Section 45
Lord's body is eternal and all pervading

          In this way it is established that the Lord's form is eternal and all-pervading. Çrédhara Svämé has similarly explained in his commentary on sixth chapter of eight canto (Çré bhävärtha-dépikä 6.8.8), "Brahmä has established the eternally and all-pervasive feature of the Lord's body by saying, "It is not that Lord's body did not exist previously and has appeared now but it existed before and has become visible."

          This is also said in these two verses (S.B.8.6.8,9) and his commentary on them. The two verses are:

          Brahmä said: "I bow down to the Lord again and again who is devoid of birth, existence, and dissolution, and is free from material qualities. He is full of all opulence, is more subtle than the atom, has unlimited forms,  and is an ocean of the bliss resulting from liberation. O Lord the best of Puruñas, this form of Yours is worshipped by people who desire welfare by the process described in the Vedas and Tantras . O Lord,  my creator, in Your universal form I see the three planetary systems along with all the demigods."

          Svämépäda explains: Lord's body becomes visible but it does not undergo states like birth as in our body. To convey this Brahmä says--who is devoid of birth and so on. Why? Because He is free from material qualities (aguëäya) and thus He is the ocean of bliss of nirväëa. The meaning is that He is the embodiment of the unlimited bliss of liberation. Moreover, He is subtler than the atom, owing to being very difficult to comprehend. In reality His form is immeasurable. Unto Him I bow down. This is not impossible, because His magnificence,  mahanubhava,  is inconceivable. Unto Him I bow down.

          Brahmä further establishes the eternal and immeasurable nature of the Lord's body in the second verse, "O best of the Puruñas, O creator, those who desire the ultimate good always worship this form of Yours by the Vedic and Tantrika process. Therefore, it is understood that this is not the first time this form has appeared."

          The Lord objects, "But you demigods are popular as worshipable?"

          Brahmä answers, "True, but we are all contained in Your form." To convey this Brahmä says in the verse "Oh!" (u), ha means to make this clearly known. In Your form I see all of us along with the three worlds." The reason behind this he says: The whole universe is contained in Your body visvamürtiù. Therefore, Your form is not limited by anything". This is his comment. 

          By comparing the Supreme Lord to an ocean of the bliss of liberation he decry's Him to be just the bliss of liberation, and shows that He is beyond that. Dhruva Mahäräja confirms this (S.B. 4.9.10):

          My Lord, the transcendental bliss derived from meditating upon Your lotus feet or hearing about the glories of Your pure devotees is so unlimited that it is far beyond the stage of brahmänanda, wherein one thinks himself merged in the impersonal Brahman as one with the Supreme. Since Brahmänanda is also defeated by the transcendental bliss derived from devotional service, then what to speak of the temporary blissfulness of elevating oneself to the heavenly planets, which is ended by the separating sword of time? Although one may be elevated to the heavenly planets, he falls down in due course of time. 

          After saying that His form is subtler than the atom" the statement "whose form is immeasurable" expresses that by His supreme opulence of inconceivable power. His form the basis of all measurements. This is His speciality.

          The following two verses (S.B. 8.3.24 and 8.3.30) state that the Lord's form is neither subtle nor gross:

          He is neither a demigod, nor a demon. He is neither bird nor  beast nor human. He is not a woman, man, or neuter, nor is He an animal. He is not a material quality, a fruitive activity, a cause nor an effect. He is unlimited and remains when everything is negated. Let there be all glories unto Him.

          In this way, when Gajendra, king of the elephants, glorified the Lord without any expressed qualities the demigods headed by Brahmä, who identify themselves with a particular name and form, did not approach him. But Lord Hari, the embodiment of all demigods, the Supersoul of everyone, appeared there. 

          The Supreme Lord is shown to be the cause of everything  in the previous two verses beginning with (S.B.8.3.22), "Demigods like Brahmä are born from a fragment of His energy...'. Therefore He cannot be one among the demigods. His distinction is that He is devoid of materialism and modes like sattva. He is neither male nor female, means that He is free from the corresponding material attributes. Thus Gajendra said "He is not neuter" Therefore He is not an embodied being. He is not the cause in the form of material qualities like sattva, nor is he the karma characterized by piety or sin. Thus it was said näyam guëaù karma. The import is that He is their activator.  He is not one of the subtle or gross objects of this world, thus He is self-luminous. What more can be said? The implication is that He is not any of the gross or subtle entities of this world because He is self-luminous.

          Çrédhar Svämé also comments,  "But when everything is negated, He remains as the ultimate, niñedha-çeña. By His energy He is the complete embodiment of everything thus He is açeña. May He manifests (jayatät) for my release." This is his comment.

          In this way, Gajendra glorified the unqualified Absolute Reality without describing any particular form of god. Therefore the demigods, like Brahmä, who identify themselves with a particular divine form (vividha-liìga-bhidäbhimäna) did not approach him. At that time, Lord Hari who is the Supersoul  transcendental bliss of all the demigods and thus different from them, who by His internal energy is the source of everyone's soul, the embodiment of all demigods, appeared there.

          Since this manifestation of the Lord appeared in answer to the prayers of Gajendra it follows that He meets Gajendra's description. Thus it was properly stated, "Your form is different from everything subtle or gross." Were it not so, the Lord would have protected him by appearing in his mind without any hands or legs. Thus Brahmä said svecchämayasya, or one who appears by His independent will (SB.10.14.2). The two verses cited above do not appear consecutively, but their meaning is congruent and so have been quoted together.

 

PURPORT 

          In the last few Texts, Çréla Jéva Gosvämé proved that the Lord's form is one, eternal, and all-pervading.  This is the conclusion of the Vedas, Vedanta Sutras, småti-çästra, as well as saintly persons.  To further strengthen this point he now refers to Çrédhara Swämé, the well known commentator and authority on Çrémad Bhägavatam, who is even accepted by the followers of Saëkaräcärya.

          According to the Viñëu Puräëa, once Durväsä Muni, who is renowned for losing his temper, was returning from Vaikuëöha when he met king Indra riding on his elephant, Airävata.  Durväsä honored the Lord of the three worlds by offering him Lord Viñëu's garland.  Indra, however, was intoxicated by his high position and heavenly opulence. Thus not caring for the garland, he cast it on the head of his elephant who threw it on the ground and trampled it.  Seeing this, Durväsä was enraged.  He cursed Indra to lose his opulence.  With his glamour and wealth gone, Indra was confounded so he sought the help of Lord Brahmä, who in turn, approached Lord Viñëu.  When Lord Viñëu appeared only Brahmä and Çiva could see Him.  Beholding that resplendent form of Lord Viñëu, Brahmä began reciting prayers.  His prayers are described in the eight canto of Çrémad Bhägavatam (8.6. 8-15).  Çrédhara Swämé summarizes the essence of Brahmä's prayers in his Bhävarätha-dépikä in the verse quoted at the beginning of this Text.  In this verse abhipraiti implies definite conclusion.

          Next Çréla Jéva Gosvämé cites the first two verses of Brahmä's prayers along with Çrédhara Swämi's comments.  The Lord is therein described as free from birth, existence, and dissolution.  The word "existence", sthiti, refers to the state of an object after it is created  A created object is preceded by its non-existence (prägabhäva).  When the object is destroyed its non-existence (pradhvaàsäbhäva) again comes into existence.  Eternal objects, however, have no non-existence and therefore do not come into existence at any particular time. It is in this sense that Lord has no "existence," not that He does not exist.

          Brahmä addresses Lord as the ocean of bliss of liberation. The significance is that the pleasure which one derives by performing devotional service to the Supreme Lord is like an ocean in comparison to the bliss of impersonal liberation which is like a drop. Therefore, Dhrüva Mahäräja has no interest in such nirväëa bliss. He wants to dive into the ocean of bliss by engaging in hearing about the Lord and His devotees.

          Aëoraëimne means that the Lord is smaller than the living entity which is atomic (aëu) in size, because He enters him.  Thus it is very difficult to know Him.  Kåñëa says, sukñmatvät tadavijïyeyam (B.g. 13.16), that because of His subtle nature He is difficult to know.  At the same time He is called aparigaëyadhämne, one whose form is immeasurable.  The Sruti confirms this (Kaöhopaniñad 2.20) aëoraëéyän mahato mahéyän.  "The Lord is smaller than the atomic soul and greater than the greatest."  Or mahat means mahat-tattva. Lord is even greater than the mahat-tattva, the source of all material elements which make all the forms in this material world.

          According to nyäya-sästra all forms can be categorized into three sizes:  atomic, medium, and infinite . Medium includes molecular and grossly visible forms. This verse describes the Lord as atomic, and infinite in size and we know that the Lord displayed a medium sized body while Brahmä offered his prayers.  Thus, by His acintya-sakti, the Lord has all sizes simultaneously.  This is the significance of the word mahänubhäva or one who has great opulence.

          The Lord is worshipped by various means described in the Vedas and Tantras.  In Sections Nine and Ten of the Tattva Sandarbha Çréla Jéva Gosvämé established that the Vedas are eternal.  Since the Vedas are eternal, the Lord, whom the Vedas describe as the object of worship, must also be eternal.  But here a doubt may be raised.  According to the above logic, the demigods must also be eternal as the Vedas also describe how they should be worshiped.  The names of demigods actually refer to their post. The person may change but the post remains. Still one can object that during total dissolution the post vanishes along with the post holder so how can even the post be considered eternal. The answer is that eternal for the post of demigods means perpetually eternal. It becomes manifest and unmanliest. Or it can be understood to apply to the eternal associates of the Lord in Vaikuëöha who have the same name. Or during annihilation there are no worshipers so it does not matter whether the demigods exist or not.

          Although Kåñëa is the source of all measurements He neither atomic nor infinite in size.  He is absolutely free from all material limitations.  This does not mean, however, that He has no form or Personality.  To further clarify this Çréla Jéva Gosvämé quotes two verses from Gajendra's prayers in the eighth canto. Gajendra was an elephant who lived on Triküöa mountains in the milky ocean. Once he went to drink water in a lake where his leg was caught up by a crocodile. He tried to release himself but in vain. At last he prayed to the Lord.

          The curious thing about Gajendra's prayers is that he mentions no names or personal features of the Lord and it appears as if he is praying to the impersonal Brahman.  But Upon completing his prayers, Lord Viñëu appeared and immediately severed the head of the crocodile with his disc.  The demigods identify themselves with a particular name and therefore they did not come to help. They did not think that Gajendra was pleading to them. The Lord, however, is free from all material qualities and at the same time He is the source of everything. Thus He came to Gajendra's rescue.

          The prayers of Gajendra establish the real meaning of the impersonalistic statements in the Vedas.  His prayers also reveal the real meaning of the neti-neti "not this, not this" statements denying that the Absolute Truth has material attributes.  They reveal the true meaning of verses such as (Svetäçvatara 3.19): 

          "He has no hands, yet He accepts things.  He has no feet, yet He walks quickly.  He sees, though devoid of eyes, and He hears without ears".  The meaning is that He does not have material hands, legs, eyes, and ears.  He has no material body.

Therefore, it is said, 'itihasa-puraëäbhyaà vedaà samupabåàhayet" (M.B. Adi Parva 1.267).  "One should supplement the meaning of the Vedas with the Itihäsa and Puräëa."  The Prabhäsakhanda of Skanda Puräëa states(5.3.121):  "O best of the twice born, I consider the meaning and importance of the Puräëas as firm as that of the Vedas. Without doubt all the subject matter of the Vedas exists in the them. The Vedas fear the man of petty knowledge thinking he will twist the meaning; therefore, in the past the meaning of the Vedas was fixed by means of the Itihäsas and Puräëas. What is not found in the Vedas is found in Småti, but what is not found in both of these is found in the Puräëas. A person is not considered learned if he does not know the Puräëas, even if he has studied the four Vedas along with the Vedäìgas and Upaniñads."

          Some scholars do not consider the Itihäsas and Puräëas authentic and thus their philosophical conclusions are defective.  No one can understand the Absolute Reality without the help of the Puräëas, and among them Çrémad Bhägavatam is the supreme. The prayers recited by Gajendra and then Lord appearing to help him completely decry the impersonal interpretation of the Vedic statements. If the import of his impersonal sounding prayers was actually impersonal then there was no need for the personal Lord to appear for Gajendra's help. He should have appeared as impersonal Brahman in Gajendra's heart and made him understand that He is Brahman as much as the crocodile is Brahman. Thus there is no death for him. Lord Kåñëa says that He rewards His devotees according to their surrender (Bg. 4.11) This means although Gajendra used impersonal words He had personality in his mind.

          The words niñedhaçeña and açeña are significant (S.B. 8.3.24).  Niçedhaçeña means when everything is denied by the process of elimination (neti neti--not this, not this) and only the Lord remains (çeña).  Or it means, after everything is annihilated, the Lord remains (S.B.10.3.25).  Açeña means that the Lord is the embodiment of everything.  He is non-dual consciousness, advya-jïäna. Nothing can exist without Him.  The meaning is that He is distinct from everything, yet the embodiment of everything. Thus He cannot be said to be gross or subtle, masculine or feminine, nor the cause or effect. According to modern bio-medical science, the gender depends on the chromosome structure in the germ cells. A XX combination gives rise to female and XY combination give male gender. Since Lord is not material and moreover He is not born by a combination of male and female He is said to be neither a male nor female. And by the same logic He is also not a neuter. Thus He is neither a human nor an animal nor a bird.

          The activities in the material world are caused by the modes of material nature prakåteù kriyamäëäni guëaiù karmäëi sarvaçaù (Bg.3.27). The sinful and pious acts are done under the influence of the modes. Lord is neither the modes nor their effect n the form of activities. Although Lord is non of these, still He is a person. This is the significance of niñedhaçeña. The denial is of all material qualities not of spiritual.

          Therefore, Lord Brahmä says that the Lord is supremely independent and appears according to His own sweet will, svecchämaya (S.B. 10.14.2).  The verses Gajendra spoke should not be misinterpreted to indicate impersonal Brahman, because this would openly contradict Gajendra's vision of the Lord in person (S.B 8.3.32):

          "Gajendra had been forcefully captured by the crocodile in the water and was feeling acute pain, but when he saw that Näräyaëa, wielding His disc, was coming in the sky on the back of Garuòa, he immediately took a lotus flower in his trunk, and with great difficulty due to his painful condition, he uttered the following words: 'O my Lord, Näräyaëa, master of the universe, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.'"

          In the next Text Çréla Jéva Gosvämé explains that although Lord's form is not material it can be seen by devotees.