Text 13: But the pious activities of the people, such as performance of Vedic rituals, charity, austere penances and transcendental service, performed with a view to worship You and satisfy You by offering You the fruitive results, are also beneficial. Such acts of religion never go in vain.
Text 14: Let me offer my obeisances unto the Supreme Transcendence, who is eternally distinguished by His internal potency. His indistinguishable impersonal feature is realized by intelligence for self-realization. I offer my obeisances unto Him who by His pastimes enjoys the creation, maintenance and dissolution of the cosmic manifestation.
Text 15: Let me take shelter of the lotus feet of Him whose incarnations, qualities and activities are mysterious imitations of worldly affairs. One who invokes His transcendental names, even unconsciously, at the time he quits this life, is certainly washed immediately of the sins of many, many births and attains Him without fail.
Text 16: Your Lordship is the prime root of the tree of the planetary systems. This tree has grown by first penetrating the material nature in three trunks — as me, Śiva and You, the Almighty — for creation, maintenance and dissolution, and we three have grown with many branches. Therefore I offer my obeisances unto You, the tree of the cosmic manifestation.
Śrīdhara Svāmi-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Vyākhyā
Since you are not very pleased with those who have desires, therefore the attainment of desires is not the highest fruit of actions, but only pleasing you. The connection with desires is mentioned as an intermediate fruit for encouragement. For men, worshipping you, the Lord, is both the means and the supreme fruit of action. The reason for its superiority: Where dharma is offered to you, it never perishes or is destroyed, but dharma done for desire perishes after giving the desired result. This is the meaning. || 13 ||
Therefore we bow to you alone, he says. Always, by the very nature of consciousness, to him whose delusion of difference is removed, and again, whose intellect is knowledge itself, or for whom knowledge itself is the support, therefore to the Supreme. The reason for this: To you, whose play is the sport of māyā (illusion), which is the cause of the origin etc. of the universe, and whose play is rāsa (divine dance), to you we have made this obeisance. || 14 ||
He makes obeisance, revealing the lordship that grants liberation merely by uttering the name. Of whom: There are imitations of incarnations etc. in which, among those, the imitations of incarnations are "Son of Devakī" etc., the imitations of qualities are "Omniscient", "Affectionate to devotees" etc., the imitations of actions are "Lifter of Govardhana", "Enemy of Kaṃsa" etc. Even at the departure of life, even though helpless, they utter only these; they attain the pure, sinless, unveiled Brahman (absolute reality). || 15 ||
Showing the qualities, incarnations and actions there, he bows. He who indeed is one with three feet, whose three feet are Brahmā and others, and whose thighs are the main branches, and sub-branches are in the form of Marīci and others, Manu and others, being such, he grew. To him, the tree in the form of the worlds, obeisance. How did he grow? Having himself as the root, the foundation, having split that primordial nature, dividing it into the form of three qualities, he states the very state of having three feet. "I am Brahmā, and the Lord of Mountains, and Viṣṇu the all-pervading myself" - thus being the causes of maintenance, creation and dissolution, we, having become three-footed, he grew. This is the meaning. || 16 ||
Śrī Vaṃśīdhara-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Prakāśa Vyākhyā
Since those who are desireless are superior in devotion, therefore even when unable to perform pure devotion, devotion in the form of offering worldly and Vedic actions, which has become primary, should be performed without desire, he says - By various actions, worldly and Vedic, by sacrifices etc. offered to you, worship, as instructed by the Lord in "Whatever you do, whatever you eat". This is the meaning. Here, in primary devotion, offering of all worldly and Vedic actions; in secondary, only Vedic, not worldly; in pure, offering of only worldly, like hearing and chanting stories etc. This difference should be noted. The use of hṛ (to take away) in the passive sense is hriyate. This is the meaning - in serving perishable dharma, nothing is accomplished. This is the idea. || 13 ||
Because dharma offered to you is not taken away, therefore, by the very nature of consciousness, like Agastya, the ocean of delusion of difference is drunk up, difference between you and living beings etc. is not possible - this delusion is removed. Thus say Viśvanātha and Gosvāmin. And Tīrtha says: By knowledge of one's true nature alone, as per the śruti "I knew that Brahman, I am Brahman", for whom the delusion of difference is completely drunk up, for whom the sixfold delusion of incompleteness of the Lord etc. is properly removed. "Ignorance of the Lord's completeness, lordship of anyone other than Viṣṇu, difference in his incarnations, and the living being's lordship, also the Lord's state of being a living being, and non-difference between them and matter - this is called the delusion of difference. It never exists in Hari. For others, by his grace, it gradually goes away, even for the good." Thus according to the text of that doctrine. Vidyāśakti means intellect. Relying on a different meaning in a different gender for the word dhiṣaṇā, he says alternatively. Dhiṣaṇa means living being, as per the lexicon "dhiṣaṇā means intellect, support, woman". Therefore, because it is the support of consciousness alone, here supremacy is to be known through observing the play. Or, addressing as the cause: O Cause! To him whose rāsa (divine dance) is play, meaning the special dance with the gopīs (cowherd women), as per the śruti "At the end of half of Brahmā's life, he awoke, my cowherd form appeared before", and as previously stated "Showing the lotus feet that fulfill all desires". Even among the forms with attributes, Kṛṣṇa's supreme completeness and supreme shelter is indicated. To indicate that due to the heap of past merits, the vision of the Lord is obtained even now, the perfect tense cakṛma is used. || 14 ||
By "etc." Yaśodānandana etc. are included. By the second "etc." Dīnabandhu etc. are included. By the third "etc." Setukārī etc. are included. At the departure of life means at the time of death. By this, even for those who are like the lame, lacking even a trace of worship of the worshipable, by giving his own abode, your equal mercifulness is not found elsewhere - this is suggested. Or, similar to incarnations etc. means having equal power to them. This is the idea. Or, even imitation of incarnations etc. in actors etc. Or, imitations of incarnations etc. means imitations of incarnations because they denote special living beings like one's brother, son etc. There, "This is Kṛṣṇa, this is Rāma, this is Nārāyaṇa" etc. are imitations of incarnations; "Very merciful, Friend of the poor, Dāmodara" etc. are imitations of qualities; "Govinda, Holder of the mountain, Slayer of Madhu" etc. are imitations of actions. Like Ajāmila etc. they only utter, they do not meditate. Ṛtam (truth) means the Lord who is existence-consciousness-bliss alone, as it is explained in the same way in "What the Lord said as truth for the purification of the self, showing the form to Brahmā". || 15 ||
Now the quality-incarnations are Brahmā and others. This is the meaning: As per the śruti "He who is one alone became a form corresponding to each form", having become many forms, he attained the state of the form of the universe - to him obeisance. This is the idea. Here vibhu means Viṣṇu. And svayam means: By the use of the word svayam for Viṣṇu, it is indicated that Viṣṇu does not have an intrinsic difference based on qualities like Brahmā and Śiva. Or, those who are Aham (I) etc., who are themselves the root, the cause of even the self, and who alone, having split, having attained division made by their own power, became three-footed, first in the form of three worlds, then with large branches in the form of fourteen worlds - to that tree in the form of the worlds, all-pervading, obeisance. Thus the cosmic form is stated. || 16 ||
Śrī Rādhā Ramaṇa dāsa Gosvāmi Viracitā Dīpanī Vyākhyā
Pleasing [the Lord] alone is worship, which is the supreme fruit. The connection with desires like "One who desires heaven should perform sacrifices" etc. is a mental construct. For the sake of allurement through secondary fruits, like enticing a child with pieces of candy etc., dharma in the form of sacrifices etc. does not perish, but rather transforms into worship - this is the meaning. || 13 ||
Therefore, since your pleasure is the highest human goal, for one in whom the delusion of differences like similar and dissimilar has been dispelled by knowledge which is of the nature of the self, by consciousness which is of the nature of the self; for such a one, elsewhere the power of knowledge is of a material nature, but in the Lord it is the power of consciousness itself which is the power of knowledge. To avoid the appearance of redundancy due to bodha and dhiṣaṇā being synonyms in the first part, [the text] says yadvā. Thus, for one who is the shelter of knowledge which is of the nature of the self, which is the power of knowledge, and therefore for one who is beyond māyā by being the shelter of the power of consciousness, as stated by Śrī Arjuna: "Transcending māyā by the power of consciousness, established in the self in kaivalya". Here, in the Supreme, vilāsa refers to the specific functions of rajas etc. that produce the activities of creation etc. By that play, and by devotion in the form of bowing etc. alone, your pleasure [arises], not otherwise - this is the meaning. || 14 ||
By ādi, [the text includes] qualities like Yaśodānanda etc. By ādi again, [it includes] merciful, friend of the afflicted, Dāmodara etc. By ādi again, [it includes] Govinda, Madhusūdana etc. By api in asuvi-game'pi, it indicates the capability even at that time only, even with impure syllables. Vivaśā api - "vaśaḥ kāntā" according to Amarasiṃha, meaning even without their will, like Ajāmila etc., due to some other reason - this is the meaning. Therefore they merely utter, but do not grasp the sweetness of the meaning etc. || 16 ||
There, among those karmas, by supplying "having become thus", the connection is made, due to [avoiding] prolixity - this is stated as the meaning. || 16 ||
Śrīmad Vīrarāghava Vyākhyā
Since He is not very pleased by acts done with desired fruits, therefore all actions should be performed in the guise of worshipping the Lord - this is stated in puṃsām iti. Since actions done with desired fruits do not cause the Lord's pleasure, and since only meditation on the all-pervading Brahman causes His pleasure, therefore for men who wish to worship the Lord, by various Vedic and Smārta rituals like sacrifices etc. - dāna etc. are shown as examples; austerities, difficult vows, observance of the cāndrāyaṇa vow etc. - by these, worship of You, the Lord, is the purpose of good deeds, meaning all actions should be performed solely for the purpose of Your worship. The performance of such actions leads to imperishable results, [the text] states. Dharma in the form of sacrifices etc., when offered to You with the understanding that it is solely for Your worship and not for heavenly fruits etc., never perishes in any way at any time, meaning it becomes the cause of eternal human goals through devotion to the Lord. As the Lord states in the Gītā: "In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little of this dharma protects one from great fear." || 13 ||
Having thus stated that karma yoga performed without desire for fruits, in the form of worship of the Lord, leads to imperishable results, [the text] now offers salutations intending to convey that it should be practiced with knowledge of the true nature of the self as distinct from prakṛti, that both are auxiliary to devotion to the Lord, and that devotion has the Lord as its object cause: śaśvad iti. Śaśvat - always; by the light of one's own nature alone, meaning by knowledge of the true nature of the self as distinct from prakṛti alone; bheda - differences like deva, human etc.; moha - ignorance in the form of the delusion of identifying with the body etc., by ādi suffering etc. produced by that are intended; for yogis in whom these differences etc. are dispelled; avabodha - knowledge pertaining to one's own nature; dhiṣaṇā - intellect characterized by devotion to the Lord; these two are the means for attaining Him; to Him who has these - meaning to Him who is the object of devotion which is auxiliary to jñāna yoga and karma yoga, offered by yogis whose differences, delusion etc. which are worldly qualities are dispelled by knowledge of the true nature of the self as distinct from prakṛti. Or, in the dative reading, to Him in whom differences like deva, human etc. and delusion are not contacted due to the manifestation of His true nature, meaning to Him who, though situated as the inner Self, is untouched by faults belonging to the non-Self. Therefore parasmae - beyond prakṛti and puruṣa; the reason: He who has rasa (delight) in the play which is the cause of the maintenance and dissolution of the universe - to that Lord, the controller, whose sole purpose is His own play, which is inconceivable for prakṛti and puruṣa. By this, it is intended that only meditation on the Lord who is distinct from and the controller of prakṛti and puruṣa, and the cause of the universe, is the means to liberation. To You who are thus, we offer salutations. || 14 ||
If it is objected that for one who is complete and has all desires fulfilled, even play is not a fitting reason for engaging with the universe, intending to convey that it is consistent due to His desire to uplift worldly souls afflicted by the fear of existence, and revealing that recitation of His incarnations' qualities and deeds is a means to attain Him, [the text] takes refuge: yasya iti. Those who, even while helpless at the time of death, utter imitations of Your incarnations' qualities and deeds like "Son of Devakī", "Descendant of Daśaratha", "All-knowing", "Affectionate to devotees", "Lifter of Govardhana", "Slayer of Kaṃsa", "Destroyer of Rāvaṇa" etc., immediately abandon the impurity of many births in the form of merit and sin, and attain You, the unborn, free from birth etc. dependent on karma - I take refuge in You as the means. By this it is intended that devotion, remembrance at death etc. are merely the cause of His grace, but the Lord Himself is the means. As it is heard: "He is the bridge to immortality" - bridge means that by which one crosses over. The Lord engages with the universe only out of desire to uplift [souls] who would cross over by remembering His names etc. which reveal His incarnations, qualities and deeds - this is the purport. || 15 ||
Let there be the glorification of the Lord's qualities. Although it is a means to attain Him, how can the activities of creation etc. be a playful pleasure for the universal origin, sustenance and dissolution, since it is heard that Brahmā and others are the agents of these activities? To answer this, he says "ya" (who).
First, the one indivisible in name and form, who is the cause and agent of sustenance, origin and dissolution, the all-pervading Lord himself - I Brahmā, Giriśa Rudra - who is indeed the Lord, meaning he has the form of avatāras (avatārarūpa) in between Hiraṇyagarbha and Rudra. By "himself" it is indicated that he performs sustenance in his avatāra form, and creation-dissolution by entering into the jīvas (jīvāntaḥpraveśena) called Brahmā and Rudra, as remembered in "I will then create". Or "for sustenance-origin-dissolution" is in the dative case, meaning "by becoming Hiraṇyagarbha-Rudra-avatāra for the agency of sustenance etc." "Ātmamūla" means that which has the Self as its root, i.e. uncaused. Having abandoned or transcended such threefold glory, or if the reading is "bhittvā" (breaking), the meaning is the same.
Or, as the threefold cause of sustenance etc. in the form of avatāras etc., having transformed the pradhāna which is rooted in the Self into the totality of mahat etc. up to individuals, he who grew thus with many offshoots in the form of devas, animals, humans, plants etc., with branches, sub-branches, leaves, flowers, fruits - to that Lord who is like a cosmic tree, obeisance. The intention is that you alone perform the activities of creation etc. in the form of Hiraṇyagarbha etc. || 16 ||
Śrīmad Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha-kṛtā Pada Ratnāvalī Vyākhyā
Not only is that done without desire a producer of the Lord's grace, but also what is offered to the Lord, as he says "puṃsām". Where dharma called adṛṣṭa, whose purpose is your worship, is not offered to you by men in sacrifices etc., their worship of the Lord performed with sacrifices etc. does not produce grace - this is the connection. || 13 ||
The saṃsāra (saṃsāra) which arises from ignorance of Hari's true nature and whose end is not known must be counteracted by meditation incorporating His qualities, as he says "śaśvad". To refute the notion that there is sometimes duality delusion like for Devadatta, he says "śaśvad". For one who has drunk the duality delusion through self-knowledge alone without instruction from others, as per the śruti "He knew Brahman, I am Brahman", who has fully dispelled the sixfold duality delusion of God's imperfection etc.:
"Knowledge of God's imperfection, lordship of another besides Viṣṇu,
Difference in His avatāras, the soul's lordship,
Also God's being a soul, non-difference from matter -
This is called duality delusion, never for Hari,
For others it goes gradually by His grace, even for the good."
Though there is no delusion for Him inherently, with a material intellect it may occur, so he says "bodha". For one whose intellect is of the nature of transcendent knowledge. But this applies to the soul also, so he says "parasmai". Being different from that due to having a fixed time and nature, being free from its troubles, the soul being under its control, under karma's control, immersed in it, that extraordinary object cannot be known without its defining characteristics, so thinking thus he bows to the one characterized by world-creatorship etc. saying "viśve". For the pleasure garden of the playful sport which is the instrumental cause, to you who have such characteristics. What is his name? So he says "īśvarāya". The use of the perfect tense in "cakrame" indicates that even now he has obtained the Lord's vision due to merit accumulated in previous births. || 14 ||
The view that even the course of the Lord's avatāras is not known is faulty, since the avatāras are seen to have the ability to grant liberation etc. like the original form, therefore he says "yasya". Just as there is no delusion of difference in avatāras for Hari, by His grace there is none for His devotees either - indicating this, he praises "yasya". At the difficult time of death, those overcome with devotion - this shows the power of previous practice:
"Those who chant only Viṣṇu's name, overcome with devotion,
Quickly attain liberation, what then of those who always meditate?"
Since it is established by the a fortiori argument, though there is no liberation then due to strong obstacles, it is certain at another time, so "sahasa". "Apāvṛtam" means free from the covering of delusive māyā. "Ṛtam" means unchanging in creation, dissolution etc., the cause of this being "ajam" (unborn). || 15 ||
To remove the doubt of how the creation etc. of the world is a pleasure garden for Hari when Brahmā and Śiva who are the causes of creation and dissolution are awake, he says "yo vā". The "ca" words indicate conjunction - Ananta, Vaikuṇṭha, the milk ocean, the three abodes of Hari etc. "Ātmamūlāḥ" means those whose root cause is the Self, Nārāyaṇa. He who is the all-pervading Viṣṇu himself, or I the inner controller called Brahmā, and the inner controller of Śiva called Giriśa, having become the causes of sustenance, origin and dissolution, descending and having many offshoots in the created objects due to their variety, as the inner controller he grew in many forms - to him who is the cosmic tree, obeisance - this is the connection. Fearing that change is implied by the tree analogy, the four-faced one says this is not a changeable worldly tree, but has a form of sovereignty etc., so it is said thus for the Buddha avatāra - this is the intention. By "vā", indicating the scriptural proof:
"Brahmā is Viṣṇu's serpent form, but controlled by Him.
The fish etc. forms are His own nature, never otherwise."
It is indicated that like the fish etc., these two are not directly His essential form. || 16 ||
Śrīmaj Jīva Gosvāmi-kṛtā Krama Sandarbha Vyākhyā
Let alone being desireless in worship, it is best to be desireless even in various actions. This is stated in "puṁsām" etc. Ārādhana means pleasing. The meaning is that it does not perish, but always remains giving pleasure to you. [13] *
"Śaśvad" etc. By your essential power, distinctly swallowing up the delusion of difference between you and the living entities etc., to you who are thus determined as different from them. Hence, to you who are possessed of knowledge, not sometimes possessed of ignorance like a living entity. [14] * *
"Yasyāvatāra" etc. "Even when departing" indicates the subtle state and impure nature at that time. "Helpless" means without their wish, by some other cause. Vaśa means beloved, according to Amara. He states the reason for such power in "avatāra" etc. The meaning is that they are similar to incarnations and equal in power to them. There, the imitations of incarnations are like "nṛsiṁha" etc., the imitations of qualities are like "bhaktavatsala" etc., and the imitations of activities are like "govardhanadhara" etc. Ṛtam means the Supreme Lord who is of the nature of existence, consciousness and bliss. As it is said: "What the Lord spoke as truth, for purification of the essence of the self, showing the form to Brahmā." [15] [16]
Śrīmad Viśvanātha Cakravarti-kṛtā Sārārtha darśinī Vyākhyā
Since the desireless are superior in devotion, therefore even when unable to perform pure devotion, devotion in the form of offering worldly and Vedic actions, which has become primary, should also be desireless. This is stated in "puṁsām" etc. The meaning is that worship through various worldly and Vedic actions offered to you is taught by the Lord in "Whatever you do, whatever you eat" etc. Here the difference should be understood that in primary devotion all worldly and Vedic actions are offered, in secondary devotion only Vedic actions are offered, not worldly ones, and in pure devotion only hearing, chanting etc. are offered as causes. The purpose of good actions is that very action offered to you never perishes, but transforms into worship. But actions for desires give the desires and then perish. [13] * *
Having thus described two types of worship for devotees, he offers obeisance to the two forms to be worshipped by the previously described jñāni-bhaktas: To him in whom the ocean of delusion in difference is always swallowed up by essential consciousness itself, as if by Agastya, to him who is the cause of knowledge, i.e. experience of the essential form, to that formless essence we offer obeisance; and to him who has pleasure (rāsa) in playfully glancing at the material cause of universal creation etc., to that form with attributes. Or, O cause! To him who has rāsa, a special dance with the gopīs, in play. As it is said in śruti: "At the end of parārdha, he thought 'I appeared before in the dress of a cowherd'." And as previously stated: "Showing the lotus feet that fulfill all desires." Among the forms with attributes also, the supreme shelter of the Śrī Kṛṣṇa form is indicated due to its supreme perfection. [14]
Describing the supreme merciful power of giving his own abode even to animal-like people merely by the semblance of the name, without even a trace of knowledge of the aforementioned worshipable and worship, he expresses his own surrender to the form with attributes in "yasya" etc. "Similar to incarnations" means equal in power to them, according to Sandarbha. Or, imitations of incarnations etc. means acting like them even in actors etc. Or, imitations of incarnations etc. means inappropriate to incarnations etc. as they refer to special living entities like one's brothers, sons etc. There, names like "This is Kṛṣṇa, this is Rāma, this is Nārāyaṇa" etc. are imitations of incarnations. Names like "merciful, friend of the poor, Dāmodara" etc. are imitations of qualities. Names like "Govinda, Giridhara, Madhusūdana" etc. are imitations of activities. People who, like Ajāmila, even helplessly at the time of death, merely utter these names, have their sins destroyed and attain Ṛta, the Supreme Lord of the nature of existence, consciousness and bliss. As it is explained similarly in "What the Lord spoke as truth, for purification of the essence of the self, showing the form to Brahmā." [15] Not only do I alone surrender, but since all, starting from mahat, have originated from you, surrender to you is appropriate for all - indicating this, he offers obeisance. He who is indeed one, having three feet, whose trunks are the three Brahmā etc., whose thighs are Marīci and other Manus, whose branches and sub-branches are thus, grew. Doing what? Having split the pradhāna which has the self as its root, i.e. cause, dividing it into the three guṇas, he states the three-footed nature itself in "aham" etc. The causes of creation etc. are indicated as appropriate. Here, by using the word svayam for Viṣṇu in "vibhu, viṣṇu, svayam", it is indicated that Viṣṇu does not have an intrinsic difference based on qualities, unlike Brahmā and Śiva. Or, he who is indeed aham etc., he who is indeed the root, i.e. cause, of even himself, and he who indeed, having split, i.e. having obtained division made by his own power, became three-footed, first in the form of three worlds, then with thighs and shoots in the form of fourteen worlds - obeisance to that tree in the form of the universes. Thus the cosmic form is stated. [16]
Śrīmac Chukadeva-kṛta Siddhānta Pradīpaḥ
Even worship with desires does not greatly please the Lord, so what need be said about desire-motivated actions not pleasing Him? Therefore all actions should be done for worshipping the Lord, as stated in "puṃsām" etc. Since even desire-motivated worship does not greatly please the Lord, therefore for people, worship of You through various actions like charity etc. is the best purpose of action and fruit of action, where dharma offered to You is never destroyed or lost, but yields imperishable fruits. [13]
Bowing again to the Lord whose actions yield imperishable fruits, he praises Him by describing His nature and qualities in eight verses starting with "śaśvad" etc. We bow to Him who always dispels the delusion of differences through the radiance of His all-pervading nature, whose intelligence is consciousness itself, who sports playfully with the powers that are the causes of the universe's creation etc. [14]
Those who at the time of death utter His names which imitate His incarnations etc., immediately abandon the impurities of many births as well as merits, and attain the uncovered Truth (Brahman). Imitations of incarnations etc. are shown in the first and second skandhas, like "kumāra" etc. for incarnations, "akhaṇḍa brahmacaryavān" etc. for qualities, "vinaṣṭajñāna pravartaka" etc. for actions. [15]
We bow to that world-tree, who is indeed one, the self with unexpanded conscious and unconscious powers, the root of pradhāna; who, breaking pradhāna, divides it into forms like rajas etc.; who as the all-pervading controller of sattva, rajo-yuk ta ahaṃ, tamo-yukta giriśa, is thus the three causes of maintenance etc., having three trunks, with many offshoots like Marīci etc., and who grew thus. [16]
Śrīmad Vallabhācārya Viracitā Subodhinī Vyākhyā
Concluding the previous exposition, he says "puṃsām" etc. For this reason, this alone is the purpose with action for people - worship of You. Through various worldly and Vedic actions, through sacrifices etc., through charity etc. Causes of pleasing deities are described. Charity is a cause of pleasing humans, severe austerity is for pleasing oneself or the body, observances are for the inner faculties. Thus all actions, worldly and otherworldly, become forms of worship of You or causes thereof. Then there is purpose with action, it becomes the fruit of prescribed actions. If dharma is an independent fruit, being a human goal or cause of prosperity and liberation, how is it said that if all is worship of God then that is the fruit? To this he says "dharmo 'rpita". Dharma offered to You is never destroyed. Dharma done for fruit or independently is heard to be destroyed by statements like "dharma decays by glorification", "it destroys past merit", "merit perishes in a year" etc. But if God is worshipped by it, then being determined for God's work, having become eternal through connection with God, it is never destroyed as it is needed for giving imperishable fruits. [13]
Having thus expounded the meaning of all scriptures, he bows to the Lord in six verses starting with "śaśvad". There are six forms of the Lord to be bowed to, prior to this from Brahmā. Of these this is one form, Nārāyaṇa reclining on Śeṣa is the second, Puruṣa with all principles is the third, Time is the fourth, Sacrifice is the fifth, Puruṣottama is the sixth. Among these, he bows to this form seen in the heart by declaring its necessary qualities. Thinking this reclining form may sometimes be of the nature of delusion, he describes its freedom from delusion etc. Or this is the imperishable form. He will describe the reclining form in two verses later. Śaśvat - always, by the radiance of His own nature alone, by His self-luminous splendor alone, greatly drunk are difference and delusion by whom. Only these two establish being a jīva - difference and delusion. The jīva is different and deluded. Thus distinctness from jīvas is by absence of faults. He states distinctness by qualities: bodhadhiṣaṇāya - whose intelligence is consciousness alone. But jīvas have inert intellect. Thus to the supreme controller of all. Being the controller is the reason for bowing here. Having thus stated the nature, he states the activity: For whom there is play through the sport that is the instrumental cause in the creation, maintenance and dissolution of the universe; or who has an abundance of rasa in that [sport]. You alone who are of imperishable nature are this, not another - saying thus he bows: "te idaṃ namaścakram". Pointing to this bow being made, he says "idam". By "cakram" he indicates "I bow along with all jīvas contained within myself". To indicate this bowing is for instruction, he says "īśvarāya". He alone is omnipotent, otherwise how could a jīva perform His work without His grace? [14]
One who bows to the puruṣa (person) bows to all puruṣāvatāras (incarnations of the Supreme Person). Or, in the previous verse, there was bowing through glorification of the general form of the Lord, while here there are six specifics. Among those, first are the avatāras beginning with Puruṣa. Someone might doubt that "they were born", so to remove that, he bows while refuting those faults, saying "yasya" (whose). The avatāras imitate qualities and actions, so "O son of Devakī! O compassionate one! O brave lifter of Govardhana!" - those who utter such names even involuntarily at the time of death, instantly abandoning the many impurities accumulated before, attain the open, unobstructed, true Brahman form. Thus he says "tam" (to him), bowing to the one who is the cause of all puruṣārthas (goals of life) for all: "aja" (unborn) indicates absence of birth. "tam" indicates absence of qualities and actions. Those of the same kind consider something to be of the same kind, so for those who are born, have qualities and perform actions, only something similar to themselves is pleasing. So by displaying such birth, qualities and actions, he liberates them, but he himself does not have such birth, qualities or actions. Therefore I take refuge in him who has a faultless, perfect form - thus bowing and taking refuge have the same meaning. (15)
Having thus bowed to the puruṣa, he now bows to the first puruṣa along with all principles, saying "yo vā aham" (I who am). The connection is: Obeisance to that Lord who grew as the three-footed world-tree. He states the three feet: "I am Brahmā", and by "ca" (and) Tapas etc.; Giriśa is Mahādeva, and by "ca" Adharma etc.; Vibhu means capable; Svayam means the protector Viṣṇu. He states their function: "causes of maintenance, creation and dissolution". These are the three. "Vai" means certainly. The puruṣa himself, breaking through his root prakṛti (nature) of the three-footed self, grew in the form of mahat etc. or in the form of Marīci etc. "Whose shoots are extensive" - his shoots are below and above. Below in the middle of the universe are the earth etc. and Kaśyapa etc.; above are the coverings. Thus the Lord who is denoted by all words, who has the form of the world-tree, is the wish-fulfilling tree - obeisance to him. (16)
Śrīmad Gosvāmi Śrī Puruṣottama Caraṇa Viracitaḥ Śrī Subodhinī Prakāśaḥ
On "puṃsām" - "tadvhetavaḥ" means causes of worship. (13)
On "śaśvad" - "From this Brahmā" means from the four-faced one, as he is the topic. Accepting that the reclining form is described first, they state an alternative view based on definition: "athavā" etc. Here with the reclining having two forms, there are only five forms. (14)
On "yasya" - Accepting the meaning of "parasmai" in the previous verse as "the one detached and indifferent", they state an alternative view: "athavā" etc. In this view, there are seven verses describing the form. "Sarvapuruṣārthaṃ hetukartāram" means the creator of the qualities and actions that are the causes of all human goals. "Guṇakarmābhāva" means since he himself manifests in that form, there is absence of those due to it being mere imitation. They explain this further saying "sajātīyāḥ" etc. (15)
On "yo vā" - "Having bowed to the puruṣa" means having bowed to the second puruṣa who is the Imperishable. "The protector Viṣṇu" - here also in the original "svayaṃ ca", the "ca" should be understood to include dharma etc. (16)
Śrī Giridhara-kṛtā Bāla Prabodhinī
Since you are not very pleased with those who have desires, therefore the highest purpose of action for people is only worship of you, O Lord, through various Vedic and worldly actions like sacrifices etc., through charity, through severe austerities like kṛcchra and cāndrāyaṇa, through vows like observing ekādaśī etc. The reason for it being highest is stated: "dharma" - dharma in the form of worldly and otherworldly actions, when offered to you with the intention of pleasing you, is never destroyed even after a long time, but culminates in the four goals of dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa. But when performed with desire, it gives only the particular desired fruit and then perishes. As stated by the Lord: "Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer, whatever you give, whatever austerity you perform, O son of Kuntī, do that as an offering to Me. In this, there is no loss of the initial effort, nor is there adverse reaction. Even a little of this dharma protects one from great fear." (13)
Having thus praised the Lord after ascertaining the conclusion of all scriptures, and resolving some effectiveness in worship etc. of this supreme blissful form, he bows with six verses beginning "śaśvad". The connection is: Again and again I offer obeisance to You, the Supreme Person. He explains the status of Supreme Person: "śaśvad" - to Him whose difference and delusion are completely destroyed by the ever-shining light of His own nature, meaning He has no notion of being different from the bound souls, nor any superimposition of the material body, senses etc. "Whose intellect is consciousness alone" - while for souls the intellect is inert, as stated "intellect and prāṇa are of the nature of tejas". Having thus bowed to His essential nature, he bows to Him as the cause of the universe: "viśva" - to Him whose play is the transformation of prakṛti which is the instrumental cause in the creation, maintenance and dissolution of the universe. If one asks how His play is accomplished through the transformation of prakṛti, he says "īśvarāya" - since He impels prakṛti, the play is accomplished through it. (14)
Surely, for the Lord who has attained all desires, what is the purpose of play (līlā)? Anticipating this doubt and showing that even without self-interest there can be benefit for others, he takes refuge in Him, saying "yasya" (whose). Those who, even though helpless and not in control of themselves, merely utter the names which are imitations (viḍambana) of His incarnations and so on at the time of death when the life-breath is departing, instantly and effortlessly abandon the sins accumulated over many births and attain the unobstructed, true Lord. I take refuge in that unborn one, free from modifications like birth. The connection is thus. Here, the imitations of incarnations are names like "son of Devakī", "son of Daśaratha", etc. The imitations of qualities are names like "omniscient", "devoted to devotees", etc. The imitations of actions are names like "lifter of Govardhana", "enemy of Kaṃsa", etc. || 15 ||
Now, doubting how it was said "for the play of being the instrumental cause in the creation, maintenance and dissolution of the universe" when it is heard that Brahmā and others are the agents of creation and other activities, he refutes this doubt and bows down, saying "yo vā" (He who). The word "vā" indicates certainty. He who was first alone, then became the Self, the root cause or foundation, breaking through the primordial nature and dividing it into the three qualities, becoming three-footed as Brahmā, Śiva, and Viṣṇu the all-pervading, and then growing into many offshoots and branches in the form of Marīci, Manu, etc. - to that tree-like form of the worlds, I bow. In response to how you (plural) are three-footed, he says it is because you are the cause of maintenance, creation and dissolution. In response to how you are capable of this, he says "bhagavata" (of the Lord), implying it is due to possessing inconceivable power, etc. || 16 ||
Hindī Anuvāda
The action that is offered to You is never destroyed - it becomes imperishable. Therefore, obtaining Your pleasure through various types of actions like sacrifices, charity, severe austerities and vows is the greatest fruit of human action. For when You are pleased, what fruit is there that does not become easily attainable? || 13 || You always destroy the darkness of the illusion of differences in beings by the light of Your own form, and are the direct Supreme Person who is the substratum of knowledge. I bow to You. The play of māyā (illusion) which occurs for the sake of the creation, maintenance and dissolution of the world is Your sport alone. Therefore I repeatedly bow to You, the Supreme Lord. || 14 || Those who, even though helpless, utter Your names indicating Your incarnations, qualities and actions - like Devakīnandana, Janārdana, slayer of Kaṃsa, etc. - at the time of death, instantly become freed from the sins of many births and attain the state of Brahman devoid of coverings like māyā. You are eternally unborn. I take refuge in You. || 15 || O Lord! You alone are present in the form of this world-tree. Accepting Your root nature, You have divided into three main branches as myself, Yourself and Mahādeva for the creation, maintenance and dissolution of the world, and then spread out extensively in the form of branches and sub-branches like Prajāpati and Manu. I bow to You. || 16 ||
SB 3.9.13-16
