a
change. Thus in this manner parā-prakr̥ti plus aparā-prakr̥ti is equal to Īśvara and
this Īśvara is upādāna-kāraṇam.
One more aside note is here. What is the meaning of upādāna-kāraṇam? It is sr̥ ṣṭi-
sthiti-laya-kāraṇam. The universe emerges out of Īśvara, the universe exists in
Īśvara, the universe resolves in Īśvara. In short, Lord Kr̥ṣṇa is borrowing the famous
Taittirīyōpaniṣat third chapter definition of Brahman, yatō vā imāni bhūtāni jāyantē.
yēna jātāni jīvanti. yat prayantyabhisaṁviśanti. tadvijijñāsasva. tad brahmēti
(Taittirīyōpaniṣat 3-1-3). That taṭhastha lakṣaṇam of Bhr̥guvallī, Kr̥ṣṇa is borrowing
in this ślōka. It is very important ślōka. The whole seventh chapter is powerful and
some of the ślōkas are very profound. Now we will go to the bhāṣyam.
एतत्-योनीवन एते परापरे क्ेत्रक्ेत्रज्ञलक्णे प्रकृती योगनाः येषाां भूतानाां तागन एतद्योनीगन, भूत वन सि थशण इगत एवम्
उपध रय जानीगह ।
ētat-yōnīni ētē parāparē kṣētrakṣētrajñalakṣaṇē prakr̥tī yōniḥ yēṣāṁ bhūtānāṁ

tāni ētadyōnīni, bhūtāni sarvāṇi iti ēvam upadhāraya jānīhi |
Ētat-yōnīni is a compound word, it is bahuvrīhi compound. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya

gives the vigraha vākyam, ētē yōniḥ yēṣāṁ tāni ētadyōnīni. Ētē refers to parā-prakr̥ti
and aparā-prakr̥ti, the word yōniḥ means upādāna-kāraṇam. Thus ētat-yōnīni
means these two put together is the material cause. And put together alone is called
Īśvara. That is why in our tradition all the three mūrtis are married and they are
non-separable. They will never go to court. Brahma and Sarasvatī, Sarasvatī sits on
the tongue of brahma, the two cannot be separated, one is parā-prakr̥ti and the
other is aparā-prakr̥ti, non-separable. Another is Viṣṇu and Lakṣmī, the two cannot
be separated, Lakṣmī sits on the chest of Lord Viṣṇu. Similarly, Śiva and Pārvatī they
are also non-separable and Pārvatī occupies the half of Lord Śiva. All the three
aparā-prakr̥tis are non-separable. Vāgarthāviva sampr̥ktau vāgarthapratipattayē

jagataḥ pitarau vandē pārvatīparamēśvarau (Raghuvaṁśam 1-1). These are the two
put together called Īśvara. Therefore he says ētē is equal to parāparē – the parā-
prakr̥ti and aparā-prakr̥ti which are kṣētra-kṣētrajña-lakṣaṇē – which are in the form
of kṣētra-kṣētrajña. Thus Śaṅkarācārya wants us to make a comparative study of the
seventh and the thirteenth chapter. Unfortunately what happens is when we study
the seventh we don‟t know the thirteenth and when we study the thirteenth we will
forget the seventh chapter. Only the word is different, the net result is both are
never available together. Śaṅkarācārya wants us to make a deep comparative study.
यावत्सञ्जायते गकञ्चचत्सत्त्वां स्थावरजङ्गमम् ।

क्ेत्रक्ेत्रज्ञसांयोगािगद्वद्धद्ध भरतषयभ ॥ गीता १३-२६ ॥
yāvatsañjāyatē kiñcitsattvaṁ sthāvarajaṅgamam |

kṣētrakṣētrajñasaṁyōgāttadviddhi bharatarṣabha || Gītā 13-26 ||
That yāvat sañjāyatē of the thirteenth chapter and ētat-yōnīni of the seventh
chapter are parallel. There Kr̥ṣṇa says kṣētra-kṣētrajña-saṁyōgāt sarvam sañjāyatē.
Here He says parā-aparā-prakr̥ti saṁyōgāt sarvam jāyatē. Therefore kṣētra-
kṣētrajña-lakṣaṇē prakr̥tī yōni ḥ, yōniḥ means upādāna-kāraṇam. What type of
upādāna-kāraṇam? That final details we have to note. Parā-prakr̥ti as vivarta
upādānam and aparā-prakr̥ti as pariṇāmī upādānam both of them are upādānams.
yēṣāṁ bhūtānām – for all the beings. Yatō vā imāni bhūtāni jāyantē
(Taittirīyōpaniṣat 3-1-1). That Bhr̥guvallī bhūtāni Kr̥ṣṇa has borrowed. So tāni
ētadyōnīni, bhūtāni. Then the question comes bhūtāni has got two meanings. One
meaning is living beings, the other one is five elements, pañca-bhūtāni. Which
meaning is appropriate? If you go according to Bhr̥guvallī then the word bhūtāni
refers to living beings only, primarily and by extension pañca-bhūtāni is also
included, but the primary meaning is living beings only. How do you know bhūtāni
refers to pañcabhūtāni or living beings? In the Bhr̥guvallī the reason is given . Yatō
vā imāni bhūtāni jāyantē. Yēna jātāni jīvanti. The verb jīvanti cannot applied to
pañca-bhūtās, the verb jīvanti can be applied to living beings only because jīvanam
is a function of living beings only. Therefore contextually, bhūtāni refers to prāṇinaḥ.
So bhūtāni sarvāṇi iti ēvam upadhāraya – may you note Īśvara is the material
cause. upadhāraya is in the mūlam, it is equal to jānīhi. Continuing;
यस्मात् मम प्रकृती योगनाः कारणां सवयभूतानाम्, अताः अहं कृत्स्नस्य समस्तस्य जगताः प्रभिाः उत्पत्तिाः प्रलयाः गवनािाः
तथ । प्रकृगतद्वयद्वारेण अहां सवयज्ञाः ईश्वराः जगताः कारणम् इगत अथयाः ॥ ७-६ ॥
yasmāt mama prakr̥tī yōniḥ kāraṇaṁ sarvabhūtānām, ataḥ ahaṁ kr̥tsnasya

samastasya jagataḥ prabhavaḥ utpattiḥ pralayaḥ vināśaḥ tathā |

prakr̥tidvayadvārēṇa ahaṁ sarvajñaḥ Īśvaraḥ jagataḥ kāraṇam iti arthaḥ || 7-6

||
Yasmāt – because of the following reason. And what is the reason? Mama prakr̥tī
yōniḥ; prakr̥tī is long to indicate dvivacanam , two prakr̥tis are indicating by
lengthening the word prakr̥tī referring to both parā and aparā put together ; yōniḥ is
kāraṇam. Yōniḥ, Śaṅkarācārya himself explains as kāraṇam and in vēdānta the word
yōniḥ is a technical word used for the material-cause. Dictionary wise the word yōniḥ
means womb of a mother, garbhaḥ is called yōniḥ. But in vēdānta the word yōniḥ is
a technical word which means kāraṇam, and that too upādāna-kāraṇam; the word
yōniḥ is not used for nimitta-kāraṇam. Therefore once you see the word yōniḥ you
should understand it as material-cause, upādāna-kāraṇam. Sarvabhūtānām – for all
living beings, ataḥ – because of this reason, ahaṁ kr̥tsnasya samastasya jagataḥ
– I alone am kr̥tsnasya is equal to samastasya, jagataḥ means the world, for the
entire world, ahaṁ prabhavaḥ. Prabhavaḥ is equal to utpattiḥ. And in this
context we should carefully note the word utpattiḥ here refers to utpatti-kāraṇam,
pañcamī-vyutpatti should be taken. Utpattiḥ should be translated as utpatti-kāraṇam
which means sr̥ ṣṭi-kāraṇam. I am the sr̥ ṣṭi-kāraṇam. Similarly, pralayaḥ is saptamī
vyutpatti, Śaṅkarācārya seems to have taken bhāva-vyutpatti but we should
understand it as saptamī-vyutpatti and translate pralayaḥ as vināśa-kāraṇam.
vinaśyati asmin iti vināśaḥ. Utpatyatē asmāt iti utpattiḥ. I am sr̥ ṣṭi-kāraṇam, I am
pralaya-kāraṇam ca . And the third one we have to supply , if I am sr̥ ṣṭi and laya
kāraṇam in between sthiti-kāraṇam also I am. So tathā, tathā means „and‟ the
conjunction.
What is the essence of this ślōka? He says ahaṁ sarvajñaḥ Īśvaraḥ jagataḥ kāraṇam
iti arthaḥ – I, the omniscient Lord am the jagat-kāraṇam. How? prakr̥ti-dvaya-
dvārēṇa – with the help of parā and aparā-prakr̥ti.
Here Śaṅkarācārya makes an ingenious note. So by using the word yōniḥ Kr̥ṣṇa only
said Īśvara is upādāna-kāraṇam; Kr̥ṣṇa did not mention about the nimitta-kāraṇam.
Naturally the question will come if Bhagavān is upādāna-kāraṇam then who is the
nimitta-kāraṇam; a doubt may come. Śaṅkarācārya solves the problem by simply
adding the word sarvajñaḥ as an adjective to Īśvaraḥ. The word sarvajñaḥ indicates
He is nimitta-kāraṇam also, is an intelligent designer also. He designs the universe,
therefore nimitta-kāraṇam. He becomes the universe, therefore upādāna-kāraṇam.
Thus the word sarvajñaḥ is a pleasing word. It gives an extra joy.

The anvaya is, „sarvāṇi bhūtāni ētat yōnīni (bhavanti)‟ iti upadhāraya. Aham
kr̥tsnasya jagataḥ prabhavaḥ tathā pralayaḥ (asmi). Continuing;
यताः तस्मात् ––
yataḥ tasmāt ––
Verse 07-07
मिाः परतरां नान्यग्त्कञ्चचदस्स्त धनञ्जय ।
मयय सवययमदां प्रोतां सूत्रे मत्तणगणा इव ॥ गीता ७-७ ॥
mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyatkiñcidasti dhanañjaya |

mayi sarvamidaṁ prōtaṁ sūtrē maṇigaṇā iva || Gītā 7-7 ||
Yataḥ tasmāt – because of the following reason or because of the previously

mentioned reason the following corollary we have to derive which is important. First
I will give you the gist of the verse. Two important profound messages are confined.
In the first line Lord Kr̥ṣṇa says when you say Bhagavān is kāraṇam you should ask
the question what type of kāraṇam. Of course we have seen nimitta-kāraṇam and
upādāna-kāraṇam, but there is another aspect we have to note.
Āpēkṣika-kāraṇam and ātyantika-kāraṇam that is another finer difference we have to

make. Āpēkṣika-kāraṇam means intermediary-cause and ātyantika-kāraṇam means
ultimate-cause. What is the difference between the intermediary and ultimate cause?
For example our parents are our cause. In fact, they are very much the upādāna-
kāraṇam for our body. Whether they are nimitta-kāraṇam it is doubtful. Our parents
are very much our upādāna-kāraṇam because out of their body alone our physical
body has come. Even though our parents are the cause they are not the ultimate-
cause because they themselves have got another cause. They are not only the cause
but they happen to be the effect also. Similarly, the grandparents are also kāraṇam
but they are not the ultimate-kāraṇam because they themselves are kāryam.
Therefore what is the definition of the intermediary-kāraṇam? An intermediary
kāraṇam is a kāraṇam which itself is a kāryam, the product also. Similarly, pañca-
bhūtas are kāraṇam all right but are the pañca-bhūtas intermediary or ultimate
kāraṇam? Pañca-bhūtas also are intermediary-kāraṇam. Even though fourteen lōkas
come out of pañca-bhūtas only, they also are āpēkṣika-kāraṇam because they
themselves happen to be kāryam. Therefore that which is kēvala-kāraṇam and never
a kāryam. So kārya-vilakṣaṇa-kēvala-kāraṇam is the absolute-kāraṇam. Whereas
that which is kāryatva-viśiṣṭa-kāraṇam is only an intermediary-relative-cause.

Now in the previous verse Kr̥ṣṇa has said I am the kāraṇam. So what will be our
question? Is Kr̥ṣṇa āpēkṣika-kāraṇam or ātyantika-kāraṇam? If Bhagavān is
āpēkṣika-kāraṇam, what will happen? Somebody would have created Bhagavān.
That is why children often will ask mummy who created God. You keep on saying
God created everything. One day at the appropriate time depending upon the IQ of
the child one day the child will ask the question who created God. So now you have
to tell uncreated-creator is ātyantika-kāraṇam. The child will know how to ask the
question but child will not understand the answer. The answer is Bhagavān is
uncreated-creator. Therefore you can never ask the question who created God.
Therefore in the first half of this seventh verse Kr̥ṣṇa says I am not the āpēkṣika-
kāraṇam but I am the ātyantika-kāraṇam. How to say that? I don‟t have any other
cause to create Me. Mattaḥ parataraṁ na asti. Param means kāraṇam. There is no
another kāraṇam which produces me. Therefore I am uncaused-cause, uncreated-
creator. In the purāṇa they will humorously say that Pārvati is lucky because she
doesn‟t have mother-in-law and father-in-law. That is why Pārvati chose
paramēśvara. But the philosophical significance is Śiva is uncreated creator of
course, with the help of Pārvatī. Śivaḥ śaktyā yuktō yadi bhavati śaktaḥ prabhavitum
(Saundarya laharī 1). So what is the gist of the first line? Bhagavān is ātyantika-
kāraṇam, not āpēkṣika-kāraṇam. He is the absolute-cause and not relative-cause.
Then what is the gist of the second line? From the second line onwards Kr̥ṣṇa enters
into another profound philosophical discussion which is called adhyārōpa-apavāda-
prakaraṇam. What is adhyārōpa apavāda-prakaraṇam? The four stages.
1) First you introduce world as a kāryam. Stage number one.
2) Then you introduce Bhagavān as the kāraṇam.
3) Stage number three say is there is no world at all, kāryam other than the
kāraṇam. This is called apavāda, dismissing the world.
The first two stages are called adhyārōpa and the third stage is dismiss the world
like saying there are no ornaments at all. Keeping the ornaments in hand you say
there are no ornaments by asserting what was there was gold and what is there is
gold, and what will be there is gold, ornaments are only vācārambhaṇam vikārō
nāmadhēyam (Chāndōgyōpaniṣat 6-1-4). Ornaments exists only in your tongue.
There are no ornaments outside. Thus dismissal of the kāryam. And in vēdānta it is
the dismissal of the entire universe. Na bhūmirāpō na ca vahnirasti, where is the
world. This is the third stage is the dismissal of the kāryam.

4) Once the world as kāryam is negated (kāryam means product) Bhagavān

loses the status of kāraṇam. Therefore the fourth stage is negating the kāraṇam
status of Bhagavān. We don‟t negate Bhagavān but we negate the kāraṇam-status
of Bhagavān. At the end what is available is only one Bhagavān who is neither
kāryam nor kāraṇam which we will be seeing in Vivēkacūḍāmaṇi.
एकमेव सदनेककारणां कारणान्तरगनरासकारणम् । काययकारणगवलक्णां स्वयां ब्रह्म तत्त्वमशस भावयात्मगन ॥

गववेकचूडामत्तण २६१ ॥
ēkamēva sadanēkakāraṇaṁ kāraṇāntaranirāsakāraṇam |

kāryakāraṇavilakṣaṇaṁ svayaṁ brahma tattvamasi bhāvayātmani ||
Vivēkacūḍāmaṇi 261 ||
Introduce kāryam, introduce kāraṇam, negate the kāryam and negate the kāraṇam
status and kārya-kāraṇa-vilakṣaṇa-advitīya-Bhagavān alone is there, that is the
adhyārōpa-apavāda -prakaraṇam starting from the second line of this ślōka.

269 Verses-07-07 and 07-08
Page 199, verse 07-07

मिाः परतरां नान्यग्त्कञ्चचदस्स्त धनञ्जय ।
मयय सवययमदां प्रोतां सूत्रे मत्तणगणा इव ॥ गीता ७-७ ॥
mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyatkiñcidasti dhanañjaya |

mayi sarvamidaṁ prōtaṁ sūtrē maṇigaṇā iva || Gītā 7-7 ||
We were seeing the gist of this important ślōka in the last class. In the first half of
the ślōka, Lord Kr̥ṣṇa says that Bhagavān or He Himself is the ultimate-cause of the
universe and not an intermediary-cause. Because the word kāraṇam can convey
either avāntara-kāraṇam, intermediary-cause or mūla-kāraṇam, the ultimate-cause.
Here Kr̥ṣṇa says Bhagavān is mūla-kāraṇam, which means parā-prakr̥ti and aparā-
prakr̥ti put together is the mūla-kāraṇam that means Īśvara is not the kāryam of
anything. Mūla-kāraṇam by definition means that which is cause without being an
effect. Uncaused-cause is mūla-kāraṇam. Therefore Īśvara is not a kāryam,
therefore parā-prakr̥ti is not a kāryam, and aparā-prakr̥ti is also not a kāryam. We
should remember we never look upon māyā as a product of Brahman. There is a
wide misconception that māyā is born out of Brahman. We should never say māyā is
born out of Brahman; māyā is as much beginningless as Brahman is. Brahman also
is beginninglessly there, māyā is also beginninglessly there. Therefore parā and
aparā-prakr̥ti both are anādi. If somebody asks that by accepting both as anādi, are
we not falling into dvaita darśanam; because sāṅkha also talk about anādi-puruṣa
and anādi-prakr̥ti and we look upon sā ṅkha as dvaita-darśanam, we also talk about
anādi-puruṣa and anādi-prakr̥ti, then we also must be dvaita. How can we have
double standards? For that we talk about crucial difference. For them anādi-puruṣa
is also svatantra satyam, anādi-prakr̥ti is also svatantraḥ-satyam, they have got two
independently real entities. And therefore we call sāṅkha as dvaita-darśanam. But in
vēdānta-prakr̥ti, otherwise called māyā, otherwise here called aparā-prakr̥ti is anādi
all right but not satyam . Since it is mithyā , we will accept prakr̥ti bu t we will not
count prakr̥ti . Acceptance of prakr̥ti is there , counting of the prakr̥ti is not there .
Mithyā is defined as that which is accepted but not counted exactly like our
reflection in the mirror, reflection is accepted but it is not counted. In Praśna
upaniṣat the example is given. Yathaiṣā puruṣē chāyā (Praśnōpaniṣat 2-3). Fantastic

example given by the upaniṣat itself. Chāyā means a shade or shadow. Shadow is
experienced, shadow is accepted, but shadow is not counted. Aparā-prakr̥ti shadow
asti. This is the gist of the first line of the verse.
And I said, in the second line Kr̥ṣṇa is introducing adhyārōpa-apavāda-prakaraṇam

in which He says Bhagavān is kāraṇam and world is kāryam. Introducing Bhagavān
as kāraṇam and world as kāryam is called adhyārōpaḥ. He gives the example of
Bhagavān as kāraṇam, the thread and world as kāryam which is a woven cloth. So
kāraṇam is tantuḥ and kāryam is paṭaḥ or vastram, anything woven is called paṭaḥ.
It is an idiom we have to note borrowed from Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat, a very
important word. In Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat third chapter sixth section, seventh
section, eighth section, in three Brāhmaṇams the ōtaprōta-bhāva is talked about.
Gārgī plays a very powerful role in that. The word ōtam means that which is oven.
And whatever is woven is a kāryam. And the thread with which the weaving is done
is called kāraṇam. Bhagavān is the thread and world is a woven cloth. Thus
introducing Bhagavān as kāraṇam and world as woven kāryam is called adhyārōpaḥ.
And what is apavādaḥ? There is no cloth at all separate from the thread. Therefore
cloth is a word, it doesn‟t exist as a thing, and this is called kārya-niṣēdhaḥ. And
once kāryam is negated, the thread loses the status of being a kāraṇam. It is called
kāraṇatva-niṣēdhaḥ. Thus kārya and kāraṇatva-niṣēdhaḥ is called apavādaḥ.
Introducing kāraṇam and kāryam is adhyārōpaḥ and negating kāryam and
kāraṇatvam is called apavādaḥ. Once that is done there is only one Bhagavān who is
neither kāryam nor kāraṇam, kārya-kāraṇa-vilakṣaṇa Bhagavān ēva asti, that
Bhagavān is called Brahman. This is the adhyārōpa-apavāda.
This is introduced in the second half of the ślōka but Kr̥ṣṇa is making only a change
in the example. The original Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat example is ideal example. But
Kr̥ṣṇa deviates from the ideal example and he gives a compromised example.
What is the Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat example? Bhagavān is thread and world is a

cloth. Brahman is thread and world is a cloth. This is ideal example because there is
no world other than thread. Tantu-paṭa-dr̥ṣṭānta or sūtra-paṭa-dr̥ṣṭānta is ideal
example.
But Kr̥ṣṇa compromises and He gives sūtra-maṇi dr̥ ṣṭānta. Bhagavān is compared to
a thread, and world is compared to a mālā consisting of several beads. So world is
like a mālā consisting of several beads, every human being is a bead, every plant is
a bead, every animal is a bead, some of them are costly beads, some of them are
inexpensive beads, some beads are worn out about to be broken. Thus the whole

creation is like beads and Bhagavān is like the invisible thread keeping the mālā of
the world together as a beautiful garland.
The second example is also ok but there is a minus point in this example, a
disadvantage in this example. That disadvantage you have to ignore here. What is
that? Thread and the beads can exist independently. Even if thread is removed
beads may not be together, it may not be together as a mālā but beads do exist
separate from the thread. Therefore bead and thread have independent existences,
therefore dvaitam problem may come whereas when you take thread and cloth for
advaitam it is an ideal example. Anyway Śaṅkarācārya gives both examples.
So he gives Kr̥ṣṇa‟s example and he refines the example without criticizing Kr̥ṣṇa,
because Kr̥ṣṇa is Bhagavān, Jagadguru. This is the gist of this ślōka. Now we will go
to the bhāṣyam.
मिाः परमेश्वरात् परतरम् अनयत् कारणान्तरां वकञ्चचत् न अस्स्त न गवद्यते । अहम् एव जगत्कारणम् इगत अथयाः ।
mattaḥ paramēśvarāt parataram anyat kāraṇāntaraṁ kiñcit na asti na vidyatē |

aham ēva jagatkāraṇam iti arthaḥ |
Mattaḥ means paramēśvarāt – other than Me, the Paramēśvara. So here

Śaṅkarācārya carefully uses the word Paramēśvara to convey that here Kr̥ṣṇa is not
talking about himself as Mr. Kr̥ṣṇa. This is the difference between Kr̥ṣṇa-
Consciousness and vēdānta, Kr̥ṣṇa Consciousness people want to accept Mr. Kr̥ṣṇa
as jagat-kāraṇam. Mr. Kr̥ṣṇa as an avatāram cannot be jagat-kāraṇam because
Kr̥ṣṇa himself is born on a janma-aṣṭamī day. How can Kr̥ṣṇa as Vasudēva-putra be
mūla-kāraṇam. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya nicely translates don‟t take Mr. Kr̥ṣṇa as a
person, but as paramēśvarāt and the context also says here Kr̥ṣṇa uses the word I
not in the sense of his body but as parā-prakr̥ti plus aparā-prakr̥ti. Therefore it is not
a simple translation; these are all deliberate translation given with lot of mind
application. Mattaḥ is equal to parā-prakr̥ti aparā -prakr̥ti dvaya-yukta-
paramēśvarāt. So other than paramēśvara, parataram anyat is equal to
kāraṇāntaram. So the word para here means kāraṇam. Another superior cause,
kiñcit – anything na asti is in the mūlam, is equal to na vidyatē. What is the idea
conveyed through that? Śaṅkarācārya says the final message is aham ēva jagat-
kāraṇam iti arthaḥ – I alone am the jagat-kāraṇam and the meaning of the word I is
parā-prakr̥ti and aparā-prakr̥ti. In the presence of parā-prakr̥ti, aparā-prakr̥ti
becomes pariṇāmī-upādāna-kāraṇam, in the presence of aparā-prakr̥ti parā -prakr̥ti
becomes vivarta-upādāna-kāraṇam and nimitta-kāraṇam also. Iti arthaḥ – this is the
idea. Continuing;

हे धनञ्जय यस्मात् एवां तस्मात् मयय परमेश्वरे सवायत्तण भूतागन सिथम् इदं जगत् प्रोतम् अनुस्यूतम् अनुगतम् अनुगवद्धां
ग्रशथतम् इगत अथयाः । दीघयतन्तुषु पटवत्, सूत्रे च मशण-गण इि ॥ ७-७ ॥
hē dhanañjaya yasmāt ēvaṁ tasmāt mayi paramēśvarē sarvāṇi bhūtāni sarvam

idaṁ jagat prōtam anusyūtam anugatam anuviddhaṁ grathitam iti arthaḥ |
dīrghatantuṣu paṭavat, sūtrē ca maṇi-gaṇā iva || 7-7 ||
Hē dhanañjaya – Arjuna! yasmāt ēvam – in this manner since I am the cause of

the universe, ēvam means aham jagat-kāraṇam bhavāmi tasmāt, mayi paramēśvarē
– in Me, the thread, the warp and woof of the creation, in Me who is the warp
thread and woof thread, both length-wise and width-wise thread I am, and upon Me
the thread alone, paramēśvarē sarvāṇi bhūtāni – all the things and beings, sarvam
idaṁ jagat, sarvāṇi bhūtāni sarvam idaṁ jagat, sarvāṇi bhūtāni borrowed from
the previous ślōka, sarvam idaṁ jagat in this ślōka. Prōtam, the word prōtam is
the most significant word borrowed from Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat and even in
Muṇḍakōpaniṣat this word is used
यस्स्मन्द्यौाः पृशथवी चान्तररक्मोतां मनाः सह प्राणैि सववाः । तमेवैकां जानथ आत्मानमन्या वाचो गवमुचचथामृतस्यैष सेतुाः ॥
मुण्डकोपगनषत् २-२-५ ॥
yasmindyauḥ pr̥thivī cāntarikṣamōtaṁ manaḥ saha prāṇaiśca sarvaiḥ |

tamēvaikaṁ jānatha ātmānamanyā vācō vimuñcathāmr̥tasyaiṣa sētuḥ ||
Muṇḍakōpaniṣat 2-2-5 ||
Yasmindyauḥ pr̥thivī ca antarik ṣam ōtam. ōtam is a very significant word, ōtam
means woven which means kāryam iti arthaḥ. Pra ōtam is equal to anusyūtam is
equal to anugatam is equal to anuviddham is equal to grathitam and the final
meaning is interwoven, iti arthaḥ – this is the meaning.
And now Śaṅkarācārya clarifies the example. Dīrghatantuṣu paṭavat, even though
Kr̥ṣṇa doesn‟t use the word paṭa, the word ōtam conveys only thread and cloth.
Thread and cloth is better example than thread and beads. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya
gives better example first borrowed from the upaniṣat. Therefore he says
dīrghatantuṣu paṭavat, dīrghatantu means warp, and the other tantu is the woof,
one is along and the other is across, paṭavat – like a cloth. This is not given by
Kr̥ṣṇa, Śaṅkarācārya adds and thereafter he comes to Kr̥ṣṇa‟s example also sūtrē ca
maṇi-gaṇāḥ iva – just as the group of beads in the form of a mālā is kept together
with the help of the thread alone. In this example the idea is mālā is mālā because
of the thread only. You cannot say bead is bead because of the thread only, you
should slightly change the example, the mālā is able to survive as a mālā only
because of the thread that is one part of the example.

The second part of the example is even though mālā is surviving as mālā because of
the thread only, the thread itself is not visible to our eyes, apramēyō hriṣīkēśaḥ
padmanābhō:'maraprabhuḥ. Bhagavān Padmanābha is apramēyaḥ, apramēyaḥ
means not visible to our eyes. What is visible is mālā and Bhagavān is the invisible
sūtram.
The anvaya is, hē Dhanañjaya! mattaḥ anyat parataraṁ kiñcit na asti. Sūtrē
maṇigaṇāḥ iva mayi idam sarvam prōtam. Continuing;

केन केन धमेण गवशिष्टे त्वयय सवयम् इदम् प्रोतम् इगत उच्यते ––
kēna kēna dharmēṇa viśiṣṭē tvayi sarvam idam prōtam iti ucyatē ––
So in the following ślōkas, Kr̥ṣṇa wants to convey this fact with the help of several
examples. If you take at the macro plane there is only one kāraṇam and one
kāryam, Bhagavān is kāraṇam at the macro plane and the entire universe is kāryam
in the macro place and there is no universe separate from Bhagavān. Thus one
kāraṇam and one kāryam we can manage. But once you look within the creation
Kr̥ṣṇa wants to give several kāraṇa-kārya examples to show how the various
products do not exist separate from their respective material-cause. And in vēdānta
we give several such examples and they are, one clay and several pots, clay is like
thread and pots are like cloth pieces. And similarly, one gold and several ornaments,
and similarly, one water and several water bodies. In all of them, the products do
not exist separate from kāraṇam.
And therefore Kr̥ṣṇa wants to communicate this idea through different examples. I
am like the clay in the pots; I am like the gold in ornaments; I am like the water in
all water bodies; I am like the wood in all the furniture. Because this is very very
patent, apparent from our day-to-day life. Therefore Kr̥ṣṇa can say I am like the
clay, gold, wood etc. But instead of using the word „like‟ Kr̥ṣṇa says I am the clay in
all the pots. I am the gold in all the ornaments. So the question will come is
Bhagavān like clay or is Bhagavān clay. Is Bhagavān like gold or is Bhagavān gold?
Do we require that „like‟? Superficially seeing it appears as though the word like is
required but Bhagavān says I need not use the word „like‟ because after-all wood
also is nothing but Me alone. Isn‟t it? One Bhagavān alone is brahma-arpaṇaṁ
brahma haviḥ brahma-agnau brahmaṇā hutam. Therefore Kr̥ṣṇa abolishes the word
iva, and wants to say I am the gold in all the ornaments; I am wood in all the

furniture; I am the water in all the water bodies. In fact, the local material-causes
are also my own version only I, the original material-cause.
That is why in Kerala they tell a story. One bhakta was reading Viṣṇusahasranāma
and there an expression comes padmanābhō:'maraprabhuḥ. In saṁskr̥ta it should be
split as Padmanābhaḥ and: S mark and amaraprabhuḥ. Because prabhuḥ Bhagavān
is amaraḥ, the immortal one. This is the Viṣṇusahasranāma. And this bhakta who
doesn‟t know saṁskr̥ta and he was reading Viṣṇusahasranāma in Malayālam and he
was taking breath in between. It should be read continuously
padmanābhō:'maraprabhuḥ, then alone that „a‟ will come. There he was taking
breath and reading padmanābhō-maraprabhuḥ. And the meaning of the word
maram in Malayālam is wood. A saṁskr̥ta pandit was passing and he teased this
bhakta saying that you are making Bhagavān a maram, He is amaraḥ and why are
you making Him a maram? And then Guruvāyūrappan from inside answered it
seems, that don‟t criticize that bhakta I am amaraprabhuḥ also and I am maram
also. So even if you read Viṣṇu Sahasranāma as maraprabhuḥ it is perfectly ok. As in
Aitarēyōpaniṣat, ambhō marīcīrmāpō:'dō:'mbhaḥ parēṇa divaṁ dyauḥ
pratiṣṭhā:'ntarikṣaṁ marīcayaḥ. Pr̥thivī marō yā adhastātta āpa ḥ (Aitarēyōpaniṣat 1-
1-2). Maraḥ is also Bhagavān. Therefore in these verses Kr̥ṣṇa wants to say I am the
local upādāna-kāraṇam in all the local products without adding „iva‟ Kr̥ṣṇa says I am
those things. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya introduces kēna kēna dharmēṇa viśiṣṭē – in
the form of various incidental or intermediary material-causes. Here dharma refers
to intermediary material causes like gold, wood, etc. viśiṣṭē means in the form of. So
in the form of various intermediary material-causes idam sarvam tvayi prōtam – you
are sustaining various products which are interwoven. You are sustaining various
products like ornaments, cloths etc., which are interwoven in You. In short, what are
the intermediary material-causes in which form You sustain various products of the
creation? Iti ucyatē – that is being said here. Kr̥ṣṇa gives the list in the following
ślōkas, from eighth up to twelfth. In the following five verses the following says not
only am I the absolute-material-cause, I myself am there in the world in the form of
the intermediary-material-causes also sustaining various products. We will read.
Verse 07-08
रसोऽहमप्सु कौन्तेय प्रभास्स्म िशिसूयययोाः ।
प्रणवाः सवयवेदेषु िब्दाः खे पौरुषां नृषु ॥ गीता ७-८ ॥
rasō:'hamapsu kauntēya prabhāsmi śaśisūryayōḥ |

praṇavaḥ sarvavēdēṣu śabdaḥ khē pauruṣaṁ nr̥ṣu || Gītā 7-8 ||

So six examples are given here, water and rasaḥ, moon and prabhā, Sun and
prabhā, vēda and praṇavaḥ, space and sound and man and the manliness. Six
examples kāryam kāraṇam pairs in which kāryam doesn‟t exist separate from
kāraṇam. Now we will read the bhāṣyam.
रसाः अहम् – अपाां याः साराः साः रसाः । तस्स्मन् रसभूते मयय आपाः प्रोता इगत अथयाः । एवां सवयत्र ।
rasaḥ aham – apāṁ yaḥ sāraḥ saḥ rasaḥ | tasmin rasabhūtē mayi āpaḥ prōtā iti
arthaḥ | ēvaṁ sarvatra |
Rasaḥ aham, after that you have to put an en dash, that is taken from the mūlam.
What is the meaning of the word rasaḥ? Rasaḥ has got several meanings according
to the context. Rasaḥ means a kind of soup, it means joy also, and Taittirīyōpaniṣat
rasaḥ means ānandaḥ. Rasō vai saḥ, etc. And the word rasaḥ has got the meaning
of sentiment also. Navarasaḥ like śr̥ ṅgāra, vīra, karuṇa etc., where the word rasaḥ
means different sentiments in drama etc. So naturally the question comes in this
context what is the meaning of the word rasaḥ. Therefore yaḥ apāṁ sāraḥ – that
which is the inner essence of waters. And saḥ – that inner essence, the basic quality,
the essential feature is called saḥ rasaḥ.
And according to śāstra, the essential nature of water is its unique taste. And
according to vēdānta, that unique taste of water alone is the mūla-kāraṇam for all
the other ṣaḍ-rasams also. Just as white light contains the seven colors of the
spectrum the rasa of water is not one rasa, ṣaḍ-rasa in potential form is the rasa of
water. Therefore like white light that rasa is the essence of water. Without that basic
rasa water cannot exist. The rasa of water is all the ṣaḍ-rasas in potential form like
the white light has the potential of seven colors. This is the point number one.
The second point is we have to note is we talk about five guṇas of the five elements.
Śabda belonging to ākāśa , sparśa belonging to vāyu , rūpa belonging to agni , rasa
belonging to jalam and gandha belonging to pr̥thivī . And with regard to this śāstra
has got a view, even though we look upon them as the properties of the pañca-
bhūtas, according to śāstra really speaking they are not the properties of the pañca-
bhūtas. This I discussed in Kaṭhōpaniṣat bhāṣyam at indriyēbhyaḥ parā hyarthā
arthēbhyaśca paraṁ manaḥ (Kaṭhōpaniṣat 1-3-10). These five are not considered to
be the properties but according to śāstra these five are the sūkṣma-bhūtāni which
are manifest in the sthūla-bhūtāni. So the word śabda is really nothing but sūkṣma-
ākāśa-bhūtam. Śabda really speaking is not a guṇaḥ but it is sūkṣma-ākāśa-bhūtam.
Similarly, sparśa is not the property of vāyu; sparśa is the sūkṣma-vāyu-bhūtam,
which is the kāraṇam of the sthūla-vāyu. Similarly, rūpa is sūkṣma-agniḥ, rasa is

sūkṣma-jalam and gandha is sūkṣma-pr̥thivī. Therefore according to vēdānta,

sūkṣma-bhūtāni manifests in the sthūla-bhūtāni as śabda, sparśa, rūpa, rasa and
gandha. Since they are manifesting in the sthūla-bhūtāni; we mistake them as
properties but really speaking they are manifested versions of pañca-sūkṣma
bhūtāni. It is like saying golden bangle. The word golden looks as though it is the
property of the bangle, when you say golden-bangle the word golden appears as the
property of the bangle, really speaking it is not the property but it is the material-
cause of the bangle. Earthen-ware when you say the word earthen appears as
though it is the property of the ware but it is not the property but it is the cause of
the ware. Similarly, sound is not the property of the ākāśa and sound is the cause of
sthūla-ākāśa. And extending that rasaḥ means sūkṣma-jalam. In this ślōka rasaḥ
should be translated as sūkṣma-jalam which is the cause of apsu. Ap means sthūla-
jalam. I am the sūkṣma-jalam, the kāraṇam behind the sthūla-jalam, the kāryam. In
the sentence „aham apsu rasaḥ asmi‟ rasaḥ is equal to sūkṣma-jalam, apsu means
sūkṣma-jalam. So sūkṣma jalē aham rasaḥ-asmi. And how are we experiencing the
sūkṣma-jalam? Through the tongue we are experiencing the sūkṣma-jalam as the
taste in the sthūla-jalam. That is what is being said here. Apām – sthūla jalasya yaḥ
sāraḥ – upādāna-kāraṇa-bhūtaḥ-sūkṣma-jalam saḥ rasaḥ. Tasmin rasabhūtē mayi –
in that upādāna-kāraṇa-bhūta sūkṣma-jalē mayi, I am that sūkṣma-jalam in which
āpaḥ – sthūla-jalam is prōtāḥ – it is interwoven. Without the sūkṣma-jalam sthūla-
jalam cannot exist. iti arthaḥ – this is the meaning. Ēvaṁ sarvatra, ēvaṁ sarvatra
means sthūla-ākāśē sūkṣma-ākāśa rūpēṇa aham asmi and that sūkṣma-ākāśa alone
is experienced as the śabda-guṇa. Similarly, sthūla-agnau, sūkṣma-agni rūpēṇa
aham bhavāmi, sūkṣma-agni is experienced as the color and form. Similarly, sthūla
pr̥thivyām aham sūkṣma-pr̥thivī rūpēṇa bhavati, sūkṣma pr̥thivī is experienced in the
form of smell. Thus sarvatra means pañca bhūtēṣu api aham kāraṇa-rūpēṇa
bhavāmi. Continuing;
यथा अहम् अप्सु रसाः, एवां प्रभ अस्स्म शशश-सूयथयोाः । प्रणिाः ओङ् काराः सिथ-िेदेषु । तस्स्मन् प्रणवभूते मयय सवे वेदााः
प्रोतााः ।
yathā aham apsu rasaḥ, ēvaṁ prabhā asmi śaśi-sūryayōḥ | praṇavaḥ Ōm̐kāraḥ
sarva-vēdēṣu | tasmin praṇavabhūtē mayi sarvē vēdāḥ prōtāḥ |
So yathā aham apsu rasaḥ – just as I am the essential feature taste of water, ēvam
– in this manner, prabhā asmi – I am the brilliance of every luminary of the sky like
śaśi-sūryayōḥ – like the moon; I am like the moonlight in the moon, moon is moon
because of its essential feature moonlight. This is based on our experience. You
should not go to the scientific principle and say even if moonlight is not there moon

can survive. Based on our experience there is no moon if its essential feature of light
is not there. So śaśi means moon. Similarly, sūrya – there is no Sun without its
essential feature sunlight. Then praṇavaḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to Ōm̐kāraḥ.
Prakarṣēṇa nūyatē stūyatē anēna iti, brahma abhidhīyatē iti praṇavaḥ. This is the
derivation of the word praṇavaḥ. Pra+√nū. Nū means to reveal. And ṇavaḥ means a
revealing word. Pra means the best word which reveals Brahman. Therefore the
word praṇavaḥ means the best word which reveals Brahman. And what is the best
word which reveals Brahman? Ōm̐. Therefore Ōm̐kāraḥ is called the best word.
Sarva-vēdēṣu which is the essence of all the vēdas, vēda sāraḥ. After sarva-
vēdēṣu you have to put a full stop. What does it mean? Tasmin praṇava-bhūtē mayi
– so you should compare praṇava to the thread in which sarvē vēdāḥ – all the vēdas
are interwoven with the Ōm̐kāra thread only. Once you remove the thread, the cloth
is not there, once you remove Ōm̐kāra, vēda itself is not there. Therefore Ōm̐kāra is
like the white light and vēda is like vibgyor. Just as vibgyor cannot exist without
white light, vibgyoric vēda cannot exist without the light called Ōm̐kāra. So sarvē
vēdāḥ prōtāḥ – interwoven. Continuing;
तथा खे आकािे शब्दाः सारभूताः । तस्स्मन् मयय खां प्रोतम् । तथा पौरुषं पुरुषस्य भावाः यताः पुम्बुद्धद्धाः नृष,ु तस्स्मन् मयय
पुरुषााः प्रोतााः ॥ ७-८ ॥
tathā khē ākāśē śabdaḥ sārabhūtaḥ | tasmin mayi khaṁ prōtam | tathā
pauruṣaṁ puruṣasya bhāvaḥ yataḥ pumbuddhiḥ nr̥ṣu, tasmin mayi puruṣāḥ
prōtāḥ || 7-8 ||
So tathā – so also, khē ākāśē, khē is in the mūlam, is equal to ākāśē. And what
ākāśē? Sthūla-ākāśē – in the gross-ākāśa, śabdaḥ – I am the śabda. How should
we understand śabda? Sūkṣma-ākāśaḥ. The sound we are experiencing is sūkṣma-
ākāśa but manifest in sthūla-ākāśa. If the sthūla-ākāśa is removed, then the sūkṣma
ākāśa in the form of sound will be there, but without sthūla-ākāśa the sound will not
be manifested, iti arthaḥ. Therefore śabdaḥ is equal to sūkṣma-ākāśaḥ, tanmātram,
that is called tanmātra śabda. Another name for sūkṣma-ākāśa is śabda-tanmātram.
So śabdaḥ is equal to śabda-tanmātram. Sārabhūtaḥ – which is the upādāna-
kāraṇam. After sārabhūtaḥ full stop. And tasmin – in that śabda tanmātram sūkṣma-
ākāśa, mayi, that mayi is important. And what is that sūkṣma-ākāśa? Kr̥ṣṇa says I
am that sūkṣma ākāśa. And He doesn‟t say I am like the sūkṣma-ākāśa but He says I
am the sūkṣma-ākāśa. The idea is whenever you experience sound, you should
remember that you are experiencing Bhagavān. Whenever you drink water may you
be aware that you are experiencing Bhagavān. So that by the time we come to
eleventh chapter sufficient rehearsals would have been done, these rehearsal are for

viśva-rūpa-darśanam. By the time you come to the eleventh chapter for Īśvara-
darśanam you should not close your sense organs; by Īśvara-darśanam means
people close the sense organs and sit in meditation, Kr̥ṣṇa says closing the sense
organs and sitting in meditation for Īśvara-darśanam means you have not
understood vēdānta. All the teaching has gone to waste. If you close your sense
organs and sit in meditation for Īśvara-darśanam you have got problem. For Īśvara
darśanam you should open the gates and sarvatra Īśvara-darśanam. Therefore
instead of parōkṣa Īśvara we have to graduate to pratyakṣa-Īśvara and from
pratyakṣa-Īśvara you have to graduate to aparōkṣa-Īśvara. Aham Īśvara asmi. There
is Īśvara, here is Īśvara, and I am Īśvara.

270 Verses -07-08 to 07-10
Page 200 bhāṣyam top line.

तथा खे आकािे शब्दाः सारभूताः । तस्स्मन् मयय खां प्रोतम् । तथा पौरुषं पुरुषस्य भावाः यताः पुम्बुद्धद्धाः नृष,ु तस्स्मन् मयय
पुरुषााः प्रोतााः ॥ ७-८ ॥
tathā khē ākāśē śabdaḥ sārabhūtaḥ | tasmin mayi khaṁ prōtam | tathā
pauruṣaṁ puruṣasya bhāvaḥ yataḥ pumbuddhiḥ nr̥ṣu | tasmin mayi puruṣāḥ
prōtāḥ || 7-8 ||
Lord Kr̥ṣṇa defined Bhagavān, i.e., Himself as jagat-kāraṇam consisting of parā-

prakr̥ti and aparā-prakr̥ti, and since Bhagavān is kāraṇam and the entire universe is
kāryam, the natural corollary is that Bhagavān alone is the essence of everything.
Because kāraṇam alone is the essence of all the kāryam. And by using the word
essence what we convey is without that essence, the kāryam does not exist at all.
Therefore Bhagavān can be called the ultimate essence of the entire creation. To
convey this idea Lord Kr̥ṣṇa approaches in a different way. Even though Bhagavān is
the ultimate essence, he wants to say that he is the intermediate-essence of
everything also. By intermediate-essence what we mean is the avāntara-kāraṇam or
intermediate-cause of everything. Just as clay is the avāntara-kāraṇam of all earthen
wares, wood is the avāntara-kāraṇam of all furniture, water is the avāntara-kāraṇam
of all water bodies, thus there are so many avāntara-kāraṇams which are the inner-
essence of their respective kāryams. Wood will be the inner-essence of all the
furniture, but it will not be the inner essence of all the water bodies. Similarly, water
will be the inner-essence of its product. And therefore Kr̥ṣṇa says I am in the form of
the avāntara-kāraṇams also which are the inner-essence of all their respective
products. And therefore He is giving the list rasō:'hamapsu kauntēya – for all gross
waters, the avāntara-kāraṇam is subtle-water. For all gross forms of vāyu subtle-
vāyu is the avāntara-kāraṇam, every sūkṣma-bhūtam is the kāraṇam of all the
sthūla-bhūtams and their products. Therefore He said rasō:'hamapsu kauntēya etc.
In that list we are seeing the eighth verse where Kr̥ṣṇa says in the last quarter
śabdaḥ khē pauruṣaṁ nr̥ṣu – for the sthūla-ākāśa the essence is sūkṣma-ākāśa
or tanmātra, and for sūkṣma-ākāśa there is another name and that name is śabda-
guṇaḥ. Therefore śabda which is the property of sthūla-ākāśa that śabda happens to
be the sthūla-ākāśa kāraṇam also, which is śabda-tanmātram. Therefore he said

tathā khē ākāśē, khē is in the mūlam, is equal to ākāśē, and here the word ākāśē
refers to the sthūla-ākāśē in the gross element, śabdaḥ – I am the śabda-guṇa, and
not only śabda-guṇa we should also add śabda-tanmātram ca. And what is śabda-
tanmātram? Sūkṣma-ākāśam. So śabdaḥ is equal to śabda-guṇaḥ is equal to śabda-
tanmātram is equal to sūkṣma-ākāśaḥ aham asmi. And what is sūkṣma-ākāśa?
Sārabhūtaḥ – which is the essence of sthūla-ākāśaḥ.
Then next sentence is tasmin mayi khaṁ prōtam, tasmin means in that sūkṣma-
ākāśa the sthūla-ākāśa is interwoven. But the most important thing to be noted is
tasmin mayi, that word mayi is important, that sūkṣma-ākāśa which is the essence
of sthūla-ākāśa is none other than Myself. Therefore I am the mūla-kāraṇam also, I
am the avāntara-kāraṇams also. So mayi khaṁ prōtam, kham means sthūla-ākāśaḥ
prōtaḥ. Then the last item is tathā, tathā means „so also‟ conjunction. Pauruṣam is
in the mūlam, is equal to puruṣasya-bhāvaḥ, which means the essential nature of a
human being which makes human being a human being. So you can translate it as
humanness. Yataḥ pumbuddhiḥ nr̥ṣu – because of which alone a human being is
seen as a human being. Yataḥ means yasmāt pauruṣāt, because of which
humanness only a human being is seen as a human being that essential nature of a
human being is also Myself. Pumbuddhiḥ means puruṣa-buddhiḥ. Puruṣa-buddhiḥ
means seeing a human being as a human being. Here buddhi doesn‟t mean intellect.
Here buddhiḥ means perception. And tasmin – in that humanness the essential
nature of all human beings, mayi – which is Myself. Again I am the avāntara-
kāraṇam which is Myself. Puruṣāḥ prōtāḥ – all the human beings are interwoven. So
puruṣāḥ here means human beings. What is the essential nature of human being?
We can take it as puruṣakāraḥ, the freewill, the unique feature of human being is
only the puruṣakāraḥ or freewill, that freewill also is my own expression only.
The anvaya is, Hē Kauntēya! Apsu aham rasaḥ (asmi). Śaśi-sūryayōḥ (aham) prabhā
(asmi). Sarva-vēdēṣu (aham) praṇavaḥ (asmi). Khē (aham) śabdaḥ (asmi). Nr̥ṣu
(aham) pauruṣam (asmi). Continuing;
Verse 07-09
पुण्यो गन्धाः पृशथव्याां च तेजिास्स्म गवभावसौ ।
जीवनां सवयभूतेषु तपिास्स्म तपस्स्वषु ॥ गीता ७-९ ॥
puṇyō gandhaḥ pr̥thivyāṁ ca tējaścāsmi vibhāvasau |

jīvanaṁ sarvabhūtēṣu tapaścāsmi tapasviṣu || Gītā 7-9 ||
Some more list is given, only a simple list. We will go to the bhāṣyam.

पुण्याः सुरत्तभाः गन्धाः पृसथव्य ं च अहम् । तस्स्मन् मयय गन्धभूते पृशथवी प्रोता ।
पुण्यत्वां गन्धस्य स्वभावत एव पृशथव्याां दर्ििंतम् । अबाददषु रसादे ाः पुण्यत्व-उलक्णाथयम् ।
अपुण्यत्वां तु गन्धादीनाम् अगवद्या-अधमायदद-अपेक्ां सांसाररणाां भूतगविेषसांसगयगनयमिां भवगत ।
puṇyaḥ surabhiḥ gandhaḥ pr̥thivyāṁ ca aham | tasmin mayi gandhabhūtē pr̥thivī

prōtā |
puṇyatvaṁ gandhasya svabhāvata ēva pr̥thivyāṁ darśitam | abādiṣu rasādēḥ
puṇyatva-ulakṣaṇārtham |
apuṇyatvaṁ tu gandhādīnām avidyā-adharmādi-apēkṣaṁ saṁsāriṇāṁ
bhūtaviśēṣasaṁsarganimittaṁ bhavati |
Puṇyaḥ gandhaḥ is in the mūlam, gandhaḥ means smell, puṇyaḥ is equal to

surabhiḥ, surabhiḥ means fragrant smell . So good smell , favorable smell or
fragrance smell, pr̥thivyām – is there in the pr̥thivī or earth . And the word gandhaḥ
you must translate properly. First gandhaḥ is equal to pr̥thivī -guṇaḥ, is equal to
pr̥thivī-tanmātram is equal to sūkṣma-pr̥thivī. So I am the form of sūkṣma-pr̥thivī
which is manifest as smell in the sthūla-pr̥thivī. Pr̥thivyāṁ ca, which alone we
experience when the first rain falls on the earth, if there is earth somewhere by
chance and the earth also not contaminated by human being, otherwise other smells
will come, when the earth by itself is there, you are able to get the fragrant smell of
the earth. That fragrant smell in the pr̥thivī aham – that I am. And tasmin mayi
gandhabhūtē – in that sūkṣma-pr̥thivī which is śabda-tanmātram and which sūkṣma-
pr̥thivī happens to be Myself, pr̥thivī-prōtā, pr̥thivī means sthūla-pr̥thivī-prōtā.
And Śaṅkarācārya wants to give the significance of fragrant smell, why should Kr̥ṣṇa
add the adjective fragrant smell? Śaṅkarācārya says Kr̥ṣṇa wants to claim only the
fragrant smell as Himself. If there is foul smell on the earth that foul smell is not the
nature of Bhagavān, it is the nature of avidyā or māyā. So because of the avidyā or
māyā in the jīva, the jīva has done so many karmas and many karmas are adharma-
karmas also, pāpa-karmas also. And the pāpa karma of the jīvas will have to be
experienced in the form of pañca-vidha-bhōgaḥ, five types of experiences, pāpa
karma will have to give negative experiences. Thus avidyā produces pāpam, pāpam
has to produce negative experiences, and that negative experiences are in the form
of negative-śabda, negative-sparśa, negative-rūpa, negative-rasa and negative-
gandha, duṣṭa-śabdaḥ, duṣṭa-sparśaḥ, duṣṭa-rūpam, duṣṭa-rasaḥ and duṣṭa-
gandhaḥ. These five duṣṭa-guṇas are not Īśvara‟s quality. These duṣṭa-śabda,
sparśas are born out of avidyā and adharma, which belong to the jīva. Therefore
Śaṅkarācārya nicely adds a note.
Gandhasya-puṇyatvam – so the fragrant smell of the earth svabhāvata ēva – is

natural and it belongs to Bhagavān. And when I say Bhagavān, parā-aparā-prakr̥ti

miśrita Bhagavān. So fragrant smell belongs to the original-pr̥thivī which belongs to

the original-Bhagavān. So svabhāvata ēva pr̥thivyā ṁ darśitam – has been shown ,
full stop . And tat this natural fragrance of the pr̥thivī , natural good smell of the
pr̥thivī is u palakṣaṇa-artham – is meant to the extend in the other pañca-bhūtas
also, or the other four bhūtas also. So the natural good smell is mentioned here for
extending them to the other four elements also, that means in the previous ślōka
ākāśa is supposed to have śabda-guṇa, śabda-guṇa also you should divide into two,
good-śabda and bad-śabda; good one is svābhāvikam and the bad one is because of
avidyā-pāpa-sambandhaḥ. Similarly, in the jalam also good natural taste is Bhagavān
but the smell of Coovam is bad and that is because of jīva, avidyā and pāpa. Thus in
all the pañca-bhūtas the good attributes are Bhagavān‟s and the bad ones are
because of jīva-avidyā-adharma. Therefore he says abādiṣu, abādiṣu means ap
ādiṣu, ap means jalam, and ādi means the other three elements. What has been
mentioned here is pr̥thivī , the other four elements like jalam, agni, vāyu and ākāśa,
rasādēḥ – their respective attributes are puṇyatva-upalakṣaṇārtham – are also good
only. So the original attributes are good only. If the original attributes are good how
come we are experiencing duṣṭa-śabda? All people are scolding me. So I am hearing
bad-śabdas, I am experiencing bad smell etc. So apuṇyatvam how does it come?
Śaṅkarācārya gives an interesting reason. Here the word apuṇya means bad one,
negative one , gandhādīnām – of the smell belonging to pr̥thivī , taste belonging to
jalam etc., is because of bhūta-viśēṣa-saṁsarga-nimittam – only because of the
combination or contamination with the other elements. That is the original pure
water doesn‟t have any foul smell but when some dirty object mingles with water,
the water will have foul smell or taste. Therefore bhūta-viśēṣa means the other
contaminating elements, saṁsarga means sambandha, association, nimittam –
because of. So the negative experiences are because of the negative contaminants.
Now the next question is how do the negative contaminants come. So why should
Bhagavān mix with negative contaminants? Śaṅkarācārya says Bhagavān does not
want to mix it with negative contaminants but jīva‟s puṇya-pāpam makes it
necessary to mix with that. Therefore he says the contamination is saṁsāriṇām –
because of the avidyā-adharmādi-apēkṣam – because of avidyā, their original
ignorance, adharma which means pāpa-karma, because of such reasons bad śarīram
etc., apēkṣam which means dependent on.
And suppose you ask how did the first contamination come. That is why
Śaṅkarācārya avoided or he had the answer ready. When did avidyā start? Avidyā is
anādi, jīva is anādi, therefore jīva-puṇya-pāpam also is anādi, and therefore the

world will have always a mixture good and bad. The good component is the
contribution of anādi-Īśvara, the bad component is the contribution of anādi-jīva.
And therefore avidyā-adharmādi you have to split it properly, don‟t read avidyā-
dharmādi. Avidyā-adharmādi-apēkṣam bhavati. Avidyā-adharmādi-apēkṣam and
bhūta-viśēṣa-saṁsarga-nimittam these two words are adjectives to apuṇyatvam.
Continuing;
तेजो दीन्प्ताः च अस्स्म विभ िसौ अननौ । तथा जीिनं सिथ-भूतेष,ु येन जीवन्न्त सवायत्तण भूतागन तत् जीवनम् । तपाः च
अस्स्म तपस्स्िषु । तस्स्मन् तपशस मयय तपस्स्वनाः प्रोतााः ॥ ७-९ ॥
tējō dīptiḥ ca asmi vibhāvasau agnau | tathā jīvanaṁ sarva-bhūtēṣu, yēna jīvanti
sarvāṇi bhūtāni tat jīvanam | tapaḥ ca asmi tapasviṣu | tasmin tapasi mayi
tapasvinaḥ prōtāḥ || 7-9 ||
Tējaḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to dīptiḥ. Ca asmi vibhāvasau is in the mūlam, is

equal to agnau. You can understand in the fire I am in the form of the brightness or
brilliance. Dahana-prakāśana-śaktiḥ. You can include both burning power as well as
illumining power. Then tathā – in the same way jīvanaṁ sarva-bhūtēṣu is in the
mūlam, after sarva-bhūtēṣu you can put a full stop. In the next sentence
Śaṅkarācārya gives the meaning of the word jīvanam. He says jīvanam is that
because of which living beings live. What is that? Śaṅkarācārya doesn‟t explain that
which means we have to do homework.
Therefore sub-commentators are there for their homework. And different sub-
commentators take different meanings. Two meanings are given. Some take it as
prāṇa-śaktiḥ or āyuḥ. So prāṇa is the jīvanam, the essential factor because of which
living beings live, therefore jīvanam is equal to prāṇaḥ. A prāṇi is a prāṇi because of
prāṇa. Therefore jīvanam is equal to prāṇaḥ according to some people.
Some other people take it differently. Prāṇa itself survives in the body because of
food or annam only. Without annam prāṇa itself will not stay in the body. Therefore
annam is more fundamental than even prāṇaḥ. And therefore they quote this
Taittirīyōpaniṣat vākyam, annādvai prajāḥ prajāyantē. Yāḥ kāśca pr̥thivīm̐śritāḥ. Athō
annēnaiva jīvanti. Athainadapi yantyantataḥ. Annam̐hi bhūtānāṁ jyēṣṭham. Tasmāt
sarvauṣadhamucyatē (Taittirīyōpaniṣat 2-2-1).
The first group will quote another Taittirīyōpaniṣat vākyam prāṇaṁ dēvā anu
prāṇanti (Taittirīyōpaniṣat 2-3-1).
What is the final meaning? Both are correct. Jīvanam can be taken as prāṇaḥ and
also as annam; both are logical, practical and śāstrical. Therefore śruti yukti

anubhava support both the meanings. Therefore we can translate jīvanam is equal
to prāṇaḥ and annam. Tat jīvanam yēna prāṇēna yēna annēna sarvāṇi bhūtāni
jīvanti, tat annam prāṇaḥ jīvanam bhavati.
Similarly, tapaḥ ca asmi – I am tapas. Where? Tapasviṣu – in all the tapasvis , all
the austere r̥ ṣis, all the sages because of which they have the sageness, that tapas
power I am. Saintliness in the saints I am. So the saintliness can be taken as all the
siddhis as well as all the virtues they have all can be taken as tapas. After
tapasviṣu you have to put a full stop. Śaṅkarācārya connects it to the original
context, Śaṅkarācārya takes these verses eight, nine, ten etc., as a commentary on
verse number seven. In verse number, seven second line there is an important
sentence mayi idam sarvam prōtam – everything is woven in me. I am the warp and
woof of the entire creation. I am the long-thread and cross-thread of the entire
creation cloth and that alone is elaborated. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya uses the word
prōta borrowed from the seventh verse. So tasmin tapasi mayi tapasvinaḥ prōtāḥ –
in Me which is in the form of austerity all the austerity sages are woven. Without Me,
the austerity, sages cannot be there as sages.
So these are all the methods used by Śaṅkarācārya; the moment you see the word
prōta we should not casually gloss over and go to the next verse. We should try to
find out why Śaṅkarācārya should use the word prōta. This is called the application
of the mind. Śaṅkarācārya‟s-bhāṣyam is defined as prasanna-gambhīra-bhāṣyam. It
is a unique title given to Śaṅkarācārya‟s-bhāṣyam. Prasanna-bhāṣyam means when
you read it appears simple and you can understand with a little knowledge of
saṁskr̥ta. And therefore we will think we have understood and we will go to the next
ślōka. But when the scholars look into the same bhāṣyam, the so called prasanna-
bhāṣyam will have depth also. That depth the superficial-reader will not get but the
observant-reader can study. I am giving one example. The word prōta we will gloss
over and hurry to the next ślōka. Our aim is to complete the study of Gītā. If you
observe the word prōta it is borrowed from the seventh verse. Kr̥ṣṇa Himself has
borrowed the word prōta from Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat. By using the word prōta what
Śaṅkarācārya conveys is all these ślōkas are commentaries on the seventh verse.
Therefore the seventh verse is extremely important. So tapasvinaḥ prōtāḥ. The
prōtāḥ means interwoven. pra+√vē, vē vayati to weave.
The anvaya is , pr̥thivyām (aham) puṇyaḥ gandhaḥ (asmi). Vibhāvasau (aham) tējaḥ
(asmi). Sarva-bhūtēṣu (aham) jīvanam (asmi). Tapasviṣu (aham) tapaḥ ca asmi.
Continuing;

Verse 07-10
बीजां माां सवयभूतानाां गवद्धद्ध पाथय सनातनम् ।
बुद्धद्धबुयद्धद्धमतामस्स्म तेजस्तेजस्स्वनामहम् ॥ गीता ७-१० ॥
बीजं प्ररोहकारणां म ं विशद्ध सिथ-भूत न ं हे प थथ सन तनं शचरन्तनम् । गकचच, बुशद्धाः गववेकिशक्ताः अन्ताःकरणस्य
बुशद्धमत ं गववेकिशक्तमताम् अस्स्म, तेजाः प्रागल्भ्यां तद्वताां तेजस्स्िन म् अहम् ॥ ७-१० ॥
bījaṁ māṁ sarvabhūtānāṁ viddhi pārtha sanātanam |

buddhirbuddhimatāmasmi tējastējasvināmaham || Gītā 7-10 ||
bījaṁ prarōhakāraṇaṁ māṁ viddhi sarva-bhūtānāṁ hē pārtha sanātanaṁ

cirantanam | kiñca, buddhiḥ vivēkaśaktiḥ antaḥkaraṇasya buddhimatāṁ
vivēkaśaktimatām asmi, tējaḥ prāgalbhyaṁ tadvatāṁ tējasvinām aham || 7-10
||
Bījam is in the mūlam, is equal to prarōhakāraṇam. Prarōha means utpatti, prarōha-

kāraṇam means utpatti-kāraṇam. I am the seed of the entire creation, I am the
source of the entire creation, I am the raw material of the entire creation, I am the
upādāna-kāraṇam of the entire creation. The word bījam is a technical word
conveying the upādāna-kāraṇam. What upādāna-kāraṇam? You have to supply both,
I am vivarta-upādāna-kāraṇam as parā-prakr̥ti and I am pariṇāmī-upādāna-kāraṇam
as aparā-prakr̥ti; I am changeless material cause as Brahman, I am changing
material cause as māyā. As changeless-materials-cause-Brahman, I provide
existence to the creation, as changing-material-cause-māyā, I provide nāma-rūpa to
the creation. Whenever I experience nāma-rūpa, it is māyā the changing-material-
cause, and whenever I appreciate existence I am experiencing the changeless-
material-cause. „Mike is‟ when I say, „mike‟ is equal to māyā „is‟ is equal to Brahman.
„Chair is‟ „chair‟ is equal to māyā and „is equal to Brahman. Thus everywhere I am
experiencing Brahman and māyā. The changing-component is māyā and the
changeless-component is Brahman. Mixed-one is called Īśvara. So I am experiencing
māyā, Brahman and Īśvara all the time. The changing-component is māyā, the
changeless-component is Brahman and the mixture is Lord Īśvara. I have been
looking at the students for thirty years. In the students I see a changing-component.
I see the body of the students changing. I am seeing in each one their style of
walking. Earlier they were active and energetic but now they take more time to
reach the hall. That is all the māyā component of my dear students. That is the
changing component. But the student „is‟, „is‟, „is‟, „is‟, and the student is conscious,
therefore that „is‟ness and Consciousness is Brahman-component. I am all the time
experiencing māyā-component plus or combined together I am experiencing all the
time Īśvara ēva. So how can you miss Īśvara? Or how can you close your eyes to

see Īśvara? Isn‟t it ridiculous? How can you close your eyes for Īśvara-darśanam?
Therefore open your eyes to have Īśvara-darśanam and close your eyes also to have
Īśvara darśanam. Antar bahiḥ ca tat sarvam vyāpya nārāyaṇaḥ sthitaḥ. What a
fantastic one! So bījam – so pariṇāmī vivarta upādāna-kāraṇam aham asmi, iti
mām viddhi – thus may you understand, don‟t reduce Me to a person seated in
Vaikuṇṭha Kailāsa etc. Don‟t limit Me. mām viddhi, viddhi means may you
understand Me. sarva-bhūtānām – for all beings, for all the things and being, hē
pārtha. And when you say Bhagavān is the kāraṇam, the question will come is it
avāntara-kāraṇam or mūla-kāraṇam? Because two kāraṇams are there. Therefore he
gives the answer sanātanam bījam – I am the eternal-seed that means I am the
beginingless-kāraṇam that means I am the causeless-cause that means I am mūla-
kāraṇam. So sanātanam is equal to cirantanam is equal to anādi is equal to mūla-
kāraṇam. Iti viddhi, kiñca – moreover, buddhiḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to vivēka-
śaktiḥ antaḥ-karaṇasya – the discriminative power of the mind, buddhi-matām is
equal to vivēka-śakti-matām, which means the discriminative one. So I am the
discriminative power in all the discriminative human beings, vivēka-śaktimatām.
Sambandhē ṣaṣṭhī. Vivēka-śakti-matām buddhi-matām vivēka-śaktiḥ asmi.
Similarly, tējaḥ is equal to prāgalbhyam; prāgalbhyam means courage, bravery self-
confidence, courage to face the unfavorable future. The attitude towards
unfavorable future is courage. So tējaḥ is equal to prāgalbhyam, tadvatāṁ
tējasvinām aham – I am the courage in the courageous people, bravery in the
brave people, confidence in the confident people.
The anvaya is, Hē pārtha! (tvam) mām sarva-bhūtānām sanātanam bījam viddhi.
(aham) buddhimatām buddhiḥ asmi. Aham tējasvinām tējaḥ (asmi).
I remember a beautiful ślōka in which a person who has understood Bhagavān in his
real nature is regretting for three dōṣams he has committed in the form of insult to
Bhagavān. He says in the name of worshiping You, and in name of glorifying You, I
have only insulted You regularly in the name of devotion. But because of ignorance I
did therefore You will forgive me. And those three dōṣams he presents in a beautiful
ślōka.
रूपां रूपगववर्जिंताय भवते ध्यानाय यत्कञ्ल्पतां

स्तुत्यागनवयचनीयताग्खलगुरो रॄरीकृता यन्मया ।
व्यागपत्वचच गनराकृतां भगवताः यिीथययात्राददना
क्न्तव्यां जगदीि तगद्वकलता दोषत्रयां मत्कृतम् ॥
rūpaṁ rūpavivarjitāya bhavatē dhyānāya yatkalpitaṁ

stutyānirvacanīyatākhilagurō dūrīkr̥tā yanmayā |

vyāpitvañca nirākr̥taṁ bhagavataḥ yattīrthayātrādinā

kṣantavyaṁ jagadīśa tadvikalatā dōṣatrayaṁ matkr̥tam ||
Rūpaṁ rūpavivarjitāya bhavatē dhyānāya yatkalpitam – really speaking You are all-
pervading and formless, or You are endowed with all forms, not limited to one form.
Even though You are not limited by one form, by regularly practicing meditation I
limited You. So rūpa-vivarjitāya-bhavatē. You can understand. To you who doesn‟t
have any limited form, I attributed saśaṅkhacakraṁ sakirīṭakuṇḍalam. By every
adjective, I limited for the sake of dhyānam. So rūpaṁ rūpavivarjitāya bhavatē
dhyānāya yatkalpitam. Dōṣa number one. Stutyā-nirvacanīyata akhilagurō dūrīkr̥tā
yanmayā – even though You are really indescribable, by regularly giving descriptions
to You, I removed Your original nature, the indescribable nature I spoilt by
describing and limiting. As the saying goes God defined is God defiled. So stutyā
nirvacanīyata akhilagurō dūrīkr̥tā yanmayā is the second dō ṣa. Vyāpitvañca
nirākr̥taṁ bhagavataḥ yattīrthayātrādinā – even though you are all-pervading by
regularly taking to tīrtha-yātrā, I declared You are only in Guruvāyūr, you are only in
Tirupati, you are only in Paṇḍarpur and so I limited You by regularly doing
tīrthayātrā. Kṣantavyaṁ jagadīśa tadvikalatā dōṣatrayaṁ matkr̥tam – O Lord! May
You forgive me for these three forms of insults I committed regularly.

271 Verses 07-11 and 07-12
Page 200, verse 07-10.

बीजां माां सवयभूतानाां गवद्धद्ध पाथय सनातनम् ।
बुद्धद्धबुयद्धद्धमतामस्स्म तेजस्तेजस्स्वनामहम् ॥ गीता ७-१० ॥
bījaṁ māṁ sarvabhūtānāṁ viddhi pārtha sanātanam |

buddhirbuddhimatāmasmi tējastējasvināmaham || Gītā 7-10 ||
In these verses, Lord Kr̥ṣṇa wants to establish that there is no creation separate
from God. And the reason for that is that God is both nimitta and upādāna-kāraṇam
of the universe. And the entire universe is a kāryam and kāryam is mere nāma-rūpa.
The nāma-rūpa component of the creation is given by aparā-prakr̥ti and the
Existence component of the creation is provided by parā-prakr̥ti. So wherever I
experience variable-nāma-rūpa I am experiencing the aparā-prakr̥ti of Lord.
Everywhere that I experience non-variable-Existence and non-variable-
Consciousness, that sat-cit-tattvam is parā-prakr̥ti. And other than variable-aparā-
prakr̥ti and non-variable parā-prakr̥ti, we don‟t experience anything. And our own
experience of ourselves as the subject, when I claim I am the experiencer, the
experiencer-I is also a mixture of variable and non-variable component. The
physical-features are variables, the emotional-features are variables, the intellectual-
features are variables, all the variables features of me the experiencer is aparā-
prakr̥ti and the non-variable-I and am; I referring to cit-tattvam and am referring to
sat-tattvam, the non-variable-sat-cit-I-am is parā-prakr̥ti. And therefore learning to
look at the creation itself as Īśvara which is otherwise called viśva-rūpa-darśanam is
the benefit of this knowledge. And therefore Lord Kr̥ṣṇa is building up viśva-rūpa-
Īśvara-darśanam. Before that we look upon Īśvara as parōkṣa-tattvam which is
beyond the universe, which is different from the universe and which is extra-cosmic-
Īśvara. Always we learn about Īśvara as an extra-cosmic-principle. By extra-cosmic-
principle we mean He is different from the world, beyond the world, located
somewhere, is called parōkṣa-Īśvara. From parōkṣa-Īśvara we have to progress
towards pratyakṣa-Īśvara. Sarvatra-sarvadā-Īśvara-darśanam, in fact being incapable
of seeing anything other than Īśvara. This divinization of the world is Kr̥ṣṇa‟s project
from seventh chapter culminating in the eleventh chapter of viśva-rūpa-darśana-

yōga. We have completed the tenth verse. We have to enter the eleventh verse, we
will read.
Verse 07-11
बलां बलवताां चाहां कामरागगववर्जिंतम् ।
धमायगवरुद्धो भूतेषु कामोऽस्स्म भरतषयभ ॥ गीता ७-११ ॥
balaṁ balavatāṁ cāhaṁ kāmarāgavivarjitam |

dharmāviruddhō bhūtēṣu kāmō:'smi bharatarṣabha || Gītā 7-11 ||
We will read the bhāṣyam. I am not giving the gist of the ślōka because they are all
simple ślōkas which you yourselves understand as we read therefore I am going to
the bhāṣyam directly.
बलां सामर्थययम् ओजो बलवताम् अहम् । तत् च बलां काम-राग-गववर्जिंतम् ।
balaṁ sāmarthyam ōjō balavatām aham | tat ca balaṁ kāma-rāga-vivarjitam |
So in this ślōka there are two readings. One is balaṁ balavatāṁ cāham and the
other reading is balaṁ balavatāṁ asmi; both readings are equally ok. If cāham is
there then asmi has to be supplied. If asmi is there then aham has to be supplied.
Balam is in the mūlam, is equal to sāmarthyam; sāmarthyam is equal to ōjaḥ, ōjaḥ
means śaktiḥ or power. The power of the physical body to do action, the power of
the sense organs to perceive; so śarīra śaktiḥ, indriyaśaktiḥ, manaśaśaktiḥ, buddhi
śaktiḥ, power at all levels is here called balam. Where do I reside? Balavatām – in
all the powerful people I am there as power. That means minus Me powerful people
cannot be powerful as we saw in Kēnōpaniṣat. Śrōtrasya śrōtram manasō manō yad
vācō ha vācam sa u prāṇasya prāṇaḥ (Kēnōpaniṣat 1-2). Here we are extending to
all other things also. I am the power of the powerful. There are two types of
powers; one is a constructive power which is not contaminated by adharma. And
there is another power, the destructive power which is contaminated by adharma.
One is good power and another is bad, destructive power. Kr̥ṣṇa wisely claims I am
the constructive power. Therefore he says tat balaṁ ca – that power also kāma-
rāga-vivarjitam – free from both kāmaḥ and rāgaḥ, vivarjitam means rahitam,
free from. What do you mean kāma and rāga? Śaṅkarācārya explains that in the
next paragraph. We will read.
कामाः च रागाः च कामरागौ –– कामाः तृष्णा असांगनकृष्टेषु गवषयेषु । रागाः रञ्जना प्राप्तेषु गवषयेषु । ताभ्याां कामरागाभ्याां
गववर्जिंतां दे हाददधारणमात्राथं बलां अहम् अस्स्म, न तु यत् सांसाररणाां तृष्णारागकारणम् ।
kāmaḥ ca rāgaḥ ca kāmarāgau –– kāmaḥ tr̥ṣṇā asaṁnikr̥ṣṭēṣu viṣayēṣu | rāgaḥ

rañjanā prāptēṣu viṣayēṣu | tābhyāṁ kāmarāgābhyāṁ vivarjitaṁ

dēhādidhāraṇamātrārthaṁ balaṁ aham asmi, na tu yat saṁsāriṇāṁ

tr̥ṣṇārāgakāraṇam |
So first he gives the vigraha vākyam, kāma-rāga is dvandva samāsa, kāmaḥ ca

rāgaḥ ca kāma-rāgau. Kāmaḥ means desire, rāgaḥ means attachment. Naturally the
question will come what is the difference between desire and attachment. Right
from the very word it is clear desire is towards an object which I don‟t possess now.
Desire is always towards an unpossessed-object, unowned-object, and the desire
makes me work for possessing the object. Whereas attachment is not towards
unpossessed-object, attachment is towards something which is already claimed as
mine. So my-house, my-wife, my-children, my-dress, my-country. Anything I claim
as mine, towards that clinging on to the object I don‟t want to lose the object. And
that is called attachment. So aprāpta viṣayē kāmaḥ prāpta viṣayē rāgaḥ iti bhēdaḥ.
That he brings out here. Kāmaḥ is equal to tr̥ ṣṇā which means desire, craving,
yearning for asaṁnikr̥ṣṭēṣu viṣayēṣu – with regard to the objects which are not close
by, which are not possessed. Literally asaṁnikr̥ṣṭa means close by and here close by
means possessed. And asaṁnikr̥ṣṭa means unpossessed by me. With regard to such
object, tr̥ṣṇā – desire to own or possess. After viṣayēṣu full stop. This is the
definition of kāma. Then he gives the definition of rāgaḥ. Rāgaḥ is equal to rañjanā,
rañjanā means clinging. It is like sticking, gum; becoming sticky to the other person.
So mental stickiness is equal to rañjanā. With regard to what? Prāptēṣu viṣayēṣu –
with regard to objects which are already owned by me, possessed by me. Now he
gives the full compound, kāma-rāga-vivarjitam is there, that he explains. Tābhyāṁ
vivarjitam, tr̥tīyā tatpuruṣaḥ. Tābhyām means kāmarāgābhyā, vivarjitam means free
from. Vivarjitam must be connected with balam, which is the context. Therefore
tābhyāṁ; tābhyāṁ balam means a power which is not contaminated by desire and
attachment. Once desire and attachment come that power will be a toxic power
because it will harm me also, it will harm others also. As we saw in the third chapter,
काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवाः ।

महािनो महापाप्मा गवद्ध्येनयमह वैररणम् ॥ गीता ३-३७ ॥
kāma ēṣa krōdha ēṣa rajōguṇasamudbhavaḥ |

mahāśanō mahāpāpmā viddhyēnamiha vairiṇam || Gītā 3-37 ||
This is the problem with kāma. What is the problem with rāga?
इद्धन्ियस्येद्धन्ियस्याथे रागद्वे षौ व्यवञ्स्थतौ ।

तयोनय विमागच्छे िौ ह्यस्य पररपत्न्नौ ॥ गीता ३-३४ ॥
indriyasyēndriyasyārthē rāgadvēṣau vyavasthitau |

tayōrna vaśamāgacchēttau hyasya paripanthinau || Gītā 3-34 ||

So indriyasyēndriyasyārthē ślōka reveals problem of rāga. Kāma ēṣa krōdha ēṣa

ślōka reveals problem of kāma. Therefore both are toxic for oneself and others. And
that balam is not Me. Then what am I? The very same balam after the removal of
contamination. What is that balam? Dēhādi-dhāraṇa-mātrārtham – that is the balam
of a sannyāsi or a non-selfish person. Whose balam is for what? Dēhādi-dhāraṇa-
mātram – for the personal survival whatever is required that alone he possesses and
he doesn‟t want to possess too much, he doesn‟t have parigraha dōṣa. Therefore he
says dēhādi-dhāraṇam means for the maintenance of oneself and one‟s family
whatever is required that he holds on to and nothing more. And we should also note
even the minimum he possesses and maintains, he doesn‟t develop ownership. He
has the attitude of trusteeship, I am only the user of the property of Lord and not
the owner. That balam I am. And he says na tu yat saṁsāriṇāṁ balam – I am not
the strength of saṁsāri people. What is the specialty of saṁsāri‟s balam? Tr̥ṣṇā-
rāga-kāraṇam – which is contaminated with tr̥ ṣṇā – more and more desire and greed
and which has got more and more rāga or attachment. Continuing;
गकचच –– धम थविरुद्धाः धमेण िास्त्राथेन अगवरुद्धो याः प्रात्तणषु भूतेषु क माः, यथा दे हधारणमात्राद्यथयाः
अिनपानाददगवषयाः कामाः अस्स्म हे भरतषथभ ॥ ७-११ ॥
kiñca –– dharmāviruddhaḥ dharmēṇa śāstrārthēna aviruddhō yaḥ prāṇiṣu

bhūtēṣu kāmaḥ, yathā dēhadhāraṇamātrādyarthaḥ aśanapānādiviṣayaḥ kāmaḥ
asmi hē bharatarṣabha || 7-11 ||
So very important point he presents here. Dayānanda Svāmiji always underlines this
portion. In the first line it was said that the strength or power not contaminated by
kāma or desire is Īśvara-śaktiḥ. There Kr̥ṣṇa used the expression contaminated by
kāmaḥ. From that we derive a corollary desire contaminates strength and therefore
desire is an evil thing. Because Kr̥ṣṇa uses the word contaminated by desire. If you
use the expression contaminated by desire, desire is a contamination, that means
desire is an evil; that idea comes. And in kāma ēṣa krōdha ēṣa rajō-guṇa-
samudbhavaḥ also desire presented as an evil. In several places kāma is presented
as an evil, therefore we will conclude desire itself is an evil. And Kr̥ṣṇa wants to
remove that idea, desire by itself is not evil. Desire also can be good desire and bad
desire just as cholesterol can be HDL and LDL. I don‟t want to enter into this topic
elaborately because in one of the New Year talks I have spoken about „Is desire an
evil?‟ There I had established desire by itself is not an evil. Inappropriate-desire is
evil and appropriate desire is a very useful faculty and it is a blessing which desire
even Bhagavān has got, that is why in Lalitā Sahasranāma icchā-śakti jñāna-śakti

etc., and we have three temples for icchā-śakti kriyā-śakti and jñāna-śakti. Here
note this much desire is very very useful. Under what condition? Dharma-
aviruddhaḥ-kāmaḥ – a desire which is not opposed to dharma, ethical desire,
morally sound desire, a desire which not prohibited by śāstram. Therefore Kr̥ṣṇa
says kiñca – moreover, dharma-aviruddhaḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to dharmēṇa
aviruddhaḥ – a desire which is not opposed to dharma, a desire which is
appropriate. Therefore our aim is not eliminating desire, our aim is refining desire.
What is the goal of life? Not eliminating the desire, but refining the desire. A refined
desire is there even for a jñāni. What is jñāni‟s refined desire? Lōka-saṅgraha icchā.
And therefore dharmēṇa is equal to śāstra-arthēna, Śāstric teaching, here dharma
means Śāstric teaching. And why does he say Śāstric teaching? Dharma being
adr̥ṣṭam, apauruṣēya-viṣayaḥ-dharmaḥ, what is dharma and what is adharma is a
highly debatable subject. And that is why always there will be debate with regard to
dharma. You can have black and white only in certain cases, in majority of cases
there will be only grey area. Therefore dharma we look upon as apauruṣēya-viṣayaḥ
and with regard to apauruṣēya-viṣaya śāstram ēva pramāṇam. Therefore
śāstrārthēna, aviruddhaḥ – that which is in conformity with the śāstras. So what is
the final meaning? Appropriate desire. And appropriate desire in whom? Prāṇiṣu
bhūtēṣu, bhūtēṣu is in the mūlam, is equal to prāṇiṣu. Because desire cannot be
there for an inert object. The chair will not desire a particular student. So you cannot
say when a heavy-weight-student comes to sit on it, the chair will not say don‟t sit
on me and trouble. This chair will not say go to the next chair. Therefore bhūtēṣu
prāṇiṣu, yaḥ kāmaḥ – whatever such desire is there. And in the case of a sannyāsi
what is the desire allowed? He cannot have desire for any other family member or
this or that because he has already renounced all the saṅga. And therefore
Śaṅkarācārya refers to a sannyāsi‟s desire as dēha-dhāraṇa-mātrādi-arthaḥ –
minimum desires required for the maintenance of the body. So bhikṣārtham icchā.
And why should he have desire to maintain the body? Isn‟t it an attachment to the
body? We don‟t consider that because body is Bhagavān‟s property and a jīva is the
caretaker of the body. Therefore Bhagavān expects a jīva to take care of his body.
Somebody cannot do that because my body is hungry or not who will know? And
even if you are giving me bhikṣā how much is required I only will know, therefore
every jīva is a caretaker of his own body. Therefore a sannyāsi must not neglect the
body. He should not pamper the body that is one extreme, neglecting the body is
the other extreme, but take care of the body without attachment. That is called
dēha-dhāraṇa-mātrādi-arthaḥ kāmaḥ; you have to supply the word kāmaḥ, such a
desire for the maintenance of the body like aśana-pānādi-viṣayaḥ – desire for food,

drinks means water (not anything other thing)! So desire for food and water, viṣayaḥ
kāmaḥ. Asmi hē bharatarṣabha – Arjuna such a harmless, Dharmic desire I am.
In that New Year talk I had given the title of the desire as A B C D. A standing for
Appropriate, B standing for balanced, C standing for clean, D standing for desire. So
what is ABCD? Appropriate balanced clean desires we can have in billions, no harm.
The anvaya is, aham balavatām kāma-rāga-vivarjitam balam ca (asmi). Hē

bharatarṣabha! (aham) bhūtēṣu dharma-aviruddhaḥ kāmaḥ asmi. Continuing;
गकचच ––
kiñca ––
Verse 07-12
ये चैव सास्त्त्वका भावा राजसास्तामसाि ये ।
मि एवेगत तान्न्वद्धद्ध न त्वहां तेषु ते मयय ॥ गीता ७-१२ ॥
yē caiva sāttvikā bhāvā rājasāstāmasāśca yē |

matta ēvēti tānviddhi na tvahaṁ tēṣu tē mayi || Gītā 7-12 ||
First I will give you the gist of this ślōka. The gist is that the list is endless. Therefore
Kr̥ṣṇa makes a generalization that the entire creation consists of three types of
kāryams or products only, because aparā-prakr̥ti has three aspects – sāttvika, rājasa
and tāmasa guṇas. Based on these three guṇas the products in the creation also are
of three types Sāttvic Rājasic and Tāmasic creation. And in all these products I am
very much there as the inner essence or content. And in this verse there is a word
bhāvaḥ. Bhāvaḥ in saṁskr̥ta has several meanings . Any padārtha or any entity can
be called bhāvaḥ. But Śaṅkarācārya in his commentary takes the word bhāvaḥ as
manō-vr̥ttiḥ or thought-modifications; antaḥkaraṇa-pariṇāmaḥ, citta-pariṇāmaḥ;
bhāvaḥ. And therefore even the thoughts in the mind can be classified into sāttvika
vr̥tti, Sāttvic thoughts Rājasic thoughts and Tāmasic thoughts. In the fourteenth
chapter of Gītā Lord Kr̥ṣṇa classified what are the types of emotions which are
Sāttvic, Rājasic, Tāmasic. All of them are nothing but products of Me alone. This is
the essence of the first half of the ślōka.
In the second half Kr̥ṣṇa talks about the relationship between Bhagavān, the
kāraṇam and the world which is the kāryam. The relationship between kāraṇam and
kāryam is defined. The relationship is kāryam depends on kāraṇam for its existence.
kāryam is dependent on kāraṇam because kāryam doesn‟t have existence of its own.
The very „is‟ness of kāryam is borrowed from kāraṇam. Whereas kāraṇam does not

depend on the kāryam, which means kāraṇam enjoys existence of its own. Kāryam-
paratantram and kāraṇam-svatantram, kāryam has got borrowed sattā and kāraṇam
has got its own sattā. Therefore kāryam depends on kāraṇam and kāraṇam doesn‟t
depend on kāryam. Therefore kāraṇam-satyam and kāryam is mithyā. Satya-mithyā-
sambandha, adhiṣṭhāna-adhyāsa-sambandhaḥ.
This is the essence of this ślōka, very important. Because only in very cases Gītā
brings about the mithyātvam of the universe. That Brahman is kāraṇam is talked
about in all the scriptures uniformly. One of the main differences between Gītā and
upaniṣat is the unreality of the world is not emphasized in the Gītā. It is not absent
in the Gītā, it is there here and there, but not very much talked about. There are
very few occasions it is talked about and this is one such rare occasion. Another
occasion is in the ninth chapter. Matsthāni sarvabhūtāni na cāhaṁ tēṣvavasthitaḥ
(Gītā 9-4) jagat-mithyātvam is brought here. Whereas in the upaniṣat the
mithyātvam of the world is repeatedly highlighted. That is why if a person studies
only Gītā, many important points of vēdānta will become clear. In fact, vēdānta is
completely discussed in Gītā but there is one disadvantage. The mithyātvam of the
universe will not become that firm by the study of Gītā; for mithyātva niścayaḥ
upaniṣats are important otherwise, prakaraṇa-granthas like Vivēkacūḍāmaṇi etc.
What you call world is not the world that is highlighted only in the upaniṣat. In this
ślōka in the second half jagat mithyātvam is pointed out.
After studying the upaniṣat when you come back to Gītā you will see mithyātvam
hinted in several places. And the beauty is after studying the upaniṣats when you
come back to Gītā you will see mithyātvam hinted in several places. In the verse na
ca matsthāni bhūtāni (Gītā 9-5) Kr̥ṣṇa says there is no creation in Me but that will
not be seen by majority of people because so many other topics will over-power this
important idea. What a statement is na ca matsthāni bhūtāni! Viśiṣṭādvaitam
somehow manages that. Dvaita philosophers somehow manages that. What better
statement you want? There is no creation in me. But you will see that as a dominant
statement only when you thoroughly study upaniṣats. That is what I find
Śaṅkarācārya ‟s glory is whatever book he comments upon, for him upaniṣats are in
his fingertips, he doesn‟t want to go away from the upaniṣat at all. Therefore he is
able to get at the root of every scripture. Otherwise Gītā is the most confusing book
because that clarity you don‟t find here unless Upanishadic background is there.
ये च एि स त्त्त्त्िक ाः सत्त्वगनवृयिााः भ ि ाः पदाथायाः, र जस ाः रजोगनवृयिााः, त मस ाः तमोगनवृयिााः च, ये केशचत् प्रात्तणनाां

स्वकमयविात् जायन्ते भावााः, त न् मि एि जायमानान् इवत एवां विशद्ध सवायन् समस्तान् एव ।

yē ca ēva sāttvikāḥ sattvanirvr̥ttāḥ bhāvāḥ padārthāḥ, rājasāḥ rajōnirvr̥ttāḥ,

tāmasāḥ tamōnirvr̥ttāḥ ca, yē kēcit prāṇināṁ svakarmavaśāt jāyantē bhāvāḥ, tān
matta ēva jāyamānān iti ēvaṁ viddhi sarvān samastān ēva |
One more aside note is there. I said mithyātvam of the world is highlighted only in
the upaniṣats. Whereas in the Gītā-mithyātvam is not left out, very careful. I don‟t
say Gītā does not discuss, but it is not prominently discussed and it is not explicitly
discussed. It is discussed very rarely and that too often in hidden form. Those who
want to be thorough about mithyātvam upaniṣat becomes very useful.
Then the next question is, is mithyātvam knowledge compulsory for mōkṣa. Why
can‟t I manage by saying Brahman is satyam and that Brahman is all over, Brahman
is everywhere as sat and cit and the world is changing, etc. Just as Viśiṣṭādvaitam
manages. Is mithyātvam is required is the question. If mithyātvam is not assimilated
our concept of mōkṣa will be only escape from the world. Without mithyātva
niścayaḥ the only mōkṣa we pray for will be somehow I should die, and thereafter I
should not get rebirth. This alone will be the mōkṣa and unfortunately this is not the
central message of the upaniṣats. Escapist-mōkṣa is not the central message of the
upaniṣats.
Escapist-mōkṣa is presented initially to attract the ignorant people because ignorant

people can appreciate only escapist mōkṣa. The only method to attract the student
is I have to say somehow you should finish your curriculum, i.e., death and
thereafter you should never come back to this world. This is the most attractive
mōkṣa especially when life gives so many problems. This escapist mōkṣa is
presented initial vēdānta to attract the suffering students. But we should remember
the tātparyam of upaniṣat is not escapist-mōkṣa which is a pessimistic approach to
life. Escapist-mōkṣa is pessimistic philosophy. And vēdānta is not a pessimistic
philosophy. Vēdānta is right understanding. It is neither optimistic nor pessimistic
and it is non-mystic. If I should drop the escapist-mōkṣa and claim I am nityamuktaḥ
that is possible only if you see world and events are only a drama. I can claim I am
nityamuktaḥ only if I understand aham satyam and viśvaṁ
darpaṇadr̥śyamānanagarītulyam. Good is also a part of the drama and bad is also a
part of the drama, dharma is also a part of the drama and adharma is also a part of
the drama. I am anyatra dharmāt anyatrādharmāt anyatra asmāt kr̥tākr̥tāt .
(Kaṭhōpaniṣat 1-2-14). The day I grow of escapist-mōkṣa I have understand aham
satyam jagat mithyā which alone is the central teaching of vēdānta. Escapist-mōkṣa
is talked about in vēdānta. Yatsākṣātkaraṇādbhavēnna
punarāvr̥ttirbhavāmbhōnidhau (Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti Stōtram 3).

Śaṅkarācārya himself tells punarāvr̥tti ḥ will not be there. Escapist-mōkṣa is talked

about but that is not the tātparyam of vēdānta. What is the tātparyam? I don‟t have
to escape, because there is no second-real-thing from which I have to escape, I am
the only reality. How can clay try to escape from the pot. Only if clay and pot are
two things they should escape. Therefore mithyātva-niścaya is important for non-
escapist-nitya-mōkṣa. This is also another aside point which I consider important.
Now come to the bhāṣyam.


Yē ca ēva sāttvikāḥ – is in the mūlam, is equal to sattva-nirvr̥ttāḥ – born out of

sattva-guṇa. Rājasāḥ is equal to rajō-nirvr̥ttāḥ is equal to born out of rajō-guṇa,
similarly, born out of tamō-guṇa. Bhāvāḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to padārthāḥ.
Here Śaṅkarācārya doesn‟t explain the word padārthaḥ. He translates bhāvāḥ is
equal to padārthāḥ only. Padārtha can be any entity in the creation, only after
studying the next ślōka we come to know that here the word bhāvāḥ means manō-
vr̥ttayaḥ. So this we come to know after studying the bhāṣyam of the next ślōka. So
padārthāḥ in this context Śaṅkarācārya takes as manōvr̥ttayaḥ. That means not only
the entire creation is born out of three-guṇas but our own mental states, emotional
conditions are also born out of the three guṇas only. More we will see in the next
class.

272 Verses 07-12 and 07-13
Page 201 verse 07-12 bhāṣyam


In these verses of the seventh chapter beginning from the fourth verse onwards up
to this twelfth verse Lord Kr̥ṣṇa is giving the Īśvara svarūpam, the nature of Lord.
First he pointed out that Īśvara consist of parā-prakr̥ti and aparā-prakr̥ti. Parā-prakr̥ti
is non-variable existence-consciousness principle and aparā-prakr̥ti is variable-matter
nāma-rūpa-principle. This non-variable-consciousness and variable-matter put
together is Īśvara. One is called Brahman and another is called māyā. Here Brahman
is named parā-prakr̥ti; māyā is named aparā-prakr̥ti. And this parā-aparā-prakr̥ti
mixture is Īśvara and this Īśvara is jagat-kāraṇam. When we say Īśvara is the cause
of the universe we have to note both the nimitta-kāraṇam as well as upādāna-
kāraṇam. And since Īśvara is the kāraṇam of the universe, the entire universe is a
manifestation of Īśvara with different nāma-rūpa. And therefore whatever we are
experiencing is nothing but Īśvara. So when I am experiencing an inert wall, the
changing wall is aparā-prakr̥ti and when I say the wall is the „is‟ness in the wall is
parā-prakr̥ti. In the sentient living being the variable body-mind complex is aparā-
prakr̥ti, the non-variable-Consciousness is parā-prakr̥ti. Thus everywhere in the form
of non-variable-Existence and Consciousness=principle and variable-matter nāma-
rūpa form, I alone am. In short, there is no universe other than Īśvara. Therefore
the expression God and world is a wrong expression. No doubt in the beginning
stages of religion we separate God and world, world as pratyakṣam and God as
parōkṣam. Parōkṣam means not available here. Either you have to go to some other
lōka, or you have to meditate and look within. Thus God and world are counted as
two in the beginning stages of religion that concept should be demolished, God and
world expression should go away, God and world are two names of one and the
same only. What is world from ajñāni-dr̥ṣṭi is God from jñāni-dr̥ṣṭi. Therefore for
jñāni-Īśvara-darśanam is always available in the form of prapañca-darśanam.

Prapañca-darśanam ēva Īśvara-darśanam, Īśvara-darśanam ēva prapañca-darśanam

and Īśvara is no more parōkṣa, Īśvara is pratyakṣa. And who is that blessed
pratyakṣa-Īśvara. All that we see is Īśvara only. This is what Kr̥ṣṇa is arriving at,
viśva-rūpa-darśanam. So instead of asking the question how to see God I should ask
a counter question, how can I miss God? The moment the question is changed, I am
jñāni. And Kr̥ṣṇa enumerated a few wonderful things in the creation like buddhiḥ,
sūryaḥ, candraḥ, ākāśaḥ etc. All these wonderful things are born out of Me He said.
And thereafter Kr̥ṣṇa gets tired because how can you enumerate everything in the
creation. Therefore instead of individual enumeration Kr̥ṣṇa makes a collective
mention in verse twelve. What is the creation? Creation is nothing but sāttvika rājasa
tāmasa padārthāḥ sarvē mattaḥ ēva jāyantē. Yē ca ēva sāttvikāḥ bhāvāḥ rājasāḥ
bhāvāḥ. Why do we say sāttvika rājasa tāmasa? Because aparā-prakr̥ti consists of
these three guṇas and therefore the whole creation has to be either Sāttvic Rājasic
or Tamasic. And what about parā-prakr̥ti? The „is‟ness in all of them is parā-prakr̥ti.
And Śaṅkarācārya goes one step further, not only the external creation is born out
of Īśvara, the inner world of thoughts also is a product of Īśvara. Therefore
Śaṅkarācārya takes the word bhāvāḥ as citta pariṇāmāḥ. Even though the word
bhāva can refer to all the external objects also, that meaning also is correct but
Śaṅkarācārya says all the bhāvāḥ which are the inner world of emotions, inner world
of thoughts, this thought world also is sātvika-vr̥ttayaḥ, rājasa-vr̥ttayaḥ tāmasa-
vr̥ttayaḥ. Śānti-vr̥tti will come under sātvika-vr̥tti, whereas when the mind is
turbulent and stressed it is called rājasa-vr̥tti and when the mind is dull it is called
Tāmasa-vr̥tti. In Pañca-daśī fifteenth chapter an exclusive chapter analyzing śānta-
vr̥tti ghōra -vr̥tti and mū ḍha-vr̥tti. Śānta-vr̥tti is sāttvika and ghōra -vr̥tti is rājasam
and mūḍha vr̥tti is tāmasam. All those inner thoughts are also born out of Īśvara and
in that the variable thought is aparā-prakr̥ti and the non-variable Consciousness is
parā-prakr̥ti. And Arjuna may you underline that. This is the message which
Śaṅkarācārya is commenting which we were seeing in the last class. Sāttvikāḥ
bhāvāḥ; bhāvāḥ means citta-pariṇāmāḥ. Śaṅkarācārya doesn‟t mention that here,
but in the next ślōka he mentions that. bhāvāḥ is equal to padārthāḥ, padārthāḥ is
equal to, in this context according to Śaṅkarācārya, padārthāḥ means citta-
pariṇāmāḥ, citta-pariṇāmāḥ means mental modes or mental moods. Not only
Sāttvic-thoughts, rājasāḥ – Rājasic-thoughts and yē kēcit tāmasāḥ – Tāmasic-
thoughts, prāṇinām – obtaining in all the living beings; remember even animals have
got unhappy and happy moods. Therefore prāṇinām means na kēvalam
manuṣyānām but even animals. Jāyantē – they are all born. Jāyantē bhāvāḥ. The
word svakarmavaśāt I will explain later. This expression is not in the mūlam, it is

Śaṅkarācārya‟s addition, which we will see later. Jāyantē bhāvāḥ – all the emotions,
mattaḥ ēva jāyamānān iti ēvaṁ viddhi – may you understand they are also
products born out of God. Even though thoughts are born out of mind, mind is born
out of Pañca-bhūtas, Pañca-bhūtas are born out of aparā-prakr̥ti, and aparā-prakr̥ti
is Īśvara. From Īśvara to pañca-bhūta to mind to thoughts. Therefore thoughts are
ultimately born out of great grandfather God only. Therefore mattaḥ means from
parā-aparā-prakr̥ti dvaya miśrita abhinna nimitta kāraṇabhūta īśvarāt jāyantē – they
are born. Iti ēvaṁ viddhi – may you understand that. That means you should look
upon the mind also as Īśvara only. Therefore non-different from Īśvara, therefore
the mind is also Īśvara iti viddhi. And is there any exception to this rule? Can you
say good thoughts are born out of Īśvara and bad thoughts are not born of Īśvara?
You cannot say so. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says sarvān samastān ēva – both good
and bad thoughts. So sarvān is not there in the mūlam, Śaṅkarācārya himself
introduces the word sarvān, and he himself comments also. Sarvān is equal to
samastān. This will create a serious problem. We don‟t see the problem. But
Śaṅkarācārya notes it. In the court whenever a criminal is taken to task and the
judge want to give punishment for the criminal action, the criminal will argue; what?
He will quote this ślōka. He will say don‟t blame me because these thoughts are not
born out of me, only Bhagavān has given sātvika-rājasa-tāmasa-vr̥ttis and therefore
I am not responsible for the criminal action but Bhagavān alone is responsible and
therefore don‟t arrest the arrow but arrest the shooter, Bhagavān is the shooter.
Śaṅkarācārya knows such a question will come. Therefore he wants to say thoughts
are generated out of two kāraṇams. Īśvara is only one of the kāraṇams and there is
a second kāraṇam also. Īśvara is called sāmānya-kāraṇam for the thoughts.
Whenever we say Īśvara is the cause of our thoughts we should add an adjective
sāmānya-kāraṇam, and other than Īśvara there is a viśēṣa-kāraṇam also and that
viśēṣa-kāraṇam is called jīvaḥ. Jīvaḥ is viśēṣa-kāraṇam and Īśvara is sāmānya-
kāraṇam. And when I say jīvaḥ it means jīva-karmāṇi. So Īśvara and jīva-karmas
together is the cause of the universe. Therefore creation is born out of both Īśvara,
the sāmānya-kāraṇam and jīva, the viśēṣa-kāraṇam. Īśvara provides pañca-bhūtas
and sattā spūrti etc. What is jīva‟s contribution? Karma is the contribution of jīva.
And therefore Īśvara and jīva together are responsible for the manifestation of the
universe. Īśvara and jīva.
And who created jīva? Remember jīva is anādi. Even though jīva‟s sthūla-śarīram has
a beginning, sūkṣma-śarīram has a beginning and jīva‟s kāraṇa-śarīram is anādi.

Therefore this anādi-kāraṇa-śarīram of jīva and anādi Īśvara put together is

responsible for the manifestation of the universe.
Therefore if there are some jīvas who have got good thoughts, some jīvas who have
got bad thoughts, responsibility doesn‟t belong to Īśvara, but jīva‟s karma is
responsible. Therefore in the pūrva-janma you have abused your freewill and
entertained negative thoughts and those vāsanās of the pūrva-janma are coming in
the form thoughts in the current janma. Who is responsible for the vāsanā? Don‟t
blame Īśvara, the jīva is responsible. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya adds the word
svakarmavaśāt. And my karma or vāsanā is called viśēṣa-kāraṇam. Therefore the
responsibility for differences must be taken by the karma only. For the common
factors in all jīvas, Īśvara is responsible. The common factors are pañca-bhūtas. For
Pañca-bhūtas Īśvara is responsible. But the differences like one mind is intelligent,
another is dull, one mind has got noble thought, another mind has got ignoble
thought. The varieties are caused by karma alone, which is anādi. Karma doesn‟t
have a beginning at all and karma is anādi, there is no first karma. Every karma is
preceded by its previous karma. Therefore svakarmavaśāt means anādi-jīva
karmavaśāt is different thoughts are born in the minds of jīva. Continuing;
यद्यगप ते मिाः जायन्ते, तथा अगप न तु अहं तेषु तदधीनाः तद्विाः, यथा सांसाररणाः ; ते पुनाः मयय मद्विााः मदधीनााः ॥ ७-
१२ ॥
yadyapi tē mattaḥ jāyantē, tathā api na tu ahaṁ tēṣu tadadhīnaḥ tadvaśaḥ, yathā
saṁsāriṇaḥ; tē punaḥ mayi madvaśāḥ madadhīnāḥ || 7-12 ||
Now Śaṅkarācārya comes to the fourth quarter of this ślōka, i.e., na tu ahaṁ tēṣu
tē mayi. What is the connection between kāraṇa-Īśvara and kārya-prapañca? He
says kāryam depends on the kāraṇam but kāraṇam does not depend on the kāryam.
Ornaments depend on the gold for their existence, but gold does not depend upon
the ornaments. Satyam does not depend on mithyā but mithyā depends upon
satyam, dream depends on the waker and the waker does not depend on the dream
for its existence. If the waker depends on dream for his existence what will be the
problem? Suppose the waker depends on dream for his existence, that means if I
have to exist as a waker constantly I should have dream. Now in the class for
existing as a waker you will be dreaming that means I will be in trouble. Thank God
you can shake of the dream and continue to exist. Therefore Bhagavān says yadyapi
tē mattaḥ jāyantē – even though all of them, the entire universe including the three-
fold thoughts, mattaḥ jāyantē – they born out of Me, tathā api – still, na tu ahaṁ
tēṣu – I am not in them. Tēṣu means sāttvika rājasa tāmasa āvēṣu vr̥ttiṣu I am not

in them. And what do you mean by that? Śaṅkarācārya gives a special meaning, I
am not in them means I am not dependent on them. Na tadadhīnaḥ – is equal to na
tadvaśaḥ, I am not dependent on them, yathā saṁsāriṇaḥ – as the saṁsāris are. Of
course, saṁsāris are also not dependent on them but saṁsāris think that they are
dependent on them. So yathā saṁsāriṇaḥ tadvaśaḥ tathā ahaṁ na tadvaśaḥ – I
don‟t depend on the world. I am not dependent on them, on the other hand tē
punaḥ mayi – they are dependent on Me. Here also they are in Me is the
expression. And in Me means dependent on Me. And why I am not dependent on
them? Because I am kāraṇam. And why are they dependent on Me? Because they
are kāryam. Or in another language why I am not dependent on them because I am
satyam and they are dependent on Me because they are mithyā. And as long as I
remember this relationship between Me and the mind, life is ok. The moment I don‟t
know these four fundamental truths – (1) mind is not Me, (2) mind is not belonging
to Me. It is not me, and it is not mine, and (3) mind is not satyam, (4) but I am
satyam. Mind is not me, mind doesn‟t belong to me, mind is not satyam, but I am
satyam. I am using the mind, using the mind is the most enjoyable part of the
creation because since mind is not Me, and not mine, not satyam, suppose I throw
away the mind, because mind is not me, it is not mine, it is not satyam; therefore I
throw away the mind, what will be the tragedy? If I throw away the mind I cannot
even claim I am satyam. I am satyam, but I cannot enjoy the fact that I am satyam
because to claim I am satyam I require the mithyā mind. Very very important. To be
satyam I don‟t require mind. But to claim that I am satyam I require mind. Therefore
never throw away the mind. Keep the mind and claim
अणोरणीयानहमेव तद्वन्महानहां गवश्वमहां गवशचत्रम् । पुरातनोऽहां पुरुषोऽहमीिो गहरण्मयोऽहां शिवरूपमस्स्म ॥

कैवल्योपगनषत् २०॥
aṇōraṇīyānahamēva tadvanmahānahaṁ viśvamahaṁ vicitram | purātanō:'haṁ

puruṣō:'hamīśō hiraṇmayō:'haṁ śivarūpamasmi || Kaivalyōpaniṣat 20||
अपात्तणपादोऽहमशचन्त्यिशक्ताः पश्याम्यचक्ुाः स िृणोम्यकणयाः । अहां गवजानायम गवगवक्तरूपो न चास्स्त वेिा मम

शचत्सदाऽहम् ॥ कैवल्योपगनषत् २१ ॥
apāṇipādō:'hamacintyaśaktiḥ paśyāmyacakṣuḥ sa śr̥ṇōmyakarṇaḥ | ahaṁ

vijānāmi viviktarūpō na cāsti vēttā mama citsadā:'ham || Kaivalyōpaniṣat 21 ||
All these glories should I not claim? All these glories I have to claim. To claim these
glories I require the mithyā-mind. Therefore mind is very very useful. Therefore only
the manō-nāśam philosophy we never touch with a barge-pole even if we use the
word manōnāśa what should we understand by that is manō-nāśa is understanding

that the mind is mithyā. And for this understanding also we require mind. To
understand the mind is mithyā, we require the mind. Therefore use the mind and
understand the mind is mithyā, this mithyātva-niścaya is figuratively called manō-
nāśaḥ.
Mind‟s literal destruction is talked about in yōga-śāstra, yōgis will have to destroy the
mind because for them mind is satyam. In yōga-śāstra mind is satyam, and
therefore only problem is also satyam. Therefore they talk about the destruction of
the mind. Vēdānta will never accept manō-nāśa of a yōgi but we will reinterpret
manō-nāśa as understanding the mithyātvam of the mind which yōga-śāstra will not
accept because in yōga-śāstra mind is satyam. Therefore their path is different and
for us clean knowledge and nothing else, and mōkṣa is a cognitive thing. Let us
come to our topic. They are dependent on Me. Who says? Bhagavān says, who is
parā-prakr̥ti.
The anvaya is, yē ēva sāttvikāḥ rājasāḥ ca bhāvāḥ, yē ca tāmasāḥ (bhāvāḥ), „mattaḥ
ēva‟ (jāyantē) iti viddhi. Ahaṁ tēṣu na (bhavāmi); tē tu mayi (bhavanti). Continuing.

एवांभूतमगप परमेश्वरां गनत्यिुद्धबुद्धमुक्तस्वभावां सवयभूतात्मानां गनगुयणां सांसारदोषबीजप्रदाहकारणां माां नात्तभजानागत जगत्
इगत अनुक्रोिां दिययगत भगवान् । तत् च तकिंगनयमिां जगताः अज्ञानम् इगत उच्यते ––
ēvaṁbhūtamapi paramēśvaraṁ nityaśuddhabuddhamuktasvabhāvaṁ

sarvabhūtātmānaṁ nirguṇaṁ saṁsāradōṣabījapradāhakāraṇaṁ māṁ
nābhijānāti jagat iti anukrōśaṁ darśayati Bhagavān | tat ca kiṁnimittaṁ jagataḥ
ajñānam iti ucyatē ––
With the twelfth verse the Īśvara-svarūpa-varṇanam topic is over. It started from the
fourth verse. It is a very important topic. It is the sāra of all the upaniṣats. Now in
the thirteenth verse Kr̥ṣṇa introduces the important topic of saṁsāra-kāraṇam. This
is also extremely important because he presents the cause of saṁsāra as ajñānam.
Ignorance should be understood as the cause of saṁsāra, and then alone the
importance of knowledge will be understood. The entire religious field now is
suffering from this problem only. They want to do all the sādhanas in spiritual field
except the study of scriptures. Nobody wants to study scriptures because they don‟t
understand the importance of knowledge. Why they don‟t understand the
importance of knowledge? Because they have not underlined the diagnosis of
saṁsāra as ignorance. Only when that becomes clear, scriptural study become more
and more important. Because jñānam comes through education. Any knowledge
comes through education process. Spiritual education will become important only

when this ślōka is understood. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya introduces this saṁsāra-

bījam is ajñānam. And people don‟t understand this. And Śaṅkarācārya says Kr̥ṣṇa is
crying. Bhagavān also cries because people are suffering, I have kept the medicine
and why they don‟t take the medicine. But still people don‟t take the medicine. And
keep on crying, people appeal to the Lord explaining the problem they suffer. Every
song is a crying song. Devotional song means crying in different rāgams. Colorful
crying is bhakti. Whereas vēdānta says nandati, nandati. So seeing us crying what
does Bhagavān do? He also starts crying out of compassion. Why? They don‟t know
and stop crying. Ēvaṁ bhūtamapi paramēśvaram – this wonderful Paramēśvara,
especially the higher version of paramēśvara. And what is the higher version? –
nitya-śuddha-buddha-mukta-svabhāvam – who is of the nature of nitya (eternity),
śuddha (purity), buddha (wisdom or jñānam), mukta (liberation or mōkṣa),
svabhāvam of the nature of parā-prakr̥ti need not attain mōkṣa, parā-prakr̥ti is
muktaḥ. The word nitya can be taken as a noun also; nitya can be taken as an
adjective also. If it is taken as nitya, noun, it means of the nature of eternity. So
Bhagavān is nityaḥ, Bhagavān is śuddhaḥ, Bhagavān is buddhaḥ, Bhagavān is
muktaḥ. Four descriptions are given here. If you take nitya as an adjective then
there are only three descriptions and nitya should be read three times. Nitya-
śuddhaḥ ever-pure, nitya-buddhaḥ ever-enlightened; nitya-muktaḥ ever-free. You
can take it as four or three descriptions, either way it is ok. This is a popular
expression nitya-śuddha-buddha-mukta-svabhāvaḥ. Svabhāvam means of the
nature, sarva-bhūta-ātmānam – parā-prakr̥ti is the ātmā of all the living beings. Here
paramēśvaram refers to the parā-prakr̥ti aspect that is why he uses the word
nirguṇam. If he had taken aparā-prakr̥ti he will not use the word nirguṇam. So here
word nirguṇam refers to the parā-prakr̥ti version of Paramēśvara.
Now we will see aside note, it is an interesting observation. The word nirguṇam is
not there in the mūlam. It means Śaṅkarācārya has introduced this word. Naturally
Vishishtadvaitins and Dvaitins will jump up and down. They say Śaṅkarācārya is
unnecessarily using the word nirguṇa while Kr̥ṣṇa has not at all used the word
nirguṇa. In Viśiṣṭādvaitam nirguṇam-brahma doesn‟t exist and they say there is no
such thing called nirguṇam-brahma at all.
For Viśiṣṭādvaitam, Brahman means saguṇa-Nārāyaṇa alone. For Dvaitins also

Brahma means saguṇa-Nārāyaṇa. Whenever they use the word Brahma you should
understand it is saguṇa-Nārāyaṇa. And in their philosophy nirguṇam is not there.
Now the question will come; how does Śaṅkarācārya use the word nirguṇam, what
is the pramāṇam? You know that is in the ślōka. Where in the ślōka? In the

thirteenth ślōka second line Kr̥ṣṇa says ēbhyaḥ param mām – I am beyond them.
Ēbhyaḥ means them. Param means beyond. Mām means me. Now the question is
what is the meaning of the word „them‟? „Them‟ is a pronoun. For that you have to
study the previous ślōka. Whenever a pronoun is used it should refer to a noun of
the context. What was the topic in the previous context? Sāttvika rājasa tāmasa
bhāvāḥ all the three are guṇas. Sattva rajas tamas are guṇas. If in the previous
ślōka three guṇas are talked about. The word „them‟ should refer to the three guṇas.
Kr̥ṣṇa says that I am beyond them. That means I am beyond the three guṇas.
Whoever is beyond the guṇas must be nirguṇam. So the word nirguṇa is not
Śaṅkarācārya‟s interpretation but it is Kr̥ṣṇa‟s own statement. Saṁsāra-dōṣa-bīja-
pradāha-kāraṇam – nirguṇam-Brahma alone is the destroyer of the seed of saṁsāra.
Pradāha-kāraṇam means the cause of destruction, burning down. Dāha means
burning. That is why thirst is called dāham. You drink water to quench the thirst.
Therefore pradāha means burning down, destruction. Pradāha-kāraṇam means the
cause of destruction or the destroyer. He is the destroyer of saṁsāra-dōṣa-bījam –
the seed of the evil called saṁsāra. Bīja means the seed. What is the seed? Kr̥ṣṇa
Himself says ajñānam is the seed. Therefore saṁsāra-dōṣa-bījam is equal to
ajñānam. Pradāha-kāraṇam means destroyer. Therefore saṁsāra-dōṣa-bīja-pradāha-
kāraṇam means ajñāna nāśakam. What is ajñāna-nāśakam? Brahman is ajñāna-
nāśakam.
Now this will create a technical question. I am just making you think, how to think
when you study the bhāṣyam; so that in case you study the other bhāṣyam how you
should think. Now Śaṅkarācārya says Brahman is the destroyer of ignorance. Now an
intelligent student should ask the question how Brahman can be the destroyer of
ignorance. If Brahman is the destroyer of ignorance, ignorance would have been
destroyed long before because Brahman is all the time there. Brahman is present
everywhere. In jñāni brahman is there; in ajñāni brahman is not there; do not say
that. In everyone Brahman is there. If Brahman is the destroyer of ignorance, there
will not be ignorance at all. How come Śaṅkarācārya say Brahman is the destroyer of
ignorance.
For that we should give an answer. The answer is brahma-jñānam is the destroyer
of ignorance. Therefore in destroying ignorance there are two factors. One is
Brahman, another is jñānam. So Brahman and jñānam together is the destroyer of
the ignorance. Jñānam by itself cannot destroy ignorance. If jñānam by itself can
destroy ignorance, mathematic knowledge is also knowledge. Then that would have
destroyed our spiritual ignorance. Therefore jñānam by itself is not the destroyer;

Brahman by itself is not the destroyer of ignorance. Brahma-jñānam is the destroyer

of spiritual ignorance and therefore Brahman is also the cause, jñānam is also the
cause.
And therefore here he highlights. And in tarka language, jñāna-viṣayatvēna brahma-

ajñāna-nāśakam bhavati. I hope you understand. Brahman is also the cause of
destroyer along with jñānam. So saṁsāra-dōṣa-bīja-pradāha-kāraṇaṁ māṁ
nābhijānāti – this parā-prakr̥ti people do not know. Jagat is in the mūlam.
Śaṅkarācārya uses that word; here the word jagat means people. Manuṣyaḥ iti
arthaḥ. It is not the inert world that is talked about but manuṣyaḥ māṁ nābhijānāti
– the human beings doesn‟t know what parā-prakr̥ti is. And you have to add a
sentence because of this ignorance of parā-prakr̥ti only one is suffering from
saṁsāra. We have to add an important sentence ētat parā-prakr̥ti ajñānam ēva
saṁsāra-kāraṇam. Why this sentence is important? Because if parā-prakr̥ti ajñānam
is saṁsāra-kāraṇam what jñānam should we get? If parā-prakr̥ti-ajñānam is
saṁsāra-kāraṇam then mōkṣa is not through any jñānam, but parā-prakr̥ti jñānam
alone gives mōkṣa. That means nirguṇam-brahma-jñānam alone will give mōkṣa.
Aparā-prakr̥ti jñānam will not give mōkṣa. That is why we say even viśvarūpa-
darśanam is not enough. In viśvarūpa-darśanam we are only focusing on the aparā-
prakr̥ti part, only when we include nirguṇa-parā-prakr̥ti then alone mōkṣa is possible.
And therefore jagat nābhijānāti. iti – because of this reason, Bhagavān anukrōśaṁ
darśayati – Bhagavān is expressing His pity towards the suffering humanity.
Anukrōśa means pity, dayā, anukampā. That means He is hitting His head.
Bhagavān darśayati
And then the next question is why doesn‟t the human beings know the parā-prakr̥ti.
Ok. He doesn‟t know. But why can‟t he know parā-prakr̥ti, after all parā-prakr̥ti is
available all the time. Vēdānta pramāṇam is available, gurus are available, teaching
is available. When all these are available, how come the intelligent human being
doesn‟t know parā-prakr̥ti? That is the next question. For that the answer is because
human being is all the time busy with aparā-prakr̥ti. That is the problem. One is busy
with family duties. No doubt family duties we have to fulfil, but most of the family
members are lost in family duties that they don‟t find time for parā-prakr̥ti vicāraḥ.
And therefore gr̥hastha never comes to sannyāsa , at least mental sanyāsa; at least
one hour per week.

273 Verses 07-13 and 07-14
Page 202, bhāṣyam top line
Verse 07-13 Introduction Continuing;

एवांभूतमगप परमेश्वरां गनत्यिुद्धबुद्धमुक्तस्वभावां सवयभूतात्मानां गनगुयणां सांसारदोषबीजप्रदाहकारणां माां नात्तभजानागत जगत्
इगत अनुक्रोिां दिययगत भगवान् । तत् च तकिंगनयमिां जगताः अज्ञानम् इगत उच्यते ––
ēvaṁbhūtamapi paramēśvaraṁ nityaśuddhabuddhamuktasvabhāvaṁ

sarvabhūtātmānaṁ nirguṇaṁ saṁsāradōṣabījapradāhakāraṇaṁ māṁ
nābhijānāti jagat iti anukrōśaṁ darśayati Bhagavān | tat ca kiṁnimittaṁ jagataḥ
ajñānam iti ucyatē ––
After talking about the nature of Īśvara up to the twelfth verse, now in the thirteenth
important verse Kr̥ṣṇa is talking about saṁsāra-kāraṇam as Īśvara-ajñānam. And
Īśvara has been defined as parā-aparā-prakr̥ti mixture and in this Īśvara-ajñānam
also, parā-prakr̥ti-Īśvara-ajñānam is the crucial ignorance. Aparā-prakr̥ti-Īśvara
ajñānam is viśvarūpa-Īśvara-ajñānam; parā-prakr̥ti Īśvara-ajñānam is nirguṇa-
Īśvara-ajñānam. Both ajñānams will cause problems. Aparā-prakr̥ti-viśvarūpa-Īśvara-
ajñānam also will cause saṁsāra; parā-prakr̥ti-nirguṇa-Īśvara-ajñānam also will
cause saṁsāra. Both ajñānams will have to be removed. Of these two the crucial
ajñānam is parā-prakr̥ti-nirguṇa-Īśvara-ajñānam. And that alone Kr̥ṣṇa highlights
here. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya introduces saying that it is this nirguṇa-Īśvara-
ajñānam that makes the people suffer. And this ajñānam can be eliminated by
vēdānta vicāra and vēdānta has been given by Bhagavān free of cost. So the
medicine is available free of cost in the general hospital called gurukulam. The
medicine is available; doctors are available in the form of gurus, ajñāna
timirāndhasya jñānāñjana śalākayā. cakṣurunmīlitaṁ yēna; medical treatment is
available in the form of vēdānta vicāra. In spite of all this availability free of cost
man manages to suffer and Bhagavān is feeling extremely sad for the humanity.
Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says anukrōśaṁ darśayati – Bhagavān shows the sad
pitiable condition of humanity and a situation in which Bhagavān Himself is helpless.
And then the natural next question is why the human beings are ignorant of parā-
prakr̥ti. Parā-prakr̥ti-ajñānam kiṁ nimittam that is question, tat ca. Tat ca should be
connected with ajñānam. Śaṅkarācārya‟s prose itself is like poetry. So we have to do
the anvaya, tat and ajñānam should be connected. Tat ajñānam means parā-prakr̥ti-

ajñānam; kiṁ nimittam – why is it there? For whom? Jagataḥ, jagat means world
and in this context world means humanity. Kiṁ nimittam – what is the cause? Why
is this ignorance perpetuated by the humanity in spite of remedial measures being
there? For this answer is given in the ślōka, we will read.
Verse 07-13
गत्रत्तभगुयणमयैभायवैरेत्तभाः सवययमदां जगत् ।
मोगहतां नात्तभजानागत मामेभ्याः परमव्ययम् ॥ गीता ७-१३ ॥
tribhirguṇamayairbhāvairēbhiḥ sarvamidaṁ jagat |

mōhitaṁ nābhijānāti māmēbhyaḥ param avyayam || Gītā 7-13 ||
I will give you the gist of the ślōka. The answer Kr̥ṣṇa gives is the parā-prakr̥ti-
ajñānam continues because of the distraction caused by aparā-prakr̥ti. Because
aparā-prakr̥ti happens to be saguṇam and saguṇam means it has got attractive
forms, attractive colors, attractive smell, attractive taste, attractive touch; thus
aparā-prakr̥ti is so attractive it serves as a mōhinī. Because of this attractive and
distracting nature aparā-prakr̥ti is renamed as mōhinī. And this mōhinī engages the
humanity throughout the life that there is no time for vēdānta. This is the essence
aparā-prakr̥ti distracts the humanity. Now we will go to the bhāṣyam.
गत्रत्तभाः गुणमयैाः गुणगवकारैाः रागद्वे षमोहाददप्रकारैाः भावैाः पदाथवाः एत्तभाः यथोक्तैाः सवयम् इदां प्रात्तणजातां जगत् मोगहतम्
अगववेगकताम् आपाददतां सत् न अत्तभजानागत माम् एभ्याः यथोक्तेभ्याः गुणेभ्याः परां व्यगतररक्तां गवलक्णां च अव्ययां व्ययरगहतां
जन्माददसवयभावगवकारवर्जिंतम् इगत अथयाः ॥ ७-१३ ॥
tribhiḥ guṇamayaiḥ guṇavikāraiḥ rāgadvēṣamōhādiprakāraiḥ bhāvaiḥ padārthaiḥ

ēbhiḥ yathōktaiḥ sarvam idaṁ prāṇijātaṁ jagat mōhitam avivēkitām āpāditaṁ sat
na abhijānāti mām ēbhyaḥ yathōktēbhyaḥ guṇēbhyaḥ paraṁ vyatiriktaṁ
vilakṣaṇaṁ ca avyayaṁ vyayarahitaṁ janmādisarvabhāvavikāravarjitam iti arthaḥ
|| 7-13 ||
So tribhiḥ guṇamayaiḥ. The word guṇa can be used in two meanings. One is
pañca-guṇas of the pañca-bhūtas in the form śabda sparśa rūpa rasa gandha; that is
the external pañca-guṇas. External pañca-guṇas distracts the human beings and
internally also the word guṇa has got another meaning – the three-fold guṇas,
sattva rajas and tamas, which expresses in the form of rāga, dvēṣa and mōha.
Therefore externally pañca-guṇas, internally three guṇas expressing in the form of
varieties of emotions. C/o of the 14th chapter. Kāma krōdha lōbha etc., are
rajōguṇa‟s expression. Mōha is tamō-guṇa‟s expression. Thus each guṇa has got its
own emotions. Thus pañca-guṇas outside and three guṇas inside keep us very busy.
Here Śaṅkarācārya is not highlighting the external pañca-guṇas, he is highlighting
the internal sāttvika rājasa tāmasa guṇas expressing in the form of three types of

thoughts or emotions. Therefore he says tribhiḥ guṇamayaiḥ – guṇavikāraiḥ, here

the word maya is in the sense of vikārārthē. What are the three guṇa-vikāras?
Sāttvika, rājasa and tāmasa. How do they appear? Rāga, dvēṣa and mōha. Rāga
means attachment towards pañca-anātmās, dvēṣa means aversion and mōha means
delusion. Attraction, aversion and delusion. Three sions; which are to be shunned.
So rāgadvēṣamōhādiprakāraiḥ, bhāvaiḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to padārthaiḥ. I
said in the previous ślōka Śaṅkarācārya uses the word padārtha without explaining
what is padārtha; in this ślōka alone Śaṅkarācārya explains that padārtha.
rāgadvēṣamōhādi vr̥tti alone is the meaning of padārtha or gu ṇaḥ-bhāvaḥ. Ēbhiḥ is
in the mūlam, is equal to yathōktaiḥ, yathōktaiḥ means mentioned previously in the
previous ślōka. Where in the previous ślōka? Sāttvikāḥ rājasāḥ tāmasāḥ of the
previous ślōka is the explanation of tribhiḥ in the current ślōka. Otherwise three can
be anything; three avasthās also it can be. Therefore the three of the current ślōka
refers to sattva-rajas-tamō-guṇas of the previous ślōka.
Then sarvam idaṁ prāṇijātaṁ jagat, jagat is equal to prāṇijātam – all the living
beings especially the human beings, they are trapped by the three guṇas, mōhitam
is in the mūlam, is equal to avivēkitām āpāditam – they have been confused, the
humanity is deluded. And how does delusion express? This must be very clear. From
the external world we cannot get any security but we want security from money,
buildings, property and relationship. That is delusion number one – from money we
seek security, from land and property we seek security, from human-relationship we
seek security. This is the glory of māyā mōhinī aparā-prakr̥ti. Similarly, peace we are
expecting from the external world money, property, etc. Expecting peace from
outside, expecting happiness from outside, expecting security from outside, these
three-fold expectations even by the Vedantic students. That is the glory of māyā.
Māyā has got the last laugh. She has got the last laugh. Therefore mōhitam is
equal to avivēkitām-āpāditam – suppressing the discriminative intellect, Vedantically
informed intellect it suppresses. That is the glory of māyā. Remember
ध्यायतो गवषयान्पुांसाः सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते ।

सङ्गात्सञ्जायते कामाः कामात्क्रोधोऽत्तभजायते ॥ गीता २-६२ ॥
क्रोधाद्भवगत सम्मोहाः ॥ गीता २-६३ ॥
dhyāyatō viṣayānpuṁsaḥ saṅgastēṣūpajāyatē |

saṅgātsañjāyatē kāmaḥ kāmātkrōdhō:'bhijāyatē || Gītā 2-62 ||
krōdhādbhavati sammōhaḥ || Gītā 2-63 ||
That mōha has been talked here. Avivēkitām āpāditaṁ sat na abhijānāti – they
don‟t come to parā-prakr̥ti ātmā, which is the only source of permanent peace,

security and happiness. I am that source of permanent peace, security and

happiness, we miss that ātmā. Na abhijānāti mām, mām means parā-prakr̥tim,
ātmānam, nitya-śuddha-mukta-buddha-svabhāvam, etc., we should note here. Na
abhijānāti – people don‟t recognize. And what type of parā-prakr̥ti? Ēbhyaḥ
param, ēbhyaḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to yathōktēbhyaḥ guṇēbhyaḥ – compared
to these three guṇas, param is equal to vyatiriktam is equal to vilakṣaṇam –
different from. So nirguṇa-parā-prakr̥ti is different from saguṇa-mōhinī-prapañca.
What is the nature parā-prakr̥ti? Avyayam, avyayam is equal to vyaya-rahitam is
equal to janmādisarvabhāvavikāravarjitam – free from the six-fold modifications,
ṣaḍ-vikāra-rahitam. And the beauty is not that parā-prakr̥ti is far away somewhere,
parā-prakr̥ti is located wherever aparā-prakr̥ti is there itself it is there, but we
manage to miss. That is why we give two examples ākāśavat, prakāśavat. Suppose I
ask what is here (pointing at the hand), everybody will enumerate the hand, but
along with the hand two more things are there, i.e., ākāśa is there, without ākāśa
the hand cannot be accommodated here, the hand can be located here because of
the ākāśa. Therefore along with the hand ākāśa is there. And what is the second
important thing? To see the ākāśa, sūrya-prakāśa is spread over the hand, even
though ākāśa and prakāśa and hand three things are there, everybody will
enumerate hand alone because it has got a form, color and smell. Therefore hand
distracts the attention, therefore ākāśa is missed, and prakāśa is also missed.
Similarly, parā-prakr̥ti the sat and cit are missed because of distraction. Iti arthaḥ.
The anvaya is, ēbhiḥ tribhiḥ guṇamayaiḥ bhāvaiḥ mōhitam (sat) idam sarvam jagat,
ēbhyaḥ param avyayam mām na abhijānāti.
And remember, an aside note. Even saguṇa-bhaktas who are so much attached to
saguṇa-Īśvara and the beautiful form of saguṇa-rāma or saguṇa-Kr̥ṣṇa or saguṇa-
dēvī and suppose they declare I am happy with this saguṇa-bhakti and dvaita-
bhakti, I am not interested in vēdānta and your nirguṇa-brahma, I am happy with
my beautiful Kr̥ṣṇa when they say, remember even those bhaktas are deluded by
mahā-māyā and this delusion is caused by sattva-guṇa. Thus sattva-guṇa also can
bind a person. How do you know sattva-guṇa binds a person? A person who enjoys
pūjā and doesn‟t come to vēdānta, a person who enjoys nāma-saṅkīrtanam and
doesn‟t come to vēdānta, a person who enjoys Rādhā-kalyāṇam and Sītā-kalyāṇam
and divya nāma-saṅkīrtana they are also deluded by māyā, they are bhaktas but
caught in sattva-guṇa. Vēdānta says you have to transcend sattva-guṇa also.
गुणेभ्यि परां वेत्ति मद्भावां सोऽयधगच्छगत ॥ गीता १४-१९ ॥

गुणानेतानतीत्य त्रीन्दे ही दे हसमुद्भवान् ।

जन्ममृत्युजरारृाःखैर्विंमुक्तोऽमृतमश्नुते ॥ गीता १४-२० ॥
guṇēbhyaśca paraṁ vētti madbhāvaṁ sō:'dhigacchati || Gītā 14-19 ||
guṇānētānatītya trīndēhī dēhasamudbhavān |

janmamr̥tyujarāduḥkhairvimuktō:'mr̥tamaśnutē || Gītā 14-20 ||
Remember even saguṇa bhakta can be trapped in dvaitam and guṇa. That is called
Sāttvic bondage. One goes to temple and the other goes to club, remember temple
also can become a bondage. Going to temple is wonderful, but we have to transcend
that also, after getting established in advaita-bhakti you can enjoy saguṇa-pūjā,
even after advaita-jñānam, pūjā need not be dropped. Pūjā can be enjoyed, nothing
wrong, but we should not lose sight of advaita jñānam and get lost in saguṇa-bhakti
and if we get lost that is called sāttvika-māyā. Continuing;

कथां पुनाः दै वीम् एताां गत्रगुणात्त्मकाां वैष्णवीं मायाम् अगतक्रामन्न्त इगत उच्यते ––
kathaṁ punaḥ daivīm ētāṁ triguṇātmikāṁ vaiṣṇavīṁ māyām atikrāmanti iti

ucyatē ––
If the entire humanity is trapped by māyā isn‟t there a way out like the cakra-
vyūham how Abhimanyu got trapped, every one of us is an Abhimanyu and the
question is how to get out of it. Is there a way out? Kr̥ṣṇa says yes, there is a way
out. That is the topic of this ślōka.
Here he says in the introduction kathaṁ punaḥ – how indeed, janāḥ atikrāmanti –
can the people cross over. Subject we have to supply, janāḥ or lōkāḥ or manuṣyāḥ
or jīvāḥ is better. Jīvāḥ atikrāmanti. Cross over māyām – this powerful māyā-dēvī.
What type of māyā-dēvī? So daivīm – which māyā-dēvī is called daivī, daivī means
belonging to dēvaḥ, belonging to parā-prakr̥ti. Dēvaḥ means parā-prakr̥ti, caitanyam.
And daivīm means belonging to parā-prakr̥ti. What belongs to parā-prakr̥ti? Aparā-
prakr̥ti, the māyā. How will people cross over the aparā-prakr̥ti māyā which belongs
to parā-prakr̥ti, triguṇātmikām – which is endowed with three guṇas – sattva-rajas-
tamō guṇas, and vaiṣṇavīm – which belongs to Viṣṇu, the parā-prakr̥ti. And here the
word Viṣṇu means parā-prakr̥ti. How can parā-prakr̥ti be called Viṣṇu? One
commentator nicely says sarvaṁ vēvēṣṭi vyāpnōti iti viṣṇuḥ. We are not talking
about Vaikuṇṭha-vāsi Viṣṇuḥ but we are talking about sarva-vyāpaka-viṣṇuḥ which is
parā-prakr̥ti. And vaiṣṇavīm means belonging to that parā-prakr̥ti and that is māyā.
Why do we say aparā-prakr̥ti belongs to parā-prakr̥ti? Because aparā-prakr̥ti cannot

exist separate from parā-prakr̥ti. Why aparā-prakr̥ti cannot exist separate from parā-
prakr̥ti? Because the very „is‟ness of aparā-prakr̥ti or the existence of aparā-prakr̥ti is
borrowed from parā-prakr̥ti. Tasmin adhyasta iti arthaḥ, vaiṣṇavīm viṣṇau adhyastam
iti arthaḥ. And such a māyā how can people cross over is the question and for that
iti ucyatē – the answer is being given by Kr̥ṣṇa Himself in the present verse.
Verse 07-14
दै वी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया रृरत्यया ।
मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेताां तरन्न्त ते ॥ गीता ७-१४ ॥
daivī hyēṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā |

māmēva yē prapadyantē māyāmētāṁ taranti tē || Gītā 7-14 ||
I will give you the gist of the ślōka. First Kr̥ṣṇa says crossing over māyā is extremely
difficult. So Kr̥ṣṇa concedes that passing over māyā is extremely difficult. But He
adds a note it is not impossible. It is difficult but never say impossible. Don‟t use the
word impossible, it is difficult you can use, very difficult you can use, you use
hundred „very‟, we don‟t mind. But never say impossible, it is possible. People have
crossed over and I Myself have given a method to do it. What is that method?
Prapattiḥ or śaraṇāgati is the method, surrender is the method. Śaraṇāgati in whom
śaraṇāgati? Mām ēva yē prapadyantē – those who surrender unto Me. So this is the
famous prapatti or śaraṇāgati used by Vaiṣṇavas. Vishishtadvaitins talk about
prapatti or śaraṇāgati. And what about Advaitins? Advaitins also accept the word
prapatti and śaraṇāgati. But the controversy is what do you mean by śaraṇāgati?
Does it mean taking samāśrayaṇam, śaṅkha cakra and all those things Vaiṣṇavas do.
Or does it mean that you should take a vow that you will go to viṣṇu temple only?
Or nāma-saṅkirtanam means śaraṇāgati? Surrender is the solution, but what do you
mean by the blessed word śaraṇāgati or prapattiḥ? Prapatti explained by
Viśiṣṭādvaitam we don‟t accept. We accept prapatti or śaraṇāgati but we define the
word śaraṇāgati different from Viśiṣṭādvaitam.
Now the question is what do you mean śaraṇāgati. For that we say if you want to
know you as Kr̥ṣṇa Himself. Unnecessarily why should I interpret or you interpret.
Kr̥ṣṇa has used the word prapadyantē. And you ask Kr̥ṣṇa what do you mean by
prapadyantē. And Kr̥ṣṇa Himself answers that question in the nineteenth verse.
What does he say in the nineteenth verse?
बहूनाां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान्माां प्रपद्यते ।

वासुदेवाः सवययमगत स महात्मा सुरृलयभाः ॥ गीता ७-१९ ॥

bhūtāṁ janmanāmantē jñānavānmāṁ prapadyatē |

vāsudēvaḥ sarvamiti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ || Gītā 7-19 ||
Jñānavān mām prapadyatē. Śaraṇāgati means becoming jñānavān. Otherwise

means becoming a jñāni-bhaktaḥ. And what is becoming jñānavān? Becoming jñāni-
bhakta. If somebody asks what is śaraṇāgati, the answer should be become
jñānavān or jñāni-bhakta.
Then people will say becoming jñāni-bhakta is very very difficult. And for that we say
becoming jñāni-bhakta is very very difficult but not an impossible task. You can
become a jñāni-bhakta. How to become a jñāni-bhakta? For that three steps are
given. Start with ārta-bhakti. First become ārta-bhakta for some time. Ārta-bhakta
means cry before the Lord explaining your problems. In the name of bhakti you cry
before Bhagavān. Then Bhagavān will say I will also get bored and therefore from
ārta bhakti graduate to arthārthī bhakta, it means „application-bhakta‟. Give this,
give that, give profit, give order, give wife, give husband, give children are
application-bhakta. And thereafter you become jijñāsu-bhakta. It means karma-yōga
plus upāsana-yōga plus jñāna-yōga. And once you go through ārta, arthārthī and
jijñāsu you will become a jñāni-bhakta. Becoming jñāni-bhakta is prapattiḥ-
śaraṇāgatiḥ. This is the essence of this ślōka. Now we will go to the bhāṣyam.
दै िी दे वस्य मम ईश्वरस्य गवष्णोाः स्वभूता वह यस्मात् एष यथोक्ता गुणमयी मम म य रृरत्यय रृाःखेन अत्ययाः
अगतक्रमणां यस्यााः सा रृरत्यया ।
daivī dēvasya mama Īśvarasya viṣṇōḥ svabhūtā hi yasmāt ēṣā yathōktā

guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā duḥkhēna atyayaḥ atikramaṇaṁ yasyāḥ sā
duratyayā |
Daivī is in the mūlam, it is equal to dēvasya – belonging to the Lord, parā-prakr̥ti.

And who is that parā-prakr̥ti? Mama Īśvarasya, Kr̥ṣṇa says that I am that parā-
prakr̥ti who is the Lord of the universe. So Kr̥ṣṇa uses the word „I‟ the first person
singular, sometimes referring to aparā-prakr̥ti and sometimes He uses the word „I‟
for parā-prakr̥ti. Since both belong to one Lord only, Kr̥ṣṇa can refer to either of the
two. Here mama means parā-prakr̥ti, belonging to Me, the parā-prakr̥ti, Īśvaraḥ,
which is the Lord, viṣṇōḥ – which is called the all-pervading viṣṇu. Tadviṣṇōḥ
paramaṁ padam. Indriyēbhyaḥ parā hyarthāḥ (Kaṭhōpaniṣat 1-3-10). And svabhūtā
– and belonging to that parā-prakr̥ti, svabhūtā means belonging to that parā-prakr̥ti
is the māyā. The word hi is in the mūlam, is equal to yasmāt, yasmāt means
therefore. What do you mean by therefore? Therefore means some reason must be
involved. What is the reason? In this ślōka Kr̥ṣṇa says you should surrender to Me to
cross over māyā. Naturally the question will come to cross over māyā, why should I

surrender to Kr̥ṣṇa. For that Kr̥ṣṇa gives the reason because māyā is belonging to
Me and I am the master of māyā. Like suppose you go to a house and there is a
dog. And normally the dog is chained. And imagine that dog is not chained, and the
dog is chasing, and you should surrender not to the dog but surrender to its master.
On instruction from the master the dog will retreat and leave you free. Therefore
when someone chases you, you surrender to the owner, the master. Similarly, māyā
is the dog chasing you and who is the master of the māyā, Bhagavān? The master of
the māyā is Bhagavān. Therefore surrender to Bhagavān and He will pull the māyā
with the chain. Therefore hi means therefore I being the master. ēṣā is in the
mūlam, is equal to yathōktā, yathōktā means what is said in verses twelve and
thirteen. guṇamayī – consisting of the three guṇas, mama māyā – and this māyā
of Mine, duratyayā is in the mūlam, is equal to duḥkhēna atyayaḥ, atyayaḥ is equal
to atikramaṇam yasyāḥ sā, duratyayā means difficult to cross over. Difficult to
conquer, difficult to master is that māyā. Ok, then how to manage? That is said in
the second half.
तत्र एवां सगत सवयधमायन् पररत्यज्ज्य म म् एि मायागवनां स्वात्मभूतां सवायत्मना ये प्रपद्यनते ते म य म् एत ं सवयभूतमोगहनीं
तरन्नत अगतक्रामन्न्त, सांसारबन्धनात् मुच्यन्ते इगत अथयाः ॥ ७-१४ ॥
tatra ēvaṁ sati sarvadharmān parityajya mām ēva māyāvinaṁ svātmabhūtaṁ

sarvātmanā yē prapadyantē tē māyām ētāṁ sarvabhūtamōhinīṁ taranti
atikrāmanti, saṁsārabandhanāt mucyantē iti arthaḥ || 7-14 ||
Tatra ēvaṁ sati – this being so, it means since parā-prakr̥ti Bhagavān is the master
of aparā-prakr̥ti māyā, therefore. Bhagavān being the master, sarvadharmān
parityajya yē prapadyantē – those people who surrender unto Me. yē
prapadyantē is in the mūlam, suppose the spiritual-seekers surrender unto Me.
How do they surrender? Sarvadharmān parityajya, and by using this word
sarvadharmān parityajya, Śaṅkarācārya wants to say that the word śaraṇāgati
requires elaboration. That elaboration can be found in Bhagavad Gītā eighteenth
chapter sixty-sixth ślōka; sarvadharmān parityajya māmēkaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja.
Prapatti and śaraṇāgati are one and the same. And I said this śaraṇāgati is nothing
but jñānam. Because in the nineteenth ślōka Kr̥ṣṇa himself says śaraṇāgati does not
mean anything other than jñānam. And Śaṅkarācārya says that I am going to
elaborately discuss that in the sarvadharmān ślōka. Therefore here I am not going to
elaborate. So if you want elaboration keep on coming to the class when I take the
eighteenth chapter. There if you look at the bhāṣyam śaraṇaṁ vraja the word
Śaṅkarācārya interprets it as Īśvara aham iti avadhāraya. Īśvara aham – that
Bhagavān is me, iti avadhāraya – this clear knowing is surrender and there is no

surrender other than clear knowing. Avadhāraya means firm-convinced-knowledge.

And what knowledge? Not Bhagavān is great, that knowledge is incomplete. That
great Bhagavān aham asmi iti advaita-jñānam ēva śaraṇāgatiḥ. The word sarva-
dharmān-parityajya also has got a profound meaning, and it will be explained in the
eighteenth chapter but since that word has occurred I will tell that briefly. The word
dharma refers to all puṇya-pāpam-karmāṇi. Śaṅkarācārya‟s interpretation of the
word dharma in the eighteenth chapter is puṇya-pāpa-karmāṇi. Sarva-dharma
parityāgaḥ means sarva-puṇya-pāpa-karma-parityāgaḥ. And thereafter he interprets
further that also we can briefly note. There is no question of karma-parityāga;
karma-parityāga is nothing but kartr̥tva -abhimāna-parityāgaḥ. Sarva-dharma
parityāgaḥ is equal to sarva-puṇya-pāpa-karma-parityāgaḥ. And sarva-puṇya-pāpa
karma parityāgaḥ is not sitting in meditation , body will continue the karma but
kartr̥tva-abhimāna-parityāgaḥ. Renouncing the abhimāna that „I do karmas‟ alone is
called śaraṇāgati. And how do you do that? Paśyan śr̥ṇvan spr̥śan jighran aśnan
gacchan svapañ śvasan, even when all the activities are going; the knowledge inside
is naiva kiñcit karōmi iti yuktaḥ manyēta tattvavit. Aham sākṣi caitanyam asmi, na
kartā asmi, na bhōktā asmi, iti abhimāna parityāgaḥ ēva sarvadharma parityāgaḥ.
This we are going to study elaborately in the eighteenth chapter. Develop patience
to wait for that.
In fact, to appreciate the glory of Śaṅkarācārya we should be jñānis. He uses the

correct words sarvadharmān parityajya mām ēva māyāvinam. What is māyāvi?
parā-prakr̥tim. And who is the māyāvi? Svātmabhūtam – that Bhagavān is none
other than the ātmā, the real I within the body. Māyāvinaṁ svātmabhūtam is
mahāvākyam. Sarvātmanā – totally, through śravaṇa-manana-nididhyāsanam totally
the one who understands and thus prapadyantē – implements the śaraṇāgati
through this knowledge which is called jñānavān mām prapadyatē. tē – such jñāni-
bhaktas advaita-jñānis, tē māyām ētāṁ sarva-bhūta-mōhinīṁ taranti – they will
cross over māyā because they know aparā-prakr̥ti is mithyā.
What type of māyām is it? Sarva-bhūta-mōhinīm – who is the greatest seductress.

You should remember the puranic stories. Viṣṇu takes mōhinī vēṣam. That is why he
has used the word vaiṣṇavīm also. Therefore sarvabhūtamōhinīṁ taranti is in the
mūlam, is equal to atikrāmanti – they will cross over māyā. What do you mean by
crossing over māyā? Don‟t imagine that you will go to Vaikuṇṭha and never to
comeback. This idea we will not leave. Escapist-mōkṣa is so powerful that I want to
die, run away, go to Vaikuṇṭha, never to comeback. This idea we will not leave.
Therefore crossing over doesn‟t involve travel. It means saṁsāra-bandhanāt

mucyantē iti arthaḥ – the jñāni-bhaktas are freed from the trap called saṁsāra.
What does it mean? „They are freed from the trap called saṁsāra‟ we have to
carefully understand, it means they don‟t look upon the body as a trap. Freed from
the trap means they don‟t look upon the body as a trap, they don‟t look upon the
family as a trap, they don‟t look upon the society as a trap, they don‟t look upon
kāla, the time as a trap; they are all mithyā incapable of trapping me. This is called
mōkṣa. More in the next class.

274 Verses 07-14 to 07-17

daivī hyēṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā |

māmēva yē prapadyantē māyāmētāṁ taranti tē || Gītā 7-14 ||
In these important ślōkas – thirteen and fourteen, Lord Kr̥ṣṇa talks about saṁsāra-
kāraṇam and mōkṣa-sādhanam. Saṁsāra-kāraṇam in the thirteenth verse and
mōkṣa-sādhanam in the fourteenth verse. And here Kr̥ṣṇa presents prapatti as the
mōkṣa-sādhanam which is famously used expression in Viśiṣṭādvaitam among
Vaiṣṇavas. And we also accept prapatti but interpret it differently. For us the word
prapatti, the word śaraṇāgati and the word bhakti all the three are synonymous. And
we do accept prapatti śaraṇāgati or bhakti as mōkṣa-sādhanam. And later we point
out that to attain mōkṣa through bhakti one has to go through all the four stages of
bhakti. Bhakti can give liberation only when one to goes through all the four stages
starting with ārta-bhakti graduating to arthārthī-bhakti and later one has to become
jijñāsu-bhakta. And in jijñāsu-bhakti alone we introduce karma-yōga plus upāsana-
yōga plus jñāna-yōga, all these three yōgas are integral part of jijñāsu-bhakti. And
when one to goes through jijñāsu bhakti consisting of karma-yōga, upāsana-yōga
and jñāna-yōga, he will become jñāni-bhakta. And this jñāni-bhakti otherwise called
jñāna-bhakti, otherwise called advaita-bhakti, otherwise called aparā-bhakti, that
bhakti alone will lead to liberation. Therefore this ślōka is important as the mōkṣa-
sādhana ślōka. Even though both these ślōkas are very important, Śaṅkarācārya
writes only brief commentary but it is compensated by other commentators I have
referred to before. Madhusūdana Sarasvatī writes a famous commentary called
Gūḍhārthadīpikā and Dhanapati Sūri writes another commentary called
Bhāṣyōtkarṣadīpikā, both of them are very elaborate commentaries. Of this
Madhusūdana Sarasvatī follows generally the Vivaraṇa-sampradāya of Advaitic
teaching. And Dhanapati Sūri generally follows the Bhāmati-sampradāya of Advaitic
teaching. And on the fourteenth ślōka both of them write very elaborate
commentaries, each one expounding the Vivaraṇa and Bhāmati-sampradāya. They
are almost like rivals even though they are advaitins. But both of them are

developed after Śaṅkarācārya, therefore Śaṅkarācārya writes only a very brief

commentary. Those who are interested in fine teachings of Vivaraṇa and Bhāmati,
the commentaries on this fourteenth ślōka are very enlightening. I have completed
the bhāṣyam of the fourteenth ślōka.
The anvaya is, mama ēṣā daivī guṇamayī māyā hi duratyayā (bhavati). Yē mām
prapadyantē tē ēva ētām māyām taranti. Continuing;

यदद त्वाां प्रपन्नााः मायाम् एताां तरन्न्त, कस्मात् त्वाम् एव सवे न प्रपद्यन्ते, इगत उच्यते ––
yadi tvāṁ prapannāḥ māyām ētāṁ taranti, kasmāt tvām ēva sarvē na prapadyantē,
iti ucyatē ––
Śaṅkarācārya introduces the present ślōka with a question. In the previous ślōka
Kr̥ṣṇa said saṁsāra can be crossed over by surrendering to the God. If surrender to
God is available, if the entire humanity is suffering from saṁsāra and the solution is
available why all the people do not take to the solution? Imagine there is a huge
vessel containing good water and all the people are thirsty. Thirsty people require
water. Water vessel is there, good water is there, naturally what do we expect? All
the people coming, drinking water and quenching the thirst. Similarly, saṁsāra
problem is there, Īśvara śaraṇāgati solution is there, all the people should come to
śaraṇāgati and be liberated. But what do we find? Majority manages to remain in
saṁsāra. Why? Why people are not surrendering? Yadi tvāṁ prapannāḥ māyām
taranti – by surrendering to Bhagavān māyā or saṁsāra can be crossed over, when
such a solution is available free of cost, then somebody may ask kasmāt sarvē tvām
ēva na prapadyantē – why all the human beings are not rushing to you. There must
be a big rush. But how come people do not practice śaraṇāgati? Such a question is
natural and Kr̥ṣṇa Himself expect such a question and He Himself gives the answer.
sarvē na prapadyantē, iti cēt – if such a question is asked ucyatē – uttaram ucyatē
bhagavatā. And what is the answer?
Verse 07-15
na māṁ duṣkr̥tinō mūḍhāḥ prapadyantē narādhamāḥ |

māyayāpahr̥tajñānā āsuraṁ bhāvamāśritāḥ || Gītā 7-15 ||

I will give you gist of this ślōka. It is very clear. Majority of the humanity does not
come to Bhagavān because they are unfortunate people, they have not done
sufficient puṇyam. They have done sufficient puṇyam to get human birth but they
have not done sufficient puṇyam to come to Bhagavān or śāstram. And when the
śāstra‟s guidance is not there, and their buddhi is confused because of ignorance,
they are going to be misled by their own intellect and they take to all kinds of wrong
methods including adhārmika way of life and instead of solving the problem they get
into worst entanglement. Therefore what is the cause? Lack of puṇyam is the cause.
So durlabham trayamēvaitat dēvānugrahahētukam. Manuṣyatvam mumukṣutvam
mahā-purūṣa-saśrayaḥ. They have sufficient puṇyam for manuṣyatvam but they
don‟t have sufficient puṇyam for mumukṣutvam or mahā-purūṣa-saśrayaḥ. This is
the essence of the ślōka. We will go to the bhāṣyam which is brief in all these ślōkas
and I have discussed these topics elaborately in Gītā mūlam class and therefore here
I don‟t want to elaborate.
न म ं परमेश्वरां रृष्कृवतनाः पापकाररणाः मूढ ाः प्रपद्यनते नर धम ाः नराणाां मध्ये अधम ाः गनकृष्टााः । ते च म यय अपहृत-
ज्ञ न ाः सांमुगषतज्ञानााः आसुरं भ िं तहिंसानृताददलक्णम् आशश्रत ाः ॥ ७-१५ ॥
na māṁ paramēśvaraṁ duṣkr̥tinaḥ pāpakāriṇaḥ mūḍhāḥ prapadyantē

narādhamāḥ narāṇāṁ madhyē adhamāḥ nikr̥ṣṭāḥ | tē ca māyayā apahr̥ta-jñānāḥ
saṁmuṣitajñānāḥ āsuraṁ bhāvaṁ hiṁsānr̥tādilakṣaṇam āśritāḥ || 7-15 ||
Māṁ paramēśvaram – the unfortunate people do not surrender to Me. Mām is in

the mūlam, is equal to paramēśvaram, the great Lord. Why? Duṣkr̥tinaḥ is in the
mūlam, is equal to pāpa-kāriṇaḥ – because they have done so much pāpam that
most of them are nāstikas. Some of them are nāstikas with regard to God, therefore
they don‟t believe in God and some of them are nāstikas with regard to scriptures,
therefore they don‟t accept the scriptures and some of them nāstikas with regard to
vēdānta, therefore they are stuck in vēdapūrva bhāga. All because of pāpam.
Therefore pāpa-kāriṇaḥ – because of duṣkr̥tam (pāpam). Therefore mūḍhāḥ,
mūḍhāḥ means they are deluded people, they don‟t know the difference between
pauruṣēya-viṣaya and apauruṣēya-viṣaya, pauruṣēya-pramāṇam and apauruṣēya-
pramāṇam, so mūḍhāḥ, prapadyantē; so you have to take the word na from the
first line and prapadyantē from the second line and join na prapadyantē – they
don‟t surrender to Me. Therefore narādhamāḥ in the mūlam, is equal to narāṇāṁ
madhyē – among the human beings, adhamāḥ – is in the mūlam , is equal to
nikr̥ṣṭāḥ – they are inferior category, that means they are unfortunate people, they
are inferior in the spiritual-sense of the term. They might have done sufficient
puṇyam to be successful in their business, they might have several companies and

they might be crorepathis and materially-successful people but unfortunate from

spiritual angle, therefore nikr̥ ṣṭāḥ. And tē ca – not only are they inferior, māyayā
apahr̥ta-jñānāḥ, apahr̥ta-jñānāḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to saṁmuṣitajñānāḥ,
in fact, apahr̥ta you can understand, saṁmuṣita means robbed off, so māyā has
robbed or taken away jñānam, their vivēka-śakti, discriminative power. And
therefore only āsuraṁ bhāvaṁ āśritāḥ, so initially they don‟t have discrimination
between satyam and mithyā; that is one type of avivēka, but sooner or later, it
becomes another type of avivēka which is more dangerous, avivēka means non-
discrimination; first non-discrimination is between satyam and mithyā; but later the
worst indiscrimination is between dharma and adharma. They start with satya-
mithyā-avivēka, but sooner or later they end up with dharma-adharma-avivēka and
once they don‟t discriminate what is dharma and what is adharma, they become
corrupt people. In spite of Bhagavad Gītā and all that, India is now one of the worst
corrupt country, even among the educated people Parliament is full of criminals. And
even judiciary is corrupt they say; that is worse condition. Therefore here jñānam
refers to dharma-adharma-vivēka-jñānam is also gone. You have to remember the
sixteenth chapter of Bhagavad Gītā. In fact, this ślōka is the seed for the sixteenth
chapter, he uses the word āsuram bhāvam āśritāḥ. This one word āsuram
bhāvam alone in the sixteenth becomes daiva-asura-sampat-vibhāga-yōgaḥ and
from the fifth verse of the sixteenth chapter up to twenty-first verse is āsuri sampat
and it is a commentary on this ślōka. Therefore āsuram bhāvam – hiṁsānr̥tādi-
lakṣaṇam – I have destroyed all my competitors today and I am going to destroy the
other rivals, business people engage goons to destroy their rivals and that is why
author uses the word hiṁsā, they don‟t fear to commit murder and anr̥tam – lying is
very common. And they tell truth now and then. So hiṁsānr̥tādi-lakṣaṇam āsuraṁ
bhāvam – Āsuric tendencies, āśritāḥ – they resort to. It is very unfortunate.
Where is time for Bhagavad Gītā and upaniṣat?
The anvaya is, duṣkr̥tinaḥ mūḍhāḥ māyayā apahr̥ta -jñānāḥ āsuram bhāvam āśritāḥ
nara-adhamāḥ mām na prapadyantē.

ये पुनाः नरोिमााः पुण्यकमायणाः ––
yē punaḥ narōttamāḥ puṇyakarmāṇaḥ ––
Verse 07-16
चतुर्विंधा भजन्ते माां जनााः सुकृगतनोऽजुयन ।

आतो द्धजज्ञासुरथायथी ज्ञानी च भरतषयभ ॥ गीता ७-१६ ॥
caturvidhā bhajantē māṁ janāḥ sukr̥tinō:'rjuna |

ārtō jijñāsurarthārthī jñānī ca bharatarṣabha || Gītā 7-16 ||
Now Kr̥ṣṇa wants to contrast the fortunate-ones as against the unfortunate-ones.

Unfortunate ones are either atheists, non-bhaktas or they are pseudo-bhaktas who
misuse bhakti for wrong purpose or who put on only the vēṣam of bhaktas and do
all types of violations, they are liquor barons but they give gold to big temples but
money comes from liquor and bhakti is unfortunate version of bhakti. That has been
talked about in the fifteenth ślōka. Now the sixteenth is contrasting. So he says yē
punaḥ, punaḥ is vailakṣaṇya-dhyotanārtham, unlike the previous people, there are
some other people, puṇya-karmāṇaḥ – who have done lot of pūrva-janma-puṇyam,
bahūnām janmanām antē and because of the puṇyam, narōttamāḥ in the previous
ślōka it was said nara-adhamāḥ, to contrast that he uses the word narōttamāḥ – the
great fortunate, virtuous ones are there, maybe in minority but they are there and
they will surrender to Me. Here in the previous ślōka Kr̥ṣṇa used the word
prapadyantē and in this ślōka He uses the word bhajantē indicating prapatti and
bhakti are one and the same. In Viśiṣṭādvaitam they make a difference between
bhakti and prapatti and they say bhakti is difficult and prapatti is easier. Thus in
Vaiṣṇavas sampradāya they say karma-yōga is difficult, bhakta-yōga is difficult,
jñāna-yōga is difficult and therefore you reject all of them. Then they have got the
easiest one which is called prapatti and they make a difference between prapatti and
bhakti but in advaita we say it is not, because in the previous ślōka prapadyantē
referring to prapatti and in the ślōka bhajantē referring to bhakti, both are
synonymous only. Therefore they become bhaktas. But even though they become
bhaktas, there also there is a grade, ārtaḥ, arthārthī, jijñāsu and jñāni. This is the
essence, we will go to the bhāṣyam.
चतुर्ििंध ाः चतुष्प्रकारााः भजनते सेवन्ते म ं जन ाः सुकृवतनाः पुण्यकमायणाः हे अजुथन । आतथाः आर्तिंपररगृहीताः

तस्करव्याघ्ररोगाददना अत्तभभूताः आपन्नाः, जजज्ञ सुाः भगवित्त्वां ज्ञातुम् इच्छगत याः, अथ थथी धनकामाः, ज्ञ नी गवष्णोाः
तत्त्वगवत् च हे भरतषथभ ॥ ७-१६ ॥
caturvidhāḥ catuṣprakārāḥ bhajantē sēvantē māṁ janāḥ sukr̥tinaḥ

puṇyakarmāṇaḥ hē Arjuna | ārtaḥ ārtiparigr̥hītaḥ taskaravyāghrarōgādinā
abhibhūtaḥ āpannaḥ, jijñāsuḥ bhagavattattvaṁ jñātum icchati yaḥ, arthārthī
dhanakāmaḥ, jñānī viṣṇōḥ tattvavit ca hē bharatarṣabha || 7-16 ||
Caturvidhāḥ janāḥ, caturvidhāḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to catuṣprakārāḥ,

prakārāḥ means types, four types of people, bhajantē mām; bhajantē is in the
mūlam, is equal to sēvantē, sēvantē means serve Me, approach Me, worship Me,

resort to Me. What type of people are they? Sukr̥tinaḥ – because they have done
more puṇyam compared to the previous people, previous people have done puṇyam,
the proof is that they are human beings, and many of them are very rich also
therefore that prosperity they have got due to puṇyam but unfortunately it is not
spiritual-puṇyam. That is why I divide puṇyam into two types. Material makes one
prosperous but prosperity is used for clubs and all the other things. Therefore they
have got lot of material-puṇyam perhaps but not spiritual-puṇyam. Those who have
spiritual-puṇyam are called sukr̥tinaḥ. So sukr̥tinaḥ is equal to puṇya-karmāṇaḥ,
hē Arjuna is in the mūlam. And what are those four types of people? Ārtaḥ is equal
to ārti-parigr̥hītaḥ. Ārtaḥ means the distressed one. And distressed one means the
one who is caught in distress. Ārti means distress, crisis, etc. Parigr̥hītaḥ means in
the grip of, you cannot go this side or that side, there is no escape route at all,
helplessness. So caught in helplessness, a few examples he gives. Taskara
abhibhūtaḥ – overpowered by a thief who has entered perhaps the house and with a
knife and asking for the key to almirah. Therefore one cannot shout also. Āpannaḥ
means therefore in crisis. Vyāghra-abhibhūtaḥ, vyāghra means tiger, or leopard or
even a street dog, or rōgādinā-abhibhūtaḥ – varieties of diseases, doctors are doing
different experiments on me, I have become a guinea pig for the doctors. That
means we are in ārti. In purāṇas we give varieties of examples,
आतयत्राणपरायणाः साः भगवान् नारायणो मे गगताः ॥
वात्सल्यादभयप्रदानसमयादातायर्तिंगनवायपणा-
दौदायायदघिोषणादगत्तणतश्रेयाःपदप्रापणात् ।
सेव्याः श्रीपगतरेव सवयजगतामेकान्तताः सात्तक्णाः
प्रह्रादि गवभीषणि कररराट् पाचचाल्यहल्या ध्रुवाः ॥
मुकुन्द माला स्तोत्रम्-१६
ārtatrāṇaparāyaṇaḥ saḥ Bhagavān nārāyaṇō mē gatiḥ ||
vātsalyādabhayapradānasamayādārtārtinirvāpaṇā-
daudāryādaghaśōṣaṇādagaṇitaśrēyaḥpadaprāpaṇāt|
sēvyaḥ Śrīpatirēva sarvajagatāmēkāntataḥ sākṣiṇaḥ
prahlādaśca vibhīṣaṇaśca karirāṭpāñcālyahalyā dhruvaḥ ||
Mukunda mālā stōtram-16
Six examples and six ślōkas are there. Prahlādaḥ, Vibhīṣaṇaḥ, Karirāṭ (gajēndraḥ),
Pāñcālī, Ahalyā and Dhruvaḥ. These are all the Puranic examples, that is one type of
bhaktas, distressed bhaktas or emergency bhaktas.
Then the second one is jijñāsuḥ, here it is not in order, jijñāsuḥ is equal to
bhagavat-tattvaṁ jñātum icchati yaḥ – the one who is not in distress, he doesn‟t
have any problem at all, and he doesn‟t have any worldly desire also but still he is a

bhakta who wants to know about the essential nature of Bhagavān, Bhagavad
tatvam.
The next one is the most popular one; arthārthī is equal to dhanakāmaḥ – the one
who is interested in material prosperity of any type. Seeker of material prosperity is
the third one.
Then the last one is rarest one is jñānī, jñānī is equal to viṣṇōḥ tattvavit – the one
who knows the real nature of Viṣṇu. He doesn‟t say viṣṇōḥ jñāni – the knower of
viṣṇu means immediately we think of śaṅkha, cakra, gadā etc. then we will talk
about the beautiful form of God. Śaṅkarācārya says I am not talking about the
beauty of the Lord in forms, I am talking about the svarūpam of that Lord, the
adhiṣṭhānam, mayā tatamidaṁ sarvaṁ jagad-avyakta-mūrtinā (Gītā 9-4). That
brahmasvarūpam vit; hē bharatarṣabha, these are the four types of bhaktas.
The anvaya is, hē bharatarṣabha! ārtaḥ, arthārthī, jijñāsuḥ, jñānī ca – (iti ētē)
caturvidhāḥ sukr̥tinaḥ janāḥ mām bhajantē hē Arjuna. Continuing;
Verse 07-17
तेषाां ज्ञानी गनत्ययुक्त एकभशक्तर्विंशिष्यते ।
गप्रयो गह ज्ञागननोऽत्यथयमहां स च मम गप्रयाः ॥ गीता ७-१७ ॥
tēṣāṁ jñānī nityayukta ēkabhaktirviśiṣyatē |

priyō hi jñāninō:'tyarthamahaṁ sa ca mama priyaḥ || Gītā 7-17 ||
I will give you the gist of the verse. Having divided the bhaktas into four types Kr̥ṣṇa
wants to grade them. And in gradation, Kr̥ṣṇa says jñāni-bhakta is the greatest
bhakta. And therefore we look upon this ślōka as one of the important ślōkas of the
Gītā because what is the central message of the Gītā if that question is asked, this
ślōka gives the answer. If somebody says bhakti is the central message of the Gītā
we won‟t dispute or challenge that, we will ask the question, no doubt bhakti is the
central message but give the appropriate adjective which type of bhakti. The central
message is bhakti but what type of bhakti? Jñāna-bhakti is the central message of
the Gītā. And jñāna bhakti is not possible without jñānam. And therefore jñānam is
the central message. That is first half of the ślōka.
Then in the second half Kr̥ṣṇa gives the reason. A very disturbing reason. He says
that jñāni-bhakti alone is dearest to Me. Superlative degree. All other bhaktas are
either dear or maximum comparative degree dearer, but when the question of
superlative degree comes, I will put jñāni alone in that list. He is dearest to Me

because for everyone according to Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat, Self-love is the greatest

love. Everybody else is for one‟s own sake. Tadētatprēyaḥ putrāt prēyō vittāt
prēyō:'nyasmāt sarvasmād antarataram yadayamātmā (Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 1-4-
8).
So ātmā, the Self is dearest to everyone including Bhagavān. So Self-love is the

greatest love, for Bhagavān, jñāni is dearest because jñāni has become one with
Him. Therefore for Bhagavān Self-love and jñāni-love are one and the same.
Similarly, for jñāni also Bhagavān is the dearest because for a jñāni also Self-love
and Īśvara-prēma, ātma-prēma and Īśvara-prēma are synonymous only for jñāni
and Bhagavān. We cannot say jñāni and Bhagavān because Bhagavān is also a
jñāni. And when ātmaprēma and Īśvara-prēma becomes synonymous, Īśvara-prēma
becomes the greatest. Ātmā means Self. When Self-love and God-love becomes
synonymous, God-love will become the greatest because Self-love is the greatest.
Since Self-love is the greatest God-love will become greatest only when Self-love and
God-love are synonymous. Self-love and God-love will become synonymous only
when Self is God. So jīvātma-paramātmā aikya jñānēna ēva uttama prēma bhavati. I
have given all the details in my Nārada Bhakti sūtra class. Let us come to the
bhāṣyam.
तेष ं चतुणां मध्ये ज्ञ नी तत्त्वगवत् तत्वगवत्त्वात् वनत्य-युक्ताः भवगत । एक-भशक्ताः च, अन्यस्य भजनीयस्य अदियनात्, अताः
साः एकभसक्ताः विशशष्यते गविेषम् आयधक्तयम् आपद्यते, अगतररच्यते इगत अथयाः ।
tēṣāṁ caturṇāṁ madhyē jñānī tattvavit tatvavittvāt nitya-yuktaḥ bhavati | ēka-

bhaktiḥ ca, anyasya bhajanīyasya adarśanāt, ataḥ saḥ ēkabhaktiḥ viśiṣyatē
viśēṣam ādhikyam āpadyatē, atiricyatē iti arthaḥ |
Tēṣām is in the mūlam, is equal to caturṇāṁ madhyē, that means tēṣām is

nirdhāranē ṣaṣṭhī, among them. Among whom? Among the four types of bhaktas,
jñānī – only that jñāni, advaita-jñāni, abhēda-jñāni, that is why he says tattvavit.
Jñānī is equal to tattvavit. So the knower of advaita-tattvam, jīvātma-paramātma-
aikya-tattvam jānāti iti tattvavit, and tatvavittvāt nitya-yuktaḥ bhavati – that jñāni
alone is nitya-yuktaḥ – ever endowed with jñānam. He is ever steadfast is the
literal meaning. He is ever abiding in God. He ever abides in God because God has
become himself; and we always ever abide in ourselves. In all transactions I am
involved and I is equal to God, therefore in all transactions God is involved, therefore
he is never away from God. That is called nitya-yuktaḥ, ever in communion with
God. Tasyāhaṁ na praṇaśyāmi sa ca mē na praṇaśyati (Gītā 6-30) God is never lost
sight of by the jñāni, jñāni is never lost sight of by God. That means he is never
away from God. Therefore there is no question of losing God. Because to lose, God I

should lose myself which I cannot lose. Therefore nitya-yuktaḥ means ever in God.
bhavati. Why? Tatvavittvāt – since he knows the truth of the oneness of God and
himself. Jñāni is ever away from God because he is a jñāni. Ēka-bhaktiḥ ca bhavati –
he is also ēka-bhaktiḥ bhavati; ēka-bhaktiḥ means advaita-bhaktiḥ bhavati. Ananya-
bhaktiḥ bhavati. So ēkasmin advaitē ātmani bhaktiḥ yasya saḥ ēka-bhaktiḥ. The one
who has the non-dual bhakti. Why, He gives the reason, anyasya bhajanīyasya
adarśanāt – because he doesn‟t have a God separate from himself to love God as a
second object. Therefore he is ēka-bhaktiḥ that means advaita-bhaktiḥ.
In fact, the word ēka-bhaktiḥ is a profound and significant word which can be
interpreted in different ways. Even though it is significant and can be interpreted in
different ways and therefore it is a confusing word, therefore normally we expect a
commentary from Śaṅkarācārya. But very surprisingly Śaṅkarācārya doesn‟t
comment elaborately. He only says anyasya abhāvat – there is no second thing
other than himself. And how will the Vaiṣṇavas comment? He will say ēka-bhaktiḥ
means Nārāyaṇa alone. So he will not go to Śiva, Gaṇapati. Therefore if you are a
bhakta, you must be avyabhicāriṇi-bhakta and you should stick to Viṣṇu only and no
other god. One word can turn a person into a fanatic. For that interpretation they
will say I have pramāṇam. Caturvidhā bhajantē mām; what the Lord has said? Mām,
Me. And ēka-bhakti means you should worship Kr̥ṣṇa and Kr̥ṣṇa alone. Such a
fanatic philosophy becomes Kr̥ṣṇa Consciousness, the most unconscious people.
Ēka-bhaktiḥ viśiṣyatē. Viśiṣyatē means viśēṣam āpadyatē. And viśēṣam means

ādhikyam, ādhikyam means superiority or excellence. These advaita bhaktas enjoy
superiority or excellence. It is equal to atiricyatē – surpass. Thus jñāni-bhaktas
surpass all the other bhaktas.
The anvaya is, tēṣām (madhyē) nitya-yuktaḥ ēka-bhaktiḥ jñānī viśiṣyatē. Jñāninaḥ hi
aham atyartham priyaḥ (bhavāmi); mama ca saḥ priyaḥ (bhavati).
More in the next class.

275 Verses 07-17 and 07-18
Page 203, verse 07-17 bhāṣyam
तेष ं चतुणां मध्ये ज्ञ नी तत्त्वगवत् तत्वगवत्त्वात् वनत्य-युक्ताः भवगत । एक-भशक्ताः च, अन्यस्य भजनीयस्य अदियनात्, अताः
साः एकभसक्ताः विशशष्यते गविेषम् आयधक्तयम् आपद्यते, अगतररच्यते इगत अथयाः ।
tēṣāṁ caturṇāṁ madhyē jñānī tattvavit tatvavittvāt nitya-yuktaḥ bhavati | ēka-

bhaktiḥ ca, anyasya bhajanīyasya adarśanāt, ataḥ saḥ ēkabhaktiḥ viśiṣyatē
viśēṣam ādhikyam āpadyatē, atiricyatē iti arthaḥ |
Lord Kr̥ṣṇa is dealing with the mōkṣa-kāraṇam after presenting the saṁsāra-
kāraṇam in the thirteenth verse and He presented the saṁsāra-kāraṇam as
ignorance of parā-prakr̥ti. We should not merely say ignorance; we should specify
ignorance of parā-prakr̥ti is the cause of saṁsāra. And naturally if ignorance is the
cause, the solution has to be knowledge alone, because knowledge alone can
destroy ignorance. But Kr̥ṣṇa is doing a mischief here, instead of presenting jñānam
as the solution; He says bhakti is the solution; just to have some fun. Kr̥ṣṇa enjoys
some līlā in Vedantic teaching also. When jñānam is the solution how can Kr̥ṣṇa say
bhakti is the solution? So naturally thinking people will stare at Kr̥ṣṇa, and with a
smile He says bhakti will solve the problem and for that you have to go through four
stages of bhakti. Look at the mischief! First you can become ārta-bhakta which is an
option if you have problems at home. You start with becoming an ārta-bhakta. Then
you can become an arthārthī-bhakta also if you have so much to accomplish in life
and then quietly Kr̥ṣṇa says later you have to become jijñāsu-bhakta. By the using
the word jijñāsu-bhakta Kr̥ṣṇa has brought jñānam through the back door. Even
though He doesn‟t present jñānam through the front door, He has quietly brought
jñānam through the back door by asking us to become jijñāsu bhaktas. And once a
person has become a jijñāsu-bhakta he has to go through yōga-trayam. You can
never become a jijñāsu-bhakta without going through yōga-trayam. As ārta-bhakta
your job is continuous crying! But once you become a jijñāsu-bhakta, you have to
practice yōga-trayam – karma-yōga, upāsana-yōga and jñāna-yōga. Thus Kr̥ṣṇa has
introduced yōga-trayam in bhakti also. Therefore if people say bhakti is merely
nāma-saṅkirtanam Lord Kr̥ṣṇa will never approve of that, because he introduces
yōga trayam. And once you go through yōga-trayātmaka-jijñāsu-bhakti then you will

safely land one day or the other, one janma or the other in jñāna-rūpa-bhakti.
Therefore in the highest stage you should become jñāni-bhaktaḥ.
And once you say jñāni-bhaktaḥ there also a doubt can come. Dvaitam or
Viśiṣṭādvaitam or advaitam? Because different ācāryas are sitting there. So Kr̥ṣṇa
wants to make it clear ēka-bhaktiḥ viśiṣyatē. The jñānam that I am talking about is
not bhēda jñānam , not dāsa -svāmi-bhr̥tya jñānam , but I am talking about jīvātma-
paramātma ēkatva jñānam. How do you know? Ēka-bhaktiḥ. And among these four
who is the greatest? That also Kr̥ṣṇa wants to make it very clear and says jñāni-
bhakta alone is the greatest. That means essentially the solution for saṁsāra is
jñānam alone. Even though He started with the word bhakti, He has indirectly
pointed out that advaita-jñānam alone is the greatest. And to a bhakta if you say
advaita-jñānam is the greatest, bhakta will not accept, he will get irritated. And
therefore He presents that also in a mischievous manner. Instead of saying advaita-
jñānam is the greatest Kr̥ṣṇa says advaita-jñāni is dearest to Me. What about other
people? I don‟t hate them, I don‟t dislike them, I will allow all of them to sit around
Me but advaita-jñāni alone I will allow to sit on My lap. Kr̥ṣṇa says ēka-bhaktiḥ
viśiṣyatē. Up to this we saw in the last class.
Page 204. Rest of the bhāṣyam of the 17th ślōka.
वप्रयाः वह यस्मात् अहम् आत्मा ज्ञ वननाः, अताः तस्य अहम् अत्यथं गप्रयाः ।
priyaḥ hi yasmāt aham ātmā jñāninaḥ, ataḥ tasya aham atyarthaṁ priyaḥ |
The third quarter of the ślōka. priyaḥ hi Jñāninaḥ aham atyartham, aham
Jñāninaḥ atyartham priyaḥ. He wants to say that jñānis are dearest to Me and
others are either dear or maximum dearer, but superlative degree I reserve for the
advaita jñānis. Naturally the other bhaktas will be curious to know the reason. Kr̥ṣṇa
gives the reason first because for jñānis I am the dearest. Since I am the dearest for
the jñāni alone, therefore he is dearest to Me. Therefore the amount of love I give
you will depend upon the amount of love you give me. As long as you are in dvaitam
your love will be divided. In advaitam alone you have undivided love, therefore
Advaitin loves Me the greatest, therefore I love him also. Therefore My love is not
determined by Me, Kr̥ṣṇa says you can decide how much I should love. Therefore it
will be proportional to your love. That is said here. hi yasmāt – this is the reason.
What is the reason? Aham jñāninaḥ atyartham priyaḥ – for a jñāni I, the Lord
am maximum dear, that means the dearest. Atyartham priyaḥ is superlative
degree. So ataḥ tasya aham atyarthaṁ priyaḥ. We have to arrange the sentence

properly. yasmāt aham Jñāninaḥ ātmā – since I am the very Self of a jñāni; then
you have to add another statement taken from Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat and since
Self-love is the greatest love, Since I am the Self of a jñāni, and since Self-love is the
greatest love, (1-4-8 puruṣavidha brāhmaṇam, Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat) – between
anupravesa mantra 1-4-7 and mahavakya mantra 1-4-10; in between 1-4-8;
तदे तत्प्रेयाः पुत्रात् प्रेयो गविात् प्रेयोऽन्यस्मात् सवयस्माद् अन्तरतरम् यदयमात्मा ॥ बृहदारण्यकोपगनषत्१-४-८ ॥
tadētatprēyaḥ putrāt prēyō vittāt prēyō:'nyasmāt sarvasmād antarataram

yadayamātmā (Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat1-4-8)
And there is another more elaborate mantra in Maitrēyī Brāhmaṇam of

Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat,
न वा अरे पत्युाः कामाय पगताः गप्रयो भवत्यात्मनस्तु कामाय पगताः गप्रयो भवगत । ॥ बृहदारण्यकोपगनषत् २-४-५ ॥
na vā arē patyuḥ kāmāya patiḥ priyō bhavatyātmanastu kāmāya patiḥ priyō

bhavati (Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 2-4-5).
Yājñavalkya makes a disturbing statement that nobody loves wife for the sake of
wife, everybody loves wife only for one‟s own sake. As long as wife is giving me joy I
love her and the moment she becomes a neck in the pain I will throw her away.
Nobody will accept someone who is the cause of disturbance. Therefore Maitrēyī
Brāhmaṇam and puruṣavidha brāhmaṇam say: everyone loves oneself the most. In
the case of jñāni Bhagavān and Self has become identical, therefore Self-love
becomes equal to Īśvara-prēma. Yasmāt aham jñāninaḥ ātmā – since I am the very
Self of a jñāni. Ataḥ tasya – for that jñāni aham atyarthaṁ priyaḥ – I am loved the
most, I am the dearest one. Continuing;
प्रशसद्धां गह लोके ‘आत्मा गप्रयाः भवगत’ इगत । तस्मात् ज्ञागननाः आत्मत्वात् वासुदेवाः गप्रयाः भवगत इगत अथयाः ।
prasiddhaṁ hi lōkē ‘ātmā priyaḥ bhavati‟ iti | tasmāt jñāninaḥ ātmatvāt vāsudēvaḥ
priyaḥ bhavati iti arthaḥ |
So Self-love is the greatest love. We saw the Upanishadic-pramāṇam from

Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat for this. Śaṅkarācārya doesn‟t want to go to
Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat.
He leaves it to the other commentators to write about it. He says why should I quote
śruti pramāṇam that the Self-love is the greatest love is a well-known universal fact.
This need not be proved by the upaniṣat. If you look at the behavior of the people
any person is troublesome then we naturally try to get out of that person. That

means I want to be comfortable, anybody who disturbs me I would distance myself.

So it is clearly proved I love myself and my happiness. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says
„ātmā priyaḥ bhavati‟ iti that Self-love is the greatest love, is lōkē prasiddham – is
well known in the lōka. Everyone reveals this fact through his or her behavior,
tasmāt – that this paragraph is an explanation of the previous paragraph. Tasmāt is
equal to jñāninaḥ ātmatvāt. Śaṅkarācārya himself gives the meaning of tasmāt.
Since Bhagavān is the very Self of a jñāni, vāsudēvaḥ Bhagavān, priyaḥ bhavati iti
arthaḥ – is the dearest for a jñāni. What is the meaning of the word Vāsudēvaḥ?
Very careful. You should not translate Vāsudēvaḥ as Vāsudēva putraḥ. Once you say
Vāsudēva putraḥ then you will not be in advaitam, you will be again in dvaitam.
Vāsu means sat-rūpa ātmā, dēva cit-rūpa ātmā. Vasanti sarvāṇi bhūtāni asmin iti
vāsuḥ, sadrūpaḥ divyati svayam prakāśatē iti dēvaḥ cidrūpaḥ. Vāsuśca asau dēvaśca.
karmadhāraya samāsa. Vāsudēva saccit ātmā iti arthaḥ not Mr. Kr̥ṣṇa. Iti arthaḥ.
Continuing;
साः च ज्ञानी मम वासुदेवस्य आत्मा एव इगत मम अत्यथं वप्रयाः ॥ ७-१७ ॥
saḥ ca jñānī mama vāsudēvasya ātmā ēva iti mama atyarthaṁ priyaḥ || 7-17 ||
So Bhagavān is the ātmā of jñāni-bhakta, it was said. Now here the reverse is said.
Bhagavān is the ātmā of jñāni-bhakta is the previous statement, now the reverse is
said. Jñāni-bhakta is the ātmā of Bhagavān. Therefore Bhagavān also has got Self-
love, Bhagavān‟s Self is jñāni-bhakta, therefore Bhagavān also loves jñāni-bhakta
the most. Therefore he says saḥ ca jñānī – that jñāni bhakta also, mama ātmā ēva
– is Myself, mama is equal to vāsudēvasya, vāsudēvasya is sat cit ātmanaḥ. Why
Śaṅkarācārya uses the word Vāsudēva? Bhagavān has got so many names. Why
should he choose Vāsudēva? What is the specialty of the word Vāsudēvaḥ? The
reason is very simple. Kr̥ṣṇa Himself chooses the word Vāsudēvaḥ in the next ślōka.
Vāsudēvaḥ sarvamiti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. Since Kr̥ṣṇa Himself chooses the
word Vāsudēvaḥ, Śaṅkarācārya has chosen; otherwise any word is ok. So mama
vāsudēvasya ātmā jñāni bhakta iti, iti is hētvarthē. Iti hētōḥ therefore mama
atyarthaṁ priyaḥ – advaita jñāni is also dearest to Me says Kr̥ṣṇa. We are mutually
dearest. In fact, we are one and the same.

न तर्हिं आतायदयाः त्रयाः वासुदेवस्य गप्रयााः? न, तकिं तर्हिं? ––
na tarhi ārtādayaḥ trayaḥ vāsudēvasya priyāḥ? na, kiṁ tarhi? ––

So the statement in the previous ślōka will make all the advaita-jñānis happy. They
will be jumping with joy – thank God I am nearest to Bhagavān. But while jñāni
jumps with joy all the other three will be disturbed. And here three types of bhaktas
will be disturbed ārtaḥ, arthārthī and jijñāsuḥ. Therefore, they are making a
complaint and asking a question does that mean the other three are not dear to
Bhagavān. So tarhi – then, ārtādayaḥ trayaḥ – the other three groups of bhaktas,
vāsudēvasya na priyāḥ kim? They are not dear to Bhagavān. Is it true? This is the
question. And for that Śaṅkarācārya gives the answer na. It doesn‟t mean that
others are not dear. Kr̥ṣṇa says, you are not listening to Me properly. The problem is
we don‟t apply our mind at the time of listening. Kr̥ṣṇa has not said jñāni is dear to
Me. If Kr̥ṣṇa says jñāni is dear to Me then others are not dear will be the meaning.
Kr̥ṣṇa‟s word is jñāni is dearest to Me that means others are not dearest. It means
they will come under either dearer category or dear category. I never said they are
not dear. Therefore na – that is not the idea. Kiṁ tarhi? – then what is the idea?
Look at the verse it will become clear.
Verse 07-18
उदारााः सवय एवैते ज्ञानी त्वात्मैव मे मतम् ।
आञ्स्थताः स गह युक्तात्मा मामेवानुिमाां गगतम् ॥ गीता ७-१८ ॥
udārāḥ sarva ēvaitē jñānī tvātmaiva mē matam |

āsthitaḥ sa hi yuktātmā māmēvānuttamāṁ gatim || Gītā 7-18 ||
I will give you the gist of the verse first. It is very simple. Kr̥ṣṇa says others are not
non-dear to Me. Never conclude others are not dear to Me. All others are also dear
to Me, udārāḥ only. And in fact, they will come under dear or dearer category but
jñāni will come under the dearest category. Instead of using the word dearest which
He used in the previous verse Kr̥ṣṇa brings Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat quote here. He
says instead of saying jñāni is dearest, He says jñāni is My own ātmā. What a
brilliant method. In the previous ślōka Kr̥ṣṇa said jñāni is dearest and in this ślōka
Kr̥ṣṇa says jñāni is My ātmā. From that he is connecting ātmā and dearest are one
and the same. That is the message of Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat – ātmā is the dearest.
So instead of saying ātmā is dearest, in the seventeenth ślōka Kr̥ṣṇa uses the word
jñāni is the dearest and in the eighteenth ślōka He says jñāni is my ātmā. Jñāni is
dearest, jñāni is my ātmā, equating these both statements ātmā is the dearest;
which is the message of upaniṣat. And therefore jñānī tu ātmā ēva mē matam. How
did jñāni become my ātmā? Did he penetrate annamaya, prāṇamaya, etc. Like the
bee. How did he become My ātmā? He became My ātmā just by shedding ignorance.

Merely by shedding ignorance jīvātmā becomes paramātmā. Of course that is said by

the word jñāni. Jñāni has become My ātmā how? By becoming a jñāni. And how did
he become a jñāni? By shedding ignorance. How did he shed ignorance? By fixing
Me as the ultimate puruṣārtha. Āsthitaḥ saḥ hi yukta-ātmā mām ēva anuttamām
gatim. From young age he targeted Me as his goal. He did not target name, fame,
children and grandchildren. Right from beginning he aimed at
धनुगृयहीत्वौपगनषदां महास्त्रां िरां ह्युपासागनशितां सांधयीत ।

आयम्य तद्भावगतेन चेतसा लक्ष्यां तदे वाक्रां सोम्य गवद्धद्ध ॥ मुण्डकोपगनषत् २-२-३ ॥
dhanurgr̥hītvaupaniṣadaṁ mahāstraṁ śaraṁ hyupāsāniśitaṁ saṁdhayīta |

āyamya tadbhāvagatēna cētasā lakṣyaṁ tadēvākṣaraṁ sōmya viddhi ||
Muṇḍakōpaniṣat asks the spiritual seeker fix paramātmā as the target, choose the
jīvātmā as the arrow and have the upaniṣats and guru as the bow and start the
journey, jīvātmā will hit paramātmā. Hē sōmya viddhi. That alone He says here,
āsthitaḥ. Lakṣyatvēna niścitaḥ having targeted Me he has become one with Me. Now
we will read the bhāṣyam.
उद र ाः उत्कृष्टााः सिथ एि एते, त्रयाः अगप मम गप्रया एव इगत अथयाः । न गह कत्तित् मद्भक्ताः मम वासुदेवस्य अगप्रयाः भवगत ।
ज्ञानी तु अत्यथं गप्रयाः भवगत इगत गविेषाः ।
udārāḥ utkr̥ṣṭāḥ sarva ēva ētē, trayaḥ api mama priyā ēva iti arthaḥ | na hi kaścit
madbhaktaḥ mama vāsudēvasya apriyaḥ bhavati | jñānī tu atyarthaṁ priyaḥ
bhavati iti viśēṣaḥ |
You have to imagine the whole thing. You can dramatize the whole thing. Four
children are in front of father, Bhagavān is like father. Four children are the four
types of bhaktas. And Bhagavān is telling to some guest who has come that this son
of the four I love him. The moment He said that you have to imagine the other three
children are screaming and throwing tantrums. Then father takes all the other three
and shows affection by lovingly caressing them and tells that He loves all of them
too. Like that Bhagavān is consoling the other crying children. He says udārāḥ is
equal to utkr̥ ṣṭāḥ – great, noble. Who are noble? Sarva ētē, trayaḥ – all the other
three also are great and noble. The other three means ārtaḥ arthārthī and jijñāsu.
When you say the other three are also noble, what do you mean by noble? Mama
priyā ēva iti arthaḥ. The meaning of udārāḥ is equal to utkr̥ ṣṭāḥ is equal to priyāḥ –
they are also dear to Me. Here Kr̥ṣṇa carefully uses positive degree and avoids
superlative degree. Iti arthaḥ. What is the reason? They are also My devotees and
how can devotees be non-dear to Me. Therefore He says na hi kaścit madbhaktaḥ –
no devotee of Mine, mama apriyaḥ bhavati – can be non-dear to me. No devotee of

Mine can be not-dear to Me. To put it positively, every devotee of Mine whatever be
the category is dear to Me. Me means again he uses the word Vasudēvasya
remembering the next ślōka.
What I want to highlight is jñānī tu atyarthaṁ priyaḥ bhavati – whereas a jñāni is

the dearest to me even though it will disturb you it can serve as an incentive to you.
If I say jñāni is dearest to Me, Bhagavān is certainly disturbing them but this
disturbance is to give an inspiration or an incentive. So sometime you have to
disturb for a positive purpose. Kr̥ṣṇa deliberately disturbs so that they also will like to
become the dearest. If they want to join the dearest category, then they also should
become jñānis. That means they will also start reading the scriptural books. It is an
incentive for the ajñāni to become a jñāni. This is the carrot Bhagavān holds in front
of three ajñāni-bhakta groups. iti viśēṣaḥ – this is the only difference.
तत् कस्मात् इगत आह ––

ज्ञ नी तु आत्म एि न अन्याः मिाः इगत मे मम मतं वनियाः । आञ्िताः आरोढुां प्रवृिाः साः ज्ञानी वह यस्मात् ‘अहम् एव
भगवान् वासुदेवाः न अन्याः अस्स्म’ इगत एवम् युक्त-आत्म समागहतशचिाः सन् म म् एि परां ब्रह्म गन्तव्यम् अनुिम ं गततिं
गन्तुां प्रवृि इगत अथयाः ॥ ७-१८ ॥
tat kasmāt iti āha ––

Jñānī tu ātmā ēva na anyaḥ mattaḥ iti mē mama mataṁ niścayaḥ | āsthitaḥ
ārōḍhuṁ pravr̥ttaḥ saḥ jñānī hi yasmāt „aham ēva Bhagavān vāsudēvaḥ na anyaḥ
asmi‟ iti ēvam yukta-ātmā samāhitacittaḥ san mām ēva paraṁ brahma
gantavyam anuttamāṁ gatiṁ gantuṁ pravr̥tta iti arthaḥ || 7-18 ||
Very very important line and very very important bhāṣyam also. Tat kasmāt iti āha,
tat kasmāt – why is that? That jñāni is superlatively dear and others are positively or
comparatively dear. Why this degrees of comparison? Why this gradation in
Bhagavān‟s love? Why can't Bhagavān be an egalitarian? At least we have got this
partiality and I thought that Bhagavān is impartial and now Bhagavān is declaring
that He is also partial. He loves some one more and some others less. Why
Bhagavān seems to be partial? Kr̥ṣṇa says, yes I am partial. And I will give you the
reason for My partiality. And what is the reason? Iti āha – the reason is given. Iti
āha means iti cēt uttaram āha – if this is the question the following is the answer.
Jñānī tu ātmā ēva – jñāni has become identical with Me. iti – thus mē mama
mataṁ niścayaḥ – this is My understanding of a jñāni. So jñāni has become one
with Me. This is my view. This is my conviction. And whoever has become one with
Me is dearest to Me. That means as long as he doesn‟t become one with Me, he is
not dearest to Me even though he claims I am dāsaḥ. I do pūjā here and also I will
travel through special śukla-gati and I will come to vaikuṇṭham; so I will directly to
serve you in bhūlōka vaikuṇṭham also and after death I will come to the original

vaikuṇṭham and lifelong eternally I will serve you. Bhagavān says I don‟t want your
eternal service in bhūlōka-vaikuṇṭham or original-vaikuṇṭham. As long as you want
to serve by remaining a dāsa you are different from Me and as long as you are
different from Me you won‟t come under the dearest category. Therefore enough of
being dāsō:'ham. Give that dā in dāsō:'ham to Me. Then what will happen? Sō:'ham.
And remember sō:'ham is not a blasphemy. This is what Dvaitins and
Vishishtadvaitins are criticizing. Here Kr̥ṣṇa Himself says enough of being dāsō:'ham,
enough of triangular-format and come to binary-format. It is not Śaṅkarācārya‟s
request and it is the Lord Kr̥ṣṇa‟s statement. Jñānī tu ātmā mē matam | ātmā
means Myself. Therefore Bhagavān also doesn‟t like dāsō:'ham for long. Be
dāsō:'ham but you have to come to sō:'ham. This is the pramāṇam for Advaitin.
Kr̥ṣṇa is the pramāṇam for advaitam. Mama mataṁ niścayaḥ – this is what I am
saying. This advaitam or the merger into Me, this oneness or advaitam or Īśvara
aikyam, the jñāni has kept as his goal right from the beginning. So āsthitaḥ is equal
to ārōḍhuṁ pravr̥ttaḥ – he has targeted. He has started his journey for advaitam
from early life. Who has started advaitam journey? Saḥ jñānī – that jñāni. Yasmāt
means that is the reason. So jñāni has started the advaita journey very early. Even
when I am in dāsō:'ham I should remember dāsō:'ham is the starting point and
dāsō:'ham is not the destination. Dvaita-bhaktas should remember that dvaita-bhakti
is not the destination. Keeping advaita-bhakti as destination, this jñāni has started
his journey. What is advaita bhakti? It is given here within quotation. Very important
sentence. „aham ēva Bhagavān vāsudēvaḥ – I am Bhagavān Vāsudēvaḥ. And if
Śaṅkarācārya makes the statement all the dvaita philosophers will say this is
violation. They also tell a story. There was a rākṣasa called Pauṇḍraka Vāsudēva
who claimed that I am the Lord. What did Bhagavān do? He destroyed him. What is
the mistake he did? He said I am God. Who is He? He is a rākṣasa. Therefore all the
Advaitins are rākṣasas like Pauṇḍraka Vāsudēva and just as Bhagavān destroyed that
rākṣasa in the same way He will destroy all the Advaitins also. Remember when the
rākṣasas claim I am Bhagavān they refer to body-mind-sense complex, and whoever
says I am Bhagavān identifying with the body-mind-complex they will come under
rākṣasa category, Bhagavān will destroy and here Śaṅkarācārya is not talking about
Pauṇḍraka Vāsudēva category bur he is talking about a jñāni who claims mayi ēva
sakalam jātam mayi sarvam pratiṣṭhitam (Kaivalyōpaniṣat 19) which is the teaching
of the upaniṣat, Bhagavān himself. And therefore aham ēva means sākṣi caitanyam
ēva aham pada lakṣyārtha caitanyam ēva, if I take vācyārtha I am rākṣasa and if I
take the lakṣyārtha I am priyatamaḥ to Bhagavān. So this is within inverted commas.
„aham ēva Bhagavān vāsudēvaḥ, this is thought of the jñāni. I am Bhagavān

Vāsudēvaḥ Himself, na anyaḥ asmi‟ – I am none else. Iti ēvam yukta-ātmā –

keeping this thought in the mind all the time. At the karma-yōga level that is kept in
the mind as the destination, then at upāsana level it is kept in the mind as the
destination, and in jñāna-yōga level he starts claiming aham brahma asmi and then
during śravaṇa-manana-nididhyāsanam this claim becomes clear, more clear, still
more clear and when it becomes a niṣṭhā, aham brahma asmi becomes sahaja
samādhi, natural to him , paśyan śr̥ ṇvan spr̥śan . Therefore yukta-ātmā means
keeping this advaita jñānam in the mind all the time. Samāhitacittaḥ means not
getting out of this destination. Mām ēva paraṁ brahma gantavyam, so mām ēva,
mām is in the mūlam, mām means immediately the other people will say Mr. Kr̥ṣṇa,
dēvakī putraḥ. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya knows Kr̥ṣṇa Consciousness people will come
later. Mām is equal to paraṁ brahma, not saguṇa-Īśvara, a particular mūrti but all-
pervading saccidānandam-Brahman. Gantavyam means lakṣyam. So he has targeted
me as the ultimate goal. Anuttamāṁ gatim – which is not one of the goals of life,
but it is the ultimate goal. Anuttamām means the greatest goal. So he has kept Me
as the greatest, as the absolute, as the ultimate goal iti gantuṁ pravr̥ttaḥ – it is the
explanation of ārōḍhuṁ pravr̥ttaḥ which is the explanation of āsthitaḥ which means
in English he has targeted Me right from the early life and he has reached Me before
he died.
The anvaya is, ētē sarvē ēva udārāḥ (bhavanti). „jñānī tu ātmā ēva‟ (iti) mē matam.
Yukta-ātmā saḥ hi anuttamām gatim mām ēva āsthitaḥ.

276 Verses 07-19 and 07-20
Page 204, verse 18.


Lord Kr̥ṣṇa pointed out that bhakti or prapatti or śaraṇāgati alone is the way out of
saṁsāra, and having presented bhakti as mōkṣa-sādhanam, He converts the word
bhakti into jñānam in an ingenious method; just as Śaṅkarācārya does in
Vivēkacūḍāmaṇi. There is a beautiful ślōka which says mōkṣa kāraṇa sāmagryām
bhaktirēva garīyasī. svasvarūpānusandhānam bhaktirityabhidhīyatē.
(Vivēkacūḍāmaṇi 31). Among all the disciplines meant for mōkṣa the greatest
discipline is bhakti. So when this statement is heard people will wonder how come
Śaṅkarācārya is talking about bhakti. Because generally he is considered to be a dry
Vedantin. Having said bhakti is greatest sādhana he defines bhakti in the next line
svasvarūpānusandhānam bhaktirityabhidhīyatē – the definition of bhakti is enquiry
into one‟s own real nature. And Kr̥ṣṇa also does the same thing, He said māmēva yē
prapadyantē māyāmētāṁ taranti tē (Gītā 7-14) prapatti or bhakti is the solution.
Thereafter He said bhakti has to grow in four stages and then he says the fourth
stage of bhakti which is liberating bhakti is nothing but jñānam. Having said bhakti is
equal to jñānam he goes one step further saying that it is not any other jñānam but
it is jīvātma-paramātma aikya jñānam. By using two expressions ēkabhaktirviśiṣyatē
(Gītā 7-17) reveals advaitam. And then He said jñānī tu ātmā ēva mē matam (Gītā 7-
18) mahāvākyam in the eighteenth verse. We should underline that statement
because it is mahā-vākyam wherein Bhagavān says jñāni is Myself which is nothing
but jīvātma-paramātma aikya jñānam. And how did he become a jñāni? Why
Bhagavān is so partial making some people jñāni and retaining other people ajñāni?
Bhagavān washes off His hands by saying if some people become jñāni it is not
because of my partiality but because they have worked for jñānam. So why they
became jñāni? They worked for it. Why others did not become jñāni? They did not
work for it. Therefore He puts the whole responsibility on the seeker by using an
important expression āsthitaḥ sa hi yuktātmā māmēvānuttamāṁ gatim (Gītā 7-18)

āsthitaḥ means he targeted Me as his goal. And since he worked for it he got it. Up
to this we saw in the last class, now we have to enter verse nineteen. We will read
the Introduction.

ज्ञानी पुनाः अगप स्तूयते ––
jñānī punaḥ api stūyatē ––
So the glory of jñāni is continued in the following ślōka also. Jñāni has been already
glorified in the eighteenth verse. All the bhaktas are great but jñāni is the greatest.
This is glory number one. The second glory is not only jñāni is the greatest, jñāni
happens to be the dearest also. The third glorification is jñāni is not only dearest to
Me, and in fact, dearest is not appropriate because if I say jñāni is the dearest it
means we are separate. Therefore one more step further, in fact, jñāni is not a
bhakta, jñāni is Bhagavān Himself. So he is one with Me. The fourth glorification is if
he has come to this level I don‟t want to take credit but I would like to give credit to
the seeker himself for he has worked for that and accomplished the goal. These are
the four glorification in the previous ślōka and now glorification is continued.
Therefore punaḥ api stūyatē, stūyatē means glorified. We will read the ślōka.
Verse 07-19
बहूनाां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान्माां प्रपद्यते ।
वासुदेवाः सवययमगत स महात्मा सुरृलयभाः ॥ गीता ७-१९ ॥
bahūnāṁ janmanāmantē jñānavānmāṁ prapadyatē |

vāsudēvaḥ sarvamiti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ || Gītā 7-19 ||
This is an interesting verse, if the words are not properly arranged this ślōka can
give a wrong meaning. Therefore the arrangement of the words is very important.
First I will tell you what are the wrong arrangements. Suppose you take jñānavān as
the subject of the ślōka, what will be the problem? Suppose you take jñāni as the
subject of this sentence it will mean jñānavān bahūnām janmanām antē mām
prapadyatē. Jñāni will reach Me after many janmas. Then bhaktas will take
advantage of that and will say bhakta will reach now itself because this is Kr̥ṣṇa‟s
statement. Jñāni will attain Bhagavān bahūnām janmanām antē. So we should never
interpret this ślōka in that way, jñānavān should not be taken as the subject of the
sentence. Then you have to supply the subject. Mumukṣu, a spiritual seeker, that is
the subject you have to supply, and then you should read it as bahūnām janmanām
antē jñānavān bhavati – the mumukṣu will become a jñāni after the sādhanas of

many janmas, long karma-yōga, long upāsana-yōga. Thus so many intermediary

stages are there, kāma has to be conquered, krōdha has to be conquered, each one
is a giant obstacle, and many janmas may be taken for kāma krōdha lōbha mōha.
Thus long karma-yōga, long upāsana-yōga, thus after many janmas he will become
liberated you should not say, after many janmas one becomes a jñāni. So bahūnām
janmanām antē mumukṣuḥ jñānavān bhavathi, jivah jñānavān bhavathi. Then in
whichever janma he becomes a jñānavān in that janma itself he will get liberated.
Therefore the right anvaya should be manuṣyaḥ or jīvaḥ bahūnām janmanām antē
jñānavān bhūtvā mām prapadyatē.
And then what is the jñānam that he will get? That is also presented here.
vāsudēvaḥ sarvam or sarvam vāsudēvaḥ (vāsudēvaḥ means not saguṇa Kr̥ṣṇa we
are talking about but vāsudēvaḥ means vāsuḥ means sadrūpa ātmā dēvaḥ means
cidrūpa ātmā, saccidrūpa ātmā ēva sarvam. idaṁ brahma idaṁ kṣatram imē lōkāḥ
imē vēdāḥ imē dēvāḥ imāni bhūtāni idaṁ sarvaṁ yadayamātmā
(Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 2-4-6 Maitrēyī Brāhmaṇam of Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat).
sarvam ātmamayam jagat. And when you say ātmamayam jagat, is it jīvātmā or
paramātmā? As long as you ask the question jīvātmā or paramātmā, you are
ignorant. The very question comes because you think jīvātmā and paramātmā are
separate, for a jñāni, jīva-adjective is gone, parama-adjective is gone. Therefore
ātmamayam jagat means ēka ātmamayam jagat, jīvatva paramatva viśēṣaṇa rahita
ēka ātmamayam sarvam. Iti jñānavān – having attained this knowledge he becomes
one with Me, and that person is mahātmā. And that person is sudurlabhaḥ means
such a person is very rare. This is the gist of this ślōka. We will go to the bhāṣyam.
बहून ं जनमन ं ज्ञानाथयसांस्काराजयनाश्रयाणाम् अनते समाप्तौ ज्ञ नि न् प्राप्तपररपाकज्ञानाः म ं वासुदेवां प्रत्यगात्मानां

प्रत्यक्ताः प्रपद्यते । कथम्? ‘ि सुदेिाः सिथम’् इवत ।
bahūnāṁ janmanāṁ jñānārthasaṁskārārjanāśrayāṇām antē samāptau jñānavān

prāptaparipākajñānaḥ māṁ vāsudēvaṁ pratyagātmānaṁ pratyakṣataḥ
prapadyatē | katham? „vāsudēvaḥ sarvam‟ iti |
Bahūnām janmanām antē, antē means at the end of, bahūnām janmanām –
many janmas. Here also Śaṅkarācārya wants to add a note. A person has to gather
spiritual saṁskāra; this is exactly like accumulating money to purchase a house. He
gathers wealth little by little, and after several years he buys a house, similarly, he
has to accumulate ādhyātmika-saṁskāra. In fact, every saṁskāra of the forty-one
saṁskāras – jāta-karma, nāma-karaṇa, caula, annaprāśana, even garbhādānam,
puṁsavanam, etc., many people think they are useless rituals and we are advanced
people so not required for us, but we should remember every single saṁskāra is

adding; what? - a dash of sādhana-catuṣṭaya-sampatti. Every saṁskāra, forty-one

saṁskāras are prescribed for vaidika manuṣya. And in every janma, he has to gather
this sādhana-catuṣṭaya-sampatti. And Śaṅkarācārya says you cannot add this
saṁskāra in every janma. Can you guess why? Because one may become a donkey
in one of the future janmas. In a donkey janma, saṁskāra cannot be added and that
janma is a waste. He might be born as a human being, but he is born in a culture
outside the Hinduism, again the opportunity is gone. There are many people born as
Hindus, born as brāhmaṇas but they don‟t believe in sacred thread,
sandhyāvandanam and even after having such opportunity, even such a janma will
not help in adding saṁskāra because they don‟t care to value that. Therefore
Śaṅkarācārya says only in those janmas where one utilizes janma to add saṁskāra.
All other janmas are waste only. Therefore he adds a very important adjective
jñāna-artha-saṁskāra-arjana-āśrayāṇām – those janmas which are fit for arjanam –
earning carefully, kṣaṇaśaḥ kaṇaśaḥ caiva bit bit arjana means earning. What
saṁskāra? Garbhādānam-saṁskāra puṁsavanam-saṁskāra, jātakarma-saṁskāra,
nāmakaraṇa-saṁskāra, annaprāśana-saṁskāra, etc. Therefore saṁskāra. All meant
for what? For jñāna-artha – all those are required to understand the tattvamasi. Just
to understand and accept it as a fact. It is one moment‟s job but preparation has to
be made in several vaidika janmas. Therefore jñāna-artha-saṁskāra-arjana-
āśrayāṇām janmanām. It is adjective to janma. In such earning-janmas is the
meaning. Saṁskāra-earning-janmas. antē – samāptau – a time comes, jñānavān
san – he comes to manuṣyatvam, mumukṣutvam, mahā-puruṣa-saṁśrayaḥ and
there also śravaṇam, mananam and nididhyāsanam. Śravaṇam is divided into three,
tātparya-nirṇaya-rūpa-śravaṇam, padārtha-nirṇaya-rūpa-śravaṇam, vācyārtha-
nirṇaya-rūpa-śravaṇam. Trivida śravaṇam. What type of jñānam?
Prāptaparipākajñānaḥ – having attained ripe jñānam, paripāka means ripe, having
attained ripe knowledge which means it is free from doubt, and free from the habit
of triangular format. Triangular-format-vāsanā is the biggest obstacle for the
ripening of binary-format. So triangular-format-vāsanā is so strong it will not allow
binary-format to set root. Therefore viparīta bhāvanā of triangular-format also must
go away, and I should be niṣṭhaḥ in binary-format. Mayi ēva sakalam jātam. Iti san,
māṁ vāsudēvaṁ prapadyatē – he comes to Me, merges into Me, he becomes one
with Me. Vāsudēvaṁ prapadyatē. And see Śaṅkarācārya‟s translation of the word
Vāsudēvam. Pratyagātmānam. Because Vāsudēva means we will look at Vaikuṇṭha
Viṣṇu. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says Vāsudēva is not seated somewhere, which you
have to reach posthumously after death, Vāsudēva is Myself, my Self. First we say
my Self and then say Myself. Śaṣti should become prathama. Therefore vāsudēvaṁ

pratyagātmānaṁ prapadyatē. How? Pratyakṣataḥ, very important. Pratyakṣataḥ

means here and now, and not vidēhamukti after death, but sadyōmukti, nityamukti
which is directly available. Pratyakṣataḥ means in a directly recognizable manner,
aparōkṣatayā prapadyatē. And what does it mean? The idea is merger is not a
physical event that happens. It is very difficult to get off. Our orientation is like a
river merging into ocean which is something that happens at a time, similarly, we
think jīvātmā slowly and slowly like engine shunting, we think of merging.
Remember it is not a physical event, because jīvātmā and paramātmā are never
separate for joining together. They can be joined only if they are separate.
Therefore merger is a figurative expression for understanding there is no difference
between us. Just drop the notion that I am a jīvātmā different from Paramātmā; the
notion we have to drop which is purely an intellectual process, cognitive process,
understanding and dropping the notion alone we explain with the mystic word.
Merger is another mystic word. Therefore we should replace the word merger by
another non-mystic word and that non-mystic translation of merger, dropping the
notion that I am a jīvaḥ other than paramātmā, and that notion we should leave,
and that alone we call it as a merger. There is no other thing involved here. Who
knows whether I have dropped the notion or not? Whether the students have
dropped the notion or still they think that I am miserable jīvātmā and dāsō:'ham and
paramātmā is sitting there etc. What notion I have who will know? I only know.
Therefore whether you are retaining the notion or you are dropping the notion I
have no way of knowing. You decide where you stand. Sometimes students come
and ask me Svāmiji how do we know that we have become jñāni or not. New hair
will grow somewhere or gradually a hallow will be formed? I went for bhikṣā to one
of the student‟s house, and among the photos I saw a big photo of me also and
surprisingly I saw behind my head there is a hallow. I myself was surprised because
I regularly brush the teeth and I look behind my head and I had never seen
anything and I find a hallow in my photo. Then I asked how it came. They said it is
very simple, you tell the photographer and he will do that. So remember you can
also do that. Then I thought that I have succeeded in my spirituality that I have got
hallow! Like that people ask the question how do I know whether I have become a
jñāni or not. I have to ask the question whether I have dropped the notion or not.
That is why it is called sva-anubhava. The word anubhava is used not to say that
Brahman you experience, the word anubhava is to convey the idea whether I have
dropped this notion or not, nobody can say, I only have to touch my heart and ask
do I look upon myself as miserable jīvātmā struggling or do I look upon myself as
the wonderful paramātmā. How others can know what I think? I only can know.

Therefore no guru can give a certificate, you only have to give a certificate to
yourself. I alone know where I stand. All these things I am emphasizing because of
one word in the bhāṣyam „pratyakṣataḥ‟. And in the ninth chapter Kr̥ṣṇa says
pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ susukhaṁ kartumavyayam (Gītā 9-2) māṁ
vāsudēvaṁ prapadyatē. And then he himself asks the question katham? – How
does he know? You say jñānavān, what is the jñānam he possesses? Is it
dāsō:'ham jñānam? No. No. No. That cannot give liberation. Then what jñānam?
„vāsudēvaḥ sarvam‟. This is within quotation occurring in the third quarter,
vāsudēvaḥ means ēkātmā without the adjective jīva and parama. Jīvatva-
paramatva-viśēṣaṇa-rahita ēkātmā-Vāsudēva. Sarvam alone is everything, there is
no world other than ēkātmā and even after knowing there is no world other than
ēkātmā, the experience of the world continues. Remember world experience will
continue, but I know it is not different. The example we should remember is a
straight stick which is dipped in water in a transparent bowl, the stick will appear
bent-stick, because of refraction the stick will continue to appear but my intellect
tells me clearly that the stick is straight one. And even after knowing the experience
is it will appear bent, similarly, sense organs will report plurality, perceiving plurality
I say ātmā paścādātmā purastādātmā dakṣiṇata ātmōttarata ātmaivēdam̐ sarvamiti
(Chāndōgyōpaniṣat 7-25-2) and in the next mantra Chāndōgyōpaniṣat bhūmavidyā
says ahamēvādhastādahamupariṣṭādahaṁ paścādahaṁ purastādahaṁ
dakṣiṇatō:'hamuttaratō:'hamēvēdam̐ sarvamiti (Chāndōgyōpaniṣat 7-25-1). Pāttum
nāne, pāvamum nāne; this is not Shivaji Ganesan song in Thiruvilayadal. It is my
glory. Continuing.
याः एवां सवायत्मानां माां प्रगतपद्यते, साः मह त्म , न तत्समाः अन्याः अस्स्त, अयधकाः वा । अताः सुरृलथभाः साः । ‘मनुष्याणाां
सहस्रेष’ु [गीता ७-३] इगत उक्तम् ॥ ७-१९ ॥
yaḥ ēvaṁ sarvātmānaṁ māṁ pratipadyatē, saḥ mahātmā, na tatsamaḥ anyaḥ

asti, adhikaḥ vā | ataḥ sudurlabhaḥ saḥ | „manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasrēṣu‟ [Gītā 7-3] iti
uktam || 7-19 ||
Now he comes to the fourth quarter. Yaḥ ēvaṁ sarvātmānaṁ māṁ pratipadyatē –
then one who knows and becomes one with me, ēvam – in the manner described
before, the one who knows and merge into Me, the sarvātmā – who is the ātmā, the
essence of everything, who is in the form of everything, who is in the form of
viśvarūpa-Īśvara himself, saḥ mahātmā – he is the greatest. What do you mean by
greatest? The greatest means is equal to tatsamaḥ anyaḥ na asti. Bhagavān is
glorifying jñāni. Normally what do we say? In the eleventh chapter the bhakta tells
there is no one who is equal to Bhagavān or greater than Bhagavān. This is the

common story. Na tvatsamō:'styabhyadhikaḥ kutō:'nyō

lōkatrayē:'pyapratimaprabhāva (Gītā 11-43). So no one is equal to or superior to
Bhagavān is the common word we hear from bhakta, but now we have got an
uncommon expression, which we have note it. Bhagavān says there is no one equal
to or greater than jñāni. That means description of Bhagavān and description of
jñāni both are one and the same. And if descriptions are one and the same it is
possible only under one condition that there is no difference between jñāni and
Bhagavān. That is why Śaṅkarācārya uses the expression tatsamaḥ jñāni samaḥ na
asti. Then what about superior? When there is no one equal how come the question
of superiority arises? Adhikaḥ vā na asti. That is what in Taittirīya Śīkṣāvallī, ahaṁ
vr̥kṣasya rērivā. iti triśaṅkōrvēdānuvacanam. In Bhr̥guvallī,
ahamannamahamannamahamannam (Taittirīyōpaniṣat 3-9-6). All these we should
remember. And ataḥ, ataḥ means therefore only, sudurlabhaḥ saḥ – therefore only
such a person is extremely rare; dāsō:'ham are many, sō:'ham is rare. Ataḥ
sudurlabhaḥ saḥ and after saḥ you have to put a full stop. Bhavati is understood.
Ataḥ sudurlabhaḥ saḥ bhavati, then „manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasrēṣu‟ [Gītā 7-3] iti uktam –
the rareness of a jñāni has been already spoken by Lord Kr̥ṣṇa in the ślōka
manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasrēṣu.
The anvaya is (jīvaḥ) bahūnām janmanām antē „sarvam vāsudēvaḥ‟ iti jñānavān
(san) mām prapadyatē. Saḥ mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (bhavati). Continuing;

‘आत्मा एव सवयाः वासुदेव’ इगत एवम् अप्रगतपिौ कारणम् उच्यते –
„ātmā ēva sarvaḥ vāsudēva‟ iti ēvam apratipattau kāraṇam ucyatē –
In the previous verses Kr̥ṣṇa has clearly said that bhakti is the means of liberation.
And one should become ārtaḥ, arthārthī, jijñāsu then jñāni and it will take several
janmas to go through all the layers of bhakti and jñāni has targeted Me as the
ultimate goal and jñāni has attained and he is great. Now the natural question is
when this path is very clearly given by Bhagavān, becoming ārta-bhakta graduating
to arthārthī then jijñāsu and then jñāni-bhakta, when this route map is very clearly
there, in vēdapūrva bhāga, ārtaḥ arthārthī jijñāsu paryantam three bhakta levels are
there in karma-kāṇḍa and in jñāna-kāṇḍa jñāni-bhakti provision is there; vēda is
there, vēdānta is there, ācāryas are there, we have got bhakti, we are supposed to
have buddhi, so when all these are available how come these jñānis are rare? In fact
they must be widely available. How come jñānis are sudurlabhaḥ? How come many

people don‟t become jñānis? And what is the answer? You can get the answer.
People all start bhakti wonderfully well; in starting bhakti everybody is ārambhaśūrā.
Ārambhaśūrā means great in starting but they don‟t progress, everybody becomes
ārta bhakta, everybody becomes arthārthī-bhaktas and after ārta arthārthī bhakta
they never progress into jijñāsu-bhakti. And that means ārta arthārthī-bhakti means
sakāma-bhakti and jijñāsu-bhakti means niṣkāma-bhakti and nobody wants to use
bhakti for this jñānam. They use the bhakti for only pañca anātmās. Special pūjās
are done either for professional-improvement, or family-improvement, or for the
sake of possession, otherwise body, otherwise mind. Pañca-anātmās tempt a person
for sakāma-bhakti. Therefore they never use even one namaskāra for jñāna-vairāgya
siddhyartham. Every namaskāra is encashed for the welfare of the family members
and acquisition of lands and properties. Therefore strong criticism of sakāma-bhakti
is going to come in this ślōka. Verse twenty onwards Kr̥ṣṇa strongly condemns
sakāma-bhakti, ārtaḥ-bhakti, arthārthī-bhakti, (astrologer, nadi-business, pariharam)
etc. Of course it is better than no bhakti and far inferior to jijñāsu and jñāni-bhakti.
Therefore Kr̥ṣṇa is wild in this ślōka. For that Śaṅkarācārya gives the introduction.
„ātmā ēva sarvam vāsudēvaḥ‟, sarvam vāsudēvaḥ ātmā ēva, vāsudēvaḥ i.e.,
everything is vāsudēva, i.e., ātmā. iti ēvam apratipattau, apratipatti means the non-
recognition of this fact. Pratipatti means jñānam, apratipatti means ajñānam. Non-
recognition of this fact, that means absence of jñāni-bhakti. This is otherwise called
jñāni bhakti, and kāraṇam – why is this jñāni-bhaktas absent or rare in the world.
Kāraṇam means the reason for the rareness of jñāni-bhaktas. On the other hand
there is rampant of ajñāni-bhaktas. If the bhakti is increasing now and all the
temples are full of people, there all what bhakti is increasing? Either ārtaḥ-bhakti
because magazines are coming, TV programs are there. Therefore kāraṇam ucyatē –
the cause is being said by Bhagavān.
Verse 07-20
कामैस्तैस्तैहृयतज्ञानााः प्रपद्यन्तेऽन्यदे वतााः ।
तां तां गनयममास्थाय प्रकृत्या गनयतााः स्वया ॥ गीता ७-२० ॥
kāmaistaistairhr̥tajñānāḥ prapadyantē:'nyadēvatāḥ |
taṁ taṁ niyamamāsthāya prakr̥tyā niyatāḥ svayā || Gītā 7-20 ||
I will give you the gist of this verse. Every human being is driven by his own
powerful prakr̥ti, svayā prakr̥tyā. Prakr̥ti means svabhāva and svabhāva means rāga
and dvēṣa. So powerful list of rāga-dvēṣas are there. Driven by, propelled by,
goaded by, pushed by this rāga-dvēṣa pressure everybody is either ārta bhakta or
arthārthī bhakta. This is the essence of this verse. And this ārta-arthārthī-bhakti

expresses in the form of special pūjās and rituals prescribed by either astrologers or
vāstu or nāḍi etc. They talk about unheard dēvatās. Newer and newer dēvatās are
brought form the old shelf, and dusted and sometimes they do the ritual which may
or may not be found in the scriptures. Therefore new new pūjās are there and they
themselves prescribe new disciplines also with regard to the pūjās and yāgas etc.
Therefore tam tam niyamam āsthāya – either scriptural-niyama or invented-niyamas.
Taking to all the rules anya-dēvatāḥ, Bhagavān says I am deserted. In the Bhagavad
Gītā Kr̥ṣṇa represents mōkṣa. Therefore I am deserted means mōkṣa is deserted.
Sakāma-bhakti is ruling the roost. Now we will read the bhāṣyam.
क मैाः तैाः तैाः पुत्रपिुस्वगायददगवषयैाः हृत-ज्ञ न ाः अपहृत-गववेक-गवज्ञानााः प्रपद्यनते अनय-दे ित ाः प्राप्नुवन्न्त वासुदेवात्
आत्मनाः अन्यााः दे वतााः ।
kāmaiḥ taiḥ taiḥ putrapaśusvargādiviṣayaiḥ hr̥ta-jñānāḥ apahr̥ta-vivēka-vijñānāḥ

prapadyantē anya-dēvatāḥ prāpnuvanti vāsudēvāt ātmanaḥ anyāḥ dēvatāḥ |
Taiḥ taiḥ kāmaiḥ – varieties of worldly targets, desires either for getting
something or for getting rid of something, dvēṣa will propel me to get rid and rāga
will propel me to get, so either I am after something or I am running away from
something. These are the two projects we face every day. Taiḥ taiḥ means various
such projects are there. And Śaṅkarācārya gives a few examples. Putra that means
son, daughter etc. Paśu means animals at home, then svarga means after life
results, some of them are iha lōka phalam and some of them are para lōka phalam.
Because of these three occupations, hr̥ta-jñānāḥ is in the mūlam , is equal to
apahr̥ta-vivēka-vijñānāḥ – they have lost sight of nitya-anitya-vastu-vivēka. Because
a little bit of thinking will tell me that only a particular problem is gone by a
particular ritual, but problem continues to exist in some other form. Rāhu went and
Kētu came. Śani went Budha came. Planets are constantly reshuffling. Where is the
end of all these things? Why can‟t they think like this? They can't think. Therefore
apahr̥ta-vivēka-vijñānāḥ – their discriminative power is robbed off by these
obsessions. Therefore what do they do? Anya-dēvatāḥ prapadyantē.
Prapadyantē is equal to prāpnuvanti. Anya-dēvatāḥ is equal to vāsudēvāt anyāḥ
dēvatāḥ – other deities mean deities other than vāsudēva. Śaṅkarācārya adds a note
vāsudēvāt is equal to ātmanaḥ. They are going to anātmā-deities and they don‟t
come to ātma-svarūpam. Every anātmā deity will ditch me. Why? Nēdam
yadidamupāsatē (Kēnōpaniṣat 1-5). Every anātmā upāsya dēvatās can only solve the
problem temporarily. Only dēvatā is anupāsya. Upāsaka-svarūpa-ātmā alone we
have to come to.


277 Verses 07-20 to 07-22

क मैाः तैाः तैाः पुत्रपिुस्वगायददगवषयैाः हृत-ज्ञ न ाः अपहृत-गववेक-गवज्ञानााः प्रपद्यनते अनय-दे ित ाः प्राप्नुवन्न्त वासुदेवात्
आत्मनाः अन्यााः दे वतााः ।
तं तं वनयमं दे वताराधने प्रशसद्धाः याः याः गनयमाः तां तम् आि य आत्तश्रत्य प्रकृत्य स्वभावेन जन्मान्तर-अर्जिंत-सांस्कार-
गविेषेण वनयत ाः गनययमतााः स्िय आत्मीयया ॥ ७-२० ॥
kāmaiḥ taiḥ taiḥ putrapaśusvargādiviṣayaiḥ hr̥ta-jñānāḥ apahr̥ta-vivēka-vijñānāḥ

prapadyantē anya-dēvatāḥ prāpnuvanti vāsudēvāt ātmanaḥ anyāḥ dēvatāḥ |
taṁ taṁ niyamaṁ dēvatārādhanē prasiddhaḥ yaḥ yaḥ niyamaḥ taṁ tam āsthāya
āśritya prakr̥tyā svabhāvēna janmāntara-arjita-saṁskāra-viśēṣēṇa niyatāḥ
niyamitāḥ svayā ātmīyayā || 7-20 ||
After presenting bhakti as a means of mōkṣa Lord Kr̥ṣṇa divided bhakti into four
types – ārtaḥ, arthārthī, jijñāsu and jñāni. When we say bhakti gives liberation, we
should remember only the fourth type of bhakti, jñāni-bhakti gives liberation while
the first three cannot give liberation. Therefore Kr̥ṣṇa glorified the jñāni-bhaktaḥ in
the previous verses. Of these four types of bhaktis, the first two are called sakāma-
bhaktiḥ. Ārtaḥ, arthārthī are popularly known as sakāma-bhakti. Jijñāsu and jñāni
bhaktis are popularly known as niṣkāma-bhakti. Of these two Kr̥ṣṇa wants to glorify
niṣkāma-bhakti, and before the glorification of niṣkāma-bhakti He wants to analyze
the nature of sakāma-bhakti. Therefore these four verses from twenty to twenty-
three are a brief analysis of sakāma-bhakti which contains two topics one is the
advantages and disadvantages of sakāma-bhakti. We should clearly know the
advantages and disadvantages of sakāma-bhakti and we also should know the right
application and wrong application of sakāma-bhakti. The right application we should
know so that we should do that. The wrong application also we should know so that
we don‟t do that. So both advantages and disadvantages; right application and
wrong application.
What is the advantage of sakāma-bhakti? The advantage of sakāma-bhakti is that it

is valid. And that it can produce an expected result. Sakāma-bhakti is valid and it
can produce an expected result is the advantage.

What are the disadvantages? 1) sakāma-bhakti is addictive like drugs. Just as a drug
once you use, you feel like using it more and more. Sakāma-bhakti has got a nature
of addiction-causing-drug, dependence-causing-drug, that is the disadvantage. 2)
The second greater disadvantage is sakāma-bhakti can never give mōkṣa. 3) The
greatest disadvantage is that it can become an obstacle to niṣkāma-bhakti. These
are the three disadvantages. What are the three disadvantages: it is addictive; it
cannot give mōkṣa; and it does become an obstacle to niṣkāma-bhakti. These are
the three disadvantages.
The advantage is that it is valid and is capable of giving the expected results. Thus
we should know the pluses and minuses points of sakāma-bhakti.
The second topic is right and wrong application of sakāma-bhakti. You can have a
right application only when we know the advantages and disadvantages. Without
understanding the advantages and disadvantages you can never have the right
application. And once you know the plus and minus, what is the right application?
Apply sakāma-bhakti only for a limited period before it causes serious
addiction. And having applied sakāma-bhakti for a limited period understand its
limitations intensely. So use for a limited period, understand its limitations and drop
sakāma-bhakti as early as possible. Earlier the better. Use it for a limited period,
understand thoroughly its limitations and drop at the earliest and use it as a
stepping stone to enter niṣkāma-bhakti as early as possible. This is the right
application. Use for limited period; understand its limitations, and drop it for good.
Do not ask: Svamiji, can I use for the last time, etc.
Therefore earlier you drop, you have got a longer period for niṣkāma-bhakti. Longer
the sakāma-bhakti shorter will be the niṣkāma-bhakti. Our life is limited. We come to
Bhagavad Gīta at 75; when are we going to practice long niṣkāma-bhakti. So
therefore the earlier you drop sakāma-bhakti, you have got a longer period of
niṣkāma-bhakti. In that niṣkāma-bhakti we have to practice two – jijñāsu and jñāni-
bhaktis. So if you spend 80 years in sakāma-bhakti, where is the time for jijñāsu and
jñāni-bhaktis.
So advantages and disadvantages of sakāma-bhakti is the topic number one. The

second topic is right and wrong application of sakāma-bhakti. And in the twentieth
ślōka bhāṣyam we are seeing how unintelligent people get stuck in sakāma-bhakti
throughout the life. Taiḥ taiḥ kāmaiḥ apahr̥ta-vivēka-vijñānāḥ – their
discriminative power being carried away by worldly desires, family desires, etc.,
anya-dēvatāḥ prapadyantē – they go after the other dēvatās who can only bless

with worldly results. So in the last class I pointed out prapadyantē is equal to
prāpnuvanti, anya-dēvatāḥ is equal to vāsudēvāt ātmanaḥ anyāḥ dēvatāḥ, anya
dēvatās are other than vāsudēva. Kr̥ṣṇa advice is don‟t go to any deity other than
Vāsudēva. Go to only vāsudēva. Śaṅkarācārya gives the meaning of the word
vāsudēvāt is equal to ātmanaḥ. Don‟t go to any dēvatā who is anātmā. Go to dēvatā
which is ātmā, the parā-prakr̥ti. So vāsudēvāt ātmanaḥ you should not read;
vāsudēvāt is equal to ātmanaḥ, panchami vibhakthi. Apadane panchami. Other than
ātmā, never go to anātma -God. Never go to anātma-God. Go to ātma-god, that is
the message.
Up to this we saw. And once they have decided to go to various dēvatās, the next
thing that comes is varieties of rules and regulations. In jijñāsu-bhakti and jñāni-
bhakti the luxury is that you don‟t have any rules and regulations. Once you come to
sakāma-bhakti rules are important. Once you violate the rules not only we won‟t get
the benefit but still worse the very same ritual can become counter-productive and
cause varieties of problems. These people don‟t understand that. Therefore they get
into tam tam niyamam āsthāya. Śaṅkarācārya says tam tam means
dēvatārādhanē prasiddhaḥ. Already the society knows which temple involves what
rules. And many Śaṅkarācārya says prasiddhaḥ – people know that very well
because their parents, grandparents have followed. Therefore yaḥ yaḥ
dēvatārādhanē prasiddhaḥ niyamaḥ – all those popular rules, āsthāya is in the
mūlam, is equal to āśritya – resorting to them. And all because of prakr̥tyā is in the
mūlam, is equal to svabhāvēna – it is because of one‟s own svabhāva. And what do
you mean by svabhāva? A beautiful definition of svabhāva is given; worth noting and
remembering. The definition svabhāva is janmāntara-arjita-saṁskāra-viśēṣaḥ
svabhāvaḥ. Remember this definition. A personality or a trait, a vāsanā, saṁskāra is
another word for vāsanā, tendency, otherwise called rāga-dvēṣa, saṁskāra is equal
to rāga-dvēṣa vāsanā, and especially those rāga-dvēṣa vāsanās not accumulated in
this janma but which we have gathered in previous janma itself. Therefore they are
extremely powerful. Therefore janmāntara means previous janma, arjita means
gathered, saṁskāra means rāga-dvēṣa vāsanā, which are called tendencies,
propensities, is called svabhāva. And niyatāḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to niyamitāḥ
– controlled by rāga-dvēṣa, and once the rāga-dvēṣa-vāsanās are very powerful,
they will suppress our intellect also. Intellect will say don‟t practice sakāma-bhakti
but mind will force the person to practice sakāma-bhakti. I understand but I cannot
stop it. Exactly like liquor-addict, he will say I know I want to give up but I am not
able to give up. Similarly, sakāma-bhakti also I know I am senior Vedantic-student, I

know, but I cannot give up because pūrvajanma arjita-saṁskāra. Therefore niyatāḥ

– totally enslaved by powerful rāga-dvēṣa, niyatāḥ is equal to niyamitāḥ. Who has
given these saṁskāras? Always God is the scapegoat for our weakness. So we blame
Brahmāji has written such a thing. Śaṅkarācārya says Brahma Viṣṇu have not written
but you have brought these vāsanās. Therefore svayā is in the mūlam, is equal to
ātmīyayā – they are all vāsanās gathered by ourselves in the pūrva-janmas, c/o,
Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat Śārīraka Brāhmaṇam, taṁ vidyākarmaṇī samanvārabhētē
pūrvaprajñā ca (Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 4-4-2) pūrva-prajñā is pūrva-janma vāsanās.
And therefore sakāma-bhakti persists in spite of Vedantic knowledge.
The anvaya is , svayā prakr̥tyā niyatā ḥ (santaḥ) taiḥ taiḥ kāmaiḥ hr̥ta-jñānāḥ
(santaḥ) tam tam niyamam āsthāya (bahavaḥ) anya-dēvatāḥ prapadyantē |
Continuing;

तेषाां च कामीनाम् ––
tēṣāṁ ca kāmīnām ––
Verse 07-21
यो यो याां याां तनुां भक्ताः श्रद्धयार्चिंतुयमच्छगत ।
तस्य तस्याचलाां श्रद्धाां तामेव गवदधाम्यहम् ॥ गीता ७-२१ ॥
yō yō yāṁ yāṁ tanuṁ bhaktaḥ śraddhayārcitumicchati |

tasya tasyācalāṁ śraddhāṁ tāmēva vidadhāmyaham || Gītā 7-21 ||
So here Kr̥ṣṇa talks about the advantage of sakāma-bhakti and this very advantage
becomes a disadvantage. The advantage of sakāma-bhakti is that it works very
often. This very validity and fruitfulness of sakāma-bhakti itself becomes a
disadvantage. The disadvantage is that we get hooked to that. When I take a
sleeping pill I am able to sleep, it is an advantage that sleeping pill helps me sleep,
but that itself becomes a disadvantage that I get hooked to the pill. Similarly, since
sakāma-bhakti works gradually for everything we start invoking the Lord. So we will
begin to use bhakti for anything and everything . It is like some people applying
amr̥tāñjanam before going to bed . They cannot stop this tendency. Thus you will
find working-sakāma-bhakti is a plus point but that itself makes me addicted to that.
This Kr̥ṣṇa points out here. All very important slokaa. So tēṣāṁ ca kāmīnām – for
those sakāma bhaktas the following result take place. Whichever deity they worship,
observing all the rules and regulations, that particular deity will fulfil that bhakta‟s

prayer. Therefore the sakāma bhakta becomes over enthused with this sakāma-
bhakti and therefore because of sakāma-bhakti prayer is fulfilled, because of the
fulfilment more sakāma-bhakti and because of sakāma-bhakti more prayers are
fulfilled, and thus sakāma-bhakti becomes fatter and fatter. That it is so fat there is
no place for that there is no scope for niṣkāma-bhakti. And therefore Kr̥ṣṇa says
saṁsāra also gets very well settled because of sakāma-bhakti can never give
liberation. That sakāma-bhakti makes sure that saṁsāra is very-well protected and
māyā dēvī is silently laughing. For māyā dēvī is very successful to convert the
liberation-giving-bhakti also into saṁsāra-perpetuating-bhakti. That is the glory of
māyā dēvī. This is the essence of this ślōka. tēṣāṁ kāmīnām – this is what happens
to those kāmīs, here kāmī means sakāma bhakta. Now we will read the bhāṣyam.
याः याः कामी य ं य ं दे वता-तनुं श्रद्धय सांयुक्ताः भक्ताः च सन् अर्चिंतुं पूजययतुम् इच्छवत, तस्य तस्य कायमनाः अचल ं
ञ्स्थराां श्रद्ध ं त म् एि विदध यम ञ्स्थरीकरोयम ॥ ७-२१ ॥
yaḥ yaḥ kāmī yāṁ yāṁ dēvatā-tanuṁ śraddhayā saṁyuktaḥ bhaktaḥ ca san
arcituṁ pūjayitum icchati, tasya tasya kāminaḥ acalāṁ sthirāṁ śraddhāṁ tām
ēva vidadhāmi sthirīkarōmi || 7-21 ||
So yaḥ yaḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to kāmī – sakāma bhaktaḥ, and sakāma
bhaktaḥ is equal to ārta arthārthī bhaktaḥ, yāṁ yāṁ tanum is in the mūlam,
Śaṅkarācārya says dēvatā-tanum. Here the word tanu refers to varieties of deities
and I said newer and newer deities are popularized now. Śraddhayā saṁyuktaḥ –
this sakāma bhakta has got extraordinary faith because sometimes he stands in line
for seven hours and eight hours and nine hours that requires tremendous śraddhā.
In fact, the amount of śraddhā he has for sakāma-bhakti; one fourth of śraddhā is
there in niṣkāma-bhakti he would have got mōkṣa long before. But he doesn‟t want
even that one-fourth śraddhā in niṣkāma, but hundred times more in sakāma.
Therefore śraddhayā-saṁyuktaḥ – endowed with tremendous śraddhā in those
obscure deities. And bhaktaḥ ca san – and he has got intense devotion to that
particular deity, both śraddhā and bhakti and with that intense śraddhā and bhakti,
arcituṁ icchati – he desires to and he performs pūjās. What happens? The
advantage is that it works. Therefore he says tasya tasya kāminaḥ tām
śraddhām – that śraddhā and bhakti of that sakāma bhakta, kāminaḥ means
sakāma bhaktasya ārta arthārthī bhaktasya, tām ēva śraddhām – that particular
śraddhā and bhakti, what I do, Bhagavān declares I reinforce that bhakti. acalām
karōmi. Acalām is objective-complement, therefore it should be read later. tām
śraddhām is object, acalām karōmi is objective-complement. I make that bhakti
more strong. Is making bhakti more strong good or bad news? Superficially looking

it is good news because bhakti becomes stronger is good news, but Kr̥ṣṇa says from
another angle it is bad news because what bhakti is getting stronger. Bhakti is
getting stronger is a good news, but sakāma-bhakti is getting stronger is not a good
news because stronger the sakāma-bhakti weaker is niṣkāma-bhakti. That the
niṣkāma-bhakti is weakening and every namaskāra is encashed for the family well-
being. It may be good news. But from Vedantic-ācārya it is not good news because
ahaṅkāra mamakāra is only becoming stronger and aham brahma asmi is getting
more and more far away. A Vedantic-teacher cannot say that, it is very disturbing
news but somebody has to say and Kr̥ṣṇa is saying that. Aham tām śraddhām
sakāma-bhaktim acalām is equal to sthirām, sthirām means firm, vidadhāmi is
equal to sthirīkarōmi – I may get stronger, superficial good news but it is really bad
news. Sleeping pills work is superficial good news but that it causes addiction is a
real bad news. Continuing;
यया एव पूवं प्रवृिाः स्वभावताः याः याां दे वतातनुां श्रद्धया अर्चिंतुम् इच्छगत इगत –
yayā ēva pūrvaṁ pravr̥ttaḥ svabhāvataḥ yaḥ yāṁ dēvatātanuṁ śraddhayā

arcitum icchati iti –
Really speaking these two lines should form the introduction to the next ślōka. With
the previous line sthirīkarōmi the ślōka commentary must be over. Therefore I am
going to approach in that manner. Therefore sthirīkarōmi is the end of that ślōka
commentary. Therefore I will treat the bhāṣyam of that ślōka is over and I will give
anvaya and I will keep these two line as introduction to the next ślōka.
The anvaya is, yaḥ yaḥ bhaktaḥ yām yām tanum śraddhayā arcitum icchati, tasya
tasya tām ēva śraddhām aham acalām vidadhāmi.
Before going to the next ślōka introduction I would like to add a note here, which
Kr̥ṣṇa Himself will clarify later, but I will give you that point here. When this sakāma-
bhakta worships various finite dēvatās if that worship is done with proper śraddhā,
proper bhakti and also observing the rules properly because sakāma-bhakti will work
only if the rules are observed properly when they are observed the dēvatās will
certainly bless. And therefore who gives the result? That worshipped dēvatā blesses
the sakāma-bhakta. And when the sakāma-bhakta gets the benefit this sakāma-
bhakti gets reinforced; in fact, the addiction is getting more and more. That is the
negative language. Bhakti is reinforced is positive-language. Addiction is caused is
the truth and it is a negative-language but it is true. Now we should say that dēvatā
blesses the bhakta and dēvatā reinforces the bhakti. That must be the language.
That dēvatā whom he has worshipped, dēvatā gives the phalam, therefore dēvatā

reinforces the bhakti. This must be the right language. But Kr̥ṣṇa doesn‟t give the
credit to that dēvatā. Instead of saying the dēvatā is reinforcing the bhakti, Kr̥ṣṇa
says I am reinforcing the bhakti. Suppose I worship Kubēra for money and Kubēra
gives me money and therefore my bhakti towards Kubēra increases. This is
increased by Kubēra. Therefore instead of saying Kubēra reinforces bhakti, Kr̥ṣṇa
says I am reinforcing bhakti. So what is the idea here? Really speaking finite-dēvatā
do not have any powers. Therefore they cannot give any blessings also. If you visit
śani-Īśvara Bhagavān kṣētram temple at Tirunallār, and śan Īśvara blesses you and
śani-bhakti increases. Then really speaking it is not that dēvatā that is blessing you,
because dēvatā doesn‟t have any power. Then what is the truth? When you are
worshipping the dēvatā the worship goes not to the dēvatā, through the dēvatā the
worship goes to Īśvara alone, māyā sahitam brahma alone which Kr̥ṣṇa represents in
Bhagavad Gītā. Through the finite dēvatā the worship goes to one Infinite Īśvara. So
kārya-dēvatā-ārādhanam goes to kāraṇa-Īśvara. And thereafter the fulfilment of the
result also dēvatā doesn‟t do, kāraṇa-Īśvara alone fulfils the result not directly but
through kārya-dēvatā-dvārā. And therefore Kr̥ṣṇa uses the word aham-vidadhāmi. It
is a very important thoughtfully used expression. Instead of saying dēvatā-vidadhāti
Kr̥ṣṇa says aham-vidadhāmi.
Now introduction to twenty-second ślōka.
यया एव पूवं प्रवृिाः स्वभावताः याः याां दे वतातनुां श्रद्धया अर्चिंतुम् इच्छगत इगत –
yayā ēva pūrvaṁ pravr̥ttaḥ svabhāvataḥ yaḥ yāṁ dēvatātanuṁ śraddhayā

arcitum icchati iti –
In the twenty-second ślōka Kr̥ṣṇa uses the word tayā śraddhayā yuktaḥ – the
devotee is endowed with reinforced śraddhā and bhakti, which is reinforced now.
Now Kr̥ṣṇa uses a pronoun that bhakti which is reinforced now. So when he uses the
word that bhakti that is a pronoun. Therefore when you say that bhakti which is
reinforced what is that? Whenever a pronoun is used you should ask the question
what it stands for. Śaṅkarācārya is supplying that explanation. He says that bhakti
means that sakāma-bhakti. That sakāma bhakta is getting reinforced therefore it is
not a good news. It is a bad news from mōkṣa-angle. Therefore he says in the
introduction yayā svabhāvataḥ pūrvaṁ pravr̥ttaḥ – whatever sakāma-bhakti he
practiced before, yayā – whichever sakāma śraddhā and bhakti he practiced before
because of svabhāvataḥ – pūrvajanma vāsanā, and because of that pūrvajanma
vāsanā and that sakāma-bhakti he was worshipping not the absolute kāraṇa Īśvara
but he was worshipping kārya dēvatās like indra, varuṇa, yama, kubēra, etc. yaḥ

yāṁ dēvatātanum – whichever kāryam brahma or kārya dēvatā, finite dēvatās,

śraddhayā arcitum icchati – he was worshipping with śraddhā, that sakāma-bhakti is
getting reinforced. Thus he is getting into a vicious cycle. sakāma-bhakti leads to
sakāma-pūjā and sakāma-pūjā increases sakāma-bhakti and sakāma-bhakti
increases sakāma pūjā, thus sakāma-bhakti and sakāma pūjā gets into seemingly
auspicious-cycle but really speaking it is a vicious-cycle. If the temple bhaktas are
thronging, superficially seeing crowd in the temple is a good news. But spiritually-
seeing that is not a good news because they are thronging the temple for wrong
reasons. Therefore it is a bad news and it is a good news. It is both. So arcitum
icchati. And thereafter iti and that verse no. twenty-one you can remove that should
come in the previous page. These two lines are introduction to the following verse.
Verse 07-22
स तया श्रद्धया युक्तस्तस्याराधनमीहते ।
लभते च तताः कामान्मयैव गवगहताग्न्ह तान् ॥ गीता ७-२२ ॥
sa tayā śraddhayā yuktastasyārādhanamīhatē |

labhatē ca tataḥ kāmānmayaiva vihitānhi tān || Gītā 7-22 ||
So here He is talking about how the vicious-cycle gets reinforced sakāma-bhakti

leads to sakāma-pūjā leads to sakāma-phalam. Sakāma-phalam will lead to sakāma-
success which will lead to more sakāma-bhakti, more sakāma-pūjā and more
sakāma-phalam and after sometime just as a person who goes to an astrologer,
initially he goes for one purpose and later he will go for two or three and ultimately
he discusses all the matters with the astrologer. Unknowingly he gets hooked to
nāḍi, astrology, vāstu and so on. We don‟t say they are invalid. Very careful. Kr̥ṣṇa
Himself says they are valid. That they are valid itself becomes a disadvantageous
thing. Because they are valid only, people get hooked. Therefore we are weaning
the people away not because they are invalid, in fact we are weaning the people
away because they are valid. Therefore get out of it, if you are in it, earlier the
better; but never say it is invalid. And when other people are following don‟t stop
them. A mumukṣu must get out but let other people continue, never talk about this,
these are all secret points to be discussed only in the āstika-samājam walls. If the
others are going to temples with sakāma-bhakti don‟t stop them, encourage them.
Because Bhagavān Himself will handle them. That is what is the gist of this ślōka
that sakāma-bhakta with sakāma-bhakti will do more sakāma-pūjā, and the sakāma-
pūjā will give more sakāma-phalam also. The aside point is Kr̥ṣṇa wants to say even
though that dēvatā seems to give the phalam it is not the dēvatā, navagraha
dēvatās can never bless the devotee. Bhagavān blesses the devotees through

navagraha dēvatās, Bhagavān takes the pūjā through navagraha dēvatās and
Bhagavān alone blesses the devotees through navagraha-dēvatās. Therefore
ultimately there is only one God who receives all the pūjās and there is only one God
who gives all the phalams and that one God is kāraṇa-Īśvara and all other dēvatās
are kārya-dēvatās. Now we will read the bhāṣyam.
स तय मगद्वगहतया श्रद्धय युक्ताः सन् तस्य ाः दे वतातन्वााः र धनम् आराधनम् ईहते चेष्टते ।
sa tayā madvihitayā śraddhayā yuktaḥ san tasyāḥ dēvatātanvāḥ rādhanam

ārādhanam īhatē cēṣṭatē |
A small grammar point. In the ślōka tasyārādhanam is there. It can be split in two
different ways. One way is tasya-arādhanam, the second is tasyāḥ-rādhanam. Both
rādhanam and arādhanam have the same meaning – worshipping. Therefore both
are correct. The word tasya refers to the very same dēvatā. And tasyāḥ also refers
to dēvatā and tasyāḥ rādhanam also means the same. Both tasya and tasyāḥ refer
to dēvatā, both rādhanam and arādhanam refer to worship. Therefore both readings
are grammatically ok. But between these two readings Śaṅkarācārya prefers the
reading tasyāḥ rādhanam better than tasya arādhanam. In saṁskr̥ta the word tasya
is masculine gender and tasyāḥ is feminine gender. And the word dēvatā has been
referred to by the word tanuḥ, by Krishna in the last sloka. And in saṁskr̥ta
language tanuḥ is a feminine gender. If the word is dēvaḥ which is a masculine
gender, tasya dēvasya can be taken. But tanuḥ is a feminine gender, therefore tasya
will not go with tanuḥ, therefore Śaṅkarācārya prefers tasyāḥ rādhanam, and that is
why he writes dēvatātanvāḥ rādhanam.

278 Verses 07-22 to 07-24

स तय मगद्वगहतया श्रद्धय युक्ताः सन् तस्य ाः दे वतातन्वााः र धनम् आराधनम् ईहते चेष्टते ।
sa tayā madvihitayā śraddhayā yuktaḥ san tasyāḥ dēvatātanvāḥ rādhanam

ārādhanam īhatē cēṣṭatē |
In these verses, Lord Kr̥ṣṇa is talking about the advantages and disadvantages of
sakāma-bhakti or the plus and minus points of sakāma-bhakti. The plus point is that
sakāma-bhakti is valid and capable of giving the results for which it is practiced.
That is the plus point. But there are three minus points in sakāma-bhakti.
(1) The first one is result is indefinite and it is not guaranteed because sakāma-
bhakti can be successful only if all the rules and regulations are very strictly followed
and the follower of the sakāma-bhakti must be following nitya-naimittika karmas
regularly. Because the rule is kāmya-karmas can become successful only nitya-
naimittika karmas like sandhyāvandanam etc., are regularly followed; like that so
many rules and regulations are there, even minor violations of the rules will make
the sakāma-bhakti a failure. Therefore the first minus point is that it is indefinite or
doubtful.
(2) The second minus point is that sakāma-bhakti is an addictive one like gambling.
If one sakāma-bhakti becomes successful it makes me to take to another sakāma-
pūjā and sooner or later life will be full of sakāma-pūjā only. Therefore the second
minus point is it is heavily addictive.
(3) The third and the most unfortunate minus point is more the sakāma-bhakti
becomes powerful, it becomes an obstacle to niṣkāma-bhakti that most of the
people are so much involved in sakāma-bhakti there is no single niṣkāma-
namaskāra, there is no single niṣkāma-pūjā, niṣkāma-yātrā etc. Thus sakāma-bhakti
becomes a pratibandha for niṣkāma-bhakti. When it becomes a pratibandha, an
obstacle then the chances of citta-śuddhi becomes more and more remote. When
citta-śuddhi becomes remote sādhana-catuṣṭaya-sampatti becomes remote,
śravaṇam becomes more remote, jñānam becomes still more remote, mōkṣa
becomes mahā-remote.

And this addiction causing capacity of sakāma-bhakti is talked about in this ślōka.
Śaṅkarācārya says sa tayā madvihitayā śraddhayā, that sakāma-bhakta who has
got reinforced faith in sakāma-bhakti, therefore madvihitayā – which has been
reinforced by Me, śraddhayā – faith in sakāma-bhakti, yuktaḥ san – endowed with
that, tasyāḥ rādhanam īhatē. In the last class I said it can be split as tasya
ārādhanam but Śaṅkarācārya prefers tasyāḥ rādhanam, visarga is dropped by
sandhi rule. Tasyāḥ is equal to dēvatātanvāḥ. Tanu means mūrti, mūrti means a
particular form available in a particular temple etc. iṣṭa dēvatā iti arthaḥ.
dēvatātanvāḥ. Rādhanam is in the mūlam, is equal to ārādhanam, ārādhanam
means more sakāma-pūjā because it has worked for me, not only that he will spread
this news also. Whether vēdānta spreads or not this particular news spreads like wild
fire. Therefore rādhanam īhatē, īhatē is in the mūlam, is equal to cēṣṭatē– he
practices, he performs. When he practices sakāma-bhakti a second time that bhakti
has becomes more intense because previously it has worked, therefore sakāma-
bhakti becomes stronger. Continuing;
लभते च तताः तस्यााः आरायधतायााः दे वता-तन्वााः क म न् ईस्प्सतान् मय एि परमेश्वरेण सवयज्ञेन कमयफलगवभागज्ञतया

विवहत न् गनर्मिंतान् त न् । वह यस्मात् ते भगवता गवगहतााः कामााः तस्मात् तान् अवश्यां लभते इगत अथयाः ।
labhatē ca tataḥ tasyāḥ ārādhitāyāḥ dēvatā-tanvāḥ kāmān īpsitān mayā ēva

paramēśvarēṇa sarvajñēna karmaphalavibhāgajñatayā vihitān nirmitān tān | hi
yasmāt tē bhagavatā vihitāḥ kāmāḥ tasmāt tān avaśyaṁ labhatē iti arthaḥ |
labhatē ca is in the mūlam, definitely because of intensified bhakti and intensified

śraddhā the chances of success also will increase, because śraddhā and bhakti have
both increased and pūjā also becomes more intense and focus and therefore the
success rate also increases. Therefore labhatē – certainly he will attain all the
desires, whatever desires he has all of them he will attain, from tataḥ, tataḥ is in
the mūlam, is equal to tasyāḥ ārādhitāyāḥ dēvatā-tanvāḥ – from that iṣṭa dēvatā
that he has worshipped; if he a bālāji bhakta then from bālāji, if he is an ayyappa
bhakta then from ayyappa, form that particular mūrti itself, that means blessed by
that dēvatā ārādhitāyāḥ dēvatā-tanvāḥ – from that dēvatā he will attain not mōkṣa,
he won‟t get mōkṣa because he did not ask for that. He will be given exactly what
he wanted which he mentions in the saṅkalpa. Therefore kāmān is in the mūlam, is
equal to īpsitān – the desired goals. Kāma is karma vyutpatti. Therefore he writes
īpsitān, kāmyatē iti kāmaḥ, he doesn‟t get desire from the Lord, he gets desired
objects from the Lord. The word kāma can mean desire also, the word kāma can
mean desired objects. In this context it is desired object. Īpsitān is equal to āptum
iṣṭān. And Kr̥ṣṇa says, very interesting, even though those dēvatās seem to give the

result, really speaking those dēvatās do not give at all, they are all only postmen.
When the postman gives you a gift or the money order, who gives the money is the
postman but we should remember he is not giving money. Therefore postman is
only a medium and the one who gives money is your son or daughter whoever is
elsewhere. Similarly, Kr̥ṣṇa says all the dēvatās are only postmen. Then who is
giving the result? Kr̥ṣṇa says I, the kāraṇa-brahma. Dēvatās are called kārya-
brahma, Īśvara is called kāraṇa-brahma. Therefore mayā is in the mūlam, is equal
to paramēśvarēṇa kāraṇa-brahmaṇā. By the kāraṇam-brahma-paramēśvara
sarvajñēna – who is omniscient. And why is He omniscient? That is indicated here,
karma-phala-vibhāgajñatayā – who knows which karma deserves which phalam.
Therefore who is aware of the loss-of-karma and the loss-of-karmaphalam? And that
is why Bhagavān is called karmādhyakṣaḥ and karmaphaladātā. So
karmaphalavibhāgajñatayā is explanation of sarvajñaḥ, sarvajñēna is equal to
karmaphalavibhāgajñēna. And not only the dēvatās don‟t give the karma-phalam,
dēvatās can‟t give karmaphalam because dēvatās are not omniscient. And I alone
can give karma-phalam because I am omniscient . Therefore here vibhāgajñatayā is
hētvarthē tr̥tīyā . Because I am omniscient I alone am capable. Then what do the
dēvatās do? They serve as postmen. vihitān kāmān, kāmān is in the previous
line, vihitān is in this line, vihitān must be connected with kāmān. Vihitān is
equal to nirmitān, nirmitān means produced. So the desired goals which are
generated by Me, produced by Me because of My omniscience. And tān labhatē,
and after tān we can put a full stop. Then he says yasmāt tē bhagavatā vihitāḥ
kāmāḥ, there is a word hi in the mūlam, is equal to yasmāt – since the desired ends
are fulfilled by Me, I am behind the fulfilment of the desires of the bhaktas, tasmāt –
because I am involved, and I am omniscient and omnipotent, Kr̥ṣṇa says nobody can
stop Me from giving the result.
Once I have decided to bless the bhakta nobody can stand between Me and the
bhakta, therefore he will certainly get. Therefore he says yasmāt bhagavatā vihitāḥ
kāmāḥ – since these fulfilments are implemented by the omniscient omnipotent Me,
tasmāt – therefore, tān avaśyaṁ labhatē, the emphasis is on the word avaśyam.
Therefore they will certainly get the result and nobody can stop. iti arthaḥ – this is
the meaning. Continuing
‘गहतान्’ इगत पदच्छे दे गहतत्वां कामानाम् उपचररतां कल्प्यम्, न गह कामा गहतााः कस्यशचत् ॥ ७-२२ ॥
„hitān‟ iti padacchēdē hitatvaṁ kāmānām upacaritaṁ kalpyam, na hi kāmā hitāḥ

kasyacit || 7-22 ||

Śaṅkarācārya makes a grammar point here. Vihitān hi tān kāmān is there in the
mūlam. Śaṅkarācārya has taken hi tān as two separate words. Hi means indeed.
That is because of that reason yasmāt he has given the meaning, tān he has taken
as adjective to kāmān. Tān kāmān means those desires asked by him and tān is
adjective to kāmān. Now Śaṅkarācārya says the word hi and tān instead of taking as
two separate words they can be combined and read together as a single word. Then
it will read as hitān. So instead of tān comma you join the words hi and tān and read
it as hitān kāmān. And if the word becomes hitān kāmān, the word hitān becomes
adjective to those desires, and the word hitam means which is for their well-being,
which are good desires. So all their good worldly desires will be fulfilled by Me. Hitān
kāmān is equal to all those good desires will be fulfilled by Me.
Now Śaṅkarācārya says that reading is also ok, but only secondary reading. Why is it
secondary reading? He says from Vedantic-angle worldly desires can never be called
good-desires. From vēdānta angle even heaven is not good-desire, putra is also not
good-desire, wife is also not good-desire, house is also not good-desire, no worldly
desire can be called good-desire. Why? From Vedantic-angle any worldly-desire is
saṁsāra-kāraṇam. Śvōbhāvā martyasya yadantakaitat sarvēṁdriyāṇāṁ jarayaṁti
tējaḥ. Api sarvaṁ jīvitamalpamēva tavaiva vāhāstava nr̥tyagītē (Kaṭhōpaniṣat 1-1-
26).
Yamadharmarāja offered all the so called good desires, Nacikētas said they are all
cause of bondage only. I don‟t want anyone of them. And therefore Śaṅkarācārya
nicely says „hitān‟ iti padacchēdē – if you split the word as hitān instead of hi tān you
take it as hitān, kāmānām hitatvam – the goodness of worldly-desires is upacaritaṁ
kalpyam – it is only relative-goodness, really speaking they are not good at all.
Hitatvam-kāmānām– the goodness of worldly desires is upacaritam, upacaritam
means figurative, iti kalpyam – thus you have to interpret. After kalpyam you have
to put a full stop or a semi colon. Na hi kāmā hitāḥ – because no worldly-desire can
be said to be good at all. For whom? Kasyacit – for any one at any time worldly-
desires cannot be called good because of three dōṣas – duḥkha miśritattvam ,
atr̥ptikaratvam and bandhakatvam. Therefore the better reading is hi tān.
The anvaya is, saḥ tayā śraddhayā yuktaḥ (san) tasyāḥ rādhanam īhatē. Tataḥ hi
mayā ēva vihitān tān kāmān labhatē ca | Continuing;
यस्मात् अन्तवत्साधनव्यापारा अगववेगकनाः कायमनाः च ते, अताः ––

yasmāt antavatsādhanavyāpārā avivēkinaḥ kāminaḥ ca tē, ataḥ ––
So here Śaṅkarācārya says all these sakāma bhaktas are unfortunately unintelligent
because a bhakti which can be employed for getting mōkṣa, they are using for finite
purposes. I gave you the example bringing gaṅgā jalam from Kailāsa Mānasarōvara,
gōmukha etc., and using them for washing the clothes or cleaning the room, no
doubt the water will clean the room and clothes, but that has to be used for
something superior. Sakāma-bhakti is under-utilization of bhakti. Therefore
Śaṅkarācārya says tē kāminaḥ – those sakāma-bhaktas, avivēkinaḥ – who do not
have nitya-anitya-vastu-vivēka, that is why they do not have vairāgyam, they are
vivēka-vairāgyam-rahitāḥ, they miss both of them. And antavat-sādhana-vyāpārā –
they do these sakāma karmas with the help of limited instruments of karma. They
do sakāma-karmas like sakāma-pūjā with the help of various accessories like idol,
various materials like flower, akṣatā etc. they are all what antavat-sādhanāni,
paricchinna sādhanāni. So all the instruments of karma which are technically called
kārakas, all the kārakas are finite. And why does Śaṅkarācārya mentions this? When
the instruments are finite, the karma also will be finite, then the karma-phalam will
also be finite. Yajamāna is finite, kartā is finite, yajamāna patni is finite, all the
purōhitas are finite, agni is finite, āhutis are finite. When the kārakas are finite
kāraka-janya-karma is also finite. Śaṅkarācārya is building up the logic. Kāraka-
paricchēdāt karma-paricchēdaḥ. If karma is finite, what about karmaphalam? Yathā
karma tathā phalam, therefore karma-phalam is also finite. This any person with a
little intelligent can understand. Kāraka-paricchēdāt kriyā-paricchēdaḥ, kriyā-
paricchēdāt karmaphala-paricchēdaḥ and therefore tē taṁ bhuktvā svargalōkaṁ
viśālaṁ kṣīṇē puṇyē (Gītā 9-21) Riverview apartments. And what is the river?
Coovam. By writing this word antavat-sādhana-vyāpārāḥ, bahuvrīhi samāsa,
antavadbhiḥ sādhanaiḥ vyāpāraḥ ēṣāṁ tē, those people who perform varieties of
rituals and pūjās with limited-kārakas or accessories will get only limited result within
saṁsāra. And while writing this Śaṅkarācārya must be remembering the famous
mantra of Muṇḍakōpaniṣat, plavā hyētē adr̥ ḍhā yajñarūpā aṣṭādaśōktamavaraṁ yēṣu
karma. Ētacchrēyō yē:'bhinandanti mūḍhā jarāmr̥tyu ṁ tē punarēvāpi yanti
(Muṇḍakōpaniṣat 1-2-7) They are only mūḍhāḥ going through jarā and maraṇam. So
antavat-sādhana-vyāpārāḥ avivēkinaḥ – mūḍhāḥ, kāminaḥ – sakāma-bhaktāḥ, ataḥ
– therefore. What happens? That is said in the ślōka.
Verse 07-23
अन्तविु फलां तेषाां तद्भवत्यल्पमेधसाम् ।
दे वान्दे वयजो यान्न्त मद्भक्ता यान्न्त मामगप ॥ गीता ७-२३ ॥

antavattu phalaṁ tēṣāṁ tadbhavatyalpamēdhasām |

dēvāndēvayajō yānti madbhaktā yānti māmapi || Gītā 7-23 ||
The gist of the verse is very simple. Because sakāma-bhakti or sakāma-karma is

finite in nature, the phalam is also finite. Therefore, in spite of being bhakta,
saṁsāra will continue. Sakāma-bhakti and saṁsāra will coexist and majority of
bhaktas are saṁsāris because they are sakāma-bhaktas. On the other hand, if they
are intelligent enough to be niṣkāma-bhaktas they would have been liberated long
before. Therefore Kr̥ṣṇa makes a beautiful statement. The bhaktas of other dēvatās
will get saṁsāra and My bhaktas will get mōkṣa. So seeing this line alone, all the
Vaiṣṇavas jump up and down Kr̥ṣṇa has said that Kr̥ṣṇa-bhaktas will get mōkṣa and
other bhaktas will not get mōkṣa, therefore don‟t go to Śiva temple. But here we
should remember when Kr̥ṣṇa says madbhaktāḥ you should remember the context
and remember the ślōka that has been given before in verse number thirteen,
गत्रत्तभगुयणमयैभायवैरेत्तभाः सवययमदां जगत् ।

मोगहतां नात्तभजानागत मामेभ्याः परमव्ययम् ॥ गीता ७-१३ ॥
tribhirguṇamayairbhāvairēbhiḥ sarvamidaṁ jagat |

mōhitaṁ nābhijānāti māmēbhyaḥ paramavyayam || Gītā 7-13 ||
There He says I am the Lord who is beyond all the three guṇas. Therefore the word
Kr̥ṣṇa in this chapter means nirguṇam brahma. Therefore Kr̥ṣṇa bhaktas should be
translated as nirguṇam brahma bhaktas, the one who sees nirguṇam brahma. In
fact, Kr̥ṣṇa Himself will clarify that in the following verses. Now we will read the
bhāṣyam.
अन्तवत् गवनाशि तु फलां तेषाां तत् भवगत अल्प-मेधसाम् अल्पप्रज्ञानाम् । दे वान् दे व-यजो यान्न्त – दे वान् यजन्न्त इगत
दे वयजाः, ते दे वान् यान्न्त, मद्भक्तााः यान्न्त माम् अगप ।
antavat vināśi tu phalaṁ tēṣāṁ tat bhavati alpa-mēdhasām alpaprajñānām.

dēvān dēva-yajō yānti – dēvān yajanti iti dēvayajaḥ, tē dēvān yānti, madbhaktāḥ
yānti mām api.
Antavat is in the mūlam, is equal to vināśi, vināśi means perishable. So sakāma-

bhakta will get only perishable benefits. tu means definitely, avadhāraṇārthē tu. So
even the biggest karma and the biggest upāsana can give only limited results.
phalaṁ tēṣāṁ tat bhavati – their worldly results will become. What type of
people are they? Alpa-mēdhasām – for those sakāma bhaktas who are dull-witted,
who are unintelligent. Alpa-mēdhasām is in the mūlam, is equal to alpaprajñānām
– who have got limited intelligence, sufficient intelligence to perform sakāma-bhakti
and not sufficient intelligence to come to niṣkāma-bhakti. Therefore alpa-prajñānām

means of limited intelligence. Dēvān dēva-yajō yānti is in the mūlam,

Śaṅkarācārya is quoting the mūlam and after yānti you have to put an en dash, that
is being commented. Dēva-yajaḥ is in the mūlam, Śaṅkarācārya explains that
dēvān yajanti iti dēvayajaḥ – worshippers of gods are called dēvayajaḥ. Here dēva
refers to finite gods like Indra, Varuṇa Kubēra etc., parichinna-dēvas. Those who
worship the dēvatās will go to, tē dēvān yānti – they will go to dēvalōka. Or
maximum they will become dēvatās themselves. Either they will go to dēvalōka, for
superior pujā they themselves can become Indra. Remember Indra is not the name
of a person but it is the name of a post. And we also can become Indra by dēvatā
worship. Yama-dharmarājā said in the Kaṭhōpaniṣat,
जानाम्यहां िेवयधररत्यगनत्यां न ह्यध्रुवैाः प्राप्यते गह ध्रुवां तत् ।

ततो मया नाशचकेतत्तितोऽग्ननाः अगनत्यैियव्यैाः प्राप्तवानस्स्म गनत्यम् ॥ कठोपगनषत् १-२-१० ॥
jānāmyahaṁ śēvadhirityanityaṁ na hyadhruvaiḥ prāpyatē hi dhruvaṁ tat |

tatō mayā nācikētaścitō:'gniḥ anityairdravyaiḥ prāptavānasmi nityam ||
Kaṭhōpaniṣat 1-2-10 ||
Yamadharmarājā is advising Nacikētas. What does he say? When I was a human

being like you I could have asked for ātmajñānam, O Nacikētas! I did a foolish job,
when I was a human being I worked for Yama‟s post and now I have become an
Yamadharma Rājā whose job is killing people. What a terrible job it is! Even that is
not permanent. Therefore maximum I can become Yama or Indra; that alone is the
phalam. So dēvān – indrādi dēvān yānti. Whereas madbhaktāḥ – O Nacikētas! if
people become like you voting for mōkṣa niṣkāma bhaktāḥ. So dēvayajaḥ should be
translated as sakāma-bhaktāḥ. And madbhaktāḥ should be translated as niṣkāma-
bhaktāḥ. mām yānti, mām means jīvātma-paramātma aikyam yānti. Continuing;
एवां समाने अगप आयासे माम् एव न प्रपद्यन्ते अनन्तफलाय, अहो खलु कष्टां वतयत,े इगत अनुक्रोिां दिययगत भगवान् ॥ ७-
२३ ॥
ēvaṁ samānē api āyāsē mām ēva na prapadyantē anantaphalāya, ahō khalu
kaṣṭaṁ vartatē, iti anukrōśaṁ darśayati Bhagavān || 7-23 ||
Śaṅkarācārya adds a note here. What is that? For both sakāma-bhakti and niṣkāma-
bhakti the efforts involved is the same. So if you are doing a Viṣṇu-sahasranāma
arcana at home or in the temple, Viṣṇu-sahasranāma arcana effort is the same,
same material, same time, same duration, everything is the same, but you can make
a small difference in saṅkalpa. When the priest comes and asks what do you want,
in the saṅkalpa what should I do is the question. The majority of people remember
at that time various family members in various types of trouble. All will have one or

the other problem, the more the extended family the trouble are more. Therefore
these problems will be there, and when we do Viṣṇu sahasranāma arcana at the
time of saṅkalpa various family members will come and tend to do in the name of a
particular family person. At that time if a person resists temptation with ihā-
murtārtha-phala-bhōga-vairāgyam if he does the same Viṣṇu sahasranāma arcana
however tempting it may be I will not pray for any particular family member. It is a
very tough decision. And if a person gets over that temptation and says jñāna-
vairāgya-siddhyartham. A small change in saṅkalpa the result is going to be very big,
it is like two trains one is going to Ahmedabad and another is going to Calcutta.
When you see the rails in Chennai the difference is only a few inches. But when they
travel at the end one is the west and another is in the east. Similarly, saṅkalpa is a
small difference only, instead of naming any family member, I have to say jñāna
vairāgya siddhyartham. But this vivēka people don‟t have. Bhagavān is also crying
along with sakāma-bhaktas. We have made Bhagavān also to cry. What is
Bhagavān‟s complaint? I have given them buddhi. And I have given them śāstram.
And I have given them problems caused by attachment. Family attachment has been
creating all these troubles. Parīkṣya lōkān karmacitān brāhmaṇō
nirvēdamāyānnāstyakr̥taḥ kr̥tēna (Muṇḍakōpaniṣat 1-2-12). Vairāgyam has not come
and rāga is not gone. Bhagavān also cries. Śaṅkarācārya is reporting Bhagavān‟s
„saṁsāra‟. He says ēvam – in this manner, samānē api āyāsē, āyāsa means effort
involved in sakāma-bhakti and niṣkāma-bhakti. Āyāsa means pariśramaḥ. Samānē
api – is the equal amount for sakāma-bhakti and niṣkāma-bhakti. And there are so
many advantages in niṣkāma-bhakti; in second chapter Kr̥ṣṇa said that sakāma-
bhakti may fail also, result is not guaranteed. Whereas niṣkāma-bhakti is not a waste
and it is definitely fruitful. This He says in
नेहात्तभक्रमनािोऽस्स्त प्रत्यवायो न गवद्यते ।

स्वल्पमप्यस्य धमयस्य त्रायते महतो भयात् ॥ गीता २-४० ॥
nēhābhikramanāśō:'sti pratyavāyō na vidyatē |

svalpamapyasya dharmasya trāyatē mahatō bhayāt || Gītā 2-40 ||
So instead of definite niṣkāma-bhakti a person votes for doubtful sakāma-bhakti.

What a foolishness! But still māyā is powerful, our family attachment is so powerful.
Therefore āyāsē samānē api, mām ēva na prapadyantē – people do not vote for Me
and Kr̥ṣṇa here represents niṣkāma-bhakti or jñāni bhakti. Ananta-phalāya –for
attaining mōkṣa. Ananta-phalam means infinite result mōkṣa people do not vote for
bhakti, niṣkāma-bhakti, mōkṣa bhakti, they don‟t vote for, iti ahō khalu kaṣṭam –
Bhagavān grieves for our pitiable condition. Vartantē is there, vartatē is a better

reading. Kaṣṭam vartatē – very unfortunate indeed is the bhakta. They are bhaktas
but they don‟t use bhakti for mōkṣa. Iti anukrōśaṁ darśayati Bhagavān – pity,
sympathy for humanity Bhagavān darśayati.
The anvaya is, alpa-mēdhasām tēṣām tat phalam tu antavat bhavati; dēva-yajaḥ
dēvān yānti, mat bhaktāḥ mām api yānti. Continuing;

तकिंगनयमिां माम् एव न प्रपद्यन्ते इगत उच्यते ––
kiṁnimittaṁ mām ēva na prapadyantē iti ucyatē ––
So a natural question will come. For sakāma-bhakti and niṣkāma-bhakti the effort is
the same samānam. And effort remaining the same, one produces infinite-phalam
and another produces finite-phalam, the difference between finite and infinite is
infinite. Even though such an infinite difference is there between finite and infinite,
naturally one should use the pūjā for mōkṣa, infinite, nirguṇam-brahma or parā-
prakr̥ti Īśvara we should vote for. Then how come majority of people vote for
sakāma-bhakti only and how come majority of people vote for aparā-prakr̥ti only.
This question will naturally come. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya introduces kiṁnimittam –
because of what reason, what is the cause, mām ēva na prapadyantē – people don‟t
vote for Me (parā-prakr̥ti which is mōkṣa, parā-prakr̥ti and mōkṣa are synonymous).
Kr̥ṣṇa has already indicated the cause in the thirteenth verse of this chapter. That is
going to be explained here. What is the explanation? Parā-prakr̥ti gives mōkṣa,
aparā-prakr̥ti gives saṁsāra. Parā-prakr̥ti gives śrēyas and aparā-prakr̥ti gives only
prēyas. Even though this is the truth, the unfortunate thing is parā-prakr̥ti is not that
attractive because it is aśabdam asparśam arūpam arasaṁ avyayam tathā nityam
agandhavac (Kaṭhōpaniṣat 1-3-15). It is like a bland food taken by sick people.
Suppose you are very healthy and tongue is very sharp then you want hot food. And
boiled vegetables three times for sick people! Who will like to eat every day? Like
that parā-prakr̥ti is not attractive whereas aparā-prakr̥ti is māyā and māyā is mōhinī
and therefore that will attract. And therefore people vote for māyā. That is being
explained which we will see in the next class.

279 Verses 07-24 to 07-26
Verse 07-24
अव्यक्तां व्यशक्तमापन्नां मन्यन्ते मामबुद्धयाः ।
परां भावमजानन्तो ममाव्ययमनुिमम् ॥ गीता ७-२४ ॥
avyaktaṁ vyaktimāpannaṁ manyantē māmabuddhayaḥ |

paraṁ bhāvamajānantō mamāvyayamanuttamam || Gītā 7-24 ||
In these verses, Lord Kr̥ṣṇa is differentiating sakāma-bhakti and niṣkāma-bhakti to

show that sakāma-bhakti will perpetuate saṁsāra even though one is a bhakta,
whereas niṣkāma-bhakti will lead to liberation. And He points out that sakāma-
bhaktas are enamored by aparā-prakr̥ti of Īśvara, niṣkāma-bhaktas have understood
the superiority of parā-prakr̥ti. Niṣkāma-bhaktas are aware of the superiority of parā-
prakr̥ti. In the twenty-fourth verse Kr̥ṣṇa clarifies aparā-prakr̥ti and parā-prakr̥ti. I
will just give you the gist of this verse. Aparā-prakr̥ti being the material aspect of
Īśvara, and the physical body of Īśvara is aparā-prakr̥ti, as long as a person thinks
Bhagavān is aparā-prakr̥ti, they will think that Bhagavān is subject to arrival and
departure. Bhagavān will be appearing and disappearing, Bhagavān will become
visible and invisible, Bhagavān gives darśanam for some bhaktas at a particular time,
and Bhagavān withdraws the darśanam from the bhaktas. Giving darśanam,
appearing, withdrawing the darśanam, disappearing all these languages we use
because we think Bhagavān is aparā-prakr̥ti, because aparā-prakr̥ti alone is subject
to arrival and departure, appearance and disappearance.
And when Kr̥ṣṇa avatāram comes we think Bhagavān has come and when Kr̥ṣṇa
avatāra goes we think Bhagavān has gone, all these indicate that we look upon
Bhagavān as His body. And therefore the expression used is vyakta-Bhagavān and
avyakta-Bhagavān. Avyaktam means not available now. In the Purāṇas when
bhaktas do tapas for getting the darśanam of the Lord, they look upon God as
avyaktam now and after sometime when they say we have darśanam of Bhagavān
they say now Bhagavān has become vyaktam. Thus as long as we see Bhagavān as
avyaktam and vyaktam that Bhagavān is aparā-prakr̥ti-Bhagavān. And running after
aparā-prakr̥ti-Bhagavān will not give liberation. Whereas parā-prakr̥ti-Bhagavān is

not one who is subject to appearance and disappearance. When and where parā-
prakr̥ti-Bhagavān is available when and where? This is the crucial question. Parā-
prakr̥ti Bhagavān is available at all time and all places. In what form? Vedantic-
student should immediately answer. Parā-prakr̥ti-Bhagavān is in the pillar as well as
in the dust as the very „is‟ness. So Bhagavān is in the pillar in the form of the very
„is‟ness of the pillar. Bhagavān is in the dust also in the form of „is‟ness. „Is‟ness
being available everywhere, in my own body „is‟ness is available as „am‟ness when I
say I am so and so. And therefore parā-prakr̥ti doesn‟t have avyaktam-vyaktam
transformation. Avyaktam-vyaktam transformation is only for aparā-prakr̥ti, and it is
not there for parā-prakr̥ti because parā-prakr̥ti is never avyaktam, parā-prakr̥ti is
nitya-vyaktam. Vyaktam means evident, available for appreciation. Sarva indriya
gōcaram as sadrūpēṇa, cidrūpēṇa, yasyaiva sphuraṇaṁ
sadātmakamasatkalpārthakaṁ bhāsatē (Śrīdakṣiṇāmūrti stōtram 3). Once you vote
for this parā-prakr̥ti,, you are in the direction of mōkṣa. Once you sit in meditation
for the darśanam of the Lord you are in aparā-prakr̥ti. That is what is said here.
abuddhayaḥ; abuddhayaḥ means buddhi-rahitāḥ, ajñāninaḥ, avyaktam vyaktim
āpannam manyantē – they think before Kr̥ṣṇa-avatāra Bhagavān was avyaktam,
after Kr̥ṣṇa-avatāra Bhagavān has become vyaktam, visible they consider, because
they look upon only the body of the Lord, which is not the real God. And why they
commit this mistake? Param bhāvam ajānantaḥ – because they don‟t understand the
unembodied Bhagavān. yattadadrēśyamagrāhyamagōtramavarṇamacakṣuḥśrōtraṁ
tadapāṇipādam (Muṇḍakōpaniṣat 1-1-6) aśabdamasparśamarūpamavyayam
(Kaṭhōpaniṣat 1-3-15) That param bhāvam avyayam anuttamam; anuttamam means
the greatest one, ajānantaḥ – because they don‟t know. And as long as they are in
this condition they will be ārta-bhaktas and arthārthī-bhaktas only. And therefore
they are bhaktas and they continue to be saṁsāris also. And they also argue that I
am such a great-bhakta why I am facing problem after problem, and they question
the validity of Bhagavān‟s existence itself. This is the gist, we will go to the
bhāṣyam.
अव्यक्तम् अप्रकािां व्यसक्तम् आपन्नं प्रकािां गतम् इदानीं मनयनते म ं गनत्यप्रशसद्धम् ईश्वरम् अगप सन्तम् अबुद्धयाः
अगववेगकनाः परं भ िं परमात्मस्वरूपम् अज ननताः अगववेगकनाः मम अव्ययं व्ययरगहतम् अनुिमं गनरगतियां मदीयां
भावम् अजानन्ताः मन्यन्ते इगत अथयाः ॥ ७-२४ ॥
avyaktam aprakāśaṁ vyaktim āpannaṁ prakāśaṁ gatam idānīṁ manyantē māṁ

nityaprasiddham Īśvaram api santam abuddhayaḥ avivēkinaḥ paraṁ bhāvaṁ
paramātmasvarūpam ajānantaḥ avivēkinaḥ mama avyayaṁ vyayarahitam
anuttamaṁ niratiśayaṁ madīyaṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ manyantē iti arthaḥ || 7-
24 ||

Avyaktam is in the mūlam, is equal to aprakāśam, aprakāśam means not visible,

not evident, not appearing in front of my sense organs. Aprakāśam indriya agōcaram
manyantē. When? pūrvam, we have to supply pūrvam, Kr̥ṣṇa avatārāt pūrvam –
before Kr̥ṣṇa avatāra. Thereafter what do they think? After Kr̥ṣṇa avatāra the
invisible Lord has transformed Himself to become visible God. Therefore idānīm –
now after the avatāra, vyaktim āpannam – Bhagavān has become visible. So what is
the emphasis here? When you say Bhagavān was invisible before and visible now,
you are making Bhagavān also subject to vikāra or transformation. So nirvikāra
Bhagavān they are misunderstanding as sāvikāra Bhagavān, that is the emphasis
here. Mām sāvikāram manyantē, even though real Bhagavān is nirvikāra-
Bhagavān. Therefore he says mām – Me, the Lord, really who am I? nitya-
prasiddham-Īśvaram – who as nirvikāra sadrūpatayā is always available. Nitya-
prasiddham means nitya-vyaktam, always-evident, nitya-prasiddham-Īśvaram api –
not only always evident as your existence, it is not subject to change also, now
visible-existence thereafter invisible-existence you cannot say, even when you
resolve everything then also the objective world is resolved the existence will be
available as „I am‟ how can that existence ever become lost. Therefore nitya-
prasiddham api, here prasiddham means siddham. Nitya-siddham api santam. And
why do people mistake like that? Very simple, abuddhayaḥ – because of their
indiscrimination, abuddhayaḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to avivēkinaḥ. And what are
they ignorant of? Param-bhāvam ajānantaḥ, ajānantaḥ means not knowing or
not recognizing, param-bhāvam is in the mūlam, is equal to paramātmasvarūpam.
And what is paramātma-svarūpama? Parā-prakr̥ti. So non-material spiritual
component of Bhagavān they don‟t recognize, ajānantaḥ is in the mūlam, is equal
to avivēkinaḥ. What is that parā-prakr̥ti? Mama-avyayaṁ vyayarahitam bhāvam,
mama is in the mūlam, avyayam is in the mūlam, is equal to vyayarahitam, which
is not subject to degeneration, old age etc. Kr̥ṣṇa śarīram is subject to asti, jāyatē,
vardhatē, vipariṇamatē, apakṣīyatē. We don‟t use the word vinaśyati, but we will say
svarga ārōhaṇam. We change the language but Kr̥ṣṇa śarīram is also subject to end.
Whereas my caitanya śarīram is vyayarahitam, and not only that, anuttamam,
anuttamam is in the mūlam, bahuvrīhi, na vidyatē uttamaḥ yasya, is equal to
niratiśayam, niratiśayam means unsurpassable, that which can never be excelled by
something else, which means superlatively great, the greatest one. And that is why
it is called a parā-prakr̥ti and the other one is called aparā-prakr̥ti. So niratiśayam
madīyaṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ – not knowing that manyantē iti arthaḥ. It doesn‟t
mean that we should not worship aparā-prakr̥ti or saguṇa-Īśvara, saguṇa-Īśvara

worship is recommended by the śāstra, but what the śāstra says is start with
saguṇa-Īśvara but never end with saguṇa-Īśvara. Saguṇa-Īśvara is wonderful as a
starting point, saguṇa-Īśvara is never wonderful as the destination, destination must
be what: nirguṇa-Īśvara only, that alone is called jijñāsu-bhakti and jñāni-bhakti.
The anvaya is, mama avyayam anuttamam param bhāvam ajānantaḥ (santaḥ)
abuddhayaḥ mām (pūrvam) avyaktam (idānim) vyaktim āpannam manyantē.
Continuing;

तदीयम् अज्ञानां तकिंगनयमिम् इगत उच्यते ––
tadīyam ajñānaṁ kiṁnimittam iti ucyatē ––
So this ślōka can create a doubt, and the immediate ślōka can create a greater
doubt. The inferior-version of Bhagavān is subject to arrival and departure, the
superior-version of Bhagavān is not subject to arrival and departure, which means it
is available all the time. The superior-version is available all the time, inferior-version
is not available all the time. Should an intelligent person make use of ever-available
superior-version or now-and-then-available-inferior-version? Logically speaking we
should not work for now-and-then-available-inferior-version, we should vote for ever
available superior version. But in spite of this truth, majority of bhaktas are after the
now-and-then-available-inferior-version. Why this mahā stupidity? Why this great
foolishness? Why do people commit this blunder, this question comes and therefore
Śaṅkarācārya raises a question why do people stand in a seven-hour queue for the
sake of one-second available between two guards inferior version of Bhagavān,
while sitting here in āstika samājam itself you can have the ever-available-Bhagavān,
why do people struggle? Where is the problem? Therefore he asks tadīyam ajñānam
– this ignorance and confusion of the humanity. tadīyam refers to pūrva ślōka
abuddhayaḥ, abuddhayaḥ of the pūrva ślōka is here referred to tadīyam,
abuddhiyam, ajñānam – their ajñānam, ignorance and voting for inferior-Bhagavān
which involves so much struggle also, and old people are sometimes pushed and
they also fall down, and all those things happen, still the number of people is
increasing rather than decreasing, people are running here and there after Bhagavān
when he is available at the closest quarters, why this struggle? Kiṁ nimittam ētat
ajñānam? Iti ucyatē – that question is answered in the next verse, we will read.

Verse 07-25
नाहां प्रकािाः सवयस्य योगमायासमावृताः ।
मूढोऽयां नात्तभजानागत लोको मामजमव्ययम् ॥ गीता ७-२५ ॥
nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yōgamāyāsamāvr̥taḥ |

mūḍhō:'yaṁ nābhijānāti lōkō māmajamavyayam || Gītā 7-25 ||
So this confusion among bhaktas, they want to travel and reach God, the travel is
iha lōka also they want to travel, and they want to go to one hundred and eight
divyadēśams, twelve jyōtirliṅgāni, they are all iha lōka wandering, not only they
want to wander iha lōka, even after death they want to squeeze in through the
special dvārā and go to some Vaikuṇṭha in some place, all these confusions, why
why why? And Kr̥ṣṇa gives the answer I am the confusion giver also. I enjoy giving
confusion to the people and also rescuing them from confusion. I have got a māyā
śakti which has got three guṇas – sattva rajas and tamas. Tamas is called avidyā
māyā, sattva is called vidyā-māyā. I have got two-fold māyā tamō-guṇa-pradhāna-
avidyā-māyā, āvaraṇa-śaktiḥ, sattvaguṇa-pradhāna-vidyā-māyā, anāvaraṇa śaktiḥ
both I have. Because of this āvaraṇa śakti people are confused, and remove the
āvaraṇa śakti. And how will that inner concealment go away? It will go away only by
one method mahāvākya-śabda-pramāṇēna. Aparōkṣa jñānam api mahāvākyēna,
parōkṣa-jñānam avāntara-vākyēna, that mahā-vākyam alone removes the āvaraṇa-
śaktiḥ. So yōga -māyā-samāvr̥taḥ. Here the word māyā means āvaraṇa-śakti
pradhāna tamōguṇa pradhāna māyā. And therefore mūḍhaḥ – all the people are
deluded in three degrees – deluded, more deluded, most deluded with regard to My
parā-prakr̥ti, they are stuck in aparā-prakr̥ti. And not only are they stuck in that,
they also quarrel Śiva is great or Viṣṇu is great, and bhakta-kalaha also. This is the
gist of this ślōka. We will go to the bhāṣyam.
न अहं प्रक शाः सिथस्य लोकस्य । केषाञ्चचत् एव मद्भक्तानाां प्रकािाः अहम् इगत अत्तभप्रायाः । योग-म य -सम िृताः –
योगाः गुणानाां युशक्ताः घटनम् । सा एव माया योगमाया । तया योगमायया समावृताः, सचछन्नाः इगत अथयाः । अताः एव मूढो
लोकाः अयं न अशभज न वत म म् अजम् अव्ययम् ॥ ७-२५ ॥
na ahaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya lōkasya | kēṣāñcit ēva madbhaktānāṁ prakāśaḥ

aham iti abhiprāyaḥ | yōga-māyā-samāvr̥taḥ – yōgaḥ guṇānāṁ yuktiḥ ghaṭanam
| sā ēva māyā yōgamāyā | tayā yōgamāyayā samāvr̥taḥ, sañchannaḥ iti arthaḥ |
ataḥ ēva mūḍhō lōkaḥ ayaṁ na abhijānāti mām ajam avyayam || 7-25 ||
Na ahaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya is in the mūlam, prakāśaḥ means evident,

recognizable, known, and here aham refers to parā-prakr̥ti aham, people are aware
of saguṇa Īśvara very well, that is why they are ārta-bhaktas and arthārthī-bhaktas.
Therefore here the word aham means superior-version of Mine, sarvasya lōkasya

na prakāśaḥ – is not evident for all the people and remember we are talking about
the superior, nirguṇa-version which is not only known through the lay people,
nirguṇa-version of Īśvara is refuted by the great philosophers, scholarly
philosophers, like Vishishtadvaitins and Dvaitins who know tarka śāstram, mīmāṁsā-
śāstram, vyākaraṇa-śāstram and who have written powerful saṁskr̥ta commentaries,
sub-commentaries and sub-sub commentaries on prasthānatrayam and after
thorough analysis of prasthānatrayam based on tarka mīmāṁsā-vyākaraṇa and
whose ultimate conclusion is there is no such thing called nirguṇam-brahma at all.
Brahman is always saguṇam and other than saguṇam-brahma there is no other
Brahman, and that saguṇam brahma alone is Nārāyaṇaḥ Mahāviṣṇuḥ. Therefore the
entire brahmasūtra is talking about saguṇam brahma which is Mahāviṣṇu
Nārāyaṇaḥ. This is the conclusion arrived at by even the great scholarly
commentators, generation after generation the commentaries are continuing and
even now they are very very very sure that there is no such thing called nirguṇam-
brahma in all the three periods of time, nirguṇam-brahma is a bluff. This is their
conclusion. And what does Advaitin say? We don‟t want to argue with them. We
never try to argue. We don‟t say saguṇam-brahma is not there, we say saguṇam-
brahma is certainly there, saguṇam-brahma is very valid, we only say other than
saguṇam-brahma nirguṇam-brahma is also there and when you are convinced you
come to that, we are not against your philosophy. We never want to get into
argument against their vehement approach, so vehement and angry, and they are
analyzing even sūktams to find out what it talks about to find out viṣṇu is great or
Śiva is great or Durgā is great, still they are in a quarrel mode. And we are tired of
these saguṇa-arguments. Why can't you transcend the form, that is what our
request is. Therefore Kr̥ṣṇa says aham. Why do you say all these things? The word
aham means nirguṇam-brahma, which is not acceptable to viśiṣṭādvaitam and
dvaitam also. Sarvasya lōkasya – for the entire humanity, sarvasya is in the
mūlam, Śaṅkarācārya supplies lōkasya which means humanity, and not world. After
lōkasya we have to put a full stop. Kēṣāñcit ēva mad-bhaktānām – for majority of
humanity nirguṇam-brahma is not known, but Śaṅkarācārya says there are
exception who do accept nirguṇam-brahma. And who are those people? Kr̥ṣṇa says
mad-bhaktānām – there are some Advaitins who are My dear devotees, very close to
me, for those dear devotees kēṣāñcit – only a few of them, because advaitam is
always in minority. Therefore he says kēṣāñcit – only for a few Advaitins aham
prakāśaḥ – I, the nirguṇam-brahma am understandable iti abhiprāyaḥ – this is the
message. Why? Yōga-māyā-samāvr̥taḥ, Śaṅkarācārya explains the compound
word, after samāvr̥taḥ we have to put an en dash, then he is defining each word.

Yōgaḥ is equal to guṇānāṁ yuktiḥ, yuktiḥ is equal to ghaṭanam. Therefore yōgaḥ

means guṇānāṁ ghaṭanam. The word yōga in this context means a combination of
three guṇas. Ghaṭanam means combination. And this combination of three guṇas is
given the name māyā. Sā ēva māyā yōgamāyā – this group of three guṇas alone is
called māyā . And tayā yōgamāyayā samāvr̥ta ḥ – by this yōgamāyā the people‟s
vision is covered, like the cataract in the eye spiritual cataract is yōgamāyā. Ajñāna
timirāndhasya jñānāñjana śalākayā. Cakṣurunmīlitaṁ yēna. Mahā-vākyam is the
needle and guru is the ophthalmologist and the surgeon is guru and mahā-vākyam is
the needle and with mahā-vākyam needle he conducts a micro-surgery called
upadēśa, this upadēśa micro-surgery is supposed to remove the cataract. Now the
cataract is fully ripe. Therefore and tayā yōgamāyayā – by that spiritual-cataract,
samāvr̥taḥ. So yōgamāyā is karmadhāraya samāsa , yōgamāyayā samāvr̥ta ḥ is
tatpuruṣa samāsa , tr̥tīyā tatpuru ṣaḥ. Samāvr̥taḥ means sañchannaḥ – completely
covered. Previously I was able to read somehow, now I am unable to read anything.
So sañchannaḥ means completely covered. Iti arthaḥ. So what? Ataḥ ēva – because
of this spiritual cataract only mūḍhaḥ ayaṁ lōkaḥ – this entire humanity has got
vision deficiency and you cannot see properly, and you walk, then what will happen?
Where step is not there, there you see it, and where step is there you don‟t see,
therefore fall repeatedly and hit against everything and the very life becomes
problem. Remember not only visual-cataract makes the transactions
difficult; spiritual-cataract makes life itself full of problems. That is called
saṁsāra. Saṁsāra caused by spiritual-cataract. Therefore ayaṁ mūḍhaḥ lōkaḥ na
abhijānāti. Even though so many surgeons are available, and nowadays cataract-
surgery is so simple, intra ocular lens is called jñānam. Samyag-jñānam lens is
available and that is costly and this one is no cost. If at all cost is there, the price we
have to pay is śraddhā bhakti. If śraddhā-bhakti price is paid, the IOL jñānam is
inserted and those clinics are available everywhere, surgeons are available, but
people are postponing it. Therefore na abhijānāti, what? Mām – Me, the nirguṇam
brahma, ajam – who is birthless, birthless is to be noted indicating don‟t talk about
janmāṣṭamī etc. For the sake of snacks you continue to celebrate, so you can have
those celebrations, but remember you should transcend the aṣṭamī Kr̥ṣṇa and come
to ajam, ajam means birthless.
अजोऽगप सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽगप सन् ।

प्रकृततिं स्वामयधष्ठाय सम्भवायम आत्म-मायया (अपरा प्रकृत्या) ॥ गीता ४-६ ॥
ajō:'pi sannavyayātmā bhūtānāmīśvarō:'pi san |

prakr̥tiṁ svāmadhiṣṭhāya sambhavāmi ātma-māyayā (aparā prakr̥tyā) || Gītā 4-6
||

So not only am I birthless, avyayam – I am also deathless, these people do not

know.
The anvaya is, yōga-māyā-samāvr̥taḥ (san) aham sarvasya prakāśaḥ na (bhavāmi) |

ayam mūḍhaḥ lōkaḥ ajam avyayam mām na abhijānāti.
In this context word prakāśaḥ means evident, visible, etc. Normal meaning is light,
that meaning you should not take here. Prakāśaḥ means visible, recognizable,
understandable, evident. Continuing;
यया योगमायया समावृतां माां लोकाः न अत्तभजानागत, न असौ योगमाया मदीया सती मम ईश्वरस्य मायागवनो ज्ञानां
प्रगतबध्नागत, यथा अन्यस्य अगप मायागवनाः माया ज्ञानां तद्वत् ॥ यताः एवम्, अताः ––
yayā yōgamāyayā samāvr̥taṁ māṁ lōkaḥ na abhijānāti, na asau yōgamāyā

madīyā satī mama Īśvarasya māyāvinō jñānaṁ pratibadhnāti, yathā anyasya api
māyāvinaḥ māyā jñānaṁ tadvat || yataḥ ēvam, ataḥ ––
So the previous ślōka may create a doubt in the mind of a student. That possible
doubt is answered by Kr̥ṣṇa in the following verses and Śaṅkarācārya is presenting
the possible doubt. In the previous ślōka Kr̥ṣṇa said that I have got māyā śakti
which has got three guṇas, and in these three guṇas there is tamōguṇa and
tamōguṇa has got āvaraṇa śakti and āvaraṇa śakti means concealing power or
veiling power and because of that there a screen like cataract, there is a screen
between bhakta and Bhagavān. Because of the presence of the screen just as in the
temple, there is a screen before dīpārādhana, in fact, dīpārādhana and all are
nothing but the symbolism of this spiritual knowledge alone, that screen before
dīpārādhana indicates ātmā-ajñānam, and bhakta is not able to see Bhagavān and at
the important crucial time, the purōhita removes the screen and then he shows the
light. That light indicates the pramāṇa-janya-mahāvākya-janya-aikya-jñānam is the
lamp and in front of the lamp the screen parallelly goes away and the light is visible.
Therefore what is the message in the previous ślōka? Between bhakta and Bhagavān
there is a screen. The screen is the cause of ignorance of the bhakta. So screen
causes ignorance.
Now what may be the doubt of this paramānanda śiṣya? When there is a screen
between bhakta and Bhagavān, bhakta cannot see the Bhagavān because there is a
screen in between, now I don‟t know whether you are able to understand if because
of the screen, bhakta cannot see Bhagavān and because of the very same screen

Bhagavān also cannot see the bhakta. One screen obstructs the vision of both
people who are on both sides of the screen. When there is a screen in between,
normally the screen covers the vision of both people on either sides of the screen.
This covering of the vision, which is called ajñānam will normally affect both the
people on both sides. So when there is a book in between you have got ajñānam of
me and I have got ajñānam of you; both ajñānams on both sides of the screen
caused by one screen in between. Therefore one screen is the cause of two
ajñānams of the people on both sides. And in this case who are the two? Bhakta and
Bhagavān. And therefore what is the doubt of paramānanda śiṣya? This screen must
generate ajñānam for both bhakta and Bhagavān. Therefore not only bhakta is
ajñaḥ or alpajñaḥ, Bhagavān also must be alpajñaḥ, that means Bhagavān also
belongs to my gōṣṭhi, my gōṣṭhi means saṁsāri gōṣṭhi. This doubt may come.
The answer is there are two types of screen. In some types of screen the screen
covers the vision on both sides. But in certain types of screen both sides are not
covered. Only one side. The example is Muslim women‟s purdah. You cannot see
them but they are able to move about. In the cars when the smokescreen is pasted
the man inside can see outside but outside people cannot see those inside. Similarly,
Bhagavān says I am like the Muslim women. So My yōgamāyā purdah is unique one,
you will not be able to see Me but I will be able to see everything, therefore you are
ajñaḥ or alpajñaḥ whereas I am neither ajñaḥ nor alpajñaḥ and I continue to be
sarvajñaḥ all the time. Therefore māyā doesn‟t affect Me. Who says? Bhagavān says.
And while giving this Śaṅkarācārya gives another example. Because the word māyā
has got another meaning which is a popular meaning, dictionary meaning. Māyā
means the magical power of a magician. So aindra jālikasya indra jālam api māyā iti
ucyatē. When the magical power is used by the magician to conceal the vision of the
audience, and thereafter whatever he does he is able to do certain things which we
don‟t notice. When the magician covers the eyes of the audience that magical power
will only cover the eyes of audience, the very same power will not cover the vision of
the magician. Then magician also will be in trouble. Just as the indra jālam of an
aindra jālika will not cover the vision of a magician, similarly, here also Bhagavān is
a cosmic magician whose magical power will cover the vision of the people or jīvas
but not Bhagavān himself. This is the introduction given which we will study in the
next class.

280 Verses 07-26 and 07-27
Page 207 bhāṣyam last paragraph, Introduction to verse 26

यया योगमायया समावृतां माां लोकाः न अत्तभजानागत, न असौ योगमाया मदीया सती मम ईश्वरस्य मायागवनो ज्ञानां
प्रगतबध्नागत, यथा अन्यस्य अगप मायागवनाः माया ज्ञानां तद्वत् ॥ यताः एवम्, अताः ––
yayā yōgamāyayā samāvr̥taṁ māṁ lōkaḥ na abhijānāti, na asau yōgamāyā

madīyā satī mama Īśvarasya māyāvinō jñānaṁ pratibadhnāti, yathā anyasya api
māyāvinaḥ māyā jñānaṁ tadvat || yataḥ ēvam, ataḥ ––
Kr̥ṣṇa pointed out in the twenty-third ślōka that sakāma-bhaktas otherwise called
anya-dēvatā-bhaktas will continue to be in saṁsāra in spite of being bhaktas,
whereas niṣkāma-bhaktas in the Bhagavad Gītā Kr̥ṣṇa bhaktas will attain mōkṣa
getting out of saṁsāra. He pointed out in verse twenty-three indicating that
niṣkāma-bhakti is far superior to sakāma-bhakti. Naturally the question will come
how come the majority of humanity chooses only sakāma-bhakti and not niṣkāma-
bhakti. What obstructs them from practicing niṣkāma-bhakti?
And for that Kr̥ṣṇa gives the answer there are two reasons for that. One is the
sāmānya kāraṇam, i.e., the māyā and the second is viśēṣa-kāraṇam known as rāga-
dvēṣa. Afflicted by, screened by māyā and affected by rāga-dvēṣa majority of
humanity vote for sakāma-bhakti. Of these two obstacles māyā was mentioned in
verse twenty-five pointing out that māyā serves as a screen between Īśvara and
jīva. Therefore they miss Īśvara and vote for the world. Naturally the question will
come, if māyā is a screen between jīva and Īśvara, and māyā screen obstructs the
vision of the jīva, and then will not the same māyā screen obstruct the vision of
Īśvara also. I gave you the example, if there is a wooden screen between you and
me, because of the screen you cannot see me, and because of the same screen I
cannot also see you. So if jīvas become alpajñas because of māyā screen, Īśvara
also will become alpajñaḥ because of the same māyā screen. Such a doubt may
arise. And for that the answer is given, māyā is a unique one-sided screen it will
obstructs only the jīva-dr̥ṣṭi and it will not obstruct Īśvara-dr̥ṣṭi. And Śaṅkarācārya
gives the example of the magical power of the magician. The magical power of the
magician will obstruct the vision of the audience in that particular magic, magical

power will only conceal the vision of the audience, but the magician himself is not
affected by the magical power.
This is the introduction. Look at the bhāṣyam. Yōgamāyayā samāvr̥taṁ mām lōkaḥ
na abhijānāti, lōkaḥ means the jīvātmā, māṁ na abhijānāti – do not recognize Me,
the superior parā-prakr̥ti, yōgamāyayā samāvr̥tam – because of the screen of
yōgamāyā standing between Me and the jīva. That is sentence number one.
The next sentence is asau yōgamāyā madīyā satī mama Īśvarasya māyāvinaḥ
jñānaṁ na pratibadhnāti, the word na must be connected with pratibadhnāti. And
what does the sentence mean? Asau madīyā yōgamāyā – this yōgamāyā screen of
Mine, mama Īśvarasya jñānaṁ na pratibadhnāti – cannot obstruct the vision of Me,
the Lord. What is the reason? Māyāvinaḥ – because I am the master of māyā. So
jīva is the slave of māyā, whereas I, the Īśvara am māyāvi means the master.
Master means I will use the vikṣēpa-śakti of māyā to create the world but I will not
allow the āvaraṇa-śakti of māyā to suppress My sattva-guṇa. Therefore asau māyā
mama jñānaṁ na pratibadhnāti. Then Śaṅkarācārya gives the example. Yathā
anyasya api māyāvinaḥ māyā – it is like the māyā of the other one. Here the word
anyasya refers to the local-magician. Īśvara is a mahā-magician. And anya means
the other worldly magician who is other than Īśvara, the māyāvi; Īśvara is also called
māyāvi, a magician is also called māyāvi, Īśvara māyāvi creates jāgrat prapañca or
vyāvahārika-prapañca, the magician māyāvi creates prātibhāsika-prapañca.
Therefore anyasya means the prātibhāsika-prapañca sraṣṭuḥ; aindra jālikasya who is
also called māyāvi, anyasya refers to aindra jālikasya māyāvinaḥ māyā. Here the
sentence is incomplete, we have to supply. Māyā māyāvinaḥ jñānam na
pratibadhnāti. So anyasya māyāvinaḥ māyā māyāvinaḥ jñānam na pratibadhnāti
tadvat.
Then yataḥ ēvam, ataḥ – because of this reason Īśvara continues to be sarvajñaḥ,
jīva is alpajñaḥ. That is said in the ślōka, we will read.
Verse 07-26
वेदाहां समतीतागन वतयमानागन चाजुयन ।
भगवष्यात्तण च भूतागन माां तु वेद न किन ॥ गीता ७-२६ ॥
vēdāhaṁ samatītāni vartamānāni cārjuna |

bhaviṣyāṇi ca bhūtāni māṁ tu vēda na kaścana || Gītā 7-26 ||
Bhagavān says I am sarvajña-Īśvara, who is the knower of the past, the present and
the future. The word past, present and future represents sarvam. So I know past,

present and future means I know sarvam. That means māyā does not affect My
jñānam. And the word sarvam indicates I know the aparā-prakr̥ti also, I know the
parā-prakr̥ti also. Jīva knows part of aparā-prakr̥ti and jīva doesn‟t know parā-prakr̥ti
at all. This is the difference. Here the word samatītāni vartamānāni and bhaviṣyāṇi
are the three adjective to be connected with bhūtāni. So the word bhūtāni we should
read thrice, samatītāni bhūtāni aham vēda, vartamānāni bhūtāni aham vēda,
bhaviṣyāṇi bhūtāni aham vēda. The word bhūtāni means things and beings. I know
the things and beings of the past, I know the things and beings of the present and I
know the things of things and being of the future. In short, I am sarvajñaḥ māyā
cannot affect me, I am māyā-Īśvaraḥ, jīva is māyā-dāsaḥ. This is the essence.
And in the fourth quarter kaścana mām na vēda, kaścana refers to jīva and jīva
doesn‟t know Me. We will go to the bhāṣyam.
अहं तु िेद जाने समतीत वन समगतक्रान्तागन भूतागन, ितथम न वन च अजुथन, भविष्य शण च भूत वन वेद अहम् । म ं तु
िेद न किन मद्भक्तां मच्छरणम् एकां मुक्तत्वा । मित्त्ववेदन-अभावात् एव न माां भजते ॥ ७-२६ ॥
ahaṁ tu vēda jānē samatītāni samatikrāntāni bhūtāni, vartamānāni ca Arjuna,

bhaviṣyāṇi ca bhūtāni vēda aham | māṁ tu vēda na kaścana madbhaktaṁ
maccharaṇam ēkaṁ muktvā | mattattvavēdana-abhāvāt ēva na māṁ bhajatē ||
7-26 ||
Ahaṁ tu vēda. So here the word vēda is a verb . The word vēda exists in noun
form as well as verb form . In noun form it refers to vēda , the scriptures, r̥gvēdaḥ,
yajurvēdaḥ etc. visarga is there. When without visarga vēda is used, it is a verb, to
know. And vēda means jānāti or jānāmi. Uttamapuruṣaḥ or prathamā puruṣaḥ, √vid
parasmaipadi laṭ. Uttamapuruṣaḥ ēkavacanam. And in laṭ itself two versions are
there. Here it is vēda vidaduḥ viduḥ, vēda vidva vidma iti rūpāni. Vētti vittaḥ vidanti
is one present tense form. Vēda vidaduḥ viduḥ is another present tense form. Here it
is uttamapuruṣaḥ ēkavacanam. Aham vēda aham, vēdmi, aham jānāmi. Therefore
Śaṅkarācārya says vēda is equal to jānē, jānē also is a verbal form, which means I
know. I means Bhagavān is addressing Arjuna, I know. What do I know?
Samatītāni bhūtāni, samatītāni is in the mūlam, is equal to samatikrāntāni – that
means the past. That which is gone by or past. So I know all the past things and
beings not from history books, Bhagavān does not know from history books and
history books themselves are distorted. Therefore Bhagavān knows directly sākṣāt
jānāti. Not only that vartamānāni ca bhūtāni we have to supply, Bhagavān knows
all the present things and beings directly through māyā-upādhi. What is the mind of
Bhagavān? You should remember just as we know things with the help of our mind,
Bhagavān knows things with Bhagavān‟s mind and Bhagavān‟s mind is called māyā.

Through māyā Bhagavān can know everything directly. Our mind requires the
support of sense organs. Bhagavān‟s māyā mind doesn‟t require sense organs.
Through māyā, Bhagavān can know everything directly, without requiring attention
on the part of Bhagavān. If I have to see that wall then I have to turn towards that
wall, and the wall should enter my mind, there is a process involved. In the case of
Bhagavān no process is required, as even the events happen they happen in the
māyā mind of Bhagavān, therefore instantaneously and simultaneously Bhagavān is
aware of every event happening in every atom as well as every star. The instrument
for Bhagavān is māyā. Therefore vartamānāni bhūtāni aham vēda, we have to
supply, I know. And hē Arjuna! Now and then Bhagavān addresses to make sure
that Arjuna is awake. And bhaviṣyāṇi ca bhūtāni aham vēda. So vēda aham.
And what is the unfortunate thing? Through the screen I see the world, but world
cannot see Me through the screen. What is the proof? Even now nāstikas are there
questioning the existence of Bhagavān. That there are nāstikas questioning the
existence of Bhagavān indicates māyā is covering the vision of humanity. Therefore
Kr̥ṣṇa says māṁ tu kaścana na vēda. Kaścana na means no jīvātmā, māṁ
vēda – knows me.
Then Śaṅkarācārya adds a note. Madbhaktaṁ muktvā – other than the niṣkāma
bhakta. So niṣkāma-bhaktas are the exception to the rule that the humanity does
not know the Lord, except niṣkāma-bhaktas. That means niṣkāma-bhaktas do know
God. So mad-bhaktam means niṣkāma-bhaktam. Who is niṣkāma-bhakta?
Maccharaṇam – who has done śaraṇāgati to Me, ēkaṁ muktvā – leaving those
exceptions all others do not know, that is for niṣkāma-bhakta, māyā‟s āvaraṇa-śakti
will not work. Who is niṣkāma-bhakta? Jijñāsu-bhakta is niṣkāma-bhakta. In his case
māyā‟s āvaraṇa śakti will be absent, because jijñāsu-bhakta will go to a guru, tat
vijñānārtham saḥ gurum ēva abhigacchēt (Muṇḍakōpaniṣat 1-2-12) and the guru will
do a micro-cataract-surgery and that surgery is mahā-vākya upadēśa, through the
mahāvākya needle the āvaraṇa-śakti is removed and jijñāsu-bhakta becomes free
from āvaraṇa-śakti. And that jijñāsu-bhakta who is free from the cataract becomes a
jñāni-bhakta and jñāni-bhakta knows God. How does he know God? Aham brahma
asmi iti Therefore ēkaṁ muktvā. After muktvā you have to put a full stop. And
mattattvavēdanābhāvāt – whereas all the other sakāma-bhaktas do not have this
knowledge, mat-tattva-vēdana-abhāvāt – because of the lack of this knowledge, ēva
na māṁ bhajatē – the others do not worship Me as jijñāsu-bhaktas or as jñāni
bhaktas. They continue to be sakāma bhaktas stuck in saṁsāra.

The anvaya is, hē Arjuna! aham samatītāni vartamānāni ca bhaviṣyāṇi ca bhūtāni

vēda. Mām tu kaścana na vēda. Continuing;

केन पुनाः त्वित्त्ववेदनप्रगतबन्धेन प्रगतबद्धागन सन्न्त जायमानागन सवयभूतागन त्वाां न गवदन्न्त इगत अपेक्ायाम् इदम् आह ––
kēna punaḥ tvattattvavēdanapratibandhēna pratibaddhāni santi jāyamānāni

sarvabhūtāni tvāṁ na vidanti iti apēkṣāyām idam āha ––
I said there are two obstacles which are keeping the bhaktas as sakāma bhaktas,
and therefore they continue to be a saṁsāri. One is sāmānya-pratibandhaḥ which is
the universal problem called māyā, otherwise called āvaraṇa-śakti of māyā,
otherwise called ajñānam. It is a universal problem.
And then there is a second-obstacle which will vary from individual to individual, and
I said that second obstacle is rāga-dvēṣa. That second-obstacle is being presented in
this ślōka. Here Kr̥ṣṇa is talking about a profound Vedantic-message which is the
cause of saṁsāra. The first problem I said is Self-ignorance. And how does Self-
ignorance affect me? Even though I am pūrṇa ātmā because of the Self-ignorance I
don‟t know I am pūrṇa ātmā, therefore I conclude that I am apūrṇaḥ. This is how
every jīvātmā starts his life that I am apūrṇaḥ.
And as apūrṇa itself I start searching in the world looking for pūrṇatvam and by
doing what makes me, the apūrṇa into pūrṇa. Therefore the human struggle starts
to convert the apūrṇa aham into pūrṇa aham. And therefore the struggle comes
bālastāvat krīḍāsaktaḥ, as a boy I seek pūrṇatvam through toys, as a youth I seek
pūrṇatvam through boyfriends and girlfriends, by marrying him or her alone life will
be complete. Thus I struggle and identify one object or the other, one relationship
or the relationship or the other. And sometimes I conclude getting that person will
make my life complete and get married and thereafter I conclude getting rid of that
person will make my life happier and therefore go to court. Once I went to reception
hall and then I go to the court. In six months after marriage he goes to court. One is
called rāga, another is called dvēṣa. Rāga leads to going after and dvēṣa leads to
going away. Thus the whole life is running after and running away, and because I
am busy I don‟t ask the fundamental question am I really apūrṇaḥ or am I really
pūrṇaḥ by myself. Except pondering over this question I do everything. Kastvam
kō:'ham kutaḥ āyātaḥ kā mē janani kō mē tātaḥ (Bhaja gōvindam 23) Except that
fundamental question I am busy running after or running away. All because of rāga-

dvēṣa caused by the māyādēvī. That is what is said here. Kēna punaḥ – what is the
additional-cause? Punaḥ means additional-cause.
Why do you say additional-cause? General-cause has been already mentioned as

māyā or ajñānam. Ānandagiri says it is mūlāvidyā. Māyā means mūlāvidyā. That is
said in the previous ślōka, now in addition to mūlāvidyā, what is in addition to
mūlāvidyā what else is the cause? So kēna punaḥ tvattattvavēdanapratibandhēna,
pratibandha means additional obstacle, obstacle to tvat-tattva-vēdanam – the
Īśvaratattvajñānam, tvat-tattvam means Your tattvam, tvat means Your, Your
tattvam means Īśvara tattvam, Īśvara tattvam here refers to parā-prakr̥ti. Vēdanam
means jñānam, parā-prakr̥ti vēdanam means parā-prakr̥ti jñānam, pratibandha
means obstacle. What is the additional obstacle to the knowledge of parā-prakr̥ti?
And parā-prakr̥ti is another word for Brahman. What is the second obstacle to
brahma-jñānam? Pratibaddhāni santi – obstructed by this additional cause, the
additional cause is going to be mentioned hereafter, sarvabhūtāni tvāṁ na vidanti –
all the human beings do not know aham brahma asmi. How nice it would have been
had they known in the beginning itself! So sarvabhūtāni tvāṁ na vidanti – no beings
know You as aham brahma asmi, jāyamānāni – which ignorance afflicts right at the
time of birth itself. Dayananda Svamiji says, the wanting-human being because of
which he has got a general tamburā śruti behind, „I want I want I want I want‟ that
„I want‟ continues, „what I want‟ is different rāgas. Thus rāgas vary, emotions vary in
and through all of them the tamburā śruti is „I want I want‟, the wanting human
being is the saṁsāri. Iti apēkṣāyām – when such a question is asked, idam āha –
this is the answer.
Verse 07-27
इच्छाद्वे षसमुत्थेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन भारत ।
सवयभूतागन सम्मोहां सगे यान्न्त परन्तप ॥ गीता ७-२७ ॥
icchādvēṣasamutthēna dvandvamōhēna bhārata |

sarvabhūtāni sammōhaṁ sargē yānti parantapa || Gītā 7-27 ||
I will give you the gist of the verse. It is simple but the definition of saṁsāra is
clearly given. All these ślōkas are very important in the sense the cause of saṁsāra
is clearly presented. So what is the problem? Dvandva-mōha – the universal-
dualistic-delusion in the form of attraction towards certain things and aversion
towards certain things, attraction-aversion-dualistic-delusion (AADD) keep us busy
throughout our life. And I run with a wonderful healthy body and I ran after many
things saying „I want, I want and I want‟. And seventy years I struggled abusing the

body, and thereafter ultimately I say I want only one thing and that is health. You
have no desire at all but health. Previously I never knew health was the wonderful
gift of Bhagavān. I did not appreciate the value of health, I ran after everything
abusing my health and ultimately after seventy, eighty years I cannot run also, bed
ridden or homebound I am, then also „I want‟ tamburā continues, what is that? The
attraction and aversion has changed, I want health, I don‟t want diseases. Rāga-
dvēṣa has been reduced to health rāga and ill-health dvēṣa. Until I die if the body is
reasonably healthy that is more than enough. Thus life is constantly wanting one
thing or the other. And this is whose problem? Sarva-bhūtāni sammōham yānti,
rāga-dvēṣa. We will read the bhāṣyam.
इच्छ -द्वे ष-समुत्थेन – इच्छा च द्वे षाः च इच्छाद्वे षौ । ताभ्याां समुत्तिष्ठगत इगत इच्छाद्वे षसमुत्थाः । तेन इच्छाद्वे षसमुत्थेन ।
icchā-dvēṣa-samutthēna – icchā ca dvēṣaḥ ca icchādvēṣau | tābhyāṁ

samuttiṣṭhati iti icchādvēṣasamutthaḥ | tēna icchādvēṣasamutthēna |
The first word is icchā-dvēṣa-samutthēna, it is a compound word, after that first

word we should put an en dash. It consists of three words. First Śaṅkarācārya forms
dvandva samāsa, icchā ca dvēṣaḥ ca icchādvēṣau. Śaṅkarācārya doesn‟t give the
meaning of icchā as it is a fundamental word that anybody will understand. Icchā
means rāgaḥ, rāgaḥ means „attraction‟ or „like‟ in simple language. Dvēṣaḥ means
aversion. Otherwise it is called dislike. Likes and dislikes. These two alone we call it
as the pair of opposites, icchādvēṣau; full stop. Then he connects the next word
samutthēna, tābhyāṁ samuttiṣṭhati iti icchādvēṣasamutthaḥ – anything born out of
them, a product of them is called icchādvēṣasamutthaḥ. The word samutthaḥ means
a product, a child. It is the child of icchā and dvēṣa. Icchā is feminine gender,
mother and dvēṣa is masculine gender, father; rāga and dvēṣa parent produce a
powerful putra and that putra is called mōhaḥ. Mōhaḥ means delusion. Therefore
icchādvēṣasamutthaḥ. And tēna icchādvēṣasamutthēna – because of this product
born out of rāga and dvēṣa. And what is the name of the child? That is explained
further, we will read.
केन इगत गविेष अपेक्ायाम् इदम् आह ––

द्वनद्व-मोहेन – द्वन्द्वगनयमिाः मोहाः द्वन्द्वमोहाः । तौ एव इच्छाद्वे षौ िीतोष्णवत् परस्परगवरुद्धौ सुख-रृाःख-तत्-हेतु-गवषयौ
यथाकालां सवयभूतैाः सम्बध्यमानौ द्वन्द्विब्दे न अत्तभधीयेते ।
kēna iti viśēṣa apēkṣāyām idam āha ––

dvandva-mōhēna – dvandvanimittaḥ mōhaḥ dvandva mōhaḥ | tau ēva
icchādvēṣau śītōṣṇavat parasparaviruddhau sukha-duḥkha-tat-hētu-viṣayau
yathākālaṁ sarvabhūtaiḥ sambadhyamānau dvandvaśabdēna abhidhīyētē |

Kēna iti viśēṣa apēkṣāyām, so the word icchādvēṣasamutthaḥ only points out the
product of rāga-dvēṣa, it only says the product, it doesn‟t say what is the product.
Therefore naturally you want to know what is the product of rāga-dvēṣa. Therefore
kēna iti viśēṣa apēkṣāyām, when you want to specifically know about the product of
rāga-dvēṣa, idam āha – Kr̥ṣṇa names the product and the name of the product is
dvandva-mōhaḥ. Mōha is the name and dvandva in the initial. So dvandva-
mōhēna. After dvandva-mōhēna we have to put an en dash. Śaṅkarācārya wants
to give the samāsa. It is madhyama-pada-lōpa samāsa, dvandva-nimittaḥ mōhaḥ
dvandva-mōhaḥ – a delusion caused by a pair of parents. And after dvandva-mōhaḥ
you should put a full stop. Now Śaṅkarācārya explains what is the pair of parents.
He says the pair of parents is the same as icchā-dvēṣa. Rāga-dvēṣa alone is called
the pair of parents here. So he says tau ēva icchādvēṣau – so those two rāga-dvēṣa
alone, then you go to the last line, dvandva-śabdēna abhidhīyētē – those rāga-
dvēṣas alone are indicated by the word dvandvam. Icchā-dvēṣau alone referred to
by the word dvandvam. Why do you use the word dvandva for that? Because they
are pairs of opposite constantly occurring in life. How do they occur in life?
Śaṅkarācārya explains śītōṣṇavat – like heat and cold which are pairs of opposite,
success and failure pairs of opposite, mānam and apamānam, honor and dishonor
pairs of opposite. Lābha and naṣṭa pairs of opposite. Paraspara-viruddhau – they are
mutually exclusive like śītōṣṇa etcetera. Etcetera is understood. What do these pairs
of the opposite generate? Their existence is not a problem. That the world is a pairs
of opposite, it is an Īśvara sr̥ṣṭi no problem. In fact, it is wonderful because we have
got different experiences. The problem is these pairs of opposite are capable of
generating pleasure and pain. Therefore he says sukha-duḥkha-viṣayau – they are
capable of generating pleasure and pain. For one person a tropical weather is a
source of happiness. For another person the same tropical weather is the source of
disturbance. And similarly cold weather is a source of happiness for one but the
same is a source of unhappiness for the other. Their power to cause pleasure and
pain becomes a problem. Therefore sukha-duḥkha-viṣayau and tat-hētu-viṣayau –
not only do they generate pleasure and pain, they become the hētu – the cause of
pleasure and pain. So tat-hētu means sukha-duḥkha-hētu. So what is the difference
between sukha-duḥkha and tat-hētu-viṣayau? A subtle point. What vēdānta says is
universally every person has got uniform likes and dislikes. There is one rāga-dvēṣa
which is universal. And there are other sets of rāga-dvēṣas which are not universal.
One is universal rāga-dvēṣa, non-variable rāga-dvēṣa, and the other is variable-rāga-
dvēṣa. What is the non-variable rāga-dvēṣa? Sukha-rāgaḥ, duḥkha-dvēṣaḥ is
universal. Love for happiness and dislike is for sorrow. This concept is universal. This

comes under non-variable-rāga-dvēṣa. And there is variable-rāga-dvēṣa, which will

vary from individual to individual and that sukha-hētu-rāgaḥ and duḥkha-hētu-
dvēṣaḥ. This is variable. Sukha-hētu means the cause of sukham-duḥkha-hētu
means the cause of duḥkham. This sukha-hētu-rāgaḥ and duḥkha-hētu-dvēṣaḥ is
not universal. Sukha-hētu is not universal. What is the cause of sukham for one
person becomes the cause of duḥkham for another person. That is why it is said
what is food for one is poison for other. Therefore sukha-hētu-rāgaḥ and duḥkha-
hētu-dvēṣaḥ are variable. Dayānanda Svāmiji used to tell that one person wants to
sell a house and another person is wants to buy the same house that means one
and the same house is sukha-hētu for the buyer and duḥkha-hētu for the seller.
That I have sold the house I am happy and that I have purchased the house other
person is also happy. And there is a neutral person, a broker who is also happy for
him that house is neither sukha-hētu nor duḥkha-hētu but for him money generated
by the sale is happiness. Thus the world is variable. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says
sukha-duḥkha-tat-hētu rāga-dvēṣa. This an interesting topic you have to meditate
then only you will know the importance of it. You should not take it superficially.
Sukha-duḥkha-rāga-dvēṣas are non-variables. Sukha-hētu-duḥkha-hētu-rāga-dvēṣas
are variables.
281 Verses 07-27 to 07-30
Page 208, verse 27, bhāṣyam 4th line.
द्वनद्व-मोहेन – द्वन्द्वगनयमिाः मोहाः द्वन्द्वमोहाः । तौ एव इच्छाद्वे षौ िीतोष्णवत् परस्परगवरुद्धौ सुख-रृाःख-तत्-हेत-ु गवषयौ

यथाकालां सवयभूतैाः सम्बध्यमानौ द्वन्द्विब्दे न अत्तभधीयेते ।
dvandva-mōhēna – dvandvanimittaḥ mōhaḥ dvandvamōhaḥ | tau ēva

icchādvēṣau śītōṣṇavat parasparaviruddhau sukha-duḥkha-tat-hētu-viṣayau
yathākālaṁ sarvabhūtaiḥ sambadhyamānau dvandvaśabdēna abhidhīyētē |
Commenting upon the twenty-seventh verse, first Śaṅkarācārya gave the meaning of
icchā, dvēṣa, samutthēna and now he has taken up the word dvandva-mōhēna and
he points out that the word dvandva here refers to icchā-dvēṣa only. Normally
dvandva means any pair of opposite. In this context dvandva means icchā-dvēṣa

only. So icchā-dvēṣa-samutthēna icchā-dvēṣa-nimitta-mōhēna this is the meaning.

That he is explaining in this portion, which we were seeing in the last class. After
dvandva-mōhēna we have to put an en dash. Dvandva-nimittaḥ mōhaḥ dvandva-
mōhaḥ – the delusion caused by the pair of opposite. What is that dvandvam? He
explains: tau ēva icchā-dvēṣau dvandva-śabdēna abhidhīyētē – this dvandva śabda
refers to icchā-dvēṣa only, i.e., rāga-dvēṣa only. What is that rāga-dvēṣa? Śītōṣṇavat
paraspara-viruddhau – which are opposed to each other like heat and cold, sukha-
duḥkha-tat-hētu-viṣayau – very important adjective - rāga is always directed towards
either happiness or sources of happiness. Dvēṣa is always directed towards sorrow
and any source of sorrow. So sukha-duḥkha-tat-hētu-viṣayau is a very important
adjective worth meditating upon. Yathākālaṁ sarvabhūtaiḥ sambadhyamānau – this
rāga-dvēṣa will regularly appear in the mind of all the people, so sarvabhūtaiḥ
sambadhyamānau – in every human being rāga-dvēṣa regularly rise, when?
Yathākālam – at the appropriate time. So this regularly appearing likes and dislikes
are called dvandvam. And this regularly appearing rāga-dvēṣa alone generates mōha
or delusion in the mind. And what is the definition of delusion? It is very interesting
definition. Making the mind incapable of understanding Vedanta. Mōha is that power
which makes the mind incapable of understanding vēdānta or incapable of
remembering the understood vēdānta. At that time vēdānta will go somewhere else.
Thereafter it will come back. But when needed it won‟t come. That is called mōha
which is generated by rāga-dvēṣa. Continuing;
तत्र यदा इच्छाद्वे षौ सुख-रृाःख-तत्-हेत-ु सम्प्राप्त्या लब्धात्मकौ भवताः, तदा तौ सवयभूतानाां प्रज्ञायााः स्वविापादनद्वारेण
परमाथय-आत्म-तत्त्व-गवषय-ज्ञान-उत्पत्ति-प्रगतबन्ध-कारणां मोहां जनयताः ।
tatra yadā icchādvēṣau sukha-duḥkha-tat-hētu-samprāptyā labdhātmakau

bhavataḥ, tadā tau sarvabhūtānāṁ prajñāyāḥ svavaśāpādanadvārēṇa
paramārtha-ātma-tattva-viṣaya-jñāna-utpatti-pratibandha-kāraṇaṁ mōhaṁ
janayataḥ |
So this dvandva alone generates mōha. That is being said here. tatra – this being so,
yadā icchādvēṣau labdhātmakau bhavataḥ, labdhātmakau bhavataḥ means come to
existence. It is an idiom. Ātmā means existence. What comes to existence? Icchā-
dvēṣau – when rāga rises in the mind or when the dvēṣa rises in the mind not
because of our will because of the external circumstances. And what is the external
circumstance? Sukha-samprāptyā – when a pleasurable-experience comes, or tat-
hētu-samprāptyā – or the cause of the pleasurable-experience comes or duḥkha-
samprāptyā – painful experience comes, or tat-hētu-samprāptyā – the cause of
painful-experience comes. Pleasurable-experience, cause-of-the-pleasurable-

experience, painful-experience and cause-of-painful-experience – one of these four

experiences when they come as even one of these four comes, they will generate
continuously either rāga or dvēṣa. The job of the world is to generate rāga-dvēṣa
continuously. And once they rise, what do they do? They won‟t keep quiet. So
sukha-duḥkha-tat-hētu-samprāptyā labdhātmakau bhavataḥ, tadā – at that moment,
tau, tau means those rāga-dvēṣa, sarvabhūtānāṁ prajñāyāḥ svavaśa-āpādana-
dvārēṇa – the discriminative power or the intelligence of the human being they
snatch away. rāga-dvēṣa kidnap the vivēka śakti. Prajñā means vivēka śakti or
thinking power, Vedantic-memory, binary-format all they take away. Prajñā means
vivēka-śakti or Vedantic-memory. Svavaśa-āpādana-dvārēṇa, svavaśa means under
their control. Their control here refers to rāga-dvēṣa. Rāga-dvēṣa snatches them
under their control, āpādana means bringing, and dvārēṇa – by means of that, this
person has got rāga-dvēṣa imbued, saturated mind and the intellect is absent. So
rāga-dvēṣa afflicted mind is there, intellect has already gone. And once intellect has
gone, paramārtha-ātma-tattva-viṣaya-jñānam – the knowledge of my own higher
nature, aham jagat kāraṇam asmi, aham sarvam adhiṣṭhānam asmi all will go away.
brahmabhāva durbalīkaraṇam and jīva bhāva prabalīkaraṇam. Therefore
paramārtha-ātma-tattva-viṣaya-jñānam. You can understand paramārtha-ātma-
tattvam means aham brahma asmi iti brahmabhāvaḥ. Paramārtha-ātma-tattvam
means brahmabhāvaḥ, viṣaya-jñāna – the knowledge regarding that, pratibandha
kāraṇam – the obstacle to the rise of knowledge or the obstacle to the remembrance
of the knowledge is mōham – that is called delusion. Janayataḥ – this delusion is
generated by rāga-dvēṣa. That is why,
सङ्गात्सञ्जायते कामाः कामात्क्रोधोऽत्तभजायते ॥ गीता २-६२ ॥

क्रोधाद्भवगत सम्मोहाः सम्मोहात्स्मृगतगवभ्रमाः ।
स्मृगतभ्रांिाद् बुद्धद्धनािो बुद्धद्धनािात्प्रणश्यगत ॥ गीता २-६३ ॥
saṅgātsañjāyatē kāmaḥ kāmātkrōdhō:'bhijāyatē || Gītā 2-62 ||

krōdhādbhavati sammōhaḥ sammōhātsmr̥tivibhramaḥ |
smr̥tibhraṁśād buddhināśō buddhināśātpraṇaśyati || Gītā 2-63 ||
न गह इच्छा-द्वे ष-दोष-विीकृत-शचिस्य यथाभूताथय-गवषय-ज्ञानम् उत्पद्यते बगहाः अगप, गकमु वक्तव्यां ताभ्याम् आगवष्टबुद्धेाः
सांमूढस्य प्रत्यगात्मगन बहुप्रगतबन्धे ज्ञानां न-उत्पद्यते इगत ।
na hi icchā-dvēṣa-dōṣa-vaśīkr̥ta-cittasya yathābhūtārtha-viṣaya-jñānam
utpadyatē bahiḥ api, kimu vaktavyaṁ tābhyām āviṣṭabuddhēḥ saṁmūḍhasya
pratyagātmani bahupratibandhē jñānaṁ na-utpadyatē iti |
So here Śaṅkarācārya uses kaimutika nyāyaḥ. Kaimutika nyāya is a particular nyāya

saying that for a deluded person even worldly knowledge is not possible, what to

talk of aham brahma asmi jñānam. When deluded intellect cannot absorb even
sthūla jñānam, what to talk of absorbing sūkṣma-ātma-jñānam. That is the idea.
icchā-dvēṣa-dōṣa-vaśīkr̥ta-cittasya – for a person whose mind is under the grip of
rāga-dvēṣa, vaśīkr̥tam means under the grip of , icchā means rāga, yathābhūtārtha-
viṣaya-jñānam na utpadyatē. Na from the first line should be connected to
utpadyatē. Yathābhūtārtha-viṣaya-jñānam means right knowledge. Right knowledge
of an object as it is. Na utpadyatē – doesn‟t arise. Bahiḥ api, bahiḥ means even in
the case of ordinary worldly objects knowledge cannot arise. Then kimu vaktavyam
– what to talk of the subtle spiritual-knowledge. Therefore kimu vaktavyaṁ – why
should we describe, tābhyām āviṣṭabuddhēḥ puruṣasya, puruṣasya understood, for a
person whose buddhi is in the grip of rāga-dvēṣa, and therefore only saṁmūḍhasya
– who is totally bewildered, deluded, confused, for him pratyagātmani jñānaṁ na-
utpadyatē – with regard to pratyagātmā knowledge can never take place. Should I
tell? It need not be told. kaimutika nyāyam means understood without explanation.
Why do you say it is more difficult with regard to pratyagātmā jñānam? Bahu-
pratibandhē – for Self-knowledge obstacles are too many. And therefore it is
extremely difficult. Therefore what is the obstacle for the spiritual student? The
essence is rāga-dvēṣa are the obstacles. Continuing;
अताः तेन इच्छाद्वे षसमुत्थेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन, भ रत भरतान्वयज । सिथ-भूत वन सम्मोगहतागन सन्न्त सम्मोहं सांमूढताां सगे
जन्मगन, उत्पत्तिकाले इगत एतत्, य न्नत गच्छन्न्त हे परनतप ।
ataḥ tēna icchādvēṣasamutthēna dvandvamōhēna, bhārata bharatānvayaja |

sarva-bhūtāni sammōhitāni santi sammōhaṁ saṁmūḍhatāṁ sargē janmani,
utpattikālē iti ētat, yānti gacchanti hē parantapa |
Now Śaṅkarācārya comes to the second line of the verse, sarva-bhūtāni

sammōham – this rāga-dvēṣa problem is not for a few people, it is a universal-
problem caused by the general-problem. What is the general problem for all the
people? Māyā mōhinī has been said in verse twenty-five. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya
yōga-māyā-samāvr̥taḥ. Yōgamāyā is the sāmānya kāraṇam and because of the
sāmānya kāraṇam there is a viśēṣa kāraṇam called rāga-dvēṣa, sāmānya kāraṇam is
also universal, viśēṣa kāraṇam is also universal. But the only difference is object of
rāga-dvēṣa will be varying. For this person the rāga is his grandchild, for that person
the rāga is his grandchild. Therefore the object of attachment varies, but the
problem of attachment is universal. Therefore he says ataḥ – because of this reason,
tēna icchā-dvēṣa-samutthēna dvandva-mōhēna – because of the delusion caused by
rāga-dvēṣa, bhārata is in the mūlam, is equal to bharatānvayaja – who is born in
the family, lineage of Bharata Rājā. Anvaya means paramparā. Bharata paramparā

rājā, hē Arjuna. Sarva-bhūtāni – all the living beings, in this context all the human
beings, sammōhitāni santi – being deluded all the time, from anādi kāla, because
māyā is anādi, jīva is also anādi, therefore delusion is also anādi. Māyā is anādi and
jīvaḥ is anādi, therefore mōha caused by jīva is also anādi. Therefore sammōhitāni
santi, santi is not a verb here, it is present active participle, sat sati santi, being
deluded, sammōham yānti, sammōham means delusion is equal to
saṁmūḍhatām, sargē is in the mūlam, is equal to janmani is equal to utpattikālē –
at the time of birth itself. It is not that you acquire rāga-dvēṣa at the seventh year or
twelfth year after planning, no planning is required. Right from the first moment of
janma itself the child will know the difference between mother‟s lap and somebody
else‟s lap and you get the child and keep on your lap and after two minutes you will
feel something warm on your lap. The child knows the difference between mother‟s
lap and non-mother‟s lap. It means rāga-dvēṣa. Iti ētat – this is the meaning of
sargē. Yānti is in the mūlam, is equal to gacchanti, it should be connected with
sammōham. Hē parantapa – hē Arjuna. Therefore what is the consolation? The
problem is not for me only; I have told you, when the power goes look at the
neighbor‟s house, if they don‟t have power means you get mental relief. Similarly,
mōha and rāga-dvēṣa problem everybody has got. Therefore we have relief.
Continuing;
मोहविागन एव सवयभूतागन जायमानागन जायन्ते इगत अत्तभप्रायाः ।
mōhavaśāni ēva sarvabhūtāni jāyamānāni jāyantē iti abhiprāyaḥ |
What is the final message? He says sarvabhūtāni jāyamānāni – all the living beings
which are born, mōhavaśāni ēva jāyantē – even as they are born they are under the
grip of rāga-dvēṣa and mōha. Iti abhiprāyaḥ – it is a congenital problem. This is the
message. Therefore the conclusion Śaṅkarācārya gives, that is not in the mūlam, it is
Śaṅkarācārya‟s note. Always Śaṅkarācārya‟s note will be very powerful and
significant.
यताः एवम्, अताः तेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन प्रगतबद्धप्रज्ञानागन सवयभूतागन सम्मोगहतागन माम् आत्मभूतां न जानन्न्त । अताः एव
आत्मभावेन माां न भजन्ते ॥ ७-२७ ॥
yataḥ ēvam, ataḥ tēna dvandvamōhēna pratibaddhaprajñānāni sarvabhūtāni

sammōhitāni mām ātmabhūtaṁ na jānanti | ataḥ ēva ātmabhāvēna māṁ na
bhajantē || 7-27 ||
Śaṅkarācārya connects to our main topic which is comparison of sakāma-bhakti and

niṣkāma-bhakti. Śaṅkarācārya says because of rāga-dvēṣa and mōha, one can never

practice niṣkāma-bhakti. Every bhakti that is practiced by the common human being
or the gr̥hastha family person , every namaskāra he does he will encash for one
family member or the other. He can never do namaskāra without remembering the
family, because rāga-dvēṣa keeps the mind stuck in ahaṅkāra, mamakāra. Why can‟t
he do namaskāra and ask for jijñāsā-bhakti or jñāna-bhakti? These two he will never
ask. He is completely submerged in sakāma-family-centric-bhakti only. That is what
he is saying here. Yataḥ ēvam, ataḥ – because of this congenital grip of rāga-dvēṣa,
mōha, sakāma-bhakti, tēna dvandva-mōhēna pratibaddha-prajñānāni – because of
the āśā and pāśam, we say pāśam is not going away, because of the powerful
pāśam, pratibaddha-prajñānāni – all the discriminative power is totally obstructed
and vēdānta-class is obstructed, sarvabhūtāni sammōhitāni – all human beings are
deluded, therefore mām na jānanti – they will never come to the ātma-jñānam,
mām means Īśvaram na jānanti Kr̥ṣṇa says, Śaṅkarācārya‟s mischief you see.
Śaṅkarācārya says they will not know God who are themselves. Ātmabhūtaṁ
Īśvaram na jānanti – Sankara can never think of God as an object, for Śaṅkarācārya
God means the very subject only. Therefore mām he translates as ātmabhūtam, God
who is myself. Na jānanti – they don‟t recognize. After na jānanti put a full stop.
ataḥ ēva ātmabhāvēna māṁ na bhajantē – they don‟t come to jijñāsu bhakti also
and they will never come to jñāni bhakti. And what is the definition of jñāni bhakti?
Appreciating the glory of the Lord as one‟s own glory. So ātmabhāvēna advaita
bhāvēna abhēda bhāvēna māṁ na bhajantē. In short, they don‟t come to the fourth
bhakti called jñāni bhakti.
The anvaya is, hē bhārata! icchā-dvēṣa-samutthēna dvandva-mōhēna sarva-bhūtāni

sargē sammōham yānti, parantapa | Continuing;
Verse 07-28 Introduction.

के पुनाः अनेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन गनमुयक्तााः सन्ताः त्वाां गवददत्वा यथािास्त्रम् आत्मभावेन भजन्ते इगत अपेत्तक्तम् अथं दर्ििंतुम् उच्यते
––
kē punaḥ anēna dvandvamōhēna nirmuktāḥ santaḥ tvāṁ viditvā yathāśāstram

ātmabhāvēna bhajantē iti apēkṣitam arthaṁ darśitum ucyatē ––
If all the living beings are deluded by māyā at least there must be some people who
get out of the grip of this māyā. If nobody can get out of saṁsāra, śāstra becomes
useless, guru becomes useless, sādhanās become useless. Therefore some people
must be getting out. So our curiosity will be who are those rare blessed fortunate
people who manage to wriggle out of the clutches of māyā. Sometimes in the animal
planet they will show the tiger, crocodile, etc., chasing or catching. Rarely you will

find a deer will get in the grip and after a few moments it will get out and run away
also. It is a rare thing. Similarly, we are all in the grip of crocodiles, some of them
miraculously wriggle out. And so the question is who are those fortunate ones. That
is the question answered in this verse. Therefore he asks the question kē punaḥ –
who are those fortunate ones, nirmuktāḥ-santaḥ – who get out of the clutches, the
jaws of anēna dvandva-mōhēna – from the clutches of mōha caused by rāga-dvēṣa,
so released by this rāga-dvēṣa-mōha, tvāṁ yathā-śāstram viditvā – they come to
know the Lord as revealed in the śāstra, they come out of māyā, they come to know
the Lord as revealed in the śāstram; that means advaita rūpēṇa abhēda rūpēṇa
viditva, ātma-bhāvēna bhajantē – thereafter they become bhakta of the Lord, and
they will also appreciate Īśvara‟s glory as a jñāni, but when jñāni appreciates
Īśvara‟s glory he doesn‟t have jīva-bhāva, he doesn‟t have any self-degradation.
Without self-degradation he appreciates the glory of Īśvara as one of the
vyāvahārika manifestations of himself which is Brahman. Iti ātmabhāvēna bhajantē,
kē means who are those fortunate people iti apēkṣitam artham – so when such an
information is sought after, when such a question is asked darśitum ucyatē – Kr̥ṣṇa
wants to answer that possible question. Apēkṣitam means that question which rises
in the mind of the students. That is answered in 07-28.
Verse 07-28
येषाां त्वन्तगतां पापां जनानाां पुण्यकमयणाम् ।
ते द्वन्द्वमोहगनमुयक्ता भजन्ते माां रॅढव्रतााः ॥ गीता ७-२८ ॥
yēṣāṁ tvantagataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇyakarmaṇām |

tē dvandvamōhanirmuktā bhajantē māṁ dr̥ḍhavratāḥ || Gītā 7-28 ||
So what is the answer? There is only one way to get out of the clutches of rāga-
dvēṣa and sakāma-bhakti. And what is the only method? Follow the pañca-mahā-
yajñas which are to be compulsorily followed by every jīva. Therefore only nitya-
naimittika-karmas which are otherwise called pañca-mahā-yajñas which are called
niṣkāma-karmāṇi; so along with sakāma-karma practice pañca-mahā-yajñas also. Let
sakāma-karma continue but let pañca-mahā-yajñas be done to avoid pratyavāya
pāpam, out of fear of pratyavāya pāpam may you perform pañca-mahā-yajña. What
will pañca-mahā-yajña do? It will reduce sakāma-bhakti gradually, and we will find
after some time, reduction of sakāma-bhakti and pañca-mahā-yajña will become
powerful niṣkāma-bhakti. First I do pañca-mahā-yajña to avoid pratyavāya pāpam,
later I will do pañca-mahā-yajña for jijñāsu-bhakti generation. That is here called
puṇya-karma. So puṇya karma alone will take you across māyā and saṁsāra. This is
the gist of the ślōka. Now we will read the bhāṣyam.

येष ं तु पुनाः अनत-गतं समाप्तप्रायां क्ीणां प पं जन न ं पुण्य-कमथण ं – पुण्यां कमय येषाां सत्त्विुद्धद्धकारणां गवद्यते ते
पुण्यकमायणाः तेषाां पुण्यकमयणाम् – ते द्वनद्व-मोह-वनमुथक्त ाः यथोक्तेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन गनमुयक्तााः भजनते म ं परमात्मानां दृढ-व्रत ाः
। ‘एवम् एव परमाथयतत्त्वां न अन्यथा’ इगत एवम् गनत्तितगवज्ञानााः रॅढव्रतााः उच्यन्ते ॥ ७-२८ ॥
yēṣāṁ tu punaḥ anta-gataṁ samāptaprāyaṁ kṣīṇaṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-

karmaṇāṁ – puṇyaṁ karma yēṣāṁ sattvaśuddhikāraṇaṁ vidyatē tē
puṇyakarmāṇaḥ tēṣāṁ puṇyakarmaṇām – tē dvandva-mōha-nirmuktāḥ
yathōktēna dvandvamōhēna nirmuktāḥ bhajantē māṁ paramātmānaṁ dr̥ḍha-
vratāḥ | „ēvam ēva paramārthatattvaṁ na anyathā‟ iti ēvam niścitavijñānāḥ
dr̥ḍhavratāḥ ucyantē || 7-28 ||
Yēṣāṁ tu punaḥ – suppose there are some people who are rare ones, anta-
gataṁ pāpam, antagatam is in the mūlam, is equal to samāptaprāyam is equal to
kṣīṇam, you can understand, samāptaprāyam means almost ended is equal to
kṣīṇam, kṣīṇam means has become very very weak. What has become very weak?
pāpam has become very weak, pāpam here means rāga-dvēṣa, so this rāga-dvēṣa
rūpa pāpam becomes gradually weaker along with every pañca-mahā-yajña. And
who are those people? janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām – who do puṇya-karmas, after
puṇya-karma, we have to put an en dash, parenthesis, he is explaining who are
those people with puṇya-karma, puṇyaṁ sattva-śuddhi-kāraṇaṁ karma yēṣāṁ
vidyatē, puṇyam is equal to sattva-śuddhi-kāraṇam, sattva-śuddhi means citta-
śuddhi, kāraṇam means a means, those people who do karma which will generate
citta-śuddhi. And what is that? Pañca-mahā-yajñaḥ. Tē puṇya-karmāṇaḥ – in short,
karma-yōgis. So after tē puṇya-karmāṇaḥ put a full stop. After tēṣāṁ puṇya-
karmaṇām we have to put an en dash again, the whole thing is a parenthesis. tē
dvandva-mōha-nirmuktāḥ – all these karma-yōgis will become free from
dvandva-mōha, dvandva-mōha-nirmuktāḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to
yathōktēna dvandva-mōhēna nirmuktāḥ – free from dvandva-mōha which was
described in verse twenty-seven, yathōktēna means described in the twenty-seventh
verse. Bhajantē mām – they will gradually come to jijñāsu-bhakti he will think of
mōkṣa while doing namaskāra instead of thinking about the family and family
members, so mām bhajantē paramātmānaṁ bhajantē – they will worship
paramātmā, they will become jijñāsu-bhaktas, and from jijñāsu-bhakti they will soon
come to the fourth one, dr̥ḍha-vratāḥ bhavanti. In this context Śaṅkarācārya
translates dr̥ḍha-vratāḥ as niścayaḥ-jñāninaḥ. Vratam he translates as jñānam,
normal meaning is vratam – a vow, in this context vratam means jñānam. And what
type of jñānam? „ēvam ēva paramārtha-tattvaṁ na anyathā‟ – paramārtha-tattvam is
only in this manner. In this manner means it is myself. Paramārtha-tattvam is in the
form of my Self only. Na anyathā – God is not an object in front. God is my Self. Iti
ēvam niścitavijñānāḥ dr̥ḍhavratāḥ ucyantē – they are called dr̥ ḍhavratāḥ bahuvrīhi

samāsa. Tē mām bhajantē – they will also worship Me, jñānis will worship not for
the sake of mōkṣa, but as an expression of gratitude. O Lord you have given me this
knowledge. This is called jñāni-bhakti.
The anvaya is, yēṣām puṇya-karmaṇām janānām tu pāpam antagatam, tē dvandva-

mōha-nirmuktāḥ dr̥ḍha-vratāḥ (santaḥ) mām bhajantē |
So this sloka is introduction of niṣkāma-bhakta. Then nishkama-bhaktas are

subdivided into two: sadyo-mukti pravarthaka niṣkāma-bhakta and krama-mukthi
pravarthaka division in the next two slokās.

ते गकमथं भजन्ते इगत उच्यते ––
tē kimarthaṁ bhajantē iti ucyatē ––
Verse 07-29
जरामरणमोक्ाय मामात्तश्रत्य यतन्न्त ये ।
ते ब्रह्म तगद्वरृाः कृत्स्नमध्यात्मां कमय चाग्खलम् ॥ गीता ७-२९ ॥
jarāmaraṇamōkṣāya māmāśritya yatanti yē |

tē brahma tadviduḥ kr̥tsnamadhyātmaṁ karma cākhilam || Gītā 7-29 ||
tē kimarthaṁ bhajantē, tē means jijñāsu-bhaktas, niṣkāma-bhaktas, kimarthaṁ

bhajantē – for what purpose do they worship the Lord. If they are niṣkāma-bhaktas
why should they worship? If you ask, iti ucyatē – the answer is given in this ślōka.
jarā-maraṇa-mōkṣāya bhajantē – they don‟t have worldly desires, niṣkāma-bhaktas
have no worldly desires, therefore they are called niṣkāma bhaktas but remember
niṣkāma-bhaktas are also sakāma-bhaktas, because they have got mōkṣa desire.
What is mōkṣa? Jarā-maraṇa-mōkṣāya mām bhajantē – they want to be free from
old age, disease, death, saṁsāra. And as a result of that worship what will they
attain? tē brahma tat viduḥ – they will come to know Brahman, they will become
jñāni-bhaktas. This is the gist of the ślōka. Now we will read the bhāṣyam.
जर -मरण-मोक्ष य जरामरणमोक्ाथं म ं परमेश्वरम् आशश्रत्य मत्समागहतशचिााः सन्ताः यतन्नत प्रयतन्ते ये, ते यत् ब्रह्म
परां तत् विरृाः कृत्स्नं समस्तम् अध्य त्मं प्रत्यगात्मगवषयां वस्तु तत् गवरृाः, कमथ च अखखलं समस्तां गवरृाः ॥ ७-२९ ॥
jarā-maraṇa-mōkṣāya jarāmaraṇamōkṣārthaṁ māṁ paramēśvaram āśritya

matsamāhitacittāḥ santaḥ yatanti prayatantē yē, tē yat brahma paraṁ tat viduḥ
kr̥tsnaṁ samastam adhyātmaṁ pratyagātmaviṣayaṁ vastu tat viduḥ, karma ca
akhilaṁ samastaṁ viduḥ || 7-29 ||

Jarā-maraṇa-mōkṣāya is in the mūlam, is equal to jarāmaraṇamōkṣārtham –

freedom from old age and death, mām is equal to paramēśvaram, āśritya means
taking refuge in that Lord, because they are jijñāsu-bhaktas, taking refuge in that
Lord means mat-samāhita-cittāḥ – fixing the mind upon the Lord only both as a
means as well as the end. For a jijñāsu-bhakta Bhagavān is the means, Bhagavān is
the end. Therefore fixing the mind upon Me, yatanti is equal to prayatantē – they
put forth the efforts, in this context the effort is śravaṇa-manana-nididhyāsana-rūpa
yatnam kurvanti, tē yat brahma tat viduḥ – they will come to know that
parambrahma. And not only will they know parambrahma, kr̥tsnaṁ samastam
adhyātmaṁ ca – they will know the inner Self also, param brahma is tatpada
lakṣyārtha, adhyātmam means tvam pada lakṣyārtha. parambrahma is paramātma
svarūpam, adhyātmam means jīvātma-svarūpam, samastam – completely they will
know, adhyātmam is equal to pratyagātma-viṣayaṁ vastu, vastu means reality, tē
viduḥ karma ca akhilaṁ tē viduḥ – they will know all about karma also, the truth
of karma also they will know. Akhilam is equal to samastam – totally. And
Śaṅkarācārya doesn‟t explain these words because the eight chapter is going to be
explanation of brahma, adhyātmam, karma etc. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya doesn‟t
explain, therefore I also need not explain. I can go to the next verse.
The anvaya is, yē jarā-maraṇa-mōkṣāya mām āśritya yatanti, tē tat brahma viduḥ.
(tē) kr̥tsnam adhyātmam, akhilam karma ca (viduḥ).
Verse 07-30
सायधभूतायधदै वां माां सायधयज्ञां च ये गवरृाः ।
प्रयाणकालेऽगप च माां ते गवरृयुयक्तचेतसाः ॥ गीता ७-३० ॥
sādhibhūtādhidaivaṁ māṁ sādhiyajñaṁ ca yē viduḥ |

prayāṇakālē:'pi ca māṁ tē viduryuktacētasaḥ || Gītā 7-30 ||
Here Kr̥ṣṇa says those brahma-jñānis not only will they know paramātmā and
jīvātmā in their nature, but they will also know the other things like adhyātmam,
adhibhūtam, adhidaivam, adhiyajñam, all of them also they will know because ēka
vijñānēna sarva vijñānam tēṣām bhavati. And don‟t ask what is adhibhūtam,
adhidaivam etc., because that will be said in the eighth chapter. This is the gist of
the ślōka. Now we will read the bhāṣyam.
स सधभूत सधदै िम् अयध-भूतां च अयध-दै वां च अयधभूतायधदै वम् । सह अयधभूतायधदै वेन सायधभूतायधदै वां च । म ं ये विरृाः,
स सध-यज्ञं च सह अयध-यज्ञेन सायध-यज्ञां ये गवरृाः, प्रय ण-क ले अवप च मरणकाले अगप च म ं ते विरृाः युक्त-चेतसाः
समागहतशचिा इगत ॥ ७-३० ॥

sādhibhūtādhidaivam adhi-bhūtaṁ ca adhi-daivaṁ ca adhibhūtādhidaivam |

saha adhibhūtādhidaivēna sādhibhūtādhidaivaṁ ca | māṁ yē viduḥ, sādhi-
yajñaṁ ca saha adhi-yajñēna sādhi-yajñaṁ yē viduḥ, prayāṇa-kālē api ca
maraṇakālē api ca māṁ tē viduḥ yukta-cētasaḥ samāhitacittā iti || 7-30 ||
Sādhibhūtādhidaivam is in the mūlam, is equal to adhi-bhūtaṁ ca adhi-daivaṁ ca

adhibhūtādhi-daivam, samāhāra dvandva samāsa, both of them. After adhibhūtādhi-
daivam you have to put a full stop. saha adhibhūtādhi-daivēna sādhibhūtādhi-
daivaṁ ca, after ca you have to put a full stop. It is only a saṁskr̥ta compound
which is saha bahuvrīhi and it means sa in that compound means along with sa
adhibhūtādhidaivam. Sa means along with, adhibhūtam and adhidaivam, then mām
ca – along with Me, the paramātmā, yē viduḥ – they will come to know, and not
only that, sādhi-yajñaṁ ca is equal to saha adhi-yajñēna sādhi-yajñam, this is in
parenthesis or in bracket. Sādhi-yajñam there also saha means along with
adhiyajñam, yē viduḥ – these jñānis will know and prayāṇakālē api ca māṁ tē
viduḥ – whatever they know during their life, they will know and remember at the
time of prayāṇam, maraṇam also. Prayāṇakālē is in the mūlam, is equal to
maraṇakālē ca, māṁ tē viduḥ – they will come to know. And who are those people?
Yukta-cētasaḥ is equal to samāhitah-cittāḥ – those people with focus in life,
priorities in life. Yukta-cētasaḥ can be understood as niṣkāma-bhaktas or jijñāsu-
bhaktas.
The anvaya is, yē yukta-cētasaḥ sādhibhūta-adhidaivam, sādhiyajñam ca mām

viduḥ, tē prayāṇa-kālē api ca mām viduḥ.
We have completed the seventh chapter of the Gītā and we have to enter the eighth
chapter and before entering the next chapter I want to share a note with you. This
is a nice note given by one of the commentators of the Gītā by name Nīlakaṇṭhaḥ.
Nīlakaṇṭhaḥ is the name of the ācārya who has written a commentary on the entire
Mahābhāratam and that commentary Caturdharī Vyākhyānam (Bhāratabhādīpa) and
when he writes a commentary on the entire Mahābhāratam, naturally his
commentary will include Gītā vyākhyānam also. And in that Gītā-vyākhyānam he has
made a nice point I just wanted to share with you.
In the twenty-eighth verse of seventh chapter Kr̥ṣṇa has mentioned that when the
mind becomes sufficiently pure through the performance of nitya-naimittika-karma
or pañca-mahā-yajña the transformation that take place in the person is a gradual
shift of sakāma-bhakti to niṣkāma-bhakti, which transformation is the indication of
cittaśuddhi. And by niṣkāma-bhakti we mean that he would like to utilize the bhakti
for mōkṣa. So yēṣām tu antagatam pāpam janānām puṇya-karmaṇām tē dvandva-

mōha-nirmuktāḥ bhajantē mām dr̥ ḍha-vratāḥ. These people will become niṣkāma-
bhaktas. And who are niṣkāma-bhaktas? That is defined in the twenty-ninth verse
jarāmaraṇamōkṣāya yē yatanti. Niṣkāma-bhaktas will like to use their bhakti for
mōkṣa, jarā-maraṇa-mōkṣa. And this niṣkāma-bhakti is utilized for mōkṣa and
niṣkāma-bhakti can lead to mōkṣa in two different ways. What are those two
different ways? One is niṣkāma-bhakti leading to jīvan-mukti through jñānam itself.
Through jñānam one will get liberation here itself. And the second application of
niṣkāma-bhakti is following saguṇa-brahma niṣkāma-upāsana. So a niṣkāma-bhakta
can practice niṣkāma-upāsana of saguṇa Īśvara throughout the life and also at the
time of death and this niṣkāma-upāsana also will lead to mōkṣa. And what type of
mōkṣa it is called? Krama-mukti mōkṣaḥ through brahma lōka prāptiḥ. And this
Nīlakaṇṭhācārya says the twenty-ninth ślōka talks about Niṣkāma-upāsana leading to
sadyōmukti in this life. And thirtieth ślōka talks about Niṣkāma-bhakti leading to
krama-mukti through saguṇa-upāsana. So twenty-ninth ślōka talks about sadyōmukti
in this janma and thirtieth ślōka talks about krama-mukti in through niṣkāma-
upāsana. And he extracts this meaning from the expression tē brahma viduḥ in the
twenty-ninth ślōka refers to jñānam and mōkṣa in this janma. And in the thirtieth
verse sādhi-bhūtādhi-daivaṁ mām indicates saguṇa-Īśvara who includes
adhibhūtam, adhidaivam, adhiyajñam, and there yē viduḥ indicates upāsatē. So
there are some other niṣkāma-bhaktas they don‟t come to nirguṇa-jñānam in this
janma, they practice adhibhūta, adhidaiva, adhiyajña-sahita-Īśvara-upāsana and not
only do they practice throughout the life, prayāṇakālē:'pi tē māṁ viduḥ, viduḥ
means they practice upāsana and they get krama-mukti.
So thus twenty-ninth and thirtieth talks about sadyō-mukti and krama-mukti both for
niṣkāma-bhakta only. And thus Nīlakaṇṭhaḥ takes these two ślōkas as two types of
mukti. He indicates all these ideas in his commentary. Not only that he takes the
verses twenty-nine and thirtieth as sūtra-ślōkas also. Sadyō-mukti sūtra-ślōka in
twenty-ninth and Krama-mukti sūtra-ślōka in the thirtieth ślōka. And if both are
sūtra-ślōkas, sūtram means capsule verse, they will require elaboration. So krama-
mukti ślōka will require elaboration and sadyō-mukti ślōka also will require
elaboration. Where do you find the elaboration? The eighth chapter is the
elaboration of krama-mukti-ślōka number thirty of the seventh chapter. And ninth
chapter will be the elaboration of sadyō-mukti-ślōka and number twenty-nine of the
seventh chapter. So twenty-ninth ślōka is commented in the ninth chapter and
thirtieth verse is commentated in the eighth chapter. That is why the crucial word of
verse thirty is prayāṇa-kālē. Throughout the eighth chapter antakālē ca māmēva

smaranmuktvā kalēvaram (Gītā 8-5) is talked about. This is the interesting note seen
in the Caturdharī Vyākhyānam.
With this the thirtieth verse is also over and the seventh chapter is also over.
इगत श्रीमत्परमहांसपररवारजकाचाययस्य श्रीगोगवन्दभगवत्पूजयपादशिष्यस्य श्रीमच्छङ् करभगवताः कृतौ

श्रीमद्भगवद्गीताभाष्ये सप्तमोऽध्यायाः ॥

downloaded from arshaavinash.in

Chapter 08- Akṣarabrahma-yōga
282 Verses 08-01 to 08-03
(8th chapter Starts at Timeline 14.15 – before that pertains to Seventh)
Introduction bhāṣyam;
‘ते ब्रह्म तगद्वरृाः कृत्स्नम् [गीता ७-२९[ इत्याददना भगवता अजुयनस्य प्रश्नबीजागन उपददष्टागन । अताः तत्प्रश्नाथयम् अजुयनाः
उवाच––
„tē brahma tadviduḥ kr̥tsnam‟ [Gītā 7-29] ityādinā bhagavatā Arjunasya

praśnabījāni upadiṣṭāni | ataḥ tatpraśnārtham Arjunaḥ uvāca ––
„tē brahma tadviduḥ kr̥tsnam‟ [Gītā 7-29] refers to the second line of twenty-ninth
verse of seventh chapter. So beginning from that portion and also the next ślōka,
totally three lines tē brahma of twenty-ninth ślōka and the first and second line of
thirtieth ślōka, the last three lines of the seventh chapter, ityādinā Arjunasya
praśnabījāni upadiṣṭāni – Kr̥ṣṇa gave a statement to Arjuna which will lead to seven
questions. So question leading statements. So praśnabījam means statements which
will naturally lead to questions from Arjuna, with an intention that Arjuna must ask
the questions, Kr̥ṣṇa makes the statements. Therefore Arjunasya praśnabījāni, bījam
means seed for the question, bhagavatā upadiṣṭāni – it was started by the Lord.
Why do we call as the statement leading to question? Because he introduces

technical words which have got special meanings . In short, he introduces jargons in
the seventh chapter naturally Arjuna will not understand . Kr̥ṣṇa‟s intention is Arjuna
should not understand. And only then Arjuna will ask the questions. There are some
students who will nod the head even if they don‟t understand anything, and they will
not ask any question surprising the guru. Then guru will know that śiṣya is not
interested. This is one of the methods. Use an non-understandable word and see the
response. If the student keeps on nodding the head, you can understand that the
student is not interested in the teaching. But fortunately Arjuna was a jijñāsu,
therefore he asks the relevant questions. Ataḥ – because of these unknown technical
words, tatpraśnārtham – for clarification regarding those seven expressions. Arjunaḥ
uvāca – Arjuna ask the questions in the first two verses of the eighth chapter. We
will read the ślōkas
अजुयनाः उवाच ।
Eighth Chapter downloaded from arshaavinash.in Page 3225

Arjunaḥ uvāca |
Verse 08-01 & 02

तकिं तद् ब्रह्म गकमध्यात्मां तकिं कमय पुरुषोिम ।
अयधभूतां च तकिं प्रोक्तमयधदै वां गकमुच्यते ॥ गीता ८-१ ॥
kiṁ tad brahma kimadhyātmaṁ kiṁ karma Puruṣōttama |

adhibhūtaṁ ca kiṁ prōktamadhidaivaṁ kimucyatē || Gītā 8-1 ||
अयधयज्ञाः कथां कोऽत्र दे हेऽस्स्मन्मधुसूदन ।

प्रयाणकाले च कथां ज्ञेयोऽशस गनयतात्मत्तभाः ॥ गीता ८-२ ॥
adhiyajñaḥ kathaṁ kō:'tra dēhē:'smin Madhusūdana |

prayāṇakālē ca kathaṁ jñēyō:'si niyatātmabhiḥ || Gītā 8-2 ||
For these two verses Śaṅkarācārya does not write a commentary at all because both
these ślōkas only introduce the question and the questions are very evident,
therefore no bhāṣyam. We will just see the running meaning of these ślōkas only.
Seven questions are asked. Kim tat brahma is the question number one, what is
Brahman? Kim adhyātmam question number two, what is adhyātmam? And you
should note that these words are not introduced by Arjuna, but they have been
introduced by Kr̥ṣṇa in seventh chapter twenty-ninth verse second line adhyātmam.
Therefore Arjuna asks kim adhyātmam. Then kim karma, third question, what is
karma? Puruṣōttama, Arjuna is addressing Lord Kr̥ṣṇa as Puruṣōttama. Hē
Puruṣōttama, it is sambōdhanā prathamā. Then adhibhūtam ca kim prōktam is the
fourth question, what is termed as adhibhūtam? Prōktam means termed. Then
adhidaivam kim ucyatē, what is said to be adhidaivam? It is the fifth question. Thus
in the first verse five questions are asked. Then in the second verse kaḥ adhiyajñaḥ,
who is adhiyajñaḥ? Where is that adhiyajñaḥ located? Arjuna himself refers to that,
atra asmin dēhē hē Madhusūdana, Hē Kr̥ṣṇa, atra – here, here means asmin dēhē –
in this body. Who is adhiyajña here in this body? And then katham, katham means
how or in what manner. But here the sentence is incomplete, katham means in what
manner, in what manner what that is not said here. So you will have to supply the
verb. Most of the time Śaṅkarācārya doesn‟t comment upon at all on the verbs. But
the sub-commentators supply the verb there, katham cintanīyaḥ. How should he the
adhiyajña be meditated upon? All the sub-commentators supply the verb katham
cintanīyaḥ, how should adhiyajña be meditated upon? Saguṇa-rūpēṇa vā nirguṇa-
rūpēṇa vā. If it is saguṇa-rūpēṇa what prayōjanam, nirguṇa-rūpēṇa what
prayōjanam etc. katham?

Or the second option is katham vartatē? How does adhiyajña remain in the body?
And for that what is the answer? Sākṣi-rūpēṇa adhiyajñaḥ vartatē. But even though
katham question has been raised here, Kr̥ṣṇa doesn‟t give the answer to the word
katham in an explicit manner. In fact, we have to extract the answer. Kr̥ṣṇa does not
explicitly answer the question katham. And the sub-commentators add another note
also. katham and kaḥ should not be made into two questions. You should join them
together and treat as only one question. Kaḥ adhiyajñaḥ katham vartatē? Both
together who is adhiyajña, and how does he remain and how should he be
meditated? All questions regarding adhiyajña must be treated as one question. Then
only totally there will be seven question. Adhiyajña related question is one. Arjuna is
addressing Kr̥ṣṇa as Madhusūdana; Hē Madhusūdana – the destroyer of the demon
called Madhu.
There is a difference between sub-commentary and the commentary. Sub-

commentary means one who writes commentary on commentary. Ānandagiri comes
under sub-commentator because he comments upon Śaṅkarācārya‟s commentary.
Whereas Nīlakaṇṭha Ācārya is not a sub-commentator because he directly comments
on the Gītā. Similarly, Madhusūdana Sarasvatī also directly writes on Gītā. These
sub-commentators and other commentators they often explain these different titles
of Kr̥ṣṇa given by Arjuna. So the word Madhusūdana comes. Śaṅkarācārya doesn‟t
bother to write a commentary on the word Madhusūdana, the word Puruṣōttama
etc., but commentators like Madhusūdana Sarasvatī explains these different titles of
Kr̥ṣṇa also. When the word Madhusūdana comes, Madhusūdana Sarasvatī
commentator explains Madhusūdana means destroyer of the demon Madhu. Madhu
and Kaiṭabha are two asuras destroyed by the Lord. Not only do they explain the
meaning, they also give the philosophical significance also. Śaṅkarācārya doesn‟t go
into those details at all. Not only does he explain Madhusūdana he also gives the
philosophical significance. Madhu is the name of a rākṣasa. And philosophically who
is that rākṣasa? Ahaṅkāra is the rākṣasa called Madhu. Why ahaṅkāra is called
madhu-rākṣasa? Madhu means honey, the word honey is used for someone who is
dear. The dearest one for everyone is ahaṅkāraḥ, jīva-bhāvaḥ. We don‟t want to
give up, that is why we love triangular-format. Love for triangular-format and
refusing to come to binary-format is because of the attachment to triangular-format
is attachment to jīva, not to Īśvara. Attachment to Īśvara is because of attachment
to jīva. And attachment to jīva is attachment to ahaṅkāra. And what does Bhagavān
do? By becoming brahmavidyā guru Bhagavān destroys madhu, the ahaṅkāra, the
jīva-bhāvaḥ. Madhu nāmānām ahaṅkāra-rūpa rākṣasam sūdayati nāśayati iti

Madhusūdanaḥ. Bhagavān in the form of guru destroys Madhu, destroys ahaṅkāra,

destroys jīva-bhāva, destroys triangular-format, and take the disciple to binary-
format. Madhusūdana Saraswati does not say binary format and all. Madhu is
ahaṅkāra rākṣasa. So hē Madhusūdana adhiyajñaḥ kaḥ. With this six questions are
over.
Now comes the seventh question. Is this question applicable to saguṇa-upāsaka or

nirguṇa-jñāni? The seventh question is applicable not to nirguṇa-jñāni but for
saguṇa-upāsaka. And what is that? prayāṇa-kālē – at the time of maraṇam, katham
jñēyaḥ asi – how are you to be meditated upon? Because now itself Īśvara-dhyānam
is difficult, how to practice Īśvara-dhyānam in ICU with ventilator. So katham jñēyaḥ
asi. By whom? Niyata-ātmabhiḥ – by the disciplined upāsaka. Ātmā here means
antaḥkaraṇam. Bahuvrīhi samāsa, niyataḥ ātmā antaḥkaraṇam yasya taiḥ – by the
disciplined upāsakas how are you to be meditated upon at the time of death?
Because this clause is compulsory for krama-mukti, whereas this is not compulsory
for a jñāni because jñāni doesn‟t seek krama-mukti because he has already got
jīvan-mukti. Therefore what does it matter where he dies, how he dies. If you
remember Tattva Bōdha, by chance, the last ślōka of Tattva Bōdha says, Tanuṁ
tyajatu vā kāśyāṁ śvapacasya gr̥h ē:'tha vā. jñānasamprāptisamayē muktō:'sau
vigatāśayaḥ (Tattva bōdha 13-7). Let him die in Kāśi or let him die cāṇḍāla house,
what does it matter, he has already got liberation while being alive. Therefore the
seventh question is particularly relevant to saguṇa-upāsaka seeking krama-mukti.
These are the seven questions.
The anvaya of these two verses is, hē Puruṣōttama! kim tat brahma? Kim
adhyātmam? (bhavathi is understood in all these questions) Kim karma? Kim
adhibhūtam prōktam? Kim ca adhidaivam ucyatē?
Hē Madhusūdana! kaḥ adhiyajñaḥ? (saḥ) atra asmin dēhē katham (vartatē)?

prayāṇa-kālē ca niyata-ātmabhiḥ (tvam) katham jñēyaḥ asi?
The word prayāṇam in the ślōka refers to what? Normal meaning is any journey or
yātrā is called prayāṇam. But here in the eighth chapter prayāṇam is the final
journey, that is maraṇam iti arthaḥ. Now we will go to the answers by Bhagavān, to
which Śaṅkarācārya gives an introduction.

एषाां प्रश्नानाां यथाक्रमां गनणययाय श्रीभगवानुवाच ––

ēṣāṁ praśnānāṁ yathākramaṁ nirṇayāya Śrī Bhagavān uvāca ––
ēṣāṁ praśnānāṁ nirṇayāya, nirṇayaḥ mean uttara kathanāya, for giving the answer
of these seven questions,, yathākramam – in the same order as Arjuna has asked.
Because in the thirteenth chapter also Arjuna asked six questions.
प्रकृगतम् पुरुषम् च एव क्ेत्रम् क्ेत्रज्ञम् एव च ॥ गीता १३-० ॥
prakr̥tim puruṣam ca ēva kṣētram kṣētrajñam ēva ca || Gītā 13-0 ||
but in the thirteenth chapter Kr̥ṣṇa does not answer in the same order. Arjuna asked
prakr̥tim puruṣam ca ēva in the beginning but Kr̥ṣṇa talked about puruṣa and prakr̥ti
in the end only. There the answer is not yathākramam but here it is yathākramam.
therefore Śaṅkarācārya notes it, yathākramam – in the same order. Ok, we will see
the answers, verse three.
Verse 08-03
अक्रां ब्रह्म परमां स्वभावोऽध्यात्ममुच्यते ।
भूतभावोद्भवकरो गवसगयाः कमयसांशज्ञताः ॥ गीता ८-३ ॥
akṣaraṁ brahma paramaṁ svabhāvō:'dhyātmamucyatē |

bhūtabhāvōdbhavakarō visargaḥ karmasaṁjñitaḥ || Gītā 8-3 ||
I will give you the gist of the verse. Of the seven questions Kr̥ṣṇa gives answers to
the first six question only in one word or one sentence. The answers are very very
brief. He gives elaborate reply only to the seventh question. He concentrates on
prayāṇakāla-Īśvara-smaraṇam because of this reason only the eighth chapter is
considered to be sacred for reading when a person is given up. If the death
suddenly happens then after death also during the thirteen days etc., chanting the
eighth-chapter is considered to be good because the whole eighth-chapter deals
with maraṇakālam only, because Kr̥ṣṇa wants to talk about krama-mukti in the
eighth-chapter. During the mūlam-study itself I have said the eighth-chapter is the
odd-chapter dealing with krama-mukti. Therefore the first six questions are replied
in one word, of them in the third verse the first three questions are answered. And
Brahman Kr̥ṣṇa defines as paramam akṣaram. Akṣaram means eternal, paramam
means absolutely eternal. The absolutely eternal one is called Brahman. Why do you
add an ‘adjective’ absolutely eternal? Because according to vēdānta two eternals are
there. Because Brahman is also eternal and māyā is also eternal, you should note.
And according to modern science matter is also eternal and according to vēdānta
Consciousness is also eternal. Two eternals are there – Consciousness and matter.

Therefore the word eternal can refer to either Consciousness or matter. So naturally
the word eternal will not clarify therefore you should add an appropriate adjective to
indicate whether you refer to Consciousness or matter. What is the appropriate-
adjective? We talk about changeless-eternity and changing-eternity. Matter is eternal
but eternally changing. It is eternal, but it is eternally-changing. Whereas
Consciousness is eternal, but it is eternally-unchanging. And therefore paramam-
akṣaram means unchangingly-eternal one is Brahman which is called absolute-
eternity. Whereas the other one is empirical-eternity, relative-eternity, changing-
eternity. In saṁskr̥ta we use the word kūṭhastha-nityam for non-changing eternity,
pravāha-nityam for changing eternity. Therefore paramam-akṣaram, non-changing
eternal principle is Brahman.
Then what is adhyātmam? Adhyātmam is equal to svabhāvaḥ – one‟s own essential

nature. bhāvaḥ means nature or svarūpam. sva means one‟s own, sva-bhāvaḥ
means svasvarūpam. It is one‟s own essential nature.
Madhusūdana Sarasvatī says paramam-akṣaram refers to tat-pada-lakṣyārtha;

svabhāvaḥ means tvam-pada-lakṣyārthaḥ. Paramam-akṣaram is paramātmā
svarūpam, svabhāvaḥ is jīvātmā-svarūpam. One is paramātmā and the other is
jīvātmā.
The second line is very significant, definition of karma is given. So karma is any
Vedic-ritual, visargaḥ means Vedic-ritual, which is the cause of punar-janma or the
next creation. So Vedic-ritual which is the cause of punar-janma, otherwise called
the next creation. Now here visargaḥ means Vedic-ritual can represent any action by
the jīva and bhūta-bhāva-udbhava-karaḥ means sr̥ ṣṭi, the cause of the birth of all
the living beings. Visargaḥ means karma. This I am saying significant because we
can derive a very important corollary from this line. That corollary is very significant.
Normally we say Bhagavān is sr̥ṣṭi-kāraṇam, jagat-kāraṇam. What is jagat-kāraṇam?

The common answer is Bhagavān is jagat-kāraṇam. Whereas this line says karma is
jagat-kāraṇam. Why is the world is born? Karma. So instead of using the word
Bhagavān, we say karma is the jagat-kāraṇam. From this we can derive several
important corollaries, therefore this line is important. This is elaborated in the
Saptānna Brāhmaṇam of Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat. First chapter, fifth section. So the
question is what is the cause of the creation? Normally we say God. Here Gītā says
karma is the cause of the creation. That means Bhagavān can never create the
world if he doesn‟t have the jīva‟s karma, as the medium as a means of creation. By
saying karma is the cause of the creation, the corollary we derive is Bhagavān can

never create a world even though he is omnipotent and omniscient, Bhagavān can
never create a world without the karma. Because if without karma Bhagavān creates
the world, Bhagavān will be responsible for the inequality of the creation. Bhagavān
is not responsible for the inequality of the creation because Bhagavān creates the
world only with the help of karma, the karmas are unequal. This the corollary
number one: Bhagavān can never create a world without the help of the karma.
Then what is the second corollary? If Bhagavān requires karma, karma is generated
by whom? Karma is generated not by Bhagavān, karma is generated by jīva that
means Bhagavān can never create a world without the help of karma means,
Bhagavān can never create the world without the help of jīva. This message is very
important. Bhagavān an never create a world without the help of jīva. Therefore
who is the creator of the world, if somebody asks you, you should say Bhagavān and
jīva together contribute to the sr̥ṣṭi. Īśvara and jīva together contribute to the sr̥ṣṭi.
Īśvara contributes through his omniscience and omnipotence, jīva contributes
through karma. Therefore who creates? Jīva-Īśvara- dvayam sr̥ṣṭi-kāraṇam. Never
blame Īśvara never blame jīva. Either blame both of them or give credit to both of
them. jīva also should take the credit.
So what is the significance of the second line? Kēvalaḥ Īśvaraḥ na sr̥ṣṭi-kāraṇam jīva
sahita Īśvaraḥ sr̥ṣṭi-kāraṇam. or Īśvara-sahita-jīvaḥ sr̥ṣṭi-kāraṇam. This is the second
corollary.
The third and the last corollary is therefore only both of them are anādi. Both of
them means jīva and Īśvara. So Īśvara with kāraṇa-prapañca and jīva with kāraṇa-
śarīram both of them are anādi, and both of them together create the world. What is
the definition of world? Sūkṣma-śarīram sūkṣma-prapañca sthūla-śarīram sthūla-
prapañca; both of them are the cause of the world. The definition of the world is
kāraṇa-śarīram should not be defined as world because kāraṇa-śarīram is anādi,
kāraṇa-prapañca is also anādi. Therefore kāraṇa-prapañca-sahita Īśvaraḥ kāraṇa-
śarīra-sahita-jīvaḥ both of them are anādi, the two produce the world and the world
includes four factors sūkṣma-śarīram, sthūla-prapañca, sthūla-śarīram, sthūla-
prapañca; these four factored universe is created not by Īśvara alone, I contribute
the sr̥ṣṭi of this body. What is my contribution? Karma. And what is Īśvara‟s
contribution? Omniscience and omnipotent. Īśvara-saṅkalpa mātrēṇa he creates with
the help of my karma he creates this body. Therefore who creates jīva? Nobody can
create jīva because jīva is anādi. Until now I talked for ten minutes and I am asking
the question who created the jīva, and you are thinking seriously for the answer!

You should not immediately answer, nobody creates jīva, because jīva is anādi. Then
when we talk about the creation of jīva, it is a mistake, we take the body as jīva and
we talk about the creation of jīva wrongly. You can say body is created, you should
never never say jīva is created. Anādi-jīva and anādi-Īśvara together create the sādi-
śarīram. Sādi means with a beginning. Jīva is also not created, Īśvara is also not
created.
Another two more important corollaries we will discuss. These topics are so nicely
discussed in brahmasūtra; those two also we will see and go to the ślōka in the next
class.
ॐ पर्
ू मण दः पर्
ू मण मदम ् पर्
ू ाणत्पर्
ू मण द
ु च्यते । पर्
ू स्
ण य पर्
ू मण ादाय पर्
ू मण ेिािमिष्यते॥ ॐ िान्तः िान्तः
िान्तः ॥ हररः ॐ.

283 Verse 08-03
Page 211, Chapter 8, third verse
Verse 08-03
अक्रां ब्रह्म परमां स्वभावोऽध्यात्ममुच्यते ।
भूतभावोद्भवकरो गवसगयाः कमयसांशज्ञताः ॥ गीता ८-३ ॥
akṣaraṁ brahma paramaṁ svabhāvō:'dhyātmamucyatē |

bhūtabhāvōdbhavakarō visargaḥ karmasaṁjñitaḥ || Gītā 8-3 ||
In this eighth chapter Arjuna raised seven questions in the first two verses. And all
the seven questions are anupraśnāḥ, questions based on the teaching given in the
previous chapter. When a question is independently it is called praśnaḥ, when it is
asked based on the teaching before we call it anupraśnaḥ. So seven anupraśnāḥ
Arjuna asked. Five questions in the first verse, and two questions in the second
verse. And Kr̥ṣṇa started giving the answer in the third verse, wherein the first three
questions are answered. What is Brahman? What is adhyātmam? And What is
karma? And while defining karma, Kr̥ṣṇa makes a profound statement. Kr̥ṣṇa says
karma is the cause of the creation. Normally we say Īśvara is the jagat-kāraṇam but
peculiarly Kr̥ṣṇa says karma is the jagat-kāraṇam. Once you use the word karma it
means jīvaḥ because karma is associated only with jīva. Īśvara doesn‟t have karma –
puṇyam or pāpam. So by saying karma is jagat-kāraṇam, Kr̥ṣṇa indirectly says jīva is
jagat-kāraṇam. So naturally the question will come is Īśvara the jagat-kāraṇam
which is popular or is jīva jagat-kāraṇam? This is unique in the eighth chapter. For
which we gave the answer in the last class I said it is based on the Saptānna
Brāhmaṇam of Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat first chapter fifth brāhmaṇam, both answers
are equally correct. The answer given there is that Īśvara and jīva together is the
jagat-kāraṇam. kēvala Īśvara can never create the world. For kēvala-Īśvara there is
no necessity to create the world. And of course kēvala-jīva (jīva by himself) also can
never create the world. Therefore Īśvara-jīva joint venture is creation. Because of
this reason only we should note both of them are anādi. We should very clearly note
jīva is also anādi, Īśvara is also anādi, anādi jīva plus anādi-Īśvara together is the
cause of the creation which is a cyclic process.
अव्यक्तादीगन भूतागन व्यक्तमध्यागन भारत ।

अव्यक्तगनधनान्येव तत्र का पररदे वना ॥ गीता २-२८ ॥

avyaktādīni bhūtāni vyaktamadhyāni bhārata |
avyaktanidhanānyēva tatra kā paridēvanā || Gītā 2-28 ||
न रूपमस्येह तथोपलभ्यते नान्तो न चाददनय च सम्प्रगतष्ठा ॥ गीता १५-३ ॥

na rūpamasyēha tathōpalabhyatē nāntō na cādirna ca sampratiṣṭhā || Gītā 15-3
||
Anādi Īśvara has got kāraṇa-prapañca with him, anādi-jīva has got kāraṇa-śarīram
with him. Therefore anādi-Īśvara with anādi kāraṇa-prapañca and anādi-jīva with
anādi kāraṇa-śarīram, this mixture is jagat-kāraṇam. Kāraṇa-prapañca contributes to
the creation of sūkṣma-prapañca and sthūla-prapañca, kāraṇa-śarīram contributes to
the creation of sūkṣma-śarīram and sthūla-śarīram.
Whenever we say jīva is created, we should note really speaking jīva is not created,
it is only the sthūla-śarīram that is created, the creation of sthūla-śarīram we
wrongly call it as jīva-sr̥ṣṭi. Creation of sthūla-śarīram we wrongly call as jīva-sr̥ṣṭi
and it is figurative jīva-sr̥ṣṭi; actually jīva is never created, because even before
creation we all existed but not with this body but we all existed in our kāraṇa-
śarīram. And this body was there in the kāraṇa-śarīram and this body was potentially
present in the form of sañcita-karma. You can go on and on and on and it is a very
big topic and one more topic and thereafter we will move on.
If jīva and Īśvara together is the cause of the creation, how come in all the
upaniṣats we say Īśvara alone was there, ātmā vā idamēka ēvāgra āsīt
(Aitarēyōpaniṣat 1-1-1); brahma vā idamēka ēvāgra āsīt. There was only one
tattvam before the sr̥ṣṭi. Ēkam ēva advitīyam (Chāndōgyōpaniṣat 6-2-1). There was
only one, how come the scriptures say? They should have said two – jīva and Īśvara.
For that our answer is jīva is not separately enumerated because in the kāraṇa-
avasthā before the creation of ākāśa, vāyu, etc., in the kāraṇa-avasthā, kāraṇa-
prapañcam and kāraṇa-śarīram are not distinctly experienced. Kāraṇa śarīra and
kāraṇa-prapañca both were there but kāraṇa-śarīram, the micro cannot be
separately experienced different from kāraṇa-prapañca, the macro. So micro-macro-
difference can be experienced only after dēśa-kāla manifestation. Māyākalpita
dēśakālakalanā vaicitryacitrīkr̥tam (Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti Stōtram 2). So micro-macro-
difference is only after dēśa kāla and before that micro-macro were there, but they
cannot be distinctly experienced, just as in our sleep we don‟t distinctly experience
our sūkṣma-śarīram, our sthūla-śarīram, vyaṣṭi, samaṣṭi we don‟t experience any one

of them. Therefore we enumerate Īśvara only because all the micro-jīvas are
included in the Īśvara.
And last one more point. If anādi-jīva and anādi-Īśvara together is the jagat-
kāraṇam, what happens to your advaitam? There is anādi-jīva, there is anādi-Īśvara,
if you separately enumerate anādi-jīva and anādi-Īśvara what happens to advaita
tattvam; if you ask, our answer is we never talk about advaitam from vyāvahārika-
standpoint. In vyāvahārikam we never talk about advaitam; in vyāvahārika, in the
field of māyā, eternally there is always micro-macro-bhēda, in vyavaharika. Before
sr̥ṣṭi also at vyāvahārika-level micro-macro-bhēda is there in potential-form, after
sr̥ṣṭi, micro-macro-bhēda will be there in active-form. Vyakta-rūpēṇa or avyakta-
rūpēṇa micro-macro-bhēda will be there eternally in vyāvahārika level, but what
vēdānta wants to teach us is behind this vyāvahārika, in and through vyāvahārika,
there is pāramārthika-caitanyam in which jīva-jagat-Īśvara-bhēda are māyā-kalpita.
Jīva-jagat-Īśvara-bhēda are in vyāvahārika plane, all the three are māyā-kalpita. Jīva
is also māyā-kalpita, Īśvara is also māyā-kalpita, jagat is also māyā-kalpita. That is
why upaśānta-jagajjīva-śiṣyācāry-ēśvara-bhramam. svataḥ siddhamanādyantaṁ
paripūrṇamahaṁ mahaḥ (Advaita Makaranda 27).
When jñānam comes a person negates all the following as bhramam. What are
they? Jagat, jīva, Īśvara, śiṣya-ācārya. All these are upaśāntam. Upaśāntam means
falsified, there will be no difference in experience, cognitively I understand they all
have got only vyāvahārika-satyam, this vyāvahārika-satyam is existing in Brahman,
which is my Self.
सुखां गनत्यां स्वप्रकािां व्यापकां नामरूपयोाः।

अयधष्ठानां बुद्द्यबोद्यां बुद्धेद्दय न् यतु गनमयलम् ॥ १ ॥
अपारां सवयदेदान्त वेद्यां प्रत्यक् परां महाः ।
तदे वाहां न मिोन्यददगत मे गनत्तिता मगताः ॥ २ ॥
sukhaṁ nityaṁ svaprakāśaṁ vyāpakaṁ nāmarūpayōḥ|

adhiṣṭhānaṁ buddyabōdyaṁ buddhērdgyatu nirmalam || 1 ||
apāraṁ sarvadēdānta vēdyaṁ pratyak paraṁ mahaḥ |
tadēvāhaṁ na mattōnyaditi mē niścitā matiḥ || 2 ||
Do you feel familiar. Where these two verses come. Saturday morning, Vichara
Sagara, dhyāna sloka.
I am pāramārthika-adhiṣṭhānam in which jīva-jagat-Īśvara and all these three are

reveal the glory of māyā. Śaṅkarācārya writes five verses on māyā, the first verse is
nirupama-nitya-niraṁśakē:'pyakhaṇḍē (Māyā Pañcakam 1). I am the akhaṇḍa-

caitanyam. Akhaṇḍa means jīva-jagat-Īśvara division is not there in me, nirupama

nitya niraṁśakē:'pyakhaṇḍē mayi citi sarva-vikalpanādi-śūnyē. In me which is free
from all divisions ghaṭayati jagad-īśa-jīva-bhēdam this three-fold division is projected
by tvaghaṭitaghaṭanāpaṭīyasī māyā (Māyā Pañcakam 1). All these are corollaries of
this one profound line of Gītā eighth chapter third verse second line which we are
seeing now. Now we will go to the bhāṣyam.
अक्षरं न क्रगत इगत परमात्मा, ‘तस्य वा अक्रस्य प्रिासने गार्गिं’ [बृहदारण्यकोपगनषत् ३-८-९] इगत श्रुतेाः ।
akṣaraṁ na kṣarati iti paramātmā, „tasya vā akṣarasya praśāsanē gārgi‟

[Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 3-8-9] iti śrutēḥ |
The first question is tad brahma kim? What is that Brahman? That Brahman referred
to is in the seventh chapter twenty-ninth verse second line. So what is that Brahman
? The answer is paramam akṣaram brahma bhavati. Brahman is paramam
akṣaram – the supreme akṣara. Now what is the meaning of the akṣara here?
Śaṅkarācārya? Na kṣarati iti akṣaram. Na kṣarati means that which can never be
negated by vēdānta-pramāṇam. Even jīva, jagat and Īśvara are negated by vēdānta-
pramāṇam, therefore they also come under only vyāvahārika-satyam or mithyā,
nirguṇa-tattvam alone is vēdānta-pramāṇa abādhyam. Therefore na kṣarati – that
which is not negated by vēdānta-pramāṇam which is the paramātmā-tattvam. This
akṣara has been elaborately talked about in Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat, one section is
exclusively dedicated for this, therefore the section is called akṣara-brāhmaṇam,
Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat, third chapter, eighth section. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya quotes
that, „tasya vā akṣarasya praśāsanē gārgi‟ [Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 3-8-9] That
definition is given
अस्थूलमनण्वह्रस्वमदीघयमलोगहतमस्नेहमच्छायमतमोऽवाय्वनाकािमसङ्गमरसमगन्धमचक्ुष्कमश्रोत्रमवागमनोऽतेजस्कमप्रा
णममुखममात्रमनन्तरमबाह्यम् ॥ बृहदारण्यकोपगनषत् ३-८-८ ॥
asthūlamanaṇvahrasvamadīrghamalōhitamasnēhamacchāyamatamō:'vāyvanākā
śamasaṅgamarasamagandhamacakṣuṣkamaśrōtramavāgamanō:'tējaskamaprāṇa
mamukhamamātramanantaramabāhyam (Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 3-8-8).
Twenty-three negations are done to define akṣaram and that akṣaram here is called
as Brahman. And the word Gārgi is given here because that is the dialogue between
Gārgi and Yājñavalkya. Iti śrutēḥ. Continuing;
ओङ् कारस्य च ‘ओयमत्येकाक्रां ब्रह्म’ [गीता ८-१३] इगत परेण गविेषणात् अग्रहणम् । परमम् इगत च गनरगतिये ब्रह्मत्तण
अक्रे उपपन्नतरम् गविेषणम् ।

Ōm̐kārasya ca „ōmityēkākṣaraṁ brahma‟ [Gītā 8-13] iti parēṇa viśēṣaṇāt

agrahaṇam | paramam iti ca niratiśayē brahmaṇi akṣarē upapannataram
viśēṣaṇam |
So here a possible doubt may come and therefore Śaṅkarācārya raises that doubt
and answers that question. Brahman is defined as akṣaram. And the word akṣara is
famously known in the scriptures as Ōm̐kāra also. Because akṣara means alphabetic
letter. Akṣara mālā etc., when you say akṣarābhyāsa when we do for our children,
what we do is we teach the alphabet only. So akṣara means alphabetical letter and
especially Ōm̐kāra is called akṣaram. And Brahman is defined as akṣaram, akṣaram
means Ōm̐kāra . Why cannot you take here also, Brahman is akṣaram and akṣaram
means Ōm̐kāra ? Not only that this particular meaning is employed by Kr̥ṣṇa himself
later in this chapter ōmityēkākṣaraṁ brahma vyāharan māmanusmaran (Gītā 8-13).
In the thirteenth verse Kr̥ṣṇa says brahma is akṣaram and akṣaram means Ōm̐kāra .
Ōm iti ēka-akṣaram brahma. And Kr̥ṣṇa says there at the time of death the upāsaka
should meditate upon God uttering Ōm̐kāra , remembering the Lord and Kr̥ṣṇa says
Ōm̐kāra is akṣaram brahma. Here also why can't you take akṣaram brahma as
Ōm̐kāra? Why do you go for nirguṇa-tattvam?
So Śaṅkarācārya says don‟t commit that mistake. Therefore he says

„ōmityēkākṣaraṁ brahma‟ [Gītā 8-13] iti pramāṇāt or iti vākyāt. Iti vākyāt is
understood. So by using this statement „ōmityēkākṣaraṁ brahma‟ [Gītā 8-13]
occurring in the thirteenth verse of this chapter, Ōm̐kārasya agrahaṇam – Ōm̐kāra
should not be taken. So by using the thirteenth ślōka as pramāṇa you don‟t take
here the word akṣaram brahma as Ōm̐kāra. So you have to rearrange the sentence
properly otherwise it is a confusing sentence. „Ōmityēkākṣaraṁ Brahma‟ [Gītā 8-13]
iti vākya pramāṇāt ōm̐kārasya agrahaṇam bhavati. Ōm̐kāra should not be taken
based on the thirteenth verse. And why it should not be taken? For that he gives the
logic. parēṇa viśēṣaṇāt – because here the word akṣaram is qualified with an
adjective which qualifying adjective is not there in the thirteenth verse. Therefore
you note the presence of an adjective in this verse which is not there in the
thirteenth verse. And what is that qualifying adjective? Paramam-akṣaram that
word is there in the third verse, that paramam word is not there in the thirteenth
verse. Then what is the expression? Ōmityēkākṣaraṁ brahma vyāharan. Paramam is
not there. The word paramam is an adjective which means supreme, the highest.
Paramam is an adjective which is superlative degree, the greatest akṣaram, the
supreme-akṣaram, the transcendental-akṣaram. And once the adjective paramam is
there, should we take nirguṇam-brahma as akṣaram or Ōm̐kāra as the akṣaram if

you ask, Ōm̐kāra doesn‟t deserve the adjective paramam because is Ōm̐kāra ,
vyāvahārika-satyam or pāramārthika-satyam? This fundamental doubt should not
come. Ōm̐kāra the syllable is never the supreme because it is only vyāvahārika satya
uttered iti śabda rūpam not Brahman. Whereas Brahman is pāramārthika-satyam.
Therefore the paramam viśēṣaṇam indicates that the akṣaram is not the śabda-
rūpa-akṣaram but it is nirguṇa-tattva rūpa-akṣaram. Therefore he says parēṇa
viśēṣaṇāt, here the word parēṇa means paramam iti parēṇa, here also we should
carefully note parēṇa is equal to paramam iti padēna viśēṣaṇāt – the adjective is
there. Therefore agrahaṇam. After agrahaṇam full stop. He explains that reason,
paramam iti ca – the adjective paramam can be used not for śabda-rūpa-Ōm̐kāra ,
it can be used for niratiśayē brahmaṇi – it can be employed only for niratiśayam-
brahma, that which is unsurpassable, the greatest. And the greatest here means
pāramārthika satyam alone deserves parama-viśēṣaṇam. Vyāvahārika-Ōm̐kāra
doesn‟t deserve that. Therefore niratiśayē brahmaṇi akṣarē upapannataram
viśēṣaṇam – the adjective is fitting proper. Therefore what is the conclusion?
Akṣaram-brahma is not Ōm̐kāra , akṣaram-brahma is nirguṇa-caitanyam only.
Continuing;
तस्य एव परस्य ब्रह्मणाः प्रगतदे हां प्रत्यगात्मभावाः स्व-भावाः । स्िभ िाः अध्य त्मम् उच्यते ।
tasya ēva parasya brahmaṇaḥ pratidēhaṁ pratyagātmabhāvaḥ sva-bhāvaḥ |

svabhāvaḥ adhyātmam ucyatē |
The first question has been answered. What is Brahman? Brahman is the absolute
reality. Now Kr̥ṣṇa comes to second question what is adhyātmam. For that Kr̥ṣṇa‟s
answer is svabhāvaḥ adhyātmam ucyatē. The word adhyātmam used in the
seventh chapter refers to svabhāvaḥ. Again Kr̥ṣṇa is confusing. Kr̥ṣṇa‟s job is that
only. Throughout the Gītā he creates the problem. Perhaps the idea is Kr̥ṣṇa wants a
person to study the Gītā under a guru only. Normally the word svabhāva means the
character of a person, the natural inclination of a person, sattva rajas tamōguṇa
composition of a person is called svabhāvaḥ. It is used in local language also „his
svabhāva is like that‟.
Here Kr̥ṣṇa uses the word svabhāva not in that meaning. Then what is the meaning?
Śaṅkarācārya explains, tasya ēva parasya brahmaṇaḥ – when that absolute reality
called Brahman, pratidēham bhāvaḥ – when it resides in every physical body as the
content of every body, pratidēham means tatsr̥ṣṭvā tadēvānuprāviśat. Brahman
creates the universe, Brahman creates all the bodies, and in each body Brahman
itself enters as it were, just like mahākāśa, the all-pervading space „enters‟ a pot as

soon as the pot is created, as even pot is created the all-pervading space is available
as the enclosed space, similarly, Brahman is available as the enclosed-
Consciousness. That enclosed Consciousness is sva-bhāvaḥ. sva means one‟s own
real nature, bhāvaḥ means residing in the form of. So Brahman residing as the real
nature of every jīva in his body. So sva refers to svarūpam, bhāvaḥ means
avasthānam. Jīva svarūpātmanā avasthānam svabhāvaḥ. And when Brahman is
available all over it is called parama ātmā. When the very same Brahman is available
within the body, it is called pratyag ātmā. Paramātmā is outside and pratyag ātmā is
inside, mahākāśa is outside and ghaṭākāśa is inside. Paramātmā is called Brahman
and pratyag ātmā is called sva-bhāvaḥ, adhyātmam otherwise sākṣi caitanyam iti
arthaḥ. Therefore svabhāvaḥ sākṣi caitanyam adhyātmam ucyatē, it is called
adhyātmam. Now Śaṅkarācārya wants to give the definition of adhyātmam?
आत्मानां दे हम् अयधकृत्य प्रत्यगात्मतया प्रवृिां परमाथय-ब्रह्म-अवसानां वस्तु स्वभावाः अध्यात्मम् उच्यते अध्यात्मिब्दे न
अत्तभधीयते ।
ātmānaṁ dēham adhikr̥tya pratyagātmatayā pravr̥ttaṁ paramārtha-brahma-

avasānaṁ vastu svabhāvaḥ adhyātmam ucyatē adhyātmaśabdēna abhidhīyatē |
So sākṣi-caitanyam is called adhyātmam, svabhāvaḥ means sākṣi-caitanyam, sākṣi-

caitanyam is called adhyātmam. Why do you name sākṣi-caitanyam as adhyātmam?
He says in the word adhyātmam there are two components. Adhi and ātmam.
Śaṅkarācārya says in the adhyātmam, the ātmam component refers to the body or
śarīram. And adhi means connected to . So adhi means adhikr̥tya – connected to,
ātmam means śarīram. So adhi-ātmam means connected to the body, related to the
body; by extension it means enclosed in the body. Connected to the body, related to
the body which means enclosed in the body, the embodied one. adhyātmam means
the embodied one, the enclosed one, the circumscribed one, the clothed one, is
called adhyātmam. Therefore he says ātmānam is equal to dēham, adhikr̥tya –
connected to the body, pratyagātmatayā, as the internally enclosed one,
pratyagātmatayā means as internally enclosed Self , pravr̥ttam means vartam ānam,
whatever obtains, whatever is available as the enclosed Consciousness, in fact,
whenever we use the word I, the word I refers to the enclosed Consciousness only.
In fact, we do not understand that. Therefore pratyagātmatayā pravr̥ttam vastu ,
vastu means that reality and Śaṅkarācārya adds another interesting note
paramārtha-brahma-avasānam – which alone is finally discovered as identical with
paramātmā, the enclosed Consciousness is that which is finally discovered;
avasānam means finally discovered as the unenclosed all-pervading Consciousness.
Because the difference between enclosed-Consciousness and unenclosed-

Consciousness is only a seeming difference, there is no actual difference between

the enclosed-Consciousness and the unenclosed- Consciousness. And that
pratyagātmā is called svabhāvaḥ. That svabhāvaḥ, sākṣi caitanyam is called
adhyātmam ucyatē. Adhyātmam ucyatē is in the mūlam, is equal to
adhyātmaśabdēna abhidhīyatē – is referred to by the term adhyātmam. Adhyātmam,
svabhāvaḥ, pratyagātmā, sākṣi-caitanyam – all these four words are identical,
synonymous. Arjuna may you note this, don‟t doze off. Because Kr̥ṣṇa has got only
one student and even if that fellow dozes off! So he should not doze off. Continuing;
भूत-भ ि-उद्भिकराः – भूतानाां भावाः भूतभावाः । तस्य उद्भवाः भूतभावोद्भवाः । तां करोगत इगत भूतभावोद्भवकराः, भूत-
वस्तु-उत्पत्तिकराः इगत अथयाः । विसगथाः गवसजयनां दे वता-उद्दे िेन चरुपुरोडािादे ाः िव्यस्य पररत्यागाः । साः एषाः गवसगयलक्णो
यज्ञाः कमथ-संसज्ञताः कमयिग्ब्दत इगत एतत् । एतस्मात् गह बीजभूतात् वृष्ट्याददक्रमेण स्थावरजङ्गमागन भूतागन उद्भवन्न्त ॥
bhūta-bhāva-udbhavakaraḥ – bhūtānāṁ bhāvaḥ bhūtabhāvaḥ | tasya udbhavaḥ

bhūtabhāvōdbhavaḥ | taṁ karōti iti bhūtabhāvōdbhavakaraḥ, bhūta-vastu-
utpattikaraḥ iti arthaḥ | visargaḥ visarjanaṁ dēvatā-uddēśēna carupurōḍāśādēḥ
dravyasya parityāgaḥ | saḥ ēṣaḥ visargalakṣaṇō yajñaḥ karma-saṁjñitaḥ
karmaśabdita iti ētat | ētasmāt hi bījabhūtāt vr̥ṣṭyādikramēṇa
sthāvarajaṅgamāni bhūtāni udbhavanti ||
Now Śaṅkarācārya goes to the second line of the ślōka. Here the third question is
being answered. First two questions are over – brahma and adhyātmam. Now the
third question is what is karma, and the answer is bhūta-bhāva-udbhavakaraḥ
visargaḥ is the definition of karma. For that Śaṅkarācārya takes the compound
bhūta-bhāva-udbhavakaraḥ. So three words are there. After that word we have to
put an en dash, Śaṅkarācārya is splitting the compound and gives the meaning.
Bhūtānāṁ bhāvaḥ is equal to bhūtabhāvaḥ. ṣaṣṭhī tatpuruṣa samāsa. So
bhūtabhāvaḥ means bhūtānāṁ bhāvaḥ, bhāvaḥ means manifestation, abhivyaktiḥ.
Bhūta means all the living beings, you can include things also, beings also. So the
manifestation of all the beings is called bhūtabhāvaḥ. Then tasya udbhavaḥ is equal
to bhūtabhāvōdbhavaḥ. That is also ṣaṣṭhī tatpuruṣa samāsa. These are all for
grammar students. It contains two ṣaṣṭhī tatpuruṣa samāsas. Tasya udbhavaḥ
means arrival of the manifestation of all the living beings. In fact, essentially arrival
of the manifestation we need not say but Kr̥ṣṇa has used that expression; arrival of
manifestation means manifestation of all beings. Then taṁ karōti iti – whatever
brings about such an event, whatever causes such an event, the cause of such an
event is called bhūtabhāvōdbhavakaraḥ. The cause of such an event means the
arrival of the manifestation of all the living beings. Then the next question is what
causes that? So taṁ karōti iti bhūtabhāvōdbhavakaraḥ is equal to bhūta-vastu-
utpattikaraḥ iti arthaḥ. Bhūtabhāvaḥ he translates as bhūta-vastu, vastu means

manifestation only. Udbhava means utpatti. Therefore bhūtabhāvōdbhavakaraḥ

means bhūta-vastu-utpattikaraḥ which means whatever causes the arrival of the
manifestation of all the living beings. In short, jagat-kāraṇam. Iti arthaḥ, full stop.
Then what is that jagat-kāraṇam? He says visargaḥ. Again there is confusion. If
you look at the dictionary visargaḥ means dropping, throwing, and even excretion
process is called visargaḥ. So what meaning should be taken? Śaṅkarācārya writes a
commentary, therefore we are safe, otherwise there will be a problem. Śaṅkarācārya
says visargaḥ here means dropping. Dropping of what? Dropping of the oblations in
agnikuṇḍa during a vaidika-yāga. In simple English oblation in a Vedic-ritual is called
visargaḥ. By extension finally visargaḥ means a Vedic-ritual. Because only in a Vedic-
ritual we offer oblations. Therefore he says, visargaḥ is equal to visarjanam. And
visarjanam is equal to dēvatā-uddēśēna carupurōḍāśādēḥ dravyasya parityāgaḥ.
Parityāgaḥ means offering or dropping into the hōmakuṇḍa. Of what? dravyasya
means various materials. And what are the materials used in the yōga? You cannot
choose your own things. carupurōḍāśādēḥ, caru means a liquid material made out of
various grains as prescribed in the vēdas. You cannot do anything you like. In
English we call it as gruel is called caru. Purōḍāśa is another kind of solid material
made like the cake, out of grains as prescribed by the vēdas. This small „vadai sized
adai‟ is called purōḍāśa. And these are also to be offered. Śaṅkarācārya gives these
two examples, one is liquid material and another is solid material. So caru, purōḍāśa
etcetera. Etcetera means ghee, milk etc., are also there in agnihōtra. Dravyasya –
various specifically or specially prepared materials when you drop in the agni
ritualistically. And not only we have to drop in the agni everything has to be done
exactly as prescribed in the vēdas. In the preparation of agni also there are rules. All
this we have seen in Muṇḍakōpaniṣat. The type of hōmakuṇḍa and its size, how
many bricks are to be used etc., are prescribed in the vēdas.
या इष्टका यावतीवाय यथा वा । स चागप तत्प्रत्यवदद्यथोक्तां अथास्य मृत्युाः पुनरेवाह तुष्टाः ॥ कठोपगनषत् १-१-१५ ॥
yā iṣṭakā yāvatīrvā yathā vā | sa cāpi tatpratyavadadyathōktaṁ athāsya mr̥tyuḥ

punarēvāha tuṣṭaḥ || Kaṭhōpaniṣat 1-1-15 ||
Yamadharma rājā taught all this to Nacikētas. agni has to be ritualistically prepared,
they have to be dropped also in a ritualistic manner with svāhākāra. agnayē svāhā.
Prajāpatayē svāhā, svāhā must be uttered. Svāhā is supposed to be the wife of agni.
When you want to give to agni you have to approach Mrs. Agni. That is why for any
oblations or obligations, the people approach the minister through his wife. Uttering
the word svāhā, dravyam should be offered. At the time of utterance of svāhā we
have to mention the address and the name of the dēvatā to whom the oblations are

offered. Because remember in Vedic-ritual agni serves as a messenger. All things

you know. In this context you should remember. When I am giving oblations to agni,
agni will ask for the address. And since the name of the dēvatā is mentioned it is
called dēvatā-uddēśa. So when yāga is defined in pūrva mīmāṁsā śāstra; the
definition of a yāga is dēvatā-uddēśēna – uttering the name of the dēvatā along with
svāhā. uddēśēna means intending a particular dēvatā, agnau – into the agni,
dravyasya-tyāgaḥ yāgaḥ. Dēvatā-uddēśēna agnau dravyasya-tyāgaḥ yāgaḥ. And
there also they make a difference between yāga and hōma. One of them is
remembering the dēvatā and saying this is for you. And you drop it. But it is not
complete, when you offer dēvatā the dēvatā becomes the owner of that material you
have offered. But that is not enough. That ownership of the dēvatā is complete only
when you disown that material. If you don‟t disown that material it will become joint
ownership. Therefore yāga involves transferring the ownership and dropping my
ownership. That is why after svāhākāra, we have to add svāhā agnayē idam, na
mama. Agnayē-idam is transferring the ownership, na mama is equally or more
important. That is why purōhita will say please tell na mama, even when he gets
dakṣiṇā. Or else it will become joint ownership. And therefore dēvatā-uddēśēna
agnau dravyasya tyāgaḥ yāgaḥ. It is the classical pūrva-mīmāṁsā definition of a
yāga, Śaṅkarācārya is giving that definition here. dēvatā-uddēśēna carupurōḍāśādēḥ
dravyasya parityāgaḥ that is called yāgaḥ. After this put a full stop. saḥ ēṣaḥ
visarga-lakṣaṇaḥ yajñaḥ – so this process of dropping or oblation which is popularly
known in vēdapūrva bhāga as yajñaḥ or yāgaḥ and this Vedic yajña or yāga alone is
karma-saṁjñitaḥ – is called karma, when you asked what is karma. This yāga
alone is called karma-saṁjñitaḥ. karma-saṁjñitaḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to
karmaśabdita is termed as karma.
284 Verses 08-03 to 08-05
Page 212 bhāṣyam 3rd paragraph 4th line.

विसगथाः गवसजयनां दे वता-उद्दे िेन चरुपुरोडािादे ाः िव्यस्य पररत्यागाः । साः एषाः गवसगयलक्णो यज्ञाः कमथ-संसज्ञताः कमयिग्ब्दत
इगत एतत् । एतस्मात् गह बीजभूतात् वृष्ट्याददक्रमेण स्थावरजङ्गमागन भूतागन उद्भवन्न्त ॥

visargaḥ visarjanaṁ dēvatā-uddēśēna carupurōḍāśādēḥ dravyasya parityāgaḥ |

saḥ ēṣaḥ visargalakṣaṇō yajñaḥ karma-saṁjñitaḥ karmaśabdita iti ētat | ētasmāt
hi bījabhūtāt vr̥ṣṭyādikramēṇa sthāvarajaṅgamāni bhūtāni udbhavanti ||
In this third verse Lord Kr̥ṣṇa is answering the first three questions of Arjuna and the
third question is kim karma, what is karma? and Kr̥ṣṇa gave the answer bhūta-
bhāva-udbhavakaraḥ visargaḥ karma-saṁjñitaḥ. There the word visargaḥ
Śaṅkarācārya was commenting. Visargaḥ is equal to visarjanam is equal to dēvatā-
uddēśēna carupurōḍāśādēḥ dravyasya parityāgaḥ. Offering various solid and liquid
oblations into the fire and through the fire offered to various dēvatās. And saḥ ēṣaḥ
visarga-lakṣaṇaḥ yajñaḥ karma-saṁjñitaḥ – this vaidhika-yajña alone is called karma
in verse three. Karma-saṁjñitaḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to saṁjñitaḥ karmaśabdita
iti ētat. Then Śaṅkarācārya adds a note ētasmāt hi bījabhūtāt vr̥ ṣṭyādikramēṇa
sthāvarajaṅgamāni bhūtāni udbhavanti. This line is based on a well-known
Manusmr̥ti ślōka. In Manusmr̥ti it is said it is only the yāga performed they go to the
Āditya or Sūrya maṇḍalam, and blessed Sūrya Bhagavān the rains occur and from
the rains all the things and beings are born. There is a ślōka, agnau prāstāhutiḥ
samyag ādityaṁ upatiṣṭhatē. ādityājjāyatē vr̥ṣṭirvr̥ṣṭērannaṁ tataḥ prajāḥ
(Manusmr̥ti 3-76). The oblations which are offered into the agni in the form of
adr̥ṣṭa puṇyam they will go and rise and reach Sūrya Bhagavān ādityam upatiṣṭhatē.
Ādityājjāyatē vr̥ṣṭiḥ – from Sūrya Bhagavān that is because of the blessings of Sūrya
Bhagavān alone ādityājjāyatē vr̥ṣṭiḥ, vr̥ṣṭiḥ means the rain and tataḥ vr̥ṣṭēr annam –
because of the rain alone annam is born, plenty of food. And tataḥ prajāḥ
utpadyantē – and from the annam alone which enters the parental body it will get
converted into annādvai prajāḥ prajāyantē (Taittirīyōpaniṣat 2-2-1). Therefore vr̥ṣṭēr
annam tataḥ prajāḥ. This is the Manusmr̥ti ślōka. This is in the shorter scale but if
you analyze in the bigger scale, the karma done by the entire humanity reaches
Bhagavān and Bhagavān alone is responsible for the next sr̥ṣṭi at the macro-scale.
Śaṅkarācārya is here referring to the micro-scale creation. So ētasmāt hi bījabhūtāt
karmaṇaḥ; karma understood, from this vaidhika-karma, bījabhūtāt – which is the
seed or the root cause vr̥ṣṭyādikramēṇa – through vr̥ṣṭi, vr̥ṣṭi means the rains,
kramēṇa – manusmr̥ti ukta m ārgēṇa, manusmr̥ti ukta kram ēṇa, sthāvarajaṅgamāni
bhūtāni – all the living beings in the form of sthāvaram, sthāvaram means non-
moving living-beings, rocks will not come under living-beings. Non-moving living
being means trees and plants. So sthāvaram means plant kingdom, and jaṅgama
means moving-living-beings, all the animals birds including human-being, highly
mobile with the mobile. They are called jaṅgamāni. Bhūtāni udbhavanti. And why

does he write this line? Bhūta-bhāva-udbhavakaraḥ word is there in the mūlam that
he is connecting. Up to this we saw in the last class.
The anvaya is, brahma paramam akṣaram (bhavati) | svabhāvaḥ adhyātmam ucyatē
| bhūta-bhāva-udbhavakaraḥ visargaḥ karma-saṁjñitaḥ (bhavati) | Continuing;
Verse 08-04
अयधभूतां क्रो भावाः पुरुषिायधदै वतम् ।
अयधयज्ञोऽहमेवात्र दे हे दे हभृताां वर ॥ गीता ८-४ ॥
adhibhūtaṁ kṣarō bhāvaḥ puruṣaścādhidaivatam |

adhiyajñō:'hamēvātra dēhē dēhabhr̥tāṁ vara || Gītā 8-4 ||
First I will give you the gist of the verse. In this verse Kr̥ṣṇa is answering the next
three questions of Arjuna, viz., adhi-bhūtam adhi-daivatam and adhi-yajñaḥ. He
defines adhibhūtam as the entire creation. Kṣaraḥ-bhāvaḥ means perishable creation
that includes the perishable body also. The whole creation along with body is called
adhi-bhūtam because it is meant for living-beings. Bhūtam here means living-beings.
Adhi-bhūtam means that which is meant for living-beings. The creation is meant for
living-beings because to exhaust the puṇya-pāpam alone Bhagavān has given the
universe. Even the body has been given only for exhausting our puṇya-pāpam.
Therefore whatever has been produced for the sake bhūtāni (living-beings) is called
adhi-bhūtam. In short, the world is called adhi-bhūtam. Then adhi-daivatam is
puruṣaḥ and here the word puruṣaḥ means Hiraṇyagarbhaḥ. We have to carefully
note. The word puruṣaḥ has several meanings, body is also called puruṣaḥ, jīvātmā
is called puruṣaḥ, paramātmā is called puruṣaḥ, every male is called puruṣaḥ. And in
this context none of the meanings should be taken. Here the word puruṣaḥ means
Hiraṇyagarbhaḥ. And the word adhiyajñaḥ means Īśvara. And what is difference
between Hiraṇyagarbha and Īśvara? Samaṣṭi-sūkṣma-śarīra-abhimāni is
Hiraṇyagarbha, samaṣṭi-kāraṇa-śarīra-abhimāni is Īśvara. Hiraṇyagarbha is the
eldest son of Īśvara. In Puranic language Īśvara is Viṣṇu and Hiraṇyagarbha is
brahmā. From Viṣṇu‟s naval Brahmāji appeared. That brahmā is Hiraṇyagarbha only.
So this is the gist, now we will go to the bhāṣyam.
असध-भूतं प्रात्तणजातम् अयधकृत्य भवगत इगत । काः असौ? क्राः क्रगत इगत क्षराः गवनािी । भ िाः यग्त्कञ्चचत् जगनमत्
वस्तु इगत अथयाः ।
adhi-bhūtaṁ prāṇijātam adhikr̥tya bhavati iti | kaḥ asau? kṣaraḥ kṣarati iti kṣaraḥ
vināśī | bhāvaḥ yatkiñcit janimat vastu iti arthaḥ |

adhi-bhūtam is the first word, is equal to prāṇijātam adhikr̥tya bhavati , adhi

means adhikr̥tya bhavati means related to, connected to, bhūtam means
prāṇijātam. So the word bhūtam also we should note the context. Pañca-bhūtas are
also called bhūta, here the word bhūtam has no connection with the elements,
bhūtam means prāṇi. And not one prāṇi but prāṇijātam, jātam means samūhaḥ or
the multitude. So world is that which is connected to the multitude of living-beings.
Why are we using this expression? The jīva is born because of the karma of the jīva.
The world is born because of the karma of the jīva himself. Therefore the world is
called jīva-related. Therefore adhi-bhūtam. Adhi-bhūtam means adhi-jīvam iti
arthaḥ. Prāṇijātam adhikr̥tya bhavati iti adhi-bhūtam.
And kaḥ asau? – what is that adhi-bhūtam? kṣaraḥ bhāvaḥ, kṣaraḥ is in the
mūlam, is equal to kṣarati iti kṣaraḥ. Then is equal to vināśī. The derivation of the
kṣaraḥ is kṣarati that which perishes. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya writes vināśī. kṣarati
vinaśyati iti kṣaraḥ vināśī. Bhāvaḥ is equal to yatkiñcit janimat vastu. It means any
entity, vastu means entity. So it can be sentient-entity or insentient-entity. Janimat –
which has got utpatti or origin. Any sentient or insentient-entity which has got a
beginning is called bhāvaḥ. And what is that? Every physical body is janimat vastu.
Therefore this also comes under kṣaraḥ bhāvaḥ. And inert-materials like mic, rock,
etc., that is also insentient-entity but it has got a beginning and therefore it has got
an end, therefore all of them will come under kṣaraḥ bhāvaḥ. Therefore adhi-
bhūtam iti arthaḥ – this is the meaning. Continuing;
पुरुषाः पूणयम् अनेन सवयम् इगत, पुरर ियनात् वा पुरुषाः आददत्य-अन्तगयताः गहरण्यगभयाः, सवयप्रात्तणकरणानाम् अनुग्राहकाः ।
साः अयध-दै वतम् ।
puruṣaḥ pūrṇam anēna sarvam iti, puri śayanāt vā puruṣaḥ āditya-antargataḥ

Hiraṇyagarbhaḥ, sarvaprāṇikaraṇānām anugrāhakaḥ | saḥ adhi-daivatam |
Puruṣaḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to pūrṇam anēna sarvam iti – that which fills up
everything, that which is all-pervading is called puruṣaḥ. Who is all-pervading?
Hiraṇyagarbha is all-pervading, therefore he is called puruṣaḥ. Or there is a second
definition also. puri śayanāt vā puruṣaḥ – the one who resides within something.
What is that something? Āditya maṇḍalam. Hiraṇyagarbha is supposed to reside in
the solar disc. Dhyēyaḥ sadā savitr̥maṇḍalamadhyavartī. Generally Hiraṇyagarbha is
the one who is located in the Sūrya maṇḍalam for the sake of meditation. Really
speaking Hiraṇyagarbha is all-pervading, that all-pervading Hiraṇyagarbha is
generally invoked in sūrya maṇḍalam. Therefore Sūryamaṇḍalam is called puri and
in the Sūrya maṇḍala puri Hiraṇyagarbha is residing, therefore he is called puruṣaḥ.

Puri Sūrya maṇḍalē śayanāt puruṣaḥ. This is the second derivation. Puruṣaḥ is equal
to āditya-antargataḥ Hiraṇyagarbhaḥ – the Hiraṇyagarbha tattvam who is in the
āditya. That is why in Taittirīyōpaniṣat also various ānandas are graded manuṣya-
ānanda, manuṣya-gandharva-ānanda, dēva-gandharva-ānanda. The highest ānanda
is said to be Brahmānanda which is Hiraṇyagarbha-ānanda. That word Brahmānanda
in Taittirīyōpaniṣat refers to Hiraṇyagarbha-ānanda and not nirguṇa brahma. And
later the upaniṣat talks about the location of the lowest manuṣya-ānanda and the
highest Hiraṇyagarbha-ānanda in the famous mahāvākyam, sa yaścāyaṁ puruṣē.
Yaścāsāvādityē. Sa ēkaḥ (Taittirīyōpaniṣat 3-10-6), sa yaścāyaṁ puruṣē is manuṣya-
ānanda, in the manuṣya and yaścāsāvādityē is Hiraṇyagarbha-ānanda which is
located in ādityē. From that it is very clear āditya is the location of Hiraṇyagarbha-
ānanda. And therefore Hiraṇyagarbhaḥ. What is that job Hiraṇyagarbha?
Sarvaprāṇikaraṇānām anugrāhakaḥ – Hiraṇyagarbha alone blesses the function of all
the seventeen organs of sūkṣma-śarīram. And that is why in the eighteenth chapter
of Gītā,
अयधष्ठानां तथा कताय करणां च पृथग्नवधम् ।

गवगवधाि पृथक्तचेष्टा दै वां चैवात्र पचचमम् ॥ गीता १८-१४ ॥
adhiṣṭhānaṁ tathā kartā karaṇaṁ ca pr̥thagvidham |

vividhāśca pr̥thakcēṣṭā daivaṁ caivātra pañcamam || Gītā 18-14 ||
There Śaṅkarācārya comments daivam is Hiraṇyagarbha. Without the blessings of

Hiraṇyagarbha the eyes cannot see, the ears cannot hear, etc.
And then the next point is Hiraṇyagarbha also doesn‟t bless the sense organs
directly but through various dēvatās. Through jñānēndriya-dēvatās, Hiraṇyagarbha
blesses jñānēndriyams, through karmēndriya-dēvatās Hiraṇyagarbha blesses the
karmēndriyams, through antaḥkaraṇa-dēvatās Hiraṇyagarbha blesses the
antaḥkaraṇam. Thus one Hiraṇyagarbha has got so many dēvatās to bless so many
organs and since one samaṣṭi-Hiraṇyagarbha is associated with many dēvatās,
Hiraṇyagarbha gets another title adhi-daivatam, it means the one who has collection
with several dēvatās. That is why in the Kaṭhōpaniṣat Hiraṇyagarbha is described
aditiḥ dēvatāmayī (Kaṭhōpaniṣat 2-1-7). So Hiraṇyagarbha is the head of several
dēvatās put together. Therefore he is called adhi-daivatam and through several
dēvatās what benefit we get is each organ is blessed by one dēvatā. That is why in
Śāntipāṭha: Bhadram karṇēbhiḥ śr̥ṇuyāma dēvāḥ; Why dēvas in plural number? I
want each dēva to bless each organ. In the class if the eyes don‟t work you cannot
read the book, the eyes work but ears don‟t work you cannot hear the talk.

Therefore all dēvas put together is one Hiraṇyagarbha. Therefore namō brahmaṇē;
namastē vāyō. tvamēva pratyakṣam brahmāsi. Anyway beautiful concept is
Hiraṇyagarbha and adhiṣṭhāna dēvatās. Therefore he says sarvaprāṇikaraṇānām
anugrāhakaḥ – he is the blessing principle of all the instruments, karaṇam means
organs or instruments of all the prāṇis.
And according to the śāstra the dēvatās are not located in the heaven, the dēvatās
component is there in our body itself. Sūrya dēvatā aṁśa is supposed to be residing
in the cakṣuḥ gōlakam, at the time of death from the cakṣuḥ gōlakam Sūrya dēvatā
aṁśa will travel back to sūryaḥ. And when we get another body in the next janma
Sūrya-dēvatā sends a portion of its śakti in the next physical body. Thus remember
Sūrya-dēvatā is not far away, a portion is there in every body in the class. So after
anugrāhakaḥ full stop. Saḥ adhi-daivatam – and this Hiraṇyagarbha alone is called
adhidaivatam. Continuing;
असध-यज्ञाः सवययज्ञात्तभमागननी दे वता गवष्ण्वाख्या, ‘यज्ञो वै गवष्णुाः’ [ तैत्तिरीय सांगहता १-७-४] इगत श्रुतेाः । साः गह गवष्णुाः
अहम् एि । अत्र अस्स्मन् दे हे याः यज्ञाः तस्य अहम् अयधयज्ञाः । यज्ञो गह दे हगनवयत्ययत्वेन दे हसमवायी इगत दे हायधकरणो
भवगत, दे ह-भृत ं िर ॥
adhi-yajñaḥ sarvayajñābhimāninī dēvatā viṣṇvākhyā, „yajñō vai Viṣṇu ḥ‟ [Taittirīya saṁhitā 1-

7-4] iti śrutēḥ | saḥ hi Viṣṇu ḥ aham ēva | atra asmin dēhē yaḥ yajñaḥ tasya aham
adhiyajñaḥ | yajñō hi dēhanirvartyatvēna dēhasamavāyī iti dēhādhikaraṇō bhavati, dēha-
bhr̥tāṁ vara ||
The next word in the mūlam is adhiyajñaḥ which is the sixth question of Arjuna.
We have to travel along with Arjuna, this is answer to the sixth question,
adhiyajñaḥ is equal to sarvayajñābhimāninī dēvatā, dēvatā means the divine
principle which identifies with or which is the witness of all the yāgas performed by
all the yajamānas. Literally abhimāninī means identifying with, and here
identification is witnessing, sākṣi-bhāvaḥ, adhyakṣa-bhāvaḥ, that is why Bhagavān is
called karma-adhyakṣaḥ,
एको दे वाः सवयभूतेषु गूढाः सवयव्यापी सवयभूतान्तरात्मा । कमायध्यक्ाः सवयभूतायधवासाः साक्ी चेता केवलो गनगुयणि ॥
श्वेताश्वतरोपगनषत् ६-११ ॥
ēkō dēvaḥ sarvabhūtēṣu gūḍhaḥ sarvavyāpī sarvabhūtāntarātmā |

karmādhyakṣaḥ sarvabhūtādhivāsaḥ sākṣī cētā kēvalō nirguṇaśca ||
Śvētāśvatarōpaniṣat 6-11 ||
Karmādhyakṣaḥ is called sarvayajña abhimāninī dēvatā. Who is that dēvatā? Kr̥ṣṇa

says Viṣṇu ākhyā dēvatā – and that dēvatā is named Viṣṇu, so Bhagavān Viṣṇuḥ is
adhiyajñaḥ. And that is why in Viṣṇu sahasranāma,

यज्ञो यज्ञपगतययज्ज्वा यज्ञाङ्गो यज्ञवाहनाः ॥ १०४ ॥ यज्ञभृद ् यज्ञकृद् यज्ञी यज्ञभुग् यज्ञसाधनाः । यज्ञान्तकृद् यज्ञगुह्यमन्नमन्नाद
एव च ॥ श्रीगवष्णुसहस्रनामस्तोत्रम् १०५ ॥
yajñō yajñapatiryajvā yajñāṅgō yajñavāhanaḥ || 104 || yajñabhr̥d yajñakr̥d

yajñī yajñabhug yajñasādhanaḥ | yajñāntakr̥d yajñaguhyamannamannāda ēva
ca || Śrī Viṣṇu Sahasranāmastōtram 105 ||
How many yajñas you see! So yajña is connected with Viṣṇu. What is the
pramāṇam? He gives the śruti pramāṇam, Viṣṇu Sahasranāma also we can quote.
Śaṅkarācārya gives śruti pramāṇam, „yajñō vai Viṣṇuḥ‟ [ Taittirīya saṁhitā 1-7-4] So
Viṣṇu is none other than yajña, here we can take both meanings. He is the sākṣi of
the yajña, and He is yajña itself. So how can Bhagavān be both yajña sākṣi and
yajñaḥ? It is very simple, Bhagavān is everything
ब्रह्मापयणां ब्रह्म हगव ब्रयह्माननौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम् ।

ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यां ब्रह्मकमयसमायधना ॥ गीता ४-२४ ॥
brahmārpaṇaṁ brahma havir brahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam |

brahmaiva tēna gantavyaṁ brahmakarmasamādhinā || Gītā 4-24 ||
Therefore karma is also Bhagavān, karma sākṣi is also Bhagavān. So yajñaḥ is yajña
abhimāninī dēvatā api Viṣṇuḥ ēva. Who is that Viṣṇuḥ if you ask Kr̥ṣṇa says that
Viṣṇu is none other than I myself Arjuna, who am now your driver. So remember the
whole thing is occurring in Kurukṣētra battle and Arjuna is standing and Kr̥ṣṇa is the
driver and Kr̥ṣṇa says I, your driver am none other than the avatāra of Bhagavān,
पररत्राणाय साधूनाां गवनािाय च रृष्कृताम् । धमयसांस्थापनाथायय ॥ गीता ४-८ ॥
paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkr̥tām | dharmasaṁsthāpanārthāya ||

Gītā 4-8 ||
Therefore saḥ Viṣṇuḥ aham ēva – so I alone am that Viṣṇuḥ who is the father of
Hiraṇyagarbha. So Viṣṇu is the father Hiraṇyagarbha, i.e., brahmā. So after aham
ēva full stop. And where am I located will be the question. The location of Bhagavān
is pointed out, don‟t imagine Bhagavān sitting in Vaikuṇṭha, milky ocean etc. He says
I am in your very body. Therefore atra is in the mūlam, is equal to asmin dēhē – in
this very body. And what am I doing in your body? What is my job? Yaḥ yajñaḥ
tasya aham, yaḥ yajñaḥ means whatever karma is taking place, so in the body
whatever karma is taking place. And especially here what karma is meant? Yajña
karma that a person is performing, tasya – connected to that yajña as the sākṣi;
sākṣi we have to supply, tasya sākṣi aham – I am witnessing every yāga that the
human being is performing. You should note yāga is only a representative karma,

not only yāga karma but any karma that anybody is doing, I reside in their body and
witness and register in my computer.
ईश्वराः सवयभूतानाां हृद्दे िेऽजुयन गतष्ठगत ।

भ्रामयन्सवयभूतागन यन्त्रारूढागन मायया ॥ गीता १८-६१ ॥
Īśvaraḥ sarvabhūtānāṁ hr̥ddēśē:'rjuna tiṣṭhati |

bhrāmayansarvabhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā || Gītā 18-61 ||
And at the right time I give the karma-phalam also. So after tasya aham adhiyajñaḥ
full stop. And here he gives the explanation. Bhagavān has to reside in the body of
the people because Bhagavān has to witness the karma because he is karma-phala-
dātā. Since I am karma-phala-dātā, I have to witness all the karmas and since I
have to witness all the karmas, I have to reside in the body, because in the body
alone all the karmas are taking place. That is the logic given. So yajñaḥ hi – since
karmas are dēhanirvartyatvēna – are performed by the body, in the body, since
yajña or any karma is performed by the body, therefore dēhasamavāyī – karma is
associated with the body. Samavāyī means integrally connected, inseparably
connected. So unlike my books. Suppose I talk about my book and my speech, what
is the difference between the book and speech? Both are mine because I say this is
my book, and this is my speech. What is the difference between book and speech?
In Tarka śāstra they will say book has got saṁyōga-sambandha. And speech has got
samavāya-sambandha. Book and me have got saṁyōga-sambandha and book and
my speech have got samavāya-sambandha. Ok what is the difference? I can leave
the book in the class and go home. So here the relationship is you can separate the
book and me, and I can be in one place and the book can be in another place.
Whereas you cannot separate me and my speech. If I can separate the speech from
me, and give speech alone in the class, what is the advantage? I can stay at home
and I will send the speech. But that is not possible because karma and kartā always
have samavāya-sambandha. And therefore Śaṅkarācārya uses a tarka śāstra word,
dēhasamavāyī iti therefore dēha-adhikaraṇaḥ bhavati – therefore karma is always
associated with the body only. Therefore if Bhagavān has to watch the karma,
Bhagavān has to reside in the body. And therefore adhi-yajñaḥ is in the body.
Hiraṇyagarbha is in the āditya maṇḍala, adhi-yajñaḥ is in the body. Then dēha-
bhr̥tāṁ vara is addressing Arjuna. Dēhabhr̥t means any jīva. Any prāṇi is called
dēhabhr̥t. Why any prāṇi is called dēhabhr̥t? That which holds, possesses a body. So
dēhabhr̥t means possessor of a body, an embodied one. And who is an embodied
one? Every living-being is an embodied one and vara means a greatest one.
Therefore dēha-bhr̥tāṁ vara means Arjuna you are one of the greatest among

living-beings. A great human being that is the idea. Dēha-bhr̥tām madhyē

nirdhāranē ṣaṣṭhī. hē vara, śrēṣṭha, śrēṣṭha puruṣaḥ, so that Arjuna‟s ego is boosted
a little bit. Everybody requires glorification. With this six questions have been
answered.
The anvaya is, Hē dēha-bhr̥tām vara! adhibhūtam kṣaraḥ bhāvaḥ (bhavati) |

puruṣaḥ ca adhidaivatam (bhavati).aham ēva atra dēhē adhiyajñaḥ (bhavāmi).
One of the sub-commentators, I had mentioned his name before, Rāmarāya Kavi is a
great sub-commentator who has written a commentary on Śaṅkarācārya‟s
commentary and he does two jobs, one is very elaborately explains Śaṅkarācārya‟s
bhāṣyam. Ānandagiri has also written a sub-commentary for Gītā-bhāṣyam. So for
Gītā bhāṣyam two sub-commentaries are available Ānandagiri‟s and Rāmarāya
Kavi‟s. Ānandagiri‟s subcommentary is very very brief. Whereas Rāmarāya Kavi‟s
sub-commentary is diagonally opposite and very very elaborate, for this ślōka he has
written several pages even though we feel nothing is there. And he does two jobs.
One is elaborating Śaṅkarācārya‟s bhāṣyam and the other is a critical analysis of
Rāmānujācārya‟s Viśiṣṭādvaita bhāṣyam. He has very elaborately analyzed Rāmānuja
and very very powerfully criticizes and sometimes he uses a very strong language
also. Thus there is an elaborate and critical analysis of Rāmānujācārya‟s bhāṣyam.
So the word visargaḥ, for example, we have taken as offering oblations into the
agni. Rāmānujācārya has taken visarga as strī puruṣa saṁyōgaḥ and conception of a
child. Garbhādāna saṁskāra he has taken as visarga because through garbhādānam
alone bhūta-bhāva-udbhavakaraḥ, because bhūta-bhāva-udbhavakaraḥ visargaḥ
karma-saṁjñitaḥ means karma is nothing but the conjugal union. So Rāmarāya kavi
wants to analyze whether that meaning must be taken or this meaning must be
taken. And he criticizes that and I don‟t want to enter into that topic. That is an
aside note.
In addition to that he makes a point saying that of the six topics brahma,
adhyātmam, adhi-daivatam and adhi-yajñaḥ all these four are four different names
of one and the same caitanyam only. One Consciousness alone is named by four
names from four different angles.
Brahman is the name of pure Consciousness by itself; nirguṇa-caitanyam is called

Brahman.

And what is adhyātmam? The very same all-pervading-Consciousness enclosed

within individual body is called adhyātmam. Adhyātmam is the name of not the
body, the same Consciousness is called adhyātmam enclosed within the body.
The very same Consciousness is called adhi-daivatam when it is enclosed within

samaṣṭi-sūkṣma-śarīram or sūkṣma-prapañca. Adhyātmam is individual body,
adhidaivatam is samaṣṭi sūkṣma-prapañca upahita caitanyam. Therefore
adhidaivatam is also the name of Consciousness only but enclosed in a different
container.
And what is adhi-yajñaḥ? That is also the same caitanyam only but enclosed within
not individual body, not sūkṣma-prapañca but samaṣṭi kāraṇa-prapañca upahitam-
caitanyam. So vyaṣṭi-śarīra upahitam-caitanyam, sūkṣma-prapañca upahitam-
caitanyam, kāraṇa-prapañca upahitam-caitanyam; the containers are different but
the content is one caitanyam. That caitanyam is called adhyātmam, adhidaivatam
and adhiyajñam. Therefore all these three are called sōpādhika-caitanyam and
Brahman is called nirupādhika-caitanyam. One nirupādhika-caitanyam and three
sōpādhika-caitanyams that is how four words have come.
That is why in the seventh chapter Kr̥ṣṇa said,
ते ब्रह्म तगद्वरृाः कृत्स्नमध्यात्मां कमय चाग्खलम् ॥ गीता ७-२९ ॥

सायधभूतायधदै वां माां सायधयज्ञां च ये गवरृाः ॥ गीता ७-३० ॥
tē brahma tadviduḥ kr̥tsnamadhyātmaṁ karma cākhilam || Gītā 7-29 ||

sādhibhūtādhidaivaṁ māṁ sādhiyajñaṁ ca yē viduḥ || Gītā 7-30 ||
If you know one caitanyam you have understood four things because all these four
are names of one caitanyam only from four different angles. Just by looking at a
person I can understand husband, son and father because one person himself is
called husband from wife‟s standpoint, son from the father‟s standpoint and father
from son‟s standpoint; ēka caitanya jñānēna brahma adhyātma adhidaiva adhiyajña
catvāri jñānāni yugapat bhavanti; ēka vijñānēna sarva vijñānam bhavati. This is a
note from Rāmarāya Kavi. Continuing;
Verse 08-05
अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्तत्वा कलेवरम् ।
याः प्रयागत स मद्भावां यागत नास्त्यत्र सांियाः ॥ गीता ८-५ ॥
antakālē ca māmēva smaranmuktvā kalēvaram |

yaḥ prayāti sa madbhāvaṁ yāti nāstyatra saṁśayaḥ || Gītā 8-5 ||

First I will give you the gist of the ślōka. Kr̥ṣṇa has answered six questions in two
ślōkas. The seventh question Kr̥ṣṇa wants to answer very elaborately, therefore from
ślōka number five up to the end of the chapter, i.e., the twenty-eighth ślōka, total
twenty-four verses are answer to the seventh question. The seventh question is how
to remember God at the time of death.
Why should one remember God at the time of death? Why should we remember God
at the time death? Because by remembering God at the time of death, a person will
merge into God. Kr̥ṣṇa wants to give a very important law of Hinduism. What is the
law? The next janma will be determined by the last thought of the current janma. Is
this in the case of a jñāni or an ajñāni? So we have add a clause in this class.
Because in this class all of us are jñānis with no rebirth at all. In the case of ajñāni
the next janma will depend upon the last thought, in the case of a jñāni there is no
next janma. Therefore Kr̥ṣṇa says in this ślōka whoever drops the body
remembering Me, saḥ mat bhāvam yāti – whoever drops the body remembering Me
will merge into Me after death. atra na saṁśayaḥ – there is no doubt at all. More in
the next class.
285 Verses 08-05 to 08-07
ॐ सदामिि समारम्भाम ् िङ्कराचायण मध्यमाम ् अस्मदाचायण पयण्ताम ् ि्दे गुरु परम्पराम ् ॥
ॐ ॥
Page 213, verse No.08-05

अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्तत्वा कलेवरम् ।
याः प्रयागत स मद्भावां यागत नास्त्यत्र सांियाः ॥ गीता ८-५ ॥
antakālē ca māmēva smaranmuktvā kalēvaram |

yaḥ prayāti sa madbhāvaṁ yāti nāstyatra saṁśayaḥ || Gītā 8-5 ||
Up to the fourth verse Lord Kr̥ṣṇa answered all the six questions of Arjuna and now
from the fifth verse onwards up to the end of this chapter Kr̥ṣṇa is answering the
seventh and final question of Arjuna regarding the method of remembering the Lord
at the time of death and the attainment of krama-mukti as the result of that
remembrance. This is going to be the topic from this verse onwards. Upāsaka‟s

krama-mukti is going to be talked about. And we saw the gist of the verse in the last
class that anta-kālē – at the time of death, the upāsaka remembers Īśvara and as a
result of that he attains Īśvara-bhāvam. Kr̥ṣṇa doesn‟t use the word krama-mukti but
we should understand mat-bhāvam refers to krama-mukti. There are some other
commentators who point out that this verse can be applied for a jñāni also with a
slight modification because jñāni also remembers the Lord at the time of death as a
result of nididhyāsanam that he has practiced. The upāsaka remembers saguṇa-
Īśvara. As a result of his upāsanam, jñāni remembers the nirguṇa Īśvara as a result
of his nididhyāsanam because both have practiced long meditation. And as a result
of saguṇa-smaraṇam, upāsaka attains krama-mukti, while as a result of nirguṇa-
smaraṇam a jñāni attains vidēha-mukti, therefore mat-bhāvam can be either krama-
mukti or vidēha-mukti. Smaraṇam can be either saguṇa-smaraṇam or nirguṇa-
smaraṇam and the candidate can be upāsaka or jñāni. The only difference is the
upāsaka has an anxiety, while jñāni doesn‟t have any anxiety at all. Even though this
ślōka can be interpreted in both ways, we should note that primarily this ślōka refers
to upāsaka only because all the following verses are talking about upāsaka and
krama-mukti only. Now we will read the bhāṣyam.
अनतक ले च मरणकाले म म् एि परमेश्वरां गवष्णुां स्मरन् मुक्तत्ि पररत्यज्ज्य कलेिरं िरीरां याः प्रय वत गच्छगत, साः मद्भावां
वैष्णवां तत्त्वां य वत । न अस्स्त न गवद्यते अत्र अस्स्मन् अथे संशयाः –– ‘यागत वा न वा’ इगत ॥ ८-५ ॥
antakālē ca maraṇakālē mām ēva paramēśvaraṁ Viṣṇu ṁ smaran muktvā

parityajya kalēvaraṁ śarīraṁ yaḥ prayāti gacchati, saḥ madbhāvaṁ vaiṣṇavaṁ
tattvaṁ yāti | na asti na vidyatē atra asmin arthē saṁśayaḥ –– „yāti vā na vā‟ iti
|| 8-5 ||
Antakālē is in the mūlam, is equal to maraṇakālē – at the time of death, the

upāsaka is understood, mām ēva paramēśvaraṁ Viṣṇuṁ smaran – the upāsaka
remembers Me only and when Kr̥ṣṇa says Me it refers to Bhagavān saguṇa-Īśvara.
Therefore mām ēva is equal to Paramēśvaraṁ Viṣṇum. So Śaṅkarācārya doesn‟t
want to differentiate Viṣṇu and Paramēśvara, there is only one saguṇam brahma
symbolized in Viṣṇu form or Śiva form, any form we can use as a symbol but the
remembrance is of totality, symbols can be many but the totality can be only one.
Therefore Paramēśvaraṁ Viṣṇuṁ smaran – remembering. So this is a sūtra ślōka
we should remember, each word of this ślōka is going be elaborated later. How to
remember the Lord at the time of death, how to practice prāṇāyāma, how to
withdraw all the sense organs, how to utter the word Ōm̐ etc., the vivaraṇam of this
one word smaran we will get later. Therefore this ślōka must be understood as
saṅkṣēpa-ślōka or sūtra-ślōka which Kr̥ṣṇa Himself will elaborate later. Therefore

smaran – remembering, remembering is upāsanam kurvan and remembering the

Lord muktvā – this person drops, muktvā is in the mūlam, is equal to parityajya,
renouncing kalēvaram is in the mūlam, is equal to śarīram that too sthūla-śarīram
because sūkṣma-śarīram we are not going to drop here, this upāsaka carries.
Therefore here the word kalēvaram refers to only sthūla-śarīram, yaḥ upāsaka
prayāti – the upāsaka leaves or departs, prayāti is equal to gacchati – he travels.
So what is the meaning of the word ‘he’ when you use the word travels? Very
careful. Whenever we talk about a dead person travelling, the pronoun he must be
understood, it doesn‟t mean the body because body will not travel, it will lie there
and he cannot mean ātmā also because ātmā unfortunately cannot travel anywhere.
Therefore the word he means something other than the body and ātmā. What is
that something? You should not ask me, these are all fundamental Tattvabōdha
topic, that something means sūkṣma-śarīram plus kāraṇa-śarīram plus reflected-
Consciousness, which is called the ahaṅkāra, the invisible-ahaṅkāra of the upāsaka
travels. And you don‟t ask why I don‟t see it, I have used an adjective invisible-
ahaṅkāra consisting of cidābhāsa-sahita-sūkṣma-kāraṇa śarīra-dvayam prayāti,
carrying all the upāsana-puṇyam, loads and loads of puṇyam acquired through
upāsana with that it travels. And what happens to that traveler? Saḥ madbhāvaṁ
yāti, madbhāvam is equal to vaiṣṇavaṁ tattvam, it means brahma tattvam yāti –
he merges into Brahman. This is also sūtra-vākyam explanation will come later. He
will not directly merge into Brahman, he will travel through śukla-gati and attain
Brahma-lōka and there he has to attend classes and get upadēśam from Brahmāji
„tattvamasi‟, etc. There from saguṇa-Īśvara the upāsaka will understand nirguṇam-
brahma as sō:'ham brahma asmi, and thereafter he will become a jīvan-mukta in
brahma-lōka and continue as a jīvan-mukta until Brahmāji likes. At the
mahāpralayam along with brahmāji the jīvanmukta upāsaka in Brahmalōka will attain
vidēha-mukti. All these are contained in one word madbhāvaṁ yāti.
And thereafter na asti na vidyatē atra saṁśayaḥ, saṁśayaḥ means there is no

doubt. Why should Kr̥ṣṇa say this? Because the whole thing is the event that has to
happen after death, after death it will happen or not we have no control, even while
living our plans are going haywire, so our plans even when we are alive we are not
able to implement, after death all this will happen or not what is the guarantee if
you ask Kr̥ṣṇa says because you are not involved, therefore there will be no mess,
because after death everything happens is controlled not by the jīva, after death all
the journeys are taken over by various dēvatās. If you remember Brahmasūtra,
krama-mukti prakaraṇam how fourteen stations are talked about and how each

dēvatā carries the upāsaka from one station to another, and hands over to the next
dēvatā, therefore the upāsaka‟s posthumous journey is implemented by dēvatās and
not by the freewill of the upāsaka. And since you are not involved things, will go
orderly and only when you poke your nose there only smoke comes. Therefore
vaiṣṇavaṁ tattvaṁ yāti na saṁśayaḥ.
And with regard to what? atra, atra is in the mūlam, is equal to asmin arthē, viṣaya
saptamī, in this regard. Saṁśayaḥ na asti is in the mūlam, is equal to na vidyatē.
Śaṅkarācārya doesn‟t have much to write here and therefore he writes asti is equal
to vidyatē. What type of doubt is possible? Even the doubt he is presenting within
inverted comma yāti vā na vā – whether he will get krama-mukti or not may you not
have any such doubt, krama-mukti is definite for upāsaka.
The anvaya is, anta-kālē ca mām ēva smaran, kalēvaram muktvā yaḥ prayāti, saḥ
mat bhāvam yāti. Atra saṁśayaḥ na asti. Continuing;
Verse 08-06 Introduction.

न मगद्वषय एव अयां गनयमाः । तकिं तर्हिं? ––
na madviṣaya ēva ayaṁ niyamaḥ | kiṁ tarhi? ––
In the following verse Kr̥ṣṇa is going to present the idea itself in the form of a
general rule. Īśvara-smaraṇēna Īśvara-bhāvam-gacchati is a specific rule but this is a
result of a general rule. And what is the general rule? Yatkiñcit bhāva smaraṇēna
yatkiñcit bhāva aikyam gacchati. It is not only with regard to Īśvara, dēvatā-
smaraṇēna dēvatā-bhāvam gacchati, wife-smaraṇēna next janmani wife bhāvam
gacchati. Therefore the general rule is whatever padārtha we remember that
padārtha we become. The Puranic example is Jaḍabharata remembering the deer
jaḍabharata, was born as a deer. Mr̥ga smara ṇāt mr̥ga -bhāvaḥ. This general rule
Kr̥ṣṇa is giving here. And therefore Śaṅkarācārya introduces ayaṁ-niyamaḥ – this
rule that Īśvara smaraṇēna Īśvara-bhāvam gacchati iti niyamaḥ, na madviṣaya ēva –
is not with regard to Īśvara-smaraṇam only, but it is with regard to any other viṣaya
smaraṇam also. So na mat viṣayaḥ ēva – is not with regard to Īśvara smaraṇam
only. Then what is the general rule? That is given in the ślōka, we will read.
Verse 08-06
यां यां वागप स्मरन्भावां त्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम् ।
तां तमेवैगत कौन्तेय सदा तद्भावभागवताः ॥ गीता ८-६ ॥
yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaranbhāvaṁ tyajatyantē kalēvaram |

taṁ tamēvaiti kauntēya sadā tadbhāvabhāvitaḥ || Gītā 8-6 ||
I will give you the gist of the ślōka. In the first half Kr̥ṣṇa mentions the general rule,
whatever be the object thought at the time of death the person will be born in that
particular form. That is the general rule He says. Then in the second line He
mentions another important rule that if a person wants to remember God at the time
of death it is possible only under one condition, he must have remembered the Lord
throughout his life then alone Īśvara-vāsanā will go to the sub-conscious mind,
because the remembrance at the time of death is not governed by the conscious-
mind. But it is governed by sub-conscious-mind, because in old age conscious mind
is weaker and sub-conscious-mind is stronger, even in young age it is like this but in
old age this rule is hundred percent true. In old age sub-conscious-mind is stronger
and conscious-mind is weaker. Therefore if you want to remember God at the time
of death, sub-conscious-mind should cooperate and sub-conscious-mind-vāsanās
you have to add, whatever vāsanā we add that will come at the time of death. If I
remember family only throughout the life, grandchild, wife and husband if that only I
remember family vāsanā will be inside, maraṇakālē family‟s maraṇam will be
dominant and if you want Īśvara-smaraṇam do you duty to the family, but let your
smaraṇam be Īśvara. Family duty with Īśvara-smaraṇam is the job of upāsaka.
Therefore sadā tat bhāva-bhāvitaḥ – do family duty but create Īśvara vāsanā, like
adding to the bank deposit similarly add Īśvara-vāsanā deposit every day. Therefore
sadā – constantly.
मञ्ििा मद्गतप्राणा बोधयन्ताः परस्परम् ।

कथयन्ति माां गनत्यां तुष्यन्न्त च रमन्न्त च ॥ गीता १०-९ ॥
maccittā madgataprāṇā bōdhayantaḥ parasparam |

kathayantaśca māṁ nityaṁ tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca || Gītā 10-9 ||
The upāsaka has to generate Īśvara-vāsanā. This is the important rule of the second
line. So rule number one antakāla-Īśvara-smaraṇam will give krama-mukti and the
rule number two is sarvakāla-Īśvara-smaraṇam alone will lead to antakāla-Īśvara-
smaraṇam. Sarvakāla-family smaraṇam will lead to antakāla family-smaraṇam. You
can decide what you want. Now we will read the bhāṣyam.
यं यं ि अवप यां यां भ िं दे वतागविेषां स्मरन् शचन्तयन् त्यजवत पररत्यजगत अनते प्राणगवयोगकाले कलेिरं तं तम् एि
स्मृतां भावम् एव एवत न अन्यां कौनतेय, सद सवयदा तद्-भ ि-भ विताः – तस्स्मन् भावाः तद्भावाः । साः भागवताः
स्मययमाणतया अभ्यस्ताः येन साः तद्भावभागवताः सन् ॥ ८-६ ॥
yaṁ yaṁ vā api yaṁ yaṁ bhāvaṁ dēvatāviśēṣaṁ smaran cintayan tyajati
parityajati antē prāṇaviyōgakālē kalēvaraṁ taṁ tam ēva smr̥taṁ bhāvam ēva ēti
na anyaṁ kauntēya, sadā sarvadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ – tasmin bhāvaḥ

tadbhāvaḥ | saḥ bhāvitaḥ smaryamāṇatayā abhyastaḥ yēna saḥ

tadbhāvabhāvitaḥ san || 8-6 ||
Yaṁ yaṁ vā api bhāvam, bhāvam is equal to dēvatā-viśēṣam, here he takes

bhāva as any particular dēvatā in the case of upāsaka. But it can be applied to any
other living being also as in the case of Jaḍabharata. Therefore bhāvam refers to
anyone but here the context being upāsana, Śaṅkarācārya translates bhāva as
dēvatā-viśēṣa – a particular dēvatā. Smaran is in the mūlam, is equal to cintayan –
thinking of or meditating upon, tyajati is equal to parityajati – a person drops, antē
is equal to prāṇa-viyōga-kālē, antē literally means in the end, here the end refers to
prāṇa-viyōgaḥ, prāṇa-viyōgaḥ means separation of prāṇa from the body. According
to vēdānta, the definition of death is sthūla-sūkṣma-śarīra-viyōgaḥ maraṇam. Sthūla-
sūkṣma-śarīra saṁyōgaḥ janma, sthūla-sūkṣma-śarīra viyōgaḥ maraṇam. Ātmā
doesn‟t have anything to do; at the time of sthūla-sūkṣma-śarīra saṁyōga also ātmā
remains all-pervading, at the time of viyōga also ātmā remains all-pervading,
nothing is happening in ātmā. Birth and death are phenomena connected with only
two śarīrams, both of which are anātmā. Anātmadvaya saṁyōgaḥ janma and
anātmadvaya viyōgaḥ maraṇam. Therefore prāṇa-viyōga-kālē – sthūla-sūkṣma-śarīra
viyōgah-kālē, kalēvaram must be connected with parityajati in the previous line,
kalēvaram parityajati – the upāsaka drops the body remembering his iṣṭa-dēvatā.
And then what will happen? taṁ tam ēva bhāvam – that very same particular form.
And what form? Smr̥taṁ bhāvam – the form that he remembered. If it is a
parichinna-dēvatā like Indra, Varuṇa, Agni etc., a finite dēvatā if he remembers, he
himself will become that finite dēvatā. That is why in Kaṭhōpaniṣat Yamadharma rājā
said when I was a human being I was thinking of Yama and now I have become
Yama. Therefore smr̥ta ṁ bhāvam, taṁ tam is equal to smr̥ta ṁ bhāvam, ēva ēti,
ēti – he merges, becomes one. Na anyam –not any other form, hē kauntēya and
then the next question is how does one remember a particular dēvatā at the time of
death if you ask, remembering a dēvatā at the time of death will happen only under
one condition, that connection is presented here, sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ; sadā
is equal to sarvadā – always remembering that dēvatā even when he was a youthful
person. Tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ is a compound, you have to put an en dash
thereafter, Śaṅkarācārya gives vigraha vākyam - tasmin bhāvaḥ tadbhāvaḥ. After
tadbhāvaḥ put a full stop. So tasmin means that particular dēvatā, bhāvaḥ means
cintanam, thought or remembrance, tasmin bhāvaḥ is equal to dēvatā-cintanam.
bhāvaḥ is cintanam , the thought flow , vr̥tti-pravāhaḥ is called bhāvaḥ. Tasmin

means dēvatā, dēvatā-vr̥tti-pravāhaḥ. Saying Rāma Rāma Rāma that Rāma-vr̥tti-

pravāhaḥ, Kr̥ṣṇa vr̥tti-pravāhaḥ is called tadbhāvaḥ.
Then saḥ bhāvitaḥ – that particular vr̥tti -pravāha, smaryamāṇatayā abhyastaḥ – is

repeatedly practiced through remembrance; so smaryamāṇatayā means as an object
of remembrance, abhyastaḥ means repeatedly practiced, that for a Rāma bhakta
when he closes his eyes automatically from the sub-conscious-mind what form
comes is, Vaidēhīsahitaṁ suradrumatalē hēmē mahāmaṇḍapē madhyē
puṣpakamāsanē maṇimayē vīrāsanē susthitam (Śrī Rāmāṣṭōttaraśatanāma stōtram)
etc. He doesn‟t have to deliberately think, as even he closes the eyes Rāma‟s
paṭṭābhiṣēka form comes or RādhāKr̥ṣṇa comes before the mind because he has
worked for that. Therefore smaryamāṇatayā abhyastaḥ he has done rehearsal, for
him life is a rehearsal for death. Yēna means bahuvrīhi samāsa, and bahuvrīhi
samāsa means the word is referring to the upāsaka who has practiced this
remembrance, and such an upāsaka is called tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ. So we have to see
what comes when we close our eyes. From that we can know what is our vāsanā.
And that is why they say you can use the dreams also to indicate what is our vāsanā
because dreams are also generated out of vāsanās only. Therefore dreams indicate,
when we sit for meditation what comes indicate, the upāsaka has recklessly
practiced iṣṭa-dēvatā-upāsana. And that person dies remembering Bhagavān and
merges into Bhagavān.
The anvaya is, Hē kauntēya! sadā tat bhāva-bhāvitaḥ (puruṣaḥ) yam yam bhāvam
vā api smaran (san) antē kalēvaram tyajati, (saḥ) tam tam ēva ēti. Continuing;
Verse 08-07
यस्मात् एवम् अन्त्या भावना दे हान्तरप्राप्तौ कारणम् ––
yasmāt ēvam antyā bhāvanā dēhāntaraprāptau kāraṇam ––
तस्मात्सवेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च ।

मय्यर्पिंतमनोबुद्धद्धमायमेवैष्यस्यसांियम् ॥ गीता ८-७ ॥
tasmātsarvēṣu kālēṣu māmanusmara yudhya ca |

mayyarpitamanōbuddhirmāmēvaiṣyasyasaṁśayam || Gītā 8-7 ||
Based on this Kr̥ṣṇa gives an instruction in the next ślōka. For all the spiritual
seekers, an important instruction. What is the basis for the instruction? Śaṅkarācārya
gives that, yasmāt – since antyā-bhāvanā kāraṇam – the final thought pattern is the
cause for the next janma, bhāvanā means thought pattern, antyā means final,
maraṇakāla-cintanam. Dēhāntara-prāptau-kāraṇam is the cause for determining the

type of punar-janma. Two things are there, one is determining punar-janma and
also determining the type of punar-janma. Determining the existence of punar-
janma and determining the type of punar-janma, antyā-bhāvanā-kāraṇam bhavati –
the final thought is the kāraṇam and then you have to add one more point, the final
thought is determined by the thought throughout the life. Antakāla-smaraṇam is
determined by sarvakāla smaraṇam, punar-janma is determined by antakāla-
smaraṇam and antakāla smaraṇam is determined by sarvakāla smaraṇam.
Therefore, what? That is said in the ślōka, I will give you the gist of it. Kr̥ṣṇa says,
therefore remember Me all the time. Me does not mean finite Kr̥ṣṇa as a person,
personal form we can use as a support; you can have Kr̥ṣṇa form in the mind but
the Kr̥ṣṇa form should represent the samaṣṭi, the saguṇa-brahma or the total. These
are all for the upāsaka who wants krama-mukti. Remember, we are temporarily keep
aside the vēdānta and aham brahma asmi, and I don‟t want all the binary-format
people to come down to the triangular-format. This is not talking about vēdānta,
vēdānta is kept aside, because for a Vedantic student the question of punar-janma is
not there because he remembers
मयय एव सकलम् जातम् मयय सवयम् प्रगतयष्ठतम् ॥ कैवल्योपगनषत् १-१९ ॥
mayi ēva sakalam jātam mayi sarvam pratiṣṭhitam || Kaivalyōpaniṣat 1-19 ||
Therefore an objective-God itself he is not going to think of, aham ēva idam̐ sarvam
is the Vedantic-thought. This is addressed to those people who consider vēdānta is
beyond them and who are compromising and voting for krama-mukti. For them the
other mukti is violation mukti. Therefore they are voting for krama-mukti. Therefore
in the eighth chapter vēdānta is kept aside. Therefore this is not addressed to
binary-format students. I don‟t expect them to slip down even though these ślōkas
are tempting ślōkas. Therefore mayi arpita-manaḥ-buddhiḥ – thinking of Me,
adharaṁ madhuraṁ vadanaṁ madhuraṁ nayanaṁ madhuraṁ hasitaṁ madhuram,
thinking of Me you die you will merge into me. And manoḥ-buddhiḥ is said,
emotionally also you would be attached to Me as Bhagavān, intellectually also you
understand Bhagavān is sarva kāraṇatvāt sarvātmakaḥ.
Bhūrambhāṁsyanalō:'nilōmbaramaharnāthō himāṁśuḥ pumān (Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Stōtram 9). May you remember Īśvara as everything. This is the gist, now we will go
to the bhāṣyam.
तस्म त् सिेषु क लेषु म म् अनुस्मर यथािास्त्रम् । युध्य च युद्धां च स्वधमं कुरु । मयय वासुदेवे अर्पिंते मनोबुद्धी यस्य तव
साः त्वां मयय अर्पिंत-मनाः-बुशद्धाः सन् म म् एि यथास्मृतम् एष्यसस आगयमष्यशस । असंशयाः न सांियाः अत्र गवद्यते ॥ ८-७
॥

tasmāt sarvēṣu kālēṣu mām anusmara yathāśāstram | yudhya ca yuddhaṁ ca

svadharmaṁ kuru | mayi vāsudēvē arpitē manōbuddhī yasya tava saḥ tvaṁ mayi
arpita-manaḥ-buddhiḥ san mām ēva yathāsmr̥tam ēṣyasi āgamiṣyasi |
asaṁśayaḥ na saṁśayaḥ atra vidyatē || 8-7 ||
The first line tasmāt sarvēṣu kālēṣu mām anusmara, you can understand,
therefore start handling your sub-conscious-mind now itself, because sub-conscious
mind will have to be indirectly handled through the conscious-mind. You can never
reach the sub-conscious-mind directly, the only corridor is conscious-mind. Therefore
you start bringing Īśvara-smaraṇam in conscious-mind now itself so that slowly and
slowly it will go to the sub-conscious-mind and it will get saturated. Sarvēṣu kālēṣu
mām Īśvaram-anusmara. And on what basis? Yathā-śāstram – as described in the
śāstra, even though Bhagavān has got various symbolic forms, what type of symbol
should be used should be based on śāstra, you cannot invent new symbol. You
cannot create your own iṣṭa-dēvatā, iṣṭa-dēvatā must be chosen from śāstra-
description only. Therefore ālambanam is not based on our own freewill, śāstra has
given a set of ālambanam. This is called vyavasthita-vikalpaḥ. We have a choice but
not absolute-choice. Absolute-choice means you can create symbol as you like but
we can choose a symbol but the choice must be out of the choices given in the
śāstra. And that śāstra given choice is called vyavasthita-vikalpaḥ. Therefore yathā-
śāstram. Then the question is if I have to remember Bhagavān all the time should I
drop my family duties. You are asking me to remember the Lord all the time which
means I have to drop all the duties. Kr̥ṣṇa says, No, yudhya ca. Yudhya ca means
may you fight also. Then Śaṅkarācārya is worried as Kr̥ṣṇa is asking us to fight. So
Śaṅkarācārya says yudhya ca is equal to svadharmaṁ kuru. In the case of Arjuna in
the battle field svadharma happens to be yuddham, therefore the word yudhya ca
is used, it is an upalakṣaṇam for svadharma-anuṣṭhānam. For Arjuna, yuddham is
svadharma-anuṣṭhānam in the battlefield. But for other people may they continue
their family-duties kuru. So that means may you continue your duty but whenever
you find time between the duties, what do we generally do is worrying, convert
worry-time into upāsana-time. therefore we have to do both family duties and
upāsana. Yudhya ca is equal to yuddhaṁ ca – svadharmaṁ kuru.
And if people say that in gr̥hastha-āśrama I don‟t find time then alone they
prescribed Vānaprastha-āśrama and Vānaprastha-āśrama means reduce your family-
duties by handing over to some other family-members. You can make gr̥hastha-
āśrama itself into Vānaprastha-āśrama because in the previous Vānaprastha-āśrama,
the parents leave the family, now in the present vānaprastha-āśrama children leave

the family. Either way you are left alone. Either you have to quit the children or
children quit you. So now you need not take Vānaprastha-āśrama, grown up children
will give you forced vānaprastha-āśrama and enjoy that, instead of complaining the
son don‟t come from US. If they don‟t come it is ideal for upāsanam.
Then the next word is mayi-arpita-manaḥ-buddhiḥ. The position has been

changed, mayi-arpita-manaḥ-buddhiḥ we should read first, then is equal to mayi
vāsudēvē arpitē manōbuddhī yasya tava, bahuvrīhi samāsa he explains. Mayi
arpita-manaḥ-buddhiḥ is the name of the upāsaka. And what type of upāsaka?
The one whose emotional-mind and intellectual understanding both are attached to
Īśvara. Emotionally-attached to Īśvara and intellectually-having the admiration-of-
Īśvara. And what is the intellectual-admiration? Kāraṇam is superior to kāryam. Local
people are kāryam, therefore I should not depend on them and Īśvara is kāraṇam,
therefore I should depend on Him. Kāryam is anityam and kāraṇam is nityam. Family
members are kāryam is anityam and kāraṇam is nityam. Family members are
kāryam, anityam and Īśvara is kāraṇam, nityam. Therefore instead of relying upon
kārya-family members, I should rely upon kāraṇa-Īśvara. This is called intellectual-
admiration. You use logic to appreciate the superiority of Īśvara from the standpoint
of security. Therefore buddhiḥ. Emotional mind appreciates Īśvara based on
beauty. adharaṁ madhuraṁ vadanaṁ madhuraṁ nayanaṁ madhuraṁ hasitaṁ
madhuram. Hr̥dayaṁ madhuraṁ gamanaṁ madhuraṁ madhurādhipatērakhilaṁ
madhuram (Madhurāṣṭakam-1). Therefore the emotional mind is not based on logic,
it appreciates the beautiful form of the Lord, that is not enough, intellect should
understand that this beautiful form represents nitya-kāraṇam, therefore let me hold
on to kāraṇa-Īśvara, not any family member. Therefore mayi is equal to vāsudēvē,
kāraṇa-īśvarē, arpitē – is fixed in the form of upāsana, manaḥ and buddhī – the
emotional mind and intellect admiration, manōbuddhī is a compound word, manaḥ
ca buddhiḥ ca manōbuddhī, dvandva samāsa, yasya upāsakasya – such an upāsaka
is called mayi arpita-manaḥ-buddhiḥ. san – being in this manner, mām ēva
yathāsmr̥tam ēṣyasi – because of this upāsana with both emotional-attachment and
intellectual-admiration, then a person remembers God throughout the life, and at the
time maraṇam also the sub-conscious mind automatically brings the Īśvara. As a
result of antakāla Īśvara-smaraṇam – mām ēva ēṣyasi – that upāsaka will reach
Me only, yathāsmr̥tam – as he remembers. Ēṣyasi is in the mūlam, is equal to
āgamiṣyasi. Asaṁśayaḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to na saṁśayaḥ atra vidyatē –
there is no doubt in this regard, remember God you will be safe. Bhagavān will save
you.

286 Verses 08-07 to 08-09
Page 214, Verse No.08-07.

तस्मात्सवेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च ।
मय्यर्पिंतमनोबुद्धद्धमायमेवैष्यस्यसांियम् ॥ गीता ८-७ ॥
tasmātsarvēṣu kālēṣu māmanusmara yudhya ca |

mayyarpitamanōbuddhirmāmēvaiṣyasyasaṁśayam || Gītā 8-7 ||
We completed the bhāṣyam of this ślōka in the last class, and in this ślōka Kr̥ṣṇa
gives an instruction to upāsaka that may you continue saguṇa-upāsana throughout
the life then alone you will be able to remember Me at the time of death also.
Therefore sarvakāla-Īśvara-upāsana is important; then alone antakāla-Īśvara-
smaraṇam is possible. And antakāla-Īśvara-smaraṇam alone can give krama-mukti.
And this upāsaka should not give up the nitya-naimittika-karma or svadharma-
anuṣṭhānam; therefore kēvala upāsana is not prescribed here, upāsana; karma-
samuccaya is prescribed. This upāsana; karma; samuccaya is important and possible
for the upāsaka, and also it is required for antakāla-smaraṇam and krama-mukti.
And there are other commentators entering into very interesting discussion.
Śaṅkarācārya commentary on the eighth chapter is very brief, but other
commentators write a lot. And there is an interesting discussion I will briefly
mention, mām anusmara refers to upāsana and yudhya ca means karma. Ca means
combined. Anusmara is upāsanam, yudhya is karma and ca means samuccaya.
Therefore in this ślōka, upāsana-karma-samuccaya is prescribed by Kr̥ṣṇa. And the
question is, is this upāsana-karma-samuccaya that is prescribed or nidhidhyāsana-
karma-samuccaya. Because anusmaraṇam can refer to nididhyāsanam also.
Therefore why cannot we take this mām-anusmara-yudhya-ca as nididhyāsana-
karma-samuccaya? And the answer given is it cannot be taken because of the
following reasons. Of course, I am presenting it in my own language. They discuss in
their own language.

Upāsana-karma-samuccaya is possible because both of them come under karma

category. Upāsana is mānasam-karma, karma is kāyikam-karma. Both come under
karma category, therefore samuccaya is possible.
And secondly samuccaya is required also, because only then the samuccaya-kartā
will remember the Lord at the time of death, and remember mōkṣa will come only if
upāsana-karma-samuccaya is practiced until death.
And remember upāsana-karma-samuccaya will never give jīvan-mukti. He has to

practice until death. Then after death, he will krama-mukti by going to Brahmalōka.
Therefore the thing to be remembered is upāsana-karma-samuccaya is possible,
upāsana-karma-samuccaya is required.
Whereas in the case of nididhyāsanam and karma, we say it is neither possible nor it
is required. Nidhidhyāsana-karma-samuccaya is not possible, why? Even though a
nidhidhyāsana-candidate may do nitya-naimittika-karma as a gr̥hastha, a
nidhidhyāsana-candidate gr̥hastha may do sandhyāvandanādi karma but it can never
be called nidhidhyāsana-karma samuccaya, because a nidhidhyāsana-candidate will
never claim the karma as his own karma. Because nidhidhyāsana-candidate when he
is doing nitya-naimittika-karma what will be his thought pattern? Naiva kiñcitkarōmīti
yuktō manyēta tattvavit (Gītā 5-8) I do not do any karma, no karma belongs to me.
Since he disclaims all the karma guṇāḥ guṇēṣu vartantē, indriyāṇīndriyārthēṣu
vartantē; therefore I don‟t have karma in all the periods of time, therefore where is
the question of combining karma. He rejects karma, where is the question of
combination? Therefore nididhyāsana-karma-samuccaya is not possible.
And secondly nididhyāsana-karma-samuccaya is not required for mōkṣa. Why? I

have to give all this as homework. Very interesting thing. „Why it is possible?‟ it must
have been homework, I missed it. And the second homework is „why it is not
required for mōkṣa?‟ because the nididhyāsana-kartā claims I don‟t require mōkṣa, I
don‟t look forward to either vidēha-mukti or krama-mukti because the very
nididhyāsanam is aham nitya-muktaḥ asmi. Being a nitya-muktaḥ, where is the
question of doing something for mōkṣa? „For-mōkṣa‟ expression itself disappears
from his life, „for‟ is replaced by „with‟. With mōkṣa I do lōka-saṅgraha without
claiming that as my karma.
Therefore upāsana-karma-samuccaya is possible and required for krama-mukti and

nididhyāsana-karma-samuccaya is neither possible nor required. Therefore seventh
ślōka talks about karma-upāsana samuccaya and not karma-nididhyāsana-

samuccaya. It is a very enjoyable discussion by Rāmarāya kavi in his Bhāṣyārka

prakāśa, a sub-commentary on Gītā.
The anvaya is, tasmāt sarvēṣu kālēṣu (tvam) mām anusmara, yudhya ca. Mayi
arpita-manaḥ-buddhiḥ (san tvam) mām ēva ēṣyasi. Asaṁśayam asti (saṁśayaḥ
nāsti).
Another interesting enquiry Rāmarāya Kavi makes in the expression sarvēṣu-kālēṣu –

at all times. Kāla is used in plural number. And therefore he asks the question kālaḥ
ēkaḥ vā anēkaḥ vā? See they how minutely observe, any word is enough they can
enquiry into pages and then the conclusion he makes is ākāśavat kālaḥ api ēkaḥ
anantaḥ ca and therefore plural number is really not possible, but for the sake of
vyavahāra ghaṭākāśa bahutvavat, just as one ākāśa is seemingly divided by many
enclosures, similarly, kālaḥ is seemingly divided by various upādhis, aupādhika-
bhēdaḥ asti, vāstava-bhēdaḥ nāsti. Therefore sarvēṣu-kālēṣu is a figurative
expression not vāstava expression. Continuing;
गकचच ––
kiñca ––
Verse 08-08
अभ्यासयोगयुक्तेन चेतसा नान्यगायमना ।
परमां पुरुषां ददव्यां यागत पाथायनुशचन्तयन् ॥ गीता ८-८ ॥
abhyāsayōgayuktēna cētasā nānyagāminā |

paramaṁ puruṣaṁ divyaṁ yāti pārthānucintayan || Gītā 8-8 ||
So the elaboration of this idea is given in this ślōka. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya

introduces kiñca, kiñca means moreover. Once you get such an introduction it
means the same idea is continued and further elaborated. And this practice of
Īśvara-smaraṇam or Īśvara-upāsana, Kr̥ṣṇa calls by the name which He uses often in
Bhagavad Gītā, that word is abhyāsaḥ-yōgaḥ, it is a word worth noting. Throughout
the Gītā in several places Kr̥ṣṇa uses the expression abhyāsa-yōgaḥ – the discipline
or spiritual exercise of abhyāsa, abhyāsa means meditation, dhyānam. It can be
both saguṇa or nirguṇa, but in the Gītā the word abhyāsa is used for saguṇa-
dhyānam, saguṇa-upāsana; this one has to practice regularly throughout, then alone
at the time of death the smaraṇam will come. Therefore the gist of this ślōka is by
the practice of Īśvara-dhyānam the mind gets one-pointed, concentration becomes
natural as I said in the last class, for a bhakta he closes the eyes iṣṭa-dēvatā comes

automatically. The training is so rigorous that he doesn‟t have to put forth the
efforts, he closes his eyes in front of or in the mental screen only the iṣṭa-dēvatā
comes, and it is made such a rigorous practice that even if he wants the iṣṭa-dēvatā
to go away, it won‟t go. Therefore cētasā nānyagāminā – a mind which is incapable
of taking away from the iṣṭa-dēvatā or Īśvara, in this manner paramam puruṣam
divyam anucintayan – he remembers the iṣṭa-dēvatā not as a finite God but as the
viśvarūpa-Īśvara. Iṣṭa-dēvatā is the symbol but it symbolizes the viśvarūpa-Īśvara,
you may call it viṟāṭ-Īśvara or you may call it Hiraṇyagarbha-Īśvara, Śaṅkarācārya
uses the expression Hiraṇyagarbha-garbha-rūpa-Īśvaram, cintayan – he merges into
Hiraṇyagarbha. This is the gist of this ślōka and we will go to the bhāṣyam.
अभ्य स-योग-युक्तेन – मयय शचिसमपयणगवषयभूते एकस्स्मन् तुल्यप्रत्ययावृत्तिलक्णाः गवलक्ण-प्रत्यय-अनन्तररताः

अभ्यासाः । साः च अभ्यासाः योगाः । तेन युक्तां तत्र एव व्यापृतां योगगनाः चेताः तेन, चेतस न नयग यमन न अन्यत्र गवषयान्तरे
गन्तुां िीलम् अस्य इगत नान्यगायम । तेन नान्यगायमना, परमं गनरगतियां पुरुषं ददव्यं ददगव सूययमण्डले भवां य वत गच्छगत हे
प थथ अनुसचनतयन् िास्त्र-आचायय-उपदे िम् अनुध्यायन् इगत एतत् ॥ ८-८ ॥
abhyāsa-yōga-yuktēna – mayi cittasamarpaṇaviṣayabhūtē ēkasmin

tulyapratyayāvr̥ttilakṣaṇaḥ vilakṣaṇa-pratyaya-anantaritaḥ abhyāsaḥ | saḥ ca
abhyāsaḥ yōgaḥ | tēna yuktaṁ tatra ēva vyāpr̥taṁ yōginaḥ cētaḥ tēna, cētasā
nānyagāminā na anyatra viṣayāntarē gantuṁ śīlam asya iti nānyagāmi | tēna
nānyagāminā, paramaṁ niratiśayaṁ puruṣaṁ divyaṁ divi sūryamaṇḍalē bhavaṁ
yāti gacchati hē pārtha anucintayan śāstra-ācārya-upadēśam anudhyāyan iti ētat
|| 8-8 ||
Abhyāsa-yōga-yuktēna is the first word, after that we have to put an en dash,

that compound is being explained. First he takes the word abhyāsa and defines it
as meditation. And what is that? mayi, mayi means meditation upon Me. Here Kr̥ṣṇa
is talking as viśvarūpa-Īśvara or Hiraṇyagarbha, upon Me. What type of Me? Citta-
samarpaṇa-viṣaya-bhūtē – which is the object of fixing the mind, samarpaṇam
means fixing, viṣaya means object. Upon Me who am an object of fixing your mind,
ēkasmin – upon that Me alone, tulya-pratyayā-vr̥tti-lakṣaṇaḥ – in the form of
continuous flow of one and the same Īśvara-pratyaya. Tulya-pratyaya means the
same thought, āvr̥tti means the continuous flow of Īśvara-pratyaya, pratyaya means
thought, āvr̥tti-lakṣaṇaḥ, lakṣaṇaḥ means in the form of. So meditation is in the form
of the flow-of-thought which thought has got an object in the form of Īśvara. And
this thought flow should be so continuous that it should not be distracted by other
thoughts. Therefore vilakṣaṇa-pratyaya-anantaritaḥ, anantaritaḥ means
unobstructed by, undistracted by, undeflected by, vilakṣaṇa-pratyaya means other
dissimilar thoughts, Īśvara-anya-vr̥ttiḥ, is equal to abhyāsaḥ. In fact, the word
abhyāsaḥ must be written first because this is the definition of abhyāsaḥ. Abhyāsaḥ
is equal to mayi-citta-samarpaṇa-viṣayabhūtē ēkasmin tulya-pratyayā-vr̥tti-lakṣaṇaḥ

vilakṣaṇa-pratyaya-anantaritaḥ. After abhyāsaḥ you have to put a full stop. That is

the definition of abhyāsaḥ. Then saḥ ca abhyāsaḥ-yōgaḥ, after yōga full stop. So he
says abhyāsaḥ yōgaḥ is a karmadhāraya samāsa, which means abhyāsa itself is a
yōga, named upāsana-yōga, or dhyāna-yōga. What is the meaning of the word
yōgaḥ? Any spiritual practice is yōgaḥ. Here the spiritual practice is in the form of
abhyāsaḥ-saguṇa-dhyānam. What is the samāsa? Abhyāsaḥ ēva yōgaḥ abhyāsaḥ-
yōgaḥ, karmadhāraya. And then abhyāsa-yōga-yuktēna is there, he gives the
vigraha-vākyam, tēna yuktam – so the mind is associated with such a practice, tēna
means the spiritual practice, yuktam means associated with. What is associated? The
mind is associated with such a practice. Therefore tēna yuktam tr̥t īyā tatpuruṣa
samāsa. He is giving the samāsa in all these things. So tēna yuktam. And the word
yuktam occurs in the mūlam, is equal to tatra ēva vyāpr̥tam. Here there is a printing
mistake in the Gōrakhapur book, vyāvr̥tam is there, it should be vyāpr̥tam, vyāpr̥tam
means engaged, committed. So tatra ēva vyāpr̥tam means the mind is engaged in
only Īśvara, that means wife doesn‟t come suddenly, husband doesn‟t come
suddenly, children don‟t come suddenly, grandchildren don‟t come suddenly; the
mind is engaged only in God and the God only. Vyāpr̥tam means vyāpāraḥ. Mind has
no other business. Vyāpr̥tam means no other business is there. And engaged, what
is engaged? yōginaḥ cētaḥ – the mind of the yōgi. Who is the yōgi here? Upāsaka-
yōgi. So yōginaḥ cētaḥ that means all these ślōkas are addressed to the upāsaka.
Therefore we should ask the question, are all these ślōkas relevant to me or not, for
that we should know whether we are in nididhyāsanam or upāsanam. If you say that
you are confused then I cannot help, every student must know whether he is a
upāsaka or nididhyāsana kartā. If you are doubtful you continue to be upāsaka,
doesn‟t matter, but once you come to nididhyāsanam, remember nididhyāsanam is
my favorite binary-format. Once you come to nididhyāsanam I won‟t permit you to
go back. Therefore you should be careful if you want to join me. Admission is not
easily given, once you come to nididhyāsanam binary-format and there is no
question of going back. You may slip inadvertently, inadvertent slips are allowed, but
deliberate climbing down is not allowed. Such slip happens to any nididhyāsana
kartā, that is ok, deliberately coming down is not allowed, it is one way traffic.
Therefore when we read all these ślōkas you should remember Kr̥ṣṇa is addressing a
upāsaka for krama-mukti, I should ask the question what candidate I am. Therefore
yōginaḥ, that word yōgi means upāsaka yōgi. cētaḥ means the mind. After cētaḥ we
have to put a full stop. And tēna cētasā – with such a mind, a mind which is imbued
like rasagullā is imbued with the syrup, similarly, the mind is imbued in Īśvara-
cintanam. So tēna cētasā – with such a mind, and because of the saturation only

nānyagāminā – the mind incapable of thinking anything else. We hear the stories
of the Maharashtrian bhakta, Gōrā Kumbhā was singing the Lord‟s name and he was
making the clay for making pots. With the mud he was mixing and he was singing
the name of the Lord, and his own child comes and enters the mud, and he mixes
the child also and sings, we cannot imagine such a thing they were lost in that
thought. That is what is called nānyagāminā, na putraḥ, na putri, na bhr̥tyaḥ. Just
as brahma-jñāni says these bhaktas also didn‟t have any other thing. Jāgata Rāma,
sōvata Rāma, Rāma Rāma they have got wonderful song, everything is Rāma,
everything Kr̥ṣṇa. Therefore nānyagāminā is in the mūlam and saṁskr̥ta students
should note nānyagāminā is a compound word, a compound with na, and
therefore in this ślōka na and anya-gāminā are written separately, it should be
written together, nānyagāminā is equal to na anyatra viṣayāntarē gantuṁ śīlam
asya. You can understand a mind which is incapable of seriously thinking about
anything else. The bhakta may be involved in the worldly transactions, but they
don‟t occupy the mind, once the worldly transaction is over, naturally God enters
their mind. And therefore na anyatra Īśvara bhinna viṣayē, remember even for such
bhaktas, ahaṅkāra and mamakāra were very very feeble. Even for such bhaktas
even though they are upāsaka and dvaita-bhaktas and saguṇa-bhaktas, that bhakti
itself will reduce ahaṅkāra and mamakāra but we will add a note, that bhakti will not
eliminate ahaṅkāra mamakāra. Ahaṅkāra-mamakāra can be weakened by dvaita-
bhakti, ahaṅkāra- mamakāra will be eliminated only by advaita-jñānam which is
gained only through śravaṇa-manana-nididhyāsanam. In the bhakti literature they
will say bhakti itself will do that, whereas we don‟t agree with that, that bhakti will
bring a guru. And all those bhaktas had guru. And their guru‟s life, their gurukula
vāsa or śravaṇa-manana-nididhyāsanam are not talked about, we should remember
all of them whether there are Nivr̥tti, Jñānadēva, Sōpāna, Muktābāi, Tukārāma,
Nāmadēva, all of them had guru because in their song they mention the importance
of guru and they were all advaita-jñānis and bhaktas.
Therefore we should note bhakti itself will not automatically give jñānam, bhakti will
bring a guru, guru will do „tattvamasi‟ upadēśa, and the upadēśa will give jñānam.
The only difference is in the case of those advanced bhaktas the jñāna-yōga
duration is a few days. But in our case, it is years together. Therefore because of
advanced bhakti the jñāna-yōga pursuit is so short that it is invisible to us. Therefore
we think they did not have jñāna-yōga. That is our problem. Śaṅkarācārya makes it
very clear, that you have to go through regular route. Any they are all aside notes.
Anyatra is equal to viṣayāntarē gantuṁ śīlam asya – the one whose mind will not go

anywhere else other than Bhagavān. Such a mind is called nānyagāmi. Here also a
correction has to be made, na anyagāmi is given a gap, you have to combine it
nānyagāmi is a compound word. After nānyagāmi put a full stop. Then tēna
nānyagāminā – with the help of this wonderful bhakti saturated mind, what do they
do, paramaṁ niratiśayaṁ puruṣam anucintayan – they continuously think of
paramapuruṣaḥ. Paramam is equal to niratiśayam, niratiśayam means the supreme.
The adjective supreme is to indicate that their God is not one of the dēvatās, but
kāraṇa-Īśvara, māyā- sahita-brahma but they symbolize that Īśvara upon Rāma,
Kr̥ṣṇa or dēvī or Paṇḍarīnātha. So paramam is in the mūlam, is equal to
niratiśayam, niratiśayam means the greatest, superlative degree, nirgatāḥ atiśayaḥ
yasmāt. puruṣam, puruṣa means Īśvaraḥ, divyam is equal to divi Sūrya maṇḍalē
bhavam – the Lord who is invoked in Sūrya maṇḍala. So in the Vedic literature,
Bhagavān is mostly invoked in Sūrya maṇḍalam, solar disc. If you remember
Chāndōgyōpaniṣat, ya ēṣō:'ntarādityē hiraṇmayaḥ puruṣō dr̥śyatē
hiraṇyaśmaśrurhiraṇyakēśa āpraṇasvātsarva ēva suvarṇaḥ (Chāndōgyōpaniṣat 1-6-6)
etc., based on that alone in the sandhyāvandanam also dhyēyaḥ sadā
savitr̥maṇḍalamadhyavartī nārāyaṇaḥ sarasijāsanasaṁniviṣṭaḥ.
kēyūravānmakarakuṇḍalavān kirīṭī hārī hiraṇmayavapurdhr̥taśaṅkhacakraḥ. Whether
it is Śiva or Viṣṇu or Dēvī, they are invoked in the solar disc. And in Uddhava Gītā
there is one full chapter talking about how to meditate upon Īśvara on solar disc.
One chapter is there on that topic. Therefore divyam means Sūrya-maṇḍalē-
bhavam, Hiraṇyagarbha-rūpam-Īśvaram, divyam is equal to divi, divi is equal to
Sūrya-maṇḍalēbhavam, bhavam means invoked. Anucintayan; the word yāti we
will read later. You come to the next line hē pārtha anucintayan which means
continuously remembering that Lord. And why the prefix anu? What is the
significance of anu? Śaṅkarācārya says śāstra-ācārya-upadēśam anu – you have to
invoke the Lord only upon the symbols prescribed by the śāstra, you cannot invent
new symbols. Therefore śāstra-ācārya-upadēśam anu. That is why we have got
dhyāna ślōka before upāsana. kṣīrōdhanvat pradēśē for Viṣṇu-upāsana and śuddha-
sphaṭika saṅkāśam for Śiva upāsana, Sindūrāruṇa vigrahāṁ trinayanāṁ for dēvī-
upāsana, that dhyāna-ślōka indicates you have to meditate only as prescribed even
śaṅkham, cakram etc., they will mention in which hand what is there, we are
supposed to keep that and you should not exchange the hand and those things, you
should not say „after all what does it matter, this hand or that hand‟. No, you have to
do it exactly as prescribed in the śāstras. Therefore śāstra-ācārya-upadēśam anu-
dhyāyan. Anucintayan is equal to anudhyāyan, practicing the upāsana and
thereafter you have to read the verb yāti. From the previous line you have to take

the word yāti, and that should be read at the end, after iti ētat. Yāti is equal to
gacchati. Where gacchati? We have to read the word paramam puruṣam twice.
Paramam puruṣam dhyāyan paramam puruṣam gacchati – meditating on God,
he reaches God. The word God you have to read twice. And how does he go,
gacchati? The details are not given here. That will be given later, that we should
remember gacchati means through śukla-gati reach Brahmalōka, attend Brahmāji‟s
class and gain aham brahma asmi knowledge and then gacchati; all these are
understood.
The anvaya is, Hē Pārtha! Abhyāsa-yōga-yuktēna nānyagāminā cētasā paramam

divyam puruṣam anucintayan (san) yāti. Continuing;

तकिंगवशिष्टां च पुरुषां यागत इगत उच्यते ––
kiṁviśiṣṭaṁ ca puruṣaṁ yāti iti ucyatē ––
Kr̥ṣṇa wants to give some more descriptions of that God which the upāsaka
meditates. Already some descriptions are given: paramam is one description, divyam
is another description. Kr̥ṣṇa is not satisfied with two descriptions. Therefore He
dedicates one full ślōka, for more descriptions of that Īśvara because Īśvara‟s
description is endless, all the sahasranāmas are descriptions of that Lord. Therefore
how can He stop with only two words. Therefore He wants a few more descriptions
to be added, Īśvara-varṇanam. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says kiṁviśiṣṭaṁ ca
puruṣam – what are the additional descriptions of that God? So kiṁviśiṣṭam is a
compound word, there should not be a gap in between. Tr̥tīyā tatpuruṣa, kēna
viśiṣṭaḥ kiṁviśiṣṭaḥ tam. Yāti – the upāsaka meditates and merges, iti ucyatē – that
is described further.
Verse 08-09
कतविं पुराणमनुिाशसतारां
अणोरणीयाांसमनुस्मरेद्याः ।
सवयस्य धातारमशचन्त्यरूपम्-
माददत्यवणं तमसाः परस्तात् ॥ गीता ८-९ ॥
kaviṁ purāṇamanuśāsitāraṁ
aṇōraṇīyāṁsamanusmarēdyaḥ |
sarvasya dhātāramacintyarūpam-
mādityavarṇaṁ tamasaḥ parastāt || Gītā 8-9 ||

And the practice of our scriptures is even though saguṇa-upāsaka does not know
nirguṇam-brahma, when the upāsaka upāsya dēvatā varṇanam, the description is
given some of those words are of nirguṇam-brahma also. Even though the upāsaka
will utter those words and he won‟t understand the significance, those words are
also thrown here and there so that the upāsaka will gradually get familiar with those
nirguṇa words also. That is why the words like Saccidānanda is very common in our
Vedic culture. In fact, many people have the name also saccidānanda and they call
him sacci, sacci also. So the idea is let these words enter into us, and according to
śāstra even these words are taken up. That is why Viṣṇu Sahasranāma also you can
take apramēyaḥ etc., Lalitā Sahasranāma you take nirguṇā, niṣkalā, nityā etc.
Therefore this is saguṇa-upāsana context only but some of the words are nirguṇa
words. This upāsaka utters even though he doesn‟t understand the full significance.
Here also we get some words saguṇa, some words nirguṇa some words you can
interpret both ways, two in one. This is the gist of the ślōka. Now we will go to the
bhāṣyam.
कतििं क्रान्तदर्ििंनां सवयज्ञां पुर णं शचरन्तनम् अनुश ससत रं सवयस्य जगताः प्रिाशसतारम् अणोाः सूक्ष्मात् अगप अणीय ंसं
सूक्ष्मतरम् अनुस्मरेत् अनुशचन्तयेत् याः कत्तित्, सिथस्य कमयफलजातस्य ध त रं गवशचत्रतया प्रात्तणभ्याः गवभक्तारम्, गवभज्ज्य
दातारम् असचनत्य-रूपं न अस्य रूपां गनयतां गवद्यमानम् अगप केनशचत् शचन्तययतुां िक्तयते इगत अशचन्त्यरूपाः तम्, आददत्य-
िणथम् आददत्यस्य इव गनत्यचैतन्यप्रकािाः वणयाः यस्य तम् आददत्यवणयम,् तमसाः परस्त त् अज्ञानलक्णात् मोहान्धकारात्
परम् । तम् अनुशचन्तयन् यागत इगत पूवेण एव सम्बन्धाः ॥ ८-९ ॥
kaviṁ krāntadarśinaṁ sarvajñaṁ purāṇaṁ cirantanam anuśāsitāraṁ sarvasya

jagataḥ praśāsitāram aṇōḥ sūkṣmāt api aṇīyāṁsaṁ sūkṣmataram anusmarēt
anucintayēt yaḥ kaścit, sarvasya karmaphalajātasya dhātāraṁ vicitratayā
prāṇibhyaḥ vibhaktāram, vibhajya dātāram acintya-rūpaṁ na asya rūpaṁ
niyataṁ vidyamānam api kēnacit cintayituṁ śakyatē iti acintyarūpaḥ tam,
āditya-varṇam ādityasya iva nityacaitanyaprakāśaḥ varṇaḥ yasya tam
ādityavarṇam, tamasaḥ parastāt ajñānalakṣaṇāt mōhāndhakārāt param | tam
anucintayan yāti iti pūrvēṇa ēva sambandhaḥ || 8-9 ||
All these are descriptions of Īśvara. Kavim is the first word, is equal to
krāntadarśinam, krānta means beyond, darśi means the seer. So krāntadarśi means
the Lord who can see beyond; beyond means beyond the present. We can see only
the present, Bhagavān can see beyond the present, that means He can see the past,
He can see the future, therefore trikāladarśinam. Vartamāna atikrānta
trikāladarśinam, is equal to sarvajñam. Trikāladarśi means sarvajñaḥ, omniscient.
Therefore kavim is equal to krāntadarśinam is equal to sarvajñam.
Then the next word is purāṇam is equal to cirantanam – the most ancient one,
because Īśvara doesn‟t have a beginning. Therefore cirantanam means the

beginningless one, the primordial one, sarvakāraṇatvāt anāditvāt. So purāṇam is

equal to cirantanam.
Then anuśāsitāram is equal to sarvasya jagataḥ praśāsitāram, praśāsitā means

ruler, controller, governor, the one who runs the show. The CEO of the universe is
called praśāsitā. He is the ruler of sarvasya jagataḥ – of the entire universe.
Then the next description is aṇōḥ aṇīyāṁsam, aṇōḥ is equal to sūkṣmāt api,
compared to the subtlest object in the universe. And what is the subtlest object we
can imagine? ākāśaḥ. Compared to even the subtlest ākāśa aṇīyāṁsam is equal to
sūkṣmataram, Īśvara is subtler than even the subtlest ākāśa. Ākāśa has got ēka
guṇaḥ, puruṣa has got nirguṇaḥ. Therefore He is subtler. Aṇōḥ aṇīyāṁsam is the
nirguṇa varṇanam. krāntadarśi is saguṇa, kavi is saguṇa, purāṇam is applicable to
both, saguṇa is also beginningless, nirguṇa is also beginningless. Then
anuśāsitāram is saguṇa, aṇōḥ aṇīyāṁsam is nirguṇa. Thus both are there. Then
anusmarēt is equal to anucintayēt – the upāsakas should remember, meditate
upon. Then yaḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to kaścit – anyone, and this alone in the
bhakti literature they highlight, in fact bhakti in the form of Īśvara cintanam and
Īśvara nāmasmaraṇam, nāmakirtanam, became gradually popular because of one
important reason, when vaidika- karma we talk about, we have to go by varṇa-
āśrama division. The moment you tell karma, you are asked the question what is
your varṇa and āśrama. Not only that you should also know what vēda you belong
to, because r̥gvēda sandhyāvandanam is different from yajurvēda. We should know
the vēda, we should know the sūtram also, because āpastamba sūtra is different
from bōdhāyana sūtra ritual. Therefore when you come to vaidika-karma, varṇa,
āśrama, then vēda, then sūtra, so many things came, therefore people found it very
difficult and perhaps it created some divisions and also gradation whereas in bhakti
they found that you think of Īśvara and when they give this instruction they won‟t
ask you to tell your sūtra. One need not know and even gender differences were
there, therefore from social-angle bhakti became very powerful. That is why
gradually vaidika-karmas waned and bhakti nāma-smaraṇam etc., caught up. The
reason is this. That is why when they go to śabarīmalai etc., all the people are there
and differences are forgotten. Therefore we should not criticize vēda, very careful,
let us glorify bhakti and bhakti is becoming popular, wonderful, but very very
important for us also vēda is the foundation and there is no bhakti literature without
the vēda mother, criticizing vēda is like criticizing our own mother. Let us move
according to the times but let us never never criticize the vēdas. This is the

advantage. yaḥ means yaḥ kaścit – whatever be the varṇa, gōtra, sūtra, anybody
can practice.

287 Verses 08-09 and 08-10
Page No.215, bhāṣyam 4th line from the top.

अनुस्मरेत् अनुशचन्तयेत् याः कत्तित्, सिथस्य कमयफलजातस्य ध त रं गवशचत्रतया प्रात्तणभ्याः गवभक्तारम्, गवभज्ज्य दातारम्
असचनत्य-रूपं न अस्य रूपां गनयतां गवद्यमानम् अगप केनशचत् शचन्तययतुां िक्तयते इगत अशचन्त्यरूपाः तम्, आददत्य-िणथम्
आददत्यस्य इव गनत्यचैतन्यप्रकािाः वणयाः यस्य तम् आददत्यवणयम,् तमसाः परस्त त् अज्ञानलक्णात् मोहान्धकारात् परम् ।
‘तम् अनुशचन्तयन् यागत’ इगत पूवेण एव सम्बन्धाः ॥ ८-९ ॥
anusmarēt anucintayēt yaḥ kaścit, sarvasya karmaphalajātasya dhātāraṁ

vicitratayā prāṇibhyaḥ vibhaktāram, vibhajya dātāram acintya-rūpaṁ na asya
rūpaṁ niyataṁ vidyamānam api kēnacit cintayituṁ śakyatē iti acintyarūpaḥ tam,
āditya-varṇam ādityasya iva nityacaitanyaprakāśaḥ varṇaḥ yasya tam
ādityavarṇam, tamasaḥ parastāt ajñānalakṣaṇāt mōhāndhakārāt param | „tam
anucintayan yāti‟ iti pūrvēṇa ēva sambandhaḥ || 8-9 ||
In this nineth verse ślōka, Lord Kr̥ṣṇa is describing paramēśvara, the Lord who is the
object of meditation for the upāsaka. This upāsaka is ajñāni, we should remember.
Even though he has got saguṇa-Īśvara-jñānam, he doesn‟t have nirguṇa-brahma-
jñānam. Even though he has got bhēda-jñānam, he doesn‟t have abhēda-jñānam.
Therefore from the standpoint of advaita-jñānam, upāsaka is ajñāni, we should
remember. Therefore he will not get jīvan-mukti also, vidēha-mukti also. But he is
entitled to krama-mukti and to attain the krama-mukti, what is the discipline that he
has to practice is the topic. First of all he should practice Īśvara-upāsana throughout
the life. He should not confine to any particular dēvatā-upāsana but Īśvara as the
samaṣṭi, the total. It can be in the form of virāṭ-Īśvara-upāsana, or it can be in the
form of Hiraṇyagarbha Īśvara-upāsana, or it can be in the form of antharyāmi-
Īśvara-upāsana; it must be samaṣṭi-Īśvara-upāsana. And that samaṣṭi-Īśvara is
described in this particular ślōka. The upāsaka thinks of Īśvara throughout the life
also and he thinks of Īśvara most importantly at the time of death also. And the
description of Īśvara includes both saguṇa and nirguṇa, but we should remember
the nirguṇa words are used but upāsaka has not discovered that nirguṇam-brahma.
Thus we get a mixture of saguṇa nirguṇa-Īśvara- varṇanam. In the last class I said
some words can describe only saguṇa-Īśvara and some words can describe only
nirguṇa and some words will be applicable to both saguṇa and nirguṇa. The word
purāṇam which is anādi, the word anādi is applicable to saguṇa-Īśvara as also
nirguṇa-Īśvara. Thus aṇōḥ aṇīyāṁsam is applicable to nirguṇam-brahma whereas
sarvasya dhātāram, the word we are seeing now, is applicable to saguṇa-Īśvara.

And that word Śaṅkarācārya is commenting. sarvasya is in the mūlam, is equal to

karma-phala-jātasya – all the karma-phalam of all the jīva-rāśis, karma-phala-
jātasya, the suffix jāta indicates gaṇaḥ, multitude or group. The word jātam when it
comes at the end of a saṁskr̥ta word it refers to the heap, the rāśi, the multitude,
the bunch. That is in napuṁsaka-liṅgam. Dhātāram is in the mūlam, is equal to
vicitratayā prāṇibhyaḥ vibhaktāram. So the Bhagavān alone apportions the karma-
phalam and allots to the respective jīvas. Right from a particular body is apportioned
out of the total creation, and that particular body is allotted to that particular jīva.
That is called vibhaktāram – apportion and allot. And why Bhagavān has to do that?
Why can't He send all of them in a bunch itself like collective SMS and all they have,
one message sent to all the members of an organization. That collective allotment is
possible when the message is uniform, but when it varies from jīva to jīva, it cannot
be done collectively, therefore Śaṅkarācārya uses the word vicitratayā, because the
karma-phalams are unique. That is why even in one disease itself so many varieties
are there, disease may be one but it is vicitratayā, for one person it is stiffness of
the body and for another person it is continuous movement of the body. Disease is
one Parkinson they call it, one disease itself it expresses differently in different
bodies. Who decides „who should enjoy or who should suffer‟? All only Bhagavān
knows. Our job is silently accept the karma-phalam. Therefore vicitratayā. Therefore
collective allotment is not possible, only individually each jīva must be given the
karma-phalam. So prāṇibhyaḥ vibhaktāram. Vibhaktāram means allotting; apportion
and allot. vibhaktāram is Śaṅkarācārya‟s words and Śaṅkarācārya himself gives the
meaning of his own word, vibhaktāram is equal to vibhajya dātāram, vibhajya means
apportion and dātā means allot. So sarvasya dhātāram.
Then the next word is acintya-rūpam. Acintya-rūpam Śaṅkarācārya says the one
who is of inexplicable form. rūpam means form. And Śaṅkarācārya says this is
applicable to both nirguṇa and saguṇa. Acintyam-rūpam yasya nirguṇasya
saguṇasya ca Īśvara sya. So when you say nirguṇa-rūpam is unthinkable, what does
it mean? nirguṇa-rūpam is unthinkable when you say the explanation is nirguṇa-
rūpam is unthinkable because nirguṇam doesn‟t have a rūpam. Therefore it is
unthinkable. When you say saguṇa-rūpam is unthinkable, you should not say it
doesn‟t have rūpam, saguṇa-rūpam has got rūpam, but still that rūpam is so
extraordinary that we will not be able to conceive of. Thus in one case rūpam is not
there, therefore unthinkable and in the other case rūpam is so extraordinary
hiraṇyaśmaśrur hiraṇyakēśa āpraṇasvātsarva ēva suvarṇaḥ. (Chāndōgyōpaniṣat 1-6-
6) etc., they are described in the śāstram but we will not be able to conceive of.

Therefore he says acintya-rūpam is equal to asya rūpam – so this form of this

nirguṇam-brahma, then the next line kēnacit api cintayituṁ na śakyatē – cannot be
conceived by anyone because there is no form for conceiving. This is nirguṇa
description. Then you have to apply it to saguṇa description, niyataṁ vidyamānam
api – even when nirguṇam-brahma takes a form, niyatam means a particular form
for the sake of the bhakta or for any particular purpose, even when he takes a māyā
rūpam, that māyā-rūpam is there, but still inconceivable. Vidyamānam api kēnacit
cintayituṁ na śakyatē iti acintya-rūpaḥ. In simple English without form and with
extraordinary form, either way Bhagavān is unthinkable.
Then the next description is āditya-varṇam is in the mūlam, is equal to ādityasya

iva varṇaḥ yasya tam – the one who is brilliant like the brilliance of the sun. The one
who is endowed with brilliance, varṇaḥ here means not color, in this context, varṇaḥ
means brilliance. So the one who is endowed with brilliance which is similar to the
brilliance of the sūryaḥ. And what is Bhagavān‟s brilliance? The brilliance of sūrya is
something which is under māyā, it will come under visual perception, but Bhagavān‟s
brilliance is in the form of caitanyam. So the brilliance of the Sūrya is called
bhautika-jyōtiḥ, the brilliance of Īśvara is called abhautika-jyōtiḥ. The brilliance of
Sūrya is bhautika-jyōtiḥ, therefore acētana-jyōtiḥ, the brilliance of Īśvara is
abhautika-jyōtiḥ, therefore cētana-jyōtiḥ. Therefore he says nitya-caitanya-prakāśaḥ
– it is the brilliance of the Consciousness-principle.
And why do you compare the brilliance to the Sun? Because Sūrya Bhagavān has got
such a brilliance that it can illumine everything simultaneously. Similarly, caitanyam
also can simultaneously illumine everything in the creation. As we will see in the
fifteenth chapter yadādityagataṁ tējō jagadbhāsayatē:'khilam (Gītā 15-12). So just
as the Sūrya-jyōtiḥ illumines everything Īśvara-jyōtiḥ also illumines everything. So
nityacaitanyaprakāśaḥ varṇaḥ yasya tam, bahuvrīhi samāsa, ādityasya varṇaḥ iva
varṇaḥ yasya. Then the next description is tamasaḥ parastāt – it is beyond
darkness, tamas means darkness, and it is beyond darkness, and in this context the
word darkness means ajñānalakṣaṇāt – the darkness of ignorance, otherwise called
mōha-andhakārāt – which is otherwise called mōha or delusion. It means Īśvara is
beyond delusion. If Īśvara also has got ajñāna-andhakāra then he will require
another guru, fortunately Īśvara is ādiguru. So ajñāna-lakṣaṇāt param, parastāt
means param.
And then the whole ślōka is incomplete, because there is no verb in the sentence.
Therefore Śaṅkarācārya completes that by taking the fourth quarter of the previous

ślōka. What is the fourth quarter of the previous ślōka? yāti pārtha anucintayan.
That you have to supply here. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says „tam anucintayan yāti‟ iti
– this particular expression, pūrvēṇa ēva sambandhaḥ – we have to borrow from the
previous ślōka and connect. Then what will it mean? Meditating on such a God of
this description, the meditator will merge into the Lord.
The anvaya is, yaḥ kavim, purāṇam, anuśāsitāram, aṇōḥ aṇīyāṁsam, sarvasya
dhātāram, acintya-rūpaṁ, tamasaḥ parastāt (sthitam) āditya-varṇam anusmarēt
(saḥ tam yāti). Continuing; Ashta guna viseshana Isvara.
गकचच ––
kiñca ––
Verse 08-10
प्रयाणकाले मनसाऽचलेन
भक्तत्या युक्तो योगबलेन चैव ।
भ्रुवोमयध्ये प्राणमावेश्य सम्यक्
स तां परां पुरुषमुपैगत ददव्यम् ॥ गीता ८-१० ॥
prayāṇakālē manasā:'calēna
bhaktyā yuktō yōgabalēna caiva |
bhruvōrmadhyē prāṇamāvēśya samyak
sa taṁ paraṁ puruṣamupaiti divyam || Gītā 8-10 ||
In the previous ślōka the object of upāsana has been talked about. In this ślōka the
time and method of upāsana are described. Upāsya-viṣayaḥ in the previous ślōka
and upāsana-prakāraḥ kālaḥ ca in this ślōka are discussed. What is the time of
upāsana? Prayāṇakālē – at the time of maraṇam you should not think of family
members however dear they may be to you, you should think of Īśvara, that means
Īśvara must have become dearer than all the other people in the world. That means
the relationship with the Īśvara we must have nurtured and nourished so much that
Īśvara is the dearest compared to any other blessed relationship. Therefore Īśvara
must be thought at the time of death, kālam. What is the mode of remembrance?
Without any distraction, acalēna manasā which means upāsaka must have practiced
dhyānam, savikalpaka-samādhi and nirvikalpaka-samādhi, they are all compulsory
for upāsaka. For advaita-jñānam and the jīvan-mukti here, we don‟t insist upon
samādhi. Samādhi is not compulsory for advaita-jñānam and jīvan-mukti. But
samādhi practice is compulsory for the upāsaka for krama-mukti. Thus he has
practiced savikalpaka-nirvikalpaka saguṇa-Īśvara-samādhi for so many years that

maraṇakālē also acalēna-manasā – with an undistracted mind and this is one

condition.
And then the next condition is he must have developed total control over his
prāṇamaya-kōśa by the practice of prāṇāyāma or aṣṭāṅga-yōga. For nirguṇa-
brahma-jñānam aṣṭāṅga-yōga is not compulsory whereas for saguṇa-upāsana and
krama-mukti, aṣṭāṅga-yōga is compulsory because in aṣṭāṅga-yōga alone a person
gets total control over his prāṇa-śaktiḥ. He would have practiced kuṇḍalinī-yōga etc.,
which is mastering the prāṇa-śakti and he is able to draw the prāṇa-śakti also
through various nāḍis – iḍā, piṅgalā, suṣumnā etc. and he must be an expert yōgi.
And what he should do? He should draw the prāṇa to the hr̥dayam and through
hr̥dayam he has to push it through suṣumnā-nāḍi and he should let the prāṇa go
through the brahmarandhram, that means prāṇa withdrawal is also involved.
Therefore Īśvara-cintanam is involved, Īśvara concentration is involved, prāṇa
withdrawal is involved. How can he do all these things at the time of death? Kr̥ṣṇa
answers yōga-balēna – aṣṭāṅga-yōga, kuṇḍalinī-yōga, ityādi yōga-balēna.
And then what will happen? He will die. Ok, he will die all right, then what will
happen? He will attain Īśvara in the form of krama-mukti later. This is the gist of this
ślōka. Since the same topic is continuing Śaṅkarācārya introduces just by adding the
word kiñca. kiñca means moreover, to elaborate further. Now we will read the
bhāṣyam.
प्रय ण-क ले मरणकाले मनस अचलेन चलनवर्जिंतेन भक्तत्य युक्ताः – भजनां भशक्ताः । तया युक्ताः योग-बलेन च एि –
योगस्य बलां योगबलम् । तेन समायधज-सांस्कार-प्रचय-जगनत-शचि-स्थैयय-लक्णां योगबलम् । तेन च युक्ताः इगत अथयाः ।
prayāṇa-kālē maraṇakālē manasā acalēna calanavarjitēna bhaktyā yuktaḥ –

bhajanaṁ bhaktiḥ. tayā yuktaḥ yōga-balēna ca ēva – yōgasya balaṁ yōgabalam.
tēna samādhija-saṁskāra-pracaya-janita-citta-sthairya-lakṣaṇaṁ yōgabalam.
tēna ca yuktaḥ iti arthaḥ.
Prayāṇa-kālē is in the mūlam, is equal to maraṇakālē – at the time of death,

manasā acalēna, acalēna is equal to calanavarjitēna – with an undistracted mind,
with an unwavering mind. And how can you think of the Lord without distraction?
The clue is given bhaktyā yuktaḥ – because he has developed intense love for the
Lord; whoever you are attached to that person will occupy your mind all the time.
This we experience, our family members effortlessly occupy our mind because we
are attached to them. Similarly, Bhagavān will easily occupy the mind if we are
attached to Bhagavān. Therefore develop attachment but attachment to Bhagavān.
And when it is attachment to Bhagavān we don‟t call it rāgaḥ, we name it as

bhaktiḥ. Therefore by sheer attachment bhaktyā yuktaḥ – even if you don‟t want
to think of the Lord, Lord will occupy the mind. Bhaktyā yuktaḥ is in the mūlam,
thereafter you have to put an en dash. So Śaṅkarācārya is explaining that, bhajanaṁ
bhaktiḥ, bhaktiḥ means bhajanam and bhajanam means thinking, literally serving.
Here service is mental thinking. Īśvara prēma, Īśvara anurāgaḥ, that is how the
subcommentators translate. sā tvasmin paraprēmarūpā (2) amr̥tasvarūpā ca (3)
That is how Nārada starts his Bhaktisūtra. Athātō bhaktiṁ vyākhyāsyāmaḥ (1)
Therefore bhajanam. Bhajanam is equal to bhaktiḥ, then put a full stop. Then tayā
yuktaḥ – endowed with such an attachment to the Lord even though Bhagavān is
virāṭ-Hiraṇyagarbha, the macro only, but this bhakta has invoked that macro Īśvara
upon a particular iṣṭa-dēvatā, he uses that iṣṭa-dēvatā as ālambanam but that Lord
is not one foot high, the ālambanam is small, just as Tyāgarāja had small idol only
but he sang అండండంబులు పండండంబులు బ్రహ్మ ండంబులు అంతా
రామమయం (aṇḍāṇḍambulu piṇḍāṇḍambulu brahmāṇḍambulu antā rāmamayam).
Thus Rāma vigraha is the ālambanam but the thought is sarvam-rāmamayam jagat,
iti tayā yuktaḥ – with that Īśvara-bhakti, yōga-balēna ca ēva – this he is able to
do because of his practice for decades of aṣṭāṅga-yōga. So in the yōga-śāstra they
do talk about cakra and all, and there they talk about meditation upon various
tattvams of yōga-śāstra and in the upāsana-kāṇḍa we do adopt the principles of
yōga, even cakrams are accepted but instead of yōga-tattvam we replace that with
Īśvara-tattvam. Of course, all these are meant for saguṇa-upāsana and krama-
mukti, once we come to mahāvākya vicāra, remember kuṇḍalinī-yōga is not
required, cakrams are not required, they will cause only giddiness in the mind,
therefore we don‟t require for mahāvākya vicāra; even aṣṭāṅga-yōga and all these
are not compulsory. And therefore here we are talking about upāsaka, therefore he
requires aṣṭāṅga-yōga. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says yōga-balēna ca ēva, after
ēva you have to put an en dash. yōgasya balē, that balē is printing mistake, you
have to correct it as yōgasya balam. Yōgasya balam is equal to yōgabalam. After
yōgabalam put a full stop. Then tēna, after tēna put a full stop.
Then what is that yōga? The word yōga has got several meanings, in this particular
context he gives the meaning of yōga as samādhija-saṁskāraḥ – this upāsaka has
practiced saguṇa-Īśvara-samādhi both savikalpaka and nirvikalpaka-samādhi. What
is the meaning of the word samādhi? Remaining absorbed in saguṇa-Īśvara. At
dhyānam level he thinks of saguṇa-Īśvara, at savikalpaka-samādhi level he is
absorbed in saguṇa-Īśvara to such an extent that he forgets all the surroundings.
When the surroundings are forgotten it is called savikalpaka-samādhi. And what is

nirvikalpaka-samādhi? In nirvikalpaka-samādhi not only does he forgets the

surroundings but he forgets himself as a meditator. So when self-forgetfulness also
takes place it is called nirvikalpaka-samādhi. That means only saguṇa-Īśvara is
there, neither the word nor himself is there. Īśvara-mayam. This samādhi on
saguṇa-Īśvara he has practiced, because of this practice the vāsanā is built up and
that vāsanā is called saṁskāraḥ. So samādhija means born out of samādhi, is
saṁskāraḥ which means vāsanā, vāsanās are formed in the sub-conscious mind or
cittam. Every practice of samādhi builds up the vāsanā. Thus vāsanā becomes fatter
and fatter. It is not putra vāsanā, not putri vāsanā, not money vāsanā but Īśvara-
vāsanā is built up. So that is why he uses the word pracayaḥ; pracayaḥ means
increase or addition, build up, accumulation, adding up. Just as in the bank we add
money by depositing, every samādhi deposits Īśvara- vāsanā in his mind. Because of
that, pracaya-janita – because of the accumulated vāsanā, citta-sthairyam – the
mind is steady in Īśvara cintā. Cittasya sthairyam bhavati. Sthairyam means
steadiness, that means distractions cannot come, otherwise he has to struggle to
avoid distraction, this upāsaka does not struggle to avoid distraction because
distractions have become impossible why because other vāsanās have been
displaced by Īśvara-vāsanā. Only when other vāsanās are also there in the mind
Īśvara-vāsanā will come and in-between putra comes putri comes, grandchildren
come, but other vāsanās he has systematically displaced and therefore mind is
sthairyam. And this citta-sthairyam alone is called yōga-balam. That is what I said
when he closes his eyes, even if he doesn‟t want in his mental screen who appears?
That is what they have Āñjanēya picture where he tears his chest, and in the
hr̥dayam what is seen is his vāmē bhūmisutā puraśca hanumān paścāt sumitrāsutaḥ
etc. What does it indicate? When Āñjanēya closes his eyes even if he doesn‟t want,
helplessly Rāma only comes. That is called yōga-balam or upāsana-balam. So citta-
sthairya-lakṣaṇaṁ yōga-balam after that put a full stop. In fact, you have to put in a
reverse order, yōga-balam is equal samādhija-saṁskāra-pracaya-janita-citta-
sthairya-lakṣaṇam, a beautiful compound worth remembering, samādhija-saṁskāra-
pracaya-janita-citta-sthairya-lakṣaṇam is yōga-balam. Tēna ca yuktaḥ, and why such
a word is used, because of this yōga-balam at the time of maraṇam also just as the
rich man who is attached to his business and money; they humorously say that this
rich person is in the death bed and all the sons have left the shop and come and he
is asking the question „all of you have come, what happens to the shop? Have you
put someone there in the shop?‟. That means maraṇakālē also three sons are
standing, even on sons he doesn‟t meditate but what happens to the shop. Even in
the death bed how does it happen? Because he has meditated. If Īśvara has been

meditated, in the death bed Īśvara will come. That is the idea. Therefore tēna ca
yuktaḥ iti arthaḥ.
पूवं हृदयपुण्डरीके विीकृत्य शचिम्, तताः ऊध्वयगायमन्या नाड्या भूयमजयक्रमेण भ्रुिोाः मध्ये प्र णम् आिेश्य स्थापययत्वा
सम्यक् अप्रमिाः सन्, साः एवां बुद्धद्धमान् योगी ‘कतविं पुराणम्’ [गीता ८-९] इत्याददलक्णां तं परं पुरुषम् उपैवत प्रगतपद्यते
ददव्यं द्योतनात्मकम् ॥ ८-१० ॥
pūrvaṁ hr̥dayapuṇḍarīkē vaśīkr̥tya cittam, tataḥ ūrdhvagāminyā nāḍyā

bhūmijayakramēṇa bhruvōḥ madhyē prāṇam āvēśya sthāpayitvā samyak
apramattaḥ san, saḥ ēvaṁ buddhimān yōgī „kaviṁ purāṇam‟ [Gītā 8-9]
ityādilakṣaṇaṁ taṁ paraṁ puruṣam upaiti pratipadyatē divyaṁ dyōtanātmakam
(8-10)
So now Śaṅkarācārya comes to the second line bhruvōḥ madhyē prāṇam

āvēśya, before that what he does? So he supplies an in-between idea, bhūmijaya-
kramēṇa, that we should read first. According to Rāmarāya-Kavi, bhūmijayaḥ means
āsana-jayaḥ, and āsana-jayaḥ means mastery over the physical posture. So
bhūmijayaḥ is equal to āsana-jayaḥ is equal to mastery over the physical posture
which he must have practiced at that time. Kramēṇa – and this bhūmijayaḥ also
must be followed by the latter stages also bhūmijayaḥ, indriya-jayaḥ, prāṇa-jayaḥ,
citta-jayaḥ. So steadiness of the posture, steadiness of the sense organs, which
means sense organs are withdrawn from the external world, prāṇajayaḥ is breathing
is also mastered, it is uniform, thereafter cittajayaḥ the mind is withdrawn from the
external world including the family members. The mind is withdrawn from all those
things. These stages he must have practiced which Kr̥ṣṇa doesn‟t mentioned in this
ślōka but we have to supply. Therefore pūrvaṁ bhūmijaya-kramēṇa hr̥daya -
puṇḍarīkē cittam-vaśīkr̥tya, you can understand that the mind must be withdrawn
and brought to the hr̥daya, hr̥daya-puṇḍarīkē, puṇḍarīka means lotus, lotus heart.
And why should he bring to the heart? Because according to the śāstra from the
heart alone all the nāḍis emerge and suṣumnā nāḍi is one of the nāḍis emerging
from hr̥dayam. Śatam caikā ca hr̥dayasya n āḍyastāsām (Kaṭhōpaniṣat 2-3-16).
Therefore hr̥dayam is like the airport or railway station. So wherever you want to
travel you go to either railway station or airport because from there alone several
flights or trains are there towards all the direction. Similarly, from hr̥dayam only
nāḍis are there for going to the various fourteen lōkas, higher and lower lōkas, flight
start from hr̥dayam alone. Here this person is going to take the route of śukla-gati
which is his flight and is named suṣumnā-nāḍi flight. And therefore cittam
hr̥dayapuṇḍarīkē vaśīkr̥tya – bringing to the spiritual-airport. And thereafter what is
the flight number that he has to get in? bhruvōḥ madhyē prāṇam āvēśya – then
through the suṣumnā-nāḍi the mind and prāṇa must be brought to the area between

the eyebrows. So ūrdhvagāminyā nāḍyā – through the suṣumnā-nāḍi which goes

upwards. tataḥ means thereafter, ūrdhvagāminyā nāḍyā bhruvōḥ madhyē
prāṇam āvēśya, prāṇam includes the mind, in short, the entire sūkṣma- śarīram.
In Brahma-sūtra fourth chapter I think third section or fourth section all these are
very elaborately said borrowing from Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat, tasya haitasya
hr̥dayasyāgraṁ pradyōtatē tēna pradyōtēnaiṣa ātmā niṣkrāmati
(Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 4-4-2) etc. I don‟t want to get into the details because we
are not voting for krama-mukti. Being my student it will be violation. We vote for
akrama-mukti that means knowledge here and now, that means we are not
bothered about the time of death, the type of death etc., because we don‟t die at all.
Sthūla sūkṣma kāraṇa-śarīram what happens to them now or later who cares,
because mayi ēva sakalam jātam (Kaivalyōpaniṣat 1-19) why should I bother about
one just particle which is mithyā. We don‟t bother about those things, we have got
only Brahma-niṣṭhā all the time including the death also, it becomes natural. But this
has to be talked about because that is the ślōka. Therefore sthāpayitvā – brining the
cittam between the eyebrows, samyak is in the mūlam, is equal to apramattaḥ san
with diligence, with concentration, with all commitment, with all sincerity, saḥ ēvaṁ
buddhimān-yōgī, buddhimān means upāsaka, thus in this manner this upāsaka-yōgi,
upaiti is in the mūlam, is equal to pratipadyatē – he attains, he merges into taṁ
paraṁ puruṣam divyam – that Īśvara himself he merges into. And there also
Brahmasūtra there is an enquiry jñāni merges into saguṇa-Īśvara - or nirguṇam-
brahma-. And the conclusion in Brahma-sūtra is both are correct from the standpoint
of śarīra trayam he merges into saguṇa-Īśvara which is virāṭ Hiraṇyagarbha
antaryāmi. From the standpoint of ātmā which he is, he merges into nirguṇam-
brahma. Ahaṅkāra-dr̥ṣṭyā saguṇa-aikyam and sākṣi-dr̥ṣṭyā nirguṇa-aikyam.
Therefore both are perfectly ok, Īśvaram upaiti. What type of Īśvara? Divyam is in
the mūlam, is equal to Dyōtanātmakam – the effulgent one. Thus the upāsaka
merges into the effulgent Īśvara. Again we have to note: not directly, going to
brahmalōka, there gaining knowledge and thereafter merges as it were; that is
understood.
The anvaya is, prayāṇa-kālē yōga-balēna bhruvōḥ madhyē prāṇam samyak āvēśya
acalēna manasā bhaktyā yuktaḥ ca ēva saḥ tam param divyam puruṣam upaiti.

288 Verses 08-11 and 08-12
Page 215 Verse No.10

प्रयाणकाले मनसाऽचलेन
भक्तत्या युक्तो योगबलेन चैव ।
भ्रुवोमयध्ये प्राणमावेश्य सम्यक्
स तां परां पुरुषमुपैगत ददव्यम् ॥ गीता ८-१० ॥
prayāṇakālē manasā:'calēna
bhaktyā yuktō yōgabalēna caiva |
bhruvōrmadhyē prāṇamāvēśya samyak
sa taṁ paraṁ puruṣamupaiti divyam || Gītā 8-10 ||
Lord Kr̥ṣṇa continues with his answer to the seventh and final question of Arjuna
„how can a person remember the Lord at the time of death?‟ And Kr̥ṣṇa is
elaborately answering; that is possible only under one condition that a person must
be a great bhakta of saguṇa-Īśvara. Not only must he be a bhakta, he must be a
great upāsaka also. And not must he be a great bhakta and upāsaka, his top priority
in life should be merging into Īśvara, Īśvara-prāpti must be his goal. This is
important because ārta-bhakta is also a bhakta, but for him Īśvara-prāpti is not the
goal. Arthārthi-bhakta is also a bhakta, but for him Īśvara-prāpti is not the goal.
Whereas this upāsaka-bhakta is neither ārta-bhakta nor arthārthi-bhakta; he is a
mumukṣu-bhakta. And if his bhakti is so intense and he has practiced Īśvara-
upāsana throughout his life, then antakāla-smaraṇam will be effortless; in fact, even
if he doesn‟t want Īśvara-smaraṇam will come naturally because his subconscious
mind is saturated with Īśvara-cintā. And then Kr̥ṣṇa gave some more details in the
tenth ślōka which we completed in the last class and that is this upāsaka must be a
great yōgi also having total control over sūkṣma-śarīram as well as his prāṇa śakti.
And therefore at the time of death which means he is aware of the fact that he is
going to die, he must withdraw the sūkṣma-śarīram, the mind, the prāṇa etc., into
the hr̥dayam and remember the Lord and direct the sūkṣma-śarīram through the
suṣumnā-nāḍi and release the sūkṣma-śarīram through the brahmarandhram.
And Kr̥ṣṇa also wants to say that all these are not His own new philosophy, these
have been talked about in the upaniṣats themselves. Kr̥ṣṇa is borrowing from the
upaniṣats. If you remember Taittirīyōpaniṣat, Sēndrayōniḥ. Yatrāsau kēśāntō
vivartatē. Vyapōhya śīrṣakapālē. bhūrityagnau pratitiṣṭhati. bhuva iti vāyau.

suvarityādityē. maha iti brahmaṇi (Taittirīyōpaniṣat 1-6). In Śīkṣāvallī all these details
are given. Not only in Taittirīyōpaniṣat, in several other upaniṣats also krama-mukti
is mentioned along with sadyōmukti also. Therefore Kr̥ṣṇa says I am talking what
vēda has been talking about. Up to this we saw in the last class. Now introduction to
verse eleven.
Page 216

पुनाः अगप वक्ष्यमाणेन उपायेन प्रगतगपञ्त्सतस्य ब्रह्मणाः वेदगवद्वदनाददगविेषणगविेष्यस्य अत्तभधानां करोगत भगवान् ––
punaḥ api vakṣyamāṇēna upāyēna pratipitsitasya brahmaṇaḥ

vēdavidvadanādiviśēṣaṇaviśēṣyasya abhidhānaṁ karōti Bhagavān ––
In the previous ślōka it was said that the upāsaka will merge into para-puruṣaḥ
called Brahman, and what is the nature of that Brahman and what is the glory of
that Brahman which is the destination of the upāsaka also. So punaḥ api – once
again, vakṣyamāṇēna upāyēna – by practicing the methodology which is being
discussed and which will be discussed also, the would be discussed method. Because
until now Kr̥ṣṇa has talked about Īśvara-smaraṇam, withdrawal of prāṇa etc., one
more important detail is there which Kr̥ṣṇa has not yet mentioned, but which He is
going to mention later. And that detail is the upāsaka uttered the great mantra
Ōm̐kāra . So Īśvara-smaraṇam is practiced by using the Ōm̐kāra mantra. That
Ōm̐kāra is going to be said later only, therefore Śaṅkarācārya uses the word
vakṣyamāṇam which is going to be told, it is future passive participle. And what is
vakṣyamāṇa upāya? Ōm̐kāra ucāraṇam is the upāya, the method going to be said.
And by practicing all these things pratipitsitasya-brahmaṇaḥ – the upāsaka wants to
merge into that Brahman, pratipitsitam means he intends to merge into, that
Brahman with which he wants to merge into. That desire is indicated here. And that
Brahman which he wants to merge into abhidhānaṁ karōti Bhagavān – Bhagavān
gives the description of that Brahman. What type of Brahman? Vēdavid-vadanādi-
viśēṣaṇa-viśēṣyasya – that Brahman which has got three descriptions given in the
following ślōka. And what is the first description? Vēda-vidvadana description. So
viśēṣaṇam means description, vēda-vidvadanam is one of the descriptions of
Brahman, viśēṣyasya – glorified. So that Brahman which is glorified through the
description in the form of vēda-vidvadanam etc. What is vēda-vidvadanam that will
come in the ślōka. There we will see.

Verse 08-11
यदक्रां वेदगवदो वदन्न्त
गविन्न्त यद्यतयो वीतरागााः ।
यददच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचयं चरन्न्त
तिे पदां सङ् ग्रहेण प्रवक्ष्ये ॥ गीता ८-११ ॥
yadakṣaraṁ vēdavidō vadanti

viśanti yadyatayō vītarāgāḥ |
yadicchantō brahmacaryaṁ caranti
tattē padaṁ saṅgrahēṇa pravakṣyē || Gītā 8-11 ||
To describe that Brahman Kr̥ṣṇa borrows a mantra from Kaṭhōpaniṣat (1-2-14 and
15), especially the fifteenth mantra. Kr̥ṣṇa borrows to indicate that the entire Gītā is
based on the upaniṣat. That is why we appreciate the Śaṅkarācārya‟s commentary
compared to the other commentators of the Gītā. The other commentators of the
Gītā have heavily borrowed the idea from the āgama śāstram. Āgama śāstra are the
śāstras which came later. They are all pauruṣēya pramāṇa and they are based on
saguṇa-Īśvara predominantly. Therefore you will find their Gītā commentary will
stray away from the upaniṣat. Whereas Śaṅkarācārya does not base on the āgama
śāstra, he holds on to the vēdapūrva and vēdānta bhāga. Therefore you will find
there is a big difference between Śaṅkarācārya‟s commentary and others
commentary. Even among advaita ācāryas some of them have gone to āgama śāstra
a little bit more, but Śaṅkarācārya is a pure vaidika. He borrows from āgama only to
a limited extent. And Kr̥ṣṇa also proves that only because He heavily quotes mantras
from the vēda only. Thus we are vaidikas. That is the very word smārta is an
indication of vaidika-pradhāna. When you say vaiṣṇava and śaiva it means āgama-
pradhāna, when you say I am a smārta it means vaidika-pradhāna. The difference
between vaiṣṇava, śaiva and smārta is that the other two are āgama-pradhāna,
smārta is vaidika-pradhāna. So Kr̥ṣṇa quotes Kaṭhōpaniṣat here wherein three
descriptions of Brahman is there. They are simple descriptions. Now we will read the
bhāṣyam.
यत् अक्षरं न क्रगत इगत अक्रम् अगवनाशि िेदविदाः वेदाथयज्ञााः िदन्नत, ‘तद्वा एतदक्रां गार्गिं ब्राह्मणा अत्तभवदन्न्त’
[बृहदारण्यकोपगनषत् ३-८-८] इगत श्रुतेाः, सवयगविेषगनवतयकत्वेन अत्तभवदन्न्त ‘अस्थूलमनणु’ [बृहदारण्यकोपगनषत् ३-८-
८] इत्यादद ।
yat akṣaraṁ na kṣarati iti akṣaram avināśi vēdavidaḥ vēdārthajñāḥ vadanti,

„tadvā ētadakṣaraṁ gārgi brāhmaṇā abhivadanti‟ [Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 3-8-8]
iti śrutēḥ, sarvaviśēṣanivartakatvēna abhivadanti „asthūlamanaṇu‟
[Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 3-8-8] ityādi |

So what is that Brahman which the upāsaka wants to merge into? So Kaṭhōpaniṣat
as well as this ślōka describes yat akṣaram vēda-vidaḥ vadanti, vēda-vidaḥ
means vēdārthajñāḥ – those who know the central theme of the upaniṣat. So
vēdārthajñāḥ means those who know the central theme of the upaniṣat. This word is
very important because vēda does talk about saguṇam-brahma and nirguṇam-
brahma. We have no debate at all with regard to that, vēda talks about saguṇa and
nirguṇa, the question is which one is the central theme of the upaniṣat. The central
theme is not saguṇa, even though we start with saguṇa, the destination is nirguṇa
only. That is very clearly brought in Kaṭhōpaniṣat and Kr̥ṣṇa, but in spite of that all
the other commentators both dvaita-sampradāya and advaita-sampradāya
vehemently say that there is no nirguṇam-brahma at all. The Śaiva people say my
Śiva alone is there with this physical description, vaiṣṇavas clearly say my Viṣṇu
alone is there with this physical description, not only they use the word Śiva and
Viṣṇu they are very particular about their physical form also. Now look at
Śaṅkarācārya‟s commentary how he brilliantly brings out the word of Kr̥ṣṇa and the
word of Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat which defines Brahman as
asthūlamanaṇvahrasvamadīrghamalōhitamasnēhamacchāyam
(Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 3-8-8) Brahman doesn‟t have any form or color or smell,
where is the question of physical description. And this is not Śaṅkarācārya‟s
interpretation, Kr̥ṣṇa Himself says akṣaram vēda-vidaḥ vadanti. Akṣaram means
na kṣarati iti akṣaram. Nan tatpurusha samasa. And akṣaram means avināśi. Avināśi
means immortal. iti vēdavidaḥ vadanti – vēdārthajñāḥ vadanti. Naturally the
question comes Brahman is immortal all right, saguṇa-brahma is also immortal,
nirguṇam-brahma is also immortal, how do we know which one is meant here.
Śaṅkarācārya says vēdavidaḥ vadanti when it is said, the description akṣaram if
we want to know, we should go to vēda itself. Don‟t go to āgama-śāstra for the
definition of akṣaram. When you want to know the definition of akṣaram we
should not go to śaiva-āgamas or vaiṣṇava-āgamas or tēvāram or divya-prabandham
and if you go to tēvāram or divya-prabandham there you will get the description of
the beautiful eyes of Viṣṇu or beautiful eyes of Śiva and Śaṅkarācārya says
vēdavidaḥ vadanti when it is said, for definition don‟t go to śaiva or vaiṣṇava-
āgama, go to the upaniṣat where the akṣaram is defined. Where do you find the
definition? Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat Gārgī Brāhmaṇam Yājñavalkya Gārgī-saṁvāda,
where Gārgī is threatening Yājñavalkya I am going to ask you two bullet like
questions. She doesn‟t use the word bullet, she uses the word arrow. I am going to
shoot you with two arrows be ready she threatens Yājñavalkya. And Yājñavalkya
says pr̥ccha G ārgī, may you ask. Thereafter she asks the question what is that

akṣaram. Then Yājñavalkya gives the definition. Look at the mantra quoted by
Śaṅkarācārya. He quotes Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat, because Kr̥ṣṇa says vēdavidaḥ
vadanti and not śaiva-āgama vidaḥ or vaiṣṇava-āgama vidaḥ. He says vēdavidaḥ.
And what is the statement? „tadvā ētadakṣaraṁ gārgi brāhmaṇā abhivadanti‟
[Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 3-8-8] – Brahmins, that means the wise people; according to
Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat brāhmaṇaḥ is not jāti-brāhmaṇa, not karma-brāhmaṇa, not
even guṇa-brāhmaṇa, in Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat brāhmaṇa means jñāni-brāhmaṇa
only. So jñāni-brāhmaṇāḥ abhivadanti [Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 3-8-8] iti śrutēḥ. This
is the definition. What is the śruti description? Not beautiful eyes, beautiful ears,
beautiful nose, we are not against it, remember, I am not condemning beautiful
Bhagavān, iṣṭa-dēvatā, enjoy, we are not against it. But when we are discussing the
truth; don‟t get trapped in those things. What is the description? Sarva; viśēṣa;
nivartakatvēna – the upaniṣat negates all the attributes of Īśvara. Viśēṣa means
attributes. Śabda sparśa rūpa rasa gandha, where is the nose or the eyes? No scope
for all those things. Sarva-viśēṣa-nivartakatvēna abhivadanti – they describe. How?
Asthūlam – it is not sthūla, it is not small – anaṇu, ahrasvam, adīrgham, twenty-
three negations are given there. [Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 3-8-8] ityādi. Therefore
what is Brahman ? Nirviśēṣam rūpa rahitam brahma. And where will that Brahman
be located? Once you locate it will have a finite form. Therefore it is all-pervading
and for attaining the all-pervading Brahman where should you travel? Travel is also
not there. Therefore vēdavidaḥ vadanti. This is the description number one which
Śaṅkarācārya calls as vēdavid-vadana description. Continuing;
गकचच –– विशन्नत प्रगविन्न्त सम्यक्-दियन-प्राप्तौ सत्याां यत् यतयाः यतनिीलााः सांन्याशसनाः िीत-र ग ाः गवगताः रागाः
येभ्याः ते वीतरागााः ।
kiñca –– viśanti praviśanti samyak-darśana-prāptau satyāṁ yat yatayaḥ

yatanaśīlāḥ saṁnyāsinaḥ vīta-rāgāḥ vigataḥ rāgaḥ yēbhyaḥ tē vītarāgāḥ |
Now he comes to the second description of Brahman. First description is called

vēdavidvadanam, which means glorified by wise people as nirguṇam-brahma. Then
the second description is kiñca – moreover, viśanti is in the mūlam, is equal to
praviśanti, praviśanti means merge into. When to merge? samyak-darśana-prāptau –
after attaining samyag-darśanam, right knowledge. So people merge into this
nirguṇam-brahma after attaining right knowledge, samyak-darśana-prāptau satyām.
What do you mean by right knowledge? For a Vedantin right knowledge is
mahāvākya-janita-aikya-jñānam ēva samyag-darśanam. So after getting this
knowledge people merge into Brahman. And who will get the right knowledge? Yat
yatayaḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to yatanaśīlāḥ is equal to saṁnyāsinaḥ. The word

yatayaḥ literally means those who are committed to jñānam. The word yatiḥ is
derived from the √yat, committed to jñānam. And Śaṅkarācārya defines committed
people as sannyāsis, because sanyāsa-āśrama is exclusively designed for committed
Vedantic pursuit. Whereas in the other three āśramas the primary duty is not
vēdānta. In the other three āśramas primary duty is not vēdānta, therefore if in the
other three āśramas one doesn‟t study vēdānta he is not committing any mistakes.
Because in the other three āśramas, vēda gives so many other duties and vēda is
watching whether you performing the other duties or not. Vēda doesn‟t ask the
question did you study vēdānta. Brahmacāri will not be questioned, gr̥hastha will not
be questioned. If a gr̥hastha drops other duties vēda will question. If a gr̥hastha
drops vēdānta vēda will never question. This we have to note very clearly. Vēdānta
is not the duty in the other āśramas. Therefore when other duties are there, and you
have to choose between other duties and vēdānta what are you supposed to
choose? You have to understand this very well. In the other three āśramas when the
āśrama-duties are there, and vēdānta class is also there, which one you should drop.
You know what is the answer? You should drop vēdānta, because vēdānta is not a
duty of a gr̥hastha, it is an option of a gr̥hastha. Whereas sanyāsa-āśrama is
designed exclusively for vēdānta. Therefore when vēdānta comes and when there
are any other things to be done for a sannyāsi what should he renounce? Everything
else has to be renounced, for a sannyāsi duty is only vēdānta. Therefore when the
question of commitment comes sannyāsa āśrama alone is designed, therefore when
the word yati comes Śaṅkarācārya translates as a sannyāsi because it is designed for
committed study. Therefore saṁnyāsinaḥ. And what type of sannyāsis? Vīta-rāgāḥ,
so after taking sannyāsa you should not be busy in doing other things. So sannyāsi
should be detached from every other worldly activities. Both laukika-karmas he
should renounce and sannyāsi should renounce all the vaidika-karmas also. Morning
should he do pūjā or vēdānta vicāra if you ask, remember sannyāsi‟s duty is not
pūjā. There is a very big misconception, because many maṭhādhipatis are doing pūjā
and many people think sannyāsi‟s regular duty is pūjā. Let it be very clear they have
to do it because of their position they have taken to, but sannyāsi‟s duty is not pūjā.
In fact, sanyāsa-āśrama itself is renunciation of all the pūjās for the sake of śravaṇa-
manana-nididhyāsanam. vīta-rāgāḥ means detached from laukika-vaidika-karmas.
vīta-rāgāḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to vigataḥ rāgaḥ yēbhyaḥ tē. It is bahuvrīhi
samāsa. This is the second description of Brahman. The description being that
Brahman into which the committed Vedantic-students merge. Continuing;
यत् च अक्रम् इच्छनताः –– ज्ञातुम् इगत वाक्तयिेषाः । ब्रह्म-चयं गुरौ चरन्नत ।

तत् ते पदं तत् अक्राख्यां पदां पदनीयां ते तुभ्यां सङ् ग्रहेण – सङ् ग्रहाः सङ् क्ेपाः तेन सङ् क्ेपेण प्रिक्ष्ये कथययष्यायम ॥ ८-
११ ॥
yat ca akṣaram icchantaḥ –– jñātum iti vākyaśēṣaḥ | brahma-caryaṁ gurau

caranti |
tat tē padaṁ tat akṣarākhyaṁ padaṁ padanīyaṁ tē tubhyaṁ saṅgrahēṇa –
saṅgrahaḥ saṅkṣēpaḥ tēna saṅkṣēpēṇa pravakṣyē kathayiṣyāmi || 8-11 ||
Now comes the third description of Brahman in the third quarter of the ślōka. All
these are borrowed from Kaṭhōpaniṣat (1-2-15). In fact, in the next page the
Kaṭhōpaniṣat quotation itself comes. We will be reading it later. So yat akṣaram
icchantaḥ – the committed student have got the desire to know that akṣaram.
icchantaḥ means desiring, Śaṅkarācārya says desiring means desiring the
knowledge, you have to supply. jñātum iti vākyaśēṣaḥ – „desiring to know‟ you have
to add. Desiring to know that akṣaram. Saguṇam or nirguṇam? Very very careful.
This is called jijñāsu-bhakti. Jijñāsu bhakta enquires into not saguṇa-Īśvara and his
physical features, jijñāsu bhakta enquires into nirguṇam nirviśēṣam brahma. Nēdaṁ
yadidamupāsatē (Kēnōpaniṣat 1-5). A Brahman which is not an object of meditation
or description, yatō vācō nivartantē (Taittirīyōpaniṣat 2-4)
yattadadrēśyamagrāhyamagōtramavarṇam (Muṇḍakōpaniṣat 1-1-6). That Brahman
he enquires into saguṇam-brahma was valid, tēvāram and divya-prabandham is very
very valid for getting citta-śuddhi. Therefore do the pārāyaṇam, purify the mind and
thereafter come to upaniṣat. That is all Śaṅkarācārya says. Continue all of them.
December season is coming, and songs from Tiruppāvai (vaiṣṇava) and
Tiruvēmbāvai (śaiva) will be sung. We do appreciate that. You do all those things,
Advaitin‟s advice is don‟t stop with Tiruppāvai and Yiruvēmbāvai come to aham
brahma asmi jñānam. Therefore icchantaḥ – jijñāsu-bhaktaḥ san. So vīta-rāgāḥ
means drop ārtaḥ bhakti and arthārthī bhakti, in the previous paragraph vīta-rāgāḥ
is dropping ārta-arthārthī-bhakti and in this paragraph jñātum icchantaḥ means
promote jijñāsu-bhakti so that you jijñāsu-bhakta will become jñāni-bhakta. And
what do they do? brahma-caryaṁ caranti – they lead a life of brahmacaryam,
Śaṅkarācārya takes brahmacaryam here as gurukula vāsa. Brahmacaryam means
gurau which means in the presence of guru they do gurukula vāsa that is why
student is called antēvāsi. Antēvāsi means a resident student of a residential
institution called gurukulam. So gurau brahmacaryam caranti is equal to gurukula
vāsam kurvanti which is otherwise called vividiṣā-sannyāsa. This the third
description.

And now comes the fourth quarter. tat tē padam – that destination called Brahman
I shall tell you. Tat should be connected with padam. Tat padam is in the mūlam,
padam is akṣarākhyaṁ padam – which is named akṣaram. So tat is equal to
akṣarākhyam, padam is equal to padanīyam, padanīyam means destination to be
attained. Tē is equal to tubhyam. In saṁskr̥ta the word tē occurs in several places.
Tubhyam means to you. Because Kr̥ṣṇa had only one student Arjuna, his friend.
Saṅgrahēṇa is in the mūlam, saṅgrahaḥ is equal to saṅkṣēpaḥ and saṅkṣēpaḥ
means capsule form. In capsule form, tēna saṅkṣēpēṇa pravakṣyē is in the mūlam, is
equal to kathayiṣyāmi – I shall define that nirguṇam-brahma later.
Later means the definition will be given in the verse twenty and twenty-one. The
important definition of nirguṇam-brahma is given in the verses twenty and twenty-
one. For that Kr̥ṣṇa gives introduction here.
The anvaya is, yat akṣaram vēda-vidaḥ vadanti, yat vīta-rāgāḥ yatayaḥ viśanti, yat
icchantaḥ (yatayaḥ) brahmacaryam caranti, tat padam tē (aham) saṅgrahēṇa
pravakṣyē. Continuing;

‘स याः ह वै तद्भगवन्मनुष्येषु प्रायणान्तमोङ् कारमत्तभध्यायीत कतमम् वाव साः तेन लोकां जयगत इगत ।’ [प्रश्नोपगनषत् ५-१]
‘तस्मै साः होवाच एतद्वै सत्यकाम परां चापरां च ब्रह्म यदोङ् काराः’ [प्रश्नोपगनषत् ५-२] इगत उपक्रम्य ‘याः पुनरेतां
गत्रमात्रेणोयमत्येतेनैवाक्रेण परां पुरुषमत्तभध्यायीत –– साः सामत्तभरुन्नीयते ब्रह्मलोकम्’ [प्रश्नोपगनषत् ५-५] इत्याददना वचनेन
।
„sa yaḥ ha vai tadbhagavanmanuṣyēṣu prāyaṇāntam Ōm̐kāramabhidhyāyīta

katamam vāva saḥ tēna lōkaṁ jayati iti |‟ [praśnōpaniṣat 5-1] „ tasmai saḥ
hōvāca ētadvai satyakāma paraṁ cāparaṁ ca brahma yad Ōm̐kāraḥ‟
[praśnōpaniṣat 5-2] iti upakramya „yaḥ punarētaṁ
trimātrēṇōmityētēnaivākṣarēṇa paraṁ puruṣamabhidhyāyīta –– saḥ
sāmabhirunnīyatē brahmalōkam‟ [praśnōpaniṣat 5-5] ityādinā vacanēna |
A very long sentence is given. In the next ślōka, i.e., the twelfth ślōka, Kr̥ṣṇa is
introducing Ōm̐kāra upāsana m which he has not mentioned until now. He has given
the description of Īśvara before kavim purāṇam anuśāsitāram aṇōḥ aṇīyāṁsam etc.,
that total Īśvara you should meditate upon at the time of death, you have to have
bhakti and you should withdraw prāṇa etc., but for that meditation what should be
ālambanam or symbol to be used and that the symbol to be used is Ōm̐kāra Kr̥ṣṇa
says in the following two ślōkas twelve and thirteen. And Śaṅkarācārya wants to say
that the Ōm̐kāra -upāsanam prescribed by Kr̥ṣṇa is borrowed from the upaniṣat only.
In all the upaniṣats Ōm̐kāra -upāsana is talked about, but as a sample Śaṅkarācārya
brings Ōm̐kāra -upāsana mentioned in two upaniṣats and one is praśna upaniṣat

Ōm̐kāra -upāsanam and the other is Kaṭhōpaniṣat Ōm̐kāra -upāsanam. Of course it

is there in Taittirīyōpaniṣat also ōmiti brahma. ōmitīdam̐sarvam, etc., very
elaborately. But for sample Śaṅkarācārya borrows from two upaniṣats – first one is
praśna upaniṣat chapter five where there is a dialogue between pippalāda, the guru,
and satyakāma, the disciple. It is Pippalāda satyakāma saṁvāda in the fifth chapter
of the praśna upaniṣat. Satyakāma says that I would like to know the Ōm̐kāra which
represents both saguṇam brahma and nirguṇam-brahma known as param and
aparam brahma. That mantra Śaṅkarācārya is quoting here. „sa yaḥ ha vai is from
Praśna upaniṣat fifth chapter first mantra. So manuṣyēṣu
prāyaṇāntamŌm̐kāramabhidhyāyīta – Satyakāma is asking the question suppose a
person meditates on Brahman until death. Prāyaṇam means maraṇam. How?
Ōm̐kāra m – with the help of praṇava mantra. Then katamam vāva saḥ tēna lōkaṁ
jayati iti‟ [Praśnōpaniṣat 5-1] – what will be the benefit for that Ōm̐kāra upāsaka. iti
– in this manner Satyakāma asks the question to Pippalāda. And „tasmai saḥ hōvāca
– Pippalāda answers him, paraṁ cāparaṁ ca brahma yad Ōm̐kāraḥ‟ [Praśnōpaniṣat
5-2] – Ōm̐kāra upāsana itself has got several sub-divisions. That is how the fifth
chapter begins, and there you get akāra-pradhānam-Ōm̐kāra -upāsana, ukāra-
pradhāna-Ōm̐kāra -upāsana, makāra-pradhāna-Ōm̐kāra -upāsana and samaṣṭi-
Ōm̐kāra -upāsana, you can focus on any one of the three mātras or you can take the
samaṣṭi-Ōm̐kāra also for upāsana. And not only you can do this kind of upāsana, the
Brahman you think of can be aparam-brahma or param-brahma, saguṇam or
nirguṇam. Later another division, the upāsana can be sakāma-upāsana or niṣkāma-
upāsana. Thus varieties of Ōm̐kāra -upāsanas are talked about in Praśna-upaniṣat
beginning with this mantra. Why does Śaṅkarācārya quotes this? To show that this
Gītā ślōka is borrowed from the upaniṣat. So ētadvai satyakāma, ētadvai onwards
Pippalāda‟s words. And he says paraṁ cāparaṁ ca brahma yad Ōm̐kāraḥ‟ – Ōm̐kāra
represents both saguṇam and nirguṇam-brahma. Iti upakramya – starting with.
Then how does it progress later? Later Pippalāda makes the following statement
which is relevant for us. „yaḥ punarētaṁ trimātrēṇōmityētēnaivākṣarēṇa – Pippalāda
says akāra-pradhāna Ōm̐kāra -upāsana will not give mōkṣa but it will give only
manuṣya-janma once again. Ukāra-pradhāna-Ōm̐kāra -upāsana will not give mōkṣa
but it will give you svarga-lōka and you will have to return to bhūlōka, therefore
those fractured upāsana – akāra or ukāra that will give you only punar-janma, if you
want krama-mukti, fifth chapter is krama-mukti-pradhāna chapter, and if you want
krama-mukti you should not do akāra-pradhāna or ukāra-pradhāna but it is trimātra-
pradhāna Ōm̐kāra-upāsana. Therefore trimātrēṇa – total-Ōm̐kāra,
ōmityētēnaivākṣarēṇa – only if you take the Ōm̐kāra mantra in its entirety, then you

should meditate upon paraṁ puruṣam-abhidhyāyīta – so invoking param brahma

upon Ōm̐kāra you do Ōm̐kāra -upāsana. Ityādinā vacanēna – up to this is quotation
from praśnōpaniṣat, through these statements. Then the sentence is going on and
on and for our benefit we will supply Ōm̐kāra -upāsanam uktam and put a full stop.
Ityādinā vacanēna Ōm̐kāra -upāsanam uktam praśna upaniṣadi. This is Ōm̐kāra
upāsana occurring in Praśnōpaniṣat chapter five.
Now hereafter Śaṅkarācārya is going to take from Kaṭhōpaniṣat the same Ōm̐kāra
upāsana only. we will read.
‘अन्यत्र धमायदन्यत्राधमायत्’ [कठोपगनषत् १-२-१४] इगत च उपक्रम्य ‘सवे वेदा यत्पदमामनन्न्त । तपाांशस सवायत्तण च
यद्वदन्न्त । यददच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचयं चरन्न्त तिे पदां सङ् ग्रहेण ब्रवीम्योयमत्येतत्’ [कठोपगनषत् १-२-१५] इत्याददत्तभि वचनैाः ।
„anyatra dharmādanyatrādharmāt‟ [Kaṭhōpaniṣat 1-2-14] iti ca upakramya „sarvē

vēdā yatpadamāmananti | tapāṁsi sarvāṇi ca yadvadanti | yadicchantō
brahmacaryaṁ caranti tattē padaṁ saṅgrahēṇa bravīmyōmityētat‟ [Kaṭhōpaniṣat
1-2-15] ityādibhiśca vacanaiḥ |
Ōm̐kāra upāsanam occurs in Kaṭhōpaniṣat first chapter after the description of

nirguṇam-brahma. So first the upaniṣat describes nirguṇam-brahma in 1-2-14, the
most famous mantra of Kaṭhōpaniṣat. Anyatra dharmād anyatrādharmād
anyatrāsmātkr̥tākr̥tāt. Anyatra bhūtācca bhavyācca yattatpaśyasi tadvada
(Kaṭhōpaniṣat 1-2-14) dēśa-atītaḥ kāla-atītaḥ kārya-atītaḥ kāraṇa-atītaḥ puṇya-atītaḥ
pāpa-atītaḥ it transcends the empirical world, it is the absolute reality. Thus
Brahman is described and after that Brahman description comes the next mantra iti
ca upakramya – upakramya means starting with the description of nirguṇam-brahma
in the fourteenth mantra. Then in the next mantra, i.e., the fifteenth mantra which is
fully quoted here, „sarvē vēdā yatpadamāmananti. tapāṁsi sarvāṇi ca yadvadanti.
yadicchantō brahmacaryaṁ caranti tattē padaṁ saṅgrahēṇa bravīmyōmityētat‟
[Kaṭhōpaniṣat 1-2-15]. And if you compare the Kaṭhōpaniṣat mantra with the
previous ślōka of the Gītā (eleventh ślōka) most of the words are borrowed from
Kaṭhōpaniṣat only. There in Kaṭhōpaniṣat sarvē vēdā yatpadamāmananti is there,
here yadakṣaraṁ vēdavidō vadanti is there, then yadicchantō brahmacaryaṁ caranti
is same in both, and tattē padaṁ saṅgrahēṇa pravakṣyē is in Gītā and in
Kaṭhōpaniṣat it is tattē padaṁ saṅgrahēṇa bravīmi. The whole thing Kr̥ṣṇa borrows,
but the most important thing is the last part, ōmiti ētat. Thus Ōm̐kāra upāsana is
said. Ityādibhiśca vacanaiḥ ca you have to supply Ōm̐kāra -upāsanam uktam.

289 Verses 08-12 and 08-13
Page 217 bhāṣyam top line

‘अन्यत्र धमायदन्यत्राधमायत्’ [कठोपगनषत् १-२-१४] इगत च उपक्रम्य ‘सवे वेदा यत्पदमामनन्न्त । तपाांशस सवायत्तण च
यद्वदन्न्त । यददच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचयं चरन्न्त तिे पदां सङ् ग्रहेण ब्रवीम्योयमत्येतत्’ [कठोपगनषत् १-२-१५] इत्याददत्तभि वचनैाः ।
„anyatra dharmādanyatrādharmāt‟ [Kaṭhōpaniṣat 1-2-14] iti ca upakramya „sarvē

vēdā yatpadamāmananti | tapāṁsi sarvāṇi ca yadvadanti | yadicchantō
brahmacaryaṁ caranti tattē padaṁ saṅgrahēṇa bravīmyōmityētat‟ [Kaṭhōpaniṣat
1-2-15] ityādibhiśca vacanaiḥ |
Lord Kr̥ṣṇa is talking about prayāṇakāla Īśvara-smaraṇam or prayāṇakāla-Īśvara

upāsanam as a means of krama-mukti. Because Arjuna had asked about it in the
beginning of the chapter as the seventh question. Prayāṇakālē ca kathaṁ jñēyō:'si
niyatātmabhiḥ (Gītā 8-2) And this prayāṇakāla Īśvara-upāsanam has to be done by
making use of some symbol or the other because upāsanam always requires a
symbol for upāsya-dēvatā. Since upāsya-dēvatā is not pratyakṣa-gōcara, not
available for direct-perception upāsya-dēvatā must be always indicated by a symbol
which symbol has to be pratyakṣam. And that symbol is called ālambanam and the
ālambanam can be pratimā or pratīkam. Thus pratimā ālambanam is an ālambanam
where the symbol has the clear features like hands, face, legs etc. With clear limbs
when we have an ālambanam it is called pratimā ālambanam. All mūrtis like Viṣṇu-
mūrti, Śiva-mūrti, dēvī-mūrti, all of them will come under pratimā-ālambanam. When
the ālambanam doesn‟t have clear features or limbs it is called pratīka-ālambanam.
Śiva-liṅgam, śālīgrāma, Ōm̐kāra śabda, Ōm̐kāra mantra will come under pratīka-
ālambanam. And of these various ālambanams the most glorious one is said to be
Ōm̐kāra -ālambanam because all the upaniṣats glorify Ōm̐kāra as an ideal symbol of
Īśvara. And Kr̥ṣṇa borrows from the upaniṣats and introduces Ōm̐kāra - ālambana-
Īśvara-upāsana in these twelfth and thirteenth verses.
And Śaṅkarācārya wants to show that there is vēda pramāṇam in support of Kr̥ṣṇa‟s
teaching, therefore he was quoting two pramāṇams which we saw in the last class.
One was from Praśnōpaniṣat and another one was from Kaṭhōpaniṣat. Both the
quotations are for Ōm̐kāra as an ālambanam. What type of Ōm̐kāra upāsanam is
prescribed in these two vedic mantras? Śaṅkarācārya presents that in the second
paragraph, we will read.

परस्य ब्रह्मणो वाचकरूपेण, प्रगतमावत् प्रतीकरूपेण च, परब्रह्मप्रगतपत्तिसाधनत्वेन मन्दमध्यमबुद्धीनाां गववत्तक्तस्य

ओङ् कारस्य उपासनां कालान्तरे मुशक्तफलम् उक्तम् यत्।
parasya brahmaṇō vācakarūpēṇa, pratimāvat pratīkarūpēṇa ca,

parabrahmapratipattisādhanatvēna mandamadhyamabuddhīnāṁ vivakṣitasya
Ōm̐kārasya upāsanaṁ kālāntarē muktiphalam uktam yat|
Ōm̐kāra sya upāsanaṁ uktam – Ōm̐kāra upāsana m was mentioned in the two Vedic
portion, here uktam doesn‟t refer to the Bhagavad Gītā, it refers to the praśna
upaniṣadi, kaṭha upaniṣadi ca uktam. What was uktam? Ōm̐kāra sya-upāsanam.
Which Ōm̐kāra upāsanam? Vivakṣitasya – which upāsanam is going to be mentioned
by Kr̥ ṣṇa. Vivakṣitasya refers to Bhagavad Gītā. Uktam refers to upaniṣat. In the
following two ślōkas Kr̥ṣṇa is going to prescribe the same upāsana. And this Ōm̐kāra
is a symbol for parabrahmapratipattisādhanatvēna parasya brahmaṇō vācakarūpēṇa,
pratimāvat pratīkarūpēṇa ca – it is a symbol for parabrahmaṇaḥ, for param brahma
which refers to kāraṇa brahma. Aparam brahma refers to kārya brahma. What is
kārya brahma? Hiraṇyagarbha and virāṭ are considered to be kārya brahma.
Antaryāmi Īśvara is said to be kāraṇa brahma. So parasya brahmaṇaḥ kāraṇa
brahmaṇaḥ vācakarūpēṇa pratīkarūpēṇa ca – Ōm̐kāra is unique symbol it can be
used as a word also, it can be used as a symbol also. Unlike other nāmas of the
Lord, Rāma Śiva, Kr̥ṣṇa etc., are all words but not symbols, śālīgrāma and Śiva liṅga
are symbols but they are not words. Therefore normally words are not symbols and
symbols are not words, they are mutually exclusive, but Ōm̐kāra happens to be a
unique thing which can serve both as a symbol also as well as a word also. It‟s
uniqueness Śaṅkarācārya points out vācakarūpēṇa – Ōm̐kāra is a word also and
pratimāvat pratīkarūpēṇa – and it is a symbol also like a pratimā. Thus Ōm̐kāra is a
versatile mantra, it is a word and it is a symbol. And this Ōm̐kāra which is a versatile
mantra can be used as a upāsana mantra, and this upāsana mantra is used for the
purpose of parabrahma prapti sādhanatvēna as a means of attaining parabrahma or
mōkṣa. So parabrahma prapti sādhanam means mōkṣa-sādhanam. Thus the
message of this paragraph is Ōm̐kāra is a versatile mantra, it can be used for
upāsanam and this Ōm̐kāra -upāsanam will lead to mōkṣa. And this Ōm̐kāra -
upāsanam as a means of mōkṣa is used for what type of seekers? Inferior seekers or
superior seekers? Advanced seekers or junior seekers? Śaṅkarācārya says you have
to underline that. Manda-madhyama-buddhīnām – Ōm̐kāra -upāsanam at the time of
maraṇakāla is prescribed for the manda-madhyama-buddhi. Manda-buddhi means
inferior students, madhyama-buddhi means intermediary students, certainly not for
the superior students. If Ōm̐kāra -upāsana is not prescribed for superior students,
then what is prescribed for them? Mahāvākyam vicāraḥ is prescribed for superior

students. And where does it come? In the ninth chapter. Then some of you may say
that we are all superior students, therefore can we skip the eighth chapter and go to
the ninth chapter? Since we are studying Bhagavad Gītā, even if for us it is not
relevant, to complete the study we have to go through this chapter, and I know you
are all superior students, you are not interested in Ōm̐kāra -upāsana m I know, but
still to complete that we should know what it is all about. That is why Śaṅkarācārya
says better we go through it. Therefore manda-madhyama-buddhīnāṁ Ōm̐kāra -
upāsanam uktam. And this Ōm̐kāra -upāsanam will give mōkṣa it is said, the
question is when will it give mōkṣa. That also Śaṅkarācārya qualifies kālāntarē
mukti-phalam – certainly not in this janma. You have to remember and do upāsana
at the time of death, and you have to die successfully and you have to squeeze the
sūkṣma-śarīram through the minute suṣumnā-nāḍi, normally ordinary doles I am not
able to squeeze myself, you have to squeeze through the suṣumnā-nāḍi and it has
to come out through brahmarandhram. You decide you want or not. Therefore
mukti-phalam. Kālāntarē means in the next janma-mukti-phalam otherwise it is
called krama-mukti-phalam. And mukti-phalam is bahuvrīhi samāsa adjective to
upāsanam. So kālāntara muktiḥ-phalam yasya tat upāsanam uktam. After uktam we
can put a full stop. The word yat can be connected to the next paragraph.
And really speaking all the four paragraphs put together is one grammatical
sentence in saṁskr̥ta and we have cut it into four sentences but grammatically it is
one very long sentence. Continuing;
यत् तदे व इह अगप ‘कतविं पुराणमनुिाशसतारम्’ [गीता ८-९] ‘यदक्रां वेदगवदो वदन्न्त’ [गीता ८-११] इगत च उपन्यस्तस्य
परस्य ब्रह्मणाः पूवोक्तरूपेण प्रगतपत्ति-उपाय-भूतम् ओङ् कारस्य कालान्तरमुशक्तफलम् उपासनां योगधारणासगहतां वक्तव्यम्,
प्रसक्तानुप्रसक्तां च यग्त्कञ्चचत्, इगत एवम् अथयाः उिरो ग्रन् आरभ्यते ––
yat tadēva iha api „kaviṁ purāṇamanuśāsitāram‟ [Gītā 8-9] „yadakṣaraṁ

vēdavidō vadanti‟ [Gītā 8-11] iti ca upanyastasya parasya brahmaṇaḥ
pūrvōktarūpēṇa pratipatti-upāya-bhūtam Ōm̐kārasya kālāntaramuktiphalam
upāsanaṁ yōgadhāraṇāsahitaṁ vaktavyam, prasaktānuprasaktaṁ ca yatkiñcit,
iti ēvam arthaḥ uttarō grantha ārabhyatē ––
So yat uktam tat ēva, whatever has been taught in Praśnōpaniṣat and Kaṭhōpaniṣat
the same Ōm̐kāra -upāsanam is said in the Bhagavad Gītā also tadēva iha api. So yat
śruti pramāṇē uktam tadēva smr̥ti pramāṇē api iha means Gītā aṣṭama adhyāyē. And
how do you know Gītā is also talking about param brahma, kāraṇam brahma only?
Śaṅkarācārya says we have seen those ślōkas describing param brahma. And what
are those ślōkas? „kaviṁ purāṇamanuśāsitāram‟ [Gītā 8-9] verse number nine of this
chapter, „yadakṣaraṁ vēdavidō vadanti‟ [Gītā 8-11] verse number eleven of this

chapter, both of them introduced kāraṇam brahma, upanyastasya parasya

brahmaṇaḥ – for reaching that param brahma, reaching param brahma is attainment
of mōkṣa because brahma-prāpti and mōkṣa-prāpti are synonymous. Therefore
upanyastasya – described parasya brahmaṇaḥ – for reaching that param brahma,
pratipatti-upāya-bhūtam Ōm̐kārasya – Ōm̐kāra otherwise Ōm̐kāra -upāsanam is the
pratipatti-upāya-bhūtam – is a means for attaining that param-brahma. Ōm̐kāra -
upāsanam which is the means for attaining that param brahma which has been
described as „kaviṁ purāṇam anuśāsitāram‟ and „yadakṣaraṁ vēdavidō vadanti‟.
And what type of upāsana? Kālāntara-mukti-phalam, he want to repeatedly remind,

it will not directly take you to Brahman, it will take to Brahman only in two stages,
those stages will be mentioned in the eighth chapter itself later as śukla-gati,
brahma-lōka-prāpti, attending the classes in brahma-lōka, then doing mahā-vākya-
vicāram there, all those will be mentioned later. Therefore kālāntara-mukti-phalam
upāsanam, vaktavyam – has to be taught . This is the intention of Kr̥ ṣṇa;
Śaṅkarācārya is presenting Kr̥ ṣṇa‟s intention. „I have to teach Ōm̐kāra upāsanam‟ is
the intention of Kr̥ ṣṇa, and while teaching this Ōm̐kāra -upāsana Kr̥ṣṇa wants to
introduce yōga-dhāraṇa-sahitam.
This is another aside note we have to make. Always upāsanam goes along with
aṣṭāṅga-yōga. Upāsanam and Patañjali‟s aṣṭāṅga-yōga go always together. So all the
upāsakas who want krama-mukti will have to be experts in aṣṭāṅga-yōga. Whereas
for jñāna-yōga, aṣṭāṅga-yōga is not compulsory. Aṣṭāṅga-yōga is not compulsory for
mahā-vākya-vicāra, and even if a person wants to use aṣṭāṅga-yōga of Patañjali like
prāṇāyāma, pratyāhāra etc., the required level is only a very small level. For
upāsana a person has to be expert in aṣṭāṅga-yōga, for vēdānta-vicāra, aṣṭāṅga-
yōga is not required, even if one wants to utilize it we require only minimum
aṣṭāṅga-yōga. Therefore here the topic being upāsanam aṣṭāṅga-yōga is
compulsory, by expertise in aṣṭāṅga-yōga what I mean is the capacity to withdraw
prāṇa etc., and he should know what are the nāḍis and he must have so much
control, that is why they require bandha etc., varieties of bandhas like udyāna-
bandha, nauli-bandha, etc., and they should all know various cakras; that also we
should note, once aṣṭāṅga-yōga and upāsana comes cakra discussion will come. I
will have to introduce in the class six-cakras are there, I should talk about the
position of mūlādhāra, svādhiṣṭhāna, maṇipuraka, anāhata, ājñā etc., I will have to
talk about sahasrāra-cakra, I will have to talk about kuṇḍalinī and I will have to talk
about raising the kuṇḍalinī, I will have to talk about mastering kuṇḍalinī, I have to
talk about the kuṇḍalinī journey through the suṣumnā-nāḍi – all these topics I will

have to talk about once I introduce upāsana and krama-mukti whereas in our
vēdānta classes we have scrupulously avoided the nāḍis and cakras. How many
times I would have talked about the cakrams? I have avoided because for us none
of this is required that is why in the entire Bhagavad Gītā you don‟t find cakra not
mentioned because that is important only when upāsanam and krama-mukti is our
primary topic. Still Kr̥ṣṇa wants to say these cakrams are all part of vēda only. We
don‟t want to say that kuṇḍalinī-yōga etc., are outside the Vedic culture, they are
included but they are not required for jñāna-yōga, they are Vedic when we vote for
upāsana and krama-mukti, they are not at all relevant when we are talking about
mahā-vākya-vicāra. That they are relevant is indicated in this word yōga-dhāraṇa-
sahitam. We get some more details in Śvētāśvatarōpaniṣat, there are six chapters.
There the second chapter is dedicated to the yōga-dhāraṇa. So this yōga-dhāraṇa
has got source in Śvētāśvatarōpaniṣat. We have got a series of upaniṣats called
yōga-upaniṣats. In all these yōga-upaniṣats kuṇḍalinīs are discussed, cakrams are
discussed, prāṇāyāmas are discussed, cakra-dhyānams are discussed and
Śvētāśvatarōpaniṣat is considered to be one of the yōga upaniṣats especially the
second chapter. You will find all kinds of extraordinary powers are talked about,
extraordinary visions are talked about, mystic visions and mystic powers are
discussed along with kuṇḍalinī and cakra. Vēdānta doesn‟t require mysticism, mystic
visions etc., but they are all there. We don‟t say they are not there. For this the
pramāṇam is Bhāṣyakāra‟s vākyam yōga-dhāraṇa-sahitam. Vaktavyam – Kr̥ṣṇa
wants to mention, at least briefly, and along with that prasaktānu-prasaktaṁ ca,
prasaktām means relevant topic of Ōm̐kāra upāsanam, and anuprasaktām means
allied topics connected with Ōm̐kāra upāsanam. And what is the connected topics?
Śukla-gati, brahmalōka-prāptiḥ, and krama-mukti are connected topics. So
prasaktām means Ōm̐kāra -upāsana, anu-prasaktām means śukla gati, brahma-lōka
prāpti and krama-mukti all these topics, yatkiñcit – whatever be relevant.
Vaktavyam, it should be connected vaktavyam. Iti ēvam arthaḥ – for this particular
purpose, uttarō grantha ārabhyatē – the following verses are introduced where
aṣṭāṅga-yōga becomes relevant. And remember the aṣṭāṅga-yōga of Patañjali is not
Patañjali‟s own personal speculation. Patañjali r̥ ṣi has extracted the aṣṭāṅga-yōga
from the vēdas only. Aṣṭāṅga-yōga is considered to be smr̥ti-grantha because it has
been extracted from the yōga-upaniṣats of the vēda-pramāṇam only. That is why
Śaṅkarācārya in Brahmasūtra says we accept Patañjali‟s aṣṭāṅga-yōga because it is
borrowed from vēdas only. We are against only the philosophy they talk about, that
philosophy is not Vedic. So yōga-sādhana is Vedic, yōga-darśanam (philosophy) is
not Vedic. That yōga-sādhana aṣṭāṅga-yōga is introduced. We will read.

Verse 08-12
सवयद्वारात्तण सांयम्य मनो हृदद गनरुध्य च ।

मूध्न्यायधायात्मनाः प्राणमाञ्स्थतो योगधारणाम् ॥ गीता ८-१२ ॥
sarvadvārāṇi saṁyamya manō hr̥di nirudhya ca |

mūrdhnyādhāyātmanaḥ prāṇamāsthitō yōgadhāraṇām || Gītā 8-12 ||
So the aṣṭāṅga-yōga procedures are mentioned in this ślōka. The first step is
pratyāhāraḥ after taking an āsana. Āsana is understood. Being seated in padmāsana,
siddhāsana, sukhāsana etc., sarva-dvārāṇi saṁyamya, dvārāṇi means daśa indriyāṇi,
all the ten sense organs jñānēndriyas and karmēndriyas must be withdrawn,
indicated in aṣṭāṅga-yōga as prati āhāraḥ; prati āhāraḥ means withdrawal. āhr̥
means withdraw. And ātmanaḥ prāṇam mūrdhni ādhāya – by the practice of
prāṇāyāma, the Pranic flow must be withdrawn from all the nāḍis and brought to
hr̥dayam, brought to the suṣumnā nāḍi, and through the suṣumnā-nāḍi it must be
brought to brahma randhram. All these are indicated by mūrdhni ātmanaḥ prāṇam
ādhāya. This refers to prāṇāyāma. So prāṇāyāma is mentioned, pratyāhāra is
mentioned. In fact, the order has to be changed, prāṇāyāma and then pratyāhāra.
And then the next one is yōga-dhāraṇām āsthitaḥ – then you have to withdraw the
mind from the external world, and through the various cakras, the mind has to be
brought upwards, mind has to brought to the hr̥dayam, where cakrams are talked
about, he should bring to the hr̥dayam. Manaḥ hr̥di nirudhya ca. All these things we
should do at the time of prayāṇakālē. That means I should know the time of death.
If a person is a perfect to yōgi who has practiced the upāsana he will develop
various powers including intuitive power of knowing his own time of death. Yōga-
śāstra guarantees that knowledge but not casually you have to become a great yōgi.
Therefore maraṇakālē āsthitaḥ you have to do that. This is the gist of the ślōka. Let
us read the bhāṣyam.
सिथ-द्व र शण – सवायत्तण च तागन द्वारात्तण च सवयद्वारात्तण उपलब्धौ, तागन सवायत्तण संयम्य सांयमनां कृत्वा मनाः हृदद
हृदयपुण्डरीके वनरुध्य गनरोधां कृत्वा गनष्प्रचारम् आपाद्य, तत्र विीकृतेन मनसा हृदयात् ऊध्वयगायमन्या नाड्या ऊध्वयम्
आरुह्य मूर्धध्निं आध य आत्मनाः प्र णम् आञ्िताः प्रवृिाः योग-ध रण ं धारययतुम् ॥ ८-१२ ॥
sarva-dvārāṇi – sarvāṇi ca tāni dvārāṇi ca sarvadvārāṇi upalabdhau, tāni sarvāṇi

saṁyamya saṁyamanaṁ kr̥tvā manaḥ hr̥di hr̥dayapuṇḍarīkē nirudhya nirōdhaṁ
kr̥tvā niṣpracāram āpādya, tatra vaśīkr̥tēna manasā hr̥dayāt ūrdhvagāminyā
nāḍyā ūrdhvam āruhya mūrdhniṁ ādhāya ātmanaḥ prāṇam āsthitaḥ pravr̥ttaḥ
yōga-dhāraṇāṁ dhārayitum || 8-12 ||
sarva-dvārāṇi is in the mūlam, after that you have to put an en dash, that word is
being explained. sarvāṇi ca tāni dvārāṇi ca, this is for the grammar students,

Śaṅkarācārya says this is karmadhāraya samāsaḥ, if you take ṣaṣṭhī tatpuruṣa

samāsa you will have problem, grammar student have to analyze what is that
problem, ṣaṣṭhī tatpuruṣa will be wrong compounding and only karmadhāraya must
be taken. So sarvāṇi dvārāṇi is equal to sarvadvārāṇi. So literally dvārā means
gateway, apertures or the gateways. For what purpose? Upalabdhau – for the sake
of grasping the external world, perceiving the external world. Therefore upalabdhau
is viṣaya saptamī or nimitta saptamī. So they are apertures for perceiving the world.
What are the apertures? The sense organs are apertures. After upalabdhau you have
to put a full stop. Tāni sarvāṇi saṁyamanaṁ kr̥tvā – all those sense organs must be
restrained, saṁyamya is in the mūlam, is equal to saṁyamanaṁ kr̥tvā – which is
called pratyāhāraḥ, then manaḥ hr̥di nirudhya, hr̥di means hr̥daya -puṇḍarīkē,
hr̥daya-puṇḍarīka means the lotus heart and we are referring to the physical heart
only, the regular heart , there only the various cakras are talked about , mind has to
be brought to the hr̥dayam. And there what should you do with the mind? nirudhya
is equal to nirōdhaṁ kr̥tvā – mind should be stopped, restrained. And what do you
mean by restrained? niṣpracāram āpādya – it should be made non-moving, not
going towards the external world. Pracāram means wandering about, niṣpracāram
means mind should not be allowed to roam about either in the external world or the
mind will project the inner world; the very same family we can project in the mind
also even they are gone long before, we are so creative that we can project them
and move about the inner world, don‟t allow the mind to move either in the external
world or the internal world. So niṣpracāram āpādya, āpādya means making.
Niṣpracāram means non-wandering, making the mind non-wandering. To put it in
positive language quietening the mind. Then what should we do? Tatra vaśīkr̥tēna
manasā – so with the help of that restrained mind , hr̥dayāt ūrdhvagāminyā nāḍyā
ūrdhvam āruhya – mentally he should go through the suṣumnā-nāḍi upwards to the
top of the head. Hr̥dayāt means from the hr̥dayam , ūrdhvagāmini nāḍi – nāḍi which
is travelling upwards. And why do we say travelling upwards? Because according to
yōga-śāstra from the hr̥dayam so many n āḍis are travelling in all directions, care of
Kaṭhōpaniṣat, śataṁ caikā ca hr̥dayasya n āḍyaḥ (Kaṭhōpaniṣat 2-3-16) hundred and
one main nāḍis are emanating from hr̥dayam travelling in all directions . And if you
go to Praśnōpaniṣat it says hundred and one are only prime nāḍis but if you take all
the other nāḍis there are innumerable is given. So there we have to select
ūrdhvagāminyā suṣumnā-nāḍyā, the word suṣumnā is not mentioned but we have to
supply. And through what the meditator should do is ūrdhvam āruhya – he should
mentally travel upwards. And remaining on the top mentally what should he do?

Ātmanaḥ prāṇam mūrdhniṁ ādhāya – he should withdraw the entire prāṇa

śakti from all the other nāḍis, that is that facility comes because of long prāṇāyāma
practice, varieties of prāṇāyāma those yōgis who have got control you ask them, you
read their books, yōgi‟s autobiography you read they would have practiced eight
hours of prāṇāyāma per day for years or decades. You can decide; that way I am
telling if you want all those facility what you have to do, first of all you have to drop
all your jobs and you should go to a quiet āśrama and learn prāṇāyāma from a
proper guru otherwise breathing will stop, there are so many varieties and you have
to practice minimum of eight hours per day for months together along with that
āhāra niyama and all those things; you decide you want to be a yōgi or not, I will
tell you clearly, I don‟t want to be and I am not a yōgi also. Therefore you have to
do all these things. So ātmanaḥ prāṇam, here ātmanaḥ is reflexive pronoun. So
withdrawing one‟s own prāṇa. There is a joke also on this – you cannot control
another‟s prāṇa. Therefore controlling your own prāṇa, and thereafter alone the
crucial thing comes, yōga-dhāraṇām āsthitaḥ, Āsthitaḥ means pravr̥ttaḥ, yōga-
dhāraṇām means dhārayitum. In short, Yogic concentration you should engage in.
Pravr̥ttaḥ means get engaged in, that means all the previous steps are only
preparatory steps. Having gone through these preparatory steps he should enter
into Yogic concentration chanting Ōm̐kāra and they also talk about the length of
Ōm̐kāra , during vēda-pārāyaṇam the maximum length of Ōm̐kāra is three mātras or
four mātras, but when you want to do Ōm̐kāra -upāsanam not three or four, twelve
mātras dīrgham praṇavam uccārya. So dīrgha-praṇava means the Ōm̐kāra ‟s final m
should go on and on that much breath control should be there. Therefore yōga-
dhāraṇām Ōm̐kāra uccāraṇa-rūpam dīrgha-praṇava-uccāraṇa-rūpam.
All these are talked about in Pañcīkaraṇam which is the work of Śaṅkarācārya and
Mānasōllāsa of Surēśvarācārya which is the commentary of Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Stōtram. But Śaṅkarācārya himself doesn‟t dwell upon yōga too much at all, because
Śaṅkarācārya wants us to choose not krama-mukti. He doesn‟t dwell upon this topic
too much, he refers to it here and there, but the other ācāryas go on and on with
Patañjali‟s yōga. So this is not yet complete, then he has to do further job.
The anvaya is, sarva-dvārāṇi saṁyamya, manaḥ ca hr̥di nirudhya, mūrdhni ātmanaḥ
prāṇam ādhāya, yōga-dhāraṇām āsthitaḥ. The sentence is incomplete, it has to be
connected to the next ślōka, for completion we can add āsthitaḥ san dēham tyajan
saḥ paramām gatim yāti. This is taken from the next ślōka for grammatical
completion. Continuing;

तत्र एव च धारयन् ––
tatra ēva ca dhārayan ––
Verse 08-13
ओयमत्येकाक्रां ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन् ।
याः प्रयागत त्यजन्दे हां स यागत परमाां गगतम् ॥ गीता ८-१३ ॥
ōmityēkākṣaraṁ brahma vyāharanmāmanusmaran |

yaḥ prayāti tyajandēhaṁ sa yāti paramāṁ gatim || Gītā 8-13 ||
Tatra ēva ca dhārayan – having focused the mind by going through the preliminary
steps of aṣṭāṅgayōga, then he has to implement the upāsana part. Until now
aṣṭāṅga-yōga part he has successfully implemented, hereafter he has to implement
the upāsana-part. That is why I said aṣṭāṅga-yōga and upāsana always go together.
Verse twelve is the aṣṭāṅga-yōga part and the current verse is the upāsana part.
And what is the upāsana that is said in this ślōka, ōm iti ēka-akṣaram brahma-
vyāharan – we have to start dīrgha-praṇava-uccāraṇam dvādaśa mātrārūpa dīrgha-
praṇava-uccāraṇam, and even this dīrgha-praṇava uccāraṇam we have to practice
because our breath must be so much under control, otherwise what will happen is
you will die, struggling to hold the breath the person will die. Therefore dīrgha-
praṇava-uccāraṇam also requires long practice. And then uttering the Ōm̐kāra what
should he do? Mām anusmaran, that is the crucial part, Īśvara must be remembered.
And what type of Īśvara? Kāraṇa-brahma, param-brahma, because kāraṇa-brahma-
prāpti alone is called mōkṣa. Thus uttering Ōm̐kāra , remembering God, the upāsaka
must die dēham tyajan then paramām-gatim yāti – he will attain the highest goal of
mōkṣa. This is the gist of this ślōka. We will go to the bhāṣyam.
ओम् इवत एक क्षरं ब्रह्म ब्रह्मणाः अत्तभधानभूतम् ओङ् कारां व्य हरन् उिारयन्, तदथयभूतां म म् ईश्वरम् अनुस्मरन्
अनुशचन्तयन् याः प्रय वत यियते ।
ōm iti ēkākṣaraṁ brahma brahmaṇaḥ abhidhānabhūtam Ōm̐kāraṁ vyāharan

uccārayan, tadarthabhūtaṁ mām Īśvaram anusmaran anucintayan yaḥ prayāti
mriyatē |
Ōm iti ēkākṣaraṁ brahma, ēka-akṣaram means one syllabled word, a word of

one syllable, a word of mono syllable, akṣaram means syllable which is ōm.
Brahma, the word brahma here should be understood as Brahmanāma, the name
of Brahman. So ōm iti ēkākṣaraṁ Brahman āma, the name of Brahman.
Śaṅkarācārya says brahmaṇaḥ abhidhānabhūtam – abhidhānam means name, so
Ōm̐kāra which is the abhidhānam or which is nāma of Brahman, therefore Ōm̐kāra

itself is called brahma. Brahmanāmatvāt Ōm̐kāra ēva brahma iti ucyatē. And this
name of Brahman vyāharan, vyāharan is in the mūlam, is equal to uccārayan,
uccārayan means uttering, that means it is not a mental-utterance but it is actual
oral-utterance only because the word uccāraṇam means we have to use the mouth,
vocal it is. So vocally uttering ōm and parallelly tadarthabhūtaṁ mām Īśvaram
anusmaran – at the same time remembering the Lord which is the meaning of the
word ōm. Tadarthabhūtam means Ōm̐kāra nāmnaḥ artha-bhūtam, mām is in the
mūlam, is equal to Īśvaram, anusmaran is equal to anucintayan, meditating upon
yaḥ prayāti, yaḥ refers to upāsaka, the upāsaka dies, then what will happen? Next
week.
290 Verses 08-13 to 08-15

ओम् इवत एक क्षरं ब्रह्म ब्रह्मणाः अत्तभधानभूतम् ओङ् कारां व्य हरन् उिारयन्, तदथयभूतां म म् ईश्वरम् अनुस्मरन्
अनुशचन्तयन् याः प्रय वत यियते ।
ōm iti ēkākṣaraṁ brahma brahmaṇaḥ abhidhānabhūtam Ōm̐kāraṁ vyāharan

uccārayan, tadarthabhūtaṁ mām Īśvaram anusmaran anucintayan yaḥ prayāti
mriyatē |
In these verses twelve and thirteen Kr̥ṣṇa is talking about Īśvara upāsāna with the
help of Ōm̐kāra ālambanam. Ōm̐kāra ālambanaka saguṇa-Īśvara upāsāna as a
means of krama-mukti is being talked about. Śaṅkarācārya is commenting on that.
Ōm iti ēka-akṣaram brahma vyāharan. So here the word brahma in the ślōka must
be understood as brahmaṇaḥ nāma, the name of Brahman. And what is name of
Brahman? Ōm iti ēka-akṣaram – the name with one syllable, i.e., Ōm̐kāra . So
brahmaṇaḥ abhidhānabhūtam Ōm̐kāraṁ vyāharan – so uttering Ōm̐kāra which is the
name of Brahman. And parallelly while uttering the Ōm̐kāra , tadarthabhūtaṁ mām
Īśvaram anusmaran ca – not only mere utterance of the nāma, along with that the
meaning in the form of saguṇa-Īśvara also must be remembered. Anusmaran is in
the mūlam, is equal to anucintayan. So in this condition, yaḥ prayāti, prayāti is in the
mūlam, is equal to mriyatē. Literally prayāti means the one who leaves,

Śaṅkarācārya says in this context prayāti means maraṇam. So whoever dies in this
manner he will have the following benefit which is said in the second half of the
ślōka for which Śaṅkarācārya writes the commentary. We will read.
साः त्यजन् पररत्यजन् दे हं िरीरम् । ‘त्यजन् दे हम्’ इगत प्रयाणगविेषणाथयम् – दे हत्यागेन प्रयाणम् आत्मनाः, न
स्वरूपनािेन इगत अथयाः । साः एवां त्यजन् य वत गच्छगत परम ं प्रकृष्टाां गवतम् ॥ ८-१३ ॥
saḥ tyajan parityajan dēhaṁ śarīram | „tyajan dēham‟ iti prayāṇaviśēṣaṇārtham

– dēhatyāgēna prayāṇam ātmanaḥ, na svarūpanāśēna iti arthaḥ | saḥ ēvaṁ
tyajan yāti gacchati paramāṁ prakr̥ṣṭāṁ gatim || 8-13 ||
Saḥ tyajan is in the mūlam, is equal to parityajan, parityajan means dropping,

renouncing, dēham is in the mūlam, is equal to śarīram. „Tyajan dēham‟ iti
prayāṇaviśēṣaṇārtham, the word „tyajan dēham‟ – the expression „dropping the
body‟ is to explain the prayāṇam or maraṇam process. Ok, what is the explanation
required for that? That he says; after prayāṇa-viśēṣaṇārtham you have to put an en
dash. He says dēhatyāgēna prayāṇam ātmanaḥ, na svarūpanāśēna iti arthaḥ – if the
word prayāti alone is there it will means maraṇam. Maraṇam literally means death.
And if we talk about the death of the upāsaka we may think the upāsaka will die for
good and he will disappear, it will be the extinction of the upāsaka we may conclude.
By saying dēhatyāgēna maraṇam indicates not the extinction of the upāsaka,
maraṇam indicates only dropping of the body. If the mere word prayāti is there
prayāti will mean maraṇam, maraṇam will mean extinction. But when the
specification „dēham tyajan‟ is there, it will indicate maraṇam is not the extinction of
the upāsaka, maraṇam is only dropping the external vesture. Therefore he says
dēhatyāgēna ātmanaḥ prayāṇam – the death of the upāsaka is only dropping of the
body, here the word ātmanaḥ is reflexive pronoun, it is only dropping one‟s own
body, na svarūpanāśēna – it is not the extinction of the upāsaka, it is nothing but
dropping the external body. This is important because according to modern
rationalistic people maraṇam is not dropping the body and travelling because they
ask the question where is the scientific proof for somebody dropping the body and
travelling, according to the modern scientists death is not a travel of someone, death
is the extinction of an individual, some part of an individual surviving, traveling,
going to some other lōka and receiving śrāddham and tarpaṇam – they are only
bluff and there is no scientific proof for all these things. Śaṅkarācārya says that
theory of rationalists is not correct, vēda pramāṇam says death is not extinction of
an individual, death is only dropping of the superficial layer called sthūla-śarīram.
Sūkṣma-śarīram continues, kāraṇa-śarīram continues, puṇyapāpam continues, and
therefore travel is there. All these are indicated by the word „dēham tyajan‟. The

crucial word is na svarūpanāśēna. The word svarūpanāśa means total extinction of

an individual, na means it is not. iti arthaḥ. saḥ ēvaṁ tyajan – thus without
becoming extinct but dropping only the superficial layer of the personality yāti
gacchati, yāti is in the mūlam, is equal to gacchati, the subject is saḥ, saḥ means
upāsakaḥ. And where does he go? paramāṁ prakr̥ṣṭāṁ gatim yāti, paramām is
in the mūlam, is equal to prakr̥ṣṭām – the greatest, gatim means destination or the
goal. The destination of the upāsaka is krama-mukti. Krama-muktim yāti iti arthaḥ.
The anvaya is, ōm iti ēka-akṣaram brahma vyāharan, mām anusmaran, dēham
tyajan (san) yaḥ prayāti saḥ paramām gatim yāti | Continuing;
गकचच ––
kiñca ––
Verse 08-14
अनन्यचेतााः सततां यो माां स्मरगत गनत्यिाः ।
तस्याहां सुलभाः पाथय गनत्ययुक्तस्य योगगनाः ॥ गीता ८-१४ ॥
ananyacētāḥ satataṁ yō māṁ smarati nityaśaḥ |
tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha nityayuktasya yōginaḥ || Gītā 8-14 ||
Lord Kr̥ṣṇa answers a possible question that may arise in the mind of the reader
after reading the previous two ślōkas where the conditions of the upāsaka‟s death is
described, what all conditions he should fulfil. That he must sit in proper āsanam, he
should do proper prāṇāyāma, he should withdraw the sense organs properly, his
mouth must be fit enough to utter that means no ventilator must be there, his
mouth must be able to utter Bhagavān‟s nāma properly and while uttering he must
remember the saguṇa-Īśvara, and he should die which means he should be aware of
the time of death also, the more we read the conditions the more we doubt
practicability of all these things. Therefore it all looks that Kr̥ṣṇa is presenting an
ideal mystic-sādhana for the upāsaka, and Lord Kr̥ṣṇa says that I will never talk
something impractical. If I say something it is possible. But what I want to add is it
is possible provided it is practiced. If during the hundred meter dash whoever the
runner is, if he is running within nine and odd seconds, suppose somebody asks is it
practical, the answer is practical for whom, not for anyone of us, because it will take
ninety minutes for us to cross hundred meters and if he is able to do that, you have
to study his biography and how many days for the next match he will practice now
itself eating so many chickens etc., all those things he has to practice. Kr̥ṣṇa says
this upāsana is very much possible provided a person practices that, not for one year

or two years but throughout the life he should practice aṣṭāṅga-yōga and also
Īśvara-upāsana, both of them simultaneously he should practice and Kr̥ṣṇa says for
such a person not only it is practicable, Kr̥ṣṇa uses the word sulabhaḥ – it is
effortless for him. This is the essence of this ślōka. Now we will read the bhāṣyam.
Śaṅkarācārya adds kiñca, kiñca means moreover indicating the same topic
continues.
अननयचेत ाः न अन्यगवषये चेताः यस्य साः अयम् अनन्यचेतााः, योगी सततं सवयदा याः म ं परमेश्वरां स्मरवत वनत्यशाः ।
ananyacētāḥ na anyaviṣayē cētaḥ yasya saḥ ayam ananyacētāḥ, yōgī satataṁ

sarvadā yaḥ māṁ paramēśvaraṁ smarati nityaśaḥ |
ananyacētāḥ is in the mūlam and Śaṅkarācārya gives the vigraha vākyam as

bahuvrīhi samāsa, the one whose mind is always upon God, he doesn‟t think of any
other thing. Therefore anyaviṣayē – in any other object other than saguṇa-Īśvara,
cētaḥ means the mind yasya saḥ – the one whose mind is not absorbed in anything
other than Īśvara, to put it in positive language the one whose sub-conscious mind
is always in Īśvara. As they tell the story of Appayya Dīkṣitar he wanted to find out
whether Bhagavān has entered his sub-conscious mind. He was a Śiva bhakta.
Therefore he asked his disciples to give the milk of a plant called datura plant, which
will makes person temporarily forget the surroundings and starts blabbering like a
person who has taken liquor. What we blabber without our deliberate thinking will
be what is in our sub-conscious mind. Appayyadīkṣitar wanted to find out and
thereafter he blabbered. And the blabbering came in the form of wonderful Śiva-
stōtra which we cannot write even when we are normal. Such a fantastic Śiva-stōtra
comes that means it has gone so deep in his mind. Similarly, here also the one
whose mind is not absorbed in anything else, saḥ ayam ananyacētāḥ. And
Śaṅkarācārya uses the word yōgī and in our tradition for saguṇa-upāsana and
krama-mukti a special āśrama is designed because in gr̥hastha āśrama it is
extremely difficult because family duties will keep the mind preoccupied in the
family, therefore when I sit in meditation only the family members come, therefore
only for saguṇa-upāsana an exclusive āśrama is prescribed which is Vānaprastha-
āśrama. Nirguṇa-Īśvara-jñānam is practiced in sannyāsa-āśrama. Gr̥hastha-āśrama is
for karma-yōga and Vānaprastha-āśrama is for upāsana-yōga and sannyāsa-āśrama
is for jñāna-yōga, and vēda-adhyāyanam is in brahmacaryāśrama. Thus these four
āśramas have been exclusively designed. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya uses the word
yōgi who is a vānaprastha who is in the forest, therefore he doesn‟t have any other
family or social concern. That is why in Muṇḍakōpaniṣat, tapaḥśraddhē yē
hyupavasantyaraṇyē śāntā vidvāṁsō bhaikṣyacaryāṁ carantaḥ (Muṇḍakōpaniṣat 1-

2-11) saguṇa-upāsaka who works for krama-mukti he also lives a life of bhikṣā. And
sūryadvārēṇa tē virajāḥ prayānti yatrāmr̥taḥ sa puruṣō hyavyayātmā
(Muṇḍakōpaniṣat 1-2-11). Therefore yōgi means vānaprasthaḥ committed to
saguṇa-Īśvara-upāsana, he doesn‟t come to mahā-vākya-vicāra also, he is not
involved in Vedic-rituals also, for him upāsana, upāsana, and upāsana, morning-
upāsana, afternoon-upāsana, evening-upāsana. If there is dream in the night there
also he will be doing dream upāsana only. Therefore yōgī-satatam, that is why the
word satatam is used, satatam means constantly, satatam is equal to sarvadā.
yaḥ māṁ paramēśvaram māyā sahitam saguṇam-Īśvaram smarati nityaśaḥ,
nityaśaḥ means daily, every day. Continuing;
सततम् इगत नैरन्तययम् उच्यते । गनत्यिाः इगत दीघयकालत्वम् उच्यते । न षण्मासां सांवत्सरां वा । तकिं तर्हिं? यावज्जीवां
नैरन्तयेण याः माां स्मरगत इगत अथयाः ।
satatam iti nairantaryam ucyatē | nityaśaḥ iti dīrghakālatvam ucyatē | na

ṣaṇmāsaṁ saṁvatsaraṁ vā | kiṁ tarhi? yāvajjīvaṁ nairantaryēṇa yaḥ māṁ
smarati iti arthaḥ |
In the ślōka there are two words satatam and nityaśaḥ, both words have got almost
similar meaning. Satatam means always, and nityaśaḥ means daily. Daily and always
almost seems to be the same. What is the subtle difference between them?
Śaṅkarācārya says satatam refers to continuous upāsana during the day. Taking one
day, within one day itself continuously the whole day. Because the word nityaśaḥ
means daily, and daily he may do for one minute. Therefore the word satatam
means not only every day he should do upāsana, but during the day also
continuously morning, afternoon, and evening other than the performance of the
minimum duties that he has to do, in vānaprastha āśrama he has reduced his duties
also, even pañca-mahā-yajñas are not there for a vānaprastha. Therefore other than
the time devoted for minimum duties throughout the day he remembers the Lord,
that is satatam. And nityaśaḥ means not throughout one day but daily. Therefore
Śaṅkarācārya says satatam iti – by the word satatam, nairantaryam ucyatē –
continuity of upāsana during the day is talked about or indicated. And nityaśaḥ iti –
by the word nityaśaḥ, Kr̥ṣṇa conveys it is not enough you have the continuous
remembrance on one day but it should continue for long which means life-long.
Therefore he says nityaśaḥ iti – by the word nityaśaḥ dīrghakālatvam – long time is
indicated, long time na ṣaṇmāsaṁ saṁvatsaraṁ vā – not for six months or one year.
Kiṁ tarhi? – then what? Yāvaj-jīvam, yāvaj-jīvam means the rest of the life,
throughout the life. So yāvaj-jīvam is the meaning of nityaśaḥ, and nairantaryēṇa is
the meaning of satatam. Yaḥ māṁ smarati. The final meaning is continuously

lifelong the one who remembers Īśvara can effortlessly do prayāṇakāla-Īśvara-

upāsanam. Continuing;
तस्य योगगनाः अहं सुलभाः सुखेन लभ्याः प थथ, वनत्य-युक्तस्य सदा समागहतस्य योवगनाः । यताः एवम्, अताः अनन्यचेतााः
सन् मयय सदा समागहताः भवेत् ॥ ८-१४ ॥
tasya yōginaḥ ahaṁ sulabhaḥ sukhēna labhyaḥ pārtha, nitya-yuktasya sadā

samāhitasya yōginaḥ | yataḥ ēvam, ataḥ ananyacētāḥ san mayi sadā samāhitaḥ
bhavēt || 8-14 ||
Now Śaṅkarācārya comes to the second half of the ślōka, tasya yōginaḥ, here the
word yōgi must be understood as not only aṣṭāṅga-yōgi but also saguṇa-upāsaka
and vānaprastha, it is a very loaded word, yōgi is equal to aṣṭāṅga-yōgi plus saguṇa-
upāsaka plus vānaprastha. For such a person ahaṁ sulabhaḥ, sulabhaḥ is in the
mūlam, is equal to sukhēna labhyaḥ – I, the Lord am very easily accessible,
attainable for such a yōgi, hē pārtha. What type of is he? nitya-yuktasya is in the
mūlam, is equal to sadā samāhitasya yōginaḥ, nitya-yukta means a yōgi upāsaka
whose mind is always in Bhagavān only, paśyan śr̥ṇvan spr̥ śan jighran, Īśvaraḥ ēva,
Rāmaḥ ēva, Kr̥ṣṇaḥ ēva. In the purāṇa we read the story of several Rāma bhaktas,
Kr̥ṣṇa bhaktas in our own time we had Tyāgarāja Svāmi and others they were all
saturated and soaked in Rāma-bhakti, Kr̥ṣṇa-bhakti etc. They do the vyavahāra but
in and through the vyavahāra the same law paśyan śr̥ṇvan spr̥ śan jighran, in the
case of a jñāni paśyan śr̥ṇvan they will say aham brahma asmi. But in the case of
upāsaka, paśyan śr̥ṇvan they will say अण्डाण्डम्बुऱु वपण्डाण्डम्बुऱु ब्रह्माण्डम्बुऱु अ्ता
राममयम ् (aṇḍāṇḍambulu piṇḍāṇḍambulu brahmāṇḍambulu antā Rāmamayam) or
Bharati song even if I put my finger in the fire, and the fire burns my finger, even
when the finger is burnt, I will say Kr̥ṣṇa only. Even that burning is Kr̥ṣṇa only.
Therefore for upāsaka also this is possible, one is dvaita-bhakti and the other
advaita-jñānam. You can choose one of these two. Dvaita-bhakti will give krama-
mukti, advaita-mukti means no headache, everything is over here and now. For
dvaita-bhakta he has to wait for death, for advaita-jñāni freedom is here and now.
Eighth chapter is talking about dvaita-bhakti for krama-mukti. Therefore
Śaṅkarācārya concludes yataḥ ēvam, ataḥ – therefore what is the bottom line,
Śaṅkarācārya gives here, ananyacētāḥ – Arjuna may you also remember Lord all the
time. In the eighth chapter, I will say saguṇa-Īśvara may remember all the time. In
the ninth chapter, I will say may you remember nirguṇam-brahma all the time.
saguṇa-Īśvara or nirguṇa-Īśvara you are safe and the moment you are lost in jīva,
jīva means jammed, trouble only. Therefore ananyacētāḥ – without worldly

distractions, without allowing the pañca anātmā to drag you down to jīva-bhāva,
mayi sadā samāhitaḥ bhavēt – may you surrender your body and family also to
viśvarūpa-Īśvara. Without nirguṇa-jñānam it is possible to surrender the body and
family to viśvarūpa-Īśvara, tan man dhan saba kuch tērā it is possible. sadā
samāhitaḥ bhavēt – may you be always focused. samāhitaḥ means focused.
The anvaya is, hē pārtha! yaḥ ananya-cētāḥ (san) mām satataṁ nityaśaḥ smarati,
tasya nitya-yuktasya yōginaḥ ahaṁ sulabhaḥ (bhavāmi) | Continuing;

तव सौलभ्येन तकिं स्यात् इगत उच्यते । िृणु तत् मम सौलभ्येन यत् भवगत ––
tava saulabhyēna kiṁ syāt iti ucyatē | śr̥ṇu tat mama saulabhyēna yat bhavati ––
So here a question is raised and the answer is given in the ślōka. Somebody is
asking the question ok, I took all this trouble of handing over my dear family to
Bhagavān without heart, I handed over everything to Bhagavān, practiced aṣṭāṅga-
yōga, died successfully, and merged into the Lord also. Ok so what? By merging into
Lord what is the benefit I will get? Therefore he says tava saulabhyēna kiṁ syāt – ok
you are easily available for merger, because of your easy attainability, kiṁ syāt –
what is the benefit I get? iti ucyatē – that is being answered.
Then yat mama saulabhyēna bhavati tat śr̥ṇu – may you listen to the reply to the
question, what is the benefit of the easy attainability of the Lord? In vaiṣṇava
sampradāya this is very much glorified as one of the important glories of the Lord.
When they talk about several glories satyakāmaḥ, satyasaṅkalpaḥ sarvajñaḥ
sarvēśvaraḥ, they will highlight one glory of the Lord, that is saulabhyam. It is a very
beautiful glory of Bhagavān, in vaiṣṇava sampradāya it is highlighted, but in
advaitam also we underline and tickmark it is very true only, the glory of Bhagavān
is saulabhyam, saulabhyam means easy attainability. But easy attainability for
whom? That they don‟t underline. That is the problem. Attainability for the one who
has worked hard. Very interesting. Easy attainability for one who has worked hard.
Generally what we think is easy attainability means you need not work hard, but
here it is peculiar, easy attainability for one who has worked hard. What is the
benefit? tat śr̥ṇu – may you note that. That Kr̥ṣṇa is giving in this ślōka.
Verse 08-15
मामुपेत्य पुनजयन्म रृाःखालयमिाश्वतम् ।
नाप्नुवन्न्त महात्मानाः सांशसद्द्धिं परमाां गतााः ॥ गीता ८-१५ ॥

māmupētya punar-janma duḥkhālayamaśāśvatam |

nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ || Gītā 8-15 ||
So what is the benefit? In this ślōka Kr̥ṣṇa says punar-janma nivr̥tti is the benefit.
The benefit of merging into Īśvara. The benefit of merging into Īśvara is freedom
from punar-janma. What is the definition of punar-janma ? nūtana śarīra
sambandhaḥ, the definition of punar-janma is association with another body. Janma
is equal to śarīra-sambandha. What do you mean by śarīra-sambandha? Kr̥ṣṇa
explains that śarīra-sambandha means facing problems. Duḥkha-ālayam aśāśvatam
– a life which is highly unpredictable and a life which involves janma-mr̥tyu-jarā-
vyādhi. Therefore duḥkha-ālayam aśāśvatam śarīra sambandham will not be there.
Then what will happen to them? Nothing will happen, they will be one with
Bhagavān that means upāsaka will continue to exist eternally as Bhagavān, he will
not disappear, just as the rivers after merging into ocean rivers don‟t die but rivers
eternally exist as the ocean. Similarly, upāsaka will attain Bhagavān. This is the gist
of this ślōka. We will go to the bhāṣyam.
म म् उपेत्य माम् ईश्वरम् उपेत्य मद्भावम् आपद्य पुनजथनम पुनरुत्पत्ििं न प्राप्नुवन्न्त ।

तकिंगवशिष्टां पुनजयन्म न प्राप्नुवन्न्त इगत, तगद्विेषणम् आह ––
mām upētya mām Īśvaram upētya madbhāvam āpadya punar-janma

punarutpattiṁ na prāpnuvanti |
kiṁviśiṣṭaṁ punar-janma na prāpnuvanti iti, tadviśēṣaṇam āha ––
mām upētya is in the mūlam, is equal to mām Īśvaram upētya. So here the word
mām does not refer to the finite Kr̥ṣṇa śarīram, but it refers to samaṣṭi-Īśvara, in our
language viśvarūpa-Īśvara, the totality. Upētya that means madbhāvam āpadya.
This is the difference between viśiṣṭādvaitam and advaitam. In viśiṣṭādvaitam even if
you merge into Īśvara, the merger is never considered total, still you will continue to
be a part of Īśvara, total identity is not there. Whereas in advaitam we says there is
no question of becoming as a part of Īśvara, because vēda defines Īśvara as
partless. Niravayavaḥ. niṣkalaḥ etc., where is the question of becoming a part at all.
Therefore Śaṅkarācārya carefully adds madbhāvam āpadya. So merging into Īśvara
means total non-difference between jīvātmā and paramātmā. That is why we give
the example of ghaṭākāśa merging into mahākāśa, thereafter you cannot say this
part is ghaṭākāśa, that part is mahākāśa. When ākāśa itself doesn‟t have parts how
can Bhagavān who is as pervasive or more pervasive than ākāśa, how can Īśvara
have a part? When you look at Īśvara as a person wearing ornaments etc., then you
will say bhakta will become of śaṅkha of Bhagavān, cakra of Bhagavān these are all
because of finite concepts of Īśvara, they are not able to get out of Bhagavān as a

person. Therefore merger means you will stick to the dove of Bhagavān or the finger
of Bhagavān or garland of Bhagavān. Because they always confine to Bhagavān as a
person. Using the world all-pervading they contradict that by locating God and
personifying God. If God is all-pervading God cannot have parts. Therefore merger
means there is absolutely no difference.
यथोदकां िुद्धे िुद्धमाशसक्तां तारॅगेव भवगत ।

एवां मुनेर्विंजानत आत्मा भवगत गौतम ॥ कठोपगनषत् २-१-१५ ॥
yathōdakaṁ śuddhē śuddhamāsiktaṁ tādr̥gēva bhavati |

ēvaṁ munērvijānata ātmā bhavati gautama || Kaṭhōpaniṣat 2-1-15 ||
Total aikyam and not partial aikyam. Who says? Śaṅkarācārya says madbhāvam
means mad-aikyam āpadya. And here we have to add an aside note, how can
upāsaka get total aikyam. We are talking about upāsaka, and Śaṅkarācārya says he
will get total aikyam. Therefore we have to supply the upāsaka will go to
brahmalōka, there he will attend mahā-vākya-vicāra classes under Brahmāji and
there he will do śravaṇa-manana-nididhyāsanam. Because of extreme purity of mind,
in Brahmalōka it will not take long time, teacher will say tattvamasi, and student will
say aham brahma asmi. But remember the upāsaka will have to get exposed to
mahāvākya-upadēśa. That is all not said here because Kr̥ṣṇa is going to talk about
that in the latter ślōkas. Therefore jñāna-dvārā mahāvākya-vicāra-dvārā
madbhāvam-āpadya, then what will happen? punar-janma na prāpnuvanti, punar-
janma means punarutpattim and punarutpattim means rebirth, they don‟t attain.
Then Śaṅkarācārya rises a question kiṁviśiṣṭaṁ punar-janma na prāpnuvanti – what
is the nature of punar-janma which the upāsaka won‟t attain? What is the nature of
punar-janma, which punar-janma the upāsakas will avoid? Therefore kiṁviśiṣṭam.
tr̥tīyā tatpuruṣa, kēna viśiṣṭam? punar-janma – what is the nature of punar-janma,
na prāpnuvanti – which the upāsakas avoid. Because is it bad enough to avoid, or
can I avoid avoiding? Iti, tadviśēṣaṇam āha, tadviśēṣaṇam means punar-janma
viśēṣaṇam, the description of punar-janma Kr̥ṣṇa Himself gives. The description of
punar-janma is to indicate that it is worth avoiding.
रृाःख लयं रृाःखानाम् आध्यात्त्मकादीनाां आलयम् आश्रयम् आलीयन्ते यस्स्मन् रृाःखागन इगत रृाःखालयां जन्म ।
duḥkhālayaṁ duḥkhānām ādhyātmikādīnāṁ ālayam āśrayam ālīyantē yasmin

duḥkhāni iti duḥkhālayaṁ janma |
Duḥkhālayam is in the mūlam, Śaṅkarācārya gives the vigraha vākyam ṣaṣṭhī

tatpuruṣa samāsa duḥkhānām ālayam, and ālayam is equal to āśrayam, āśrayam
means an abode, abode of duḥkham, all types of pains. punar-janma means it is an

abode of all types of pains. What do you mean by all types of pains?
Ādhyātmikādīnām – ādhyātmikam etc. And you are supposed to know etcetera.
Ādhyātmikam, ādhibhautikam, ādhidaivikam. Ādhyātmikam means pains coming
from ourselves, ādhibhautikam means pains coming from other jīvas who are around
and ādhidaivikam means pains coming from dēvatās through natural calamities like
rain, thunder, etc. So ādhyātmikādīnāṁ duḥkhānām āśrayam. Then Śaṅkarācārya
gives the derivation of the word ālayam. ālayam means he says ālīyantē yasmin
duḥkhāni tad ālayam – a place in which all the pains converge, Ālīyantē means come
together, assemble, meeting point. Punar-janma is the assembly. An assembly is a
place where all the elected special members assemble. Punar-janma also is an
assembly where somebody assembles. Who assemble? All types of specially elected
pains elected by karma. Through karma we have selected varieties of pains, all those
pains which we have purchased through our pūrva-janma karmas, they are all
waiting there, the moment I get a janma and I am born in a family they all will come
one by one, the physical problem given by the body, then other family members are
who continuously nag. Therefore ālīyantē means they all converge. Here the word
līyantē should not be translated as dissolve, here līyantē means converge, meet
together. The final meaning is the meeting point of all pains is called janma. This
janma one will avoid by Īśvara-prāpti.

291 Verses 08-15 and 08-16
Page 219, verse 15, bhāṣyam 2nd paragraph

तकिंगवशिष्टां पुनजयन्म न प्राप्नुवन्न्त इगत, तगद्विेषणम् आह ––
रृाःख लयं रृाःखानाम् आध्यात्त्मकादीनाां आलयम् आश्रयम् । आलीयन्ते यस्स्मन् रृाःखागन इगत रृाःखालयां जन्म ।
न केवलां रृाःखालयम्, अश श्वतम् अनवञ्स्थतरूपां च । न आप्नुिन्नत ईरॅिां पुनजयन्म मह त्म नाः यतयाः संससद्द्धिं मोक्ाख्याां
परम ं प्रकृष्टाां गत ाः प्राप्तााः । ये पुनाः माां न प्राप्नुवन्न्त ते पुनाः आवतयन्ते ॥ ८-१५ ॥
kiṁviśiṣṭaṁ punar-janma na prāpnuvanti iti, tadviśēṣaṇam āha ––

duḥkhālayaṁ duḥkhānām ādhyātmikādīnāṁ ālayam āśrayam | ālīyantē yasmin
duḥkhāni iti duḥkhālayaṁ janma |
na kēvalaṁ duḥkhālayam, aśāśvatam anavasthitarūpaṁ ca | na āpnuvanti

īdr̥śaṁ punar-janma mahātmānaḥ yatayaḥ saṁsiddhiṁ mōkṣākhyāṁ paramāṁ
prakr̥ṣṭāṁ gatāḥ prāptāḥ | yē punaḥ māṁ na prāpnuvanti tē punaḥ āvartantē ||
8-15 ||
In this fifteenth verse, Lord Kr̥ṣṇa is talking about the superiority of upāsana-phalam
so that one will vote for upāsana in comparison to karma. When there is a
comparative study between karma and upāsana, we always point out upāsana is
superior, because upāsana can give krama-mukti, whereas karma cannot give mukti
at all. When there is a comparison between upāsana and jñānam, we will say
jñānam is superior because upāsana can only give krama-mukti whereas jñānam can
give sadyō-mukti itself. But in the eighth chapter jñānam is not a candidate at all for
election and therefore in the eighth chapter the election candidates are only karma
and upāsana, and therefore Kr̥ṣṇa wants to point out that upāsana is superior.
Because upāsana can give krama-mukti but whether it is krama-mukti or sadyō-
mukti, the ultimate result is Īśvara-aikyam. In krama-mukti, Īśvara-aikyam is
discovered in Brahmalōka, whereas in sadyō-mukti, Īśvara-aikyam is discovered here
itself. So whether it is krama-mukti or sadyō-mukti the end point is Īśvara-aikyam,
you may call it Brahma aikyam; that is common. Naturally the question will come if
upāsaka attains Īśvara-aikyam through krama-mukti then what is the advantage of
Īśvara-aikyam. Because ultimately, all the jīvas get Īśvara-aikyam only at the time of
pralayam whether they are upāsakas or karmis or anupāsakas or even animal, all the
jīvas will have to merge into Īśvara because they all come from Īśvara only.
Therefore what is the superiority of Īśvara-aikyam attained by the upāsakas when

everybody gets Īśvara-aikyam at the time of pralayam. What is the difference? At

the time of pralayam all the jīvas attain Īśvara-aikyam but in the next sr̥ṣṭi all the
jīvas will come back which we will see in this chapter itself, bhūtagrāmaḥ sa ēvāyaṁ
bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyatē (Gītā 8-19). The same set of jīvarāśis will merge into Īśvara
at the time of pralayam and again they will come back in the net sr̥ṣṭi. Whereas in
the case of upāsakas, once he merges into Īśvara thereafter there is no question of
punar-janma in the next sr̥ṣṭi. Punar-janma means nūtana śarīra-grahaṇam. That is
the benefit Kr̥ṣṇa mentions here.
While talking about of punar-janma, Kr̥ṣṇa gives two descriptions. Duḥkhālayam is

first description and aśāśvatam is the second description. Śaṅkarācārya is explaining
those two descriptions. So duḥkhālayam is first description, is equal to duḥkhānām
ālayam duḥkhālayam. ālayam normally means temple. Rāma ālayam means a
temple of Rāma. Kr̥ṣṇa ālayam means a temple of Kr̥ṣṇa. What do you mean by
temple of Rāma? It means a place where Rāma is permanently installed unlike our
Rāmanavami Rāma for the sake of pūjā we temporarily invoke rāma and after pūjā
we say yathāsthānam pratiṣṭhāpayāmi. It is temporary pratiṣṭhā. Whereas what is
the uniqueness of temple? In the temple the pūjāri will not say you can go back.
Īśvara is permanently installed. So in Rāmālayam Rāma is permanently installed. In
Kr̥ṣṇālayam Kr̥ṣṇa is permanently installed. In duḥkhālayam duḥkha is permanently
installed. So punar-janma means duḥkham is permanently installed. Even if there is
sukham temporarily, the so called sukham is temporary forgetfulness of duḥkham
only. It is not absence of duḥkham. Therefore to duḥkhānām ālayam is equal to
āśrayam. Āśrayam means an abode where they all will converge and settle. Why
duḥkhānām in plural number? Because we have got three groups of duḥkhams and
in each group there are several varieties. Ādhyātmika, ādhibhautika and ādhidaivika
which I mentioned in the last class. So ādhyātmikādīnām is explanation of
duḥkhānām. Ālayam is equal to āśrayam. After that we have to put a full stop. The
sentence has to be completed āśrayam na āpnuvanti. Then Śaṅkarācārya is giving
the derivation of the word ālayam for saṁskr̥ta students vyutpatti is given, vyutpatti
means derivation of a word, the etymological derivation of a word. Ālīyantē yasmin
duḥkhāni iti duḥkhālayam. Ālī means to settle, ālayam means a place where
something settles down. So ālīyantē asmin iti ālayam. Duḥkhālayam means a place
where all the pains acquired in different past janmas they all will come and they will
all settle down. Even though this janma is one the pains come from all the past
janmas and we don‟t even remember the details of pāpams we have done but they
remember and they nicely come looking at the address properly. Without any
confusion my own karma will nicely come back to me without invitation card and

settle down. Therefore ālayam is equal to āśrayam, abode iti arthaḥ. That is janma,
that is the meaning of the description of punar-janma. This is the first description.
Then the second one he explains. na kēvalaṁ duḥkhālayam – punar-janma is not

only a concentrated abode of pains, kintu, we have to supply the word kintu, but
also aśāśvatam is equal to anavasthitasvarūpam. Anavasthitasvrūpam means
highly unstable. Therefore every moment we have to learn to balance. Therefore
what is the problem? Even though in the present janma not only we experience
pāpa phalam, we do have some puṇya phalam also to experience but the problem is
we don‟t have the mental relaxation to experience the puṇya phalam because the
mind and life are always unstable. Therefore we are not able to balance enough to
enjoy the puṇya phalam. It is like a boat ride in a river. In Kērala in some places
boat rides are there and both sides it is supposed to be highly scenic beauty. But
imagine you are standing on the boat and the boat ride is slightly bumpy and you
have nothing to hold. And the boatman asks may you enjoy the scenic beauty. What
will you tell him? Where is the question of enjoying because the moment I turn in
any direction I will lose my balance and fall into the water. Therefore scenic beauty
is there on both sides, but my whole journey is dedicated for balancing act.
Similarly, in life also no doubt puṇya-phalam comes often but the whole life being a
balancing act, I am not even aware some of the puṇyams have come and gone.
When the neighbors say then only I realize that I must have gone through puṇyam.
Therefore the second problem is highly unstable and this instability also is
unpredictably unsteady. If I know now the boat is going that side I can adjust, I
don‟t know when it will turn to the right or left. Therefore anavasthitasvarūpaṁ ca.
This is the explanation of aśāśvatam. Such an unstable, painful punar-janma the
upāsaka will not have. That is said here na āpnuvanti īdr̥śaṁ punar-janma. īdr̥śam
means of the above description that is unstable, painful punar-janma. na
āpnuvanti – they won‟t attain. „They‟ here means mahātmānaḥ is in the mūlam,
is equal to yatayaḥ. And here who are the mahātmās? Upāsakas are the mahātmās.
yatayaḥ – yatis, who belong to vānaprastha āśrama or in gr̥hastha āśrama also a
person can be vānaprastha if he does PORT (Possessions, Obligations,
Responsibilities, Transactions) reduction and CLASP {CL -Controllership/ownership
(aham-mama abhimāna), A – Anxiety, SP – Special Prayers (sakāma prārthanā)}
rejection. So vānaprastha upāsaka mahātmānaḥ na āpnuvanti. If they don‟t
attain punar-janma what will happen to them? Will they disappear into nothingness?
No, no. saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ. Saṁsiddhim is in the mūlam, is equal to
mōkṣākhyām – they will attain mōkṣa itself. Here the word mōkṣa means krama-

mukti. Never forget that! And that krama-mukti is paramām is in the mūlam, is
equal to prakr̥ṣṭām – the greatest, gatāḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to prāptāḥ – they
attain. Then
Śaṅkarācārya adds a note. This aside note serves as an introduction to the next
ślōka also. Therefore he says yē punaḥ māṁ na prāpnuvanti – if a human being
doesn‟t accomplish either krama-mukti or sadyōmukti, if he misses both of them
what will be their lot? Tē punaḥ āvartantē – they will have to come back even if they
are ritualistic people no doubt they will get svarga-lōka but the tragedy is tē taṁ
bhuktvā svargalōkaṁ viśālaṁ kṣīṇē puṇyē martyalōkaṁ viśanti (Gītā 9-21).
Therefore you vote for either krama-mukti or sadyō-mukti, never vote for anything
else. This is the message.
The anvaya is, mahātmānaḥ mām upētya duḥkha-ālayam aśāśvatam punar-janma

na āpnuvanti. (tē) paramām saṁsiddhim gatāḥ.

तकिं पुनाः त्विाः अन्यत् प्राप्तााः पुनरावतयन्ते इगत, उच्यते ––
kiṁ punaḥ tvattaḥ anyat prāptāḥ punarāvartantē iti, ucyatē ––
Tvattaḥ anyat prāptāḥ – those people who have gone anywhere other than You,
those people who have gone any other destination other than Īśvara, tvattaḥ anyat
means Īśvara-bhinna, lakṣyam or destination we have to understand. Gatiḥ or
lakṣyam. Tvattaḥ means other than you, here You mean Īśvara, Kr̥ṣṇa. Punaḥ-
āvartantē – they all will come back. Now kiṁ punaḥ – what are those other goals
other than Īśvara reaching which other goals people will return? So Īśvara-bhinna
gatayaḥ āha. What are the other goals other than Īśvara? Iti – if such a question is
asked ucyatē – the answer is given here in verse sixteen.
Verse 08-16
आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकााः पुनरावर्तिंनोऽजुयन ।
मामुपेत्य तु कौन्तेय पुनजयन्म न गवद्यते ॥ गीता ८-१६ ॥
ābrahmabhuvanāllōkāḥ punarāvartinō:'rjuna |
māmupētya tu kauntēya punar-janma na vidyatē || Gītā 8-16 ||
So the question is what are the non-Īśvara goals? And Kr̥ṣṇa says everything else
obtaining in all the fourteen lōkas will come under the non-Īśvara goals. When you
say all the fourteen lōkas do you include brahmalōka? Kr̥ṣṇa says Brahmalōka is also
included because Brahmalōka also is perishable. What about Brahmāji‟s position?

Brahmāji‟s position is also perishable. And therefore even becoming brahmāji doesn‟t
help you out. Brahmāji himself as Brahma is perishable. If Brahma is free, the
freedom of Brahmāji doesn‟t come as Brahma but because he knows I am not
Brahma, Brahma is a vēṣam, I am Brahman. This is a note we should always
remember. Viṣṇu can never be free as Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu‟s freedom also doesn‟t come
because of Viṣṇu‟s status, that status is also as much saṁsāra kāraṇam as a jīva‟s
status. If Viṣṇu is free, it is not because of Viṣṇu status but because of his
understanding that I am not Viṣṇu, Viṣṇu is only a temporary vēṣam, I am free not
as Viṣṇu but am nirguṇam-brahma. Śiva is free not because of Śiva‟s status, Śiva‟s
status also falls within saṁsāra. May you put it in box item. Śiva‟s status also comes
within saṁsāra. If Śiva is free it is because Śiva knows that Śiva‟s status is a vēṣam,
I am free because I am nirguṇam-brahma. Thus Brahmatvam Viṣṇutvam Śivatvam
all the statuses fall within saṁsāra, the sākṣi of the status is nirguṇam-brahma.
Claiming I am nirguṇam-brahma alone will give freedom that is why a Vedantic-
student doesn‟t want to become Īśvara. Vedantic-student doesn‟t want to become
Īśvara because Īśvara-status also falls within saṁsāra. We want no status. Jīvatvam
is also saṁsāra, prapañcatvam is also saṁsāra, Īśvaratvam is also saṁsāra, whereas
nirguṇa-brahmatvam alone is mōkṣa. Therefore wherever you are disown the status
and claim the svarūpam. I hope the message is clear. Ābrahma-bhuvanāt –
Brahmalōka.
And the commentators add up to means is brahmalōka included or excluded.

Suppose I say there will be a program up to the fourth. You will ask the question
whether on fourth program is there or not. In Saṁskr̥ta language the word ā means
up to. And naturally „up to‟ will not clarify whether the last one is included or
excluded. And in both English and saṁskr̥ta grammar both meanings are there, i.e.,
inclusive-meaning and exclusive-meaning. Up to fourth means fourth may be
included or excluded. Therefore I should write in bracket up to fourth inclusive of
fourth or up to fourth exclusive of fourth. And in saṁskr̥ta grammar when you
exclude the last one it is called maryādā-arthaḥ. Maryādā means excluding the
fourth. And if the fourth is included it is called abhividhi-arthaḥ. Thus ā has two
meanings, maryādā-arthaḥ and abhividhi-arthaḥ. Āṅ maryādā abhividhyōḥ
(aṣṭādhyāyī 2-1-13). In both ways. Now here ābrahma-bhuvanāt when you say is it
maryādā arthakam vā abhividhi arthakam vā? Śaṅkarācārya says abhividhi arthaḥ.
Abhividhi arthaḥ means including brahmalōka everything is perishable. But Svāmiji
what about vaikuṇṭha? According to vēdānta, vaikuṇṭha is also only a sub-division of
Brahmalōka. brahmalōka is sub-divided into Viṣṇu-lōka, Śiva-lōka and brahma-lōka.

Therefore Viṣṇu-lōka is also perishable if it is a lōka. Śiva-lōka also as a lōka,

dēśakālaparichinnatvāt prapañcōpaśamaṁ śāntaṁ Śivam advaitam iti
Māṇḍūkyōpaniṣat vākyēna any lōka is perishable. Suppose if you say Śiva-lōka
means nirguṇam-brahma, then Śiva-lōka is eternal. Because the word Vaikuṇṭha has
the meaning of nirguṇam-brahma also. If that meaning if you take then it is eternal.
As long as lōkas are exclusive places, they are also perishable. So says Kr̥ṣṇa.
Therefore Arjuna don‟t vote for any lōka, but vote for Me. Therefore mām upētya –
you come to me, you are safe. This is the essence of this ślōka. Now we will read
the bhāṣyam.
आब्रह्म-भुवनात् – भवन्न्त यस्स्मन् भूतागन इगत भुवनम् । ब्रह्मणो भुवनां ब्रह्मभुवनम्, ब्रह्मलोक इगत अथयाः ।
ābrahma-bhuvanāt – bhavanti yasmin bhūtāni iti bhuvanam | brahmaṇō

bhuvanaṁ brahmabhuvanam, brahmalōka iti arthaḥ |
Ābrahma-bhuvanāt is in the mūlam, after that we have to an en dash, Śaṅkarācārya

gives the derivation of the word bhuvanam. For saṁskr̥ta students the vyutpatti is
given, it is derived from the √bhū first conjugation, parasmaipada, this is also
adhikaraṇa-vyutpatti or saptamī-vyutpatti, it means bhavanti yasmin bhūtāni iti
bhuvanam. After bhuvanam we have to put a full stop. So bhuvanam is a world, one
of the fourteen worlds in which all the beings are born. It is the birth place.
Bhuvanam means the place of origination or the birth place or native place. Brahma-
bhuvanam is equal to brahmalōkaḥ iti arthaḥ, because in all the fourteen-lōkas, jīvas
are born at the time of sr̥ ṣṭi. Therefore all the fourteen lōkas are called bhuvanāni
because they are birth places of several jīvas. This is the meaning.
आब्रह्म-भुिन त् सह ब्रह्मभुवनेन लोक ाः सवे पुनर िर्तिंनाः पुनरावतयनस्वभावााः हे अजुथन । म म् एकम् उपेत्य तु
कौनतेय पुनजथनम पुनरुत्पत्तिाः न विद्यते ॥ ८-१६ ॥
ābrahma-bhuvanāt saha brahmabhuvanēna lōkāḥ sarvē punarāvartinaḥ

punarāvartanasvabhāvāḥ hē Arjuna | mām ēkam upētya tu kauntēya punar-
janma punarutpattiḥ na vidyatē || 8-16 ||
Ābrahma-bhuvanāt is in the mūlam, it is a compound with prefix ā and the

meaning is brahmabhuvana paryantam, that Śaṅkarācārya doesn‟t give but we have
to supply brahmabhuvana paryantam, paryantam means up to brahmalōka. Once
you say up to Brahmalōka, the question mark comes inclusive or exclusive, maryādā-
arthaḥ vā abhividhi-arthaḥ vā? Śaṅkarācārya says abhividhi arthaḥ. Saha
brahmabhuvanēna, saha means including brahmalōka. So all the fourteen lōkas
including Brahmalōka, Viṣṇulōka and Śiva lōka. There is one work called
Anātmaśrīvigarhaṇam by Śaṅkarācārya. Śrī means the wealth or prosperity etc.

anātmāśrī means material prosperity, worldly prosperity, vigarhaṇam means

criticism. So a work which means concentrated criticism of all the worldly
accomplishments. Sixteen or eighteen ślōkas are there in that one ślōka says,
धातुलोकाः सायधतो वा तताः तकिं गवष्णोलोको वीत्तक्तो वा तताः गकम् । िांभोलोकाः िाशसतो वा तताः तकिं येन स्वात्मा नैव
साक्ात्कृतोऽभूत् ॥ अनात्मश्रीगवगहयणम् १६ ॥
dhāturlōkaḥ sādhitō vā tataḥ kiṁ viṣṇōrlōkō vīkṣitō vā tataḥ kim | śaṁbhōrlōkaḥ

śāsitō vā tataḥ kiṁ yēna svātmā naiva sākṣātkr̥tō:'bhūt || anātmaśrīvigarhaṇam
16 ||
dhāturlōkaḥ sādhitō vā – you have accomplice Brahmāji‟s lōka, tataḥ kiṁ? viṣṇōrlōkō
vīkṣitō vā tataḥ? You had holiday trip to Vaikuṇṭha and came back. Viṣṇu lōka
returned like foreign returned. tataḥ kiṁ? śaṁbhōrlōkaḥ śāsitō vā tataḥ kiṁ? Not
even visit but you became the ruler of Śivalōka for some time. tataḥ kiṁ? No lōka is
going to save you na svātmā naiva sākṣātkr̥tō:'bhūt – if you don‟t understand who
the traveler is, you travel anywhere you have no way out. Therefore better come to
vēdānta. And therefore sarvē lōkāḥ punarāvartinaḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to
punarāvartana-svabhāvāḥ – it is of the nature of return, perishable, temporary. Hē
Arjuna, whereas mām ēkam upētya – if you come to Me. So there is a problem,
what is the problem? When Kr̥ṣṇa says Me it can have three different meanings. One
is Me, Kr̥ṣṇa as an avatāra, Mr. Kr̥ṣṇa, Vāsudēva putra born on an aṣṭamī day, it is
avathāra-Kr̥ṣṇa. Or it can refer to avatāram of Viṣṇu, the creator Bhagavān.
Therefore saguṇa-Īśvara-rūpa-Viṣṇuḥ it can mean. So avathāra-Kr̥ṣṇa and saguṇa-
Viṣṇuḥ. The third meaning is nirguṇam-brahma. Now the question is of the three
meanings which meaning should be taken in this context. Iskcon people will say it
only refers to Kr̥ ṣṇa. If you ask vaiṣṇavas they will say it only refers to our śaṅkha
cakra gadādhāri vaikuṇṭhavāsi Viṣṇuḥ. Śaṅkarācārya says both are not acceptable
but it refers to nirguṇam satyam jñānam anantam brahma. That is why ēkam, ēkam
refers to sajātīya vijātīya svagata bhēda rahita nirguṇam-brahma. upētya tu –
having attained.
And how do you attain nirguṇam-brahma? It is not by travelling but by claiming

aham brahma asmi. Either you claim in manuṣya lōka or go to brahmalōka there you
claim but you have to claim somewhere or the other. Kauntēya tu, tu is to
differentiate from other lōkas, punar-janma is in the mūlam, is equal to
punarutpattiḥ, na vidyatē – there is no punar-janma at all once you attain the Lord.
Here I would like to add an aside note, even though Śaṅkarācārya has not
mentioned this. What do you mean by freedom from punar-janma? It is otherwise

called mōkṣa, krama-mukti or sadyōmukti, mukti means mōkṣa, mōkṣa is wildly

defined as punar-janma-nivr̥ttiḥ, freedom punar-janma. This freedom from punar-
janma is explained in vēdānta in two different ways according to the seniority of the
student. Punar-janma-nivr̥tti is given two explanation according to the level of the
student and one is for junior student and another for senior student. I am assuming
that you are all senior students.
What is the first explanation? The first explanation is this muktaḥ-jñāni who has
claimed aham brahma asmi, the jñāni will burn all the sañcita-karma, avoid all the
āgāmi-karma, exhaust all the prārabdha-karma, and at the time of death his karma
balance will show nil balance, and because of the nil balance of karma he will not
have another body. So thus sañcita burnt, āgāmi avoided, prārabdha exhausted, and
therefore after death new body doesn‟t come, which is called punar-janma-nivr̥tti.
This is the description of mōkṣa for the junior students.
But for the senior students we don‟t give this roundabout explanation. sañcita burnt,
āgāmi avoided, prārabdha exhausted, thereafter death, thereafter nil balance,
thereafter no body. These are all for beginners and juniors. For the senior students
the explanation is punar-janma-nivr̥tti is equal to punar-janma adhyāsa-nivr̥tti.
Adhyāsa means notion or misconception. What is the misconception? Punar-janma
adhyāsa. Misconception that I have a punar-janma to be avoided. I have a possibility
of punar-janma which I should avoid, this thought of I have a possibility of punar-
janma which I have to avoid, this very thought is an adhyāsa. It means
misconception. Why this thought is a misconception? Vēdānta crows like a crow it
repeatedly says na jāyatē mriyatē vā kadācit I don‟t have the current janma itself,
doesn‟t belong to Me, where is the question of punaḥ janma, in the absence of birth
where is the question of rebirth. A person can revisit a place only if he has visited
once, if I have not visited revisit concept itself is not there. Therefore there is no
question of sañcita, āgāmi and prārabdha, they are all adhyārōpa-kālē temporary
explanation of mōkṣa, when we accept dvaitam, apavāda-kālē, for senior students
we request the student to get out of the junior explanation.
Please come out of that concept of mōkṣa, and come to this second understanding
which is the Vedantic-teaching. The first one is only provisional. Therefore punar-
janma nivr̥ttiḥ is, remember very much, punar-janma-adhyāsa-nivr̥ttiḥ the
misconception that I have a possibility of punar-janma, which I should avoid – that
question is not there because I am not sthūla-śarīram, I am not a sūkṣma-śarīram, I
am not even a kāraṇa-śarīram, I am Brahman in which all the śarīrams are coming

as bubbles and disappearing. I am not one of the bubbles, I am the water called
Brahman.
So the next question is Svāmiji how do I know whether I am junior student or senior
student, what is the cut off? Should he be a student for five years? Five years in how
many centers? You give a clear reference for junior or senior student. If the first
explanation of mōkṣa appeals to you, and it is attractive to you, the first explanation
is sañcita-burnt, āgāmi-avoided, prārabdhaḥ-exhausted, if this explanation is
appealing and attractive and you want to work for that you are junior student even if
you have been studying for thirty years. The junior state and senior state do not
depend upon the number of years but which mōkṣa appeals to you.
As long as you are continuing in mōkṣa number one, and you struggle for mōkṣa
number one, you are junior student. Therefore you have to go a long way. But if the
second mōkṣa is appealing, meaningful and you feel vēdānta is teaching the second
one only, mayi ēva sakalam jātam then you are senior student. I don‟t want to
openly ask what you are and embarrass you, you decide. Therefore punar-janma
na vidyatē, I would like to translate it as punar-janma adhyāsa na vidyatē.

292 Verses-08-16 to 08-18
Page 219, verse No.16

आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकााः पुनरावर्तिंनोऽजुयन ।
मामुपेत्य तु कौन्तेय पुनजयन्म न गवद्यते ॥ गीता ८-१६ ॥
आब्रह्म-भुवनात् – भवन्न्त यस्स्मन् भूतागन इगत भुवनम् । ब्रह्मणो भुवनां ब्रह्मभुवनम्, ब्रह्मलोक इगत अथयाः ।
आब्रह्म-भुिन त् सह ब्रह्मभुवनेन लोक ाः सवे पुनर िर्तिंनाः पुनरावतयनस्वभावााः हे अजुथन । म म् एकम् उपेत्य तु
कौनतेय पुनजथनम पुनरुत्पत्तिाः न विद्यते ॥ ८-१६ ॥
ābrahmabhuvanāllōkāḥ punarāvartinō:'rjuna |
māmupētya tu kauntēya punar-janma na vidyatē || Gītā 8-16 ||
ābrahma-bhuvanāt – bhavanti yasmin bhūtāni iti bhuvanam | brahmaṇō

bhuvanaṁ brahmabhuvanam, brahmalōka iti arthaḥ |
ābrahma-bhuvanāt saha brahmabhuvanēna lōkāḥ sarvē punarāvartinaḥ

punarāvartanasvabhāvāḥ hē Arjuna | mām ēkam upētya tu kauntēya punar-
janma punarutpattiḥ na vidyatē || 8-16 ||
In this sixteenth verse which we completed in the last class, Lord Kr̥ṣṇa points out
that all the fourteen lōkas are subject to time-space limitation. And therefore they
are all subject to appearance and disappearance whereas Bhagavān or Brahman
alone is not subject to time and space, therefore not subject to appearance and
disappearance or arrival and departure. And in this verse Kr̥ṣṇa says „up to
Brahmalōka‟. And Śaṅkarācārya in his commentary pointed out the word „up to
Brahmalōka‟ should include Brahmalōka also, it is not maryādā arthaḥ but it is
abhividhi arthaḥ which means Brahmalōka is also subject to appearance and
disappearance. And from this we have to make an extension if brahmalōka is subject
to arrival and departure even the upāsaka jīvas who go to brahmalōka also are
subject to punar-janma which indicate that upāsanas also are subject to punar-
janma even though they go to Brahmalōka. So the extension of this verse is that the
upāsakas also who will go to Brahmalōka as a result of upāsanas are also subject to
punar-janma. It is the extended message of this ślōka.
But this idea will contradict another idea which Kr̥ṣṇa will say in the twenty-sixth
verse. There Kr̥ṣṇa says upāsakas who go to Brahmalōka will not have punar-janma.

Thus the sixteenth verse says the upāsaka going to Brahmalōka will have punar-
janma whereas the twenty-sixth verse says upāsakas going to Brahmalōka will not
have punar-janma. Now how do we resolve this contradiction? I have mentioned this
before, but we have to remember in this context which statement is correct. Will the
upāsakas return or will not return? Sixteenth verse or twenty-sixth verse?
Śaṅkarācārya doesn‟t make any reference, but other commentators clarifies this
doubt and the answer is both statements are correct. Upāsakas will not return also is
correct and upāsakas will return also is correct.
Naturally the next question is how can both be correct, if will return is correct, will
not return must be wrong. They are opposite ideas. So the commentators says some
upāsakas will return and some upāsakas will not return. Therefore both verses are
correct, we have to only add the adjective „some‟. Some upāsakas will go to
Brahmalōka and manage to come back, the great ones, and some upāsakas will go
to Brahmalōka and will not return.
Once you say some, naturally the next question will be which „some‟. Is it arbitrary
or is there any rule? There is a rule. There are some upāsanas which will lead to
krama-mukti whereas some upāsanas will not lead to krama-mukti. The group of
upāsanas are arrived at in the śāstra. One of the commentators Nīlakaṇṭha Ācārya in
his Caturdhari commentary gives the example. Some of the upāsanas like dahara-
upāsana, which comes in the Chāndōgyōpaniṣat eighth chapter where Īśvara is
meditated upon as dahara-ākāśa, dahara-ākāśa means the inner space within the
heart. Dahara-ākāśa in Lalitā Sahasranāma one of the nāmas is dahara- ākāśa-
rūpiṇī. That upāsana and some of the other upāsanas are called dahara- upāsana
group.
And there is another group of upāsana the prominent one being Pañcāgni-vidyā-
upāsana. And some other upāsana belonging to that group. So we can make it into
two groups daharōpāsana group and Pañcāgni-upāsana group. Thus we have two
groups of upāsana, those who practice daharōpāsana group of upāsana will go to
Brahmalōka and attain krama-mukti, which is non-returnable. Those dahara-
upāsakas are mentioned in the twenty-sixth verse of the eighth chapter, whereas
the other upāsakas who practice pañcāgni-upāsana etc., will go to Brahmalōka and
they are subject to punar-janma, they are mentioned in the sixteenth verse. And
therefore there is no contradiction.
This topic is elaborately analyzed in Brahmasūtra, there is a sūtra called

apratīkālambanānnayatīti bādarāyaṇa ubhayathā:'dōṣāttatkratuśca (brahmasūtra 4-

3-15) in that context Brahmasūtra has analyzed. Therefore, our answer ultimately is
some people go and come, some people go and they don‟t come, because they
manage to get aham brahmāsmi jñānam in Brahmalōka whereas this group even
though they go to brahmalōka and cut classes and therefore they will come back.
This is the aside note of the sixteenth ślōka.
The anvaya is, Hē Arjuna! ābrahma-bhuvanāt lōkāḥ punaḥ-āvartinaḥ (bhavanti). Hē

kauntēya! mām upētya tu punaḥ janma na vidyatē |

ब्रह्मलोकसगहतााः लोकााः कस्मात् पुनरावर्तिंनाः? कालपररञ्च्छन्नत्वात् । कथम्? ––
brahmalōkasahitāḥ lōkāḥ kasmāt punarāvartinaḥ? kālaparicchinnatvāt |

katham? –
Brahmalōkasahitāḥ lōkāḥ, this is the gist of the previous ślōka where it was
mentioned that all the fourteen-lōkas are punarāvartinaḥ; are subject to arrival and
departure. Brahmalōkasahitāḥ – including brahmalōka, and when you include
brahmalōka remember even caturmukha brahma is also subject to arrival and
departure. Therefore all the fourteen-lōkas including brahma the creator,
punarāvartinaḥ is subject to return it was mentioned. Then Śaṅkarācārya raises the
question kasmāt – why does Kr̥ṣṇa says so? And Śaṅkarācārya himself gives the
answer. Kālaparicchinnatvāt – because of the simple reason that they are also
subject to time. Some of them may live long like our sūryaḥ, Sun will have a very
long life compared to the life of all animals and human beings. Sūryaḥ, the Sun has
a very long life but according to the astronomers even the Sun will have death at a
particular time. Similarly, brahmalōka also has got kālaparicchēda, time-wise
limitation. Kālaparicchinnatvāt is the answer, and then Śaṅkarācārya raises further
questions katham? – how do you say that all of them have kālaparicchēda.
Śaṅkarācārya says you study the vēdas, the vēdas themselves say that anything
bound by time and space will be subject to arrival and departure and that is given by
Kr̥ṣṇa himself in the following ślōka. We will read.
Verse 08-17
सहस्रयुगपययन्तमहययद ् ब्रह्मणो गवरृाः ।
रातत्रिं युगसहस्रान्ताां तेऽहोरात्रगवदो जनााः ॥ गीता ८-१७ ॥
sahasrayugaparyantamaharyad brahmaṇō viduḥ |

rātriṁ yugasahasrāntāṁ tē:'hōrātravidō janāḥ || Gītā 8-17 ||

So the duration of Brahmāji‟s life is given in this ślōka indicating that Caturmukha
Brahma has got a very very long life, but even that very long life will one day come
to an end. What is the duration is given here. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam – thousand
yugas make the day time of Brahmāji. And similarly, another thousand yugas make
the night time of Brahmāji which means two thousand yugas make one calendar day
of Brahmāji. Like that thirty hundred and sixty five days multiplied into two thousand
caturyugas will be one year of Brahmāji and like that he has got hundred or
according to some purāṇas one hundred and twenty years. That is the duration and
we have also seen the details. Here in this ślōka the word yuga must be understood
as mahāyugaḥ. Sahasrayuga is equal to sahasra-mahā-yuga. What is the difference
between yuga and mahā-yuga? Mahā-yuga means four yugas put together, that is
caturyuga is equal to one mahā-yuga, and catur-yuga means kr̥ta-yuga, trētā-yuga,
dvāpara-yuga and kali-yuga, and we have seen the duration of each yuga also. Kali-
yuga has got four lakhs thirty-two thousand years, and dvāparayuga has got double
the kali-yuga and trētā-yuga has got three times kali-yuga and kr̥ta-yuga has got
four times kali-yuga, that means if you multiply and add it means one catur-yuga will
have four lakhs thirty-two thousand into ten, so thus forty-three lakhs twenty
thousand years will be one mahāyuga. And that is the day time. And then equal
night time. If you do all the calculations with your calculator and all, ultimately the
Brahmāji‟s lifetime will be eight hundred sixty-four crore years and you can go home
and calculate. And after eight hundred sixty-four crore years Brahmāji will have to
vacate his position. Therefore Kr̥ṣṇa says becoming Brahma will not give you
liberation. And when you say becoming Brahma, it includes Viṣṇu and Śiva also,
because in the last class I said Brahma, Viṣṇu and Śiva are only three different
versions of Brahmalōka only. Therefore you cannot solve the problem by becoming
Brahma, Viṣṇu and Śiva, and you can solve only by transcending Brahma, Viṣṇu and
Śiva posts also which is becoming nirguṇam-Brahma. That is why there is a very
beautiful ślōka, one śiṣya says my guru is superior to even brahma, Viṣṇu and Śiva.
Why because brahma, Viṣṇu and Śiva all are great, because of three guṇas. Guṇaiḥ
gauravamāyātāḥ haribrahmaharādayaḥ. Because of each guṇa each one of the
Trimūrti is great, Brahma is great because of rajō-guṇa, due to which he is able to
create the world, Viṣṇu is great because of sattva-guṇa due to which he is able to do
the maintenance of the creation, Śiva is great because of tamō-guṇa due to which
he is able to resolve all the three lōkas; each one of the trimūrtis is great because of
one particular guṇa. Guṇaiḥ gauravam āyātāḥ haribrahmaharādayaḥ. And the śiṣya
says whereas my guru transcends all the three guṇas. Guṇātītatayā asmākaṁ
guravaḥ, our gurus plural number because of respect, guṇātītatayā transcends the

three guṇas, so guṇātītatayā asmākaṁ guravaḥ gurutāṁ gatāḥ is greater than even
the Trimūrtis. Therefore what is our aim? Transcending Trimūrtis is our aim. And
that is what Kr̥ṣṇa says mām upētya, mām means transcending the trimūrti,
nirguṇam-brahma upētya. This is the idea, we will go to the bhāṣyam.
सहस्र-युग-पयथनतं – सहस्रात्तण युगागन पययन्ताः पययवसानां यस्य अह्नाः तत् अहाः सहस्रयुगपययन्तम् । ब्रह्मणाः प्रजापतेाः
गवराजाः विरृाः ।
sahasra-yuga-paryantaṁ – sahasrāṇi yugāni paryantaḥ paryavasānaṁ yasya

ahnaḥ tat ahaḥ sahasrayugaparyantam | brahmaṇaḥ prajāpatēḥ virājaḥ viduḥ |
Sahasra-yuga-paryantam, after that we have to put an en dash, Śaṅkarācārya

gives the vigraha vākyam of the compound. Sahasrāṇi yugāni – thousand yugas,
yugāni means catur-yugāni mahā-yugāni, paryantaḥ is equal to the extent or the
duration, the length, paryantam is in the mūlam, is equal to paryavasānam,
avasānam means limit or extent, yasya ahnaḥ – for which day of brahmāji that day
is called sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahaḥ, the word ahaḥ means day time. And
ahnaḥ is ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti of ahaḥ. tat ahaḥ – such a day is called
sahasrayugaparyantam ahaḥ, that is adjective to ahaḥ. After that we have to put a
full stop. Brahmaṇaḥ prajāpatēḥ virājaḥ viduḥ, this is supposed to be the day of
not of us, this is supposed to be the day of Brahmāji. Brahmaṇaḥ ahaḥ, ahaḥ you
have to supply, brahmaṇaḥ ahaḥ viduḥ. Brahmaṇaḥ is in the mūlam, we should
not take nirguṇam-brahma in this context. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya translate
brahmaṇaḥ is equal to prajāpatēḥ. And prajāpatēḥ is equal to virājaḥ. So virāṭ
Īśvarasya or Hiraṇyagarbha Īśvarasya, the word Prajāpati is used in the śāstra,
either as virāṭ or as Hiraṇyagarbha. According to the context we have to take, here
both meanings can be taken, iti viduḥ. This is the day time of Brahmāji. What about
the night time? How long will he sleep? He will sleep for another thousand catur-
yugas. That is said here.
र वत्रम् अगप युग-सहस्र नत म् अहाःपररमाणाम् एव ।

के गवरृाः इगत आह ––
ते अहो-र त्रविदाः कालसङ् ख्यागवदो जन ाः इगत अथयाः । यताः एवां कालपररञ्च्छन्नााः ते । अताः पुनरावर्तिंनो लोकााः ॥ ८-१७
॥
rātrim api yuga-sahasrāntām ahaḥparimāṇām ēva |

kē viduḥ iti āha ––
tē ahō-rātravidaḥ kālasaṅkhyāvidō janāḥ iti arthaḥ | yataḥ ēvaṁ
kālaparicchinnāḥ tē | ataḥ punarāvartinō lōkāḥ || 8-17 ||
So rātrim api – the night time of Brahmāji also is yuga-sahasrāntām – consisting

of the same number of catur-yugas. So yuga-sahasrāntām Śaṅkarācārya says

ahaḥparimāṇām ēva – which means the same measure as that of the measure of
the day, ahaḥparimāṇām is a compound word. Annaḥ parimāṇām ēva parimāṇām
yasyā sā, bahuvrīhi samāsa. ēva viduḥ. Then Śaṅkarācārya asks the question kē
viduḥ iti āha – who will know all these details, and for that Kr̥ṣṇa himself gives the
answer ahō-rātravidaḥ janāḥ – those people who have studied the scriptures
which talk about the duration from the standpoint of different lōkas. Modern science
can study the duration of only Bhūlōka and they cannot understand the time scale of
Bhuvarlōka, suvarlōka, etc. if you want to know about parallel universes, the modern
science is now only accepting the possibility of other parallel universes whereas
śāstras talk about parallel universe, not only they talk about other universes, they
talk about different time also. Those people are called ahō-rātravidaḥ janāḥ.
Therefore Śaṅkarācārya asks the question kē viduḥ – who can know that? And who
are they? The answer is given, tē ahō-rātravidaḥ – they are called the knowers of
the time-range of the different jīvas in different-lōkas. As I said the other day that is
why we don‟t give śrāddha, tarpaṇa amāvāsya tarpaṇa etc., we have got different
duration for the forefathers because our daytime is different from the daytime of our
forefathers. Therefore our offering also will be different. And therefore
kālasaṅkhyāvidaḥ. ahō-rātravidaḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to kālasaṅkhyāvidaḥ –
the knowers of different scales of time. Janāḥ iti arthaḥ. They have done the
experiment also, that when a particular plant is taken into a rocket and that moves
round the earth faster than earth, when the movement is faster, according to
Einstein‟s theory when the motion is faster, the aging becomes slower.
Therefore they took the plant or some other creature and afterwards they brought
back and they found our ten years will be for them only one year. Therefore if you
go there and go round and come back, you will not find these students and you will
find that great grandchildren will be attending the classes. I also won‟t be there.
Three generations after will be attending the class but that person goes and come.
So Einstein has proved the time will vary depending upon the speed of the
movement. Therefore different lōkas have different time ranges. Yataḥ ēvam –
therefore tē kālaparicchinnāḥ – all the fourteen-lōkas are subject to time and space.
And therefore what is the conclusion? In other lōkas life may be longer but one will
not get immortality, life will be longer in other lōkas but they won‟t get immortality.
For immortality you should gain aham brahma asmi jñānam. So after
kālaparicchinnāḥ tē put a full stop. Ataḥ lōkāḥ punarāvartinaḥ – therefore all the
lōkas are subject to time. Lōkas include the lōkis, jīvas also.

The anvaya is, (yē ) janāḥ brahmaṇaḥ ahaḥ sahasra-yuga-paryantam, rātrim yuga-
sahasra-antām (ca) viduḥ tē ahōrātra-vidaḥ (bhavanti) | Continuing;

प्रजापतेाः अहगन यत् भवगत रात्रौ च, तत् उच्यते ––
prajāpatēḥ ahani yat bhavati rātrau ca, tat ucyatē ––
So during Brahmāji‟s day time what events will happen, and during Brahmāji‟s night
time what events will happen that is said in this ślōka. He says prajāpatēḥ ahani,
ahani means during the daytime, yat bhavati – what will take place, and rātrau ca –
prajāpatēḥ rātrau yat bhavati – what will happen during his night time, tat ucyatē –
that Kr̥ṣṇa wants to give so that we will get the idea of the mindboggling cosmic-
vision of the śāstra. For that purpose Kr̥ṣṇa gives an idea. That is why somebody
said nicely. In Śiva-lōka there was some satsaṅga going on and some bhaktas Śiva-
gaṇas were seated around and while they were talking they heard a huge noise,
then these bhaktas got frightened and they asked the Lord what is happening down
below on the earth, some huge noise we are hearing. Śiva casually said it seems
Rāvaṇa was born. Then they had satsaṅga and after a few seconds, again another
huge noise they heard, like our transformer bursting during the rain, another noise
was heard, then the bhaktas asked we hear another noise what is that, Śiva casually
said that Rāvaṇa is gone. So thus the galaxies appearing in big bang and the
galaxies disappearing, for Bhagavān it is nothing but winking of the eye and that is
why in Lalitāsahasranāma, unmēṣa nimiṣōtpanna vipanna bhuvanāvaliḥ (Lalitā
Sahasranāmastōtram 66); Bhuvanāvaliḥ means not one earth but all the galaxies,
bhuvana āvaliḥ utpanna vipanna, utpanna means they rise and vipanna means they
vanish. When? unmēṣa. When Dēvī or Īśvara opens and close the creation appears
and disappears, that means in front of Consciousness, the Infinite the material
matter coming and going is nothing but only a trice. That idea Kr̥ṣṇa wants to give
through this ślōka. We will read.
Verse 08-18
अव्यक्ताद् व्यक्तयाः सवायाः प्रभवन्त्यहरागमे ।
रात्र्यागमे प्रलीयन्ते तत्रैवाव्यक्तसांज्ञके ॥ गीता ८-१८ ॥
avyaktād vyaktayaḥ sarvāḥ prabhavantyaharāgamē |

rātryāgamē pralīyantē tatraivāvyaktasaṁjñakē || Gītā 8-18 ||
Here Kr̥ṣṇa says that when Brahmāji wakes up the entire creation of all the lōkas
come into existence. It is like one mini-big-bang taking place. Nor even maxi big

bang, because here we are talking about Brahmāji‟s day and night during which the
creation appears and disappears which is called one kalpa and kalpa-pralayam. This
kalpa and kalpa-pralayam itself is a mini-sr̥ṣṭi and pralayam, because Brahmāji is
surviving during that time. Then we talk about a mahā-pralayam in which Brahma
himself will disappear that mahā-pralayam in which brahma disappears that Kr̥ṣṇa
doesn‟t talk about. But during Brahmāji‟s day and night a mini-sr̥ṣṭi and mini-
pralayam will take place. That mini-sr̥ṣṭi pralayam itself includes all the lōkas and
jīvas appearing and disappearing. Therefore vyaktayaḥ means all the things and
beings appear during daytime, and when Brahmāji goes to sleep all the jīvarāśis
disappear. This is the essence of this ślōka. Now we will read the bhāṣyam.
अव्यक्त त् अव्यक्तां प्रजापतेाः स्वापावस्था । तस्मात् अव्यक्तात् व्यक्तयाः व्यज्ज्यन्त इगत व्यक्तयाः स्थावरजङ्गमलक्णााः
सि थाः प्रजााः प्रभिन्नत अत्तभव्यज्ज्यन्ते । अह्नाः आगमाः अहरागमाः । तस्स्मन् अहर गमे काले ब्रह्मणाः प्रबोधकाले ।
avyaktāt avyaktaṁ prajāpatēḥ svāpāvasthā | tasmāt avyaktāt vyaktayaḥ

vyajyanta iti vyaktayaḥ sthāvarajaṅgamalakṣaṇāḥ sarvāḥ prajāḥ prabhavanti
abhivyajyantē | ahnaḥ āgamaḥ aharāgamaḥ | tasmin aharāgamē kālē
brahmaṇaḥ prabōdhakālē |
Avyaktāt is in the mūlam, Śaṅkarācārya explains, avyaktam is equal to prajāpatēḥ

svāpāvasthā – the sleeping or resolved condition of Brahma, Catur-mukha Brahma.
We should remember there are two avyaktams. One is the mini-avyaktam when
Brahma goes to sleep and remember Brahma is not the ultimate Īśvara, Brahma, the
virāṭ himself is a product of Hiraṇyagarbha, Hiraṇyagarbha himself is a product of
Īśvara, Īśvara‟s svāpāvasthā is mahā-avyaktam and in mahā-avyaktam Brahma
himself will resolve, we are not talking about mahā-avyaktam in which Brahmāji will
resolve. We are talking about mini-avyaktam in which Brahma is there and Brahma
is going to sleep. Therefore here the word avyaktam means not mahā-avyaktam. It
is Brahmaṇaḥ prajāpatēḥ svāpāvasthā. It is like our svāpāvasthā, when we go to
sleep also everything resolves into our mind, like that prajāpatēḥ suṣupti avasthā.
Tasmāt avyaktāt – from that Brahmāji‟s svāpāvasthā vyaktayaḥ, the sentence is
incomplete you have to supply the verb Prabhavanti and put a full stop. vyaktayaḥ
prabhavanti – all the things and beings originate.
Then Śaṅkarācārya wants to give the derivation of the word vyaktayaḥ for
saṁskr̥ta students . Because the saṁskr̥ta commentators will have to explain the
grammar part also whenever it is required. Therefore here and there Śaṅkarācārya
has to give derivation. Vyakta is derived from the vi+√ajj seventh conjugation and it
is kartr̥ v yutpatti, agent derivative. Ok, what does it mean? Vyajyantē iti vyaktayaḥ,
vyajyantē means come to manifestation. Iti vyaktayaḥ that is the derivation of the

word vyaktayaḥ is equal to sthāvarajaṅgamalakṣaṇāḥ sarvāḥ prajāḥ – all the living

beings which are moving as well as non-moving. And here also we have to make a
note. Kr̥ṣṇa uses the word prabhavanti which means they are born or they
originate. The word vyaktayaḥ means they come to manifestation. So the verb
used is origination and the clarification given is manifestation. By these two words
very important message is given. When you talk about the origination it appears as
though things originate. But according to vēdānta, the word originate or birth both
are wrong words because nothing can be born according to the logic. It is because
matter can never be created or destroyed. If that is so, how can the universe be
born? Therefore the very word origination, birth, creation etc., are illogical-words
and by using the illogical words we get into problem. We ask the question why did
Bhagavān create the world? This question itself comes because of misunderstanding.
Bhagavān never created the world because Bhagavān can never create the world.
Why Bhagavān cannot create the world? Because nothing can be created. Why
nothing can be created? Because matter is never subject to creation. And therefore
the idea that Bhagavān created the world is a fundamental mistake leading to
several illogical questions for which we will never have an answer.
Therefore vēdānta says don‟t use the word creation. Creation is a trapping word.
Then what word should be used? The eternally present world will get into
manifestation and unmanifestation. It will come to potential condition, and again it
will come to manifest condition. This manifestation and unmanifestation is an eternal
process, Bhagavān is not responsible for this. According to the law of karma the
world will eternally expand and eternally contract. When did it start? By adding the
adverb eternally, I have said don‟t ask the question when did it start. It is an eternal
process of contraction expansion. This is the nature of matter. This is the nature of
māyā. In contracted condition world is called māyā, in expanded condition māyā is
called world. World is māyā, māyā is world. Māyā is also matter, world is also
matter. Māyā is potential matter, world is kinetic active matter. And what does
Bhagavān do? Bhagavān cannot do anything because He is akartā-abhōktā-brahma.
In Brahman‟s presence, enlivened by Brahman, matter goes through this process.
And even enlivening is not a job done by Brahman, Brahman is original
Consciousness (OC), in the presence of original Consciousness (OC) reflected
Consciousness takes place in the māyā. māyā with reflected Consciousness is
capable of contracting and expanding. What is Brahman‟s role? The role is lending
sat, cit and ānanda by mere presence. Brahman doesn‟t create. Brahman lends sat,
cit and ānanda to māyā, with borrowed saccidānanda, māyā becomes prapañca and

then prapañca becomes māyā. This is the phenomenon which nobody including God
can stop.
Then what is mōkṣa? Understanding I am Brahman, not trapped in the matter

confusion. In this ślōka Kr̥ṣṇa says the matter will have to contract and expand. The
word abhivyajyantē is a very important word. There is no creation. There is only
manifestation of mithyā-matter. All these we get in Māṇḍūkya Kārikā s; in second
and third chapters Gauḍapāda consistently negates the whole process. As long as
you are stuck in the process you will feel helpless. The only way is sākṣi bhāva and
there is no other way out c/o Advaita prakaranam of Māndukya kārika. So sarvāḥ
prajāḥ prabhavanti is the mūlam, is equal to abhivyajyantē. Ahnaḥ āgamaḥ
aharāgamaḥ, it is a vigraha vākyam. The arrival of the daytime of Brahmāji is called
aharāgamaḥ. Tasmin aharāgamē – during that aharāgama kāla which is equal to
brahmaṇaḥ prabōdha-kālē which is the waking time of Brahmāji. In the purāṇas they
tell interesting things. So Brahmāji has got thousand caturyugas as the daytime.
When Brahmāji wakes up there are thousand caturyugas available for him to be
active before his night comes. Now after waking up immediately we cannot become
active. Brahmāji also before he becomes active he takes some time to become
normal. And Brahmāji takes three caturyugas to become normal. And only fourth
caturyuga he will get up from the bed and start creating the world. Similarly, during
sleep also there is an intermediary time before going to sleep. It takes another three
caturyugas for Brahmāji to get to sleep. Therefore active-period is nine hundred
ninety-four catur-yugas which is divided into fourteen manvantaras presided over by
fourteen manus. And we are in saptamē vaivasvata manvantarē. You can imagine
our time concept which is much bigger than the modern time concept.
293 Verses 08-18 and 08-19
Page 220, verse No.18, bhāṣyam

अव्यक्त त् अव्यक्तां प्रजापतेाः स्वापावस्था । तस्मात् अव्यक्तात् व्यक्तयाः व्यज्ज्यन्त इगत व्यक्तयाः स्थावरजङ्गमलक्णााः सि थाः
प्रजााः प्रभिन्नत अत्तभव्यज्ज्यन्ते । अह्नाः आगमाः अहरागमाः । तस्स्मन् अहर गमे काले ब्रह्मणाः प्रबोधकाले ।

avyaktāt avyaktaṁ prajāpatēḥ svāpāvasthā | tasmāt avyaktāt vyaktayaḥ

vyajyanta iti vyaktayaḥ sthāvarajaṅgamalakṣaṇāḥ sarvāḥ prajāḥ prabhavanti
abhivyajyantē | ahnaḥ āgamaḥ aharāgamaḥ | tasmin aharāgamē kālē
brahmaṇaḥ prabōdhakālē |
In these verses, Kr̥ṣṇa is glorifying the krama-mukti phalam attained by the upāsaka.
And in krama-mukti, upāsaka merges into the Lord, and merging into the Lord itself
is mōkṣa, and this mōkṣa is nitya-phalam. And to glorify this nitya-phala-rūpa
mōkṣa, Kr̥ṣṇa wants to talk about the limitations of any other goal attained by any
karma or other upāsana. And he wants to establish that everything other than Īśvara
or Brahman is anityam. When they say anything other than Brahman, it includes
even the position of Brahma as well as Brahmalōka itself. Ābrahmabhuvanāllōkāḥ
punarāvartinaḥ. This is the subject matter. In simple language nitya-anitya-vastu
vivēkaḥ Kr̥ṣṇa is showing.
And Kr̥ṣṇa wants to point out that when Brahma himself is finite, what to talk of
everything else which is produced during one day of Brahmāji and which is resolved
during the night of Brahmāji. The day of Brahma is called one kalpam and the night
of Brahma is another kalpam, during every kalpa the universes appear and
disappear, and therefore compared to Brahma everything else is still more finite.
This comparison He wants to show in this ślōka, which we were seeing in the last
class. Aharāgamē brahmaṇaḥ prabōdhakālē – during the daytime of Brahma which is
thousand catur-yugas, which will run into four hundred and thirty-two crores years,
which is one day of Brahmāji, thousand catur-yuga, otherwise called one kalpa;
during the duration of one kalpa which is brahmaṇaḥ aharāgamē all the living being
appear according to their karma. And thereafter when Brahmāji‟s night comes which
is another kalpa consisting of another thousand catur-yugas, consisting of another
four hundred and thirty-two crores years all the living beings hibernate. They don‟t
die or attain mōkṣa, they will go to suspended animation, all the sañcita-karmas will
be frozen. Thereafter again there will be thawing of the sañcita-karma, and like the
polar bears slowly waking up, when the summer comes, similarly, Brahmāji also
wakes up. That is the essence of the ślōka and bhāṣyam. We have completed the
first half of the bhāṣyam. Now comes the second half, we will read.
तथा र त्र्य गमे ब्रह्मणाः स्वापकाले प्रलीयनते सवायाः व्यक्तयाः तत्र एि पूवोक्ते अव्यक्त-संज्ञके ॥ ८-१८ ॥
tathā rātryāgamē brahmaṇaḥ svāpakālē pralīyantē sarvāḥ vyaktayaḥ tatra ēva

pūrvōktē avyakta-saṁjñakē || 8-18 ||

Tathā rātri āgamē, and whose rātri? We have to note Brahmāji‟s rātri, which is
known in purāṇa as kalpa-pralaya. At the time of kalpa-pralaya which is brahmaṇaḥ
svāpakālē – which is the time of Brahmāji‟s sleep running to four hundred and thirty-
two crores years, during that time pralīyantē. Rātri āgamē is equal to brahmaṇaḥ
svāpakālē, pralīyantē – dissolve or resolve, they don‟t get destroyed you must
note, they go to intense forgetfulness, mahā-maraṇam because it is a death of a
very long duration, during that time sarvāḥ vyaktayaḥ, vyaktiḥ means manifestation,
or kāryams, so vyaktayaḥ means sarvāṇi kāryāṇi consisting of both sthāvara and
jaṅgama, moving-living-beings and non-moving living being like plant kingdom and
all the fourteen lōkas, tatra ēva, tatra ēva means Brahmāji‟s-cosmic-mind, just as
our dreams resolve into our mind, this universe is Brahmāji‟s-dream and this will go
back to the mind of Brahmāji, which is called Brahmāji‟s-kāraṇa-śarīram which is
kāraṇa-prapañca, back to that it goes. So tatra ēva is in the mūlam, is equal to
avyakta-saṁjñakē, here the word avyaktam means Brahmāji‟s-kāraṇa-śarīram,
avyakta-saṁjñakē pūrvōktē, pūrvōktē means it has already been described in the
first part of this bhāṣyam.
The anvaya is, ahaḥ āgamē avyaktāt sarvāḥ vyaktayaḥ prabhavanti. Rātri āgamē
(tāḥ) tatra avyakta-saṁjñakē ēva pralīyantē. Continuing;

अकृताभ्यागमकृतगवप्रणािदोषपररहाराथयम,् बन्धमोक्िास्त्रप्रवृत्तिसाफल्यप्रदियनाथयम् ‘अगवद्याददक्तलेिमूलकमायियविात्
च अविाः भूतग्रामाः भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते’ इगत अताः सांसारे वैरानयप्रदियनाथं च इदम् आह ––
akr̥tābhyāgamakr̥tavipraṇāśadōṣaparihārārtham,
bandhamōkṣaśāstrapravr̥ttisāphalyapradarśanārtham
„avidyādiklēśamūlakarmāśayavaśāt ca avaśaḥ bhūtagrāmaḥ bhūtvā bhūtvā
pralīyatē‟ iti ataḥ saṁsārē vairāgyapradarśanārthaṁ ca idam āha ––
In the following nineteenth verse, Lord Kr̥ṣṇa is giving an incidental aside message
and Śaṅkarācārya says this message is very important, because we can derive some
important corollaries out of this message. What is this message that is going to
come in the nineteenth ślōka? There Kr̥ṣṇa says at the time of kalpa-pralayam all the
jīvas will merge into samaṣṭi kāraṇa-prapañca called avyaktam. And all these jīvas
will not die but they remain dormant. And when Brahmāji creates the universe in the
next kalpa, no single new jīva is created. This is a very important message. New
jīvas can never be created by anyone either by Brahma or Viṣṇu or Śiva or
Paramēśvara or Nirguṇa- Brahma, new jīvas are never never creatable; whatever
jīvas are available now they are all never created by anyone including Īśvara,
because all the jīvas are anādi. Therefore jīvas being anādi, they were neither

created, nor they can be created, the available jīvas are only circulated, sr̥ṣṭi after
sr̥ṣṭi. Like law of conservation of matter and energy, there is a law of conservation of
jīvas also, they are eternally circulated. And therefore Kr̥ṣṇa says bhūtvā bhūtvā
pralīyatē, the same set of jīvas are again and again created and dissolved.
And naturally one aside question will come which is not dealt with in this particular
ślōka, but there are some intelligent-students who ask the question: if fresh jīvas are
not created, there will be a problem. What will be the problem? Whenever some of
the jīvas become jñānis, these jñānis will merge into Brahman or Īśvara, and they
will not be reborn, that means the number of jīvas are gradually coming down. Now
at the end of the sr̥ṣṭi we are all going to be liberated. And therefore what is the
number of āstika samājam students? All of them will go away. That means in every
kalpam the number of jīvas are coming down, fresh jīvas are not created.
Extrapolating that what will happen? At some time in future, the last jīva will be
liberated, fresh jīva cannot be created, Bhagavān alone will be there, he cannot do
sr̥ṣṭi, sthiti and laya and therefore Bhagavān will become unemployed and bored
also.
And there are some people who argue that for giving employment to Bhagavān I
have decided not to be liberated. So when this question will be asked what is the
answer? The number of jīvas is not finite. If the number of jīvas is finite, you have to
talk about one day getting totally depleted. Therefore vyavaharically-speaking the
jagat is also infinite, jīvas are also numerically infinite, jagat being infinite anantam,
and jīvas being anantam, there is no question of the ending of the jīvas, infinite
number jīvas, minus a few number will be infinite minus finite jīvas will be infinite
only. Therefore there is no problem.
And then Śaṅkarācārya says this law is very important for other reasons also.
Suppose for argument‟s sake we think that the current jīvas die at the time of kalpa-
pralayam and during the next kalpa, a fresh set of jīvas are created, for argument‟s
sake suppose we assume during every kalpa a new set of jīvas are created, what are
the problems that will come? It is a hypothetical situation. During kalpa-pralayam
suppose all the current jīvas die for good, and the next kalpa a new set of jīvas are
created, what will be the problem? Some of the problems Śaṅkarācārya enumerates.
The first problem is akr̥tābhyāgama-kr̥ta-vipraṇāśa-dōṣaḥ. What is the dōṣa? The

current jīvas during this kalpa would have exhausted several puṇyam and pāpam,
but at the time of kalpa pralaya all the jīvas will have lot of unexhausted sañcita-
karmas and without exhausting the sañcita puṇya-pāpam all these jīvas will die for

good, that means many puṇya-pāpa karmas they escape from at the time of kalpa
pralayam. Escaping from sañcita-karma is a moral deficiency, because every jīva will
have to pay the price for all the karmas, if at the time of kalpa-pralayam jīvas die
without exhausting all the sañcita-karmas then they are escaping from their puṇyam
and pāpam which is a lacuna in the moral order of the creation. Because many jīvas
will be encouraged to do lot of violations with a hope that during the kalpa pralayam
all of them will be written off. This is called kr̥ta-vipraṇāśa-dōṣa – escaping from
karma is a lacuna in the moral order of the Lord called kr̥ta-vipraṇāśa. kr̥ta means
sañcita-karma, vipraṇāśa means destruction without giving the phalam.
The second dōṣa is called akr̥tābhyāgama. If all the current jīvas will get destroyed
during the kalpa-pralaya during the next kalpa, Brahmāji will have to create a new
set of jīvas and when a new set of jīvas are created, they all must be given different
types of bodies. Because jīvas for transactions will have to be given different bodies.
Then Brahmāji will have to decide what bodies must be given to what jīva. Who
must get animal body, who must get plant body, who must get manuṣya-śarīram,
who must get manuṣya śarīram with genetic deficiencies, on what basis Brahmāji
will create; because jīvas require puṇya and pāpam to decide the śarīram. But new
jīvas will not have puṇya-pāpam. Why? Because they are new jīvas. And therefore
Brahmāji himself should allot puṇyam or pāpam also. He should take some bunch of
puṇyam and hand over to jīvas and another huge bunch of pāpam he should take
another jīva and hand over, thus the jīvas will have to receive puṇyam and pāpam
from Brahmāji randomly, even though the new jīvas have not done any karma
because they are fresh jīvas and they have not even started the karma, even
without starting karma, even before starting karma they will receive varieties of
bodies and that will become a moral-deficiency because for no mistake some jīvas
will receive defective sūkṣma-śarīrams, and defective sthūla-śarīrams. Some jīvas will
be pushed to dēvalōka and another set of jīvas will be sent to pātālam. You ask
Brahmāji why you are pushing me to pātālam, Brahmāji will say that is how it is,
because I have to do something. So thus some jīvas will have to suffer for no fault
of theirs, this will be called akr̥tābhyāgama – receiving pāpams without doing pāpa
karma.
Whereas if you say a new set of jīvas are not there, we will have no problems. Only
if you talk about new set of jīvas these two new dōṣas will come but if you say it is
not new set of jīvas, this moral disorder will not be there. I can give an answer,
these are not new set, in the previous kalpa they have done violation, they are
paying the price, I have an answer; but if new jīvas come these two disorders, moral

disorders cannot be rectified. The second disorder is called akr̥tābhyāgama. First

disorder is connected with current set of jīvas and the second disorder is connected
with fresh set of new jīvas.
And therefore Kr̥ṣṇa wants to remove these two dōṣas and for removing these two
dōṣas, Kr̥ṣṇa is replying in the nineteenth ślōka, how, by saying the new set of jīvas
are never created, the same set of jīvas are circulated. At any time I know why a
particular jīva goes through a particular experience I have an answer, pūrva-karma I
can answer at any time. There are no jīvas at any time, any jīva at any time is only
jīva. And therefore for any sufferings I have an answer, that is pūrva karma. Why
this child is born with congenital disease? I have a single word answer – pūrva-
karma, which answer others cannot give. So this is one important corollary.
The second important corollary is bandha-mōkṣa-śāstra-pravr̥tti-sāphalya-

pradarśanārtham. Suppose during kalpa-pralaya all the jīvas get totally wiped out,
because next kalpa only new jīvas are going to be created, therefore suppose all the
current jīvas will permanently merge into Lord getting free from sañcita, prārabdha
and āgāmi karmas, all the jīvas get total freedom from all the karmas and merge
into Īśvara, because next sr̥ṣṭi will have new jīvas. Then what will happen? All the
jīvas will get mōkṣa at the time of kalpa-pralayam. Because sañcita also goes. It is
not required for the next sr̥ṣṭi because next sr̥ṣṭi will have new jīvas. Therefore
suppose the current-jīvas lose sañcita, prārabdha and āgāmi karmas and merge into
Bhagavān and attain mōkṣa, what will be the problem? Why do you call it a problem,
isn‟t it a good news? If Brahmāji goes to sleep we all get mōkṣa. In fact, if I have
got some sleeping pill instead of I taking, I will give it to Brahmāji because if he goes
to sleep we all will get liberated. What a wonderful thing?
So Śaṅkarācārya says if during kalpa-pralaya all the jīvas get liberated, Bhagavān
would not have created vēdānta-śāstram at all. Because we don‟t require sādhana
catuṣṭaya sampatti, karma-yōga, upāsana-yōga, śravaṇa-manana-nididhyāsanam,
you only go through punarapi-jananam, punarapi-maraṇam, a few times and
tolerate this particular kalpa only, and when kalpa-pralayam comes anyway you are
going to get mōkṣa, why should I attend Gītā bhāṣyam class? Therefore what is the
dōṣa?
Bandha-mōkṣa-śāstra-pravr̥tti-sāphalyam na bhavēt, mōkṣa śāstra will be redundant,

because kalpa-pralayam will give liberation to all the jīvas. Not only that there will be
another problem also. The problem is very subtle, we have to carefully note. In the
next kalpa suppose new jīvas are created, what will be the basis of creation?

Certainly not because of karma because it is a new jīva. Therefore if new jīvas are
created without any karma, that means there is a possibility of jīvas appearing
without karma will be the conclusion. Very subtle argument, you have to very
carefully understand it. Suppose in the next kalpa new jīvas are created, it will mean
that new jīvas can come even without any karma as the cause. And if jīvas can come
without karma as the cause then what will happen? All the jñānis have attained
liberation, how? By gaining jñānam. And by gaining jñānam what did we do? They
destroyed sañcita-karma, and they avoided āgāmi karma, and they exhausted
prārabdha karma, and they made their karma balance to nil and attained vidēha-
mukti.
And all those vidēhamukta jīvas will not be reborn that is what we are saying now.
And that is why he is working for mōkṣa. Now what will happen is even after vidēha-
mukti the jīvas will be created, or can be created. If new jīvas can come without
karma balance vidēha-mukta jīvas also may be reborn without karma. Therefore all
our efforts to destroy sañcitam will become wasted because in the next kalpa we
may be created even after getting vidēha-mukti, then why should we work for
vidēha-mukti. Therefore also bandha-mōkṣa-śāstra-pravr̥tti-sāphalyam nobody will
have a desire for sarva-karma-nivr̥tti. This is the second corollary derived from the
coming nineteenth verse.
And then what is the third corollary? If the same set of jīvas are created again and
again and again, because sañcita-karma cannot be destroyed by kalpa-pralayam,
then people will become tired of punarapi-jananam punarapi-maraṇam cycle
because sañcita-karma never gets destroyed even by kalpa-pralayam, then
vairāgyam will come, because jīvas will get tired of punarapi-jananam punarapi-
maraṇam cycle and they will have a question if kalpa-pralayam cannot destroy the
sañcita-karma, then how to destroy sañcita-karma, a serious enquiry will come.
Then we can introduce vēdānta śāstram.
Therefore in the nineteenth ślōka Kr̥ṣṇa says during kalpa-pralayam also sañcita-
karma will remain and the same jīvas will go round and round again and again then
the jīvas will get vairāgyam and they may turn to vēdānta śāstram to destroy
sañcita-karma. Therefore the third corollary is the nineteenth verse will help in
getting vairāgyam and turning towards jñānam. These are three purposes.
So one is to remove the lacunae in the moral order. The second is to establish the
validity of mōkṣa-śāstram. And the third is for getting vairāgyam towards sañcita-
karmas. This ślōka is very very important.

Look at the introduction. Akr̥tābhyāgamakr̥tavipraṇāśadōṣaparihārārtham. This is

very important to establish the moral order because as I have side this very often
most of the atheists who negate God give only one argument again and again. If
you say there is a God and the God is omniscient and omnipotent and if that God is
compassionate, there should not be natural calamities in the creation in which
innocent people are destroyed. This is one argument repeatedly given by all nāstikas
group, there cannot be an omniscient, omnipotent, compassionate creator God, if
such an omniscient, omnipotent, compassionate God is there His creation must be
free from natural calamities including diseases. Because in that innocent people are
dying in thousands. Either God is cruel or God is impotent. These are the only
possibilities – either God is not there or God is cruel or God is impotent and helpless.
The proof is cyclone. One is enough to prove there is no God at all, and even if there
is a God, either He is cruel or He is impotent. If there is a cruel-impotent-God then
He is not God. And why should I worship? For this argument of atheist the only
answer is in advaita, God is neither cruel nor impotent, God is just and fair. He is
omnipotent, He is compassionate and fair. And how do you say? Because God makes
all these things happen not because of cruelty or impotency but because He wants
to maintain the law of order of creation, both physical and moral-order. And to
maintain the moral-order karma-phalam will have to be exhausted. Different
ādhyātmika, ādhi-bhautika and ādhi-daivika events are based on the moral-order of
puṇyam and pāpam. Therefore puṇyam and pāpam of jīvas is responsible for
whatever events are happening. Bhagavān is sāmānya-kāraṇam, karma is viśēṣa-
kāraṇam. If you ignore viśēṣa-kāraṇam you will end up in atheism; if you understand
viśēṣa-kāraṇam you will admire Bhagavān. All the atheists are missing the viśēṣa-
kāraṇam called moral-order of the puṇyam and pāpam, which will continue from
sr̥ṣṭi to sr̥ṣṭi to sr̥ṣṭi. This is discussed in Brahmasūtra especial adhikāram called
vaiṣamya nairghr̥ṇyādhikaraṇam (Brahmasūtra 2-1-34). In fact Śaṅkarācārya‟s
introduction is borrowed from vaiṣamyanairghr̥ṇyādhikaraṇam. Without this you will
always get angry with God. Many events will question the existence of God or many
events will shake our faith in God if the law of karma is not understood. Therefore
akr̥tābhyāgamakr̥tavipraṇāśadōṣaparihārārtham to remedy that
bandhamōkṣaśāstrapravr̥tti, pravr̥tti means pursuit, sāphalyapradarśanārtham to
establish the validity of vēdānta śāstram which will destroy sañcita-karma. And then
you have to go to the fourth and fifth line saṁsārē vairāgyam pradarśanārtham and
also to generate vairāgyam in the saṁsāra of punarapi-jananam punarapi-maraṇam
cycle, to generate vairāgyam. And also to show that ‘bhūtagrāmaḥ bhūtvā bhūtvā

pralīyatē ‘avidyādiklēśamūlakarmāśayavaśāt. This is within inverted commas. So

bhūtagrāmaḥ means the same set of jīvas, grāmaḥ means multitude, group, bhūtvā
bhūtvā pralīyatē – will appear again and again, even if the big bang is later followed
by a big crunch, big crunch means the whole universe again going back to the
previous condition, then also all the jīvas will be there in potential form waiting for
the next big bang. So bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyatē. How? avaśaḥ – helplessly, kalpa-
pralayam will not save, even mahā pralayam will not save, the jīvas will survive. All
because of karma-āśaya-vaśāt – because of infinite bundle of sañcita-karmas,
inexhaustible bunch of sañcita-karma, karma here refers to sañcita-karma, āśaya
means kāraṇa-śarīram, so karma-āśaya means sañcita-karma sahita kāraṇa-śarīram.
Because of the kāraṇa-śarīram with sañcita-karma. And how did sañcita-karma
come? Avidyādi-klēśa-mūla – the sañcita-karma came because of avidyā, avidyā
means Self-ignorance, avidyā means ātma avidyā, which is called the spiritual-
dream, ādi means etcetera., etcetera refers to the five evils enumerated in yōga-
śāstra, called pañca-klēśas.
I have talked about this before, here we will note avidyā means ignorance, asmitā
means ahaṅkāra, ego, triangular-format, you can never be saved in triangular-
format. Then rāga is the third one, dvēṣa is the fourth one, rāga means attachment
and dvēṣa means hatred, and abhinivēṣa – instinctive-attachment to the body and
life, instinctive fear of death. abhinivēṣa can be translated as instinctive-fear-of-
death which is otherwise called the constant sense of insecurity. Not only constant-
sense-of-insecurity which grows as we grow older and older, insecurity will increase
as we grow older and older, the increase also is exponential as we age. This is called
abhinivēṣa problem. Because of these five-fold dōṣas, the sañcita-karma expands,
because of rāga-dvēṣa we will do karma, because of karma we will get puṇyam and
pāpam, because of puṇyam and pāpam, punarapi-jananam punarapi-maraṇam,
because of that we get rāga-dvēṣa and because rāga-dvēṣa again karma. And this
will go round and round as long as avidyā is there. Therefore let us come to vidyā or
jñānam, to turn the people towards jñānam. Uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya
varānnibōdhata.
अनाददमायया सुप्तो यदा जीवाः प्रबुध्यते । अजमगनिमस्वप्नमद्वै तां बुध्यते तदा ॥ माण्डू क्तय काररका १-१६ ॥
Anādimāyayā suptō yadā jīvaḥ prabudhyatē | ajamanidramasvapnamadvaitaṁ

budhyatē tadā || Māṇḍūkya Kārikā 1-16 ||

Changing the format from triangular to binary is the only solution. For this purpose
the nineteenth ślōka is given by Kr̥ṣṇa. We will read. idam āha.
Verse 08-19
भूतग्रामाः स एवायां भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते ।
रात्र्यागमेऽविाः पाथय प्रभवत्यहरागमे ॥ गीता ८-१९ ॥
bhūtagrāmaḥ sa ēvāyaṁ bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyatē |

rātryāgamē:'vaśaḥ pārtha prabhavatyaharāgamē || Gītā 8-19 ||
The first part of this verse is the same as the previous verse. sr̥ṣṭi and pralayam is
an eternal process, without a beginning or an end. Therefore you should never ask
when all this started. The very question of beginning or starting is illogical, the
creation is also a cyclic and eternal, jīvas are also cyclic and eternal, once you
understand the eternity and cyclic process, you should not ask why did Bhagavān
start the creation. Never ask the question. Bhagavān never started; it has been on
and on and on.
This message is the same as in the previous ślōka. But the new idea that is added
here is jīvas are always the same. The bodies, sthūla-śarīrams will vary from sr̥ṣṭi to
sr̥ṣṭi, sūkṣma śarīrams will vary from sr̥ṣṭi to sr̥ṣṭi, one sthūla-śarīram can last only
one janma, one sūkṣma-śarīram can last only one sr̥ṣṭi. When sr̥ṣṭi varies the sthūla-
śarīram also varies and sūkṣma-śarīram also varies, but we all carry one śarīram
constantly. What is that one śarīram? Come to Tattvabōdha. Kāraṇa-śarīram. And
what is the definition of kāraṇa-śarīram in Tattva-bōdha?
अगनवायच्यानाद्यगवद्यारूपां िरीरद्वयस्य कारणमात्रां सत्स्वरूपाऽज्ञानां गनर्विंकल्पकरूपां यदस्स्त तत्कारणिरीरम् ।
anirvācyānādyavidyārūpaṁ śarīradvayasya kāraṇamātraṁ satsvarūpā:'jñānaṁ

nirvikalpakarūpaṁ yadasti tatkāraṇaśarīram |
Even before big bang all our kāraṇa-śarīrams existed in a form which no instrument
of modern science can detect. Even before big bang what was there even modern
science is not able to answer. They call it singularity, which is a point of no
information. No information means kāraṇa-śarīram. Their singularity is our kāraṇa-
śarīram. And therefore the new information is jīvas are the same. Now we will read
the bhāṣyam.
भूत-ग्र माः भूतसमुदायाः स्थावरजङ्गमलक्णाः याः पूवयस्स्मन् कल्पे आसीत् साः एि अयं न अन्याः । भूत्ि भूत्ि अहरागमे,
प्रलीयते पुनाः पुनाः र त्र्य गमे अह्नाः क्ये अिशाः अस्वतन्त्र एव, प थथ, प्रभिवत अवि एव अहर गमे ॥ ८-१९ ॥

bhūta-grāmaḥ bhūtasamudāyaḥ sthāvarajaṅgamalakṣaṇaḥ yaḥ pūrvasmin kalpē

āsīt saḥ ēva ayaṁ na anyaḥ | bhūtvā bhūtvā aharāgamē, pralīyatē punaḥ punaḥ
rātryāgamē ahnaḥ kṣayē avaśaḥ asvatantra ēva, pārtha, prabhavati avaśa ēva
aharāgamē || 8-19 ||
Bhūta-grāmaḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to bhūtasamudāyaḥ, grāmaḥ means

samudāyaḥ, which means the same set of jīvas, sthāvarajaṅgamalakṣaṇaḥ – which
includes the moving jīvas like animals, human beings etc., and also non-moving
living being in the form of plant kingdom or trees. And what do you mean by the
same set of jīvas? yaḥ pūrvasmin kalpē āsīt – which was very much there during the
previous day of brahmāji or previous kalpa sr̥ṣṭi, āsīt. The meaning of the word kalpa
is brahma dinam kalpaḥ, the day of brahma is called brahma. saḥ ēva ayam – the
same set of jīvas, then na anyaḥ, na anyaḥ means not a new set of jīvas, bhūtvā
bhūtvā, bhūtvā means repeatedly born again and again. When are they born?
aharāgamē – during the daytime of brahmāji. And what happens? pralīyatē punaḥ
punaḥ – again and again they will go back also, rātri āgamē – when the night
comes for brahmāji.
294 Verses 08-19 and 08-20
Page 221, verse 19 bhāṣyam

भूत-ग्र माः भूतसमुदायाः स्थावरजङ्गमलक्णाः याः पूवयस्स्मन् कल्पे आसीत् साः एि अयं न अन्याः । भूत्ि भूत्ि अहरागमे,
प्रलीयते पुनाः पुनाः र त्र्य गमे अह्नाः क्ये अिशाः अस्वतन्त्र एव, प थथ, प्रभिवत अवि एव अहर गमे ॥ ८-१९ ॥
Bhūta-grāmaḥ bhūtasamudāyaḥ sthāvarajaṅgamalakṣaṇaḥ yaḥ pūrvasmin kalpē

āsīt saḥ ēva ayaṁ na anyaḥ | bhūtvā bhūtvā aharāgamē, pralīyatē punaḥ punaḥ
rātryāgamē ahnaḥ kṣayē avaśaḥ asvatantra ēva | pārtha, prabhavati avaśa ēva
aharāgamē || 8-19 ||
In this verse Lord Kr̥ṣṇa is pointing out that the jīvas journey in the form of
punarapi-jananam punarapi-maraṇam cycle will continue eternally as long as jīva is
ignorant. Death will not put an end to this journey and even pralayam cannot put an
end to this journey, this cyclic journey will continue eternally as long as jīva is
ignorant. Then a person may ask a question, if this jīva is going to continue eternally
why can't you look at it in a positive way as attainment of immortality. After all we

are all supposed to be working for asatō mā sadgamaya. Tamasō mā jyōtirgamaya.

Mr̥tyōrmā amr̥taṅgamaya (Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 1-3-28) amr̥tam means
immortality, immortality means permanence or eternity, and jīva is already
permanent and eternal, because during death also jīva survives, during pralayam
also jīva survives. If jīva is going to survive throughout the cycles of death and
pralayam it means jīva is eternal which means jīva is immortal. And therefore we
don‟t require vēdānta at all, because jīva is already immortal. Suppose somebody
argues like this, what will be our answer? This is how we have to invent newer
questions and we should learn to answer them.
Somebody who says I don‟t require vēdānta because I am already immortal because
bhūtvā bhūtvā I am always there. For that the answer is in this ślōka itself there is a
word that has to be underlined. That word gives the answer to this perverted
question. What is that answer? avaśaḥ. This immortality of jīva is not a good news
because jīva continues to be avaśaḥ – helpless, because the whole journey is not
determined by the will of jīva, but jīva is helplessly under the control of karma. If I
close myself within a room and lock myself inside, because I wanted to be
undisturbed, it is good thing, because I have locked myself inside the room. But
when the very same locking is done by somebody else, the very same locking of the
room makes me helpless. Locking remains the same, if I do that it is freedom, when
it is done by somebody else it is a bondage. Similarly, this continuation of jīva is not
based on the will of the jīva but it is helplessly enforced by karma. karma tells me
you have to die, karma tells me you have to be reborn, karma takes me through one
place to another. Therefore immortality under the spell of karma is saṁsāra.
Immortality freeing myself from the spell of karma is mōkṣa. Both are eternal, but
eternity of jīva is not a good news because he is under the spell of karma, eternity
as Brahman is good news because I am not under the spell of karma. Jīva is also
eternal, Brahman is also eternal. Eternity of jīva is not a good news because he is
karma baddhaḥ, eternity of Brahman is good news because he is akartā abhōktā.
Anyatra dharmāt anyatrādharmāt anyatra asmāt kr̥t ākr̥tāt (Kaṭhōpaniṣat 1-2-14).
Therefore what is the problem? This immortality is not a good news because avaśaḥ.
That is said and we were seeing in the bhāṣyam. Bhūta-grāmaḥ bhūtasamudāyaḥ
sthāvarajaṅgamalakṣaṇaḥ yaḥ pūrvasmin kalpē āsīt – the same set of helpless jīvas;
that adjective is important; saḥ ēva ayam – without the production of new set of
jīvas. I have said a very important statement in the last class, Bhagavān can never
create a new jīva. It is a very important Vedantic-principle. The available jīvas are
not created by Bhagavān. Bhagavān cannot create new jīvas, the available jīvas are

not created by Bhagavān. And if available jīvas are not created by Bhagavān, how
did they come? They never came, every available-jīva is anādi. Every available-jīva is
not created by Bhagavān, every available-jīva is anādi. And Bhagavān has not
created a jīva, Bhagavān cannot create a jīva. That is why Śaṅkarācārya adds the
word na anyaḥ. It is a very significant word. Na anyaḥ means not a new jīva is
created by Bhagavān. What happens to this jīva? Bhūtvā bhūtvā aharāgamē.
saṁskr̥ta students must be careful. The word aharāgamē should be connected with
bhūtvā bhūtvā on the left hand side, aharāgamē should not be connected to
pralīyatē on the right hand side. Aharāgamē pralīyatē is a wrong connection.
Aharāgamēbhūtvā bhūtvā is the right connection. And the word pralīyatē should be
connected with rātryāgamē of the next line. So the order must be clear, punaḥ
punaḥ rātryāgamē pralīyatē. During the arrival of Brahmāji‟s night pralīyatē – they
dissolve. They don‟t die, but they dissolve.
And what is the definition of Rātryāgamē? Rātryāgamē is equal to ahnaḥ kṣayē. In

fact, rātryāgamē we can understand. Śaṅkarācārya writes the meaning as ahnaḥ
kṣayē. It means the end of the day. What is the arrival of night? End of the day. And
why can't we take it as immortality? It cannot be taken as immortality is a good
news because of the next word which is very important avaśaḥ. Helpless
immortality is not a good news, free immortality is a very good news. Therefore
avaśaḥ – helplessly and I have said helplessness leads to frustration, frustration
leads to anger, anger leads to depression, thus avaśaḥ means the cycle of
helplessness, frustration, anger and depression. When I go through these four
conditions repeatedly, I begin to look at life as MBBS. All these are explanation of
avaśaḥ. Avaśaḥ means cycle of helplessness, frustration, anger (anger with God)
and depression. And when I go through these four stages repeatedly my attitude
towards life will become MBBS. And what is MBBS? It is not doctor. MBBS means I
look upon life as Meaningless, Burdensome, Boring Struggle. Once life becomes a
burden, immortality also becomes a burden. Our prayer will be „O Lord I should die
and never be reborn.‟ The moment that prayer comes saṁsāra is confirmed. mōkṣa
is confirmed when this prayer goes away from me. The prayer that „I should die for
good, never to come again‟ when this prayer dies, mōkṣa is confirmed. Therefore
avaśaḥ is equal to asvatantra, meaning of avaśaḥ. Asvatantra means helplessness.
Ēva, ēva is emphasize, and after that put a full stop. Then Śaṅkarācārya comes to
the last quarter of the ślōka hē pārtha avaśa ēva – and continuing to be helpless,
aharāgamē prabhavati – in the next kalpa of the jīva which is the next day of
Brahmāji. So the next day of brahmāji is the next kalpa of humanity. So in the next

kalpa aharāgamē prabhavati – the jīva will come again. Therefore what type of
immortality we require? Immortality as jīva is saṁsāra, immortality as Brahman is
called mōkṣa. Every jñāni says I am immortal-Brahman. Therefore there is no
question of punarapi-jananam punarapi-maraṇam for me, but in me the creation
goes through punarapi- jananam and punarapi-maraṇam. Punarapi-jananam
punarapi-maraṇam of the creation is a wonderful entertainment, which I am not
against at all. And this shift from immortal-jīva to immortal-Brahman, eternal-jīva to
eternal-Brahman, this transformation is called jñānam. And for that even upāsana
will not help you, you have to gain jñānam, either in bhūlōka or in brahmalōka,
somewhere or the other the shift should take place eternal-jīva to eternal-Brahman.
That is going to come in the next ślōka, important ślōka. Śaṅkarācārya gives the
introduction.
The anvaya is, hē pārtha! saḥ ayam avaśaḥ bhūta-grāmaḥ ēva bhūtvā bhūtvā rātri
āgamē pralīyatē. Ahaḥ āgamē (saḥ) prabhavati. Continuing;

यत् उपन्यस्तम् अक्रम्, तस्य प्रान्प्त उपायाः गनर्दिंष्टाः ‘ओयमत्येकाक्रां ब्रह्म’ [गीता ८-१३] इत्याददना । अथ इदानीम्
अक्रस्य एव स्वरूपगनर्दिंददक्या इदम् उच्यते, अनेन योगमागेण इदां गन्तव्यम् इगत ––
yat upanyastam akṣaram, tasya prāpti upāyaḥ nirdiṣṭaḥ „ōmityēkākṣaraṁ

brahma‟ [Gītā 8-13] ityādinā | atha idānīm akṣarasya ēva svarūpanirdidikṣayā
idam ucyatē, anēna yōgamārgēṇa idaṁ gantavyam iti ––
So here Śaṅkarācārya says the remedy for this problem has been indicated before.
In the verse ōmityēkākṣaraṁ brahma the remedy for this problem has been
indicated. And what is that remedy? Going to akṣaram alone is the remedy. Akṣaram
means Brahman. So going to Brahman, reaching Brahman or merging into Brahman
or knowing that I am Brahman alone is the only remedy. And this Brahman can be
reached in two ways. One is jñāna-mārga which will give mukti here itself. The
second is the yōga-mārga which will give krama-mukti in brahma-lōka. And the word
yōga-mārga used here refers to upāsana mārga. Yōga-mārga will take you to
akṣaram through krama-mukti and jñāna-mārga will take you to akṣaram in the form
of sadyō-mukti. Whatever you choose you have to merge into Brahman. You have to
transcend the anātmā. Śaṅkarācārya says this has been indicated before. Loot at
this. Yat akṣaram upanyastam – that Brahman which has been mentioned as the
remedy for saṁsāra, upanyastam means talked about, akṣaram means Brahman,
tasya prāpti upāyaḥ nirdiṣṭaḥ – the means of reaching that Brahman also has been
mentioned. Prāpti upāyaḥ means of reaching, path of reaching, method of reaching

that Brahman. Nirdiṣṭaḥ – has been already mentioned before. Where?

„ōmityēkākṣaraṁ brahma‟ [Gītā 8-13] ityādinā – in the verse thirteen of this chapter
itself.
Now what is going to be the following topic. He says previously akṣaram brahma has
been introduced but that akṣaram-brahma has not been defined. Introduced but not
defined, therefore Kr̥ṣṇa wants to define that akṣaram in the following ślōka.
Therefore he introduces atha idānīm – now in the following twentieth verse
akṣarasya ēva svarūpa-nirdidikṣayā, nirdidikṣayā means desire to define, intention to
define; desiderative. So with an intension to define, svarūpam – the nature of,
akṣarasya, the word akṣaram we should carefully remember that it is Brahman
which has been mentioned in Muṇḍakōpaniṣat as parāvidyā, yayā tat akṣaram
adhigamyatē (Muṇḍakōpaniṣat 1-1-5). Akṣaram means nirguṇam-brahma. The same
akṣara has been defined in Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat where one full brāhmaṇam titled
akṣara-brāhmaṇam, where Gārgī asked for the definition of akṣara and Yājñavalkya
gives twenty-three negations
asthūlamanaṇvahrasvamadīrghamalōhitamasnēhamacchāyam
(Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 3-8-8) etc. That nirguṇam-akṣaram for defining idam ucyatē.
And this akṣaram has to be reached by anēna yōgamārgēṇa idaṁ gantavyam – by
practicing yōga the akṣara has to be attained. And yōga-mārga means upāsana
mārga, krama-mukti mārga. Why does Kr̥ṣṇa say krama-mukti mārga? Because the
eighth chapter is krama-mukti chapter. Even though jñāna-mārga is superior, Kr̥ṣṇa
wants to talk about the yōga-mārga here, jñāna-mārga was talked about in the
seventh chapter, jñāna-mārga will be repeated in the ninth chapter also. So the
chapters seven and nine talks about jñāna-mārga and the eighth chapter deals with
yōga-mārga. Iti – with this intention. Now we will go to the verse.
Verse 08-20
परस्तस्मािु भावोऽन्योऽव्यक्तोऽव्यक्तात्सनातनाः ।
याः स सवेषु भूतेषु नश्यत्सु न गवनश्यगत ॥ गीता ८-२० ॥
parastasmāttu bhāvō:'nyō:'vyaktō:'vyaktātsanātanaḥ |
yaḥ sa sarvēṣu bhūtēṣu naśyatsu na vinaśyati || Gītā 8-20 ||
It is a very important verse of the eighth chapter where Brahman is defined. In the
previous verses Kr̥ṣṇa talked about sr̥ṣṭi and pralayam, arrival and departure of the
universe. When you say arrival and departure we should note that universe doesn‟t
arrive and depart because universe or matter is eternal, even according to modern
science, universe or matter cannot be created or destroyed. Therefore arrival and

departure of the universe will have to be redefined we said. What is the arrival of
the universe? Manifestation is called arrival and unmanifestation is called the
departure. We have got manifest-universe during sr̥ṣṭi and unmanifest-universe
during pralayam. And Kr̥ṣṇa gives two names for that, unmanifest-universe is called
avyaktaḥ and manifest-universe is called vyaktaḥ. Thus vyakti is arrival and avyakti
is departure. Thus the entire universe keeps on continuously changing from
manifestation and unmanifestaion and unmanifestation and manifestation.
Both have got the same nature of anātmā dr̥śyatvam, bhautikatvam, saguṇatvam,
savikāratvam and āgamāpāyitvam. This is the very nature of vyakta and avyakta.
Vyakta is also dr̥ śya, bhautika, saguṇa, sāvikāra, āgamāpāyi and avyakta is also
dr̥śya, bhautika, saguṇa, sāvikāra, āgamāpāyi. This nature can never be changed
and this will go on and on eternally. This includes our body-mind-complex also.
Therefore whether you like it or not anātmā will have to go round and round and as
long as you place your eyes abhimāna in this anātmā you cannot get away from the
cyclic process. As long as my abhimāna is in anātmā I can never escape from this
cyclic process. Even when Bhagavān takes avatāra, Bhagavān also cannot escape
from the cyclic process of Kr̥ṣṇa avatāra coming and Kr̥ṣṇa avatāra going.
Therefore if you say I want to be in anātmā and I want to escape from this cycle, it
is not possible. Anātmā-abhimāna means cycle. And if you don‟t want cycle you have
to leave the anātmā-abhimāna. If I leave the anātmā-abhimāna what else is there.
Kr̥ṣṇa says other than vyakta and avyakta there is a third entity. Vyakta and avyakta
both are subject to change dr̥śyatvam, bhautikatvam, saguṇatvam, savikāratvam
and āgamāpāyitvam. Other than the changing-vyakta and changing-avyakta there is
a third entity which is also called avyakta. Now if the third entity is also called
avyakta then there will be confusion. How to differentiate? Previous avyakta is
changing avyakta and the third entity is changeless-avyakta. Thus there is a
changing avyakta and a changeless-avyakta. Thus there are totally three entities.
Vyakta, avyakta one and avyakta two. vyakta is also changing, avyakta number one
is also changing and avyakta number two is changeless. And these are only three
new names used by Kr̥ṣṇa, but we are comfortable we should know that vyakta is
the name of prapañca, and avyakta number one is the name of māyā, and avyakta
number two is the name of Brahman. So vyakta is equal to prapañca, avyakta
number one is equal to māyā and avyakta number two is equal to Brahman. So the
only way to get out of the cyclic process is transcend vyakta and avyakta one,

transcend prapañca and māyā, transcend matter and come to avyakta number two,
which is Brahman which is not matter and which is Consciousness principle.
And what is the definition of Consciousness?
1) Consciousness is not a part, product and property of the body-mind-complex,
2) Consciousness is an independent entity,
3) Consciousness is not limited by the boundaries,
4) Consciousness survives and
5) The surviving Consciousness is not available for transaction.
Come to this Consciousness and learn to claim I am that Consciousness. And learn
to see vyaktam and avyaktam-number-one as nāmarūpa dancing in Me who am
avyakta-number-two. Vyaktam and avyaktam-one both are names and forms
dancing in Me, the Consciousness that is avyaktam-number-two. I do not have
control over nāma-rūpa. As Brahman also I do not have any control because I am
akartā and abhōktā, how can Brahman control anything? As Brahman I cannot
control, as Īśvara also I don‟t have control over nām0arūpa, because nāma0rūpa is
controlled not by Īśvara but it is controlled by karma alone. Īśvara is not in charge of
nāma-rūpa, Īśvara is in charge of karma alone. Can you see the difference?
Therefore in keeping with the law of karma, Bhagavān will have to change nāma-
rūpa, Bhagavān is also helpless as far as karma is concerned. If you ask Bhagavān
why did you do that, then He will say don‟t ask Me, I am supposed to be karma
adhyakṣaḥ, karmaphaladātā, for this karma I have to give you this phalam. You may
be bhakta and all those things. bhakti doesn‟t mean you can escape karma. Bhakti
means you can tolerate. Of course I am not ruling out prāyaścittam, you do
prāyaścittam doesn‟t matter, prāyaścitta may and will work in certain cases but
prāyaścitta may or will not work in certain other cases. Therefore mōkṣa is claim I
am Brahman and allow the nāma-rūpa to move according to the law of karma. The
only saving grace is that I continue to be sat, cit and ānanda, whatever be the
event, remembering the fourth capsule of vēdānta that I am never affected by any
event that happens in the material world and in the material body-mind-complex.
The fifth capsule is that the moment you forget the fourth capsule, by forgetting my
nature I convert life into a burden, by remembering my very nature I convert life
into a blessing. Therefore Arjuna transcend vyakta and avyakta-one and come to
avyakta-two.

And a simple aside note. The very same three tattvams are named differently in the
fifteenth chapter of the Gītā. Vyaktam is named there as kṣara-puruṣaḥ, avyakta-
number one is named there as akṣara-puruṣaḥ. It is very confusing. And avyakta-
number-two of this ślōka is uttama-puruṣaḥ of the fifteenth chapter.
उिमाः पुरुषस्त्वन्याः परमात्मेत्युदाहृताः ।

यो लोकत्रयमागवश्य गबभत्ययव्यय ईश्वराः ॥ गीता १५-१७ ॥
यस्मात्क्रमतीतोऽहमक्रादगप चोिमाः ।
अतोऽस्स्म लोके वेदे च प्रशथताः पुरुषोिमाः ॥ गीता १५-१८ ॥
uttamaḥ puruṣastvanyaḥ paramātmētyudāhr̥taḥ |

yō lōkatrayamāviśya bibhartyavyaya Īśvara ḥ || Gītā 15-17 ||
yasmātkṣaramatītō:'hamakṣarādapi cōttamaḥ |
atō:'smi lōkē vēdē ca prathitaḥ Puruṣōttamaḥ || Gītā 15-18 ||
Therefore avyakta number two of the eighth chapter is Puruṣōttama of the fifteenth
chapter. And who is the Puruṣōttama? Don‟t say Vaikuṇṭha, Kṣīrasāgara and all
those things. Don‟t look upon kṣīrasāgara. Aham uttamaḥ puruṣaḥ. Then what? Life
is not a burden. Who says? Kr̥ṣṇa says. Now we will read the bhāṣyam.
पराः व्यगतररक्ताः त्तभन्नाः, कुताः? तस्म त् पूवोक्तात् । तु-िब्दाः अक्रस्य गववत्तक्तस्य अव्यक्तात् वैलक्ण्यप्रदियनाथयाः । भ िाः
अक्राख्यां परां ब्रह्म ।
paraḥ vyatiriktaḥ bhinnaḥ, kutaḥ? tasmāt pūrvōktāt | tu-śabdaḥ akṣarasya

vivakṣitasya avyaktāt vailakṣaṇyapradarśanārthaḥ | bhāvaḥ akṣarākhyaṁ paraṁ
brahma |
Paraḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to vyatiriktaḥ bhinnaḥ. Paraḥ means different.

What is different from what? Avyakta-number-two is different from both vyaktam
and avyaktam-number-one. Kutaḥ means different from what? Then answer is
tasmāt, tasmāt is in the mūlam, is equal to pūrvōktāt – different from the previous
avyakta-number-one. Another name for the avyakta-number- one is called māyā or
akṣara puruṣa or prakr̥ti . tu-śabdaḥ, in the mūlam there is a word tu, that tu-
śabdaḥ in fact it is a compound word and there should not be a gap in between. So
the word tu is akṣarasya vivakṣitasya vailakṣaṇyapradarśanārthaḥ – the word tu is
to indicate the difference. Vailakṣaṇyam means different, darśanārthaḥ. Like in
English we say however. So when you say that somebody is inviting for a function
and you both should come, suppose you say I cannot come, however my wife or my
husband will attend. However indicates one can come but unlike the previous one
the other one is different. That however in English is tu in saṁskr̥ta. And whenever
tu or however comes the next statement is showing the opposite of the previous
one. So tu-śabdaḥ the word however is vailakṣaṇyapradarśanārthaḥ – to indicate

the difference of akṣarasya vivakṣitasya – the difference of the akṣaram. And what is
the akṣaram? Avyakta-number-two. So the difference of akṣaram, the avyakta-
number-two, is different from avyaktāt – from avyakta-number-one. The word
avyaktāt refers to avyakta-number-one. So thus the word tu is to show the
difference of avyakta two from avyakta-number-one. And why it is very very
confusing you know, the word akṣaram in this ślōka refers to avyakta-number-two.
In the fifteenth chapter the very same word akṣaram refers to avyakta number one.
That is why Gītā is confusing. Because the very word akṣaram sometimes refers to
avyakta-two and sometimes refers to avyakta-number-one. Since every time you
have to enquire into, because imagine one and the same word refers to Brahman
also and refers to māyā also. That means sometimes it refers to satyam and
sometimes it refers to mithyā. Suppose you ask an ācārya how can you do that, how
can you use the very same word for satyam also and mithyā also, isn‟t it confusing?
For that our answer is this. The word akṣaram means the eternal principle. Na
kṣarati iti akṣaram. I can use the word eternal for Brahman also and māyā also. Why
because both are eternal. So what is wrong if I use the word eternal for Brahman
and if I use the word eternal for māyā, I am never wrong because Brahman is also
eternal and māyā is also eternal. The word akṣaram means eternal.
Then you will triumphantly ask the question. If both of them are eternal, how the
heaven do you claim that you are Advaitin. This is bored question. Every time we
say both are eternal the student asks a counter question. Which student? A student
who doesn‟t remember the answer given before. There are some students who are
always fresh. They ask the question and we give the answer, he nods the head and
goes. And then again the same question he asks, if the teacher doesn‟t get
vairāgyam, it is the teacher‟s prārabdha. When I say we are Advaitins we say there
are no two pāramārthikam. Pāramārthika is advaitam. advaitam allows any number
of vyāvahārika-satyams. So one pāramārthikam is advaitam and I will accommodate
eternal māyā because eternal māyā being vyāvahārikam, it cannot be counted as
number two along with Brahman. Therefore let māyā continue to be there. There
are many vyāvahārika satyams and there are many prātibhāsika-satyams and I can
accommodate infinite vyāvahārika-satyams and infinite prātibhāsika-satyams, and
experiencing vyāvahārika-satyams and experiencing prātibhāsika-satyams I will claim
I am non-dual Brahman.
मयय एव सकलम् जातम् मयय सवयम् प्रगतयष्ठतम् ॥ कैवल्योपगनषत् १-१९ ॥
mayi ēva sakalam jātam mayi sarvam pratiṣṭhitam || Kaivalyōpaniṣat 1-19 ||

Therefore I am Advaitin who am willing to accommodate māyā in me. That is how a

jñāni claims I am Brahman sometimes and claims I am Īśvara at some other times.
When he excludes māyā as mithyā, which is as good as non-existence, at the time of
exclusion of māyā I am called Brahman. In fact, we should practice both
meditations. I am Brahman meditation saying that the world is māyā which is as
good as non-existence. This is one meditation. And Dayānanda Svāmiji says the
second meditation is more important. What is the second meditation? Since māyā is
mithyā, it has to draw existence from Me alone. And since I have to lend existence
to the world, the world must exist in Me. Therefore I am willing to accommodate the
world in Me. As pāramārthika satyam, it is very important, I am willing and I will be
magnanimous enough to accommodate everything in the world, I am willing to
accommodate good people and I am willing to accommodate the so called bad
people. I say the so called because the other one say I am bad. Therefore I am
willing to accommodate all my family members as they are. I am willing to
accommodate all the politicians with daily declaring the scams. The day I am willing
to accommodate the world I am Īśvara ḥ. Just as Īśvara accommodates everyone I
should know with māyā I am willing to accommodate. I am Brahman dhyānam is
important, I am Īśvara dhyānam is important. And only when I meditate upon
myself as Īśvara, I can say I accommodate everything, the ultimate accommodation
is my own body and mind with its own problems. I have to accommodate „my‟ body
with its own problems and I should accommodate the mind also which has got its
own vāsanās – childhood problems, fear, anxiety they are all different conditions of
the mind, jvaraḥ will be there, but don‟t have anujvaraḥ we said. Therefore meditate
I am Brahman, meditate I am Īśvara, and as Īśvara I accommodate everything.
(don‟t tell this outside and they may laugh at you).

295 Verses-08-20 to 08-22
Page 221, verse 20, Bhāṣyam

पराः व्यगतररक्ताः त्तभन्नाः, कुताः? तस्म त् पूवोक्तात् । तु-िब्दाः अक्रस्य गववत्तक्तस्य अव्यक्तात् वैलक्ण्यप्रदियनाथयाः । भ िाः
अक्राख्यां परां ब्रह्म ।
paraḥ vyatiriktaḥ bhinnaḥ, kutaḥ? tasmāt pūrvōktāt | tu-śabdaḥ akṣarasya

vivakṣitasya avyaktāt vailakṣaṇyapradarśanārthaḥ | bhāvaḥ akṣarākhyaṁ paraṁ
brahma |
In the previous verses Kr̥ṣṇa had talked about avyakta-number-one which refers to
māyā and which is the potential form of the universe and into which alone the
universe will resolve at the time of pralayam. And as long as one remains in this
māyā, avyakta-number-one, one is within time and space and therefore subject to
saṁsāra. And therefore if one wants liberation one has to transcend avyakta-
number-one and come to avyakta-number-two which is introduced in this verse, and
this avyakta-number-two is called Brahman. And both māyā and Brahman are called
avyaktam because both of them are indriya- agōcaram. The word avyakta literally
means indriya-agōcara. Māyā is called avyakta because māyā is not available for
sense organs. Brahman is also called avyakta because that is also beyond the sense
organs. And therefore to differentiate them māyā is called avyakta-number-one and
Brahman is called avyakta-number-two. And therefore Kr̥ṣṇa tells in this ślōka
avyaktāt avyaktaḥ paraḥ. avyaktāt pañcamī vibhakti refers to avyakta number one.
And avyaktaḥ, the nominative-case, refers to avyakta-number-two. Therefore the
translation is prathama avyaktāt dvitīya avyaktaḥ paraḥ. Māyārūpa avyaktāt
brahmarūpa avyaktaḥ paraḥ vyatiriktaḥ bhinnaḥ. And that is said in the bhāṣyam tu-
śabdaḥ akṣarasya vivakṣitasya avyaktāt vailakṣaṇyapradarśanārthaḥ. The word tu
occurring in the mūlam is to indicate this difference between avyakta-number-one
and two.
And in the mūlam there is a word bhāvaḥ which can have several meanings. In the
context we have to take, in the seventh chapter tribhirguṇamayairbhāvairēbhiḥ
sarvamidaṁ jagat (Gītā 7-13). There the word bhāva was translated as mental
conditions sāttvika rājasa tāmasa conditions of the mind. But here the word bhāvaḥ

must be derived from the √bhū, sarvadā bhavati asti iti bhāvaḥ, which is Brahman,
sat rūpaḥ iti arthaḥ. bhāvaḥ means sat.
Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says bhāvaḥ is equal to paraṁ brahma – it is none other

than sadrūpam param brahma which is pāramārthika satyam. avyakta number one is
vyāvahārika satyam and avyakta-number-two is pāramārthika satyam. One is called
changingly eternal and the other is called changelessly- eternal. Matter is changingly
eternal and Consciousness is changelessly-eternal. Changing-eternity is called
pariṇāmī nityatvam and changeless-eternity is called kūṭhastha nityatvam. avyakta
number one is pariṇāmī nityaḥ, avyakta-number two is kūṭhastha-nityaḥ. That is
called akṣaram. Akṣaram means kūṭhastha nityam. Continuing;
व्यगतररक्तत्वे सगत अगप सालक्ण्यप्रसङ्गाः अस्स्त इगत तगद्वगनवृत्त्यथयम् आह –– अनयाः इगत । अन्याः गवलक्णाः । साः च
अव्यक्ताः अगनद्धन्ियगोचराः ।
vyatiriktatvē sati api sālakṣaṇyaprasaṅgaḥ asti iti tadvinivr̥ttyartham āha ––

anyaḥ iti | anyaḥ vilakṣaṇaḥ | saḥ ca avyaktaḥ anindriyagōcaraḥ |
So avyakta number two is different from avyakta-number one is the message. Kr̥ṣṇa
uses here two words to differentiate avyakta-number-one and number-two. The
word paraḥ also means different, and later there is another word anyaḥ, which also
means different. Now Śaṅkarācārya raises the question why should Kr̥ṣṇa say
different twice. Avyakta-number-two is different from avyakta number one. Why the
expression paraḥ and anyaḥ?
And Śaṅkarācārya says there is a purpose for using the two words, one word is to
show that avyakta number two is another one, it means another. And when you say
something is another, the another-one can be similar to the first-one. When you say
there is another chair, there are so many chairs you are sitting on, the other chair is
different but similar to the other one. If Kr̥ṣṇa uses the word avyakta-number-two is
another, people may think that the second-avyakta is similar to the first-one. But
Kr̥ṣṇa wants to say that avyakta-number-two is not only different but it is also
dissimilar. Therefore paraḥ and anyaḥ means it is both different and dissimilar. That
is said here, vyatiriktatvē sati api – even though avyakta number two is different
from avyakta-number-one, sālakṣaṇyaprasaṅgaḥ, sālakṣaṇyam means similar,
avyakta-number-two may be similar to that. Such a doubt may come. So prasaṅgaḥ
means there is a possibility of a different but similar avyakta, iti – because of such a
possibility, tadvinivr̥ttyartham – to negate the possibility of the similarity, āha ––
anyaḥ iti – the second word anyaḥ is to say that avyakta-number-two is similar
different and dissimilar. anyaḥ iti, anyaḥ is equal to vilakṣaṇaḥ, vilakṣaṇaḥ means

dissimilar. saḥ ca avyaktaḥ – this avyakta-number-two has got similarity also to

avyakta-number-one. And what is the similarity? anindriyagōcaraḥ – in being beyond
the sense organs avyakta-number-one and avyakta-number-two are similar. That is
why we use the word avyakta. Therefore saḥ ca avyaktaḥ anindriyagōcaraḥ. It is
beyond the sense organs.
Now I will present the whole thing in my language. Avyakta-number-one and

avyakta-number-two have got several similarities also, they have several
dissimilarities also. what are the similarities? Both are avyakta. What do you mean
by avyakta? Suprasensuous, beyond the sense organs. That is similarity number-
one. And what is the second similarity? Both are eternal. avyakta number-one is
nityam and avyakta number-two is also nityam. māyā is also eternal, Brahman is
also eternal. So in these two respects both of them are salakṣaṇaḥ, similar. But even
though there are two similarities there are several dissimilarities.
And what are some of the dissimilarities between māyā and Brahman? Māyā is
jaḍam, Brahman is cētanam. Māyā is sāvikāram, Brahman is nirvikāram. māyā is
saguṇam, Brahman is nirguṇam. Māyā is vyāvahārika satyam or mithyā, Brahman is
pāramārthika satyam. These are some of the differences. And the most important
difference is māyā keeps you in bondage and Brahman keeps you in freedom.
Continuing;
‘परस्तस्मात्’ इगत उक्तम् । कस्मात् पुनाः पराः? पूवोक्तात् भूतग्रामबीजभूतात् अगवद्यालक्णात् अव्यक्त त् । सन तनाः
शचरन्तनाः । याः साः भावाः सिेषु भूतेषु ब्रह्माददषु नश्यत्सु न विनश्यवत ॥ ८-२० ॥
„parastasmāt‟ iti uktam | kasmāt punaḥ paraḥ? pūrvōktāt bhūtagrāmabījabhūtāt

avidyālakṣaṇāt avyaktāt | sanātanaḥ cirantanaḥ | yaḥ saḥ bhāvaḥ sarvēṣu
bhūtēṣu brahmādiṣu naśyatsu na vinaśyati || 8-20 ||
„Parastasmāt‟ iti uktam – Kr̥ṣṇa says avyakta-number-two is difference from that.

Tasmāt means from that. And wherever you use the pronoun the question will come
the pronoun stands for which noun. Avyakta-number-two is different from that. That
means what? Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says kasmāt punaḥ paraḥ? – if avyakta-
number-two is different from that, what do you mean by „that‟?
The answer is given pūrvōktāt avyaktāt – it is different from that, which is none
other than avyakta-number-one which has been discussed in the previous ślōka.
Therefore pūrvōktāt avyaktāt. Tasmāt is equal to pūrvōktāt avyaktāt. And what is
avyakta-number-one? We call it māyā and Śaṅkarācārya explains that māyā as
bhūtagrāmabījabhūtāt – māyā is defined as the seed of the entire creation, so bījam
means seed, seed of bhūtagrāmam – the multitudes of being. So māyā is the seed

of creation and not only that avidyālakṣaṇāt – this māyā is otherwise called as
avidyā. Avidyālakṣaṇāt means avidyā-rūpāt. Māyā and avidyā are one and the same,
but to make it more precise we use the expression mūlā-avidyā. So here the word
avidyā means mūlā-avidyā. This mūlā avidyā is elaborately discussed in the third
chapter of Naiṣkarmya Siddhi. For that mūlā-avidyā pramāṇam is this particular line.
Because there is another branch advaita now coming up; it is a recent offshoot from
the traditional advaita; one particular Swami has become a rebellious-Swami by
Sacchidanendra Saraswati from Karnataka. Now he is no more. He was there a few
decades before. He is vehemently questioning the traditional concept called mūlā-
avidyā. And he accepts māyā but he refuses to accept mūlā-avidyā; thus we have
two camps mūlā-avidyā sadaka para camp; mūlā-avidyā nishedaka para camp and
we are in which camp; I do not enter into controversy, in this we belong to mūlā-
avidyā camp. There are two books; one book is mūlā-avidyā bhāṣya vārtika
sammata. Another book mūlā-avidyā bhāṣya vārtika viruddha. So that Karnataka
swami has written the book, mula-avidya is not supported by prasthana traya
bhāṣyam and Suresvaracarya vārtikam; whereas the traditional camp which we
belong to, we say mūlā-avidyā bhāṣya vartika sammada. It is a very big debate
going among scholarly circle. Someone if you meet and they question you should
say that we are mūlā-avidyā bhāṣyam vārtika sammada camp. And if you do not
understand both, do not bother at all; for that pramanam for us is this one word.
bhūtagrāmabījabhūtāt avidyālakṣaṇāt is very important for us in negating that
Sacchidantadrenda Saraswati a very prolific author, in English, in Sanskrit and in
Kannada. He has written several works. And now that is also slowly spreading.
Anyway one blessing is even though there are differences regarding mūlā-avidyā,
both of us agree in the fundamentals of advaitam. And what is the fundamentals;
brahma satyam jagan mithya, jivo brahmaiva na para. He also agrees; we also
agree. And aham brahmasi jnanena eva mōkṣa; he also agrees; we also agree;
therefore only we do not bother too much, but amongst scholarly circles, this is a
very big debate, which generally I avoid. Any this word avidyālakṣaṇāt inspired me
to say all these things. And he interprets this avidyālakṣaṇāt in a different way;
because he also studies all those things.
Then the next word in the ślōka is sanātanaḥ. Sanātanaḥ is equal to cirantanaḥ
which means eternal. What is eternal? Avyakta-number-two is changelessly-eternal.
yaḥ saḥ bhāvaḥ – this changelessly-eternal avyakta-number-two na vinaśyati is in
the mūlam, this will never perish. Sarvēṣu bhūtēṣu brahmādiṣu naśyatsu api –
even when all the beings, the entire creation resolves at the time of pralayam, all

the sthūla-śarīrams will resolve, all the sūkṣma-śarīrams will resolve, cidābhāsa also
will resolve, even when all of them resolve, you should note the word, we don‟t say
they will get destroyed, the word resolve means they will go to potential-condition,
dormant-condition. Even when they resolve, brahmādiṣu, that is what is important,
even that brahma for whom four hundred and thirty-two crores years is one day
time even that brahma will dissolve in mahā pralayam. Brahmāji going to sleep is
called kalpa-pralayam, Brahmāji himself resolving is called Mahā-pralayam. Even in
that mahā-pralayam Brahman avyakta-number-two never gets destroyed.
The anvaya is, yaḥ tu tasmāt avyaktāt paraḥ anyaḥ sanātanaḥ avyaktaḥ bhāvaḥ
(asti) saḥ sarvēṣu bhūtēṣu naśyatsu satsu na vinaśyati | Continuing;
Verse 08-21
अव्यक्तोऽक्र इत्युक्तस्तमाहुाः परमाां गगतम् ।
यां प्राप्य न गनवतयन्ते तद्धाम परमां मम ॥ गीता ८-२१ ॥
avyaktō:'kṣara ityuktastamāhuḥ paramāṁ gatim |

yaṁ prāpya na nivartantē taddhāma paramaṁ mama || Gītā 8-21 ||
So here Kr̥ṣṇa gives the most important message to differentiate the death of a
jñāni-jīvaḥ and the death of an ajñāni-jīvaḥ. An ajñāni-jīvaḥ at the time of death
merges into avyakta-number-one and appears again and again bhūtvā bhūtvā
pralīyatē. Some students had doubt, whether bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyatē is applicable to
only jñāni-jīvaḥ; Ajñāni-jīvaḥ maraṇakālē prathama avyaktam prāpya bhūtvā bhūtvā
pralīyatē, this is the lot of an ajñāni-jīva, he will be going round and round in
vyavaharika avyakta-number-one only. Whereas jñāni-jīvaḥ maraṇakālē dvitīyā-
avyaktam-prāpya bhūtvā bhūtvā na pralīyatē, he escapes from the cycle of birth and
death. Therefore bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyatē of verse number nineteen is applicable to
only ajñāni jīvaḥ. We have to carefully note. Some students had doubts. Bhūtvā
bhūtvā pralīyatē is applicable to only ajñāni-jīvaḥ because they are going round and
round in vyāvahārika avyakta one. Whereas jñāni-jīvaḥ has renounced the jīva-
bhāvaḥ and renouncing the jīva-bhāva is transcending vyāvahārika plane. In his case
maraṇam is said to be parāntakālam, parāntakālē parāmr̥tāḥ parimucyanti sarvē
(Kaivalyōpaniṣat 4, Muṇḍakōpaniṣat 3-2-6). Therefore jñāni jīvaḥ attains avyakta-
number-two.
And after attaining avyakta-number-two since there is no punar-janma, avyakta

number two is called paramāgatiḥ – non-returnable destination. And that is said in
this ślōka. yaṁ prāpya na nivartantē, and tat mama paramam dhāma – avyakta-

number-two is Brahman, My-own-higher-nature. Avyakta-number-one is māyā, My-

lower-nature.
And in the seventh chapter, avyakta number two, the higher nature was known by
another name, avyakta number two Brahman which is the higher nature of
Bhagavān was called by a specific name in the seventh chapter, now we are in the
eighth chapter. I have a right to ask the question and that name was parā-prakr̥tiḥ.
Whereas avyakta-number-one is māyā which is called the lower-nature-of-Īśvara
was called in the seventh chapter as aparā-prakr̥tiḥ. Aparā-prakr̥ti keeps you in
saṁsāra and parā-prakr̥ti saves you from saṁsāra. Therefore Arjuna come to parā-
prakr̥ti. This is the gist of the ślōka, now we will read the bhāṣyam.
याः असौ अव्यक्ताः अक्षराः इवत उक्ताः, तम् एव अक्रसांज्ञकम् अव्यक्तां भावम् आहुाः परम ं प्रकृष्टाां गवतम् । यं भावां प्र प्य
गत्वा न वनितथनते सांसाराय, तत् ध म स्थानां परमं प्रकृष्टां मम, गवष्णोाः परमां पदम् इगत अथयाः ॥ ८-२१ ॥
Yaḥ asau avyaktaḥ akṣaraḥ iti uktaḥ, tam ēva akṣarasaṁjñakam avyaktaṁ
bhāvam āhuḥ paramāṁ prakr̥ṣṭāṁ gatim | yaṁ bhāvaṁ prāpya gatvā na
nivartantē saṁsārāya, tat dhāma sthānaṁ paramaṁ prakr̥ṣṭaṁ mama, viṣṇōḥ
paramaṁ padam iti arthaḥ || 8-21 ||
So yaḥ asau avyaktaḥ akṣaraḥ iti uktaḥ – this avyakta-number-two which was
called akṣara in the previous ślōka, tam ēva – that very same avyakta-number-two,
akṣarasaṁjñakam – which has been named as akṣara, which is avyaktaṁ bhāvam,
the word bhāvaḥ is pure existence, that pure existence which is called avyaktam,
paramām gatim āhuḥ – that alone is the ultimate destination of every jīvaḥ.
Paramām is in the mūlam, is equal to prakr̥ṣṭām means the greatest or the highest,
superlatively good. gatiḥ means destination or goal, lakṣyam, parama puruṣārthaḥ.
Why do you say that is the ultimate goal? Because if any other goal you accomplish
you can enjoy the benefit only for a shorter while, tē taṁ bhuktvā svargalōkaṁ
viśālaṁ kṣīṇē puṇyē martyalōkaṁ viśanti (Gītā 9-21) you accomplish any other goal
there is an election period, every four year, five year or three years, once the
puṇyam is exhausted you will have to come back, therefore other goals are
temporary but this goal alone is non-returnable. Therefore Kr̥ṣṇa says yaṁ bhāvaṁ
prāpya, yaṁ is in the mūlam, is equal to bhāvam – pure existence, prāpya is in
the mūlam, is equal to gatvā – reaching which or attaining which.
We should make an aside note, „reaching that Brahman, avyakta-number-two

ultimate destination‟ when we use all the language, you all will get ready and decide
to travel, remember they are all expression but when you come to mahā-vākya-
vicāra the guru is going to put a bombshell in the mind, my dear śiṣya, that ultimate

goal you are not going to attain by travelling or not even by transformation, because
it is beyond āpti, utpatti, saṁskāra and vikāraḥ, caturvidha karmaphala
vilakṣaṇabhūtaḥ saḥ, aitadātmyamidagṁ sarvam tatsatyaṁ sa ātmā tattvamasi
śvētakētō (Chāndōgyōpaniṣat 6-8-7) you happen to be that parama-bhāvaḥ. So
sthūla-śarīram and sūkṣma-śarīram are called vyaktam, kāraṇa-śarīram is called
avyaktam number one, and you are avyakta-number-two. Sthūla and sūkṣma-
śarīrams are vyaktam and your own kāraṇa-śarīram is avyakta-number-one and you
the witness of the kāraṇa-śarīram at deep sleep state are avyakta-number-two.
Therefore reaching Brahman is claiming that I am Brahman, brahmavidāpnōti param
(Taittirīyōpaniṣat 2-1-1), brahma vēda brahmaiva bhavati (Muṇḍakōpaniṣat 3-2-9).
This Śaṅkarācārya himself will tell later but I could not resist, therefore I have told
you here itself. Therefore gatvā means jñātvā. Knowing that I am that Brahman na
nivartantē – that jñāni never comes back, his sūkṣma-śarīram merges into
Hiraṇyagarbha, his sthūla-śarīram merges into virāṭ, his kāraṇa-śarīram merges into
antaryāmi after maraṇam na nivartantē. And tat dhāma – that Brahman is
dhāma, dhāma is in the mūlam, is equal to sthānam – it is my abode. Literally
sthānam means abode, but that word also is confusing, because once you say
abode, you will imagine a vaikuṇṭha lōka, and milky ocean, and ādiśēṣaḥ and
Bhagavān, here abode means svarūpam iti arthaḥ. Tiṣṭhati asmin iti sthānam
svarūpam iti arthaḥ. And what type of abode is it? Paramam, paramam is in the
mūlam, is equal to prakr̥ṣṭam – it is the highest abode. Of whom? mama, mama
means viṣṇōḥ, Śaṅkarācārya wants to give happiness to all the vaiṣṇava people,
mama viṣṇōḥ mayi Viṣṇu, paramaṁ padam iti arthaḥ – mōkṣa is called paramaṁ
padam.
That is why on Vaikuṇṭha ēkādaśi there is parama pada sōpānam when you are
supposed to play snakes and ladders‟ game. When you climb the ladder it is
ūrdhvam gacchanti sattvasthāḥ, when you come down the snake adhō gacchanti
tāmasāḥ, then after snakes and ladders, you come to number 94 called manuṣya
janma, and from 94 you have to put number six, then you get parama pada
mōkṣam. That number six is aham brahma asmi. And if you don‟t do that you have
got three snakes in 95,97 and 99. So you should avoid all those three snakes
sāttvika, rājasa and tāmasa snakes. Sāttvika snake is 99. Guṇātītaḥ dice number you
put, you will attain mōkṣa. That is the idea, viṣṇōḥ paramaṁ padam iti arthaḥ.
The anvaya is, (yaḥ) avyaktaḥ akṣaraḥ iti uktaḥ tam paramām gatim āhuḥ, yam
prāpya (jīvāḥ) na nivartantē. Tat mama paramam dhāma (bhavati).

So what we have to note here is nineteenth verse and twenty-first verse should be
read together. Nineteenth verse is general rule and twenty-first verse is exception.
General rule is jīvas bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyatē, the exception is jñāni jīva na bhūtvā
bhūtvā pralīyatē it is the exception. Nineteenth is utsarga ślōka and twenty-first is
apavāda ślōka. In Saṁskr̥ta general rule is called utsarga and exception is called
apavāda. Continuing;

तल्लब्धेाः उपायाः उच्यते ––
tallabdhēḥ upāyaḥ ucyatē ––
So the natural question that will come in the mind of any seeker is raised here. In
the previous ślōka Kr̥ṣṇa said that if you reach avyakta number two you go beyond
punarapi-jananam punarapi-maraṇam cycle. Saṁsāra cakra you cross if you reach
avyakta number two. The natural question is how to reach avyakta number two.
Therefore Śaṅkarācārya uses very nicely. Tallabdhēḥ, tallabdhēḥ means reaching
avyakta two. Dvitīyā avyakta prāptiḥ. Tallabdhiḥ means dvitīyā avyakta prāptiḥ or
brahma prāptiḥ, parama pada prāptiḥ. Thus the impression parama padam is
common to viśiṣṭādvaitam and advaitam. We also use the expression parama pada
prāptiḥ for mōkṣa. They also will use. But what is the difference? For viśiṣṭādvaitam
parama padam is some place somewhere, whereas for us parama padam is here and
now. What is the pramāṇam for us? Kaṭhōpaniṣat vākyam, atra brahma samaśnutē
(Kaṭhōpaniṣat 2-3-14) parama padam is here and now. So upāyaḥ, upāyaḥ means
method, ucyatē – is being mentioned by Kr̥ṣṇa. We will read the ślōka.
Verse 08-22
पुरुषाः स पराः पाथय भक्तत्या लभ्यस्त्वनन्यया ।
यस्यान्ताःस्थागन भूतागन येन सवययमदां ततम् ॥ गीता ८-२२ ॥
puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā labhyastvananyayā |

yasyāntaḥsthāni bhūtāni yēna sarvamidaṁ tatam || Gītā 8-22 ||
First I will give you the gist of this ślōka. In the second line of the ślōka Kr̥ṣṇa gives
some more description of avyakta-number-two. Two more important descriptions are
given here. The first description is avyakta-number-two is not situated somewhere in
some other lōka requiring your long travel. Yasya antaḥ-sthāni bhūtāni – it is the
ādhāram of all the living beings, and being the ādhāra, it must be in and through
every being, just as water is the ādhāram of all the waves. And how many
kilometers should the wave travel to reach the water? Wave has to understand that

I am water in all the three periods of time. Therefore it is viśva ādhāram avyakta-
number-two. And the second description is that being viśvādhāram it pervades all
the living beings. It is in and through all the living beings. It is antaryāmi. Viśva
ādhāra is one description, antaryāmi is the second description. Such a Brahman you
have to reach by the following method.
What is that method? That is given in the first line. Ananyayā bhaktyā – by ananya
bhakti alone you have to reach that avyakta-number-two.
There is a confusion. So we expected Kr̥ṣṇa to say aham brahma asmi jñānēna, but
Kr̥ṣṇa is mischievous says ananyayā bhaktyā. Naturally the question will come what
is ananya-bhakti, then there is interpretational problem. They will say it is
śaraṇāgati, samasrayam; this and that, and all those things. Śaṅkarācārya says
ananya bhakti is the fourth bhakti described in the seventh chapter. If you are
regularly revising Bhagavad Gītā, it is not homework for you, here itself you can
trace the fourth bhakti. The ślōka of the seventh chapter you should remember here
is
चतुर्विंधा भजन्ते माां जनााः सुकृगतनोऽजुयन ।

आतो द्धजज्ञासुरथायथी ज्ञानी च भरतषयभ ॥ गीता ७-१६ ॥
caturvidhā bhajantē māṁ janāḥ sukr̥tinō:'rjuna |

ārtō jijñāsurarthārthī jñānī ca bharatarṣabha || Gītā 7-16 ||


So Śaṅkarācārya says for finding the definition of ananya-bhakti let us not quarrel.
You ask Kr̥ṣṇa himself. How do you ask Kr̥ṣṇa? By going to seventh chapter. In the
seventh chapter Kr̥ṣṇa himself has defined ananya-bhakti as advaita-bhakti or jñāni-
bhakti. Udārāḥ sarvē ēva ētē jñānī tu ātmā ēva mē matam (Gītā 7-18). Arjuna you
note jñāni is not My bhakta, that is all preliminary stages. jñāni is no more My
bhakta, but he is Me myself, jñānī tu ātmā ēva. When Kr̥ṣṇa Himself has defined
ananya-bhakti as advaita-bhakti or jñāni-bhakti why are you unnecessarily giving
other interpretations. Therefore ananya-bhakti means advaita-jñānam. That is what
is said in the bhāṣyam. We will read.
पुरुषाः पुरर ियनात् पूणयत्वात् वा, साः पराः प थथ, पराः गनरगतियाः, यस्मात् पुरुषात् न परां गकञ्चचत् । साः भक्तत्य लभ्याः तु
ज्ञानलक्णया अननयय आत्मगवषयया । यस्य पुरुषस्य अनताः-ि वन मध्यस्थागन काययभूतागन भूत वन ।

puruṣaḥ puri śayanāt pūrṇatvāt vā, saḥ paraḥ pārtha, paraḥ niratiśayaḥ, yasmāt
puruṣāt na paraṁ kiñcit | saḥ bhaktyā labhyaḥ tu jñānalakṣaṇayā ananyayā
ātmaviṣayayā | yasya puruṣasya antaḥ-sthāni madhyasthāni kāryabhūtāni
bhūtāni |
Puruṣaḥ is in the mūlam, Śaṅkarācārya gives two derivations for the word puruṣaḥ,
very important message, we have to note it and preferably remember it. Two
definitions of puruṣaḥ are given. One is puri śayanāt, puruṣaḥ means that ātmā
which resides in every body. Puri means śarīram and śayanāt means reside. One
ātmā resides in every body and as the resident of every body that ātmā is called jīva
ātmā. One puruṣa himself is called jīvātmā when it is residing in every body, just as
one ākāśa is called ghaṭa ākāśa when it is obtaining in a pot. Therefore puri śayanāt.
The second derivation is pūrṇatvāt vā – that which pervades everything, fills up
everything, pūrayati sarvam iti puruṣaḥ. Puri śayanāt puruṣaḥ. And the very same
ātmā has all-pervading Consciousness, it is called parama ātmā. One ātmā has two
titles. There are not two ātmās. One ātmā and two titles. one title is jīvātmā and the
other title is paramātmā. As all-pervading Consciousness paramātmā, as enclosed-
Consciousness jīvātmā. Enclosed-Consciousness and all-pervading Consciousness are
one and the same only. Like the enclosed-space and all-pervading space both are
one and the same.

296 Verses 08-22 and 08-23
Page 222, verse No.22 bhāṣyam

पुरुषाः पुरर ियनात् पूणयत्वात् वा, साः पराः प थथ, पराः गनरगतियाः, यस्मात् पुरुषात् न परां गकञ्चचत् । साः भक्तत्य लभ्याः तु
ज्ञानलक्णया अननयय आत्मगवषयया । यस्य पुरुषस्य अनताः-ि वन मध्यस्थागन काययभूतागन भूत वन ।
puruṣaḥ puri śayanāt pūrṇatvāt vā, saḥ paraḥ pārtha, paraḥ niratiśayaḥ, yasmāt
puruṣāt na paraṁ kiñcit | saḥ bhaktyā labhyaḥ tu jñānalakṣaṇayā ananyayā
ātmaviṣayayā | yasya puruṣasya antaḥ-sthāni madhyasthāni kāryabhūtāni
bhūtāni |
In this verse Lord Kr̥ṣṇa points out that whether one choses krama-mukti through
upāsana or whether one choses sadyō-mukti in this life itself, both the people will
have to ultimately come to advaita-jñānam. Even though we generally say a upāsaka
will get krama-mukti we should carefully note upāsaka cannot get krama-mukti
avoiding advaita-jñānam. The only difference is the upāsaka will go to brahma-lōka
and the advaita-jñānam which the upāsaka missed in manuṣya janma, the very
same advaita- jñānam he will have to get in brahma-lōka. Upāsaka can only
postpone advaita jñānam, he cannot avoid advaita-jñānam. Therefore only
Śaṅkarācārya very carefully comments the word bhaktyā as jñāna-lakṣaṇayā-
bhaktyā which is called the caturthī-bhaktiḥ, the fourth-bhakti. It is the idiom used
caturthī-bhaktiḥ, the fourth-bhakti. And when we hear the fourth-bhakti what is the
blessed fourth and all? You should remember the seventh chapter ārtō
jijñāsurarthārthī jñānī ca bharatarṣabha (Gītā 7-16) jñānī-bhaktiḥ is called the
caturthī-bhaktiḥ. It is the idiom used in vēdānta-śāstra. And therefore jñāna-
lakṣaṇayā-bhaktyā one has to merge into the Lord. That is what is said in this ślōka
for which Śaṅkarācārya comments puruṣaḥ. The word puruṣa means Brahman. He
gave two different derivations which we saw in the last class. Both derivations are
ok. Saḥ paraḥ, paraḥ means the highest, pāramārthikam brahma. Paraḥ is equal
to niratiśayaḥ which means superlative beyond which nothing else is there.
Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says yasmāt puruṣāt na paraṁ kiñcit – beyond which puruṣa
there is nothing else, this is the ultimate. And here Śaṅkarācārya uses the word
puruṣāt na paraṁ kiñcit. By using this expression Śaṅkarācārya wants to remind a
mantra occurring in the upaniṣat. These are all the bhāṣyam techniques. He will use
certain group words, other people will just see the meaning, but this group of words
will be occurring in some upaniṣat, Upanishadic student should immediately identify

that group of words. Puruṣāt na paraṁ kiñcit. I don‟t know how many of you can
immediately remember the upaniṣat. It occurs in Kaṭhōpaniṣat.
इद्धन्ियेभ्याः परा ह्यथाय अथेभ्यि परां मनाः ।

मनसस्तु परा बुद्धद्धबुयद्धेरात्मा महान्पराः ॥ कठोपगनषत् १-३-१० ॥
महताः परमव्यक्तमव्यक्तात्पुरुषाः पराः ।
पुरुषान्न परां तकिंशचत्सा काष्ठा सा परा गगताः ॥ कठोपगनषत् १-३-११ ॥
indriyēbhyaḥ parā hyarthā arthēbhyaśca paraṁ manaḥ |

manasastu parā buddhirbuddhērātmā mahānparaḥ || Kaṭhōpaniṣat 1-3-10 ||
mahataḥ paramavyaktamavyaktātpuruṣaḥ paraḥ |

puruṣānna paraṁ kiṁcitsā kāṣṭhā sā parā gatiḥ || Kaṭhōpaniṣat 1-3-11 ||
The ratha kalpanā is given where the life is compared to a journey and then the
upaniṣat says it is an inward journey. Gradually going from annamaya to prāṇamaya
etc., pañca-kōśa-vivēka of Kaṭhōpaniṣat and having come to puruṣaḥ, ātmā is called
puruṣaḥ, the inward journey ends in puruṣaḥ, beyond puruṣaḥ the journey does not
continue. That Kaṭhōpaniṣat mantra Śaṅkarācārya wants to remind by saying
puruṣāt na paraṁ kiñcit. And by saying that Śaṅkarācārya is conveying one more
thing. What is that? We may think that paraḥ puruṣaḥ we have to travel through
śukla-gati and thereafter reach some other lōka. If Kaṭhōpaniṣat mantra is
remembered the journey is not outward journey but the journey is inward. And
therefore according to vēdānta, vaikuṇṭha is our own heart only, Puranic vaikuṇṭha
is a representation of our own dahara puṇḍarikam is the vaikuṇṭha. All these
thoughts should go or should come when we read the expression puruṣānna paraṁ
kiṁcitsā kāṣṭhā sā parā gatiḥ || 11 || ēṣa sarvēṣu bhūtēṣu gūḍhō:':'tmā na
prakāśatē | dr̥śyatē tvagryayā buddhyā sūkṣmayā sūkṣmadarśibhiḥ || 12 || All those
fantasic mantras if you remember Śaṅkarācārya will be happy, I also will be happy.
And another fantastic word Śaṅkarācārya writes saḥ bhaktyā labhyaḥ – that
param brahma has to be acquired through bhakti, the caturthī-bhakti and caturthī-
bhakti is jñānalakṣaṇayā ananyayā which involves jñānam.
Then the question comes as what type of jñānam. So there Kr̥ṣṇa qualifies bhakti by
the word ananyayā bhaktyā, ananya bhakti means secondless bhakti, na vidyatē
anyaḥ yasya sā, a secondless bhakti. Now what do you mean by secondless, without
a second? All in the bhakti literature they will say there is no second thing other than
Bhagavān. Secondless-bhakti you can interpret in two ways. What is secondless-
bhakti? A bhakti in which there is no second thing other than Bhagavān. It is very
nice hear – there is no second thing other than Bhagavān. Such a bhakti is called
secondless-bhakti.

Śaṅkarācārya says no. What is secondless-bhakti? That bhakti in which Bhagavān is

not the second thing other than me. Śaṅkarācārya says there is no second God other
than the ātmā. That is called secondless-bhakti. Bhagavān does not remain separate
from the observer. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says ananyayā is equal to
ātmaviṣayayā. A bhakti in which Bhagavān is the ātmā. And by using the word ātmā,
Śaṅkarācārya again connects to Kaṭhōpaniṣat, ēṣa sarvēṣu bhūtēṣu gūḍhō:':'tmā na
prakāśatē (Kaṭhōpaniṣat 1-3-12). Thus the whole bhāṣyam, Śaṅkarācārya writes
remembering those kaṭha mantra series. That is why he uses the word ātma-
viṣayayā. And what type of ātmā is it? Yasya puruṣasya antaḥ-sthāni
madhyasthāni bhūtāni – within that puruṣaḥ who is none other than Brahman
which is none other than ātmā, in that puruṣaḥ, the ātmā, antaḥ-sthāni is equal to
madhyasthāni – within that puruṣa is bhūtāni, bhūtāni is in the mūlam; so you
have to closely look at the mūlam also; antaḥ-sthāni is in the ślōka is equal to
madhyasthāni, madhyasthāni means within, and bhūtāni is in the mūlam, you have
to reverse the order, bhūtāni is equal to kāryabhūtāni, kāryabhūtāni means the
entire creation. So thus within that Brahman is all the beings and jñāni knows that
Brahman is myself and therefore he says all the beings are within Me only. And after
that jñānam how can he desire to travel and reach? Travelling becomes meaningless
after this jñānam. Continuing;
कायं गह कारणस्य अन्तवयर्तिं भवगत । येन पुरुषेण सिं इदं जगत् ततं व्याप्तम् आकािेन इव घटादद ॥ ८-२२ ॥
kāryaṁ hi kāraṇasya antarvarti bhavati | yēna puruṣēṇa sarvaṁ idaṁ jagat

tataṁ vyāptam ākāśēna iva ghaṭādi || 8-22 ||
So the entire creation is within that puruṣaḥ, and hereafter the word puruṣaḥ must
be understood as ēka-ātmā. Before this knowledge we used two words parama-ātmā
and jīva-ātmā, after this aikya-jñānam, we don‟t use the adjective parama and we
don‟t use the adjective jīva but we use the adjective ēka-ātmā. Therefore puruṣaḥ
means ēkātmā, within that ēkātmā all the beings are there.
Now Śaṅkarācārya wants to give the logic for this. How do you say the entire
creation is within the ātmā? What is the logic behind it? Śaṅkarācārya says it is very
simple, ātmā is kāraṇam and entire creation is kāryam, and kāryam has to exist
within kāraṇam only.
And how do you know ātmā is the kāraṇam? Again you have to go back to the
upaniṣat, tasmādvā ētasmāt ātmanaḥ ākāśaḥ sambhūtaḥ. Ākāśādvāyuḥ
(Taittirīyōpaniṣat 2-1-2). And therefore Śaṅkarācārya writes kāryaṁ hi – the kārya
prapañca, the entire creation kāraṇasya – within the ēkātmā kāraṇam, which is

called puruṣaḥ in this ślōka, kāraṇasya ēkātmanaḥ puruṣasya antarvarti bhavati,

Antarvarti means residing inside, located inside, just as all the waves must be
existing within the water only, because water is the kāraṇam of all the waves. And
not only that, yēna sarvam idam tatam that is the fourth quarter of the ślōka,
yēna is in the mūlam, is equal to puruṣēṇa – by this puruṣa, by this ātmā, by this
kāraṇam alone, by the cause, sarvam idam is in the mūlam, is equal to jagat – the
entire creation, tatam is in the mūlam, is equal to vyāptam, vyāptam means
pervaded. So the entire creation is pervaded by that ēkātmā puruṣaḥ. Like what?
Ākāśēna ghaṭādi iva – just as the space pervades all the containers, all the objects,
ghaṭādi is incomplete and you have to supply the verb vyāptam just as all the
objects are pervaded by ākāśa the entire creation is pervaded by Bhagavān. And by
giving ākāśa example, what does Śaṅkarācārya convey? Ākāśa example is very
important in vēdānta because only then we will go beyond the concept of God as a
particular person. Because all the time meditating on Kr̥ṣṇa, Dēvī and Śiva, and all
the time locating Bhagavān is in Kailāsa, Bhagavān is in Vaikuṇṭha, our mind and our
sub-conscious mind always imagines Bhagavad-prāpti means as a person I have to
travel and reach Bhagavān in a location, that is so much strongly registered that
idea we must transcend, junior spirituality, Bhagavān is a person but for the senior
spiritual student Bhagavān is not a person, person is a symbol for the impersonal all-
pervading ākāśa tulya Bhagavān. Breaking that orientation is important, that is why
Śaṅkarācārya gives the example ākāśaḥ. Viśvādhāram gaganasadr̥śam. So
kṣīrōdhanvat pradēśē, mēghaśyāmaṁ pītakauśēyavāsam, is all good and you need
not give it up, but mēghaśyāmaṁ pītakauśēyavāsam is a symbol for viśvādhāram
gaganasadr̥śam. For junior student. mēghaśyāmam is important but for senior
student gaganasadr̥śam. is important. Śaṅkarācārya asks when will you transcend.
That is why somebody nicely said transformation is trans-formed – transcend the
form of God. God means form comes and transcending the form is transforming.
Vedantic-study should transform me, which means I should transcend the form like
ākāśavat.
The anvaya is, Hē Pārtha! ananyayā bhaktyā saḥ tu paraḥ puruṣaḥ labhyaḥ yasya
antaḥ-sthāni bhūtāni (bhavanti), yēna idam sarvam tatam (bhavati) |

‘प्रकृतानाां योगगनाां प्रणवावेशितब्रह्मबुद्धीनाां कालान्तरमुशक्तभाजाां ब्रह्मप्रगतपिये उिरो मागो वक्तव्य’ इगत ‘यत्र काले’
इत्यादद गववत्तक्ताथयसमपयणाथयम् उच्यते । आवृत्तिमागोपन्यासाः इतरमागयस्तुत्यथयाः ––

„prakr̥tānāṁ yōgināṁ praṇavāvēśitabrahmabuddhīnāṁ kālāntaramuktibhājāṁ

brahmapratipattayē uttarō mārgō vaktavya‟ iti „yatra kālē‟ ityādi
vivakṣitārthasamarpaṇārtham ucyatē | āvr̥ttimārgōpanyāsaḥ
itaramārgastutyarthaḥ ––
So as I had said before the eighth chapter is concentrating on krama-mukti, even

though we are not interested in krama-mukti topic. Therefore jñāni is not the subject
matter here, upāsaka is the subject matter; saguṇa-upāsaka who is a yōgi, who has
practiced saguṇa-bhēda-upāsana throughout the life and who manages to practice
the upāsana at the time of death also, he is the candidate for krama-mukti and
being ajñāni he will have to travel also. Therefore Kr̥ṣṇa wants to talk about the
travel of ajñāni-saguṇa-upāsaka-krama-mukti candidate. And travel after death is
through a special mārga called śukla-mārga or dēvayāna-mārga. Therefore Kr̥ṣṇa
wants to talk about the mārgas that are available. Therefore He wants to introduce
śukla-gati and along with that kr̥ṣṇa-gati also to make a contrast between śukla and
kr̥ṣṇa-gati and He wants to point out that kr̥ṣṇa-gati will take a person to svarga-
lōka from where one will return, whereas śukla-gati will take the upāsaka to brahma-
lōka from where he will get jñānam and mōkṣa. Thus karma-mārga kr̥ ṣṇa-gati
leading to svarga and return; upāsana-mārga, śukla-gati, brahmalōka and non-
return. This is the topic which Śaṅkarācārya introduces here. So prakr̥tānāṁ
yōginām, yōgi means saguṇa-brahma upāsakānām or krama-mukti adhikāris,
yōgyas. Why are you talking about krama-mukti when we are interested in akrama-
mukti if you ask, Śaṅkarācārya says prakr̥tānām the eighth chapter happens to be
krama-mukti topic. Therefore prakr̥tānām – for the people of our topic,
praṇavāvēśitabrahmabuddhīnām – those whose minds are absorbed in Ōm̐kāra
upāsana. So brahma means saguṇam-brahma, praṇava means Ōm̐kāra . Those
whose minds are absorbed in Īśvara, which Īśvara is invoked in Ōm̐kāra ālambanam.
So in simple language Ōm̐kāra upāsakānām and kālāntara-mukti-bhājām – those
who are going to attain liberation in a later time and later place. So kālāntara-mukti
means future liberation, bhājā means those who are going to get, attainers.
brahmapratipattayē – they also will merge into Brahman, but not in bhūlōka, but in
brahma-lōka they are going to become one with Brahman. Brahma-pratipattiḥ
means brahma aikya prāptiḥ, for brahma aikyam, uttarō-mārgaḥ – what is the
course of their journey, vaktavyaḥ – it has to be talked about because the eighth
chapter is krama-mukti chapter. The whole thing is within inverted comma which is
the thought of Kr̥ṣṇa. Kr̥ṣṇa is visualizing the whole thing and with this intention,
„yatra kālē‟ ityādi ucyatē – the following verses beginning from „yatra kālē‟, the
following series of verses beginning from „yatra kālē‟ is ucyatē – is being taught.

What is the purpose? Vivakṣitārtha-samarpaṇārtham – the present message of

mārga topic, the journey topic or the path topic, which is intended message.
Vivakṣitārtham means intended message of the two-fold path.
Then the question will come upāsaka will go through śukla-gati. Therefore Kr̥ṣṇa
wants to talk about krama-mukti in the eighth chapter. Therefore Kr̥ṣṇa must
confine to only śukla-gati topic and why should Kr̥ṣṇa unnecessarily introduce kr̥ṣṇa-
gati. Already we are not interested in śukla gati, now not only Kr̥ṣṇa is talking about
śukla-gati why is He unnecessarily talking about additional kr̥ṣṇa-gati which is not
relevant for krama-mukti. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says be patient. Learn to sit in a
class which is not interesting also. That is also important discipline. Therefore he
says āvr̥ttimārgōpanyāsaḥ – the discussion of returnable path of kr̥ṣṇa-gati is,
itaramārgastutyarthaḥ – for the glorification of śukla-mārga. So the greatness of
śukla-gati will be clear only when side by side kr̥ṣṇa-gati is placed. If you keep
jñānam near śukla-gati then śukla-gati will appear lesser. If you place kr̥ṣṇa-gati
near śukla-gati then śukla-gati will appear wonderful. Therefore for the glorification
he says itaramārga, itaramārga means śukla-mārga, āvr̥tti-mārga means kr̥ṣṇa-
mārga. So kr̥ṣṇa-mārga is presented for the sake of glorifying śukla-mārga by the
method of contrast. We will enter the ślōka.
Verse 08-23
यत्र काले त्वनावृत्तिमावृत्ििं चैव योगगनाः ।
प्रयाता यान्न्त तां कालां वक्ष्यायम भरतषयभ ॥ गीता ८-२३ ॥
yatra kālē tvanāvr̥ttimāvr̥ttiṁ caiva yōginaḥ |

prayātā yānti taṁ kālaṁ vakṣyāmi bharatarṣabha || Gītā 8-23 ||
This is the introductory ślōka to talk about kr̥ṣṇa-gati and śukla-gati. We will be
seeing the description of both of them in twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth ślōka. This
is an introductory ślōka. I am going to talk about the two mārgas by travelling
through which some candidates will return and some candidates will not return,
these two mārgas I am going to talk about. But here instead of using the word path
or mārga, Kr̥ṣṇa uses the word kālaḥ, the time which may be a confusing word and
this word can be understood only if you remember the discussion of the two mārgas
in the upaniṣat.
All these are indications to show that Bhagavad Gītā is based on the upaniṣat, that is
why many expressions of Kr̥ṣṇa can be understood only if the upaniṣat discussions
are remembered. In the upaniṣat, the two mārgas are described especially in

Chāndōgyōpaniṣat and Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat and while travelling in these two

mārgas the jīva has lost the sthūla-śarīram. Because it is the travel after death,
therefore the jīva will not have the physical body. And when the physical body is not
there, jīva doesn‟t have a freewill. Physical body is gone means especially human
physical body is gone, freewill is also gone. Therefore jīva cannot travel deliberately
using the freewill and therefore somebody else has to take the jīva. Like a baby is
taken by the parents, somebody will have to guide the jīva, and the upaniṣat
describes a group of dēvatās who will take the jīva through these mārgas. And it is
not one dēvatā, each segment is taken care of by one dēvatā. Thus the entire kr̥ṣṇa-
gati is divided into several segments, and entire Kr̥ṣṇa and śukla-gati are divided into
several segments and each segment is governed by a group of dēvatās. The names
of the dēvatās are given and most of the dēvatās are dēvatās presiding over the
kāla-tattvam. Most of the dēvatās who carry the jīva in śukla-gati and kr̥ṣṇa-gati all
the dēvatās happen to be kāla-dēvatā like dina-dēvatā, rātri-dēvatā, śukla-pakṣa-
dēvatā, uttarāyaṇa-dēvatā, dakṣiṇāyana-dēvatās, all these dēvatās are kāla-dēvatās.
So these kāla-dēvatās carry the jīva in śukla and Kr̥ṣṇa gati. And not only they carry,
while travelling we won‟t even know like the mother carrying a sleeping child,
sleeping-child is taken from TV-room to bed-room, but the child is not aware of what
all the places they mother takes. Thus the jīva travels without freewill, without
awareness carried by the kāla-dēvatā. And since the kāla-dēvatās carry in these two
mārgas, the mārgas are known by the word kālaḥ. Since the kāla-dēvatās carry the
jīva in kr̥ṣṇa-gati and śukla gati, kr̥ṣṇa-gati is also called kālaḥ and śukla-gati is
called kālaḥ. And in this verse Kr̥ṣṇa uses the word kālaḥ to indicate Kr̥ṣṇa and
śukla-gati. Therefore we should carefully note kālaḥ is equal to śukla-kr̥ṣṇa-gatiḥ. It
is called kāla because kāla-dēvatās carry the jīva without the knowledge of the jīva.
With this background we will go to the bhāṣyam.
यत्र काले प्रयातााः इगत व्यवगहतेन सम्बन्धाः ।

यत्र यस्स्मन् क ले तु अन िृसिम् अपुनजयन्म आिृत्ििं तगद्वपरीताां च एि । योवगनाः इगत योगगनाः कर्मिंणाः च उच्यन्ते ।
कर्मिंणाः तु गुणताः –– ‘कमययोगेन योगगनाम्’ [गीता ३-३] इगत गविेषणात् –– योगगनाः ।
yatra kālē prayātāḥ iti vyavahitēna sambandhaḥ |

yatra yasmin kālē tu anāvr̥ttim apunar-janma āvr̥ttiṁ tadviparītāṁ ca ēva |
yōginaḥ iti yōginaḥ karmiṇaḥ ca ucyantē | karmiṇaḥ tu guṇataḥ ––
„karmayōgēna yōginām‟ [Gītā 3-3] iti viśēṣaṇāt –– yōginaḥ |
Yatra kālē prayātāḥ iti, Śaṅkarācārya gives a note for saṁskr̥ta students who wants
to write anvaya for this ślōka. When you are writing the anvaya, he says yatra kālē
of the first line and prayātāḥ in the second line must be written together. Yatra kālē
prayātāḥ santaḥ. Thus you have to connect these words together. So yatra kālē

prayātāḥ iti vyavahitēna sambandhaḥ – the connection must be made with the
words which are far away. Vyavahitēna means connection with far away words. and
why far away? After the word kālē several words are there in between tu anāvr̥ttim
āvr̥ttim ca ēva yōginaḥ, after several words only the word prayātāḥ comes. And
therefore prayātāḥ must go back and join kālē. Therefore vyavahitēna means two
words which are far away must be brought together. This is an expression often
Śaṅkarācārya uses in his bhāṣyam, vyavahitēna sambandhaḥ means distanced words
must be brought together. And when such expression comes it is exclusively meant
for saṁskr̥ta students. That is the idea. And yatra is equal to yasmin, kālē is equal
to mārgē, that we have understand, kālē is equal to mārgē, by travelling through
which mārga, anāvr̥ttim is in the mūlam, is equal to apunar-janma, apunar-janma
means a destination of non-return, here it means krama-muktiḥ. That cause which
will lead to krama-mukti or brahmalōka, both are ok. āvr̥ttiṁ is in the mūlam, is
equal to tadviparītām – also a destination which is subject to return, tadviparītām
means opposite to that, because the previous destination is of non-return. The
second destination is that of return, return being opposed to non-return,
Śaṅkarācārya says tadviparītām, the returnable-destination which is different from,
opposed to non-returnable-destination, both destinations are reached by two
different mārgas I am going to talk about both of them.
Who are the candidates involved? Yōginaḥ. Śaṅkarācārya says here the word
yōginaḥ should be divided into two types of yōgis. Because the word yōginaḥ
literally means the seekers and here Kr̥ṣṇa refers to two types of seekers; Why two
types of seekers? Because two mārgas are there, two destinations are there,
therefore there must be two groups of people. What are those two groups?
Yōginaḥ is equal to upāsakāḥ, that is one group, and the second group is karmiṇaḥ
means ritualistic people, yōginaḥ karmiṇaḥ ca. What is the difference between?
Upāsakas do upāsana along with karma. upāsakas cannot give up ritual. upāsakas
are always samuccayakāriṇaḥ, they practice upāsana also, they practice rituals also,
therefore their puṇyam is far superior whereas the second group they do rituals all
right by they don‟t practice upāsanas. And they are called kēvala karmiṇaḥ. Both of
them are referred to by the word yōginaḥ by Kr̥ṣṇa. And karmiṇaḥ tu guṇataḥ,
guṇataḥ should be connected with the next line yōginaḥ bhavanti. Karmiṇaḥ tu
guṇataḥ yōginaḥ bhavanti. So what does it mean? How can you call karmis as yōgis?
These are all fine analysis, Kr̥ṣṇa had used the word yōginaḥ and Śaṅkarācārya
says the word yōginaḥ means meditators and the word yōginaḥ means ritualists
also. Now Śaṅkarācārya raises a question, yōginaḥ can mean meditators, that is

understandable, but how can the ritualists be called yōginaḥ? The ritualist do not
meditate. Then how can you call ritualists as yōginaḥ, the meditators?
Śaṅkarācārya says because Kr̥ṣṇa Himself has called ritualists as yōgis in the third
chapter. And since Kr̥ṣṇa uses the word yōgis for ritualists I am also translating that
borrowing the idea from the third chapter. Therefore he says „karmayōgēna
yōginām‟ [Gītā 3-3] iti – by using the expression karma-yōga Kr̥ṣṇa names ritualists
also as yōgis. Therefore there is nothing wrong in using the word yōgis for both the
ritualists as well as meditators. One is called upāsana yōgi and the other is called
karma-yōgi, it is perfectly all right. Therefore iti viśēṣaṇāt – because of this
expression used by Kr̥ṣṇa in the third chapter.
And thereafter one more aside analysis is made. I don‟t want to skip that, that point
also I would like to add here. The word yōgi literally means the one who
concentrates, yōgaḥ tu cittavr̥tti nir ōdhaḥ. A person who concentrates on something
is called a yōgi. Many people question the word karma-yōga itself, they say it is a
misnomer. Because karma means action. And action means the mind is extrovert
and the mind is wandering because any action requires several accessories. And
when several accessories are required the mind will be scattered all over that means
an active person will have an extrovert and scattered mind. karma means activity,
activity means extrovertedness, and extrovertedness means scattered all over,
therefore karmi is always with a scattered mind. Whereas the word yōga is a word
used for a converging-mind. karma means a diverted mind, yōga means a
convergent mind. Therefore how can you use the word karma-yōga, it is an
oxymoron. So thus some fine thinkers question the very expression karma-yōga.
Karma means divergent, Yōga means convergent. Karma-yōga means a divergent
convergent mind. It is like hot ice-cream. How can hot ice-cream be there? So this is
a pūrvapakṣa. All these we don‟t discuss at all. Karma-yōga is not possible, that is
why people say gr̥hastha āśrama means we are scatter brains, so many worries and
you are talking about ātmaniṣṭhā and Brahma-niṣṭhā, all these are stories. Because
our mind is scattered, so many duties are there. This question is asked in a logical
manner and they argue karma-yōga doesn‟t exist. And for that we give the answer
that karma-yōga is possible if a person has Īśvarārpaṇa bhāvanā, in and through all
the activities, divergent activities are there, still convergence is possible if a person
remembers in the background mayi sarvāṇi karmāṇi sannyasya. When a mother is
preparing food for the crying baby, she might be doing several things but what is
the destination, the goal? Baby. Just as the mother can never get out of the mind of
the baby or the money minded person whatever he does he will ask what is the

percentage. In his mind what is convergence? Percentage. Similarly, karma-yōgi has

got īśvarārpaṇa-bhāvanā,
यत्करोगष यदश्नाशस यज्जुहोगष ददाशस यत् ।

यिपस्यशस कौन्तेय तत्कुरुष्व मदपयणम् ॥ गीता ९-२७ ॥
yatkarōṣi yadaśnāsi yajjuhōṣi dadāsi yat |

yattapasyasi kauntēya tatkuruṣva madarpaṇam || Gītā 9-27 ||
Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says the word karma directly means divergence, but
figuratively it means convergence. Therefore he uses the word guṇataḥ. That word
guṇataḥ made me talk so much. The word karma directly means a divergent
extrovert mind only but figuratively since a karma-yōgi remembers God all the time,
figuratively it means yōgaḥ. Therefore the conclusion is karma-yōga is possible,
external-mind is divergent but the sub-conscious mind is focused on Bhagavān. More
in the next class.

297 Verses 08-23 and 08-24
Page 223 verse 23 bhāṣyam

यत्र काले प्रयातााः इगत व्यवगहतेन सम्बन्धाः ।
यत्र यस्स्मन् क ले तु अन िृसिम् अपुनजयन्म आिृत्ििं तगद्वपरीताां च एि । योवगनाः इगत योगगनाः कर्मिंणाः च उच्यन्ते ।
कर्मिंणाः तु गुणताः –– ‘कमययोगेन योगगनाम्’ [गीता ३-३] इगत गविेषणात् –– योगगनाः ।
yatra kālē prayātāḥ iti vyavahitēna sambandhaḥ |

yatra yasmin kālē tu anāvr̥ttim apunar-janma āvr̥ttiṁ tadviparītāṁ ca ēva |
yōginaḥ iti yōginaḥ karmiṇaḥ ca ucyantē | karmiṇaḥ tu guṇataḥ ––
„karmayōgēna yōginām‟ [Gītā 3-3] iti viśēṣaṇāt –– yōginaḥ |
In this twenty-third verse Lord Kr̥ṣṇa introduces śukla-gati and kr̥ṣṇa-gati, His main
intention is to talk about śukla-gati as a means of krama-mukti for the upāsaka.
Even though kr̥ṣṇa-gati is not the subject matter in the eighth chapter still Kr̥ṣṇa
introduces kr̥ṣṇa-gati also to show that śukla-gati is superior to kr̥ṣṇa-gati.
When there is a choice between jñānam and śukla-gati we have to certainly choose
jñānam. But when jñānam is not in the competition and there is a race between
śukla-gati and kr̥ṣṇa-gati, then we have to vote for śukla-gati only because it can
give krama-mukti and kr̥ṣṇa-gati cannot give krama-mukti. Thus to show the
superiority Kr̥ṣṇa introduces them. And naturally when two gatis are there, there will
be two sādhakas also who are candidates for these two gatis. And Kr̥ṣṇa uses the
expression yōginaḥ and Śaṅkarācārya says yōginaḥ should refer to both the karmis
as well as upāsakas. Karmis being the candidates for kr̥ṣṇa-gati and upāsakas are
the candidates for śukla-gati.
Then the next question will come upāsakas can called yōgis because they are
meditators but how can you call karmis as yōgis because the word yōgi is generally
reserved for meditators. And karmis are not meditating and how do you use the
word yōgis for the karmis. For that Śaṅkarācārya gives the answer. In the third
chapter Kr̥ṣṇa Himself has used the word „karmayōgēna yōginām‟ [Gītā 3-3]. The
word yōgis have been used for the karmis also. Then the next question is how did
Kr̥ṣṇa Himself use the word yōgis for the karmis because yōga requires convergence
of thoughts and karma requires divergence of thoughts. How can the word karma
and yōga ever co-exist? For which we saw the answer in the last class. A karmi also

has got Īśvarārpaṇa-bhāvanā. Therefore even though conscious mind is divergent

sub-conscious mind is converging in the Lord alone. What is the verse?

मयय सवायत्तण कमायत्तण सन्न्यस्य ॥ गीता ३-३० ॥

mayi sarvāṇi karmāṇi sannyasya || Gītā 3-30 ||
Thus a karmi can also be a yōgi if he remembers the Lord all the time. Therefore in
the twenty-third verse the word yōginaḥ refers to both the karmis and the upāsakas.
Up to this we saw in the last class. And for saṁskr̥ta students we have to complete
the sentence karmiṇaḥ tu guṇataḥ by adding yōginaḥ ucyantē. Continuing;
यत्र काले प्रय त ाः मृतााः योगगनाः अनावृत्ििं य न्नत, यत्र काले च प्रयातााः आवृत्ििं यान्न्त, तं क लं िक्ष्य यम भरतषथभ ॥ ८-
२३ ॥
yatra kālē prayātāḥ mr̥tāḥ yōginaḥ anāvr̥ttiṁ yānti, yatra kālē ca prayātāḥ
āvr̥ttiṁ yānti, taṁ kālaṁ vakṣyāmi bharatarṣabha || 8-23 ||
Now Śaṅkarācārya comes to the second half yatra kālē prayātāḥ, yōginaḥ referring
to upāsakas. Suppose there are some upāsakas, who die at this particular time, and
then we have established through enquiry. the word kāla does not refer to the time
of death, because according to śāstra the time of death is not at all relevant, the
type of sādhana is more relevant. Therefore the word time of death should indicate
the Kr̥ṣṇa or śukla-gati. And how can the word kāla be used here if you ask, I have
explained it in the last class kāla refers to the kāla-dēvatā and kāla-dēvatā refers to
kāla-dēvatā-adhina-mārgaḥ. Adhina-mārgaḥ means the path under their control.
Therefore kāla refers to dēvatā, dēvatā refers to mārga. Therefore yatra-kāla refers
to yēna-mārgēṇa. Prayātāḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to mr̥tāḥ, mr̥tāḥ means the
departed ones. The word yōginaḥ in this sentence means upāsakāḥ. The departed
upāsakas travel by which śukla-gati that I am going to talk about.
And what happens to them travelling through śukla gati? anāvr̥ttiṁ yānti – there is
a destination of non-return. What is the destination of non-return? Krama-mukti is
referred here. This refers to śukla-gati.
Then yatra kālē ca prayātāḥ – and I will also talk about the karmis, the ritualists.
After the word prayātāḥ yōginaḥ we have to supply and yōginaḥ refers to karmiṇaḥ.
In the first line yōginaḥ refers to upāsakas and in the second line you have to supply
the word yōginaḥ and that refers to karmiṇaḥ. Here also the word yatra=kālē refers

to dēvatā, dēvatā refers to dēvatā-adhina-mārgaḥ, here the mārga is kr̥ṣṇa-gati. So

that kr̥ṣṇa-gati through which the departed ritualists go. And what will happen to
them after going through kr̥ṣṇa-gati? āvr̥ttiṁ yānti – there a destination of return. It
is returnable destination and that is the returnable destination is svarga-lōka. taṁ
kālam means taṁ mārgam, here singular number is presented and we have to
supply that pair of mārga, those two mārgas, aham vakṣyāmi – I shall describe, hē
bharatarṣabha.
The anvaya is, Hē Bharatarṣabha! yatra kālē prayātāḥ (santaḥ) tu yōginaḥ anāvr̥ttim
āvr̥ttim ca ēva yānti, tam kālam vakṣyāmi. Continuing;
Verse 08-24
अग्ननज्ज्योगतरहाः िुक्तलाः षण्मासा उिरायणम् ।
तत्र प्रयाता गच्छन्न्त ब्रह्म ब्रह्मगवदो जनााः ॥ गीता ८-२४ ॥
agnirjyōtirahaḥ śuklaḥ ṣaṇmāsā uttarāyaṇam |

tatra prayātā gacchanti brahma brahmavidō janāḥ || Gītā 8-24 ||
In this ślōka Kr̥ṣṇa is talking about the śukla-gati taken by the upāsakas and I said
that śukla-gati is controlled by several dēvatās mentioned in the Chāndōgyōpaniṣat
and Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat. Among those several dēvatās Kr̥ṣṇa is referring to five
dēvatās who preside over or manage the śukla-gati. What are those five dēvatās
controlling śukla-gati? Agni-dēvatā, jyōtir-dēvatā, ahar-dēvatā, śukla-pakṣa-dēvatā
and uttarāyaṇa-dēvatā. The meanings are evident. Agniḥ means fire God, jyōtiḥ
means the God of the flame, which belongs to agni, ahaḥ-dēvatā means the deity of
the daytime, ahaḥ means daytime, śukla-pakṣa-dēvatā means the dēvatā of bright
fortnight, and uttarāyaṇa-dēvatā is the deity of northern solstice i.e., the six months
of the year beginning from January fifteen to July fifteen. Those six months are
called uttarāyaṇa-kālam and here uttarāyaṇam doesn‟t refer to the kāla, very
carefully we should remember uttarāyaṇam should be translated as uttarāyaṇa-
dēvatā and uttarāyaṇa-dēvatā should refer to uttarāyaṇa-dēvatā-adhina-mārgaḥ, the
śukla-gatiḥ. Thus the entire first line refers to the path. In the second line Kr̥ṣṇa says
tatra prayātāḥ brahmavidaḥ janāḥ, the brahmavidaḥ janāḥ means saguṇa-brahma-
upāsakāḥ. All are very confusing verses, every word confuses. Brahmavidaḥ janāḥ
must be understood as saguṇa-brahma-upāsakāḥ. And tatra prayātāḥ means
travelling through śukla-gati described in the first line. So saguṇa- brahma-upāsakas
travelling through the śukla-gati described in the first line, brahma gacchanti means
krama-muktim prāpnuvanti. This is the śukla-gati ślōkaḥ. Now we will read the
bhāṣyam.

अन््नाः कालात्तभमागननी दे वता । तथा ज्योवताः दे वता एव कालात्तभमागननी । अथवा, अग्ननज्ज्योगतषी यथाश्रुते एव दे वते ।
agniḥ kālābhimāninī dēvatā | tathā jyōtiḥ dēvatā ēva kālābhimāninī | athavā,

agnijyōtiṣī yathāśrutē ēva dēvatē |
For the word agniḥ and jyōtiḥ Śaṅkarācārya gives two different meanings. The first
meaning is agniḥ kālābhimāninī dēvatā – agni is the deity presiding over a particular
segment of time. Even though time is only one, the time itself has got several
segments like seconds, minutes, hours, day time, night time, month etc. Thus agni is
the presiding deity of a particular segment of time. kālābhimāninī dēvatā bhavati.
Tathā jyōtiḥ – in the same way the word jyōtiḥ also kālābhimāninī dēvatā ēva –
again a dēvatā presiding over another segment of time. Both are kāla-dēvatās.
Then Śaṅkarācārya gives another alternative meaning, because agniḥ and jyōtiḥ as
kāla-dēvatā is not at all known popularly. If you say agni is a kāla-dēvatā, śāstra
should describe agni presides over which segment of time. We don‟t find in
scriptures anywhere agni being described as kāla-dēvatā or jyōtiḥ as kāla-dēvatā,
therefore the first meaning is an unpopular meaning. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says if
you are not satisfied with this interpretation, then I will give you the popular
meaning. What is the popular meaning? Athavā. What is that? Agni is agni0dēvatā
and not kāla dēvatā. It is a dēvatā presiding over agni tattvam, the fire principle.
And what about jyōtiḥ? The same. Jyōtiḥ also refers to the deity presiding over
jyōtiḥ, the flame. Therefore agni and jyōti refer to agni-dēvatā and jyōtir-dēvatā,
and not kāla-dēvatā.
But this will create a problem. The first meaning will not create a problem. But it is
an unpopular meaning. The second meaning is the popular meaning but it will create
another problem. We won‟t see the problem. But Śaṅkarācārya being a thinking
commentator, he sees a problem and he introduces the problem for us and he
himself tells how to solve that problem. We will see what is that?
भूयसाां तु गनदे िो ‘यत्र काले’ ‘तां कालम्’ इगत आिवणवत् ।
bhūyasāṁ tu nirdēśō „yatra kālē‟ „taṁ kālam‟ iti āmravaṇavat |
These are the discussion which we will have only when we study the bhāṣyam.
When we study the mūlam we generally avoid the minute discussion. People ask
what is the difference between mūlam and bhāṣyam study. The difference is there
are portions in the bhāṣyam which are complicated, what we do is we delete those
portions when we teach the mūlam but when we teach the bhāṣyam those portions
cannot be deleted. This is the example. If you look at your mūlam notes this topic

won‟t be there. So what is the problem? We talked about five dēvatās. Agnir-dēvatā,
jyōtir-dēvatā, ahar-dēvatā, śukla-pakṣa-dēvatā, uttarāyaṇa-dēvatā. Of these five
dēvatās if you take the second meaning, agniḥ is agni-dēvatā and not kāla-dēvatā.
Jyōtiḥ is jyōtir-dēvatā and not kāla-dēvatā. But ahaḥ refers to ahar-dēvatā and
daytime happens to be kālaḥ, therefore ahar-dēvatā is kāla-dēvatā. Śukla-pakṣa-
dēvatā is kāla-dēvatā and uttarāyaṇa-dēvatā are kāla-dēvatā. But agni and jyōti are
non-kāla dēvatā, if you take the second meaning.
Now pūrva-pakṣi may raise a question. When agni and jyōti are not kāla-dēvatā,
how can you name the mārga as kālaḥ? Because Kr̥ṣṇa has named the śukla-mārga
and kr̥ṣṇa-mārga as kālaḥ in the previous ślōka. „Yatra kālē‟ the word is used there
the word kāla is referred to as the mārga. There we asked the question how can you
name the mārga as kāla. For that we said because kāla-dēvatās are presiding over it
is called kāla. Now pūrvapakṣi raises the question agni and jyōti are not kāla-dēvatā.
Therefore kāla-dēvatā is not presiding the mārga, when kāla-dēvatā is not presiding
the mārga how can you name the mārga as kālaḥ in verse number twenty-three? I
don‟t know whether you are understanding the question.
For that Śaṅkarācārya says yes I understand your question. Agni and jyōti are not
kāla-dēvatā. Therefore how can you name the mārga as kāla-dēvatā is the question.
Śaṅkarācārya says ahar-dēvatā and śukla-pakṣa-dēvatā and uttarāyaṇa-dēvatā
happen to be kāla-dēvatā. Therefore since kāla-dēvatā is presiding we are using the
word kāla. What is wrong?
Then pūrva-pakṣi raises the question because kāla-dēvatā is presiding you say it is
kālam. I can argue kāla-dēvatā is not the presiding deity, therefore it cannot be
referred to be kālam. Pūrvapakṣi can use agniḥ and jyōtiḥ and say that kāla-dēvatā
is not presiding. And we can say ahaḥ, śuklaḥ and uttarāyaṇam are kāla-dēvatās,
therefore it is kālam. Now pūrvapakṣi also has got favorable argument and we also
have got favorable argument. What is pūrvapakṣi‟s favorable argument? Agni and
jyōti are not kāla, therefore you cannot name the mārga as kāla. And what do we
argue? Ahar-dēvatā, śukla-pakṣa-dēvatā and uttarāyaṇa dēvatā are kāla-dēvatās,
therefore we can name as kāla.
Now the question is which one should win. Śaṅkarācārya says this is democracy. And
in democracy we have to take the vote. And when you take the vote we get three
votes, ahardēvatā is kāla dēvatā, śukla-pakṣa-dēvatā is also kāla-dēvatā and
uttarāyaṇa-dēvatā is also kāla-dēvatā, we get three votes, and pūrvapakṣi has got
non-kāla dēvatās agni and jyōti votes. Therefore in vote-taking pūrvapakṣi loses and

therefore Śaṅkarācārya says Kr̥ṣṇa is correct in naming śukla-gati as kālam because

most of the dēvatās presiding over śukla-gati happen to be kāla-dēvatā. Therefore
because of the majority of the kāla-dēvatās the path is called kālam. Śaṅkarācārya
says this in one line. Bhūyasāṁ tu nirdēśaḥ, bhūyasām means majority of kāla-
dēvatā is taken into account by Lord Kr̥ṣṇa and therefore Kr̥ṣṇa uses the expression
„yatra kālē‟ and „taṁ kālam‟ in the twenty-third verse. So the name is based on the
majority. The name kālaḥ for śukla-gati is based on the majority.
Then the next question is, is it possible to name something based on the majority.
Śaṅkarācārya says this is a widely used method only, and he gives an example in
support of that. The example is āmravaṇavat. Āmravaṇam means āmravanam.
vaṇam has become vanam because of the saṁskr̥ta sandhi rule. Vanam here means
a grove, āmra means mango tree. A person invites me to his mango grove, claiming
that he has got so many varieties of mango trees. In India we have got one hundred
twenty-three varieties of mangoes, something like that. There are people who
specialize in that. One of my student has got this mango grove. He gets from all
over India and specially grows. And when you go to the mango-grove, a mango-
grove can be called a mango-grove when everything there must be mango tree.
There must be mango plant, mango seed, and mango tree only but on scrutiny what
we find is that no grove can exclusively have mangoes only, certainly there will be at
least a few other plants also. Even if he doesn‟t deliberately grow plants and shrubs
are bound to come, even though other plants are there still we call it mango-grove
because of the majority of the plants being āmravr̥kṣāḥ it is called mango-grove.
Similarly, śukla-gati is called śukla-kālaḥ because of the majority kāla-dēvatās are
presiding over. That is the idea. Continuing;
तथा अहाः दे वता अहाः । शुक्तलाः िुक्तलपक्दे वता । षण्म स ाः उिर-आयणम्, तत्र अगप दे वता एव । मागयभूता इगत ञ्स्थताः
अन्यत्र न्यायाः । तत्र तस्स्मन् मागे प्रय त ाः मृतााः गच्छन्नत ब्रह्म ब्रह्मविदो ब्रह्मोपासनपरा जन ाः। ‘क्रमेण’ इगत वाक्तयिेषाः
।
tathā ahaḥ dēvatā ahaḥ | śuklaḥ śuklapakṣadēvatā | ṣaṇmāsāḥ uttara-āyaṇam,

tatra api dēvatā ēva | mārgabhūtā iti sthitaḥ anyatra nyāyaḥ | tatra tasmin
mārgē prayātāḥ mr̥tāḥ gacchanti brahma brahmavidō brahmōpāsanaparā janāḥ |
„kramēṇa‟ iti vākyaśēṣaḥ |
Tathā ahaḥ dēvatā ahaḥ, we have to reverse the order. Tathā ahaḥ equal to
ahardēvatā, ahaḥ means daytime. Then śuklaḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to śukla-
pakṣa-dēvatā. So double implication. Śukla refers to śukla-pakṣa by lakṣaṇa, and
śukla-pakṣa refers to śukla-pakṣa-dēvatā by lakṣaṇa, thus we have got double
implication which is called lakṣita-lakṣaṇa. Normally we have vācyārtha and

lakṣyārtha but rarely do we have lakṣaṇa to lakṣaṇa, śukla referring to śukla-pakṣa

by implication, śukla-pakṣa referring to śukla-pakṣa-dēvatā by implication and śukla-
pakṣa-dēvatā referring to mārga by implication. It is the implication of the
implication of the implication. Then ṣaṇmāsāḥ uttara-āyaṇam is equal to tatra api
dēvatā ēva – here also uttarāyaṇam refers to uttarāyaṇa-dēvatā. Mārgabhūtā iti
sthitaḥ anyatra nyāyaḥ. Here Śaṅkarācārya refers to a big discussion which he
avoids in this bhāṣyam. What is the big discussion? Whether time of death has got
any influence with regard to the journey after death. And there is a very big
misconception that dying in uttarāyaṇa-kālam is auspicious and dying in
dakṣiṇāyanam is inauspicious which has been popularized by Bhīṣmācārya waiting
for uttarāyaṇa in Mahābhāratam. Therefore there is a misconception. This
misconception is right or wrong has been analyzed elsewhere, Śaṅkarācārya says I
don‟t want to analyze that topic, it has been discussed in Brahmasūtra. Therefore he
says mārgabhūtāḥ – all these words like uttarāyaṇam etc., do not refer to time of
death at all. sthitaḥ – it has been established anyatra – in some other book, the
name of the book is nyāyaḥ. Nyāyaḥ means it is Brahmasūtra. So anyatra
brahmasūtrē nyāyaḥ sthitaḥ. Time of death does not matter at all. Then what
matters? The type of death and the type of at the time of death. In brahmasūtra it is
called ātivāhika adhikaraṇam and the sūtra is ātivāhikāstalliṅgāt (brahmasūtra 4-3-
4). In that sūtra the conclusion is Bhīṣmācārya waiting for uttarāyaṇam has no
relevance to the time of death at all, if the time of death is going to decide our next
janma, we will have several logical problems. And some of the logical problems I had
mentioned in my mūlam class of Bhagavad Gītā. So therefore Śaṅkarācārya is
referring to Brahmasūtra and I am referring to my mūlam Bhagavad Gītā class.
Therefore uttarāyaṇam does not refer to kāla but it refers to the mārga only. Then
tatra tasmin mārgē prayātāḥ, tatra is in the mūlam, is equal to tasmin mārgē –
through that mārga, i.e., śukla-mārga, prayātāḥ is equal to mr̥t āḥ, prayātāḥ
means the departed souls. And who are those departed souls? The upāsakas,
gacchanti brahma – they will merge into Brahman and will attain mōkṣa. Who are
they? Brahmavidaḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to brahma upāsana parāḥ, and you
have to add an adjective saguṇa brahma upāsana parāḥ janāḥ. The upāsakas will
attain mōkṣa.
So this also will create a problem, if you think. If you don‟t think there will be no
problem. If upāsakas will attain Brahman and mōkṣa why should I come to vēdānta?
For that question Śaṅkarācārya gives the answer in one line, „kramēṇa‟ iti
vākyaśēṣaḥ, you should not put a full stop, you should put a comma indirectly in the

form of krama-mukti. „Kramēṇa‟ means in the form of krama-mukti they will attain
Brahman. what do you mean by that? They will go to brahma-lōka, and they will
gain brahma-jñānam which they avoided in bhūlōka, they will have to do mahāvākya
vicāra and gain aham brahma asmi jñānam, therefore upāsana can give mōkṣa only
through jñānam, later. Therefore jñānam alone is the direct means of mōkṣa. This
also there is very big adhikaraṇam in Brahmasūtra that also I will tell you in the next
class. Continuing;
न गह सद्योमुशक्तभाजाां सम्यनदियनगनष्ठानाां गगताः आगगताः वा क्तवशचत् अस्स्त, ‘न तस्य प्राणा उत्क्रामन्न्त’

[बृहदारण्यकोपगनषत् ४-४-६] इगत श्रुतेाः । ब्रह्मसांलीनप्राणा एव ते । ब्रह्ममया ब्रह्मभूता एव ते ॥ ८-२४ ॥
na hi sadyōmuktibhājāṁ samyagdarśananiṣṭhānāṁ gatiḥ āgatiḥ vā kvacit asti,

„na tasya prāṇā utkrāmanti‟ [Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 4-4-6] iti śrutēḥ |
brahmasaṁlīnaprāṇā ēva tē | brahmamayā brahmabhūtā ēva tē || 8-24 ||
Śaṅkarācārya writes this paragraph because of the word Brahmavidaḥ occurring in

this verse, the word brahmavit can have two meanings – one is saguṇa-brahma-
upāsaka, number two is nirguṇa-brahma-jñāni. Brahmavidaḥ can mean two things –
saguṇa-brahma-upāsaka and nirguṇa-brahma-jñāni. In the Taittirīyōpaniṣat second
chapter brahmavidāpnōti param (Taittirīyōpaniṣat 2-1-1) is the famous statement,
there brahmavit must mean nirguṇam-brahma-jñāni. And remembering the
Taittirīyam, generally we forget therefore no problem, if you remember the word
brahmavit of Taittirīyam and here also Kr̥ṣṇa uses the same word brahmavit. Only
difference is there it is in singular number and here it is plural number. So here also
why can‟t we take nirguṇa-brahma-jñāni because it can be both. Here also Kr̥ṣṇa
says brahma gacchanti which means they will merge into Brahman. Here also
brahmavit merges into Brahman is there, in Taittirīyam brahmavit merges into
Brahman is there. In Taittirīyam he says nirguṇa-brahma-jñāni, here you take
saguṇam-brahma-upāsaka, what is the basis for taking different meaning? Is it the
commentator‟s choice or is there any rationale behind it? Śaṅkarācārya says I have a
logic. What is the logic? In this ślōka Kr̥ṣṇa is talking about merging into Brahman
after travelling. Tatra prayātāḥ brahmavidaḥ, posthumous travel is talked about in
the eighth chapter of Gītā, whereas travel is not talked about in Taittirīyam. The
moment the word travel comes, you have to go to saguṇa. The moment you take
away the travel you have to come to nirguṇa. Travel means saguṇa and non-travel
means nirguṇa.
Now the question is why do you say in nirguṇa-brahma-jñānam there is no travel. Is

it because you like it? This is the glory of Śaṅkarācārya. Every sentence he writes he
is aware of so many things. Brahmavidaḥ he correctly translated as saguṇa-brahma-

upāsaka and he added krama-mukti and then the next question is nirguṇa- brahma-
jñāni cannot come in this context because nirguṇa-brahma-jñāni doesn‟t have travel.
Now a pūrvapakṣi may ask what is the pramāṇam. Śaṅkarācārya quotes the
pramāṇam also. „na tasya prāṇā utkrāmanti‟ [Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 4-4-6] nirguṇa-
brahma-jñāni‟s sūkṣma-śarīram does not even leave the sthūla-śarīram. Where is the
question of travelling to this gati or that gati? nāmātrē vidyatē gatiḥ (Māṇḍūkya -
Kārikā 1-23). And therefore he says sadyō-mukti-bhājām – for nirguṇa-brahma-
jñānis who are candidates for mōkṣa here and now, that means not krama-mukti-
bhājām, who are the candidates of non-travelling mukti. Like in some shops they
talk about door delivery, you need not go only you make a phone call then there is
door delivery. Similarly, these people have registered their names therefore, they
don‟t have to go for mukti. Bhagavān will deliver mukti in the body itself. Door-
delivery-mukti is called sadyō-mukti. Who are they? Samyag-darśana-niṣṭhānām –
who have got the right understanding of Brahman. What is the right understanding?
Nirguṇam-brahma is right understanding, saguṇam-brahma is misunderstanding.
There is no such thing called saguṇam brahma. Therefore samyag-darśana-
niṣṭhānām nirguṇa-brahma-darśana-niṣṭhānām. Gatiḥ-āgatiḥ vā kvacit na asti –
there is no going or coming. Whereas Kr̥ṣṇa is talking about travel, therefore the
context is saguṇam brahma upāsaka. You should not bring nirguṇa-brahma=jñāni.
What is the pramāṇam? „na tasya prāṇā utkrāmanti‟ brahmaiva san brahmāpyēti
[Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 4-4-6]. iti śrutēḥ – because of this śruti vākyam,
brahmasaṁlīnaprāṇā ēva tē – there sūkṣma-śarīram has merged into Brahman. And
therefore brahmamayāḥ – they are brahmamayās that means brahmabhūtāḥ ēva tē
– they have become Brahman itself at the time of death. Vyāvahārika-dr̥ṣṭyā they
merge into Īśvara, pāramārthika dr̥ ṣṭyā they merge into Brahman. Either way they
don‟t travel. Therefore that nirguṇam-brahma jñāni should not be brought in the
eighth chapter context at all. Therefore the word brahma-vidaḥ means in the ślōka
refers to saguṇa upāsakas only.
The anvaya is, agniḥ, jyōtiḥ, ahaḥ, śuklaḥ (pakṣaḥ), ṣaṇmāsāḥ uttara-āyanam –
tatra prayātāḥ brahmavidaḥ janāḥ brahma gacchanti.

298 Verses-08-25 to 08-28
Page 224, bhāṣyam 2nd paragraph

न गह सद्योमुशक्तभाजाां सम्यनदियनगनष्ठानाां गगताः आगगताः वा क्तवशचत् अस्स्त, ‘न तस्य प्राणा उत्क्रामन्न्त’
[बृहदारण्यकोपगनषत् ४-४-६] इगत श्रुतेाः । ब्रह्मसांलीनप्राणा एव ते । ब्रह्ममया ब्रह्मभूता एव ते ॥ ८-२४ ॥
na hi sadyōmuktibhājāṁ samyagdarśananiṣṭhānāṁ gatiḥ āgatiḥ vā kvacit asti,

„na tasya prāṇā utkrāmanti‟ [Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 4-4-6] iti śrutēḥ |
brahmasaṁlīnaprāṇā ēva tē | brahmamayā brahmabhūtā ēva tē || 8-24 ||
In this verse number twenty-four Lord Kr̥ṣṇa defined śukla-gati by referring to

various kāla dēvatās presiding over śukla-gati and Śaṅkarācārya pointed out that this
ślōka should be interpreted based on the Brahma-sūtra discussion and he gave
reference to that. I will give you the number of the sūtras for those who are
interested, Brahmasūtra 4-3-4 to 4-3-6 and again later the krama-mukti discussion is
Brahmasūtra 4-3-14. In all these places the topics are elaborately discussed.
And in the final paragraph Śaṅkarācārya said wherever travel after death is talked
about the liberation can be only krama-mukti. And wherever we talk about jīvan-
mukti or sadyō-mukti there the topic is not at all upāsana, but it is a topic of
jñānam. Travel means upāsana, non-travel means jñānam. And in support of that he
quoted the mantra, „na tasya prāṇā utkrāmanti‟ [Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 4-4-6]. Then
after brahmasaṁlīnaprāṇā ēva tē there must be a full stop. Brahmamayā
brahmabhūtā ēva tē is a separate sentence. The eighth chapter does not deal with
jñānam and sadyōmukti, it deals with only krama-mukti through upāsana. Up to this
we saw in the last class. Continuing;
Verse 08-25
धूमो रागत्रस्तथा कृष्णाः षण्मासा दत्तक्णायनम् ।
तत्र चान्िमसां ज्ज्योगतयोगी प्राप्य गनवतयते ॥ गीता ८-२५ ॥
dhūmō rātristathā Kr̥ṣṇaḥ ṣaṇmāsā dakṣiṇāyanam |

tatra cāndramasaṁ jyōtiryōgī prāpya nivartatē || Gītā 8-25 ||
In this verse Kr̥ṣṇa is dealing with kr̥ṣṇa-gatiḥ, which is taken by the ritualistic
people who do not practice upāsana. In the first half of this ślōka in the name of
various kāla-dēvatās presiding over kr̥ṣṇa-gati is talked about. It is not referring to

the time of death, remember the time of death has no influence on the journey at
all. Therefore all these kāla refers to kāla-dēvatā presiding over the path and in the
second line the word cāndramasam-jyōtiḥ refers to the svarga-lōka. These ritualists
will travel through kr̥ṣṇa-gati, go to svarga-lōka, enjoy the heavenly pleasures and
thereafter they will come back. This is the essence of this ślōka. We will see the
bhāṣyam.
धूमो र वत्राः धूमात्तभमागननी रात्र्यत्तभमागननी च दे वता । तथा कृष्णाः कृष्णपक्दे वता । षण्म स ाः दशक्षण-आयनम् इगत च
पूवयवत् दे वता एव । तत्र चन्िमशस भवां च नरमसं ज्योवताः फलम् इष्टाददकारी योगी कमी प्र प्य भुक्तत्वा तत्क्यात् वनितथते
॥ ८-२५ ॥
dhūmō rātriḥ dhūmābhimāninī rātryabhimāninī ca dēvatā | tathā Kr̥ṣṇaḥ Kr̥ṣṇa

pakṣadēvatā | ṣaṇmāsāḥ dakṣiṇa-āyanam iti ca pūrvavat dēvatā ēva | tatra
candramasi bhavaṁ cāndramasaṁ jyōtiḥ phalam iṣṭādikārī yōgī karmī prāpya
bhuktvā tatkṣayāt nivartatē || 8-25 ||
Dhūmaḥ is the word occurring in the mūlam, it refers to dhūmābhimāninī dēvatā.

The word dhūmaḥ literally means smoke. Here the word smoke refers to the smoke
dēvatā. We have dēvatā even for smoke. Similarly, the word rātriḥ refers to
rātryabhimāninī dēvatā; all of them are the darker things. Smoke, night, etc., are
dark things, whereas daytime, flame, etc., are brighter things. One is bright path
because the goal is brighter goal of liberation; the other one is called dark path
because even though the goal is heaven, we have to carefully note, even the path
for heaven is termed as a dark thing because heavenly enjoyment is wonderful but
the negative news is that you have to come back to mosquitoes-ridden-Mylapore
once again. Therefore even the heavenly path is designated as the darker path.
Therefore rātriḥ is equal to rātryabhimāninī dēvatā; tathā Kr̥ṣṇaḥ, here also
carefully note Kr̥ṣṇa does not mean Lord Kr̥ṣṇa, Kr̥ṣṇa means kr̥ṣṇa-pakṣa, kr̥ṣṇa-
pakṣa means kr̥ṣṇa- pakṣa-dēvatā, the deity presiding over the dark fortnight. And
ṣaṇmāsāḥ dakṣiṇa-āyanam – the six months of dakṣiṇāyanam the southern
solstice and that also refers to not the time of but it refers to the dēvatās presiding
over. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says pūrvavat, pūrvavat means pūrva ślōka ukta
prakārēṇa as interpreted in the previous ślōka here also it refers to dēvatā only.
tatra, tatra means travelling by that kr̥ṣṇa-gati. Ānandagiri says tatra refers to
sāmīpya saptamī. We have several saptamīs. tatra refers to sāmīpya saptamī and
sāmīpya saptamī here means tēna mārgēṇa prayatāḥ santaḥ – travelling by that
path. Where do they go? Cāndramasam is in the mūlam, is equal to candramasi
bhavam – a lōka which is in the moon, moon-related-lōka. And moon related lōka is
svarga-lōka. Whereas brahma-lōka is said to be solar-lōka, lunar-lōka is svarga-lōka
according to śāstra. Therefore cāndramasam you have to change the order,

cāndramasam is equal to candramasi bhavam – the lunar world, jyōtiḥ, the word
jyōtiḥ in this context Śaṅkarācārya translates as phalam. So jyōtiḥ means the
phalam. phalam means the result of their travel. And what is the result of the travel?
Svarga-lōka is the result of the kr̥ṣṇa-gati. And this is attained by the yōgī-karmī.
Here also you have to change the order in the bhāṣyam. Yōgī is equal to karmī is
equal to iṣṭādikārī. In the previous-ślōka the word yōgi means upāsaka, and in this
ślōka the word yōgi means karmi, karmi means a ritualist. And ritualist means what
all rituals will he perform? Iṣṭādikārī. Vedic-fire-ritual. In
Iṣṭam means
Muṇḍakōpaniṣat iṣṭāpūrtam etc., we have seen. iṣṭam means Vedic-ritual and ādi
means all social service activities known as pūrtam. So iṣṭam pūrtam etc., whoever
performs those people will go to svarga-lōka. In the mūlam, prāpya is there
Śaṅkarācārya says not only will they go to svarga-lōka but they will enjoy all the
pleasures. Otherwise going there and watching all of them enjoying while you put
your tongue out is of no use. I should go and I myself will enjoy. Therefore
Śaṅkarācārya nicely adds bhuktvā – bhōgam kr̥tv ā. But what is the sad news?
Tatkṣayāt – after exhausting the credit card, nivartatē – they will come back.
The anvaya is, dhūmaḥ, rātriḥ, Kr̥ṣṇaḥ (pakṣaḥ), tathā ṣaṇmāsāḥ dakṣiṇāyanam –
tatra (prayātāḥ) yōgī cāndramasam jyōtiḥ prāpya nivartatē |
Verse 08-26
िुक्तलकृष्णे गती ह्येते जगताः िाश्वते मते ।
एकया यात्यनावृत्तिमन्ययावतयते पुनाः ॥ गीता ८-२६ ॥
śuklakr̥ṣṇē gatī hyētē jagataḥ śāśvatē matē |

ēkayā yātyanāvr̥ttimanyayāvartatē punaḥ || Gītā 8-26 ||
Here Kr̥ṣṇa consolidates the discussion, two candidates, two paths and two
destinations. Who are the two candidates? Karmi and upāsaka, ritualists and
meditators. The two paths are kr̥ṣṇa-gati and śukla-gati. The two destinations are
returnable svarga-lōka and non-returnable brahma-lōka. These three pairs may you
note. That is the essence of this ślōka. And Kr̥ṣṇa says these two mārgas have been
as eternal as the creation itself. As even the sr̥ṣṭi comes these two mārgas are there
and as long as the sr̥ṣṭi continues these two mārgas also will be there. So since
creation is eternal, these two mārgas also are eternal. Even during pralayam, the
two mārgas will be there in potential form and again sr̥ṣṭi comes the two mārgas
also will come. Along with the vēdas, the two mārgas are also created by the God.
This is the essence of the ślōka. Now we will see the bhāṣyam.

शुक्तल-कृष्णे – िुक्तला च कृष्णा च िुक्तलकृष्णे । ज्ञानप्रकािकत्वात् िुक्तला । तदभावात् कृष्णा । एते िुक्तलकृष्णे वह गती
। जगताः इगत अयधकृतानाां ज्ञानकमयणोाः, न जगताः सवयस्य एव एते गती सम्भवताः । श श्वते गनत्ये, सांसारस्य गनत्यत्वात्,
मते अत्तभप्रेते ।
śukla-kr̥ṣṇē – śuklā ca kr̥ṣṇā ca śuklakr̥ṣṇē | jñānaprakāśakatvāt śuklā |

tadabhāvāt kr̥ṣṇā | ētē śuklakr̥ṣṇē hi gatī | jagataḥ iti adhikr̥tānāṁ
jñānakarmaṇōḥ, na jagataḥ sarvasya ēva ētē gatī sambhavataḥ | śāśvatē nityē,
saṁsārasya nityatvāt, matē abhiprētē |
Śukla-kr̥ṣṇē is in the mūlam, Śaṅkarācārya says it is dvandva samāsa. Śuklā ca

kr̥ṣṇā ca śuklakr̥ṣṇē. Ākārāntaḥ strīliṅgaḥ prathamā dvivacanam. Why is śukla-gati
called the bright path? What is the significance of the word śuklam which means
white or bright? Three reasons are given.
The first reason is jñānaprakāśakatvāt. Because śukla-gati is associated with

upāsana, upāsana is a type of jñānam and jñānam is brighter, therefore the path is
also brighter. jñānasya upāsanasya prakāśa rūpatvāt.
And the second reason is the upāsaka will attain knowledge in brahmalōka, therefore
jñānam means brahma-jñānasya prakāśa rūpatvāt śukla mārgaḥ. So upāsanasya
prakāśa rūpatvāt brahma jñānasya prakāśa rūpatvāt, the path is also called white or
bright.
Then the third reason is the śukla-mārga is presided over by the deities which are
also bright deities because agni-dēvatā is bright, dhūma-dēvatā is not bright.
Similarly, flame-dēvatā is bright, similarly śukla-pakṣa-dēvatā is bright, therefore all
the dēvatās associated are bright, therefore also the path is called śukla-gati.
Therefore jñāna-prakāśakatvāt because of these three reasons, śuklā bhavati.
Tadabhāvāt – whereas in the kr̥ṣṇa-gati, bright upāsanam is not there, bright
brahmajñānam is not there, bright dēvatās are not there, because of the absence of
these three bright principles, tadabhāvāt, kr̥ṣṇā – the kr̥ṣṇa-mārga is called darker
path, the word kr̥ṣṇā here means darker. And ētē śuklakr̥ṣṇē hi gatī – these are the
two paths available for the ritualists and the upāsakas. And after gatī we have to
put a full stop. Then Kr̥ṣṇa uses an expression jagataḥ, jagataḥ literally means the
world, and the world here means the humanity. So these are the two paths available
for humanity. And Śaṅkarācārya wants to make a note here. The word humanity
does not mean the entire humanity, because all the human beings cannot take these
two mārgas, and therefore the word humanity must be given a restricted meaning
here. The restricted meaning in this context is that part of humanity which is
committed to either Vedic-rituals or Vedic upāsanas. Not the other human beings,
karmi and upāsakas are meant by the word humanity here. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya

says jagataḥ iti – the expression humanity in this ślōka refers to jñāna-karmaṇōḥ
adhikr̥tānām – only those people who follow vaidika-karmas or vaidika-upāsanas.
Only those people who follow vaidika-karmas and upāsanas. And here also the word
jñāna-karmaṇōḥ we should translate as upāsana-karmaṇōḥ, jñānam here means
upāsanam. After jñāna-karmaṇōḥ put a comma, then na sarvasya jagataḥ ēva ētē
gatī sambhavataḥ – the entire humanity cannot make use of those two mārgas.
Entry ticket is there and you should get special path. That is why in musical concert
also you can go only where open to all is put otherwise they will ask for pass.
Similarly, karma pass or upāsana pass is required. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says then
na sarvasya ēva jagataḥ ētē gatī sambhavataḥ. After sambhavataḥ full stop. And the
next word is śāśvatē is in the mūlam, is equal to nityē means eternal. What is
eternal? These two paths are eternal. And why are these two paths eternal? Because
the creation is eternal and therefore the paths are also eternal. And when you say
eternal pravāha nityatvam it has got eternity in the form of arrival departure again
arrival and again departure. This is called pravāhaḥ-nityatvam flowing-eternity is
there for the creation also and flowing eternity is there for śukla-kr̥ṣṇa-gati also.
Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says saṁsārasya nityatvāt. Here saṁsāra means creation.
So creation being eternal, these two paths are also eternal. Matē is in the mūlam, is
equal to abhiprētē, abhiprētē means considered. These two paths are considered
eternal by the scriptures.
शुक्तल-कृष्णे िुक्तला च कृष्णा च िुक्तलकृष्णे । ज्ञानप्रकािकत्वात् िुक्तला, तदभावात् कृष्णा । एते िुक्तलकृष्णे वह गती
जगताः इगत अयधकृतानाां ज्ञानकमयणोाः, न जगताः सवयस्य एव एते गती सम्भवताः । श श्वते गनत्ये, सांसारस्य गनत्यत्वात्, मते
अत्तभप्रेते ।
तत्र एकय िुक्तलया य वत अन िृसिम् । अनयय इतरया आितथते पुनाः भूयाः ॥ ८-२६ ॥
śukla-kr̥ṣṇē śuklā ca kr̥ṣṇā ca śuklakr̥ṣṇē | jñānaprakāśakatvāt śuklā, tadabhāvāt

kr̥ṣṇā | ētē śuklakr̥ṣṇē hi gatī jagataḥ iti adhikr̥tānāṁ jñānakarmaṇōḥ, na
jagataḥ sarvasya ēva ētē gatī sambhavataḥ | śāśvatē nityē, saṁsārasya
nityatvāt, matē abhiprētē |
tatra ēkayā śuklayā yāti anāvr̥ttim | anyayā itarayā āvartatē punaḥ bhūyaḥ || 8-
26 ||
Now Śaṅkarācārya comes to the second half of the ślōka. Tatra, nirdhāranē saptamī,
tatra means among these two mārgas, ēkayā anāvr̥ttim yāti – among these two
through one path the candidate will go to non-returnable brahma-lōka. And who is
the candidate? upāsaka. What is the mārga? Śuklayā. Therefore ēkayā is equal to
śuklayā, so through the śukla-gati upāsaka goes to non-returnable brahma-lōka.
After anāvr̥ttim put a full stop. And anyayā – travelling through the other mārga,

other means Kr̥ṣṇa mārga, anyayā is equal to itarayā, punaḥ āvartatē – the
candidate will come back to the creation, the universe. Punaḥ is in the mūlam, is
equal to bhūyaḥ. Why do you say once again? Because he has done that several
times before. Therefore he will come again because he has come several times
before.
The anvaya is, jagataḥ ētē śukla-kr̥ṣṇē gatī hi śāśvatē matē | ēkayā anāvr̥ttim yāti;
anyayā punaḥ āvartatē.
Verse 08-27
नैते सृती पाथय जानन्योगी मुह्यगत किन ।
तस्मात्सवेषु कालेषु योगयुक्तो भवाजुयन ॥ गीता ८-२७ ॥
naitē sr̥tī pārtha jānanyōgī muhyati kaścana |

tasmātsarvēṣu kālēṣu yōgayuktō bhavārjuna || Gītā 8-27 ||
Until now Lord Kr̥ṣṇa has introduced two mārgas – śukla-mārga and kr̥ṣṇa-mārga.
Now there is going to be election time. Kr̥ṣṇa says I have introduced the candidates
in the form of śukla-kr̥ṣṇa-gati and among these two mārgas, if you are asked to
choose one, which one you should vote for. Previously you didn‟t know the
difference between them, now that I have introduced both the candidates and given
the description also which is election campaign. Now that campaigning is over when
you have to choose which one you should vote for. Very careful. We are not taking
jñānam-candidate here which is gives mōkṣa here and now. That is in the seventh
and ninth chapter of Gītā. But in the eighth chapter election we have got only two
candidates kr̥ṣṇa-gati and śukla-gati. Kr̥ṣṇa asks which one you should vote for. And
after listening elaborately Kr̥ṣṇa says kindly don‟t vote for the kr̥ṣṇa-gati, even
though Kr̥ṣṇa is speaking here, intelligent person should vote for śukla-gati because
that alone can give krama-mukti. Therefore Kr̥ṣṇa says after understanding them an
intelligent person will never vote for kr̥ṣṇa-gati, he will vote only for śukla-gati. And
Arjuna I want you to be an intelligent voter. This is the essence of the ślōka. We will
see the bhāṣyam.
न एते यथोक्ते सृती मागौ प थथ ज नन् ‘सांसाराय एका, अन्या मोक्ाय’ इगत, योगी न मुह्यवत किन कत्तिदगप । तस्म त्
सिेषु क लेषु योग-युक्ताः समागहतो भि अजुथन ॥ ८-२७ ॥
na ētē yathōktē sr̥tī mārgau pārtha jānan „saṁsārāya ēkā, anyā mōkṣāya‟ iti, yōgī
na muhyati kaścana kaścidapi | tasmāt sarvēṣu kālēṣu yōga-yuktaḥ samāhitō
bhava Arjuna || 8-27 ||

Ētē sr̥tī jānan – after knowing the relative worth of both these mārgas, jānan
means after knowing, ētē sr̥tī – the relative worth of both these mārgas, ētē is in
the mūlam, is equal to yathōktē – described above, sr̥tī is in the mūlam, is equal to
mārgau, the two mārgas or paths. pārtha – hē Arjuna. jānan – after knowing.
Knowing what „ēkā saṁsārāya, anyā mōkṣāya‟ – one leads to saṁsāra and another
leads to mōkṣa. Kr̥ṣṇa gati leads to saṁsāra because svarga also in vēdānta falls
within saṁsāra only. So one path takes to saṁsāra, another path takes to mōkṣa.
mōkṣa means krama-mukti mōkṣa. Thus knowing the relative worth. From
saṁsārāya upto mōkṣāya‟ we have to put it in inverted comma, iti jānan – knowing
in this manner, yōgī na muhyati, na is in the first line in the bhāṣyam should be
connected na muhyati. An intelligent human being never gets confused with regard
to choice of the mārga, an intelligent human being na muhyati. Kaścana is in the
mūlam, is equal to kaścidapi – no human being gets deluded and Arjuna I assume
that you are also an intelligent human being. Therefore Kr̥ṣṇa says tasmāt –
therefore, sarvēṣu kālēṣu – at all the time, yōga-yuktaḥ bhava – may you be
committed to Īśvara upāsana. Tasmāt sarvēṣu kālēṣu mām anusmara yudhya ca
(Gītā 8-7) that He is reminding. Never forget God even for one moment. So santata-
Īśvara-smaraṇam either will take you to krama-mukti or it will take you to sadyō-
mukti; therefore never forget God. If the eighth chapter has to be summarized in
one line – never forget God. As one bhakta sang, son may forget the mother,
mother may forget the son, even the eyes may forget to blink, I will never forget the
name of the Lord, let anything be forgotten even in ICU with ventilator I may forget
all my family members, but I will not forget Īśvara. The eighth chapter means never
forget God. Arjuna yōga-yuktaḥ bhava means Īśvara-smaraṇavān-bhava, yōgaḥ
means Īśvara-upāsanam, yōga-yuktaḥ means committed to Īśvara-upāsanam,
committed to Īśvara-smaraṇam-bhava – may you become. So yōga-yuktaḥ is
equal to samāhitaḥ.
The anvaya is, Hē pārtha! ētē sr̥tī jānan (san) kaścana yōgī na muhyati. Hē Arjuna!
tasmāt sarvēṣu kālēṣu (tvaṁ) yōga-yuktaḥ bhava.
िृणु तस्य योगस्य माहात्म्यम् ––
Verse 08-28
वेदेषु यज्ञेषु तपाःसु चैव
दानेषु यत्पुण्यफलां प्रददष्टम् ।
अत्येगत तत्सवययमदां गवददत्वा
योगी परां स्थानमुपैगत चाद्यम् ॥ गीता ८-२८ ॥

śr̥ṇu tasya yōgasya māhātmyam ––

vēdēṣu yajñēṣu tapaḥsu caiva
dānēṣu yatpuṇyaphalaṁ pradiṣṭam |
atyēti tatsarvamidaṁ viditvā
yōgī paraṁ sthānamupaiti cādyam || Gītā 8-28 ||
Now Kr̥ṣṇa concludes the entire chapter by glorifying upāsana-phalam by pointing

out that the result of one upāsana is superior to all the vaidika as well as laukika-
karmāṇi, all the karma-phalam you put it one pan of the balance and upāsana-
phalam you put it in another pan of the balance, the upāsana-phalam krama-mukti
will be superior to all the karmas put together. This is the essence of this ślōka.
Therefore Śaṅkarācārya introduces yōgasya māhātmyam śr̥ṇu – may you listen to
the superiority of the yōga, the meaning of the yōga in this context is saguṇa-
Īśvara-upāsanam. Yōgaḥ is equal to saguṇa-Īśvara-upāsanam. And māhātmyam
means the glory, and krama-mukti is the glory of yōga. Śr̥ṇu – may you listen to.
िेदेषु सम्यक् अधीतेषु यज्ञेषु च साद्गुण्येन अनुयष्ठतेषु तपाःसु च सुतप्तेषु द नेषु च सम्यनदिेष,ु यत् एतेषु पुण्य-फलं
पुण्यस्य फलां पुण्यफलां प्रददष्टं िास्त्रेण, अत्येवत अतीत्य गच्छगत तत् सिं फलजातम्, इदं विददत्ि सप्तप्रश्नगनणययद्वारेण
उक्तम् सम्यक् अवधायय अनुष्ठाय योगी, परम् प्रकृष्टम् ऐश्वरां ि नम् उपैवत प्रगतपद्यते आद्यम् आदौ भवम्, कारणां ब्रह्म
इगत अथयाः ॥ ८-२८ ॥
vēdēṣu samyak adhītēṣu yajñēṣu ca sādguṇyēna anuṣṭhitēṣu tapaḥsu ca

sutaptēṣu dānēṣu ca samyagdattēṣu, yat ētēṣu puṇya-phalaṁ puṇyasya phalaṁ
puṇyaphalaṁ pradiṣṭaṁ śāstrēṇa, atyēti atītya gacchati tat sarvaṁ phalajātam,
idaṁ viditvā saptapraśnanirṇayadvārēṇa uktam samyak avadhārya anuṣṭhāya
yōgī, param prakr̥ṣṭam aiśvaraṁ sthānam upaiti pratipadyatē ādyam ādau
bhavam, kāraṇaṁ brahma iti arthaḥ || 8-28 ||
In the first half of the ślōka, Kr̥ṣṇa gives a list of great vaidika-karma, which a
vaidika can do and accumulate puṇyam, all the possible karma-phalams he mentions
so that we can place them in one of the pans of the balance. What are those
karmas? vēdēṣu yat phalam, vēdēṣu is equal to samyak-adhītēṣu – vēda-
adhyayanam, here the word vēda refers to vēda-adhyāyanam, vēda-adhyāyanam
means vēda-pārāyaṇam. Suppose a person does daily vēda-pārāyaṇam, and that too
samyak adhītēṣu – properly, without any svara mistake he chants, and imagine all
the pārāyaṇa-phalam which is karma-phalam number one. Then yajñēṣu – not only
does he pārāyaṇam, many yajñas or yāgas he performs. And how does he performs?
sādguṇyēna anuṣṭhitēṣu – he performs perfectly without any deficiency. Sādguṇyam
means completely, perfectly. That is right time, right oblations, right invocation of
dēvatās as we saw in Muṇḍakōpaniṣat, kālī karālī ca manōjavā ca (Muṇḍakōpaniṣat
1-2-4). Offering at the right place etc., he does. This is karmaphalam number two.
Another mountain of karma-phalam he has accumulated. And tapaḥsu ca, tapas

means varieties of austerities like ēkādaśi upavāsa, and special viṣṇu-sahasranāma-

pārāyaṇam and dvādaśī he invites great vaidikas and gives bhōjanam etc., all these
are tapas, sutaptēṣu – which are performed in the proper manner. And this is the
third karma-phalam. And dānēṣu – he does all types of charity and samyagdattēṣu
– charity also in the seventeenth chapter of the Gītā sāttvika, rājasa, tāmasa dānams
are there. Śaṅkarācārya says here he gives sāttvika dānam, dēśē kālē ca pātrē ca
dānam (Gītā 17-20) is called sutaptēṣu and yat ētēṣu puṇya-phalam – all the
puṇya phalam, four bundles of puṇya phalam he has accumulated and may you
place them in one pan of the balance. So puṇya-phalam is in the mūlam and
Śaṅkarācārya gives the vigraha vākyam, after puṇya-phalam you put an en dash,
puṇyasya phalaṁ puṇyaphalam, again put an en dash, parenthesis; ṣaṣṭhī tatpuruṣa,
this is the phalam of all the puṇya karmas. puṇyaphalam means puṇya
karmaphalam. And how do you know how much phalam it will give? śāstrēṇa
pradiṣṭam – which has been promised by the śāstras. pradiṣṭam means
upadiṣṭam, upadiṣṭam means promised by the śāstram.
And now Kr̥ṣṇa comes to upāsaka. Tat sarvaṁ atyēti – the upāsana-phalam excels
or surpasses all the four bundles of karma-phalam put together. atyēti is in the
mūlam, is equal to atītya gacchati – surpasses, overtakes, excels. What? tat
sarvam is in the mūlam, is equal to phala-jātam, phala-jātam means all the four
karma-phalams put together, four karma-phalam are vēda adhyayanam, yajña
anuṣṭhānam, tapas anuṣṭhānam, and dāna-anuṣṭhānam, all the four karma-phalam
bundles is called phalajātam put together you place it in one pan, upāsana-phalam
will surpass. Upāsana-phalam pan will come down, which means it is heavier. When?
idaṁ viditvā – if a person knows Īśvara-upāsana method, idaṁ viditvā means
having learnt this lesson. Having learnt this lessons means which lesson?
Śaṅkarācārya says saptapraśnanirṇayadvārēṇa uktam – the lesson which is taught in
this eighth chapter. How? Sapta-praśna-nirṇaya-dvārēṇa – in the form of answers to
the seven questions that Arjuna raised. Sapta-praśna-nirṇayam, nirṇayam means
uttaram, in the form of answers to the seven questions whatever lesson has been
taught in the eighth chapter you have to note. And what is that lesson? Īśvara-
upāsanam is the lesson. So Īśvara-upāsanam-jñātvā, so viditvā is in the mūlam, is
equal to samyak avadhārya – having thoroughly understood. And then Śaṅkarācārya
adds a very important note. What is that? It is not enough you know, it is not
enough that you know, you have to practice the upāsanam. Therefore he says
anuṣṭhāya, you have to get up early in the morning without giving excuses. So
therefore having practiced upāsana. How long? Throughout the life you have to

practice. And not only throughout the life, what is most important thing? At the time
of death if I remember my grandson means everything is gone. At the time of death
also you have to set aside the family members, take leave of them sufficiently early,
and may you spend the last moments of death in Īśvara-smaraṇam. Bhajagōvindam
bhajagōvindam samprāptē sannihitē kālē (Candraśēkhara bhāratī) nahi nahi rakṣati
ḍukr̥ñkaraṇē (bhajagōvindam 1). So one ācārya wrote eight ślōkas in which the
fourth line is sarvaṁ vyarthaṁ maraṇasamayē sāmba ēva sahāyaḥ. Sāmbāṣṭakam.
You can understand. sarvaṁ vyarthaṁ maraṇasamayē – at the time of death
everything else is useless, only one is useful, sāmba ēva sahāyaḥ. Sāmba means
ambayā-sahitaḥ-Īśvaraḥ, Lord with ambā, sāmba ēva sahāyaḥ. Therefore yōgī,
anuṣṭhāya – the upāsaka, param prakr̥ṣṭam aiśvaraṁ sthānam upaiti – this
upāsaka attains aiśvaraṁ sthānam means Īśvara-sthānam which means krama-
muktiḥ. And what type of Īśvara ? param – who is the supreme Lord, param is in
the mūlam, is equal to prakr̥ṣṭam, sthānam is equal to aiśvaram, upaiti is equal to
pratipadyatē – he will attain, ādyam is equal to ādau bhavam, and ādau bhavam is
equal to kāraṇam, so kāraṇa Īśvara. And what is that kāraṇa Īśvara ? Brahma iti
arthaḥ. Therefore kāraṇa Īśvara is none other than Brahman. That Brahman the
upāsaka attains. Therefore Arjuna may you become Īśvara-bhakta and Īśvara-
upāsaka. With this all the questions are answered. The eighth chapter is over.
The anvaya is, vēdēṣu yajñēṣu tapaḥsu dānēṣu ca ēva yat puṇya-phalam pradiṣṭam
tat sarvam yōgī atyēti | idam viditvā (yōgī) ādyam param sthānam upaiti ca |
इगत श्रीमत्परमहांसपररव्राजकाचाययस्य श्रीगोगवन्दभगवत्पूज्ज्यपादशिष्यस्य श्रीमच्छङ् करभगवताः कृतौ श्रीमद्भगवद्गीताभाष्ये

अष्टमोऽध्यायाः ॥
ॐ पूणयमदाः पूणययमदम् पूणायत्पूणयमुदच्यते । पूणयस्य पूणयमादाय पूणयमेवावशिष्यते॥ ॐ िान्न्ताः िान्न्ताः िान्न्ताः ॥ हरराः ॐ.

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Chapter 9 – राजविद्या राजगह्

ु य योग
299 Chapter-9, Introductory bhāṣyam and Verse-1
Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga - The Yoga of the Greatest Secret
Starts at 7.20 (before that audio pertains to the 8th chapter).
Page 226
Introductory bhāṣyam.
अष्टमे नाडीद्वारेण धारणायोगाः सगुणाः उक्ताः । तस्य च फलम् अनन्यर्चिंराददक्रमेण कालान्तरे ब्रह्मप्रान्प्तलक्णम् एव
अनावृत्तिरूपां गनर्दिंष्टम् ।
तत्र ‘अनेन एव प्रकारेण मोक्प्रान्प्तफलम् अयधगम्यते, न अन्यथा’ इगत तदािङ् काव्यागववृत्सया–– श्रीभगवान् उवाच ––
aṣṭamē nāḍīdvārēṇa dhāraṇāyōgaḥ saguṇaḥ uktaḥ | tasya ca phalam

agnyarcirādikramēṇa kālāntarē brahmaprāptilakṣaṇam ēva anāvr̥ttirūpaṁ
nirdiṣṭam |
tatra „anēna ēva prakārēṇa mōkṣaprāptiphalam adhigamyatē, na anyathā‟ iti

tadāśaṅkāvyāvivr̥tsayā–– Śrī Bhagavān uvāca ––
First Śaṅkarācārya summarizes the subject matter of the eighth chapter aṣṭamē
means aṣṭamē adhyāyē– in the eighth chapter nāḍīdvārēṇa dhāraṇāyōgaḥ uktaḥ–
the practice of Yogic concentration was pointed out as a part of saguṇaḥ – saguṇa
Īśvara upāsana. That means a person should practice saguṇa Īśvara upāsana
throughout the life and at the time of death he should practice saguṇa Īśvara
upāsana and withdraw the sūkṣma-śarīram through the nāḍis of the body. Therefore
he says nāḍīdvārēṇa dhāraṇāyōgaḥ uktaḥ. And the result of this saguṇa upāsana
practice throughout the life as well as at the time of death is krama-muktiḥ and
therefore the ācārya says tasya ca phalam, tasya means saguṇa upāsanasya
phalam, is kālāntarē brahma-prāpti-lakṣaṇam – upāsana will not give liberation here
and now, but it will give liberation, but kālāntarē, kālāntarē means at a later time the
upāsana will give liberation. And what is the nature of liberation? Brahma-prāpti-
lakṣaṇam – a liberation which is in the form of oneness with Brahman. Brahma-
prāptiḥ means brahma aikya lakṣaṇam mōkṣa phalam kālāntarē labhyamānam
uktam.
Ninth Chapter downloaded from arshaavinash.in Page 3388

And if it is going to be attained later, how and what is the procedure? agni-arcirādi-
kramēṇa – which involves the upāsaka jīvas travel through agniḥ, arciḥ, etc. agniḥ
means fire, arciḥ means jyōtiḥ, arcirādi-kramēṇa – by travelling through a path
which is presided over by agni dēvatā, arcir dēvatā etc. And when we say upāsaka
has to travel we should carefully note sthūla-śarīram of the upāsaka will not travel,
ātmā of the upāsaka will not travel, sthūla-śarīram cannot travel because it is buried
or cremated here itself, ātmā cannot travel because it is all-pervading. Therefore
upāsaka travels means all the other portions other than sthūla-śarīram and ātmā,
i.e., sūkṣma-śarīram, kāraṇa-śarīram and most important thing cidābhāsa, the
reflected Consciousness it will have to travel and later merge into Brahman. So
definitely mōkṣa is possible, we have a special name for this mōkṣa, that is krama-
mukti rūpam phalam uktam . This krama-mukti indicates anāvr̥ttirūpam , because the
upāsaka merges into Brahman the upāsaka will not return back assuming another
body. Therefore anāvr̥ttirūpam means a krama -mukti which is in the form of non-
return. The word non-return should be understood as punar -janma rahitam krama -
mukti phalam . So anāvr̥ttirūpam punar -janma rahitam brahma-prāpti-lakṣaṇam
krama-mukti rūpam phalam-nirdiṣṭam was mentioned in the eighth chapter.
Then what is the intention of the ninth chapter. Śaṅkarācārya says after reading the
eighth chapter a person may think that this is the only method of getting liberation.
After reading the eighth chapter, especially those people who come to only the
eighth chapter, they may conclude that this is the only method of liberation and that
too a tough method because at the time of death I should meditate and I should
withdraw the sūkṣma-śarīram and all that. Thus a person may think this is the only
method. Therefore in the ninth chapter, Kr̥ṣṇa wants to say there is an alternative
method, not only an alternative method, a simpler method also which doesn‟t
require sitting in meditation at the time of death, which does not require Yogic
expertise and which does not require withdrawal of sūkṣma-śarīram through the
nāḍi, all these things are not at all required. An easier method, and not only that
through the difficult method you will get mōkṣa later; through the easier method you
will get mōkṣa now itself. That easier method is going to be dealt with in the ninth
chapter. And in the ninth chapter it is not newly introduced, it has been already
introduced in the seventh chapter. But this student attended only the eighth chapter
unfortunately and therefore Śaṅkarācārya says ninth chapter talks about the easier
sadyō-mukti rūpa mōkṣaḥ. Therefore he says tatra, tatra means this being so,
āśaṅkāvyāvivr̥tsayā, āśaṅkā means a possible doubt. What is the possible doubt?
That should be within the inverted comma „anēna ēva prakārēṇa mōkṣa-prāpti-

phalam, „anēna ēva prakārēṇa‟ means only through upāsana mārga or krama-mukti
rūpam, prakārēṇa mōkṣa prāpti-phalam krama-mukti prāpti phalam adhigamyatē – a
person can resort to, is available. So upāsana mārga is the only path available for
mōkṣa. This is the „wrong understanding‟ within quotation, this is not the right
understanding, he is quoting thē wrong understanding, what is that? „This is the only
mārga for mōkṣa‟, na anyathā‟– there is no other path for mōkṣa, iti āśaṅkā – such a
doubt and confusion and misconception may arise in the mind of an unfortunate
student who studies only the eighth chapter of the Gītā. That is why we repeatedly
say never study Gītā partially. For that matter never study any scripture partially.
Partial study of scriptures can give partial understanding, can give doubtful
understanding, can give wrong understanding, can give confused understanding,
and it can put a person off totally. That is why I repeatedly say consistent and
systematic study of the scriptures for a length of time. What is one of the
problems that may come? A student studies only the eighth chapter, instead of
loving the scriptures he may develop a dislike for the scriptures also. Therefore
Śaṅkarācārya says partial study may create a confusion , and tat vyāvivr̥tsayā – with
an intension to eliminate this possible misconception, vyāvivr̥tsā means the desire to
eliminate. So with a desire to remove this possible misconception Śrī Bhagavān
uvāca – Bhagavān introduces the ninth chapter. Now we will read.
Verse 09-01
श्री भगवानुवाच ।
इदां तु ते गुह्यतमां प्रवक्ष्याम्यनसूयवे ।
ज्ञानां गवज्ञानसगहतां यज्ज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽिुभात् ॥ गीता ९-१ ॥
Śrī Bhagavān uvāca |
idaṁ tu tē guhyatamaṁ pravakṣyāmyanasūyavē |
jñānaṁ vijñānasahitaṁ yajjñātvā mōkṣyasē:'śubhāt || Gītā 9-1 ||
So Kr̥ṣṇa introduces the subject matter saying that I am going to give you a superior
knowledge, superior compared to the knowledge I gave in the last chapter. The
knowledge given in the eighth chapter was saguṇa-Īśvara or brahma-upāsanam. The
topic in the ninth chapter is nirguṇa-brahma-jñānam. Saguṇa-brahma-upāsanam is
the previous chapter. Nirguṇa-brahma-jñānam is the current chapter. Saguṇa-
brahma-upāsanam itself is a secret topic, nirguṇa-brahma-jñānam is a greater
secret. Therefore He says guhyatamam, and that brahma-jñānam, nirguṇa-brahma
jñānam is the subject matter of the ninth chapter. He divides the knowledge itself
into two types nirguṇa-brahma-parōkṣa-jñānam the first stage, and nirguṇa-brahma-
aparōkṣa-jñānam the second stage. Both levels of jñānam I am going to give.
nirguṇa-brahma-parōkṣa-jñānam He calls it as jñānam, nirguṇa-brahma-aparōkṣa-

jñānam He gives the name vijñānam. The subject matter of the ninth chapter is
nirguṇa-brahma-jñānam and nirguṇa-brahmavijñānam.
What is the difference between jñānam and vijñānam? „nirguṇam-brahma-asti‟ is

jñānam, „there is nirguṇam-brahma‟ is jñānam, „nirguṇam- brahma-asmi‟ is
vijñānam, „that nirguṇam-brahma-I-am‟ is vijñānam. Both I am going to give. And
this knowledge also will give liberation like the previous one. Just as saguṇam-
brahma-upāsanam gives liberation, nirguṇam-brahma-jñānam also gives liberation.
Then what is the difference? Saguṇam-brahma-upāsanam gives kālāntarē kramataḥ,

you have to wait. Like the old computer and the new computer. Those people who
use the new computer which functions instantaneously and these people are highly
restless when they take the old one because they have to wait for one full minute
consisting of sixty seconds we have to wait. So nowadays we don‟t have patience,
and Kr̥ṣṇa seems to be very modern. Therefore he says I am giving you a nirguṇam-
brahma-jñānam computer, which does not require to wait for sixty seconds, fifty-
nine, fifty-eight, not even one second you have to wait. It is ultra-modern gives
instantaneous liberation. This is the gist of this ślōka. We will go to the bhāṣyam.
इदं ब्रह्मज्ञानां वक्ष्यमाणम् उक्तां च पूवेषु अध्यायेष,ु तत् बुद्धौ सयन्नधीकृत्य इदम् इगत आह । तु-िब्दाः गविेषगनधायरणाथयाः ।
idaṁ brahmajñānaṁ vakṣyamāṇam uktaṁ ca pūrvēṣu adhyāyēṣu, tat buddhau

sannidhīkr̥tya idam iti āha | tu-śabdaḥ viśēṣanirdhāraṇārthaḥ |
Idam is in the mūlam, is equal to brahma-jñānam, the word idam refers to nirguṇa
brahma-jñānam. What type of nirguṇa brahma-jñānam? Vakṣyamāṇam uktaṁ ca –
nirguṇa brahma-jñānam which is going to be discussed in the ninth chapter, so
vakṣyamāṇam navamē, navamē vakṣyamāṇam and uktaṁ ca – which has been
already discussed in the seventh chapter. So navamē vakṣyamāṇam saptamē uktaṁ
ca iti viśēṣaḥ. Pūrvēṣu adhyāyēṣu, Śaṅkarācārya says not only in the seventh chapter
I have discussed, it has been discussed in the earlier chapters also. For example in
the fifth chapter, nirdōṣam hi samam brahma tasmāt brahmaṇi tē sthitāḥ || Gītā 5-
19 || and in the fourth chapter the famous ślōka, remember the lunch or dinner,
brahmārpaṇaṁ brahmahavir brahmāgnau || Gītā 4-24 || in the fourth chapter it has
been talked about, in the second chapter ēṣā brāhmī sthitiḥ pārtha || Gītā 2-72 ||
Therefore pūrvēṣu adhyāyēṣu uktam , tat buddhau sannidhīkr̥tya – keeping that
brahma-jñānam in the mind Kr̥ṣṇa uses the pronoun idam. So thus Śaṅkarācārya is
validating the use of a pronoun in the beginning of a chapter because normally
speaking you should never use a pronoun in the beginning. Suppose I ask you „Has
he come?‟ Then you will raise your eyebrows how can you use the word „he‟. A

pronoun stands for a noun, first I should use the noun, thereafter I can use a
pronoun to refer to the already used noun. Without using a noun, using a pronoun is
a false approach. But Kr̥ṣṇa has done that. What is that? idam starts with a
pronoun. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says Kr̥ṣṇa has not committed any mistake
because brahma-jñānam has been discussed in the previous chapters, He is allowed
to use the pronoun , therefore don‟t unnecessarily find fault with our sarvajña kr̥ ṣṇa.
That is why he uses the word buddhau -sannidhī-kr̥tya – keeping in mind the
brahma-jñānam discussed in earlier chapters, Kr̥ṣṇa uses the word idam brahma-
jñānam, so idam iti āha – therefore no pronoun mistake is there . It is validation of
Kr̥ṣṇa‟s expression. The next word is tu, idam tu. For the expression tu two types
of significance are given. Śaṅkarācārya gives one significance and some other
commentators give another significance. Tu is to differentiate brahma-jñānam of the
ninth chapter from the brahma-jñānam of the eighth chapter. In the eighth chapter
also brahma-jñānam has been talked about as a part of upāsana; the ninth chapter
also deals with brahma-jñānam. What is the difference between aṣṭamādhyāya ukta
brahma-jñānam and navamādhyāya ukta brahma-jñānam? The difference is
indicated by the expression tu which means however. In the eighth chapter
saguṇam-brahma is the subject matter whereas in the ninth chapter nirguṇam-
brahma is the subject matter. Upāsyam-saguṇam-brahma is the eighth chapter. And
jñēyam-nirguṇam-brahma is the ninth chapter. iti vailakṣaṇya dyōtanārtham tu-
śabdaḥ.
And Śaṅkarācārya gives another significance here. He says it is to show that

saguṇam-brahma-jñānam is not the right knowledge. Nirguṇam-brahma-jñānam
alone is the right knowledge. Why Saguṇam-brahma-jñānam is not the right
knowledge, because there is no such thing called saguṇam-brahma at all, Brahman
is always nirguṇam only. so since Brahman is ever nirguṇam, saguṇam-brahma
being a misconception, saguṇam-brahma-jñānam is not samyag-jñānam and this
alone is the right knowledge, to indicate this is the right knowledge Kr̥ṣṇa uses the
expression tu. Therefore He says tu-śabdaḥ– the expression tu in the ślōka; tu-
śabdaḥ is a compound word, there should not be any gap in between, tu iti śabdaḥ
tu-śabdaḥ, karmadhāraya samāsa; viśēṣa-nirdhāraṇārthaḥ– is to emphasize an
important idea, to specify a significant idea. What is that significant idea? That
Śaṅkarācārya explains in the next paragraph. we will read.
इदम् एव सम्यनज्ञानां साक्ात् मोक्प्रान्प्तसाधनम् ‘वासुदेवाः सवययमगत’ [गीता ७-१९] ‘आत्मैवेदां सवयम’्
[बृहदारण्यकोपगनषत् २-४-६] ‘एकमेवागद्वतीयम्’ [छान्दोनयोपगनषत् ६-२-१] इत्याददश्रुगतस्मृगतभ्याः । न अन्यत् ।
„अथ येऽन्यथातो गवरृाः अन्यराजानाः ते क्य्यलोका भवन्न्त’ [छान्दोनयोपगनषत् ७-२५-२] इत्याददश्रुगतभ्याः च ।

idam ēva samyagjñānaṁ sākṣāt mōkṣaprāptisādhanam „ Vāsudēvaḥ sarvamiti‟

[Gītā 7-19] „ātmaivēdaṁ sarvam‟ [Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 2-4-6]
„ēkamēvādvitīyam‟ [Chāndōgyōpaniṣat 6-2-1] ityādiśrutismr̥tibhyaḥ | na anyat |
„atha yē:'nyathātō viduḥ anyarājānaḥ tē kṣayyalōkā bhavanti‟ [Chāndōgyōpaniṣat

7-25-2] ityādiśrutibhyaḥ ca |
All are very subtle and beautiful observations. Śaṅkarācārya said previous saguṇam-
brahma-jñānam is false idea misconception, nirguṇam-brahma-jñānam alone is the
right knowledge samyag-darśana. So a person may ask a question, how do you say
saguṇam-brahma-jñānam is false and nirguṇam-brahma-jñānam alone is right while
both are capable of giving liberation. Saguṇam-brahma-jñānam also helps the
upāsaka in getting krama-mukti liberation, nirguṇam-brahma-jñānam also helps the
jñāni to get liberation. When both can give liberation, why do you say saguṇa is
wrong and nirguṇa is right when both are equally effective?
Śaṅkarācārya asks the question who said saguṇam-brahma-jñānam gives liberation.

Then the other person is shocked, only in the previous chapter he said upāsaka who
meditates on saguṇam-brahma gives liberation.
Śaṅkarācārya says if you can read the fine print, saguṇam-brahma-jñānam never
gives liberation to upāsaka. Saguṇam-brahma-jñānam takes upāsaka to Brahma-lōka
only. It never never gives liberation. It takes upāsaka to Brahma-lōka only, it never
gives liberation. From that it is clear that saguṇam-brahma-jñānam is misconception.
The very fact that it can take only to Brahma-lōka and it cannot give liberation,
indicates it is not right knowledge. Then after going to Brahma-lōka what does the
upāsaka do? He has to gain nirguṇam-brahma-jñānam. Therefore if you read it finely
saguṇam-brahma-jñānam has not given liberation, it has brought him near
nirguṇam-brahma-jñānam and nirguṇam-brahma-jñānam alone gives liberation.
Therefore what is the fact? Saguṇam-brahma-jñānam is false and nirguṇam-brahma-
jñānam alone is right knowledge. Therefore he says idam ēva samyag-jñānam – this
right knowledge called nirguṇam-brahma-jñānam alone is sākṣāt
mōkṣaprāptisādhanam – will directly and ultimately lead a person to liberation.
Therefore even upāsaka will have to come to nirguṇam-brahma-jñānam, that alone
gives liberation, and that is why the expression sākṣāt – it directly takes one to
liberation. Ityādiśrutismr̥tibhyaḥ– which is clarified in all the scriptures. This message
that nirguṇam-brahma-jñānam alone can give liberation is emphasized in all the
scriptures. He gives a few examples, one is „ Vāsudēvaḥ sarvamiti‟ [Gītā 7-19]. This
is seventh chapter of the Gītā nineteenth verse. Everything is Vāsudēvaḥ. How does

it convey nirguṇam-brahma? Vāsudēvaḥ sarvam how does it convey nirguṇam-

brahma?. You have to carefully extract the message. When you say everything is
Vāsudēvaḥ or Kr̥ ṣṇa, everything is Kr̥ ṣṇa, means there is nothing other than Kr̥ ṣṇa.
When I say all ornaments are gold, what does it mean? We just superficially listen.
Vedantin says When you say all ornaments are gold, it means there are no
ornaments other than gold. Similarly, when you say sarvam Kr̥ṣṇa mayam,
everything is Vāsudēvaḥ that means there is nothing other than Vāsudēva. And
there is nothing other than Vāsudēva means there is no substance other than
Vāsudēva. And there is no property also other than Vāsudēva, there is no attributes
other than Vāsudēva, there is no dravyam, there is go guṇa other than Vāsudēva.
When there is no guṇa other than Vāsudēva, Vāsudēva has to be nirguṇa only.
Because if you say Vāsudēva is endowed with a guṇa, then it will mean there is
something other than Vāsudēva. When you say Vāsudēva is saguṇa, it means
Vāsudēva is endowed with an attribute. If he should be endowed with an attribute
then there must be an attribute other than Vāsudēva. When you say there is nothing
other than Vāsudēva, dravyam-nāsti, guṇaḥ-nāsti when there are no attributes how
can Vāsudēva have attributes? Therefore Vāsudēvaḥ sarvam is equal to Vāsudēvaḥ
nirguṇam-brahma-asti. Therefore Vāsudēvaḥ sarvam means Kr̥ṣṇa is nirguṇam-
brahma. It has been already said. And ātmā ēva idam sarvam
[Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 2-4-6] – everything is ātmā. Here also the same explanation,
ātmā is everything means there is nothing other than ātmā, that means there is not
even an attribute other than ātmā. When there is no attribute other than ātmā how
can ātmā have an attribute? Therefore ātmā-nirguṇaḥ. This alone is called bādha
sāmānādhikaraṇyam, a technical expression used in vēdānta. Bādha
sāmānādhikaraṇya prayōgaḥ.
Then there is another quotation ēkam ēva advitīyam [Chāndōgyōpaniṣat 6-2-1] –

Brahman is one alone without a second. There the commentators has very
elaborately discuss the word one alone without a second, the upaniṣat could have
said Brahman is one. Why should it say Brahman is „one‟, and then „alone without a
second‟? Why so elaborately? This elaborate adjectives are given „one alone without
a second‟ to negate everything other than Brahman. And to negate everything other
than Brahman means there is no second substance other than Brahman, there is no
attribute other than Brahman, there is no action other than Brahman, therefore
Brahman is kriyā rahitam, Brahman is guṇa rahitam, Brahman is dvitīya vastu
rahitam. There is no second object, there is no action, there is no attribute,
therefore nirguṇam niṣkriyam nirdvitīyam brahma. Therefore ēkam ēva advitīyam

nirguṇam niṣkriyam nirdvitīyam brahma – no second substance, no second action,

no second property. Therefore Brahman is nirguṇam.
Of this Vāsudēvaḥ sarvam iti is smr̥ti pramā ṇam, ātmaivēdaṁ sarvam and ēkam ēva
advitīyam are śruti pramāṇam. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says ityādiśrutismr̥tibhya ḥ–
through the śruti and smr̥ti pramā ṇam we come to know that there is only
nirguṇam- brahma, there is nothing other than nirguṇam-brahma. This is the fact.
So what? Therefore saguṇam-brahma-jñānam is the wrong knowledge, it is a
misconception. So what? Therefore nirguṇam-brahma-jñānam alone is samyag-
jñānam, samyag-darśanam. And right knowledge will liberate and wrong knowledge
will bind a person. Therefore he says na anyat – not the other one, not the other
one means not the saguṇam-brahma-jñānam.
Then he gives another quotation to reinforce this idea. Ok, nirguṇam-brahma-

jñānam is talked about in these quotations. Again all very very fine points.
nirguṇam-brahma-jñānam is given in these quotation Vāsudēvaḥ sarvam,
ātmaivēdaṁ sarvam, ēkamēvādvitīyam. But a person may argue that saguṇam-
brahma-jñānam is also given in the scriptures in various places. When you say
Bhagavān is a sr̥ ṣṭi kartā sthiti kartā and laya kartā, jagat kāraṇam, sarvajñam etc.,
saguṇam-brahma is also described in the scriptures. When both are there in the
scriptures, why do you say one is right and the other is wrong? Why can't we have
peaceful coexistence, and say both are right? Nirguṇam-brahma is told in the śāstra,
saguṇam-brahma is also discussed in the śāstra; śāstra is given by Bhagavān, śāstra
is pramāṇam you also agree and I also agree, when both of them are there and both
of them are given by the same śāstra, I can accept nirguṇam-brahma-jñānam is
right knowledge, but why do say nirguṇam-brahma-jñānam alone is the right
knowledge? Why can't you be more accommodative and why can't you be inclusive?
Why do you exclude? Why can't you have a general heart which accommodates
both? This question may come and Śaṅkarācārya says this also I am saying based
on śāstram only.
Because śāstram talks about both, no doubt. Both means saguṇa and nirguṇa. But I
cannot say both of them are right knowledge. Even though both of them are talked
by śāstram, I cannot accept both are right because śāstra talks about saguṇam-
brahma initially and the śāstra itself refutes saguṇam-brahma later. From the
negation, which is called apavāda, we come to know that saguṇam-brahma is only
temporarily introduced as a stepping stone and not because it is factual, even
though it is non-factual, it is deliberately introduced because it is useful as a

stepping stone. Just as a skin of banana even though it is not eatable, normally,
naturopathy people they will eat all the skins also and they will argue the skin is
more nutritious than banana they will say, normally, skin is to be removed but even
though it is to be removed, initially the skin is useful for ripening. Similarly, even
though saguṇam-brahma is non-factual, scriptures deliberately introduce non-
factual- saguṇam-brahma as a stepping stone, which is called adhyārōpa
prakaraṇam and later the scriptures negate saguṇam-brahma and this is called
apavāda. And therefore saguṇam-brahma cannot be factual. The apavāda quotation
he gives to support saguṇam-brahma-jñānam is mithyā-jñānam. He can give several
quotations in support of that but he gives the Chāndōgyōpaniṣat quotation. „atha
yē:'nyathātō viduḥ‟ [Chāndōgyōpaniṣat 7-25-2].
And what is the context in Chāndōgyōpaniṣat? There in that portion around twenty-
five, twenty-four etc., the upaniṣat defines bhūman as nirguṇam-brahma. Yatra
nānyatpaśyati nānyacchr̥ ṇōti nānyadvijānāti sa bhūmā || Chāndōgyōpaniṣat 7-24-1||
is the famous definition. There is no second thing at all. So thus Brahman is
nirguṇam, even a property cannot exist separate from Brahman to qualify Brahma.
That is why Vishishtadvaitins are qualified Advaitins and we are called unqualified
because even qualification is not there, that nirguṇam-brahma is introduced as
bhūmā in the Chāndōgyōpaniṣat.
And thereafter the upaniṣat says whoever knows Brahman in a different way, (after
talking about nirguṇam-brahma) in any other way, they will all be saṁsāris. After
talking about nirguṇam-brahma if the upaniṣat talks about any other way, it means
knowing Brahman as saguṇam-brahma, if any person does that, upaniṣat itself says
those people will be saṁsāris. From that it is clear saguṇam-brahma-jñānam is not
only wrong knowledge, it will perpetuate saṁsāra.
Therefore he says yē:'nyathātō viduḥ– nirguṇam-brahma anyathā i.e., saguṇatvēna

viduḥ. Ataḥ means nirguṇam-brāhmaṇaḥ sakāśāt anyathā– those who know
Brahman as something other than nirguṇam-brahma and as saguṇam-brahma tē
anyarājānaḥ– they will always have some other master other than themselves.
upaniṣat puts in a funny language. They all will have some other masters other than
themselves, that means they all will be dāsāḥ. Anyarājānaḥ means having a rājā
other than themselves. That means they will have somebody to control them. So
anyarājānaḥ means they will have dependence on some other master. Dāsa bhāvaḥ
they will have, jīva bhāvaḥ they will have, they will be in triangular format, even if
they go to Kailāsa or Vaikuṇṭha they will be in triangular format.

So what? They will only have lōkas which are perishable. Tē kṣayyalōkā bhavanti‟–
they will have lōkas which are perishable; that means they will travel from one
perishable lōka to another perishable lōka. In short they will be saṁsāris. Thus
saguṇam-brahma-jñānis are saṁsāris, saguṇam-brahma upāsakas are saṁsāris,
nirguṇam-brahma-jñānis alone will be liberated. And that nirguṇam-brahma-jñānam
I am going to talk about.

300 Verses-1 and 2
Page 226, Chapter 9, Verse 1; bhāṣyam, 2nd paragraph
Verse 09-01Continuing;
इदम् एव सम्यनज्ञानां साक्ात् मोक्प्रान्प्तसाधनम् ‘वासुदेवाः सवययमगत’ [गीता ७-१९] ‘आत्मैवेदां सवयम’्
[बृहदारण्यकोपगनषत् २-४-६] ‘एकमेवागद्वतीयम्’ [छान्दोनयोपगनषत् ६-२-१] इत्याददश्रुगतस्मृगतभ्याः । न अन्यत् ।
„अथ येऽन्यथातो गवरृाः अन्यराजानाः ते क्य्यलोका भवन्न्त’ [छान्दोनयोपगनषत् ७-२५-२] इत्याददश्रुगतभ्याः च ।
idam ēva samyagjñānaṁ sākṣāt mōkṣaprāptisādhanam „Vāsudēvaḥ sarvamiti‟

[Gītā 7-19] „ātmaivēdaṁ sarvam‟ [Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 2-4-6]
„ēkamēvādvitīyam‟ [Chāndōgyōpaniṣat 6-2-1] ityādiśrutismr̥tibhyaḥ | na anyat |
„atha yē:'nyathātō viduḥ anyarājānaḥ tē kṣayyalōkā bhavanti‟ [Chāndōgyōpaniṣat

7-25-2] ityādiśrutibhyaḥ ca |
In the first three verses of this chapter Lord Kr̥ṣṇa is introducing nirguṇam-brahma-
jñānam as a means of sadyō-mukti attained here and now. In the eighth chapter
saguṇam-brahma-jñānam and saguṇam-brahma-upāsana was introduced as a
means of krama-muktiḥ. In the ninth chapter nirguṇam-brahma-jñānam is
introduced as means of sadyō-mukti here and now. And therefore in these three
verses Kr̥ṣṇa glorifies this knowledge as the rarest knowledge. And Śaṅkarācārya
points out in his commentary that nirguṇam-brahma-jñānam alone is right
knowledge, saguṇam-brahma-jñānam cannot be termed as right knowledge,
because there is no such thing called saguṇam-brahma. Brahman is nirguṇam and
Brahman is nirguṇam all the time and therefore nirguṇam-brahma-jñānam alone is
the right knowledge, that alone can give liberation.
Even in the case of an upāsaka, it is not the saguṇam-brahma-jñānam or upāsana

that gives liberation, we should make a note of this subtle point, even saguṇam-
brahma-upāsaka does not get liberation because of saguṇam-brahma-jñānam or
upāsanam, he also has to gain nirguṇam-brahma-jñānam in Brahma-lōka, and that
jñānam alone gives liberation. Therefore always nirguṇam-brahma-jñānam alone is
right and that alone can give liberation.
And in support of this Śaṅkarācārya quoted both anvaya and vyatirēka argument.
Śruti very clearly says nirguṇam-brahma-jñānam gives liberation, and śruti equally
says saguṇam-brahma-jñānam cannot give liberation. And these quotations we saw
in the last class. The first three quotations are in support of nirguṇam-brahma-

jñānam giving liberation and the next quotation from Chāndōgyōpaniṣat is to show
that saguṇam-brahma-jñānam cannot give liberation. Up to this we saw in the last
class. Continuing;
ते तुभ्यां गुह्यतमं गोप्यतमां प्रिक्ष्य यम कथययष्यायम अनसूयिे असूयारगहताय ।
tētubhyaṁ guhyatamaṁ gōpyatamaṁ pravakṣyāmi kathayiṣyāmi anasūyavē

asūyārahitāya |
Lord Kr̥ṣṇa points out that this rare liberating knowledge I am going to impart to you
because you have got śraddhā in guru and śāstra. In the mūlam there is the word tē
is equal to tubhyam. Tubhyam means to you, Guhyatamam is in the mūlam, is
equal to gōpyatamam which means a greatest secret. And here the word secret
means very very few people have this knowledge. What is the definition of secret?
Secret is something which is known by only very very few people. And here brahma-
jñānam also is secret because,
मनुष्याणाां सहस्रेषु कत्तिद्यतगत शसद्धये ।

यततामगप शसद्धानाां कत्तिन्माां वेत्ति तत्त्वताः ॥ गीता ७-३ ॥
manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasrēṣu kaścidyatati siddhayē |
yatatāmapi siddhānāṁ kaścinmāṁ vētti tattvataḥ || Gītā 7-3 ||
which we saw in the seventh chapter. And in Kaṭhōpaniṣat,
श्रवणायागप बहुरत्तभयो न लभ्याः श्रृण्वन्तोगप बहवो यम् न गवद्युाः ॥ कठोपगनषत् १-२-७ ॥

śravaṇāyāpi bahurabhiryō na labhyaḥśrr̥ṇvantōpi bahavō yam na vidyuḥ ||
Therefore it is known by a very few, in short it is a very rare knowledge. So

guhyatamam is equal to gōpyatamam, pravakṣyāmi is in the mūlam, is equal to
kathayiṣyāmi – I shall pass the knowledge to you. Why have I chosen you?
anasūyavē– because you are asūyārahitāya. Anasūyavē is in the mūlam, is equal
to asūyā-rahitāya. What do you mean by the word asūyā? Normally we take one
meaning, that is very very popular meaning, that meaning is also there. Asūyā
meaning jealousy. But in this context asūyā has got a specific meaning and that is
being fault-finding. Fault-finding tendency is called asūyā. In saṁskr̥ta it is defined
as paraguṇēṣu dōṣa āviṣkaraṇam asūyā.
Misinterpreting even the virtues of a person as a negative quality. When a person

does lot of charity instead of appreciating it as a generosity of a person, immediately
criticizing he does all these things only for the sake of name and fame and reward.
Thus generosity is a virtue and we cannot see the virtue as a virtue but we interpret

it as attention-seeking. This is called guṇēṣu-dōṣa-āviṣkaraṇam. Similarly, people

finding fault with either Bhagavān as the teacher or the Bhagavad Gītā as the
teaching, even though it is a mōkṣa-śāstram, even though it is based on vēda, when
we criticize the Gītā it is called śāstrēṣu-dōṣa-āviṣkaraṇam.
And Madhusūdana Sarasvatī gives a nice explanation also. Some people criticize
Kr̥ṣṇa and they have a logic also for that criticism. What is said in the śāstra is you
are never supposed to glorify yourself. Self-glorification is considered to be pride or
vanity, and we are supposed to remain humble, not giving publicity to what all good
things we do, and even if somebody does that, we are supposed to suppress, which
is considered to be a glory called amānitvam. Amānitvam is considered to be a
virtue, not glorifying ourselves. What does Kr̥ṣṇa do? Throughout the Gītā, Kr̥ṣṇa is
talking about His own glory. And if you take the tenth chapter, the whole tenth
chapter is tom-toming His own glory. Therefore some people say Kr̥ṣṇa is the
proudest person, the one who has got the worst form of vanity, therefore we don‟t
study the Gītā. This is called asūyā dōṣaḥ. And Madhusūdana Sarasvatī says you
don‟t have such a problem of misinterpreting vibhūti-yōga of the Gītā. And therefore
anasūyavē. To put it in positive language śraddhāvatē who has got śraddhā and
śraddhāvān labhatē jñānam. Continuing;
तकिं तत्? ज्ञ नम् । तकिंगवशिष्टम्? विज्ञ न-सवहतम् अनुभवयुक्तम् ।
kiṁ tat? jñānam| kiṁviśiṣṭam? vijñāna-sahitamanubhavayuktam |
So kiṁ tat? Śaṅkarācārya himself raises the question because Kr̥ṣṇa starts the ślōka
only with a pronoun. Idam tu tē guhyatamam pravakṣyāmi – I shall teach you this.
Naturally when you use the pronoun „this‟ the question will come what do you mean
by the word „this‟. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya raises the question kiṁ tat? – what is the
blessed thing you are referring to by a pronoun only. The answer is jñānam – I am
going to teach you brahma-jñānam. And then another question is asked kiṁ viśiṣṭam
jñānam? – what type of jñānam are you going to impart to me? And Kr̥ṣṇa gives the
answer vijñāna-sahitam – it is not mere jñānam. But a jñānam which is reinforced
with vijñānam. Vijñāna-sahitam jñānam. Then what is the meaning of the word
vijñānam? Śaṅkarācārya says anubhava-yuktam. By the word vijñānam I mean
anubhavaḥ. Therefore I am going to teach you a jñānam which includes anubhava
along with that.
And once the word anubhava comes certainly there is a problem. How
should you understand the word anubhava? If you look into the dictionary the word

anubhava is translated as experience. Therefore brahma-vijñānam is equal to

brahma-anubhava is equal to Brahman experience will be the natural translation.
And that is the popular translation and this translation has created a lot of confusion
in the mind. Therefore we should understand the meaning of the word anubhava.
Once you take vijñānam as brahma-anubhava and once you translate brahma-
anubhava as Brahman experience and once you understand Brahman-experience as
a particular experience, it will create a lot of problems because Brahman-experience
cannot be easily understood. Because whenever we talk about a particular
experience what do we understand? Any particular experience is an experience born
out of my contact with a particular object. Any particular experience is an experience
born out of by contact with a particular object. Any particular experience arises
when I come in contact with a particular object, the object may be an external
object or an internal object or it may be a concrete object or even an abstract
object. When I experience love and compassion of another person, love and
compassion are the objects of experience, but they are not concrete objects but they
are abstract objects but abstract object is also an object. Similarly, internally also
when I experience rāga, dvēṣa, kāma etc., they are all abstract objects only, even
physical pain etc., they are also objects of experience. But what type of object?
Abstract object.
Thus every particular experience happens when I come in contact with an external
object or an internal object, a concrete object or an abstract object, particular
experience comes in contact, comes when I contact a particular object. And if this is
understood, can there be a particular experience called Brahman-experience? Can
there be a particular experience called Brahman-experience? This will be possible
only when Brahman is either an external-object or an internal-object, either a
concrete object or an abstract object. But all the upaniṣats declare that Brahman is
neither an external nor an internal, neither an abstract nor a concrete object. So
when Brahman is not an object there cannot be a particular experience called
Brahman- experience.
So a Brahman-experience in which Brahman is an object is never possible. Therefore

Brahman-experience as a particular experience in which Brahman is an object is
never logically possible.
Then can we talk about a particular Brahman-experience in which Brahman is not an

object but Brahman is the subject? Is it possible? Can we have a particular
experience called Brahman-experience in which Brahman is not an object but

Brahman is the subject? Subject means the experiencer-I. Because Brahman is not
an object, therefore why can't we talk about a particular Brahman-experience in
which Brahman is the subject? And that particular experience in which Brahman is
the subject, we call it brahmānubhava. What is the definition of brahmānubhava? A
particular experience in which Brahman is the subject is brahmānubhava. Why can't
we say that?
What should be our answer? You should carefully understand this. If you define
brahmānubhava as an experience in which Brahman is the subject, you know what
will say, all experiences are brahmānubhava only. If you define brahmānubhava as
an experience in which Brahman is the subject, then we will say all experiences are
brahmānubhava, why, because in all experiences the subject is Brahman alone,
because the subject happens to be Brahman. Therefore we should remember in all
experiences Brahman is the subject. Therefore if brahmānubhavam is defined as an
experience in which Brahman is the subject, all experiences are brahmānubhava. If
you define brahmānubhava as an experience in which Brahman is the object, then
no experience is brahmānubhava.
Therefore what is our logical conclusion? There are only two possibilities. Either no
experience is brahmānubhava or all experiences are brahmānubhava.
Brahmānubhava can be defined only in two ways. One definition is in which
Brahman is the object, and another definition is in which Brahman is the subject.
These are the only two definitions of brahmānubhava. Either way there are only two
possibilities. Either no experience is brahmānubhava or all experiences are
brahmānubhava only. Therefore you can never talk about brahmānubhava as a
particular experience. Either you say no experience is brahmānubhava or all
experiences are brahmānubhava. You can never talk about brahmānubhava as a
particular experience. Therefore brahmānubhava as a particular experience is not
logically possible. If you think, it is not possible.
And that is the reason those people who talk about brahmānubhava as a particular
experience, they can never logically explain that experience; that is why they take it
to mystic fields. Because whenever you cannot logically explain a thing, the safest
route is take that into a mystic-realm and once you enter the mysticism field you
cannot talk logic. Because they will always say it is not meant for logical discussion,
it is a mystic-experience which nobody can explain and you have to experience.
Thus saying they will wash off their hands. Whenever we ask for logical explanation

of a possibility of a particular experience as brahmānubhava, it is not possible.

Therefore brahmānubhava as a particular experience does not exist logically.
But Śaṅkarācārya uses the word anubhavaḥ. How do you understand the word
anubhavaḥ? Therefore in Vedantic context anubhava better we don‟t translate as an
experience. It will create logical problems. Therefore translate anubhava as
aparōkṣa- jñānam. Brahma-anubhava means aparōkṣa-jñānam. Therefore jñānam
means parōkṣa-jñānam born out of avāntara vākyam, and vijñānam, i.e., brahma-
anubhava means aparōkṣa-jñānam born out of mahāvākyam. If you remember
Vicāra Sāgara class avāntara vākyam gives parōkṣa-jñānam and mahāvākyam gives
aparōkṣa jñānam. Parōkṣa-jñānam is called jñānam and aparōkṣa-jñānam is called
vijñānam.
So what is brahma-anubhava? Aparōkṣa-jñānam. In the ninth chapter Kr̥ṣṇa is going

talk about jñānam, i.e., parōkṣa-jñānam and vijñānam which is nothing but
aparōkṣa-jñānam.
Then the next question is what is the difference between parōkṣa-jñānam and
aparōkṣa jñānam? This you know, we have come to familiar terrain, when you say
Brahman asti it is called parōkṣa-jñānam and when I am claiming that aham-
brahma-asmi, it is called aparōkṣa-jñānam. Thus anubhava is nothing but a cognitive
intellectual phenomenon in which I claim aham-brahma-asmi, and I claim
understanding that I am Brahman. Other than the understanding there is no other
brahma-anubhava. When I claim I am Brahman, I am very comfortable, I don‟t have
any doubt, I am happily in binary format, that alone is called anubhava. This
understanding does not require any separate experience other than this
understanding. And therefore anubhava means aham-brahma-asmi understanding is
anubhava. Continuing;
यत् ज्ञानम् ज्ञ त्ि प्राप्य मोक्ष्यसे अशुभ त् सांसारबन्धनात् ॥ ९-१ ॥
Yat jñānam jñātvāprāpya mōkṣyasē aśubhātsaṁsārabandhanāt || 9-1 ||
Yat jñānam jñātvā– having gained the parōkṣa as well as aparōkṣa-jñānam and
having learnt to claim I am Brahman without objectifying Brahman I claim I-am-
Brahman, having gained this jñānam. So yat jñānam means vijñāna-sahitam-jñānam
jñātvā, jñātvā is equal to prāpya. Yat is in the mūlam, is equal to jñānam, jñātvā
is equal to prāpya. Mōkṣyasē aśubhāt, Kr̥ṣṇa tells Arjuna you will be freed from,
you will be liberated from, aśubhāt literally means inauspiciousness, śubham means
maṅgalam. Aśubham means amaṅgalam. Amaṅgalam means inauspiciousness. What

do you mean by inauspiciousness? Śaṅkarācārya says saṁsāra, amaṅgalam means

saṁsāra. And saṁsāra means bondage. In vēdānta, saṁsāra is jīva bhāvaḥ or
triangular format. Saṁsāra is triangular-format. What is triangular-format? I am
victimized and world is victimizer and God has to regularly come and save me. I am
victimized and world is victimizer and God is the savior – this mindset is called
saṁsāra.
What is mōkṣa? I am not victimized, world is not victimizer, I don‟t require a savior
because aham-satyam-jagat-mithyā, other than satya mithyā binary there is nothing
else. na bibhēti kutaścanēti || Taittirīyōpaniṣat 2-9-1 || Mithyā cannot frighten me,
the satyam. This mindset is called liberation. Bondage is a mindset, liberation is
a mindset. This transition of one mindset to another mindset born out of the clear
understanding that I am never a jīva and I am ever Brahman. This simple and
profound phenomenon is called mōkṣa. We don‟t have to bring in any mysticism in
this field. It is a clear understanding and consequent shift in the mindset, paradigm
shift it is called.
The anvaya is, idam guhyatamam vijñāna-sahitam jñānam tu anasūyavē tē

pravakṣyāmi | yat jñātvā (tvaṁ) aśubhāt mōkṣyasē | Continuing;
तत ् च ––
tat ca ––
Verse 09-02
राजगवद्या राजगुह्यां पगवत्रयमदमुिमम् ।
प्रत्यक्ावगमां धम्यं सुसुखां कतुयमव्ययम् ॥ गीता ९-२ ॥
rājavidyā rājaguhyaṁ pavitramidamuttamam |

pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ susukhaṁ kartumavyayam || Gītā 9-2 ||
So tat ca means and that knowledge has got all these glories. The entire second
verse is glorification of this brahma-jñānam. Rāja-vidyā – it is the greatest
knowledge which was called in Muṇḍakōpaniṣat as parāvidyā. Rāja-vidyā of ninth
chapter of Gītā is the translation of parā-vidyā of Muṇḍakōpaniṣat. Rāja-guhyam
means it is the greatest secret indicating very very few people know that. Uttamam
pavitram – it is the greatest purifier, because the ultimate impurity or the worst
impurity is Self-ignorance. This knowledge alone will remove that impurity. Therefore
it is the greatest purifier, pratyakṣa-avagamam, very important. Whether knowledge
is there or not, how do we know? Whether I have understood something or not who
will know? Suppose the teacher teaches a particular equation. And the teacher

wants to know whether the students have understood or not. Who will know this?
The student alone knows. The student has to know because understanding is an
internal phenomenon which is available only for me, nobody in the world can
understand better I have understood or not. Therefore after teaching the equation
what can the teacher do? He cannot do anything except asking whether you have
understood. Remember the teacher can never do anything except asking whether
you have understood or not, because what is internal only I know. Whether I am in
triangular-format or in binary-format who will know? Therefore imagine the teacher
asks the question did you understand, and the student asks the counter question
you only has to tell whether I am a jñāni or not. Thus you have got funny things
happening in spirituality; student asking how do I know whether I am a jñāni or not.
I will say that only you have to tell me about yourself. Whether I look upon myself
as a saṁsāri or not who can tell. As long as I am afraid to claim I am a jñāni, I am a
muktaḥ, then there is problem. What to do? Continue śravaṇa manana
nididhyāsanam. Therefore jñānam is sākṣi-pratyakṣam. And this problem will come if
you think brahma-jñānam is a mystic-experience, you will always have a doubt
whether you have got mystic-experience or not and that doubt will come because
mystic-experience is inapplicable. And if you ask the guru, guru will say I cannot
explain it because it is mystic. And therefore the śiṣya should keep on meditating
and he may get some peculiar experience but the problem is that peculiar
experience I got is it the same as the peculiar experience the guru got. How one can
know about it. Then you have to ask the guru. He will say yatō vācō nivartantē.
Thus we will be in emperor‟s robes. Thus once you name it mystic you will never
know whether you have got the experience or not. Therefore what do you do? Then
you will try to check out whether you have got a perfect mind or not, that is the
indication. Therefore you will look for a perfect mind to prove that whether I have
got mystic-experience or not. And mind is never perfect. Therefore you conclude
that my mind is never perfect, therefore the experience I have had is not the right
experience. Then you go on meditating. You look for a perfect anātmā to emerge,
and it is never emerging, therefore you postpone mōkṣa eternally.
Thus once you enter mysticism you are in trouble. We should remember in spite of
the imperfections of anātmā, I have to claim that I am the ātmā which is different
from and which is aware of the imperfect anātmā. I can improve the anātmā life
long but let me not connect that with my freedom. Let me improve anātmā
but let me not connect with the ātmā which is I, which is ever free. This is the thing
to be known, instead if you get into any other method then only guru can pray for

the śiṣya. Wish you all the best! Bon voyage! A voyage to Brahman! Anyway
pratyakṣa-avagamam is very important, pratyakṣa-avagamam means I only know
whether I have understood the teaching or not. Then it is dharmyam another
important word. Ātma-jñānam and dharma are never contradictory. Dharmyam
means which does not contradict dharma. This is also very important. Brahma-
jñānam and dhārmica-life are complementary and never contradictory. That means a
jñāni will be always dhārmika only. Therefore if a person feels that dharma is no
more important, now that I have gone beyond puṇyam and pāpam, „I know I am
beyond dharma and adharma, hereafter I need not bother about ethical or moral
life‟, if a person feels like violating the values that means brahma-jñānam has been
misunderstood. It is not brahma-jñānam.
Brahma-jñānam is brahma-jñānam only when the jñāni never intentionally violates

dharma. Brahma-jñānam never allows a licentious lifestyle in the name of mithyā
puṇyam and mithyā pāpam. It is not a license for a licentious life. A jñāni never
violates dharma. If I tend to violate dharma I am abusing vēdānta. Therefore only if
a person asks whether I should follow vēdānta and dharma as though they are
mutually exclusive, then our answer is vēdānta and dharma are not mutually
exclusive, they are complementary. Therefore there is no question of choosing one
over the other.
And suppose a person insists that I want to choose one of the two, then the answer
from the upaniṣat is if you want to choose please choose dharma and dharma only
and never choose vēdānta at the expense of, cost of dharma. Either both or choose
dharma but never vēdānta at the expense of dharma.
It is a very important thing. That is why all the traditional ācāryas were worried that
if vēdānta is taught in public, people will misunderstand vēdānta and they may
choose vēdānta giving up dharma. na buddhibhēdaṁ janayēd ajñānāṁ
karmasaṅginām || Gītā 3-26 || Give up all the pañca-mahā-yajñas claiming that I am
beyond all of them. Therefore it is the responsibility of every teacher who teaches in
public, there is an extra responsibility, study vēdānta but never give up dharma-
śāstra under any circumstances which includes the duty of pañca-mahā-yajñas.
Therefore pratyakṣa-avagamam is important, dharmyam is very very important. And
susukham kartum, this only many people will doubt. Kr̥ṣṇa says vēdānta is very
easy. And Madhusūdana Sarasvatī gives the reply that it is easy for the prepared
one. Because anything is easy if you go through the preparation, anything is difficult
if you don‟t go through the preparation. Therefore very very easy. And here this

word susukham must be understood from the standpoint of the krama-mukti

prescribed in the eighth chapter. The word susukham must be compared from the
standpoint of krama-mukti. If I should get krama-mukti, what should I do? First of
all I should practice saguṇa-upāsana throughout the life. Secondly, along with
saguṇa-upāsana I should become an expert yōgi also capable of withdrawing prāṇa
through all the nāḍis and I should learn to bring the prāṇa to the hr̥dayam and I
should know how to squeeze the prāṇa through suṣumnā-nāḍi that means I should
not be an ordinary-yōgi but I should be a mahā-yōgi. Then the next preparation
required is that I should have such a control over myself and my life that I should
know the time of my death. This is the third qualification. Thereafter what I should
do is that at the time of death I should not be put on ventilator in ICU but I should
sit in proper āsanam and withdraw the prāṇa from all the seventy-two thousand
crores nāḍis and I should squeeze into the hr̥dayam through su ṣumnā-nāḍi and
parallelly I should chant ōm iti ēka-akṣaram brahma vyāharan || Gītā 8-13 || and I
should do upāsana, I should withdraw the prāṇa, I should send it through suṣumnā
nāḍi and if you do all these things then also you will not get mōkṣa, you will get
Brahma-lōka and there you should attend the class run by Brahmāji teaching
nirguṇam-brahma-jñānam.
So now you compare the difficulties of krama-mukti and when you compare this
jñānam. Compared to that it is simpler. Therefore susukham kartum and avyayam ca
– for this knowledge the benefit is eternal. No karma can give eternal benefit, no
upāsana can give eternal benefit, but this jñānam can give eternal benefit. Avyayam
means nitya mōkṣa rūpa phalam. Therefore you should come to the next class.

301 Verse-2

राजगवद्या राजगुह्यां पगवत्रयमदमुिमम् ।
प्रत्यक्ावगमां धम्यं सुसुखां कतुयमव्ययम् ॥ गीता ९-२ ॥
rājavidyā rājaguhyaṁ pavitramidamuttamam |

pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ susukhaṁ kartumavyayam || Gītā 9-2 ||
In the first three verses Kr̥ṣṇa is introducing the subject matter of the ninth chapter,
which is nothing but brahma-jñānam or nirguṇam-Īśvara -jñānam. And He glorifies
the nirguṇa-Īśvara -jñānam as the liberating knowledge and therefore the greatest
knowledge worth acquiring. And in the second verse seven glories of nirguṇam-
brahma-jñānam are enumerated which we saw in the last class. We will see the
bhāṣyam now.
र ज-विद्य गवद्यानाां राजा, दीप्त्यगतियवत्त्वात् । दीप्यते गह इयम् अगतियेन ब्रह्मगवद्या सवयगवद्यानाम् ।
rāja-vidyā vidyānāṁ rājā, dīptyatiśayavattvāt | dīpyatē hi iyam atiśayēna

brahma-vidyā sarvavidyānām |
Rāja-vidyā is the first description is equal to vidyānāṁ rājā – it is the king among
all the types of knowledge. And by the word king He means it excels or surpasses all
the other forms of knowledge. All the others are called aparā vidyā, and this is called
parā vidyā. Therefore he says vidyānāṁ rājā, rāja-vidyā. And why is it the greatest
knowledge? Dīpti atiśayavattvāt – because it has got extraordinarily brilliance, dīptiḥ
means brilliance or shining or luminosity. And why do you say brahma-vidyā is the
most brilliant one? Because it reveals Brahman itself, any other form of knowledge
will reveal only one anātmā or the other anātmā, whereas brahma-jñānam reveals
Brahman or ātmā itself. And Brahman being everything brahma-vidyā reveals not
only Brahman but it reveals everything in the creation, yēna vijñānēna sarvamidam
vijñātam bhavati. Therefore brahma-vidyā is sarva prakāśaka vidyā. Ghaṭa vidyā is
ghaṭa prakāśaka vidyā, paṭa vidyā is paṭa prakāśaka vidyā, each vidyā reveals its
objects, brahma-vidyā is sarva-prakāśaka-vidyā. Therefore its brilliance must be
superior to all others. Therefore dīpti atiśayaḥ, atiśayaḥ means excellence. Then that
is explained here. dīpyatē hi iyam brahma-vidyā, you have to rearrange, iyam
brahma-vidyā hi – as it is well known, yēna vijñānēna sarvamidam vijñātam

bhavatiiti śruti pramāṇēna as it is well known, iyam brahma-vidyā hi – this brahma-

vidyā is indeed, atiśayēna dīpyatē – it shines in an extraordinary manner, in an
excellent manner surpassing all other forms of knowledge. sarvavidyānām madhyē,
madhyē we have to understand, nirdhāranēṣaṣṭhī. So sarvavidyānām madhyē –
among all forms of knowledge this shines extraordinarily. This is the description
number one.
Then comes the second description, rāja-guhyam we will read.
तथा र ज-गुह्यं गुह्यानाां राजा । पवित्रं पावनां इदम् उिमं सवेषाां पावनानाां िुद्धद्धकारणां इदां ब्रह्मज्ञानम् उत्कृष्टतमम् ।
अनेकजन्मसहस्रसञ्चचतम् अगप धमय-अधमायदद समूलां कमय क्णमात्रात् भस्मीकरोगत यताः अताः तकिं तस्य पावनत्वां वक्तव्यम्
।
Tathā rāja-guhyaṁ guhyānāṁ rājā | pavitraṁ pāvanaṁ idam uttamaṁ sarvēṣāṁ

pāvanānāṁ śuddhikāraṇaṁ idaṁ brahma-jñānam utkr̥ṣṭatamam |
anēkajanmasahasrasañcitam api dharma-adharmādi samūlaṁ karma
kṣaṇamātrāt bhasmīkarōti yataḥ ataḥ kiṁ tasya pāvanatvaṁ vaktavyam |
The second description is rāja-guhyam, vigraha vākyam is guhyānāṁ rājā rāja-

guhyam. These are the group of special compounds known as rājadantādi
compound where you resolve the compound, by reversing the words. Rāja-vidyā,
vidyānāṁ rājā rāja-vidyā you reverse. Similarly, rāja-guhyam, guhyānāṁ rājā rāja-
guhyam. These are reversal compounds. So guhyānām. Guhyam means secret and
guhyānām nirdhāranē ṣaṣṭhī among all the secrets rājā this is the king among the
secrets, king means the greatest one among the secrets. Śaṅkarācārya doesn‟t
explain why it is secret, we already know because of the well known Kaṭhōpaniṣat
verse śravaṇāyāpi bahurabhiryō na labhyaḥ || Kaṭhōpaniṣat 1-2-7 || etc. Many
people are not interested in vēdānta itself, even among those who are interested
very few people get opportunity to listen and even among the listeners very few
people manage to understand. Three levels. Many are not interested and among the
interested many don‟t get an opportunity to listen and among the listeners many
don‟t understand. Therefore ultimately the number of people who come to vēdānta
and who get an opportunity and who manage to understand after three layers of
filtering how many will be there? Very few. Therefore it is called secret known by
very very few.
Then the third description is pavitraṁ uttamam. They should be read together,
uttamam is an adjective to pavitram, uttamam pavitram we should read, and it
should be translated as the greatest purifier. By saying this is the greatest purifier
Kr̥ṣṇa admits that there are so many other purifying agents, a person can purify by
doing japa, a person can purify by doing pārāyaṇam, by doing rituals, by doing

upāsana, there are so many prāyaścitta karmas which are meant for purification.
Among all the prāyaścittams the greatest prāyaścittam is jñānam. Why do you say
jñānam is the greatest prāyaścittam? Because all other prāyaścittams can remove
only a portion of prārabdha. prāyaścittam can never touch the sañcita pāpam. It is a
very important point we should note. Prāyaścittam can never touch sañcita pāpam.
prāyaścittam can never touch āgāmi pāpam. Prāyaścittam can only handle
prārabdham. And even among prārabdham prāyaścittam can only handle one
particular pāpam, when you do prāyaścittam for gōhatyā that prāyaścittam will
neutralize only gōhatyā pāpam. Not mosquito hatyā pāpam which we destroy in
hundreds with bats. Therefore each mosquito hatyā produces its own pāpam;
gōhatyā prāyaścittam cannot remove the other pāpam. Whereas one jñānam can
destroy sañcita pāpam, āgāmi pāpam, and prārabdha pāpam. And from Vedantic
angle puṇyam is also considered pāpam because puṇyam gives disturbance when it
comes and when it goes away. If puṇyam doesn‟t come no problem. puṇyam comes
and helps us enjoy it is a wonderful thing and at the crucial time it goes away.
Therefore puṇyam also is a type of pāpam. And both these puṇyam and pāpam are
caused by the fundamental pāpam called ajñānam. In vēdānta the original sin is
ajñānam. So this jñānam will destroy sañcita, prārabdha and āgāmi pāpams; sañcita,
prārabdha and āgāmi puṇyams and sañcita, prārabdha and āgāmi puṇyapāpa
kāraṇam ajñānam also. Therefore the greatest prāyaścittam ever imaginable is
jñānam alone. Therefore he says pavitram is equal to pāvanam, pāvanam is equal
to śuddhikāraṇam in the next line. So pāvanam is equal to śuddhikāraṇam. And what
kind of śuddhikāraṇam? Idam sarvēṣāṁ pāvanānāṁ uttamam. Sarvēṣāṁ
pāvanānām nirdhāranē ṣaṣṭhī among all the prāyaścittams that a person can
imagine, idam uttamam prāyaścittam – this is the greatest prāyaścittam or purifier.
What is that? Brahma-jñānam. And uttamam is equal to utkr̥ ṣṭatamam. So
uttamam and utkr̥ ṣṭatamam are in separate lines they should be connected. Why
do we say so? Because anēka-janma sahasra sañcitam api – all the pāpams which
have been accumulated in anēka-janma sahasra – thousands of janmas, so janma-
sahasra-sañcitam api, sañcitam means accumulated, dharma-adharma-ādi – pāpam
as well as puṇyam also. Prāyaścittams can destroy only pāpam, other than jñānam
all other prāyaścittams cannot destroy puṇyam. Because other prāyaścittams can
only produce puṇyam, puṇyam producing prāyaścittams cannot remove puṇyam.
Whereas jñānam alone can destroy that also. Therefore he carefully adds dharma-
adharma-ādi, that is a very important adjective, it destroys puṇyam also. Adharma –
pāpam also, ādi means its kāraṇam, i.e., ajñānam. Dharma-adharma-ajñānam
karma samūlam, samūlam means along with this route ajñānam, bhasmīkarōti, if

you remember the fourth chapter, yathaidhāṁsi

samiddhō:'gnirbhasmasātkurutē:'rjuna | jñānāgniḥ sarvakarmāṇi bhasmasātkurutē
tathā || Gītā 4-37 || bhidyatē hr̥dayagranthi ḥ chidyantē sarvasaṁśayāḥ kṣīyantē
cāsya karmāṇi || Muṇḍakōpaniṣat 2-2-8 || All these we should remember.
And what about prārabdham? There is a confusion. Should we say prārabdham is

destroyed or not? Our answer is prārabdham is destroyed we can say, prārabdham
is not destroyed we can say, both the statements can be justified because
prārabdham is as good as destroyed. We should not say prārabdham is destroyed,
you should not say prārabdham is not destroyed. What is the right expression?
prārabdham is as good as destroyed. That means experientially it will continue but
factually it is understood as good as non-existence. Therefore there is nothing wrong
in saying prārabdha is also destroyed.
Then how much time will it take? Because sañcitam is so much like Himalayan
bundle. Kṣaṇamātrāt – within a second, even a second is too much, in short
instantaneously it removes. Then the moment it is said we will find it very very
difficult to understanding and swallow. Whenever we have difficulty in understanding
any part of vēdānta, you know what you should do? Just take the dream example. It
will become clear. All the pāpams done by the dreamer in many years of dream all of
them are falsified in one waking up. How much time will it take up to wake up?
Therefore just as dream is falsified in a moment the entire creation is falsified by the
knowledge aham satyam jagat mithyā.
So whenever we say sañcita is destroyed, don‟t think the world continues and only
sañcita is destroyed. Whenever we say sañcita is destroyed you understand the
entire creation is destroyed and sañcita is only an infinitesimal part of this vast
universe. You will have problem only when you think the world continues, only
sañcita is targeted and all. It is not so. Everything is falsified. Therefore yataḥ ataḥ –
therefore tasya pāvanatvaṁ kiṁ vaktavyam – what to talk of its purifying power or
prāyaścittam status. Kaimutika nyāyaḥ. What to talk of it, that means it is the
greatest prāyaścittam. And that is why for sannyāsis also whenever they feel that
they have done anything wrong, they are asked to do aham brahma asmi itself as a
prāyaścittam which is not required at all if aham brahma asmi is known. Even if
some such guilt is there he invokes the knowledge then kimaham̐ sādhu nākaravam
| kimahaṁ pāpamakaravamiti | sa ya ēvaṁ vidvānētēātmānam̐ spr̥ ṇutē ||
Taittirīyōpaniṣat 2-9-1 || Jñāni will never have the disturbance passed by why I did
not do puṇyam and why did pāpam etc., because ubhē tē ātmānaṁ paśyati. Jñāni

sees puṇyam and pāpam and everything as ātmā and there is no puṇyam and
pāpam other than ātmā. Therefore pāvanatvaṁ kiṁ vaktavyam. Continuing;
गकचच –– प्रत्यक्ष िगमं प्रत्यक्ेण सुखादे ाः इव अवगमाः यस्य तत् प्रत्यक्ावगमम् ।
kiñca –– pratyakṣāvagamaṁpratyakṣēṇa sukhādēḥ iva avagamaḥ yasya tat

pratyakṣāvagamam |
So this is the fourth description, kiñca – moreover. All these are descriptions of
brahma-jñānam, remember it is not the description of Brahman. So what is the next
one? Pratyakṣa-avagamam– when I gain brahma-jñānam whether I have got
brahma-jñānam or not how do I know? People ask the question. The only method is
you should ask the question „do I understand I am Brahman?‟ So whether I
understand or I don‟t understand, who will understand? Whether I understand or I
don‟t understand I only know. Therefore whatever happens in mind is called sākṣi-
pratyakṣam. Whatever happens outside is called indriya pratyakṣam and whatever
happens in the mind is called sākṣi-pratyakṣam. And who is the sākṣi? I am the
sākṣi. Therefore I, the sākṣi know the rāga in the mind; I, the sākṣi know the dvēṣa
happening in the mind. Rāga vr̥tti , dvēṣa vr̥tti, kāma vr̥tti, krōdha vr̥tti, every event
in the mind I only know. Similarly, whether I am convinced that I am Brahman or
not I only should ask. That is why I often tell I should have two sets of chairs. I am
Brahman, nitya-mukta-brahma and I am not-nitya-mukta-brahma – who is to
decide? I cannot decide and even if I decide „you are free now‟, you may say „you
don‟t know‟. The very fact some students still refuse indicates only the student can
know „whether I am convinced I am muktaḥ or not.‟ Therefore brahma-jñānam is
sākṣi pratyakṣam. Why? Vr̥tti rūpatvāt . Brahman is caitanya rūpam and brahma -
jñānam is vr̥tti rūpam. Since it is a vr̥tti that happens in the mind, I only should know
that. Therefore he says pratyakṣēṇa means sākṣi pratyakṣēṇa avagamaḥ, avagamaḥ
means understanding or awareness, yasya, bahuvrīhi samāsa, pratyakṣēṇa
avagamaḥ yasya tat jñānam, only I know whether I know, only I know whether I do
not know, only I know whether I know doubtfully, only I know whether I know
doubtlessly. Is a doubtful knowledge or doubtless knowledge, who has to decide?
only we have to decide.
Dayānanda Svāmiji gives the example of checking the eyes. When you want to
change your glasses, you go to the eye doctor and doctor may be or the person may
be very good, and the room may be very good, instruments may be the best,
ultimately whether the letters I see or not, who has to decide? No machine can
decide, no doctor can decide, only doctor asks the question „can you read the third

line or not?‟ Only I have to tell whether I can read it or not. Similarly, there is an
audio, ear also. Doctor will ask whether I can hear or not, whether I hear or not I
only know. Similarly, whether I am in binary-format or triangular-format, nobody on
earth will know, I only will know and I can know. Therefore pratyakṣēṇa avagamaḥ
yasya. Like what? Sukhādēḥ iva – just as happiness etc. Because happiness is an
emotional condition. Again as Svāmiji says when somebody asked are you happy,
you can falsely or rightly answer, you can have a smile also outside, like the air-
hostesses smile. Therefore smiling you can do and you can tell others that you are
happy but whether I am happy or not who knows, I only know because happiness is
sākṣi pratyakṣam. What happiness? emotional happiness is sākṣi pratyakṣam only.
Here sukha is emotional happiness and not svarūpa sukham. This is the fourth
description. Continuing;
अनेकगुणवताः अगप धमयगवरुद्धत्वां रॅष्टम्, न तथा आत्मज्ञानां धमयगवरोयध, गकन्तु धम्यं धमायद ् अनपेतम् ।
anēkaguṇavataḥ api dharmaviruddhatvaṁ dr̥ṣṭam, na tathā ātma-jñānaṁ

dharmavirōdhi, kintu dharmyaṁ dharmād anapētam |
The next description is the fifth one dharmyam. Dharmyam means it is not
against Shastric injunction. It is not adharma. So dharma-virōdhina bhavati. And why
do we say so? He gives an example. There are many things in the creation which are
wonderful and which have got several virtues also. There are wonderful and virtuous
things, but when we want to enjoy them śāstra says you should not. So
anēkaguṇavataḥ api, guṇavataḥ means it is wonderful, enjoyable and glorified also
but śāstra says no especially in the field of food and drinks. There are many
wonderful things which are very tasty and people love that taste and the scientific
people, the nutritionist also say they are wonderful, every nutrition book will glorify
garlic. It is the blood purifier and this and that. Anēkaguṇavataḥ, similarly, in books
they glorify the eggs and certain types of fish also, in some places they glorify the
drinks also. Even they say a little drink is good for health. In food and drink they
may be very tasty and we may love it, they may be virtuous also nutritionally but
śāstra says if you take them it is pāpam . Not at the dr̥ ṣṭam level, dr̥ṣṭam level it is
beneficial but adr̥ ṣṭam level it is a pāpam and an obstacle to the spiritual growth.
Therefore there are certain things, guṇavān but śāstra viruddham. And what type of
guṇavān? Anēka guṇavān but śāstra niṣiddham. But ātma-jñānam has got infinite
guṇa and at the same time it is not śāstra virōdhi, on the other hand it is prescribed
by the śāstram itself. So anēkaguṇavataḥ api – there are certain things like garlic,
even though we can read vibhūti-yōga of garlic in nutrition books,
Dharmaviruddhatvam – you have to do prāyaścittam if you take that. Dharma-

viruddhatvam means pāpavatvam dr̥ ṣṭam – we see in the scriptures . dr̥ṣṭam means
śāstrē dr̥ ṣṭam and not pratyakṣa pramāṇēna. Ātma-jñānaṁ tathā na dharma-virōdhi
– ātma-jñānam is not a similar one, it is enjoyable, it has got several virtues and it is
prescribed by the śāstram itself.
That is why when a person takes to sannyāsa all the Vedic rituals he drops and
when he gets out of the family, he drops the responsibility of taking care of the
family, he gives up by taking to sannyāsa, therefore naturally a guilt will come when
I am leaving the family, am I not committing a mistake of not contributing to the
family. This guilt is bound to affect everyone who is taking to sannyāsa because he
is dropping the family duties. Then if the sannyāsi is out of guilt it is only because of
the one reason, because sannyāsa is prescribed by the śāstra itself. Therefore śāstra
doesn‟t say it is a pāpam and because of śāstra pramāṇam alone sannyāsa is not a
wrong thing. Without taking sannyāsa if one neglects family duties it will give
pāpam. But when he formally renounces it will not produce pāpam because it is not
śāstra condemned one. Thus in certain cases we have to know right and wrong not
based on our law but based on śāstra. Therefore na dharma-virōdhi. After dharma-
virōdhi either put a full stop or semi colon. kintu – on the other hand, dharmyam–
it is perfectly all right, dharmyam is equal to dharmād anapētam means not
contradictory to the dharma. apētam means contradictory, anapētam means non-
contradictory to the dharma. In positive language it is in conformity with dharma
only, if a sannyāsi renounces duty it will not come under omission of duties. If a
sannyāsi formally renounces duties it will not come under omission of duties. But if
without sannyāsa if the duties are omitted it will come under omission and
prāyaścittam has to be done. So thus dharmyam. Continuing;
एवम् अगप, स्यात् रृाःसांपाद्यम्इगतअताःआह –– सुसुखं कतुथम्, यथा रत्नगववेकगवज्ञानम् ।
ēvam api, syāt duḥsaṁpādyam iti ataḥāha –– susukhaṁ kartum, yathā ratna
vivēka vijñānam |
So there are many wonderful things and many enjoyable and they are not śāstra
viruddhatvam also like the pleasures of the higher lōkas; svarga-lōka sukham and
Brahma-lōka sukham etc., are considered to be extraordinary. If you remember
Taittirīyōpaniṣat, Brahma-lōka ānanda is considered to be the best ānanda. Take the
highest ānanda of a best human being and take this as one unit, and to this ānanda
add twenty zeros. That is the one unit of Brahmānanda. Thus Brahmānanda is the
greatest. And is it śāstra viruddham? It is not śāstra viruddham also but there is a

problem. What is the problem? To go to Brahma-lōka you have to do upāsana

lifelong, you should become an expert yōgi, then you have to carefully die, and then
you have to squeeze the sūkṣma-śarīram through suṣumnā nāḍi and then go to
Brahma-lōka and you can have that sukham. The problem is it is the best sukham
but it is almost impossible. Kr̥ṣṇa says that in the case of brahma ānanda. Brahma-
lōka ānanda is very great but extremely difficult, but in the case of brahmānanda
greater than even Brahma-lōka ānanda, but getting it is the easiest one, you need
not go through śukla gati, you need not go through Kr̥ṣṇa gati. Then through which
gati should you go? For brahma-ānanda you need not go anywhere, it is a matter of
waking up; to become a waker, free from all dream problem. To become the dream
problem free waker what should I do? Wake up! To become dream problem free
waker I should only wake up. Similarly, to be waker problem free Brahman, what
should I do? I have to do the second waking up. Therefore he says it is the easiest.
For that he puts a pūrvapakṣa. What is that pūrvapakṣa? duḥsaṁpādyam syāt. You
have to supply the subject brahma-jñānam. Brahma-jñānam duḥsaṁpādyam syāt –
Brahma-jñānam may be extremely difficult to attain because greater the goal greater
the effort. This is the normal thing. To become the champion of the local state I
require some effort, to become the champion of India I should require more effort,
then to be a Asian champion still more effort, world champion still more effort.
Greater the goal greater the effort. If brahma-jñānam is the greatest goal, the effort
must be the greatest effort.
Thus a pūrvapakṣi says brahma-jñānam must be requiring the greatest effort to such
an extent that it will not be possible. Therefore he says duḥsaṁpādyam – it must be
extremely difficult to accomplish. iti cēt – if this is the doubt ataḥāha – Kr̥ṣṇa
answers this doubt. What is the answer? Kartum susukham – it is extremely easy
to do because karma requires effort. Jñānam requires pramāṇam only. To see I have
to only use the eyes, to see the wall I have to only open the eyes, but to reach the
wall I should first get up which itself is a project, to see the wall it is pramāṇa
janyam, to reach the wall it is prayatna-janyam. pramāṇa janyam is sukham,
prayatna-janyam is duṣkaram. Therefore he says being born out of pramāṇam it
doesn‟t require any effort at all. If at all there is difficulty sādhana catuṣṭaya
sampatti alone is difficult, jñānam is not difficult. Like what? He gives the example.
Like ratna-vivēka-vijñānam – it is like the differentiating knowledge vivēka between
a genuine gem and a fake one. It is only a knack we have to develop to differentiate
the fake diamond and the real diamond or fake gold and the real gold. So ratna-
vivēka-vijñānam iva it is a knack which is not difficult. Even thermometer

temperature reading if you are doing for the first time you will not know where the
mercury is there. The other person will say that the temperature is so evident he will
say. It is a knack you have to keep on doing that, at a particular angle that mercury
you are able to see. It is a knack. Similarly, ātmā-anātmā-vivēka is a knack you have
to gather, it may take twenty-five years, for another it may take five years, and if
you get the knack it is over because caitanyam and jaḍam are together. And
therefore he gives a beautiful example. Another example they give is ṣaḍjātivat –
like recognizing the svarams of a musical instrument. There are some people who
can never understand what is śruti. They are comfortably and blissfully ignorant of
the fact that they are off śruti. But we have got ṣaḍjātivat jñānam, sitting near that
person you feel so restless. But the other person, often they are louder also, and
you cannot fault them because simply they are tone deaf. They can hear, they don‟t
have the problem of hearing, with regard to śruti they don‟t understand. It is a
knack, by listening repeatedly one gets hold of it. This is what is vēdānta. After
twenty-four years have you understood? Not understood. The guru has to go on and
on. It is just we claim. Simplest thing. I am free. But most difficult. Because it is a
knack. Therefore yathā ratna vivēka vijñānam – like distinguishing good and bad,
the genuine and the fake. Continuing;
तत्र अल्पायासानाां कमयणाां सुखसम्पाद्यानाम् अल्पफलत्वां रृष्कराणाां च महाफलत्वां रॅष्टम् इगत, इदां तु सुखसम्पाद्यत्वात्
फलक्यात् व्येगत इगत प्राप्तम्, अताःआह ––
tatra alpāyāsānāṁ karmaṇāṁ sukhasampādyānām alpaphalatvaṁ duṣkarāṇāṁ

ca mahāphalatvaṁ dr̥ṣṭam iti, idaṁ tu sukhasampādyatvāt phalakṣayāt vyēti iti
prāptam, ataḥāha ––
So all the problems of the people is they think mōkṣa is something to be attained.
That idea of attaining is so strong, therefore we want to increase the effort instead
of concentrating on the knack of claiming we always tend to increase the effort.
Shall I do more japa Svāmiji? Previously I did only one hundred and eight. Now can
I increase one thousand and eight? Or can I make one lakh and eight? People want
to do something and hope that by extra effort they can get what they want. It is not
the extra effort or less effort, it is a fact to be claimed now, that knack is what śāstra
is trying to help us to get but the problem is we always connect sādhana to a type of
karma.
Therefore what mistake we do? Since mōkṣa is the greatest attainment I should
more sādhana. And then that is one extreme. Now Kr̥ṣṇa said not at all, sādhana is
less less is not the word, really speaking there is no question of sādhana because I
am what I want to be. So He said the effort is very less. Again pūrvapakṣi goes to

karma context. In karma context, greater the effort greater is the phalam. Lesser
the effort lesser is the phalam. Now he argues if mōkṣa can be attained by lesser
effort, the phalam also will last for a few days only. If I earn money working for one
month, then the money will be exhausted within one month; if I learn money for one
year then the money also will be exhausted in a longer time. Therefore longer the
effort long lasting it will be. Shorter the efforts the phalam also will be short lasting.
Similarly, if I quickly get mōkṣa will I not quickly lose it. Previously he said he wants
to take long time, then Kr̥ṣṇa said short time only. Then he asks if I get mōkṣa
within a short time, will it not be lost. Kr̥ṣṇa says don‟t connect it to karma at all. It
is not the question of effort or karma; it is a fact to be claimed, mōkṣa happens to
be my nature, where is the question of losing it. Even Bhagavān cannot take mōkṣa
away as a punishment given. I can challenge Bhagavān if you want to take away my
mōkṣa, I will give you a certificate that you are omnipotent. Your omnipotence is
incapable of taking my mōkṣa because mōkṣa is my real svarūpam, avyayam.

302 Verses-2 and 3
Page 227, bhāṣyam last paragraph.

तत्र अल्पायासानाां कमयणाां सुखसम्पाद्यानाम् अल्पफलत्वां; रृष्कराणाां च महाफलत्वां रॅष्टम् इगत, इदां तु सुखसम्पाद्यत्वात्
फलक्यात् व्येगत इगत प्राप्तम्, अताःआह ––
tatra alpāyāsānāṁ karmaṇāṁ sukhasampādyānām alpaphalatvaṁ; duṣkarāṇāṁ

ca mahāphalatvaṁ dr̥ṣṭam iti, idaṁ tu sukhasampādyatvāt phalakṣayāt vyēti iti
prāptam, ataḥāha ––
After introducing brahma-jñānam as the topic of the ninth chapter in the first verse,
now in the second verse Kr̥ṣṇa talks about the glory of brahma-jñānam by giving
seven descriptions of that jñānam. The last two descriptions are susukham kartum
and avyayam. Brahma-jñānam or for that matter any jñānam is easy because
jñānam doesn‟t require any effort on the part of the person because jñānam is not
kartr̥-tantram, it is not dependent on the will or effort of the knower. Effort is
involved only in aligning pramātā, pramāṇam and pramēyam, in the alignment alone
effort is involved, like listening to a music concert. If I want to know or experience a
concert, effort is involved only in reaching the hall. Once I have reached and settled
in the hall, pramātā, the experiencer is there and pramāṇam, the ears are hopefully
ok. If ears are not all right, effort is required to repair the ears. But if ears are ok, in
the hall pramātā is seated, pramāṇam, the ears are functioning, pramēyam the
music concert is going. When these three are in alignment I don‟t have to do any
effort, in fact even if I don‟t want to hear, hearing takes place, because it is not will
based, not effort based. No jñānam is will based or effort based. And if the lyric of
the music is in a language that I know, then as even the lyric I hear, I know the
language and the lyric the musician is uttering even without any effort on my part
the meaning of the lyric takes place in the mind. Therefore preparation of pramātā
requires effort, preparation of the pramāṇam in the case of sense organs may
require effort, alignment of these three requires effort, because up to that it is
karma. Up to the preparation and alignment the effort involved is karma, once the
alignment has taken place, the generation of jñānam is not will-based or effort-
based. Therefore no jñānam requires effort. brahma-jñānam also doesn‟t require any
effort. sādhana catuṣṭaya sampatti requires effort, because it is citta-saṁskāra,

saṁskāra comes under one of the karma-phalam. Therefore sādhana-catuṣṭaya-

sampatti requires effort while jñānam doesn‟t require any effort because it is not will
based. And when this much is said a pūrvapakṣi raises a question, normally in the
context of karma we see an equation, greater the effort greater the result, lesser the
effort lesser the result, adhikasya adhikam phalam, this general law we see in the
context of karma. And therefore the pūrvapakṣi extends the same rule in the context
of jñānam also and says since jñānam doesn‟t require any effort at all, jñāna-phalam
also must be very small. Why? Because in the context of karma greater the effort
greater the phalam. Shouldn‟t it be applied in the case of jñānam? He asks.
Kr̥ṣṇa says in the case of jñānam no effort gives infinite phalam because infinite is
not the product of an effort. jñānam removes ignorance, infinite is claimed.
Therefore pūrvapakṣa is presented in the last paragraph. Tatra, tatra means
vyāvahāra bhūmau, in our common parlance, alpa-āyāsānāṁ karmaṇām – when an
effort is put forth with limited application, when a karma is done with limited-effort,
sukha-sampādyānām – and the result is attained through limited-effort and
therefore easily. In the case of karma which is done with limited effort and the result
is achieved easily, alpa-phalatvam – we find the benefit is also limited. Because as
the effort is so the result is, greater the effort greater the result, lesser the effort
lesser the result. This is anvaya vyatirēka siddham. Alpa-phalatvaṁ dr̥ṣṭam. After
alpaphalatvam put a semi colon. Duṣkarāṇāṁ ca mahāphalatvaṁsiddham – when
greater effort which is extremely difficult is put forth mahā-phalatvaṁ siddham –
proportionately the benefit is also great. Up to this is the law quoted by the
pūrvapakṣi. And based on this common-sense-law, pūrvapakṣi extends the law to
brahma-jñānam also. And he says iti, iti means hētvarthē, iti hētōḥ because of this
reason, idaṁ tu sukha-sampādyatvāt, idam means brahma-jñānam.
sukhasampādyatvāt – he is accomplished with lesser effort only. According to
whom? Kr̥ṣṇa Himself. Based on what word? susukham. Sukha-sampādyatvāt is
based on the Gītā word susukham. Susukhatvāt, phalakṣayāt – the benefit also will
be short-living only. Phalam also will be easily exhausted. And therefore vyēti, vyēti
means it is perishable, short living. Therefore it is vyayam, vyayam means it is easily
perishable. Up to this is pūrvapakṣa. Iti prāptam – such a pūrvapakṣa is possible,
such an objection is possible, it has not been raised by anyone, Kr̥ṣṇa Himself
imagines such a pūrvapakṣa and Kr̥ṣṇa Himself answers that, ataḥ. Ataḥ means
ētādr̥śa pūrvapakṣasya uttarārtham. For eliminating such a possible objection āha –
Kr̥ṣṇa gives the answer. The answer is given in the next paragraph. We will read.
अव्ययम्– न अस्य फलताः कमयवत् व्ययाः अस्स्त इगत अव्ययम् । अताः श्रद्धे यम् आत्मज्ञानम् ॥ ९-२ ॥

avyayam – na asya phalataḥ karmavat vyayaḥ asti iti avyayam | ataḥśraddhēyam

ātma-jñānam || 9-2 ||
So what is the answer? avyayam, avyayam means inexhaustible , eternal,

imperishable. What is imperishable ? Not jñānam but jñāna -phalam is imperishable .
jñānam is in the form of vr̥tti , that vr̥tti -jñānam is perishable because vr̥tti of any
knowledge cannot permanently remain in the mind . If vr̥tt i permanently remains
then next knowledge is not possible . Therefore vr̥tti-jñānam is not avyayam, vr̥tti-
jñānam comes , removes ignorance and vr̥tti also gets dissolved . Therefore
permanence is not of vr̥tti -jñānam, but permanence is of the vr̥tti -jñāna-phalam.
After avyayam you have put an en dash. Therefore he says asya, asya means vr̥tti-
jñānasya, brahma-jñānasya, karmavat vyayaḥ na asti – there is no exhaustion or
end like karma-phalam. karmavat means karma-phalavat – like the karma-phalam,
vr̥ttijñānasya vyayaḥ, vyayaḥ means end, destruction is not there, in terms of
phalataḥ. Not in terms of vr̥tti -jñānam itself, vr̥tti-jñānam perishes but phalataḥ – in
terms of the result which is mōkṣa-dr̥ṣṭyā vyayaḥ na asti. vyayaḥ means nāśaḥ. And
the word na should be connected with asti, you should read vyayaḥ na asti. Iti, iti is
hētvarthē, iti hētōḥ avyayam bhavati. Therefore jñāna-phalam is imperishable unlike
karma-phalam. Karma-phalam is difficult and perishable and jñāna-phalam is easy
and imperishable. What an irony? Thus it is worth working for. Ataḥ– therefore. So
Śaṅkarācārya adds an interesting note here which is not in the ślōka. These are all
the finer points of the bhāṣyam. The last sentence is not in the ślōka. Śaṅkarācārya
adds a note and the note is such a beautiful note, that it is a corollary of the
previous ślōka and it is a link for the next ślōka. A fantastic note which is a corollary
of the second ślōka and it is link for the next ślōka. How is it? Let us see. Ataḥ–
therefore. Therefore means because of the seven descriptions of the glory of
brahma-jñānam, because of seven-fold glory, ātma-jñānam śraddhēyam – you
should have śraddhā in ātma-jñānam and bhakti in ātma-jñānam. Śraddhēyam
means you should develop śraddhā. And what is the next ślōka? Aśraddadhānāḥ
puruṣāḥ, if you don‟t have śraddhā who is the loser? Kr̥ṣṇa says I am not going to
lose, r̥ṣis are not going to lose, scriptures are not going to lose, Bhagavān is not
going to lose, ācāryas are not going to lose, if you don‟t have śraddhā you are going
to lose and you are loose. Are you able to differentiate? If you can it is fine. ataḥ,
very beautiful line, ātma-jñānam śraddhēyam.

The anvaya is, idam (jñānaṁ) rāja-vidyā, rāja-guhyam, uttamam-pavitram,

pratyakṣa-avagamam, dharmyam, kartum-susukham, avyayam (ca bhavati) |
Continuing;
ये पुनाः ––
yē punaḥ––
Verse 09-03
अश्रद्दधानााः पुरुषा धमयस्यास्य परन्तप ।
अप्राप्य माां गनवतयन्ते मृत्युसांसारवत्मयगन ॥ गीता ९-३ ॥
aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā dharmasyāsya parantapa |

aprāpya māṁ nivartantē mr̥tyusaṁsāravartmani || Gītā 9-3 ||
So the gist of the verse is simple. In the previous bhāṣyam last verse Śaṅkarācārya
said you should have śraddhā in ātma-jñānam. Now Kr̥ṣṇa says if you don‟t have
śraddhā, then you will not work for this knowledge, therefore you won‟t get the
knowledge, therefore you won‟t get Me (Bhagavān) and therefore you won‟t get
mōkṣa. Śraddhā-abhāvē sādhana-abhāvaḥ, you will not do sādhana, you will not
gain jñānam, you will not Bhagavān, you will not get mōkṣa which means you will
continue to wallow in saṁsāra. This is the consequence in the absence of śraddhā.
Therefore ataḥ ātma-jñānam śraddhēyam. This is the essence of the ślōka. We will
read the bhāṣyam. yē punaḥ is to be connected with puruṣāḥ in the ślōka. So those
people who do not have śraddhā, the consequence is the following.
अश्रद्दध न ाः श्रद्धागवरगहतााः आत्मज्ञानस्य धमथस्य अस्य स्वरूपे तत्फले च नास्स्तकााः पापकाररणाः, असुराणाम् उपगनषदां
दे हमात्रात्मदियनम् एवप्रगतपन्नााः असुतृपाः पुरुष ाः परनतप, अप्र प्य म ं परमेश्वरम् – मत्प्राप्तौ न एव आिङ् का इगत –
मत्प्रान्प्तमागयसाधनभेदभशक्तमात्रम् अगप अप्राप्य इगत अथयाः । वनितथनते गनियेन वतयन्ते ।
aśraddadhānāḥ śraddhā virahitāḥātma jñānasya dharmasya asyasvarūpē

tatphalē ca nāstikāḥ pāpakāriṇaḥ, asurāṇām upaniṣadaṁ
dēhamātrātmadarśanam ēva pratipannāḥ asutr̥paḥ puruṣāḥ parantapa, aprāpya
māṁparamēśvaram – matprāptau na ēva āśaṅkā iti –
matprāptimārgasādhanabhēdabhaktimātram api aprāpya iti arthaḥ | nivartantē
niścayēna vartantē |
Aśraddadhānāḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to śraddhā-virahitāḥ– those who do not

have any faith and reverence, ātma-jñānasya dharmasya asya, the word
dharmasya is occurring in the mūlam. In this context the word dharmaḥ means
ātma-jñānam. Therefore you have to reverse the order in the bhāṣyam,
asyadharmasya is equal to ātma-jñānasya. Why ātma-jñānam is called dharmaḥ?
Normally the word dharmaḥ means any karma or instruction prescribed by the vēda

is called dharmaḥ. Dharma is defined in the pūrva mīmāṁsā sūtram by Jaimini as

cōdanā lakṣaṇaḥ arthaḥ dharmaḥ, any instruction given by the vēda or śāstra is
called dharmaḥ. The word dharma can be used only for Shastric instructions. If
anybody else gives an instruction it is called instruction, a Shastric instruction is
called dharmaḥ. Therefore in the vēda-pūrva-bhāga all the karmas and values
prescribed are called dharmaḥ, that is why athātō dharma-jijñāsā. And here the
ātma-jñānam is an instruction or a teaching given by vēda anta, vēda anta also
being a part of the vēda, jñānam also comes under a teaching given by the vēda.
Therefore being a teaching given by the vēda, jñānam also can be called dharmaḥ.
Therefore general meaning of the word dharma is vaidika-dharma, contextual
meaning of dharma is vaidika-jñānam ca. In this context vaidika-ātma-jñānam is
called dharmaḥ. And not having śraddhā in ātma-jñānam.
And what do you mean by that? Svarūpē tatphalē ca. What does it mean not having
faith in ātma-jñānam? Two things. One is disbelief in the very existence of ātma-
jñānam. So the first disbelief is with regard to the very existence of the ātma-
jñānam, that is called svarūpē aśraddhā. Here svarūpam means ātma-jñāna
astitvam. This is lack of faith number one. And the second disbelief is when I don‟t
believe in the existence of ātma-jñānam, how can I have belief in the phalam of
ātma-jñānam? Therefore tatphalē ca. So those who do not have faith in the
existence of nirguṇa-brahma-jñānam and nirguṇa brahma-jñānam phalarūpa mōkṣa;
in jñānam and mōkṣa people do not have śraddhā, nāstikāḥ, nāstikāḥ iti vadantaḥ.
Why they don‟t have śraddhā? Śaṅkarācārya adds a very important word here,
pāpakāriṇaḥ – the lack of faith in the scriptures is because of pūrva-janma pāpam.
And according to the scriptures among all the pāpams the greatest or the worst
pāpam is considered to be atheism. There is a ślōka I forget, sarva-pāpānām
nāstikyam is the greatest pāpam. Nāstikyam means lack of faith in the śāstra. It is
because of the pūrva-janma pāpam. Therefore pāpakāriṇaḥ and asurāṇām
upaniṣadaṁ pratipannāḥ– if they don‟t have śraddhā in the śāstram, what will be the
consequence? According to śāstram every individual consists of four components
which we learn in Tattvabōdha. Every individual consists of four components sthūla
śarīram, sūkṣma-śarīram, kāraṇa-śarīram and ātmā. Of these four components only
one component can be proved through pratyakṣa pramāṇam and modern scientific
pramāṇam. Pratyakṣam and science can prove only one component of the individual.
All the other three components sūkṣma-śarīram; remember śāstram alone is the
pramāṇam for sūkṣma-śarīram. We think modern science accepts a mind, remember
modern science does not accept the mind, modern science accepts only the brain.

What is the difference between brain and mind? Mind survives the death of the
individual whereas brain is destroyed, you ask a modern scientist after the death of
the body, after the destruction of the brain does the mind continue you ask he will
laugh at you. Remember mind is a belief according to modern science. That is why
according to the modern science psychology is not a regular science, they say
psychology is a pseudo-science. Neurology is a factual-science, psychology is never
accepted by regular scientist because there is no proof for the existence of a mind
other than the brain and a mind which will survive and which will travel along with
vāsanā. Taṁ vidyākarmaṇī samanvārabhētē pūrvaprajñā ca || Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat
4-4-2 || That the mind will travel with vāsanās – there is no scientific proof.
Therefore nāstikas will not accept sūkṣma-śarīram, they will not accept another lōka,
they will not accept pūrva-janma or later janma, that is why most of our children do
not believe in śrāddham. They will ask what is the proof for our forefather‟s survival,
offering ghee into the fire is a waste, take that ghee and go to some institution and
serve the children, why are you wasting the money in śrāddham and tarpaṇam. This
philosophy that all rituals are waste is called the philosophy of asuras. Śaṅkarācārya
says this talking from our children is because unfortunately our own children are
becoming asuras, it is our pūrva-janma karma that we have got such children and
we have also done some pāpam for getting such children; don‟t tell this outside the
āstika samājam. Śaṅkarācārya says nāstikas are pāpakāriṇaḥ and they take to
asurāṇām upaniṣadam. This is also an upaniṣat, atheism is an upaniṣat. It is the
upaniṣat of asura people who say śrāddham is waste, tarpaṇam is waste, temple
abhiṣēkam is waste, why are you wasting so much material pouring on a stone, they
condemn the ritual. All of them come under asurāṇām upaniṣat.
What should we do? Observe maunam, because they don‟t have faith in scriptures.
The word asurāṇām upaniṣadam is borrowed from Chāndōgyōpaniṣat. Śaṅkarācārya
is smart, whatever he writes he will keep the upaniṣats in mind. This word asurāṇām
upaniṣadam – atheism is the upaniṣat of asuras. Note it atheism is the upaniṣat of
asuras.
तस्मादप्यद्येहाददानमश्रद्दधानमयजमानमाहुरासुरो बतेत्यसुराणााँ ह्येषोपगनषत्प्रेतस्य िरीरां त्तभक्या वसनेनालांकारेणेगत

सांस्कुवयन्त्येतेन ह्यमुां लोकां जेष्यन्तो मन्यन्ते ॥ ८-८-५ ॥
tasmādapyadyēhādadānamaśraddadhānamayajamānamāhurāsurō
batētyasurāṇām̐ hyēṣōpaniṣatprētasya śarīraṁ bhikṣayā vasanēnālaṁkārēṇēti
saṁskurvantyētēna hyamuṁ lōkaṁ jēṣyantō manyantē || 8-8-5 ||
You know what is the context. Indra and Virōcana go to Brahma. And in the first
class brahma teaches one component of the individual. The first component is sthūla

śarīram, the viśva. And Virōcana, the asurā attended the first class, understood the
sthūla śarīram, went back and then started the teaching all the people that sthūla-
śarīram ēva ātmā, sūkṣma-śarīram nāsti, punar-janma nāsti; karmāṇi na santi.
Rituals are waste, pūjā is waste. So asurāṇām upaniṣadam. And what is that? dēha-
mātra-ātma-darśanam – this is the explanation of asurāṇām upaniṣadam. Cārvāka
matam iti arthaḥ, dēha-mātra-ātma-darśanam – physical body alone is the whole
individual, sūkṣma-śarīram nāsti, kāraṇa-śarīram nāsti, ātmā naiva asti. And
therefore we have got only one life, and there also we have got only the middle age
between twenty and fifty only, all our organs are intact, therefore all the sensory
pleasures we can enjoy only within this twenty and fifty years and never go to the
vēdānta classes where they will talk about vivēka, vairāgyam. Therefore if you are
practicing vairāgyam it is foolishness , when you have got all sense organs intact
thoroughly enjoy . Therefore asutr̥pa ḥ– those who satiate the sense organs , tr̥paḥ
means tarpayanti, they don‟t do tarpaṇam to their forefathers and they do tarpaṇam
to their own five sense organs. Asuḥ means indriyāṇi, jñānēndriyāṇi and
karmēndriyāṇi ca. Gauṇa prāṇaḥ. Asuḥ means prāṇaḥ, and the word prāṇa in this
context means daśa indriyāṇi, all the ten sense organs you feed them. So asun
tarpayanti iti asutr̥pa ḥ. In short, sensualists. puruṣāḥ, these are the descriptions of
aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣāḥ. Hē parantapa, hē Arjuna, mām aprāpya is in the
mūlam, is equal to paramēśvaram aprāpya – they will never reach the Lord. So
mām is in the mūlam, is equal to paramēśvaram aprāpya. Thereafter he adds an
expression in parenthesis, therefore we have to put an en dash. Matprāptau na ēva
āśaṅkā iti, he says the nāstikas will not reach God, need not be stated at all,
because when they are not going to have faith in God where is the question of
reaching God. Therefore we need not negate their reaching God, they will not reach
the very sādhana of reaching God. And therefore Īśvara -prāpti niṣēdha need not be
mentioned because they won‟t come to Īśvara prāpti sādhana itself. When they don‟t
come to Īśvara -mārgaḥ, where is the question of reaching Īśvara, the destination?
When the path itself they don‟t reach, where is the question of reaching the
destination? Therefore he says mat prāptau āśaṅkāēva na asti – there is no question
of reaching the destination, God. In fact, we should say matprāpti-mārga-sādhana-
bhēda-bhakti-mātram aprāpya, instead of saying Īśvara m aprāpya we should say
Īśvara mārgam aprāpya. So mām should be understand as man-mārgam. And what
is the mārga? That he explains. matprāpti-mārga sādhanam – the path of reaching
the God. And what is that? Sādhana-bhēda – which is the specific sādhana,
matprāpti-mārga is sādhana-bhēda, here the word bhēda is specific sādhana is
Īśvara prāpti mārga. And what is the specific sādhana? Bhaktiḥ. So thus bhakti is

equal to sādhana is equal to Īśvara mārga, that mārga itself they won‟t come then
what to talk of reaching the destination. So bhēda-bhakti-mātram api aprāpyaiti
arthaḥ. So the essence is mām is equal to mārgam. That is the idea.
And if they don‟t come to bhakti itself, that is why they don‟t believe in temple also,
getting up many early in the morning; many of the parents‟ complain is that my
daughter-in-law doesn‟t believe in lighting the lamp. This is the biggest complaint of
all the modern ladies because the daughter-in-law generation and mother-in-law
generation bhakti-śraddhā-Bhagavān are wiped out. Therefore minimum is – they
don‟t want the daughter-in-law to attend the classes that is too much – they want
the daughter-in-law to get up, take bath and light up the lamp. Now the daughter-
in-law wears one gown throughout the day and thinks of taking bath at four p.m.
and she doesn‟t believe in pūjā-room, lighting the lamp and these are all disturbing
the parents. The study of vēdānta is to develop kṣamā. One of the acceptance is
accept the daughter-in-law. I am using this expression because this is becoming
more and more prevalent.
Ok, then what happens to them? nivartantē, nivartantē is in the mūlam, and here
also the literal meaning of the word nivartantē is return. So the nāstikas will return
to saṁsāra is the literal translation. Śaṅkarācārya thinks that should not be taken
here. Why should we talk about returning to saṁsāra? If we have gone away from
saṁsāra alone the word returning is meaningful. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says don‟t
take regular translation for nivartantē. The what does it mean? Niścayēna
vartantē– they continue in saṁsāra must be the translation. Instead of return you
use the word continue very much. Therefore he says niścayēna vartantē.
Continuing;
क्तव? –– मृत्यु-संस र-ित्मथवन– मृत्युयुक्ताः सांसाराः मृत्युसांसाराः तस्य वत्मय नरकगतययगाददप्रान्प्तमागयाः। तस्स्मन् एव वतयन्ते
इगत अथयाः ॥ ९-३ ॥
kva? –– mr̥tyu-saṁsāra-vartmani – mr̥tyuyuktaḥ saṁsāraḥ mr̥tyusaṁsāraḥ tasya

vartma narakatiryagādiprāptimārgaḥ| tasmin ēva vartantē iti arthaḥ || 9-3 ||
Kr̥ṣṇa says niścayēna vartantē– they strongly continue to exist. Then Śaṅkarācārya
asks the question where they continue to exist. Kva means where. It is the question
mark. And Kr̥ṣṇa gives the answer mr̥tyu-saṁsāra-vartmani niścayēna vartantē.
After mr̥tyu-saṁsāra-vartmani you have to put a dash, he gives the vigraha
vākyam. Mr̥tyu-saṁsāra is madhyama-pada-lōpa samāsa , mr̥tyuyuktaḥ saṁsāraḥ
mr̥tyu-saṁsāraḥ. What does it mean ? mr̥tyu-saṁsāra means a saṁsāra in which the
most frightening aspect is the impending arriving death. Because everybody has got

maraṇa bhayam . So mr̥tyu -yuktaḥ saṁsāraḥ mr̥tyu-saṁsāraḥ, then tasya vartma,

tasya vartma means the path of saṁsāra, vartma means path, is equal to naraka-
tiryagādi-prāpti-mārgaḥ – the path which will take a jīva from one lōka to another
lōka, and from one body to another body, like Naraka. Naraka means hell etc.,
different lōkas, and tiryag means animal birth or body, we should remember this
when we see on the road where the chickens are hanging upside down in cycles,
and in the lorry also they are taken to slaughter houses, they are all pāpa karma, so
that one also has done some pāpam that is why such a birth, and the person who
travels in the vehicle he is doing the pāpam in this janma in the next janma it will
get reversed. That is all. Therefore that is the definition of mām saḥ. In Manusmr̥ti
māṁsaḥ is defined as mām saḥ bhakṣayati. Now I am eating a goat mutton saḥ
means that goat whom I am eating now saḥ mām next janmani bhakṣayati it will eat
me in the next janma. That will become human being and I will become goat. The
idea is mām saḥ bhakṣayati iti māṁsaḥ. It is from manusmr̥ti . So naraka-tiryagādi-
prāpti-mārgaḥ is called mr̥tyu-saṁsāra-vartma. tasmin ēva – in that cyclic path
of punarapi jananam punarapi maraṇam cyclic path these people will continue
because they don‟t have śraddhā in vēda, in karma, in jñānam, and in Īśvara, and in
Īśvara prāpti rūpa mōkṣaḥ. In all of them they don‟t believe and they proudly
declare that we don‟t believe in them, you only are still continuing and we have
nothing to do with it. What can we do? We have to only pray for them.
The anvaya is, Hē parantapa! asya dharmasya (svarūpē tatphalē ca) aśraddadhānāḥ
puruṣāḥ mām aprāpya mr̥tyu-saṁsāra-vartmani nivartantē |

303 Verse-4

अश्रद्दधानााः पुरुषा धमयस्यास्य परन्तप ।
अप्राप्य माां गनवतयन्ते मृत्युसांसारवत्मयगन ॥ गीता ९-३ ॥
aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā dharmasyāsya parantapa |

aprāpya māṁ nivartantē mr̥tyusaṁsāravartmani || Gītā 9-3 ||
In the first three verses, which we have completed in the last few classes Kr̥ṣṇa
introduced the subject matter of the ninth chapter which is nothing but saguṇa-
nirguṇa-Īśvara -svarūpam which was very much talked about in the seventh chapter
as parā-aparā-prakr̥ti-Īśvara -svarūpam. And Kr̥ṣṇa pointed out that this is a great
and rare knowledge which only can give liberation to a human being but it requires
śraddhā in the pramāṇam. śraddhāvān labhatē jñānam || Gītā 4-39 || The scriptural
teachings should be seen as an independent pramāṇam which can never be
confirmed or negated by other pramāṇams. Other pramāṇams don‟t have a right to
pass a judgement on the scriptural pramāṇam because they have no access at all to
pass a judgement. Just as a sportsman cannot pass a judgement regarding the
musician‟s capacity; other pramāṇams deal with anātmā and this scriptural
pramāṇam is the only pramāṇam which deals with ātmā, how do they have right to
pass a judgement. Thus these scriptures are unique pramāṇam we should accept.
upajīvya pramāṇa svataḥ prāmāṇya jñānaṁ śraddhā. Other pramāṇams can be used
to understand this pramāṇam. Other pramāṇams cannot be used to judge this
pramāṇam. This attitude towards the scriptures is called śraddhā. And Lord Kr̥ṣṇa
highlighted this śraddhā in the third verse and pointed out with śraddhā you are
free, without śraddhā you cannot come to vēdānta mārga itself, where is the
question of reaching the destination? And therefore Arjuna śraddhā is important.
Remember śraddhāvān labhatē jñānam || Gītā 4-39 || Having given this introduction
now from the fourth verse onwards Kr̥ṣṇa enters into the actual topic of Īśvara
svarūpam. We have completed the bhāṣyam of the third verse and now we have to
enter the fourth verse, we will read the bhāṣyam introduction.

स्तुत्या अजुयनम् अत्तभमुखीकृत्य आह ––

stutyā arjunam abhimukhīkr̥tya āha ––
Arjunam abhimukhīkr̥tya , Lord Kr̥ṣṇa has drawn the attention of Arjuna.

abhimukhīkaraṇam means drawing the attention towards oneself. And how did he
draw his attention? Stutyā – by glorifying this knowledge Arjuna‟s attention has been
turned. Now that Arjuna is awake, we have to add that first, not only is he awake he
is all ears and eyes facing Lord Kr̥ṣṇa. Therefore Kr̥ṣṇa decides to define Īśvara in
the following important ślōka, verse number four up to ten is nirguṇa-Īśvara -
svarūpam which is the sāram of all the upaniṣats, extremely important portion.
upaniṣat has been put in a mixie and Upanishadic juice has been taken and that
Upanishadic sāra from verse four up to ten very important portion. We will read.
Verse 09-04
मया ततयमदां सवं जगदव्यक्तमूर्तिंना ।
मत्स्थागन सवयभूतागन न चाहां तेष्ववञ्स्थताः ॥ गीता ९-४ ॥
mayā tatamidaṁ sarvaṁ jagadavyaktamūrtinā |

matsthāni sarvabhūtāni na cāhaṁ tēṣvavasthitaḥ || Gītā 9-4 ||
Two descriptions of nirguṇa-Īśvara is given in this verse, the first description is

nirguṇa-Īśvaraḥ sarvagataḥ is all-pervading. Tatam mean sarvagatam, vyāpakam
etc. And the second description of nirguṇa-Īśvara is jagat adhiṣṭhānam, this
nirguṇam-brahma is the adhiṣṭhānam of the entire saguṇa prapañca. And for this in
the second line Lord Kr̥ṣṇa points out that the entire world is located in Me, and I
am not located in the world. Very important because generally we have the habit of
locating Bhagavān in some place or the other, either we locate Bhagavān in the local
temples or we locate Bhagavān in special lōkas. Kr̥ṣṇa says the located-Bhagavān is
not the real Bhagavān because Bhagavān is not located in the world, on the other
hand the entire world is located in Bhagavān. Therefore the famous statement the
world is in Me and I am not in the world. The world is ādhēyam and I am the
ādhāra. I am not the ādhēyam. This is the message given in the second line. The
world is in Me but I am not in the world.
But this second statement can create a problem and therefore that problem Kr̥ṣṇa
rectifies in the next ślōka only, but we should rectify the problem while
understanding this lōka itself. What is the problem? When you say world is in
Bhagavān, naturally our mind thinks of two things – one is Bhagavān and the other

is the world. The world is located and Bhagavān is the support. Thus we may think
of supporter-supported duality. Like when you say water is in the vessel, what do
you understand? There are two things – one is the vessel and the other is water.
When I say book is on the desk, book is one thing and desk is another. Wherever we
talk about ādhāram, the word ādhāra brings the concept of duality. And therefore
the word ādhāra should not be taken in the literal meaning, we should understand
the differently. And how should we understand? The example should not be like
water and vessel, you should not take the example of the book and the desk, you
should not take the example of chair and the earth, but you should take the example
of the water and the wave or gold and ornaments. The appropriate example should
be taken, once you take gold and ornaments you know that ornaments are „located
in the gold‟, but there is no duality in the form of gold and ornaments. So what is
the appropriate example? The world is located in Bhagavān, not like the water and
the pot, not like book and the desk, but like the wave and the water, we use the
word of location but there is no question of location at all. Why there is no location?
Because wave and water are not two things at all, it is an expression, there is no
wave other than water. Ornaments are located in gold is an expression, but really
speaking there are no ornaments separate from gold. World is located in Bhagavān
is an expression, there is no world other than Bhagavān. How do you know that? In
the next verse Kr̥ṣṇa says there is no world located in Me. na ca matsthāni bhūtāni
there is no duality. This is a peculiar location without involving duality. This is the
message, now we will read the bhāṣyam.
मय मम याः परो भावाः तेन ततं व्याप्तां सिथम्इदं जगत् । अव्यक्त-मूर्तिंन – न व्यक्ता मूर्तिंाः स्वरूपां यस्य मम साः अहम्
अव्यक्तमूर्तिंाः । तेन मया अव्यक्तमूर्तिंना, करणागोचरस्वरूपेण इगत अथयाः ।
Mayā mama yaḥ parō bhāvaḥ tēna tataṁ vyāptaṁ sarvamidaṁ jagat |avyakta-
mūrtinā – na vyaktā mūrtiḥ svarūpaṁ yasya mama saḥ aham avyaktamūrtiḥ |
tēna mayā avyaktamūrtinā, karaṇāgōcarasvarūpēṇa iti arthaḥ |
Mayā is the first word in the mūlam, we have to put an en dash, Śaṅkarācārya
explains the word mama yaḥ parō bhāvaḥ. So here I am using the expression, Kr̥ṣṇa
clarifies, that the world is pervaded by Me. So Kr̥ṣṇa uses the word Me in this ślōka,
and wherever Kr̥ṣṇa uses first person singular, we should ask the question which
Īśvara must be understood because Īśvara has got three versions, ēkarūpa-Īśvara,
Anēka-rūpa-Īśvara and arūpa-Īśvara. All these three meanings are possible when
Bhagavān uses the word of I or Me. Here also the word mayā is there, which one
should we take? Śaṅkarācārya says don‟t take ēkarūpa Īśvara also, don‟t take the
anēka-rūpa Īśvara. You have to take the highest nirguṇa parā prakr̥ti rūpa Īśvara

only. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says mama yaḥ parō bhāvaḥ– My own higher nature is
there in the form of nirguṇam-brahma. parō bhāvaḥ is parā prakr̥ti of the seventh
chapter. tēna – parā prakr̥ti rūpēṇa nirguṇa brahma svarūpēna, tataṁ vyāptam – is
pervaded, tatam is in the mūlam, is equal to vyāptam. What is pervaded?
sarvamidaṁ jagat – this entire universe, idam sarvam jagat is in the mūlam
itself. After jagat put a full stop. How do you know whether Kr̥ṣṇa refers to saguṇa-
svarūpam or nirguṇa-svarūpam? Just because Śaṅkarācārya likes nirguṇa-svarūpam
he takes the meaning? Or on what basis do we take this meaning? Śaṅkarācārya
says in this ślōka itself it has been clarified. Kr̥ṣṇa himself explains what type of
Bhagavān He is referring to. And what is that? avyakta-mūrtinā is the next word,
you have to put an en dash. Śaṅkarācārya gives the vigraha vākyam - na vyaktā
mūrtiḥ svarūpaṁ yasya mama saḥ aham avyaktamūrtiḥ. After avyaktamūrtiḥ put a
full stop. Bahuvrīhi samāsa. My nature which is not available for sense organs.
Mūrtiḥ means nature, na vyaktā means not available for the sense organs. If it is
saguṇa-svarūpam it would have been available for sensory perception. You can talk
about adharaṁ madhuraṁ vadanaṁ madhuram, you can talk about madhuram but
here it is avyaktam not perceptible. That is the meaning of avyakta-mūrtiḥ, avyakta-
mūrtiḥ finally means nirguṇa-svarūpam. Tēna mayā avyakta-mūrtinā – with this
nirguṇa svarūpam of mine; and that Śaṅkarācārya himself explains avyakta-mūrtinā
is equal to karaṇa-agōcara-svarūpēṇa, karaṇam means sense organs, agōcaram
means not accessible, inaccessible. svarūpam means nature. A nature which is
inaccessible to sensory perception. This is the meaning of avyakta-mūrtiḥ. So thus in
My nirguṇa-brahma-svarūpam I pervade the entire creation. Continuing;
तस्स्मन् मयय अव्यक्तमूतौ ञ्स्थतागन मत्ि वन, सिथ-भूत वन ब्रह्मादीगन स्तम्बपययन्तागन ।
tasmin mayi avyaktamūrtau sthitāni matsthāni, sarva-bhūtānibrahmādīni

stambaparyantāni |
Now Śaṅkarācārya comes to the second line, matsthāni is the next word, he gives
the vigraha vākyam saptamī tatpuruṣaḥ mayi sthitāni matsthāni, so mayi sthitāni
means located in Me, based on Me, supported in Me. What type of Me? Again he
reminds avyaktamūrtau – in my nirguṇam-brahma svarūpam everything is located,
in Vedantic language this location we call it as superimposition. So matsthāni
means mayi adhyastāni. Just as svapna prapañca is superimposed on the waker, just
as mirage water is superimposed on the dry sand, just as snake is superimposed on
the rope, just as silver is superimposed on the shell, similarly the entire universe is
matsthāni means mayi kalpitāni, mayi adhyastāni, māyā kalpita dēśakālakalanā
vaicitryacitrīkr̥tam || śrī dakṣiṇāmūrti stōtram 2 || iti arthaḥ. So mayi avyaktamūrtau

sthitāni matsthāni. What is located? sarva-bhūtāni– all the things and beings.
What are the beings that are located? Brahmādīni stamba-paryantāni – from
brahmāji, the creator up to stamba-paryantāni – up to the minute creature called
stambaḥ. The word stambaḥ you have to carefully note. Here the word stamba is
with the third ba, stambha there is a fourth bha, that stambha means a pillar, here
the word is stamba with third bah which means a small living being, a small
creature. We do not know what it refers to, it may be a small plant or a small
creature, a living being belonging to the plant variety or the creature variety. It is
referring to a living being only. So from the creator to a creature, creator is also
superimposed and creature is also superimposed. In fact, the entire triangular-
format is superimposed on Brahman. Continuing;
न गह गनरात्मकां गकञ्चचत् भूतां व्यवहाराय अवकल्पते । अताः मत्स्थागन मया आत्मना आत्मवत्त्वेन ञ्स्थतागन । अताः मयय
ञ्स्थतागन इगत उच्यन्ते ।
na hi nirātmakaṁ kiñcit bhūtaṁ vyavahārāya avakalpatē | ataḥ matsthāni

mayāātmanāātmavattvēna sthitāni | ataḥ mayi sthitāni iti ucyantē |
Śaṅkarācārya is very very alertly interpreting these verses. As I said you should not
take the wrong example. When you say world is in God, you should not take wrong
example like water in pot, book on the desk, etc. They are all wrong examples.
Why? It will have duality. Therefore we should carefully choose the example like
waves located in the water, ornaments located in the gold, earthen ware located in
the clay, etc. And once you take the appropriate example we can derive the corollary
properly. What is the important corollary extended from this we must carefully note.
These are all very important Advaitic interpretations. Once you say wave is located
in water, wave is supported by water, what should we understand?
Number one is that there is no wave separate from the water. This is lesson number
one. But when you take the wrong example of water being in the vessel, water can
exist separate from the vessel. But once you take the appropriate example, I can say
wave does not exist separate from water. Ornaments do not exist separate from
gold. Similarly, world does not exist separate from God. It is a very important lesson
number one.
What is the second important lesson? It is a very subtle lesson. When you say the
wave is or exists, the existence does not belong to the wave. The existence does not
belong to the wave, it is borrowed from the water. How do you know? Remove the
water, wave cannot exist without water. Ornaments cannot exist without gold,
therefore yat sattvē yat sattvam yad abhāvē yad abhāvaḥ tat tasya kāraṇam iti

anvaya vyatirēka nyāyēna gold sattvē ornament sattvam gold abhāvē ornament
abhāvaḥ. Therefore the very sattvam sattā of the ornament is borrowed from gold
only. Similarly, when you say world is, the „is‟ness does not belong to the world. And
once I understand „is‟ness does not belong to the world, it must be borrowed from
something other than the world, what is that, it is nirguṇam-brahma. And that
means in all the transactions when I use the word „is‟, whether it is religious
transaction or worldly transaction or spiritual transaction, in all transactions when we
use the verb „is‟, we are using whom in the transaction, we are only handling
Brahman. When you handle a chair you handling the Brahman because the „is‟ness
of the chair is Brahman. தூணிலும் இருப்பார் துரும்பிலும் இருப்பார் (tūṇilūm
iruppārtūrumbilūm iruppār, He is in the pillar also, He is in the speck also). When
you say the pillar is, Hiraṇyakaśipu asks the question „where is your Nārāyaṇa?, „Is
your Nārāyaṇa is in the pillar?‟ is the question asked by Hiraṇyakaśipu. And what is
Prahlāda‟s answer? You ask the question is Nārāyaṇa in the pillar, when you say
there is pillar, the very „is‟ness is that Nārāyaṇa, you need not break the pillar for
Nārāyaṇa to come out. That is story part. Therefore Nārāyaṇa is not the Narasiṁha
form, Narasiṁha form symbolizes the formless existence. In Prahlāda story the
Narasiṁha form is symbolic of the formless existence, which is in which pillar, the
existence is in all the pillars. The Pauranikas interestingly tell all these jokes, it is
joke, they tell it seriously. So when Hiraṇyakaśipu asks in which pillar is Nārāyaṇa,
and Bhagavān got anxious it seems because Prahlāda may show any object. And
therefore Bhagavān wanted to go and hide behind every object. Therefore He came
from vaikuṇṭha and he hid himself behind every object so that whichever pillar he
points out He can appear instantaneously. I am not criticizing, when you have to tell
the story you have to tell all of them. Bhagavān need not come and hide behind the
pillar because when you say pillar „is‟ यस्यैव स्फुरणं सदात्मकमसत्कल्पार्थकम् yasyaiva
sphuraṇaṁ sadātmakamasatkalpārthakam || Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti stōtram 3 || that
„is‟ness is Brahman, Bhagavān. What is the definition of that „is‟ness? Remember the
five features „is‟ness the existence is not a part, product or property of the any
object, existence is an independent principle which pervades and enlivens makes
every object existent, existence is not limited by the boundaries of a miserable pillar,
existence exists even after everything resolved, the surviving pure existence sadēva
sōmyēdamagra āsīdēkamēvādvitīyam || Chāndōgyōpaniṣat 6-2-1 || that pure
existence is not available for transaction. Pure existence is not available but
existence mixed with nāmarūpa is available for transaction. Pure gold cannot be
used for making ornaments, it is so malleable, pure gold cannot be used, you have
to mix it with something to make ornaments. Thus pure Brahman mixed with

nāmarūpa copper, we get all the ornaments called worldly objects. Keeping all this in
mind, Śaṅkarācārya comments nirātmakaṁ-bhūtam, bhūtam means any thing or
being in the world, vyavahārāya na avakalpatē– will not be available for
transactions, kiñcit bhūtam – anything or being will not be available for transaction.
When? Nirātmakam. Here the word ātmā means existence. If it is not pervaded by
existence, no thing or being will be available for transaction. That is why we have to
first say the chair is, then I can say bring the chair. I cannot say whether the chair is
not or is, bring the chair like some people they tell a joke. This person wrote a letter,
you should reply for this letter whether you receive it or not, because the reply is so
important for me therefore I am writing whether you get this letter or not certainly
you have to reply. Moron! If you don‟t get reply the letter doesn‟t exist. So if you are
using language every word you use referring to an object presupposes the existence
of the object knowledge and transactions are possible only when the existence
pervades, that existence is Me, sadrūpam-Brahman. The word nirātmakam means
without existence. Vyavahāra itself is not possible without existence. Ataḥ–
therefore, matsthāni – all these things are existing in Me means they all enjoy
existence because of Me. In other language I lend existence to them. Therefore
mayā ātmanā. Ataḥ matsthāni is equal to mayā ātmanā– because of Me who is of
the nature of existence. Here is the word ātmā must be understood as existence,
only then the whole paragraph will be meaningful. Therefore ātmanā means satā,
sadrūpēṇa, mayā, sthitāni – they all exist, ātmavattvēna – as existent thing, because
of Me, the existence principle they all exists as the existent thing. The moment I
withdraw My support like a coalition government because of which all the coalition
parties threaten the government one side one party threatens and another party
another party threatens. Why they threaten? Because the moment they withdraw
the support the government collapses. Kr̥ṣṇa says once I withdraw My support the
world will lose its „is‟ness, that means world will become asat, nāsatō vidyatē bhāvaḥ
|| Gītā 2-16 || without Me the bhāvarūpam vastu. So ātmavattvēna means as the
existent things they are available for transaction. After sthitāni put a full stop. Ataḥ–
therefore, mayi sthitāni iti ucyantē– therefore they are figuratively said to be in Me.
Don‟t misunderstand My statement as an acceptance of duality because when you
take literally they are in Me, any preposition conveys duality. Therefore don‟t
misinterpret this preposition to convey or to take the message of duality. Therefore
Śaṅkarācārya says iti ucyantē– it is a figurative expression, doesn‟t mean duality.
Continuing;

‘तेषाां भूतानाम् अहम् एव आत्मा इगत अताः तेषु ञ्स्थताः’ इगत मूढबुद्धीनाां अवभासते । अताः ब्रवीयम –– न च अहं तेषु भूतेषु
अिञ्िताः, मूतयवत् सांश्लेषाभावेन । आकािस्यागप अन्तरतमो गह अहम् । न गह असांसर्गिं वस्तु क्तवशचत् आधेयभावेन
अवञ्स्थतां भवगत ॥ ९-४ ॥
„tēṣāṁ bhūtānām aham ēva ātmā iti ataḥ tēṣu sthitaḥ‟ iti mūḍhabuddhīnāṁ
avabhāsatē | ataḥ bravīmi –– na ca ahaṁ tēṣubhūtēṣu avasthitaḥ, mūrtavat
saṁślēṣābhāvēna | ākāśasyāpi antaratamō hi aham | na hi asaṁsargi vastu
kvacit ādhēyabhāvēna avasthitaṁ bhavati || 9-4 ||
Now Śaṅkarācārya goes to the fourth quarter of the ślōka – na ca aham tēṣu
avasthitaḥ. „tēṣāṁ bhūtānām aham ēva ātmā iti ataḥ– „since I am the very ātmā or
existence or content of all of them‟, this is within inverted comma, ātmā means
content, essence, all of them, ataḥ– therefore tēṣu sthitaḥ iti mūḍha-buddhīnāṁ
avabhāsatē – when we talk about Bhagavān as the essence, content etc., like saying
water is the content of the wave, gold is the content of ornaments. Similarly,
Bhagavān is the content, antaryāmi, inner dweller, indweller, etc. People think
Bhagavān is located in the world. So this should be taken independently. Because
we generally use the expression, Bhagavān is antaryāmi, indweller, inner content,
Īśvaraḥ sarvabhūtānāṁ hr̥ddēśē:'rjuna tiṣṭhati || Gītā 18-61 || etc., people think
Bhagavān is located in the world or in the bhakta hr̥dayam etc ., there is such a
misconception also. So „tēṣāṁ bhūtānām aham ēva ātmā– I am the inner Self of all
the beings, iti ataḥ– because of this reason, tēṣu sthitaḥ iti, tēṣu means in all the
beings Bhagavān is located. Because in the upaniṣat we say parāñci khāni vyatr̥ ṇat
svayaṁbhūstasmātparāṅ paśyati nāntarātman || Kaṭhōpaniṣat 2-1-1 || The famous
expression is antarātmā, He is inside. Once you say that we will think that Bhagavān
is located inside. Therefore tēṣu bhūtēṣusthitaḥ– Bhagavān is located sthitaḥ iti
mūḍhabuddhīnāṁ avabhāsatē – thus it appears for the confused people. So up to
sthitaḥ is within inverted comma. „tēṣāṁ bhūtānām aham ēva ātmā iti ataḥ tēṣu
sthitaḥ‟ iti mūḍhabuddhīnāṁ avabhāsatē. Thus two types of confusions are there.
Some people say world is in God, other people say God is in the world. Both are
wrong because in both there is a problem of duality. ataḥ bravīmi – therefore I want
to remove this misconception, na ca ahaṁ tēṣuavasthitaḥ – I am also not located
in the world or in the living being. It is like mūrtavat saṁślēṣa-abhāvēna – two
concrete things which can have supporter supported relationship, mūrta means
concrete thing. So for example water is also tangible, vessel is also tangible, tangible
water is located in tangible vessel, tangible book is located on the tangible table.
Similarly, you cannot talk about the tangible world located in tangible Bhagavān.
Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says mūrtavat saṁślēṣa-abhāvēna – since there is no
connection or contact between Bhagavān and the world like two separate concrete

entities. First of all Bhagavān and world are not two entities like wave and water.
First there are no two entities, and second is they are not concrete entities also.
Neither are they two entities nor are they concrete entities because Brahman does
not come under a tangible concrete entity because Brahman is aśabdam asparśam
arūpam avyayam tathā arasaṁ nityam agandhavac ca yat || Kaṭhōpaniṣat 1-3-15 ||
Therefore it cannot have contact with a thing. After mūrtavat saṁślēṣābhāvēna put
a full stop. It should be connected with the previous sentence and you have to read
the sentence as mūrtavat saṁślēṣābhāvēna ahaṁ tēṣu bhūtēṣu na avasthitaḥ.
You have to read in the reverse order. I am not in the world or in the heart of the
bhakta because I and the world are not two entities and they are not two concrete
entities. Then the next sentence, aham ākāśasya api antaratamaḥ hi – I am the
inner essence of even space. Inner essence means the very existence which gives
existence to ākāśa. And since I am the inner essence of ākāśa, I must be subtler
than ākāśa. And since I am subtler than ākāśa I cannot be a concrete entity because
when ākāśa itself is not a concrete entity, I, who am subtler than ākāśa, can never
be a concrete entity, and I being not a concrete entity I cannot have contact with
the world in the form of ādhāra-ādhēya-sambandha. And that is explained na hi
asaṁsargi vastu, asaṁsargi means asaṅga rūpam vastu – a contactless entity,
saṁsarga rahita asaṅga rūpam vastu ādhēyabhāvēna avasthitaṁ na bhavati –
cannot be located in a place. You cannot say space is located somewhere, in the
same way I am not located in the world. There is no duality also.
The anvaya is, avyakta-mūrtinā mayā idam sarvam jagat tatam | sarva-bhūtāni mat-
sthāni (bhavanti) | aham ca tēṣu na avasthitaḥ |

304 Verse-5

मया ततयमदां सवं जगदव्यक्तमूर्तिंना ।
मत्स्थागन सवयभूतागन न चाहां तेष्ववञ्स्थताः ॥ गीता ९-४ ॥
mayā tatamidaṁ sarvaṁ jagadavyaktamūrtinā |

matsthāni sarvabhūtāni na cāhaṁ tēṣvavasthitaḥ || Gītā 9-4 ||
From the fourth verse onwards Lord Kr̥ṣṇa starts the discussion of Īśvara-svarūpam
which goes up to verse number ten. And here He is talking about the higher Īśvara
svarūpam, nirguṇa-Īśvara-svarūpam or brahma svarūpam which he talked about in
the seventh chapter as parā prakr̥ti . And of this we saw the fourth verse bhāṣyam in
which Bhagavān said as nirguṇam-brahma, I pervade the entire universe and
because of My pervasion alone the entire universe enjoys existence. Just as
ornaments enjoy existence because of the pervasion of the gold. Similarly because
of Brahman‟s pervasion alone every object enjoys the „is‟ness. So whenever we
appreciate „is‟ness in the creation unknowingly we are appreciating Brahman only.
Thus we experience Brahman everywhere without knowing that we are experiencing
Brahman. That is why Dayānanda Svāmiji says people think Brahman-knowledge we
have, Brahma-anubhava we have to get later, but in the case of Brahman, Brahma-
anubhava we already have. In the case of all other things knowledge comes first,
anubhava comes later. But the most important unique thing is in the case of
Brahman the process is reverse. Still we think that we have jñānam but no anubhava
forgetting in the case of Brahman we have no problem with anubhava, we all have
Brahma-anubhava all the time. Whenever we say there is a wall, there is a pen, the
„is‟ness that we appreciate is Brahman. Brahma-anubhava we have but along with
that Brahman, we have added the nāmarūpa. That addition of nāmarūpa is our
problem and Brahman knowledge is not getting a new anubhava but in the already
available brahmānubhava nāmarūpa part we should delete. Therefore our work for
Brahman knowledge deletion of nāmarūpa from the ever experienced „is‟ness,
instead of working for a new experience. Brahman-knowledge is deletion of nāma
and rūpa from the ever experienced „is‟ness, rather than working for a new
experience.

Therefore Kr̥ṣṇa says matsthāni sarvabhūtāni – everything is existing in Me

alone borrowing „is‟ness from Me. And then comes one more definition of Brahman
in the next ślōka. We have to learn fourth and fifth ślōka together. It is a pair ślōka
to be read and understand in conjunction. We will enter the fifth ślōka Introduction.

अत एव असांसर्गिंत्वात् मम ––
ata ēva asaṁsargitvāt mama ––
Verse 09-05
न च मत्स्थागन भूतागन पश्य मे योगमैश्वरम् ।
भूतभृन्न च भूतस्थो ममात्मा भूतभावनाः ॥ गीता ९-५ ॥
na ca matsthāni bhūtāni paśya mē yōgamaiśvaram |

bhūtabhr̥nna ca bhūtasthō mamātmā bhūtabhāvanaḥ || Gītā 9-5 ||
Taking these two verses together, Śaṅkarācārya brings out the methodology of the
teaching used in the upaniṣat. This methodology is not openly presented by Kr̥ṣṇa,
but this methodology is hidden in these two verses, and that famous method alone
is called adhyārōpa-apavāda-nyāyaḥ. First understanding Brahman, accepting the
existence of the world, is called adhyārōpa-nyāyaḥ. First appreciating Brahman,
accepting the existence of the world. And the second stage of understanding is
appreciating Brahman after negating the world which is called apavāda-nyāyaḥ.
Two-fold Brahman appreciation with the world and without the world. World-sahita
appreciation is called adhyārōpa-nyāyaḥ and world-rahita appreciation is called
apavāda-nyāyaḥ.
How does it work? First we have to see world sahita appreciation, adhyārōpa nyāyaḥ
in which we accept the existence of the world and understand Brahman as jagat
kāraṇam. In the adhyārōpa stage we accept the existence of the world, and from
the standpoint of the world Brahman is understood as the cause of the universe.
Jagat kāraṇam brahma and the world becomes kāryam. And therefore Brahman and
the world have got kārya-kāraṇa sambandha. So appreciating Brahman as
sambandhi. Sambandhi means endowed with sambandha. Sambandha is with the
world. What sambandha? Kārya-kāraṇa-sambandha.
And this appreciation of kārya-kāraṇa-sambandha is presented in two forms. This

kārya-kāraṇa-sambandha appreciation is done in two forms which is seemingly
contradictory? In one appreciation we say kārya prapañca is resting in kāraṇam

brahma. How do you appreciate kārya-kāraṇa-sambandha? Kārya-prapañca is

resting in kāraṇam-brahma. Without the support of kāraṇam brahma kārya-prapañca
cannot even exist, therefore kāraṇam-brahma is viśva-ādhāram. Śāntākāram
bhujagaśayanam padmanābham surēśam viśva ādhāram. Thus kāraṇam-brahma is
ādhāram, kārya-prapañca is ādhēyam, thus the world is in Brahman. Kārya-kāraṇa-
sambandha is presented as world is in Brahman.
Then what is the second appreciation of the same kārya-kāraṇa-sambandha? That is

interesting. The essence of every kāryam is nothing but kāraṇam. Isn‟t it correct?
The essence of ornament is gold, the essence of furniture is wood, the essence of
wave is water, thus kāraṇam is the inner essence, the word we have to note, the
inner essence of every kāryam. Because content or the essence is always seen as
the inner principle. And therefore kāraṇam is the inner essence of every kāryam.
Therefore Brahman is the inner essence of everything in the creation. Therefore
being the inner essence we say Brahman is in everything. And we name it as
antaryāmi.
Now what was the previous statement? Everything is in Brahman which is viśva
ādhāram. Now what is the second statement? You reverse the whole thing, instead
of saying everything is Brahman, you say Brahman is in everything. We have
reversed the equation. Everything is in Brahman which is viśvādhāram, Brahman is
in everything in the form of antaryāmi. Thus both the statements are correct
statements only revealing kārya-kāraṇa-sambandha. Both the statements are based
on the acceptance of the world. Therefore in adhyārōpa-prakriyā you say world is in
Brahman and Brahman is in the world. In adhyārōpa-prakriyā you say world is in
Brahman and Brahman is in the world. World is in God and God is in the world. That
is what Kr̥ṣṇa said before, yō māṁ paśyati sarvatra sarvaṁ ca mayi paśyati || Gītā
6-30 || Yō māṁ paśyati sarvatra means God is in everyone. sarvaṁ ca mayi paśyati
means everything is in God.
In keeping with this, in the previous ślōka matsthāni sarvabhūtāni statement must
be complemented with another statement which is not said by Kr̥ṣṇa but we have to
add. Matsthāni sarvabhūtāni means all beings are in Me. What is the complementary
statement we should add? sarvabhūtēṣu aham asmi – I am in all beings. So add
both statements matsthāni sarvabhūtāni number one, sarvabhūtēṣu cāpi aham,
matsthāni sarvabhūtāni is viśvādhāra Īśvaraḥ, sarvabhūtēṣu cāpi aham is antharyāmi
Īśvaraḥ. You have to listen to alertly. Matsthāni sarvabhūtāni is viśvādhāra Īśvaraḥ,
sarvabhūtēṣu cāpi aham is antharyāmi Īśvaraḥ. Both reveal kārya-kāraṇa-

sambandha, both are called adhyārōpa-prakriyā and in both we accept the existence
of the world.
Assuming that you have followed this much then we look at Brahman or Īśvara in
apavāda prakriyā. And in apavāda prakriyā we say there is no such thing called
world at all because kāryam does not exist as a separate subject, you cannot count
kāryam and kāraṇam. Therefore kāryam is non-separate from kāraṇam, therefore it
is only mere nāma and rūpa and therefore it comes under mithyā category. Kārya-
prapañca mithyā nāmarūpa which is as good as non-existent. And once you
understand kārya-prapañca is mithyā, as good as non-existent, kāraṇam-brahma is
satyam, the only thing existent. Kāraṇam-brahma is satyam which is the only thing
existent. This appreciation is called apavāda prakriyā – kāraṇam satyam and kāryam
mithyā.
And then you ask the question between satyam and mithyā what is the relationship.
What is our answer? No relationship can be there between satyam and mithyā
because relationship is possible only between two things enjoying the same order of
reality. The example is a boy in the waking state and a girl in the dream state can
never get married. A jāgrat bālaḥ and svapna bālikā cannot have vivāha sambandha,
even register marriage is not possible. For vivāha both boy and girl should either
belong to jāgrat avasthā, they can marry and if both belong to svapna-avasthā,
there also marriage is possible but one from jāgrat and another from svapna cannot
strike a relationship. Therefore satyam and mithyā belong to different orders of
reality, one is pāramārthikam and another is vyāvahārikam. Sattā bhēdāt
sambandhaḥ vaktum na śakyatē. Brahman and world cannot have any sambandha.
Therefore even kārya-kāraṇa-sambandha you cannot talk about when you are a
senior student. Adhyārōpa-prakriyā is for junior student and sambandha is kārya-
kāraṇa, apavāda-prakriyā is for senior student, there is not even kārya-kāraṇa-
sambandha.
That is why in Vivēkacūḍāmaṇi Śaṅkarācārya writes a brilliant verse

kāryakāraṇavilakṣaṇaṁ svayaṁ brahma tattvamasi bhāvayātmani || Vivēkacūḍāmaṇi
261 || First we say Brahman is kāraṇam and later we say Brahman is
kāryakāraṇavilakṣaṇam. So for junior student kārya-kāraṇa-sambandha and for a
senior student Brahman has to be appreciated without kārya-kāraṇa-sambandha. It
means you have to negate kārya-kāraṇa-sambandha. During apavāda prakriyā when
you become senior student you have to negate kārya-kāraṇa-sambandha. Nāyaṁ
kutaścinna babhūva kaścit || Kaṭhōpaniṣat 1-2-18 ||

tadētadbrahmāpūrvamanaparamanantaramabāhyamayamātmā ||
Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 2-5-19 || These are all negation of kāraṇa-bhāva.
Then the next question is how do you negate kārya-kāraṇa-sambandha? By negating

the previous two statements that we made. What are those two statements? In
kārya-kāraṇa-sambandha we made two statements – world is in Brahman, Brahman
is in the world. What should you do? Both the statements you have to deliberately
negate. And how do you negate? By saying that the world is not in Brahman. This is
not enough, you have to negate the second, what is that? Brahman is not in the
world. This is meant for kārya-kāraṇa-sambandha negation. World is not in
Brahman, Brahman is not in the world. Why? World itself not there, where is the
question making these two statement? Thus during apavāda-prakriyā two
statements na ca matsthāni bhūtāni, parallel to matsthāni sarvabhūtāni of
adhyārōpa-prakriyā in apavāda you should say na ca matsthāni bhūtāni.
And thereafter I asked you to add another statement sarvabhūtēṣu aham asmi –
Bhagavān is in every being; that is not said in the ślōka, that we have to supply.
sarvabhūtēṣu aham asmi, in adhyārōpa-prakriyā. In apavāda you should say
sarvabhūtēṣu aham na asmi. Sarvabhūtēṣu aham asmi as antaryāmi, then the
second statement in apavāda is sarvabhūtēṣu aham na asmi. Now let us see the four
statements. Matsthāni sarvabhūtāni number one, sarvabhūtēṣu aham number two,
na ca matsthāni bhūtāni number three and aham sarvabhūtēṣu na number four. One
and two are adhyārōpa prakriyā, kārya-kāraṇa-sambandha, and three and four are
apavāda prakriyā, kārya-kāraṇa-sambandha niṣēdha. Of these the third negates the
first and the fourth negates the second. Now look at the ślōka. We have to find out
where do we have one, two, three and four.
Number one is verse number four second line matsthāni sarvabhūtāni. This is
negated by number three, number three is in the first line of verse number five. Na
ca matsthāni bhūtāni. So one is there in the fourth verse and three is there in the
fifth verse.
Then the second statement is not here, we have to supply. That is what
Śaṅkarācārya does in his bhāṣyam. Śaṅkarācārya ingeniously extracts this but even
in Śaṅkarācārya bhāṣyam is not that very clear. Rāmarāya kavi, one of the brilliant
sub-commentators of Śaṅkarācārya, writes a very elaborate bhāṣyam and brings out
all these things beautifully. If I am discussing all these kindly don‟t give the credit to
me, I don‟t have any credit, Rāmarāya kavi brings out beautifully in Gītā Bhāṣyārka
Prakāśika. So in the second statement sarvabhūtēṣu aham asmi is supplied by

Śaṅkarācārya in the concluding paragraph of the verse number four. I am in all

beings. This is right for a junior student. Sarvabhūtēṣu aham asmi we have to
supply, it is not in this ślōka. Then this statement should be negated by the fourth
statement which comes in verse number four second line late half. What is that? Na
ca aham tēṣu avasthitaḥ– I am not in them. This is the fourth statement which
negates the supplied second statement. Therefore world is in Me, world is not in Me,
I am in the world, I am not in the world. This is the gist of ślōkas four and five. Even
if you don‟t follow all these discussions just remember the four statements – world is
in me, world is not in me, I am in the world and I am not in the world.
Therefore aham satyam and world is mithyā. This is Śaṅkarācārya ‟s interpretation.

Look at the bhāṣyam. Ataḥ ēva – because of this reason only, Śaṅkarācārya himself
explains reason. Ataḥ ēva is equal to asaṁsargitvāt – because Brahman is asaṅgam
brahma, since Brahman is asaṅgam, asaṅgam means cannot have any relationship
with the world, kārya-kāraṇa-sambandha cannot be there because Brahman is of the
higher order of reality and world is of lower order. How can you talk about any
relationship? So kārya-kāraṇa-sambandha abhāvāt ēva na ca matsthāni bhūtāni.
Now we will read the bhāṣyam.
न च मत्ि वन भूत वन ब्रह्मादीगन । पश्य मे योगं युक्क्तिं घटनां मे मम ऐश्वरम् – ईश्वरस्य इमम् ऐश्वरम् योगम् आत्मनाः
याथात्म्यम् इगत अथयाः ।
na ca matsthāni bhūtānibrahmādīni | paśya mē yōgaṁyuktiṁ ghaṭanaṁ mē

mama aiśvaram – Īśvara sya imam aiśvaram yōgam ātmanaḥ yāthātmyam iti
arthaḥ |
Na ca matsthāni bhūtāni, bhūtāni is in the mūlam, is equal to brahmādīni – right

from brahmāji onwards, brahma should be understood as caturmukha-brahma, don‟t
take it as nirguṇam-brahma. So from caturmukha-brahma onwards all the beings do
not exist, therefore there is no kārya-kāraṇa-sambandha, therefore there is nothing
in Me. Paśya mē yōgaṁ yuktiṁ ghaṭanam – so may you appreciate My yōga, My
mysterious power. And here the word yōga means yōgamāyā, māyā-śaktiḥ which is
called yukti, which is called ghaṭanam which means a composite entity. May you
appreciate my yōga-māyā, which is a composite entity. Literally yōga means
composite entity consisting of several components. Māyā has got three components
called sattva, rajas and tamas, because of the combination of three components,
māyā is called yōgaḥ. So mē, mē is in the mūlam, is equal to mama, aiśvaram is in
the mūlam, is equal to Īśvarasya imam aiśvaram, that should be in parenthesis, after
aiśvaram Īśvarasya imam aiśvaram those three words should be in parenthesis or
in bracket, and aiśvaram should be connected with yōgam, so may you appreciate

My great yōga-śakti and also ātmanaḥ yāthātmyam – may you appreciate My real
nature. And what is the real nature? Satya svarūpam. Thus the word yōgam has
got two meanings. One is My māyā-śakti because of which I have a mithyā universe
and also appreciate My yāthātmyam which means higher pāramārthika svarūpam
may you appreciate. So yōgam ātmanaḥ yāthātmyam, here the word ātmanaḥ is
reflective pronoun, yāthātmyam means svarūpam, My higher nature, pāramārthika
svarūpam. So keeping the māyā nature I will say the world is in Me, remembering
My higher nature I will say world is not in Me. Continuing;
तथा च श्रुगताः असांसर्गिंत्वात् असङ्गताां दिययगत –– ‘असङ्गो न गह सज्जते’ [बृहदारण्यकोपगनषत् ३-९-२६] इगत ।
tathā ca śrutiḥ asaṁsargitvāt asaṅgatāṁ darśayati –– „asaṅgō na hi sajjatē‟

[Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 3-9-26] iti |
Tathā ca śrutiḥ, tathā ca means to corroborate this idea that Brahman and world
cannot have kārya-kāraṇa-sambandha, only for a junior student we say Brahman is
kāraṇam and for a senior student we insist that Brahman is not a kāraṇam. So to
corroborate this śrutiḥ – the following śruti statement is there, asaṅgatāṁ darśayati
– which reveals the relationlessness of Brahman. Asaṅgatām means relationlessness
of Brahman with the world. And what is the reason? Asaṁsargitvāt – because
Brahman is incapable of having any relationship, because if Brahman the
pāramārthika satyam should have a relationship it will require another thing which is
pāramārthika satyam. If two pāramārthika satyams are there then those two can
have relationship since pāramārthika satyam is only one, Brahman cannot have a
relative. That is why Brahman is not a gr̥hastha , Brahman is a sannyāsi. That is why
Śaṅkarācārya says you should become a sannyāsi to appreciate the relationless
Brahman because a gr̥hastha is always used to relation , therefore we are not able to
appreciate ourselves as relationless entity. That is why in Māṇḍūkya Kārikā third
chapter brahma-jñānam is called asparśa yōga. Asparśa yōga means that I should
appreciate myself without any relationship. This is one of the meditation. I should
appreciate myself without wife, without husband, without son, without so sweet
grandchild. I should be able to accept this I. Even in death bed I should die as
Brahman rather as grandfather, grandmother, or father or mother. That is why
sannyāsa āśrama is glorified because nirguṇam-brahma and sannyāsa āśrama have
several similarities. The most important similarity is Brahman and sannyāsi is
Brahman has not relation and a sannyāsi also sarva-saṅga-parityāgi. That is why he
should not even hold an āśrama. That is why they said parivrājaka. Otherwise he will
say this āśrama is mine, relationship. Even sitting under the same tree for three days
he will say it is my tree. Therefore every three days you quit and move on and don‟t

gather any relationship. If I can stand without relationship and feel secured, I am fit
for brahma-jñānam because when I look at myself without relationship I feel
insecure. That is why Gauḍapāda said abhayē bhayadarśinaḥ || Māṇḍūkya Kārikā 3-
39 || For many gr̥hasthas sannyāsa is frightening . Why? Because I cannot have any
relationship with anyone. I cannot call anyone as honey or dear. Sannyāsa is
insecurity for many people. vēdānta says if a sannyāsi discovers relationless
Brahman he will be the most secured person, asaṅgō:'ham asaṅgō:'ham
asaṅgō:'haṁ punaḥ punaḥ | saccidānandarūpō:'h amahamēvāhamavyayaḥ ||
brahmajñānāvalīmālā 2 || Every gr̥hastha in nididh yāsanam should practice āntara
sannyāsa – „no one belongs to me‟ meditation. If not external-sannyāsa everyone
should become internal sannyāsi, without sannyāsa at least internal, jñānam cannot
give liberation, that is why in the introduction Śaṅkarācārya said sannyāsa sahita
jñānāt ēva mōkṣaḥ (tasmād Gītā su kēvalād ēva tattva-jñānād mōkṣaprāptiḥ na
karma-samuccitād iti niścitaḥ arthaḥ). And what is sannyāsa? „asaṅgō na hi sajjatē‟
[Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 3-9-26]. I don‟t belong to anyone, no one belongs to me.
This be the subject of meditation. „asaṅgō na hi sajjatē‟ [Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 3-9-
26] iti. For a mature mind this gives security and for an immature mind this is
disturbance, because we want to belong to someone. Somebody must say I belong
to you and you belong to me, I am yours and you are mine. I want to belong and I
want somebody to claim as belonging to me. Sannyāsa and jñānam requires
tremendous maturity. Therefore Gauḍapāda says durdarśaḥ sarvayōgibhiḥ ||
Māṇḍūkya Kārikā 3-39 || brahma-vidyā is extremely difficult for people of
emotional attachment to various worldly relationship. Continuing;
इदां च आिययम् अन्यत् पश्य । भूतभृत् असङ्गाः अगप सन् भूतागन गबभर्तिं । न च भूतिाः, यथोक्तेन न्यायेन दर्ििंतत्वात्
भूतस्थत्व-अनुपपिेाः ।
idaṁ ca āścaryam anyat paśya | bhūtabhr̥tasaṅgaḥ api san bhūtāni bibharti | na

ca bhūtasthaḥ, yathōktēna nyāyēna darśitatvāt bhūtasthatva-anupapattēḥ |
Idaṁ ca anyat āścaryam paśya – may you appreciate the second wonder also. What
is the first wonder? World is in Me and world is not in Me. This paradox is wonder
number one. I can blow hot and blow cold. What is the second wonder? I am in the
world and I am not in the world. This is the second paradox. Therefore anyat
āścaryam – the second paradox also may you see. This idea is repeated, bhūtabhr̥t
asaṅgaḥ api san bhūtāni bibharti. So asaṅgaḥ api san – even remaining without
kārya-kāraṇa-sambandha, bhūtabhr̥t– I sustain the world, I support the world as
though I have kārya-kāraṇa-sambandha. Even remaining without kārya-kāraṇa-
sambandha I support the world as though I have kārya-kāraṇa-sambandha. That is

why we use the expression vivarta kāraṇam. To communicate that paradox we use
the adjective vivarta kāraṇam, it means I am kāraṇam and I am not kāraṇam. Like
the rope is the cause of rope snake, rope is not the cause of rope-snake, dry land is
the cause of the mirage-water and dry land is not the cause of mirage-water. So
asaṅgaḥ api san bhūtāni bibharti. Bibharti means I support. After bibharti put a full
stop. Similarly, na ca bhūtasthaḥ – I am not in the world even though I seem to
be in the world as antaryāmi, even though I am seemingly present in the world as
antaryāmi kāraṇam, really speaking I am not an antaryāmi also, therefore na ca
bhūtasthaḥ. What is the logic? Yatoktene nyayena. Because of the same
reasoning, darśitatvāt – which has been shown before. Where has it been shown
before? So superficial student will just translate darśitatvāt and move forward.
Because we want to finish bhāṣyam. But a serious student the moment you say
darśitatvāt for him homework starts. Where has it been shown? In the previous
ślōka second line second half na ca ahaṁ tēṣu avasthitaḥ is repeated in the fifth
ślōka second line na ca bhūtasthaḥ. So na ca ahaṁ tēṣu avasthitaḥ of the fourth
verse is the same as na ca bhūtasthaḥ in the fifth verse, therefore Śaṅkarācārya
says this idea is repetition, therefore I am not in the world, we don‟t have kārya-
kāraṇa-sambandha. More in the next class.

305 Verses-5 To 7
Page 229, Verse 65, bhāṣyam 3rd paragraph

इदां च आिययम् अन्यत् पश्य । भूतभृत् असङ्गाः अगप सन् भूतागन गबभर्तिं । न च भूतिाः, यथोक्तेन न्यायेन दर्ििंतत्वात्
भूतस्थत्व-अनुपपिेाः ।
idaṁ ca āścaryam anyat paśya | bhūtabhr̥tasaṅgaḥ api san bhūtāni bibharti | na

ca bhūtasthaḥ, yathōktēna nyāyēna darśitatvāt bhūtasthatva-anupapattēḥ |
Śaṅkarācārya has come to the second line of the fifth verse bhūtabhr̥t na ca
bhūtasthaḥ. And this is almost repetition of the previous idea and we have read
twice. Once with nakāra and once without nakāra. Aham bhūtabhr̥t bhavāmi . aham
na bhūtabhr̥t bhavāmi. I sustain the entire creation; then immediately I should say I
don‟t sustain the entire creation which is equal to matsthāni sarvabhūtāni and na ca
matsthāni bhūtāni. Bhūtabhr̥t means matsthāni sarvabhūtāni , then we have to say
na bhūtabhr̥t – na ca matsthāni bhūtāni. Similarly the word bhūtasthaḥ also we
should read twice. Aham bhūtasthaḥ bhavāmi. Aham na bhūtasthaḥ bhavāmi. I am
in all beings , I am not in all beings . How do you explain these two paradoxes ? All
beings are in Me from vyāvahārika dr̥ ṣṭi, no being is in Me from pāramārthika dr̥ ṣṭi. I
am in all beings from vyāvahārika dr̥ ṣṭi, I am not in all beings from pāramārthika
dr̥ṣṭi. Because from vyāvahārika dr̥ ṣṭi world is there . From pāramārthika dr̥ ṣṭi world
is not there. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya said yathōktēna nyāyēna – from the same
nyāya, between satyam and mithyā sambandha is not possible. That is the
reasoning. And this reasoning Śaṅkarācārya has indicated by using the crucial word
asaṁsargitvāt which means sambandha rahitatvāt, asaṅgatvāt. No saṅga between
satyam and mithyā, that sambandha cannot be talked about. And in between the
word bhūtāni bibharti is the explanation of the mūlam word bhūtabhr̥t . Śaṅkarācārya
gives the vigraha vākyam, bhūtabhr̥t is equal to bhūtāni bibharti – the supporter of
all beings. Up to this we saw in the last class. Continuing;
कथां पुनाः उच्यते ‘असौ मम आत्मा’ इगत?

गवभज्ज्य दे हाददसङ् घातां तस्स्मन् अहङ् कारम् अध्यारोप्य लोकबुद्धद्धम् अनुसरन् व्यपददिगत ‘मम आत्म ’ इगत, न पुनाः
आत्मनाः आत्मा अन्याः इगत लोकवत् अजानन् ।
kathaṁ punaḥ ucyatē„asau mama ātmā‟ iti?

vibhajya dēhādisaṅghātaṁ tasmin ahaṅkāram adhyārōpya lōkabuddhim

anusaran
vyapadiśati „mama ātmā‟ iti, na punaḥ ātmanaḥ ātmā anyaḥ iti lōkavat ajānan |
In the second line there is an expression mama ātmā and that is the subject of the
sentence. So the sentence should read as mama ātmābhūtabhr̥t bhavati . Mama
ātmābhūtasthaḥ na bhavati. Mama ātmābhūtabhāvanaḥ bhavati. Mama ātmā is the
subject for all these three descriptions. Mama ātmā means my own Self. That is the
meaning. And now Śaṅkarācārya raises an objection. How can Kr̥ṣṇa use the word
mama ātmā? If Kr̥ṣṇa uses the word mama ātmā, then Kr̥ṣṇa will become the
possessor of ātmā. If Kr̥ṣṇa says My ātmā then ātmā will become possessed by
Kr̥ṣṇa and if ātmā is possessed by Kr̥ṣṇa, Kr̥ṣṇa Himself will become śarīram,
anātmā. While in the previous verses you present Bhagavān as the ātmā itself, here
Kr̥ṣṇa is talking as though he is anātmā. So how can Kr̥ṣṇa use that expression is the
question Śaṅkarācārya raises. Kathaṁ punaḥ ucyatē– how does Kr̥ṣṇa make such a
statement „asau mama ātmā‟ iti? asau means this jagat adhiṣṭhānam is my own
ātmā how can He say? He should have said I am the supporter of everything, He
should not say My ātmā is the supporter. Iti ucyatē is the objection raised. For that
Śaṅkarācārya gives the answer. Here Kr̥ṣṇa is stating from the standpoint of the
ignorant worldly people. How? The worldly people never claim I am the ātmā. The
worldly ignorant people will not claim I am the ātmā because they are ignorant.
Therefore they claim themselves to be the body only. And once they claim the body
as themselves, ātmā will become some inner essence, which is great immortal jagat
adhiṣṭhānam etc. Therefore ignorant people will say I am the body and I have an
ātmā, which ātmā will survive, which is eternal etc. And Kr̥ṣṇa is identifying with the
ignorant people and He is also making the statement. Therefore he says,
dēhādisaṅghātaṁ vibhajya – separating the body-mind-complex from the ātmā,
tasmin ahaṅkāram adhyārōpya – placing the I notion in the body-mind-complex.
Who is doing that? Kr̥ṣṇa is doing this mistake deliberately like an ignorant person.
So having separated body-mind-complex and having identified with the body-mind-
complex like the ordinary people, ahaṅkāram adhyārōpya, the only difference is the
lay person identifies with the body because of ignorance, Kr̥ṣṇa identifies with the
body deliberately. So adhyārōpya, then lōka-buddhim anusaran – following the
common people‟s notion lōka-buddhi means the notion of the common man,
anusaran means following, vyapadiśati – Kr̥ṣṇa is also making the same statement,
my ātmā is bhūtabhr̥t. So vyapadiśati „mama ātmā‟iti – Kr̥ṣṇa talks as though he is
ignorant. And seeing this statement you should not conclude that Kr̥ṣṇa is also an
ignorant, therefore na punaḥ ātmanaḥ ātmā anyaḥ iti – and not because if the

mistaken notion that ātmā is different from Himself. Ātmanaḥ is reflective pronoun.
Not because of the mistake that ātmā is different from Himself, but in agreement
with the worldly mistake Kr̥ṣṇa also uses this expression. Therefore nothing wrong.
Lōkavat ajānan – Kr̥ṣṇa is not mistaking like the world. Continuing;
तथा भूत-भ िनाः भूतागन भावयगत उत्पादयगत वधययगत इगत वा भूतभावनाः ॥ ९-५ ॥
Tathā bhūta-bhāvanaḥ bhūtāni bhāvayati utpādayati vardhayati iti vā

bhūtabhāvanaḥ || 9-5 ||
Kr̥ṣṇa comes to the last word of the ślōka, tathā bhūta-bhāvanaḥ, tathā is a
conjunction, so also, bhūta-bhāvanaḥ – My ātmā is bhūta-bhāvanaḥ, and
Śaṅkarācārya gives the derivation, bhūtāni bhāvayati iti bhūtabhāvanaḥ and
bhāvayati is equal to utpādayati, utpādayati means creates, bhūtāni means all the
things and the beings. So I am not only the supporter of the entire creation, I am
also the creator of the entire universe. So the word bhāvayati he gives two
meanings. One meaning is utpādayati – generates, and the second meaning is
vardhayati, vardhayati means nourishes. Not only I am the creator of the world, but
I nourish the word also, giving the world its growth. Both meanings can be taken.
Therefore Bhagavān is called bhūtabhāvanaḥ.
The anvaya is, bhūtāni mat -sthāni na (bhavanti) ca | mē aiśvaram yōgam paśya |
mama ātmā bhūta -bhr̥t (bhavati); bhūta-sthaḥ na (bhavati) ca | (mama ātmā)
bhūta-bhāvanaḥ (bhavati) |
In these two ślōkas Kr̥ṣṇa has defined Brahman as sr̥ṣṭi-sthiti-laya-kāraṇam based on

the Taittirīya definition yatō vā imāni bhūtāni jāyantē | yēna jātāni jīvanti | yat
prayantyabhisaṁviśanti || Taittirīyōpaniṣat 3-1-3 || From Me alone the universe is
born, by Me it is sustained, and into Me it goes. And when you say Brahman is the
creator of the universe it is called upādāna kāraṇam, but once you add Brahman is
the creator of the mithyā universe we call it as vivarta upādāna kāraṇam or
adhiṣṭhāna kāraṇam. And what is the advantage of using this expression? Very
important. Once you say Brahman is the creator of mithyā universe and Brahman is
adhiṣṭhāna kāraṇam, the most important corollary is whatever happens in the
creation or to the creation doesn‟t affect Brahman at all. That is the most important
corollary. And that is called asaṅgatvam. Natu svādhyastasya jaḍaprapañcasya
dōṣēṇa guṇēna vāṇumātrēṇāpi saṁbadhyata ityarthaḥ. Just as the dream event
cannot make any dent for the waker. That is the most important thing. mithyā-
jagadadhiṣṭhānā || Lalitā sahasranāma stōtram 142 || must be remembered here.
Continuing;


यथोक्तेन श्लोकद्वयेन उक्तम् अथं रॅष्टान्तेन उपपादयन् आह ––
yathōktēna ślōkadvayēna uktam arthaṁ dr̥ṣṭāntēna upapādayan āha ––
So uktam artham – so the message given, yathōktēna ślōkadvayēna – through these

two previous verses dr̥ ṣṭāntēna upapādayan – Kr̥ṣṇa wants to corroborate with the
help of an example, upapādanam means corroboration, clarification; dr̥ṣṭānta means
an analogy. And what is the message? Brahman is adhiṣṭhāna kāraṇam, therefore
Brahman is asaṅga, Brahman is not affected by anything. This message is given
through an example.
Verse 09-06
यथाकािञ्स्थतो गनत्यां वायुाः सवयत्रगो महान् ।
तथा सवायत्तण भूतागन मत्स्थानीत्युपधारय ॥ गीता ९-६ ॥
yathākāśasthitō nityaṁ vāyuḥ sarvatragō mahān |

tathā sarvāṇi bhūtāni matsthānītyupadhāraya || Gītā 9-6 ||
First I will give you the gist of this ślōka. It is a simple ślōka but very useful for
Vedantic meditation. Here the whole creation is compared to Vāyuḥ. Sarvatragaḥ
mahān vāyuḥ. What type of vāyuḥ? Sarvatragaḥ mahān vāyuḥ– the wind moves all
over, it is never stationary, it is a wind with good fragrance as well as foul smell, it is
powerful as well as gentle breeze, varieties of types of wind moves around, but all
these are happening which we take for granted ākāśa-sthitaḥ bhavati – the wind
which pervades all over, that moves all over is located in the ākāśa. And you should
add without affecting the ākāśa in any way. So wind revolves in ākāśa without
affecting ākāśa. Similarly, the creation revolves in Brahman without affecting
Brahman. That is the message. In the place of ākāśa is Brahman.iti upadhāraya –
may you ascertain this. Now we will go to the bhāṣyam.
यथ लोके आक श-ञ्िताः आकािे ञ्स्थताः वनत्यं सदा ि युाः सवयत्र गच्छगत इगत सिथत्रगाः मह न् पररमाणताः, तथ
आकािवत् सवयगते मयय असांश्लेषेण एव ञ्स्थतागन इवत एवम् उपध रय जानीगह ॥ ९-६ ॥
Yathā lōkē ākāśa-sthitaḥ ākāśē sthitaḥ nityaṁ sadā vāyuḥ sarvatra gacchati iti
sarvatragaḥ mahān parimāṇataḥ, tathā ākāśavat sarvagatē mayi asaṁślēṣēṇa
ēva sthitāni iti ēvam upadhāraya jānīhi || 9-6 ||
So yathā, yathā is in the mūlam, lōkē– so as it is well known in the world. The
expression yathā indicates just as, „just as‟ indicates an example and the example
should always be popular. Therefore whenever the expression yathā comes the
commentators have the habit of writing lōkē. Once they use the word lōkē it means

in the world as it is familiar to all the people, as it is well known. What is well
known? ākāśa-sthitaḥ vāyuḥ – the vāyu is located in ākāśa. ākāśa-sthitaḥ is in
the mūlam, Śaṅkarācārya gives the vigraha vākyam ākāśē sthitaḥ ākāśa-sthitaḥ–
located in the sky, in the space. When? nityam – always vāyu is in ākāśa only, not
only vāyu nothing in the creation can exist outside the periphery of the ākāśa. So
nityam is in the mūlam, is equal to sadā. And the next word is sarvatragaḥ in the
mūlam. Śaṅkarācārya gives the vigraha vākyam, sarvatra gacchati iti sarvatragaḥ.
And what type of vāyuḥ? mahān. Why Kr̥ṣṇa uses the word mahān? Because vāyu
is the example for the entire creation. And how big is the cosmos? It consists of
millions of galaxies. Therefore just as the vast atmosphere rests in ākāśa, similarly,
the vast cosmos, that is why mahān word is used. Here the word mahān is
parimāṇataḥ, parimāṇataḥ means in terms of its extent or its size. Why does he use
the word parimāṇataḥ? Because the word mahān can refer to physical size also, the
word mahān can refer to qualitative, character-wise superiority also. When you say
somebody is a mahān, it can be either way. Sheer size is one hundred and sixty kg,
so it can be physically mahān or it can be a lean person but he is called mahān
because in terms of his character, Gāndhi mahātmā. He was physically lean but we
call him mahān. So here when we say vāyuḥ mahān is it physical or is it character-
wise? So gurūn ahatvā hi mahānubhāvān || Gītā 2-5 || Śaṅkarācārya says in this
context when we are talking about vāyu don‟t go on interpreting vāyu is śuddhaḥ
muktaḥ etc. So here it is not character-wise superiority, vāyu is an inert material,
therefore the word mahān is in terms of size, parimāṇataḥ, size-wise, extent-wise
mahān. Up to this is example. Tathā in the same way, ākāśavat sarvagatē mayi, in
Me, Brahman. What type of Brahman? Sarvagatē ākāśavat – which is all-pervading
like ākāśa, in fact, it is more pervading than ākāśa, mayi ēva sthitāni, that matsthāni
he gives the vigraha vākyam mayi sthitāni matsthāni. Saptamī tatpuruṣa. And how is
the whole creation located in Me? From this example what is the common feature to
be taken? Because whenever an example is given there must be some common
feature highlighted. Here what is the common feature highlighted? Śaṅkarācārya
says asaṁślēṣēṇa, so asaṅgatvam is the primary message of this ślōka. asaṁślēṣēṇa
means without any contamination because Brahman and ākāśa can be compared
from different angle.
I have talked in several other contexts about the common feature between Brahman
and ākāśa. There are many common features to enumerate, we should remember
because it is very useful for meditation. The first common feature is ākāśa is all-
pervading, Brahman is all-pervading. Vyāpakatvam is one common feature.

arūpatvam, formlessness is the second common feature. ēkatvam is the third

common feature, there is only one ākāśa, ēkatvam. The fourth common feature is
akhaṇḍatvam – ākāśa cannot be cut into pieces. But in this ślōka none of them are
highlighted here. Even though all of them are there. What is highlighted here is
asaṁślēṣēṇa, asaṁślēṣa means asaṅgatvam – not contaminated by any impurity.
asaṁślēṣa means non-stick pan. And Śaṅkarācārya gives importance to asaṅgatvam
because the moment we comprehend the word asaṅgatvam of I, the ātmā, we can
claim liberation instantaneously. We always refuse to claim liberation because we
say that Svāmiji I have lot of impurity, sādhana catuṣṭaya sampatti itself I don‟t
have. When there are so many impurities in me how can I claim I am Brahman ? So
even the very cause that we declare „I have the impurities, therefore I am not
Brahman‟, is not comprehending this ślōka only. I, the ātmā have no impurity at any
time like ākāśavat. So asaṁślēṣēṇa ēva sthitāni iti ēvam upadhāraya,
upadhāraya is in the mūlam, is equal to jānīhi. jānīhi means may you understand,
may you ascertain.
The anvaya is, „yathā sarvatragaḥ mahān vāyuḥ nityam ākāśa-sthitaḥ (bhavati),
tathā sarvāṇi bhūtāni mat-sthāni (bhavanti)‟– iti upadhāraya |
एवां वायुाः आकािे इव मयय ञ्स्थतागन सवयभूतागन ञ्स्थगतकाले, तागन ––
ēvaṁ vāyuḥ ākāśē iva mayi sthitāni sarvabhūtāni sthitikālē, tāni ––
In the previous verse and its previous verse Kr̥ṣṇa said that Brahman is sr̥ ṣṭi and
sthiti kāraṇam. sr̥ṣṭi kāraṇam is revealed by the word Bhūtabhāvanaḥ. What is sthiti
kāraṇam? matsthāni sarvabhūtāni and bhūtabhr̥t these are two words revealing
sthiti kāraṇam. So bhūtabhāvanaḥ reveals sr̥ ṣṭi kāraṇam and bhūtabhr̥t and
matsthāni reveals sthiti kāraṇam. In the following ślōka, laya kāraṇam will be stated.
Therefore Śaṅkarācārya gives an introduction. ēvam – in this manner, vāyuḥ ākāśē
iva – just as the vast wind is located in ākāśa, sarvabhūtāni sthitikālē mayi sthitāni –
in the same way the entire creation is based on Me during their existence. sthitikālē
means during their existence. They are based on, supported by, located in Me. And
after spending some time according to samaṣṭi prārabdha then the whole world will
resolve. That is going to be said in the ślōka, we will read.
Verse 09-07
सवयभूतागन कौन्तेय प्रकृततिं यान्न्त मायमकाम् ।
कल्पक्ये पुनस्तागन कल्पादौ गवसृजाम्यहम् ॥ गीता ९-७ ॥
sarvabhūtāni kauntēya prakr̥tiṁ yānti māmikām |

kalpakṣayē punastāni kalpādau visr̥jāmyaham || Gītā 9-7 ||
Again another simple verse and the gist of the verse is the whole creation will
resolve at the time of pralayam. The question is resolve into what. Kr̥ṣṇa says
māmikām prakr̥tim – it will resolve into My aparā-prakr̥ti, My māyā . So māmikām
means belonging to , prakr̥ti means māyā . Here there is a slight difference between
the Upaniṣadic approach and this ślōka. In the upaniṣat we say the world will resolve
into Brahman, here Kr̥ṣṇa says the word resolves into māyā. Which statement is
correct the world resolves into māyā or the world resolves into Brahman ? Both are
correct only. How do you say both are correct? The world resolves into māyā only.
But where is māyā? It is not that Brahman is sitting here and māyā is sitting there.
Then you can have a debate. Māyā doesn‟t have an existence of its own. So māyā is
located in Brahman only. Mithyā-māyā is located in satyam Brahman. So the world
resolves into māyā, and since māyā is located in Brahman we say the world resolves
into Brahman. Since māyā is non-different from Brahman, both statements are
correct only. When people say that things are in māyā, remember it is in Brahman,
because māyā cannot does not exist outside. Therefore both of them are logical.
If you want to present in technical language we will say world resolves into māyā
because māyā is pariṇāmī-upāsana-kāraṇam. Then we will say world resolves into
Brahman because Brahman is vivartha-upādāna-kāraṇam. World will resolve into
māyā because māyā is pariṇāmī-upādāna-kāraṇam and world will resolve into
Brahman because Brahman is vivartha-upādāna-kāraṇam. Brahman and māyā are
non-separate, therefore both the statements are all right. So Kr̥ṣṇa says world will
go into My prakr̥ti and during the next sr̥ ṣṭi it will come out of My prakr̥ti . Bhāṣyam
we will see in the next class.

306 Verses-7 to 9

सवयभूतागन कौन्तेय प्रकृततिं यान्न्त मायमकाम् ।
कल्पक्ये पुनस्तागन कल्पादौ गवसृजाम्यहम् ॥ गीता ९-७ ॥
sarvabhūtāni kauntēya prakr̥tiṁ yānti māmikām |

kalpakṣayē punastāni kalpādau visr̥jāmyaham || Gītā 9-7 ||
In this set of important verses beginning from the fourth up to tenth, Lord Kr̥ṣṇa is
talking about Īśvara svarūpam especially the higher nirguṇa-brahma-svarūpam. And
the first description he gave was I am avyakta-mūrti – I am of the nature which is
not available for sensory perception. Vyaktam means indriya-gōcaram and avyaktam
means indriya-agōcaram. Mūrtiḥ means svarūpam, avyakta-mūrtiḥ means indriya-
agōcara-svarūpam which is my higher nature. From that it is clear that all the other
versions of God like Rāma-mūrtiḥ Kr̥ṣṇa-mūrtiḥ etc., they are also Īśvara-svarūpam
only, but not the higher version but they are only apara-svarūpam or māyika-
svarūpam. So avyakta-svarūpam is one description, and the second description he
gave was therefore only I am all-pervading. Whereas Rāma-mūrtiḥ or Kr̥ṣṇa-mūrtiḥ
where Bhagavān has a particular personal form, Bhagavān cannot be all-pervading
that is why Bhagavān has to come and Bhagavān has to go away also. āvāhayāmi ||
yathā sthānam pratiṣṭhāpayāmi || That is also lower nature. In higher nature there
is neither coming nor going, I am all-pervading māyā tatam. Tatam means vyāptam.
This is the second description. The third description is I am the jagat-kāraṇam
vivartha-upādāna-kāraṇam. The world is born out of Me and sustained by Me and
resolves unto Me while I remain changeless. If I am pariṇāmī-upādāna-kāraṇam I
will have to undergo change. But being vivartha-upādāna-kāraṇam I don‟t undergo
any change . And therefore the whole world remains in seed form which is called
prakr̥ti, and from the seed form of the world called prakr̥ti the world comes and back
to prakr̥ti the world will go . When I talk about prakr̥ti , you should not take prakr̥ti as
a separate second entity , prakr̥ti is a non -separate, non-separable entity which is a
part of Īśvara. If you say it is real part of Īśvara then Īśvara will have part but we
say prakr̥ti is an apparent -part of Īśvara. Prakr̥ti is a vyāvahārika -part of
pāramārthika-Īśvara and vyāvahārika-part is as good as no part. Therefore

Bhagavān will have vyāvahārika-part at the same time pāramārthika- dr̥ṣṭyā

Bhagavān is partless. Therefore Bhagavān is sāvayavam vyāvahārika-dr̥ṣṭyā, and
Bhagavān is niravayavaḥ from pāramārthika-dr̥ṣṭyā. Therefore in the seventh verse
Bhagavān said world arises from prakr̥ti and world resolves into prakr̥ti.
Since prakr̥ti is u pādāna-kāraṇam and prakr̥ti is inert in nature , inert prakr̥ti cannot
become the universe by itself, because it is inert principle, therefore Bhagavān says I
am the nimitta-kāraṇam who convert to the upādāna-kāraṇam into universe.
Brahman is the nimitta-kāraṇam which converts the upādāna-kāraṇam prakr̥ti into
the universe just as goldsmith, the nimitta-kāraṇam converts gold, the upādāna
kāraṇam into ornaments, similarly, Brahman, the nimitta-kāraṇam converts prakr̥ti ,
the upāsana-kāraṇam into the universe. Therefore He says aham visr̥jāmi . We saw
the gist of the mantra and we have to see the bhāṣyam now.
सिथ-भूत वन कौनतेय प्रकृततिं गत्रगुणात्त्मकाम् अपराां गनकृष्टाां य न्नत म यमक ं मदीयाां कल्प-क्षये प्रलयकाले । पुनाः भूयाः
त वन भूतागन उत्पत्तिकाले कल्प दौ विसृज यम उत्पादयायम अहं पूवयवत् ॥ ९-७ ॥
sarva-bhūtāni kauntēya prakr̥tiṁ triguṇātmikām aparāṁ nikr̥ṣṭāṁ yānti

māmikāṁ madīyāṁ kalpa-kṣayē pralayakālē | punaḥ bhūyaḥ tāni bhūtāni
utpattikālē kalpādau visr̥jāmi utpādayāmi ahaṁ pūrvavat || 9-7 ||
Sarva-bhūtāni is in the mūlam which means all the things and the beings of the
creation, Kauntēya – hē Arjuna, prakr̥tim yānti – will resolve into prakr̥ti at the
time of pralayam . What is the meaning of the word prakr̥ti ? Śaṅkarācārya gives
triguṇātmikām – the prakr̥ti which consists of three gu ṇas – sattva rajas and tamas,
and aparām – which is inferior in nature, inferiority is in terms of the very degree of
reality. Brahman is pāramārthikam , higher order and prakr̥ti is vyāvahārikam , lower
order. Therefore aparām, which is inferior and Śaṅkarācārya uses the word aparām
which occurs in the seventh chapter aparām prakr̥tim . And what is the meaning of
the word aparām? Śaṅkarācārya himself gives it aparām is equal to nikr̥ ṣṭām – which
is inferior. Yānti means all beings resolves . Whenever you say all the things and
beings we have to remember nāma and rūpa only . There is no creation other than
names and forms , therefore all the names and forms resolve into prakr̥ti . And what
type of prakr̥ti? Māmikām, māmikām is equal to madīyām – belonging to Me.
And this expression we consider very important because this reveals the primary
difference between sāṅkhya-philosophy and vēdānta-philosophy, in Sāṅkhya also
puruṣa and prakr̥ti are talked about , Vēdānta also talks about puruṣa and prakr̥ti . In
sāṅkhya also prakr̥ti is trigu ṇātmikām jaḍam and in vēdānta also prakr̥ti is
triguṇātmikām jaḍam. In Sāṅkhya also puruṣa is caitanyam-tattvam and in vēdānta-

also puruṣa is caitanya-tattvam. Thus there are so many similarities between

sāṅkha-puruṣa-prakr̥ti and vēdānta-puruṣa-prakr̥ti.
Then what is the crucial difference? In Sāṅkhya, prakr̥ti has an independent

existence, therefore they come under dvaitam . Whereas vēdānta doesn‟t accept
prakr̥ti as an independent entity principle , this is one difference . And the second
difference is prakr̥ti can evolve into the creation without requiring Īśvara or
Brahman. Prakr̥ti can evolve into creation without requiring Īśvara or Brahman . In
this respect prakr̥ti‟s evolution talked about in Sā ṅkha is very very similar to the
evolution theory of Darwin. Darwinism also talks about matter evolving into the
creation and even living being without requiring a God. That‟s what is written by
Stephen Hawking in the latest book called The Grand Design. They clearly declare
that the matter can evolve into the universe without the intervention of a God.
Sāṅkha also is a nirīśvara-vādi, and sāṅkha philosopher also doesn‟t accept Īśvara,
even though he accepts the caitanya-tattvam but he says that caitanya-tattva has no
role in the evolution of matter. In Vēdānta without Īśvara‟s intervention evolution
cannot happen because evolution has to take into account the law of karma. In
Darwinism, law of karma is not involved, whereas in our creation puṇya-pāpam will
have to be taken into account, therefore an intelligent Īśvara tattvam is required.
That is in indicated here by māmikām prakr̥tim – a prakr̥ti which listens to My
commandment. So madīyāṁ prakr̥tim yānti – they will dissolve. When? kalpa-
kṣayē is in the mūlam, is equal to pralaya-kālē.
Then what will happen? He says punaḥ, punaḥ means bhūyaḥ– once again, that
means no pralayam is final-pralayam. Every pralayam is followed by a sr̥ ṣṭi. And not
only no pralayam is final pralayam , therefore only no sr̥ ṣṭi is first sr̥ ṣṭi. No pralayam
is final-pralayam and no sr̥ ṣṭi is first-sr̥ṣṭi. Every sr̥ ṣṭi is preceded by pralayam and
every pralayam is preceded followed by sr̥ ṣṭi. Every sr̥ṣṭi is followed by pralayam and
every pralayam is followed by sr̥ ṣṭi. Thus sr̥ ṣṭi-sthiti-layam cycle is anādi and
anantaḥ. This anādyanantattvam or eternity of sr̥ ṣṭi is indicated by the word punaḥ.
So punaḥ means nityam. Tāni bhūtāni – the very same set of jīvas. That also you
should remember that no new jīva can be created by Bhagavān and therefore in the
next sr̥ ṣṭi also the same set of jīvas are reproduced and during pralaya-kāla, jīvas
remain in kāraṇa-śarīram form because during pralayam only sūkṣma and sthūla
śarīrams are dissolved and kāraṇa-śarīram of every one of the jīva will continue.
Every kāraṇa-śarīram will retain its individuality in the form of sañcita puṇya-pāpa
karma. All this we should remember. Sañcita karmabhiḥ saha kāraṇa śarīrē
vartamānāni anantāni bhūtāni, kalpādau is in the mūlam, is equal to utpatti-kālē –

at the time the next creation, visr̥jāmi is in the mūlam, is equal to utpādayāmi – I
will create the whole universe again. You should remember the fifteenth chapter
ślōka here, na rūpamasyēha tathōpalabhyatē na antaḥ na ca ādiḥ na ca
sampratiṣṭhā || Gītā 15-3 || Creation in the fifteenth chapter is compared to
ūrdhvamūlamadhaḥśākhamaśvatthaṁ prāhuravyayam || Gītā 15-1 || This creation
which is similar to aśvattha tree na antaḥ– doesn‟t have an end, na ca ādiḥ– doesn‟t
have any beginning, na ca sampratiṣṭhā– doesn‟t have the middle also, because to
talk of the middle you need two extremities, when the extremity are not there every
point is middle point only. Therefore utpadayami, I regenerate like pūrvavat –
exactly as in the previous creation, pañca sūkṣma-bhūta sr̥ṣṭi, pañca sthūla-bhūta
sr̥ṣṭi, sūkṣma-bhautika sr̥ṣṭi and then sthūla bhautika sr̥ṣṭi in this order.
The anvaya is, hē Kauntēya! kalpa-kṣayē sarva -bhūtāni māmikām prakr̥tim yānti ;
punaḥ kalpa-ādau aham tāni visr̥jāmi |
Verse 09-08
एवम् अगवद्यालक्णाम् ––
प्रकृततिं स्वामवष्टभ्य गवसृजायम पुनाः पुनाः ।
भूतग्रामयममां कृत्स्नमविां प्रकृतेवयिात् ॥ गीता ९-८ ॥
ēvam avidyālakṣaṇām ––
prakr̥tiṁ svāmavaṣṭabhya visr̥jāmi punaḥ punaḥ |
bhūtagrāmamimaṁ kr̥tsnamavaśaṁ prakr̥tērvaśāt || Gītā 9-8 ||
Śaṅkarācārya gives another definition of prakr̥ti in the introduction , very important

definition, avidyā-lakṣaṇām prakr̥tim. The prakr̥ti which we talk about is nothing but
avidyā or māyā which is called mūlā-avidyā, about which mūlā-avidyā we saw in the
last Vicāra Sāgara class, mulā-āvidya, tulā-vidya, kārana-āvidya, kārya-āvidya. There
are two definitions for avidyā, one is general definition and the other is special
definition, given in Vicāra Sāgara. General definition is that which is eliminated by
knowledge, that which is falsified by knowledge is called avidyā. We carefully note in
Vēdānta, avidyā should never be translated as absence of knowledge, we should
never translate, because this is a very big philosophical debate within advaitam
itself. I talked about a rebel Svāmi who came a few decades before and separating
from the entire-Advaitic tradition, he gave a new definition of avidyā as absence of
knowledge which vehemently and vociferously is negated by the tradition and now in
advaita itself two groups are there, the rebel group which defines avidyā as absence
of knowledge, whereas the tradition claiming that avidyā is not abhāva-rūpa not
absence of knowledge but avidyā is bhāva-abhāva-vilakṣaṇa, it is neither bhāvam

nor abhāvam, it is a mithyā-padārtha which is negated by knowledge. It is not

asadrūpam but it is sadasat-vilakṣaṇa-rūpam. And this is a very big debate, that
Svāmi is so powerful and such a prolific author that in Kannada language, English
language, Saṁskr̥ta language he has written books galore and he says mūlā-avidyā
bhāṣya vārtika-viruddha there is no such thing called mūlā avidyā at all. And in those
debates Śaṅkarācārya ‟s this one word is very very useful to us. For the traditional
people this one word avidyā-lakṣaṇām is an important word because this word
supports our theory. And naturally this word is a disturbing word for him and
therefore he interprets this word in his own way. Thus in advanced vēdānta
granthas these debates are entertained and for them this casual word, which is
Śaṅkarācārya ‟s adjective, avidyā-lakṣaṇām-prakr̥tim is a bone of contention . What
do we say? Śaṅkarācārya clearly says prakr̥ti is avidyā . Lakṣaṇam means nature.
Avidyā ēva lakṣaṇām svarūpām yasyāḥ prakr̥tēḥ. And what type of avidyā? mūlā
avidyā. And how do you translate? It is not the absence of knowledge but it is
opposed to knowledge. It doesn‟t come under non-existence variety and it comes
under seemingly-existent-variety. So thus opposed-to-knowledge is one definition of
avidyā. The second definition Vicāra Sāgara author gave avidyā is vastutaḥ na
vidyatē iti avidyā – that which doesn‟t really exist but it has got seeming existence
enough to cause saṁsāra. Avidyā doesn‟t have real existence but it has got enough
existence to cause problems. If it is totally non-existent, it cannot cause problem
because a non-existent thing cannot cause anything. Therefore it is seemingly-
existent but not-really-existent one which is called mūlā-avidyā-prakr̥ti.
And then in the ślōka Kr̥ṣṇa says with the help of this mūlāvidyā, which is otherwise
called prakr̥ti, which is otherwise called māyā, with the help of this māyā, I create the
jīva’s again and again. And then Kr̥ṣṇa says I use the māyā and therefore I am the
master of māyā, whereas the jīvas who are created or who manifest through māyā all
these jīvas are under the spell of māyā. I am the master of māyā, whereas the jīvas
are helplessly under the control of māyā. And therefore Kr̥ṣṇa uses the word avaśam.
Avaśa means helplessly under the spell. This is the gist of the verse, we will see the
bhāṣyam.
प्रकृततिं स्ि ं स्वीयाम् अिष्टभ्य विीकृत्य विसृज यम पुनाः पुनाः प्रकृगततो जातां भूत-ग्र मं भूतसमुदायम् इमं वतयमानां
कृत्स्नं समग्रम् अिशम् अस्वतन्त्रम्, अगवद्यादददोषैाः परविीकृतम्, प्रकृतेाःिश त् स्वभावविात् ॥ ९-८ ॥
prakr̥tiṁ svāṁ svīyām avaṣṭabhya vaśīkr̥tya visr̥jāmi punaḥ punaḥ prakr̥titō

jātaṁ bhūta-grāmaṁbhūtasamudāyam imaṁ vartamānaṁ kr̥tsnaṁ samagram
avaśam asvatantram, avidyādidōṣaiḥ paravaśīkr̥tam, prakr̥tēḥvaśāt
svabhāvavaśāt || 9-8 ||

Ēvam in this manner, prakr̥tiṁ svāṁavaṣṭabhya– prakr̥ti is equal to mūlāvidyā is

equal to māyā. What type of māyā? Svām is in the mūlam, is equal to svīyām,
svīyām means under My control, I am the master, avaṣṭabhya is in the mūlam , is
equal to vaśīkr̥tya , vaśīkr̥tya means keeping under My control , that means I use
prakr̥ti but I am not bound by prakr̥ti , visr̥jāmi punaḥ punaḥ– I create all the jīvas
again and again. What type of jīva‟s? Prakr̥titō jātam – the jīva‟s whose upādāna
kāraṇam is prakr̥ti, I, the nimitta kāraṇam create that jīva. Just to show that māyā is
upādāna kāraṇam, Īśvara is nimitta kāraṇam, therefore prakr̥titō jātam . Bhūta-
grāmam, grāmam means groups or multitudes of bhūtas here the word bhūta
refers to the jīvas, prāṇis, and not the pañca-bhūtas, even though pañca-bhūtas are
also creators but here Kr̥ṣṇa uses the word bhūta in the meaning of living-beings. All
the multitudes of living-beings, bhūta-samudāyam, bhūta-grāmam is equal to
bhūta-samudāyam, imam in the mūlam, is equal to vartamānam. Vartamānam
means which are available for us to experience. The multitudes of living-beings
available for our experience, kr̥tsnam is in the mūlam, is equal to samagram,
samagram means total, in its entirety, avaśam is in the mūlam, is equal to
asvatantram which means not the masters but under the control, asvatantram
means under the control, helpless. What do you mean by under the control?
Śaṅkarācārya himself explains. Asvatantram is equal to avidyādidōṣaiḥ paravaśīkr̥tam
– they are under the control of three factors avidyā, kāma and karma. So avidyā ādi,
ādi means etcetera. Etcetera here refers to kāma and karma. Whereas Bhagavān is
the master of māyā because Bhagavān doesn‟t have avidyā, kāma and karma. So
Bhagavān also handles tamō-guṇa, jīva is also associated with tamō-guṇa of prakr̥ti.
Tamō-guṇa of prakr̥ti has got two -fold śakti – one is called āvaraṇa śaktiḥ and the
other is called vikṣēpa-śaktiḥ, āvaraṇa-śakti of the tamō-guṇa of prakr̥ti will cause a
spell on the jīva. Āvaraṇa śakti of tamō-guṇa of māyā will cast a spell on the jīva
whereas āvaraṇa-śakti of tamō-guṇa of māyā will not cause its spell on the Īśvara .
Therefore Īśvara knows aham brahma asmi all the time . Jīva never knows aham
brahma asmi . Therefore paravaśīkr̥tam bhūta-grāmam. Prakr̥tēḥ vaśāt is in the
mūlam, is equal to svabhāvavaśāt and the word svabhāva here according to the sub-
commentators refer to puṇya-pāpa karma and vāsanās. So avidyā is universal,
whereas kāma and karma vary from individual to individual. And this word avaśam
is adjective to bhūta-grāmam.
The anvaya is , (aham) svām prakr̥tim ava ṣṭabhya prakr̥tē ḥ vaśāt avaśam kr̥tsnam
imam bhūta-grāmam punaḥ punaḥ visr̥jāmi | Continuing;


‘तर्हिं तस्य ते परमेश्वरस्य, भूतग्रामम् गवषमां गवदधताः, तत् गनयमिाभ्याां धमायधमायभ्याां सम्बन्धाः स्यात्’ इगत, इदम् आह
भगवान् ––
„tarhi tasya tē paramēśvarasya, bhūtagrāmam viṣamaṁ vidadhataḥ, tat

nimittābhyāṁ dharmādharmābhyāṁ sambandhaḥ syāt‟ iti, idam āha Bhagavān –
–
The message of the previous ślōka can create a doubt in the mind of a student.
Imagining that doubt Kr̥ṣṇa is giving the answer. The doubt is not mentioned by
Kr̥ṣṇa, therefore Śaṅkarācārya mentions this doubt. What is that? Bhagavān clearly
says I do the creation. Aham visr̥jāmi . That means Bhagavān is the doer of three-
fold actions; sr̥ṣṭi-kartā aham asmi; sthiti-kartā aham asmi; laya-kartā aham asmi;
generalizing all these three things aham-kartā-asmi. So Bhagavān is openly and
shamelessly accepting that I am a kartā. And we are all advanced Vedantic students.
Once you say kartā , then we know how to build up . yatra yatra kartr̥tvam there
puṇya-karma and pāpa-karma, kartr̥tvam alone is responsible for karma , karma is
responsible for karma-phalam, puṇya-pāpam. Therefore Bhagavān also must be a
saṁsāri. Not only does He create the world, in the creation of the world He is not
even impartial, He is giving varieties of bodies to varieties of jīvas. He doesn‟t give
uniform bodies for all the people. For some people He gives good-body and for some
he gives body with congenital diseases. Giving good-body is good-karma, giving
bad- body is bad-karmas. Therefore Bhagavān is also doing good and bad-karmas.
And then extending further we all do only small jobs, we are all mini-kartās,
therefore our saṁsāra must be mini saṁsāra and Bhagavān is a maxi-kartā because
the whole cosmos He creates, therefore He must be maxi-saṁsāri. All these are the
possible doubt of all the paramānanda śiṣyas. Śaṅkarācārya says tarhi, tarhi means
then. Then means when? If Bhagavān is a kartā of this universe, tasya
paramēśvarasya – for that paramēśvara and tē, Śaṅkarācārya puts in inverted
comma, these are as though the word of Arjuna himself. So Śaṅkarācārya visualizes
that Arjuna is addressing Kr̥ṣṇa. Therefore tē means tava. So hē Kr̥ṣṇa for You who
is the Lord, bhūtagrāmam viṣamaṁ vidadhataḥ, vidadhataḥ means who is creating ,
for the sr̥ ṣṭi-kartuḥ, vidadhataḥ means kartuḥ, for You who is the creator, creator of
bhūtagrāmam – so many things and beings, and not only do you create, viṣamaṁ
vidadhataḥ – you are not creating the world uniformly, and you don‟t give good
bodies to all the people, you give bodies of different nature. Therefore viṣamaṁ
bhūtagrāmam vidadhataḥ paramēśvarasyatē, dharmādharmābhyāṁ sambandhaḥ
syāt – you will also be associated with puṇyam and pāpam. Dharma means puṇyam

and adharma means pāpam, You being a kartā You will have puṇya-pāpa
karmaphalam caused by tat nimittābhyā – caused by viṣama sr̥ ṣṭi. And not only that
during pralaya kāla, Bhagavān has to kill all, and it is mahā hiṁsā and for that hiṁsā
He should get mahā-pāpam. So sambandhaḥ syāt. Up to this is within inverted
commas. This is Arjuna‟s imagination. Arjuna‟s imagination is imagined by
Śaṅkarācārya. Iti, iti means because of the possibility of such a doubt, idam uttaram
āha Bhagavān – Bhagavān gives the answer. What is the answer? We will read the
ślōka.
Verse 09-09
न च माां तागन कमायत्तण गनबध्नन्न्त धनञ्जय ।
उदासीनवदासीनमसक्तां तेषु कमयसु ॥ गीता ९-९ ॥
na ca māṁ tāni karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanañjaya |

udāsīnavadāsīnamasaktaṁ tēṣu karmasu || Gītā 9-9 ||
If Arjuna had asked this question Kr̥ṣṇa would have strongly remonstrated Arjuna
because the answers have been already given in the previous chapters of the Gītā. If
you remember the third chapter two important ślōkas
प्रकृतेाः गक्रयमाणागन गुणैाः कमायत्तण सवयिाः ।

अहङ् कारगवमूढात्मा कतायहयमगत मन्यते ॥ गीता ३-२७ ॥
तत्त्वगविु महाबाहो गुणकमयगवभागयोाः ।
गुणा गुणेषु वतयन्त इगत मत्वा न सज्जते ॥ गीता ३-२८ ॥
prakr̥tēḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ |

ahaṅkāravimūḍhātmā kartāhamiti manyatē || Gītā 3-27 ||
tattvavittu mahābāhō guṇakarmavibhāgayōḥ |
guṇā guṇēṣu vartanta iti matvā na sajjatē || Gītā 3-28 ||
Kr̥ṣṇa had told even a jñāni does not claim I am a kartā, what to talk of Bhagavān
who is a mahā-jñāni. And in the fourth chapter
Karmaṇi akarma yaḥ paśyēt akarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ || Gītā 4-18 || We very
elaborately saw how I, the ātmā is akartā? And in the fifth chapter of Gītā
न एव गकञ्चचत् करोयम इगत युक्ताः मन्येत तत्त्वगवत् ।

पश्यन् िृण्वन् स्पृिन् द्धजघ्रन् अश्नन् गच्छन् स्वपञ् श्वसन् ॥ गीता ५-८ ॥
na ēva kiñcit karōmi iti yuktaḥ manyēta tattvavit |

paśyan śr̥ṇvan spr̥śan jighran aśnan gacchan svapañśvasan || Gītā 5-8 ||

even when the body and sense organs are involved in action a jñāni says I do not do
anything
नवद्वारे पुरे दे ही नैव कुवयन्न कारयन् ॥ गीता ५-१३ ॥
navadvārē purē dēhī naiva kurvanna kārayan || Gītā 5-13 ||
such questions should not be asked by a student in the ninth chapter and if the
student asks Bhagavān will take sannyāsa and run away. But still Bhagavān being
compassionate he doesn‟t run away, he gives the answer. What is the answer? All
the sr̥ ṣṭi-sthiti-laya-karma belong to the prakr̥ti . I-the-caitanyam am not involved in
any one of them, in My presence creation takes place. Therefore I figuratively say I
am the creator. In my presence creation takes place, therefore my blessing is
involved. How do I bless the prakr̥ti ? By lending cidābhāsa , I lend reflected
Consciousness to prakr̥ti just as sākṣi-caitanyam I lend reflection to the mind and the
mind is thinking and mouth is talking. For a thinking-mind and talking-mouth what
do I do? I do not do anything. I lend cidābhāsa to the mind and the mind thinks, I
lend cidābhāsa to the mouth, mouth speaks. Other than lending cidābhāsa I don‟t do
anything. Even lending cidābhāsa is not a job I do, in my presence cidābhāsa gets
form. And since this cidābhāsa lending is important figuratively I say that I am
creating. So kāraṇabhūta prakr̥tē ḥ adhiṣṭhānatvam ēva kāraṇatvam. Bhagavān‟s
kāraṇa status is because of His being the adhiṣṭhānam of kāraṇa prakr̥ti . Therefore
He says udāsīnavat āsīnam – I am as though creating the universe really speaking I
don‟t create. And tēṣu karmasu asaktam – I don‟t claim those karmas as really
belonging to me. That is asakta means abhimāna-rahitaḥ. Therefore
चातुवयण्यं मया सृष्टां गुणकमयगवभागिाः ।

तस्य कतायरमगप माां गवद्ध्यकतायरमव्ययम् ॥ गीता ४-१३ ॥
cāturvarṇyaṁ mayā sr̥ṣṭaṁ guṇakarmavibhāgaśaḥ |

tasya kartāramapi māṁ viddhyakartāramavyayam || Gītā 4-13 ||
I am the creator of cāturvarṇyam but viddhi akartāram avyayam – I am seeming

creator really not a creator. Therefore karma will not bind me. This is the gist of the
answer. The bhāṣyam we will see in the next class.

307 Verses-9 and 10

न च माां तागन कमायत्तण गनबध्नन्न्त धनञ्जय ।
उदासीनवदासीनमसक्तां तेषु कमयसु ॥ गीता ९-९ ॥
na ca māṁ tāni karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanañjaya |

udāsīnavadāsīnamasaktaṁ tēṣu karmasu || Gītā 9-9 ||
In the previous few ślōkas Lord Kr̥ṣṇa defined His higher -nature, Brahman as sr̥ ṣṭi-
sthiti-laya-kāraṇam and therefore He is sr̥ ṣṭi-sthiti-laya-kartā. And once we say that
Bhagavān is a kartā, naturally the question will come will not Bhagavān become a
saṁsāri; because in vēdānta kartr̥tvam is defined as sa ṁsāra. For that the answer is
given here. Even though I am a kartā, I happen to be a jñāni. Therefore while being
a kartā, I know I am really not a kartā . Kartr̥tvam is not My intrinsic nature, it is only
adhyastam, kartr̥tvam is vyāvahārikam . Akartr̥tvam is My pāramārthika svarūpam , I
know. Tasya kartāram api mām viddhi akartāram avyayam || Gītā 4-13 || in the
fourth chapter. Then paśyan śr̥ ṇvan spr̥śan jighran aham kiñcit na ēva karōmi iti
jānāmi. Therefore I am a kartā , but I don‟t have kartr̥tva -abhimānam. So abhimāna-
abhāvāt, I am not a saṁsāri. Therefore in the second line of the ninth verse he says
tēṣu karmasu asaktam, asaktam means I don‟t have attachment, I don‟t have
abhimāna, in that karma. And he gives an example udāsīnavat āsīnam – I remain
like an indifferent-person. In what respect Bhagavān remains like an indifferent-
person? Indifferent or inactive person also doesn‟t have karma-abhimāna, jñāni also
doesn‟t have karma-abhimāna. So with regard to the absence of karma-abhimāna
both the jñāni and an inactive-person, jñāni includes Bhagavān and inactive-person,
both are same. But there is a difference between a jñāni and an inactive-person,
both do not have karma-abhimānam but the difference is in the case of an inactive-
person karma is also not there, karma-abhimānam is also not there. In the case of
an inactive-person karma is also absent; when karma itself is absent how karma-
abhimānam can be there? Therefore indifferent person doesn‟t have karma and
karma-abhimānam, whereas jñāni has got karma without karma-abhimānam. So
indifferent person doesn‟t have two things karma and abhimānam, jñāni is free from
only one thing, i.e., karma-abhimānam is not there whereas karma continues ,
paśyan śr̥ ṇvan, therefore udāsīnavat – I am not an indifferent one but I am like an

indifferent person. Asaktam tēṣu karmasu – with regard to the absence of karma
abhimānam. This is the gist of this verse. Now we will go to the bhāṣyam.
न च म म् ईिां त वन भूतग्रामस्य गवषमसगयगनयमिागन कम थशण वनबध्नन्नत धनञ्जय ।

तत्र कमयणाां असम्बत्न्धत्वे कारणम् आह ––
उद सीनित् आसीनं यथा उदासीनाः उपेक्काः कत्तित् तद्वत् आसीनम्, आत्मनाः अगवगक्रयत्वात्, असक्तं फलासङ्गरगहतम्,
अत्तभमानवर्जिंतम् ‘अहां करोयम’ इगत तेषु कमथसु ।
na ca māmīśaṁtāni bhūtagrāmasya viṣamasarga nimittāni karmāṇi nibadhnanti

dhanañjaya|
tatra karmaṇāṁ asambandhitvē kāraṇam āha ––
udāsīnavat āsīnaṁyathā udāsīnaḥ upēkṣakaḥ kaścit tadvat āsīnam, ātmanaḥ

avikriyatvāt, asaktaṁ phalāsaṅgarahitam, abhimānavarjitam „ahaṁ karōmi‟ iti
tēṣu karmasu|
Na ca mām is in the mūlam, is equal to īśam, tāni-karmāṇi – those activities. And

what are those activities? Bhūtagrāmasya viṣama-visarga-nimittāni – the activities
related to the creation of varieties of living beings. And what type of creation?
viṣama-visarga, viṣama-visarga means non-uniform-creation, because Bhagavān
does not create the universe uniformly, some people have got lucky birth and some
people have got unlucky birth, wrong-body wrong-mind, wrong-family and wrong-
environment, but there is another lucky birth where everything is fine tuned. This
differences in the creation is here called viṣama-visarga. Due to this viṣama-visarga
karmāṇi – all the activities mām na nibadhnanti – do not bind me either by
producing āgāmi-puṇyam or by producing āgāmi-pāpam. In short, it does not
produce puṇyam or pāpam. Hē Dhanañjaya.
And tatra in this regard. And in this regard means in what regard? Tatra is equal to
karmaṇāṁ asambandhitvē, viṣayē saptamī, with regard to the non-connection with
karma. Why Bhagavān and karma do not have any relationship? Even though
Bhagavān performs karma, Bhagavān and karma do not have any relationship
because karma cannot produce either puṇyam or pāpam. This relationlessness is
because of what reason? Kāraṇam āha – what is the kāraṇam? Udāsīnavat
āsīnam – I remain as though I am indifferent, I am like an indifferent person, I am
like a don‟t-care person. Udāsīnavat āsīnam is in the mūlam, and Śaṅkarācārya
explains yathā udāsīnaḥ kaścit – just like a person who is udāsīnaḥ, udāsīnaḥ is
equal to upēkṣakaḥ, upēkṣakaḥ means indifferent, not interested, disinterested
person. Just as we read the obituaries of many people in the newspaper, how?
udāsīnavat āsīnam, like somebody else‟s obituary. Āsīnam means remain. Tadvat

āsīnam. And why? Ātmanaḥ avikriyatvāt – because I the Lord remember all the time
that I am the ātmā, I am not the māyā which is the creator of the universe. In My
presence māyā does all the job, I am only blessing the māyā to do its job, but I
myself have no connection with māyā or no connection with the activities of māyā.
Why? Ātmanaḥ avikriyatvāt – because I am avikri means changeless, actionless.
ātmanaḥ ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti. And since ātmā doesn‟t have any action, asaktam,
asaktam refers to I do not have connection with kartr̥tvam also , I don‟t have
connection with bhōktr̥tvam also . The moment I am connected to the karma anxiety
regarding karmaphalam will invariably come. Anxiety is never directly produced,
anxiety is with regard to karma-phalam. Karma-phalam anxiety comes because I am
connected with karma. Karma-sambandha will produce karma-phala anxiety. This is
the law. Karma-sambandha will produce anxiety regarding karma-phalam. When
somebody else writes examination, I am not worried about the result of the
examination, because I have not written the examination, but the moment I say I
have written the examination, I have connected myself with the karma and karma
sambandha will produce karma-phala anxiety. Therefore how to avoid anxiety? Only
by one method – you have to drop karma-sambandha. And karma-sambandha
dropping is called akartr̥tva -bhāvanā. Therefore asaktam is equal to phala-āsaṅga-
rahitam – free from the anxiety regarding the consequences which is called
bhōktr̥tva-abhāvaḥ. And how did I avoid bhōktr̥tvam ? Abhimāna-varjitam – by
avoiding kartr̥tva -abhimānam. Thus phala-āsaṅga-rahitam refers to bhōktr̥tva -
abhimāna-rahitam, abhimāna-varjitam refers to kartr̥tva-abhimāna-varjitam. Thus
asaktam indicates the absence of both kartr̥tvam and bhōktr̥tvam . We should not
try to avoid only one of them . Keeping kartr̥tvam , I want to avoid anxiety it won‟t
work. yatra yatra kartr̥tvam tatra tatra anxiety . Yatra yatra kartr̥tvam abhāva ḥ tatra
tatra ēva anxiety abhāvaḥ. And abhimāna-varjitam is without abhimāna and that is
explained „ahaṁ karōmi‟ iti abhimāna-varjitam – no abhimāna in the form of „I am
doing this‟. With regard to what? tēṣu karmasu– with regard to sr̥ṣṭi-sthiti-laya
karmasu. Continuing;
अताः अन्यस्य अगप कतृयत्वात्तभमानाभावाः फलासङ्गाभावि अबन्धकारणम्, अन्यथा कमयत्तभाः बध्यते मूढाः कोिकारवत् इगत
अत्तभप्रायाः ॥ ९-९ ॥
ataḥ anyasya api kartr̥tvābhimānābhāvaḥ phalāsaṅgābhāvaśca abandhakāraṇam,

anyathā karmabhiḥ badhyatē mūḍhaḥ kōśakāravat iti abhiprāyaḥ || 9-9 ||
With the previous paragraph the actual commentary on the ślōka is over and now
Śaṅkarācārya draws an important corollary for us to note. If karma is creating
anxiety, to get rid of anxiety we try to escape from karma. Because karma creates

anxiety in life our attempt is to get out of karma. If the job is creating anxiety, I
want to get rid of anxiety by getting out of the job, looking forward to retirement.
Similarly, when throughout the life, I am involved in karma and karma creates
anxiety, we want to get out anxiety by getting out of the life itself, praying to God
this must be the last birth. So to avoid karma-problem, we try to escape from
karma, Lord Kr̥ṣṇa says escaping from karma is not the solution. If escaping from
the karma is the solution, Bhagavān will have no solution. Because we all can have
vidēha-mukti, remember Bhagavān can never have vidēha-mukti because sr̥ ṣṭi after
sr̥ṣṭi Bhagavān has to eternally get involved in sr̥ ṣṭi-sthiti-layam. Therefore
Bhagavān‟s condition will be worse than ours because he cannot get vidēha-mukti.
Therefore vidēha-mukti is never the real solution. If vidēha-mukti is the real solution
Bhagavān will be the eternal saṁsāri and the real solution is learning to be free from
anxiety in spite of karma and Bhagavān is unaffected even though Bhagavān is the
busiest person in the world. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says you also learn the same
method. Without working for escaping from karma, without working for escaping
from janma, never try the method of escapism. Karma-escapism is also not the real
solution, janma-escapism is also is not the real solution. With the janma, with the
body, with the bodily -activities learn to say paśyan śr̥ ṇvan spr̥śan jighran . And
therefore Śaṅkarācārya says ataḥ– therefore escapism is not the solution, retirement
is not the solution, vidēha-mukti is not the solution, then what is the solution?
anyasya api – for the manuṣyas also, anya means for the others also. And here
others refers to what? This ślōka talks about Īśvara, therefore after talking about
Īśvara if he says others, then others refer to jīvas, for the jīvas also abandha-
kāraṇam, abandha-kāraṇam means the means of liberation, abandha means mōkṣa.
Śaṅkarācārya uses the word abandha instead of saying mōkṣa. Abandha means non-
bondage which means liberation, kāraṇam means the means , the cause of liberation
is kartr̥tva -abhimāna-abhāvaḥ– freedom from kartr̥tvam, not freedom from karma.
Never work for freedom from karma , work for freedom from kartr̥tvam . Because this
person thought retirement means all the activities are over, he forgot that before
retirement there was a boss in the office, after retirement there is bigger boss in the
form of wife, who says „you are only idling at home and take the grandchildren for
music-class, take the grandchildren for abacus-class, take the grandchildren for this
class or that class‟. Once you retire I am giving you write in your diary lot of work is
waiting for you. The whole family is waiting for your retirement, the moment you
retire all the sons and all the daughters-in-law and all the grandchildren are waiting
to pounce on you. Now you have an answer that I have to go to office, after
retirement no answer is there. Therefore the solution is either home-work or office

work, some work or the other will be there, and better let it be there otherwise brain
will idle and mental-dementia will come. Therefore to maintain physical health and
mental health activity is required; better let us accept activity as part of life and
better accept activity as a necessity for a healthy-life. And if the activity binds how
do you solve the problem? Not by escaping from activity but by kartr̥tva -abhimāna
tyāgaḥ. Therefore kartr̥tva -abhimāna-abhāvaḥ – the absence of I am doer notion
and phala-āsaṅga-abhāvaḥ, therefore consequently, no anxiety regarding the
grandchildren. I may teach sandhyāvandanam for the grandchild but whether the
grandchild will do sandhyāvandanam or not I have no control. Keep doing, drop the
abhimāna. This is the only solution.
That is why I have often said, this is very important, Īśvara is not liberated because
of His Īśvara-status. Because Īśvara-status also involves lot of karma. And I have
told you Īśvara has to be karma-phala-dātā and Īśvara has to give pain for many
people. And Īśvara‟s job of giving pain to the people according to the law of karma is
it an enjoyable activity or painful activity? Remember Īśvara has to go through the
painful activity of giving pains to all the jīvas, including his own bhaktas. Arjuna has
to scream because of the pain of the death of young Abhimanyu. And when Arjuna
was screaming Lord Kr̥ṣṇa had to be present, watching the screaming Arjuna is not a
happy occasion. Bhagavān has to give pain to jīvarāśis and Bhagavān has to witness
all these pains. We have to watch these pains of our family only, Bhagavān has to
watch the pain of all and it is not an interesting job. If you want to become Īśvara
better think twice. Īśvara-status is not an enjoyable status. And therefore only Īśvara
is not free, because of Īśvara-status. Then Īśvara is free because of Īśvara knows
My Īśvaratvam is also mithyā, really I am not Īśvara. Just as jīva has to know I am
not a jīva really, similarly, Īśvara has to know and Īśvara knows I am really not
Īśvara. If Īśvara is really not Īśvara then who is he? Whatever jīva says, Īśvara has
to say aham na Īśvara, aham brahma asmi. Thus I have to do nididhyāsanam that I
am not jīva, aham brahma. Īśvara also has to do nididhyāsanam „I am not Īśvara,
aham Brahman asmi‟. Therefore jīva can never be free as jīva and Īśvara can
never be free as Īśvara. Both can ever be free as Brahman.
And Kr̥ṣṇa says I don‟t have to do nididhyāsanam because I am Brahma-niṣṭhaḥ.

Anyathā means otherwise, if Īśvara forgets I am Brahman, then Īśvara also will have
problem. That is why they say in Rāmāyaṇa, Rāma himself forgot he was an
avatāra. In Upadēśa sāhasrī Śaṅkarācārya quotes this example and therefore Rāma
wanted to remain here and then brahma went to Rāma and said „you have come for

a particular purpose and this is not your regular place, better you go to your place
vaikuṇṭha.
And Śaṅkarācārya gives this example if Bhagavān forgets, whether it is true or false
is not our enquiry, but what we are saying is Bhagavān also will become saṁsāri, if
he identifies with this Īśvara-status, he should always remember na jīvaḥ na Īśvaraḥ.
upaśāntajagajjīvaśiṣyācāryēśvarabhramam | svataḥ siddhamanādyantaṁ
paripūrṇamahaṁ mahaḥ || Advaita Makaranda 27 || So anyathā – if jīva or Īśvara
forget the original status, mūḍhaḥ karmabhiḥ badhyatē, mūḍhaḥ means that
forgetful person, karmabhiḥ badhyatē – is bound by his own karma. Thus I perform
karma and I get bound by my own karma, karma will become my Frankenstein.
Sometimes our children we create and they become problem for us. And
Śaṅkarācārya gives the example kōśakāravat – like the silk worm, kōśakāraḥ means
silk worm. The silk worm invites its own destruction. Who is the cause of
destruction? We may say the weaver is the cause of destruction, remember weaver
will not destroy the silk worm unless silk worm creates its own silk. The silk worm
produces the silk thread and gets surrounded by the silk thread and for the sake of
thread that weaver, the human being destroys the silk worm. And how he destroys if
we hear that, we will feel so much pain. He has to take millions of silk worm and put
them in hot boiling water causing instantaneous death and only then he will be able
to get the silk thread continuously, one long silk thread he will be able to get only by
killing the silk worm in this manner. Similarly, every jīva is a silk worm and we create
a thread of karma, and because of that karma we have to be put in the boiling water
of saṁsāra. And you know who does that, Bhagavān has to do that. Thus Bhagavān
puts all the silk-worm-like-jīvas into the boiling water of saṁsāra, because of the
thread of karma we have created. And just as the silk thread is continuous, our
thread of karma is also continuous. Because from sañcita we take a portion as
prārabdha, and we exhaust the prārabdha. Gradually why can't we exhaust all the
sañcita karmas? We won‟t. What we do is we exhaust only a part of sañcita and
create āgāmi-karma and add it to sañcita, thus the silk thread of puṇya-pāpam we
perpetuate and Bhagavān is forced to put us in the boiling hot water of saṁsāra.
And therefore don‟t be a silk worm, don‟t produce fresh karmas. And how to do
that? kartr̥tva abhimāna tyāgēna iti abhiprāyaḥ. This is the message.
The anvaya is, hē Dhanañjaya! Udāsīnavat āsīnam tēṣu karmasu asaktam mām tāni
karmāṇi na nibadhnanti ca |

That ca-kāra is to connect with the previous sloka. I do everything but still I am not
bound. Ca is to connect to the previous sloka.

तत्र ‘भूतग्रामयममां गवसृजायम’ [गीता ९-८] ‘उदासीनवदासीनम्’ [गीता ९-९] इगत च गवरुद्धम् उच्यते, इगत तत्पररहाराथयम्
आह ––
tatra „bhūtagrāmamimaṁ visr̥jāmi‟ [Gītā 9-8] „udāsīnavadāsīnam‟ [Gītā 9-9] iti ca

viruddham ucyatē, iti tatparihārārtham āha ––
If you read the previous two ślōkas ,Lord Kr̥ṣṇa says I do all the actions , but I don‟t
have kartr̥tva-abhimānam in the form of aham-karōmi, therefore I always know I do
not do any action. If you combine these two ideas, it will mean I do all actions at the
same time I think or I know that I don‟t do any action. I do, I don‟t do. To
remember the fourth chapter, tasya kartāram api mām viddhi akartāram avyayam ||
Gītā 4-13 || I am non-doer, I am the non-doer.
So when we hear that our logical mind will raise a question how can this
contradictory statement is logically possible. If Bhagavān is kartā, He cannot claim I
am akartā, if Bhagavān is akartā, He cannot claim I am kartā . How kartr̥tvam and
akartr̥tvam can coexist in one and the same Bhagavān? This can be the logical
question. And what is the answer? You can give the answer from two different
angles; the answer will come in the ślōka but I will just remove the suspense. One
answer is kartr̥tvam belongs to aha ṅkāra, akartr̥tvam belongs to ātmā . And I am a
mixture of both ahaṅkāra and ātmā. I or Bhagavān is a mixture of ahaṅkāra and
ātmā. Because pure ahaṅkāra cannot do any karma without ātmā, because pure
ahaṅkāra cannot even exist without ātmā, where is the question of doing any karma.
Pure ātmā cannot do any karma because it is akartā. Therefore pure ahaṅkāra
cannot do and pure ātmā cannot do any karma. Therefore who does? The mixture
alone is doing karma. In the mixture part, ahaṅkāra component is kartā and ātmā
component is akartā. And what is the definition of ahaṅkāra? Ahaṅkāra does not
mean egoism, pride, arrogance etc. Ahaṅkāra means pride in dharma-śāstra context.
In vēdānta śāstra context ahaṅkāra means not arrogance, ahaṅkāra means śarīram-
plus-reflected-Consciousness. Body-plus-reflected-Consciousness is equal to
ahaṅkāra. Body means śarīra-trayam plus pratibimba caitanyam is ahaṅkāra. What is
ātmā? Ātmā is neither three bodies nor the pratibimba-caitanyam but bimba-
caitanyam, OC. Thus ahaṅkāra component is kartā and ātmā component is akartā.
Therefore I can claim I am a kartā from ahaṅkāra standpoint and I am akartā from
ātmā standpoint. So where is the contradiction. This is one way of answering.

Or you can give the same answer, almost same only but in another language. What
is that? ahaṅkāra belongs to vyāvahārika-plane and ātmā belongs to pāramārthika-
plane, vyāvahārika-dr̥ṣṭyā I am kartā and pāramārthika-dr̥ṣṭyā I am akartā.
Therefore there is no contradiction dr̥ ṣṭi-bhēdēna. So not knowing this pūrvapakṣi is
raising the issue of contradiction. What is the contradiction? That is being said here,
tatra, tatra means in the previous two verses, „bhūtagrāmamimaṁ visr̥jāmi‟ [Gītā 9-
8] – „I create all the living beings‟. This is within quotation. This is statement number
one, verse number eight. „udāsīnavadāsīnam‟ [Gītā 9-9] This is also within quotation.
This is statement number two, verse number nine. „I remain actionless‟. First
statement is I create all living- beings, the second statement is I remain actionless
like an indifferent-person. Iti ca viruddham – these two statements are
contradictory. I-create, I-am-actionless. You cannot say that. If you create you-are-
not-actionless, if you-are-actionless you cannot create. iti ca viruddham ucyatē –
Bhagavān is contradicting Himself. Like what? matsthāni sarvabhūtāni and na ca
matsthāni bhūtāni. iti – for this seemingly contradictory statement, tatparihārārtham
– to answer this seeming contradiction, āha Bhagavān. How? By pointing out he has
got two prakr̥tis , parā and aparā prakr̥ti . parā prakr̥ti is ātmā and aparā prakr̥ti is
Bhagavān‟s ahaṅkāra. We will read the ślōka.
Verse 09-10
मयाध्यक्ेण प्रकृगताः सूयते सचराचरम् ।
हेतुनानेन कौन्तेय जगगद्वपररवतयते ॥ गीता ९-१० ॥
mayādhyakṣēṇa prakr̥tiḥ sūyatē sacarācaram |

hētunānēna kauntēya jagadviparivartatē || Gītā 9-10 ||
Bhagavān introduces the two components of one composite Bhagavān. What are the
two components? Brahman-component and māyā-component. Māyā-component is
called prakr̥ti . I will give you the gist of the ślōka. Therefore He says mayā
adhyakṣēṇa – without doing anything because of My mere presence as Brahman ,
prakr̥tiḥ – My own lower-component, vyāvahārika-component, mithyā-component
called prakr̥tiḥ. What does it do? Sacara-acaram sūyatē – becomes capable of
creating everything . And I will make the prakr̥ti active and sentient by My mere
presence. And commentators add nicely . How I do that ? I provide reflected
Consciousness to the prakr̥ti . Just as when I stand in front of the mirror I am
donating my own reflection to the mirror. And how do I donate? Not by doing any
action, there is no will involved, no desire is involved, „may my reflection come in the
mirror‟ I need not do anything because of my mere presence automatically the

mirror receives my reflection , similarly, prakr̥ti receives My blessings in the form of

brahma-pratibimba-caitanyam. In Pañcadaśī first chapter
cidānandamayabrahmapratibimbasamanvitā | tamōrajaḥsattvaguṇā prakr̥tirdvi vidhā
ca sā || Pañcadaśī 1-15 || So brahma-pratibimbam is formed in prakr̥ti , with the
reflected-Consciousness prakr̥tiḥ sūyatē. In the fourteenth chapter Kr̥ṣṇa says prakr̥ti
becomes pregnant. Because of My mere sānniddhyam I am the puruṣa and in my
presence the prakr̥ti , My wife becomes pregnant. And the pregnant-prakr̥ti becomes
biggest maternity in the universe . When prakr̥ti is pregnant is it caesarean or
natural? No caesarean required, naturally the prakr̥ti delivers Hiraṇyagarbhaḥ. There
also like a bird produces aṇḍam, and from aṇḍam the universe comes, similarly the
Hiraṇyagarbha aṇḍa comes and from there the universe is created . And not only the
sr̥ṣṭi is because of My mere presence , later functioning of the sr̥ ṣṭi, second line jagat
viparivartatē, viparivartatanam means functioning according to the physical laws of
creation like gravitational force must function, planet must go round the sun, all the
things are because of the infinite laws, not only physical laws but including the moral
laws of karma. It is not that Bhagavān is looking into the law of karma and slowly
watches the whole things. If Bhagavān has to look into every law He will become
mad. Bhagavān says I don‟t take every law, in My presence laws function by
themselves. Therefore jagat viparivartatē. Sūyatē indicates sr̥ ṣṭi, viparivartatē
indicates sthiti , both sr̥ ṣṭi and sthiti happens because of Me, not because of My
activity but because of My mere sānniddhyam. And that sānniddhyam is indicated by
the word adhyakṣaḥ, adhyakṣaḥ means president. So in Indian constitution what
does the President do? His name is chāpā. Therefore first I thought even mercy
petitions when it goes to president, President gives mercy I thought but later I came
to know that even president showing the mercy is not determined by the President,
it goes to the Home minister and thereafter the Home minister recommends whether
the mercy can be there or not. Then what does the president do? only he puts his
signature. Of course, in India the Prime minister is also like that. He is also only
adhyakṣa and some other prakr̥ti is there . In India there is a powerful prakr̥ti .
Anyway you have understood , therefore I don‟t want to dwell upon that . In short ,
prakr̥ti is kartri , I am Brahman , akartr̥. I am akartr̥ . Prakr̥ti is kar tri. Therefore I am
never bound.

308 Verse-10
Page 231, verse No.10 at the bottom.

मयाध्यक्ेण प्रकृगताः सूयते सचराचरम् ।
हेतुनानेन कौन्तेय जगगद्वपररवतयते ॥ गीता ९-१० ॥
mayādhyakṣēṇa prakr̥tiḥ sūyatē sacarācaram |

hētunānēna kauntēya jagadviparivartatē || Gītā 9-10 ||
In the nineth verse Lord Kr̥ṣṇa pointed out that even though I am sr̥ ṣṭi-sthiti-laya
kartā those karmas do not produce puṇyam or pāpam for Me because I don‟t have
abhimānam in those karmas. And I don‟t have abhimāna because the karmas belong
to the prakr̥t i and prakr̥ti happens to be mithyā . And therefore from my standpoint,
the karmas are as good as not there. And therefore we can say that karmas exist in
Me, karmas do not exist in Me. What we said matsthāni sarvabhūtāni, na ca
matsthāni bhūtāni, the same principle we can apply for karmas also – matsthāni
sarva karmāṇi, na ca matsthāni karmāṇi. Matsthāni sarva karmāṇi because all the
karmas are ultimately superimposed on Me only, I being the pāramārthika
adhiṣṭhānam of vyāvahārika karmas, therefore I can say all of them are in Me being
the adhiṣṭhānam. Parallelly and simultaneously I can say all these karmas are not in
Me because they are all mithyā and I am satyam and mithyā is as good as non-
existent. Therefore Bhagavān answered in then tenth verse I do not participate in
the creation by actively doing something . My contribution is my presence only . By
Me mere presence prakr̥ti gets activated and the rest of the job prakr̥ti will be able
to do because in prakr̥ti everything is potentially there like in the CD the entire talk is
potentially there, you have to only put in the player and play then whatever is in the
CD will be activated . Similarly, prakr̥ti is like a cosmic chip everything is there .
Brahman has to enliven prakr̥ti by lending cidābhāsa . And even in cidābhāsa lending
Brahman need not plan and will and do, Brahman does not refer to the Pañcāṅgam
and then try to decide when I should lend. Cidābhāsa actually naturally happens in
prakr̥ti; in fact, prakr̥ti is endowed with cidābhāsa all the time . And therefore law of
karma is also active all the time. Therefore creation happens according to the
samaṣṭi-prārabdha and pralayam happens according to samaṣṭi-prārabdha.
Therefore Bhagavān says I don‟t do anything. Śāntākāram bhujagaśayanam. This is

the gist of this verse which we saw in the last class. Now we will go to the important
bhāṣyam.
मय सवयतो रॅशिमात्रस्वरूपेण अगवगक्रयात्मना अध्यक्षेण मया, मम माया गत्रगुणात्त्मका अगवद्यालक्णा प्रकृवताः सूयते
उत्पादयगत स-चर चरं जगत् ।
Mayā sarvatō dr̥śimātrasvarūpēṇa avikriyātmanā adhyakṣēṇa mayā, mama māyā

triguṇātmikā avidyālakṣaṇā prakr̥tiḥ sūyatē utpādayati sa-carācaraṁ jagat |
Mayā is in the mūlam, Śaṅkarācārya says dr̥śimātrasvarūpē ṇa – because of the

presence of Me who am not a personal God sitting somewhere, I am of the nature of
formless all-pervading Consciousness. Remember Brahma, Viṣṇu and Śiva are all
concepts but Brahman the creator doesn‟t have hands or legs or ābharaṇams or
weapons, nothing is there. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says may you note dr̥śi -mātra-
svarūpam, dr̥śi means caitanyam, mātra means pure, svarūpam means of the nature
of. Because of the presence of Me who am of the nature pure, all-pervading
Consciousness, no head, no hands, no legs, formless Consciousness I am. And what
do I do? He carefully says I don‟t do anything, avikriyātmanā– who is of the nature
of changelessness. Ātmā means svarūpam; avikriyātmanā means nirvikāra
svarūpēna. Therefore no question of willing also that let there be a creation . Even
the willing Brahman doesn‟t do , but in the presence of Brahman prakr̥ti or māyā has
got all the sañcita karmas, the sañcita karmas start moving as it were. Just like
modification of sañcita karma is called saṅkalpa of Bhagavān. Bhagavān, Brahman
doesn‟t do any saṅkalpa. The modification of the karma is called the saṅkalpa of
Brahman. Brahman doesn‟t do saṅkalpa, Brahman cannot do saṅkalpa, the change
in māyā is said to be the saṅkalpa of Brahman because māyā is superimposed on
Brahman, therefore māyā‟s modification is transferred to Brahman, and we call
māyā‟s modification as Brahman ‟s modification. And the modification is called Īśvara
saṅkalpa. Don‟t imagine Īśvara saṅkalpa is Bhagavān doing mamōpātta samasta
duritakṣayadvārā aham sr̥ ṣṭiṁ kariṣyē. No. māyā modifies we call Īśvara saṅkalpa
and Īśvara is Brahman, in Brahman nothing takes place. Then why do you say
Brahman‟s saṅkalpa because māyā is located in Brahman, therefore we figuratively
say Brahman is doing saṅkalpa. So avikriyātmanā, adhyakṣēṇa, adhyakṣa means
president, adhyakṣaḥ is another word for sākṣi. The word adhyakṣaḥ and the word
sākṣi are synonymous. Śaṅkarācārya uses these two words interchangeably. So
adhyakṣēṇa means sākṣi-bhūtēna mayā. Because of My presence what happens?
Mama māyā– My māyā-śakti which is of the lower order of reality, which is
vyāvahārika- satyam. I am pāramārthika-satyam and My māyā is vyāvahārika-
satyam, I lend vyāvahārika-cidābhāsa to vyāvahārika māyā which is called activation

of māyā. Mama-māyā, mayi-adhyasta-māyā. So the māyā which is superimposed on

Me. And what is the nature of that māyā? triguṇātmikā which is of the nature of
three guṇas, sattva rajas and tamō guṇātmikā māyā, which is avidyālakṣaṇā. Very
important. In vēdānta māyā is called mūlā-avidyā. avidyālakṣaṇā means mūlā avidyā
lakṣaṇā and when I say mūlā avidyā you should remember Vicāra Sāgara, four
avidyās we talked about. Mūlā-avidyā, tūlā-avidyā, kāraṇa-avidyā, kārya-avidyā.
Here what is avidyā? Mūlā-avidyā lakṣaṇā which is the same as māyā. This
avidyālakṣaṇā prakr̥tiḥ– this prakr̥ti sūyatē, sūyatē means produces, generates,
sūyatē is equal to utpādayati. And what does it produce? jagat. What type of jagat?
sacara-acaram, sacara-acaram is in the mūlam, the word jagat we have to
supply. Sacara-acaram jagat – the universe which is cētana and acētana. Cētana-
prapañca is also prakr̥ti-vikāra only, material only, acētana-prapañca is also material.
If both of them are material how come you say one is cētanam and the other is
acētanam? Cētana-prapañca is material with reflected Consciousness and acētana-
prapañca is material with no reflected-Consciousness. Cidābhāsa-sahita matter is
called cētanam, cidābhāsa-rahita matter is called acētanam. Both are matter, we
should remember. Body comes under cētana-prapañca. Let us be very clear. But
body is matter only. Then why do we call it cētana-prapañca? cidābhāsa, RC is
there. Therefore cidābhāsa-sahita cidābhāsa-rahita prakr̥ti vikārā ḥ all of them are
produced. Continuing;
तथा च मन्त्रवणयाः –– ‘एको दे वाः सवयभूतेषु गूढाः सवयव्यापी सवयभूतान्तरात्मा । कमायध्यक्ाः सवयभूतायधवासाः साक्ी चेता
केवलो गनगुयणि’ [श्वेताश्वतरोपगनषत् ६-११] इगत ।
tathā ca mantravarṇaḥ–– „ēkō dēvaḥ sarvabhūtēṣu gūḍhaḥ sarvavyāpī

sarvabhūtāntarātmā | karmādhyakṣaḥ sarvabhūtādhivāsaḥ sākṣī cētā kēvalō
nirguṇaśca‟ [śvētāśvatarōpaniṣat 6-11] iti |
Tathā ca means to substantiate this idea, mantravarṇaḥ– the following Vedic

quotation is available. And why do we require Vedic quotation to support this?
Because Gītā happens to be smr̥ti grantha, therefore smr̥ti should be always backed
by śruti. The moment smr̥ti makes a statement, which is contradictory to the śruti, the
statement will be interpreted differently, literal meaning we won‟t take. Therefore
Śaṅkarācārya says that Gītā is backed by the following mantra. This mantra is a
very important and very famous mantra taken from Śvētāśvatarōpaniṣat. Reference
is sixth chapter eleventh mantra. The meaning is very clear, ēkō dēvaḥ – Bhagavān
is only one, sarvabhūtēṣu gūḍhaḥ– who is hidden as the ātmā in every living being,
sarvavyāpī– Bhagavān is all-pervading, sarva-bhūta-antarātmā– he is the antaryāmi,
the inner Self of all the living beings, karma-adhyakṣaḥ– he is the presiding principle

of all actions, it means sākṣi of all the actions of the creation, sarva-bhūta-
adhivāsaḥ, adhivāsaḥ means adhiṣṭhānam, antarātmā means antaryāmi, adhivāsaḥ
means adhiṣṭhānam, and sākṣī – he is the sākṣi in every living being, previously
karmādhyakṣaḥ is sākṣi from macro level, here the next word sākṣī is in every living
being at micro level. Cētā, cētā means caitanya svarūpaḥ, cidrūpaḥ, kēvalaḥ,
kēvalaḥ means advitīyaḥ– only one, and nirguṇaśca – he is free from all the guṇas.
Even though Kr̥ṣṇa claims that māyā with three guṇas belong to Me, Kr̥ṣṇa says My
māyā has got three guṇas but He says I don‟t have any guṇas. That means even
though māyā is very very close to Me, it is superimposed on Me, those guṇas do not
touch me at all. Yatra yadadhyāsaḥ, tatkr̥tēna dōṣēṇa guṇēna vā aṇumātrēṇāpi sa
na sambadhyatē | This Brahman is the Bhagavān. Continuing;
हेतुना गनयमिेन अनेन अध्यक्त्वेन कौन्तेय जगत् सचराचरां व्यक्ताव्यक्तात्मकां गवपररवतयते सवायसु अवस्थासु ।
hētunā nimittēna anēna adhyakṣatvēna kauntēya jagat sacarācaraṁ

vyaktāvyaktātmakaṁ viparivartatē sarvāsu avasthāsu |
Now Śaṅkarācārya comes to the second half of this ślōka. In the first half Kr̥ṣṇa said
in My presence the world is created by māyā , sr̥ṣṭi has been talked about, in the
second half Kr̥ṣṇa talks about the sthiti because of the same reason. „Because of the
same reason‟ means My presence. Because of the same reason My presidency, My
presence, My supervision, because of that reason only the created universe revolves
around, moves around. Viparivartatē means revolves around, that is said here.
hētunā, hētunā is in the mūlam, is equal to nimittēna, nimittam means the same
reason, same condition. And what do you mean by the same condition? Anēna
adhyakṣatvēna – the same condition means My presidency, My presence. So anēna
is in the mūlam, it is explained as adhyakṣatvēna – because of My presidency, jagat
sacarācaram – this entire universe of caram and acaram, moving and non-moving,
and not only that vyakta-avyakta-ātmaka, vyaktam means manifest and avyaktam
means unmanifest, indriya-gōcaram as well as indriya-agōcaram, so sthūla-śarīram
and sūkṣma-śarīram will come under vyaktam and kāraṇa-śarīram will come under
avyaktam. Even sūkṣma-śarīram we can call avyaktam from the standpoint of the
sense organs, sūkṣma-śarīram is also avyaktam because sūkṣma-śarīram is not
accessible to the sense organs. Therefore sūkṣma-śarīram also revolves. How does
sūkṣma-śarīram revolves? Mental factory. So every thought is nothing but the
revolution of sūkṣma-śarīram. And the thoughts should be happening there;
Dayānanda Svāmiji says psychology is the study of the logic of the psyche. That
means all emotions are also rising in the mind not at random, even vāsanās are
activated when we are just there, suddenly some happy thought comes, some

people smile when nobody is around smiling happens and for no reason suddenly
the face frowns. So if the face is undergoing all contortions vāsanās are activated.
Which vāsanā should be activated when, who decides? Not at random, even that
happens according to prārabdha karma. And prārabdha functions under the
presidency of mayā adhyakṣēṇa. So for no reason depression comes, for no reason
enthusiasm comes. Why? Hētunā anēna. That is why I say that mōkṣa does not
mean total control over our mind. Mōkṣa never means total control over our mind,
just as our body we cannot control totally but we can control to some extent, we can
never have total control over our mind also. Then what is mōkṣa? Understanding,
thank God, I am not the mind. What is mōkṣa? Not control over the mind hundred
percent. Mind is neither me nor mine. Then what is mind? One of the mithyā
superimpositions on me, the ātmā. And superimposed mind cannot touch me,
manōbuddhyahaṅkāra cittāni nāham | therefore na mē dvēṣarāgau, I don‟t say mind
doesn‟t have dvēṣarāga, I say I don‟t have dvēṣarāga, I means the non-mind me. So
I should say I am non-mind. Because no mind can be totally controlled. That doesn‟t
mean no control. It is partially under our control. Even bio-chemical-changes, even
neurological-changes, even hormonal-changes, all the enzymes production also will
undergo change and therefore also mind goes through certain conditions. And what
can I do with biochemistry? Ok, we can perhaps pop some pills and do this and that,
but let us remember mōkṣa is not total control over the mind, mōkṣa is the
understanding, thank God, I am not the mind.
Ok, why am I telling all these things? My mind went out of control! Let me try
to bring back to our topic. Jagat viparivartatē – world revolves outside, thoughts
revolve inside, often we don‟t have control, but my presence is required for all this
to happen. And when does this happen? Sarvāsu avasthāsu – under all
circumstances ātmā is required. For a three hour movie how many hours screen
should be there behind? It should be there all the three hours. Suppose for five
minutes the screen went for the bathroom, like musical concert people go, suppose
the screen wants to go to the green room, remember during that time no movie is
possible. Therefore sarvāsu avasthāsu, jāgrat avasthā svapna avasthā suṣupti
avasthā,
बाल्याददष्वगप जाग्रदाददषु तथा सवायस्ववस्थास्वगप व्यावृिास्वनुवतयमानमहयमत्यन्ताः स्फुरन्तां सदा ॥ श्रीदत्तक्णामूर्तिं स्तोत्रम्

७॥
bālyādiṣvapi jāgradādiṣu tathā sarvāsvavasthāsvapi

vyāvr̥ttāsvanuvartamānamahamityantaḥ sphurantaṁ sadā || śrīdakṣiṇāmūrti
stōtram 7 ||

That sākṣi I am. So says Kr̥ṣṇa. And He expects us also to say that and more often
Bhagavān‟s expectations also are not fulfilled. We have to note this. We complain
our expectations are never fulfilled, because children never do what you want.
Remember this complaint is there for Bhagavān. Bhagavān says I am sākṣi and
Bhagavān expects every one of us to say that, but we don‟t. Even Bhagavān gets
disappointed and Bhagavān says even this disappointment belongs to My māyā and
therefore I am free from disappointment also. Continuing;
रॅशिकमयत्वापत्तिगनयमिा गह जगताः सवाय प्रवृत्तिाः –– ‘अहम् इदां भोक्ष्य,े पश्यायम इदम्, िृणोयम इदम्, सुखम् अनुभवायम,
रृाःखम् अनुभवायम, तदथयम् इदां कररष्यायम, एतदथयम् इदां कररष्ये, इदां ज्ञास्यायम’, इत्याद्या अवगगतगनष्ठा अवगत्यवसानाएव
।
dr̥śikarmatvāpattinimittā hi jagataḥ sarvā pravr̥ttiḥ–– „aham idaṁ bhōkṣyē,

paśyāmi idam, śr̥ṇōmi idam, sukham anubhavāmi, duḥkham anubhavāmi,
tadartham idaṁ kariṣyāmi, ētadartham idaṁ kariṣyē, idaṁ jñāsyāmi‟, ityādyā
avagatiniṣṭhā avagatyavasānāēva |
Ityādyā avagatiniṣṭhā avagatyavasānā are adjectives to pravr̥tti ḥ. What

Śaṅkarācārya says here is very important, it is the explanation of the viparivartatē.
And the explanation of viparivartatē is all the events at micro level as well as macro
level are happening in the medium of Consciousness only.
Just as our class is now happening in the medium of ākāśa, ākāśa medium is all-
pervading, even though ākāśa is physically not visible, physically not tangible, in the
medium of ākāśa, these activities are going on. Similarly, not only ākāśa medium
there is light medium also. This entire hall is pervaded by non-tangible light, which
light does not participate in any activity. It functions as a medium but it doesn‟t
participate. We know about ākāśa and prakāśa but the vēdānta introduces a third
more fundamental medium. Ākāśa is non-tangible, non-participating-medium;
prakāśa is non-tangible, non-participating-medium. These two mediums we know,
vēdānta introduces a third more fundamental medium. You know what is the
medium? The medium of Consciousness. Consciousness-medium also is non-tangible
like ākāśa and prakāśa, not only non-tangible, non-concrete (non-tangible means
not a concrete thing) and also non-participating. Consciousness does not participate.
And Śaṅkarācārya says every individual conscious function also is taking place in the
medium of Consciousness only. That is what is said here. And not only it is
happening in the medium of Consciousness and also because of the medium of
Consciousness. The first statement is in the medium, the second which is the
important point Śaṅkarācārya is highlighting, the first statement „in the medium‟ is

not highlighted, but the second equally important thing is because of the medium
only. In the medium and because of the medium. Why do you say because of the
medium? Because of the presence of Consciousness alone mind is able to borrow
cidābhāsa. Just as your body is pervaded by the light, Sūrya prakāśa, that is why I
am able to see you. Similarly, body is able to be sentient, mind is able to be
sentient, the very sentiency of the inert material body-mind, the very sentiency of
the material sense organ is because of the Original Consciousness. Therefore
because of OC reflected Consciousness comes, because of RC all these activities take
place. Therefore he says dr̥śi -karmatva-āpatti-nimittā – since every functioning
material or thing or entity because every functioning entity falls within the range of
the sākṣi-caitanyam. So dr̥śi-karmatvam means object of sākṣi, dr̥śi is equal to sākṣi-
caitanyam, karmatvam means object, because everything is an object of
Consciousness, āpatti – it falls, it becomes, nimittā – because. And whatever falls
within the range of the sākṣi is called sākṣyam. Dr̥śyam or sākṣyam. Since
everything in the creation is sākṣyam, falling within the range of sākṣi, they all get
cidābhāsa and because of the cidābhāsa they all function. According to us even the
earth has got that minimum cidābhāsa for functioning according to the law. It
doesn‟t have sufficient cidābhāsa to claim I am the earth, I am going round etc., but
according to vēdānta, earth also has got sufficient cidābhāsa for it to function
according to the law of gravitation. Therefore earth does two movements – one is
moving around its own axis and another is moving around the Sun, because there is
sufficient cidābhāsa. But not sufficient to call it a living-being. There is sufficient
cidābhāsa to function but not sufficient cidābhāsa to be called a living-being. That is
why differentiating the living and non-living being is easier at grosser level, but
when you go to cell level, DNA level etc., the biologists are not able to differentiate
which is living and which is not-living. The difference gets heavy because cidābhāsa
becomes lighter and lighter. Beyond a particular level we don‟t have measurable
cidābhāsa. Therefore you should read those books that they are not able to say
which is sentient and which is non-sentient. Therefore he says because of the
medium of caitanyam alone or the because of the cidābhāsa alone , sarvā pravr̥ttiḥ–
every conscious activity of jagataḥ – of the entire sentient world. Here Śaṅkarācārya
is not referring to insentient world, he is referring to the sentient activity of the
sentient world, especially the humanity. And what are they? He gives a few
examples. Number one aham idaṁ bhōkṣyē – I am experiencing this. It is possible
because of Consciousness medium like saying that I am seeing you. What is
presupposed? The medium of light is presupposed when I say I see you. Similarly I
read the book even though I don‟t consciously recognize the presence of light, the

reading process is possible because of the medium of light only. Thus every
conscious activity is in the medium of Consciousness. Therefore aham idaṁ bhōkṣyē
number one. Aham idam paśyāmi – I see this object, then aham idam śr̥ṇōmi – I am
hearing this sound, paśyāmi idam, śr̥ṇōmi idam, you have to reverse the order, idam
paśyāmi, idam śr̥ṇōmi. Then sukham anubhavāmi – I am experiencing happiness,
duḥkham anubhavāmi – I am experiencing sorrow, then tadartham idaṁ kariṣyāmi,
tadartham means sukhārtham idaṁ kariṣyāmi, ētadartham means duḥkha
nivr̥ttyartham ida ṁ kariṣyē. So tadartham, ētadartham means for that, for this.
„That‟ referring to sukha-prāpti and „this‟ referring to duḥkha-nivr̥tti. Then idaṁ
jñāsyāmi – I am knowing this. All these are within inverted commas. Ityādyā– all
these functions are avagatiniṣṭhā – they are happening in the medium avagatiḥ.
Avagati means caitanyam. So in saṁskr̥ta, for one Consciousness so many different
words are there. In English we have only two words Consciousness or awareness. In
Tamil you remember unarvu (உணர்வு). In saṁskr̥ta, caitanyam, cit, dr̥śi in the
beginning of the paragraph, avagatiḥ, saṁvit, then jñānam, then vijñānam all these
words refer to Consciousness. Avagatiniṣṭhā means in the medium of Consciousness
all these are taking place. And not only that all the conscious activities culminate in
Consciousness only. Avagati-avasānā – they all culminate in Consciousness only.
What do you mean by that? Culminate in Consciousness means what? Remember all
the actions we are doing for getting the result. Karma is done for karmaphalam.
karmaphalam is for my enjoyment. Therefore everything we do is ultimately for my
enjoyment as there is a proverb in English, the proof of pudding is in eating.
Remember why do we do all these things, ultimately I want to benefit. And when we
are giving varieties of pleasures to our children, remember even when we want to
give pleasure to the children you know why you are doing that, when the children
enjoy they eat everything but I don‟t have functioning tooth, therefore I enjoy the
sound coming from their mouth. Ultimately what? Everything should fall into
caitanyam. Every blessed activity ultimately for every event to fall within the range
of caitanyam only. Therefore avagaty-avasānā ēva. Continuing.
‘यो अस्याध्यक्ाः परमे व्योमन्’ [ऋ- १०-१२९-७], [तैत्तिरीय ब्राह्मणम् २-८-९] इत्यादयाः चमन्त्रााः एतम् अथं दिययन्न्त ।
„yō asyādhyakṣaḥ paramē vyōman‟ [r̥- 10-129-7], [Taittirīya brāhmaṇam 2-8-9]

ityādayaḥ ca mantrāḥētam arthaṁ darśayanti |
Ityādayaḥ mantrāḥ– all these ideas are given by me (Śaṅkarācārya says) in the
bhāṣyam and given by Kr̥ṣṇa in the Gītā all are there in vēda mantras. Greatness of
Śaṅkarācārya is he heavily quotes vēdas and he doesn‟t quote āgama texts, he

doesn‟t quote any other secondary scriptures. Difference between Śaṅkarācārya and
most of the other ācāryas in the other systems of philosophy is they are all āgama
pradhāna, we are vēda pradhāna. That is the main difference. Shaivism,
Vaishnavism, Saktha all are āgama pradhānas. Vēdānta is vaidika pradhāna. Śrauta
means vaidika pradhāna. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya heavily leans on vēda, because
vēda is our original source. Here is a beautiful mantra from Taittirīya brāhmaṇam 2-
8-9. So yō asyādhyakṣaḥ – the ultimate presiding principle of the entire universe,
asya means jagataḥ, adhyakṣaḥ means supervising principle. But once I use the
word supervisor you will think of location. That is why the word president,
supervisor, etc., gives the idea of location, that is why I prefer the word medium. To
avoid the idea of location, I use the word medium. In the medium of Consciousness
alone, jagataḥ, the entire universe is there. That sākṣi of the entire universe. Where
is the sākṣi to be found? Because we look up. Therefore the vēda says paramē
vyōman – that jagat-sākṣi is available in your own heart. The prapañca-sākṣi is
available as your antaḥkaraṇa-sākṣi. Īśvara-sākṣi is available as jīva sākṣi. So yaḥ
asya jagataḥadhyakṣaḥbhavati saḥ that sarva sākṣi is available in the sacred space
of your own heart. yō vēda nihitam guhāyām paramē vyōman || Taittirīyōpaniṣat 2-
1-1 || So when we study the bhāṣyam, mūlam must be remembered. The most
famous mantra of Taittirīyōpaniṣat, brahmānandavallī, satyam jñānam anantam
brahma yō vēda nihitam guhāyām paramē vyōman || Taittirīyōpaniṣat 2-1-1 ||
paramē vyōman means the physical heart. In the heart there is a sacred space, in
that space alone mind is there and in the mind as the witness of the mind it is
available. So you have to supply the word sthitaḥ bhavati. The full sentence is yaḥ
asya jagataḥadhyakṣaḥbhavati saḥ paramē vyōman bhavati. ityādayaḥ ca mantrāḥ–
these mantras are, ētam arthaṁ darśayanti – are revealing this message only.

309 Verses-10 and 11
Page 232, 3rd paragraph from the bottom
Verse 09 -10 Continuing;

‘यो अस्याध्यक्ाः परमे व्योमन्’ [ऋ- १०-१२९-७], [तैत्तिरीय ब्राह्मणम् २-८-९] इत्यादयाः च मन्त्रााः एतम् अथं दिययन्न्त ।
„yō asyādhyakṣaḥ paramē vyōman’ [r̥- 10-129-7], [Taittirīya brāhmaṇam 2-8-9]

ityādayaḥ ca mantrāḥētam arthaṁ darśayanti |
Describing the higher nature of Īśvara, Lord Kr̥ṣṇa in the tenth verse points out that
Īśvara is jagat-kāraṇam, jagat-vivarta-upādāna-kāraṇam. And that means from
Īśvara alone the creation evolves and in Īśvara or Brahman alone the creation rests
and into Īśvara alone everything resolves. And even though Īśvara or Brahman is the
kāraṇam, it does not undergo any change. In the presence of Brahman the creation
evolves and resolves, and therefore they say Brahman is kāraṇam, but Brahman
does not undergo any change. And after saying this Śaṅkarācārya added a note that
the same thing can be seen in our own personal experiences also.
Objectively speaking the creation evolves and resolves into Brahman, which is pure
existence, but subjectively also we can experience the same thing, what we call as
creation from subjective angle is nothing but a series of experiences only. And all the
experiences are rising in Me the conscious-principle and it briefly rests in the
conscious-principle and it ultimately resolves into Me, the Consciousness alone.
Objectively-speaking we say Brahman, the existence; subjectively-speaking we say
sākṣi the Consciousness. Therefore you can say existence is the adhiṣṭhānam of
everything or subjectively-speaking Consciousness is the adhiṣṭhānam of everything.
Existence is Consciousness, Consciousness is existence. And this was an additional
note not said in this ślōka but added by Śaṅkarācārya. And therefore he gave out a
very important paragraph which we completed in the last class avagatiniṣṭhā
avagatyavasānā. And that the existence-outside is the Consciousness-inside is
indicated in the well known Taittirīya brāhmaṇa also yō asyādhyakṣaḥ– the
presiding-principle of the entire objective-creation, that president is none other than
the Consciousness paramē vyōman. Īśvaraḥ sarvabhūtānāṁ hr̥ddēśē:'rjuna tiṣṭhati ||
Gītā 18-61 || Therefore only we can say „world comes out of Īśvara‟, or „world comes
out of Me‟. ityādayaḥ ca mantrāḥētam arthaṁ darśayanti. This message alone is
conveyed. Up to this we saw in the last class. Continuing;

तताः च एकस्य दे वस्य सवायध्यक्भूतचैतन्यमात्रस्य परमाथयताः सवयभोगानत्तभसम्बत्न्धनाः अन्यस्य चेतनान्तरस्य अभावे भोक्तुाः
अन्यस्य अभावात् । तकिंगनयमिा इयां सृयष्टाः इगत अत्र प्रश्नप्रगतवचने अनुपपन्ने ।
tataḥ ca ēkasya dēvasya sarvādhyakṣabhūtacaitanyamātrasya paramārthataḥ

sarvabhōgānabhisambandhinaḥ anyasya cētanāntarasya abhāvē bhōktuḥ
anyasya abhāvāt | kiṁnimittā iyaṁ sr̥ṣṭiḥ iti atra praśnaprativacanē anupapannē
|
Śaṅkarācārya deals with another incidental topic also which is often raised by
Vedantic students as well as all the other people. When we discussed the nature of
Brahman from the scriptures, it is said that Brahman alone is, sadēva
sōmyēdamagra āsīd ēkam ēvādvitīyam || Chāndōgyōpaniṣat 6-2-1 || Brahman is
non-dual, Brahman is changeless, Brahman is pūrṇam, Brahman is śuddham,
Brahman doesn‟t have saṁsāra – all these descriptions of Brahman are so attractive
and beautiful. Then the natural-corollary-question is from this Brahman why should
there be a creation and how can there be a creation from that Brahman. So how and
why this creation? What is the purpose of this creation? Thus hundreds of questions
centered on creation arise immediately after the description of Brahman.
Śaṅkarācārya says you should not raise any of these questions, questions are also
wrong and the answer is also not possible. That is what is said here. Tataḥ ca – as a
corollary of this, ēkasya dēvasya – there is ēkaḥ dēvaḥ ēva, there is only one divine
God principle. It is long sentence, we will cut into several small sentences by
converting ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti into prathamā vibhakti. Ēkaḥ dēvaḥ asti – there is only one
God, one Brahman in the beginning. What is that Brahman ? Sarva-adhyakṣa-bhūta
– which is the precedent or sākṣi-caitanyam not subject to any modification at all. So
sarva-adhyakṣa-bhūta-caitanya-mātrasya – it is only pure-Consciousness without
anything contaminated in it, sarva-bhōga-anabhisambandhinaḥ– this Consciousness
is incapable of experiencing anything because experience is a process, process
requires a modification. That is why we say mind can experience things because
mind can undergo modification. Consciousness being nirvikāram it cannot be a kartā
also and it cannot be a bhōktā also. And to be a bhōktā it should get associated with
bhōga, Brahman being asaṅga it cannot get associated with karma also, bhōga also.
That pure Brahman alone existed in the beginning. So sarva-bhōga-
anabhisambandhinaḥ means asaṅga rūpasya. This also you convert into nominative
case, sarvādhyakṣa bhūta caitanya-mātraḥ and sarva-bhōga-anabhisambandhi,
paramārthataḥ– in its true nature. Add bhavati and put a full stop. Sarva-bhōga-
anabhisambandhibhavati. And what about jīva? You cannot talk about jīva because
originally when there was only advaita ātmā, you cannot talk about an Īśvara and a
jīva. Because you only said sadēva sōmyēdamagra āsīdēkamēvādvitīyam ||

Chāndōgyōpaniṣat 6-2-1 || Therefore you cannot say creation is for the sake of
jīvātmā, because in your own teaching there is no jīvātmā separate from
paramātmā. You are repeatedly saying ēkātmā. Therefore anyasya cētanāntarasya
abhāvē – there is no second conscious principle. So Brahman is also abhōktā, and
there is no jīva also which is a bhōktā, therefore for the sake of jīva, creation has
come you cannot say. Why? There is no jīva at all. Why there is no jīva? Because
Brahman is only ēkaḥ. Therefore anyasya cētanāntarasya abhāvē, this also you
make into another sentence anyat cētanāntaram nāsti. Abhāvē means nāsti. Aati
saptamī. And if there is no second Consciousness there cannot be a separate bhōktā
also. Therefore bhōktuḥ anyasya abhāvāt – a separate bhōktā (experiencer) other
than Brahman is not there. So bhōktuḥ anyasya abhāvaḥ. These are the three
statements. Then comes the question kiṁnimittā iyaṁ sr̥ṣṭiḥ– then the creation is
meant for whom? You cannot say it is meant for Brahman, because Brahman doesn‟t
require anything, you cannot say it is meant for jīva because there is no jīva other
than Brahman. Then what is the purpose of creation? What is the cause of the
creation? This question is also meaningless, answering this question is also
meaningless. He says kiṁnimittā iyaṁ sr̥ṣṭiḥ iti atra – what is the purpose of
creation, iti atra – with regard to this topic, praśnaprativacanē anupapannē–
question also is wrong and trying to answer the question also is wrong. Praśna
prativacanē– questioning and prativacanē means answering both of them are
anupapannam – it is illogical, it is logically impossible. And Śaṅkarācārya says that is
why vēda itself refuses to answer the question. Not only I say I cannot answer the
question, vēda itself refuses to answer the question. Śaṅkarācārya quotes where
vēda itself washes of its hands. What is that? Again Taittirīya Brāhmaṇam.
‘को अद्धा वेद क इह प्रवोचत् । कुत आजाता कुत इयां गवसृयष्टाः’[तैत्तिरीय ब्राह्मणम् २-८-९] इत्याददमन्त्रवणेभ्याः ।
„kō addhā vēda ka iha pravōcat | kuta ājātā kuta iyaṁ visr̥ṣṭiḥ‟ [Taittirīya
brāhmaṇam 2-8-9] ityādi mantravarṇēbhyaḥ |
It is a very profound mantra to reveal the inexplicability of the creation.

anirvacanīyatvam of the creation is revealed by the vēda itself you cannot logically
explain the cause of the creation, you cannot logically explain the source of the
creation, you cannot logically explain the locus of the creation, everything is located
in space, but where is space located if you ask there will be problem. Logically you
cannot explain the cause, the purpose, the reason, the source, the time-location, the
space-location, all of them are logically inexplicable; and what is logically inexplicable
is called anirvacanīyam. Otherwise it is called māyā or māyikam. The very definition
of māyā is what is experienced but what cannot be logically proved. What is

experienced but what is logically unprovable is called māyā. And this not the
statement from Advaitin but vēda says kaḥ addhā vēda? – who knows a clear
answer to this question regarding the creation? So addhā means clearly, directly.
Indeclinable word, sākṣāt iti arthaḥ, kaḥ vēda? And it is not question but it has got
an answer contained ākṣēpārthē kim. kaḥ vēda means kō:'pi jānāti vēdō:'pi na
jānāti. And therefore only kaḥ iha pravōcat? – who can give a clear answer to this
question? Why? Because only if you know you can answer. kaḥ addhā vēda? nobody
knows the answer and therefore nobody can give the answer. So kaḥ iha pravōcat?
– who gives the answer to this question? What is the question? Kutaḥ iyaṁ sr̥ṣṭiḥ
ājātā– from which source this creation comes? Kutaḥ means from which source the
creation evolves or comes? That means the source is also inexplicable. And kutaḥ
iyaṁ visr̥ṣṭiḥ. The second kutaḥ means due to what reason or purpose, for what
purpose or due to what reason, kasmāt kāraṇāt, kasmāt hētōḥ iyaṁ visr̥ṣṭiḥ bhavati.
So for all these questions what is the answer? What is the source is not a question.
The answer is no source can be talked about, and even if in the vēdānta in the initial
stage we say Brahman is the kāraṇam, Brahman is the source, during adhyārōpa-
prakaraṇam we way, but later in apavāda-prakaraṇam we say Brahman is not the
cause of the creation. matsthāni sarvabhūtāni in the first class, and sooner or later
we say na ca matsthāni. „Creation is in Brahman‟, first to satisfy the student, later
creation is not in Brahman. Creation came from Brahman is the first answer, creation
did not come from Brahman is the second answer. ēkamēva sadanēkakāraṇaṁ
kāraṇāntaranirāsakāraṇam | kāryakāraṇavilakṣaṇaṁ svayaṁ brahma tattvamasi
bhāvayātmani || Vivēkacūḍāmaṇi 261 || And therefore creation is logically
inexplicable should be assimilated clearly. Otherwise we will try to logically explain
the creation and we will get into trouble. And therefore vēda itself talks about
anirvacanīyatvam.
And why is the world anirvacanīyam? Why the world is inexplicable logically? For
that we give a logical answer. What is the logical answer? The answer is the world is
a projection of ignorance and whatever is a projection of ignorance is
anirvacanīyam. Yad ajñāna janyam tat sat na bhavati asat na bhavati, binnam na
bhavati abinnam na bhavati. Rope-snake is or is not you cannot explain, rope-snake
is different from rope or identical with rope you cannot explain, any ajñāna-janyam
is inexplicable.
Then what is the next question? How do you establish that it is ajñāna-janyam?
Ajñāna-janyam means born of ignorance. That alone Gauḍapādācārya in the third
chapter of Māṇḍūkya establishes. When a person corners us logically asking how

did the creation come, because other philosophical systems questions the creation,
and we say creation is inexplicable, and then all the other people say you don‟t know
how to answer therefore you are escaping by saying it is māyā. Many people think
māyā proves the weakness of vēdānta. Because whenever he doesn‟t know how to
answer like the doctors allergy, why the cough comes, and when they don‟t have a
clear answer, the doctors will say it is due to allergy. What is allergy? It can be any
blessed thing. It can be your own student also! Therefore like the doctors escaping
the answer by saying allergy, whenever Advaitin doesn‟t know how to answer, he
says it is due to māyā. This can be analyzed only in Māṇḍūkya. And Gauḍapāda
finds an answer. What is that? When somebody asks the question how did the
creation come, Gauḍapāda says I will answer. You are asking how did the creation
came, that means in your vision there is a creation. Therefore you are asking how
did the creation come. So the question is assuming there is a creation. You are
asking me the question presupposing there is a creation. Therefore instead of
answering your question I am going to transfer the question on to your side. How do
I transfer the question? I ask the question you are assuming there is a creation first
prove to me there is a creation. So you are asking me logically how the creation
comes, but I am asking you to logically prove there is a creation. And after you
logically prove the existence of a creation, I will logically prove the cause of the
creation. Therefore Gauḍapādācārya analyzes sat-kāryavāda, asat-kāryavāda,
different theories of creation. And he shows you can never logically prove the
existence of the creation because when you enquire what is the creation it goes on
becoming something else and you can never prove the existence of the creation,
and since the existence of the creation is not proved but it is assumed, we say
ignorance is the problem. What is ignorance? That there is a creation which itself is
an ignorance. Assuming the existence of the creation is ignorance, when you
question the existence of the creation, what happens is you don‟t get an answer to
the question, you understand the question itself is wrong.
यत्र गह द्वै तयमव भवगत तददतर इतरां पश्यगत तददतर इतरां द्धजघ्रगत तददतर इतरां रसयते तददतर इतरमत्तभवदगत तददतर इतरां
िृणोगत तददतर इतरां मनुते तददतर इतरां स्पृिगत तददतर इतरां गवजानागत यत्र त्वस्य सवयमात्मैवाभूित्केन कां पश्येित्केन कां
द्धजघ्रेित्केन कां रसयेित्केन कमत्तभवदे ित्केन कां िृणुयाित् ॥ बृहदारण्यकोपगनषत् ४-५-१५ ॥
yatra hi dvaitamiva bhavati taditara itaraṁ paśyati taditara itaraṁ jighrati

taditara itaraṁ rasayatē taditara itaramabhivadati taditara itaraṁ śr̥ṇōti taditara
itaraṁ manutē taditara itaraṁ spr̥śati taditara itaraṁ vijānāti yatra tvasya
sarvamātmaivābhūttatkēna kaṁ paśyēttatkēna kaṁ jighrēttatkēna kaṁ
rasayēttatkēna kamabhivadēttatkēna kaṁśr̥ṇuyāttat || Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat
4-5-15 ||

On enquiry there is no creation. So that there is a creation is ignorance. And

Śaṅkarācārya says that has been said by Kr̥ṣṇa clearly. Look at that sentence.
दर्ििंतां च भगवता –– ‘अज्ञानेनावृतां ज्ञानां तेन मुह्यन्न्त जन्तवाः’ [गीता ५-१५] इगत ॥ ९-१० ॥
darśitaṁ ca bhagavatā–– „ajñānēnāvr̥taṁ jñānaṁ tēna muhyanti jantavaḥ‟ [Gītā

5-15] iti || 9-10 ||
And this Vedic message the inexplicability of the creation has been shown by
Bhagavān also in the Gītā. Bhagavatā ca darśitam. Where? In the fifth chapter
fifteenth verse of the Gītā. What is that? Ajñānēna āvr̥ta ṁ jñānam – so the
knowledge or wisdom is covered by ignorance, and tēna – because of ignorance,
jantavaḥ muhyanti – the jīvas are deluded. And what is the delusion? That there is a
creation is a delusion. What is the proof for this delusion? Because you are asking
me the cause of the creation, you are asking me the purpose of the creation. That
you are asking for this proves that you are accepting a creation which is called
delusion. That delusion is because of ignorance. Therefore once you enquire and
gain the knowledge, you don‟t find an answer to the question, the question is not
solved, the problem is not solved, the problem dissolves. You won‟t ask the question
why the creation came because there is no creation. Then if there is no creation,
what is there ? brahmaivēdam amr̥tam purastāt brahma paścāt brahma
dakṣiṇataścōttarēṇa || Muṇḍakōpaniṣat 2-2-11 || When there is only Brahman why
are you asking the questions, keep quiet. Iti. This is called ajāti-vāda. The ultimate
shutting up of the mouth is done through ajāti-vāda, the famous thirty-second verse
of Māṇḍūkya Kārikā second chapter
न गनरोधो न चोत्पत्तिनय बद्धो न च साधकाः ।

न मुमुक्ुनय वै मुक्त इत्येषा परमाथयता ॥ माण्डू क्तय काररका २-३२ ॥
na nirōdhō na cōtpattirna baddhō na ca sādhakaḥ |

na mumukṣurna vai mukta ityēṣā paramārthatā || Māṇḍūkya Kārikā 2-32 ||
There is no sr̥ ṣṭi, there is no sthiti, there is no laya, there is no saṁsāri, there is no
mumukṣu, there is no sādhaka, there is no sādhana, there is no bandha, there is no
mōkṣa. Then what is there? Brahman Brahman Brahman, that is our ultimate
answer.
The anvaya is, adhyakṣēṇa mayā prakr̥ti ḥ sacara-acaram (jagat) sūyatē | hē

kauntēya!, anēna hētunā jagat viparivartatē (ca) | Continuing;


एवां माां गनत्यिुद्धबुद्धमुक्तस्वभावां सवयजन्तूनाम् आत्मानम् अगप सन्तम् ––
ēvaṁ māṁ nityaśuddhabuddhamuktasvabhāvaṁ sarvajantūnām ātmānam api

santam ––
Verse 09-11
अवजानन्न्त माां मूढा मानुषीं तनुमात्तश्रतम् ।
परां भावमजानन्तो मम भूतमहेश्वरम् ॥ गीता ९-११ ॥
avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanumāśritam |

paraṁ bhāvamajānantō mama bhūtamahēśvaram || Gītā 9-11 ||
So with tenth verse Kr̥ṣṇa concludes the important topic of Īśvara-svarūpam which is
the central theme of this ninth chapter which started from the fourth verse. Four to
ten is Īśvara-svarūpam and Bhagavān should be understood as a mixture of two
components aparā-prakr̥ti otherwise called māyā and parā-prakr̥ti otherwise called
Brahman. Brahman māyā mixture alone is Īśvara, of this Brahman is pāramārthikam
and māyā is vyāvahārikam, from Brahman‟s standpoint the creation and māyā are as
good as non-existent, na ca matsthāni bhūtāni. From binary-format angle the
creation is as good as nonexistence. We don‟t say non-existence, it is experienced
but it is as good as non-existent.
Here Lord Kr̥ṣṇa says only when you know both the higher and lower nature of
Īśvara liberation is possible. No doubt we have to start with saguṇa-Īśvara-jñānam,
start with saguṇa-Īśvara-pūjā, saguṇa-Īśvara-upāsana, all religion starts with
saguṇa-Īśvara, karma-yōga is in saguṇa-Īśvara, upāsana-yōga is in saguṇa-Īśvara,
ēkarūpa-Īśvara is saguṇa, viśvarūpa-Īśvara is saguṇa, we should start with saguṇa
then alone we will reach the level of maturity to appreciate the nirguṇa-Īśvara also.
And we should remember saguṇa Īśvara is wonderful to start with but saguṇa-Īśvara
is never wonderful to end with. And that is why in Māṇḍūkya Advaita-prakaraṇam
Gauḍapādācārya starts with a disturbing verse, a disturbing verse for all the bhaktas,
all the emotional bhaktas. And what is the disturbing verse? All the upāsakas are
unfortunate people. Everywhere we glorify the upāsakas, Gauḍapādācārya starts the
third chapter saying
उपासनात्तश्रतो धमो जाते ब्रह्मत्तण वतयते । प्रागुत्पिेरजां सवं तेनासौ कृपणाः स्मृताः ॥ माण्डू क्तय काररका ३-१ ॥
upāsanāśritō dharmō jātē brahmaṇi vartatē | prāgutpattērajaṁ sarvaṁ tēnāsau

kr̥paṇaḥ smr̥taḥ || Māṇḍūkya Kārikā 3-1 ||

Why does Gauḍapādācārya says so? upāsana is wonderful start with but upāsana is
terrible to end with. Therefore start with upāsana and end with jñānam. Jñānam is
not possible without upāsana and upāsana is incomplete without jñānam. Therefore
one day or the other you have to come to sō:'ham jñānam, dāsō:'ham is wonderful
to start with, sō:'ham we have to come. And Kr̥ṣṇa also here joins Gauḍapādācārya
and says many people ignore the nirguṇa advaita svarūpam. They love My beautiful
adharaṁ madhuraṁ vadanaṁ madhuraṁ nayanaṁ madhuraṁ || Madhurāṣṭakam 1
|| and say sweet Kr̥ṣṇa, so much they love they ignore the nirguṇa-svarūpam and
the consequence is saṁsāra is perpetuated . This is Kr̥ ṣṇa‟s complaint. Not only we
have complaints, Bhagavān also has a complaint. That is introduced here. Ēvam – in
this manner, mām – I have a higher nature. What is that? Nitya-śuddha-buddha-
mukta-svabhāvam – which is nityam – eternal, śuddham – pure, buddham –
enlightened, and muktam – free, svabhāvam means of the nature of. This is a
popular idiom used in vēdānta-śāstra. Nityaśuddhabuddhamuktasvabhāvaḥ, in this
nityam can be taken in two different ways, it can be taken as a noun which means
eternal. And Bhagavān has got four descriptions nityam, śuddham, buddham and
muktam. This is one meaning. Otherwise you can take it as three descriptions and
nityam is adjective to this description nitya-śuddham, nitya-buddham, nitya-muktam
– eternally pure, eternally enlightened and eternally free. So adjectival and nominal
versions, both you can take. And this wonderful Brahman to discover that Brahman
you need not go anywhere, because that Brahman is available in sarvajantūnām
ātmānam – which is the very ātmā of every jīvaḥ. That means I have also got aparā-
prakr̥ti as well as parā -prakr̥ti viśva ta ijasa and prājña are my aparā-prakr̥ti and
turīyam is my parā-prakr̥ti.
सोऽयमात्मा चतुष्पात् ॥ माण्डू क्तयोपगनषत् २ ॥

नान्ताःप्रज्ञां न बगहष्प्रज्ञां नोभयताःप्रज्ञांन प्रज्ञानघनां न प्रज्ञां नाप्रज्ञां ।
अरॅष्टमव्यवहाययमग्राह्यमलक्णमशचन्त्यमव्यपदे श्यमेकात्मप्रत्ययसारांप्रपचचोपिमां िान्तां शिवमद्वै तां चतुथं मन्यन्तेस आत्मा
स गवज्ञेयाः ॥ माण्डू क्तयोपगनषत् ७ ॥
sō:'yamātmā catuṣpāt || Māṇḍūkyōpaniṣat 2 ||

nāntaḥprajñaṁ na bahiṣprajñaṁ nōbhayataḥprajñaṁ na prajñānaghanaṁ na
prajñaṁ nāprajñaṁ |
adr̥ṣṭamavyavahāryamagrāhyamalakṣaṇamacintyamavyapadēśyamēkātmapratya
yasāraṁ prapañcōpaśamaṁśāntaṁśivamadvaitaṁ caturthaṁ manyantē sa ātmā
sa vijñēyaḥ || Māṇḍūkyōpaniṣat 7 |
|
Parā prakr̥ti of Bhagavān is the parā prakr̥ti of Me which is the turīyam , very
intimately available but we successfully manage to ignore that. Sarvajantūnām, he

doesn‟t say all the human being, he says all the creatures, ātmānam api santam –
even though so closely available for claiming. And once I claim what is the benefit?
Instantaneous mōkṣa. The moment I claim now I am liberated at this moment itself.
Don‟t think vāsanā kṣayam, manōnāśam, long way to go. Vāsanā is mithyā why it
should be destroyed? Mind itself is mithyā and all these are for junior students. You
have to destroy all the vāsanās, all these are for junior students and for senior
students where is the question of vāsanā or mind or kṣaya. There is only one
Brahman which is myself, when I claim I am free here and now. Even though so
closely available mūḍhāḥ avajānanti – people ignore My higher nature and struggle.
This is the gist of this ślōka. We will go to the bhāṣyam.
अिज नन्नत अवज्ञाां पररभवां कुवयन्न्त म ं मूढ ाः अगववेगकनाः म नुषीं मनुष्यसम्बत्न्धनीं तनुं दे हम् आशश्रतम्, मनुष्यदे हेन
व्यवहरन्तम् इगत एतत् ।
Avajānanti avajñāṁ paribhavaṁ kurvanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ

avivēkinaḥmānuṣīṁmanuṣyasambandhinīṁtanuṁdēham āśritam,
manuṣyadēhēna vyavaharantam iti ētat |
Mūḍhāḥ means indiscriminate people, those who cannot discriminate saguṇa-Īśvara

and nirguṇa-Īśvara, saguṇa-Īśvara cannot give liberation, nirguṇa-Īśvara alone can
give liberation, it has been repeatedly said in the upaniṣats, people don‟t take note
of that.
श्रेयि प्रेयि मनुष्यमेताः तौ सम्परीत्य गवगवनशक्त धीराः ।

श्रेयो गह धीरोऽत्तभ प्रेयसो वृणीते प्रेयो मन्दो योगक्ेमाद्वृणीते ॥ कठोपगनषत् १-२-२ ॥
śrēyaśca prēyaśca manuṣyamētaḥ tau samparītya vivinakti dhīraḥ |

śrēyō hi dhīrō:'bhi prēyasō vr̥ṇītē prēyō mandō yōgakṣēmādvr̥ṇītē ||
Remember Kaṭhōpaniṣat Nacikētas asked for this nirguṇa-Īśvara.
अन्यत्र धमायत् अन्यत्राधमायत् अन्यत्र अस्मात् कृताकृतात् । कठोपगनषत् १-२-१४ ॥
anyatra dharmāt anyatrādharmāt anyatra asmāt kr̥tākr̥tāt | Kaṭhōpaniṣat 1-2-14

||
Nacikētas asked for nirguṇa-Īśvara and Yamadharma tempted him by offering

various things and Nacikētas said I want only nirguṇa-Īśvara-jñānam. At that time
Yamadharmarājā says that even though nirguṇa-Īśvara and saguṇa-Īśvara are
available, people vote for saguṇa-Īśvara and seek either dharma or artha or kāma.
nirguṇa Īśvara and mōkṣa are synonymous; rejecting nirguṇa-Īśvara is rejecting
mōkṣa. They don‟t understand. prēyō mandaḥ says Yamadharma rājā. That is said

here mūḍhāḥ in the mūlam, is equal to avivēkinaḥ– saguṇa-nirguṇa vivēka-rahitāḥ.

And what is the vivēkam? Saguṇa will perpetuate saṁsāra and nirguṇa will put an
end to saṁsāra. This discrimination they don‟t have. And therefore mām
avajānanti– they ignore Me, avajānanti is equal to avajñāṁ kurvanti, avajñāṁ
kurvanti is paribhavaṁ kurvanti. Ignoring is a form of insult. Isn‟t it? When you are
walking in front of a person whom you know very well and that person doesn‟t look
at you or even smile. So ignoring is considered a form of insult. Therefore avajñā is
equal to paribhava. And normally we complain we are insulted, now Bhagavān is
complaining. All the people are insulting Me even though I am keeping mōkṣa readily
in My hand, they will say O Lord give me this and give me that, nobody says give me
Yourself. And even if Bhagavān says I am willing to come to your house, we will say
we don‟t have an extra room to accommodate, every room has been allotted to
various family members. And there is a small room which is booked for dog. So we
ask for everything through Bhagavān but we don‟t ask for Bhagavān himself. We will
ask for Bhagavān only when we know Bhagavān has a higher nature which is as
good as fulfilling all the desires of life. Getting Bhagavān is simultaneous fulfilment
of all my seeking. sō:'śnutē sarvān kāmān saha | brahmaṇā vipaścitēti ||
Taittirīyōpaniṣat 2-1-1 || But we want fulfilling other desires through Bhagavān but
we never want Bhagavān. Therefore Bhagavān says I am the most unwanted
person. So paribhavaṁ kurvanti all because of mānuṣīṁtanum āśritam– because
I also look an ordinary person with a finite human body. Mānuṣīṁtanum means
manuṣyasambandhinīṁ dēham – a human body, a body belonging human species.
That means manuṣyadēhēna vyavaharantam – I am doing all the transactions with
Kr̥ṣṇa śarīram. And how Kr̥ṣṇa went to the rescue of Gajēndra, rescue of Draupadī,
thus I need all those stories and I want Bhagavān to do some miracle by coming to
my house also and solve my instantaneous problem instantaneously and Bhagavān
should go away so that I can call him again for the next problem. All ignorant.
Puranic stories are overtaken our mind, Upanishadic message we have forgotten.

310 Verse-11
Page 233, Verse 11 bhāṣyam

अिज नन्नत अवज्ञाां पररभवां कुवयन्न्त म ं मूढ ाः अगववेगकनाः म नुषीं मनुष्यसम्बत्न्धनीं तनुं दे हम् आशश्रतम्, मनुष्यदे हेन
व्यवहरन्तम् इगत एतत् ।
Avajānanti avajñāṁ paribhavaṁ kurvanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ avivēkinaḥ mānuṣīṁ

manuṣyasam bandhinīṁ tanuṁ dēham āśritam, manuṣyadēhēna vyavaharantam
iti ētat |
After talking about Īśvara svarūpam up to the tenth verse. In the following verses
eleven and twelve Lord Kr̥ṣṇa talks about the cause of saṁsāra. Saṁsāra kāraṇam is
described here. And the saṁsāra kāraṇam, Kr̥ṣṇa points out is Īśvara ajñānam only.
Therefore Īśvara jñānam is mōkṣa kāraṇam. When we use the word Īśvara here
both his saguṇa-aparā-prakr̥ti as well as nirgu ṇa parā -prakr̥ti both must be taken .
Ignorance of Īśvara is also cause of saṁsāra. Even partial knowledge of Īśvara
perpetuates saṁsāra. Partial knowledge we means kēvala-saguṇa-Īśvara-mātra-
jñānam. And therefore avivēkinaḥ, mūḍhāḥ, people who are ignorant of My nature
mānuṣīm tanum dēham āśritam mām because only My aparā -prakr̥ti is manifest
when I am taking avatāra. In avatāra what is available for appreciation is only the
beautiful form of the Lord and therefore we get lost in saguṇa-manuṣya-śarīram of
Īśvara; using it as a stepping stone is wonderful but getting carried away and
confining to kēvala-manuṣya-śarīram is an insult to the Lord. Kr̥ṣṇa says it is a form
of insult to take Me only as a person. Therefore mānuṣīm is in the mūlam, is equal to
manuṣya sambandhinīm – belonging to the human species . Because Kr̥ ṣṇa-śarīram
belongs to human species, therefore manuṣya-sambandhinīm, tanum is in the
mūlam, is equal to dēham, āśritam means resorting to. And Śaṅkarācārya gives the
final meaning manuṣya dēhēna vyavaharantam – I the Lord am transacting in the
world with a human body like any other jīva. And because of that avajñāṁ kurvanti
– they insult Me. And why do they do that? The reason is given. We will read the
bhāṣyam.
परं प्रकृष्टां भ िं परमात्मतत्त्वम् आकािकल्पम् आकािाद् अगप अन्तरतमम् अज ननतोममभूत-महेश्वरं सवयभूतानाां

महान्तम् ईश्वरां स्वम् आत्मानम् ।

paraṁprakr̥ṣṭaṁbhāvaṁparamātmatattvam ākāśakalpam ākāśād api

antaratamam ajānantōmamabhūta-mahēśvaraṁsarvabhūtānāṁ mahāntam
Īśvaraṁ svam ātmānam |
Why do they insult you because of ignorance. Ignorance of what? Mama param
bhāvam ajānantaḥ. Param-bhāvam. If you remember the ninth chapter closely
follows the seventh chapter, in the seventh chapter also Kr̥ṣṇa talks about Īśvara-
svarūpam from the fourth verse onwards up to twelfth verse or so, there also he
says the same problem.
गत्रत्तभाः गुणमयैाः भावैाः एत्तभाः सवयम् इदम् जगत् ।

मोगहतम् न अत्तभजानागत माम् एभ्याः परम् अव्ययम् ॥ गीता ७-१३ ॥
tribhiḥ guṇamayaiḥ bhāvaiḥēbhiḥ sarvam idam jagat |

mōhitam na abhijānāti mām ēbhyaḥ param avyayam || Gītā 7-13 ||
There also param-avyayam parā-prakr̥ti is mentioned, here also the same expression
param-bhāvam is used. There Kr̥ṣṇa uses the word mōhitam na abhijānāti, here
He uses the word mūḍhāḥ ajānantaḥ. So mōham of the param bhāvam is the
problem. Therefore param, param means prakr̥ ṣṭam, prakr̥ṣṭam means superior,
bhāvam means nature or prakr̥ti . Therefore param-bhāvam can be translated
parā prakr̥ti of the seventh chapter . And what is that? Paramātma-tattvam which is
none other than paramātmā. And what are the limbs of paramātmā? Ākāśakalpam
which is the similar to the all-pervading niravayava ākāśa. Ākāśa does not have
limbs. Similarly, Bhagavān is also limbless, limbed God is the lower one and limbless
niravayava-Īśvara alone is the real one . Therefore ākāśakalpam, here kalpam means
similar to , sadr̥śam, tulyam iti arthaḥ. And ākāśād api antaratamam which is the
inner essence of even ākāśa. Antaratamam means inner essence. When you say
inner essence of ākāśa whatever is inner is considered to be subtler. These are the
rules of vēdānta. What is inner is subtler and what is outer is grosser. And what is
the inner essence of ākāśa must be even subtler than ākāśa. And another rule of
vēdānta is when something becomes more and more subtle the attributes will
become lesser and lesser. Subtler the object is lesser will be the attributes. Ākāśa
itself is subtle because it has got lesser attribute and lesser means only one
attribute, śabda guṇakam ākāśam. And Paramātmā is interior and subtler means
even śabda-guṇa is not there. aśabdam asparśam arūpam || Kaṭhōpaniṣat 1-3-15 ||
which means ākāśa is saguṇam and Paramātmā is nirguṇa. All these we have to
extract from this verse. Ākāśād api antaratamam nirguṇam iti arthaḥ. This Īśvara
ajānantaḥ– not knowing this is Īśvara, even if aparōkṣa-jñānam is not there it
doesn‟t matter at least if they have parōkṣa-jñānam of nirguṇa-Īśvara, that there is a

nirguṇa Īśvara and attaining that nirguṇa-Īśvara will get me mōkṣa, at least that
parōkṣa-jñānam will make me a jijñāsu-bhakta at least, when I don‟t have even the
parōkṣa-jñānam of nirguṇa-Īśvara then I won‟t become jijñāsu-bhakta because if I
don‟t know there is nirguṇa-Īśvara how will I attempt to know it. And therefore even
jijñāsu bhakti will not come and the only bhakti will be ārta arthārthī bhakti and
according to Kr̥ṣṇa both forms of bhakti is an insult to Īśvara because when Īśvara
can give Infinite through ārta arthārthī bhakti I am asking inferior finite things, it is
underutilization of God. It is like bringing a can of Gaṅgā water from Gaṅgōtrī
Gōmukha, Trivēṇī saṅgamam etc., carefully in flight I bring which is not that easy,
what I do is regularly I use for cleaning the floor. So it is not the glorification of
gaṅgā-jalam, using gaṅgā for cleaning the floor is an insult, using bhakti as ārta and
arthārthī bhakti is only an insult of Īśvara, calling a great scientist from US and
brining him here you employ him in the first standard of corporation school asking
him to teach simple maths table, it is not appreciation, it is an insult. Ārtaḥ bhakti is
an insult of Īśvara and arthārthī bhakti is insult of Īśvara, only glorification is jijñāsu-
bhakti alone is glorification. This is what Kr̥ṣṇa wants to communicate. So
antaratamam Ajānantaḥ here means they don‟t have even parōkṣa-jñānam of
nirguṇam-brahma. ajānantaḥ mama bhūta-mahēśvaram and what is that
superior nature? bhūta-mahēśvaram is in the mūlam, is equal to sarva bhūtānāṁ
mahāntam Īśvaram – the ultimate God of all the living beings unlike Indra etc., indra
is also considered to be Īśvara but he is Īśvara with regard to a few dēvatās but
indra is not the ultimate Īśvara, therefore the adjective mahāntam means the
ultimate Īśvara even beyond hiraṇyagarbha tattvam. Therefore mahāntam Īśvaram.
And Śaṅkarācārya can never forget mahāvākyam. Whatever commentary he writes
anywhere, any amount of Īśvara bhakti he talks about he can never forget one fact
that Īśvara is your own nature. Even though Kr̥ṣṇa doesn‟t mention, Śaṅkarācārya
quietly sneaks in, svam ātmānam. So really great. I feel like telling Śaṅkarācārya is
wonderful. When you say sarvabhūtānāṁ mahāntam Īśvaram, what we will do is
fold our hands and start looking beyond the clouds. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya is
quietly nudging us and says don‟t look up, svam ātmānam which is your own real
nature. yatsākṣādaparōkṣādbrahma ya ātmā sarvāntaraḥ || Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 3-
4-1 || And this ātmasvarūpa Īśvaram ajānantaḥ– they do not know. Continuing;
तताः च तस्य मम अवज्ञानभावनेन आहतााः वराकााः ते ॥ ९-११ ॥
tataḥ ca tasya mama avajñānabhāvanēna āhatāḥ varākāḥ tē || 9-11 ||

So in this concluding sentence Śaṅkarācārya is leading to the next verse, it is as

good as an introduction to the next verse. How because of this ignorance they are
perpetuating saṁsāra, because of ignorance of higher they are confined to ārta and
arthārthī bhakti, they are confined to karma-kāṇḍa and upāsana-kāṇḍa, they are
confined to aparā vidyā and because of that they are involved in kāmya-karma,
kāmya-pūjā, kāmya-upāsana, and as a result of kāmya-karma and kāmya-upāsana
this ārta bhaktas and arthārthī bhaktas go from punarapi jananam to punarapi
maraṇam cycle only, this bhakti keeps them in saṁsāra, a peculiar combination of
saṁsāri bhaktas. bhakti should have saved them but in spite of bhakti they are not
able to save themselves. Therefore their condition is worse than nāstikas. They are
bhaktas but they are saṁsāris just like even after marriage they continue to be a
brahmacāri. Therefore they don‟t get the benefit of bhakti in spite of being bhaktas.
Therefore they are to be pitied people. Śaṅkarācārya says tataḥ ca – because of that
reason. And Śaṅkarācārya himself explains that, tataḥ ca is equal to tasya mama
avajñāna bhāvanēna – because of their insulting attitude. Kr̥ṣṇa uses the word they
are all insulting Me and because of this insulting attitude of these so called ārta and
arthārthī bhaktas, āhatāḥ – they are afflicted by saṁsāra. āhatāḥ means battered,
shattered, affected, dandramyamāṇāḥ, jaṅghanyamānāḥ,
अगवद्यायामन्तरे वतयमानााः स्वयम् धीरााः पञ्ण्डतम् मन्यमानााः । जङ् घन्यमानााः पररयन्न्त मूढााः अन्धेनैव नीयमाना यथान्धााः
॥ मुण्डकोपगनषत् १-२-८ ॥
अगवद्यायामन्तरे वतयमानााः स्वयां धीरााः पञ्ण्डतांमन्यमानााः । दन्िम्यमाणााः पररयन्न्त मूढा अन्धेनैव नीयमाना यथान्धााः ॥
कठोपगनषत् १-२-५ ॥
avidyāyāmantarē vartamānāḥ svayam dhīrāḥ paṇḍitam manyamānāḥ |

jaṅghanyamānāḥ pariyanti mūḍhāḥ andhēnaiva nīyamānā yathāndhāḥ ||
avidyāyāmantarē vartamānāḥ svayaṁ dhīrāḥ paṇḍitaṁmanyamānāḥ |

dandramyamāṇāḥ pariyanti mūḍhā andhēnaiva nīyamānā yathāndhāḥ ||
Both in Muṇḍakōpaniṣat and Kaṭhōpaniṣat this mantra is repeated in one upaniṣat

jaṅghanyamānāḥ and in another upaniṣat dandramyamāṇāḥ, tossed about and
battered in saṁsāra. varākāḥ tē – they are unfortunate people. Kārpaṇya-dōṣa-
upahata-svabhāvaḥ. Kārpaṇya-dōṣa of the second chapter and tēnāsau kr̥pa ṇaḥ
smr̥taḥ || Māṇḍūkya Kārikā 3-1 || Māṇḍūkya Kārikā third chapter all of them we
have to connect. Kārpaṇyam kr̥paṇam varākāḥ, all these say the same thing bhakta
but saṁsāri. This is the introduction to the next ślōka.

The anvaya is, mama bhūta-mahēśvaram param bhāvam ajānantaḥ (santaḥ)

mūḍhāḥ mānuṣīm tanum āśritam mām avajānanti | Continuing;
कथम ्? ––
katham? ––
Verse 09-12
मोघािा मोघकमायणो मोघज्ञाना गवचेतसाः ।
राक्सीमासुरीं चैव प्रकृततिं मोगहनीं त्तश्रतााः ॥ गीता ९-१२ ॥
mōghāśā mōghakarmāṇō mōghajñānā vicētasaḥ |

rākṣasīmāsurīṁ caiva prakr̥tiṁ mōhinīṁśritāḥ || Gītā 9-12 ||
So how these people are unfortunate is explained. These people lack parā-vidyā,
i.e., nirguṇa-brahma-jñānam, therefore they are stuck in aparā vidyā and the word
aparā-vidyā means both laukika jñānam, worldly knowledge as well as vaidika-
jñānam of karma and upāsana they know. Therefore religious aparā-vidyā as well as
secular aparā-vidyā that alone they have got but unfortunately this aparā-vidyā will
not save them from saṁsāra. Therefore their knowledge is utterly useless. Therefore
mōgha-jñānāḥ means of useless knowledge these people are. And not only their
knowledge is useless, mōgha-āśāḥ– their desires are also useless desires because
those desires fall within anātmā only. Because of ārtaḥ-bhakti and arthārthī-bhakti
their desires are also useless. First description is their knowledge is useless, second
description is their desires are useless. Not only their knowledge and desires are
useless, and their activities also are useless, because their activities are meant for
fulfilling useless desires. Jñāna icchā karmāṇi vyarthāni which means icchā-śakti is
abused and under-used, jñāna-śakti is abused and under-used, kriyā-śakti is abused
and under-used, all the three faculties are improperly used. Therefore they are given
the title that is mūḍha-śikhāmaṇi. What are those three titles? mōgha-jñānāḥ–
wasting jñāna-śaktiḥ, mōgha-āśāḥ– wasting icchā-śaktiḥ, mōgha-karmāṇaḥ– wasting
kriyā-śaktiḥ. It is like pedaling a stationery cycle. After one hour pedaling the
progress we find is they are in the very same position. At least pedaling stationery
cycle will give some fitness and here even that is not there, they travel from saṁsāra
to saṁsāra. And in the process many people take to adhārmika lifestyle also. This is
the essence of a typical description of a materialistic religious person which includes
materialistic irreligious person also. What is common to both? Materialistic. This is
the gist of this ślōka, we will go to the bhāṣyam.

मोघ श ाः– वृथा आिााः आशिषाः येषाां ते मोघािााः । तथा मोघ-कम थणाः यागन च अग्ननहोत्रादीगन तैाः अनुष्ठीयमानागन
कमायत्तण तागन च, तेषाां भगवत्पररभवात्, स्वात्मभूतस्य अवज्ञानात्, मोघागन एव गनष्फलागन कमायत्तण भवन्न्त इगत मोघ-
कमायणाः ।
mōghāśāḥ – vr̥thāāśāḥāśiṣaḥ yēṣāṁ tē mōghāśāḥ | tathāmōgha-karmāṇaḥyāni

ca agnihōtrādīni taiḥ anuṣṭhīyamānāni karmāṇi tāni ca, tēṣāṁ
bhagavatparibhavāt, svātmabhūtasya avajñānāt, mōghāni ēva niṣphalāni
karmāṇi bhavanti iti mōgha-karmāṇaḥ |
Śaṅkarācārya introduces the ślōka with the word katham? katham means of how.
The word how should to be connected to the previous bhāṣyam last paragraph, tē
varākāḥ. Varākāḥ means these bhaktas are unfortunate people. Even though they
are bhaktas they are unfortunate bhaktas is the statement. And Śaṅkarācārya raises
the question how are these bhaktas unfortunate. Because of the misuse of bhakti in
the form of ārta and arthārthī bhakti. That is said here. mōghāśāḥ, after that an en
dash, then you have to use the word mōgha , and meaning of the word mōgha is
equal to vr̥thā . And then āśāḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to āśiṣaḥ, mōgha means
vr̥thā, āśāḥ means āśiṣaḥ, mōghāśāḥ means vr̥thāāśiṣaḥ, vr̥thāāśiṣaḥ means futile
worthless desires. And what is worthless desires? Materialistic desires are worthless.
Then tathā– in the same way, mōgha-karmāṇaḥ, not only desires are worthless
their actions are also worthless, not only worldly activities even religious activities
become worthless. What are those religious activities? Yāni ca agnihōtrādīni karmāṇi
– even the daily rituals nitya-naimittika karmas become worthless because the daily
pūjās can be utilized as sakāma pūjā as well as niṣkāma pūjā. When we do the daily
pūjā as sakāma pūjā, it becomes worthless but when the very same pūjā, is done as
niṣkāma pūjā, it will become jijñāsu-bhakti, it will give sādhana catuṣṭaya sampatti,
guru-prāpti, śravaṇa-prāpti, jñāna-prāpti, niṣṭhā-prāpti, mōkṣa-prāpti. All therefore
one and the same pūjā when you utilize for family purposes it is the waste of the
pūjā, and when you use the very same pūjā for cittaśuddhi it is useful. Therefore he
says agnihōtrādīni anuṣṭhīyamānāni karmāṇi, anuṣṭhīyamānāni means performed
karmas, tāni, tēṣāṁ bhagavatparibhavāt, it is a very beautiful expression but
through that Kr̥ṣṇa is strongly hitting instead of saying sakāma pūjā is useless He
says sakāma pūjā is insulting God. What a language? Sakāma pūjā is insult of
Bhagavān. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says bhagavatparibhavāt – because of the insult
of God. And why does Śaṅkarācārya says that it is insult of God? It is not
Śaṅkarācārya ‟s interpretation, it is connected to the previous ślōka. Avajānanti māṁ
mūḍhāḥ that is brought in here. So every sakāma pūjā is Īśvara apamānam only.
And for Īśvara apamānam punishment has to be given and Īśvara punishes me. And
what is the punishment? Perpetuation of saṁsāra is the punishment for Īśvara

apamānam through sakāma-pūjā. Very strong language! And Bhagavat paribhavāt –

Īśvara apamānāt. And what type of Īśvara? Here also he brings mahāvākyam,
svātmabhūtasya Īśvara sya avajñānāt – because of the insult of Īśvara, who is one‟s
own ātmā. You can understand it in a different way also. When I, the pūrṇa-Īśvara
is with you, when you are voting for apūrṇa-vastu, isn‟t it an insult? When pūrṇa
Īśvara is already with you and you are voting for apūrṇa-vastu. When there is
delicious pāyasam keeping that in hand, when you vote for old yesterday‟s stale
food, it is an insult of wonderful food that is in the hand. Similarly, when pūrṇa-
Īśvara is here voting for other things is insult of Īśvara. Therefore svātmabhūtasya
Īśvarasya avajñānātmōghāni ēva karmāṇi – all the sakāma-pūjās are vyartham, they
are waste.
Ok, here we should make a careful note that when Śaṅkarācārya says sakāma-pūjā
is waste, a question may come suppose I do sakāma pūjā for some worldly benefit
will it give the worldly benefit or not. Because Śaṅkarācārya says sakāma pūjā is a
waste, does it mean that sakāma pūjā will not give the expected worldly benefit or
not will be the question. Remember sakāma pūjā will give worldly benefits. Let us be
very very clear. Sakāma pūjā will always work.
यो यो याां याां तनुां भक्ताः श्रद्धयार्चिंतुयमच्छगत ।

तस्य तस्याचलाां श्रद्धाां तामेव गवदधाम्यहम् ॥ गीता ७-२१ ॥
स तया श्रद्धया युक्तस्तस्याराधनमीहते ।
लभते च तताः कामान्मयैव गवगहताग्न्ह तान् ॥ गीता ७-२२ ॥
yō yō yāṁ yāṁ tanuṁ bhaktaḥśraddhayārcitumicchati |

tasya tasyācalāṁśraddhāṁ tāmēva vidadhāmyaham || Gītā 7-21 ||
sa tayāśraddhayā yuktastasyārādhanamīhatē |
labhatē ca tataḥ kāmānmayaiva vihitānhi tān || Gītā 7-22 ||
In the seventh chapter Kr̥ṣṇa has said sakāma pūjā will give the worldly benefits.
Now here the very same Lord says sakāma pūjā is waste, it is fruitless. This is how
we should do mananam. I am giving you an indication of mananam.
The seventh chapter Kr̥ṣṇa says sakāma pūjās are fruitful because labhatē ca tataḥ
kāmānmayaiva vihitānhi tān they will get their desires fulfilled. In the ninth chapter
Kr̥ṣṇa says sakāma pūjās are fruitless. So the seventh chapter says sakāma pūjās
are fruitful and the ninth chapter says sakāma pūjās are fruitless.
How? mōgha-karmāṇaḥ means fruitless. How do you resolve the contradiction?

Sakāma-pūjā is fruitful seventh chapter, sakāma pūjā is fruitless the ninth chapter.
How do you resolve this contradiction? It is done by adding an appropriate adverb,

the adverb is sakāma-pūjā is materially fruitful is the seventh chapter statement and
the ninth chapter statement is sakāma-pūjā is spiritually fruitless. From spiritual
angle either I will stagnate in mōkṣa-mārga without making any progress. Not only
not progressing I may be retrogressing also.
And suppose a bhakta says I am not interested in mōkṣa or in spirituality or spiritual

growth and therefore sakāma bhakti maybe spiritually fruitless, I don‟t care, but you
say sakāma bhakti is materially fruitful, that is what I want. We will say
dirghāyuṣmān bhava, continue in saṁsāra, parīkṣya lōkān karmacitān ||
Muṇḍakōpaniṣat 1-2-12 || after getting enough battering you come and then I will
tell you that you have to come to niṣkāma-bhakti.
In English grammar two types of adverb are there. One qualifies the verb is called
adverb and another is that qualifies an adjective is also called an adverb. Suppose
you say very intelligent very is an adverb, it doesn‟t qualify a verb but it qualifies the
adjective „intelligent‟. Like that when you say sakāma-karma is fruitful it means
sakāma karma is „materially‟ fruitful. „Materially‟ is called adverb. And when you say
sakāma pūjā is fruitless, it means it is „spiritually‟ fruitless. „Spiritually‟ is an adverb.
Thus by adding an appropriate adverb „materially‟ and „spiritually‟ you resolve the
contradiction. This is a type of mananam. This is the finer thinking.
mōghāni ēva is equal to niṣphalāni-karmāṇi – the karmas are niṣphalam, iti mōgha-
karmāṇaḥbahuvrīhi. mōgha-āśāḥ yēṣāṁ tē, the description of the people, mōghāni
karmāṇi yēṣāṁ tē, mōghāni jñānāni yēṣāṁ tē. Continuing;
तथा मोघज्ञ न ाः गनष्फलज्ञानााः । ज्ञानम् अगप तेषाां गनष्फलम् एव स्यात् । वि-चेतसाः गवगतगववेकााः च ते भवन्न्त इगत
अत्तभप्रायाः ।
Tathā mōghajñānāḥ niṣphalajñānāḥ | jñānam api tēṣāṁ niṣphalam ēva syāt | vi-
cētasaḥvigatavivēkāḥ ca tē bhavanti iti abhiprāyaḥ |
So tathā mōgha-jñānāḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to niṣphala-jñānāḥ– their

knowledge also will go waste, they might know how to perform many rituals, there
are many people who don‟t require priest at all, at home they know how to do rudra
ēkādaśinī, special Śivarātri pūjā, they have the knowledge of doing the pūjā but if
the pūjā is done as sakāma pūjā the pūjā jñānam becomes fruitless, but if that
jñānam is used for mamōpātta samasta duritakṣayadvārā Śrī Paramēśvara
prītyartham jñāna vairāgya siddhyartham if you do that pūjā knowledge will become
useful. Otherwise niṣphala-jñānāḥ. That is explained further tēṣāṁ jñānam api –
even their knowledge of rituals etc., niṣphalam ēva syāt – will be totally fruitless, all

because of vi-cētasaḥ, vi-cētasaḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to vigata-vivēkāḥ–

they are all without discriminative knowledge, iti abhiprāyaḥ. What is the
discrimination? Care of Kaṭhōpaniṣat
श्रेयि प्रेयि मनुष्यमेताः तौ सम्परीत्य गवगवनशक्त धीराः ।

श्रेयो गह धीरोऽत्तभ प्रेयसो वृणीते प्रेयो मन्दो योगक्ेमाद्वृणीते ॥ कठोपगनषत् १-२-२ ॥
śrēyaśca prēyaśca manuṣyamētaḥ tau samparītya vivinakti dhīraḥ |

śrēyō hi dhīrō:'bhi prēyasō vr̥ṇītē prēyō mandō yōgakṣēmādvr̥ṇītē ||
In fact these ślōkas will become profound when you go to the relevant Upanishadic
portion, and Kaṭhōpaniṣat first chapter second section from mantra one to thirteen
or so, brilliant description of sakāma and niṣkāma-bhakti and the condemnation of
sakāma-bhakti is given. All these will become meaningful. The same thing in the
Muṇḍakōpaniṣat also the karmas are mentioned and sakāma-karmas are
condemned. All those if you can revise in this context Gītā will become more deeper.
Continuing;
गकचच –– ते भवन्न्त र क्षसीं रक्साां प्रकृततिं स्वभावम् आसुरीम् असुराणाां च प्रकृततिंमोवहनीं मोहकरीं दे हात्मवाददनीं
शश्रत ाः आत्तश्रतााः, शछत्न्ध, त्तभत्न्ध, गपब, खाद, परस्वम् अपहर, इगत एवम् वदनिीलााः क्रूरकमायणाः भवन्न्त इगत अथयाः ।
‘असुयाय नाम ते लोकााः’ [ईिावास्योपगनषत् ३] इगत श्रुतेाः ॥ ९-१२ ॥
kiñca –– tē bhavanti rākṣasīṁ rakṣasāṁ prakr̥tiṁ svabhāvam āsurīmasurāṇāṁca

prakr̥tiṁmōhinīṁmōhakarīṁ dēhātmavādinīṁśritāḥāśritāḥ, chindhi, bhindhi,
piba, khāda, parasvam apahara, iti ēvam vadanaśīlāḥ krūrakarmāṇaḥ bhavanti iti
arthaḥ | „asuryā nāma tē lōkāḥ‟ [Īśāvāsyōpaniṣat 3] iti śrutēḥ || 9-12 ||
Now Śaṅkarācārya goes to the second of the ślōka, rākṣasīm āsurīm ca ēva, and
when kāma or rāga-dvēṣa becomes more and more intense a person may take to
even wrong religious karmas like the black magic and worship of the various ghost
rākṣasa, piśāca etc., because those rituals are also mentioned in the śāstra,
generally they quote the example of śyēna-yāga. Śyēna-yāga is the example given
for black magic type of ritual. A yāga in which the yāga kuṇḍa is designed in the
form of a vulture. Śyēna means a vulture, in the shape of vulture the yāga kuṇḍa
has to be made, and special offerings should be done. In Rāmāyaṇam also Indrajit
was performing nikumbālā yāga, a special yāga, if he completes the yāga, Rāma
could not have done anything to that. Because of Vibhīṣaṇa they come to know that
Indrajit is using that yāga and therefore Lakṣmaṇa goes and destroys that yāga.
Thus even religion can be used in the field of ābhicārika-karmāṇi, ābhicārika-karma
means black magic. All durdēvatās are invited and you have to give flesh, blood etc.,
as offering. When desires become too much a person won‟t mind going to wrong

means also. So one of the ābhicārika-karma is śyēna yāga. And vēdas say that
whoever uses ābhicārika karma he will be able to destroy his enemies and rivals and
get material success but his later life will be terrible. Old age will be terrible in the
current janma and future janmas also will be terrible with that warning śāstra talks
about the ābhicārika-karmas. Kr̥ṣṇa says sakāma-bhaktas will often take to these
also. That is said here, kiñca – moreover, tē bhavanti – they become terrible people.
What type of terrible people? Rākṣasīm prakr̥tim, rākṣasīm is equal to rakṣasām
– belonging to rakṣas, prakr̥tim means svabhāvam – the nature of rākṣasas,
rakshasic nature. And āsurīm-prakr̥tim is equal to asurāṇāṁ-prakr̥tim – asuric
nature. And what is the difference between rakshasic nature and asuric nature?
Śaṅkarācārya doesn‟t differentiate and he leaves it to our imagination, but
Madhusūdana Sarasvatī makes a difference. rakshasic he calls it as dvēṣa pradhānaḥ
and asuric he defines as rāga pradhānaḥ. In one desires are greed are more in the
other enmity, hatred is more. So hatred-pradhāna is rakshasic and greed pradhāna
is asuric. And mōhinīm, mōhinīm is the third description, prakr̥tim is noun. These
three are three different adjectives. Therefore the word prakr̥tim you should read
three times rākṣasīṁ-prakr̥tim āsurīṁ-prakr̥tim mōhinīṁ-prakr̥tim, and
mōhinīm means mōhakarīm, mōhakarīm means dēhātmavādinīm, dēhātmavādinīm
means a nature which is body-centric nature, all the rituals are done for longevity,
during ṣaṣṭhyabda pūrti you can do all the navagraha hōma , mr̥tyuñjaya hōma etc .,
but when we do many people ask can we perform those pūjās or not, whether can
we perform ṣaṣṭhyabda pūrti, we can happily do, and it is preferable to do also but
what vēdānta says is not renouncing those pūjās, do all of them as a jijñāsu-bhakta,
utilize that for proper purpose, sādhana catuṣṭaya sampatti O Lord may you
increase, until now I have done pūjā for longevity etc., either for my longevity or
family member‟s longevity, all our pūjās are family-centric, drop family centric pūjās
and continue the pūjā, don‟t drop any pūjā. Do ṣaṣṭhyabda-pūrti because only then
the mantras are chanted, the others also will get the benefit and it is an opportunity
for anna-dānam, vastra-dānam, gō-dānam, gold-dānam. Already we are not doing
any dānam. Every ritual is an opportunity for dānam and therefore I do dānam and I
use that ritual for sādhana catuṣṭaya sampatti. And if you feel that I already have
sādhana catuṣṭaya sampatti, then do for jñāna-prāpti. But suppose you say what are
you talking we are all jñānis and don‟t insult us. Ok, if you are jñānis, then do for
jñāna-niṣṭhā-prāpti. Therefore let us not have any doubt when we say that sakāma
pūjā is bad, we are not saying don‟t celebrate ṣaṣṭhyabda pūrti and many students
have doubt all these regular pūjās can be done even if you don‟t do it at home you
can do abhiṣēkam in temple etc. Do all of them but what vēdānta says is let the

saṅkalpa be appropriate one. And if you say I have got jñānaniṣṭhā also, Svāmiji we
have got jñānaniṣṭhā also, then also I will not leave you, do the pūjās and in
saṅkalpa what do you do, sarvēṣāṁ lōkānāṁ kṣēma-sthairya-vīrya-vijaya-āyur-
ārōgya-sampat-siddhyartham. Instead of referring to family say sarvēṣām. Therefore
as long as we are gr̥hasthas these should continue . We should never be against
rituals. Rituals are wonderful part of Hinduism and we should promote them . Even
sannyāsis are promoting rituals then what to talk of gr̥hasthas.

311 Verse-12 to 14
Page 234, bhāṣyam 2nd paragraph

गकचच –– ते भवन्न्त र क्षसीं रक्साां प्रकृततिं स्वभावम् आसुरीम् असुराणाां च प्रकृततिंमोवहनीं मोहकरीं दे हात्मवाददनीं
शश्रत ाः आत्तश्रतााः, शछत्न्ध, त्तभत्न्ध, गपब, खाद, परस्वम् अपहर, इगत एवम् वदनिीलााः क्रूरकमायणाः भवन्न्त इगत अथयाः ।
‘असुयाय नाम ते लोकााः’ [ईिावास्योपगनषत् ३] इगत श्रुतेाः ॥ ९-१२ ॥
kiñca –– tē bhavanti rākṣasīṁ rakṣasāṁ prakr̥tiṁ svabhāvam āsurīmasurāṇāṁca

prakr̥tiṁmōhinīṁmōhakarīṁ dēhātmavādinīṁśritāḥāśritāḥ, „chindhi, bhindhi,
piba, khāda, parasvam apahara‟, iti ēvam vadanaśīlāḥ krūrakarmāṇaḥ bhavanti iti
arthaḥ | „asuryā nāma tē lōkāḥ‟ [Īśāvāsyōpaniṣat 3] iti śrutēḥ || 9-12 ||
After talking about Īśvara-svarūpam up to the tenth verse in the eleventh and
twelfth verses Kr̥ṣṇa talks about the cause of saṁsāra as the ignorance of the higher
nature of the Lord. There are people who do not accept Īśvara at all because they
don‟t accept vēda pramāṇam and they are nāstikas and there are some people who
are āstikas and how have come to vēda pramāṇam also and they have come to
vēdapūrva bhāga also, they are followers of karma-kāṇḍa and upāsana-kāṇḍa also,
but unfortunately they do not know the purpose of karma and upāsana-kāṇḍa. The
real purpose of is it should give me cittaśuddhi and gradually take me to jñāna-
kāṇḍam. As long as karma-kāṇḍa and upāsana-kāṇḍa are used as a stepping stone
to jñāna-kāṇḍam it is wonderful, it is called jijñāsu-bhakti. A jijñāsu-bhakta also is a
ritualistic bhakta but he uses ritual for sādhana catuṣṭaya sampatti. A jijñāsu-bhakta
uses upāsana-kāṇḍam also but he uses upāsana for sādhana catuṣṭaya sampatti. But
majority of people do not know how to use karma and upāsana-kāṇḍams. Therefore
instead of being jijñāsu bhaktas they end up ārta and arthārthī bhaktas. Therefore
they use both the kāṇḍas for either sense pleasures or for worldly accomplishments.
And some of them have got so much greed that they are so materialistic that they
even abuse the scriptures for the destruction of their rivals by using the scriptures
for ābhicārika-karmāṇi, black magic types of karmas they do, invoking dur-dēvatās,
going to cremation ground in the night and doing special karmas etc., they are using
the scriptures but only for destroying others. They are called religious-materialistic-
people. And they are described in the twelfth ślōka, Śaṅkarācārya is commenting
upon that tē rākṣasīṁ āsurīm mōhinīṁ āśritāḥ, rākṣasī is dvēṣa-pradhāna treating
other people, āsurī means rāga-pradhāna interested only in sense pleasures, and

mōhinī means dēhātmavāda pradhāna interested only in the well-being of myself

and my family. Dēhābhimāna and family abhimāna pradhānāḥ. And some of them
become even rākṣasas taking to destruction of the world and he gives the thought of
those people in the fourth line of the second paragraph. This is within inverted
commas. Chindhi, bhindhi, piba, khāda. chindhi means may you tear off everything
belonging to the enemy, chindh means to cut, to sever. And bhindhi means break or
destroy. So bhidh means to break or to destroy. Then piba means drink. Drink what?
Drinking water is not a problem. Drink here means madyam piba, drink liquor. And
khāda – eat. They talk about eating māṁsam khāda. Parasvam apahara – may to
steal the wealth of other people to fulfil your personal desires. Yāvajjīvēt sukhaṁ
jīvēt | r̥ṇaṁ kr̥tvā ghr̥taṁ pibēt | bhasmībhūtasya dēhasya punarāgamanaṁ kutaḥ ||
The philosophy of a sensualist. yāvajjīvēt sukhaṁ jīvēt – as long as you live , live
happily; eat, drink and make merry . r̥ṇaṁ kr̥tvā ghr̥ta ṁ pibēt – if you don‟t have
money borrow the money. What about returning it? That is the other person‟s
problem. Don‟t bother about returning. What about pāpam or narakam? Who
believes. bhasmībhūtasya dēhasya – once the body has been turned to ashes,
punarāgamanaṁ kutaḥ– who is there to travel? We don‟t believe in sūkṣma-śarīram,
we don‟t believe in kāraṇa-śarīram, we don‟t believe in cidābhāsa, we don‟t believe
cit. This is the philosophy the religious-materialistic-people. So apahara iti up to this
is within quotation. Ēvam vadanaśīlāḥ– they talk in this language. And
krūrakarmāṇaḥ bhavanti – they are given to harmful activities, harmful to
themselves as well as others. Iti arthaḥ – when we read the newspaper sometimes
we read the destruction, killing etc. And they give the list of the accused people and
some of them have got an adjective in their name, like pottu-Suresh, pottu-Ramu,
pottu means that person applies pottu, kuṅkumam on his forehead. Therefore what
they apply is kuṅkumam and vibhūti and their profession is professional killers of
people. That means God, kuṅkumam, candanam, vibhūti and violation peculiarly
coexist. This is the type of people. And Śaṅkarācārya says this has been talked about
in the vēda itself. Īśāvāsyōpaniṣat talks about the religious materialistic people in
mantra number three. „asuryā nāma tē lōkāḥ‟ [Īśāvāsyōpaniṣat 3] So there it
describes heavenly world as the world belonging to religious-materialistic-people,
because heaven caters to the worldly pleasures only. Therefore asuryāḥ means
asurāṇām yōgyāḥ lōkāḥ. The word asura means sensualist and asūni indriyāṇi or
asuṣu indriyēṣu ramantē iti asurāḥ. Asu means sense organs, ra means reveling and
asura means reveling in sense pleasures. iti śrutēḥ.

The anvaya is, vicētasaḥ (tē) mōgha-āśāḥ mōgha-karmāṇaḥ mōgha-jñānāḥ

(bhavanti) | (tē) rākṣasīm āsurīm mōhinīm ca prakr̥tim ēva śritāḥ |

ये पुनाः श्रद्दधानााः भगवद्भशक्तलक्णे मोक्मागे प्रवृिााः ––
yē punaḥśraddadhānāḥ bhagavadbhaktilakṣaṇē mōkṣamārgē pravr̥ttāḥ––
Whereas there are some other people they have got pūrvajanma puṇyam and
therefore they accept vēda pramāṇa and therefore they accept Vedic rituals but they
want to use the Vedic rituals only for cittaśuddhi, guru prāpti etc., they don‟t want to
be ārta bhaktas, they don‟t want to be arthārthī bhaktas, they continue in rituals as I
said ṣaṣṭhyabdīpūrtī they do celebrate and all the family functions they celebrate,
remember coming to spirituality does not mean dropping temples and rituals. A
spiritualist continues all the rituals and pūjās, the difference is only in the saṅkalpa
jñāna-vairāgya-siddhyartham I do Kr̥ṣṇāṣṭamī, Rāmanavamī pūjās, all the pūjās
continue as usual, let not be haters rituals and pūjās, let us change only the
saṅkalpa and saṅkalpa is jñāna siddhiḥ jñānaniṣṭhā siddhyartham. And those people
are talked about here. yē punaḥśraddadhānāḥ, there are some other people, punaḥ
means vailakṣaṇyapradarśanārtham, unlike the previous people śraddadhānāḥ –
they have faith in rituals, japa, temple, pūjā etc. Therefore they continue all of them
and bhagavadbhaktilakṣaṇē pravr̥ttā ḥ– they have got bhakti. So they are in dvaita
bhakti, and they have got saguṇa-Īśvara-bhakti, saguṇa-dvaita-bhakti they are
involved in, but mōkṣamārgē pravr̥ttāḥ– they understand dvaita-bhakti is not an end
in itself. Dvaita-bhakti is only a means O Lord I should be a dvaita-bhakta but I
should never die as dvaita-bhakta. Then how should I die? Not as abhakta. I should
die as an advaita-bhakta, in the knowledge aham brahma asmi. This is their goal.
Therefore mōkṣamārgē advaita-bhaktau pravr̥ttā ḥ in other words jijñāsu-bhaktāḥ.
What do they do? That is said in the ślōka.
Verse 09-13
महात्मानस्तु माां पाथय दै वीं प्रकृगतमात्तश्रतााः ।
भजन्त्यनन्यमनसो ज्ञात्वा भूताददमव्ययम् ॥ गीता ९-१३ ॥
mahātmānastu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakr̥timāśritāḥ |

bhajantyananyamanasō jñātvā bhūtādimavyayam || Gītā 9-13 ||
They continue karma and upāsana as diligently as before. When they were ārta-
bhaktas and arthārthī-bhaktas their karma is called karma but when they get
converted into jijñāsu-bhaktas the very same karma will be called karma-yōga.

jijñāsu bhakta‟s pūjā becomes karma-yōga, jijñāsu-bhakta‟s dvaita upāsana will get
converted into upāsana-yōga. Change is not in religious life, change is in the
saṅkalpa. And when the saṅkalpa changes the word yōga is added to everything;
even daily eating becomes eating yōga. Everything gets a suffix yōga once I become
a jijñāsu-bhakta. Motive is different no more personal centric prayers, no more
family centric prayers, only jñāna-vairāgya siddhyartham prayers. Therefore they get
involved in karma upāsana-yōga and this is divided into two portions. Fourteenth
ślōka talks about kāyika bhakti and vācika karma as yōga. And fifteenth ślōka talks
about mānasa-karma-yōgaḥ. So this is the gist of this ślōka. We will go to the
bhāṣyam.
मह त्म नाः तु अक्ुिशचिााः म म् ईश्वरां प थथ दै िीं दे वानाां प्रकृततिं िमदमदयाश्रद्धाददलक्णाम् आशश्रत ाः सन्ताः भजन्नत
सेवन्ते अननय-मनसाः अनन्यशचिााः ज्ञ त्ि भूत ददिं भूतानाां गवयदादीनाां प्रात्तणनाां च आददिं कारणम् अव्ययम् ॥ ९-१३ ॥
mahātmānaḥ tu akṣudracittāḥ mām Īśvaraṁ pārtha daivīṁ dēvānāṁ prakr̥tiṁ

śamadamadayāśraddhādilakṣaṇām āśritāḥ santaḥ bhajanti sēvantē ananya-
manasaḥ ananyacittāḥ jñātvā bhūtādiṁ bhūtānāṁ viyadādīnāṁ prāṇināṁ ca
ādiṁ kāraṇam avyayam|| 9-13 ||
So mahātmānaḥ tu, that tu is to differentiate sakāma bhakta from niṣkāma

bhakta. These mahātmānaḥ akṣudracittāḥ is the meaning of mahātmānaḥ.
Mahā means akṣudram and ātmānaḥ means cittāḥ, those who have got an
expanded broad mind. And broad mind in what? In asking for infinite-things. Here it
is not broad mind for giving, a broad mind for asking for infinite-things. In sakāma-
bhakti ārtaḥ-bhakti and arthārthī-bhakti I ask from the Lord for finite-things. Kr̥ṣṇa
says after all you are asking from God why can't ask for the Infinite? Why this
daridra buddhi? After all you are asking; you go to an emperor and ask for a
pumpkin! So a person asked the Lord give me half a kingdom. After all you are
asking why can't you ask for an empire? So here mahātmānaḥ means those who
know how to ask intelligently. Even if you want to beg, beg intelligently from the
Lord. And what is intelligent-begging? No more parichinna-dharma, no parichinna-
artha, no more parichinna-kāma but I want aparichinna-brahma or mōkṣa. That is
called intelligent-begging. Be a beggar but be an intelligent-beggar. Jijñāsu is an
intelligent-beggar. Therefore mahātmānaḥ. Mām Īśvaram – they ask Me, the Lord,
mām is in the mūlam, is equal to Īśvaram. Pārtha– hē Arjuna, daivīm prakr̥tim
āśritāḥ– they take to daivī-prakr̥ti. To differentiate from the previous three prakr̥tis
rākṣasīm āsurīm mōhinīm prakr̥tim they give up and in that place they take to
daivīm is equal to dēvānām, dēvānām means sattva-guṇa pradhānānām, prakr̥tim
means svabhāva, nature. How do I know whether I am Sattvic or Rajasic?
Śaṅkarācārya gives a clue ask from Bhagavān only these items and he gives the list

śamaḥ, damaḥ, dayā, śraddhā. They are interested in śama, dama. In short,
sādhana catuṣṭaya sampatti they want to expand. And dayā, dayā means
compassion, consideration for others and śraddhā, the most important thing is
śraddhā. Śraddhā in karma-kāṇḍa or jñāna-kāṇḍam? We have got enough śraddhā
in karma-kāṇḍa, that is why we are running from astrologer to astrologer. What we
require is śraddhā in mahāvākyam. When mahāvākyam says aham brahma asmi,
why do I protest? When the karma-kāṇḍa says there is a Bhagavān in vaikuṇṭha
without questioning we have got infinite faith. But when the very same vēda says I
am Brahman, that only I don‟t want to accept. The śraddhā I have in dvaita-vākyam,
the same śraddhā I don‟t have in mahāvākyam. We have got so many intelligent
Shastric excuses, I am not Brahman because I don‟t have sādhana catuṣṭaya
sampatti. Previously we gave worldly-reasons and now we give scriptural-reasons,
some excuse or the other, I don‟t want to accept aham brahma asmi even though
vēdānta says you are Brahman unconditionally. But we want to give conditions and
refuse to take in. Let that lack of faith in mahāvākyam; our problem is we don‟t have
śraddhā in mahā-vākyam. Therefore O Lord increase my śraddhā in aham brahma
asmi vēda vākyam. So śraddhā ādi lakṣaṇām āśritāḥ – taking to these virtues,
bhajanti is in the mūlam, is equal to sēvantē, sēvantē means they worship, they
seek, ananya-manasaḥ in the mūlam, is equal to ananyacittāḥ – without any other
goal in the mind, na vidyatē anyat, that means having mōkṣa as the top priority.
tīvraḥ mumukṣavaḥ santaḥ bhajanti, jñātvā – having known the glory of Īśvara, it
refers to the parōkṣa jñānam, with the parōkṣa-jñānam they work for aparōkṣa-
jñānam, and they have known Īśvara as bhūtādim – having known Īśvara as jagat
kāraṇam, bhūtādim is in the mūlam, is equal to bhūtānām ādim, ādim is equal to
kāraṇam. What is the meaning of the word bhūta? Two meanings are there,
Śaṅkarācārya says both meanings applicable here. One meaning is pañca-bhūtāni, a
very rare place where both meanings are given by Śaṅkarācārya. One meaning is
pañcabhūtāni like viyadādīnām, viyad means ākāśaḥ; ākāśādi pañcabhūtāni which
are acēnam in nature. The second meaning of bhūta is prāṇināṁ ca – all the living-
beings are also called bhūtāni. Prāṇi means living being. In ādhyāmika ādhibhautika
it means prāṇi, ādhidaivika alone refers to pañca-bhūtāni and ādhi-bhautika refers to
bhūta prāṇis only. So prāṇināṁ ca ādim, ādim means kāraṇam. In short, having
known Brahman as jagat kāraṇam they worship, and avyayam, avyayam means
the imperishable one. And the word avyayam is also technically significant. When
you say kāraṇam there are two types of kāraṇams. Changing cause called pariṇāmī
kāraṇam, changeless cause called vivarta kāraṇam. Bhagavān comes under pariṇāmī
kāraṇam or vivarta kāraṇam? He comes under vivarta kāraṇam that is indicated by

the word avyayam, avyayam means changeless or apariṇāmī which means vivarta
kāraṇam.
The anvaya is , hē pārtha ! daivīm prakr̥tim āśritā ḥ mahātmānaḥ tu bhūtādim

avyayam mām jñātvā ananya-manasaḥ (santaḥ) bhajanti |Continuing;
कथम्? ––
katham? ––
Verse 09-14
सततां कीतययन्तो माां यतन्ति रॅढव्रतााः ।
नमस्यन्ति माां भक्तत्या गनत्ययुक्ता उपासते ॥ गीता ९-१४ ॥
satataṁ kīrtayantō māṁ yatantaśca dr̥ḍhavratāḥ |

namasyantaśca māṁ bhaktyā nityayuktā upāsatē || Gītā 9-14 ||
The varieties of spiritual sādhanas are enumerated here. Remember after becoming
a jijñāsu bhakta also kāyika vācika karmāṇi will continue. As an ārta bhakta and
arthārthī bhakta I did pūjā before and after becoming jijñāsu-bhakta also I have to
continue the pūjā, previously it was sakāma-pūjā and later it became niṣkāma-pūjā.
And therefore Kr̥ṣṇa talks about the varieties of niṣkāma-karmāṇi. And niṣkāma-
kāyika-vācika-karmāṇi are mentioned in the fourteenth ślōka and the niṣkāma-
mānasa-karmāṇi is mentioned in the fifteenth ślōka. That is why Śaṅkarācārya
introduces as katham? – how? Now we will read the bhāṣyam.
सततं सवयदा भगवन्तां ब्रह्मस्वरूपां म ंकीतथयनताः, यतनताः च इद्धन्िय-उपसांहार-िम-दम-दया-अतहिंसा-आदद-लक्णैाः धमवाः

प्रयतन्ताः च, दृढ-व्रत ाः रॅढां ञ्स्थरम् अचाचचल्यां व्रतां येषाां ते रॅढव्रतााः नमस्यनताः च म ं हृदयेियम् आत्मानां भक्तत्य वनत्य-
युक्त ाः सन्ताः उप सते सेवन्ते ॥ ९-१४ ॥
satataṁ sarvadā bhagavantaṁ brahmasvarūpaṁ māṁkīrtayantaḥ, yatantaḥ ca

indriya-upasaṁhāra-śama-dama-dayā-ahiṁsā-ādi-lakṣaṇaiḥ dharmaiḥ
prayatantaḥ ca, dr̥ḍha-vratāḥ dr̥ḍhaṁ sthiram acāñcalyaṁ vrataṁ yēṣāṁ tē
dr̥ḍhavratāḥ namasyantaḥ ca māṁ hr̥dayēśayam ātmānaṁ bhaktyānitya-yuktāḥ
santaḥ upāsatēsēvantē || 9-14 ||
satatam kīrtayantaḥ is in the mūlam, satatam means sarvadā– all the time, all
the time means as much as possible. That is why in Vedic culture religious life is not
confined to a particular day or a particular time, religious life is throughout.


Every moment is religious life. Therefore satataṁ sarvadā. Then mām is there, is
equal to bhagavantaṁ brahmasvarūpam – the Lord who is of the nature of
Brahman. And what type of Brahman? We should add saguṇa-nirguṇa-
brahmasvarūpam, Īśvara is the mixture of both and the bhakta worships the mixture
Īśvara. How? kīrtayantaḥ, kīrtanam is one of the methods. That is how divya
nāmasaṅkīrtanam etc., are very much accepted by the Vedic tradition. Kalau
kalmaṣa cittānām all those bhajana ślōkas are wonderful and that these divya
nāmasaṅkīrtanams for growing, and even in TV those kīrtanams are coming, bhajan
sāmrāṭ is a popular program in Shankar TV all of them are expanding, it is
wonderful, Vedantin is never against those kīrtanams, but where we want to make
note is use those kīrtanam for a greater goal. Let it be niṣkāma kīrtanam number
one, and the second more important thing you have to note is never tell kīrtanam
itself will give mōkṣa, that is a wrong message, people will permanently remain in
kīrtanam. We have to advise them to go to kīrtanam at the same time attend the
classes also. What we want to say is be inclusive. Class is also required, kīrtanam is
also required, exclusive kīrtanam is a problem, exclusive class is also problem
because sādhana catuṣṭaya sampatti will be incomplete without going through a
religious life. Therefore judicious mixture is what we prescribe. Therefore
kīrtayantaḥ divya nāmasaṅkīrtanam, we have got bhajana sampradāya, very very
beautiful sampradāya, enjoyable sampradāya, śivarātri vaikuṇṭha ēkādaśi if you want
to keep awake in meditation it is a big problem, because night twelve o‟clock
meditation will end up in snoring. Whereas throughout the night pradakṣiṇam, divya
nāma keeping awake will not be a problem at all. Thus we have got our own rock
music, divya nāmasaṅkīrtanam is the best rock for kaliyuga. Enjoy harē rāma harē
rāma. Very very important. So Harē Kr̥ṣṇa people are welcome, it is very beautiful.
So kīrtayantaḥ and yatantaḥ ca – and parallelly one should work for the following
qualification. What are they? Indriya-upasaṁhāra – reduce your addiction to sense
pleasures, immoral-sense pleasures must be immediately given up, legitimate sense
pleasures must be in moderation. Illegitimate-sense-pleasure should be immediately
rejected and legitimate sense pleasures moderation is indriya-upasaṁhāra.
Then śama, we have seen this in the previous ślōka, dama representing sādhana
catuṣṭaya sampatti, I am not translating śama and dama deliberately. Dayā, dayā
means compassion. How much importance is given to compassion! Then comes
ahiṁsā-ādi-lakṣaṇaiḥ is there, you have to very carefully split. It is consequence,

where there is dayā ahiṁsā is natural. Dayā is at the manō-level and ahiṁsā is at
the vācika and kāyika level. Ādi means all the other virtues amānitvam,
adambhitvam etc., all of them you have to include. Dharmaiḥ– dharmaḥ means
virtues. So by nourishing all these virtues prayatantaḥ– they work in mōkṣa mārga,
virtues are non-separable part of spiritual path. Then dr̥ḍha-vratāḥ is in the
mūlam, is equal to dr̥ ḍhaṁ vrataṁ yēṣāṁ tē – they have got a strong resolve, every
virtue they follow with a vratam, I am going to practice gentle speaking for one
week, not using rude words, swearing words etc. I take a vow. And as even I take a
vow I decide the punishment for violation also. If I violate I am going to fast for a
day, if I violate I am not going to take morning coffee, each one has got each thing.
I forgo a comfort for violation, that is called vratam. For every week one vratam
along with a relevant punishment also. One week one virtue. I have talked about
this in my Ten Commandments Of Hinduism, how to take a vow and practice every
virtue. Because violation must hurt me; then only I will think twice when I violate
next time. I don‟t know when Bhagavān will punish, therefore I should give
punishment like Gandhiji, he fasted whenever he felt that he has deviated from his
own path . Thus self -punishment I should inflict , that is called dr̥ ḍhavratam.
Therefore dr̥ḍham is equal to sthiram is equal to acāñcalyam.
Then kīrtayantaḥ is vācika karma, now comes kāyika namasyantaḥca –

namaskāram kurvantaḥ, as often as possible do namaskāra. In our culture any elder
you do namaskāra. Morning starts with namaskāra to our parents or parents photo.
So thus any opportunity sāṣṭāṅga namaskāra, two-fold benefit – ego will come down
and the second benefit is cholesterol also will come down, do as many sāṣṭāṅga
namaskāra as possible or ladies pañcāṅga namaskāras, let all the limbs touch the
ground so that you will get some back exercise also. mām – the Lord. And what
type of Lord? Kr̥ṣṇa says mām.
Śaṅkarācārya says the Lord who is in your own heart , hr̥dayēśayam – one who
resides in your heart, ātmānam – in the form of the very ātmā. Śaṅkarācārya can
never forget mahāvākyam. Dayānanda Svāmiji says a good Vedantic teacher is one
who never forgets mahāvākyam, wherever opportunity he squeezes in. And he gives
a peculiar example, a vulture which flies so much high above, but a small rat which
is running it can watch and it will go round and round and round and it will gradually
come down and in one swoop it will just take its prey. So like vulture a guru goes
round and round in the class, and whenever opportunity comes he introduces the
mahāvākyam. Śaṅkarācārya does that. Īśvara is not outside localized person, He is
the very ātmā within. Bhaktyā– with bhakti he does namaskāram. What bhakti? Not

ārtaḥ-bhakti, arthārthī-bhakti. At the time namaskāra don‟t think of family members,

at the time of namaskāra sarvē bhavantu sukhinaḥ expand your heart. Let
everybody get the benefit of your namaskāra. nitya-yuktāḥ santaḥ– with eternal
steadfastness, commitment. Like vulture, whatever it does, in fact that is the
significance of the pradakṣiṇam also. What is the significance and symbolism of
pradakṣiṇam? prakarṣēṇa Īśvaram dakṣiṇataḥ kr̥tvā gamanam pradak ṣiṇam. You
keep Bhagavān on your right hand side and you go or move, but wherever you
move on your right side Bhagavān is there. That means your motion will be always
Īśvara-centric. Prakarṣēṇa Īśvaram dakṣiṇataḥ kr̥tvā gamanam pr adakṣiṇam. And
that is the input I give, when I come out of the temple also I may be moving all over
but movements are Īśvara centric and I never forget the Lord in my right hand side,
mentally. Ok, nitya-yuktāḥ santaḥ upāsatē – they worship the Lord.
The anvaya is , dr̥ḍha-vratāḥ nitya-yuktāḥ ca (tē) satatam yatantaḥ, kīrtayantaḥ,

bhaktyā mām namasyantaḥ ca (santaḥ) mām upāsatē|

Page 234, Verse 14

सततां कीतययन्तो माां यतन्ति रॅढव्रतााः ।
नमस्यन्ति माां भक्तत्या गनत्ययुक्ता उपासते ॥ गीता ९-१४ ॥
satataṁ kīrtayantō māṁ yatantaśca dr̥ḍhavratāḥ |

namasyantaśca māṁ bhaktyā nityayuktā upāsatē || Gītā 9-14 ||
From the thirteenth verse onwards Lord Kr̥ṣṇa is glorifying jijñāsu-bhakta and
jijñāsu-bhakti after criticizing ārta-bhaktas and arthārthī-bhaktas and abhaktas. All
these three are criticized in the twelfth verse and from the thirteenth jijñāsu-bhakta
is glorified. And depending upon the level of his spirituality a jijñāsu-bhakta is either
engaged in karma-yōga or upāsana-yōga or jñāna-yōga. All these three yōgas
belong to jijñāsu-bhakta only. All these three yōgas are non-relevant to ārta-bhaktas
and arthārthī-bhaktas and also to jñāni-bhakta. And therefore in the fourteenth
verse Kr̥ṣṇa talked about karma-yōga led by a jijñāsu-bhakta taking to both kāyika-
karmāṇi and vācika-karmāṇi. satatam-kīrtayantaḥ refers to vācika-karmāṇi, vocal
karma and namasyantaḥ ca mām bhaktyā refers to kāyika-karmāṇi and dr̥ ḍha-vratāḥ
indicates it is jijñāsu-bhakti. Because kāyika-karma and vācika-karma he prays only
for sādhana catuṣṭaya sampatti and nothing else. And after talking about karma-
yōga in the fourteenth verse in the fifteenth verse Kr̥ṣṇa will refer to about upāsana-
yōga and jñāna-yōga practiced by the next level of jijñāsu-bhakta. We completed
the bhāṣyam of the fourteenth verse, now we have to enter the introduction to the
fifteenth.

ते केन केन प्रकारेण उपासते इगत उच्यते ––
tē kēna kēna prakārēṇa upāsatē iti ucyatē––
tē means jijñāsu bhaktāḥ, upāsatē– they worship or seek Bhagavān, kēna kēna
prakārēṇa – through what all methods they worship or invoke Bhagavān, iti ucyatē–
is described in the following ślōka.

Verse 09-15
ज्ञानयज्ञेन चाप्यन्ये यजन्तो मामुपासते ।
एकत्वेन पृथक्तत्वेन बहुधा गवश्वतोमुखम् ॥ गीता ९-१५ ॥
jñānayajñēna cāpyanyē yajantō māmupāsatē |

ēkatvēna pr̥thaktvēna bahudhā viśvatōmukham || Gītā 9-15 ||
In this beautiful ślōka, Kr̥ṣṇa talks about ēkarūpa-Īśvara-upāsana, viśvarūpa-Īśvara

upāsana, and arūpa-Īśvara-nididhyāsanam. So ēkarūpa-dhyānam, anēka-rūpa-
dhyānam and arūpa-dhyānam, all the three are talked about. The first two come
under upāsana and the third one comes under nididhyāsanam. All are different types
of bhakti only. This is the essence of this ślōka and we will go to the bhāṣyam.
ज्ञ न-यज्ञेन– ज्ञानम् एव भगवगद्वषयां यज्ञाः । तेन ज्ञानयज्ञेन, यजनताः पूजयन्ताः म म् ईश्वरां च अवपअनये अन्याम् उपासनाां
पररत्यज्ज्य उप सते । तत् च ज्ञानम् –– एकत्िेन ‘एकम् एव परां ब्रह्म’ इगत परमाथयदियनेन यजन्ताः उपासते ।
jñāna-yajñēna – jñānam ēva bhagavadviṣayaṁ yajñaḥ | tēna jñānayajñēna,

yajantaḥ pūjayantaḥ mām Īśvaraṁ ca api anyēanyām upāsanāṁ parityajya
upāsatē| tat ca jñānam –– ēkatvēna „ēkam ēva paraṁ brahma‟ iti
paramārthadarśanēna yajantaḥ upāsatē |
First Kr̥ṣṇa talks about nididhyāsana rūpa abhēda-jñānam. Jñāna-yajñēna is in the

mūlam, jñānam ēva Bhagavad-viṣayaṁ-yajñaḥ. So Bhagavad-viṣayam should be an
adjective to jñānam. So you have to read it first. Bhagavad-viṣayaṁ-jñānam ēva
yajñaḥ – the highest level of seekers have given up or reduced all the kāyika-
karmāṇi, perhaps they have taken even sanyāsa-āśrama, therefore kāyika-karmas
like rituals etc., they have dropped totally and even saguṇa-sabhēda upāsanas they
have dropped, and now they are focusing on abhēda-śravaṇa-manana and
nididhyāsanam. This very scriptural enquiry is the form of pūjā they practice. In fact
in the eighteenth chapter of Gītā Kr̥ṣṇa says the very study of Gītā is a form of pūjā
by which I feel I am worshipped. Jñānayajñēna tēnāhamiṣṭaḥ syāmiti mē matiḥ ||
Gītā 18-70 || What is that pūjā ? śraddhāvānanasūyaśca śr̥ ṇuyādapi yō naraḥ || Gītā
18-71 || Even the study of Gītā even though no flower is involved, arghyam
samarpayāmi, ācamanīyam samarpayāmi all these are not involved but enquiry into
scriptures is a form of pūjā. Not only a form of pūjā in the fourth chapter Kr̥ṣṇa says
that is the highest form of pūjā, śrēyāndravyamayādyajñājjñānayajñaḥ parantapa ||
Gītā 4-33 || Compared to the ritualistic pūjā enquiry pūjā is the greatest because
that alone directly leads to liberation. But very careful that doesn‟t mean we are
condemning the rituals, immediately we should not swing to the other extreme that
therefore we hate rituals, we don‟t do pūjā etc. That is not the aim. Rituals are
important for cittaśuddhi but jñāna-yajña is also a form of a pūjā only. Therefore

Bhagavad-viṣayaṁ jñānam. And Bhagavad-viṣayaṁ-jñānam means enquiry into the

nature of God. What type of God? We should note both aparā-prakr̥ti Bhagavān as
well as parā-prakr̥ti Bhagav ān, Saguṇa-Bhagavān‟s enquiry alone is not enough,
nirguṇa Bhagavān‟s enquiry is equally or more important than saguṇa. So saguṇa-
nirguṇa Bhagavad-viṣayaṁ jñānam. After yajñaḥ put a full stop. tēna jñāna-yajñēna
– by practice that jñāna-yajña consisting of śravaṇam, mananam and
nidhidhyāsanam; yajantaḥ– some jijñāsu-bhaktas worship means, yajantaḥ is in
the mūlam, is equal to pūjayantaḥ, and mām Īśvaram, mām is in the mūlam, is
equal to Īśvaram. Ca api, ca api is to include the previous types of sādhanas also.
So in addition to kāyika vācika pūjās or karmas they practice mānasa karmas also.
Who? Anyē – some other jijñāsu-bhaktas. And how do they practice? anyām
upāsanāṁ parityajya – having renounced all the other forms of upāsana. What do
you mean by other forms of upāsana? upāsanas are divided into two types, one is
samaṣṭi-Īśvara-upāsana and the other is vyaṣṭi-dēvatā-upāsana. There are so many
dēvatās presiding over every sense organ. When I have got some eye problem I do
sūrya-upāsana for the sake of curing the eye disease and this comes under vyaṣṭi
dēvatā upāsana. Similarly, for some other problem I meditate upon some other
dēvatā that also will come under vyaṣṭi dēvatā upāsana. After coming to jijñāsu-
bhakti I give up all vyaṣṭi dēvatā upāsana, including navagraha-dēvatā-upāsana, I
worship only the samaṣṭi-Īśvara. In Vicārah Sāgara all the vyaṣṭi-dēvatās are called
kārya brahmāṇi and samaṣṭi dēvatā is called kāraṇam-brahma. So kārya-brahmas
are many and kāraṇa-brahma is only one. Here Īśvara in this ślōka refers to
kāraṇam brahma. Anyām upāsanām means kārya dēvatā upāsanāṁ parityajya,
upāsatē. And for saṁskr̥ta students upāsatē is plural number, not singular.
Singular is upāstē. And tat ca jñānam, what is that jñāna=yajña? Ēkatvēna
yajantaḥ upāsatē – in this jñāna=yajña they don‟t preserve bhēda bhāvanā, they
don‟t preserve dāsō:'ham bhāvanā. So they remove the dā and they have only
sō:'ham bhāvanā. dēhō dēvālayaḥ prōktaḥ jīvō dēvassanātanaḥ |
tyajēdajñānanirmālyaṁ sō:'haṁ bhāvēna pūjayēt ||
And therefore ēkatvēna means abhēda rūpēṇa; itthambhāvē tr̥tīyā . And that is
explained within inverted commas „ēkam ēva paraṁ brahma‟iti paramārthadarśanēna
– by entertaining the vision of right knowledge, paramārtha-darśanam means satya
darśanam, satya darśanam means right vision, samyag-darśanam. What is the right
vision? „ēkam ēva paraṁ brahma‟– there is only on Brahman which is Myself. There
is only one Brahman which is myself, I alone with my māyā-śakti am appearing in
the form of jīva also, I alone am appearing as jagat also, I alone am appearing as

Īśvara also. Jīva-jagat-Īśvara are three vyāvahārika vēṣams of I, the pāramārthikam

brahma. This darśanam is called paramārtha-darśanam. yajantaḥ– they worship the
Lord in this fashion. Bhagavān is happy because Bhagavān wants every jīva to claim
this fact, therefore yajantaḥ. Worshipping Bhagavān with abhēda-bhāvanā, upāsatē–
they practice this upāsana. Of course there are two things, there is abhēda-upāsana
also and abhēda-nididhyāsanam also. We should note the difference between the
abhēda-upāsana and abhēda-nididhyāsanam. All these are supposed to be known to
you, you should not stare at me, all these we have seen several times before.
Abhēda-upāsana is I am ignorant of vēdānta, but instead of invoking the Lord on
any other object, I choose to invoke the Lord upon myself. And this invocation is not
jñānam but visualization. If I can visualize a stone as Viṣṇu or Śiva, I am slightly
better than stone. So what is wrong in visualizing or invoking Bhagavān upon me? I
don‟t claim I am Bhagavān, but imagine I am Bhagavān. This is called atasmin tat
buddhiḥ abhēda-upāsanam otherwise called ahaṅgraha upāsanam. I have talked
about this in Taittirīya Śīkṣāvallī. Abhēda-upāsanam. In daily sandhyāvandanam
abhēda upāsanam is prescribed, asau ādityō brahma, brahmaiva aham asmi, the
seven year old child who doesn‟t know what vēdānta is, he touches his heart and
says brahmaiva aham asmi. And then in daily snānam he has to chant aghamarṣaṇa
sūktam, in that he has to chant ahamasmi brahma ahamasmi yō:'hamasmi brahma
ahamasmi. This all will come under abhēda-upāsanam.
And after practicing abhēda-upāsanam for getting sādhana catuṣṭaya sampatti, then
you have to go through śravaṇam and mananam, after śravaṇam and mananam
aham brahma asmi is no more an imagination, aham brahma asmi is a fact for me.
And when I dwell upon the fact in the form of aham brahma asmi, then it is not
called abhēda-upāsanam, but it is called abhēda-nididhyāsanam.
Śravaṇāt-pūrvam abhēda-upāsanam, śravaṇāt-anantaram abhēda-nididhyāsanam.

Then naturally the question comes, in the fifteenth verse the word ēkatvēna upāsatē
is there. This ēkatvēna upāsatē refers to abhēda-upāsanam or abhēda-
nididhyāsanam? See how you can take anything for enquiry. Madhusūdana Sarasvatī
has taken it as abhēda-upāsanam based on the word upāsatē. Whereas
Śaṅkarācārya is taking it as abhēda-nididhyāsanam or jñānam. How do you know?
How do you whether it is upāsanam or nididhyāsanam? Śaṅkarācārya uses the word
paramārtha darśanēna. Upāsanam doesn‟t come under paramārtha darśanam
because upāsanam is imagination, imagination is never factual. Isn‟t it correct?
Imagination is always; imagine I am rich, that means I am poor. The very fact
Śaṅkarācārya uses the word paramārtha darśanam indicates here the word

ēkatvēna is not abhēda upāsanam but abhēda-nididhyāsanam only. Then the next
question is whether Śaṅkarācārya is correct or Madhusūdana Sarasvatī is correct.
There is another commentator who always compares Śaṅkarācārya‟s Gītā bhāṣyam
and Madhusūdana Sarasvatī‟s Gītā bhāṣyam wherever they differ. His job is
comparative study only. Wherever there is a difference he strongly criticizes
Madhusūdana Sarasvatī, and says who are you to differ from my Śaṅkarācārya,
Śaṅkarācārya is the greatest. Therefore he blasts. Here also Dhanapati Sūri is the
name of the commentator Bhāṣyōtkarṣa Dīpikā is his commentary. He says here it
should be abhēda-jñānam only because the word jñāna-yajñaḥ is explicitly used.
When the word jñāna-yajñam is used why are you taking it as imagination, jñānam
means fact only. These are all the aside enquires of Gītā; I gave you a taste.
Continuing;
केशचत् च पृथक्तत्िेन आददत्यचन्िाददभेदेन ‘साः एव भगवान् गवष्णुाः आददत्याददरूपेण अवञ्स्थताः’ इगत उपासते ।
kēcit ca pr̥thaktvēnaādityacandrādibhēdēna „saḥ ēva Bhagavān

viṣṇuḥādityādirūpēṇa avasthitaḥ‟ iti upāsatē |
There are some others who are not ready for nirguṇa abhēda jñānam and
nididhyāsanam. Therefore they say we are at the level of bhēda upāsanam only.
Therefore they invoke kāraṇam brahma Īśvara upon various dēvatās and practice
meditation. Therefore kēcit ca. And jñāna-yajñēna refers to uttama adhikāriṇaḥ,
whereas this kēcit refers to non-uttama adhikāris, manda madhyama adhikāriṇaḥ.
What do they do? pr̥thaktvēna upāsatē– they retain jīva Īśvara bhēda, they love
dāsō:'ham bhāvanā, they don‟t have the courage to drop the dā; not easy.
pr̥thaktvēna means in the form of Sūrya dēvatā, in the form of candra dēvatā etc.
But there also we have a subtle difference. This is also an important point we should
note. When we are worshiping Sūrya during sandhyāvandanam, we make a question
are you meditating upon sūrya dēvatā as a kārya-Brahman or kāraṇa-Brahman.
Because sūrya dēvatā is a symbol and it can symbolize a vyaṣṭi-kārya-dēvatā
presiding over only cakṣuḥ, cakṣuḥ-adhiṣṭhāna dēvatā-sūryaḥ, thus I can invoke
kārya paricchinnam brahma upon sūrya, or I can invoke upon the very same sūrya
the kāraṇa samaṣṭi Īśvara also. Therefore sūryōpāsanam can be kārya-brahma-
upāsanam or kāraṇa-brahma-upāsanam. When I am interested only benefiting in the
form of better eyesight, I will do kārya brahma-upāsanam but when I am a jijñāsu-
bhakta I am interested in jñānam and mōkṣa and therefore kāraṇa-prapañca
upāsanam. Thus sūrya can be kārya or kāraṇa brahma. Now the next question is in
sandhyāvandanam what are we doing. What is the prescription of the śāstra. For
that we have to remember sandhyāvandana upasthāna ślōkas. Those people who

are still by mistake also following sandhyāvandanam, there is a beautiful ślōka.

dhyēyaḥ sadā savitr̥ma ṇḍalamadhyavartī nārāyaṇaḥ sarasijāsanasaṁniviṣṭaḥ | So I
am invoking nārāyaṇaḥ, nārāyaṇaḥ means kāraṇam brahma only. There is another
beautiful prayer sūryaṁ sundara lōkanāthamamr̥ta ṁ vēdāntasāraṁśivam jñānaṁ
brahmamayaṁ surēśamamalaṁ lōkaikacittaṁ svayam || indrāditya narādhipaṁ
suraguruṁ trailōkyacūḍāmaṇim brahmā viṣṇu śiva svarūpa hr̥daya ṁ vandē sadā
bhāskaram ||
Viṣṇu brahma śiva svarūpam, trimūrti svarūpa sūrya Bhagavān. Therefore it is

kāraṇam brahma upāsana. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya adds a note saḥēva Bhagavān
viṣṇuḥkāraṇa brahma rūpēṇa upon āditya candra etc. The quotation is from saḥ ēva
Bhagavān onwards up to avasthitaḥ. So they do kāraṇa-brahma-upāsana on various
ālambanams. Even in pañcāyatana pūjā also, iṣṭa=dēvatā pūjā also, in nitya pūjā we
are supposed to invoke only kāraṇam-brahma and not kāryam-brahma. avasthitaḥ iti
upāsatē this is one group. Then the next group:
केशचत् बहुधा अवञ्स्थताः ‘साः एव भगवान् सवयतोमुखाः गवश्वतोमुखाः गवश्वरूपाः’ इगत तां गवश्वरूपां सवयतोमुखां बहुध
बहुप्रकारेण उपासते ॥ ९-१५ ॥
kēcit bahudhā avasthitaḥ„saḥēva Bhagavān sarvatōmukhaḥ viśvatōmukhaḥ

viśvarūpaḥ‟ iti taṁ viśvarūpaṁ sarvatōmukhaṁbahudhābahuprakārēṇa upāsatē
|| 9-15 ||
Now Śaṅkarācārya comes to the last part of the ślōka bahudhāviśvatōmukham.

So ēkatvēna is arūpa-Īśvara-dhyānam, pr̥thaktvēna is ēkarūpa-Īśvara-dhyānam,
viśvatōmukham means viśvarūpa Īśvara dhyānam. Ēka-rūpam, anēka-rūpam,
arūpam all these three are packaged in this one ślōka. So kēcit – some other jijñāsu
bhaktas, bahudhā is in the mūlam and we have to supply the word avasthitaḥ–
present in manifold form is Īśvara. Who is present in manifold form? Saḥ ēva
Bhagavān – that very same Bhagavān who is symbolized as viṣṇu, that finite
śāntākāram bhujagaśayanam is only symbolic, Bhagavān doesn‟t have one form
only, all the forms are Bhagavān‟s form. That is why we have bhūḥ pādau yasya
nābhir-viyadasu-ranila, antaḥstham yasya viśvam
suranarakhagagōbhōgigandharvadaityaiḥ || viṣṇu sahasranāma stōtram || all of
them are Bhagavān. So sarvatōmukhaḥ is equal to viśvatōmukhaḥ, viśvatōmukhaḥ is
equal to viśvarūpaḥ. So from saḥēva onwards up to viśvarūpaḥ is within inverted
commas. This is the thinking of jijñāsu-bhakta. So with this thought taṁ viśvarūpaṁ
sarvatōmukhaṁ bahudhā upāsatē, bahudhā is equal to bahuprakārēṇa. So
bahudhā is said in the first line of the paragraph, the meaning is given in the third
line, bahudhā is equal to bahuprakārēṇa, in manifold forms he worships the Lord.

jagataḥīśadhī yukta sēvanam | aṣṭamūrtibhr̥t dēvapūjanam || Upadēśa sāram 5 ||

And who is the aṣṭamūrti Īśvara? In Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti ślōka we are regularly
chanting, bhūrambhāṁsyanalō:'nilōmbaramaharnāthō himāṁśuḥ pumān ityābhāti
carācarātmakamidam yasyaiva mūrtyaṣṭakam || Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti stōtram 9 ||
pañcabhūtas are five components of aṣṭamūrti, then sūryaḥ representing all the
stars is the sixth component, candraḥ representing all the planet and satellites is the
seventh component, all the living beings put together jīvaḥ is the eighth component;
so five plus two plus one jīvaḥ iti aṣṭamūrti. ityābhāti carācarātmakamidaṁ yasyaiva
mūrtyaṣṭakam | nānyatkiñcana vidyatē vimr̥śatā ṁ yasmātparasmāt vibhōḥ tasmai
śrīgurumūrtayē nama idaṁśrīdakṣiṇāmūrtayē || Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti stōtram 9 || Some
people practice aṣṭamūrti Īśvara upāsanam. All these come under jijñāsu-bhaktas.
The anvaya is, anyē ca api jñānayajñēna yajantaḥ (santaḥ) mām upāsatē | (tē)
ēkatvēna, pr̥thaktvēna (ca upāsatē), bahudhā viśvatōmukham (ca upāsatē) |
Continuing;
Verse 09-16Introduction;
यदद बहुत्तभाः प्रकारैाः उपासते, कथां त्वाम् एव उपासते इगत, अताः आह ––
yadi bahubhiḥ prakāraiḥ upāsatē, kathaṁ tvām ēva upāsatē iti, ataḥāha ––
In the following ślōkas sixteen to nineteen, Kr̥ṣṇa is describing viśvarūpa-Īśvara.

Throughout the Gītā we find Kr̥ṣṇa recommends viśva-rūpa-Īśvara as the ideal form
of saguṇa-Īśvara. He doesn‟t talk much about iṣṭa-dēvatā-upāsana, that is why
description of the physical body of the Lord we don‟t find in the Gītā. In the
bhāgavatam alone you will find in several places Kr̥ṣṇa is described as a person. The
beauty of the beautiful dark hair, agrē paśyāmi tējō nibiḍatarakalāyāvalīlōbhanīyam
|| Nārāyaṇīyam 1001|| onwards kēśādi pādānta varṇana stōtram, padādi kēśānta
varṇana stōtram this is one type of upāsana. Śaṅkarācārya has written many kēśādi
pādānta varṇanam. For Viṣṇu Himself he has written two, one kēśādi pādānta and
another padādi kēśānta. But this iṣṭa-dēvatā-upāsanam in which you emotionally
appreciate Bhagavān‟s physical features, Bhagavad Gītā doesn‟t dwell on that topic.
In the entire eighteenth chapter nowhere you will find the description of physical
beauty of Kr̥ṣṇa; Kr̥ṣṇa wants us to transcend that particular form. And we are
supposed to appreciate physical beauty of Bhagavān in the form of every flower,
every star, every person, everything that I see. So Bhagavad-Gītā focuses on
viśvarūpa-Īśvara-bhakti. Therefore Kr̥ṣṇa gets an opportunity and therefore from
sixteenth to nineteenth verses Kr̥ṣṇa says I am everything. And since I am

everything you can invoke Me in any blessed thing. And therefore Śaṅkarācārya
raises this question yadi bahubhiḥ prakāraiḥ upāsatē – suppose the jijñāsu-bhaktas
are practicing āditya-upāsana, candra-upāsana etc., kathaṁ tvām ēva upāsatē– how
can it become Viṣṇu-upāsana? Āditya-upāsana is āditya-upāsana, candra-upāsana is
candra-upāsana. If they are practicing various upāsanas , pr̥thaktvēna (that is based
on the word pr̥thaktvēna ) in the form of sūrya, candra, etc., they meditate, sūrya-
upāsana should be called sūrya-upāsana, how can you call it viṣṇu upāsana?
Because Kr̥ṣṇa says mām upāsatē. Therefore the question is hē Kr̥ṣṇa! how can
sūrya upāsana become Your upāsana? How can candra-upāsana become Your
upāsana? You are Kr̥ṣṇa, sūrya is sūrya, candra is candra, how can it be Your
upāsana? For that Kr̥ṣṇa says I am not Mr. Kr̥ṣṇa, this is only māyā mānuṣa vēṣaḥ, I
am really in the form of every blessed thing, and therefore any upāsana is My
upāsana only. Tamilnadu-upāsana is also India-upāsana, Maharashtra-upāsana is
India-upāsana alone, vyaṣṭi is included in samaṣṭi. So that is going to be the answer.
अताः आह.
ataḥ āha.
Verse 09-16
अहां क्रतुरहां यज्ञाः स्वधाहमहमौषधम् ।
मन्त्रोऽहमहमेवाज्ज्यमहमग्ननरहां हुतम् ॥ गीता ९-१६ ॥
ahaṁ kraturahaṁ yajñaḥ svadhāhamahamauṣadham |

mantrō:'hamahamēvājyamahamagnirahaṁ hutam || Gītā 9-16 ||
The essence of this ślōka is very simple „I am everything‟. The word aham is
repeated several times to show that I-am-kratuḥ, I-am-yajñaḥ, aham-auṣadham,
aham-mantraḥ, aham-ājyam, aham-agniḥ, in short, I am everything. We will go to
the bhāṣyam.
अहं क्रतुाः श्रौतकमयभेदाः अहम् एव । अहं यज्ञाः स्मातयाः । गकचच स्िध अन्नम् अहम्, गपतृभ्याः यत् दीयते । अहम्
औषधं– सवयप्रात्तणत्तभाः यत् अद्यते तत् औषध िब्दवाच्यम्।
ahaṁ kratuḥśrautakarmabhēdaḥ aham ēva | ahaṁ yajñaḥsmārtaḥ | kiñca

svadhā annam aham, pitr̥bhyaḥ yat dīyatē | aham auṣadhaṁ – sarvaprāṇibhiḥ
yat adyatē tat auṣadhaśabdavācyam |
ahaṁ kratuḥ is equal to śrauta-karma bhēdaḥ aham ēva. Here the word kratuḥ
means any Vedic ritual, śrauta-karma means any ritual prescribed by the vēda.
bhēdaḥ means any variety, here bhēdaḥ should not be translated as difference.
bhēdaḥ must be translated as any variety of Vedic ritual including

sandhyāvandanam, agnihōtram etc. will come under śrauta-karma. Then ahaṁ

yajñaḥ. In this context, yajñaḥ means smārtaḥ – any ritual prescribed by smr̥tis .
Any non-Vedic scripture is called smr̥ti like aupāsanam is considered to be smārta -
karma. And daily pañcāyatana pūjā will come under not śrauta karma but it will
come under smārta-karma only. Therefore non-Vedic rituals also I am. kiñca
svadhā, Śaṅkarācārya gives two meanings for the word svadhā. The first meaning
is annamayat pitr̥bhyaḥ dīyatē. You have to change the order. yat annam pitr̥bhyaḥ
dīyatē is the order. Whatever piṇḍam is offered to the ancestors or forefathers at the
time of śrāddham etc. During the ancestral rites when we make a ball out of rice
called piṇḍam and when it is offered is called svadhā. That is why they say when
you are regularly eating you are not supposed to make a ball out of it and eat. This
is generally given to those who are dead and gone. Fortunately or unfortunately you
are live, therefore don‟t take piṇḍam now itself. Therefore piṇḍa-annam is generally
offered to the departed souls. Some people like to eat the rice balls along with
pickle; we are not supposed to do that. So yat annam pitr̥bhyaḥ dīyatētat svadhā
and that svadhā aham ēva. Then the next word is auṣadham, here for the word
auṣadham he gives a contextual meaning and not the regular meaning. Contextual
meaning is any food that the living beings consume is auṣadham. svadhā is the
food consumed by the departed souls whereas auṣadham is the food taken by the
living souls. One for the departed ones and the other for departing ones. We have to
arrange it properly. yat annam sarvaprāṇibhiḥ adyatē – which is consumed by all the
living beings tat auṣadhaśabdavācyam. After aham auṣadhaṁ you have to put an
en dash.
अथवा स्वधा इगत सवयप्रात्तणसाधारणम् अन्नम्। औषधम् इगत व्याध्युपिमाथं भेषजम् ।
athavā svadhā iti sarvaprāṇisādhāraṇam annam| auṣadham iti

vyādhyupaśamārthaṁ bhēṣajam |
Now he wants to give a second meaning for both the words svadhā and
auṣadham. Athavā– otherwise, svadhā iti sarva-prāṇi-sādhāraṇam-annam – the
word svadhā can be taken as the food taken by all the living beings not by the
ancestors. We don‟t bring in piṇḍam here . So what will happen to the ancestors ?
They will be left out , if you ask . In smārta yajñas pitr̥ karmas are alrea dy included
therefore we need not deal that meaning. Therefore the second meaning is any food
consumed by living beings is called svadhā. Therefore he says
sarvaprāṇisādhāraṇam annamsvadhā iti ucyatē. Then what will happen to
auṣadham. The word auṣadham must be given a different meaning. He says
auṣadham iti vyādhyupaśamārtha whatever we consume not regularly but whenever

we are sick, the medicine that we consume for curing the diseases. Vyādhi
upaśamaḥ means curing the disease, whatever we consume that is called auṣadham.
Any way whatever meaning you give it doesn‟t matter, because everything is
Bhagavān. Continuing;
मनत्राः अहम्, येन गपतृभ्याः दे वताभ्याः चहगवाः दीयते । अहम् एि आज्यं हगवाः च । अहम् अन््नाः, यस्स्मन् हूयते साः अग्ननाः
अहम् एव । अहं हुतं हवनकमय च ॥ ९-१६ ॥
mantraḥ aham, yēna pitr̥bhyaḥ dēvatābhyaḥ ca haviḥ dīyatē | aham ēva

ājyaṁhaviḥ ca | aham agniḥ, yasmin hūyatē saḥ agniḥ aham ēva | ahaṁ
hutaṁhavanakarma ca || 9-16 ||
mantraḥ aham. What type of mantra ? yēna pitr̥bhya ḥ haviḥ dīyatē. yēna means
chanting which, by employing which mantra, yēna mantrēṇa, haviḥ dīyatē – various
offerings are made . To whom? pitr̥bhyaḥ dēvatābhyaḥ ca – for offering to the pitr̥s
also we have to chant mantras, for offering to the dēvatās also we have to chant
mantras. Thus mantra is common in all the vaidika-karmas, that mantra I am. So
here we are not talking to dēvatās, we are not talking about the offerings also, we
are talking about the mantra. Kr̥ṣṇa says that mantra also I am. Śabda brahma it is
called. Śabdabrahmamayī carācaramayī jyōtirmayī vāṅmayī nityānandamayī
nirañjanamayī tattvaṁmayī cinmayī | tattvātītamayī parātparamayī māyāmayī
śrīmayī sarvaiśvaryamayī sadāśivamayī māṁ pāhi mīnāmbikē || mīnākṣī stōtram 8 ||
It is supposed to be Śaṅkarācārya‟s stōtram. Here dēvī is described as everything.
There śabdabrahmamayī, mantra is śabdabrahma carācaramayī– You are everything.
Then aham ēva ājyam is in the mūlam, is equal to haviḥ ca aham. Literally ājyam
means ghee and Śaṅkarācārya uses the word haviḥ to indicate that the ghee which
is offered to dēvatās at the time of the ritual, then aham agniḥ is equal to yasmin
hūyatē saḥ agniḥ aham ēva – I am the very fire principle, into which the ghee is
offered. It is very similar to brahmārpaṇaṁ brahmahavir brahmāgnau brahmaṇā
hutam || Gītā 4-24 || It is similar to that. There a difference between brahmārpaṇa
ślōka and this ślōka and we have to apply some technical point which is aside, I will
require some time for that, in the next class I will differentiate brahmārpaṇam and
aham kratuḥ aham yajñaḥ. In brahmārpaṇam also we say Īśvara is everything, here
also we say Īśvara is everything, but there is a difference between this and that.
Very profound thing it is. Finally aham hutam– I am the hutam also, here the word
hutam means Havana-karma ca. The word hutam means the very karma itself I
am. Previously kārakams I am, now kriyā also I am.

313 Verses-16 to 18

अहां क्रतुरहां यज्ञाः स्वधाहमहमौषधम् ।
मन्त्रोऽहमहमेवाज्ज्यमहमग्ननरहां हुतम् ॥ गीता ९-१६ ॥
ahaṁ kraturahaṁ yajñaḥ svadhāhamahamauṣadham |

mantrō:'hamahamēvājyamahamagnirahaṁ hutam || Gītā 9-16 ||
Lord Kr̥ṣṇa pointed out that even Īśvara-bhaktas do not use the bhakti for the sake
of liberation, they become ārta-bhaktas and arthārthī-bhaktas and use the bhakti for
worldly benefits only. Whereas there are some fortunate bhaktas instead of using
their bhakti for worldly purposes they want to attain mōkṣa and they are called
jijñāsu-bhaktas. And these jijñāsu-bhaktas worship the Lord in three different ways
depending upon their level of spirituality. And these three different ways are ēka-
rūpa-bhakti, which is otherwise called iṣṭa-dēvatā-bhakti, the second one is anēka-
rūpa-bhakti otherwise called viśvarūpa-bhakti and third one is arūpa bhakti which is
advaita vicāraḥ or śravaṇa manana nididhyāsanam. And all these three people are
seeking mōkṣa only. Even those jijñāsu bhaktas who are at the level of iṣṭa-dēvatā
bhakti, even they use iṣṭa-dēvatā-bhakti for sādhana-catuṣṭaya-sampatti, śravaṇam,
mananam for those benefits only. And this was mentioned in the second line of
verse fifteen ēkatvēna pr̥thaktvēna bahudhā viśvatōmukham . Pr̥thaktvēna refers to
ēka-rūpa-Īśvara-bhakti, viśvatōmukham refers to anēka-rūpa-Īśvara-bhakti, and
ēkatvēna refers to arūpa-Īśvara-bhakti.
And having introduced all the three bhaktis Kr̥ṣṇa wants to elaborate the viśva-rūpa-
bhakti in these following ślōkas, because the following tenth and eleventh chapters
are concentrating on viśvarūpa Īśvara upāsanam only. Therefore as a prelude to that
Kr̥ṣṇa is giving viśvarūpa varṇanam in four verses from fifteenth to nineteenth of this
chapter. The message is one only that Bhagavān alone is in the form of everything.
Since Bhagavān is kāraṇam and everything else is kāryam, kāraṇa-Bhagavān alone
manifests in the form of the kārya-rūpa-prapañca. This is the message of which we
completed the sixteenth verse in the last class. We saw the bhāṣyam also. I have to
give you the anvaya of this verse. Almost the entire ślōka is anvaya only. Only we
have to supply the verb bhavāmi along with everyone. aham kratuḥ bhavāmi, aham

yajñaḥ bhavāmi, aham svadhā bhavāmi, aham auṣadham bhavāmi, aham mantraḥ
bhavāmi, aham ēva ājyam bhavāmi, aham agniḥ bhavāmi, aham hutam bhavāmi|
At the end of the previous class I said the same idea is given in the fourth chapter of
the Gītā also in the well known ślōka brahmārpaṇaṁ brahmahavir brahmāgnau.
There Brahman or Bhagavān alone is arpaṇam, haviḥ, agniḥ, everything is Brahman.
There also it is said Brahman is everything. Here also it is said Brahman is
everything. And what is the difference between those two statements? Are they
identical or different? Even though superficially identical, I said that there is a subtle
technical difference with regard to the intended message of that. There the intended
message is Vedantic message, which Śaṅkarācārya revealed through a profound
bhāṣyam. And what is that? Here when you say Brahman or Bhagavān is everything,
Bhagavān alone is manifesting in the form of everything, therefore everything is
sacred. And therefore you meditate upon the entire creation as the sacred
manifestation of the Lord. This is the message in the context of upāsana. Therefore
this is called upāsya-brahma-ślōka, a ślōka which talks about upāsya-brahma,
Brahman has to be meditated as everything and see everything as sacred.
In fact in this upāsya-brahma-ślōka everything is described as sacred. Therefore this

is the elevation of the universe, divinization of the universe takes place. So world is
jacked up. I said that in that place also. World is elevated to a pedestal in the
upāsya-brahma-ślōka.
Whereas in the fourth chapter when it is said Brahman alone is manifesting in the
form of everything, the corollary is since Brahman alone is in the form of everything
there is nothing other than Brahman. And therefore a world kārya-prapañca doesn‟t
exist separate from Brahman. Therefore the world is mithyā. It is as good as non-
existence. Therefore in upāsya-brahma context world is glorified as divine, in the
jñēya Brahman context (fourth chapter is called jñēya brahma ślōka. In brahmasūtra
we used these two words jñēyam brahma and upāsyam brahma. In the jñāna-
kāṇḍam context when you say Brahman is everything it doesn‟t mean everything is
divine, it means everything is mithyā. Therefore here in the upāsya brahma context
the world is elevated, and in the jñēya brahma context) the world is falsified or
negated. That is jñāna-kāṇḍam and this is upāsana-kāṇḍam. Statements look
similar. And in saṁskr̥ta language in the upāsya brahma context the
sāmānādhikaraṇya between Brahman and world is called viśēṣaṇa-viśēṣya-bhāvē
sāmānādhikaraṇyam. Whereas in jñēya-brahma-kāṇḍam where world is negated the
sāmānādhikaraṇyam between world and Brahman is called bādhāyām

sāmānādhikaraṇyam. Fourth chapter is bādhāyām sāmānādhikaraṇyam and this

ślōka of ninth chapter is viśēṣaṇa viśēṣya bhāvē sāmānādhikaraṇyam. Or to put in
another language fourth chapter ślōka is advaita ślōka and the current 9th chapter
ślōka is Viśiṣṭādvaita ślōka. Both talk about one Brahman, but one is viśiṣṭādvaitam
and the other is advaitam. Here the world is presented as divine, there the world is
presented as mithyā.
गकचच ––
kiñca ––
Verse 09-17
गपताहमस्य जगतो माता धाता गपतामहाः ।
वेद्यां पगवत्रमोङ् कार ऋक्तसाम यजुरेव च ॥ गीता ९-१७ ॥
pitāhamasya jagatō mātā dhātā pitāmahaḥ |

vēdyaṁ pavitramōm̐kāra r̥ksāma yajurēva ca || Gītā 9-17 ||
Viśvarūpa description continues and therefore Śaṅkarācārya introduces this verse

with the word kiñca which means moreover, to continue with the topic viśvarūpa
Īśvara, the following things are also nothing but Brahman or Īśvara. Here Kr̥ṣṇa
gives another list of things to indicate that everything is Brahman, a few examples
are given and all these words are evident, therefore I will go to the bhāṣyam.
वपत जनययता अहम् अस्य जगताः।म त जनययत्री ।ध त कमयफलस्य प्रात्तणभ्याः गवधाता, वपत महाः गपतुाः गपता, िेद्यं
वेददतव्यम्, पवित्रं पावनम् ओङ् क राः च ऋक् स म यजुाः एि च॥ ९-१७ ॥
Pitā janayitā aham asya jagataḥ|mātājanayitrī|dhātākarmaphalasya prāṇibhyaḥ

vidhātā, pitāmahaḥ pituḥ pitā, vēdyaṁvēditavyam, pavitraṁpāvanam Ōm̐kāraḥ
ca r̥k sāma yajuḥ ēva ca|| 9-17 ||
Pitā is in the mūlam, is equal to janayitā which means creator, progenitor, father.
Father of what? asya jagataḥ – of this entire creation I am the father. And mātā,
mātā is equal to janayitrī, progenitrix, the mother of this universe. From the
standpoint of Brahman component cētana śakti Bhagavān is called father, from the
standpoint of māyā component Bhagavān is called mother. Māyā dr̥ ṣṭyā mother and
brahma dr̥ ṣṭyā father. That is simplified by ardhanārīśvara. Ardhanārīśvara is the
mixture of Brahman and māyā, father and mother. The word asya jagataḥ must be
read twice, asya jagataḥpitāasya jagataḥmātā ca. So after asya jagataḥ put a
full stop. Then after janayitrī put a full stop. Then the next word is dhātā–
prāṇibhyaḥ karma-phalasya vidhātā, vidhātā means distributor. I am the distributor

of karma-phalasya – all the puṇya-pāpa karmas which are all there in potential form,
I will manifest those karma-phalams and give every karma-phalam to the respective
kartās. Therefore vidhātā means distributing deliberately. Karma-phalasya vidhātā to
whom? prāṇibhyaḥ– to every living being not only human being but every living
being. Therefore the anvaya should be prāṇibhyaḥ karma-phalasya vidhātā, that
must be order. Then the next word is pitāmahaḥ is equal to pituḥ pitā, pitāmahaḥ
means you should not simply translate pitāmahaḥ as grandfather. The grandfather
is of two types – maternal and fraternal. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says I am the
paternal grandfather, pituḥ pitā. Then you have to supply I am also mātāmahaḥ.
mātāmahaḥ also means grandfather, but it is maternal grandfather. So I am
pitāmahaḥ, I am mātāmahaḥ also. These words will be familiar to those people
who do tarpaṇam to the ancestors. Therefore pitāmahaḥ aham asmi, mātāmahaḥ
aham asmi.
Then vēdyam, vēdyam means the ultimate truth to be known. vēdyam is equal to
vēditavyam. In the thirteenth chapter jñēyaṁ yattatpravakṣyāmi || Gītā 13-12 || that
jñēyam or in Māṇḍūkya the seventh mantra śāntaṁ-śivam-advaitaṁ caturthaṁ
manyantē sa ātmā sa vijñēyaḥ || Māṇḍūkyōpaniṣat 7 || vijñēyaḥ the ultimate truth
to be known. So vēdyam is equal to vēditavyam nirguṇam-brahma ityarthaḥ.
Then pavitram – I am the ultimate purifier of everything. There are so many local
purifiers like sacred rivers, temples etc., but they themselves are not purifiers by
themselves but they become purifier only because of the association with the Lord.
Why is gaṅgā purifier? Remember, it gets capacity because Gaṅgā is associated with
the head of Lord Śiva. And Gaṅgā is associated with the feet of Lord viṣṇu. In
Trivikrama avatāra Gaṅgā washes the feet of the Lord, therefore Śiva śiras
sambandha and Viṣṇu pāda sambandha. So that there is no need for quarrel
between Vaiṣṇavas and Śaivas. So Gaṅgā is purifier only because of Īśvara-
sambandha. Everything is purifier because of Īśvara sambandha. Īśvara is purifier
because of Himself. And therefore Īśvara is called pavitrāṇāṁ pavitraṁ yō
maṅgalānāṁ ca maṅgalam || viṣṇusahasranāmastōtram10 || Therefore He is the
ultimate pāvanam. pavitram is equal to pāvanam.
Then Ōm̐kāraḥ ca – and the great Ōm̐kāra which is the essence of all the vēdas
which has been churned out by brahmāji in meditation, remembering Taittirīya
Śīkṣāvallī yaśchandasāmr̥ṣabhō viśvarūpaḥ | chandōbhyō:'dhyamr̥tātsaṁbabhūva ||
Taittirīyōpaniṣat 2-1-3 || That Ōm̐kāra which is vēdasāraḥ. yō vēdādau svaraḥ
prōktō vēdāntē ca pratiṣṭhitaḥ || Śukarahasyōpaniṣat 47 || That Ōm̐kāra also I am.

And what about the three vēdas? He says that also I am. They are all separate
words, not a samāsa, r̥k sāma yaju ḥēva ca aham asmi. Śabda prapañca I am.
Artha-prapañca I am. Śabda-artha prapañca I am, śabda artha atīta adhiṣṭhānam
brahma also I am.
The anvaya is, aham asya jagataḥ pitā mātā (ca bhavāmi) | (aham) dhātā,
pitāmahaḥ, vēdyam, pavitram, Ōm̐kāraḥ, r̥k, sāma, yajuḥēva ca (bhavāmi) |
Continuing;
गकचच ––
kiñca ––
Verse 09-18
गगतभयताय प्रभुाः साक्ी गनवासाः िरणां सुहृत् ।
प्रभवाः प्रलयाः स्थानां गनधानां बीजमव्ययम् ॥ गीता ९-१८ ॥
gatirbhartā prabhuḥ sākṣī nivāsaḥśaraṇaṁ suhr̥t |

prabhavaḥ pralayaḥ sthānaṁ nidhānaṁ bījamavyayam || Gītā 9-18 ||
Viśvarūpa Īśvara discussion continues, therefore Śaṅkarācārya introduces by using

the expression kiñca, i.e., moreover, moreover means to describe the viśvarūpa
further the following items also I am. And a big list is given, all of them are evident,
bhāṣyam will make this clear. Now we will go to the bhāṣyam.
गवताः कमयफलम्, भत थ पोष्टा, प्रभुाः स्वामी, स क्षी प्रात्तणनाां कृताकृतस्य, वनि साः यस्स्मन् प्रात्तणनो गनवसन्न्त, शरणम्
आतायनाम् प्रपन्नानाम् आर्तिंहराः । सुहृत् प्रत्युपकार अनपेक्ाः सन् उपकारी, प्रभिाः उत्पत्तिाः जगताः, प्रलयाः प्रलीयते यस्स्मन्
इगत । तथा ि नं गतष्ठगत अस्स्मन् इगत, वनध नं गनक्ेपाः कालान्तर उपभोनयां प्रात्तणनाम्, बीजं प्ररोहकारणां प्ररोहधर्मिंणाम्,
अव्ययम् ।
gatiḥ karmaphalam, bhartā pōṣṭā, prabhuḥ svāmī, sākṣī prāṇināṁ kr̥tākr̥tasya,

nivāsaḥ yasmin prāṇinō nivasanti, śaraṇamārtānām prapannānām ārtiharaḥ |
suhr̥tpratyupakāra anapēkṣaḥ san upakārī, prabhavaḥutpattiḥ jagataḥ,
pralayaḥpralīyatē yasmin iti | tathā sthānaṁ tiṣṭhati asmin iti, nidhānaṁ
nikṣēpaḥ kālāntara upabhōgyaṁ prāṇinām, bījaṁ prarōhakāraṇaṁ
prarōhadharmiṇām, avyayam|
Gatiḥ is the first word, is equal to karma-phalam, the word gatiḥ literally means
destination, that which we confront in future. And whatever lōka we reach as our
destination after death all those different lōkas including the different bodies which
we get later, they are all nothing but the result of our karma only. Remember our
body also is seen by śāstram as karma-phalam only. If you remember the body as
karma-phalam we will never accuse Bhagavān saying that you have given me a

healthy body and unhealthy body, we cannot complain to Bhagavān because

whatever body I have now is the result of my own karma only. Therefore gatiḥ is
equal to destination and is equal to result is equal to karma-phalam, the result of our
actions. Then bhartā is equal to pōṣṭā, pōṣṭā means the one who nourishes
everyone by providing whatever is required. So the caretaker, the nourisher, the
supporter, etc. And husband called a bhartā because in the ancient times husband
alone was working and he was providing for the entire family. Now if you call
husband a bhartā, the wife will come with a black flag. Therefore wife also is
nowadays bhartrī. No more bhāryā, now she is bhartrī that is why quarrel also is
there because both are the earning members and the head of the family. The word
bhartā means provider or supporter. puṣṇāti iti pōṣṭā. And Ānandagiri translates
pōṣṭā as karma-phala-dātā. That is another meaning possible for bhartā. Because
gatiḥ has been translated as karma-phalam and bhartā is karma-phala-dātā. I am
the karmaphalam also and I am the karma-phala-dātā also.
Then prabhuḥ in the mūlam, is equal to svāmī – I am the master, not only the local
master even to the dēvatās who are supposed to be celestial master as also ultimate
master I am. This means the owner of everything. Svāmī is derived from the word
svam, the one who has this svam, svam means wealth. That is why dēvasvam
board, dēvasvam means dēvasya svam dhanam is called wealth. And Svāmī means
the one who is the owner of anything is called Svāmi, and Bhagavān says I am the
owner of everything.
Then sākṣī is equal to prāṇināṁ kr̥tākr̥tasya sākṣi, the witness. Śaṅkarācārya

doesn‟t give the meaning of the word sākṣi, we have to apply the meaning as sākṣāt
draṣṭā sākṣi. The one who witnesses everything without undergoing any change,
everything directly without undergoing any change, sākṣāt draṣṭā sākṣi. So the direct
perceiver and also changeless perceiver is called sākṣi. sākṣi of prāṇināṁ kr̥ta-
akr̥tasya. Kr̥tam means commissions or doing , and akr̥tam means omissions . So
commission of wrong thing, and omission of the right thing. Vihita akaraṇam and
niṣiddha karaṇam. So kr̥ta -akr̥tasya – commissions and omissions. It is an idiom
given in English. Of whom? prāṇinām – of all living beings draṣṭā, the one who sees
the commissions and omissions. Then nivāsaḥ means all the fourteen lōkas in
which all the living beings reside. Literally nivāsaḥ means residence. Nivasati asmin
itinivāsaḥ, vāsasthānam. Madhusūdana Sarasvatī says bhōgasthānam. Yasmin
prāṇiṇaḥ nivasanti. The fourteen lōkas in which all the living beings reside all the
fourteen lōkas are Me. In this ślōka aham asmi is not mentioned, you have to supply
that, aham gatiḥ asmi, aham bhartā asmi, aham prabhuḥ asmi etc., aham asmi.

Then śaraṇam means shelter, I am the shelter for all the living beings to provide
them freedom from pain. So ārtānām – for all the distressed living beings, ārta
means distressed one, pained one, and prapannānām – those distressed one who
have surrendered to the Lord. Not only they are distressed, but they seek help from
the Lord. Therefore prapannānām ārtānām. ārtiharaḥ– the one who removes the
pain. You should remember the famous rāma stōtram. ārtānāmārtihantāraṁ
bhītānāṁ bhītināśanam| dviṣatāṁ kāladaṇḍaṁ taṁ rāmacandraṁ namāmyaham
||śrī rāma stōtram 2 || So ārtiharaḥ one of the names of Bhagavān is
praṇatārtiharaḥ. Some people have that name.
Then the next word is suhr̥t, suhr̥t means pratyupakāra anapēkṣaḥ san upakārī.
suhr̥t means upakārī – the one who does good to others, the one who is a well-
wisher. In English there is word samaritan, that is the well-wisher. And the well-
wishers are of two types. They will do good to others but with the hope or
expectation that if I do that tomorrow he will also do the same thing to me . With
that motive when I do I am not a suhr̥t . But the word suhr̥t is without any
expectation I should do, I may not even meet that person in future but still I help.
Therefore pratyupakāra anapēkṣaḥ – without expecting any reciprocation, upakārī –
the one helps because of his noble heart . That is why the very word suhr̥t means su
śōbhanam hr̥t yasya saḥ suhr̥t. The very word suhr̥t means out of his compassion he
does and not for any other purpose. Without any axe to grind the one who does
unlike the politicians.
Then the next word is prabhavaḥ means utpattiḥ. And the word utpattiḥ can be
understood in two different ways. One is the very utpatti, the process of the utpatti,
rise, emergence of the world, the very process is Bhagavān. Or you can say utpatti
kāraṇam is Bhagavān, the Source. So utpatti can be taken in bhāvārthē also or
apādānārthē also. Bhāvārthaḥ if you take utpatti means the very process,
apādānārthaḥ if you take utpatti means the Source of the creation. Madhusūdana
Sarasvatī takes the meaning of the Source , sr̥ṣṭi kāraṇam. Of what? jagataḥ – the
entire creation. Then pralayaḥ. Here also two meanings are there. pralayaḥ
means the very process of dissolution is Bhagavān, or the ground in which
everything resolves, the resolution ground is also Bhagavān. Thus bhāvārthē or
adhikaraṇa arthē. Śaṅkarācārya takes adhikaraṇa arthaḥ. pralīyatē yasmin iti
pralayaḥ. So sr̥ ṣṭi kāraṇam I am, pralaya kāraṇam I am. Then tathā. So also
sthānam. sthānam means sthiti kāraṇam ca aham asmi. tiṣṭhati asmin iti
sthānam, adhikaraṇa vyutpatti, that in which everything rests is also is I am. sarva
ādhāraḥ sarva adhiṣṭhānam aham asmi.

Then the next word is nidhānam, nidhānam is equal to nikṣēpaḥ, nikṣēpaḥ means
that which exists in potential form. The entire future which exists in potential form,
the future generation as well as future things which will be invented, future
experiences that we are going to have, everything that is going to come in future
but which is now in potential form, this avyaktam iti arthaḥ. So nikṣēpaḥ means
avyakta-prapañcaḥ, kāraṇa-prapañcaḥ. Literally it means deposit, like bank deposit
our future experiences we have all deposited in the karma bank for which the
manager is Citraguptaḥ. This karma bank which is taken care of by Citragupta bank
manager, in that bank we have already deposited in the form of puṇyam and
pāpam, that alone is going to come in the form the old age, the disease, the
suffering, the punarjanma. Therefore the word nikṣēpaḥ means deposit for future
consumption or future withdrawal depending upon the maturity. So he says
kālāntara upabhōgyam – that which is to be consumed in future, kālāntara means
future, upabhōgyam means to be consumed, prāṇinām means for all living beings is
called nidhānam.
Then bījam which means prarōhakāraṇaṁ prarōhadharmiṇām – the cause of

prarōha or emergence. Prarōha dharmiṇām of everything that is going to yama. In
short, the māyā tattvam in which everything is there which is going to appear later.
So prarōhakāraṇaṁ prarōhadharmiṇām. The difference between nidhānam and
bījam is very subtle only. The word nidhānam is what has been already deposited,
whereas the word bījam means that which we can deposit hereafter for future
growth, that potential possibility is called bījam and that possibility which has been
already tapped is called nidhānam. So tapped possibility is nidhānam and
untapped possibility is called bījam. All the tapped and untapped possibilities are
nothing but Me. And which is avyayam– inexhaustible. More in the next class.

Page 236 Verse 18 Bhāṣyam second paragraph

तथा स्थानां गतष्ठगत अस्स्मन् इगत, गनधानां गनक्ेपाः कालान्तर उपभोनयां प्रात्तणनाम्, बीजां प्ररोहकारणां प्ररोहधर्मिंणाम्, अव्ययम्
।
tathāsthānaṁ tiṣṭhati asmin iti, nidhānaṁ nikṣēpaḥ kālāntara upabhōgyaṁ

prāṇinām, bījaṁprarōhakāraṇaṁ prarōhadharmiṇām, avyayam|
The three types of upāsanas practiced by the jijñāsu-bhaktas are talked about by the
Lord in this portion. Ēkarūpa-Īśvara-upāsana, anēka-rūpa-Īśvara-upāsana leading to
arūpa-Īśvara-nididhyāsanam. Having introduced these three types of meditation in
the fifteenth ślōka, then in the following four verses sixteenth to nineteenth ślōka
Kr̥ṣṇa talks about viśva-rūpa-Īśvara showing that He alone is in the form of
everything. The logic for that must be very clear. Bhagavān is everything because
Bhagavān is kāraṇam of everything. This principle we should always remember why
Bhagavān is everything. Suppose I ask you a question, what should be your answer?
Bhagavān is everything because Bhagavān is the kāraṇam of everything. Gold is all
ornaments because gold is the cause of all ornaments. And therefore Kr̥ṣṇa takes a
list of things and points out that all these things are nothing but Me and Me alone.
In that we were seeing the eighteenth ślōka where Bhagavān gives a list gatiḥ,
bhartā, prabhuḥ, sākṣī, nivāsaḥ, śaraṇam, suhr̥t, prabhavaḥ, pralayaḥ, sthānam.
prabhavaḥ, pralayaḥ, sthānam refer sr̥ ṣṭi-sthiti-laya kāraṇam. Prabhavaḥ is sr̥ ṣṭi
kāraṇam, sthānam is sthiti kāraṇam, pralayaḥ is laya kāraṇam. And nidhānam I
alone is in the form all the karmas accumulated by all the jīva-rāśis, which alone
later become the karma-phalam. Therefore all the karma-deposits in the karma-bank
of the Lord that also I am. Up to that we saw in the last class.
The last word is bījam, bījam means Śaṅkarācārya pointed out prarōha-kāraṇam.
Prarōha means utpatti or origination and growth. Origination and growth together is
called prarōha. Kāraṇam means the cause. Therefore bījam means Bhagavān is the
cause for the origination and growth of everything in the creation. Prarōha
dharmiṇām the origination of everything, that is subject to origination. What type if
seed is Bhagavān? Avyayam. Avyayam is adjective to bījam. So avyayam and bījam
are not two separate descriptions and avyayam is adjective to bījam. Avyayam

means inexhaustible seed of everything. Every other seed will produce a tree and it
will destroy itself. But Bhagavān is a unique seed from whom sr̥ ṣṭi after sr̥ ṣṭi after
sr̥ṣṭi keep coming but Bhagavān as a seed never gets exhausted, therefore He is
called inexhaustible seed of the entire creation. Of course when we say Bhagavān
we should include both Brahman and māyā together. Brahman by itself cannot be
the kāraṇam, māyā by itself cannot even exist. Therefore Bhagavān is the kāraṇam
means māyā-sahitam Brahman is the seed of everything. Of this the word avyayam
Śaṅkarācārya is going to explain in the next paragraph.
यावत्सांसारभागवत्वात् अव्ययम् । न गह अबीजां गकञ्चचत् प्ररोहगत । गनत्यां च प्ररोहदियनात् बीजसन्तगताः न व्येगत इगत गम्यते
॥ ९-१८ ॥
yāvatsaṁsārabhāvitvāt avyayam | na hi abījaṁ kiñcit prarōhati | nityaṁ ca

prarōhadarśanāt bījasantatiḥ na vyēti iti gamyatē || 9-18 ||
Why do we say Bhagavān is inexhaustible seed, Śaṅkarācārya explains here.

yāvatsaṁsārabhāvitvāt – because Bhagavān as the seed continues to exist eternally.
yāvatsaṁsāra means as long as the creation continues, which is an eternal process,
so long Bhagavān also will continue as the seed of the creation. Therefore
yāvatsaṁsārabhāvitvāt – because of the existence of the seed as long as the
creation exists, Bhagavān is called avyayam bījam. And na hi abījaṁ kiñcit prarōhati
– every time we discover a new plant or a new species or even a mutated mosquito
(they keep inventing new repellents liquid to drive away and they call it All Out,
thinking that all the mosquitoes are out but what happens is all the people are out.
That means the mosquitoes are able to mutate into newer and newer version by the
time the producer produces the next version, the next generation is not an improved
medicine and the improved version and by the time the producers are able to
produce the next liquid; the mosquitoes life period is two-three days, therefore the
next generation is not an improved repellent but improved version of mosquitoes,
they hover around the so called Good-knight liquid. From that what does it mean?
Newer and newer species are coming, mutated versions are coming and if newer
things should come, the possibility potential must the there. Where is that potential?
Kr̥ṣṇa says that potential is also in Me. Therefore He na hi abījam – without that
potentiality kiñcit na prarōhati – newer and newer versions cannot arise in the
creation. And therefore potentiality is Infinite and also inexhaustible. Not only that
now they are creating cross breeds also. Therefore we talk about rabbit‟s horn as
non-existent, but now what they have done is they have crossed a particular
antelope and the rabbit and the cross breed has come called jackalope, and that
jackalope exactly looks like a rabbit with horn. Therefore hereafter we cannot say

habits horn. But anyway we have to say rabbit doesn‟t have horn only the jackalope
has horn. What I am saying is even cross breeds are being created and if new
species come, for that also potential has been provided in the bījam called Īśvara.
Therefore abījaṁ na prarōhati double negative. Therefore sabījam ēva prarōhati.
That bījam is Bhagavān. And nityaṁ ca prarōhadarśanāt – and since constantly new
arrivals are experienced by us, bījasantatiḥ– the series of bījam in the form of
Bhagavān, bījasantatiḥ means the flow of bījam in the form of Bhagavān na vyēti –
never gets exhausted. Na vyēti is the explanation of avyayam. Iti gamyatē, gamyatē
means this has to be inferred by us. It is because potentiality is not pratyakṣa
gōcaram, whatever is not pratyakṣa gōcaram is anumāna gōcaram. Therefore
Śaṅkarācārya says gamyatē which means anumīyatē – it has to be inferred by us.
Therefore Bhagavān is avyayam bījam bhavati.
The anvaya is, (ahaṁ) gatiḥ, bhartā, prabhuḥ, sākṣī, nivāsaḥ, śaraṇam, suhr̥t,
prabhavaḥ, pralayaḥ, sthānam, nidhānam, avyayam bījam (ca bhavāmi) |Continuing;
गकचच ––
kiñca ––
Verse 09-19
तपाम्यहमहां वषं गनगृह्णाम्युत्सृजायम च ।
अमृतां चैव मृत्युि सदसिाहमजुयन ॥ गीता ९-१९ ॥
tapāmyahamahaṁ varṣaṁ nigr̥hṇāmyutsr̥jāmi ca |

amr̥taṁ caiva mr̥tyuśca sadasaccāhamarjuna || Gītā 9-19 ||
In this ślōka Bhagavān presents Himself as the powerful Sūrya Bhagavān because of
whom the very life is possible on the earth. How Bhagavān as Sūrya is extremely
powerful source of light and heat, how Sūrya Bhagavān absorbs waters and form the
clouds in the atmosphere and thereafter Sūrya Bhagavān with the help of Vāyu
Bhagavān is responsible for the rainy season also. Through summer reason water is
sent upwards and through rainy season water is sent downwards. You can imagine
for desalination how much expenditure the government has to incur to make sea
water into potable water, but Bhagavān has given the most powerful desalination
plant, the cheapest one, we need not do anything, we only should maintain the
environment. As long as we follow karma-yōga, pañca-mahā-yajña properly
Bhagavān will preserve the desalination plant in the form of summer and rainy
season. Thus Bhagavān is Sūrya Bhagavān, Bhagavān is rain also. Through the rain
Bhagavān Himself is responsible for the food grains also, which is responsible for the

lifespan of every living being. Thus Sūryaḥ, varṣaḥ, annam, jīvanam (the lifespan).
And if you violate the rule, Bhagavān himself appears in the form of famine , when
there is famine Bhagavān who is amr̥tam , cause of longevity, the same Bhagavān
will become the cause of mr̥tyuḥ also. Amr̥tam api aham asmi, amr̥tam means jīvana
kāraṇam aham ēva , mr̥tyuḥ api aham asmi, maraṇa kāraṇam api aham ēva.
Sometimes they will show the draught hit area where the cattle and all other would
be dead and bones we will be seeing. This is also Bhagavān, that is also Bhagavān.
This is the essence of the ślōka and we will go to the bhāṣyam.
तप यम अहम् आददत्यो भूत्वा कैत्तित् रञ्श्मत्तभाः उल्बणैाः । अहं िषं कैत्तित् रञ्श्मत्तभाः उत्सृज यम । उत्सृज्ज्य पुनाः
वनगृह्ण यम कैत्तित् रञ्श्मत्तभाः अष्टत्तभाः मासैाः पुनाः उत्सृजायम प्रावृगष ।
tapāmi ahamādityō bhūtvā kaiścit raśmibhiḥ ulbaṇaiḥ | ahaṁ varṣaṁ kaiścit

raśmibhiḥ utsr̥jāmi| utsr̥jya punaḥ nigr̥hṇāmi kaiścit raśmibhiḥ aṣṭabhiḥ māsaiḥ
punaḥ utsr̥jāmi prāvr̥ṣi |
Tapāmi is in the mūlam, which means I shine fiercely, I heat up the entire earth.
How? ādityaḥ bhūtvā – by becoming sūryaḥ. How? Kaiścit raśmibhiḥ– with the help
of the powerful hot scorching rays of the summer season. That is why kaiścit
raśmibhiḥ means the rays of the summer season. Whereas the rays of the Sūrya in
the winter season will be so pleasant, you go to cold countries or north India, you
are walking towards Kēdāranātha when all around there is so cold the very same
rays of the Sun will be so pleasant. Therefore with the help of the scorching rays of
the summer sun, ulbaṇaiḥ, ulbaṇam means fierce, powerful, intense, ulbaṇaiḥ kaiścit
raśmibhiḥ aham tapāmi – I shine, I scorch the earth. Then ahaṁ varṣaṁ kaiścit
raśmibhiḥ utsr̥jāmi– and with the help of some other rays I release the waters
gathered in the sky, with the blessing of the sūrya Bhagavān himself, ahaṁ
varṣam utsr̥jāmi – I release the water sutsr̥jya punaḥ nigr̥hṇāmi – after releasing
the water for the benefit of humanity the rest of the waters will join the ocean and
in the next summer season again I activate my desalination plant . And therefore
utsr̥jya – after releasing water in the rainy season, punaḥ nigr̥hṇāmi – once again I
absorb, nigr̥hṇāmi means I absorb the waters, kaiścit raśmibhiḥ – with the help of
the fierce scorching rays. For how many months? aṣṭabhiḥ māsaiḥ– for eight months
I absorb waters and during four months from June to September that is our
southwest monsoon, during those four months I release water. Eight months
absorption, four months release from the standpoint of India in general. Therefore
Śaṅkarācārya is talking from other parts as he is from Kērala, therefore he says eight
month absorption and four months release of water. So aṣṭabhiḥ māsaiḥ
nigr̥hṇāmi, aṣṭabhiḥ māsaiḥ should go with nigr̥hṇāmi, then punaḥ– once again

during four months, prāvr̥ṣi, prāvr̥ḍ means varṣa r̥tuḥ. Rainy season is called prāvr̥ ḍ.
During the rainy season, varṣā kālē utsr̥jāmi – once again I rain. Śaṅkarācārya writes
utsr̥jāmi twice to show that it is a repeated process. Continuing;
अमृतं च एि दे वानाम् । मृत्युाः च मत्यायनाम् । सत् यस्य यत् सम्बत्न्धतया गवद्यमानम् । तगद्वपरीतम् असत्च एव
अहम् अजुथन ।
amr̥taṁ ca ēva dēvānām | mr̥tyuḥ ca martyānām | satyasya yat sambandhitayā

vidyamānam | tadviparītam asatcaēva aham Arjuna|
Now Śaṅkarācārya comes to the second line amr̥tam ca ēva – I am the amr̥tam ,
amr̥tam means the cause of immortality. For whom? Dēvānām – dēvas‟ immortality
is because of My blessings only and of course they have done the karma for that but
I alone bless them with immortality as a karma-phala-dātā. And when we say
immortality we should remember it is not absolute immortality because dēvas also if
they don‟t gain knowledge, tē taṁ bhuktvā, they will also have punarjanma,
therefore it is āpēkṣika amr̥tatvam. And the word amr̥tam can be taken as the amr̥ta
pānam of the dēvas which is symbolically presented in the purāṇas, dēvas‟-nectar
which is the cause of immortality . Therefore amr̥tam can be taken as nectar also or
amr̥tam can be taken as water also which is the cause of long life of humanity . Thus
amr̥tam can be taken in both ways, but Śaṅkarācārya takes dēvānām-amr̥tam – the
nectar of dēvas. Then after dēvānām we have to put a full stop. Mr̥tyuḥ ca
martyānām – and I am the cause of mortality of the human beings on the earth.
martyānām – of the mortal ones, mr̥tyuḥ ca – I am mortality or I am Yamadharma
rājā with regard to the human beings. And you have to read it properly. Amr̥taṁ ca
ēva dēvānām, you should give a gap, mr̥tyuḥ ca martyānām. If you wrongly read
what will happen? The whole meaning will go topsy-turvy. You should not read it as
dēvānām mr̥tyuḥ, but dēvānām amr̥tam and martyānām mr̥tyuḥ. You have to
split properly. Then comes the last part of the ślōka. sat asat ca aham. Sat means
existent thing, I am the existent one also. Asat means I am the non-existent one
also. I am both the existence and the non-existence. Śaṅkarācārya explains that.
Satyasya yat sambandhitayā vidyamānam | – so whatever is available in association

with a particular locus or plane that object is called existence. What is the definition
of existent object? Whatever is available in association with a particular time and
place that is called existent thing. So what Śaṅkarācārya wants to say is whenever
you talk of an existent thing you should always refer to the locus of its existence.
Because whatever is existent in a particular locus that itself is non-existent with
regard to some other locus. Therefore the law is you can talk of existent-thing and

non-existent thing only with regard to a particular locus – locus of time also, locus of
space also.
Now we are all existent with regard to this century, we cannot claim we are always
existent. But we ourselves are non-existent with regard to some other place and we
ourselves will become non-existent with regard to some other time also. Therefore
whenever you talk of sat it must be dēśa kāla sambandhitayā yat sat that also I am.
That is why yat sambandhitayā means yat dēśa kāla sambandhitayā – in connection
with space-time-locus, vidyamānam – whatever is available is called sat. And what is
asat? Tat viparītam – the opposite is called asat, nonexistence. And what is that?
Whatever is non-existent with regard to a particular dēśa kāla is called asat. And
here what Śaṅkarācārya wants to convey is even when you say a thing is non-
existent with regard to a particular dēśa-kāla, remember the very same non-existent
thing is existent with regard to another particular dēśa-kāla. One man says I have no
money, because of recession money is not there means I have no money. You
should never say money is not there everywhere, I have no money but the very
same money is somewhere else. Similarly, jalam is not there. Water is not there
means water is not there here, but remember water is elsewhere. Therefore
whatever we claim as non-existent that is non-existent yat sambandhitayā– with
regard to a particular locus; both the existent and non-existent thing relatively
existent and relatively non-existent things I am. What is the final translation? I am
both relatively existent and relatively non-existent things. Tat viparītam means
relatively non-existent, asatca ēva – this is the meaning of the word asat, both are
aham ēva Arjuna.
न पुनाः अत्यन्तम् एव असत् भगवान् स्वयां । काययकारणे वा सदसती ॥

ये पूवोक्तैाः अनुवृत्तिप्रकारैाः एकत्व-पृथक्तत्व-आदद-गवज्ञानैाः यज्ञैाः माां पूजयन्ताः उपासते ज्ञानगवदाः, ते यथागवज्ञानां माम् एव
प्राप्नुवन्न्त ॥ ९-१९ ॥
na punaḥ atyantam ēva asat Bhagavān svayaṁ | kāryakāraṇē vā sadasatī ||

yē pūrvōktaiḥ anuvr̥ttiprakāraiḥēkatva-pr̥thaktva-ādi-vijñānaiḥ yajñaiḥ māṁ
pūjayantaḥ upāsatē jñānavidaḥ, tē yathāvijñānaṁ mām ēva prāpnuvanti || 9-19
||
Śaṅkarācārya adds a note. When Kr̥ṣṇa says I am sat and asat it means I am
existent and non-existent. And when you translate existent and non-existent you
should add the adjective properly, relatively-existent and relatively-non-existent. But
never translate the word asat as absolute-non-existent. Then what will be the
problem? Bhagavān will say I am absolutely non-existent also. If Bhagavān is
absolutely non-existent, then he cannot be all these things described above.

Therefore he adds a note the word asat should be translated as relative-non-

existence and not absolute non-existence like śaśa-śr̥ṅga, rabbit‟s horn, that is not
the meaning of the word asat. Therefore he says na punaḥ, punaḥ means on the
other hand, Bhagavān atyantam ēva asat na – Bhagavān is not absolute non-
existence, svayam – by himself. He is only relative non-existence about which we
talk about all the time. And then Śaṅkarācārya feels that this concept may be a little
bit difficult to understand. So he wants to give a second explanation for the word sat
and asat, which is easier explanation.
The first explanation is that sat means relative existence, asat means relative
nonexistence, which is different from absolute non-existence.
If a student says I am not able to understand the difference between relative non-
existence and absolute non-existence; for me to understand the buddhi is non-
existent; therefore you please explain differently. Then Śaṅkarācārya says I will give
you a simple explanation.
Sat means kāryam, sat has got a different meaning called kāryam, any product is
called sat. And the asat means kāraṇam, any cause is called asat. Therefore when
Bhagavān says I am sat and asat it means I alone am in the form of kāryakāraṇa
prapañca. And in that meaning alone Taittirīyōpaniṣat uses the expression
असद्वा इदमग्र आसीत् । ततो वै सदजायत । तदात्मान स्वयमकुरुत ॥ तैत्तिरीयोपगनषत् २-६-७ ॥
asadvā idamagra āsīt | tatō vai sadajāyata | tadātmāna svayamakuruta ||

Taittirīyōpaniṣat 2-6-7 |
|
In that Taittirīya portion asadvā idamagra āsīt, asat means kāraṇam. Tatō vai sad
ajāyata, sat means kāryam. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says vā, vā means otherwise,
sadasatī– the word sat and asat occurring in the mūlam as sat asat ca is here called
as sadasatī, can have a second meaning also, that is kāryakāraṇē – cause and
effect. And this I have explained in Taittirīyōpaniṣat, why effect is called sat and why
cause is caused asat, I have explained in Taittirīya, you are supposed to remember,
but I am not able to resist, therefore I will give you the reason. Why is any product
called sat, existence? Because product alone is available for transaction. Anything
only when it is produced it is available for transaction, until it is produced even
though it may be there in potential form, it is not available for transactions and
therefore we will treat it as non-existent only. When we have got the milk, in the
milk butter is there but until you extract the butter, butter is in the milk but it is not
available for transaction. Therefore if somebody asks you the question, do you have

butter what will be your answer? You will say I don‟t have butter even though it is
there. Similarly when sesame seeds are there but until the oil is extracted you will
say oil is not there. Therefore what is potentially there in causal form is as good as
non-existent, whatever has been tapped alone is existent. Therefore kāryam is
treated as existent and vyavahāra-yōgyatvāt, kāraṇam is treated as non-existent
vyavahāra-ayōgyatvāt. Therefore kāryakāraṇē. Now Śaṅkarācārya writes the
concluding note. yē jñāna-vidaḥ, yē is the beginning of the paragraph and
jñānavidaḥ is in the next line. yē jñāna-vidaḥ means those who understand
Bhagavān in this manner, that means ēka-rūpa, anēka-rūpa, arūpa, those who
understand Bhagavān in this manner, jñāna-vidaḥ bahuvacanam, pūjayantaḥ mām
upāsatē– practice anyone of these three meditations and worship Me through the
meditation itself. Practice of meditation itself is a type of pūjā only. Therefore
pūjayantaḥ santaḥ yē jñāna-vidaḥmām upāsatē – those people worship Me in the
form of these three types of meditation . And what are they ? ēkatva-pr̥thaktva-ādi-
vijñānaiḥ– with the vision of ēka-rūpa-Īśvara, anēka-rūpa Īśvara, and arūpa-Īśvara.
The words ēkatvam and pr̥thaktvam we have already s een before. They occurred in
the second line of verse fifteen of this chapter ēkatvēna pr̥thaktvēna , Śaṅkarācārya
is reminding us. In these methods; and not only that he also tells pūrva uktaiḥ–
which have been already told. So don‟t read it as a new information. You should be
able to connect with the fifteenth ślōka . anuvr̥ttiprakāraiḥ– in this sequential method
And what is the sequence? Ēka-rūpa-Īśvara iṣṭa-dēvatā, then iṣṭa-dēvatā should
become viśva-rūpa-Īśvara, and then viśva-rūpa should become arūpam. Mayā tatam
idam sarvam jagat avyakta-mūrtinā || Gītā 9-4 || So in this sequence if people follow
the meditation what will happen to them? tē– those meditators, mām ēva
prāpnuvanti – they will ultimately come to Me, yathā vijñānam – in keeping with
their method of meditation. That means as the meditation is, so the phalam will be.
If they say I want to be always dāsa of Bhagavān, there are people who long for
this, and if they say I don‟t want to become, and I have told you the logic – I want
to consume sugar and I don‟t want to become sugar, remember whether you
become sugar or consume sugar ultimately there will be one left out, isn‟t it?
Because even when you consume sugar, sugar consumer will become advaitam only.
But there are people who claim I don‟t want sō:'ham, I want only dāsō:'ham,
bhāgavatam is full of such prayers by some wonderful bhaktas and they say I don‟t
want mōkṣa at all, I want to be in your presence looking at you kēśādi pādāntam
beauty I want to enjoy. Bhagavān says nothing wrong. If you love dvaitam continue
in dvaitam, remember Advaitin never wants to force advaitam on anyone. Only when
the dvaitin becomes dissatisfied with dvaitam

परीक्ष्य लोकान् कमयशचतान् ब्राह्मणो गनवेदमायात्॥ मुण्डकोपगनषत् १-२-१२ ॥
parīkṣya lōkān karmacitān brāhmaṇō nirvēdamāyāt || Muṇḍakōpaniṣat 1-2-12

||
Only when he himself voluntarily says I want to go beyond, then alone, otherwise
we say be in the presence of the Lord, enjoy as much as you want. One lady came
and told I want to take part in rāsakrīḍā with Bhagavān. That is my goal. In one
janma or the other I want to dance with Bhagavān. I want to enjoy as one of the
gōpīs.
केिपािधृतगपञ्चछकागवतगतसचचलन्मकरकुण्डलम् ॥ नारायणीयम् ६९-१ ॥
kēśapāśadhr̥tapiñchikāvitatisañcalanmakarakuṇḍalam || Nārāyaṇīyam 69-1 ||
Hearing this we ourselves feel like dancing. So beautiful Nārāyaṇīyam ślōka. his
presence. Yada vijñānam mam ēva So yathāvijñānaṁ mām ēva prāpnuvanti.
The anvaya is, hē Arjuna! aham tapāmi | aham varṣam nigr̥h ṇāmi utsr̥jāmi ca |
aham ēva amr̥tam mr̥tyuḥ ca (bhavāmi) | (aham) sat asat ca (bhavāmi) |More in the
next class.

315 Verses 20 to 22

तपाम्यहमहां वषं गनगृह्णाम्युत्सृजायम च ।
अमृतां चैव मृत्युि सदसिाहमजुयन ॥ गीता ९-१९ ॥
tapāmyahamahaṁ varṣaṁ nigr̥hṇāmyutsr̥jāmi ca |

amr̥taṁ caiva mr̥tyuśca sadasaccāhamarjuna || Gītā 9-19 ||
Kr̥ṣṇa talked about three types of Īśvara dhyānams in the fifteenth verse in the form
of ēka-rūpa-Īśvara, anēka-rūpa-Īśvara and arūpa-Īśvara-dhyānam. The first two
come under saguṇa-upāsanam and the third one comes under nirguṇa-
nididhyāsanam. And after going through the first two a person cannot directly go to
third one, between the second meditation and the third one there is an intermediary
step which is vēdānta śravaṇam and mananam. And all these three were pointed out
in the fifteenth ślōka and thereafter from sixteenth to nineteenth Kr̥ṣṇa highlighted
the second type of meditation which is anēka-rūpa-dhyānam otherwise called viśva-
rūpa-upāsanam. In the entire madhyama ṣaṭkam from the seventh chapter up to
twelfth chapter Kr̥ṣṇa is focusing on viśva-rūpa-Īśvara upāsanam only. The
culmination comes in the eleventh chapter. And all these ślōkas are preparation for
that. And while talking about viśva-rūpa-Īśvara Kr̥ṣṇa highlighted Bhagavān as Sūrya
rūpaḥ or Sūrya form, because in the vēdas Sūrya worship is highlighted as a great
form of pūjā, because the entire sandhyāvandanam which is the most fundamental
spiritual sādhana is Sūrya Nārāyaṇa vandanam only. Kr̥ṣṇa acknowledges the Vedic
importance given to Sūrya Bhagavān by spending a special verse, the nineteenth
verse is Sūrya Nārāyaṇa representing viśva-rūpa-Īśvara. And we completed the
bhāṣyam of that in the last class, now we have to enter the twentieth verse and
from the twentieth verse onwards Kr̥ṣṇa wants to highlight the motive.
Until now the type of Īśvara that is worshipped, hereafter the type of motive that we
can have. And Kr̥ṣṇa wants to discourage ārta-bhakti and arthārthī-bhakti, which
comes under materialistic motive and Kr̥ṣṇa wants to highlight jijñāsu-bhakti which is
spiritual motive. So criticism of material motive and glorification of spiritual motive.
Now verse twenty and twenty-one is the criticism of worldly motives, otherwise
called sakāma-bhakti-nindā niṣkāma-bhakti-stuti. And this is not a new issue, Kr̥ṣṇa
has already talked about it in the second chapter in a very strong language

यायममाां पुत्ष्पताां वाचां प्रवदन्त्यगवपत्तिताः ।

वेदवादरतााः पाथय नान्यदस्तीगत वाददनाः ॥ गीता २-४२ ॥
कामात्मानाः स्वगयपरा जन्मकमयफलप्रदाम् ।
गक्रयागविेषबहुलाां भोगैश्वययगततिं प्रगत ॥ गीता २-४३ ॥
भोगैश्वययप्रसक्तानाां तयापहृतचेतसाम् ।
व्यवसायात्त्मका बुद्धद्धाः समाधौ न गवधीयते ॥ गीता २-४४ ॥
yāmimāṁ puṣpitāṁ vācaṁ pravadantyavipaścitaḥ |

vēdavādaratāḥ pārtha nānyadastīti vādinaḥ || Gītā 2-42 ||
kāmātmānaḥ svargaparā janmakarmaphalapradām |
kriyāviśēṣabahulāṁ bhōgaiśvaryagatiṁ prati || Gītā 2-43 ||
bhōgaiśvaryaprasaktānāṁ tayāpahr̥tacētasām |
vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ samādhau na vidhīyatē || Gītā 2-44 ||
Sakāma-bhaktas will never understand the significance of vēdānta. And therefore

traiguṇyaviṣayāḥ vēdāḥ all are very important ślōkas. That is repeated in these
verses. We will read introduction to verse twenty.
Verse 09-20Introduction
ये पुनाः अज्ञााः कामकामााः ––
yē punaḥ ajñāḥ kāmakāmāḥ––
Verse 09-20
त्रैगवद्या माां सोमपााः पूतपापा
यज्ञैररष्ट् वा स्वगयततिं प्राथययन्ते ।
ते पुण्यमासाद्य सुरेन्िलोक-
मश्नन्न्त ददव्याद्धन्दगव दे वभोगान् ॥ गीता ९-२० ॥
traividyā māṁ sōmapāḥ pūtapāpā

yajñairiṣṭvā svargatiṁ prārthayantē |
tē puṇyamāsādya surēndralōka-
maśnanti divyāndivi dēvabhōgān || Gītā 9-20 ||
So yē punaḥ ajñāḥ– unfortunately there are some ignorant people, here ignorant
people means not knowing the difference between sakāma-bhakti and niṣkāma-
bhakti, just as we talk about nitya-anitya-vastu vivēka here these people do not
have sakāma-bhakti niṣkāma-bhakti vivēka is not there. The superiority of niṣkāma-
bhakti they do not know. Therefore they are trapped in sakāma-bhakti. The
language I use is the religious-materialism and religious-spirituality. Ninety nine
percent get trapped in religious-materialism and only one percent comes to religious
spirituality. Therefore ajñāḥ-sakāma-niṣkāma-bhakti vivēka rahitāḥ. And therefore
only kāmakāmāḥ, kāmakāmāḥ is another word for sakāma-bhaktāḥ. The first kāma

refers to anātmā. In this compound word kāmakāmāḥ which is borrowed from Gītā
itself, the word kāmakāmāḥ comes in the verse twenty-one fourth line that
Śaṅkarācārya borrows, in the word kāmakāmāḥ the first kāma refers to worldly goals
anātmā.karma vyutpatti kāmyantē iti kāmāḥ anātmā viṣayāḥ. The second kāma
means desire. And therefore the compound means those who have desire for
anātmā viṣayas and therefore it means sakāma-bhaktāḥ. And what do they do? They
use all the religious rituals; rituals can be used for mōkṣa also, it can be used for
worldly benefits also. They vote for the worldly benefits instead of mōkṣa.
Remember my example bringing gaṅgā jalam from Kāśi Gōmukha, Haridvāra etc.,
and that Gaṅgā jalam has to be utilized for great things but they use it for washing
the floor. Using Gaṅgā jalam for floor washing is ridiculous we know, so also using
ritual for family benefits is also as ridiculous as using Gaṅgā jalam for washing the
floor. That is the essence of this ślōka. Now we will read the bhāṣyam.
त्रैविद्य ाः ऋनयजुाःसामगवदाः म ं वस्वादददे वरूगपणां सोमप ाः सोमां गपबन्न्त इगत सोमपााः, तेन एव सोमपानेन पूत-प प ाः
िुद्धगकञ्ल्बषााः, यज्ञैाः अग्ननष्टोमाददत्तभाः इष्ट् ि पूजययत्वा स्िगथततिं– स्वगयगमनां स्वगयगताः ताम्प्र थथयनते । ते च पुण्यं
पुण्यफलम् आस द्य सम्प्राप्य सुरेनर-लोकं ितक्रतोाः स्थानम् अश्नन्नत भुञ्जते ददव्य जनदवि भवान् अप्राकृतान् दे ि-
भोग न् दे वानाां भोगााः तान् ॥ ९-२० ॥
traividyāḥr̥gyajuḥsāmavidaḥmāṁvasvādidēvarūpiṇaṁsōmapāḥsōmaṁ pibanti iti

sōmapāḥ, tēna ēva sōmapānēna pūta-pāpāḥśuddhakilbiṣāḥ,
yajñaiḥagniṣṭōmādibhiḥiṣṭvāpūjayitvāsvargatiṁ – svargagamanaṁ svargatiḥ
tām prārthayantē| tēca puṇyaṁpuṇyaphalam āsādyasamprāpya surēndra-
lōkaṁśatakratōḥ sthānam aśnantibhuñjatēdivyāndivibhavān aprākr̥tān dēva-
bhōgāndēvānāṁ bhōgāḥ tān || 9-20 ||
So the sakāma bhaktās are described here. traividyāḥ is in the mūlam , is equal to
r̥gyajuḥsāmavidaḥ – those who are the knowers and the practitioners of the three
vēdas r̥g , yajuḥ and sāma; atharvaṇa-vēda is not mentioned because atharvaṇa-
vēda is not utilized in the regular rituals, and therefore traividyāḥ. So tisraḥ vidyāḥ
yēṣāṁ tē trividyāḥ. trividyāḥēva traividyāḥ. Knowers of Vedic rituals. And what do
they do? mām prārthayantē– they worship Me through the Vedic rituals. And what
type of Me? They don‟t worship Me directly but they worship Me who am present in
the form of various dēvatās. And who are the dēvatās? Vasu-ādi-dēva-rūpiṇam –
aṣṭavasavaḥ ēkādaśa rudrāḥ, dvādaśa ādityāḥ, indraḥ prajāpatiḥ ca, thirty-three
dēvatās are specially invoked in Vedic rituals. They are called trayastriṁśat
havirbhujaḥ. Havirbhujaḥ means receiving oblations in the yāga. And thirty-three
dēvatās are enumerated aṣṭau vasava ēkādaśa rudrā dvādaśādityāḥ indraḥ
prajāpatiḥ ca. This came in Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat third chapter ninth section second
mantra of śākalya brāhmaṇam. So vasu-ādi-dēva-rūpiṇam – Bhagavān is invoked in
the form of these thirty-three oblation receivers. So vasvādi dēva rūpiṇaṁ mām.

And while doing the rituals what do they do? sōmapāḥ– and these rituals they
divide into three groups, seven sōmayajñāḥ, sapta pākayajñāḥ, sapta
sōmayajñāḥand sapta haviryajñāḥ. Of them sapta sōmayajñās are considered to be
extremely important. I had talked about this in the Saṁskāra talk. I gave nine talks
on forty-one saṁskāras, there twenty-one main saṁskāras are haviryajña,
sōmayajña and pākayajña. Here Kr̥ṣṇa used the word sōmapāḥ therefore Kr̥ṣṇa is
referring to seven sōmayāgas. And of the seven sōmayāgas the most fundamental
one is agniṣṭōmaḥ, and that is why Śaṅkarācārya uses the word agniṣṭōma. Why
does he chose agniṣṭōma sōmayāga? Because Kr̥ṣṇa uses the word sōmapāḥ,
therefore agniṣṭōmādi sapta sōmayāga. Agniṣṭōma, jyōtiṣṭōma, āptōryāma, vājapēya
etc., are enumerated in saṁskāra talk. Vājapēya yāga comes under one of the great
sōmayāga, and the one who perform that is called vājapēyī and vājapēyī means you
must remember one of our prime-ministers was Vājapēyī whether he has done
Vājapēya I doubt but he belongs to Vājapēyīs. Thus we had all these people in our
culture. Anyway sōmapāḥ is equal to sōmaṁ pibanti iti sōmapāḥ– those who take
sōmarasa as the prasādam after offering that in the ritual. Sōma is the juice
extracted from sōma creeper, it is a creeper which has to be crushed. For crushing
also there are mantras, sōma savanam it is called, at a particular time they have to
do three times a day, because sōmayāga runs for many days. Therefore each day
they have to crush in the morning, afternoon and evening and thereafter offer in the
next day, it is a very huge and elaborate ritual. Many people translate sōmarasa as a
type of liquor and all, all these are not true, it is nothing but a rasa taken from a
creeper and even if it has got some intoxicating power, remember they are going to
drink and not in glasses and all, it will be taken a drop in uddharaṇi as prasāda. Now
they are propagating sōma-yāga means liquor drinking. So they say we do it in the
party. Remember it has nothing to do with liquor and all of them, it is a special
creeper special juice taken as prasāda after offering. Therefore sōmapāḥ, and tēna
ēva sōmapānēna – by taking that prasāda and prasāda should be taken after doing
the yāga. It is not like some people attending the pūjā at the last moment when the
prasāda is distributed, no, they have to perform the ritual and take the prasāda. And
sōmapānēna pūta-pāpāḥ, pūta-pāpāḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to śuddha
kilbiṣāḥ, pūtam means śuddham, śuddham means free from, śuddham should be
translated here as free from, kilbiṣam means pāpam, so śuddha-kilbiṣāḥ means
nirastapāpāḥ, and these people yajñaiḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to
agniṣṭōmādibhiḥ sapta sōmayajñaiḥ– with the help of seven sōma yajñas; iṣṭvā is in
the mūlam, is equal to pūjayitvā– they worship the Lord, and while doing the
sōmayāga we have got to do the saṅkalpa. In the saṅkalpa what do we say? When

you are doing namaskāra in the temple, watch your mind what do you ask the Lord.
Ninety nine percent what do we do? Various family members we enumerate; Kr̥ṣṇa
tells that is foolish. Here he says they ask for svargagamanam. Svarga also comes
under anātmā, family comes under anātmā. These people vote for either iha lōka
anātmā or para lōka anātmā. Therefore svargatim is in the mūlam, svargaga-
manam is equal to svargatiḥ. Parenthesis. Here svargatim you have to split it
properly, you should not split it as svarga plus tim, but split it as svar plus gatim is
svargatim, svar means suvar lōkaḥ, suvar lōkaḥ means svarga lōkaḥ. Therefore
Śaṅkarācārya translates it as svargagamanaṁ svargatiḥ. This is in the parenthesis.
tām prārthayantē – they vote for anātmā. What will Bhagavān do? Bhagavān is
keeping mōkṣa ready and almost he is about to handover but this person says some
family member or other family member, therefore Bhagavān is forced to take back
the mōkṣa and put it in his pocket. In the mūlam class I have said Bhagavān has got
two hands in one pocket there is dharma artha kāma and in another there is mōkṣa.
One hand Bhagavān uses all the time and the mōkṣa hand is paralyzed and stuck
because nobody is asking for mōkṣa. And therefore he has to do some
physiotherapy when somebody goes to Him and ask for jñāna-vairāgya
siddhyartham. Kr̥ṣṇa says nobody asks. Therefore what do they do? Tē ca puṇyam
is in the mūlam, is equal to puṇya-phalam, puṇya-phalam is svargam, āsādya– they
attain, āsādyais equal to samprāpya, that puṇyaphalam is surēndra-lōkam is
equal to śatakratōḥ sthānam, indra is called śatakratuḥ– the one who has done
hundred yāgas, kratuḥ means yāgaḥ, śatakratuḥ means śatam kratavaḥ yasya – the
one who has done hundred yāgas because to get indra padavi we have has to
perform hundred yāgas. And therefore indra is called śatakratuḥ. And sthānam
means his suvar lōkaḥ, āsādya– they will reach. In the svarga lōka what do they
do? They are not going to attend Vedantic classes, in the svarga lōka they aśnanti
is equal to bhuñjatē– they thoroughly enjoy khāvō piyō majā karō, partying is the
only thing in the svarga lōka. Aśnanti is equal to bhuñjatē– enjoy. What? Divyān is
equal to divi bhavān is equal to aprākr̥tān – the pleasures belonging to dyu lōka,
divi is the saptamī vibhakti of dyauḥ. Bhavān means available in svarga lōka . What
are those pleasures ? aprākr̥tān, aprākr̥tān means those which are not available in
bhūlōka. Here prākr̥tam m eans bhūlōka , aprākr̥tam means not available in the
bhūlōka. In English there is an idiom out of the world. How was the class? Out of the
world. So aprākr̥tam means out of this world, the heavenly pleasures.
Then dēva-bhōgān is in the mūlam, Śaṅkarācārya gives the samāsa, because he

doesn‟t have much to write, therefore he gives the samāsa of all these things,

dēvānāṁ bhōgāḥ dēva-bhōgān – the pleasures enjoyed by the celestials they will
be available for this person also. dēvānāṁ bhōgāḥ in parenthesis, then tān, tān
means bhōgān.
The anvaya is, trai-vidyāḥ sōmapāḥ pūta-pāpāḥ yajñaiḥ mām iṣṭvā svargatim
prārthayantē | tē puṇyam surēndra-lōkaṁāsādya, divi divyān dēva-bhōgān aśnanti |
Continuing;
Verse 09-21
ते तां भुक्तत्वा स्वगयलोकां गविालां
क्ीणे पुण्ये मत्ययलोकां गविन्न्त ।
एवां त्रयीधमयमनुप्रपन्ना
गतागतां कामकामा लभन्ते ॥ गीता ९-२१ ॥
tē taṁ bhuktvā svargalōkaṁ viśālaṁ

kṣīṇē puṇyē martyalōkaṁ viśanti |
ēvaṁ trayīdharmamanuprapannā
gatāgataṁ kāmakāmā labhantē || Gītā 9-21 ||
In the second line there are two readings. Traidharmyam is printed here, this is also
correct reading only. But there is another reading which is better and more popular
that is trayīdharmam. Instead of trai it is trayī, and instead of dharmyam it is
dharmam. Anyway we have quoted the ślōka hundreds of time, you know the
meaning, so we will directly go to the bhāṣyam.
ते तां भुक्तत्वा स्वगय-लोकां गविालां गवस्तीणं क्ीणे पुण्ये मत्यय-लोकम्इमांगविन्न्त आगविन्न्त । एवांगहयथोक्तेन प्रकारेण त्रैधम्यं
केवलां वैददकां कमय अनुप्रपन्नााः गतागतां गतां च आगतां च गतागतां गमन-आगमनां काम-कामााः कामान् कामयन्ते इगत
कामकामााः लभन्ते। गतागतम् एव, न तु स्वातन्त्र्यां क्तवशचत् लभन्ते इगत अथयाः ॥ ९-२१ ॥
tē taṁ bhuktvā svarga-lōkaṁ viśālaṁvistīrṇaṁkṣīṇē puṇyē martya-lōkam

imaṁviśanti āviśanti | ēvaṁhi yathōktēna prakārēṇa traidharmyaṁ kēvalaṁ
vaidikaṁ karma anuprapannāḥ gatāgataṁ gataṁ ca āgataṁ ca gatāgataṁ
gamana-āgamanaṁkāma-kāmāḥkāmān kāmayantē iti kāmakāmāḥlabhantē|
gatāgatam ēva, na tu svātantryaṁ kvacit labhantē iti arthaḥ || 9-21 ||
Śaṅkarācārya almost quotes the entire first line without giving the meaning, because
the meaning is evident, tē tam svarga-lōkam viśālam bhuktvā – they enjoy the
vast heavenly world, there will be no traffic congestions, narrow roads etc., all those
things will not be there, it is a very vast land of heaven. Only one word he gives the
meaning viśālam is equal to vistīrṇam. Vistīrṇam means vast. And what is the
negative news? Enjoyment is positive news, negative news is for every enjoyment
you have to exchange the puṇyam that you have earned, therefore a day will come
when the credit card shows zero puṇyam balance. Zero puṇyam means for enjoying

the heavenly pleasures. Therefore kṣīṇē puṇyē sati, martya-lōkam viśanti is in

the mūlam, Śaṅkarācārya gives the simple meaning imam, I don‟t want to explain
what is martya-lōkam, it means this world, that is bhūlōkam viśanti, is equal to
āviśanti – they come back from svarga lōka. So Kr̥ṣṇa says they will go,
Śaṅkarācārya says they will come, because we are already in martya lōka only.
ēvam is in the mūlam, is equal to yathōktēna prakārēṇa – in this manner, that
means traidharmyaṁ kēvalaṁ vaidikaṁ karma, traidharmyam is equal to
kēvalaṁ vaidikaṁ karma – the Vedic rituals given in the three vēdas. In all the big
rituals hōtā, adhyaryuḥ and udgātā. R̥gvēda priest is called hōtā , yajurvēda priest is
called adhyaryuḥand sāmavēda priest is called udgātā. In all sōmayāgas sāmavēda
priest will have a big role, for hours together they have to chant sāmavēda so loud
that the dēvatās in the heaven must hear and no mic also. And the atharvaṇa priest
is called brahmā. Since atharvaṇa vēda is not involved in Vedic rituals, Brahmā
doesn‟t have a direct role, therefore brahma the atharvaṇa vēda priest gets the role
of supervising the other three people, and since he has to play the supervisory role
he has to learn all the four vēdas. That is why he gets the title Brahmā just as a
caturmukha Brahmā has got the knowledge of all the four vēdas, the brahmā, the
supervisory priest has to be caturvēdi. Others can be ēka-vēdi but Brahmā has to be
catur-vēdi. And therefore why I said all this is because traidharmyam only three
priests have got the direct role. So traidharmyam is equal to kēvalaṁ vaidikaṁ
karma. traidharmyam is Śaṅkarācārya ‟s reading, but our reading trayīdharmam.
trayīmeans vēda, dharma means karma, which means vaidika karma.
anuprapannāḥ is in the mūlam, Śaṅkarācārya doesn‟t give the meaning, we have
to give the meaning, following repeatedly, anu means repeatedly, prapannāḥ
means taking recourse to or following the rituals repeatedly, because these seven
sōmayāgas some of them will have to be done on a shorter frequency daily once are
there, agnihōtram will come under daily basis, some of them are fortnightly and
some of them are cāturmāsyam which are of two types – one is cāturmāsyam
followed by sannyāsis and there is another cāturmāsyam, a Vedic rituals performed
by gr̥hasthas, which will have to be done thrice a year. Some of them will be yearly,
some of them like Vājapēya yāga which is so big that it is enough if you do once in
life time. Therefore remember the sapta yāgas are of different frequency. And
therefore anuprapannāḥ some of them will have to be done repeatedly. By
performing these karma repeatedly the benefit they get is gatāgataṁlabhantē,
gata-āgatam is in the mūlam, is equal to gataṁ ca āgataṁ ca tayōḥ samāhāraḥ,
samāhāra dvandva samāsa, gatam means going, āgatammeans coming. I have
told you autobiography, it is auto‟s biography. What is auto‟s biography? It is going

and coming. Śaṅkarācārya says is equal to gamana-āgamanam – arrival and

departure. Kāma-kāmāḥ is in the mūlam, the title for sakāma bhaktas, is equal to
kāmāḥ kāmān kāmayantē iti kāmakāmāḥ. Kāmān means anātmā bhōgya
padārthān, which means sense pleasures. And remember varieties of relationships
are also in Vedantic context come under sense pleasures only. All relationships also
come under sense pleasure, however sacred they may be, even guru-śiṣya
sambandha if I utilize only for jñānam, it is allowed, thereafter enjoying the
relationship as a person will come under sense pleasure. And that is why after
vividiṣā sannyāsa, during vividiṣā sannyāsa guru and śiṣya enjoy personal cum
scriptural relationship and after the education is over guru doesn‟t allow, Dayānanda
Svāmiji says after the course is over some of the brahmacāris asks for permission to
stay in the āśrama for a few more months, afraid of going out, because āśrama and
guru give tremendous security the brahmacāris give varieties of excuses „svāmiji you
took so many classes and we did not have time to write notes properly and we
would like to consolidate, shall we stay?‟ Svāmiji used to say nothing doing get out,
because that āśrama relationship and relationship with the people in the āśrama,
therefore relationship with co-brahmacāris, relationship with guru, relationship with
the deity in the āśrama, iṣṭa dēvatāand also the place itself and sometimes food
also, all come under, even guru śiṣya sambandha comes under sense pleasure only.
Therefore vēdānta says sarva saṅga parityāgaḥ. If guru śiṣya sambandha itself
comes under sense pleasure means what to talk about husband wife or parent
children? If guru śiṣya sambandha itself comes under sense pleasure then even
attachment to the children will come under sense pleasure. „What about
grandchildren‟ don‟t ask me that question. And therefore asaktiranabhiṣvaṅgaḥ
putradāragr̥hādiṣu || Gītā 13-9 || very painful line of Bhagavad Gītā, but it is a truth
only. Therefore kāmān means kāmayantē iti kāmāḥ. Karma vyutpatti all relationships
come under sense pleasures. It is very important portion. Labhantē means these
sakāma-bhaktas will get sense pleasures. But what is the type? gatāgatam ēva –
which is subject to arrival and departure. yē hi saṁsparśajā bhōgā duḥkhayōnaya
ēva tē || Gītā 5-22 || remember. gatāgatam ēva is equal to na tu svātantryaṁ kvacit
labhantē – they will never get mōkṣa or independence because they are traveling
from one dependence to another dependence and the final-dependence is God
dependence, even God-dependence vēdānta considers as another type of saṁsāra
because sacred-dependence is also dependence only. That is why I said world-
dependence to God-dependence to Self-dependence, in which I discover God as the
very Self itself. Ultimately Self-help is the best help. This is vēdānta. Sakāma-
bhaktas will not get mōkṣa. svātantryaṁ na labhantē iti arthaḥ. Therefore you have

to come to niṣkāma bhakti, when to come you can choose, but you have to come
one day or the other.
The anvaya is, tē tam viśālam svarga-lōkam bhuktvā, puṇyē kṣīṇē (sati) martya-
lōkam viśanti | ēvam trayī-dharmam anuprapannāḥ kāma-kāmāḥ gata-āgatam
labhantē |

ये पुनाः गनष्कामााः सम्यनदर्ििंनाः ––
yē punaḥ niṣkāmāḥ samyagdarśinaḥ––
Verse 09-22
अनन्यात्तिन्तयन्तो माां ये जनााः पयुयपासते ।
तेषाां गनत्यात्तभयुक्तानाां योगक्ेमां वहाम्यहम् ॥ गीता ९-२२ ॥
ananyāścintayantō māṁ yē janāḥ paryupāsatē |

tēṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yōgakṣēmaṁ vahāmyaham || Gītā 9-22 ||
In the previous two ślōkas sakāma-bhaktas have been talked about in the form of
ninda, criticism that they will only remain in saṁsāra, they are bhaktas but they will
be saṁsāris only. Who will become muktaḥ? Niṣkāma-bhaktaḥ will become muktaḥ.
And who is he? That is talked about in the following ślōka. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya
gives the introduction yē punaḥ niṣkāmāḥ, and niṣkāmāḥ means those who have
given up ārta-bhakti and arthārthī-bhakti. So whatever be the problem, do I want to
use my bhakti for solving the worldly problem or not, there will be tremendous
temptation and pressure from family members to do those rituals for solving the
problem, resisting and saying no is difficult, in fact some of the students come and
tell me also, Svāmiji even if I don‟t want it, there is pressure from family people,
anyway to avoid disharmony in the family, you may do it because of pressure, but
when there is a choice whether I do it or not, if I resist the temptation and avoid
doing ārta-bhakti and arthārthī-bhakti it requires tremendous courage. Such bhaktas
are called niṣkāmāḥ. And the niṣkāma-bhaktas are talked about. The following ślōka
can be taken as niṣkāma-bhakta ślōka, but niṣkāma-bhaktas can be divided into
three types.
One is jijñāsu-bhakta, niṣkāma-bhakta who is a gr̥hastha . He is or she is a gr̥hastha

but jijñāsu-bhakta. He doesn‟t have ātma-jñānam but interested in ātma-jñānam,
gr̥hastha, daily pūjās he or she is doing but wants to study vēdānta and gain
knowledge. He is gr̥hastha jijñāsu bhakta.

The second group is niṣkāma-vividiṣā-sannyāsis. They are interested in jñānam, they

are jijñāsu-bhaktas, but they have renounced gr̥hastha āśrama for studying vēdānta .
And they have joined the gurukulam and now they are bhaktas, niṣkāma-bhaktas,
jijñāsu-bhaktas in gurukulam they will do various services etc., and they are called
vividiṣā sannyāsis dedicated to śravaṇam and mananam.
The third group is vidvat-sannyāsis who are not jijñāsu-bhaktas but who are jñāni-
bhaktas, who have completed śravaṇam and mananam, who have left gurukulam
also, they are parivrājaka-sannyāsis dedicated to nididhyāsanam. Vidvat-sannyāsis
are dedicated to nididhyāsanam. They roam about. This is the third group.
So gr̥hastha -jijñāsu-bhaktas, vividiṣā-sannyāsis and vidvat-sannyāsis, this ślōka is

applicable to all the three. But Śaṅkarācārya is taking the ślōka as the third group
bhaktas i.e., vidvat-sannyāsis. That is why he uses the word samyagdarśinaḥ. More
in the next class.

316 Verse-22
Page 238, verse 22


After talking about the limitations of ārta-bhakti and arthārthī-bhakti, now Kr̥ṣṇa
comes to the topic of the glories of jijñāsu-bhakti and jñāni-bhakti. So these four
types of bhaktas have been mentioned in the seventh chapter of Bhagavad Gītā.
Both the seventh and ninth chapters are very very close parallel and complementary.
And what I mean by the word complementary is that each chapter will be
understood better by the other chapter. Seventh chapter can be understood better
with help of the ninth chapter and ninth chapter can be understood better with the
help of the seventh chapter. That is why Śaṅkarācārya in his bhāṣyam heavily
quotes seventh chapter while commenting on the ninth chapter. And what is the
limitation of the ārta, arthārthī=bhakti? tē taṁ bhuktvā svargalōkaṁ viśālaṁ kṣīṇē
puṇyē martyalōkaṁ viśanti || Gītā 9-21 || punarapi jananam punarapi maraṇam
cycle or saṁsāra cannot be stopped by these two types of bhakti. Therefore if a
person wants to attain mōkṣa not only should he be a bhakta, but he should also be
a jijñāsu-bhaktaḥ. Mere bhakti can never give liberation, the bhakti must be of the
nature of jijñāsu-bhakti. And therefore having talked about the limitation of the
other two bhaktis from the twenty-second ślōka onwards Kr̥ṣṇa is glorifying jijñāsu
bhaktaḥ otherwise called niṣkāma bhaktaḥ otherwise called ananya-bhaktaḥ.
In the last class I pointed out this ślōka number twenty-two very often quoted from
the Gītā and one of the most important verses of the entire Gītā, in the viṣṇu
sahasranāma end also this ślōka is chanted, I said this ślōka can refer to three types
of people. This ślōka is applicable to three groups of people? Do you remember ? I
said this ślōka can refer to a gr̥hastha-jijñāsu, a jijñāsu-bhakta who is still a gr̥hastha
and the second one is vividiṣā-sannyāsi and a vividiṣā-sannyāsi will be a jijñāsu,
because the very word vividiṣā means jijñāsu and therefore a vividiṣā sannyāsi is
also a jijñāsu-bhakta. And the third group is vidvat-sannyāsi, the one who has done

śravaṇam and mananam; while a vividiṣā-sannyāsi is in the process of śravaṇam and

mananam and therefore he is a guru-kulavāsi whereas a vidvat-sannyāsi has
completed śravaṇam and mananam and he has left the gurukulam and the guru
also, and he is a sannyāsi for practicing not śravaṇam, not mananam but exclusive
nididhyāsanam. Therefore he is also a jijñāsu-bhaktaḥ interested in jñāna-niṣṭhā,
viparīta bhāvanā nivr̥ttyartham he is working . Therefore this ślōka is applicable to
jijñāsu gr̥hastha ,vividiṣā sannyāsi and vidvat sannyāsi. And Śaṅkarācārya takes as
what is the question. Śaṅkarācārya takes this ślōka as connected to the third group
of people, i.e., vidvat-sannyāsi committed to nididhyāsanam, they are parivrājaka
sannyāsis owning nothing, possessing nothing, they don‟t belong to any institution,
they don‟t have trust and all those things, they don‟t live in one place but they are
sura mandira taru mūla nivāsaḥ śayyā bhūtala majinaṁ vāsaḥ | sarva parigraha
bhōga tyāgaḥ kasya sukhaṁ na karōti virāgaḥ || Bhaja gōvindam 18 || Their shelter
is under the tree and their next bhikṣāthey do not know and they ask for
bhikṣāwherever whatever comes yadr̥cchā -lābha-santuṣṭaḥ || Gītā 4-22 || such a
parivrājaka vidvat-sannyāsi Śaṅkarācārya keeps in mind and nowadays such a
sannyāsi is practically non-existent because all the sannyāsis in the modern days are
associated with some institutions or some maṭha or they have got their own trust
and all those things but here Śaṅkarācārya gives the orthodox olden days
parivrājaka sannyāsis. And therefore his address is care of platform. In those days
even platform was not there. Care of a temple tree. And you have to imagine that he
doesn‟t have food, clothing and shelter, even the minimum is not there, and from
where does he draws security? Śaṅkarācārya says for them the security becomes
Bhagavān, even they don‟t ask for that from Bhagavān but Bhagavān voluntarily
takes charge of such parivrājaka vidvat sannyāsis. Therefore bhagavaccharaṇāḥis
the title given by Śaṅkarācārya to the vidvat-sannyāsis. With this background we will
see the bhāṣyam.
अननय ाः अपृथनभूतााः परां दे वां नारायणम् आत्मत्वेन गतााः सन्ताः सचनतयनताःम ं ये जन ाः सांन्याशसनाः पयुथप सते, तेष ं
परमाथयदर्ििंनाां वनत्य शभयुक्त न ं सततात्तभयोगगनाां योग-क्षेमं योगाः अप्राप्तस्य प्रापणम् । क्ेमाः तिक्णम् । तद् उभयां
िह यम प्रापयायम अहम् ।
ananyāḥapr̥thagbhūtāḥ paraṁ dēvaṁ nārāyaṇam ātmatvēna gatāḥ

santaḥcintayantaḥmāṁ yē janāḥsaṁnyāsinaḥparyupāsatē,
tēṣāṁparamārthadarśināṁnityābhiyuktānāṁsatatābhiyōgināṁyōga-
kṣēmaṁyōgaḥ aprāptasya prāpaṇam | kṣēmaḥ tadrakṣaṇam | tad
ubhayaṁvahāmiprāpayāmi aham|
Ananyāḥ is the first word and the word ananyāḥ can be interpreted in two
different ways depending upon the level of the seeker. If he is a gr̥hastha-jijñāsuḥ or

vividiṣā-sannyāsi, for him Brahman Bhagavān or mōkṣa is still a goal, a distant goal
to be accomplished. Therefore in their case the word ananyāḥ means those jijñāsu-
bhaktas for whom there is no other goal other than Bhagavān. Therefore ananyāḥ
means other than Bhagavān there is no other goal, na vidyatē anyaḥ puruṣārthaḥ
yasmāt is called ananya-bhaktaḥ. So no other goal other than Bhagavān.
But in the case of vidvat-sannyāsi Bhagavān is no more a goal. For vidvat-sannyāsi

Bhagavān cannot be a goal. I can give it as a homework „for a vidvat-sannyāsi
Bhagavān cannot be a goal, why?‟ Why because if you say Bhagavān is the goal it
will mean Paramātmā is a goal, sādhyam and he is a jīvātmā-sādhaka, sādhaka-
sādhya-bhēda bhāvanā will be there, but vidvat-sannyāsi has already practiced
śravaṇam and mananam, therefore he doesn‟t look upon Bhagavān as a sādhyam,
but he looks upon Bhagavān as the siddha-svarūpam itself. Therefore the word
ananyaḥ in his case means a vidvat-sannyāsi for whom Bhagavān is not different
from himself. na vidyatē anyaḥ Bhagavān, other than svasmāt, svasmāt anyaḥ
Bhagavān nāsti Bhagavān ātmarūpēṇa ēva vartatē; this advaita-bhakti is taken by
Śaṅkarācārya. Therefore in the case of other people it is dvaita-bhakti, but in the
case of vidvat sannyāsi it is advaita bhakti. That is what is taken here. For the other
two people Bhagavān is sādhyam, and for vidvat sannyāsi Bhagavān is siddhaḥ.
Śaṅkarācārya takes this advaita-bhakti here. Therefore ananyāḥ is equal to
apr̥thagbhūtāḥ means Bhagavān is not different from them. So ananyāḥ is equal to
apr̥thagbhūtāḥ and Śaṅkarācārya makes it more clear is equal to paraṁ dēvaṁ
nārāyaṇam ātmatvēna gatāḥ, it is very important vyākhyānam, they look upon
paraṁ dēvaṁ nārāyaṇam – the greatest Lord, Lord Nārāyaṇa paramātmā
parambrahma jagat kāraṇam brahma ātmatvēna gatāḥ– they have understood as
themselves. So with this aham brahma asmi iti bhāvanā, cintayantaḥ– dwelling
upon that advaita bhāvanā all the time, māṁ paryupāsatē – they practice
meditation. And this meditation comes under upāsana or nididhyāsanam? For others
it is upāsana, but for this person this is nididhyāsanam. Therefore māṁ
cintayantaḥ nididhyāsanam kurvantaḥ, yē janāḥ, see the wonderful! Kr̥ṣṇa uses
the word janāḥ, in dictionary janāḥ means human beings; but Śaṅkarācārya has got
a unique dictionary, in his dictionary janāḥmeans saṁnyāsinaḥ. Saṁnyāsinaḥ in this
context means vidvat saṁnyāsinaḥ, nididhyāsana adhikaraṇaḥ, paryupāsatē –
paritaḥ upāsatē, totally practice, paśyan śr̥ ṇvan spr̥śan jighran, indriyāṇīndriyārthēṣu
vartantē, guṇāḥ guṇēṣu vartantē, aham naiva kiñcitkarōmi iti paryupāsatē. And the
purpose of this nididhyāsanam is to get out of the old habit of looking at mōkṣa as a
goal. Looking at mōkṣa as a goal is a habit, that habit should go and mōkṣa must be

seen as my Svarūpam. In my language to get out of triangular-format habit. So for

that purpose they meditate. And in their case who will take care of their food ,
clothing and shelter? In the case of gr̥hastha, Bhagavān need not take care, because
gr̥hastha himself has acquired lot of (PORT) possession, obligatory duties,
relationship and transactions for security. And in the case of vividiṣā sannyāsi also
gurukulam is there and at regular time bell will be rung and those people who have
attended sādhana camp they regularly ask Svāmiji when are you going to start
sādhana camp. In sādhana camp there is no problem, for breakfast wait for bell
ringing, take the plate that also you need not carry, āśrama plate and āśrama food
you just eat and come away. Therefore even in vividiṣā-sannyāsa, gurukulam is
there, in gr̥hastha-jijñāsu home food is there, but this parivrājaka-sannyāsi nobody is
there, therefore Bhagavān says I will take care under one condition – when you give
up everything else. Therefore he says paramārtha-darśinām. This word alone
indicates that Śaṅkarācārya is talking about vidvat sannyāsi. Paramārtha-darśinām
who have got advaita-darśanam or abhēda-darśanam, and not only they have this
knowledge, nitya-abhiyuktānām – they dwell upon this teaching all the time.
Therefore they don‟t have time to earn their livelihood. Abhiyuktaḥ means focused
on the teaching. Nitya-abhiyuktānām is in the mūlam, is equal to satata-
abhiyuktānām. In fact nityam is most popular but he gives the meaning satatam.
nitya-abhiyuktānām – satata-abhiyuktānām – nididhyāsana niṣṭhānām, yōga-
kṣēmam, here alone Śaṅkarācārya gives the meaning of this word. Yōga-kṣēmam
you complete the sentence by adding aham vahāmi, yōga-kṣēmamaham
vahāmi, yōga-kṣēmam is samāhāra dvandva samāsa, yōgaśca kṣēmaśca tayōḥ
samāhāraḥ yōgakṣēmaḥ, taṁ yōgakṣēmam.
In this context what is the meaning of the word yōgaḥ? Śaṅkarācārya says yōgaḥ is
equal to aprāptasya-prāpaṇam – acquiring whatever is required, acquisition of the
requirement. Whatever is the bare minimum required for parivrājaka-sannyāsi, i.e.,
food, clothing and shelter he will acquire, Bhagavān will provide the minimum
required that alone he takes responsibility. Therefore aprāptasya-prāpaṇam means
minimum requirement for śarīra yātrā mātrārtham He will provide. Kṣēmaḥ means
tadrakṣaṇam – maintenance of what is acquired, like clothing, minimum health all
those things Bhagavān will take care of the health of that parivrājaka sannyāsi. So
kṣēmaḥ is equal to tadrakṣaṇam, tat means aprāptasya rakṣaṇam – maintenance
whatever has been acquired.
The next sentence is ubhayaṁ vahāmi– I will take care of or I will take charge of
both yōga and kṣēma. vahāmiis equal to prāpayāmi . What is the reason ? Why

Bhagavān is so partial to vidvat sannyāsis , not to a gr̥hastha , not to a vividiṣā

sannyāsi, why? Bhagavān is supposed to be samaḥ. samaḥmeans impartial. For this
partiality is there any reason? Śaṅkarācārya explains that in the next paragraph.
‘ज्ञानी तु आत्मा एव मे मतम्’ [गीता ७-१८] ‘स च मम गप्रयाः’ [गीता ७-१७] यस्मात्, तस्मात् ते मम आत्मभूतााः । गप्रयााः च
इगत ।
„jñānī tu ātmāēva mē matam‟ [Gītā 7-18] „sa ca mama priyaḥ‟ [Gītā 7-17] yasmāt,
tasmāt tē mama ātmabhūtāḥ | priyāḥ ca iti |
He gives the reason. The reason is, I have merged into jñāni, jñāni has merged into
Me, therefore I am jñāni, jñāni is Myself, and I have to take care of Myself.
Bhagavān has got a duty! When I take care of Myself jñāni is taken care of because
jñāni happens to be Myself. Simple logic he gives, „jñānī tu ātmāēva mē matam‟
[Gītā 7-18] – I look upon jñāni as Myself. This idea is taken from seventh chapter
eighteenth verse. Then the next quotation, „sa ca mama priyaḥ‟ [Gītā 7-17] Kr̥ṣṇa
has said that I love all the people all right, but the superlative degree of the dear I
reserve for only jñāni-bhaktaḥ, because he is one with Me. „sa ca mama priyaḥ‟ [Gītā
7-17]. This is seventh chapter seventeenth verse. So seventeenth and eighteenth
are beautiful ślōkas.


Yasmāt, tasmāt – because of that reason, tē mama ātmabhūtāḥ– they are Myself .
And Br̥hadāra ṇyakōpaniṣat has clearly said that ātmanastu kāmāya sarvaṁ priyaṁ
bhavati || Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 2-4-5 || everybody loves oneself alone maximum,
and jñāni being Myself I love jñāni the maximum. Therefore I will take care of their
yōgakṣēma. Then pūrvapakṣi especially the gr̥hastha pūrvapak ṣi is disturbed.
Normally Kr̥ṣṇa glorifies gr̥hastha , here Kr̥ṣṇa seems to be partial to sannyāsis.
Therefore gr̥hastha pūrvapakṣi is disturbed. Therefore he raises a question.
ननु अन्येषाम् अगप भक्तानाां योगक्ेमां वहगत एव भगवान् ।

सत्यम्, एवांवहगत एव । गकन्तु अयां गविेषाः –– अन्ये ये भक्तााः ते स्वात्माथं स्वयम् अगप योगक्ेमम् ईहन्ते, अनन्यदर्ििंनाः तु
न आत्माथं योगक्ेमम् ईहन्ते । न गह ते जीगवते मरणे वा आत्मनाः गृधधिं कुवयन्न्त । केवलम् एव भगवच्छरणााः ते । अताः
भगवान् एव तेषाां योगक्ेमां वहगत इगत ॥ ९-२२ ॥

nanu anyēṣām api bhaktānāṁ yōgakṣēmaṁ vahati ēva Bhagavān |

satyam, ēvaṁ vahati ēva | kintu ayaṁ viśēṣaḥ–– anyē yē bhaktāḥ tē
svātmārthaṁ svayam api yōgakṣēmam īhantē, ananyadarśinaḥ tu na ātmārthaṁ
yōgakṣēmam īhantē | na hi tē jīvitē maraṇē vāātmanaḥ gr̥dhiṁ kurvanti |
kēvalam ēva bhagavaccharaṇāḥ tē | ataḥ Bhagavān ēva tēṣāṁ yōgakṣēmaṁ
vahati iti || 9-22 ||
The disturbed gr̥hastha is raising a question . nanu, nanu means but. Anyēṣām api
bhaktānāṁ yōga-kṣēmaṁ vahati ēva Bhagavān – Bhagavān certainly takes care of
the yōga kṣēma, the basic needs. The simple translation of yōga-kṣēma is basic
needs. Bhagavān will take care of for all the other bhaktas also including gr̥hastha
bhaktas, that is what the law is, because Bhagavān is an universal lover, He is
samō:'haṁ sarvabhūtēṣu. Therefore why do you specially name vidvat-sannyāsi?
Like in the family suppose there are two children, one child goes and sits on the lap
of the mother especially when other visitors are there, and the mother keeps the
hand on the child, the second child elsewhere suddenly feel that the first child is
getting better treatment and it may miss the mother , so immediately the second
child will come and sit on the other lap . This is called sibling rivalry . Similarly
gr̥hastha is coming and sits on the other lap of Bhagavān and arguing with
Śaṅkarācārya doesn‟t Bhagavān take care of others. Śaṅkarācārya answers, it is a
disturbing answer, but you have to note it. He says satyam – it is true, This is ardha
aṅgikāraḥ. It is true; partially true. satyam, ēvaṁ vahati ēva – Bhagavān anyēṣām
bhaktānām api yōgakṣēmaṁ vahati ēva, kintu ayaṁ viśēṣaḥ, ayaṁ viśēṣaḥ – there is
a small difference . What is the difference ? In the case of gr̥hasthas , Bhagavān is a
little bit relaxed because in the case of gr̥hasthas they are themselves taking care of
their yōga-kṣēma by doing lot of work in that direction. Therefore he says kintu
ayaṁ viśēṣaḥ – there is a difference. Difference in what? Bhagavān‟s care for this
person and Bhagavān‟s care for others, in the caring there is a slight difference.
After viśēṣaḥ there should be an en dash. The difference is anyē yē bhaktāḥ– all the
other bhaktas, tē svātmārtham – they want to take care of their basic needs by
doing lot of work in that direction. They earn a lot, they save a lot, they have a few
extra houses, extra properties, this insurance and that insurance and they have got
another yōga-kṣēmam vahāmi. They have got another one in the form of LIC (Life
Insurance Corporation). Therefore I can relax, they have got LIC. If there are two
children and one grown up child is sick and there is somebody to take care of and
the other child is sick and alone, bachelor-son and married-son, both are sick God
forbid for argument sake, parents will go to the help of bachelor-son for the other
there is somebody else to take care of. Similarly, Bhagavān sees who all have got
LIC. For parivrājaka sannyāsi there is no medical-insurance, no LIC, no wife, no

children, no brother, no sister, he is sarva-sanga-parityāgaḥ, therefore Bhagavān

feels responsible for them. And therefore he says svātmārtham – for their own yōga
kṣēma, svayam api īhantē, īhantē means they work for that, pravartantē iti arthaḥ.
yōgakṣēmam-uddiśya, ānandagiri adds yōgakṣēmam-uddiśya – for the sake of their
security the other bhaktas have provisions made. Whereas ananyadarśinaḥ tu –
these people even they do not know where the next bhikṣā is going to come,
ananyadarśinaḥ tu na ātmārthaṁ yōgakṣēmamuddiśya īhantē – they don‟t work for
that, yadr̥cchā-lābha-santuṣṭaḥ. And they have to take a saṅkalpa at the time of
sannyāsa, such sannyāsis are practically not there as I have said even we cannot
claim we are such sannyāsis, we are booking bhikṣā! Bhikṣā booking sannyāsis we
are, even we cannot claim to be ideal sannyāsis, he has to take a saṅkalpa everyday
how many houses we will go for the sake of bhikṣā, ayācitam asaṁklr̥ptam
upapannam, so many sannyāsāśrama rules are there. Three houses, five houses,
seven houses he has to have a saṅkalpa and he goes and asks bhavati bhikṣām
dēhi, within those houses if he gets food fine or else that day is an ēkādaśi. A
sannyāsi doesn‟t have a rule of observing ēkādaśi vratam, it is optional, he doesn‟t
have to follow ēkādaśi-upavāsa, for him upavāsa rule is that the day he doesn‟t get
bhikṣāwithin those three or five houses, Bhagavān has decided that means
prārabdhāya samarpitam, according to my prārabdha today is upavāsa. And if my
prārabdha has got enough span of life, bhikṣā will come from somewhere at least
people will come in search of sannyāsi and will give bhikṣā. And therefore ajagara
vr̥tti, madhukarī vr̥tti I have talked about . I don‟t want to get into that topic.
Therefore ātmārthaṁ yōgakṣēmam na īhantē. That is why they read that ślōka of
the fourth chapter yadr̥cchā-lābha-santuṣṭaḥ || Gītā 4-22 || and according to
saṁskr̥ta sandhi rule it also includes yadr̥cchā -alābha-santuṣṭaḥ. Can you
understand the meaning? lābha-santuṣṭaḥ means what comes is ok. alābha-
santuṣṭaḥ means if he doesn‟t come also ok. He should not meditate on chapatti! If
not there then also ok, fine. That is Bhagavān‟s will or prārabdha‟s will. Yōgakṣēmam
na īhantē. Why they are like that? Na hi tē jīvitē maraṇē vāātmanaḥ gr̥dhiṁ kurvanti.
So this is a quotation from some place we do not know the source, Śaṅkarācārya
quotes this even in his Īśāvāsya bhāṣyam. A sannyāsi is one who is not attached to
life also, not attached to death also. The ultimate rāga-dvēṣa is rāga-dvēṣa with
regard to life and death, with regard to life also there is no rāga, no dvēṣa also, with
regard to the death also there is no rāga, no dvēṣa. I have a long life, wonderful; I
have a short life, wonderful. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says jīvitē– with regard to life,
maraṇē vā – with regard to death also ātmanaḥ– with regard to himself, his own life,
his own death , gr̥dhiṁ na kurvanti , gr̥dhi means atta chment, kāmaḥ, spr̥haḥ or

rāgaḥ. The word gr̥dhi is also a Vedic usage or scriptural usage. The real saṁskr̥ta
usage is gr̥ddhim kurvanti. gr̥ddhi is a saṁskr̥ta word, gr̥dhi is scriptural usage. Gr̥dhi
means desire. Then they surrender to kēvalam tē bhagavaccharaṇāḥ– they
surrender to Bhagavān. So today is Rāma navamī, in Rāmāyaṇam there is a famous
śaraṇāgati ślōka called Vibhīṣaṇa śaraṇāgati which is elaborately talked for four days
in the discourse. The famous ślōka is sakr̥dēva prapannāya tavāsmīti ca yācatē |
abhayaṁ sarvabhūtēbhyō dadāmyētad vrataṁ mama || Vālmīki rāmāyaṇam 6-18-33
|| Bhagavān has taken a vow that I will protect those people who surrender to Me.
Vidvat-parivrājaka-sannyāsi has done that. Therefore tē kēvalam ēva
bhagavaccharaṇāḥ. Ataḥ Bhagavān ēva tēṣāṁ yōgakṣēmaṁ vahati – therefore
Bhagavān will provide their basic needs.
The anvaya is, yē janāḥ ananyāḥ cintayantaḥ (santaḥ) mām paryupāsatē

(nididhyāsanam kurvanti, nididhyasanti), tēṣām nitya-abhiyuktānām yōga-kṣēmam
aham vahāmi |

Page 238, verse 22.


In the last class before vacation, we completed this important twenty-second verse
of the nineth chapter of the Gītā. And in this important portion Kr̥ṣṇa is
differentiating sakāma-bhakti and niṣkāma-bhakti; sakāma-bhakti was mentioned in
verses twenty and twenty-one, and niṣkāma-bhakti was mentioned in verse twenty-
two. People do not know the difference between these two bhaktis and Kr̥ṣṇa says it
is very very unfortunate. Sakāma-bhakti is certainly better than no bhakti but
compared to niṣkāma-bhakti sakāma-bhakti is far inferior. And sakāma-bhakti is far
inferior because it has several disadvantages. Four disadvantages are there for
sakāma-bhakti.
1) Sakāma-bhakti is deity-specific. Sakāma-bhakti will produce the result only

when Bhagavān is worshiped in the form of that particular deity. You have to go to
Rāmēśvaram, you have to go to Kālahasti, you have to go Tirunallār. The deity is
specified. Therefore it is deity specific. That means if you do the same pūjā for the
wrong deity there will be no benefit at all.
2) The second disadvantage is sakāma-bhakti is pūjā-specific. It will produce the

result when the pūjā is done only in that particular manner, particular day, particular
time, particular offering etc. Therefore pūjā rules are very very specific. That means
if any one of these conditions is violated pūjā will be null and void. Therefore it is
pūjā-specific.
3) The third disadvantage is the consequences of sakāma-bhakti are always

unpredictable. The result maybe positive or neutral or in worst rare cases the result
maybe negative also. So sakāma-bhakti is of unpredictable consequences.
4) The fourth disadvantage, which alone Kr̥ṣṇa mentions in verse twenty and
twenty-one, is the results are always finite in nature. Even the highest svarga is

subject to return visa. Tē taṁ bhuktvā svargalōkaṁ viśālaṁ, kṣīṇē puṇyē

martyalōkaṁ viśanti || Gītā 9-21 || When you purchase an onward ticket you have
to go with a return ticket. That means finite result means sakāma-bhakta will be
perpetually continuing within saṁsāra. Therefore as far as perpetuation of saṁsāra
is concerned there is no difference between sakāma-bhakta and no bhakta. Sakāma
bhakta and abhakta are perfectly identical in one respect – both of them are pukka-
saṁsāris. Therefore it doesn‟t give any spiritual growth at all.
These are the four disadvantages of sakāma-bhakti. Whereas niṣkāma-bhakti is

diagonally opposite.
a) First it is not deity-specific. You can go to any temple, in any place, it can be
any planet also. You can practice niṣkāma-bhakti.
b) Secondly it is pūjā-specific. You can do pūjā in any manner you know or you
don‟t know or you invent.
c) Thirdly the consequences are always predictable – positive results only.

Neither neutral nor negative results also as we saw in the second chapter
nēhābhikramanāśō:'sti pratyavāyō na vidyatē | svalpamapyasya dharmasya trāyatē
mahatō bhayāt || Gītā 2-40 || Always positive results. That does not mean direct
mōkṣa. Niṣkāma-bhakti will become jijñāsu-bhakti which will lead to guru-śāstra
upadēśa which in return will lead to mōkṣa. Thus niṣkāma-bhakti gradually takes to
liberation; it is certain, therefore result is positive.
d) The fourth and the most important advantage is it takes a person out of the
circular train and this person will attain mōkṣa.
Thus sakāma-bhakti is prēyaḥ, niṣkāma-bhakti is śrēyaḥ. Śrēyaśca prēyaśca

manuṣyamētaḥ tau samparītya vivinakti dhīraḥ | śrēyō hi || Kaṭhōpaniṣat 1-2-2 ||
means niṣkāma-bhaktim hi abhi prēyasō vr̥ ṇītē prēyō sakāma-bhaktim mandō
yōgakṣēmād vr̥ṇītē ||
So having differentiated sakāma, niṣkāma-bhakti in these verses from the following

verses twenty-three onwards Kr̥ṣṇa is sympathizing with all sakāma-bhaktas. He
says I love them but unfortunately I cannot give them mōkṣa because they don‟t
choose mōkṣa from Me, they choose everything other than mōkṣa. Thus
sympathizing with sakāma-bhaktas, and Kr̥ṣṇa says they choose sakāma-bhakti
because of sheer ignorance or avivēkaḥ or mōhaḥ. That is the subject matter –

ignorance of sakāma-bhakta is the topic from twenty-three onwards which we will

enter now.

ननु अन्या अगप दे वतााः त्वम् एव चेत्, तद्भक्तााः च त्वाम् एव यजन्ते । सत्यम् एवम् ––
nanu anyā api dēvatāḥ tvam ēva cēt, tad bhaktāḥ ca tvām ēva yajantē | satyam
ēvam ––
Somebody is raising a question and the question is why cannot the Lord give mōkṣa
to sakāma-bhakta. This is presented by Ācārya in a particular language to connect
the next ślōka. Sakāma-bhaktas are worshiping a specific deity with a specific pūjā
presiding over a particular area, like Sūrya dēvatā for eye problem etc., as instructed
by the astrologers or someone. We call it adhiṣṭhāna-dēvatā-specific-deity with
adhiṣṭhāna-dēvatā the specific pūjā sakāma-bhakta is worshiping. Now the
pūrvapakṣi ask the question each adhiṣṭhāna dēvatāis finite in nature. Sūrya dēvatā
is adhiṣṭhāna dēvatāonly for the eyes not the adhiṣṭhāna dēvatā for tongue or nose.
Therefore every deity is apūrṇaḥ, paricchinnaḥ. Therefore the sakāma bhakta is
worshiping paricchinna dēvatā. Now pūrvapakṣi argues even though the dēvatāis
paricchinna Īśvara, i.e., in the Bhagavad Gītā Lord Kr̥ṣṇa Bhagavān being jagat
kāraṇam, being all-pervading, Īśvara must be pervading all the finite things. Every
finite thing does not pervade another finite thing, but Īśvara pervades all. Tamilnadu
doesn‟t pervade Karnataka or Andhra but India, the samaṣṭi must be pervading
every state. Therefore when sakāma-bhakta is offering pūjās to a parichinna-dēvatā,
the pūjā must be going to aparichinna-Īśvara also. Therefore pūrvapakṣi asks O
Lord, when sakāma bhakta is worshiping various finite dēvatās the pūjā is reaching
You. You means pūrṇa-Īśvara. And after all you can give infinite results also. That
infinite-mōkṣa cannot be given by paricchinna dēvatā but infinite-mōkṣa can be
given by aparicchinna Īśvara. And since you are receiving the pūjā why cannot you
choose to give mōkṣa for sakāma-bhaktas. This is the question for which Kr̥ṣṇa
answers. Even if they are worshiping Me indirectly, even though I receive the
pūjābut I as a karma-phala-dātā have to give the phalam according to the saṅkalpa
they are doing. The karma-phalam must be in keeping with the saṅkalpa they are
doing, and when they are doing sūrya dēvatā pūjā and in saṅkalpa they say that
there must be better vision for the eye, when that is the phalam they seek then
Bhagavān has to give as per the rule which is yathā saṅkalpaḥ tathā phalam. This is
Bhagavān‟s own rule. Therefore I am helpless, being karma-phala-dātā, I have to
give them only the result they ask, therefore I cannot give mōkṣa even if I want to

give. And not only that, still worse is even if I give mōkṣa they will say that they do
not want mōkṣa now because so many family duties are pending. Many people think
mōkṣa means death. Afterall mōkṣa is eternal, now if Bhagavān asks do you want
mōkṣa or better vision or do you want mōkṣa or the only child‟s wedding, all the
parents who are desperately struggling to get their children married, Bhagavān asks
marriage or mōkṣa, they will say only marriage. I know because that is what the
human mind is. And therefore because of their ignorance in the application form
called saṅkalpa, they don‟t fill up with mōkṣa because of sheer ignorance. If giving
the karma-phalam is My choice; very interesting; if giving the karma-phalam is
Bhagavān‟s choice then Bhagavān would have given mōkṣa for everyone long
before. In fact sr̥ ṣṭi would not have been there because if everybody gets mōkṣa in
the first sr̥ ṣṭi itself all the people‟s sañcita gone, āgāmi gone and prārabdha gone, in
fact Bhagavān would have become unemployed now. The very fact that creation is
continuing shows karma-phalam is not in Bhagavān‟s hand and it depends upon the
saṅkalpa and unfortunately ignorant-sakāma-bhaktas do the wrong saṅkalpa. If
asked you want triangular-format or binary-format saṅkalpa they will say for one
minute I will do triangular-format saṅkalpa and come back. So look at the question.
anyāḥ api dēvatāḥ– all the finite dēvatās called adhiṣṭhāna dēvatās presiding over
specific departments of the creation, tvam ēva – they are You only because You
being infinite, all finite dēvatās are included in You. So tvam ēva bhavanti, dēvatāḥ
is the subject, tvam is subjective complement, bhavanti is the verb. All the deities
are You only which means all deities are included in You. That is why the prayer
ākāśāt patitam tōyam yathā gacchati sāgaram | sarvadēva namaskāraḥ kēśavam
prati gacchati || A very popular ślōka chanted in Sandhyāvandanam. When you offer
any flower to any river all the flower will ultimately go to the ocean. Similarly every
deity is like a river it will go to Bhagavān only. iti cēt – if that is the truth, tad
bhaktāḥ ca tvām ēva yajantē– all sakāma bhaktas of adhiṣṭhāna dēvatās are
indirectly worshipping You, the samaṣṭi pūrṇa ēka Īśvara. This is pūrvapakṣi‟s
question. For this Bhagavān is giving the answer. Satyam ēvam – they are all
worshiping Me only and I can give them mōkṣa and mōkṣa is ready but I am not
allowed to give mōkṣa. How? That is said here.
Verse 09-23
येऽप्यन्यदे वताभक्ता यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्न्वतााः ।
तेऽगप माम् एव कौन्तेय यजन्त्यगवयधपूवयकम् ॥ गीता ९-२३ ॥
yē:'pyanyadēvatābhaktā yajantēśraddhayānvitāḥ |
tē:'pi mām ēva kauntēya yajantyavidhipūrvakam || Gītā 9-23 ||

Even when the sakāma-bhaktas are worshiping finite adhiṣṭhāna-dēvatās they are
worshiping Me only and they do have a right to get mōkṣa as a result of their pūjā.
Even though they have a right they don‟t exercise their right because they don‟t
know the importance of niṣkāma-bhakti which is exercising the right for mōkṣa while
sakāma-bhakti is voluntarily sacrificing the right for mōkṣa. When they sacrifice what
I can do , says Lord Kr̥ ṣṇa. Therefore avidhi-pūrvakam is the crucial word, avidhi
means ajñānam. It has a special meaning in this context, a rare meaning in this
context. They can exercise their right for mōkṣa through niṣkāma-bhakti but they
don‟t exercise. This is the essence of this ślōka. We will see the bhāṣyam.
ये अवपअनय-दे ित -भक्त ाः अन्यासु दे वतासु भक्तााः अन्यदे वताभक्तााः सन्ताः यजनते पूजयन्ते श्रद्धय आस्स्तक्तयबुद्ध्या
अन्नित ाः अनुगतााः।ते अवप म म् एि कौनतेय यजन्नत। अविसधपूिथकम् – अगवयधाः अज्ञानां तत्पूवयकां अज्ञानपूवयकां यजन्ते
इगत अथयाः ॥ ९-२३ ॥
yē apianya-dēvatā-bhaktāḥanyāsu dēvatāsu bhaktāḥ anyadēvatābhaktāḥ

santaḥyajantēpūjayantēśraddhayāāstikyabuddhyāanvitāḥanugatāḥ| tē api mām
ēva kauntēya yajanti|avidhipūrvakam – avidhiḥ ajñānaṁ tatpūrvakaṁ
ajñānapūrvakaṁ yajantē iti arthaḥ || 9-23 ||
yē apianya-dēvatā-bhaktāḥ, anya-dēvatā-bhaktāḥ is equal to anyāsu

dēvatāsu bhaktāḥ anya-dēvatā-bhaktāḥ – those who are devoted to all the other
deities. What do we mean by other deities? The deities other than Kr̥ṣṇa. In
Bhagavad Gītā Kr̥ṣṇa is the Hero and therefore Kr̥ṣṇa represents pūrṇa-Īśvara. In
śiva purāṇam Kr̥ṣṇa will not be pūrṇa Īśvara, Śiva will be pūrṇa-Īśvara. Just
purāṇam to purāṇam the respective deity will represent pūrṇa-Īśvara. And „other
than‟ means other than Kr̥ṣṇa all the other deities. The other deities will represent
apūrṇa- adhiṣṭhāna dēvatā like Indra, Varuṇa, Agni, Navagraha, etc. Therefore
anyāsu dēvatāsu bhaktāḥ anya-dēvatā-bhaktāḥ santaḥ, santaḥ means endowed with
such a bhakti, yajantē is in the mūlam, is equal to pūjayantē – they choose the
deity also, the deity will depend upon their desire. And the pūjā will depend upon
not their desire but the deity. So deity will be determined by the desire, pūjā will be
determined by the type of deity. And black magic people also have got bhakti and
they also worship dur-dēvatās like śākinī, ḍākinī, sarpa, śvāpada, vr̥ścika, taskarā
etc., varieties of dur-dēvatās are there, when the aim is destructive then the dēvatās
are dur-dēvatās and the pūjāwill be invariably in the night only. And often the places
will be the cremation ground etc. Thus yajantē is equal to pūjayantē. And how do
they do? Śraddhayā is in the mūlam, is equal to āstikya buddhyā– with faith in the
dur-dēvatā or sāttvika dēvatā or rājasa dēvatā. They have got faith because they are

doing pūjā. anvitāḥis in the mūlam, is equal to anugatāḥ. And tē api mām ēva
kauntēya yajanti is in the mūlam, Śaṅkarācārya doesn‟t comment upon that as it
is very clear, tē api means even those people, even those people means sakāma-
bhaktas unlike the niṣkāma-bhaktas mentioned in the verse twenty-two of this
chapter, one of the most important verses of the ninth chapter is ananyāścintayantō
mām. It is the definition of niṣkāma-bhakti. Unlike the niṣkāma-bhaktas the sakāma-
bhaktas also mām ēva yajanti– they are worshiping pūrṇa-Īśvara only, even
though the deity is apūrṇa dēvatābut through the apūrṇa-dēvatā indirectly they are
worshiping pūrṇa-Īśvara. As Dayānanda-Svāmiji says it is even when you touch a
wave in the ocean knowingly or unknowingly touching a wave is touching the ocean,
why because ocean pervades the wave. Therefore mām ēva means pūrṇa-Īśvaram
ēva, apūrṇa-adhiṣṭhāna-dēvatā dvārā yajanti. After yajanti put a full stop. And
therefore what? I can give them mōkṣa. But problem is the whole thing is in the
saṅkalpa. That is why I say whenever you do namaskāra anywhere including svāmiji,
watch what comes to your mind. Very interesting. Unfortunately for most of the
people, most of the time everything other than binary-format only comes to the
mind. Therefore avidhi-pūrvakam, that is the crucial word. After avidhi-
pūrvakam you have to put an en dash. Avidhi-pūrvakam is a compound word,
avidhiḥ means ajñānam. Then tat-pūrvakam is equal to ajñāna-pūrvakam. And
ajñāna-pūrvakam means with ignorance they do the pūjā. How is their ignorance
revealed? Their sakāma-bhakti reveals the ignorance of the value of niṣkāma bhakti.
Therefore ajñānapūrvakaṁ yajantē iti arthaḥ – this is the meaning of the sentence.
The anvaya is, hē Kauntēya! yē api anya-dēvatā-bhaktāḥśraddhayā anvitāḥ (santaḥ

anya-dēvatāḥ) yajantē, tē api mām ēva avidhi-pūrvakam yajanti |

कस्मात् ते अगवयधपूवयकां यजन्ते इगत उच्यते, यस्मात् ––
kasmāt tē avidhipūrvakaṁ yajantē iti ucyatē, yasmāt ––
So kasmāt tē avidhipūrvakaṁ yajantē – why do they perform such an ignorant-pūjā,

such a sakāma-pūjā backed by ignorance, why do they wrongly perform the
sakāma-pūjā, what is the reason for the underutilization of the bhakti? I have told
you before bringing Gaṅgā water from Kāśi and Haridvāra carefully in the train. I
remember because after the camp is over sometimes they bring cans and cans of
gaṅgā. Sometimes what happens they have a can of drinking water also and they
have pasted a slip „Gaṅgā jalam‟; during the train journey the slip falls off and now

they have two cans of water and they don‟t know which one is drinking water or
which one is Gaṅgā water. What I want to say is imagine you bring Gaṅgā water and
use it for drinking or washing the room. Similarly, bhakti can be properly utilized or
underutilized. Sakāma-bhakti is under-utilization or under-performance maybe it is
bhakti fixing, just as for under-performance they do, like that this is bhakti fixing
under performance of bhakta. It is like asking „Svāmiji, for our sake you please pray.‟
That is fixing the svāmi also. Like match fixing svāmi-fixing also is going on. Why
this under-utilization of bhakti if such a question is asked, iti ucyatē– the answer is
given. yasmāt – this is the following reason.
Verse 09-24
अहां गह सवययज्ञानाां भोक्ता च प्रभुरेव च ।
न तु मामत्तभजानन्न्त तत्त्वेनातश्च्यवन्न्त ते ॥ गीता ९-२४ ॥
ahaṁ hi sarvayajñānāṁ bhōktā ca prabhurēva ca |

na tu māmabhijānanti tattvēnātaścyavanti tē || Gītā 9-24 ||
The gist of the verse is simple. Kr̥ṣṇa says it is because of the sheer ignorance of the
fundamental Vedantic-principle, that the Infinite pervades every finite thing.
kāraṇam pervades every kāryam, adhiṣṭhānam pervades every adhyāsa. This simple
ignorance is the cause. So when they are worshipping any finite deity in that finite
deity itself Infinite-Īśvara is there they don‟t understand. And that is ignorance
number one. And that Infinite-Īśvara can give me Infinite-mōkṣa that also they don‟t
understand. And infinite-mōkṣa is far superior to solving the temporary family-
problems, financial-problems, health-problems, because solving those problems is
not a permanent solution because solving one problem is going to replace it with
another problem. So these three facts they don‟t know – this particular deity or śani-
daśā comes; previously we could conduct classes on śani-daśā also, nowadays we
don‟t get the hall because so many application they all give money with their
nakṣatram and all and the applications are so many that even for reading all those
people it takes three hours, even that particular planet is pervaded by Brahman or
Īśvara, and that Īśvara can give far superior-mōkṣa rather than solving this
temporary prārabdhaḥ-karma-problem. vēdānta says go through the karma and pray
for mōkṣa, rather than using pūjā for these purposes. What are the three types of
ignorance? They do not know that the finite deity is pervaded by Infinite-Īśvara.
They don‟t know that the Infinite-Īśvara in the finite deity can give Infinite-mōkṣa.
And the third one the most important is the Infinite-mōkṣa is far superior in solving
all the local issues. Why should I become ārta-arthārthī-bhaktaḥ? This they don‟t

know. This is the essence of this ślōka. And therefore they fall into saṁsāra. Now we
will read the bhāṣyam.
अहं वह सिथ-यज्ञ न ं श्रौतानाां स्मातायनाां च सवेषाां यज्ञानाां दे वतात्मत्वेन भोक्त च प्रभुाः एि च । मत्स्वायमकाः गह यज्ञाः,
‘अयधयज्ञोऽहमेवात्र’ [गीता ८-४] इगत गह उक्तम् । तथा नतु म म्अशभज नन्नततत्त्िेन यथावत् । अताः च अगवयधपूवयकम्
इष्ट् वा यागफलात् च्यिन्नत प्रच्यवन्ते ते ॥ ९-२४ ॥
ahaṁ hi sarva-yajñānāṁśrautānāṁ smārtānāṁ ca sarvēṣāṁ yajñānāṁ

dēvatātmatvēna bhōktā ca prabhuḥēvaca | matsvāmikaḥ hi yajñaḥ,
„adhiyajñō:'hamēvātra‟ [Gītā 8-4] iti hi uktam | tathānatu
māmabhijānantitattvēnayathāvat | ataḥca avidhipūrvakam iṣṭvā yāgaphalāt
cyavantipracyavantē tē || 9-24 ||
aham hi sarva-yajñānām bhōktā– Kr̥ṣṇa says I the infinite Īśvara alone indirectly
receive all the pūjās offered to finite dēvatās. And what type of pūjā? sarva-
yajñānām – navagraha pūjā will directly go to navagraha but indirectly it will go to
Īśvara, and remember if the navagraha dēvatās can bless us, the blessing power of
navagraha dēvatās come from the Īśvara alone. Therefore sarva-yajñānām – of all
the pūjās. And what do you mean by all? Śrautānāṁ smārtānāṁ ca – śrauta and
smārta, śrautas means pūjās mentioned in the śruti or vēdas , smārta means pūjās
mentioned in the smr̥ti , purāṇam etc. Sarva-yajñānām is equal to sarvēṣāṁ
yajñānām, and then sarvēṣām yajñānām is equal to śrautānāṁ smārtānāṁ ca,
dēvatātmatvēna – as the very essence of all the finite-dēvatās, dēvatātmā means
dēvatānām ātmā svarūpam, pūrṇa-Īśvara is the ātmā– ātmā means essence – of
apūrṇa dēvatā. So dēvatā ātmatvēna, bhōktā – ultimately pūjā comes to Me only,
like you dropping your letter in anyone of the local post box, it will go to one post
office only. Bhōktā ca – not only I receive, prabhuḥēvaca – I alone have the
power to give the karma-phalam. And that is why in the Bhāgavatam they have
stories Brahmā becomes arrogant, Indra becomes arrogant and they try to do some
mischief like stopping some of the natural activities and Kr̥ṣṇa will take over the
task. Often in the purāṇas this is the message conveyed. Vāyu sometimes stops or
brahmāstops the sr̥ṣṭi process. And then he finds that even if he has stopped, he has
struck work you find everything is happening as before, then they get surprised and
they find that there is one Īśvara above them who is able to take over indicating that
Bhagavān alone is the ultimate prabhuḥ. That one word prabhuḥ is a very very
significant word. So I am the ultimate power behind dēvatās also. And Kr̥ṣṇa gives
the pramāṇam for his own statement matsvāmikaḥ hi yajñaḥ – because every yajña
has got I as the ultimate object of worship. Matsvāmikaḥ bahuvrīhi samāsa. Aham
ēva svāmi yasya saḥ. I am the receiver as well as the giver of the results even
though superficially it appears those dēvatās are giving the result. what is the

pramāṇam? „adhiyajñō:'hamēvātra‟ [Gītā 8-4] iti hi uktam – it has been said in the
eighth chapter fourth verse. tathātu – even though this is the truth, mām na
abhijānanti tattvēna– people do not understand Me in My real nature.
tattvēnameans in My real nature, real nature is I am not Mr. Kr̥ṣṇa who am born on
a particular day but mayā tatamidaṁ sarvaṁ jagadavyaktamūrtinā || Gītā 9-4 || in
an invisible intelligence principle form I pervade every deity. tattvēna na
abhijānanti, ataḥ ca – therefore because of sheer foolishness non-discrimination,
avidhipūrvakam iṣṭvā– they make that pūjā into a sakāma-pūjā because of wrong
saṅkalpa. Remember saṅkalpa doesn‟t mean you have to keep the hand, that is only
a physical representation, saṅkalpa means watch your thought whenever you do
namaskāra, that thought is called saṅkalpa. Whether you formally say mamōpātta
samasta duritakṣayadvārāśrī paramēśvara prītyartham etc., whether you say or not.
In pūjāthere is a saṅkalpa. Therefore avidhipūrvakam iṣṭvā– sakāma pūjām kr̥tvā .
What happens? Yāga-phalāt cyavanti– you have to add niṣkāma-yāga-phalāt
cyavanti– they fall, they miss. They miss the result of niṣkāma pūjā. What is the
result of niṣkāma-pūjā? Mōkṣa. Therefore yāgaphalāt is equal to niṣkāma
yāgaphalāt, niṣkāma yāgaphalāt is equal to mōkṣāt, from mōkṣāt they slip, which
means they perpetuate saṁsāra and the human life itself gets wasted. Cyavanti is
in the mūlam, is equal to pracyavantē tē– they miss or they loose, they spiritually
fall. They loose the opportunity for spiritual growth. The anvaya is, aham hi sarva-
yajñānām bhōktā ca prabhuḥēva ca (bhavāmi) | (tē) tu mām tattvēna na abhijānanti
| ataḥ tē cyavanti |

318 Verses-25 to 27
Page 239, verse 24 at the bottom

अहां गह सवययज्ञानाां भोक्ता च प्रभुरेव च ।
न तु मामत्तभजानन्न्त तत्त्वेनातश्च्यवन्न्त ते ॥ गीता ९-२४ ॥
ahaṁ hi sarvayajñānāṁ bhōktā ca prabhurēva ca |

na tu māmabhijānanti tattvēnātaścyavanti tē || Gītā 9-24 ||
After talking about sakāma-bhakti and niṣkāma-bhakti Kr̥ṣṇa is now talking about the
non-discrimination of the ignorant people with regard to these two bhaktis that
sakāma-bhakti can give only anitya-phalam and niṣkāma-bhakti can give finally
nitya-phalam this difference people do not know. Therefore nityānitya-vastu-vivēkaḥ
in the context of bhakti must be understood as sakāma-niṣkāma bhakti=vivēkaḥ.
nityānitya vastu-vivēkaḥ essentially means sakāma-niṣkāma bhakti=vivēkaḥ. Many
people do not have this vivēkaḥ and therefore they don‟t get the benefit of mōkṣa.
And that he said in the twenty-fourth verse which we completed in the last class.
Continuing with the same topic,

ये अगप अन्यदे वताभशक्तमत्त्वेन अगवयधपूवयकां यजन्ते, तेषाम् अगप यागफलम् अवश्यम् भागव । कथम्? ––
yē api anyadēvatābhaktimattvēna avidhipūrvakaṁ yajantē, tēṣām api

yāgaphalam avaśyam bhāvi | katham? ––
In the previous ślōka Kr̥ṣṇa said that sakāma-bhakta will lose the benefit of mōkṣa.
ataḥ cyavanti tē was the last sentence of the twenty-fourth verse. Sakāma-bhaktas
slip and fall is the statement, and when we say sakāma bhaktas will fall it means
they will fall from the opportunity of mōkṣa. And Kr̥ṣṇa wants to make a correction
here, when we say sakāma-bhaktas will fall it only means they won‟t get mōkṣa. But
sakāma-bhakti itself has got a worldly result, that worldly result certainly they will
get, of course, if they have done the pūjā properly. Therefore He wants to make it
clear that sakāma-bhakti will not go waste, it will not give mōkṣa all right, but it will
never go waste, it will give iha lōka-phalam and it will give para-lōka-phalam also,
but what we are underlying is both the phalams will fall within the saṁsāra only.
Therefore He yē api anyadēvatābhaktimattvēna – those people who are devoted to

various adhiṣṭhāna-dēvatās, and therefore who are sakāma-bhaktas. So

anyadēvatābhaktāḥ in this context must be translated as sakāma-bhaktāḥ. So those
sakāma-bhaktāḥ, avidhipūrvakam – because of the ignorance of the glory of
niṣkāma-bhakti, yajantē – they worship the Lord, tēṣām api – those sakāma-bhaktas
also will, yāga-phalam – they will get the phalam of yāga, but the phalam will not be
cittaśuddhi, the phalam will not be mōkṣa, the phalam will be within saṁsāra, tēṣām
api yāga-phalam saṁsāra antargata yāga-phalam, avaśyam bhāvi – they will
certainly get. Of course, we should put a clause for „certainly get‟. If the yāga is
done properly. That is always there, avaśyam bhāvi. Katham – how do you say so?
That is given in this ślōka.
Verse 09-25
यान्न्त दे वव्रता दे वान्न्पतॄन्यान्न्त गपतृव्रतााः ।
भूतागन यान्न्त भूतेज्ज्या यान्न्त मद्याद्धजनोऽगप माम् ॥ गीता ९-२५ ॥
yānti dēvavratā dēvānpitr̥̥̄nyānti pitr̥vratāḥ |

bhūtāni yānti bhūtējyā yānti madyājinō:'pi mām || Gītā 9-25 ||
A beautiful ślōka, I will give you the gist.Here in this ślōka both sakāma-bhakti and
niṣkāma-bhakti are placed side by side,and Kr̥ṣṇa says sakāma-bhakta will get
parichinna-phalam and niṣkāma-bhakta will get aparicchinna phalam. Paricchinna
means finite-phalam and aparicchinna means infinite, the contrast is clearly shown.
The first three quarters refer to Sakāma-bhakta and the fourth quarter refer to
niṣkāma-bhakta. Now we will read the bhāṣyam.
य न्नत गच्छन्न्त दे ि-व्रत ाः दे वेषु व्रतां गनयमो भशक्ताः च येषाां ते दे वव्रतााः दे ि न् यान्न्त । वपतॄन् अग्ननष्वािादीन् य न्नतवपतृ-
व्रत ाः श्राद्धाददगक्रयापरााः गपतृभक्तााः । भूत वन गवनायकमातृगणचतुभयगगन्यादीगन य न्नतभूतेज्य ाः भूतानाां पूजकााः ।
य न्नत मद्-य जजनाः मद्यजनिीलााः वैष्णवााः म म् एव । समाने अगप आयासे माम् एव न भजन्ते अज्ञानात् ।तेन ते
अल्पफलभाजाः भवन्न्त इगत अथयाः ॥ ९-२५॥
yāntigacchanti dēva-vratāḥ dēvēṣu vrataṁ niyamō bhaktiḥ ca yēṣāṁ tē

dēvavratāḥ dēvān yānti | pitr̥̥̄nagniṣvāttādīn yāntipitr̥-vratāḥ
śrāddhādikriyāparāḥ pitr̥bhaktāḥ | bhūtāni vināyakamātr̥gaṇacaturbhaginyādīni
yāntibhūtējyāḥ bhūtānāṁ pūjakāḥ | yānti mad-yājinaḥ madyajanaśīlāḥ
vaiṣṇavāḥ mām ēva | samānē api āyāsē mām ēva na bhajantē ajñānāt | tēna tē
alpaphalabhājaḥ bhavanti iti arthaḥ || 9-25 ||
The first three quarters refer to sakāma-bhaktāḥ worshiping various adhiṣṭhāna

dēvatās who have power over only a limited area. Adhiṣṭhāna dēvatā means like a
minister of a particular department they have a say only in that area. That is said
here dēva-vratāḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to dēvēṣu vrataṁ niyamaḥ bhaktiḥ ca
yēṣāṁ tē, dēvēṣu with regard to dēvas, vratam is equal to niyamaḥ, here niyamaḥ

refers to disciplined pūjā, regular and disciplined pūjā, and bhaktiḥ, bhaktiḥ means
reverence and faith, bahuvrīhi samāsa, dēvēṣu vrataṁ yēṣāṁ tēdēvavratāḥ– they
have reverence and they perform pūjā regularly, tē dēvavratāḥ– they are called
dēvavratāḥ. And what do they get? Dēvān yānti – they will get various finite
phalams in the current janma, and maraṇa anantaram (that we have to supply) after
death they will join the dēvatās in higher lōkas, they will also become one of the
celestials. So dēva lōkam yānti. And the next group of sakāma-bhaktas pitr̥̥̄nyānti–
those people who worship pitr̥s like agniṣvāttādīn – sapta pitr̥ dēvatās are mentioned
in the śāstras , seven dēvatās presiding over the pitr̥s , first dēvatāis agniṣvāttā, it is
the name of one of the sapta pitr̥ dēvatās . The list is given in the purāṇas.
agniṣvāttāḥ vairājaḥ, gārhapatyā, sōmapāḥ, ēkaśr̥ṅgāḥ, caturvēdāḥ kalāḥ ||
mahābhāratam-sabhāparva-11-46/47|| These are the sapta pitr̥ dēvatās . So
agniṣvāttā etc., who worship, pitr̥-vratāḥ – pitr̥ṣu vrataṁ niyamaḥ bhaktiḥ ca
yēṣāṁ tē. And how do they show their bhakti? Śrāddhādikriyāparāḥ– by performing
śrāddham etc., regularly and properly, pitr̥bhaktāḥ– because of their respect for their
own forefathers as well as the dēvatās presiding over the pitr̥lōka. What will happen
to them? pitr̥̥̄nyānti – while living they will get the benefits, in fact, family well-
being is supposed to be heavily dependent on the blessings of our forefathers . That
is why whenever family problem is there children are not born , children are born
with handicap, when these things happen in the family immediately they will look for
pitr̥-dēvatā dōṣa. And the astrologers will say that you are not doing those things
properly. And these astrologers name it wrongly they say pitr̥ -śāpam, we should
understand pitr̥s do not do śāpam. Non-performance of our duty becomes a type of
omission-pāpa, that omission-pāpa called pratyavāya-pāpam which we have done is
called pitr̥ -śāpam. There is no pitr̥ -śāpam, pitr̥-śāpam means pitr̥ -karma-akaraṇa
janita-pratyavāya-pāpam. And therefore if in a family everything is going smoothly it
means the pitr̥s blessings are there. That is why before any function whether it is
wedding or upanayanam in the family they have a beginning in the form of nāndi
śrāddha. Nāndi śrāddha is invoking the grace of pitr̥s . Therefore good family is the
iha lōkaphalam for pitr̥ dēvatā pūjanam which is not said in this ślōka. And not only
this iha lōka-phalam for the pitr̥ -dēvatā-pūjā but para-lōka-phalam also will be there
and that is pitr̥̥̄nyānti– they will go to the pitr̥-lōka which is a type of svarga-lōka.
Then bhūtāni yānti bhūta-ijyāḥ. What do you mean bhūtāni here? The list is
interesting Vināyakaḥ, Vināyaka is enlisted as a bhūta because he is the adhipati of
bhūtagaṇāḥ. gaṇānām patiḥ.

Then mātr̥gaṇa – there are seven mātr̥ dēvatās sapta mātara ḥ, again enumerated in
the purāṇas, as brāhmī, māhēśvarī, kaumārī, vaiṣṇavī, vārāhī, indrāṇīand cāmuṇḍā.
They are called sapta-mātaraḥ. Now the śakti-worshippers śrīvidyā people have
elevated these dēvatās. But according to Śaṅkarācārya they all come under
bhūtagaṇas only, anyway they are sapta mātaraḥ called bhūtagaṇas. Vināyaka,
sapta mātaraḥand caturbhaginī, it means for śakti tattvam who are sister dēvatās,
bhaginī means they are sisters, they are also enumerated caturbhaginyādīni, ādīni
means etc. They are said to be the different versions of sarasvatī. Brahmāṇi sāvitrī
sarasvatī iyata rūpā. These are the four caturbhaginī dēvatās śakti tattvams; all
come under bhūtāni. So those who worship these bhūtas, bhūtējyāḥ, bhūtējyāḥ
means bhūtānāṁ pūjakāḥ, ijyā means pūjā, bhūtāni yānti – they will get the local
blessings iha lōka-phalam and after maraṇam they will get the bhūtalōkas, another
branch of heaven. All higher lōkas only. These all will come under sakāma-bhakti.
Now Kr̥ṣṇa comes to niṣkāma-bhakti. mad-yājinaḥ– those who are worshipping
Me, here the word Me represents Kr̥ṣṇa who is not an adhiṣṭhāna dēvatā but who is
Paramēśvaraḥ, pūrṇa-Īśvaraḥ and therefore capable of giving of pūrṇatvam mōkṣa.
And worshipping pūrṇa-Īśvara means niṣkāma-bhakti. So madyajanaśīlāḥ. And who
are they? Vaiṣṇavāḥ, all vaiṣṇavas will be happy, they will say Śaivas will not get
mōkṣa. No. In Bhagavad Gītā Kr̥ṣṇa being an avatāra of viṣṇu Śaṅkarācārya says
Vaiṣṇavāḥ – Viṣṇu bhaktāḥ who worship me. And the interesting thing we have to
note is to worship pūrṇa-Īśvara you need not go to a separate mūrti, you can use
the very same adhiṣṭhāna dēvatā and using the adhiṣṭhāna dēvatā itself in that
adhiṣṭhāna dēvatā you can invoke pūrṇa-Īśvara. Thus Vināyaka can be adhiṣṭhāna
dēvatā also or in gaṇapati atharvaśīrṣa upaniṣat vināyaka is picturized as pūrṇa-
Īśvara. Similarly, the sapta mātaraḥ is also even though that dēvī is only the
adhiṣṭhāna dēvatā, that dēvī herself can represent pūrṇa-Īśvara. During
sandhyāvandanam we worship Sūrya dēvatā, there in sandhyāvandanam sūrya
dēvatāis pūrṇa-Īśvara. We have to very carefully note sandhyāvandanam is not
adhiṣṭhāna dēvatā Sūrya ārādhanam, in sandhyāvandanam sūrya represents pūrṇa-
Īśvara.
नमस्सगवत्रे जगदे क-चक्ुसे जगत्प्रसूगत-ञ्स्थगत-नािहेतवे । त्रयीमयाय-गत्रगुणात्म-धाररणे गवररञ्चच-नारायण-िांकरात्मने॥
namassavitrē jagadēka-cakṣusē jagatprasūti-sthiti-nāśahētavē | trayīmayāya-

triguṇātma-dhāriṇē viriñci-nārāyaṇa-śaṁkarātmanē||
In sandhyāvandanam sūrya is not a mere presiding deity of the eye, but sūrya is
Sūrya nārāyaṇa. Thus whether Sūrya is adhiṣṭhāna dēvatā or pūrṇa Īśvara is decided
by whom? Whether Sūrya is adhiṣṭhāna dēvatā or pūrṇa Īśvara is determined by Me

when I do the pūjā and saṅkalpa. Therefore you need not change the mūrti, you can
keep the same mūrti but change the Saṅkalpa „O Lord ! you are sr̥ ṣṭi-sthiti-laya
kāraṇam brahma, pūrṇa-Īśvara, you are capable of giving mōkṣa, and through this
pūjā what I want is not parichinna-phalam but what I want is pūrṇa phalam‟. Thus
saṅkalpa decides whether it is sakāma-bhakti or niṣkāma-bhakti. Saṅkalpa decides
whether it is adhiṣṭhāna dēvatā pūjā or pūrṇa Īśvara-pūjā, switch is with us only.
Therefore he says madyajanaśīlāḥ vaiṣṇavāḥ mām ēva yānti.
And then Śaṅkarācārya adds a note for pūrṇa-phalam you need not increase the
amount of pūjā, you don‟t require extra effort, retaining the same amount of effort
you can purchase infinite-mōkṣa. Why are you paying thousand rupee to purchase a
balloon? So thus niṣkāma-pūjā can purchase mōkṣa but you are purchasing an ash
gourd, a finite result. Very important sentence. samānē api āyāsē– effort being the
same, mām ēva na bhajantē– ignorant people do not invoke pūrṇa-Īśvara and seek
mōkṣa, they don‟t do niṣkāma pūjā and seek mōkṣa all because of ajñānāt –
sakāma-bhakti-niṣkāma-bhakti-avivēkāt. And therefore for this avivēka what is the
price they have to pay? They have to pay a heavy price, tēna – because of their
sakāma-bhakti, tē alpaphalabhājaḥ – they become partakers of, owners of only finite
results. iti arthaḥ.
The anvaya is, dēva-vratāḥ dēvān yānti, pitr̥-vratāḥ pitr̥̥̄n yānti , bhūta-ijyāḥ bhūtāni
yānti, mat yājinaḥ mām api yānti | Continuing;
Verse 09-26
न केवलां मद्भक्तानाम् अनावृत्तिलक्णम् अनन्तफलम्, सुखाराधनाः च अहम् । कथम्? ––
na kēvalaṁ madbhaktānām anāvr̥ttilakṣaṇam anantaphalam, sukhārādhanaḥ ca

aham | katham? ––
Another very important difference between sakāma and niṣkāma-bhakti is given here
which I have given in the form of four main differences in the last class. Better you
remember these four differences.
1) The first difference is sakāma-bhakti is dēvatā specific, niṣkāma-bhakti is not

dēvatā specific, any mūrti you can take.
2) The second difference is sakāma-bhakti is pūjā specific, only in a particular

form it should be done. Whereas in niṣkāma-bhakti those rules are relaxed.

3) The third difference is sakāma-bhakti may or may not fructify, it is indefinite

and unpredictable, can be positive, neutral or negative result also can come.
Whereas niṣkāma-bhakti gives only positive results.
4) The fourth difference is sakāma-bhakti gives finite results tē taṁ bhuktvā

svarga-lōkam, niṣkāma-bhakti gives infinite result.
These four differences I said, of these four the second difference Kr̥ṣṇa is talking
here. All of them are extracted from Gītā only. The second difference that Kr̥ṣṇa is
highlighting is you can offer anything that is available with you if it is niṣkāma-bhakti
whereas in sakāma-bhakti you have observe the rules specified. And all the
adhiṣṭhāna dēvatās are short tempered ones and you will be punished for not doing
the pūjā or any ritual in the right manner whereas in niṣkāma-bhakti all these are
not there. What a relaxation! He says madbhaktānām ananta-phalam bhavati,
madbhaktaḥ means niṣkāma-bhaktaḥ, so madbhaktānām niṣkāma-pūrṇa-Īśvara
bhaktānām ananta-phalam bhavati means mōkṣam bhavati, mōkṣa will come. And
what is the definition of mōkṣa? Anāvr̥ttilakṣaṇam – a mōkṣa from which there is no
return to saṁsāra. And na kēvalam – not only this is the great plus point which is
the fourth difference, infinite-result will come, there is another very important
benefit na kēvalam – not only that sukhārādhanaḥ ca aham – worshipping Me, the
pūrṇa-Īśvara is very easy because I am easily pleaseable God. Everyone who is an
employee under a boss all those people know the difference between a boss who
can be easily propitiated, another type of boss will find fault with any work you do. If
it is lady, then mother-in-law, whatever you do she will be critical about it. Kr̥ṣṇa
says I am a boss who can be very easily pleased, and I will give mōkṣa promotion.
Therefore sukha ārādhanaḥ, bahuvrīhi, sukham ārādhanam yasya, ca aham
bhavāmi, bhavāmi supplied. katham? – how can it be? Kr̥ṣṇa says read the verse.
Verse 09-26
पत्रां पुष्पां फलां तोयां यो मे भक्तत्या प्रयच्छगत ।
तदहां भक्तत्युपहृतमश्नायम प्रयतात्मनाः ॥ गीता ९-२६ ॥
patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ tōyaṁ yō mē bhaktyā prayacchati |

tadahaṁ bhaktyupahr̥tamaśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ || Gītā 9-26 ||
It is a famous verse, you understand the gist of the verse. You need not observe the
rules of pūjā, not that you should deliberately violate the rules, even if you don‟t
know the rules like what are all the flowers which are dear to that dēvatā, flower
dēvatā matching, similarly, leaf dēvatā, for every dēvatāa particular leaf, a particular

flower etc., are there but in the case of niṣkāma-bhakti those rules go behind that if
you don‟t know you need not feel bad. Therefore any patram, any puṣpam, any
phalam, any tōyam that means corporation water also. Therefore whatever you offer
it is ok. And somebody observed that all these words are in singular number that
means you don‟t have to offer many but one leaf, one flower is sufficient to do pūjā,
but only one condition is there and that is bhaktyā prayacchati, bhakti means
niṣkāma-bhaktyā, the saṅkalpa must be lōka kṣēmārtham saṅkalpa is important, you
should not bring in ahaṅkāra, you should not bring in mamakāra, the moment you
bring family members in the saṅkalpa it is no more niṣkāma-bhakti. That concession
and advantage is instantaneously withdrawn the moment you bring in the family
member business because it comes under sakāma-bhakti. Therefore bhaktyā means
niṣkāma-bhaktyā prayacchati, then Bhagavān says I will take it and I will certainly
givemōkṣa, of course, through appropriate procedure. Don‟t think mōkṣa is
something you can hand over. I will give mōkṣa means I will provide the conditions
for guru-prāpti, jñāna-prāpti and mōkṣa-prāpti. This is the essence. We will see the
bhāṣyam.
पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयम् उदकां याः मे मह्यां भक्तत्य प्रयच्छवत, तत् अहं पत्रादद भक्तत्युपहृतं भशक्त-पूवयकां प्रागपतां भक्तत्या
उपहृतम् अश्न यम गृह्णायम प्रयत त्मनाः िुद्धबुद्धेाः ॥ ९-२६ ॥
patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ tōyam udakaṁ yaḥ mē mahyaṁ bhaktyā prayacchati, tat
ahaṁ patrādi bhaktyupahr̥taṁ bhakti-pūrvakaṁ prāpitaṁ bhaktyā upahr̥tam
aśnāmi gr̥hṇāmi prayatātmanaḥ śuddhabuddhēḥ || 9-26 ||
Patram means a leaf, puṣpam means a flower, phalam means a fruit,

Śaṅkarācārya doesn‟t comment, for tōyam Śaṅkarācārya gives the meaning as
udakam, udakam means jalam, water, yaḥ mē, mē is in the mūlam, is equal to
mahyam – to Me means pūrṇa Īśvara invoked in any mūrti including any adhiṣṭhāna
dēvatā, bhaktyā prayacchati, bhaktyā you should underline niṣkāma bhaktyā
prayacchati, tat means that offering patram puṣpam vā tōyam, in fact tat is
equal to patrādi, you have to change the order, tat is equal to patrādi – patram etc.
And thereafter bhaktyā-upahr̥tam is there, we have to make a correction. It should
be bhaktyupahr̥tam referring to the mūlam. bhaktyupahr̥tam in the mūlam , is
equal to bhaktyā upahr̥tam , tr̥tīyā tatpuruṣa, offered with niṣkāma bhakti. upahr̥tam
means offered. Here also you should change the order bhaktyupahr̥tam is equal
to bhaktyā upahr̥tam , then bhaktyā upahr̥tam is equal to bhakti -pūrvakaṁ prāpitam
– offered with bhakti, niṣkāma-bhakti, aśnāmi is equal to gr̥h ṇāmi – I shall receive.
Of whom? prayatātmanaḥ in the mūlam, is equal to śuddhabuddhēḥ– of the
śuddha-buddhiḥ, the pure minded devotee. prayata means śuddham, ātmā means

buddhi. bahuvrīhi samāsa. Prayataḥātmā yasya saḥ tasya. Śuddhā buddhiḥ yasya
saḥ tasya. So I receive the offering of the pure minded. And what is the purity
referred to here? Freedom from kāma, niṣkāmatvam is purity here. What is the
impurity? Sakāmatvam. So from spiritual-angle family-centric-prayer is considered
impurity of the mind.
The anvaya is, yaḥ patram puṣpam phalam tōyam (vā) bhaktyā mē prayacchati,
prayata-ātmanaḥ tat bhakti -upahr̥tam aham aśnāmi | vāindicates any one of them.
The preposition vā, i.e., or indicates you don‟t have to offer all the four, it is enough
even if you offer any one of these four.

यताः एवम्, अताः ––
yataḥēvam, ataḥ––
Verse 09-27

All are very important ślōkas defining karma-yōga. All these should be connected
along with the second and third chapters of Gītā, they should be added in the
karmayōga list. From this another very important message is also conveyed. We
don‟t enumerate bhaktiyōga as a separate yōga. Unfortunately certain āgama śāstra
came and they got separated from the vaidika śāstra and introduced bhakti-yōga as
a separate yōga whereas what we do in the tradition is āgama śāstra also we club
into vēda, and we remove bhakti-yōga as a separate yōga and we integrate bhakti-
yōga into karma-yōga itself because this karma-yōga is a karma-yōga because of
niṣkāma-bhakti only. Not only the daily pūjā becomes a karma-yōga, the regular
lifestyle also become a karma-yōga which involves bhakti. How? He says whatever
be your regular activity, convert it into karma-yōga otherwise bhakti-yōga, make it
an offering to the Lord, whether it is laukika-karma or vaidika-karma. Similarly
whatever you eat, whatever Vedic rituals you do, and whatever you give to anyone
convert everything into niṣkāma-bhakti otherwise called karma-yōga. Very very
beautiful message. We will go to the bhāṣyam.

यत् करोवष स्वताः प्राप्तम्, यत् अश्न सस, यत् च जुहोवष हवनां गनवयतययशस श्रौतां स्मातं वा, यत् दद सस प्रयच्छशस
ब्राह्मणाददभ्याः गहरण्यान्नाज्ज्यादद, यत् तपस्यसस तपाः चरशस कौनतेय, तत् कुरुष्ि मद्-अपथणं मत्समपयणम् ॥ ९-२७ ॥
yat karōṣi svataḥ prāptam, yat aśnāsi, yatca juhōṣi havanaṁ nirvartayasi
śrautaṁ smārtaṁ vā, yat dadāsi prayacchasi brāhmaṇādibhyaḥ hiraṇyānnājyādi,
yat tapasyasitapaḥ carasi kauntēya, tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇaṁ matsamarpaṇam
|| 9-27 ||
Yat karōṣi, yat is equal to svataḥ prāptam, svataḥ prāptam means that activity that
has come to you by itself because of the circumstances, not based on Shastric
instructions. svataḥ prāptam means that which is not based on śāstra, that means
laukikam karma, svataḥ prāptam means worldly-karma not based on scriptural
instructions. When you take morning coffee it is not given in Manusmr̥ti, no such
vidhi is there, when you do such activities voluntarily that is called svataḥ prāptam
and Kr̥ṣṇa says that also can become an offering. In office also when there are
several problems and you are taking various steps for that, whether those steps are
going to become successful or not I don‟t know, I am solving a crisis in the factory, I
take some steps, offer those steps also to Bhagavān and tell that whatever happens
as a result of these steps I am willing to accept. Therefore svataḥ prāptam number
one. Yat aśnāsi, you can understand, whatever you are consuming legitimately.
Not eating anything and everything, remember that which is permitted by śāstra.
Then yat ca juhōṣi– whatever Vedic ritual you do, juhōṣi is in the mūlam, is equal
to havanaṁ nirvartayasi śrautaṁ smārtaṁ vā – whether it is śrauta karma
prescribed by the vēdas or smārta-karma prescribed by the smr̥ti . Purāṇa based
rituals like caṇḍi hōma etc., will not come under śrauta karma but that will come
under smārta karma only even though havanam is involved. Look at the mūlam, yat
karōṣi refers to laukika karma and yatjuhōṣi refers to vaidika-karma. So here also
you have to change the order, yat ca juhōṣi havanaṁ nirvartayasi śrautaṁ
smārtaṁ vā should be rearranged, yat is equal to śrautaṁ smārtaṁ vāhavanam
then juhōṣi is equal to nirvartayasi.
Then the next one, yat dadāsi in the mūlam, is equal to prayacchasi – whatever
you are gifting to anyone, again laukika dānam also included. To whom?
brāhmaṇādibhyaḥ– brāhmaṇa etc., those who deserve the dānam. According to
śāstra only certain people can ask for dānam, of the four varṇas, brāhmaṇa has got
a right to receive dānam because he doesn‟t have any other earning and therefore
brāhmaṇa can take dānam. Kṣatriya and vaiśya cannot take dānam. Therefore only
Śaṅkarācārya writes brāhmaṇādibhyaḥ those who are permitted to take dānam like
hiraṇya-anna-ājyādi, hiraṇyam means gold, annam means food and ājyam means

ghee etc., whatever you give. Then yat tapasyasi is in the mūlam, is equal to
tapaḥ carasi – whatever austerities you observe like ēkādaśi upavāsa or pradōṣa
vratam etc., which you follow that also in the saṅkalpa you say I am again doing this
upavāsa niṣkāmatayā lōka kṣēmārtham aham karōmi. So hē kauntēya kauntēya,
tat kuruṣva is in the mūlam, that particular thing mad-arpaṇaṁkuruṣva – offer
to Me, is equal to mad matsamarpaṇaṁ kuruṣva.
The anvaya is, hē kauntēya! (tvam) yat karōṣi, yat aśnāsi, yat juhōṣi, yat dadāsi, yat
tapasyasi, tat mad-arpaṇaṁ kuruṣva |

Page 241, verse 27


Kr̥ṣṇa is talking about the glory of niṣkāma-bhakti in these verses and we saw that
niṣkāma-bhakti is not deity specific, any deity can be chosen for doing the pūjā;
niṣkāma-bhakti is not pūjā-specific, any form of pūjā that I know I can do; niṣkāma-
bhakti is definite in producing the positive result and finally advantage is niṣkāma-
bhakti will gradually lead to mōkṣa which is infinite result. Of these Kr̥ṣṇa is
highlighting the second point in these two verses, the second point being niṣkāma-
bhakti is not pūjā-specific by which we mean any type of pūjā that we know we can
do, we need not bother too much about the rules and regulations which are
mentioned in the scriptures and that is why Kr̥ṣṇa said patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ
tōyam you can offer. And Kr̥ṣṇa dilutes it further even you can offer anything that
you are already utilizing. You need not bring separate patraṁ, puṣpam and phalam,
whatever food you want to consume regularly that itself can be taken for offering,
whatever actions you are doing maybe even laukika-karma that very same regular
laukika-karma can be converted into an offering, yatkarōṣi yajjuhōṣi. yatkarōṣi refers
to laukika-karma, yajjuhōṣi refers to vaidika-karma. That means if I am wiping the
table before using the table even that wiping action can be converted into an
offering to the Lord, tat madarpaṇam kuruṣva. That is called niṣkāma-bhakti. Or to
use the seventh chapter idiom it is called jijñāsu-bhakti. Niṣkāma-bhakti and jijñāsu-
bhakti are synonymous. And these two bhaktis are synonymous with karma-yōga.
Very very important point we have to register in our mind. Niṣkāma-bhakti or
jijñāsu-bhakti is the same as karma-yōga. That is why dayānanda svāmiji repeatedly
says there is no bhaktiyōga separate from karma-yōga. Karma-yōga itself is renamed
as jijñāsu-bhakti-yōga. Mere saying bhakti-yōga won‟t do, it should be called jijñāsu-
bhakti-yōga which is synonymous with karma-yōga. And how? This bhakti-yōga will
lead to mōkṣa Kr̥ṣṇa wants to talk about hereafter from verse twenty-eight. We have

seen verse twenty-seven, we have seen the bhāṣyam as well as the anvaya also.
Now we will read the introduction to verse twenty-eight.

एवां कुवयताः तव यत् भवगत, तत् िृणु ––
ēvaṁ kurvataḥ tava yat bhavati, tat śr̥ṇu ––
ēvaṁ kurvataḥ tava – for you who is a jijñāsu-bhakta, who is a niṣkāma-bhakta, who
is a karma-yōgi, yat bhavati – what will happen. In short, what is the benefit of such
a lifestyle? ēvaṁ kurvataḥ, kurvataḥ is present active participle, ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti,
adjective to tava, for you who is living such a life , yat bhavati – what result will
accrue, tat śr̥ ṇu – may you listen to that arjuna, Kr̥ṣṇa wants to say that. All very
very important ślōkas.
Verse 09-28
िुभािुभफलैरेवां मोक्ष्यसे कमयबन्धनैाः ।
सन्न्यासयोगयुक्तात्मा गवमुक्तो मामुपैष्यशस ॥ गीता ९-२८ ॥
śubhāśubhaphalairēvaṁ mōkṣyasē karmabandhanaiḥ |

sannyāsayōgayuktātmā vimuktō māmupaiṣyasi || Gītā 9-28 ||
The phalam of niṣkāma-bhakti is pointed out here. I will give you the gist of the
verse. The phalam I indicated as the fourth glory of niṣkāma-bhakti. Remember,
without fail, those four points. The fourth point advantage of niṣkāma-bhakti is
sakāma-bhakti will give only finite result and niṣkāma-bhakti will give infinite result
of mōkṣa that is said in this ślōka. Karma-bandhanaiḥ mōkṣyasē– you will be
liberated from the shackles of karma. Sannyāsa-yōga-yukta-ātmā is another name
for niṣkāma-bhakta, jijñāsu-bhakta karma-yōgi. Niṣkāma-bhakta is equal to jijñāsu-
bhakta is equal to karma-yōgi. He is referred to by the word sannyāsa-yōga-yukta-
ātmā. Here sannyāsa-yōga means karma-yōga. So karma-yōga being extremely
important, Kr̥ṣṇa presents karma-yōga itself through different names. What are
some of the names? Karma-yōga is well known. Another word he uses in the second
chapter is buddhiyōgaḥ, ēṣā tē:'bhihitā sāṅkhyē buddhiryōgē tvimāṁśr̥ṇu || Gītā 2-
39 || The third name is in this ślōka sannyāsayōga is a unique peculiar name of
karmayōga. The fourth name of karmayōga is niṣkāma bhakti. The fifth name is
jijñāsu-bhakti. Remember all these five names karma-yōga buddhi-yōga, sanyāsa-
yōga, niṣkāma-bhakti and jijñāsu-bhakti. And here the word sanyāsa-yōga is another
name and this person will be liberated from the shackles of karma which is called
jīvanmukti. So karma yōgi will become a jīvan-muktaḥ and not only that mām

upaiṣyasi – he will become vidēha-mukta also. mām upaiṣyasi means maraṇa

anantaram Īśvara aikya rūpa vidēhamuktim api prāsyasi ēṣyasi. All are in second
person, therefore tvam is the subject. With this background we will go to the
bhāṣyam.
शुभ शुभ-फलैाःएिं – िुभ-अिुभे इष्ट-अगनष्टे फले येषाां तागन िुभ-अिुभ-फलागन कमायत्तण । तैाः िुभ-अिुभ-फलैाः
कमथबन्धनैाः। कमायत्तण एव बन्धनागन कमयबन्धनागन । तैाः कमयबन्धनैाः एवां मत्समपयणां कुवयन् मोक्ष्यसे।
śubhāśubha-phalaiḥēvaṁ – śubha-aśubhē iṣṭa-aniṣṭē phalē yēṣāṁ tāni śubha-

aśubha-phalāni karmāṇi | taiḥśubha-aśubha-phalaiḥ karmabandhanaiḥ|
karmāṇi ēva bandhanāni karmabandhanāni | taiḥ karmabandhanaiḥēvaṁ
matsamarpaṇaṁ kurvan mōkṣyasē|
śubhāśubhaphalaiḥēvam, after ēvam you have to put an en dash that is going

to be commented upon. Now he gives the vigraha vākyam for
śubhāśubhaphalaiḥ.
Vigraha vākyam is a saṁskr̥ta grammar expression meant for sa ṁskr̥ta student ,

when compound words are used splitting the compound is called vigraha vākyam.
śubhāśubhaphalaiḥ is acompound word of three words śubha plus aśubha plus
phalam, three words have been combined to form a compound word, and when you
split the compound word, that grammatical process of splitting a compound word
and connecting them syntactically is called vigraha-vākyam. Now and then I am
using the word vigraha vākyam, other non-saṁskr̥ta students may wonder whether
it is Rāma vigraham or Kr̥ṣṇa vigraham, we have heard the word vigraham in the
meaning of mūrti in a temple. Vigraha-vākyam is a jargon in saṁskr̥ta grammar.
Śaṅkarācārya gives the vigraha-vākyam. First he says śubha and aśubha is dvandva
samāsa, śubha-aśubhē is equal to iṣṭa-aniṣṭē. There is a printing mistake in
Gōrakhapur edition, it is printed as iṣṭāniṣṭaphalē, it should be corrected as iṣṭa-
aniṣṭē and thereafter there must be a gap and then the word phalē. Iṣṭa-aniṣṭē is
dvivacanam, phalē is dvivacanam. śubha-aśubhēis equal to iṣṭa-aniṣṭē which means
favorable and unfavorable results. So this is dvandva samāsa, thereafter you have to
make it into a bahuvrīhi; esam tāni śubha-aśubha-phalāni karmāṇi. After karmāṇi
put a full stop. So what is the final meaning of the word śubha-aśubha-phalāni? The
compound word refers to karma. what type of karma? Karma which can produce
favorable result and unfavorable result, otherwise in our well known language
puṇya-karmas and pāpa-karmas are calledśubha-aśubha-phalāni karmāṇi which
refers to sañcitakarmāṇi, āgāmikarmāṇi, prārabdhakarmāṇi; all the karmas are
indicated by the word śubha-aśubha-phalāni=karmāṇi. Then the next sentence taiḥ

śubha-aśubha-phalaiḥ karmabandhanaiḥ– from those shackles of karma, puṇya-

pāpa-karma, then the sentence is incomplete and you have to supply
karmabandhanaiḥ mōkṣyasē – you will be freed from sañcita-āgāmi-prārabdha
puṇya-pāpa-karmāṇi, from all of them you will be freed mōkṣyasē. After
karmabandhanaiḥ mōkṣyasē put a full stop. Then Śaṅkarācārya comes to the
word karmabandhanaiḥ which is also a compound word, therefore he gives the
vigraha vākyam, it is karmadhāraya samāsa, karmāṇi ēva bandhanāni
karmabandhanāni. After karmabandhanāni put a full stop. What is the meaning
karmabandhanam? Shackles of karma. Bandhanam means shackles and karma
means karma. Shackles of karma means here for a saṁsāri shackles are not made of
iron, shackles are not made of any material, for a saṁsāri shackles are made up of
the very puṇya-pāpa, karma is the invisible shackles that he suffers. Therefore he
says karmāṇi ēva bandhanāni, puṇyam and pāpam themselves are the invisible
shackles. So taiḥ karmabandhanāni is the meaning. Then taiḥ karmabandhanaiḥ
ēvaṁ matsamarpaṇaṁ kurvan mōkṣyasē – by offering all your karmas to Me in this
manner you can be freed from the shackles of karma. Mōkṣyasē is future passive
word. mōkṣyasē means you will be freed. Continuing;
साः अयां सांन्यासयोगाः नाम । सांन्यासाः च असौ मत्समपयणतया कमयत्वात् योगाः च असौ इगत ।तेन सांन्यासयोगेन युक्ताः आत्मा
अन्ताःकरणां यस्य तव साः त्वां सननय स-योग-युक्त-आत्म ।सन् विमुक्ताः कमयबन्धनैाः जीवन् एव पगतते च अस्स्मन् िरीरे
म म् उपैष्यसस आगयमष्यशस ॥ ९-२८ ॥
saḥ ayaṁ saṁnyāsayōgaḥ nāma | saṁnyāsaḥ ca asau matsamarpaṇatayā

karmatvāt yōgaḥ ca asau iti | tēna saṁnyāsayōgēna yuktaḥātmā antaḥkaraṇaṁ
yasya tava saḥ tvaṁsannyāsa-yōga-yukta-ātmā| san vimuktaḥkarmabandhanaiḥ
jīvan ēva patitē ca asmin śarīrēmām upaiṣyasiāgamiṣyasi || 9-28 ||
After saḥ ayaṁ saṁnyāsayōgaḥ nāma put a full stop. saḥ ayam means this process
of offering all the karmas to the Lord which is called karma-yōga, this karma-yōga
itself is well known as saṁnyāsa-yōgaḥ nāma. The very same thing is well-known as
sanyāsa-yōga. Now Śaṅkarācārya gives the vigraha-vākyam for the compound word
sanyāsa-yōga. Saṁnyāsaḥ ca asau karmatvāt yōgaḥ ca asau iti. After iti put a full
stop. Karma-yōga is called sanyāsa-yōga because it has got sannyāsa component
also, it has got yōga component also. Karma-yōga is called sanyāsa-yōga because it
has got sanyāsa-component as well as yōga component.
What is the yōga component? He says matsamarpaṇatayā karmatvāt – it is called

yōga because it involves the mental activity of offering the karma to the Lord; that
mental activity of offering makes it yōga. Even though wiping the table is also an
activity, it will not be called yōga. Wiping the table is an activity, that activity is not

yōga, but what is yōga is mentally there is a second activity that this wiping also I
am dedicating to the Lord, that mental bhāvanā of mānasa-karma makes it a yōga.
Therefore matsamarpaṇatayā karmatvāt yōgaḥ bhavati. Thus mental offering is the
yōga-component.
Then the next question is what is the sannyāsa component. That Śaṅkarācārya
doesn‟t explain here. He gives it as homework. In the second chapter Kr̥ṣṇa gives a
clue yōgasthaḥ kuru karmāṇi saṅgam tyaktvā dhanañjaya || Gītā 2-48 || saṅga-
sannyāsa, saṅga means fancying the consequences. Imagination of the
consequences is saṅga. Dwelling on the future is saṅga. So saṅga-sannyāsatvāt it is
called sannyāsa. This is one clue in the second chapter.
Then the second clue that Kr̥ṣṇa gives is in the sixth chapter of Gītā, sarva-saṅkalpa-
sannyāsi yōgārūḍhastadōcyatē || Gītā 6-4 || saṅkalpa-sannyāsa, again saṅkalpa
means dreaming the future, fantasizing the future. Therefore fancying the future is
saṅga-sannyāsa, dreaming on the future is saṅkalpa-sannyāsa, since a karma-yōgi
should not dwell on the future with regard to consequences of that karma, there is a
sannyāsa component also. Therefore sannyāsaśca asau yōgaśca sanyāsa-yōgaḥ
karma-yōgaḥ.
Then the next compound word is sannyāsa-yōga-yukta-ātmā. That is a big

compound word, now Śaṅkarācārya gives the vigraha vākyam. tēna
saṁnyāsayōgēna yuktaḥātmā antaḥkaraṇaṁ yasya tava saḥ tvaṁ sannyāsa-yōga-
yukta-ātmā. After sannyāsa-yōga-yukta-ātmā put a full stop. Yuktaḥ means
endowed with, ātmā here means antaḥkaraṇam, the mind, not Consciousness, ātmā
means mind. So sannyāsa-yōga-yukta-ātmā finally means a karmayōgi who is
endowed with such an attitude; yōga attitude of offering and sannyāsa attitude of
renouncing the anxiety regarding the future. Then ēvam san – living in this manner
as a karma-yōgi, karma-bandhanaiḥ vimuktaḥ– you will be freed from all the
shackles of karma. When? jīvan ēva – even when you are alive you will become free
from all the shackles of karma.
Now there is a problem. Problem should come if you think. But thinking is a luxury;
so if we don‟t think there will be no problem, if you think there will be a problem.
What is the problem? Can you guess? Kr̥ṣṇa here says being a karma-yōgi in this
manner you will be liberated. It is wonderful. Immediately we will run away with this
ślōka because it says karma-yōga gives liberation. This ślōka says karma-yōga gives
liberation, here alone we have to note gradually. It will not give liberation
immediately, directly but gradually. How do you know that? Kr̥ṣṇa doesn‟t say that.

„How do you conclude like that, this is all your interpretation‟, this is how people
charge Śaṅkarācārya, „how do you know karma-yōga gives mōkṣa gradually?‟ For
that our answer is go back to the seventh answer, you get the answers from Gītā
itself.
In Gītā Kr̥ṣṇa doesn‟t say jijñāsu-bhakta gets liberation, He never says so. In the
seventh chapter another name for karma-yōgi is jijñāsu-bhakta. In the seventh
chapter Kr̥ṣṇa never says karma-yōgi jijñāsu-bhakta gets liberated. He says jijñās-
bhakta will have to become jñāni-bhakta to be liberated. Jijñāsu-bhakta should
become jñāni-bhakta to become liberated, thus Kr̥ṣṇa has said. Then what is the
next question? How will jijñāsu-bhakta gets converted into jñāni-bhakta? It is by
becoming a jñāni.
Now the next question is how will he become a jñāni? Śaṅkarācārya will say go back
to Gītā. We don‟t want to interpret anything, go back to Gītā to fourth chapter ślōka
Kr̥ṣṇa says
तत् गवद्धद्ध प्रत्तणपातेन पररप्रश्नेन सेवया ।

उपदे क्ष्यन्न्त ते ज्ञानम् ज्ञागननाः तत्त्व-दर्ििंनाः ॥ गीता ४-३४ ॥
tat viddhi praṇipātēna paripraśnēna sēvayā |

upadēkṣyanti tē jñānam jñāninaḥ tattva-darśinaḥ || Gītā 4-34 ||
Therefore a karma-yōgi should go to a guru and then consistent and systematic

study of Vedantic scriptures for a length of time under the guidance of a competent
ācārya, karma-yōgi jijñāsu-bhakta will get converted into a jñāni-bhaktaḥ. And only
as a jñāni-bhakta karma-bandhanaiḥ vimōkṣyasē. Therefore we write the expression
gradually. Gradually means by becoming a jñāni-bhakta through śravaṇa-manana
nididhyāsanam. Madhusūdana Sarasvatī makes this point clear. Sometimes
Śaṅkarācārya takes certain things for granted, there you find Madhusūdana
Sarasvatī makes it clear.
And all this happens when? Not posthumously, what is the use. jīvan ēva,
Śaṅkarācārya adds that which refers to jīvan-mukti. And then what happens? patitē
ca asmin śarīrē– when the body falls at the time of the exhaustion of prārabdha,
prārabdha avasāna kālē, parānta kālē, mām upaiṣyasi is in the mūlam, upaiṣyasi
is equal to āgamiṣyasi – that jñāni-bhakta will merge into Īśvara for good, that
means vidēha-mukti prāsyasi, Brahman irvāṇam prāsyasi, punarjanma na bhaviṣyati.
Very significant ślōka.

The anvaya is, ēvam śubha-aśubha-phalaiḥ karma-bandhanaiḥ (tvam) mōkṣyasē |

sannyāsa-yōga-yukta-ātmā (tvam) vimuktaḥ (san) mām upaiṣyasi | The word
vimuktaḥ refers to jīvan-mukti, mām upaiṣyasi refers to vidēha-mukti. Continuing;

रागद्वे षवान् तर्हिं भगवान्, यताः भक्तान् अनुगृह्णागत, न इतरान् इगत । तत् न ––
rāgadvēṣavān tarhi Bhagavān, yataḥ bhaktān anugr̥hṇāti, na itarān iti | tat na ––
The previous verse can create a possible doubt in the mind of a student and
Śaṅkarācārya raises that doubt which is not in the Gītā and the next verse is an
answer to that doubt. What is the doubt? Kr̥ṣṇa clearly says karma-yōgi-jijñāsu-
bhaktas will get liberation. From this we can derive a corollary that the non-karma-
yōgi, non-jijñāsu-bhaktas will not get liberation. To put in simple language Your
(Kr̥ṣṇa) bhaktas will get liberation and non-bhaktas will not get liberation. That
means whoever loves God will get liberation and whoever doesn‟t love God will not
get liberation.
That means Lord wants to give liberation only to the selective people and that too
those who do some good to Him, and therefore Bhagavān does not have universal
love. This is one dōṣa. Bhagavān does not have universal love. Why? He doesn‟t give
liberation to all people.
The second dōṣa is that Bhagavān doesn‟t have unconditional love, because he puts
a condition that if you are jijñāsu-bhakta I love you and give liberation, and if you
are not I won‟t give you liberation. I won‟t love you sufficiently to give liberation,
therefore Bhagavān‟s love is not universal, unconditional and that question‟s
Bhagavān status of Bhagavān itself. Because all the human beings also have got
love which is conditional. As Dayānanda Svāmiji says first he says „I love you‟ and
then he says „I allow you‟. Every marriage is lasting for a certain number of years,
and the duration is coming down also. So if human love is conditional, and
Bhagavān‟s love is also equally conditional then what is the difference between
Bhagavān and human being? This is the charge against the Bhagavān.
Now look at this. Tarhi, tarhi means then. In that case.. In that case means in what
case? If you will give liberation only to the select jijñāsu-bhaktas, then Bhagavān
rāga-dvēṣavān, Bhagavān has got rāga-dvēṣa for giving mōkṣa to some people and
not to some others. Yataḥ – because, bhaktān anugr̥hṇāti. He himself explains that.
yataḥ – because, bhaktān anugr̥h ṇāti – Bhagavān blesses with mōkṣa only the

jijñāsu-bhaktas, na itarān – not the others. Others means non-jijñāsu bhaktas and
non-bhaktas. Both you have to include. To non-jijñāsu bhaktas and non-bhaktas
Bhagavān doesn‟t give mōkṣa.
Ok, for saṁskr̥ta students it has to be split properly . Tarhi Bhagavān rāgadvēṣavān
bhavathi | yataḥ Bhagavān bhaktān anugr̥h ṇāti, na itarān anugr̥h ṇāti (ataḥ rāga-
dvēṣavān) iti | ataḥ rāga-dvēṣavān we have to supply.
Up to this is the charge against Bhagavān by some people. And then tat na is the
answer of Bhagavān to them. I am not subject to such a charge. So tat na means
the pakṣapāta dōṣa that you poised on Me that pakṣapāta dōṣa is not there in Me. I
am not partial. Why? It is another important ślōka.
Verse 09-29
समोऽहां सवयभूतेषु न मे द्वे ष्योऽस्स्त न गप्रयाः ।
ये भजन्न्त तु माां भक्तत्या मयय ते तेषु चाप्यहम् ॥ गीता ९-२९ ॥
samō:'haṁ sarvabhūtēṣu na mē dvēṣyō:'sti na priyaḥ |

yē bhajanti tu māṁ bhaktyā mayi tē tēṣu cāpyaham || Gītā 9-29 ||
I will give you the gist of this ślōka. If Bhagavān gives mōkṣa to some people and
doesn‟t give mōkṣa to some others, certainly Bhagavān will have the dōṣa of
partiality. But if you analyze the śāstra clearly you will find an interesting fact, that
Bhagavān does not give mōkṣa to anyone. This is point number one.
Second point is Bhagavān cannot give mōkṣa to anyone even though Bhagavān is
omniscient, omnipotent and omni-compassionate. The omniscient, omnipotent and
all-compassionate Bhagavān cannot unfortunately give mōkṣa to anyone. Why? I
should not answer and you should know this answer. You are advanced students
and you should know this. Mōkṣa happens to be our nature. How can Bhagavān give
something which is already with me. Not even with me, myself, my very nature.
Therefore mōkṣa is not a matter to be given by Bhagavān, mōkṣa is a matter to be
claimed by us. And the claiming job Bhagavān has to do or we have to do?
Unfortunately our mōkṣa can be claimed by us only. My mōkṣa Bhagavān cannot
claim. Your mōkṣa I cannot claim. Each one‟s mōkṣa has to be claimed by the
respective one only, therefore whether I claim my mōkṣa or not is in my own hands.
Therefore Bhagavān says if some people have mōkṣa it is because they have chosen
to claim mōkṣa. And if some people do not have mōkṣa it is because they have not
chosen to claim mōkṣa. It is not My mistake but it is their mistake. But as far as I am
concerned I am the very mōkṣa-svarūpam of everyone. As far as I am concerned I

am the very mōkṣa-svarūpam. Mōkṣa-svarūpam means ātma -svarūpam. Every

jīvātmā has got Kr̥ ṣṇa-Paramātmā as his svarūpam. ahamātmā guḍākēśa
sarvabhūtāśayasthitaḥ || Gītā 10-20 || I am available as the ātmā of everyone, as
the mōkṣa-svarūpam of everyone, it is for you to claim or not. If you have not
claimed, it is your headache and committing mistake you transferring that on to Me,
don‟t do violation. aham sarva-bhūtēṣu samaḥ, as the ātma-svarūpam and mōkṣa-
svarūpam I am already equally available in all. Yē bhajanti, yē bhajanti means who
choose to claim Me as a jñāni-bhakta. By becoming jñāni-bhakta they discover Me.
Therefore whose problem is it? Your problem.
This is the unique approach of advaitam. In this respect Viśiṣṭādvaitam is different.

According to Viśiṣṭādvaitam, mōkṣa is decided by God. God alone will have to decide
mōkṣa. And they go further, God can be influenced by Mrs. God, who is called
Tāyār. And therefore they say you go to Tāyār (Mrs. God) and she will whisper to
God to give mōkṣa to this person and thereafter Bhagavān will take all the
applications and He will give mōkṣa to the select few. Bhagavān out of his own
sweet-free-will will choose to bless a few and it is His choice and as far as bhakta is
concerned he has no right to question Bhagavān. This is the bhakti and śaraṇāgati
and mōkṣa in all Vaiṣṇava philosophy including the Śaiva Siddhānta; in all of them,
in all theological systems where they make Bhagavān as a person, Dayānanda
svāmiji calls them as theological system where they make Bhagavān as a person and
Bhagavān has to decide to give mōkṣa. Advaitam only loudly proclaims that no God
need decide to give you mōkṣa because God in the form of mōkṣa is very much
there as the very ātmā. aidātmyamidagṁ sarvam tatsatyaṁ sa ātmā tattvamasi
śvētakētō | || Chāndōgyōpaniṣat 6-8-7 || This is the Upanishadic darśanam,
Śaṅkarācārya alone bring out the Upanishadic message in the Gītā. This is the very
important ślōka. Now we will read the bhāṣyam.
समाः तुल्याः अहं सिथभूतेषु । न मे द्वे ष्याः अस्स्त न वप्रयाः । अग्ननवत् अहम् –– रॄरस्थानाां यथा अग्ननाः िीतां न अपनयगत,
समीपम् उपसपयताम् अपनयगत, तथा अहां भक्तान् अनुगृह्णायम, न इतरान् ।
samaḥ tulyaḥ ahaṁ sarvabhūtēṣu| na mē dvēṣyaḥ asti na priyaḥ | agnivat aham

–– dūrasthānāṁ yathā agniḥśītaṁ na apanayati, samīpam upasarpatām
apanayati, tathā ahaṁ bhaktān anugr̥hṇāmi, na itarān |
samaḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to tulyaḥ, tulyaḥ means equally and uniformly
available. Where? ahaṁ sarvabhūtēṣu– in all beings. In what form? Not as a
personal God, presenting the personal God in the pictures and all they show
Āñjanēya is tearing his chest Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa are seated there, you should not
take it literally. Remember they are all symbolic only, Rāma in the Āñjanēya‟s heart

means Āñjanēya has understood that rāma is my very ātmā, my-svarūpam.

Therefore sarvabhūtēṣu means caitanya rūpēṇa, and not in the form of a
particular form. Therefore na mē dvēṣyaḥ asti – there is no one who is an object
of dislike, dvēṣyaḥ means disliked one. na priyaḥ. And he gives a beautiful
example like agniḥ. Agniḥ means the fire principle. During winter season fire is there
which is able to remove the cold and the fire is available and ready to bless anyone
who comes near it by removing the cold. And if some people choose to come near
they will be blessed by the fire and if some people choose to be away from the fire,
they won‟t get the benefit. It is not that fire is partial to some people and is blessing
some people and not blessing some people. It is the choice of the person to come
near or to stay away. Similarly, you can place Bhagavān in some other lōka and be
safely or distressedly away or you can choose Bhagavān to keep Bhagavān in your
own heart. Whether Bhagavān is in Vaikuṇṭha or Bhagavān is in your Hr̥dayam who
decides? I only have to decide by my knowledge or ignorance.

320 Verses-29 To 34
Page 242, verse 29, bhāṣyam

समाः तुल्याः अहं सिथभूतेषु । न मे द्वे ष्याः अस्स्त न वप्रयाः । अग्ननवत् अहम् –– रॄरस्थानाां यथा अग्ननाः िीतां न अपनयगत,
समीपम् उपसपयताम् अपनयगत, तथा अहां भक्तान् अनुगृह्णायम, न इतरान् ।
samaḥ tulyaḥ ahaṁ sarvabhūtēṣu| na mē dvēṣyaḥ asti na priyaḥ| agnivat aham

–– dūrasthānāṁ yathā agniḥśītaṁ na apanayati, samīpam upasarpatām
apanayati, tathā ahaṁ bhaktān anugr̥hṇāmi, na itarān |
In this ślōka Lord Kr̥ṣṇa concludes the teaching part by pointing out that by going
through the four stages of bhakti – ārta, arthārthī, jijñāsu and jñāni stages of bhakti
a person can attain liberation. And going through these four stages of bhakti is the
choice of the seeker. And Bhagavān doesn‟t decide who should get liberation and
who should not get liberation. Bhagavān is available for claiming; anybody can claim
aham brahma asmi by using the śāstra, and anybody can choose not to claim and
remain in dvaitam and continue to be in saṁsāra. Whether you want to be dvaiti or
advaiti is your choice, as far as I am concerned I am equally available for all. This is
the message. Samaḥ aham sarva-bhūtēṣu dvēṣyaḥ nāsti priyaḥ nāsti – neither a
person is liked or disliked by Me.
And Śaṅkarācārya gives an example. The fire has the capacity to comfort a person in
winter season and the comforting power of the fire is uniformly available for all. Fire
doesn‟t deliberately go near a person, fire doesn‟t deliberately go away from another
person. It is for people to choose to go near the fire or not go near the fire. And if a
person chooses to be away from the fire and he doesn‟t get the comfort of the fire,
you cannot blame the fire because fire doesn‟t choose to go towards or away from
anyone. It is a beautiful example.
After agnivat aham put a full stop. Aham agnivat asmi. Then the next sentence is
the explanation of the example. yathā agniḥ dūrasthānāṁ śītaṁ na apanayati – agni
will not eliminate the discomfort of cold from a person who is far away, agni doesn‟t
comfort a faraway person. Samīpam upasarpatām apanayati – agni does comfort a
person who comes near it, tathā ahaṁ bhaktān anugr̥h ṇāmi – I comfort a person
who comes closer and closer to Me. What is the closest condition a bhakta can
choose? Aham brahma asmi is the closest condition, you can choose or you need

not. Ahaṁ bhaktān advaita bhaktān anugr̥h ṇāmi. Then put a comma and na itarān –
if a person chooses to be a dvaita-bhakta saying I don‟t want to be sugar and I want
only to taste sugar. This is the pet argument of a Dvaitin. I don‟t want to become
sugar, I want only to taste sugar. Similarly, I don‟t want to become Bhagavān, I
want only to taste Bhagavān. With this argument if you want to be away from
Bhagavān, dvitīyādvai bhayaṁ bhavati || Br̥hadāraṇyakōpaniṣat 1-4-2 || I have
given you the warning you can take it or not . So na itarānaham anugr̥h ṇāmi.
Continuing;
ये भजन्नत तु म म् ईश्वरां भक्तत्य मयय ते स्वभावत एव, न मम रागगनयमिम् –– मयय वतयन्ते । तेषु च अवप अहं स्वभावत
एव वते, न इतरेषु । न एतावता तेषु द्वे षो मम ॥ ९-२९ ॥
yē bhajanti tu māmĪśvara ṁbhaktyā mayi tēsvabhāvata ēva, na mama

rāganimittam –– mayi vartantē | tēṣu ca api ahaṁsvabhāvata ēva vartē, na
itarēṣu | na ētāvatā tēṣu dvēṣō mama || 9-29 ||
Now Śaṅkarācārya comes to the second half of this ślōka, yē tu mām Īśvaraṁ
bhaktyā bhajanti, is in the mūlam, whoever worships me through bhakti, and here
we have to very carefully note that bhaktyā means the fourth stage of bhakti, not
ārta or arthārthī-bhakti, but jñāni bhaktyā bhajanti, advaita bhaktyā bhajanti
who comes to mahāvākya vicārēṇa bhajanti, in their case, mayi tē svabhāvataḥ
ēva – they will abide in Me by their very nature. Mayi means in Me, in My real
higher nirguṇa-svarūpam. So bhaktyā is equal to jñāni-bhaktyā, mayi means
nirguṇa-svarūpē mayi tē svabhāvataḥ-ēva vartantē– they naturally abide because
jīvātma-paramātma aikyam is not created by the seeker, jīvātma-paramātma aikyam
is svabhāvataḥ-ēva– it is already there. svabhāvataḥ-ēva-vartantē. Vartantē we have
to supply and after vartantē we have to put a comma. Mama rāganimittam na
vartantē – they are abiding in Me not because of My decision or My partiality, they
are in Me because already they are in Me as their svarūpam. Therefore My rāga-
dvēṣa has nothing to do with their abidance in Me. The same thing is other way
round also. tēṣu ca api ahaṁ svabhāvataḥ ēva vartē – not only they are abiding in
Me, „abiding in Me‟ here means one with Me, I also in return abide in them, I am
also one with them, again not because of My choice, svabhāvataḥ ēva – brahma
happens to be ātmā because of its very nature. Ahaṁ vartē and after that put a
comma and na itarēṣu vartē. Vartē we have to supply and put a full stop. Na itarēṣu
vartē means I don‟t abide in the dvaita-bhaktas, not because I don‟t want to abide
but even if I abide, dvaita bhaktas forcibly push Me away and say you are different
from me and I am different from You. Thus because of the deliberate divisive
tendency I am not able to abide in them as though. „As though‟ we have to supply,

itarēṣu na vartēiva – because of ajñānam they create a voluntary division between

Me and them. And this condition is not because of My partiality, this condition is
because of their choice. Therefore he says ētāvatā– because of the continuation of
saṁsāra in dvaita-bhaktas, ētāvatā mama dvēṣaḥ na – don‟t conclude that I dislike
dvaita bhaktas. It is not because of My dislike of dvaita-bhaktas but it is their choice.
The anvaya is, aham sarva-bhūtēṣu samaḥ (asmi) | dvēṣyaḥ mē na asti, priyaḥ ca na
(asti) | yē tu mām bhaktyā bhajanti tē mayi (santi), aham (ca) api tēṣu (asmi) |
Continuing;

िृणु मद्भक्तेाः माहात्म्यम् ––
śr̥ṇu madbhaktēḥ māhātmyam ––
Verse 09-30
अगप चेत्सुरृराचारो भजते मामनन्यभाक् ।
साधुरेव स मन्तव्याः सम्यनव्यवशसतो गह साः ॥ गीता ९-३० ॥
api cētsudurācārō bhajatē māmananyabhāk |

sādhurēva sa mantavyaḥ samyagvyavasitō hi saḥ || Gītā 9-30 ||
With the previous ślōka the actual teaching part is over. Verse thirty to thirty-four is
bhakti māhātmyam – the glorification of bhakti. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says śr̥ ṇu –
may you listen to māhātmyam – the glory of devotion towards Me. And in this
thirtieth ślōka Kr̥ṣṇa says even if a person has been following unethical and immoral
way of life, in spite of such a life a person can change his lifestyle and take to
Īśvara-bhakti and through Īśvara-bhakti he will be able to get out of all the pāpam
obstacles and attain liberation. Therefore bhakti is capable of transforming a person.
This is the gist of this ślōka. This ślōka must be carefully understood. The message
of this ślōka is not a permission for unethical and immoral life, this ślōka is
glorification of bhakti. That is the message conveyed in this ślōka. Now we will read
the bhāṣyam.
अवप चेत् यद्यगप सुष्ठु रृराचाराः सुरृर च राः अतीव कुञ्त्सताचाराः अगप भजते म म् अननयभ क् अनन्यभशक्ताः सन्, स धुाः
एि सम्यनवृिाः एव साः मनतव्याः ज्ञातव्याः, सम्यक् यथावत् व्यवशसताः वह यस्मात् साधुगनियाः साः ॥ ९-३० ॥
api cētyadyapi suṣṭhu durācāraḥ sudurācāraḥ atīva kutsitācāraḥ api bhajatē mām
ananyabhāk ananyabhaktiḥ san, sādhuḥ ēva samyagvr̥ttaḥ ēva saḥ mantavyaḥ
jñātavyaḥ, samyak yathāvat vyavasitaḥ hi yasmāt sādhuniścayaḥ saḥ || 9-30 ||

Api cēt is in the mūlam, is equal to yadyapi – even if for argument‟s sake,
sudurācāraḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to suṣṭhu durācāraḥ, you have to reverse the
order, sudurācāraḥ you should read first then is equal to suṣṭhu durācāraḥ means
extremely immoral or unethical. Suṣṭhu means extremely, intensely, durācāraḥ
means unethical or immoral, suṣṭhu durācāraḥ is equal to atīva kutsitācāraḥ– given
to very bad or lowly activity lifestyle, api – in spite of such a condition, bhajatē
mām ananyabhāk– suppose he starts worshipping Me, ananyabhāk is in the
mūlam, is equal to ananya-bhaktiḥ– without taking any other worldly help he totally
surrenders to Bhagavān himself. So ananyabhāk means ananya-bhaktiḥ– with the
total surrender, bhajatē– if a person worships Me; he may start with ārtaḥ bhakti
directly he may not and he will not be able to come to jijñāsu-bhakti but start with
ārtaḥ-bhakti, repenting for all the immoral activities he committed. Ananya-bhaktiḥ
san mām bhajatē cēt, suppose, sādhuḥēva– even with the beginning of ārtaḥ
bhakti we will call him a mahātmā, sādhuḥ ēva saḥ– he is a sādhu-puruṣaḥ.
sādhuḥ is equal to samyagvr̥tta ḥ ēva –he is a noble man, he is considered a divine,
noble, saintly person, even though till yesterday he was spiritual in the other sense
and now he has spiritual in this sense, even though he is one day old, only one day
he has changed still we will call him a saintly person. The question is not where
he stands but what is his direction. Direction decides nobility, not the
position but direction decides the nobility. Samyagvr̥ttaḥ, vr̥ttaḥ means ācāraḥ.
iti mantavyaḥ– thus we have to conclude, mantavyaḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to
jñātavyaḥ. After jñātavyaḥ put a full stop. And why we call him a saintly noble
person? Because samyak vyavasitaḥ hi saḥ, samyak is in the mūlam, is equal to
yathāvat; yathāvat means properly, in the right direction, divine direction, spiritual
direction. Vyavasitaḥ– he has taken a decision, vyavasitaḥ means niścitaḥ, so he has
taken a strong resolve or decision in the right direction. What is the decision?
Hereafter I will give up all the immoral activities. The decision to give up the
immoral activities; he has not given up but he has taken a decision to give up and
also he has taken a decision to start with the bhakti, the very decision makes him a
noble person. So samyak is equal to yathāvat, vyavasitaḥ is equal to niścitaḥ,
niścitaḥyou have to supply, he has taken a resolve, and hi is in the mūlam, is equal
to yasmāt – because of this reason. What is the reason? Sādhuniścayaḥ saḥ – he is
a person of right resolve. Thus decision itself will make a person saintly even before
he starts the implementation of the decision. Decision is important.
The anvaya is, sudurācāraḥ api cēt (yaḥ) mām ananya-bhāk (san) bhajatē, saḥ
sādhuḥēva mantavyaḥ | saḥ hi samyak vyavasitaḥ |


उत्सृज्ज्य च बाह्याां रृराचारताम् अन्ताः सम्यग् व्यवसायसामर्थयायत्
utsr̥jya ca bāhyāṁ durācāratām antaḥ samyag vyavasāyasāmarthyāt
Verse 09-31
त्तक्प्रां भवगत धमायत्मा िश्वच्छानन्तिं गनगच्छगत ।
कौन्तेय प्रगतजानीगह न मे भक्ताः प्रणश्यगत ॥ गीता ९-३१ ॥
kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvacchāntiṁ nigacchati |

kauntēya pratijānīhi na mē bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati || gītā 9-31 ||
What is the consequence of such a powerful resolve? The resolve is that I am going
to give up all durācāra and I am going to start sadācāra. Durācāra tyāga pūrvakam
sadācāram karōmi anutiṣṭhāmi iti niścayaḥ. What will it do? He says
vyavasāyasāmarthyāt – because of the power of the resolve, vyavasāya means
resolve, vow, and samyag means the right resolve, sāmarthyam means power,
because of the power of the right resolve or saṅkalpa. And where does he take?
antaḥ– within his mind he has taken this powerful resolve. As a result of that what
happens? Utsr̥jya – he gives up all durācāratām – all his durācāra, immoral and
unethical activities, bāhyām – externally at the physical verbal levels. Because of
internal resolve there is a transformation in the external life. What is the
transformation? First giving up all the durācāra and once he has given up durācāra,
the vacuum comes because those activities are not there the same time is utilized
for spiritual-discipline, early morning he used to lights up a cigarette but now he
lights up the lamp in front of the Lord. Both are lighting up but what he lights up
there is a big difference. And therefore very quickly he will become ārta-bhakta to
arthārthī-bhakta to jijñāsu-bhakta to Gītā class attending to jñāni-bhakta to
liberation; all happens quickly. This is the gist of the ślōka. Now we will read the
bhāṣyam.
शक्षप्रं िीघ्रां भिवत धम थत्म धमयशचिाः एव । शश्वत् गनत्यां श ननतिं च उपिमां वनगच्छवत प्राप्नोगत । िृणु
परमाथयमक ् ौनतेयप्रवतज नीवह गनत्तिताां प्रगतज्ञाां कुरु, “न मे मम भक्ताः मयय समर्पिंतान्तरात्मा मद्भक्ताः न प्रणश्यवत” इगत
॥ ९-३१ ॥
kṣipraṁ śīghraṁ bhavati dharmātmā dharmacittaḥ ēva | śaśvat nityaṁ śāntiṁ

ca upaśamaṁ nigacchati prāpnōti | śr̥ṇu paramārtham kauntēya pratijānīhi
niścitāṁ pratijñāṁ kuru, “na mē mama bhaktaḥ mayi samarpitāntarātmā
madbhaktaḥ na praṇaśyati” iti || 9-31 ||
Kṣipram is equal to śīghram – quickly, very soon, bhavati dharmātmā– that

person of right resolve becomes dharmātmā, adharmātmā becomes dharmātmā,

here the word ātmā means cittam, therefore dharmātmā is equal to dharmacittaḥ,
his mind will soon be filled up with dhārmika thought, adhārmika thoughts are
displaced by dhārmika thoughts. Secular thoughts are replaced by sacred thoughts.
Therefore dharmacittaḥ ēva bhavati. After dharmacittaḥ ēva put a full stop. And not
only that, saḥ, saḥto be supplied, śaśvat śāntim nigacchati, śaśvat means
nityam, nityam means permanent or lasting, śāntim is in the mūlam, is equal to
upaśamam, upaśamam means peace of mind. Nigacchati is equal to prāpnōti – he
attains. So the words śaśvat and nityam are adverbial use, indeclinable. Nityam is
not an adjective because śānti is strīliṅgam, nityam cannot become an adjective and
therefore it is an adverbial indeclinable qualifying nigacchati. He will permanently
attain peace. Śr̥ṇu paramārtham hē Kauntēya, Kr̥ṣṇa addresses Arjuna, hē Arjuna!
paramārtham śr̥ ṇu – may you listen to this fact, and not only you should listen,
pratijānīhi ca – and may you also declare this fact to the entire humanity. Listen to
the following fact and after listening you declare to the entire humanity also . Tvam
śr̥ṇu tvam pratijānīhi. Pratijānīhi is equal to niścitāṁ pratijñāṁ kuru – may you
give the firm pratijñā, pratijñā means undertaking, on behalf of Bhagavān you can
give this guarantee. Pratijñā means guarantee, you can give this guarantee to the
entire humanity on behalf of Me. What is that guarantee? Within inverted commas,
“na mē mama bhaktaḥ, mē is in the mūlam, is equal to mama, mama means My
bhaktaḥ, devotee, here mama means not arjuna‟s bhakta; arjuna alone has to
declare but here mē refers to Vasudēvasya, bhagavataḥ Nārāyaṇasya bhakta ḥis
equal to mayi samarpita-antarātmā – the one who has surrendered the mind to the
Lord is equal to madbhaktaḥ. So mama bhaktaḥ is equal to mayi samarpita-
antarātmā is equal to madbhaktaḥ – my devotee, na praṇaśyati– will never never
perish, which means spiritually my bhakta will not slip down, he will only move on
forward. Thus may you declare and give guarantee to the humanity.
The anvaya is, (saḥ) kṣipram dharma-ātmā bhavati | (saḥ) śaśvat śāntim nigacchati
| hē Kauntēya! (tvaṁ) pratijānīhi – “mē bhaktaḥ na praṇaśyati” |
गकचच ––
kiñca ––
Verse 09-32
माां गह पाथय व्यपात्तश्रत्य येऽगप स्युाः पापयोनयाः ।
त्स्त्रयो वैश्यास्तथा िूिास्तेऽगप यान्न्त पराां गगतम् ॥ गीता ९-३२ ॥
māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya yē:'pi syuḥ pāpayōnayaḥ |

striyō vaiśyāstathāśūdrāstē:'pi yānti parāṁ gatim || Gītā 9-32 ||
It is a controversial ślōka, which I have already dealt with in the mūlam class and so
I am not going to elaborate it again. So kiñca – moreover, may you listen to the
following glory of bhakti also. And the message is even those people who have got
obstacles to mōkṣa, even those people with obstacles can come over the obstacles.
And here Kr̥ṣṇa uses the word pāpa-yōnayaḥ not to convey the idea of sinful or evil
people, pāpa-yōnayaḥ must be translated people with obstacles for spiritual growth.
Just as Īśāvāsyōpaniṣat says even svarga is a world of blindening darkness, because
there sense pleasures are obstacle to mōkṣa, therefore even heavenly world is a
pāpa-yōni world from spiritual angle. Therefore here pāpa-yōnayaḥ carefully
translate it as people with obstacle. And Kr̥ṣṇa refers to three groups of people,
striyaḥ vaiśyāḥ tathāśūdrāḥ, here also we are not referring to any jāti, caste is not
involved, we are not referring to any gender also. These three words do not refer to
jāti also, these three words do not refer to gender also, these three words refer to
three types of mindset, mental condition and neither jāti nor gender. The word
striyaḥ refers to the mindset of attachment because of which one is obsessed with
the family. Here the word strī represents mind with family obsession and therefore
not able to take to either external-sannyāsa or even internal-sannyāsa. Strī refers to
the family-obsessed-mind incapable of taking to external or internal-sannyāsa. A
man is also a strī if he is all the time meditating on wife and children. That is the
mindset.
And vaiśyaḥ stands for an extrovert Rajasic mindset committed to worldly-acquisition

and possession. Any one even a ghanapāṭhi mahābrāhmaṇa is vaiśyaḥ if he is
interested in accumulating wealth.
Śūdraḥ is a mindset which is Tamasic mindset, vaiśyaḥ is Rajasic mindset and

śūdraḥis Tamasic mindset incapable of putting forth any effort. So even these people
who have got Tamasic mindset, Rajasic mindset and family obsession even they can
start with bhakti, soon they will get out of these weaknesses and they will attain
liberation.
म ं वह यस्मात् प थथ व्यप शश्रत्य माम् आश्रयत्वेन गृहीत्वा ये अवप स्युाः भवेयुाः प प-योनयाः– पापा योगनाः येषाां ते
पापयोनयाः पापजन्मानाः । के ते? इगतआह –– स्स्त्रयाःिैश्य ाःतथ शूर ाः । ते अवप य न्नत गच्छन्न्त पर ंगततिं प्रकृष्टाां गगतम्
॥ ९-३२ ॥
māṁ hi yasmāt pārtha vyapāśritya mām āśrayatvēna gr̥hītvāyē api syuḥ

bhavēyuḥ pāpa-yōnayaḥ – pāpā yōniḥ yēṣāṁ tē pāpayōnayaḥ pāpajanmānaḥ |
kē tē? iti āha –– striyaḥvaiśyāḥtathāśūdrāḥ | tē api yānti gacchanti parāṁgatiṁ
prakr̥ṣṭāṁ gatim || 9-32 ||

Māṁ hi, mām is equal to yasmāt, pārtha – Arjuna, vyapāśritya, vyapāśritya is

in the mūlam , is equal to mām āśrayatvēna gr̥hītvā – resorting to Me as the sole
support, āśraya means support, lakṣmīnr̥siṁha mama dēhi karāvalambam || āśraya
means karāvalambam, support, taking support of Me, yē api syuḥ, syuḥ is in the
mūlam, is equal to bhavēyuḥ, pāpa-yōnayaḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to pāpa-
janmānaḥ– people with disadvantaged mindset, right from the birth itself, inborn
disadvantaged mindset.
Śaṅkarācārya gives the vigraha-vākyam, it is in parenthesis, pāpā yōniḥ yēṣāṁ tē

pāpa-yōnayaḥ, yōniḥ here means janma, congenitally, right from the birth itself they
have got these three-fold obstacle. Rajasic mind, Tamasic mind and attached-mind.
They are called pāpa-janmānaḥ. Kē tē? – who are they? iti āha – that is explained,
striyaḥvaiśyāḥtathāśūdrāḥ after that put a full stop. These are three groups of
people. And tē api yānti gacchanti – even these people will attain. Parāṁgatim is
equal to prakr̥ ṣṭāṁ gatim is equal to mōkṣaḥ. bhakti will take everyone to mōkṣa.
The anvaya is, hē pārtha! yē api pāpa-yōnayaḥ syuḥ tē– striyaḥ vaiśyāḥ
tathāśūdrāḥ– api hi mām vyapāśritya parām gatim yānti |
Verse 09-33
तकिं पुनब्रायह्मणााः पुण्या भक्ता राजषययस्तथा ।
अगनत्यमसुखां लोकयममां प्राप्य भजस्व माम् ॥ गीता ९-३३ ॥
kiṁ punarbrāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayastathā |

anityamasukhaṁ lōkamimaṁ prāpya bhajasva mām || Gītā 9-33 ||
If this is true what to talk of those people who have got a spiritual bent of mind right
from birth. brāhmaṇāḥ and rājarṣayaḥ means sattva pradhāna puruṣāḥ. If they have
natural sattva-guṇa certainly they will get mōkṣa and therefore take to bhakti of
Īśvara.
तकिं पुनाः ब्र ह्मण ाः पुण्य ाः पुण्ययोनयाः भक्त ाःर जषथयाःतथ । राजानाः च ते ऋषयाः च राजषययाः । यताः एवम्अताः अवनत्यं
क्णभङ्गु रम् असुखं च सुखवर्जिंतम् इमं लोकं मनुष्यलोकां प्र प्य पुरुषाथयसाधनां रृलयभां मनुष्यत्वां लब्ध्वा भजस्ि सेवस्व
म म् ॥ ९-३३ ॥
kiṁ punaḥ brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyāḥ puṇyayōnayaḥ bhaktāḥrājarṣayaḥtathā| rājānaḥ

ca tē r̥ṣayaḥ ca rājarṣayaḥ | yataḥēvam ataḥ anityaṁ kṣaṇabhaṅguram asukhaṁ
ca sukhavarjitam imaṁ lōkaṁ manuṣyalōkaṁ prāpya puruṣārtha sādhanaṁ
durlabhaṁ manuṣyatvaṁ labdhvā bhajasva sēvasva mām|| 9-33 ||
So kiṁ punaḥ means what to talk of. Talk of what? brāhmaṇāḥ, brāhmaṇāḥ
means Sattvic people and not brāhmaṇa jāti, jāti brāhmaṇa we don‟t refer to, but

guṇa brāhmaṇāḥ, and that is why puṇyāḥ, puṇyāḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to
puṇya-yōnayaḥ– they are born, they have got puṇya janma, a Sattvic-janma as
opposed to pāpa-yōnayaḥ of the previous ślōka. And bhaktāḥ rājarṣayaḥ– and the
great rājarṣis, saintly kṣatriyas, saintly kings, Sattvic kings.
Śaṅkarācārya gives the vigraha vākyam, rājānaḥ ca tē r̥ ṣayaḥ ca – even though they
are kṣatriya kings mentally they are as good as sages only is equal to rājarṣayaḥ.
The sentence is incomplete, we have to complete. What to talk of the fact that they
will also get liberation. Mōkṣaṁ yānti iti vaktavyam kim – should I talk about that?
Definitely they will get. And therefore the conclusion is that yataḥēvam ataḥ–
therefore, anityaṁ kṣaṇabhaṅguram prāpya – having come to this world. What
type of world? Anityam is equal to kṣaṇabhaṅguram, to indicate that our life is
short and therefore don‟t procrastinate. Anityam is equal to kṣaṇabhaṅguram –
impermanent. Asukham is equal to sukhavarjitam – there also so many obstacles
are there in the form of different types of pains, diseases etc., imaṁ-lōkam is
equal to manuṣya-lōkam, and manuṣya-lōkam is equal to manuṣyatvam, here the
word lōka means janma, so manuṣya-lōka means manuṣya janma or manuṣya
dēham. And what type of manuṣya dēham? Durlabhaṁ puruṣārtha sādhanam – a
very rare means to mōkṣa. Durlabham trayamēvaitat dēvānugrahahētukam |
manuṣyatvam mumukṣutvam mahāpurūṣasaśrayaḥ || So durlabhaṁ
puruṣārthasādhanam order should be changed. Prāpya is in the mūlam, is equal to
labdhvā– having attained manuṣya janma, māmbhajasvain the mūlam is equal to
sēvasva – serve me, worship me, at least start as anārta bhakta right now.
The anvaya is, kim punaḥ puṇyāḥ brāhmaṇāḥ tathā bhaktāḥ rājarṣayaḥ? imam
anityam asukham lōkam prāpya mām bhajasva |
कथम् ––
katham ––
Verse 09-34
मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी माां नमस्कुरु ।
मामेवैष्यशस युक्तत्वैवमात्मानां मत्परायणाः ॥ गीता ९-३४ ॥
manmanā bhava madbhaktō madyājī māṁ namaskuru |

māmēvaiṣyasi yuktvaivamātmānaṁ matparāyaṇaḥ || Gītā 9-34 ||
So katham– how should I do bhakti towards Bhagavān if such a question is asked

Kr̥ṣṇa gives the answer let every activity of yours be centered around the Lord. This
is the gist of the ślōka.

मयय मनाः यस्य साः त्वां मनमन ाःभि। तथा मद्-भक्ताः भव । मद्-य जी मद्यजनिीलाः भव । म म् एव च नमस्कुरु । म म्
एि ईश्वरम् एष्यसस आगयमष्यशस । युक्तत्ि समाधाय शचिम् एिम्आत्म नम् ।अहां गह सवेषाां भूतानाम् आत्मा, परा च
गगताः,परम् अयनम् ।तां माम् एवांभूतम्एष्यशस इगत अतीतेन पदे न सम्बन्धाः ।मत्-पर यणाः सन् इगत अथयाः ॥ ९-३४ ॥
mayi manaḥ yasya saḥ tvaṁ manmanāḥbhava| tathā mad-bhaktaḥ bhava | mad-
yājī madyajanaśīlaḥ bhava | mām ēva ca namaskuru| mām ēva Īśvaram ēṣyasi
āgamiṣyasi | yuktvā samādhāya cittam ēvamātmānam| ahaṁ hi sarvēṣāṁ
bhūtānām ātmā, parā ca gatiḥ,param ayanam | taṁ mām ēvaṁ bhūtam ēṣyasi iti
atītēna padēna sambandhaḥ | mat-parāyaṇaḥ san iti arthaḥ || 9-34 ||
manmanāḥ is in the mūlam, is equal to mayi manaḥ yasya saḥ tvaṁ manmanāḥ
bhava– may you remember Me all the time. Tathā mad-bhaktaḥ bhava – may you
have a reverential attitude towards Me as the only goal of life. mad-yājī bhava is
equal to madyajana-śīlaḥ-bhava – may you regularly worship Me, convert your every
activity also into a worship, yatkarōṣi yadaśnāsi madarpaṇam kuru. Mām ēva ca
namaskuru– and may you do namaskāra to Me and surrender to Me through your
namaskāra. mām ēva Īśvaram ēṣyasi– if you follow this formula you will certainly
come to Me, ēṣyasi is in the mūlam, is equal to āgamiṣyasi – you will come to me,
yuktvā is in the mūlam, is equal to cittam samādhāya, samādhānam means
focusing the mind. Thus focusing the mind on Me, mām ēva ēṣyasi, samādhāya
cittam ēvam ātmānam ēṣyasi, you have supply ēṣyasi put a full stop. Focusing the
mind thus you will reach the Lord who is the very ātmā. Kr̥ṣṇa explains that ahaṁ hi
sarvēṣāṁ bhūtānām ātmā – I am the very Self of all the beings, therefore reaching
the Lord is reaching without any travel, because Lord is the very ātmā. So jñānam
ēva reaching bhavati. Not only I am the ātmā, parā ca gatiḥparam ayanam, param
ayanam is equal to parā ca gatiḥ – I am the final destination of all the people. After
param ayanam put a full stop. All these are the meaning of the ātmā. Then taṁ
mām ēvaṁbhūtam ēṣyasi iti atītēnapadēna sambandhaḥ. That is after the word
ātmānam you have to connect with ēṣyasi which comes before. So atītēna padēna
sambandhaḥ means the later word ātmānam should be connected with the word
ēṣyasi, thus you will attain Me who is your very ātmā. Then mat-parāyaṇaḥ is in
the mūlam, Śaṅkarācārya says san, mat-parāyaṇaḥ san, that means keeping Me
as the ultimate goal, parāyaṇaḥ means ultimate goal, mat means Īśvara, keeping
me the Lord as the ultimate goal you will certainly attain Me.
The anvaya is, (tvaṁ) manmanāḥ bhava, madbhaktaḥ (bhava), madyājī (bhava),
mām namaskuru | ēvam matparāyaṇaḥ (san) yuktvā, mām ātmānam ēva ēṣyasi |
इगत श्रीमत्परमहांसपररव्राजकाचाययस्य श्रीगोगवन्दभगवत्पूज्ज्यपादशिष्यस्य श्रीमच्छङ् करभगवताः कृतौ श्रीमद्भगवद्गीताभाष्ये

नवमोऽध्यायाः ॥

iti śrīmatparamahaṁsaparivrājakācāryasya śrī gōvinda bhagavatpūjya

pādaśiṣyasya śrīmacchaṅkara bhagavataḥ kr̥tau śrīmadbhagavadgītābhāṣyē
navamō:'dhyāyaḥ ||


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{1st August 2020)

Copyright Notices On behalf of the copyright owner Vedanta Vidyarthi Sangha(VVS)

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ஸ்ர பகவத கீதா ஶம்கர பாஷ்-3

|| �ी मद्भगवद्ग�ता शंकर भाष– ३ ||

Transcribed by SwayamJyothi and Sri V.K. Vancheeswaran, Chennai

And Sri P.S. Ramachandran, Nana Nani Homes, Coimbatore

Arsha Avinash Foundation

His Holiness Swami Paramarthananda, disciple of His Holiness Dayananda Saraswati

This is the transcription of the Bhagavad-Gita Sankara Bashyam lectures delivered at

Index downloaded from arshaavinash.in pg. xxix

Verse 07-10 Continuing;.............................................................................. 3121

Index downloaded from arshaavinash.in pg. xxx

Verse 07-20 Continuing;.............................................................................. 3177

Index downloaded from arshaavinash.in pg. xxxi

Verse 08-03 ............................................................................................... 3229

Index downloaded from arshaavinash.in pg. xxxii

290 Verses 08-13 to 08-15 ............................................................................. 3301

Index downloaded from arshaavinash.in pg. xxxiii

Verse 08-22 Continuing;.............................................................................. 3359

Chapter 9 – राजविद्या राजगुह्य योग .................................................................. 3388

299 Chapter-9, Introductory bhāṣyam and Verse-1 .......................................... 3388

Index downloaded from arshaavinash.in pg. xxxiv

Verse 09-04 Continuing;.............................................................................. 3436

Index downloaded from arshaavinash.in pg. xxxv

Verse 09-13 ............................................................................................... 3502

Index downloaded from arshaavinash.in pg. xxxvi

318 Verses-25 to 27 ....................................................................................... 3563

Index downloaded from arshaavinash.in pg. xxxvii

Śrīmad Bhagavad Gītā bhāṣyam

Chapter 07 – Jñāna-Vijñāna Yōga

264 Chapter-7, Introduction and Verse-1

Seventh Chapter downloaded from arshaavinash.in Page 3050

„yōgināmapi sarvēṣāṁ madgatēnāntarātmanā | śraddhāvānbhajatē yaḥ māṁ saḥ

भोक्तारां यज्ञतपसाां सवयलोकमहेश्वरम् ।

2) And how to practice pūrṇa-Īśvara-dhyānam?

Seventh Chapter downloaded from arshaavinash.in Page 3051

Pūrṇa-Īśvara kaḥ? Pūrṇa-Īśvara-dhyānam kim? These two questions will naturally

Seventh Chapter downloaded from arshaavinash.in Page 3052

मय्यासक्तमनााः पाथय योगां युञ्जन्मदाश्रयाः ।

mayyāsaktamanāḥ pārtha yōgaṁ yuñjanmadāśrayaḥ |

1) Mayi āsakta-manāḥ – he is interested in pūrṇa-Īśvara. So the first description

2) The second description is mat āśrayaḥ. For attaining the pūrṇa-Īśvara he is

Seventh Chapter downloaded from arshaavinash.in Page 3053

{avan arulālē avan tāl vaṇaṅgi avanē aḍaiya vēṇḍum(Śivapurāṇam). It is through

Seventh Chapter downloaded from arshaavinash.in Page 3054

prāptiḥ. In Viśiṣṭādvaitam Īśvara-jñānam and Īśvara-prāpti are not identical. You

ब्रह्मगवदाप्नोगत परम् । ॥ तैत्तिरीयोपगनषत् २-१-१ ॥

brahmavidāpnōti param | || Taittirīyōpaniṣat 2-1-1 ||

So mayi āsakta-manāḥ, is the first word, Śaṅkarācārya explains that. Mayi

Seventh Chapter downloaded from arshaavinash.in Page 3055

mūlam class students. Therefore vakṣyamāṇa viśēṣaṇē paramēśvarē, āsaktaṁ

The second description is yōgaṁ yuñjan. Yōga is equal to manaḥ-samādhānam, it

Bhagavān is the support can be understood as bhagavat-jñānam is the support for

Seventh Chapter downloaded from arshaavinash.in Page 3056

तमेवां गवद्वान् अमृत इह भवगत । नान्याः पन्ााः गवद्यतेऽयनाय ॥ पुरुषसूक्तम् १७ ॥