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(a) How to realize Supreme Lord impersonally (7.8)
- Preliminarily perceived by His different energies
- He is all pervasive by diverse material and spiritual energies
- Analogy: For universal perception of the Lord by His different energies – Sun perceived by sun shine
(b) There is no contradiction between personalists and impersonalists (7.8)
- Practically speaking impersonal conception and personal conception are simultaneously present in everything and there is no contradiction.
- Lord Caitanya’s sublime doctrine – Acintya-bheda and abheda tattva.
(c) Krishna is Nirguna (not affected by the modes) – This is one of the special characteristics of Bhagavan (7.12)
- All material activities are conducted under the three modes
- These modes emanate from the Supreme Lord and He is not subordinate to them
o Analogy: king/law maker is not subject to state laws
(a) Spirit is the cause of matter
- Spirit is not created at a certain stage of material development
o Everything that exists is a product of matter and spirit
o Spirit is the basic field of creation and matter is created by the spirit
- Material world is manifested only on the basis of spiritual energy e.g.
o Child grows to boyhood and then to manhood, because of the superior energy, spirit soul
o Similarly the entire cosmic manifestation develops because of Supreme Soul – Vishnu
(b) Lord is the cause of everything
- Spirit and matter are two energies of the Lord, therefore the Lord is the original cause of everything, big (Supersoul) or small souls
- Analogy: Living entity is the cause of big skyscraper or a big factory but he cannot be the cause of the big universe (caused by big soul, the Supersoul)
- Ref. Katha Upanisad 2.2.13 – “nityo nityanam…”
(c) Refutes “life comes from chemicals” – because Krishna is the source of material energy
(d) Absolute Truth is personal or impersonal – Text 7.7 helps to solves this controversy
- Refutes “Brahman is superior to Krishna” – because Text 7.7 states “no truth is superior to Me”
- Ref. Brahma Samhita 5.1: “ishvarah paramah Krishna…”
- Impersonalists argue based on Svetasvatara Upanisad 3.10
o Their argument – The Absolute Truth has no material form based on the word “arupam”
o Our Response: Arupam indicates no material form but a transcendental form of eternity, bliss and knowledge as substantiated by Ref:
▪ Ref. Brahma Samhita
▪ Ref. Svetasvatara Upanisad 3.8-3.9
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(a) Spirit is the cause of matter
- Spirit is not created at a certain stage of material development
o Everything that exists is a product of matter and spirit
o Spirit is the basic field of creation and matter is created by the spirit
- Material world is manifested only on the basis of spiritual energy e.g.
o Child grows to boyhood and then to manhood, because of the superior energy, spirit soul
o Similarly the entire cosmic manifestation develops because of Supreme Soul – Vishnu
(b) Lord is the cause of everything
- Spirit and matter are two energies of the Lord, therefore the Lord is the original cause of everything, big (Supersoul) or small souls
- Analogy: Living entity is the cause of big skyscraper or a big factory but he cannot be the cause of the big universe (caused by big soul, the Supersoul)
- Ref. Katha Upanisad 2.2.13 – “nityo nityanam…”
(c) Refutes “life comes from chemicals” – because Krishna is the source of material energy
(d) Absolute Truth is personal or impersonal – Text 7.7 helps to solves this controversy
- Refutes “Brahman is superior to Krishna” – because Text 7.7 states “no truth is superior to Me”
- Ref. Brahma Samhita 5.1: “ishvarah paramah Krishna…”
- Impersonalists argue based on Svetasvatara Upanisad 3.10
o Their argument – The Absolute Truth has no material form based on the word “arupam”
o Our Response: Arupam indicates no material form but a transcendental form of eternity, bliss and knowledge as substantiated by Ref:
▪ Ref. Brahma Samhita
▪ Ref. Svetasvatara Upanisad 3.8-3.9
(a) The Living entity belongs to the superior nature/energy of the Lord – Because
- They are exploiting the resources of material inferior nature for different purposes
- Quality of their existence is one and the same with the Supreme Lord but not in the quantity of power (Ref. Chapter 2 explains that the living entity is spiritual)
(b) Material nature is the inferior energy – It is manifested as 5 gross and 3 subtle elements
(c) Preaching application – God and Jiva are never equal, Because
- Jiva being the energy is always under the control of energetic and has no independent existence
- Jiva tends to get influenced by matter, while God never gets so
- Supporting Ref. SB 10.87.30: Acknowledges living entities as the minute energies of the Lord
(d) Cosmic manifestation works only because of superior energy, living entity – proves that living entity is superior to matter and equal in quality to the Lord
- Tends to come under the influence of matter – This is the cause of forgetting the spiritual mind and intelligence
(e) Real liberation (Mukti) – involves:
- Surrender by living entity to God’s control
o This is the path to real happiness
o Only then can they be controllers
- To be free from influence of illusory material energy
- Free from false ego (“I and mine”) and all material conceptions, even conception of being one with God
(f) Conclusion: Bhagavad-gita confirms living entity to be one of the multi energies of Krishna
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(a) The Living entity belongs to the superior nature/energy of the Lord – Because
- They are exploiting the resources of material inferior nature for different purposes
- Quality of their existence is one and the same with the Supreme Lord but not in the quantity of power (Ref. Chapter 2 explains that the living entity is spiritual)
(b) Material nature is the inferior energy – It is manifested as 5 gross and 3 subtle elements
(c) Preaching application – God and Jiva are never equal, Because
- Jiva being the energy is always under the control of energetic and has no independent existence
- Jiva tends to get influenced by matter, while God never gets so
- Supporting Ref. SB 10.87.30: Acknowledges living entities as the minute energies of the Lord
(d) Cosmic manifestation works only because of superior energy, living entity – proves that living entity is superior to matter and equal in quality to the Lord
- Tends to come under the influence of matter – This is the cause of forgetting the spiritual mind and intelligence
(e) Real liberation (Mukti) – involves:
- Surrender by living entity to God’s control
o This is the path to real happiness
o Only then can they be controllers
- To be free from influence of illusory material energy
- Free from false ego (“I and mine”) and all material conceptions, even conception of being one with God
(f) Conclusion: Bhagavad-gita confirms living entity to be one of the multi energies of Krishna
(a) Description of material energy
- It is the ‘separated’ energy – It is the inferior energy
- Principally consists of eight elements (memorise them) – Gross (5), Subtle (3)
o These eight elements expand into 24 elements
▪ 5 gross, 3 subtle, 5 sense objects, 10 senses and the unmanifested modes
- It is the energy of the Lord in His different purusa incarnations (Ref. Satvata tantra)
(b) Knowledge of 3 Vishnus – Anyone who knows these 3 Vishnus can be liberated from material entanglement
- ‘Maha-Vishnu’– Creates mahat-tattva to begin material manifestation
- ‘Garbhodakasayi Vishnu’ – Enters into each universe to make diversities within it
- ‘Kshirodakasayi Vishnu’ – Enters into each atom of the universe as Supersoul
(c) Preaching Application: Recognize the factual enjoyer – material nature, being the energy of the Lord in His different Purusa incarnations, is meant for the enjoyment of the Supreme Energetic and not the living entity
- Result of ignorance of science of God – One assumes this world for his own enjoyment
(d) Different levels of understandings of material energy
- Material science – It comprises only 10 items (5 gross elements and 5 sense objects) and nothing more
- Philosophers – They deal with the mental activities
o They are also not perfect in knowledge – because they do not know the ultimate source, Krishna
- Atheistic Sankhya Philosophy
o What do they discuss – 8 energies expanded into 24 elements of the material world;
The subject matter for discussion is only the manifestation of the external energy of Krishna, without considering the connection with Krishna
o What knowledge do they lack – Krishna as the cause of all causes
(e) Basic Principle of Material Existence – ‘False ego’
- It includes ten sense organs for material activities
(f) Intelligence – Refers to the total material creation, called maha-tattva
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(a) Description of material energy
- It is the ‘separated’ energy – It is the inferior energy
- Principally consists of eight elements (memorise them) – Gross (5), Subtle (3)
o These eight elements expand into 24 elements
▪ 5 gross, 3 subtle, 5 sense objects, 10 senses and the unmanifested modes
- It is the energy of the Lord in His different purusa incarnations (Ref. Satvata tantra)
(b) Knowledge of 3 Vishnus – Anyone who knows these 3 Vishnus can be liberated from material entanglement
- ‘Maha-Vishnu’– Creates mahat-tattva to begin material manifestation
- ‘Garbhodakasayi Vishnu’ – Enters into each universe to make diversities within it
- ‘Kshirodakasayi Vishnu’ – Enters into each atom of the universe as Supersoul
(c) Preaching Application: Recognize the factual enjoyer – material nature, being the energy of the Lord in His different Purusa incarnations, is meant for the enjoyment of the Supreme Energetic and not the living entity
- Result of ignorance of science of God – One assumes this world for his own enjoyment
(d) Different levels of understandings of material energy
- Material science – It comprises only 10 items (5 gross elements and 5 sense objects) and nothing more
- Philosophers – They deal with the mental activities
o They are also not perfect in knowledge – because they do not know the ultimate source, Krishna
- Atheistic Sankhya Philosophy
o What do they discuss – 8 energies expanded into 24 elements of the material world;
The subject matter for discussion is only the manifestation of the external energy of Krishna, without considering the connection with Krishna
o What knowledge do they lack – Krishna as the cause of all causes
(e) Basic Principle of Material Existence – ‘False ego’
- It includes ten sense organs for material activities
(f) Intelligence – Refers to the total material creation, called maha-tattva