Prameya Ratnaavalii of Shriila Baladeva Vidyaabhuushana - First Prameya

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Prameya Ratnaavalii

 

First Prameya: The Supremacy of Vishnu

 

tatra shriiviShNuH paratamatvam | yathaashriigopaalopaniShad |

 

Thus in the Gopaala Puurva Taapani Upanishad we have the following as

to the supremacy of Vishnu:

 

tasmaat kR^iShNa eva parodevasta.m dhyaayet ta.m raset ta.m bhajet

ta.m yajen | iti |

 

Therefore, Krishna is indeed the highest God; let one meditate upon

Him, let one recite His name constantly, let one serve Him constantly

and adore Him always.

 

shvetaashvataropaniShad cha

 

Similarly, in the Shvetaashvatara Upanishad (1.11) we have the

following:

 

j~naatvaa deva.m sarvvapaashaapahaaniH kShiiNaiH

kleshairjanmamR^ityuprahaaNiH |

tasyaa'bhidhyaanaattR^itiiya.m dehabhede vishvaishvaryya.m kevala

aaptakaamaH || iti ||

 

When that God is known, all fetters fall off, sufferings are

destroyed and births and deaths cease. From meditating on Him there

arises, on the dissolution of the body, the third state, that of

universal lordship and isolation from (all trace of matter) and he

becomes fully satisfied.

 

In the next verse of the same Upanishad it is said:

 

etajj~neya.m nityamevaatmasa.mstha.m naataH para.m veditavya.m hi

ki~nchit || iti cha ||

 

This which rests eternally within the self should be known and beyond

this not anything has to be known.

 

shriigiitaasu cha |

 

So also in the Giitaa (7.7) we have the following:

 

mattaH paratara.m naanyatki.mchidasti dhana.njaya |

mayi sarvamida.m prota.m suutre maNigaNaa iva iti ||

 

There is naught whatsoever higher than I, O Dhananjaya. All this is

threaded on Me, as rows of pearls on a string. (9)

 

hetutvaad vibhuchaitanyaanandatvaadi guNaashrayaat |

nityalakShmyaadimatvaach ch kR^iShNaH paratamo mataH || 10 ||

 

Since He is the primordial cause, since He is the abode of all

attributes like all-pervadingness, intelligence bliss and the rest;

and since He possesses eternally energies like Lakshmii and the rest,

therefore Krishna is considered the Highest God. (10)

 

(to be continued)