Chapter 7 - Completion of Dakṣa’s Sacrifice

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Maitreya said:

1. Oh Vidura (of mighty arms)! God Śiva who was thus entreated by Brahmā, was highly pleased. With a loud laugh, he said, “Listen”.

Śrī Mahādeva said:

2. Oh Lord of the created beings, I do not refer to (pronounce), nor do I recollect the misdemeanour of the ignorant who are overwhelmed with Lord’s Māyā. I have only meted out punishment there (to the offenders).

3. The head of Prajāpati Dakṣa which has been burnt, may have the face of a he-goat. Let god Bhaga look at his own portion of offering in the sacrifice, through the eyes of Mitra god.

4. Let god Pūṣan who eats flour only eat the offering of flour with the teeth of the sacrificer. The gods, who have offered to me the remaining portion of the sacrifice, will have all their limbs restored, properly.

5. Let Adhvaryus and other sacrificial priests who have lost their arms use the arms of gods, Aśvins; while those who have lost their hands should work with those of god Pūṣan. Bhṛgu will have the beard and mustaches of a he-goat.

6. Oh Vidura, when all beings heard the speech of the most bountiful god Śiva, their hearts were fully satisfied, and they exclaimed ‘Well done, well done’.

7. Thereupon, gods along with sages, (cordially) invited god Śiva (to help the consummation of the sacrifice), and went again to the site of the sacrifice, along with Śiva and Brahmā.

8. Having accomplished completely whatever Lord Bhava instructed them to do, they joined the head of the sacrificial animal (he-goat), to the trunk of Dakṣa.

9. While the head was being joined (to Dakṣa’s body), Śiva cast a gracious look at it, (and lo!) Dakṣa got up as though from sleep, and saw Śiva in front of him.

10. Prajāpati Dakṣa whose mind bad been turbid with hatred against Śiva (god with a bull on his banner), became free from that impurity (hatred), like a pool (the waters of which become clear and translucent) in the autumn.

11. He (Dakṣa) had a mind to offer praise (to Śiva). But recollecting his daughter who was no more, his throat got choked with tears of affection and anxiety, and he could not utter a word of praise.

12. The wise Prajāpati Dakṣa who was overwhelmed with affection, controlled his mind with difficulty. He then praised Lord Śiva, with sincere devotion.

Dakṣa said:

13. “Oh venerable Lord! Even though you were disrespected by me, a great favour has been shown to me by you, in meting out a (corrective) punishment. Both you and Hari are never different to even fallen Brāhmaṇas. How can you be so to those who follow religious vows (i.e. the sacrificial duties).

14. For the preservation of the Vedas and knowledge of Atman^[1] you created out of your mouth^[2] Brāhmaṇas who possessed learning and practised penance and religious vows^[3] at the beginning (of the world). Oh great god, you therefore protect Brāhmaṇas in all calamities like a herdsman protects his cattle with a staff.

15. May the Lord who, though insulted in the assembly with arrowlike piercing words of abuse, by me, who was ignorant about the true knowledge (of his real nature), ignored them, and with his gracious look (at me) saved me who was falling down for having reviled the most worshipful person—May that venerable Lord be pleased with his own (merciful) act (as it is beyond my capacity to repay this obligation).”

Maitreya said:

16. Having thus apologised to Śiva (who showers blessings on devotees), he (Dakṣa), with the permission of god Brahmā, restored the continuity of sacrifice, with the help of preceptors and sacrificial priests and fire.

17. For the continuity of the sacrifice and for purification (from the pollution resulting) from the touch of warriors (such as, Pramathas), the best of the Brāhmaṇas offered in three plates Puroḍāśa (oblation made of ground rice) dedicated to Viṣṇu.

18. Oh King (Vidura), while, along with the sacrificial priest (adhvaryu) who stood holding the oblation in hand, the sacrificer (Dakṣa) meditated upon Hari with pure heart (so earnestly that) Hari manifested himself.

19. Then eclipsing their (of the members of the assembly) splendour by his lustre which illumined the ten quarters, he was brought there by Garuḍa whose two wings were the two Sāma hymns^[4] (viz. Bṛhad and Rathantara).

20. He was of blue complexion and wore a zone of gold. He was adorned with a (gold) crown brilliant like the Sun. His countenance was beautified with locks of hair, dark like black-bees, and with ear-rings. With a conch, a lotus, a discus, an arrow, a bow, a mace, a sword and shield in each arm adorned with gold ornament, he looked (beautiful like a blossoming Karṇikāra tree).

21. His consort (Lakṣmī) was resting on his bosom (in the form of Śrīvatsa). He wore a garland of forest-flowers (vanamālā). He delighted the universe even with his slight winsome smile and looks. On his sides were waving fans and chowṛies (white) like royal swans. He appeared beautiful with a moonlike white umbrella over his head.

22. Seeing him arrive, all gods and others of whom Brahmā, Indra and Śaṅkara were prominent at once stood up and bowed to him.

23. Their splendour was eclipsed by his. With their tongues faltering through his awe, they folded their hands on their heads, and attended upon him (respectfully).

24. Even though his glory was beyond the reach of their capacities (as they are his partial manifestations), Brahmā and others began, to the best of their knowledge, to sing the glory of him ( Viṣṇu) who manifested that form to confer his blessings.

25. Dakṣa himself took with him the articles of worship in an excellent receptacle^[5]. Joyfully singing his praise with his hands folded, devoutly he sought the protection of the Lord of Sacrifices, who is the Supreme preceptor of the Prajāpatis and who was surrounded by attendants like Nanda and Sunanda.

Dakṣa said^[6]:

26. In your own essence (essential form)^[7], you are pure, untouched by states of mind (e.g. wakefulness etc.). You are absolutely one (without a second), and (hence) above fear and of the nature of pure consciousness. You have negated Māyā^[8] and are completely self-dependent. But when you takeincarnations (as Rāma or Kṛṣṇa) by the same Māyā, you appear to abide in Māyā tainted with impure matter.

The officiating sacrificial priests said:

27.^[9] Oh Lord, untainted by merits or demerits (or by upādhi or māyā)! Due to the curse of Nandīśvara^[10], we were strongly attached to ritualistic duties, and we did not know your real nature. We have known this sacrifice (yajña) as your form—the sacrifice which is established by (and expounded in) the three Vedas^[11]; which implies (i.e. creates) religious merit (apūrva); for the purpose (of accomplishing) which, the definite instructions for the arrangement of specific deities in specific places, have been laid down (Or for this purpose, you have assumed different forms such as Indra).

The assistant priests said:

28. Oh Lord (who affords protection to all)! This caravan of ignorant people who are overburdened with the heavy load of their body (misconceived as their Soul), and their house (mistaken as their own), and who are tormented with desires (passions), is traversing the path of saṃsāra (lit. path of births) which is devoid of any shelter; (and) is difficult to travel on account of great hardships; which is under the strict watch of the terrible serpent called Death (to devour) them; which has the (enticing) mirage of the objects of senses; which is full of pitfalls of pleasures and pains (and such pairs of opposites); which is fearful on account of carnivorous beasts in the form of the wicked; and which is encircled by the wild fire of grief—when will this crowd resort to your feet for shelter?

Rudra said:

29. Oh bestower of boons! Your excellent feet which confer all the puruṣārthas here (in this very world), are definitely worthy of worship with reverence, even by the sages who are not attached to worldly pleasures. I have fixed my mind on your feet. Even, if the ignorant people call me an apostate (fallen from the path of established rules of conduct), I do not mind it due to your supreme grace.

Bhṛgu said:

30. Brahmā and other embodied beings have been deprived of their knowledge of Atman by your mysterious Māyā. They sleep (i.e. are immersed) in the darkness of ignorance, and do not even now comprehend your real nature lying within them (as antaryāmin). May you, who are the Soul and friend of your suppliants, be gracious unto me.

Brahmā said:

31. What man perceives through his sense-organs which cognize difference between the objects, is not your (real) nature. You are the basis of knowledge, the objects of senses and the (three) guṇas, you are (hence) quite distinct from the illusory phenomenon of Māyā.,

Indra said^[12]:

32. Oh Acyuta! Even this form of yours which creates the world and which is delightful to the mind and the eyes, is a real one (even though it is perceptible)—your form which is distinguished with eight mighty arms holding weapons in readiness, to destroy the enemies of gods.

The wives of the Priests said:

33. (In days of yore) the institution of sacrifice was established by god Brahmā as your worship. It has been now ruined by Paśupati (Śiva) out of his ire against Dakṣa. Therefore, Oh embodiment of sacrifice, be pleased to sanctify with your lotuslike charming eyes, this sacrifice of ours which has been made (desolate) like a cremation-ground devoid of joy and auspiciousness.

The sages said:

34. Inscrutable are your ways, Oh Lord, for you perform an act of your own accord but are not affected thereby. People worship the Supreme goddess Lakṣmī for their prosperity. But you do not think highly of her, though she waits upon you of her own accord.

Siddhas said:

35. This elephant in the form of our mind which is scorched in the forest-conflagration of afflictions, and is distressed by the thirst (of sensual pleasures/desires) has plunged in the pure, nectarlike river of your stories. It does not (even) remember the wild-fire of saṃsāra. Nor does it come out of it like one who has attained Brahman.

Dakṣa’s wife said:

36. Oh Lord! Auspicious (indeed) is your appearance here. Please be gracious unto us. I bow to you. Oh Lord of Śrī (Lakṣmī), may you and your consort Lakṣmī protect us. Oh Supreme Lord, a sacrifice, though complete in all its parts (e.g. prayāja, anuyāja), does not appear beautiful (i.e. really complete), like the trunk of a man without its head.

Guardians of the worlds said:

37.^[13] Are you (in your real form) seen (by us) with our eyes (senses) which can perceive things in the wrong light?^[14] (No) you are the seer from within (as antaryāmin) by whom the phenomenal world is seen. For, Oh infinite Lord (bhūman), it is certainly your Māyā that you appear to be (as if) the sixth (jīva) associated with the (material body composed of) five bhūtas (elements).

Yogeśvaras (Masters of Yoga) said:

38.^[15] Oh Lord! There is none who is more beloved to You than he, who does not see (regard) himself different from You, the Para Brahman (lit. the ātman of the universe). However, Oh merciful Lord, please be gracious to those (Your devotees) who resort to You with unswerving devotion (like loyal servants to their masters).

39.^[16] By means of your Māyā in which are exhibited many and different varieties of guṇas by the destiny (adṛṣṭa) of the jīvas, you give rise to a notion of diversity about yourself (by assuming the form of Brahmā, Viṣṇu etc.) for the creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe. But in your own real, essential state, you are free from the illusive notion of difference and its cause, the guṇas. We bow to you who are such.

Brahmā (Śabda-brahman or Vedas) said:

40. I pay my obeisance to you who have assumed the sattva attribute and are (hence) the source of (puruṣārthas like) Dharma (artha etc.), but are still destitute of attributes. Your real nature is incomprehensible to me as well as to others.

Agni said:

41. I, whose flames are brightly enkindled by your light, bear the offerings soaked in ghee, in every good sacrifice. I bow to you who are sacrifice incarnate, and the protector of sacrifices—you who are five-fold in form^[17] and are duly worshipped by five hymns^[18] of the Yajurveda.

The gods said:

42. You, the first Puruṣa who, formerly, at the end of the kalpa, withdrew in your stomach the universe which is the effect caused by you, lie down on the excellent bed of Śeṣa (the king of serpents), over the cosmic waters (after the deluge). You, the path of realizing whom is sought after by the Siddhas in their hearts, today move in the range of our sight and protect us, your servants.

Gandharvas said:

43. Oh God, these progenitors like Marīci and others, the hosts of gods like Brahmā, Indra and others of whom Rudra is the foremost, are merely the parts of your part (manifestation), Oh highest Lord! We always pay obeisance to you whom this universe is a toy-box.

Vidyādharas said:

44. Oh Lord, (even) after entering into the human body which is the means of (attaining) the (highest human) objective, viz. Mokṣa, a person thinks his material body as ‘I’ and ‘mine’ due to Your Māyā. This wicked-minded fool hankers after the unreal pleasures of the senses, even though he is reproached by his relatives. He who drinks the nectar in the form of stories about you, will be able to shake off the delusion about his body.

The Brāhmaṇas said:

45. You are the Sacrifice. You are the sacrificial offering. You are the sacrificial fire. You are certainly the incantations (sacred Mantras recited at the time of offering the oblations to fire), the sacrificial fuel, the darbha grass, and sacrificial utensils. You are the sadasya and the ṛtvij (the superintending and officiating priests forming the assembly at the sacrifice). You are the couple (the sacrificer, and his wife), the divinities (to be propitiated in the sacrifice), the agnihotra (the act of offering oblations to fire), the Svadhā the sacred oblations offered to Pitṛs), the Soma juice, the clarified, butter (to be offered to the sacrificial fire) and the sacrificial animal.

46. Oh Lord, whose body is constituted of three Vedas, you are the embodiment of sacrifice (and of the will and the activity of the performance of sacrifice. Formerly you assumed the form of a mighty boar. While Yogins were eulogizing you, you, with a roar, sportively brought the earth on your tusk (to the surface of waters), from the Rasātala, just as a big elephant would playfully do to a lotus plant.

47. May you (who are) of so great a glory, be gracious unto us, who long to see you, as our auspicious undertaking (of performing sacrifice) is interrupted. Oh Lord of Sacrifices, when your name is sung by men, all obstacles to sacrifices vanish. To you we offer our obeisance.

Maitreya said:

48. Oh blessed Vidura! While Viṣṇu the protector of sacrifices was being eulogized, the wise Dakṣa recommenced the performance of the sacrifice that was interrupted by Rudra (Vīrabhadra).

49. Oh sinless Vidura! The Lord who is within all (as antaryāmin) and (thus) the enjoyer of the oblations offered to all, expressed pleasure at the offering of his share (of tri-puroḍāśa). Addressing Dakṣa, He said:

The Lord said:

50.^[19] I am the prime cause of the universe. I am its Soul and the Lord^[20] and the witness (of all). I am the self- refulgent one, not subject to any condition (upādhi)^[21]. I am Brahmā and Rudra (the creator and destroyer of the universe).

51.^[22] Oh Brāhmaṇa (Dakṣa), having entered my own Māyā constituted of three Guṇas, it is I, who create, protect and destroy the universe, and assume the name (Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra) suitable for the function.

52 It is only the ignorant persons who view Brahmā, Rudra and all creatures as distinct from me who am the one Brahman without a second (either of the same or different kind, and who am the absolute, the Supreme Soul (paramātman).

53.^[23] Just as a man never entertains the idea that his own limbs like head, hands etc. belong to others, similarly a person devoted to me does not regard other creatures as distinct from him.

54.^[24] Oh Brāhmaṇa! He who sees no difference between the three (Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva) who are essentially one and who are the Souls (antaryāmins) of all creatures, attains real peace (Mokṣa).

Maitreya said:

55 Thus enlightened by the Lord (Viṣṇu), Dakṣa, the foremost among the Prajāpatis (first) worshipped Hari by his special sacrifice (tri-kapāla-puroḍāśa), and (then) other gods also in both ways (i.e. through principal and secondary types of sacrifices).

56. With a concentrated mind, he waited upon Rudra, by offering the share due to him (viz. the remains of the sacrifice). By performing the concluding rite called udavasāna, he offered oblations to gods who were eligible to drink Soma and also to others. Thus, after completely performing the sacrifice, he (Dakṣa) along with the priests (participants in the sacrifice), performed the sacred ablution called avabhṛtha.

57. Even though Prajāpati Dakṣa attained Siddhis (divine powers or knowledge) by his own merits, the divinities blessed him with devotion to Dharma only and returned to heaven.

58. We hear that Satī, the daughter of Dakṣa cast off her previous body, was born of Menā, the wife of Himavān (the presiding deity of the Himālayas).

59. Just as Śakti (the Divine Power) which lies asleep (dormant, during the period of Pralaya) again resorts to Puruṣa (God, at the beginning of creation), Ambikā (Satī, of the previous life) who was devoted to Rudra exclusively as her only resort^[25], sought again the same beloved (Rudra) as her husband.

60. This deed of Lord Śambhu (Śiva) who destroyed Dakṣa’s sacrifice, was heard by me from Uddhava, the great devotee of the Lord and the disciple of Bṛhaspati (preceptor of gods).

61. Oh Vidura (descendant of Kuru), a person who, every day, devotedly listens to and recounts this sanctifying work of the Supreme Lord (Rudra)—the work which enhances glory, confers longevity and purges all sins—shakes off sin (of himself and his listener).

62.^[26] Oh Vidura, Śiva again obtained as his wife Satī, (now) the daughter of Menā. God Śiva enjoyed himself with her for a hundred years.

63. Realizing that she is incapable of bearing his semen, Dhūrjaṭi (Śiva) discharged it out into the sky, and the river Gaṅgā bore it.

64. (Finding the Gaṅgā too weak to bear it), Agni swallowed it (through svāhā) into a bush of reeds. There was born god Kumāra whom the six Kṛttikās (the stars constituting the Pleiades) adopted as their son.

65. By sucking their milk with six mouths, the child came to be known as Ṣaṇmukha (six-faced god). The gods then appointed him—the terror of all Asuras,—as the commander of their army.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Brahmātva-tatavmavitum. To protect the continuity of the knowledge that everything mobile and immobile is in reality Brahman, Bālaprabodhini

[2]:

mukhataḥ—chiefly (VC.).

[3]:

Or: Manifesting yourself as Brahma at the beginning of the world.—Bhāvāratha Dīpikā Bhāgavata Candrikā: You are the four-faced Brahmā who created Brāhmaṇas for the preservation of the true knowledge about Paramātman and jīva by your own realization and instruction, at the beginning of the kalpa. Padaratnāvalī accepts the v.l. brahmātmatām prathayitum. For proclaiming that you are the protector of the Vedas (Brahman). Or: You are the special abode of Brahman (Hari) perfect in all highest attributes.

[4]:

Stotra-Vājinā—(i) Who was expert in singing the hymns (Bhāgavata Candrikā).

(ii) Padaratnāvalī reads Stotra-nirjita: Who has secured Hari’s grace by singing Sāma hymns.

(iii) Cf. bṛhad-rathāntare pakṣau—Kauṣītaki Up. 1.5.

[5]:

gṛhīta-uttamam [uttamam]: Taken as adj. qualifying Yajñeśvara it means: Viṣṇu who out of grace, accepted the excellent receptacle of presents from Dakṣa. But Bhāgavata Candrikā’s interpretation is better: ‘Viṣṇu who is the best of all the means which lead to puruṣārthas’.

[6]:

As Bhāvāratha Dīpikā points out, the following eulogy of Viṣṇu contains a variety of metres.

[7]:

pratiṣiddhya māyām etc.: Padaratnāvalī The word Māyā signifies inert, unintelligent prakṛti the material cause of the world and not unreal jugglery (indrajāla). The verse means: You have distanced the unintelligent Prakṛti. You have created Mahat (and other principles) and grossest bodies called Puruṣa from it. You are called Puruṣa as you are the inner- controller (antaryāmin) of these bodies. The ignorant Māyāvādins regard you affected by Prakṛti like the Jīva.

[8]:

sva-dhāmni (i) In Vaikuṇṭha—Kramasandarbha.

(ii) Of the nature of the highest bliss—Siddhāntapradīpa

[9]:

(i) Padaratnāvalī: It is through the gracious looks of Sadāśiva which blossomed (created) in us the real knowledge that the ritualistic act, viz. this sacrifice that we are performing, is an act of worshipping you. It leads to devotion and other pious qualities. This is logically proved by three modes of proof, viz., Pratyakṣa (perception), anumāna (inference) and āgama (authoritative word or the Veda). For accepting the oblations due to you, but offered to gods like Brahmā etc., you dwell in them. This is the decisive proof.

You, being the Supreme God, are object of apūrva (merit) which accrues from the performance of sacrifice. We thought that the act of sacrifice is for Indra and other deities. Hence our ignorance about you.—Padaratnāvalī

Sārārthadarśinī: When we did not comprehend your real nature, how can Dakṣa do so? We knew the sacrifice only as your form.

Bālaprabodhini: Due to the imprecation of Nandīśvara, we could not understand that you underlie the forms of the deities of Rudra etc. Hence we ignored Rudra’s share in the sacrifice, and proceeded with it. Now we realize that it is you who have assumed all forms.

[10]:

Vide Supra IV.2. 24-26.

[11]:

tri-vṛt—(i) Vedas of which three pramāṇas (modes of proof) viz. pratyakṣa (apprehension by senses), anumāna and āgama (Vedic testimony) are given.—Padaratnāvalī

[12]:

According to Bhāvāratha Dīpikā here Indra contradicts Brahmā by stating that the form of Viṣṇu that is visible to them is real even though it is perceived through a sense-organ.

[13]:

The different interpretations are interesting:

(i) Bhāvāratha Dīpikā: To those of pure heart, you appear in pure sāttvic form. But to us whose senses can look externally only you are simply a jīva invested with a material body of five elements. You (i.e. your real form) are not perceptible to our senses. Fie upon our life!

(ii) Bhāgavata Candrikā: The attribute bhūman (all pervasive) distinguishes the Lord from jīva which is atomic in size (aṇu-svarūpa) and also from prakṛti. “It is due to your mystical power called māyā that ātman and the material body are falsely regarded as one, and jīva is wrongly taken to be identical with the Lord (Īśa). You are different from jīva and acit (five bhūtas) but you appear as the sixth (i.e. jīva ) due to your māyā”.

(iii) Padaratnāvalī’s alternative explanation: Oh how lucky we are that you who can be apprehended with the divine eye (of knowledge), are visible to our sight.

(iv) VC.: Though you are the Seer, it is through your Grace that you can be seen. The apprehension of our senses which are accustomed to grasp their objects, is not real. It is your Māyā that you appear to be vested with material body with you as the sixth (distinct from the five bhūtas). Jarāsandha and others who thought your real form (Śrī-vigraha) to be material, have not seen your real self, though they have just seen you, for they remained impervious to your sweetness.

(v) Bālaprabodhini: The sense organs are incapable of apprehending you. It is your Will due to which you became visible to us.

[14]:

asad-grahaiḥ—(i) By us who are strongly attached to body and its belongings, and who look upon the body as the ātman—Bhāgavata Candrikā

(ii) By our eyes or senses which are habituated to apprehend inauspicious sounds, objects etc.—Bhāvārtha-dīpikā-prakāśa

(iii) By senses which comprehend their objects—Sārārthadarśinī

(iv) By senses, mind, intelligence (and other vṛttis) which have attachment to this transient saṃsāra—Siddhāntapradīpa

[15]:

(1) Dīpinī and Bhāvārtha-dīpikā-prakāśa clarify that devotees (servants of God) are more dear to him than mere possessors of knowledge (jñānin).

(2) Bhāgavata Candrikā accepts the v.l. bhṛtyeśatoyā for Bhāvāratha Dīpikā’s bhakteśatayā, and points out that ‘master-servant relation’ given here conflicts with the interpretation which supports the identification of the jīva with God, as such identity between jaḍa and ajaḍa is sheerly impossible. Thus Bhāgavata Candrikā interprets: There is none more dear to you than be who does not regard himself existing independently of you, and who sees that he is a part of Lord’s body, as such his existence is inseparable from God.

(3) Siddhāntapradīpa: (the first half). Those who know that jīvas who are your parts (aṃśas) are different inter se and from you, and that they are still not different from you as you are the Soul of the universe (and an aṃśin), are dearest to you.

[16]:

Bhāgavata Candrikā: Obeisance to you who have given rise to differentiation about the Soul (ātman) such as god, man etc. through your Māyā. Your Māyā assumes the forms of Brahmā, Śiva etc. with you abiding in them. Your essential nature always keeps away the attributes (e.g. sattva etc.) which lead to misapprehension.

[17]:

The five forms of sacrifice are: (i) Agnihotra, darśa, Pūrṇamāsa, Cāturmāsya and Paśusoma (Bhāvāratha Dīpikā, VC., Siddhāntapradīpa, Bālaprabodhini).

(ii) Bhāgavata Candrikā lists: Dakṣiṇa, Āhavanīya, Gārhapatya, Sabhya and Āvasathya.

(iii) Padaratnāvalī enumerates: Yajña, Yajñapuruṣa, Yajñeśa, Yajñabhāvana and Yajñabhuj, as the five forms.

[18]:

The five hymns mentioned are : āśrāvaya, śrauṣat, yaja, ye yajā- mahe and Vaṣaṭ.

[19]:

The gist of Bhāgavata Candrikā’s lengthy commentary is as follows:

I, Brahmā and Śiva (the latter two) who constitute my body and who have (thus) no independent existence, (as I am their antaryāmin) are the cause of the world. I am the Lord of myself and abide as the controller from within, in all jīvas (ātmeśvara). Being bereft of name or form (as a god or a man) I am simply a witness or onlooker (upadraṣṭā). I am free from the defects or limitations of Prakṛti and Puruṣa such as lack of intelligence, limitedness, affliction, (aviśeṣaṇa is not a negative concept as the Lord is) svayaṃ-dṛk—possessor of all excellent attributes.

[20]:

ātmeśvara—(i) The Lord of all jīvas—Padaratnāvalī

(ii) Having none superior or Lord to him—Siddhāntapradīpa

[21]:

aviśeṣaṇaḥ [aviśeṣaṇa]—(i) The best of all (sarvottama)—Padaratnāvalī

(ii) With nobody equal or superior to me—Siddhāntapradīpa

(iii) Free from all attachment—Bālaprabodhini

[22]:

(i) Bhāgavata Candrikā: I alone am the cause of the effect called universe consisting of cid (sentient) and acid (non-sentient). By my will, I enter my Māyā and protect the world, and create it through Brahmā, and destroy it through Rudra. I assume the names Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva according to the function performed.

(2) Padaratnāvalī: I enter the unintelligent Prakṛti under my control. With rajoguṇa as the material cause, I create Brahmā, enter into and abide in him and create the world.... In this way, by my form as Viṣṇu and my aṃśas in Brahmā and Rudra, I carry on the functions of the creation etc. It is a wrong notion that Brahmā or Rudra creates or destroys the universe.

(3) Siddhāntapradīpa: God is essentially free from vikāras. His modifications etc. are due to his Śakti. It is by means of his aṃśa that the creation etc. take place, and God assumes the particular name suitable for the function.

[23]:

Bhāgavata Candrikā: Even a man who wrongly iḍentiñes his body with his Soul, does not regard that the limbs of his body (which cannot exist independently of his body) as belonging to another person or have an existence apart from his body. Similarly, a person devoted to me, does not think that creatures can have an existence independent of me (Brahman).

[24]:

Bhāgavata Candrikā tries to interpret this verse as supporting the tenets of the Viśiṣṭādvaita school. The gist of his lengthy erudite commentary is as follows:

“The existence of the three (Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Rudra) is dependent upon Viṣṇu who is really independent and exists by himself, and the existence of Brahmā and Rudra is in Viṣṇu’s power”.

[25]:

ekagatim [ekagati]: Bhāgavata Candrikā takes this as adj. qualifying Rudra: “Rudra who was brooding over her only”.

[26]:

The verses 62-65 are commented upon by Padaratnāvalī only.