Sastra Caksusa

seeing through the eyes of scriptures

Text 3-4

na rupam asyeha tathopalabhyate nanto na cadir na ca sampratishtha ashvattham enam su-virudha-mulam asanga-sastrena drdhena chittva

tatah padam tat parimargitavyam yasmin gata na nivartanti bhuyah tam eva cadyam purusham prapadye yatah pravrttih prasrta purani

Translation

The real form of this tree cannot be perceived in this world. No one can understand where it ends, where it begins, or where its foundation is. But with determination one must cut down this strongly rooted tree with the weapon of detachment. Thereafter, one must seek that place from which, having gone, one never returns, and there surrender to that Supreme Personality of Godhead from whom everything began and from whom everything has extended since time immemorial.

Commentary by Srila Prabhupada

It is now clearly stated that the real form of this banyan tree cannot be understood in this material world. Since the root is upwards, the extension of the real tree is at the other end. When entangled with the material expansions of the tree, one cannot see how far the tree extends, nor can one see the beginning of this tree. Yet one has to find out the cause. “I am the son of my father, my father is the son of such-and-such a person, etc.” By searching in this way, one comes to Brahma, who is generated by the Garbhodakashayi Vishnu. Finally, in this way, when one reaches the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is the end of research work. One has to search out that origin of this tree, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, through the association of persons who are in knowledge of that Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then by understanding one becomes gradually detached from this false reflection of reality, and by knowledge one can cut off the connection and actually become situated in the real tree.
The word asanga is very important in this connection because the attachment for sense enjoyment and lording it over the material nature is very strong. Therefore one must learn detachment by discussion of spiritual science based on authoritative scriptures, and one must hear from persons who are actually in knowledge. As a result of such discussion in the association of devotees, one comes to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then the first thing one must do is surrender to Him. The description of that place whence having gone one never returns to this false reflected tree is given here. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is the original root from whom everything has emanated. To gain favor of that Personality of Godhead, one has only to surrender, and this is a result of performing devotional service by hearing, chanting, etc. He is the cause of the extension of the material world. This has already been explained by the Lord Himself. Aham sarvasya prabhavah: “I am the origin of everything.” Therefore to get out of the entanglement of this strong banyan tree of material life, one must surrender to Krishna. As soon as one surrenders unto Krishna, one becomes detached automatically from this material extension.

Commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur

Moreover, the real form of the tree cannot be perceived in the world of men. This is because of the great variety of opinions such as "The world is real. The world is false. The world is eternal." It has no end, no termination (na antah), and because it is unlimited, it has no beginning as well. Because it has no beginning, it has no shelter (sampratistha), or support. One cannot understand what it is, because of lack of real knowledge. In any case, knowing that detachment is the weapon to cut down the tree, which is the only cause of the suffering of all jivas, cutting down the tree with that detachment, one should look for the treasure situated at the base of the root.

The word asangah here means detachment, or complete renunciation. Having cut it down with the axe (sastrena) of complete detachment, separating it from oneself, one should then search (parimargitavyam) for the object (tat padam), brahman, the great treasure, existing at the root. What type of thing is that? One should look for that object which having attained (yasmin gatah), one does not return. He then explains the method of searching. I worship (prapadye) that original person from whom the long standing (purani) action of samsara (pravrttih) has spread out: one should search by the process of bhakti.

Rudra Vaisnava Sampradaya:

Visnuswami

Sridhara Swami's Commentary

The reality of this asvattha or ancient banyan tree having its roots  above and branches below is not perceivable by jivas or embodied beings  habitating material existence in samsara or the perpetual cycle of birth  and death for 43,200,000 lifetimes that transpire for a human in one day of  Brahma. Neither can its end be discerned or its beginning determined. It is  unlimited and its continuity and how it exists is unknown. Since this tree is  extremely difficult to uproot and surmount and is also the actual cause of all  suffering, a spiritually knowledegable living entity should sever all ties from  this tree by the weapons of nonattachment and dispassion and strive for  attaining atma tattva or realisation of their immortal soul. Enunciated  clearly having severed all ties to this deep rooted and all encompassing tree  with the powerful discriminative weapon of renunciation which consists of  relinquishing all concepts of ego such as I and mine and instead see oneself as  belonging fully to the Supreme Lord Krishna in complete communion with Him, who  is the ultimate source from where this tree has arisen. Upon realising the  Supreme Lord one achieves moksa or liberation from material existence and  is no longer subject to samsara the perpetual cycle of birth and death.  In conclusion one must wholeheartedly seek communion with the Supreme Lord and  take full shelter of Him by bhaktior exclusive loving devotion.

Brahma Vaisnava Sampradaya:
Madhvacarya
Madhvacarya's Commentary

This ancient asvattha or banyan tree represents material existence but  it is not perceivable yet it is seen to have been established. The word adi means beginning and anta means the end which refer to the  Supreme Lord. The Bhagavad Purana states: The Supreme Lord is the beginning, the  end and the middle as well. The Moksa Dharma states: The Supreme Lord has  neither beginning nor ending, more the demigods and seers cannot penetrate. The  compound word asanga-sastrena means the wisdom of non-attachment arising  from association with Vaisnava devotees of the Supreme Lord. With the sword of  detachment sharpened by meditation on the wisdom of renunciation. By this method  the world does not become a place of bondage. By knowledge of the Vedic  scriptures and practice the knowledge of the brahmanor spiritual  substratum pervading all existence will be revealed to one. It is confirmed in  the Vedic scriptures that: Meditation verily is the way and the means for  discrnment and detachment. Such a one will not be bound although others will.

The purport is that with the weapon of detachment one should sever ties with  everything except the Supreme Lord Krishna and His authorised avatars or  divine incarnations and expansions. The Moksa Dharma states: When on surrenders  unto the Supreme Lord one does not suffer or grieve. Neither is one born, nor  does one die. Such a one is verily situated in the brahman. Only one who  has been graced by the blessing of the Supreme Lord can be elligible to become  qualified to attain this. The describibng of the means of severing attachment  have been given for the sake of an aspirant receiving the Supreme Lord grace. No  other shelter or refuge exists in all creation other than the Supeme Lord  Krishna and this fundamental understanding must be realised. Since this material  existence is like a horse with an unstable gait it is known as unsteady. That it  is immutable is because samsara or the perpetual cycle of birth and death  is like a stream and endless until one achieves moksa or liberation from  material existence. This liberation is determined by detachment. The firm  conviction that the Supreme Lord is transcendental to everything in the physical  existence is the knowledge gained from the destruction of this ancien banyan  tree. The Vedic aphorism neti netimeaning it is not this, it is not that  clarifies what is the unmanifest. Realising that the Supreme Lord Krishna is the  seperate and distinct from all else is what makes Him clearly superior and  paramount. He is the primal Supreme Lord, the only progenitor. All created  beings including Brahma, Shiva, Indra and all the 300 million demigods are  nothing but emantions from Him like rays of sunlight from the sun.

Sri Vaisnava Sampradaya:
Ramanuja
Ramanuja's Commentary

The jivas or embodied beings immersed in samsara or the  perpetual cycle of birth and death are unable to comprehend this asvattha  or banyan tree and its symbolism. It is impossible for them to understand that  this tree symbolising material existence has its root above in Satyloka with  Brahma and its branches descending downwards are all the innumerable jivas or embodied beings throughout all of creation and that humans are  its terminals from where there are branches spreading upwards as well determined  by karma or reactions to actions based upon following or ignoring the  injunctions and prohibitions of the Vedic scriptures which apply when one  finally achieves a human form out of the millions of different plants, birds,  fish and animal species. As a human one is quickly indoctrinated into samsara with the conceptions of I am. I am a man. I am a king. I am the  son of this person. I am the wife of that person. I am beautiful. I am great,  etc., etc. Such I am conceptions keeps one locked in samsara and causes  one to be fully occupied with mundane concerns and worldly affairs appropriate  to such conceptions. Such persons look upon their bodily conceptions as there  very self and are completely oblivious that they are factually eternal beings  possessing an atma or immortal soul. They perceive not that they can  gradually wean themselves from this ancient tree by renuciation of the three gunas or modes of material nature and detachment from the objects of the  senses. Neither do they comprehend that the atma is seperate and distinct  from the physical body. Nor can they differentiate that the ego is not the  physical body and the atmais not the ego. Bewildered by illusion they  believe what is unreal to be real and what is real they cannot perceive. The  origin and source is unfathomable to them and so deluded they remain in  ignorance.

This asvattha tree with roots above and branches below that keeps the jiva enslaved in samsara can only be destroyed by the sword of  non-attachment to objects of the senses. This renunciation arises from bhakti or exclusive loving devotion to the Supreme Lord Krishna which is  the highest good and apex of all to be attained by every jivas and  paramount to every other conceivable activity in existence throughout all of  creation. Demolishing this strong and durable asvattha tree by the sharp  weapon of detachment from sense objects produces disike and disdain for sense  gratification which creates a desire for pure, sublime spiritual experiences  which when one attains can no longer be subjected to the influence of the three gunas or modes of material nature. How can such a state of consciousness  manifest and detachment from the gunaswhich causes delusion be  guaranteed?

Lord Krishna has already previously confirmed in chapter VII.VII: That there  is nothing superior to Him. In chapter VII.XIV: That those who surrender unto  Him alone can surmount the three gunas. In chapter IX, X: That material  nature is operating under His control. In X.VIII: That He is the origin and  source of all material and spiritual worlds. So let glorious propitiation and  devotion be given unto the Supreme Lord Krishna as He alone is the sole refuge  of all living entities. Inasmuch as all material impressions, instincts and  influences arise from contact with the three gunas proceeding from prakriti the material substratum pervading physical existence which is  controlled byHim. It is logical to understand that by Him they can also be  transcended. The question that naturally comes to mind is how? The word prapadye means surrender. In VII.XIV is stated prapadyante or have  surrendered. In this verse a variant is stated as prapadye yatah which by  the gramatical rules of Panini can be interpreted as prapadye iyatah  meaning by a mere step of surrendering unto Him spiritual impressions, instincts  and influences are activated and awaken in such a one. They will manifest as  spontaneous impulses arising with frequency in the heart and dispel all  nescience. They are ancient because they embody the collective consciousness of  all the mumukshas or achievers of moksa or liberation from  material existence since time immemorial, who surrendered and took refuge of the  Supreme Lord Krishna or His authorised incarnation and expansion as revealed in  Vedic scriptures and were released forever from the bondage of samsara.

Kumara Vaisnava Sampradaya:
Nimbaditya
Kesava Kasmiri's Commentary

Lord Krishna is explaining that knowledge of this asvattha or banyan  tree which symbolises material nature is very rarely understood and not by many.  What its roots and branches represent, described as all the jivas or  embodied beings is not perceived but by a few in this world. It has neither a  beginning nor an end as its stream of samsara or the perpetual cycle of  birth amd death is continuous. It is very difficult to fathom from a human  perspectuive on Earth. Does it begin for each jiva at birth? Does it end  when a jiva disentangles themselves from material nature by detachment?  Is it relative to the individual or is it collective? From what position is it  operating: beginning, middle or end? So from all these suppositions it can be  understood that this tree is beyond perception of the five mundane senses and  the mind. To terminate this firmly rooted and durable asvattha tree in  the form of material existence with its ardent desires for name, fame, wealth  and family which link to the evils of birth, old age, disease and death for  everyone; is a very serious and extremely difficult task to accomplish. Yet it  can be overcome by bhakti or exclusive loving devotion unto the Supreme  Lord Krishna which insures detachment from the objects of the senses and sensual  pleasures. One desirous of their own best interests and highest good will by the  sharp intellect of discrimination and the formidable weapon of dispassion  abandon all desires for sense gratification which are products of the three gunas or modes of material nature. Succeeding by knowledge and effort one  should then diligently strive for the Supreme state of consciousness for once  attaining one is no longer subject to samsaraand never again returns to  the material worlds.

The question in mind is how can this be accomplished? Lord Krishna has  already confirmed previously in chaper VII.XIV: That although His maya or  illusory potency in the material existence is almost impossible to overcome,  those who prapadye or surrender unto Him are able to transcend it. This  means by completely making Him their sole refuge they activate the inherent  divine potency abiding within the atma or immortal soul of all jivas. This divine potency is eternally on standby waiting for the jiva to turn away from the external mundane world and look internally for  the atma within one's heart. The Supreme Lord Krishna has made all  provisions for this activation to immeadiately come into effect the very moment  one fully surrenders unto Him or any of His authorised incarnations and  expansions. How wonderful! How merciful is the Supreme Lord Krishna. Without His  mercy, without His grace through His bonafide representative, the spiritual  master in authorised disiplic succession as revealed in the Vedic scriptures, it  is totally impossible to be released from samsara and achieve moksa or liberation from material existence. Those blessed spiritual  beings who take complete shelter in the Supreme Lord transcend this world and go  to the eternal spiritual worlds never to return again. As for all the others  they are recycled byck into the material existence incessantly and subject to  the Supreme Lords eight-fold potencies of earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind,  intellect and false ego which comprises prakritior the physical  substratum pervading physical existence as the Supreme Lord Himself has stated  in VII.IV.

Comment: Simply we can offer our pranams to Srila Prabhupada and the acaryas and try to enter the deep meaning of this sloka: One payer to Lord Narasimha came to my mind when reading these purports:

Sri  Lakshmi-Narasimha karuna-rasa-stotra

            This was written by Adi Shankaracharya for the mercy of Sri Sri  Lakshmi-Narasimha. It reflects the same devotional mood as his Govindashtakam and Prabhodashudhakara, and does not hold any of his impersonalistic  teachings.

1.  Shrimat-pavo-nidhi-niketana chakra-pane

bhogindra-bhoga-mani-rajita  punya-murte

yogisha  shashvata sharanya bhavabdhi-pota

lakshmi-nrisimha  mama dehi karavalambam

Lord, Your form is all beautiful  because you are the master of the goddess of fortune. You reside in the ocean of  milk, and You carry the Sudarshana disc in Your hand. Your all-auspicious form  is made even more resplendent by the jewel-like body of Anantadeva, the king of  serpents upon whom You rest. You are the eternal deliverer from the ocean of  birth and death for all those who seek Your shelter and You are the master of  all mystics. O Lakshmi-Nrisimha, please bless me with the touch of Your lotus  hands.

2. Brahmendra  rudra-marud arka-kirita-koti

sanghattitangri-kamalamala-kanti-kanta

lakshmi  lasat-kucha saroruha-raja-hamsa

lakshmi-nrisimha  mama dehi karavalambam

Lord Brahma, Lord Indra, Lord  Shiva, the Maruts and the sun-god all fall down with their tens and millions of  helmets at Your lotus feet, which are most dear to the goddess of fortune,  Lakshmi, who appears as beautiful as a royal swan enjoying the lotus flower of  Your chest. O Lakshmi-Nrisimha, please bless me with the touch of Your lotus  hands.

3.  Samsara-dava dahanakula bhishanoru

jvalavalibhih  ati-daghda tanuru-hasya

tvat  pada-padmasarasim sharanagatasya

lakshmi-nrisimha  mama dehi karavalambam

The conditioned soul suffers on  the path of repeated birth and death exactly like one caught in a forest fire.  Being fearful, his body burnt by the licking flames, he cries most pitiably.  Just as one tormented by a forest fire may take shelter in a pond. Your lotus  feet are just like a pond giving refuge to the surrendered soul from the forest  fire of samsara. O Lakshmi-Nrisimha, please bless me with the touch of Your  lotus hands.

4.  Samsara-jala-patitasya jagan-nivasa

sarvendriyarta-badishagra-jhashopamasya

protkampita-prachurataluka-mastakasya

lakshmi-nrisimha  mama dehi karavalambam

O abode of the universe, I have  fallen into the net of repeated birth and death. Just like an aquatic animal, I  eagerly accept the hook baited with the sense objects. And just as the fish is  caught trembling, and his head is cut off, so my real consciousness is lost as I  am punished by the material nature. O Lakshmi-Nrisimha, please bless me with the  touch of Your lotus hands.

5.  Samsara-kupam ati-ghoram agadha-mulam

samprapya  dukha-shata-sarpa-samakulasya

dinasya deva  kripaya padam agatasya

lakshmi-nrisimha  mama dehi karavalambam

Having fallen into the horrible  and bottomless well of repeated birth and death, I am tormented by the serpent  of hundred fold miseries. In this fallen condition, O Lord, by Your mercy I am  surrendered to Your lotus feet. O Lakshmi-Nrisimha, please bless me with the  touch of Your lotus hands.     

6.  Samsara-bhikara-karindra-karabhighata

nishpidyamana-vapushah  sakalarti-nasa

prana-prayana  bhava-bhiti-samakulasya

lakshmi-nrisimha  mama dehi karavalambam

You slay the king of the demons,  Hiranyakashipu, whose body is as strong as an elephant by squeezing him with  your hands. In this way You destroy all miseries by breaking the fearful cycle  of birth and death. You are the ultimate goal of life for those who are  disturbed by fear of material existence. O Lakshmi-Nrisimha, please bless me  with the touch of Your lotus hands.

7.  Samsara-sarpa-visha-digdha mahogra-tivra

damstragra-koti-paridashta  vinashta-murte

nagari-vahana  sudhabdhi-nivasa shaure

lakshmi-nrisimha  mama dehi karavalambam

I have been bitten by the tens of  millions of terrible sharp fangs of the snake of material existence. Having been  injected with its powerful poison, I have lost my consciousness as the eternal  servant of Krishna. The best remedy for snakebite is nectar, therefore O Lord  Shauri, You reside in the ocean of nectar and Your carrier is Garuda the great  enemy of snakes. O Lakshmi-Nrisimha, please bless me with the touch of Your  lotus hands.

8.  Samsara-vriksha agha-bijam ananta-karma

shakha-yutam  karana-patram ananga-pushpam

aruhya  dukha-phalinam patitam dayalo

lakshmi-nrisimha  mama dehi karavalambam

The tree of samsara, or material  existence, is sprouted from the seed of sinful desire. The unlimited reactions  to fruitive activities are its branches, the senses are its leaves and its  flowers is Cupid’s attraction of sex desire. O merciful one, I climbed up this  tree but I have only obtained the fruit of misery and am now fallen. O  Lakshmi-Nrisimha, please bless me with the touch of Your lotus hands.

9.  Samsara-sagara-vishala-karala-kala

nakra-graha-grasita-nigraha-vigrahasya

vyadhasya  raga-nichayormini piditasya

lakshmi-nrisimha  mama dehi karavalambam

In the broad ocean of material  existence I am broken and smashed again and again by the powerful waves of my  accumulated attachments. Grasped in the jaws of the fearful crocodile of the  external time factor, I am pierced, ripped apart, and swallowed. O  Lakshmi-Nrisimha, please bless me with the touch of Your lotus hands.

10.  Samsara-sagara-nimajjana-muhyamanam

dinam  vilokaya vibho karuna-nidhe mam

prahlada-kheda-parihara-kritavatara

lakshmi-nrisimha  mama dehi karavalambam

O all-powerful, ocean of mercy,  cast Your glance upon me. I am bewildered, helplessly sinking in the sea of  samsara. You descended to remove the distress of your devotee Prahlada Maharaja.  O Lakshmi-Nrisimha, please bless me with the touch of Your lotus hands.

11.  Samsara-ghora-gahane charato murare

marogra  vbhikara mriga prachurarditasya

artasya  matsara-nidagdha-suduhkhitasya

lakshmi-nrisimha  mama dehi karavalambam

O Murari, I have fallen into the  pit of material existence and I am wandering just like an animal greatly  tormented by fear of horrible death that awaits him. Distressed and miserable, I  am burnt by envy. O Lakshmi-Nrisimha, please bless me with the touch of Your  lotus hands.

12. Baddhva  gale yama-bhata bahu taryajantaha

karshanti  yatra bhava-pasha-shatair yutam mam

ekakinam  para-vasha chakitam dayalo

lakshmi-nrisimha  mama dehi karavalambam

Binding me with ropes, the  servants of Yamaraja drag me to his abode, beating me severely along the path.  Bound by material existence in hundreds of ways, I stand alone, helpless and  trembling, under the influence of the superior force of daiva maya. O  Lakshmi-Nrisimha, please bless me with the touch of Your lotus hands.

13.  Lakshmi-pate kamala-nabha suresha vishno

yajnesha  yajna madhusudana vishvarupa

brahmanya  keshava janardana vasudeva

lakshmi-nrisimha  mama dehi karavalambam

You are the Lord of Lakshmi and  the master of the demigods. O Vishnu, Your navel is just like a lotus. You are  the Lord of sacrifice and the embodiment of sacrificial performance. O  Madhusudana, Vishvarupa, You are always favorably disposed to the brahmanas. O  Keshava, Janardana, Vasudeva, O Lakshmi-Nrisimha, please bless me with the touch  of Your lotus hands.

14. Ekena  chakram aparena karena shankham

anyena  sindhu-tanayam avalambya tishthan

vametarena  varadabhaya-padma-chihnam

lakshmi-nrisimha  mama dehi karavalambam

In one of Your four hands You  hold the Sudarshana disc and in another a conch. With another You embrace  Lakshmi, who was born from the milk ocean, and with another on the left You  bestow fearlessness. The palm of that hand which is raised to give the  benediction is marked with the lotus symbol. O Lakshmi-Nrisimha, please bless me  with the touch of Your lotus hands.

15. Andhasya  me hrita-viveka-maha-dhanasya

corair  mahabalibhir indriya-namadheyaiha

mohandhakara-kuhare  vinipatitasya

lakshmi-nrisimha  mama dehi karavalambam

Although I was very wealthy, I am  blind and without discrimination. I have been robbed of my great treasure  (Krishna consciousness) by the thieves known as the senses. Despite all my  attempts to appease them with different types of offerings, they have thrown me  into the pit of illusion and darkness. O Lakshmi-Nrisimha, please bless me with  the touch of Your lotus hands.

16.  Prahlada-narada-parasara-pundarika

vyasadi-bhagavata-pungava-hrin-nivasa

bhaktanurakta-paripalana-parijata

lakshmi-nrisimha  mama dehi karavalambam

You reside in the hearts of the  best devotees such as Prahlada Maharaja, Narada Muni, Parashara Muni, Pundarika,  Vyasadeva and others. You are very fond of Your devotees and You are their  parijata tree of protection. O Lakshmi-Nrisimha, please bless me with the touch  of Your lotus hands.

17.  Lakshmi-nrisimha-charanabja-madhu-vratena

stotram  kritam shubha-karam bhuvi shankarena

ye  tatpathanti manuja hari-bhakti-yuktaha

lakshmi-nrisimha  mama dehi karavalambam

This prayer, bestowing  auspiciousness in this world, has been composed by Shankaracharya, who is a  honeybee in the lotus flower of the feet of Sri-Sri Lakshmi-Nrisimha. Those who  read this prayer with devotion to Lord Krishna attain the shelter of Sri Sri  Lakshmi-Nrisimha’s lotus feet and also attain their eternal spiritual form,  which is never annihilated.

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