B.G 11.14
ततः स विस्मयाविष्टो हृष्टरोमा धनञ्जयः। प्रणम्य शिरसा देवं कृताञ्जलिरभाषत ॥१४॥
tataḥ sa vismayāviṣṭo hṛṣṭaromā dhanañjayaḥ. praṇamya śirasā devaṁ kṛtāñjalir abhāṣata ॥14॥
[ततः (tataḥ) - then; सः (saḥ) - he; विस्मयाविष्टः (vismayāviṣṭaḥ) - filled with wonder; हृष्टरोमाः (hṛṣṭaromāḥ) - with hair standing on end; धनञ्जयः (dhanañjayaḥ) - Dhanañjaya (Arjuna); प्रणम्य (praṇamya) - bowing; शिरसा (śirasā) - with the head; देवं (devaṁ) - to the god; कृताञ्जलिः (kṛtāñjaliḥ) - with joined palms; अभाषत (abhāṣata) - spoke;]
Then Dhanañjaya, filled with wonder and with his hair standing on end, bowed his head and, with joined palms, spoke to the god.
Gīta Tātparya 11.14
The forms of the lord are the direct essence of the Supreme Lord, eternal, and are of the nature of consciousness and bliss. It is distinct from insentient such as the sun. He alone possesses undivided, infinite forms. The one eternal form of Hari appears manifold only due to inconceivable divine majesty and distinctions.
"आत्मानमव्ययम्", "परमं रूपमैश्वरम्", "सर्वाश्चर्यमयं देवमनन्तं विश्वतो-मुखम्ऽ" - इत्यादिरूप विशेषणाच्च रूपस्य ईश्वरसाक्षात्स्वरूपत्वं नित्यत्वं तत एव चिदानन्दाद्यात्मकत्वं च सिद्धम्।
"ātmānam-avyayam", "paramaṁ rūpam-aiśvaram", "sarvāścaryamayaṁ devam-anantaṁ viśvato-mukham" - ityādi-rūpa-viśeṣaṇāt-ca rūpasya īśvara-sākṣāt-svarūpatvaṁ nityatvaṁ tata eva cid-ānanda-ādi-ātmakatvaṁ ca siddham.
[आत्मानम् (ātmānam) - the self; अव्ययम् (avyayam) - imperishable; परमम् (paramam) - supreme; रूपम् (rūpam) - form; ऐश्वरम् (aiśvaram) - of divine majesty; सर्वाश्चर्यमयम् (sarvāścaryamayam) - full of all wonders; देवम् (devam) - the divine being; अनन्तम् (anantam) - infinite; विश्वतः-मुखम् (viśvataḥ-mukham) - facing all directions; इत्यादि-विशेषणात् (ityādi-viśeṣaṇāt) - from such descriptions; च (ca) - and; रूपस्य (rūpasya) - of the form; ईश्वर-साक्षात्-स्वरूपत्वम् (īśvara-sākṣāt-svarūpatvam) - being the direct essence of the Lord; नित्यत्वम् (nityatvam) - eternality; ततः एव (tataḥ eva) - from that itself; चिदानन्द-आद्यात्मकत्वम् (cid-ānanda-ādi-ātmakatvam) - being of the nature of consciousness, bliss, etc.; च (ca) - and; सिद्धम् (siddham) - is established;]
From the descriptions such as "imperishable being" (ātmānam-avyayam), "supreme divine form" (paramaṁ rūpam-aiśvaram), "the wondrous, infinite, all-faced deity" (sarvāścaryamayaṁ devam-anantaṁ viśvato-mukham), it is established that the form is the direct essence of the Supreme Lord, eternal, and is of the nature of consciousness and bliss.
"मम देहे" इत्युक्तत्वाच्च आदित्यादीनां भेदः सिद्धः।
"mama dehe" ity-uktatvāt-ca ādityādīnām bhedaḥ siddhaḥ.
[मम (mama) - in my; देहे (dehe) - body; इत्युक्तत्वात् (ity-uktatvāt) - due to the statement "thus said"; च (ca) - and; आदित्य-आदीनाम् (āditya-ādīnām) - of the sun and others; भेदः (bhedaḥ) - distinction; सिद्धः (siddhaḥ) - is established;]
Due to the statement "in my body", the distinction between the sun and other forms is established.
"मे रूपाणि", "सर्वतोऽनन्तरूपम्" इत्यादेः "द्रष्टुमिच्छामि ते रूपम्" इत्यादेश्च एकस्यैव अभिन्नानन्तरूपत्वं च।
"me rūpāṇi", "sarvato-'ananta-rūpam" ityādeḥ "draṣṭum-icchāmi te rūpam" ity-ādeḥ-ca ekasya-eva abhinna-ananta-rūpatvaṁ ca.
[मे (me) - my; रूपाणि (rūpāṇi) - forms; सर्वतः (sarvataḥ) - on all sides; अनन्त-रूपम् (ananta-rūpam) - infinite form; इत्यादेः (ityādeḥ) - from such statements; द्रष्टुम् (draṣṭum) - to see; इच्छामि (icchāmi) - I wish; ते (te) - your; रूपम् (rūpam) - form; इत्यादेः (ityādeḥ) - and from such statements; च (ca) - and; एकस्य एव (ekasya eva) - of the one alone; अभिन्न-अनन्त-रूपत्वम् (abhinna-ananta-rūpatvam) - non-different infinite form-ness; च (ca) - and;]
From statements like "my forms", "infinite form in all directions", and "I wish to see your form", it is established that He alone possesses undivided infinite forms.
"एकं रूपं हरेर्नित्यमचिन्त्यैश्वर्ययोगतः। बहुसङ्ख्यागोचरं च विशेषादेव केवलम्॥
"ekaṁ rūpaṁ harer nityam acintyaiśvarya-yogataḥ. bahu-saṅkhyā-gocaraṁ ca viśeṣāt-eva kevalam॥
[एकम् (ekam) - one; रूपम् (rūpam) - form; हरेः (hareḥ) - of Hari; नित्यम् (nityam) - eternal; अचिन्त्य-ऐश्वर्य-योगतः (acintya-aiśvarya-yogataḥ) - due to inconceivable majesty; बहु-सङ्ख्या-गोचरम् (bahu-saṅkhyā-gocaram) - appearing as many; च (ca) - and; विशेषात् (viśeṣāt) - due to distinction; एव (eva) - only; केवलम् (kevalam) - alone;]
"The one eternal form of Hari appears manifold only due to inconceivable divine majesty and distinctions.
अभावो यत्र भेदस्य प्रमाणावसितो भवेत्। विशेषो नामा तत्रैव विशेषव्यवहारवान्॥
abhāvo yatra bhedasya pramāṇa-avasito bhavet. viśeṣaḥ nāmā tatraiva viśeṣa-vyavahāravān॥
[अभावः (abhāvaḥ) - absence; यत्र (yatra) - where; भेदस्य (bhedasya) - of difference; प्रमाण-अवसितः (pramāṇa-avasitaḥ) - concluded by valid means; भवेत् (bhavet) - would be; विशेषः (viśeṣaḥ) - distinction; नाम (nāmā) - called; तत्र एव (tatra eva) - only there; विशेष-व्यवहारवान् (viśeṣa-vyavahāravān) - having distinct functional role;]
Where the absence of difference is established by valid proof, there is a distinction referred to with separate functional significance.
विशेषोऽपि स्वरूपं स स्वनिर्वाहक एव च। द्रव्यात्मना स नित्योऽपि विशेषात्मैव जायते॥
viśeṣo'pi svarūpaṁ sa svanirvāhaka eva ca. dravyātmanā sa nityo'pi viśeṣātmā eva jāyate॥
[विशेषः (viśeṣaḥ) - distinction; अपि (api) - also; स्वरूपम् (svarūpam) - true nature; सः (saḥ) - he/it; स्व-निर्वाहकः (sva-nirvāhakaḥ) - self-sustaining; एव (eva) - indeed; च (ca) - and; द्रव्य-आत्मना (dravyātmanā) - in the form of substance; सः (saḥ) - he/it; नित्यः अपि (nityaḥ api) - though eternal; विशेष-आत्मा एव (viśeṣa-ātmā eva) - only as distinction-natured; जायते (jāyate) - manifests;]
The distinction too is the essential nature, being self-sustaining; though eternal in substance, it manifests precisely as having a distinctive nature.
नित्या एव विशेषाश्च केचिदेवं द्विधैव सः। वस्तु-स्वरूपम्-अस्त्येव-इत्येवं-आदिषु-अभेदिनः॥
nityā eva viśeṣāś ca kecid evaṁ dvidhā eva saḥ. vastu-svarūpam-asti-eva-ity-evaṁ-ādiṣu-abhedinaḥ॥
[नित्याः एव (nityāḥ eva) - eternal indeed; विशेषाः च (viśeṣāḥ ca) - and distinctions; केचित् (kecit) - some; एवं (evaṁ) - thus; द्विधा एव (dvidhā eva) - in twofold manner; सः (saḥ) - he/it; वस्तु-स्वरूपम् (vastu-svarūpam) - true nature of the entity; अस्ति एव (asti eva) - does exist; इति (iti) - such; एवं-आदिषु (evaṁ-ādiṣu) - in such statements; अभेदिनः (abhedinaḥ) - those asserting non-difference;]
Some affirm that distinctions themselves are eternal and twofold, while those who assert non-difference speak in terms such as “the true nature of the entity does indeed exist.”
विशेषोऽनुभवादेव ज्ञायते सर्ववस्तुषु। न चाविशेषितं किञ्चिद् वाच्यं लक्ष्यं तथा मितम्॥
viśeṣo'nubhavād eva jñāyate sarva-vastuṣu. na ca aviśeṣitaṁ kiñcit vācyaṁ lakṣyaṁ tathā mitam॥
[विशेषः (viśeṣaḥ) - distinction; अनुभवात् एव (anubhavāt eva) - only through experience; ज्ञायते (jñāyate) - is known; सर्व-वस्तुषु (sarva-vastuṣu) - in all entities; न च (na ca) - and not; अविशेषितम् (aviśeṣitam) - undifferentiated; किञ्चित् (kiñcit) - anything; वाच्यम् (vācyaṁ) - is describable; लक्ष्यं (lakṣyam) - or indicated; तथा (tathā) - likewise; मितम् (mitam) - measurable;]
Distinction is known only through experience in all entities. Nothing undifferentiated can be described, indicated, or measured.
विशिष्टस्य स्वतोऽन्यत्वे स्वस्यामेयत्वहेतुतः। नैव ज्ञेयं विशिष्टं च मानाभावाच्च नो भवेत्॥
viśiṣṭasya svato'nyatve svasya-ameyatva-hetutaḥ. naiva jñeyaṁ viśiṣṭaṁ ca māna-abhāvāt-ca no bhavet॥
[विशिष्टस्य (viśiṣṭasya) - of the qualified entity; स्वतः अन्यत्वे (svataḥ anyatve) - if different from itself; स्वस्य (svasya) - of itself; अमेयत्व-हेतुतः (ameyatva-hetutaḥ) - due to being immeasurable; न एव (na eva) - truly not; ज्ञेयम् (jñeyam) - knowable; विशिष्टं च (viśiṣṭaṁ ca) - and the qualified entity; मान-अभावात् च (māna-abhāvāt ca) - due to absence of valid means; नः भवेत् (naḥ bhavet) - for us it would not be;]
If the qualified entity were other than itself, then due to its immeasurability, it could not be known; and because of lack of valid means, the qualified would not exist for us.
स्वयमित्यपि हि स्वत्वविशेषेण विवर्जितम्। न ज्ञेयं तद्विशेष्यं च तथैवेत्यनवस्थितिः॥
svayam-iti-api hi svatva-viśeṣeṇa vivarjitam. na jñeyaṁ tad-viśeṣyaṁ ca tathā eva iti-anavasthitiḥ॥
[स्वयम् इति अपि (svayam iti api) - even the term "oneself"; हि (hi) - indeed; स्वत्व-विशेषेण (svatva-viśeṣeṇa) - by the distinction of selfhood; विवर्जितम् (vivarjitam) - if deprived; न (na) - not; ज्ञेयं (jñeyaṁ) - knowable; तत्-विशेष्यम् च (tat-viśeṣyam ca) - and that which it qualifies; तथा एव (tathā eva) - likewise; इति (iti) - thus; अनवस्थितिः (anavasthitiḥ) - there is regress (lack of stability);]
Even the term “oneself” ('svayam') if devoid of the distinction of selfhood, is unknowable; and so too is that which it qualifies — thus arises an infinite regress.
अभेदे न विरोधोऽस्ति ज्ञाताज्ञातं यतोऽखिलम्। तदेव ज्ञातरूपेण ज्ञातम् अज्ञातम् अन्यथा॥
abhede na virodho'sti jñāta-ajñātaṁ yato'khilam. tad-eva jñātā-rūpeṇa jñātam ajñātam anyathā॥
[अभेदे (abhede) - in non-difference; न (na) - not; विरोधः (virodhaḥ) - contradiction; अस्ति (asti) - exists; ज्ञात-अज्ञातम् (jñāta-ajñātam) - the known and unknown; यतः (yataḥ) - because; अखिलम् (akhilam) - all; तत् एव (tat eva) - that very (thing); ज्ञाता-रूपेण (jñātā-rūpeṇa) - in the form of the knower; ज्ञातम् (jñātam) - is known; अज्ञातम् (ajñātam) - is unknown; अन्यथा (anyathā) - otherwise;]
There is no contradiction in non-difference, since all that is known and unknown is just that same reality — known in the form of the knower, unknown otherwise.
अभिन्नस्य विशिष्टत्वात् न दोषद्वयमप्युत। एकत्वानुभवाच्चैव विशेषानुभवादपि। तज्ज्ञानानुभवाच्चैव न दोषद्वयसम्भवः॥
abhinnaśya viśiṣṭatvāt na doṣa-dvayam-api uta. ekatva-anubhavāt-ca eva viśeṣa-anubhavāt-api. taj-jñāna-anubhavāt-ca eva na doṣa-dvaya-sambhavaḥ॥
[अभिन्नस्य (abhinnaśya) - of the non-different (one); विशिष्टत्वात् (viśiṣṭatvāt) - due to qualifiedness; न (na) - not; दोष-द्वयम् (doṣa-dvayam) - the twofold defect; अपि (api) - even; उत (uta) - indeed; एकत्व-अनुभवात् (ekatva-anubhavāt) - due to the experience of oneness; च एव (ca eva) - and also; विशेष-अनुभवाद् अपि (viśeṣa-anubhavāt api) - also due to the experience of distinctions; तत्-ज्ञान-अनुभवात् च एव (tat-jñāna-anubhavāt ca eva) - and due to knowledge-experience of that; न (na) - not; दोष-द्वय-सम्भवः (doṣa-dvaya-sambhavaḥ) - the possibility of twofold defect;]
Due to the qualified nature of the non-different, there is indeed no dual defect. The experience of unity, the experience of distinctions, and the direct knowledge of both — all prevent the arising of such dual fault.
भेदाभेदौ च तौ नैव कर्तृभोक्तृविशेषणे। मदन्य इत्यनुभवो यतो नैवास्ति कस्यचित्॥
bhedābhedau ca tau naiva kartṛ-bhoktṛ-viśeṣaṇe. mad-anya iti-anubhavaḥ yataḥ naiva asti kasyacit॥
[भेद-अभेदौ (bhedābhedau) - difference and non-difference; च (ca) - and; तौ (tau) - those two; नैव (na eva) - truly not; कर्तृ-भोक्तृ-विशेषणे (kartṛ-bhoktṛ-viśeṣaṇe) - in qualifying the agent and enjoyer; मद्-अन्य (mad-anya) - "other than me"; इति (iti) - thus; अनुभवः (anubhavaḥ) - experience; यतः (yataḥ) - because; न एव (na eva) - truly not; अस्ति (asti) - exists; कस्यचित् (kasyacit) - for anyone;]
Difference and non-difference do not truly apply to the distinctions of agent and enjoyed, since no one ever truly experiences anything as "other than myself."
भेदो विशेषणस्यापि नान्तरस्य क्वचिद् भवेत्। शुद्धस्वरूप इत्यादौ अभेदस्यैव दर्शनात्॥
bhedo viśeṣaṇasya-api na-antarasya kvacid bhavet. śuddha-svarūpa-ityādau abhedasya-eva darśanāt॥
[भेदः (bhedaḥ) - distinction; विशेषणस्य अपि (viśeṣaṇasya api) - even of the qualifier; न (na) - not; अन्तरस्य (antarasya) - of the internal; क्वचित् (kvacit) - anywhere; भवेत् (bhavet) - can occur; शुद्ध-स्वरूप (śuddha-svarūpa) - pure essence; इत्यादौ (ityādau) - in statements such as; अभेदस्य एव (abhedasya eva) - of non-difference alone; दर्शनात् (darśanāt) - due to the perception;]
Distinction does not arise even with respect to qualifiers or internal attributes, since statements like "pure essence" only reflect non-difference.
अपृथग् दृष्टि-नियमात् बल-ज्ञान-आदिकस्य च। ऐक्यं बाह्य-विशेषाणां पृथग् दृष्ट्यैव तन् न तु॥
apṛthag dṛṣṭi-niyamāt bala-jñāna-ādikasya ca. aikyaṁ bāhya-viśeṣāṇāṁ pṛthag dṛṣṭyā eva tan na tu॥
[अपृथक्-दृष्टि-नियमात् (apṛthak-dṛṣṭi-niyamāt) - due to the rule of non-separate perception; बल-ज्ञान-आदिकस्य च (bala-jñāna-ādikasya ca) - of strength, knowledge, etc.; ऐक्यम् (aikyam) - unity; बाह्य-विशेषाणाम् (bāhya-viśeṣāṇām) - of external distinctions; पृथक्-दृष्ट्या एव (pṛthak-dṛṣṭyā eva) - only by separate perception; तत् न तु (tat na tu) - that is not truly so;]
The unity of strength, knowledge, and the like is affirmed due to their inseparable perception; the seeming multiplicity of external distinctions arises only through separate perception, not in reality.
विशेष-हेत्व-अभावेऽपि द्वैविध्यं कल्प्यते यदि। कल्पना-गौरव-आद्याः तु दोषाः तत्र अतिसङ्गताः॥
viśeṣa-hetu-abhāve'pi dvaividhyaṁ kalpyate yadi. kalpanā-gaurava-ādyāḥ tu doṣāḥ tatra ati-saṅgatāḥ॥
[विशेष-हेतुः-अभावे अपि (viśeṣa-hetuḥ-abhāve api) - even in the absence of a cause for distinction; द्वैविध्यम् (dvaividhyam) - duality; कल्प्यते यदि (kalpyate yadi) - if imagined; कल्पना-गौरव-आद्याः (kalpanā-gaurava-ādyāḥ) - assumptions, heaviness of supposition, etc.; तु (tu) - however; दोषाः (doṣāḥ) - defects; तत्र (tatra) - therein; अतिसङ्गताः (ati-saṅgatāḥ) - are extremely applicable;]
If duality is imagined even in the absence of any cause for distinction, then the defects, such as unnecessary assumptions and conceptual heaviness, are strongly applicable there.
नैकत्वं नापि नानात्वं नियमादस्त्यचेतने। भेदाभेदावनुभवादतस्तत्रान्यथागतेः॥
na ekatvaṁ nāpi nānātvaṁ niyamāt asti acetane. bhedābhedau anubhavāt atas-tatra anyathā-gateḥ॥
[न (na) - neither; एकत्वम् (ekatvam) - unity; न अपि (na api) - nor even; नानात्वम् (nānātvam) - multiplicity; नियमात् (niyamāt) - by necessity; अस्ति (asti) - exists; अचेतने (acetane) - in the non-conscious; भेद-अभेदौ (bhedābhedau) - difference and non-difference; अनुभवात् (anubhavāt) - due to experience; अतः (atas) - therefore; तत्र (tatra) - in that case; अन्यथा-गतेः (anyathā-gateḥ) - from the change of state;]
Neither unity nor multiplicity necessarily exists in the non-conscious; difference and non-difference are known through experience, hence only arise when change is perceived.
एकोऽहमन्यतोऽन्यश्चेत्येवमेव व्यवस्थितौ। भेदाभेदौ चेतनेषु तस्मान्नैकप्रकारता॥
eko'ham anyataḥ anyaś ca ity evam eva vyavasthitau. bhedābhedau cetaneṣu tasmāt na eka-prakāratā॥
[एकः अहम् (ekaḥ aham) - I am one; अन्यतः अन्यः च (anyataḥ anyaḥ ca) - and other is different; इति (iti) - thus; एवम् एव (evam eva) - precisely in this way; व्यवस्थितौ (vyavasthitau) - the established understanding; भेद-अभेदौ (bhedābhedau) - difference and non-difference; चेतनेषु (cetaneṣu) - among conscious beings; तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore; न (na) - not; एक-प्रकारता (eka-prakāratā) - uniformity;]
The awareness “I am one, and another is different” is the natural experience among the conscious; thus, difference and non-difference coexist, and uniformity does not prevail there.
एकमित्येव यज्ज्ञातं बहुत्वेनैव तत् पुनः। पटाद्यं ज्ञायते यस्माद् भेदाभेदौ कुतो न तत्॥
ekam iti eva yat jñātaṁ bahutvena eva tat punaḥ. paṭādyaṁ jñāyate yasmāt bhedābhedau kuto na tat॥
[एकम् इति एव (ekam iti eva) - just as one; यत् ज्ञातम् (yat jñātam) - is known; बहुत्वेन एव (bahutvena eva) - again as many; तत् (tat) - that; पुनः (punaḥ) - again; पट-आद्यं (paṭādyaṁ) - cloth and so on; ज्ञायते (jñāyate) - is known; यस्मात् (yasmāt) - since; भेद-अभेदौ (bhedābhedau) - difference and non-difference; कुतः न तत् (kutaḥ na tat) - why not there;]
That which is first known as one is again experienced as many, like cloth and its threads; hence, why should not both difference and non-difference be accepted there?
तन्तुभ्योऽन्यः पटः साक्षात् कस्य दृष्टिपथं गतः। अनन्यश्चेत् तन्तुभावे पटाभावः कुतो भवेत्॥
tantubhyaḥ anyaḥ paṭaḥ sākṣāt kasya dṛṣṭipathaṁ gataḥ. ananyaś cet tantu-bhāve paṭa-abhāvaḥ kuto bhavet॥
[तन्तुभ्यः अन्यः (tantubhyaḥ anyaḥ) - other than threads; पटः (paṭaḥ) - the cloth; साक्षात् (sākṣāt) - directly; कस्य (kasya) - to whose; दृष्टिपथम् (dṛṣṭipatham) - field of vision; गतः (gataḥ) - has appeared; अनन्यः चेत् (ananyaḥ cet) - if not different; तन्तु-भावे (tantu-bhāve) - in the state of thread-existence; पट-अभावः (paṭa-abhāvaḥ) - absence of cloth; कुतः भवेत् (kutaḥ bhavet) - how can it be;]
Who has ever seen the cloth directly as something other than the threads? And if it is not different, then how can there be threads absence when the cloth remains?
न चात्मनि विशेषोऽत्र दृष्टान्तत्वं गमिष्यति। शुद्धोऽहम्प्रत्ययो यस्मात् तत्राभेदप्रदर्शकः॥
na ca ātmani viśeṣo'tra dṛṣṭāntatvaṁ gamiṣyati. śuddho'ham-pratyayaḥ yasmāt tatra abheda-pradarśakaḥ॥
[न च (na ca) - and not; आत्मनि (ātmani) - in the self; विशेषः (viśeṣaḥ) - distinction; अत्र (atra) - here; दृष्टान्तत्वं (dṛṣṭāntatvam) - the status of an example; गमिष्यति (gamiṣyati) - can attain; शुद्धः (śuddhaḥ) - pure; अहम्-प्रत्ययः (aham-pratyayaḥ) - the "I"-notion; यस्मात् (yasmāt) - because; तत्र (tatra) - therein; अभेद-प्रदर्शकः (abheda-pradarśakaḥ) - reveals non-difference;]
No distinction in the self can serve as an example, because the pure "I" cognition itself reveals non-difference there.
अत्रावयवभेदेन स्यादेव ह्यनवस्थितिः। न चानवयवं वस्तु क्वचित् स्यात् मानगोचरम्॥
atra avayava-bhedena syāt eva hi anavasthitiḥ. na ca anavayavaṁ vastu kvacit syāt māna-gocaram॥
[अत्र (atra) - here; अवयव-भेदेन (avayava-bhedena) - by parts-based distinction; स्यात् एव (syāt eva) - would certainly occur; हि (hi) - indeed; अनवस्थितिः (anavasthitiḥ) - infinite regress; न च (na ca) - and not; अनवयवम् (anavayavam) - partless; वस्तु (vastu) - substance; क्वचित् (kvacit) - anywhere; स्यात् (syāt) - can be; मान-गोचरम् (māna-gocaram) - within the scope of valid knowledge;]
If distinction were by parts here, it would lead to regress. And a truly partless substance can never be the object of valid cognition anywhere.
पूर्वापरादिभेदेन यतोऽंशोऽस्यावगम्यते। उपाधिरप्येकदेशसम्बद्धः सन्तमेव हि। ज्ञापयेद् भेदमखिलं ग्रसन् स विभजेत् कथम्॥
pūrvāpara-ādi-bhedena yataḥ aṁśaḥ asya avagamyate. upādhiḥ api eka-deśa-sambaddhaḥ santam-eva hi. jñāpayed bhedam-akhilaṁ grasan sa vibhajet katham॥
[पूर्व-अपर-आदि-भेदेन (pūrvāpara-ādi-bhedena) - by differences like before and after; यतः (yataḥ) - because; अंशः (aṁśaḥ) - a part; अस्य (asya) - of this; अवगम्यते (avagamyate) - is understood; उपाधिः अपि (upādhiḥ api) - even the adjunct; एक-देश-सम्बद्धः (eka-deśa-sambaddhaḥ) - connected to one region; सन्तम् एव हि (santam eva hi) - indeed being existent; ज्ञापयेत् (jñāpayet) - may reveal; भेदम् अखिलम् (bhedam akhilam) - entire distinction; ग्रसन् (grasan) - while engulfing; सः (saḥ) - he/it; विभजेत् कथम् (vibhajet katham) - how can divide;]
Since a part is inferred by differences such as before and after, and even an adjunct is linked only to a part while remaining existent — how can it, while engulfing all, still divide and indicate an entire distinction?
तस्माद् गुणादिकमपि नास्त्यनंशतया क्वचित्। भावाभावव्यवहृतेः विद्यमानेऽपि वस्तुनि। भेदाभेदौ गुणादेश्च जडे वस्तुनि संस्थितौ॥
tasmāt guṇādikam-api nāsti anaṁśatayā kvacit. bhāva-abhāva-vyavahṛteḥ vidyamāne'pi vastuni. bhedābhedau guṇa-ādeś ca jaḍe vastuni saṁsthitau॥
[तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore; गुण-आदिकम् अपि (guṇa-ādikam api) - even qualities and the like; नास्ति (nāsti) - do not exist; अनंशतया (anaṁśatayā) - in a partless way; क्वचित् (kvacit) - anywhere; भाव-अभाव-व्यवहृतेः (bhāva-abhāva-vyavahṛteḥ) - due to alternation of presence and absence; विद्यमाने अपि (vidyamāne api) - even when existing; वस्तुनि (vastuni) - in the object; भेद-अभेदौ (bhedābhedau) - difference and non-difference; गुण-आदेश् च (guṇa-ādeś ca) - and attribution of quality; जडे वस्तुनि (jaḍe vastuni) - in the inert object; संस्थितौ (saṁsthitau) - are found;]
Therefore, qualities and such do not exist in any truly partless way; even when the object exists, due to the behavior of presence and absence, both difference and non-difference, and attribution of qualities, are found in inert substances.
चेतने शक्तिरूपेण गुणादेः भाव इष्यते। सुप्तोऽयं बलवान् विद्वानित्यादिव्यवहारतः॥
cetane śakti-rūpeṇa guṇādeḥ bhāva iṣyate. suptaḥ ayaṁ balavān vidvān ity-ādi-vyavahārataḥ॥
[चेतने (cetane) - in the conscious being; शक्ति-रूपेण (śakti-rūpeṇa) - in the form of power; गुण-आदेः (guṇa-ādeḥ) - of qualities and such; भावः (bhāvaḥ) - existence; इष्यते (iṣyate) - is posited; सुप्तः (suptaḥ) - asleep; अयम् (ayam) - this person; बलवान् (balavān) - strong; विद्वान् (vidvān) - knowledgeable; इति-आदि-व्यवहारतः (iti-ādi-vyavahārataḥ) - from such expressions;]
In the conscious being, the existence of qualities such as strength and knowledge is accepted as potency, based on expressions like “He is asleep, strong, and wise.”
न चैवं शक्तिरूपेण जडे व्यवहृतिः क्वचित्। एकमेवाद्वितीयं तन्नेह नानास्ति किञ्चन। मृत्योः स मृत्युमाप्नोति य इह नानेव पश्यति॥
na ca evaṁ śakti-rūpeṇa jaḍe vyavahṛtiḥ kvacit. ekam eva advitīyaṁ tat na iha nānā asti kiñcana. mṛtyoḥ sa mṛtyum āpnoti ya iha nānā iva paśyati॥
[न च (na ca) - and not; एवम् (evam) - in this way; शक्ति-रूपेण (śakti-rūpeṇa) - as potency; जडे (jaḍe) - in the inert; व्यवहृतिः (vyavahṛtiḥ) - functional usage; क्वचित् (kvacit) - anywhere; एकम् एव (ekam eva) - only one; अद्वितीयम् (advitīyam) - without a second; तत् (tat) - that; न (na) - not; इह (iha) - here; नाना अस्ति (nānā asti) - multiplicity exists; किञ्चन (kiñcana) - anything; मृत्युः सः (mṛtyuḥ saḥ) - from death, he; मृत्युम् आप्नोति (mṛtyum āpnoti) - attains death; यः (yaḥ) - who; इह (iha) - here; नाना इव (nānā iva) - as if many; पश्यति (paśyati) - sees;]
But such functional attribution as potency is never applied to inert things. That is one without a second — here, indeed, there is no multiplicity. He who sees multiplicity here, as if real, goes from death to death.
यथोदकं दुर्गे वृष्टं पर्वतेषु विधावति। एवं धर्मान् पृथक् पश्यन् तान् एव अनुविधावति। इत्यादि-श्रुतिमानात् च परम्-ऐश्वर्यतः तथा। सर्वं तु घटते विष्णौ यत् कल्याण-गुण-आत्मकम्॥
yathodakaṁ durge vṛṣṭaṁ parvateṣu vidhāvati. evaṁ dharmān pṛthak paśyan tān eva anuvidhāvati. ityādi-śruti-mānāt ca param-aiśvaryataḥ tathā. sarvaṁ tu ghaṭate viṣṇau yat kalyāṇa-guṇa-ātmakam॥
[यथा (yathā) - just as; उदकम् (udakam) - water; दुर्गे (durge) - on a hilltop; वृष्टम् (vṛṣṭam) - rained; पर्वतेषु (parvateṣu) - among mountains; विधावति (vidhāvati) - flows; एवं (evaṁ) - similarly; धर्मान् (dharmān) - qualities or principles; पृथक् पश्यन् (pṛthak paśyan) - seeing as distinct; तान् एव (tān eva) - them alone; अनु-विधावति (anu-vidhāvati) - keeps pursuing; इत्यादि-श्रुतिमानात् (ityādi-śruti-mānāt) - from such scriptural testimony; च (ca) - and; परम-ऐश्वर्यतः (param-aiśvaryataḥ) - from the supreme majesty; तथा (tathā) - likewise; सर्वम् तु (sarvam tu) - everything indeed; घटते (ghaṭate) - fits together; विष्णौ (viṣṇau) - in Viṣṇu; यत् (yat) - which; कल्याण-गुण-आत्मकम् (kalyāṇa-guṇa-ātmakam) - consists of auspicious qualities;]
Just as rainwater flows across mountain slopes from a high peak, so one who sees qualities as distinct pursues them alone again and again. From such scriptural testimony and due to supreme sovereignty, all auspiciously qualified reality indeed coheres in Viṣṇu.
इत्यादि ब्रह्मतर्के ॥१४॥
ityādi brahma-tarke ॥14॥
[इत्यादि (ityādi) - thus and so on; ब्रह्म-तर्के (brahma-tarke) - in the reasoning concerning Brahman;]
- stated thus in the ancient testimonial, brahma-tarka, i.e. the reasoning concerning Brahman.
