SECTION FORTY-FOUR   

Therefore, since the Lord and the jéva are naturally distinct, the Lord being the basis of Mäyä and the jéva being deluded by her, it is concluded that service to the Lord is the process.

 

ÇRÉ JÉVA TOÑAËÉ COMMENTARY

                       Vyäsadeva saw that the Lord is the basis of Mäyä, mäyäïca tadapäçrayam (SB. 1.7.4). He also saw that only the living entity is deluded by Mäyä, yayä sammohitaù jévaù (SB. 1.7.5). Thus the Lord and the jéva are naturally distinct from each other, for the Lord never comes under the spell of Mäyä. The Lord can never turn into a jéva nor can a jéva elevate himself to be the Lord. Çréla Vyäsadeva also saw that the process for the jéva's release from bondage is devotional service to the Supreme Lord, bhaktiyogamadhokñaje (S.B.1.7.6).

            The word eva, 'only', in this anuccheda (tad bhajanasya eva) indicates that no means other than bhakti-yoga can cut the bonds of Mäyä. No other method, including jnäna yoga and añöäìga yoga, is potent enough to relieve the miseries of the jéva. Lord Kåñëa declares this in Bhagavad-gétä (7.14): daivé hy eñä guëamayé mama mäyä duratyayä, mämeva ye prapadyante mäyämetäà taranti te, that His divine energy, Mäyä, is impossible to overcome, except for one who surrenders unto Him. Other paths may at best elevate one to the mode of goodness by purifying the heart of the lower modes, but they cannot elevate a person to full trancendence without the mercy of bhakti.

            If so, why do the scriptures describe these paths at all? Other paths are given in the scriptures because of the varied natures and interests of conditioned souls, but they are not really alternative paths. The ultimate purpose of all such paths is to direct jévas to the path of unmixed devotional service. Närada Muni confirms this in his teachings to Yudiñöhira Mahäräja (S.B. 7.15.28,29):

            "Ritualistic ceremonies, regulative principles, austerities, and the practice of yoga are all meant to control the senses and mind, but even after one is able to control the senses and mind, if he does not come to the point of meditation upon the Supreme Lord, all such activities are simply labor in frustration. As professional activities or business profits cannot help one in spiritual advancement but are a source of material entanglement, the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies cannot help anyone who is not a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

            The word bhede (dvayorbhede) 'both being different' is also significant. By this word, Çréla Jéva Gosvämé stresses that unless the jéva understands clearly that the Lord is different from and superior to him, he will not pursue devotional service. This conviction is essential in spiritual life. The natural tendency of a conditioned soul is to think himself the controller, the lord of all he surveys.  This makes him loathe the process of surrendering. Indeed this is the great peril in bhakti-yoga, for the roots of the jéva's desire to control are very deep and they sprout with various symptoms at different times along the path. Unless the candidate keeps vigilant guard, residual desires to be the master will appear along the way and slow his progress on the path of pure Kåñëa consciousness.

            In the next section, Çréla Jéva Gosvämé concludes this part of his discussion with a reference to prayojana, the goal of bhakti-yoga.