Chapter 18Final Revelations of the Ultimate TruthVerse 21

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Anvaya

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Commentaries of the Four Authorized Vaisnava Sampradayas

as confirmed in the Garga Samhita Canto 10, Chapter 61, Verses 23, 24, 25, 26
Rudra Vaisnava Sampradaya:


Visnuswami

Sridhara Swami's Commentary

Now the nature of knowledge in raja guna or mode of passion is explained by Lord Krishna. The knowledge where one imagines all jivas or embodied beings as distinct, possessing different atmas or souls diversely conditioned by pleasure and happiness and pain and suffering is situated in raja guna.

Brahma Vaisnava Sampradaya:


Madhvacarya

Madhvacarya's Commentary

That knowledge which is contrary to the Vedic scriptures and the antithesis to the omnipotent absolute authority of the Supreme Lord Krishna is known to be situated in raja guna the mode of passion. The words nana-bhavan mean multiplicity of natures. Those who are oblivious that the Supreme Lord is the one underlying reality pervading all creation, simultaneously existing within the etheric heart of every jiva or embodied being in existence; are situated in raja guna.

Now begins the summation.

If one is unaware of the Supreme Lord Krishna's unparalleled position as the absolute sovereign ruler of all existence, or is bewildered about His indomitable, paramount position or thinks that any other god can manifest creation or are influenced by inferior concepts, doctrines and philosophies concerning creation, the jiva and the Supreme Lord; such erroneous and fallacious thinking devoid of a connection to reality impels one to obstinately and belligerently try to justify and validate their illusory belief systems. Such fools of miniscule knowledge and misguided intelligence are unable to mount a rational argument supporting their viewpoint and odiously cling to their bogus suppositions and faulty claims.

Sri Vaisnava Sampradaya:


Ramanuja

Ramanuja's Commentary

The word prthaktvena means separate individuality alluding to differences in appearance between jivas or embodied beings. The words nana-bhavan refers to plurality of substance in falsely surmising that the atma varies in quality or quantity with the variance of the physical body inhabited by the jiva or to wrongly conclude that the atma varies in size and potency according to the body it is in. This mentality is indicative of those situated in raja guna the mode of passion and includes those desirous of receiving rewards for their actions.

Kumara Vaisnava Sampradaya:


Nimbaditya

Kesava Kasmiri's Commentary

That knowledge which has been characterised with raja guna the mode of passion cognises the manifold existence of the jiva or embodied being as related to physical bodies, seeing division in difference of forms, species, genre, etc. Establishing criteria based on bodily conception and oblivious to the true reality of the omnipresent atma or immortal soul such jivas are undeniably rooted in raja guna. The particle tu meaning however indicates that raja guna inferior to sattva guna.

Thus ends commentaries of chapter 18, verse 21 of the Srimad Bhagavad-Gita.

Verse 21


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