 | Back To Godhead Vol 03 P.04, 1956
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(470th Birth Anniversary of Lord Chaitanya)
Albandaru Shri Jamunacharya said in his Stotraratna
(In Devanagari:)
ullanghita-trividha-sima-samatisayi-
sambhavanam tava parivradhima-svabhavam
maya-balena bhavatapi niguhyamanam
pasyanti kecid anisam tvad-ananya-bhavah
Wordings
Ullamghita, Tribidha, Seema, Samam, Atissayee, Sambhabanam, Taba, Paribradhima, Swabhabam, Maya, Valena, Bhabata, Api, Niguhyamanam, Pashyanti, Kechit, Anisham, Twadannyabhaba.
Synonyms
Ullamghita=Transcendental, Tribidha=Time, space and thought, Seema=boundary, Samam=Equal, Atishayee=Greater, Sambhabanam=Possible, Taba=Your, Paribradhima=Inconceivable, Swabhabam=Characteristics, Maya=Illusory, Valena=Under the influence of, Bhabata=Are, Api=Although, Niguhyamanam=Covered by, Pashyante=Can look into, Kechit=Some body, Anisham=Always, Twadannyabhava=Those who are engaged only unto you.
Translation
Oh my Lord! everything material is within the boundary of time, space and thought. But so far your characteristics are concerned, they are transcendental to all such limitations. Although such characteristics are covered by your illusory energy, yet those who are constantly engaged in your service can always observe such transcendental characteristics.
Purport
The philosophical problem is to search out the Supreme Truth and adjust things in that direction for the highest benefit. The Supreme Truth is the Fountain Head emanation of everything that be. According to Bhagwat school, everything is born from the Supreme Truth, everything is sustained by the Supreme Truth and when everything is dissolved the Supreme Truth remains. That is the verdict of all revealed scripture. This Supreme Truth is the Absolute Personality of Godhead and He is worshipped by the relative Truths, who are also persons or living entities,—by singing the transcendental songs which delivers them from the mental speculative habit in the manner of the empiric philosophers. The Supreme Truth is revealed in dual phases namely as the Absolute Truth and the relative truths. The relative truths are manifested at times and annihilated again while the Absolute phase remains eternally. In the relative truth or in the phenomenal world, the creation the nature, the three modes of Nature, the different species of life, the senses, the sense object and similar other objects appear to be true although all of them are meant for temporary existence. These varieties of manifestations in the relative truth appear to be true because they are all perverted reflection of the Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth is therefore the Substance while the relative truth is just the shadow and perverted reflection. Existence of the shadow is due to the existence of the Supreme Truth. The relative truth exists as the golden mountain exists in dream or in the mind. There is the gold and there is the mountain. Both things combined, one can dream of golden mountain. The golden mountain is a non-existent truth but it appears to be truth for the time being in dream or in delusion because there is actual existence of gold as well as the mountain or the “Ghora” and the “dim“. Therefore manifested existence of the relative truth is dependant on the existence of the Absolute Truth. The relative truth is therefore a creation of an exchange of the five gross elements of nature. Such exchange of the material elements makes it possible to manifest a temporary truth which is like the mirage in the desert. The living entity is captivated by such mirage and is therefore subjected to the laws of nature in the cycle of birth and death. In the mirage the rays of the sun, in contact with the sand, appear like water and the water appears as mirror a transformation of earth. This appearance of one thing in place of another is the illusory representation of the Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth is therefore distinct from the manifested relative truths. At the same time manifestation of the relative truth is another phase of the Absolute Truth. The relative truth is therefore simultaneously one and different from the Absolute Truth.
The Absolute Truth is self-sufficient because everything emanates from Him. He is fully cognizant of everything and it is He only who had impregnated the Vedic knowledge in the heart of Brahma the original father of the human-kind. The Vedas are said to be supramundane literature. It is so because Brahma was enlightened by Him and after that Brahma transmitted the knowledge in the universe through Narada and from Narada to Vyasa. The Vedic knowledge was thus transmitted by the disciplic succession. The Absolute Truth is therefore cause of the original cause of the manifested relative truth.
The Srutimantra runs as follows:—
(In Devanagari:)
“yato va imani bhutani jayante yena jatani jivanti yat prayanti” etc.
The Absolute Truth is that from whom all these manifested creations have come. It is He only who maintains this creation. And when the creation is annihilated, it goes into Him only, etc.
The inert nature cannot be the cause of a planned creation. The Absolute Truth is cognizant of the plan. Neither the sentient living entity can be the cause of creation. The living entities are not independant by themselves but the Absolute Personality of Godhead is self-sufficient independant Person. All persons or living beings do render service to the superior. Each and every living entity has two phases of activities. He accepts service from his subordinates and reciprocally he renders service to his superiors also. That is the law of nature. Everyone is constitutionally a servant of another. The Absolute Truth Personality of Godhead does not render service to anyone. He accepts service from all others. He is therefore called the Supreme Being of all other living beings. Brahma is the topmost of all the living beings—but the Absolute Truth Personality of Godhead is the teacher of Brahma also. The highest intelligent persons namely the denizens of heaven are also bewildered in Him. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is therefore a philosophical problem. He is self-sufficient, self-cognizant, Supreme Truth and nothing bewildering, as it is in the relative truth—does exist in Him. He is transcendental to the manifested world.
In the relative truth everything can be known within the purview of time, space and thought but in the realm of the Absolute no such method of scientific thought can work. The Absolute Truth can therefore be known by the transcendental method of thinking. The transcendental method of thinking is known to the transcendental devotees of the Absolute Person. The Lord, His Name, His Fame, His Qualities, His Pastimes etc. cannot be known by the method of scientific thought of the mundane plane. And that is the philosophical problem.
Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu teaches us this transcendental method of thinking by His diverse transcendental activities. He descends on this mundane plane by His own energy and is always transcendental to the Laws of Nature. Today the auspicious day of Falgani Purnima (26th March 1956) is the 470th appearance day of the Lord. The Lord Himself being the Absolute Personality of Godhead can teach us the method of transcendental activities. The illusory nature keeps us always under a cover of ignorance about the transcendental nature of the Lord. This philosophical problem is made easy for the knowledge of the common man, by the grace of Lord Chaitanya.
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