Devanagari
सत्यज्ञानानन्तानन्दमात्रैकरसमूर्तय: ।
अस्पृष्टभूरिमाहात्म्या अपि ह्युपनिषद्दृशाम् ॥ ५४ ॥
Verse text
satya-jṣānānantānanda-
mātraika-rasa-mūrtayaḥ
aspṛṣṭa-bhūri-māhātmyā
api hy upaniṣad-dṛśām
Synonyms
satya
—
eternal
;
jṣāna
—
having full knowledge
;
ananta
—
unlimited
;
ānanda
—
fully blissful
;
mātra
—
only
;
eka
—
rasa — always existing
;
mūrtayaḥ
—
forms
;
aspṛṣṭa
—
bhūri — māhātmyāḥ — whose great glory is not touched
;
api
—
even
;
hi
—
because
;
upaniṣat
—
dṛśām — by those jṣānīs who are engaged in studying the Upaniṣads. .
Translation
The viṣṇu-mūrtis all had eternal, unlimited forms, full of knowledge and bliss and existing beyond the influence of time. Their great glory was not even to be touched by the jṣānīs engaged in studying the Upaniṣads.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
The viṣṇu-mūrtis all had eternal, unlimited forms, full of knowledge and bliss and existing beyond the influence of time. Their great glory was not even to be touched by the jṣānīs engaged in studying the Upaniṣads.
KB 10.13.54
Lord Viṣṇu, Brahmā also realized, is the reservoir of all truth, knowledge and bliss. He is the combination of three transcendental features, namely eternity, knowledge and bliss, and He is the object of worship by the followers of the Upaniṣads.
Purport
Mere
śāstra jṣāna,
or knowledge in the
Vedas,
does not help anyone understand the Personality of Godhead. Only one who is favored or shown mercy by the Lord can understand Him. This is also explained in the
Upaniṣads
(
Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad
3.2.3):
nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo
na medhasā na bahunā śrutena
yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyas
tasyaiṣa ātmā vivṛṇute tanuṁ svām
“The Supreme Lord is not obtained by expert explanations, by vast intelligence, or even by much hearing. He is obtained only by one whom He Himself chooses. To such a person, He manifests His own form.”
One description given of Brahman is
satyaṁ brahma, ānanda-rūpam:
“Brahman is the Absolute Truth and complete
ānanda,
or bliss.” The forms of Viṣṇu, the Supreme Brahman, were one, but They were manifested differently. The followers of the
Upaniṣads,
however, cannot understand the varieties manifested by Brahman. This proves that Brahman and Paramātmā can actually be understood only through devotion, as confirmed by the Lord Himself in
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:
bhaktyāham ekayā grāhyaḥ
(
Bhāg.
11.14.21
). To establish that Brahman indeed has transcendental form, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura gives various quotations from the
śāstras.
In the
Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad
(3.8), the Supreme is described as
āditya-varṇaṁ tamasaḥ parastāt:
“He whose self-manifest form is luminous like the sun and transcendental to the darkness of ignorance.”
Ānanda-mātram ajaraṁ purāṇam ekaṁ santaṁ bahudhā dṛśyamānam:
“The Supreme is blissful, with no tinge of unhappiness. Although He is the oldest, He never ages, and although one, He is experienced in different forms.”
Sarve nityāḥ śāśvatāś ca dehās tasya parātmanaḥ:
“All the forms of that Supreme Person are eternal.” (
Mahā-varāha Purāṇa
) The Supreme Person has a form, with hands and legs and other personal features, but His hands and legs are not material.
Bhaktas
know that the form of Kṛṣṇa, or Brahman, is not at all material. Rather, Brahman has a transcendental form, and when one is absorbed in it, being fully developed in
bhakti,
one can understand Him (
premāṣjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena
). The Māyāvādīs, however, cannot understand this transcendental form, for they think that it is material.
Transcendental forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His person are so great that the impersonal followers of the
Upaniṣads
cannot reach the platform of knowledge to understand them. Particularly, the transcendental forms of the Lord are beyond the reach of the impersonalists, who can only understand, through the studies of the
Upaniṣads,
that the Absolute Truth is not matter and that the Absolute Truth is not materially restricted by limited potency.
Yet although Kṛṣṇa cannot be seen through the
Upaniṣads,
in some places it is said that Kṛṣṇa can in fact be known in this way.
Aupaniṣadaṁ puruṣam:
“He is known by the
Upaniṣads.
” This means that when one is purified by Vedic knowledge, one is then allowed to enter into devotional understanding (
mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
).
tac chraddadhānā munayo
jṣāna-vairagya-yuktayā
paśyanty ātmani cātmānaṁ
bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā
“The seriously inquisitive student or sage, well equipped with knowledge and detachment, realizes that Absolute Truth by rendering devotional service in terms of what he has heard from the
Vedānta-śruti.
” (
Bhāg.
1.2.12
) The word
śruta-gṛhītayā
refers to
Vedānta
knowledge, not sentimentality.
Śruta-gṛhīta
is sound knowledge.
Lord Viṣṇu, Brahmā thus realized, is the reservoir of all truth, knowledge and bliss. He is the combination of these three transcendental features, and He is the object of worship for the followers of the
Upaniṣads.
Brahmā realized that all the different forms of cows, boys and calves transformed into Viṣṇu forms were not transformed by mysticism of the type that a
yogī
or demigod can display by specific powers invested in him. The cows, calves and boys transformed into
viṣṇu-mūrtis,
or Viṣṇu forms, were not displays of
viṣṇu-māyā,
or Viṣṇu energy, but were Viṣṇu Himself. The respective qualifications of Viṣṇu and
viṣṇu-māyā
are just like those of fire and heat. In heat there is the qualification of fire, namely warmth; and yet heat is not fire. The manifestation of the Viṣṇu forms of the boys, cows and calves was not like the heat, but rather like the fire — they were all actually Viṣṇu. Factually, the qualification of Viṣṇu is full truth, full knowledge and full bliss. Another example may be given with material objects, which may be reflected in many, many forms. For example, the sun is reflected in many waterpots, but the reflections of the sun in many pots are not actually the sun. There is no actual heat and light from the sun in the pot, although it appears as the sun. But each and every one of the forms Kṛṣṇa assumed was fully Viṣṇu.
We should discuss
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
daily as much as possible, and then everything will be clarified, for
Bhāgavatam
is the essence of all Vedic literature (
nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalam
). It was written by Vyāsadeva (
mahā-muni-kṛte
) when he was self-realized. Thus the more we read
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,
the more its knowledge becomes clear. Each and every verse is transcendental.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
One should not think that all these forms were just creation of the Lord’s illusory energy. The bodies of the boys and calves were all one form of truth, knowledge, infinity and bliss without foreign mixture, and without the interruptions of time. Or the meaning can be: the calves and boys were the personification of the srutis statement: satyam vijnanam anandam brahmeti, anandam brahmano rupa (The supreme is knowledge and bliss. The form of Brahman is bliss.) Objection may be raised that the vedantists never say that Brahman has many forms and variations. But here it is stated that the seers or readers of the upanisads (upanisad drsam), because of absence of devotion, cannot understand the meaning of the upanisads, and cannot see the forms of the boys and calves (asprstah), which were full of glory.
bhaktya aham ekaya grahyah,
(I am obtainable only by devotion.)
bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah,
(I am known as I am only by devotion.)
na caksusa pasyati rupam asya
yam evaisa vrnute tena labhyas tasyesa atma vivrnute tanum svam,
(His form cannot be seen by material eye. He is attainable by one whom the Lord favorss. The Lord reveals himself to that person.)
aditya varnam tamasah parastat,
(He is effulgent, beyond darkness.)
ananda matram ajaram puranam eka santam bahudah drsyamanam
(He who is bliss itself, unborn, old and one, is seen as many.)
bahumurty eka murtika
(He appears as many and as one.)
sarve nityah sasvatas ca deha stasya paratmanah hanopadana rahita naiva prakrti jah dvacit paramananda sandoha jnana matras ca sarvatah.
(All his bodies are eternal, without materials that decay. They are not born of matter, they are filled with supreme bliss, and completely filled with knowledge.)
Like this there many statements in the sruti and smrti revealing that Brahman has non-material form and qualities, which, by the Lord’s will, are visible to the devotional eye.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Though there were many Viṣṇu forms with great variety, they were all one by being the form of the Supreme Brahman. The forms were eternal (satya) and the only forms (ekarasa) because they did not have the influence of time, since they were the cause and shelter of everything. The previous verse mentioned that kāla and svabhāva worshipped them. The śruti says sarve ‘nimiṣā jajñire vidyutaḥ puruṣād adhi: all the components of time were born from the shining puruṣa. (Nārāyaṇa Upaniṣad) The word vidyutaḥ suggests that he had great variety or that he shone. Nimeṣā means “the influence of winking or components of time.” Yo ’yaṁ kālas tasya te ’vyakta-bandho ceṣṭām āhuḥ: time is said to be your movement. (SB 10.3.26) Those forms were full of knowledge since they were non-material, full of consciousness, being self-revealing. It was already said that while Brahmā watched, those forms spontaneously manifested themselves. Na cakṣuṣā paśyati rūpam asya: the Lord’s form cannot be seen by the material eye. (Katha Upaniṣad 2.3.9) yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyas tasyaiṣa ātmā vivṛṇute tanuṁ svām: the Lord is attained by the person whom he chooses and reveals his form to him. (Katha Upaniṣad 1.2.23) Āditya-varṇaṁ tamasaḥ parastāt: the Lord is like the sun, beyond darkness. (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 3.8) Nitya-vyako ‘pi bhagavān īkṣate nija-śaktitaḥ: the Lord, though eternally manifest, can be seen only by means of his own śakti. (Nārāyaṇādhyātmya) These forms were unlimited even though they appeared to be limited, because of their inconceivable energy. Yas tv etam eva prādeṣa-mātram abhivimānam ātmānaṁ viśvām upāste: the Lord is the size of the distance between the thumb and forefinger. (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 5.18.2) Na cāntar na bahir yasya: he has not inside or outside. (SB 10.9.13) These forms were complete bliss because their forms in all parts were composed of the highest prema without restriction. It was already said:
kim etad adbhutam iva vāsudeve ’khilātmani
vrajasya sātmanas tokeṣv apūrvaṁ prema vardhate
What is this irrational phenomenon? The affection of all the inhabitants of Vraja, including me, for Kṛṣṇa, the soul and shelter of all of us, increasing as never before, is now increasing for these boys and calves. SB 10.13.36
Śruti says ānandaṁ brāhmaṇo rūpam: the form of Brahman is bliss. Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad
vidito ’si bhavān sākṣāt puruṣaḥ prakṛteḥ paraḥ
kevalānubhavānanda- svarūpaḥ sarva-buddhi-dṛk
I know you directly as the Supreme Person beyond material existence, as the impersonal Brahman, as Paramātmā and Bhagavān, full of bliss. SB 10.3.13
Though the Lord has many forms they are also one. Śruti says ānanda-mātram ajaraṁ purāṇam ekaṁ santaṁ bahudhā dṛśyamānam: the Lord is complete bliss, without old age, the olders, and a single being though seen in many forms.?? According to the Lord’s desire, he appears in a particular form though he has simultaneously unlimited forms and qualities. The forms of the boys and calves were not incidental.
maṇir yathā vibhāgena nīla-pītādibhir yutaḥ
rūpa-bhedam avāpnoti dhyāna-bhedāt tathācyutaḥ
The infallible Lord can manifest his body in different ways according to different modes of worship, just as the vaidūrya gem can manifest itself in various colors, such as blue and yellow. Nārada Pañcarātra
Śrīdhara Svāmī explains that all the forms are one (eka-rasa) in his commentary: they are all forms of the one Brahma which is sac-cid-ānanda. Therefore it will be said yajanti tvan-mayās tvāṁ vai
bahu-mūrty-eka-mūrtikam: absorbing their minds in thought of you, they worship you as the one Supreme Lord manifesting in multiple forms. (SB 10.40.7) This is equivalent to a proof from śruti since Bhāgavatam is part of the fifth Veda as a Purāṇa, with its statements concerning the Lord as satya and ānanda. Bhāgavatam is the proof since it is the essence of all scriptures:
sarva-vedānta-sāraṁ hi śrī-bhāgavatam iṣyate
tad-rasāmṛta-tṛptasya nānyatra syād ratiḥ kvacit
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is declared to be the essence of all Vedānta philosophy. One who has felt satisfaction from its sweet rasa will never be attracted to any other literature. SB 12.13.15
tad idaṁ grāhayām āsa sutam ātmavatāṁ varam |
sarva-vedetihāsānāṁ sāraṁ sāraṁ samuddhṛtam ||
Vyāsa had his son Śukadeva, best of the self-controlled, study this scripture, which is the very essence of all the Vedas and histories. SB 1.3.41
According to Śrīdhara Svāmī, the word upaniṣad does not refer to the conclusion of Vedic knowledge. Rather it means jñāna, since the word indicates the goal of sat, since it will be said atan nirasana-mukha-brahma-kamitaḥ: he is proved by the crest jewels of the Vedas which deny material qualities in Brahman (jñāna). (SB 10.13.57) This ātmā-jñāna is inferior to knowledge of the Lord for it is said yato vāco nivartane: words cannot describe him. (Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2.4.1) Words cannot describe him because he is unlimited. Ātma-jñānīs therefore cannot understand the glories of the Lord. The words bhūri-māhātmyā (possessing profuse glorious qualities) reject the idea that the Supreme Lord is without qualities. The word mātra (only sat-cid-ānanda) is used because other qualities like possessing light are also included within the Lord’s svarūpa (without having to mention them). By this word temporary material qualities are also excluded.
na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate
na tat-samaś cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate
parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate
svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca
There is no cause and effect in the Lord. None is greater than him or equal to him. His potencies are multifarious. He has innate knowledge, strength and action. Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.8
The Lord exists previous to the emergence of the material world. Sa aikṣata: he glanced at material energy. (Aitareya Upaniṣad 1.1.1)
Purport (Sanatana Goswami)
All these forms, though different in bodies, senses and actions, were also one. This shows the Vaiṣṇava concept of difference and non-difference. “How can one object be many except by illusion?” Certainly this is difficult to understand (aspṛṣṭa) for the ātmā-jñānīs. Or the glories are difficult to understand by the eyes (dṛṣām) of Upaniṣads personified on Satyaloka, who give knowledge to Brahmā. The truth, the essence of the scriptures, can be understood only by the mercy of the devotees, by special mercy of the Lord, not just by reading or studying scriptures. Therefore it is said atarkye nija-mahimani: your glories are beyond logic. (SB 10.13.57)
‘’’’’’’’’
Though there were many Viṣṇu forms with great variety, they were all one by being the form of the Supreme Brahman. The forms were eternal (satya) and the only forms (ekarasa) because they did not have the influence of time, since they were the cause and shelter of everything. The previous verse mentioned that kāla and svabhāva worshipped them. The śruti says sarve ‘nimiṣā jajñire vidyutaḥ puruṣād adhi: all the components of time were born from the shining puruṣa. (Nārāyaṇa Upaniṣad) The word vidyutaḥ suggests that he had great variety or that he shone. Nimeṣā means “the influence of winking or components of time.” Yo ’yaṁ kālas tasya te ’vyakta-bandho ceṣṭām āhuḥ: time is said to be your movement. (SB 10.3.26) Those forms were full of knowledge since they were non-material, full of consciousness, being self-revealing. It was already said that while Brahmā watched, those forms spontaneously manifested themselves. Na cakṣuṣā paśyati rūpam asya: the Lord’s form cannot be seen by the material eye. (Katha Upaniṣad 2.3.9) yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyas tasyaiṣa ātmā vivṛṇute tanuṁ svām: the Lord is attained by the person whom he chooses and reveals his form to him. (Katha Upaniṣad 1.2.23) Āditya-varṇaṁ tamasaḥ parastāt: the Lord is like the sun, beyond darkness. (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 3.8) Nitya-vyako ‘pi bhagavān īkṣate nija-śaktitaḥ: the Lord, though eternally manifest, can be seen only by means of his own śakti. (Nārāyaṇādhyātmya) These forms were unlimited even though they appeared to be limited, because of their inconceivable energy. Yas tv etam eva prādeṣa-mātram abhivimānam ātmānaṁ viśvām upāste: the Lord is the size of the distance between the thumb and forefinger. (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 5.18.2) Na cāntar na bahir yasya: he has no inside or outside. (SB 10.9.13) These forms were complete bliss because their forms in all parts were composed of the highest prema without restriction. It was already said:
kim etad adbhutam iva vāsudeve ’khilātmani
vrajasya sātmanas tokeṣv apūrvaṁ prema vardhate
What is this irrational phenomenon? The affection of all the inhabitants of Vraja, including me, for Kṛṣṇa, the soul and shelter of all of us, increasing as never before, is now increasing for these boys and calves. SB 10.13.36
Śruti says ānandaṁ brāhmaṇo rūpam: the form of Brahman is bliss. Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad
vidito ’si bhavān sākṣāt puruṣaḥ prakṛteḥ paraḥ
kevalānubhavānanda- svarūpaḥ sarva-buddhi-dṛk
I know you directly as the Supreme Person beyond material existence, as the impersonal Brahman, as Paramātmā and Bhagavān, full of bliss. SB 10.3.13
Though the Lord has many forms they are also one. Śruti says ānanda-mātram ajaraṁ purāṇam ekaṁ santaṁ bahudhā dṛśyamānam: the Lord is complete bliss, without old age, the olders, and a single being though seen in many forms. According to the Lord’s desire, he appears in a particular form though he has simultaneously unlimited forms and qualities. The forms of the boys and calves were not incidental.
maṇir yathā vibhāgena nīla-pītādibhir yutaḥ
rūpa-bhedam avāpnoti dhyāna-bhedāt tathācyutaḥ
The infallible Lord can manifest his body in different ways according to different modes of worship, just as the vaidūrya gem can manifest itself in various colors, such as blue and yellow. Nārada Pañcarātra
Śrīdhara Svāmī explains that all the forms are one (eka-rasa) in his commentary: they are all forms of the one Brahma which is sac-cid-ānanda. Therefore it will be said yajanti tvan-mayās tvāṁ vai
bahu-mūrty-eka-mūrtikam: absorbing their minds in thought of you, they worship you as the one Supreme Lord manifesting in multiple forms. (SB 10.40.7) This is equivalent to a proof from śruti since Bhāgavatam is part of the fifth Veda as a Purāṇa, with its statements concerning the Lord as satya and ānanda. Bhāgavatam is the proof since it is the essence of all scriptures:
sarva-vedānta-sāraṁ hi śrī-bhāgavatam iṣyate
tad-rasāmṛta-tṛptasya nānyatra syād ratiḥ kvacit
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is declared to be the essence of all Vedānta philosophy. One who has felt satisfaction from its sweet rasa will never be attracted to any other literature. SB 12.13.15
tad idaṁ grāhayām āsa sutam ātmavatāṁ varam |
sarva-vedetihāsānāṁ sāraṁ sāraṁ samuddhṛtam ||
Vyāsa had his son Śukadeva, best of the self-controlled, study this scripture, which is the very essence of all the Vedas and histories. SB 1.3.41
According to Śrīdhara Svāmī, the word upaniṣad does not refer to the conclusion of Vedic knowledge. Rather it means jñāna, since the word indicates the goal of sat, since it will be said atan nirasana-mukha-brahma-kamitaḥ: he is proved by the crest jewels of the Vedas which deny material qualities in Brahman (jñāna). (SB 10.13.57) This ātmā-jñāna is inferior to knowledge of the Lord for it is said yato vāco nivartane: words cannot describe him. (Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2.4.1) Words cannot describe him because he is unlimited. Ātma-jñānīs therefore cannot understand the glories of the Lord. The words bhūri-māhātmyā (possessing profuse glorious qualities) reject the idea that the Supreme Lord is without qualities. The word mātra (only sat-cid-ānanda) is used because other qualities like possessing light are also included within the Lord’s svarūpa (without having to mention them). By this word temporary material qualities are also excluded.
na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate
na tat-samaś cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate
parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate
svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca
There is no cause and effect in the Lord. None is greater than him or equal to him. His potencies are multifarious. He has innate knowledge, strength and action. Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.8
The Lord exists previous to the emergence of the material world. Sa aikṣata: he glanced at material energy. (Aitareya Upaniṣad 1.1.1)