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

material body. This is corroborated by the following words of Bṛhad-āraṇyaka
Upaniṣad (4.4.6):
athākāmayamāno yo 'kāmo niṣkāma āpta-kāmo na tasya prāṇā utkramanti
brahmaiva san brahmātyeti
"One who does not desire, who has no material desires, and whose desires are
all fulfilled, his life-breaths do not leave. He is spirit. He goes to the spirit."
In this way the scriptures deny (pratiṣedhāt) that the enlightened soul leaves
his material body.
If (cet) this objection is raised, then the author of the sūtras replies, "No" (na).
This means that the text of the Upaniṣad does not specifically say that the life-
breath leaves the body. The meaning of this text is that the life-breath does not
leave the individual spirit soul. After all, it is clearly seen that even enlightened
souls leave their material bodies.
Sūtra 13
spaṣṭo hy ekeṣām
spaṣṭaḥ—clear; hi—because; ekeṣām—of some.
Because it is clear in some.
Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
In this passage of Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad (4.4.6) there is no room for
controversy. This is so because (hi) in some (ekeṣām) recensions of the Vedas,
namely the Madhyandina recension, is seen a clear (spaṣṭaḥ) denial of the idea that
the life-breath does not leave the material body. This same passage in the
Madhyandina recension reads:
na tasmāt prāṇā utkramanti. atravaiva samavalīyante brahmaiva san brahmātyeti.
"The life-breaths do not leave him (the soul). They enter there. He is spirit. He
goes to the spirit."

The word "atra" (there) clearly shows that the life-breaths enter the spirit soul.
To this the objector may reply: In the Kāṇva recension, in Yājñavalkya's
answer to Ārtabhāga's question, it is clearly seen that the life-breaths of the soul
enlightened with transcendental knowledge do not leave the material body.
To this objection I reply: This passage describes a special case, where the
enlightened soul is very distressed in separation from the Supreme Lord.
The impersonalists claim that this passage describes a person who thinks he is
one with the impersonal Brahman. They say that for him the life-breaths do not
leave the material body.
To this I reply: This is fool's idea. No words in the text support this
interpretation. At any rate, the impersonalist idea has already been clearly refuted.
Sūtra 14
smaryate ca
smaryate—in the Smṛti-śāstras; ca—also.
In the Smṛti-śāstras also.
Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
In the Yājñavalkya-smṛti (3.167) it is said:
ūrdhvam ekaḥ sthitas teṣāṁ
yo bhittvā sūrya-maṇḍalam
brahmalokam atikramya
tena yāti parāṁ gatim
"Among all of them, one great soul travels upward. He breaks through the
circle of the sun. He passes beyond the planet of Brahmā. He enters the supreme
destination."
In the Śruti-śāstra also it is said that the enlightened soul passes through the
nāḍī at the top of the head and thus leaves the material body. In this way it is

proved that the enlightened soul certainly does leave his material body.
Adhikaraṇa 6
The Senses Enter the Supreme
Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
That the individual spirit soul, accompanied by the life-breath and the senses,
enters the element fire and the other subtle elements at the time of death has
already been proved, and the fallacious idea that the soul enlightened with
transcendental knowledge does not also depart from his body in this same way has
been dispelled. Now the following will be considered.
Saṁśaya (doubt): Do the enlightened soul's voice and other working senses,
life-breath, and elements of the gross and subtle material bodies enter into the
material features that are their direct causes, or do they enter into the Supreme
Personality of Godhead?
Pūrvapakṣa (the opponent speaks): They enter into their direct causes. This is
described in Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 3.2.13.
Siddhānta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sūtras gives
His conclusion.
Sūtra 15
tāni pare tathā hy āha
tāni—they; pare—in the Supreme; tathā—so; hi—because; āha—says.
They in the Supreme, for thus it says.
Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
In the Chāndogya Upaniṣad (6.8.6) it is said:

सूत्रम्: तेजः परस्याम् (तथाह्याह)
अर्थ: "तेज परब्रह्म में लीन होता है।"
भाष्यम्: इस प्रकार यह सिद्ध होता है कि यहाँ "तेज" शब्द से उपलक्षित वाक् आदि इन्द्रियाँ, मुख्य प्राण तथा भूतसूक्ष्म—
ये सभी परम पुरुषोत्तम श्रीभगवान् (परब्रह्म) में ही लीन होते हैं; क्योंकि परब्रह्म ही समस्त प्रपञ्च का मूल कारण एवं परम आश्रय है।
ऐसा क्यों माना जाए? इसके उत्तर में सूत्रकार कहते हैं— "तथा हि आह" अर्थात् "क्योंकि श्रुति-शास्त्र ऐसा ही स्पष्ट विधान करता है।"
यह छान्दोग्योपनिषद् (६.८.६) के वचन से प्रमाणित है—
श्रुति-प्रमाण: "तेजः परस्यां देवतायाम्"
श्रुत्यर्थ: "तेज परम देवता (परमेश्वर) में लीन होता है।"
बृहदारण्यकोपनिषद् (३.२.३) में जो ओषधि-वनस्पत्यादि में लय का उल्लेख है, वह औपचारिक (गौण/लाक्षणिक) समझना चाहिए।
इसका परिहार पूर्व में (ब्रह्मसूत्र ३.१.४ के व्याख्यान में) भलीभाँति किया जा चुका है।
॥ सप्तमाधिकरणम् ॥
अधिकरण-विषय: परब्रह्म में इन्द्रियों के लय का स्वरूप (इन्द्रियाणां परब्रह्मणि लयस्वरूप-विचारः)
श्रील बलदेव विद्याभूषण-विरचिता अवतरणिका (भूमिका):
अब एक अन्य विचारणीय विषय की समीक्षा की जाती है।
संशय: जब तत्त्वज्ञानी पुरुष के प्राण, वाक्, मन तथा अन्यान्य इन्द्रियाँ परब्रह्म में प्रविष्ट होती हैं,
तब क्या उनका केवल प्रवेश (सम्पर्क मात्र) होता है अथवा वे परब्रह्म के साथ अविभक्त (एकीभूत) हो जाती हैं,
जैसा कि मुण्डकोपनिषद् (३.२.८) में कहा गया है?
पूर्वपक्ष: पूर्वोक्त वाक्यों के आधार पर तथा किसी विशिष्ट भेदक वचन के अभाव में,
यही मानना उचित है कि उनका केवल परब्रह्म में प्रवेश मात्र ही होता है (पूर्ण एकीभाव नहीं)।
सिद्धान्त: इस पूर्वपक्ष के निराकरण हेतु सूत्रकार श्रीभगवान् बादरायण अग्रिम सूत्र द्वारा
अपना निर्णीत सिद्धान्त प्रतिपादित करते हैं।

Sūtra 16
avibhāgo vacanāt
avibhāgaḥ—not divided; vacanāt—because of the statement.
There is no division, for that is said.
Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
The life-breath and other features of the material body merge into and become
one with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of inconceivable
potencies. Why is that? The sūtra explains, "vacanāt" (for that is said). In the
Praśna Upaniṣad (6.5) it is said:
evam evāsya paridraṣṭur imāḥ ṣoḍaśa-kalāḥ puruṣāyaṇāḥ puruṣaṁ prāpyās taṁ
gacchanti
"As rivers merge into the ocean, so do the sixteen elements of the material body
merge into the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
After thus explaining that the life-breath and the other elements of the material
body merge into the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Upaniṣad continues:
bhidyete cāsāṁ nāma-rūpe puruṣa ity evaṁ procyate sa eṣo 'mṛto bhavati
"The elements of the body then lose their names and forms. They are said to
become one with the Supreme. When this happens to the elements of his material
body, the individual spirit soul becomes immortal."
Thus the elements of the material body lose their names and forms. This is the
meaning: When he leaves the gross material body, the soul enlightened with
transcendental knowledge is followed by the now greatly weakened subtle material
body. When the soul finally leaves the egg of the material universe behind, the
subtle body merges into the eighth covering of the universal shell. Now completely
pure and free from any touch of matter, the soul attains a spiritual body and then
gains the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

॥ अथ अष्टमं शताधिकनाड्यधिकरणम् ॥
(श्रीलबलदेवविद्याभूषणविरचितं गोविन्दभाष्यम्)
अवतरणिका:
इदानीं विदुष उत्क्रान्तौ कश्चिद् विशेषो निरूप्यते।
छान्दोग्योपनिषदि (८.६.६) तथा कठोपनिषदि (६.१६) श्रूयते—
"शतं चैका च हृदयस्य नाड्यस्तासां मूर्धानमभिनिःसृतैका।
तयोर्ध्वमायन्नमृतत्वमेति विष्वङ्ङन्या उत्क्रमणे भवन्ति॥" इति।
अविद्वांसः शतनाडीभिर्निष्क्रामन्ति, विद्वांस्तु एकोत्तरशततम्या मूर्धन्यनाड्या निष्क्रामतीत्युक्तम्।
संशयः:
किं नाडीविशेषाश्रयणेन विदुष उत्क्रान्तिनियमो घटते, न वा?
पूर्वपक्षः:
नाडीनां बहुत्वात् सौक्ष्म्याच्च दुर्लक्ष्यत्वाज्जीवेन विवेक्तुमशक्यत्वात् नायं नियमो घटते।
केवलम् ऊर्ध्वगमनमेवामृतत्वहेतुः, न तु नाडीविशेषः—
"तयोर्ध्वमायन्नमृतत्वमेति"
इति श्रुतेः। तस्मात् शरीरान्निष्क्रमणसमये कया नाड्या जीवो निर्गच्छतीत्यत्रानियमः।
सिद्धान्तः:
अस्य समाधानमाह भगवान् सूत्रकारः—
सूत्रम् १७:
तदोकोऽग्रज्वलनं तत्प्रकाशितद्वारो विद्यासामर्थ्यात्तच्छेषगत्यनुस्मृतियोगाच्च हार्दानुगृहीतः शताधिकया ॥ १७ ॥
पदच्छेदः एवं पदार्थः:
• तत् — तस्य (विदुषः)।
• ओकः — ओकः (आश्रयस्थानं हृदयम्)।
• अग्र-ज्वलनम् — अग्रस्य (नाडीमुखस्य) ज्वलनं (प्रदीपनम्)।
• तत्-प्रकाशित-द्वारः — तेन ज्वलनेन प्रकाशितं निष्क्रमणद्वारं यस्य सः।
• विद्या-सामर्थ्यात् — भगवदुपासनायाः प्रभावात्।
• तत्-शेष-गति-अनुस्मृति-योगात् — तस्या विद्याया अङ्गभूताया गतेः (मूर्धन्यनाडीमार्गस्य) अनुस्मरणयोगात्।
• च — तथा।
• हार्द-अनुगृहीतः — हृदिस्थेन परमात्मना अनुकम्पितः।
• शताधिकया — शतादधिकया एकोत्तरशततम्या (सुषुम्नानाड्या निष्क्रामति)।
हिन्दी व्याख्या:
उत्क्रमण के समय ज्ञानी के आश्रयभूत हृदय का अग्रभाग प्रकाशित हो उठता है।
उस ईश्वरीय प्रकाश से जिसके निष्क्रमण का द्वार आलोकित हो गया है,
ऐसा वह ज्ञानी अपनी विद्या (उपासना) के सामर्थ्य से,
तथा विद्या के अङ्गभूत देवयान-मार्ग के निरन्तर अनुस्मरण के प्रभाव से,
और हृदयस्थित अन्तर्यामी परमेश्वर की विशेष कृपा (अनुग्रह) पाकर,
सौ से अधिक अर्थात् एक सौ एकवीं मूर्धन्य (सुषुम्ना) नाड़ी द्वारा ही देह से प्रस्थान करता है।

heart; anugṛhītaḥ—being the object of mercy; śatādhikayā—by the hundred-and-
first.
Then the top of his home is illumined and the door is revealed by Him. By the
power of transcendental knowledge, by the memory of the path it brings, he
attains the mercy of He who resides in the heart. By the hundred-and-first.
Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
The enlightened soul departs by the path of the hundred-and-first nāḍī, which
is called Suṣumnā. It is not that the enlightened soul cannot discern where is this
nāḍī. Because of the two causes that begin with the power of transcendental
knowledge, the soul attains the mercy of He who resides in the heart. This is
possible by the power of transcendental knowledge. The effect of transcendental
knowledge is that it enables the soul to remember the correct path to take in
departing from the body. This soul also obtains the mercy of Lord Hari, who
resides in a palace in the heart (hārda). That is the meaning here.
When, accompanied by the voice and the other senses and elements of the
material body, the enlightened soul is about to depart, the top portion (agra) of the
heart, which is his home (okaḥ), becomes illuminated (jvalanam). The door
(dvāraḥ) there is not illuminated by the individual spirit soul. It is Lord Hari, who
resides in the heart (hārda) who illuminates and reveals (prakāśita) that door. In
this way the soul becomes aware of the entrance to the hundred-and-first nāḍī. In
this way the enlightened soul departs.
Adhikaraṇa 9
The Path of the Sun's Rays
Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
In the Chāndogya Upaniṣad (8.6.5) it is said:
atha yatraitasmāt śarīrād utkramaty etair eva raśmibhir ūrdhvam ākramate. sa om
iti vā hodvā mīyate sa yāvat kṣipyen manas tāvad ādityaṁ gacchaty etad vai khalu
loka-dvāraṁ viduṣāṁ prapadanaṁ nirodho 'viduṣāṁ tad eṣa ślokaḥ. śataṁ caika
ca. . .

"After he departs from the body, the soul travels on the sun's rays. Casting off
the material mind, and meditating on the sacred syllable Om, the soul travels to
the sun, which is the doorway to the worlds. They who are enlightened with
transcendental knowledge may enter that doorway, but they who are not
enlightened are stopped from entering. The following verse describes this: There
are a hundred and one nāḍīs . . . "
This means that after he passes through the nāḍī on the top of the head, the
enlightened soul travels on the path of the sun's rays.
Saṁśaya (doubt): Must the soul depart from the body during the daytime, or
may he also depart during the night (and still attain liberation)?
Pūrvapakṣa (the opponent speaks): Because during the night the rays of the sun
do not shine, the enlightened soul must depart from the material body only during
the daytime.
Siddhānta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sūtras gives
His conclusion.
Sūtra 18
raśmy-anusārī
raśmi—rays; anusārī—following.
He follows the rays.
Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
Whenever he dies, the enlightened soul is able to follow the rays of the sun.
This is so because the Śruti-śāstra gives no specific instruction in this regard.
Sūtra 19
niśi neti cen na sambandhasya yāvad deha-bhāvitvād darśayati ca
niśi—during the night; na—not; iti—thus; cet—if; na—not; sambandhasya—of
the relationship; yāvat—as long as; deha-bhāvitvāt—because of the existence of the
body; darśayati—reveals; ca—also.

॥ श्रीब्रह्मसूत्रम् (चतुर्थोऽध्यायः, द्वितीयः पादः) ॥
॥ निश्यधिकरणम् ॥
सूत्रम्: निशि नेति चेन्न सम्बन्धस्य यावद्देहभावित्वाद् दर्शयति च ॥ १९ ॥
सूत्रार्थ: यदि कहें कि रात्रि में (शरीर त्यागने पर रश्मियों का अनुगमन) नहीं होता, तो ऐसा नहीं है; क्योंकि जब तक देह विद्यमान रहती है, तब तक (नाड़ियों और सौर-रश्मियों का) सम्बन्ध बना रहता है, और श्रुति भी इसे दर्शाती है।
श्रील बलदेव विद्याभूषण विरचित गोविन्दभाष्यम्:
पूर्वपक्ष: यहाँ कोई शङ्का कर सकता है कि रात्रि में सूर्य की किरणें उपस्थित न होने के कारण शरीर से उत्क्रमण करने वाला जीव उस समय उनका अनुगमन नहीं कर सकता?
सिद्धान्त: यदि (चेत्) ऐसा कहा जाए, तो सूत्र उत्तर देता है—"नहीं" (न)। ऐसा क्यों?
सूत्र व्याख्या करता है—"सम्बन्धस्य" (सम्बन्ध विद्यमान होने के कारण)।
इसका अर्थ यह है कि जब तक यह भौतिक देह रहती है, तब तक सूर्य की किरणों के साथ इसका सम्बन्ध निरन्तर रहता है।
अतः जीवात्मा दिन अथवा रात्रि के किसी भी काल में देह-त्याग करे, वह सर्वदा सूर्य की किरणों के मार्ग से ही गमन करता है।
यह प्रत्यक्ष देखा जाता है कि ग्रीष्म के सर्वाधिक तप्त दिनों में तथा शीतकाल की सबसे ठण्डी रात्रियों में भी शरीर में उष्णता बनी रहती है।
यदि देह का सूर्य-रश्मियों के साथ सम्बन्ध न होता, तो यह उष्णता सम्भव नहीं होती।
शास्त्र भी शरीर के सूर्य के साथ इस अखण्ड सम्बन्ध का अग्रिम प्रमाण प्रदान करते हैं।
छान्दोग्योपनिषद् (८.६.२) में कहा गया है:
"अमुष्मादादित्यात् प्रतायन्ते ता आसु नाडीषु सृप्ता आभ्यो नाडीभ्यः प्रतायन्ते तेऽमुष्मिन्नादित्ये सृप्ताः" ॥
"सूर्य की किरणों का मार्ग उस आदित्य से आरम्भ होकर इन नाड़ियों में समाप्त होता है, तथा इन नाड़ियों से आरम्भ होकर उस आदित्यमण्डल में सम्पन्न होता है।"
श्रुति-शास्त्र में अन्यत्र भी कहा गया है:
"संसृष्टा वा एते रश्मयश्च नाड्यश्च नैषां विभागो यावदिदं शरीरम् अतः एतैः पश्यत्येतैरुत्क्रामत्येतैः प्रवर्तते" ॥
"सूर्य की रश्मियाँ नाड़ियों से संयुक्त हैं, और जब तक यह शरीर जीवित है, तब तक उनका यह वियोग कभी नहीं होता। इन्हीं किरणों से जीवात्मा देखता है, इन्हीं से उत्क्रमण करता है तथा इन्हीं से चेष्टा करता है।"
इस प्रकार यह सिद्ध होता है कि दिव्य ज्ञान से सम्पन्न ज्ञानी जीव सर्वदा सूर्य-किरणों के मार्ग से गमन करने में पूर्ण समर्थ होता है।

Adhikaraṇa 10
The Soul's Departure During the Different Seasons
Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
Now the following will be considered.
Saṁśaya (doubt): If he dies during the six months when the sun travels in the
south, does the enlightened soul still attain the benefit of his knowledge, or does
he not?
Pūrvapakṣa (the opponent speaks): Both Śruti-śāstra and Smṛti-śāstra affirm
that in order to attain the spiritual world one must die during the six months
when the sun travels in the north. Also, it is seen that Bhīṣmadeva and other great
souls refused to die until that auspicious time had arrived.
Siddhānta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sūtras gives
His conclusion.
Sūtra 20
ataś cāyane 'pi dakṣiṇe
ataḥ—therefore; ca—also; āyane—in ther passing; api—also; dakṣiṇe—in the
south.
Therefore it is also during the passing in the south.
Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
Because transcendental knowledge does not bring only a partial result, and also
because it removes all obstacles in its path, the enlightened soul attains the fruit of
his knowledge even if he dies during the six months when the sun passes in the
south. The argument of our opponent is very foolish and slow-witted. As will be
explained in the future, the word "uttarāyaṇa" here does not mean "the six months
when the sun passes in the south", but rather it means "the ātivāhika-devatās, or
the demigods that carry the soul to the higher worlds".
Blessed by his father, Bhīṣmadeva had the power to choose the time of his

death. It is either to demonstrate that power, or to show the example of a saintly
person that he acted in that way. Therefore there is no disadvantage in dying
during the six months when the sun passes in the south.
Here someone may object: The Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself
affirms in Bhagavad-gītā (8.23-26):
yatra kāle tv anāvṛttim
āvṛttiṁ caiva yoginaḥ
prayātā yānti taṁ kālaṁ
vakṣyāmi bharatarṣabha. . .
. . . śukla-kṛṣṇe gatī hy ete
jagataḥ śāśvate mate
ekayā yāty anāvṛttim
anyayāvartate punaḥ
"O best of the Bhāratas, I shall now explain to you the different times at which,
passing away from this world, the yogī does or does not come back.*
"Those who know the Supreme Brahman attain the Supreme by passing away
from the world during the influence of the fiery god, in the light, at an auspicious
moment of the day, during the fortnight of the waxing moon, or during the six
months when the sun travels in the north.*
"The mystic who passes away from this world during the smoke, the night, the
fortnight of the waning moon, or the six months when the sun passes to the south
reaches the moon planet but again comes back.*
"According to Vedic opinion, there are two ways of passing from this world,
one in light and one is darkness. When one passes in light, he does not come back.
But when one passes in darkness, he returns."*
In this passage word "day" and other words denoting time are prominent, and
therefore it is clearly shown that time is and important factor for the attainment of
liberation. It is also shown that one who dies during the night or during the six
months when the sun passes in the south does not attain liberation.
The author of the sūtras speaks the following words to refute this objection.
Sūtra 21
yoginaḥ prati smaryate smārte caite
yoginaḥ—the yogīs; prati—to; smaryate—is remembered; smārte—the two that
are remembered; ca—and; ete—they.

It is remembered of the yogīs. Also, two are remembered.
Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
The yogīs, that is they who are devoted to the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
do not take these descriptions of the passing of the moon, the light, and other
points in time very seriously. They merely make a mental note of them (smaryate).
The sūtra explains, "ete smārte" (they are remembered). The Supreme Lord
explains in Bhagavad-gītā (8.27):
naite sṛtī pārtha jānan
yogī muhyate kaścana
"Although the devotees know these two paths, O Arjuna, they are never
bewildered."*
The conclusion is that a person situated in transcendental knowledge need not
be concerned about the specific time of his death. The mention of specific times is
not prominent in this passage from Bhagavad-gītā (8.23-26). The passage begins
with the mention of fire, which has nothing to do with time. In fact, the different
factors mentioned in this passage are all ātivāhika-devatās (demigods that carry the
soul from the body). The author of the sūtras will explain this in sūtra 4.3.2. It is
also said:
divā ca śukla-pakṣaś ca
uttarāyaṇam eva ca
mumūrṣatāṁ praśastāni
viparītaṁ tu garhitam
"The best times for they who are about to die are the daytime, the bright
fortnight, and the six months when the sun travels in the north. The other times
are not good."
This verse describes the condition of the souls not enlightened with
transcendental knowledge. They who are enlightened with transcendental
knowledge always attain Lord Hari. The time when they leave their material bodies
is not relevant.

Pada 3
Invocation
yaḥ sva-prāpti-pathaṁ devaḥ
sevanābhāsato 'diśat
prāpyaṁ ca sva-padaṁ preyān
mamāsau śyāmasundaraḥ
I love handsome and dark Lord Kṛṣṇa, who shows, even to they who have only
the dim reflection of devotional service, the path that leads to Him.
Adhikaraṇa 1
Many Paths or One?
Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
In this pada will be described the nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
and the path that leads to the realm of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the
Chāndogya Upaniṣad (4.15.5-6) it is said:
atha yad u caivāsmin śavyaṁ kurvanti yadi ca nārciṣam evābhisambhavaty arciṣo
'har aha āpūryamānam āpūryamāna-pakṣād yan sad-udaḍḍeti māsān tān
samebhyaḥ saṁvatsaraṁ saṁvatsarād ādtityam ādityāc candramasaṁ candramaso
vidyutaṁ tat puruṣo 'mānavaḥ. sa etān brahma gamayaty eṣa deva-patho brahma-
patha etena pratipadyamāna imaṁ mānavam āvartaṁ nāvartante.
"Whether his final rites are performed or not, the yogī goes to the light. From
the light he goes to the day. From the day he goes to bright fortnight. From the
bright fortnight he goes to the six months when the sun travels in the north. From
the six months when the sun travels in the north he goes to year. From the year he
goes to the sun. From the sun he goes to the moon. From the moon he goes to
lightning. From there a divine person leads him to Brahman. This is the path to
the Lord, the path to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They who travel this
path do not return to the world of human beings."
In this passage light is the first stage on this path. However, in the Kauṣītakī

उपनिषद् (१.३) में कहा गया है:
स एतं देवयानं पन्थानमापद्याग्निलोकमागच्छति स वायुलोकं स
वरुणलोकं स इन्द्रलोकं स प्रजापतिलोकं स ब्रह्मलोकम् ॥
"वह देवयान-मार्ग को प्राप्त होकर अग्निलोक में जाता है, वह वायुलोक में जाता है,
वह वरुणलोक में जाता है, वह इन्द्रलोक में जाता है, वह प्रजापतिलोक में जाता है,
वह ब्रह्मलोक में जाता है।"
यहाँ अग्निलोक प्रथम पर्व (स्थान) है। बृहदारण्यकोपनिषद् (५.१०) में कहा
गया है:
यदा ह वै पुरुषोऽस्माल्लोकात्प्रैति स वायुमागच्छति तस्मै स तत्र विजिहीते
यथा रथचक्रस्य खं तेन स ऊर्ध्व आक्रमते स आदित्यमागच्छति ॥
"जब जीवात्मा इस लोक से प्रयाण करता है, तब वह वायु को प्राप्त होता है। वहाँ वायु उसके लिए
रथचक्र के छिद्र के समान अवकाश देता है, उससे वह ऊर्ध्व गमन कर सूर्य को प्राप्त होता है।"
यहाँ वायुलोक मार्ग का प्रथम चरण है। मुण्डकोपनिषद् (१.२.११) में
कहा गया है:
सूर्यद्वारेण ते विरजाः प्रयान्ति ।
"सूर्य-द्वार से होकर वे विरज (पापरहित) मुमुक्षु गमन करते हैं।"
यहाँ सूर्य मार्ग का प्रथम चरण है। अन्य शास्त्रों में भी अन्य प्रकार के वर्णन
देखने को मिलते हैं।
संशय: क्या यहाँ परब्रह्म के लोक को जाने वाला केवल एक ही मार्ग वर्णित है,
अथवा उपनिषदों के इन वचनों में अर्चि आदि (प्रकाश) से आरम्भ होने वाले
अनेक भिन्न-भिन्न मार्गों का प्रतिपादन किया गया है?
पूर्वपक्ष: क्योंकि ये सभी मार्ग परस्पर भिन्न प्रतीत होते हैं, अतः ये
अनेक भिन्न-भिन्न मार्ग ही होने चाहिए।
सिद्धान्त: आगामी शब्दों में सूत्रकार (महर्षि बादरायण) अपना
सिद्धान्त/निष्कर्ष प्रस्तुत करते हैं।
सूत्र १ : अर्चिरादिना तत्प्रथितेः ॥ ४.३.१ ॥

arcir-ādinā tat prathiteḥ
arciḥ—light; ādinā—beginning with; tat—that; prathiteḥ—because of being
well known.
It begins with light, for that is well known.
Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
The enlightened souls travels to the world of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead on a path that begins with light. Why is that? The sūtra explains, "tat
prathiteḥ" (for that is well known). In the Chāndogya Upaniṣad (5.10.1) it is said:
tad ya ittham vidur ye ceme 'raṇye śraddhāṁ tapa ity upāsate te arciṣam
"This they know: They who perform austerities and worship the Lord with faith
travel on the path that begins with light."
This passage is taken from the chapter describing the knowledge of the five
fires (pañcāgni-vidyā). Therefore the path that begins with light is traveled even by
they who study the fire and other vidyās. In the Brahma-tarka it is said:
dvāv eva mārgau prathitāv
arcir-ādir vipaścitām
dhūmādiḥ karmiṇāṁ caiva
sarva-veda-vinirṇayāt
"Two paths are famous. The path beginning with light is traveled by they who
are enlightened with transcendental knowledge, and the path beginning with
smoke is traveled by they who perform Vedic rituals. That is the conclusion of all
the Vedas."
This being so, it is understood that the scriptures describe a single path for the
enlightened souls, and therefore the differences in the descriptions should be
reconciled in the same was they were in the case of the attributes of the Lord. This
is so because the knowledge to be described here is one, even though the scriptural
texts seem to give different explanations. The conclusion, then, is that the path
begins with light. Any other interpretation breaks the real meaning of the Vedic
texts.

॥ अधिकरणम् २ : वायुलोकाधिकरणम् ॥
अधिकरण २ : वायुलोक
श्रील बलदेव विद्याभूषण द्वारा भूमिका (गोविन्दभाष्यम्) :
अर्चिरादि क्रम में वायुलोक आदि का भी सन्निवेश (समावेश) होना चाहिए—यह प्रतिपादन करने के लिए अब नया विचार प्रारम्भ किया जाता है।
पूर्वोद्धृत कौषीतकि उपनिषद् (१.३) के वचन में कहा गया है:
श्रुति: "स एतं देवयानं पन्थानमापद्याग्निलोकमागच्छति स वायुलोकम्..."
श्रुति का अनुवाद: "वह इस देवयान मार्ग को प्राप्त कर पहले अग्निलोक में जाता है, फिर वह वायुलोक में जाता है।"
संशय: क्या वायुलोक का अर्चि आदि से आरम्भ होने वाले मार्ग में समावेश होना चाहिए, अथवा नहीं?
पूर्वपक्ष: इसका समावेश नहीं होना चाहिए, क्योंकि श्रुति-शास्त्र इन सोपानों का एक विशिष्ट क्रम से वर्णन करता है, और अपनी इच्छानुसार उस क्रम में परिवर्तन नहीं किया जा सकता।
सिद्धान्त: इसके समाधान में सूत्रकार भगवान् बादरायण अपना निर्णय प्रस्तुत करते हैं—
॥ ब्रह्मसूत्रम् ॥
सूत्र २: वायुमब्दादविशेषविशेषाभ्याम् ॥ २ ॥
पदच्छेद एवं शब्दार्थ:
वायुम् — वायुलोक की प्राप्ति (वायु को);
अब्दात् — संवत्सर (वर्ष) के अनन्तर;
अविशेष-विशेषाभ्याम् — अविशेष (सामान्य) तथा विशेष प्रमाणों के आधार पर।
सूत्रार्थ (हिन्दी अनुवाद):
संवत्सर (वर्ष) के पश्चात् वायु की प्राप्ति होती है, क्योंकि यह क्रम अविशेष (सामान्य श्रुति) और विशेष (निर्दिष्ट श्रुति) दोनों प्रकार के वचनों से सिद्ध होता है।
श्रील बलदेव विद्याभूषण कृत भाष्य / तात्पर्य:

In the path beginning with light, the stage of Vāyuloka should be placed after
the year and before the sun. Why is that? The sūtra explains, "aviśeṣāt" (for it is
not specific). This means that in the passage from Kauṣītakī Upaniṣad (1.3) it was
not specifically stated where Vāyuloka comes in the sequence. However, in the
passage from Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad (5.10) there is a specific statement that
Vāyuloka comes before the sun in this sequence. Also, in Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad
(6.2.15) it is said that after the months, and after Devaloka, the soul comes to the
sun. The Devaloka here should be understood to be Vāyuloka. In the scriptures it
is said:
yo 'yaṁ pavana eṣa eva devānāṁ gṛhaḥ
"Vāyuloka is the home of the devas."
Therefore, because it is the home of the devas, Vāyuloka is also called Devaloka.
Some say that there is a specific planet, Devaloka, which is part of this sequence.
(If this interpretation is accepted, then Devaloka) should be placed after the year
and before Vāyuloka. It should not be placed between the months and the year, for
that stage in the sequence is well known. Therefore Devaloka and Vāyuloka should
both be placed between the year and the sun.
Adhikaraṇa 3
Varuṇaloka
Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
In the Kauṣītakī Upaniṣad (1.3) it is said:
sa varuṇalokaṁ sa indralokaṁ sa prajāpatilokam
"He goes to Varuṇaloka. He goes to Indraloka. He goes to Prajāpatiloka."
Saṁśaya (doubt): Is Varuṇaloka one of the stages in the path beginning with
light?
Pūrvapakṣa (the opponent speaks): Because there is no place for it in this path,
as there was a place for Vāyuloka, Varuṇaloka is not a stage in this path.

Siddhānta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sūtras gives
His conclusion.
Sūtra 3
taḍito 'dhi varuṇaḥ sambandhāt
taḍitaḥ—lightning; adhi—above; varuṇaḥ—Varuṇa; sambandhāt—because of
the relationship.
Varuṇaloka comes after lightning, for that is their relationship.
Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
In the Chāndogya Upaniṣad (4.15.5) it is said:
candramaso vidyutam
"He leaves the moon and goes to lightning."
It is seen that the soul travels from lightning to Varuṇaloka. Why is that? The
sūtra explains, “sambandhāt", which means "for that is the relationship between
lighting and Varuṇaloka". First lightning is manifested, and then comes rain. In
the Śruti-śāstra it is said:
yathā hi viśālā vidyutas tīvra-stanita-nirghoṣā jīmūtodare n

॥ चतुर्थाध्यायस्य तृतीयपादे चतुर्थम् आतिवाहिकाधिकरणम् ॥
(अधिकरण ४ : आतिवाहक-देवतागण)
श्रील बलदेवविद्याभूषणविरचित-गोविन्दभाष्यम् — भूमिका :
अर्चिरादिमार्गे कश्चिद्विशेषश्चिन्त्यते ।
(हिन्दी अनुवाद : अब अर्चि (प्रकाश) आदि से प्रारम्भ होने वाले मार्ग के एक विशिष्ट विषय पर विचार किया जाता है।)
संशयः —
किमेतेऽर्चिरादयो मार्गचिह्नानि, उत गन्तॄणां नेतारश्चेतना विशेषाः ?
(संशय : क्या ये अर्चि आदि मार्ग के केवल चिह्न-स्थान हैं, अथवा मुक्त आत्मा को ले जाने वाले चेतन वाहक देवता हैं?)
पूर्वपक्षः —
तत्र मार्गचिह्नानि तावदिति प्राप्तम्, श्रुतौ तद्रूपेणैव निर्देशात् ।
लोके हि पन्थानमुपदिशन्तो गिर्यादीनि चिह्नानि निर्दिशन्ति—"इतो नद्यां गन्तव्यम्, ततो गिरिः, तदनन्तरं ग्रामः" इति ।
अथवा शब्दानां तथा व्याख्यानसम्भवात् ते चेतनाः पुरुषा अपि भवेयुः ।
(पूर्वपक्ष : अर्चि आदि मार्गचिह्न ही हैं क्योंकि श्रुति में उनका वैसा ही वर्णन है, जैसे लोक में मार्ग बताने वाले कहते हैं—'नदी तक जाओ, फिर पर्वत आयेगा, उसके बाद गाँव आयेगा' अथवा शब्दों के अर्थानुसार वे पुरुष भी हो सकते हैं।)
सिद्धान्तः —
इत्येवं प्राप्ते प्रत्याह सूत्रकारः स्वसिद्धान्तम्—
(सिद्धान्त : ऐसा प्राप्त होने पर सूत्रकार श्रीवेदव्यास अपना प्रामाणिक निर्णय प्रस्तुत करते हैं—)
॥ ब्रह्मसूत्रम् ४।३।४ ॥
आतिवाहिकास्तल्लिङ्गात् ॥ ४ ॥
पदच्छेदः तथा शब्दार्थः —
आतिवाहिकाः — अतिवाहयन्ति प्रापयन्तीत्यातिवाहिकाः (मार्ग में वहन कर ले जाने वाले देवतागण) ;
तत् — तस्य (उस नयन कराने के) ;
लिङ्गात् — चिह्नात् (लक्षण वा सामर्थ्य-द्योतक चिह्न उपलब्ध होने से) ।
सूत्रार्थः —
अर्चिरादयः आतिवाहिका एव देवताविशेषा भवितुमर्हन्ति, तल्लिङ्गदर्शनात् ।
(हिन्दी अनुवाद : अर्चि आदि आतिवाहक देवता हैं, क्योंकि उनमें जीवात्मा को ले जाने का लक्षण पाया जाता है।)
श्रील बलदेवविद्याभूषणविरचित-गोविन्दभाष्यम् — भावार्थ एवं तात्पर्य :
अर्चिरादयः परमपुरुषेण तन्नयनायाधिकृताश्चेतना विशेषा एवेत्यवगन्तव्यम् ।
न ह्येते केवलं मार्गचिह्नानि, नापि साधारणमनुष्याः ।
कुत एतत् ? यतः सूत्रमाह—"तल्लिङ्गात्" इति ।
अन्यान्नयन्ति वहन्तीति तल्लक्षणोपपत्तेः ।
तथा हि छान्दोग्योपनिषदि श्रूयते—
"तत्पुरुषोऽमानवः स एनान् ब्रह्म गमयति" (छा० उप० ४।१५।५, ५।१०।२) इति ।
(हिन्दी अनुवाद : प्रकाश (अर्चि) आदि से प्रारम्भ होने वाले तत्त्व परमपुरुष भगवान् द्वारा जीवात्मा को वहन करने (ले जाने) के लिए नियुक्त आतिवाहक देवता हैं। वे न तो केवल मार्ग-चिह्न हैं और न ही साधारण व्यक्ति। ऐसा क्यों है? सूत्र स्पष्ट करता है—'तल्लिङ्गात्' अर्थात् उनमें दूसरों को वहन कर ले जाने का लक्षण विद्यमान है। छान्दोग्य उपनिषद् में कहा गया है : "वह अमानव पुरुष इनको परब्रह्म तक पहुँचाता है।")

tat-puruṣo 'mānavaḥ sa etān brahma gamayati
"He is a divine person. He brings them to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead."
The divine person described here brings the soul to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. The light and other things are his assistants. That is the meaning.
That they are neither landmarks nor ordinary persons is corroborated in the
following sūtra.
Sūtra 5
ubhaya-vyāmohāt tat siddheḥ
ubhaya—both; vyāmohāt—because of bewilderment; tat—that; siddheḥ—
because of proof.
It is proved because the other two are untenable.
Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa
Because they who die during the night do not have contact with the daytime
and thus cannot have contact with the light and other things on the path, these
things cannot be landmarks. Because ordinary persons are not very powerful and
therefore cannot carry the soul in this way, they cannot be ordinary persons either.
In this way the Śruti-śāstra shows that they can be neither landmarks nor ordinary
persons. Therefore they must be ātivāhika demigods. That is the meaning.
Adhikaraṇa 5
The Divine Person
Introduction by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa