Income tax : Weekly case law updates (10th Dec 2018 to 14th Dec 2018)

Posted on 15th Dec 2018 by Business So Simple in Miscellaneous

Income tax : Weekly case law updates ( 10th Dec 2018 to 14th Dec 2018)

1. No need to process Vodafone’s refund based ITRs on likelihood of arising huge demands: HC

IT : Writ Petition is filed by petitioner-Vodafone on account of inaction on part of Assessing Officer in not processing income tax returns for four Assessment Years 2014-15 to 2017-18 which will result in issuance of refunds aggregating to Rs. 4759.74 crores

• The High Court noted that for the Assessment Years in consideration, for Assessment Year 2014-15, the petitioner has approached the AAR and for Assessment Years 2015-16 and 2017-18, scrutiny assessments are pending before the Assessing Officer and that the petitioner has undertaken two schemes of amalgamation involving merger of certain group companies in order to restructure its business operations and increase operational efficiencies. In light of the above fact, assessments for the Assessment Years 2012-13 and 2013-14 are under special audit and any demand that would arise from the processing of the said assessment years are to be allowed to be adjusted against the refund claims.

• It held that since substantial outstanding demand are pending against the petitioner, revenue should have the right to adjust the demands against the refunds that may arise but have not yet been determined due to ongoing scrutiny proceedings. Thus, Assessing Officer has rightly exercised discretion under section 143(1D) not to process the returns considering the fact that substantial demand has been raised on completion of scrutiny assessment of earlier years.

[[2018] 100 taxmann.com 310 (Delhi)]

2. No escape from penalty though tax was deducted by bank on interest income before close of financial year

IT : In terms of section 194A(1), time of deduction of tax is undisputedly time at which interest is to be credited to account of payee or when it is paid in cash/cheque or draft therefore, deduction of tax at source on interest income before close of financial year concerned as provided under section 194A(4) would not absolve assessee bank from penalty for not deducting tax at source at time of credit of said income in payee’s account

[2018] 100 taxmann.com 231 (Allahabad)

3. HC slams AO for adopting cash accounting system if mercantile accounting system was consistently followed

IT: Where assessee, engaged in business of land development, had been consistently following mercantile system of accounting in respect of all its projects, assessee was not justified in adopting cash system of accounting in respect of only one project [2018] 100 taxmann.com 228 (Bombay)

4. VAT collected on behalf of State Govt. not an income just because it was routed through P&L a/c

IT : Retention of a part of VAT at multi-purpose barrier collected by assessee-society as per section 34 of VAT Act, 2005 till process of determination of its actual expenditure incurred on collection, followed by deposit of balance surplus amount in Government Treasury for onward transmission to State Government, cannot be treated as ‘real income’ in hands of assessee for purpose of IT Act, 1961 [2018] 100 taxmann.com 290 (Himachal Pradesh)

5. HC justified sec. 68 additions as assessee failed to explain huge cash sales only in 1 month during year

IT: Where assessee had sold a new product launched by it on test market basis over and above its counter sale but failed to explain as to how and why such cash sales of huge amount effected only in one month of a year, Assessing Officer was justified in making additions in respect of such unexplained sales under section 68 [2018] 100 taxmann.com 181 (Himachal Pradesh)

6.View of courts regarding Writ Petitions filed against the Notices issued under Sections 147/148

Recent times have seen a rise in the Writ Petitions filed against the notices issued under Section 148 of Income Tax Act, which relates to re-opening of the assessment before various Hon’ble High Courts. The Hon’ble Supreme Court and different High Courts have consistently taken the view that Writ Petitions filed directly against the notice issued under Section 148 should not be entertained ordinarily. [2018] 100 taxmann.com 273 (Article)

7. Payment of advance salary to defeat purpose of demonetisation won’t come under purview of benami transaction

IT/Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act: Payment of advance salary by employer to its employee to defeat purpose of demonetisation didn’t come under purview of Benami Transaction [2018] 100 taxmann.com 179 (PBPTA – AT)

8. No concealment penalty just because an inadmissible claim of deduction was raised

IT: Where assessee engaged in re-financing of loan given for purchase of residential houses, disclosed all particulars relating to claim of deduction under sec. 36(1)(viii), mere fact that AO opined that since assessee was not directly engaged in providing long-term finance for construction of purchase of houses and thus assessee’s claim was inadmissible, could not be a ground to pass a penalty order under sec 271(1)(c) [2018] 100 taxmann.com 162 (Delhi)

9. Amendment to sec. 2(14) providing aerial distance for determining agricultural land has no retro-effect

IT: Provisions of item (b) of sub-clause (iii) of section 2(14) which provides for considering distance of land from municipal limits aerially, not by road, and which have been substituted by Finance Act, 2013 with effect from 1-4-2014 are prospective in operation [2018] 100 taxmann.com 145 (Bangalore – Trib.

Income tax : Weekly case law updates ( 3rd Dec 2018 to 07th Dec 2018)

Posted on 8th Dec 2018 by Business So Simple in Miscellaneous

Income tax : Weekly case law updates ( 3rd Dec 2018 to 07th Dec 2018)

1. Amendment to sec. 200A empowering AO to levy sec. 234E fees on delayed filing of TDS return has no retro-effect

Amendment to provisions of section 200A with effect from 1-6-2015 empowering Assessing Officer levying fees under section 234E has prospective operation and, therefore, Assessing Officer while processing TDS statements for period prior to 1-6-2015, was not empowered to charge fees under section 234E [Refer [2018] 100 taxmann.com 39 (Jaipur – Trib.)]

2. HC confirmed sec. 14A disallowance towards dividend earned on specified securities purchased on RBI directions

IT : Where pursuant to directions of RBI, assessee invested certain amount in specified securities, bonds etc. in order to continue its licence to carry on business as a residuary non-banking financial company, said securities/bonds could not be regarded as trading assets of assessee and, thus, impugned disallowance made under section 14A in respect of dividend income earned on said securities was to be upheld

IT : Where for relevant assessment year assessee paid its provident fund contribution beyond due date but before date of filing return under section 139(1), amount so paid could not be disallowed by invoking provisions of section 43B

[Refer [2018] 100 taxmann.com 41 (Calcutta)]

3. Assessee couldn’t challenge constitutional validity of proviso to Rule 9A during pendency of appeal: HC

IT : Where during pendency of appeal against assessment order passed under section 143(3), assessee filed a petition challenging constitutional validity of proviso to rule 9A, since assessee’s appeal was pending before Commissioner (Appeals) on merits, interest of justice would be served by not examining presently issue of constitutional validity and legality of proviso to rule 9A

[Refer [2018] 100 taxmann.com 40 (Bombay)]

4. Provision of sec. 43B couldn’t be invoked with regards to duty & surcharge collected by state electricity board

IT: Section 43B could not be invoked for making assessment of liability of assessee State Electricity Board with regard to amount of electricity duty and surcharge collected by it as an agent of State of Kerala

IT: Kerala State Electricity Board is not covered by section 36(1)(viia)

[Refer [2018] 100 taxmann.com 132 (Cochin – Trib.)]

5. Dep. was allowable on public roads by treating them as buildings; SLP dismissed

IT : Where High Court upheld order passed by Tribunal allowing assessee’s claim of depreciation on public roads treating same as building, SLP filed against said order was to be dismissed

IT : Where High Court upheld Tribunal’s view that optical fibres used exclusively for computer configuaration were part of computer system and thus eligible for higher rate of depreciation, SLP filed against said order was to be dismissed

[Refer [2018] 100 taxmann.com 96 (SC)]

6. No denial of exemption in absence of proof that assessee introduced unaccounted money to earn LTCG

IT : Assessing Officer received information from DGIT (Inv.), Kolkata that some companies were engaged in business of issuing penny stocks for which there were large number of beneficiaries claiming bogus long term capital gain – Assessing Officer, based on said information, found that assessee is one of beneficiaries of said racket and, thus long term capital gain from sale of shares of a company (Rutron) declared by assessee and claimed as exempt income under section 10(38) was treated by Assessing Officer as bogus and added said amount to total income of assessee under section 68

• The Tribunal noted that assessee had produced relevant record to show allotment of shares by company on payment of consideration by cheque, all entries are part of bank account of assessee and assessee dematerialized shares in D-mat account.

• The Tribunal held that Assessing Officer has not brought any material on record to show that assessee has paid over and above purchase consideration as claimed and evident from bank account and, thus, in absence of any evidence, it cannot be held that assessee has introduced his own unaccounted money by way of bogus long term capital gain

[Refer [2018] 100 taxmann.com 172 (Mumbai – Trib.)]

7. Karta was eligible to claim TDS credit wrongly deposited in his name if HUF hadn’t availed benefit of such TDS

IT : Where due to mistake, TDS related to HUF of assessee whereof assessee was karta was credited to assessee’s TDS account, assessee could claim refund of such TDS credit, provided HUF had not availed benefit of such TDS certificate

8. No sec. 68 additions towards trade advances if these were adjusted against subsequent sales; SLP dismissed

IT : Where High Court upheld Tribunal’s order to delete addition made under section 68 in respect of trade advances on ground that said advances were adjusted against sales made in subsequent years, SLP filed against said decision was to be dismissed.

Refer [2018] 100 taxmann.com 100 (SC)]

9. ITAT deleted additions as amount deposited in assessee’s Foreign Bank a/c didn’t belong to him

IT: Where addition was made to income of assessee on account of amount deposited in foreign bank account through a trust owned by an NRI, since it was found that said amount in foreign bank account was actually owned by said NRI and he had also admitted some, impugned addition was unjustified

[2018] 100 taxmann.com 43 (Mumbai – Trib.)

10. Amount paid to partners in view of partnership deed to be excluded while computing sec. 10AA

IT: Where assessee-firm, in view of partnership deed which clearly laid down that no interest on capital and remuneration was payable to partners, did not pay any interest and remuneration to its partners, such interest on capital and remuneration were not to be excluded from amount of profit eligible for exemption under section 10AA

[Refer [2018] 100 taxmann.com 44 (Surat-Trib.)]

Changed Pan Application Rules w.e.f. 5th December, 2018

Posted on 6th Dec 2018 by Business So Simple in Miscellaneous

Changed Pan Application Rules w.e.f. 5th December, 2018

CBDT Notification- G.S.R. 1128(E) dated 19th November, 2018 changed the PAN (Permanent Account Number) card rules in order to prevent tax evasion. The new rules is effected from 5th December , 2018.

1. In the case of a person, being a resident, other than an individual, which enters into a financial transaction of an amount aggregating to two lakh fifty thousand rupees ( Rs. 250000/- or more) or more in a financial year and which has not been allotted any permanent account number, immediately apply for PAN on or before the 31st day of May immediately following such financial year.

2. In the case of a person, who is the managing director, director, partner, trustee, author, founder, karta, chief executive officer, principal officer or office bearer of the person or any person competent to act on behalf of referred person and who has not been allotted any permanent account number, on or before the 31st day of May, immediately apply for PAN on or before May 31 of the following financial year.

3. Father’s name for the pan application would not be mandatory in cases where the mother of the applicant is a single parent. Only Name of the mother is sufficient.

Refer Notification- G.S.R. 1128(E) dated 19th Nov 2018 :

MINISTRY OF FINANCE
(Department of Revenue)
(CENTRAL BOARD OF DIRECT TAXES)
Notification No. 82/2018

New Delhi, the 19th November, 2018

G.S.R. 1128(E).—In exercise of the powers conferred by section 139A read with section 295 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (43 of 1961), the Central Board of Direct Taxes hereby makes the following rules further to amend the Income-tax Rules, 1962, namely:—

1. Short, title and commencement.__(1) These rules may be called the Income–tax (Twelfth Amendment) Rules, 2018.

(2) They shall come into force from the 5th day of December, 2018.

2. In the Income-tax Rules, 1962, __

(I) in rule 114,__

(A) in sub-rule (3), after clause (iv), the following clauses shall be inserted, namely:__

“(v) in the case of a person, being a resident, other than an individual, which enters into a financial transaction of an amount aggregating to two lakh fifty thousand rupees or more in a financial year and which has not been allotted any permanent account number, on or before the 31st day of May immediately following such financial year;

(vi) in the case of a person, who is the managing director, director, partner, trustee, author, founder, karta, chief executive officer, principal officer or office bearer of the person referred to in clause (v) or any person competent to act on behalf of the person referred to in clause (v) and who has not been allotted any permanent account number, on or before the 31st day of May immediately following the financial year in which the person referred to in clause (v) enters into financial transaction specified therein.”;

(B) in sub-rule (6),__

“(i) for the words, brackets and figures “under sub-rule (4) or intimation of Aadhaar number in sub-rule (5)”, the words, brackets and figures “under sub-rule (4), intimation of Aadhaar number in sub-rule (5) and issue of permanent account number” shall be substituted;

(ii) for the words “number and intimation of Aadhaar number”, the words “number, intimation of Aadhaar number and issue of permanent account number” shall be substituted.”;

(II) in Appendix II, in Form number 49A and Form number 49AA, for serial number 6 and entries relating thereto, the following serial number and entries thereto shall be substituted, namely:—

“6.Details of Parents (applicable only for individual applicants)

Whether mother is a single parent and you wish to apply for PAN by furnishing the name of your mother only?

Yes No (please tick as applicable)

If yes, please fill in mother’s name in the appropriate space provide below.

Father’s Name (Mandatory except where mother is a single parent and PAN is applied by furnishing the name of mother only)

Last Name / Surname

First Name

Middle Name

Mother’s Name (optional except where mother is a single parent and PAN is applied by furnishing the name of mother only)

Last Name / Surname

First Name

Middle Name

Select the name of either father or mother which you may like to be printed on PAN card (Select one only) Father’s name

Father’s name Mother’s name (Please tick as applicable)

Mother’s name (Please tick as applicable)

(In case no option is provided then PAN card will be issued with father’s name except where mother is a single parent and you wish to apply for PAN by furnishing name of the mother only)’.

[Notification No. 82/2018/F.No. 370142/40/2016-TPL (Part-I)]

Dr. T. S. MAPWAL, Under Secy.

FAQ’s on Form GSTR-9C (Indirect Taxes Committee-ICAI)

Posted on 6th Dec 2018 by Business So Simple in Miscellaneous

FAQ’s on Form GSTR-9C

Q 1. Are the accounts maintained by the registered taxable person required to be audited by a Chartered Accountant/Cost Accountant under GST?

Ans. It has been stated in the law that every registered person whose aggregate turnover during a financial year exceeds the prescribed limit of Rs. 2 Crore, shall get his accounts audited by a chartered accountant or a cost accountant. In all other cases, no audit is required to be conducted by the Chartered or Cost accountant.

Q2. What is the turnover that should be reckoned to determine the applicability of audit under GST?

Ans. Section 35(5) commences with the expression “every registered person whose turnover during a financial year exceeds the prescribed limit” whereas the relevant Rule 80(3) uses the expression “every registered person whose aggregate turnover during a financial year exceeds two crore rupees”. It must be noted that the word turnover has not been defined whereas the expressions aggregate turnover has been defined. One may note that the expression turnover in State or turnover in Union territory is defined. In this backdrop the following understanding is relevant:

a) Aggregate turnover is PAN based while turnover in a State / UT is similarly worded except to the extent that turnover in a State / UT is limited to a State;

b) It is therefore, reasonable to interpret that the word turnover used in section 35(5) ought to be understood as aggregate turnover (PAN level).

c) For the financial year 2017-18, the GST period comprises of 9 months whereas the relevant section 35(5) uses the expression financial year; Therefore, in the absence of clarification from Government and to avoid any cases of default, it is reasonable to reckon the turnover limits prescribed for audit i.e., Rs. 2 crores for the whole of the financial year which would also include the first quarter of the financial year 2017-18.

Please also note that where the expression aggregate turnover (PAN level) is considered, please consider the taxable value under section 15 and not the amount as accounted in the books of accounts. For eg. do not ignore taxable value of stock transfers while examining this threshold limit.

Q 3. Should the supply of alcohol for human consumption be included in determining the threshold limit of Rs. 2 crores by a person registered under GST?

Ans. The definition of aggregate turnover includes exempt turnover. Exempt turnover is defined under CGST Act to mean supply of any goods or services or both which attracts nil rate of tax or which may be wholly exempt from tax under section 11, or under section 6 of the Integrated Goods and Services tax Act and includes nontaxable supply.

Non-taxable supply is defined under section 2(78) of CGST Act to mean a supply of goods or services or both which is not leviable to tax under this Act or under the Integrated Goods and Services tax Act.

Section 9(1) of CGST/ SGST Act and Section 7(1) and 5(1) of UTGST and IGST Act respectively exclude alcoholic liquor for human consumption from the levy/charge of GST. On a combined reading of the charging sections with the definitions of non-taxable supply and exempt supply, it becomes clear that

alcoholic liquor for human consumption forms part of exempt turnover. Since aggregate turnover includes exempt turnover, value of alcoholic liquor for human consumption is to be included while computing threshold limit of Rs. 2 crores

Q4. Will the term ‘aggregate turnover,’ includes stock transfers/ cross charges effected between branches located in two different states?

Ans. Section 2(6) of CGST/ SGST Act defines aggregate turnover to include ‘inter-state supplies of person having same PAN’. Thus, stock transfers/ cross charges of services provided from a branch located in one state to a branch located in another state will be included in the aggregate turnover of the branch supplying the goods/ services.

Q5. Will the term ‘aggregate turnover,’ includes stock transfers effected within the State having same GSTIN for determining the threshold limits?

Ans. The term ‘aggregate turnover’ shall not include stock transfers effected within the same State having single GSTIN for the purpose of determining the threshold limit. However, where more than one GSTINs has been taken for branches located in the same state, then such branch transfers shall be included for computing threshold limit of Rs.2 crore to identify applicability of this audit requirement.

Q6. Will a Registered Person who is exclusively having exempted supplies of goods or services exceeding Rs. 2 crores be required to file Form GSTR 9C?

Ans. The definition of ‘aggregate turnover’ includes even exempted supplies. Therefore, even if a person is registered under GST and only provides exempted supplies, he will have to file Form GSTR 9C.

Q7. Is Form GSTR 9C required to be filed for each registration obtained by a person in respect of each of the states?

Ans. Section 35(5) of SGST Act, also requires conduct of audit in addition to Section 35(5) of CGST Act. Thus, audit is required state wise for compliance of Section 35(5) of SGST Act. Therefore, a person having registration in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu is required to be audited under KGST Act, 17 and TNGST Act, 17. GSTR 9C

is required to be filed as per Rule 80(3) of KGST Rules, 2017 and TNGST Rules. Thus, a person having registration in more than one state is required to file GSTR 9C registration wise, in each and every state.

Q 8. Is a Chartered Accountant required to be registered as a GST practitioner for the purpose of certifying Form GSTR 9C?

Ans. Section 48 of the CGST/ SGST Act read with Rule 83(8) of the CGST/ SGST Rules authorizes a GST practitioner to undertake the following activities:

a) furnish the details of outward and inward supplies;

b) furnish monthly, quarterly, annual or final return;

c) make deposit for credit into the electronic cash ledger;

d) file a claim for refund; and

e) file an application for amendment or cancellation of registration:

The GST Act/ Rules do not vest a GST practitioner with the power to audit under section 35(5). The power to audit is granted only to a Chartered Accountant or Cost Accountant. Therefore, a Chartered Accountant is not required to be registered as a GST practitioner for the purpose of certifying Form GSTR 9C.

Q 9. What are the documents to be enclosed along with GSTR 9C?

Ans. As per section 35(5), a copy of audited accounts and such other documents in such form and manner ‘as may be prescribed’ ought to be submitted along with reconciliation statement (i.e. GSTR 9C). Prescription ought to be provided in the Rules as the Act employs the term ‘as may be prescribed’. No documents other than audited annual accounts have been prescribed in Rule 80(3).

Part B of GSTR 9C requires the GST Auditor to enclose a copy of audit report of the entity, where the audit of the entity has been carried out by another person under a statute other than GST Act. In the said case, documents declared by the said statute which forms a part of the audited financial statements must also be annexed to the audit report.

Q 10. Should Form GSTR 9 and Form GSTR 9C be filed separately?

Ans. Section 44(2) of the CGST/ SGST Act 2017 provides a Registered Person to file annual return in Form GSTR 9 along with a copy of the reconciliation statement in Form GSTR 9C. Thus, Form GSTR 9C has to be filed along with Form GSTR 9 in cases where aggregate turnover exceeds Rs. 2 crores.

Q 11. What is the time limit to file Form GSTR 9C?

Ans. Section 44(2) requires reconciliation statement in Form GSTR 9C along with annual return in Form GSTR 9. As per section 44(1), the due date to file annual return is on or before the thirty-first day of December following the end of such financial year for which annual return is being prepared. Thus, it can be inferred that due date for filing reconciliation statement in Form GSTR 9C is also on or before thirty-first day of December following the end of such financial year for which reconciliation statement is being prepared.

Q12. What are the consequences of the failure in submitting the annual return and not getting the accounts audited?

Ans. The following are the consequences of the failure in submitting the annual return and not getting the accounts audited:

a) Section 44(2) of the CGST Act and State /Union Territory GST Act provides that every Registered Person shall file electronically an annual return in Form GSTR 9 along with a reconciliation statement in Form GSTR 9-C, reconciling the value of supplies declared in the return furnished for the financial year with the audited annual financial statement.

b) Section 47(2) of the CGST Act provides for levy of a late fee of Rs. 100/- per day (each under CGST Act and under SGST Act) for delay in furnishing annual return in GSTR 9, subject to a maximum amount of quarter percent (0.25%) of the turnover in the State or Union Territory. Similar provisions for levy of late fee exist under the State / Union Territory GST Act.

c) On a combined reading of Section 47(2) and Section 44 (2) of the CGST Act and State / Union Territory GST Act a late fee of Rs.200/- per day (Rs. 100 under CGST law + Rs. 100/- under State / Union Territory GST law) can be levied which would be capped to a maximum amount of half percent (0.25% under the CGST Law + 0.25% under the SGST / UTGST Law) of turnover in the State or Union Territory.

d) In a situation where a registered person gets GSTR 9C duly certified but fails to furnish both GSTR 9 and GSTR 9C on the common portal, the provisions of late fee cited in clause “a to c” supra would equally apply.

e) In a situation where a registered person files only GSTR 9, but fails to file GSTR 9C, the filing of GSTR 9 is not considered to have been defaulted, whereby the late fee cited in clause “a to c” supra would not apply. However, there may be consequences of default in complying with the provisions of Section 44(2).

Q13. Can the late fee be waived off in genuine cases?

Ans. The Government may, by notification, waive in part or full, any late fee referred to in section 47 for such class of taxpayers and under such mitigating circumstances as may be specified therein on the recommendations of the Council. However, no notification has been issued by the Central Government/ State Government as on date.

Q14. Is there any provision of filing the Revised Form GSTR 9C?

Ans. There is no provision enabling a dealer to file revised Form GSTR 9C. As such, some experts opine that, the Certificate once issued / filed cannot be revised as no such revision is permitted to audited reports by a Chartered Accountant. However, there is another view that since there are no specific bar/ restrictions under the GST law to file a revised audit report/ certificate, a revised audit report / certificate can be issued / filed. Care must be exercised to ensure that the relevant Form GSTR 9C is not taken lightly and filed with inaccurate particulars. Caution is advised in taking such a position unless Government issues any clarification in this regard. While one can appreciate that mistakes apparent which can creep in and therefore warrant a revision, it must be ensured that there is no mala fide intention

at the time of filing this reconciliation statement. If felt necessary, the reasons for the need for revision and impact can be communicated on record which can be used as an evidence of bona fide and professional action.

Q15. Will audit under Section 35(5) be applicable to Non-Filers or unregistered Persons liable to take registration?

Ans. The audit under Section 35(5) of the CGST Act to be conducted by CA or CWA is applicable only to a Registered Person. A non-filer is still a Registered Person under Section 25 of the CGST Act. Hence, he may be required to get the audit conducted under Section 35(5) of the said Act. Practically such a person would not have filed his returns at all and therefore Form 9 & 9C would not be possible. Therefore, there may be no audit for him.

However, unregistered Person who is liable to take registration under Section 25 of the CGST Act is a taxable person. But the said unregistered Person is not a Registered Person as defined under Section 2(94) of the CGST Act 2017. Hence in terms of Section 35(5) of the Act it is not required to get the audit done.

Q 16. What are the records to be reconciled in Form GSTR-9C? The records to be reconciled in GSTR-9C are:

i. Books of accounts of registered person – if the registered person has multiple registrations, information needs to be derived from the Audited financials of the entity.

ii. Annual Return of Registered Person in Form GSTR 9.

Q 17. What are the contents of Form GSTR 9C?

Ans. Form GSTR 9C consists of 2 parts. Part-A is Reconciliation statement and Part B is Certificate to be issued by GST Auditor.

Q 18. What is the turnover intended to be declared in SI. No. 5A of Form GSTR-9C?

Ans. SI. No. 5A is intended to report the turnover as per the audited Annual Financial Statement for a GSTIN. There may be cases where multiple GSTINs (State-wise) registrations exist for the same PAN. This is common for persons / entities with presence over multiple States or in respect of multiple registration in a single State/UT. The Government vide it is instructions has indicated that such persons / entities would have to internally derive their GSTIN wise turnover and provide the same to the Auditor to verify and declare in this SI. No.

Turnover to be declared under this SI. No. must purely flow from the ‘audited financial statements’ even if such turnover consists of adjustments/ revenue recognition on account of a requirement of an Accounting Standard (E.g.: AS 7 in case of ‘Construction Contracts’). It cannot and must not include “Deemed supplies under Schedule I” as SI. No. 5D separately covers such adjustments

Q19. What detailed are to be provided in SI. No.5B (Unbilled revenue at the beginning of Financial Year)?

Ans. Clause 5B requires addition of unbilled revenue at the beginning of Financial Year. Unbilled revenue which was recorded in the books of accounts on the basis of accrual system of accounting in the earlier financial year for which the invoice is issued under GST law is required to be declared here. In other words, when GST is payable during the financial year on such revenue (which was recognized as income in the earlier year), the value of such revenue is to be declared here.

Q 20. What are the adjustments to be included / excluded from SI. No.5C of Form GSTR-9C?

Ans. Advances received can be for various purposes. Therefore, the Advances on which GST is liable should only be considered for the adjustment. The illustrations of advances to be included / excluded are as follows:

Include for Adjustment

1.	Advance received in respect of services for which the supply has not been made as on 31^St March 2018	Revenue not recognized in books, but offered to tax for GST
2.	Advance received for Goods before 15^th Nov 2017 and the supply of goods not complete as on 31^st March 2018	Revenue not recognized in books, but offered to tax for GST

Do NOT include for Adjustment

Sl. No.	Particular’s	Reason
1.	Advance received for EXEMTED services as on 31^St March 2018	GST is not applicable
2.	Advance received for Goods after 15^th Nov 2017	GST is not applicable
3.	Financial Advances received which are not adjustable against any services	NOT a GST Transaction

Q 21. Provide illustration of transactions to be reported in SI. No.5D of Form GSTR-9C (Deemed Supply under Schedule I)?

Ans. The illustrations of transactions to be reported in SI. No.5D of Form GSTR-9C are as follows

Transfer of machinery from Agra Branch to Bengaluru Branch without consideration for indefinite usage in production activity is a supply although there is no consideration involved.
An Architect located in New Jersey, USA may provide architect services to say, his brother who is a Builder in India and is a taxable person.
Foreign branch supplying manpower to Head Office located at Hyderabad.
Cloud servers and data storage facilities are commonly shared by the group of Each region is allocated its share of cost. In such instances, it is possible that due to difference in financial year closure in various other branches, the relevant cost of the Indian entity may not be recorded. The Auditor needs to ensure that by year end, these costs are also reckoned – GST is paid and the relevant input tax credit is claimed.

Q 22 What is the methodology to extract turnover from April 2017 to June 2017?

Ans. Adjustments are to be made based on the point of taxation under excise law, State level VAT law and service tax law to arrive at taxable values as per the erstwhile laws. The said value must be entered under this head.

It may be noted that tax is liable to be paid on removal in case of excise/ on sale under VAT law/ on provision of service or issue of invoice as the case may be under service tax law provisions and not on accrual basis or cash basis (which is the basis of accounting and hence basis of annual turnover as per financial statements). Thus, the criteria for reducing turnover for the period April 2017 to June 2017 from the total turnover would be based on taxability under the erstwhile laws as per point of taxation under the said laws but not when the revenue was recognised as per relevant accounting standards.

Amounts forming part of turnover relating to works contracts, where consideration was received during the period April 2017 to June 2017, but either supplies were effected or services were rendered after June 2017, needs to be deducted under this SI. No. This is because the said consideration was liable to tax on receipt basis as per service tax law. However, the same value needs to be added back in SI. No. 5(0), since the aforesaid supplies would be liable to tax under GST law also as per Section 142(11)(c). At this juncture, it is important to note that the relevant service tax and value added tax paid on such advances for which supplies are effected during the GST regime would be available as CGST / SGST credit as per section 142(11)(c) of the CGST Act.

Q 23 What is the effect of Credit notes issued in relation to exempt supplies, zero-rated supplies and non-GST outward supplies?

Ans. Supply of exempt, zero-rated and non-GST outward supply of goods and / or services are not liable to GST. In such a scenario, the credit notes issued for

claiming reduction in the taxable value shall be recorded in the audited annual financial statements. Such credit notes should be declared against Pt. II SI. No. 5J of Form GSTR 9C.

Q 24 What are the implications upon issuance of financial credit notes?

Ans. Financial credit notes would not adjust the amount of GST involved in the original tax invoice issued at the time of supply of goods and / or services. Accordingly, the transaction value of supply of goods and / or services shall stand reduced although tax paid thereon remains the same. This may result in higher amount of GST being paid considering the adjusted value of original supply. Since, the value of financial credit notes is to be reduced from the financial statements and not the GST Annual returns, it is required to be adjusted in 5J of Form GSTR 9C.

Q 25 Provide an illustration of reconciliation of turnover arising in GSTR-9C due to the valuation provisions.

Ans. A suitable illustration can be taken in the case of construction contracts wherein the contractor is given a contract by a developer for construction of building and he is responsible for the procurement of all the materials required for such construction. However, the developer issues cement free of cost to such contractor in the given case.

Treatment in Books Contractor – No Entry

Developer – Procurement of Cement will be treated as an inward supply of cement and the issuance of the Cement to Contractor will form part of the cost of goods supplied.

Treatment for GST

Contractor – Add the value of cement so received for the computation of GST

Developer – Consider the supply of cement as an outward supply. The contractor’s invoice (including cement) is an inward supply for construction.

Q 26 Should the taxable person disclose details of Notice pay recovery from employees in GSTR-9C? If yes, where should it be reported?

Ans. If the taxable person has considered the notice pay recovered from employees as a taxable supply but has not disclosed the same as an income in the Profit and Loss account, it would be reported under SI.No.50 of GSTR-9C for the purpose of reconciliation. Data for such recoveries can be ascertained from credits in the Salary / Wages ledger maintained in the books of accounts.

27 Is there any transaction which appears under the expense head, but has an impact on the outward taxable supplies for the purpose of GST?

Ans. Yes, one of the cases can be incentives / Rebate received from supplier which is considered as a supply under GST. Incentives / rebate received from the supplier can amount to a taxable supply under the GST. Where the taxable person has reduced the incentive / rebate received from the cost of purchase in the books of accounts, the said amount will be added under SI. No. 50 so as to reconcile with value declared in Form GSTR 9.

Q 28. Is there any reconciliation required in GSTR-9C in case of sale of capital goods?

Ans. In respect of sale of capital goods, only the profit / loss arising on the sale of such capital goods is disclosed in the Profit and Loss account. However, the GST on supply of capital goods is leviable on the transaction value or input tax credit is reversed as per the formula prescribed in Section 18(6) of the CGST Act. In order to reconcile the difference, the profit / loss arising on sale of such capital goods has to be adjusted along with the transaction value on which GST has been paid under SI.No.50 to reconcile with the amount disclosed in Form GSTR 9. Data for such transactions can be ascertained from the deletions disclosed in the Fixed Asset schedule.

Q 29. What is the effect of return of pre-GST inward supplies by a taxable person?

Ans. As per the transition provisions [Section 142(1)], taxable person is required to consider return of pre-GST inward supplies as an outward supply and raise a tax invoice for the same. However, for the purpose of accounts, the same would be considered as a purchase return and reduced from the total purchase value instead of being disclosed as a revenue in the books of accounts. In such a situation, the aggregate value of the returns which has been considered as an outward supply under GST has to be adjusted in SI. No. 50 for the purpose of reconciliation.

Q 30. What is the effect of Inputs and Capital Goods which is sent to a job worker but is not returned within the prescribed period?

Ans. As per Section 143(3) and 143(4) of the CGST Act, where inputs or capital goods are sent to job worker and such goods are not received within the prescribed period of one year or three years respectively, it will be deemed as a supply on the date when such goods were sent to the job worker. However, such supply may not be treated as an income in the audited annual Financial Statements. In such a situation, the value on which GST is liable to be paid on the goods sent to the job worker is liable to be added under SI No 50. Data for such transactions can be ascertained from the inventory records and Form ITC-04.

Q 31. What is the effect of non-receipt of consideration in convertible foreign exchange within the prescribed time-limit for export of services and its effect on GSTR-9C?

Ans. In terms of Rule 96A, it is specified that a taxable person would be liable to pay
applicable tax along with interest within fifteen days from the following date:

– In case of services – after the expiry of one year or such further period as may be allowed by the Commissioner from the date of issue of export invoice, if the payment is not received by the exporter in convertible foreign exchange.

If the tax is remitted in terms of Rule 96A of CGST / SGST Rules, the relevant zero-rated supplies should not be declared against SI.No.7C since the tax on such supplies have been remitted. Being an inter-State supply that has failed the condition of repatriation of forex (only in case of services), output tax will become payable on transactions earlier considered as export of services.

Q 32. Provide a few illustrations of unreconciled differences to be reported in SI No.8 of Form GSTR-9C.

Ans. Following illustrations can be considered for having the reconciliation differences to be reported in SI No.8 of Form GSTR-9C:

a) Zero-rated supply made by the Registered person during the previous year. However, conditions relevant for the supply has not been complied by the Registered person, can be construed to be a regular supply.

b) Transaction reported in a Delivery challan during the financial year for supply on sale or approval basis beyond a period of six months shall be deemed to be a supply under GST. However, that may not be a sale for revenue recognition in the books of accounts for such transaction. Assuming GST returns carry the supply details and no revenue recognition has been done in the books of accounts, this shall call for the reconciliation.

c) Exemption conditions not fulfilled by the Registered person while exercising the option to supply either a Nil rated of Exemption, shall be reported as Regular Supply.

Q 33. How to validate the details of Gross turnover as per books of accounts?

Ans. Ideally the ledger accounts for outward tax liability in the books of accounts should be maintained GST rate wise. It minimizes the chances of errors in classification due to over-sight in the books of accounts and ensures that the data generated from books of accounts is correct and consistent. The rate of tax should also be mapped with HSN to ensure that errors of HSN classification is also minimized.

Generally, in various accounting softwares and ERPs, facility to generate report of GST rate wise outward tax liability along with taxable value or transaction value is available. The same can be relied upon as document. The total of said report should be matched with the total turnover declared in the books of accounts. Further, the amount of tax should also be matched with total credits in the GST Liability register in the books of accounts.

In cases where no report of rate wise GST liability along with taxable value can be generated or where the liability ledger is not maintained rate wise, the GST Auditor should use substantive audit tools to check if the details of various invoices issued by the Registered Persons have been consistently and accurately booked in the books of accounts. After applying substantive test, the Auditor may become satisfied that proper recording of transactions has taken place and reports duly prepared by the Registered Person for rate wise amount of tax Liability and taxable amount is made available to him. In such a case, the Auditor can rely on the same with a separate disclosure that rate wise tax liability has not been maintained in the books of accounts.

In cases where no rate wise tax liability and taxable value is maintained in the books of accounts and registered Person is engaged in making outward supplies of goods or services or both of different rates, then the Auditor may consider making a disclosure. Due to the lack of availability of rate wise tax liability from the books of accounts, the Auditor should state that he is not in a position to punch the details in the given table.

Q 34. How to validate details of Deemed Supplies and adjust the valuation amount?

Ans. In case of deemed supplies under Schedule-I, there can be a situation that tax amount in relation to the said deemed supplies is becoming part of the tax Liability Register but may not be a part of overall turnover of the Registered Person in the books of accounts. In such cases, the rate wise taxable value of the said transactions should be calculated either on the basis of Invoice issued under Section 31 of the CGST Act 2017 and respective SGST Acts 2017 or can be

calculated by reverse method. (i.e. calculating the value of taxable supply from the rate of tax). Same shall be applicable in case where the adjustments of Section 15 or valuation Rules is made for tax purpose.

Q 35. Registered Person has classified EPC Contract of Solar Power Plants as Supply of Goods classifiable under Chapter 85 and has reflected it under 5% GST rate. However, throughout country in various advance rulings, the EPC of Solar Power Plant has been treated as a Supply of Works Contract Service leviable to GST at the rate of 18%. Auditor is also of the view that it is a works contract service. What should an Auditor do?

Ans. In case Registered Person agrees with the contention of Auditor: The EPC of Solar Power Plant should be shown as Works Contract Service under 18% rate. It shall lead to non-reconciliation and disclosure within the Auditor recommendation which will lead to payment of additional tax.

In case Registered Person does not agree with the contention of Auditor: The rate classification should be 5% under table 9 as understood by management and Auditor should consider a suitable disclosure by way of a qualification in the main certificate under the opinion paragraph that according to him the rate of GST should be 18% and classification should be works contract service with reasoning thereof.

Q 36. Due to the nature of business of a Registered Person, types of supply, complexities of transactions and size of operations, the Auditor is unable to identify or comment upon each and every classification of outward and inward supplies. How should Auditor approach to punch data in Table 9?

Ans. The Auditor in such a case, may put in his comments in the main Certificate under opinion paragraph (4 or 5, as the case maybe). He can state that the classification aspect has been considered as noticed during audit and is subject to the information and declaration or management representation as provided by the Registered Person. It should be clearly specified that all aspects of classification have not been considered.

Q 37. Provide some illustrations where non-reconciliation is reported in Table 6 in Form GSTR 9C but shall not require any additional tax payment.

Ans. Few illustrations where non-reconciliation is reported in Table 6 in Form GSTR 9C but shall not require any additional tax payment are as under:

Where the difference is on account of exempt/non taxable/no supply turnover
Where the entry passed in the books of accounts is incorrect and the GST returns have been filed correctly
Where the amount of tax paid as per the GST returns is higher than the taxes paid as per the books of accounts

In the given cases, no reporting is required to be done in Table 11.

Q 38. What is the source of information for filling SI No. 12B of Form GSTR-9C (ITC booked in earlier Financial Years claimed in current Financial Year)?

Ans. The details for filling SI No. 12B of Form GSTR-9C shall be drawn from the claims of TRAN I which were booked in earlier periods. This will contain closing balance of Cenvat Credit and VAT credit which is carried forward as per Section 140(1) of the CGST and SGST Acts. Other TRAN-1 credits which are not booked during the earlier period should not be reflected in SI No. 12B of Form GSTR 9C.

From FY 2018-19 and onwards, this column would be the same amount as reported in column 12C of Form 9C of previous financial year.

Q 39. Is there a separate reporting to be made in GSTR 9C of ITC accounted in books in the current financial year (i.e. July 2017-18) and not claimed in return in Form GSTR 3B in 2017-18 but claimed in the next financial year 2018-19 (April 2018 to September 2018)?

Ans. Separate disclosure should be made in Part IV SI. No. 12 C of Form GSTR 9C in respect of all such supplies. This credit can also relate to goods which are in

transit as at the close of financial year and which are received in the next year. Thereby, it is to be availed as a bona fide credit in the next financial year.

Q 40. What can be the reasons for difference in ITC in Form GSTR 9C being reported in Part IV Sl. No. 12 D ‘ITC availed as per audited financial statements or books of accounts’and ITC reported in Part IV Sl. No. 12 E ‘ITC claimed in Annual Return (GSTR 9)’?

Ans. The reasons for difference in ITC in Form GSTR 9C being reported in Part IV SI. No. 12 D & 12E could be as follows:

a) Duplicate ITC incorrectly availed in returns

b) Differences in the ITC treatment of certain inward supplies as per books of accounts and GSTR-3B (for e.g. claimed as credit in books and taken as an ineligible credit in GSTR-3B)

c) ITC claimed in GSTR-3B but recorded as expenses in the books of accounts.

Q 41. Where should the ineligible ITC identified by an auditor which are claimed as eligible by the dealer in GSTR 3B and in Form GSTR 9 be reported in Form GSTR 9C?

Ans. Total amount of ITC availed by the dealer will have to be reported in column 3 Part IV of SI.14 of Form GSTR 9C and eligible ITC as determined by the auditor will have to be reported in column 4 Part IV of SI.14 of Form GSTR 9C. Thus, the difference between column 3 Part IV of SI.14 9C and column 4 Part IV of SI.14 of Form GSTR 9C will be ineligible ITC identified by the auditor. Suitable disclosures should be made in the certificate by the auditor.

Q 42. Where the liability on account of disallowance of ITC by auditor arises, should the same be remitted?

Ans. Part V of GSTR 9C provides for auditors recommendation on additional liability wherein liability arising on account of non-reconciliation of ITC has to be remitted in cash. Whether cash will include payment through ITC as well is yet to be

clarified by the Government or can only be known once the form becomes live on the GST portal.

Q 43. Is the determination of additional liability determined by the Auditor binding on the Registered person?

Ans. At the outset, it can be inferred from the heading to Part V of GSTR 9C that the Auditor only has a recommendatory power while furnishing his report. Any recommendations given by the Auditor may or may not be acceptable to the Registered Person. If it is acceptable, the payment of tax is to be made by the registered person.

However, if it is not acceptable then the question arises as to how the Auditor resolves the issue. At this juncture, the Auditor needs to exercise his professional diligence, skill, legal knowledge and care in determination of any additional tax liability which in his opinion, may be payable by the Registered Person. The Registered Person has an option to accept, reject or partially accept the recommended additional tax liability. In line with such recommendations though not explicitly stated anywhere in the relevant Form or GST laws —

(i) the Registered Person can choose to make the payment of the additional tax liability in full or in part;

(ii) the Registered Person can even choose to reject the complete recommendations of the Auditor and not make the payment at all.

Before an Auditor ventures into recommending any additional tax liability due care, caution and diligence must be exercised. For instance, in respect of commodity classification based on HSN if an Auditor believes that there are two possibilities then he may choose to place reliance on an expert opinion obtained by the Registered Person. In such a situation a proper disclosure may suffice.

However, when looked at from the perspective of the Government, the recommendation shall form the foundation for an effective show cause notice and enquiry into the affairs of the Registered Person.

Q 44. In which of the situations will Part I and Part II of the Certification part be applicable?

Ans. Part I certification is to be certified by a Chartered Accountant / firm of Chartered Accountant wherein the audit of books of accounts, financial statements and reconciliation statement in Form GSTR 9C are certified by the same Chartered Accountant / firm of Chartered Accountant.

Part II certification is to be certified by a Chartered Accountant / firm of Chartered Accountant or a Cost Accountant/ firm of Cost Accountants if the audit of books of accounts, financial statements and reconciliation statement in Form GSTR 9C are certified by some other Chartered Accountant / firm of Chartered Accountant.

Q 45. Can the Internal Auditor of the dealer certify Form GSTR 9C?

Ans. An internal Auditor cannot certify Form GSTR 9C as per the instructions issued by ICAI.

Q 46. Does the submission of the Form GSTR 9C lead to the understanding that the Commissioner or any officer authorized by him will not undertake an audit under Section 65 of the CGST Act?

Ans. No, provisions relating to departmental audit under section 65 and provisions relating to audit under section 35(5) are two independent provisions. Audit under section 35(5) is required when aggregate turnover is greater than Rs.2 crores whereas there is no such condition for audit under section 65. Further audit under section 65 is by the department whereas audit under section 35(5) is by a Chartered Accountant/ Cost Accountant. Thus, submission of Form GSTR 9C will not in any manner curtail the right of the department to conduct an audit.

Q 47. Can Form GSTR-9C be certified by a different Chartered Accountant for another distinct person of the same entity?

Ans. There is no restriction under the CGST Act or under the ICAI regulation in relation to certification of Form GSTR-9C by different Chartered Accountant for another distinct person of the same entity.

Q 48. Who is responsible to submit Form GSTR-9C?

Ans. It will be the responsibility of the registered person to submit Form GSTR-9C. Auditor’s responsibility will be to provide the certified copies of Form GSTR-9C to the registered person or upload the same on the website. However, the submission of the same must be made by the registered person.

Q 49. In case of Multi Location entities, what should be the specific area of examination?

Ans. Audit of Multi Location entities would require examination (among others) of the following:

i) Cost incurred commonly at or by the Head Office – E.g. Marketing and Brand Building Costs;

ii) Head Office providing support to Branches – E.g. Centralized Accounting Services; HR Services etc.,

iii) Branches without billings to third parties;

iv) Branches with billings to third parties;

v) Identification of Branches which have not been registered;

vi) E-Way bill to track supplies which have been marked as stock transfers;

vii) Credit of ‘State A’ availed in ‘State B’ especially in cases of where the place of supply is State B (E.g. Accommodation Services of employee of ‘State A’ availed as credit in ‘State B’);

viii) Basis of bifurcation of credits into ISD;

ix) Valuation of Supply especially when credits are not available in the hands of the receiving Branches.

(

Checklist: GST Annual return/Audit for FY 2017-18

Posted on 27th Nov 2018 by Business So Simple in Miscellaneous

GST Annual return (Form GSTR-9/9A)/GST Audit (Form 9C)

GST Annual return (Form GSTR-9/9A)

Financial period: FY 01/07/2017 to 31/03/2018

Last date of filing annual return: 31 Dec 2018

Forms for Filing of GST Annual Return

Regular Taxpayer paying taxes under Normal Scheme: Form GSTR-9

Taxpayer paying taxes under Composition Scheme: Form GSTR-9A

Late fees for filing of Annual return:

CGST	Rs. 100/- per day –Maximum 0.25% of turnover
SGST	Rs. 100/- per day –Maximum 0.25% of turnover

Consequence of failure to submit the annual GST return:

Penalty up to Rs 25,000/- (Section 125 of CGST Act, 2017)

Required documents/information GST Annual return

1.GST Return copy (GSTR-1, GSTR-3B, GSTR-4 from July 2017 to Sept 2018)

2. Purchase bill (GST bill/other bill-unregistered)

3. Invoice copy, debit, credit notes, Advance receipt/payment receipt

4. Bank statement/Cash book-showing payment to vendors to check eligible ITC

5. GST ledger, Sales book, purchase book, ITC register (Books of account manitanied by assessee)

6.Copy of Income tax return, Balance sheet, Profit and Loss book, Tax audit report (Applicable, if any)

Required details for GST return (Form 9)

1. Basic Details

2. Details of outward and inward supplies declared during the Financial Year

– Supplies made to un- registered persons (B2C)

– Supplies made to registered persons (B2B)

– Unadjusted Advances

– Inward Supplies liable to reverse charge mechanism (RCM)

– Debit/Credit Notes

– Exempted/ Nil Rated/ Non-GST Supplies

– Total Turnover (including advances)

3. Details of ITC as declared in returns filed during the Financial Year

– Inward Supplies (Classification-inputs/input services/ capital goods.)

– Other ITC availed

(Note: It is important to note that the ITC which was available but not availed or was available but ineligible shall be lapsed as at the end of the Financial Year. From this it can be implied that, the reconciliation of GSTR-2A with GSTR-3B to ascertain the correct amount of credit was required to be done at the time of filing the return for the month of September. The remaining credit which was not taken in the month of September would now be lapsed and have to be booked as an expense resulting in loss of credit and profitability at the same time.

Contrary to the said situation, it is not clear, whether a taxpayer can avail the eligible credit in excess of the credit specified in GSTR-2A or not as the difference in Table 8 would be shown as negative in such case. This is owing to the fact that the taxpayer may have availed the correct amount of credit based on the invoice but the invoice may not appear in the GSTR-2A. The matter requires clarity as the taxpayer cannot be made deprived of the eligible ITC)

4. Details of tax paid as declared in returns filed during the financial year

Details of tax payable and paid bifurcated into cash/credit utilization

5. Particulars of the transactions for the previous Financial Year declared in returns of April to September of current Financial Year or up to the date of filing of annual return of previous Financial Year whichever is earlier

– Amendments (addition/deletion) pertaining to any supplies declared in the returns of the earlier Financial Year

– ITC availed for previous Financial Year

6. Other Information

Others- details in relation to the refund claimed (which inter alia shall include the aggregate amount of refund filed during the Financial Year viz, sanctioned/ rejected/ pending for processing excluding provisional and non-GST refund claims).

HSN Summary: Rate-wise HSN summary of all inward and outward supplies during the Financial Year.

GST Audit ( Form GSTR 9C )

Required documents/information GST Audit

1. Audited accounts-B/s,P& L, Tax audit, Statutory audit report

2. GST Return copy (GSTR-1, GSTR-3B from July 2017 to Sept 2018)

3. Purchase bill (GST bill/other bill-unregistered)

4. Invoice copy, debit, credit notes, Advance receipt/payment receipt

5. Bank statement/Cash book-showing payment to vendors to check eligible ITC

6. GST ledger, Sales book, purchase book, ITC register

Details -GSTR 9C

– Taxpayers whose annual turnover exceeds Rs 2 crores during the financial year

– All such taxpayers are also required to get their accounts audited and file a copy of audited annual accounts and reconciliation statement of tax already paid and tax payable as per audited accounts along with GSTR 9C.

– This form is divided into mainly 2 parts-

PART-A: RECONCILIATION STATEMENT

Part-I: Basic details

Part-II: Reconciliation of turnover declared in the Audited Annual Financial Statement with turnover declared in Annual Return (GSTR-9)

Part-III: Reconciliation of tax paid

Part-IV: Reconciliation of Input Tax Credit (ITC)

Part-V: Auditor’s recommendation on additional Liability due to non-reconciliation

PART-B: CERTIFICATION

The GSTR-9C can be certified by the same CA who conducted the GST audit or it can be also certified by any other CA who did not conduct the GST Audit for that particular GSTIN.

The difference between both is that in case the CA certifying the GSTR-9C did not conduct the GST audit, he must have based an opinion on the Books of Accounts audited by another CA in the reconciliation statement. The format for certification report will vary depending on who the certifier is.

MAJOR PROBLEM/ISSUE WHILE CARRRING OUT GST AUDIT

Major problem faced while carrying out GST audit for the financial year 2017-18

· HSN of inward supplies is required in the annual return GSTR 9 which was not needed while filing monthly GSTR 3B.

· Multiple audits under indirect tax laws: VAT audits and Service Tax audit may be required to be carried out for the first quarter and GST audit for the next three quarters;

· The difference in the annual return as per the books of accounts and GST data filed during the financial year.

· Segregated details of ITC availed are required as Inputs/Input services/ Capital Goods

· Reporting of the amended transactions relevant to the FY 2017-18 filed in the returns of April to September of current FY or up to the filing of annual return of FY 2017-18 i.e. 31 Dec 2018, whichever is earlier.

· Complex procedural compliance under GST

· Lack of clarity in the GST law, frequent changes in the law, issuance of more than 300+ notifications;

· Failure of the matching concept – whether it would be possible to identify if the supplier has failed to remit taxes to determine eligibility of credits;

· Reliability of the audit software is not tested;

· Absence of/incomplete mandatory records;

· High volume of procedural lapses and non compliances by the assesses, incorrect documents/documentation procedures;

· Transitional issues (law does address all types of transactions).

KARMA IN ITS EFFECT ON CHARACTER

Posted on 17th Nov 2018 by Business So Simple in Miscellaneous

KARMA IN ITS EFFECT ON CHARACTER

The word Karma is derived from the Sanskrit Kri, to do; all action is Karma. Technically, this word also means the effects of actions. In connection with metaphysics, it sometimes means the effects, of which our past actions were the causes. But in Karma-Yoga we have simply to do with the word Karma as meaning work. The goal of mankind is knowledge. That is the one ideal placed before us by Eastern philosophy. Pleasure is not the goal of man, but knowledge. Pleasure and happiness come to an end. It is a mistake to suppose that pleasure is the goal. The cause of all the miseries we have in the world is that men foolishly think pleasure to be the ideal to strive for. After a time man finds that it is not happiness, but knowledge, towards which he is going, and that both pleasure and pain are great teachers, and that he learns as much from evil as from good. As pleasure and pain pass before his soul they have upon it different pictures, and the result of these combined impressions is what is called man’s “character”. If you take the character of any man, it really is but the aggregate of tendencies, the sum total of the bent of his mind; you will find that misery and happiness are equal factors in the formation of that character. Good and evil have an equal share in moulding character, and in some instances misery is a greater teacher than happiness. In studying the great characters the world has produced, I dare say, in the vast majority of cases, it would be found that it was misery that taught more than happiness, it was poverty that taught more than wealth, it was blows that brought out their inner fire more than praise.

Now this knowledge, again, is inherent in man. No knowledge comes from outside; it is all inside. What we say a man “knows”, should, in strict psychological language, be what he “discovers” or “unveils”; what a man “learns” is really what he “discovers”, by taking the cover off his own soul, which is a mine of infinite knowledge.

We say Newton discovered gravitation. Was it sitting anywhere in a corner waiting for him? It was in his own mind; the time came and he found it out. All knowledge that the world has ever received comes from the mind; the infinite library of the universe is in your own mind. The external world is simply the suggestion, the occasion, which sets you to study your own mind, but the object of your study is always your own mind. The falling of an apple gave the suggestion to Newton, and he studied his own mind. He rearranged all the previous links of thought in his mind and discovered a new link among them, which we call the law of gravitation. It was not in the apple nor in anything in the centre of the earth.

All knowledge, therefore, secular or spiritual, is in the human mind. In many cases it is not discovered, but remains covered, and when the covering is being slowly taken off, we say, “We are learning,” and the advance of knowledge is made by the advance of this process of uncovering. The man from whom this veil is being lifted is the more knowing man, the man upon whom it lies thick is ignorant, and the man from whom it has entirely gone is all-knowing, omniscient. There have been omniscient men, and, I believe, there will be yet; and that there will be myriads of them in the cycles to come. Like fire in a piece of flint, knowledge exists in the mind; suggestion is the friction which brings it out. So with all our feelings and action — our tears and our smiles, our joys and our griefs, our weeping and our laughter, our curses and our blessings, our praises and our blames — every one of these we may find, if we calmly study our own selves, to have been brought out from within ourselves by so many blows. The result is what we are. All these blows taken together are called Karma — work, action. Every mental and physical blow that is given to the soul, by which, as it were, fire is struck from it, and by which its own power and knowledge are discovered, is Karma, this word being used in its widest sense. Thus we are all doing Karma all the time. I am talking to you: that is Karma. You are listening: that is Karma. We breathe: that is Karma. We walk: Karma. Everything we do, physical or mental, is Karma, and it leaves its marks on us.

There are certain works which are, as it were, the aggregate, the sum total, of a large number of smaller works. If we stand near the seashore and hear the waves dashing against the shingle, we think it is such a great noise, and yet we know that one wave is really composed of millions and millions of minute waves. Each one of these is making a noise, and yet we do not catch it; it is only when they become the big aggregate that we hear. Similarly, every pulsation of the heart is work. Certain kinds of work we feel and they become tangible to us; they are, at the same time, the aggregate of a number of small works. If you really want to judge of the character of a man, look not at his great performances. Every fool may become a hero at one time or another. Watch a man do his most common actions; those are indeed the things which will tell you the real character of a great man. Great occasions rouse even the lowest of human beings to some kind of greatness, but he alone is the really great man whose character is great always, the same wherever he be.

Karma in its effect on character is the most tremendous power that man has to deal with. Man is, as it were, a centre, and is attracting all the powers of the universe towards himself, and in this centre is fusing them all and again sending them off in a big current. Such a centre is the real man — the almighty, the omniscient — and he draws the whole universe towards him. Good and bad, misery and happiness, all are running towards him and clinging round him; and out of them he fashions the mighty stream of tendency called character and throws it outwards. As he has the power of drawing in anything, so has he the power of throwing it out.

All the actions that we see in the world, all the movements in human society, all the works that we have around us, are simply the display of thought, the manifestation of the will of man. Machines or instruments, cities, ships, or men-of-war, all these are simply the manifestation of the will of man; and this will is caused by character, and character is manufactured by Karma. As is Karma, so is the manifestation of the will. The men of mighty will the world has produced have all been tremendous workers — gigantic souls, with wills powerful enough to overturn worlds, wills they got by persistent work, through ages, and ages. Such a gigantic will as that of a Buddha or a Jesus could not be obtained in one life, for we know who their fathers were. It is not known that their fathers ever spoke a word for the good of mankind. Millions and millions of carpenters like Joseph had gone; millions are still living. Millions and millions of petty kings like Buddha’s father had been in the world. If it was only a case of hereditary transmission, how do you account for this petty prince, who was not, perhaps, obeyed by his own servants, producing this son, whom half a world worships? How do you explain the gulf between the carpenter and his son, whom millions of human beings worship as God? It cannot be solved by the theory of heredity. The gigantic will which Buddha and Jesus threw over the world, whence did it come? Whence came this accumulation of power? It must have been there through ages and ages, continually growing bigger and bigger, until it burst on society in a Buddha or a Jesus, even rolling down to the present day.

All this is determined by Karma, work. No one can get anything unless he earns it. This is an eternal law. We may sometimes think it is not so, but in the long run we become convinced of it. A man may struggle all his life for riches; he may cheat thousands, but he finds at last that he did not deserve to become rich, and his life becomes a trouble and a nuisance to him. We may go on accumulating things for our physical enjoyment, but only what we earn is really ours. A fool may buy all the books in the world, and they will be in his library; but he will be able to read only those that he deserves to; and this deserving is produced by Karma. Our Karma determines what we deserve and what we can assimilate. We are responsible for what we are; and whatever we wish ourselves to be, we have the power to make ourselves. If what we are now has been the result of our own past actions, it certainly follows that whatever we wish to be in future can be produced by our present actions; so we have to know how to act. You will say, “What is the use of learning how to work? Everyone works in some way or other in this world.” But there is such a thing as frittering away our energies. With regard to Karma-Yoga, the Gita says that it is doing work with cleverness and as a science; by knowing how to work, one can obtain the greatest results. You must remember that all work is simply to bring out the power of the mind which is already there, to wake up the soul. The power is inside every man, so is knowing; the different works are like blows to bring them out, to cause these giants to wake up.

Man works with various motives. There cannot be work without motive. Some people want to get fame, and they work for fame. Others want money, and they work for money. Others want to have power, and they work for power. Others want to get to heaven, and they work for the same. Others want to leave a name when they die, as they do in China, where no man gets a title until he is dead; and that is a better way, after all, than with us. When a man does something very good there, they give a title of nobility to his father, who is dead, or to his grandfather. Some people work for that. Some of the followers of certain Mohammedan sects work all their lives to have a big tomb built for them when they die. I know sects among whom, as soon as a child is born, a tomb is prepared for it; that is among them the most important work a man has to do, and the bigger and the finer the tomb, the better off the man is supposed to be. Others work as a penance; do all sorts of wicked things, then erect a temple, or give something to the priests to buy them off and obtain from them a passport to heaven. They think that this kind of beneficence will clear them and they will go scot-free in spite of their sinfulness. Such are some of the various motives for work.

Work for work’s sake. There are some who are really the salt of the earth in every country and who work for work’s sake, who do not care for name, or fame, or even to go to heaven. They work just because good will come of it. There are others who do good to the poor and help mankind from still higher motives, because they believe in doing good and love good. The motive for name and fame seldom brings immediate results, as a rule; they come to us when we are old and have almost done with life. If a man works without any selfish motive in view, does he not gain anything? Yes, he gains the highest. Unselfishness is more paying, only people have not the patience to practice it. It is more paying from the point of view of health also. Love, truth, and unselfishness are not merely moral figures of speech, but they form our highest ideal, because in them lies such a manifestation of power. In the first place, a man who can work for five days, or even for five minutes, without any selfish motive whatever, without thinking of future, of heaven, of punishment, or anything of the kind, has in him the capacity to become a powerful moral giant. It is hard to do it, but in the heart of our hearts we know its value, and the good it brings. It is the greatest manifestation of power — this tremendous restraint; self-restraint is a manifestation of greater power than all outgoing action. A carriage with four horses may rush down a hill unrestrained, or the coachman may curb the horses. Which is the greater manifestation of power, to let them go or to hold them? A cannonball flying through the air goes a long distance and falls. Another is cut short in its flight by striking against a wall, and the impact generates intense heat. All outgoing energy following a selfish motive is frittered away; it will not cause power to return to you; but if restrained, it will result in development of power. This self-control will tend to produce a mighty will, a character which makes a Christ or a Buddha. Foolish men do not know this secret; they nevertheless want to rule mankind. Even a fool may rule the whole world if he works and waits. Let him wait a few years, restrain that foolish idea of governing; and when that idea is wholly gone, he will be a power in the world. The majority of us cannot see beyond a few years, just as some animals cannot see beyond a few steps. Just a little narrow circle — that is our world. We have not the patience to look beyond, and thus become immoral and wicked. This is our weakness, our powerlessness.

Even the lowest forms of work are not to be despised. Let the man, who knows no better, work for selfish ends, for name and fame; but everyone should always try to get towards higher and higher motives and to understand them. “To work we have the right, but not to the fruits thereof:” Leave the fruits alone. Why care for results? If you wish to help a man, never think what that man’s attitude should be towards you. If you want to do a great or a good work, do not trouble to think what the result will be.

There arises a difficult question in this ideal of work. Intense activity is necessary; we must always work. We cannot live a minute without work. What then becomes of rest? Here is one side of the life-struggle — work, in which we are whirled rapidly round. And here is the other — that of calm, retiring renunciation: everything is peaceful around, there is very little of noise and show, only nature with her animals and flowers and mountains. Neither of them is a perfect picture. A man used to solitude, if brought in contact with the surging whirlpool of the world, will be crushed by it; just as the fish that lives in the deep sea water, as soon as it is brought to the surface, breaks into pieces, deprived of the weight of water on it that had kept it together. Can a man who has been used to the turmoil and the rush of life live at ease if he comes to a quiet place? He suffers and perchance may lose his mind. The ideal man is he who, in the midst of the greatest silence and solitude, finds the intensest activity, and in the midst of the intensest activity finds the silence and solitude of the desert. He has learnt the secret of restraint, he has controlled himself. He goes through the streets of a big city with all its traffic, and his mind is as calm as if he were in a cave, where not a sound could reach him; and he is intensely working all the time. That is the ideal of Karma-Yoga, and if you have attained to that you have really learnt the secret of work.

But we have to begin from the beginning, to take up the works as they come to us and slowly make ourselves more unselfish every day. We must do the work and find out the motive power that prompts us; and, almost without exception, in the first years, we shall find that our motives are always selfish; but gradually this selfishness will melt by persistence, till at last will come the time when we shall be able to do really unselfish work. We may all hope that some day or other, as we struggle through the paths of life, there will come a time when we shall become perfectly unselfish; and the moment we attain to that, all our powers will be concentrated, and the knowledge which is ours will be manifest.

(Sources: http://www.advaitaashrama.org

Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda)

Srimad Bhagavatam: Cont. 1 Creation, Ch 1 Questions by the sages

Posted on 29th Oct 2018 by Business So Simple in Miscellaneous

Srimad Bhagavatam: Cont. 1 Creation, Ch 1 Questions by the sages

October 28, 2018

Text 1

॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥ ।

जन्माद्यस्य यतोऽन्वयादितरतश्चार्थेष्वभिज्ञः स्वराट्

तेने ब्रह्म हृदा य आदिकवये मुह्यन्ति यत्सूरयः ।

तेजोवारिमृदां यथा विनिमयो यत्र त्रिसर्गोऽमृषा

धाम्ना स्वेन सदा निरस्तकुहकं सत्यं परं धीमहि ॥ १.१.१ ॥

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

janmādy asya yato ’nvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ svarāṭ

tene brahma hṛdā ya ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ

tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ yathā vinimayo yatra tri-sargo ’mṛṣā

dhāmnā svena sadā nirasta-kuhakaṁ satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi

om — O my Lord; namaḥ — offering my obeisances; bhagavate — unto the Personality of Godhead; vāsudevāya — unto Vāsudeva (the son of Vasudeva), or Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the primeval Lord; janma–ādi — creation, sustenance and destruction; asya — of the manifested universes; yataḥ — from whom; anvayāt — directly; itarataḥ — indirectly; ca — and; artheṣu — purposes; abhijñaḥ — fully cognizant; sva–rāṭ — fully independent; tene — imparted; brahma — the Vedic knowledge; hṛdā — consciousness of the heart; yaḥ — one who; ādi–kavaye — unto the original created being; muhyanti — are illusioned; yat — about whom; sūrayaḥ — great sages and demigods; tejaḥ — fire; vāri — water; mṛdām — earth; yathā — as much as; vinimayaḥ — action and reaction; yatra — whereupon; tri–sargaḥ — three modes of creation, creative faculties; amṛṣā — almost factual; dhāmnā — along with all transcendental paraphernalia; svena — self-sufficiently; sadā— always; nirasta — negation by absence; kuhakam — illusion; satyam — truth; param — absolute; dhīmahi — I do meditate upon.

Translation

O my Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, son of Vasudeva, O all-pervading Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. I meditate upon Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa because He is the Absolute Truth and the primeval cause of all causes of the creation, sustenance and destruction of the manifested universes. He is directly and indirectly conscious of all manifestations, and He is independent because there is no other cause beyond Him. It is He only who first imparted the Vedic knowledge unto the heart of Brahmājī, the original living being. By Him even the great sages and demigods are placed into illusion, as one is bewildered by the illusory representations of water seen in fire, or land seen on water. Only because of Him do the material universes, temporarily manifested by the reactions of the three modes of nature, appear factual, although they are unreal. I therefore meditate upon Him, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is eternally existent in the transcendental abode, which is forever free from the illusory representations of the material world. I meditate upon Him, for He is the Absolute Truth.

Text 2

धर्मः प्रोज्झितकैतवोऽत्र परमो निर्मत्सराणां सतां

वेद्यं वास्तवमत्र वस्तु शिवदं तापत्रयोन्मूलनम् ।

श्रीमद्भागवते महामुनिकृते किं वा परैरीश्वरः

सद्यो हृद्यवरुध्यतेऽत्र कृतिभिः शुश्रूषुभिस्तत्क्षणात् ॥ १.१.२ ॥

dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo ’tra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ

vedyaṁ vāstavam atra vastu śivadaṁ tāpa-trayonmūlanam

śrīmad-bhāgavate mahā-muni-kṛte kiṁ vā parair īśvaraḥ

sadyo hṛdy avarudhyate ’tra kṛtibhiḥ śuśrūṣubhis tat-kṣaṇāt

Synonyms

dharmaḥ — religiosity; projjhita — completely rejected; kaitavaḥ — covered by fruitive intention; atra — herein; paramaḥ — the highest; nirmatsarāṇām — of the one-hundred-percent pure in heart; satām — devotees; vedyam — understandable; vāstavam — factual; atra — herein; vastu — substance; śivadam — well-being; tāpa–traya — threefold miseries; unmūlanam — causing uprooting of; śrīmat — beautiful; bhāgavate — the Bhāgavata Purāṇa; mahā–muni — the great sage (Vyāsadeva); kṛte — having compiled; kim — what is; vā — the need; paraiḥ — others; īśvaraḥ — the Supreme Lord; sadyaḥ — at once; hṛdi — within the heart; avarudhyate — becomes compact; atra — herein; kṛtibhiḥ — by the pious men; śuśrūṣubhiḥ — by culture; tat–kṣaṇāt — without delay.

Translation

Completely rejecting all religious activities which are materially motivated, this Bhāgavata Purāṇa propounds the highest truth, which is understandable by those devotees who are fully pure in heart. The highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all. Such truth uproots the threefold miseries. This beautiful Bhāgavatam, compiled by the great sage Vyāsadeva [in his maturity], is sufficient in itself for God realization. What is the need of any other scripture? As soon as one attentively and submissively hears the message of Bhāgavatam, by this culture of knowledge the Supreme Lord is established within his heart.

Text 3

निगमकल्पतरोर्गलितं फलं

शुकमुखादमृतद्रवसंयुतम् ।

पिबत भागवतं रसमालयं

मुहुरहो रसिका भुवि भावुकाः ॥ १.१.३ ॥

nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalaṁ

śuka-mukhād amṛta-drava-saṁyutam

pibata bhāgavataṁ rasam ālayam

muhur aho rasikā bhuvi bhāvukāḥ

Synonyms

nigama — the Vedic literatures; kalpa–taroḥ — the desire tree; galitam — fully matured; phalam — fruit; śuka — Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the original speaker of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam; mukhāt — from the lips of; amṛta — nectar; drava — semisolid and soft and therefore easily swallowable; saṁyutam — perfect in all respects; pibata — do relish it; bhāgavatam — the book dealing in the science of the eternal relation with the Lord; rasam — juice (that which is relishable); ālayam — until liberation, or even in a liberated condition; muhuḥ — always; aho — O; rasikāḥ — those who are full in the knowledge of mellows; bhuvi — on the earth; bhāvukāḥ — expert and thoughtful.

Translation

O expert and thoughtful men, relish Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the mature fruit of the desire tree of Vedic literatures. It emanated from the lips of Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Therefore this fruit has become even more tasteful, although its nectarean juice was already relishable for all, including liberated souls.

Text 4

नैमिषेऽनिमिषक्षेत्रे ऋशयः शौनकादयः

सत्रं स्वर्गाय लोकाय सहस्रसममासत ॥ १.१.४ ॥

naimiṣe ’nimiṣa-kṣetre

ṛṣayaḥ śaunakādayaḥ

satraṁ svargāya lokāya

sahasra-samam āsata

Synonyms

naimiṣe — in the forest known as Naimiṣāraṇya; animiṣa–kṣetre — the spot which is especially a favorite of Viṣṇu (who does not close His eyelids); ṛṣayaḥ — sages; śaunaka–ādayaḥ — headed by the sage Śaunaka; satram — sacrifice; svargāya— the Lord who is glorified in heaven; lokāya — and for the devotees who are always in touch with the Lord; sahasra — one thousand; samam — years; āsata — performed.

Translation

Once, in a holy place in the forest of Naimiṣāraṇya, great sages headed by the sage Śaunaka assembled to perform a great thousand-year sacrifice for the satisfaction of the Lord and His devotees.

Text 5

त एकदा तु मुनयः प्रातर्हुतहुताग्नयः

सत्कृतं सूतमासीनं पप्रच्छुरिदमादरात् ॥ १.१.५ ॥

ta ekadā tu munayaḥ

prātar huta-hutāgnayaḥ

sat-kṛtaṁ sūtam āsīnaṁ

papracchur idam ādarāt

Synonyms

te — the sages; ekadā — one day; tu — but; munayaḥ — sages; prātaḥ — morning; huta — burning; huta–agnayaḥ — the sacrificial fire; sat–kṛtam — due respects; sūtam — Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī; āsīnam — seated on; papracchuḥ — made inquiries; idam — on this (as follows); ādarāt — with due regards.

Translation

One day, after finishing their morning duties by burning a sacrificial fire and offering a seat of esteem to Śrīla Sūta Gosvāmī, the great sages made inquiries, with great respect, about the following matters.

Text 6

ऋषय ऊचुः ।

त्वया खलु पुराणानि सेतिहासानि चानघ

आख्यातान्यप्यधीतानि धर्मशास्त्राणि यान्युत ॥ १.१.६ ॥

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ

tvayā khalu purāṇāni

setihāsāni cānagha

ākhyātāny apy adhītāni

dharma-śāstrāṇi yāny uta

Synonyms

ṛṣayaḥ — the sages; ūcuḥ — said; tvayā — by you; khalu — undoubtedly; purāṇāni — the supplements to the Vedas with illustrative narrations; sa–itihāsāni — along with the histories; ca — and; anagha — freed from all vices; ākhyātāni — explained; api — although; adhītāni — well read; dharma–śāstrāṇi — scriptures giving right directions to progressive life; yāni — all these; uta — said.

Translation

The sages said: Respected Sūta Gosvāmī, you are completely free from all vice. You are well versed in all the scriptures famous for religious life, and in the Purāṇas and the histories as well, for you have gone through them under proper guidance and have also explained them.

Text 7

यानि वेदविदां श्रेष्ठो भगवान्बादरायणः

अन्ये च मुनयः सूत परावरविदो विदुः ॥ १.१.७ ॥

yāni veda-vidāṁ śreṣṭho

bhagavān bādarāyaṇaḥ

anye ca munayaḥ sūta

parāvara-vido viduḥ

Synonyms

yāni — all that; veda–vidām — scholars of the Vedas; śreṣṭhaḥ — seniormost; bhagavān — incarnation of Godhead; bādarāyaṇaḥ — Vyāsadeva; anye — others; ca — and; munayaḥ — the sages; sūta — O Sūta Gosvāmī; parāvara–vidaḥ — amongst the learned scholars, one who is conversant with physical and metaphysical knowledge; viduḥ — one who knows.

Translation

Being the eldest learned Vedāntist, O Sūta Gosvāmī, you are acquainted with the knowledge of Vyāsadeva, who is the incarnation of Godhead, and you also know other sages who are fully versed in all kinds of physical and metaphysical knowledge.

Text 8

वेत्थ त्वं सौम्य तत्सर्वं तत्त्वतस्तदनुग्रहात्

ब्रूयुः स्निग्धस्य शिष्यस्य गुरवो गुह्यमप्युत ॥ १.१.८ ॥

vettha tvaṁ saumya tat sarvaṁ

tattvatas tad-anugrahāt

brūyuḥ snigdhasya śiṣyasya

guravo guhyam apy uta

Synonyms

vettha — you are well conversant; tvam — Your Honor; saumya — one who is pure and simple; tat — those; sarvam — all; tattvataḥ — in fact; tat — their; anugrahāt — by the favor of; brūyuḥ — will tell; snigdhasya — of the one who is submissive; śiṣyasya — of the disciple; guravaḥ — the spiritual masters; guhyam — secret; api uta — endowed with.

Translation

And because you are submissive, your spiritual masters have endowed you with all the favors bestowed upon a gentle disciple. Therefore you can tell us all that you have scientifically learned from them.

Text 9

तत्र तत्राञ्जसायुष्मन्भवता यद्विनिश्चितम्

पुंसामेकान्ततः श्रेयस्तन्नः शंसितुमर्हसि ॥ १.१.९ ॥

tatra tatrāñjasāyuṣman

bhavatā yad viniścitam

puṁsām ekāntataḥ śreyas

tan naḥ śaṁsitum arhasi

Synonyms

tatra — thereof; tatra — thereof; añjasā — made easy; āyuṣman — blessed with a long duration of life; bhavatā — by your good self; yat — whatever; viniścitam — ascertained; puṁsām — for the people in general; ekāntataḥ — absolutely; śreyaḥ — ultimate good; tat — that; naḥ — to us; śaṁsitum — to explain; arhasi — deserve.

Translation

Please, therefore, being blessed with many years, explain to us, in an easily understandable way, what you have ascertained to be the absolute and ultimate good for the people in general.

Text 10

प्रायेणाल्पायुषः सभ्य कलावस्मिन्युगे जनाः

मन्दाः सुमन्दमतयो मन्दभाग्या ह्युपद्रुताः ॥ १.१.१० ॥

prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ sabhya

kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ

mandāḥ sumanda-matayo

manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ

Synonyms

prāyeṇa — almost always; alpa — meager; āyuṣaḥ — duration of life; sabhya — member of a learned society; kalau — in this Age of Kali (quarrel); asmin — herein; yuge — age; janāḥ — the public; mandāḥ — lazy; sumanda–matayaḥ — misguided; manda–bhāgyāḥ — unlucky; hi — and above all; upadrutāḥ — disturbed.

Translation

O learned one, in this iron Age of Kali men almost always have but short lives. They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all, always disturbed.

Text 11

भूरीणि भूरिकर्माणि श्रोतव्यानि विभागशः

अतः साधोऽत्र यत्सारं समुद्धृत्य मनीषया

ब्रूहि भद्राय भूतानां येनात्मा सुप्रसीदति ॥ १.१.११ ॥

bhūrīṇi bhūri-karmāṇi

śrotavyāni vibhāgaśaḥ

ataḥ sādho ’tra yat sāraṁ

samuddhṛtya manīṣayā

brūhi bhadrāya bhūtānām

yenātmā suprasīdati

Synonyms

bhūrīṇi — multifarious; bhūri — many; karmāṇi — duties; śrotavyāni — to be learned; vibhāgaśaḥ — by divisions of subject matter; ataḥ — therefore; sādho — O sage; atra — herein; yat — whatever; sāram — essence; samuddhṛtya — by selection; manīṣayā — to the best of your knowledge; brūhi — please tell us; bhadrāya — for the good of; bhūtānām — the living beings; yena — by which; ātmā — the self; suprasīdati — becomes fully satisfied.

Translation

There are many varieties of scriptures, and in all of them there are many prescribed duties, which can be learned only after many years of study in their various divisions. Therefore, O sage, please select the essence of all these scriptures and explain it for the good of all living beings, that by such instruction their hearts may be fully satisfied.

Text 12

सूत जानासि भद्रं ते भगवान्सात्वतां पतिः

देवक्यां वसुदेवस्य जातो यस्य चिकीर्षया ॥ १.१.१२ ॥

sūta jānāsi bhadraṁ te

bhagavān sātvatāṁ patiḥ

devakyāṁ vasudevasya

jāto yasya cikīrṣayā

Synonyms

sūta — O Sūta Gosvāmī; jānāsi — you know; bhadram te — all blessings upon you; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; sātvatām — of the pure devotees; patiḥ — the protector; devakyām — in the womb of Devakī; vasudevasya — by Vasudeva; jātaḥ — born of; yasya — for the purpose of; cikīrṣayā — executing.

Translation

All blessings upon you, O Sūta Gosvāmī. You know for what purpose the Personality of Godhead appeared in the womb of Devakī as the son of Vasudeva.

Text 13

तन्नः शुष्रूषमाणानामर्हस्यङ्गानुवर्णितुम्

यस्यावतारो भूतानां क्षेमाय च भवाय च ॥ १.१.१३ ॥

tan naḥ śuśrūṣamāṇānām

arhasy aṅgānuvarṇitum

yasyāvatāro bhūtānāṁ

kṣemāya ca bhavāya ca

Synonyms

tat — those; naḥ — unto us; śuśrūṣamāṇānām — those who are endeavoring for; arhasi — ought to do it; aṅga — O Sūta Gosvāmī; anuvarṇitum — to explain by following in the footsteps of previous ācāryas; yasya — whose; avatāraḥ — incarnation; bhūtānām — of the living beings; kṣemāya — for good; ca — and; bhavāya — upliftment; ca — and.

Translation

O Sūta Gosvāmī, we are eager to learn about the Personality of Godhead and His incarnations. Please explain to us those teachings imparted by previous masters [ācāryas], for one is uplifted both by speaking them and by hearing them.

Text 14

आपन्नः संसृतिं घोरां यन्नाम विवशो गृणन्

ततः सद्यो विमुच्येत यद्बिभेति स्वयं भयम् ॥ १.१.१४ ॥

āpannaḥ saṁsṛtiṁ ghorāṁ

yan-nāma vivaśo gṛṇan

tataḥ sadyo vimucyeta

yad bibheti svayaṁ bhayam

Synonyms

āpannaḥ — being entangled; saṁsṛtim — in the hurdle of birth and death; ghorām — too complicated; yat — what; nāma— the absolute name; vivaśaḥ — unconsciously; gṛṇan — chanting; tataḥ — from that; sadyaḥ — at once; vimucyeta — gets freedom; yat — that which; bibheti — fears; svayam — personally; bhayam — fear itself.

Translation

Living beings who are entangled in the complicated meshes of birth and death can be freed immediately by even unconsciously chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, which is feared by fear personified.

Text 15

यत्पादसंश्रयाः सूत मुनयः प्रशमायनाः

सद्यः पुनन्त्युपस्पृष्टाः स्वर्धुन्यापोऽनुसेवया ॥ १.१.१५ ॥

yat-pāda-saṁśrayāḥ sūta

munayaḥ praśamāyanāḥ

sadyaḥ punanty upaspṛṣṭāḥ

svardhuny-āpo ’nusevayā

Synonyms

yat — whose; pāda — lotus feet; saṁśrayāḥ — those who have taken shelter of; sūta — O Sūta Gosvāmī; munayaḥ — great sages; praśamāyanāḥ — absorbed in devotion to the Supreme; sadyaḥ — at once; punanti — sanctify; upaspṛṣṭāḥ — simply by association; svardhunī — of the sacred Ganges; āpaḥ — water; anusevayā — bringing into use.

Translation

O Sūta, those great sages who have completely taken shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord can at once sanctify those who come in touch with them, whereas the waters of the Ganges can sanctify only after prolonged use.

Text 16

को वा भगवतस्तस्य पुण्यश्लोकेड्यकर्मणः

शुद्धिकामो न शृणुयाद्यशः कलिमलापहम् ॥ १.१.१६ ॥

ko vā bhagavatas tasya

puṇya-ślokeḍya-karmaṇaḥ

śuddhi-kāmo na śṛṇuyād

yaśaḥ kali-malāpaham

Synonyms

kaḥ — who; vā — rather; bhagavataḥ — of the Lord; tasya — His; puṇya — virtuous; śloka–īḍya — worshipable by prayers; karmaṇaḥ — deeds; śuddhi–kāmaḥ — desiring deliverance from all sins; na — not; śṛṇuyāt — does hear; yaśaḥ — glories; kali — of the age of quarrel; mala–apaham — the agent for sanctification.

Translation

Who is there, desiring deliverance from the vices of the age of quarrel, who is not willing to hear the virtuous glories of the Lord?

Text 17

तस्य कर्माण्युदाराणि परिगीतानि सूरिभिः

ब्रूहि नः श्रद्दधानानां लीलया दधतः कलाः ॥ १.१.१७ ॥

tasya karmāṇy udārāṇi

parigītāni sūribhiḥ

brūhi naḥ śraddadhānānāṁ

līlayā dadhataḥ kalāḥ

Synonyms

tasya — His; karmāṇi — transcendental acts; udārāṇi — magnanimous; parigītāni — broadcast; sūribhiḥ — by the great souls; brūhi — please speak; naḥ — unto us; śraddadhānānām — ready to receive with respect; līlayā — pastimes; dadhataḥ — advented; kalāḥ — incarnations.

Translation

His transcendental acts are magnificent and gracious, and great learned sages like Nārada sing of them. Please, therefore, speak to us, who are eager to hear, about the adventures He performs in His various incarnations.

Text 18

अथाख्याहि हरेर्धीमन्नवतारकथाः शुभाः

ईला विदधतः स्वैरमीश्वरस्यात्ममायया ॥ १.१.१८ ॥

athākhyāhi harer dhīmann

avatāra-kathāḥ śubhāḥ

līlā vidadhataḥ svairam

īśvarasyātma-māyayā

Synonyms

atha — therefore; ākhyāhi — describe; hareḥ — of the Lord; dhīman — O sagacious one; avatāra — incarnations; kathāḥ— narratives; śubhāḥ — auspicious; līlā — adventures; vidadhataḥ — performed; svairam — pastimes; īśvarasya — of the supreme controller; ātma — personal; māyayā — energies.

Translation

O wise Sūta, please narrate to us the transcendental pastimes of the Supreme Godhead’s multi-incarnations. Such auspicious adventures and pastimes of the Lord, the supreme controller, are performed by His internal powers.

Text 19

वयं तु न वितृप्याम उत्तमश्लोकविक्रमे

यच्छृण्वतां रसज्ञानां स्वादु स्वादु पदे पदे ॥ १.१.१९ ॥

vayaṁ tu na vitṛpyāma

uttama-śloka-vikrame

yac-chṛṇvatāṁ rasa-jñānāṁ

svādu svādu pade pade

Synonyms

vayam — we; tu — but; na — not; vitṛpyāmaḥ — shall be at rest; uttama–śloka — the Personality of Godhead, who is glorified by transcendental prayers; vikrame — adventures; yat — which; śṛṇvatām — by continuous hearing; rasa — humor; jñānām — those who are conversant with; svādu — relishing; svādu — palatable; pade pade — at every step.

Translation

We never tire of hearing the transcendental pastimes of the Personality of Godhead, who is glorified by hymns and prayers. Those who have developed a taste for transcendental relationships with Him relish hearing of His pastimes at every moment.

Text 20

कृतवान्किल कर्माणि सह रामेण केशवः

अतिमर्त्यानि भगवान्गूढः कपटमानुषः ॥ १.१.२० ॥

kṛtavān kila karmāṇi

saha rāmeṇa keśavaḥ

atimartyāni bhagavān

gūḍhaḥ kapaṭa-mānuṣaḥ

Synonyms

kṛtavān — done by; kila — what; karmāṇi — acts; saha — along with; rāmeṇa — Balarāma; keśavaḥ — Śrī Kṛṣṇa; atimartyāni — superhuman; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; gūḍhaḥ — masked as; kapaṭa — apparently; mānuṣaḥ — human being.

Translation

Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, along with Balarāma, played like a human being, and so masked He performed many superhuman acts.

Text 21

कलिमागतमाज्ञाय क्षेत्रेऽस्मिन्वैष्णवे वयम्

आसीना दीर्घसत्रेण कथायां सक्षणा हरेः ॥ १.१.२१ ॥

kalim āgatam ājñāya

kṣetre ’smin vaiṣṇave vayam

āsīnā dīrgha-satreṇa

kathāyāṁ sakṣaṇā hareḥ

Synonyms

kalim — the Age of Kali (iron age of quarrel); āgatam — having arrived; ājñāya — knowing this; kṣetre — in this tract of land; asmin — in this; vaiṣṇave — specially meant for the devotee of the Lord; vayam — we; āsīnāḥ — seated; dīrgha — prolonged; satreṇa — for performance of sacrifices; kathāyām — in the words of; sa–kṣaṇāḥ — with time at our disposal; hareḥ — of the Personality of Godhead.

Translation

Knowing well that the Age of Kali has already begun, we are assembled here in this holy place to hear at great length the transcendental message of Godhead and in this way perform sacrifice.

Text 22

त्वं नः सन्दर्शितो धात्रा दुस्तरं निस्तितीर्षताम्

कलिं सत्त्वहरं पुंसां कर्णधार इवार्णवम् ॥ १.१.२२ ॥

tvaṁ naḥ sandarśito dhātrā

dustaraṁ nistitīrṣatām

kaliṁ sattva-haraṁ puṁsāṁ

karṇa-dhāra ivārṇavam

Synonyms

tvam — Your Goodness; naḥ — unto us; sandarśitaḥ — meeting; dhātrā — by providence; dustaram — insurmountable; nistitīrṣatām — for those desiring to cross over; kalim — the Age of Kali; sattva–haram — that which deteriorates the good qualities; puṁsām — of a man; karṇa–dhāraḥ — captain; iva — as; arṇavam — the ocean.

Translation

We think that we have met Your Goodness by the will of providence, just so that we may accept you as captain of the ship for those who desire to cross the difficult ocean of Kali, which deteriorates all the good qualities of a human being.

Text 23

ब्रूहि योगेश्वरे कृष्णे ब्रह्मण्ये धर्मवर्मणि

स्वां काष्ठामधुनोपेते धर्मः कं शरणं गतः ॥ १.१.२३ ॥

brūhi yogeśvare kṛṣṇe

brahmaṇye dharma-varmaṇi

svāṁ kāṣṭhām adhunopete

dharmaḥ kaṁ śaraṇaṁ gataḥ

Synonyms

brūhi — please tell; yoga–īśvare — the Lord of all mystic powers; kṛṣṇe — Lord Kṛṣṇa; brahmaṇye — the Absolute Truth; dharma — religion; varmaṇi — protector; svām — own; kāṣṭhām — abode; adhunā — nowadays; upete — having gone away; dharmaḥ — religion; kam — unto whom; śaraṇam — shelter; gataḥ — gone.

Translation

Since Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Absolute Truth, the master of all mystic powers, has departed for His own abode, please tell us to whom the religious principles have now gone for shelter.

(Sources: ISCKON)

GST Return under composition scheme : Serial number 4A of Table 4 of FORM GSTR-4 not needed to be filled

Posted on 19th Oct 2018 by Business So Simple in Miscellaneous

Serial number 4A of Table 4 of FORM GSTR-4 not needed to be filled

It is clarified that the taxpayers who have opted to pay tax under the composition levy shall not furnish the data in serial number 4A of Table 4 of FORM GSTR-4. The required changes in the CGST Rules, 2017 would be notified shortly

Clarification on the manner of filing the Quarterly Return by Composition Dealers in FORM GSTR-4

It has been brought to notice that doubts regarding the manner of filing the quarterly return by Composition Dealers in FORM GSTR-4 in the absence of auto-population of the details of inward supplies (other than supplies attracting reverse charge) received from registered suppliers exist amongst taxpayers.

In this regard, it is to clarify that the taxpayers who have opted to pay tax under the composition levy shall not furnish the data in serial number 4A of Table 4 of FORM GSTR-4. The required changes in the CGST Rules, 2017 would be notified shortly

Source- Press Release dated 17-October-2018 by Press Information Bureau, Government of India, Ministry of Finance

Source-

Srimad Bhagavatam: The Lord in the Heart (Canto 2, Chapter 2)

Posted on 29th Sep 2018 by Business So Simple in Miscellaneous

Text 1

S’rî S’uka said: ‘By contemplating the Supreme Self [of the Universal Form] from which one generated [like Lord Brahmâ did] one, by thus finding satisfaction [with the Original Person], regains the remembrance that was lost. With one’s vision thus cleared the intelligence then operates as before so that one can get one’s life in order.

S’rî S’uka said: ‘Soon, the soul from its birth, meditating the Universal Form regains its lost memories in thus finding peace with the Lord, whereafter, with a cleared vision, it can rebuild its life the way it was before. (Vedabase)

Text 2

One’s [spiritual] adherence to the sounds of the [impersonal] Absolute Truth makes the intelligence, because of the many terms [associated with it], ponder over incoherent ideas because of which one, without ever finding joy, wanders around in illusory realities – and the different desires belonging to them -, as if one is dreaming.

For certain the adherence to the spiritual makes the intelligence, because of its many names, ponder over meaningless ideas in which one wanders around in realities of illusion and its different desires without ever enjoying, as if one is dreaming. (Vedabase)

Text 3

With the practical insight that he otherwise would be engaged in [useless] troublesome work, an intelligent attentive person fixed in his attention to achieve perfection [in meditation], must therefore only minimally, not more than necessary, abide by imaginary [non-spiritual] purposes.

Therefore the enlightened person in the world of names should restrict himself to the bare necessities without being mad of desire, intelligently being fixed [on the Universal Form] in order to be successful. He should arrive at the practical insight that otherwise he would endeavor for the sake of hard work only.

Text 4

What is the need for endeavoring for a bed when you can lie on the ground; why would you strive for a pillow when you have your arms; why should you endeavor for utensils if you can eat with your hands and why would you worry about clothing when the trees are there [with their bark]?

What is the need of a bed, when one can lie on the ground; what is the need of a pillow when one has his arms; why should one use utensils if one can eat with one’s hands and with the cover of trees, what is the use of clothing?

Text 5

Are there no rags lying in the street, is there no giving in charity; do the trees not offer their alms maintaining others; have the rivers dried up; are the caves closed; has the Almighty Lord given up on protecting the surrendered soul? Why would a learned man then have to speak to the liking of those who are led by wealth?

Aren’t there rags lying on the road, isn’t there giving in charity; don’t the trees offer their alms maintaining others; have the rivers dried up; are the caves closed; did the Almighty Lord give up His protecting the surrendered soul? Then why should a learned man flatter the ones intoxicated by wealth?

Text 6

When one thus with the matter of Him, the most cherished, eternal, One Supersoul fully present in one’s heart, is detached from the world, one must be of worship for Him, the Fortunate One, the permanent gain by which for certain the cause of one’s material bondage is put to an end.

Thus will for certain with the worship of the in one’s heart so dearly cherished goal of the Supersoul perfect in itself, in detachment from the world for the sake of Him, the Eternal and Unlimited Supreme Lord, give the highest and lasting gain in which the cause of material bondage no doubt will find its end.

Text 7

Who else but the materialists would with neglecting the transcendental thoughts take to the non-permanent of material denominations because of which they, who constitute the general mass of the people that is controlled by the misery of the reactions of its fruitive labor, see themselves as fallen into the river of suffering?

Who else but the materialists would by neglecting the transcendental thoughts take to the non-permanent of names and see themselves, the general mass of the people, fallen into the river of suffering being overtaken by the misery that is the consequence of their own work?

Text 8

Others see in the meditation upon Him within their own body the Personality of Godhead residing in the region of the heart measuring eight inches, having four arms, carrying the lotus, the wheel of the chariot, the conch shell and the club.

Others see in the meditation on Him within their own body in the region of the heart the Personality of God residing there measuring eight inches in the notion of Him as having four arms, carrying the lotus, the wheel of the chariot, the conchshell and the club.

Text 9

With His mouth expressing happiness, His eyes wide open like a lotus, His clothes yellowish like a Kadamba flower, bedecked with jewels and with golden ornaments studded with precious stones, He wears a glowing headdress with earrings.

With His mouth expressing happiness, His eyes wide spread like a lotus, His clothes yellowish like a Kadamba flower bedecked with jewels and with golden ornaments studded with precious stones, He wears a glowing headdress with earrings.

Text 10

His feet are positioned on the whorl of the lotus hearts of the great mystics. On His chest He wears the beautifully engraved Kaustubha jewel and around His neck He has a fresh flower garland spreading its beauty.

His feet are on the whorl of the lotus hearts of the great mystics. On His chest He wears the beautifully engraved Kaustubha jewel and around His neck He has a fresh flower garland spreading its beauty.

Text 11

With a decorative wrap around His waist, valuable finger rings, ringing leglets, bangles, oiled spotless bluish, curly hair and His beautiful, smiling face He looks very pleasing.

With a decorative wrap around His waist, valuable finger rings, ringing leglets, bangles, oiled spotless bluish, curling hair and His beautiful, smiling face He looks very pleasing.

Text 12

His magnanimous pastimes and the glowing glances of His expression are indicative of the extensive benedictions of this particular transcendental form of the Lord one should focus upon as long as the mind can be fixed on it for the purpose of one’s meditation.

His magnanimous pastimes and the glowing glances of His expression are indicative for the extensive benedictions of this particular transcendental form of the Lord one should focus on as long as the mind can be fixed on it for one’s meditation.

Text 13

One should meditate upon the limbs one by one, starting from the feet up, until one sees His smiling face, and thus gradually taking control over the mind one departs in one’s meditation for higher and higher spheres and purifies that way the intelligence.

One by one, one should meditate the limbs, from the feet up, until one sees the smiling of His face, and thus gradually taking control over the mind one leaves in meditation for higher and higher spheres and purifies that way the intelligence.

Text 14

As long as the materialist has not developed devotional service to this form of the Lord who is the seer of the mundane and transcendental worlds, he must, when he is finished with his prescribed duties, with proper attention remember the Universal Form of the Original Person.

As long as the materialist does not develop devotional service to this form of the Lord, the seer of the mundane and transcendental worlds, he should, at the end of his prescribed duties, remember the Universal Form of the Original Person with proper attention.

Text 15

Whenever one desires to give up one’s body oh King, one should as a sage, without being disturbed, comfortably seated and with one’s thinking unperturbed by matters of time and place, in control of the life air restrain the senses with the help of the mind.

Whenever one desires to give up one’s body, o King, one should as a sage without being disturbed, comfortably seated with one’s thinking unperturbed by matters of time and place, control the senses by the mind in conquering the breath of life.

Text 16

Regulating the mind by the power of one’s pure intelligence in relation to the original witness within [the ‘knower of the field’], one should merge with this self. That self should be confined to the fully satisfied Supersoul and thus putting an end to all activities, one will attain full bliss.

The mind, by its own pure intelligence, should, by regulating itself to the living being with all of it, merge with the self, while that self should be locked to the fully satisfied Supersoul so that it thus, ending all other activities, may attain the full bliss.

Text 17

Therein one will not find the supremacy of time that for sure controls the godly who direct the worldly creatures with their demigods, nor will one find there mundane goodness, passion or ignorance or any material change or causality of nature at large.

Therein one will not find the supremacy of time that for sure controls the godly who direct the worldly creatures with their demigods, nor will one find there mundane goodness, passion or ignorance, nor any material change or causality of intelligence or nature.

Text 18

Knowing what and what not relates to the divine of the transcendental position, they who wish to avoid what is godless, completely give up the perplexities [of arguing to time and place], and place thereto in purely at Him directed good-will every moment His worshipable lotus feet in their heart.

Knowing what and what not relates to the divine of the supreme situation, those desiring to avoid the godless give up the perplexities [of arguing to time and place] completely in the absolute of the good will taking the worshipable lotus feet in their heart at every moment.

Text 19

The sage familiar with the science of properly regulating the force [of the senses] in service of the purpose of life, should retire in the following way: he must block his arse [‘air-hole’] with his heel and direct the life air upward through the six primary places [navel, plexus, heart, throat, eyebrows and top of the skull] and thus overcome the state of material inertia.

Through insight the philosopher thus should retire, familiar with the science of properly regulating the energy for the purpose of life, by blocking the arse [‘air-hole’] with one’s heel and directing the life air upward through the six primary places [navel, plexus, heart, throat, eyebrows and top of the skull] and thus put an end to the material desire.

Text 20

The meditator should, with the strength of his vision of wisdom, gradually direct the life breath from the navel to the plexus [the ‘heart’] and from there to the chest from where he should bring it slowly into his throat and thus extinguish his material desires.

The soaring force should gradually be directed from the navel to the plexus [the ‘heart’] onwards to the chest from where the meditator intelligently should search out the meditative by bringing it slowly into the throat.

Text 21

The seer who is of detachment should, in order to attain the Supreme, by blocking the seven outlets [the ears, the eyes, the nostrils and the mouth], from between the eyebrows enter the domain of the head to remain there for a while (‘half an hour’) for the sake of the ever fresh eternality.

From between the eyebrows the seer should, blocking the outlet of the seven centers and maintaining to the fearless, independent of sense enjoyment, for a while (‘half an hour’), enter the domain of the head and give up for the sake of the Supreme.

Text 22

If one, however, fosters a desire, oh King, to lord over what one calls the realm of enjoyment of the gods in the sky, or wishes to rule the world of the gunas [the modes of nature] using the eight mystic powers [the eight siddhis or perfections], one inevitably has to count with the mind and the senses associated therewith.

If however one maintains a desire, o King, to lord over, what one calls, the place of enjoyment of the gods in the sky, or with the eight mystic powers, [the eight siddhis] in the world of the guna’s [modes of nature] one will surely have to take it up with the mind and the senses that come along with it also.

Text 23

One says that the great transcendentalists in the realm of the subtle body, because of their knowledge, austerity, yoga and absorption are able to move freely within and without the three worlds, while those who do their work based upon material motives never attain such progress.

One says of the destination of the great transcendentalists who reside within and without of the three worlds, that they exist from within the air of the subtle body, while those who do their work materially motivated never attain to the progress to which those in the absorption of yoga achieve in the austerity of devotional service.

Text 24

In the control of the divinity of fire [Vais’vânara, or with regular sacrifice and meditation] one attains by following the path of [the sushumnâ, the channel of balancing] thebreath, the illuminating pure Spirit of the Absolute [Brahmaloka, the place of the Creator], whereupon being freed from impurities going upwards one [in respect of the cyclic order of the luminaries] reaches the [galactic cakra order of the] Lord, oh King, called S’is’umâra [meaning: dolphin, to the form of the Milky Way, galactic time].

In the control of the divinity of fire one reaches, following the movements in the sky, through the gracious passage of breath [the sushumnâ], the pure spirit [Brahmaloka, place of the Creator] that is illuminating and washing off the contaminations, after which one reaching upward attains to the circle [the cakra, the wheel], o King, called S’is’umâra [meaning: dolphin, to the form of the Milky Way, galactic time]. (Vedabase)

Text 25

Passing beyond that navel of the universe, the pivot, the center of spin of the Maintainer [Vishnu], only the individual living being who got purified by the realization of his smallness [the yogi], reaches the place worshiped by those who know the Absolute Spirit. The self-realized souls enjoy their stay there for the time of a kalpa [a day of Brahmâ].

Passing beyond that navel of the universe, the pivot of the Maintainer [Vishnu], is by the single living entity purified by the realization of his smallness, the place reached worshipable to those transcedentally situated, where the self-realized souls enjoy for the time of a kalpa [a day of Brahmâ].

Text 26

Thereupon he who from the bed of Vishnu [Ananta] sees how the universe is burning to ashes because of the fire from His mouth, will leave that place for the supreme abode that lasts for two parârdhas [the two halves of the life of Brahmâ] and is the home of the purified souls of elevation.

Thereupon, will he, who sees from the bed of Vishnu [Ananta] the universe burning to ashes by the fire of His mouth, be gone from that place to the supreme abode [of Brahmâ] that, home to the purified souls of elevation, lasts for two parârdhas [the two halves of the life of Brahmâ].

Text 27

There one will never find bereavement or old age, death, pain or anxieties, save that one sometimes has feelings of compassion when one sees the ignorant who are subjected to the hard to overcome misery of the repetition of birth and death.

There one will never find bereavement or old age, death, pain or anxieties, save that one sometimes has feelings of compassion, seeing how the ignorant are subjected to the hard to vercome misery of the repetition of birth and death.

Text 28

After surpassing the forms of water and fire and thus having reached that pure self free from fear, one thus having attained the effulgent atmosphere, in due course of time by the self its air reaches the ethereal self, the true greatness of one’s soul.

Without doubt from that pure self one attains, surpassing the forms of water and fire, to the effulgent atmosphere where, in due course of time, the self by its air attains to the ethereal, the real greatness of the soul.

Text 29

By scents having the smell, by the palate having the taste, by the eye having visions, by physical contact being in touch and finally by sound vibrations experiencing the quality of the ether, the yogi by dint of the activity of the senses also attains [the more subtle sphere].

By smelling scents, by the taste of the palate, by the seeing of forms and being in touch through physical contact, and, as it were, through aural reception attaining to the identification with the ethereal, the yogi by the senses also attains to material actions.

Text 30

After he thus at the mental level in relation to the gross and subtle has reached a neutral point of I-awareness, he in the mode of goodness surpasses that realization of himself that is subject to change [the ego] and progresses, by stopping the operation of the natural modes, towards the reality of perfect wisdom.

In the mode of goodness he surpasses the change to the material form by neutralizing the gross and subtle senses, seeing by that progress the wisdom of true reality [self-realization] coming along in that complete suspension of the [operating] material modes.

Text 31

By that purification towards the self of the Supersoul, the person attains the peace, satisfaction and natural delight of being freed from all impurities. He who attains this destination of devotion certainly will never again get attracted to this material world, my dearest [Parîkchit].

The person by that purification to the self of the Supersoul attains to the rest, satisfaction and natural delight of being freed from all contaminations. He who attains to this destination of devotion for sure will never become attracted to this material world again, my dearest [Parîkchit]. (Vedabase)

Text 32

The [two direct and indirect] paths that I described to you, oh protector of man, is as your Majesty requested in proper accord with the Vedas. It is also in full agreement with the eternal truth as formerly explained by Lord Vâsudeva to Lord Brahmâ who had satisfied Him in worship.

All that I described to you, o protector of man, is according to the Vedas as your Majesty properly requested for, and it is also verily in accord with the eternal truth as it definitely was heard in the pure of the spirit to the satisfaction of the worshiped Supreme Lord Vâsudeva.

Text 33

For those who in this life wander around in the material universe, there is for sure no way of attaining more auspicious than the [direct] path by which one arrives at the devotional service [bhakti-yoga] of the Supreme Personality Lord Vâsudeva.

For those wandering in this life in the material universe, is there for sure nothing more auspicious as a means of attaining than that at which is aimed in the devotional service [bhakti-yoga] towards the Supreme Personality Lord Vâsudeva.

Text 34

The great personality [Vyâsadeva] studied the Vedas three times in total and scrutinously, with scholarly attention examining them he ascertained that someone is optimally focussed when he is attracted to the soul.

The great personality [Vyâsadeva] studied the Vedas three times, and scrutinizingly examining with scholarly attention, he ascertained that one’s mind is properly fixed in being attracted to the soul.

Text 35

The Supreme Personality can be perceived in all living beings as the actual nature of that soul, as the Lord who by the intelligence of the seer is recognized by inference from different signs and effects.

The Supreme Personality can be perceived in all living beings as the actual nature of that soul; as the Lord who is discerned by the intelligence of the seer in different signs and suppositions.

Text 36

Therefore every human soul, oh King, must wherever he is and whenever he exists, hear about, glorify and remember the Lord as the Supreme Personality of the human being.

Therefore must every human soul, o King, wherever and whenever hear about, glorify and remember the Lord, the Supreme Personality.

Text 37

They who fill their ears with the narrations about the Supreme Lord most dear to the devotees and drink from that nectar, will find their, by material pleasure contaminated, state of mind purified and return to the presence of His lotus feet.’

Those who drink the nectar filling their ears with the narrations about the Supreme Lord, the dearest to the devotees, will purify their material enjoyment, the polluted aim of life, and go back to the feet that reside near the lotus.’

Srimad Bhagavatam: The First Step in God Realization (Canto 2, Chapter 1)

Posted on 29th Sep 2018 by Business So Simple in Miscellaneous

Text 1

S’rî S’uka said: ‘This inquiry of yours for the good of all people is the best thing you can do, because this subject of study, oh King, carries the approval of the transcendentalists and constitutes the supreme of all that is worth the attention.

Text 2

Oh Emperor, there are countless subject matters to hear about in human society that are of interest to those who, attached to their household life, are materially engrossed and are blind to the reality of the soul.

Text 3

They spend their lives, oh King, with sleeping and making love during the night and with making money and taking care of their family during the day.

Text 4

Overly attached to the fallible allies of the body, the children, the wife and everything thereto, they, despite their experience, do not see the finality of these matters.

Text 5

For that reason, oh descendant of Bharata, He must be discussed, glorified and remembered who as the Supersoul, the Supreme Personality, the controller and vanquishing Lord, frees those who are of desire from their anxieties.

Text 6

All this analyzing in the knowledge of yoga of one’s particular nature and how a person after being born should attain the full awareness of the Supreme, in the end only concerns the remembrance of Nârâyana [Krishna as the Supreme Personality].

Text 7

In general it are the sages who, free from the material modes having mastered the prescriptions and restrictions, oh King, take pleasure in especially describing the glories of the Lord.

Text 8

This story called the Bhâgavatam contains the essence of the Vedas and was by me, at the end of this Dvâpara-yuga [the age of honoring monarchs], studied under the guidance of my father Dvaipâyana Vyâsa.

Text 9

Despite being fully accomplished in transcendence the enlightened verses about the [Lord’s] pastimes drew my attention, oh saintly King, and thus I studied them.

Text 10

I will recite it to you, because you, oh goodness, are a most sincere devotee. They who respectfully dedicate their full attention to it very soon will realize an unflinching faithin Mukunda [Krishna as the Lord granting liberation].

Text 11

For both those who crave free from piously exercising respect and for yoga practitioners who are free from fear and doubts, oh King, the, according to the tradition, repeating of the name of the Lord constitutes the approved method.

Text 12

What is the use of spending one’s years as an ignoramus in this world without having [this] experience? The hour one deliberately spends in service of the higher cause is the better one.

Text 13

The saintly king known as Khathvânga cast aside everything when he knew that he had but a moment to live longer in this world and thus experienced the full security of the Lord.

Text 14

Oh member of the Kuru family, therefore also your life’s duration that is limited to seven days, should inspire you to perform everything that traditionally belongs to the rituals for a next life.

Text 15

Facing the end of one’s life one should be free from the fear of death by cutting, with the help of the weapon of non-attachment, with one’s desires and everything material associated with them.

Text 16

In pious self control leaving one’s home behind, one should head for a sacred place and properly cleansed in solitude sit down in a position in accordance with the regulations.

Text 17

The mind should then be turned to the three sacred transcendental letters [A-U-M]. Regulating one’s breath one thus should get the mind under control so that the primary cause of the absolute Spirit [Brahman] is not forgotten.

Text 18

With the intelligence as the driver, the [horses of the] senses with the help of the mind should be led away from their objects. The mind that is motivated for results should for that purpose consciously be fixed on the auspicious cause [of the Lord].

Text 19

Not allowing to be distracted by the outside world, one thereafter consecutively focusses one’s mind on the different parts of His body. One should thereto not think of anything else but the refuge [constituted by the feet] of the Supreme Lord Vishnu who thus pacifies the mind.

Text 20

Because of the passion and inertia of nature the mind is always agitated and bewildered, but one will get that under control in the concentration of the ones pacified, in the focus that puts an end to all impurity.

Text 21

They who fixed in the habit of such a systematic remembrance seek unification and hold on to this devotion will soon be of success under the shelter of the yoga that approves this.’

Text 22

The king, attentive to what was said, asked: ‘Oh brahmin, what is in summary the idea of the way by which a person may directly put an end to the impurities of his mind?’

Text 23

S’rî S’uka said: ‘When one sits down in control, has subdued one’s breath and has conquered one’s attachment as also one’s senses, one should focus one’s attention on the gross matter of the outer appearance of the Supreme Lord [the virâth-rûpa].

Text 24

His personal body is this gross material world in which we experience all that belongs to the past, the present and the future of this universe in existence.

Text 25

This outer shell of the universe that we know as a body consisting of seven coverings [see kos’as], constitutes the notion of the object of the Universal Form of the Purusha [the Original Person] who is the Supreme Lord.

Text 26

The lower worlds are by the ones who studied it recognized as the soles of His feet [called Pâtâla] of which His heels and toes are called Rasâtala, His ankles Mahâtala while the shanks of the gigantic person are called the Talâtala worlds.

Text 27

The two knees of the Universal Form are called Sutala, the thighs Vitala and Atala and the hips are named Mahîtala, oh King. Outer space is accepted as the depression of His navel.

Text 28

The higher, illumined worlds are His chest, with above it the neck called Mahar. His mouth is called Jana while Tapas is the name of the worlds of the forehead with Satyaloka [the world of Truth] as the uppermost of the [middle] worlds of the Original Personality who has a thousand heads.

Text 29

The gods headed by Indra are His arms, the four directions are His ears and sound is His sense of hearing. The nostrils of the Supreme One are the As’vinî-Kumâras [a type of demigods] while fragrance is His sense of smell and His mouth the blazing fire.

Text 30

The sphere of outer space constitutes the pits of His eyes, while the eyeball of the sun makes up His seeing. The eyelids of Vishnu are the day and night, the movements of His eyebrows are the supreme entity [Brahmâ and the other demigods], His palate is the director of water [Varuna] and His tongue is the nectarine juice.

Text 31

They say that the Vedic hymns are the thought process of the Unlimited One, that His jaws make up Yamarâja [the Lord of death], His teeth are His affection and that His smile is the most alluring, unsurpassable material energy [mâyâ]. Material creation is only the casting of His glance.

Text 32

Modesty is His upper lip, His chin stands for the hankering, religion is His breast and the path of irreligion is His back. Brahmâ is His genitals, His testicles are the Mitrâ-varunas [the friends], His waist the oceans and the stack of His bones are the mountains.

Text 33

His veins are the rivers and the plants and trees are the hairs on the body of the Universal Form, oh King. The air is His omnipotent breathing, the passing of the ages, Time, is His movement and the constant operation of the modes of material nature is His activity.

Text 34

Let me tell you that the hairs on the head of the Supreme One are the clouds, oh best of the Kurus, and that the intelligence of the Almighty One is the prime cause of the material creation, so one says. His mind, the reservoir of all changes, is known as the moon.

Text 35

The great principle constitutes His consciousness, so one says, while Lord S’iva is the cause within [His ego, His self]. The horse, mule, camel and elephant are His nails, and all other game and quadrupeds are represented in the region of His belt.

Text 36

The singing of the birds is His artistic sense and Manu, the father of man, forms the contents of His thought with humanity as His residence. The angelic and celestial beings [the Gandharvas, Vidyâdharas and Caranas] constitute His musical rhythm while the remembrance of terrorizing soldiers represents His prowess.

Text 37

With the intellectuals [brahmins] for the face and the rulers [kshatriyas] for the arms of the Universal Form, the traders [vais’yas] are the thighs and the laborers [s’ûdras, the dark or ‘krishna’-class] occupy His feet. Through the various names of the demigods He gains in stature with the provision of feasible goods [that appease Him] by means of the performance of sacrifices.

Text 38

I explained all these locations in the Form of the Supreme Lord to you so that anyone who concentrates his mind on this virâth-rûpa Universal Form can attain his goal byintelligence. Beyond Him after all, there is nothing else to be found in the gross of matter.

Text 39

He who as the Supersoul in so many ways can be seen present in all kinds of forms, just like a dreamer can see himself [in different situations], is the one and only Supreme Truth and ocean of bliss. One must direct oneself to Him alone and nothing else if one does not want to see oneself degraded by attachments.’