Against the Doctrine “Jīva can become Bhagavān”

DEFINITIVE GAUḌĪYA SIDDHĀNTA

PART I

ŚRĪ JĪVA GOSVĀMĪ — ṢAṬ-SANDARBHA REFERENCES

Tattva-sandarbha, Anuccheda 16

(Authority of Bhāgavata over Impersonal Readings)

bhagavān eva paramārtha-tattvam, na tu nirviśeṣa-brahma-mātram

Meaning:

“Bhagavān alone is the supreme reality, not merely attributeless Brahman.”

Siddhānta Point:

Brahman is subordinate realization

Bhagavān is complete ontological reality

Jīva can realize Brahman, never become Bhagavān

Absolute identity is rejected at the foundation.

Bhagavat-sandarbha, Anuccheda 7

aiśvarya-pūrṇatvaṁ bhagavataḥ, tad-aṁśasya jīvasya tu tad-abhāvaḥ

Meaning:

“Bhagavān is complete in all opulences; the jīva, being His part, lacks such fullness.”

Siddhānta Point:

Full opulence (aiśvarya-pūrṇa) defines Godhood

Jīva never acquires full opulence, even in liberation

Equal Identity is impossible.

Bhagavat-sandarbha, Anuccheda 16

(Direct Rejection of Māyāvāda)

jīva-brahma-aikya-vādaḥ śruti-virodhī

Meaning:

“The doctrine of identity between jīva and Brahman contradicts śruti.”

Siddhānta Point:

Jīva–Brahman identity is explicitly rejected

Difference is śruti-siddha, not imagined

Paramātma-sandarbha, Anuccheda 19

jīvaḥ paratantraḥ, īśvaraḥ tu sarva-tantra-svatantraḥ

Meaning:

“The jīva is dependent; the Lord alone is fully independent.”

Siddhānta Point:

Dependence vs independence is ontological

Liberation does not convert dependence into independence

Jīva ≠ Bhagavān eternally.

Paramātma-sandarbha, Anuccheda 47

kartṛtvaṁ bhagavataḥ svarūpa-siddham, jīvasya tu karma-nibandhanam

Meaning:

“Lordship belongs to Bhagavān by nature; the jīva’s agency is bound by karma.”

Siddhānta Point:

Bhagavān’s lordship is intrinsic

Jīva’s action is conditional

Ontological difference remains forever.

Jīva-sandarbha, Anuccheda 19

(The Atomic Nature of the Jīva)

jīvasya aṇutvaṁ nityam, na kadācid vibhu-bhāvaḥ

Meaning:

“The jīva’s atomic nature is eternal; it never becomes all-pervading.”

Siddhānta Point:

Atomicity (aṇutva) is eternal

God’s all-pervasiveness (vibhutva) is exclusive

Jīva-sandarbha, Anuccheda 29

mokṣe ’pi jīvasya bhagavat-sāmyābhāvaḥ

Meaning:

“Even in liberation, the jīva does not attain equality with Bhagavān.”

This is devastating

Liberation ≠ Godhood

Equality is categorically denied

Prīti-sandarbha, Anuccheda 7

bhagavān sevyaḥ, jīvaḥ sevakaḥ—ayam eva prema-svarūpaḥ

Meaning:

“Bhagavān is the object of service; the jīva is the servant—this alone constitutes prema.”

Siddhānta Point:

Love requires difference

Identity destroys bhakti

PART II

ŚRĪ BALADEVA VIDYĀBHŪṢAṆA — GOVINDA-BHĀṢYA

Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.16 — netaro ’nupapatteḥ

Govinda-bhāṣya:

jīvasya īśvaratva-kalpanāyāṁ bandha-mokṣa-doṣaḥ syāt

Meaning:

“If the jīva were Īśvara, bondage and liberation would apply to God.”

Logical annihilation of oneness theory.

Vedānta-sūtra 2.3.20 — aṇutvāc ca

Govinda-bhāṣya:

aṇur jīvaḥ, vibhuḥ parameśvaraḥ; bhedo ’yam anādiḥ

Meaning:

“The jīva is atomic, the Supreme Lord infinite; this difference is beginningless.”

Vedānta-sūtra 2.3.21 — avyaktād iti cet na

Govinda-bhāṣya:

na mokṣe ’pi jīvasya aiśvarya-sāmyaṁ bhavati

Meaning:

“Even in liberation, the jīva does not attain equality in lordship.”

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Vedānta-sūtra 4.4.17 — jagad-vyāpāra-varjam

Govinda-bhāṣya:

sṛṣṭy-ādi-vyāpāraḥ kevalaṁ bhagavataḥ

Meaning:

“Creation and cosmic functions belong exclusively to Bhagavān.”

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FINAL SIDDHĀNTA STATEMENT

(Sandarbha + Govinda-bhāṣya Combined)

jīvaḥ kadācid api na bhavati bhagavān — na bandhe, na mokṣe

“The jīva never becomes Bhagavān—neither in bondage nor in liberation.”