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TEXT 5 rsibhir bahudha gitam
SYNONYMS  rsibhih--by
the wise sages; bahudha--in many ways; gitam--described;
chandobhih--Vedic hymns; vividhaih--in various; prthak--variously;
brahma-sutra--the Vedanta; padaih--aphorisms; ca--also;
eva--certainly; hetu-madbhih--with cause and effect; viniscitaih--ascertain.
TRANSLATION That knowledge
of the field of activities and of the knower of activities is described
by various sages in various Vedic writings--especially in the Vedanta-sutra--and
is presented with all reasoning as to cause and effect.
PURPORT The Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is the highest authority in explaining this
knowledge. Still, as a matter of course, learned scholars and standard
authorities always give evidence from previous authorities. Krsna is explaining
this most controversial point regarding the duality and nonduality of the
soul and the Supersoul by referring to the scriptures, the Vedanta,
which are accepted as authority. First, He says, this is according to different
sages. As far as the sages are concerned, besides Himself, Vyasadeva, the
author of the Vedanta-sutra, is a great sage, and in the Vedanta-sutra
duality is perfectly explained. And Vyasadeva's father, Parasara, was also
a great sage, and he writes in his books of religiosity: "aham tvam
ca tathanye..." "we--you, I and various other living entities--are
all transcendental, although in material bodies. Now we are fallen into
the ways of the three modes of material nature according to our different
karma. As such, some are on higher levels, and some are in the lower
nature. The higher and lower natures exist due to ignorance and are being
manifested in an infinite number of living entities. But the Supersoul,
which is infallible, is uncontaminated by the three qualities of nature
and is transcendental." Similarly, in the original Vedas, a distinction
between the soul, the Supersoul and the body is made, especially in the
Katha Upanisad.
There is
a manifestation of the Supreme Lord's energy known as annamaya,
by which one depends simply upon food for existence. This is a materialistic
realization of the Supreme. Then there is pranamaya; this means
that after realizing the Supreme Absolute Truth in foodstuff, one can realize
the Absolute Truth in the living symptoms, or life forms. In jnanamaya
the living symptom develops to the point of thinking, feeling and willing.
Then there is Brahman realization and realization called vijnanamaya
by which the living entity's mind and life symptoms are distinguished
from the living entity himself. The next and supreme stage is anandamaya,
realization of the all-blissful nature. Thus there are five stages of Brahman
realization, which are called brahma puccham. Out of these the first
three--annamaya, pranamaya and jnanamaya--involve the fields
of activities of the living entities. Transcendental to all these fields
of activities is the Supreme Lord, who is called anandamaya. In
the Vedanta-sutra also the Supreme is called, anandamayo 'bhyasat.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is by nature full of joy, and to enjoy
His transcendental bliss, He expands into vijnanamaya, pranamaya, jnanamaya,
and annamaya. In this field of activities the living entity is considered
to be the enjoyer, and different from him is the anandamaya. That
means that if the living entity decides to enjoy, in dovetailing himself
with the anandamaya, then he becomes perfect. This is the real picture
of the Supreme Lord, as supreme knower of the field, the living entity,
as subordinate knower, and the nature of the field of activities.
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