"The Lord created Buddhi, Indriya, Manas and Prana in Jivas that they
might obtain their objects (Matra), their birth-producing Karma (Bhava),
their transmigration to different Lokas (Atma), and also their Mukti
(Akalpana)." (These four words respectively mean Artha, Dharma, Kama and
Moksha. The Srutis treat of Bhagavat, of Sat-Chit-Ananda the
all-knowing, the all-powerful, the lord of all, the guide of all, the
all-object of Upasana, the Dispenser of all fruits of Karma, the Resort
of all that is good, as one with attributes. The Srutis begin with
attributes, but at last drop these attributes saying "Not this", "Not
this" and end in Brahman. The sayings about Upasan and Karma treat of
things with attributes, as a means to attain wisdom and thereby
indirectly lead to Brahman. This is the purport. _Sridhara_.)
"The Upanishad speaks of Brahman. She was accepted as such by even those
that were older than those whom we call old. He who accepts her with
faith attains well-being." (The Bhagavata tries to refute the idea that
the Vedas treat of the Devas only and not of Isvara and Brahma).
"I shall relate to thee here a conversation between Narada and Narayana.
"Once upon a time Narada went to see the great Rishi Narayana. For the
well-being of Bharatavarsha, for the good of all men, he remains in his
Asrama, fixed in Tapas, since the beginning of this Kalpa. The Rishis of
Kalapa sat round him. Narada saluted him and asked this very question.
"Narayana said: --
"In Jana Loka, the Manas, born Rishis of that place performed Brahma
Yajna (Yajna, in which 'What is Brahman' is ascertained, some one
becoming the speaker and others forming the audience). You had gone to
Sveta Dvipa at the time. This very question was raised in the assembly.
Sanandan became the speaker. He said: --
"The Supreme drank up his own creation and lay asleep with His Saktis.
At the end of Pralaya, the Srutis (which were the first breath of the
Supreme. _Sridhara_) roused Him up by words denotive of Him.
"The Srutis said: --
"Glory be to Thee! Destroy the Avidya of all moveable and immoveable
beings. She has got attributes for the sake of deluding others. All Thy
powers are completely confined in Thee. Thou art the Manifester of all
Saktis in Jivas. Thou art (sometimes -- _Sridhara_) with Maya and
(always -- _Sridhara_) by Thyself. (But wherever thou art) the Vedas
follow Thee. (The Vedas treat both of Saguna and Nirguna Brahman).
"All that are perceived, (Indra and other gods), know Thee to be the
Big, and themselves to be only parts. For their rise and setting are
from Thee. (Then is the Big transformable? Hence the next words.
_Sridhara_). But thou art untransformed. Even as the (transformed) earth
pots have their rise and setting in the (untransformed) mother earth.
Therefore the Rishis -- (the Mantras or their perceivers. _Sridhara_.
Every Vedic Mantra has its Rishi, who first perceived that Mantra) --
set their minds, their words and actions in Thee (or had their purport
and meaning in Thee. _Sridhara_). For wherever people may roam, their
footsteps always touch the earth.
"O Thou Lord of the Three Gunas, the wise plunged into the nectar ocean
formed of words about Thee, -- an Ocean which removes the impurities of
all people -- and they got rid of all miseries. What of those then who,
by the perception of Self in them, free themselves from the attributes
of mind (likes or dislikes) and of time (the transformations of age) and
worship Thy real self which gives rise to perpetual happiness?
"Those that are animated by life breathe truly if they follow Thee,
otherwise their breath is the breath of bellows. Inspired by Thee,
Mahat, Ahankara and others lay their eggs (create collective and
individual bodies). Thou dost permeate the five sheaths (Annamaya and
others) in man and become those sheaths, as it were, by this permeation.
But thou art the last in the sheaths, as taught in the Upanishads.
"Thou art beyond the gross and subtle sheaths, the Indestructible and
Real.
"Among the Rishis, the Sarkarakshas (or those that have an imperfect
vision) meditate on Brahma in the navel. The Arunis, however, meditate
on Brahma in the cavity of the Heart, which is the seat of the nerves.
Ananta, from the Heart, the Sushumna (the nerve which causes Thy
perception) leads to Thy supreme place in the Head. He who once attains
that place does not fall into the mouth of Death again. (The Upanishads
speak of one hundred and one nerves of the heart. Of these, one goes to
the head).
"Thou hast Thyself created various life kingdoms and various forms.
Though Thou pervadest them all from of old, having brought them all
about, yet Thy special manifestation in them is relatively greater or
smaller, according to the nature of the things created by Thee even as
fire, though one and the same, burns differently according to the
character of the fuel. Those that are of pure intellect follow the one
Real amidst the many unreal forms. The (perceiving) Purusha in all
beings is said to be Thy part only. Knowing this to be the truth about
Jivas, wise men worship Thy feet.
"Brahma and other Jivas did not know Thy end. Even Thou dost not know
Thy own end. For Thou art endless. Drawn by the wheel of time, the
Brahmandas, with their Avaranas, (outer circles) roll on together in Thy
middle, even as if they were dust particles in the air. The Srutis
fructify in Thee (have Thee, for their end and goal.) (Though they
cannot directly speak of Thee) their words are directed towards Thee, by
discarding every thing else." (Though the Vedas treat of Indra and other
Devas, they ultimately lead to Brahma, by saying "Brahma is not this,
not this," in the Upanishads.)