Shastra Quiz 16

Kaimutya nyāya is a principle of logic that draws on comparison to establish a conclusion; the principle of “how much more true.” By showing the validity of a proposition of lesser significance, the proposition of greater significance is thereby concluded.

This principle may be exemplified as follows: “If even unconscious chanting of the name of God leads to emancipation, how much greater must be the effect of conscious chanting.”

The purpose of artha-vāda is to encourage people to perform certain religious acts and discourage their opposite, irreligious acts. Such statements are either eulogistic or critical in nature.

For example, there is an injunction in Taittirīya-saṁhitā, “One desirous of wealth should sacrifice a horse to the wind-god.” In another part of the same Saṁhitā, Vāyu is glorified so that one might be prone to worship him: “Vāyu is indeed the swiftest of the gods.” This glorification of the wind-god implies that he will quickly reward his worshipers, and this will in turn incite people to sacrifice a horse for him. Because it has such a motive, this statement of glorification of the wind-god is also included in the category of artha-vāda.

In the vadanti tat verse (SB 1.2.11), Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī explains that Absolute Reality is referred to by three names — Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān.

According to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, these three different nomenclatures indicate three degrees of competence in the worshipers.

Although there is no absolute difference among the three aspects of the One Absolute Reality, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī’s evaluation is that Bhagavān is the most complete manifestation (pūrṇa-āvirbhāva), replete with unparalleled variegated potencies.

In comparison to Bhagavān, Brahman and Paramātmā are incomplete manifestations (asamyagāvirbhāva) of the One Absolute Reality. The realization of Bhagavān naturally includes that of Brahman, but not vice versa.

Etymologically, the word bhagavān is composed of bhaga + vat, endowed with or encompassing all opulence (bhaga). That which encompasses everything is the Complete Whole, implying that it includes and yet transcends everything.

Bhagavān may also be rendered as the Complete Person (Pūrṇa Puruṣa) when emphasizing that the Complete Whole is inherently personal in nature. The former term may be more appropriate, or universally applicable, when stressing simply Bhagavān’s general characteristic of all-inclusivity. In the most generic sense Bhagavān may be referred to simply as the Supreme Person or the Supreme Being.

Referencing the statements of sage Parāśara in Viṣṇu Purāṇa (6.5.74), Jīva Gosvāmī shows that the word bhagavān means one who has six-fold majesties in infinite fullness: the power to regulate all existence from within, inconceivable potency, fame, wealth, knowledge and detachment.

The word bhagavān also means one who is never influenced by the three guṇas of prakṛti (VP 6.5.79). His energies have a relationship of inherence (samavāya) with Him. They are inherent within His being, and thus He is never devoid of such potencies.

The potency, by which Bhagavān manifests His śrī-vigraha, or divine form, is referred to by three names: vasudeva, which is also the name of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s father; viśuddha-sattva, which is transcendental to, and hence distinct from, material sattva; and mūrti, which is the term often used to refer to the Lord’s body.

Vidhūta-bheda-moha (free from the delusion of duality) means to be free from the mistaken idea that Bhagavān’s forms are many in number, in other words, to awaken to the vision of unity within all of Bhagavān’s forms.

This does not mean, however, that one perceives absolute nondifference between Bhagavān and the living beings.

Śrī Brahmā designed the senses in such a way that they perceive only outwardly — they cannot perceive the individual self or the Supreme Self within, even during the waking and dreaming states. The Supreme Self can, however, be perceived by the grace of bhakti, which is Bhagavān’s internal potency.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa asserts this: “Only through pure devotion coupled with faith can I be understood and realized.” (SB 11.14.21)

Just as one can smell only through the nose and hear only through the ear, one can see Bhagavān only through bhakti. The devotees who have shattered their illusion by the grace of Bhagavān, can see Bhagavān within and without — premāñjana-cchurita bhakti vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti.

The radical nondualists advocate that a jīva can become free from the bondage of his upādhis by intuition of his identity with Brahman, assimilated from the Śrutis. Their idea was based on these Śruti statements:

1.tat tvam asi
Thou art that. (CHU 6.8.7)

2.tad ātmānam eva vedāhaṁ brahmāsmi
It [the primal Self] knew only Itself as, “I am Brahman.” (BAU 1.4.10)

3.tat tvam asy-ādi-vākyebhyaḥ jñānaṁ mokṣasya sādhanam
The means to liberation is direct intuitive insight arising from dictums such as, “Thou art that.” (Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa 35.68)

4.brahma veda brahmaiva bhavati
He who knows Brahman verily becomes Brahman. (MUU 3.2.9)

5.tarati śokam ātma-vit
The knower of the Self transcends grief. (CHU 7.1.3)

Thus, with the apparent support of Vedic scripture, the Advaitavāda School claims that liberation is achieved through knowledge. Indeed, the Śruti says, “By knowing that [Brahman] alone, one transcends death; there is no other way to cross over” (tam eva viditvā ati mṛtyum eti, nānyaḥ panthā vidyate’yanāya, ŚU 3.8, 5.15).

And in Bhagavad Gītā, Śrī Kṛṣṇa says:

yathaidāṁsi samiddho’gnir bhasma-sāt kurute’rjuna
jñānāgniḥ sarva-karmāṇi bhasma-sāt kurute tathā

"As a blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge burn to ashes all reactions to material activities." (GĪTĀ 4.37)

Continuing this idea in the next two verses, Śrī Kṛṣṇa says, “There is nothing as purifying as direct knowing” (na hi jñānena sadṛśaṁ pavitram iha vidyate) and “Having come upon the state of direct knowing, one quickly attains supreme peace” ( jñānam labdhvā parāṁ śāntim acireṇādhigacchati, GĪTĀ 4.38–39).

In effect, the Advaitavādīs think that the jīva is like an infant from a wealthy family who has gotten lost in a busy public place and is then found and raised by some poor man. As a result of this misfortune, compounded by ignorance of his true identity, the baby grows up in a humble setting as the child of the poor man. Later, the child may be recognized by a servant of his father. As soon as he comes to realize that he is the son of a wealthy man, all his poverty vanishes. He does not have to toil hard to get rid of this poverty. In fact, he was never really poor, just unaware of his actual state, and thus simply coming to a proper understanding of his real identity was sufficient to reverse the situation.

Similarly, the Advaitavādīs say, the jīva is nothing but deluded Brahman. As soon as he realizes this by properly hearing and reflecting upon the Vedic instructions, he becomes liberated. He then understands that Brahman is not distant from him, for in fact he himself is Brahman. His only obstacle was ignorance, which was subsequently removed by hearing the Vedas.

One should not be disturbed about things which are beyond one’s control, which is the advice that Kṛṣṇa gives in Bhagavad Gīta, where He repeatedly instructs Arjuna to maintain equanimity of mind under all circumstances. A disturbed mind cannot achieve anything beneficial.

Learn more: Sadness and Material Attachment