Conversation between Keshidhvaja and Khaandikya Janaka

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Now, Chapter Six.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 1:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Sri Paraasharar - The Bhagavat svaroopa which is the object of meditation, upaasanaa, upaasya, was told. Now, the upaasanaa itself is told, with all the angaas, upaangaas, accessories and other things. Svaadhyaaya is told as the study of all the Veda vaakyaas, along with the meemamsaa, the vichaara roopa meemaamsaa shaastra, so that there is no samshaya, viparyaya; those vaakyaas which are directly telling about the tattvaas, the Bhagavat svaroopa, etc., the Vedaanta vaakyaas which are teaching tattva, the dvaadashaakshara, pranava, and others which teach about the svaroopa of Paramaatman, along with meemaamsaa, poorva meemaamsaa and uttara meemaamsaa is told here. This is told by the svaadhyaaya shabda here. Sah means Purushottama, with all the shaadgunyaas, the vibhooti, the divya mangala vigraha. One who has all these, the Purushottama is being told here by sah. The knowledge which arises out of svaadhyaaya samyama, is nothing but Brahman only. The topic, subject matter of this svaadhyaaya is Brahman only. So, it can be told as Brahman itself. This is the cause of attaining Paramaatman. Not only does this help to get a vivid perception of the Lord, but also one can attain Him with this.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 2:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Meemaamsaa shravana is extremely important because once one does the svaadhyaaya samskaara, as Vedaadhyayana is only akshara raashi grahana, where meanings are known aapaatatah, whereas one has to understand the meanings without any doubt, without any contradictions, without samshaya, viparyaya, and these doubts will be completely destroyed through meemaamsaa. So meemaamsaa shravana is a must. Having studies the Vedaas, the Poorva kaanda, then Poorva meemaamsaa is to be studied. And then the Uttara kaanda, and the Uttara meemaamsaa, where one comes to know that there is niratishaya phala praapti, that Parama purushaartha can be attained. Therefore, Uttara meemaamsaa adhyayana is also to be done. One has to know clearly the meanings, what is required, what is important, and then one has to do meditation, upaasanaa. When one is engaged in upaasanaa, because of association with prakruti, where sattva, rajas, tamas have their effects, the mind can get disturbed. Such upaasanaa should not get disturbed, or should not become faulty. In order to avoid that, again, svaadhyaaya is to be done.

Svaadhyaaya, upaasanaa, svaadhyaaya, upaasanaa, like this, one has to do. Sri Engal Aalwaan gives an example here. A child sees the aksharaas, and then he will write himself, and practice so that he can understand. Again he will refer to the book, and then again he will write. This is the way he learns. The Saankhya and other darshanaas by Kapila Maharshi, those who follow that, they resort to yoga only, and don't do svaadhyaaya and yoga both, they say that pradhaana is the jagat kaarana; Vaisheshikaas say that paramaanu is the jagat kaarana, and they don't accept Eeshvara. Those which are against the Shruti, are seen in the other darshanaas, as they resort to only yoga. Their meditation of knowledge is because they don't accept Brahman, it is kevala yoga, without Paramaatman.

Whereas Vedaanta, those who are Vedaantis, those who follow the Vedaanta properly, they understand that for the entire world, Brahman is the creator, and everything is Brahmaatmaka. That He is antaryaami in everything, He has done anupravesha, and done naama roopa vyaakarana, so everything is Brahmaatmaka. This Brahmaatmaka naanaatva is shruti siddha. Whereas Brahmaatmaka and Abrahmaatmaka naanaatva is shruti nishiddha. Everything is Brahmaatmaka and Brahman only is jagat kaarana. Those who follow the shrutis, they are able to follow it properly like this. When this becomes mature, when this fructifies, there will be a vivid perception of the Lord.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 3:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

In order to see the Paramaatman, svaadhyaaya is also an eye. Yoga is said to be the parama chakshu, the pradhaana chakshu. Through upaasanaa only, the saakshaatkaara of Paramaatman happens. Svaadhyaaya is also an eye, means that it also helps us to understand the nature of Paramaatman. Through upaasanaa, one can have vivid perception of the Lord Himself. This is said to be the Supreme eye. He cannot be seen with our maamsa chakshus, the praakruta chakshus, material eyes.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 4:

Maitreyar - Maitreyar is now interested in knowing more about the yoga, through which as Sri Paraasharar says that Bhagavat saakshaatkaara can be had. That Supreme yoga which you talked about, doing which I can have a saakshaatkaara of Paramaatman, who is akhilaadhaara, please do tell me about it.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 5:

Sri Paraasharar - O Maitreyar, I will tell you what Keshidhvaja taught Khaandikya Janaka. What yoga was taught, I will tell you about it.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 6:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Maitreyar - I would like to know who was Khaandikya, and who was Keshidhvaja. How did they associate with respect to this? What was the conversation, what was the cause of this conversation, which led to the teachings about this yoga?

Keshidhvaja is one who teaches that, he was a Brahmavit.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 7:

Sri Paraasharar - Dharmadhvaja was a Janaka. His sons were Amitadhvaja and Krutadhvaja. Krutadhvaja always engaged in aadhyaatma vidyaa.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 8:

Krutadhvaja had a son by name Keshidhvaja, who was well known. Amitadhvaja's son was well known as Khaandikya Janaka.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 9:

Khaandikya Janaka was a real expert in Karma kaanda. He was the most excellent in the entire world in knowing about the Karma maarga. In the same way, Keshidhvaja was an expert in aadhyaatma vidyaa.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 10:

Both, wanted to win over the kingdom. They wanted to win over each other, and become ruler of kingdom. Keshidhvaja won in that war. Khaandikya Janaka was sent away. He disappeared in the forest.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 11:

He had a few people - Purodhasa, and the mantris, with him. Along with them, because he lost the kingdom, he went to the forest, and was living there.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 12:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

In the meantime, Keshidhvaja did many many yaagaas. Svaadhyaaya is said to be an accessory to upaasanaa. Now, yajnya and others are also told as accessory to upaasanaa. Braamhanaah vividishanti yajnyena daanena tapasaa ... Keshidhvaja had aatma jnyaana, being a brahmopaasana nishtha, he performed many yajnaas as an accessory to that brahmopaasana. Why did he do all the yajnya and other karmaas? Karma is required to get rid of praacheena karma which is obstructing the rising of knowledge through upaasanaa. Praacheena karma which is opposed to para vidyaa utpatti is called mrutyu here. To start the upaasanaa, he has to get rid of the obstruction first. Through karmaas, he got rid of the praacheena karmaas which are obstructing the start of upaasanaa.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 13:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Dharmadhenu means that which gives the milk used as havis for pravargya yaaga. Keshidhvaja was performing a particular yajnya, there was a cow which was giving the milk as havis for pravargya. This cow was killed by a tiger in the forest.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 14:

He came to know that his cow was killed by a tiger in the forest, and that cow was the one whose milk was used as havis. He asked all the ritwiks about what is the praayaschitta for this. Please tell me what I should do, because this sacred cow has been killed by a tiger in the forest.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 15:

When he asked the ritwiks, they said that they do not know the praayaschitta for this. They asked him to go and ask Kasheru. Keshidhvaja went and asked Kasheru, about the praayaschitta for this. He said that he did not know, and to go and ask Bhaargava.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 16:

He said to go and ask Shunaka, I do not know. Then he went and asked Shunaka.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 17:

Shunaka said - Kasheru also does not know, I also do not know. There is no one in this world who knows what is the praayaschitta for this. Except your enemy who is Khaandikya Janaka, who was won over by you. He is the only person who can tell you what is the praayaschitta.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 18:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

I am going to approach my enemy, Khaandikya Janaka and will ask him what is the praayaschitta. Even though it is being performed for the cause of dharma, though there are many obstructions, the phala will definitely come, as told in the shaastraas. Even if he kills me, it does not matter. The yajnya will be done as it is a dharma yajnya.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 19:

In case he tells me all the praayaschitta completely, when I ask him, the yajnya will be performed in the proper way. So, I will approach and ask my enemy.

The story continues. This is a wonderful story highlighting the greatness of Brahma vidyaa. We will next see the rest of the story.

We are studying Chapter 6 of Amsha 6. When Maitreyar asks Paraasharar to teach about the pralayaas, when telling about aatyantika pralaya, he tells about all the grief that a jeevaatman undergoes, and then tells about the Bhagavat svaroopa. Now, he tells about what Keshidhvaja who was a Brahmavit, taught Khaandikya Janaka. They were both grandsons of another Janaka by name Dharmadhvaja. They both fight, and Keshidhvaja wins over the war, and Khaandikya Janaka goes and vanishes into the forest. Khaandikya Janaka is a great expert in Karma kaanda, and Keshidhvaja in Adhyaatma shaastra.

Keshidhvaja is performing many yaagaas, while he is also doing upaasanaa; once while performing pravargya yaaga, he will have a cow from which the havis is collected for the yaaga. A tiger kills that cow, and for that, the ritwiks say that he has to do a praayaschitta, without which the yaaga will not be complete.

Keshidhvaja goes and asks many sages, Kasheru, Shunaka, and others; none of them know the praayaschitta for this; and they all point him to Khaandikya Janaka, who is an expert, and only he can tell what is the praayaschitta.

Keshidhvaja then decides that he will approach Khaandikya Janaka, in the forest, and requests him to tell the praayaschitta for this. Being his enemy, in case he kills him, even then he will get the fruits of the yajnya. If he, by chance tells him what is the praayaschitta, then he can come and complete his yaaga by doing the praayaschitta. And then, he would have completed the yaaga.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 20:

Sri Paraasharar - Having told that he is going to approach and request Khaandikya Janaka, Keshidhvaja gets into a chariot, and wearing krushnaajina, he goes to the forest where Khaandikya Janaka lives.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 21:

When Khaandikya Janaka saw Keshidhvaja, who was his enemy, who had won over him, and was ruling over his kingdom, he got very angry, and got his bow ready to fight or kill him, and told thus -

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 22:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Khaandikya Janaka - You are wearing this krushnaajina, this deer skin, as a cover, and you are planning to kill me. You think that if you wear the krushnaajina and come, that I am not going to kill you.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 23:

The deer which was actually having that skin, will not someone kill it from the back? Tell me whether you and I have not taken very sharp arrows and then killed from behind, the deer for its skin?

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 24:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Now I am going to kill you, and you are not going to escape from me. You are going to die. You are an aatataayi, you have done a heinous crime. You are a wicked person, who has stolen my kingdom. I am going to kill you, you cannot escape from me.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 25:

Keshidhvaja said - O Khaandikya, I have come here in order to clear my doubt. I have a doubt, and want a solution from you. I have come here to ask you that. Having heard me, and having discussed with others, you decide whether you want to leave your anger, or your bow at me - whether you want to kill me, or tell me the answer.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 26:

Sri Paraasharar - Khaandikya Janaka had ministers and Purohita, who accompanied him in the forest, he collected all of them and sat with them, about what to do, he wanted their opinion, in this juncture.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 27:

All of them said that Keshidhvaja had to be killed, as he is an enemy, and once he is killed, all the kingdom will become Khaandikya's. Therefore, Keshidhvaja deserves to be killed, as he is under Khaandikya's control.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 28:

Khaandikya told them that what they said is right. If Keshidhvaja is killed, the entire pruthivi, will be under his own control, and he would be ruling over the entire world.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 29:

Khaandikya Janaka said - If I kill him now, the entire pruthivi will be mine, and I will be ruling over. But he will be winning over paraloka, he will attain superior worlds, and I will be only having this pruthivi. If I do not kill him, then he will have the kingdom, whereas I will attain superior world.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 30:

He further said - I do not think that ruling over this world here is superior to attaining the Supreme worlds which are there, the paralokaas. If I win over paraloka, it is never-ending, it is eternal, whereas this world is only limited, and I can only rule over for a limited time.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 31:

Khaandikya Janaka, after taking all the advice, said that he is not going to kill him. Because of the reason that he wants to win over paraloka. And let him keep this world. So, I will tell him whatever he is asking. I will clarify his doubt.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 32:

Sri Paraasharar - Khaandikya Janaka came to Keshidhvaja and addressed his enemy, and told him to ask whatever he wanted to ask, and that he would tell the answer to that.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 33:

Sri Paraasharar - Keshidhvaja told the entire story about how the cow which was meant for collecting the havis, for the pravargya yaaga, how it was killed. Having told this, he asked what was the praayaschitta for this.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 34:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Khaandikya Janaka being an expert in karmakaanda, told him properly as it is, as told in the shaastraas, the complete praayaschitta for this, what is ordained as praayaschitta.

Whatever is told in the Vaajasaneya Samhitaa, he told, that praayaschitta is known as Sprunomi Homa. It is told in the Vaajasaneya shaakhaa, by Keshigruhapati, about how the tiger killed the cow, and about how he has to do certain homaas as praayaschitta, with the specific mantraas. They can select another cow, and continue the yaaga, is told by Aapastamba also.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 35:

Having known the praayaschitta completely and having taken the permission of Khaandikya Janaka, Keshidhvaja went back to the yaagabhoomi, and completed all the things ordained in the praayaschitta and also the yaaga.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 36:

As told in the Veda vidhis, he completed all the yaaga, and did the final ritual, the avabhruta snaana. Having done what was ordained to be done, he started to think thus -

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 37:

All the Brahmins were properly worshipped by me. All the people who had come to attend the yaaga, were all given proper dakshinaas and other things. They were treated well. In the same way, whoever was wanting donation, I have given all of that.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 38:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Whatever is possible for this world, I have done everything as per that. Even in this case, though I have treated everyone properly, given proper dakshinaas, and worshipped all the Brahmins, done whatever is to be done, treated everyone well, given all the donations, even then my mind says that something is still left out, missing. He starts thinking about what he has left out.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 39:

When he was thinking about what he has left out, at that time, he remembered immediately that he had not given the gurudakshinaa for Khaandikya Janaka, who had told him the praayaschitta for the cow being killed. He had still to give the gurudakshinaa, and that's why he was worried.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 40:

Immediately, again, he got into a chariot, and went into the deep forest where Khaandikya Janaka was living.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 41:

When Khaandikya saw him coming again, he immediately took his weapons, and got ready to kill him. He had decided that he is going to kill Keshidhvaja.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 42:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

O Khaandikya, I have not come to hurt you in any way. Don't get angry. I have come here in order to give gurudakshinaa. Please know that I have come here to offer you gurudakshinaa.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 43:

With your upadesha, whatever you told, the praayaschitta for the problem that I had, I have completed all the yaagaas in a proper way, as told in the vidhis, and now, I am wanting to give you the gurudakshinaa. Please tell me what is the gurudakshinaa that you want.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 44:

Sri Paraasharar - Again, Khaandikya Janaka gathered all his ministers, and started to discuss with them, and wanted to know what is in their mind. He said that Keshidhvaja has come in order to give gurudakshinaa, what is it that I am supposed to ask him?

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 45:

They all suggested that he should ask for the kingdom, as gurudakshinaa. With enemies, that is what is asked always, without waging any war, and without any killing, he would get the entire kingdom. They told him that he had to ask the kingdom.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 46:

Immediately, Khaandikya Janaka laughed and said "How can I ask for the kingdom, which is impermanent? How long will I do the ruling over this kingdom? How can a person like me ask for that kind of a meagre fruit?"

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 47:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

All of you ministers are only interested in wealth, and you do not know what is paramaartha. You do not have the knowledge about what is the ultimate gain, you are only interested in impermanent gains like money, kingdom, etc.

In this samsaara, what should be the ultimate goal of one? You are not aware of how that is attained. He told his ministers thus.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 48:

Sri Paraasharar - Having thought like this, and told them, Khaandikya Janaka came to Keshidhvaja and asked him - "What is it that you are going to give me as gurudakshinaa? Tell me what you will give. Whatever I want, will you give me that?"

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 49:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

When Keshidhvaja said that he will give whatever Khaandikya asked, then Khaandikya Janaka told Keshidhvaja that he knew what is adhyaatma vijnyaana, and paramaartha. The knowledge of Paramaatman will get rid of all our grief, and you have that knowledge.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 6, Shloka 50:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

If you really want to give me gurudakshinaa, tell me what is that which will help me get rid of this samsaara. For getting rid of samsaara completely, tell me whatever is required, with which means I can get rid of this samsaara. Tell that to me. That will be my gurudakshinaa.

This completes Chapter Six.

***

॥ अथ सप्तमो अध्यायः॥

Now, Chapter Seven.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 1:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Keshidhvaja - O Khaandikya Janaka. Why did you not ask for my kingdom? I don't think there is anything more dear for a Kshatriya than ruling over a kingdom. All the Kshatriyaas always want to rule over a kingdom. How come you did not ask me that?

Keshidhvaja is actually testing Khaandikya Janaka whether he has really felt grief in this samsaara, and really has nirveda. A Kshatriya can do prajaa paalana, can look after his prajaas, by ruling over a kingdom only. As a Kshatriya, it is your duty to look after your prajaas. And you need to rule over a kingdom for that. If you neglect that, it will be a defect on your part. So, he said - "Why are you not asking me for the kingdom?"

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 2:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Khaandikya Janaka - O Keshidhvaja, do know why I did not ask you for a kingdom, where all the people who do not have the viveka go and fight over kingdom and other things. I am not like that.

Pandita means - panda means knowledge of what is right and what is wrong. One who has this viveka, the mind which can distinguish between what is right and what is wrong, is a pandita.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 3:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

What you said is right, the duty of a Kshatriya is looking after the prajaas. And killing over the enemies, through dharma yuddha, and those who are enemies of our kingdom, have to be killed by a Kshatriya in a dharma yuddha.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 4:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

When I am weak and not capable of protecting my country, as I lost to you, and you have taken over my kingdom, and because of that, if I am not looking after my prajaas, that is not a dosha for me. I have lost the kingdom to you. I do not have the adhikaara to rule over now. So, there is no dosha there. When adhikaara is there for someone, even then, if they leave the kingdom and do not look after the prajaas, then it will be a defect on the part of the king. Whereas I do not have the adhikaara. That is why there is no dosha for me.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 5:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

When others have got all the defects, it is all because of their desire and other things which are not correct. Because of the defects of that nature, they desire to rule over a kingdom. That is not a proper dharma. It will only lead to very meagre enjoyment of bhogaas. I am not like that. For me, it is not dharma. It is only with the desire to enjoy all the things here, which are very meagre, and it will not be dharma for me.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 6:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

What Keshidhvaja wanted to test was - in order to rule over the prajaas, you have to request for a kingdom, you have to do yaachanaa, you have to beg. I am not supposed to beg. Superior Kshatriyaas do not beg, even if they want to rule over a kingdom. I will not beg. A shreshtha Kshatriya thinks that one should not beg for a kingdom. Ruling over this kingdom, and all of that, I did not ask you.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 7:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

What was told earlier, that those who do not have the viveka go and run after a kingdom, they are always after possession, wanting more and more. This is not correct, they are all avivekis. They are not wise. They are as though intoxicated with the drink of ahamkaara, and I am not like that.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 8:

Sri Paraasharar - Keshidhvaja is extremely pleased with Khaandikya and said that "You have told the right thing, and I am extremely happy with you". With great love, he said that he will teach the Adhyaatma vidyaa, and to listen to him.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 9:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Keshidhvaja - In order to do my varnaashrama dharma, to get rid of this praarabdha karma which is obstructing the upaasanaa, I do various yaagaas, and rule over my kingdom. So, this is my varna dharma. With all this, I will get rid of my praarabdha karma, and my paapa, punya, and everything. Whatever punya I have accumulated, that has to be experienced also, all the bhogaas, enjoyments have to be done without any attachment; then that will also get exhausted. I am doing that.

In this shloka, in order to tell the yoga svaroopa, and what is necessary as a part of that yoga svaroopa, in order to do upaasanaa, bhakti yoga, one has to know the aatma svaroopa jnyaana, aatma saakshaatkaara is also required, one should know the difference and distinction between prakruti and aatma, purusha, and then have aatma saakshaatkaara, and then go and do bhakti yoga. Shruti tells about aatma saakshaatkaara. Avidyayaa mrutyum teertvaa vidyayaa amrutam ashnute is told in Eeshaavaasya Upanishad. By performing the varnaashrama vihita karma, the praarabdha karma which is obstructing the start of upaasanaa, one can get rid of that, and then upaasanaa can be started. So, one has to perform varnaashrama dharma properly.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 10:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Viveka itself is aishwarya. The wealth of a wise person should be the viveka jnyaana itself, they should be able to differentiate between what is right and wrong. You are fortunate that your mind is now getting this viveka, of what is right and wrong. You did not desire for the kingdom, but are asking me to teach this adhyaatma vijnyaana, so you are a viveki. You know how to differentiate between what is right and wrong. You are very fortunate to have such a mind. Listen to me about the svaroopa of avidyaa, I am going to teach you now. Avidyaa means the varnaashrama dharma, which I am going to teach you its nature.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 11:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

This is a very important shloka which says what are the two main causes for samsaara. These are the two causes for the seeds for the tree of samsaara. In order for the tree of samsaara to grow, these two are like the seeds for that. (1) That which is not aatma, thinking that it is aatma. Deha is not aatma, it is anaatma, thinking that deha is aatma, this is dehaatma bhramaa. (2) That which is required to nurture and grow the body, that is what is required for me, if one thinks like that, they will only look after their body, and not their aatma. Thinking that it belongs to me. Kaamya karmaas which are having some fruits, for the enjoyment of the individual self, performing those, they get impermanent fruits, and benefits which will not last long. This will only make one to be more and more in samsaara only. This is the cause of the tree of samsaara.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 12:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Ahamkaara and mamakaara, thinking that what is not mine is mine, all the things needed to look after the body, thinking that they are all belonging to me, near to me. This body which is made of pancha bhootaas, this body belongs to me, it is mine, he thinks wrongly.

Four shlokaas explain this ahamkaara and mamakaara. This dehi, who is the aatman, this individual self, thinks that this panchabhootaatmaka shareera, body made up of five elements, thinks that the body is mine, that I am the body. He has the idea that he is the aatman, in the body, the dehaatma bhramaa. He thinks that the land and other things, that they all belong to him, that he is the owner, that he owns this, and this is all mine. He is covered by poorva karma vaasanaa, the impressions which have come from earlier births.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 13:

Who can think that the body is aatman? This body is made of pancha bhootaas, five elements, so it is separate from the aatman. Who can even think that the aatman which is different from the kalebara, body; how can he think that the body itself is the aatman? Aatman is not the deha.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 14:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

House, land and other things, are enjoyed by the body only. Because he is endowed with this body, this panchabhootaatmaka deha, and it is not in aatma svaroopa. These kind of enjoyments are not there in aatma svaroopa. In this aatma, which is not the body, how can he even think that this is mine. House, land, are for the purpose of enjoyment of the body only, not the aatman. In aatma svaroopa, these are all not there. He thinks that these are all mine, which are all connected only because of this body. In this samsaara, he is born as a human or deva, and gets different enjoyments because of all these births. They are all because of the body with which he is associated. Thinking that the body itself is the aatman, and thinking that all these house and land which do not belong to him, which are not connected with the aatman, as aatma svaroopa is parishuddha and these are not connected, as belonging to him - no wise person will think like that.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 15:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Kalebara, body is different from the aatman. The son, grandson, and others, who are all born of the body only, how can a knowledgeable, wise person think that these are all mine? All these are related only to the body, the sambandha is shareera sambandha, it is not aatma sambandha. The relationship of son, grandson, are not there in the aatma svaroopa; they are all because of the body, which is associated with prakruti. How can someone think that he is the owner of this, the master of this, that this thing belongs to him, etc., when the body is different from the aatman?

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 16:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Because of the twofold ignorance, thinking of what is not belonging to him as belonging to him, that he is the master, owner of all that, when it is not really so, and thinking of the body as the aatman, when they are very different from each other, will only bind him more and more into samsaara. Because of this, if he does all acts only for the enjoyment of the body, he will be bound in the samsaara only. Because of these two kinds of misconceptions, wrong understandings, if he does all the karmaas only for the enjoyment of the body, that will only bind him more and more. All acts he does only for the enjoyment of the body. It will be again, for bandha, for giving birth to more bodies only. He will have more children, grandchildren, etc. which will put him more and more into samsaara.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 17:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Mixing water and mud, the house is smeared and made of mud only. Similarly, this body is also paarthiva, a modification of pruthivi only, and it is also made of mud and water. Here, out of five, only pruthivi is told here, there are different opinions like that. After pancheekarana, pruthivi itself has all the five elements in different proportions.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 18:

All the enjoyments are also panchabhootaatmaka only, the food that we eat, and others are all shabda sparsha roopa rasa gandha - all our enjoyments through the senses are all panchabhootaatmaka only. And the body is also panchabhootaatmaka. The body which is made of five elements is pleased with the objects of the senses which are also panchabhootaatmaka. What is this enjoyment for the aatman who is there, who is very different and distinct from the panchabhootaatmaka body?

The next two shlokaas tell how this kind of a wrong understanding or ajnyaana can be got rid of.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 19:

This is also an often quoted shloka. Thousands and thousands of births are coming in this path of samsaara, the cycle of births and deaths and births and deaths. He is extremely tired, and there is moha, because of the ignorance and wrong understanding, and all the delusion. He has the vaasanaas, the reminiscent impressions, from birth to birth to birth, where he is repeatedly doing some actions, and engaging in worldly enjoyments, related to body and senses, and because of that, he has developed these vaasanaas, impressions, continuing from birth to birth. He is suffering great grief because of his ignorance.

An individual self has taken thousands of births, and he is treading the path of samsaara, and he has got tremendous amount of grief, because of the ignorance, which is mohashrama, and because of the vaasanaas, which is ajnyaana karma ubhaya vaasanaa, which is ignorance, and karma, the reminiscent impressions getting passed on from birth to birth. And this is causing him all the grief and suffering. He has been suffering for innumerable births like this.

This further continues, and there is description of aatma svaroopa, yoga. Which we see next.

We are studying Chapter 7 of Amsha 6. Where Keshidhvaja is teaching the adhyaatma jnyaana that he has to Khaandikya Janaka. This starts with the teaching of the nature of the individual self, and the body, this tattva jnyaana, and then he goes on to teach the nature of the means, the yoga.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shlokas 20-21:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

When this ignorance is destroyed, when the grief is destroyed by proper knowledge, tattva jnyaana, the ignorance is dispelled, then he will be experiencing his real nature, he will get the aatma svaroopa jnyaana, which is incomparable, and there is nothing which can exceed this. This is the supreme bliss he will experience. There is no grief at all there. He will experience the joy of supreme bliss. When he gets the proper knowledge, his ignorance is dispelled.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 22:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

The nature of the self is told here. This is the nature of bliss. The nature of the individual self is pure consciousness. He is without any defect. Grief and ignorance, these are qualities of prakruti, are all belonging to matter, in association with matter; this is not in the real nature of the individual self; is because of the association with matter that he is getting this.

The fruits of various acts, karmaas which we do, are all due to the karma, whereas the aatma svaroopa, is always aananda only. The nature of aatman is bliss and pure consciousness, without any defect. It is like this - there is a gem which is covered with dust, and it is not shining, we don't see a shine as it is covered with a lot of dust; if the gemstone is cleaned, and the dust is removed, it shines forth with its natural radiance; this radiance is not created newly, but it is just covered with dust; that radiance always existed in the gem; when the dust is removed, the gem shines in its original state of radiance. In the same way, the individual self, who is of the nature of supreme bliss and consciousness, jnyaana and aananda, and whose attributive consciousness, dharma bhoota jnyaana which is always infinite, is covered and contracted because of the association with matter; these have come because of the karmaas that he has been doing forever. He has to experience the fruits of that. When he attains liberation, the veil of karma is removed, and then he will be in his natural state. His knowledge is not newly created, but he will be in his natural state. He is the knower, and his knowership is never lost. His dharma bhoota jnyaana is always infinite, but it is covered and contracted because of association with prakruti. When he attains liberation, he goes and reaches Parabrahman, in Paramapada, Vaikuntha, and his original form will be coming into force at that time. This is not newly created, it always existed, and now the veil of karma is removed. His dharma bhoota jnyaana is always associated with him inseparably, and this is eternal. Just as the aatma svaroopa is nitya, his dharma bhoota jnyaana is also nitya. The logicians, and the naiyaayikaas say that the jnyaana is not nitya, that it comes and goes, that we acquire new knowledge, and we forget it; but this kind of argument is against the Shrutis, the Vedaas. Ajnyaana and dukha, ignorance and grief are not experienced by matter as matter does not have knowership, as it is achetana, not having jnyaana. Because of the association with matter, he experiences grief, and it is not in his original state because the association with matter is coming in order to experience the fruits of karma, which he has been doing forever. When did the karma start, it is anaadi, beginningless; because of this, he has been accumulating punya and paapa, and then to experience the results of punya and paapa, he has to take different births, and so he is taking births again and again. But, in his real nature, there is no grief; in his nature, there is only bliss, sukha, and jnyaana. As he is experiencing the grief and ignorance due to association with prakruti, these are said to be the qualities of prakruti itself. The body cannot experience sukha, as it is achetana, it does not have knowledge. It is told in Bhagavad Geeta that he is associated with prakruti, and he experiences sukha, dukha. If it is taken that prakruti itself is experiencing these, then it is against the pramaanaas. Prakruti does not experience as it does not have knowership.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 23:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

There is an example given here. When water is put in a pot and then heated, because of being there in the pot and getting heated, the association with the heat, it starts to boil and make noise. These are all not the natural qualities of water. This is all happening because of its association with heat, and coming in contact with heat, being inside the pot, which gets heated; because of this, the water gets heated, and because of this, it is having these qualities. The original quality of water is being cold, sheeta; it does not have bubbles, and does not make noise, having bubbles and making noise are not the natural qualities of water. In the same way, the aatman, in its essential nature is without any defect, and is jnyaana aananda svaroopa. By the association with matter, aatma, the individual self starts to think that this body itself is the self, and starts to experience grief. Just as water is coming in contact with fire, and it is inside the pot, in a similar way, prakruti is associated with jeevaatman, and the jeevaatman experiences aadhyaatmika, aadhibhoutika, aadhidaivika taapaas. Because of the association with matter, he gets all these taapaas, and he thinks that these are all in his original nature, whereas they are not in his real nature. His real nature is pure jnyaana and aananda svaroopa, and he does not have any defects like grief.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 24:

Prakruti dharmaas means the association with prakruti. Because of this, he experiences grief which is not in his real nature. He is unchangeable, does not undergo any modification. In his real nature, he is pure. He is different from prakruti, as told here.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 25:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Like this, I have told you the nature of avidyaa. I have told you the root cause of avidyaa. The means to getting rid of klesha, karma, is yoga, and there is nothing else. Khaandikya Janaka had asked a question - what is the means to get rid of all these difficulties, grief, karma. The answer is that yoga only is the answer to this. Yoga means the meditation upon the Paramaatman.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 26:

Khaandikya - O Keshidhvaja, in this Nimi santati, you are the one who has real knowledge of this yoga shaastra. Please do teach me the nature of that yoga. You are an expert in that yoga shaastra.

Keshidhvaja now starts to teach the nature of yoga.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 27:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Keshidhvaja - O Khaandikya, do listen to me, I am going to explain to you the nature of yoga. One who is practicing yoga, will attain unity with Paramaatman, and he will never fall back from that, he will never come into this samsaara again.

Brahma laya does not mean merging into Brahman. This does not mean losing one's identity. There will be two substances only - jeevaatman and Paramaatman. Jeevaatman will not get destroyed. It will be Brahmabhaava - jeevaatman will get similar characteristics as Brahman. His dharma bhoota jnyaana will be exactly same as Parabrahman. Even in Karma kaanda, the various karmaas are told; when they perform the karmaas and worship Indra and other devataas, it is said that they go and merge with those devaas; this is not so; they go and attain their worlds and enjoy there. Or also as Prahlaada's experience, where he thought of himself as Achyuta, he had that experience; he experienced the Parabrahman who was the inner self of himself, this he addressed as 'Aham', the deha vishishta aatma vishishta Paramaatman, the Paramaatman who is aatman to him. This kind of experience is also meant here.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 28:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

For manushyaas, humans, mind only is the cause of getting bound in the samsaara, as well as getting liberated. With the same mind, one can get attached to everything here and stay in samsaara, or, one can practice yoga and get liberated. When one is attached to the sense objects, then he will always be bound in samsaara. When he takes away his mind from the sense objects, when he controls the sense objects and does not go under their sway, he can get liberated. From these shlokaas, Keshidhvaja is going to explain the nature of yoga, and the causes, angaas or accessories, the vishaya or object, and phala or fruit.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 29:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

One has to withdraw the mind from the sense objects. And concentrate it on the individual self. And then, he has to meditate upon the Parabrahman for liberation. He has to attain the distinctive knowledge among prakruti, purusha and Eeshvara, the nature of individual self, matter and Paramaatman, about how they are different and distinct from each other. Then he has to meditate in his mind, and the object of meditation should be Parameshvara.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 30:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Here, the phala is going to be told, the fruit of such a yoga. One who meditates upon Parabrahman like this, he can realize the self. Vikaaryatva is aatyantika laya, which is complete destruction, that he will totally get destroyed; he is currently in the state of anaadi avidyaa and karma which is coming from beginningless time, and the vaasanaas which are coming from birth to birth, and the various bodies that he is taking, being bound in all of avidyaa, karma, vaasanaa, deha, since beginningless time; such an individual self, with the knowledge of Bhagavaan, when he meditates upon Bhagavaan, that state will be destroyed; and he will not have any of avidyaa, karma, vaasanaa, deha; and all the experiences, feelings, emotions, which are due to association with matter will be destroyed; this is called aatyantika laya; where all the karmaas will get destroyed totally, and he will be freed; and this is vikaaryatva.

The nature of this kind of aatma, one has to meditate upon, then he will attain the Brahmabhaava. The bhaavaas of aatma are told here - apahatapaapmaa, vijaro, vimrutyu, vishoka, vijighatsa, apipaasa, satyakaama, satyasankalpa, these are the svabhaava of aatma. When he gets moksha, when he gets liberated in Paramapada, he gets all kinds of enjoyment. Here Baadaraayanar quotes the pramaana of Jaimini Rishi, who says that jeevaatman attains the nature of Brahman when he gets liberated, that his dharmabhoota jnyaana becomes equal to Brahman, and he also gets the apahatapaapmaatvaadi ashta gunaas. The opinion of Jaimini is told by Baadaraayanar in this Brahma Sutra. What is established in this Brahma Sutra is that he will get infinite bliss.

Here also it is told as Nirvaanamaya eva aatma. The states of liberation will be told later also.

The example of magnet is given here. A magnet when it attracts the iron, the iron also gets magnetized there. It attracts, when it moves, the iron also will move, when it rotates, that also rotates. Similarly, he will get the nature of Parabrahman. He can take any form, and move around in any worlds, a liberated one. The Shrutis for that are told here, that he attains Brahmabhaava.

Instead of magnet, aakarshaka, that which attracts, Agni, fire is also told. Because it attracts, and removes all the defects of whatever comes into contact with it.

When gold comes in contact with fire, all the defects of the gold are removed by the fire. In the same way, when one meditates upon Brahman, mind gets rid of all the defects and becomes pure.

The fire which is burning with huge flames, being helped by the wind, completely destroys everything, cotton and others. In the same way, Vishnu who is established in the mind, destroys all the defects of the mind and one becomes pure.

When a huge bundle of cotton is thrown into a fire, it gets completely destroyed. In the same way, in a liberated one, the karma, vaasanaas, and all defects, paapaas are destroyed completely. All these pramaanaas are giving similarity of Paramaatman with Agni. Gold also becomes like fire as it shines, burns like fire, when it comes in contact with fire; when all its impurities are removed, it shines like fire. When gold is impure, it will not shine forth. When it is put into fire, all the impurities are removed, and it shines forth like anything, and fire causes the gold to shine forth similar to itself. In the same way, when we think about Parabrahman, when a yogi meditates upon Parabrahman, his mind becomes pure and he gets liberated, and all his sins are destroyed completely, his punya and paapa and everything. And he attains Brahmabhaava. Paramaatman makes him to attain a nature similar to him with respect to his attributive consciousness.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 31:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

In these three-four shlokaas, the nature of yoga, the object of meditation, the fruit are all told. Now, is told in detail the nature of yoga, till the end of this chapter. From beginningless time, the self is always associated with matter, and always after experience of the sense objects. The impressions are continuing from birth to birth forever. And it is very difficult to attain Paramaatman. One has to put a lot of effort to attain him. That requires the aatma prayatna, the efforts of the individual self, because the individual self is always associated with karma, vaasanaa, etc. That meditation which is constant, continuous, and without any break, when it is done, leads to vivid perception of the Lord. It is of the nature of unparalleled bliss. Whatever are the stored defects of the mind, that mind has to be associated with Brahman, should be focussed on Brahman. This is called yoga. There is another thought, where the meaning of yoga is laya, where aatma and Paramaatman become one; there will be no two objects, only one will exist; this thought is refuted here, not accepted here. Because yoga is told as meditating upon the divya mangala vigraha of Brahman, which will be told later. One substance cannot become another substance. When the two are merged, the nature of both will remain as it is. One cannot lose its identity completely, there is no svaroopa naasha. So, laya is not accepted here.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 32:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Whatever was explained, with all the attributes, with associated accessories, etc., that kind of yoga which is the dharma, one who has all this kind of yoga, who is practicing this, is said to be a mumukshu, moksham icchuh mumukshuh, one who is desirous of attaining liberation. The means to attain moksha is yoga. And that is a form of dharma. It is a dharma means that it has to be practiced, to be put into practice. Its anusthaana has to be done. Mere vaakyaartha jnyaana does not lead to moksha. Just a knowledge of the Upanishadic sentences will not give moksha.

One has to learn that, and has to meditate upon what is told in the Upanishads. The first step is understanding the Upanishadic statement, but after that, it has to be put to practice. One has to do upaasanaa, meditation. It is not an avidheya jnyaana, it has a vidhi, it is simply not vaakyaartha jnyaana. It is beyond vaakyaartha jnyaana. The other arguments are refuted here.

It has got many special characteristics, and it is a dharma. It has to be practiced.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 33:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

When one practices yoga, in the initial stages, when still practicing yoga, he is said to be a yogayuk. And one who has attained samaadhi, having passed through all the stages of yoga, and attained the final stage of beatitude, he will attain Parambrahma, he is said to be vinishpanna samaadhi.

Based on the state in which a yogi is, the names are different. One who has started on yoga and is still progressing, is called yogayuk. One who has realized Paramaatman, is called vinishpanna samaadhi. Samaadhi comes after dhyaana. Up to dhyaana, the seven stages told - yama, niyama, aasana, praanaayaama, pratyaahaara, dhaaranaa, dhyaana - whoever is in all these stages is called a yogayuk.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 34:

The various obstructions which can come for yoga are all told here. He has to practice for many many births. Then he can move forward and get liberated.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 35:

One who is vinishpanna samaadhi, he gets liberated in the same birth itself. With the fire of yoga, all his karma will be destroyed.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

One who is a yogayuk, one who has not yet attained samaadhi, one who is there up to the state of dhyaana, for him, many many births have to be taken and he has to keep on practicing yoga till all the obstructions are destroyed, and he is able to attain dhyaana, and can go to samaadhi state. Up to that, it may take many many births for him. Whereas one who has gone into the samaadhi state, will get liberated in one birth itself. Antaraaya are the various obstructions which come in the practice of yoga before attaining the perfection in yoga. Up to the state of dhaaranaa - yama, niyama, aasana, praanaayaama, pratyaahaara, dhaaranaa - there are ten antaraayaas like aalasya. In Patanjali Sutraas, these are told as those which distract the mind from concentrations - vyaadhi, sthyaana, samshaya, pramaada, aalasya, avirati, bhraanti darshana, alabdha bhoomikatva, anavasthitatva - these are the chitta vikshepa causes, antaraayaas. They cause the meditation to be not steady. In Patanjali Sutraas, nine such obstructions are told. Sri Engal Aalwaan quotes from Vaayu Samhita as ten obstructions.

Vyaadhi is disease, sickness, ill health. Sthyaana is inertia, mental sluggishness.

Samshaya is doubt, feeling of uncertainty. Pramaada is carelessness, acting without reflection. Aalasya is fatigue, laziness of the body and mind, exhaustion. Avirati is indulgence without stop, sensual gratification. Bhraanti darshana is delusion, a wandering sense of vision. Alabdha bhoomikatva is inability to take a new step. Anavasthitatva is failure to maintain progress steadily. These are told in the Yoga Sutraas. These are told similarly here. For the one who is practicing yoga, these are all the obstructions which come in the way.

When all these are won over, or destroyed, or controlled, when none of these obstructions are there anymore, when one is able to attain steady meditation, they will see six signs of progress in the fruit.

These six are pratibhaa, shravana, vaartaa, darshana, aasvaada, vedanaa. Pratibhaa is that he is able to get a clear knowledge of everything, that which is very subtle, the past, the future, they will be able to see; this is also told in one of the yoga sutraas itself. Shravana means that they will be able to perceive all kinds of sounds without any effort.

Vaartaa is that they will have special knowledge in speech. Darshana means that they will have divine sights without any effort.

Svaada means that they will have divya rasaasvaada, have divine taste. The divine experiences are told.

For one who is a nishkaama, all the ashtasiddhis are all obstructions only. They do not want them, these special powers are obstructions for moksha. When one is interested only in animaa, mahimaa, pratimaa, etc., the siddhis, they will be here only, as they will have special powers here. Whereas one who is only after liberation, he will not be interested in all of these. So, these siddhis become obstructions to one, in this way.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 36:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

The aatma gunaas, the discipline which a yogi has to practice are told here. Yama and Niyama are told like this. Ahimsaa, satya, asteya, brahmacharya, aparigraha, are Yama. Brahmacharya is not associating with women. Aparigraha is not possessing or accepting things which are not allowed as per shaastra. Asteya is not stealing. Satya is telling the truth. Without desiring any other fruit, one has to be devoted and performing yoga. And his mind will attain perfection in this way.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 37:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Niyama is told here. Svaadhyaaya is study of the Vedaas. Shoucha is shaastreeya shuddhi, baahya and antara. Tapas is upavaasa and others, and one who can tolerate thirst and hunger, and practice mouna, and krucchra, chaandraayana.

Whatever one possesses, not desiring for anything more is called as santosha. Focussing the mind on Parabrahman is also a guna. The mind should be always focussed on attaining Paramaatman, with great devotion, meditating on His divya mangala vigraha.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 38:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Five Yamas and five Niyamaas are told for a yogi. They can give different fruits. For a nishkaama, he is not desirous of other fruits, but is only focussed on liberation. He gets liberated. Others desirous of ashta siddhis, will get special powers, siddhis. One who is interested in all that may get all of that. But, one who is not interested in all that, but totally focussed on liberation, attaining Parabrahman, will attain liberation.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 39:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Bhadraasana, Svastika, the various aasanaas are all told by Yaajnyavalkya. Endowed with all the qualities, one should sit in a proper aasana, sthiram sukham aasanam. With Yama and Niyama, whatever was told, endowed with all of this, one should practice yoga and meditate upon Brahman.

Next, will be told about Praanaayaama. Which is explained in detail, which we see next.

We are studying Chapter 7 of Amsha 6. Where Keshidhvaja is teaching the nature of yoga to Khaandikya Janaka. In this, he told about Yama, Niyama, Aasana, the initial three angaas of yoga. Now, he is going to teach about Praanaayaama and further stages.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 40:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

There are two types of Praanaayaama - Sabeeja and Abeeja. With practice, one who controls the praana, through Praanaayaama, Sabeeja is with an aalambana, doing the Praanaayaama with the dhyaana of either Bhagavaan's divya mangala vigraha, or chanting a mantra, or mantra japa - this is Sabeeja. Sagarbha Praanaayaama. Without any of these is Abeeja, simply doing the Praanaayaama.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 41:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Rechaka, Pooraka, Kumbhaka are the three parts of Praanaayaama. Rechaka is ucchvaasa, nishvaasa, abhibhava - where ucchvaasa is taking in, nishvaasa is leaving out, and controlling and stopping it, this is Rechaka. The opposite of that is Pooraka, is said to be of two types. The ucchvaasa and nishvaasa are told together, and they join together in Kumbhaka, when the breath is controlled inside. These three are again of three types, by the difference in duration, maatraa bheda, the number of maatraas during which it is done.

When Praanaayaama is done for 12 maatraas, it is said to be manda. When it is for 24 maatraas in duration, it is said to be madhyama. When it is done for 36 maatraas, it is said to be uttama.

When Praanaayaama is done for 12 maatraas and is practiced continuously for a period of time, then the yogi who is practicing Praanaayaama, will feel perspiration. This is one sign that he is mastering the Praanaayaama. The second stage is kampana, there will be involuntary tremors in the body, and this is felt in the madhyama, when he practices for 24 maatraas. When he does for 36 maatraas, then it is utthaana, the praana is said to raise and reach the Brahma Randhra, this is told in yoga.

The rotating of the knee joint, when one does with the sound of thumb and middle finger, and makes a round around that, at a normal speed, this duration is said to be a maatraa.

Praana is the vaayu which is generated from the body. And Aayaama is stopping,

controlling it. This is said to be Rechaka, Pooraka, Kumbhaka. Pooraka is filling in, Rechaka is leaving out. And Kumbhaka is stopping it. First, all the air is left out, then it is filled, and then stopped for some time. These are the three told in Praanaayaama.

How it is done is also told. Holding the right nostril with the thumb, the air is all left out.

Then, with the other one, it is filled in.

One will not take in air, or leave it, but it will be stopped inside. This is said to be Kumbhaka. And it should be very steady during that state.

This is the practice which happens by clearing the nose. First, the nose is to be cleared, and then the Praanaayaama is to be done. Sveda, Utkramana are told in Yogaanushaasana.

This Praanaayaama, the three types - Rechaka, Pooraka, Kumbhaka - are again of two types - Agarbha and Sagarbha. If Japa, Dhyaana are not there, then it is Agarbha. When Japa and Dhyaana are included, then it is Sagarbha. There are hundreds of types, with different combinations. This is about Praanaayaama explained in the Commentary.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 42:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

One who needs an aalambana, a dhyaana of Bhagavaan, the form of Ananta, Bhagavaan's divya mangala vigraha which is meditated upon, the yogis practice by meditating on that.

The moorta roopa of Bhagavaan, the form of Bhagavaan, is sabeeja.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 43:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

This is Pratyaahaara told here. These two shlokaas are telling about Pratyaahaara. The indriyaas which are always going after shabda, sparsha, roopa, rasa, gandha, the sense objects, controlling them from that, and withdrawing them is called Pratyaahaara. One has to withdraw all the indriyaas, and make his mind steady and free from all these sense objects.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 44:

Their mind will be very steady, and they will be able to control their mind from going after the sense objects. Those who are not controlling the sense organs, they cannot practice yoga, they will not attain any siddhi in yoga. Those who do not have control on the senses cannot practice yoga.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 45:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Controlling the praana with Praanaayaama, with Pratyaahaara, controlling the indriyaas, the sense organs - controlling both of these, he has to meditate upon the Shubhaashraya of Paramaatman, the divya mangala vigraha of Paramaatman.

In the mind, the sthoola roopa of Paramaatman has to be steadily contemplated upon. This is said to be Dhaaranaa.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 46:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Khaandikya asks a question - Please do tell me what is this Shubhaashraya which is to be placed in the mind, and one has to contemplate on that. And meditating upon which one destroys all the doshaas, defects. Mala is the raaga, dvesha.

Dosha is any other impurities of the mind. They will all be destroyed by meditating upon the Shubhaashraya of Bhagavaan.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 47:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Keshidhvaja - The aashraya for the mind, the support for the mind, the mind has to have an object to think about, one has to meditate upon an object only.

Without an object, one cannot do meditation. That aashraya for the mind, is of two types - the moorta and amoorta roopaas, and para roopa and apara roopa.

Initially, the ashubhaashraya is told. Shubhaashraya is to be told, before that, first, the ashubhaashraya is told, those which are not Shubhaashraya. The Baddha jeevaas, Mukta jeevaas are all not Shubhaashraya, as they are either ashubha, or they do not have aashraya. Only Bhagavaan's form is Shubhaashraya. Before telling the Bhagavaan's form, which is Shubhaashraya, the ashubhaashraya which are not fit for meditation, are told now with moorta and amoorta roopaas. These are the Kshara and Akshara told in Bhagavad Geeta - Ksharah sarvaani bhootaani kootastho akshara uchyate. And Para and Apara are told. Moorta roopa is the Chaturmukha Brahma and all the bound selves, who are in the prakruti mandala, and are having a body; they are associated with matter, prakruti, and they have a praakruta shareera; starting from Chaturmukha down to all the beings in this prakruti mandala, the bound selves. Amoorta is without a shareera, the mukta roopa, the liberated selves. One is Para, and another is Apara.

How can they be told as Brahma dvidhaa? Because they are all Brahmaatmaka. Moorta roopaas and Amoorta roopaas are also that of Parabrahman only as they all have Brahman only as their inner self. This Brahmaatmaka naanaatva is told in the Shrutis only. Abrahmaatmaka naanaatva is what is negated. Moorta and Amoorta are said to be Brahman only, as they are Brahmaatmaka. They are also forms of Bhagavaan only, as told in Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma. But can they be meditated upon, if a question arises, they are not fit for meditation. In order to tell this, this has been told by Keshidhvaja initially. First, he tells about the baddha svaroopa, and the muktaas. He says that both are not fit for meditation. And then he tells about Bhagavat roopa, which is Shubhaashraya.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 48:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

There are three bhaavanaas told. In this whole world, in this prakruti mandala, everyone is having these three bhaavanaas - they are Brahmabhaavanaa, Karmabhaavanaa, Ubhayabhaavanaa. It will be explained who have all these things.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 49:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

One is said to be Karmabhaavanaa. The next is Brahmabhaavanaa, and the third is Ubhayabhaavanaa. Bhaava is a function of the mind.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 50:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Sanaka, Sanandana, and others who are the maanasa putraas of Brahma, are all having Brahmabhaavanaa only. From Devaas up to the sthaavaraas, including manushyaas, which are all avara, all of them are having Karmabhaavanaa. It is told that the sthaavaraas are the last in that category - it is told as deva, manushya, tiryak, sthaavara. Even for Himavat parvata, some karma adhikaara is told in the Puraanaas. Bilva, the trees are also said to be having some karma adhikaara, they also do some karmaas, there is a chetana in them also. That is why it is told as avara here.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 51:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Adhikara is thinking that whatever karma one does, is for my purpose only, and for me to gain whatever fruits I want. If one wants svarga phala, then this karma is for me to attain this svarga phala. Like that, if one thinks that it is for them, and for attaining whatever desires they have, and this is said to be adhikaara.

Whoever in this samsaara dashaa, thinks that the karmaas are for fulfilling various desires for them, are meant for them, is told here. Hiranyagarbha and others have both Brahmabhaavanaa and Karmabhaavanaa. Anyone performing karmaas for their own purpose, they have all these bhaavanaas.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 52:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Whatever is there in this world, having deva, manushyaadi aakaara, etc., for them, till the tattva jnyaana is not yet arisen, and they are still engaged in karmaas, here the vishesha jnyaana is the differences existing in deva, manushya, and others, that only is the aatma, thinking that the body itself is the aatman, getting a liking for that, and thinking that "I am only this body", and then performing all the acts according to that. When he gets into the body of a deva, or manushya, or krimi or keeta, they get abhimaana in those dehaas, and do all the acts according to that - this is said to be vishesha jnyaana, and the karma is said to be vishesha karma.

In this shloka, we have to stop one sentence at vishvametat. This whole world is made of those who think that the body itself is the aatman, and they are engaged in those acts only according to whatever body they get.

Up to vishvametat is told the baddha svaroopa. After that, from the word param onwards, to paramaatmanaH in shloka 54, the para roopa is told, which is amoorta, which is the mukta svaroopa. These are also commented in the Shreebhaashyam by Bhaashyakaarar. Druk is jnyaana, and bhedabhinnadruk means seeing the various differences in the bodies itself as differences in the aatman - one who thinks that the aatman is itself having all these differences and varieties. Those who are different from that, and those who are other than Brahma, Sanaka, Sanandana, etc., are said to para.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 53:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Para and apara - two forms are told, which are moorta and amoorta. Para roopa is amoorta roopa, and apara roopa is moorta roopa. The para roopa is being told now.

Para svaroopa is mukta. They do not have this praakruta shareera. They do not have jaati, varna, etc. There is no difference like manushya jaati, deva jaati - this difference does not exist in the liberated self. That is why, they are beyond words, because we cannot call them as deva, manushya, etc., as we see in terms of the bound selves who belong to various classes. Among the muktaas, these classes do not exist. So, they are said to be vachasaam agocharam. The muktaas cannot be called as deva, manushya, etc.

There are six bhaavaas told, shat bhaavaas - asti, jaayate, vardhate, viparinamate, apaksheeyate, nashyati. Out of these shat bhaavaas, five are not there for muktaas, and only asti is there. Jaayate (gets born), vardhate (grows), viparinamate (undergoes changes), apaksheeyate (declines), nashyati (perishes) are not there for the muktaas.

They know themselves, they have pratyaktva. Jnyaanam means the mukta svaroopa can be established only with jnyaatrutva, jnyaana guna. One who has the jnyaana, but is said to be the jnyaana itself. This is the most essential characteristic of the nature of the aatman. This is told in a Brahma sootra - Tat gunasaaratvaat tat vyapadeshah praajnyavat. Because it is the saarabhoota guna of jeevaatman, the jnyaatrutva, it is said to be jnyaana itself. Just as Paramaatman is told Aanando brahma. Niratishaya aananda svaroopa is aananda guna. So, He is said to be aananda itself.

The jnyaana svaroopa is also told to be aatma samvedya, svayam prakaasha. This itself says jnyaana svaroopa. Jnyaana svaroopa and guna are both established here.

Because it is Brahmaatmaka, it is said to be Brahma samjnitam. It is said to be Brahma.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 54:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Aroopa is that which is different from vishvaroopa. Vishvaroopa is all the baddha jeevaas. That which is different from them, is amoorta. This is also a form of Bhagavaan only, as they are all Brahmaatmaka. This is said to be amoorta and aroopaakhya. And it is different from moorta roopa. This is said to be the para roopa of Paramaatman.

Two roopaas of Paramaatman are told - para roopa and apara roopa. Para roopa is amoorta, and apara roopa is moorta, which is the baddha svaroopa. Para roopa is mukta svaroopa. Both are the forms of Paramaatman. Because they are also Bhagavadaatmaka, they are also forms of Paramaatman. However, the baddhaas and muktaas do not have Shubhaashraya; they are not fit to be object of meditation for a mumukshu, for a bhagavat yogi. This will be told now.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 55:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Yogayuk is one who is in any of the stages of yoga still. He has started yoga, and has not yet reached the final stage. One who has reached the final stage is said to be a nishpanna yogi. For a yogayuk, it is not possible to meditate upon the form of the Lord.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shlokas 56-58:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

What all is contained in the sthoola roopa is told here. The devataas, devayonis, whoever is born of devaas, manushyaas, pashus, the mountains, the oceans, the streams, trees, all these beings, and whoever is the cause of all these beings, from pradhaana, mahat, ahamkaara, etc., the whole world consisting of sentient and non sentients, the sthoola roopa is told here ...

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shlokas 59-60:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

... all of these which have the trividha bhaavanaas, brahma bhaavana, karma bhaavana, ubhaya bhaavana, this gross form of Paramaatman, though it can be meditated upon as it has a gross form, it has this bhaavanaa traya. Because of that, it is ashuddha, it is impure and not fit for meditation, it is not said to be Shubhaashraya, it is ashubhaashraya. Idam vishvam is the conclusion of whatever is told in this world. From Jagadetat charaacharam is a separate sentence. This is all said to be the shakti of Vishnu only. Shakti, amsha, tanu, vapu, shareera - all of these are paryaaya padaas, synonyms. This is controlled by Paramaatman, supported by Him, and meant for His purpose. He is the master of that. It is all shakti because it is supported by His sankalpa shakti. Just like our shareera, as our Jeevaatman is pervading the whole body, and is controlling by his willing only. In the same way, Paramaatman controls the whole world of sentients and non- sentients. There is another way of commenting on this, as told by some people.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 61:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

The third shakti of Paramaatman is also going to be told. The first two are paraa shakti, and aparaa shakti, and the third is avidyaa. This is also called karma. The paraa shakti is the mukta svaroopa. The kshetrajnyaas are told as aparaa, told as Hiranyagarbha, etc., the bound selves. Avidyaa is the yaaga and other karmaas, performing which one gains all the fruits, and they are bound here. Prakruti sambandha is continuing because of this avidyaa for the sentients. The cause of this prakruti sambandha is said to be the third shakti of Paramaatman.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 62:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Everyone performs based on the karmaas. The kshetrajnya shakti, is covered by this third shakti, which is avidyaa. Because they are all doing karma all the time. And they experience all the grief and difficulties in this samsaara. The aadhyaatmika, aadhibhoutika, aadhidaivika taapaas. Coming from beginningless time, without any break, they are continuously experiencing the grief of this samsaara, all the taapaas.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 63:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

This aparaa shakti which was told as kshetrajnyaas, the bound selves, their knowledge is covered by avidyaa, which is the third shakti, karma. Their dharmabhoota jnyaana is contracted, covered. And it is relative in all the beings. For some, the jnyaana is more, and for some, it is less. The order in which the jnyaana varies is going to be told.

… लक्ष्यिे ॥ is a pramaana. The dharmabhoota jnyaana gets contracted and expanded. There is a difference in dharmabhoota jnyaana among the various beings. It is less for manushyaas, and more for devaas. For muktaas, it is in its original natural state, which is ananta, all pervading. Here, because of avidyaa, it is covered, and there is a relative difference among all the beings.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 64:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

The taaratamya, the relative differences are told here. In mountains, in wooden pieces, it is very very less. The jeevaatmans who are there in all these are of the same nature. and they are all very subtle, sookshma; and there is no vikaara in their svaroopa at any point of time, either in the bound state or any state. There is no vikaara in the essential nature of jeevaatman. It is only in the dharmabhoota jnyaana that the contraction and expansion happens, and differences exist among the jeevaatmans. Being less and more is not in the svaroopa, but in the jnyaana aananda dharma only; they experience less happiness, and their knowledge is limited. In serpents and other beings, it is a little more than stone, wood. In birds, it is still more.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 65:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Compared to the birds, deer and other animals have more. Pashus like cow and others have still more. Humans have more than the pashus, with the jnyaana shakti which they have. The dharmabhoota jnyaana of humans is much more expanded, compared to cow and others.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 66:

Compared to humans, naaga, gandharva, yaksha have more dharmabhoota jnyaana.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 67:

Indra's dharmabhoota jnyaana is less contracted compared to the humans. Compared to all the devaas, the dharmabhoota jnyaana of Indra is much more. More or less means that it is covered by avidyaa. It is always in its original state, and in moksha also, it is not newly created. It is like a diamond or gem being covered by dust. When the dust is removed, it shines in its original state. The shine is not newly created. In the same way, the dharmabhoota jnyaana of all the sentient beings is covered with more or less dust, so that the dharmabhoota jnyaana is less or more expanded. The difference is only in this. Indra has the maximum dharmabhoota jnyaana compared to all the devaas. Prajaapati has more than Indra. Hiranyagarbha has much more. These are the relative differences in dharmabhoota jnyaana.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 68:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Those who do not have praana in them, like mountain, which does not breathe, from apraani vastu to Hiranyagarbha, whatever were told, are all His shareera. Roopa, amsha, shakti, tanu, vapu, shareera are all paryaaya padaas. Just as a man's body is pervaded by his sankalpa shakti, this entire thing is pervaded by Bhagavaan's sankalpa shakti, and is controlled and supported by Him, by His mere sankalpa itself. By His mere willing, He can support and control everything. That is why it is said to be His shareera. His sankalpa saamarthya is told here. His sankalpa is present everywhere.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 69:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Bhagavaan's moorta roopa is the apara roopa, apara shakti; and amoorta roopa is para roopa. The moorta roopa was told so far, how the dharmabhoota jnyaanaas are varying, and though it is sthoola, it is ashubhaashraya, and is not fit for meditation by a bhagavat yogi, this is the bhaavanaa trayaatmaka roopa; all the baddhaas have bhaavanaa traya. The second one, is called Vishnu Samjnyaa, Vishnu, and it is told to be fit for meditation by a yogi, and is said to be amoorta roopa of Paramaatman. Muktaas do not have the bhaavanaa traya.

Now, the mukta, amoorta roopa is being told here. This is told as sattaa maatram. This can be meditated upon by a nishpanna yogi, one who has come to the dhaaranaa stage. This is also called by the name Vishnu, as it is all Brahmaatmaka. This form will be told now, and Bhagavaan's divya mangala vigraha is going to be told in detail, which we see next. This divya mangala vigraha only is fit for meditation by bhagavat yogi. The para and apara roopaas are not fit for meditation by a bhagavat yogi.

From Chaturmukha Brahma to the lowest beings in this world, all are having this bhaavanaa traya - the Brahma bhaavanaa, Karma bhaavanaa, Ubhaya bhaavanaa. So, they are all Bhaavanaa trayaatmaka. The one without Bhaavanaa traya is called amoorta roopa, and it is mukta roopa.

One who is still in any of the angaas of yoga is said to be a prakraanta yogi, who is professing his yoga, who has not reached the final stage. Only a nishpanna yogi can think of the mukta svaroopa. So, the moorta, amoorta are both told.

Now, will be told the Bhagavat roopa.

We are studying Chapter 7 of Amsha 6. Where Keshidhvaja is teaching the nature of yoga to Khaandikya Janaka, the bhagavat yoga, bhakti yoga. First, he described about the various angaas of yoga - yama, niyama, aasana, etc. Now, for dhaaranaa, he is talking about the object of meditation. Before telling about the Bhagavat divya mangala vigraha, as the upaasya, he is telling about the two forms of Paramaatman, moorta and amoorta.

Where the moorta roopa is all the forms seen in this world, having chetanaas and achetanaas, which are all shareera to Him - roopa is also told as shareera, shakti - He is all pervading through His sankalpa. Just like a jeevaatman pervaded this body, Bhagavaan is pervading the entire world, consisting of the sentients and non-sentients. He is controlling and supporting all of them.

Then, he tells about the amoorta roopa, which is said to be sattaa maatra. Sattaamaatram agocharam vachasaam was told earlier. This is the form being told here. This is the mukta svaroopa. And it is said to be yogi dhyeya in the sense that it can be meditated upon only by a yogi, who has already perfected his yoga, a nishpanna yogi.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 70:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

It was told about three shaktis of Paramaatman - para roopa, apara roopa and karma/avidyaa. Para shakti is the muktaas, aparaa shakti is all the baddhaas, and avidyaa/karma is another shakti because of which jeevaatmans get associated with prakruti. All these three shaktis are established in Bhagavaan's roopa, which is very different from all these. This is told here.

After having told about the three shaktis which are all residing in Bhagavaan's divya mangala vigraha, in the form of astraas, bhooshanaas, all the weapons, dress, ornaments, etc., which are all the various shaktis, the abhimaani devataas of various tattvaas. They are all eternally supported by Him, under His control.

And Bhagavaan who is told as the sole cause of this world, only He is Shubhaashraya is being told in this shloka.

Bhagavaan's divya mangala vigraha is apraakruta, different from the moorta and amoorta roopaas, and it is vilakshana compared to the world form, vishvaroopa. The pramaanaas are told here. The colour is told - aaditya varna, and is beyond the tamo loka, prakruti mandala. The Paramapada is hiranmaya, it has got that kind of jyoti, lustre. It has got a wonderful robe. His eyes are like the broad and fresh petals of a lotus. When one realizes, and gets a vivid perception, it will be not like a dream. The dream that we get is like a defect when tamas increases, whereas, with effort, with bhakti yoga, if one achieves that state, then they get a vivid perception. This is like that. It is a gross form. It is great even from the point of view of the gunaas, qualities of Bhagavaan. This form of Bhagavaan is established through various shruti pramaanaas.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 71:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

That which is abode for all the shaktis, that form of Bhagavaan, is for the good of the world, and is His own sport. Creation and others are all His leelaa. These two shlokaas tell about deva, tiryak, manushya, sthaavara - the four kinds of creation which He does. He also incarnates in all these forms. He acts as though He is also a deva, He is also a manushya, He is also a tiryak, when he incarnates in these forms. When He incarnates in these forms, He also acts like them, the cheshtaas, the acts He does will be similar to them. These are all His avataara roopaas. He does these, it is said in these two shlokaas. In every kalpa, He does fourteen deva avataaraas. In each Manvantara, He incarnates as a deva, Vishnu is one of His avataaraas only, among Chaturmukha Brahma, Rudra, Vishnu, He is His own avataara only. Matsya, Koorma, Varaaha are all tiryak avataaraas. Raama, Krishna are manushya avataaraas. He does out of His own sport, and not because of any other benefit for Him, for gaining something. There is another paatha.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 72:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

When He incarnates as a human, He acts like a human. We can see this in Raama avataara, Krishna avataara. It is only for the good of the world that He does that. It is not because He is experiencing the fruits of karma done earlier. Because He is karmaadhyaksha, and not karma vashya. He is Sarveshvara, and not like a bound self. This is there in all the jaatis - deva, manushya, etc. He is not born like the bound selves here, He incarnates out of His own will. Whatever wonderful acts He did, leelaa cheshtitaas, in Brindaavana, Gokula, in controlling the Kaaliya sarpa, they are unopposed. Nobody can stop Him or oppose Him, or go against Him.

Raavana, Shishupaala, Baana, and others - nobody can stop or face Him. He overpowers everyone. The avataaraas are said to be not karma nimitta, not for experiencing the fruits of the karma, like the baddha jeevaas; the leelaas of the Lord do not come under bhaavanaa traya, like the bound selves, Because of this, the avataara roopaas are also Shubhaashraya only.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 73:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

The baddha, mukta forms are all His own form only. They are all His shareera, His moorta and amoorta roopaas. Tat roopa means all His forms, which are para, vyooha, vibhava, antaryaami and archaa - these are the forms to be meditated upon, by one who is engaged in yoga. This destroys all the karmaas of one.

Cleansing of the self means getting rid of the karmaas. One who is engaged in yoga has to meditate upon that.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 74:

Just as the fire which is burning with huge flames, assisted by the air, burns everything, in the same way, Vishnu who is established in the mind of a yogi, destroys all the karmaas there.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 75:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

One who is performing yoga, can establish this kind of a form in his mind, and then can meditate upon it, and this is the form in which dhaaranaa is to be done. This is to be established firmly, steadily in the mind.

That which is the aadhaara of all the shaktis, the mind has to be established in that during dhaaranaa. This is shuddha dhaaranaa. This is in order to get shuddha dhaaranaa.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 76:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

The reason why the Shubhaashraya is beyond the tribhaavanaa, is told here. It can be Shubhaashraya or Shuddhaashraya. Bhagavaan by Himself is sarvagata, He is all pervading, and He moves over everywhere. He is everywhere. He is vyaapta, ananta. His svaroopa itself is vibhu. He also moves around everywhere. With respect to something which is totally different, He is achala. His vailakshanya is told here. He is different and distinct from everything else. That is why He is said to be Shubhaashraya. His avataara roopaas are also beyond the bhaavanaa traya, and also they bestow liberation, moksha. They are moksha kaarana. Because of this, shubha and aashraya are both there. They can be meditated upon, and also they bestow the ultimate benefit, moksha. This is told in Smruti and other places. Krishna says in Bhagavad Geetha as "One who knows like this". One who establishes his mind on Nrusimha, Vaamana - these avataara roopaas are also Shubhaashraya only. In Saatvata Puraana, it is said that a man has ten indriyaas, and is compared with Raavana, who has got ten heads, the manas itself is the raakshasa, like Raavana - the mind, with the ten sense organs, and with the bow and arrows which is nothing bur Viveka, one can control the mind, and just as Sri Raama destroyed Raavana with the power of His arrows, a yogi with viveka, upaasanaa, goes forth and controls all these sense organs. He is the one to be meditated upon, and His hue is like the sea. His eyes are blood red, and like a red lotus. He has got bow and arrows. His Shubhaashraya is described, and His avataara roopaas are all to be meditated upon by a yogi in order to get liberated.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 77:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

All others are ashuddhaas, it is said. The baddha and mukta roopaas told, the moorta and amoorta roopaas, are all ashuddhaas, are ashubhaashrayaas, they are different from bhagavat roopa. It is told clearly that from Chaturmukha Brahma to the lowest being, which are all there in this prakruti mandala, which are having a body, and are baddha, are all born because of the fruits of experiencing their karma. They are all under the sway of samsaara, going in the cycle of birth and death. All the baddha jeevaas are not fit for dhyaana by a yogi. They themselves are having avidyaa, karma, and they are in samsaara, so they cannot be meditated upon by one who is desirous of liberation, moksha. Those who have escaped this samsaara, and have got rid of all their karma, their jnyaana is in its proper full state, original state, they have got the jnyaana; they are also not useful for one who is engaged in dhyaana; because their jnyaana is not natural; they were bound selves at one time, and with Bhagavaan's anugraha, His grace, they got rid of this karma, and then they became muktaas; so the jnyaana was always not there for them. So, the Brahman who is eternally having asankuchita jnyaana, Satyam jnyaanam anantam Brahma, is only to be meditated upon, as told by Shounaka. This is also told in the Mahaabhaarata, that they are all in this samsaara only. Manu, Mahaabhaarata, and Puraanaas are given as pramaana here. They are told as ashuddhaas because of karmayonitva.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 78:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

In dhaaranaa and dhyaana, what is the form to be meditated upon, is told here. The gross form of Bhagavaan. This is Shubhaashraya and is the one fit for dhaaranaa and dhyaana.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 79:

O King, what is the sthoola roopa of Bhagavaan? How is it to be meditated upon? That I am going to tell you, listen to me. Keshidhvaja said. Dhaaranaa cannot be done without thinking about a form in the mind. Something has to be established in the mind. The mind needs an aadhaara for dhaaranaa. One has to establish a form in the mind, and then meditate upon it. Without that, it is not possible.

What is the form to be established in the mind for dhyaana, is now told as the Bhagavad roopa, the divya mangala vigraha, the most wonderful description of Bhagavat divya mangala vigraha.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 80:

The most pleasant face of Bhagavaan, divya vadana, most beautiful. It is like the petal of the lotus, His eyes are like that, most beautiful, resplendent. He has beautiful cheeks. He has a broad and radiant forehead. This form is to be meditated upon, established in the mind.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 81:

Equally spaced with the ears, the earrings which are most beautiful, and ornaments, with a wonderful neck, with a broad chest, having the mark of Shreevatsa.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 82:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

There are three most wonderful folds in His stomach, just like the waves in the sea. There is a deep navel in His stomach. He has got long eight arms. Or four arms. We have to meditate upon the four arms of Vishnu, or eight arms, as ashtabhuja.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 83:

Firm and steady, and flat, His legs and thighs, and His Lotus Feet, which are most well formed, and clad in clean yellow robes, the Peetaambara, this is the form of Brahman, Paramaatman, which is to be meditated upon. With all the aayudhaas and bhooshanaas, this is the form of Paramaatman which one has to establish in the mind, and then meditate upon it.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 84:

The crown, garland, armlets, bracelets - He is decorated with all these ornaments.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 85:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

The Shaarnga bow, then Shankha, Gadaa, Khadga, Chakra, Akshamaalaa, He has got Varada hasta, and Abhaya hasta, and the Mudrikaa ratna. His wonderful form is with all the bhooshanaas and astraas.

There are four kinds of dhaaranaa, told. The weapons that He is carrying, in Ashtabhuja and in Chaturbhuja are told.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 86:

With complete concentration, the yogi has to meditate on the form of the Lord with the Shaarnga, Shankha, the Varada Abhaya hasta, etc., keeping his mind tranquil and equipoised. He has to meditate upon this as long as he has firmly established the form, he has to think of only this and nothing else. This is dhaaranaa.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 87:

Whether is walking or standing, or whatever he is doing, whatever work he is engaged in, when such a form of Bhagavaan, the wonderful divya mangala vigraha of Bhagavaan does not go away from his mind, is always established in his mind, whatever he may be doing, walking, sitting, standing, or doing any other work, that is when he can understand that his dhaaranaa is now mastered, that he has attained the state of dhaaranaa.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 88:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

First, it is said that he has to meditate Bhagavaan with all the astra, bhooshana. Now, the second kind of meditation is told here. This second form of meditation is with only bhooshanaas, without the Shankha, Gadaa, Chakra, Shaarnga. The first form is astra and bhooshana. The Bhagavaan's form is to be meditated upon, with sphatika akshamaalaa, yajnyopaveeta, etc.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 89:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

The next stage is without bhooshanaas also, thinking about all the various angaas of Bhagavaan. Mainly concentrating on the angaas or avayavas of Bhagavaan. After establishing and mastering the dhaaranaa of bhooshanaas, one has to meditate without the bhooshanaas.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 90:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Then, he has to think of each avayava of Bhagavaan. This is the fourth dhaaranaa, with the angaas of Bhagavaan. The aayudhaas, bhooshanaas, the various angaas of Bhagavaan, with the continuous practice and meditation, when it is firmly established in the mind, and then only one avayava, having the Bhagavaan's form, this is to be meditated upon. This is giving importance to one avayava at a time, and then this is told as dhyaana. Till this, it is dhaaranaa, and now it is dhyaana. The avayavi is said to be of gomukhaakaara, and one has to do dhyaana in that.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 91:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

This is the form of dhyaana. When once dhaaranaa is established, this is the same as tailadhaaraavat avicchinna smruti santati roopaa, what Bhaashyakaarar says, that there should be no other thought coming in between two thoughts. This is saalambana yoga. In the astra bhooshana adhyaaya, the form that is meditated upon, with astra, bhooshana, is said to be sabeeja yoga.

The dhyaana is now established with the six angaas - yama, niyama, aasana, praanaayaama, pratyaahaara, dhaaranaa. Now is told the dhyaana. Samaadhi is next.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 92:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

This is samaadhi, said to be Nirbeeja yoga. The meditation with astra, bhooshana is Sabeeja yoga. That which is realized with the sapta angaas of yoga, up to dhyaana, is called Nirbeeja yoga, and this is Bhagavaan's essential nature. This means, One who is meditated upon with all the divya mangala vigraha, astra, bhooshana - thinking that He does not have naama, roopa like what we see in this world, and that there are not the shat bhaava vikaaraas, asti iti kevalam, who is without any vikaaraas, with this, the svaroopa grahana has to be done. This is to be achieved through meditation in the mind. This is said to be samaadhi. The previous chapter is told as para vidyaa and apara vidyaa. Apara vidyaa is shaastra janya jnyaana, para vidyaa is as told in the Mundakopanishad, is the vivekaja jnyaana, which is upaasanaatmaka. This is already established in the Astra bhooshana adhyaaya for one who has all these attributes - astra, bhooshana, who is vishishta with all these things, such a Bhagavaan having the divya mangala vigraha. One can meditate upon the svaroopa of Bhagavaan, starting with the meditation on the divya mangala vigraha, with all the astraas and bhooshanaas, the most resplendent form of Bhagavaan, and then thinking without the astraas thinking about the same form, without the bhooshanaas thinking about the same form, and meditating upon the svaroopa of Bhagavaan. Always, Bhagavaan is qualified by all these things, but the focus is on the svaroopa, astra, bhooshanaas; without this, it is not possible to proceed in this form. Without this, it is not possible to achieve. One should not leave them away, but this is the way to progress. Finally, the one who is to be attained, Bhagavaan, is qualified by all of these, astraas, bhooshanaas, vigraha, as per Tat kratu nyaaya - "Yathaa kraturasmin loke purusho bhavati, tathaa itah pretya bhavati" - "As one meditates, he attains that only; whatever form one meditates upon, he attains that", so if he meditates upon jeevaatman, he attains jeevaatman only. If one meditates upon Bhagavaan, he attains that. Bhagavaan's form is having all of these - divya mangala vigraha, astra, bhooshana, so meditation is only upon such a form, and not leaving all those things. However, one can focus more and more on various aspects, as what is told in the four ways of dhaaranaa. One who attains Bhagavaan in the final stage, the ultimate stage, is the Bhagavaan having the divya mangala vigraha, and the astra, bhooshana, etc.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 93:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

The attainer is aatman, and this kind of vijnyaana, which is the saadhanaa for attaining Bhagavaan is told here. This vijnyaana, told up to samaadhi, this yoga, is the one which helps one to attain Paramaatman. Just like Parabrahman, he will also be getting rid of all his blemish, his karma bandha, prakruti sambandha; he will get rid of bhaavanaa traya, the bhagavat upaasaka is the attainer. This is also told in the Shruti - one who meditates upon Brahman attains Brahman. The pramaanaas about upaasanaa are given here.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 94:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

It is not only that it will lead one to Brahman, but also will make one get liberated. Kshetrajnya is the jeevaatman, upaasaka, who is meditating, is the karani. The karana, saadhana is jnyaana, the upaasana. It will definitely give him the fruit of mukti, and then only will it return, it is told here. He has to do until he gets moksha, aharahah anustheya, this bhakti yoga he has to perform everyday, he will attain moksha. The prakruti, which is guna traya, called maayaa, in the form of kshetra, the shareera, his svaroopa is covered by that. Karani is one who performs the upaasanaa. Karana, the instrument is upaasanaa, the samaadhi roopa jnyaana. It will not end before getting him liberation. He has to perform this till he gets liberation.

It will get him liberation, and he will never return to samsaara again. Kshetrajnya is one whose real nature is covered by the veil of prakruti, and maayaa which is trigunaatmaka, consisting of sattva, rajas, tamas, since beginningless time. Karani means one who performs, executes the means to moksha. The jnyaana of the form of samaadhi, is the instrument, the means. It will not get over before he gets liberation. It will take him up to that. This is the power of samaadhi, he says. Now, the moksha svaroopa is told in the next shloka.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 95:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

This is said to be the moksha svaroopa. Tadbhaava bhaavam means Bhagavaan's svabhaava, which is apahata paapmatva, vijarah, vimrutyuh, vishokah, etc. - these will be aavirbhaava, that means that these will not be created, but will be in his natural state, because it was covered, like the dust covered on a gem; if the dust is removed, it will shine forth in its original form. He will be not different from Paramaatman, he will be in the same form as Bhagavaan, He will attain similarity with Bhagavaan, is the meaning. Bheda is the deva, manushya and other forms, which he was in the bound state, because of the ignorance in the form of karma, because of which he thought he was deva, manushya, etc.; having got rid of all his blemish, he attains similarity with Paramaatman, he will be in his original form. Having attained Paramaatman, he will get samaana dharma, saadharmya, with Bhagavaan. Svaroopa aikya, identity cannot be told here, because bhaava bhaava is told, and the second bhaava will be futile in this case, it will not be meaningful. That would again become repetition. One dravya cannot become another dravya, even when they are mixed together. Though they may be like a river merging into the sea, both are called as sea, as the river leaves its name and form; but the particles of the river are still present, and there is no svaroopa naasha or svaroopa aikya with samudra. It becomes one with samudra means that it will also have the same form, similarity, that is what is meant here also. These are all explained here. Abheda does not mean svaroopa naasha and identity with Bhagavaan, but it means similarity, saamya with Bhagavaan, guna saamya.

This tells about the mukti svaroopa. This is explained in detail by Sri Engal Aalwaan. Tadbhaavabhaavan means the bhaavaas of Parabrahman, which are apahata paapmaa, vijarah, vimrutyuh, vishokah, vijighatsah, apipaasah, satyakaamah, satyasankalpah, the ashta gunaas which are told, which are present in the jeevaatman also, in the upaasaka, but are covered by the veil of prakruti. When the cover is removed, it will be in its original natural state; this is called aavirbhaava. So, the jeevaatman will also get the ashta gunaas like Paramaatman. He gets abheda with Paramaatman, his svaroopa will also be jnyaana aananda, and his dharma bhoota jnyaana will be equal to that of Paramaatman. The abheda told here is to be interpreted as told in the commentary - that he becomes similar to Him, becomes similar to Paramaatman with the forms of jnyaana and aananda. Jeevaatman and Paramaatman - are they identical or are they different, what happens in the mukti svaroopa, is explained. Will the jeevaatman lose his svaroopa and merge into Paramaatman, or will he join Paramaatman and get the form similar to Paramaatman. This is what is explained here. It is said that there is similarity, and he does not lose his essential nature. There is no svaroopa naasha in moksha; if it were so, then nobody would desire for such a moksha. Shrutis say clearly that there is similarity attained by the jeevaatman with Paramaatman. The bheda is explained - jeevaatman is also jnyaana aananda maya, jnyaana aananda svaroopa, and his dharma bhoota jnyaana is eternally having all the good qualities, but due to prakruti sambandha, it is covered and contracted. Now, when the prakruti sambandha goes off, the association with matter is removed and destroyed once and for all, he will be in his original state, which is similar to Paramaatman.

The difference is - when he was associated with prakruti, he was born as deva, manushya, tiryak, krimi, keeta, sthaavara, based on each one's karma, which is happening from anaadi kaala, beginningless time. The bheda came because of the karma, anaadi karma. Karma is also anaadi. Because jeevaatman is anaadi, karma is also anaadi. The karmaas which a jeevaatman does lead to Bhagavaan's anugraha or nigraha, which are called punya and paapa, and that is going on getting accumulated. When he transgresses the shaastraas, there will be nigraha, punishment; Bhagavaan will do a sankalpa that he has to be punished for this.

When he follows the shaastraas and does all things right, there will be anugraha, and Paramaatman will grace him, this is punya. The jeevaatman has to experience the fruits of all the karmaas that he has done. For this he gets bodies, and different kinds of bodies based on the punya and paapa that he has accumulated. Again, he identifies himself with the body, and again gets into all kinds of karma. If he gets into the body of a cow, he will act like a cow, he will do all the karmaas like a cow, similarly when he gets into the bodies of a human or deva. As when Keshidhvaja is teaching Khaandikya Janaka, when he gets an aachaarya and does upaasanaa, he gets rid of this body once and for all, and he will be in his liberated state. Then he will be abhedi with Paramaatman, similar to Paramaatman, because he is also jnyaana aananda maya. He is anu, his svaroopa is jnyaana aananda, and his dharma bhoota jnyaana will become equal to that of Paramaatman. Deva aadi roopa is the bheda here. This bheda is due to karma roopa ajnyaana.

This is told in Shrutis as he gets parama saamya, ultimate similarity with respect to the dharma, dharma bhoota jnyaana, and apahata paapmatva aadi gunaas. He will not become vibhu in svaroopa, he will not be all pervasive in his essential nature, he will be atomic. He will be subtle, and his essential nature will be ati sookshma. He will not have the capability to enter into all the beings, antaryaamitva. He will not be capable of jagat srushti, paalana, samhaara. He will enjoy the ultimate bliss similar to that of Paramaatman. The similarity is with respect to that aspect only. He will not be tainted by karma, prakruti.

He goes near Paramaatman, and touches Him, sparsha, and the paryanka vidyaa is told in the Upanishads. He gets evolved in his original form, and the veil of karma is removed. Having attained Paramaatman, his svaroopa aavirbhaava happens. Baadaraayana clearly says this in the Brahma Sutraas. Bhagavaan Krishna says in the Bhagavad Geeta that he gets samaana dharmatva. Svaroopa aikya does not happen. There is no svaroopa naasha.

The defects in the other proposition are told. If there is svaroopa aikya, the words told here tadbhaava bhaavam, the second bhaava will be meaningless. If there is svaroopa aikya, only one bhaava would be sufficient. So, there is no identity, there is only similarity. Abhedi bhavati would also become repetition. The meaning of yoga given in the other proposition is identity, where jeevaatma svaroopa merges into Paramaatma svaroopa and loses its svaroopa; that cannot be true, because as told in the Vishnu Puraana itself earlier, one object cannot become another object.

When there is merger of two objects, they maintain their svaroopa, but they can become one, as in if we add one-half tumbler of water into another half-tumbler of water, both will become water only. If a river merges into the sea, they will both be called sea only, we say that they merge into each other; but the particles, atoms of the river will still remain there only, and will not get destroyed in the ocean. But, it may lose its name and form which was there earlier. Similarly, jeevaatman also loses his name and form which deva, manushya, etc., and will attain a state similar to Paramaatman with respect to his jnyaana aananda gunaas. There will be contradictions with the Shruti statements if we don't say so. This is the mukti svaroopa.

There are some more important shlokaas coming next.

We are studying Chapter 7 of Amsha 6. Where Keshidhvaja is teaching Khaandikya Janaka about Bhagavat yoga, upaasanaa, how dhyaana is to be done to attain samaadhi. He was telling that such a kind of bhakti yoga, will definitely get one moksha, liberation.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 96:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

The moksha svaroopa is only explained here. The differences with respect to deva, manushya, etc., his karma gets completely destroyed when he sees Paramaatman and goes and joins Him. The ajnyaana, ignorance of the nature of karma, is the cause of various differences like various forms of deva, manushya, etc. When that is destroyed completely with the darshana of Paramaatman, with the aatman being jnyaanaika roopa itself, then who will say that he is deva, or he is manushya, then the aatma Paramaatma saamya with respect to jnyaana aakaaratva svaroopa and in the jnyaana dharma, the similarity will be there. That jeevaatman is anu, and Paramaatman is vibhu will remain, but both will be of the nature of consciousness. One will not differentiate like deva, manushya.

Shounaka's words are also told as pramaana here. The four kinds of bheda told here - deva, manushya, tiryak, sthaavara, is because of the ajnyaana which is happening due to karma.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 97:

Keshidhvaja after teaching all these to Khaandikya Janaka, the nature of yoga, ashtaanga yoga, samaadhi, what forms to meditate upon, what to meditate upon, what is the nature of liberation, and he said finally - "Thus, I have taught you the yoga, Khaandikya, which you asked me. I have told you briefly and also in detail. What else do you want to know?"

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 98:

Khaandikya replied - O Keshidhvaja, with your teaching of this yoga, everything is done. I am happy, there is nothing else I want. With this upadesha instruction of yours, all the impurities in my mind are completely destroyed now. I have nothing else to ask of you.

He shows the indication that he has absorbed the knowledge, which Keshidhvaja has taught him. He said that "My mind has become pure".

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 99:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

I said "My, mine, that I have heard everything, my mind has now been cleared". These words "I, mine", without using these words, I cannot convey you these.

That is why I told, and not with any other reason. I have lost this ahamkaara, mamakaara. If I tell that my mind is pure, then it may mean that I still have ahamkaara, but that is not what I am meaning here. I am not having any ahamkaara, mamakaara. When the impurities are all destroyed, I still have to tell that "My mind". When the complete impurities are destroyed, I should not even be using aham, mama, but those who have understood the truth, and are trying to tell, even those who have realized the ultimate, cannot convey this without using those words. That is why I am using that, he says.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 100:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Aham, mama are avidyaa jnyaana, thinking one as something else. He is a man, she is a woman, this is a cow, horse, is also avidyaa, it is not the right knowledge, because all are jnyaana aakaaraas, aatmans only. All the differences, what I said, are due to avidyaa only, bhramaa. It is the wrong knowledge. The truth is that aatman is eternal, and we cannot express by words. We cannot talk about him.

We cannot say that this aatman is goat, this is buffalo, etc; we cannot use these words to indicate an aatman. Because all aatmans are jnyaana aakaaraas only. He cannot be told using these words. Because these are all coming due to prakruti sambandha and not in his real nature.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 101:

You can return, O Keshidhvaja. You told me everything for my good, shreyas. Shreyas is told in Upanishads as the reality principle, and not preyas, the pleasure principle. You have taught me all these for my ultimate good. You have taught me the yoga which will get me ultimate liberation itself. You have taught me the eternal moksha itself - the means to that, O Keshidhvaja.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 102:

Sri Paraasharar - Having shown all the honour, respect, as Keshidhvaja deserved, by Khaandikya Janaka, Keshidhvaja came back to his city.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 103:

Khaandikya also made his son as the king, and in order to perfect and practice his yoga, which was taught by Keshidhvaja, he went to the forest, having fixed his mind in Govinda. He wanted to meditate, do upaasanaa, and attain moksha. So, he retired to the forest.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 104:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Concentrating on Bhagavaan only, with yama, niyama, aasana, etc., having perfected all of that, he merged into Vishnu, who is nirmala, Parabrahman.

The meaning of laya is told in the commentary. Laya is the complete destruction of the naama, roopa, karma. He got this when he attained Vishnu. This is told in the Shrutis. Just like the rivers. The river is called Gangaa, and it has a form, that it is flowing like this, and that is Yamunaa river, this is Kaaveri river, etc., and they all go and merge into the ocean. When they go into the ocean, inside the ocean, we cannot say that "this is river Gangaa, this is river Kaaveri, this is river Yamunaa". They leave their form and name and merge into the ocean. But they don't lose their essential nature. Similarly, jeevaatman attains moksha, in the same way.

Just as a horse shakes off its mane, similarly, the jeevaatman shakes off all his punya and paapa karmaas and attains liberation. The knots in the heart, the raaga, dvesha, karma, everything gets destroyed. Being untainted by karma, he attains ultimate similarity with Paramaatman. These are all told in the Shrutis. There is no svaroopa aikya, it is not identity of nature, jeevaatman does not lose his essential nature. This is also seen clearly in the nitya, naimittika and praakruta laya. It is told that in sushupti, deep sleep, we go and attain Paramaatman, we get laya; it is said that jeevaatman merges into Paramaatman in deep sleep, but he again comes back, he becomes the same thing whatever he was earlier, when he wakes up; and he remembers all the things that he remembered earlier, whatever he had done the previous day; he becomes whatever he was earlier; this is proof that he has not lost his essential nature, because he again comes back. Like this, it can be seen in naimittika and praakruta pralaya.

If the jeevaatman had lost his nature, what would have happened? When he dies, for example, and gets into another body, when a human dies and gets born as a horse or cow, he will become the cow or horse only to experience the fruits of his karma, and he will get body of a cow or a horse. If the nature of jeevaatman itself gets totally destroyed when he dies, and if he gets into the body of a cow, then he will have to experience karmaas which he had not done, because his nature would have been destroyed completely and created again. Or whatever good or bad things he would have done in his human life, will not be giving fruit at all if he loses his nature completely. This is called kruta vipranaasha, the fruits of the karma done will get destroyed if his nature gets completely destroyed; or he will have to experience the fruits of karmaas he has not done; this is not as per shaastraas, and this is not true. We experience the fruits of acts that we have done only, and not otherwise.

If this were not true, then Eeshvara also will have the defects, because if a jeevaatman gets into the body of a cow, and someone becomes a human, someone becomes a deva, why should Eeshvara create like this, if all of them lost their essential nature, and if it was newly created? This differentiation, vaishamya, will be a defect on the part of Eeshvara. And also there will be nairghrunya, because some of them will experience grief all the time, some of them will experience happiness; why should Paramaatman subject someone to grief for no reason, there would be cruelty on the part of Brahman. Whereas Brahman is told to be without any defects, akhila heya pratyaneekatva, His nature is far from any defects. He does not have any defects, as also told in the Sutraas.

So, jeevaatman's anaadi karma is only responsible, and jeevaatmans are also there from beginningless time. They get their bodies as per their karmaas, and they experience grief or happiness, and Eeshvara is only a creator. Eeshvara does the act of creation, but choosing the body is based on their karmaas only. All this will be proper only if jeevaatmans do not lose their essential nature. If they lose their essential nature itself, then none of these will be right. There would be a lot of contradictions in the shaastraas then.

In the Aatyantika laya, moksha, he will not get another body. This is the difference compared to nitya, naimittika, praakruta laya, where he will be again in this samsaara and will get another body, again and again, whereas in the Aatyantika laya, moksha, he will never return to samsaara again.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 105:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Keshidhvaja, for the purpose of liberation, in order to destroy all his karmaas which were there, he performed acts without any desire for fruits therein, and with the mamataa tyaaga, kartrutva tyaaga, sambandha tyaaga, phala tyaaga, without any desire in the fruits, and with Bhagavat aaraadhana roopa. And he also enjoyed based on the karma, without any attachment, because it has to be destroyed. The praarabdha karmaas, which have started to give fruits, have to be experienced. But there should be no attachment to any of that. If something bad happens, he will experience it, but he will not have any attachment to the fruits. If something good happens also, he will experience without any attachment.

Keshidhvaja was doing like this.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 7, Shloka 106:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Having got destroyed all the praarabdha karmaas, which had started to give fruit already, and which cannot be avoided, having experienced them, and having got rid of all the paapaas having experienced them, which had already started to give fruits, having become amala, having got his praarabdha karma destroyed fully, then he became eligible for atyanta siddhi, liberation.

This completes Chapter Seven.

***

॥ अथ अष्िमो अध्यायः॥

Conclusion

Now, Chapter Eight.

This is mostly about the phala, and what was told in the entire Vishnu Puraana, is summarized by Paraasharar here. Paraasharar also tells the fruits, benefits for someone who studies this most sacred work about Vishnu, the Vishnu Puraana, which he taught all this time to Maitreyar, the benefits of listening to this teaching, doing manana, he will tell here.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 1:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Sri Paraasharar - The third pralaya, which is Aatyantika pralaya, moksha, (the other ones being naimittika and praakruta pralayaas), was told to you. This is the Aatyantika vimukti, the ultimate liberation, which is going and joining Paramaatman in the end, the union with Paramaatman.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 2:

I told you about creation, dissolution, the vamsha, manvantaraas, their further vamshaas, thus far.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 3:

This Vaishnava Puraana, which will destroy all evil, all sins, which is a very unique shaastra compared to all the shaastraas, because it will get one the ultimate benefit, the purushaartha.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 4:

You had great desire to listen to this instruction, you are shushrooshu, shrotum icchuhu. I have told you as it is. The student's quality is that he should have desire to listen. The quality of a teacher is that he should tell as it is, what he knows.

Whatever else you want to know, do ask me, I will tell you. This shows his oudaarya.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 5:

Maitreyar - O Bhagavan, you have told me everything that I have asked you. And I have listened to everything with great devotion. I do not have anything else to ask of you at this time.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 6:

All my doubts are completely destroyed now, my mind has become very clear, vimala, without any doubt or defect. All this happened with your grace, O Bhagavan. I have come to know about utpatti, sthiti, laya - creation, sustenance, dissolution, everything.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 7:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

I have known the three groups, three shaktis, and have also known completely three kinds of bhaava bhaavanaas.

The three groups what I have learnt are those responsible for creation, sustenance and dissolution -

1. Brahma, Daksha Prajaapati and others, who are responsible for creation,

2. Vishnu, who Himself does His avataara, Manu, who do sustenance,

3. Rudra, Kaala who are responsible for dissolution. I have come to know these three groups.

There is also a paatha where chaturvidha raashi is told, four groups, where we have to put Bhagavaan also.

Vishnushaktih paraa proktaa, which is jeevaatmans, pradhaana (unmanifest matter), vyakta (manifest matter), kaala.

I have also come to know the bhaavanaas, the Brahma bhaavanaa, karma bhaavanaa, and ubhaya bhaavanaa.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 8:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

With your grace, I have learnt everything. This is sufficient for me. There is nothing else to know. What is that I have known is that this entire world is not different from Paramaatman, Vishnu. Because everything is having Him as the inner self. Everything is Bhagavadaatmaka. Everything is not different from Vishnu. Nothing can exist separately from Vishnu, because they are inseparably associated with Him, and He is the inner self of everything. This is what I have known.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 9:

I have now learnt everything, whatever ought to be done, I have done now. Whatever ought to be attained, I have attained now. All my doubts are completely cleared, with your grace, O Bhagavan. I have also come to know all the varna aashrama dharmaas.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 10:

I have known pravrutti karma, nivrutti karma. That which is done with desire for enjoyment, phalaabhisandhi, aihika and aamushmika phalaas, is pravrutti karma. Nivrutti karma is that which will lead one to liberation, moksha, done without desire for fruit. I have come to know both with your grace. Do be pleased with me. I have nothing else to ask.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 11:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Sri Paraasharar has taken so much pains to teach him all this in great detail, and is again asking in the end - what else do you want to know, I will teach you that also. Maitreyar says - I have subjected you to great difficulty because you have told me for such a long time, you have taken so much pain to teach me all these things, so you must be very tired by continuously teaching me all these things. Please do pardon me for that. I plead kshamaa from you. For sajjanaas, wise people, they do not differentiate between their son and student. Please pardon me if I have subjected you to the difficulty of teaching all these things.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 12:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Sri Paraasharar - Whatever I have told you, O Maitreyar, is equal to Veda only. All the defects, wrong things, doshaas which have come, whatever has accrued, that entire heap of sin, paapa, gets destroyed, while one listens to this. Not only if one does willingly, but also done out of wrong desire, passion, the sins accumulated due to all of that, everything gets completely destroyed, if one listens to this sacred Puraana, which is equal to Veda only.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 13:

I have now taught you sarga, pratisarga, vamsha, manvantaraas, vamshaanicharita, and everything, completely.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 14:

Devaas, daityaas, gandharvaas, raakshasaas, uragaas, yakshaas, vidyaadharaas, siddhaas, apsarases, are all being told here.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 15:

Those sages who are established in the aatman, who have realized the aatman, engaged in tapas, they are being told. The four varnaas, their specific acts, ...

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 16:

... all the sacred places of the world, all the sacred rivers and oceans, the mountains which are also highly sacred, and also various acts, life story, conduct of all the great people, ...

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 17:

... the varna aashrama dharmaas, the complete Veda shaastraas, by just remembering whom, immediately one will get rid of all the sins.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 18:

One who is the cause of creation, sustenance, dissolution of everything, He is only all these forms, being the antaryaami of everything. This is being told about Bhagavaan, Lord Hari.

Bhagavaan, who is present as everything, everything is His form, and He is inner self of everything, He is antaryaami, controller of everything, He is immutable, He is the cause of utpatti, sthiti, naasha, and He is being eulogized everywhere, throughout this grantha.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 19:

Without knowing also, if one tells His name, pronounces His name, he will get rid of all the sins, all blemishes. Just like a deer which is having a great scare of a lion, gets rid of all the fear, like that, the sins will immediately go away.

The greatness of Vishnu naama sankeertana, without one's knowledge, or in whatever state he is, when the mind is not in control also, if we just chant His names, that itself will make one get rid of all the sins. A comparison is given - the deer which has come near a lion, and which is very terrified, if it is saved from the lion, and taken to safety, how much comfort it feels; like that, we have accumulated sins from beginningless time, all our sins will get destroyed just by chanting the sacred divine names of Sri Mahaavishnu.

The greatness of the naama sankeertana, will be told next. The phala of listening to this and studying this work will be told. Which we see next.

With the grace of Bhagavaan Sri Vishnu and our Aachaaryaas, we have been able to study this work, and now is the concluding session, and Mangalaacharane. We will listen to the phalashruti that Sri Paraasharar is going to tell.

We are studying Chapter 8 of Amsha 6. Where Sri Paraasharar is telling Sri Maitreyar what all he has told so far, what all is being taught in this Sri Vishnu Puraanam - everything about the sacred land of India, the whole earth Pruthivi, the lands, the sacred rivers, the mountains, the stories of lives of great people, great kings and rishis, what all wonderful acts they did during their lifetime, what all we can learn from them, and many people eulogized Sri Mahaavishnu as we can see, and the sarveshvaratva, sarvashaktitva, sarvaniyantrutva of Sri Mahaavishnu, how everything is created, sustained, and dissolution also, which happens by Him only, and also about varna aashrama dharmaas, about Vedashaastraas - how it was one, and then divided into four, and then propagated through the aachaarya shishya paramparaa - all this is present here, as Sri Paraasharar is telling. He will tell about the greatness of naama sankeertana, and also the various phalaas which come to one who listens and propagates this.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 20:

O Maitreyar, just as metal is melted by fire, the naama sankeertana of Bhagavaan, done with bhakti, is the ultimate means which can melt all the sins, without a trace.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 21:

Even if He is remembered once, if we chant once, the fierce and great sins, and the various kalmashaas due to Kali yuga, which will lead one to naraka, immediately, they will be completely burnt out, and completely destroyed.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 22:

This whole world is consisting of so many different beings, starting from Hiranyagarbha Chaturmukha Brahma, Devendra, Rudra, Aaditya, Ashvini Devataas, Vaayu, Agni, Ashta Vasus, Saadhyaas, Vishvedevaas, the other devataas, ...

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 23:

... Yaksaas, Raakshasaas, snakes, Siddhaas, Daityaas, Gandharvaas, Daanavaas, Apsaraas, Taaraas, Nakshatra mandalaas, the grahaas, ...

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 24:

... Saptarshis, all the worlds, the lokapaalakaas, Braahmanaas and all other humans, the pashus, mrugaas, ...

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 25:

... snakes, birds, trees such as palaasha tree, forests, oceans, streams, paataala, and all the devataas, ...

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 26:

... and the vishayaas - shabda, sparsha, roopa, rasa, gandha, the objects of the senses, all these which are there in the Brahmaanda, the entire Brahmaanda consisting of all these creations - all these are just like an atom in front of Meru parvata, and in front of Mahaavishnu, all this Brahmaanda consisting of so many beings, so many creations, is like an atom in front of Meru parvata. He is so all pervading, and Brahmaanda is such a minute entity in front of Him. And this Brahmaanda consists of infinite number of such beings, different types of creations.

It was told in the beginning as 'Jagat cha sah', everything is Vishnu only, shows the praachurya. Everything is Bhagavadaatmaka.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 27:

He knows all the prakaaraas, modes of everything also, this is told in the Shrutis also. He is only present in all the forms, because everything is His shareera. Even then He is unseen; He is without a form also, and He is with form also. He has got all these aashcharya shaktis. Vishnu only is being eulogized here. His naama sankeertana itself will destroy all the sins.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 28:

Ashvamedha yaaga is such a difficult yaaga to perform, and it needs so many things and people, and one has to be knowledgeable. After performing the Ashvamedha without any defect, when one takes the avabhruta snaana, the phala that comes to such a person, by mere listening to Vishnu Puraana, one will get that.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 29:

One who fasts in Prayaaga kshetra, or Pushkara kshetra, or Kurukshetra, or on the banks of an ocean, he gets great benefits and a lot of punya - that punya comes by just mere listening to Sri Vishnu Puraana, shravana. Shravana itself is so great. Shravanaayaapi bahubhiryo na labhyah, Yama says to Nachiketas in Kathopanishad - this itself is so difficult to get. One who listens to this, gets so many benefits, phalaas.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 30:

If one performs Agnihotra for one year without break, everyday, he gets mahaapunya, O Maitreyar, that he gets if one listens to this Puraana once, or even Harinaama itself. This itself gives so much of phala.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 31:

On the Jyestha maasa, shukla paksha, dvaadashi tithi, when one takes bath in Yamunaa river, and in Mathura, if he goes and takes darshan of Sri Krishna Bhagavaan, he gets great phala, and Bhagavaan graces him with a lot of fruits and punya. That he will get by mere listening to Sri Vishnu Puraana's one adhyaaya.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 32:

And while listening to Sri Vishnu Puraana, one has to be focussed on Mahaavishnu. One has to be meditating upon Sri Mahaavishnu. He should have offered himself to Bhagavaan, and with great devotion, if he listens to even one adhyaaya, so much phala is told.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 33:

It is said that one who takes bath in Yamunaa river, in Jyeshta maasa, shukla paksha, dvaadashi tithi, and having fasted the whole day, ...

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 34:

... and then goes to Mathura and worships Sri Krishna there, he gets the phala of Ashvamedha yaaga, the fruit of performing an Ashvamedha yaaga.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 35:

Because of this, all the pitrus and pitaamahaas say that by seeing the prosperity of one who is born in their vamsha, and whatever fruits they get by all these things as they say, ...

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 36:

...that if anyone is going to be born in our kula also, who takes bath in Kaalindi river, and goes and worships Govinda, in Mathura, having fasted the whole day, ...

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 37:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

... in Jyestha maasa, Shukla paksha, dvaadashi tithi, he gets the fruit of Ashvamedha yaaga. The pitrus and pitaamahaas say - "Will there be anyone born in our kula, like this, who is going to get us also this fruit, punya loka, punya phala. will we also get this kind of a vruddhi", having seen the prosperity of the other pitrus who are there.

The meaning of great prosperity means that he will get moksha. The pitrus talk like this - will anyone be born in our kula who will get us moksha. By listening to one adhyaaya, the pitrus are all saved, and they get liberated.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 38:

In Jyeshtha maasa, shukla paksha, having worshipped Janaardana, on a Dvaadashi, in Yamunaa river, if one goes and offers pindaas to his pitrus, ...

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 39:

... having worshipped Krishna with great devotion, having taken bath in Yamunaa river, and offering pindaas to the pitrus and pitaamahaas, ...

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 40:

... whatever punya one gets by helping his pitrus and pitaamahaas, they attain good lokaas and will be saved from going to other lokaas, all that punya which was told, as equivalent to ashvamedha yaaga, and one doing this on Jyeshta maasa, shukla paksha, dvaadashi, fasting and taking bath in Yamunaa river, and worshipping Krishna, all that he will get by listening to one adhyaaya, one chapter of this Puraana, and all his pitrus will get punya lokaas and great prosperity.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 41:

One who is scared of samsaara, having the bhaya of samsaara, of being born again, this is the greatest saviour of such a person. This is the ultimate among all those which are worth listening to, and it is most pavitra, most sacred.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 42:

This will destroy all the grief, and all the evils are destroyed. This will bestow everything auspicious. This is the most auspicious among the auspicious things. And also, one will get children.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 43:

Now, Paraasharar is telling the sampradaaya, how this Vishnu Puraana has come through the aachaarya shishya paramparaa. Chaturmukha Brahma first taught this to Rubhu. Rubhu told this to Priyavrata, and he taught it to Bhaaguri.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 44:

Bhaaguri told this to Stambhamitra, and he in turn taught this to Dadhichi.

Dadhichi told this to Saarasvata. Saarasvata told this to Bhrugu.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 45:

Bhrugu taught this to Purukutsa, who taught this to Narmada, who taught this to

Dhrutaraashtra and Poorananaaga.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 46:

Dhrutaraashtra and Poorananaaga taught this to Naagaraaja Vaasuki, the king of snakes. Vaasuki taught this to Vatsa. Vatsa taught this to Ashvatara.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 47:

Ashvatara taught this to Kambala. He in turn taught this to Elaaputra. This is the paramparaa.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 48:

A sage by name Vedashira went to Paataala, and he, in turn, got upadesha of all of this, and he taught this to Pramati.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 49:

Pramati taught this to Jaatukarna. Jaatukarna told this to many people who deserved to get upadesha of this sacred Puraana.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 50:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Because of the varadaana of Pulastya, I also remembered this. I have taught you as it is, O Maitreya.

The story of Pulastya and Vasishtha, we saw in the very beginning, where Pulastya and Vasishtha come to Paraasharar and they give him the boon of Bhagavat yaathaatmya jnyaana, and he will know all the Puraanaas. How Paraasharar also got this through sampradaaya, is explained in the commentary. Earlier, it was told that Saarasvata only taught this. Based on this, he says that he learnt this. In the Kruta yuga, all the Puraanaas were connected together, and it was called Brahma Puraana, Brahma samjnyaa. Chaturmukha Brahma gave this to Daksha, and like this, it came up to Purukutsa. Paraasharar in Treta yuga, collected the Vishnu Puraana, and there was a lot of time loss, a lot of gap in between, and it got lost in between. Again, Paraasharar through his tapas, he did saakskaatkaara of this, and that was being obtained by Chaturmukha Brahma, was taught through Rubhu and Jaaturkarna. This is another sampradaaya. Again it was propagated in triloka. What is told here, from Chaturmukha Brahma, through Rubhu, etc., is another sampradaaya. In the 28th yuga, where Maitreyar is asking Paraasharar, and in the previous janma of Paraasharar, he had learnt it from Saarasvata, and in this birth, Paraasharar through Vasishtha and Pulastya's varadaana, he remembered it again, a small part of it only, and became reduced in size. So, there is no sampradaaya viccheda. Through Paraasharar only, it came first, and through Chaturmukha Brahma, what Paraasharar had done saakskaatkaara, that only was taught to Rubhu and others. So, there is no sampradaaya viccheda, no break in the sampradaaya. Sri Paraasharar, when he was in the womb of his mother itself, remembered the Veda mantraas. The story says that Vasishthar wanted to end his life, as he was feeling very sad that there was nobody to continue his vamsha, when his son was killed by raakshasaas. At that time, he heard a Vedamantra, and his daughter-in-law, his son Shakti's wife, said that she was pregnant. Paraasharar, when in the womb itself knew the Vedamantraas. He remembered the Vedaas heard in some other janma, in the garbha itself. In the same way, he can remember the Puraanaas also. How Puraana kartrutva is obtained by Sri Paraasharar is told as - In the 26th yuga, he became a Vyaasa, it has come from there, and through Pulastya vara, he taught it. That is how he became the kartaa of Sri Vishnu Puraana.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 51:

At the end of Kaliyuga, you are going to teach this to Chineeka.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 52:

This is also like an Upanishad, it is a secret, it is guhya, and it is supreme. It destroys all the blemishes of Kaliyuga. One who listens to it with great devotion, will get rid of all sins.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 53:

One who listens to this daily, everyday, is equivalent to performing snaana in all the punya teerthaas, and praising all the gods.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 54:

One who listens to ten adhyaayaas of this, he gets the great punya that one gets by donating a Kapila dhenu, a cow.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 55:

One who, having focussed his mind on Achyuta, listens to this whole Vishnu Puraana, that Achyuta, who is everything, and everything is His form only, who is the antaryaami, and everything is His shareera, who is the support of the whole world, who is established in Himself, who is jnyaana, jnyeya, anaadi, who is without beginning and end, who is the knowledge, the one who is to be known, who always does good to all the gods - one who focusses his mind on Achyuta, listening to this Puraana, gets all the fruits of performing an Ashvamedha yaaga.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 56:

The most important teaching of this Puraana is told here. In the very beginning, in the middle, in the end, everywhere, eulogized everywhere, one who is the Lord of all the movables and immovables, Bhagavaan, He is the creator of the whole world, the one who is responsible for the sustenance of the whole world, and also dissolution, and everything is Brahma jnyaanamaya, who is sacred, without any blemish, either listening to it, or just reading it, or even making someone else listen by reading it, by reciting so that others are listening, he will get all the phalaas. There is nothing equal to that, and he will get all the fruits, which cannot be got from anything else in all the three worlds, because he will get the ultimate fruit of Hari Himself, who is the ultimate benefit.

The nirvachana of Bhagavaan we saw earlier, which Keshidhvaja taught to Khaandikya Janaka, the akshara nirvachana, the avayava artha - we have seen these.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 57:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

One who has fixed his mind on Bhagavaan Vishnu, who is meditating on Him, the joy of meditation, and thinking of Bhagavaan, in front of that, even svarga is an obstruction only, and even the Brahma loka is very meagre for one who has established the Lord in his mind, will get moksha itself. There is nothing surprising that when one does the naama sankeertana of Bhagavaan, all the sins will get totally destroyed.

The meaning of mati is shravana, manana, the knowledge out of these. Chintana means dhaarana, what is told in yoga. Dhyaana is also told, controlling the mind inside. Next comes Samaadhi. One who does all these will get moksha itself.

There is nothing surprising that all his sins will get destroyed completely, for one who meditates upon Bhagavaan, and does naama sankeertana.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 58:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Those who are knowledgeable about performing yajnyaas, they are karma nishthaas. They worship Bhagavaan Vishnu as Yajnyeshvara, all the time with various yajnyaas. The jnyaanis, the knowledgeable ones, they meditate upon Him, for whom the whole world, para and avara are His form, or as Brahman Himself. One who meditates upon Him, will not be born again, and will not die, and there will be no contraction or expansion of knowledge. Coming into contact with the body is birth, and leaving it is death - these will not be there. No cause and effect will be there; there will be no more birth. This can also be explained for Bhagavaan, that there is no cause for Him, just as we see here where the cause undergoes modification and becomes a kaarya. Bhagavaan is the immutable principle. Bhagavaan is also the kaarana and kaarya for the whole world, and He does not undergo any modification like the normal things which we see here.

What one should listen to, beyond Hari? There is nothing beyond Bhagavaan Hari, for anyone to even listen to, His gunagaana and His keertana.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 59:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Bhagavaan is without beginning and without end. According to Veda, whatever is told, in the vidhi, they offer kavya to pitrus, and Bhagavaan only receives that in the form of pitrus, being antaryaami of everything. Whatever is offered as svadhaa, whatever is offered to devataas by telling svaahaa, that havya, that also, He only is the ultimate phalee, being the antaryaami of devaas also. He is all pervading, Vibhu. The Parabrahman, in the actual meaning, in the prime sense, the word Brahma denotes Bhagavaan only. Because it is bruhatva through svaroopa and guna, and everything bruhat, Brahma. He is the one who is abode of all the shaktis. One who follows the various pramaanaas, the pratyaksha cannot show Bhagavaan, we cannot perceive Him through anumaana, we cannot perceive Him through shabda also, because He is Ananta, we cannot know fully. All the pramaanaas are not sufficient to grasp Bhagavaan's svaroopa, and gunaas, because they are endless and He is all-pervading. Because of this, only Hari's sacred divine name, and all His wonderful acts, are to be listened to, and eulogized by anyone.

Through the next four shlokaas, the conclusion of the shaastra is made. Sri Paraasharar is doing namana to Bhagavaan who is present in four forms, in His own divine auspicious form.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 60:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

For performing mangala, that all auspicious things should happen, Sri Paraasharar does namana to Bhagavaan who is in the form of Eeshvara (His own form), Purusha (all the chetanaas), Pradhaana (as avyakta, unmanifest matter, achit), Vyakta (as manifest matter). The first shloka of these four, is about Bhagavaan's divine auspicious form, which was explained wonderfully in the Astra Bhooshana adhyaaya, and by Keshidhvaja, about how one has to meditate. Kaala is also included in Him.

He is aadi anta rahita, without beginning or end. He does not have vruddhi, parinaama, apakshaya (growth, modification, decline) - the shat bhaava vikaaraas. He is immutable, unchangeable principle. He is the supreme ruler of all. He is one who is worth eulogizing, keertana, praarthana. His name itself is Purushottama, He is uttamah purushah tu anyah. I bow down to Him.

We have been graced by our Aachaaryaas and Bhagavaan to study this wonderful sacred work. So, it is mangala for everyone. For this, at the end, Sri Paraasharar does namana to Bhagavaan.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 61:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

Now, Sri Paraasharar does namana to Bhagavaan, who is present in the form of all the chetanaas. He is present in the form of chetanaas, all chetanaas are His shareera. Anugunabhuk means sheshabhoota, that they are all subservient to Him. He is One, without any differentiation of deva, manushya, etc. He is jnyaanaikasvaroopa. When He comes into contact with prakruti, achetana, He will be a baddha jeeva, a samsaari. Though He is in His real nature, pure and untainted, because of the contact with prakruti, because of karmaas, He looks as though He is ashuddha, impure. Because a baddha jeeva thinks that whatever body he is in, that itself is the aatma, through dehaatma bhramaa, so He looks like ashuddha. One asaadhaarana dharma of jeevaatman is jnyaaatrutva, that he has dharma bhoota jnyaana., and this is also svaroopa niroopaka dharma for him. The srushti happens because the chetanaas have to experience the fruits of their karma, punya and paapa. Prakruti modifies to mahat, ahamkaara, etc., by Bhagavaan's sankalpa. This is told as tattva vibhooti kartaa. These are done by Bhagavaan only, because of the punya paapa of the purushaas. One who does all these is the creator of the world. The chetanaas of the world are also His shareera. Bhagavaan, who is having the chetanaas, who have all these qualities, as His shareera, to Him, I bow down.

The chetana, who is sheshabhoota, who is shuddha, but looks like ashuddha when he is in contact with deva, manushya, and other shareeraas, who has jnyaaatrutva, and whose punya paapa karmaas are all responsible for all this creation, to Bhagavaan who is having such chetanaas as His body, His shareera, and who is immutable, I bow down to Him always.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 62:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

The sattva, rajas, tamas kaaryaas - the kaarya of tamas is contraction of knowledge, or obstruction; when sattva, rajas, tamas are all in one place, and when they are in equal state, they are called as avyakta. When in pralaya, the moola prakruti is avyakta, it is said. Avyakta shareeraka Paramaatman is the meaning here. Prakruti is responsible for the experiences of all the chetanaas, of punya, paapa, etc. One who is having the trigunaatmaka prakruti as His shareera. He is told as avyaakruta. Karma, which is the cause of samsaara, and He is the cause of this karma, because His anugraha, nigraha will cause punya, paapa. He is the one who decides the punya, paapa for the chetanaas based on their karmaas. Brahma sutraas say "aatmakruteh", that "I will become many", "bahusyaam". He is without any beginning, He is there all the time, existing all the time by Himself. This is Bhagavaan's form of avyakta.

First is told the divine auspicious form, then chetana-shareeraka Paramaatman, then avyakta-shareeraka Paramaatman. Next comes vyakta shareeraka Paramaatman. There is nothing which is not Bhagavadaatmaka.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 63:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

This is the vyakta roopa of Paramaatman. Aakaasha, anila, agni, jala, pruthivi, the five elements of the world, He is only present as antaryaami. He is present in those forms. Through shareera-shareeri bhaava, the words which connote the shareera also go up to the shareeri. All the words, through aparyavasaana vrutti, all connote Bhagavaan only. Everything is Bhagavaan, being His shareera. He is capable of making all the sense objects which are the objects of enjoyment, through the sense organs for the chetanaas, the shabda, sparsha, roopa, rasa, gandha, the objects of enjoyment; and He does upakaara to all the chetanaas, through all the indriyaas. This is the manifest form of Bhagavaan. Sookshma form is mahat and other things which are in very subtle form. Bruhat are pruthivi, and others which are being seen. He is the aatma, antaryaami of all that. All are His form only.

Bhagavaan is having all the manifest forms of all these as His shareera. He is present in those forms being the aatma, antaryaami. I bow down to Him.

In the above four shlokaas, the four forms are shown. This shows that everything is Bhagavaan's form, that everything is Bhagavadaatmaka.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 6, Chapter 8, Shloka 64:

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary:

The chetana, achetana vastu means that it is a real object, it is real, the reality principle. He is having everything as His shareera means the three relationships, that they are all supported by Him, all are controlled by Him, they are all subservient to Him. He is the Lord of all, He is the Purushottama. Paraasharar is blessing all the chetanaas, that everyone should get moksha. This is the greatness of our sages. Paraasharar, with so much of kaarunya, is blessing everyone that everyone should get moksha. He is completing this Puraana like this. As told in all these six amshaas. Prakruti, para, aatma maya - prakruti is vyakta, avyakta - the manifest and unmanifest; and that which is superior to that is apraakruta, para, His divine auspicious form; and aatma is all the chetanaas. Bhagavaan is sanaatana. For all the chetanaas, let Him give the siddhi which is without any birth and death, the cycle of samsaara - let Him give the ultimate liberation, moksha. All the prakruti, vyakta, avyakta, are the form of Him only, the unborn; they are His roopa only, His shareera. Everything are told as Him only, through saamaanaadhikaranya, because of the shareera-shareeri bhaava. There are many chetanaas, there is aatma bahutva, and there is paraspara bheda, and every aatman is different from the other, though they are of similar svaroopa, jnyaana svaroopa. Because Paraasharar is praying Bhagavaan to grant moksha to everyone, this shows that Bhagavaan Sri Vishnu only is the bestower of moksha, liberation, and He is moksha prada.

He is sakala itara samasta vilakshana. All chetana achetana vastu is His shareera. Chetanaas are many, and everything is real. He is moksha prada. Because He is antaryaami of everything, and everything is His shareera, there is saamaanaadhikaranya told that everything is Him only. All this is told here. This is the summary of this shaastra.

Prakruti and Purusha are different from Parabrahman.

तत्त्वेन यस्श्चिगचिीश्वरतत्द्वभाव भोर्ापवर्तिपायर्तीरुिारः |
संिशयन ्तनरमममीत पुराणरत्नं तथमै नमो मतनवु राय पराशराय ॥

This shloka is taken from Stotraratna by Sri Aalavandaar.

This completes Chapter Eight.

This completes Amsha Six.

This completes Sri Vishnu Puraanam.

***

With this, the Vishnuchitteeya, the commentary by Sri Vishnuchittar, or Sri Engal Aalwaan, this most wonderful commentary gets completed. We can see from this commentary that all the Vishnu Puraana shlokaas given in the Sri Bhaashya, the Mahaasiddhaanta part, where Bhaashyakaarar has not commented on many shlokaas, but has given udaaharana of these, at all those places, Sri Sudarshana Suri has explained these shlokaas with the help of Sri Engal Aalwaan's vyaakhyaana only. Sri Engal Aalwaan's shishya was Sri Nadaadoorammaal, whose shishya was Sri Sudarshana Suri. Sri Sudarshana Suri, what he listened in the kaalakshepa from Sri Nadaadoorammaal, which is Shrutaprakaashika. In this Shrutaprakaashika, he enlightens all the Vishnu Puraana shlokaas by taking from Sri Engal Aalwaan's vyaakhyaana only. So, this is a very very important commentary, very important work for us. Sri Vishnu Puraana is quoted profusely by Sri Bhaashyakaarar in Sri Bhaashya, and in Vedaarthasangraha.

We were really fortunate to study this Sri Vishnu Puraana. It was a great opportunity to study this work.

We offer our pranaamams to Bhagavaan, and all our Aachaaryaas. Our thanks to Sri Tirunarayana Trust, to Sri Sampathkumaran, Smt. Sheela, Sri Raman, who have all been taking care of organizing these lectures and conducting them. We also thank Sri Sadagopan Swamy for publishing these notes in the form of eBooks on the website sadagopan.org, for everyone’s use. And thanks to all who have been following the classes for so many years, closely; without your interest, this would not have been complete.

Naaraayanam namaskrutya naram cha eva narottamam |

Deveem sarasvateem vyaasam tato jayam udeerayet ||

Sri Krishnaarpanamastu

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