Chapter 18Final Revelations of the Ultimate TruthVerse 55

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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

It is by this supreme devotion that one becomes qualified to truly understand the Supreme Lord Krishna. The understanding derived is as to the nature of the Supreme Lord such as omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, etc. His attributes of sat eternal existence, cit unlimited consciousness and ananda endless bliss. His qualities of mercy, compassion, equanimity to all and others similar. Thus realising something of His true nature one perceives Him residing within the heart and obtains then and there moksa or liberation from material existence which bequeaths the attainment of actual communion with Him.

Brahma Vaisnava Sampradaya:


Madhvacarya

Madhvacarya's Commentary

The manner in which after reaching perfection and assuming the nature of brahman the spiritual substratum pervading all existence is through bhakti or exclusive loving devotion. In verse 54 brahma-bhutah means assuming one's intrinsic divine nature and as such one is tranquil, serene, humble and egoless. The Maha Varaha Purana states: With the eradication of all sins and demerits subsequently renouncing the desire for sense objects one proceeds progressively towards the Supreme Lord Krishna by the transcendental medium of devotion. For one who has realised the Supreme Lord even while in a physical body there is a progressive increase of spiritual wisdom even after attaining moksa or liberation from material existence.

Sri Vaisnava Sampradaya:


Ramanuja

Ramanuja's Commentary

The word abhijanati means really knowing Lord Krishna. Perceiving who He is in essence by His essential attributes which manifests as glorious qualities of all creation. It is by bhakti or exclusive loving devotion unto the Supreme Lord Krishna which constitutes the eternal nature of the atma or immortal soul which subjectively initiates the quest to realise the Supreme Lord life after life until success is achieved by His discovery within the etheric heart of the atma from whence communion with Him commences. This knowledge of discovering the Supreme Lord consists of the atma envisioning Lord Krishna as He eternally is with a sparkling blackish complexion, two armed, dressed in golden cloth, bedecked with peacock feather, glorified by gunga mala, smiling charmingly while holding a flute to His lips. This vision is His original and eternal form and is rarely seen by even liberated jivas or embodied beings. More commonly seen is His four armed expansion as Ksirodakasayi Vishnu who resides in every living entity individually in the abode of the etheric heart of all jivas. Still others may envision any of His avatars or incarnations and expansions revealed in Vedic scriptures that they are surrendered to such as Rama or Narasinghadeva or even the visvarupa or universal form described in chapter 11. Once the vision has been obtained by intense love and devotion one attains communion with that very form of the Supreme Lord Krishna that one dedicated their life to. is devoted to and immediately is borne aloft to by such intense love and devotion. The word tatah refers to bhakti as the sole cause and means which verily constitutes the only way in reality to effect communion and attainment to the Supreme Lord. This was clearly and equivocally stated in chapter 11, verse 54 beginning bhaktya tv ananyaya meaning: That only by exclusive, loving devotion the Supreme Lord can be known.

The fruition of naimittika or daily prescribed Vedic activities as well as nitya or occasional prescribed Vedic activities with renunciation of desires for rewards performing every activity as an offering to the Supreme Lord in worship has been concisely elaborated. That the same fruition accompanies activities of kamya or craving when performed in the same manner in relationship to the Supreme Lord will be confirmed next.

Kumara Vaisnava Sampradaya:


Nimbaditya

Kesava Kasmiri's Commentary

Bhakti or exclusive loving devotion itself manifests the Supreme Lord and by bhakti alone He is revealed. Lord Krishna is bound by the love and devotion of His devotees. Bhakti is superior to everything and is the infallible means of attaining eternal communion with Him. Only by bhakti is it possible to comprehend the reality of Lord Krishna as He is, who He is and what He is in reality. Free from doubts, false knowledge and illusion by understanding His unlimited divine attributes and His endless divine qualities. One becomes blissfully attached to Him through the causeless mercy of His devotee and attaining His grace worships Him exclusively with love and devotion. Such a devotee is always with Him and never away from Him. Lord Krishna being completely subdued by fervent love and devotion never leaves the presence of such a devotee nor does the devotee ever leave Lord Krishna's presence. Every second of the day In all aspects of life such a devotee is worshipping Him sometimes internally and sometimes externally and thus he abides in the Supreme Lord and the the Supreme Lord abides in him. They are never apart from each other. This has been confirmed In chapter six, verse 30 which states: One who sees the Supreme Lord in everything and sees everything in the Supreme Lord is never separated from Him.

Thus ends commentaries of chapter 18, verse 55 of the Srimad Bhagavad-Gita.

Verse 55


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