BhG 4.6

syntax

[aham] (I) ajaḥ (unborn) avyayātmā (unchangeable) san api (although being),
bhūtānām (of creatures) īśvaraḥ (ruler) san api (although being),
svām (own) prakṛtim (nature) adhiṣṭhāya (after controlling)
ātma-māyayā (by my own magic) sambhavāmi (I manifest).

grammar

ajaḥ	–	a-ja 1n.1 m. – unborn (from: √jan – to be born; –ja – suffix: born);
api	–	av. – although, moreover, besides, even;
san	–	sant (√as – to be) PPr 1n.1 m. – being, existing, true;
avyayātmā	–	avyayātman 1n.1 m.; BV: yasyātmāvyaya asti saḥ – whose self is unchangeable (from: vi-√i – to go away, to disappear, vyaya – going away, changeable, expense, a-vyaya – unchangeable; ātman – self);
bhūtānām	–	bhūta (√bhū – to be) PP 6n.3 m. – of beings, creatures;
īśvaraḥ	–	īśvara 1n.1 m. – ruler, lord (from: √xīś – to own, to reign, īśa – ruler, lord);
api	–	av. – although, moreover, besides, even;
san	–	sant (√as – to be) PPr 1n.1 m. – being, existing, true;
prakṛtim	–	prakṛti 2n.1 f. – nature, primary substance, original cause (from: pra-√kṛ – to produce);
svām	–	svā sn. 2n.1 f. – own;
adhiṣṭhāya	–	adhi-√sthā (to stand upon, to superintend) absol. – after controlling;
saṁbhavāmi	–	sam-√bhū (to come into being) Praes. P 3v.1 – I manifest;
ātma-māyayā	–	ātma-māyā 3n.1 f.; TP: ātmano māyayeti – by [my] own magic (from: ātman – self; māyā – magic, illusion, supernatural power);

Śāṃkara

kathaṃ tarhi tava nityeśvarasya dharmādharmābhāve’pi janma ? ity ucyate —

ajo’pi janma-rahito’pi san, tathāvyayātmākṣīṇa-jñāna-śakti-svabhāvo’pi san, tathā bhūtānāṃ brahmādi-stamba-paryantānām īśvara īśana-śīlo’pi san | prakṛtiṃ svāṃ mama vaiṣṇavīṃ māyāṃ triguṇātmikāṃ yasyā vaśe sarvam idaṃ jagad vartate | yayā mohitaṃ jagat sat svam ātmānaṃ vāsudevaṃ na jānāti | tāṃ prakṛtiṃ svām adhiṣṭhāya vaśīkṛtya saṃbhavāmi dehavān iva bhavāmi jāta ivātma-māyayātmano māyayā, na paramārthato lokavat

Rāmānuja

avatāraprakāram, dehayāthātmyam, janmahetuṃ cāha

ajatvāvyayatvasarveśvaratvādi sarvaṃ pārameśvaraṃ prakāram ajahad eva svāṃ prakṛtim adhiṣṭhāya ātmamāyayā saṃbhavāmi / prakṛtiḥ svabhāvaḥ svam eva svabhāvam adhiṣṭhāya svenaiva rūpeṇa svecchayā saṃbhavāmītyarthaḥ / svasvarūpaṃ hi, „ādityavarṇaṃ tamasaḥ parastāt”, „kṣayantam asya rajasaḥ parāke”, „ya eṣo ‚ntarāditye hiraṇyamayaḥ puruṣaḥ”, „tasminn ayaṃ puruṣo manomayaḥ; amṛto hiraṇmayaḥ”, „sarve nimeṣā jajñire vidyutaḥ puruṣād adhi” , „bhārūpas satyasaṅkalpa ākāśātmā sarvakāmā sarvakāmas sarvagandhas sarvarasaḥ”, „māhārajanaṃ vāsaḥ” ityādiśrutisiddham / ātmamāyayā ātmīyayā māyayā / „māyā vayunaṃ jñānam” iti jñānaparyāyo ‚tra māyāśabdaḥ / tathā cābhiyuktaprayogaḥ, „māyayā satataṃ vetti prāṇināṃ ca śubhāśubham” iti / ātmīyena jñānena ātmasaṅkalpenetyarthaḥ / ato ‚pahatapāpmatvādisamastakalyāṇaguṇātmakatvaṃ sarvam aiśaṃ svabhāvam ajahat svam eva rūpaṃ devamanuṣyādisajātīyasaṃsthānaṃ kurvan ātmasaṅkalpena devādirūpaḥ saṃbhavāmi / tad idam āha, „ajāyamāno bahudhā vijāyate” iti śrutiḥ / itarapuruṣasādhāraṇaṃ janma akurvan devādirūpeṇa svasaṅkalpenoktaprakriyayā jāyata ityarthaḥ / „bahūni me vyatītāni janmāni tava cārjuna / tāny ahaṃ veda sarvāṇi”, „tadātmānaṃ sṛjāmy aham” „janma karma ca me divyam evaṃ yo vetti tattvataḥ” iti pūrvāparāvirodhāc ca

Śrīdhara

nanu anādes tava kuto janma ? avināśinaś ca kathaṃ punar janma yena bahūni me vyatītānity ucyate | īśvarasya tava puṇya-pāpa-vihīnasya kathaṃ jīvavaj janmeti ? ata āha ajo ‚pīti | satyam evam | tathāpi ajo ‚pi janma-śūnyo ‚pi sann aham | tathāvyayātmāpy anaśvara-svabhāvo ‚pi san | tathā – īśvaro ‚pi karma-pāratantrya-rahito ‚pi san | sva-māyayā sambhavāmi samyag apracyuta-jñāna-bala-vīryādi-śaktyaiva bhavāmi |

nanu tathāpi ṣoḍaśa-kalātamka-liṅga-deha-śūnyasya ca tava kuto janmeti ? ata uktaṃ svāṃ śuddha-sattvātmikāṃ prakṛtiṃ adhiṣṭhāya svīkṛtya | viśuddhorjita-sattva-mūrtyā svecchayāvatarāmīty arthaḥ

Madhusūdana

nanv atītāneka-janma-vattvam ātmanaḥ smarasi cet tarhi jāti-smaro jīvas tvaṃ para-janma-jñānam api yoginaḥ sārvātmyābhimānena śāstra-dṛṣṭyā tūpadeśo vāma-devavat [Vs 1.1.30] iti nyāyena sambhavati | tathā cāha vāmadevo jīvo ‚pi ahaṃ manur abhavaṃ sūryaś cāhaṃ kakṣīvānṛpir asmi vipraḥity ādi dāśatayyām | ataeva na mukhyaḥ sarvajñas tvam | tathā ca katham ādityaṃ sarvajñam upadiṣṭavān asy anīśvaraḥ san | na hi jīvasya mukhyaṃ sārvajñyaṃ sambhavati vyaṣṭy-upādheḥ paricchinnatvena sarva-sambandhitvābhāvāt | samaṣṭy-upādher api virājaḥ sthūla-bhūtopādhitvena sūkṣma-bhūta-pariṇāma-viṣayaṃ māyā-pariṇāma-viṣayaṃ ca jñānaṃ na sambhavati | evaṃ sūkṣma-bhūtopādher api hiraṇyagarbhasya tat-kāraṇa-māyā-pariṇāmākāśādi-sarga-kramādi-viṣaya-jñānābhāvaḥ siddha eva | tasmād īśvara eva kāraṇopāditvād atītān āgata-vartamāna-sarvārtha-viṣaya-jñānavān mukhyaḥ sarvajñaḥ | atītān āgata-vartamāna-viṣayaṃ māyā-vṛtti-trayam ekaiva vā sarva-viṣayā māyā-vṛttir ity anyat | tasya ca nityeśvarasya sarvajñasya dharmādharmādy-abhāvena janmaivānupapannam atītāneka-janmavattvaṃ tu dūrotsāritam eva | tathā ca jīvatve sārvajñyānupapattir īśvaratve ca deha-grahaṇānupapattir iti śaṅkā-dvayaṃ pariharann anityatva-pakṣasyāpi parihāram āha ajo ‚pīti |

apūrva-dehendriyādi-grahaṇaṃ janma | pūrva-ghīta-dehendriyādi-viyogo vyayaḥ | yad ubhayaṃ tārkikaiḥ prety abhāva ity ucyate | tad uktaṃ jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyur dhruvaṃ janma mṛtasya ca [Gītā 2.27] iti | tad ubhayaṃ ca dharmādharma-vaśād bhavati | dharmādharma-vaśatvaṃ cājñasya jīvasaya dehābhimāninaḥ karmādhikāritvād bhavati | tatra yad ucyate sarvajñasyeśvarasya sarva-kāraṇasyedṛg-deha-grahaṇaṃ nopapadyata iti tat tathaiva | katham ? yadi tasya śarīraṃ sthūla-bhūta-kāryaṃ syāt tadā vyaṣṭi-rūpatve jāgrad-avasthāsmad-ādi-tulyatvam | samaṣṭi-rūpatve ca virāḍ-jīvatvaṃ tasya tad-upādhitvāt | atha sūkṣma-bhūta-kāryaṃ tadā vyaṣṭi-rūpatve svapnāvasthāsmad-ādi-tulyatvam | samaṣṭi-rūpatve ca hiraṇya-garbha-jīvatvaṃ tasya tad-upādhitvāt | tathā ca bhautikaṃ śarīraṃ jīvānāviṣṭaṃ parameśvarasya na sambhavaty eveti siddham | na ca jīvāviṣṭa eva tādṛśe śarīre tasya bhūtāveśavat praveśa iti vācyam | tac-charīrāvacchedena taj-jīvasya bhogābhyupagame ‚ntaryāmi-rūpeṇa sarva-śarīra-praveśasya vidyamānatvena śarīra-viśeṣābhyupagama-vaiyarthyāt | bhogābhāve ca jīva-śarīratvānupapatteḥ | ato na bhautikaṃ śarīram īśvarasyeti pūrvārdhenāṅgīkaroti — ajo ‚pi sann avyayātmā bhūtānām īśvaro ‚pi sann iti |

ajo ‚pi sann ity apūrva-deha-grahaṇam avyayātmāpi sann iti pūrva-deha-vicchedaṃ bhūtānāṃ bhagava-dharmāṇāṃ sarveṣāṃ brahmādi-stamba-paryantānām īśvaro ‚pi sann iti dharmādharma-vaśatvaṃ nivārayati | kathaṃ tarhi deha-grahaṇam ity uttarārdhenāha prakṛtiṃ svām adhiṣṭhāya sambhavāmi | prakṛtiṃ māyākhyāṃ vicitrāneka-śaktim aghaṭamāna-ghaṭanāpaṭīyasīṃ svāṃ svopādi-bhūtām adhiṣṭhāya cid-ābhāsena vaśīkṛtya sambhavāmi tat-pariṇāma-viśeṣair eva jagat-kāraṇatva-sampādikā mad-icchayaiva pravartamānā viśuddha-sattva-mayatvena mama mūrtis tad-viśiṣṭasya cājatvam avyayatvam īśvaratvaṃ copapannam | ato ‚nena nityenaiva dehena vivasvantaṃ ca tvāṃ ca pratīmaṃ yogam upadiṣṭavān aham ity upapannam | tathā ca śrutiḥ – ākāśa-śarīraṃ brahma iti | ākāśo ‚nnāvyākṛtam | ākāśa eva tad otaṃ ca protaṃ ca [BAU 3.8.7] ity ādau tathā darśanāt | ākāśas tal-liṅgāt [Vs. 1.1.22] iti nyāyāc ca |

tarhi bhautika-vigrahābhāvāt tad-dharma-manuṣyatvādi-pratītiḥ katham iti cet tatrāha ātma-māyayeti | man-māyayaiva mayi manuṣyatvādi-pratītir lokānugrahāya na tu vastu-vṛttyeti bhāvaḥ | tathā coktaṃ mokṣa-dharme –

māyā hy eṣā mayā sṛṣṭā yan māṃ paśyasi nārada |
sarva-bhūta-guṇair yuktaṃ na tu māṃ draṣṭum arhasi || [Mbh 12.326.43] iti |

sarva-bhūta-guṇair yuktaṃ kāraṇopādhiṃ māṃ carma-cakṣuṣā draṣṭuṃ nārhasīty arthaḥ | uktaṃ ca bhagavatā bhāṣyakāreṇa – sa ca bhagavān jñānaiśvarya-śakti-bala-vīrya-tejobhiḥ sadā sampannas triguṇātmikāṃ vaiṣṇavīṃ svāṃ māyāṃ prakṛtiṃ vaśīkṛtyājo ‚vyayo bhūtānām īśvaro nitya-śuddha-buddha-mukta-svabhāvo ‚pi san sva-māyayā dehavān iva jāta iva ca lokānugrahaṃ kurvan lakṣyate sva-prayojanābhāve ‚pi bhūtānujighṛkṣayā iti | vyākhyātṛbhiś coktaṃ svecchā-vinirmitena māyāmayena divyena rūpeṇa sambabhūveti |

nityo yaḥ kāraṇopādhir māyākhyo ‚neka-śaktimān |
sa eva bhagavad-deha iti bhāṣya-kṛtāṃ matam ||

anye tu parameśvare deha-dehi-bhāvaṃ na manyante | kiṃ yaś ca nityo vibhuḥ sac-cid-ānanda-ghano bhagavān vāsudevaḥ paripūrṇo nirguṇaḥ paramātmā sa eva tad-vigraho nānyaḥ kaścid bhautiko māyiko veti | asmin pakṣe yojanā – ākāśavat sarva-gataś ca nityaḥ, avināśī vā are ‚yam ātmānucchitti-dharmā ity ādi śruteḥ, asaṃbhavas tu sato ‚nupaptteḥ [Vs. 2.3.8], nātmāśruter nityatvāc ca tābhyaḥ [Vs. 2.3.16] ity ādi nyāyāc ca vastu-gatyā janma-vināśa-rahitaḥ sarva-bhāsakaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-māyādhiṣṭhānatvena sarva-bhūteśvaro ‚pi sann ahaṃ prakṛtiṃ svabhāvaṃ sac-cid-ānanda-ghanaika-rasam |

māyāṃ vyāvartayati svām iti | nija-svarūpam ity arthaḥ | sa bhagavaḥ kasmin pratiṣṭhitaḥ sve mahimni [ChāU 7.24.1] iti śruteḥ | sva-svarūpam adhiṣṭhāya svarūpāvasthita eva san sambhavāmi deha-dehi-bhāvam antareṇaiva dehivad vyavaharāmi | kathaṃ tarhy adehe sac-cid-ānanda-ghane dehatva-pratītir ata āha ātma-māyayeti | nirguṇe śuddhe sac-cid-ānanda-ghane mayi bhagavati vāsudeve deha-dehi-bhāva-śūnye tad-rūpeṇa pratītir māyā-mātram ity arthaḥ | tad uktam –

kṛṣṇam enam avehi tvam ātmānam akhilātmanām |
jagad-dhitāya so ‚py atra dehīvābhāti māyayā || iti [BhP 10.14.55]
aho bhāgyam aho bhāgyaṃ nanda-gopa-vrajaukasām
yan-mitraṃ paramānandaṃ pūrṇaṃ brahma sanātanam || [BhP 11.14.32] iti ca |

kecit tu nityasya niravayavasya nirvikārasyāpi paramānandasyāvayavāya-vibhāvaṃ vāstavam evecchanti te niryuktikaṃ bruvāṇas tu nāsmābhir vinivāryate iti nyāyena nāpavādyāḥ | yadi sambhavet tathaivāstu kim atipallavitenety uparamyate

Viśvanātha

svasya janma-prakāram āha – ajo ‚pi janma-rahito ‚pi san sambhavāmi, deva-manuṣya-tiryag-ādiṣu āvirbhavāmi | nanu kim atra citram ? jīvo ‚pi vastuto ‚ja eva sthūla-deha-nāśānantaraṃ jāyata eva ? tatrāha savyayātmānaśvara-śarīraḥ | kiṃ ca, jīvasya sva-deha-bhinna-sva-svarūpeṇājatvam eva, āvidyakena deha-sambandhenaiva tasya janmavattvam, mama tv īśvaratvāt sva-dehābhinnasyājatvaṃ janmavattvam ity ubhayam api svarūpa-siddham | tac ca durghaṭatvāt citram atarkyam eva | ataḥ puṇya-pāpādimato jīvasyeva sad-asad-yoniṣu na me janmāśaṅkety āha – bhūtānām īśvaro ‚pi san karma-pāratantrya-rahito ‚pi bhūtvety arthaḥ |

nanu jīvo hi liṅga-śarīreṇa sva-bandhakena karma-prāpyān devādi-dehān prāpnoti | tvaṃ parameśvaro liṅga-rahitaḥ sarva-vyāpakaḥ karma-kālādi-niyantā | bahu syām iti śruteḥ sarva-jagad-rūpo bhavaty eva | tad api yad viśeṣata evambhūto ‚py ahaṃ sambhavāmīti brūṣe, tan manye sarva-jagad-vilakṣaṇān deha-viśeṣān nityān eva loke prakāśayituṃ tvaj-janmety avagamyate | tat khalu katham ity ata āha prakṛtiṃ svām adhiṣṭhāyeti | atra prakṛti-śabdena yadi bahiraṅgā māyā-śaktir ucyate, tadā tad-adhiṣṭhātā parameśvaras tad-dvārā jagad-rūpo bhavaty eveti na viśeṣopalabdhiḥ | tasmāt saṃsiddhi-prakṛtī tv ime svarūpaṃ ca svabhāvaś ca ity abhidhānād atra prakṛti-śabdena svarūpam evocyate | na tat svarūpa-bhūtā māyā-śaktiḥ | svarūpaṃ ca tasya sac-cid-ānanda eva | ataveva tvāṃ śuddha-sattvātmikāṃ prakṛtim iti śrī-svāmi-caraṇāḥ | prakṛtiṃ svabhāvaṃ svam eva svabhāvam adhiṣṭhāya svarūpeṇa svecchayā sambhavāmīty arthaḥ iti śrī-rāmānujācārya-caraṇāḥ | prakṛtiṃ svabhāvaṃ sac-cid-ānanda-ghanaika-rasam | māyāṃ vyāvartayati svām iti nija-svarūpam ity arthaḥ | sa bhagavaṃ kasmin pratiṣṭhitaḥ sva-mahimni iti śruteḥ | sva-svarūpam adhiṣṭhāya svarūpāvasthita eva sambhavāmi deha-dehi-bhāvam antareṇaiva dehivad vyavaharāmi iti śrī-madhusūdana-sarasvatī-pādāḥ |

nanu yady avyayātmā anaśvara-matsya-kūrmādi-svarūpa eva bhavasi, tarhi tava prādurbhavat-svarūpaṃ pūrva-prādurbhūta-svarūpāṇi ca yugapad eva kiṃ nopalabhyanta ? tatrāha ātma-bhūtā yā māyā tayā sva-svarūpāvaraṇa-prakāśana-karma ca yayā cic-chakti-vṛttyāyoga-māyayety arthaḥ | tayā hi pūrva-kālāvatīrṇa-svarūpāṇi pūrvam evāvṛtya vartamāna-svarūpaṃ prakāśya sambhavāmi | ātma-māyayā samyag apracyuta-jñāna-bala-vīryādi-śaktyaiva bhavāmi iti śrī-svāmi-caraṇāḥ | ātma-māyayātma-jñānena māyā vayunaṃ jñānam iti jñāna-paryāyo ‚tra māyā-śabdaḥ | tathā cābhiyukta-prayogaḥ māyayā satataṃ vetti prācīnānāṃ śubhāśubham iti śrī-rāmānujācārya-caraṇāḥ | mayi bhagavati vāsudeve deha-dehi-bhāva-śūnye tad-rūpeṇa pratītiḥ māyā-mātram iti śrī-madhusūdana-sarasvatī-pādāḥ

Baladeva

loka-vilakṣaṇatayā svarūpaṃ sva-janma ca vadan sanātanatvaṃ svasyāha ajo ‚pīti | atra svarūpa-svabhāva-paryāyaḥ prakṛti-śabdaḥ | svāṃ prakṛtiṃ svaṃ svarūpaṃ adhiṣṭhāyālambya sambhavāmi āvirbhavāmi | saṃsiddhi-prakṛtī tv ime | svarūpaṃ ca svabhāvaś ca ity amaraḥ | svarūpeṇaiva sambhavāmīti | etam arthaṃ vicarituṃ viśinaṣṭi ajo ‚pīty ādinā | api avadhāraṇe | apūrva-deha-yogo janma | tad-rahita eva san | avyayātmāpi san avyayaḥ pariṇāma-śūnya ātmā buddhyādir yasya tādṛśa eva san | ātmā puṃsi ity ādy ukteḥ | bhūtānām īśvaro ‚pi san svetareṣāṃ jīvānāṃ niyantaiva san ity arthaḥ | ajatvādi-guṇakaṃ yad vibhu-jñāna-sukha-ghanaṃ rūpaṃ tenaivāvatarāmīti svarūpeṇaiva sambhavāmīty asya vivaraṇaṃ tādṛśasya svarūpasya raver ivābhiyakti-mātram eva janmeti tat-svarūpasya taj-janmanaś ca loka-vilakṣaṇatvaṃ tena sanātanatvaṃ ca vyaktam | karma-tantratvaṃ nirastam | śrutiś caivam āha ajāyamāno bahudhā vijāyate iti | smṛtiś ca pratyakṣaṃ ca harer janma na vikāraḥ kathaṃcana ity ādyā | ataeva sūtikā-gṛhe divyāyudha-bhūṣaṇasya divya-rūpasya ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-sampannasya tasya vīkṣaṇaṃ smaryate | prayojanam āha ātma-māyayeti | bhajaj-jīvānukampayā hetunā tad-uddhārāyety arthaḥ | māyā dambhe kṛpāyāṃ ca iti viśvaḥ | ātma-māyayā sva-sārvajñena sva-saṅkalpeneti kecit | māyā vayunaṃ jñānaṃ ca iti nirghaṇṭu-koṣāt | lokaḥ khalu rājādiḥ pūrva-dehādīni vihāyāpūrva-dehādīni bhajan niranusandhir ajño janmībhavati tad-vailakṣaṇyaṃ harer janminaḥ prasphuṭam | bhūtānām īśvaro ‚pi sann ity anena labdha-siddhayo yogi-prabhṛtayo ‚pi vyāvṛttāḥ | sukha-cid-ghano harir deha-dehi-bhedena guṇa-guṇi-bhedena ca śūnyo ‚pi viśeṣa-balāt tat-tad-bhāvena viduṣāṃ pratītir āsīd iti