296 Sri Caitanya-caritamrta [Madhya-lila, Ch. 6

TEXT 172

Aare afer as yrw cata few |
‘faqsarw’ atfetatce tee Sfara i 592 1

vyasa——bhrdnta bali’ sei sitre dosa diya
‘vivarta-vada’ sthapiyache kalpana kariya

SYNONYMS
vydsa—Srila Vyasadeva; bhranta—mistaken; bali’—saying; sei—that; sdtre—in
Vedanta-sttra; dosa—fault; diyi—accusing; vivarta-vada—the theory of illusion;
sthapiyache—has established; kalpana—imagination; kariyia—doing.

TRANSLATION

“§ankaracarya’s theory states that the Absolute Truth is transformed. By ac-
cepting this theory, the Mayavadi philosophers denigrate Srila Vyasadeva by
accusing him of error. They thus find fault in the Vedanta-sitra and interpret it
to try to establish the theory of illusion.

PURPORT

The first verse of the Brahma-sutra is athato brahma jijhdsa: We must now in-
quire into the Absolute Truth.” The second verse immediately answers, janmady
asya yatah: “The Absolute Truth is the original source of everything.” Janmady
asya yatah does not suggest that the original person has been transformed. Rather,
it clearly indicates that He produces this cosmic manifestation through His incon-
ceivable energy. This is also clearly explained in Bhagavad-gita, where Krsna says,
mattah sarvann pravartate: “From Me, everything emanates.” (Bg. 10.8) This is also
confirmed in the Taittiriya Upanisad: yato va imani bhdtani jayante: “The
Supreme Absolute Truth is that from which everything is born.” (Tait. Up. 3.1.1)
Similarly, in the Mundaka Upanisad (1.1.7), it is stated, yathorna-nabhih srjate grh-
nate ca: “[The Lord creates and destroys the cosmic manifestation] as a spider cre-
ates a web and draws it back within itself” All of these sutras indicate the transfor-
mation of the Lord’s energy. It is not that the Lord undergoes direct transforma-
tion, which is called parinima-vada. However, being very anxious to protect Stila
Vyasadeva from criticism, Sankaracarya became a pseudo gentleman and put for-
ward his theory of illusion (vivarta-vada). Sankaracdrya concocted this meaning of
parinama-vada, and by word jugglery he endeavored very hard to establish
parindma-vada as vivarta-vada.

TEXT 173
ACA CHE BUA — AS fas BH |
arte 68 fH aCe, TAAMG SH | $90 Il
