hiraṇya-garbhaṃ, paśyata jāyamānaṃ; sa no buddhyā, śubhayā saṃyunaktu ||12|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴
Nārāyaṇa identifies Rudra as the source of the gods and great seers. He saw Hiraṇyagarbha just coming into being; may the same surpassing Lord join human beings to auspicious understanding.
Vijñānabhagavat expressly explains paśyata as a past form: Rudra saw Hiraṇyagarbha coming into being. This seeing denotes his supervision as author of intermediate creation, preservation and dissolution and as founder of Vedic transmission; one variant reads “the Lord of all, God”.
<1: Die dritte Zeile stimmt mit Mahānār. 10,19, die drei übrigen mit Śvet. 3,4 überein; im wesentlichen ist der Spruch an allen drei Stellen derselbe.>
<1: This stanza = 3. 4 and Mahānār. 10. 19 with variants.>
<1: This verse has already been translated and annotated in verse 4, Chap. III. It is the same verse as 4, Chap. III. Except this change—Instead of “who created Hiranyagarbha in the beginning of creation,” translate—“Who saw Hiranyagarbha being born.”>
<1: Die dritte Zeile stimmt mit Mahānār. 10,19, die drei übrigen mit Śvet. 3,4 überein; im wesentlichen ist der Spruch an allen drei Stellen derselbe.>
<1: See before, III, 4.>
<2: Śaṅkara does not explain this verse again, though it differs from III, 4. Vijñānātman explains paśyata by apaśyata, and qualifies the Ātmanepada as irregular.>
<1: Rudra, here identified with the Supreme Spirit. This verse is the same with 3, 4.>
ya īśe asya, dvi-padaś catuṣ-padaḥ; kasmai devāya, haviṣā vidhema ||13|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴
The Bhāṣya attributed to Śaṅkara describes the Lord as master of the gods and inner controller of human beings and animals. The worlds rest in him like superimpositions upon their ground; oblations serve his worship and prepare right knowledge by purifying Buddhi.
Śaṅkarānanda understands “which” as a reference to the one, undifferentiated God. He is ruler of the gods, bearer of the worlds determined by Karma, and Lord over bipeds and quadrupeds alike; the oblation specifically denotes an offering in the fire.
Nārāyaṇa relates the question to Brahman in divine form. The worlds are founded in this overlord, who rules over humans and animals; one should serve him with the oblation.
Vijñānabhagavat distinguishes cosmic and individual levels of rule: the highest Lord stands above the collective deities, sustains the worlds throughout and guides individual humans and animals. Sacrificial worship is to purify the inner organ for direct knowledge.
<1: Die zweite Vershälfte ist ein Zitat aus dem Prajāpatiliede (Ṛgv. 10,121,3), gleichsam als Autorität dafür, daß das in der ersten Vershälfte geschilderte Brahman als persönlicher Gott zu verehren sei.>
<1: The last two lines = RV. 10. 121. 3 c, d.>
<1: Die zweite Vershälfte ist ein Zitat aus dem Prajāpatiliede (Ṛgv. 10,121,3), gleichsam als Autorität dafür, daß das in der ersten Vershälfte geschilderte Brahman als persönlicher Gott zu verehren sei.>
<1: B. reads yasmin devāḥ, not A.>
<2: I read tasmai instead of kasmai, a various reading mentioned by Vijñānātman. It was easy to change tasmai into kasmai, because of the well-known line in the Rig-veda, kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema. Those who read kasmai, explain it as a dative of Ka, a name of Prajāpati, which in the dative should be kāya, and not kasmai. It would be better to take kasmai as the dative of the interrogative pronoun. See M. M., History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature, p. 433; and Vitāna-sūtras IV, 22.>
sūkṣmāti-sūkṣmaṃ, kalilasya madhye; viśvasya, sraṣṭāram aneka-rūpam | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴
The Bhāṣya attributed to Śaṅkara reads Kalila as a difficult-to-enter fortress of Avidyā and its effects. Subtler still than earth, the elements and the unmanifest, the Lord remains present as witness in the midst of this thicket; knowledge of him leads to liberation.
Śaṅkarānanda offers two concrete interpretations of Kalila: the female generative substrate joined to male generative power, or the foamy state of the waters before bubbles form. Within it acts the one manifold creator and encompasser.
Nārāyaṇa supplements the terse expression by explaining that the exceedingly subtle Lord is hidden in the midst of darkness. Kalila is thereby understood not merely as a tangled mass but expressly as concealing darkness.
Vijñānabhagavat develops a sequence of subtlety from the elements through Tanmātras, Mahat and Prakṛti to the self-luminous Lord. Kalila is the difficult-to-penetrate fortress of Saṃsāra made of Prakṛti and its effects; in its midst the One stands as the uninvolved witness.
<1: Der ganze Vers kehrt mit Modifikationen 5,13 wieder. Zu kalilasya madhye vgl. (eventuell) salile Bṛh. 4,3,32.>
<1: The third line = 3. 7 c and 4. 16 c. The whole stanza recurs, with modifications, as 5. 13.>
<1: Der ganze Vers kehrt mit Modifikationen 5,13 wieder. Zu kalilasya madhye vgl. (eventuell) salile Bṛh. 4,3,32.>
<1: Cf. III, 7.>
yasmin yuktā, brahmarṣayo devatāś ca; tam evaṃ jñātvā, mṛtyu-pāśāṃś chinatti ||15|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴
The Bhāṣya attributed to Śaṅkara sees the Lord as hidden witness and guardian of the fruits of Karma. Sanaka and other Brahmarṣis, as well as Brahmā and the deities, are united in knowledge of him. Knowledge of unity burns death, Avidyā, desire and Karma as its bonds.
Śaṅkarānanda defines the Lord as the sole preserver during the continuance of the world. He is hidden in all beings as witness of Buddhi. Seers of Brahman and deities know him; thereby the snares of death, together with desire, anger and their cause in Saṃsāra, are cut apart.
Nārāyaṇa extends the designation Brahmarṣi to Devarṣis and Rājarṣis as well. He interprets the bonds of death as Vāsanās of Saṃsāra; whoever knows the hidden guardian of the worlds cuts through these impressions.
Vijñānabhagavat connects the guardian of the worlds with preservation according to Karma and inner witnessing. Sanaka, Hiraṇyagarbha and others attain unity in him. Death denotes the Tamas of Mūlaprakṛti; its snares are Avidyā, desire and Karma, which knowledge of unity burns.
<1: In former ages, Śaṅkara.>
<2: Because both the Brahmarshis, the holy seers, and the deities find their true essence in Brahman.>
ghṛtāt paraṃ, maṇḍam ivāti-sūkṣmaṃ; jñātvā śivaṃ, sarva-bhūteṣu gūḍham | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴
The Bhāṣya attributed to Śaṅkara takes the essence above butter as an image of supreme subtlety and joy. As the most precious layer attracts the seeker, Paramātman is present as hidden witness in all beings; knowledge of his unity loosens every bond.
Śaṅkarānanda interprets Maṇḍa as an essence subtler still than butter or curds. The Lord is subtler than all levels of the world, hidden within beings and at the same time the one Encompasser. Only knowledge of him, the commentary stresses, releases one from all bonds.
Nārāyaṇa explains Maṇḍa as the subtle component floating on top of clarified butter. The sensory image is meant to illustrate the extraordinary subtlety of the Lord hidden in all beings.
Vijñānabhagavat reads the essence of butter as a graded image: Virāj is subtler than the individual world, Hiraṇyagarbha subtler than Virāj, Prakṛti and the inner controller subtler still, up to undifferentiated being-consciousness-joy. Knowledge of unity removes the bonds of Saṃsāra formed by Prakṛti.
<1: Man muß nicht daran denken, daß die Butter (ghṛtam) erst aus Sahne (maṇḍam) bereitet wird, sondern an die Milch, in welcher die Butterkügelchen fein, aber die Sahne noch viel feiner verteilt, wie der Ātman in den Wesen, enthalten ist.>
<1: Man muß nicht daran denken, daß die Butter (ghṛtam) erst aus Sahne (maṇḍam) bereitet wird, sondern an die Milch, in welcher die Butterkügelchen fein, aber die Sahne noch viel feiner verteilt, wie der Ātman in den Wesen, enthalten ist.>
<1: We should say, like cream from milk.>
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