Now let us analyse whether the actions and observations of Párthasárathi Krśńa, Krśńa the king, have any relation to dvaetaváda. In my previous discourse I thoroughly analysed the concept of dvaetaváda. Generally there are three ways to ascertain the views of great personalities: first, by what they said; secondly, by what they did, even though they may not have said anything; and thirdly, even though they may not have said or done anything, by what they did not say – one way or the other – on a particular issue. In analysing Párthasárathi Krśńa in the light of the dvaetaváda, we should first find out what he has said in this regard. He once said:

Sarvadharmán parityajya Mámekaḿ sharańaḿ vraja;
Ahaḿ tváḿ sarvapápebhyo mokśayiśyámi máshucah.⁽¹⁾

[Set aside all other dharmas and take shelter in Me alone; I will save you from all sin, have no fear about that.]

According to Párthasárathi, the highest dharma in human life is to take shelter in the Supreme. In Sanskrit there are many near synonyms for the verb cal (to move): car, at́, vraja, etc. Calati means “to move in a natural way”; carati means “to move while eating”; at́ati means “to travel while learning something” (paryat́aka, derived from the prefix pari + the root verb at́, means “a world traveller who moves from place to place in search of knowledge”). The verb vrajati means “to move while enjoying spiritual bliss”.

Here Párthasárathi says Sarvadharmán parityajya [“Set aside all other dharmas”]. What is the meaning of dharma? It means “property” or “characteristic”. Jiivas maintain their existence through the expression of their inner characteristics in different spheres of creation. Every object in the universe has its own inherent characteristic: the characteristic of water is to make things wet, and that of fire is to burn. Centring around this fundamental characteristic, there are many secondary characteristics. For example, fire burns, but it does not burn the entirety of an object in the same way. It may burn one part of an object thoroughly and another part only partially. These different stages of burning are the secondary characteristics of the primary characteristic of fire, to burn. Water also has a number of secondary characteristics, and the collection of all these secondary characteristics is known as its dharma. To illustrate, when people eat, they do not mix all their food together and gulp it down voraciously, but follow a system of eating. For example, they may first eat bitter items, then semi-bitter ones, then sour ones, and finally sweet things. Sweets come at the end. The entire action of taking different items of food is called eating.

All dharmas have upadharmas [secondary characteristics]. Human life is no exception. For example, to provide for your family you require some sort of employment – be it agriculture, trading or business – you have to keep the house clean, feed everyone, and so on. These are the secondary characteristics included within the fundamental human dharma. What normally happens in human life? People get caught up in the secondary characteristics. For instance, when eating delicious food people often say “How good it tastes! But if it only had a bit more spice in it, then it would taste even better.” Being engrossed in the secondary dharma, people all too easily deviate from their main dharma. In ancient India, the usual custom was to offer a part of one’s meal to God before eating it. The spirit was, “May I remember You with every bit of food.” In Ananda Marga there is a system of applying guru mantra before commencing any action. The psycho-philosophy behind guru mantra is to transform the secondary dharma into the primary dharma at the psychic level. If this were not done then one’s secondary dharma would predominate. Much precious time is wasted by those who follow their secondary dharmas.

Párthasárathi Krśńa exhorted the people unambiguously: “Give up secondary dharmas and accept Me as your supreme goal. Do not let your mind be diverted to those countless secondary dharmas, but concentrate it on the fundamental primary dharma. Only then will every moment of your life be properly utilized.” Now, what is this primary dharma? Párthasárathi declared, Mámekaḿ sharańaḿ vraja [“take shelter in Me alone”]. Earlier I said that vraja means to move with Cosmic ideation in a state of bliss.

The movement of human beings in this universe is not movement for movement’s sake, but is comparable to a vraja parikramá [joyous pilgrimage]. No one moves even one step without any purpose. What does vraja parikramá signify? We all know that just as the historical Krśńa lived in the Vrindavana of this world, our spiritual Krśńa lives in the Vrindavana of our heart. He is the nucleus around which individuals move. That is why Párthasárathi says Mámekaḿ sharańaḿ vraja. Do not run after name, power, position or wealth. Try to become one with Parama Puruśa.

I have already said that when the jiiva tattva or Rádhá tattva comes within Krśńa’s closest proximity, two separate entities cannot remain – they will fuse and become one. Then what is the meaning of ekam [one]? When all the propensities of your psychic body coincide at one point, then those pointed propensities are called ekam. Whenever we talk of something in terms of ekam it implies that all propensities have become one-pointed. “1” is a numeral – the first, the greatest and the smallest numeral. It is the smallest because there is no numeral smaller than “1”. The only thing smaller than one is zero, but that is something which has no existence. And it is the greatest numeral, because when One is accepted as the goal of life, it becomes the most significant numeral for all human existence. In the absence of primary dharma, all secondary dharmas such as eating, drinking, walking and talking are meaningless – they have no real existence. Similarly, a zero without a preceding digit has no value. But when “1” precedes zero the latter acquires some significance. When zero joins with “1” it becomes ten. In the same way, when you first follow your fundamental dharma and then carry out your worldly duties, upadharmas, accordingly life carries some value. If the main dharma, that is, the supreme One, is forgotten, then no amount of worldly duty can make one’s life glorious. When One (1) is absent, then the addition of any number of zeros carries no value.

Rám nám ek aunk hyáy, sab sádhan hyáy shunya;
Aunk viná kuch hát nahi aunk rahe dash guńa.

In the couplet the name of Rama is symbolized by the number one and the microcosmic endeavour is symbolized by zero.

So when we add a zero to “1”, the value is increased ten times, although zero has no value of its own; it only acquires a certain value when it exists beside the numeral “1”. Therefore Párthasárathi says, Mámekaḿ sharańaḿ vraja – “Know Me as the Supreme One and seek shelter in Me.” When the microcosmic point merges with the Macrocosmic point, then two entities no longer exist – there is only one entity. From Párthasárathi’s statement we understand that He is not a dualist in essence. He wants to accept all as His own, to absorb all in Himself.

Why does he say vraja and not cala or gaccha [near synonyms]? Because when you move towards Parama Puruśa, you move in joy. As this movement of yours is a blissful one, it is called vraja parikramá. “When you are totally absorbed in the Supreme while discharging your worldly duties, you will surely come to Me. When your life revolves around the Supreme, your every action will shine with divine effulgence.” Thus said Lord Krśńa to His disciples.

The second part of Párthasárathi’s statement, ahaḿ tváḿ sarvapápebhyo mokśayiśyámi máshucah [“I will save you from all sin, have no fear about that”], is much clearer and more direct. How should we distinguish between puńya [virtue] and pápa [vice]? Pápa has been used in the Sanskrit shloka. Pápa means “to do that which should not be done”. For instance, stealing is pápa, telling lies is pápa. In addition to pápa, there is another word – pratyaváya. Pratyaváya means “not to do what should be done”. For instance, parents should educate their children. If they do not, they are said to have committed pratyaváya. In some countries, parents are responsible for arranging the marriage of their daughters who are of suitable age . If they do not, they are said to have committed pratyaváya. In common parlance, pápa means both pápa and pratyaváya. The common word pátaka [sin] thus has two branches – pápa and pratyaváya.

We should remember one more thing here. Microcosms, as they move through various kinds of physical and psycho-physical clash on the path of pratisaiṋcara, are assailed by pápa and pratyaváya. This leaves an imprint on their minds. This imprint is not the mind’s true nature but merely an external covering. If one chews betel, then one’s lips become reddish temporarily, but when washes one’s lips afterwards the red colour disappears. Similarly, when human beings fall into pápa or pratyaváya through their bad actions or their inaction, an impression is left upon their minds. But later, when they draw close to Parama Puruśa by virtue of spiritual sádhaná, that impression of pápa or pratyaváya disappears.

Some people think that since they have become so sinful, there is no hope for them in the future. A great devotee of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Subuddhi Roy, thought that he had committed many sins in his life. He thought that the only way to atone for his sins was to commit suicide by throwing himself in the Ganges. Mahaprabhu caught his arms and pulled him out, saying, “No, no, no – why should you commit a sin like this?”

Prabhu kay ihá haete yáha Vrindávan;
Nirantara Krśńa nám kara saḿkiirtana.
Ek námáveshe tomár páp dúre yábe;
Ár nám laete Krśńa-cárań páibe.

[Instead of committing suicide go to Vrindavana and do the saḿkiirtana of Lord Krśńa unceasingly. By uttering the name of the Lord even once you will be purged of your sins, and when you repeat His name you will attain His holy feet.]

Subuddhi Roy asked, “Where is the road to Vrindavana? Alas, I am too great a sinner. How can I go to Vrindavana?”

Mahaprabhu replied, “Vrindavana is in your mind. Go deep into your mind.” Even though the jiivátmá may be assailed by bad deeds, its original nature is never distorted; it only gets a little soiled, a bit covered. In that state the jiivátmá is called pápopahata caetanya [consciousness assailed by sin]. And when influenced by good deeds, it is called puńyopahata caetanya [consciousness affected by virtue]. Actually the words pápátmá and puńyátmá [soul affected by sin or by virtue] are both incorrect. The soul never commits a sin, it never becomes sinful, nor does it ever become virtuous. It remains deathless and undecaying in its original state. But it does receive an impression.

What is this impression like? Suppose you place a large red rose in front of a clear mirror. If you look at the mirror, what do you see? A red rose. From a distance, one may say that the mirror is red, but is it actually so? No, the mirror is not red, but only appears to be red, coloured by the reflection of the red rose. In the same way, the human soul is also apparently coloured by virtue or vice. Whenever the soul comes in contact with any action, any psychic thought-wave, or any mental feeling, it is apparently affected, but not actually affected, just as the mirror is not actually coloured red. This is how this pápopahata caetanya and puńyopahata caetanya are created, due to the effect of sinful or virtuous deeds and thoughts.

When jiivas approach Parama Puruśa (Sarvadharmán parityajya Mámekaḿ sharańaḿ vraja), the impressions caused by their good or bad thoughts and actions become more distinct and are gradually expelled from the mind. The colours of worldly deeds, good or bad, cannot affect Parama Puruśa. In Parama Puruśa’s proximity there remains only His reflection. When reflected images, merge into the original substance the images cease to exist. Likewise, when the reflected images of jiivátmás merge with Parama Puruśa, there remains only one, only Parama Puruśa. That is why He says, “Accept Me alone, not My reflections, and I will liberate you from all sins. Do not worry.”

Máshuca – “Do not worry in the least. I am here for you. I will do everything for you. Only come to Me.” This is not the statement of a dvaetavádi [dualist]. It is the statement of an advaetavádi [non-dualist] who admits the relative existence of the jiivas in the initial stage, and in the final stage assimilates them into His vast Cosmic body. This great assurance given by Párthasárathi to the jiivas is invaluable: something beyond human description. Herein lies the greatest charm, the greatest attraction, of the personality of Párthasárathi. It is totally pointless to analyse Párthasárathi in the light of dvaetaváda. He was never a dvaetavádii.

Footnotes

(1) Bhagavad Giitá. –Eds.