The Supreme Lord Krishna is He whom all the Vedic scriptures proclaim as param brahma the Supreme Ultimate Truth, param dhama the Supreme Ultimate Shelter and pavitram paramam the Supreme Purifier.

Thus the Vedas assert:—

“From whom all these beings are born, by whom, when born, they live and into whom they return when they perish—investigate this well. This is Brahman” (Tai.Up., 3.1.1);

“He who knows Brahman attains the Highest” (Ibid., 2.1.1); and

“He who knows the Supreme Brahman becomes the Brahman” (Mun.Up., 3.2.9).

Likewise Krishna is the Supreme Light. The term “Dhaman” here connotes light:

“Now, the light which shines beyond this highest heaven. “ (Cha.Up., 3.13.7);

“Attaining the Supreme Light, it [the liberated jīva] appears with its own form” (Ibid.,

8.12.2);

“The gods worship Him as the Light of lights” (Br.Up., 4.4.16).

Krishna is also the Supreme Sanctifier, the One who is the ultimate liberator from sins. He purifies the meditator of all sins (proclivities) and also destroys them (their effects) without any trace.

The Veda declares: —

‘As water clings not to the leaf of a lotus-flower, so sinful deeds cling not to one who knows thus’ (Cha. Up., 4.14.3):

‘Just as the fibre of Ishika reed (reed-cotton) laid on a fire is burnt up, so also all one’s sins are burnt up’ (Ibid., 5.24.3); and

‘Nārāyaṇa is the Supreme Brahman, Nārāyaṇa is the Supreme Light, Nārāyaṇa is the Supreme Self’ (Ma. Na., 9.4).

Sages are those who know in reality the higher truth (the Supreme Brahman), and the lower truth (individual jīvas); they speak of Krishna as the eternal Divine Person, Original Lord, the unborn and all-pervading.

So also divine sage Nārada, Asita, Devala and Vyāsa declare: —

“This Nārāyaṇa, Lord of Śrī, the one who resides on the Milk Ocean, relinquishing His Serpent-couch, has come to the city of Mathura “Wherever Krishna is, there is the blessed [city of] Dvārāvatī. He is the Lord Himself, the ancient One and Eternal Dharma.

Those who know the Vedas and those who know the Self declare the great-minded Krishna to be the eternal Dharma. Of all sanctifiers, Krishna is said to be the most sanctifying, the most virtuous of the virtuous, the most auspicious among the auspicious.

The lotus-eyed God of gods, the eternal, abides as the three worlds... Hari whose essential nature is beyond thought, abides thus. Madhusudana is there alone” (Ma. Bha. Vana., 88.24-25).

Similarly it is stated: —

“O Arjuna, where the Divine, the eternal Nārāyaṇa the Supreme Self is, there the entire universe, the sacred water and the holy shrines are to be found.

That is sacred, that is Supreme Brahman, those are sacred waters, that is the austerity grove —there dwell the divine sages, the Siddhas and all those rich in austerities where the Primal Creator, the great Yogin Krishna the slayer of the demon Madhu dwells.

It is the most sacred among the sacred. For you, let there be no doubt about this’ (Ibid-, 90 28-32);

“Krishna Himself is the origin and dissolution of all beings. For, this universe, consisting of sentient and insentient entities, was projected for the sake of Krishna” (Ma. Bha. Sabha., 38.23).

And Krishna Himself says so in the passage beginning with—“Earth, water, fire, ether, mind, intellect and Ahaṁkāra; this Prakṛti, which is divided eightfold, is Mine” (7.4) and ending with “I am the origin of all; from Me proceed everything” (10.8).

“ब्रह्म परिपूर्णम् - अथ कसमुद्भूते परं ब्रह्म | बृहति बृहयन्ति च इति हि श्रुतिः | बृह बृह बृहि बृहौ इति पठन्ति | परमं यो महद् ब्रह्म इति च | विविधमासीद् इति विभुः | तथाहि वारुणशाखायाम् - विभु प्रभु प्रथमं मेहवानत इति | स ह्येव प्राभवद् विविधोऽभवत् इति | सोऽकामयत बहु स्यां प्रजयेय इत्यदेशः ||” - Brahman is entirely complete. Why is Brahman called the supreme? Because, He is complete and makes others also complete, say the Scriptures. बृह बृहि from these roots to suggest to expand. “Supreme is the Great Brahman”, thus it is said. Since it assumes various forms, it is said to be all-pervading, thus in Varuna section. “All pervading, Energiser the First among all. He, verily, expands to become the many”. “He willed, Let Me be many”. “विविधभूतयो विभूतयः |” विभूतयः means विविधभूतयः various manifest forms.

12 *Arjuna spake: 'The Highest Brahman, the Highest Abode, the greatest Purifier art thou. The Eternal Puruṣa, the Radiant, and Primal Divinity, the All-permeating Unborn;* (149)

Oh God, thou art indeed the Supreme Brahman, the haven of rest, where-unto return these primeval great elements of the world, and, Oh Lord of the world, Thou art the holiest of holies. Thou art the Supreme Deity of the triad (God Brahmadev, Vishnu, and Mahesh). Thou art Thyself the Supreme Soul absolute, eternally standing behind the veil of Prakriti. Now, have I seen the truth that thou art the Master of the Universe, uncreate and self-existent, whom birth and decay touch not. Clearly indeed has the vision gleamed on my mind that Thou art the great Being that pulls the strings of past, present and future time, the guardian spirit of all that throbs with life, and of the entire sphere of the Universe.

'Param brahma param dhāma pavitrāṇ paramam bhavān'—Arjuna, while praising Lord Kṛṣṇa, says to Him, that He is the Supreme Imperishable Brahma, as He said to him in response to his question (Gītā 8/3), He is the Supreme Abode in Whom the entire universe rests (Gītā 9/18). And He is the most sacred.

'Puruṣam śāśvatam divyamādidevamajām vibhum āhustvāmṛṣayaḥ sarve devarṣirnāradastathā asito devalo vyāsaḥ svayam caiva braviṣi me'—In the holy books, such as the

Mahābhārata etc., the sages,* celestial sage Nārada,† other sage Asita and his son, sage Devala‡ and also great sage Vyāsa§ have acclaimed Him as Eternal, Divine Person, Primeval God, Unborn and Omnipresent.

As soul, He is eternal (Gītā 2/20), as formless and having attributes, He is Divine Person (Gītā 8/10), as the source of gods and great seers, He is the Prime Deity (Gītā 10/2). The ignorant folk do not recognize Him, as the unborn (Gītā 7/25) while the undeluded know Him, as unborn (Gītā 10/3). All the universe, is pervaded by Him, in His unmanifest form (Gītā 9/4) and He Himself declares, that He is Omnipresent in this verse.

**Appendix**—Having used the expression ‘paraṁ brahma’ for attributeless and formless, Brahma, ‘paraṁ dhāma’ for God endowed with attributes and formless and ‘pavitraṁ paramam bhavān’ for God endowed with attributes and form, Arjuna seems to say to Lord Kṛṣṇa that He is God in full (sarnagra) (Gītā 7/29-30, 8/1—4).

* Sage Mārkaṇḍeya has said, “Lord Kṛṣṇa is the religious sacrifice of all the religious sacrifices, austerity of austerities and He is present, past and future” (Mahā. Bhīṣma. 68/3). Sage Bhṛgu declares that He is God of the gods and He is the supreme aboriginal Lord Viṣṇu (Mahā. Bhīṣma. 68/4).

Sage Aṅgīrā declares, “He is the creator of all beings” (Mahā. Bhīṣma. 68/6). Sanatkumāra etc., have said, “The sky and the earth exist by His forehead and arms respectively. All the three worlds are situated in His stomach. He is the Eternal Person. A striver can know, Him by purifying his heart through austerity. He is superior even to the seers who are satisfied by realizing God. He is the Supreme Goal of the generous royal sages who never flee battlefield” (Mahā. Bhīṣma. 68/8—10).

† Celestial sage Nārada declares—“Lord Kṛṣṇa is the creator of all the worlds and knower of all feelings. He is the Lord of the lords, of deities and the gods” (Mahā. Bhīṣma. 68/2).

‡ Asita and Devala sages declare—“Lord Kṛṣṇa is the only creator of Brahmā and all the worlds” (Mahā. Vana. 12/50).

§ Great sage Vyāsa declares—“You are the Lord of the Vasus (a class of gods). You have conferred power on Indra, the king of the gods and You are the Supreme Lord of the gods” (Mahā. Bhīṣma. 68/5).

He who Himself is pure (holy) and also sanctifies others is 'parama pavitra' (most sacred). God Himself is the most sacred and His name and form etc., are also the most sacred. In the thirty-eighth verse of the fourth chapter also Jñāna (knowledge) has been declared to be the purest (most sacred)—'na hi jñānena sadṛśam pavitramiha vidyate'. But that knowledge is also within the entire form of God. Therefore the Lord is more sacred than even knowledge.

ऊपर कही हुई भगवान्की विभूतिको और योगको सुनकर अर्जुन बोला—

आप परमब्रह्म-परमात्मा, परमधाम—परमतेज और परमपावन हैं तथा आप नित्य और दिव्य पुरुष हैं अर्थात् देवलोकमें रहनेवाले अलौकिक पुरुष हैं एवं आप सब देवोंसे पहले होनेवाले आदिदेव, अजन्मा और व्यापक हैं

तरी होसी गा तूं परब्रह्म । जें या महाभूतां विसंवतें धाम । पवित्र तूं परम । जगन्नाथा ॥ १४९ ॥

तूं परम दैवत तिहीं देवां । तूं पुरुष जी पंचविसावा । दिव्य तूं प्रकृतिभावा- । पैलीकडील ॥ १५० ॥

अनादिसिद्ध तूं स्वामी । जो नाकळिजसी जन्मधर्मीं । तो तूं हें आम्ही । जाणितलें आतां ॥ १५१ ॥

तूं या कालयंत्रासि सूत्री । तूं जीवकळेची अधिष्ठात्री । तूं ब्रह्मकटाहधात्री । हें कळलें फुडें ॥ १५२ ॥

(10.149) हे जगन्नाथ! आप परब्रह्म हैं और इन महाभूतों के पवित्र और परम विश्रान्ति के स्थान हैं।

(10.150) आप तीनों देवों के परम दैवत हैं, आप पच्चीसवें पुरुष हैं, आप मायाभाव के परे के दिव्यस्वरूप हैं।

(10.151) हे स्वामी! आप अनादिसिद्ध हैं जो जन्मभावों के वश नहीं होते, आपको अब हमने पहचान लिया।

(10.152) हम निश्चय से जान चुके कि आप इस कालरूप यन्त्र के चालक हैं, आप जीवकला के मुख्य देवता हैं, आप ब्रह्माण्ड के आश्रयभूत हैं।

संगति— जब भगवान् का ऐश्वर्य सुनकर और उससे प्रभावित होकर अर्जुन भगवान् की स्तुति करता है और विस्तारपूर्वक अपनी विभूतियों का वर्णन करने की प्रार्थना करता है।

भावार्थ— आप परब्रह्म, परम धाम और परम पवित्र हैं। सम्पूर्ण ऋषि, देवर्षि नारद, असित, देवल और व्यास आपको दिव्य एवं सनातन पुरुष, आदि देव, अजन्मा और विभु बतलाते हैं तथा आप स्वयं भी मुझसे ऐसा ही कह रहे हैं।

‘परं ब्रह्म परं धाम पवित्रं परमं भवान्’— अपने सामने बैठे हुए भगवान्की स्तुति करते हुए अर्जुन कहते हैं कि मेरे पूछनेपर जिसको आपने परम ब्रह्म (गीता—आठवें अध्यायका तीसरा श्लोक) कहा है, वह परम ब्रह्म आप ही हैं। जिसमें सब संसार स्थित रहता है, वह परम धाम अर्थात् परम स्थान आप ही हैं (गीता—नवें अध्यायका अठारहवाँ श्लोक)। जिसको पवित्रोंमें भी पवित्र कहा है—‘पवित्राणां पवित्रं यः’ वह महान् पवित्र

भी आप ही हैं।

‘पुरुषं शाश्वतं दिव्यमादिदेवमजं ... स्वयं चैव ब्रवीषि मे’—ग्रन्थोंमें ऋषियोंने, देवर्षि नारदने, असित और उनके पुत्र देवल ऋषिने तथा महर्षि व्यासजीने आपको शाश्वत, दिव्य पुरुष, आदिदेव, अजन्मा और विभु कहा है। आत्माके रूपमें ‘शाश्वत’ (गीता—दूसरे अध्यायका बीसवाँ श्लोक), सगुण-निराकारके रूपमें ‘दिव्य पुरुष’ (गीता—आठवें अध्यायका दसवाँ श्लोक), देवताओं

१—मार्कण्डेय ऋषिने कहा है—‘श्रीकृष्ण यज्ञोंके यज्ञ, तपोंके तप और भूत-भविष्यत्-वर्तमानरूप हैं।’

(महा०, भीष्म० ६८।३)

भृगु ऋषिने कहा है—‘ये देवताओंके देवता और परम पुरातन विष्णु हैं।’ (महा०, भीष्म० ६८।४)

अंगिरा ऋषिने कहा है—‘ये सम्पूर्ण प्राणियोंकी रचना करनेवाले हैं।’ (महा०, भीष्म० ६८।६)

सनत्कुमार आदिने कहा है—‘इनके मस्तकसे आकाश और भुजाओंसे पृथ्वी व्याप्त है। तीनों लोक इनके उदरमें स्थित हैं। ये सनातन पुरुष हैं। तपसे अन्तःकरण शुद्ध होनेपर ही साधक इन्हें जान सकते हैं। आत्मसाक्षात्कारसे तृप्त हुए ऋषियोंमें भी ये परमोत्कृष्ट हैं। युद्धमें कभी पीठ न दिखानेवाले उदार राजर्षियोंकी भी ये ही परमगति हैं।’ (महा०, भीष्म० ६८।८—१०)

२—देवर्षि नारदजीने कहा है—‘भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण सम्पूर्ण लोकोंको उत्पन्न करनेवाले और सम्पूर्ण भावोंको जाननेवाले हैं। ये साध्वों और देवताओंके ईश्वरोंके भी ईश्वर हैं।’ (महा०, भीष्म० ६८।९)

३—असित और देवल ऋषिने कहा है—‘भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण ही प्रजाकी सृष्टिमें प्रजापति और सम्पूर्ण लोकोंके एकमात्र रचयिता हैं।’ (महा०, वन० १२।५०)

४—महर्षि व्यासजीने कहा है—‘आप वसुओंके वासुदेव, इन्द्रको इन्द्रत्व देनेवाले और देवताओंके भी परम देवता हैं।’

(महा०, भीष्म० ६८।५)

और महर्षियों आदिके रूपमें 'आदिदेव' (गीता—दसवें अध्यायका दूसरा श्लोक), मृदुलोग मेरेको अज नहीं जानते (गीता—सातवें अध्यायका पचीसवाँ श्लोक) तथा असम्मूदलोग मेरेको अज जानते हैं (गीता—दसवें

**परिशिष्ट भाव**—निर्गुण-निराकारके लिये 'परं ब्रह्म', सगुण-निराकारके लिये 'परं धाम' और सगुण-साकारके लिये 'पवित्रं परमं भवान्' पदोंका प्रयोग करके अर्जुन भगवान्से मानो यह कहते हैं कि समग्र परमात्मा आप ही हैं (गीता—सातवें अध्यायका उन्तीसवाँ-तीसवाँ श्लोक और आठवें अध्यायका पहलेसे चौथे श्लोकतक)।

जो स्वयं भी शुद्ध हो और दूसरोंको भी शुद्ध करे, वह 'परम पवित्र' है। भगवान् परम पवित्र हैं और उनके नाम, रूप आदि सब भी परम पवित्र हैं। चौथे अध्यायके अड़तीसवें श्लोकमें ज्ञानको इस लोकमें सबसे पवित्र बताया गया है—'न हि ज्ञानेन सदृशं पवित्रमिह विद्यते'। परन्तु वह ज्ञान भी समग्र भगवान्के अन्तर्गत है। अतः भगवान् ज्ञानसे भी अधिक पवित्र हैं।