गोविन्द भाष्य (श्रील बलदेव विद्याभूषण - अचिन्त्यभेदाभेद वेदान्त ब्रह्मसूत्र भाष्य सटीक)

body; sambandhāt—from the contact; jyotiḥ—eye; ādi—beginning with; vat—like.
Bondage and liberation come from contact with the material body, like the eye
and other things.
Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
Even though they are parts and parcels of the Supreme, the individual spirit
souls, because beginningless ignorance, and also because of contact with material
bodies, are subject to material bondage and liberation. The incarnations of the
Lord, such as Lord Matsya, however, are not subject to such things. This is the
description of the Śruti-śāstra. In the Śruti-śāstra it is also said that the
incarnations of the Lord do not have material bodies, but are directly the Lord
Himself. That is the great difference between the individual spirit souls and the
incarnations of the Lord.
The word "anujñā" here means "permission". It is by the Lord's permission that
the individual spirit souls can perform pious and impious deeds, as the Kauṣīitaki
Upaniṣad (3.8) explains:
eṣa eva sādhu karma kārayati
"The Lord engages the living entity in pious activities so he may be elevated."*
The word "parihāra" means "liberation". This is described in the Śruti-śāstra:
tam eva viditvāti mṛtyum eti
By understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead one is able to cross
beyond this world of death."
Next, speaking the words "jyotir-ādi-vat" (like the eye), the author of the sūtras
gives an example to explain this. The eyes of the living entities are like small
portions of the sun. However, the eyes depend on the sun for the power of sight,
and if the sun does not give permission, in the form of the sunlight, the eyes
cannot see. In this way the eyes are dependent on the sun. The sunlight on the
sun-planet, however, is identical with the sun itself, and thus it makes no sense to
say they are dependent on the sun. The difference between the individual spirit
souls and the incarnations of the Lord is like that, the incarnations being like the
sunlight and the souls being like the eyes.

अधिकरणम्: अंशाधिकरणम् (वेदान्त-दर्शनम्, अध्याय २, पाद ३)
सूत्रम् ४७:
असन्ततेश्चाव्यतिकरः ॥ ४७ ॥
पदच्छेदः:
असन्ततेः — च — अव्यतिकरः।
पदार्थः:
असन्ततेः = अपूर्णत्वात् (परिच्छिन्नत्वात्, अणुत्वात् वा) ; च = पुनः, और ; अव्यतिकरः = अव्यवस्था न होना (साङ्कर्य का अभाव, भ्रम-रहित होना)।
सूत्रार्थः:
जीव के अपूर्ण (अणु तथा परिच्छिन्न) होने के कारण परमेश्वर के साथ उसका कोई साङ्कर्य (अभेद या भ्रमात्मक एकत्व) नहीं हो सकता।
श्रील बलदेव विद्याभूषण विरचित गोविन्दभाष्य तात्पर्य:
जीवात्मा के अपूर्ण तथा परिच्छिन्न होने के कारण उसे कभी भी परमेश्वर का अवतार समझने का भ्रम नहीं हो सकता।
अतः जीवात्माएँ भगवान् के श्री मत्स्य आदि परिपूर्ण अवतारों के समान या उनके सदृश कदापि नहीं हो सकतीं।
श्वेताश्वतरोपनिषद् (५.९) में जीवात्मा के स्वरूप एवं परिमाण का वर्णन इस प्रकार किया गया है:
श्रुति-प्रमाण (श्वेताश्वतरोपनिषद् ५.९):
बालाग्रशतभागस्य शतधा कल्पितस्य च ।
भागो जीवः स विज्ञेयः स चानन्त्याय कल्पते ॥
हिन्दी अनुवाद:
"यदि केश के अग्रभाग के सौ भाग किए जाएँ और फिर उस सौवें भाग के पुनः सौ भाग किए जाएँ,
तो उस दश-सहस्रतम (दस हज़ारवें) भाग के बराबर जीवात्मा का सूक्ष्म परिमाण जानना चाहिए।"
जीवात्मा के अणु तथा सीमित होने के विपरीत, श्री मत्स्य आदि भगवान् के समस्त अवतार सर्वथा पूर्ण और समग्र हैं,
जैसा कि ईशोपनिषद् (तथा बृहदारण्यकोपनिषद् शान्तिमन्त्र) में स्पष्ट किया गया है:
श्रुति-प्रमाण (ईशोपनिषद्):
ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते ।
पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥
हिन्दी अनुवाद:
"परमब्रह्म पूर्ण हैं, यह अवतार रूप भी पूर्ण है; उस पूर्ण से ही यह पूर्ण प्रकट होता है।
पूर्ण से पूर्ण को निकाल लेने पर भी पूर्ण ही शेष रहता है।"
उत्तर-सूत्र अवतरणिका:
अब ग्रन्थकार आगामी सूत्र में जीवात्मा को साक्षात् परब्रह्म के सर्वथा अभिन्न मानने में जो महान् दोष (दार्शनिक असंगति) आता है, उसका निरूपण करते हैं —
सूत्रम् ४८

ābhāsa eva ca
ābhāsaḥ—fallacy; eva—indeed; ca—also.
It is also a fallacy.
Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
In this sūtra is refuted the idea that because they are both called "aṁśas", or
parts of the Lord, therefore the individual spirit souls and the incarnations of the
Lord are identical. This idea is based on the logical fallacy of sat-pratipakṣa
(undistributed middle). Because of its imperfect reasoning, this idea is wrong.
The word "ca" (also) here hints that some examples may be given to show this.
One example is that of earth and sky. Earth and sky are both substances, but that
does not mean that they are identical. Existence and non-existence are both
categories, but that does not mean they are equal. In the same way the individual
spirit souls and the incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead may both
be parts of the Supreme, but that does not mean that they are equal.
Adhikaraṇa 19
The Individual Spirit Souls Are Not All Alike
Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
Concluding this digression, the author of the sūtras now returns to His original
topic. In the Kaṭha Upaniṣad (2.5.13) it is said:
nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām
eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān
"The Supreme Lord is eternal and the living beings are eternal. The Supreme
Lord is cognizant and the living beings are cognizant. The difference is that the
Supreme Lord is supplying all the necessities of life for the many other living
entities."*
Saṁśaya (doubt): In this way it is said that the individual spirit souls are eternal

and cognizant. Are the individual spirit souls all alike or are they not?
Pūrvapakṣa (the opponent speaks): The individual spirit souls are not different.
They are all exactly alike.
Siddhānta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sūtras gives
His conclusion.
Sūtra 49
adṛṣṭāniyamāt
adṛṣṭa—of fate; aniyamāt—because of difference.
Because of different fates.
Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
As a frog jumps a long distance, the word "na" (not) should be inserted from
sūtra 44. In this way this sūtra means "the individual spirit souls are not all alike.
Why is that? The sūtra explains: "Even though the individual spirit souls have the
same nature, they have different fates." Their fates are beginningless.
Here someone may object: Are the different fates not created because the
individual spirit souls have different desires and different aversions?
The author of the sūtras says, "No it is not so," and gives the following
explanation.
Sūtra 50
abhisandhy-ādiṣv api caivam
abhisandhy—inclinations; ādiṣu—beginning with; api—also; ca—and; evam—
thus.
In this way there are different desires and other things.
Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa

व्यष्टि-जीवात्माओं के भिन्न-भिन्न स्वभावों की व्याख्या एक भिन्न प्रकार से की जानी चाहिए।
ये भेद विभिन्न अदृष्टों (प्रारब्धों) के कारण विद्यमान हैं। सूत्र में प्रयुक्त "च" (और) शब्द
यह संकेत करता है कि ये भेद प्रत्येक क्षण विद्यमान रहते हैं।
(पूर्वपक्ष:) यहाँ कोई आपत्ति कर सकता है: क्या यह ऐसा नहीं है कि ये भेद भिन्न-भिन्न
प्रदेशों (वातावरणों) के कारण उत्पन्न होते हैं, जैसे स्वर्गलोक, पृथ्वी अथवा अन्य
स्थानों का परिवेश?
(सिद्धान्त:) इसके उत्तर में सूत्रकार महर्षि व्यास कहते हैं, "नहीं, ऐसा नहीं है।" वे
निम्नलिखित व्याख्या प्रस्तुत करते हैं—
सूत्र ५१
प्रदेशादिति चेन्नान्तर्भावात् ॥ ५१ ॥
पदच्छेद एवं शब्दार्थ: प्रदेशात् — विभिन्न वातावरण अथवा स्थान-भेद से; इति चेत् — यदि ऐसा कहें तो; न — ऐसा नहीं है; अन्तर्भावात् —
क्योंकि उसी में अन्तर्भाव होने से (अन्य कारण विद्यमान होने से)।
सरलार्थ: यदि यह कहा जाए कि जीवों का यह भेद वातावरण अथवा स्थान-भेद के कारण है, तो उत्तर है: नहीं, क्योंकि
इसका दूसरा ही कारण है।
श्रील बलदेव विद्याभूषण विरचित 'गोविन्द भाष्य' का तात्पर्य:
यहाँ निर्दिष्ट अन्य कारण जीवात्माओं के भिन्न-भिन्न अदृष्ट (कर्मफल तथा वासनाएँ) हैं।
यहाँ के वैषम्य को केवल भिन्न वातावरणों के अधीन नहीं माना जा सकता, क्योंकि
एक ही परिवेश अथवा वातावरण में रहने वाले जीवों में भी प्रायः महान् भेद और विषमताएँ परिलक्षित होती हैं।
पाद ४ (चतुर्थ पाद)
मङ्गलाचरणम् (प्रार्थना)
त्वज्जाताः कलितोत्पाताः
मत्प्राणाः सन्त्यमित्रभित् ।
एतान् शाधि तथा देव

yathā sat-patha-gāminaḥ
O Supreme Personality of Godhead, O destroyer of enemies, my life-breaths,
which are born from You, have left the path of virtue. O Lord, please bring them
under control and push them on the path that is right.
Adhikaraṇa 1
The Prāṇas Are Manifested From the Supreme Personality of Godhead
Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
In the Third Pāda contradictory scriptural passages describing the elements
were harmonized. In the Fourth Pāda contradictory passages describing the prāṇas
(life-force and senses) will be harmonized. The prāṇas are of two kinds: primary
and secondary. The secondary prāṇas are the eleven senses, beginning with the
eyes. The primary prāṇas are the five life-airs, beginning with apāna. First the
secondary prāṇas will be examined. In the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (2.1.3) it is said:
etasmāj jāyate prāṇo manaḥ sarvendriyāṇi ca
"From this are born prāṇa, mind, and all the senses."
Saṁśaya (doubt): Is this description of the creation of the senses metaphorical,
like the description of the creation of the individual souls, or literal, like the
description of the creation of ether and the other elements?
Pūrvapakṣa (the opponent speaks): This is explained in the following words of
the Śruti-śāstra:
asad vā idam agra āsīt tad āhuḥ kiṁ tad āsīd iti ṛṣayo vāva te asad āsīt tad āhuḥ ke
te ṛṣaya iti prāṇā vāva ṛṣayaḥ.
"He said: In the beginning was non-being. They said: What was that non-being?
He said: The non-being was many sages. They said: Who were those sages? He
said: Those sages were the prāṇas."
This passage from the Śruti-śāstra clearly shows that the the senses, which are

Here is the text from the page presented line by line in Unicode Devanagari with Hindi translation/rendering corresponding to the content of the commentary (Govinda Bhāṣya by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa on Brahma-sūtra 2.4.1):

पूर्वपक्षः — अत्र प्राणैः ऋषिभिर्वा शब्दैरुक्ताः जडाः इन्द्रियात्मकाः प्राणाः भौतिकजगतः सृष्टेः पूर्वमेव वर्तमाना आसन्।
अतः इन्द्रियाणि अपि जीवात्मानः इव नित्यानि (एवं च शास्त्रेषु इन्द्रियाणां सृष्टिवर्णनं केवलम् औपचारिको वा गौणः प्रयोगः)।
सिद्धान्तः — अस्य समाधानार्थं सूत्रकारः स्वाभिप्रायं प्रकाशयति —
॥ सूत्रम् १ ॥
तथा प्राणाः ॥ २।४।१ ॥
तथा — तथैव; प्राणाः — प्राणाः (इन्द्रियाणि)।
(यथा आकाशादयः परब्रह्मणः उत्पद्यन्ते) तथैव प्राणाः (इन्द्रियाणि अपि उत्पद्यन्ते)।
श्रील बलदेव विद्याभूषण विरचितं गोविन्दभाष्यम् —
यथा आकाशादीनि भूतानि परमपुरुषस्य सकाशात् प्रादुर्भूतानि, तथैव प्राणाः इन्द्रियाणि च तस्मादेव परब्रह्मणः उत्पन्नानि। अयं हि अत्र भावः। सृष्टेः प्राक् सर्वं प्राकृतं तत्त्वमेकीभूतम् आसीत्। ततः विविधाः पदार्थाः व्यज्यन्ते। मुण्डकोपनिषदि (२।१।३) एतदुक्तम् —
एतस्माज्जायते प्राणो मनः सर्वेन्द्रियाणि च।
"अस्मात् (परब्रह्मणः) प्राणः, मनः तथा सर्वाणि इन्द्रियाणि उत्पद्यन्ते।"
प्राकृत-इन्द्रियाणां सृष्टिः चैतन्यस्वरूप-जीवात्मनां सृष्टि-सदृशी न भवति, यतो हि जीवात्मानः प्राकृत-षड्भावविकारेभ्यो मुक्ताः सन्ति। यदा शास्त्रेषु जीवात्मनां सृष्टेः वर्णनं क्रियते तदा तत् औपचारिकं (गौणं) भवति, किन्तु यदा इन्द्रियाणां सृष्टिः उच्यते तदा तत् शब्दशः यथार्थं (मुख्यम्) एव भवति। यतः इन्द्रियाणि स्वभावतः प्रकृतिकार्याणि सन्ति। अत एव अस्मिन् प्रसङ्गे 'प्राणाः' तथा 'ऋषयः' इति शब्दाः परमपुरुषं भगवन्तमेव निर्दिशन्ति, यतो हि एतौ द्वौ शब्दौ सर्वज्ञस्य परमेश्वरस्यैव नामधेये स्तः।
अत्र कश्चिदाशङ्केत — "प्राणाः", "ऋषयः" इति द्वयोः शब्दयोः बहुवचनान्तत्वात् कथं तयोः एकमेव अद्वितीयं परमपुरुषं परमात्मानं प्रति वाचकत्वं सम्भवति? इति चेत् —

In the following words the author of the sūtras answers this objection.
Sūtra 2 (सूत्र २)
gauṇy asambhavāt (गौण्यसम्भवात्)
gauṇī—secondary meaning; asambhavāt—because of impossibility.
This must be a secondary use of the word, because the primary use is
impossible.
Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
The use of the plural in this passage from the Śruti-śāstra must be a secondary
usage of the plural. Why is that? Because there are not many Gods, there is only
one God, the plural cannot be used to describe Him. Still, the plural may be
applied to Him to refer to His many different manifestations. Although the
Supreme Lord is one, He appears in His many incarnations like an actor assuming
different roles or a vaidūrya jewel displaying different colors. In this secondary
sense the plural is appropriate in relation to Him. This is confirmed by the
following words of the Śruti-śāstra:
ekaṁ santaṁ bahudhā dṛśyamānam (एकं सन्तं बहुधा दृश्यमानम्)
"Although He is one, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is seen to be many."
The Smṛti-śāstra also explains:
ekāneka-svarūpāya (एकानेकस्वरूपाय)
"Although He is one, the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears in many
forms."
Sūtra 3 (सूत्र ३)

tat prāk śruteś ca
tat—that; prāk—before; śruteḥ—from the Śruti-śāstra; ca—and.
Because the Śruti-śāstra declares that He existed before the creation.
Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
Because in the beginning of creation the varieties of material nature were not
yet manifested, and thus the material world was all one, it is also not proper to
accept the use of the plural here in a literal sense. This is so because the Śruti-
śāstras declare that in the beginning of material creation only the Supreme
Personality of Godhead existed. Therefore the plural here must be used in a
secondary sense.
In the following words the author of the sūtras gives another reason why the
word "prāṇa" should be interpreted as a name of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead.
Sūtra 4
tat-pūrvakatvād vācaḥ
tat—that; pūrvakatvāt—because of being before; vācaḥ—speech.
Because speech existed before the material creation.
Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
The word "vācaḥ" (speech) here means "the names of things other than the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of many spiritual potencies". This
speech existed before the pradhāna, the mahat-tattva, and the other features of the
material world were created. Because the names and forms of the various material
features were not yet created, and because the material senses also were not yet
created at that time in the beginning of creation, the word "prāṇa" here must be
used as a name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Bṛhad-āraṇyaka
Upaniṣad (1.4.7) explains:

तद् धेदं तर्हि
"प्रारम्भ में वे प्रकट नहीं थे। केवल बाद में ही भौतिक रूप
और नाम प्रकट हुए।"
यह स्पष्ट करता है कि भौतिक सृष्टि के प्रारम्भ में भौतिक नाम
और रूप अभी प्रकट नहीं हुए थे। अतः उस समय भौतिक इन्द्रियाँ तथा
आकाश आदि तत्त्व भी अभी प्रकट नहीं हुए थे।
अधिकरण २
इन्द्रियों की एकादशता (इन्द्रियाँ ग्यारह हैं)
श्रील बलदेव विद्याभूषण द्वारा भूमिका
इन्द्रियों के विषय में श्रुति-शास्त्र के वर्णनों के विरुद्ध इस असत्य धारणा का निराकरण करने के उपरान्त,
सूत्रकार इन्द्रियों की संख्या के विषय में एक मिथ्या धारणा का खण्डन करते हैं। मुण्डक उपनिषद् (२.१.८) में कहा गया है:
सप्त प्राणाः प्रभवन्ति तस्मात्
सप्तार्चिषः समिधः सप्त होमाः।
सप्तमे लोका येषु संचरन्ति
प्राणा गुहाशया निहिताः सप्त सप्त॥
"उनसे ही सात प्राण, सात ज्वालाएँ (अर्चि), सात समिधाएँ, और
सात लोक उत्पन्न होते हैं। ये सातों प्रत्येक हृदय-गुहा में निहित हैं।"
किन्तु, बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद् (३.९.४) में कहा गया है:
दशेमे पुरुषे प्राणा आत्मैकादश
"पुरुष (शरीर) में ये दस प्राण हैं और आत्मा ग्यारहवाँ है।"
संशय: क्या प्राण सात हैं अथवा ग्यारह?
पूर्वपक्ष: पूर्वपक्ष की ओर से आगामी सूत्र कहा जाता है।

Sūtra 5
sapta-gater viśeṣitvāc ca
sapta—of seven; gateḥ—because of going; viśeṣitvāt—because of the specific
description; ca—also.
Because of the departure of seven and also because of a specific description.
Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
The prāṇas are seven. Why is that? Because that is the opinion of scripture. In
the Śruti-śāstra it is said:
saptānāṁ eva jīvena saha sañcāra-rupāyā gateḥ
"Accompanied by the seven prāṇas, the soul leaves the body."
In the Kaṭha Upaniṣad (6.10) it is said:
yadā pañcāvatiṣṭhante
jñānāni manasā saha

Sūtra 6
hastādayas tu sthite 'to naivam
hasta—the hands; ādayaḥ—beginning with; tu—but; sthite—situated; ataḥ—
therefore; na—not; evam—like that.
But when he is situated in that way, the hands and other instruments are also
present. Therefore it is not like that.
Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
The word "tu" (but) is used here to begin the refutation of the Pūrvapakṣa's
objection. Although they are not included among the seven, the instruments
beginning with the hands are to be considered among the prāṇas. Why is that?
Because as long as the soul is situated in the material body these instruments help
in experiencing various things and in performing various tasks. In the Bṛhad-
āraṇyaka Upaniṣad it is said:
hastau vai grahaḥ sarva-karmaṇābhigraheṇa gṛhītāḥ hastābhyāṁ karma karoti.
"The hands are a sense, for with the hands one grasps things and performs
actions."
In this way there are more than seven senses. There are five knowledge-
acquiring senses, five working senses, and the mind. In this way there are eleven
senses. In the Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad (3.9.4) it is said:
ātmaikādaśa
"The ātmā is the eleventh sense."
The word "ātmā" here means "the mind". In this way it should be understood.
There are five objects of perception: sound, touch, form, taste, and smell. To
perceive these objects there are five knowledge-acquiring senses: ears, skin, eyes,
tongue, and nose. There are five kinds of action: speech, grasping, moving,
excretion, and reproduction. To perform these actions there are five working
senses: voice, hands, feet, anus, and genital.
To co-ordinate the actions of all these and to take consideration of the three

phases of time (past, present, and future), there is the mind. Sometimes the mind
is considered to have four aspects. In this way the actions of the mind are:
desiring, coming to conclusions, understanding one's identity, and thinking. To
perform these actions the mind is divided into the heart (manaḥ), intelligence
(buddhi), false-ego (ahaṅkāra), and thinking (citta). In this way there are eleven
senses.
Adhikaraṇa 3
The Senses Are Atomic in Size
Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
Next the author of the sūtras considers the question of the nature and size of
the senses.
Saṁśaya (doubt): Are the senses all-pervading or are they atomic?
Pūrvapakṣa (the opponent speaks): The senses must be all-pervading, for things
can be seen or heard from far away.
Siddhānta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sūtras gives
his conclusion.
Sūtra 7
aṇavaś ca
aṇavaḥ—atoms; ca—and.
They are also atoms.
Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
The word "ca" (also) is used here to indicate certainty. The eleven senses are
atomic in size. This is so because the Śruti-śāstra declares that the senses leave the

material body. Things can be heard from far away and in other ways be perceived
from far away because the quality, or power, of the senses extend beyond the
senses themselves. As the individual spirit soul is all-pervading within the material
body, from the head to the feet, so the senses can also act at a distance. In this way
the theory of saṅkhya philosophers, that the senses are all-pervading, is refuted.
Adhikaraṇa 4
The Principal Prāṇa (the Life-Force) Has an Origin
Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
In the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (2.1.3) it is said:
etasmāj jāyate prāṇaḥ
"From Him the prāṇa (life-force) is born."
Here the word "prāṇa" means "the principal prāṇa".
Saṁśaya (doubt): Is the principal prāṇa (life-force) created in the same way the
individual spirit soul is "created" or is this prāṇa created in the same way ether
and the other elements are created?
Pūrvapakṣa (the opponent speaks): The Śruti-śāstra declares:
naiṣa prāṇa udeti nāstam eti
"This prāṇa is never born and never dies."
The Smṛti-śāstra also declares:
yat-prāptir yat-parityāga
utpattir maraṇaṁ tathā
tasyotpattir mṛtiś caiva
kathaṁ prāṇasya yujyate

"Birth and death come and go. How can birth and death affect the prāṇa?"
Therefore it is concluded that the principal prāṇa is "created" in the same way
the individual spirit soul is "created".
Siddhānta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sūtras gives
His conclusion.
Sūtra 8
śreṣṭhaś ca
śreṣṭhaḥ—the principal one; ca—also.
The principal one also.
Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
The principal prāṇa (life-force) is created in the same way ether and the other
elements are created. This is confirmed in the words of the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad
(2.1.3):
jāyate prāṇaḥ
"The prāṇa was created."
In its pratijñā statement the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad declares:
sa idaṁ sarvam asṛjata
"He created everything."
To avoid contradicting these words it must be accepted that the principal prāṇa
was also created. For this reason the scriptural passages stating that the prāṇa was
never created should be understood allegorically and not literally. One prāṇa is
called the principal prāṇa because it maintains the material body. So its meaning
can be carried into the next sūtra, this sūtra is given separately and not joined to
the previous sūtra.

Adhikaraṇa 5
The Principal Prāṇa (Life-Force) Is Not Air
Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
Now the nature of the principal prāṇa (life-force) will be examined.
Saṁśaya (doubt): is the principal prāṇa air alone, the vibration of air, the
activities of air, or a condition of air when it goes to another place? Which is it?
Pūrvapakṣa (the opponent speaks): It is the external element of air. This is
confirmed in the following statement of Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad (3.1.5):
yo 'yaṁ prāṇaḥ sa vāyuḥ
"The prāṇa is air."
Or, perhaps the principal prāṇa is the activities of air, the inhalation and
exhalation of breath. In this way it is proved that the principal prāṇa is air.
Siddhānta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sūtras gives
His conclusion.
Sūtra 9
na vāyu-kriye pṛthag upadeśāt
na—not; vāyu—air; kriye—action; pṛthak—different; upadeśāt—because of the
teaching.
It is neither air nor the activities of air, because the teaching is that it is
different.

Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
The principal prāṇa (life-force) is neither air nor the movements of air. Why is
that? The sūtra explains: "Because the teaching is that it is different". The
previously quoted passage of the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (2.1.3) said that both air and
prāṇa are born from the Supreme. In this way it should be understood that air and
prāṇa are different, for they are mentioned separately. If air and prāṇa were
identical, then there would be no need to mention them separately in this passage.
If prāṇa were the movement of air then there would also be no need to mention
them both in this way. It is seen that the movements of fire and the other elements
are not separately mentioned in this passage. The statement of the Bṛhad-āraṇyaka
Upaniṣad, that "Prāṇa is air" means that prāṇa is a specific kind of air, and that
prāṇa is not a separate element, like fire and the other elements. That is the
meaning here.
In the Kapila-sūtra (2.31) it is said:
sāmānya-karaṇa-vṛttiḥ prāṇādyā vāyavaḥ pañca
"The five airs, beginning with prāṇa, perform that actions of the senses in
general."
Thus the saṅkhya philosophers claim that prāṇa performs the actions of all the
senses. This cannot be, for it is not possible for the single prāṇa to perform all the
actions of all the senses.
Adhikaraṇa 6
The Principal Prāṇa (Life-Force) Is An Instrument Used By the Soul
Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
In the Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad it is said:
supteṣu vāg-ādiṣu prāṇa eko jāgarti. prāṇa eko mṛtyunānāptaḥ. prāṇaḥ samvargo
vāg-ādīn samvṛṅkte. prāṇa itarān prāṇān rakṣati māteva putrān.

"When speech and the other senses sleep, prāṇa alone remains awake. Prāṇa
alone is untouched by death. Prāṇa controls speech and the other senses. As a
mother protects her children, so one prāṇa protects the other prāṇas."
Saṁśaya (doubt): Is this principal prāṇa identical with the independent spirit
soul residing in the material body or is this principal prāṇa an instrument that
assists the spirit soul?
Pūrvapakṣa (the opponent speaks): Because the Śruti-śāstra describes this prāṇa
as having many powers and glories, therefore this principal prāṇa is the
independent spirit soul.
Siddhānta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sūtras gives
His conclusion.
Sūtra 10
cakṣur-ādi-vat tu tat saha śiṣṭhyādibhyaḥ
cakṣuḥ—the eyes; ādi—beginning with; vat—like; tu—indeed; tat—that;
saha—with; śiṣṭhyā—teaching; ādibhyaḥ—because of beginning with.
Indeed, it is like the eyes and other senses, because it is taught along with the
senses.
Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
Here the word "tu" (indeed) is used to dispel doubt. The prāṇa (life-force) is an
instrument used by the individual spirit soul. It is like the eyes or the other senses.
Why is that? The sūtra explains: "Because it is taught along with the senses." The
prāṇa is described along with the eyes and senses. Things of a like nature are
generally described together. as example of that is the Bṛhadratha meters, which
are described together. This is also confirmed by the use of the word “ādi"
(beginning with) in the sūtra.
That the prāṇa is here grouped with the senses is seen in the following passage:
yatra vāyam mukhyaḥ prāṇaḥ sa evāyam madhyamaḥ prāṇaḥ
"There is a principle prāṇa and there is a secondary prāṇa."
In this way the idea that the prāṇa is the independent spirit soul is refuted.

Adhikaraṇa 7
The Principal Prāṇa (Life-Force) is the Primary Instrument of the Soul
Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
Here someone may object: Is it not so that if it is to be counted among the
senses, the principal prāṇa must have a function to perform where it assists the
soul? The principal prāṇa has no such function. Also, if the principal prāṇa is one
of the senses, then the senses, beginning with the eyes, would be twelve in
number.
In the following words the author of the sūtras answers this objection.
Sūtra 11
akaraṇatvāc ca na doṣas tathā hi darśayati
akaraṇatvāt—because of not having a sepcific function; ca—and; na—no;
doṣaḥ—fault; tathā—so; hi—indeed; darśayati—shows.
Also, there is no fault in not having a function, for the scriptures show it.
Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
The word "ca" (also) is used to answer the previous objection. The word
"karaṇa" here means “activity". It is not a defect on the part of the prāṇa that is
has no specific function to assist the soul, for it does have an important function in
that it is the support and the resting place of the physical senses. That is the
meaning here. In the following passage, the Chāndogya Upaniṣad (5.1.1) shows
this:
atha ha prāṇā aham śreyasi vyūdire. . . .

"The senses argued among themselves. Each one said: I am the best.' They then approached their father, Lord Brahmā, and asked him, O lord, who among us is
the best?' Brahmā replied, He whose departure causes the greatest calamity for the body is the best. "Then the voice departed from the body and stayed away for an entire year. When he returned, he asked: How is it that you were able to live without me?'
Although it could not speak, still the body could breathe with the prāṇa, see with
the eyes, hear with the ears, and think with the mind. Then the voice again entered
the body.
"Then the eyes departed from the body and stayed away for an entire year.
When they returned, they asked: How is it that you were able to live without me?' Although it could not see, the body could breathe with the prāṇa, speak with the voice, hear with the ears, and think with the mind. Then the voice again entered the body. "Then the ears departed from the body and stayed away for an entire year. When they returned, they asked: How is it that you were able to live without us?'
Although it could not hear, still the body could breathe with the prāṇa, see with
the eyes, speak with the voice, and think with the mind. Then the ears again
entered the body.
"Then the mind departed from the body and stayed away for an entire year.
When he returned, he asked: `How is it that you were able to live without me?'
Although it could not think, still the body could breathe with the prāṇa, see with
the eyes, speak with the voice, and hear with the ears. Then the mind again
entered the body.
"When the prāṇa was about to depart it began to uproot all the senses. It
became like a spirited horse uprooting the posts to which it is tethered. Then the
other senses appealed to the prāṇa, "Please do not go. Please stay with us. You are
the best of all of us."
In this way it is seen that the principal prāṇa has an important function to
perform in relation to the spirit soul. The soul is the enjoyer and the performer of
actions. The soul is like a king, the senses his royal attendants, and the principal
prāṇa his prime minister, who helps attain the king's objectives. In this way the
prāṇa is the most important of the soul's instruments. However, the prāṇa is still
not independent of the soul itself.
Adhikaraṇa 8
The Principal Prāṇa Has Five Functions
Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa