118 SrT-Caitanya-caritamrta

with the soul. Since the soul is actually a spiritual particle, as confirmed in Bhagavad-
gita (mamaivamso jiva-loke), it is due to illusion (vivarta-vada) that a human being,
like an animal, identifies the body with the self. This is a proper example of vivarta,
or illusion. The verse atattvato'’nyatha-buddhir vivarta ity udahrtah describes such
an illusion. To not know actual facts and thus to mistake one thing for another (as, for
example, to accept the body as oneself) is called vivarta-vada. Every conditioned
living entity who considers the body to be the soul is deluded by this vivarta-vada.
One can be attacked by this vivarta-vada philosophy when he forgets the incon-
ceivable power of the omnipotent Personality of Godhead.

How the Supreme Personality of Godhead remains as He is, never changing, is ex-
plained in the /Sopanisad: purnasya piirnam adaya purnam evavasisyate. God is
complete. Even if a complete manifestation is taken away from Him, He continues
to be complete. The material creation is manifested by the energy of the Lord, but
He is still the same person. His form, entourage, qualities and so on never deteriorate.
Srila Jiva Gosvami, in his Paramatma-sandarbha, comments regarding the vivarta-vada
as follows: “Under the spell of vivarta-vada one imagines the separate entities,
namely, the cosmic manifestation and the living entities, to be one with Brahman.
This is due to complete ignorance regarding the actual fact. The Absolute Truth, or
Parabrahman, is always one and always the same. He is completely free from all
other conceptions of existence. He is completely free from false ego, for He is the
full spiritual identity. It is absolutely impossible for Him to be subjected to igno-
rance and fall under the spell of a misconception (vivarta-vada). The Absolute Truth
is beyond our conception. One must admit that He has unblemished qualities that
He does not share with every living entity. He is never tainted in the slightest degree
by the flaws of ordinary living beings. Everyone must therefore understand the
Absolute Truth to possess inconceivable potencies.”’

TEXT 123

TSS: AfArra-aH- GAZ GA Slate! |

CHES MAGS —C® faarSa Wa i 529 t
vastutah parinama-vada—sei se pramana
dehe atma-buddhi—ei vivartera sthana

SYNONYMS

vastutah—factually; parigama-vada—transformation of the energy; se/—that; se—
only; pramana—proof; dehe—in the body; atma-buddhi—concept of self; e/—this;
vivartera—of illusion; sthana—place.

TRANSLATION

“Transformation of energy is a proven fact. It is the false bodily conception of the
self that is an illusion.
