On seeing the crowd, the Master recovered His senses, and stopped His dance before the sannyasis. He bowed very low to Prakashananda, who, however clasped His feet. The Master cried out, "You are the instructor of the world, and beloved [of all], while I am not worthy to be your pupil's pupil. Why should a high one like you bow to a low one like me? As you are God-like, by so doing you are destroying me [in sin]. Though everything becomes you, as it becomes God, yet, for the sake of holding up a lesson before the people, you should cease acting thus [humbly]." Prakashananda replied, "By touching your feet I have washed away all the sin of my former abuse of you!" (Bhágabat, I. v. 12, Chakravarti's commentary, quotation from the appendix cited in the Básaná-váshya, also X. xxxiv. 7).
The Master cried out, "O God! O God! I am a despicable creature. It is a sin to regard any creature as Vishnu. Even if a God-like person holds a creature to be Vishnu, then God will rank him among the infidels. (Hari-bhakti-vilás, i. 71)."
Prakashananda replied, "You are God himself. But even if you insist on being regarded as God's slave, you tire still worthy of being honoured above us. That I once abused you will be the cause of my ruin. (Bhágabat VI. xvi. 4, X. iv. 31, and VII. v. 25). I now bow at your feet, that I may kindle faith in them."
So saying he sat down there with the Master, and asked Him, "The errors you have pointed out in the theory of illusion, are, I know, the fanciful interpretations of Shankar Acharya. Your exposition of the essential meaning of the aphorisms has charmed the minds of all. You are God and can do everything. Tell me then briefly, I long to hear [your interpretation of Vyás's aphorisms]. The Master protested, "I am a creature insignificant in knowledge. Vyás was God's self and his aphorisms have a deep meaning, which no creature can know. Hence he has himself explained his aphorisms. When the writer is his own commentator, men can understand his meaning. The meaning of pranaba in the Gáyatri mantra is explained at length in the four verses of the Bhágabat, II. ix. 30-33. First God imparted these four verses to Brahmá, who taught them to Nárad, and the latter to Vyás, who reflected, "I shall make the Bhágabat itself a commentary on any aphorisms." So he accumulated the teaching of the four Vedas and the Upanishads. Every rik which is the subject matter of a particular aphorism, is formed into a separate verse in the Bhágabat. The Bhágabat and the Upanishads, therefore, speak with one voice; the former is nothing more than a commentary on the latter. Bhágabat, VIII. i. 8, says,
"'Everything that exists in the world is the abode of God. Therefore enjoy what God has given you, and covet not another's possessions.'
"The above verse takes a bird's-eye view of the whole subject. Similarly every verse of the Bhágabat is like a rik. In the 'four verses' the Bhágabat has unfolded the characteristics of Connection, Means (abhidheya), and Need. Connection with 'I' is the truth; perception of 'I' is the highest knowledge, the devotion and faith necessary to attain to 'I' is called the Means. The fruit of devotion is love, which is the radical Need. That love enables a man to enjoy 'I'. Vide the Bhágabat, II. ix. 30, God's words to Brahmá:
'The knowledge of me is deeply mysterious. Accept as spoken by me whatever is united to supreme knowledge (bijnán), attended by mystery, and a part of tat.' Or in other words, God says here, 'These three truths have I explained to you, because being a creature you could not have understood them, viz., my nature, my dwelling (sthiti), and my attributes, works, and six powers. My grace will inspire you with all these.' So saying God imparted the three truths to Brahmá: (i) Bhágabat II. ix. 31,—
'May you, through my grace, at once attain to true knowledge about the nature of my form (swarup), my component element (sattwa), and my attributes and acts.' (God's speech to Brahma).
"Or in other words, God says 'Before creation, being myself endowed with the six divine powers, and drawing into myself Prapancha-Nature, I create while dwelling within it. The Prapancha that men beholds is no other than me. In destruction my remaining attributes manifest themselves, completing me and so Prapancha-nature finds absorption in me.'
"(2) Again, Bhágabat, II. ix. 32, God speaks to Brahmá:—