In the next three Sandarbhas (beginning with Bhagavat Sandarbha), Jīva Gosvāmī elaborates on the topic of ontology (sambandha-jñāna). He begins this book by establishing Bhagavān, or God, the Supreme Person as the most complete manifestation of nondual Reality. This Reality is realized in three aspects: as Brahman (God without any qualities, the Unqualified Absolute), as Paramātmā (the Immanent Self, residing in each of us), and as Bhagavān (the all-powerful, all-blissful, infinitely charming playful Person).
This course is a systematic study of the book which analyzes each of these aspects and demonstrates with conclusive evidence that Bhagavān is the complete and indivisible Absolute Reality. All other manifestations are dependent on, and thus subordinate to, Him. Bhagavān’s diverse energies, qualities, name, form, associates, and abode are intrinsic aspects of His essential being.
Happiness which comes from sense contact is the very thing which brings you suffering. If you analyze all of your suffering, you will find the root cause is some material pleasure. There is no material enjoyment that will not lead to suffering. But because of the time gap, we don’t put two plus two together. So we don’t realize the connection between suffering and enjoyment. If anything has given you happiness, also know that it is going to give you trouble.
