Vedanta

shrImadAnandatIrthArya mukhanissR^itaM

phalahrAsastu vidyate |

sarvAtmanA phalahrAso yadi nArabdhakarmaNaH |

syAt kAmyavidhivaiyyarthyam || A.V 3.4.4

Previously, we spoke of upamarda of prArabdha karma phala bhoga for aparoxa j~nAnIs. But some say that the prArabdha karma phala bhoga is compulsory. There is no upamarda of prArabdha karma phala bhoga as stated.

To this we reply. This is not true. The shruti passage “OM ityuccAryAntarimamAtmAnamabhipashyApamR^idya puNyaM ca pApaM ca kAmamAcaranto brahmAnuvrajanti” spells out that after the seeker gets the darshan of Brahman, and after gaining upamarda of karma phala (by the power of his knowledge) he performs actions without any compulsions and reaches the abode of Brahman. By this we come to know that there is definitely a reduction in karma phala due to knowledge.

But one may argue that the shruti only talks about reduction of aprArabdha karmas and not about prArabdha karmas. So, this cannot be a proof for claiming that there is a reduction in the phala bhoga of prArabdha karmas. To this we reply - It is not correct to assume that prArabdha karma phala bhoga is non-reducible. There are injunctions in the smR^itis such as ” ‘brahmahA dvAdashAbdaM vrataM caret’ - one who kills a brahmin should observe a vow for 12 years”. Observing such vows to cleanse oneself from previous sins is called prAyashchitta. If one does not agree that there can be upamarda of prArabdha karmas, then all such injunctions to perform prAyaschitta to cleanse one’s past sins should be considered as useless.

One cannot escape by saying that prAyashchittAs are useless and the smR^itis as invalid. It has been an observed fact in the past that diseases such as kshaya roga etc, can be cured by performing such prAyaschittas. We learn from this that upamarda of prArabdha karmas is possible due to prAyaschittas. Therefore it is not correct to say that the prArabdha karma phala bhoga is compulsory and there is no upamarda of prArabdha karma phala bhoga.

shrImadAnandatIrthArya mukhanissR^itaM

sarvAtmanAtvabhogo hi prArabdhasyaiva karmaNaH |

na brahmadarshino.api syAt | 3.4.4

Some say - all past actions are destroyed by the power of knowledge itself. As it is said in the gItA - “j~nAnAgniH sarvakarmANi bhasmasAt kurute”, the power of knowledge is such that it burns away all of one’s past actions - thus. Therefore, as all actions including all prArabdha karmas are destroyed by the power of j~nAna itself a j~nAnI need not necessarily endure the phala of prArabdha karmAs as previously stated. To this we say - this is not true. In that case, after attaining aparoxa j~nAna a j~nAnI should not continue to remain in the saMsAra. For karma is the bIja or the root for existence in saMsAra.

It is also not correct to say that a j~nAnI exists in this saMsAra for enlightening the noble though he does not have any prArabdha karma. As was said before, a person cannot exist without any karma in this saMsAra. Even if we accept that a j~nAni exists in this saMsAra without prArabdha karmas, we come to know from several purANAs and itihAsAs that he faces difficulties and takes birth again due to curses. All this cannot be explained without accepting the presence of prArabdha karmas.

Further, shR^iti passages such as “tasya tAvadeva ciram yAvanna vimoxye.atha saMpatsyate” - clearly state that the delay in liberation for an aparoxa j~nAni will be only until the destruction of all prArabdha karmas. Considering all this we can conclude that the power of knowledge is not sufficient to escape the bhoga of all prArabdha karmas.

But what about the gItA statement quoted? In the above gItA statement the term sarvakarmANi should be rightly interpreted to mean all past actions other than prArabdha karmas. So, the meaning of the gItA verse would be - the power of knowledge is such that it burns away all of one’s past actions except the prArabdha karmas.

stanyena bAlamanutoShya muhuH svadhAmno mAtA kadAcana yayau virahAsahA.api .

vishvasya vishvaparipAlakapAlanAya kanyAM nijAmanuguNAM kila bhIrureShA ..35..

padacChedaH:

stanyena bAlaM anutoShya muhuH svadhAmnaH mAtA kadAcana yayau virahAsahA api vishvasya vishvaparipAlakapAlanAya kanyAM nijAM anuguNAM kila bhIruH eShA .

anvayaH:

bhIruH eShA mAtA kadAcana bAlaM stanyena muhuH anutoShya virahAsahA api svadhAmnaH vishvaparipAlakapAlanAya anuguNAM nijAM kanyAM vishvasya yayau kila.

anvayArthaH:

bhIruH = timid eShA = this mAtA = mother kadAcana = once bAlaM = the child stanyena = by feeding milk muhuH = many times anutoShya = having pleased virahAsahA api = though unable to bear his separation svadhAmnaH = from her house vishvaparipAlakapAlanAya = for taking care of the one who is himself the protector of all the worlds anuguNAM = obedient nijAM kanyAM = her own daughter vishvasya = trusting yayau = went out kila = it so happened.

Summary:

Once it so happened that the timid mother though unable to bear the separation of vAsudeva, went out of her house after having pleased the child many times by feeding milk, trusting her own obedient daughter for taking care of the one who is himself the protector of all the worlds.

Avishya pUruShamuvAca mahAgraho.asau asmadvihArasamayopagatAn samastAn .

yacChaktiguptirahitAnalamasmi hantuM lokeshwaraH sa bata bAlatamaH kileti ..34..

padacChedaH:

Avishya pUruShaM uvAca mahAgrahaH asau asmadvihArasamayopagatAn samastAn yacChaktiguptirahitAn alaM asmi hantuM lokeshwaraH saH bata bAlatamaH kila iti .

anvayaH:

asau mahAgrahaH pUruShaM Avishya yacChaktiguptirahitAn asmadvihArasamayopagatAn samastAn hantuM alaM asmi saH lokeshwaraH bAlatamaH kila bata iti uvAca.

anvayArthaH:

asau mahAgrahaH = The devil pUruShaM = that person Avishya = after entering yacChaktiguptirahitAn = who are not protected by the power of whom asmadvihArasamayopagatAn = who come here during the time of my play samastAn = all hantuM alaM asmi = am capable of killing saH = that lokeshwaraH = lord of the worlds bAlatamaH kila = is a child? bata = amazing! iti = thus uvAca = said.

Summary:

The devil after entering that person said - I am capable of killing all who come here during the time of my play, except those who are protected his power. You call that lord of the worlds as a child? Its amazing - thus.

doSheyuShAM samamanena vane.atibhIme tatkrIDitagraha ihaikatamaM tutoda .

udvAntaraktamavalokya tamabhyadhAyi kenApyaho na shiShutut kathameSha ittham ..33..

padacChedaH:

doShA IyuShAM samaM anena vane atibhIme tatkrIDitagrahaH iha ekatamaM tutoda udvAntaraktaM avalokya taM abhyadhAyi kena api aho na shiShutut kathaM eShaH ittham .

anvayaH:

anena samaM doShA atibhIme vane IyuShAM tatkrIDitagrahaH iha ekatamaM tutoda. udvAntaraktaM taM avalokya eShaH katham shiShutut na? aho! ittham kena api abhyadhAyi.

anvayArthaH:

anena samaM = Along with this child doShA = during the night atibhIme = in the fearful vane = forest IyuShAM = while the party was going through tatkrIDitagrahaH = a devil playing in the forest iha = among them ekatamaM = one person tutoda = troubled. udvAntaraktaM = vomiting blood taM = that person avalokya = after seeing eShaH = this devil kathaM = how shiShutut na = did not trouble the child? aho = amazing! ittham = thus kena api = by someone abhyadhAyi = it was spoken.

Summary:

While madhyageha bhaTTa and his party along with the little child vAsudeva were going through a fearful forest during the night, a devil which was playing in the forest troubled a person belonging to the party. After seeing the person vomit blood, someone spoke thus - Oh! its amazing that this devil did not trouble the child.

prArabdhakarmajasyaiva viShabhaxAnmR^iteriva |

prAptasyApyanivartyasya ki~ncidbhuktasya saMvidA |

upamarda iha proktaH | A.V 3.4.4

When a person attains aparoxa j~nAna, all his past karma gets destroyed except the prArabdha karmAs which are to be destroyed only by their phala bhoga. There is a shastraic injunction ‘brahma hA kshayarogI syAt’ - a person who commits brahma hatya will be inflicted with kshaya roga. As a result even an aparoxa j~nAnI will have to suffer from kshyaya roga due to his prArabdha karma. But, due to the power of his knowledge, he need not endure the kshyaya roga in the same way a normal person would have to. Neither can he remain totally un-affected by it. Though he has to suffer from kshaya roga, the intensity or the duration of the kshaya roga will be reduced due to the power of his knowledge. In shastraic terms this reduction in karma phala is known as upamarda.

Here one may question, according to the shastraic injunction ‘avashyamanubhoktavyaM kR^itaM karma shubhAshubhaM’ - the results of prArabdha karma have to be necessarily endured by everyone. Therefore, how can there be an upamarda of the karma phala? To this we reply, when some one partakes poison, normally he will die. But not always. He could be saved by some poison-curing mantra or medicine. Similarly the entire phala of prArabdha karmas should be normally endured. But not necessarily. upamarda is possible due to the power of knowledge. So, it should be understood that the shastraic injunction ‘avashyamanubhoktavyaM kR^itaM karma shubhAshubhaM’ is a general injunction applicable to non-j~nAnIs. upamarda of karma phala should be understood to be applicable to j~nAnIs.

natvA hariM rajatapIThapurAdhivAsaM bAlasya sampadamanApadamarthayitvA .

sAkaM sutena parivArajanAnvito.asau prAyAnnishIthasamaye nijameva dhAma .32.

padacChedaH:

natvA hariM rajatapIThapurAdhivAsaM bAlasya sampadaM anApadaM arthayitvA sAkaM sutena parivArajanAnvitaH asau prAyAt nishIthasamaye nijaM eva dhAma .

anvayaH:

asau rajatapIThapurAdhivAsaM hariM natvA bAlasya anApadaM sampadaM arthayitvA sutena sAkaM parivArajanAnvitaH nishIthasamaye eva nijaM dhAma prAyAt.

anvayArthaH:

asau = This madhyageha bhaTTa rajatapIThapurAdhivAsaM = the deity of rajatapIthapura hariM = Lord anantAsana natvA = after saluting bAlasya = of the child anApadaM = protection from dangers sampadaM = welfare arthayitvA = praying for sutena sAkaM = with his son parivArajanAnvitaH = along with his family nishIthasamaye = during the night eva = only nijaM = his own dhAma = house prAyAt = left for.

Summary:

This madhyageha bhaTTa after saluting Lord anantAsana, the deity of rajatapIthapura and praying for the welfare of the child and its protection from dangers, left for his own house during the night time only along with his son and other family members.

atrastameva satataM pariphullacaxuH kAntyA vidambitanavendu jagatyanarghyam .

tatputraratnamupagR^ihya kadAcidAptaH svasvAmine budha upAyanamArpayatsaH ..31..

padacChedaH:

atrastaM eva satataM pariphullacaxuH kAntyA vidambitanavendu jagati anarghyam tatputraratnaM upagR^ihya kadAcit AptaH svasvAmine budhaH upAyanaM Arpayat saH .

anvayaH:

budhaH saH satataM atrastaM eva pariphullacaxuH kAntyA vidambitanavendu jagati anarghyam tatputraratnaM upagR^ihya kadAcit AptaH [san] svasvAmine upAyanaM Arpayat

anvayArthaH:

budhaH = The wise saH = madhyageha bhaTTa satataM = always atrastaM eva = indeed fearless pariphullacaxuH = with blooming eyes kAntyA = with his luster vidambitanavendu = imitating the rising moon jagati = in the world anarghyam = priceless tatputraratnaM = that gem like son upagR^ihya = taking with him kadAcit = once AptaH san = having reached rajatapIThapura svasvAmine = to his lord anantAsana upAyanaM = gift Arpayat = offered.

Summary:

Along with the always fearless, bloomy eyed, priceless gem-like son vAsudeva who was imitating the rising moon with his luster, the wise madhyageha bhaTTa once reached rajatapITHapura and offered him as a gift to lord anantAsana.

pAtuM payAMsi shishave kila goprado.asmai pUrvAlayaH svasutasUnutayA prajAtaH .

nirvANahetumalabhiShTa parAtmavidyAM dAnaM dhruvaM phalati pAtraguNAnukUlyAt ..30..

padacChedaH:

pAtuM payAMsi shishave kila gopradaH asmai pUrvAlayaH svasutasUnutayA prajAtaH nirvANahetuM alabhiShTa parAtmavidyAM dAnaM dhruvaM phalati pAtraguNAnukUlyAt .

anvayaH:

payAMsi pAtuM asmai shishave gopradaH pUrvAlayaH svasutasUnutayA prajAtaH [san] nirvANahetuM parAtmavidyAM alabhiShTa kila dAnaM pAtraguNAnukUlyAt phalati dhruvaM

anvayArthaH:

payAMsi = milk pAtuM = for drinking asmai = to this shishave = child gopradaH = donor of a cow pUrvAlayaH = by name pUrvAlaya svasutasUnutayA = as his son’s son prajAtaH san = having born nirvANahetuM = one which is capable of granting liberation parAtmavidyAM = the higher science of supreme Brahman alabhiShTa = got kila = well known dAnaM = charity pAtraguNAnukUlyAt = depending on the qualities of the beneficiary phalati = gives fruit dhruvaM = surely

Summary:

It is well known that pUrvAlaya, the donor of a cow to this child for drinking milk was born as his own grandson and got the higher knowledge of supreme Brahman, which is capable of granting liberation. Surely, the fruits of charity depend on the qualities of the beneficiary.

(Having reborn as his own grandson, he became the disciple of Sri Madhvacharya himself and obtained divine knowledge from him and attained liberation)

j~nAnArthameva yadabhUdasudeva eSha yadvAsudevapadabhaktirataH sadA.asau .

tadvAsudevapadamanvavadan surendrAstAtena yannigaditaM sutanAmakartrA ..29..

padacChedaH:

j~nAnArthaM eva yat adabhUt asudevaH eShaH yat vAsudevapadabhaktirataH sadA asau tat vAsudevapadaM anvavadan surendrAH tAtena yat nigaditaM sutanAmakartrA .

anvayaH:

yat eShaH asudevaH j~nAnArthaM eva adabhUt yat asau sadA vAsudevapadabhaktirataH [tat] sutanAmakartrA tAtena nigaditaM yat vAsudevapadaM tat surendrAH anvavadan .

anvayArthaH:

yat = Because eShaH = this asudevaH = lord of prANAs j~nAnArthaM = for the purpose of spreading knowledge eva = only adabhUt = incarnated yat = because asau = this person sadA = always vAsudevapadabhaktirataH = immersed in devotion to the Lord’s feet tat = therefore sutanAmakartrA = by the giver of name tAtena = by the father nigaditaM = announced yat = which vAsudevapadaM = name vAsudeva tat = that surendrAH = the gods anvavadan = hailed.

Summary:

Because this lord of prANAs incarnated only for the purpose of spreading knowledge and always immersed in devotion towards Lord vAsudevA’s feet, the name vAsudeva announced by the father during the naming ceremony was hailed by the gods as being truly reflecting the nature of the child and its purpose of incarnation.

(The letter vA means knowledge. The lord of prAnAs is called asudevaH. So the lord of prANAs who incarnated for the spreading of knowledge can be called vA + asudevaH = vAsudevaH. Or vAsudeva = kR^iShNa; one who is related to vAsudeva (by way of devotion) can also be called as vAsudevaH. So, the name vAsudeva perfectly reflects the nature and purpose of incarnation of mukhya prANa, the lord of prANA’s as the child of madhyageha bhaTTa. Hence the gods hailed the naming of the child of madhyageha bhaTTa as vAsudeva)