Adhikarana 4

This is Confirmed by the Vedic scriptures

1. Visaya (statement): That the Supreme Personality of Godhead is described in all Vedic scriptures is

described in the following scriptural quotations:

 yo 'su sarvair vedair giyate

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead is glorified by all the Vedas."

    - Gopala-tapani Upanisad

 sarve veda yat-padam amananti

"All the Vedas describe the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

    - Katha Upanisad 1.2.15

2. Samsaya  (doubt): Lord Visnu is the subject-matter described in all the  Vedas. Is this

statement true or false?

3. Purvapaksa (the argument of our philosophical opponent): It is not true that the Vedas teach only

about the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Actually the Vedas mainly describe various fruitive karma-

kanda sacrifices, such as the kariri-yajna for bringing rain, the putra-kamyesti-yajna for gaining a son,

and the jyotistoma-yajna for traveling to the celestial material planets (Svargaloka). For this reason it is

not possible to say that Lord Visnu is the only topic discussed in the Vedas.

4. Siddhanta (the proper conclusion): Vyasadeva replies to the objections in the following sutra:

 Sutra 4

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 tat tu samanvayat

    tat - this fact; tu - but; samanvayat - because of the agreement of all the Vedic scriptures. 

    But that (Lord Visnu is the sole topic of discussion in the Vedas) is confirmed by all scriptures.

 Purport by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana

The word tu (but) in this sutra is used to rebut the previously stated opposing argument. It is proper to

say that Lord Visnu is the sole topic of discussion in all the Vedas. Why? The answer is: samanvayat

(because the scriptures themselves bring us to this conclusion). The word anvaya means "understanding

the actual meaning," and the word samanvaya means "perfect understanding after careful deliberation".

When we apply the above-mentioned rules of interpretation   (beginning   with  upakrama  and

upasamhara) to the texts of the Vedas, we will come to the conclusion that Lord Visnu is the sole topic

of discussion in all the Vedas. If it were not so, then why should the Gopala-tapani Upanisad state that

Lord Visnu is glorified by all the Vedas? This is also confirmed by the lotus-eyed Supreme Personality

of Godhead Himself, who says:

 vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo vedanta-krd veda-vid eva caham

"By all the Vedas I am to be known. Indeed, I am the compiler of the Vedanta, and I am the knower of

the Vedas."*

    - Bhagavad-gita 15.15

 kim vidhatte kim acaste

kim anudya vikalpayet ity asya krdayam loke

nanyo mad veda kascana

mam vidhatte 'bhidhatte mam

vikalpyapohyate hy aham

"What is the direction of all Vedic literatures? On whom do they set focus? Who is the purpose of all

speculation? Outside of Me no one knows these things. Now you should know that all these activities

are aimed at ordaining and setting forth Me. The purpose of Vedic literature is to know Me by different

speculations, either by indirect understanding or by dictionary understanding. Everyone is speculating

about Me."*

- Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.21.42-43)

The Vedic literatures also state:

 saksat-paramparabhyam veda brahmani pravartate

"Either directly or indirectly, the Vedas describe Brahman."

    In the jnana-kanda section of the Vedas 1} the transcendental forms and qualitities of the

Supreme Personality of Godhead are directly described, and in the karma-kanda section of the Vedas

the Lord is indirectly described in the discussion of fruitive action and various divisions of material

knowledge

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That the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the sole topic of discussion in the Vedas is also confirmed

by the following scriptural passages:

 tam tv aupanisadam purusam prcchami

"I shall now ask about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is described in the Upanisads."

    - Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (9.21)

 tam etam vedanuvacanena brahmana vividisanti

"Brahmanas study the Vedas to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

    - Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (4.4.22)

    As for the various fruitive results, such as the attainment of rain, a son, or residence in the

celestial material planets, that are offered to the follwers of the karma-kanda rituals in the Vedas, these

beneifts are offered to attract the minds of ordinary men. When ordinary men see that these material

benefits are actually attained by performing Vedic rituals, they become attracted to study the Vedas. By

studying the Vedas they become able to discriminate between what is temporary and what is eternal. In

this way they gradually become averse to the temporary things of this world and they come to hanker

after Brahman. In this way it may be understood that all the parts of the Vedas describe the Supreme

Personality of Godhead.

 Vedic rituals bring material benefits as a result only when the performer of the ritual is filled with

material desire. If the performer is materially desireless, then he does not gain a material result, but

rather the result he obtains is purification of the heart and the manifestation of spiritual knowledge.

Therefore, the meaning of the previously quoted text from Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (4.4.22) is that

the demigods are considered to be the various limbs of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and by

worshiping them, one actually worships the Supreme Lord, and the result of such worship is that one

gradually become pure in heart and awake with spiritual knowledge.