Aphorisms of the Truth - by Bhaktivinode Thakur part 17

In the Bhagavad-gita (7.14), the Supreme Personality of Godhead also declares:
"This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it."

In the Kanada-sutra, Fourth Adhyaya, Second Ahnika, it is said:
"Reality is eternal. It was not created by anyone."
"The atom is the smallest unit of matter. It can never be divided."

In Srimad Bhagavatam (3.11.1-2), Sri Maitreya declares:
"The material manifestation's ultimate particle, which is indivisible and not formed into a body, is called the atom. It exists always as an invisible identity, even after the dissolution of all forms. The material body is but a combination of such atoms, but it is misunderstood by the common man.
"Atoms are the ultimate state of the manifest universe. When they stay in their own forms without forming different bodies, they are called the unlimited oneness. There are certainly different bodies in physical forms, but the atoms themselves form the complete manifestation."

In Srimad Bhagavatam (11.22.4) The Supreme Personality of Godhead declares:
"All such philosophers spoke under the shelter of My mystic potency, and thus they could say anything without contradicting the truth."

Here someone may protest: This potency creates the material world independently, without the help of anyone else. Why must you postulate the existence of a Supreme god?
To answer this protest, the author of the sutras speaks these words:

Sutra 22
Matter is naturally inert, for it is neither alive nor conscious. When conscious life pushes it into action, matter appears to be alive and conscious.

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Masochism can never lead to spiritual perfection. The body is actually a most precious property of the self; it enables the self to engage in various devotional activities that can bring about a change in consciousness. A person's external activities affect his consciousness, and his consciousness affects his external activities. Knowing this, a bhakti yogi consciously chooses to engage in particular external activities in order to bring about the desired spiritual happiness and wisdom.

Siddhaswarupananda - Jagad Guru Speaks

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Commentary by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Matter is naturally inert, for it is neither alive nor conscious. It has no power to perform any action. When conscious life pushes it into action, matter appears to become warm with life. It is under these conditions that matter appears to act, becoming the creator of the universe. That is the meaning. This is described in Bhagavad-gita (9.10), where the Supreme Personality of Godhead declares:
"This material nature is working under My direction, O son of Kunti, and is producing all moving and unmoving beings."

In the Aitareya Upanisad (1.1.1) it is said:
"With a glance the Supreme Personality of Godhead created the material worlds."

In Bhagavad-gita (15.14), the Supreme Personality of Godhead declares:
"I am the fire of digestion in every living body, and I am the air of life, outgoing and incoming, by which I digest the four kinds of foodstuff."

In Srimad Bhagavatam, Lord Kapila (3.26.19) explains:
"After the Supreme Personality of Godhead impregnates material nature with His internal potency, material nature delivers the sum total of the cosmic intelligence, which is known as Hiranmaya. This takes place in material nature, when she is agitated by the destinations of the conditioned souls."

The sankhya acaryas explain:
"It is the material nature that acts. The Supreme Personality of Godhead remains aloof, like a lotus leaf untouched by water."

In Srimad Bhagavatam (3.26.17) Lord Kapila explains:
"My dear mother, O daughter of Svayambhuva Manu, the time factor, as I have explained, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, from whom the creation begins as a result of the agitation of the neutral, unmanifested nature."

In the Markandeya Purana, Devi-mahatmya, Brahma tells Prakrti.
"You maintain everyone. You create the universe. You protect it. It enters you at the end."

Aphorisms of the Truth - by Bhaktivinode Thakur part 16

Chapter Three

Acit-padartha-prakarana
Matter

Introduction by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Here someone may ask: In what form or with what potency does the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is beyond the modes of nature and whose form is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss, act to create the material universes?

To answer this question, the author of the sutras begins this chapter, which gives the definition of the word "acit" (matter).

Sutra 21
Matter is the illusory potency, maya, which controls the modes of nature and creates a variety of forms and actions, from the lowest to the highest.

Commentary by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Here the Supreme Lord's potency is named Maya. In the Svetasvatara Upanisad (4.10) it is said:
"Although maya (illusion) is false or temporary, the background of maya is the supreme magician, the Personality of Godhead, who is Mahesvara, the supreme controller."

In the Svetasvatara Upanisad (4.5) it is also said:
"A unborn man enjoys an unborn red, white and black woman who bears many children like herself. Another unborn man first enjoys and then forsakes her."
(Translator's note: The unborn woman is the material nature. The colours, red, white, and black are the modes of passion, goodness and ignorance. The many children are the ingredients of the material universes. The first unborn man is the conditioned soul. The second unborn man is the soul who, after trying to enjoy matter, finally renounces the world and attains liberation).

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Only one who can learn the process of nescience and that of transcendental knowledge side by side can transcend the influence of repeated birth and death and enjoy the full blessing of immortality.
~Sri Ishopanishad, Mantra Eleven
Some neophytes on the spiritual path may fall into the illusion that taking care of the body is somehow evil, or a sign of spiritual backwardness. Not only may they neglect the needs of the body, but they may go out of their way to actually damage the body. Such people actually hate the body. They see it as a source of misery, and thus they take out their anger on it. This is certainly a mistake.

Siddhaswarupananda - Chris Butler Speaks

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In His Govinda-bhasya commentary on Vedanta-sutra, Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana explains:
"At the time of cosmic devastation the three modes of nature become subtle and unmanifested. This is called tamah, the unborn root of matter. At the time of cosmic creation the modes of nature manifest a great variety of names and forms, beginning pradhana and avyakta. In this way forms of red and other colours are manifested.

In the Sruti-sastra it is said, 'mahan avyakte liyate 'viaktam aksare 'ksaram tamasi' (At the time of cosmic devastation the mahat-tattva merges into the avyakta, the avyakta merges into the aksara, and the aksara merges into tamah)."

In the Isa Upanisad (mantra 11) it is said:
"Only one who can learn the process of nescience and that of transcendental knowledge side by side can transcend the influence of repeated birth and death and enjoy the full blessings of immortality."

In the Sankhya-karika, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is described in these words:
"The root of matter does not change. From that root seven transformations, beginning with mahat-tattva, are manifested. From them sixteen transformations are manifested. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is beyond the root of matter and its various transformations."

The Supreme Personality of Godhead tells the demigod Brahma (Srimad Bhagavatam 2.9.34):
"O Brahma, whatever appears to be of any value, if it is without relation to Me, has no reality. Know it as My illusory energy, that reflection which appears to be in darkness.”

In Sandilya's Bhakti-sutra (3.1.86) it is said:
"This potency of the Lord is called maya, for it is material by nature."
In the Bhagavad-gita (9.10), the Supreme Personality of Godhead declares:
"This material nature is working under My direction, O son of Kunti, and it is producing all moving and unmoving beings. By its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again."