Sūtra 1.2.25

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of Sūtra 1.2.25:

वैश्वानरः साधरण-शब्द-विशेषात्

vaiśvānaraḥ sādharaṇa-śabda-viśeṣāt

vaiśvānaraḥ—Vaiśvānara; sādharaṇa—common; śabda—word; viśeṣāt—because of the distinction.

“The ambiguous word vaiśvānara [in this passage of Chāndogya Upaniṣad refers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead] because the qualities described here [are appropriate for the Lord].” (25)

Sūtra pagination:
Adhyāya 1:
  The subject matter of all Vedic literatures is Brahman;
Pāda 2:
  Certain other words, though less clearly related to Brahman, also describe Him.;
Adhikaraṇa 7:
  "Vaiśvānara" is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa’s commentary (Govinda-bhāṣya)

The word vaiśvānara here refers to Lord Viṣṇu. Why? The Sūtra says sādharaṇa-śabda-viśeṣāt: “Because the qualities described here are appropriate for the Lord.” This is the meaning: Even though the word vaiśvānara has many meanings, here it must mean Lord Viṣṇu.

The description beginning with the phrase “Heaven is His head” clearly show that vaiśvānara here means Lord Viṣṇu.

शीर्ष्णो ऽस्य द्यौर् धरा पद्भ्यां
खं नाभेर् उदपद्यत

śīrṣṇo 'sya dyaur dharā padbhyāṃ
khaṃ nābher udapadyata

“Thereafter, from the head of the gigantic form, the heavenly planets were manifested, and from His legs the earthly planets and from His abdomen the sky separately manifested themselves.” [Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.6.27]

Also, the words ātmā and brahma generally refer to Lord Viṣṇu. The result one obtains by knowing vaiśvānara is the same as the result of knowing Lord Viṣṇu. The scriptures say yatheṣikā tulam: “As reeds are burned by fire, so are sins burned into nothing by Vaiśvānara.” This clearly shows that Vaiśvānara here is Lord Viṣṇu, for only Lord Viṣṇu has the power to negate sins. The word vaiśvānara is composed of the two words—viśva [all] and nara [human beings]—thus it means “He who is the resting place of all human beings.”

For all these reasons, the word vaiśvānara here must indicate Lord Viṣṇu.

तस्मै नमो भगवते पुरुषाय भूम्ने
विश्वाय विश्व-गुरवे पर-दैवताय

tasmai namo bhagavate puruṣāya bhūmne
viśvāya viśva-gurave para-daivatāya

“I offer my humble obeisances to Him, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is the all-pervading and all-inclusive form of the universe, as well as its spiritual master.” [Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 12.8.47]

Furthermore, he says: