Showing posts with label sutra 22. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sutra 22. Show all posts

Sunday, January 13, 2008

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.

============

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

============

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."